Cetus' Tenno [Warframe]

[Erithemaeus]

AN: This is just an idea that came to me. Looking at the little things, contained in a small, yet diverse enough environment that would promote enough conflict to keep things going. After all, the Tenno's interplanetary war with the Grinner and Corpus seems just so... inconsequential, when it comes to the day-to-day lives of the people that matter.

So, this story is most likely going to be structured in a series of mini-arcs, each contained in their own way but lending details to a much bigger plot. I don't know the official term for it, but it's what I'm trying to do. Hope you guys enjoy it and give me feedback for this story. Any is appreciated!

Also, any people volunteering to beta read?

---

(Cetus' Tenno - Bounty Hunter)

​

Tenno were needed everywhere. Konzu knew this. From the far reaches of Eris to the other continents in Earth, Tenno were the only ones fighting to prevent Infested outbreaks, Grineer enroachment, and Corpus greed. Even so, it was nonetheless comforting that the Tenno before him seemed to be a permanent fixture in Cetus' landscape, going out those perilous gates to raid Vay Hek's encampments, providing various fishes for the Ostrons to use and even trading with the off-worlders that came in to barter their goods. Oftentimes you can see the Tenno lounge around the marketplace, calling out buyers with one hand while clutching a basket of goods with the other. On most days, the Tenno would be seen clutching a few of the more hard-to-catch fishes roaming about in the Plains. On rare occassions, prospective buyers might even find Ayatan sculptures amongst their wares; nothing more than gaudy little trinkets from the Orokin era, but a relic from a time long past nonetheless.

Most days however, the Tenno spend most of their time as a bounty hunter, taking plates off the wall and heading out into the Plains without so much as a wave. First-time visitors to Cetus might find the Tenno's attitude to be dismissive, but most of Cetus' inhabitants have already grown long-inured to the Tenno's idiosyncrasies. For most of the time that they spent raiding Grineer encampments in the Plains, they preferred to travel alone, but would sometimes take other, less experienced Tenno along for the journey as well. Perhaps teaching them to be more efficient. To be wary of the various obstacles in the Plains. There was a reason as to why the Grineer hasn't established a permanent foothold in the Plains, after all. If that was the case, then...

However, today seemed to be one of the more normal days, one where the Tenno strides out into the Plains with nothing but the weapons on their back. Taking a plate off the bounty board and handing it to Konzu, the Ostron leader glances over the bounty's requirements and waves the Tenno off with a smile. No doubt, it would be just another fine day for Cetus. As for the Grineer however...

"Konzu", his wife calls, grabbing his arm to catch his attention, "Was that bounty on the board a while back?"

The Ostron leader blinks, turning towards the board even as other Tenno come and take their respective bounties from the boards. Saya handles the sudden influx with great finesse, but Konzu focuses on the place where the Tenno had pulled off the bounty from the board. Strange. He hasn't put anything there in a few weeks. In fact, the times where he could remember that spot being filled was when--

'May the Unum guide you in your favors, Konzu.'

-- The Quills were involved.

Konzu lets out a haggard sigh, gaining the attention of his wife as she turns towards him with an inquisitive look in her eyes. "Have you jostled your memories yet, Konzu?"

"Yes, my dear." He replies, the word rolling off his lips even as he smiles. Two Sol-cycles had passed since Onkko had left his last gift for the both of them. Two Sol-cycles had passed since he began calling Saya his wife. Even still, he still smiles at the thought. Was he still a child inside after all these years, perhaps...? "I remember that board. A spot mainly used for the bounties coming from the Quills, is all."

"What does the Unum want with the Tenno, I wonder?" Saya mumbles, hand on her cheek whilst gazing out into the busy marketplace. Konzu mirrors the gesture himself, though not for long as another Tenno gracefully moves through the crowd with the intent of accessing the bounty boards.

Konzu wonders himself, but relegates it to the back of his mind. Whatever the Unum wants, it was not their part to question. She always had the best interests of Cetus in mind, after all.

-----

​

Quill Enzhou Quaternary took a deep breath, simultaneously wheezing at the pains that wracked his body right after. While being an agent of the Unum had its definite perks, it also had its downsides. One of which he was currently experiencing in great amounts. Grineer had never been kind to their prisoners. A Quill, even more so. Most of his captors had wanted him dead, but luck was on his side as their superiors stressed the importance of gleaning information out of a Quill. 'Strike fear into the blasted Ostron's agents, and they shall fall before us', they said, all guffawing and cackling underneath their prosthetic windpipes, but it hadn't prevented some of the more damaged Grineer from instigating a rebellion.

One that was rapidly put down by a bullet between the instigator's eyes, but a rebellion nonetheless. It gave Quill Enzhou Quaternary enough time to sneak away from the camp, but the collar that the blasted Grineer had strapped onto him hadn't given him enough time to properly hide. Promptly he was found, beaten, and tortured once more -- but not a single drop of information escaped his lips.

Now, it had been three days since his initial capture, and another day after his escape. There was no doubt that he would soon die of thirst -- if not, then followed by eventual starvation. His captors have not fed or given him drink since his capture, and it showed in his actions. He staggered with every step, wheezed with every single breath. The defiance that had shone in his eyes whenever his captors tried to extract information from him had long given way, now replaced by solemn acceptance. Quill Enzhou Quaternary knew that taking upon this role meant serving the Unum's interests, even after his death.

Was this it, then? Were he to die here on the plains, looking over the bustling town that he wished to protect, put down like some rabid kubrow? His mind said yes. The Unum disagreed.

Hope blossomed within him even as his captors forced him to kneel, the butt of their grimy weapons pressing against his head. He wasn't going to die here. The Unum had said so.

And the Unum delivered.

In an instant, his captors were levitated by some unseen force, their armor tumbling them every which way before they were slammed back onto the ground. Ferrite crunched. Squawks escaped from the mouths of the dazed Grineer. Blood spilled out onto the Plains as a white figure blurred in and caved the head of one of the surviving Grineer, even as his collar beeped to life.

Quill Enzhou Quaternary held his breath, counting down the seconds before his death. Twenty seconds before his doom, he finally caught the horned visage of his savior, his breath hitching at the sight. A Tenno. No -- the Tenno. The Unum had sent the Tenno to save him. Why? What was the reason for it? There was only ten seconds left before his collar explodes. What use would he be for the Unum at this rate?

Four seconds. The Tenno throws their shield at another one of his captors, the spike embedding itself deep inside the Grineer's skull. They fall to their knees, blood spurting for a single instant and staining the grass below them, yet the Tenno was already on another one of his captors, slamming an axe into another Grineer's dented chestplate and pinning them to the ground. A swift movement draws the Tenno's sidearm from motes of light, a flash and a bark of gunfire tearing his last captor's leg clean off.

One second left. A blade-like apparatus appears in the Tenno's free hand, and a quick gesture throws it towards his collar.

His time up, Quill Enzhou Quaternary takes a deep breath and prepares for his death. A second passes, yet he is not dead. All Quill Enzhou Quaternary hears is a loud click and a low beep, the latches on his collar releasing as the heavy device lands on the ground with a thump. His limbs tremble, a shuddered breath escaping his lips. A grateful smile escapes his lips even as he watches the Tenno retrieve its weapons from the corpses of his captors. Thanks were in order. Then he remembers that he hasn't eaten or drunk in the past three days, and only the fact that he is saved is staving away the pangs of hunger and pain that wracked his body.

Before he could even twitch a finger, he collapses, his consciousness draining after recent events. Even so, the smile remained on his face.

He was saved. That was all that mattered in the end.

 

[Erithemaeus]

AN: And so the introductory arc comes to a close. Pretty cut-and-dried, though please send some feedback my way so I can improve on this story.

