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[Fanfiction] Schisms

Kalenath

By Kalenath,
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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Well you used posession in the story before this.(Rites of Passage)

 

Did I? Did I really?

 

Oh well. Maybe I am running out of tricks. The horror...

 

Then again... IS it possession, or are they jumping to conclusions? Stay tuned. 

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Broken Alliances

 

He knelt silent in the garden. Things had been… hectic. The docs couldn’t quite figure out what was going on with Kori. They had ruled out that another intelligence was using Kori’s body. That was good. Just the thought made the Prime shudder. He couldn’t remember much about the War with the Sentients, but the feelings were clear. The thought of humans being enslaved and forced to fight –or worse- was horrifying. He had been given the run of the dojo, minus really sensitive places like the com room and the docks. That made sense. The com room was one of the few places from which the location of the dojo could be broadcast and the docs, well… that was where the ships were, so that made sense too. He had worked out, practiced with both firearms and swords and now was meditating again.

 

The Tenno known as Kori bothered him. Something about her really bothered him. But he wasn’t sure why. She was coherent now that the docs had isolated whatever the oddness in her brain had been. All of the test they had done showed no malignant intelligences, indeed, no intelligences at all. It was as if she had been hit by a super charge of fear. Which made no sense whatsoever. How she was affected was easy, she could not leave her warframe. If she did, she would die. Brianna had tearfully explained what had happened, but the Prime did not blame her. Being caught with no good choices was a fact of life. So… whatever had hit Kori had come through the neural feeds. But…

 

The Prime jerked in place. Kori had been upset, but not afraid before Nikis had come. Had the Nekros done something? If so, why? It didn’t make any-

 

Without warning, he was kneeling on grass. A single tree rose up beside him and he relaxed. He knew this place. He wasn’t sure how he did, but he did. The grass and tree were tinged with lines that moved. Lines of golden code. A virtual world.

 

“You can come out.” The Prime said easily. “I know this is virtual.”

 

“You always were sharp eyed, Richard.” A voice that was tantalizingly familiar sounded and a form appeared nearby. A human male, wearing armor that was almost a warframe. The Prime inhaled as he recognized the Glaive held ready in the Tenno’s hand. The First Tenno’s hand.

 

“Am I your enemy, Hayden Tenno?” The Prime asked softly, not moving. “I don’t remember.”

 

“No.” The First Tenno did not relax though. “But trouble follows you. Everywhere you try to leave it behind, it follows.” The Prime tensed and Hayden sighed. “You do not cause it, but it follows you. She cannot let you go and cannot move on.”

 

“She?” The Prime asked carefully. “Who?”

 

“Belina. Your wife.” The First Tenno said sadly. The Prime reeled as if punched in the gut and Hayden sighed. “It is as much my fault as anyone’s, Richard. I should have insisted she join us. I didn’t. I didn’t want to press her. So I didn’t. Until it was too late.”

 

“I don’t understand.” The Prime said softly. “I… Am I the First Rhino?”

 

“You were.” Hayden said softly. “But now you are not.”

 

“That makes no sense.” The Prime demanded. “How can I both be the First Rhino and not?”

 

“You gave up the title when you split from us, Richard.” Hayden said softly. “Your arguments were clear and concise. We debated for two weeks, but in the end, we agreed. You ceased to be Rhino and became Richard again.” The Prime shook his head, stunned. “Another took your place and the name. He served and died with honor.”

 

“I am still Tenno…” Was he begging?

 

“Nothing can change that but you, Richard.” Hayden said with a smile. “And you are a little stubborn, just like the rest of us.” The Prime surprised himself with a chuckle. “That stubbornness is about to be tested like never before.”

 

“I don’t know where I heard that tone last.” Richard said quietly. “But I don’t like it.” But then he paused. The image in front of him was wavering. Not much, just a little. But enough.

 

“What?” Hayden –or what looked like Hayden- asked slowly as the Prime stood up.

 

“Who are you?” The Prime demanded, a golden Scindo axe appearing in his hand. “You are not Hayden Tenno.”

