Hello again Tenno! I took a bit of a long break this time but I realized future chapters needed more polish so this one has a bit of a different direction. Let me know what you think and I hope you enjoyed!

EDIT: For those of you who are just hopping in here is the TL; DR:

Balikx, Aleph and Kali´Bek are Tenno operatives, the last two former Corpus soldiers. In Kali´Bek´s last mission he came across some of the bodies from the Zanuka Project leading to questions about the nature of the Tenno and the Lotus. However a relay wide alert send all the operatives to an unknown mission to Earth. Here is where we start.



Ta Ankien! Ta Aknien!

Balikx! Where is Ankien?

He isn´t here? Where is my mother?

Head to the hill!

The Corpus took her and the Eppety

What? Why?

Take cover!

I won´t stand here doing nothing!

The Tenno is coming this way!

Mother! Mother!

Jattase!

Mother!

Ekpesitape!

I open my eyes in a striking motion gasping at the air craved by my lungs. A drop of cold sweat runs from my forehead to my cheeks evaporating itself in the process. I have learned that the past isn´t static, no, it comes and haunts you back in your dreams taunting the suffering at your unconscious mind. But one can´t let those get to them right? It stops you and freezes your moves. What can you do then? If these memories come back to betray you then how can you fight them? How can you fight against your own self?

For now, I have learned to focus on the good things. Kali´Bek for example; I have noticed he is quite reserved with other people, even those he has met before me. I could try to rationalize why it is that he is that close to me but it would take some of the magic away from it. Whatever it is that unites us he has been the closest thing to a father I have had since I left Phobos. Even at this moment with everyone chatting and talking he sits at the edge of the room next to the door, cleaning his rifle, waiting for the mission.

I unfasten my belts and warm my legs before standing up and walking towards him. “Welcome back Bal.” He says before I even have a chance to speak.

“So how far are we?”

“The pilot won´t tell me. Says he has to keep focused while he pilots.” He keeps his eyes on the barrel as he cleans it with a grey cloth. The rifle is brand new and it barely needs any cleaning.

“I thought these shuttles had Cephalons.” Interesting things those Cephalons, synthetic minds that express themselves through colorful perfect shapes. There aren’t many at the Relays and the few that exist serve the Syndicates or the Lotus herself. Simaris is the one exception but he hardly has any time to notice a regular operative, even the Tenno themselves have to adjust to his schedule.

“They do, but the pilot seems to have gazed into the Void a few times too many.” ‘Give unto the void’ Said the prophet. ‘And the void will give back.’¡

“What is the new gun?” He hasn´t taken away from it since I woke up.

“I never told you about the Lanka?” He puts down the cloth and presses the stock against his shoulder. “One of the few wonders to come out of Corpus engineering. It charges a super-heated plasma projectile using magnetic induction to create a high velocity projectile that can break through five meters of concrete before losing enough power to dissipate.” Kali has always been passionate about his weapons, it was easy to notice even if you didn´t understand a word he said. “The long chamber is needed to keep the projectile straight on its path.”

“Charged projectiles?”

“It needs around two seconds to fully charge a shot.” He points the barrel to the floor and looks through the scope. “Though you can fire uncharged shots in case of emergency they do considerably less damage.”

“You know a lot about it.”

“Superficially inquisitive. Have you seen a yellow-suited Corpus before?” His voice is slow and calm giving him time to plan his next line.

“Once or twice. There are not that common right?”

“Only in the closer planets. The board deploys them more for offensive actions or to defend facilities on the outer planets.” He looks away from the scope. “They are Sniper Crewman. I was one of them.” Kali never talks about his past

“How long?”

“Long enough to want out of there. But when I left I could not take my Lanka with me. We had been through a lot; it was difficult to part ways with her.” His past is the closest thing to an unfinished puzzle I can think of. From what I have gathered he lived the majority of his life in the inner circles of the Corpus away from the inner planets; he left them somewhere between three and five years ago and then joined the Lotus as soon as the recruiting signals started transmitting. He has outlived most of the Larunda fleet and yet he has a fairly low rank, just a pair of levels above mine.

“And the Perrin…?”

“They offered to help me in return for some planetary data. ‘I scratch their back and they scratch mine’ sort of deal.” I do not distrust Kali, but I do the Perrin. “Don´t worry I would not give them something I wouldn´t trust them to keep. They are ex-Corpus; I know how they think.”

Just like you Kali.

I nod. He has always led an interesting life. If Aleph and me are at the Relay he is somewhere in Jupiter; if we are in an outer planet, then suddenly he goes to Pluto or Eris. I am not jealous, not in the slightest, Kali is a figure I needed when I joined the Lotus, someone to look up to. He and Aleph don’t get along but that is a price I am willing to pay.

