Cabal: Difference between revisions

Following Savathûn's escape from the Awoken in the Reef, the red planet of Mars had mysteriously returned, albeit not the same as it once was, as the planet appears to be afflicted by some temporal distortion. Regardless of the planet's state, Empress Caiatl mobilized the Red Legion to Mars, hoping to claim it as Cabal territory before the Vanguard could make a protest. However, as her forces were setting up fortifications, including a large battery cannon, the Witch Queen revealed herself in her massive ship, [[The Lure]]. The Red Legion engaged the Guardian in battle as they sought a means to enter the Hive vessel. Though this technically was a breach in the signed armistice between the Last City and the Cabal Empire, the Guardian nonetheless proceeded with their mission of gaining entry into the Hive ship. As they did so, they encountered a horrifying new enemy: Lightbearing Hive of the [[Lucent Brood]]. Not only them, but Savathûn herself also wielded the Light.

Following the battle against Savathûn, her Lucent Brood remained a threat, especially their Lightbearer Hive, as they have begun to conduct operations within the EDZ on Earth. However, to avoid making another conflict with the Cabal, Zavala arranged a meeting with Empress Caiatl in the Tower Hanger, where the Cabal Empress engaged in a heated argument with Lord Saladin before both the Guardian and Crow entered the meeting. Though the Guardian offered their condolences, Empress Caiatl remains angered by the breach in the armistice but Zavala was able to get all parties to focus on the real threat the Lucent Brood poses, with the Vanguard Commander stating that they need the Cabal to hit the Hive hard. Pleased with this, Empress Caiatl agrees to forgive the Guardian for those they had killed and begin an alliance with the Vanguard in combating the Lightbearing Hive. Setting up operations in the Vanguard's [[H.E.L.M.]] and agreeing to have the operation under Saladin's oversight, Caiatl gifts the Guardian a weapon made from Light-suppressing technology, the [[Synaptic Spear]], which would allow the Guardian to sever the Lightbearer Hive's connection to the Light. Without a worm or the Light to keep it alive, the Hive will die. However, Caital explains that her Psions would use their abilities to keep the Hive in a painless state of being neither alive nor dead as they glean their minds for any intelligence on the Lucent Brood's plans.

The Guardian would begin the operations in the EDZ, working alongside Caiatl's troops in finding Lightbearer Hive who have been reported to be killing Guardians and stealing their Light for some unknown purpose. With the Synaptic Spear and the Psion's Mindscape, the Guardians are able to capture a number of Lightbearer Hive and bring them to the [[Psisorium]], where her Psions shift through their minds. During these operations, Saladin would reach an understanding with the Cabal Empress, realizing that the Cabal also have a sense of honor.

In time, Caiatl's most trusted Psion was able to glean a truth from the Hive Lieutenants: the Lucent Brood are stockpiling stolen Light within the [[Cosmodrome]] but are having trouble getting a precise location as a barrier is blocking them, hiding their activities. This forces Saladin to send in the Guardian to capture another Hive Lieutenant to further gain the intelligence they need. After gathering enough lieutenants and going through their minds, Caiatl's psion learns the true scope of the Lucent Brood's plans: they plan on storming the Moon and claiming the [[Scarlet Keep]] from Xivu Arath's forces for the purpose of conducting a ritual that would manifest [[Savathûn's Throne World]], using the Light they had stolen from Guardians in the EDZ. In this, the Lucent Brood would be able to launch a full-scale invasion of Earth.

Gathering her fleet, Caiatl's forces surround the Scarlet Keep as the Guardian breaches in and disrupts the ritual, capturing the lead Lightbearer Wizard in the process. With their ritual ruined, the Lucent Brood's forces retreat and fall into disarray. However, despite this victory, the Vanguard's alliance with the Cabal would be threatened by the actions of Crow. Having grown increasingly unnerved with the method of how the Vanguard gained the necessary intel, Crow recklessly shuts down the machine in the Psisorum but resulting in the Psion's death. Empress Caiatl learns of this and demands justice, a life for a life but Commander Zavala is unwilling to surrender Crow's life, despite the Hunter resigning himself to their judgment. Just as Caiatl is about to kill Crow herself, Saladin Forge steps in and offers his own life in Crow's place. Commending his bravery in the face of death, Caiatl accepts Saladin's offer, his life would be forfeit but as a ''Bracus'' on her War Council for the rest of his days. Despite Crow's pleas, both Saladin and Zavala agree, saving the Vanguard-Cabal Coalition. Despite now serving as a Bracus, Caiatl still allows Saladin to continue operating the [[Iron Banner]], having grown interested in the Guardian tradition, stating that she has some ideas of her own.

In a short time, Saladin would settle in as a member of Caiatl's War Council, earning himself quite the reputation amongst the Cabal, having been challenged in a Rite of Proving six times, emerging victorious in all of them. One had him face off against a bodyguard of another War Council member, defeating him in one blow. Impressed, Empress Caiatl promotes Saladin to Valus, expressing optimism about the future the Cabal's alliance with humanity could bring. Further, at the Empress's recommendation, Saladin has even begun to organize events for the Cabal, similar to the Iron Banner, calling the contestants his "Iron War Beasts".

About a week later, the Vanguard discover that Calus' forces have rebuilt their base quicker than anticipated, forcing them to travel back to the bunker and shut down the broadcasts again. Caiatl expresses that if her father is able to convince her psions to defect en masse, then their ability to wage psychic war will be unmatched. Despite the defectors' efforts, the Guardian is able to destroy the broadcast towers and reenter the facility. Reaching the control room, the Guardian faces off against Qabix once more and managed to defeat him before an orbital bombardment could commence. After shutting down the broadcast, Caiatl looks into the message and, this time, sees a scene of violence, along with herself, realizing that what she is seeing is the failed attempt on Commander Zavala's life, through the eyes of the assassin, and the memory of his death at Caiatl's hands. From this message, Empress Caiatl is able to deduce that only one psion would be left alive to have such intimate knowledge of the event: the traitor [[Yirix]] and her enclave.

Now knowing the identity of their foe, the Vanguard works on disrupting her operations as much as possible, leading the Guardians to attack another base sending out psion propaganda that is eroding Caiatl's legions. The Guardians enter the bunker and battle with an Insurgent Psion once more before shutting down the broadcast. In the message, Caiatl can see a group of psions conducting a religious ceremony, during a time before they were assimilated into the Cabal Empire, leading the empress to believe that Yirix is attempting to stir a sense of forgotten Psion unity, under the banners of Calus and the Black Fleet. The Empress would find this message ridiculous as the psions had long subjugated such beliefs themselves before the cabal conquered them.