[Fanfiction] When The Bullets Stop...

[KF5AQX]

Working on it now. Expect it sometime tonight.

[KF5AQX]

Alright, here ya go! Written at midnight, with very little editing, and in a rush. Sorry for the delay guys, No More Room in Hell sucked me in for a few hours.

We walked through the gate in a tight group, bristling with weapons and armor. I was limping slightly, having been grazed on the hip at some point in the conflict. I hadn't noticed the pain during battle, but with the adrenaline wearing off, I was sure feeling it now.

Jill still clung to me, helping support me, though I didn't really need it. I could tell she still needed something to hold onto, or she'd quite likely go crazy. The Banshee led the way, and Drew took the rear. The Vauban walked next to me, tossing his folded Glaive to himself as we went. Elizabeth walked behind me, whistling softly to herself.

As we exited the inner gate, I heard Sheva shout.

“Contact!” she cried, already drawing her Boltor. Drew spun around, reaching for his Gorgon, and Vauban extended the Glaive's blades and caught it in his palm. Elizabeth merely summoned several orbs of anti matter, which hovered around her.

I reacted from their reactions, drawing my Lato one handed and pulling Jill to my chest, covering her head with a hand. Without her helmet, she was far more vulnerable than the rest of us. I peered over Sheva's shoulder, and saw the old man, frozen in mid stride at their reactions. I decided to step in before things got out of hands.

“Stand down,” I said loudly, not lowing my weapon. “He's not an enemy. Yet.” Jill relaxed and shifted to my side again. I lifted my arm off her shoulder and strode forward, barely feeling the pain in my hip. I leaned on the opposite leg, not quite lowering the Lato, but not pointing it at him.

“You said you'd explain when this was over. Start talking,” I said. He nodded and sighed.

“Don't you at least want medical attention? I saw you take dozens of shots. I shook my head violently.

“My shield took most of them, and the armor took the rest. No stalling. Talk, or I'll adjust your enemy status,” I said, snarling angrily. “If you didn't signal them, who did? Why help us if not to keep is in place for the Grineer? You said you're an ex marine, how do I know you don't still have ties?”

He swallowed and sighed again.

“I was telling the truth. The military abandoned me decades ago. I have no love for them, and would gladly destroy them all for attacking my home. I helped you because your friend was half dead, weak, helpless. It was the first time I'd seen a Tenno without a helmet, or not killing dozens of my friends and squad mates. I was... Intrigued,” he said, glancing at Jill again. She clutched tighter to my side, causing me to stifle a gasp as she put pressure on my chest wound.

“You wanted to know our weaknesses,” I said. “That fits. I'm surprised you didn't just dissect Jill while you were operating on her.” The old man winced and raised his hands.

“That’s not why I did it!” he cried. “She reminded me of the people in this camp, the people I'd dedicated my life to defending! I saw her lying here, and could see Sarah, or Terry, or any of the people in this camp in her place. For the first time, I saw a human, not a Tenno! I had to help, or I'd never be able to live with myself!”

I laughed and crossed my arms, partially for effect, partially to get Jill to stop squeezing my wound.

“Sure, and your first thought WASN'T that you could be a hero with the Grineer for that information,” I sneered. I heard shuffling behind me, and glanced over my shoulder to see the squad holstering their weapons.

“No. My first thought was that I would do the same for any of the people in this camp. And that was ALL. You can check my house, I don't even have a radio. There is no way in this camp of contacting the military, in any way. Our home is under as much threat as your lives are, if not more. We can't defend ourselves,” he said.

“Oh, and you expect us to help you?” I asked, uncrossing my arms. I would have said more, but Jill reached up and pressed the dead switch on my helmet. It folded back, and I stared at her, for all of three seconds. She drew her hand back and slapped me, then pushed me away and walked next to the old man.

“He may not, but I will,” she said, anger thick in her voice. “They saved my life, in case you'd forgotten. You can all leave if you want, but I am not going anywhere until they are safe.”

I stared at her in shock. The slap hurt more than my wounds. She was still wearing her strength enhancing Warframe, and the glove was hard. I thought I could feel one of my teeth wiggling. There was stunned silence for a moment, then Drew burst out laughing.

I whirled angrily, to see him doubled over, gasping for breath.

“Oh gods, Will, but that's the most dumbfounded I've ever seen you, and I was there when that Loki replaced your bullets with blanks in the shooting contest.” He doubled over laughing again, and I heard Elizabeth start to chuckle too. Sheva stood on the side lines and stared at the sight of Tenno all but rolling on the ground laughing.

“He's right, you know,” my sister said, folding back her helmet and reaching up to wipe away a tear. “I don't think I've ever seen you so stunned. And it was an initiate who did it!” she laughed, before doubling over again. I glared at them both, then turned back to Jill.

“You are being childish. The war is still going on, or have you forgotten the Tenno Alad found?” I asked, folding my helmet back up. Sheva stepped up to my side and interrupted.

“Actually, it's not. The Grineer won, aided by hundreds of Tenno, and the Lotus managed to hack the Tenno's location from Alad's personal aid. They're safe, and being awoken now,” she said. I looked at her, then sighed.

“My point stands. We're needed else where. We can't risk ourselves to save a few dozen Grineer,” I said, causing Jill to huff angrily.

“Don't you get it? These aren't Grineer. Grineer is the name of the MILITARY, not the race! They're human, the same as us! If we abandon them, we'd be no better than if we abandoned the colony I grew up on!” she shouted, gesturing at the old man.

“He is Grineer, but the rest of the HUMANS in this camp are NOT!” she snapped, pointing to a figure on the wall, then at Sarah, standing outside her house and watching us. “I spent four hours with that girl, and I can tell you, there is no difference between her and the girls I grew up with. You are blind to what you don't want to see!”

I stared at her in shock, again, for the second time in as many minutes. She was really going to have to stop that habit of hers.

“How can you know?” I asked. “How can you be sure enough to risk all of our lives, and remove the two highest ranked members of our clan from action?”

She pointed to her own chest.

“When I fell, I landed on a piece of metal. Re-bar they called it. It pierced my lung from underneath, though the Warframe sealed over it once they moved me. That was why they had to operate, not because of the head wound. They patched the lung with a piece of cloned flesh they had on hand.”

She stared at my helmet, finding the sensors with uncanny accuracy and staring me dead in the eye.

“Flesh from a woman on this base,” she said. “My body has accepted it, and what's more, they did tests. There was next to no genetic difference between me and the woman who donated it, even accounting for the changed the Warframe and the virus make. They are EXACTLY the same as us,” she stated with finality.

“Leave if you want to disbelieve it so bad. Prove that you're the brave, strong Tennos and can abandon a whole camp of humans. I'm staying,” she said, in the tone used by women to give orders. I was silent. Drew stepped up next to me, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“If what's she saying is true...” he started, and I flipped his hand away from my shoulder.

