[Fanfiction] When The Bullets Stop...

[KF5AQX]

 

 

The next chapter is a go! (Take that, Cynic.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was awoken several hours later. I shifted slowly, looking over my shoulder, watching the figure nearby. I tensed as it approached, then relaxed as I recognized Drew. He slowly shuffled closer, surprisingly quiet for his huge form. He snorted softly when he saw me and Jill on the mat, then knelt nearby.

 

I rolled backwards carefully, not waking Jill, and rose into a crouch of my own. He looked at me through his helmet, then a slightly hiss sounded in my ear as our suits synched.

 

“I won't ask,” he said simply.

 

“It's not what you think. She gets cold and insisted,” I answered, knowing he wouldn't believe me.

 

“I'm sure,” he said, without sarcasm. “But you didn't resist when she insisted, did you? I know I wouldn't.”

 

I glanced at her sleeping form, then shrugged, causing my weapons to clink on my back. I hadn't resisted, though I had thought it was to avoid hurting her. Drew nodded in a knowing manner, then rose and slunk back towards the entrance.

 

“I'm not going to judge you Will. Truth be told, I'm a bit jealous. Sleep well,” he said,  then disconnected our suits. I watched him kneel on the far wall, settling into a comfortable lounging position and shutting down his suit. Jill shifted behind me, and I turned and settled again on the mat. I stayed awake for some time however, thinking. The moon was nearly set when I finally slept again.

 

 

 

I didn't have any more nightmares, though I did dream. I awoke with fuzzy images in my mind, sure I had just been in combat. The dream wasn't terrifying, or even worrisome... But it was different. I hadn't dreamed in years, had only rarely slept as long as I just had.

 

Drew was awake, still kneeling by the far wall. His helmet was down, and his eyes were closed, but he opened them as I shifted. Jill mumbled something in her sleep and shuffled her legs slightly as I sat up.

 

“'Morning Will,” Drew said. I nodded in his direction, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Jill stretched next to me, yawning widely. I looked at her, then rose to my feet and strode to the edge of the building. It was a clear, beautiful morning, surprising, considering the atmosphere of Earth.

 

Jill followed me, and Drew stood from his crouch. We all observed the morning, then Jill sighed.

 

“Strange how so much destruction is some how so beautiful,” she said. I nodded softly, then frowned in thought.

 

“Drew, it took you about two days to get here, right?” I asked. He nodded.

 

“More or less, yeah. We spent a little bit searching for you though, so the actual travel time was shorter,” he said. I nodded thoughtfully.

 

“So, we have two days of doing nothing,” I said. “Any ideas for how to keep ourselves from going crazy?” I asked. Drew shook his head, but Jill piped up almost instantly.

 

“Why not help them?” she asked, pointing towards the camp below. “I'm sure there's some heavy lifting you two He-men can do, and I'd love to learn how to cook.” I considered the idea, then shrugged.

 

“I guess that could work, though I doubt they'd want us helping farm. We could make effective guards however,” I said. Drew shrugged, not agreeing or disagreeing. Jill smiled and stepped to the edge.

 

“Then come on, lets go tell the old man!” she said, then leaped off. I chuckled at her enthusiasm, then stepped back and bowed, sweeping my hands towards the opening.

 

“Ladies first,” I said to Drew, folding up my helmet to hide my grin. He snorted and lumbered towards me.

 

“Age before beauty,” he said, attempting to grab me and shove me out. I ducked under his arm and leaped back, leaning against the wall.

 

“Ah, but you're older than me, gray hair,” I said, chuckling. Drew started for me again, and I slide between his legs, crouching near the hole.

 

“But wait, isn't it pearls before swine?” I asked. “Well, in that case...”

 

I flipped off, flying through the hole, and tumbling down. I extended an arm blade, digging it into the wall, and slowed my descent just enough to be safe. I reached the ground before Jill, who was still climbing down, and rolled forward, flipping and landing on my feet. Above me, she huffed and dropped the remaining distance.

 

Drew took the most direct root, merely stepping off the edge and falling. He barely bothered to bend his knees on landing, cracking the concrete around his feet. I snorted and Jill crossed her arms, shaking her head.

 

“Show offs,” she said, then turned and walked towards the gate. “Come on, lets go find the old man.”

 

I chuckled and gestured Drew ahead.

