maskormenace | [Video]

Listen up people of Earth, this is Cayde-6 speaking. First point of order: I have been informed that I'm your new Gun Safety Campaign Spokesman and I am very happy to keep your guns safe. Safe with me because my gun didn't make the trip and I'm feeling so very, very, very naked without it. If anyone can give me a loaner I'll owe ya big time.

Point number two: Just ... think of this as one of those ice-breaking exercises. You know the ones where everybody's awkward and doesn't wanna talk but you gotta answer some stupid question? One of those. Just. Just out of idle curiosity: what is your favorite thing about Earth? It can be anything, doesn't matter how small. In fact, it might be the small things that are the most important. Asking for a friend who isn't used to seeing it so ... intact.

[He counts out his fingers to four, thinks again, and subtracts one.]

Aaand number three: gimme the skinny on good places to eat around Maurita Falls? Extra points for good ramen joints. And I mean the real stuff, none of that instant business.

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[The guy in the video is wearing some kind of grey-patterned superhero armour, and has the fit, alert bearing of a military background.]

The Burger Bunker is the place to eat in Maurtia Falls if you like things greasy. But when it comes to ramen, you're probably better off going to a different city.

Can I ask what happened to Earth, where your 'friend' is from?

[Were it not for the situation, Cayde would immediately clock him as a Titan with restrained taste in shaders and shoulder pads.]

Good intel, I'll mark that down.

[He opens a paperback book to a back page and scrawls "BURGER BUNKER (GREASY!)" on a back page]

We had an unfortunate near-total apocalypse when an evil force from space devastated civilization several centuries back. Down to just one city.

[Jacob looks appropriately somber. So many imPorts come from destroyed world's, or worlds on the brink of annihilation... And his own home is no exception.]

Sorry to hear that. It must be hard, even if it was so long ago.

[A dark thought strikes him.]

I don't suppose you can tell me anything about the attacker that made it all happen?

We call it the Darkness, the ancient enemy o' the Light. I don't know much about it and I'm not into philosophizing about what it might've been, I just shoot its lackeys. Okay, not all of 'em are servants of the True Darkness but really if they're parking themselves in the system and taking our stuff, what's the difference?

Not much of one, I'd say.

[Jacob can appreciate that kind of philosophy.]

Seems like there's no shortage of worlds out there with threats like that. Just so you know, there's supposed to be another cosmic destroyer in this universe that could wipe out Earth. Atropos. Probably not related to the Darkness, but...

[Capable of causing an apocalypse, and therefore too close for comfort.]

Yeah, some kid mentioned it earlier. Would it happen to be some kinda reality-altering robot? Because that name sounds pretty Vexy to me.

[Jacob frowns thoughtfully.]

We don't really know what her true form is. But she's something beyond a robot. Supposedly she took the shape of an enormous snake in the last world she destroyed.

[Oh, that's worse in new ways. Cayde crosses his arms.]

It was a little before my time, but there used to be wish dragons—Ahamkara, we called 'em—that they said could give you whatever you wanted but there was always some kinda fatal catch. The Vanguard ordered a great hunt to drive 'em to extinction, so now they're nothin' but whispering bones. Anyway, according to the report logs, they were able to change their shape.

Nothing about them being world-enders, though.

Probably not the same thing, then. Although Atropos does make promises to humans sometimes... We think. At any rate, she's got pawns here in contact with her.

[He shakes his head.]

Pretty sure they don't know that they'll get wiped out along with us if she takes Earth.

I wouldn't count on 'em changing their tune if you try to convince them of that. Lotta folk would rather ride a bad decision out to the bitter end than course correct. ...Not that I know anything about that, or nothin'. But we're not talkin' about that we're talking about world-ending serpents.

To which I say: it's not my first rodeo with a world-ending threat, and I can offer the strength of the Vanguard to stand against it. But, ah, right about now the only Vanguard is me. So I offer the strength of me. I'm pretty good.

[He sighs, to himself.]

This is why I don't do the speeches.

[Jacob smiles. He knows a thing or two about what a pain in the ass speeches can be.]

Appreciate it, Cayde-6. I'm Jacob Taylor, Commander of Aegis Force. And I'm guessing the Vanguards are... protectors, where you're from?

The Vanguard's more like the paper-pushers for the protectors of humanity. Okay that's underselling it a little, we coordinate the defense of the City, authorize ops against our enemies, and mentor other Guardians. I'm the Hunter Vanguard, Ikora's Warlock Vanguard, and then Zavala covers the Titans and is Vanguard Commander.

[He laughs, dryly.]

Y'know, it's real ironic that I keep saying that I wanna retire the position and go back the frontier but here I am wishing I could offer up more than that. I must be getting old.

So enough about that, Jacob, tell me about this Aegis Force.

So you're in charge of the front lines. I get it.

[He can get that much from context without asking about what Warlocks and Hunters are and so on.]

Aegis Force is an imPort peacekeeping team funded by and accountable to the government. We're based in Maurtia Falls and are supposed to respond to extraordinary threats in all the Porter cities. It's just a pilot project right now, but we've already done some great work.

[It's not just advertising when he says it- the pride shines through in his voice.]

[Cayde cocks an eyebrow, attention piqued. "Accountable to the government" is kind of a drag but it's not like that ever prevented him from selectively ignoring that back home.]

Sooo what I'm hearing is that you guys see some action? Because if you've got any room, I know a great gunslinger. Real handsome, too.

[Oh, well if that's how he wants it...]

Yeah? Well, the next time you see him, let him know Aegis sees plenty of action and is always recruiting. If you think he's got what it takes. There's a lot of testing as part of the recruitment process.

Pssh, I bet he can hack it.

[This is the face of a robot man who has never listened to instructions in his lives and got his extremely prestigious job by losing a bet.]

In that case, do me a favour and pass on some information for me, would you? I'd be interested to see what he's got to offer.

[And Jacob transmits the IC equivalent of this post regarding Aegis Force recruitment and testing.]

[Fortunately, Cayde can't actually grimace at the prospect of a psych eval, so not much of his disgust reads on his face while he tries to keep things casual.]

Yep, my Ghost will send that right on over.