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[Archive] Of Ash And Fire - Original Thread

SirNerdsAlot5

By SirNerdsAlot5,
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Dalimir

Dalimir

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Two Warriors of Shadow

The Stalker had materialized behind him, slowly drawing his scythe, a cruel blade of Hate.  Whispering his accusations in Low Orokin, then placed his blade against Dalimir’s neck, ready to slit his throat.  Dalimir only glanced in his direction, then said aloud: “Do it.”  The Stalker tilted his head at this, no Tenno had willingly accepted his end, let alone encourage it.  “My kind has fallen, we have failed to uphold our ideal of balance and order.  All we have done is shift the balance heavily in the Grineer Empire’s favour, moving them ever so closer to the dominance they wish to achieve.  We have failed, and worse, we do not see our mistakes.  Handing the system over to the Grineer, for a chance to obtain a simple toy no less!  I am done, nothing can be done to restore our clear vision from the blurred lines greed has placed upon them.  So go ahead, make your kill.”  The Stalker considered, surprised that he was actually listening to this Tenno’s story.  After what seemed like half an hour, he moved his scythe away from the Tenno and slung it on his back.  Then he spoke: “No.  You have something, something most others do not.  You are absolved of your most recent sins, but I shall not forget your original crime…”  With that, he disappeared.  Dalimir reflected on what The Stalker had said, what was it he had?  Either way, he felt like he had enough time in his isolation, he then went into the foundry to build the Stalker’s throwing knives as he had snuck his hand onto the holster on his leg, downloading the schematics in a near instant.  After he finished, he ceremoniously placed his old Kunai down where he knelt, and left in his snub to visit his old allies at Aequitas.

 

[sorry if it's short, lemme know who you want to greet him when he comes in.]

Edited by Dalimir
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bejuizb

bejuizb

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Posted

Guys...sorry for interjecting, but the thread's growing at around 4 pages a day. If you have doubts, please PM each other. Let's stick to stories, feedback and decisions we need to make as a group. I'm not trying to staunch anyone's conversations. Just...reduce it moderately.

 

Sorry if I'm speaking out of line.

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Divinity112

Divinity112

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Another colony had fallen to the Grineer.

 

"Barely anything left." Kevin murmured to himself as he and Roy took up a surveillance post on a hill a coupe of kilometers away from the abandoned Corpus facility that had been used as a refuge by rogue humans and other detritus that the Grineer displaced on Mars. Kevin and Roy were observing the area with their sniper rifles. Roy was using his favorite Snipetron Vandal while Kevin held one of the new Vectis rifles designed from the armory. Roy had ammo capacity and rapid fire but Kevin definitely had stopping power.

 

"Well that's the Grineer for you." Roy said with a grim smile. He was a marksman born, and even if Roy had not been a Tenno he would be a very dangerous soldier indeed. "Alright, let's check on the others."

 

/

 

Hidden within the cave Yuno tracked the Grineer transport with her Gorgon as it headed towards the Corpus facility. Roy and Kevin entered the cave without trouble. "See anything interesting?" Carl asked as he loaded shells into his Strun shotgun.

 

"Grineer, Grineer and more Grineer." Kevin said. "Did you report to Ivan yet?"

 

"We're good." Carl said smiling under his helmet. "This cache of resources better be worth it."

 

"Cell Roy this is Ivan speaking, we're beginning our distraction now. Get in, secure the resources and get out." Ivan's voice echoed on the COMs.

 

"Roger Warlord, we're ready to move on your signal." Roy answered. "You heard him lady and gents, we're on call."

 

/

 

Cell Ivan started things with a bang. The moment the Grineer transport landed and the Lancers within began to disembark their cargo, Clementine the Zephyr dropped down from above and slammed into a group of Lancers, scattering them. She whirled around, drawing Timmy from her back and slammed a Grineer Butcher with her jet powered mace. The mongrel was sent flying into the air.

 

Lancers and troopers barked in their obscene language as Ivan and Emm rushed out guns blazing. Emm fired conservatively with her Braton, felling Lancer after Lancer with precision automatic fire. Ivan's Sobek roared and the Rhino laughed as shots merely bounced off his Iron Skin. Taking up the right flank was Janice whose hands were aflame as she hurled two fireballs that cooked a pair of Troopers alive.

 

"Make a push!" Ivan barked reloading his Sobek as Emm covered him. Clementine moved swiftly, leaping behind cover as she switched to her Akstilletos.

 

"Did you see me!? I was cool right?" She asked them all.
 

"Yes, yes." Ivan said gruffly "Concentrate, we have work to do."

 

"Okay!"

 

Janice glowered at her Boltor in annoyance before moving up.

 

/

 

The Volt was a specialized Warframe designed to inflict damage but for a wily and skilled warrior its powers could also be used in a myriad of tactics. Roy was using electrical impulses to speed everyone up. It was, honestly, a fun part of any mission being sped up by a Volt. Cell Roy covered ground faster than they should have and thanks to Ivan's destructive entrance they made into the Corpus Facility undetected. One Grineer had stayed but a suppressed shot from Roy's sniper rifle was enough to silence him permanently.

 

"Go!" Roy took the rear guard as Carl took point scanning the corridor with his shotgun. Kevin and Yuno covered his back, sweeping every angle with their weapons. 

 

Get in, get out. The mission was simple.

Edited by Divinity112
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Wartank111

Wartank111

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Posted

*obsession*

 

The blade.......

 

any tenno who wielded one felt the call of his ancestors

 

tenno heard the call in their sleep

 

and now that they were awake they feverishly took to their weapons as if they didn't need their mortality anymore......

