Eclips: Lips of fate

[AlexanderTF]

Gripping his helm Volt stood up to look at the figure hiding in the shadows. As he rose from the ground the shady figure disappeared, running to the debts of the jungle. The man stood looking at the jungles brush around them, he gazed around their position in full circle.

"You noticed it too."

Excalibur spoke as he stood near the trees across from Volt.

"Notice what?"

Ember asked as she heated the armor around her leg to help the muscle cure from the relocation.

"We're not alone here."

Frost whispered as he treated Nyx's wound while keeping his eyes on the jungle ahead of him.

"Did the ship catch up to us?"

"No, They would have been attacked by the wyrm as well."

Volt explained as he watched the brush move from time to time. With his helm in hand, he watched the jungle while the others were getting ready. An arrow flew at him, as it approached his shoulder, the dark haired man flung the helm up and knocked the arrow away. Only with swords at hand they were at a slight disadvantage, with half the team not able to fight. When the arrow he had knocked away sunk into the ground a noise came from behind him, the brush parted as a man with an axe at hand rushed at him. Volt leaned back avoiding the axe's edge and getting close up to the man as he spun smashing the helm into his face. With his back turned to the archer a second arrow approached him as it flew at the tennos back the projectile was quickly cut in half as Excalibur rushed in to help him. Volt gazed down at the figure that had the axe in hand. It was a young boy from a village on the planet. He must have gone hunting. Two other figures jumped from the bush's and attacked the tennos from the jungle nearest to Frost. The first one was quickly knocked to the ground as Ember shot her blade at his shoulder, the ice wielder quickly jumped from the ground holding himself up with the hands, he kicked the seconds hand and spun up jabbing him in the chest. As he stepped on the boy with embers blade in the shoulder and pulled it out, throwing it back to her. The child screamed in pain. Arrows continued to be fired from the brush as though someone was running. Excalibur leaded through the air, landing in the dense bush’s with his blade at a persons throat.

Once the attack was fended off, the three tennos rounded up the four attackers as Ember helped with Nyxs wound. While Frost and Volt tied up the three boys, Excalibur lead the fourth one from the bush’s, it was a young girl, with a bow at her side. Once she was tied as well Volt began to question them.

"Who are you, why did you attack us."

"Filthy sand pirates don’t deserve to enter the jungle."

One of the children growled.

"If they’re here, that means there’s a village nearby, probably a colony."

"You think they'll have a ship?"

Excalibur questioned Frosts insight.

"Why don't you kill us and get it over with, we wont tell you anything anyways."

The girl from the group spoke as she looked up at Volt.

"Why would we kill you, we just want to get off this rock."

"Those damned wyrm destroyed our ship, we were just trying to escape from a pursuit."

Ember spoke while heating the wound that was wrapped under bandages.

"You think we'll believe that!? Your probably here to raid our homes."

"Come on, you must have heard or seen the explosion, that was whatever remained of our ship."

Volt tried bringing the children to their senses. The girl looked at the two injured members of their team, with a pause she spoke.

"We did, we thought you came from the pirates above or the sand ones. We'll take you to the village."

"What!?"

The boys began to scream at her. At that point Excalibur remembered, he tapped Volt over the shoulder and patted Volt over the shoulder and pulled him aside.

"What happened to the artifact?"

"I couldn't get it in time, the explosion pushed me out of the ship, it must be somewhere nearby. You follow the kids to the village and take care of the other two, I'll try to find it."

Excalibur helped the girl up and told them to show the path. Frost picked up Nyx on his arms as Ember leaned on a branch along the way. The girl refused and told one of the boys to lead them to the village and tell the guards about what happened. She demanded to keep an eye on Volt to make sure he wouldn't go contacting the pirates.

"Very well, not like we can force you to do something."

While the group of four tennos made their way through the jungle with the three prisoners showing the path. Ember had her helm at the side so she could see without it. The injury was less extensive then before but she was still a long way off from being able to walk normally again. With them gone, Volt gathered his tools and made his way back to the wreckage. With the young archer behind him. Walking through the bush’s he approached the path made by the ship crashing into the ground. Gazing back at the distance they carved out quit the crater from the desert to the hill nearby. Following the path, the girl watched the devastation that was left carving up the forest. As they approached the hill the remains of the ship were devastated, the entrance was blocked by the broken plating. It was hard to believe that they managed to make it out of this carnage.

"You realy came down in this junk?"

"It was a lot better off before encountering those wyrms."

In the broken scrap of the entrance Volt noticed something familiar. It was his blade, it must have fallen loss after the explosion. As he pulled it out the tenno was in for a shock, his sword had been broken, the explosion must have shattered it. Now it was barely useful for picking teeth. After inspecting his once trusty blade he turned to the child and used what remained of it to cut the vines loss. The vines were the only thing around that they could use to tie the children up. As the growth fell to the ground, Volt pocketed the remains of his blade and returned to searching the wreckage.

"If your that fearful about pirates, keep an eye out for me, looks like our weapons were meshed up quit a bit."

Volt brushed away some of the plating and could finally climb aboard. As he entered the ship he found a few pistols on the floor, they were damaged and deformed from the blast. The controls of the ship were blocked away by the scrap in the wreckage. As he searched the cabinets that he could still open there were no remaining medical casings that were still intact. Only in the lower pantry he found a blaster that was still in working condition, but the ammo was utterly destroyed. But even without ammunition, the gun could prove useful. Placing it at his side the tenno continued to search the wreckage of the ship as far as he could reach, there weren’t a single cabinet that contained anything else of use. The casing with the artifact was also gone. As he climbed out the tenno watched the ground for anything that would seem like a damaged casing. Yet as he rose his eyes the girl was gone, he was alone in the field next to the wreckage.

"Great, now what?"

There was a hissing noise from the side, the girl was hiding behind the wreckage whispering to him.

"Quick hide."

"What?"

He looked at the carved out path leading to the wreckage, there was a long four legged beast with a snake like body, a blubbery build crawling out of the jungle.

[AlexanderTF]

The giant lizard hissed, sticking out its tong and waving it, tasting the air. The beast stared around the jungle before turning to Volt, who was just outside of the craft standing without his helm. The headpiece was still in his hand, the beast hissed a bit more before opening its jaws, a dark green liquid dripped from its lips, as it stepped towards him. Volt slowly lifted his helm to his chest and kept his eyes on the beast without blinking. The lizard rushed at him with its teeth out aiming for his waist. As the dark haired warrior rushed away, running to the side of the jungle, running from the ship and the girl. Pulling his helm over the hair and head, he jumped to the side rolling as the armor combined and the helm reconnected to the symbiotic system. Gripping the ground for traction he crouched several feet away from the beast. The lizard hissed as it stared at him, it scratched its nails into the ground as its drool fell upon the broken scrap metal beneath its jaw. The metal smoked as it quickly corroded and coated the ground. Volt noticed that the dirt did not dissolve as quickly. Quenching dirt in his hand he waited for the beast to charge at him. Once the creature became annoyed by this blue figure, it rushed jumping at him, with its jaws opened the creature leaped paws aiming the nails for his shoulders. Volt jumped up spinning and rotating his body, as he rose over the creatures nails, he flung the dirt into its fangs, tapping the head of the creature and rolling over it. As he kneeled there on the ground observing this beast, the creature shacked the sand from its eyes and spat out the grains coated in its saliva. Filled with anger the lizard charged after the tenno chasing him to the ship. Volt jumped up, running to the top of the wreckage, as he gripped the metal rod sticking out of the shattered frame, he pulled himself up and away from the beast as it slammed into the ship. The girl squealed as she was startled by the motion of the vessel that pushed her away to the ground. The beast noticed a sound and slowly climbed down walking to take a look what was behind the corner.

Volt slammed his elbow into the rod breaking it off and picked up a few metal remains as he jumped away from the ship landing on the ground away from the beast. The lizard noticed his movement and turned to chase the blue figure as it was still angry from its previous attack. The tenno continued to harass the beast flinging the small metal remains at it. The giant beast roared, scaring all the nearby wildlife, birds and all flying life fluttered away, a rush in the jungle came from the ground dwellers. The giant monster began to running at him, once more it jumped at the tenno as he leaped back, falling to the ground on his back. Volt kicked the lizard up above him, as he jumped to his feet. Jumping up with the metal rod he thruster it into the belly of the beast, the tenno spin kicked the creature to its back, as it lied there rolling around in pain, it hissed intensely. Volt stepped a bit closer to the monster and lifted his hand, as he stared at the creature, electricity sparked along his hand, leading to his fingers. He stamped his foot into the ground as he pointed the fingers at the rod sticking out of the beast, the electric charge from his fingers flowed into the tip of the rod and through its conductivity began to fry the giant beast from inside. As smoke rose from its skin slowly darkening from the heat, the creature soon grew silent and stopped moving, it remained there silent and motionless. Burnt to death from inside the monster that threatened them was now dead. As Volt returned to the child she was gazing over the edge of the ship.

"What are you?"

"Just a soldier."

"But you killed a Drakmor in a few minutes, without a scratch on you."

"Everything dies, in a jungle you eat or get eaten."

Volt spoke to her as he pulled out a small bag from the ship, it contained all the suplies he could salvage.

"Well the box isn't here, let’s get moving."

"What do you mean, what box?"

"I can't tell you that, now show me where that village is."

The tenno walked away as the girl jumped out of the wreckage and chased him to show the path through the jungle.

The other tennos were approaching the village as the boys called out to the scouts. They howled, within seconds a bird chirp sounded back to them, soon the village entrance appeared from beyond the brush as they were approaching the encampment. The tenno were quickly surrounded by guards from the village, armed with axes, swords and spears they stopped the group.

[AlexanderTF]

The village was near a cliff that the guards used as a fort, many scaffoldings were built into the surface of the rock as it extended up. Atop the mountain there was a complex similar to a castle, surrounded by steel walls it was the only metal structure in the habitat. The caves were carved into the rock as a colony was built beneath it. Though most of the people lived outside, huts were built of wood and leaves. The village guard dragged the tennos deep into the cave and pushed them into a cage which were the remains of an old vehicle. Trapped inside they were blamed for being pirates. The boys were dragged aside and released as they spoke with one of the men that had much different clothing from the rest. The man soon came to the prison and asked the prisoners.

"Where is my daughter, what did your colleague do to her?"

"We're trapped in a cage, not with them. Why not try asking your guards."

Frost raged out at the man questioning them as he was trying to get Nyxs bleeding to stop, during the walk it began to flare up. Without proper treatment, there was only so much the suit could do to keep her alive. He tried to slow the bleeding by using his frost ability to slow down the blood loss. Ember noticed this and quickly pushed him aside. Pressing her hand upon the wound she quickly heated the blood to the point that it became thick enough to hold the blood loss.

"Tell me where they are and we'll help your friend."

"If we knew where they were we'd tell you, but currently all we know is that they are still out there."

Excalibur explained as he leaned on the bars of the vehicle. Glancing at the blades that were confiscated from them he wondered how much it would take to get out of here without them, yet bad interaction could lead to bigger problems later. The man slammed the bars on the gate and walked away, as he walked away.

Volt pushed the branches aside as he dragged a dead stag on his shoulder, along their way back the child wanted to catch some meat, yet the dead lizard was not edible or good resource. The child was aiming at the animal, though Volt pulled out one of her arrows and sneaked in closer, before the stag could realize it, he was just behind it and with a slide spin he slammed the arrow into the neck and gripped the antlers dragging it to the ground. Once the animal was unconscious from blood loss he pulled it on to the shoulder and carried it along.

"You do know I could have shot it."

"Yeah, but we don’t have the time to track it till the animal bleeds out, aside that it would attract the carnivores."

The girl grew silent as she pouted. The two were getting closer to the village as the shadow of the cliff descended upon them. Volt noticed the big metal tip atop the mountain. The child quickly called out for her tribe, with a bird call. Within a few seconds a brushing of trees echoed through the jungle. A few guards came out of the woods, they were startled by the presence of a stranger with the girl, but she asked them to take the stag and once they had taken the animal off the tennos shoulder the men were off. They were having a hard time carrying the body as they pulled it through the bush’s, where as the tenno had little trouble with it. The girl walked ahead calling for him, as they turned around the trees, they were standing at the entrance of the village. The wall around it was built to mimic the jungle and so was covered with leaves. The girl lead Volt to a hut near the cave, it was decorated with several trophies and different weapons made of dead beasts, there were several paintings around. While the girl went to put away her bow, Volt observed the paintings, looking out through the window he wondered where the others were. As the tennos attention was drawn to the picture of a warrior, he noticed some similarities, the pose, the appearance it was all somewhat familiar. The brushing of the door to the hut caught him off guard as he turned to look, there stood a man, with a blade at his side and a spear in hand, he was the same one that interrogated the captives. He was shocked at the mans presence, gripping for his blade the two stood there in the room not turning their eyes away from one another.

[AlexanderTF]

Volt waited for a response from the man as he was armed, leaving a barehanded tenno at a slight disadvantage. The villager took little time before throwing the spear at him, as the dark haired tenno vaulted back to avoid the spear, it sank into the wooden floor, the man that attacked him drew his blade and rushed the blue figure. Volt jumped away from him and landed on his feet crouching near several weapons hanged upon the wall. As he reached for one of them to defend himself the villager charged him with the blade, blocking the attack with the sword that was at hand, Volt held the man at a standstill as the echoing clang of the two blades sounded through the village. The girl that lead him to the inhabitance soon rushed out of the room, seeing the two men clashing their blades the child soon pulled the villager away explaining the situation.

