Destiny 1. The Prison of Elders

_*A/N: Not my first work of fiction although this is my first real attempt at fanfiction. I enjoy Destiny the video game but the lack of a story and a few run ins with inspiration drove me to create my own. So... here it is. This is an ongoing series following a few characters and their escape from the Prison of Elders. It's a ride... so try and enjoy it. And please... critique to your hearts content. I couldn't improve without a proper kick in the rear. Just keep in mind: I don't know all of the lore so I may screw up some... or all of it. I also tend to miss quite a bit during proofreads so sorry in advance. Other than that... enjoy!*_

* * *

_"Trapped... in a box suspended in space._

_That is my home._

_It's all I can remember."_

**\- Chapter One or The Prison of Elders -**

**"Tell me again… tell me it's today…"**

Prisoners were easily identifiable in the cramped space. Each one donned the standard grey jumpsuit with a thick stripe of purple across the chest. The distinct color denoted them as belonging to the Reef. No mistaking them for the guards. Static men and women. Sentinels in cloaks of black and purple that stood at every door and hall. They breathed in the same air each inmate expelled, sniffing around for anything, any reason to dump them into the eternal black. They had a knack for not missing a thing and that was the problem. Two of them were staring directly at him.

**"...Tell me it's today…"**

There was a grunt followed by the glowing maw of another man opening in reply. **"It's today."** The whisper was more of a muffled yell. There was frustration saturating the mechanical voice, an annoyance that could be felt by both men. **"Keep asking me and I'll have you ejected myself…"**

The Exo's eyes darted around the "mesh hall". It wasn't so much a dining area as it was a shuttle from a forgotten age that'd been converted into one. The walls were padded thick with ancient fabric and metal work. A steel frame speckled with glass that somehow managed to keep the vacuum of space out. The entire structure was cylindrical in design, the space inside the walls about ten feet tall and fifty feet from end to end. There wasn't enough room to carry all the inmates in one cell block, so multiple shuttles were connected via a labyrinth of tunnels and containers. All areas were surprisingly airtight, a testament to the innovative and survivalist nature of the Awoken. Even out here on the edge, they managed to survive… _and_ thrive.

Inmates were innumerable. There was little light at the edge to begin with. Many Awoken came to accept the darkness as their ally… literally. The prison population was made up of both the Awoken and the Fallen. Despite the diverse crowd, there was no segregation. There was no war within these walls. Down here in the scrotum of the reef, everyone was an equal, all subjects to her majesty's will.

As glowing eyes swept the room, a few of the others met his gaze exchanging a knowing nod. The rest were already digging in, ignoring the odd selection they deemed edible in the Reef: Dark thick liquids to wet their throats and some kind of green hued substance dumped onto the edge of everyone's trays. It was cold but few cared and at the end of their allotted meal time, their trays would be cleaned and their stomachs feeling just as empty as before… save for his own. Exo's couldn't eat.

**"Alright alright… I just wanted to make sure… I just… I don't know. I'm just nervous… It's actually happening."** Dull green eyes and a dirty mat of blonde for hair. The human sitting directly across from him was unusually thin. His cheek bones pushed against his skin like daggers. His neck was long and his limbs thin. His oversized attire shook violently as he rapped his knuckles against the table and his heels against the floor. It was a nervous habit and it too was drawing more attention than either of them wanted. **"Can't believe we could be getting out."**

Another exasperated grunt. The rules in the prison were simple, especially so during meals: Don't talk. Finish your food. Return to your containers. It was quiet in the room even as whispering was allowed so the tapping was beginning to drown the silence out. **"You keep making that noise, we're never getting out of here... Curse the Traveller!"**

**"Sorry!... sorr-"** The stuttered attempt at an apology was cut short by movement in their peripherals.

The House of Wolves. A proud house of the Fallen who had been subjected to the power of the Queen and not surprisingly... fell to her wrath. They'd been integrated into her peoples and while a few lived and died among the Awoken, the majority were imprisoned and enslaved. A perfect example was the large figure of a former captain… taking her seat next to the Exo. Two powerful arms set the small tray down in front of it. They were the only pair she had.

A sigh of relief. **"Sky."** The Exo greeted her with a nod and sang himself a quiet prayer to her return. He wasn't sure he was going to last any longer alone with the idiot. She responded in kind, her native tongue confusing to most but understood by her machined companion.

**"[Lock.]"** She turned toward the skittish human across from them both. **"[Keeping our friend company I see.]" **Although Lock couldn't see it, she was smiling. Fallen were distinguished from the other prisoners by their obvious difference in stature and the masks they were allowed to wear that covered their nose and mouths. The internal mechanisms had been jury rigged, removing the long tubes that once fed their precious ether. Instead, they were given a limited supply meant to last them a single day. Their meals consisted of the usual course and a single capsule of the compressed "gas". These small cylinders were pressed into the junction where there were once tubes and fed the Fallen their life force. Failure to replenish the supply would result in a slow and painful death… according to Awoken research.

Sky dutifully removed her mask, and set about consuming some of the meal. Between bites, she'd hold it up to her lips and sip from the old capsule, taking generous portions until it was completely dry. During her time in the Prison, she'd begun weaning herself off the Ether until she could stretch a single capsule over a span of two days. She'd been storing the extras away in anticipation of their plan.

**"[Everything is in place.]"**

**"Good. All that's left to do now is wait."** Lock turned toward the closest window and stared out at the deep black of space. From where he was sitting, he could see to the far edge of the Prison and the many rocks filling the empty space in between. They seemed suspended in animation, their jagged bodies tumbling about in place but keeping the space consistent between each other. **"How much longer?"**

**"[Shouldn't be too long now. Window will be small… You sure we can make it?]"** As Sky spoke, she replaced her mask and pushed a fresh capsule into its side. A shallow click and a short hiss of gas told her it was in place. Lock nodded.

**"Where... where is he... anyways?"**

Lock pulled himself away from the window and turned to look at the human. His thin frail body shouted protests against his better judgement. He wasn't entirely sure the man would survive. Looking around at the guards who had long since returned to their own musings, he gestured at the window toward the far end of the prison.

**"Look there Randar. Aksor sits with the rest of the most dangerous of the Reefs prisoners. The very tip. They're all there under intense security. Round the clock watch, completely bound. Fallen have it particularly bad. Ether is provided in the lowest survivable dosage and their souls weaken because of it. Keeps them in a comatose state. Not entirely sure how the House of Winter plans to get him out but..." **He turned around and stared at the others in the room. **"...Guess we'll find out soon enough."**

**"Wait… you don't even know?"**

**"Like I said before, I only know they plan to break him out. We're using that as cover. I don't know the specifics of their plan… none of us do. And would you keep it down?"**

**"[I hope we somehow misplace him in the confusion.]"**

Lock chuckled and Randar looked on clueless. **"If only I could. Really hope he's worth all the tr- ...Randar?"**

Randar's dull eyes were fixed on something outside and he was slowly pushing himself to his feet. [b]What… what is that?"[/b] Lock turned, following Randar's gaze past his shoulder and out the same window they were looking through just moments earlier. A flicker in the vast emptiness caught his attention. He recognized it immediately.

**"...Sky..."**

Sky spoke in Fallen tongue but her words fell on deaf ears. She moved to push the human back into his seat just as the guards turned their attention to the table. Lock had gotten up and moved toward the window.

**"Lock?!" **The closest guard yelled, closing the gap between himself and the Exo in a few strides. He pulled a handcannon from it's holster but froze before he could bring it to bear on the machine. He'd turned to look outside as well.

A transparent bubble was forming in the emptiness outside the prison. Strange bright lights were being thrown in violent arcs away from it's center as the shell began to expand. It pushed massive rocks out of the way to make space, their trajectories changing drastically and not entirely for the better. Suddenly a gaping hole tore itself open from nothing and a large Ketch slipped into Awoken space. In it's wake was birthed a tremendous shockwave. It rushed at the walls of the prison, dragging asteroids behind it.

