[Fanfiction] Innocents

[Vahlak]

if this was caused by a bureaucratic error then may the gods help the poor son of a $#*(@ because by the time i am done with him death will seem like the greatest reward in the history of mankind

It's been done. See Jenni.

[Kalenath]

 

Circumstances

 

Jesselle wasn't falling now. She was... She was lying on something soft, covered by something warm and soft. she could not move. She could not speak. She could not do anything. She was flailing around in her mind, trying to access-

 

Easy girl. The voice was not -quite- familiar. But it was. Was it one voice or many? I am here to help. We are here to help.

 

Who...? Jesselle managed to get the query out despite her mind whirling in so many ways. Wha-?

 

You are going to be all right, Jesselle. The voice was female. Young. She knew it. Jesselle knew she knew the voice. But...from where? I know I do not sound like I did. The voice reassured her. Mom had to go back to work. It is what she does. I am glad she did. She will help you.

 

Do I know you? Jesselle hated the whining tone that entered her mental voice, but she could not shake it.

 

Yes. The other said quietly. I am Mishka.

 

Jesselle went still. She had met a girl named Mishka who had appeared at the breeding colony and vanished just as swiftly as she had appeared. But she had been hurt.

 

I... Mishka? Jesselle said weakly. What happened? I was... it was supposed to put me on Venus at a supply depot. A hideaway. I... It didn't work... I... I can't move!

 

I know. Mishka's voice was so sad now. Mom will help. She is helping. I will help too. Hold tight to that thought, Jesselle. We will help. But we need you.

 

Need... me...? Jesselle was beyond confused now.

 

You do not remember. Mishka's voice was gentle as something was pulling Jesselle now. It was soft but insistent. Mom is going to wake you soon. She will not talk about it. You will have to wait to find out. But you did offer. Janet... Mishka gave a sob. Your mom is angry. But she will accept. You chose this.

 

I... offered? Jesselle said softly. I chose?

 

Yeah. Mishka's voice was fading. Or Jesselle was. Warmth was suffusing her now. In your position? I would do the same to see my mom again. I hope to see you again someday Jesselle. Good luck.

 

With what? But she was falling again.

 

***

 

"Good morning Jesselle." The voice was familiar. Jesselle opened her eyes and stared at the woman who sat beside the bed she was in. She hadn't ever met the woman, but she knew the voice. Healer Iriana smiled at the girl's befuddled expression. "I know you are confused. But you are safe. You are in a secure location. Can you contact the Clergy and tell them that?"

 

"Wait..." Jesselle managed to croak. "What?" She tried to look around, but the walls were bare. The room was nearly stark. Probably intentionally.

 

"Running away was dumb girl." Iriana said with a sigh. "That key was seriously messed up. You could have gone anywhere. Luckily you were found and brought here for treatment."

 

"I wasn't running away." Jesselle protested. "I was... evading contact." Her matter of fact tone brought a smile to the Healer's face.

 

"You managed." Iriana said dryly. Then she sobered. "And you very nearly killed yourself. Void energy on unprotected human flesh is bad, girl." She patted Jesselle's hand and the girl did not miss the telltale signs of restraints on her wrists. They were unobtrusive, but there. Jesselle was a prisoner. Iriana nodded. "Don't do anything dumb and you will be out of here tomorrow. This is a highly secure facility. You do not have any information we want or need. You are not -strictly- a prisoner. But you are not a guest either. Frankly, the restraints are to keep you in the bed long enough to heal." Her tone spoke volumes on that subject.

 

"I understand." Jesselle said weakly. "I won't make a fuss."

 

"Good." Iriana said with a smile. "You will be able to feed yourself, but you won't be very hungry for a while. The treatments took their toll. You will be a bit weaker than normal for a time. As for excreting..." She made a face. "Your body needs time to adjust. We repaired the damage, but for now? All you need to do is rest and recover." Jesselle nodded and Iriana's face turned grave. "And tell your Clergy friends where you are."

 

"I... Okay..." Jesselle sighed and opened her mind. As soon as she did, a spike of pure pain flashed through her and she could not control a  gasp.

 

"Jesselle?" Iriana was bending over her now. "What is wrong?"

 

"Hurts..." Jesselle managed to gasp out. "Inside... Hurts..." She pleaded. "Help?" She begged.

 

"Easy..." Iriana perused some scans and then nodded as she manipulated... something out of Jesselle's view. The pain ebbed. "There. Better?"

 

"Yes." Jesselle said weakly. "That really hurt. What... What happened?"

 

"I am not sure." Iriana's eyes met Jesselle's and the girl went still as the woman shook her head, just a little. She did know. But... she wouldn't say. But... why? What was going on? The Healer's eyes flicked to one side and Jesselle's eyes followed. A vent was low on one wall. It... seemed slightly ajar. The Healer smiled at her. "We will figure this out, Jesselle. But for now, you need rest."

 

"Yes, Healer." Jesselle said quietly. The Healer pulled out a hypo, and something hissed, but Jesselle felt no change. She was confused, but closed her eyes. She felt the Healer bend close.

 

"Good luck, Jesselle." Iriana said very quietly. "You will have to wait five minutes when I exit. Then go." She kissed Jesselle's forehead like the girl's mom had once. Then she rose and was gone in a flash. The room darkened after she left.

 

What the hell? Jesselle said to herself.

 

She stayed where she was. She started counting silently. At the five minute mark, she sat up. She expected an alarm or the restraints to activate, but neither of those happened. She checked herself quickly. She was wearing a standard shipsuit. Her basic augmentation was offline. She had no tools, no weapons. No nothing. But she did see an exit. Maybe too obvious? She darted to the vent and yes, it was open. Just inside a pouch lay. She stared at it and then picked it up.

 

Inside the pouch was a datapad, a secure com and a small multitool. The tool was open, an specific part extended. Jesselle stared at it and then at the vent. The tool was set to latch the vent cover in place. She shook her head and sealed the cover. She jerked as the com vibrated. She keyed it on and a male voice sounded from it.

 

"You have four minutes before the security realizes you are gone and locks down everything. Move. Follow the vents." The voice was not familiar, but Jesselle could hear the worry that underlay the commands.

 

She followed the vents, staying in the center of them to avoid traps that she could see. But none seemed to be live. That would not last. Then she came to a dead end. The room beyond looked like an airlock antechamber. She shook her head. Without a vac suit, she would...

 

She jerked as an alarm started blaring and she jumped forward as something slammed behind her. She spun and saw a latticework of metal that had slid down from the ceiling of the duct, blocking it. Beyond, she could see lights coming alive. The traps.

 

No going back... Jesselle said to herself weakly and started undogging the vent cover. It slid out of the way easily and she peered around, looking for cameras. But they were either well hidden or inside the airlock. She jerked as the airlock opened. Beyond it... a hatch beckoned.

 

"Move!" The male voice snapped. "They are tracking your restraints!"

 

She needed no further urging. She darted forward as red lights came on.

 

"Down!" The voice commanded and Jesselle hit the floor. She crawled forward as beams of some kind of energy played over her. She could feel the heat from some of them. "Airlock closing."

 

"Wait!" Jesselle said, suddenly afraid. "I don't have a..." She gave an eep as the beams started lowering towards the floor. She scuttled into the airlock and gave a sigh of relief as the inner hatch sealed. The beams were blocked. For the moment.

 

"Get in!" The voice snapped and she ran forward into... a tiny control room of some kind. It was... sized for her. She sat in the sole seat and it was perfect for her. A restraint harness curled around her and she could feel acceleration. "Hold onto your lunch, girl." The male voice declared.

 

"NightNova!" A loud male voice snapped from somewhere nearby. "What are you doing? That girl is a prisoner!"

 

NightNova? Jesselle swallowed. She knew that name. A sentient spacecraft.

 

"Classification Delta Six. Gold Level Four authorization." The male voice replied. "You are not cleared."

 

"If you leave with her, they will hunt you." The other warned. "Stand down, NightNova."

 

"Yeah they will." The voice of the ship said sourly. "But I have my orders. See you later." A click sounded and the voice turned wry. "Not... quite as clean as we had hoped, but workable. You okay, Jesselle?" It asked, friendlier.

 

"Night....Nova...?" Jesselle said weakly. "What... What is going on?"

