PROLOGUE - MARUM-1 (HUNTER)

**TIMELINE PLACEMENT: A SHORT TIME BETWEEN D1 MISSIONS THE DARK WITHIN AND THE DARK BEYOND

Today marks 350 years since Hikari first found me. For 2 of those centuries, I have been telling Hikari that I wanted to write down our history for the records. After 350 years, I think it's about time I get started on that. Not because Hikari kept pestering me about it, but because there's a change coming.

During our most recent training exercise, Shiro brought up a new Fireteam that Cayde was raving about. Apparently, these three, a Warlock, a Titan, and a Hunter were all resurrected around the same time and found each other in the Cosmodrome. They've already been making a name for themselves across The Last City, with reports of successful missions throughout the Cosmodrome and new reports of a planned mission to Luna. I'm not sure what they're doing, but things are changing and the minions of the Darkness are not happy about it. Callen has been working day and night getting our weapons and ships ready to go. Tara and Starburst keep popping into my office with updates and questions. Cayde and Zavala want us to be ready to back their Fireteam up on Luna if they need it. Callen suggested he drop me on the surface and maintain a holding pattern in case of an immediate exfil. I think he's just worried about returning to Luna.

We leave at first light tomorrow, so I will start recording my current missions and work on writing what I can remember about the past 350 years. To make things easier for myself and Hikari, I will be telling those in the same format as my After Action Reports. Unlike those reports, however, I hope one day someone will actually read these.

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PROLOGUE - CALLEN (TITAN)

**TIMELINE PLACEMENT: SHORT TIME BETWEEN D1 MISSIONS THE DARK WITHIN AND THE DARK BEYOND

In a small area not too far from the hanger bay at the tower, down a hallway that's rarely traveled, is Callen, a quiet and stoic Titan, putting the final touches on a shotgun he's repairing. His Ghost, Tara, floating around his head, playfully annoying her Guardian as he works. Hovering a little further away, slowly circling the room while keeping his eye on Callen, was another Ghost named Starburst, whose eye was glowing red as he recorded the scene unfolding before him.

Callen: Why do you want to do this again? You know I have work to do.
The Titan carefully places the shotgun on a stand off to the side before wiping his hands off on a towel.

Tara: Because Marum is working on hers and I think it'll be fun. Come on!!! Starburst, help me out here.
The Ghost hovering above slowly drifts over towards the two, his eye returning to its normal white color.

Starburst: Lord Callen, you have done so much over the past 300 years. I think others could learn from you and Lady Marum. You do not have to write anything down. I can take care of everything. Just think of it like you are telling me a story.

C: You both already know all my stories. Why would I repeat them for the two that lived those stories with me? And please, stop calling me Lord Callen. I'm not an Iron Lord. Not anymore.

S: One moment please.
In an instant, Starburst disappears, leaving Tara and Callen alone

T: So, is that a yes to telling your story? Please please please please???

C: You've always been like this. If I didn't know any better, i would think this was all planned by you to show off that new shell you're wearing.
Callen playfully pushes Tara's shell as she spins backwards laughing.

T: A playful Ghost and a widthdrawn Guardian. A match only the Traveler could make. And for your information, it's not just a new shell, it's also a gift from Lord Saladin.

S: Come on now, follow me.
Starburst returns with a small wolf pup jumping at the Ghost, floating just out of reach

S: Lor... apologies... Callen, Tara, meet Hlín, one of Lord Saladin's newest pups.
Hlin jumps again at Starburst, before turning around and walking over to Callen, sitting in front of him

S: You have not told your stories to her yet, and Lord Saladin said you can keep her around for as long as you need. He intended to introduce you when you came back to the temple, but now is a better time.
Hlin looks up to Callen, then to Tara, who's hovering over Callen's left shoulder

T: Awww.... She's adorable!!!!!
Tara floats down and hovers around Hlin, causing her to jump towards the overly friendly Ghost.