Lock pushed himself away from the window.

**"Shit."**


	2. The Plan of Escape

_"I can see the sky…._

_Like white flame…_

_Falling away from me."_

**\- Chapter Two or The Plan of Escape -**

The prison. A cluster of twisted metal and empty shells from a forgotten age. These ghosts float precariously among the millions of asteroids in the belt, their broken forms wrapping around one of the rocks that was carved into long ago and transformed into a structure that held empty chambers and hundreds of tunnels.

It was in one of these chambers Lock found himself, surrounded by a few very interested members.

_**Several Months Before…**_

Lock peered at the ceiling far above him. The walls of the room some fifty yards away in every direction stretched up and over his head to meet each other. Lights dotted the surface, outlining invisible borders and gazed back down at him… taunting him. He simply wanted to drown out the stupidity that seemed to fill the air but even that he found impossible to do. A place far away was calling to him but he was stuck on a rock surrounded by idiots.

**"****They're insane. There's no way to get out of here."**

**"****Insane. Incredibly stupid. Suicidal... It's why they fell to the Queen."**

**"****House of Winter dumbass. They're not the same as the ones imprisoned here."**

**"****Da hell did you just call me?"**

Lock was frustrated. His glowing eyes bounced from one man to the next, studying each character in attendance and hoping that somehow the group before him would change. For a good minute he watched them bicker.

Randar was first. Skittish as always. Frail and pale. For some reason the human had decided to fly into Awoken space thinking that they'd welcome him with open arms. He was apparently looking for something among the wreckage of the numerous colony ships that dotted the belt. They were only too happy to greet him. Randar was imprisoned immediately, partially for trespassing and mostly for his own idiocy. They'd tried to flag him down as they did with all those that wandered into their territory but he failed to heed their warnings and his ship was quickly disabled and boarded. Lock could only imagine the things he had to do to survive in the hell that was the Prison of Elders.

It was the bounty on the man's head that was his ultimate saving grace. Lock, being formerly of a guild of Bounty Hunters had been privately hired to break him out. The tab was high but only just so. The minute he'd met the man, he immediately regretted the decision. There was no way he was going to be able to get him out in one piece.

Korbal Irsk. A fairly heavy set Awoken who found other prisons akin to a retirement home. He'd been moved to the Prison of Elders when the city finally realized that he was still running things from behind bars. The move changed nothing. As leader of one of the largest and one of the only criminal factions in both the City and the Reef, he held influence and invaluable knowledge of much of the underworld. What vile plans bore fruit was likely seeded by him… the father of Red Ravens.

_...The Red Raven's Tell…_

It was a phrase he repeated often to others who shared in his struggle.

_...Can you see it?..._

Lock didn't. He saw crazy but he also saw information bank written across the man's head and a ragtag army of half the prison's population behind his back. Unfortunately the man also had an air of ignorance about him that seemed to manifest when it was least appropriate.

**"****All those idiot Fallen are the same to me."**

An interesting remark to make when there were two sitting beside him. Sky was one. Lock and the denounced captain had made acquaintances before. It wasn't a mystery as to why she'd been imprisoned. The Fallen House of Wolves had long ago fell to the Queen's power and many of their peoples had been locked away. Captains lost their rank and had their limbs removed to signify their defeat. The Archon was moved to the tip with their Prime Servitor. The lesser servitors served as Ether banks with which to syphon precious Fallen life force and distribute it among their imprisoned population. Sky had since learned that adaptation was they key to survival. She had to become part of the people that had once hunted her own or risk dying along with the rest. Ether had to be rationed and ties to her former comrades was integral. Vahn was almost always by her side.

As the other fallen captain in attendance, Vahn had somehow managed to keep all four of his arms intact. In this way, even if it the difference was slight, he held power over the other fallen. Vandals littered most of the halls of the prison, musing about on their own or in small insignificant groups when outside their containers. When addressed by Vahn, they answered and moved as directed. Even other captains did well to mind their behaviour around him. He had early on elected Sky to be at his right side doubling has both guard and friend. Her skill and heroics in past conflicts put her ahead of peers. Lock wasn't going to get one without the other… and he didn't mind. The man commanded what was left of the House of Wolves… at least at this level of imprisonment.

Finally, there was Cypher. Another fallen imprisoned with the rest of his brethren. The only difference between himself and the others were his crimes. They weren't petty. There was no simple carrying out of radical ideas from those above him. No theft of government ships or forging of illegal documents. No manufacturing and trading of Asstroids. Cypher was something of a trained killer. Much like bounty hunters, he accepted money not for the capture of criminals, but for snuffing the life out of anything… including guardians. What made the man a complicated character was the way he carried himself. His tone of voice, the way he greeted others and conversed with them regularly. He went about his daily life just like anyone else would… until someone hired him for another job. Eventually he was linked to almost a dozen murders around the Reef and various other locations around the inner system. The City refused to take him and so he was ferried to the Prison of Elders. He's held the same smile and careless attitude since day one

The rest of those around the table were either acquaintances of the others or too unimportant for Lock to care.

**"****Hm… better watch what you say. You might piss off the wrong person."** Cypher and Korbal had been going at it the entire time and while the former was teasing, it was Korbal who was becoming visibly irritated, even more so than Lock. The other Fallen, although annoyed at the irrelevant nature of the the pairs conversation, seemed poised to join in themselves. Randar sat in the center of it all confused, his dreary eyes finally settling on Lock when he had nowhere else to look.

**"****You're starting to piss me off!"**

**"Oh? What are you going to do about it?****"**

Fallen gibberish.

**"****I swear by the Traveller himself I will have you killed!... and you shut up!"**

More gibberish.

Lock rubbed at his temple… and felt no relief from the action. It seemed his predecessors added reactions to outside stimulus that provided absolutely nothing to him. He immediately dropped his hand and began to scratch away at the rock in the center of them all.

**"****Uh… hey… hey guys."** Randar's meek voice did little to get the attention of the others at the table. He opened his mouth to speak again when a large Fallen hand slammed against the rock directly in front of him. A scream tumbled from his mouth and others immediately stopped.

**"****Thank you Vahn…"** Lock straightened himself out and pointed at the perfect outline of the prison. The borders of the large asteroid they were all tethered too along with indents and dots to signify colony ships and containers were all there. To the left and right of the prison were reference points: the sun and the edge of the reef.

**"****Wow… you ever thought about doing art… instead of prison breaks."** Cypher leaned forward under the guise of admiring Lock's work. Lock pushed him back into his seat.

**"No. Here****'s the plan… The Fallen will most likely approach from here."** He tapped on the empty space between the Prison and the sun. **"****Cloak will be up to prevent the defense system of the Prison from picking them off before they can get close."**

**"****We talking one ship… a whole fleet?"** Korbal pressed a stubby finger against the inside of his palm… for whatever reason.

**"****At the very least two. It's quickest with a smaller group as opposed to a full on assault on the Prison. Something like that would be an open declaration of war against the Queen and I think the Fallen have had enough of that for a while."** Lock turned to the two captains, both of whom were giving him an odd look. **"****No offense."**

**"****So what happens when they drop their cloaks? I imagine they get blown to shit?"**

**"****Not entirely sure. Somehow they're going to cut the power to the Prison. Maybe not the whole Prison but to get Aksor out… they need to cut power… at the very least to the tip."**

**"So we're not even sure they're going to help up escape?"** Korbal grunted, his translucent blue nostrils flaring in disgust at the plan so far. He didn't like it. There was too much left for chance. What if the Fallen Ketch were destroyed? What if there was no power outage in the lower levels of the prison? And to think he had to trust the very things he hated the most. His shifty gaze fell on the Fallen who seemed to be musing ideas among themselves.

