Chapter Text
Bilby's quarters were sparse, but at least a little more spacious than Peregrine to compensate. Ayana expected as much from a ship manned by a two man crew, but with it being only the second interior she's gotten to see, the differences were novel. Two inset beds, one on each side, leaving not much room for compartmented storage, but it looked well lived in, nonetheless, at least from what she could see. The overhead lights were dimmed, not enough to leave the room pitch black, but enough to leave her unsettled. So, she started feeling around while Eden did his own searching for a means of lighting things up. Eden proved to be the victor in looking where Ayana avoided on principle, inside the bed nooks. She felt around at his instruction until she found the switch in one of the nook's ceilings, turning on the embedded light that was designed to illuminate the small space.
It was a warmer glow than the more industrial overhead, giving the whole thing a much cozier atmosphere. There were mussed blankets, a datapad tucked into the corner beside the pillow, and what Ayana found most endearing, the walls. They were a deep blue color that matched the blankets, and covered, absolutely covered in drawings. There wasn't anything particularly complex, usually little more than abstract doodles, except for the ceiling, which was primarily meticulous, hand drawn stars. It all looked to be drawn with a silver pen, or maybe a marker, catching the light with a warm shimmer. A quick glance over her shoulder revealed similar decorum in the opposite bed, and she couldn't help but smile.
She left the beds alone in favor of heading further back, correctly figuring that the bathroom being in the back is likely standard. Once finding the light switch, she waited until she was adapted to the fluorescents before removing her helmet for the first time since this little adventure had begun, only to do a double take when she caught her reflection in the mirror.
Tucking her helmet under her arm, she leaned over the sink and reached up to feel the dried blood around her nose and mouth. She looked healthy enough- a bit tired around the eyes, maybe. But as she examined the cracked sanguine, she could only mutter an eloquent, "Yikes."
Eden took the liberty of storing her helmet, and she spared him a grateful smile before removing her gloves and turning on the sink. Predictably, there wasn't any soap, so she settled for simply rinsing the worst of the grime away, the cold water being a revitalizing bonus.
Now that she felt a bit more alive with a cleanish face, Ayana returned to the main quarters, and she almost took the dining booth beside the door. But seeing as it was the darkest part of the space, she instead opted for the floor with her back against the lit bed. Eden provided her with a tablet, and getting started on the report was a quiet affair. Eden didn't need to aid her with much when it came to simply writing the thing up, but he piped up occasionally with little corrections here and there that added some polish.
She was so wrapped up in it that she hadn't heard the door to the cockpit open, or registered her company at all until a hand touched her shoulder, making her jump. He flinched back as she did, raising his hands placatingly as she stared up into a pair of pure white eyes. They merely looked at each other, and her face must have conveyed a sense of unease, because he was the first to break the silence with an awkward laugh, his mouth lighting up that same pure white.
"Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to sneak up on ya,"
He slowly eased down to sit beside her, and she numbly made room, kicking herself for her paranoia. She found it easier to relax once he was settled, now that the light was hitting him proper. His plating was smooth with few moving parts, or really any discerning details aside from a pair of black wire strips along the top of his head. The way his eyes were framed left them feeling just a bit too large, but his features had a certain softness to them that Ayana found oddly fitting. She didn't know Exos could truly appear youthful, but this one certainly did. Even his dermal was soft looking, a matte grey that popped against gunmetal. In the shadows, she could make out how the left side of his face was painted a soft blue, and over his right brow, there was a decal of a star colored to match.
He blinked owlishly at her, and she could see the flicker in his mouth, like he wanted to break the silence that she hadn't realized she was maintaining. She offered a smile, hoping she could miraculously convey both apoise and nonchalance. "Wasn't paying attention, is all."
"Hm," He nodded, bringing his knees up to drum his hands against idly, glancing away for a beat before asking, "So... why're we on the floor?"
"I didn't want to get the beds dirty," She answered with a shrug, figuring it was obvious. The two of them were technically her hosts, after all; far be it her place to sully their private quarters with dirt and grime from a plethora of sources.
"Well, that's nice of ya and all, but we can always wash the sheets," There was a squint in his eyes, probably his closest to a smile. "Not like we have to do it all that often- Exos and all that. But we'd let ya catch some Z's. But," He pointed past her, towards the back. "Why not sit back there?"
She followed his hand, her eyes settling on the general area in which the booth was located. Between the bed's light and her datapad, her eyes were no longer adjusted enough to really discern it. She found herself gnawing the inside of her cheek, not really wanting to answer the question, but when she looked back and saw how he looked at her expectantly, she knew there wasn't really a way around it.
"I, uh," Her eyes fell to the tablet screen, trying to swallow the undeniable embarrassment. "I don't really... It's just a bit dark." She gestured to the bed nook behind them. "We couldn't find the light switch, so,"
"Oh," was than followed by "Oh!" and Ayana felt her shoulders ride up, waiting for some sort of comment at her expense. That was until he suddenly called for Mango, and as her vibrant shell lit up the space, so too did the overhead lights; it didn't make the room particularly bright, but it was certainly more discernible. "So sorry 'bout that. See, we're more used to the dark." He must have caught the look she gave him, and he waved it off. "Long story. Anyway, we don't usually think to turn up the lights. Not everyday we're bunkin' with a guest." He directed his next statement at Eden, and Ayana was surprised to hear how his tone was almost admonishing. "Coulda just linked up and turned the lights on remotely, ya know."
