Eclips: Lips of fate

[AlexanderTF]

Entering the control room at the top of the tower the group found themselves in a hallway leading to the center room. Along the path they noticed several bullets imbedded in the walls. The hall was lighted by ultra violet lighting and all the dents were visible on the walls. Once they reached the gates to the control room within, they had to break through several coding panels to access the locked room.With its doors separating and sliding open they stood before a massacre of guards slain by blades and scattered throughout the room. Blood splattered over the walls, and controls, it was the work of a skilled assassin. All the guards still held their guns in hand, empty of any ammo they were clenching the trigger till the bitter end. Stepping into this mass grave Loki and Volt gazed over the bodies of their comrades and approached the main control panel in the farther reaches of the room. The controls were destroyed as they were entirely decimated by an explosion, the screen was still active and could have been accessed through a secure network.

 

While Volt worked on connecting the main control system back to the network, Nyx and Loki searched the security feeds for any traces of what had happened here. The recordings showed the alarm sounding off before the citizens began to evacuate the outpost, fleeing to the hanger they all boarded the ships there and escaped. With everyone gone, three tennos began to cleanse the tower of any intruders. Spreading out the team worked on separate sections of the ship. One of the three located classified technology and was ordered to leave immediately in order to secure it. While the other two searched the tower, one descending to the lower section where the team had entered and the other searching through the remaining parts of the tower. As for the tenno that went down, he wasn't noticed until the group arrived from the lower entrance. He was seen following them to the floor above, yet was never recorded of leaving the elevator.

 

"Strange..."

 

Nyx spoke as she wondered what had happened to him. Looking through the rest of the recordings she noticed that the robots and bugs became active only recently. There were recordings from the hall they had walked through to the command room, but those were more then a week old. The remaining footage was all destroyed. While Nyx continued to search through the files, Frost examined the bloody bodies as they were still fresh. The guards were only killed in the passed 24 hours and were clearly still dripping blood, even though half of it was dry and crusted. The blood was everywhere except the door. after closer examination, there was plenty of blood on the floor in the hall, just outside the door. This scene was more or less the work of a tenno.

 

Loki called the others to him, as he was watching the camera feed from the hanger where they saw some motion and the bridge collapse. With the bottom hatch closed and sealed, there was a shape inside there fighting. On the screen they could see a tenno wielding a spear, stabbing the rodents that the group fought in the floor bellow. With the hatch to the ocean sealed he was merely fending them off without any possibility to escape.

 

Volt quickly reconnected the main control panel back to the network and left it to Nyx to hack while they tried to stabilize the connection. As the code was broken and the security was over written the hanger hatch opened together with all the sealed doors to the tower, leaving the damaged sections sealed away. As the hatch opened the spear wielder leaped into the water and out of their sights, before leaving the control room, Nyx programed a timed locked down function that would purge the tower of any intruders.

 

"Loki, reach the shuttle down bellow and meet us at the hanger, we need to have a few words with our friend in the sea."

 

Volt explained before they rushed off separating the team.

[AlexanderTF]

While the remaining group of three descended to the middle of the tower where the passages to the hanger stood, Loki took his time climbing down the shaft as he reached the lower parts of the tower, being unable to descend further due to the flames, he used the sword to slice the doors and exit the shaft. Beyond the door that he leaped out of, the tenno stood in the med bay surrounded by operating rooms. As he walked forth, Loki noticed several rooms holding something on the beds as they were covered with white cloths. Stepping closer to the door he saw small droplets dripping from the tables that were coating the cloth in a dark blue color. Placing the hand on the door handle he felt a stench reaching out from the room. It was a moist stench that was reminiscence of a battlefield, down beneath the table in a dim lighted pool, small bugs were nibbling on the fluid. The rooms were dimly lighted and shady. Loki released the handle and stepped back as through the corner of his eyes on the helmets detection system, he saw a dark figure standing down the hall from him. As he turned gripping his gun and aimed for the shadow, the lights flashed as he Loki gained sight of the shadow. With a slight flash, the hall appeared to be empty and devoid of life.

[AlexanderTF]

Slowly moving through the hall, Loki kept his guard up as the shadowy figure, that he noticed was still sensible in the air. Further down the path he found a room with broken lights flickering on and off from time to time, the door was broken and half opened, the inside was clean yet damaged from a cyber surge. Gazing in he saw a few closets and several furniture pieces containing equipment. Stepping in through the door he heard a shallow clattering in the closet and pulled his gun closer to aim for it as he watched the door slightly budge. From within a scientist gazed at him with fear filled eyes.

 

"Don't shoot!"

 

Loki lowered the gun as he looked through the room around him.

 

"What are you doing in there?"

 

"Why hiding of course."

 

The man explained as he slowly emerged from the small room, his white coat was all covered in blood and he was still in shock.

 

"From what? The bugs?"

 

"The specimens? No, I was hiding from IT, that creature killed all the other personnel in this floor, I was lucky to find safety in this closet."

 

"What a cowardly way of life, abandoning your comrades for your own selfish needs."

 

The man was uphold at this analizis.

 

"Coward? Tell that to all those who abandon ed us. All the forces that fled the tower leaving us behind, if you saw what that thing did, you'd take my path the same way."

 

"We'd see about that, for now lets keep moving back to the ship, we'll meet with the others at the hanger and get out of here. Then you can tell us what you saw."

 

Leaving the room Loki stepped out first and observed the halls, securing the path as he stepped away from the door, the professor tried to get pass the entrance, as a sharp noise echoed from behind them, within the room. The scientist was in shock and motionless as Loki turned to look. A sharp blade had been trusted through the solar plex of the ribcage of the professor. With cold fear dripping from his face the man gazed down as the edge was pulled back out of him, gripping the wound to slow down the blood spurt the man soon dropped to his knees unable to stand. The swiping sound of the blade echoed as it sliced the mans body in two, separating it in a clean slice.

 

Loki jumped back gazing the scene as a dark figure stepped from beyond the door.The shape was similar to a tenno but it was more malicious, brutal and cold. Only once it turned its head, fear began to grip the soldiers heart watching this beast stand before him as it showed no hurry to kill him. It was clear that it intended so, yet fished to drag out the joy of torturing the tenno. Opening fire on it Loki could not harm the shape as it would only move slightly and manage to avoid all the projectiles. Without a single scratch the figure turned to him completely, now standing face to face Loki could understand the fear that the dead scientist must have felt. This creature, this beast and monster could only be described as a buggy-man the fear itself. In shock, he decided to retreat and avoid a direct fight, synchronizing his suits camouflage he assimilated the room and began running in the direction of the elevator to the lower floor. The figure only twisted its neck as it crackled and began to slowly follow him.

[AlexanderTF]

Leaping forth with full speed Loki reached the corridor near the elevator, it was only down the road, yet his disguise wore off and he was in the sights of the dark beast again. Slamming the ground he left a mine in the middle of the crossing and rushed away to the small chamber leading down. As he slid in shooting at the beast behind him who stepped into the mine field, the tenno slammed the pad and began to descend to the combat room bellow. Along his way the warrior loaded his guns as he prepared to face the creature down bellow in a greater space where he could use the surrounding. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator the room shook as the force slamming into the ground pushed him away from the door. Loki stood in the middle of the desert arena as the creature before him held the shattered remains of the mine in his hand calmly following from behind.

 

Loki fired upon the figure as he rushed for cover. Sliding behind the stone pillar he disappeared as the enemy swung its blade slicing it apart. Collapsing the giant pillar offset the towers balance as the dark shape searched the remains for the tenno. Loki hid behind a pillar across the room as he gazed over the corner watching this creature. There was no way that Loki could match him in a fair fight, this horrifying power was similar to Anubis that Lotus sent after them. Was this another of her new pets.

 

In frustration the dark figure screamed as it realized that Loki escaped the blades edge, searching the room it disappeared in a puff of smoke as Loki searched for a way to gain an upper hand. Returning to camouflage he carefully stepped as to not move the sand, Loki noticed several quick motions in the dunes as the wind created by the creatures motion rose the sand particles from the ground. Aiming just a few inches ahead of them he opened fire as the projectiles approached the dust, the clanking of metal was heard as it blocked the shots with its blade. Yet now the creature knew where he was, avoiding its opening slash Loki jumped out of the way and sliced his blade damaging the monsters armor. Even with all the technology in the suit, it was still human. The creature knocked him away as he attempted to protect itself.

 

Loki landed on the pillars of meditation as he gripped the blade tighter the tenno leaped forth calling a hologram of itself behind the beast as Loki was about to clash blades with the creature he shifted places with his holo projection and sliced the beasts back and escaped its sights with a camouflage. Hiding behind the pillars the beast grew impatient and began slicing the meditations pillars one by one.

 

Loki turned to the side to search for a path to avoid the enemy, as he was sitting there, he noticed the dead body of a tenno beside him. A HEK shotgun was still in its grasp as the warrior was pinned to the wall with his own blade. Blood had flown along the sand making it sticky and less able of moving.

 

As the beast leaped at the pillar with the pinned corpse, slicing the stone structure apart, a barrage of shots came from in front of it as Loki stood holding the shot gun. Escaping its grasp the tenno leaped away to the farther edge of the room but as the creature saw where he was gonna land, it charged forth with a streak of light slamming Loki and flinging him at the wall, breaking it and sending him down to the waters bellow.

 

As the dark shadow stood above, watching from the hole, waiting for the tenno to come up, it finally accepted its victory and turned away. Pulling out an injector the shadow punctured its arm and pushed the fluids into the suits biometric system as it walked away. as soon as the capsule was empty it flung the container away. Bouncing on the small stones scattered through the battlefield, it fell to the cave bellow and bounced off one of the ships falling into the water near the floating body of Loki.

[AlexanderTF]

On their way to the hangers the team consisting of Volt, Frost and Nyx descended along the stairs from time to time facing a few rouge droids or remaining bugs. Once they finally reached the floor the tower was slightly shaken from beneath. The sealed passages were slightly leaking and crumbling under the pressure. With only a few corridors leading to the ring shaped hanger remaining the team dove down the nearest one to the giant hall like hanger.

