Conflicted

Stephen was not a happy Tenno.

He was what he was. A being composed of energy who inhabited a meat shell that inhabited a skin tight suit of armor called a warframe. He had never questioned his past or his future before the revelation of what was now being called 'Umbra's Sacrifice'. To find out that a vengeance crazed Orokin had not only betrayed the rest of his kind to the Sentients, but had made copies of the First's warframes using unwilling hosts that he infected with the Technocyte Virus?

That hurt.

Ever since he had woken into this time, Stephen had fought as Tenno always had and would. It was what they were. Even if some of them were the descendants of a mad Orokin's plot, most Tenno wanted to do what they had been doing. They had a Code, they followed said Code. It was not always easy, but on the bright side? Tenno never lacked for enemies to distract them from existential debates.

Case in point…

The Heamocyte roared again as it charged the pair of warframes, but both Tenno had done this many times since the evil putrid boil had appeared on the Plains of Eidolon just outside Cetus. Stephen dodged to the left as Cathi Gata dodged to the right and both lashed out with their chosen weapons as only Tenno could. Today, the Valkyr's weapon looked like a Kestrel boomerang but it still hit like a ton of razor sharp ingots as Stephen could attest from all the sparring sessions he had shared with the former Royal Guard. She didn't even need to throw it for this, since few Infested who spawns form this horror had ranged attacks and those few were always the first to go. The monstrosity that came when the horde was provoked enough looked a bit like the Lephantis monster, but it was nowhere near as bright. All three of the heads on the thing's heads spun to attack Cathi Gata and left Stephen a clear shot at the pink vulnerable area on the boxy headed one. He took it without hesitation. His sword had the form of a Gram today. That was his preferred look, but just like Cathi Gata, his weapon hit far harder than a regular Tenno weapon. It stood to reason. Cathi Gata's Glaive was part of her and so was Stephen's Gram. Few outside of their clan knew that but everyone knew that both of them could throw their weapons and control them in flight. Stephen rarely did so. Throwing his weapon away never really sat well with him even knowing it would return to his hand. The waves from his Exalted Blade were more than enough.

The thing's misshapen head disintegrated under Stephen's energy attack and he retreated as the monster howled. Unlike Lephantis, this thing's tactics did not change. Another horde of Infested tore out of the boil and more spawn pods flew from the pulsing nastiness to land around the area. He didn't bother to engage those. It wasn't really worth the time to break them or the poison they expelled when struck. The enemies were always weaker than usual, a distraction only. One that the Tenno ignored unless necessary. Today, it was not.

The Valkyr's boomerang flew unerringly to strike another vulnerable spot and the thing roared again, this time in fear filled pain as another head disintegrated. Both Tenno retreated a step but the monster also retreated, heading back towards the boil. If it got there, it be reabsorbed and another would form. The battle could go one for quite a while in that case. Tenno were fast, adaptable and all but immortal in their warframes. Infested reformed from raw biomass when slain, so battle between the two forces had gone on for ages. Literally.

Without a word, both Tenno threw themselves into the mass of Infested that were trying to screen the monster's retreat, cutting through putrid flesh and bone with an ease that defied belief. Surgically sharp biometal made a mockery of just about anything it hit. They were no more hindered by the hordes of twisted creatures than by the air!

The creature, realizing that it would not make the safety of the poisonous growth, turned its final head to face the onrushing Tenno. It raised its wicked bone scythe to swing and then everything stopped as a something tore into it. That hadn't come from either Tenno! A loud 'boom' came from the distance. That sounded like artillery! Was that Grineer artillery? Why would they shoot at the thing?

Both Tenno recoiled as forms in Grineer armor suddenly appeared atop a small hill nearby. They were not acting like regular Grineer! They were taking cover professionally, firing at the Infested who fell in droves, taken completely by surprise by the sudden flanking attack, but… Those were not Grineer colors and were those humans in their midst? They were! Steel Meridian! Here?

The last head blew apart, followed by another boom, closer this time. All the Infested that had been summoned by the monsters cries fell into masses of slowly dissolving biomass. Neither Tenno moved as the Steel Meridian warriors took up a perimeter and… That was a Grineer tank that crawled its way forward, the muzzle of its main gun still smoking! But it too bore Steel Meridian's colors, if apparently hastily slapped on. Stolen?

"Well done, Tenno. You delivered the bio-toxin. It will take a while to adapt to that version and then you will make another. And another until the boil fades again." Cressia Tal's voice sounded to both Tenno who did not move. "We need to talk. That is..." She made a sour noise. "Steel Meridian needs to talk to someone who can speak for the Tenno. We have a debt to pay."

In unison, both Cathi Gata and Stephen shook their heads. This was a Tenno's duty, not Steel Meridian's no matter how brave and stalwart the renegade clones had proven themselves to be. Not every Tenno had any use for Grineer of any kind, especially traitor Grineer, but most had seen the fury that had awoken in Sargas Ruk and many other followers of the Grineer Queens. It was hard to argue with that. Grineer were simply not smart enough for the most part of even fathom such trickery. Some of them were, but very few and for all of her history in dealing with Tenno, Cressia Tal had never proven to be false. Devious as hell on occasion, but never untrustworthy. Odd.

