Kalenath Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 (edited) Kal, i need to ask you something about the reverend mother: in one of your stories, "Wings" i believe, you mention her with a plastic head dress covering her face. I remmbered a few days ago about technopope Albino, a character of the "Jodoverse" whose head dress was very similar to hers, at least in my imagination. Did i find another of your inspiring sources? Nope, never seen that one. wait a second if elena is planning to go back in time to stop the attack and everyone believes she was directly responsible.... then if she made it then its possible that they detected her iff codes just before the bomb blew and if thats the case...... Time travel makes for LOTS of headaches and let's just leave it at that. Intelligence "So..." The Reverend Mother was... in a word, intrigued. This being, whoever and whatever she was, was smart and experienced. She also had a firm grasp of her emotions. There was nothing for her to grab hold of. Every time she had spoken to people, even over coms, the Reverend Mother had usually been able to at least sense them. Get some idea of what they were thinking and why. But this Elena was a blank slate. This was... almost unprecedented. There was only one other being that the Reverend Mother had never been able to touch the mind of. She had even touched Tenno minds, although she knew better than to try and manipulate those. It tended to hurt. They were not human, trying to bend non-humans to her will had... problems. As well their guide and guardian tended to take offense. She shook her head, she had been on the com with this 'Elena' for an hour. She was out of time. She had lots of work to do today. "This is fascinating." The old woman said with a small sigh. "But..." She trailed off and Elena made a noise of understanding. "You cannot trust me." Elena replied evenly. "I understand. But if I prove myself trustworthy? What then?" "If you do, we may be able to work together." The Reverend Mother said with a nod that was wasted on the other, that one couldn't see her. "But the Board will not see it that way. They will want more." "Which is why I am talking to you." Elena replied, just a little primly. "From what little I have seen, you want humanity to survive. So do I. If I prove my bona fides, will you at least consider my aid?" "Consider, yes." The Reverend Mother replied non-committal. "But I do like to know who and what I am working with." "I ... Can't say." Elena said softly. "It's complicated but know this: I do not mean you or yours harm. I do not mean anyone harm. I am hunted for past transgressions." The Reverend Mother jumped on that. "Hunted?" The old woman demanded. "By who?" "Everybody but you." Elena said sadly, then the com clicked off. Hunted? The Reverend Mother shook her head slowly. Why would someone... hunt...? She paused and went stock still. She keyed a search of her records and hissed in shock at what she found. The voice in the records that she had sought was the exact same. The Elena Greensky? Here? Now? Oh... dear... "Reverend Mother?" The voice of her aide came from the door and the Reverend Mother shook herself harshly. "You are awake?" Janet entered with a tray in hand as she always did at this hour. It was covered, as always. Janet is such a good soul. the old woman mused. Too good for this. But I have no one else I can trust for such a delicate operation. "Are you all right?" Janet asked as she did as instructed before kneeling in the proper place for morning prayers. "You look pale." "Yes." The Reverend Mother moved to join her. "We have a problem. You are needed in the field, Janet." Janet swallowed but nodded. "You have healed well. Your injuries, both physical and psychological, were slow to fade, but you are ready." "I don't feel ready." Janet said sadly. "But I serve. What is the mission?" "Rooting out the seeds of corruption." The Reverend Mother said harshly. "I was just contacted by a traitor. A thought long dead traitor. We cannot trust that one. You will find her and end her." Janet bowed her head. "You will not be the only one hunting. Be wary, my dear." "As you will it." Janet said, her face becoming remote. "I don't want to do this to you again so soon, dear Janet." The Reverend Mother reached out and took the younger woman's hands in her own. "You accomplished your mission. You did what was needed." She felt her eyes burn as Janet bowed her head. "Janet, look at me!" She commanded. "I..." The younger woman's eyes were glistening too. "I want to..." She shook herself harshly. "What I want is immaterial. I am still...broken, Reverend Mother. I am... less than I should be." "You were hurt, so badly." The old Corpus woman pulled the younger one close as Janet started to cry. "I... don't want to send you. But you are the only one left with the security clearances." Her voice turned harsh. "The Board has been... thorough in their 'cleansing'." "Yes." Janet said softly. "We will endure. It is what we do. Most of our agents survived the purges. But they had to go into deep cover to do so. We lost... some." "I think we may have missed one." Janet went still as the old woman gave her back a pat and released her. "The traitor contacted me using our most private codes." Janet hissed and the Reverend Mother nodded. "It said 'he'... His mind held the code, but the Grineer had hurt him. Badly." She mused. "How many male priests are unaccounted for?" "Unaccounted for?" Janet asked, concerned. "All of our male priests are accounted for. Alive or dead, we know where they are. Or were." She corrected herself. "Taken by Grineer?" She said, her face suddenly alight with curiosity. And more. "Janet." The Reverend Mother said sharply. "Be wary of your feelings. You have earned them. But Zacharias made his choice. He chose you to live." She slumped as Janet made a pained noise. "Some life." Janet said harshly. "A broken, hurting thing!" "Janet!" The Reverend Mother commanded and the younger woman froze. Janet bowed her head slowly and nodded. "He chose you. He was good. One of our best. But he is gone." The old woman said implacably. "Even if he did survive... The traitor said the mind she got the code from was destroyed." Janet made a sad noise again and the Reverend Mother patted her shoulder. "It hurts me too, dear." "What do you need?" Janet asked after a moment. Instead of answering, the Reverend Mother shook her head. "Reverend Mother?" She asked, perplexed. "I am about to place you in great danger, Janet. Far, far greater danger than you have been." Janet looked at her and the Reverend Mother sighed. "You have earned my trust, over and over. You are brave, loyal and pragmatic. You do what has to be done. Leaving Zacharias to the Grineer was needed. It was awful, but needed. So is this." Janet made a face but nodded. Her eyes went wide as the Reverend mother activated the anti-surveillance systems in the room. "Reverend Mother...?" The younger Clergywoman asked, concerned. She wasn't allowed in here when the anti-eavesdropping systems were live. She wasn't privy to a lot of secrets. Don't