"Dad stop it, he’s our guest."

"Nonsense he’s and enemy, no one except the pirates come here."

"Their different, they don’t look anything like the pirates. He saved me from a Drakmor, he killed it by himself without a weapon. He even helped me bring a stag to the village."

The father slowly calmed down as he stared at the man before him. The tenno lowered the borrowed blade and stood before them without the slightest motion to turn away, even without being prepared he still wouldn't lower his guard. The man before the tenno gave in to his daughter’s words and agreed to listen.

"We are tennos, members of an order that protects the galaxy, or at least the parts we are able to control. Current incidence forced us to this event, as we wore chased down to the planet’s surface, yet after evading our pursuers, we were forced to pass through a Wyrm desert and our vessel was knocked out of the sky, we crashed in the jungle several clicks north from your village. We were ambushed by your daughter and her companions while they were hunting and also thought to be pirates. Hoping to find a different route off the planet we came to your village and apparently you know the rest."

Volt attempted to explain the situation as they were still standing in the room, with the fathers doubts it was easy to understand his concerns.

"So you’re not part of the pirates, my daughter may trust you but that doesn't mean I will."

The father walked away to pull the spear from the floor.

"He's always like that, being a chief takes its toll on him, he’s concerned about the safety of all in this small encampment of ours."

"I can relate to that, witch actually leaves me with a question. How did you know when the Drakmor would appear, and hide behind the wreckage?"

The child smirked at him and pulled out a small necklace, it was a small sphere cage with a bug inside it. The small insect was calmly sleeping in the sphere.

"We've adapted to avoid predators, using prey as a warning mechanism. When there’s a dangerous creature nearby it becomes stressed and starts to move around a lot, buzzing and running along the cage."

"Smart."

He remarked as he looked at the bug. The father grumped at him and placed his sword away. Volt let the blade he had borrowed on the wall, back on the tusks that it rested before. The father told him to sit and listen. As the man sat down crossing his legs, the girl took a seat on a bench in the side of the room. Volt sat down on his heels with his knees before him, placing his hands upon them.

"We are an isolated tribe living here for the past six hundred years, we adjusted to our ways of life and remain rather sensitive when it comes to outsiders."

"That is understandable, yet I noticed you have a colony city underground, why are you not using that city?"

"For an ofworlder you know much, yet little. On this planet our colonies were one of the main habitats over two hundreds of years ago, but ever since the Wyrm began populating the desert, they broke through the walls of the colonies and made it their nests. In fact there was a colony beyond the sand sea, one that was quite well populated by scientists and traders, it was also a target for the pirates from time to time but the city guard could use the canyon walls to defend the inhabitance. Yet the Wyrm broke the entrance of the colony from bellow and destroyed it from within, the city was lost and never heard of again."

"What about yours?"

"Well, we feared the attack and began building outside the colony, on the surface, yet as we feared the wyrm did make an attack upon the colony breaking through the underground, yet we couldn't force them away and so defended as far as we could before abandoning the city. Many of us had to leave the colony, it was more then twenty years ago. It took much longer for them to reach us, yet the damage was still the same."

The chief began to become depressed telling this story, as he turned to his daughter for a moment, the girl was saddened by the memory.

"Why didn't you attempt to contact the faction that the colony was built by?"

"This whole world was colonized by a trade faction, a country that had died during the last galactic war, calling for help would only had brought the graneers upon this world, and they would have killed us all as dying race. They were breaching this star system and taking the old mining facilities for themselves. The first planet was lucky enough to die from the sun, then to be exposed to the cruelty of the empire."

Volt stood up, back upon his feet and gazed at the wall, decorated with weapons. He stood there as the chief became confused by his appearance.

"Can I borrow one of them?"

"What for?!"

"A bit of cleansing..."

Volt stepped closer to the rack of weapons and pulled from it a pair of daggers made from dead Drakmor tusks.

[AlexanderTF]

Volt walked down the hall leading to the encaged tennos that were near the entrance to the colony. Excalibur noticed him as he was following the chief that held their swords.

"So we have a deal?"

"You clean out the colony, and we'll help you get off this planet."

Volt halted at the vehicle where his colleagues were, the guards were ordered to open the cage, only Excalibur and Ember were let out of the prison.

"Once your done inside, we'll let your friends go."

"Is this a joke!"

Frost yelled as he gripped the bars that held them inside, Excalibur looked at Volt and waited for some response.

"Don't worry, just make sure Nyx is ok till we get back. Then we'll get back to the ship."

"So what’s this about?"

Ember asked as she turned to the chief, he gave the blades to Volt and pointed to the entrance of the colony, which was covered with growth, only a small passage was cleared. It was leading to a small door, which was the only entrance to the colony. Volt went along with the others, entering through the passage. As they opened the door, before them was a long mining shaft, leading deep into the mountain. Volt was slightly puzzled as he turned back to look at the man that brought him here. After a deep breath the group went inside and descended into the darkness. Once the door behind them closed they were trapped in a blinding dark. Volt reached into his side pocket, where the gear was and pulled out the gun he had scavenged from the ship. Turning on the flashlight he noticed that the light was slightly blocked by broken glass shards in the gun. Turning around to the others, he was quickly slammed with a jab to the face. As he stood there with his face turned away from the others, Excalibur pulled his fist back, away from him.

"What the hell do you think your doing?"

"They need to trust us so I chose the safer way that avoided killing a village for no reason..."

"And that makes it your choice to risk our lives here, where are we even."

"In a wyrm nest, if we clear out this place they'll trust us and we'll be able to get out of here faster."

Volt explained to him as they stood there in the passage, he handed them the swords.

"The caves we dove into to escape the pursuers, they were wyrm nets, caverns dug by them."

"So you think by collapsing the passage we angered them by destroying their holes?"

"Precisely, if we manage to get rid of the hatchlings here we'll be able to get off this planet, but just in case, I plan to make sure they don’t come again."

Ember gazed at him with shock as they placed their blades back where they belonged.

"How?"

"If I'm right, then this planet was an experimentation facility, if some of the labs are still intact they might have a mild sample of a repellent formula. By increasing the amounts drastically we could clear out this nest without much danger."

"Then I guess we should get moving, but where’s your blade?"

"It broke in the crash, when the ship exploded, and the artifact was missing, it probably was expelled with the blast."

"Then I might still have something useful."

Ember intervened into their conversation as she pulled out a few cartridges from her bag, they were pistol ammo, just the perfect fit for his gun.

"These should help, since you’re not really well armed now."

"Yeah, these daggers aren’t bad, but in a proper fight they won’t be much of a help."

Volt took the ammunition from her and pouched it after slamming in a cartridge into the gun, his bullet count was low, with only enough for three reloads. The gun only held twenty four shots, if they were attacked by a swarm of the critters the ammo would be all gone in a second. But the pistol was the only remaining light source, and so they continued through the dark debts of the cavern.

Back at the Tunnel, the two tennos were still imprisoned, while the female slumbered, Frost could only gaze at the guards with distain. Through the corner of his eye, he saw a small figure sneak by the guards, with a quiver on the side and a bow on the back the figure sneaked into the passage after the other tennos.

[AlexanderTF]

Through the caverns the group of three continued forth to a solid hall, surrounded by iron and concrete. The passage of the colony was right before them, a half opened gate, several barricades surrounded the entrance, several vehicles with machine guns were stationed around it. Stepping passed the machines, they felt the pressed down metal under their feet, the shell casings of bullets fired from the guns. They were scattered along the floor, gathered in mountains near the vehicles. Excalibur jumped over a barricade, beneath his knee, there was a pile of rags, several carcasses of dead guards that dyed protecting the entrance.

"Looks like they really didn’t want to let something out."

He said as he brushed through the body, his fingers hit metal as he found the pistol of the dead body. Pulling it out, the gun was long out of batteries and dry of ammunition. Throwing it aside the tenno looked to the side, there were three more body’s, from the look of the dead corpses they were hit by acid. Volt shined his gun upon the vehicle nearest to the door, it was half melted and decomposed, the fluid had long dried up and ceased its devouring of the machine. As they gathered, a noise of metal falling on the stone floor echoed through the structure. As they turned around to look, Volt shined upon the machineguns and looked at the metal shells beneath them. The farthest vehicles shells were sliding down, as he looked closer there was a small rip of clothing seen behind the tracks of the machine.

Excalibur walked around the vehicle, with his blade in hand, he circled around it, while Volt and Ember walked around in a different direction, Excalibur jumped from behind the vehicle, with his blade pointed at the figure.

"Stop!"

Volt yelled at him, as he turned around the corner, it was the girl that they met in the jungle, the one that lead Volt to the village. She followed them inside to the colonies gates. Excalibur stepped back lowering his blade from the girls throat.

"What are you doing here?"

Ember asked as they all gathered to a group near the machine.

"Father told me to keep an eye on you, so you wouldn't escape or release the wyrm."

"Why didn't he just tell us before, we would have all entered at the same time?"

"Its not safe here, why would he risk sending his daughter after us, if a group of guards would have been just fine."

Volt intervened upon the twos conversation, as Ember was asking the girl.

"We need to keep moving, the pests could have heard us."

Volt turned to Excalibur after hearing his opinion, staying in one place was definitely unwise. After a quick agreement with the girl to stay out of their way if a fight would break out, the group continued to the gates. They were made of thick metal, and through the years had rusted due to being unused, the front gate on the left was wide open while the other was only slightly parted open. As Volt shined the light through the entrance, a swarm of bugs rustled away from the light, there was a big carcass of wyrm remains, the thick skin had crumbled in, and collapsed upon the void inside, devoured by the insects. As they entered the colony, the inner part of the gates were also eaten away by the acid, as they walked around the dead corpses they soon found their way into the colony. The dark massive cave, that was a city once, had fallen into utter darkness, Volt searched for any source of details to get some bearings. As they approached a small wall that he had found with the light, Volt noticed that it was the rim of a balcony, as he looked along the sides he saw the inside of the rim of this floor was a road, devastated by the collapse of the structure, unattended it was beginning to fall apart, as he looked down, the floors below were slightly tilted.

"Can you shoot an arrow?"

Ember asked the girl as she pulled off her bow, stretching the string she launched an arrow into the air. As Volt shined his light upon it, the flaming tenno shot a ball of fire and set it ablaze, as the wooden projectile descended through the dark, they saw the structure of the colony. It was oval lenses shaped structure, the colony was like a sphere with the top and bottom cut off. The lower floor that used to be a lake was now filled with sand from the cave in, the remains of the water were gone. While they watched the streets of the colony, Volt noticed a small sign on the wall, it was an old map, covered in dust, as he brushed it away he found the map holding several key details about the floor. There were three security posts around it, one was nearby close to the entrance, as he shined the light in the direction of the security post, he found that the building was destroyed. Returning to the map, the girl that followed them in was looking through it, brushing the dust away.

The map showed several stair cases within the colony, the elevators wouldn’t work so it was the best choice they had. The nearest staircase was on the southern side of the colony, they had just entered through the gate that was on the west most side of it. The other floors that were shown on the map were just the one above and the one bellow. There was little they could find useful there. Excalibur was looking through the caved in structure as he found that several machines in the buildings of the city were still working. He found that an old workers log was still functioning, when he activated it he found several diary records and a structure activity log describing the work that the men were doing here. Within it the deceased owner explained that they were transporting a shipment of cooling pods from the storage to the laboratory above on the 31st floor, as he described it the scientists had recently found a wyrm hatchling near the mining quarters and concerned with the attack on the Orialia colony, were researching the little thing to find a means to keep them at bay till a method to destroy them was found. After the log quickly died away from lack of energy it was at least clear where the tennos were to start their search. As he left the building the tennos regrouped to find the best course of action. Ember had found a sign near the entrance way that noted they were on the 24th floor, after Excalibur’s discovery of where the laboratory was they had to hurry before the giants found their way back into this building, yet without a light source, the child was a burden upon them as they had to use the stairs to move up. Volt had copied the map into his armor system and they had a set destination before them.

[AlexanderTF]

Following the path along the road, to the stairs, the team noticed several remains of wyrms upon the ground, crushed beneath the rocks or dead in the streets. The empty void echoed from time to time with their footsteps or the sound of crumbling walls. Once they reached the halls leading to the stairs, the group surveyed the area for any salvageable remains, while searching through the ruins of a security post, Volt found an old security armor with several padding and a working shield system installed in to the armor. It was lying on a box, as he pulled the suit aside, he found the box containing several explosives, they amounted to six, for the rest seemed to have been taken by the guards that perished in the battle. Taking the explosives with him, he also tossed the suit over his shoulder and returned to the stairs where the others had been gathering after their search. The girl investigated the interior of a devastated house nearby, inside she found several reminence of the people that lived there, aside several dead logs there were no useful remains, Ember searched the street, finding only a few bullets that were still working, as she searched through the remains of a guard, there was a shot gun with six rounds still in his posetion, taking the gun she checked if it was still working. While the others scavenged, Excalibur scouted the stairs. Once they entered they were faced with a ten floor drop, the staircases leading down, had collapsed and there was a massive hole left behind. The stairs leading up were still intact, but only for the next six floors, he did not rush ahead and couldn't confirm if it reaches the 31st floor or not. Volt gave the suit he had on his shoulder to the girl and told her to wear it for protection. While he shared the grenades with Excalibur and Ember, the girl went around the corner, into the structure that she searched before. The tennos were well armed and ready, Volt pocketed the bullets that Ember found, when the they heard a shriek from the ruins where the child was. Jumping to aid her, the tennos found that the child was corned by three hatchlings of the wyrm. Excalibur leaped up to the second floor and circled around, jumping from above, he stabbed the one farthest away from the girl and attracted their attention. Ember thrusted forth piercing the nearest one while Volt flung his dagger into the creatures head, sending it to Excalibur as it fell, who sliced it in one stroke. While Ember was trying to calm down the girl, the swordsman throw the dagger back at the blue coated tenno. As he turned back, Excalibur noticed a hole in the ground through which the critters were crawling out of.