 

“Thanks, but I'll take the direct route,” I said, then turned and approached the wall. I kicked off, leaped up and over, and vaulted onto the top of it. I started along the wall, expecting to meet him somewhere on it.

 

He wasn't anywhere in sight, so I shrugged and dropped down. Jill and Drew were inside the camp, and both shook their heads at my antics. I grinned.

 

“Just because you can't, doesn't mean I shouldn't,” I said, causing Jill to sigh.

 

“Jeez, are you two gonna do this the whole time? Because if it get's worse, I might just slip on all the testosterone around here,” she said. Drew and I looked at each other, then grinned.

 

“Pretty much,” we said, perfectly in synch with each other. Jill shook her head again, then turned and gestured.

 

“Okay, fine, whatever. Lets go find the old man,” she said, leading the way. Drew and I followed, still chuckling to ourselves.

 

We finally found the old man, striding across the main camp area. His weapons were on him, but he seemed cheery.

 

“Oh, good morning Tenno,” he said, waiting until we fell into step next to him. “What brings you down here today?”

 

“Actually, we were hoping to find something to do,” said Jill. “Do you need help on the farms, or perhaps guarding the walls?” she asked. The old man thought, then nodded slowly.

 

“If you want to help with something, you could go out with the scavenger teams. They often come under attack from various animals and raiders, and your protection would be greatly appreciated,” he said. Jill looked over her shoulder and Drew and I. We looked at each other, then shrugged. Good as anything.

 

“These two can do that, but I'm not quite certain I want to spend all day crawling through rubble and getting into fights. Is there something else I could do?” she asked. I rolled my eyes, and Drew snorted. What better way to spend the day than in combat? The old man frowned in thought, then shrugged.

 

“I'm sure the women wouldn't mind having some help in the kitchen, if you're willing. They're usually short handed, especially around this time of year, when most boys are out scavenging or training,” he said. Jill nodded happily.

 

“That's actually what I had in mind. I'd be glad to help them,” she said. The old man grinned and pointed to a building against the wall. It was low and wide, made of some sort of wrinkled metal.

 

“That's the kitchen. Go ahead and introduce yourself while I get these two equipped to scavenger teams, then I'll come over and get you started. Thank you for helping, Tenno,” he said. Jill headed over to the kitchen, and Drew and I followed the Grineer to the gate.

 

Several groups of men stood nearby, milling about in loose units. He called them over and introduced us, then informed them we'd be keeping them company on their trips out. They seemed excited as he chose two teams for us to accompany. The men carrying weapons with them went to other groups, providing more protection for them too.

 

My group had two fully grown men, and three younger boys in it. I recognized one of them.

 

“Hello, Harry,” I said, singling him out from the group. He looked up and gasped.

 

“How do you know my name?” he asked, taking a step back. I grinned under my helmet. I'd forgotten how fun it could be to intimidate people.

 

“I was watching during your party. It was quite an affair,” I said cryptically, before turning to the rest of the group.

 

“I've been told to watch over you all and keep any and all harm from you. I watch best from a distance. Rest assured, I will be with you, though you will not see me,” I said. One of the men laughed and stepped forward.

 

“And how do we know that you'll still be with us?” he challenged. I looked at him, staring at him steadily.

 

“You will know when any who attack you die. Until I am needed, you will not know I am there,” I countered. He subsided, stepping back. The old man yelled out behind us.

 

“Okay teams, lets go! You know your sectors, and you have your guards now. Good hunting!” he cried. The groups moved through the gates in a pack, separating into teams on the other side. My group headed left, angling away. I stayed with them until I had the general route laid out, then began to stride toward a nearby building.

 

“Wait, where will you be?” asked a man from behind me. I grinned.

 

“The darkest corner with the best view,” I said, then leaped up the building. The group continued on, and I shadowed them from above. I had agreed to protect them, and nothing would touch them while I could stop it.

 

The day passed quickly as I preformed my duties. I chased off one pack of wolves, exchanged fire with four raiders armed with Grakatas, and kept watch as the team looted several bombed super markets and one land fill. We returned with bags full of valuable salvage and scraps, and not one injury in the group.

 

I emerged from the shadows near the wall as the sun was setting. The leader of the group dropped his sack and stepped forward, hand extended. I grasped it, and he shook it firmly.