move and do not speak unless asked. The Reverend Mother said quietly directly into Janet's mind. She can and will kill you with a thought. No I will not. The voice was unknown to Janet but... Female. Old, kind. But... underneath the kindness lay anger. She is as you described. Something that Janet could not define took hold of her mind and she could not restrain a squeak of fear as something burrowed deep into her mind. It was gentle, but pervasive. In moments, every facet of her mind was laid bare. Oh, Janet... The sadness in the voice was so much. Too much. Janet felt her eyes start to burn and wetness start to fall. So hurt, so strong. So brave and loyal. So... betrayed. I know the feeling. Information was suddenly pouring into Janet's mind. Reams of it. Histories, files, plans... The truth... No! Janet begged. No! I... No, the Corpus didn't! I didn't... Her whole life? A lie? The traitor contacted me. The Reverend Mother said as she pulled Janet into another embrace as the younger woman started to cry harder. Oh Janet. It is rough, I know. But it is needed. Oh God is it needed... What have I done...? Janet begged. All I wanted to do was serve... You have. The female voice in her mind was gentle now. Soft and comforting as the Reverend Mother's embrace was. It is all right, Janet. You didn't know any better. Now you do. You... I... Janet shook herself harshly. Lotus... I hated you... I am sorry... You didn't know any better. The Lotus repeated softly, a gentle mental caress soothing Janet's pain and fear. All you knew was what you were taught. What you were programmed for. That programming is gone now. You have a choice now, Janet. What choice? Janet said bitterly. If the Board get their way, humanity is doomed. Infestation, the Grineer, the Sentients... And all they see is profit. The bitterness in the last word could have cut steel. We can make you forget what you just learned. The Reverend Mother said quietly. I...want to do that. I love you Janet. After Lilly... you are the closest thing to a true daughter I have left. Janet went still. There was no way the older woman was faking the sheer pain she was feeling. No way at all. But it is not my choice. All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing. Janet said sharply. You taught me that. What do I do? She demanded of the Lotus. Ah, Janet... Pride warred with fear in the Reverend Mother's mental voice now. The exact same tone was in the Lotus' voice when she replied. You need to die and be reborn. The Lotus replied. You will not be able to go home again, Janet. Ever. But you will never be alone again. I do not forget those who serve me. Who fight beside me against the endless night. Reverend Mother? Janet pleaded. Your choice, girl. The ancient leader of the Corpus Clergy was crying too now. If you do go, your life will be in danger at all times. Even from us. The Board will call you 'traitor' and worse. If they catch you... No one but you and I will know the truth. And if you die out there? Only I will mourn you. Not true. The Lotus said fiercely. I mourn all who I have lost. Who have fallen in this terrible Dark Time. Her voice gentled. Janet? We need your choice. Now. Pieces are in place, but will not be for long. I know what I have to do. *** It came without warning. None of the Corpus crewmen had a clue what was happening before it did. The jail was highly secure, the Wardens who manned it were the pick of the elite Sniper Corps. Strong and capable, dedicated and sure, none of them would hesitate to end the lives of their prisoners if their charges looked to escape. None of them had a clue what was about to happen. Or a chance. She lay on the bunk in her cell. She didn't know what was happening or why. All that she knew was that she had to be ready. Nothing was clear in her mind now, just her name. Janet. She had been captured, she knew that. She knew her enemies would interrogate her and kill her soon. She had steeled herself for that. But the Corpus were an enemy, they just cloaked it better than the Grineer did. Most of the time. She jerked. What was that noise? It had sounded as if something had broken, but... muted. She had heard...sounds from nearby cells. Sounds she wished she could forget. But this... this wasn't from the cells. It was from... She went still as the door to her cell opened. But instead of a Corpus warden to drag her to pain and death, a very different form stood there. It was humanoid, that form. She inhaled sharply as she recognized it. A Trinity warframe! Tenno! The blue and white Tenno beckoned to her and she rose from the bunk, moving to the door with trained grace. Janet stilled as the Tenno held out something to her. She didn't know the pistol, but it looked lean and deadly. It felt... subtly wrong in her hand, but she held it professionally as she followed the Tenno out of the cell. Everything was silent, still. Too still. Something was wrong. A body lay nearby, one of the wardens. From the looks of it, he had never known what had killed him. The Trinity led the way. She could see other shadows flitting occasionally. There were other Tenno here. She felt... ambivalent about that. Why did she feel so detached? Everything was hazy, indistinct. She was... The pistol was up and barking before her mind caught up with the fact that a Corpus sniper had eased out of cover to aim at the Trinity. Whatever the pistol was, it was powerful. The recoil jarred her hand, but the sniper fell in a heap. Three smoking holes on his helmet showed he would never kill another being. She felt...detached as more Corpus appeared, calling on Profit to aid them in this battle. Their profits were not to be, however, as other dark and sinister shapes appeared nearby and a torrent of fire swept through the Corpus ranks. In moments, the hallway was clear again. But then the lights flickered. What the-...? Janet had a moment to gape at the light's odd behavior. Nothing could make the lighting systems on a Corpus starship fail except total power failure. They did not just flicker like that. She saw four Tenno around her now and all seemed... nervous? What could make Tenno nervous? The Trinity waved a command at her and she dove to the side. She wound up where the sniper had been, staring down at his Lanka rifle. It was familiar. So very familiar. She went still as another Tenno appeared in the hallway. Rising from a mist of black smoke to attack the others. What the-? Tenno fighting Tenno? What was this? She had never heard of anything like this. One of the nightmarish forms went down, clutching a half served arm and Janet moved without thought. She rolled, scooping up the Lanka. Some half buried fragment of memory surfaced and she keyed a series of commands into the weapon's control panel. It's status lights went from red for locked to green. She spun back to the fight to see the Trinity battling the red and black apparition. They seemed evenly matched. But the other Tenno were all hurt! Janet snarled and took aim. The rifle seemed to take eons to charge, but in moments, she had a full charge. She aimed center mass on the red and