Chapter 4: Preparations.

Author's note: Next chapter is the PRT interlude, and the sixth one is the return to earth.

The Abyss Stares Back

Chapter 4: Preparations.

Nathaniel

Europa.

I froze as a disturbing thought coiled into my mind. It didn’t help I was still confused with everything that had happened in such a short time.

While living in Brockton Bay made sure that strange happenings didn’t appear that strange; I was way out of my depth in here.

I needed to learn more. I needed to Focus.

My name was Nathaniel Vazquez. I was in my last six months of school, and I had been working to make a living since my mother had been involved in many problems. I knew that I was glossing over a lot of details, but the important part was that I remembered. I knew who I was, so that was good. I hadn’t forgotten who I was, but deep in my soul, I understood that I had been changed.

It was a little distressing to understand that fact, but I couldn’t do anything to change it, I was sure.

With that out of the way, I needed to focus on the present.

“Ordis,” I rasped, my throat suddenly dry. “Tell me everything that happened before I got here. No skipping details.”

Ordis hesitated, which was already unsettling. “Of course, Operator! But I must caution you that what I am about to recount may be... confusing.”

The way he said that made my skin prickle—not with fear, but with something else, something darker. There was anticipation in my chest, a thrill coiling in my gut like part of me already knew and wanted to hear it.

“Operator Hayes and I were pursuing Vay Hek’s movements across the Origin System. We tracked him from Deimos to the Void, but then... an anomalous Void storm formed, drawing the Orbiter toward its center. The Lotus sent an urgent warning to avoid the quadrant, but Operator Hayes... had no way to escape. That’s what we thought at the beginning, but I doubt its validity now that we are here. What the Orbiter suffered was not a normal void storm by any means.”

The name Vay Hek meant nothing. It should have meant nothing. But the moment I heard it, my teeth clenched, my vision sharpened, and something inside me twisted. A bitter taste flooded my mouth, a flicker of memory that didn’t belong to me. I didn’t understand what that being had done to me, but this and the previous memories made it clear that I was not the same as before.

Hate. Pure, unaltered rage.

As muted as anger could be this was deeper. It was an emotion I had no business feeling, yet did now, deeply, much like a scar I hadn’t acquired scratching the surface I had no memory of. Deep wounds that I didn't understand, at least, not fully.

I let out a chuckle, “I don’t have the slightest clue what the half of that means.” I smiled wryly, “So, who or what the hell is Lotus? What even is void, and what in the name of god is a void storm?”

“The Lotus is the central command of the Tenno, providing guidance and mission directives,” Ordis explained. But something about his tone shifted—softer now, almost... reverent. “She is our guide. Our mother.”

That word—mother—sent a jolt through me. Not longing. Not warmth. Something... territorial. It was completely different from the word's reaction on me before today. While I loved my mother with all my heart… I also resented her. The Lotus brought a pleasant feeling, even if there was some confusion in there too.

I swallowed the strange emotion down, keeping my expression neutral.

“As for the Void, it is a parallel dimension of immense energy and instability, used for travel but highly dangerous. Even after centuries of study, the brightest minds of the Orokin barely scratched the surface of its mysteries. The Orbiter’s archives can provide more information when operational.”

I barely heard him. My thoughts were elsewhere. Hayes.

I was so fucking confused with everything, and that frustrated me so damn much. Hayes… was still here in some way or form; I could feel the influence he had on me. The feelings, everything was so confusing.

“As for Void storms,” Ordis continued, oblivious to my growing unease, “they are catastrophic fluctuations of Void energy that can disrupt matter, space, and even time. They are unpredictable and almost impossible to withstand unshielded.”

“So... that’s how you appeared here,” I muttered, rolling my shoulders. “But that doesn’t tell me what happened, how I arrived here.”

“Correct, Operator! Since the circumstances were… unique. The storm tore the Orbiter apart, leaving Operator Hayes injured with something we had never seen before. Usually, a warframe cannot be harmed, they are biologically immortal, but that bright light that cut through the Orbiter left the Operator almost dead. He was already fading when we arrived at this moon, and then the Void appeared here.”

I stilled.

“The Void appeared here? Didn’t you just say that the Void was a place?”

Silence. For the first time, Ordis didn’t sound chirpy or confident.

