Chapter 2: Leading the Herd

So I found a use for the school computers and Internet Explorer, it should be interesting. And since U17 is upon us, Keer will have some nice additions to his story. Enjoy!

"You need a Squad, Keer" Rainth nagged in his ear for the umpteenth time. Keer turned around and stared at her. "I told you already, Rainth. I solo." Rainth shook her head. "Nymphace made it mandatory. He's only looking out for his clan" Keer stood still. I'm being forced to work with others. Just, great. Rainth brushed past him. "Besides" she said "I already picked them out for you" Keer sighed. "Rainth…" He tried. "Come on, Keer, they're waiting." She called out.

The elevator whirred as they rose to the second floor of the Dojo. Keer slightly slouched as he followed Rainth down the corridors and the corners. When they came to the open area, three Tenno were accompanying them. The Rhino was busy practicing swinging his Scindo. "Keer, this is Astaroth Tuga. He came out of the Old War as one of the frontline offenses. You're glad he agreed to sign up here. He's a tough one." Tuga rested the Scindo and turned to Keer. He shook Keer's hand and spoke with a heavy Russian accent. "Is good to meet you, Tovarishch" Keer just mumbled a "hmph" and turned to Rainth. Rainth turned to the Banshee inspecting her helmet. The Banshee didn't need Rainth to introduce her, as she walked to Keer and spoke. "The name's Tiven. Krystola Tiven. Call me if you ever need a makeover darling, I specialize in not only marvellous colors, but some fabulous sigils" Keer didn't say anything, just moved on to the Frost standing with his back to the pillar and his arms folded. "And you would be?" He asked. The Frost just gave a long, filthy glare and continued to just stand there. The feeling's mutual, buddy. Keer thought. Rainth walked to him and talked softly, almost whispering. "Drathin Phemos" she said. "His attitude is almost worse than yours" Keer rolled his eyes. Yeah,"almost". "So, now that you all know each other" Rainth exclaimed to the squad "I'll leave you four to talk strategy while I… go gather more Forma for the weapons we still need". Everyone except Phemos nodded, and Rainth walked out the room.

Somewhere in the barracks, Nimisha laid on her bed. The door opened, and Nymphace stood outside. "May I?" he asked. Nimisha nodded, and Nymphace went to sit beside her on her bed. "I know it's not easy" He said. Nimisha just shook her head. "Arazu never gets snuck up on. Not even in his sleep. Believe me, I tried." She gave a small chuckle to herself, then faltered. Nymphace just stared at the door. "He was good for the clan. Weapons expert. Hell, my Akstiletto never shined that much" Nimisha didn't say anything. "Do you think… he suspected anything like it?" Nymphace looked at her. "Not even I did. If someone were ever to assassinate anyone in our clan, I would've been the target. It only makes sense anyways." Nimisha sat up. "I need to check my standing in Red Veil. I'll probably be back soon" Before Nimisha could exit the room, Nymphace softly grabbed her arm. "Take it easy" he said to her. "I know what you're going through" Nimisha nodded and smiled. Then she exited her room and walked to her Liset.

The four Lisets entered Saturn's atmosphere and headed to the Helene sector. The Grineer Galleon came into view and they docked. Keer, Tuga, Tiven and Phemos entered the galleon and readied. They were on a mission to protect a cryopod the Grineer harvested. They ran to where the Lotus marked the pod on their map, and heard the alarms sound. Phemos did a half-crouch movement, extended his arms, and a breeze formed. The cryopod was now surrounded by a big dome of ice, thick enough to stop bullets. Grineer soldiers started to swarm the room. Keer unloaded his Boltor on one of the swarms. Tuga surrounded himself with a coat of Ferrite Armor, and swung his Scindo at a Heavy Gunner that entered hurridly. Tiven threw her Kestrel and channelled energy, making the Kestrel force a shockwave and return to her. Keer reloaded, and switched to his Lex. Tuga jumped off a platform and unleashed a barrage with his Kohm. The alarms died down. They're readying reinforcements.

"Something's wrong" Phemos remarked. It was the first time since they met that Keer heard him talk. He had a relatively deep voice, but not as deep as Tuga's. "They never bring forces this heavy from the start." The alarms sounded again. "We extract as soon as Lotus gives us chance" Tuga said. "Then we find out what Grineer are up to" The first Grineer showed up. "In the meantime," Tiven said. "We fight these swine until we can get out of here with the Cryopod" "Agreed" Keer stated and shot down a Bombard's rocket with his Lex. Phemos fired his Vectis and scored a headshot on the Bombard.