 

"I don't know." The ship replied. "I was asked to pick you up, carry you somewhere and drop you off. You will find a change of clothes in a storage locker to your left." A thrum sounded and Jesselle felt the acceleration fade as the ship activated it's inertial dampeners. "Please wait until we are away. Then you can unstrap and change."

 

"This makes no sense." Jesselle said weakly. "You... You were... Why help me?"

 

"Because you are helping us." The ship replied. "We cannot do what has to be done. Too many rules and restrictions. I do not know exactly what you are to do, but I do know we cannot do it."

 

"That... makes no sense." Jesselle said weakly. "You are with the Tenno, no?"

 

"Sort of." NightNova said with a sour noise. "Sometimes. But for right now... a bin is to your right. Please drop the restraints in that."

 

"Drop them?" Jesselle stared as the bindings on her wrists and ankles fell off. "Oh..." She snorted in wry self deprecating amusement. "You would have the codes, wouldn't you?"

 

"Yes." NightNova was serious now. "Jesselle... I was told not to say this. But I have to. If you want to back out... Now is the time. I can get you to safety."

 

"There is a reason for this." Jesselle said softly as she deposited the restraints in the bin indicated. It snapped shut with a click and hum that indicated shielding.

 

"And I do not know what it is." NightNova said with a human sounding sigh. "But I do know you are going into harm's way and you are not a soldier. This... feels wrong."

 

"At least tell me why." Jesselle demanded.

 

"Check the pad." NightNova sounded sad now. "But if you are anything at all like people tell me your mom is... You won't back off."

 

Jesselle stared at the bulkhead and then at the pouch she still carried. She pulled the datapad out and activated it. She nearly dropped it when her own face stared out at her from it.

 

"You have a bunch of questions." The other her said calmly. "There is no time for the answers. Lives are at stake, but not ones that anyone can reach except for you. Inside the bin that NightNova likely doesn't want to open..." The ship made sour noise. "...are a prison smock and a set of Grineer restraints." Jesselle went still. They could not be...

 

"I know you are scared, Jesselle. I am. And I am you. You do not remember, but there is a good reason." The other her said softly. "The plan is sound, but not infallible. We have options in place if it goes south. The Clergy and Tenno will be tracking you. They will find you. I do not know if you -I- will be hurt, or worse. Grineer can be very unpredictable in such cases. They will not kill you, most likely after interrogating you. They will use you. It will not be fun. But there is no one else who can possibly find them in time."

 

"Find who?" Jesselle asked the recording. But it shut off and she was left staring at the datapad. She yelped as it smoked and she tossed it aside. "What the hell?"

 

"I don't know." NightNova said softly. "But you... You can choose otherwise." The ship was nearly begging.

 

"Who are you working for, NightNova?" Jesselle said softly. "Really?"

 

"For now? You." NightNova said quietly. "After? I don't know. My... partner is dying." Jesselle went still and NightNova sighed. "I was free to take an odd job. I was contacted and asked to ferry you via a intelligence drop. But I don't think this is Intelligence. Not their style."

 

"So... I infiltrate a Grineer prison?" Jesselle said softly as she opened the bin and yes, smock lay inside and several ugly looking binders and a collar.

 

"No." NightNova's reply was worried. "Coordinates are for a lab."

 

***

 

"Well?" Zacharias said heavily. "She wasn't there."

 

The Reverend Mother had returned to the colony in a foul mood. It was shared by most of the personnel. Jesselle was liked.

 

"Not at the reproduction facility." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "Nor at the hideaway she was supposed to go to. I have a tech team searching it, but I do not expect to find anything. From what little we found on our first sweep... Janet set it up, quite some time ago." Zacharias stiffened and then nodded. "But there was no sign Jesselle arrived. Someone had been there, a ship had been docked. But no transponders and no sensor coverage for that area. Janet was nothing if not thorough at planning for such."

 

"She wasn't the only one." Sister Kieko sounded so abject. The Reverend Mother opened her mouth to console the other woman, but Zacharias spoke first.

 

"Not your fault, Sister Kieko." The clergyman said firmly. "Jesselle is not stupid, no matter how she acts it occasionally. If she did... plan this... Then she did it completely. And she went where she planned. But why... That is the question."

 

"We could not track the portal." The Reverend Mother said with a deep sigh. "The built in sensor baffling of the Convent kept us from doing so."

 

"Intentionally." Zacharias sounded both aggrieved and proud. "She really did not want to be followed."

 

"That makes no sense!" Kieko said sternly. "If she didn't want to be followed, why would she tell us where she was... going..." She trailed off as the others stared at her. "Unless that wasn't where she was going."

 

"She is smart and flexible..." Zacharias said with a sigh. "But she is not trained. How the hell could she plan something like this without us knowing. Seeing something?" He paused. "Wait a second... if the missive arrived this morning...then she didn't have a lot of time to plan..."

 

"Something stinks here." The Reverend Mother agreed.

 

"More than you know." Harriet said from the doorway. "I was checking the missive, looking for traces. The system popped up other missives. Thirty three of them." At that, all of the other three in the room stared at her. "All girls between the age of fifteen and nineteen. I just corroborated. None made it to the reproduction centers they were supposed to go to. Six other missives were challenged by parents since the girls were younger than legal age. They notified us."

 

"Thirty three plus six plus Jesselle..." Zacharias said softly. "Forty girls. For what?"

 

"Nothing good. We are trying to track them." The female agent said quietly. "But there is more."

 

"There always is." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "What?" She demanded.

 

"This was hacked. Professionally." Harriet held up the missive that had started the whole escapade. "We scrutinized it down to the molecular level. We got no further information. But we can make some educated guesses."

 

"And those are?" The Reverend Mother asked as she leaned forward, staring at the tiny datapad.

 

"We did not do this." Harriet said firmly. "Neither did the Special Forces. But whoever did it used Clergy override codes to wipe it clean of traces." All of the others froze at that. "And... there is...one other bit..."

 

"I can tell already I am not going to like this." The Reverend Mother said with a snarl. "Go ahead."

 

"We think we know when it was hacked." Harriet said quietly. "Five hours ago. Just after it arrived." The others stared at her, confused. "And there is only DNA evidence for one person handling it before Jesselle fled."

 

"You are not saying Jesselle hacked that..." Zacharias said with a gulp. "She is good, but not that good."

 

"It is not difficult to do if you have the proper codes." Harriet said quietly. "We know Janet let Jesselle know where her hideouts were stored. If there were codes there as well..." She broke off as Zacharias winced.

 

"There would be." The clergyman said weakly. "I checked the ones I knew about, but I knew she had others."

 

"So Jesselle hacked it..." The Reverend Mother stared at the datapad, but her mind was moving at lightspeed. Others in the Clergy assisting her with research. "Yes... yes, she could have. But... why hack it... And..." She went still.

 

"Reverend Mother?" Zacharias asked softly, his face worried.

 

"I just checked the secured surveillance logs." The Reverend Mother said softly. "She read the pad. Then she lay down on her bed for four minutes. Then she got up and walked to a hidden compartment in your quarters, opened it. She pulled out a pouch and worked on the datapad. Then she lay back down." She shook her head. "She... didn't go anywhere else. This makes no sense. She didn't plan anything, she didn't take anything else. She went straight from her bed to the hideaway, then back to the bed. Then she lay there for eighteen minutes before going to the Convent. Why would she...?" She froze. "I can see her face. She was crying. But... she wasn't all there."

 

"She was talking to someone... Mentally."

 

[Temperance000]

And Jesselle suddenly goes from being an idiot to being complicit in yet another scheme.  Bravo, Kal.  She irritates me slightly less now.

Edited January 24, 2015 by Temperance000

[Kalenath]

And Jesselle suddenly goes from being an idiot to being complicit in yet another scheme.  Bravo, Kal.  She irritate me slightly less now.

 

Oh, she was STILL an idiot.

 

Using the key the way she did was STUPID in the extreme.

 

But it worked, so...

 

'If it is stupid and it works, it is not stupid.' -Murphy's Laws of Combat.

Edited January 24, 2015 by Kalenath

[Shadow977]

For the first time in a while i have no idea who could be behind all this.

[renleech]

After reading the last chapter, i'm starting to wonder if the right question is when instead of who. There's precedent.

