Excerpt 008: Ishtar Sink Joyride

[rekindledtitan]

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 Rogers, Steve [juststeverogers]

ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Rogers, Steve; Blaze-37; Pelsor; House of Winter; Ishtar Sink; Shattered Coast; Silent Fang; Drevis




It’s hard to see much of Venus from above, so dense is the layer of murky yellow overcast in its sky. Only when Blaze’s little jumpship drops out of the clouds will Steve get a look at what’s waiting for them below. Steep volcanic slopes, luminous green forests; glimpses of colony buildings, broken and overgrown but still standing tall; and then, as Blaze banks them around, there’s something else looming over the old skyline.

It’s less a fortress than a vast column of interlocking structures, black and geometric and unnatural-looking even at this distance. Much of it doesn’t appear to be physically supported: it just hangs there, disappearing into the clouds that roil about it, towering unnervingly over the landscape and making the human skyscrapers look like paltry sandcastles.

“The Vex Citadel,” Ghost explains quietly, at Steve’s look.

“That’s not where we’re headed,” Blaze says. “This time.” The Vex probably wouldn’t be so willing to allow them in after their last visit. Besides, she promised Steve bikes. She sets the autopilot course, glances back over her shoulder to check Steve’s ready, then unclips her helm from the side of the chair and sets it on her head, the seals locking into place as she latches it tight. Ghost checks the ship’s displays and then vanishes into her systems. Her voice comes through the audio relays a little more tinny: “Get ready to drop.”

Fast transmat landings are always slightly disorienting, the way they drop you a couple feet above the ground, but Blaze is used to it and thumps down as gracefully as a Titan can. The warmth of the air enfolds them instantly, muggy and oppressive after the brisk Nexus autumn. Venus is not a place of cold seasons. They’ve landed by a rocky stream that flows between twisting jungle trees, and though there’s an acidic tang to the air even filters can’t scrub out, it’s balanced out by scents of warm vegetation and alien humus. Something small is chirping in the branches above them. The ship swoops away above them, swiftly lost in the clouds. The Guardian looks around, rifle in her hands, then nods to Steve. “Welcome to the Sink.”

“Let’s go liberate some Pikes.”

Comments

[juststeverogers]

Steve's lived to be over one hundred and both times he's been to space with Blaze are some of his most intense memories. The last time feels so much more clear as they're approaching Venus and Steve finds himself glad that those memories were real and not one of the lifetimes worth of dreams he had while he was under in the ice.

That his time spent at the Tower meant something and wasn't just the dream of a frozen mind trying desperately not to die. He isn't as giddy as he was the last time they flew together but his smile is still eager when Blaze tells him to ready for drop.

The human sinks to one knee on the alien soil to better steady himself when he's transmatted to the ground. Must be a failsafe to make sure no one gets materialized inside of something else on the ground level. Maybe. Steve doesn't understand a lot of the tech from Blaze's world and it sounds like neither does she a lot of the time. It's best not to think about it too hard.

The first breath Steve takes leaves him coughing, his eyes stinging as though someone was cutting up onions directly in front of his face. The air burns here and he's certain he can get used to it but it's not exactly pleasant. He gets up on his feet after only a moment's delay and wipes at his eyes with the back of one gloved hand.

"The Vex and the Fallen don't get along then, I take it?"

[rekindledtitan]

"Not even a little," Blaze confirms, ankle deep in the flowing water. "It works in our favor, usually. The time we broke into the Citadel, we were using a trail some Fallen had already made. Found a whole lot of their stuff being 'quarantined' by the Vex, too- but that's another story." Her gaze drops from scanning the treeline to Steve over on the bank. "The air quality's poorer this close to the Cinders. Should be basically breathable, but don't forget your mask. Just got to invite the last member of our fireteam. Nike?"

[magnetite_plz]

There's a flash of intense white light behind Blaze while Steve works to pull on his mask so he'll be able to see their targets as more than a teary blur in between coughing fits.

