Infested

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

" Be careful tenno I'm detecting a large bio mass heading your way" I hear as the liset drops me down, I can hear the infested's screeches in the distance. I take a moment to absorb myself into the scene. It's dark out, with heavy precipitation. That makes it difficult to see. I make sure the weapons I brought are in working condition before continuing. There's no use in having your shotgun jam when you try to shoot a grineer in the face. I grimace at the thought of having to face the infested. Sure they're not hard to fight, but the sights you see when the corpus or grineer fall victim to it. I start descending into the wreckage of what used to be a grineer ship. I use my lex to shoot open the cargo bay door, it opened easily. I keep one finger on the trigger as I open grineer lockers and storage crates, always keeping an ear out for the infested. I'm about to head to the next room, but I stop, hearing snarling behind the door. I holster the lex and grip the handle of my galatine. I also cast 'iron skin' just in case. You can never be too sure with infested. My mind goes numb with the thought I am alone, if I mess up here, a fellow tenno will have to cut me down, and that gives me goosebumps. I look up at my silent guardian, a sentinel called 'dethcube.' I smile knowing I have some assurance. Instances like this has always brought my nerves to the brink, but working alone is why I do it. I don't turn down the help if another tenno offers, but it's the thrill of the hunt, to be the apex predator sends my body into a frenzy. I take a second to collect my thoughts, and Steel my nerves. I crouch down and slowly inch forward, to the door. I silently pull my massive sword from my back, the fire from the blade almost blinding in the darkness. I hear the water pelt the grineer hull, the metallic pings getting stronger by the second. 'Has earth always been so stormy?' I think to myself as I open the door. The snarling stopped, and I freeze for a moment, 'was I detected?' The thought of being covered by writhing masses of infested bodies flooded my mind, I quickly shake them away as I fully enter the room. There wasn't much to see, besides a hole in the ceiling, exposing this room to the cruel weather of earth. I could see a feral kubrow snarling at another kubrow over a dead grineer corpse. I sigh, letting my breath out, I hadn't realized I held my breath. I charged in, dispatching the two quickly. I relax as I'm sure the infested are now running amok elsewhere. As soon as I relax...

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

This is the part where you guys add, keep the story going!

[ASZephyn]

...a voice floats from the darkness behind me.

"Couldn't you be a little... quieter?"

I turn around, and a Loki is crouched in the darkness, his black and red armour barely visible in the darkness of the storm. He appeared to have melted into the shadows, as I only noticed him again when he tapped me on the shoulder.

"You can't risk this much noise around this much Infestation. Have you seen what lies ahead?"

I shook my head, opting not to speak. A faint growl was heard, and the Loki's head snapped sideways. His arms came up and after a faint flash of energy, he vanished. A faint, metallic sound was heard, followed by a wet thud. The Loki reappeared beside him.

"Go ahead if you want to. I'm warning you though; that Lex is too loud. Stick to your Galatine, and try not to alert the entire damned swarm."

The Loki vanished again, and faint utterances of a "lack of finesse" was heard. I considered the Loki's words, and holstered my Lex and shotgun. I then unsheathed my Galatine, gripping it tightly, ready for anything. Taking a few deep breaths, I headed past the two Kubrow corpses and further into the base.

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

I thought about what the Loki said, and he was right, the lex and the shotgun would be too loud and probably have me assimilated before I knew what went wrong. So I decided to actually listen to him. The grineer ship didn't have much to offer, only broken glass tubes.

I left the ship ruins and continued along the brush. 'Damn this darkness' I growled. Fighting in the dark isn't really a strong point, even for us tenno. I slowly edged through the dark rainy forest, weary of the noises around me. It only took a few hundred feet from leaving the ship and I found the two kubrow dens. I also saw the glowing red eyes of the feral kubrows. I sighed, it was merciful what I was about to do. I slammed the sword into the dens, again and again, destroying the dens. I then turned my attention to the kubrows, killing them as well. After wards I looked through the dens, and to my pleasant surprise, I found an egg! Most tenno wouldn't know the struggle of having to search hundreds of dens, just to find no egg. I would've jumped for joy had it not been for a deep rustle and wood cracking in the brush behind me. I instinctively turned, holding the galatine in a defensive stance, with a grim resolve to make it off this planet with that egg. Then I wondered what happened to the Loki. He disappeared without much of a trace, his presence meant he must've gotten the same alert I did. That or he must've been here already when that ship crashed. I shook the thought away as I focused on the rustling.

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

Also thanks Adam, I thought this thread was being ignored :)

[ASZephyn]

Also thanks Adam, I thought this thread was being ignored :)

Lurk moar, it's never enough.