 

some called it a side effect of the void but others believed it was deeper than that

 

tenno when wielding their weapons feel the science of its creation yet knew a sharp object that kills neither with light or mechanism beyond

 

the extension of themselves known as their will

 

these tenno knew the call

 

it was not a beckoning for blood but a call for use

 

no

 

a demand

 

a craving

 

a need for life and expression

 

the tenno could never refuse the call

 

it was with ease that the kunai would fly

 

it was with pleasure that a skana would stitch its targets with blood

 

it was with love a kama would relieve the corpus of their thoughts, plans, hopes, dreams

 

the tenno felt this call

 

to put down a blade would be to separate a mother from its child

 

a hunter from its teeth

 

a man from its god

 

the tenno felt this call all the moments of their lives beyond the void

 

the tenno could not feed their hunger with mere loyalty and honor

 

the tenno fed this obsession with the price of their lives and the debt of their enemies deaths

 

for this call was master of all those who wore the frames and called upon the ancient blood to kill for them

 

this was to be their curse and their creed

 

a blade from its master is just a blade; but master from its blade is nothing; nothing at all

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FellArtorias

FellArtorias

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!WARNING! Kind of long, and contains a bit of questionable material and, to some, overdone hilarity.

 

 

   Artorias woke with a start. Okay, he was a little freaked out now. He glanced at his digital clock. He had a full night's sleep. At least he had gotten that right.

"Holy crap... How could Viviane look so much like her? Is she Theresa? ...No, the left hand is different. Fuller."

   Artorias got up and dressed. He looked in the mirror. Some of his teeth had flattened out instead of being pointed. His eyes still had yet to change though. Artorias sighed.

"Can't expect it all to go away overnight."

   He went to the mess hall for some breakfast. Mmm... To taste Flagrans and Eros' cooking was a godsend. The clan was truly lucky to have them. Nobody was up yet.

   Why? You could usually find Demeter here around this time, so why wasn't-

"Hello dearest."

   Artorias froze. Right in front of him was his wife. The lovely Morrighan. Okay, so he wasn't right. Was this-

"A dream? Sadly, yes."

"Then am I..."

"No, you aren't dead, my love. I've simply pulled you to this side to tell you that you've been doing a good job, despite not remembering anything."

"I am starting to."

"Are you? Oh, how time doesn't matter when you ascend to Godhood."

"Okay, I don't remember that."

"Not yet, sweetest. Not yet you don't. I don't hate you for what you did, it happened before we met each other. So I didn't have control over that. Anyway, that girl, Viviane-"

 

   The dream was interrupted by said person.

"Hello!? Wake up you idiot! You passed out on your desk again!"

   Artorias, being the master of speech that he was, replied thusly with some drool coming out of the corner his mouth.

"Wuuya shaaaaay?"

   Viviane stared at him. And then burst out laughing. She couldn't start controlling her speech and breathing for more than five seconds at a time.

"What the- Hahahahahahaha!!! What in the hell's- hahahaha! Gotten into you!? HAHAHAHAHA!!"

   Being woken up so loudly snapped Artorias back into reality and out of grogginess. How he hated that morning feeling.

"Okay, I'm awake now Viviane. What is it?"

   Viviane got a hold of herself.

"Well... I've noticed we're kinda running out of room, so mind if I and Xeyon take out some resources? The rate that you pick people up is insanity."

"Sure, yeah. I'll unlock the vault. It was time for my drooling and word-slurring behind to get up anyway."

"What a fine behind it is... Waitwhat?"

   Okay, what the hell? It felt kind of weird, his possible daughter hitting on him so suddenly. What proof did he have that she wasn't? The dream dictated possibly otherwise. Anyway, it was time to play it as if he hadn't noticed.

"Huh? You say something Viviane?"

"What!? No! I just said how nice of a delicious looking rear you have-"

   Viviane's eyes nearly jumped out of her skull. Artorias probably looked no better himself.

"Uhhh... Viviane? Are you okay?"

"I don't know. I'm getting lost in your beautiful- What the hell!?"

   Things were getting just a tad bit weird. Fortunately, the Lotus called. Thank the Goddess that his wife was.

"Hello Tenno."

"Hello Lotus."

"I see you have taken the gift well."

"My daughter's a gift?"

"Well, one of them. I have discovered another of your progeny, but-"

"Wait, what!?"

   He had multiple children!? Well, that was certainly within the realm of possibility but-

"Yes, you have several children. The love you and Morrighan bore for each other knew no bounds, and the fruits of that love has lasted the test of time. Aside from that, I have just received word that water that was distributed by the Corpus to a colony near you had-"

"Let me guess, a potent aphrodisiac mixed in?"

"How did-"

"I'm probably looking at a case right now, Lotus."

"Oh. Well... You might want to-"

"I'm taking her with me, Lotus. Just tell me which colony."

   A few seconds later, coordinates to a colony on a nearby planet was sent to Artorias.

"Done. I want you to destroy the Corpus supplies and distribute the water among the people in the craft that I am sending to meet you there. If you can, silently kill the Corpus Board Executive behind this."

"Don't worry Lotus, I'll get it done one way or another."

"Good luck Tenno."

"Its what this Clan runs on."

   Artorias looked up to see Viviane looking at him hungrily. Oh sweet Doctrine, it was getting worse fast.

"Come on, lets get you to see Demeter."

"No... I don't want some doctor looking at me. Unless you and I are-"

"OKAY! Time to go! Come along!"

   Artorias spun on his heel, more than a little freaked out. Whatever this was, it was happening too fast for his tastes. Not to mention she was his daughter... Maybe. Probably most likely, what with his luck.

   It kind of made Artorias sad, knowing that he had multiple children, yet couldn't recall who they all were yet. Also a little bit mad. They had reached Demeter's clinic/bedroom. Viviane had been following him closely. A little too closely.

   It made him more than a little conscious of the feeling that she could pounce on him at any given moment. He quickly tried the door. OH SWEET MORRIGHAN, WHY WAS IT LOCKED!!?