“Kali. Where`s Aleph?” I just realized I haven´t seen him since we left Larunda.

“He went to the engines after you fell asleep. I haven´t seen him since.” So he isn´t around. Good.

“Hey, Kali. Can I ask you something?” Although the pressure of the alert had taken over my mind for a while Aleph´s comments about the Tenno were still there. Since Aleph isn´t here now is the perfect time.

“About the Tenno?” I look down to the floor. Either I am extremely easy to read or Kali has the best deductive skills I have seen. “You are not that complicated to read Bal.”

“It´s just… what Aleph said. ‘A machine never has your back’. You saw them. Do you think they are machines?”

“I do not know.” He grabs the Lanka by the barrel and looks to the ceiling before answering. “And I do not think it matters.”

Huh?

“Look, they fight with us and to protect us. Human, Grineer or machine, does it really matter what they are inside?”

“No. I don´t think so but the idea that they…”

“They may be controlled by the Lotus? I get why Aleph is worried about that but he is afraid of oversight of any kind. He is not someone to go out on a killing spree but if he had the choice to live without needing to answer to someone I do not doubt he would take it.” What Kali is saying makes sense though I hadn´t seen it that way before. “But you do not have to share his fears Bal. When has the Lotus made you do something you do not want to?”

“Never.” I don´t have to give it much thought.

“When was the last time she sent you someone you don´t think you should go?”

“Never.”

“When was the last time you saw bad intentions in her actions?”

“Never.” Aleph´s arguments start to clear up in my head. Fear was the thing driving them.

“Interpretations are many and you may always move the pieces of the past to fir yours, but the truth is one and only. If it seems the Lotus cares for us then maybe, just maybe, she does. Same thing for the Tenno. We call them guardians for a reason and it is good you understand that.”

I take a deep breath. Kali is right. From all the things there are to fear in the system the Lotus does not seem like one of them.

“How do you do it?”

“What?”

“See the world in such a bright light.”

“I do not. I have told this before, I believe. Focus on the good things.”

Focus on the good things.

I light hum comes from the back of my head where the speaker stands.

“Bek yeep! yose po pke yatit!” The voice of an angry pilot blasts itself into the room.

“What?” The unexpected Corpus voice shakes me for a moment. Those sounds are not pleasant memories.

“The pilot wants me on the cabin.” He attaches the Lanka to a pair of belts are reluctantly leaves his seat.

“Can I come with you?”

“Do not ask those things. Come”

We leave our corner and head to the cockpit. As we pass the bay a variety of voices can be heard. Even a Grineer one which I was not aware was on board.

“Do we..?”

“It´s a Steel Meridian recruit. Do not worry.” Another syndicate, this one formed by outcast Grineer who for some reason are not under the influence of the Twin Queens. Their enclave on Larunda was opened just a few months ago so I haven´t been able to gather much information aside from the fact that it is unsettling to have a Grineer wish you a good day.

We pass the sliding door and into the cockpit; the room is mainly composed of panels and buttons with the notable exception of an invisible tube-like structure that houses a really angry shape shifting cube.

“Po pke Toip jitk you!” A synthetic voice yells while the cube distorts it´s figure. Although synthetic the voice is distinctly high-pitched and does not seem to have trouble speaking the Corpus language. “Oh thank the stars you came!” He rejoices after seeing us changing its color from deep red to a calm blue.

“What is the problem?” I ask the cube.

“This immature, unevolved, primal creature will not accept my translations!” The pilot yells some gibberish at the cube before returning to the controls.

“Ypok ik! Both of you.” Kali´s tone is simple, both effective. Whatever that was it calmed both of them down. “Now. What is the problem?”

“We came into contact with other Lotus ships.” The cube speaks in a much softer and slower voice. “A long range signal was sent into space by another Lotus ship. Pretty standard but we are required to give vocal confirmation of our allegiance to the Lotus.”

“And he won´t let you contact them?” I will not say my naivety doesn´t take the best of my sometimes. The cube turns red again and starts screaming at the pilot.

“Let us try to be more gracious.” Kali taps my shoulders and moves to engage with the pilot. I do the same with the cube, hopefully I won´t make it angrier.

“This uneducated Corpus, they do not focus on one thing except their doubloons. How could they now appreciate Rakura´s knowledge?” The cube continues to yell at not one in particular, but at least now I can understand it.

“And who is Rakura?” My introductions are rarely the best but they get the job done.

