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[Fanfiction] Weapons

Kalenath

By Kalenath,
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Vahlak

Vahlak

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They're on the other side of the 4th wall. why should i fear them? OR you prefer Sara on the hands of the board, or Alad V...

... I'm on THIS side of the 4th wall, and i take threats on children seriously, i can have my marines use you for live target practice, if you like.

 

Don't worry, we will use rubber bullets. Maybe.

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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... I'm on THIS side of the 4th wall, and i take threats on children seriously, i can have my marines use you for live target practice, if you like.

 

Don't worry, we will use rubber bullets. Maybe.

 

Rubber bullets can and HAVE killed... just saying...

 

No, no one sane will harm Sara. Even the Grineer are not that stupid. Um...

 

Wait for it...

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Vahlak

Vahlak

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No.

 

I am doubting the moving abilities of certain TARGETS civilians. They always move the EXACT wrong way in my experience.

To be fair, that only makes for perfect target practice, and as a bonus, practice in taking a target alive. =D

 

... i suppose we can use pepperballs.  Think pepper spray, as an exploding bullet, that sticks to you and even burns.

 

As a side note, i brought in my Brandt Mle 27/31 mortar today, to give the guys a nice little treat. We launched potatoes at the mess hall.  Seriously, they haven't made any kind of potatoes in 3 weeks.  They took the hint.  ( I mean really, what kind of military doesn't prove meat and potatoes!? )

 

Yes, the potatoes exploded when the firing pin went off, so we shot mashed potatoes, it was awesome.  I honestly would have recorded it for you, but technically being a civvy I'm not aloud to bring a camera with me.  Or my cell phone.

 

( it has a range of up to 1900 meters, so yes, we hit the target )

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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To be fair, that only makes for perfect target practice, and as a bonus, practice in taking a target alive. =D

 

... i suppose we can use pepperballs.  Think pepper spray, as an exploding bullet, that sticks to you and even burns.

 

As a side note, i brought in my Brandt Mle 27/31 mortar today, to give the guys a nice little treat. We launched potatoes at the mess hall.  Seriously, they haven't made any kind of potatoes in 3 weeks.  They took the hint.  ( I mean really, what kind of military doesn't prove meat and potatoes!? )

 

Yes, the potatoes exploded when the firing pin went off, so we shot mashed potatoes, it was awesome.  I honestly would have recorded it for you, but technically being a civvy I'm not aloud to bring a camera with me.  Or my cell phone.

 

( it has a range of up to 1900 meters, so yes, we hit the target )

 

NICE!

 

Oh, potato mortars... the memories...

 

I actually fired a potato out of a PIAT once. WWII British Anti-tank weapon. Spring operated and very cool, but VERY heavy. Not very long range, but no rocket trail or guide wire. You have NO idea where it came from.

 

Yes I made mashed potatoes too, but I hit the tank!

 

WWII Historic Interpretation, not reenactment. One is a job, one is insanity.

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Vahlak

Vahlak

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NICE!

 

Oh, potato mortars... the memories...

 

I actually fired a potato out of a PIAT once. WWII British Anti-tank weapon. Spring operated and very cool, but VERY heavy. Not very long range, but no rocket trail or guide wire. You have NO idea where it came from.

 

Yes I made mashed potatoes too, but I hit the tank!

 

WWII Historic Interpretation, not reenactment. One is a job, one is insanity.

...we have a few of those insane folk on my base.  Every year, EVERY god damned year there are 30 guys lined up for 'authentic WW2' weapons for their reenactment.  Which is always off base.  Where they cant take any weapon from my station.   And i end up chewing out almost 30 guys for being stupid. As marines.  And inevitably, there is one dude who thinks he knows better than me and tries to act tough. Get physical.  Then, inevitably, i end up having to knock him down a peg.  And it's glorious. 

 It makes the other 29 idiots worth dealing with, to punish the dumbass who thinks they put someone in charge of weapons who CAN'T DEFEND THEMSELVES.  Last time, i punched his throat, kneed him in the balls, hog tied him with zip ties and waited for the MPs to come put him in a cell for a few hours for assaulting a 'civvy'.  It was great, they carried him off on a steel pipe, just like you would carry an actual hog tied pig.

 

 

(If you've never been hit in the throat, it's almost as bad as being kicked in the balls.)

