rekindledtitan | Excerpt 002: Traveler's Rest

Entry tags:

Excerpt 002: Traveler's Rest

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: The Last City, Earth

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

rekindledtitan ], One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Willis, Verity [

brave_heart_verity ]; [other parties redacted]

ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Verity Willis; Earth; The City; Vanguard; Blaze-37; Glass-smiths

An Exo ought to be good at waiting. They're soldier and machine both, trained for stoicism and designed for tireless analysis. Blaze sometimes thinks she’s the only one built who ever gets bored. (Aside from Cayde, maybe, and he makes it sound like he's had a very long time to learn.)

Her patrol concluded without much incident, she paces back to the Forum, guns still dozing at her back and her Ghost zipping curiously from one side to the other ahead of her. It murmurs its observations to her in passing, and she responds gladly. A fight would be better, but she’ll take the idle chatter. Her memory is brimming with new half-processed data, even from one patrol in the Nexus – odd discussions heard and alien kitchens smelt, the weird spiky grass in the park crunching under her boots, so many- one hundred and forty-three new faces since the last trip, ninety-one human by visual-

But she isn’t one for dwelling on things. So she circles the Forum to take in the sights, cutting her route through the spot where she and Verity last spoke to make sure of spotting her friend.

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"Basically. Works about the same. Ghost connected up a device Samus gave us so it'll work between the Nexus and our jumpship. It's a bit disorienting, that's all. But we'll show you."

She nods to the Ghost to engage, taking all three of them in a white flare to the confines of the jumpship. It tries to give Verity a bit of space, at least, by dumping Blaze straight in the pilot's chair. The back of their ship isn't very spacious, just large enough for one person in bulky armor to move around and get at all the hatches lining the walls. There are others on the floor, hidden by a small pile of assorted couch cushions. At their return, there's a welcoming chirp and the lights power up.

"A PINpo--" okay that was sudden "--int?"

She was not lying about that being disorienting. Verity will lean against a wall for a few minutes while the lights come on and Blaze does whatever piloty stuff is necessary. But she's already looking around for windows. If she's in space she wants to see it!

"You have your own ship? That's so cool."

The only windows seem to be the forward cockpit ones, but they're big enough to give a good view. The brilliantly starred background is dominated by the bright sweep of Earth. Between the swirling clouds it's possible to pick out the outline of South America's western coast ahead of them.

"A PINpoint, right," Blaze confirms, waking up the ship and setting its course. The engines spin up, nosing the little ship toward the planet and gently correcting its orientation so that down is the same way for both of them. (And sliding their gravitational pulls into line, which makes things a bit less disorienting.) The Ghost hovers close at hand, making sure Verity's okay with the transition before it checks the readings on the forward display.

Once they're in motion, she looks around at Verity. "Can't do much to protect the City without a ship. I'm glad you like her, though. We pulled her out of a crash site in the European Dead Zone. Lucky she still had her NLS - uh, Near-Light-Speed drive intact."

Ghost gets a thumbs-up when she's feeling better. It helps when gravity makes sense again. Is it obvious she hasn't spent much time in space? Because she really has very little idea what's going on, just that the floor is working again and that's really nice. That means she can move to lean against the back of Blaze's seat, wanting to admire the view without getting in the way.

"It's so beautiful..." of course, it's easy to say that when she doesn't know what it looks like on the ground. Words like 'dead zone' do diminish her enjoyment somewhat. "Near light speed? That must make these little jaunts around the solar system easier. Where's your city?"

Ghost is quietly quite relieved. It's just realized that they don't carry anything to relieve motion sickness and that... might have been awkward.

"Isn't it?" Blaze agrees warmly. Say what you like about her job, the views are stunning. "The City's on the old South American continent. See that cloud mass north of our heading? We'll swing around and come in over the mountains. Gets a little bumpy when we go through the storm wall, so Ghost borrowed a few cushions if you need them."

She's fortunately always had a strong stomach.

"It's in there? That's quite a storm. Is it always like that?" She leans in a little to peer at what she can see of the clouds and the mountains. Ghost gets a grateful smile. "So thoughtful, thank you. I take it that means there's no place for me to buckle in."

"Unfortunately, no. Most of our jumpships are short-range craft designed for one person. At least, one human-size person."

"It was kinda funny to watch you fly around the Nexus vacuuming up cushions though." Blaze taps at the controls, opening a brief data feed to Tower control to notify them of the incoming ship and request a clear airway.

"Er, she means I used the transmat."

"Right. Anyway, yeah- the storm ring's permanent. The Traveler controls the weather around the City - and helps keep out enemy air traffic. That's why we couldn't PINpoint straight into the Tower. But it'll let us through." The ship drops smoothly, only slowing a little as atmospheric drag builds up and the dampers compensate. They're curving around over mountains and thick forest before they drop into the heavy cloud cover.

"Then I'll trust you're a good pilot." She giggles at their banter. "I wish my vacuum could send dirt into the cold void of space. It'd be so much more convenient than replacing the bags."

