House of Dawn

It wasn’t in Hyrax’s personality to give a shit. When Ma’ab barked at them about being the daughter of a Baron, the servitor scoffed. “And ah’m made in the image of the Traveler. What damn good has that there done me?” they snapped back.

As Ma’ab started to wander away, though, Hyrax remembered that they hadn’t paid them back for the info. That, more than hurt feelings, was a red flag. “Wait, wait, where yah goin’?! It’s still stormin’ and yah ain’t told meh what the hell yah wa- Oh, fuck it. Forget it.”

They were storming off, and it was still raining. Hyrax wasn’t going anywhere. And they certainly weren’t going to trust information dropped by a mysterious vandal that wanted nothing out of it. Eliksini just didn’t do that. They stole and took. They didn’t give without a catch.

*********************

Hyrax waited out the storm, keeping to their word. If there was really someone waiting for Hyrax in the middle of a set trap, the least they could do was keep them waiting as long as possible. A little vindictiveness could go far. As the last of the rain turned to a drizzle, Hyrax muttered to themself and finally edged out from their overhang.

They turned south-east, the opposite direction that Ma’ab had suggested. Let them wait for forever as long as Hyrax cared. “A wee wander it is,” Hyrax muttered. “Ain’t as if there be any damn point ta any of this anyways.”

The orb let out a low groan, a servitor’s humming disguised as the sound of a jet engine. It would bring any eliksini nearby scurrying from their hides, but if they were lucky one of his clutch would be among them. If not? Well, it wasn’t as if that was any different than his usual day. Screaming at the top of their metaphorical lungs was better than getting caught unawares in a trap. As least this was an aware, self-decided trap.

The wait was long, and damp. At least the tree Ma’ab scrambled up to watch Hyrax was well endowed with foliage to keep the rain from drenching her. The Marauder almost gave up during her wait... but she felt it would be wrong to abandon the Servitor. As annoyed as she was that they wouldn’t accept her genuine intentions, she understood the caution, and she only wished to help them back to a place they felt was home. 

Damn her kindly intentions. Stabbing was so much easier...

******

Finally Hyrax made their appearance. And of course, they went the exact opposite direction... towards the Cabal bases. Ma’ab sighed through her nose, rolling her eyes and making to follow Hyrax. 

“We?” Hyrax hissed the word as if it was some sort of insult. “Did yah hear me askin’ ta bring along someone ta babysit? I ain’t no nursery servitor, vandal. Don’t yah forget that there fact.”

Hyrax gave a reluctant chuff. As harsh as his initial response, though, this stray vandal had brought at least a little luck along with her. He had a better idea of where to look, and the potential situation. He hadn’t yet decided if it was worth venturing into Taken territory for this clutch. Did they tolerate his peculiarities? Certainly. Did they do much more than that? Not really. However, that was still above and beyond most clutches he met, and he had to decide if that was worth chasing.

“Info’s useful, though. Well, what do yah want, Ma’ab? How much do ah gotta pay yah to forget this here lil’ meetin’ when we go our separate ways once this storm passes? Ain’t gonna be happy if ah find out some strange clutch is chasin’ my tail or settin’ up a trap beyond that there dam.And ah don’t let people forget when ah’m in a fuckin’ bad mood.”

He paused, letting that sink in.

“Believe it or not, yah haven’t seen one of mah real nasty moods yet.”

It was the first time Ma’ab had actually been insulted. “Babysit?” she growled, standing her full height. She was tall for one her age, well fed. 

“I was offering my blades. I am the daughter of a Baron, not fodder Dreg.” she narrowed her eyes. “If you want to become a feast for the Taken, then that is your own choice.”

She understood Hyrax’s caution, but to these lengths? It was ridiculous. She wasn’t some bastard Dreg who could only think to feed and kill. She was an assassin of great skill, who would easily guide such an obvious target as a Servitor to safe grounds. 

Ma’ab turned to leave, angry. “Go north-west.” she slunk into the shadows with her stealth cloaking activated. “Don’t die. It would be unfortunate.”

Hyrax’s whole body twisted in mid-air, causing their crest to float towards the ground instead of upwards. Technically, any orientation was the same for a servitor. They could float as comfortably in this orientation as with their crest pointing towards the sky. That being said, there was at least one reason Hyrax didn’t do it often. The servitor flicked their crest without thought, spearing the sharp metal into the soft, muddy ground. Clods of mud flew through the air as they moved.

Hyrax stopped when they came to a large etching haphazardly scratched across the midsection of one of their plates of armor. It looked something like an infinity symbol, little squiggly lines radiating out from one half of the symbol. The other half has a curved line through the middle to create the shape of a crescent moon. “These assholes,” Hyrax explained. “They’re a little less asshole-ish than the rest of these here assholes, though. At least they leave me the fuck alone. Seen ‘em?”

Hyrax wasn’t sure what they were going to do if they couldn’t find this sister clutch of his little group of assholes. Probably go back to wandering until someone or something claimed them, as usual. Things never went Hyrax’s way, so they were mostly convinced that that was going to be the end result of this.

