#nettle-11

[talinaprime]

Savathun's death doesn't end the deal. Every week, Nettle-11 sits cross-legged in the mire, within rocky outcroppings hidden by brush, waiting for the Hive to come. The first visit after Savathun's death is tense. They arrive with knives unfurled and charge. Nettle-11 refuses to fire a single shot. Instead, she has Dart initiate the data transfer.

"There will be an attempt to break the pyramid," she tells them from cover. "Will your faction object?"

The hive acol-no they are a Hunter now, simply snarls... and leaves. Dart's voice chirps, "I received a small data packet. Nathan will try to convince them that violence is unnecessary next time."

She tilts her head in a silent question.

"Nathan is their ghost. Or they call her Narthan, but Nathan is pretty close."

Nettle-11 nods. There was no information gained, but a transfer was successful. She hopes next time will be more successful.

Next week they ask about the Cabal.

"I'm not part of that operation." She says truthfully. "My job is tracking and control of Scorn operations. Do you have any information regarding that faction."

The Hive Hunter snarls. Dart gives a confirmation ping. She nods and leaves the Hunter, not turning her back to them quite yet.

Every week is a gamble. Will this be the time that they won't show up? Would another Hive take their place without the Witch Queen to order it so? Is Nettle-11 going to have to explain to Ikora Rey why she is not killing a specific Hive Hunter?

Nettle-11 isn't good at Gambit. But she is good at Crucible Control. She keeps the meeting spot hidden and monitored. The Hive Hunter has yet to lead other's to it. So she waits.

The fourth visit they speak.

"You do not fire upon me." They snarl. "Immaru wishes to know why."

"You may tell Immaru that as long as information continues to change hands, I will remain nonhostile to Hive ghosts... despite advisement stating otherwise."

The fifth visit they ask, "You always have more information, why do you continue this deal when it does not seem you profit from it?"

"Because my mission is to track and control Scorn. Not Hive Risen elimination."

"It can not be that simple."

"It is for me."

The sixth visit they arrive first, sitting cross-legged as they wait.

"I fail to understand you," they growl.

"What is your name?"

"I am Ad-Naur."

"Ad-Naur. You might be free of your worm, but you are still trapped in the Deep."

They hiss and get up to depart.

"When you are ready to see beyond the sword logic, you will know where to find me." Nettle-11 calls to them as for the first time, Ad-Naur leaves their back open.

[talinaprime]

Nettle-11 doesn't care about Savathun stealing the light at first.

Similar to how she didn't care about Crota until she found Eris' ship trapped among the House Exile, or Oryx until he decided to make it personal. Her attention, her hunt, had always been the Fallen on the moon.

Make no mistake, she was pleased that House Light was finally allied with the Tower, she had been quietly been pushing for better communication since the House Wolves had splintered. But House Exile and their nobility had been absorbed by House Dusk, so she followed them to Titan... then to the Tangled Shore.

She did not avenge Cayde-6 but she did set her sights on the Scorn. On their movements, how the differed from Eliksni, and their leadership. Fikrul was tagged and she tracked carefully through the Shore and the Dreaming City.

When Eris returned to the Moon, Nettle-11 sent data on old Exile caches. When Eramis ran to Europa, Nettle-11 followed the broadcasts. When Mithrax called for help, Nettle-11 answered first.

So when word came that Scorn were moving and it was due to Savathun possessing Osiris? Well, Nettle-11 focused on what she knew: the Scorn.

But she did visit Savathun once during her imprisonment. It went something like this:

"Ah, you're one of the Guardians that slayed my brother and nephew."

"I am. Do you hold a grudge?"

"What would be the point? I certainly miss my brother, but we had grown apart."

"You didn't answer."

"No, hunter. I hold no grudge."

"You do not plan to come after me for vengeance like Oryx?"

"Goodness, no, I have other things to worry about."

"Okay. I'll leave you alone if you leave me alone."

"A non-aggression pact? For yourself or do you speak for the Vanguard?"

"Just me."