She hums thoughtfully at the idea of a storm that keeps PINpoints out. It must be more than wind and rain. She wonders... maybe they'll tell her more about it when more people here trust her. The view helps make up for the need to wait. "Those are the Andes, right? Or. I mean they might not be called that anymore."

"You'd have the bonus of seeding your own asteroid. You can always use one of those."

If there's a lot they don't explain, most of that may be down to their own lack of knowledge. The best minds among them only scratch the surface in their understanding of the Traveler and its abilities - even after borrowing said powers for centuries.

"I've heard that name for them. They probably haven't changed much, eh? I mean besides all the battles. And the Traveler altering the climate- you know what, never mind." There's a chirp from the display as the Tower responds, and Blaze opens the feed for a moment. "Thanks, control. We're coming in now."

She closes it just as they swoop into the mass of clouds ahead. A peal of thunder rolls out to greet them, sending a muffled rumble through the hull.

"It would certainly beat the rocks at Tiffany's," she concedes with a smirk.

She doesn't fault them for the lack of explanations. She wouldn't go around telling strangers about how the defenses work either. It's a basic safety tactic, and that's why she intends to earn the right to ask.

The crashing thunder makes her wince. It's not her favorite thing in the world. But she isn't afraid of it--it seems to piss her off, actually. (She's got issues.) "I've never been to this part of the planet before, so I don't really know what they look like where I'm from. What do you call them now?"

The Ghost notices her expression change, and looks up at her curiously. Blaze is not only distracted in avoiding the worst turbulence, but she's fond of the protective storm and sort of assumes Verity will like flying through it as much as she does.

"The Pillars. Technically they're all supposed to be the Second Pillar if I remember the story right, but I guess the name sorta drifted." There's a jolt as the dampers lag in compensating for a buffeting, and she pulls up another readout to check the sensors. "Heh, we're playing a little rough today. So who's Tiffany?"

She doesn't mind the ride. It's kind of fun. And it's not that she doesn't see the appeal of a raging storm as a line of defense. It's just. Thunder gods. Her last encounter with one was not pleasant. When she notices Ghost looking at her she gives him a small smile. She's fine, just moody.

"Oh. What's the First Pillar? Tiffany's is a famous jewelry store, particularly well-known for its diamonds. Sorry. I guess diamonds aren't really forever." A beat. "The advertising slogan for diamonds is 'diamonds are forever', to try to guilt-pressure men into buying expensive gifts for their wives. Like a useless piece of bling is somehow better than a more practical gift because it won't wear out I guess?"

On the bright side, it turns out all the hammer-throwers around here set them on fire instead. Because it's fun!

"Hmm. There's something in a lasting token, but symbols ought to be something you put care into. I guess you haven't learned to grow diamonds yet?" Because obviously then the price of diamond will drop to what she knows as normal (high, but not particularly more than good plasteel and much less than really high-quality materials).

"Anyway, the First Pillar is made up of the Guardians, and the Traveler's power. Third is the Wall, and the Fourth is the City and her people. All the cornerstones of the our defense."

Setting things on fire is fun. So long as it isn't Loki.

"Ah, no. Not yet. Or if they have, they aren't on the market yet." Tony Stark might be hiding a whole diamond-growing factory somewhere; she wouldn't put it past him! (It would help explain how his daddy could give away all those bracelets.)

"That's both poetic and structurally sound. Impressive." She might be teasing just a bit, but mostly it's a sincere compliment.

Nah, they have a long list of other gods they'd rather set fire to.

"That's too bad. It's a useful trick, makes it way easier to get decent tools." Not that taking some manipulation out of human courtship is a bad thing either.

"That's the way we like to build things," she agrees, giving an amused look up at Verity. Between the ship and Ghost, she's not worried about the sharp snowy mountain peaks they're slipping between. "But you'll see - we should be through any second now."

No sooner has she uttered the word than the jumpship soars into clear skies and sunlight. The trembling of the hull vanishes as it stops fighting the sky. The last mountains are falling away beneath them; ahead lies the imposing Wall, mounted with its mighty gun batteries, and beyond the City stretching to the horizon. That might be hard to notice, because both are dwarfed by the vast silver sphere which hovers over the City center like a second moon. Its diameter must measure in miles. Its surface is scarred, the underside dark and ragged.

That's... good?

"I'm sure we'll get there. Would have." Sigh. She gives herself a little shake and then meets Blaze's amusement with her own. "I'm sure I will."

And boy does she. She takes in the view in near silence, although there is the occasional sound that reveals how impressed she is. She's seen beautiful cities before, she's lived in one, but something about the balance between the Traveler's sphere and the city below is breathtaking. Hopefully, they won't mind her taking her time to take it all in?

It has its benefits, however rare.

"Quite a sight, isn't it? Even Blaze takes a moment to admire the view, before she gets back to double-checking they're locked into the right course. She figures it's a bit different for Verity, who must have seen plenty of living cities before. But that doesn't diminish this one.

Other jumpships cross the view, darting and swooping through the sky. Aside from the fortifications (and looming alien presence) it's possible to see that the City has relatively few skyscraper-height towers rising through the shreds of mist above it. It's laced with silver trackways, too, but from this height no motion can be made out.