"You might want to move." Was Cressia Tal smiling? It sure sounded like it as the Grineer tank crawled towards the boil.

Both Tenno leaped aside as the tank sprang into motion. It sped towards the boil and a clone jumped out of the driver hatch, his face split with a huge grin.

"Clem!" The clone shouted as he rolled away from the boil and raised both of his Grakata. At least he didn't start shooting. Both Tenno backed away as the tank rolled right up onto the boil and then, predictably stopped. Nothing made by man or clone could travel on such a concentration of the Technocyte Virus for long. Hell, even warframes melted after any lengthy contact with that potency. The tank's treads jammed with a horrid screech in the mass of putrid flesh, but all the Steel Meridian troops were watching in anticipation. Both Tenno stared as the tank the erupted in a haze of evil green gas that looked familiar! That was Vay Hek's biotoxin! Lots of it! Lots more than even the strongest Tenno could carry. The clone who had apparently been driving the thing shouted in triumph and this time did let loose bursts into the air from his favored weapons. As enthusiastic as he was, he didn't aim at the Tenno. He knew better! "Clem! Grakata!"

The Steel Meridian troops joined the cheer, but none of them fired their weapons. They started to move away in a professional formation, wary of the ever present Grineer aerial patrols. Clem looked at the Tenno, nodded to them and moved to join his fellows.

"That won't stop it." Cressia Tal's voice came again. "But three hundred kilos of the nasty stuff will slow it down until it adapts." Both Tenno nodded just little at that. It would. "We need to talk, Tenno. Please ask someone who can talk for you to come to the new relay. Now that Ruk's forces have been beaten back, it is far safer than it was."

The voice cut off and the two Tenno looked at one another. In unison, they shrugged. There was nothing more do do here and they had more missions to fulfill, but they did need to report this. So, back to Cetus to report and get new missions. They both started back for the shielded enclave that the Grineer hated so much for the hope it brought and Stephen was the first to speak in the silent Tenno way.

That was weird, even for us. The Excalibur clad warframe complained weakly.

The Force moves in mysterious ways. Cathi Gata replied. Stephen fought a groan. Her belief in an odd energy filed that surrounded, penetrated and bound all living things together was no weirder than anything else in the clan he had been inducted into. That said? It was hard to deal with occasionally. Thing was, Cathi Gata knew that. Despite her Valkyr warframe, she was anything but a berzerker. She was warmhearted and gentle when she could be. Hence why the clan considered her their matriarch. I know I bother you. It is just who I am. She reassured the other.

I know. Stephen was quick to reassure her. I still feel lost, sister. I wish I remembered who and what I was before the cryo.

I know.

Most Tenno had lost memories in their long sleep, but Stephen only remembered his name and his ability with a sword. Much of that was muscle memory and the fact that to him, his sword was part of him. A person did not really need to think about using a hand or a foot. For Stephen, his sword was the same way. Cathi Gata's glaive was almost exactly the same, if smaller. She thought, it moved or flew. Stephen very rarely threw his sword, but he could make it dance in the air, if not as gracefully as Cathi Gata could make her razor sharp disk of blades fly. He was trying to find a way to make the waves of energy that coruscated from his Exalted Blade dance. He knew there had to be a way, but so far it had eluded him. They flew in a straight line no matter how hard he tried. He felt there had to be a way. After all, he was energy and he could make himself move, so he would find a way.

That will slow down the boil but as she said, even such a large dose will not stop it. He said as they crested a hill and saw the gates of Cetus shine in the distance. But then a series of loud noises had both stiffening. Grineer sirens!

Shit! Cathi Gata snapped. Night is falling! She paused and then shook her head. And you have no Archwing. She looked at Stephen and he knew what she was thinking. They were not far from the gates, but the distance meant little in the darkness that was rapidly encroaching. The menaces that lurked within the now still Plains at night were far beyond any pair of Tenno's abilities if they were not well prepared. The pair had come armed for Infested, not Sentient. Tenno were brave, but there were limits. Cathi Gata shook her head. Run.

Both of the warframes took off at their fastest. Neither was a Loki or Nezha warframe, but both had speed augments built into their frames. Speed was life in melee combat after all. Strength mattered, of course. Speed and reach mattered a lot more when skilled opponents faced one another. They sped over rocks and across a river that was starting to glow eerily blue and green.

Stephen cursed himself. He didn't like flying and the clan knew it. He much preferred to have his feet on the ground to fight, especially since the Archwing variants that could be used in atmosphere prohibited the use of melee weapons. He could fly when needed, but he was not very good at it. He had borrowed one once for his initial testing when he had approached the clan and managed to crash it three times in one day. Once into the gates of Cetus! He hadn't hurt it or himself, but he really wasn't a pilot at heart like Cathi Gata was. She always moved on her feet as if she was flying and in the air or space? She had few peers. In combat or out. Her Valkyr frame was faster than his Excalibur frame, but he didn't even try to get her to leave him behind. He knew whatever she said in reply wouldn't be polite. Then when they got back to the dojo? She would get motherly. He almost wished she got mean instead! That was far easier to deal with.

