[Fanfiction] Consequences

[Temperance000]

Sort of...

 

LARPing is to the SCA as a match is to a bonfire. SLIGHTLY different levels of intensity.

 

Think I exaggerate? Watch a few of the full armor, full contact bouts at any SCA tourney and THEN ask yourself if a normal LARPer (if of course there IS such a thing...) would even SURVIVE such. The answer btw is 'No'.

 

SCA is about living history. LARPing is about being part of a story. SLIGHTLY different focus.

 

Nikis doesn't need a bloody title, then.  He IS living history.

 

Umm...please don't kill me Grand Master Nikis, sir?

[BaIthazar]

Hey Kal, I'm having a hard time finding all your chapters in the right order.

your 'Topics' tab on your profile only goes so far back so I can't find it all.

can you give me a rundown of all the chapters so I can look them up?

 

Edit:

I think I found everything.. but seriously

 

Edited February 17, 2015 by BaIthazar

[evafan002]

 

Think I exaggerate? Watch a few of the full armor, full contact bouts at any SCA tourney and THEN ask yourself if a normal LARPer (if of course there IS such a thing...) would even SURVIVE such. The answer btw is 'No'.

 

 

that reminds me... I really do need to figure out what happened to the scottish broadsword my grandfather said was to come to me when he died... i havent ever seen the damned thing.....

[KBTKaiser]

Hey Kal, I'm having a hard time finding all your chapters in the right order.

your 'Topics' tab on your profile only goes so far back so I can't find it all.

can you give me a rundown of all the chapters so I can look them up?

 

Edit:

I think I found everything.. but seriously

 

There's always checking his Fanfiction.net profile.

 

https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4358171/Kalenath-Shok-Tan

[Kalenath]

I think I found everything.. but seriously

 

 

Yes, I have no life.

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Of a sort...

 

Janet was not awake. Not really. She knew this. She had been floating on this sea of bliss for some time. It felt good, not to worry, not to fear. Not to be...

 

Something tugged her gently and she smiled as she recognized the feeling. She let the tug pull her and then she was standing in a virtual world. Nikis stood in front of her, his virtual avatar a human in a long robe. His face was worried, but it cleared when he saw her.

 

"Janet?" Nikis sounded relieved to see her.

 

"I am here, Nikis. Mostly." Janet said with a sigh. She reached out to hug him and he pulled her close. "I am not fully aware, but mostly. I... Oh Nikis... Jesse..." She felt her eyes burn and Nikis hugged her gently.

 

"I know, honey." Nikis held her as she cried. "I know."

 

"They can't see it, Nikis." Janet was not quite blubbering, but it was close. "I can barely see it. A great darkness pulling her in and swallowing her up as she screams... I... I can't..."

 

"It's all right, Janet." Nikis reassured her. "I do not know what is going on either. Do you know about the hybrid?"

 

"That... I warned them..." Janet shook her head, her face halfway between sad and angry. "On the surface, it isn't a bad idea. But really..." She grimaced. "They plan to set up a small scale network. Only for the ocean." Nikis stared at her and Janet shook her head again. "Yeah, it isn't long range. It won't be able to extend past the surface. They plan to use ultra low frequency sound instead of EM radiation for communication. They cannot replicate what the Lotus does."

 

"Good." Hate colored the male Tenno's voice for a moment and Janet shivered. She hugged him tighter. "Not your fault, Janet. I still hate her. Always will for what she ordered me to do. For what she condoned them doing to my son." He shook himself. "So... the apparatus?"

 

"They were looking for a volunteer among the people living nearby." Janet let Nikis hold her. "It was and is strictly volunteer. Mira offered, but she is an Oracle too. No one would let her. She was... a bit miffed." Nikis chuckled at that but just held her. "They won't be able to access anything beyond the ocean and they do need better communication, Nikis. The Grineer and Corpus are getting interested in why their probes keep failing. Sooner or later they will send manned expeditions and those will be far harder to disable or destroy."

