22 Orbital Rhino Bombardmen

After boarding the Orbiter, I instruct Ordis to take us to Earth's orbit and then I confront the Lotus.

"Alright, Lotus, after running and hiding like that and all of this 'Natah' and 'kill the Tenno' stuff, I think you owe us an explanation."

"Agreed, Tenno. I don't believe that this is a time for keeping secrets, whatever they may be." Teshin, adds.

"...Very well. I'll give you your explanation. You are deserving of it, I agree...I am a Sentient. My former name was Natah. Hunhow...is my father. Long ago, after we and the Tenno had betrayed the Orokin, Hunhow discovered the Tenno's plan to seal themselves away and erase their memories of what they had done. He gave me orders to infiltrate the Tenno and kill them during their long sleep. I, like most Sentients, am sterile as a result of our journey back through the Void from the Tau system. After learning of Hunhow's defeat and knowing that I could never have children of my own, I decided against doing what I was already hesitant to do. Instead I took the Tenno in as my own. I watched over them, during their slumber, and aided them, upon their awakening. I never expected that someone would be foolish enough to go digging up Hunhow's remains."

"...Hmmmm, an intriguing story. I must say I would've never guessed that Hunhow was your father. That being said, I've been away from my post for far too long and I should head back. As interesting as all of this is, it would seem that we've accomplished everything that we set out to and then some." Teshin concludes.

"Certainly, Teshin. I again thank you for your assistance. This could've turned out much worse if you had not been here. Follow me to the Liset and I'll get you back to the Relay."

I drop Teshin off at the Strata Relay and head back to the Orbiter, where I confront the Lotus once more.

"You know, if you are going to combat these Federalists mongrels, then you can't be running off at the first sight of danger. They're already ramping up their propaganda and word of you running and hiding at the first sign of danger to yourself is only going to make matters worse. I understand that this Sentient is dangerous but running away is never the answer."

"...You're right, of course, Tenno. Whenever I realized that Hunhow could still be out there, I completely forgot about the Federalists. I guess I did exactly what I berated you for doing previously. I promise you from now on to be more resilient, for the sake of the Tenno."

"Well, you better because we're all counting on you. The Tenno just wouldn't be the same without you, Lotus."

"..." I hear some muffled sounds, through the Lotus's connection.

"Umm, Lotus?"

"...Don't worry, Tenno. I won't let you down again and thank you for your kind words. I'll speak with you later."

The Lotus disconnects and I head over to the VIRT device, to update the others on where we currently stand.

'I don't know if that could have gone any better but I do know it could have gone much worse. As such, I'm quite pleased with the outcome. Now, I just need to make sure that the Stalker manages to get into contact with Hunhow and things should flow fairly smoothly from there on out.'

"Operator, you have a VIRT message would you like me to relay it to you?"

I look down at the VIRT device and realize that the message received indicator has been going off for a few seconds, while I'm over here daydreaming. "Ahh, yes, Ordis. Please do?"

"Helminth reports that, with the previous success of controlling Alad V, subsequent experiments attempting to refine the technology and also apply it to Sentients has borne fruit. Not only has Alad V's mind been completely dominated after removing the Infestation, the Sentients as well can be controlled to a fairly large degree. When monitoring Alad, no conscious or voluntary brain activity can be measured unless we input it directly. When monitoring the Sentients, some base level resistance can be detected but it doesn't seem to interfere that much with commands given.

"With our domination over Alad being absolute, Helminth has switched all his focus on tweaking the tech to more effectively control Sentient targets. At present, the only thing capable of eliminating the baseline level of resistance is to increase the amount of active substance applied to the target. In this event, too much active substance can be either deadly or debilitating. Thus making an increase in the active substance an exercise in walking fine lines. Helminth predicts that his new experiments, employing catalytic augmentations in addition to the active substance should yield much more potent results. He predicts that the research will produce combat ready results within three days."

"Haha, that is precisely what I needed to hear, Ordis. Tell Helminth to keep up the good work. Actually, never mind, I'll tell him myself. I have some additional orders for him and Ordis Primary."

'While this is most welcome news, it's kind of cutting it close. I'd hoped to be a lot further along, by now with that particular bit of research. Although, I've got no one but myself to blame for rushing things like I have.'

Still standing next to the VIRT device, I interact with its interface and compose my orders and appreciation. With that out of the way, I decide to do something I've always wanted to do, since coming here. I equip my Arch-Rhino and simply disembark directly into space around Earth's orbit. I activate my Iron Skin ability and point myself in the direction of the nearest occupied Grineer outpost.