 

Gazing down the ring shaped hall they saw the wide gap showing water underneath built for under water ships. With this the tennos could arrive unnoticed by the enemy. The empty hall was quickly swarmed by bugs from all sides, as they took action to stop the ambush, Nyx opened fire at the bugs from the walls as she took for the safety across the pool of water. Frost pulsed out a wave of ice and charged forth the hoards of insects crushing them with his fists. Volt gripped the handles of his daggers and leaped forth slicing the bugs to bits, he soon noticed that the swords were extremely sharp as they glided through the crispy bodies of the incests. After the quick dash down the row of enemies, he pulled the rifle from his back and began splattering the critters as he held his ground against the swarm. Frost was smashing the ground turning them to sculptures as he shattered the bugs scattering them along the ground. Once the swarm noticed the greater threat coming from him they began to hoard around him and jumped as he slammed the ground spreading a sphere of a blizzard storm covering all the insects. As they fell shattering on the ground and dispersed from the room retreating from them. The tennos gathered as the bugs retreated.

 

"I guess thats it for them?"

 

Nyx spoke as she sheathed her pistols.

 

"That's quit strange, I never thought them to be the retreating type, as far as I've read they never retreat even if there are only a few against a hoard. That's why they were used as a basis for some tenno armors."

 

"Really?"

 

While the team spoke the clanging of feet came from behind them, a giant bug covered with infection fungus came crawling from the halls edge. The tennos understood the bugs reaction and began to retreat for the higher grounds, as they rushed to the stairs the bug entered the hanger at the side of the pool and was catching up to them.

 

Suddenly the water behind them splashed and a figure erupted from the sea, the shape spun as it rose into the air, flinging the spear in its hand the figure landed on the side of the pool. The spear pierced the body of the infected bug and pinned it to the floor. As the Giant insect struggled to escape, the figure stepped forth and gripped the spear tightly as pressure began to rip the beast apart, water flowed down the spear as the figure pulled it out of its body, the insect dropped dead to the ground as though its insides were completely crushed.

 

The team gazed at this warrior wielding the spear, it was the one they saw through the cameras and the same one that dove into the water. A slim dark blue figure with elongated shoulders and the armor appeared to look like created from shells. His helmet resembled a creature of the ocean.

 

"I suppose I have you to thank for cancelling the lock-down?"

 

"Yes, and maybe you can explain what happened?"

 

Volt asked as he stepped forth.

 

"First things first, I'm Njord, I'm from a stealth recon team in the sector and you would be?"

 

"We're an assault team under the command of Orchid, we came to pick up a few supplies but found the entire outpost in lock-down and quit the horrid condition."

 

Frost spoke for them as they quickly needed a ruse to avoid conflicts with the Order at this time.

 

"I see, so our distress calls were probably blocked, the tower was assaulted from the inside as someone created the chaos and forces everyone to leave and then started to annihilate us one by one. The guards were the first to perish as they were the weakest link, then the tennos became the target, abandoning the outpost we retreated to the secret hideout in the islands, probably still unknown, we will have to cleanse the tower before returning and that will take several cycles. My teammate was supposed to activate the cleansing and meet me at the main floor, but he never came. When I went to search for him the bugs began to spread and I had to fight them off, drawing them out of the tower I intended to use the sea to escape while the lock-down seals them here and the cleansing commences."

 

"I saw the other one go to the meditation room bellow, but there was no record of him returning from there, the videos never showed that."

 

Nyx explained as Njord gazed at the dead creatures.

 

"He must have been caught off guard."

 

"By the way perhaps you can provide us with some information about our target?"

 

Volt abruptly asked.

 

"Sure, who are you planning to kill?"

 

"Not kill, we need to find a man that was a previous Order scientist, he was supposed to be at a specified location, but due to hostility he was forced to leave."

 

"I see, in that case I can't really help you, But there is a way to find out where he is. My team is currently in a different sector collecting information on a Grineer encampment on a dessert planet, there is a tenno using the Vouban armor who is our scouter, he has a unique memory so if anyone knows where to find the target it would be him, if the target is in our sector reach of course."

 

Njord explained as the team searched the hanger records through a terminal for any remaining shuttles, There was one on the farther reach near the broken bridge.

 

"We activated the repetitive lock-down so we need to hurry."

 

"But what about the cleansing?"

 

"I can activate it from here, dough it will take some time, the idea of placing it in the meditation room was supposed to make it hard to be canceled, yet they could have made it easier to activate."

[AlexanderTF]

While Njord was busy hacking the towers defense systems, the others provided cover as the bugs returned swarming them from all sides. Slicing upwards Volt threw a crowd of them to the ceiling as he jumped cutting them to bits before landing and crushing the small ones under his feet, with a reach of his hand and a sparking touch he burnt the swarm away, as the hoards never decreased, he pulled his Baraton rifle and opened fire shooting out over eighty rounds decimating the bugs. While he was holding the right side of the field, Frost charged forth scraping the fist along the ground and slamming the bugs back to the wall, crushing them on impact, as one tried to jump at his heal, he twisted the wrist slamming it into the waters. while the swarm was gathering the team was about to fall back. While Nyx charmed the enemy to attack its own, the swarm was gathering.

 

Njord finished the activation of the cleansing and stood up sighing in relief, reaching out his hands to the sides he expelled a sphere of water gathering the bugs into itself and turning into a hurricane, pulling all enemies into itself. Thrusting his spear into the tornado, he forced several water spouts out of it creating pressure spears that destroyed the swarm. With the hoards of bugs finally gone they had to hurry to the ship.

 

Arriving to the vessel, Volt grew aware that Loki was missing. Their team mate was gone, and the outpost was gonna close of destroying all life signals within it. They were abruptly stopped as a bridge above them collapsed, falling towards them. Njord and Volt jumped to the side to avoid it as Frost pulled Nyx along with him. As they rolled to the side, the squad gazed at the collapsed bridge to see its cause. A dark figure stood above the catwalk, holding a scythe in his hand he looked down at the tennos. The figure reminded Volt of Anubis, the dark one that took his place along side Lotus as they were supposed to be executed.

 

"Your paths end here tennos, none of you shall survive."

 

He spoke as he gripped the staff holding the curved blade. Jumping down attacking the team he tried to slice them apart as the blade carved the floor of the tennos escaping from its grasp, they could feel a force pulling them to the blade, as though reminding them of gravity.

 

"Who is this guy?"

 

"By the look of it, hes the assassin."

 

Frosts question was answered as Njord pulled out his spear extending it, from the short staff that was used as a compact form.

 

"My name or purpose is no interest to you, all that you need to know is that your deaths will bring me great pleasure."

 

"Ain't you a sadist."

 

Nyx spoke as she gripped her guns. The team opened fire on the figure as he slammed his hand into the ground disappearing in the smoke.

 

"What the hell?"

 

"its just like Ash, spread out and move to the ship."

 

Volt gave the command as the team separated keeping a close eye on each other. They were surrounding the ship when Volt noticed a blade peering from the side of his eyes. It was regaining its visibility as it struck at his neck. Leaning back the tenno avoided the blade as it sunk into the wall, the dark figure pulled it out by slicing the hangers walls, water began to seep in as the blade was pulled out.Njord opened fire from his bolts gun as the figure turned to him and with a flash of light slammed into him cutting and cracking the armor. With him on the ground the team opened fire on the dark shape as he rushed to the ship and jumping off of its hull leaped into the air, Spreading out as a dark sphere expanded from him slicing everything in its way. Volt dashed to Njord sliding along the ground, While Frost and Nyx played decoys avoiding his fangs. Nyx flipped out of the spheres path jumping behind crates and other objects in her way, Frost charged forward dodging the blades as he struck the hunter. Slamming his leg the figure flew to the side of the pool and stood back up enraged.

 

A large explosion came from bellow as a ship swam out of the hole that was previously covered with the collapsed bridge, The ship charged to the hanger surfacing in it and opening cannon fire on the dark figure. The ships hatch opened as the team gathered back. Loki stepped out of the ship covering a deep wound on this body sliced by the dark ones blade.

 

"So was I late?"

 

He asked as the others boarded the ship. Loki was allowed to rest as the found was causing him to lose blood. Volt stepped into the ship as he turned back to see Njord standing there gripping his spear.

 

"Come on we need to hurry, The cleansing will start soon."

 

"You know I can't, This guy killed half of the members stationed on this outpost. I need to make sure he dies here. I'll take the other ship before the tower seals itself, I'll meet you back with my team, make sure they survive till I get there."

 

Volt turned to Njord as stepped off the ship, extending his hand to him. As the blue tennos gripped each others hands, looking at each other he spoke.

 

"Make sure you survive."

 

"And same to you, my friend."

 

Volt returned to the ship just as the hatch was closing and the team dove into the waters escaping the tower.

 

Njord was left alone watching the hanger as the red lights began to flash, the systems announced a containment protocol and that all exits will be sealed immediately. The doors to the hanger were closed down at once as he walked to the ship. Njord boarded the ship to find it severely damaged from the fight, the vessel could still swim for a while. Closing the hatch he took off leaving the tower as the hanger was sealed behind him. swimming away from the tower it was engulfed in a bright green light as the cleansing was started. Nearing the surface, Njord relaxed knowing that the dark one was extinguished with the bugs inside the tower. As he stood from the seat and walked back to check on the engines the dark one materialized regaining his visible form. Pulling out a sword he attacked the tenno, Njord only had the spear at his side as the gun was dropped in the fight before. Blocking the first strike, they pushed the two weapons back and forth.

 

"Your path ends here tenno."

 

Njord pushed the blade to the side as he answered.

 

"Not yet, lets see if you can swim."

 

The end of the staff was slammed into the the console as it extended. The ships self destruct was activated as the vessel detonated with them both inside.

 

Minuets later Njord peered through the waters as he was washed ashore, to a small island littered with hills, He stood up riddled with injuries and started walking to the cliffs. Along the cliff side there was a cavern with a secret gate hidden behind a hologram, as he opened it there was a ship inside for emergency escape procedures. As soon as he took one step forth a blade pierced his back exiting through the front. Njord fell to the ground with blood quickly spreading along the sand. The dark figure stepped forth dropping a breathing device from its hands.

 

"Your not the first tenno of your type that I've killed, but you did bother to put up a good fight, maybe we'll meet again, if you survive."

 

The dark one boarded the ship leaving the body of the tenno on the sand bleeding.

[AlexanderTF]

Rhinos team was taking their time to avoid any intense situations with the chaos on the ship, they made their way to the hatch of the engineer hull repairs room. Inside there were two dead soldier with blade wounds piercing their lungs. The bodies were clinging to the walls gripping their throats, definitely this was a horrible way to die, drowning one ones own blood. The enemy was moving along chasing them as though prey, keeping one step ahead and toying with them. The tennos could feel the steaming breath of a predator down their necks. This silent assassin was predicting their each step, without the knowledge of the grineers he was playing them both.