"It's not our ship!" Eden retorted, indignant. "I'm not going to tamper with another Guardian's ship without explicit permission, that would be rude."
"It's the bloody lights, mate, not the airlock."
"Well- still."
"I promise it's not that serious," Ayana jumped in, placing a hand on Mav's shoulder and offering him a smile. "But thank you," She then nodded to Mango. "Both of you." She watched Mango offer a polite bow, who then gestured to Mav expectantly.
"'s no problem. And uh... no need to wait on us, yeah? Make yourselves at home."
Eden accepted the olive branch gracefully, so Ayana turned her attention back to her datapad, angling it a bit towards Mav so he could see. She actually didn't feel like moving, and Mav didn't appear to mind. He saddled up next to her, and over the next few hours, revealed himself to be rather knowledgeable on this sort of thing; she and Eden had the basics down alright, but Mav described the Vanguard- or more specifically, the commander- as the Devil in the details. Time frames, distance, landmarks. Anything and everything, all while somehow keeping the whole thing as succinct as possible. Somewhat of a headache, to be sure, but between the four of them, Ayana figured it could be worse.
They eventually reached a point where they had something presentable for a report, and Ayana took the lapse as a good opportunity to ask about something she'd been wondering since he joined her. "So, your paintjob. Do you and Mad match?" She suddenly realized how that being her only comment might be impolite. "It looks cool, by the way. I like the color."
"Hey, thanks," He was chipper, pointing between himself and her. "We kinda match, if ya think about it. Same blue. And a star theme." That got him a scoff, but when she nonetheless smiled, he continued. "But yeah, almost. He's got it swapped; blue star over the left eye. So, you were close," There was a sudden glint in his eye, and she recognized that he was smiling as he leaned back, jabbing a thumb into his chest. "Except I'm Mad. Mav's in the cockpit."
Ayana blinked at him in confusion, glancing at Mango, then at him. She tried to recall everything prior, suddenly presented with the prospect that she may have been wrong this entire time, and amidst that lapse in judgement, Eden voiced the very same concerns in equal caliber. "Wait, I thought... I'm sorry, we thought Mango was Mav's Ghost."
Mad, apparently, didn't say anything. Ayana thought she actually saw his face briefly falter, and Mango took over. "You both are correct, technically speaking. But, seeing as Boa..." She trailed off, seemingly second-guessing her next choice of words. "... Well. Boa and I share them. I may have resurrected Maverick, but Maddox is no less my charge. I care for them both very dearly."
There was obviously a story, there, and Ayana could parse that, for now, it wasn't one she was meant to hear. She was, however, coming to the conclusion that she wasn't a huge fan of Mad's Ghost.
It was easy to drop the topic, because she wasn't exactly lying when she claimed to be exhausted; even with the Light, two days of excitement still took a toll. Mad readily agreed, practically launching himself into the opposite bed, and after he insisted again that her armor being a mess wasn't a big deal, she couldn't deny how happy she was to climb into bed herself. And with a blanket, no less, which made falling asleep all the easier.
She was woken up some time later by a gentle hand on her shoulder, and as she blearily blinked at the Hunter knelt by her bed, she noted the star over the left brow. Mav actually apologized for waking her, even though she'd apparently been out cold for almost fifteen hours, and that he and Mad figured waking her now would give her time to brighten up before they landed. She didn't see why she needed to be woken up when they were still a ways out, but she kept that complaint to herself, because she'd apparently been out cold for almost fifteen hours.
Being in the cockpit with them wasn't so bad, anyway. They were lively conversationalists, to put it mildly, and Ayana quickly learned she could often get away with simply nodding along and sprinkling in the occasional commentary, and the two of them would do the rest. They were a nice change of pace, being far less tight lipped than her usual company, and they were entertaining storytellers. The told stories of the Hive gods and the fall of their kin, the Vex collective and all its failures, manhunts of Fallen Houses, tales of exploration against death defying odds. They made it all sound so fantastical, and she was sure they were deliberately skimming the unpleasantries, not that she could blame them. She told her own stories in turn at their behest, what few there were, and while she didn't think she was as engaging, Mav and Mad still listened intently, with all the fanfare a good audience can provide.
It felt like no time at all until the Traveler could be seen on the horizon, and even less until they were set to dock. But as Bilby decelerated for landing and they all got their helmets resituated, Ayana watched Mav freeze in the doorway, cursing in the same breath as Mad as he pushed past her to stand behind the pilot's chair. Ayana turned to follow their gaze out, and her question of what suddenly had them worked up died on her tongue. She could recognize Lancer from a mile away, looking up at Bilby with his arms crossed as they landed. He was accompanied by two more, a Guardian he didn't recognize, and what looked to be... Ah. "Cayde."
"That cheatin' son of a..." Mad trailed off, and Ayana gave him and Mav room to disembark first, trailing after them in silent anticipation in regards to how exactly this is going to go down. Starting strong, the duo went in swinging, "You bloody snake!"
"Now- Okay, I know this looks bad," Cayde raised his hands in defense as he was crowded, "But to be absolutely, transparently fair, I said I'd play dumb. And I did! Swear it," He placed a hand on his chest, while he raised his other index. "But, we never negotiated how long I had to play dumb. Rookie mistake, all of you." He then gestured past them at Ayana, ignoring her obvious incredulity. "Now, I can forgive her, she'll learn. But you boys? Thought I raised you better than that." And, just as it looked like both Hunters were about to start sparking, he pointed a thumb towards Lancer. "'Sides, not my fault Papa Bear over here agreed to outbid you."
