6) Becoming a Guardian, part 1
The Tower is an amazing place. The hustle and bustle of a thousand guardians, vendors, faction leaders and others running about in various directions fills the air with constant chatter. Space and air crafts of various shapes and sizes buzz in and out adding to the ever present noises of the various machines that keep everything operating. The colors were such a contrast to the dull, sad Cosmodrome. Ghost let me stand and soak it in for a moment before pushing me toward a downward stair and hallway to the north.
"Time for you to meet the Vanguard." Ghost floated ahead.
"A vanguard? This place doesn't look quite big enough for a whole army." I retorted.
"Don't be silly. These are the guardians who head each class of Guardian in the Vanguard." Ghost sounded impatient.
"I'm not being silly, words have inherent meanings you know. Besides, how am I to know yet what you mean - I don't really have a context for what you are trying to tell me." I was a bit cranky, to tell the truth, and didn't feel like being berated by a floating ball of light and metal. "And on top of all that, I don't really know what you mean by classes and Guardians anyhow. You have called me a hunter, so I guess there is some tie-in there, but you really haven't filled me in on any details - we haven't really had time, to be fair, but don't act like I should know what you mean."
Ghost took a breath. Yeah, I know, no mouth, no torso, blah blah blah, but I could still hear an audible intake of breath - his patterns of behavior are more human than most humans I have met since the beginning. He's quite the animated little fellow. "You are right, but I probably ought to let the Speaker explain things more properly. Here's a summation - Guardians are humans that have a special measure of light - they are able to use that light to learn, to accomplish great physical feats, and to even manipulate as a weapon against the dark. This light was a gift of the Traveler." Ghost nodded to the huge, slightly cracked globe hanging above the great city that sat under the Tower's gaze. "Guardian's gifts are given in a way that divides them into three major divisions: we have named them Hunter, Titan, and Warlock. Each group differs from the others in the manner of learning and combat and compliment each other's needs for large scale conflicts. You bear all the markings of a hunter - genetically and light wise - so when I brought you back and supplied you with gear, hunter regalia was self-transmatted." He frowned for a moment,"To come to think of it, I didn't realize it till I transmatted you and your gear. I didn't even think about it again till you pulled that knife from the ether. Anyhow, Guardians protect humanity throughout the solar system and the Vanguard is the primary organization or faction of Guardians. Even now, though facing extinction, humans are divided; normal and Guardian, factions and organizations, and even racial divisions of natural humans, awoken, and the mechanical humans known as Exo. Really, lets go talk to the Vanguard now - you will understand more as we go, and you are going to need help from others as well as parts for your ship to really be useful as a Guardian."
"Ok." I followed Ghost down the stairs and around the hallway to what appeared to be a situation room. Monitors for workstations were surrounded by techs and robots around the outside of the room, and in the center was a long table with three respectable, even regal looking figures. Well, at least two of the were - the female Warlock, and imposing male Titan with bright, pale, white-blue eyes certainly looked the parts of leaders. Then there was the Hunter, or as others would tell me later THE HUNTER. Cayde-6 wore a faded and slightly threadbare cloak, that I could see once had to be colorful and entertaining. He didn't look particularly inspiring or leader-like, and his cloak seemed completely inappropriate for hunting anything that had a decent visual acuity.
"That can't be much good for a hunter when you need camouflage." I made the mistake of saying out loud.
"You don't need camo if they can't see you coming." The retort was swift and not without a hint of amusement. "Another new hunter - well, maybe this one will survive a week."
"Cayde." The name was spoken like a gentle rebuke by the female Warlock. "Welcome to the Vanguard Guardian, I am Ikora Rey, the Titan at the end or head of the table is Zavala, and the acid tongue belongs unfortunately to your new mentor, Cayde-6." She paused and smiled for a moment, "May the Traveller have mercy on your soul."
"Acid tongue, well, that was a bit rough. Don't worry Guardian, I've just been stuck in this tower way too long and need to get back out in the field. I have a million stories from you, and you will learn from all of them, but mostly you will learn from getting out there and shooting things, lots of things." He smirked, "Actually, most of my stories end with me shooting lots of things then coming home, so you know the moral already - shoot things and look good while doing it."
"Guardian, you will want to stop by the armorer and the shipwright I imagine. You can upgrade your equipment get repairs and meet the different faction leaders around the tower before going to the Speaker's chambers - he will want to meet you and welcome you to your new life." Zavala's voice was strong and deep like a flowing river. He was the obvious leader of the trio.