“There are different sightings since centuries ago about a being that appeared since the Void was discovered. Albrecht Entrati was the first to record a meeting with this mysterious being,” His voice glitched, static crackling. “During said meeting, Albrecht mentioned that something appeared in front of him with his own face, but that it looked wrong; he grew afraid, so he ran. The being followed, and it was injured when the portal closed, losing three of his fingers. After the years, there have been multiple sightings of that said being, always too knowing and different; it has many names: the man in the wall, the great indifference, the lidless eye. In truth, we barely know anything about him, his wants, his plans, nothing.”

I swallowed, my throat tight, not from fear, which should be the appropriate reaction, but from something else.

Something hungry.

“So he appeared here; I suppose he is the reason for my presence in the orbiter and everything that happened, then?” I echoed under my breath. Yeah, I remember that thing calling me an anomaly. The memory resurfaced, unbidden. The Man in the Wall. His voice was like laughter made of glass shards. Enjoy the gift, kiddo.

“If Hayes was injured and, I suppose, died, where is his body?” I asked, my voice low. “Should I help you bury it? You sound... close to him.”

“I was, Operator,” Ordis admitted, his usual static cheerfulness dulled. “He was my partner for centuries. Losing him like this is one of the worst moments of my—ERROR—life. But before I was his friend, I was his Cephalon. And I will fulfill his request. As for his body... whatever The Man in the Wall did... it disappeared.”

I braced myself. “What request?”

“He wanted someone to carry on his legacy,” Ordis said, firmer now. “And while the man in the wall assured him there are no Tenno in this world, you are the first, just like Operator Hayes all those Centuries ago. It is your job now, Operator.”

Legacy.

The word didn’t just settle in my mind—it burned through me, molten fire down my veins. My breath hitched. My fingers flexed, itching for action.

I should have been horrified. Should have been mourning, questioning, and feeling something normal.

Instead, my lips curled.

Hayes had left more than just memories. He had left impressions, instincts, and a hunger that had settled into my bones, whispering that hesitation was weakness, that power was mine to seize, and that now I had the opportunity to create change in the world.

I was no cape… and honestly was missing a lot of information, but I knew I needed to do something quickly to return home. I had to take care of my mother before anything else.

“I need to go back to earth, Ordis, as soon as possible,” I grunted firmly, “Tell me what to do.”

“Sure, Operator,” Ordis chirped, lifting my mood, “I think we should have most of the materials needed for the repairs, but since most of the Orbiter was damaged, I will need your help assembling the first robots so that I can control them to complete the repairs. But to start, you need to choose your first warframe.”

I couldn’t help but get excited. Those short memories were amazing, and I couldn’t wait to do something similar as my predecesor. I wanted to live up to his name.

“How do I do that, Ordis?” I grinned.

“First, you need to go to the station, Operator." Ordis chirped, "There, you can check the inventory and choose one. After that, you need to walk down to the back of the Orbiter and complete the somatic link with it.” he continued, “It should be instinctual for you, Operator.”

“Got it,” I nodded, trying to contain any nervousness I should’ve shown.

Walking down the Orbiter, I marveled at the level of technology I could see everywhere. It was surprising, to say the least. Back home, this would be considered Tinkertech without a doubt. And now it was mine.

“Over here, operator,” Ordis's voice came through the wall. Then, much to my surprise, a compartment opened, and a tiny drone flew out of it. The “Eyes” lighted up, and Ordis laughed. “Oh, this is quite exciting, Operator. I remember when Operator Hayes found me after the old war.”

Approaching the console, I tapped following Ordis’s instructions, and the screen lit up in front of me. However, I couldn’t help but facepalm when I saw almost everything greyed out.

“What is the meaning of this, Ordis?” I deadpanned, “Why can't I choose almost anything?”

Ordis laughed brightly, “Oh, that’s how all operators start, I'm afraid. " His flight glitched, and the drone almost fell to the ground, only to regain its path before the impact.

I looked at the list once more. It was divided into sections, so it was easy to navigate.

The sections were Warframes, Primary Weapon, Secondary Weapon, Melee Weapon, Archwing, and Pets.

Choosing the warframe tab, my eyes opened wide, and I saw the sheer number of them. I didn’t know if they all had the same firepower as the few memories I saw, but if they had it, this was simply ridiculous.

There were 59 different options, and while only three pictures were colored, I couldn’t help but be curious about some of them.

I scrolled through the list, selecting one of the greyed-out Warframes that tickled my interest since it was the same as the first memory I saw from Hayes’s perspective. A brief description and an image of a sleek, armored figure appeared.

Revenant: A specter of vengeance, wreathed in Sentient energy. Revenant enthralls enemies, leeches their lives, and unleashes a deadly dance of destruction.