black monstrosity and fired. The attacker staggered, spinning to see Janet. But then something flashed from his hand. She had a bare moment to scream before the thrown blade hit her. *** "Come on..." A harsh female voice sounded in Janet's ear. What was wrong with her? She was blind! She couldn't see! "Don't you dare die on me after all of that." "Who- Wha-?" Janet managed to get out. "Easy." The female voice moderated a bit. "You were hit hard. Good shot by the way." "Tenno?" Janet begged. "So... cloudy..." "I know." The voice of what had to be a Tenno was rueful now. "They had to dose you heavy. You are one tough lady." She hissed and spoke louder. "You all are not cleared for this." "Who is she, Alicia?" A deep voice demanded. "She is not Red Veil. They can't shoot like that. Or override a gene lock so fast." "Her name is Janet, and she is a deep cover operative." The one called Alicia said quietly. "That is all I can tell you." "Alicia..." The voice snapped, only to pause as Alicia actually snarled at him. "Fine, don't take any chances." "I won't." Alicia said. Janet felt hands under her. They felt...subtly wrong. "Janet, don't say anything. Don't do anything. We are not clear yet. And none of these have the security authorization to hear what you have to say." She was suddenly being carried. "Thanks, by the way. My shields were failing, he had us." "Can't see." Janet said weakly as motion was felt. She was being carried. "Lost the pistol..." "I got it, Janet." Alicia promised her. "And you were hit hard. Once we get back to my ship, I will tend you properly. You are not going to die." "But... she said I have to..." Janet said weakly. "The woman you were is dead, Janet." Alicia said softly. "Or...she will be when this ship explodes." Something changed, a hiss of equalizing pressure. "Here we are. This is going to hurt, but I have to lay you down to get the blade out." Janet bit back a scream as pain erupted in her side and back. Then those hands were touching her near the pain and it ebbed. "There. Blade is out. Not a lot of damage." "Still can't see. Wait..." Janet swallowed hard. "I am a prisoner, aren't I?" She did not even bother trying to resist as things secured her wrists and ankles. "Yes." Alicia said quietly. "The Lotus said we could trust you, but we have been... badly hurt by deep cover operatives before." "So... what?" Janet asked. She went still as a rumble was felt through whatever she was lying on. "What was that?" "You just died." Alicia said softly. "Now I will take you somewhere where you can be vetted. To people who can aid your rebirth." "How can I trust you?" Janet said sadly. "So many lies. So many half truths, so much horror..." "I could say something pithy about you not having a choice." Alicia said with a snort. "But I won't. For now... rest. We will find out everything we need. But..." The touch on her cheek was gentle. "Welcome back in from the cold, Janet." Edited August 7, 2014 by Kalenath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spikey844 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Hurt by deep cover operations before? When was this? Was that with Mari? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalenath Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 (edited) Hurt by deep cover operations before? When was this? Was that with Mari? You REALLY expect ALICIA of all people to tell you that? She lives and BREATHES secrecy. And if she DOES? She will have to call Sun in to make sure you are not a security risk first. But yes, Mari. DO NOT think Alicia has forgotten OR forgiven. Edited August 7, 2014 by Kalenath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spikey844 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 You REALLY expect ALICIA of all people to tell you that? She lives and BREATHES secrecy. And if she DOES? She will have to call Sun in to make sure you are not a security risk first. Ahh, ok...*hides in a bunker* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow977 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Yay Stalker! Too bad he got his &#! kicked again though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalenath Posted August 9, 2014 Author Share Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) Anger "How is that?" The gentle female voice was concerned, and Janet fought to keep her innate sarcasm buried. She was still restrained and the thing obscuring her eyes hadn't been removed. Or so she thought. She wasn't totally sure. She had slept a bit. The one called Alicia understood. Understood completely. But unfortunately, the Tenno wasn't stupid either and wasn't taking any chances. Janet bit back on her first couple of responses and spoke slowly and carefully. "I am in no position to argue." The former Corpus agent said quietly. "I understand your concerns... Heck I share them." She would have shaken her head, but it was strapped down. "Can we just get on with this? I have a mission." She had to find the Elena Greensky. Soon. If the traitor ship managed to get hold of someone in the Corpus who wasn't clandestinely affiliated with the Lotus, things would get very bad, very quickly. "Janet." Alicia's voice was gently chiding. "You know better than that." A hand touched her restrained one and gave it a squeeze. It still felt...wrong, but the comfort was appreciated. "Everyone here has the highest security rating, Janet. All we are waiting for is... Ah, good." "Alicia." A deep and commanding voice spoke from nearby and Janet fought to keep from shivering. Another Tenno. It had to be. And this one was likely in charge. They had been waiting for the leader to return from wherever he had gone. "What is going on?" "Karl, I need some... odd things." Alicia said quietly. "And I need your silence. You and Brianna. This is... delicate." "Alicia..." A wealth of disapproval sounded in the other voice. "Don't involve us in your spy games." "This isn't a game!" Janet snapped as Alicia said the exact same thing. "Uh..." The bound human swallowed hard. "Sorry." She said, a little abject. "Alicia, is he cleared?" "Everyone who is here is, Janet." Alicia said softly. "Go ahead." The hand holding hers gave a squeeze and then released her. Janet took a deep breath and then spoke. "My name is Janet." The former Corpus said quietly. "I serve the Lotus. But until recently, I served the Corpus Clergy." Two inhalations of shock sounded and Janet continued. "I don't expect you to believe anything I say. Corroborate it however you must. But the Elena Greensky contacted the Clergy. It must be stopped from whatever it is doing. I..." She trailed off, suddenly afraid. "It's all right Janet." Alicia said gently. "It's all right." "No it is not!" Janet snapped. "I believed. I trusted. Everything I learned. Everything I thought I knew... all lies. I was born in a colony on Neptune. I was raised to serve the Corpus as a spy and assassin. It was what I did and I was good at it. But no one is invulnerable. Not even your kind." "No, we are not." Alicia agreed. "You fought Tenno, yes?" "Yes." Janet said sadly. "My mentor and I were on a