"Demeter... Open up, for the Doctrine's sake!"

"What is it?"

"Viviane wants to- agh!"

   Too late. Viviane had jumped onto his back and started nibbling at his neck affectionately.

"SWEET ANCIENT JESUS REVIVED DEMETER!! OPEN THE DOOR! VIVIANE WANTS TO JUMP MY BONES!!!"

   That got her attention. The door swiftly opened, and Demeter -how she kept her hair in place astonished him-  looked at him as if he had started doing cartwheels, simultaneously burping Canon in D, and spewing gouts of fire from between his toes, fingers, and arsecheeks.

"Most guys would want-"

"I don't care what most guys want!! Get her off!"

"Awwwww~ But don't you like this?"

   Viviane slithered her tongue down Artorias' neck. Okay, that felt a little good, he had to- Stop it. Stop it now!

"Viviane, you're making me rethink taking you along."

"Nooooo~ Take me with you! Pleaaaaaase?"

"Demeter... Hurry up."

"Alright, come along Viviane. I'm sure Artorias will give you attention later if you're good."

"Don't be making such promises on my behalf!"

"Oh? Don't you want-"

"No! Besides the current predicament Demeter, there's something else I want you to check as well."

"Which is...?"

   Artorias whispered into Demeter's ear.

"What?"

"Just do it, for my peace of mind."

"...No can do! I can't do that and work on a cure at the same time."

"...Universe? Why do you hate me so much? Can you at least keep her in check then?"

"I can do that."

"Good, then you're coming with us."

"Who else is coming along?"

"Cyrille. I've analyzed the geography of the area we're going to, and I believe Cyrille will be best for scouting on this mission. Speaking of which, I need to tell her she's coming."

"What do we bring?"

"We're going against Corpus, so plan accordingly. Impact heavy semi and automatic rifles and sidearms. The choice of melee is up to you."

   Artorias brought up a link with Cyrille, and found she was speaking with Mare.

"Come on! Why won't you just tell him?"

"Flock off, you birdbrain!"

"Ahem!"

"Oh! Talk to you later, Mare!"

"I hope not at all!"

   The connection between Mare and Cyrille terminated.

"Yes dad?"

"Alright, listen Cyrille. I need you for this mission. I also need you to help Demeter keep Viviane under control."

"Why~?"

"She wants to... Uhhh..."

"Oh! But don't most guys-"

"Not the time! And I'm not most guys, Cyrille. I've never cheated on your mother. Not once."

"Okay! It'll offer unique insight into her mind anyhow."

"What?"

"Nothing! What do I bring?"

"Impact heavy rifles and sidearms, a weapon for melee combat is up to your choice."

"Okay!"

"We have twenty minutes till- OH GODDESS WHY!?"

"Dad? Is something wrong?"

"...Meet you at the hangar in thirty minutes."

"...Okay? Bye!"

                                                                                               - Connection Terminated-

 

   Artorias audibly groaned. Viviane had tackled him quite forcefully from behind, and judging from the feeling, she had taken off her clothes and plopped her... assets... onto his head.

"Demeter? Why weren't you watching her?"

"You think little old me is going to be able to stop Viviane? I don't think so."

"YOU WERE ABLE TO STOP A CHARGING JACKAL WITH YOUR FREAKING HANDS!!"

"...Once. And that was because it was trying to kill those children."

"I'm being VIOLATED!!!"

"And it's just getting more and more hilarious the more that time passes."

"...I don't like you very much."

"I don't care."

"You do for the mission."

"No I don't."

"Get her off me, dressed, and distracted for five minutes and I'll raise your funding by ten percent, and for three days, I'll allow you access to the Technocyte Virus samples."

"Deal! Come on Viviane, put your clothes back on! I have something to show you about Artorias!"

"What is it?!!"

   Viviane jumped of off him and he sighed with relief. Artorias still felt a little weight on his head though. He grabbed it and was mortified at the object he was holding. OH DEAREST MORRIGHAN AND DUCK CREATING UNIVERSE, WHY!!?

   A certain Goddess, somewhere, sneezed.

Edited by FellArtorias
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Jeahanne

Jeahanne

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Posted

THE MUCH AWAITED MOMENT HAS ARRIVED! MY LONGEST POST TO DATE, AT A WHOPPING 18 PAGES IN WORD, IS FINISHED! (Needless to say, it's posted in a spoiler.)

 

*ahem*, that said, this really isn't all my work. I have to sincerely thank all of the many people (you know who you are) who helped me get this done. It would not be what it is without you guys, and I am sincerely grateful for every edit, piece of advice, and critique that all of you have given me while I was working on this. Thank you.

 

I hope it was worth the far too-long wait, and that everyone enjoys it. If I made any mistakes that haven't been caught by me or the others, just tell me. I'll edit to fix things. Thanks everyone, and I hope it's alright.

 

 

Qarin had been studying the entire mission with interest. Despite all of the setbacks, chaos, and the inbuilt inefficiencies that invariably came along with dealing with humanoids, he was acquiring fascinating data in incredible amounts. Since awakening not long before, he knew he had massive gaps in his memory that required filling. Most of what he needed to know he’d been able to download answers for, including copious texts on warfare, strategy, economics, social etiquette (of various nations from various different periods in time, and in learning how many different customs there were he’d already decided that he needed to experiment to see which norms were currently acceptable), and history, among innumerable other things. However, he was eager to gain real-world experience, and this mission had given him no end of examples of things about which he had needed to learn more.