 

"A little warning might have been nice." Nikis growled sardonically. "The first anyone knew of this was when Jesse saw the chair and freaked. She thought they were going to put her in it."

 

"Over my dead body." Janet snapped. "I am still angry. That... They took out part of her spine, Nikis!" Janet sobbed as he held her.

 

"I know." Nikis reassured her. "Trinity and Iriana both concur that she took no lasting damage. But she won't leave you now."

 

"Stubborn girl." Janet slumped a bit. "What can we do, Nikis? I am... going to be out of it for a while. Dreaming or drugged, still out of it. They won't let me move for fear of damaging myself further. This is going to be the only way for me to communicate for a while."

 

"Jesse can reach you here, Janet." Nikis smiled a bit grimly. "And she can create these." Janet stilled and Nikis chuckled without humor. "Did your visions show what she is now?"

 

"Not clearly." Janet admitted. "You were right. If I focus on something personal to me, the visions get cloudy and fragmented."

 

"Well, of course I am right. I am always right." Nikis said in a haughty tone that cut off with a gasp as she tickled him. "Hey! Evil woman!" He swatted at her hand.

 

"Well, duh." Janet said with a grin as she pressed her advantage. Who knew that the ancient curmudgeon gunfighter was so ticklish? She pressed close, but Nikis withdrew a bit. "Nikis?" She asked, confused.

 

"I would love to spend some time with you, Janet." Nikis said with a sad sigh. "And knowing you, it would be memorable." Janet pouted, but she was curious. "I have a line on someone who may be able to help you and Jesse. A bodyguard. The best."

 

"Tell me it isn't a male bodyguard." Janet complained.  "With all the genetic tweaks... Jesse is going to start... getting urges."

 

"It is." Nikis said and Janet groaned, but Nikis just smiled. "Janet, honey... He has done it before. Dealt with teenage girls. He is a knight." She looked at him and he smiled. "Yes, a real, honest to goodness knight. Sworn to the Code of Chivalry and all."

 

"You are not making me feel any better, Nikis..." Janet sounded more than a bit worried now. "The whole Arthur/Lancelot/Guinevere thing is not certain to make a mother feel safe about knights and daughters."

 

"Let me put it this way then, Janet..." Nikis said softly. "He was asked, begged, by the girl's mother to take the job. He had reservations, but he did. She was fifteen and fairly good looking. He was Tenno." Janet stiffened and then nodded. "I am not going to say he wasn't attracted to her, because he was. But for him, his duty was everything. She... propositioned him a few times and he gently but firmly told her 'No'." He slumped a bit. "It... wasn't his fault it didn't end well."

 

"What happened?" Janet asked.

 

"He protected her." Nikis said with a sigh. "As he was commanded, he went with her everywhere. And I do mean everywhere." Janet stared at him and he nodded. "He was a perfect gentleman in all ways. Some of her... female classmates got jealous. He ignored them."

 

"Oh dear..." Janet said slowly. "I think I see where this is going."

 

"Yeah." Nikis blew out a deep breath. "He was tasked to protect her. Some of the jealous classmates distracted him with a fake emergency just long enough for the nutcases who had threatened her life to snatch her." Janet's face was ashen now and he nodded. "They... wanted to send a message and they did. They sent her father the poor girl's eyes. Then her fingers." Janet had a hand over her mouth and Nikis nodded soberly. "Draco did not react well. I could have told them that angering him was a bad idea."

 

"What did he do?" Janet asked, worried.

 

"One of the girls was connected to the nutcases. Told them when he was distracted so they could make their move." Nikis said softly. "He didn't know which one, so he took them all. He interrogated them all. He wasn't gentle about it. None of the girls died." He said quickly when Janet inhaled in shock. "A couple were in the hospital for a few months, but none died."

 

"Was he in time?" Janet asked. Nikis shook his head. "Oh no..."