"Go now!"

He yelled as he placed his blade upon his back. Ember quickly pulled the girl out of the structure and rushed for the stairs. Volt pulled his gun and waited for his teammate, Excalibur pulled out one of the grenades that he held at his side, the one that Volt gave him and threw it into the crowd of the wyrm who were bursting out through the pit. While they rushed out of there quickly the two dove behind the corner as the explosion sounded. Collapsing the ground it opened the hole wider yet killed a bunch of the critters, soon they began to crawl through the dead pushing them aside and chasing after the tennos. Following the only path remaining the team ran to the stairs, climbing them up, as they ran ember and the girl stepped on the flight of the stairs that began to crumble, they were near the floor that they were needed to go. The stairs began to break Ember stepped upon them. The stairs fell to the pit bellow, damaging the flights beneath them. Ember took the girl and threw her to the floor above, through the door. As the child landed she looked back as her savior was about to jump, she crumbled, falling to the ground, leaning against the wall, the injury had flared up. Excalibur was ahead of Volt and along his way, grabbed her into his arms, jumping to the door above, he leaped to the wall, running along it and leaping to the door above, as he gripped for the door, he pushed her in holding on the side of the entrance above the pit, he was losing grip as the child grabbed him and pulled the tenno inside. Volt ran following the stairs, the wyrm were catching up, the small little critters were faster then usual. As the tenno jumped to the door above, he turned back, one of the wyrm was leaping after him, aiming for his neck. The tenno quickly gripped the two grenades and slammed them into his jaw, the creature fell to the staircase bellow, as the tenno gripped for the door. He slammed into the lower part of the entrance and was dangling over the edge. Ember quickly grabbed his hand pulling him in, Excalibur and the child quickly rushed to aid them. As Volt pulled himself in, the wyrm with the grenades in his jaws, crunched on them and with the acid damaging the metal casings, the grenades were damaged, sparking an explosion that devastated the entire area, destroying the staircases and killing the wyrm around them, the rest plummeted to their doom down through the pit.

[AlexanderTF]

The team exited the hallway leading from the stairs, gazing around them self, aside the dust and darkness the entire structure was undestroyed, the floors beneath them, were only slightly damaged. The creatures nesting here must have never reached this floor. Perhaps there was a chance to find some aid to their fight against these monsters. Nearby the guard post was empty of any corpses and most of the equipment was gone, the guards must have rushed to the floors beneath to aid the others. Searching through the post, they found some equipment still working, the computer was still holding several records from the floors activities. It showed the floors map noting several deliveries to the lab a few weeks before the wyrm breached the walls of the colony. The guards were tightening security on the lowest floors, several attempts to evacuate the colony were made, prepares for life beyond the colony were made, till the last few days where the security noted that some of the colonists had formed into gangs of pirates and began stealing the technology and resources on the planet’s surface. While they were looking for more information the machine blinked before falling out of commission, the power charged out and it began to smelter from within. The years of dulling in the dust had made its mark on the machine, they now knew that there were still functioning equipment, yet they had to act with caution if they wanted to be sure that it wouldn't die before they had the material they seeked. Leaving the post the group separated as Excalibur and Ember walked along the ridge of the floor, keeping an eye on the wyrm bellow. Volt and the child walked along the street searching for the correct building, they knew that there was still a threat of the hatchlings nesting in the buildings near the walls of the colony.

Without any interruptions they soon reached the laboratory where the experimentation was done. The glass doors were shattered open, the glass on the floor inside it was clear evidence that there was something inside. As they gathered to the door, Excalibur stepped in first as he stepped on the glass crushing it beneath his feet, Volt searched the room behind the glass entrance for any motion. Slowly moving forth they made their way to the wall leading to the stairs near the elevator. As they gazed up the stairs Excalibur slid to the wall across the hall, jumping forth Volt shined the light it was a large insect feasting on the remains of a wyrm hatchling, as it rose its head for the light, it shrieked and jumped ahead, as it peered through the door. Excalibur’s blade came swinging down like a guillotine slicing it apart, Volt rose his head and stomped the still crawling bugs head. As it twitched, ember flung a fire ball at the bug, slightly shocked the group looked at her.

"What? I hate bugs."

She explained as an echo of screeching screams came from the staircase above, the rattling of more of them came down, as they gathered in the flight before the tennos, Volt released an electric blast frying a group of them before the others. Within several seconds the building once more grew silent as they began to progress through the stairs to the floors above. The building had only three floors, the silence clearly told them that there was no further intruders in the structure. As they entered the second floor, the broken remains of several electronic equipment were scattered on the floor, further on the other side of the room there was a sealed metal door. Excalibur and the thro girls took to the room ahead to search for any remains of the research, Volt continued to the floor above to make sure there was no other hostile entities in the building. As he climbed the flight of stairs, he began to see the ground of the room behind the door, there were several egg shells scattered over the hall.

Excalibur attempted to slice the door with his blade, yet it couldn't break through, Ember asked him to step aside so she could heat the metal plating. Once the door was glowing red, she stepped back and allowed him to slice it, cutting like butter he quickly broke the door as it shattered on the ground falling down. a few shards flew at the child, but as she covered from them the lack of any sensation amazed her as she saw the blue light surrounding her, the shield deflected them and pushed the shards away at the tables further away, it was destroyed by the shards.

"What just happened?"

"The energy shield deflected the projectile to protect the user wearing the suit."

The girl was at an awe as Ember explained to her.

"This is almost like the light protecting the pirates."

"Their probably using a similar model of the suit."

Excalibur answered to her as he stepped over the steaming remains of the door. The room inside was well secured and untouched by the critters. Ember followed inside as she noticed the light switch, she pushed it and the lights quickly flickered on.

"This room seems to have a separate energy core."

"That could be of use."

Excalibur replied to her statement, he looked through the pages on the tables as the child jumped over the broken door and approached a cabinet near the wall. Inside there were several vials of fluids stored within them. They were all intact and undamaged, Excalibur soon found that the repellent was indeed produced in this facility, yet it was not mentioned whether it was finished, the compound seemed to be in the final stages.

[AlexanderTF]

With less information then desired Excalibur began searching through the computers left in the room. The first files he found connecting to the research were the testing schedule, from the last fifty vials tested two proved positive results, and demanded further testing. During that time the girl was looking through the cabinets that were in the room. She found several machines that were still closed with contents in them, near the corner stood a big refrigerator with a dozen vials stored within it. While she looked through them there was a fluid named T-mutagen, its label named it as an extremely dangerous fluid used by a race in a reclusive part of the galaxy, known for their battle potentials. Next to it was a green vial, its label named it as the Ronin mutagen, a genetic alteration used by a hostile race of warmongers, selling swords for the highest bitter. Aside the information written on the vials the girl couldn't find anything else written down anywhere, the remaining casings held small cards containing additional information, yet the only two had the written labels on them. The girl soon called Ember to take a look at the storage unit. As she arived they storage of vials was slightly impressive.

"Found it, the two positive subjects are numbered 072X and 091Y, the final tests that were conducted showed them both having effects on the wyrm subjects."

"But witch one showed the best repulsive effect, if they simply show effects that could mean anything, even a growth spurt."

"That would explain the desert wyrm giants, yet the scientists last message was that the general barged in and took one of the vials from the scientists and rushed out, they didn't even have time to test the full effects, we need to find where they are in this room and we'll just have to test it ourselves. They should be labeled so maybe it won’t be that difficult."

Ember asked the girl to go look around somewhere else while she investigated the refrigerator. Without power most of the subjects inside were damaged, yet the two mutagens were somewhat strange. From the cabinet nearby she pulled out a casing for them and stored the two inside to avoid external damage as she placed them in her bag. The remaining vials were all with code sequencers that could be decoded with a scanner that should have been nearby. As she pried the other door open inside she found a dried corpse of a scientist hiding from the action outside, the poor guy dyed freezing to death, yet in his hands clenching the scanner she needed, carefully pulling it out of the dead mans fingers, Ember also noticed a rack of vials on the inside of the door, they all read the same coding, it was a third subject that the scientists were testing, this creature was an insect, possibly a predator of the planets wyrm population. Scanning them with the tool she found that the insect coupled be enhanced to devour the wyrm, a different vial proved that the test was made and a subject was used for mutational purpose, it must have been the first of those giant insects.

Excalibur searched through the machines on the opposite side of the room, they were all mostly empty or the vials were damaged, in the last one he found a group of testing substances that were used to see if the compounds were effective, they were almost completely decomposed. Three vials were in the last machine that he searched, they were all of the 091Y sequence but additional numbers were added, these must have been the final results of the tests. Yet the 072X was still nowhere to be found. Searching through the cabinets the girl found a small centrifuge that contained two 072X vials, yet with the final numberings the second one was missing.

"Over here, there’s two of them."

"And there were three in the other testing machines."

"Those aren’t the only ones, there’s a vial with both of the numberings on it here, yet there’s a separate sequence bellow it."

Ember spoke as she pulled a vial with both the 072X and 091Y codes on it, beneath it there was a different sequence, 003-Q.

"So there’s six of them, if one of the 072X is missing, that means it was the one that the guards used, yet it might be a steroid for them, but that one isn't even on the research data base."

"Then what is it?"

As they wondered what the vials contained, there was a noise from above of the glass breaking, as Excalibur rushed to the door to see what it was, he saw a dark shape fall from above. Ember pulled out a separate casing for the vials and stored them as the team rushed to the stairs and out the door. There was a giant bug twice the size of a tenno chopping its pincers trying to bite off Volts head, who was trapped beneath it.

[AlexanderTF]

A while back once the team split up and as Volt rose to the floor above. As he ventured alone, he entered the hall of the third floor littered with egg shells. There were little sings of any other aggressive life, as he searched the rooms on the left side of the wall, looking back from the stairs, he found some rooms crushed and ripped apart, they were built like a nest for insects. He heard the door crumble down below as he followed the path through the hall, the last room on the right side of the wall was crushed and crumbled from the roof. Volt shined around it, but couldn’t find anything inside, after no sight of any life he returned to the stairs, where he noticed the last door on the outer most part of the hall was crushed from the inside. He gazed back to look at all the rest, the other doors were all broken from the hall, inward. That room must have been the one where the insects came in through. Carefully he approached the entrance, as he stepped forth he could feel the shells of the eggs under his feet. Crushing them under his steps, he stopped for a moment as there was a rustling sound from the inside of the room. Carefully he glided along the wall, to the rim of the door, as he turned around the corner and pointed his gun, the light engulfed the room. There were several clusters of eggs in the corners of the room, they were all filled with insect eggs, in the middle of the room there lied several wyrm eggs, without any sight of an enemy, Volt stepped inside. Passing the clusters he took a closer look at the eggs in the middle of the room, they were still alive and preparing to hatch, but these weren’t the normal nesting grounds of these creatures, they were obviously brought here by the insect swarm as food for the larva that were to hatch soon, as he looked around the eggs there were several dead wyrm lying in the middle of the room, they were already hatching and probably caught by the insects. As Volt gazed around the room he heard a creaking noise, turning to the eggs he saw that the wyrm were hatching from them, as three of them began to crack and the wyrm broke through, the three hatchlings gazed upon Volt and let out a howling scream, it was like a whisper deep and sharp. While the wyrm were screaming there was a loud rustle in the wall of the room, as he flashed the light upon the source of the sound, there was a hole that broke open. A large giant beetle like bug shot charging at him, Volt instinctively drew his blades and prepared to block it as its giant pincers gripped around the blades edge he was pushed to the glass and with a burst of speed the insect forced the tenno through the glass descending down to the ground.

Volt was pressed underneath the creature as he tried to fight for his life blocking its jaws. The giant beetle crunched around the two daggers in his hands, while the tenno struggled to get the beast away from him. The remaining members of the group charged out through the front entrance as he was in a pinch under the beasts pinchers, the daggers were slightly cracking as he slammed his foot on the ground and kicked the beast over himself. Spinning with his hands he quickly got back to his feet. The other tennos quickly rushed to his side, after Ember left the bags to the child to guard.

"Those daggers ain't gonna last for long."