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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...we have a few of those insane folk on my base. 

 

You want insane? Try the LUNATICS who reenact the Waffen SS...

 

THAT is NUTS.

 

I had an actual job for a summer dressing as a LRDG (Long Range Desert Group- Predecessor and contemporary to WWII SAS) soldier from WWII. Talking about the War in the Desert at a museum. Was VERY cool. Our 1932 Ford Truck had 5 machine guns on it. 2 Lewis guns, 2 Vickers guns and a Browning .50 AMG. (All replicas of course, non-firing) Guys drove those trucks through the desert to attack German convoys and bases at night.

 

Remember 'The Rat Patrol'? The LRDG were the historical basis for that show. They were... good. And crazy.

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Choices

 

"No!" Sara screamed, but Lis wouldn't let her move.

 

"Sara, stay down!" Lis commanded as Sara tried to squirm out from under her. None of the shooters had landed shots anywhere near the pair of them, but it was clear that everyone who was firing did have targets. The screams and sudden silences said that whoever was being hit was not going to escape. The people firing were precise and merciless. The weapons were a mix. Some energy, some projectile. But that wasn't what worried Lis the most.

 

Sara's power was growing. She had teleported, back when this mess had started. She had tapped the energy that Tenno knew so well. What Tenno were. They were more than human. But it wasn't anything physical. The physical forms were just as frail as humans at times. As Lis had demonstrated far too many times in her memory. Warframes added a layer of armor, but in the end, Tenno were not just the physical forms. If they were, then every time that physical form failed, they would die. They didn't. She didn't pretend to understand the mechanics. But that had allowed Lis to recover from what in a human would have been a terminal brain injury. That energy was flowing freely through Sara now. And frankly? Lis was scared.

 

Sara was good. Her trainers had been very good. But... she wasn't fully Tenno. She wasn't trained. She was only three years old for goodness sakes. She literally inhaled information and learned faster than even Lis had. But...

 

Lis had learned survival from a very early age. The training she had received from Grand Master Leanna had been exhaustive and brutal. But... it had only built upon what had already been there. Lis had known how to fight. Which end of a knife cut and which to hold. She had known which end of a firearm bullets came out of. She had needed polish, sure. Training was rarely a bad thing. But Lis had known from her earliest memories the single most important lesson that Master Leanna taught her students. How to survive. How to channel the energy within oneself to do wonders or horrors. Lis had been full human, but her constant need to fight to survive had polished her core to a level that even some Tenno apparently had envied if Lilly's reaction on finding out had been anything to go by.

 

Sara... didn't have that. But she had something almost as good. She had Lis.

 

"Sara, listen to me." Lis hissed as the gunfire slowly petered out. A short sharp scream came from somewhere nearby but she ignored it as she held Sara's squirming form down. "I need you to focus. I need you to see the hall in your mind. See it dark. Sara. See it dark!" She pressed as she saw blue-white power leaking out of Sara's hands. Sara stared at her hands, terrified.

 

"Lis, what is happening to me!" Sara begged. Her tone small as the glow increased. "What did they do to me?" She begged.

 

"They didn't, Sara." Lis said quietly, still not moving as dark forms appeared all around. At least half a dozen forms in armor were moving, searching. But not red. Greens predominated. A few shots here and there heralded the end of whoever had been ambushed. "This is from you. From inside you. You are in control, Sara. You can do it." Lis wasn't so sure, but... she could help. She focused herself, seeing Sara struggling with the wash of power that erupted from her emotions. She eased herself into it. Pain erupted behind Lis' eyes, but she was no stranger to such. Sara needed her, so Lis held the girl the proper way to surf the flow of power instead of being swept away by it. "Be... as ... water." She turned Sara's head to the nearby stream. "Sara.. see the water. Don't fight the power within you. If you fight it, it will only grow stronger, the pressure within you. Let it flow... Like the water. That's it..." Lis breathed as Sara relaxed slowly. The glow... winked out. "That's it. Good girl." Lis said with a smile as she ruffled Sara's hair. But her other hand was on her Lex Prime.

