3. The Guardian and the Archive

This is the next part of the Traxis series. I wanted to paste the body of the story right into this thread, but as it turns out, there is a character/word limit to Bungie.net posts and this story easily exceeds that limit. So, instead, I'll link you to the story on my website, complete with excerpt to whet your appetite: [url=http://jimstitzel.com/2013/05/the-guardian-and-the-archive/]The Guardian and the Archive[/url] [quote]The sun rises above the Enceladean horizon, and the small moon’s icy surface immediately begins to sublimate. Wisps of vapor rise and dance, looking for all the world like tendrils of delicate smoke. The vapor coils and writhes and is carried through the thin atmosphere by the barest whisper of a breeze. A moment later, a figure cuts through the fog, and for the briefest of seconds, she looks as though she is [i]wearing[/i] the mist like a cape, as though the entire surface of this little moon exists for the sole purpose of cloaking the Hunter in mystery and wonderment. Then, as she continues pacing forward, the illusion is broken, and the vapor swirls to fill the void she has left behind her. She pays the mist no mind. Traxis reaches behind her to the satchel nestled in the small of her back and softly curses the necessity of the cold-weather gear she wears. The heavy garments are essential to her survival in this arctic wasteland, but their confounded bulkiness makes all her movements slow and clumsy. She fumbles with the satchel for a moment and produces a worn piece of parchment that looks like it would be more at home in a library, under glass, than here in the snow and ice. Traxis studies the document for several long moments, then consults the rangefinder strapped to her wrist. She ticks off some numbers on her fingers, then nods perfunctorily to herself, apparently satisfied with the result. She pushes on, altering her course only slightly. Soon, a light dusting of ice crystals begins to fall, and she knows that she is drawing near to one of Enceladus’ outer cryovolcanoes. The miles-high geyser of icy particles serves as the goalpost for her destination, and she quickens her pace. [/quote] [url=http://jimstitzel.com/2013/05/the-guardian-and-the-archive/]Enjoy![/url]