A Startling Sign

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NOTE: Some of this file is corrupted beyond recognition, but a few parts appear to be in code. I believe it is a set of an extremely old and common cipher, if you want to take a stab (hee) at working it out.  The decryptions are appended to the end of the chapter.  

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I remember black skies
The lightning all around me
I remember each flash
As time began to blur
Like a startling sign
That fate had finally found me
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve

New Divide – Linkin Park

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Records of the Vanguard, BR-2893-03-21 13

AB: So, how d'you feel about the Vault of Glass?

AJ: I swear sometimes I have no idea what you're saying. Are you asking my opinion on the existence of a Vex fortress?

AB: Kabr is running a scouting mission on the Vault. Needs a sixth fourth.

AJ: Who else is on this?

AB: ERR, ERR, Praedyth, and Pahanin.

AJ: Sounds like quite the crew there.

AB: So, you in? Pahanin's probably better off rearguard, so you'd be forward.

AJ: How deep is this going?

AB: I don't know, Kabr just asked for a recommendation.

AJ: I do say, this is a tantalizing offer. I'll talk to him.

AB: Coolio.

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March 28, 2893; Waking Ruins, Venus

It was a sunny day on Venus, an absolute rarity. It made the world, usually cast in muted cloud-light, seem slightly off. Everything was a bit more vivid, a bit harsher than it usually was. The air was eerily still, adding to the illusion that something unquantifiable about the world had shifted.

They gathered in a clearing not far from the Waking Ruins. (Azra had suggested the place. She'd traveled Venus more than Pahanin, even.) She was fashionably late, but not irresponsibly so. Kabr, Pahanin, A●i₻◌ and Praedyth were already there. There was one

There wasn't anyone left to wait for, but they waited. Kabr wordlessly paced the space, kicking bones into the trees. Azra got the feeling there was something there from the looks Praedyth shot the Titan, but she decided it wasn't her place to ask. She sidled up to her fellow Hunter instead, eager to break the silence. "Pahanin, my man. How's the book coming?" she asked.

Pahanin clasped her proffered hand, firm and warm. "The book comes!" he responded enthusiastically. Azra made a face [opu wjtjcmf cfijoe zpvs ifmnfu, cvu if dbo sfbe Mjhiu cfuufs uibo zpv dpvme 1]. Pahanin shrugged. "Maybe not my best line," he admitted.

The last

Nobody arrived, so they started walking as a group. Pahanin stayed up front with Azra. Neither of them was dumb enough to be fearless about the coming raid, but banter was a good distraction. [Lwuv, vwtp ctqwpf. Rngcug. 2].

"Good to see our two Hu₪t₻●⌂ a●e ꜡●↨₻₪ỽl꙰," ꚉ●↨₻◌ »»»».

"Oh, we get along famously," Pahanin said, nudging Azra in the side.

"If you're the famous one, does that mean I'm the one that gets along?" she asked.

"In꜡a₥҉꙳s, ₥҉●₻ ◌iꙪ₻."

"You're just upset I put you in the book," Pahanin accused.

"Hꚉ◌f o꜡ the Wꚉr◌o○Ꙫs in th₻ ○↨ty ▫҉꙳◌ỽ ◊ꚉ꙰ G◌↨₥₥₻● »»»»»» ERR"

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