Chapter One - Found
Light? Where am I?
The Tenno awoke, his face and body completely sealed in a full-body armor that fit the contours of his muscular form. All was quiet around the humanoid warrior. He looked down through his cryo-sleep pod and saw the chamber he was suspended in. It looked like he was about twenty feet high off the ground.
What is this place? Why am I here? Who am I? Wait! What's going on?
The pod opened and the Tenno fell out, barely managing to land on his feet. After standing from his fall, he took stock of his surroundings.
It's very run down in here. It looks like there is a plant-type infestation in here. This suit I'm wearing... I know! This is an Excalibur model Warframe. But how do I know what it is? That pod I was in was pretty high up. Why was I in there?
Remaining cautious, he walked across the chamber, inspecting the foliage and ruins of the room. He reached the end of the chamber, opening into a corridor that lead to a energy field of sorts.
This looks like some kind of entry way. It probably leads somewhere. Anywhere is better than here. How long have I been here?
Tentatively, the Tenno reached through the portal and retracted his hand.
Seems safe.
He stepped through and beheld his surroundings. There where trees everywhere. Trees larger than any he had ever seen. He knew that something was wrong with how large they where, but couldn't put his finger on it.
This doesn't seem natural.
He continued a ways and looked back. The blue sky lit the surrounding area. He couldn't see anything of where he came from but for the large portal embedded into the side of the monstrous trees with the waves of golden energy dancing across the surface of it.
He continued to walk through the overgrown forest, wary of any danger.
"~Seth, they're coming in from the south!~"
The Tenno froze mid-step.
"~Got ya covered! They won't know what hit them!~"
What is this? I'm hearing voices. It must be the comm link! Wait, how do I know about the comm link?
He sighed, knowing there would be more unanswered questions. He reached up and touched the activator for the communications.
"~Hello? Is anyone there?~"
"~Mat, that you?~"
"~No, but wait. Hello? Is there another Tenno on the line?~"
"~Yes! Where are you?~"
"~Seth, we got another Tenno out here! Tenno, we have your location. Hold position and remain out of sight. We're on our way.~"
Remain out of sight? Seems easy enough. Why am I hiding, though?
"Hey there." Another Tenno came out from behind some foliage. "I see you've got the Excalibur Warframe. Where did you show up from?"
"I came from that direction. There was a portal that lead me from a derelict chamber of sorts. It seemed overgrown."
The Tenno took stock of the new arrival. He was wearing a Loki Warframe with a camouflage color scheme.
"Name's Seth. Follow me, and stay low."
"What are we hiding from?"
"The Grineer," Seth said, scanning the area. "That's right. You just woke up. Anyway, me and Mat will get you out of here. We got what we came for. ~Mat? I got him. Just woke up. Apparently, there's a portal nearby that leads to a Derelict. Then this guy just up and wanders out.~"
After Seth's comment, both Tenno pick up a response over the comm link.
"~Alright, Seth. Well Tenno, welcome to the land of the living. We're gonna get you out of here. Stick close to Seth and he'll get you past the skirmish area.~"
"~Copy that.~"
Well, I guess that's a step in the right direction. "Which way, Seth?"
"~This way.~" He was back to using his comm link.
Seth lead the way through the underbrush, picking his way quickly. They reached a clearing strewn with bodies. Gunfire was heard in the distance.
"~We're close. Make your way north and stop by the large corridor.~"
Seth then sprinted across the clearing and vanished from sight midway.
Did he just... No, follow orders.
Following the cover, he made his way north until he found a tunnel supported by a crude metal frame.
Having a realization, he sighed. I'm still unarmed. He might have given me his sidearm.
"Tenno scoom!"
What is that?
He ducked be hind the nearest tree. Looking around it, the Tenno saw one of the soldiers he recognized from the fallen in the clearing.
Must be a Grineer. He hasn't seen me yet.
The soldier moved across the clearing, scoping with his weapon before confirming he was in the clear. He then ran in the direction the Tenno had seen Seth go. Suddenly, the soldier stopped in his tracks, arching his back in pain and falling onto his face.
After a moment, he heard a voice to his side.
"They never see me commin'."
"Ah!" He turned and saw Seth relaxing against the tree the Tenno was using as cover.
"So, impressed?"
This guy...
"~Seth, are messing with the rescued Tenno?~"
"~He isn't rescued, yet!~" The Tenno wasn't getting a good impression of this character.
"~Then stop jump-scaring, and finish rescuing!~"
"Sheesh! This guy can be so uptight!"
"~I heard that.~"
Mat seems a little more responsible than Seth. Where is he?
The Tenno voiced his question across the comms.
"~Heading in your direction right now. Seth, get him to extraction. The Cryotic Excavation was a success.~"
"~Alright!~ Follow me, your highness! Your chariot awaits!"
Seth led them through the tunnel, opening up to a cliff-side trimmed with scaffolding and a landing platform.
"Now we wait for... There he is! What took you so long, Mat?"
A figure made his way through the tunnel they previously came through. He was clad in a Warframe the Tenno identified as a Frost model.
"Hello, Tenno. I am Matheal. You know Seth." He turned to Seth. "Look, I was only covering our tracks. The usual."
"Suuuure~ Of course you where. You definitely weren't trying to wrack up more kills than me. Oh, never. Perish the thought!"
*Sigh* "Exactly! Now, can we leave? We're trying to rescue this guy and get away with what we came for."
Seth made a gesture with his arm. "Alright, princess. Who's he riding with?"
Matheal brought up a holographic console with his hand.
"With me," and with a wave over the image in font of him, a relatively large ship maneuvered with precision to the platform they stood on, docking vertically. It was shaped rather like a triangle with rounded edges with to prongs coming off the back end. The thrusters encompassed the edges of the ship, giving it a high level of control in all directions.
I want one.
Matheal dismissed the holograph and a doorway opened on the bottom of his ship.
Seth crossed his arms. "Show off," he mumbled. He turned and, after repeating the same gestures and console interaction, stepped towards his ship.
The Tenno noticed Seth's ship didn't have a doorway, but rather an impression the shape of a person. He watched Seth step into the outline and was surprised when it rotated, taking the passenger into the waiting transport.
"Why doesn't your ship have the same kind of entrance as Seth's?"
"It does, but we occasionally are in a situation where we have to rescue someone. This allows for more than one passenger, where normally, this transport is meant for just one person."
Both Tenno stepped into the ship, the transport taking off and leveling with the guest taking in the different notification and communication consoles. It did not have an excessive amount of room, but they could both manage with the rescued Tenno staying near the navigation projector console at the front.
"Welcome aboard my liset, Tenno. ~Seth, set your coordinates for the clan dojo. This guy needs our help.~"
"~Rrrrrrrrrroger that! Fasten your seatbelts, Tenno. Next stop, Hammerfall Dojo!~"