Towards the Light

Heutte is just a little beep boop all on his own. ((RP Blog for a Destiny Ghost! Please read rules~ Independent.))

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

Nervously, the Guardian took a seat on the bench Nini fashioned for him. After an akward moment, he pulled back his cowl and unhooked his helmet, the airlock hissing.

Now Devrim’s seen many Awoken in his lifetime, but never one like… this. Four eyes, a mouth far too wide. Ridges along his skin, and barely a nose. It was very… Eliksni.

“Right. Well, lets get into it then.” Varutta-Cis began, taking place in front of Takkali. The Ghost seemed to want to do most of the talking.

“Of course.” Devrim agreed. “I’d really like to know what’s really going on.” he made eye contact with Takkali, hoping his assumption would be correct. “Including yours, Light-bearer.”

It was then Takkali’s anxiousness melted at the familiar Eliksni-speak, his cyan eyes sparkling slightly as he nodded to Devrim in agreement. Varrutta-Cis seemed to bob and glance back at his Guardian in glee as well.

“I’m sorry for all the confusion. For Heutte’s concern.” the Hunter immediately started, ready to go all in. “It’s a big misunderstanding, I promise. We mean no harm.”

Nini and Heutte slipped into the alternate language without thought or concern. it was just one of many that the Traveler had given them knowledge of at their birth. One was as good as another; although, Heutte could ramble on about the inefficiencies of all organic speech if given half a chance.

The triangle ghost bobbed into the middle of the table, paint flashing a bright orange to grab everyone’s attention. “Wait, wait. Yes, yes, we want to hear your explanation, buuuuuuut don’t y’all think we should start by saying why we’re here and what we want out of this meeting? It sounds silly, I know, but... you never know! Thinking you know what someone else is thinking is also silly. I want us all to start off on the same float! Why don’t you start out, Heutte? Tell ‘em what you want and what your concerns are!”

Heutte looked startled and a little put on the spot. His spines flattened against his shell, but he floated towards the center of the table without complaint. He stayed noticeably close to Captain Devrim, though, and avoided looking at the opposing guardian and ghost directly.

“Statement: The pair sought out my expertise in analysis. After learning more of there needs, though, I discovered they were consorting with those that may be potential enemies of the Tower and humanity. Query: Why would they consort with such?  What are their plans involving this group of individuals?”

He paused. “Addendum: I also feared they may pose a threat to Captain Devrim or use him as leverage to get me to do as they so desired. As such, I vacated the premises before they began to suspect my worries and put in defenses to keep me there.”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

Varutta-Cis giggled, bobbing enthusiastically. “Oh that sounds good! But maaaaybe business first. Games after. Takkali isn’t very good at games, so they might take a while.”

On the other hand, Devrim was feeling a bit more relaxed with the outwardly friendliness of the… quite sparkly… Ghost. Still, he felt Heutte’s unease. His Ghost had reason to suspect them. He had no reason not to believe that suspicion was deserved.

“Should this go well, I suppose we can see what activities you have in mind, Nini.” he agreed, taking his tree stump seat and settling in. The Ghost’s Guardian finally made it to the table. And he was… interesting.

“Velask.” he spoke at first, voice deep and gravelly, not unlike Mazan’s. “H-Hehlo.” he greeted a second time. “I am, Takkali Racam.” it seemed he had trouble speaking the old English common language. Fumbling about his words.

“It’s lovely to meet you, please sit, Takkali.” he looked to Heutte, his brow raised in confusion. Who was this Guardian? Why were they so strange? And how on Earth did Hoot get mixed up with them?

Nini’s voice dropped in disappointment. “Oooooh, do we have to wait?” they asked, their strange sing-song voice cracking to a disappointed wail for a fleeting moment at the end. “Very well. But you all have to promise we’ll play games later!”

The triangle ghost turned a shade of grey, sinking into the flower pot at the center of the table. They fit perfectly into their self-assigned perch, the perfect vision point for the ‘mediator’ of this meeting. Hoot, meanwhile, remained firmly at Devrim’s side. He floated over the captain’s shoulder, eyeing the new arrival with a squinted optic.

“Statement: The parley has not even begun, Iceni. Observation: It would be premature to make such a promise,” he muttered to the other ghost. Nini gave a quiet squeak of dismay and then snapped back, “No need to be a downer! Say hi! Be polite. They just said hello, after all. Hi, hi, hi, hi!”

Heutte, spines drooping as if he was a chastised child, turned towards the new guardian and their ghost. “Statement: Greetings. You are already aware of my designation, but this is my ally: Captain Devrim.”

Even though the cat was technically out of the bag, Heutte could not bring himself to say guardian in front of these individuals. That lingering sense of doom and potential disaster hovered just at the edge of his brain module. If keeping their connection a secret would help Devrim remain safe.... Oh, it didn’t make sense, and he would be upset at himself the illogical feelings soon enough, but at the moment he was too busy squinting.

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

Devrim sighed in agreement. This was already a long day, and it was going to get even longer. With a deep breath he nodded to the others, awaiting the arrival of their guest. He’d need a vacation after this. A few naps, tea, and cinnamon rolls. Oh how he craved some of Marc’s cinnamon rolls.