 

“Are you so sure...?” The fake Hayden’s voice trailed off in a shriek of pain as something came sizzling in from the side and tore right through the form in front of the Rhino. Another Glaive! It arced, guided. The Rhino had his axe up in a perfect block and the flying Glaive sparked off it, returning to the hand of the form that appeared out of nowhere. Another Hayden Tenno, but this one was more solid.

 

“Considering that Hayden Tenno just arrived?” The Rhino Prime said dryly. “Yeah. You ain’t him.” The cut in half body vanished form the virtual world. The real Hayden Tenno drew back to throw again, but paused as the Prime threw down his axe. He raised his chin to the First Tenno and spoke evenly. “Do it.”

 

“How did you know she was lying?” The Glaive did not move from half drawn back to throw. It seemed… eager.

 

“I didn’t.” The Prime admitted. “But the disguise wasn’t perfect. Bad code around the edges.”

 

“I see.” The First Tenno’s voice was calm, but about as warm as an ice cube. “Why shouldn’t I kill you?”

 

“Maybe you should. I don’t know what I did to earn your wrath.” The Rhino Prime said quietly. “Did I kill kin?”

 

“No.” Hayden seemed to pause for a moment. “You really do not remember?”

 

“No.” The Prime said quietly. “I know I am not the First Rhino. That was all lies, wasn’t it?” The First Tenno just looked at him. The Prime sighed. “You owe me nothing except a gory death from your reaction. So… Whatever I did was bad.”

 

“From our point of view, yes.” Hayden replied. “From yours, it was needed. Opposing viewpoints.”

 

“Can you tell me what I did?” The Prime begged, falling to his knees. “Before you carry out the punishment?”

 

“No.” Hayden’s voice turned sad. “Some secrets must be kept.” The Prime nodded and bowed his head, but…

 

“Stop!” A familiar voice screamed from nearby and arms surrounded the Rhino. “Kill him and strike me down too!” Kori!

 

“Sister Kori.” Dreadful force sang in Hayden’s voice. “Move.” The intensity of the command tore through the code around the Rhino, the grass fading into shards of golden code.

 

“Is he evil?” Kori demanded, hugging the stunned Rhino tighter.

 

“No.” Hayden said sadly. “And that makes this worse. “Sister, if I must, I will strike you down. Do not doubt that. He must die. Here. Now. Or darkness and death will follow. They always do.”

 

“If he is not evil, then it is wrong!” Kori declared, placing herself between Hayden and the Rhino for all the good that would do. The Glaive could and would fly around her. “I have seen too much wrong, done too much wrong! Please! Don’t!”

 

“Sister.” The Prime begged Kori, trying to extricate himself from her. “Stand away. Whatever must happen, must happen. I can accept that. Do not make me the cause of your death as well.”

 

“And you submit to it blindly?” Kori snapped. “At his say so? Without any information but his saying you need to die?”

 

“Kori.” The Prime growled at her and she froze. “He is the First. Show respect.”

 

“Not without knowing why!” Kori screamed. “I will not follow blindly! I will not allow you to die alone and forgotten without at least knowing why!”

 

“He will not be forgotten.” Hayden hadn’t moved at all. “Sister, be wary of your feelings. He helped you, but…”

 

“This is not about him helping me!” Kori actually interrupted him. Hayden stared at her, the Rhino did as well. “This is about knowing the difference between right and wrong. I can’t see the difference here, First One! I can’t.”

 

“You don’t have all the information, sister Kori.” Hayden agreed. “And you are not going to get it. Nyx!” He snapped and another form appeared nearby. The Nyx warframe had gold trim in places and she sighed as she took in the scene. “Can you explain to our sister?”

 

“Hayden.” The Nyx Prime –the First Nyx- said calmly. “You wanted Tenno to be able to choose. She has chosen. Not what we wish, but who are we to gainsay her choice?” Now her voice turned stern. “And I will not take control of her to move her just so you can play executioner again.” Steel would have bent under her tone.

 

“That is not what I am asking.” Hayden said with a groan. “We cannot explain.”

 

“And she cannot accept her friend’s death without an explanation.” Nyx retorted evenly. “What do you want, Hayden?” She asked sourly and then shook her head. “End this split, Master. Only you can.”

 

“What did I do?” The Rhino Prime begged, horrified. “To drive the First against one another…? Oh my god…” He shoved Kori away, but she clung harder. “Kori!”