 

Excalibur gripped the handle as he pried the door to the cold void outside open. He could feel a bullet brazing along his hands at it flew out, the marines were charging into the room. The door slammed down sealing the others outside yet those that made their way in were slowly being sucked out to the dark endless void. Jumping aside from the door he allowed them to slip by and get pulled away as they struggled to breath before being entirely disfigured by the void and crushed by the void.

 

"I wonder if they'll ever develop space suits?"

 

"Currently we're lucky they hadn't."

 

Ember commented as they watched the copses fly away. The team pressed along the side of their helms and stepped out into the void. The rookie needed help since he still had no idea how the armor worked. Walking along the surface of the ship they neared the massive rocket engine when the team noticed a shocking figure behind them. There was a sparking light floating around as the hunter stood behind them. Gripping a saw like blade he stepped forth after them without a rush he followed the tennos as they tried their hardest to run, but the cold heartless space was creating difficulties, Pulling his shot gun Rhino jumped aside and began opening fire on the stalking follower. With friction covering his body he sparked teleporting to the side as the shots passed by. Placing the gun back he pulled the axe off his back and jumped forth swinging against the chasing enemy. Avoiding the swings he simply stepped to the sides and bent his body like a lifeless corpse. After evading a swarm of attacks he placed the palm of his hand atop Rhinos chest and with a strong blast knocked him back. Excalibur caught the heavy armored tenno that was taking some damage to his armor, if he would take a couple of more of those hits the protective shielding would break and he would die as prey to the void. Ember stepped out of the path and loaded the Snipetron aiming for the enemy, The rookie was still on his way to the ship as he would never have stood a chance against the foe. The nimble red tenno took her first shot as the stalker bent to the side avoiding the projectile. Placing the heavy armored ally on the hull Excalibur leaped forth slashing at the foe, yet as their blades clashed he felt a familiarity with the enemy, something was familiar, the blade, the posture or was it the art of combat, he simply couldn't tell.

 

Ember shot a bullet over the blade wielders shoulder hitting the side of the stalkers helm. Rhino leaped slamming his axe down as the enemy jumped back and avoided the swing. Pulling scattered debre to his side, the foe vanished in a cloud of space dust as it scattered. Realizing that their chances were growing slim the team took to the shortest path for the ship.

 

As they crossed over the ridge of the rocket engine, they saw that Void was already taking off without them. The hatch was still opened so with a strong throw, Rhino flung Ember in the direction of the ship. The two were left standing on  the side of the engine as the hunter appeared again, he was still after them. Leaping down to the the engines inner side they stood their ground as the enemy began to approach them swinging his blade.

 

Ember landed inside the ship as she pulled herself inside and tried to force open the airlock. Activating the over ride she crawled into the ship sealing the door behind her. Making her way on to the deck, she found the rookie flying the ship away, fleeing.

 

"What are you doing!?"

 

"I'm leaving this mess, I don't know what you people are doing or who you are but this is not what I ever wanted to do."

 

Ember took action pulling him from the pilot seat and slamming him against the wall, she looked into his helm and spoke.

 

"I don't care who you were before or who you are now. We are tennos and we never abandon a tenno."

 

Slamming him  in the head and pushing the newcomer aside she took the wheel and turned the ship around to find the others fighting to keep the enemy away from them. Ember opened fire on the hunter as he drew back.

 

With an opening in sighed, the two warriors looked at each other and nodded as Rhino jumped up, Excalibur spun around kicking him as he launched for the ship. The stalker noticed their attempts to flee and charged forth ignoring the gunfire. Clashing blades again with Excalibur, the two valiantly fought to overpower each other. The gun fire ceased as Ember avoided to shoot her team mate. Knocking the enemy back Excalibur extended his blade up and released a bright light blinding the opponent, as he jumped away from the ships engine. Flying at the small vessel at full speed he trusted Rhino to catch him so he wouldn't get caught by the ships engine. Grabbing his hand the tenno was pulled aboard just before he flew by.

 

The hatch closed opening the entrance to the ship where they found ember in the pilot seat as the rookie was still on the ground. They saw the lights of the engine returning as they turned around and flew away. The stalker regained his vision as he saw them fly off, he could feel a heat signal closing from behind him as he turned to see the flagships engine reigniting. The figure stepped back jumping away just as the engine began to fire.

 

-----

 

Returning to the ship the team transmitted a signal to the captain to prep for take off. A battle with the battle ship would have coasted them everything. Rhinos team landed aboard the ship just as Void and the others were returning, once the hatch of the hanger was sealed the ship began preparations for stealer jumping using the star navigation that would take them to the sector that Volt indicated as their next destination.

 

As soon as the ship was traveling Rhino dragged Void to the meeting room as he slammed him along the wall. Learning about the stunt he pulled to escape the fight and leave them behind enraged the hardy soldier.

 

"Now listen here boy, if you ever turn your tail on your team again I'll personally turn you into a lady."

 

Volt pried his friend from the rookie as he asked for an explanation.

 

"He tried to abandon us!"

 

"Is this true?"

 

Void turned his gaze away as the other understood, yet felt somewhat betrayed.

 

"I don't think it would be best for you to take part in any mission for a while, get down to engineering, perhaps you'll be helpful down there."

 

Volt sent the newcomer away as the others conversed on a meeting. Exchanging their findings and delivering the gathered Intel.

 

"So where to now chief?"

 

"Njord said his team may be aware where the professor is, so I guess finding him is our main priority, cause Lotus seems to be interested in him as much as we are."

 

------

 

As the tennos left the sector the hunter that chased Rhinos team was picked up by a ship with tenno markings. Within it he met with the shady figure that stole the ship doing in with the tenno known as Njord.

 

"Did you get the data?"

 

"All fine, did you take the cargo?"

 

The hunter pulled out a small tube containing three green orbs.

 

"Just as we were instructed, shall we deliver the purchase, or wait for further instructions."

 

"The leader had just instructed us to continue chasing tennos, So why not get rid of a ship and deliver their findings as well, might be able to find some other loot for the Black market."

[AlexanderTF]

Upon the ocean planets surface, Njord was struggling to stay alive as he crawled away from the cliffs and made his way up to the top. With the wound seeping blood he was beginning to lose consciousness. At the top of the hills pressing down on the wound he was covered in blood fighting for survival. Till finally hope arrived by the appearance of a grineer scout ship. It was searching the planet for energy signatures that were noticed after the cleansing and the emergency ships evacuation by the shady figure. They were flying along the hills scanning the cliffs beneath them. Njord knew this was his only chance for survival. Summoning all the strength that was left within him he stood up and began racing for the cliffs, as the vessel flew through them leaping up from the edge he landed on the top of the ship and hung tight for his life. The ship was thrown off balance and began to spin out as it flipped around shaking the tenno side to side, the soldiers took it higher landing in a clearing to inspect what had happened. Using that chance, Njord slid down the surface of the vessel and hid behind the landing gear.

 

As the marines charged out expecting some wildlife to be nearby they were distracted with their search and didn't notice the tenno slipping into the ship. Once inside he slammed the emergency hatch closing mechanism and stepped into the ship as it sealed itself from within. Inside there was still a pilot seated at the controls, Njord pulled out his spear and held the tip extending it as the grineer was turning around to look, the spears edge pierced his head and killed the soldier as he pulled the body away from the console. Once the ship was under his control he took off flying for the farther reaches of the island as the stranded soldiers opened fire on him. Once safely away from the cliffs he programed a course to rise for the upper atmosphere where he would take his course leaving the sector.

 

Leaving the controls Njord took to the back where he searched the on board resources for any medical equipment. Aside from grenades and weapons he could only find a first aid kit. That could only help him so little. Disinfectant and closing the wound would be fine but the massive blood loss would take its tole on his body. Yet once the wound was cleaned and safely closed, he was safe from further blood loss and death eventually. Yet until he would leave the sector he was still in peril.

 

As the ship reached the endless void of space he was ready to leave the place and head for an agreed location, yet the now active flagship was still in sight. The crew must have received the transmission from the abandoned grineers since they immediately began firing on him. Diving to the side from the gun fire he raced for cower behind the moon, avoiding each shot as it aimed for him. With luck he managed to avoid massive damage that would hinder the jump systems. But the gun fire did damage some of the ships systems, he was now unable to use the guns or scanner of the vessel. Luckily the communications and engines remained intact. Once behind the cower of a nearby moon he plotted a jump to the nearest sector as quickly as possible, once the jump began he was shocked by the entrance of the jump and passed out due to blood loss, slamming his head into the controls that deviated his course. Njord was now aimlessly traveling through the systems as he had passed out from the stress placed on his body.

[AlexanderTF]

Through the spacial warp the tenno vessel arrived into the star system constructed of two sun and three planets, one of witch was a habitable desert planet. The gas giant spun freely farther away from the stars and a planet nearest to them was under constant bombardment of the stars burning constantly. The only two asteroid belts were still being spread from the irregular gravitational field created by the two suns. The two stars shinned bright in different colors violet and bright blue, they shined constant summer upon the desert planet. Scanning the sector the tennos quickly learned about the Grineer mining operations on the planets surface. Radio cloaking the ship the team prepared to move out and land on the planets surface.

 

"Who can we send to operate on the surface?"

 

"Loki needs medical aid so, our best choice would be Volt and Rhino with Ash."

 

Orchid suggested as the tennos examined the situation. With the injured team mates Ember and Nyx were both already in a bad condition since the last mission on a planet in the desert where they crashed. Frost wouldn't be the best suited one for a planet under constant heat. Orchids suggestion of leaving Loki to heal his wounds was clearly the obvious choice. Witch left Volt, Rhino, Ash and Excalibur who were still in fighting condition. Once agreeing on the squad the team made its way to the hanger to prepare while the others separated. Frost pulled Nyx away to the side for a chat, while Ember took Loki to the intermarry.

 

Once the preparations were complete the team left the ship aboard the new vessel, approaching the planet they camouflaged the ship to avoid detection. The planet was being orbited by several fleets of small ships most of them were carriers, small mineral shipping vessels. They were bringing in some machinery one by one. Patrolling around them there were a few battle ships armed with blasters and phaeton canons. though not as powerful as a flagship these vessels could still destroy small scouts and a tenno carrier. Avoiding their sights the team hid underneath the nearest carrier and one by one staying in the shadows they hid under the surface of the next ship that was entering the planets atmosphere.

 

As soon as the cruiser entered the planets air space the tennos separated from it and flew away from the vessel and made its way around the planet searching for a tenno inscription on the radio signals. After several attempts to find the signal they finally entered its range and could pick up a radio beacon transmitting a code with their location. The beacon was near the stone cliff at the edge of a sand dune. Landing near it the team left the ship to find the source of the transmission. The beacon was a small device left in the sand for the others to find.

