Chapter 02 – The Cephalon
Author Note : I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Warning : SPOILERS AHEAD!
After leaving the ruins, group, led by Papyrus carrying Chara, would be making their way through the forest, followed by worried Banshee and Sans. As they move ahead towards the skeleton's vessel, Sans peers at the warframe a moment. "So... Do you know how that one is moving?" Sans then asks, looking at Chara and Papyrus, while Chara just blinks. "What you mean?" "Well... I have heard that at least in the past, Warframes were just controlled remotely by the Tenno... And I somehow doubt you are one controlling it?" Sans explains, though Chara thinks this a bit. "Honestly, I am not sure. My memory is still bit cloudy..." She explains. Banshee meanwhile stays quiet, before running front of Papyrus to stop him from going ahead.
"What is it? We are almost back at the ship-" Papyrus asks as explosion echoes from the forest. "...Uh, Sans... You think that was..." Papyrus asks, looking at his brother who frowns. "Seems that the Grineer found our ship..." He says, shaking his head. "We need to find a another way to get off this rock, Earths forest are not exactly safe to stay at", he explains, looking around as he projects from a device on his palm a virtual map. "Let's see... There are few Grineer bases here, but I am not certain if they would have a ship we could... Appropriate", Sans wonders, as something begins to happen to his maps projection.
At first, image would be glitchy as it speaks. "-llo? -one the-?" Voice asks as signal keeps breaking, as Sans tries to adjust the map. "Wow, reception is really bad here", he says as he starts to stabilize the signal. "-this better not be just some Grineer again", voice speaks as Sans manages to make connection stable. Image feed however would still be unstable. "Who is this?" Sans asks, but would not get a answer right away. "Oh. There is someone actually there. Thank the stars, I thought I would be stuck on here forever..." Voice speaks. "My name is Gast, and I need your help if you can. You see, while I have been trying to get help so I can leave this rock, I have drawn attention of some Grineer. Luckily, they have yet to find my exact location..." There would be a moment of silence. "But, It will be only matter of time before I am discovered." "Sorry pal, would like to help, but we are also trying to find a way out from here", Sans would point out. "The Grineer destroyed our ship so we got no way to leave from here." "More the reason to find me! I got a ship you can use", Gast points out. Sans and Chara looks at each other, while Papyrus smirks. "Wowie! Really?!" Papyrus asks, suddenly really excited. "If it means I can get off from this rock, sure", Gast simply replies. "I send you my coordinates now", he then replies as a green dot appears to Sans' map. Shorter skeleton looks at the point a moment. "It is not too far from here..." Sans thinks aloud, checking also Grineer base locations on the map. "And it is away from the Grineer forces. This might work", he then says, looking at the rest. "Well, let's get going, then?" he asks, to which others nod as the group heads out.
As they move, Sans keeps his eye socket on the map, carefully planning how they move, while Banshee keeps track on the Grineer's movements, arm still injured from the last fight with them back at the chamber. Papyrus still carries Chara around. It would not take a long however for Sans to find the place they were instructed to go to, though the group stares what they found with mixed emotions.
Front of them, there would be a landing craft, covered by moss over the passing centuries, explaining how it was noticed for so long. "Ah! I can see you!" Gast's voice would come out from Sans' map. "One moment, I open the door for you..." As Gast finishes speaking, a door would begin to slide open, brushing the moss aside in process. "There we go!" Gasts voice would speak. As group begins to make their way to the vessel, Banshee would stop for a moment and turn around. "What is it?" Sans asks, looking at the Warframe, who has drawn out now both her pistol and glaive, ready to fight.
From the forest, a shadowy, hooded figure makes his way towards them, staff strapped to his back now while wielding an unusual weapon : A sword with hooked chain attached to its handle. As figure walks closer, it grabs the chain of the weapon and starts to spin it while holding the blade from handle. "Oh no", Gast speaks, as the ship begins to shake. "Everyone, get aboard, we are blasting off as soon as possible!" It then commands. "But what about you?" Chara asks, looking around. "Don't worry – I have been onboard the ship this whole time, but we need to leave, now!" Sans and Papyrus quickly rush in, but Banshee stays outside a moment longer, firing her gun at the figure. Before bullet however can reach him he deflects it with his blade. As this happens, Banshee jumps inside the ship as the door closes and the landing craft begins to hover in air, before blasting off to the space, leaving the hooded figure behind in a blink of a eye.
Inside the ship, no-one had really time to prepare the sudden take-off, and would had stumbled to the ground as ship blasted off to the space. "Everyone alright?" Sans asks as he pushes himself up while holding back of his skull, muttering. "All Right here!" Papyrus announces, looking at Chara who looks more dizzy than anything else. "Can someone make the world stop spinning..." She asks, before shaking her head, while Banshee just pushes herself up, staying silent as usual. As group is adjusting themselves to the vessel, a white sentinel with golden ornaments and a glowing purple eye would make its way to them. "Greetings. My name is Gast", it then speaks. Everyone stares at the Cephalon, unsure what to say about the sight. "Please, do not be alarmed. I am the Ship's Cephalon, but I can also communicate with you through this Sentinel. Easier to speak to this one than a purple glowing cube in a screen, correct?" Gast asks as Sentinel floats around, scanning four. "Still, when I was waiting for someone to find me, this was not what I had in mind... Two "Monsters", Tenno and an Orokin Era Warframe", it then speaks, hovering back to its place.