That, weirdly enough, seemed to calm them down a bit. But not much. "Oh yeah? He agreed?"
"That's what he said, yeah? He would pay you? Word for word?"
There was an implication there that Ayana initially didn't understand. But as she watched Cayde open his mouth, then slowly close it as the light flickered out, realization was quickly dawning as he slowly looked at Lancer. It took all of her willpower and actively biting the inside of her cheek to not lose her composure when he wordlessly stared back.
"... Okay. That's my bad. Well played, big man." Cayde conceded. "But, I did convince him to wait here instead of running off to drag your sorry butts home. I deserve a little credit."
"I convinced him." was the immediate retort from the third Guardian, who too had remained silent up until now, and Ayana took a minute to properly appraise him. His voice had the weathering of an older man, though that was all she could go off of. But there was a certain air about him that supported the theory; the way he held himself was eloquent, and he spoke in a way that almost sounded like this entire exchange was trivial to him.
He looked to be a Warlock, Ayana thought, even though he lacked the identifying class bond on his arm. But his appearance was nonetheless striking. He wore an intricate cuirass and a pair of heavy greaves, while the rest of his armor was relatively light, usually in the form of leather padding and cloth adornments, secured around the waist with a gilded garland. Even his bodysuit had a similar custom flair to it, with a gilded pattern and intricate weaving on the left shoulder. Purples, blacks and golds all added to his presentation, and were meticulously placed to draw the eye to the center piece: a golden helmet that was more visor than anything else, and within the glass shined a nebulous cloud of Void energy, flickering and pulsing with a mind of its own.
"I helped," Cayde argued.
"Wrong."
"Anyway, I think we've all learned valuable lessons, here." Cayde continued on. "The boys learned the hard way that you gotta bring your A-game to a con job," He gestured to Ayana, who at this point had gotten tired of hanging back and found her place behind the Twins. "I'm sure she learned all kinds of neat stuff on your little field trip. Hopefully neater than that, though." He shot a pointed look at her datapad. "Have your Ghost forward that to Zavala. And I," He proclaimed, eyeing Lancer from the corner of his eye. "learned that Lancer's a cheater."
And Lancer's first comment of the day, "So are you."
"Well yeah, but that ain't a lesson to anybody. Well, except maybe her." He hooked his thumbs into his belt with a shrug, turning on his heel with the clear impression that his work here was done, until he was suddenly stopped by Ayana.
"Hold on," She pushed past Mav, and once everyone's eyes were on her, she reached down for Adigir's hand cannon, releasing it from her belt and brandishing it. She gripped the gun by the barrel and offered it to Cayde, much to the immediate chagrin of her teammates. She ignored their vocal outrage, even going so far as to block them with her free arm when they tried to take the gun from her, looking at Cayde expectantly.
Cayde, meanwhile, was looking at her and likely wondering if she was mentally challenged. He even looked to Lancer and Lucius as if they would offer insight, and when they didn't, Ayana could see the minute Cayde decided it didn't really matter. And when he reached for the hand cannon, she pulled it away before he could get his hands on it. She took a moment to savor his bewilderment, feeling all too good about herself when she stated the condition, "30k," and gestured to the Twins. "Upfront."
She thought she heard the Warlock chuckle while Cayde went through an interesting serious of expressions that eventually settled something that almost looked impressed. She knew he didn't have to take the deal, but she had a feeling he would, and low and behold, he summoned his Ghost and gave the go-ahead. Once Mango confirmed the transaction and the Twins were leaning on her in camaraderie rather than protest, only then did she pawn off the gun and accept Cayde's offered hand in turn.
"Pleasure doin' business, kid." He ended the handshake with a nod, then looked to Lancer while gesturing, "See that? That's how you bargain."
Lancer didn't even dignify him with an answer, turning his gaze on Ayana the minute Cayde was transmatted away. "Where were you?"
"Cosmodrome." She thought about explaining the whole thing herself, but decided give the floor to Mav and Mad, instead. It was their idea, after all. "They found a cave they wanted to show me."
They didn't seem remotely bothered by being put up for potential judgment, and it didn't take long for Ayana realize why. Their normal theatrics were noticeably subdued as they recalled all that had transpired on their excursion, all the while Lancer and his companion were silently attentive of what was essentially a verbal report until it was concluded, and the following silence was brief until the Warlock spoke.
"We'll take care of it, then. I want to examine this crystal you mentioned for myself, and you two will be my guides as we traverse." He stepped around and behind the group, and before either Mav or Mad could react, grabbed them both by the hood and yanked them towards him, ignoring the duet of squawking as he pointedly clarified, "And if it was not clear, we will be taking my ship. I would rather find myself stranded in the pits of the Hellmouth than ride passenger with you lot."
"Oh, come on!" Mav protested as the Warlock, completely unperturbed, held them in place, and Mad followed up. "We drove slow on the way back!"