---

(Cetus' Tenno - Bounty Hunter)

​

Quill Enzhou Quaternary awakens to find himself wrapped up in cloth, overlooking the Tenno cleaning their blades with the water. A quick glance to his side shows a basket of cooked Yogwun meat alongside a pitcher of water. His mouth waters at the sight, his stomach grumbling in hunger, and Enzhou swiftly gnaws upon the provided meats and drink to restore his energy. Everything seems tranquil so far, the sounds of nature here and there reaching through his ears only to be disrupted by the disgruntled chatter of the Grineer. It had only been minutes since he had roused from slumber.

The Tenno freezes as well, retrieving their bloodied axe from the water and folding it back to a mound on their forearm. Enzhou watches as the Tenno slings a sleek-looking rifle from their back, turning around with practiced ease and pulling the trigger. There was no sound -- only the slight bucking of the Tenno's shoulder told Enzhou that the rifle had fired, but the sudden panicked cries amongst the Grineer made it all the more clear. The Grineer had found them once again.

Gunfire began barking, a staccato of loud pings against the quiet puffs of the Tenno's own shots. Enzhou could now hear his former captors more clearly, conversing in that same, stunted syllables as they began fanning out from their initial position. The Tenno responds, slinging the rifle back over their shoulder and pointing towards the ground with a free hand. A second later, the Tenno heaves, a sudden flash of green light emanating from its being as the plants around them seem to suddenly feel more alive. Motes of green light sprung forth from bountiful leaves, swaying to and fro in accordance to the wind, and Enzhou could only stare in wonder at the lush sight.

His trance was broken seconds later amidst the screaming of Grineer. Quill Enzhou Quaternary throws off the cloth covering his body, turning towards the Tenno with determination in his eyes. The Unum had already told him that the Tenno would be willing to lend aid. "Tenno, I need a weapon."

As the Unum had foretold, the Tenno pauses in withdrawing their axe and shield, motes of blue light forming a weapon by their hip that the Tenno grasps and throws in Enzhou's direction. The Quill catches it, wondering at how light it felt, and catches the Tenno's nod at the corner of their eye. It was more than enough encouragement for them to load the weapon and point it towards the nearest Grineer.

Enzhou catches a glimpse of them, a gangly Grineer peeking out from an outcropping of rock, and he trains the weapon's sights on them while pulling the trigger. The gun barks in his hand, a yelp escaping his lips as the recoil forces his arms to go high, releasing a cluster of blue lights that immediately streaked towards his target. The Grineer notices, barking out more orders in their language as they began moving away from the streaks of light. To no avail however, as the streaks change directions to pierce through the Grineer's armor, a high-pitched shriek emanating through their lips before being abruptly silenced by a sudden onset of death.

The Quill looks at the weapon in his hands with surprise, before turning towards the Tenno for further instructions. It would seem that they had already charged through the Grineer however, axe and board at the ready as the panicked cries of the surrounding Grineer began rising in urgency. Quill Enzhou Quaternary shakes his head, turning towards the Unum for guidance, and she provides a simple solution to his current dilemma.

'Point the weapon at the Grineer, and shoot.'

… It was more simple than he had expected.

-----
​

"Dah-dap, surah." Enzhou breathes, handing over the Tenno's weapon while he tries to catch his breath. "If it weren't for this, I would've been dead many times over. My thanks, Tenno."

The Tenno waves their hand, and Enzhou smiles at the practiced dismissal. It would seem like it was but a day's work for them, but Enzhou knew better. The faint scars on his shoulders lungs still hurt, but even now he could see them healing bit-by-bit. If it was by any other circumstances, he would be dead or bleeding out. Thanks to the Tenno however, he need not fear to be anything less than full capacity for the Unum's future tasks. Thanks were indeed in order.

"Still, what a time that we have found ourselves in." Enzhou remarks, staring out into the colorful dusk of the Plains. The firefight with the Grineer had lasted more than he had expected, given the additional reinforcements brought upon by their dropships. By the time that he and the Tenno (mostly the Tenno) had dispatched any and all reinforcements, it was already close to nighttime. "I suggest we hurry back towards Cetus, Tenno. Frankly, I don't want to be stuck with all of these Sentients running around on the Plains."

Once, he had a mission that ran into the night upon the Plains, a task set upon him by the Unum herself. The terror he felt at seeing those Eidolons stomping through the Plains was visceral. The sight of the various Vomvalysts swarming lesser encampments with their beams and their immortality was enough to induce a cold fear into his marrow. Seeing a Grineer encampment utterly crushed beneath a single step of that Sentient titan... it still brought chills down his spine, to be thinking about it. If the Unum had been trying to warn him about the perils of the Eidolons, then she had done a great job of it. And while Tenno hunting parties are formed every night to pacify the terrifying beasts, he still dreads the times wherein he had been selected for the night watch.

And now, with dusk slowly coming upon the Plains, that primal, visceral fear slowly came trinkling back to his senses.

"Come, Tenno. We must hurry before nightfall sets. The Quills have set a cache around the Gara Toht Lake, for the Unum's agents who have missions running through nighttime. I suggest you take me there. I shall go the rest of the way when daytime comes." To Enzhou's surprise, the Tenno nods, rising out of their meditative and checking for any Grineer patrols that might be laying ahead. With one smooth movement, the Tenno extricates themselves from their hidey-hole, extending an arm to the Quill in a beckoning gesture.

Enzhou nods, grabbing the Tenno's arm as they are pulled out of the cave with nothing but the Tenno's prodigious strength. Another second later, and the Quill finds themselves holding the Tenno's sidearm once more, gazing at the sleek-looking gun even as the Tenno begins their perilous journey once more. This time, there were no Grineer reinforcements spotting them from half a mile away, calling in drop pods and drop ships on their position. By the Unum's sight, Enzhou could see some of the more-established Grineer encampments preparing for the night, hauling their Sentient lures out and beginning the painstaking process of setting it up. Other Grineer were roused at the sight of the Tenno strolling through the Plains by their lonesome, but they were stopped by their superiors who pointedly established discipline by firing into the air.

Their priorities have shifted. As of the moment, their main objective was to survive the night, not to dispatch a lone Tenno out in the Plains. The Eidolons would take care of them soon enough... was what Enzhou gleamed from the knowledge that the Unum had showed him. There would be no quarrel from the Grineer at this time, save for a few shots fired from their automated turrets. Enzhou shared his newly-gotten information with the Tenno, who nodded at the new information and quickened their pace.

As the sun slowly dipped over the horizon, Enzhou struggled to catch up with the Tenno as they stared at the landscape around them. Rolling hills filled with lush greenery, the condrocs flying through the air, desperate to go back to their roosts just in time for sunset... to the sheer tranquility of the Sentient ruins, scattered about the Plains. Cold stone, signifying the defeat of the Unum's greatest enemy. All of it -- each and every single part of it -- fills Enzhou with renewed determination, his eyes hardening as he slowly closed the distance between him and the Tenno. Cetus and the Plains were his home. His father was a part of it, and so were his forefathers and their ancestors before.

Joining the Quills was a thankless task, their objective to work in the shadows of Cetus' light. Carrying out the Unum's orders without question, and to see her will be done. Neither the Grineer nor the great and terrible Eidolons that roamed the Plains would destroy the work that his father and forefathers made to bring the bustling colony to life. He would make sure of it.

"Thank you, Tenno. For protecting Cetus."