mission. We didn't know what was happening, just that the Grineer were suddenly swarming everywhere. A team of Tenno had struck the facility, hunting Tyl Regor. We had been tasked to destroy his research and we did, but when we tried to egress, we ran into the Tenno team as they exfiltrated. The battle...was short." She felt her eyes burn. "I did as I was trained, I shot and I think I hit one of them. But then, the Tenno left. Both of us were hurt and the Grineer were coming. I didn't want to leave him behind. I didn't!" She said sadly. "He was a good man." "What happened, Janet?" Alicia prompted. "I had been hit, bad." Janet said softly, her voice full of remembered pain. "But Zacharias was worse. He couldn't move. He told me to leave. To get away. I didn't want to. I didn't want to leave him to the Grineer!" She screamed. "Easy, easy..." Alicia said gently. "Janet, it's okay... Easy..." The hand was holding hers again and she squeezed down. It was all she could do. "I have done so many horrible things, hurt so many people..." Janet said sadly. "Whatever you Tenno could do to me cannot compare to what I do to myself. The Reverend Mother was kind and gentle. She took me off field work. She helped me." She slumped in her bonds. "I don't know what else to say. She told me I would be alone, but it hurts. It really and truly hurts. I am alone again." "Are you?" Alicia asked quietly. "She could be controlling you right now for all we know. Trying to play our emotions." "I..." Janet swallowed hard and relaxed. Lotus what I do? What do I say? She begged in her mind. I don't blame them for not trusting me. But... I need to stop the Elena Greensky! Good girl. The Lotus said in approval as the hand holding hers gave another squeeze. Janet went still as the things holding her went click and released. This is not the end of your interrogations, Janet. But you just passed the most important test. "Yep." Alicia's hand was gentle as it pulled Janet up into a sitting position. Other hands were supporting her, helping her sit as she shuddered. "You didn't call on profit, or on the Reverend Mother." Janet didn't move as a hand came up and touched her face. Something fell away and she could see. "I..." Whatever else she was going to say was cut off as a small form jumped into her lap. "Holy..." "Oh, don't start that." The black furred kitten said sharply in a female voice. "You know what I am." The cat said, calming. "Feline Corps." Janet swallowed. Orokin Intelligence special operations soldiers who happened to be cats. Talking cats. "Like the one who helped Mitchell and NightNova escape with Anne. How... many...?" "Five." The tiny intelligence agent said as she curled up on Janet's lap. "Five?" Janet felt her world rock. "I... No..." She didn't move. "You can't trust me!" She recoiled a little. "And I am allergic!" "It is handled." The dry voice came from a human woman in a medical tunic. This had to be Brianna. She nodded to Janet. "There is a patch on your right arm." Janet looked and yes, a drug patch showed. "You are on a regime of antihistames. You are not the only one who has that problem." Janet stared at the doctor and then at the small black form in her lap. "I..." Janet shook her head. "This is nothing I was trained for." "I know." Alicia's voice pulled Janet's eyes away from the now purring form in her lap to where a pair of warframes stood. One was Alicia, the other a huge white bulk she didn't know. "This is Karl, clan leader." Janet bowed from the neck, unwilling to disturb the cat. "This feels... wrong. Off." Janet said weakly. "Am I drugged?" "Just the antihistames." Alicia repeated with a shrug. "But we need you. Your talents." She clarified when Janet looked at her oddly. "I am still broken." Janet said weakly. "What good would I do?" "You can go places we can't." Alicia said quietly. "Your skill set is hunting, yes?" "It was what I did, yes." Janet said with a gulp. "But you Tenno are better than I will ever be." "Most of us are soldiers, not hunters." Alicia said calmly. Karl nodded, not speaking. Janet found his silence to be very unnerving. "We need to find the Elena Greensky. We think it will access a powerful source of energy. One powerful enough to destroy the entire Solar system if let loose." Janet felt the blood leave her face and Alicia nodded. "We need a specialist. We have a specialized hunter out now, but we need more. People who know how to get into places quietly and get information without hurting people. You can." "I did... humint work... I have done it." Janet said weakly. "But you can't trust me!" She protested. "No offense, Janet." Alicia said softly. "I don't trust anyone." "So..." Janet calmed, a little. "A tracker? Some kind of implanted explosive?" She asked. "No." Alicia said with a sigh. "Those can be detected fairly easily. And if detected are an immediate giveaway. No, what we will do to you won't be detectable." "Do it." Janet said as she laid back, holding the cat carefully as the tiny furred form protested the moment. Her hands were caressing gently, petting and the cat started purring again. "What is your name?" She asked the cat. "I don't want to be rude." "I am Grisha." The cat said through her purrs. "And you will be okay." Janet smiled at the calm words, but then nodded to Alicia who looked at the medic. Brianna looked torn. "You are asking me to enslave her, Alicia." The medic said slowly. "I... I can't do that. Not again. Not after what I did to Kori and Will. What I would have done to you." Alicia sighed, but Janet was the one who spoke. "Doc, I can't be trusted right now. Until and unless my bona fides can be checked out completely, I am a security risk. A massive one. I do not know where I am and am glad of it." Brianna was staring at the supine agent now, her jaw dropping. "Will it hurt?" "No..." Brianna said slowly. "But..." "Doc?" Janet begged. "Please? I want to do my job. The job my former mistress and the Lotus chose me for. What will it do?" "It is a derivative of a toxin called curare." Brianna said softly, glancing to the side where a hypo lay on a table. "A muscle relaxant. It builds up over time. You will need a palliative every 24 hours until it is neutralized. Or every muscle in your body will relax. Including your heart." She said with a grimace. "So every day, I get another shot?" Janet asked. "I can work with that. At least it doesn't sound painful." She held out an arm to the doc who sighed and picked up the hypo. "Right now, the only people who are cleared to know who and what you were are in this room." Alicia said softly. "We will alter your appearance, change your looks a bit. We can alter your voice a bit too. But if the Corpus catch you..." Brianna stepped close and Janet looked down that the purring form on her stomach as the doc took her arm in a gentle grip. "They will do a DNA scan and it will come up red flagged." Janet said with a gulp as the hypo hissed. It didn't hurt and she didn't feel any different. "Then they will kill me slowly. So..." She smiled grimly. "I don't get caught. Rules of Engagement?" The white armored Tenno shook his