 

"They killed her as soon as they snatched her." Nikis' tone held old anger, old sadness. "He went in after her, not knowing she was dead and he made a hell of a mess. When the 'A Tenno on the Warpath' response unit was dispatched... I was with them since I knew him well. We found Draco surrounded by corpses, holding what was left of her body. He did his job. It wasn't his fault he failed. No one blamed him. No one charged him with a damn thing. No one would have dared."

 

"She was not recoverable?" Janet begged. Nikis shook his head again.

 

"I tried." Nikis said sadly. "We all did. But... she had taken too much damage too quickly. Her energies had dissipated before he even got to where they had hidden."

 

"Sad." Janet sounded confused more than sad though. "But how does that help Jesse? Or me?"

 

"Draco had always been...directed in his violence." Nikis said calmly. "He knew there were times for it and times not for it." He shook his head. "He also... a bit of a nut about history. Specifically, medieval European history." He took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard of the Society for Creative Anachronism?" Janet stared at him.

 

"Vaguely." Janet admitted. "They were involved in the mess with that huge guy in red armor."

 

"Sort of." Nikis sounded uncomfortable now. "That gaming chamber had been shut down long before the Collapse. There had been injuries. One near fatality. It was shut down. Supposed to have been dismantled entirely. Not sure how it survived." He shook his head. "Not that. The original Society. Historical based, not gaming."

 

"Nikis..." Janet was eyeing him now. She heard... anticipation in his voice. "How do you know about them?"

 

"I was -am- a member." Nikis said with a grunt. "It was a lot of work, mind you. Lots of egos. Lots of..." He trailed off as Janet looked at him. "I... umm..."

 

"'Are'?" Janet queried carefully. "You 'are' a member?"

 

"It's not gone." Nikis said quickly. "Not totally. Just... mostly. Not many of us left and... most of us are Tenno." Janet just looked at him and he flushed. "All right, yes. I kept the idea alive. I liked the idea of history as it should have been."

 

"'As it should have been...'?" Janet wasn't sure if horror or bewilderment was the proper response.

 

"Well..." Nikis just sighed. "I have lived through so much, seen so much. I had to find a way to stay sane. Orokin was...boring."

 

"Boring." Now Janet simply felt stunned. "Seriously?"

 

"Yeah." Nikis said with a sigh. "When you have done everything there is to do in a lifetime and you have an untold number of years left to go? You find other things to do. I tried origami. Filled up my quarters with paper in a decade or so. I was never really interested in history, but others I knew were. They got me interested. It... got out of control."

 

"Do I want to know?" Janet was only half joking, With Nikis? One never really knew.

 

"Well..." Nikis snorted in sour amusement. "I went to one of the SCA functions. They called it a 'Tourney'. There was all kinds of weird stuff going on. People dressed in period attire, acting as if they were really lords and barons and knights and such."

 

"Roleplaying?" Janet asked, curious.

 

"Bite your tongue, girl." Nikis said with a fake snap. "We were -are- not role-players. We are living history."

 

"Ah..." Janet swallowed a smile as Nikis mock glared at her. "Whatever you say, Mr. Tenno Sir."

 

"Bad girl." Nikis did a very good fake repressive tone when he wanted. It sent a shiver of anticipation right through Janet. He shook his head. "Trying to distract me. I wish we had time."

 

"This is virtual, Nikis..." Janet half stated, half pleaded.

 

"Yeah, but we have other people coming and I have to explain and..." Nikis sighed deeply and shook his head. "Later on that."

 

"I will hold you to that." Janet said as she arched herself suggestively in his arms and Nikis sighed deeper. "So... You are part of this... Society?"

 

"Yeah." Nikis frowned. "I was never planning to do any such. It sort of happened. The old rank and file passed away, or got bored and went onto other pursuits. I stayed. Eventually, I made a high rank." He looked pensive for a moment. "Kalina enjoyed it."

 

"Oh, Nikis." Janet hugged him. Remembering his wife's passing was never good for him. "So why tell me this now?"

