Disclaimer: Warframe doesn't belong to me.
A few notes: Ria is not the operator. Oh, she is an operator, but she is not THE OPERATOR. She is not the character that he player controls in the game. That means that she didn't do certain quests, doesn't have flashy Key 5 powers and she didn't get a personal hug from Lotus. Oh, and your character probably saved her scrawny bum.
And if you want to make your own Ria: 5th face on the right, 1st skin colour, dark blue lipstick, second hairstyle on the right, dark blue hair, inner eyecolour white, outer colour green, white glow.
"I can tell you one thing, Operator: It's incredible what kind of vocabulary these Grineer use in their scientific papers. I am very glad that I don't feel outrage." Sicarius said casually as decoded and translated data flickered over Ria's screen. The young Tenno was slumped into her transference chair, clad in the tight black and dark blue of her Zariman suit. She had opened the main zipper which revealed a long street of dark brown skin that ended just below her navel. Just to feel the air. Sicarius wouldn't complain. Sure, if Lotus could see her right now, she would give Ria one of the patented "modesty and dignity"-spiels about how Tenno were not supposed to look as if someone had let out the air and thrown them into the general direction of their priceless Orokin transference devices, but you're not the boss of me, mom! Her unkempt, blue hair and matching lipstick were proof of that attitude.
"Did they make any progress?" She asked absentmindedly. Her earlier meeting with the prisoner had been more draining than expected. Even after several hours of working on notes and decoding, she was still mulling it over in her head. 'Killed a Tenno… as if. She ruined one Warframe, gave the operator the headache of a lifetime and caused a long speech from Lotus about carelessness and responsibility. Admirable for a Grineer but how little do they know...'
"Operator?" Sicarius asked suddenly.
"Yes, Sicarius, I was in thought!" Ria said with a sigh "But let me guess: No real progress."
"Indeed, Operator. Quite prophetic, but may I suggest listening to me before-"
"No, you may not." The Tenno sighed. "Of course they didn't make any progress! They'd never send a valuable scientist out there. And these better medics wouldn't do much in any case." she let out a groan "This mission makes no sense!"
"May I ask for your input, Operator?" Sicarius asked jovially "What about this mission makes no sense?"
"Look at that crew manifest. The roster is completely random! I was already wondering why a whole sniper unit was crammed into a tiny science vessel! It wasn't one of their Galleons or bases, this ship was tight. One idiot with a Blunt and a Sobrek could hold a corridor against a horde. But this ship had a Hellion squad! Atmosphere type jetpacks!" She threw her head back and groaned "They are not that stupid, Sicarius. We sometimes think so because our Warframes make us complacent, but there is a reason why the Grineer control old earth."
"Indeed, Operator. Very well observed." The cephalon said happily "While you were talking, I took the liberty of running an extensive analysis of the crew's personal background, filtering many factors such as commendations, time of service and more. I found commonalities. "
"What did I miss?" Ria sighed.
"All Grineer marines and guards aboard had a time of service greater than 15 years. And most of them come from similar gene molds."
For a moment, only the sound of the foundry could be heard in the ship.
"So?" the Tenno asked in confusion. "Elite crew. We already knew that."
"No, Operator, geriatric crew." Sicarius said quickly "With the average time a Grineer takes to mature, all of them were at least 20 years old. Taking their batches and the telomere degradation into account, those Grineer were doters."
"20?" Ria almost gasped. "That's slightly older than me…"
"Now you are flattering yourself, Operator. You are at least-"
"Cryo-sleep doesn't count, Sicarius."
"Well, then you are much younger, Operator."
"Whatever! I'm not even fully grown and these people are already on the way out?"
"Yes, Operator. This particular generation of Grineer must have suffered a significant loss of protective DNA. They were, most likely, *born* with middle-aged cells. Normally even low rank Grineer reach 30 years on average and their leaders get special treatment to live even longer. But that requires excessive medical effort. Our batch here was about to suffer from dementia, organ failure, osteoporosis-"
"But they think they are perfect…" the Tenno muttered, interrupting the list as ideas began to form. "Sicarius, did our guest have a medal of honour, a badge, anything for her service?"
