rekindledtitan | Excerpt 001: Enquiring Minds

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Excerpt 001: Enquiring Minds

TYPE: Patrol log

LOCATION: Ishtar Sink, Venus

PARTIES: Three [3]. One [1] Ghost-type, [1] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [

rekindledtitan ], One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Aran, Samus [

ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Samus Aran; Chozo; Ishtar Sink; Hezen Protective; Pelsor; House of Winter; Drevis; Blaze-37; Ishtar Academy

They land in a clearing on the city outskirts with grass under their boots and a heavy overcast above. The breeze that greets them is hot and humid, a little acidic. Around them is a densely-grown treeline, with broad leaves that are near-luminescent shades of green. Their rustle is echoed by the distant wash of waves from beyond the ruins.

Blaze turns to scan the area, hopeful of opposition even though her Ghost already checked the site. The broken towers and city blocks are quiet within the overgrowth. But then it’s not the human ruins which really stand out. To the north a massive volcano takes up much of the sky, belching out a noxious plume of ash and gas. Small wonder that each shift in the breeze makes the scent of the air waver between sulfurous and salty. Over the hills to both south and east loom dark geometric structures. Look at them with anything other than the optical spectrum, and they emit some very peculiar readings.

“At last,” the Exo remarks, feeling a thrill that doesn’t break her readiness. Her head’s turned up to check the skyline as she speaks. Then she's moving for the buildings. “We’re in Guardian territory, more or less. Doesn’t stretch too far yet. Won’t take long to find some trouble.”

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Turns out they can't. They really can't. At this range, Blaze's optics are only a little fuzzed (and X-ray, indeed, is quite untouched). She has a good view when those missiles strike home and their targets disappear in flame and it is so very lovely to watch.

//Nice strike!// She guns her engines, making up lost speed. //I wish I could hear them recalculating right now. Oh- and let's match speeds a second, my Ghost wants to switch over.//

*Samus grins in her helmet. Matching speed, she sends a few beams of plasma down-range to keep the snipers hunkered down.*

Well, you set them up for me.

//Keep knocking them down like that and this might get too easy.// Blaze sounds like she's grinning herself. //We'd better find some more, huh?//

The snipers' defensive reflex is actually rather useful for keeping them immobile. The survivors won't get more than a couple of shots in before the two bikes are beyond their line.

Blaze pulls close enough to stretch her hand over Samus' pike. The Ghost materializes briefly, then disappears into the circuitry. Blaze can't help shooting another glance at it as she pulls away. There's just a tiny bit of tension at the separation.

*Those snipers are lucky they're considered mere obstacles, and not higher-priority targets, or that hunkering-down would serve them in very poor stead. As it is, Samus will be keeping an eye out for more stringent point-defense now that they're past the Citadel's first line.*

Well, you know the saying, "the victorious warrior wins when it's easy to win."

*Noting the glance, Samus makes an educated guess.*

I'll keep him safe 'til he's back with you. Promise.

//I haven't heard that one before.//

At that promise, she looks Samus' way and flashes a thumbs-up. Her voice is a little surprised, but sincere. //Thanks. I appreciate it.//

The Citadel stays oddly quiet as they approach. Perhaps that fits with a structure that has no visible weapon arrays. Or features beyond the irregularly arranged blocks and wings. At its foot however is an open courtyard, and there is movement on the far side.

You haven't?!

*Samus is genuinely surprised.*

What kind of strategy did they teach you?

*Samus leans close over her pike, sheltering under its shields, cutting wind resistance, and trying to peer ahead at the reception awaiting them, even as she guns the engine for the final stretch.*

//The kind that doesn't use the word 'easy' much.// She sounds bemused, but figures it's not the moment for contemplation.

Shiny metal surfaces lurk beneath the terrain now, protruding in places to whisper with distorted energies. The Citadel's roots run deep and wide. Ahead, access to the main structure seems to be via a bridge to an elevated platform. On the flagstones there wait two hulking mechanoids about eight feet in height. The Pikes aren't hard to hear coming, but these door guards show no reaction until the intruders cross into the court itself. Into range.