 

“I had my doubts Tenno, but damn, you came through. I don't think we've ever had a day this flawless, and we snagged a couple Grakatas out of the deal. That's a first, I'll tell you. We usually just barely manage to chase them away,” he said. I nodded in acceptance of the compliment, and he returned to the group.

 

I left them sorting their loot and headed inside. I was tired, but not exhausted. The day had felt good, working my excess energy out, but I admitted I was willing to sleep tonight. My wounds had slowed me down more than I'd thought they would.

 

I entered the gate, waving to the old man sitting just inside, and headed for the kitchen. I saw a line forming outside it, mostly composed of the scavenging teams. I passed them, recognizing three from my group, and headed inside.

 

Jill stood with her back to me, apparently chopping something. A plump woman stood next to her, and the two were chatting in a friendly manner. I stood just inside the door and crossed my arms, grinning. The scene was both touching and amusing. A heavily armored, trained killer, helping cook with a woman who'd never wielded a gun in her life.

 

I spotted a Latron leaned nearby against the door, and noticed Jill carried the Lato I'd given her on her hip. She picked up her cutting board and turned to dump it in a bowl, seeing me over her shoulder. She smiled happily, then turned back to the woman next to her.

 

I strode forward, standing behind her. She was saying goodbye to the woman and cleaning off her knife. I stepped aside as she turned around and headed for the sink. I followed her and watched as she sprayed off the knife and cutting board.

 

She turned around and wiped her hands on her thighs, then headed for a table nearby.

 

“I set aside some dinner for us,” she said, pointing to trays set out on the table. I followed her and examined the food. It was some sort of meat sauce, with cheese and lettuce on it. The lettuce looked fresh and crisp.

 

“They grow the lettuce here, in their farms,” Jill said. “And the cheese is made from milk they get from goats in the farms. They're almost totally self sufficient!” she finished. It was clear she had enjoyed her time in the kitchen, talking with the women.

 

“I'll go get Drew,” I said. Jill nodded and sat down, and I turned and exited the building. I headed for the front gate, looking for the hulking form of my friend. He was standing just inside the gate, chatting with a man that was small by normal standards. Next to Drew, he looked like an ant.

 

I approached the two, smiling at the difference between them. I overheard the last of their conversation as I strode up.

 

“...thought you were done for when that one got his arm around your neck,” the short one was saying. Drew laughed and shook his head happily.

 

“Nah, he should have known better than to put himself in that position. I think I broke every one of his ribs when I fell on him,” he said. The short man snorted.

 

“Well, regardless. Thank you for your help today. I think this was one of the best days we've had in years,” he said, before turning and heading for his group. He raised a hand in goodbye and Drew waved back.

 

I tapped Drew on his back, drawing his attention, then cocked a thumb over my shoulder at the kitchen.

 

“Jill has food waiting,” I said. He nodded and fell into step beside me as I led the way.

 

“So, she's even cooking for you now? Damn, Will, slow down there,” he said. I glanced at him, not understanding what he meant. He chuckled and shook his head.

 

“Oh, you're hopeless. Never mind. I'm hungry, lets go,” he said.

 

“I know how that feels,” I said, speeding up. We entered the kitchen and made our way to Jill, sitting down on either side of her. She pushed the trays to us, and we folded down our helmets to eat. It was surprisingly spicy, but tasted amazing.

 

Jill shifted on my right, and I noticed she was sliding closer to me, though I couldn't tell if it was to get away from Drew or not. He was quite large, and took up a significant portion of the seat.

 

“I'm not sure what this is, but it's great,” said Drew happily, shoveling more into his mouth. A woman walking by giggled and leaned over the table.

 

“Is called tacos,” she said in English. Drew looked surprised, then smiled and nodded at her.

 

“Well, I might just have to take this recipe back with us,” he said. The woman giggled again and rose, continuing on her way. As she went I caught her mumbling to herself.

 

“...mind if he took me too,” she said to herself, heading for the serving line outside. I heard Drew choke across from me, and knew he heard it too. Jill laughed.

 

We finished our meal quickly and returned to the building we had slept in the night before, settling in. I offered a mat to Drew, but he declined, saying he preferred to sleep kneeling. I knew he was lying, but didn't say anything. Jill insisted on curling up against me once again, and Drew made a point of winking at me. I ignored it and fell asleep quickly.