I know that the Tenno, being immortal, can die and be revived. I wasn't sure whether it was the case, until Konzu told me about the Tenno who failed repeatedly inside that death trap but never mentioned anyone dying, despite mentioning their refusal to retry the mission. I also know that just because I haven't died yet doesn't mean that I can't or won't die in the future. As such, I need to know what that experience is like ahead of time so I know how to react if and when it happens against my will. A little controlled experiment to acclimate myself to the sensation, if it can be called that, of being killed, being dead, and what the process of revival is like.

With my body in the appropriate alignment, I accelerate my Arch-Frame to maximum speed, until I sense the Earth's gravity begin to dominate and then I enter a controlled fall. I monitor my trajectory as I feel the pressure building even through my Iron Skin. It doesn't take long for Rhinos armor to start being eroded. I, of course, keep the ability supplied with plenty of psionic energy to ensure that the building heat doesn't do any damage to my frame. Even without a third person perspective I can see the air that's resisting me turning red and yellow just from the extreme friction of my decent.

After a couple of minutes, I'm finally through the mesosphere and my energy reserves have only depleted by about a third. With the hard part out of the way, I immediately crank my speed up to eleven and monitor my trajectory, to ensure I remain on target.

I think I'm having more fun during this one fall than I've had in all the missions I've done since my awakening. Even with Iron Skin diminishing most of the sensation, the pure unadulterated exhilaration of a completely unhindered accelerated descent all the way from orbit is something that is hard to diminish.

I continue my psychotic descent, until I reach an altitude where I can see the outpost as something more than just a dot. I target the outpost, by modifying my trajectory. I empty all of my remaining energy into additional Iron Skin armor, curl up into a ball, throw my wings back so the tips are touching, and wait for the last few seconds before impact.

Shhhhhhhheeeeeeewwwww

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

'...what the fuck?...am...am I still alive?' I try to move my limbs, sense my surroundings, and sense my energy.

'Holy Radical Rhino Reentry Rockets! I'm still alive! Barely alive? Yes, barely alive. But I just free fell all the way from fucking orbit and I'm still kicking and screaming. Fuck Yeah! That's what I'm talking about.' I take a look around at the devastation and…'Damn, that's a big ass crater for just little ol' me. Naw, there ain't nobody here. Anybody who was here moved out the second I hit the ground. Some people try to blame gentrification but I blame climate change.'

Alright, well, the destruction of the outpost was a success but the suicide attempt...not so much. It did severely weaken me, though, so if I just head back up to a decent altitude and drop back down again I should get the desired result. Also, the previous occupants having been recently vacated, makes this the ideal location to make it happen. 

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I head back up to a couple thousand meters in the air, unequip my Arch-Frame, and just free fall with no abilities or anything. As soon as I hit the ground, I immediately feel displaced like I know where I am but I feel like I shouldn't be there. It's an odd sensation and not easy to describe completely. I notice my lack of limbs and senses. I can feel a type of energy within me but it isn't any of the energies that I'm used to. I try to manipulate this energy and discover that it's surprisingly easy. The knowledge of how to use it just kind of comes to me, as I try different things.

After about an hour, as best as I can tell, I've become much more familiar with this energy, which I'm presuming is connected somehow to my Oro, if it isn't actually my Oro. Although I can't actually see anything, this Oro energy offers me some amount of perception of other energies. I can sense some fairly significant amounts of distorted psionic and bio-energies. Now that I think about where I am, that's probably dispersed energy. I can also sense some feeble amounts of dark energy.

Upon recognizing that I'm surrounded by dispersed energy, I begin to realize that it is being constantly poured into my surroundings. I look around for a source and quickly realize it's directly underneath the center of my senses.

'Dammit! My Warframe is bleeding out all of its own energies and its dispersed energy. Obviously, ya dope, what did you think was going to happen? You already knew that dead bodies leaked dispersed energy how did you not expect this? Oh, of course, easy for you to say Mr. Know-it-all...wait why am I talking to myself? Dammit, stop that! Stop talking to yourself right now! Wait, shit, I'm still doing it...Okay, okay, okay...I just need to calm down...focus. Dispersed energy. I already know how to use dispersed energy. I just need to apply that knowledge to resurrecting my frame instead of upgrading it, right. I sure hope this works.'

I concentrate on controlling the dispersed energy around me and forming it into a replica of my Rhino and its capacities. Once the replica is finished, the knowledge of how to accomplish my task comes naturally, as something clicks in my mind/Oro. I immediately move all of my senses into the replica.