I frowned, my gaze drawn to the Warframe's design. There was something eerie about it—its glowing patterns, the almost ethereal (eldritch) armor—a walking curse, given form. I could see why it was locked. If the memories I glimpsed were anything to go by, I was not ready for something like that.

Even if I wanted it… I had to be careful with how I did things. Enthralling people would get the wrong kind of attention from the world, especially the PRT. Considering Canary’s trial was happening soon, I didn’t want to poke the hornet's nest.

Shaking my head, I picked another. For the same reason, it was the second memory. The armored warframe that disturbed time with a single stomp from its legs.

Rhino: Heavily armored and immensely strong, Rhino charges into battle, shrugging off attacks and devastating enemies with unstoppable force.

A tank. Straightforward and brutal. From the name alone, I could tell this thing was meant to bulldoze through anything in its path. Not a bad option, but it wasn't available.

I should ask Ordis soon how to unlock some of the greyed-out warframes. They sounded too valuable to ignore.

I tried one more.

Ivara: The huntress, unseen and deadly. Ivara manipulates the battlefield with stealth, trickery, and precise strikes.

Stealth-based? That might’ve been useful… but, again, greyed out.

The descriptions were written weirdly, like a store trying to interest its buyers with a half-baked explanation, but… it honestly worked.

Frustrated, I backed out and selected the only three available Warframes.

The first one:

Excalibur: The Swordmaster. A perfect blend of mobility and lethality, Excalibur wields an energy blade and strikes down foes with unmatched precision.

A melee-focused Warframe?

That sounded fun, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get up close and personal in every fight. At least not at the beginning. While I had many of Hayes’s instincts, they were just that. Knowing how to act didn’t mean I would be the same as him from the beginning.

Then, the next one.

Volt: A master of electricity. Volt discharges high-speed attacks and accelerates allies, turning the tide of battle with sheer speed and power.

Speed and electricity. Seemed like it would be helpful, but… I wanted to check all of them. The buff to its allies was a Trump effect, but I didn’t have a team and the idea of having one did not allure me. I always was a loner, and I could feel different feelings about the topic. If I ever looked for a team… they would need to be good enough to not slow me down.

Then I checked the last one.

Mag: A master of magnetism. Mag manipulates the battlefield by controlling metal, shielding allies, and crushing enemies with sheer force.

I stared at the description for a moment. Magnetism? That had potential. Pulling enemies in, tearing them apart, controlling the environment… Yeah, I could work with that. Most importantly, it was a sure way to stop bullets without cutting them with a sword, which I still thought was shocking.

"Ordis, I’ll go with Mag," I said decisively.

"An excellent choice, Operator! Mag is quite versatile!" Ordis chirped, his lights blinking in excitement, “The warframe mag has four abilities, the same as every warframe. The first one can pull your enemies toward you, and the second one, magnetize, can be used either defensively or offensively depending on the situation; it can ensnare an enemy inside a magnetic bubble and stop its movements while metallic shards attack said enemy, or it can stop most of the projectiles before imploding and sending them back to its enemies. The third one can Emit an energy pulse that depletes enemy shields and armor as it restores ally shields. Debris left over from the pulse becomes Polarized Shards. Nearby Polarize Shards orbit Mag and cut enemies. Quite a deadly combination.”

The more Ordis said, the bigger my grin got. I wanted some payback… and the merchants only had three capes on their rooster; the rest of the gang used guns, so Mag was the best option of the three. Considering their love for armored vehicles… I couldn’t wait for my return. But…

“What is the last ability, Ordis?” I asked with a thumping heart. The three he said were awesome, but all of them lacked the word that excited me the most: crushing.

Ordis twirled around me, his drone beeping in glee. “Oh, operator, I'm glad you asked,” he said, finishing his small acrobatic and stopping in front of my face. "Crush is its most potent ability… and it simply magnetizes the bones of nearby enemies, causing them to collapse.”

There it was… and holy fuck, I couldn’t wait.

As soon as I confirmed my selection, a mechanical hum filled the air. The floor before me shifted, panels retracting as a table rose from the ground. On top of it lay the Warframe, motionless in all it's glory, as if it had been waiting for me.

I stepped closer, eyes scanning its sleek armor and beautiful design. This was real. I was really going to be inside this thing.

Ordis’s voice interrupted my thoughts. "Operator, you must be exhausted. There is a personal chamber in the back of the Orbiter. Rest is essential for optimal performance!"

I hesitated. There was too much happening, and way to fast for my liking. But Ordis wasn’t wrong. I needed a moment to breathe.