 

Volt stepped forth to pick it up as he reached for the small capsule under the sand a bullet swept passed his shoulder as he was trying to pick it up. Immediately a radio transmission followed.

 

"Don' move or the next shot will be in the back of your head, Identification and business, start talking or the first one to go will be your big friend on the side."

 

Volt was targeted from behind as he froze motionless, the ones they were trying to contact were much more well prepared then anticipated.

 

"I'm Volt serial number XZ021, the others are my team mates we're operating under the handler Orchid, currently we're in search of a man that Njord said you could help us find."

 

"Njord?"

 

A voice came from behind the rock as they looked up upon it stood a figure of a tenno with a broad build and a snipetron in his hand.

 

"So that old fool still lives, hopefully he told you when he's planing to arrive, we're already tired of watching."

 

"The tower was under siege, we managed to escape but he stayed to make sure the enemy would be purged, he should have left by now. And when you said watching, what were you observing?"

 

Volt asked as he returned to his feet. The tenno pointed south to a village built near the edge of the dessert.

 

"The grineer mining operation here is getting intense, as far as we've seen their hell bent on finding something under the surface. But what their after is still not clear. For now you should hide the ship, theres a cave several clicks to the north of here, in it you'll find Sayrn she'll explain everything. Sting here will guide you there."

 

From behind the desert sand stepped forth a different armored tenno with two large cannon like casings on his legs.

[AlexanderTF]

The scorching sand tired the tennos as they made their way back to the ship. The Sting fellow followed them as he showed where on the map the cave was. Excalibur flew the ship to the indicated location while Ash observed the radars for any hostiles, Rhino turned back to Volt and asked him.

 

"Do you trust these guys?"

 

"We need a location as soon as possible, he could be the only one that can prove Lotus's guilt."

 

Sting drew his blade and sat down polishing it. While the others observed this strange behavior, the phaeton blades don't need any polish or sharpening as they never lose edge, since the particles slice the mater not the blade itself. Excalibur linked his communicator with the others and explained that most warriors do so to calm their nerves. Yet the strangeness didn't fade.

 

Once arrived at the cave they descended into its shadow covered innards and found a large cavern filled with plant life, nearby was a pool in witch a ship was standing. near it was enough room for one more. After landing the hatch opened with a voice cumming from outside. It was faded and sounded like mumbling, Sting stood back up and walked out to the cave holding his blade.

 

Once outside the team noticed something in the growth mumbling and moving around. Sting swung his blade and threw it spinning and stabbing the growth besides the moving brush. A figure stood up and pulled out the blade jumping at him. Gripping the edge with two fingers he stopped the raging figure as the others noticed that it was another tenno.

 

"What do you think your doing!? You could have destroyed a rare Nectrophomia plant, one of its species has not yet been seen for over a thousand years. Do you imagine what that would mean to the galaxy!?"

 

"Calm down Saryn, I aimed."

 

"That's not the point!!!"

 

She screamed without noticing the others. Volt noticed a small blue flower at the edge of the pool, it was slightly bent. The little plant reminded him of his home as it was the same flower he had once given to his friend.

 

"A Zolphonia?"

 

He whispered as he knelled near it and gazed at the plant. The raging tenno snapped out and turned to him as he recognized the plant. She looked at him and stepped closer.

 

"Yeah, these are the only ones beyond the Surlamian sector, ever since the war there these could be the last of its kind."

 

"Just like us, a dieing breed of a once beautiful race."

 

Saryn turned to the others and asked.

 

"So who are you guys, your clearly from the Order."

 

"We're with Orchid working on the search of a very important person. A V.I.P. target so to say."

 

Rhino explained as Volt was still deep in his memories.

 

"So what are you looking for?"

 

"A well known professor, and a former member of the first project Warframe."

 

The blue V helmed tenno stood back up as he spoke for the team. He turned to the tenno from the cavern, that appeared more like a biological combination of plants if not an infected. She looked at them wondering and then turned to the cavern ahead, a light from above shined down on the tip of a small hill where a rock was.

 

"Come along, if we have any information it will be in the data units on the rock near the console."

 

The others followed closely as the one named Saryn demanded not to step on the plants.

 

"So what are you people doing here, it cant be that your simply on recon."

 

"Sadly for now yes, until Njord arrives we are only to observe. The mining operation is becoming aggressive so we cant just intervene without proper preparation."

 

"How does that town work in with the mines?"

 

"The grinner have been taking large shipments from the settlement here, pretty much everything, food, materials even people to slave away in the mines."

 

Volt stopped in his tracks frozen in shock.

 

"The grinner are enslaving now?"

 

"For the time yes, hopefully we can strike soon, cause I don't wanna think we allowed them to do all this."

 

Once the group reached the table like stone they watched as the plant like tenno sifted through the data. Sting remained at the ships as he observed the entrance for any suspicious activity from enemy forces. Saryn found several unusual individuals in the city but most were wrote off as ether refugees or pirates, there was one smuggler selling slaves and Corpus remains to them. But amongst all of them the most suspicious activity was the fact that in the city wondered a cloaked figure hiding its appearance from all even the grinner forces, avoiding all contact with them.

 

"Apart from this one all the others are recognizable citizens and none of them are related to the Order."

 

"Then we have to infiltrate the place and catch it. Ash, you and I will get in there, Rhino and Excalibur will maintain cover and aid the other team."

 

"Then I'll stick to being down bellow, my armors too heavy for the sand anyways."

 

Rhino volunteered as he returned to the ship.Excalibur and Sting left the cave heading back to Vaubans position. Saryn drew up a map of the area of the caves she hand explored and synched it with their navigation system.

 

"This will help you get to the city, deep in the caves there's a sewage system the town has built, use it to infiltrate the city, find cloaks as soon as possible."

 

The two warriors left as the one aiding them returned to her work.

[AlexanderTF]

Wandering into the dark caves, Volt used the flashlights on his gun to light the path. Ash was a few steps behind him observing the walls and listening for any peculiar noises. The cavern was damp and wet as they made their way closer to the city's undergrounds. Volt had the cloth covering his armor as he was preparing to infiltrate the streets. Ash was going to stay in the shadows as he could avoid any detection by the marines. The clothing covering his armor flapped as gusts of wind came from the other end of the pit.

 

"We must be getting closer."

 

Volt whispered as he approached a ledge, there was a deep fall before them, it was the end of the map that Saryn gave them. The wind was coming from bellow, the city must have had some underground construction. After a deep breath they leaped off the ridge falling into the abyss, Volt shined the light down to see the ground approaching so they could brace for impact. As soon as the shock from landing came they were both standing in front of a large lake. The loud slam on the ground rose from them vibrating the surface of the lake and causing it to emit light. Illuminating the entire cavern. They could see a long path before them to where the lake went.around the surface of the walls grew a crimson colored moss that was gripping onto the stone walls. Stepping ahead they two tennos soon noticed a casket in the ridge of the lake. Stepping closer they stopped as beyond the corner was a nest of Dwelmirs, vicious carnivores pests that live in dark caves. The tenno data base held little information about these beasts except the toxic poison they hold in the lower jaw that splits open revealing a long snake like tong. The beasts walked on six legs even if they did look like dogs, these animals were territorial and aggressive scavengers.

 

Beyond the nest there were shredded remains of other caskets that were also holding bones, apparently the villagers flung their dead into the lake bellow. Looking closer they noticed that the adults were missing, the few hatch lings were crawling around feasting on the remains of what seemed to be a small boy. The cave echoed with a loud scratching howl as the young ones retreated into the depths of the nest. The two tennos were currently trapped in a cavern with two full grown Dwelmirs, that could easily shred the armor clean of their necks. That piling to the list of other problems the two rushed through the water making their way to the entrance of the city. Beyond a small cavern they could see the light coming from the town above. The light was quickly retreating as they were being chased by the beasts. The splashing of their feet echoed from behind them. As Volt rushed through the passage they were in a small part of the lake illuminated by the hole above, they were in a well beneath the city.

 

Stepping out from the walls he noticed a large shape jumping at him. Blocking with his gun the tenno saw the beast sink its split jaw into it as it snapped the gun in half. Pushing the creature away Volt jumped aside as Ash sliced the beasts head clean off. With that done they both continued to the well where they found some leverage on the walls giving them a clear path to the top. Running up the wall, they shortly eluded their pursuers, yet the Dwelmir were unusual beasts capable of climbing a wall like a spider. The two had to climb faster to avoid the creatures, as soon as they reached the top they were slightly too far to reach the well, If not for someone lowering the rope with a bucket the two tennos would have become chow for the beasts. Leaping to the rope they both climbed their way out of the well and quickly made hast to cover to avoid the grineer patrols.

 

Once out of sight they were soon followed by the beasts as they erupted out of the well causing the marines to flock to the area. Volt took off his helmet handing it to Ash for safe keeping as he retreated to the shadows. The city was large yet simple, half of the buildings were built of clay. As the marines rushed to the well to stop the intruding Dwelmir, they smashed several corners and scraped the walls of narrow streets. Volt gazed over the corner as they were opening fire, the creatures had a taken several shots but relentlessly attacking the marines. Strangely enough, he didn't see any civilians or anyone who would have lowered the rope. Ignoring the screams of the soldiers he walked away into the dusty sand filled streets in searched of the hooded figure.

[AlexanderTF]

Volt wandered the streets without his helm as Ash followed along the shadows, the dust filled sands were hard to walk through as with each step it crushed and crumbled beneath his feet. The houses built of clay and stone held many cracks in its walls, as he could peek into the homes. Volt could see the poverty and living conditions the people were forced to, eating rodents and insects they survived in this horrible wasteland. While the empire thrived and abused them. The tennos wandered out to the streets where they could see a road leading farther inward to the markets. The busy streets were filled with wagons from small agricultural areas in the city, the prices on the plants were incomprehensible. Compared to the animal meats that ranged from simply few tens of credits, the street was in a buzz as everyone rushed to gather their resources and leave the center.

Volt couldn't believe this madness, many beggars in the streets were constantly being pushed away by personal guards of the stalls, some marines in the area began beating little kids for asking for food. Volt couldn't believe this inhuman behavior, making his way to the grinners he was stopped as a wagon crossed his path, for a few seconds losing sights of the scene as soon as it returned into view, he saw the soldiers in pain, kneeling on the ground, his wrist was broken and leg was bleeding out, the kids quickly ran away while the other soldiers dragged the marine off to safety searching for the perpetrator. They began breaking the stalls that caused them a riot with some of the personal guards of the merchants. reminding himself to avoid any direct contact, he purchased a few fruits from the stall and followed the kids.