POW! Phhhwwooosh!

As a powerful shock wave blast out into my immediate surroundings, I regain control of my bodily senses and control of my frame. Based on the soil that's been disturbed, I'd say about five meters. My frame, after being lifted slightly off of the ground during the shockwave, returns lightly to the ground as I perform a self check. 'Yep, just as I suspected. I'm going to have to level this frame all over again. It's all the way down to level eight. I probably could have saved a few levels, if I hadn't freaked out and started talking to myself. Oh, well, what's done is done. You live and you learn.'

Never having been one to shy away from a little bit of leveling, I hop back into my Arch-Frame and set my sights on the nearest outpost. Twenty outposts later, my Rhino and Arch-Frame are back in top condition. I head back to the Orbiter for some shuteye. From the time I sent Nyx to Uranus until now, I'm pretty sure it's been well over a day. Maybe even two, it's hard to tell until I ask Ordis. Either way, I'm pretty spent at this point and I'm going to sleep.

As soon as I arrive in the Orbiter, I go to the VIRT device and update the crew on everything I've experienced today. I also outline a plan and protocols for Nyx to implement, along with three very important words "Orbital Rhino Bombardment." I then turn off the VIRT device and go directly to sleep.

----------POV Change----------

'These Tenno, no matter how many times I kill them no matter how helpless they are to avoid me, they always rise again. One day, I will discover their secrets and they will rise no more. On that day, they will truly fear me and they will be held accountable for their sins.'

'...seek me out...come to Uranus...come to me...the Tenno must pay…'

I'm startled, out of my commiseration. I quickly scan my surroundings. "Who's there? Show yourself." Here aboard my ship, there shouldn't be anyone else near me but I know what I just heard.

'Seek me out, in the depths of Uranus...come to me and the Tenno will surely pay…'

I hesitantly walk over to my Navigation Console and coordinates for place deep within Uranus's icy waters is already programmed into it. 'I have no idea what's going right now or who is speaking to me but if there's even a chance that they can help me put down these Tenno traitors then I have to take it.' I confirm the coordinates and my ship heads towards what I can only hope is a powerful ally.

Upon arriving in Uranus's orbit, my Landing Craft takes me to a position almost directly above the coordinates given to me. I pull out an Arch-Wing that I managed to acquire, from an unlucky Tenno. I begin crossing the distance to my destination.

Closing in on my destination, I can see the wreckage of a small sea lab and some other type of large structure that was destroyed alongside of it. Upon closer inspection, I see not only the outlines of something quite large but also smaller humanoid sized creatures clearing the rubble away from it. One of the larger ones sees me and approaches,  with a massive sword in his hand.

"Good, you have come. I, Hunhow Sentient destroyer of worlds, will give you the power and, more importantly, the knowledge you need to destroy the Tenno. I'm currently in a bit of a bind due to their meddling. All the creatures you see before you are my limbs, eyes, and ears. I had many scattered across the system but one of these Tenno have been capturing them and conducting experiments on them. I've lost contact and control over all the ones that have been captured. I've been forced to sacrifice even more parts, from my primary body, to create the ones you see here.

"I know that you loathe the Tenno as much as I. If you will only enter into my service, the knowledge that has eluded you for so long will be yours and the Tenno will be no more. I ask you, Stalker, will you walk the path of justice? Will you be my Shadow?"

'This feels wrong. I don't want to work with this thing. I especially don't want to work for him. Even more than that, though, I want the Tenno to pay. There's no price too high to bring those murderous traitors to justice. It's the defining feature of my existence. To stalk the Tenno, wherever they might be, and bring each and every one the justice they deserve, that is my purpose.'

"...Grant me this power and this knowledge, so that our mutual enemies might lie still beneath our feet."

"Very good…" Hunhow says as my body is surged with a strange power. My frame becomes covered in a powerful armor, as the last of the energy is transferred and Hunhow offers me the sword he's carrying. "...Take this sword and go to the coordinates I've provided for you. The Lotus has hidden the Tenno's true bodies away in a place called the Reservoir. Go to Neptune and follow my instructions and you will find it. There you can strike at their heart, a decisive blow. Go now and do not fail me."

'I really don't like this guy's attitude, but this power I can't deny.'_"Of course, your enemies are my enemies. Consider it done." I respond as I head back to my ship.

'If this information turns out to be correct, my masters will be avenged at last.'