[Fijasrules]

Great story keep 'em coming :)

[Kaian-a-coel]

I like this more and more :D

 

Next: dream sequence, and more on the Lotus? That's my bet at least.

[KF5AQX]

Good guess, but no. Dream sequences are hard as hell to write, and can easily be over used.

 

(But seriously, it's so hard to write about things that are, by nature, strange and disorderly, and have it make logical sense.)

[KF5AQX]

Sorry for not posting for so long everyone. My life has been hectic beyond belief lately, giving me very little time to write, and I've been plagued by computer problems, including losing over a week's worth of writing progress due to a virus. I'm still planning on working on this story, and I do have part of the next chapter written up. I hope to post it some time in the next day or two.

[Ajkrumen]

I'm loving these! Keep it up and good luck with your life! :P

[Kaian-a-coel]

I'm loving these! Keep it up and good luck with your life! :P

What else can I say? I love your writing :D

[fishworshipper]

Can't wait for the next installment!

Would you mind, though, linking every update to the story to the OP? It'd make tracking down new posts much easier.

[profoak0117]

Keep up the good work! Its so awesome!

[meIody-]

“Dar'vit,” I muttered, invoking an ancient Tenno curse. The battle group set down on all sides of us, hidden from sight by buildings, and a steady stream of Grineer poured in. I checked my Braton and returned fire wherever I could, but was slowly pushed back besides Jill. We were surrounded.

 

it's d'arvit, just so you know.

[SOWONDERFUL]

“Dar'vit,” I muttered, invoking an ancient Tenno curse. The battle group set down on all sides of us, hidden from sight by buildings, and a steady stream of Grineer poured in. I checked my Braton and returned fire wherever I could, but was slowly pushed back besides Jill. We were surrounded.

 

it's d'arvit, just so you know.

 

maybe he just changed it up a bit so it's not exactly the same >:3

 

anyway, keep it coming! great job!

[meIody-]

fair enough. I love this story. It's also pretty cool that he HAS a life.

[KF5AQX]

This will be the last chapter to this story, and likely the last one I'll post for a long time to come. Current lore has proven my story cannon incorrect, and a series of viruses and data corruption on my computer has led to me losing both the story bible I had made up, and all the stories I had written thus far. In addition, real life has been hitting me hard, keeping me busy in my spare time and not allowing me to write much.

 

Thank you to everyone who has convinced me to finish this. I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

The next day passed in the same manner, though each scavenge team was outfitted with one of the salvaged Grakatas. As such, when we came under fire, I wasn't the only one shooting back. The raiders were quickly routed, though they were in greater numbers than the day before. One of my team had a slight graze from a round, but he bandaged it himself and I escorted him back to camp before returning.

 

We finished earlier than the day before, arriving back at camp before the evening meal was done. Drew and I milled around the kitchen, banned from the inside after Drew bumped a pan and dented it deeply.

 

I was leaning against the wall, in the shade, enjoying relaxing and watching the motion of camp. Drew sat next to me, slumped against the wall. A group of boys were rolling around in the dirt, wrestling playfully. I observed them for a minute, and was distracted by Drew shifting next to me.

 

He rose to his feet and cocked his head at the boys, then turned to me.

 

“You know, it's been ages since I had a good wrestling match. Lets kill some time,” he said, clapping a hand on my shoulder. I looked at him, then grinned under my helmet. I knew he could easily best most of the Tenno in our clan, simply with brute strength and size.

 

“If you're willing to lose in front of a dozen people, sure,” I answered, stepping away from the wall and rolling my neck, loosening the muscles. Drew snorted and turned, walking to a clear spot in the middle of the camp.

 

“Only one losing here is you. I'll crush you like that toothpick on your back,” he said. I followed him, removing my weapons and placing them in a lose pile on the ground. Drew did the same, though he shoved his Galatine into the dirt, leaving it standing upright.

 

“Ring or no?” I asked, preparing myself for combat. Drew shook his head, dropping into a low crouch. He looked like a bear, hunkered off the ground.

 

“No ring. Freestyle, no holds bared. Go until one taps,” he said. I nodded grimly, and crouched myself, lowering my center of balance. We both stared at each other, daring them to make the first move. I noticed the crowd shuffling around us, then shut them out.