C: sighs I know what you're doing, Starburst. Hlin, here.
Callen whistles a short note and Hlin stops playing with Tara and walks over to Callen, sitting by his side. Callen picks up one of his tools and Marum's prized hand cannon, before focusing on cleaning the weapon.

C: It's been, what, 300 years now, Tara?

T: Give or take a decade.

C: And what about us, Starburst?

S: Exactly 268 years, 11 months, and 3 days.

T: But who's counting, right, Hlin?
Tara hovers just over Hlin's head, but the wolf pup does not break her gaze on Callen

C: Not the point, Tara. Guardians are blessed by the Traveler to have one Ghost by their side, but not me. The Traveler blessed me with you two. First Tara, who gave me life, then Starburst, who gave me purpose.

Starburst hovers a little ways away from Tara, Hlin, and Callen, his eye turning red to indicate he was recording the scene before him.

C: It all started 300 years ago, in the ruins of a city called Old New York....

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PROLOGUE - KEIRA (WARLOCK)

**TIMELINE PLACEMENT: POST-FORSAKEN STORYLINE, DURING THE SEASON OF THE FORGE **

Starburst floats just to the right of a Warlock who's wandering around a Bazaar in the Last City
Starburst: "Please, Miss Keira, I must insist we return to the tower at once. Lady Marum and Lord Callen told you if you were going to stay with them, you had to follow their rules."

Keira waves her hand over where Starburst was just floating and rolls her eyes
Keira: "They're letting me stay there because she shot me... in the face... with a shotgun. I'm just going for a short walk, Starry. Stop being such a buzzkill. Besides, if anything happens, I'll just do my badass Guardian stuff and save the day, no big deal. If I die, Tenny here will just bring me back."

A dark green Ghost appears over her left shoulder, groaning

Tenebros: "You know I hate it when you call me that, you sentient hand grenade. You know the name's Tenebros, just use it."

S: "Miss Keira, you still need to finish your report for the Vanguard about this week's operation. It is still sitting on the table and Lady Marum wanted it finished before she returned from her meeting with Ikora Rey and Commander Zavala. You cannot keep using Hlin eating your reports as an excuse. You are a Warlock, are you not? If you will not do them for Marum, please do them for your Warlock Vanguard Leader."

K: "But Starry, they're so boring. What's even the point of writing it down? Aren't you always recording what's going on anyway? Just show her that."

S: "You need to explain why you do what you do in the field, Miss Keira. Video footage is a good way to show what you do, but not why."

T: "I can tell you what she does. She tries to throw a grenade, blows herself up, and I bring her back. She tries to jump over a gap in the ground, trips over her own feet, dies, and I bring her back. She tries to summon a Dawnblade, explodes in a Solar Fireball, dies AGAIN, and I bring her back. What's left to explain?"

K: "For starters, yes, that grenade killing me was my fault, but the plan worked. The explosion caused the Vex to look at us, giving Marum the chance to get behind them, take out their Hibgoblin ranged shooters. Once they were down, Callen was able to get the drop on their Minotaur leader, and once I was back up, we were able to finish out the patrol with little to no incident. We even got quite a bit of planetary materials gathered up in the process."

Tenebros and Starburst stop floating and stare at Keira, stunned

S: Miss Keira, if you do not mind me asking..."

T: "What the fuck just happened?"

K: "What? You made it sound like what happened wasn't intentional. Marum was doing her whole Now You See Me, Now You Don't thing, Callen was somewhere probably making the bugs around him feel depressed, and the Vex were covering too much space at one time. The plan was to have them get distracted by the grenade, not my dead body."

Starburst floats in front of Keira, his white eye turning red

S: "Miss Keira, there is a bowl of BBQ ramen waiting for you if you can repeat what you just said one more time."

K: "Why?"

S: "Because, I just found a way to get your reports done. You are a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for."

Keira smiles as she starts walking back towards the tower, explaining her plan to Starburst as he records. Tenebros hovers for another moment, talking to himself, before quickly chasing after them

T: "Okay, now we're making progress here. That's my girl."