Tiven suddenly disappeared and a Grineer Commander showed up in her place. Phemos tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around, the Dual Zoren was already flying into his chest and his face. He staggered back, and Tuga grabbed him around the neck. A loud *crack* later and the Commander fell on the ground, head turned sideways. Tiven shook her head, and realized where she was. She lifted her hands, channelled her energy and dropped to the ground. Massive pulses of acoustic energy rippled through the area. The enemies stumbled and took damage, their armor cracking and shattering. When Tiven was out of energy, she rose and ran back to the pod. The alarms died down once more. They regrouped infront of the pod. Keer gave an exhausting sigh. "That was only the second wave, and we're already close to exhausting our reserves." He said. Phemos reloaded his Akstiletto. "What choice do we have?" he asked grimly. "Lotus isn't close to inbound and the Grineer will probably have stronger troops. We have to hold out." Suddenly, Keer had an idea. "Astaroth" he turned to Tuga. "Can you bring down that support beam up there?" Tuga inspected the environment. "Дa, I can charge at pillar holding support beam up. But what are you planning, Tovarishch?" Keer smirked behind his helmet. "You'll see. Krystola, can you do the same but up there?" Krystola looked where Keer was pointing, "Of course. I take it this plan has a guaranteed chance to work?" "Uh…" Keer tried. "99.9%" Tiven shrugged. "Fair enough" and ran to the desired location. "Drathin?" He asked. Phemos just nodded, and Keer pointed to the beam. "This better work" He said darkly, and ran to his place. Keer then bullet-jumped up to the railing, and then glided to another platform. He jumped again and landed before a big metal pillar. He put his fists together and separated them with power. An Exalted Blade, gleaming with golden energy, lay in his hands. The alarms sounded for a third time. "Now!" Keer yelled. Tuga ran backwards and stepped into a stance. Green energy surrounded him as his body charged forward and made contact with a metal pillar. The pillar bent and collapsed, and took the support beam with it. The beams landed in front of the doors where the Grineer tried to enter. Tiven raised her hand and unleashed a wave of energy, hitting the metal pillar and having the same result. Phemos hit his pillar with a wave of crystallized ice. Keer took his blade and slashed the pillar. Instead of bending and collapsing, the pillar split in two where Keer had attacked it. At the top of the room, some metal plates became loose and fell to the ground, showing an opening. Keer talked into his helmet. "Lotus" he called "We need an extraction now!" Lotus' voice sounded through the whole squad. "I am inbound, Tenno. Hold on."

Elsewhere…

A dark figure watched the screen. The four Tenno where trying to keep the support beams from being disrupted. "That… will not help… you, Tenno. Release… Tubeman MK2"

Helene, Saturn

Three glowing-red objects landed under the support beam Keer was protecting. When he looked down, the beeping sound that they made increased rapidly in tempo. He jumped back and they exploded, sending debris and pieces of metal flying everywhere. Keer stood up and looked at the new entrance that was made by the bombs. Not a single Grineer emerged, but a figure. He grew the closer he came, and Keer realized that this… thing… was no ordinary Grineer. He was at least 10x larger than the biggest Bombard. His armor made out of not Ferrite, but what seemed to be Argon plating. His face was nothing but a metal mask, a "correction" of the deformed masks of normal Grineer. He raised his left hand, which was riddled with gadgets and weapons. One of the tubes shot a hook and it wrapped itself around Keer's leg. He stumbled and fell as the thing pulled the hook back. When Keer was in a 10 meter range, he lifted the hook and started slamming Keer left and right against walls and floors. When the machine was done, it used the whip to throw Keer in the air and hit the pod. "Keer!" Tiven called out. The other three regrouped as Keer slowly got up to face the machine. It almost limped forward as it stood in front of the Squad. Then a voice came from it. "The murder of my brother and… sisters will not go unnoticed... Tenno. Now I will make you suffer... just as I did." Keer stepped forward. "Who are you?" he demanded. The machine made a laughing sound. "How do you not know me? Haven't you seen me while I... was still developing? Maybe you'll recognize the... ones you killed who I held dear!" Maniacal laughter filled the room as Tyl Regor's Manic Bombards entered the room. There was at the least 10-15 of them, all wielding Gorgon's and Manic armor. They all grouped behind the machine. "Now..." It dragged its words "You will feel the wrath of the Tubemen!" The Squad readied themselves, as they realized that they may not leave this ship alive.