 

For example, Tenno, being entirely biological constructions with little to no ability to increase their capabilities aside from adding outside assistance; such as a warframe, prosthesis, or even Sentinels such as himself, possessed what had seemed to him to be a universally limited aptitude to share information. Previously, he had observed that they had all transmitted what they had known either through text or vocally among one another, which was highly inefficient. However, Ghost had shown incredible promise, and he’d been observing her eagerly. The Nyx’s inability to vocalize had sharpened her skill at communicating through thoughts, transmitting data directly from her mind to that of her target; a talent the Djinn had previously thought only available to his kind and other beings gifted with transmitting all and any information digitally. He found her talent fascinating, and had been studying it diligently in between his observations of the increasingly disappointing Grineer.

 

He’d had high hopes for the faction when he’d learned how much they’d augmented themselves with technology. He’d seen them as a bit like himself, a merging of flesh and machinery, but so far they hadn’t lived up to his expectations. Their equipment was a haphazard thing, seemingly thrown together with the same abandon as that possessed by their soldiers when they charged at the Tenno to die in droves. The Djinn was highly disillusioned with the clones, but the trip hadn’t been a complete loss.

 

For example, he was astonished to learn that, while the humanoids had a very limited capacity to take damage, they had incredible willpower. The Nekros in particular had astounded Qarin.  Having accessed his warframe’s systems and run also various scans on the Tenno, the Djinn knew the various injuries that he was suffering from. Yet, the warrior had managed to not just survive, but continue to fight despite impairment that would have rendered a Sentinel inoperable. His resolve, as well as that of the others who were suffering what he knew to be the highly unpleasant sensation of pain, amazed the sentient machine, and he watched over them with a feeling something akin to awe and jealousy.

 

So, while he knew it was his paramount duty to protect his mistress, when he saw the Nekros fall with a punctured lung, he rushed to his aid the moment be had been given the order. He was surprised as, even as the Tenno lost consciousness, he managed to cast a skill the Djinn recognized as Terrify, breaking up what remained of the Grineer lines and sending them fleeing, buying his allies time to regroup. The resourcefulness of the humanoid was something he respected, admired, and even envied.

 

As his mistress, clad in her familiar black and white Nova warframe (he still admired the coloration, and mused vainly about how good he looked painted in them with his Chrysalis wings and Thorax tail) ran up to him, he moved to hover over one of her shoulders, habitually scanning the area and watching for threats. He saw her kneel to one side of the damaged Tenno, turning him over so she could inspect his wounds and take his vitals. Qarin himself had already scanned him and knew that the Nekros was in serious condition, although if he received treatment quickly he would likely survive. His bleeding had already been stopped by his warframe, although his condition was such that the Djinn approximated that there was a less than 3 percent chance of him regaining consciousness before the mission concluded, especially due to his dangerously low blood pressure. He considered forwarding the information to Acantha, but dismissed the idea, surmising instead that, even lacking the details, she was smart enough to know the seriousness of the situation and would act accordingly. Deciding he could always tell her the information later if the need arose, the Djinn filed it away for later retrieval.

 

 

“Kylar, can you carry him again? We need to get to Team Two and extract, fast.” His mistress seemed worried and he could identify the tones in her voice that revealed her stress and concern. However, Kylar already had his hands full.

 

“He has Sophia already,” Kris told her, ignoring the copious stares that the Nyx was sending his way as he reached down to gently heft the injured Tenno into his arms, “I’ll carry him.”

 

The Nova put a hand on his arm, stopping him. “You’re injured. I, or perhaps Galen, can handle it.”

 

Qarin wasn’t sure if she had heard the Ash make a soft sound of refusal, but in the end it didn’t matter. “It’s nothing. Besides, small as he is, he’s too big for you to handle easily, and Galen will be a better asset if he’s free to move quickly without being burdened.” The Vauban’s tone was dry as he ignored her hand and laid the unconscious man over his uninjured shoulder. In his other hand, the arm of which was damaged by lacerations that had long ago stopped bleeding, he loosely but expertly grasped his Sicarus pistol. “We don’t have time to discuss it anyway, they’re coming back.”

 

Qarin’s sensors had long ago picked up the noise of the returning Grineer forces, but he hadn’t realized that the Tenno could hear it yet. He resolved to research the extent that warframes enhanced their user’s senses at a later time.

 

“If it would be of assistance, this is the path that seems most expedient,” Qarin said as he updated a suggested path to their displays.

 

“Then let’s get moving, team two is having trouble, and Aiden can’t hold out alone forever.” The Nova stood up as she spoke, drawing her Despair kunai knives, which the Djinn knew she had the most remaining ammunition for. “I’ll take point. Galen, if you would ensure nothing sneaks up on us from behind then the others can stay between us where they’re the most protected.”

 

“Bringing up the rear?” he didn’t sound enthused, “What, you think just because I’m a master assassin I can’t be up front?”

 

“Strategically, it makes better use of your abilities if you are free to move around our group in the shadows without worry of if the rest can keep up with you. I, of course, would have no such issues, but the damaged ones are less mobile.”

 

“Damaged ones… right.” The Ash moved in behind the rest of the group as Acantha began jogging down the hallway. “Might be fun for a change, normally I only deal in broken ones.”

 

_____________________________

 

Acantha could barely hear the others as they ghosted through the Grineer installation. It seemed that whatever Team Two and Aiden were doing, it was working. She and the others encountered little to no resistance as they moved through the hallways, keeping to shadows as much as possible as they hastened towards Team Two’s location. They were halfway there when they were contacted by Ghost.

 

We’ve been forced to abandon our position. The Grineer reinforcements were just too much, her mental voice sounded strained and tired, We’re moving towards extraction, but we could use some help. If you can, please hurry.

 

“We’re on our way; we’ll be crossing paths with you shortly. Have you heard anything from Aiden?” Acantha asked out loud. She knew that the Nyx would hear her no matter how she spoke, but it felt more natural to talk out loud than to think her words.

 

He’s in trouble. I don’t know how much, his mind is closed to me, but I know he’s struggling.