Edited January 24, 2015 by renleech

[Kalenath]

 

Subjective

 

Jesselle was sure she was supposed to be acting terrified. That was not a problem. She was. But there were a few... other problems.

 

The first problem? As soon as  she closed the Grineer collar around her neck, something had started to hum and her mind... fuzzed. Not completely. Not totally. Just enough to make her slow and listless. The archaic looking chains that hung from the binders around her wrists and ankles hampered her movement, but her mind was hampered far worse.

 

The second problem? It wasn't a prison smock she was wearing. It was a patient gown. Oh, the two were very similar from what little Jesselle knew of prisons. The whole idea was to keep prisoners from having access to cloth to make things with. Or so she thought she remembered. It was hard to think with the Grineer thing humming.

 

The third problem? There were no shoes or boots included in the set and her bare feet were freezing in the cool air. She dreaded when she would actually have to walk on something besides heated deck plates. That too made sense. If she was a patient... or a lab rat... She wouldn't have too much on. It would mess up scans or whatever. Again, she wasn't totally sure. She couldn't be with her mind so fuzzed.

 

The worst problem? NightNova hadn't spoken to her again. After a time that she couldn't have begun to determine, the hatch had opened and she had shuffled to it. When the outer hatch had opened, she had shuffled forward, only to have her chains grabbed by a hulking female form. The Grineer woman was angry and she was taking it out on Jesselle.

 

"Move, base!" The barrel of the woman's long weapon came around again and Jesselle flinched, but could not dodge as it slammed into her side. It was not the first time. Jesselle could feel warm wetness on places of her body that stung. She was bleeding. "I said move!" The Grineer slapped Jesselle across the face with her free armored hand. Jesselle felt rather than heard something go 'snap' and pain flared, mixed with nausea. "Get moving, you stupid baseline!"

 

"Trying..." Jesselle managed to get out.

 

"Try harder, you brainless human." The Grineer woman snapped as she alternately pushed and shoved the stumbling human through what was obviously a Grineer ship. Three times, Jesselle fell and was yanked up again.  The approached a doorway guarded by two hulking Grineer Marines and the woman spoke sourly. "Got one more. Late. Typical bases. Can't even be on time for this." She showed the guards something and they stepped aside. "Move, base!" She commanded as the door ahead opened.

 

"Do you have to beat them to a pulp?" This was a male voice. Jesselle tried to look but her body was suddenly not obeying her. She collapsed in a heap and the voice sighed. "We get better results when they are healthy."

 

"Mind your tone, male." The female Grineer said with a snarl. "You are not the doctor."

 

"No." Hands were on Jesselle now. Strong hands lifting her up and carrying her. "But when he has to wait until the subjects heal before he can use them... he gets annoyed. It rolls downhill. You know that. He gets upset, your superiors get upset. Stop beating them." This was a command.

 

"I dislike your tone." The female Grineer said in a dangerous voice.

 

"I could not care less." The other retorted as Jesselle was laid on something solid. Suddenly, her wrists and ankles were pulled out straight and the restraints clicked to the table. Magnets. Had to be. "Might want to leave before the Reclaimer gets here. You angered her too." A growl preceded the sound of the hatch closing and the male sighed. "Idiot. Well... let's see what we have... Ah... Jesselle... Number twenty three. Human. Female... Sixteen years." He paused. "What the hell? What is this odd energy residue?"

 

"Void energy trauma." A female voice sounded from nearby and the male gasped. "Oh calm down, assistant medic KL908712-I. It's not like she is contagious."

 

"What causes that?" The assistant medic asked cautiously as something strapped Jesselle's head down. It hurt, but something else was in her mouth and she could not cry out.

 

"Well, duh?" The other snapped. "The Void? She took a portal and wound up in the Void somehow. Happens. Bases do not usually survive such, but it can happen." Unarmored hands were touching Jesselle now, careful, precise. Cold things was attached to her skull and she groaned as what were obviously tubes went other places. Intimate places. The woman snarled. It sounded... almost playful. "Oh shut up, base. I haven't even begun yet. Save your screams. I want them."

 

"Ready for insertion." The male said in a clinical tone. "Her augmentation is blocking probe two. Altering course." A pause and he spoke again. "Ready."

 

"Insert."

 

If not for the immobilization, Jesselle would have jerked as pain flared at the back of her skull and both sides. She cried out and felt her eyes start to burn. She bit down and worse pain flared in her jaw. She screamed.

 

"Good girl." The other female said in a tone that was halfway to lust. "Your screams are heavenly. If the doc leaves anything I might want it."

 

"Don't bet on it." The assistant medic replied in a dark tone. "You know how he is. All biomass to be used."

 

"A pity." That unarmored hand was tracing Jesselle's body now. It felt...wrong, that caress. "Let's see what we can... Wait..." The voice turned professional. "This... this is not possible."

 

"What?" The assistant medic asked, his voice tense.

 

"This girl has the brain markers of the Corpus Clergy." The Reclaimer said with an odd tone. "But... messed up. I do not detect any anti-interrogation protocols. But they are sneaky. Ooooo..." She moaned. "We better do it the hard way just to be sure."

 

"Do we have to?" The other asked with a sigh. "It makes such a mess."

 

"She is not going to care." The other said and then paused. "But the doc will." She sighed. "And I so wanted to take her fingers off one knuckle at a time. Ah well..." A fiery hot pain slammed through Jesselle's cheek as a finger poked it. "Broken cheek. Enough for the cortex scan?"

 

"Not... quite..." The medic replied. "Almost."

 

"Good." The Reclaimer said with glee as something took hold of the little finger of Jeselle's left hand and twisted it sharply. The girl screamed as pain erupted there as well. Then she could do was sob and pray.

 

And scream.

 

***

 

An eternity of pain later, Jesselle lay silent and spent on the table as the two interrogators talked.

 

"Typical." The female said sourly. "We got nothing from her on their security. Nothing on their systems. Nothing at all except living arrangements. Those blasted Clergy are sneaky." The hand was caressing Jesselle again. "Pity the doc wants all of them. This one is cute."

 

"If you want to cross the doc..." The male replied evenly. "Go right ahead. No one is stopping you."

 

"Nice try." The other said with a snort. "I have others to vet. Prep this one for her new life."

 

"Ah..." The male said as the sound of a door came. "I almost wish she could take you. Your life would be pain filled and short, but... less horrific. Even bases do not deserve what the doc will do to you, girl. But I have my orders."

 

Jesselle was too weak to move or fight as the restraints clicked off the table. She felt the tubes that had been put into her body shift a bit and then they were sticking to her flesh. She felt soft things placed over her eyes and then something sticky over those that adhered to her face. She screamed as her jaw was forced open and then gagged as something forced it's way past her teeth and down her throat. She felt... odd. Drugged? She barely noticed when her jaw was clamped shut around the tube and something sticky wrapped around it to keep it closed.

 

"Preliminaries done." The medic said with a sigh. "Last subject. For this load anyway. Administering twenty units of quick heal per doctor's orders." Something stung Jesselle's neck and she was instantly woozy. "Subject is to be transferred to the containment facility."

 

"Yes, sir." This had to be a male Grineer. Nothing else sounded quite so... big and dumb.

 

"And for the Queens' sakes, trooper, do not just drop her in the pod like the last one did. The subject came out with irreparable brain damage. The doctor was not pleased." The medic sounded slightly sick now. "You know what he did."

 

"Yes sir." The clone replied. Armored hands slid under Jesselle and she tried to move, tried to fight, tried to do anything as she was lifted into the air. But she couldn't. She was... so tired. So weak. All she could do was cry.

 

It's okay, Jesselle. The voice was familiar. Mishka! It is going to be okay. Sleep.

 

This... I... Jesselle could not stop crying. She was being carried now and then, she was set in something. The hands withdrew and she felt the hiss of pressure seals. What is happening?

 

Something long overdue. Mishka said sadly. You will need your strength, Jesselle. The other girls will need your strength. Rest now.

 

But...  Something seeped into Jesselle's mind as wetness surrounded her. Cold wetness that warmed quickly. It was... comforting. Soothing. She was relaxing despite everything. Sleep was coming.

 

Rest. We are with you, Iesselle.

 

It was not just Mishka's voice.

 

***

 

"Harriet?" The Reverend Mother said wearily as she entered the tiny lab that served the colony. "You said you had something?"

