Maroo: Orokin Blood

Vey Hek's Compound: Part 2

It was like Vey Hek got off over security.

Every fifty meters—one hundred if they were lucky—was some sort of check, patrol, or trap for the unaware. The base was already massive, but grew into a sprawling labyrinth underground. Most rooms and halls were dark, metallic, and quiet, making every unwanted sound resonate much farther, something that gave even more pressure to the extra patrols. At the very least, the security cameras were easy to avoid. They were wired in blocs, and with as much complexity as one would expect from the Grineer.

Maroo defused her sixth magnetic barrier covering the door, hearing Mor's mechanical fingers behind her unfurl.

"Mor," Maroo said. "You were doing great. Don't touch anything now."

"I'm trying to help," she whispered.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I got this part fine."

So far, she hadn't let anyone move without her permission, and opted to do everything herself. Xarra tried to go rogue, and Mor... was Mor. Each step felt like a fight in itself, trying to make sure no one was spotted or activated some device that they hadn't noticed.

"Okay," Maroo said. "We're clear. On me."

She stood, unholstering her suppressed Lex and treading through the now-safe opening. Xarra and Mor followed, leading to an identical hall as before. Their map-data indicated they were on the right path, but without it, any normal person would get lost in the repetitiveness.

"Maroo," Xarra said. "It wouldn't—"

"Enough, tin suit," she rolled her eyes.

"Listen to me, this could help you too," Xarra muttered. "Lotus is wary of you, some of the Syndicates have a bounty on your head."

"I don't need advice. You can shut it."

"Just one extra vial, for the Lotus—"

"Don't you think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself?" Maroo stopped, turning. "Maybe start worrying about what we do with the stuff after we get it? Or do you want to find a room, maybe discuss it there while we wait patiently to be sent to a prison camp?"

She listened. Not for the inevitable whine from Xarra. But for any patrols.

"We should be thinking about this now." He said.

"No. No 'we' shouldn't. Stay focused. Or did you forget that we can't make any mistakes?"

He scoffed, nodding over his shoulder.

"Mor!" Maroo growled. "Stop!"

The Cephalon was elbow-deep in the wall, grabbing a handful of wires. The bile-yellow panel rested to the side. "I wasn't loud!"

"That's not the problem," Maroo rubbed her temple. "We're moving."

She almost made it to the next door, before the itch at the back of her mind became too much. She was forgetting something. Turning, Maroo realized what it was. "Mor. Put the panel back."

The Cephalon started, looking back at the mess she made. "Why?"

Xarra chuckled.

"Just do it." Maroo said. Ten thousand Plat, she told herself. Ten thousand Plat...

Their path left only two hundred meters to Hek's data-vault. She was noticing a pattern: it was usually an area guarded by some trap, then an area patrolled, repeated. What if things get switched? Or it gets tighter? She thought, before shaking her head. No. We'll cross that bridge as soon as we're off this burning one.