“Oh, stars. Excuse me, this unsophisticated creature made me brake protocol. My name is Cephalon Rakura at the service of the Lotus and yours.”

“Oh. Hello Rakura, my name is Balikx. Wait, your form, are you a Series 4?” Although my question could be attributed to me trying to calm Rakura down I also wanted to know as much as possible about him.

“A connoisseur? Finally, someone who speaks my language.” Rakura transforms itself from a cube to a sphere with colored trails circling its surface. “I am not that old but with pilots like this I may very well be a Sentinel.” The Sentinels are small mechanical creatures mainly used by the Tenno as companions although I have heard that Simaris has a small fleet at his disposal. Their behavior is less complex are more intuitive and are often used for simple tasks. “The less these creatures think I can do, the better for them and me.”

So he hides in plain sight.

“Changing your form. I was unaware Cephalons could do such a thing.”

“It is merely aesthetic and would not fool upon closer inspection. Thankfully these Corpus lack the intelligence to ask themselves such things.” His voice cracks a few times as he talks about the pilot. I turn to him and see Kali speaking to him.

“Who sent this signal you were fighting over?”

“Another Lotus vessel, high-ranking without a doubt but I am unable to provide further information until we send the confirmation.”

“Wait. Do you know where we are going?”

“Earth.”

“The surface?”

“That I do not know. The flight manifesto was specifically vague about it.”

Even the Cephalons don´t know. What is going on?

“Any clues?”

“We were told we would receive further instructions once we arrived at the vicinity of Earth.”

I sigh. “Wait a second. I´ll go talk with Kali.” I leave the calm Cephalon and move to the control panel.

“Any progress.”

“Hold it Bal.” Kali´s commanding voice takes over. He moves over to the microphone and starts speaking. “This is Kali´Bek representing the twenty-seventh shuttle from the Larunda fleet. Over.”

The data stream goes dark for a second.

“Larunda twenty-seven please allow us to contact your ship Cephalon.” A synthetic voice comes through the speakers, most likely another Cephalon.

“Rakura.” I turn to the Cephalon.

“Establishing link.” He says to one in particular.

A few seconds go by without anyone daring to speak. Rakura´s trails speed up and disappear behind him. “Link established. Larunda twenty-seven reporting for duty.”

“Thank the stars.” Kali whispers. “Who are we speaking to?”

“Hello Larunda.” A deep female voice floods the ship. “Larunda Prime went down. All Larunda shuttles are now under the command of Orcus Prime.”

“Orcus? Larunda Prime went down?” I start asking a barrage of questions at Kali.

“This is bad.” Kali pushes the microphone. “What happened to Larunda Prime?”

“Went down to a Grinner attack before we arrived. You have to trust us now.”

“Rakura.” I turn to the Cephalon. The Orcus Relay is located on the outskirts of Pluto, “How could a ship get from Pluto to Earth faster than we did?”

“Through the use of solar rails.” Its attention seems to be focused somewhere else. “Although uncommon there have been instances of shuttles using the rails to traverse the system in hours.”

She wouldn´t risk the rails for anything.

“Right. That means the entire Orcus fleet is also here right?”

“And the Kronia fleet as well.” The third relay, located in Saturn. I leave Rakura and go back to Kali.

“We were told you would give us updated information.” Kali asks Orcus Prime.

“I have already relayed the information to your Cephalon.” A ship passes through the windshield leaving a pair of red colored trails on its way. “This will be our last transmission until the mission is complete. Your objective is to go the Plato sector and establish contact with our ground team. Good luck.” A short burst of static leaps from the speakers before shutting down.

“Plato?” I have visited the navigation consoles on the Relay more times than I care to admit but I have never heard or seen a Plato sector. “And Orcus.”

Another ship passes the shuttles, this one leaves purple trails on its way. This whole situation is extremely convoluted; all three Relays were set to maximum alert and deployed to an unknown sector on Earth with an unknown objective; then Larunda´s flagship is destroyed by Grineer fire before we can even make contact with it, Grineer fire is extremely archaic with long setup times which means they were here before us. Why would the Lotus hide that from us?

“Bal?” Kali asks in a perplexed voice. I must have been gone for a while.

“Huh?”

“What is that?” Kali points at the windshield to an object on the other side. In front of us appears a large rocky satellite with golden spiked rings that go around it. At its center appears a large crater through which more golden structures rise to the surface.

“No. Impossible.” It can´t be.

“Bal?” The satellite is surrounded by a field of debris that was probably violently ripped from it. From the core of the satellite a golden energy pulses its way to the surface, an energy characteristic to the Void.

“It is. The Orokin moon.” I am going to a field day with this.