Morning in the Tower arrived gently, carried on the distant hum of the Last City awakening below. Pale sunlight filtered through the narrow window of Weiss's quarters, painting soft gold across the walls.
Weiss stirred, her breathing slow and even before consciousness gradually returned. For a brief moment, she lingered in the quiet space between sleep and wakefulness.
"Доброе утро…" she murmured sleepily.
Spark, hovering near the window, rotated in mild surprise. "Good morning to you as well. Linguistic analysis indicates that phrase is Russian for 'good morning.'"
Weiss blinked, pushing herself upright. "It is?" She rubbed her eyes, frowning slightly. "I… didn't realize I said that."
"Curious," Spark replied gently. "It may appear you are remembering some things from before you were a guardian."
She considered this for a moment before offering a small, uncertain smile. "Well, at least I'm polite in every language."
Weiss swung her legs over the side of the bed and began preparing for the day. She secured her armor piece by piece, the familiar ritual grounding her. The hand cannon settled comfortably into its holster, and her Arc spear was fastened across her back. After a final glance around the room, she nodded to Spark.
"Let's see what today has in store."
A Visit to the Gunsmith
The Tower courtyard buzzed with early activity as Guardians prepared for their own missions. Weiss made her way toward the Gunsmith's station, where the rhythmic clink of metal against metal signaled Banshee-44 at work.
"Morning, Banshee," she greeted.
The Exo Gunsmith looked up, his optics flickering as recognition slowly settled in. "Ah… Weiss, right? How're the weapons holding up?"
"Perfectly," she replied, placing her hand cannon on the counter. "Your maintenance kit made the process straightforward."
Banshee examined the weapon with practiced hands. "Good, good. Nothing worse than a jammed chamber when things get loud." He paused, as if chasing a fleeting memory. "You've got a careful touch. Not everyone treats their gear with that kind of respect."
Weiss smiled faintly. "It just feels… natural."
As Banshee ran a diagnostic, Weiss's attention drifted to a nearby workbench cluttered with disassembled weapon components and fragments of Golden Age circuitry. Without thinking, she reached for a small data interface and adjusted its alignment.
Banshee tilted his head. "Huh. That's… exactly how that's supposed to sit. Been trying to remember that for a while."
Weiss froze, withdrawing her hand. "I'm sorry—I didn't mean to—"
"No, no," he reassured her. "You've got good instincts. Ever work with tech before becoming a Guardian?"
A faint ache stirred in her chest. "Not that I remember."
Spark hovered thoughtfully but remained silent.
Banshee handed back the hand cannon. "Well, whatever your past was, it left you with a steady hand. That's worth something."
"Thank you, Banshee."
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The Vanguard terminal flickered to life as Weiss approached the bounty board. Rows of available bounties scrolled across the screen and after a moment's consideration, she selected two that suited her skills:
Cosmodrome – Fallen Interdiction
Eliminate Fallen scavengers disrupting supply routes near Skywatch.
European Dead Zone – Ether Harvest
Collect Ether canisters from Fallen Captains for Vanguard research.
"These should do for know, I'll come back later if we should take anymore." She said to Spark as downloaded the data.
"There's no such thing as too much glimmer!" He chirped before disappearing into subspace.
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The jumpship descended through the pale clouds of Old Russia, revealing the snow covered wasteland and Fallen activity.
Weiss disembarked near Skywatch, boots crunching against frost-covered concrete. The air carried the scent of metal and distant ozone.
"Multiple Fallen signatures detected," Spark reported. "Primarily Dregs and Vandals, with at least one Captain commanding the group."
Weiss drew her hand cannon checked the location Spark set for her. "Let's make this quick."
Advancing forward she crept through the rusted vehicles following the sounds of Fallen chittering. A group of Dregs walked by, chittering in their harsh language.
Weiss exhaled slowly and called upon her light to create an arc grenade. She tilted her head calculating the angle before throwing it through a broken cars window right into the middle of the group before detonating in an explosion of arc energy. The Dregs seized from the energy and collapsed before they could even react.
A Vandal perched on a nearby gantry opened fire, Arc bolts sizzling through the air. Weiss rolled behind cover, then extended her hand. Electricity danced across her fingers as she summoned her Arc energy again. With a swift motion, she created a blade of arc light and launched it at the Vandal, disintegrating it in a burst of crackling light.
"Elegant and efficient," Spark observed. "As usual of course, next time try not to expend so much light." He praised and criticized.
Weiss huffed as she pressed forward, engaging the Fallen Captain that emerged, cloaked in shimmering distortion. Weiss raised her handcannon, centering herself before firing a sequence of carefully aimed shots. The Captain staggered, its shield collapsing. With a light infused kick of her legs she lunged forward, pulling the spear off her back and plunging it through the Captain's chest. She yanked the spear back out and fired into its head causing it to explode in a mess of ether and blood.