He found them crying in a corner, a few teenagers were taking care of them, it appeared that most of these kids were homeless. Volt approached them before one of the children turned a gun on him.

"What do you want from us!?"

Volt pushed aside his cloak and showed them a bag of fruits he just bought, the little ones were overcome with joy, yet the older ones that were in charge remained cautious.

"And what do you want of us?"

"I'm looking for a friend, someone else cloaked in this town."

The oldest amongst the kids was a boy with one arm, he had an eye patch on his left eye and held a plasma blaster in his only remaining arm.

"She told us not to trust anyone who would come looking for her."

"She?"

Volt was shocked for a moment, the professor wasn't here, yet who was this cloaked figure wandering the streets.

"Do you know where I could find her?"

"Who are you people?"

"Its best not to know, but we are always watching and soon we will get rid of the empire from this planet."

"Always? Where was your kindness when our family's were slaughtered, where were you when we were tortured!?"

"Its complicated."

The scared one appeared to be their leader, yet these children were much more then they appeared. Volt placed the bag of fruits on a crate nearby and pulled out a small case placing it besides it, within he left several thousand credits, for the better good of these children.

"We'll since you answered my questions, I can't ask for anything more, thank you."

He left the ally returning to the market in search of the hooded figure. As he returned to the streets the tenno could feel a tug on his cloak, when he turned around there was a small figure standing beside his leg. It was a little boy, kneeling down he could hear the boy whisper something to him.

"Warehouse, south district..."

The boy ran away back to the orphans as the tenno stood up and looked through the market.

"Ash did you get that, we need to get to the south district, find a path, make sure the grinners don't see you. I'll meet you there."

Suddenly he could feel the controls on his wrist twitch as he received a message, gazing at his arm a small hologram appeared with the words written upon it "We have trouble, 1 o'clock you've been noticed by someone.", Volt gazed up in the direction of the mentioned message. There stood a man with an implant observing him and recording his behavior.

"Ash, I need a distraction."

Within minuets there was an uproar in the streets as several grineer soldiers fell to their death and a giant cloud of smoke erupted. Volt took this chance to rush forward avoiding the masses as he leaped over stalls sliding and avoided the guards blocking his way. Slamming his palm on the outer right side of the jaw from beneath he spun around rolling over a guards back as the first one collapsed. The spy noticed that the tenno was approaching him and began to run away as Volt slided underneath a wagon heading for the ally. Several marines gathered blocking his path, as they quickly crumbled with an array of small knifes stabbing them in the necks. Volt slid gripping the knifes and pulling them all out as to not leave any traces of their presence. None of the locals even noticed him in the chaos.

The ally split as Volt chased the man behind corners, there was a trail of prints for him to follow, but soon they vanished near the wall as the man disappeared. Catching his breath, the tenno searched for any markings before calling his ally.

"I lost him, the bastard knows this place better then we do."

Edited June 18, 2013 by AlexanderTF

[AlexanderTF]

Following the words of a child, the two warriors made way for the warehouse that was mentioned. As they entered the walls dividing the city on their way to the south district. Volt was stopped by a few guards that were patrolling around the entrance.

 

"What business do you have in this district?"

 

"The market was ransacked, I'm heading back to my employer to inform of the situation."

 

"Why walk when you can call him?"

 

"The communicator got damaged after some street brats knocked me over. The merchandise was moved to a safe location."

 

As they spoke the air around the border region became electrified as the humming of the tracks passing between the walls echoed the arrival of the train. The guards pushed him back as they exited the path of the tram.

 

"The path is closed for the time, wait till the train passes and then your free to go."

 

"By the way, what do you sell?"

 

The other guard asked as he took his hand away from the tenno. Volt paused for a few seconds and tried to remember every thing within the market.

 

"Exotic meat, we work as hunters and transport our goods from off world, lately we had a chance to happen upon some Quelbec meat, tastes great with Jumbera sauce, its considered a delicacy in some worlds."

 

"Are you a hunter yourself?"

 

"I was shortly transferred after a run in with some lizards off world, the bloody beasts almost ripped my arm off, so I'm here till I'm good enough to get back on the field."

 

"sounds terrible, though most of us would prefer to go off world, kay the trains pretty much gone, keep your eyes out, the last two merchant's that went to the south district were robbed by some hoodlums."

 

The two guards walked away as the train rolled by, avoiding further contact he continued into the area, as he entered he found the entire southern section of the city to be built to the brim with warehouses and factories, producing guns and other military equipment for the empire, making his way to the storage side of the district Volt saw the workers of the facilities being forced into slave labor as they were all pushed around and brutally forced into the work stations. Eluding all eyes of the guards working in the district, he hid in the shadows behind some crates near the buildings. While observing the factories Ash stepped up next to him, Volt pulled out the blades he picked up earlier and handed them back to the ninja. While the tennos watched from the shadows, Volt spoke.

 

"We can't let them continue this, we need Vauban and the others to take the empire down from the seat of the sector."

 

Returning to their general mission the two tennos made their way to the warehouses witch the child spoke of, once they found the storage facilities, the two were slightly shocked with the amount of buildings dedicated to storing material and equipment. There were about a hundred of them stretching along the southern walls. It would take them day's to find the hooded figure.

[AlexanderTF]

Hopping to save time, Volt pulled out a small disk from his pocket and began scanning the working area for any life to hopefully narrow down the search. Yet this yielded less results then hoped for, the scanner showed minor infestations of rodents in the food warehouses and workers in the streets between the others. The search did show that the guards were mostly patrolling the working sections of the district, while he was about to conceal the tool, there was a quick motion picked up by the sensors for only a split second. It came from the western corner near the walls, the heat signal was short but clear. ignoring it as a flaw in the program he continued down the street with Ash maintaining a birds eye view. Crossing several patrols and workers he noticed a rattling in the warehouses nearby. Without any guards or enslaved workers around he turned towards the doors for a better look. Peeking inside while pressed against the door, he saw a clothed figure within the building searching through the crates.

 

Sneaking in he informed his colleague to keep an eye out before following in. Once inside he followed the noise to a farther corner of the building where he saw the cloaked figure sifting through the crates. Stepping closer bit by bit he heard the tap of Ash landing inside the structure. With a few more steps he was right behind the shape, slowly reaching forth and gripping it by the shoulder he pulled the figure around to face him.

 

Before him stood a young girl covered in dust and sand, she was holding a box of medicine in her hand and had a bag with some food strapped to her belt. Before he could ask anything a click sounded from behind him. As he turned his head to look, there stood a second cloaked figure with a plasma blaster pointed at his head. Underneath the hood the gun holder was a red haired girl that had rather sharp and charming features. The woman holding the gun at his head asked him, while the child behind him pressed a blade at his back.

 

"Who are you, why are you looking for me?"

 

A blade soon slid up her shoulder pressing at her neck, Ash stood behind her ready to strike.

 

"I suppose these aren't the best circumstances, perhaps we should calm down and speak elsewhere?"

 

"No" She replied as she pointed the gun straight for his head. "We talk here and now, the kids said you were looking for me, why would tennos be after me?"

 

"So you knew who we were?" Volt spoke with shock, surprised that the girl knew who they were.

 

"Why wouldn't I?" She pushed her robe aside revealing a red sharp helm at her side.

 

"A Shard model, why are you on this planet?"

 

Volt asked her as the blade was pulled away from her neck.

 

"Hide your blade child, it wouldn't do you any good against these two."

 

The young one hid her weapon and left the warehouse rushing for the other districts avoiding the guards. The new ally holstered her gun as Volt looked at the crates she was searching through. The mass amount of hey hinted to a fragile cargo, yet within he could only find rocks.

 

"What is this?"

 

"Those are the remains of a tablet left by the Orakins, the empire found a vault down bellow. So in trade what is your business here"

 

"We're searching for a target that can aid us in our mission."

 

"Who?"

 

"First off, what is your job here?"

 

The Shard model stared at him for several second as though a familiar face had emerged before her.

 

"I'm here guarding a VIP, what model are you by the way?"

 

"I'm a Volt, so who is your target?"

 

The shard remained silent as she looked into his eyes wondering.

[AlexanderTF]

The group of tennos left the warehouse in search of a more reclusive location to exchange information. Along the way Volt asked her what her mission on this planet was.

 

"I was brought here to protect one of the council members, he's a scientist who worked on the tenno projects."

 

"A council member, is he an old man with several biotic enhancements?"

 

"Yes, why?"

 

"Is his name, Demenus Shurk?"

 

"Why do you ask?"

 

Volt was shocked that they finally tracked down the informer, and his former master. Yet why was he so far from the agreed meeting place and why was he all the way here, all these questions boggled his mind as he stopped in the middle of the street.

 

"That's our target, where is he?"

 

The newly acquainted tenno turned around and gazed into his determined eyes, for some reason it caused her a migraine, as though something was bothering her, stopping her from remembering. After gripping her forehead and shaking off the feeling she turned away to the direction of the train rails.

 

"He wanted to examine the excavation site so he willingly became a prisoner and was forced to becoming a slave in the dig site where the gate was uncovered."

 

"Why, the empire can't open the warp rooms."

 

"He suspected that a Grineer scientist managed to create a machine that hacked the gates code frequencies, and that would be why several of our sleepers were going silent off the grid and their strength grew."

 

Ash slipped away, hiding in the shadows as he noticed a flash of light from the corner of a building further down the street. Slipping from one sea of darkness to the next he rushed to the building where he saw the light. The shadows were forcing him to go slightly to the eastern side, but as he leaped to the rails above the warehouses, used for large cargo deliveries, he sneaked his way behind the building where he saw the man from before, with a spy glass watching them. Silently landing behind the crates in the street he stepped around them approaching the man as he turned around the corner the man held a pistol at his head. Ash slapped the gun aside as he knocked the man out of the streets, sliding on his back he crashed into some crates near the other buildings. Volt and Shard quickly arrived to see the man attempting to escape, as he saw the other two tennos approaching he quickly stood up to dash away from them but was met with a jab in his jaw from Ash who already stood behind him.

 

"Who is he, a spy?"

 

"Who knows, he was watching us in the market as well. Looks like some locals are getting far too nosy about our business here."

 

The group disused what to do with the man as they planed their next step. As Shard explained the contains of these warehouses.