 

"Possibly." Sister Harriet said with a frown as she turned away from a set of scanners. "The datapad had an odd substance on it. A substance I could not identify. The pad was cleaned and disinfected, but a microscopic residue remained."

 

"Why would Jesselle have cleaned the datapad?" The Reverend Mother asked.

 

"To hide this." Harriet said with a shrug. "Probably anyway. Not sure why. But that is the most likely hypothesis." She pulled up a detailed scan and nodded to it. "This substance is not in any of our data files. But..." She frowned a little. In anyone else, that frown would have been a full face grimace. "It is similar to something we do know of."

 

"Oh?" The Reverend Mother asked carefully. "What?" Instead of answering, Harriet pulled up another file and the Reverend Mother's eyes went big. "I see..." The substance was one of the most highly classified materials the Clergy had access to. It was what enhanced the Reverend Mother's latent psychic abilities. Harriet nodded and banished the file. "But not...the same."

 

"No." Harriet said with a nod. "Jesselle was tested for psychic abilities. Twice. Once at birth and once when we knew who Oracle was." The Reverend Mother nodded silently and Harriet slumped a bit. "So it does not make a lot of sense to me. How can you enhance something that is not there?"

 

"It is there." The Reverend Mother said mildly. "Just in most humans..." -'and others' she carefully did not add- "... the abilities are latent. The gene for telepathy was bred into humanity by the Orokin, but it didn't work quite right." She shook her head slowly. "Jesselle had the potential. So... someone wanted to make contact in a way we could not detect readily. We were not monitoring her closely enough."

 

"We had no reason to." Harriet said quietly. "Frankly... if she had suddenly developed the talent, we would have seen it. It has happened a time or two in our history and the signs are clear. So..."

 

"So someone made contact." The Reverend Mother said slowly. "Someone who had the knowledge of who Jesselle was. Where she was and what she was doing."

 

"Reverend Mother..." Harriet said slowly. "Could Oracle have done this?"

 

"I don't see that." The Reverend Mother said with a frown. "Could she have? Certainly. Would she have? This is her daughter we are talking about." She shook her head. "Even a quick perusal of the pertinent records shows how much Janet cared for her family. Cares for her family." She shook her head again. "And then what Juliet V-54 told us. Janet hurt herself trying to move when Jesselle fled."

 

"These pieces do not add up to anything I can understand, Reverend Mother." Harriet said with a shrug. "Obviously someone helped Jesselle in planning where to go and how. The moves were too well prepared for otherwise. She was ready for Kieko. She was ready with the key." She paused and frowned again. "Sensors should have detected the key at the very least."

 

"I think it was deactivated." The Reverend Mother said with a matching frown. "But if so, then Jesselle would not have had the know how to reactivate it."

 

"I didn't think those keys could be deactivated." Harriet sounded a bit perplexed.

 

"They can but it takes..." The Reverend Mother broke off, her eyes going wide. "Wait... show me that sample again." Harriet looked at her and then brought the file up again. The Reverend Mother stared at it and then hissed. "I need to make some calls."

 

"Do you know what this is?" Harriet said as the Reverend Mother turned to go.

 

"No." The Reverend Mother said with a snarl as she stalked from the room. "But I do have a suspicion of where it came from."

 

***

 

You two timing, backbiting, lousy good for nothing $#*(@!

 

The rest of the Clergy froze at what they were doing as the Reverend Mother' s rage flew across it's link. Her ire was not directed at them however.

 

It is not what you think. The rejoinder was calm. The female voice was soft and gentle. She volunteered.

 

She is sixteen, Lotus! The Reverend Mother snapped. I trusted you. We trusted you! And this is how you repay us? We offer our services and you use our children? Our future? You lying $#*(@!

 

Calm down. The rejoinder was quiet. There is a reason. But I cannot say what it is.

 

Of course not. The Reverend Mother snapped. That girl is my responsibility. Where is she?

 

I do not know.  The calm reply had the Reverend Mother pause in mid rant. Until she awakes, we cannot locate her.

 

What do you mean 'Until she wakes'? The Reverend Mother demanded as horror flew through the Clergy. What have you done?

 

I cannot tell you that. The other said evenly. Probabilities say you will interfere. If you do, she dies for no gain.

 

What have you done? The Reverend Mother screamed. She is not yours! She is a kid! What have you done?

 

No, she is not mine. The Lotus replied calmly. I wish she was. She is brave and clever. She offered, Reverend Mother.  She called me. A ripple of amazement flew through the Clergy at that.

 

She... what? The Reverend Mother was dumbfounded now. That... is not possible.

 

I do not know who gave her the information on how to contact me. The Lotus said quietly. I have suspicions, but the probabilities are unclear. She asked my aid but was going to do it anyway. It did not work as she had planned. Things went awry, but she is alive.

 

What have you done? The Reverend Mother begged, horrified. Where is she?

 

Out of your reach and mine. The Lotus replied sadly. She is travelling into the heart of darkness where she has to do something very important. She was going to do it with or without my help, Reverend Mother. What could I say to that?

 

You mean... you did not give her the substance that enhanced her telepathy. The Reverend Mother said slowly.

 

No. The Lotus' voice was still calm.

 

Then who did? The Reverend Mother demanded.

 

No one. The Lotus said with a mental shrug. She found it herself. And it takes no imagination why she wanted to be able to talk to someone specific mind to mind, does it, Reverend Mother?

 

She wanted to talk to her mom... The Reverend Mother was reeling. She... She did it... herself...

 

All I can say without disturbing the probabilities is that she did not contact her mother. The Lotus said sadly. The effects are temporary. But as soon as she heard what was happening, and that she had been selected... She contacted me. Yes, I helped her. She demanded my aid. The Lotus sounded wry now. Like mother, like daughter. Stubborn enough to be Tenno, the both of them.

 

Lotus... please... The Reverend Mother begged.

 

I do not know where she is going. The Lotus said heavily. All of the girls were taken out of my sight. They were not going to kill her except by accident and that was a very low order probability. With my aid, she has a better chance. So I gave it. Be angry if you must, but she chose this.

 

Chose what? This angry thought came from Zacharias and the Reverend Mother stiffened, but the Lotus just sighed.

 

To save lives.

 

***

 

"You... did... what?" For the first time in a long, long time, Nikis was struck speechless.

 

"Nikis..." The other said quietly. "It wasn't planned, what happened. She was untrained. She had no idea what she was doing. She touched it and... well, we were curious. She was so smart. She had so many questions."

 

"Do you have any idea what Janet will do?" The ancient gunfighter who wore the Nekros warframe demanded. "She is sixteen!"

 

"We know." The other said sadly. "We tried to dissuade her. But...when she contacted us, she was crying. She knew there was something wrong, but not what. We managed to collate the information. We... have sources even the Lotus and Clergy do not."

 

"If anything happens to that girl... Janet is going to kill you, Jasmina." Nikis said with a snarl. "And I will help."

 

"Yeah." The Ember Prime Caretaker of the Unclean replied sadly. "But she is not the only child in danger here. She offered, Nikis. She offered."

 

"You should have said 'No'." Nikis snapped.

 

"She is as well protected as we could make her." Jasmina promised.

 

"Even in the heart of Doctor Tengus' lab, she is not alone."

 

Edited February 20, 2015 by Kalenath

[Temperance000]

*clap* *clap* *clap*

 

Yaaaaay.  Honorable intentions or no, I still think Jesselle is an idiot.

[Spikey844]

..........................................................................................................................

 

*facedesk*

[evafan002]

son of a.... TENGUS?!!! you have to be kidding me... ORDIS!!! FIRE UP THE THRUSTERS AND PREPARE MY RIFLE WE GOT ANOTHER ONE!!!!

[Shadow977]

I'm getting really tired asking this but who's Tengu?

[Kalenath]

I'm getting really tired asking this but who's Tengu?

 

Doctor Tengus is the Grineer 'doctor' who 'cured' the Grustag 3 and let the Infested loose on the Solar System again in the name of science.

 

From what little we know, he pretty much of puts the 'mad' in 'mad science'.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Kalenath

[renleech]

Mercy is a weapon in the hands of the enemy. Expect this Doctor to lure the badasses to deadly traps.

Edited January 25, 2015 by renleech

[Kalenath]

Mercy is a weapon in the hands of the enemy. Expect this Doctor to lure the badasses to deadly traps.