Another wave of dismissal. Nothing more than a way to hide their embarrassment at being shown gratitude, the Unum whispers into his ear. The knowledge makes Enzhou smile as he finally catches up to the Tenno, reaching the edge of the Gara Toht Lake and spying upon the spritely quality of its depths. His senses tell him that Sentient energy was in the water, filling its every pore. A forlorn sigh escapes Enzhou's lips, even as they gaze upon the small island in the middle of the lake with desperation flickering behind his eyes. It would seem like nighttime had finally caught up to the rest of the Plains.

The loud roar of the Eidolon only seemed to reinforce that fact, its hollow noise filling Enzhou's ears. "Well, it looks like we're too late, Tenno. You can go -- I'll try and find some other place to--?!"

It was a rare occassion that a Quill gets taken by surprise, yet Enzhou found the feeling to be quite quaint. With one flowing maneuver, the Tenno had grabbed him by the waist and jumped, the land before him passing in a blur as the shimmering waters of the Gara Toht Lake caught his eye. Enzhou's eyes widened in wonder at the glimmering waves that lapped upon the lake's shores, the way that the ground seemed so far from where they currently were. Was this how the Tenno saw things? Everything seemed slow... tranquil. As if not moving through the confines of time. If the Tenno saw everything in this manner... then it was no surprise that it only took a single one of them to fell the Unum's greatest enemy.

'Not quite.'

An undignified squawk escapes Enzhou's lips as gravity starts to take hold of both of them, the voice of his mother slowly slipping away from his mind filled with tinkling that he knew to be the Unum's laughter. In one terrifying second, they had cleared the gap from the edge of the lake directly towards the small islands by the center. As the Tenno releases its grip on Enzhou, the Quill wheezes and staggers for a few steps, embracing the solid stone as if it wasn't the corpse of the Quills' greatest adversary.

"Sweet ground, oh how I have missed you!" The Unum shows the Tenno crossing their arms and tilting their head, as if rolling their eyes in exasperation. Enzhou knew better. His stomach had not roiled since Quill Perad Secondary fed him khut-khut meat as a prank. While the short second of wonder had been eye-opening, its effects were... a bit less likeable than one would expect. Even now Enzhou found himself inching closer and closer towards the lip of the island so he could retch out his previous meal.

It took more time than Enzhou would've liked to get his bearings under control, but he had managed to lean against the Oro-kin-ka shrine and began fiddling with the mechanisms hidden within. "Tenno, surah, don't do something like that again. My nerves are not as spritely as they used to be, and your stunts might leave me dying a few years early. Now bring me that bounty tablet so you can cash in. Those other Tenno from the hunting parties are coming as they speak, and I wouldn't like them to see this."

A few more twists of wire, and the stone splits to reveal a staircase leading deeper into the lake's depths. The Tenno stares at the newly-made opening with surprise in their actions, even going so far as to point the blade of their axe against the stone steps, causing Enzhou to laugh as he makes a few more twists in the shrine. "Come, Tenno. Time's a ticking. Ask Quill Onkko for details the next time you see him, if you've got any more questions."

The Tenno's shoulders slump, sheating their axe and fiddling with the compartment on their shield to produce a stone filled with Ostron writing. Konzu's calligraphy, no doubt -- no one else in Cetus could make those letters seem any more blockier than they needed to be. Enzhou chuckles, producing a stamp from the folds of his robes and pressing the insignia of the Quills on the bounty. Handing the stone back to the Tenno, Enzhou staggers back up and makes his way towards the stairway, waving back towards the Tenno as something dropped from the sky and attached to their waist, the ground beneath them trembling from the sound of the great engines that powered whatever mechanism was used.

"Sho-lah, Tenno! May you receive a wonderful bounty on your way back to Cetus!" Enzhou nodded, waving at the Tenno even as they began flying back towards Cetus' gates. In another second, they were gone, and the Quill could already see the gates of Cetus opening as if welcoming the Tenno home. A satisfied smile crosses Enzhou's face as he begins his trek down the staircase, slamming down a mechanism located at the bottom as the stone above begins to shift.

Quill Enzhou Quaternary catches a few more glimpses of flying Tenno just as the stone hides the rest of the staircase from view. Even as he turns towards the makeshift forward base hidden beneath the Plain's most distinguishable landmark, an idly smile still remains on his face.

There is no rest for the Quills. No quarter for those who protect Cetus from threats outside and within. Still, as the first hunting party soars through the skies amidst the pained cries of the Eidolons, Quill Enzhou Quaternary nevertheless wouldn't trade his job for anything less.

It was going to be another interesting night.

 

[Timerider]

Tenno slice of life...
I like it!
The outside POV really brings the atmosphere to life.

 

[Woodlark14]

I love different the tone of Warframe is when you remove the Tenno PoV. That every mission is life or death for some people while the Tenno flow through hundreds of them.

 

[Timerider]

"Thank you Tenno! I won't forget this."
And they don't.

 

[Erithemaeus]

AN: And the second arc begins! Not really much to see here, save for the introduction to our second PoV.

---

(Cetus' Tenno - The Merchant)
​

Rokk Tehp was a lowly Corpus merchant, fresh out of the vats that he called home. Two months he had served on the capital ship Grahk as a lowly Crewman, tasked to labor under his superior's orders until he himself could find an opportunity to rise up through the ranks. It was mostly back-breaking work -- literally, at times. Maintenance was where most low-ranking Corpus were assigned to, with a death rate much higher than most. The main reason as to why? Tenno.

There was not a week in his docket wherein the emergency alarms are pulled. In one way or another, a Tenno would somehow find themselves on the ship like a scurrying rat, scything through the ranks with impunity to cull their numbers. Rarely was there ever a week wherein the Orb Mothers' shields were sufficiently manned, even under Nef Anyo's constant ramblings on how the Void would give back their investments as long as they did their jobs. While Rokk Tehp would've believed that bastard's rhetoric for the first few weeks since he had been stationed on the ship, the constant losses of the rest of his team had left him desensitized -- nay, hating -- the damn 'prophet's' words. How many credits have they already invested into Bursa systems (produced by Nef Anyo, by the way), only to be torn apart within seconds by even an inexperienced Tenno? Too much for his liking. Whatever the rest of his more inexperienced Crewmen say on the matter, Rokk Tehp was looking for the first way out of this ship, and there was nothing that would stop him from doing so.

Worrying about his fellow Crewmen came later. Especially when they lasted a standard week before they were somehow impaled on a Tenno's blade.

After a few months of back-breaking work, he had finally managed to get out of the blasted ship. Sure, his superiors had scoffed behind his back for trying to leave such a lucrative position (not) for such an experienced Crewman such as him (also not true -- he was only experienced at determining whether a Tenno had been onboard the ship), and had all but tossed away his previous rank and hard-earned credits for a more risky endeavor on the Grineer-held Earth. Frankly, Rokk Tehp didn't care, as long as he could get off that blasted ship.

So, he was given a scrappy corvette, two subordinates that were always at each other's throats, and was told to go and steal Orokin artifacts underneath the Grineers' thumb. A suicide mission with migraine-inducing subordinates, all wrapped up in a scrappy little package that was a beat-up, worn Corpus corvette. Anyone lesser would've jumped ship and got themselves killed by the Grineer. But not Rokk Tehp.

Given his... sort-of sixth sense with the Tenno, his usual operations involve scavenging an area that had been ravaged by them -- usually a worn-down Grineer base located in the middle of nowhere. Scavenging for salvage, scrap, and spare circuitry... selling them to gullible schmucks for as much credits as they can push. It was a low-end job with high risk -- Grineer repopulation efforts occur just hours after a Tenno attack, and his crew might find themselves under Grineer fire if they misjudged the timing of their operations. Even so, their little racket nets them a nice bounty at the end of the day, totalling to more or less around a million credits, split evenly with the rest of his crew. Three-hundred thousand or so credits was already a bit higher than average pay for an average Crewman -- more so than a low-end job in capitol ship maintenance that pays around two-thousand five hundred credits per hour.