 

The Nova cursed under her breath, “I see. How much resistance is your team facing? Is there any likelihood that we can reach extraction without another large confrontation?”

 

Possibly, she went quite for a moment, and Acantha worried for the Nyx; she sounded exhausted. Don’t worry about me, Ghost chided her, and inwardly Acantha winced, it was easy to forget how much a Nyx could hear. From what I can tell most of the forces are trapped where we were fighting, or have been killed by Aiden. Little will be left alive here by the time we leave.

 

“Good. Just hold on, we’re nearly to you.” Reflexively she checked her weapons as she trotted down the corridor, every sense on high alert. An unlucky Grineer Trooper appeared around a corner in front of the squad, only to be instantly felled as Galen threw something small and silent at him. The soldier fell without a sound, convulsing, although he was still by the time the six Tenno arrived at his body. Acantha stared at him as they passed, unnerved. She was unable to see what had killed it. She’d heard no shot, and seen no knife, arrow, or wound in the clone. She shot a sidelong glance at the Ash, only then noticing the small, unassuming pouches hidden on his warframe. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what they contained, but found new fear and respect for the Tenno in knowing that he could kill with such incredible precision.

 

The rest of the few enemies they encountered before reaching Team Two were dealt with similarly, taken down quickly by blade or gun as the cell moved on unhindered. Although it wasn’t more than a short time after they received the message from Ghost about her team’s necessary move that they reached the other team, it still seemed to take too long. However, upon finally joining up with them everyone felt an enormous sense of relief.

 

Both squads had suffered heavily in the fighting, although Team Two seemed to have fared the worst. All were covered in blood and grime and seemed to be moving forward through their injuries and exhaustion by willpower alone. Most carried melee weapons in hand, which told Acantha that they were out or almost out of ammunition, and some were limping or supporting one another.

 

“Are you alright?” Kris asked, looking at the second team as they met up in the crossing of two corridors.

 

“Fine,” the Valkyr, Vulcana, grunted, limping slightly. “You should see the other guys, we left them smeared all over the floor, and walls, and maybe even the ceiling. Well… most of them anyway.” She shifted her weight, wincing slightly as she moved. Aktos, an Ash who had joined the mission along with her, reached out to steady her, only to be contemptuously brushed off.

 

“I hate to be rude, but we really have no time to be discussing things. We need to be moving. We can treat injuries and share war stories when we are somewhere more secure.” Nyght commented. He wasn’t without injury himself, although it didn’t show in his stance. He held his shining Dakra Prime in one hand. It was probably the only thing in the room that was still clean enough to gleam, showing in how it was cared for the skill and devotion its owner showed for his craft and weapons.

 

He’s right. More than that, the charges we placed are on a timer, if we don’t hurry we’ll be caught in the blast along with the Grineer. We do have some time if they aren’t tampered with, but they’re rigged to explode if any attempts are made to defuse them, and knowing the idiots we’re fighting that could be any second. Ghost said, grimly.

 

“So move now, talk later. Got it.” Kylar muttered. He was holding his sister in his arms, and seemed unfazed by the fact that he was the only Tenno in either group who wasn’t holding a weapon. The Nyx had been silent since her rescue, speaking softly mostly to her brother and keeping silent to the others, even though she seemed to want to talk to Kris and either hadn’t had the opportunity or the nerve to speak up yet. She was obviously still feeling ill, and was leaning heavily against the Excalibur’s chest, often hiding her face as if the lights around them that illuminated the hallways bothered her, and tensed up every time they moved. Acantha didn’t doubt that the movement of the group likely only increased her discomfort.

 

Without further discussion the Tenno moved hastily towards extraction, supporting one another when necessary. Blessedly, the point where the two teams had reunited wasn’t far from safety, and they encountered little resistance along the way. Anything that opposed them died, but the sight of seeing so many Tenno in one place, regardless of how injured they were, sent most enemies running instantly. There wasn’t a Grineer alive that thought taking on a dozen Tenno was a good idea, no matter how many allies they might have fighting alongside them.

 

Their designated extraction point was a small hangar bay on one side of the base which already contained their means of escape: a larger than normal but still small version of a drop-ship commonly called a snub. As they reached the room, they stopped to rest briefly against the wall at the entrance of the hangar, where Kylar asked the question they were all wondering. “So how long do we have?”

 

His question needed no answer. Just then the installation was rocked by explosions and a new siren began screaming in alarm. “That was too early, they must’ve tried to defuse the explosives and set off the booby traps. We don’t have long now before the power core overheats and destroys this place.” Acantha looked towards the Valkyr, who had been the one to speak. She seemed battered, and was leaning with her back against the wall, one arm wrapped around herself and her weapon hanging loosely from her other hand at her side.

 

“Aiden isn’t here yet,” Acantha muttered worriedly, “how long does he have to get here?”

 

“By my calculations, all Grineer attempts to slow or suppress the meltdown will prove ineffective, and the reactor will self-destruct in approximately 15 and one half minutes.” Qarin stated calmly, hovering nearby Acantha as he curiously studied the Tenno around him. “In addition, according to Grineer systems, all personnel are being routed to attempt to save the reactor or evacuate Regor to safety. No detachments have been assigned to pursue us.”

 

“Even if we have a break from the fighting we shouldn’t sit here and wait,” Kris ordered. He seemed fragile, as though his composed demeanor was under siege by his inner emotional turmoil, but he was hiding it and managing to remain calm. “We should secure the injured in the snub and get ready to leave as soon as Aiden arrives.” He hefted the Nekros from his shoulder into his arms and walked across the room towards the ship. Kylar quickly followed him and the others began to move that way as well. All of them except Ghost, who took a half step in their direction only to freeze, and reach shakily out to steady herself against a nearby wall.

