//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: Tenno 
// Story: Frames of War 
// by Starscribe 
//------------------------------//

Catlin ascended the steps through a castle she could scarcely even believe. There was tremendous beauty here, a whole tradition of architecture that seemed at once familiar and also entirely disconnected from anything she knew. This was not an Orokin structure—though there was a little gold to speak of, they seemed to favor glass and crystal more. But she saw no cephalons trapped in glass in this place, only ponies huddled desperately. This spectacular monument had been turned into a refugee shelter in the span of a few hours.

How far up does that artificial ceiling go? she thought, occasionally glancing up at the sky. Through pink-tinted windows, she could see stars. The illusion's resolution went up high enough that she could see no signs of projection imperfections from afar.

Unless we're really on the surface of a planet right now. Only Earth would be this habitable, where mostly augmented life could live on the surface without any life support. But how could the Grineer resist the urge of pillaging all this biomass and recycling these beautiful animals into a gene vat?

"The rest of you, stay back," said a guard, as they reached a huge set of double doors. There were no more refugees this way either, just the open doorway and several armed guards. "The princess will see Deep Silver, and the..." Their eyes settled on Catlin's face for a moment, then they looked away. "The new pony."

More polite than some. Didn't call me a tin suit or a cursed golem. 

"You will cooperate," Silver asked her. "If I take you inside?"

She tried to answer over radio, and of course nothing happened. But before she could say anything, the guard beside her spoke up. "It does not matter, Deep Silver. Luna did not request. You will enter."

If this is the queens all over again, I am so screwed. This time, she understood her void-powers perfectly well, yet she couldn't use them. She might never have them again.

What will I do if I'm trapped in one warframe for the rest of my life? I'll lose it, same as Rell.

The door opened, and she followed Deep Silver through the crack. The other members of the expedition remained just outside, with Alidade watching and Dust Brush slumping against the wall. None were injured anymore, thanks to the frame's abilities. But even a total physical restoration could do very little for despair.

Through the doors was the most spectacular room yet—vast stained-glass windows, each one depicting a different scene. She lingered to appreciate the nearest, until one of the guards grunted at her, and she was forced to hurry to catch up.

Another time, then.

The front of the room held a massive throne with multiple seats, something even grander than the Queens had used in the Kuva fortress. There was no fountain of the foul red stuff here, only pure water.

Also, the “princess” wasn't sitting on it. Several tables had been brought in front of it, hastily pushed together and covered with maps. Various ponies gathered around it, most of them older and wearing armor. 

The officers. They're planning the defense. 

Too little too late, unfortunately. She eyed every weapon in the room—some looked to be masterfully crafted, the kind of blades that even the Dax could've been proud of. Unfortunately, that was all she could see. Blades wouldn't end the infestation now. They needed something stronger.

"I have them, Princess. The archeologist, and the, uh... whatever this is. Is it a pony, Deep Silver? How do I introduce it?"

"I do not know," Silver said, without a hint of malice. "I have not seen them bleed. They may be a machine, or they may be a pony in armor. I cannot say."

That makes two of us, she thought, bitterly. 

"We saw your stand upon the bridge," said a voice, from near the back of the assembled generals. "This can be no machine, Deep Silver. No machine can fight like that, risking its own existence in the service of strangers."

There was a faint flash of light—a teleport, albeit slightly more elegant than her own void-dash. Suddenly a pony stood before her, a pony unlike any she had yet seen. Silver dropped to his knees without another word, lowering his head to the tile. Their escort stopped in place to salute.

Catlin remained still, though it took some effort to resist the urge to bow. Her armor wanted desperately to get on the ground with the others.

I am Tenno. I will die before I submit to another god. This time, Catlin's will triumphed. Her warframe touched briefly against the well of her resolve, then retreated like a burned insect. Clearly it had never sensed a will like hers.

Yet she could have no doubt in her mind that a god was what she saw. This pony towered over all the others, with a frame that seemed perfect by comparison. Lithe, yet muscular. And her mane wasn't even hair, but ethereal void-strands stained with darkness, blown in an unseen wind. She needed no equipment to sense the power of the void channeled into the physical world through this creature. Her eyes glowed, and for the first time she felt as though something was seeing her.

"You may rise," she said. "Guards, return to the wall. My sister's strength wanes even now. If the shield is breached, we will need every hoof."

They saluted again, then made their departure, expressions grim. They knew what fate waited for them if that shield was breached.

Your sister? Is a living thing making that shield?

"I will want to know everything in time," the princess said. "I suspect you may have information that no other pony has gathered, Deep Silver. This came up from below, during your expedition. For now, tell me only if you believe it was related."

"Yes." Silver did not rise with the others. He kept his head on the floor, so low it muffled his voice. "I do not know what this is, or what we did. But somehow, we let it loose. My expedition is... gone. Only three survivors, and all thanks to the... pony. Without them, there would be no survivors. I deserve responsibility. You should put me on the wall, at the front."