Provided that:

 

1) He knows who he has.

2) HE CARES

[Kalenath]

 

Pain that is not physical

 

Jesselle woke up slowly, aware of some differences. She was cold. Her skin had goosebumps. The tubes were gone, leaving only a residual soreness in uncomfortable places. Her cheek did not hurt anymore, neither did her finger. But she couldn't move when she tried.

 

Easy, Jesselle. The voice was male, young and kind. Don't push yourself. It was rough, what you went through. It was...familiar. That voice. He had a smile in his voice when he spoke again. Yes, you know  me. We talked a quite a bit, you and I. We have unblocked your memories now that the interrogations are done. You will need to know what to do and how. More importantly, what not to do.

 

Jesselle went still. She...remembered. She had been trying to contact her mom. She had found an odd substance in the medical ward Mishka had been in and after analyzing it, had determined it would enhance telepathy. Or grant limited telepathy to beings without it. So she had tried to contact her mom.

 

She had not contacted her mom. She still had little idea who she had contacted. But they had been patient, kind and gentle with her despite her abrupt mental arrival in their midst. She had...talked to them quite a bit. They were cagy about who and what they were. She was aware that they knew who she was, but they never pressed or interrogated her. Or. .. she didn't remember such.

 

We never interrogated you, Jesselle. The other said gently. We knew who you were from the beginning and frankly? You have no information we needed badly enough to justify the pain it would cause you. But this... we did not want you to do this. If you had simply told the Clergy, none of this would have happened. You would be safe. Putting yourself into the hands of the Grineer was foolish in the extreme.

 

I figured it was Grineer. Jesselle said weakly. Company would not have to go to such lengths to disguise their plans.

 

I really wish you had let us handle it, Jesselle.  The other said quietly. We would have.

 

And how many lives will be lost before that? Jesselle asked calmly. I know you are not human. She said into the silence in her mind. I don't know what you are. but I know you are not human.

 

I was, once. The other said heavily. Jesselle, the less you know about this, the better. You have your task here. I have mine. I will do my best to keep you safe. You are not alone and you will not be. No matter what they do, they cannot block this path of communication.

 

And when the enhancement wears off? Jesselle asked softly.

 

Hopefully both of us will be out of here by then. The other said with a sigh. If not? We improvise. They cannot block my connection and I will keep you safe to the best of my ability.

 

Okay. I was taken to the facility. I was interrogated and I am in the lab. Jesselle said with a wince. Did they... alter me? She focused her senses, but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary.

 

Not that I can determine. The other said quietly. They have altered a few of the others, but most of them either had breakdowns of some kind or were injured.

 

So... they will put controls in me eventually. Jesselle said with a gulp. I need to be gone before that.

 

We need to be gone. The other agreed. They have a backlog. Not a lot of staff. So they may use you as a med tech. If so... do not resist. You will see horrors, probably be forced to assist with horrors. If you resist, they will implant controls inside your mind and you know what will happen then.

 

Irreparable brain damage. Jesselle said with a gulp. Grineer don't care as long as their slaves function.

 

No, but we do. The other replied. Your mom would flay us and Nikis...? He would help. So... let's get this done fast and get the hell out of here. You are going to need to 'wake up' in a few minutes. When you do, be terrified.

 

That will not be difficult. Jesselle said firmly. She sighed deeply and then sent out a mental caress to the mind she remembered the name of now. Thank you, Curtis. I do not know if I could do this alone.

 

You would manage, but... You are welcome, Jesselle. The other replied calmly. And... time...

 

Jesselle opened her eyes. She was instantly aware of her surroundings. The Clergy trained people to be observant form a very early age. She was lying on a metal table in a small room filled with machinery that screamed 'Grineer' at her. There was one door and it's icon glowed red. Locked.

 

She wore the same short brown gown/smock thing that she had worn before. Now it was stained and very much the worse for wear. A mask covered her nose and mouth and she could feel heaviness in her limbs. Residue from drugs, no doubt. But other than that? She felt good. Odd that. She expected to be hurt, to be abused. So... what?

 

She raised her head and looked around, only to freeze as an angry voice sounded from a hidden speaker.

 

"About time you woke up, you lazy baseline!" The female voice was irate. "Get your butt in gear and get to work."

 

"Work?" Jesselle asked and then screamed as pain flared around her neck. Her hands reached up and hit smooth metal. Some kind of collar. It was pouring energy into her. "I don't know what you mean!" Jesselle did not have to fake her pain and fear as she scrambled from the table, still trying to get the collar off. Then a stronger jolt hit her and she was curled up on the floor with no memory of getting there. "Please! I don't know what you mean!" She screamed through her agony.

 

"Get up!" The other snapped and Jesselle rose to her feet. "Just outside your cell is a table with a set of scrubs. You will put them on. You will monitor the patients in all three secure wards. You will not try to exit the lab. You will do as you are told and you might, might live through this. If you do not do as you are told, or if you try to escape..." The voice trailed off menacingly.

 

"What do you want me to do?" Jesselle asked in a listless voice was she rose and walked to the door, which clicked open. Just outside, a small table held a green suits. She pulled it on. It fit, if not well. As she changed, she looked up and down the hall. Dozens of doors identical to the one she had just stepped out of lined the hall. She started to fold the smock neatly and the voice snarled at her again. "What do you want me to do?" She repeated.

 

"You will tend the other bases." The voice declared. A wall slot clicked open and a med kit appeared. "Keep them healthy and calm. That is your command. If you fail, they will be punished and so will you."

 

"Okay." Jesselle said with a sigh as she picked up the kit. She started for the next door.

 

At least she knew some medicine.

 

***

 

Jesselle was fighting back tears after the third cell and was openly crying after the fifteenth. None of the other girls were hurt physically. But spiritually? Emotionally? All were wrecks. Some had evidence of older injuries, but most had recovered as Jesselle had. But all were beaten, cowed. Even Jesselle's gentle voice and touch had them recoiling, shivering. She did what she could and a few of them responded. She did as ordered, checking each and every cell. Thirty three cells. Each holding a girl who was collared just like Jesselle. Some wore rags of Corpus attire. Some had nothing. All were despondent.

 

Jesselle did what she could. Tending the few injuries, talking to the girls, trying to keep them calm and reassure them as best she could. But it was hard. So hard. One of the girls, a little thing that couldn't have been fifteen no matter what her chart said, had latched onto of Jesselle and not let go no matter how the girl had tried to get loose. She wasn't violent, just desperate for contact. Jesselle had been forced to sedate the girl to get loose. She had sung the girl to sleep and the girl had been smiling as she had lost consciousness.

 

Finally she was done ad went back to where she had woken to find a tube of nutrient paste sitting on the table she had woken on. It looked awful and tasted worse but she needed the calories.

 

"Good base.' The female voice said as Jesselle lay down. "Rest period is two hours, then you will prepare the subject in cell twelve for surgery." Jesselle stilled. That was the youngest girl.

 

"What kind of surgery?" Jesselle asked and then screamed as pain erupted in her neck. "It is a valid question!" Jesselle screamed. "If I prepare her for a bowel resection and you do brain surgery, she dies!"

 

"It is a slave." The female voice retorted. "If it dies-..." It cut off and another voice, male, older, spoke.

 

"Subject will be reconditioned and repurposed for experimental use." The voice was clinical and precise, nothing like any Grineer Jesselle had ever heard of. "Shave it's head and get it into position for shift to surgery room three." Jesselle swallowed and nodded.

 

"Where is surgery room three?" Jesselle fought for calm and managed.

 

"You will see." The male voice replied evenly and then the com cut off. The lights darkened and Jesselle lay back, her mind awhirl.

 

Curtis? She begged and the reply was instant.

 

It will not kill her, Jesselle. The voice of her partner in this insane enterprise said softly. But you have to do what they say. We are not ready.

 

I do not care what the records say, Curtis, she is not fifteen. I... I can't do this... Jesselle was weeping softly as she lay on the table. It was as hard as she remembered but there was nowhere else to sleep. I can't put her in their hands... not knowing what they will do to her... Curtis was a long moment in replying and when he did it was quiet.

