Disclaimers: I do not own Warframe.
A/N: So this is just a quick preview for the next chapter. I'm getting back to the main storyline.
Please leave a Review, Fav, or Follow if you want.
Stay safe out there in quarantine.
Vay Hek
(Preview)
"Coming in for a landing in three….two...one. Touchdown.", Ordis relays as the Mantis comes to a hovering stop at the beginning of one of the docks outside of Cetus only to upright itself to a vertical position moments later.
This instantly draws a large mass of the Ostrons, who crowd the front of the dock though they are smart and cautious enough to keep their distance from the Landing Craft.
"Excuse us. Pardon us. Step aside, please", Trinity calmly says as gently moving through the crowd, the towering Atlas moving slowly behind her, careful not to push anyone too hard out of the way as everyone else watches the towering giant in silent awe.
The pair finally make their way through the residents of Cetus and to Trinity's Landing Craft. The onboard sensors detect the Healing Tenno presence and flip the insertion body-frame outward toward her.
"Get ready to get in", she orders and the Earth Tenno looks at her for a second before turning his attention back at the insertion platform which was a couple of sizes too tiny for him.
"Ain't this a tad too small for me, Deary?", Atlas asks but Trinity says nothing as she types in something on her wrist computer.
"Patient's Identification: Operator Atlas", a voice from the landing craft says, "Reconfiguration of Landing Craft's medical equipment commencing."
The insertion platform turns back into the vehicle and Atlas could faintly hear the sound of machinery moving around.
"If I recall correctly, her Landing Craft was specialized to an almost abnormal degree", Atlas thought before turning to Trinity who was still typing something into her wrist computer, "Don't you think this is a bit much for a slight shoulder injury, Sweetie?"
The Healing Tenno stops her typing and slowly exhales for a moment before continuing, "Your opinion has been noted; I shall log it in my mission debrief."
Atlas shakes his head, "Am I doing something that bothering you, Dear?"
Trinity finally looks up from her wrist, "Well, since we're on the subject, I would appreciate it if you would stop calling me such names like "Dear" and "Sweetie". We have had this conversation multiple times in the past before and yet you still persist in it. It is highly unprofessional."
"I didn't think that what we do could be considered professional since we're not getting paid to do it", Atlas remarks.
"True as that may undoubtedly be, I have personal professional standards that I would like to maintain. I was tolerating the nicknames earlier in the control room due to the situation but now that we have a moment's peace, I feel that the matter should be address...once again", Trinity states just as her Landing Craft spoke once more.
"Reconfiguration complete."
The insertion platform turns back out and Atlas was amazed that it now seems able to fit his warframe's size.
"Now if you would be so kind, Atlas, please get in. We will discuss this subject later", Trinity says, this time with a little more edge in her voice.
The Rock Tenno once again shakes his head and moves to attach himself to the platform. Before he could he get comfortable though he is swung around into the interior compartment of the Vampire Tenno's Landing Craft.
Meanwhile, from their viewpoint atop of a cliff near the gates, Chroma and Revenant could see the entirety of the Cetus' markets and the docks on the other side of them where the trading ships came and went.
"They sure seem to be in a hurry to leave", Chroma remarks as he and Revenant observe the three Corpus merchants from earlier nearly tripping over themselves and their merchandise while trying to pack up.
"No doubt because of recent events. We think that we should go see to it that they don't escape", The Sentient Tenno replies as he moves to jump but is stopped by a hand from Chroma.
"Now wait just for a second. Let's watch them for a little while longer", Chroma suggests.
"But Trinity told us to round up the merchants", Revenant says.
"And we are, but sometimes the best part of a hunt is letting your prey think they're safe. We'll let them get closer to their ship and besides, I rather confront them outside of the market than in the middle of it", Chroma explains.
Revenant nods his head at this, "We see the logic in your approach. No doubt this will minimize civilians' causalities should this turn violent."
Chroma merely shrugs, "I guess that's one way of looking at it. What I really want is to get inside their ship. We'll probably get more information out of their computer than the merchants themselves."
Revenant turns to look at Chroma for several moments, something that did not go unnoticed by the Dragon Tenno.
"Is there something you wish to say?", he asks, never taking his eyes off the Corpus merchants.
"You are much wiser than Gara tells us that you are", Revenant answers.
Chroma tilts his head to the right, indicating his confusion at the statement, "You want to repeat that?"
"We mean no disrespect", Revenant assure him.
"Could have fooled me", Chroma counters.
"It's just that nearly everything we know about you has been told to us through mostly Gara, Lotus, and occasionally, Trinity", Revenant told him.
"Everyone's talking behind my back", Chroma thinks to himself, "And what exactly do they say about me?"
"Gara only tells us what she has heard from the others due to the lack of interaction she has had with you", Revenant replies, "But what we do know is that you're not fond with working with others and that you prefer to not only work alone but be alone as well."
Chroma shrugs at this, "You're not wrong."
