And you didn't think it could get worse...
The Banshee warframe moved through the silence that had enfolded the small human colony. Venus was not a garden spot. Even under Orokin, with all of its technological and biological wonders, the terraforming of such a complicated biosphere had eluded even the greatest of Orokin minds for a long, long time. They had finally reduced the atmosphere and managed to contain most of the toxins in said atmosphere, allowing for limited colonization by hardy souls willing to live in squalor for a chance to make the place better. For a long time, things had finally seemed to be looking up. But then... The Sentients had come. Venus was not hit that hard during the resulting conflicts. But it had not been spared either. The system wide horrors of the Collapse had touched Venus just as surely as they had Earth, if not quite so dramatically.
As always, humans had persevered despite the horrors. They had survived. First in packets, then in larger groups. The population had begun to rebuild, carefully. They always had to be wary of the freak storms that the planet still threw occasionally. The toxic rains still fell, stripping protection less hardy that a warframe in minutes. What they did to anything less strong than a warframe caught outside in them was beyond horrific. That was why, to this day, anyone guilty of capital crimes on Venus was simply exiled from the caverns that humans called home. A death sentence in all but name.
The problem wasn't really the weather though. The Orokin had taken advantage of the fact that the planet was closer to the Sun and the automated factories that had been placed in orbit had been extensive. Most of those had fallen into ruin despite the automated safeguards, but some had survived. These had attracted notice.
The Corpus had come for the factories, but they hadn't stopped there. Humans survived all over the system in isolated colonies. Venus was no exception. Many of those colonies were one step removed from barbarism, with the remaining Orokin ultra tech their sole sustenance. It didn't require much in the way of maintenance and allowed for the survivors to breathe, eat, and basically survive if not in the comforts that most Orokin had taken for granted. The Corpus usually did not meddle with such. But occasionally... They did.
This particular colony hadn't had a chance. Before any of the colonists had realized that there was a problem, the sophoric gas had rendered most of them unconscious. A few had been allergic, or had fallen badly and the Corpus teams that had come in had been swift and thorough. None of the colonists had died. Some would need more care than could be provided in such a place, but none would die. At least... not as a result of the gas.
The Banshee kept her temper carefully as she walked through the still forms laid out near one of the landing bays. All of them, from the eldest who looked about forty, to the youngest who might have been a year old, was unconscious and kept that way by a small device adhered to their skull. If things had gone to plan, the Corpus med techs would have loaded the still forms into a transport and taken them off to Neptune to be indoctrinated. To be turned into more cogs for the massive machine that was the Corpus. Things... had not gone as planned.
Lotus... Two sighed inside her head. Two hundred of them. All asleep. Is there anything we can do?
We will try. The Lotus replied sadly. But the Corpus are retreating. They have no choice. The Grineer attack was overwhelming. The Balor Fomorian was enough to destroy most of the Corpus transport ships in the area. They are still putting up a fight, but...
I know. Two said sadly as she knelt beside a little girl. The Corpus had been thorough. A thin gown would keep her warm, if not comfortable. But the shaven head and the... tubes... Two shook her head. We cannot save everyone. I will do the mission, Lotus. Any Corpus left?
No. The Lotus said quietly as Two rose. They dug too deep.
Yeah. Two agreed as she stepped to the sealed door that led out of the hangar bay. The nearly invisible flora that was growing just inside it was clear to her enhanced vision. Infested.
Two did not know where the Infested had come from. The memories that she had received from Serene suggested that the virulent plague known as the Technocyte Virus had been engineered even before the Orokin idiots had started playing with it during the Sentient war. But if anyone knew where it had come from originally, no one was talking. Some might spout tales of Sentient bioweapons, of Orokin foolishness, of man's greed. None knew for sure. Two had suspicions though. It... wasn't human, that virus and it made everything it touched animalistic. The oldest of Tenno tales told of Hayden Tenno, who had been infected, but instead of being transformed into a monster, had transcended his humanity and become so much more.
The Banshee stepped through the hatch and sealed it behind her for all the good that would do against a virus. Every sense was on high alert so she heard it immediately. A voice. Singing. And... a voice she knew?
Lotus! The Banshee said slowly. I hear Tiana's voice! Singing! I do not know the words.
Be wary, Tenno! The Lotus said sharply. I cannot sense Tenno Tiana in there. I sense... infested. Some are dying. A battle is occurring, but the weapons I do not know.
I thought she was gone. Two said as she ghosted forward, her Paris Prime in hand and drawn. Her Shade hovered at her side. Her warframe was destroyed and her essence gone.
We do not know what happened. The Lotus said sharply. Be wary! She repeated.
If my sister lives in any way... Two said firmly. I will find away to help her.
It was definitely Orokin tech. The Lotus said quietly as two moved forward at a crouch. The bits that were scanned on the Space Marine were clear. But what he was made for or why we have not been able to ascertain. The weapons are very powerful.