I followed his indicated path, stepping into a dimly lit room with a weird capsule in the middle. The moment I sat down, I felt my exhaustion catch up. But the ship rumbled before I could let sleep take me, and a faint energy surged through the walls.

"The Somatic Link is prepared," Ordis announced. "Are you ready to experience your Warframe, Operator?"

I exhaled slowly. “Go for it, Ordis.”

As soon as I said the words, the capsule in the center of the room lit up. A low hum filled the air, accompanied by a soft mechanical whir as the structure unfolded.

"Please stay calm, Operator," Ordis instructed, his voice carrying an odd mixture of excitement and formality.

I hesitated, eyeing the room warily. It wasn’t exactly inviting—dark metal plating, a curved interior lined with strange neural connectors, and just enough space to fit a person inside. It felt more like a coffin than anything else.

Still, I had already committed to this.

Steeling myself, I stepped forward and positioned myself inside. As soon as my back met the cool surface, the machine reacted. The capsule hissed shut, sealing me in darkness.

Then, the real sensation hit.

A sharp jolt ran through my body, a pulse of energy that spread outward from my spine like a thousand invisible threads threading into my skin. My muscles tensed involuntarily, my mind swirling at the anomalous feeling.

And then, I was somewhere else.

For a split second, I felt like I was floating—disconnected, weightless. My vision blurred, and my body stretched and collapsed all at once.

Then, just as suddenly, it snapped into focus.

I was at a table.

The dim glow of the Orbiter surrounded me, but it felt different. My movements were fluid yet unfamiliar as if I were simply better than before. A quick glance down confirmed it.

Mag.

I was the Warframe.

My arms were covered in segmented armor, the sleek metallic surface pulsing faintly with energy. When I clenched my fists, I could feel the power thrumming beneath, waiting to be unleashed.

Holy shit. I felt like I could throw an 18-wheeler with ease.

"Somatic Link established!" Ordis chirped. "How does it feel, Operator?"

I flexed my fingers, testing the movements. It was… strange, like controlling a limb I had never used before. But the responsiveness was almost immediate, as if my body knew what to do.

"A little weird," I admitted. "But… I think I’m getting used to it."

Taking an experimental step forward, I was surprised by how effortlessly the Warframe moved. There was no resistance, no sluggishness—just pure efficiency.

Then, as if reacting to my curiosity, a sudden rush of understanding hit me.

Abilities.

I knew what I could do.

The knowledge of how to activate each ability flew in my mind, and I was sure that whenever I tried them, I would succeed without a doubt.

I inhaled sharply. The Warframe’s powers were now part of me.

"Whoa," I muttered.

"Exciting, isn’t it?" Ordis chimed in. "The Operator’s neural synchronization appears stable! I must say, you are adapting quite well!"

I rolled my shoulders, testing the weight of my new body. It felt… natural. Like I had always been meant to be here.

For the first time since waking up in this mess, a thought crossed my mind.

I could fight like this.

I could change things.

“Ordis,” I began softly, my voice coming carefully neutral. At least I could be sure no one would be able to recognize me when I spoke, “Since I am here, does that mean that my real body is resting?”

“Indeed, Operator,” Ordis chirped, “A warframe doesn’t get tired, so that means you can help me with the foundry.”

“Tell me what to do,” I grinned, “I wish to return as soon as possible.”

Ordis told me step by step how to use the foundry, and I followed his instructions to the letter. It was surprising to see the raw amount of materials the Orbiter had. I had no idea where they were kept, but it was absurd to see some materials numbered in the millions when only 20 were needed to create a robot. Hayes must have been a dragon with how much he hoarded.

“Thank you, Operator,” Ordis said after I finished setting everything, “The robots will be ready in 12 hours. If you want my opinion, you should hit the simulacrum to learn how to use your warframe to its maximum potential.”

“What's that?” I asked slowly, an eagerness that was not entirely mine filling my head.

“The simulacrum is a virtual reality that you can use to train, Operator,” Ordis replied. "You can set several enemies like the ones Operator Hayes scanned during the centuries, with different levels of strength and armament.”

Damn, that was awesome.

“Will I be hurt if I fail?”

“That depends on you, operator,” Ordis twirled around the room, a scanner coming from his “eyes” as he cataloged the damages. "You can set the simulacrum to its lowest levels and up them when you feel ready, as well as lower the feedback. You will feel hurt, but nothing will happen to your body.”

To be completely honest… he had already convinced me to try this beauty out, so with a grin, I nodded.

“Let's get going, then.”