When it fades a solitary wingflap beats as Nike descends a foot or so toward the ground, clad in gear Steve has definitely seen before when he was at the tower and a cascade of golden hair floating out the back of the helmet the demon wears, obscuring her face from view.

"I am here, Blaze. Ghost. Sir Rogers." And Steve balks ever so slightly because since when did Warlocks have actual wings? But any friend of Blaze's is a friend of his so he inclines his head politely.

"Good to have you."

"I will be primarily providing long range support and healing magic should it be required. I have...learned the hard way not to get in a Titan's way and you two will be very large targets where the Fallen are concerned."

[rekindledtitan]

"You've met before," Ghost says through Blaze's armor. "Nike, this is the same human Blaze summoned you to heal during the battle against Reynard. And Nike, um, didn't have her name then."

"Or armor," Blaze adds as she splashes over to the bank. "She's proven plenty of times she can hold her own under fire, since then." She shifts the rifle in her hands and gestures them ahead. "Come on, we'd better get to making ourselves targets."

And it's going to take some walking- or floating - through the jungle to get there. The trees are alien, of course, as are the broad-leaved plants that grow thick among them wherever there's sunlight through the canopy. But it's green, and lush, and some of the trees are clearly very old. Beneath their feet the humus of the forest floor is soft, damping even the sound of Blaze's heavy tread. Craggy rock breaks through the soil here and there, split by tree roots and making the ground treacherous and jagged. There's no birdsong, but small amphibian-like creatures clamber among the roots and lie in wait for the eight-legged insectoids that flit past. Down beneath the trees, it's easy to forget this is a warzone beneath the gaze of vast, hostile ancient powers.

[juststeverogers]

"We have?" Steve looks between the three of them but everyone seems serious so he nods and accept that this is something he must have forgotten about from his time before in the Nexus. "Glad to have your support then, Nike."

"Think nothing of it, Sir Rogers. I have heard many stories about you from Blaze and Ghost." Steve watches Nike descend and fold her wings as she lands properly and follows them by foot along the forest floor. The dense undergrowth must make for difficult flying. He gives the demon a nod before turning to follow Blaze and Ghost further into the jungle.

Before Wakanda, Steve would have been agog with the life and ecosystem here. He's still remarkably impressed as this is nothing like anything he's seen on Earth, but at least the concept of a tropical climate isn't shocking anymore. He's had a chance to get used to it.

"You know, last time we fought the Fallen it was in a pretty urban setting. I didn't expect them to be masters of jungle warfare too."

[rekindledtitan]

"The Fallen turn up everywhere there's something to scavenge," Blaze says. "They're adaptable, give 'em that." She can hear them take up position at her back, and notes with approval how Nike's gotten used to moving as part of a unit. Her boots may be new, but they've already seen good use. "We'll head for the volcanic foothills, though - they have a few big lairs there. The Fallen on Venus are a different bunch: House of Winter, mostly." The Wolves must be just about extinct, by now.

"This group don't set up so many traps, but watch your step anyway. And they've been short on leadership for a while, so there's a good chance we'll walk in on them fighting each other. Or the Vex."

They do seem to be heading gently uphill, and when the wind shifts the smell of sulfur is suddenly much stronger. Still, it's wise to be on the lookout for any roaming raiders... or cloaked perimeter guards, up in the trees.

[juststeverogers]

"Different house than the ones we fought on Earth?"

It only makes sense for there to be different factions, when Steve thinks about it. People are the same way. For better or worse, there's different clans wherever you go and if that's how humanity is, it would stand to reason that other species might do things similarly. Either way, Steve vividly remembers Blaze blowing her leg nearly off after stepping on a Fallen grenade and he's not too keen for a repeat scenario.

For her part, Nike doesn't say anything but has her SMG drawn and trained to Blaze's nine-o-clock while they make their way through the foliage. She has no relevant information to share and they really can't forget that they're effectively walking into an enemy camp. For fun or not, it's still dangerous.