 

"Draco was a member of the Society." Nikis' tone firmed a bit. "He went into cryo after his failure and demanded not to be woken. Ever." Janet stared at him and he nodded. "Actually, his wording was 'Not until the world ends'. It did."

 

"Why would he...?" Janet shook her head. "I mean.. it wasn't his failure, was it?" She queried.

 

"Only one of the girls was guilty." Nikis' tone was sick now. "He hurt them all. Seven of them. We...tried to get him to see that what he did -while not right- was not the end of the world either. But he was always a stubborn cuss."

 

"So, he hurt innocents." Janet swallowed hard. "And then?"

 

"He demanded to be punished and the courts refused." Nikis said with a grunt. "He came to the Society and demanded to be stripped of his knighthood. We refused. So he decided to disappear and he did."

 

"And you are sure he is still alive?" Janet asked, still confused. Nikis nodded. "So... why not just wake him?"

 

"That... might not be so easy." Nikis said with a grimace. "He was... very upset. Cryo-nesia may have removed his memory of what happened. It may not have. It's awfully tricky on occasion. If not? We need to be very careful how we wake him."

 

"Oh?" Janet asked, her eyes speculative.

 

"Yeah." Nikis said quietly. "He was one of the few Tenno that I can honestly say scared me." Janet went still and Nikis nodded. "He never hurt anyone he didn't want to and his word was his bond. If we can wake him up carefully, explain, get his assistance... it is all good."

 

"And if you can't?" Janet demanded.

 

"That is why we need you." Nikis sounded as if that made perfect sense. "If all else fails? Appeal to his honor. He was the Queen's champion after all."

 

"Queen?" Janet asked carefully and Nikis squirmed under her gaze. "You cannot be serious. Nikis..."

 

"I...um... forgot to mention something..." Nikis said with a sigh. "I am the highest rank the SCA had. Has. 'King of the Province of Sol West'."

 

"King?" Janet asked weakly.

 

"Yeah." Nikis looked abashed now. "And that makes you..."

 

"What?" Janet actually released him and stepped away. That... may not have been such a good time for three others to appear nearby. A man in ancient looking plate armor. A girl in a pretty green dress and a woman in a tunic that held a set of barbaric looking medical tools arrayed in a pouch at her side. "Nikis..." Janet warned.

 

"Well met, your Majesties." The man in armor bowed deeply.

 

"Nikis..." Janet felt faint. "What is going on?"

 

"It is all right, Janet." The woman in the medical attire said calmly. "It is a role, yes? You did that as a spy, no?"

 

"Some." Janet said slowly as the girl stepped towards her, hands outstretched. "But what role?"

 

"Queen." Nikis said firmly and Janet felt her world suddenly start to turn in circles.

 

***

 

"I cannot believe I let you all talk me into wearing this." Janet said with a sigh as she waited in the virtual world. The two women with her gave her smiles and she snarled half heartedly. "This is ridiculous!"

 

She had to admit, the blue gown she wore looked good. The shoes looked uncomfortable, but were actually good on her feet. The ruffled collar thing looked silly, but was also not restrictive at all. That wasn't the problem. It was the rest of it that really set Janet's hackles on edge. The long fur trimmer cape was heavy and hot. The oblong mace shaped thing that she carried was heavy. And the metal thing that Nikis had set on her head was seriously heavy. And gaudy. And...

 

"You look good, Your Majesty." Cecelia said quietly and Janet snarled at her. "You do." The girl wore a much less elaborate gown with no extra stuff. It was pretty, but far less extravagant.

 

"I...." Janet trailed off muttering and Brianna smiled at her.

 

"At least you do not have to talk in period yet." Brianna said with a shrug.  "The 'Thees and 'Thous' will trip your tongue."

 

"I have done some weird stuff in my life..." Janet said weakly. "But this... You are members of this... Society?"

 

"I am sworn to the Order of the Sword." Brianna said with a serene calm that Janet envied. "We practice a number of ancient traditions. Cecelia here though..." She smiled as the girl who wasn't one snorted.

