Destiny 2 - A House of Dregs

Foreword: I've been especially active in the r/DestinyJournals subreddit as of late, and began writing a number of different shorts. I'm going to start re-posting them here.

Sterling helped set the crate down off the back of the truck, then turned to his employer. "You sure about this, C.T.?"

"Relax," came the reply. "I've worked with this crew before. Their pay is good." A smaller crate was set on top of the one Sterling had unloaded. "You worry too much."

Sterling shook his head, reflexively checking his pistol. "I'm just sayin', man, they're Fallen. Never met a Fallen that hasn't tried to kill me."

"You spend too much time dirtside. Head out to the Reef sometime. Long as you keep your piece holstered, they'll leave you be." A roguish smile and a spread of the hands. "Trust me."

Sterling made an unconvinced noise as he glanced up, seeing a Fallen pushing back the hood on their cape, their cloak shimmering off as they did. The alien eyed the two of them, before barking at the lead smuggler in its language. "Chumiira?" It gestured threateningly with its wire rifle.

Charlie Tango held his hands in clear view. "Relax, we're alone." Then, he repeated himself, "Mamiira."

The Fallen glared briefly at the pair of them, then reached up with one hand to touch a comm-relay on its ether-mask, relaying something. A few moments later, a skiff came out of cloak above them, and another Fallen swung down from the ship. Sterling realized that both were Dregs, only having two arms. The one from the ship was larger than the other, but its lower set of arms were in the process of re-growing. This one, evidently a leader, had a large sword on its back.

It made a chuffing noise toward Charlie, who spread his arms. "Koroa! Glad to see you again, Big Man."

"Tango." The Fallen leader looked toward Sterling, then gestured with a hand. "Who?"

"No one you need to worry about, Big Man. Not a Guardian. Just a guy helping with transpo." Charlie slapped the side of the truck. "His truck."

Koroa made a grunting sound, but then it advanced on Sterling, who stepped back against the back of his truck. The Fallen tapped the butt of his pistol in its holster, leaning in to peer at him suspiciously. After an uncomfortable moment, Koroa stepped back and looked at its crewmate. "Iirrma." The other Fallen visibly relaxed, putting up its weapon. Koroa turned back to Charlie.

Charlie affected a hurt expression. "You don't trust me?"

"Houseless trust no one," the Fallen grunted. "Trust is luxury."

Charlie nodded understanding. "Yeah, I know how that is." He casually leaned against the crates. "So, you see where I have mine. I don't see any payment."

Koroa tapped something on its gauntlet, and another Fallen transmatted down from the ship, though this one had a crate of its own. It had evidently seen better days, and had Reef insignia. The Fallen held it while its leader walked over, opening the lid of the small crate to show a stack of silver, likewise stamped with a Reef sigil. Charlie nodded, and opened one of his crates, revealing several components, packed in straw.

"Jump drive cores," Charlie pronounced. "Might need a little work, but all the parts are here."

The Fallen holding the crate of silver growled something, and Koroa's eyes narrowed, looking up from the machine parts. "Not as many as we agreed, Tango."

Charlie raised an eyebrow, gesturing at the silver. "Not as much as we agreed, Big Man." Then he pointed at the components. "This is part of it. The rest is not too far away. I'll give you the coordinates, we leave, you can go pick them up."

Koroa nodded, and made a sound that Sterling understood was a chuckle. "Rest of payment not far. Will send place. Good?"

The smuggler nodded. "Good." He turned to the trucker. "See, Sterling, Koroa here is Kell of his very own House."

The Fallen grunted. "Not Kell. No more Kells. Kells die. Lights kill Kells." Koroa closed the crate of silver, which was set down. "Barely House. Bunch of docked Eliksni try to get by."

"Kiigoabaa." This was from Charlie. "Got that dreg strength," he explained to Sterling. "Never quit and just keep surviving."

Sterling took measure of the three Fallen again and realized, "You don't have any banners."

Koroa grunted again. "No banner. No House. Houses dead or insane." The Fallen leader gestured with a hand. "Misraaks bows to Light's ghouls. Shipstealer bows to Black Fleet. Variks Oathbreaker bows to long dead ways. Scorn filled with brain-rot." Another grunt. "Will not bow to crazed Kells. Me and mine survive alone." The Fallen turned to its fellows, raising its voice, "Godenboraa!"

The other two Fallen straightened up and echoed, "Godenboraa!"

Koroa turned back to Sterling, gesturing at the components. "Old Ketch found." A gesture toward the skies. "Leave cursed system. Leave crazed Houses. Maybe we die. Maybe we escape Black Fleet."

Sterling nodded. "You sound like the Dead Orbit folks. Get out while you can, try to survive." He closed up his truck's trunk. "Good luck to you."

Charlie nodded. "What he said, Koroa. I'll send you the coordinates to the rest of the stash soon as we're on our way."

"Same for silver," the Fallen leader returned. It made a gesture that seemed to be some manner of salute. "Doenbaas, Tango."

"Farewell to you too, Koroa."

A little later, as Sterling drove them away, Charlie took out a comm-link and toggled something. "There we go. Sent Koroa the coordinates for the rest of the goods." The comm-link beeped, and he smiled. "And there's the coordinates for the rest of the payment." He consulted a map, then pointed. "Head to the right here, toward that ravine."

Sterling nodded, driving the truck as directed. "How'd you get to be on good terms with a bunch of Fallen?"

"Ran some jobs out in the Reef." Charlie shrugged. "Spider asked me to check in on these 'Houseless scavs' back dirt-side. Think he was hopin' that they'd hear it was him sent me to dig 'em out of the hole they were dug in, get 'em to join up with his syndicate." He shook his head. "Koroa and his boys, they want nothing to do with anyone. They just want to be left alone."

Sterling digested that a bit. "Well... I guess if they can get a ship and get out of here, then we'll have one less group of Fallen to deal with. Thieving bastards killed my cousin back before we moved to the City."

"Hey," Charlie pointed a finger at him. "Don't knock 'em. Fallen been done dirty by life." He frowned as he looked out the window. "Just like we were. Things go sideways with the Black Fleet in town, we'll end up in the same boat as them, like as not."

He signaled to stop, and Sterling pulled the truck to a halt. "You ain't wrong. Another House of Dregs running scared."