The mighty pony advanced on him, her hooves somehow heavy even though her body seemed lean. She bent down, and lifted Silver's chin, forcing him to look up. "Deep Silver, you are ordered never to make such a request again. No creature could have foreseen this—I hold you no more responsible than I would if you had been in the epicenter of an earthquake. It was Equestria's choice to probe the past. We will not waste time with petty blame. Now rise, and stand straight. Your wisdom may be necessary."

He stood, though the latter order was clearly impossible for him. There were real tears on his face—though terror or relief, she couldn't say. These aliens were adorable, but she still had some trouble reading them.

Finally, the big one turned on her. "As for you. You accomplished something incredible—you thinned their numbers, and brought survivors across the bridge. Yet I cannot help but notice something more disturbing."

She took a single step towards Catlin, pushing Silver aside. Her eyes narrowed, her shoulders tightening. Catlin felt the horror from her frame a split-second before she realized what was about to happen.

"You are of the same substance as the infestation outside. Your flesh is of their flesh. You hide it well, just as changelings once hid themselves inside this court." She advanced, step after painful step. Catlin found herself retreating—whether it was her will or the frame's, she couldn't say. She still had the guards' weapons, albeit the inferior ones from outside. Not a single round left in the Burston.

But even if she had them, would she really fire on this creature? It's not what you think, she tried to say, desperate. Maybe a creature so powerful would have its own implants? The helminth virus made me, but I'm not infested. This body is one of your subjects!

The advancing alien did not slow, or even react. Her wings opened to both sides, and her horn began to glow. "You think because this city is burning that we are beaten, infiltrator? Mark my words, you have not won. My sister spares the flame only for the sake of those who survive. When our subjects fall, we will burn this place so hot there will be no ashes."

Catlin shook her head vigorously. Then her back legs smacked into a decorative pillar. She whimpered silently, wanting to cower further and further away.

But the advancing princess didn't seem to care. If anything, her expression turned to a satisfied smile. She wanted this. She was enjoying it.

"There's nowhere for you to run. Go ahead, manifest whatever terrible powers you wish, see how it helps you. My sister would kill you quickly—I will flay your mind for every secret you conceal. If you know anything that could aid us in our defense, you will share it."

Catlin could retreat no further. In an instant, she realized the truth—either she would die here, or this alien would.

She snapped into motion, lifting the blade into the air before her—and her frame rebelled. Her horn fuzzed out, the weapon fell at her hooves. She dropped to the ground at the alien's feet, twitching and spasming. She tried each of her powers in turn, tried kicking the damn thing—but her senses were awash in the static of a frame that didn't want her.

"Yet you fight," the princess said. "You cannot even strike me. I hoped you would make this challenging. If you think I would show you mercy, you should take another look outside. My mind is well made-up."

She lifted into the air, her entire body jerked violently. The princess's horn glowed with void-light, just as Catlin's had done when she channeled her powers. But the strength here was on an entirely different level.

Luna yanked her limbs to their extremes, holding her frozen in the air, unable to move.

Silver retreated from the display, horrified. "Princess Luna, are you... They saved our lives. You're making a mistake."

"Silence," ordered a soldier. "You will not question the princess here."

Princess Luna ignored them both, stalking over to her. She smiled, and there was madness in those eyes. "What do you know, demon? Tell me everything."

Pain overwhelmed Catlin, pain like nothing she had ever felt before. Maybe while in the grip of the Grineer queens, she had been this close to death before. She screamed, but had no voice. She thrashed, but could not even twitch. Something was looking at her, a pair of pitiless eyes, trying to burn her away.

Something tore at her—an agonizing ripping at her, as she had felt her first day on Deimos. Something was attacking her directly, unraveling the threads of the void that encircled her heart.

That will pressed closer and closer to her, ripping at her memories just as the Grineer had done. But Catlin resisted. She would give them nothing, no matter the pain.

Then she went flying. She tumbled through the air, ejected through a space that was suddenly overflowing with the scent of wood-fire and antiseptic.

She caught herself in a roll, tumbling head-over-heels until she smacked into a far wall. She was still in agony, barely even able to form a coherent word. But she screamed anyway, and this time she heard it. "No more! You won't take me!"

Across the room, she watched the alien princess drop the weight of metal and infested flesh that was her frame. It fell in a heap, though still twitched slightly. But the sensation of another mind beside her was gone.

Catlin struggled to wobbly feet—just two of them now. She twitched once in the cold, as it touched against bare skin. She wore no armor, not even a flight suit. She didn't even have shoes. 

She dropped to one knee, the strength of adrenaline already leaving her. "I'm... alive?"

She collapsed into merciful unconsciousness.