 

"I am just crazy." Cecelia said with a grin. "And... here is our other." Janet turned and froze as Jesse appeared nearby. The Tenno who had been her daughter wore a thunderous expression.

 

"Whose idea was this?" Jesse demanded as she fingered the thin silk sleeve of her gown. The two cones of the hat with their long stream of silk whipped back and forth with her agitation. "I am not a fricking Princess."

 

"At last you do not have to wear this heavy crown and this hot rug that they draped on me." Janet said with a grunt. Jesse starred at her and her mouth fell open. "Don't say it..." Janet pleaded.

 

"You... look good, Mom." Janet stilled. She hadn't expected her daughter to say that. "Regal."

 

"I feel like a complete ninny dressed like this." Janet said with a glower at Cecelia who was trying hard not to snicker. "Be glad I am not real royalty. I remember some history. There were all kinds of things queens had done to people who irritated them."

 

"But thou art far more refined and civilized than any of those unsophisticated barbarians, my queen." Cecelia said with a perfectly straight face. Janet's glower turned dangerous and Cecelia bowed. "No offense, my queen."

 

"Can I say things like 'Off with her head'?" Janet asked Brianna who was trying very hard not to laugh.

 

"You can." Brianna strangled her laugh. "But the whole 'divine right of kings' thing went away pre-Orokin. People will just laugh."

 

"Gonna laugh at me anyway." Janet said with a sigh. But Jesse stepped close and laid a gloved hand on her arm.

 

"No they won't, Mom." Jesse said quietly. "You are one of the few people I know of who can pull that look off. You do not look ridiculous. You look dangerous."

 

"I feel ridiculous." Janet was calmer now. She hated to admit it, but part of her was glad her daughter was reacting this way.

 

"You are not." Jesse said with a smile as she gave her mom a hug that Janet returned.

 

"All right." Janet stilled as Nikis appeared nearby. The Nekros warframe looked nothing like he usually did. A crown circled his own head. A fur trimmed cape hung around his skeletal shoulders and a mace hung in his own hand. "We ready?"

 

"What kind of a question is that?" Janet demanded. "I don't even know the language."

 

"Don't worry about the language, Janet." Nikis said with a grin that was visible even through his closed faceplate. "Just be yourself. And show no fear. You will be afraid, but do not show it. You four are in no danger."

 

"And you?" Janet asked, suddenly worried. Nikis just shrugged.

 

"Dragons generally do not react well to being woken suddenly."

 

Edited February 18, 2015 by Kalenath

[evafan002]

I dont suppose any of the nut jobs made it to the database? if they did i may have to pay them a visit or several.......... and also

Just how long did it take to convince Nikis to wear the robe and crown in public for the 1st time?

Edited February 18, 2015 by evafan002

[Kalenath]

I dont suppose any of the nut jobs made it to the database? if they did i may have to pay them a visit or several.......... and also

Just how long did it take to convince Nikis to wear the robe and crown in public for the 1st time?

 

There wasn't enough LEFT of them to go into the database. Draco was NOTHING if not thorough.

 

(Edit)

And as for Nikis wearing the attire? 3 years of Kalina nagging him.

Edited February 18, 2015 by Kalenath

[evafan002]

There wasn't enough LEFT of them to go into the database. Draco was NOTHING if not thorough.

Damn.....

[Spikey844]

'Dragons generally do not react well to being woken suddenly.'

Is that a less then subtle hint that Draco is wearing the new dragon warframe?

[Piranah1]

'Dragons generally do not react well to being woken suddenly.'

Is that a less then subtle hint that Draco is wearing the new dragon warframe?

 

Just saying, did you read his name? He ain't gonna be turning up in a Hydroid.

 

Incidentally, have there actually been any Hydroids in Kal's works? I can't remember anything past I think one guest appearance (same goes for Mesa I suppose).

[Shadow977]

Just saying, did you read his name? He ain't gonna be turning up in a Hydroid.