From afar, whoever transmatted out of the ship seemed quite tall. A bright cape fluttered behind them, and the shape seemed… Fallen. Another glittering dot appeared beside them, zooming about before rushing towards them. Devrim felt the gust of wind when the light, a Ghost, stopped before him.

The Ghost’s shell cocked, and eye squinted. They had a strange shell, like a very small servitor made of the night sky. Bits of metal that glinted a rosen pink.

“Velask!” the Ghost chirped, bobbing characteristicly. “It’s nice to meet you, Devrim Kay. My name is Varutta-Cis! And-” he was interrupted by catching sight of Iceni and Heutte floating beside Dev.

“ICENI!” he greeted cheerfully, clearly very excited to see his new friend.

The Ghost’s Guardian seemed to be attempting to sprint towards the group, but not too fast as to startle them. It looked rather odd with their lanky limbs… the… four of them?

Oooooh dear…

Cheerful greetings were contagious. At least they were as far as Iceni was concerned. The enthusiastic hello was answered with a melodic chirp. “Hello, hello, hello! I’m so glad you could make it! Make yourself at home!” Nini enthused, zipping around the battered table they had set up as if they were a host flourishing at a decadent dinner display.

As Nini passed by Devrim towards the front, they stopped to whisper, “See? Does that look like bad or evil to you? Silly, silly!”

Heutte let out a quiet harrumph from behind. “Observation: Appearances only reveal so much. Statement: It is still appropriate to be cautious.” Still, Hoot hadn’t forgotten the job that Nini had tasked him with. Despite the fact that it took all his effort, the little ghost brightened his optic and went to float over Captain Devrim’s shoulder and look as confident and self-assured as possible.

Nini was taking their job as host extremely seriously while Heutte steeled himself for the conversation to come. “Once you’re all settled in, how about some icebreakers? I read a book with some silly little games! I know we’re here to discuss important things but... w-well, a little fun never hurt anyone! And you have to know each other to understand and negotiate and it just  makes things less scary.”

Nini paused, bobbing in midair in immitation of a nod. “And no one likes scary things other than silly people.”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

Letting go a breath he had no recollection of holding, Devrim just about cried hearing the emotion back in Heutte’s voice. If he thought his bond with the Ghost was thin before, it sure wasn’t now.

“Thank goodness you’re ok.” he muttered under his breath, wishing Heutte would focus on something other than the Guardian with them. He eyed the offending figure, putting himself between both Ghosts. Not like it was hard with how Iceni seemed to want to hide behind him anyways.

“Boudica.” he started before pulling the ire from his voice. Heutte’s sudden flash of anger towards the Guardian must have been affecting him too… odd. “Thank you. For being here and assisting us.” Despite the way the hunter antagonized her Ghost and was clearly at odds with Heutte, she was here to help. He’d take it. For now.

He gave a pointed and apologetic look to Heutte, straightening himself out as if he hadn’t been on the worlds wildest emotional trip since he first met Marc at that Crucible dinner party with Lord Shaxx. “Settle down, Heutte, please.”

Devrim wasn’t sure if Heutte remembered what they were even doing here after his reboot, and was preparing to explain the plan when a strange, almost dragonfly-like jet flew over head, landing a distance away.

The coating shimmered a rather garish pink.

“Is that… them?”

Without a word, Boudica strode towards the table at the center of the meadow. Gripping the throwing knife that she had tossed, she tugged it free and slid it back into the sheath at her hip. The hunter seemed unaffected by the ghost’s shout for the most part. “Hoot,” she greeted.

“Exclamation: H-hey, you don’t get to call me that! S-stoooooooo- oh,” Heutte backed down when Devrim interjected, letting him know to settle down. Hearing the nickname Heutte reserved for close friends out of Boudica’s mouth was upsetting, but the tone his guardian was using was much more pressing.

“Query: W-what’s... Statement: Oh my, I need time to analyze and process... and...” the ghost started to fumble out. Heutte knew where he was. His memory banks, unlike his emotional state, hadn’t failed, but there was still a lot of new emotions and details he was trying to process in a hurry.

What this situation was was someone to take charge. But that’s why Nini had invited themselves, right? “Oh, y-you’re right! That’s them. Cheer up, everyone. It’s time to make up and get things moving again! We don’t want to leave a bad impression,” the ghost chirped, suddenly sounding equal parts frantic and excited. They peeked over Devrim’s shoulder at their guardian.

“Uuuuuuh, Boudica is going to watch the perimeter. But y-yeah, she promised me won’t be seen so h-hopefully their presence won’t upset our guest b-but... yeah,” Nini started to explain.

“I insisted upon being here,” Boudica interjected as way of explanation. “Let’s get this mess over with.”

The awoken hunter fixed her glowing green eyes on Devrim, glaring through him at the hidden ghost behind. It was pretty clear who Boudica blamed for this mess, if Hoot’s initial anger and derision was anything to go by. Before Heutte had time to argue back, Boudica turned cloak and melted back into the grass.