They're descending as they cruise toward the Wall and the tower that rises from it, squared and sturdy with a broad upper section for the main plaza and halls. Twin tines sweep upward from the central building at its peak, streaming bright red banners. It's clearly a place built to withstand sieges, but there's a certain grace in its architecture; there are fluttering pennants and trees shading open courtyards. It's vigilant, but not unwelcoming.

"We can transmat right into the main plaza," Blaze says when they're close, handing the ship back to autopilot.

"It's beautiful." Every city has its beauty and having known one for so long doesn't make her unable to appreciate others. Any flower in the heart of the desert is a precious thing, however small it may be. She has so many questions, but she bites her lip to keep from distracting Blaze while she's piloting. There will be time for questions later.

The tower is something of a surprise. She's used to military structures being, well, military: utilitarian and uncomfortable. But this is lovely, welcoming. It's a home, not just a place to store people, and it's doubly an honor to be invited to visit.

"Okay. That's convenient." Auto-parking cars would be so convenient. It must be doubly so for a spaceship.

Even more than cars, ships need to be able to mind themselves for a few hours. And congested skyways would just be a nightmare.

Blaze stows her helmet at the side of her chair as they curve around. "All right, get ready to find your feet!"

That last applies more to Blaze, since when they materialize on the paving stones she drops a little from her sitting position. They both have a moment to catch their balance in the sudden sunlight and the rush of noise as a ship - their ship, in fact - swoops overhead and climbs back into the sky.

They've landed among the lawns at the front of the plaza, where a sturdy railing separates them from the city view. Ahead some low steps lead to the busy main plaza, between fern-topped pillars and tall red banners shaking in the breeze. The air is crisp and clean and quite chilly.

Edited 2015-10-06 00:00 (UTC)

"Oh, that's easy. I keep them at the end of my legs." But landing is still not the easiest proposition, and there's a touch of wobbliness. It's hard to adjust human senses so quickly. When she can focus on it she watches the ship flying away. "That's yours?"

She wants to go enjoy the view. That railing is calling to her. But she knows she's supposed to go for medical testing first. The view will still be there afterward. "You sure it's okay for me to be around all these people before my medical tests?"

Blaze looks up after the departing ship. It's a chunky little thing with boxy engines, but at least it's all one shade of white now, the patching to its hull made seamless under Shipwright Holliday's care. "Yeah, that's the outside. Just got repainted for the overhaul. Looks a lot better than it did a few weeks back, believe me."

When Verity looks like she has her balance, Blaze will lead the way up the steps and to the left, passing the low-slung postmaster's building and the blue-skinned young woman at the special orders desk. "Relax. The nearest med station's just over here. Besides, even if you're carrying something we don't have on file, everyone here is effectively immune."

By this she means that everyone in the crowd appears to be an armored Guardian of one type or the others. Plated Titans mingle with Hunters in long patterned cloaks and the robe-like longcoats of the Warlocks in all different colors and styles. There are commonalities, but even at a glance this is not the sort of military that does uniforms. Here and there are other Ghosts - even one or two fly by overhead, floating on their mysterious way.

"It's what's inside that counts. But you two do deserve a ship as well-loved on the outside as on the inside." What? Her quiet advocacy and expert ego-stroking are some of the many perks of her friendship. She learned how to be a friend with a god who has inadequacy issues and hasn't quite figured out that not everybody needs so much of this kind of attention.

"That's convenient." Nothing wrong with a military that doesn't enforce strict uniforms, in her opinion. It's not like the military where she's from is setting a shining example no matter how shining the brass. And more importantly, they seem to know what they and their fellows are doing. If it works for them, who would she be to tell them they're doing it wrong?

Being an exceptionally secure sense of herself, Blaze just laughs. "All this flattery and I haven't even bought you a drink yet!"

That said, she's honestly hopeful that Verity will like her home (and its people), and cheerfully elaborates on the medical arrangements. "Well, when the Wall's under siege, you don't want to have to look far for a doctor. Not everyone stationed here is a Guardian. The ones in the Tower are manned all the time when I pass them."

"It isn't flattery if it's true," she counters easily. "And I'd know if it weren't."

So far so good on that score, Blaze. "That's a good point. You must have a lot of medical personnel, which is good. I guess being evacuated to behind the front lines isn't so much of an option during a siege." There's a brief pause, and then her tone goes from thoughtful to worried. "Do they happen often?"

"Got me there," Blaze chuckles. She picks out an open door at the side of the plaza to head for, one marked by a serpent-twined rod painted in green on a white cross. All the important signs here are trilingual: just inside the door, green lettering on the wall assures them there's a medical station down the short ramp, repeating in Portuguese and Chinese.

"Every few decades, I think. The Fallen are always testing our defenses. It's been a while since we've had a sustained assault, but there's still no safe ground past the Wall. One of our tasks is to keep our enemies too fractured to co-ordinate another threat like that."

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So after I went with the Chile theory I find out there's 50/50 odds the City's in Nepal after all

No problem. We can retcon or headcanon things however you want.

Eh, I don't think it'll matter too much; we can leave Schrodinger's City in Chile for now

Okay, just let me know if that ever changes :)

No problem :)