"An act of your own volition, I'm sure." He responded flatly. He looked to have half a mind to start dragging them around like kittens by the scruff, that was until he suddenly released them with a sound of annoyance. Ayana had assumed it was directed at Mav and Mad until she heard him mutter something about manners and watched him approach her instead, offering his hand. "Lucius. I could say I've heard much about you, but unfortunately, that would be a lie. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Ayana's eyebrows shot up beneath her helmet, sensing a certain bite to the comment but not entirely if it was directed at her or not. She shook his hand and noticed a few things; his grip was stiff, but not quite firm, and his gloves seemed abnormally thick. They were likely insulated, but the rich black leather and detailing on the forearms felt custom. Then again, she could say the same about the rest of his ensemble. "Ayana. And likewise," After a moment's consideration, she added, "... On both fronts."
"I'm sure." was the light reply, and she decided that she was probably in this man's good graces, or at least decent. He was transmatted away, and she exchanged farewells in the form of a fist bump for each Twin before they followed. She heard Lucius's ship depart somewhere further along the dock row, and that left her alone with one last looming issue, so she turned to look at Lancer, who was already looking at her in that same suffocating tension he's maintained since they landed.
When it was obvious that he had no intention of speaking first, she went for the most reasonable starter. "Hi."
He inhaled slowly, and Ayana was braced for the worst, but she tried not to let it show. He seemed to hold his breath for a minute. "When I told ya to find work, I was thinkin' wall guard, or local patrol."
"Well," She thought about her next words carefully, crossing her arms in emulation of his stance as she tried to remain stoic under his scrutiny. "I got approached with an opportunity, so after much consideration, I took it."
He stared her down until she successfully made it clear that she wouldn't budge, and then for even longer. Lancer always managed to trip her up with that, and the worst part is she legitimately didn't know if he left her in suspense on purpose, or if he was just in his own head. Whatever the case, it always had the same result in her being on the brink of cracking before he let out a deep sigh. He turned away and started walking, and Ayana considered following until he summoned Konik, mumbling something to the Ghost that she didn't catch, and he was gone.
Ayana stared at where Lancer had just been standing, and she spoke more to the open air than Eden in her bewilderment. "That's... That's it?" She didn't know whether to be relieved or upset. "No lecture, no scolding, not even a jab?"
She knew Lancer was a man of few words, but not to such an extent with her. And he was clearly upset, she saw it the minute they landed. If it had been about her going with Mav and Mad... well, she wouldn't find it all that fair. But she knew to expect it, at least, and she'd been ready to defend her case. But the fact that he essentially said nothing at all felt wrong.
"Well, Konik did just send me coordinates," Eden chirped. "As in, just now. While you were talking. They look to be coordinates for a storage hangar down in the City... Oh, and a follow-up message; we don't need to meet up with them right away," He relayed. "Lancer said you could go eat."
Just being reminded of the concept of food caused a sharp pang in her stomach, and she wasn't going to complain about the prospect of having a minute to herself after the past few days. She could worry about whatever was in store once she felt more alive, so she put her concerns in the back of her mind for the time being, already making a small mental checklist of what she wanted to get done in the time she had as Eden took them home.
Konik's coordinates were specific enough that it didn't take long for Ayana to find Lancer propped against the doorframe of one of the hangars, so she wasted no time in meeting up with him. She hadn't realized the sheer size of the lot until she was slowing to a halt before him, but there were at least twelve buildings she could see, two rows of six, and there were surely more. "Sorry I'm late,"
"You ain't late," Lancer answered, nonplussed. "I didn't say a time. If I needed ya here within the hour, I'd've said so." He pushed off the doorframe and turned to go inside with Ayana in tow, throwing the last bit over his shoulder. "Worked out for both of us, anyhow."
She could see the truth in it. That tension he held before was more or less gone, replaced with something far more lax that made her less inclined to keep to herself. "So, about earlier. Are you not... I don't know, upset?"
He stopped and turned. "You want me to be?"
"I- Well, no,"
"Then don't bitch."
Ayana merely frowned as she followed after him, their footsteps echoing throughout the unlit area. She reached out until she found the shoulder padding of his jacket so she could keep better track of him, not noticing how he slowed down for her to do so. "It's just that you seemed upset, before."
"I was." He stopped, and Ayana went to stand beside him as he activated a holo-panel. "Now I'm not. You wanna play with the big kids, that ain't my problem. Unless I chain ya to that damn Tower and throw away the key, not much I can do about it. But if you're gonna be out and about," He turned his head a bit to offer her a wayward glance, and his hand found one of the dials. "May as well save ya some trouble."
As he turned the dial, she heard the sound of the overhead lights charge to life, and once they came on, reveal a stationed jumpship, its glossed paint gleaming beneath the artificial glow. Ayana's breath caught at the sight of it, taking in all she could from where she stood, as she didn't dare to move. She'd seen similar models to it, but there were differences, from the thruster caliber to the hull integration, that made it stand out. She was at a loss for words, and before she could even think of something, she turned at the sound of transmat, only to see the residual motes where Lancer had been standing while his voice echoed over head.
"Pretty, ain't she?" He dropped into a squat, his hands on his knees as he appraised her from atop the ship. "Arcadia class, Golden Age standard issue. Ain't nothin' quite like 'em, these days. What you're lookin' at here is an honest relic."
His voice took on a note of pride and undeniable fondness, and she felt a new sense of awe, finally stepping around the holo-panel to get a closer look. It was a ship on the smaller side, minimalist in design, but closer inspection as she slowly circled it revealed how pristine the model was, essentially brand new without a scratch in sight. "How...? Where did you get this?"