"Three in fact. There are no details, but her file notes a badge for a certain number of confirmed kills, one for being part of a campaign against Infested over Mars and finally one that I don't recognize. But it must have been high honour. She is one of two on board who earned it."
"The others have similar honours, I assume. Medals, commendations, prices."
"Indeed operator. At a rate highly above the average for a ship of any kind."
"She's a war hero…" Ria said quietly "A war hero who was about to die young and in her bed." She let out a snort. "You were right from the start! This was a retirement mission."
"Did I suggest that? Retirement? Are you certain? The Derelict seems like a strange place to sit back and relax." Sicarius offered confused.
"They didn't want to send them into retirement, they wanted to retire them. Those Marines were probably known and respected, Sicarius. War heroes, role-models, the whole affair." The Tenno said grimly "If a whole generation of them keels over at half the normal age, even the most brainwashed Lancer will ask a question or two. And that's bad for morale. Grineer can't reject orders, but they can be less efficient in combat. But if you stick those heroes on a science vessel and shove them into the unknown to further essential research or whatever and then they die gloriously… Bang, public parades, propaganda news… things that make the fresh ones eager." She let out a grunt "And make sure it's the Infected, because the Corpus might take prisoners." The Tenno sighed. She nestled into her chair and closed her eyes "Those Grineer leaders think long-term, Sicarius. I could respect that if they weren't complete monsters."
"But isn't that extremely wasteful, Operator?"
"Short term: Yes. Long term it raises morale. Legends form quickly when you only live 30 years. In a generation, they will talk about this glorious mission and how many great Grineer died for the sake of the whole. Pragmatic cynicism at its finest." Ria concluded. "Say, how is our guest?"
"Awake, Operator. I gave her full access to every piece of music and every bit of entertainment media in my databank, just like you ordered. I also offered several recreational options like painting, video games and so on." Sicarius said eagerly "But I have to say, I was surprised about her wishes."
"Why?"
"She asked for a dumbbell."
Ria let out a small laugh. "Right in the stereotype." She muttered "Did you provide?"
"Yes, we happen to have a small but decent selection of personal training equipment, just like the Lotus suggested." Sicarius said happily.
Ria twitched in her chair. Ever since she had been rescued from the second dream, Lotus had pestered her about getting into a better shape. Admittedly, it had been an eye-opener to leave your cryo-pod for the first time and instantly collapse because your legs hadn't carried you for years.
"The second request was even more confusing. She requested a file from her personal folder in the vessel's data vault." The cephalon mused "I checked the file several thousand times, decrypted, analysed, defragmented and checked it for every virus known to the system. Nothing. Just a video. It's not even a personal file. I found the same or a very similar file in the folders of several other personnel on the ship. Strangely enough, the files all have comparable and sometimes overlapping content, but it seems as if they have many sources who all-"
"Just put it on screen, Sicarius." Ria suggested.
The screen came to life. For a few seconds, it was static. Then there was a picture. It was what seemed to be surveillance footage of a capacitator. Ria had seen them before in Grineer installations. Sparks and arcs of lightning showed that the machine was working very well. A few cables seemed out of place. Suddenly a Grineer walked into the frame. A female, Scorpion class, obviously patrolling. She walked past the capacitor. Suddenly, she raised her machete and… no, her machete was pulled away! With curses and screams, the woman held onto her weapon, but a force beyond her pulled it upwards.
"It's magnetic… the condenser magnetized that ceiling tile." Ria muttered.
Finally, the Scorpion's grip gave in and her weapon flew upwards and landed flat against the ceiling. The woman let out a series or curses and looked around. Suddenly she stopped and pulled out her grappling hook. With a quick thrown, the hook was imbedded into a panel next to the magnetized one and the woman climbed up. She grabbed the machete and pulled with all her might. Slowly, the blade dislodged from the tile. The Scorpion had to brace one foot against the tile but finally, the weapon was in her hand and she held threw it down, away from the tile. She let out a sigh of relief and turned to climb down. But she didn't. Her mechanic leg was stuck to the tile. She let out a scream. The screen went dark.