 

Acantha was halfway to the open side of the ship when she heard Aktos speak. “Ghost? What’s wrong?”

 

The Nova turned around, concerned when she didn’t hear an answer. “Ghost?” she asked. Their anxiety was met with silence as Ghost seemed lost in her own mind. Hesitantly they moved to her side, unsure of what to do as the others settled themselves in the snub.

 

After a time the Nyx finally spoke and her voice was heavy with sorrow. Aiden will not be coming… he asks that we take the chance he has given us and go while we still can. She straightened up, slightly unsteadily but determined, and began walking towards the snub, Aktos following her at a small distance. Acantha didn’t move.

 

“You’re saying to leave him to die.” Her voice was deadly calm.

 

Ghost stopped, her hand on the frame of the entrance to the snub. He has asked that we not let his sacrifice be in vain. I like it no more than you, but his logic is sound. He cannot make it to us in his condition, and we cannot retrieve him in the time we have before this place is destroyed. It is necessary to leave without him. I’m sorry.

 

“You’re sure we can’t reach him?” Aktos asked, staring after her from where he stood, halfway to the ship. His voice sounded doubtful, as if he didn’t quite believe that the only thing they could do was leave the Rhino behind.

 

The Nyx stepped forward, the shadows inside the snub half covering her, I am truly sorry, but it’s impossible. He knows that. I have tried pleading with him to change his mind, but he is set on his course. I can’t sway him, and as much as I hate it I can’t argue with his logic. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. He is willing to sacrifice himself so that we can live, and I can understand the cruel necessity of his choice. Her voice was somber, and she sounded as if she was holding back tears.

 

Before she could fully enter the snub, Acantha’s voice rang out in a defiant hiss. Her low, deadly tone more cutting than any shout or scream. “Perhaps you cannot make it to him in time, but I can. I cannot leave him to die. He is kin. Just like that Nekros is kin and we could not leave him behind, I cannot leave Aiden to perish knowing that I could have saved him.”

 

“Don’t be foolish, if Ghost says it can’t be done, then it can’t be done. Don’t dishonor his choice by throwing your life away trying to save one who cannot be saved.” Nyght, having heard the conversation, had stepped out of the snub to stand next to Ghost. The Nyx had her head bowed as she stood in shadow, wrapped in grief, and the Excalibur next to her, painted as he was in dark, inky blues, seemed to melt out of the dimness at her side.

 

“Is it truly so dishonorable to go to any length to save one of our own? I can’t leave him, any more than I could leave any of you behind had you chosen to make the same choice.” She argued, vehement.

 

“Then let me appeal to your sense of logic. Even if you can get to him, you cannot carry him alone.” The Excalibur Prime strode to her, laying a hand consolingly on her arm. “I am sorry, truly, but there is no other option.”

 

Aktos stood off to one side, before approaching the pair. “If she can’t carry him alone, and that’s all that’s stopping us from saving him, then I’ll go with her.”

 

The Nova looked at him, “Are you certain?” He nodded, and she smiled, feeling a bit of the weight of responsibility leave her shoulders in knowing she wouldn’t be going after Aiden alone. “Then thank you.”

 

“I can’t convince you, either of you, not to do this?” Nyght asked them, to which the pair answered by shaking their heads. “Then good luck.”

 

Without another word the Nova turned to face her Sentinel, laying a gentle hand on him as she spoke, “Qarin, stay with them. I don’t care what they say or do, ensure they’re prepared to leave. If I give you the order, make sure the snub is safely away from here with them on it, even if I have not returned.”

 

“Mistress, I must protest. You’re chances of survival if you insist on this course of action are less than one percent. Statistically, it is impossible to retrieve Tenno Aiden in the time allotted.” The Djinn sounded almost panicked, and Acantha just smiled.

 

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on dying today. Now go on,” she released him, but he stubbornly hovered near her, refusing to move, “Go on Qarin.”

 

“This is illogical Mistress, I cannot let you. Your chances of survival are too low, and shrinking with every passing millisecond. Do not do this, Acantha.”  She was surprised and touched; the Djinn had never before called her by name.

 

“It was Aiden himself who said that it’s always good to know your odds, so that you can beat them. I will come back Qarin, trust me on that. Now go, I need you here. Please.” She waited a moment, watching as he reluctantly moved to the snub, before sprinting away from the safety of extraction. She heard footsteps, nearly silent, pursuing her, and didn’t need to turn around to know it was Aktos following after her.

 

__________________________________

 

After his confrontation with his mistress, Qarin had flown unhappily back to the snub and began watching as the others filed in after him. None of them were happy about the plan, but Vulcana was being the most vocal about it, even as she made herself comfortable in one of the small vessel’s various chairs.

 

“If that moron gets himself killed, I will never let him live it down…” She muttered to herself among other things. She’d been talking to herself ever since she’d learned that Aktos had left, and she wasn’t the only one who was unhappy. Qarin himself was just as discontented, although he didn’t say as much out loud. He’d just silently watched as the last of the group of Tenno got settled in the vessel, until Galen motioned him over.

 

“Do you require my assistance, Assassin Galen?” the Djinn asked him once the two were out of earshot of the others.

 

“You could say that. Tell me, do you acknowledge my rank?” His voice was low and serious.

 

“Yes. Why would I not?” he fidgeted slightly, turning his “head” this way and that as he studied the Ash.

 

“Then I use my rank, and I order you to take that ship, with all of them on it, and get it out of here. Now. Take it wherever is closest that can get them treatment.” The Ash didn’t wait on Qarin’s answer, he was already moving away at speed, towards where Acantha and Aktos had vanished in a dark hallway.