 

I was balanced effortlessly on the back fin of the crashed ship. From this vantage point, I could just pick out the Rhino from earlier, the flames wreathing his Galatine acting like a beacon in the darkness. I shook his head. Flames could be seen. Flames could be felt. Flames were so very... visible.

That was not to say I did not like flames, though. Why else would I join the Red Veil, other than to be part of the unfathomable bonfire that would scour corruption from the Origin System? I wore my Covert Sigil with pride, having edited it slightly so that it did not glow quite as much, but was still visible. While I liked flames, I preferred the silent treatment, sowing subterfuge and discord.

I watched as the Rhino whirled around, focussing his attention on something in the bushes. I frowned underneath his helmet. Drawing my Grinlok, I peered down the scope to see what was in the bush. I got my answer when the Rhino brought his Galatine down in a killing arch, bisecting the Charger that lurked in the bushes, the remains quickly burning up.

I decided I had seen enough, and I leapt from his perch, landing in a squat and rolling forward. Activating my invisibiliy, I drew my Reaper Prime, a weapon I had worked hard to get. I had my orders, and I would carry them out with precision- hives were on board the ship, and they must not be allowed to spread the corruption that was the Infestation. I took off running, navigating the metallic corridors of the Corpus-turned-Infested ship with speed and efficiency, crossing the cracks that had opened up in re-entry and bypassing pits of fire. Beautiful.

The Exalted contacted me, telling me that there were five hives aboard. A large number, but not too much of a challenged for one of the Revered. Deciding the clandestine approach was the most favourable, I stuck to the shadows as I made my way to the nearest hive.

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

I smiled, feeling the charger split effortlessly in half was so exhilarating. I made a large circle, that charger was the only one around. Climbing out of the small crater, I saw a second ship, it's large frame barely visible, only because lightning briefly illuminated the corpus ship in the distance was I able to see it. hearing infested in the distance, their screeches chilling even the more experienced of tenno. I held my galatine harder, hearing the infested getting closer. I saw the first few chargers break through the woods, with more piling out by the second. 'Great.' I thought, seeing their large numbers. I cracked my neck, before jumping off, for a moment, I was weightless. I watched them twist their grotesque shapes up to view me. I grinned as gravity took hold of me, I fell fast and hard holding the giant sword High, I fell directly on top of one. I slammed the sword down, causing the infested nearest to me to fall. I laughed swinging the sword back and forth, taking them out easily and in droves. I was about a mile from the corpus ship, so it would take me about 30 minutes to get there... I groaned, slamming the sword on a leaper. "I hope we can get this over with." I said, pulling an osprey out of the air and and crushed it under by foot as I headed to the corpus ship, unaware of the hives inside.

[ASZephyn]

Hives were disgusting masses of abominable filth that I despised with a passion. The fact that such corruption could take such a root and grow on cold steel was horrific to say the least. More horrific were the tumours that surrounded the hives. Fire was the solution. Fire was the cure. Alas, I possessed no fire, only the judgemental edge of my Reaper. It made a satisfying hiss as a cut through the air and cleaved into tumours. It felt good to be scouring corruption, and the thrill of the hunt only enticed me further. Soon, the Exalted was whispering in my ear, telling me that the hive was vunerable. I flipped into the air, bringing my Reaper down in a killing arc, watching as the two blades slid into the Infested flesh. The Exalted was soon whispering again, warning me of magnetic disturbances, but I knew to avoid them. The spheres were obvious and easy to bypass. Time could not be wasted. The sooner the hives were purged, the sooner the Veil could descend on this ship, and the Infested incursion ended before it could begin.

I heard a cacophoney of screeches and growls. Abnormal, since they did not sound like intimidating screams. They sounded more like...

Roll Call.

Someone had drawn the swarm away, and was attacking it directly. The swarm would react, and send all of its hosts towards the intruder and destroy them. I could not let a fellow Tenno fall to this corruption. Deciding to forego invisibility, I ran through the ship, following the sounds of screeching and the harsh report of claws on metal.

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

I hacked and slashed, stomped and burned my way to the ship. I swiped and killed 4 leapers.I saw another leaper try to get close, I kicked it away before twisting my body, slamming my sword on a crawler, then pushed the leaper away before stabbing it, and then ripped it in half. I saw a friendly unit heading my way on my hud, smiling as I made my way to the beacon.

[ASZephyn]

I was close. The shining blue dot on my map was drawing ever closer to the arrow representing me. I moved through the Infested horde, The Grinlok would be no good, too slow. The Reaper was too dangerous, since it required me getting close. No, I had just one choice, a dangerous one, but the lesser of three evils. The Pyrana would have to do.