 

"Um... Am I interrupting?" A human in armor stood nearby. A tall, rough man. Accustomed to battle and commanding battles from his looks. His blue-green armor looked vaguely Corpus. Not...quite. Or... not anymore. He had a pair of holsters on his hips and other weapons stuck in various places. A Prova that was more blueish green than normal Corpus issue hung from his hand. "Whoa!" He stepped back with empty hands upraised as Lis' Lex Prime came up to cover him. "A little appreciation might not be amiss here, Ma'am."

 

"If I knew who you were and could trust you, maybe." Lis said sourly. "Then again, you shot our contact. Mind telling me why you just shot Cantis? Considering I was supposed to meet Red Veil here, you shooting a woman in red armor who called herself Cantis does not inspire trust."

 

"Cantis?" The man asked then he laughed sourly. "This?" He kicked the still woman's corpse. "This ain't Cantis. She was way too nice to you to be Cantis." He shook his head. "Cantis would have just grabbed the girl and run. To hell with her feelings. Feelings are generally irrelevant to that crazy woman. Feelings can be fixed. Dead? Not so much."

 

"And I am supposed to believe you?" Lis demanded, her aim not wavering.

 

"You can believe anything you want, Ma'am. We ain't the Corpus. Not anymore anyway." The other said with a shrug. "Name's Zhon. Was told your name is Lis and she is Sara. We got here two hours ago and set up just as these imposters arrived." He shook his head. "Someone has been loose with the com protocols. Gonna be hell to pay. I don't want to be anywhere nearby when Cantis finds out who sold us out." He shuddered a little. "That girl's got a hell of a temper."

 

Lis dared a quick glance around. Several forms in greenish armor were pulling forms in red armor from cover, checking each and in one case, slitting a throat. They... didn't look like Corpus. Their weapons were a mix. Some Grineer tech. Some Corpus tech. One beefy male had a long polearm thing Lis had never seen before. None were aiming at her or Sara, but...

 

"So who were they?" Lis demanded. "I see red armor. I see green armor. I don't know you."

 

"Them? Another Corpus Black Ops team. Seem to be coming out of the woodwork. But... I think this is for you." Zhon dropped a small thing in the dust near Lis and stepped back. Lis stared at it. A tiny piece of plasfilm. On it, a familiar symbol was visible. A Lotus.

 

Lotus? Lis nearly begged. The response was immediate.

 

This situation is very complex, Tenno Lis. The voice of the Lotus was calm and serene as always. The man standing in front of you is a member of the Vandals. An offshoot of the Red Veil. Corpus renegades for the most part. He is what he seems. Tenno Lis, Sara... is she...? Now the Lotus sounded worried.

 

She is manifesting. Untrained, uncontrolled. Was it Lis' imagination that the Lotus inhaled in shock and worry? Had to be. I can help her. But... it won't be quick.

 

We have backup standing by as well as your warframe. The Lotus said quietly. Do what you must. But...those humans... are not cleared for such secrets.

 

They would not be able to handle them. Lis agreed. I will be in touch. She shook her head and slowly lowered her pistol. "Zhon?" She asked and the man nodded, his expression cautious. "Your bona fides check out. Now I need to ask you to leave."

 

"Leave?" The man asked, his expression humorous but... not. "Is that some kind of joke? You have some kind of direct access to the Lotus. She was glowing." Sara wilted under Lis and Lis shook her head. "I don't know what you are, but... There is no way in hell I am leaving you both here. If the Corpus don't get you, the Grineer will. We are not in the habit of handing our enemies powerful weapons. Doesn't work out so well for us in the long run, you see."

 

"You do not know what you are getting into." Lis said as she rose and held out a hand for Sara to pull herself up. "Frankly? You do not want to know."

 

"I have seen a lot that I don't want to know." Zhon said, crossing his arms. "My orders were to get here, make sure the area was secure and drop that off..." He nodded to the piece of plasfilm that was now slowly decaying as Lis watched. No evidence would remain. "No one said anything about you talking directly to the Lotus. Or her glowing."

 

"Don't push me, Vandal Zhon." Lis said quietly. "You will not like how that ends if you do."

 

"Do you have any idea what the others would do to me if I left someone who could talk directly to the Lotus to the Corpus? Or the Grineer?" The man actually shuddered. "It takes us hours to get through and none of us are ever sure our messages are received." Then he froze. Lis did as well. Sara stared down at her hands and gulped. They were glowing again. "And then... that." The man said dryly. He shook his head. "What is that? That is not showing upon any scanners. But my hackles are going up. Way up."

