Hello, everybody, here's Part 71 of Into the Hellmouth! So, here's the deal: I promise you that part 72 will, in fact, be the final part. I know, I've changed my mind on that several times, but this time, I'm absolutely certain. Also, it will go up this Friday, so look out for it then! So. Here's [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218666457?showBanned=0&path=0]part 70 [/url]if you missed it, or, if you're looking for a different part, here's the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/209303839?showBanned=0&path=0]master post! [/url]As usual, if you like it, give it a bump, and I'll get more out soon! Stay classy, Guardians! “So, you see, the threat of Crota cannot be ignored,” Eris finished. “Even now, his forces ready to destroy us. Our only option is to destroy him - before he destroys us.” Ikora nodded. “Thank you, Eris,” she said. She turned to the Consensus. “If you have any questions for her, I suggest that you ask them now.” Lakshmi held up a hand. “You are certain that this Omnigul seeks to attack Rasputin?” she asked. “I can think of no other reason that the Hive would be prowling about the Cosmodrome,” she said. “But you are not certain,” Hideo said. Eris turned towards him. “I would bet my life on it,” she said. “And the lives of our Guardians as well,” Jalaal said. Eris stared at Jalaal until the Arach was forced to look away. “Yes,” she said. “That I would.” Zavala nodded. “I feel that we have learned all we can,” he said. “Eris? You may leave.” Eris nodded, and gave a slight bow. “Thank you for your time,” she said. And with that, she left. “I don’t trust her,” Jalaal said as the door closed behind her. “Those eyes - something is wrong with her.” “She was trapped in the Hellmouth for thirty-three years, Jalaal,” Ikora said. “The years have not been kind to her.” “She could have been turned in that Darkness!” Jalaal insisted. “Who knows what the Hive have done to her?” The Speaker nodded. “I share your concerns, Jalaal,” he said. “Which is why I brought Eris to this meeting today. We must decide wether to welcome her back to the Tower with open arms - or send her back out into the Wilds, where she can do no harm to our Guardians.” He looked around. “Any questions?” Lakshmi cleared her throat. “With all due respect, Speaker, you are asking the wrong question,” she said. The Speaker looked towards her. “Oh?” he said. “Eris has been through much,” she said, “more than most. To turn her out into the Wilds would be worse than cruel.” “Her mad quest would lead our Guardians to their doom!” Jalaal protested. “We cannot -“ “I am not saying that we allow her to speak with the other Guardians,” Lakshmi continued, “but I cannot, in good conscience, support turning her out into the Wilds.” The Speaker nodded. “Fair enough,” he said. “A vote then. Do we turn Eris out into the Wilds? Or do we keep her among us, in hopes that she may heal? All in favor?” Ikora immediately raised her hand, as did Lakshmi and Cayde. Zavala followed a second later, as did Hideo. Even Jalaal reluctantly lifted his hand in the air. “It’s settled, then,” the Speaker said. “Eris shall stay among us.” Ikora allowed herself a smile. It was not quite the victory she had been seeking, but it was a victory nonetheless. “Now,” the Speaker said. “We must determine wether or not to heed Eris’s warnings. Arguments?” “We must,” Ikora said. “We have seen that the Hive are not merely content with the surface of Luna; their presence in old Russia proves that much.” “We cannot afford to risk our resources fighting an attack that may or may not come,” Jalaal replied. “I agree,” Zavala said. “We should fight the Hive on Earth, but no more. The invasion of the moon taught us the danger of challenging the Hive on their own land.” “But it’s not their land, Zavala,” Ikora said. “It is ours - it always has been. Whose skeletons lie there? Who built those buildings? The moon is our providence, Zavala.”` “Maybe it was, Ikora,” Zavala replied, “but not anymore.” The Speaker nodded. “Any further arguments?” he asked. The room was silent. “Alright then,” he said. “A vote. Do we allow Eris to spread her ideas to her fellow Guardians?” “I vote yes,” Ikora said. “The threat of Crota is a clear and present danger; we cannot allow it to go unchecked.” “I’ll vote yes as well,” Cayde said. “When you’re fightin’ in the Wilds, you don’t turn your back on a potential threat just because you ‘think’ it’s safe.” “I vote no,” Zavala said. “It is clear - at least to me - that she has been tainted by corruption. We cannot allow her to infect others with her poisonous mutterings.” “I vote no as well,” Hideo said, nodding at Zavala. Despite the two “no” votes, Ikora couldn’t help but grin at the look of frustration on Zavala’s face. Hideo was constantly on the lookout for a fitting sovereign to rule over the City, and he believed that he had found just such a sovereign in Zavala. Despite Zavala repeatedly shrugging the Executor off, Hideo had persisted in his endeavor, and wooed Zavala at every turn. “Dead Orbit votes no,” Jalaal said. “We cannot allow resourced better spent on building ships to be spent on the defense of a dead planet.” Ikora looked to Lakshmi. Sighing, the FWC rep leaned forward. “Future War Cult votes yes,” she said. Ikora breathed a sigh of relief. Until that very moment, she’d been unsure of how Lakshmi would vote. The representative was as opaque and enigmatic as the Cult that she represented. Now, the vote was tied, three to three. Unfortunately, the Speaker now had the deciding vote. Ikora looked up at him. The man’s face was unreadable behind his white mask. “The deciding vote then, comes down to me,” he said. He looked down at Ikora. “Those of the Vanguard know where I stand. I vote to-“ Lord Saladin cleared his throat. “If I may speak,” he said. The Speaker looked at him in surprise. “Very well,” he said. “State your mind.” The last of the Iron Lords took a deep breath. “We buried this topic all those years ago,” he said. “I believed it folly to risk more Guardian lives on an endeavor so petty as revenge.” He looked up. “But now, I see that the fate of the City is at stake. And that is no trifling matter.” Jalaal scoffed. “May I remind you, Lord Saladin,” he said mockingly, “that you hold no formal standing on this Consensus?” “If you want me to leave, then make me,” Saladin growled. He stood up, revealing his impressive bulk to the Consensus. Cowed, the Arach sat back in his chair, staring pointedly away from the Iron Lord. Never taking his eyes off of Jalaal, Saladin continued speaking. “Some things are best left buried, it’s true. However, some things have a habit of rising from the grave, not unlike our Eris. Her predictions may prove false, yes it’s true - but in the meantime, it would be folly to ignore them.” The Speaker clasped his hands together, and rested his head on them. He was silent for a long moment. “I feel that you may be understating the risks,” he said. “And you may be overstating them,” Saladin replied. The Speaker was quiet once more. “Very well then,” he said at last. “Eris shall be allowed to present her ideas to other Guardians - for now.” Ikora sighed with relief. “I now declare this meeting adjourned,” the Speaker said. And with that, he struck his gavel. Ikora got up to leave, but was stopped by the hulking form of Saladin. “Hello, Ikora,” he said. Ikora nodded. “Thank you for your support today,” she said. “I don’t think the Speaker would’ve agreed with us if it hadn’t been for you.” Saladin nodded. “I stuck my neck out for you today, Ikora,” he said. “Do not prove me wrong.” And with that, he turned to leave. “I won’t!” Ikora shouted, but he had already left. [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218927637]Edit: Part 72[/url]