Destiny 2 - Shadowfall III (END)

Elsie Bray led the way through the manufactory complex. "I've been down here before," the Exo Stranger told the rest of the team. "I know some of the places that Versenne might be located."

"No need." Jinju, Ana Bray's Ghost, piped in. "Looks like Vizier left some nav markers for us. Plus, Wahei had said something about Vergift going down into the Vex caverns. I'll bet she had Vizier mark the route for us."

Shin Malphur kept his hand hovering over the butt of the Last Word on his hip. "From what you said, Vergift worked in this place in her first life. I'll bet she's got traps all over. So, eyes up, everyone."

Aunor Mahal kept her pulse rifle ready. "When we find her, I want her taken alive, Malphur." He shot her a look over his shoulder, but the Praxic Warlock met his gaze firmly. "I don't care about your own personal code, gunslinger. The Praxic Order still seeks to redeem those who stray from the Light."

The Man with the Golden Gun scoffed. "Didn't work out too well when you captured Teufel, did it?"

Aunor whirled on him, poking him in the chest. "We still have to give them the chance. How many Warlords changed their ways after taking the Iron Decree?"

"For every Shaxx, there were at least two Citans," Malphur retorted. "And redemption depends on the person thinking they did something wrong. Guarantee you Vergift doesn't think she's in the wrong."

Ana looked back at them. "Can we save the debate for later? We should be keeping an eye out for traps."

"Agreed," Elsie piped in. "I'm picking up some kind of strange signal in here." She looked at Aunor. "Same one we picked up earlier, before the Golem turned up. It's probably how Vergift is monitoring everything in here."

"Let's just hope that Ohr's sensible enough not to engage her before we get there," Malphur grunted.

Rega-7 barked out a laugh. "Wahei can be rash sometimes, but she's not that foolish."

~*~*~*~

Destiny 2 - Shadowfall II

Versenne : engineer : Magda-9 : warlock : Vergift : armorer

1 : the City burns : an empty Sky : the Pyramid : your god has forsaken you : a Queen falls : a Queen rises : Darkness ascendant : salvation--

~*~*~*~
The entrance to the Braytech manufactory had been cracked open some time long before, snow and ice crusting over many surfaces inside the vestibule. The power had been cut off in this part of the facility, with only a handful of flickering emergency lights providing illumination. Elsie Bray didn't need the lights to see, with her Exo eyes, but Aunor Mahal did not have the same advantage, so her Ghost had compiled out and was shining his light around. Here and there, disabled security frames stood wreathed in ice, and fallen Exos had collapsed against walls or counters.

"Bahaghari, can you detect Wahei?" Aunor asked, warily regarding the area.

Destiny 2 - Shadowfall I

"Vergift, I'm on approach."

"Welcome back. Did you have any problems?"

"Nearly got my head taken off by the Rachis. But I got the amethyst."

"Good. Ruin's prowling around in Gale's Watch. Some House Salvation bittereinder still lurking around there."

"And Kalki?"

"Dormant for the moment. But he'll wake up when we need him."

"Noted. Djinn, take us in for landing."

~*~*~*~

Ana Bray lifted her head from the sensorium, shared a look with her Ghost, then turned to her sister. "Just caught a transmission from Bog. Looks like the whole crew has arrived. Jinju thinks she can backtrace it and locate where they're holed up, but it's definitely somewhere in Eventide. Possibly in Riis-Reborn."