Therefore, Rokk Tehp was content with his current state. A good haul for the day is enough to last him about two weeks' worth of maintenance, along with the occassional spice of adventure and combat. His subordinates were too engrossed with one-upping one another to even bother on infringing on his position, and on a particularly good haul...

... Well, that was why they were currently here, taking stock on their supplies with the rest of his crew.

Looking for a trading post around Earth was like combing through a Corpus' pockets for a defunctive credit. There was Grineer everywhere -- on the mountains, in the middle of the ocean, even in the midst of a dense forest. Those damnable clones were everywhere save for a few safe havens, and even then most of them were under Tenno control. Rokk Tehp wasn't suicidal enough to even try and go there. Plus, it would surely result in a mutiny with the rest of his crew.

Which was why it felt like a miracle when him and the rest of his crew stumbled upon Cetus. A trading hub full of backward individuals just waiting for their credits to be stolen, all under the watch of an Orokin tower that enforces parley? It was too good to be true.

Yes. Rokk Tehp knew the damn place was too good to be true when a Tenno had snuck up behind them, as quiet as a ghost.

---

​

... Strangely, death felt awfully peaceful.

Rokk Tehp opened his eyes, finding his head attached to his body. He blinks once more, patting down the rest of his body, only to find all of his limbs intact. None of his organs were pierced. Perhaps the Orokin Tower's parley rules are in effect even for the Tenno...? How interesting. "You two, you're not dead. It seems that the Orokin Tower's effect of parley extends to even the Tenno."

Of course, his speakers automatically garbles his words through a cipher, but his subordinates received his order nonetheless, standing up straight and even making some rude gestures at the Tenno. A bark of laughter crosses Rokk Tehp's lips even as a part of himself wanted to join his subordinates in teasing the Tenno, but given that the Tenno was tapping their foot against the floor, it would be best to assume that they were still on thin ice. The best way to ease the tension in the air would be to make a comfortable atmosphere. This was a trading post, after all. And given the basket laden with foodstuffs in the Tenno's free hand...

Were they perhaps trading around Cetus as well? There was only one way to find out. A hiss of air escapes from within his helmet, the pressure difference normalizing as Rokk Tehp breathes in his first few gulps of Cetus air. Laden with fish and odor of different kinds, yet the smell had a charming quality to itself. It wasn't the sterile air present on many Corpus ships, nor the disgusting smell that the Grineer and their cybernetics exuded. The air was... natural, for a lack of a better word. Somehow, the thought of it makes Rokk Tehp smile. "Ah, Tenno! Here to browse our wares, I see?"

His subordinates glanced towards one another, suprised at the natural tone of their superior. It was clear that months spent on maintenance duty under the Grahk had taken a toll on his age. Rokk Tehp spoke as if he were someone decades older. He looked like he had aged centuries in the span of a few months. No doubt it was due to the panic that he felt whenever the alarms sounded. Even so, Rokk Tehp grinned at the Tenno with a disarming smile, making full use of the knowledge that he had learned while inside the vat. The Corpus were merchants, weren't they? So why would they be filled at the thought of working overtime for an hourly pay of two-thousand five hundred credits?

No. The thrill lied in the price-setting. The betting. The auctioning. The very traits of joy embedded into every Corpus months even before they were borne from the vat. So why would they throw it all away just to be satisfied with mopping flawless ship paneling? It didn't make sense.

Even now, Rokk Tehp felt himself smiling as the Tenno waved towards the basket of exotic fish that they held underneath their arm. They caught the attention of one of the locals, who immediately stepped forth with great vigor and acted as interpreter for both parties. 'Seram Beetle Shells', the interpreter called it. Shells of an aquatic creature mutually bonded to the Glappid fish found in the ocean around Cetus. Freshly caught, can serve as pretty decorations, armor, or even as weapons when sharpened to a fine edge.

Ten thousand credits for a single piece.

Rokk Tehp could tell that it was a total rip-off right away. "Come on, Tenno. We're running a business here. You're telling us that crate full of Ayatan Sculptures from the Orokin era is worth about ten of those shells?"

The Tenno crossed their arms, standing their ground for a few more moments before reaching inside their basket. A few seconds of rummaging through the overpriced beetle shells brought up a wonderful Ayatan Sculpture, fully-kinetic and pristine. What's more, Rokk Tehp could tell that it was one of the rarest Sculptures out there on the market: an Anasa.

"Four-hundred thousand credits plus that sculpture for your crate." The interpreter supplied once more, causing Rokk Tehp's subordinates to look towards one another in thought. It was a solid deal, what with the fact that most of the other figures willing to buy fully-socketed Anasa sculptures were willing to pay two and a half million credits for it. Rokk Tehp knew it, his subordinates knew it, and it was most certain that the Tenno knew it as well. And given that the crate of goods that they had salvaged on their last job would more or less sell around a million or so (more if they managed to leverage their prices correctly), it was the greatest deal that they would be willing to get.

Still, there was one question left to consider. "Fine, we'll take it. But what's in it for you, Tenno?"

In response, the Tenno mimed a gesture that Rokk Tehp knew well. A gesture that the rest of the Corpus knew well, for it was their main goal right after getting out of the vat. A grin crosses his lips as he extends a hand to the Tenno, the other party gripping it with restrained strength and shaking it once. "It's a deal then, Tenno", Rokk Tehp grins before turning towards his subordinates, "Keht, get that crate wrapped up in cloaking foil. Lahk, see if we can fit this crate in the cargo hold to get past those pesky Corpus patrols. And as for you, Tenno..."

Rokk Tehp checked his accounts along the Cephalon Weave, finding the credits already transferred to a proxy. The Tenno worked quick, that's for sure. "Nice doing business with you. The crate's all yours."

Even as him and the rest of his crew set to work in figuring out how to hide the Anasa sculpture until it was ready at an auction, Rokk Tehp couldn't help but glance back towards the Tenno. He blinked, seeing the terror that had been a constant in his past life currently embracing the crate as if it was a priceless treasure. A snort escapes Rokk Tehp's lips even as he shakes his head in secondhand embarrassment, barking out some more orders towards the rest of his crew.

Still, to think that the Tenno crave Nitain Extracts... It was an interesting thing of note.

 

[Thoth19]

I love it. The writing style the povs. The fleshing out of little details in the lore. The one thing I'm confused about is saya. I thought she was still waiting for ohnko even after we know he isn't going to come back. Am I misremembering that quest?

 

[Timerider]

War is a merchant's delight.
And the Tenno are wonderful repeat customers.

 

[Erithemaeus]

I love it. The writing style the povs. The fleshing out of little details in the lore. The one thing I'm confused about is saya. I thought she was still waiting for ohnko even after we know he isn't going to come back. Am I misremembering that quest?

Click to shrink...

This happens after Saya's Vigil, so it's safe to say that she's gotten over her obsession with finding Onkko. That said, she's still awkward around Konzu, but it's more or less normal for both of them at this point. Neither is willing to push one another. It might be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your perspective, but they've been friends for years.

Also, thanks for your feedback!

War is a merchant's delight.
And the Tenno are wonderful repeat customers.

Click to shrink...

Indeed. The Tenno are willing to pay top credits for any Nitain they can buy from everyone else. That stuff's rare, after all...

 

[Schielman]

Indeed. The Tenno are willing to pay top credits for any Nitain they can buy from everyone else. That stuff's rare, after all...

Click to shrink...

I heard you can only get it as a prize from contests that your local radio station runs.

Speaking of that radio station, will Nora be appearing?