The next video started. It was a helmet camera. The wearer looked down onto a large storage hall where several soldiers were patrolling. One of them was a Hyekka Master with two of his charges. Suddenly, the barrel of a Vulkar came into frame. A male snickering could be heard. The sniper aimed and activated his laser-sight. One of the Hyekka noticed the dot and jumped it, earning several snickers and confusion from its master. They repeated again and again, the Hyekka jumping every time and ending up confused.
"Those are funnies!" Ria gasped.
"Funny, Operator?" Sicarius asked in confusion "I can't detect any humour in those videos. Humour is about subversion, puns are about clever use of vocabulary and a joke needs a beginning, middle and a point to-"
"Sicarius, I'm glad that you are well-versed in the theory of humour, but these are not about that." Ria sighed "Those are… well… that's what soldiers and workers like between shifts. They don't want sophisticated humour or long jokes. They want quick levity. A small chuckle. Those files are probably traded around on every ship and in every facility." The Tenno leaned her cheek on her knuckle. "I'm glad that she is trying to cope… distraction through nostalgia and exercise. But this is an interesting find: Even after a life of genetically enforced obedience, a glint of humanity remains. They still giggle at silly animals and harmless misfortune. Humans are weird... apparently, you can't engineer what makes them human out of them and expect them to function. The Orokin tried and you see where it led."
"Is that pity, Operator? Sympathy even?"
"No, Sicarius, understanding." Ria closed her eyes "Only true understanding of the enemy is an advantage worth having. So is the path of Naramon."
"Oh, Operator, the Lotus would be so proud!"
"I doubt it… sometimes I wonder if she wants me to learn beyond the Tenno way."
"While I want you to be happy, Operator, I have to admit that this is a bad century to become a scholar. At least for someone with your gifts." Sicarius said carefully.
Ria let out a sigh and zipped her suit shut. "How is the status on our guest's limbs?"
"I finished my analysis of the leg prosthesis. Their new interface is incredible, but in the end, only a few motivators were replaced or improved. Still, they are remarkable improvements! The balance sensors use microscopic gyro-"
"What about the hand?" Ria interrupted quickly. She preferred reading the report over hearing the cephalon gush right now.
"I'm still working on the. The motivators for each finger are so delicate and the sensors so precise! They are marvels, Operator, every single one of them! Even our Foundry couldn't hope to create such delicate masterpieces."
"Good, Ready Excalibur and announce me to our guest." The Tenno ordered. "I wish to talk to her. Oh and get me a pillow!"
"A pillow?"
"Presentation, Sicarius. It's all about presentation."
51, 52, 53… Sindr was so tied up in counting, she hardly looked at the video on screen. Her pace was brisk, her left arm already stinging every time the weight approached her face. 'Keep counting!' she told herself in between numbers 'Don't think!'
67, 68, 69…
'Don't think about how can breathe so easily!' 71! 'Don't think about how you're not plugged into anything!' 75 'Or how you're alive without the systems. How you can do 80 repetitions on every group without tearing a-' The woman let out a snarl and threw the dumbbell onto the floor. "I lost count…" she muttered an explanation to nobody. Her eyes turned to the screen.
A Drahk was eagerly *playing* with a feral Kubrow while her master was shouting angrily.
Sindr let out a chuckle. Then a sigh. She couldn't do sit-ups without her legs, if she rolled onto her belly she could-
"Excuse me, ma'am." A much too familiar voice said.
The Grineer let out a snarl. "What?"
"Your host politely asks if you would have a word with them."
Sindr took a breath. She had humiliated herself once. But that was one mess up! She would not hide, she would not cower. She was Gineer! Strength is Justification! That Tenno would see what that meant! "Whatever."+
The screen went dark. A few moments later, the door opened. It was the same Tenno from before. A masculine figure in white and grey with a featureless visage and a single horn. Or whatever it was. In his hands was a fluffy pillow that held her legs. Sindr couldn't shake her confusion. Prosthetics like hers were common among her people. They were produced by the millions, used and thrown away when no longer needed.
"I apologize for the inconvenience." Ria said calmly. "Your arm will follow soon." The warframe moved closer, offering the items.
