Monday, November 4, 2013

Warframe - Chapter 1 Pilot - The Tears of Lotus

Warframe -  Chapter 1 Pilot - The Tears of Lotus

Hayden Tenno's technocyte infection did not spread anymore, but instead integrated his suit and embedded itself in his DNA. His cells having removed the Hayflick Limit, he has now become long-lived. After settling down, he begot children that bore his traits. They were called the Tenno Prime, a term originally reserved for the first children, and they would later play a great role in shaping history onwards. Thus were the beginnings of the Orokin age.

At the height of the Orokin age, Cain, one of the first to be born with enhanced abilities (Excalibur Prime), was intent on further evolving the species now dubbed Homo Sapiens Tenno Superioris, he furthered research on the technocyte virus as a means to strengthen his brothers. His other Prime comrades included Lotus, who in turn researched on making life easier for the Tenno such as creating devices where the Tenno could "sleep", and Mikado, who in turn researched into using varied energies to supplement the Tennos’ survivability and adaptability as a race, (FYI, the term Mikado and Tenno, are Japanese words for the Emperor)

After the presentation and acceptance of Lotus' research, it was Mikado and Cain's respective Researches’ turn to be showcased.  Mikado's research yielded the use of the energy shield that Tenno Implement today. Not only was his research applicable on shield projection, but his theories and models had potential for manipulating varying types of energy such as decreasing molecular momentum while increasing molecular bonds resulting in moulded ice (Frost Prime), and manipulating the innate magnetic fields of metallic molecular structures (Mag Prime).

Cain's Research however, yielded lacking results such as increased muscle power and hardened skin only. More so, most of his subjects would mutate terribly and had to be terminated. Needless to say, the Council at the time did not have regard for his work. To make matters worse, Lotus and Mikado where then invited to become members of the Council for their contributions. Pressed for results, Cain became desperate and withdrew from the public eye.

Sometime later, upon the presentation ceremony of Lotus and Mikado being accepted into the Council, Cain interrupted and came in using a cloak. He claimed he has had a breakthrough and would like to present it now. The First (Hayden Tenno) relented and gave him permission. He unravelled his cloak and raised his left arm. It was engorged and mutated to look like the arm of an infested. Although it still bore the dark gray and reddish hue of his exoskeleton (frame), it was oversized, had energy pulsing knobs and had blades instead of fingers. The audience was aghast and the First right there and then banished him from the Tenno for trying to re-awaken what the First fought hard to seal.

Cain was adamant and argued that he was still sentient and that he had control. He was able to further harden his skin and breathe toxic breath. He further boasted that he could now exert mind control over the mutated test subjects that he stole from being terminated. This further angered the First since he experienced first-hand the effects of controlled infested. He had the other Primes restrain him and drop him in the Dark Sector.

After the commotion, the First relegated Cain's research into Mikado's hands. Mikado's good intentions turned Cain's research into practical applications. He turned the capacity to control toxic elements into controlled emissions and painless warfare (Saryn). Skin Hardening was combined with energy insulation to further strengthen bonds and create artificial combat armor supplements (Rhino; Iron skin). Finally, instead of dominant control, he placed limiters on the psyche invasion mechanisms so as to implement humane actions (Nyx). He furthered the research of toxic gas emissions and and chemical reactions producing ignitable gas and the production of high voltage reactions (Ember and Volt).

Cain on the other hand, while on transit to the Dark Sector, escaped his holding unit using acid secreted from his left arm. Feeling betrayed and humiliated, Cain fled to other Western countries that were paranoid, jealous and in contempt of the Orokin countries in the East. He secretly manipulated them into mass producing his research and gave them a deterrent for the powerful Tenno.

In the background, in Europe, specifically Scotland where the first sheep was cloned, Vladymir Oskar Rasputin, a Russian Geneticist who defected to the Empire, has started perfecting the process of Human Cloning. His research, directly funded by the queen of the empire, often results in twins being born due to some unknown phenomena. Although confounded by this anomaly, his desire for immortality stemming from him being sterile and one eared from being born near Chernobyl, and his deep gratitude and loyalty to "his Queen", Rasputin vigorously continues his work with a smile, with the other researchers there nicknaming him "Grin-Ear".

In the middle-east, ever since Oil has become obsolete, businessmen, mostly comprised of religious groups, have begun to recuperate from the blow of having lost their monopoly on energy. Since then, they have started to buy, salvage, plagiarize weapons technology and sell it the highest bidder. Having their profits slowly coming back to them, they revise their culture to center on profit and wealth. Replacing the traditional Burka that covers everything except the eyes, they don overalls to protect their bodies from their work and from their habitat and proceed to wear metallic helmet versions of the Burka instead of their regular helmets. They then call themselves the Trade United Body.

Decades pass and with the succeeding progress of technology and overpopulation, all factions now terraform and colonize other planets and planetoids in the Solar System. They make use of the Solar Rail System that uses Solar Winds that are collected via Electromagnetic Pulses sent by different stations on each planetary system. The Station on Mercury, dubbed "Terminus" collects the most Solar Wind and distributes it as a current in the Rail system allowing for fast transport between Planetary Stations. Still, after some time, the number habitable living space is still growing thin and the Tenno defer to the use of pocket dimensions that Lotus and Mikado develop using Energy Manipulation to extend Space and Time on specific spots decipherable only by Void Keys.

