[Opening theme music. Choral voices fade in punctuated by striking mid toned xylophone. Strings thread beneath the music. ]
[SFX: Tech whirs. A soft thud as Warlock lands. A string of data chirps softly as she walks.]
WARLOCK VO: I dropped into the Courtyard and made my way to Ikora. I had my ghost running projections on when the gate would be functional again so we could get a strike team together and take it out. It would take a while to recharge a gate that large, so we had some time to plan. I wasn’t exactly sure how much, but there was definitely enough time to build a solid plan.
GHOST: (over comms, insistent) Before I give you these calculations, I must ask again how we will tell Ikora about all of this.
WARLOCK: Exactly what do you want me to say? There was a massive gate. There’s a bunch of Vex. Here’s the data to explain it all. The projections will give her what we need to formulate a plan.
GHOST: I mean about our Titan teammate and the Vex.
WARLOCK: (annoyed) Ugh. This again? He did his job as all good Titans should. He was the muscle and might. Did you not hear a thing I said back there?
WARLOCK VO: As I rounded the corner into the Bazaar, I saw him standing with Ikora.
[SFX: Distanced conversation, currently unintelligible.]
WARLOCK VO: Lorielee was also there listening intently. He handed Ikora something and began pointing at it. I watched as she nodded a few times before he quickly turned and sprinted in the opposite direction, away from me and back up toward the Courtyard.
WARLOCK: Where’s he going in such a hurry?
IKORA: (clipped) What did you find?
WARLOCK: Somehow, the Vex were siphoning the radiolaria and converting it into a-
IKORA: How big was the gate?
WARLOCK: Quite considerable in size. The force that-
IKORA: Did the gate activate itself when you arrived?
WARLOCK: No. Once we discovered it, I tested the viability of the gate by activating it.
IKORA: (stern) So you’re telling me that you activated a Vex gate of this size in a confined area without proper controls and safeguards?
WARLOCK: I had your Titan friend with me. We got out of there with no problems.
[SFX: Ikora pulls out a datapad, fuzzy readings sound.]
IKORA: These global scans tell me the size of the force that came through that gate was more than just a few Goblins.
[SFX: She turns it off with a beep.]
IKORA: (restrained frustration) They sent a full-on invasion force to occupy the planet.
WARLOCK: I mean, I didn’t actually have time to assess the exact size and capabilities of the Vex that came through the gate. It was a big firefight. If the Titan had used his abilities more efficiently and had the proper loadout, as I mentioned at the start, I would have had more time to gather data for the report.
IKORA: Did you think to report this to me at that moment? Do you understand the ramifications of the Vex having control of Nessus and what it means for the system?
[SFX: Clothing rustles as Warlock turns.]
WARLOCK VO: I looked at Lorielee and then back to Ikora as she pointed to the data pad in her hand.
[SFX: The fuzzy buzzing of data readings sound again.]
WARLOCK VO: I didn’t understand where this line of questioning was coming from, and Ikora’s tone was getting increasingly stern as we spoke.
WARLOCK: (insistent) That wasn’t part of the mission parameters. We were supposed to investigate the potential for a gate and-
IKORA: (severe) Not part of the mission parameters? Young lady, the mission parameters of your entire purpose as my student and even more so as a Guardian is to protect humanity from its enemies. Your rash decisions and lack of foresight have allowed a mortal enemy to establish a new foothold on a strategically vital planet in the middle of our system! (anger growing) And you didn’t think it was important to tell anyone because it wasn’t part of the mission parameters?!
[SFX: Ikora’s clothing rustles.]
WARLOCK VO: Ikora turned and tossed my datapad on her desk. I looked at Lorielee with panic. “Help me,” I mouthed. She slowly moved her head back and forth and mouthed “NO” to me as Ikora turned back to me.
[SFX: Footsteps.]
IKORA: (collected) This project is no longer under your purview. I will assign a new team to follow up on this development. Then perhaps I should reassess my decision to have you as a student.
WARLOCK: Ikora, I-
IKORA: It’s one thing to disrespect the memory of someone you’ve never met. I can forgive your youthful naivety for not really understanding who Cayde was. (anger leaking out) But to put humanity and our Fallen allies in danger like this because you wanted to test a theory and then try to deflect responsibility for your decision by blaming your fireteam is not what I taught you. (beat) I would discuss this further, but I have an emergency briefing to attend. Your newly discovered Vex gate has already affected Nessus. Fallen are dying right now because you didn’t understand your mission parameters.
[SFX: Footsteps, papers rustling.]
WARLOCK VO: She turned and quickly organized her desk, grabbing a stack of papers. She turned back to me with an angry glare before quickly walking away. I stood there for a few seconds trying to process everything.
WARLOCK: What is she talking about?
LORIELEE: (urgent) The Vex are moving against the Fallen on Nessus!
WARLOCK: (aghast) When did this happen?
[SFX: Music fades in. Urgent strings and ominous horns.]
LORIELEE: On your jump back to the Tower. That’s why your Titan friend was in such a hurry.
WARLOCK: Where are you going?
LORIELEE: Where do you think?
[SFX: Lorielee runs off.]
WARLOCK: Wait. What did he say to Ikora?
WARLOCK VO: Dammit all…
[Ending theme music. The music pulls forward, the strings creating a rushing rhythm beneath the horns, drums giving a driving beat. Deep voiced choir chants before the music fades away.]
Credits
Warlock: Giselle Marbello
Ikora: Nhea Durousseau
Warlock Ghost, Loriellee: Clover Wren
Sound Engineer: Matias Torraca
Chapter Art: Zion Zeta
Chapter music: From available Destiny 2 playlists on Youtube
Transcripts: Eli Barraza