"Vex are those robot folks, right?" Steve's pretty sure he remembers that from talks he's had before with Blaze and Ghost over the nature of her patrols.

"I am not certain 'folks' is the correct term, for that implies a culture and emotional capacity." Nike is...not a fan of them. Not in the least. "However they do have a fascination with the mechanical."

[rekindledtitan]

"The ones we fought on Earth were from the House of Devils. I don't know much about Fallen culture, but these ones wear blue cloaks."

Blaze chuckles. "You're getting better at the trash talk, Nike. Vex aren't completely organic, though. They've got a gooey organic center, as Cayde says."

The rising hillocks ahead are visible now through the trees: Blaze pauses and points them out for a second. "Fallen resupply camp is up ahead. We can go for the heights, take out their sentries, then drop right in among them."

This is a rather stealthy plan, for her, which means it almost certainly won't go as intended. Blaze does not consider this a problem. She does slow and signal to her team-mates when she catches a flash of red on her trackers, head turning as she tries to sight on the source. She'd have to look up, though, at the way the air ripples just slightly in the branches of a tree above...

[magnetite_plz]

"The House of Devils...I would wager they should met a true one before they claim to be of my kin."

All these beastly races fighting their petty battles across the system and trying to eradicate or enslave Blaze's people along the way. In a way, they are exactly like some of the demon species of her own realm. It is not a thought that gives her very much comfort.

Her comment makes Steve throw a look over at her instead of watching their six as they go but he doesn't waste words now asking why anything that looks that much like an angel would call itself a devil. There's more important things to worry about.

They're all getting tense the closer they get but only Nike has the instinct to look up. The shimmer in the air nearly passes her notice and when she does react it's out of reflex. Her hand leaves her SMG and Blaze will feel a pulse of Light as her magic warps the air around them all and blasts their assaulter with searing holy light.

"Blaze...!"

[rekindledtitan]

Has she been here before? There are tiny touches of familiarity: she knows this smell, the soft thump of her boots on this soil, the light filtering down green and dim around them. This feels recent though, this feels like her and she is entirely in the moment when Angel's voice rings out with her magic.

She turns to follow the vandal tumbling to the forest floor, but the low sound of impact is already masked by the THUCK of a round past her right antenna. Then another, aimed at Steve. Then another; movement ripples through the air as multiple lookouts scuttle to reposition and sight again.

Her grip tightens on her rifle as Blaze aims upward. There's an immediate impulse to use her Light and bound up to chase them. Teach them they aren't so safe in their perches... but not today. They have an objective (a job to do, no stopping no matter what you see) and she opens fire instead. Covers her team-mates, sparing a hand only to wave them onward.

"Move!" Out of the treeline into the volcanic hills before the alarm spreads further. "Shields up! We're heading into their fire now!"

They don't have to go much farther than the summit of the first hill, though. There's a nice sheltering pile of rocks up there... in which a sniper is sitting, ready to shoot at them all the way.

Well. Nothing fun is too easy.

[juststeverogers]

If only gunfire aimed at him was something Steve could be shocked to be in the middle of anymore. It's startling, yes--there's no way to stop the adrenaline that dumps into his system the second he feels the entire shield in front of him ripple and ring out as one of the rounds catches it off-center and ricochets into the trunk of one of the many old trees surrounding them. They say Guardians are a little bit mad to find pleasure in situations like this. If they are mad, then perhaps Steve Rogers is at least in part a Guardian himself.

"Cover me." Steve's charging ahead. Exploding out of the tree line with his shield covering as much of himself as he can. It leaves him with little ability to see around him though. Nike's checking her gun to her belt before grabbing for a rifle instead. Blaze's companion won't be able to protect his flank but she's nothing if not methodical as she tracks the vandals moving form one perch to another and rings out one shot at a time as she picks them off.

"Do what you do best, Blaze. I am behind you."