The battlefield fell silent once more.
"Bounty objective complete, a little aggressive but well done." Spark confirmed. "Glimmer secured."
Weiss allowed herself a small smile as she exhaled and began to begin what she was finding to be an addiction, scavenging from the Fallen. "One down."
Making sure she grabbed anything remaining of value, she turned to leave when a shape caught her eye on a wall, bearing a faded Warmind insignia. Without thinking, she brushed her fingers across its surface.
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Bounty Two: Ether Harvest
Weiss moved quietly through the ruins, her posture low and deliberate. She paused near a collapsed wall, examining faint scorch marks and discarded Ether tanks. "They've been busy," she murmured.
"Indeed," Spark replied. "Ether serves as both sustenance and cultural cornerstone for the Fallen. Harvesting it for Vanguard purposes is strategically sound, though I suspect the Fallen would find the practice… objectionable."
Weiss glanced at him. "Remind me to avoid discussing ethics with them mid-firefight."
A faint chittering echoed from deeper within the ruins. Weiss signaled for Spark to disappear and advanced, using overgrown vehicles and shattered masonry as cover. Ahead, a small Fallen encampment came into view. Dregs scurried between supply crates while a pair of Vandals kept watch from elevated positions. At the center stood a Captain, its armor adorned with tattered House banners and several Ether canisters attached to a harness.
Spark's chipper voice sounded in her head. "Primary target identified. I recommend a stealth-based approach to maximize operational efficiency."
Weiss nodded. "Agreed." Drawing upon the Arc Light, Weiss felt electricity dance along her fingertips. With a controlled breath, she hurled an Arc grenade toward the encampment's perimeter. The explosion erupted in a flash of blue-white energy, disorienting the Fallen and plunging the camp into chaos.
Before the enemies could regroup, Weiss emerged from cover. Her hand cannon barked with precise, deliberate shots taking down each target. A Vandal toppled from its perch, followed swiftly by a pair of Dregs attempting to flank her.
"Your accuracy is commendable," Spark observed. "I calculate a ninety-three percent precision rate."
"Spark, as much as I enjoy your commentary," Weiss replied sarcastically while reloading, "now is not the time for statistics."
"On the contrary," he said calmly, "it is precisely the most relevant time."
Despite herself, Weiss allowed a faint smile. Before pulling out her fusion rifle as the Fallen Captain roared, activating its cloaking device and vanishing from sight. Weiss stilled, focusing on the subtle distortions in the air. The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Weiss pivoted just as the Captain reappeared, unleashing a volley of Arc bolts. She rolled behind cover, the energy sizzling past her. Rising smoothly, she countered with a charged shot that stripped away the Captain's shields and destroying its weapon. Without giving it an opportunity to recover she channeled her Light into her Arc Spear. Lightning coalesced along its haft, illuminating the battlefield with a radiant glow. With a swift, decisive motion, she launched it forward. The spear struck true, erupting in a burst of crackling energy that sent the Captain crashing to the ground.
Silence followed, broken only by the fading hum of Arc energy. "Primary target neutralized," Spark confirmed. "A most satisfactory outcome."
Weiss approached the fallen Captain, carefully detaching the Ether canisters from its armor. The containers pulsed with a soft, ethereal glow, their contents swirling like captured starlight. She hesitated for a moment. "They rely on this to survive," she said quietly.
Spark hovered beside her. "Correct. However, Vanguard requisition of these resources supports the broader objective of safeguarding humanity. Ethical considerations in wartime are… frequently complex."
Weiss secured the canisters in her satchel. "I suppose they are."
As she stood, her gaze drifted to a nearby piece of Golden Age machinery partially buried beneath vines. Without conscious thought, she brushed her fingers across its surface. "Всё будет хорошо," she murmured softly. Everything will be alright.
Spark paused. "You continue to exhibit spontaneous Russian linguistic output. Fascinating."
Weiss withdrew her hand, a faint crease forming on her brow. "It's weird I know but…it just felt right to say."
"Perhaps," Spark replied gently, "it once was."
After performing her loo-Scavenging, the distant roar of Pike engines shattered the calm. Additional Fallen forces surged into the area, drawn by the earlier commotion.
"Reinforcements detected," Spark announced. "While engaging them would undoubtedly provide further data, I recommend a tactical withdrawal."
Weiss glanced at the incoming enemies, then back toward her jumpship's location. "Agreed. We've completed the objective."
With practiced efficiency, she dispatched a pursuing Dreg and deployed a flash of Arc energy to disrupt the advancing forces. Using the confusion to her advantage, she navigated through the ruins and reached the extraction point.
As the jumpship lifted off, Weiss looked down at the forest below, now returning to its quiet stillness.
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Hope you all enjoyed!