Hoot gave a quiet huff of derision. “Observation: Oh, she is insufferable. Opinion: I hate h-”

Nini sighed before Hoot could finish, just looking exhausted. They had dealt with this before. “Come on now, Heutte! I know you’re a little mixed up right now, but we need you. I need you! You’re very important to this conversation, soooooo important.”

Heutte fell silent for a fleeting moment, optic flashing with a range of emotions. “Statement: ... Understood. Answer: Yes, Captain Devrim. That appears to be the individual that we wait for.”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

The captain was about to issue a rebuttle to Boudica’s sudden intrusion and insult to Iceni’s very well thought out plan. Especially because he had some very choice words for the Guardian who seems to think so poorly of her Ghost, but alas he was startled by the pitch of Iceni’s sudden command. In which his brain registered that whatever it was they were telling him to do, absolutely needed to be done right now immediately without a second thought. So he smacked Heutte. “YOWCH!” he hissed, holding his hand at the sharp pain of having hit a Ghost, who happened to have spines. Until he realized what he had just done. Devrim cursed under his breath as he scrambled to find where his poor Ghost went flying to. “Heutte?! Heutte oh my word I’m so sorry!” he muttered, tripping through the grass. “Iceni, why on earth would you- and why would I listen?!”

As one would have thought, Heutte went spinning through the air when Devrim gave him a backhand slap. The ghost’s sensitive equilibrium did not have time to compensate for the sudden movement. “ALERT, ALERT, ALERT! Equilibrium systems malfunctioning. Reboot of compromised systems required,” the ghost droned as it flew the air.

He hit the ground with a dull thunk, his fall cushioned by the thick grass of the meadow. “Statement: Systems scan initiated. Scanning, scanning, scanning.... Analysis: Cognitive function also compromised. Initiate a full-system restart.”

Heutte’s optic dulled and faded for a fleeting moment, just as Captain Devrim started to trip towards him. Nini flinched back at the accusations flying from Devrim’s lips. “N-no! W-wait for it! I swear!” they wailed, voice threatening to turn to a shriek.

Within moments, Heutte’s optic blinked back online. “Query: W-what just happened? Statement: I-”

Boudica, who had been watching this whole situation with an exasperated expression, gave a side-glance to her ghost as she heard the rising panic in her ghost’s voice. “Don’t,” she growled, her voice low. “If there is any trouble here, the last thing we need is you alerting the enemy to our presence.”

Heutte, upon hearing the voice, suddenly let his optic flash a vibrant green. “Excalamation: YOU!” If anything, Heutte was obviously furious. His offline emotional systems were no longer malfunctioning.

Nini looked as if they were about to melt into the ground, but the mission was accomplished. They floated towards Captain Devrim as if they were going to attempt to hide behind him. Their voice dropped to a plaintive whisper. “S-see? I told you it’d work! Smack and distract. It forces his systems to reboot, and then... you don’t give him a second to think about why he turned off his emotional systems in the first place.”

“... I probably should have told you sooner that Heutte and Boudica really hate each other.” And there was the distract. Not the one Nini would have preferred, but once Boudica had insisted upon coming it had left few other options.

[ghostwithoutguidance]

fireteamdawn:

It was the first time Ma’ab had actually been insulted. “Babysit?” she growled, standing her full height. She was tall for one her age, well fed.

“I was offering my blades. I am the daughter of a Baron, not fodder Dreg.” she narrowed her eyes. “If you want to become a feast for the Taken, then that is your own choice.”

She understood Hyrax’s caution, but to these lengths? It was ridiculous. She wasn’t some bastard Dreg who could only think to feed and kill. She was an assassin of great skill, who would easily guide such an obvious target as a Servitor to safe grounds.

Ma’ab turned to leave, angry. “Go north-west.” she slunk into the shadows with her stealth cloaking activated. “Don’t die. It would be unfortunate.”

Once a safe distance away, she stood watch. She wouldn’t let Hyrax’s stubborn self wander into Taken territory alone. Despite her anger. It would be dishonorable.

It wasn’t in Hyrax’s personality to give a shit. When Ma’ab barked at them about being the daughter of a Baron, the servitor scoffed. “And ah’m made in the image of the Traveler. What damn good has that there done me?” they snapped back.

As Ma’ab started to wander away, though, Hyrax remembered that they hadn’t paid them back for the info. That, more than hurt feelings, was a red flag. “Wait, wait, where yah goin’?! It’s still stormin’ and yah ain’t told meh what the hell yah wa- Oh, fuck it. Forget it.”

They were storming off, and it was still raining. Hyrax wasn’t going anywhere. And they certainly weren’t going to trust information dropped by a mysterious vandal that wanted nothing out of it. Eliksini just didn’t do that. They stole and took. They didn’t give without a catch.

*********************

Hyrax waited out the storm, keeping to their word. If there was really someone waiting for Hyrax in the middle of a set trap, the least they could do was keep them waiting as long as possible. A little vindictiveness could go far. As the last of the rain turned to a drizzle, Hyrax muttered to themself and finally edged out from their overhang.

They turned south-east, the opposite direction that Ma’ab had suggested. Let them wait for forever as long as Hyrax cared. “A wee wander it is,” Hyrax muttered. “Ain’t as if there be any damn point ta any of this anyways.”