“Don't,” I snapped. “I will make this decision on my own, not on the word of any of you.” I had withdrawn into myself again, projecting the blank exterior I had used so much over the years. I turned and strode away, ignoring Drew's call. I didn't stop until I was outside the gate.

I turned and stared at the camp, then spun and ran into the rubble and darkness. My leg ached, my chest burned, and my mind raced. I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to admit that my greatest enemy had, in fact, saved my friend's life. Didn't want to admit that I had, in fact, slaughtered thousands of what were essentially Tenno over the years.

I shut down. I flew through the buildings without care, without direction, running just to run, while my mind worked.

Finally, I stopped. I didn't recognize where I was. I had never been this way. I glanced around from the building top I was on, and a flash of movement caught my eye. I focused on it, using the helmet to zoom in.

“You,”I whispered to myself. It was the raider I had spared at the party. It seemed like years ago now. I studied him, and froze.

He carried a Hind battle rifle, and a pair of cleavers were strapped to his back. He wore the light armor utilized by the Grineer melee units, and several grenades hung on his belt. A Viper was on his hip, and ammo for both weapons hung across his body. A bag hung in his hands. I could hear it clanking, doubtlessly full of ammo.

Something clicked in my mind, and I realized I was a fool and an idiot. I leaped off the building, flipping through the air, and landed in front of him. I didn't bother to try to be quiet, and felt the concrete crack beneath my feet.

“You,” I said, my voice deadly quiet. He screamed and staggered back, trying to raise his rifle. I grabbed it and wrenched it forward, jerking it away from his shoulder. I grasped the barrel and stock, shattering it with a quick twist of my wrists. I threw the rubble away and advanced.

He fell backward, tripping over his bag, and fumbled for his pistol. I drew my own and fired a single shot, destroying the front of the Viper. He froze and stared up at me. His eyes glinted with pure fear.

I kicked him, sending him skidding backwards, and stepped over him, kneeling on his chest. He gasped for air as my weight settled on him. I pressed the barrel of my pistol under his chin, hard.

“You contacted them,” I said simply, not a hint of doubt in my mind. “You told the Grineer we were here. You set them on a base full of innocent humans. I let you live, and your first thought was to kill me.” I stared into his eyes, seeing truth there. He shivered in fright, and I snarled.

“You would kill dozens, for a suit of armor and a few toys? You don't deserve life.” I squeezed the trigger, finding no hesitation now, and his head vanished. I rose to my feet, and turned. I headed the way he was walking from, not looking back once.

Within an hour, I could see the glow of the Grineer drop ships. None had left, and it was safe to assume they were planning to starve the camp out. I perched on a building over looking one of three dropships, studying the ship. The ramp was down, and a few guards were outside it. I snorted. They wouldn't stop me.

I teleported behind the ship, and hefted a rock. I flipped it into the darkness, and it made a loud thump and scraping sound. The two guards snapped towards it, and started forward in a perfect pair. I snuck forward, sticking to the shadows, and entered the ship.

The inside was unguarded, and cramped. I heard rumbling sounds, and realized most of the survivors were asleep. There wasn't many. Most had thrown themselves to their deaths only hours before, and now less than a quarter of the seats within were full. Enough were empty they were being used as bunks.

One stood facing the entrance. I stood in the shadows, and he glanced over me without stopping. I waited till his head dipped, clearly fighting sleep, then moved. My hand snapped up, and a single disc flew out. It impacted his head, instantly and silently killing him. He slumped against the seat, looking for all the world like he had merely fallen asleep.

I started to the @#&$ pit. The pilot was snoring, asleep in his chair. I slit his throat and dumped his corpse to the side, then examined the controls. They were in Grineer, and I shrugged, then found a small red switch on the side of the pilot's chair. It was unmarked, but covered, and I recognized it.

Grineer had a habit of putting self destructs on their vessels, so they could be used as weapons in the case of defeat. They usually over loaded the reactor, causing a large explosion. I flipped it, then turned and strode away. The passenger bay was still silent, and I walked down the ramp unchallenged.

The sentries saw me and yelled a warning, but I silenced them with two shots from my Lato. As I strode away, I heard a rising hiss behind me, and knew that within five minutes, the drop ship would be no more. The reactor wasn't large enough to damage the camp, several blocks away, but it would kill any Grineer onboard.

I turned to the next dropship, and prepared to repeat the process.

The next one went just as smoothly, without even a single Grineer awake inside the hold. The guards fell for the same trick, and it too was primed for destruction before the first exploded. I heard the explosion as I headed for the third and final ship, then an answering one from behind me. The second had its engines primed, and the reactor went up far more quickly.

The third was harder. The Grineer within were awake, and I had to kill the guards with shurikens. I started up the ramp, then had a better idea. I leapt to the ceiling, clinging to the bare power conduits and hydraulic tubes on it, and hand over hand crawled up into the hold.

The Grineer, though awake, were still drowsy from sleep, and I made it to the ceiling unchallenged. I watched them, then decided on a plan of approach.

I dropped off the ceiling, priming the smoke emitters on my arms. They let out a solid wall of smoke, plunging the entire room into darkness. I could see though it, and easily dismantled the stunned, panicked soldiers with my arm blades.

They hold empty and silent, I continued up to the @#&$ pit, still billowing smoke from. I stepped to the door, and found it locked. Clearly they were more prepared. I heard a rumble from under my feet, and knew the engines were warming up.

I drew back my arm, deploying the blade on it, and slammed it into the control panel. It hissed, and the doors opened a crack, the electronic system holding them closed gone. I forced the blade inside the crack, and wrenched it open.

A Gorgon greeted me, spitting fire. I dived to the side, rolling against the wall, and drew my own rifle. Smoke poured into the engine room, and I knew the heavy gunner inside could likely not see anything.

I rose and stepped inside, and though the Gorgon still spun, it didn't track me, or fire. I stepped up the pilot, who was frantically hitting buttons, and impaled him through the skull with my blade.

“I know you're here, Tenno,” the woman behind me cried in Grineer. I could barely understand the course language. Turning, I stepped behind her, and drew back my arm.

She react quickly, more quickly than any gunner I'd seen before. She heard the click of my blade, and spun, diving forward. I slammed backward into the pilot's chair, knocking his corpse to the floor, and slid to the floor.

“I won't let you get me!” she screamed, firing randomly with her rifle. I shook my head, wincing at the pain in my chest. She had impacted it, and it was burning like death itself. I had to finish this, quickly.

The smoke was still thick, and I rose to my feet, ejecting both arm blades. She spun and fired at the sound. I slid, ducking behind a console, and waited. She soon had to reload, and I moved in the silence.

I vaulted the console, and leaped at her. I hooked my legs around her neck, the sudden force knocking her over backwards, and lunged downward. She screamed, and flailed wildly as my blades pierced her chest. I ignored her, jumped backward, and turned to the pilot chair. Bending over, I flipped the switch, shutting down the smoke projectors. My energy reserves were drained, and my shields were weak. Too much energy was needed to keep the screen up.

