[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/254979692/0/0]Table of Contents[/url] “Ketch!” Beladona hollers to anyone who can hear, jumping off of me, “It’s a Light-forsaken KETCH!” A hand grabs my upper arm from behind, yanking me up to my feet so quickly my stomach churns. Clumps of snow fall off of me. “C’mon,” it’s Olly, dragging me closer to our downed Hawk. My eyes widen when I see it. The shockwave had hit the ship so hard it had tipped over to rest on its side. A huge mound of snow is piled against its underside. “Where’s the girl?” Beladona asks, “I couldn’t hold on to her.” I stumble, shocked. Had Elta been the person I felt fall next to me? Had the shockwave carried her away from us? Could she have survived without a Guardian as a shield? Olly curses and releases me, cupping his hands over his helmet, “ELTA! ELTA!” “Here!” A weak voice calls, nearby but barely heard over the ever-present hum of the Ketch’s engine. Olly lurches towards the sound, only needing to search for a moment before bending over and scooping Elta out of a mound of snow, “I think she’s okay!” Relieved beyond words, I lean over and rest my hands on my knees, letting out a shaky breath. We’re still stuck in a living nightmare, but right now I’m just glad Elta and I have survived up to this point. Though the same can’t be said for all of us. “Hey!” Hendal shouts, rising from the snow with a very battered Javier. They had been so close but I hadn’t seen them under the snow. Was that shockwave even an attack, or just the prelude to something much worse? The Titan points upward, and I notice a very unstable edge in his voice, “That’s it! That’s Simiks-Fel!” “Shut up! We know!” Beladona shouts back, though I have no idea what he’s talking about, “Where’s Elena?!” “She was closest to the ship,” Olly recalls, turning to the City Hawk, “Look!” A pair of armored gauntlets are protruding from the mound of debris at the Hawk’s belly. The arms beat away the snow, revealing more of the Warlock. Beladona hurries closer and tugs on her until she tumbles out onto the ground. “You alright?” Olly asks. “I’m fine,” Elena assures, standing and immediately taking charge, “Ghost, call the Vanguard now.” Her Ghost appears in front of her and swivels from side to side as if shaking its head, “They’re jamming us.” “We need to stay by the Hawk,” Hendal insists, stepping closer to the ship, “That’s what they’re after. If we try running that Ketch’ll turn us to dust.” The Guardians all look up to the Ketch. “It’s him,” Elena hisses. Hendal grunts affirmation. “All this for one stupid ship and a pile o’ scraps,” Beladona mutters, her voice low and raspy, “Whadda we do with the civilians?” Olly is still cradling Elta in his arms like a baby and Javier is barely standing on his own beside Hendal. I probably don’t look much better. Olly’s helmet vanishes, revealing a trembling grimace and tear-streaked cheeks. The Titan’s voice quivers despite the cold fury in his words, “We put ‘em in the ship. We’ll fight here and kill every single one of those four-armed-“ Rolling thunder strikes at our already-damaged eardrums, the sound of a whole squadron of Skiffs dropping out of stealth at once. Everyone’s heads snap up in mortified shock to see the squadron hovering almost directly above our heads. “Get the civilians-“ “Transmat!” A Ghost screams. Blue matrixes of light flash right in front of us. The lights part like a veil to reveal the form of a single monster.