"Cosmodrome, Old Russia. This hunk of junk saved my ass," She heard him explain. "Got me through some tough shit. Barely lasted three months after Konik got her booted up. But when I went and upgraded... I dunno. Couldn't bear to have her salvaged. Sentimental value, I guess."
She stopped in front of the ship to look up at him. "You fixed the ship?"
He chuckled and straightened up. "Hell no, not by myself. I know basic maintenance, but this? This wasn't basic. This was at least two years of on and off work, and a lotta askin' around. Not even coverin' the amount of Glimmer I spent on parts. This was less a fix and more a full recreation. Close enough, anyway- had to take a liberty here and there, most of 'em probably for the best. Only change that was purely for me was the paint. Thought the gold popped."
It was pretty, Ayana had to agree. Deep blue with a gold secondary and carbon black components, it added a finishing touch to make the whole thing look shiny and new. "Why are you showing me this?"
"Take a wild guess." He jumped down, landing next to her with a resounding thud before standing up. "What use do I got, puttin' in all this work, only to have the end result collect dust in a rental?" He seemed to be under the correct impression that she was too busy gawking at him to form a response. "Don't look at me like that. I was thinkin' about it bein' a backup, anyway, in case you struggled with gettin' yourself a ship. And I ain't givin' up Peregrine any time soon, so- Hey."
He staggered back, and he probably didn't hear how she thanked him, her voice a choked whisper against his shoulder. He remained frozen in place, tense in her grip. But he let out a loud, deep sigh, and she felt herself relax too when he returned the embrace, his helmet clinking against the side of hers.
"You're welcome."
She was eased off of him by a gentle grip, and she allowed it, stepping back to give him space. He didn't release her quite yet, though, not until he nodded to the ship. "Now, go on. Break her in a little."
Still not entirely trusting herself to speak, she simply nodded. The docking ramp began to descend as she approached, and that was when Eden appeared to hover beside her, bobbing around and conveying a similar buzzing excitement to her own. She was simultaneously eager and mortified to board, almost not daring to touch a thing once in the quarters. The interior reminded her of Bilby's quarters in its simplicity, of course only built to house one, meaning it lacked the extraneous commodities that ships like Peregrine sported, but with the reality slowly setting in, Ayana decided that she could easily live with it.
The cockpit was the real standout, and a testament to the ship's age, because it was barely a cockpit. The chair had to be adjusted to even get inside, and once settled in, it was borderline claustrophobic, and yet she found that she didn't mind that at all. Quite the opposite, in all honesty, as there was a certain familiarity that she couldn't place. Eden was already on top of getting everything booted up, and while screens and diagnostics flickered to life, Ayana worked to commit it all to memory, watching everything carefully as she familiarized herself with the layout.
"Ready?"
She offered her Ghost a nod, and her attention was caught by the view screen as it displayed the hangar door opening, where she saw Lancer off to the side. She could see from here how he tipped his hat towards them as Eden activated propulsion, and as they picked up speed, she found herself gripping the steering wheel as if it were her behind the controls, even though it wasn't, not yet. She didn't dare to pilot herself until she knew this ship like the back of her hand, so she was merely along for the ride as they met open air.
Somewhere along the line, she was laughing, a bubbling joy unrestrained as they bridged the skies, climbing ever higher and diving low, the world tilting off kilter around them while they learned the extent of their limits. She didn't know how long they were at it, and it didn't matter, she thought. For once, she realized, it didn't matter. Nobody was waiting for her, and she didn't need to wait for anybody else. For once, this moment was truly hers. So, she savored it, for however long it would last.
It was odd, traversing a different level of the Tower quarters. It had no visual difference from her own floor, but the mere knowledge that it was different was enough to have her treating her gait as if one wrong step would disturb the entire populace.
She kept the room number in mind as she surveyed, and Ayana remembered a particular comment she'd heard before that was proving to be true: every floor seemed to stretch on forever, and Lancer truly did seem to live somewhere smack dab in the middle of it. She almost missed it if it weren't for Eden pointing it out, and she wondered if Lancer had ever done the same. She had a feeling that, in such a scenario, Konik likely would have just let him walk. She'd have to ask about it.
Barely a minute after knocking on the door, it was opened by Mav, with Mad in tow, and they all but dragged her inside before she could even say hello. They at least waited for her to remove her jacket, and Mad even offered to take it from her and hang it on the nearby rack, but after that she had an armful of two infectiously happy Hunters. It had been two weeks since they'd last seen each other, and the pair seemed eager to catch up, all with the same energy one might save for an old friend while Eden zipped off to the far side of the room to join the congregation of Ghosts. She saw Konik, Mango and Boa, along with a new Ghost she'd never met. Their shell was shaped like Konik's, with rounded edges and gold patterns on a black background.
She was led to the living area to sit on the couch, and in the neighboring chair sat a man who, upon learning who it was, looked almost exactly how Ayana imagined Lucius to look. He was an older man, with combed back salt and pepper hair and a neatly trimmed verdi beard. His complexion was rich, and his eyes were dark, further accented by what was either makeup or tattoo. She was inclined to think the latter, as the lining of his left eye expanded into an intricate, fluid mark that followed the natural curves of his brow and cheekbone. His sense of casual style was just as striking as his equipment, donning a purple tunic with intricate gold stitching, and a pair of black, open fingered gloves that stretched up his forearms and tucked into his tunic's sleeves. He raised a glass to her in greeting, filled with an amber liquid. There was already a glass out for her, the ice only just beginning to melt, next to a bottle of bourbon that Lucius took the liberty of pouring for her. She found that after the initial burn, it was rather sweet, and it went down smooth.
