Delta B1 Ch14: The Memory

It was a white face mask. A tool for concealing the identity. This person did not want to be only a man, or even a guardian for that matter. He wanted to be something much more. The view began to focus, and Delta recognized who he was looking at instantly. The Speaker. But there was something different about him. He seemed younger, more vibrant, and was not clothed in his famous white robes. Instead he wore a simple grey cloak. Delta felt uneasy as he suddenly found himself on the edge of a large camp, looking in. Near the center of camp, where a comforting fire blazed, the Speaker was giving a great inspirational speech to a growing crowd. Delta could not hear what he was saying, but he could tell it moved the people. As he spoke, the Speaker pointed upwards, and Delta realized they were directly underneath the Traveler. The alien sphere sat dormant in the stormy sky. Its sheer size was admirable from Delta’s vantage point. He looked back at the Speaker. The crowd was getting excited. Delta wanted to see more, but the back of an armored, burly figure with horns on his head got in the way of his view. Shaxx. The exo prepared to find a new position, when something caught his eye to his right. Delta turned to find three heavily armored men with rifles crouching next to him. The nearest one shoved a device into his hands. “We move in at sunset. We will cover you while you plant the charge, then we run. Once we are free of the camp, detonate the rig.” Everything quickly began to swirl together, and images came in flashes. A soldier shooting an innocent lookout. Delta’s excursion into the heart of the camp. Confronting a surprisingly calm Speaker in his chambers. The man’s words echoing, yet inaudible. Delta’s hands around a soldier’s neck. The world spun out of control and went black. Delta slowly woke, and found his extremities would not respond. His view came back into focus, revealing an expansive lab. He lay strapped to an operation table, unable to move anything save for his head. Delta swiveled to see two people in a heated conversation on the opposite end of the room. The first, a tall Arabian man in a lab coat, was getting defensive. “Of course I had to use a human mind! How else do you think I would be able to bring his cognitive functions online?” The second man, a short, older fellow in a black suit, remained skeptical. “I fund your projects because you convinced me your models would be better! How do you expect me to support you if you can’t find an edge against our competitors, and most importantly, the Traveler?!” The Arabian man raised his hands in objection. “You don’t understand! I must use the… normal methods, in order to ensure they operate at a higher capacity while maintaining logical stability. Project Alpha was clear evidence of that.” The older man crossed his arms. “Then how are your creations any different than the one’s produced on Venus? The ones your father builds.” The Arabian man became clearly angry at the mention of his father. “They are better. MUCH better!” He picked up a tablet and showed some kind of three-dimensional model. “It’s true we must use old bodies, so to speak, to make new ones, but I add a little something extra. These pages of complex code are melded with the digitized mind, giving my creations advantages in combat and higher brain functions.” The older man was a little intrigued. “What kind of advantages?” The Arabian man switched to a new screen. “Faster reflexes, complete control of momentum, built in targeting systems, sub programs that adjust fighting styles to the situation, and a processor so fast it is triple the cognitive speed of the average human. Just look at our most recent data. All the proof you need is there. I’m telling you, project Delta is the one.” The old man scanned over the numbers, then sighed. “Alright Yazan. I will continue to fund your work. I expect you to the deliver, or else you will have to answer to those above me. The Defense does not like to have their time wasted.” Yazan managed a small grin. “Understood.” Everything suddenly went black and Delta realized he was falling. The sound of wind in his audio receptors was deafening, until he hit the ground with a loud thud. He had landed on his stomach, and he struggled to rise to his hands and knees, his joints aching from the fall. After a few seconds of recovery, Delta’s optics finally came back online, and he flinched at the sudden overwhelming color of green. It became quickly apparent that he now rested on a patch of tall, lush grass. Delta got to his feet and took a look around. He was in the middle of an endless field of grass. Nothing else could be seen for miles. Almost immediately, he felt a chill down his spine as a tall, dark object rose from the earth just outside of his field of vision. Instilled with a sudden sense of dread, Delta slowly turned to see an unsettling sight. A single, dark tower stood amid the field, haunting, yet inviting. What really shocked Delta, however, was the crowd of people that stood between him and the tower. The exo felt a strange, inward sensation. He didn’t know why, but he felt like he should get to the tower. No, he [i]needed[/i] to get to that tower. Delta took a few steps forward, wondering how the crowd would react, but there was no movement. He took a few more steps, cautiously trying to act normal. The exo was about to step again, when he made a horrific realization. He knew these people. Every single face in the crowd was recognizable. Solomon, Lassiter, Ross, Kane, Foxtrot, Echo, Yara, Alpha, Cayde, Ikora, Zavala, Banshee, Tobias, Daelic, Adriar, Keis-51… they were all there. Delta took another step forward in disbelief, and that’s when it started. The entire crowd charged him. Surprised, the exo stumbled and turned to run, but was immediately tackled by Adriar. Delta quickly kicked the Titan off of him in a panic, only to be kicked in the side by Ross. He landed a few feet away, reeling from the sudden attack, but it didn’t let up. Cayde-6 was suddenly on top of him, punching his face, denting his plating. Delta rolled, trying to get on top of Cayde, but was immediately pulled off and thrown across the field by Keis. He landed hard in the dirt, completely disoriented. Delta rolled onto his back, trying to regain his focus. He realized there was yet another form standing over him. His optics focused, revealing the tear stained face of Alex. Delta was speechless as Alex raised her hand cannon. With absolutely no remorse in her eyes, she pulled the trigger, and everything went black again. The darkness was heavy and threatening. Delta could see and feel nothing. He was lost in the deep black, but a whisper began to emerge. It was inaudible at first, but it soon became clear. The voice of the Speaker rang out through the darkness. [i]Though tainted by your past, your life is a gift. It is time to be something more. It is time to discover your true purpose.[/i] . . . Delta awoke in the cockpit of his ship, soaring through the dense clouds. “Ghost,” he groaned. “What happened?” His ghost materialized beside him. “You shut down for a little while. You said you wanted to rest your servos.” He remembered vaguely. “Status update.” “We have just crossed into Old Russian air space,” informed his ghost. “We should reach the Tower momentarily.” Delta nodded. “Good. There’s someone I need to see.” [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Clan/Post/1371758/229612450/0/0]Chapter 15[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/224417569?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=1]The Hub[/url]