**"They're not helping us escape. Let's just get that out of the way. They're here to free Aksor and that's it. We're using their presence as a cover to help ourselves escape. Trust me… there is only one way off this prison alive and this is it."**

**"You could be released."**

**"Shut it Cypher… you're not going to be released anytime soon… None of us are."**

**"Ugh… fine."** Cypher slumped back in his chair and stared at the ceiling far above them. He wasn't entirely sure why he was even attending the meeting in the first place. He rather enjoyed it here. He was safe… and so was everyone outside the walls.

**"In the meantime, we'll play it out as if things will go our way just in case it does... So, power goes out."** He turned toward Vahn and Sky. **"The window will be small so I'm counting on you two to clear out our floor. You have fallen on the lower levels who are under your command. Use all of them. Attacks need to be coordinated. As soon as the power goes out, have your men strike and eliminate every guard in the area and once the floor is cleared, move up. Doors to containers and will remain closed but shuttles and areas where only the guards are allowed will swing wide open once the power is down. Idiotic design flaw but it's not my problem."**

Next, Lock's glowing eyes fell on Korbal. **"At your level… well things get complicated."**

**"You don't need to worry about me. Most of the guards are on pay roll. The others owe me plenty of favors. How do you think I manage to travel between levels so easily?"** The man flashed Lock a wide grin. Despite being locked away for so long, he held a pearl white smile. Korbal somehow managed to groom himself and keep something of a professional appearance even when living on a rock in the middle of nowhere. It was amazing what the man was able to get away.

**"Okay.. moving on to you Cypher… You're on the last level before the tip. Given that Vahn, Sky and myself can clear our levels fast enough and simply walk through Korbal's… we should be at your doorstep just as they return power to the prison.. It's going to be up to you to get us in."**

**"Once the power drops. I free myself. Easy enough. Slice up a few guards, free the other psychopaths on my level. Mop up the mess… or make a bigger one."** Cypher smiled and a small chuckle escaped his lips. **"Oohh. This will be good. It's almost worth not taking a share of that bounty from you… but I think I'll still take it."**

Lock's expression didn't change. If there was one thing he hated more than anything, it was sharing his bounty.

**"Yeah… great. Just don't forget to let us in... Okay so now we're here."** He tapped his finger on the level that was Cypher's.**"Shipping docks are here. If you've taken control of your level Cypher, it should be easy enough to walk into the bay and commandeer a vessel. They're small and there are only so many…"** He looked at everyone in attendance. They were all staring at the spot where his finger rested and thinking the same thing. Someone was going to be left behind. **"I don't need to state the obvious. Just realize that we probably won't be the only ones trying to escape. Guards may decide to skip out on their own as well. So at this point… it's every man for himself."**

Korbal simply let out what seemed to be a satisfied grunt. Cypher muttered something unintelligible although it looked like he was turning the whole thing into a game. Randar had fallen asleep. The Fallen didn't say much. They seldom did to those outside their race. The exception was Sky. She turned toward Lock.

**"[Understood]"**

_...What a shitty plan..._


	3. The First Floor

_"I can see the stars..._

_Far below me..._

_Lights born... and died."_

**\- Chapter Three or The First Floor -**

The prison shook. It shook because it was angry... it was angry because it's slumber had been disturbed and that disturbance led to the war breaking out within her walls. Strangers had come banging against her doors demanding the release of something that no longer belonged to them… but she would not give in so easily. Her shields held fast against the Fallen barrage and a fire burned inside her.

**"I... am... a coward."**

A simple statement. It was the only help Randar could offer in the seconds that followed after impact. He watched from safety as chunks of space rock bounced harmlessly off the translucent barriers of the prison. It seemed they did little more than annoy it.

**"What's happening?!"**

Randar looked to his right. Someone was yelling at man's eyes were wide, his chest expanding too fast, his arms flailing about him in a pathetic attempt to fight off a guard. He would surely die, but there was good news: Oxygen was still coursing through the veins of the prison feeding the ensuing chaos. The walls had not been breached. There was still a chance at life and for now, Randar was safe. He moved to stand up and somehow make himself useful... when the crumpled helm of a guard tumbled to the ground in front of him.

Lock sent the rest of the man flying into the opposite wall, creating a noticeable dent in the metal frame.

**"They failed!"** He cried in an autotuned voice. It was the oddest thing to hear when everyone else in the prison was either Awoken or Fallen. To listen to a machine as it spoke was both strangely calming and yet very much unsettling. Randar couldn't tell if the man was happy for their failure... or panicking.

**"Now what?!"**

**"[Forward! Push forward!]"**

The Fallen Captain, Sky, had one guard nestled firmly by the neck in the crook of her arm and another with her fingers wrapped around his rather small head. She dragged them behind her as if they were the toys with which she was to escape with... a pair of oversized stuffed animals for her to sleep with at night. They both continued to struggle until one ran out of oxygen and the other broke his own neck. They were tossed to the side and quickly replaced. At her heel were numerous faithful Dreg, ever on a quest to prove their loyalty and honor and take that next step in their military career. They mopped up what guards she spared while those ahead of her became her shield. They funneled into the corridors connecting each shuttle to the other, soaking up bullets until supply ran dry and eating daggers until blades ran dull. It was an altogether gruesome and wondrous scene.

Randar's front row seat was interrupted when his savior remembered he needed saving. A dark metallic hand found his jumpsuit and pulled him out from under the table and into the open.

**"Are you listening?!"**

A blank stare.

**"I said we're moving! Stay right behind me!"**

Randar nodded and with the help of Lock's free hand, remained supplanted to the man's ass. Thus began their circumnavigation around the large asteroid and their ascent of the Prison of Elders. They moved briskly through each room, the Dregs and the Awoken in each area having done their job and taken out the guards. The actual conflict had lasted little more than half a minute. Randar was dragged through the aftermath; each room revealed a fresh pile of unconscious or dead guards and prisoners.

There wasn't much left to scavenge at the bottom level. Only a few guards were given handcannons and the rest were armed with charged batons. Each gun was loaded with six specially designed bullets or hollow points. The intention was to cause irreparable damage on target while protecting the integrity of the prison walls. Once the cylinders had been emptied, guards would have to resort to combat in close quarters. The sheer number of inmates however quickly overwhelmed them. All that remained were complicated paperweights and a sparse collection of spent melee weapons. Survivors, as numerous as they were, gathered the later and moved on. The rooms ahead were all cleared out and awaiting them at the end of the final corridor was Vahn, his arms a flurry of motion as he parried fists and sent guards colliding into one another. When he'd incapacitated the last one, he greeted Sky and then turned to Lock. His mask was hiding the unpleasant expression on his face.

**"****[What is this? This door here…]"** His vernacular was rather simple and Lock had a hard time translating. Vahn knocked against the closed door with one of his fists. It was the one that lead to Korbal. **"****[Should this not be open?]"**

This was exactly what Lock was afraid of and why he'd already given up. He shook his head. **"****No. I said it during the meet. Power needs to be down for this door to open but it seems your people are either too ignorant or too prideful to care."** That or their information network was severely lacking. Not only had their attack on the prison itself been a failure but it seemed the riot they had unwittingly sparked within it's walls was to fizzle out as well. In the end, they were only there for Aksor. They could have cared less about the Wolves held captive by the Queen. However Vahn didn't seem to understand.

**"****[What you say?]"** Again, with a vocabulary the size of a thimble, translations were difficult and Lock didn't pick up on the change in the Captain's tone of voice.

**"**_**They failed...**_**"** Lock pointed at the door. **"****That only opens... **_**if the power is out**_**"** He hoped the added emphasis would drive his point across, not only for Vahn but the other oblivious inmates as well. The sudden grip around his throat let him know that he'd done too good a job. His feet left the ground and soon Lock found himself pressed against the door that separated him and the next level of the prison.