 

Drew lunged forward, growling ferally. His arms scissored, trying to grab me in a bear hug. I ducked low, moving to the side, and countered by sweeping my legs, attempting to trip him up. He leaped nimbly over them, then stepped forward, swinging his right fist low and hard.

 

I ducked, swerving to the side and under the blow, and brought my own fist up towards his helmet. He barely moved his head back in time, narrowly avoiding the strike, then stepped away, putting some distance between us.

 

We circled, watching for openings, the outside world forgotten. There was only the enemy, only the target, only the shifting of balance and stance.

 

Drew moved in, his leg snapping up in a straight kick. I crossed my forearms, catching the blow on my wrists, and actually moved back a few inches from the force behind it. He attempted to withdraw his leg, but I thrust upward, knocking him off balance, then moved in with a lightning kick of my own.

 

My leg snapped upward, and impacted with his chest. He staggered back, not hurt, but merely off balance, and I pressed my advantage, leaping upward and bringing my elbow slamming down on the face plate of his helmet. There was a crack, and he bent over. I knew a blow like that had to have his ears ringing like a bell. The helmets were partially organic material, and translated physical force and sound quite well.

 

He turned the situation around, barreling forward while hunched over, catching me in the chest with his shoulder. The air hissed out of me from the impact, and I staggered back, trying to breathe. He came forward again, this time grabbing me by the shoulders and throwing me backwards.

 

I flipped, skidded on my back, and pushed with my arms, using the momentum of the movement to spring upright. Drew stepped forward, a right round house whistling for me. I shifted back, grabbed his wrist, and carried it through, adding to his own momentum. He spun partially around, and I pressed forward, slamming my chest against his elbow, hyper extending it.

 

He wrenched it back, slamming an open palm into my chest, and leaped back. His right arm hung loosely from his side, and I knew the joint wouldn't function properly for several minutes. He shifted to his left, holding his arm behind him, and I moved to my right.

 

I went on the offensive, moving forward and striking with a quick right jab. Drew ducked under it, and I flipped over him, rolling off his back, then snapped my left leg up as he turned, catching him on the side of the helmet. His head jerked sideways and he staggered, caught off balance by the strike.

 

While he was unbalanced, I moved in, tackling him to the ground. We rolled in the dirt, struggling for control, and I caught his elbow between my right arm and my body. I pushed off with my legs, twisting his wrist, and placed my foot in the crook of his neck. He froze, his arm twisted awkwardly and forced upward.

 

“If you move, it'll break,” I said, twisting slightly more. Drew growled, then slowly raised his left hand and thumped the concrete. I released his arm, rolling backward, and came up in a crouch.

 

“That's it!” I said sharply, staring at Drew. “We're done sparring,” I said. Drew relaxed, straightening upright. I followed suit, and he stepped back and to his pile of weapons.

 

The crowd surged away from him, and I realized we'd drawn a large portion of people around us. They stared, then a single clap sounded from near the back. It grew in strength, until most of the people were applauding the fight.

 

I retrieved my weapons, then looked around. The applause had died, and a few people were starting to walk away, but the majority remained.

 

“What are you people doing staring?” asked the voice of the old man, pushing through the crowd. “Don't you all have someplace to be?” he said. The crowd dispersed, many going to stand in line near they kitchen.

 

The Grineer walked up to me and Drew, then shook his head in disbelief.

 

“That was the most intense fight I've ever seen, and I was a marine for years,” he said. “I can see why you Tenno are so feared in close quarters. Any one of those blows would have likely been lethal to a Grineer,” he said, awe in his voice. I shrugged, clicking my Braton onto my back.

 

“We were trained for close quarters. Long range was only added near the end,” I said. He nodded his head curiously, but I didn't divulge any more information. Drew walked up behind me, and the old man finally shrugged and turned away.

 

“Dinner should be done by now if you two are hungry. I hear your friend has been a great help in the kitchen. Be sure and reward her for that,” he said over his shoulder, walking for the gate. I glanced at Drew, frowning.

 

“Did he just imply what I think he implied?” I asked. Drew stiffed a chuckle and shrugged, turning towards the kitchen.

 

“Why not ask him yourself later? Right now, I want food,” he said, leading the way. I followed him, tensing my stomach. He had gotten a good hit in my chest, and though I barely felt that, my stomach was tight and painful now, like a scar or freshly healed wound. That bothered me.

