Their mission has already taken Steve so far from his friends. It feels right that Thor do this. Ghost backs away as the Asgardian picks up their fallen comrade, Blaze settling the ship and rising to join them. At a nod from her, Ghost activates the transmat, depositing the little group outside the ship, in a stone hallway that leads further into the Tower. There’s a comparatively skeletal robot with a an elongated disk-like head monitoring the dock; it chirps a ”Welcome back, Titan,” at Blaze, but she’s looking down the hall, striding forward to meet the Guardians coming their way. Leading them is another armored soldier, broad-faced and dark-haired, his plate armor colored green and white, like the patterned shell of the Ghost at his shoulder.

“Blaze! It’s been a while.” His tone is friendly enough, despite the rifle and launcher slung at his back. He lifts a hand in a greeting salute; Blaze returns it, eyes flicking over his backup. Flanking him is a tall, cloaked woman with blue skin, and a Warlock in his long grey coat, face hidden behind an environment hood. Neither is as interested in the Exo as they are in Thor, and the burden he bears.

“Jie.” Her greeting is sober. “I wondered who was going to intercept us.”

“Zavala gets nervous when you say you’re bringing visitors home,” he answers, his big Titan pauldrons making the accompanying shrug all the more expressive. His cheerful expression has faded at her uncharacteristic tone, eyes drawn to her listless Ghost, the stranger with her… “The rest of us are just…”

“It’s Steve,” Blaze says, seeing it in his face the moment his eyes fall on the shroud. She steps aside, gives him a moment to draw breath before she goes on. “This is Thor Odinson, who fought beside him. He’s come here as a friend. To help us bring Steve home.”

“I’m sorry.” It takes a moment, but he looks up at Thor and gives a slow, somber nod. Yes, he can see that this might get complicated and he’s going to have questions, but- not now. A good man has fallen. “He went down fighting?”