**"****[Vahn!]"** Sky began to protest and moved to step in between the two, but a fierce look from the Fallen Captain froze her in place. If it had been anyone else, they'd already be dead. There was a moments pause before Sky continued... keeping her distance. **"****[What are you doing? Put him down!]"**

**"****[I not like his tone]"**

**"****Listen Vahn.. why don't you leave the talking to Sky. She does a far better job than you."**

Vahn responded by peeling Lock away from the door and slamming him against it with tremendous force. This time however, Lock, who hadn't touched Vahn, reached for the man's arm and began to push back.

Pain was a curiosity to Exo's. Their body was ancient metal, their minds of a mysterious working that mimicked those of their creators. Exo's experienced pain… but only as their former masters saw fit. Whoever had given life to Lock in the past had turned his pain receptors on… and the signals were setting off alarms. Any more pressure and Vahn could easily separate Lock's head from his shoulders… and he wasn't entirely okay with that.

**"****[Vahn!]"** Sky moved once again but a Dreg stepped in front of her. A scar across his cheek marked him as one of Vahn's. In his hand was one of the scavenged batons and surprisingly it still held a charge. Sparks of blue and white light would periodically arc to the tip and bite at the air.

**"****Stop, it's fine."** Lock continued to struggle against Vahn's grip. **"****Give it a few more seconds. They'll release the gas and knock us all out…"** He turned to Vahn. **"...Or just you."** He finished by flashing Vahn a glowing smile. Exo's couldn't breath.

Vahn clenched rotted teeth, teeth hidden away by the mask covering the lower half of his face. He balled up two fists and held them in the air poised at Lock's grinning maw.

**"****[I knock you out… for **_**nice**_**.]"**

**"****What?"**

**"****Wait!"** Surprisingly Randar, who had remained silent the entire time decided to speak up. He took a step toward the Fallen Captain but another Dreg, sharing a scar on his cheek similar to the other, delivered a solid blow to his gut. Randar immediately doubled over and tumbled to the ground. Every last ounce of breath had been forced from his lungs and he was left gagging for air.

**"****Hey! Don't you touch him!"** Lock fixed his gaze on the smaller Dreg, both his arms now fighting to push Vahn off him. However Vahn had placed a second hand on Lock's chest and had him firmly pinned against the door.

**"****[Curses Vahn!]"** Despite Sky's protests, she remained where she was. **"****[Let him go!]"** She knew better than to physically intervene. They were friends sure, but the Fallen respected rank more than anything else. With four arms, Vahn was king. She laid a hand on him and his Dreg army would tear her to pieces… if he allowed it.

**"****[Open door!]"**

**"****I can't open this damn door! The window closed! Your Winter fools failed to cut power to the Prison. The plan fell apart before we even started and you're too dumb to understand that!"**

Vahn roared, Ether hissed through the open ports of his mask, and two solid fists were loosed. They sprinted at Lock's face… but never found their target. The prison had interrupted with a terrible scream.

A sound like an explosion followed by metal grating against metal filled the air and tore at the ear drums of Fallen and Awoken alike. Before any of them could react, the prison itself jumped with such force that everyone was knocked to the ground. Vahn fell backwards, his four arms flapping pathetically at the air in an attempt to right himself. Lock dropped to the floor but managed to find his footing while his ears adjusted the noise. It was reduced to a dull buzz in the background. Everyone else however... While they fought to ignore the piercing song, Lock clamored toward the closest window to try and find the source, struggling to keep upright against the unpredictable bucking of the prison. Steps forward were pained and awkward with the last landing him rather hard against the small glass hole in the wall. He peered outside before immediately regretting his decision.

Outside, a second Ketch had entered Awoken space and fell out of warp... directly inside the walls of the prison. The result was catastrophic. Shields were immediately destroyed and with their destruction, the wave of debris that was created by the violent collision began a journey unhindered. Colony ships, shuttles, containers and an asteroid that happened to be nearby were shredded and turned into shrapnel. Lock watched in horror as the dense cloud of projectiles began to pepper those floors closest to the impact site. Chunks of metal were sent flying into more metal, tearing off larger pieces and hurling each one into space. Within a handful of seconds, the level that was once Cypher's was itself turned into a cloud of death that continued the "domino effect". A couple seconds after that and the lower levels went dark. Power to the prison had been successfully cut.

The House of Winter had just opened their window.

* * *

_"Mayday...mayday...mayday…  
1...9...6...5...Sierra...Echo…5...Astraea…  
4...Vesta...  
Mayday...Papa...Echo...Walls are breached by Fallen...  
Say again...Designate siege...Charlie... Foxtrot…  
Over…_

…

…

…  
4...Vesta to...1...9...6...5...Sierra...Echo...5...Astraea…  
Designate siege...Charlie... Foxtrot on...Papa...Echo by Fallen read…  
Quebec of Ceres...Consent...Consent….  
IPM...Alpha...ETA...5 DOCs…  
Over."


	4. The Second Floor

_"__I'm falling…_

Into that night sky...

Bathing in those stars."

**\- Chapter Four or The Second Floor -**

**"****My Queen."**

**"****...Yes."**

**"****The Prison... Your prison is besieged by Fallen filth. Word is... it's the House of Winter… come to save their precious Archon."**Glowing yellow eyes fell on the Queen's Fallen guard. **"****They're asking for help the fools… They can't even defend th-"**

**"****Give them the assistance they seek."**

**"****You… would extend your hand to these imbeciles? They're not worth saving. You should just rid yourself of that rock and be done with them."**

**"****Rats have made a home in my domain and I intend to find and eliminate every… last… one. My people have grown complacent… lazy, and my Wolves need to be reminded of my power. As for the House of Winter…"** She straightened out her legs and slowly rose to her feet, bringing crystal blue eyes to level with that of her brother's. **"****It's time they learned as well."**

**"****Send Yurah."**

* * *

The silence was broken by the sound of the door sliding open and the pitch black yielded to new light. There was some shuffling of feet and a few grunts of surprise before someone spoke up.

**"****Korbal sent us?"**

**"****What do you see?"** One of the surviving Awoken among the pile of toppled inmates called out.

**"****The Red Raven****'****s tell."** Replied one of the guards. **"****You're a little late."** He flashed bright white light into the room illuminating the mound of dazed Fallen and Awoken all piled in front of the doorway. **"****No time for sitting on your ass Prisoners… he's waiting."** The lead guard stepped into the room, gingerly placing his feet in between limbs and bodies. He and the others moved toward Vahn first who lay spread eagle on top of a few unconscious Dreg. His head was still reeling from the disorienting attack on his ears and even with help, it was difficult to get him on his feet. That and the Fallen was massive. It took a couple pairs of hands and a handful of his own faithful few to get him standing again. Sky had fallen on her stomach off to the side. After clearing her head with a few aggressives shakes, she managed to right herself without any assistance, refusing the offers of help from some of the guards and pushing past them without a second glance. Lock had his back pressed against the wall and was supporting the rest of his weight with his hand pressed against another. The prison would shake periodically as debri penetrated the remaining structure and the tremors were enough to trip anyone not paying attention. Lock had managed to keep on his feet when the others were splayed all over the ground.

Subtle star light drifted into the room and speckled off motes of dust. The soft luminant hues of blue and white found of Lock's face and his stone expression began to glow. His eyes were fixed on a spot on the ground as his mind mulled over the past few minutes.

Something wasn't right.

**"****You're late…"** He finally spoke up when most of the inmates had recovered and were on their feet again. Dregs were dusting themselves and others off. Awoken inmates were doing much of the same. The two Fallen Captains and the guards who came to assist held their gaze on him.

**"****Lock?"**

The Exo brought his eyes up to the guard.

**"****Let's go."** The man said. He tossed him a spare light, short cylindrical things that emitted an off white glow and did well when pushing back the dark. Lock held it up to his face and pointed it at the guard.