 

We entered the kitchen, and saw the woman from yesterday standing by a nearby counter. Jill was across the room, using the pressure washer to spray out several bowls. Drew actually remembered to duck under the door, and I followed suit, twisting to keep the handle of my Skana from hitting the door frame. They really did need to make the doors higher here.

 

Jill saw us and waved, then finished with bowls and started over. I picked up her Latron, sitting by the door again, and handed it to her. She smiled and placed it over her shoulder.

 

“You two are just in time. I just finished washing out the dishes,” she said, leading us towards the table from before. I slid into the bench, feeling a twinge from my stomach muscles, which were still tensed and tight. Jill sat next to me, and Drew took up a position on my right.

 

 I glanced at the food, briefly noting it seemed to be some sort of cooked meat sandwich, then began gently flexing my stomach muscles. They slowly began to loosen, and I noticed my chest was also loosening. Strange. It had tightened up on its own after I got hit, compacting enough to actually pull up the skin on my stomach?

 

Jill was chatting besides me, and I vaguely listened, still focusing on my body. I began running scans on it, frowning thoughtfully. If it was able to shrink that much, it would either have to be full of air spaces, or be able to actually change its mass. The abilities that could be used for were... Intriguing, to say the least.

 

The warframe didn't detect any air pockets in my chest, which implied it was an actual solid mass. I could feel it relaxing though, shifting back into a comfortable state. It seemed the material actually hardened when struck, providing massive protection. Interesting... I'd have to look into that.

 

Jill tapped my shoulder and I started, jumping slightly in my seat. She giggled at my reaction.

 

“I was saying, the others should be back tomorrow, so we should say goodbye tonight,” she said, noticing I hadn't been paying attention. I shrugged, noting that the motion helped my chest relax.

 

“You can, but I'd rather spend the night out in the city. I want to be sure there's no Grineer sleeper agents in the area,” I responded. Drew nodded next to me, swallowing a mouthful.

 

“I agree with Will. Better to know the area is safe than to know you left properly,” he said. Jill sighed then shrugged.

 

“Well, if you two want to do that you can, but I'm gonna say goodbye,” she said, resuming eating.

 

The rest of the meal passed with small talk, mostly me and Drew telling Jill about our adventures that day, and her explaining what the meal was made from. We left the kitchen about an hour before dark, and Jill went off to find the old man, while Drew and I headed for the gates.

 

We split up outside the camp, each taking a side. I headed right, while Drew took the left side. We had an agreement to contact the other if we ran into trouble, but otherwise radio silence was enforced.

 

I set out, and spent the next several hours running and searching. I didn't use any particular pattern, but made sure to cover the area thoroughly. I was merely running just to run, pushing myself in an effort to focus myself. I hadn't been myself lately, even discounting the wounds and strange situations I'd been forced into.

 

Drew called to tell me he was heading back, but I stayed out, as the moon rose higher in the sky. Eventually, I found myself on a burnt out building near the camp, looking down. It was well past midnight, and likely close to morning. I sat on the building, leaning back against a metal shell that held a fan, and watched.

 

The camp woke up suddenly, with a light appearing in a window, then spreading at a rapid pace. People began to appear and move about, as the light began to grow. I saw people stop and talk, chatting happily. I saw people laugh easily, I saw people work together and help. And it never once resembled life I had lived for so long. They were happy and content, simply to be near one another and work together.

 

It was so unlike my life. I dreaded working with other Tenno on my missions, usually going in alone, simply to avoid being slowed down or held back. I had earned the reputation of being a loner, and of being cold and distant. My life was combat, and my only love as well.

 

I sat and watched, still thinking, still wondering. I was considering returning to the sleeping point, when I heard a noise behind me. I spun around, pushing myself up, and grasping for my Lato.

 

Jill laughed and stood up from behind a pile of rubble. I sighed and relaxed, removing my hand from my pistol.

 

“Looked like you were doing some heavy thinking. You'd have never let me get that close otherwise,” she said, still grinning at my reaction. I shrugged, slumping back against the metal behind me.

 

“You could say that. I was going over the last few days, wondering how I could have done better,” I lied, drawing my knees up and resting my hands on them. Jill sat next to me, copying my pose.

 

“You did fine I'd think. You saved basically every life in that camp, and single handedly took out over two hundred Grineer, and then survived what should have been a fatal wound. Plus, you helped them increase their combat strength enough that raiders will actually fear them now, and allowed them to collect enough food for three days straight,” she said, smiling as she rattled off the list.