I have no intention of charging in to get shot by one of those monster guns. Two agreed. But we need to know. I will remain in touch. The Lotus faded from her mind, but not entirely.
Two crept forward, very sense on hyperalert as she did what she did. She was a ghost. A shadow of death and destruction. No more, no less. The Tenno known as Two's mind had twinned from the Tenno known as Serene's. Up to a point, she had the exact same memories and skills as her darker sister. She wore a Banshee warframe just as Serene did, although her own color choices were a bit less... gothic. She had some brighter patches on her armor, more to break up the silhouette than to actually draw attention. That form of combat was for others of her clan. Two was a ghost.
In many ways, Two always felt more akin to the original Tenno than to many of her contemporary kin. She knew most of the tales of Hayden Tenno and many of the few facts that were still known. She had even talked to his shade a few times. It had always humbled her, the feeling of being in the presence of the First was not something that was easily put into words or set aside. But he had always spoken kindly to her. He had been a master of stealth himself after all and she walked that path. She had no idea what a 'ninja' was, or why Hayden had called her that on occasion. Some kind of sneaky warrior being, obviously from the context. But as to what they actually had been? No one Two had spoken to had any idea. It was not really germane, but it was endearing. The remnants of the First knew her and liked her.
She... wasn't always so sure she was real. It was hard on occasion. She had Serene's memories. But she was not Serene. She was her own person. Everyone who knew her was adamant about that. Amelia in particular had little tolerance for Two's occasional mental meanderings. Two smiled, but kept her focus as she moved forward into the cavern ahead of her. Amelia had so many wonderful ways of distracting the sometimes morose Tenno in her care even when they were not her chosen life partner as Two was. Two knew that Amelia would perish before Two herself did. Probably. Warrior Tenno very rarely died in bed. Of course, Amelia often made her feel like she had died and gone to heaven in-
Two came to a quick halt as Infested snarled from close ahead. She was still hidden in shadow and... She went totally still as a 'whoosh' sounded and the screams of dying Infested came to her ears.
Flamethrower. Two's thoughts went as still as her body had. That was a flamethrower!
The singing was continuing and it wasn't any language that Two knew. But the sound was a hymn of some kind. She had no idea how she knew that. The cryo-nesia had bitten deep into Serene's memories as it had most Tenno.
"Stop!" The voice was familiar! Two tried not to gasp as she heard Jasmina's voice come from nearby. "We are not enemies!" What was the Caretaker doing here?
"I defend Mankind from xeno filth." The female voice said in an odd accent that Two couldn't quite place. But she did know the voice. Tiana. "You are Tenno... or are you not?"
Two crept forward and peered around a corner. The Ember Prime that Two knew was Jasmina stood near one wall, her glaive in hand, but up in a warding motion, not ready to attack. The Caretaker stood between a fallen Infested form and...
Two paused. She had never seen armor like this before. It was... sort of like the Space Marine's armor, but not quite. First and foremost, the wearer was female. That was quite clear from the chestpiece of the armor. It bore symbols like what had been on the armor that Sister Abigail had worn, but it was very different. Sister Abigail's white armor had been serviceable, but mainly intended for light protection as she tended wounded. This... This was black and red and obviously intended for heavy combat. She had a large weapon in her hands aimed at the Ember Prime. It had a tank on the bottom and a small flame at the vented end. Clearly the flamethrower that Two had heard.
Lotus! Two begged in her mind. What is this?
Adeptas Sororitas. The Lotus replied instantly. She had access to all of the information they had uncovered after all. This... is bad. The Space Marines were fanatics, but even they stepped carefully around the Sisters of Battle.
Wonderful. Two said slowly. But Tiana's voice. The Ember did not retreat and the other armored woman aimed the flamethrower. "Tiana! Stop!" Two snapped as she stepped out of hiding.
"I... know you..." The black armored woman spoke slowly. "Two... Your name is Two."
"And you are Tiana. My sister!" Two said sharply as she stepped forward.
Tenno Two, what are you doing? The Lotus snapped. Jasmina did not move.
"What happened?" Two pleaded, her bow falling to her side. "I thought you were dead. We recovered your warframe. You... It was torn to pieces." Jasmina jerked, but did not relax. The other armored form did not move her aim point. "What happened?" She repeated as she stopped well out of reach of the strangely armored woman.
"I do not know." The other said quietly. "It was all hazy, golden. The Emperor came to me. He took me up and gave me a place again. I serve. I defend humanity."
"Sister..." Two pleaded. "Let me help you."
"I do not need your help." The other shook her head. "This one was going to take the humans. Sacrifice them. Kill them." Two spun in place to stare at Jasmina who shook her head.
"Not if I can help it." Jasmina said quietly. "Alad V's madness is spreading. We need the biomass, but only if they volunteer. We do not just take as he does."
"Jasmina?" Betrayal sang in Two voice as she stared at the woman she and Serene had once called friend.
"It isn't like that, Two." Jasmina said quietly. "The Corpus cannot evacuate these people. The Tenno cannot. We can."