Excalibur told him as Volt threw them aside and pulled out the gun. Ember held the shot gun as she took point near Excalibur in the frontal assault. The giant beast screamed as it charged forth and spread its jaw. The insect was flying to the middle of the group as Volt and ember began firing upon its head, the insect turned away as it spread its wings and flew aside, the beast howled as it was preparing to charge again, Excalibur began to move forth as he faded to the darkness he disappeared from the beasts vision, Volt turned off the lights aiming for the beasts location, the creature charged forth as it dove through the darkness. The beast was shocked that the tennos vanished from their ground. A fire light underneath it as the beast shrieked in pain and jumped aside, Ember was lying on the ground with a flaming palm held up. As her flaming fist faded, the beast was fired from the side by Volt, he held Embers shot gun as it pierced the beasts wings the giant beetle spun its horn in pain attempting to knock him out. While the beast flung its horn Volt leaned back, allowing it to pass over head, the bug was shocked as a blade quickly descended slicing its horn off. The beasts blood spilled as it screamed in pain, jumping back the insect was once again light up by Embers flames as they engulfed the beast, it shrieked attempting to fly away, but Excalibur bolted at it with a flash of light cutting it apart as he knelt and slid underneath it with the blade forcing its path through it with all his weight. Volt threw his gun over the beetle and caught his own pistol, as it fell into his hand, the flash of light in his face blinded it as the bullets began to sink into its head, Ember also caught the shot gun that was in the air, after slicing the blade through the beast, she pointed it at the creature and pulled the trigger ripping it apart.

The tennos stepped back as the dead beast lied on the ground, they were finally safe, but there was a scream of a person from the lower floors. As they rushed to the balcony and shined the light down, the sand lake bellow was trampled on by a graneer marine as he barged out of a cave in the lower floor, he was running from something, when the sand began to move and he sunk down being devoured by hatchlings in the sand. Once the soldier disappeared the sand calmed down and a second marine rushed out of the hole, he was fleeing for his life as a giant sand wyrm jaw began to shoot from the cave, it shot out pushing a ship that was thrown aside and pulled the graneer up to the air, as the graneer screamed he fell into the beasts jaw and was eaten whole. The wyrm had a scar upon its side and was bleeding from its jaw, it was the one that destroyed the ship. The tennos rushed for cover pulling the girl away, it roared and began to search through the colony for a more satisfying meal.

[AlexanderTF]

Hiding in the shadows within the laboratories building, they prepared for a fight with the giant beast. Excalibur held a few energy impulse vials, passing them around the tennos. The team injected them into their arms recharging the energy sustaining the suits. As they exchanged equipment, everyone prepared injectors and Volt took up all the grenades while also taking the shotgun that Ember held. Armed with guns he was getting ready to take the fight from afar while the other two would attempt to take its attention away from him. The child was told to stay away from the fight while they tried to take the giant beast down.

The tennos sneaked out the back to avoid the glass so not to make sound and alert the giant. As they sneaked out the team spread out to catch the creature off guard. Volt stood alone as he took a deep breath and stepped forth to the balcony, he lifted the pistol with the flashlight attached to it and light up the lamp inside. The giant beast quickly turned to him and with its giant jaws opened wide screamed at the man holding the light. The blue tenno stood as the beast blew its lungs out upon him, gazing into the dark void of its through, he began rushing forth and blasting one shot after the other. As the bullets began to sink into the flesh of the beasts jaws, it drew back and lashed around the floor he was on. Swinging its head through the streets, the creature smashed the rocks and destroyed all the remains of the city in the floor. Volt rushed to the rim of the balcony jumping up to the air above, he rolled backwards in the air as the beast was sweeping at the ground beneath him, the tenno pulled the shotgun from his back and pulled the trigger aiming for the giant worms head, the metal from the bullet scattered piercing its thick hide. As the blood was rolling down its side, a bolt of light shot from the ground ahead of it, ascending from the floor below the light rose to the floor above smashing into it and sending rock and metal spikes raining down on the giant wyrm as it swiped through the streets. The creature shot back as it tried to shake away the metal spikes that stuck into its skin. The spikes were ripping lose when a red flaming figure appeared in the floor above, the flaming tenno leaped off the ridge of the balcony descending to the beasts injured and pierced head. As Ember slammed down on a spike, she engulfed the entire surface of the beast in flames melting the rock and heating the metal. The giant wyrm smashed its head to the balcony of the nearest floor shaking the figure off of itself. Before it could rise from the ruble the sword wielding tenno rushed across the beast’s surface slighting the creature’s skin and bolting away to where the flaming tenno landed. The beast quickly rose from the ground in pain as the blue tenno with the flashlight leaped at the giant worm, he smashed into the beasts skin puncturing it with the dagger he held in hand, reaching his hand out to the metal rods still piercing the beasts skin, he let out a bolt of lightning and began to shock the creatures inside, as the wyrm twitched from the pain he began shaking forcing the dagger loss, the tenno then pulled the dagger out and slapped them to the bottom of his feet and began running up the beasts skin puncturing with every step he took, as he reached the slash made by Excalibur, Volt pulled the grenades from his bag and slammed them into the creatures body, leaping back releasing the two daggers that were still slammed into its side. Once the explosion ruptured the beast and shredded the skin the sword wielding tenno jumped at the creatures wound puncturing his blade into the beasts flesh, the entire ground shattering force shuck through the beast puncturing and blasting through the other side, as acid began to shoot from its body he leaped back as Volt and Ember both shot at it, with electricity and fire the creature was roasted alive. The stench of burning flesh filled the colony as it began to slide down the walls lifeless and smelting. The tennos were relaxed once the beast was dead but now they were several floors bellow from where they had left the girl. Yet with the half destroyed colony there was a clear path back to where she was, even if it would take a while.

--------

The child hid from the giant beast while the tennos were fighting outside, she turned around the corner to see the tennos fight through the darkness in flashes of light she saw the beast twitch and jump back in pain. She began to realize that there was little reason to hide from the fight, since it would end soon. But as she set foot into the hall from her hiding spot there was a small screeching noise as the figure of three wyrm hatchlings came from the staircase. The child pulled her bow and slowly moved back to the entrance as she saw them come out to the hall. Shooting her arrow she missed through the darkness as the bolt hit the wall near the room where she was hiding before. Quickly grabbing a second arrow she pulled her bows string back aiming for the three critters before her. She shot the second bolt piercing one of the three in the neck, as it fell back the other two became more aggressive and charged at her, as they approached she jumped aside and pulled the third arrow, its tip hooked the quiver and the bolt dropped out as she aimed for the head of another wyrm, the bolt pierced it in the center pinning it to the floor. But as she stepped back she tripped over an old metal chair that was dropped in the middle of the room and fell to the ground, the case with the vials dropped out from the bag as she hit the floor, the suit was covered with glass as she crawled away from the last hatchling it jumped at her. Holding her bow up she tried to push the small critter away as it was trying to go for her throat. The hatchling quickly felt something and jumped back, running away. As the girl sat up she looked at the casing for the vials one of them was shattered and spilled over the floor, the small beast was covering away from it.

As the tennos arrived they saw the hatchling from the third floor shivering in the corner. As it looked at the tennos it quickly rushed to them and hid behind Volt. As Excalibur was about to slash it apart, Volt stopped him and looked at the girl.

"What happened?"

"One of the vials broke as it was attacking me."

"Witch one?"

The child brushed away the glass and pulled out a small label with the 091Y sequence on it.

"It was this one, one of the three."

Excalibur and Ember went to help the girl, while Volt inspected the small wyrm. The hatchling was attached to him, it didn't want to leave. It became clear immediately that the scientist managed to finish a repellent that scares them away. When ember brought forth the casings, inside there were still two 091Y vials, the third one of them was broken. As they opened the other two the small beast rushed away to the balcony in fear.

"Looks like these work as well."

Ember said as she placed them back, pulling out the other vials she asked if Volt could test them on the little thing. Taking them along he approached the hatchling and opened the two other vials with 072X they didn’t have much of an effect on the little beast, as it became clear it was steroid for them, this one had yet to take them so its addiction to such a thing was not yet developed. Closing and placing them away, he pulled the vial with the double sequence on it, as he opened it the little one was quickly attracted to him, as it effecting it in a strange way, Volt gave the vial to the hatchling to drink and it quickly began to tremble as it fell to the ground shaking, just from a small dose, the hatchling quickly rose as it was acting much less scared, it seemed as though it became emotionless. The little one stayed by Volts side as they returned to the group. The two vials of the fluid must work on the rest as they had little choice in getting a second batch. The group quickly began to search for a way down as the time to get rid of the beasts was getting closer.

[AlexanderTF]

Being a step closer to their goal the team began to descend through the floors. Using the motionless body of the giant wyrm, they made their way to the floor bellow. Once they reached the floor above the sand lake, they stopped, remembering the graneer that was eaten by the hatchling beneath the sand. The little one stayed at Volts side while they searched for a way to reach the cave, that was dug into the colony by the wyrm. Gazing through the dark with the flashlight they found a path still remaining from the lowest floor. It lead to the cave and the production facilities to the opposite side. Making their way to the cave first the team found several metal plating curved and painted. It was rolling back and forth disturbed by the battle that they had the plating was still slightly connected to something that was buried under the rocks. Leaving the strange device behind without intruding upon it, the team reached the cave and took every precaution to make sure there were no other surprises. The broken ship that was flung out by the beast still burned in the corner. Leaping over the ruble the group quickly found the passage used by the wyrm, taking the two vials they looked around, there was a massive fork up ahead, witch must have connected to the network of the sand wyrm. Excalibur took one of the vials and coated his blade with it, as he prepared to spread it around the rim of the cave. Volt borrowed Embers blade as he did the same, standing farther away from one another the two charged forth at each other, as they passed and began to run along the caverns walls. They reached the roof as they rushed by one another and circled the entire wall. The blades quickly went dry as the fluid coated the ground. After that was done, Excalibur took the second blade and after connecting them both at the hilt began to spin it around, spreading the repellents scent through the caves. Once the scent spread to the network an earth shattering roar echoed through it as the cavern around the colony began to collapse, the wyrm buried the passage and escaped away from the colony.

The hatchlings in the colony quickly began to react as they smelt the scent of the liquid spread along the caverns walls. They quickly burrowed out of the sand and rushed to the farthest corner of the colony running away to the facilities. Once the sword was returned to Ember the group returned to the colonies grounds, brushing the sand under their feet. The hatchlings were gone from the sand lake. Along the way to the factories hall, they stopped by the wrecked ship to inspect it, the markings were the same as the one that chased them through space. The graneers must have wised up to their presence in the sector. Hopefully the main ship with the others would be safe. Leaving the wreck they began to follow the hatchlings to the factory, threading forth through the dark halls.

_____

In the far reaches of the Graneer home system, a meeting was being held. Military leaders sat in the meeting room of the great leader, they waited for him to arrive, while sitting they gazed at the empty seats that were created by the accursed tenno. One of them lost his nerve and banged the table causing the loud banging sound to take the others attentions. Several of the leaders were taking part in the meeting through the intercom system, calling from a different end of space.

“How can we be the strongest race in the universe, if a bunch of pathetic sword wielding warriors are killing us off one by one.”

“I understand your concern…”

A deep and grim voice came from behind him, as he turned his head filled with fear. Behind him stood a bulky figure of an old graneer marine, he held a giant hammer in his hand, carrying it in his hand like a small blade. He walked around the table and pushed the chair aside, two guards that were in the room, quickly brought forth a thrown like chair from the room behind them. As soon as they placed the chair on the ground the giant soldier sat down on it and rose the hammer above the table placing it on its surface. Crossing his fingers after placing the elbows on the table he gazed at the leaders that were present and spoke in a deep looming voice.

“These, tennos have been thinning our ranks quit a bit. Yet our plan is still moving accordingly, the professor has assured me that the Order will fall soon enough. But for the time being we will continue as it is.”

“What!? The tennos have assassinated almost a quarter of our leaders. How can we simply brush this as…”

The leader was quickly silence as the hammer crushed his head upon impact. The remaining warlords turned to the great master as they were shocked, the marine was leading his chin upon the back of his left hand as the right was stretched out. He closed the few smallest fingers and the hammer began to shiver and breaking loss from the corpses head it flew back to the leaders hand. The two guards picked up the dead body and dragged it out of the room.

“And so our ranks falls even further, are there any other objections to my decision?”

The room fell silent as the remaining warlords bowed and waited for him to speak. The bulky marine placed the hammer at his side and released it to fall upon the floor. As It slammed the ground the metal beneath it bent and crackled. As the massive beast of a weapon hit the floor the captains understood that the meeting was over and left the master alone. Once the room was cleared a shadow stepped out from the corner and gazed at the soldier sitting upon a thrown.

“Those cretins barely equivalent to foot soldier. Shadrin, send out the stalkers, I want those tennos that blew my mining facility apart dead, before the professors ready to begin the attack.”

The shady figure bowed to him and said.

“As you wish Grand master.”

Leaving the room he disappeared back into the shadows, while the bulky figure remained seated with a gruesome smile, he gazed at the documented files upon the computer before him, it read “Eclips” sighed by a professor named Tebious Mouls. He laughed while thinking of the spoils that this new war will bring.

[AlexanderTF]

As the light peered through the shadows and pushed away the darkness of the underground colonies hall's, the group stepped forth to the facilities buried beneath the ground. The halls were tinted in red and black crusty splatters. The doors to the rooms around were ether broken or melted through. Volt shined the light upon the doors one by one looking through the rooms for any living wyrm. This slaughter and genocide was the only solution to protect the village and grant them freedom to return to there long lost home. Most of the warehouses were abandoned and empty, yet they continued through the path way in search of the hatchlings that fled away. Soon they approached a large door, opened and leading to a room on the farthest corner of the colony. When they shined the light the small hatchlings were hiding behind several crates that still stood within it. It was clear that the little ones posed no threat, yet if only there were a way to rid them of the colony without shedding their blood. While they stood there for a while gazing at the small cowering creatures, they soon found a solution, the metal crates that stood in the room, was exactly what they needed. If all would go well they could take these hatchlings to the edge of the desert and be rid of them once and for all. Yet when they tried opening the crates they found it much more troublesome then they thought. Whatever was inside was actually welded shut, whatever was within these containers, was sealed to remain there for as long as possible, for ever if it would be able. Looking around the surface of the container Volt noticed a symbol that he knew well. It was a Corpus marking, it was the military research division, one of the most cruel pieces of the Corpus group.