“Hard ta miss their symbol. Told ‘em it looks kinda like a roasted peanut. Not that any of them dregs or vandals could understand meh. Think the captain just chose to ignore that lil’ observation. They were good at doin’ that, the ignorin’ bit. Thank the goddamn traveler for that.” 

She took a moment to examine the scratching, squinting at the very peanut shapped mark. “I... think so, yes. It looks familiar.” she was unsure. It had been a long while since she had seen that marking. Hopefully the clutch was still around. 

“I do not know where they are, but I know where to look.” Ma’ab told truthfully. She hadn’t actually interacted with this one. “I have seen that marking closer to the dam.”

Frowning and scratching her head she continued- “Though, that area was Taken recently... I am unsure that they survived the attack.” remembering the giant black blight in the dam’s water tower sent shivers up her spine. She nearly fell ill because of the water, and many of her clutch had died. She was thankful for the Guardian’s intervention of the Taken’s attack... but so much had already been lost..

There it was. This whole time, Hyrax had managed to avoid speaking about what a lone servitor was doing wandering through the EDZ without an escort. They were surprised that Ma’ab had let it go this long. Some part of them had thought that they might get away with saying nothing at all, but that would have been too perfect. Hyrax was used to being disappointed.

WHOMP! Hyrax released a wave of super-heated air from their vents, the sound nearly loud enough to break ear drums. It was a noise that translated to ‘sigh.’

“Were yah not listenin’ to my story? Tried ta run ta the goddamn Spider a lifetime ago. Too old ta try that there shit now. Ah ain’t runnin’ ta nowhere, Marauder. Mah last place ta crash got routed by another clutch. Seein’ if their allied branch ‘round here is still standin’ or if they got fucked up, too. Guess it ain’t no armor off my back either way. Stayed with ‘em for a year, and they learned ta leave me the fuck alone. That’s all I damn ask for, more than most clutches can manage. Only bothered me when they wanted me ta warp someone or somethin’ across the way ta fuck knows where.”

There was the hint of Hyrax’s function. There were all sorts of servitors: primes, pilot, feeding. Hyrax was specialized for transporting supplies and troops using the warping function that servitors were constructed with. As a transport servitor, he could warp items much farther and at a larger bulk than other servitor designs. That being said, he paid in other ways. He could supply ether, for example, but not at the rate required to feed a whole clutch like a nursery servitor.

Ma’ab practically melted at the wave of heat that bombarded her as Hyrax sighed. The rain was making the air extra chilly and the wave warmed her cooling exoskeleton right up! Convenient! 

“I see. What is their banner? I know of a clutch around here that has been in hiding for some time. We trade with them sometimes. Very quiet folk. It that the clan you seek?” she actually quite liked that clutch. They were conserved, but ruthless when need be. Admirable. 

I didn’t do any tbh. I thought "wow these awoken are lame and not as alien as I want them to be, better mash them up with a real alien! How about Fallen, they’re neat.” 

which one lol

Hyrax fell silent, letting it stretch on until the point it became painfully awkward. Their optic rolled to the side, giving her a concerned glance. “What? Yah want me ta talk ‘bout it? Were yah payin’ even a lil’ bit of attention? If yah had, yah would have noticed ah said that I didn’t get damn close to the Spider. Ah wouldn’t know anythin’ ‘bout him other than the rumors. Yah’ll get even less from me than yah father.”

Hyrax made a noise like a groan, but their language it was more like a dismissive snort. The servitor leaned back against the ruined brick wall, allowing their optic to dim. Water still rolled in sheets through the ruin, and there was a low rumble of thunder in the distance.

“Now yah are just confusin’ me. What the hell’s up with that there story of yours? Still tied ta an asshole kell? Just don’t make sense, because then yah ain’t gonna be speakin’ my language. Kell wouldn’t let any vandal get away with behavior like that, and if they are? Always gotta damn reason. Guarantee they have a plant in yah lil clutch whisperin’ all yah secrets back in the Kell’s ear. They’re gonna kill yah sooner or later.”

“I heard, I am just expressing my confusion. If Spider is so great, why does my Father wish to not speak of him?” she scratched her chin absentmindedly, “It is no matter. I will find out eventually.” she shrugged, moving on. Ma’ab chuckled at the Servitor’s annoyed snort, joining him in pressing back against the wall away from the growing puddle in front of them. They may be here for a while if they rain persists. Her father may be worried by now... he’ll be fine without her for a while longer. 

Her interest perked at Hyrax’s declaration that the Kell would have her killed sooner or later, or a plant in their clutch. “Real concerns! I do not care, the Kell can try! He failed to kill me once, he will fail again!” she cackled, flexing her claws. “For this time, I am Sharp, a Marauder! I shall gouge his eyes out! A fitting end for a monster blinded by greed.” wow! That was poetic! She should tell that one to the human, he would appreciate it. Probably.