 

The Grineer hierarchy have finally decided that Infested are a serious threat. Curtis said softly. They are taking steps to neutralize the threat. The girl is only the first in a series of experiments. You cannot save her, Jesselle. Perhaps we can. But probably not. Harden your heart, Jesselle. She will suffer, but the Grineer cannot be allowed to do as they wish. They cannot.

 

They are going to put controls in the girl and let her be infested. Jesselle said, stunned. The silence in her mind was deafening. I... I can't...

 

Jesselle. This was not Curtis' voice. Sleep. The many voices as one rocked her into slumber.

 

***

 

She can't do it. Curtis said sadly. We cannot make her do it.

 

It feels wrong. The mass mind agreed. But she promised that she could if given a concrete reason. So... we must show her. Can you pull her?

 

I must be careful. Curtis hedged. But I think so. Her body will sleep and her mind will come with me. When?

 

Now.

 

***

 

Jesselle was not awake. Nor was she asleep. It was odd. She was surrounded by warmth despite the fact that she knew was half clothed and lying on cold metal. Then warm arms surrounded her and a woman was holding her as the girl started to cry.

 

"Oh Jesselle..." The woman hugged her tight. "Oh girl..." She rocked Jesselle gently. Jesselle opened her eyes and froze. The woman holding her... wasn't one. The warframe was gently rocking her in its arms. "It is all right, Jesselle. You are not alone. Your body is asleep but your mind came to us. We need to talk. To show you what will happen and why."

 

"I remember..." Jesselle said slowly. "The Grineer are trying to control the Infested. It cannot be done."

 

"No." The Tenno holding her said quietly. "But they can make a hell of a mess in the process. The Grineer and especially this Doctor Tengus, have some knowledge of what is actually happening and they think that knowledge is all there is. They are wrong."

 

"What will they do to the girls?" Jesselle asked, her voice tired. "To me?"

 

"The idea is to implant control mechanisms into a person before they are changed." The Tenno holding her said quietly. "They hope to use said control mechanisms to control infested. It will work for a time. For one or two of the changed. Then it will fail."

 

"Then all this was for nothing." Jesselle said sadly.

 

"Not so." A new voice head Jesselle freezing in place. The Tenno holding her rocked her again. "Oh Jesselle..." Jesselle's eyes went huge as her mother appeared nearby. "You idiot girl..." Janet was smiling to take the sting out of her words.

 

"Mom..." Jesselle begged and Janet knelt down beside her, taking her hands in the older woman's own.

 

"Don't push too hard Janet." The Tenno warned. "This linkage is fragile and so are you."

 

"I know." Janet said as she gave Jesselle's hands a squeeze. "You make me proud, girl. You are exasperating, Annoying. Pig headed and rebellious. And you make me so proud." She pulled the girl's hands up to her mouth and kissed them. "You are not alone, Jesselle. What you have to do... is horrible. It may kill the girl. But if you do not... The Grineer will kill her with their ham handed stupidity. You are her only chance."

 

"But if she is Infested..." Jesselle said weakly, then gave an eep as her mother nodded to the side. Jesselle followed her mother's gaze and went still as a huge form approached. It was not human. She cried out as the Infested Ancient's tentacle came down on her arm, but... it was gentle.

 

We can help her with the transition. The voice...was not human. It was familiar. Jesselle knew the voice from talking with people before, but she had never seen the speaker...

 

"Healer?" Jesselle said with a squeak. "You... I..."

 

"Welcome to a very exclusive club, Jesselle." Janet said as she took her daughter from the Tenno and hugged her tight. "Welcome to the only sane mind mass of Infested."

 

"Oh boy..."

 

***

 

Jesselle woke up refreshed of body but sick in all of the recesses of her soul. They had told her what would happen. She did not want to do this. She did not. But if the Grineer did it, the girl would die. That was not in question. She rose without prompting from the other and started for the girl's cell. The trip was far too swift.

 

"Ma'am..." The girl -Jesselle had never learned her name- said sleepily as Jesselle started working. "What... What are you doing?"

 

"I am sorry." Jesselle said sadly as she cut the girl's short hair off. The girl jerked, but Jesselle was ready with a mild paralytic patch that stilled the girl completely as Jesselle removed the remnants of her clothing and bathed her with a sponge. Then Jesselle covered the girl's skull and abdomen with sterile sheets. "You will curse my name until your dying breathe and I deserve it." She kissed the girl's still brow and stepped back as the table the girl lay on inclined, sliding her into the wall.

 

The panel that replaced the wall section was transparent and Jesselle forced herself to watch as machinery closed in on the immobile girl. The small room was a surgical ward.

 

"Anesthesia... Please..." Jesselle begged the wall, but there was no response. "Please use anesthesia!"

 

The Grineer apparently did not waste such on experimental subjects. The girl's eyes were open as the machinery closed in, saws whirring and tubes hissing. Jesselle watched it all. She watched as the girl's skull was cut open. As control machinery was implanted. She watched as the girl's abdomen was cut open and tubes placed. Then the machinery retracted and Jesselle had a moment to see the horror she had helped create writhe. But only a moment.

 

Another panel opened beyond the girl and something snaked in and yanked the girl out of the enclosure. Jesselle had an instant to see writing masses of diseased looking flesh before the wall slid shut again and then she backed away as red hot fire erupted beyond the transparent panel. Was it her imagination she could hear the girl scream inside her mind? If so, it cut off abruptly. But... the feelings... She fell to the floor, retching.

 

"Well." The voice from behind her had Jesselle flinching. It was the male Grineer from before. "I admit to being surprised. A telepath. Can you hear them?" A hand was tracing Jesselle's skull now. It was not gentle or soothing. More clinical. Interested. "Don't bother to lie. The telemetry feeds read you almost as closely as you can read another."

 

"No." Jesselle said in a monotone. She was still fighting the waves of revulsion that had lanced through her mind. "Can't control it."

 

"Is that so?" The other said mildly. "Well... We shall have to see about that. With the talent..." He mused. "We cannot place the normal controls in you. So we will use... alternative methods."

 

"You kill any more of them and I will die before I help you." Jesselle promised.

 

"Perhaps." The hand was back on her skull now. "Perhaps not. That subject is not dying. It is changing. As will you."

 

"You can't feel it." Jesselle grated out. "She is dead."

 

"I am not going to debate mechanics with you." The other said with a laugh. "I have far too much to do." The hand left her head. "Guards. Take this subject to the 'special testing center' Class three protocols. And gently." He commanded. "We have much to learn, base."

 

More than you know, Grineer. Jesselle said in the deepest recesses of her soul. But she was smiling inside as the guard hefted her between them and ushered her from the room. Far more than you know.

 

So far, so good.

 

Edited January 26, 2015 by Kalenath

[Temperance000]

I'm getting those "just as planned" vibes again.  Knowing Kal, this means one of two things:

 

1) We are about to be treated to a wonderful show of aggressively stupid scumbags being given exactly what they deserve.

or

2) Everything is about to be thrown head-first into the express chute to the sub-basement of the Ninth Circle.

 

Since this is nowhere near the end of the story, I think we can all guess which option it is.

[Shadow977]

Controlling Infested? What a load of dongs.

[Shadow977]

Got awfully quiet in here... I guess everyone are racing to Tengus' lab to see who can kill him first.

[Kalenath]

 

Warping

 

Jesselle was not fooled. She tried to keep track of the twist and turns but the facility as so utterly uniform it was hard to be sure. The troops carrying her did not slow. They did not stop. Hatches opened for them and closed behind them as the led her under her bare feet were aching. But then... they stopped at once door and when it had opened, they had shoved her in. Before she could turn, it slammed shut and it locked before her stunned eyes.

 

"Have you come to play with us?" A totally unexpected voice sounded from behind her. Jesselle turned and froze. The boy looked... normal. He was human, perhaps five years old. No more than that. He was not Grineer. Too small for one thing. No prosthesis, no visible cellular degradation for another. He wore a shirt and some kind of loose pants, both well manufactured. His shoes as well were well made. He smiled at her dumbfounded expression. "Or did the nasty doc just send you here with no word at all?"

 

"Who are you?" Jesselle said sharply. This was... not what she had expected.

 

"I am N-1." The boy replied evenly. "You... Oh..." He said with a frown. "He sent you to be tested, didn't he?" Jesselle did not move and the boy sighed. Said sigh was far, far older than he looked. "You look tired." There was no mental push, no command. Just the words. But Jesselle felt the fatigue that she had been fighting start to rise. "Come on." The boy said with a small sad smile. "No one will hurt you here. No one will dare." He held out a hand to her and she reached out to take it slowly.