The orb let out a low groan, a servitor’s humming disguised as the sound of a jet engine. It would bring any eliksini nearby scurrying from their hides, but if they were lucky one of his clutch would be among them. If not? Well, it wasn’t as if that was any different than his usual day. Screaming at the top of their metaphorical lungs was better than getting caught unawares in a trap. As least this was an aware, self-decided trap.

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

The bow of the knee-high grass should have tipped off anyone of his presence, but it seemed Nini was a little busy stressing about the flowers to notice Devrim. Cloaked, he had been scouting out the area, but it seemed now he should come out of hiding.

Devrim’s Eliksni-cloaking faded away, and he pulled his hood down. He had changed back into his usual attire after his meeting with Mazan. The Captain had been a good comfort to his poor conflicted mind, and suggested the change of attire. Devrim had to agree… he much preferred the comfort of his hoodie than the tight suit and sharp armor.

“Hello my dear, I’m ready.” he smiled at the color shifting Ghost as they fretted over every little detail. “This spot suits just fine, thank you for organizing the meeting.” He held out his hand, calling out Heutte and offer him to Nini.

Choosing a seat, he settled down on the smooth rock, taking out his thermos of tea to pour a cup and calm his own nerves. “He’s still… doing his thing. Hasn’t slipped up a bit.” he replied to their earlier inquiry with a sigh.

“Observation: ‘Doing my thing’ is not concise wording. Clarification required,” Heutte echoed, bobbing out from the swaying grass. The little ghost started to spin in a circle as he surveyed their surroundings. “Query: Is this location truly suitable? Statement: I see no defensible positions if the conversation were to go badly.”

Nini gave a quiet chirp of dismay, and perhaps even a flicker of annoyance. “That’s the point, silly! No one can do anything that might make people more angry. It’s really hard to pull a trick here! Helps everyone feel more open and trusting. Atmosphere is everything, y’know?”

As Nini chatted away, they slowly floated toward the captain. Once they were hovering near his ear, the ghost’s paint shifted to grey. A sneaky and secret color! Perfect! Their voice dropped to a whisper, “I told you I’d tell you how to fix this, Dev. Just give him your hardest slap. Don’t ask why. He’ll notice I’m talking to you soon and start to get suspicious. Just do it. He’ll be fine. It’s like riding on a roller coaster. Weeeeeee,” they explain.

That whispered weeeee sounded something like a buzzing fly.

Heutte, finishing his scan of the surroundings, turned to face the captain and Nini. The little ghost started to float away from Devrim as if they had just said nothing at all. “Anaylsis: Your logic is faulty. Safety measures are something that can be observed and planned for, while atmosphere is not something that can be defined and quantified; therefore, it is nonsensical.”

Nini made a hardlight emote of a mouth sticking out its tongue. “T-that’s mean! Meanie! W-well, you wouldn’t get it! I know these things. Y-you don’t.”

Thunk! In the middle of the conversation, a knife suddenly embedded itself in the middle of the table, causing Nini to give a sharp shriek of surprise. A moment later, a cloaked hunter faded into view. “You sure about that, Iceni?” she whispered, peeking from beneath her hood with the glowing green eyes of an awoken.

Nini’s shriek faded off when they realized it was their own guardian. “Uh, w-well, I think so, Boudica? I k-know you’re busy. Y-you didn’t have to come along, y’know? I’ve got this covered. Uh. probably.”

“... Probably? You involved the dog, Iceni,” Boudica snapped, the unspoken reprimand ringing between them. ‘Never involve the dog.’

Nini turned a sheepish pink. Desperate for anything to distract from their guardian’s obvious disapproval, something that was supremely uncomfortable for the ghost, they shouted the first thing that came to mind. “Uh! S-slap him now, Devrim! Now! As hard as you can!”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

fireteamdawn:

She took a moment to examine the scratching, squinting at the very peanut shapped mark. “I… think so, yes. It looks familiar.” she was unsure. It had been a long while since she had seen that marking. Hopefully the clutch was still around.

“I do not know where they are, but I know where to look.” Ma’ab told truthfully. She hadn’t actually interacted with this one. “I have seen that marking closer to the dam.”

Frowning and scratching her head she continued- “Though, that area was Taken recently… I am unsure that they survived the attack.” remembering the giant black blight in the dam’s water tower sent shivers up her spine. She nearly fell ill because of the water, and many of her clutch had died. She was thankful for the Guardian’s intervention of the Taken’s attack… but so much had already been lost..

“We can still look, but we must be careful. I fear little things. The Taken is one I do fear.”

“We?” Hyrax hissed the word as if it was some sort of insult. “Did yah hear me askin’ ta bring along someone ta babysit? I ain’t no nursery servitor, vandal. Don’t yah forget that there fact.”

Hyrax gave a reluctant chuff. As harsh as his initial response, though, this stray vandal had brought at least a little luck along with her. He had a better idea of where to look, and the potential situation. He hadn’t yet decided if it was worth venturing into Taken territory for this clutch. Did they tolerate his peculiarities? Certainly. Did they do much more than that? Not really. However, that was still above and beyond most clutches he met, and he had to decide if that was worth chasing.