 

[Axel]

I heard you can only get it as a prize from contests that your local radio station runs.

Speaking of that radio station, will Nora be appearing?

Click to shrink...

I can just imagine her voice "Hello Dreamers..."
Well glassmaker, or at last the first clue is on cetus....

The story so far is really interesting, obviously his ranking with Cetus is maxed out, i wonder how he gets te other resources, does he commerce with the other Tenno? What about Fortuna?
Although only three chapters are out the way they project the Tenno and how they are seen from the other groups is really fascinating

 

[Erithemaeus]

(Cetus' Tenno - The Merchant)

​

Months of scavenging through Grineer outposts and orbital wreckage alike had allowed Rokk Tehp and his crew to amass a small fortune of around three and a half million credits. A paltry sum for most of the members of the Corpus, what with the fact that he and his crew of two had split up the shares evenly as to keep mutiny at an all-time low. Thus, the amount of fortune that Rokk Tehp had amassed over the last few months had been a little more than a million credits. A much greater sum of money compared to the pittance that he was making during his tenure on one of Nef Anyo's ships. Still, scavenging was a dangerous job, and Rokk Tehp knew that it was only a matter of time till he and his crew became known to the Grineer.

Why it had to be right at this very moment however, was one of the many questions that Rokk Tehp had on his mind. Still, he prioritized, putting the needs of his venture above himself, and he turned towards his steadily panicking crew while their pinging system began to show dozens of Grineer fighters aiming to box their current position.

"Shields up. Get the storage hulls sealed off from the rest of the ship. Prep the flares, and get me a sit-rep on that Solar Rail!"

"Grineer Galleon holding position right by the Solar Rail, captain!" Keht replied, eyes focused on the pinging system while his hands practically flew all across the controls. "It seems that this sector has been alerted to our presence!"

That wasn't good. How were they tracking their ship? This was a corvette for goodness's sake. Barely larger than two Grineer fighters put end to end. Grineer scans would've just shown a floating derelict in the middle of space, and while it would be clear that it was of Corpus design, it was small enough to make salvaging the entire thing near-useless if the Grineer wanted to turn everything into scrap for their machinery.

"Captain, the Grineer Galleon is hailing our communications!" Keht spat out once more, causing Rokk Tehp to narrow his eyes at his ship's HUD, showing a rudimentary notification of a call indeed being beamed directly towards their location. With a snarl, Rokk Tehp turned towards his crew, his usual easygoing tone gone. Gone was the affable businessman. Now, the salvager stood, strengthened by multiple close calls and Grineer firefights. A veteran of the system-wide conflict between the Grineer and Corpus.

"Helmets on. Don't talk. I shall handle the negotiations." And with that, Rokk Tehp and the rest of his crew placed their helmets, hearing the comforting hiss of the pressure seal a few seconds later. Turning towards his console, Rokk Tehp let the call through, showing a putrid Grineer beast right at the upper-right corner of their ship's HUD. Another smaller notification began popping up their ship's HUD, causing the last member of their crew to begin panicking as they slammed down every defense matrix they had against information warfare. Worms, viruses, and the like that were about to wreak havoc on their ships systems were halted in their tracks, and the smug expression of the Grineer worm immediately turned into displeasure.

Rokk Tehp smiled underneath his helmet, even as the Grineer worm wheezed, hacked, and coughed their first words. "Corpus skoom. You are... surrounded. Surrendah, and the Queens shall grant you... maehrcy!"

The mercy of a quick death, no doubt. Rokk Tehp was sure of that. They had been running their venture under the nose of the Grineer for a few months now, and judging by what he knew of the Grineer, they weren't the type to willingly let go of a grudge. Not after he and his crew had ran circles around them for such a long time. It was more than likely that Rokk Tehp and his crew would die here. No dependents to carry on their cause. Their names blacked from the profit ledgers for being terminated without an accomplished business venture. No other Corpus members willing to risk their own lives for whatever Rokk Tehp and his crew might be able to offer.

Nothing.

Rokk Tehp's eyes narrowed behind his helmet, his hands curling into fists as he cut off the connection with the Grineer worm. Turning towards his crew, Rokk Tehp could already see Keht and Lahk's ashen faces, their consoles opening up multiple holographic displays that were in the progress of sending their credits towards their depedents. Nothing more to do than to buy time. And take down as many of the Grineer as they could before removing the safety protocols of their ship's ion drives.

"Ohk. We have detonite in the storage bulkheads, yes?"

"Captain, you can't possible be..."

"There is no way out of this situation. You already knew that." Rokk Tehp motioned towards his crew's consoles. "The least we could do is to make sure that these Grineer scum regret destroying our ventures. Kuhl, arm the flares! Ohk, send those bulkheads out into the void. We'll make sure that these Grineer scum would be--"

"Captain..." Keht butted in, causing Rokk Tehp to glance towards his crew member just as his ship's HUD began flooding with various notifications. "There's a large signature translating in from the Void..."

In an instant, the ship's consoles flickered, all lights to the ship shutting off before the whirr of machinery began once more. Rokk Tehp and the rest of his crew stared at their own respective consoles with trepidation, watching as a hologram of shifting shapes come to life. A Cephalon. On their ship. On a corvette. Why it appeared here Rokk Tehp didn't know, nor would he be willing to ask. At this very moment, the various notifications made sense. The Cephalon had hijacked into their corvette's systems, leaving them stranded and unable to do anything against a steadily-enroaching Grineer fleet. Not only that, but a large Void signature as well. What it meant, Rokk Tehp didn't know, but it only bade ill for him and the rest of his crew.

"Greetings, Crewman. Would you like a Seram Beetle Shell for your efforts?"

Rokk Tehp's eyes widen as a rift opens just a hundred meters in front of their ship, revealing a sleek-looking ship that instantly captured the attention of the Grineer fighter crafts. A smile breaks out on his crew's face just as the ship begins to unleash a salvo of missiles on the Grineer, explosions flinging debris everywhere on the battlefield, and a low rumble begins echoing through the small command module of Rokk Tehp's corvette as he and the rest of his crew collapsed to their knees in overwhelming relief.

"Tell you what, Tenno", Rokk Tehp speaks, removing his helmet with a hiss as he smiles at the Cephalon currently on his console, "I'll buy those knock-off beetle shells you've been trying to sell me with a little extra interest."

"An offer could be arranged." The Cephalon replied, twisted rings swirling over one another as it hummed in what appeared to be in thought. "Offer accepted. We shall conclude this affair on Cetus, right after we dispatch this Grineer contingent."

 

[Axel]

I love this story;
It might have only four chapters, but it fits perfectly with the idea i have of the Tenno.
And it is beautiful reading about your tenno acting, saving those that deserve it.
I mean, I know that there are missions that do that, both on cetus and on space.
But usually Rescue is only for Contacts and Agents, while defection are more in line with the idea.
This? this is a masterpiece!
It gives them a new depth, specially this second rescue; Tehp tried exchanging goods civilly, or at last without damaging "innocents" (more or less, more innocent than usual in the Origin), differently from the usual Corpus idea that puts profit above all, and the Tenno appeared on his side instead or reducing him into sashimi

Thank you, Tenno

 

[Erithemaeus]

I love this story;
It might have only four chapters, but it fits perfectly with the idea i have of the Tenno.
And it is beautiful reading about your tenno acting, saving those that deserve it.
I mean, I know that there are missions that do that, both on cetus and on space.
But usually Rescue is only for Contacts and Agents, while defection are more in line with the idea.
This? this is a masterpiece!
It gives them a new depth, specially this second rescue; Tehp tried exchanging goods civilly, or at last without damaging "innocents" (more or less, more innocent than usual in the Origin), differently from the usual Corpus idea that puts profit above all, and the Tenno appeared on his side instead or reducing him into sashimi

Thank you, Tenno

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the review as well! While Tehp's part of the story is going to be over in the next chapter or so, it's not going to be the end of his particular storyline. There's a lot plot hook, and probably an adventure that I might have to put in Sidestory just in case. This is supposed to be a snippet series of sorts, after all, so any forays into the other characters in the main plotline are going to have some more thought placed into them.