//They look fun.//

//

The modifications are complete. Please don't activate mine deployment unless you really mean it. And be warned, that's where the strafing controls were.

Thank you, Ghost. Back to Blaze, now?

*Anticipating an affirmative, Samus is already angling her pike close alongside her companion's for the drop-off; she'll try to be away again before they enter the courtyard, to make it harder for the guards to concentrate their fire.*

Let's introduce ourselves. Hi, I'm-

*A burst of fire from her pike's weapon drowns out her words.*

-on behalf of-

*Another burst of fire. As much as she's able, she's walking her fire over the guardians, trying to see what parts of themselves they move to protect.*

//Yes, thank you.// Blaze is more than ready to extend a hand for it to jump back.

Once in the courtyard, she pulls aside to add her own fire. Disappointingly the bridge to their opponents is littered with great stone blocks. They'll give cover and break a mounted charge equally well. There are a couple of elevated ridges either side of the courtyard... But they don't actually connect to the access platorm, which is what she's looking for. //I'm guessing these are minotaurs. Hmm- could stash the Pike under that bridge for a minute. They can't shoot there.//

The guards return fire with blasts of strange matter that arc and hit like mortar shells. They too are separating with slow, regular steps, covered by a purple-flaring energy shield. Luckily, the Wolves really love their heavy guns. Those Pike cannons take a quick toll, prompting guttural electronic grumbles. The guards will start pulling behind cover almost immediately.

*Samus' eye is turned to those raised ridges, as well, mentally measuring whether they could serve as ramps to a jump. She sends her own pike skidding sideways, concentrating fire at the minotaurs' leg joints as much as she can. If they're feeling the fire through their shields, she may as well strike to cripple and limit their options. It will also be telling, whether the one supports the other or leaves it to its fate.*

*And then, because riding atomic jet-bikes packed with hair-trigger explosives through a firing range isn't challenging enough, she'll pick up the conversation they'd been having on strategy.*

They tell you to strike your enemies when they're scattered and disorganized, not massed and coordinated, right? Aim for the weak points, not the armor? Winning when it's easy--comparatively speaking.

A jump might work if the Pikes weren't so heavy. As it is, they'd need more acceleration than their boosters can provide. Lacking the patience to try and pick at their shields, Blaze hits the boosters and and swings under the bridge. One minotaur is lagging in its retreat, still firing away as it tries to restore shields. The other makes no special move to assist it.

//What?// No, she wasn't expecting a chat. //Oh- yeah. I follow you.// She leaves the Pike resting against a wall, drawing the second and chunkier weapon at her back. //Everyone knows to take an opening when you find it. After that it-// she leaps up to the far ridge, charging her fusion rifle, //-depends who you're asking.//

She fires an energy beam at the forward minotaur to knock out the rest of its shields. Samus is likely to finish it off before she can. Either way the Guardian's going to jump in there - despite the sudden cry from her Ghost.

//Look out! Picking up a surge of Vex around us!//

The air is darkening everywhere there's high ground, especially the exits to the courtyard. A black mist gathers, already sparking with electrical discharge. They have just a few seconds before the new troops materialize.

Thanks.

*Samus welcomes the assist, gunning her pike's engine as its weapon chews up the minotaur. She follows the Guardian's example, springing clear before it's quite fully stopped.*

Quick question, do we understand how their teleporting works yet?

*Not that she's expecting an answer before the Vex arrive. She'll send a spray of missiles toward where it looks like the densest cloud not guarding the courtyard exit is going to appear.*

Samus will want to aim for the bridge: besides cutting them off, it looks like their mechanoid foes plan to make full use of all the cover they've left around. The first minotaur is a shattered wreck when Blaze hits the platform, so she wheels and closes in on the second.