“Info’s useful, though. Well, what do yah want, Ma’ab? How much do ah gotta pay yah to forget this here lil’ meetin’ when we go our separate ways once this storm passes? Ain’t gonna be happy if ah find out some strange clutch is chasin’ my tail or settin’ up a trap beyond that there dam.And ah don’t let people forget when ah’m in a fuckin’ bad mood.”

He paused, letting that sink in.

“Believe it or not, yah haven’t seen one of mah real nasty moods yet.”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

fireteamdawn:

Ma’ab practically melted at the wave of heat that bombarded her as Hyrax sighed. The rain was making the air extra chilly and the wave warmed her cooling exoskeleton right up! Convenient!

“I see. What is their banner? I know of a clutch around here that has been in hiding for some time. We trade with them sometimes. Very quiet folk. It that the clan you seek?” she actually quite liked that clutch. They were conserved, but ruthless when need be. Admirable.

It was interesting to learn Hyrax’s function. She assumed he was a battle servitor, due to his nature. It befitted him! But a transport servitor? That makes more sense why he would trade hands so often. Transportation is life or death in many cases… she remembers when they lost their own transport servitor! What a mess that was.

Hyrax’s whole body twisted in mid-air, causing their crest to float towards the ground instead of upwards. Technically, any orientation was the same for a servitor. They could float as comfortably in this orientation as with their crest pointing towards the sky. That being said, there was at least one reason Hyrax didn’t do it often. The servitor flicked their crest without thought, spearing the sharp metal into the soft, muddy ground. Clods of mud flew through the air as they moved.

Hyrax stopped when they came to a large etching haphazardly scratched across the midsection of one of their plates of armor. It looked something like an infinity symbol, little squiggly lines radiating out from one half of the symbol. The other half has a curved line through the middle to create the shape of a crescent moon. “These assholes,” Hyrax explained. “They’re a little less asshole-ish than the rest of these here assholes, though. At least they leave me the fuck alone. Seen ‘em?”

Hyrax wasn’t sure what they were going to do if they couldn’t find this sister clutch of his little group of assholes. Probably go back to wandering until someone or something claimed them, as usual. Things never went Hyrax’s way, so they were mostly convinced that that was going to be the end result of this.

“Hard ta miss their symbol. Told ‘em it looks kinda like a roasted peanut. Not that any of them dregs or vandals could understand meh. Think the captain just chose to ignore that lil’ observation. They were good at doin’ that, the ignorin’ bit. Thank the goddamn traveler for that.” 

[ghostwithoutguidance]

paneraguardians:

“I heard, I am just expressing my confusion. If Spider is so great, why does my Father wish to not speak of him?” she scratched her chin absentmindedly, “It is no matter. I will find out eventually.” she shrugged, moving on. Ma’ab chuckled at the Servitor’s annoyed snort, joining him in pressing back against the wall away from the growing puddle in front of them. They may be here for a while if they rain persists. Her father may be worried by now… he’ll be fine without her for a while longer.

Her interest perked at Hyrax’s declaration that the Kell would have her killed sooner or later, or a plant in their clutch. “Real concerns! I do not care, the Kell can try! He failed to kill me once, he will fail again!” she cackled, flexing her claws. “For this time, I am Sharp, a Marauder! I shall gouge his eyes out! A fitting end for a monster blinded by greed.” wow! That was poetic! She should tell that one to the human, he would appreciate it. Probably.

“What is your wander-wish? Where do you plan on escaping to if you cannot reach The Spider? After everything, you do not seem to wish to see another Dreg as long as you function.”

There it was. This whole time, Hyrax had managed to avoid speaking about what a lone servitor was doing wandering through the EDZ without an escort. They were surprised that Ma’ab had let it go this long. Some part of them had thought that they might get away with saying nothing at all, but that would have been too perfect. Hyrax was used to being disappointed.

WHOMP! Hyrax released a wave of super-heated air from their vents, the sound nearly loud enough to break ear drums. It was a noise that translated to ‘sigh.’

“Were yah not listenin’ to my story? Tried ta run ta the goddamn Spider a lifetime ago. Too old ta try that there shit now. Ah ain’t runnin’ ta nowhere, Marauder. Mah last place ta crash got routed by another clutch. Seein’ if their allied branch ‘round here is still standin’ or if they got fucked up, too. Guess it ain’t no armor off my back either way. Stayed with ‘em for a year, and they learned ta leave me the fuck alone. That’s all I damn ask for, more than most clutches can manage. Only bothered me when they wanted me ta warp someone or somethin’ across the way ta fuck knows where.”

There was the hint of Hyrax’s function. There were all sorts of servitors: primes, pilot, feeding. Hyrax was specialized for transporting supplies and troops using the warping function that servitors were constructed with. As a transport servitor, he could warp items much farther and at a larger bulk than other servitor designs. That being said, he paid in other ways. He could supply ether, for example, but not at the rate required to feed a whole clutch like a nursery servitor.

[ghostwithoutguidance]

@devrimsperch

Nini had done everything they promised. That, and more. The little ghost had scoped out a secluded meadow for the meeting, the land flat and empty as far as the optic could see, no place for enemies to easily hide for an ambush. It was only fair for both parties involved, to help ensure that neither came into the discussion believing this was an obvious trap.