And trying to integrate Railjack into other gamemodes aside from Extermination or Sabotage was interesting, so that was my main inspiration for this chapter. Maybe we'll be escorting convoys of civvies in the future? Perhaps sneak deep into Grineer airspace and blow up an unsuspecting Balor Fomorian or a Corpus Capital Ship? Too many possibilities, and ones that are probably going to be too mindblowing to be actually put in-game unless time and effort are injected into it. I mean, Railjack's fun now, so might as well diversify, right?

 

[Crembo]

Credits? You can get an entire squad of Tenno to show up and shoot whomever you want if you promise them a 5% chance at a PIECE of a weapon. C'mon now Tehp step your game up

 

[JBcristal]

"Greetings, Crewman. Would you like a Seram Beetle Shell for your efforts?"

Click to shrink...

In my mind I can see Probably-Ordis offering me a nice Seram Beetle Shell in these trying times.
But really now, reading Tenno in non-murderhobo situations is always a delight.

 

[Axel]

In my mind I can see Probably-Ordis offering me a nice Seram Beetle Shell in these trying times.
But really now, reading Tenno in non-murderhobo situations is always a delight.

Click to shrink...

In my mind, i would totally accept.
On cetus i am completely unable to fish.
I mean, Fortuna? Perfect, one rod, find the fish, hit the fish, click repeat.
On cetus i don't even know what rod to use, and 90% of the times i can't even hit the fish

Maybe we'll be escorting convoys of civvies in the future? Perhaps sneak deep into Grineer airspace and blow up an unsuspecting Balor Fomorian or a Corpus Capital Ship? Too many possibilities, and ones that are probably going to be too mindblowing to be actually put in-game unless time and effort are injected into it. I mean, Railjack's fun now, so might as well diversify, right?

Click to shrink...

I don't know, i am hesitant about the railjack.
I mean, it is great, but....I usually play solo in short missions, unless they are assassinations;
The fact that the railjack is nearly useless alone is really stupid, i mean,
NPC crew at the guns can do it, or if they don't want, exchange syndicate standing for some syndicate crew, or make an autogun avionic.....
Otherwise it is good.

 

[Erithemaeus]

AN: So this is the final arc in Rokk Tehp's journey. Would I involve previous characters like this to create a more established world...? Eh, not really. Probably. Maybe?

(Cetus' Tenno - The Merchant)​

There was a festival currently in place in Cetus, and the Tenno's daring rescue was the central focus of it all -- streamers, fireworks, and lights filled the air, entirely heedless of the Grineer camping out on the Plains. Rokk Tehp and his crew enjoyed the festivities, sampling out local delicacies and engaging with the natives with wide smiles and an even wider demeanor. Staying here for the last few days while his crew had found independent contractors to repair their ship had been a godsend. Not only for the credits going into Cetus' overall wealth, but for his crew's dependents as well.

As Rokk Tehp circled around the town's more vibrant streets with a spring in his step, he found himself casually watching the hustle and bustle of everyday Cetus life. Ostrons came to and fro a series of tunnels from the cliffside, no doubt leading to various foxholes that eventually gave way to the Plains. The bounty board was packed with Tenno as per usual, wooden blocks in Ostron writing being exchanged through different hands every so often that it simply became a dizzying train of thought as to how only two people managed the influx of Tenno and other bounty hunters. Meanwhile, the market itself was as noisy as ever, chatters of credits and bartered goods carrying over the see breeze alongside the various scents of food.

His eyes eventually came to his savior and acquaintance, the Tenno still ambling alongside their young Ostron interpreter, now engaged with another Tenno as they bartered whatever goods they seemed to have. The other Tenno motioned towards one particular crate, filled with numerous floating... things that seemed to be made of stone, and his Tenno rubbed his hands together in what must be a deal gone right. Whatever the interpreter might've said was lost in the hustle and bustle of the marketplace, and even then Rokk Tehp strained his eyes in order to even see his Tenno shaking hands with another one of his kind.

"Looking for a friend?"

The voice right beside him snaps Rokk Tehp out of his daze, and he glances to his side in order to see a young man wearing traditional Ostron clothing, a thin smile on his face. Rokk Tehp nods, arms crossed over his chest while his eyes rove over the marketplace once more, finding the Tenno waving at them. Smiling back, Rokk Tehp gives a small wave in return. The captain turns back towards his Ostron companion, finding them staring at him with wide eyes and their mouth hanging open.

"Ai yo... So you're the one that I was looking for indeed!"

Rokk Tehp blinks. His eyes narrow in suspicion, but eventually lets it go. This is Cetus. The young man is an Ostron. Besides, if the young man wanted to try something funny, then Rokk Tehp could easily subdue him. Not that anyone would have enough courage to try and pull off such a violent act in a town full of Tenno with weapons at the ready. "Me, boy?"

The young man froze, before they grinned and scratched their cheek. "Ah, got it in one, sir. My name's Enzhou. I've been trying to find someone who can transport me off-world, and Surah told me to talk to a grumpy-looking Corpus man by the bounty board."

Now wasn't that interesting? An Ostron wanting to go off-world? Rokk Tehp had only understood the faintest hints of Ostron culture, but he was observant enough to recognize that family was a big deal to the Ostrons and those who chose to live in Cetus. For someone to suddenly want to go off-world... did they have enough problems with their family to warrant such a degree of desperation? "Boy, where are your parents?"

"Cetus is my home." The graveness in the young man's tone was enough to make Rokk Tehp blink, glancing towards the young man to see their usual smile in place once more. "And don't worry sir, I already got permission from elder Konzu and the rest of the council to go off-world. Rest assured that I'm not running away from family or anything like that."

"Then you wouldn't mind if we spoke to this... elder Konzu right now, hm?" Rokk Tehp challenged once more. Contrary to his expectations, this Enzhou seemed to take it in stride, nodding once more while keeping the ever-present smile on his face.

"Well, elder Konzu's usually by the bounty boards at this time. It's just near the gates." Enzhou replied as Rokk Tehp began moving in accordance to the young Ostron's instructions. "Or well, he usually is. It gets hot during midday, so he usually goes and takes a nap at his home. But he usually can't, so he sneaks away the moment he sees the bounty board's clear for the moment. 'Early lunch for Konzu', he always says, but I'm pretty sure that he's just taking the time to cool down by his shack. He always brings a few snacks with him when he goes back to managing the bounty boards. In fact, I always see him snacking on a few strips of Charc Eel jerky when he thinks no one's looking. His second favorites are the--"

"Enough, young man." Rokk Tehp cuts in, feeling a migraine slowly worming a way through his head. If this Enzhou was right and his Tenno was counting on him to get this young Ostron off-world, then... there would be a few problems. Noise complaint, being the most prevalent of all. Hopefully Rokk Tehp could find a matching helmet for the young lad and stick him in it. "These bounty boards. Who manages them aside from this... elder Konzu? There is no way that only a single man can handle these number of individuals all itching to get a bounty."

Rokk Tehp gestures towards the crowd that they were currently worming through, packed to the brim with various bounty hunters and Tenno trying to vy for space. He had to strain his ears while struggling through the crowd just to hear the young Ostron's voice. Why were there so many people raring up for bounties, anyway?!