 

As night time approached the team were on their way to the train witch was being loaded in the west part of the district. The train was taking drills, and explosives to the mine, as well as some slaves to replace the dead bodies they brought back from the pits, luckily amongst them there weren't any traces of the professor. Using this opportunity the tennos sneaked into the rear cart, where the explosives were stored. Without noticing the intruders the train began to move for the mining facility, Volt watched as they left the boarders of the city, he knew that the others wouldn't wait too long, in his pouch he had a few signal flares only noticeable by tenno scanning systems, he dropped one of them as the train drove away. Ash sifted through the boxes of explosives while Shard stood by and watched the city grow smaller.

 

"Are there others out there, to see your signal?"

 

"Hopefully they'll notice it, and understand."

 

As Volt placed his helmet on he saw the light from the flare that remained silent till now, it was blooming like a flower, and spreading with time as it faded. From a distance he saw a similar shape appear farther away from the city in the sky, the others had noticed it as they remained in hiding.

 

"How many of you are here?"

 

"Two teams, ours  and a liberation squad to eliminate the empire in this sector, through the team leader Njord is still missing."

 

Looking at the ever shrinking city Shard could only hope that they would finish their job before she returned. The pain of the population in those living conditions was simply unbearable. While the city grew smaller, Ash could see the light of the mining pits grow brighter as they drew closer to it. Before they would be forced to leave the train, Volt shared a little idea with the rest of the team.

[AlexanderTF]

As the tracks drew closer to the mines, the lights from the dig site was shining brighter, as the train rolled over the ridge of the giant pit. The team could see the massive hole in the ground illuminated by the lamps fixated in the walls, the cavern was littered with many holes leading into the mines. In the pit there were several drills and a massive robot that held two grand Gatling guns fixated to its hands observing the slave laborious, with the train slowing down there was a harsh squeal from the rails upon witch the train hung on. The marines began forcing the slaves out and putting them to work unloading the train.

 

The tennos sneaked out of there little hideout and found a few guards protecting the back side of the station. Ash slipped around one slicing his neck and silencing as he slashed the leg severing his muscles and stopping him from running, Volt took this chance and slipped his two daggers around the other ones neck and pulled them back, cleanly separating his head. Shard gripped the last soldier by the neck and starved him of his breath as he fell to the ground unconscious, she stabbed him in the chest piercing his heart.

 

"You two, aren't the cleanest ones."

 

"Does it matter, its just faster."

 

Dragging the bodies away they hid them under the train where no one could see them, before slipping to the structures around the dig site. Hiding behind the buildings they saw a grineer walk down a guardrail as he stood above the others, on the upper floor of the structures.

 

"You are here not to get paid, your here to contribute to the empire and die if need be, you are all but a stepping stone in the grand path of the Grineer empire. Welcome to your graves, you'll die here serving our cause or get shot if you oppose us, down there is something we want, so bring it up here or you'll be brought back in a bag! For the Empire!"

 

The marine spoke as he screamed at the slaves. He had a strange shoulder guard on his right side, once his speech was over the soldiers pushed the slaves away as they forced them into a small elevator cramming them all inside pushing and squishing in, as the elevator was descending the tennos could see the elevator as a man fell out smashing on the ground bellow. The grinner that spoke to them laughed as he watched before leaving the grounds. He returned to the inside of the building.

 

The tennos continued to make their way around the station as they turned around the buildings, They stopped with two marines with their backs at them blocking the path. While Ash and volt took their time too sneak up on the two they could hear their conversation.

 

"You think, we'll get transferred soon?"

 

"I don't know, I promised my son to be there for his fifteenth birthday."

 

"Really, what did you get him?"

 

"A bolt blaster, XO300 series."

 

"I bet he'll like that."

 

"Yeah."

 

Volt felt a little flustered as he turned to ash who was a bit confused, as they looked at each other two arrows flew past they're heads sinking into the marines killing them with head shots. The two tennos turned back looking at the Shard tenno holding a bow in her hands.

 

"You guys are really taking a long time."

 

"I just started to feel sorry for the poor guy."

 

Volt whispered as they dragged the bodies away before continuing to the elevator, jumping over the ridge the three fell to the walls that were constructed like a come, with slight incline and ridges at each floor, sliding down they leaped over the ridge and fell on the heads of a guard patrol cracking their necks and killing them before dragging away the bodies to the small shack nearby.

[AlexanderTF]

Sneaking their way into the cabin the tennos found surveillance equipment manned by two grineers, as they turned to see the relieving party that they were to change places with the soldiers were met with a small knifes jammed into their skulls by Ash. Once the bodies were out of the way the group began analyzing the area, down bellow there were three robots patrolling and watching over the slaves. They were all equipped with weapons able to shred the mining drills. Aside from the view outside the window the monitors showed the workers slaving away as they kept digging and pulling debry out of the structure bellow, they had found some kind of building that was intrepidly decorated and the signal on the radar was increasing, there was a strong energy signature. The machines were operated by grineer soldiers that had unusually slim armor. While searching through the monitors they found an old man clearing some rocks in the halls where he would constantly leave the sights of the cameras without passing the other security sights.

 

"That must be him, we need to get there."

 

"That’s the fourth tunnel and its in the lowest levels of the dig site. We would need to get passed those robots to get there."

 

"Unless we use the vents, they should be getting air from the surface down there."

 

“Then where is it?“

 

Volt searched the plans of the mining facility on the control panels before them, while searching through the files he found several maps and blueprints, when the radio transmitter buzzed. There was an in coming call from the mines.

 

“The carts are full, move them, out of here so we can continue.“

 

Both Shard and Volt were slightly shocked, they didn‘t know where the controls were and how to operate them. While they searched for the controls the radio rang again.

 

“Are you gonna get them out of here or do I have to get up there myself.“

 

With the threaten approaching the tennos began to gamble on their luck as they pressed a panel activating something, before they could find out what they did the transmition came in complaining on the control room taking too much time. As they gazed through the window the floating carts carrying away the rocks from the dig site. A sense of relief came over them as the group was about to leave the structure, there was a crash above as the carts slammed into something causing the stones from them to roll down as the crowd bellow scattered, several digging machines were smashed to bits as the rocks damaged them, even one of the robots were damaged beyond repair. Pressed with the incident they rushed ahead leaving the shack and running into a cave on the ridge nearby. While Shard and Volt searched for the vents, Ash disappeared in the shadows leaving them behind.

 

“Where did you friend go?“

 

“I‘m sure he‘ll be back so let’s not waste time and find that passage.“

 

Treading deep into the cavern the two tennos approached a light source as they rushed for cover there were several marines over watching the slaves, they were enjoying every moment as they bashed the weak exhausted men down to the floor. Shard released a few arrows pinning them to the wall as the guns fell out of their hands, a soldier turned around to confront the enemy but as he looked away the unsupervised slaves gripped one of the grineer guns and plastered his head all over the caves walls, as his body fell to the floor the poor man fell back in shock.

 

“Well that’s one less to worry about.”

 

Volt spoke as they stepped out from behind the rocks, the people were scared as the one holding the gun aimed at them. Without even paying attention they passed only saying to the slaves to stay in place and avoid any guards. Further down the cave the two could hear the rushing of wind, as they turned around the corner there stood the grates leading to the vent, slicing the bars Volt opened the path as they descended to the floor bellow.

 

During that time Ash made his way above and began searching through the encampment for the communication links. Following the wires from the building the leading officer was in he found himself behind the barracks where the communication center was and two guards stood outside. Sneaking through the shadows he climbed to the roof of the buildings and approached the entrance as he hung down by his feet sticking long needles into the back of the two guards necks, they were paralyzed and couldn’t speak standing still like statues, leaping down from the roof, he slowly pushed the door open and entered where he flung several daggers into the heads of the soldiers within the building killing all of them before leaving a small box in the center of the room. He left through the door closing in behind himself. Following the shadows back he descended down to the caves where the others were, Ash landed on the bottom sneaking through top the dig site without being seen.

[AlexanderTF]

Threading along the shadowy pipes the two tennos searched for the nearest path to the floors bellow, along the way they could hear the screams of prisoners and the whispers from other corners of the dig site. Through the echoing chambers they descended to the lower caves where they found themselves standing over the went grates that hung above two armed guards. While they knocked down the slaves that were pushing carts and clearing the path for the next cart. As the skinny man fell to the floor and bled as he bashed his head into the edge of the cart, the marines laughed and told the slaves to get him out of here. As the carts squeaking of the wheels dissipated and left the cavern, the two tennos above silently pulled the grates up and descended down behind them, Volt thrusted the two daggers into their backs and ripped the blades through piercing their lungs. As the dead soldiers fell to the ground the two tennos hid them in the went and continued to travel along the cave.

 

"So where to now?"

 

"The camera observing the professor was down this path where they brought the cart from."

 

The two made their way to the dig site where the old man was.  Along the path they saw the suffering nation under the grip of the Grineer empire, forced to slave for a long lost grave under the surface of planet floating in the stars of Pegasus star cluster. The citizens were forced to break the rocks apart opening a path to the sides around a strange wall that seemed to be a piece of the construction they were searching for. The wall was white and seemed fluent without a single mark or scratch on it. Volt approached it to get a better look, he noticed that there were no marks of ever connecting plates or screwing them together as if the structure was crafted from a single lump of metal, there was no evidence of ever heating it and as he touched the wall and brushed his fingers along it he could feel the structure draining the energy from within him. Rash fully pulling his hand away the tenno was shocked that this thing was able to interact with tenno armor.

 

“Is this the gate?”

 

“Yeah, but the professor didn’t know what kind of gate it was so he chose to infiltrate the dig site and get a better look.”

 

“We should hurry up and get to him before the empire finds out we’re here.”

 

After the short distraction they both continued through the hall in search of the old man, they have reached an entrance to the giant pod and it seemed that the truth was coming closer by each step. After a few more feet they approached a corner that was protected by two guards that were keeping an eye on an engineer who was fixing the security system to observe the dig. Shard pulled two arrows from her side pouch and prepared the bow aiming for the marines, as she released the arrows, Volt rushed forth.

 

The two spears pierced the head of the guard on the left and pinned the other one to the wall by his neck. As the headshot broke through his skull the marine fell to the floor motionless while the other was struggling to breath. The engineer turned around in shock as he was bashed to the wall by the other tenno, Volt held a blade at the man’s neck as he asked.

 

“Where’s the gate?”

 

The engineer spat at his helm.

 

“F*** you, order scum.”

 

The displeased Volt shoved a blade into the mans side twisting it. The engineer let out a scram that was soon silenced with a slight throat. The body slowly slid to the ground as Shard approached them.

