Tale of the Phantom

Chapter 7: Entry Log 17- 00:13:06

The screen flickers in on the Tower's ship hanger, focusing on the second bay near Holliday's workshop. The Shipyard mechanic herself is sitting on a stool, leaning forward to watch Cayde, who is at that moment on his back under a sparrow. The bike is a good two feet from the ground and the vanguard hunter's head and shoulders are hidden from view.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Amanda asks, cocking an eyebrow. There's a grumble from under the Sparrow, and a gloved hand reaches out blindly grabbing a wrench from a scattered selection of tools and then disappearing once more.

"Just because I'm not a field agent anymore doesn't mean I've lost the ability to work on my stuff." Suddenly there's a clatter followed by a curse and Holliday snorts.

"Whatever you say, just don't get coolant all over my floor okay?"

Another huff and the Exo pushes himself out from under the sparrow to look at her. His cloak is gone, and his glowing eyes narrow slightly at the mechanic. It might have been threatening, but the smudges of grease on his face dampen it.

At that moment a ship comes in and the camera pans at the sound of its engines. It's a sharp angled ship, with large thrusters and a pointed nose, colored bright green and black.

"Ah, I was wondering when she'd get back," Cayde's voice vibrates from off camera before he walks into view, looking over the railing. As the ship docks the Exo's hands curl around the top rung and a look of worry passes over his face. After a moment, the normal flash of a Ghost transporting his' Guardian flickers off screen and the camera pans out again.

On the lower platform Skylar stumbles, the helmet under her arm falling to the ground. Her ghost spins around her and she holds up a hand stopping it; the bracer plate on her glove is mangled and torn apart, splashed with red.

Cayde turns and quicker than normal, heads down the stairs leading to the rookie he'd taken under his wing. The camera follows. "Skylar?" his metallic voice echoes slightly in the large hanger and the amber haired hunter looks up, blinking. There is a cut on her left cheek and her left arm's armor plating is indeed torn apart, drying blood splattered across it. She is filthy, covered in dirt and blood. "You look like you've seen better days..."

The human gives him a small smile; she looks haggard and tired. "Been waiting long?" she jokes wincing slightly as she undoes the clasps on her glove.

"Hey, I have a right to be... concerned when Zavala goes behind my back and has my rookie go do a solo mission. You've been gone for days...here," The Exo reaches out suddenly, stopping her slightly shaky fingers and undoes the last of the buckles of the broken armor.

"We needed to find out what was going on, and he thought my stealth capabilities would be useful," Skylar explains, grimacing when her mentor pulls the glove off, rough fabric rubbing on wounds. There are half healed claw marks and deep scratches all over her arm, and what looks like a bite near her wrist.

"What happened?"

"Hive happened," she scowls looking at her arm. "I hate them, they're like rabid animals. I got this because I was cornered by a pack of Thrall." That explains the awful condition she is in. More than likely she had been rolled around on the surface of the moon.

Cayde hums, eyeing the cuts. "Yeah, they're nasty creatures for sure. There was a time where a Fallen Captain and I stopped fighting each other to fight off an onslaught of Hive together. She died sadly, but it shows you the Hive have no friends."

"Either way it was worth it," Skylar relents, pulling her arm back but the Exo keeps his grip firm. She frowns. "I need to report my findings."

"You should get this looked at first."

"But, Cayde, it's important, what I found down there-"

"I don't care if you found Tolland the Shattered running around naked down there. You're getting that looked at, and that's an order Rookie." There is no room for argument in his voice and as the camera pans back to Skylar, she gives a flustered sigh.

"Fine, okay."

The Exo chuckles and lets go of her arm. "Good. I expect to see you in the Vanguard room in 15, get going." He waves a hand towards a section of the Hanger where a door laid, the bold red letters stating in many different languages that it was the medical wing. Skylar rolls her eyes but does as she was told, walking off towards the door, her purple ghost floating after her.

The screen pans back to Cayde as he crouches down to pick up Sky's discarded helmet. Turning it to the front it shows a cracked screen. He looks over it a few moments longer, eyeing the dents and scuffs before he stands and quite suddenly pitches the thing over the guardrail. The helmet catches the air, dropping out of sight as it plummets out of the hanger and the tower completely.

Then, as if nothing had occurred the Exo turns and starts out of the hanger. "Better see about finding her a new one...a glove, too," he says in a sigh and heads back toward his station with the Vanguard.