I turned to leave, and heard a scream. The woman propped herself up on an arm, and fired. My shields flashed and fell nearly instantly, and I was picked up and bodily slammed through the doorway. I tumbled down the slope, hearing the woman above cursing me. My armor was shreds, my chest was a mass of pain, my Warframe was sending me dozens of error messages.

I lay on my stomach, already feeling blood pooling beneath me. It was the worst hit I'd ever taken. From above, I heard screams of rage and pain.

“Not like this! This was my chance, my operation! I did this alone! Me! My chance to be promoted! I can't die at the hands of filthy Tenno SCUM!” the woman screamed, and I heard clanking as she dragged herself across the floor.

The hiss of the reactor heating shook me. I slowly and painfully lifted myself on my arms, crawling, dragging my tortured body across the floor. I crossed the floor, and reached the ramp outside.

I flopped onto my side, and my vision darkened. I struggled through it, fighting back the blackness, and pushed with my arms. I tumbled down the ramp, grunting and screaming in pain the entire way, and rolled to a stop against a pile of rubble below. I crawled again, desperate to put distance between myself and the ship.

I pulled myself over a small ridge, and flopped into the hollow below. The concrete had cracked, leaving a depression, with a block still sticking over the top of it. I slid into the hollow, and lay there, gasping. My vision blurred, and I couldn't fight it. I passed out as a final explosion shook the night, slipping away into soft blackness.

Edited November 5, 2013 by KF5AQX

[Nantlais]

I love how they bleeped out the @#&$ in cockpit

[KF5AQX]

Yeah, I noticed that myself. Warframe forums are hilariously strict.

[Kaian-a-coel]

I agree with "hilariously strict". I mean, censoring the "homo" in "homo sapiens"?

[Fijasrules]

why do they ban cockpit? and homosapiens too? anyways great story cant wait for the next part

[Kaian-a-coel]

no update yet?

sadface :(

(I apologize to the two, maybe three other people following this thread and who thought there was an update)

Edited November 12, 2013 by Kaian-a-coel

[SOUP.CAN]

I like what I am reading here...

[KF5AQX]

I've been having real life situations come before writing. These include, but are not limited to: All day paintball tournaments, baking over 200 pies with my youth group, a 300 mile field trip with said youth group, my laptop's battery dying, and purchasing Prototype 2 on the weekend.

 

I've attempting to write now, though I'm not certain the chapter will be up tonight. Expect it tomorrow if not, barring any other unforeseen complications.

[KF5AQX]

Alright, I really, really should get to sleep, but I managed to get a chapter out. I'll do my best to keep up with chapter writing now.

 

 

 

 

 

I awoke to large form standing over me. I weakly tried to draw my Lato, only to find I was barely able to move my arms. All I could manage was a weak wiggle towards my hip, but it was enough to attrack the form's attention. It knelt over me, and resolved into a familiar form.

 

“Oh god,” Drew breathed, looking at my chest. “Hey, over here! I found him!” he shouted over his shoulder. He grabbed the block above me and wrenched it away, hurling the chunk of concrete away as easily as a child throws a doll. He waved his palm over me, dosing me in the nanite  gas. 

 

I gasped and shuddered, barely able to breathe. The Warframe had attempted to seal over my wounds, and had managed to form an air tight seal around one of my destroyed lungs, allowing me to ingest a small amount of the painkiller.

 

I looked down painfully, and winced at the damage to my own chest. The skin was destroyed, and one of my lungs was covered with the liquid metal of the Warframe. The other was so much flesh, moving weakly as I tried to breathe. Several of my ribs were fractured, and one was gone, likely blown off. The living metal on them, a side affect of the virus, had protected them mostly.

 

My heart was also encased in a metal shell, though that was a side affect of the virus I was injected with, not the Warframe trying to save me. The lower portion of my body was mostly whole, though blood had dripped inside it from above.

 

Footsteps sounded nearby, and the Vauban came into view. I heard a low whistle, and he knelt next to Drew.

 

“Wow,” he said simply. He too raised a hand and began to unleash the mist, attempting to kickstart my body's own healing system. I laid back, feeling blackness over take me. I fought it off, focusing on the pain to keep myself awake.

 

I focused my vision, and glanced around. I knew if I went to sleep now, I'd likely never wake up. More figures swarmed around me, clearly female. One in particular stood out, partially due to the fact she was several inches taller than the rest, partially because of the rifle on her back.

 

Jill stood in the crowd of nurses, directing them. I saw her send several boys running back to the camp, and talk animatedly to several of the women, who nodded.

 

I coughed, splattering blood across the inside of my helmet, and opened it. Turning my head to the side, I spat, spraying blood. I felt my teeth with my tongue, and realized I had lost one, probably when I fell down the ramp. That accounted for at least part of the blood.

 

The destroyed shell of the dropship stood behind Jill and the nurses. I looked at it foggily, seeing the plume of smoke pour from it. The reactor had been in the rear of the ship, near the engines. The mass of metal from the ship between me and it had probably saved my life. The side I lay on was far less damaged than the one across from me, which was mostly molten slag.

 

I coughed again, and nearly vomited. Drew reached up to my head and poured some sort of liquid into my mouth. It felt like water, and I gratefully rinsed the metallic taste of blood out.

 

“I don't know, Drew,” the Vauban said, using both hands to dispense the mist now. I knew the nanobots in it would both dull the pain and attempt to knit the flesh back together, though my body would resist any large scale help.

 

“He's taken worse hits,” Drew responded, lying through his teeth. We both knew I had never taken something like this.

 

“Remember that time Kril nailed you with his hammer and nearly crushed your intestines?” he asked me. I winced at the memory. That had not been fun, though I had walked out of the asteroid.

 

“What about when Ruk caught you with that magnetic shield?” I asked weakly. “You nearly got pinned to the wall by Mark's bolts.” Drew laughed, though it was forced.

 

“Yeah, and I lit him up one side and down the other for not checking his fire,” he said. He suddenly grew serious, and folded his own helmet down.

 

“You're not going to die here. Not on the concrete of a Grineer planet, dammit. Don't give up,” he said violently. I knew he would likely be unable to bear losing another close friend on Earth, not after losing his wife to the Grineer. I did my best to nod.

 

“Don't worry. Like you said, I've taken worse.” Drew nodded, then folded his helmet back up and turned back to my chest.

 

I heard footsteps and shifted my head, seeing Jill approaching. She had a helmet on her back, I noticed. The standard Mag helmet couldn't retract. She must have found a spare in one of the other's fighters. My mind wandered, picking random details and holding onto them.

 

I shook myself, lifting my head up and slamming it back down, jarring myself awake.

 

“Drew, if you don't move me soon, I'm going to sleep,” I said, warningly.

 

“They're on the way with a stretcher,” Jill said, as she knelt at my side. “Hold on just for a little longer.”

 She looked at my chest, then sighed deeply. She reached her hand out to help, but the Vauban waved her away.