**"****Where's Korbal now?"**

**"****Waiting…"** The guard gestured with a nod through the door and lead off. The others quickly followed suit with Sky and Vahn trailing behind. The latter shot Lock a steely glance before continuing with the group. It was a look that said **"****[We're not finished.]"** or rather **"****[We not done.]"**

Something definitely wasn't right.

Lock pushed off the wall and made his way through the doorway and toward the others. They moved as one surrounded by the light from the devices in the guards' hands. Outside this ball of luminance it was nearly pitch black. The sun hung in the black on the far side of the prison so it's warm yellow embrace was entirely absent. The dim light from the stars outside did next to nothing. Inmates stepped lightly but tried to keep pace with the lead guard, making sure not to fall or injure themselves for fear of being left behind.

Past the large door separating the upper from the lower levels, there was a short flight of stairs that opened up to a much larger corridor. The hall split into two direction: One lead toward the perimeter of the asteroid and more colony ships and shuttles while the other lead into the heart of the rock. In the center of the fork was the box desk where a lone guard sat… with his throat cut wide open. Thick dark liquid oozed from the exposed wound and soaked into the uniform. The rest puddled at the end and dripped to the floor.

**"****Had a little misunderstanding."** The guard said, flashing light in the victim's direction and highlighting the corpse's pale complexion and wide eyes. His mouth hung agape, his arms swung loose at his sides and stretched toward the floor. He was seated and was leaning awkwardly to one side causing most of his blood to run in that direction. At closer inspection, it looked as though the man hadn't put up much of a struggle. He never saw the end coming.

Tremors followed. The corpse bounced lightly in the seat.

**"****He didn't want to open the door… so I slit his throat."** It was stated more as a matter of fact than anything else. The way it rolled off the guards tongue with such ease… as if such things were meant to happen.

Lock had felt this odd feeling earlier but now the alarms were going off in his head. Something was definitely not right.

**"****We're going this way."** The guard turned to the right and flashed his light into the dark ahead. The black opened up to reveal the corridor of an ancient shuttle turning into smooth rock. Chambers of carbon and silicon waited them ahead. **"****It'll be safer inside the asteroid than out. The prison is tearing itself apart from all the debris… Damn Fallen."** The last part was mumbled under his breath. Once again the guard lead off while the others followed. His pace had visibly quickened and the rest struggled to match him.

Lock lingered behind and mosied over to the dead guard. He let light fall on the body as he investigated the scene. The man had already been stripped of all valuables including the standard issue baton and handgun. Guards on the second floor and up were required to carry firearms as the prisoners were a lot more dangerous on higher levels. However both holsters were empty where there should have been weapons. The man wore the standard uniform although his specifically was devoid of any thick armor. Splashes of purple fashion were added here and there whie black and grey canvassed everything else. However he wasn't there to study design. Lock knelt next to the figure and began to tug on the sleeves on the man's right arm, pushing the fabric up to the elbow before turning the wrist over. Sure enough, there was a small red circle pressed permanently into the man's blue skin.

**"****Lock?"**

Lock dropped the arm and straightened out.

**"****What are you doing?"** Another one of Korbal's goonies. It seemed this one was straggling behind.. far behind.

**"****Looking for a gun… Izzy right?"**

The guard stepped up to the desk and peered over the edge, shining his own light over the body to inspect it a second time. His eyes fell on the rolled up sleeve. **"****Yeah that's right. Why don't you come out from behind there."** He motioned for Lock to follow by waving his light around in the air. He continued to talk as the Exo stepped around the desk and out into the open.**"****We've already taken the gun. Same goes for all the guards who didn't want in… besides this entire floor is already been secured so you won't be needing one…"** Lock came to a stop in front of the guard. He stood straight, face to face and five feet away. His left hand was empty, his right hand balled over the light in his hand.

**"****It's safe…"**

Words forced between stiff lips. Even as a machine, Lock could catch a lie when he was given one. They weren't safe. He wasn't safe… the guard knew he knew he wasn't safe. All the signs were there. The dead guard behind the desk with his throat cut open? He was one of their own. The mark of their faction was a simple red circle with the ink usually positioned on the inside of the wrist. Korbal had said it himself… he had no issues travelling between levels. If he had indeed taken control of his floor then there would have been no need to kill the guard.

Something was wrong.

**"****It's safe…"** Lock repeated. He kept his eyes on Izzy. "**...No it's not."** The man's posture was unusually stiff and there was a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face.

Tremors followed. The body bounced lightly in it's seat until the man's head rolled a little too far to the left. The entire corpse slide to the ground and folded on top of itself. Lock blinked and Izzy made his move.

The first strike was the fastest. For Lock at least this was always the case. So when Izzy's arm bent at the elbow and began to rise in the air, Lock was already calculating his options. This however was child's play. Lock didn't always understand exactly how it worked but everytime he needed to make split second decisions, every time his life hung in the balance, his body seemed to respond. Everything slowed to a crawl, all his senses heightened and if he had blood coursing through his body, they'd be filling with adrenaline. However Lock had something much better than that. Every move, every thought from that moment forward was cold hard calculation.

Right now it was Izzy's arm. The man was slim, well built and to make things a bit more complicated for Lock, the more vital points of the body were covered in thick Awoken armor. There would be no easy way out of this one… but that's how Lock liked it. Only a split second in and Izzy's arm had been pulled to his chest and the light in his hand was dropped. It tumbled slowly toward the ground. In it's place appeared a charged baton. It sparked blue and white aggression and threw it's poisonous light in all directions.

Not even a second had passed and Izzy's hand changed course from the center of his chest to Lock's center mass. His wrist twisted and the baton turned in tandem until the tip was pointed directly at him. It's length added a good foot to his reach and with an extra step forward, the space between himself and Lock began to close... rapidly.

Four feet.

The man had a white knuckle grip on the weapon. His eyes were locked on his target and were not paying attention to his opponent's. His feet were positioned in such a way that his weight was not evenly distributed. He leaned into his strike pushing his center of gravity a little too far to his right and added unnecessary momentum to his entire body.

Three feet.

Lock made his move. Gears came to life and torqued with extreme speed. Wires burst to a red hot glow. Computers kept count. His left arm moved as if on it's own creating a near vertical line upwards across his chest and towards Izzy's outstretched right hand. His right arm stretched to Izzy's left, up and over the man's offending strike with the intention to catch him at the elbow.

Two feet.

Distance was closing. Izzy leaned in a little farther… a little too far. He was grimacing now and all his energy was focused on the one spot dead center of Lock's chest. Lock kicked his left foot out a few more inches. He forced his body to move faster, work harder. He watched the baton inch closer to his body and his hands glide toward Izzy's arm. He knew if he let Izzy hit him once with a fully charged baton, it would short his circuits and knock him out. Lock needed to get to him first.

One foot.

Contact. It only took a simple tap to the back of Izzy's hand to knock his attack off course. The baton was pushed up and over Lock's shoulder until it slipped harmlessly past him. Because of his footing and the way he'd leaned into his strike, the rest of his body followed suit and Izzy found himself tumbling awkwardly toward Lock. Lock followed up his defense by grabbing a hold of Izzy's right arm in two key spots: His left hand wrapped strong metal fingers around Izzy's wrist and his right hand pushed into Izzy's elbow. He now had full control of that arm.

Izzy's light hit the floor.

**"****What th-"**

Lock didn't give him time to complete the sentence. Pulling up on the man's wrist and pushing into his elbow, he effectively bent Izzy's arm back in the direction it came and proceeded to slam the end of the baton into his neck. It sparked violent light, bit through his skin and Izzy passed out immediately. Lock let his body crumple to the ground.

A few seconds of quiet passed before it finally clicked.

_...They're in danger…_


	5. The Chamber, Part 1

_"__I crash like fire…_

Caught in the embrace…

Of a thousand suns."