Both Tenno came to sudden halt as a sound that both had been dreading came. The mournful wail was familiar. On several occasions, Stephen had fought beside his clan against the Eidolon variants that spawned every night from the depths of the lake that had been created during a horrific battle in the middle of the Old War. That lake was the grave of many Sentient forms, but the downside? Since they hadn't been alive to begin with? Killing them was hard and keeping them dead? Impossible. They were huge, powerful and their weaponry was just as powerful as it had ever been.

The only good thing about them was that they were essentially mindless. Whatever motive force had guided them had been destroyed in the fires of the Old War and-

What the hell? Both Tenno chorused silently as another roar sounded, but this one was not a Sentient! That sounded… human? Light flashed in the distance and the Sentient roared again. Such did not feel pain, but it would feel annoyance and then try to squish whatever annoyed it. Even warframes were not proof from such raw destructive power as was wielded by a three story tall being. But there was no sound of fighting! No clashes of biometal against biometal. So, Tenno were not attacking it. So... what?

Stephen and Cathi Gata looked at one another and then slowly, carefully crept up to the top of a rock. Vomvalysts prowled the area, but almost all of them were focused on the Eidolon that stood tall in the distance and then much smaller form. Not a human! A warframe! Alone against an Eidolon? What was he, nuts?

Both of the Tenno went totally still as the warframe glowed a soft green and the Sentient stopped howling. Neither one of the dared move as the Eidolon, one of the most feared of the Sentient monstrosities, slowly bent down in a way that was inconceivable to either of them and looked at the tiny from who stood in front of it. Was it kneeling? Both stilled further as soft, sad voice sounded from the human shaped form.

"I am sorry." The male proportioned warframe held out a hand to the Sentient, a hand that glowed the same color as the massive being. "I don't think I can help you. You have lost too much." A soft mournful howl came from the Sentient and the other sighed. "No, I don't blame you for that. It is all right. You can go back to sleep if you wish." He was crooning to it and the Sentient matched it! "I know that none of what is happening is making any sense to you and I wish I could help. It isn't your fault. No one who knows the truth will blame you. It is not your fault! It is Hunhow's!" Now the roar was rage, but still muted! The other nodded, his oddly shaped helmet sweeping the area, only to stop as it settled on the rock that the two Tenno sheltered atop of. Both stiffened anew as they realized that he saw them. "NO! Not now! RUN!"

He was not talking to the Tenno! All of the Vomvalysts in the area spun to face the two warframes and they both took to their heels as energy swept across the area towards them. The Eidolon did not pursue them. Its massive footfalls were retreating!

Both Tenno fled towards the beckoning white gates of Cetus, but then Cathi Gata screamed as something grabbed hold of her. Something green!

"No!" The former royal guard screamed aloud as the green energy swept around her and then she collapsed to the ground, her warframe's helmet eclipsed by five green points of energy. She was sobbing quietly as Stephen drew his Gran and stood over her.

"Run, Stephen!" She begged him. "It is… it is taking… I can't fight it! It is taking control!"

Stephen felt horror dawn, but he stood his ground. He would not leave Cathi Gata to face such alone. She had been enslaved once. He would never leave her to face such alone again.

Over my dead body. The Excalibur snapped. Then he broke tradition. "Leave my sister alone!" He screamed into the night. He always felt that a dumb tradition anyway. "You will not enslave her without a fight!"

"I don't want to!" The voice of the odd sort of warframe said savagely as he strode into view, surrounded by hovering Vomvalysts! "You are Tenno and I can feel you are true to the Code. I know such would hurt you! I don't want to hurt you, brother, sister, please! Stand down! Please!" He begged. "Give me your word as a Tenno that you will not fight until I can explain. Don't fight me." He pleaded as Cathi Gata screamed again, fighting with all of her power and skill to throw off what was trying to take control from her. "You do not understand! Don't make me hurt you! There is no need for violence." None of the small Sentient forms attacked. Odd.

I understand enough, traitor! Stephen snapped silently aware on some level that the other could hear him. You will not enthrall my sister!

"I am not going to! I don't want to!" The other snarled aloud. Then he sighed. "But there is far more at stake here than two Tenno lives. Far more than mine or hers." He nodded to the retreating Eidolon! It stopped turned and looked at him. He shook his head. "Flee!" He commanded. "Hide. Hunhow will seek you now. It cannot find you before Mother or all is lost." The massive form made a noise that sounded conflicted? The odd warframe in front of them shook his head. "No, No, I won't hurt them and I certainly won't kill them." It made another noise, almost chiding? "I give you my word. I won't! Not for me or you. I won't have to." His voice turned sour. "All I have to do is try not to die while I explain." He sighed. "Never the easy jobs… Sometimes, I really don't know who I hate more. Hayden or Nikis."

He looked at Stephen and was that Sentient energy that was pouring out of the bottom of the helmet in green waves as Stephen's world turned an oddly soothing green that matched it.

Then the warrior Tenno knew no more.