Jumping onto the nearest wall and slinging myself into the air, I shifted my Reaper into my left hand and drew the Pyrana. The small shotgun chewed through the Infested, the rounds I used had been modded for maximum punch-through capabilities. Each shot destroyed limbs and slung burning shrapnel into the floor. The Infested screams intensified, filling the air with an unholy din. Just as my Pyrana cut through the horde, so did my Reaper, separating legs from torsos and putting the Infested out of their misery. I only stopped my short rampage when one burst from my Pyrana ricocheted off of the Iron Skin of the Rhino.

He looked at me. I looked at him.

"What did I say about being quiet?"

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

I laughed. "Sorry, they saw me. Idk how, I was a few-" I stopped talking to cleave a charger in half. "Few hundred feet up. Then they just started pouring out" I said

[ASZephyn]

"Never mind that now. They know we're here. There are two hives in that direction." I signalled to the Rhino. "You take those two. I'll take the two over here. Then it's alert complete, and book up on the Infested before you come out again. Stealth training may be helpful too."

I walked away, and as I moved out of earshot, I heard the Rhino say "Easy for you to say, since you can become invisible."

I laughed inwardly. That was an unfair advantage, but I made up for it in speed and fragility. He could hide behind his armour and Iron Slin all he wants. I will get there before him. I was not about to lose a race to a Rhino.

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

I panted, trying to keep up with a Loki was difficult. Vanguard helmet or not. I slid in the ship behind him, knowing full well he would be at the next part by the time I would get to the first part. I charged through a group of infested before stomping on a crawler. I started sprinting after the Loki, having caught my breath

[ASZephyn]

"There is an old Earth saying, coming from before the time of the Orokin, before the Old War. Would you like to hear it?"

I smiled underneath my helmet. This would probably infuriate the Rhino, trying to keep pace with his Vanguard helmet.

"Go... on..." He managed between pants.

I turned to face him, keeping speed, while running backwards.

"Too...fast...for...you."

With that, I set off at a full sprint, reaching the final hive in a short time, and cleaving through the tumourous masses, before plunging my Reaper into the hive and destroying the corruption. The Rhino ran into the room, unleashing his Rhino Stomp and shooting everything trapped in its disruptive field. He saw me standing on the ragged remains of the hive. I merely waved, before Switch Teleporting with him and setting off towards extraction. As I ran, I heard the mighty Roar, a sound of rage, rage that I had instigated. Laughing inwardly, I cleaved through the dregs of the Infestation as the power granted by the Roar wore off. There would be more corruption. The fire spreads. I am but a spark.

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

Firing a few lex shots after the Loki, I continued killing infested. ”fking show off." I muttered, shooting an infested in the face. I picked up some resources abs then took off after him. If he was done then I guess we were done here. ”ordis is extraction ready?” I said jogging for an open spot for extraction. I saw ordis pop up in my HUD saying ”of course, operator. "

[AutobotRaven]

"Loki, you truly are a one of a kind jerk."  An Ember Prime sat cross legged at the front of the corpus ship, Her black and blue paint mostly hid her except for the blue fiery plume atop her head.  

"you do realize that you and that rhino are on the same team correct, because if not im sure he could...educate you"

 

The prime stood as the loki stopped in his tracks and spun to face her. Her prime weapons gleamed in a flash of lightning, the loki knew that this tenno had spent possibly days in the void searching for these parts.

 

"you could improve your image with the other tenno if you didn't act like....you" she fluttered her hand in front of the loki 

[ASZephyn]

"Please, you know my disposition towards everything. Do I need to remind you?"

The Ember sighed.

""When it's not corruption, I do it for the lulz." Yes, I'm quite aware of your MO. Still, it makes you very... unlikable."

"Well, I am whatever you say I am. Whatever gets the job done. The ends justify the means. I do my job to the best of my abiliy, and it gets results. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have Corruption to purge. Mutalists are at it again, trying to flog on some bioweapon garbage. You know my opinions on this... filth."

"I won't keep you then. Just try not to royally tick someone off."

"You mistake me for some sort of scoundrel. Ordis?"

"Yes, Operator?"

"Jupiter, please. Set a course while I prepare. I'm going to need lots of fire for this one."

[AutobotRaven]

"try not to get swarmed Loki, wouldn't want you to end up getting mauled by a horde of chargers" The Ember called to the Loki's retreating figure as she sarcastically smirked under her helmet.

 

As soon as the loki left She leaned against the gaping hole in the ship and contemplated going into the disgusting infested ship to get the rhino when he stepped out of the ship covered in gore.  

[ASZephyn]

"I hope you haven't forgotton that inter-frame communication is still a thing. From my perspective, it's almost like you're hitting on me."