"Why would this be here?"

He asked as he brushed aside the dust from a control panel that was used to operate the containers door. The door was welded up and unable to open, while he looked at the panel there were two keys on it that were destroyed by flames.

"You know what it is?"

"No, not exactly, I do know where it is from. This is Corps technology, experimental at that."

He answered Excalibur’s question while looking at the two box’s.

"Why would Corpus prototypes be here?"

Ember asked while approaching the second crate, it was still in its original condition. As she brushed the dust from the controls.

"My father said that long ago, the Corps were our allies, until the Great wars broke out and they began to destroy their allies as well as enemies. Once our home world fell we were nothing more then the remains of the Nation we once were. This must have arrived before our capital fell."

"Then there could be anything inside."

While Ember was brushing the dust aside, she accidently pressed a few buttons, it didn’t appear to do anything. But then the door to the crate popped open, the dust from the door began to fill the room, the air from the room was sucked into the interior of the crate. The girl coughed as her lungs were exposed to dust, she stepped back to avoid the cloud while the tennos watched the container open. As the door fell to the ground, it banged echoing through the halls and colony. Inside was a large oval machine that looked almost like a giant egg. As the dust began to settle the machine moved, as the surface began to separate and two thick bulky legs stepped on the ground. Not knowing what to expect the tennos quickly jumped back pulling their blades and guns. The machine stepped out of the crate and from within the egg's shelled interior, pulled out two heavy arms that reached to the ground. Watching from the side this machine looked almost like a guerilla. It slammed the ground with its hands letting out a horrible scratch that shook fear into its enemies.

The tennos stood in wait for its move, but before the machine attacked them, it jumped back, behind the crates to the hatchlings and began pounding on them crushing the little critters one by one. As its rage withered it began ripping the second crate apart and revealed a second machine that looked exactly the same. Yet it was already missing an arm slashed a bit and banged up, it was also burnet up to a scorching remain. In a way this pattern of flames that scorched resembled a serpent, wrapping around its prey. After picking on the corpses knocking it around the machine turned its attention to the four standing before it in the room. The tennos were still on their guard and stood there motionless. Yet the girl was stiff and looked at this creature with fear, as she slowly stepped back, the beast turned to her. Stopping in the middle of the room she didn’t move a muscle until a shivering and tingling sensation rose along the rim of her nose. She pulled back and sneezed as the dust spread through the room, she brushed the air away to see the machine leaping at her.

As the creature was about to land Excalibur rushed into it slamming it aside as he tried to cut the armor of the beast. It fell to the ground sliding on its two feet while brushing the fist of its hand along the ground. The dust separated and rose up as it roared. The group took off running as Excalibur grabbed the girl. The shielded suit she was wearing would not be able to protect her from a beast like this. While the others ran down the hall, Volt attempted to hold the beast away form the others for a bit while they could reach the end of the hall. The machine jumped forth chasing after the rest of the group ignoring the blue tenno. As it was rushing to the door he leaped in front of it and shot a bullet at what appeared to be its head. The beast swung its fist to the side knocking the tenno against the wall and continued to chase after them. Volts little wyrm spat acid at the creatures leg. As soon as the foot reached ground the machine lost its footing and slipped forth falling to the ground.

Volt awoke from his wounds, as he lifted his head, he saw the gorilla like machine leaping at the small wyrm that was spitting acid in its face. The beast slammed its knuckle into the little critter sending him to the wall behind the containers. Bursting to his feet Volt slid along the dusty floor, sending a wave of dust rising behind him, as he stopped gripping the ground the little wounded wyrm fell into his lap. Gripping for his gun Volt shot out the last few bullets that were still loaded inside at the beast that was in mid flight attempting to slam him. Jumping to the side the dust followed the current that he had created as the blue tenno bursted in a flash of light running down the hall.

The gorilla stood back to its feet and turned around to see the dust twirling in the air as the light brushed along the hall. It rose up on two legs and bashed its chest screaming as it gave chase after them. As they were approaching the end of the hall, the machine was about to pass through the passage as a red glowing figure jumped out from the corned, behind the gateway, pointing the shot gun at it the tenno pulled the trigger as a giant red blast knocked the beast back. The machine soon got back on its feet and jumped out of the hall roaring in full force, as Volt gave the small hatchling to the girl to protect, he joined the fight reloading his gun. Both Excalibur and Ember jumped at it trying to slash it apart. But the thick and dense armor only cracked as the creature leaned back on its legs and thrusted his hands out twisting them and knocking the tennos back. Volt began opening fire on the machine as it quickly turned to him, it jumped up, thrusting its fist down where the gunning tenno stood. Volt jumped up rolling back as he touched the sandy ground rolling back, the beast slammed its fist into the sandy lake and sent a wave of sand up in front of it. Blocking the tennos site the beast jumped forth aiming at the tenno. Volt leaped up jumping over the beast and shooting at the back of its head. As It stopped in the middle of the sandy lake, watching the blue tenno flashing the light at him, the beast did not notice the sword wielder, Excalibur descending from above, as he thrusted the blade into the sand next to the creature, the shockwave threw it up as Ember was standing nearby shooting another round at the beast. As it fell to the ground the shot guns ammo was gone. Throwing the gun aside she drew her blade and prepared to fight it in close combat together with Excalibur. The beast stood back up as it looked at the three figures surrounding it, the two sword wielders were ready to fight back as the gunner was aiming for the creatures head. The beast leaned back as it began to pound its chest and pulled his hands aside, the plating upon its chest separated and revealed six rockets fixated within it. As it roared the gorilla began shooting the rockets, launching them one after the other. The projectiles began to fly at the tennos as they chased them. The rockets were following them where ever they went, rushing along the wall, Volt managed to leap up and jump back away from the surface as the rockets following him exploded collapsing the wall. Turning back he began shooting the other projectiles chasing his comrades, destroying one that was chasing Ember. While the other two rushed at each other slashing down two of the rocket, they leaped back to avoid the explosion as the remains of the missiles were destroyed. The final one chasing Excalibur continued to follow him as he rushed for the giant dead wyrm and ran to the floors above. Ember and Volt continued to hold of the machine, as the opening on its chest was its weakest point it began to struggle to hold its ground and stepped back. The beast crossed its arms to defend against the attacks from both of the tennos. When Volt began reloading his gun the machine pushed the flaming red tenno back, as it closed the armor plating’s upon its chest.

The two tennos were facing off with the beast as they were struggling to escape its attacks. Excalibur was rushing along the walls of the colony, struggling to keep ahead of the missile chasing him. He finally reached the streets of the upper floors as he ran through the streets to the rim of the balcony leaping up. The missile was about to catch up as he twisted in the air slicing one of its fins and changed its projectile the rocket was knocked up to the roof smashing into it and exploding, forcing the ground above the colony to collide inward. As soon as the others noticed this, Volt rushed in close to the machine kicking it in the side to gets the beasts attention, as it swung the fist at Volt, he grabbed the arm and flung it in the air. While Ember leaped to his back and kicked off leaping to the air and slamming it in the side, sending the mechanical beast bashing to the middle of the sandy lake. Where the ruble falling from above crushed it underneath itself. The creature thrusted its arm out digging up, as it climbed out, Excalibur descended upon its head thrusting the blade into the creatures brain and ripping out the CPU, leaving it to fall to its death. As the group gathered before the dead beast, the light from the hole made by the missile came shinning in.

"Well, at least you now have a chmney."

Volt laughed as he gazed at the welcomed light from the sky above, it was turning red and time was drawing to a close as the tennos began to climb out of the colonies depths. The girl was assisted by Ember as she helped her get up to the higher reaches. While Excalibur was behind making sure no one would fall. Volt was in front as he held the small hatchling in his arms climbing out of this blasted pit. Once they reached the Entrance of the colony they were greeted by the village chief and several of his guards.

[AlexanderTF]

As they reached the gate with the guards and chief waiting for them, a harsh welcome shacked the colonies silence.

"I allow you a chance to prove yourselves, and you endanger the life of my one and only daughter!"

"Dad, Its nothing like that."

"Silence, you’re as much at fault of this as they are. Who gave you permission to follow them!"

Volt ignored the group and walked right passed them.

"Where do you think you’re going?!"

"You have your hole to hide in, we're leaving."

"No your not!"

The chief screamed as he pulled a blaster from within his robe, concealing it under the clothing he carried it as a last resort.

"I know who you guys are. Your tennos, subjects of the Order that sees itself as the true rightiouse guards of peace in this galaxy, yet all you do is kill."

The blue tenno stopped in his tracks and turned his head to the side to see the chiefs gun slashed apart by Excalibur’s blade, the tennos carried on to leave this pit that they bled in. Ember followed them, as they walked by the guards from the village drew back in fear, neither of them wished to dye in that pit. The chief growled as he looked back at the colony illuminated by the light from the sky above.

"Get started on rebuilding this place..."

He grumbled as he followed the warriors out of the colony with his daughter. Once they returned he ordered her to take off those cloths and burn them.

"Why, this suit protected me from the dangers down there."

"You don’t know what that thing is, we avoid technology so the cursed pirates would never find us. Now destroy that suit at once!"

The tennos attempted to stabilize the wyrms life as the others were released from the cell, Nyx was back on her feet and Frost was angrier then ever.

"What happened down there?"

"Its best to forget what has passed and stop dwelling on our wounds."

Excalibur quoted a writer from a philosophical book about war that he read ages ago, knowing the words by heart, one could feel the emotion in his voice.

"Would you at least tell me why we're saving that thing."

"That thing just saved all of our lives, if he would not have done what it did, you would probably be killed by the guards and we would have rotted in that pit."

Volt spoke as he was finishing the treatment. Once the wyrm was stable, the group was preparing to leave when Ember saw the young girl rush out of the village. Pulling Excalibur aside they gave chase after her.

____

On the edge of the desert three sand gliders were flying through the air, piloted by men with sophisticated weapon, one was wielding a Bareton X209, another was holding a plasma blade. The third was carrying a sniper rifle on his back. As they approached the jungle they noticed the smoke rising from the mountain, from the explosion caused by the tennos. The assault rifle holding man laughed as he gazed upon the clouds gathering above the mountain. He gripped a small device in his palm and gazed at the beeping lights upon it.

"Call the crew boys, looks like we'll be feasting tonight."

[a little short and hecktik for the lack of time, be back a bit later with a nice end to the planet...]

[AlexanderTF]

Through the vast desert sea, brushing through the sandy surface, glided a ship pushed by a pulse engine at its back. Forcing its way out of the canyon it approached the jungle with full speed. The crew were thieving bandits living off the pilfered remains of the survivors of the planet. Casting the ships shadow over the brush covering the jungle they hit the oasis shore as they rammed the ship into the trees near the massive cut through the flora by the tenno vessel crash. Jumping from the deck to the ground below the men were armed with plasma rifles and bolt assault machine guns. Most of their weaponry was dated from the last Galactic war several hundred years ago. The gang of bandits made their way along the broken through path left by the crash, as they reached the remains they saw the dead body of the giant lizard charred from within with the metal rod stabbed through its corpse. It was being devoured by the other lizards in the area. Once the creatures noticed the approaching groups they quickly rushed back to the jungle, there were tens of them armed from ears to bones.

"So what do you make of it, first mate?"

"By the looks of it, I'd say graneer from the Sol system. I doubt that they would have left anything if they survived."

"You hear that boys! We have a few marines on the planet. Find them and bring them here, I want everything they got. And burn the village to the ground!"

All the armed men screamed with joy as they spread out through the jungle searching for the survivor.

"Are you really sure this is a good idea, I don’t like it captain."

"Who cares if you like it, its all about who wants it."

Spoke the leader that remained behind, the first mate was a thin tall man with dark hair, he was old and fragile. He was one of the few scientists on the planet. The captain wore a long heavy coat on his shoulders, with long black hair falling on his back, a beard of thick black hair and a curved hat with a long red feather in it. He laughed as he pulled the rod from the corpse of the lizard, ripping its flesh from within, he pulled the meat closer to his face and sniffed it with delight sinking his teeth into the blood coated meat as he ripped it apart.

_____

The tennos were finishing to pack up all the stuff they had brought, Nyx could walk again but she needed Frosts help to move around. Volt placed the wyrm in a basket and hung it down his shoulder as they were getting set to leave the village. The chief was still complaining about their presence, he refused to trust them any longer. Frost and Nyx took ahead to the southern gates of the village, Volt halted for a moment and looked around for his Ember and Excalibur, they were nowhere to be seen. He pressed the side of his helmet and searched for then through the sensor built into the suit. Passing through the sequences he found them outside the village in the Northern side of the village, as the shadow of the mountain casted away from the village it was in full view of the setting sun. He brushed though the remaining few frequencies and noticed a whole swarm of signals of hostile forces, that were transmitting from technological tools. Gazing through the village he couldn't see any machines or technologically advanced weapons anywhere. As he gazed to the setting sun there was a small image, like a fly coming down from the star, lifting his hand to block the suns light he noticed something strange about it. As the thing came closer he finally realized it was a hover bike, with two armed men on it. Quickly gazing back at the sensor he had observed it showed the entire village surrounded by them.

