[quote]Check out all other Brave Light episodes [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/176320409/0/0]right here[/url]![/quote] [i]The three guardians had been driving for a half an hour when they came across what they were searching for: A small hut just west of Archer's Line, rusted and broken down with nothing but a terminal inside.[/i] [b]Liz[/b] [i](stopping her sparrow just by the door)[/i]: This is it. [i]Zale and Hayden follow in suit, hopping off their sparrows and walking after the Warlock. The Hunter knelt down and inspected the ground.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Footprints. One person. They were in here while the two probably waited outside. [b]Liz[/b]: How can you tell? [b]Zale[/b]: Wind blowing outside will get rid of the prints. But inside... That wind can't get in here. [i]The guardians stop and ponder this.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Meaning everything in here is preserved as long as no one touches it... Almost like a time capsule... [b]Zale[/b]: Exactly. [b]Liz[/b]: That terminal is the sparrow link. This is where they must've started the mission. Henry, think you could take a look? [b]Henry[/b]: I'm on it. [i]The Ghost spoke with a Southern accent as it began scanning the computer set up. It flinched back when an alert sounded off across the comms.[/i] [b]Henry[/b]: I can't get in. This here drive is damaged. [b]Liz[/b]: How damaged? [b]Henry[/b]: Battery malfunction, circuit breakers missing, and the uplink mainframe box is torn further than a squirrel gettin' buckshot from a hunting rifle in July. [b]Zale[/b]: In english, Mr. Poncho Ranger. [b]Henry[/b]: The damn thing is broken. [b]Liz[/b]: I see... Would anyone like to give a crack at it? [i]Zale steps back.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Nope. [i]Hayden is the closest one to the terminal.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Lucky for you guys, I happen to be very handy in the mechanic arts... [i]Hayden summons his ghost, a small green-colored fellow.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Ready to go to work? [b]Milo[/b]: Thought you'd never ask. [b]Zale[/b]: I never would have guessed you were a grease-monkey. [b]Hayden[/b]: Says the bitchy hunter who failed an exam because he forgot his pencil. [b]Zale[/b]: IT WAS ONE TIME. [i]Hayden gets down on his knees and begins to inspect the terminal, chuckling to himself. After pulling the frontal hatch open, a large clump of wires and circuits lie inside.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Woah there... [b]Liz[/b]: ....can you guys fix it? [i]Hayden and Milo exchange glances with each other.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: We can try. [i]After a few minutes, Liz and Zale sit down and watch the Titan and is ghost go to work.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: You sweatin' over there? [b]Hayden[/b]: You wish.... It's just... Complicated.... [b]Zale[/b]: How do you know so much about all that anyways? [b]Hayden[/b]: It's just natural. [b]Liz[/b]: How so? [b]Hayden[/b]: When I first came to the Tower, patrols found me in a pod after it crashed from orbit. I learned what I know from patching it up and modifying it. [b]Zale[/b]: A pod? [b]Hayden[/b]: Yeah. About 9 years ago. Just a small metal tin can with an Exo-child and an AI inside. [b]Liz[/b]: I've never heard of guardians first landing from orbit. Couldn't you remember where you came from? Who your parents were? [b]Hayden[/b]: No.... I couldn't remember anything.... [spoiler] [b][i][u]9 years earlier...[/u][/i][/b] [b]Guard 1[/b]: Hey, he's waking up! [b]Guard 2[/b]: You're right. Took long enough. [i]Hayden opens is eyes to a blue sky, his vision blurred and disoriented. After sitting up, he looks around to find himself in a large plain of grass, with few trees scattered around. A large concrete wall lies in the distance.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: ....wha? Where am I? [b]Guard 1[/b]: It's alright kid, don't worry. You're safe. [b]Guard 2[/b] [i](whispering to Guard 1)[/i]: Where to you think he came from? [b]Hayden[/b]: Who... Who are yo– [b]Guard 1[/b]: No clue. Scouts said the pod just crashed right out of orbit, though. [b]Guard 2[/b]: Damn... Alright, well what do we do with him? [b]Hayden[/b]: Where am I? [b]Guard 1[/b]: Bring em back to the Tower. The Speaker might wanna know what's going on. [b]Hayden[/b]: WHERE AM I? [i]The Guards are struck silent.