"I certainly won't attack you. But the rest of the hive may choose otherwise."

"I'll take your word for now."

"Are you not worried that I am lying."

"From what I've heard, you're lies are more subtle. And you have nothing to lose."

"Quite right."

So Nettle-11 goes on her way until Savathun is spotted on the rediscovered Mars surrounded by Scorn. And they meet again.

"Do you remember our deal?"

"Of course not. Funny how you Guardians know that we are reborn without memories, but you're so quick to condemn us for what we don't remember."

"We had a deal to not attack each other. I would appreciate it if you tell your brood to leave me alone as well."

"And what do you have to offer me?"

"I specialize in tracking Scorn and predicting their course. I would offer you all data I retrieve to your new Ghost network."

"Oh, I think that will do, but I can't promise that all my lucent will behave."

"That sounds like a management issue, and I will defend myself."

"Very well, I'll give the order that you and your ghost will remain unperturbed..."

"Nettle-11, and Ghost unit Dart."

"Yes, Nettle and Dart. Immaru will spread the word."

And they haven't seen each other since. Luckily, Immaru is keeping Savathun's deal, probably because they send in excellent data. Also could be something to do with the Lucent Hive having bigger problems.

[talinaprime]

Nettle-11 is too new to take part in the War for the Moon. She spends most of her time running with Lord Shaxx's cadets. They run multiple control drills, and they complain about control Shaxx throws them into clash.

Tallulah Fairwind had recently died, killed by an wish dragon. Calliban-8 is her new Vanguard mentor, and he's too busy trying to run operations on the moon. Wei Ning makes that difficult, according to his rants.

So she sticks to Shaxx. And Shaxx tries to run her and the others into the ground.

When not in the crucible, she listens to Shaxx rant. It's about the strike on the moon. Too soon, he says, not enough intelligence.

Nettle-11 also likes having more information before committing to a fight. She doesn't say it though.

So when they learn of the Great Disaster, Nettle-11 doesn't say a thing. Instead she packs her bags and leaves the tower with Dart and a cheap sparrow. Shaxx catches her.

"I need to learn enemy tactics. Best way to learn is to see them in the field."

"We'll be careful!" Dart promises, "Nettle-11 doesn't plan to engage, just observe and report."

Lord Shaxx pretends he doesn't see them leave.

[talinaprime]

Nettle-11 is out in the cosmodrome for six months and hasn't fired a single shot. The fallen will only engage if they can spot you, and Nettle prefers to keep her distance, using her sniper's scope to zoom in for better clarity while Dart works to tune into the communication frequencies.

They develop a routine. Every morning Dart wakes Nettle with a weather report. As the ghost scolds her into doing house keeping for their temporary shelter (they're small campsites really), they present any tower news that has come in. Dart likes doing different voices based on subjects. Together they go over any information from Caliban-8. There's not usually much but Dart says he's probably feeling guilty because he didn't have time to mentor her, because when they do get information, it's usually a bunch of forwarded reports.

After going over intel, they conceal the shelter and move out. Nettle-11 spends most of the day sitting in a sniper nest, watching fallen scurry about scavenging. She and Dart listen to the chatter, whispering to each other as Dart records, trying to translate everything.

Eventually the fallen depart. Nettle will sometimes follow them, creating small nests for future use. More often she returns to shelter where she writes a report with Dart for Caliban-8. Then she performs equipment maintenance before going to bed.

While the ghost looks to the stars keeping watch, the exo dreams of the Deep Stone Crypt.

[talinaprime]

When Nettle-11 arrives at the tower, her Hunter Vanguard is not available.  Neither is the Titan Vanguard Saint-14, or the Warlock Vanguard Osiris.  They are all in a conference with the Consensus.  Nettle understands this to mean that they are all currently being a governing body.  She goes to find someone to assist her with ‘registration’.  

Instead she meets Lord Shaxx.

Lord Shaxx knows she’s new and throws her into a Cadet Class on armor maintence.  

They don’t know it, but Nettle-11 will never meet the current Vanguard.  Shaxx will be her only introduction to the Tower lifestyle.  