Two grenades were flung over the walls rolling to the center of the village, as they halted the small canisters popped out a pad, showing a number sequence before exploding. The earth trembling explosion was followed by screams as the pirates charged into the village. The guards and warriors quickly took to defend their homes. The explosion detonated killing a few of the villagers as they were passing by or stepped closer to take a look. Hearing the noise, Frost took to the nearest hut to hide Nyx from any danger, as he placed her in the safety of the construct he took to the village to get Volt. During that time he pushed the basket with the wyrm under the floor of the nearest house and took to the fight. He was stopped by Frost who demanded that they left the village behind to their own ordeals.

"Are you insane, we can’t leave them to die."

"We can’t protect them, they aren’t worth our protection, they threw us out and endangered us."

"Still, your gonna run from people killing others? We are tenno and we are the order, we fight for what is right."

While they were talking a pirate attacked them with a rifle shooting at the two, leaning back they avoided the shot and Volt stretched his arm out shocking the bandit to his death. Frost noticed the other attacking them and flicked his wrist freezing him solid, as the soldiers of the village smashed a mace in the pirates skull shattering him to pieces. Volt gripped the nearest pirate holding a plasma blade and forced his hand, twisting it and slicing his head off. Pulling the blade from his grip, the tenno took forth slicing the nearest bandit one after another. Spilling their blood over his armor and the ground. Frost grumped as he was assaulted by one of the bandits holding a shot gun, avoiding the bullets he slammed his fist into the man’s head shattering his skull.

______

Farther away from the village ember approached the girl asking what was wrong. She then explained to her that her father was acting harshly and irrationally. As they talked Excalibur gazed along the brush, he noticed movement, stepping back for the shadows behind him, he disappeared from the light. The bandits approaching them were slowly surrounding the two, as they were about to jump them a blade thrusted through their sides piercing them, as the remaining ones gazed at their falling allies they saw a streak of light brush at them slicing their arms and head off. As the others jumped from the bush's to attack the two girls, Ember twitched her fingers and burnt the first ones before Excalibur’s blade went through the back of a screaming pirates head, piercing straight through his throat and out of his mouth the blade spun and sliced the head apart as the other bandits stepped back. Embers blade quickly thrusted them from behind stabbing them in one line. Falling dead to the ground the pirates bled out as an explosion sounded from the village, The girl gazed at the smoke coming from her home and started running to it after grabbing one of the dead soldiers guns. Watching her rush ahead the two tennos took the weapons of the dead bandits and soon followed her back to the encampment.

[AlexanderTF]

During the pirates attack, their leader took forth to the top of the mountain leaving the old man bellow. Surrounding the village from all sides he rose along the cliff side with the floaters to where the massive hole in the ground was leading to the colony. As he gazed into it a joyful smile came over his face, a new colony uncovered just right for the picking.

The tennos were pushing back the gang of bandits, but at a price as the villages guards fell one by one, victims of the attack. The chief bearing a long blade swung down upon them slighting ones throat as he fell bleeding, the guns bullets hit several other bandits in the back as they were holding down the guards. With a shallow breath he looked around the village and noticed the figures above the mountain flying to the village as they dove down. Rushing to the scaffolding he made his way up.

Excalibur leaped to the wall following along it and slicing down every rope and bandit, leaving them to fall to their doom. Ember followed the child back and aided the defense burning the attackers down one by one. While she fought back, shooting the attackers, there were gunshots from the other end of the village where Nyx was hiding with her wounds. In a panic Frost crushed the pirates head in his palm as he ran back to where he had left her behind. There were dead bandits at the doorstep of the house as he turned around the corner a pirate stood over the corpse of one of his own as he was glowing faintly green, as the glow began to fade, the man regained control over himself and began to fire on Frost, leaning out of the bullets path he jumped up punching the mans head as blood splattered from his ears. Nyx was sitting in the corner with the suit only displaying a fraction of its energy.

While the fight bellow the mountain continued the pirates riding their gliders descended upon the village shooting at the people bellow. Volt slid along the ground slamming it and creating a shield behind himself to protect the people of the village. Grabbing the child he shielded her with his body as the bullets were slowly damaging the suits armor. Ember opened fire on the pirates shooting them out of the sky and sending them crashing into the huts of the village. As the tennos watched the remaining forces fly away, they noticed the figures atop the mountain.

The chief caught the captain and knocked him off the machine, witch fell to the crowds bellow slamming into the ground and exploding, killing both bandits and villagers. As they rolled along the ground the two stood to their feet prepared to fight, as the pirate pulled out a long thin blade from his side. Leaning back he faced the chief in a fight as they passed blows back and forth. The thin blade wobbled flexibly while the long blade of the chief bashed it repeatedly, it refused to break.

"Getting stiff at your old age aren't you, Mathew."

"You'll pay for what you did all those years ago, I will have your head Kile."

Pulling the blade back along his shoulder height he prepared to thrust forth and attack the bandit before him. As the captain pushed his pin forth the village chief knocked it away thrusting for his throat. Slicing along the coats side, he was so close to kill him, but a cold sensation came over his body as he felt something sink into his abdomen. Looking down he saw the bandit holding a dagger out of his sleeve and pushing it into the chiefs stomach. The cold steel was plucked from his body as a purls of blood spat out. The chief stepped back as he tried to hold on his feet, he stood with his back to the ledge. As the pirate approached him he laughed as he said.

"Always keep a card up your sleeve, isn't that right brother."

He placed his foot along the chiefs chest and pushed him back forcing off the mountain. As he held the blade falling to the village bellow, memories came over his mind. The birth of his daughter, the murder of his wife committed by his own brother who betrayed the village and forfeited his place as the chief. He fell to the ground bellow, unable to avenge his family.

Volt gripped the mans back, catching him in the air before he hit the ground bellow, he fell to his feet holding the man from hid death. His fingers relaxed releasing the blade as he drifted off to eternal sleep. The laughter of the pirate leader on the mountain drowned the village as Volt pulled the blade from the dead bodies hand. The flying gliders were returning, Volt rushed to the walls of the nearest building running to its roof. Once the gliders were in range he jumped to the air, kicking one of them off the machine while slicing his head. The dead body fell to the ground bellow as he pulled to the side slighting the pirates throat and sending him crashing to the ground. Volt pulled the glider lower to the ground as Ember jumped on the back of it and they both rose to the mountain to face the bandits. The pirates attacking the village were thinning as Excalibur fought them back, the remaining few were quickly killed by the villagers. As he turned to look at the battle field the child that ventured forth to the colony with them was weeping over her fathers corpse. Only the two flying gliders remained, floating over the village.

______

Far away in the edge of the star system a ship exited from the warp gate as it approached the remains of the graneer flag ship. Boarding it the hatch opened as a figure with a long tail stood there waiting.

"Took you long enough."

"Stop complaining and lets leave this hell hole, did you capture the target."

"Sadly, there was a small interference, that reached him before I did."

The reptile like tenno boarded the ship setting off through space with the red armored tenno that arrived for him.

[AlexanderTF]

Rising to the summit of the mountain the tennos leaped from the glider landing at the edge of the cliff. While the machine rose above crashing into a pirate flying for the village, as the explosion pushed the air away from the mountain top the captain stood as his coat was waving in the wind. He looked at the two figures before him and laughed.

"And who are you supposed to be, what cute little toy soldiers came to a barren waste land."

Stretching his needle forth and preparing for a fight he smiled waiting for them. Ember and Volt surrounded the bearded long haired bandit and faced him head on. To their surprise he was much more skilled then the rest of his band. With one hand behind his back he didn't simply avoid the blows but pushed them back and blocked the blades knocking them with the side of the blade on the hands and legs.

Excalibur watched them from bellow as a glider began shooting down upon the village, rushing to the mountain side, he jumped along the scaffolding and climbed to the upper guard towers. Running along their side wall, he jumped over the village to the glider stabbing him with the blade, and knocking him down. Pulling the floating bike aside he began chasing down the remaining bandits flying over the village. Approaching them from the side, he sliced their feet off that were pushing the throttle as they fell to the ground, slicing the hands of others so they would crash into the trees. The tenno chased every single one even to their ship where he forced them to fall crashing to the hull and destroying their own vessel.

Frost and Nyx took to the streets finishing off the remaining bandits in the jungle, she used her suits powers to force the bandits to kill each other, sending the last one to detonate himself with a grenade.

Volt slashed down the pirates back, yet he jumped backwards blocking with his blade and pulling on the tennos hand sending him tumbling forth. As Ember followed the bandit slicing again and again, the pirate pushed her blade aside with the thin sword and stabbed her in the shoulder. Holding on to her wound she pulled back, the bandit used this moment to pull out his gun and start shooting on them. Slamming the ground Volt created a force field protecting them from the attacks. As he pushed forth striking with his blade again and again, Ember released a ball of fire burning the ground beneath the captains feet. He jumped aside avoiding the fires as he looked at the two warriors.

"I'll take those suits of yours once I've stabbed my Espade through your beating hearts."

The captain pulled the thin blade along his other hand and whilst keeping it at his side shot a few rounds at the two tennos. Avoiding the bullets the two charged in attacking him from both sides, the pirate blocked the two blades with both the needle and the gun, pushing them aside he kicked the wounded red tenno and tried to stab Volt. Avoiding the attack he kicked the bandit back, he stopped just a few feet close to the ledge, as the villagers saw this they began to cheer for the tennos, even though they attempted to kill and throw them away. The captain gazed over his shoulder and saw his men battered and bleeding on the fields bellow. As he grump-ed and yelled them to retreat back to the ship, he looked to the edge of the jungle, only to see the smoke rising from his bellowed vessel. With anger flooding his eyes he turned back to the two warriors before him.

"You, bloody basters, cumming to my planet. You think I'll forgive any of this?! I'll have your heads on pole before this village before sun rise tomorrow!"

With the shout he rushed forward aiming for the tennos, as the sound of an engine came from behind him. As he turned around the glider with Excalibur on it was heading straight for him, as it rammed the pirate, Excalibur jumped back by slamming his palm at the seat. Pushing himself off the machine, as he removed his hand leaving behind a disk beeping as the glider pushed the bandit captain away. It beeped repeatedly before exploding and detonating the bike leaving him in a massive explosion. As the smoke settled his body was nowhere to be seen. The tennos gazed down upon the blood smeared village, those they saved and all those they lost. Volt turned back as he noticed the steel tower, there were burn marks underneath it, as he stepped closer and looked at the structure he realized, that it was not a building but a ship, and old ship bearing the Orders markings.

"Guys, I think we just found our way off this planet."

[AlexanderTF]

That night the village built a huge fire place and gathered the dead villagers to its circle, the flames were light with all the villagers paying their respect to the dead. The tennos were preparing to leave as Volt and Ember spoke to the girl, that had lost her father.

"So what are you planning to do now?"

"I don't know, dad was the chief but I don't want to stay here anymore. I'll be leaving the village and going through the other colonies and try to unite everyone to bring back our dead nation."

"I suppose you'll need your fathers blade on your journey."

"Thanks, he always told me story's about a powerful warrior that came from the sky and saved us from the last war. He said the ship and this sword both belonged to him, that back then both he and his brother fought along side the hero, yet when my uncle betrayed us and killed my mother he was jealous of my father for being the chief. Blessed with the sword of the great savior."

"So that's what that tower was, and why you helped us?"

"I thought you were here to save us once more, yet this time the price was too great."

"We're sorry we couldn't save your father."

Volt apologized as they left her alone, leaving the village the group climbed to the mountains summit and prepared the ship for take off. The ancient vessel was shaky but as the thrusters fired and the ground shacked the team left the planets surface heading back to the others. The wyrm with them was barely holding up as they entered space and flew away to the agreed meeting place.

______

During that night a figure walked through the desert, as its shadow falling by the moons light covered the ground the body of the pirate captain twitched as he struggled to survive. As he raised his head and gazed at the figure before him the bandit watched as the figure gripped him by the neck, with a laughter it spoke.

"Well now, your not as intriguing as I had hopped, yet maybe I might still find use for you."

The figure turned back where in the darkness of the night stood two figures in front of a ship, the first one threw the body of the bandit to them and said.

"Wrap him up, I'll deal with him once we return to the lab."

_______

Passing through the space trash the tennos approached the dark side of the moon where the ship awaited them. Nearing for the hanger the defense system began targeting them as they were contacted by the communication officers. As soon as the team was recognized the doors opened allowing them to land. As the gates closed the ship stood there opening its hatch, the engineers watched the vessel, amazed that it could still fly.

The group took their way to the old doctors office as they were greeted by the crew. Along the way they were caught by Loki.

"Your back, great news, our little recruit woke up, on the wrong side of the bed."

"He's awake? what did he do?"

"Almost killed the child, and doctor. The doc doesn't even want him in the nursery."

"Anything else?"

Volt asked as he approached the door and tapped the module to open it. Through the opened door in the room he could see his old friend Rhino back on his feet.

"Yo, thanks for not leaving me behind there."

"Glad to have you back, Rhian."

[AlexanderTF]

As a flash of light glittered through the edge of the Upsilon Andromedae star system, the tennos flag ship arrived to a new sector on their path to the Orders Tower. Because of the Black Lotus observing the intergalactic web gates, they could only travel from one star to the next, in short distances. Yet with every trip they were approaching the tenno hold, where the elder were. Preparing the plane of action which they would undertake to force them to believe that Lotus betrayed the order, they still lacked the aid of one man. The professor that disappeared before Orchid and Ember could reach him. Where this man had went, was unknown and they were still unaware of his location.