"So, these crystals," Lucius continued on with Ayana as his rapt audience. "as you and the boys deduced, are highly reactive in nature and exist in a state of paracausal flux. To simply think of them as amplifiers is... well, not incorrect, per se, but it's lacking an understanding of the root."
"He doesn't know the root, by the way," Mav stage whispered from his place by her feet, earning a pointed look from Lucius, though he didn't deny the comment.
"I do not. If nothing else, I have my theories. Earth has been touched by the Traveler in many ways, and I have reason to believe these crystals are a result of such an incident, somewhere along the line. Whether the incident occurred amidst the Golden Age or following the Collapse is indeterminable, as there is little record of the geological landscape and how it could have triggered or displaced such an anomaly over the years."
"Hold on, pause." Ayana put down her glass to bring her hands together as she gestured toward him. "If the crystals are connected to the Traveler, somehow, how does the Darkness fit into this? Sure, the crystals siphoned our Light, but you saw the rituals on that Ogre. That wasn't just an absence of Light."
Lucius's smile was pleasant, and there was a particular gleam in his eye as he reclined in his chair, crossing one foot over the opposite knee. "Right you are. But that factor doesn't eliminate the Traveler from the equation. Tell me, what do you know of the relationship between Light and Dark?"
She was willing to admit that she didn't know much, but she was interrupted before she could answer beyond that, and she looked over her shoulder to find Lancer leaning out from the kitchen, "Oi, Socrates, how 'bout ya get to know the kid before you start preachin' Philosophy 101."
Lucius brushed the comment off with a wave of his hand. "I am. And I'm learning that she is at least more capable of intellectualism than you. Here I was worrying that you may have smothered such a spark."
"Ain't you funny," He then spoke to the entirety of the room, waving everyone over as he went back inside. "Food's done."
Mav and Mad were already there before Ayana and Lucius were even standing, it felt like, and Ayana trailed behind, taking the opportunity to actually look around a little.
In terms of interior and layout, it wasn't exactly surprising to see that Lancer's apartment was identical to hers. Same furniture, same grey and blue walls, but it was only now dawning on her how barren it was. Ayana had been slowly but surely filling her space with little things to make it her own, whether it was throw pillows or a pretty lamp she found in a market. But being here almost felt like walking into her own apartment for the first time all over again. The first real custom touch she found was the brick colored cookware.
She went to join Lancer, leaning against the counter while she waited for the others to gather their own food, first. They sat in comfortable silence until Lancer spoke up, his voice closer to a mumble as he asked her, "How've the jobs been?"
"Good," She replied, and her smile was a bit self-deprecating when she realized he was looking for more than that, his gaze expectant. "They've been going good. Haven't done a lot, though- Just a couple salvage runs, officially. But I actually wound up on an impromptu strike on a Seraph bunker along the Cosmodrome's west coast, yesterday. I'd been there to meet up with Dash, so we and another guy were on the scene."
"You met Rasputin," Lancer figured, then gave her a playful nudge. "Did he sing for ya?"
She snorted. "The ballet music blaring through the complex, you mean? Yeah, real good ambience when getting electrocuted."
"Hey now," He admonished, somehow keeping a straight face. "Ain't his fault somebody programmed stress into a globalized missile unit. If music soothes the soul, or whatever, guy can play jazz for all I care."
He told her about his time off world in turn, and as exciting as it seemed to her to be exploring neighboring parts of the system, she realized how and why it all seemed rather dull from his perspective, contending with an opposing force called the Cabal on Mars. She didn't know anything about them, aside from their status as a dilapidated military, and that whatever she imagined based on Lancer's description of the race as "a bunch of fat fucks" likely didn't do them justice.
Once the others cleared, Ayana went to get her own serving, grabbing a bowl and eyeing the crockpot curiously. She lifted the lid to peer at the contents, finding a stew made up of what looked to be primarily beef and a few different kinds of bean, with an assortment of chopped peppers. It looked fine enough, but the smell hit her hard, heavy in spice and far too sharp, enough that her eyes actually watered. It wasn't what Ayana would call appetizing, but unfortunately, she had every intention of eating it anyway, if for no other reason than to be polite. But Lancer's hand was suddenly over hers, casually placing the cover back down before she could do anything else.
"Gonna stop ya there," He then nodded toward a smaller pot on the stove's backburner, instead. "Go for that one. Trust me."
She was ready to protest and insist it was fine, but when she saw that he actually looked amused, rather than offended, she decided to accept the out and turned her attention toward the other pot. It looked to be the same thing, but closer inspection revealed a few things, like the color and consistency being a bit different, and it smelled... actually good. Like real food. She was far less hesitant to fill herself a bowl, and Lancer was nudging her aside afterwards to get into the oven, balancing his own bowl in his opposite hand while he pulled out a few sweet rolls for the two of them before they returned to the living room with the others. He took a seat at the opposite end of the couch, and they ate with little fanfare, though Ayana did take the time to offer her compliments; the food was amazing, and while Lancer didn't verbally answer, she did see how he smiled.