I managed an "Ok" and a thank-you before stumbling back outside in the bright daylight.
"Time for you to meet the Vanguard." Ghost floated ahead.
"A vanguard? This place doesn't look quite big enough for a whole army." I retorted.
"Don't be silly. These are the guardians who head each class of Guardian in the Vanguard." Ghost sounded impatient.
"I'm not being silly, words have inherent meanings you know. Besides, how am I to know yet what you mean - I don't really have a context for what you are trying to tell me." I was a bit cranky, to tell the truth, and didn't feel like being berated by a floating ball of light and metal. "And on top of all that, I don't really know what you mean by classes and Guardians anyhow. You have called me a hunter, so I guess there is some tie-in there, but you really haven't filled me in on any details - we haven't really had time, to be fair, but don't act like I should know what you mean."
Ghost took a breath. Yeah, I know, no mouth, no torso, blah blah blah, but I could still hear an audible intake of breath - his patterns of behavior are more human than most humans I have met since the beginning. He's quite the animated little fellow. "You are right, but I probably ought to let the Speaker explain things more properly. Here's a summation - Guardians are humans that have a special measure of light - they are able to use that light to learn, to accomplish great physical feats, and to even manipulate as a weapon against the dark. This light was a gift of the Traveler." Ghost nodded to the huge, slightly cracked globe hanging above the great city that sat under the Tower's gaze. "Guardian's gifts are given in a way that divides them into three major divisions: we have named them Hunter, Titan, and Warlock. Each group differs from the others in the manner of learning and combat and compliment each other's needs for large scale conflicts. You bear all the markings of a hunter - genetically and light wise - so when I brought you back and supplied you with gear, hunter regalia was self-transmatted." He frowned for a moment,"To come to think of it, I didn't realize it till I transmatted you and your gear. I didn't even think about it again till you pulled that knife from the ether. Anyhow, Guardians protect humanity throughout the solar system and the Vanguard is the primary organization or faction of Guardians. Even now, though facing extinction, humans are divided; normal and Guardian, factions and organizations, and even racial divisions of natural humans, awoken, and the mechanical humans known as Exo. Really, lets go talk to the Vanguard now - you will understand more as we go, and you are going to need help from others as well as parts for your ship to really be useful as a Guardian."
"Ok." I followed Ghost down the stairs and around the hallway to what appeared to be a situation room. Monitors for workstations were surrounded by techs and robots around the outside of the room, and in the center was a long table with three respectable, even regal looking figures. Well, at least two of the were - the female Warlock, and imposing male Titan with bright, pale, white-blue eyes certainly looked the parts of leaders. Then there was the Hunter, or as others would tell me later THE HUNTER. Cayde-6 wore a faded and slightly threadbare cloak, that I could see once had to be colorful and entertaining. He didn't look particularly inspiring or leader-like, and his cloak seemed completely inappropriate for hunting anything that had a decent visual acuity.
"That can't be much good for a hunter when you need camouflage." I made the mistake of saying out loud.
"You don't need camo if they can't see you coming." The retort was swift and not without a hint of amusement. "Another new hunter - well, maybe this one will survive a week."
"Cayde." The name was spoken like a gentle rebuke by the female Warlock. "Welcome to the Vanguard Guardian, I am Ikora Rey, the Titan at the end or head of the table is Zavala, and the acid tongue belongs unfortunately to your new mentor, Cayde-6." She paused and smiled for a moment, "May the Traveller have mercy on your soul."
"Acid tongue, well, that was a bit rough. Don't worry Guardian, I've just been stuck in this tower way too long and need to get back out in the field. I have a million stories from you, and you will learn from all of them, but mostly you will learn from getting out there and shooting things, lots of things." He smirked, "Actually, most of my stories end with me shooting lots of things then coming home, so you know the moral already - shoot things and look good while doing it."
"Guardian, you will want to stop by the armorer and the shipwright I imagine. You can upgrade your equipment get repairs and meet the different faction leaders around the tower before going to the Speaker's chambers - he will want to meet you and welcome you to your new life." Zavala's voice was strong and deep like a flowing river. He was the obvious leader of the trio.
I managed an "Ok" and a thank-you before stumbling back outside in the bright daylight.