A rusted table sat in the middle of the clearing, one of its legs propped up with crumbling cinder blocks. There were no chairs, but a stump and a large rock were conveniently placed to take the place of them. A chipped vase, white with blue accents, sat in the middle of the table. Someone (Nini) had even bothered to fill it with wildflowers. It was just the sort of place people could talk things out and make friends! That’s what they were here for, after all!

It was getting close to the appointed time, and the ghost was waiting for both parties to arrive. They flitted anxiously around their creation, fussing with the flowers in the vase to ensure they were perfectly positioned. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I hope no one is late! That would just be rude, and we don’t want to start off this chat with rudeness. No, no, no we don’t!” they fussed to themselves.

Speaking of which... Nini spun around, glancing across the meadow. “Dev! Dev, are you here yet?! Is Heutte still doing his weird thing?!”

The no-emotions thing, that was. (The answer was that he very much was).

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

Devrim smiled, thankful for Iceni’s support and bounding kindness. With one last belly scratch for Tank, he stood, wincing as his knees popped. “Alright. I trust you.” he nodded to the Ghost- “Call me when things are prepared, I should be… ready by then as well.”

He placed the Fallen helmet back on his head, and pulled up the purple hood, looking none too different from a Marauder once again.  Before saying his goodbyes, he tested out the cloaking mechanism, making sure it was still functioning properly for their hike to a safe enough spot for Mazan to meet up with him.

“I’ll see you later-” he waved to Iceni. “And it was nice meeting you, Tank.” he spoke softer, like to a baby to the puppy. “Did… did you want Heutte to stay with you?” he asked before truly leaving.

Iceni was intent on giving Tank the best belly rub he had ever had. The bulldog gave a pleased groan as the ghost brushed against an itchy patch of skin with the tip of their shell. They ceased when Captain Devrim turned back to ask one last question, though. “Uh, that’s up to you, Dev. And, oh, Heutte, I guess? Kinda sounds like you need me time. If we were in the city I’d take you to a spa to relax and calm down. I can babysit him for a bit if you need.”

Heutte listened to the conversation without comment or remark up until it seemed like Iceni was soliciting his opinion. “Statement: The most efficient method would be for all us to remain together in a secure location. There are many dangers out in the open.”

Iceni gave a quiet snort. “As much as I’d like to hang out more, I’ve got to get Tank back to the tower before Shankbot or Boudica notices he is missing. Or before Nexus-9 notices I’m missing. Maybe we can have a sleepover another time! Buuuuut, you don’t have to make a decision right now, Dev. I’m gonna let Tank nap for an hour or two before we head back. The walk tuckered him out! And all the attention!”

Sure as rain, the bulldog gave a loud snore. “I’ll just wait here with Tank, and if you decide you want Heutte to stay with you just come back in a bit. If not he can have a sleepover with me!”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

paneraguardians:

“Not exiles… it would be easier. Kell still rules us, uses us.” she grumbled, shifting in the heat Hyrax just released. It was stuffy, but at least her cloak was drying. It was heavy when it was wet. She wasn’t stupid, Ma’ab knew full well it was to purposefully make her uncomfortable, but ah what did she care. She found someone who hates Kells and Archons as much as she did.

She was interested in his admission of attempting to join the Spider in the Reef. She’d always been interested in the Reef, despite her father’s tales of how terrible it was.

“Father used to work with the Spider. He said he left to find members of his house. I don’t know why, the Spider seems like a good… Kell?” no that wasn’t what Spider was. “A Lee-dear?” she spoke in human common, having heard the word from Devrim in reference to someone in charge, but who wasn’t a Kell, Archon, or Captain really.

“Won’t talk about it when I ask. I wonder why.” she mused. The Spider was a legend umongst Eliksni, leading without being called Kell. Owning the Reef. Aside from working with the Awoken it seemed perfect.

Hyrax fell silent, letting it stretch on until the point it became painfully awkward. Their optic rolled to the side, giving her a concerned glance. “What? Yah want me ta talk ‘bout it? Were yah payin’ even a lil’ bit of attention? If yah had, yah would have noticed ah said that I didn’t get damn close to the Spider. Ah wouldn’t know anythin’ ‘bout him other than the rumors. Yah’ll get even less from me than yah father.”

Hyrax made a noise like a groan, but their language it was more like a dismissive snort. The servitor leaned back against the ruined brick wall, allowing their optic to dim. Water still rolled in sheets through the ruin, and there was a low rumble of thunder in the distance.

“Now yah are just confusin’ me. What the hell’s up with that there story of yours? Still tied ta an asshole kell? Just don’t make sense, because then yah ain’t gonna be speakin’ my language. Kell wouldn’t let any vandal get away with behavior like that, and if they are? Always gotta damn reason. Guarantee they have a plant in yah lil clutch whisperin’ all yah secrets back in the Kell’s ear. They’re gonna kill yah sooner or later.”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

paneraguardians:

“Oh, yes. I am very wet. It is getting uncomfortable.” the Marauder muttered, slipping under the ledge and plopping down in the dry(er) dirt. She grinned up at the Servitor, her nicest and least menacing smile. “On my arms, I promise neither I, nor my clutch, will drag you anywhere you do not wish to go.” she pulled up her knees and settled her head on them, wrapping her upper arms under her chin, and her lower arms around her thighs.