 

Thoughts ran through the Djinn’s mind, coded as calculations and logic problems, and written in the language of machines, but still thoughts nonetheless, as he watched the Ash disappear into the depths of the Grineer base. He knew that Galen wouldn’t have ordered them to escape at the cost of his and the others lives, not when there were other options. He also knew that Galen had arrived after the other teams, and had arrived alone, and so had had to have brought his own vessel, which could possibly be closer to Aiden than the one he had been ordered to have leave. These observations and more pieced themselves together in his mind, uncovering the reasoning behind the order he had given. Yes, the demand made sense, and so the Djinn would carry it out; even if he wasn’t necessarily happy about it.

 

 

__________________________________

 

 

 

Confident that Aktos could keep up, Acantha put on more speed, straining her warframe to its limits as she cast wormhole after wormhole, burning energy heedlessly so as to allow the two of them to leap through large distances in seconds as space folded and shrank at her whim. The speed granted to the two by their warframes, along with the jumps provided by the Nova, collapsed the travel time to Aiden’s location to a fraction of what it would have been normally, even had they been able to sprint the entire way.

 

She thought she would be prepared for whatever she would see upon reaching Aiden. Explosions rocked the ship constantly, and power flickered off and on, if it existed at all, along their route. Some hallways were entirely collapsed, and where they still stood they were covered in grime or shrouded in darkness. Most were also streaked with soot or blood, and many were littered with bodies, some of which bore the hallmarks of being Tenno handiwork, others were just unlucky collateral damage of the facility’s destruction. She thought that that would be the worst of it, but what she saw when she reached the Rhino froze her heart.

 

The noble Rhino was covered in gore and collapsed against a wall, his broken Galatine’s blades having slipped out of his right hand to lie on the floor at his side, with the blood of his enemies still stained dark on the metal. She could see footprints left in gore scattered behind where he had fallen, and he had been beaten so brutally that Acantha wondered if he was even alive. Parts of his warframe were crushed, burned, or missing entirely, and he had injuries covering every inch of his body. Even his helm hadn’t survived unscathed, as pieces of it were pulverized to the point of being entirely gone, and in the gaps she could see one of his eyes; closed, bruised, and covered in crusted blood.

 

“Oh, Gods and Angels,” she muttered to herself as she and Aktos rushed to his side. Briefly she wondered if they were too late, but was reassured when she put her hand gingerly against his chest and felt him shallowly breathing. Considering how badly he was injured, she wasn’t sure if moving him would be good for his condition, but she knew they had no time. If she and Aktos couldn’t get him to extraction then all three of them would die.

 

“Will he even survive being moved?” Aktos asked her, staring at the numerous injuries that covered the fallen warrior.

 

“I don’t know, but we don’t have a choice either way. If he stays here, he will certainly die, and so might we. If we move him, there’s a chance he won’t survive it and neither will we.” Acantha gently slid the blades of the Galatine next to her Orthos on her back. Then, she and the Ash each grabbed one of the Rhino’s arms and draped them across their shoulders, sharing the heavy burden of his warframe and body between them.

 

“I guess there really isn’t a choice then. Do you have him?” Aktos asked her as he took his half of Aiden’s weight.

 

“Yes.” She grunted slightly as she settled one bulky arm across her shoulders, gripping it tightly with one hand. With her other she cast a wormhole, and as the three Tenno stepped into it she wondered if they would make it back to the ship in time.

 

__________________________

 

The Tenno hard boarded the snub with little complaint, although Qarin knew that some of them weren’t happy about it. Most of the injured ones had already been secured to cots around the small vessel and had had their wounds treated as best as could be done under the circumstances. The rest of the warriors were busy tending each other’s less serious injuries as they discussed the situation.

 

“I don’t like this.” Kylar said as he finished making his sister comfortable on one of the small beds, setting her helmet carefully nearby her.

 

Vulcana was pacing in the snub, which was giving Qarin fits. She was too close to the console for his comfort, and he worriedly circled near her. “Will you stop hovering?” she told the Sentinel, irritated. “I’m not dumb enough to turn this thing around to go after those idiots, I just can’t sit still. That is, unless you can get us some feeds from security so can we can actually see what’s going on, that might make us all feel a little better, especially considering you’re the one who forced us to go along with this moronic plan.”

 

“Well, it is not as if I can walk,” he sulked, but he backed away from her marginally. A moment later, screens came alive along the front of the ship, showing different feeds from what was left of the Grineer’s failing security cameras, which were sparse to begin with and were deteriorating rapidly as explosions rocked the installation with increasing intensity and rapidity. Through the grainy lens of the cameras, figures flicked on and off screen as they rapidly used wormholes to traverse the large distance between them and their target. Keeping up with them took little effort on the part of the small machine, and he constantly changed video sources to keep them in view.

 

“How close are they?” Nyght asked. He still felt a bit strange talking to the Infested-machine hybrid, but didn’t let it bleed into his voice.

 

“At their current pace they will reach Aiden in two minutes and sixteen seconds.” He informed the Tenno smugly.

 

“And how long do they have to get out of there before the place falls apart around them?” Kris hauled himself up from here he was sitting against a wall and took a few exhausted steps forward to stare at the screen.

 

Qarin hesitated for a moment, “Six minutes, thirty-two seconds and counting.” His voice was uncharacteristically somber.

 

The ship went quiet before he heard something come from Vulcana that sounded like her cursing Aktos for his stupidity, and what she’d do to him if he was dumb enough to get himself killed.

 

“Well if we’re all going to have to watch them get blown up while we’re sailing away to safety like cowards, then I want to drown my shame in something stronger than a bottle of water.” The Rhino, Lycanos, announced as he threw a bottled of purified water on the floor disgustedly and began digging around the snub, opening random boxes and compartments, searching for alcohol.