 

“That could have went better.”

 

“I don’t think any Grineer deserves better then what they inflict upon others.”

 

Shard looked at the remaining guard still struggling to pull the arrow out of his throat. Gripping the end of the arrow she ripped it out and slammed into the soldiers head. With the last of the guards dealt with they continued down the path to where the target was. Behind the corner they found a much cleared path as it was leading into the structure. Before them stood a door that was devoid of any power. There was nowhere else to go as the cave no longer branched off.

 

“He’s not here.”

 

“On the contrary, my dear lad. It’s been a while Void.”

 

From the shadows behind them stepped out a figure of an old man with a cloak around his shoulders. From beneath the cloak he reached out with a mechanized hand that was a perfect simulation of the human body.

[AlexanderTF]

Volt stepped forth with relief approaching the old man. Shard looked at the two with confusion.

 

“Master, we’ve finally found you.”

 

“Why?” the old one asked as he stepped closer to the door. “Was there a need of me?”

 

The old man pulled a small orb from underneath his coat, lifting it up closer to the door. As the two began to shine and resonate, Volt turned to his master.

 

“Orchid was sent to meet you, we have a great problem. Lotus has gone rogue and we believe she intends to harm the Order.”

 

“How so?”

 

The old man asked as he turned to the red figure beside him.

 

“Shard, is the town in turmoil yet?”

 

“It’s still calm, yet the pressure is forcing violence into the streets.”

 

“Master, what is that thing?”

 

The door began to shift as it spread open like a flower it was composed of several layers that spread apart. Once the gate before them was opened the professor stepped inside, into a white hall that was just being light by lamps hidden in the walls.

 

“A master key I built while posing as a slave.”

 

The two tennos followed him from behind, once they stepped into the hall the door behind them began to close and seal itself once again. The hall lead to another door that was composed of a different pattern sealed like a massive cube, it was a small passage way that was built like a puzzle, it seemed like a wall at first but as the key slowly changed color the door began to take shape of a path as the cubes shifted into place.

 

“What is this place?”

 

“I have yet to determine it, but it isn’t one of ours or does it to be one of the Orikin Vaults.”

 

Shard was confused.

 

“If its not our sleep chambers or the vaults, then what is this place.”

 

“I believe, we shall soon find out.”

 

Once the path was cleared the group continued ahead to the room where the control center of the structure was. Inside they found a control panel with some strange symbols upon it. The room slowly light up as the light uncovered several other control panels and a simple door. In the front of the room they were in was a window that illuminated the massive insides of the building. Within the confines of the structure was a shape that slithered away as the light began to cover it.

 

“What was that?”

 

Shard asked as she stepped closer to the glass, Volt was looking at the controls as he gazed at the glass. The professor examined the controls and pushed a few buttons that illuminated the inside of the building. As the light illuminated the building the team saw that the inside of the building was a habitat that seemed to be the reminiscence of a jungle. Within its density the figure slithered through.

 

“Is this a zoo?”Volt asked as he stepped closer to the glass.

 

“No, it looks like it’s a prison.”

 

The professor said as he looked through the data reading the symbols on a hologram screen.

 

“Prison for what?”

[AlexanderTF]

The professor sifted through the small amount of information stored in the control panels and couldn't find much information about the construct. Leaving the panel he approached the two tennos observing the movement in the habitat.

 

"Aside from its name there is nothing, they simply labeled it 'Subject Eve' they left no messages as to what it is."

 

"Then I guess we just gotta go a bit deeper, and hope for the best."

 

Leaving the window, Volt and the old man approached the door prepared to descend deeper into the confines of the abandoned prison. Shard watched the habitat for a few more seconds till it stopped moving, she could swear that she saw the glimmering eyes of the creature. It watched her as though it knew this was the only chance for escape. Turning away from the glass she joined the others in the venture to the deeps of this hell box. The beast watched to the last second before rushing away from the cover of the brush and rushing to the edge of the habitat.

 

As the door opened the three were facing a small passage leading to a branching further ahead. threading down the path to the fork they chose to separate and search each hallway, Volt took the right passage while Shard took the opposite direction, leaving the old man on a straight path ahead.

 

Volt found himself on a short road as it soon lead to a securely locked room. The circuit board was outside the door on the wall nearby, left without a choice he ripped the outer panel off the wall and tried to hot wire the system and force the door open. As he spent time on it, the problem of an unknown language encoded panel was tearing him apart. he never had a chance to attempt a hacking of an Orikin security system, it was much more advanced then any of the races have at the current time. It brought a wave of pleasure upon him, knowing that he might be the first tenno to break an Orikin security system. Few fully intact ruins were ever found.

 

Shard made her way down the hall to an elevator that was brought to the floor and locked in place. She brushed her fingers over the controls wondering where it could lead her. As she pushed the top symbol the elevator pushed into motion, before rising or descending it floated back like a pad and only after a few feet began to rise to the floors above. The elevator was in a wast glass hall that lead up and down, the tenno could see that the habitat they saw before was only one of hundreds as the building seemed to go on for ever into its sides and down bellow. It could only rise by a few floors as its roof was already nearby, but the elevator was more like a floating platform that could take her to any corner of the building. Shard quickly knew that she would have difficulty orientating in this place and gripped her bow. Shooting several arrows at the gate and floor that she had left. While floating away she attempted to contact the others but something in the building was blocking all transmissions in and out, Shard was now separated from Volt and the Professor. As the platform approached the floor she found herself in a hall filled with labs and experimentation chambers.

 

The old man walked down the hall slowly wondering what this place and purpose was. As he finally reached the door the professor found several symbols on the wall, he could recognize a few of them, but there were yet few who would understand the full language of the Orikin race. He could only find that the room was a security post in order to protect the the floor. As he entered through the door he found several lockers and terminals awaiting him, the professor ignored the cabinets in order to find more knowledge about this facility.

[AlexanderTF]

Volt finally found a hole in the locks security that seemed to react when connected to the security overlay, the power seemed to overflow the pressure lock. Once connecting the two wires he broke the lock and detached the door from its lock. Pulling it open he felt proud of his achievement, but as he pushed the door away he found the room to be small yet pitch black. Feeling along the wall he searched for any light source, but as he pressed the buttons that he found, the room was soon light bright with a hologram before him. He found himself standing behind a seat holding a skeleton in it, it wasn't entirely human shaped, near its legs was also a shell of some beast. the hologram was distorted and unclear. Volt gazed beneath the station to find the wires damaged and ripped in some places. The hologram was also speaking in a language and dialect unheard to him. After a short play of the message there was a screeching scream as it was cut off by a sound of ripping flesh. Without anything to be found he traced back to find the Professor and show the room. As he turned around the corner he could see the door that the old man had stepped through. Running to the door he slid to a halt into the room, before him stood the man pulling a gun out of the lockers.

 

"Master, I think you need to see this."

 

"I think so, this place was a testing zoo for the Orikin searching for perfection. They were an independent group and singled out as outcasts, I can't believe they managed to build this on their own."

 

"Sir, I found a recorded message that you might want to listen to."

 

Taking the attention of the old one, Volt lead him down the hall to the small room. Listening to the recording the professor picked up the small shell as he observed the room. He was in shock, as he explained the recording.

 

"Its a lock down order from the security chief, the poor fellow sits here before us. He was eaten by a beast from the zoo that was probably causing a breach in security."

 

"But we haven't seen any signs of a struggle."

 

"This one must have crawled through the vent. The others might not have been so fortunate, we need to contact Shard and get out of here. There's no way to destroy this place and the grineer will gain nothing from it."

 

The two left the room behind as the door remained broken and opened, within the room a swarm of eyes glimmered as it began to shuffle.

 

Shard walked along the hall slowly as she observed the rooms filled with decayed corpses and creatures ether strapped to tables or pinned to the walls. There were several dead bodies in jars within a dark room in the farther end of the hall that she could see through the corner of her eye.

[AlexanderTF]

While returning to the fork back down the halls, the two heard a loud noise from down the path Shard had taken. Rushing to her aid they quickly were stopped in their tracks by the massive fall before them, the large chamber in front lead in every imaginable direction as though the structure was surrounding the entire planet. Only the ceiling was visible, as Volt gazed at the chamber over the edge he could see the elevator that must have been used by Shard. There was something else slithering along the walls of the chamber a massive snake like creature covered in scales and having two growths out of its body that seemed like hands with three massive talons. The beast must have been strong with one swing of its claw it slammed the elevator away from the wall and climbed into the hole it was surrounding. Noticing the arrows that were near the rim of the hall leading to the chamber the two of them knew that she was now trapped up there with that beast.

 

"It will be safer here for me, now go Volt."

 

The old man mumbled as he stepped aside, The blue tenno understood the professors words and rushed down the hall before stopping and turning back. Gripping his blades the tenno began to illuminate the hall in a bright white light before rushing forth leaving a blue trail behind him. Leaping from the edge he slammed the blades into the wall before him slowing the descending fall to halt, as he pushed himself up ripping the wall behind him, he ran up the wall with a blue tail following him. Following the path to the entrance that the creature had slipped into he leaped from the wall falling to the rim of the entrance, he was gripping the floor slamming his blades in to pull the rest of his body up. Volt climbed into the floor that Shard and the beast were both on, hopping its not too late.

 

Shard was searching through the passages as she followed the halls to many other rooms still intact, once she heard the loud noise of something being ripped away she quickly hid in the closest room she had at hand. Inside there were few remains of surgical equipment on the table lied a skeletal remain of a beast like body. It had six legs and what seemed to be three tails as well as four protruding growths of bode poking from its body. It was covered in a scale like skin similar to a snake. the beast was long dead and its body was dry and decade, several patches of the skin were ripped as the creature seemed more like a mummified remain. There were many webs covering the rooms being weight down by dust. The only light was coming from the hall outside as she was pressed against the door avoiding the window. A clean streak of light on the floor could easily show her if anyone was passing by. Shard turned a bit to gaze through the window as a slithering scratching noise of something being dragged echoed through the hall. She could only see the tip of a tail being pulled from behind as it approached the door she was hiding behind. Suddenly there was a loud slam as the creature pressed itself up against the window, it was gazing through it, a long tong was extended from its jaw. Shard quickly pulled away as the creature looked through the glass, with its two large arms pressed upon it. The beast soon fell back to the ground as it slipped away. With relief she waited for an opportunity to escape.