 

While the small wyrm was inspected and under the careful knife of the doctor, the tennos gathered to the command room. Where they discussed their next move, the current sector they were in held an Order outpost belonging to the tennos. Their most likely guess would be to approach the outpost and seek out any leads on the subject, yet the likely hood that Lotus had them posted on every bulletin board was quit high, yet Frost, Nyx and the Void tennos were still unknown to Lotus and the rest. With their help Volt could try searching for any leads down there, but he himself would be under surveillance. While discussing the art of approaching the tenno world bellow, there was a transmission from the bridge, the captain was calling with some grim news.

 

"Apologize for the disturbance, but a Graneer flag ship was spotted floating seven clicks to the third planet from our current position."

 

"Have they spotted us?"

 

"It seems not, there aren't any signs of movement or defense scans coming from the ship."

 

"For now set course fro the planet we'll take this as good fortune and hope all is well."

 

As the ship approached the dense water filled planet there was an emergency transition coming from the tenno outpost. Orchid brought the content of the transition to the screen where all could see. It read "Intruder alert, emergency code 赤, all tennos support the outposts defense.", with such a message to be brought out of the closely guarded and almost undetectable tenno facility was a matter demanding immediate investigation.

 

"We need to get down there, that outpost hold some of the most dangerous technology we had gathered through the past decade."

 

"Some one still had to stay here."

 

Rhino was quickly denied by Volt.

 

"But what could possibly infiltrate and devastate an entire outpost that's guarded by tenno soldiers."

 

"That's not the point, if we leave this ship unguarded there's a great threat to the crew. We are most likely still chased by Lotus and Anubis, if we leave everyone here might be in danger."

 

"May I offer a solution?"

 

Orchid spoke as she pulled out a document from the folders at the control room. The document noted the ships repairs and a second hanger.

 

"The crew managed to repair the entrance to the second hanger where a ship is still stored, while a team investigates the outpost we can send a second team to infiltrate the graneer ship. It may prove to hold knowledge about the incidence that took place in this sector."

 

After a long deliberation the two groups were decided upon, Volt, Loki, Frost and Nyx would descend to the underwater base where they would infiltrate it through the emergency gate located at the bottom of the sea. The only ship capable of diving under water was sitting in the second hanger witch would leave the second group with the old tenno ship. Rhine, Ember, Excalibur and Void would infiltrate the graneer ship and search for the control rooms storage units containing the data gathered through the past few weeks. Ash would remain aboard the ship observing the sector for any incoming enemies. In case of an emergency they agreed on transition sequence that would be the signal for a retreat.

[AlexanderTF]

Descending to the planet bellow the tennos approached the surface of the water gliding along it till they passed a huge cliff at the side of the ocean. Beyond the ledge they dove to the sea descending to the grounds beneath the water, Once they approached a huge cavern under the sea they could see the tip of a structure shining in the dark waters bellow. As they came closer to the structure they could see a giant tower under the ocean, built on the surface of the earth bellow, it was a huge structure that was created to avoid any vision from above, due to its position only few signals could reach the space above. It was a perfect hidden fortress, shielded from all sides and only found when wanted to be found, it seemed the ideal hide out. As they approached the surface the thick glass peering in did not reveal any life inside the tower, there were little less then any prof that that anyone was there, if it wasn't for the energy coursing through it the tennos would have thought of it as abandoned. Once they were beneath the hanger entrances built around the ring pressing against the walls of the cavern there were passage ways leading to the center of the fortress, they noticed a few dents around the entrances and passages. They could also see the entrance down bellow, diving through a hole in the ground they drifted through a dark cavern till they found the light of the emergency passage shinning down through the waters surface, once they turned around the corner to rise up, the group saw the bottom of a ship left behind. As they surfaced in the hanger, Loki was the first to exit the ship as he cloaked himself and approached the vessel sitting in the hanger, climbing on top of it he slowly entered and searched for any signs of life, to find it completely empty.

 

"All clear."

 

He spoke to them as he climbed back out of the ship, the rest of the team made their way out as Frost helped Nyx climb the ladder. The team stood at the hanger looking for anything that could tell them what happened. Once Volt opened the door to the elevator the team began to ascend to the tower where they found themselves more in an under water park then a base. The bottom floor was a huge sand garden, with hundreds of stones piled one atop each other. The walls were playing a desert simulation, with several scenery's showing sand storms in the distance, one even an oasis. The elevator could only take them this far, so they needed to pass this desert terrain to reach the other hidden rooms leading to the floors above.

 

Walking through the desert they noticed wet tracks leading from the path they just followed through. Someone had come there before them, the footprints dried up half way into the garden and seem to have disappeared without leaving an indentation in the desert, Volt stepped ahead to search for any pathways, without finding any walls he looked around the room for any signs of the order indicating there would be a door nearby. On a pillar of stones there was a lotus symbol of the order as Frost reached along the cracks between the stones. He could feel the surface of a panel between them, pressing down on the buttons the team saw the stone pillar tremble as it separated opening a door leading to an elevator, climbing aboard it they ascended up the tower to the floors above.

 

As the gates to the elevator closed a shadow stepped out from behind the pillars further away near the walls of the room. Stepping closer to the elevator he walked away from several tenno corpses pinned to the stones, they were without their suits and only had a blade at their sides that they were still gripping beyond their death. The blood from them was flowing down the stones to the sand bellow, painting it all red.

 

Once the elevator opened the team was in a regular hallway that was constructed around the inner circle of the fortress, there was a map in front of them. In the Tennos language, it wrote the locations of the armory, medical sector, hangers elevator and several other locations of interest. The team searched the halls around them and found them empty, as though no one was there. Making their way to the food quarters they noticed several trays of food were still left on the tables, there were meals ready for the people upon the outpost and warriors who would defend it if need be. The team continued their search for the cause of the alert, they made their way to the armory further down the passage in the inner quarters of the tower. The entrance before them was sealed from within as the inner quarters were locked, the team could only make their move for the medical bay.

 

As they approached the entrance to the room there was a gun shot from within it, pulling their guns the group approached with caution, as they turned around the corner there was a dead staff member of the outpost with a massive bullet hole in his head, it was fresh as the blood had only recently splattered upon the wall, the smear was quickly forming as it flowed down. The man held a gun in his hand as it was still releasing vapor from the shot, it became clear that it was suicide.

 

"What the hell?"

 

Frost asked as he looked at the beds behind the curtains, the team followed him as they looked at the beds, there were several soldiers, tennos and staff with dissection reports besides them. Looking back at the man who shot himself, Volt stepped closer to check his ID, the man was the doctor in this fortress.

 

"Looks like this was his last resort."

 

"But if he shot himself that means?"

 

"Yeah, the tower was infiltrated and the people inside were being killed one by one."

 

Loki explained, reminding the rules of the order. The suicide law of destroying any information to save the secrecy of the order at all cost. While Frost inspected the autopsy's there was a tremor that shook the entire tower. Running out of the sick bay they saw through the thick glass the exploding pathways to the hangers, as they flooded and descended to the surface bellow.

[AlexanderTF]

While observing the disaster, they spotted small creatures crawling into the hangers before the gates closed sealing them outside the entrance. The creatures began to drift to the bottom of the ocean dyeing away. The team rushed along the corridor to the nearest staircase heading for the floors above. The gate to the hanger was sealed off and beyond their reach, the controls for the emergency override were two floors above them in the control rooms at the center of the tower. The current floor was a huge lobby built to bring storage and provide passage for arriving forces, aside the crates and cases in the room, some containing technology for research and development, the scientists that were posted here were developing new weaponry to give the Order an edge over the Grineers. Searching the lobby they found no trace of the workers, and the crates were still intact and sealed away. Some were still holding suspended tennos that were in stasis. Slumbering away they were still not fully synchronized with the armor to be released from stasis.

 

"We need to reach the command room."

 

Frost spoke as he approached the sealed hatch blocking the path to the stairs leading up the tower. With their path closed the team searched for any other paths, as Loki opened a door leading to the workers security room. Before him feasting on the corpse stood a giant insect like beast. Disturbed by the pressure of the opened gate it turned around screaming at him. Loki quickly jumped aside as it jumped at him, sliding on the ground he fired off a few shots before yelling.

 

"Thresher!!!"

 

The team scattered taking cover behind the crates. Nyx held a sniper blaster in her possession as she peeked around the corner, the bug was looking around the room searching for them. As it noticed the coloring of Nyx suit charging for it, the tenno fired blasting one of its pincers clean off, as Frost knocked it to the side, blasting it with a cold wave that shattered its wings. Loki slashed the beasts head off as it struggled to stand up, while he bolted over the table. With the dead parasite they looked through the remaining rooms to find that the staff working thee were eaten by these creatures, yet they seemed to be gone, escaped from the lobby.

 

"So they were the ones drowning outside the tower."

 

"Looks like it, but then, who were they chasing?"

 

Loki chatted with Frost as Nyx finally found a path to the floors above. A broken floor collapsed from above, the ceiling was still sealed with metal plating, yet this was the best option. Drawing her blade she slashed a path through the plating allowing them to move ahead.

 

"I guess there's only one way to find out."

 

She spoke pushing the remaining scrap out of the way, while the team climbed up Volt noticed a casing near the crates stacked at the side of the room. It was labeled with the Lotus symbol, his previous handler, the traitor that tried to kill them. As he approached the casing Loki shouted from the room.

 

"You cumming along or should we go ahead!"

 

Opening the casing he found two blades with a strange handle to them, they could be held from both the blunt edge or like a regular blade, the dark metal that it was made of appeared to be covered in ridges, like a heat damaged metal or water smashed by pebbles. Taking the blades along with him, he soon followed the rest of the team to the next floor. 

 

Above the broken hole they found themselves in the laboratory hallways, the science divisions research facility's. Heading for the end of the hall, they noticed several rooms containing strange materials, from new metal and armor development to a room filled with tenno suits blueprints. Taking this chance they decided to search for any useful schematics for their disposal. Entering the room they noticed the tables littered with experimental designs of guns and blades. Loki used the nearest computer to copy the data stored upon it and concealed it in his blades handle. While looking through the data base Volt couldn't find any armor that would be anything similar to the Anubis model that attacked them or the tenno that faced him aboard the flagship. Frost and Nyx searched the weapons blueprints for any designs they would find useful.

 

After a short raid on the science divisions creations they continued out of the facility, ahead of them was the training room where the tennos would hone their skills, it was across the hall from the research department. Looking for the path further up they separated to cover the entire floor faster.

 

-------

 

The floor bellow echoed with the doors of the elevator opening as a dark figure stepped out from within, the figure from the sand garden was following the tennos through the facility.

[AlexanderTF]

While the first team investigated the submerged outpost, Rhino and his team arrived at the drifting ship they found an entrance near the engines of the vessel. Breaching their hull the team traveled in descending through the vents. They stood in the engine room preparing for the investigation, while Voids inexperience was proven in the first minuets of arrival. Excalibur hacked the nearest control panel to access the security system. Observing the ship from the isolated room they couldn't find any survivors aboard, as it was abandoned.

 

"Looks like there's no one aboard."

 

"That's what we're here to find out, yet a bit of details would be nice."

 

Rhino spoke as he picked up a gun that was left on an engine component nearby, it appeared to be left there, but by the indentation on the component it was clear that it fell from above. Gazing up Rhino could only see the bridge across the room high above them.

 

"Looks like we got our first lead, we're taking the shortest root up, Ember, call the elevator, our rookie wont make the trip on his own."

 

As she called down the small compartment, it jammed half way and became stuck above. Rhino gripped the edges of the door and pushed it open as they stepped into the elevator shaft. Up above them the elevator stood with a steel structure collapse blocking its path. After shooting at the steel blocking the path the elevator quickly continued to descend, once out of the shaft the team waited for it to arrive.

 

As the small platform landed before them there were several dents on the rails before them, the elevator was damaged from within, yet no blood was to be seen, this whole ship gad an eery atmosphere about and caused worry to the team, once aboard the elevator they began to ascend to the floors above.

 

It took a while to arrive to the floor above that held the bridge across the engine room, during that time Excalibur and Ember explained what had happened during Rhinos absence, while they prepared for the remainer of this mission, Void stood alone away from them, trying to remember his past, he didn't feel at ease with this new team that he worked with and the strain of being a tenno stressed him. Without the memories of why he chose this path, he could only think of it as a curse.

 

Finally the elevator arrived with the doors opening as they left the small platform behind, walking along the bridge Rhino searched for the reason of this void of enemies. Why would the gun fall from this height. Soon after he noticed white splatters on the floor of the bridge, it was coating the rails nearby, as he brushed his fingers along the rail, rubbing them to see the consistency of the fluid he noticed that it was similar to blood.

 

"This isn't good, the only creatures that have this sort of fluid in their body."

 

"Bionics? You think Pirates attacked this ship, a flagship?"

 

"I don't think these were pirates. Judging by the small amount splattered on the bridge and the clean job that they did, I think these were mercenary."

 

Rhino explained as he stood back up, searching the room with his helms scanner, he soon noticed a signal upon the helms vision, it picked up a grineer life source. The source was coming from the other end of the bridge. Stepping forth he lead the team to the room across where the life source was located. Stepping beyond a corner they saw the still beating corpse of a grineer who was clenching his gun, his arm artery's were severed and  his legs were pierced by bullets, unable to move he could only breath and speak.