Ma’ab cocked her head to the Serivitor. “Lost does not take anyone who does not wish to be taken. My Baron did not wish to be of House Dusk. He was forced by our Kell. We refuse to behave as cruel as bastard-Kell.” she hissed, klicking her teeth in disgust.

“Killed my siblings to control my Baron! Young he had forced to be conceived!” Ma’ab spat to dilute the terrible bitter taste in her mouth of being of the Kell’s own blood. “I am sorry. Speaking ill of Kell is… sac- sacrilegious.” It was an empty apology, she didn’t think Hyrax would care if one cursed the Kell, but out of habit she apologized anyway

Without conscious thought, Hyrax adjusted their ventilation systems to release heated air. It was a useful feature out in the field, allowing eliksini to warm up a little in less than ideal environments. In an enclosed space, a single servitor could heat the air within a matter of minutes. They weren’t in an enclosed space here, but it would be enough to dry hands and clothes if someone stood close enough.

It was a matter of habit and instinct, but once Hyrax realized what they had done they adjusted their temperature just a little higher to be slightly uncomfortable (though not dangerously hot). Hyrax found little ways to be spiteful and annoying in a world out to control their every movement.

While Ma’ab was thinking they had found a new friend, Hyrax was thinking they had just found another complication.

“So yah’ll are a bunch of exiles that call yahself a clutch? Typical. Run across a few in my time,” they muttered. Hyrax didn’t intend to turn them into one of the big Houses. That would require effort. And caring. Hyrax had stopped caring about the politics of Eliksini Kells a long time ago, that and the politics of the Archons. Especially the Archons. Oh, and the politics of the Prime Servitors. And a whole lot of other politics.

“Yah seem good enough at hidin’. Yah’ll might even make it a few years. Congratu-fuckin’-lations. If ah had hands, ah’d be clappin’ for yah. At least yah won’t die on a bastard Kell’s or Archon’s whim, though. Few better ways ta go down. Heh, if yah’ll are lucky, maybe yah’ll even dig yerself in like that damn spider fellow in the reef. Tried ta run ta that bastard when I was young, but didn’t get too far. Obviously. If ah had I’d be more of a damn touchy pincushion than ah am now.”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

“Oh… sorry dear.” Devrim muttered to the poor puppy, giving Tank the much deserved tummy rubs he whined for, careful with his suit’s claws.

He had faith in Iceni, that was for sure, and he was about to agree to the Ghost setting everything up (With a side of Mazan’s help, of course. Could always use the back up. Always.) but Heutte’s input… chilled him.

It took a moment to process through what had been said, and then there was a flash of anger, which he quickly stamped down by taking a deep settling breath and eyeing his Ghost. While he knew he’d be back as a Guardian, if and when he passed, but he still felt… conflicted. It would mean losing himself as he is. Losing his memories, his life.

“You’ll be going with me, Heutte, whether it makes sense to or not. They’re here for you.” He didn’t want to put that weight on the Ghost, but he may have been a bit salty about the Ghost’s immediate disregard for his current life. “I love you Heutte, and I will do everything in my power to help you, but you’ll have to face your own problems sometimes. I can’t solve everything for you.” he paused for a moment, expression softening.

“You can’t solve everything by bottling up your emotions… I know… I’ve tried. Suraya’s tried. You’ll need to deal with this yourself, not as-” he motioned to Heutte’s stiff form- “-this. This isn’t you. This isn’t logical.” Devrim needed to stop before he dug this hole deeper. Old wounds were aching, something he didn’t need right now. Not when Heutte needed his help. He had to keep it together. He looked back to Nini, hoping they didn’t notice the emotional wreck of a man he’d tried to keep to himself. “Go ahead and set it up, I know you’re the right Ghost for the job. I need to call Mazan…”

Heutte seemed unaffected by the Captain’s outburst, rolling over him as easily as an ocean wave over sand. Once Devrim finished, the ghost added, “Statement: The pros and cons of my attendance during this meeting can be discussed more thoroughly if required. Discussion could identify errors in my analysis of the situation. I am confident I have made none, but there is no harm in a secondary check.”

Before Captain Devrim had the chance to respond to that, Iceni bumped against the Captain’s knee like a cat begging for pets. Nini had come up towards him during the two’s conversation. Their armor pulsed a comforting shade of yellow. “Don’t worry about him, Dev. He’s being silly. I’ll take care of it here in a bit, but for now you have to let him pout. Don’t listen to him while he’s whining.”

“Observation: Imprecise descriptor identified. I am not whining, merely explicating,” Heutte responded.

Iceni rolled their optic. “Oh, keep telling yourself that, silly. You know I’m worried about you, but I have a few ideas to fix this... and that... and that,” the little ghost added, floating over to Tank to join in the belly rubs. They ran the point of their shell along the dog’s stomach, the closest they could get. 

