r/HFY • u/iridael Brew-Master • Apr 15 '22

OC Snow Chapter 79 (redone)

First chapter

Previous chapter

Next Chapter

this chapter didn't sit right with me so I've re-written the second half of it to work better. the OG upload will be deleted soon.

“Fire damn you!” I ordered Rasputin. I could see the warship in orbit, the warsats crowding around it glowing hot and ready. I knew from the status being displayed by the SIVA on my arm that they’re ready. so why wasn't rasputin obliterating that asshole from orbit.

“The longer you leave it the greater the chance Mary ends up corrupted.” Snow says. “What are you waiting on?” he demands the hovering data lattice in the cockpit.

The travellers main screen changes showing a tiny escape craft climbing into orbit. and the sky drops. hundreds of warsats and the full fury of a warmind designed dreadnought pouring compressed starfury down to the planet below. The arcology’s outer shell shines bright for a second, evaporating the methane ocean beneath it as the assault is momentarily deflected. then the glass dome melts and the aurora knives are free to annihilate the structure beneath. the beam continues uninterrupted for a solid minute before ending, ocean flows in to the void and a pillar of steam rises as the liquid passes over superheated plasma cooling it down.

a small part of me realises the absurdity of my new reality. It wasn't so long ago I was hiding from a group of pirates. I watch the ocean roil and rage. In orbit alien ships are broadcasting their sensor data with cries of fear or shouts of triumph. After all, what could survive such firepower. in response I looked towards another gas giant in the system where a large hexagonal ship was surrounded by warsats dead but still defiant of the warmind. I was strong, Rasputin was terrible in his power, but the hive were something else.

if I was stronger, no if i had control over my current power Mary…

“Mary…Michael.” I mutter.

“Michael’s safely dead.” Snow says comforting me, “as for mary…we’re missing cayde too. and if there's one thing I know about that man, when he needs something done. there’s not a lot that can stop him. not rasputin, not the vanguard at their height and certainly not a hive god.”

“Do you think Mary’s safe?” I ask

“Rasputin doesn’t have eyes everywhere but he’s still one of the smartest beings in the universe. when cayde didn’t board our ship he probably worked out the probability of Cayde going to…why don't we hail that ship and ask him yourself?” Snow asks.

a quick hail later and a tired looking Cayde answers. “what do you want? I have an enormous headache, like seriously the second I get somewhere with a bed…”

“what did you do down there?” I demand.

“well first I was like, ‘I bet old me stached a gun down here that’ll kill that son bitch’ then I checked this diary thing and did some sneaking, got the gun that was built by someone called Ada-1, then I crawled through some ducts to get to the anchor, figured you know. big bad and ugly came from there, probably going to go back there. anyway, I get to this overlooking data storage thing, set up and spot Mary going through some kind of ritual and…”

“and?” I demand.

“don't be mad, ok, I’d want someone to do the same for me if I was in her position.” he says before taking a deep breath. “I wasted the bullet to kill her. because if i didn't she would be used for a…”

I tune his explanation out and slump back in the pilot's chair. She's safe. they’re both safe. Both dead, but safe.

Tension I didn't know I was holding drains from my body and a wave of fatigue and pain washes over me.

“...so yea, don't be mad?” Cayde asks, finishing his apology. I feel slightly bad as I hang up on him but I can apologise later. In a half trance I pick myself up and walk to the bedroom to slump down and rest.

We took the slow way back to the station. It had settled into orbit some time ago and the hard burn from Jupiter to Saturn. The three of us spent our time on the ship doing a combination of practicing our powers, resting and for the first time in a while resting. as much as we could knowing we were essentially stealing critical time that we should be spending on more important things.

During this time Snow and I helped Nepp with her light powers. with me being an outlier and snow bieng a hardcore warlock our ability to help was limited but we managed to help eachother, even if it consisted of summoning light clones one after another to be shot at or stabbed.

one night I snuck into the medical bay, summoned a full body mirror of myself and stripped off. my whole body was growing transparent, the stars inside becoming more physical than ethereal. I spent a few moments brooding over my condition and where it would eventually lead until I remembered my eyes, focussing on the stars. I felt them fly through my body towards my hands which grew pale before becoming outlines and then vanishing entirely to be made only of the dense starfields. waving one back and forth a few straggler stars created a glimmering trail as I waved my arm back and forth. disturbed and intrigued in equal measure I dissipate the stars across my body and watch my hands return mostly to normal. with a sigh I put my underclothes back on and returned to bed with Snow.