 

“It wasn’t just you.” Nyx said sadly.

 

“Nyx!” Hayden snapped.

 

“We need to rethink this, Hayden.” Nyx said quietly, not moving. “We all agreed. Then. Things have changed. We need to talk.”

 

“Have they?” Hayden asked, but then sighed. “All right, things have changed.” He agreed sourly. He did not lower the Glaive. “But there is going to be hell to pay when Eliza finds out.”

 

“Who?” The Prime asked, but then shook his head. “No. No more death. No more dying on account of me.” He shook himself and rose, Kori clinging to his neck like a limpet. He reached down and took hold of her warframe by the back of the neck and bodily yanked her from him, throwing her aside. “Throw. End this.”

 

“No!” Kori screamed. But… Hayden didn’t. Nyx actually recoiled, but not from Kori’s impassioned cries.

 

“You would die...” Hayden sounded stunned. “To stop it?”

 

“Whatever I did must have been horrible beyond belief.” The Prime said coldly. “If my death ends it, then do it! Tenno serve! We do not rule!”

 

“You didn’t rule.” Nyx sounded as if she were about to cry. “They… I… Hayden…” She begged. “Please.”

 

“So be it.” Hayden and Nyx both vanished, leaving Kori and the Prime to stare where they had been. Then-

 

He woke, aware of the small warframe clad form kneeling beside him. The Nyx jerked and shivered a bit. “That was dumb, Kori.” He complained.

 

“I don’t care what you did.” Kori said evenly. “You are not evil.”

 

“You don’t know that.” The Prime snapped. “I don’t know that! I might have been! I don’t remember!”

 

“The docs can help you.” Kori said quickly. “They can.”

 

“Maybe they can.” The Prime said with a sigh. “Should they?”

 

“What?” Kori demanded.

 

“Look, Kori…” The Prime said sadly. “Hayden Tenno was the First. He wasn’t infallible, but he was damn smart. What did I do to make him seek my death, Kori?” He demanded. “What did that other being want with me? The one who appeared as…” He paused and stared at Kori who did not move. “What are you doing out of Medical?” He asked, sudden worry surfacing.

 

“I needed to talk to you.” Kori said slowly. “You are not to blame for what happened.”

 

“Kori…” The Prime did not move, indeed, he was barely breathing. “What have you done?”

 

“Nothing.” Kori said sharply. “They left me to sleep. I couldn’t.”

 

“Kori.” The Prime’s tone turned horrified. “They wouldn’t have left you alone. What? Have? You? Done?”

 

“Amelia was going to knock me out.” Kori said with a wince. “I took the stunner and used it on her.”

 

“You what?” The Prime demanded, jumping to his feet. Kori recoiled, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her up. “Come.”

 

“I needed to talk to you!” Kori snapped but did not resist. Wise of her as irritated as the Rhino Prime was.

 

“Kori, if you attacked a member of this clan, they will never let you go!” The Prime retorted. “And if I am the cause of more bloodshed…” He gulped. “I was. I was the cause of bloodshed. Tenno fighting Tenno.” Kori went still but he pulled her along. “I can’t… remember, but… the feelings… I feel… horror. Not again!” He declared. “Not again!”

 

“Amelia wasn’t acting right.” Kori said as they made their way towards the door. “She said I needed ‘to be put out of the way’. She had a needle as well as the stunner. That isn’t like her.”

 

“Kori, if you have a problem with the clan’s medic, you need to take it to the clan leader.” The Prime said with dreadful force. “Not knock people out. That is assault at the very least.”

 

“Look, I know it was a bad idea.” Kori retorted. “But she came at me from behind! In the dark! What was I supposed to do?”

 

“What?” the Prime paused, his hand on the door control.

 

“I was meditating.” Kori’s voice was small. “Trying to get past the infatuation.” The Prime went still and she nodded. “Yes, I am infatuated. No, it won’t last. She came in. She didn’t greet me. She always greets me. She… she likes me. Or she did. I… I don’t know.”

 

“What happened?” The Prime asked.

 

“She didn’t say anything!” Kori declared. “She swung a stunner at me! She didn’t warn me or anything. I blocked it of course. It was instinctive!”