[talinaprime]

Nettle-11 is found on the open tundra by the Six Coyotes after successfully surviving for 5 months.  Her ghost is more excited than her.  Nettle is fairly certain that they would have eventually made their own way to the City, but if the Coyotes are willing to give her a ride, she won’t say no.  Her time on the Bandwagon is informative.  The exo had developed many blade habits as they were more dependable on the open tundra than the resource draining bullets and this confirms for them that she’s a young hunter in the making.  

Lee-4 is familiar to her.  She’s comfortable sitting next to her fellow exo in silence as Therin Vai chats at her and Micah-10 converses with her ghost.  Her ghost admits that they don’t really know if they’re doing their job right, because Nettle hardly speaks, displays little emotion, and can act almost robotic at times.  Therin asks if Nettle is a frame or an exo.  It’s Lee who sticks up for her.  

“Not all Exo’s are friendly like Cayde-6,” she points out.  “Like people, we’re all individuals.  Some of us prefer the quiet.”

Nadiya finally speaks up, looking at Nettle’s ghost, “what’s your name?”

“I don’t know...” the ghost murmers, “I had always hoped that I would help my guardian choose their name, and they would help me choose one, but Nettle already has a name.”

The ghost is always trying their best to be helpful.  Nettle understands this.  She also knows that she is difficult to get along with.  She prefers quick interactions to trade important information as efficiently as possible.  Wasted seconds could mean injury.  Ignorance could cause mistakes.  Incorrect intel could create failure.  And her ghost wants to help her.  It’s why they scan her after every enemy encounter, why at the end of a sleep cycle then give a current time and weather report, and why they stare at the sky seeking signals while she rests.  The little light is always darting around, trying so hard to fill a void.  

“Would you like me to give you a name?”

Her ghosts whips around flashing to her side in a stream of particles.

“It’s alright, I’m your ghost!  I don’t need you to give me a name.  We’re partners, I’ll always be there to help you.”

“But you would like a name.”  It’s no longer a question.

The Coyotes are quiet now.  Therin is grinning while Nadiya rolls her eyes and Micah gives the ghost an encouraging smile.  There are other ghosts appearing.  

“Would the name Dart be satisfactory to you?”

[talinaprime]

I've been trying to figure out what armor Nettle-11 wears and after 3 days puzzling over it I have concluded that I've been in the wrong game.

I've had Nettle-11 since the D1 public beta way back when people hung out in the cosmodrome divide farming sepiks prime cause it was our highest level content sitting on a little balcony crouched behind some crate so the Revenant Vandals couldn't snipe us.

When D1 was officially released there was this cloak I got from Dead Orbit. It was more of a scarf with a hood. It had a tiny dead orbit logo, but it was v hard to see and was black.

Cloak of the Sojourn.

That's Nettle-11's cloak.

Now I just have to find the rest of her armor...

(Unrelated, I've known my titan's armor since year 1 of d2, but i took no screenshots cause i was a fool!)

[talinaprime]

Have I ever talked about Nettle-11's relationship with Cayde-6?

Nettle's been around for most of the Hunter Vanguards, so she did spend some time in the field with Cayde-6 and Shiro-4 and Tevis and Andal Brask and that crew. Mostly before she went and started living on the Moon, when she was still learning eliksni language in the Cosmodrome.

She didn't like Cayde-6. Morale is an important part of team adhesion, but she believed Cayde-6 was a little too informal. Later on, after she returned to the DSC, she would learn she disliked him then as well. She never wanted him dead though. So when word gets out about this new eliksni faction calling themselves the Scorn and they were responsible for Cayde's death? Well, she's worked with the Spider before. While the Guardian was tracking the Baron's, she spent most of her time observing the Scorn and reporting back to Ikora.

Cayde's death was avenged and Nettle-11 entered the Dreaming City.

You could say that Nettle-11 didn't care for Cayde-6's death, but she focused a lot of time and energy tracking Scorn movements... she misses having a Vanguard...