"To be subsumed into your mass mind." Two's voice hardened.
"Only if they so choose!" Jasmina snapped right back. "We would ask first. We do not compel or demand. We certainly do not kidnap and alter people against their wills." The glare she leveled on the red and black armored Sister of Battle should have rendered the woman down to ash. "We give them the choice! Unlike some." She spat at the armored form. "We know what you did to her." She... wasn't speaking to Tiana or Two. "We remember."
"Do you?" A soft voice sounded from the shadows and two went totally still as a tall form simply... appeared out of nowhere. The Limbo warframe gave a shrug. "Do you really?" There was no threat in his word, simply honest query. But... there was.
Lotus? Two asked. She had no idea who this being was. She was not expecting the male Tenno to laugh.
"Still a slave, Serene?" The male asked, his tone somewhere between kindness and madness. "Some things never change."
Oh no... Horus! The Lotus commanded. Two! RUN! NOW! You cannot beat him!
Two spun and took to her heels as flame erupted behind her and Jasmina's scream of agony was matched by the screams of Infested. It went against the grain, to flee, to...
Something slammed into Two, throwing her to the side. She rolled to her feet and... wait a moment? Why was she glowing? Or was the world glowing?
"Well, well, well..." The shimmering form of the Limbo appeared nearby, also wreathed in hazy energy. "Not Serene. But... close...so very close..." Two wasted no time on debate, she ran. The Limbo's laugh followed her as she ran to a door... and it didn't open for her! She slammed into it and fell backwards. "My world. My rules, dear girl. What is your name?" Two rose, her bow in hand now. "Now, now..." The Limbo chided her. "Don't be like that. I would like to introduce myself properly. No need to be rude after all. I took the name Horus."
"Why?" Two demanded as she took aim. "Why do this?"
"I have a better question." The Limbo had a smirk in his voice as she stepped forward, his hand hidden behind his back. "Why... so...serious?"
Some shred of Serene's memories saved Two. She threw herself to the side instead of drawing her bow and the Vasto shot that would have torn right through her went wide. She rolled to her feet, Kunai in hand.
"You cannot best me, girl." The man Tenno said with a snort. "Not with those."
"Why?" Two demanded. "Why change Tiana? She was my sister! My clanmate! You hurt her!"
"She was dead." Horus replied calmly. "Now she is not. I fail to see how that is 'hurting' her." Two threw both knives she had in hand. Both passed through the hazy form as if it wasn't there. "Silly girl... An Eldar I think for you..." He mused. "A Harlequin. An excellent foil for Brother Abrahaim and Sister Tiana. To keep them off balance and..."
"And... what?" Tiana's cold voice asked from behind him. He spun to see her standing there, Jasmina at her side. The flamethrower aimed at the mad Limbo's chest. "You... Horus! Spawn of Chaos!"
Whatever the Limbo might have said was cut off as the Sister of Battle opened fire. Literally. But the flames passed right through him and he laughed.
"You will serve!" He cackled gleefully. "Tenno, Grineer, Corpus, Infested... All will take part in the great game. All will be grim and dark as it should be."
The game... Two went still. This Tenno was playing the Great Orokin Game! In real life! Outside of the database. That...wasn't supposed to be possible. Was it? Then again... Limbo warframes could warp reality around themselves, so it made a little sense. Not much.
"And if we refuse to play?" Two heard her voice demand.
"Refusal is irrelevant." Horus shrugged. "Everyone plays the game."
"Not... everyone." Jasmian sounded awful. Her warframe was scorched and she moved stiffly, but she did move to stand between the others and the mad Limbo. "You...forgot a rule..." She said softly.
"Oh?" Horus asked, his posture bored. "Which?"
"'Perils of the Warp'." Jasmina said with a laugh that echoed his own. Horus stared at her and then flinched back as... she suddenly erupted in hazy energy. "And for your information, I have a Farseer on my side!"
"A new player." Horus said with a nod. "Well met."
"No." Jasmina said with a snarl. "Not a player. But I refuse to be a piece or let any of my kin be pieces for you! Begone, foul minion of the Warp."
"For now." Horus said mildly. "Just to keep you honest..." Two was in motion before he even raised his hand. The bolt of energy flew at Tiana, but Two was between them and it hit her instead. "What? No!" The Limbo snapped.
Two... felt... different. A golden haze suffused her. It felt... heavenly.
"My sister is not your plaything." Two declared, but... something was different. She...was different. She was... she stared down at herself and she was glowing golden as energy poured into her from somewhere. It felt... comforting.
Arise, Daughter of the Emperor. You will bring the Emperor's Wrath to mine enemies. Starting with that scion of betrayal!
"No!" Horus screamed as he vanished, leaving both Jasmina and Tiana to stare at Two who stared down at her hands. They were glowing golden. And inside, she could hear... singing. And... it was beautiful.
"Canoness..." Tiana knelt slowly. "Command me."
"Uh... oops...?" Two said with a wince.