 

"That is because your hackles are smart." Lis said quietly. "Sara, sieza. Now." She indicated  a space near the statue and Sara sank into a kneeling posture gratefully. She focused on her breathing and the glow faded. It wouldn't last, Lis knew. The pressures were building, far, far faster than a normal person's -even a normal Tenno's- energy would. But then again, Sara was far, far from normal. Lis sighed. She didn't have time for arguing. "At least keep the clearing empty. Less chance of one of your people being disintegrated by a rogue wave of energy."

 

"Disintegrated...?" Zhon asked carefully, his eyes on Sara.

 

"Don't get any ideas." Lis said sharply. "She cannot control it. That is why I am here. To teach her how to. She is not a Warrior, Vandal Zhon. She is not like you or me. If you try to make her one, we will fight and you will die." No threat this. A promise.

 

"I have a dozen fighters with me." Zhon said, but he didn't sound as confident.

 

"Eighteen." Lis corrected absently. She had been counting human shaped shadows. Not all had moved, but all the ones she counted had weapon shapes sticking out. Zhon froze and Lis smiled. It was not a nice smile. "You are not the only predator here, Vandal Zhon. Do not push me. You will not like what happens."

 

"How the hell...?" Zhon asked, his hand moving towards his holsters. Lis did not move. "Most of my people haven't moved! Nothing human could have... seen...." He trailed off and went completely still as the shadows Lis could see all froze. "Oh S#&$..."

 

"No one ever said I was human." Lis said as she knelt in front of Sara. "Now... if you don't mind? I have a little girl to help." Part of her awareness was on the human who stood for a moment before retreating, his eyes on her. Most of it was on Sara who was quivering. Sara... Easy...

 

L... Lis...? Sara's mental voice was small and timid. I... I can't... I don't know what this is...

 

Tenno are energy, Sara. Lis said quietly. All things are. Organic or synthetic, sentient or non, it is all the same at the smallest possible level. Atoms spinning across tiny spaces leave energy in their wake. Humans see in such limited ways. They see with eyes that can only see a minute portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and think that what they see is all that exists. You know better. You have seen Healer Iriana work.

 

I... have. Sara said, calming. But she never glows! The girl protested.

 

You have never seen her glow. Lis corrected Sara who went still. That doesn't means she can't or doesn't. Tenno are energy, Sara. The physical form is a shell. A shell we can transcend with skill and patience. It is not easy. She said dryly.

 

Nothing worthwhile ever is. Sara said with a world weary wisdom that was far, far too old sounding to come from such a young girl. What do I do?

 

You need to choose, Sara. Lis said quietly. A Tenno child would have been trained from early on what to do and when. How to do it. Meditations help a great deal, but actual practice is needed as well. You cannot learn everything from a meditation just as you cannot learn everything from a book. You need to practice. And then... you need to choose.

 

Choose what? Sara nearly begged. I can... feel.. Help... Now she was begging as her form erupted in energy again.

 

Easy, Sara. Lis said as she pushed her own consciousness closer to Sara's. It won't hurt you. It can't. It is part of you. It is scary, I know. I was right here where we are when I saw it the first time. I am bit nicer than Leanna was about though. She chuckled a bit ruefully. I think I startled her.

 

Ya think?  Both Sara and Lis went still as a third form appeared nearby. The transparent white Banshee warframe knelt in seiza and shook her head. So bright and so clueless. I despaired a bunch of times about you, Lis.

 

Don't scare the kid, Leanna. Lis snapped. She is not your student.

 

No. The white Banshee said calmly. She is yours. Lis went still and the Banshee laughed sourly. Did you really think I just let you go? That I just ignored everything that happened? You were my chosen successor, Lis! I wasn't going to let that scum take you and destroy you to breed renegades for him!

 

You... Lis said slowly. You put the Void Key in my cell. Let me get to my warframe. Let me escape Nicholas. But... That... You couldn't do that! The Banshee did not reply, instead, she looked at Sara.

 

Child Sara, for child you are. Leanna's voice, for once, was tender. Your choice awaits you. Lis does know what she is talking about. When she gets her head out of the mud anyway.