Ayana was comfortable to remain silent while she listened to the rest, though a part of her felt intrusive, in an odd way. There was an obvious camaraderie amongst this group, small as it was, and an openness that Ayana wasn't particularly used to, up to this point. The Twins, sure, they seemed their usual selves. But she wasn't sure she'd ever seen Lancer quite so relaxed, and while she didn't know Lucius well, she didn't peg him as much of a socialite, either. There was laughter and gossip, and very little related to work, as they all seemed more inclined to lighter topics.
She perked up at the mention of a festival of some kind, with talk of celebrations and decorating. "What kind of festival?"
"Festival of the Lost," Lancer spoke over taking a drink. "Kinda grim, kinda fun."
"It's an event to commemorate the dead," Lucius took the time to elaborate, and his smile was a tad morose. "It's as much about living, though. Living on with the memories of those we've lost, hence the name. We celebrate the people who have left their mark, rather than grieve. Lancer summarized the mood of it quite well, really."
"Just wait 'til you see the decorations," Mad insisted while Mav excitedly nodded along. "Bloody gorgeous, lemme tell ya."
Then Mav suddenly piped up, his head bumping Ayana's thigh. "And say, you like candy?"
Ayana blinked down at him, and she settled on answering, "Some kinds, probably."
"Well, you'll have plenty of chances to figure 'em out."
"... Hey, uh, Lance?" Mad turned to look at Lancer, leaning against his knee, and when Lancer merely grunted in response, he continued. "Think we can go visit the others, this year? All of us?"
Ayana saw him tense, and a quick glance toward Lucius revealed a similar response. Both Mav and Mad visibly wilted at the silence, but Lancer salvaged it with a huff, reaching down and giving Mad's head a gentle jostling. "Sure, kid. I think we can manage it."
Ayana didn't dare to speak up, keeping her gaze focused on her own meal. Now she really felt like she was intruding, somehow.
Of course, Lancer noticed, and his resignation was palpable. "We... fuck," He pinched the bridge between his eyes with a sigh, clearly unprepared to actually explain something, but Ayana kept such remarks to herself. "We lost a few teammates on an op, last year." He leaned forward to refill his glass, and even offered to do the same for her, which she quietly declined. "Today marks a year, exact. Kinda why we're here, I guess."
"You can come with us, if you want," Mav offered. "When we go and visit, I mean."
"Hey now, don't y'all go puttin' that on her."
"Why not?" Mad challenged, though there wasn't a whole lot of bite to it. "She's got as much right to remember 'em as we do, yeah?"
There was that silence again, somehow thicker than the last.
"Why was I invited?" She immediately winced at her own tone, colder than intended, but at the same time, it felt earned. She was being kept in the dark again. "If this gathering was supposed to be a memoriam, why invite me?"
Lancer didn't answer at first, hiding behind his drink as if it actually hindered his speech. But it was obvious he wasn't going to get an out. "We were a raid unit. You know what that means?" He didn't wait for an answer. "It means six. Six Guardians sent on a suicide mission. Four came back." He leaned forward, placing his glass on the table next to his discarded bowl. "But you ask anyone outside this room, and that mission was more than a success- it was a pinnacle. 'Cause a threat big enough to endanger everything we know, don't know, and will know, was neutralized by a team of four Guardians. Best of the fuckin' best."
Ayana watched him pour himself another drink. She didn't understand why he bothered; it obviously didn't do anything for him.
He tried to sound flippant, but he merely sounded hollow, and Ayana thought about his words carefully. She wanted to say she didn't understand out of ignorance, but the truth was more akin to not liking the conclusion she ultimately came to. She took to swirling what remained of her own drink, because that was easier than actually addressing anyone here directly. "... Just four?"
"Yup," Lancer wasn't inclined to look up, either. "Just four."
"Why?" was all she could muster, her throat feeling far too tight to ask anything else. And in response, Lancer almost laughed.
"Take a step back and look at the bigger picture." He raised his free hand, as if he were physically weighing the options, "Everyone could be honest, let the whole world know just how close we came to losin' it all. Or," then gestured to the Twins, whose collective gaze was downcast throughout the exchange in what was no doubt guilt, having been the ones to trigger the whole thing, then to Lucius. "Everyone could tell a white little lie. One that helps the people sleep a little easier."
Lucius suddenly cleared his throat, and while he initially appeared lax, his expression was anything but. He looked at Lancer with hard eyes and a tense jaw, his gaze wordlessly flicking to Ayana, then back.
Lancer, to Ayana's surprise, actually withered a bit under Lucius's scrutiny, rubbing the back of his neck. "Enough about that. Point is, the four of us proved our mettle. We could handle shit no one else could, with a lower casualty risk on top of it. Vanguard's sent us on bigger jobs since that first shit show. And y'know what? They went better. Haven't lost a man since. Swore I never would." He reached down, placing a hand on Mad's head, simply letting it rest there as Mad leaned more against his leg in turn. "But there were close calls. Ones that could've been avoided. We were stretched too thin."
She ate what remained of her sweet roll in silence as she listened, letting her recollection of the stories told by Mav and Mad fill in the blanks.
He nudged Mad off of him in order to stand, making his way around and collecting empty bowls. "Figured it's about time we changed that," He stopped behind Ayana, leaning in close with not quite a whisper before heading back to the kitchen. "That's where you come in."