 

“Any more nanites, and his system is going to shut down. We've done all we can here,” he said, rising to his feet and stepping aside. “Where's that damn stretcher?” Jill shook her head.

 

“It's several blocks to the camp. They're going to be a while,” she said, then turned and looked over her shoulder, calling to the women. They came forward, and began fussing over my chest. I felt them poke and prod, but they didn't try to fix anything yet. The edges of my skin glowed green from the nanobots swarming over it, itching terribly.

 

I felt my eyes roll back in my head, and I began to feel detached from the situation. I faintly heard Jill say something, as if from the end of a long tunnel, but it didn't register. She repeated herself, but I could barely hear her.

 

A sharp pain on my cheek snapped me back to reality, and I lifted my head again, forcing myself to stay awake. Jill was withdrawing her hand still.

 

“That's the second time in one day,” I said weakly, talking to stay awake. She nodded, smiling softly.

 

“Though for very different reasons this time,” she answered. Tears were welling in the corner of her eyes as she looked at my torn chest. I tried to sit up on my elbows, and Drew pushed me down.

 

“If I don't keep myself awake, I'm going to fall asleep,” I said simply, and the hands were slowly removed. I forced myself up, my arms feeling weak, and felt a hand support my back. Drew carefully lifted me, and I slumped forward. The pain was more or less gone, dulled by the painkiller I had inhaled.

 

Jill glanced over her shoulder, then stood up.

 

“Finally,” she said, then ran forward, towards the boys carrying the stretcher. It was the same sling type we'd used on Jill, and Drew and the Vauban quickly took over. They loaded me onto it, then hefted it over their shoulders and headed for the camp.

 

The trip was painful, even with the sling negating the smaller bumps. Several times they had to lift me over an obstacle or barrier, causing me to jar around painfully. The front gate opened as soon as they saw us coming, and the old man himself ran out, flanked by Sheva and Elizabeth.

 

Liz gasped when she saw the damage, and Sheva put a hand on her shoulder. The old man looked at me, then turned and led us through the gate. He led us directly to the medical center, and down a set of stairs. We ended up in a surprisingly advanced lab, with surgical instruments already laid out. A woman with a mask over her face stood near the end, examining a computer screen.

 

“He's in a bad way,” the old man said to her, gesturing at a small door in the wall. “He's gonna need at least one lung, maybe more. Do we have any ready to go?” he asked. The woman nodded, then answered.

 

“Yes, a few. But they may be the wrong size. I'll have to check after I get him stabilized.” The old man turned back to us, and helped lift me onto a table. The sling stayed beneath me, forming a mattress of sorts, and the doctor stepped next to me. She examined my chest with a clinical speed, then nodded to herself.

 

“I may be able to save them both, especially if his powers of recovery are as good as her's,” she said, nodding at Jill. “But I will need to concentrate to do so. Everyone, out, now,” she said, trying to shoo them out. Drew stood his ground stubbornly.

 

“You won't be operating when he's awake, and whatever sedatives you have won't cut it. They may have worked on Jill, but a veteran Tenno can burn off any drug given to them in under thirty minutes. You'll need the painkillers we use,” he said, holding out a palm and letting loose a thing wisp of gas.

 

The doctor thought for a split second, then nodded.

 

“Fine. Knock him out, and then leave. I can't concentrate if I have people swarming around me,” she said, then waved the rest out. Drew stepped over to me, and raised his hand. The green mist poured out, and just before I slipped away, I heard him whisper.

 

“You'll be fine,” he murmured, and then my vision blurred, and I was enveloped by black again.

 

 

 

I floated in dreams, half conscious. Forms swam around me, suddenly solidifying. The floor was an expanse of pure white, disappearing into the distance in all directions. The ceiling and walls were a foggy, immaterial gray. I was kneeling in the middle of the plain, and slowly rose to my feet. I looked around, wondering where I was. It seemed... Familiar, but different.

 

A voice suddenly crackled in my ear. Female, familiar, robotic.

 

“I am the Lotus, friend and guide,” it spoke. I looked around again.

 

“How can I trust you?” I asked. There was a pause, then a lance of pain radiated out from my skull. I pitched forward, cradling my head. The pain was blinding, worse than any I'd felt before.

 

“I am the Lotus, friend and guide,” the voice said again. “You will trust me, because I saved you. I am the Lotus, friend and guide.”

 

“Like hell,” I muttered, struggling to rise. A fresh wave of pain attacked me, and I fell, curling into a ball and holding my head. It felt like it was exploding, like a knife was repeatedly stabbing the most vulnerable point of my body.

 

“I am the Lotus...” the voice said, trailing off. I didn't answer, and the pain spiked again. I screamed, clutching my head tighter.

 

“I am the Lotus,” the voice said again, as if waiting for something.

 

“Friend and guide,” I gasped out. The pain vanished, and I slowly rose to my feet, wary for more pain.

 

“I am the Lotus, friend and guide...” it said, and I answered immediately.

 

“I will trust you, because you saved me,” I said, and no pain came. The voice sounded satisfied as it replied.

 

“Good. Again,” it said, and the pain spiked again. I collapsed, screaming. It repeated its statements.

 

“I am the Lotus, friend and guide. You will trust me, because I saved you.” I parroted it back, and the pain reached almost unbearable levels.

 

“Good. Again.” The cycle continued, and I began to lose focus, time passing in a haze of pain and repetitiveness. Blackness claimed me once more, as her voice echoed in my ears.

 

“Good. You will remember none of this.”

 

 

 

I lunged awake, sitting straight upright instantly and reaching over my back, clawing for my weapons. They weren't there, and I tried to climb out of the bed I was in. My vision was still blurry from sleep, and my mind was fuzzy. All I could remember was the pain, the whiteness. A form loomed over me, and I lashed out.

 

“Dammit Will, relax!” shouted Drew, forcefully shoving me against the bed. I thrashed, then stopped. I panted, breathing hard, as my mind raced. What the hell had that been? The Lotus had woken me from cyro, and put me on that tower on Mercury... Hadn't she?

 

Jill leaped up from a chair near the bed, leaning over me. Drew withdrew his hands, and I sat up again, still breathing deeply.

 

“Will!” she cried, turning to a form near the door. “Run and get a nurse,” she said. I reached up and held out my hand.

 

“Wait, don't. I'm fine,” I said. “I just... Had a dream.” Jill turned back to me.

 

“A dream made you react like that?” she asked. “What was it about?” I hesitated. I wasn't sure I was remembering, or just having a nightmare.

 

“It was nothing,” I said, glancing around the room. My vision was clearing, and I could make out the form by the door more clearly. I nodded to Sheva, who nodded back.

 

“Where's the Vauban?” I asked. Drew glanced out the window, and Jill replied.

 

“He's outside, showing off. Seems he challenged the old man to a shooting contest.” I laughed, then winced.

