Aki leaned against a bulkhead, his chest heaving. Sweat slicked his brow under the Warframe's helmet, though it was impossible to tell if it was from exertion or fear. The remains of the Void Warden shimmered like dying embers before fading completely, leaving the corridor eerily silent.
The Operator's voice returned, calm yet urgent. "Tenno, you survived, but you are far from ready. The Origin System will not wait for you to catch up."
"I barely made it through that fight," Aki muttered, staring at his trembling hands. He felt invincible when he first entered the Excalibur, but the truth hit him hard now—he had no idea how to control its power, let alone survive this world.
"Survival is the first lesson. You have no choice but to learn quickly."
The silence was shattered by another alarm, this one deeper, more ominous. A red light bathed the corridor as a mechanical voice rang out:
"Boarding pods inbound. Grineer reinforcements detected."
"What? More of them?" Aki's voice cracked. His shields were still low, and he had barely any ammunition left for his rifle.
"Your Warframe's systems are functional, but they are only as strong as the Tenno controlling them. Adapt, or die."
Great, he thought bitterly. No pressure.
The ship groaned as Grineer boarding pods slammed into its hull. Aki staggered as the shockwave rippled through the corridor, sending sparks flying from overhead wires. He tightened his grip on his Skana sword, the only weapon he felt remotely comfortable using.
The first wave of Grineer soldiers emerged through a breach, their grotesque, clone-like faces illuminated by the glow of their weapons. Aki rushed forward, adrenaline propelling him. He swung the Skana with all his might, cutting down the first soldier in a clumsy but effective strike.
But there were more-too many. Blaster fire rained down on him, draining his shields faster than he could react. A stray shot grazed his shoulder, and though the Warframe absorbed most of the damage, he felt a sharp jolt of pain.
"Your shields are critical," the Operator warned.
"I noticed!" he shouted, diving behind a crate for cover. His breath came in ragged gasps as he tried to assess the situation. He needed a plan. He couldn't just charge in swinging blindly, not against this many enemies.
His gaze fell on a console embedded in the wall, its interface sparking but functional. An idea struck him.
"Can I use the ship's systems to my advantage?"
"Good instincts," the Operator replied. "That console controls environmental hazards. Use it wisely."
Aki bolted for the console, ignoring the blaster fire peppering the walls around him. He slammed his hand onto the screen, and a menu of options flickered into view. One caught his eye: Vacuum Release.
"Perfect," he muttered.
With a shaky hand, he activated the command. A loud hiss filled the corridor as emergency doors slammed shut behind him, trapping the Grineer in a sealed section. The next moment, a deafening rush of air signaled the partial depressurization of the area. The Grineer soldiers clawed at the walls, their guttural screams echoing in Akio's ears before they were pulled into the void of space.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Aki slumped against the console, his hands shaking uncontrollably. "I... I did it."
"Barely," the Operator said, her tone as cold as ever. "You cannot rely on the environment to save you every time. Your enemies will adapt, and so must you."
He wanted to argue, to yell at her for how little help she had been. But deep down, he knew she was right.
The reprieve was short-lived. The console crackled again, displaying a new message: Power Core Depletion Imminent.
"What now?" Aki groaned.
"The ship is critically damaged," the Operator explained. "Without the power core, it will collapse into the Void. You must extract immediately."
"Extract to where? I don't even know where I am!"
"There is an Archwing launcher in the hangar. If you reach it, you can escape."
"And if I don't?"
"Then you die here."
Akio swallowed hard and pushed himself to his feet. His shields were still dangerously low, and his ammo reserves were nonexistent. But he had no choice.
The journey to the hangar was a nightmare. Every step of the way, more Grineer soldiers appeared, forcing him to fight tooth and nail. He resorted to hit-and-run tactics, using Excalibur's agility to stay one step ahead of his enemies. But the cost was high—each encounter left him more battered, more exhausted.
By the time he reached the hangar, his shields were gone entirely, and his Warframe's systems were beginning to falter.
The Archwing launcher stood at the far end of the massive chamber, but between him and it was a hulking figure clad in heavy Grineer armor. A Manic Bombard, its shoulder-mounted rocket launcher gleaming ominously in the dim light.
"You've got to be kidding me," Aki whispered.
The Manic Bombard roared, launching a barrage of explosives that detonated all around him. Aki dove to the side, the shockwaves knocking him off balance. He scrambled for cover, his mind racing. He had no shields, no ammo, and no plan.
"Think, think!" he muttered, scanning the room. His eyes landed on a stack of volatile fuel cells near the Bombard. A desperate plan formed.
He darted out from cover, drawing the Bombard's attention. The massive Grineer aimed its launcher at him, but Aki was faster. He sprinted toward the fuel cells, hoping the enemy would take the bait.
Sure enough, the Bombard fired. Aki slid under the blast at the last second, the rocket slamming into the fuel cells instead. The explosion was deafening, a shockwave of fire and shrapnel that engulfed the Bombard entirely.
When the smoke cleared, the Manic Bombard lay motionless, its armor scorched and cracked.
Akio didn't wait to celebrate. He staggered to the Archwing launcher and activated it, the sleek flight unit attaching itself to his Warframe.
"Launching in 3... 2... 1..."
The hangar doors opened, and Aki was propelled into the endless expanse of space.
As the ruined ship shrank behind him, Aki finally allowed himself a moment to breathe.
"You survived," the Operator said, her voice softer now. "That is what matters."
"For now," Aki replied, his voice hollow. "But how long can I keep this up?"
"That depends," the Operator said. "Are you ready to embrace what it truly means to be Tenno?"
Akio stared into the void, determination flickering in his eyes. He didn't know the answer yet. But he intended to find out.