“Take a breather, Dev. Call your hug friend. Come back when you’re feeling better, and then I’ll show you how to knock him out of... this. I’ve learned a few tricks over the years. Sound good? It’ll be easier if you’re uh... not sad and upset. Or like... even just a little bit less sad and upset. I don’t want you to be either.”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

paneraguardians:

Ma’ab was having a fantastic day! This was the umpteenth time she’s keened in laughter. She really liked this Servitor! “It took you long enough to notice, sacred one.” she spoke the name teasingly.

“Learned from getting yelled at too often. Trouble maker, I’m sure you’ve noticed.” she bowed, eyes glittering chaoticly. “My Captain does not mind. It is helpful to understand our Serivtors on the field. Seems stupid to not understand your own’s language, yes?”

At least that was her spiel for when she got caught up with other clutches. She’s gotten in plenty of trouble for speaking to, and for Servitors. Obviously, it’s never really the Servitors that get angry about it. Ma’ab’s reasoning was always ‘it’s for battle’ or ‘there’s no archon’ or ‘i’m training to become an archon’  that one worked only once. That Captain was an utter fool, but… ah, she was nice enough. Until a Guardian took her head.

“I take that you are definitely an asshole. But so am I, so I do not care!”

Hyrax fell silent, glaring outside at the vandal as if they had caused them great inconvenience. In a way, they had. It was easier to ignore someone that didn’t understand you. Now they might be wandering into some elaborate trap for the sheer hope of a little company, something that Hyrax sorely lacked. When the only people that talked to you were religious zealots and other servitors that believed in (or were resigned to) the bullshittery it was something of a shock to experience something different.

Hyrax was used to relying on himself and keeping to his own after a lifetime of that.

With a dramatic sigh, the servitor shifted over to make room under the outcrop for Ma’ab. “Are yah goin’ to keep standin’ out in the rain like a stupid idiot? If yah are also an asshole, yah can’t afford ta be a stupid idiot at the same time.”

Hyrax waited for them to enter the decrepit building, still looking like Ma’ab’s presence was like being dunked in boiling water. The fact they were extending a metaphorical hand at all, though, was something amazing. They just couldn’t turn down someone else that was fluent and not crazy, even if it ended up with them kidnapped.

“If this ends with me dragged off ta some unfamiliar clutch, ah’ll scream until yah all regret dragging me back. Now ah understand how you knew all those cuss words, though. The fuckin’ nursery servitors are some of the most foul mouthed people ah know. Must have something to do with havin’ ta watch a bunch of mewling parasites for hours on end. Yah’ll are a pain as adults sometimes, worse as babies. Can’t say ah can blame them cussin’ up a storm, ‘specially since most of the youngin’s ain’t ever gonna know that’s what they’re doin’.”

[ghostwithoutguidance]

devrimsperch:

“I’m with Heutte… While he may have misunderstood their motives to begin with, I’m not going to blindly set up a meeting.” He thought for a moment, rubbing his chin, his beard making a scratchy sound against the three fingered claws of his gloves. “Especially if what Heutte said was true… Prince Uldren? A Fallen coup being planned within the city?” He might be misunderstanding the information as well…Devrim needed to hear more.

“Lets call for a meeting with Varutta Cis then.” He started after thinking for a while longer, “I know a good location that’ll be easy for use to scout, make sure we’re not walking into an ambush. I can have Mazan supply us with some backup.” he looked to Heutte to inquire input from his end, but felt grief looking at the uncannily still Ghost.

“What do… you two think?” Iceni’s emotional input would cover for Heutte’s lack of it, he supposed. They’ve gone this far to help anyways, he might as well include the wily Ghost in on the planning.

Tank gave a quiet grunt to get the Captain’s attention, clearly not impressed by the quality of his pets. The bulldog waved his paws in an attempt to bat the Captain’s arm in a demanding way. How dare he talk to the others instead of continuing the skritches, especially after waking him up!

Iceni gave a quiet huff of laughter with a touch of indignant flair. “Blindly, Dev? This isn’t just any meeting! I’ll be managing it! I’m the only possible mediator in this situation, wouldn’t you agree? I’ll make sure everyone comes out happy and feeling better! Have some confidence in me, Dev. I wouldn’t send you in blind. But, uuuuuuuuuuh, if you want to see your hug friend feel free to bring him along. I have no objection. You two are cute together.”

The little ghost tittered to themselves at the memory of their first meeting. They would have to do something for Mazan and Dev some other time, once this was all sorted out. Maybe setting up a surprise, candle light dinner? They’d figure it out.

Heutte waited patiently through all of this, finally adding in his analysis at the very end. “Analysis: In order to increase the efficiency of the plan, I would suggest sending in Captain Devrim alone. In that case, if it is a trap, I will still be available to retrieve his corpse at a later point in time.”

Nini fell silent, turning to throw a brief glance at Heutte. “Well, you’re just a spoilsport like this! No one’s dying, silly.”

It certainly was a logical plan, but at odds with how Heutte usually acted (as the ghost was known to want to zoom in and help instead of sitting back). Needless to say, it was doubly odd he suddenly seemed unconcerned of losing Devrim before they had the proper chance to save their recordings and histories as they had planned. The nonchalance of the recommendation proved that Captain Devrim’s concerns about this turn were well-founded.