"Ah, the bounties are-- Sorry! -- managed by the Quills." Enzhou manages to reply as he squeezes past the crowd, catching up with a panting Rokk Tehp who was currently setting his suit's atmospheric controls to its maximum setting. "They uh, handle most of the bounties, really. Elder Konzu's just there to break up any fights that might start. Anything that might be flagged as a bounty is run through the Quills, and they make a bounty plate for it. After checking in with Elder Konzu to see that the bounty's complete, they're directly sent to the Quills for reprocessing and stuff."

What an incredibly efficient system. And it also drives up competition as well, seeing as there are only limited resources that could be used in order to make these said bounty plates. It would increase a spike in demand from the Tenno and the other bounty hunters trying to find some work, and the entirety of Cetus benefits as well. A cunningly good plan. "These Quills are efficient in what they do, it seems. Do you have some knowledge of their inner workings?"

"Uh... I guess?" Enzhou replies, uncertainty laced in their tone. "I'm currently an apprentice, and my superior says that I need to get some more experience first before I'm allowed to have any actual work. Can you believe him? I mean, aside from a few mistakes, I'm doing fine for myself!"

Rokk Tehp could only stare at the young Ostron, an unenthused expression on his face. A sigh escapes his lips a second later while shaking his head, eventually turning his gaze towards the man currently sitting past the bounty boards, casually accepting the bounty plates of those that came from the gates with a smile on their face.

"Come again, and have some young-bat next time!" They call out to another person making their way towards the marketplace, cackling heartily as their apparent conversation partner gave them the middle finger. "Ah, Outworlders. It never gets old..."

"Old Man Konzu! It's been a while!" Enzhou exclaims, rushing forward as the sitting man towards Rohk Tehp and the young Ostron, a scowl forming on his face.

"Ah, and the annoying brat returns." The man grumbles, still giving the time to aim a smile at the young Ostron as the latter envelops them in a hug. "Let me guess, have you come to annoy Utz for one final time before going off-world?"

Realization crosses on Enzhou's face as they grin, much to this... Konzu's exasperation, judging by their groan. "Thanks for reminding me, Elder. But no, I'm not here for that -- not yet, at least. I found my transport as Surah said, but they're not too keen on taking me off-world."

"As anyone should, with good reason." Konzu replied, now turning towards Rohk Tehp with a smile of sympathy. "And are you the scavenger that Surah recommended to us?"

Rohk Tehp nods, all the while committing the Tenno's name to memory. Surah was a weird name for sure, but he wouldn't judge.

"Ah. Well then, rest assured. Little Enzhou here--" "I'm not little!" "-- has the Elders' permission to go off-world. It's an integral part of a prospective member of the Quills, you see. Very important." Rohk Tehp nods, his initial doubts now mollified, only for the apparent Elder to add in a few parting words. "Oh, but make sure to either keep your ears covered. Little Enzhou over here has quite the mouth."

"I knew that, but thank you for offering some advice." Rohk Tehp ignored Enzhou's squawk of indignation, glancing towards his wrist's HUD to see a notification from the rest of his fellow crew. "Come then, young man. Pack up your things. My ship's ready to go, and I'm not going to waste excess resources on you if I can help it. Where's your destination, exactly?"

"Venus, sir!"

Rohk Tehp smiles. "Well, it seems that we're moving in the same direction. Now go, little Enzhou. Meet us up by the docks."

"That 'little Enzhou' name is going to stick, isn't it...?"

"No."

"And I didn't need to look that closely to see that it's a lie."

Rohk Tehp barked out a peal of laughter, shaking his head before making his way towards his ship, and by extension, his crew. It would seem like his little band of misfits would have a temporary addition till they reach Venus.

 

[Erithemaeus]

In my mind I can see Probably-Ordis offering me a nice Seram Beetle Shell in these trying times.
But really now, reading Tenno in non-murderhobo situations is always a delight.

Click to shrink...

Ngl I really think most of the Tenno's downtime is spent on either waiting for the Lotus or their agents to uncover some news about potential targets.

Then again I really do think that their operations are going to be slowed, what with the fact that Space Mom is gone and all that

In my mind, i would totally accept.
On cetus i am completely unable to fish.
I mean, Fortuna? Perfect, one rod, find the fish, hit the fish, click repeat.
On cetus i don't even know what rod to use, and 90% of the times i can't even hit the fish

I don't know, i am hesitant about the railjack.
I mean, it is great, but....I usually play solo in short missions, unless they are assassinations;
The fact that the railjack is nearly useless alone is really stupid, i mean,
NPC crew at the guns can do it, or if they don't want, exchange syndicate standing for some syndicate crew, or make an autogun avionic.....
Otherwise it is good.

Click to shrink...

True, you only need like one rod to get all the fish in Fortuna, but I don't know all the places where to fish to get mah kitgun parts T_T
And fishing is annoying in Cetus since there's Grineer freaking everywhere oh god let me just switch to Wudong just so I can fish in peace.

As for RJ... yeah, doing it solo is pretty good, but it really shines when you're in a premade team and everyone knows what to do. I might spend more time as the RJ's engineer, but piloting your own RJ really is a liberating feeling... Hah...

Shame that there isn't a book of etiquette on RJ out. I swear, one party I had just took my pilot seat and didn't even get off like REEEEEEEEEEEEE. It's my RJ, for Christ's sake!

 

[Crembo]

Shame that there isn't a book of etiquette on RJ out. I swear, one party I had just took my pilot seat and didn't even get off like REEEEEEEEEEEEE. It's my RJ, for Christ's sake!

Click to shrink...

There IS etiquette! Host is pilot and gunners don't use flux except by prior arrangement, prioritize boarding and blowing up crewships as fast as possible so everyone can go home, always pick up all the salvage and avionics, if the pilot notices there's someone in the slingshot or the front battery they should prioritize giving them a straight shot.

There's always people who cannot into etiquette though especially in Earth Proxima where I keep having dudes get in the gunner seat and fire off ALL my flux at empty space because whee, cool noises!

 

[Erithemaeus]

There IS etiquette! Host is pilot and gunners don't use flux except by prior arrangement, prioritize boarding and blowing up crewships as fast as possible so everyone can go home, always pick up all the salvage and avionics, if the pilot notices there's someone in the slingshot or the front battery they should prioritize giving them a straight shot.

There's always people who cannot into etiquette though especially in Earth Proxima where I keep having dudes get in the gunner seat and fire off ALL my flux at empty space because whee, cool noises!

Click to shrink...

Yes. This. Exactly this. I named my RJ 'Don't Press 3' and guess what? THEY PRESSED 3. THAT'S 100 FLUX DOWN THE DRAIN NITWITS, AND YOU JUST WASTED AN ENTIRE SEEKER VOLLEY!

*sigh* Ranting aside, RJ should really be only for premade crews, and not just anything you can jump into like pub sessions. It's fun imagining the twats writhing and screaming in pain when I abort the mission though and everyone gets host migration :3

Bc if I'm going to suffer from my party's idiocy, then they should get a taste of their own medicine : D

 

[Erithemaeus]

AN: And so begins a new, (relatively) short arc. Hope you guys like this one as well. Also the Echoes of Umbra item is canon to me shut up, shut up, shut up--!

(Cetus' Tenno - The Fisherman)

​

Harlak is a simple man with a simple job, currently living a simple life. He is a fisherman, just like his father, and his father before him. And while it had only two generations since his family had migrated to Cetus, he had nevertheless played a part in the colony's growth, just as the rest of his family. Every day he sails across the open expanse of Mer-Sah Bay, catching copious amounts of fish within the Unum's reach in order to provide for his fellows back in town. Of course, it all depends on the amount of fish that ventures into the Unum's territory, as most of Earth's wildlife rarely ever move into a sanctuary like Cetus due to the toxins that the Grineer pump into the surrounding area.