 

“I should have done better. I was stupid to let myself get hit, and I only helped the camp due to sheer luck,” I said, leaning my head forward. I was suddenly bone weary, but unwilling to trigger a stimulant burst from the Warframe. Jill sighed and rose, standing before me and looking into my eyes.

 

“You held off the entire Grineer army for two straight hours. You saved my life over fifteen times. I know. I was counting them. You saved Sarah. You saved Terry. You saved every person in that camp, and you never once hesitated. You nearly sacrificed yourself to defend them and me, and then your first thought when help arrived was to make sure I had made it. No one else could have done what you did, and don't you dare say you didn't do enough,” she said, growling angrily as she finished.

 

I was shocked by the seeming anger in her tone, and even more so that she had actually counted how many times I saved her. I glanced away, then stood myself and strode to the edge of the rooftop.

 

“If you truly think so,” I said, kneeling and looking below. Jill followed me and placed a hand on my shoulder, gripping tightly.

 

“I do,” she said strongly, pulling me to my feet and turning me around to face her. “And you can be sure that the entire clan is going to know the same when we make it back.”

 

I slowly smiled, realizing she truly did mean it.

 

“Thank you,” I said simply, causing Jill to shake her head.

 

“No. Thank you, for saving my life, and helping me realize what a true warrior is,” she said, releasing my shoulder and stepping back. I turned back to the camp and folded my helmet up, partially for eye protection, and partially to hide the blush I knew was forming.

 

“Come on. Drew is probably wondering where we are,” I said. Jill flew past me, leaping off the building and giggling. As she fell, she called back up.

 

“Race you there!” she shouted. I smiled and launched myself off. She had improved in parkour immensely. She had learned well.

 

But she didn't learn everything.

 

 

 

I rolled into the opening, dropping easily into a crouch and sliding forward on my knees. Drew looked up at my entrance, rolling his eyes. Jill clambered up behind me, panting slightly, and huffed.

 

“No fair!” she said. “You can't teleport, that's cheating! I nearly had you till you did that!” I laughed and rose to my feet, dusting my knees.

 

“I was going easy on you. I didn't even have to push myself,” I said, causing Jill to huff again and turn away.

 

“It's still cheating,” she said, and Drew chuckled.

 

“Will is the master of cheating,” he said. “Remind me to tell you about the time he convinced a Loki that his record on the course was easily beatable. The Loki insisted it was the fastest possible score, and Will proved him wrong by sticking his Skana into the wall and spinning around it. The Loki's jaw nearly hit the floor.”

 

Jill burst out laughing at the mental image, and I chuckled myself. I had forgotten that story. His face truly had been amusing, though the duel he challenged me to afterward was anything but. It had been very close. Fighting an invisible opponent is harder than it sounds.

 

Drew turned to me and tapped his wrist, indicating the control panel for the various radio systems.

 

“I got a call from Mike. They're inbound, ETA about fifteen minutes, and they brought a squad to defend the camp,” he said. I nodded, and turned to Jill.

 

“Hope you said your goodbyes,” I said. “I doubt we'll be coming back any time soon.” Jill nodded sadly, clearly upset about leaving the friends she had made here.

 

“We need to return the sleeping pads,” she said, gesturing to the mats on the floor. I nodded, and we picked up the mats and headed down. Jill knocked on Sarah's door, and Drew and I stepped away to let them talk.

 

“So, you gonna miss this place?” Drew asked me. I sighed, and shook my head.

 

“I'm not sure, to be honest. I won't miss the mortal wounds, that's for sure,” I said. Drew nodded.

 

“I can agree on that. I thought we'd lost you. It... Wasn't a good thought,” he said.

 

“How do you think I felt?” I asked sarcastically. Drew chuckled.

 

“I guess that's one way of looking at it,” he responded. The sound of a door closing distracted us, and Jill walked over, looking slightly sad.

 

“Finished saying goodbye?” Drew asked, and Jill nodded.

 

“Just giving her some advice, from one woman to another,” she said. Drew cocked his head curiously.

 

“Advice? What kind?” he asked, and Jill grinned.

 

“I told her to be careful around Lokis. You can never trust those pervs,” she said, and Drew snorted explosively. I chuckled and turned, walking for the gate.