//No.// That's the Ghost's short answer, as the Vex materialize and the missiles strike down among the stones. The new units are small, with fan-like heads and glowing white segments on their chests. There are a dozen on the bridge alone- before a missile shreds one and splash damage knocks the head from another couple. They're not particularly tough, moving in lockstep and co-ordinating fire automatically.

The Ghost keeps talking while Blaze charges through a bolt from the minotaur. //I know they're using a conflux nearby. If we shut it down we can stop their reinforcemen-//

With an electronic howl the minotaur vanishes from Blaze's sights, making her waste a fusion burst. It reappears close enough to bludgeon the startled Exo with its weapon.

Alright, Ghost, pinning down that conflux is on you.

*If the newly-arrived Vex want to take cover, Samus will be happy to give them reason, switching to the wave beam and spraying fire quick and wide--even when they aren't fully charged, the oscillating pulses home in on targets, and while they don't tend to stun as much, they still hurt. Keeping them from getting involved in the fight is step one of helping Blaze, and step two is mag-locking her own boots to the ground (she hopes--there ought to be enough ferrous material in there for it to work) and firing a grapple line from her left wrist to catch the minotaur--weapon, arm, back, she's not picky. She'll either pull it off-balance or pull it apart (or, if there's really not that much metal in the ground where she's standing, it'll soon be wearing her for a hat).*

The Hunter's spray of fire prompts the main reinforcements to hunker behind their cover to minimize damage - except the ones who lose their heads. Those let out scratching, stuttering sounds and charge to find a path toward the first enemy they see, spewing fire as soon as they're in range. At least it makes them easier to hit.

It's only after Blaze hits the minotaur with a fistful of lightning that she realizes it didn't hit her, that its fist is still held in the air with a grapple around it. //Oh- hey, thanks!//

Naturally, she hits the creature again. And again, forcing it back to the edge. Her Ghost lets out a little sound, like a sigh of relief. //Tracing the conflux. Blaze, snipers on the ledges behind you. More Vex coming in from the rear.//

My pleasure.

*When the minotaur looks to be at the edge of its balance, Samus gives a sharp heave on the grapple before letting go, turning her attention to the Vex on the bridge. Curling up into her morph ball, she scoots up the bridge, weaving to avoid fire as much as she can, putting on sudden bursts of speed to bowl through any that try to physically interpose themselves. She'll uncurl again at the top, turning to rain fire down on the Vex--they can have cover from her, or cover from Blaze. Which will they choose?*

The minotaur topples from the platform with a distorted cry. Blaze plants a boot on the edge and leans over to pump a fusion burst into its sparking frame.

The surviving Vex prioritize the more unfamiliar foe, re-positioning with short teleports in an attempt to flank her. They are exposing themselves to Blaze, but they might think that's covered- a sniper round lances into her back, eliciting a muffled grunt of pained surprise. The Ghost did warn her. Maybe she'll help Samus pin down her new friends. Steal their cover.

//Wait, I see it! Let me out under there!// The Ghost flags a shadowed opening in one corner, tucked into the Citadel's shadow atop one stony ridge.

*With the Vex on the bridge cowering from her (and doesn't that feel good?), Samus takes the opportunity to fire a few rounds at the snipers who just shot Blaze. She expects they'll duck behind cover or their shields, but while they're pinned down, they're not shooting, and she'll be happy to buy her ally a few seconds to make the next move.*

Blaze tears into the exposed infantry with a will, forcing them back into Samus' line of fire. By now they're too scattered to return the damage effectively, although one or two lift a hand to hit her with a short-range energy pulse.