head and left the room. "Tenno? Ah..." "Try to keep civilian casualties down and collateral damage down." Alicia said softly. "Other than that? None." "Alicia!" Janet snapped. "You can't be serious! None?" "There is one more thing we have to do, Janet." Alicia looked at Brianna who looked sick, but nodded and turned to a bank of machinery. "We have to do a full scan of all recruits. It is procedure because it works." "Procedure?" Janet said softly. "Wait... Recruits?" She asked, stunned. "Yes." Alicia said softly. "Stretch out so you can be restrained again." Janet did as instructed, her mind whirling. "Grisha, move." "She will need me." Grisha said quietly, but firmly. "Stubborn cat." Alicia said with such force that Janet barked a laugh that faded as her arms and legs were restrained again. She laid her head back and it too was held. "I should know better by now than to give you orders. You argue with every single one." "No, I don't." Grisha replied primly. "I am not Mitral." Then she sobered. "But she will need help." Janet swallowed hard as a bit of machinery lowered itself from the ceiling to hover over her head. "Don't resist, Janet." She warned. "I will try not to." Janet said weakly. "But... recruits?" She asked, confused. "Yeah." Alicia said sadly. "Welcome to Intelligence, Janet." Then golden energy played from the machine and all Janet could do was scream. *** "Bunch of bloody butchers..." The irate voice brought Janet back to consciousness. Nothing hurt and she wasn't nauseated. Memories of both came, but she felt... good and she was glad. "Back with us?" "Wh-?" Janet opened her eyes and froze. She was lying on a bed in a sumptuous apartment. It was far, far grander than anything she had ever had for her own use. Far larger for one thing, and the decor... Whites and golds predominated. Why did that send alarm bells ringing in her mind? She was lying on a huge bed. A table with two chairs and a desk with another chair were also in evidence. Reflexively,Janet jerked away from the human looking female who sat nearby. "Who are you?" "My name is Iriana." The woman replied. "I am a Healer. They brought you here after your surgeries. They wanted to see if I could repair...the previous damage." "You can't." Janet said flatly. "Too long." "Maybe not." Iriana replied easily. "But we are looking into options. You don't have to be sterile." "Healer..." Janet said slowly, aware of an odd robotic shape hovering nearby now. Had to be some kind of defense drone. "I was hit in the gut by an exploding round. The damage was done. I am alive, if not totally whole. I serve." "Janet..." Iriana looked sick. "I have done a series of scans. I wanted to tell you myself. It was repairable with Corpus tech." Janet went still and the Healer nodded. "How soon were you treated after your injury?" "About forty minutes." Janet said slowly. "But... they said..." "They lied." Iriana's face looked like it smiled a lot, but now? She looked scary. "Most of the damage I can see was done by ham handed Corpus docs. The removal of your reproductive organs was not needed." "That is not..." Janet paused, remembering. The first time she had seen the Reverend Mother. The ancient Clergywoman had stormed into the recovery ward. She had been furious. Angrier than Janet had seen her before losing Lilly. She had actually ordered two of the doctors disciplined and one executed."They neutered me?" She begged. "So it would seem." Iriana said sadly. "But as to why... I don't know." "Could have been a manipulation." Janet didn't want to think that, but the Reverend Mother was very capable of doing just such things. And far worse. "So... prognosis?" She asked. "All the surgeries that our people did have healed with no impairment." Iriana said quietly. "You will be released as soon as you feel able to walk. Should not be long." She paused. "If... If you want, I can look into possibilities. We have some very good reconstructive techniques now." "I have a mission, Healer." Janet said quietly. "But thank you." Iriana nodded and looked at the door. "You have other patients? I am okay." "No, you are not." Iriana retorted. "But you are coping very well. We will look into options." She rose and moved to the door, the odd hovering machine going with her. "And... Whatever you do? Good luck." Then she was gone. "Oh Healer... I am not to going to need luck." Janet said softly. Lotus? I am here, Janet. The voice of her new mistress was calm, but underneath lay something else. Something worrying. She didn't know. Not until it was too late. They did it without her authorization. And Corpus tech couldn't undo what they did. It took me three hours to calm her down when she found out. I wasn't going to ask. Janet said weakly. But thank you. She was kind to me. She didn't have to be. Gentleness can work as a control mechanism just the same as pain and fear, Janet. The Lotus said calmly. She is old and pragmatic. But she is also a woman and there are some things you just don't do around her. That is why she took you as her aide. To help you. To protect you. Well, now... I need to protect everything. Janet said with a sigh. No Rules of Engagement? She asked, concerned. If you need to do something, do it. The Lotus said quietly. I have to trust my operatives. I will contact you every day with a secure location that will have the palliative. We have lost all of our traces. But... one thing... The Reverend Mother thinks that while she was being spoken to, the Elena Greensky hacked the Clergy database. Oh that won't go over well at all. Janet said with a wince. Hell truly had no fury like the Clergy Matriarch sometimes. No it won't. The Lotus agreed. A Tenno will be leaving the facility you are in shortly. They will give you a lift to a human settlement near a solar power accumulator that our projections place as a high possibility of the Elena Greensky tampering with. Check it. And if I do find it? Her? Janet said quietly. I can kill humans or Grineer. Infested... maybe. Tenno, not so much. But a spacecraft? A sentient one? If you see her, or even suspect she is nearby, call. The Lotus said firmly then she was gone. Janet sighed and nodded. Then she focused on getting up and ready. As she was finishing her ablutions, the door hissed open and a black armored Tenno stood there, scrutinizing her. "Janet?" The Tenno asked quietly. "Ready." Janet said with a nod. "Blindfold?" "Would it do any good?" The Tenno asked snidely and Janet had to laugh. She knew where she was. An Orokin tower. "I will not betray the Lotus, Tenno." Janet's soft words were an oath. "I serve." "As do we all." The Banshee replied. "I am Two. You want a weapon?" Janet shook her head. "Why not?" "The only weapon that matters is in here." Janet tapped the side of her head. "And it is time I started using it again." Edited August 9, 2014 by Kalenath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vahlak Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 ...I'm not sure if Elena is really trying to go back in time or not, but i seriously doubt that her plan is as simple as they are making it seem. I foresee plot twists in my future. Oh my. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalenath Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) Covers Janet sat in the small eating place and listened while she ate. She was good at that. Much of what her work was -had been-, was gathering information. That was what spies did. Only in fiction did spies lead glamorous lives filled with excitement and adventure. Danger? Oh yes, that was present, but not glamour. The whole point was not to be noticeable. To blend in. Her clothes fit the place she was sitting in perfectly. The small eating establishment was not needed, not really. Even the lowest of incomes in the mining colony could afford to have a food preparation unit. But humans had not changed much since the first primitive proto-humans had come down from the trees so long ago. They were still herd animals. Social animals. They preferred to be in groups. Even if they did not like the group they were in, many humans would remain in the group, simply because it was there. Odd, but totally human. No one paid her a second glance, and she was glad. She wasn't totally pleased with the cover identity that the others had set up for her. She had set up a couple of others just to have them. It rarely was a bad thing to have options. She wasn't sure about this mission however. Something about it was...off. The few times she had dealt with the Lotus, the Lotus had sounded... subtly wrong. She wasn't sure, but she thought that she wasn't the only one who heard the undercurrents of anger in the AI's voice. No, call it what it was. It was hate. The Lotus hated the Elena Greensky. From what little Janet had heard about the traitor's crimes, she understood. Oh boy, did she. She had hunted a few traitors to the Corpus in her time, probably why she had been selected for this mission. She had checked the power accumulator station, but it was mostly automated. There were parts that she couldn't access due to vacuum or radiation. But her basic checks had shown no tampering. So, she had started nosing about. There were things here that had twinged her instincts. First, Mercury was still the closest planet to the star called Sol. Solar accumulators here provided power to much of the rest of the Solar system through dedicated power relays that had survived with little degradation through the millennia since the Collapse of Orokin. If the Elena Greensky did need a humongous source of power, this was a prime place to get a start on it. Maybe too blatant? Janet wasn't sure and she wanted to be sure. So she kept her nose down and did her job. Listened and watched. Second, there was a subtle...wrongness here. Janet couldn't identify it. She didn't have the same level of power and control that the Reverend Mother possessed but she did have a certain level of power and she had been learning how to hone what before had been 'gut instincts' and had apparently been innate abilities trying to make themselves known to her. Another reason the Reverend Mother had recruited her? Maybe. Right now, that wasn't important. She had a mission, so she listened and watched with more than just her physical eyes and ears. They were not perfect. Far from it. Even the Reverend Mother's abilities were not perfect, but they were a set of powerful tools for a spy. Third, there was an... odd group of people on the colony now. People who seemed to have come together for no reason that anyone could determine. They didn't shirk their responsibilities. Indeed, they worked hard and did more than their share. Good workers, good people from all accounts. But... Something about the group bothered her. She wasn't sure what. Their symbol was a Möbius band. A surface with only one side. A symbol of infinity. They were a new element, and their appearance coincided with the Elena Greenky's release from imprisonment. Maybe coincidence. Maybe not. Janet sighed as she ate. She had far too many questions and no answers. She did not react as a plate was set n the table beside her and a man sat down there. She was used to tight quarters. But when he leaned a little too close, she spoke quietly. "I am not your type." She said in a soft, but firm voice. "If you touch me, I will hurt you." "Tough girl..." The man smelled of cheap beer. What was it with humans and alcohol? Janet had never seen the appeal of poisoning herself. "I like tough girls." He leered at her with a smile that was missing several teeth. Odd that. Most colonists would have been able to get medical care. Janet looked at him. Was that a wink? It was! But... not suggestive! She paused and kicked herself mentally. She had missed her last check in. She needed the palliative. Soon. Indeed, the Lotus sounded in her head. You are busy, Janet. The voice of her guide was still that odd shade of angry, but not. He has your dose and can give it to you. He was in the area. Thanks. I may have a lead. Maybe. I think I know of a contact with an odd group here. Janet said slowly. The only contact point she had heard of was in the Medical Center. There is nothing overtly wrong about them, but they... Something is off. I need to get to Medical and have no reason. The man's hand came down and Janet shrugged it away, palming the tiny hypo that he had slipped to her. A quick flip and it injected her. Then it dissolved. So...? A bar fight? That... might work. She wasn't sure about this. You are going to lose. The Lotus said quietly. Start the fight and hit him as hard as you can. Then it is going to hurt. Right. Janet had done some off the wall things, but this... Anything for the mission. "Take you hand off me, you lousy clone brain!" She said with a snarl. "I said I am not your type!" Several people went still at her cold, dangerous tone. "All right..." The not-really-a-miner said with sigh. "Don't get hot, babe..." Then he was propelled away from her as her foot came up in a precise strike for the spot between his legs. He squealed and went down clutching his family jewels. "Don't call me 'Babe'!" Janet snapped as she rose. Several of the other miners had risen. They stood together. "One of you or all of you! I will kill anyone who tries to take me that way!" "Everybody calm down." The soft voice was hypnotic and despite everything, Janet found herself relaxing as a robed form stepped out of the crowd to scrutinize her. "You are very angry." "Yes." Janet hadn't intended to respond. Had she? What was? She screamed as white hot pain erupted in her back. She fell, aware of the miner she had kicked rising to his feet, a bloody knife in hand. "What? No!" The robed woman cried. "No!" She knelt beside Janet as a commotion erupted behind her. "Ma'am? Stay with me!" She held Janet carefully. "We need a medic here!" She called. Janet saw the one who had stabbed her run from the eatery, a group of other miners in hot pursuit. They wouldn't catch him, she knew. She hoped he hadn't blown his cover completely, but then pain eclipsed everything. The hands that held her were firm, but gentle. "I..." Janet tried to bat the woman's hands away, but she couldn't move. Everything was soft, calm