 

“Come on. Lets meet the others out front,” I said. The other two followed, and we kept watch for the incoming ships. Jill spotted them first, and they soon landed in front of us, disgorging a full cell of Tenno, consisting of a Rhino, a Loki, an Excalibur, and a Nyx. Mike and Liz walked behind them, and two fighters hovered above them.

 

“So, I see you three managed to not blow up the entire place while we were gone,” Mike said, reaching to shake Drew's hand. Drew laughed and headed for the four new Tenno.

 

“Of course not, you took all the high explosives, you party pooper,” he said. Mike chuckled, then turned to Jill and I.

 

“You two ready?” he asked. I nodded, and Jill looked back once, then nodded as well.

 

“Yeah, I guess. Lets go,” she said. Mike nodded and keyed his wrist, causing the two fighters to descend and open their doors.

 

“I've set them to connect to your neural patterns when you enter them,” he said. I nodded my thanks, then started forward myself, stepping inside the shaped pilot's chair. The doors closed, and in the darkness, a light appeared on my HUD. The ship synched with the warframe's systems, and I slowly felt my field of vision expand as I was linked into the sensors on the hull.

 

I could feel the others around me, and watched as Mike and Drew pointed the new Tenno at the camp, then climbed into their own fighters.

 

“Lets get this show on the road,” Mike said as he fired up his engines. We followed suit, and as the ship shook as it entered orbit, I knew we were finally going home.

 

 

 

The trip passed quickly, mostly thanks to the fact that I slept for the majority of it. We arrived at the clan's dojo, and I waited my turn to dock. The others were waiting for me in the air lock, and Mike and Drew strode inside. Jill looked at me, then followed them. Inside, several dozen Tenno were milling about, talking and meditating.

 

I hesitated at the entrance, and glanced back at the airlock. The blackness of space swirled outside the magnetic field that held it back.

 

All my life I had been fighting. I had fought before cyro sleep. I had fought since cyro sleep. I had fought constantly, in every aspect of my life, for so long. I had always thought my life was fighting. I felt most alive when the bullets were flying.

 

Yet as I turned and looked at the crowd of Tenno, as I spotted Jill watching me from the edge of the crowd, as I saw Drew and Mike laughing at a joke in the corner, I knew I had been wrong. My life was combat, but when the bullets stop...

 

That's when life truly begins.

 

 

End.

[WarOverlord]

Best. Ending. Ever.

[Ajkrumen]

That caused some real feels. Great job. Also, stop by the Ash and Fire thread once in awhile, we could really use you and your critiques. :)

[KF5AQX]

I really didn't mean for it to be a feelzy story, but it sorta spiraled. And you wouldn't believe how long it took me to actually finish this. I had a rough draft done a total of 4 times, only to have it lost, either to a virus, data corruption, or changing computers.

 

I'll try to keep up with Ash and Fire now. That's another one I sorta abandoned my story in, due to real life deciding I needed less free time.

[Ajkrumen]

Oh, I know. It was nice and action-packed as well. I suppose what I was trying to say was that that was an amazing plot tied together perfectly. :P

[Kaian-a-coel]

Freaking amazing! This wonderful story heavily influenced my own headcannon, I blame you for messing with my head :P (Kidding, you make good stuff. I love your writing)

[Spikey844]

Great story

[Katakuna]

It's a shame you lost a lot of work, but this is an excellent story regardless.  A true pleasure to read.

 

Well done, KF.

[SOWONDERFUL]

good job! even though some of the story didn't match with the lore perfectly, it was very good regardless. ty for finishing it despite being hindered by RL issues!!!

[KF5AQX]

I figured that after saying it'd be done in a few days, then going silent for three weeks, I needed to at least try to get it done. It sucks when something you like just stops suddenly without warning.

[junkmike]

AGH, NO MORE FEELS PLEASE.

[RoarinTides]

That was simply a great ending! I admire your work very much! (As a person who has had a few of his story writings, in which I am a lil embarrassed to release)

I wish you could continue this story to a greater extent; sadly we may all curse data corruptions and cry on the inside (or outside) for the multitude of lost treasures we create from them.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Piqpy

[Maxinus]

I love this. I Stayed up and read it all the way through with no breaks. This is the best fanfic I have ever read please, Moar as soon as you are able! Flipping love this!