Centuries pass, and with strained resources and living space, Mikado decides to take the other Primes and venture outside of Pluto's "Outer Terminus". Lotus hesitates at first, but relents due to the crisis that the Tenno and other humans were facing. Mikado then constructs a device on Outer Terminus that extends the Solar Rails beyond the Solar System. After receiving a signal that the Rails connected somewhere else, Mikado then announced to prepare for the expedition outside of the "Origin System". This is where Cain crashes through the doors whilst holding the heads of other Prime Tenno Royal Guards. Cain, in his displeasure of being denied, declares war on the Orokin with his "Sentient" army, a term he used to describe himself before he was exiled.

A multitude of new infested then suddenly swarm the ceremony and Cain suddenly mounts a large quadruped infested. Cain rushed the First, but before the First could draw his Glaive, Mikado stops the beast mid track with his hands and pushes it back with a roar. As the quadruped and Cain was thrown back, Mikado stomps the ground and many infested are crushed by the force. Mikado then signals the remaining Royal Guards to get the First, Lotus and the rest of the Council to safety. Lotus begs to fight alongside her betrothed, but Mikado orders otherwise. Cain regains composure and sees Mikado transformed into a gold-laced hulk frame with metallic silver skin (Rhino Prime). This further angers Cain and screams that Mikado himself took advantage of his research. Mikado only shows sadness and readies for battle. As the chaos was to further intensify, the fallen dead, both Tenno and Infested, suddenly start fighting off Cain's forces. The other Primes have arrived headed by the new frame Lotus herself designed, Nekros. With the dead outnumbering the living, Cain retreats.

Soon afterwards, the "Great War" came to happen. With Cain having immortal troops capable of infecting, eating and absorbing new material, the advantage eventually goes to the Sentients. Pressed for survival, the First allows the acquisition and use of the Golems, artificial constructs of enormous sizes that require a Tenno Pilot as its core. Capable of replicating the abilities of its' pilot and able to absorb new material itself, the Golems were successful in destroying most of and driving away the Sentients. But the victories came with a heavy price, the Tenno pilot was eventually absorbed by the golem itself, giving it its' own mind that is resistant to Psyche Invasion by Cain. These golem-absorbed Tenno, in an act of honor, sealed themselves on derelict ships to prevent them from hurting their own kind.

Afterwards, tired of centuries of fighting, and weary of disappointment of his eldest (Cain), the First decided to "rest" and delegated the responsibility of assembling the Council to Lotus and Mikado, having two leaders to balance out differing mindsets, leaving only instructions to wake him when he is "needed". He chose Pluto since he wanted to welcome his child (Mikado) when he returns from his Journey. The First entered the most elaborate Cryopod facility that was located near Pluto and Lotus hid it using a Void key.

Mikado was victorious in battle but was himself wounded. He was struck with Cain's great sword and is now poisoned and is showing signs of infestation. Weakened by poison and not willing to risk infecting Lotus, he goes into another crypod, leaving only instructions to wake him when he is fully healed or when there is a cure found. If he is found to be fully infected, the other Primes accompanying him are instructed to kill him on the spot as he does not want to end up like his brother. He kisses Lotus, tells her to take of their children, and enters the cryopod. Inside the Tenno ship Ark, bound for the journey outside Outer Terminus, the cryopod is escorted by most of the Primes left and started their journey. The only Tenno Primes that stayed behind were the Royal Guards consisting of Excalibur Primes, the Defense Vanguards of Frost Primes and Lotus' own escorts the Mag Primes. The Nekros' were dispatched to deal with an apparent J-series Golem running rampant in the Meteor Belt.

The Empire, seeing the opportunity to seize the Origin system for itself, launches an attack comprised of a multitude of clones. After the Tenno Ark left, at the ceremony where some of the Empire Royal Family was attending, the Queen suddenly announced an attack, and the Empire troops suddenly revealed concealed weapons from within their prosthetic bodies. With the majority of the Tenno lost in the war, in cryopod stasis recuperating, or having departed with the Ark, Lotus was hard forced with a decision. She used the Void Key she had, the one to use for the First's Chamber, and entered the void by herself, indefinitely saving her and the remaining conscious Tenno in a timeless anomaly. The Empire troops are suddenly met with a flash of bright light and the remaining Tenno vanish. To make sure reinforcements never come, the Queen orders the destruction of Outer Terminus, trapping the journeying Tenno outside the Origin System. Seeing something shiny on the ground, Rasputin picks up Lotus' Void Key as a Prize.

After a second for Lotus, and a millennium for the Origin system, she materializes with her envoy on Terminus, Mercury, where the Void and the Solar Rails have shunted them after the blast from the destruction of Outer Terminus. Lotus regains herself, but soon realizes that a long time has unfortunately passed. She checks the Star Maps, and deduces that more than a millennium has passed. Lotus falls to the ground and weeps upon her realization. A small moment after, the leader of the Excalibur Prime Royal Guards approaches her and asks her what to do.

She replies, "We need Him."

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