 

“Assassin Galen’s orders made sense, all of you know this. It was illogical to risk every life by lingering in such a precarious and dangerous position when there was another, more expedient option to extract the others. Furthermore, staying would have risked the lives of the damaged by delaying their mending longer than strictly necessary. Leaving as we did was the best course of action.” The Djinn said, before turning to the Tenno who was tearing the snub apart looking for something to drink. “Also, Tenno Lycanos, I highly doubt that alcohol would be stored aboard a vessel such as this.”

 

“Then you’d be wrong!” Lycanos said, extricating himself from under a console where he had wedged himself in a place that seemed too small to hold him. “I stashed this here, just in case!” He came out of the hole, bottle held triumphantly in hand, and summarily smacked his head on the underside of the countertop when he tried to sit up too quickly. “Ow.”

 

Kris sighed, “Three of our own are running for their lives, another of which is chasing them down to lead them to extraction before they all die in a fiery explosion, and you really pick now to drink?” The Vauban settled himself wearily in a chair, looking at the screens. “And Qarin, while I know you’re right, that doesn’t mean the rest of us have to like it. It feels wrong leaving them behind…”

 

The Tenno watching the screen had to focus harder and harder to make out the images of their comrades struggling to free themselves of the Grineer facility in time, as the farther the snub got from the base the worse the quality of the feeds coming from it became.

 

Nyght walked up to one side of Kris, his hand clenched around the hilt of his sheathed weapon, and his shoulders set tensely. “It does not sit well with me, either. However, even if our orders hadn’t been to leave, our staying would have served no purpose. The best we can do for them now is trust that they will return alive.”

 

 

________________________________

 

 

Aktos and Acantha were running as fast as their bodies and warframes would allow, but the weight they were carrying, as well as the constant disorientation they were suffering from the repeated teleporting through wormholes, was taking its toll. After one such jump, Acantha stumbled, falling to one knee. She struggled to regain her balance as Aiden’s weight pulled her to one side, nearly overbalancing her. She cursed inventively as she hastily worked to regain her footing, only to suddenly feel someone behind her. Instinctively she lashed out, but she was off balance and the strike was easily deflected by whoever was in her blind spot.

 

Having attacked unwisely with her feet while she was still not fully upright, the counter made her stumble again. This time however, she lost her grip on Aiden as she staggered. With a yell, she took advantage of the loss of her burden to spin and face her perceived attacker, only to see Galen standing where she had been less than a second before, having caught the unconscious Rhino before he could fall to the floor.

 

“If you want a fight there are better times and places to do it in. For now, I suggest you go where I tell you to, beginning by running that way. Unless you want to go up in flames with this Grineer piece of trash…” his voice was deceptively calm as he let the statement hang in the air, unfinished. Acantha didn’t answer, her face had instantly flushed with embarrassment when she realized she’d attacked an ally, and she tried desperately to think of something to say that could explain her actions.

 

In the end she just started running in the direction he’d indicated, before finally asking, “So, do you have a plan?”

 

“No, I just waltzed up to you three without thinking.” She could practically hear him rolling his eyes as he spoke. “Not straight! Go LEFT! No, your OTHER left!” He suddenly yelled out, and Acantha skidded as she changed course to slide around a corner at the last second. “Why are you asking? It’s not like I have time to explain it.”

 

“Well if you did…” she started, only to get cut off.

 

“Right! Turn right!” He called out, and she slid around another corner, casting a wormhole as she ran to teleport them to the end of the long, straight hallway. “Sorry, what were you saying?”

 

“Never mind,” she sighed, jogging down the hallway. As she ran she couldn’t help but stare at a small object in the corner of her warframe’s display. It was something Qarin had sent her as she’d run off; a timer counting down how long remained until the reactor melted down and the entire installation was destroyed. The longer they ran the smaller the number became, and the more worried Acantha grew. She began wondering if they were going to make it out in time when Galen called a halt.

 

“Stop. Put him down here.” he told Aktos, and the two Ash slid him gently to the floor around the corner from a large set of doors. “Acantha, when I tell you to, take cover and blow that up,” he pointed to the doors, which looked heavily reinforced.

 

“I don’t have enough power to go through those. We’d be better off…” she began, but never got to finish.

 

“Just do it!” he growled, and the Nova frowned.

 

“Yes, sir.” She muttered unhappily and almost sarcastically as she watched their time tick lower and lower, but Galen wasn’t listening.

 

She heard him speaking softly, almost to himself, before he yelled, “NOW!”

 

Without hesitation, but doubting it would do more than singe the doors, she launched a ball of antimatter at the reinforced metal. A second before it impacted, she pressed herself against the wall around the corner from them. She heard a massive explosion, one far larger than what she knew her skill could produce, and felt a heavy, hot blast of air shoot past her. When it was over she peeked around the corner to see the doors obliterated.

 

“What did you do?” Aktos asked to no one in particular as he stared around the corner at the shattered remains of what had once been called a door, but could now only be called wreckage. Distractedly, he helped Galen lift Aiden back up, then continued to stare agape at the charred, blackened remains. Acantha just shrugged, as dumbstruck as he was. Treading carefully they passed through the opening, and once away from the distraction, wasted no more time hastening towards what could only be Galen’s ship. Upon reaching it, the largest explosion yet rocked the facility, jarring the ship on its mountings and causing the warriors to stagger. With an increased sense of urgency, they entered the vessel, eager to get away before the building came down around them.

 

A few moments after the ship pulled out of the bay and into the void of space, the timer in Acantha’s HUD ticked to zero, and the facility was consumed in a bloom or red fire that poured from its heart. Watching it devour the place, she gently helped the others lay Aiden down and sent a message, heavy with relief, to her Djinn. “We made it, Qarin; all of us. We’re safe.”

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khimera

khimera

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Sayfog, I don't know who your nova is so sadly I can't give you the slot just yet. I'm willing to waive common sense, however, as I start the story. A name and appearance would be appreciated, given I haven't had time to read all the stories in my absence.

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