"Before you consider protesting, know that this isn't an immediate call to arms," Lucius cut in before Ayana could so much as open her mouth. "Such dire circumstances aren't what I would call common. And I believe I speak for all of us when I say we aren't jumping at the chance to bring you along in those instances." Lucius explained, either not noticing or not caring how she was taken aback. "A repertoire is needed, which you've already begun to build. The boys swear by you, as does Lancer. I trust their judgement, and I hope that, one day, I may be able to share the sentiment."
Ayana was catching on quick that Lucius was just like this, and for the sake of this conversation, that if she had to question if an insult was intended, it probably wasn't.
"Okay. Say I agree," as if she wouldn't. She knew the Twins were legit. She knew Lancer was legit. And Lucius was clearly held to the same standard. These four have taken on a pantheon. In no world would she wish to carry their burden. But if she were entrusted to lighten the load, so to speak... even if she was being given the choice, she couldn't picture herself turning away. But even with that in mind, "What all would this entail?"
With Lucius's smile, Ayana understood immediately that her attempts at prudence were transparent to him. "We can go over the details in due time. But tonight was a night of commemoration, if you recall." He stood up with his glass in hand, and Mav stood up after him, grabbing the bourbon. He refilled Lucius's first, then Mad and his own, before offering the same for Ayana, and then finally Lancer's. "And now, we have something else to celebrate. And I think," He picked up the neglected glass, holding it out for Lancer to take once he returned. "Our esteemed leader should do the honors, no?"
Lancer looked at the offered drink quizzically, but he did take it. "You're better with words."
"It's a honed skill. So, hone it." Lucius's expression never changed, patting the Exo's shoulder before prodding him towards the center of the room. "Besides, we're all here at your behest. One way or another."
Lancer stood there dumbly for a minute, but after the Twins began to chant, "Speech, Speech," over and over while Ayana hid her smile in her glass, he eventually threw a sharp look their way, clearing his throat once they quieted down.
"Alright... Alright," He sighed, his free hand coming up to hook a thumb into the belt loop of his jeans as he began to slowly pace. "Guess I'll cover my bases. I... never thought I'd be here, I'll be the first to admit." He looked down at his glass, his voice reminiscent, almost. "Can't count the amount of times I've looked at myself, the world around me, my odds over the years, and thought, 'This is it. I ain't makin' it outta here,'" He chuckled, shaking his head. "And every time, I thought, 'Hell, ain't no way I'll make it easy.'
"Now, you repeat that kinda shit enough times, you start thinkin' you're the hottest motherfucker around," He shrugged. "And when you back it up, folks tend to agree. But that don't mean I've never been humbled. Case in point," He pointed to Lucius with his glass. "That old bastard right there. Right pain in my ass, but hell if the best of us can't learn a thing or two about livin' from a guy like him. Probably a whole lot more.
"And these two." He nodded to the Twins, "Practically feral when I found 'em, livin' in a Hell frozen over. Now look at 'em," and he grinned. "Couple of rowdy punks who make it their mission to give me a migraine."
It earned him two playful salutes. "Cheers, mate."
"Know what the lot of us have in common?" Lancer asked the room. "We've all been through some tough shit. But we survived. 'Cause that's what we do. Sure, we got them to thank for the chance," he gave the Ghosts their due spotlight, who gave him varying levels of acknowledgement from their vantage point. "But we have the drive that make their efforts worthwhile. When the odds are against us, we push back.
"And now, we got ourselves another." He circled around the couch, placing a hand on Ayana's shoulder. "Brought up in the depths, and she clawed her way out with nothin' to her name, hell, before she had a name at all. She was fightin', day one. And since that day, she's had somethin' none of us had in the beginning- she had support. I've made sure of that, one way or another. 'Cause at the end of the day," He sighed. "It's what I'd've wanted. And I'm sure y'all would've, too." He let it hang in the air. "So, I hope it ain't too much to ask y'all give it to her. And I trust she'll do the same."
He gave her shoulder a squeeze, not meeting her gaze as she stared up at him with damp eyes. She tried to remain quiet, and she hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath until Eden made himself known, drifting down to nuzzle her cheek.
"Now, how 'bout we get on with it and drink," Lancer raised his glass as Konik came to float by his side. "To us. All of us. The old timers, the young bloods, the lost causes. Everything we fight for."
They all raised their glasses with him in a resounding cheer, and the night was good, again. And this time, Ayana was more than a bystander; she engaged, she shared her stories, she laughed at theirs. She listened in awe to all of the places Lucius had been, she readily agreed to go to all the places the Twins wanted to take her. She got to meet Myer, Lucius's silent companion, who was a sweet little Ghost who often took to hiding when he could, but he put in the effort to stick around for her, despite her assurances that he didn't need to.
She didn't pay attention to the time, but it had to have been a few hours when they all agreed to call it a night. Ayana suspected that Lancer just wanted everyone gone, but it wasn't like she blamed him, especially when he insisted on everyone going home with leftovers, enough stew for a meal each and a sweet roll to go with it. The fact that she got two rolls for herself was a secret kept between them, and she ate one when she got home while Eden put everything else away. She got ready for bed, and once settled, drifted off with a smile on her face as she replayed all that transpired. Her last conscious thought was a promise. For every positive claim on her behalf, there was an expectation. All she had to do was uphold it.