and soft. She knew the feeling! She was being controlled, sedated! By the woman in the robes? She closed her mind up tight. "Easy." The woman said quietly as a pair of white garbed formed came running in. "I know you don't trust, but I think the blade hit your kidney." She nodded to the medics. "Puncture wound, lower back, left side. Deep." "We got it, Shepherd." One of the medics said calmly as he knelt beside Janet. "Ma'am? Can you hear me?" The other started pulling gear from her pack. "'Shepherd'?" Janet asked, confused. "I..." The robed woman released her and Janet felt faint. Dizzy. That was not good. She heard the medic who had spoken curse and then she was falling. But...not into darkness. Something warm and light held her as she fell. It... comforted her. *** Janet woke up suddenly and completely. She was lying on a cot in a small room. It... wasn't an ICU. It wasn't a hospital room at all. The colony had a top notch medical facility. The miners needed it fairly frequently. This... wasn't the medical facility. She glanced around through slitted eyes. The room was small, but comfortable. The only furniture was the cot she was lying on, but wall hangings and a woven rug were visible. The only door she could see had red on the access panels. Locked. She eased a hand underneath herself and felt bandages on her back. Actual cloth bandages. Not bioplastic or anything else high tech. What the hell? The medics here were better than that. Far better. Nothing hurt, but she felt very strange. Was she drugged? "Good morning." The voice of the woman who had been called Shepherd came from somewhere and Janet turned her head, seeking the speaker. She couldn't see it. "You are in no danger, Ma'am." "Have to get to work..." Janet said softly. "Where am I?" "What work?" The other asked calmly. "You were kicked off your crew for fighting." Janet went still. Of course they had done a background check. Hopefully only a cursory one. If they dug too deep... "No one will have you now. Not after three times being kicked." "I'll find work. Somehow. Doing...something... " Janet said sharply. She sat up and regretted it as her head swam. "What the hell?" She demanded. "What have you done to me?" "The blade hit your kidney." The woman said quietly. "You are going to be shaky for a bit. But... I convinced the Peacekeepers not to press charges." "He touched me! Stabbed me!" Janet put just the right mix of harsh and defensive in her voice. "I was to be locked up for that?" "No, you hit him first. He was retreating." Shepherd said, still with that maddening calm. "He knew better. The Peacekeepers here take a very dim view to people who cannot comprehend the word 'No'. Lynchings are bad for morale, which is pitiful enough as it is. You messed up. There was no need to escalate the situation." "I don't let people touch me." Janet snapped, sitting up despite her whirling head. "Where am I? This isn't the medical center!" "The med center has to file reports. Reports that regularly draw peacekeeper scrutiny. You were obviously trying to avoid their scrutiny, so I helped. Just a little." The other replied. "What is it you seek?" "I don't understand." Janet did not have to feign anger now. "What do you want from me?" "I want to help you." The one called Shepherd said calmly. "You need help. You feel... wrong." Janet stilled and the other continued. "I can feel your pain. Your fear. Your anger." "This is ridiculous!" Janet was on her feet now, pacing. "Let me out of here!" "I can't while you are in that state of mind." The other replied. "You will hurt yourself or others. Be calm. I can help you, if you let me." "Calm?" Janet snapped. "How the hell can I be calm locked up like an animal?" "Humans are animals, Ma'am." The other replied. "And right now, you are hurt and scared. There is no need, Jane." "You do not know me!" Janet nearly screamed. It was hard to stay in character. Everything felt... off. This... She stilled. This wasn't real! This was... "Let me out of here!" She screamed louder, running towards the door and pounding on it. "Let! Me..." As she pounded, she saw bits of code fraying around her hands. A virtual world! Damn... The voice was the Shepherd. Ah, Jane... I want to help... "Let me out!" Janet screamed. "Let me out!" You need help. Bad. She can help you as she helped me. I hope so anyway. Without sense of transition, Janet was lying on the floor of the eatery. No time seemed to have passed. The medics were still working. The robed woman was slumped nearby, watching Janet carefully. "Who are you?" Janet asked the robed woman, keeping her voice carefully neutral. "Don't move, Ma'am." The head medic commanded. "What is your name?" "Jane." Janet lied, careful to keep her mind closed. "Didn't mean to hit that guy... Don't like being touched... Too... Too many memories..." That wasn't a lie. Some of her missions had required her to do things that soured her mind to this day. "Well, we have regenned the damage." The medic said with a nod. "But you started a fight." Janet tensed. If the peacekeepers locked her up, started looking at her cover identity closer... "I.." Janet clamped her mouth shut, aware that everything she said was likely being recorded. "Locking her up won't help." The woman called 'Shepherd' said softly but clearly. "If she tenses any further, she will break if she touches something." The medics looked at her and the woman sighed. "I will take responsibility." "Ma'am..." The head medic sounded worried. "She needs some down time, Medic Jerry." Shepherd said with a sigh. "I will take care of her. It is what I do." "And if she hurts you, or worse?" The other medic spoke for the first time. His voice was deep, far deeper than Janet had expected. "She won't." Shepherd said calmly. "Will you, Jane?" Janet looked at her and shook her head. "I won't touch you. Can you stand?" Both medics started putting their gear away. Janet sat up and rose slowly. She was dizzy, but it faded. "Will you follow?" There was something... odd on those words. Not a compulsion. Janet knew that feeling. No, this was... different. More a deep, heartfelt request. "Nowhere else to go." Janet said weakly. The robed woman rose and started off, Janet following. To her amazement, Shepherd led her towards the Medical Center. "Wha...?" Janet asked, then clicked her mouth shut. "I live here." Shepherd said quietly. "I am the chaplain." Janet nodded slowly. Most human settlements had a spiritual guide of some kind. Religions had for the most part fallen away in the darkness that had enshrouded the Solar System. Well, except for cults, such as the Corpus. Other small groups had appeared, flourished for a time and vanished. Some had been good, some very bad. But there were very few large scale religions. The Corpus dominated because of what they were and how they operated. Shepherd led the way to a small door set on the side of the building. It opened at her touch. The room within was...comfortable. A couch, a pair of chairs. A small table in the middle of those. A small food preparation area. Two doors led away. "Lavatory is through there." Shepherd