In order to alleviate this problem, the Tenno ventures out of Cetus once a month in order to take care of this toxin problem, raiding Grineer bases and destroying their main production of toxins that they would be using to choke out the wildlife. Now wasn't the usual times for raiding Grineer toxin production facilities however, which had begged the question as to why the Tenno asked for his help in this short little trip in the first place.

Now however, Harlak knew the reason why. And the Tenno swore him to secrecy about it, even going so far as to shush their interpreter whenever the matter came up. It turns out that the Tenno, Cetus' greatest Surah and Elder Konzu's go-to man for bounties...

... was unable to fish.

The poor fisherman could only watch as the Tenno reeled in another empty catch, frustration evident across their shoulders as they hauled back a waterlogged Grineer boot. Harlak swore that a snort of laughter didn't escape his lips, but the same could not be said for the Tenno's interpreter, who had all but stopped playing with the instrument that they had brought with them and had began laughing with a wide grin on their face. The fishing spear that the Tenno held seemed to shake in frustration, and they drop the spear to the floor of their boat just as they collapse to their knees, rocking the relatively calm waters as an unearthly wail emanated from... Where does a Tenno speak, really? Harlak didn't know.

It would seem like the Tenno's interpreter seemed to understand however, given that their grin was directed at the wailing Tenno. "Aw, it's alright, little Kiteli. We could just go back to Cetus and forget that this little bet never happened at all."

Harlak blink, watching as the Tenno paused in their wailing. Their hands fall to their sides, turning their head towards their interpeter while various lights flickered on their head. Whatever it was, Harlak didn't know, but the sudden gasp of their interpreter was enough to make him raise his brow. "Little Kiteli, that is just scandalous! Think of poor Harlak, over here! He already lent you his boat and time to use for the entirety of the day, and you're not giving him a reward for his sacrifice? For shame, little Kiteli. I had thought better of you."

The fisherman nods along the one-sided conversation, taking note of the Tenno's name to 'accidentally' share it with the rest of his family for later. While Harlak knew that he would most likely spend the rest of his day with the Tenno and his interpreter, the Quills had already given him a bounty plate for this task that he could trade in with Elder Konzu late in the afternoon. It meant that even if he had missed a day's work, he and the rest of his family would still be paid due compensation for his contribution to Cetus.

Why the Quills and the Council of Elders thought it would be important for the Tenno to learn how to fish however, was something that Harlak could only draw a blank. Come to think of it, hadn't the Tenno been spotted alongside Fisher Hai-Luk recently? Perhaps that was him browsing through the available selection of fishing spears and bait? And hadn't the Tenno been spotted selling Seram Beetle Shells to a crew of Corpus crewmen as well? There was no easy way to catch them, yet the Tenno had assured the crewmen that it had been freshly caught by their hand. Was it secondhand goods, then? If so, then it would explain... quite a few things.

"Ah, you managed to catch a small Charc Eel." The voice of the Tenno's interpreter manages to pierce through Harlak's thoughts, and the fisherman glances towards his other... off-looking companion on the trip to see them looking at the Tenno with shoulders slumped. "How you managed to catch such a small one in an area full of fish, I could not understand. Maybe your luck in fishing is just that rotten, little Kiteli?"

In response, the Tenno flicked the Charc Eel that they caught directly towards their interpreter's head, causing them to sputter and panic as the writhing creature lands directly on their forehead. The eel twitched, quickly followed by the interpreter's screech, followed by a string of foul words as they grasped the eel and tossed it back out into Mer-Sah Bay. After shaking their hand for a good while and placing it in the inside of their mouth, the interpreter turns towards the Tenno with a scowl on their lips.

"That was uncalled for."

The Tenno waved their hand in a dismissive nature, and their interpreter shook their fist at the Tenno with gritted teeth. Harlak couldn't help but glance around his boat, finding ripples beginning to stir the once-calm waters of the bay. With an awkward laugh, the fisherman scratches his cheek, garnering the attention of both the Tenno and their interpreter as they turned towards the poor fisherman with a cold gaze.

"Is this always what happens between the two of you?"

As expected, the interpreter and Tenno glance towards one another. The Tenno was the first one to reply in a 'so-so' gesture, causing their interpreter to scowl while pointing a finger towards the Tenno. "Make no mistake Harlak, little Kiteli over here is pettiness embodied. Instead of just accepting the fact that they couldn't fish for squat, they instead made a big deal about it to the Quills just so they could do so inconspicuously. If that isn't pettiness, then I don't know what is."

In reply, the Tenno simply... tilted their head to the side. Whatever statement they made was enough for the interpreter however, given that they sputtered and hacked on their breath, their hands balling into fists as they threw a punch at the Tenno. "Shut up! I knew that already! Now go and pick up that fishing spear before I scream about your inadequate fishing skills the moment we get back to Cetus!"

Harlak watches as the Tenno freezes, turning their gaze towards their interpreter. Said interpreter holds their ground, arms crossed against their chest while leveling a glare at the Tenno, and seconds pass before the Tenno rises from their spot and picks up the fishing spear, turning towards the calm waters of Mer-Sah Bay once more.

"Remember Surah, one hand for gauging distance, with your throwing arm's elbow aligned with your shoulder." Harlak reminds the Tenno, watching as their form slowly stands still while making minute adjustments to their posture. "Now go, Surah. Aim and strike."

In the blink of an eye, the Tenno moves, slinging their arm with great force as the fishing spear leaves their hand. The boat rocks, and their interpreter grabs onto the side of the boat's hull to keep them steady under the force of the throw. A blast of water erupts from where the fishing spear hits the water, and Harlak's eyes widen in awe as he sees the fishing spear trawling through the depths of Mer-Sah Bay with great clarity, a bright green glow emanating around it to serve as a beacon for any fish that might catch its attention.

Even the Tenno's interpreter joins the fisherman, surprise coloring their features for an instant before being replaced by a scowl. "You're cheating."

The Tenno ignores their interpreter's words, still gazing towards the green glow of the fishing spear, and waiting for the Tenno to catch something. Only a few seconds had passed after the interpreter's remark before the green light abruptly blacks out, causing Harlak to grip the boat for safety once more as the Tenno yanks back on the spear.

In one smooth maneuver, the fishing spear sails out of the water and into the air, the Tenno, their interpreter, and Harlak gazing at the Tenno's bountiful catch. After an instant, Harlak lets out a bark of laughter, followed by the interpreter's raucous cackles. It stops a second later however, followed by the sound of a squawk as the interpreter was backhanded into Mer-Sah Bay. The Tenno's catch clatters to the bottom of the boat, the sudden weight tipping its balance forward, and Harlak sputters for a second or two before eventually righting his balance once more.

Only to stumble once more as the interpreter grabs onto the side of the boat, growling at the Tenno with wet, matted hair. Harlak could only sigh in acceptance as the interpreter once again splashes back into the waters of Mer-Sah Bay, narrowly avoiding the boot thrown back into the bay. They were still laughing however, even as the Tenno slumps on one end of the boat, twiddling their thumbs while their interpreter climbs back onto the boat.

Harlak could only sigh at the scene in front of him. This was going to be a long day.

 

[Axel]

Harlak could only sigh at the scene in front of him. This was going to be a long day.

Click to shrink...

A boot?
Ah, I feel your pain my friend....

 

[Glyn]

I didn't know how much I needed this in my life. Well written

 

[Erithemaeus]

A boot?
Ah, I feel your pain my friend....

Click to shrink...

Pretty weird, since the only boot that I had caught so far was a Corpus one while I was fishing in Fortuna.