 

“Dammit, that hurts. How long was I out?” I asked, feeling my chest. It was painful, but I couldn't see how it looked under the Warframe, which had healed itself over the wound.

 

“Two days,” Sheva answered, striding to stand next to Drew. “Your chest was pretty destroyed, but the doctor managed to get the second lung inflated, and we slapped a field patch on it, which held it up. Your insides are basically pure metal now, but they work, and they'll likely stop any bullets you take now.”

 

I frowned and reached for my chest, feeling around. It felt smooth and normal, though it always did though the Warframe. The true test would be when I took it off, which I was most certainly not going to do on this planet.

 

Drew leaned over the bed and looked at me. He seemed relived somehow. He shook his head and stood back up, then turned and started to stride from the room.

 

“I'd better go check on Mike, or he'll have the entire camp wanting us dead. Come on Sheva,” he said, gesturing outside. Sheva shrugged then followed him, closing the door behind them. Jill watched them go, then sighed and sat back down. She didn't say anything, and merely stared at me.

 

I began to feel a bit awkward, and shifted uncomfortably. I winced as the pain in my chest spiked from the movement, then settled again. I reached to my neck and folded up my helmet, reading the data scroll outs and mentally reactivating the various systems.

 

My arms puffed out a thick burst of smoke, then settled back into the idle haze mode they were normally in. I glanced at my shoulders, then continued rebooting the 'Frame. Jill still hadn't moved, and continued to stare at me.

 

I mentally shrugged, then reactivated the medical systems. They came online slowly, and I felt a slight pressure on the inside of my arm. I knew a needle had been deployed, and the pain from my chest vanished quickly as the painkiller was injected.

 

The HUD was next, and it came online with a slight flickering. It tracked my weapons, scanned the magazines and spare ammo pouches on my waist and back, and tallied them up. I was dangerously low on ammo for my Braton, though my pistols had over half the total stock left. All weapons showed up green on sensors, in proper order.

 

I was distracted by the sound of Jill rising from her chair. I glanced up, just in time for her to depress the dead switch on my helmet. It folded back down, and I sighed.

 

“You really need to stop doing that. That switch is for corpse identification, not personal conversations,” I said, crossing my arms. The muscles in my chest twinged slightly, and something popped in my shoulders. I rolled them, wondering if that was bad, as Jill spoke.

 

“You nearly died saving this camp, after nearly dying to save me. You single handedly destroyed three drop ships and over eighty Grineer marines, without firing a single shot, then took over thirty rounds to the chest, and still managed to crawl to safety, and now you're yelling at me for using a helmet wrong?” she asked, her tone neutral. That... Didn't bode well.

 

“Well, the helmet did help with that,” I said cautiously. I knew from experience that when women were talking in that tone, it was time to worry. She laughed, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

 

“Well, I'd think the warframe helped more, since it is in fact propping your lungs up now,” she said. Her tone was suddenly happy. Taken aback by the sudden shift, I shrugged, making my shoulders pop again, loudly. I was about to answer when she suddenly leaned forward, her face worried.

 

“What was that?” she asked. I rolled my right arm, causing the sound again, with a matching pop from inside my chest this time.

 

“I don't know. It happens when I move my shoulders,” I said. Jill rose, then moved around the bed to the other side.

 

“Turn around,” she said, gently pushing on my shoulder. I shifted, angling my torso away from her. She poked my back in several places, then began to remove my weapons. I flinched and tried to grab my Braton, causing her to smack my hand away.

 

“Relax, I'm just putting it on the bed so I can work on your back,” she said. I relaxed slightly, and she slid the Braton next to me. I felt a slithering motion on my back, and the Skana was laid atop it. She poked and prodded a few more times, then began to gently knead my shoulder blades.

 

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to twist around and see. She stopped me turning, then answered.

 

“I think the warframe is adapting to your body and shifting,” she said, not stopping the kneading. “I'm trying to help get the air bubbles and rough spots out.” I frowned, surprised. I didn't think the damage had extended to my back.

 

“There's warframe material on my back?” I asked. Jill's arms vibrated, presumably from her shaking her head.

 

“No, but the muscles it replaced on the chest do extend to the back. They have to be perfectly seamless when they connect, or you'll never be able to move properly. I can massage the front later, but for right now these ones need the attention,” she said, switching to smoothing sideways with her palms. I nodded as I realized the truth in what she was saying.

 

“So, am I actually part of my warframe now? Or is it a separate piece of material?” I said, considering the implications of both. I was rarely out of my warframe anyway, but the freedom to do so was rather nice.

 

“I honestly don't know,” she replied. “We'll have to wait and see if they bond to each other or not.”

 

The door opened, and Drew strode in. The Vauban was behind him, laughing, and Sheva was following them both. Drew stopped dead in the doorway, and Vauban walked straight into him.

 

“Oh, real funny Drew, making me do that. Just had to get back for me stomping you in shooting huh?” he asked, attempting to shove the Frost aside. Drew just stepped to the side and pointed. The Vauban, who I realized must be the Mike mentioned earlier, glanced at me and Jill, glanced away, then snapped back.

 

“Er, did we walk in on something?” he asked, his voice a mixture of confusion and embarrassment. Sheva merely stood in the doorway and crossed her arms.

 

“I'm massaging his back so the muscles will bond with the warframe,” Jill said, without a hint of shame in her voice. Drew still hadn't said anything, but Sheva stepped inside the room and shut the door.

 

I sighed. I could already tell things were going to be interesting now that they were here.

[KF5AQX]

Well, life happened, and I haven't been able to be on the computer for any significant amount of time since yesterday. Nevertheless, I managed to plunk out about three pages. It's nearly midnight here, and I really need sleep, but I'm gonna post them anyway. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

I lounged in the bed, my eyes half lidded. Jill had finally declared my back smooth enough, and wanted to start on the front. However, she insisted she would have to remove my warframe to do it. Something about having to feel the organs and muscles better. I flat out told her no, and she was currently sulking with Sarah, teaching her more parkour.

 

I shifted, forcing myself awake, and sighed. My back really did feel better, though I wasn't quite sure if it was from the metal bonding with it, or simply the hour's worth of massaging. My Braton was leaning against the bed post, with my Skana next to it. I kept the Latos on my hips, though it was more a comfort measure than a fear reaction. I knew I had nothing to fear from the people in the camp.

 

My chest was also feeling far better, and I hadn't felt a pop in over two hours. I would have to check later just how useful the living metal was, but if the strength factors of our warframes were any clue, I could quite likely bear hug Drew hard enough to break something.

 

I glanced out the window and saw Jill on a rooftop, the same one I had scaled with Sarah. Elizabeth stood below, and Sarah clung to the wall in between them. As I watched, she reached up and caught the edge of the roof. She paused for a moment, then rolled up, flipping over the top in the same manner as I had done. Jill helped her to her feet, then clapped her on the back. Sarah's face all but glowed.