//All right- we'll finish these, then go for the conflux.//

//They have reinforcements,// the Ghost points out. A small flock of floating drones are following Samus' path up the bridge, apparently hoping to glide in while their foes are preoccupied. //They'll only keep coming until we shut down their access.// There's a barely-detectable pause. //It could be heavily defended.//

//Good point. Let's go!//

*There's a delicious irony in catching the force that had been sent to flank them between Blaze and herself, and Samus scythes down the Vex that her companion drives into her line of fire with a will.*

*While Blaze goes for the conflux, Samus decides to draw fire by making a big, fat target of herself. Or, rather, a fast-moving but exceedingly annoying target, as she leaps at the cloud of drones. She'll be doing her level best to kick off of them, hopping from one to another, kicking or slapping others in passing to change her own trajectory in mid-arc.*

The floating machines are quick and maneuverable - they're also rather big, with three broad, ridged segments sweeping petal-like from the central eye. For some reason they have tentacle-like filaments coiling out from behind them. They scatter and reform trying to get a fix on Samus. They can't fire while moving, so they only manage to spit the odd hail of rapid-fire energy bolts at her. All the while they squeal and trill like dry gears: it would be an awful sound, except that in context they sound more like a panicky flock of robotic chickens. With laser turrets.

Blaze misses this particular fun, making a thrust-aided hop to the ridge Ghost points out. From there she can charge in to that half-hidden opening, only briefly wondering //Was this here before-?//

She's greeted by the cry of a minotaur. More than one. No stopping to shoot this time: she just lets off a flashbang. //Woah. Kinda crowded in here!//

*If Samus can't kick off of the drones, she'll just kick off of the air itself--her suit's jump-assist jets don't care much whether she's on the ground, and she can keep bouncing back and forth, changing trajectories at a whim, for as long as she cares to keep it up. Or until Blaze needs back-up.*

On my way.

*She reconfigures her arm cannon again, this time to a shortened, stubby-looking setting with a rectangular module projecting up an inch from the top rear; blue-white light illuminates the seams as a hum of power builds. Leaping clear of the cloud of drones and in the conflux's direction, she fires a missile behind her into the midst of the swarm. This one is different from her earlier explosives; larger, heavier, its warhead carries a payload of cryonic gel, and it explodes without impacting on anything (unless she's very lucky), scattering the frigid liquid in a fine mist. It should be an instant icing problem for any drones caught in the cloud, leaving Samus free to charge into the conflux and see what Blaze has found.*

//No rush.//

The crippled drones can't hope to pursue, and though the snipers far behind take a few potshots Samus has an otherwise unobstructed run. Behind the opening is a rather small room, definitely too small for the three minotaurs inside. They surround a pillar of glowing white lines, interconnecting in a grid-like mesh. The conflux itself - or its visible representation.

It's not visible to anyone but Samus just now. Blaze's flashbang has blinded her as well as the hulking robots. Two are wandering aimlessly as they try to recover their inputs. Blaze has the the third in an armlock and is giving it a new sort of input, via punching its side until she feels armour buckle.

Ghost, does this thing need a controlled shutdown, or can we just wreck it?

*While she's waiting for an answer, Samus pounces on one of the minotaurs while its back is turned. She's been spending energy fairly freely in this fight, and while her suit's reserves are deep, she's always willing to replenish them given an opportunity. Finding a weak point and tearing into it, the Hunter goes hunting for a power supply to drain.*

Getting hands-on with a minotaur reveals a few things about Vex anatomy. There's a local power supply, that's simple enough, but it's intertwined with what looks like the comms system (which is nigh indistinguishable from central processing). Nor does the power supply extend out to any recharge ports. Additionally, the milky fluid she might have seen spurting from a few of the broken Vex is here too, around the processors. If Samus is doing any analysis, she'll notice it's not coolant - the stuff's biological. Radiolarian soup.

//We need to shut it down. This is just an access point.// the Ghost responds. Her optics are recovering - faster than the minotaurs', it must be said - but Blaze is working largely by feel as she presses her fusion rifle against the break she's made and holds the trigger.

"Don't worry," she says aloud, shoving the husk aside and lunging for the hazy column of light. Extending a hand, she lets the Ghost out to work on the interface, then looks around to check on Samus.

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