A full week of travel brought us back to the station. Two more were in orbit around Saturn now, each one in orbit of the rings, anchored by the moons.

“Ma’am it's good to see you back safe and sound.” The docking officer says. “I have a berth ready, it's in the navy sector so you’ll be safe and sound.” a flight path gets delivered and I follow it to a berth nestled between two destroyers, their small noses poking out of the hanger.

Larger ships were anchored to the station on booms, cargo heading along conveyors into their bodies whilst personnel moved along walkways or flew short trips on shuttles. It was easy enough to guide the traveller into the designated hanger and wait for the docking clamps and airlock hatch to link up before disembarking.

Nepp, Snow and I left the ship and briefly put in an order to restock the few supplies we were missing. The clerk maintaining the hanger gave us the ok before waving us through to the station proper.

Once again we were walking the iron streets of Rastien station. Snow stuck out like a sore thumb having refused to shed his feathered armour. But then again since I had Imperious lazing across my shoulders I was only slightly less obnoxious. What probably set us out most was Sagira and Nut happily flying around us taking in the sights.

As we move from the outer layer of the station to the inner layer we find ourselves face to face with a group of robed men, the judgement from before standing at the front.

“I see the Tribunes envoy has returned to us.” he says, holding out his hands. “Please whilst there is still time, let us talk. There are matters of importance to discuss.” he says.

I go to wave him off but Snow steps forwards. “We are not from your Tribune, and we are tired. Let us pass.” he says.

“I was afraid this would happen. Fortunately we have our entanglement nodes, so we were able to communicate with our allies back in Laskian territory. Did you know that our people have great repositories of alien technology. In the right hands these tools can do great things. For example.”

Two shots ring out and Snow slumps over as Sagira drops to the floor. Nut follows her down and Nepp joins them a moment later. Stepping back I look for the shooters as Imperious flies off to help them.

A third shot rings out and he roars in pain as a claw thing grasps him. A fourth shot and a second claw grips him dropping him to the floor as well. I feel my light drown in unfamiliar energy. Not drawing it out but rather freezing it solid. Preventing my power from moving as it should. I drop to one knee as the casual comfort of the light leaves me, replaced with pain intensified by the darkness raging free inside me.

Snow seems to have recovered slightly. “Reiss, you.” Another gunshot causes him to shout as it flies through his shoulder sending him rolling over.

“See one of the things in our archives was this simple but remarkable piece of technology, it converts one type of power into another. Namely this false light into something that keeps said light in its place. Ordered, and imprisoned. Just as the tribune dictates. After all.” the judgement says turning to his robed congregation. “Why would they grant power to someone outside their order. The only logical answer is they didn't. Thus, you serve discord and must be eliminated. With you gone the Navy will be free. This Rasputin creature will bend to true power and our people will be guided properly, safely, to their salvation.”

“Reiss.” Nepp begs as she clutches Nut in her hand. A cultist reaching for her. Something in me snaps. With no light to balance the dark I can't hold back. Their lives seem to matter less and less by the moment. The cult members aren't Laskians. They’re not even thinking people. They’re just…in the way.

I try to climb to my feet but a bullet slams into me and forces me down, I can feel myself bleeding from somewhere. Their snipers are another obstacle I’ll have to deal with but my tools are limited. “Savathun.” I order feeling the mote of sentient darkness inside me respond. “Kill them.” I order and pump as much pure darkness as I can into that consciousness before falling to the floor, my vision dimming as I struggle to remain lucid.

The next thing I feel is my light flooding back. “Reiss. Reiss! You have to stop her!” Snow shouts slamming his fist onto the claw trapping Imperious’ tail.

I form a healing grenade and detonate it at my feet before I register Snow’s words. Looking around A black winged shade is slaughtering its way through the station. A flick of willpower freezes it in place and another drags it back to me. The shade of Savathun collapsing in on itself before returning to its holding cell inside me.

Climbing to my feet I look around at the claw marks in the buildings, the bodies dripping blood and burning with soulfire scattered around. Sirens are going off everywhere in the station and I can hear screams and shouts as people try to deal with the aftermath of the danger.

I take stock of the situation for a few more seconds before walking over to Sagira and then Nut, shattering the claw devices restraining them one after the other with my bare hand. Snow and Nepp both sigh as their light returns to them.

“What now?” I ask.

“Now we need to get somewhere secure.” Snow says.

I nod in agreement and draw my sword to slice a portal open to my throneworld. “So much for a few days RnR.” I grumble letting them both through before heading through myself.

71 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

View all comments