Sindr looked at them for a moment, then her gaze drifted away. "I can't install them with one hand…" she said quickly.
The Excalibur nodded. "May I offer my services?"
The Gineer twitched visibly.
"Did I cross a cultural boundary?"
"Do you Tenno dress each other? Do let strangers change your underwear?" Sindr hissed. "But I want my legs back, so just get it over with!"
The Excalibur nodded. It went closer and knelt down, sitting on its feet. It placed the prosthetics next to it and looked up, waiting for the woman to make her move.
Sindr felt like she was lifting her skirt for a complete stranger. But she wouldn't let such a small humiliation get the better of her.
Ria bit her lip. She had not expected this to feel so… intimate. Slowly, she pushed the jumpsuit's leg up to reveal the coupling on the Gineer's knee.
"Rip it off! They are in the way anyways!" Sindr hissed.
Ria followed suit, folding the jumpsuit's legs after the Excalibur had made short work of it and placing it next to her. The wirings were simple, but you needed two hands for the clasps. "You are an impressive specimen." She said carefully as the Warframe reached for the leg.
"Wrong leg!" Sindr said coldly before its hand connected with the limb.
Ria suppressed a facepalm. Smooth going there! She corrected the mistake and continued casually. "How long have you been alone on the ship before I found you?"
"Not sure. Could have been two days or a whole week." The Grineer answered quickly.
"I see." The Tenno said calmly. "You were very thorough. Not a single drone escaped you."
"It was that or death."
"Do you remember the time before you regained your consciousness?"
"No." Sindr's eyes narrowed while the Warframe was still fiddling with her leg. "Is that all you want to know? How I huddled down in a dead ship? How I was so full of stimulants, I shot every bullet into the drones and forgot to find more when your friend showed up?"
"Those are the kind of questions, you might actually be inclined to answer." Ria answered and finished the first leg. She went for the other.
The Grineer let out a huff. "Smartass."
'I get that a lot…' Ria thought. "You persevere in the face of adversity without regard for your own trauma. You should not be surprised that I respect that."
"And yet you resist the Grineer!" Sindr said sharply.
"Tenno respect the power of the individual. I care not for the millions of Grineer that would have perished, had they been in your place." Ria said coldly. "And consider my admiration doubled for your continued loyalty. You certainly realize your situation."
"So this is where this is going?" Sindr let out a humourless laugh. "Yeah, we both know I'm fucked. It's one of the two reasons why I'm not going to kick you in the face once you are done. Those drones changed me so much, if I make it back to Grineer space, I'll be executed, dissected and turned into paste to be eaten by the queens. And I have come so far, I might as well see where it goes..."
The Tenno had to hide her bemusement. "And what would the other reason be?"
"I'm on a talking space ship. I doubt that it will listen to me." The woman answered. "It doesn't even shut up when I ask it to."
'You and me both, lady…' Ria mused quietly. She finished the second leg and stood to give Sindr some space.
The woman got up and flexed her knees. Ria had been wrong. She was easily 2, 2 meters tall, towering even over Excalibur. Suddenly, she kicked the Warframe in the shin. Ria hardly felt the damage through the transference chair. Luckily, Excalibur couldn't convey her look of complete confusion.
"I always wanted to kick a Tenno!" Sindr with a bit of cold humour. "Last time, I fainted from blood loss before I had a chance."
'The bravado of the damned… She knows that she has nothing to lose.' Ria noted grimly. She had her Warframe bow deeply and said. "Feel free to ask for anything and my ship will try to provide. My accommodations are humble, but they are also yours."
Sindr slumped down on the cot, putting one foot on the edge while eyeing her captor. "Are all Tenno named like little girls?" she asked suddenly. "Is that why you're not equipped?"
Ria had to turn her thoughts around completely. That went beyond bravado of the damned.
"I mean, the one I shot had a rack. Did that one get a guy's name?"
The Excalibur bowed deeply, grabbed the torn legs and the pillow and left without another word.
Sindr smirked to herself. "That's what you get, you prude…"
Tenno are fun to write. Going fluently between scrappy teenager and calm, mighty warrior is a blast.