 

I looked down and relaxed, sinking into the pillows. I did want to get out of the bed, but for right now simply sitting felt so good. I had read the medical report at the foot of my bed. In addition to the damage to my torso, I had a four inch long gash on my thigh, likely from a round grazing me, a mild concussion, was missing a tooth and two ribs, and had hairline fractures in my entire left arm. I had also nearly bitten my tongue out.

 

I closed my eyes and soon drifted into sleep. The shock of the injuries caused my mind to drift, and I felt myself detach from my body. I was seemingly floating, in a white void.

 

No. Not A white void. THE white void. I was back in the nightmare.

 

The voice of the Lotus crackled in my ears again.

 

“You have recently been awoken from cyrosleep. Your memories have been corrupted due to the extended time spent frozen, and you would have died had I not rescued you. You will remember nothing of your past, and will view me as your most trusted contact and commander. This is your final command. Awake,” she said.

 

I was suddenly inside my body again, wearing my warframe. My eyes snapped open, and I rose to my feet smoothly. The void around me flexed, and a form stepped out. It was bulky and tall, familiar. A Grineer marine? Here? And carrying a Tenno pistol, a Lato?

 

“Prove you are worthy,” the Lotus said, and weights suddenly hung from my body. I grasped the familiar hilt of a Braton MK-1 over my shoulder, drawing it easily. The Grineer raised its weapon, and my shields flared brightly. Too brightly. They were as weak as if I had completely drained my suit's power!

 

I fired, and was startled to see the Grineer, normally tenacious enemies that took several rounds from a standard Braton, collapse backwards from a single shot. More stepped out of the void, and I fired again and again, causing more to fall.

 

Footsteps sounded behind me, and I spun, drawing my Skana with my left hand and slashing. A Grineer tottered and fell, its upper body following the decapitated legs. I had felt barely any resistance from the blow.

 

The final Grineer fell, and the Lotus spoke again.

 

“You are worthy. You will do.” The void flashed once, and I awoke in a pod. The door was covered in frost and ice, melting near the edges. With a hydraulic hiss, it opened, and I sat up in an Orokin colony. A single Excalibur stood near the door to the room. He gestured out, then turned and exited himself.

 

I rose to follow, and felt myself disembodied again. I watched as an Ash followed the Excalibur, then the white swallowed me again.

 

 

I awoke in the bed. Drew sat next to it, his helmet up, likely dozing himself. That dream... It was too real, and yet strangely fake, like the simulations I'd trained in.

 

Wait. I could remember training? I could remember my family, my real ones? I could remember the golden age of the Orokin?

 

I gasped as my head suddenly burst with pain. Images flooded my mind, passing in split seconds, dozens at once. Memories, locked away in a corner of my brain, returned in a solid wall. My training, my home, my childhood, my service in the army, my commander ordering me into a pod, the hiss as gas flooded my body.

 

Everything was returning.

 

My headache dulled, and I sat up straight. I could remember it all, how the infested had been created to fight the Sentients, the race of AI that had gone rogue. I could remember the general order to retreat, to let them wear themselves down, to let their hardware wear out. I remembered how they had made great armies of robots, how they had slaughtered us by the dozens.

 

I remembered fighting them, defending civilians, seeing the infested masses by my side turn on us, the sonic controllers over powered by the Sentients, the nanobots in the bags of flesh we had given them turning rancid.

 

I remembered viewing a wasted city, watching as swarms of glowing motes flooded the streets, devouring anything flesh, and I knew we had lost. I remembered the handful of civilians I had managed to save, how they had climbed into their pods. I remembered locking my weapons along the outside of the pod, then climbing in. I remembered the complete and utter sense of loss.

 

I knew then, that the Lotus was no friend. The Sentients hadn't faded as we'd hoped. They'd evolved into a hive mind, using the swarms of nanobots, created to destroy them, to repair and upgrade their hardware. I had no idea where they got the name the Lotus from, but they clearly hadn't forgotten anything they'd learned during the course of the war.

 

I glanced out the window, thinking hard. I'd have to talk to the others, but they might not trust me over the Lotus. I would have to approach them carefully, hopefully without alerting Lotus. I wouldn't put it past the Sentients to put some sort of kill code into any brainwashing they did. But I knew, I couldn't let the Lotus continue controlling Tenno.

 

We were Orokin once, and now our greatest enemies controlled us, as we once controlled them.

[SOUP.CAN]

o_o

[FatViking]

creepy, disturbing and revealing...or is it? Lotus a sentient? possibly, but i believe her more to be an android (made by a character of mine known as Orrik, one of the oldest Tenno! (he even knew Hayden personally!))

[SOUP.CAN]

One of the devs said that Lotus is a fusion of A.I. and human a few livestreams ago, so I guess its possible that she is part sentient.

Edited November 16, 2013 by VDPrime

[KF5AQX]

I actually don't watch the live streams, so I had no idea about that. This was just my idea for the lore, and also explains where she came from, and how she knows the Tenno so well.

[ZeroJohn]

I love these stories.  *wink*

[SOUP.CAN]

^^^^^^^^^^^ Says it all ^^^^^^^^^^^

[Ajkrumen]

These stories are my lifeblood. Don't let me die.

[ramnosan]

I love this series and I like how the main character is an ash

[KF5AQX]

Sorry for the delay all. Weekends aren't a good time for me, and the computer decided it didn't feel like working on this one.

 

 

I pushed my blankets back and slowly shifted to the side. My chest twinged, then settled. I stood up and held still for a moment, gaining my balance. The metal was heavier than my normal flesh, and had altered my balance forward. In addition, I was certain I'd be far heavier the next time I was weighed.

 

I stretched my arms upward, leaning back. While the chest muscles felt unusually tight, they didn't hurt, and I swiveled from my hips. I reached down and retrieved my Braton and Skana, sliding them into place on my back with a clicking sound.

 

I strode forward, smacking Drew's shoulder. He started and flinched for his Furis, then stopped. He sighed and sat back.

 

“You know, you shouldn't be out of bed yet, much less ticking off a heavily armed soldier,” he said, though I could hear the joy in his voice. I crossed my arms and folded my helmet down, grinning.

 

“You forget, I'm also heavily armed. And you were never as good as me at close quarters, no matter how much you over-compensate with that battering ram you call a sword,” I said, causing Drew to snort and fold his own helmet down.

 

“Hah, this thing can slice through the hull of a star ship! Can that toothpick you call a weapon do that?” he asked, crossing his own arms across his chest.

 

“Why go in through the hull when you can go in through the windows and vents? I know you can't crawl through the vents with that thing, but I can easily manage it.” Drew laughed at that, throwing his head back.

 

“Well, as they say, small people fit into small spaces. Shame the rest of you is also as small as your weapon,” he said, his eyes twinkling evilly.

 

The door opened behind me, causing me to turn around, and Drew's comment went unanswered, which was probably just as well. Though he and I were good friends, any contest about manhood between soldiers would turn out badly.

 

I looked over my shoulder and saw Sheva in the doorway. She sighed and shook her head, then stepped inside.