"But we believe that you keep yourself isolate because you wish not to be betrayed by those you would trust, almost as if it has happened to you before", Revenant then said.
Chroma could now feel his irk rising but holds up a hand to stop any further conversation, "Seem like they're finally moving."
Both Tenno watch as the three merchants were finally making their way through the crowd, shoving anyone out of the way who were unfortunate enough to be in it.
Looking ahead of them, Chroma spots one of the Corpus' ships lowering its ramp and the merchants heading right for it.
"Let's move", the Dragon Tenno says and the two take to the skies. They soar over the canopies of the market, landing perfectly on the wooden stakes holding up the blankets roofs of the shops before once more taking off again. With movements hone by countless hours of torturous training and perfected in the heat of heavy combat, both Tenno appear behind the merchants mere seconds after leaving the cliff. Between the merchants being too preoccupied with their gear and the Tenno's silent movement, both Chroma and Revenant found themselves waiting a couple of seconds directly behind the Corpus' before making their presence known.
"You need to come with us", Chroma finally spoke, his smile conceal as all three of the Corpus drop whatever they were carrying and spun around to face them. One twisted so fast that his foot slip on the ram and he nearly fell down.
"As I said, you need to come with us for questioning", Chroma says once more.
It was an awkward moment of silence before the tallest of the Corpus straightens up and point a finger at Chroma.
"We are businessmen of the Ruanao Corporation a sub-company of Fiaurs Industrial, which is headed by the second cousin of Frohd Bek himself! We do not take orders from the Tenno, especially the Defiler!", he spats.
Both Chroma and Revenant share a look before turning back to the trio.
"I'm going to give you until the count of five to change your mind", Chroma warns, "One."
"We believe you sure take Chroma up on his offer", Revenant says.
"Two."
"Now you s-s-see here! We will not be bully by the likes of you!", one of the other merchants stammers out.
"Three", Chroma kept on.
"This is a violation of the ceasefire that Cetus abides by!"
"Four", and Chroma starts to flex his fingers in anticipation.
"We did warn you", Revenant says right before he catches glimpses of light at the top of the ramp inside the cargo bay of the ship.
Chroma sees this too and his hands instantly go to his Daikyu and an arrow as it pops out from his frame. At that point, muscle memory takes over as he notches, draws, and releases in the span of half a heartbeat and the arrow fly straight toward the one of the light which subsequently disappears right before the sound of something being impaled into the bulkhead of the ship was heard.
Revenant just as fast brings his Battacor to bear and fires off at the two remaining lights and the sources of them drop to the floor.
"Revenant! Watch them! I'm going up!", Chroma barks and the Sentient Tenno trains his gun on the merchants as the dragon sped up the ramp, his bow holster on his back and Tiamat's Wrath drawn and ready. He bursts into the compartment and instantly does a three-sixty degree scan of the area, but his radar picking up no more hostiles further in the ship. He then spots the bright yellow bodies of two Sniper Crewman lying motionless on the floor next to each other, their respective Lanka held in a death grip within their hands. After verifying through his warframe's scans that they were indeed dead, he turns his attention to the only other living soul in the compartment.
Well, partially living soul as the third Sniper Crewman was skew a foot off the ground into the steel bulkhead, Chroma's arrow sticking out of his chest while his Lanka was on the floor underneath him. The Corpus struggles in vain to remove the arrow but could barely manage to lift both arms up, let alone summon the incredible strength that would be required to accomplish such a feat.
"You guys really ought to switch to a different gun. Jessie says that the Lanka has too long of a charge up time which doesn't quite make up for its power", Chroma says as he approaches, Tiamat's Wrath now hefts on his shoulder.
Within a moment, the Dragon Tenno was standing in front of the dying Corpus, observing his struggles.
"Believe or not, I know exactly what you're going through. I know because I have gone through it before myself", Chroma spoke, paying no mind to the soldier's dying wheeze nor the blood now dripping out onto the floor, "The feeling of helplessness as Death's cold hands grip around your heart, not knowing whether or not each passing second is your last; like I said I've been there."
A message from Trinity flash on his HUD but ignores it for now as he continues talking.
"You get to where you're no longer begging for someone to save you. No, you reach the point where you're just praying that someone, anyone, swiftly put you out of your misery", he tells the Corpus as he began coughing and his wheeze started to get quieter as his lungs started to fill with blood.
Another notification flashes across Chroma's HUD, this time label as urgent and he decides to answer this one.
"Chroma here."
"What was that weapon discharge I heard?", she demanded.
"Revenant and I were about to take the merchants into custody near their ship when three Sniper Crewmen appear with hostile's intent", Chroma answers.
"Is the situation under control?", Trinity asks.
"All hostiles….", Chroma pauses as he watches the Sniper Crewman give his last breath and go limp, "All hostiles are down. Proceeding to search the ship and scan its computer for information before interrogating the merchants."
A/N: Should have the full chapter out by the end of this week.