waved to one of the doors. "If you need it." Janet shook her head, bemused. " I will make us some tea. You drink tea?" "What is tea?" Janet asked carefully. She knew what it was of course, but she had to stay in character. Jane wouldn't have ever had it. Jane would be very nervous in here. So Janet forced herself to shiver a bit. "Tea is an infusion of herbs in hot water." Shepherd said with a nod. "Go on. Sit. Nothing is going to eat you in here, Jane." She chided gently as she started working the food making apparatus. "I don't know you." Janet said slowly. "This is all... odd." "Yes, it is." Shepherd replied easily. She brought two steaming cups and set them on the low table in front of the couch. Then she sat in one of the chairs, making sure one cup was within reach. "Come on, girl. Sit. It's okay. No one will hurt you here." Janet thought about things for a moment and then slowly sat in the other chair. Nothing happened and she relaxed a little. Just a little. "Your tea will get cold." Shepherd said calmly. "It is much better hot." Janet looked at the other and then, with a deep sigh, took careful hold of the cup and lifted it to her lips. The tea was bitter, but it tasted good. The warmth in it was soothing and calming. Janet was ready for drugs or poisons, but nothing happened. "You need the calm. Your mind is a riot of fear and anger." "Have cause." Janet said as she sipped cautiously. "Of course you do." Shepherd retorted evenly. In any other tone of voice, it might have been antagonistic. This was simple statement of fact. "You have no reason to trust me. Just as I have no reason to trust you. I was trying to help. I thought you were a miner with a lost temper. I was wrong." Janet froze. "What do you mean?" Janet asked, slowly lowering her cup and placing it back on the table. "I am a guide for these people, Jane." Shepherd said calmly. "That means I see all kinds. Angry, sad, happy... You name it, I have seen it." Her next words chilled Janet to the bone. "You think you are the first spy who has come through here?" Edited August 12, 2014 by Kalenath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spikey844 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Oh ho ho? This is going to get interesting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow977 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I probably should find myself a bomb shelter before next chapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evafan002 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I probably should find myself a bomb shelter before next chapter. as kal so rightly says no shelter is gonna save you heck I prefer to run to universes with a nuclear war going on it seems safer that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renleech Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Great lousy spy she is...discovered too early... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalenath Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 Great lousy spy she is...discovered too early... Wait for it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vahlak Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Great lousy spy she is...discovered too early... When you've just been stabbed and a mysterious robed woman named "Shepard" is poking around inside your head, secrets would be rather difficult to keep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renleech Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 That's why priests must be purged from mankind. Every single one of them has a talent for enflaming a guilty conscience and with all that morality talk they are really annoying too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temperance000 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Priests generally aren't too bad. Personally, I think it's religion that causes problems. But, let's not go there, shall we? Although, if you're interested, here's a quote to chew on. "Mankind will only be free when the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." - Denis Diderot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalenath Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 "Mankind will only be free when the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." - Denis Diderot Were there not lawyers in there somewhere? I thought there were... I have known good priests and bad ones. Like any group, you are going to have a mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temperance000 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I'm sure they make an appearance at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renleech Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 enough talk about priests and politicians. next chapter, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vahlak Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 enough talk about priests and politicians. next chapter, please? One does not simply get, the next chapter. Only after slaying hundreds of lambs, the kicking of many puppies, and offering the soul of a virgin, MAY cause Kalenath to CONSIDER appearing before you with the next chapter. If it doesn't work, you must do it all over again, of course. For Kalenath is a fickle god, even more so than the famous RNGesus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evafan002 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 One does not simply get, the next chapter. Only after slaying hundreds of lambs, the kicking of many puppies, and offering the soul of a virgin, MAY cause Kalenath to CONSIDER appearing before you with the next chapter. If it doesn't work, you must do it all over again, of course. For Kalenath is a fickle god, even more so than the famous RNGesus! SHH!!! rngesus will hear you and we will all suffer as heretics for our sacrifices to the dark god that is Kalenath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vahlak Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 SHH!!! rngesus will hear you and we will all suffer as heretics for our sacrifices to the dark god that is Kalenath RNGesus holds no sway over me anymore! I hath found a new, better god, who even answers my PM's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temperance000 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 RNGesus holds no sway over me anymore! I hath found a new, better god, who even answers my PM's! Ah, lucky you. All praise to the Dark God Kalenath! Come forth all ye heathen and receive his malediction! (Wouldn't it be funny if we actually started a cult here on the forums?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow977 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Now you people are just going crazy over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temperance000 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) Now you people are just going crazy over here. Did you really expect anything less? (Hint: You shouldn't) Edited August 13, 2014 by Temperance000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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