 

“You know, you're both overcompensating I'd say. Drew has things too big, and Ash likes to hide in the shadows and stalk people,” she said, striding to stand between us. Drew and I looked at each other, then both laughed. Sheva folded down her helmet, revealing a grin, then turned to me and gestured to my chest.

 

“You sure you should be on your feet?” she asked, leaning back against the wall. I shrugged.

 

“I think we've spent just about enough time on this planet. While I'm thankful to them, we should be getting back to our normal duties. I can heal in space on the way,” I said. Sheva nodded, then turned to Drew.

 

“You ready to go?” she asked. On his answering nod, she shrugged and glanced out the window.

 

“Well, Jill and Liz seem to be busy. You'd better ask them,” she said. I nodded and turned to leave, hearing Sheva and Drew begin to discuss the pros and cons of bolt weapons versus bullet weapons. I chuckled. Even if Sheva was oblivious to it, Drew clearly liked her very much. He was more polite and attentive with her than I'd seen him with anyone else.

 

I started down the stairs, feeling a twinge from my hip where I'd been grazed. I shrugged it off, as the leg still functioned near perfectly, and continued on. Stepping out into the sun, I glanced across the camp to where Jill and Liz were.

 

The two of them were leaning against the wall, in the shade. As I approached I could hear them talking.

 

“Well, I admit it couldn't hurt. But just... Be careful. Drew's had hard life, but-,” Liz was saying. Jill looked over her shoulder and coughed, interrupting her.

 

“Hi Will!” she said in a cheery voice.  I raised a hand in greeting, noticing that Jill had her helmet down, and that her cheeks were glowing red. She folded it up as I approached, allowing me to see that it was a coil helm.

 

“I didn't expect to see you up and about so soon,” said Liz. I leaned against the wall next to her and nodded.

 

“We've spent long enough here. It's time for us to return to our dojo,” I said. Jill violently shook her head.

 

“I'm not leaving these people alone. The Grineer could come back,” she said.

 

“I know. I was going to ask the Lotus to send several Tenno to watch the camp,” I said. Jill thought for a moment then shrugged.

 

“I guess that'd work,” she said slowly, still not convinced. I sighed.

 

“What would you have us do then?” I asked. Jill shrugged, clearly at a loss of ideas. Liz spoke up however.

 

“We don't have enough ships to hold us all anyway. What if half of us go to pick up more, and the other half stay here to protect the camp?” she suggested. I frowned in thought, then nodded.

 

“That could work. The fighters would be able to slave to each other and follow you back,” I said. Jill nodded in agreement, and we all turned back to the med-bay. As we scaled the stairs, I noticed Jill hanging very close behind me, nearly touching me repeatedly.

 

I entered the room to see Sheva and Drew standing in the corner, talking. They stopped as we entered and looked at us.

 

“So, what's the plan?” asked Sheva, shifting to face us and leaning back against the wall.

 

“Three of us will return to our dojo and get more ships. The other three will stay here and protect the humans,” Jill said. Sheva frowned slightly, but didn't say anything. Drew nodded.

 

“So, who's going?” he inquired.

 

“Will and Jill won't be going anyway,” said Liz. “They don't have their fighters, and I doubt any of us want to give ours up for them.”

 

“In that case, I'll stay with them. They might need me to pull their asses out of the fire again, and besides, I'm the one with the snowglobe,” Drew said, grinning at me snarkily. I grineed right back, daring him to say something more.

 

“That'll work,” said Sheva. “Mike, Liz, and I will return and bring back two spare fighters.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” said Liz. “Anyone seen Mike?” she asked. Drew gestured out the window with a tilt of his head.

 

“Last I saw he was trying to convince the cooks to give him some food cans to set up as targets. Apparently, he likes how they explode,” he said, shaking his head. Liz sighed, then waved Sheva over. 

 

“Well, let's go find him and leave then. No sense in hanging around too long,” she said. As Sheva left the room, Liz glanced at me, then folded her helmet down. She stepped towards me and pulled me into a hug, which I returned.

 

“Don't you dare do something like that again while I'm gone,” she whispered fiercely in my ear. I nodded solemnly.

 

“Drew and Jill will keep me out of trouble,” I said. Liz released me and looked at Jill, then glared at Drew.

 

“They'd better, or I'll remind them why anti matter is so feared,” she said. She turned and left before they could respond, leaving Drew with his mouth open in shock. I chuckled at the sight, then slapped him on his back.

 

“Close your mouth before a bug flies in, tough guy. She's kidding,” I said, knowing she wasn't. My sister was scary when she was angry. Even I feared her then. Drew closed his mouth with an audible click, causing Jill to giggle.

 

“Hey, I just thought. You guys hungry?” she asked, folding her helmet down. Drew and I looked at each other, then shrugged.

 

“I guess,” I said. Jill sighed.

 

“You guys are so hopeless. Come on, lets go find Sarah and show Drew why we're staying,” she said, turning and leaving the room. Drew watched her go, then turned to me. His expression was puzzled to say the least.

 

“Who?” he asked. I chuckled and folded up my helmet, following Jill out.

 

“A friend. You'll like her. She's a smartass like you.” Drew snorted behind me, but followed me out. I followed Jill down the stairs and out the door to the med-bay. She bounced ahead of me, with her helmet down, and Drew stepped next to me.

 

“You know, for a novice, she sure moves... Easily,” he said, his voice low. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, busy reading the medical readouts on my HUD. I watched Jill ahead, noting the easy grace she carried herself with, and the additional... Bounce, her stride gave her.

 

“I suppose,” I said noncommittally, still focusing on my HUD. Drew snorted.

 

“Come on, you have to see how she acts around you. I think she's picked you, and she doesn't seem like the type to let you get away,” he said. I barely heard him, attempting to figure out if the data reports from my chest were accurate.

 

“Mhm,” I said, mostly hoping to communicate that I was busy. Drew shrugged and quieted, and we continued to Sarah's house. As near as I could figure, the sensors in my warframe were correct. My chest was no longer pumping blood, or oxygen, as far as I could tell, but fully functional. The rate of healing was astounding.

 

A knocking disrupted my thoughts, and I looked up to see Jill knocking on the door to Sarah's house. It opened, and Sarah stood within.

 

“Oh, hi Jill!” she said happily. “My mom just had lunch done. You want some?” she asked, grinning. Jill nodded and bent over to Sarha's level. Drew shifted next to me and coughed.

 

“That'd be great!” she said. “We were coming by to show our friend why your mom is the best cook in the camp.” Sarah opened the door wider and let Jill in. I followed, and Drew came behind me. I had to duck slightly to avoid hitting my head on the frame of the door, and I heard a thunk as Drew didn't manage it in time. Sarah giggled, and I glanced over my shoulder with a grin.

 

“What'd I tell you about the vents?” I asked. Drew mumbled something under his breath, and I chuckled. We continued into what was apparently the kitchen. A woman wearing an apron stood at a counter, apparently rolling something out. Jill and Sarah stood behind her, Jill's hips cocked to the side and her hand resting on them.