**\- Chapter Five or The Chamber, Part 1 -**  
_**The UACS Vesta. 3docs till arrival.**_

**"****What am I looking at?"**

**"****A hole was cut out of this segment of the prison by a Fallen Ketch."**

**"****And that's it right there… dead?"**

**"****It seems they sacrificed one of their own to ensure they had an opening."**

**"****This isn't typical of Fallen tactics… I've never seen this type of strategy before."**

**"****Whatever it is it seems highly effective."**

**"****Extremely costly."**

**"****They've deployed three Skiffs into the area. Two are doing over watch while the third has slipped into the opening and is likely to be offloading troops. Also of note, it has an oddly shaped capsule in tow. We can only assume they hope to transport the Archon inside."**

Moment of silence.

**"****Charge forward cannons. The first Fallen ship we lock on to, we destroy. Her majesty wants a show of power and that's what we'll give them."**

**"Ma'am."**

* * *

_**The Prison of Elders. Second Floor.**_

Lock cursed aloud as he bolted down the dark corridor after the others. They didn't know it yet but they were being led into a trap and all because he couldn't keep his big mouth shut. Korbal had gotten smart and figured out that if he simply left everyone for dead, he'd have a better chance of getting his own ride out of the Prison. It was a betrayal made easy when he had prison guards on payroll to do the deed for him. Fortunately, Lock had left out one major detail and so even if he didn't get off the rock himself, he could take some comfort in the fact that Korbal wouldn't be able to get anywhere either.

It was a worst case scenario. Chances for getting out of the prison as it tore itself apart were already slim, not considering his plus one. But he wasn't going to give up… not with that much glimmer on the line.

_...A way out…a new life..._

He rounded the last bend, the walls, floor and ceiling above him turning from ancient steel to foreign rock. The hall that was carved into the asteroid quickly opened up into one of the smaller chambers of the prison. This one was tall enough for a scaffolding built halfway up the walls that hung exclusive for prison guards. Most chambers had a similar set up. It gave them a clear view of all the activity in the room without putting them at unnecessary risk. It also gave the guards stationed there now a perfect angle with which to shoot up the remaining survivors.

**"****There you are."** Called out the lead guard from earlier. **"****Was about to send someone to go find you…"** He was just another Awoken, as were all guards, by the name of Dez. A forgettable character… till now.

Lock stepped into the chamber. It was bright inside despite the lack of power. They had already set up lights on the scaffold and had them pointed at the group huddled in the center. There was Vahn and Sky surrounded by their Dreg and both looking around incredulously. Most of the other Awoken inmates in the mix were just as confused. Sky held a hand up to her eyes, shielding them from the harsh light. Vahn didn't seem to care. Even with the mask on Lock could tell he was snarling his teeth and hissing anger like venom. All four of his hands gripped at blunt objects and they were poised as if he meant to strike down all the guards at once. There were far too many however and they had been ready and waiting the moment the attack on the prison began. The outlook was looking pretty grim.

_...Give us a damn break already…_

It was a quiet thought echoed to himself partially out of desperation and mostly because his escape was becoming far more complicated than he anticipated. Studying the room only made his situation seem all the more dire. Surrounding the group of confused Awoken and Fallen were the dead bodies of guards propped up against the walls of the chamber. Those that didn't want in on the plan were lined up and shot, their weapons and armor collected and distributed among the rest. The remaining crew were all armed to the teeth and well protected. It was a small army that Lock and co weren't prepared to fight… especially with the odds stacked so steeply against them.

**"****Where's Izzy?"**

Lock continued his assessment. There were about ten guards above… twice as many below against the combined might of nearly fifty mostly unarmed prisoners. All of the guards were armed with the standard issue handcannon. A few were waving charged batons in the air. Two had some kind of automatic weapon, one of them being Dez who wouldn't shut his mouth.

**"****Izzy?"** He repeated. **"****He was supposed to clean up anyone falling behind and join us here."**

**"****He's taking a nice long nap."** Lock replied as he continued to look around. His response elicited a rather loud grunt of disapproval.

**"****That's... really too bad…"**

**"****Close friend of yours?"**

**"****No… seal the door."** One of the guards nearest Lock moved over to the door and pulled a lever marked "manual release". The doors slide shut and an audible "click" let everyone know it was locked. The other exits had already been sealed. They could be opened again but anyone caught waiting would be far too exposed to survive the long process.

**"****So this was his plan all along huh?"** Lock called out. **"****Massacre us before we even got a chance to escape."**

**"****Nothing personal friend. Korbal's orders. He pays my check so forgive me the need to eat and provide for my family."**

**"****You don't leave now you won't be able to see your family. The House of Winter is already inside the prison and I give them about 4 maybe 5docs before **_**her**_** army arrives to reinforce."** Lock turned to look at Sky. They met each other's gaze and immediately understood what the other was thinking: They were going to have to fight their way out. There was no other way through.

**"****Leave?"** Dez chuckled and a few of the other guards joined in. **"****We don't need to leave Lock. We work here! You see…"** He began pacing back and forth making a show of his monologue. It was a wasted effort but an effort appreciated by Lock. The idiot was buying his prey time to think up a plan and this small mistake gave Lock… a _sliver_ of hope. He had to think.

Lock dug deep into the recess of his "mind" and searched for anything, some kind of answer in the endless catalogue that was his memory bank. He started with data on himself: his speed, reaction time, average accuracy, chance for miscalculation, the unpredictable nature of his own luck. How many people were already aimed at him and what was the best way to find cover? Calculations. It was primitive Vex warfare or the art of looking to the future and working out all possible outcomes before choosing the one that rewarded him the greatest chance of success. He turned slowly to look at the guard closest to him, the one that had sealed the door. The man stared back, holding the handgun up so it's maw met Lock's gaze.

_...There it is…_

Lock smiled back. His answer was standing only a few feet behind him.

**"****...When the Queen arrives…"** Dez continued. **"****...She'll see the results of our thwarting this revolt of the Fallen House of Wolves. We…"** He pointed at himself and then a few of the others around him **"****...Keep all inmates detained and successfully eliminate the leaders of this coup ensuring that this…"** He pauses again, waving an open hand "over" the survivors huddled in front of him. **"****...Never happens again. If anything she'll give us a promotion and make my check a little fatter."** Another series of laughter followed.

**"****She'll have you killed."**

Lock began his countermove… another short monologue to distract and give the others time to prepare. Sky reached into her jumpsuit and pulled out two capsules of Ether. With all of the guards focusing on Lock and his pretty words, she began to screw them both into the extra ports of the mask and suck at their supply generously. She could feel her life force flow through her veins once again… giving her strength. She moved to give Vahn a few of his own, but the Captain, blinded by rage or perhaps pride, refused. He continued to pace back and forth in anger, looking at everything and everywhere else but at Sky. He too was doing his own preparations. In his primitive mind, he'd carved out a path toward Dez, the guard who **"[Talk to much]"**. He could already see the bodies of those he'd leave in his wake and could almost feel the man's throat in his hands.

**"She's not as stupid as you make her out to be and that says nothing of your 'promotion'."** Lock continued. **"Men… or rather you boys have no power here. You should know that better than anyone. How long have you been stuck here at the ass end of the Reef?"**

Dez ground his teeth. He said nothing for a short while knowing full well what Lock meant. The Queen ruled a matriarchal society. Women held power while men were made to scramble around at their backs. He'd been trapped within these walls for longer than he could remember, a prisoner of the Reef in his own way… and this was his way out.

**"I've been here too long Lock… A lot longer than you. You're not the only one trying to escape."** He motioned at the guard behind Lock with a nod. **"Check him. Make sure he hasn't lifted anything 'pointy' off Izzy."**

Lock didn't bother to look the guard in the eyes as he made his way toward him. Instead he looked to Sky and she nodded slowly. This was it.


	6. The Chamber, Part 2

_"Rivers of black..._

Where wind rises...