 

“Okay.” The Prime said slowly. “I can see that. Then what?”

 

“We struggled for the stunner.” Kori said weakly. “She said I was in the way! That I needed to be removed from the way. I got control of the stunner and she pulled a needle. I didn’t mean to hit her with it! I know my life is probably forfeit, but I didn’t mean to!”

 

“Then you came looking for me?” The Prime asked slowly. “Why?”

 

“I needed to explain my infatuation.” Kori said weakly. “It is juvenile and I know the feelings are not reciprocated. I am not really in love. My body is all messed up. My emotions likewise. You helped me and I like you a lot.” She slumped in his grip. “That is all I had to say. I saw you shudder and realized you were under attack.” The Prime looked at her and she shrugged. “I am a mind control specialist. I wanted to talk to you in the virtual world you were in. I never expected to find that. I do not regret it though. You are not evil.”

 

“Kori, you do not know that.” The Prime repeated gently. “I will talk to the docs. Maybe they can get at this mess in my head, help me make sense of it. For now, though, we need to face your punishment for hurting Amelia.”

 

“I know.” Kori shook herself and hit the door control. Then she screamed as the sound of automatic weapons fire came from just outside and a trio of bolts slammed into her. And through her. She slammed into the wall, pinned there by one of the bolts. She jerked feebly and then was still.

 

“Kori!” The Prime screamed. “Damn it! Cease fire! She isn’t armed!” His only answer was another flurry of bolts. Someone had a Boltor. “Cease fire! She is still alive!” The pattern of fire shifted, arrowing towards where Kori hung. “Oh, hell no!” The Rhino cast Iron Skin and stepped into the path of the fire, the bolts shattering on his carapace. Now he could see the shooter. “Cease fire!” He called again at the… Ash Prime? What the-? The Ash Prime did not respond, indeed, he opened fire on full automatic, spraying bolts at the Rhino Prime that did nothing but fan the flames of the Rhino’s temper.

 

“I don’t know who the hell you think you are.” The Rhino Prime said as he stalked towards the Ash who holstered his rifle and drew a skana. “But you just made a serious mistake.” The Ash vanished in a cloud of smoke, only to be slammed to the floor and the Rhino drove a piledriver elbow backwards. Of course the other had tried for a backstab. The other warframe’s sword went flying. Before the Ash could flee, the Rhino was on him. “I! Do! Not! Want! To! Fight! Kin!” The Rhino screamed, each word punctuated by a slamming fist. “Whoever the hell you are, stand down!” The Ash dove for the skana, only to receive a kick that threw him into the wall where he lay. “Or not.” The Prime commented as he turned back to Kori. His warframe sensors showed life signs, if just barely. He pulled her down and green mist fell from his hand, healing the horrific wounds before she could bleed out. “Kori?”

 

“What the hell?” Kori asked as she rose. Fear coming back strong. “Why did he fire?”

 

“I don’t know.” The Rhino Prime said with a sigh. “He is alive. We need to find Karl.”

 

“No need.” The voice of the leader of the clan was cold and both looked up to see Karl standing at a junction, two more Prime warframes standing with Rhino. The Hek he held did not waver from the other Rhino. The others held armor piercing weapons on the Rhino. “Surrender, traitor.”

 

“Traitor?” Kori breathed, horrified.

 

“We identified him. You attacked Amelia, Kori.” Karl said softly, swinging slightly to cover her too. “Your life is forfeit.”

 

“This is wrong.” The Rhino Prime said slowly. “Blame me if you must. Whatever my past is, I cannot say or know. But Kori says that Amelia attacked her. Something is wrong.”

 

“I can’t trust a word you say.” Karl snapped. “Three to one. You can’t win.”

 

“I know.” The Rhino Prime said sadly. “Kori, come here.” Kori sidled close and then she gave an ‘eep’ as his hand closed on the neutralization collar and crunched it, shorting it out. The systems that should have electrocuted her did not function. She stared at him and then nodded and spoke calmly.

 

“Three to two.”