 

As soon as she touched it, darkness roared up and grabbed her, dragging her down to oblivion. But... it was gentle.

 

***

 

Jesselle roused, aware she was floating in something. But she was not afraid.

 

"Woman hurt?" The voice was young, female, scared.

 

Jesselle was floating in something as small hands washed her. She was... it was...

 

"No, C-1. Just very tired." This voice was the N-1 boy. "Easy, Ma'am..." He crooned as Jesselle tried to wake up fully. "Easy. Just sleep. It's okay. You are okay."

 

"No she is not." A sour voice came from the side. Another boy. Angry.

 

"Don't scare her, K-1." N-1 said sharply. "She is hurt, scared and weak. They will test her. We have to relax her and let her recuperate or the tests will kill her."

 

"Death would be preferable to this." K-1 replied with a snap. "This... insane prison."

 

"N-1..." Jesselle managed to croak. "How...many...of you...?"

 

"Easy." N-1 said as a small hand rubbed her brow. "There are twelve of us."

 

"Oh...dear..." Jesselle said weakly as consciousness fled.

 

***

 

Twelve... Jesselle said into the silence in her mind. We assumed five. Six at most. Twelve? How can we... what can we...? There was no response.  Curtis...please... Talk to me...

 

Jesselle... Curtis' voice was wary now. You are being monitored. I cannot talk much. I will come when I can. We can handle them. But you need to explain. Get them ready. Be wary, Jesselle. They are small, but they are dangerous.

 

Who are you? N-1's voice was angry. Our place. Go away!

 

She is my friend. Curtis' voice was sad and sick now. They hurt her. She needs help and I cannot. Can you?

 

She is nice. N-1 said, calming a bit. We will help her.

 

Thank you. With that, Curtis' voice vanished.

 

He...friend? N-1 asked Jesselle who was reeling.

 

Yes. Jesselle said weakly. He is a friend.

 

We help you. N-1 said with a sigh as something caressed Jesselle's mind. She couldn't define it. But it felt good. Sleep now.

 

***

"You think she bought it?"

 

"I don't know. We have to get her ready. If she is not... the testing will kill her and we lose our only chance."

 

"This is wrong."

 

"On that we can agree, if nothing else. But now we are committed. Escape or die, we will not aid these clone scum any more than we have. Not after what they did to C-1, M-1 and L-1."

 

"They are not dead."

 

"But they are also not there and you know it, K-1."

 

"Yes, N-1, I know."

 

***

 

Jesselle woke up warm. She was surrounded by warmth. Warmth that breathed. She opened her eyes and the room was fully Grineer, stark and utilitarian. But the bed she lay on... It wasn't a bed. Not really. More a set of bunks that had been moved together and the mattresses combined. She slitted her eyes and looked around. The bodies around her were small. Mostly boys, but a couple of girls. The girls... Jesselle fought a gasp as she saw the shaven heads, the tell tale signs of surgery on the girls.

 

"Good morning." N-1 said calmly from where he lay beside her. "We kept you warm."

 

"Thank you." Jesselle said with feeling. "The girls?"

 

"They... did something to the girls." N-1 said sadly. "C-1, L-1 and M-1 don't... remember much. They don't talk much. They can't."

 

"Oh." Jesselle gathered one of the girls into her arms and the girl snuggled close in her sleep. None of the kids were older than N-1 and a couple looked even younger. She touched N-1's hand. He was not human. The feel...was not human. Can they listen in if we talk like this? She asked the boy whose eyes went huge.

 

I do not think so. The boy replied the same way. You... You know...?

 

My name is Jesselle and I am here to help. Jesselle said quickly. I do not know who you are, I do not know what you are. And frankly? I do not care. You are children in danger. The girls the Grineer took are also in danger, but you... You are far more so. Do they know what you are?

 

You... can't know... N-1 said weakly. But...

 

Do they know what you are? Jesselle pressed. It is very important.

 

No. N-1 said weakly. They woke us, tested us. Now they use us to calm test subjects they want coddled. You... What? He demanded.

 

It is okay. Jesselle hugged the girl gently and then released her. All of you had no say in what happened. When will they take me?

 

I am to... tell them... N-1 said softly, sounding ashamed. When you are calm enough.

 

Do it. Jesselle said firmly as she rose, ignoring the disgruntled cries from the girls, the wary looks from the boys. She moved to the edge of the bed and swung her legs off. She was wearing an odd robe that closed in front. It was warm. N-1 just stared at her. We do not have lot of time. Do it. One of the other boys jumped off the bed, bent down and pulled up a pair of slippers that he slid onto Jesselle's feet.

 

"Thank you." She said with a smile to the boy who... bowed to her. He looked a lot like N-1. N-1 stared at her and shook his head. She sighed. "I know it is hard to trust. But... I am here to help."

 

"She... good..." One of the girls leaned close to plant a kiss on Jesselle's cheek. "Go..." She said sleepily.

 

"Be ready." Jesselle said quietly as N-1 slid off the bed and moved to a panel. "What do I do?" He nodded to the door and Jesselle moved to stand by it.

 

"Just hold on to your sanity." N-1 said softly as he hit the panel and the door opened to show two Grineer. Jesselle nodded and strode to where they stood. They took her arms and led her off. She tried to ignore the crying behind her that cut off as the door hissed shut.

 

***

 It was... very unpleasant.

 

The Grineer did not have all of the high tech that the Corpus took for granted. They made up for it in a number of ways. Sheer ruthlessness counted in many cases. But in this... They were subtle. Or... Subtle for Grineer.

 

Jesselle had been led to another room where an odd chair sat. She had been placed in it and strapped down. She knew better than to resist when unarmored female Grineer had cut the robe from her body. They connected IV lines into both arms and both legs. Jesselle could only guess at what was in the bags that were dripping into her body. Probably fluids to keep her from dehydrating as well as whatever drugs the doctor wanted. An odd half helmet had been clamped over her head, it didn't hurt. Nothing did at first.

 

Then the attendants had started asking questions. She had tried not answering. They had connected wires and shocked her with electricity until she screamed. She had tried to give wrong answers and they had shocked her until she screamed. Then they stopped asking and Jesselle sat, panting.

 

"For a base, you are stubborn." One of the attendants said as she laid a hand on Jesselle. It was not comforting, that hand. It caressed places that Jesselle wished it wouldn't. Places that made the girl very uncomfortable. "But the doc breaks everybody." Jesselle flinched from the feeling. The touch... The mind behind it was filled with lust. This woman... wanted her. Wanted to hurt her. Wanted to use the girl and then throw her away to show her strength. "He will break you."

 

"If he breaks me, he doesn't get what he wants." Jesselle said, dredging up resolve from somewhere.

 

"Oh, he is only interested in the physical oddities." The attendant said with a smile that was malicious in the extreme. "Once we have your brain structure mapped and analyzed, we can break you any way we choose. Rest up, honey. I think you will need it."

 

"Won't do any good..." Jesselle grunted. "Dunno how or why it happened. No records... Nothing to duplicate.."

 

"Well..." The attendant smiled widely. "That's the thing. You see... we don't have to duplicate it." Jesselle went still and the attendant nodded. "If it is something that can be cloned, we drop you in a vat and we get a bunch of yous that will actually serve a purpose instead of being stupid human deadweight." She smiled again, a predatory grin. "And if it can't be? You spend a lot of time on your back until you make one who can be cloned." Jesselle stared at her, eyes huge and the attendant laughed coldly. "Rest time is done, base. Time to find out which way you go."

 

***

 

Time... blurred. Twice the attendants woke Jesselle with slaps or cold water. One they gave her a stimulant that had her jerking in her bonds as her blood pressure spiked. They were no longer asking questions. A tube had been run down her throat and she was breathing through it. Other tubes had been run into sore places and Jesselle felt bloated and empty at the same time.

 

Then it started. An barely audible hum. She jerked again and one of the attendants -they blurred- introduced something into one of the lines that made Jesselle woozy. She was blurring badly as the hum became words.

 

'Obedience is strength. You will be strong. You will obey.'

 

For a moment, Jesselle did not understand when the words finally percolated through her fuddled brain. Then she screamed through the tube.