Quells the sea of flame."

**\- Chapter Six or The Chamber, Part 2 -**  
_**Several months before…**_

**"****Let's go tincan…"** The voice echoed from behind, filling the empty halls before Lock with the sound of a man who didn't much care for his job… or his prisoners. He was shoved forward by the shoulder and pushed toward the end of the hall where the other inmates awaited… where an eternity in captivity presented it's open arms. Lock stopped moving after only a couple steps.

**"****Hey… are you deaf? I said move."**

No response.

**"****Move!"**

Lock received a jarring blow to the back of his head and was sent tumbling forward and over his own feet. He crashed into the cold hard floor, his metal ass sticking up in the air.

**"****Get that idiot up… no… no turn him so he's facing me."**

Lock was hoisted off the ground and spun around until he was staring a guard directly in the face. Deep purple skin complimented the dark green eyes of the man returning his glare. He stood almost equal to Locks height, a mere inch shorter at the least. Not a man taken to building up his body or so Lock presumed. He wasn't skinny but he didn't have the broad shoulders of someone who carried himself with pride. He was just… there. The spark of a wide smile however changed his outlook. With teeth of rotted yellow and breath as foul as the fingernails of fermenting thralls, the guard was rather… repulsive. Lock leaned away from the man, not wanting his stink to rust his metal.

**"****You're going to be here a long time… so let's get things straight between us."** He placed a long dry finger against his chest. **"****In here… I am king. I decide when you eat, when you sleep, when you dance and when you get to blow your own dick."**

Lock raised a brow.

**"****You…"** The guard placed a finger on Lock's forehead. **"****...You are my b*tch and you'll do as I say or receive the same punishment as a disobedient dog."** He pulled the finger away and leaned in close. **"****Do you understand?"**

The moment of silence that followed was both deafening and rather short. Lock mused his answer over in his head before deciding on a reply.

**"****What's your name?"**

**"****My name?... Dez. Remember it. When you dream, wake up… take a piss."**

**"****As long as you remember one thing…"**

Dez let a soft chuckle tumble from his lips. **"****And what's that?"**

Lock tilted his head back… and slammed the hard metal of his forehead against the bridge of Dez's nose. The man screamed, his lungs expelling too much air at once and his throat tightening so that the noise sounded more like the shrill cry of a female than anything else. He doubled back in pain, catching himself on the edge of a wall with one hand while grabbing at his bleeding nose with the other.

**"****You son of a b*tch."**

The beating Lock received was both painful and yet rewarding. Despite sensors telling him that his bones were being broken and his skin was rupturing, watching blood drip from the nostrils of the head guard made him feel right as rain. There was nothing they could do to him that would leave permanent damage, physical nor psychological. He was a machine and despite the odd fact that he could feel pain… he understood his limits to be well beyond that of his organic counterpart. Dez however… he'd be feeling the pain of arrogance and idiocy for months… and when it was finally time, he too would receive a just punishment. Till then, he simply had to endure abuse meant for being lesser than himself.

Eventually his assailants grew tired and opted to simply throw him in with the rest. They delivered his beaten body to the inmates waiting at the end of the hall and left him there to fend for himself. He didn't move for a long time. It wasn't until the buzz of the room was broken by the sound of an odd tongue that he was roused.

**"****[Get up.]"**

He couldn't see who it was but he knew the voice calling out to him wasn't human or Awoken. The language was foreign to both and the hand lifting him off the ground was abnormally large. He opened his eyes and came face to face with the pale blue eyes of a Fallen Captain.

Words caught in his throat.

Pupils, deep and mysterious, studied his beaten metal frame. Behind the alien gaze was a sense of understanding, of curiosity, a feeling of warmth.

**"****[He is a machine.]"** She spoke in native tongue, looking over at her compatriot to see if he understood. A second Fallen Captain stepped to the fore, slightly larger than the first and touting two more arms.

**"****[He is weak. Leave him.]"**

_...Oh?..._

**"****[No… He's not weak Vahn. He's different… like us. An outcast...]"** Soft blue eyes looked him over again. **"****[... An outcast in a sea of people that have been cast into the dark themselves. He understands… I think he understands… and that gives him strength.]"**

_...Hmm…_

Lock's glowing white eyes blinked. He looked from the Fallen who'd picked him up to the one named Vahn. The latter was a rather obvious idiot but the former… was different. Smart… almost aware of her situation and more importantly… of his own.

He smiled.

**"****[Lock. That is my name. And you are...?]"**

Four pairs of eyes blinked in unison. It was a handful of seconds before either of them were able to respond and it was the "woman" who spoke first. From underneath her mask, she slowly opened her mouth and let a word slip out like a gentle wind carrying the only syllable to her name...

* * *

**_The Prison of Elders. Second Floor._**

**"****Sky!"**

As soon as the guard placed his hand on Lock's shoulder, she moved. The Fallen captain stepped in between Lock and the other half of the room with blinding speed and answered the call of a revolver. A sound was like that of an explosion cut through the silence of the chamber with violence and echoed endlessly against walls of black. It was the first note of a song, the tell of an invisible bullet as it was thrown through the air… a song cut short by the translucent blue film manifesting itself around Sky.

Her shield caught the projectile near her forehead where it collapsed.

The jarring sound of a gun going off set Lock in motion. He reacted instantly, grabbing the hand on his shoulder with a vice grip and twisting the arm around until it could go no further. The guard screamed in intense pain and immediately fell silent as Lock caught him across the chin with a solid blow. The body went limp and the gun dropped into Lock's open fist. He immediately swung around and tossed the weapon toward Sky where it was caught by the butt, aimed and fired. Not a second was wasted on second guessing. Every move from then on was methodical and precise. The resulting bullet was sent careening across the chamber and into a guard's shoulder where he stood on the second floor. He was thrown against the wall and his gun tumbled from his grip and off the edge of the scaffold into the mass of panicking Awoken below.

**"****Open fire! Open fire! Kill them all!"** Dez screamed, his orders already two shots too late.

A second bark. Another bullet collapsed against Sky. She ripped out one of the spent Ether capsules with one arm and replaced it with a third, her shooting arm already taking aim at her next target and firing yet again. A burning piece of metal buried itself into the neck of a guard where it exploded into shrapnel and tore open a large gaping hole.

Lock stepped underneath Sky's swinging arm and found Randar by the back of his neck before shoving him into the ground… with a little too much force. The unusually thin human coughed and sputtered foul words that no one could hear as he tried to find his lungs once more. Lock, ignoring the protests from his bounty, hoisted the unconscious guard up in front of himself, pulled the gun he'd taken off Izzy and lifted the cannon into the air. He took aim, pulled the trigger and let the piece buck in his hand as it spat out a bullet. At the far end of the room, a guard's head snapped back with unnatural violence and his body hit the floor.

_...5…_

A count of his remaining rounds. Another bark pierced the air from the opposite side of the chamber. Lock felt the body in his arms jump against his chest and watched red mist explode around his head. Awoken blood, stained with darkness, drizzled down around him, spotting his metal frame with a deep cherry color. He found the offending gunmen by the flash of his muzzle and answered the call in kind, setting the irons between the man's crown and pulling the trigger.

_...4…_

Before the body could hit the ground, Lock had already set himself on his next series of victims. A trio of guards lined up on the second floor and paying their predator no heed. His arm swept across their figures in a single motion and his finger began an itch that could not be quelled. Three pulls… three challenges… and three more bodies littered the floor.

_...1..._

By now half of the guards above were dead and the rest below were just realizing that a gun fight had broken out. They fumbled with their weapons and fired carelessly into the crowd of inmates accomplishing a lot of nothing. Dez stood among them yelling furiously at the top of his lungs and pointing at the survivors that weren't already dead.

The chamber erupted in endless gunfire.