"Shut up. Do not make me burn you."

I sighed.

"I'l be fine. Too fast, remember?"

With that, I cut the connection, checking my weapons as Ordis plotted a route to the Elara Sector. I had been told that there were a large concentration of Mutalists hiding beneath the surface of Elara, and that I would have to exterminate them. Fire was a preferable weapon. The Lotus had also told me that there were Corpus there as well, but for unknown reasons.

I prepared accordingly. The Ignis would take out the Infested with ease. To deal with the Corpus, I took my Jat Kittag. That left me with a choice for secondaries. Shaking my head, I equipped my Dex Furis before lying down in the deployment chamber. I would be there soon.

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

Kicking off a few chargers, sending them through a door, I saw an ember prime leaning against a wall. Breathing heavy, I asked, "didn't know you were here as well, ms." I said, stabbing one to death.

[AutobotRaven]

The Ember shrugged as the rhino addressed her "i only just recently arrived and had a chat with that loki,"

She shook her head at the thought of the way he spoke to her and she bared her teeth under her helmet. 

"anyway, i came to retrieve an artifact that was on the corpus ship but when the infested began showing up on my radar, my mission changed"

She bounced a fireball between her hands before launching it behind the rhino burning four chargers to death.

"so what brings you down to the surface?" She spoke casually spinning her sicarus prime on her finger

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

Eyeing the sicarus prime, I listened to the sound of the rain before I made my answer. ”alert. To be honest I didn't expect any other tenno here in the first place.” I stood up straight before continuing "the lotus asked me to investigate the sudden appearance of the infested on earth. So far I've seen only grineer and corpus being assimilated." I toyed with my strun, "you know that Loki?" I asked, curiously

[ASZephyn]

Of all the Infested monstrosities, the Mutalists were among the worst. Second only to the mysterious Arcane Boiler and the behemoth Lephantis, the Mutalists were horrific shadows of former life.

And I hated them all the more for it.

I kept my distance, throwing subltely out the window, along with the contained atmosphere, watching as the deluded traders choked in the vacuum as my shields slowly diminshed. Hacking the nearest console, the shields came down and the atmosphere reasserted itself, the doors opening to a few irate Corpus and several Tar Moas. Shifting out of the visible spectrum, I pulled the Kittag from my back, swinging it in massive crushing arcs..

I made may way through the ship, venting rooms and eviscerating everything onboard. There would be nothing left. There must be no taint left. It must be purged. The Mutalists onboard, as well as the foolish Corpus who dared consider buying them did not deserve their twisted half-lives. I would end their misery.

I soon found the central room of the ship, where a large number of traders had gathered. Mutalists hung from the ceiling, swarms of contagion swirling around them. At the rotund in the centre of the room, a hologram of Alad V stood. My blood boiled. I had lost friends to his sick project. And now he stood flogging bioweapons to an unsuspecting audience.

"And I offer you- nngh- this: a squad of five Tar Mutalist Moas, perfectly adapted for slowing- prey. Bidding starts at five million credits."

Hands were raised and dropped as the price rose. I waited as the greedy men and women pit themselves against each other, all for a few disease-ridden creatures.

Taking my Ignis, I turned invisble and climbed to the ceiling and incinerated several Mutalists, the charred corpses dropping into the auction below. Heads turned as I dropped, slamming the Kittag into the ground, crushing several betters. Alad V looked at me.

"I misjudge you Tenno, time and time again. No sense. No desire for progress. How stagnant."

The remaining betters fled, leaving me and the Hologram.

"I will find you, Alad. You will suffer for this."

"Heh, not as much as you will suffer. Repent, I may let you join this empire yet."

"I would rather die."

The cruel smile faded from his face.

"Very well, Tenno."

The Hologram faded, and a tremor wracked the ship. Only now did I notice the strange shapes on the walls, the tumourous growths that were different from the rest. Several of them slid open, revealling cat-like irises. An unholy roar filled the air.

"Ordis."

"Operator?"

"Signal the Ember and Rhino. We have a serious problem."

 

[AutobotRaven]

"know him, no. i know his kind." She holstered her sidearm just as an emergency signal came in from the loki. Swearing in ancient Orokin she contacted her ship to get her to the loki's position.  She was half paying attention as she readied her ship. In moments her black, purple, and blue liset dropped from the clouds and she turned to the rhino "you wanna take your ship or ride with me?" She had to shout over the engines and could barly hear the rhino's answer.

[(PSN)akirayokoshima]

" I'll ride with you!" He could barely see the liset in the dark. He jumped in after her, "I wonder what's gotten the Loki to come crawling back, to ask me for assisstance?" I laughed, as the liset took off into the dark vacuum of space.