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evafan002

evafan002

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Oooookkkk then. what in the flying f@#k did this guy do!!? kill the first empress who was being possessed by a sentient controller or something?

and also after the whole mess with dust surely Karl has to have learned his lesson about giving people the benefit of the doubt? so why was he so dead set that kori's life was now forfeit?

edit.. wait this rhino wouldn't happen to have been one of the tenno who were at that ceremony where the emperor was killed would he?

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DJSeraph

DJSeraph

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I have to wonder if this "traitor" business, has anything to do with the Sentients and volunteering.

 

Edit:

Hit "post" and noticed another reply above me.

Oooookkkk then. what in the flying f@#k did this guy do!!? kill the first empress who was being possessed by a sentient controller or something?

and also after the whole mess with dust surely Karl has to have learned his lesson about giving people the benefit of the doubt? so why was he so dead set that kori's life was now forfeit?

edit.. wait this rhino wouldn't happen to have been one of the ones who was at that ceremony where the emperor was killed would he?

I like your idea better, that gives more room to escalate later, plus room for a bigger villain.

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Oooookkkk then. what in the flying f@#k did this guy do!!? kill the first empress who was being possessed by a sentient controller or something?

and also after the whole mess with dust surely Karl has to have learned his lesson about giving people the benefit of the doubt? so why was he so dead set that kori's life was now forfeit?

 

Things are escalating out of control, but notice that Karl was NOT the one to fire. The Ash did. Karl is calling on them to surrender. Will the Primes with him let the Rhino Prime surrender?

 

As far as Karl knows, Kori attacked Amelia and ran to the traitor's side. By the letter of the law, yes, her life is forfeit. When he calms -if he is able- he will realize something is off. The question is, why did the Ash fire without warning? Why did he try to kill Kori?

 

You saw how effective the bolts were against the Rhino. He wasn't trying to hurt the Rhino. He was trying to kill Kori.

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evafan002

evafan002

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Things are escalating out of control, but notice that Karl was NOT the one to fire. The Ash did. Karl is calling on them to surrender. Will the Primes with him let the Rhino Prime surrender?

 

As far as Karl knows, Kori attacked Amelia and ran to the traitor's side. By the letter of the law, yes, her life is forfeit. When he calms -if he is able- he will realize something is off. The question is, why did the Ash fire without warning? Why did he try to kill Kori?

 

You saw how effective the bolts were against the Rhino. He wasn't trying to hurt the Rhino.

so what you are saying is that kori either has access to certain info or  someone is trying to provoke rhino in to doing something rash....

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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so what you are saying is that kori either has access to certain info or  someone is trying to provoke rhino in to doing something rash....

 

Or something smart.

 

Someone wants him on a certain path. Why and who? We shall see.

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Oh. But if I remember correctly, Olim was using an Ash before it got really busted up, thus making him use a uh... Frost? Do correct me if I am wrong.

 

Olim used an Ash before his got totaled. Then he got a Frost Prime.

 

Dust used an Ash before he died.(but he was never actually part of the clan)

 

A Royal Guardsman named Janas used an Ash as well, but he is likely still in hot water with the Empress after what he did in 'Healing'.

 

None of these used Ash Prime warframes. Janas had one, but he left it in Avalon, used a regular Ash.

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Suzaku

Suzaku

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Olim used an Ash before his got totaled. Then he got a Frost Prime.

 

Dust used an Ash before he died.(but he was never actually part of the clan)

 

A Royal Guardsman named Janas used an Ash as well, but he is likely still in hot water with the Empress after what he did in 'Healing'.

 

None of these used Ash Prime warframes. Janas had one, but he left it in Avalon, used a regular Ash.

Ooh, thanks for clearing that up. You've got a good memory, knowing the exact details of every character of yours.

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evafan002

evafan002

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soo if no one in the clan uses an ash or an ash prime then that means that this one must be from the royal guard. and if He is from the royal guard then it follows that what ever happened involved the orokin royal family in a big way if he is willing to shoot without warning and without Karl's approval. would I be correct in this line of thought?

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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soo if no one in the clan uses an ash or an ash prime then that means that this one must be from the royal guard. and if He is from the royal guard then it follows that what ever happened involved the orokin royal family in a big way if he is willing to shoot without warning and without Karl's approval. would I be correct in this line of thought?

 

Wait for it...

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