Randar did what he could… which at the moment was finding his lungs and letting out a shrill scream. Bullets called out to him left and right, and he knew… or rather felt as though they were searching for his fragile flesh. He pressed his body as close as he could to the cold ground and buried his head underneath his arms. The scream that continued to slip from his gaping mouth did little more than drown out the sound of death around him and annoy Lock. However to Randar, it somehow felt safe.

Sky ignored the noise and continued her assault, her dwindling shields keeping death at bay. She downed her third man and fired a fourth round at the remaining guard above. The bullet clipped his helm causing the man to flinch. Before he could recover, Sky pulled again and hit her mark. The glass visor of the helm shattered and the face underneath was shredded. The guard tumbled over the railing and fell to the ground below landing next to a furious Vahn. He didn't notice.

The Fallen Captain was on a rampage. He had since stepped away from the main group and moved toward Dez and the guards around him. A mass of Dreg and the rare vandal detached with him and followed at his heel. They threw themselves at the enemy, eating more bullets than they could chew and finding death in troves. A few managed to close the distance and begin an assault of charged batons and closed fists. Guards fell to their fury rather quickly while the rest struggled to fight off the mob. Vahn, moving with unreal speed, dodged bullets with quick ducks and side steps before delivering a shocking blow to the closest guard. He slammed the end of a baton into the man's chest and with his other hand, backhanded a second. He was sent careening into a third and the both of them toppled over each other and into the mass of angry Fallen. Vahn's two free hands grabbed his fourth and fifth victims by the throat and hoisted them up into the air in front of himself. They became his shields, a wall to meet the hail of gunfire as he charged into Awoken ranks.

Lock, spent revolver in hand, decided it was his turn to make a move. He pulled the bullet ridden corpse up in front of himself and rushed at the closest guard. The man turned in time to fire a shot, but only managed to bury the round into spent Awoken flesh before he was overtaken. Lock threw the man against the wall, headbutt him into unconsciousness and wrenched the gun from his grasp. The piece was twisted around in Lock's hand and the barrel pressed against the man's head. Lock meant to end him… when something exploded against his shoulder.

_...Pain…_

Lock screamed through gritted maw. It burst like a flower, a burning sensation so intense that he found it hard to concentrate on anything but the fire. It crept along his shoulder blade and straight into his spine throwing his reaction and timing off. He tried to shake the feeling, tried to tell himself that the pain wasn't actually there… that it was simply a byproduct of emotion, but something inside kept telling him otherwise and responded by flooding his sensors with the one distraction he didn't need.

Another bullet buried itself into the wall next to his head.

**"****Damn it…"** He muttered as he scanned the room. A guard on the far side of the chamber was holding the smoking barrel of his firearm up and pointing it directly at him. It flashed bright white light.

**"****Shit!"** He ducked low, pushed against the wall and brushed a "wounded" shoulder blade against the rough surface. Pain flared once again as another round ricocheted behind him. The burn caused him to stumble, but instead of catching his fall he decided to commit. He tumbled forward and came out of the roll on a knee and his gun pointed at his opponent. The guard was slow to adjust, his upper body still in a swivel as a bullet smashed into the side of his head and threw him to the ground.

**"****...Shit…"**

Around him the chaos ensued. Fallen ranks begin to dwindle. Dreg were taking bullets to the head and ether would spill from open cavities, thickening the air and reducing visibility. Awoken inmates littered the ground around Sky who stood defiant amidst the corpses of Fallen and Awoken. Her wavering shields would glow a bright blue against the spark of bullets and at her feet were the ether capsules spent in the name of extending her life and pushing back her impending death. Vahn was lost in the middle of group of guards, catching bullets with the dead and delivering bone cracking blows to those guards standing too close. He moved with wreckless abandon… a fearlessness in the face of death brought on by idiotic ignorance.

And finally Dez… Dez and his army, despite heavy losses to those inmates trying to escape, were in a state of retreat. The last few guards were too spread out and the rest were being pushed into a corner. Lock, by some miracle, could see victory.

The end was near.

He gritted teeth he didn't have, pushed pain to the back of his mind and continued the fight. The bullet that had crumpled itself against the metal of his back tumbled harmlessly to the ground.

Sky moved with what remained of her people. Those few Dreg faithful to her had created a wall of sorts, protecting her from stray bullets and keeping those guards willing to step up at bay. Lock however, had to rely on the already deceased. There were no Dregs willing to die in his name… nor Awoken. He continued forward with fierce determination, dropping one guard after another and moving from cover to cover. However neither of them were ready for what was coming next.

Automatic fire erupted in the chamber and the Fallen surrounding Sky began to drop like flies. Bullets invaded their ranks by the hundreds and shredded them into a dense cloud of ether. Sky let out a terrifying scream, both for the death of her brothers and for fear of her own life. Pieces of burning shrapnel began to ricochet off her shield and rapidly drain what remained of her ether. In a last ditch effort, she swung her hand cannon around to face the assailant and fired her final round. It whistled through the air and It clipped the guard in the arm. The rifle was dropped… but only for a moment. Before Sky could celebrate the small window she'd opened for herself, a second volley of gunfire from another source spilled a hail of bullets onto her shield.

It only took Dez a moment to rend the barrier obsolete. He smiled triumphantly when the paper thin ward erupted into bright light and disappeared, and the first few bullets cut through her flesh. She howled in pain and tried to take cover but the volley followed her like a shadow… and then stopped.

A bullet found the side of Dez's rifle and ripped it from his hands. Lock tossed the spent revolver to the side and followed with a swing but Dez reacted by ducking and rolling out of the Exo's way. With hands that were a little too swift, he pulled his own hand cannon and fired into Lock's leg. He hit the floor.

**"****[Lock!]"**

Sky moved to assist but was met by a wall of bullets yet again. She ducked behind a pile of dead bodies as the guard, who'd since recovered his rifle, emptied the clip. The magazine was ejected and replaced with one quick motion of his hands and the weapon primed once again.

**"****Come on out you Fallen bi-"**

Vahn caught him across the jaw, shattering it and shutting the man up for good. He stumbled back and caught a second blow to the gut. There was enough force behind the punch to lift him off the ground momentarily and push all the air from his lungs. He coughed up blood, aimed at Vahn's foot, and pulled the trigger.

The chamber was filled with alien screams.

Vahn dropped the guard and bent down in pain only to receive a crushing blow to his chin from the butt end of the rifle. His mask was knocked into the air. The guard, still out of breath, brought the rifle up to his shoulder and squeezed two rounds into Vahn's chest. He stumbled back a couple steps, ether erupting from the wounds and escaping into the air. The rifled was adjusted, the reticule moved to the head.

A baton fluttered through the room and it's end stuck to back of the man's neck. He spasmed violently for a few seconds and then collapsed unconscious.

Dez had since made his way over to Lock who was still splayed out on the ground facedown. He stepped over the machine's body and kicked him onto his back. Two hands sprung for Dez's legs but they were knocked harmlessly to the side by the swipe of a baton. The tip was pressed into Lock's chest and bolts of electricity began to fry his circuitry.

**"****I told you didn't I?!"** Dez screamed, streaming more volts into the ancient robot. **"****I told you you'd get what's coming to you!"**He held the the baton where it was for a few more seconds before finally pulling it off Lock's twitching form. He bent down and pushed the barrel of his gun into the Exo's mouth. **"****I told you Lock… and now I'm going to blow a hole into that head of yours… and then... "** He leaned in. **"****I'll be leaving this shitty place."** Dez brushed his finger against the trigger.

**"****[You're not going anywhere...]"** Sky took careful aim and fired. A bullet tore through Dez's arm and severed it at the elbow. He screamed out but his scream was cut short when Fallen hands found his throat and hoisted his body into the air. Vahn, Ether streaming from multiple wounds, began to crush his windpipe.

**"****[I not like you.]"**

An extra ounce of pressure was applied and Dez's neck snapped.


End file.