 

“Oh, another one? Well, so long as he doesn't eat too much it should stretch far enough,” the woman was saying. I looked at Drew and smiled. I'd seen him eating. He could suck down enough protein paste for two people.

 

“Well, I wouldn't say that ma'am,” I said, causing her to turn around. She looked at Drew and I, then turned back to the counter.

 

“Hmm... I suppose I could make another batch if you all need it,” she said thoughtfully. Jill looked over her shoulder at me, a questioning look in her eyes.

 

“That won't be needed ma'am. I'll let my friend have my share,” I said. Drew glanced at me, then nodded. I nodded back, and gestured him forward, then stepped back to watch. I zoned out while she talked with them, focusing on my HUD once more. The results weren't worrisome now, but were... Intriguing.

 

The scanners in the warframe read the chest as an immobile, but healthy, mass of flesh. In addition, from what I could tell, it was actually mutating the skin nearby it, turning it into a partially metallic mass of tissue, that was bonding nearly perfectly with both the metal and the flesh.

 

So, apparently Jill massaging my back hadn't been strictly necessary, as it was bonding perfectly without it. I'd keep that in mind for the future. I glanced up to see the woman handing Jill a basket. She spoke to Sarah, and then Drew and Jill turned to me and gestured. I nodded and pushed myself away from the wall, following them.

 

We waved goodbye to Sarah, then Jill found a shady spot near the wall. She began to sat down, but I pointed to the building where we'd slept before.

 

“I think we've worried these people enough. Lets get out of sight,” I said. Jill shrugged, but agreed, magnetizing the basket to her back. We scaled the wall, me with ease, Jill without too much trouble, and Drew with much cursing. I watched and laughed, knowing he'd refuse help if I offered it.

 

He finally made it, and we started for the building. Jill ran ahead, and I followed easily. On the level ground, Drew was able to more or less keep up, but when we reached the building he sighed. Jill started up easily, and I kicked off and caught a hand hold next to her. Drew stood below, staring up.

 

He took a step back, and ran part way up the wall. His legs were powerful, but simply not fast enough to reach the height I had. He dug his fingers into the wall and clung, then slowly started up. I climbed easily, then paused and dangled off one arm, looking down. Jill passed me and kept moving up.

 

“Come on, it's not that hard, you big oaf,” I said, needling him. He growled and kept climbing, though with more speed now. I chuckled and continued myself, deciding to show off a bit. I dug my toes in hard, pushed with my legs, and used my hands for leverage. I sprung up the wall like a spider, catching the ledge just besides Jill, far further than I'd thought. My arms, normally used for balance only, had actually thrust me further than my legs. These new chest muscles were... Powerful.

 

I rolled over the edge, using the momentum to tuck into a dive. I spun in mid roll, landing against the wall in a slouching position, and kicked back. Jill climbed the edge in seconds, and shook her head at me.

 

“Show off,” she said, slumping besides me. She folded her helmet back, and I followed suit. I had hardly broken a sweat, but her hair was plastered to her forehead. I chuckled and leaned back.

 

“Just because you can't doesn't mean I shouldn't,” I said, grinning. She swatted my shoulder, though I hardly felt it through the armor, and smiled herself.

 

Drew pulled himself over the edge, slowly but agilely, nearly a full minute later. I grinned and raised my hands, clapping slowly. He folded down his helmet and glared at me. I looked him in the eye and glared back, daring him to break first. He did.

 

He threw his head back, laughing, and I joined in. Jill shook her head at us, then stood up and removed the basket from her back.

 

“Well, if you two manly men are done, we do have food here,” she said. Drew strode next to her and began to look through the basket. I watched them, mainly for something to focus on, when I caught something. Drew had tried to rub his shoulder against hers. She had responded by violently shoving it away and stepping to the side slightly, putting the basket between them.

 

I mussed over the scene while they picked out their dinner, then shrugged and folded up my helmet. I began to eat myself, as the Jill settled on my left, and Drew did the same on my right. Drew tentatively took a bite of the food, and chewed it slowly. Then he took a bigger bite, and chewed faster. Then another, and before long he was stuffing as much into his mouth as possible.

 

Jill laughed as she watched him, though I noticed she hadn't sat next to him. As she ate, her shoulder occasionally brushed mine, and even pressed against it on occasion as she shifted. I noticed she didn't react like she had with Drew, but didn't ponder it much.

 

Darkness was falling, and I took stock of our situation. We had two sleeping pads, which we had been going to share. With Drew here, that plan was pretty much gone, unless we could find another pad somewhere.

 

As I was thinking about it, Drew suddenly stood up and stretched, folding his helmet up.

 

“Where you going?” I asked, rising myself. He stepped towards the ledge and crouched near it, looking out and down.

 

“I was thinking I'd check out the city tonight. I don't really need sleep, and I'd like to know what's around me,” he said. I could relate to that.

 

“I could tell you about it,” I said, crossing my arms. Drew shook his head.

 

“It's not the same as seeing it. I want to KNOW the surroundings, not know of them. And don't worry,” he said, patting the Gorgon on his back. “I can take care of myself.”

 

He leaped off the building, sailing into the night. I heard a thud as he landed, then his footsteps headed away. I shrugged and returned to sit by Jill, slumping against the wall. Jill yawned and stretched her arms over her head, then rested her head on my shoulder. I glanced at her, then looked forward again, thinking.

 

I was shook from my reverie by a cough. Jill waved a hand in front of her face, coughing again slightly. I looked at her curiously, and she pointed at my arms.

 

“That smoke makes it hard to sleep on your arm you know,” she said, grinning slightly. I chuckled and shut down the emitters, putting my warframe into sleep mode. Jill rose and stretched, then headed for the mats. She detached her weapons and placed them next to the mats, then lay down on them.

 

I followed and knelt nearby. Jill shook her head and grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to roll over her to avoid crushing her.

 

“Uh uh, you're not doing that again,” she said, attempting to shove me down to the mat. I didn't resist, merely laid down. Jill rolled over and tucked her body against my chest, and was soon breathing deeply and evenly. I sighed and placed my arm over her, resting my head on my other bicep like a pillow. Soon, I too was asleep.

[FatViking]

aaaaaaw, Drew is a slow climber...(just like me in my frost prime)

[KF5AQX]

aaaaaaw, Drew is a slow climber...(just like me in my frost prime)

 

Slow and steady only works if the other guy isn't fast and steady.

[ramnosan]

This story is so fun to read. Sometimes I feel I'm ready an actual book and not an fanfic

[Virt]

Actually, I am Drew. I'm the frost prime in this, and, KF5's nailing me too damn perfectly.

[KF5AQX]

Actually, I am Drew. I'm the frost prime in this, and, KF5's nailing me too damn perfectly.

 

You're not supposed to tell. Now the story is ruined!

 

(Actually, not really.)