The Solar Terminus

1:3

It didn't take us long to get back to Failsafe's data core with the information. After Spitter uploaded the data back into Failsafe's primary mainframe, the golden age AI spun for a moment before finally giving me the information I had been searching for.

"Passenger Manifold has been updated!" A glitchy sound divided her sentence, and she continued with: "I love being reminded of all the lives I couldn't save."

I scratched the back of my head. "Sorry about that. Do you think you can find someone specific in there?"

"Of course, what is the name you are looking for?"

I looked over at Spitter, who didn't say anything, but she shook her shell left and right. "I actually don't know..."

"You don't... know?" Failsafe spun for a moment before glitching again. "With all six-hundred of my crew and passengers, it will likely take me at least thirty minutes and forty two seconds to read the list. Would you like me to start reading?"

I looked at Spitter again and shrugged my shoulders. "You have anything better to do?"

"I float around and live in your backpack. I have nothing to do unless I'm opening doors or reviving you."

"If that's the case..." I put away my handcannon and sat down against the railing of the Black's core.

Failsafe had gotten about twenty minutes into her list before a name she said rung a bell in my head. "Wait! Failsafe! Go back!"

"Captain Seremosa Jacobson, Second In Command Alicia..."

"No, no no! Not all the way at the beginning! One or two names back, what was it?"

"Millie Fillisol, Rori Frankfurt, Francis Fucou..."

"That name!" I nearly screamed, immediately standing up. "Francis... Fucou... why does it sound so familiar?"

"Francis Fucou was an engineer that was hired by the Exodus project to oversee maintenance during the Exodus Black's interplanetary travel. According to my records, he was locked in a passenger containment hull once the ship crashed onto the Nessus Surface. Yes, I attempted to assist him, but lost contact with him after a few days." The glitch returned in her voice. "He probably starved to death like the rest of the crew."

Spitter floated over to me. "I found you in one of the containment hulls. The place was obviously dilapidated when I found you, whether you want to leave that up to the centuries it took to find you or to the fallen literally ripping the place apart, but your skull was just about all that was left. "

A cold chill went down my spine at that thought. "Failsafe, do you have a physical description of Francis Fucou?"

"Francis Fucou, age thirty two. One-hundred and seventy-eight centimeters tall with a weight of ninety-seven kilograms. He had dark brown hair and green eyes."

Spitter turned her shell back and forth from me to Failsafe, and finally spoke. "Looks like we've got a ringer." she says, her bits and pieces floating around her round core. "I guess I can finally give you a legit name, Mr Grabbyhands."

"I told you not to call me that."

"I know, but now I can call you Franky."

I looked back to Failsafe's slowly spinning data core, placing my hand on my hip and giving a long audible sigh of relief. "Failsafe... thank you. You just helped me find my identity."

"You are most welcome, Francis. I will add you to my current list of crew members! Welcome aboard Francis Fucou! You have been logged under my Captain!"

A chuckled a little under my breath. "Well... if you don't mind. I've got some vex gates to deal with."

"I will add 'speaking to you again' under my to do list! Right after I contact commander Zavala about this wonderful news!"

Spitter and I both froze in our spots before turning around. "No!" We both screamed.

"Zavala doesn't need to know about this, Failsafe!" Spitter shouted.

The rumors of the rocky relationship between Zavala and the hunter Ana Bray echoed in my head. That wasn't a drama I wanted to take part of. Knowing my name, and my past life, at least for now, was enough for me. Maybe if I ever wanted more information I would one day ask Failsafe for more.

Failsafe clicked and whirred for just a moment before replying to Spitter's plee. "Noted! My knowledge of the name: 'Francis Fucou' will be kept under strict encoded filing."

I nodded to her, and Spitter did the same, and the two of us expressed our thanks once more before leaving Failsafe's data core.

The two of us had set up a stakeout on the far side of the Valley that led down into the Vex Gate hub. We were anticipating being there for a while, hoping to see if any nex Vex minds or patrols came crawling out of the cave. We were sitting there for quite some time, I even fell asleep before Spitter woke me up again to the sound of a radio call.

"Is this Spitter and her hunter?" a voice patched through.

"This is Spitter. Go ahead." my ghost replies.

I shook my head awake as the deeper male voice came through the radio. "Saw your notice about a vex hub you were looking into on Nessus? Figured I'd give you a ring."

I finally chimed into the call with a bit of information for our mystery caller. "Yeah me and Spitter stumbled across a massive collection of vex gates deep into a cave just north of the Exodus Black. From what she's telling me, it's basically a collection of gates that the vex can use to access different simulations from a singular location."

"Sounds like the Infinite Forest." the man comments.

"Seems like it might be some kind of prototype to the infinite forest." Spitter comments. "Still a potential danger. We felt the need to take it out as soon as possible"

"Well count yourself as one Titan up. If you'll have me of course." the man comments.

"A titan?" I commented. "Been a while since I've teamed up with a titan."

"Been a while since I've teamed up with a hunter. I'm so bored of sitting at the tower and of course you guys stay away from there. I was surprised to see a notice from one of you guys."

"Well... I'm what you would call too 'fresh' to do any sort of vanguard leadership. I'm not too afraid to be slapped in that position."

The titan laughed from over the radio. "Keep making strike teams and that might not last."

"You're probably right, but I still need to get this gate hub out of the way. If you're down, meet us at my current position. I'll reach out to another hunter I know and we'll head inside."

"Sounds good, I'm transmitting from the tower now. See you in a few."

The titan ended his end of the feed and Spitter floated out in front of me.

"You better get me a new shell after this. Do you have any idea how much of a pain in the ass vex confluxes are to tap?"

"I know, I know..."

"Franky, I am not about to hack all these confluxes without payment! You better get me a new shell!"

"I'll get you a new shell, Spitter! Don't worry! After this, you'll have definitely earned it."

Spitter did a cute little flip in the air before floating around me in circles and cheering. "You're the best! I won't let you down!"

"I won't let you down. Now get a hold of Dyan, he's the one that tipped us off to this place, and he's the one who's gonna help us take it down."