 

Just as she thought being in the clear a loud noise came from down the hall, something slamming into the floor and bashing as though claws scraping along the metal walls. The creature soon noticed it and raced down the hall back to the source of the noise. Shard used this time to get out of the room and try to slip out to the elevator before a swarm of these creatures arrives.

[AlexanderTF]

As Volt crawled to his feet and gazed along the old hall before him, a scraping noise came from down it as the beast rushed through it slamming into the wall, it appeared as a snake like figure with the jaws of a monster dripping with drool. The creature screamed as it charged forth on a pair of paws holding reddish dark nails out of three of its fingers. Volt gripped the twin blades even tighter and prepared for impacts as the beast leaped at him, the tenno rushed to the side forward kicking the wall as he leaped over the beasts head slamming a blade into it, before even impacting the monster he was slammed aside by a giant tail knocking him through the glass into a room off to the side littered with bony remains of animals. Gripping at the back of his head he could feel the shock as the quick lash left him trembling and shocked, Volt barely held to his contentiousness as the beast creeped into the room through the broken glass knocking and breaking everything in its way. Volt slammed his left leg into the ground forcing himself to flip over as his right heel almost hooked the creatures jaw. It chomped at him attempting to bite his limb off. Pushing himself up from the floor, Volt slammed his feet into the wall kicking off and leaping away from the creature as it slammed itself into the ground attempting to crush him. Before the tenno could even clear the room the reptile gripped his leg and through him to the side of the room at the wall. Pulling up his tail the creature aimed for Volts head as it launched the attack aiming to pierce the tennos skull. Pulling on his blades Volt blocked the attack by swiping the end of the tail off the beasts body with the sharp spear like horn on its end. The monster slipped back screaming as Volt made a run for it to the window. As he approached it the enemy swiped its tail again smashing him through half the wall as he flew outside to the hall, slamming into the wall outside. As the tenno slipped down losing his grip on reality, the beast slipped out and began to open its jaw dislocating it to three times its size. It leaned in to the tenno before him. Volt could only watch the creatures throat expand as it was about to swallow him.

 

When all of a sudden a spear like object flew through its insides, ripping the neck and splattering its own skin in its jaw. The beast jumped back in pain as it turned to the side where down the hall stood the red tenno stretching another arrow into its bow. Shard aimed at the reptile attacking them and yelled at Volt.

 

"Get up you idiot!"

 

As she released the arrow the beast caught it with its talon just a few inches before its eye. Volt gripped his blades and through his armor a blue light coated the body as he jumped from the ground slamming the creature chest. He began slamming the beast repeatedly with his fists as he slashed the creatures other arm off he noticed the blue light pushing his body beyond the normal speeds he could reach with the powers within it. With every punch he could feel more speed passing through his body slamming faster and faster. He bashed the beasts body till he finally upper cuted its jaw slashing with his blade. Jumping to the side away from the creature he breathed unstably with exhaustion as he finally realized the same message as before "Limit Breach" on his helm.

 

The snake like adversary gripped its face after dropping the arrow and after growling screamed as it pulled four other arms from its chest. They blocked most of the punches as the scales were battered and broken shedding from its body, it roared loudly that even the building began to tremble as it was yelling. Shard released three arrows aimed at the beasts back as it was gazing at Volt. With its tail alone the creature slammed the arrows away and Turning to her the beast bashed the roof with its tail as the broken remains of the structure fell covering the hall with rocks and dust. Its attention quickly returned to the tenno that slashed its face. Charging forth slammed the tenno gripping his arms and leaping off the ledge. Volt was held tightly by the creature as they plummeted to the bottom of the grand hall. Its jaws opened as it spread the side of its mouth now like talons. Volt slammed his helm into the beasts snout forcing its skin to rapture and pull its jaws up, ripping the broken bones now ripped them apart as the beast gripped its jaws the tenno kicked the remaining talons holding him and kicked away from the creature rushing up the wall till he slammed the two blades into the wall. He was now dangling from the wall as he watched the creature plum it to the void bellow.

 

"Need a hand!?"

 

He heard a voice from above as he looked up there was shard standing at the ledge of the floor looking down at him.

 

"Would be appreciated!!"

 

She shot a few arrows into the wall near him like a staircase to the floor above they one they began in. Leaping along the path made for him, Volt jumped form the wall flying over the ledge between the wall and the floors, as he was in mid flight he noticed the red tenno leaping down at him. Quickly sheathing his blades he spread his arms catching her as the two landed in the hall just behind the professor.

 

"Not to spoil the moment but, I dont think we should remain here for longer then we already did."

 

The old man spoke looking at them.

 

"Why?"

 

Volt asked as he lifted up his head and realized he was gazing at a hall filled with Dreath Crawlers, Spider like beasts with scorpion tails and toxic venom within it.

[AlexanderTF]

Once he released Shard from his arms and pulled the gun from his side the group began to charge out of the building. Chard rose to the air and began shooting waves of red energy coated blades that began trimming down the creatures before them. The professor held a small cube that created a shield similar to Volts ability yet moved it pushing the critters back. As soon as they reached the coridor leading back to the entrance, Shard and the old man began running for it as the remaining blue tenno held the beasts back with bullets, yet the few ammo casings he had left were of little use in this confrontation. While the two in the front were charging down. Shard noticed a camouflaged shape crawling along the roof as it jumped down and took shape it was a lizard with a humanoid construction as it hissed, the red tenno shot several arrows into the creature piercing it before the tenno jumped on to it sliding along the floor as she turned around and began shooting arrows down the hall at the bugs behind them. Volt took this chance to catch up to the others as he turned around and charged down the hall in a streak of blue light.

 

The professor quickly opened the door as Shard sled in shooting her arrows. Once they were both inside Volt took his gun reloading it and jumped around as he sled on his back shooting at the critters. When he slid into the room he noticed the professors revealed arm as he pulled it back, in the palm a dark sphere began to take form as it gained a bright white center within it he pushed the sphere forth, it began to fly through the hall crushing every bug within it as it faded the hall was only filled with destroyed remains of the beasts. Once the door closed the blue tenno stood back up and asked the old man.

 

"When did you get that installed?"

 

"After the completion of the Nova model, I figured a gravity cannon would be a useful creation, yet its too limited to add to any model"

 

"Impressive..."

 

Volt said as they left the construct before the beasts managed to break through.

 

_____________________________________________

 

Down in the dark ridges of the grand hall where the elevator was the remains of the lizard were found by some other monsters.

 

"The exit is-s above u-ss"

 

One hissed as it approached the corpse still taking its breath. A large talon pierced its head as the group of these creatures began to climb along the wall to the halls above.

 

______________________________________________

 

In the caves outside Ash had gathered and lead all the slaves out of the pits and up to the train where he found a second path and killed all the guards he could find, as they boarded the train, he locked all the doors and released it to head back to town.

 

Along the trains path a few guards were moving some crates as the train floated away one of them lost their head as it was ripped off by the machine moving passed.

 

"The hell, is the train supposed to leave this early!?"

 

"What!?" The leader of the camp yelled as he stood upon the balcony. "Why is the train leaving!!"

 

Whilst standing there he received a message from the pits.

 

"Sir, several of our operative have gone missing, no shipments have yet to come out of the mine and no one has seen any slaves in the past fifteen minuets."

 

After a short growl he let out a loud scream.

 

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?"

 

Ash, crawled to the roof of the building where he stood and watched him as the target walked back and forth with agitation.

[AlexanderTF]

Watching the screaming general Ash gripped his blades handle and prepared to attack the grineer from behind. While he was distracted commanding the troops the tenno chose this time to leap into action before the enemy knew of him.

 

The remaining part of the group rushed through the empty caves to leave the mining pit. Nearing the exit they could see the remaining soldiers searching the pit for slaves. Before the troopers could realize Volt rushed forth sliding along the ground, as soon as they noticed him, two arrows pierced the two front soldiers helms throwing them off balance and leaving them to fall to the floor lifeless. Volt slid underneath the front soldiers slashing the second group behind them. While his right hand pulled the blade up the blue tenno pulled the machine gun from his side and opened fire upon the troopers. After the second group was shot down the remaining soldiers started charging in from the outside. Shard took charge flipping over Volts back she spread her arms calling forth all shattered remains along the halls surface and shooting them at the enemy like spears slashing them apart. The wave of the soldiers was now silenced but a loud bang caused a tremor to shake up the cave system causing a collapse in several regions. The three rushed out to be halted to Ash's body falling from above into the base of the pit.

 

"You thought you could destroy my work and escape without punishment, you filthy Tenno's!!!"

 

A loud voice echoed from above as the team was surrounded by the giant machines controlled by the empires engineers. While they aimed all their arms at the group before them the general laughed, Ash tried to stand back up but he was wounded and felt the broken bones in his side. When he assaulted the general he was met with an immediate response with a kick from bellow. Knocked up he was immediately kicked to the pit by him with a leaping blow.

 

"You ok Ash?"

 

He just stood back up leaning on his blade, and grunted while watching the mechas approach. The general commanded the engineers to annihilate the intruders, as he pointed at the tennos. Volt quickly bolted away grabbing and carrying the professor out of the line of fire, while Ash used a smoke screen to disappear from the enemies vision. Shard  armed her bow aiming at the cockpit, the machines were slow and quickly brought off balance by the quick motions of the tennos. Only after a barrage of arrows the glass covering the controls finally broke and pierced the engineers skull. The machine was left motionless. Shard quickly rushed to the side away from the aim of the engineers, as they all began to shift to the side to catch her the farthest most one was quickly dismantled by Ash cutting the glass off and stabbing the pilot with the blade, gripping the controls of the machine he quickly began destroying the machines from behind. The professor released a blast from the cave ripping the legs of three mechas and leaving them to0 fall to the ground, where Volt quickly met them with a stab into the controls breaking the glass off, he quickly dropped a bomb in one and rushed to the next to shoot the engineers head splattering it over the cockpit. The last remaining engineer was caught in his mecha as his ejection system wouldn't work, the glass popped off as he tried to rip the belts off, he gazed up and saw Shard stretched bow and aimed for him as the bow was released the arrow sank into his face pinning him to the back of the machine.

 

Suddenly a plating was kicked out from above falling to the middle of the pits bottom followed by the general leaping down from above. As he landed the ground shook and trembled as the grineer stood upright the tennos noticed the metal plating on his left leg and the cloth on his arm covered some mechanical components. Gripping the cloth he ripped it of revealing several mechanical implants that appeared not only with an artificial eye but also some mechanical arms that looked like they were specially constructed to control machines. As he stood there smiling the little arms jumbled together like a puzzle and formed a thick dis formed arm with the eye on the back.