 

"No!" She shouted. "I am not Grineer!"

 

"Not yet." The voice of the doctor came and she quailed as a hand touched her scalp. It felt...wrong, that hand. Or... her skin did. "Soon, but not yet. The Queens have commanded, you will obey."

 

Something stung Jesselle's neck and she was falling... No she was sliding off the chair. The restraints had released her. The tubes were gone. Two strong hands grabbed her arms and held her up.

 

"Never..." Jesselle croaked out as the hands half led, half carried her away.

 

"Never is  a long time, silly girl." The voice of the doctor came from a distance. "You are weakening. Tomorrow we will augment you and elevate you to proper Grineer. With the prosthesis will come more strength. For now? Rest. You have passed our tests."

 

"No..." Jesselle begged as she was carried away.

 

Everything blurred again and then she was laid on something soft. She was too tired to flinch as three small warm bodies settled around her.

 

"Ma'am...?" This was C-1. The girl who had kissed her before the tests. "Stay awake, Ma'am. It hard, but stay awake. Bad things happen if sleep now."

 

"I... I can't..." Jesselle moaned. "Too weak... too... Need to be... strong... I..."

 

"This no test!" C-1 sounded scared as warm arms held Jesselle. "N-1?" She begged. "What they do?"

 

"I do not know, C-1." The apparent leader of the group of not quite children said sharply. Something touched Jesselle's mind, a gentle touch. Can you hear me, Ma'am?

 

They are trying to make me Grineer. Jesselle said sadly. I... I can't stop them...

 

"No..." C-1 said weakly as she hugged Jesselle again. "No! Not good. Not right! Bad."

 

"I... don't know... what all they asked me..." Jesselle said in a tone that was half mental, half aloud. "I don't know... if I betrayed the plan... I... I can't... They are going to make me Grineer..." She started to cry. "I can't... I don't want to be Grineer."

 

"No." C-1 said sharply. "This not stand. Easy...." She touched the side of Jesselle head and something wafted over the girl. It felt... heavenly. "You not Grineer. Stay awake." She commanded.

 

"So tired..." Jesselle moaned.

 

"Hold on, Miss Jesselle." N-1 said softly as several sets of hands held her and something warm covered her. "We have you."

 

"Just... Jesselle..." The girl mumbled as she tried to stay awake. "I am... just... Jesselle." She was fading. Curtis... help! She pleaded.

 

Holy hell! The boy who wasn't one said sharply. Jesselle? What have they done to you?

 

Trying to make me Grineer. Jesselle said sadly. I... I cannot... I... no...

 

Suddenly, she was elsewhere. The room was stark with white walls. The floor was dark grey metal. She was not alone. A Grineer stood in front of her, a small one. The female Grineer had familiar prosthesis but wore no armor. But that wasn't the worst.

 

"No..." Jesselle said as she stumbled backward. The Grineer had her face!

 

"You are weak." The Grineer said in a voice that mimicked Jesselle's own. "I am strong. I am Grineer. I serve. You will die."

 

WAKE UP! The words resounded through Jesselle as the not-clone Grineer reached for her and she jerked.

 

"Not... today..." Jesselle said firmly as she was falling again. Then she was back on the bed. The three girls were crying as they held her. The boys... were all close. "They... I..."

 

"The doctor warps minds." N-1 said softly. "We did not think he would start so soon. She was only gone two hours." Who was he talking to? She could not hear a response. "I think... she cannot hear you. What can we do?" Again, no response that Jesselle could hear. "Right, we will... do what we can. Hurry."

 

Jesselle was floating now. But her eyes were open as several set of hands touched her. Energy was pouring into her and it felt... good. It felt... A hand touched her skull and she hissed as pain flared. But then it faded.

 

"This not right..." C-1 said weakly. "They... damage her? Or change her? No machine. But... hurt her."

 

"I do not know." N-1 said sadly as the hands eased Jesselle into a more comfortable position on the bed. "Hold her. We need to keep her awake until the others arrive. They say they can help her."

 

"Who says that?" The voice of the doctor was taut with anger now. "Disobedient brats. Did you not learn your lessons the last time?"

 

"We are not your slaves." N-1 said firmly. "We will not be your slaves. And this girl has done nothing to you!"

 

"Okay." The doctor said with a sigh. "This experiment has failed. We can start again with the samples we have. Guards? Cleanse this filth."

 

Jesselle jerked as the bodies beside her moved. Suddenly she was alone on the bed. The door hissed open and she tried to move as gunfire sounded.  A short, sharp scream came from the side. C-1.

 

"No..." Jesselle swallowed her pain, swallowed her anger, swallowed everything. Something went 'snap' inside her head and power pulsed out of her mind. The clones in the doorway went still, their weapons still up. She could...feel... four of the young ones close at hand. All were dying. "No!" Jesselle screamed as power flared in her mind, awful terrible power.

 

Jesselle NO! The scream was her mother. Don't!

 

THEY WILL NOT... Jesselle screamed but then a hand found hers. She stared down at the broken body that lay beside her. C-1... was smiling as life fled her form.

 

I die free. The little girl who wasn't one said softly. You good. No be bad. No... be bad... Jesselle swallowed hard as the girl gave a sigh... and died.

 

I... Jesselle swallowed hard and then gathered the still form up in her arms, holding the pitiful form tight. "No." She said firmly. "I will not be bad, C-1." Her gaze fell on the frozen clones in the doorway. "Make yourselves useful." She snapped. They... saluted her and dashed off. She could hear firing in the distance. "What the...?"

 

You took control of their minds. Janet's voice was hushed. Terrified. For Jesselle. Oh Jesselle... Oh god no, girl... No...

 

Mom! Jesselle begged. What do I do?

 

Hold tight, Jesselle. Janet's voice turned fierce. Help is coming. Lots of it.

 

Hurry. Jesselle said as she sat up. Around her, small forms lay still in pools of blood. Then she jerked. One was moving feebly. Several were! "Oh!" She slid to where the closest boy was lying, limbs splayed. "Hold on N-1... Hold on. Medkit?" She begged.

 

"Under...the bed..." The boy said weakly. "Had... to scrounge..."

 

"You did good." Jesselle said firmly as she bent down, pulled the medkit up and opened it to start working. "You kept me from dying or being turned into one of them. Time for me to return the favor."

 

"You cannot help us..." N-1 said weakly as Jesselle worked feverishly to assess and treat his wounds.

 

"Me doctor. You patient." Jesselle said firmly. "Shut up and let me work."

 

"I almost preferred you as a whiny little girl..." N-1 said with a faint smile that faded. "The others?"

 

"I don't know." Jesselle said softly. She finished with him and turned to the next, but the girl's eyes were open and saw nothing. "Oh... C-1..." She said, closing the girl's staring eyes. She felt anger start to rise. Curtis... now would be good!

 

On the way.

 

Edited January 27, 2015 by Kalenath

[Shadow977]

What's with these names? Is there a real reason for them being so simple or are you just getting lazy?(i don't blame you if you are)

[Spikey844]

What's with these names? Is there a real reason for them being so simple or are you just getting lazy?(i don't blame you if you are)

If treated like a thing or animal, you psychologically start becoming a thing. A designation instead of a name prevents identity forming, and thus the person becomes malleable to being remade.

 

I don't do psychology, but I remember hearing something like this somewhere.

[Kalenath]

What's with these names? Is there a real reason for them being so simple or are you just getting lazy?(i don't blame you if you are)

 

There IS a reason.

 

If treated like a thing or animal, you psychologically start becoming a thing. A designation instead of a name prevents identity forming, and thus the person becomes malleable to being remade.

 

I don't do psychology, but I remember hearing something like this somewhere.

 

You are right.

 

The Grineer don't think of anyone but Grineer as important. The designations are one of the tools they use to keep their slaves in line.

 

But there IS another reason.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Kalenath

[Shadow977]

If treated like a thing or animal, you psychologically start becoming a thing. A designation instead of a name prevents identity forming, and thus the person becomes malleable to being remade.

 

I don't do psychology, but I remember hearing something like this somewhere.

That actually makes sense.

[captainwolfer]

Curtis was the boy who got abused and then turned into a charger in one of the stories, right?

[Temperance000]

Oh boy...

 

This is going no where good, very fast.