[/i] [b]Guardian 1[/b]: You're on Earth, kid... You're home.... [i]Hayden pauses to look around again.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Home....but what's.... what's.... what's.... [i]He looks down at his hands, seemingly unable to speak.[/i] [b]Guard 1[/b]: ...What's your name, kid? [b]Hayden[/b]: I don't.... I ca.... I can't.... I can't remember.... [i]The Guards looks at him, puzzled by the boy's answer.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b] [i](eyes now tearing up)[/i]: I can't.... I can't.... I don't.... [b]Guard 2[/b]: Hey hey hey, don't cry..... Look, I think this is this yours. [i]The Tower Guard holds out a small chip, electronics and glass fiber embedded in the surface.[/i] [b]Guard 1[/b]: Yeah, we found it in your pod. [i]Hayden takes the chip from the Guard, its cold texture touching against the metallic shell of his fingers. As soon as the chip falls into his palm, a bright light shoots out of the fiber glass, a green hologram of a floating orb suddenly appearing above it.[/i] [b]Milo[/b]: Hello! [i]Hayden looks up at the orb, startled by the voice.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Hi... [b]Milo[/b]: My name is Milo! The Artificial Intelligence assigned to this pod. How may I help you? [b]Hayden[/b]: ....Milo? [b]Milo[/b]: Wait a minute, analytical database malfunction. Hard drive required fo– Hard drive required fo– Hard drive required fo– [i]The hologram begins to glitch.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: .....do you know who I am? [b]Milo[/b]: Searching backup records. One record found.... Your name is Hayden. [b]Hayden[/b]: ....Hayden? [b]Milo[/b]: Hayden. [i]Hayden turns his head at the hologram, still failing to think clearly.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b] [i](pointing at the hologram)[/i]: Hayden? [i]The hologram turns left and right, almost like it is shaking its head.[/i] [b]Milo[/b]: No no no no no.... [i]Milo flies up close to Hayden, nearly touching the Exo child's chest.[/i] [b]Milo[/b]: Hayden. [i]The hologram returns to its original position.[/i] [b]Milo[/b]: Milo. [b]Hayden[/b]: Oh.... [i]The child points at himself.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Hayden.... [i]He turns his hand the other way and points at the hologram.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Milo. [b]Milo[/b]: Yes! [b]Hayden[/b]: Hayden and Milo... [b]Milo[/b]: Yes.... Hayden and Milo.... [i]The two quietly look at each other.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: ....I can't.... I don't... [i]Tears begin to stream down the boy's face.[/i] [b]Milo[/b]: Hey there, don't cry.... [i]The hologram flies up close to Hayden.[/i] [b]Milo[/b] [i](speaking in between glitches)[/i]: I'm gonna help you get through this. Okay? [b]Hayden[/b]: ....okay.... [b]Milo[/b]: Now, remind me what your name is? [i]The hologram winks at Hayden.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: ....Hayden.... My name is Hayden.... [b]Milo[/b] [i](smiling)[/i]: Hello there, Hayden.... It's very nice to meet you. [/spoiler] [i]A large burst of electricity zaps from the terminal.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Got it! [i]Zale and Liz get up.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Finally! [b]Liz[/b]: Good work. Henry? [i]Her Ghost materializes in front of them.[/i] [b]Henry[/b]: Howdy. [b]Liz[/b]: Give it another go. [b]Henry[/b]: You bet. [i]The Ghost begins analyzing the terminal again.[/i] [b]Henry[/b]: Alright, I found a record. It points to a location bearing just North of here. No other data, though. The hard drive was wiped. [b]Zale[/b]: Great. [b]Liz[/b]: Any idea who accessed the terminal last? There might be some back-up data left in the system. [b]Henry[/b]: No... that's not going to be possible. [i]The guardians all look at each other.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Why? [b]Henry[/b]: ...This hard drive is from a 5th generation uplink center. [b]Zale[/b]: So? [b]Henry[/b]: Meaning that a hard drive clearance can only be attained my manual activation, no matter how damaged it may be. [b]Liz[/b]: ....so that means that– [b]Henry[/b]: Yes... Someone cleared the drive on purpose.