 

"Tennos..."

 

He whispered through his throat with a raspy dry voice.

 

"He's still alive, if you can even call that alive."

 

"What happened here?"

 

"They came... from the shadows, they killed without weapons..."

 

The soldier explained as he was struggling to breath apart from speaking. Rhino gripped his axe as he thrusted it into the mans skull ending his struggle.

 

"Why did you do that? how are we to know what happened here?"

 

Void asked as he pointed to the dead grineer with the axe's edge buried in his head.

 

"Because we already know, this was the work of Ghosts, elite mercenaries that survived the war and applied their skills as guns for hire. Their skilled, deadly and stealth operatives, if you see them, your most likely dead."

 

"But who would be foolish enough to attack a grineer ship?"

 

Ember questioned while examining the dead soldiers wounds.

 

"The one that hired them was clearly an insider of the Order, he knew where our outpost was and compromised it, using that to force a flagship to bring something he wanted here, and then taking it without any survivors to tell the tale. Without any remaining evidence they can only blame the Order."

 

Rhino explained pulling his axe out of the mans head, ripping its skull apart.

 

"Maybe what they wanted was not on the ship. What if they wanted something in the outpost?"

 

"What?"

 

"A Grineer flagship in the space above the outpost planet would cause an emergency evacuation, minimizing threats in the fort. With every one out of the way, they can take whatever they want from the outpost without notice and the Order wouldn't notice."

 

Excalibur explained his theory while observing the ships security records that he recorded.

 

"So only the employer would benefit from this? who ever we're up against, clearly has his fingers in every corner of the galaxy."

 

Rhino spoke while he placed the axe back upon his shoulders observing the mark less carnage created by the mercenaries.

 

[i'm off to my exams, so until next month this is all...]

[AlexanderTF]

Aboard the ship where the second team was the clattering it the walls began to echoed louder as a snapping noise drew out rising from the elevator. The small room moving between the floors came crashing down as it banged through the shaft crashing into the lowest floor bellow. Ember stepped back to the bridge to see what was causing it, among the walls she saw a slithering blue light, which was climbing down.

 

"We got company."

 

As the others came to see the cause of this incident they saw legions of blue shining slithering lights coming from the room at the back, beyond the bridge. Excalibur quickly drew his blade and began smashing the bridge off to stop the enemy from approaching. Once it broke loss, the platform broke and descended down slamming into the wall across the chamber and breaking loss on the other end as it crashed down to the engine bellow erupting into flames. The fire filled pit beneath them was the only passage to the ship that they rode to this floating gravesite.

 

"We're safe for a while, but how will we get back to the ship?"

 

"Its highly unlikely that any pods still remain, ghost operatives usually eliminate all methods to escape."

 

"Then what now?"

 

"I guess there’s only way back, we need to reach the exterior repair ports on the lower half of the ship, and use the outside."

 

Rhino explained as he counted his bullets, the shotgun that he pulled from the armory wasn't a perfect tool for a swarm annihilation, yet it was the best military choice he had. After the team prepared they all continued deeper through the structure of the ship to the nearest passage to the lower sections. Through a few corridors they noticed a few surviving squad members of the grineer crew searching the ship, they were examining a body left by the passage, leading to the crossing, where many pathways from all around the ship met to provide access throughout the ship. Ember had exchanged her gun for a snipertron and could easily deal with them before they could react, setting up the shot she aimed to pierce one of their head and break a hole in the other ones armor while Excalibur would take the rest from behind. While the others dealt with the situation Void could only watch and wait, his capabilities were still inferior compared to the others.

 

"Hold the shot."

 

Excalibur whispered as he climbed over the marines within the docks above, behind the corner he counted the soldiers in the room observing the remains of the last squad that fought there. He counted up to seventeen of them as he made his way to the farther edge of the room to cause a distraction providing time for his team to reach the room. Once he was above a separate unit with three soldiers in it he contacted the team informing them of the situation. Void and Rhino began to sneak closer to the door as Ember waited before firing the shot. The perfect position of the marines allowed her to blast cleanly through their heads as the one beside him was knocked back. Rhino slammed his foot into his head crushing it under the tremendous weight of his armor. The grineer squads were shocked as they turned their attention to the two tennos rushing into the room, Excalibur kicked out the vents rails falling down to the soldiers beneath him, descending with his blade stabbing the marines head, he drew it out slashing the soldier open and ripping out his lungs and guts, drawing them into the air he cut the nearest grineer in half and jumped up stabbing the other one in the head. The surprise attack caused the room to fall into disarray as the grineers began to take shelter behind the nearest piece of construction. Rhino charged to the rails slamming the ground and leaping over the large gap to the soldiers covering behind the crates, landing near them he slammed his axe into the gunners head pinning him to the box as he turned around and pulled the shotgun blasting the other two soldiers out of their cower, ripping the axe out he flung it into the downed soldiers gashing them open. Stepping out of the cower with a blast he knocked the second gunner out of the shelter of the corner with his brains turned to mush. Gripping the handle of his axe, Rhino slammed it down upon the soldier spilling his blood along the passage.

 

Excalibur slid back to the crates behind him edge and jumped up spinning over the crate and landing behind the two soldiers hiding behind cover. With a quick slash separated them both from their feet and heads. Ember rushed to the side of the door reloading her rifle. Void took forth with his scythe and gashed through the wall stabbing the grineer in the head. As he turned to the side the heavy gunner marine blasted him back with the shotgun and fell to the ground. The surviving marines aimed at him charging forth. The heavy commando soldier aimed his shotgun at the tenno’s head. The marine was knocked back as his head splattered along the crates and floor, Ember aimed for the second soldier and pulled the trigger piercing through the wall and pushed him from behind the wall gasping for air, with a gasping fountain of blood spurting out.

 

The two buzz bladders rushed out of the hall, charging for the downed tenno but were pushed back as a massive axe knocked them both back and Rhino landed on the platform across them. The remaining two commanders rushed from the corner and started blasting at them as one was shot down by Ember, Excalibur ran along the walls and descended upon the last survivor slicing him apart.

 

With the grineer squadron dead, the team aided Void back to his feet, as Rhino searched the bodies of the leaders and ripped out a synthetic circuit from the gaping hole of a marines head and synchronized it to his armor. While the team was getting ready to move on, the leader listened in on the communication of the enemy troops and gazed down the void leading to the lower floors.

 

“So where to now?”

 

Excalibur asked.

 

„We got several marines further ahead, and all the elevators are down. Looks like we got only one choice left.“

 

Rhino spoke as he placed his weapons aside and ripped the rails of the platform aprt.

[AlexanderTF]

Stepping forth through the rails he jumped into the gapping abyss gripping the wall as he slammed his axe into it shredding it open, kicking back and ripping it out of the wall Rhino landed on the platform several floors bellow. Following him, Ember leaped into the hold gripping the shredded wall with her burning flames as she jumped back landing next to Rhino. Void was shocked as such blatant madness made no sense, but before he could step back and refuse, Excalibur gripped him by the neck and held him over the ledge.

 

"The hell are you doing!?"

 

"You can't make the jump so we're deviating from the plan."

 

Releasing the tenno to drop down through the floors, he screamed as he had no idea as to how he could survive this. Rhino extended his hand from the platform and grabbed him as he was falling down pass them. Holding him only by the leg he pulled the tenno up and flung him to the floor. From a above a blue streak of light jumped to the wall as it began rushing down. Excalibur was running downward along the wall as he leaped over landing on the platform between the others.

 

"You people are insane!!!"

 

Void screamed as he came to grip with the confusion, the team almost killed him as they simply descended through the floors above landing on some platform in hell knows where. Rhino was listening in on the grineer radio chatter. It appeared that there was a fight in the front of the ship, the marines were getting butchered by someone.

 

"Looks like the Operatives are still here, we need to move, now."

 

"We're above the tenno outpost, you sure it’s not one of our own?"

 

"I checked the scans, there’s no one amongst the tenno faction with such abilities. I just hope its not that witch we fear."

 

Continuing through the corridors the team prepared for any surprise that could come their way.

 

----------------

 

Down in the underwater outposts, the tenno team was shocked by the tremors, as the entrance to the main hanger was sealed, they searched the entire building for any passage to the hanger bay. Along the path, Loki noticed a figure in the hanger, it was a slim shape, holding a long rod. There appeared to be a fight going on as he swung it around before disappearing.

 

"Volt, there’s someone there, we need to reach the bay."

 

"With the explosion we can't break the doors without endangering the facility. The command room should show us the safest passage."

 

While exchanging words, Frost found the structure plans in the buildings administration office, where the outpost elder resided. Since the emergency protocol dictated to secure the elder before anything else, the man that worked there was definitely safe, yet he was working on something as the papers on his desk showed. The files on the table were on Lotus and her entire team of tennos, including Volt and the others. Yet there was no file on the Dark tenno the others described. This caused Frost to become more concerned about his allies as they seemed to be mentioned as traitors of the Order. Making his way back to the team, he left the pages hidden under the desk away from the others.

 

Once they had gathered they found that the security control room was located on the upper floor, and in the middle of the building at that. Following the map they found a pathway along the center pillars, there was an elevator leading to the security room and descending to the floors bellow. Taking it to the upper section was the fastest way.

 

The team made their way through the structure to the elevator entrance, where they found it sealed shut, after a few seconds of hard labor prying it open the team found the shaft flooded in flames from down bellow.

 

"Did it crash? How is that possible."

 

"Security measure, if the structure was to be infiltrated from beneath, the elevator can be deactivated and pulsed down by force to destroy any intruding forces."

 

Volt explained as he watched the fire spiral along the shafts walls. The path to the control room was directly above them, the closed gate was the only thing, stopping them.

 

"Loki, How far can you phase shift?"

 

"Why?"

 

"There’s a maintenance room above the shafts center if we could break the roof there should be debree to shift with and you could open the gate from the other side, then we'd have to runn along the wall. or if there would be enough material there we could climb up."

 

"Worth a shot, but how are you gonna destroy the ceiling?"

 

"We'd need a phason blaster."

 

Nyx was flustered.

 

"A phason blaster? Where are you gonna get that?"

 

"Search the rooms, there has to be something around here."

 

As they spread out to search the area, Frosts was growing ever more concerned about the allys he chose.

[AlexanderTF]

The group searched the confined of the submerged towers floor in search of any weaponry or explosives, yet with it being a medical department of the outpost there was no signs of weaponry anywhere around them. Through the halls the dim light beaming down from the ocean outside, was residing as it ran away from the innards of the tower, the planet had passed its day cycles greatest point and was setting beyond the horizon. With the halls slightly light by the lights within the tower, the tower was built to remain concealed for as long as possible and in such it used ilumisential plantation form the planets oceans growth and remained in the dark only visible as a coral reef due to all the crustations living on its surface, the glass was slightly cowers, constantly maintained by workers and there were many ways to traverse the ocean outside. Yet with the lockdown there was little the team could do, but search the chilling halls for a way to clear the path up.

 

Whilst searching the rooms Frost noticed a canister of some explosive chemicals used in medical treatment. As he stepped in to the room to pick it up, he was ambushed by a creature from above. It jumped down from the ceiling almost stabbing him in the neck as Frost jumped back he saw the beast run away as it hid in the darkness. The desk nearby was piled up with papers, brushing them away he charged forth flinging the furniture of the lab at the creature while he grabbed the canister and rushed out of the room. Calling for the others he knew to not engage an enemy he knew nothing about.

 

While Volt and Nyx were waiting near the elevator shaft Frost ran around the corner as the sound of the beast chasing him banged through the corridor, it was clearly big by the sound of it. Getting louder with each step he took, Frost jumped forth gripping for his gun as he froze the floor beneath him. The beast rushed through the illuminated halls and crashed into the corner of the crossing as he stood in the dark light of the hall, a big robotic spider dripping with venom from its fangs. The machine screamed at the group as it charged forth. The creature was caught off guard as Frosts shots damaged its legs as it landed on the ice piercing the armor and machinery underneath. It slipped sliding along the frozen path as It was sliced by Lokis blade who was hiding in the shadows. The robotic beast laid still as the group examined its remains.

 

"Is it one of the Corps creations?"

 

"No, Its marked with the Order's symbol, this was made by our scientists."

 

"For what?"

 

"Probably as an assistant in covert operations."

 

"Then, someone reprogrammed it to attack tennos."

 

"Probably the same guy who got everyone to leave."

 

The exchanged thoughts before continuing to the shaft ahead. Volt lent Loki his blades while he prepared to plant the explosive canister above. With his gun at hand, he flung the blade to the roof above, as it sank into the stone above, with a quick phase shift exchanging his locations with the blade, The twin horned demon slammed the container into the room shooting it with his gun before shifting back down to where several pieces of remains from the knife being ripped loose fell down the shaft, the explosion was small but strong enough to break the passage to the upper floor. Volt grabbed him as he was falling by and pulled him to the corridor landing on the ground. As the remains of the roof fell through the shaft, crashing down bellow. After a short wall run in the hole, he threw the blade up at the ceiling, through the hole and to the room above. Shifting places with the knife he was now in the maintenance room above the elevator and over the command room. Volt caught the blade as it was falling down and sheathed it while the wire was lowered from the room above by Loki, with the elevator door open he was able to find a different route to the command room while the others climbed up to the floor above.