"So why you needed anyone to get onboard you if you are linked to the ship?" Sans asks, looking around the vessel. "Everything seems to be intact here." "Well, less than you think", Gast admits. "While I got most my equipment online, there are only so much you can do when remotely controlling a Sentinel, who don't have any limbs", he begins. "My foundry system needs a new drive, mod collection is a mess and don't get me started of the that infested mess needed to keep ship functions active..." Cephalon lists. Sans stares at the sentinel a bit. "Wait, Infested?" he asks, noticing a door with some growth on it. "Yes. That part of the ship contains the life-support systems... As much as I'd like to get rid of it, those are absolutely necessary to maintain life support of the ship", it explains. "However, it cannot spread further than that room, so it is contained." "Glad to hear", Sans says, before thinking. "What was that thing back at the forest?" He then asks. Gast would stay quiet a moment. "...I wish I'd knew", he then says. "What you mean?" Sans asks, narrowing his sockets. "When it showed up , ships sensors sent me an alarm", Gast begins to explain. "While I am not exactly sure -what- it was, one thing was clear... It was a Warframe", he says, as he projects an image, similar to weapon used by the Warframe from before. "Based on my sensors readings, weapon it was carrying was highly customized variant of weapon known as Lacera." "Lacera?" Sans asks, looking at the image. "Yes. Lacera is a special weapon of Tenno origin. It is a sword that utilized electricity on its attack, and has a chain attached to its handle that can be used to increase the weapon range", Gast confirms. "However, such weapon is not too rare, so using it to locate the wielder is not a possible option." Sans sigs. "Well, it is something to go by."
"So, what are we doing now?" Chara asks, looking at the group. Sans smiles. "Simple. We got a Relay nearby, hidden from the direct line of a sight, to serve as our personal city", Sans states. "We are heading there to do some recovering and to introduce you to our leaders", Sans explains. "And maybe we learn why that Warframe is following you... They are usually used as just weapons, right?" The last comment seems to hit Banshee Umbra hard, and Warframe just glares at Sans' direction, before walking away. "...Is it something I said?" Sans asks, raising his brow a bit. Chara looks after the Warframe as well. "I... Am not sure?" She then replies. Papyrus would make his way after the Warframe. "I go see what is the matter, I'll be back in a moment!" He calls out as he goes to look for the Banshee.
It would not take long for taller skeleton to find it. Banshee would had seated down to a corner and curled up to a ball, though would still be staying quiet. Papyrus blinks at this a moment before sighing and smiling a bit as he makes his way closer. Banshee stares at Papyrus a moment, but stays still silent as ever. "...Can I sit here?" Papyrus asks, to which Banshee just replies with a silent nod. As Papyrus sits down he looks at the Warframe. "...Did what Sans said upset you?" He then asks. Banshee would not respond this time. "If he did, I am sure he didn't mean to", Papyrus explains. "Sans can be sometimes irresponsible, but he never wants to hurt someone's feelings." Banshee just stares at Papyrus a moment, before looking at her injured arm and using her "blood" to write something to floor. "Not "Someone". Tool." Papyrus blinks at this. "Sans did tell me that the Warframes were created by the Orokin as a weapons, but without someone to operate them they could not move. Though you can, right?" Papyrus asks, to which Banshee nods. "See? You are not just a tool then! You even have emotions! That means you aren't a tool, you are a person!" Papyrus says, smiling. Warframe stares at the cybernetic skeleton a moment, but then nods. "Though, how did you get stuck inside a Warframe…?" He asks. Banshee does not answer to this, and just stares at the wall again.
Back on the earth, Warframe that tried to reach the group would be watching at the stars, frowning. "They got away", it then speaks, looking at something. After a while, he just seems to nod. "I agree. They can run away, but they cannot hide from us-" He speaks, but is cut short as Grineer solider opens fire at him. "I WAS MIDDLE OF CONVERSATION HERE!" Warframe snaps, sending a wave of dark purple energy at the Grineer, which then transforms into a barbed chains, anchoring them to the ground. As the Grineer struggles, warframe walks to him and draws out a pistol from his belt, aiming it at the Grineer's skull point-blank before firing, painting rocks behind the soldier red with blood. "All this time and still they have no manners..." Warframe mutters, as he opens a portal, and walks through it, vanishing as soon as he had arrived.
Next Time : The Relay "New Home"!
Notes : For the "Banshee Umbra", I am using Banshee Prime with Sonority Skin, equipped with Prime's ornamental dress and shoulder-piece. For those who wonder.
Those who are not familiar with the game : "Sentinels" are small floating machines that Tenno can equip for missions as companions. There are many models, but in this case we have "Helios Prime".