 

Why thank you. Lis said in a tone that might have dried an ocean. I think that is the nicest thing you have ever said to me.

 

Would you have listened to gentle platitudes or harp music? The Banshee demanded and Sara snickered at Lis' gasp. Lis, I taught thousands of students. All were as stubborn as Tenno always have been. But you... you had the spark. Out of all of the students that Nikis taught, I was the only one he ever felt was right for a teacher. And now? I can tell you, that you are the only student I ever taught who I felt the same way about. Lis froze, choking on her instant retort and the Banshee nodded. It is a horrible burden and a wonderful joy. You will laugh and scream in equal measure, dear Lis. You will want to beat your head against the wall until your skull caves in and then... You will feel such joy when the light finally dawns and the student goes 'Oh... That way' and finally stops being stupid!

 

I... Lis swallowed. I...don't...

 

We will have time to talk. The white Banshee said quietly. For now? Sara needs help. She is your student. I will advise. No more. Lis stared at the Banshee and shook her head slowly. Leanna spoke more sharply. Get to it. You don't have all day. Lis shook herself and nodded.

 

Sara... Lis said quietly. Tenno are energy. You... are energy. The power within you is growing. But now? You have a choice. You do not have to make it now, this moment, but you will have to make it.

 

What choice? Sara asked, her tone soft and scared.

 

Sara, any craftsman, be they human or Tenno, from the dawn of time, has used his or her inner core of artistry to fulfill their craft. Lis said with a glance at the Banshee who nodded. A primitive hunter/gatherer knapping a flint knife is no different in that regard to a contemporary worker using nanotech to extract minerals from ore. To be good at what they do, they have to feel what they do. They have to... flow with what they do. Anyone can do it. But a true craftsman or crafts-woman?

 

I... Sara paused and then nodded a little. Yes. I have seen Iriana at work. She...feels. It is not just mechanics to her.

 

A very good example. Lis agreed. But to your choice. You can choose to use this power or not. Carefully. You have used it unconsciously. You teleported when you ran from me. Sara jerked and Lis nodded. You never realized, did you?

 

No. Sara said weakly. I didn't mean to.

 

I know. Lis said gently. Just as I didn't mean to use it to trap Karl under a ton of metal. Sara's eyes went huge and Lis chuckled ruefully. I had no idea I was manipulating magnetic fields. Just that I needed to move the metal.

 

You always were a little dense. The Banshee interjected and Lis glared at her. You were. Don't try and deny it. Sara had to chuckle at that.

 

Sara... Lis said quietly. I can dampen your power. Allow you to decide what to do and how. Give you the chance to decide. You don't want to be a Warrior and frankly... I don't want you to be one either. This life is not...

 

Whatever else she was going to say was cut off but a stunning impact that threw her aside and right out of her meditation. She stared down at the huge hole that gaped in her stomach. Then up at the Grineer Marines who were closing in on the clearing.

 

No... Not now!

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

 

((A BIG thank you to HappyApathy for letting me 'borrow' his character Zhon))

 

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Oh..... S#&$

Well at least Serene can't use a warframe. The apocalypse would come early if she could

 

Funny you should say that...

 

Remember when Iriana was talking about regenerating legs using that Infested technique that worked on her arm? She used it on Li, the Zephyr. She was going to try it on someone else. Did she?

 

Wait for it...

 

*wide evil grin*

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Spikey844

Spikey844

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Funny you should say that...

Remember when Iriana was talking about regenerating legs using that Infested technique that worked on her arm? She used it on Li, the Zephyr. She was going to try it on someone else. Did she?

Wait for it...

*wide evil grin*

For once, I actually feel sorry for the Grinner. Now if you will excuse me I'm going to hide in the deepest part of hell. I might survive the apocolypse there.

At least Serene doesn't have a custom made stroller made by Krogan. I shudder to think what might happen of she did.

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evafan002

evafan002

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Funny you should say that...

 

Remember when Iriana was talking about regenerating legs using that Infested technique that worked on her arm? She used it on Li, the Zephyr. She was going to try it on someone else. Did she?

 

Wait for it...

 

*wide evil grin*

You wouldn't.... IRIANA wouldn't let SERENE of all tenno out this soon after regrowing limbs.....  would she?

Edited by evafan002
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