 

Incidentally, have there actually been any Hydroids in Kal's works? I can't remember anything past I think one guest appearance (same goes for Mesa I suppose).

You talking about the guy from the Phoenix story? 'cause he was a Hydroid.

[Piranah1]

You talking about the guy from the Phoenix story? 'cause he was a Hydroid.

 

Yeah. And he only was around for a couple of chapters. I seem to recall an old tough as nails Mesa, but now I think about it that may have been a Banshee...

 

I don't recall any Limbos, I think there was a brief appearance from a Mirage, and the same from a Zephyr... I suppose I got used to the others all having a representation in The Gathering as Firsts, up to Nova and Necros. Are the more recently added frames ever actually going to get First representation?

Edited February 18, 2015 by Piranah1

[KBTKaiser]

Limbos so far was that one dude in the warhammer crossover

Mesa also was in that crossover and is around-ish.

Mirage was Cora the Grineer that Karl saved very early on, now goes by Tiana.

There was a Zephyr undergoing leg regen treatment during the Nightnova story, and Nikis' dead wife was a Zephyr as well.

[Kalenath]

Yeah. And he only was around for a couple of chapters. I seem to recall an old tough as nails Mesa, but now I think about it that may have been a Banshee...

 

I don't recall any Limbos, I think there was a brief appearance from a Mirage, and the same from a Zephyr... I suppose I got used to the others all having a representation in The Gathering as Firsts, up to Nova and Necros. Are the more recently added frames ever actually going to get First representation?

 

Probably. Eventually. But not soon. No update tomorrow guys. Sorry but Real Life is being  a PAIN.

 

I will post when I can. (Provided we don't lose power yet again. DANG snow...)

[Shadow977]

No update tomorrow guys. Sorry but Real Life is being  a PAIN.

 

I will post when I can. (Provided we don't lose power yet again. DANG snow...)

So what do we do in the meantime? Hmm... does anybody have a ping-pong table?

Edited February 19, 2015 by Shadow977

[evafan002]

Anyone for Golf?

[Shadow977]

Anyone for Golf?

Sorry not my style, i'm looking for something more fast paced.

[evafan002]

Sorry not my style, i'm looking for something more fast paced.

well i WAS planning on using live hand grenades for golf balls......

[Shadow977]

well i WAS planning on using live hand grenades for golf balls......

Now that sounds better :D

[Kalenath]

 

Waking a Dragon

 

Janet materialized beside Jesse, Brianna and Cecelia. All of them were in the same attire. Jesse and Janet were holographic.  Brianna and Cecelia...were not. Nikis stood nearby, his attire the same as it had been in the virtual world. The man in armor likewise.

 

"Nikis...?" Janet asked slowly, staring first at herself and then at Jesse, who were both attired as they had been in the virtual world. Stood to reason, since they were holograms here, projected through a device Ric was tweaking.

 

"Let me do the talking." Nikis said quietly. "Brianna will need to check him out once he wakes. Cecelia... try not to say anything." He commanded. "You are not protected as well as Ric and myself are." Cecelia paled but nodded as she moved to stand by the two holograms. Brianna remained where she was.

 

"Where are we?" Jesse asked, her eyes roving. "This place...feels familiar."

 

"It should." Nikis said with a smile in his voice. He nodded as Janet stared around and inhaled sharply. The decor was Orokin. A Tower! "This is where Iriana works. I have to say, of all the places he might have picked to hide... this one was inspired."

 

"He wasn't hiding, Nikis." Ric said quietly. "He was doing penance. He figured it was eternal."

 

"Nothing lasts forever." Nikis growled. "Shall we?" He nodded to what was apparently a wall. Janet could...feel something. A pressure. Something was crawling up her spine, screaming 'Run!'

 

"Nikis..." Janet said softly. "I feel...something odd." Jesse nodded as well. Brianna and Cecelia just looked confused. Nikis looked at Janet and Jesse and then at Ric who nodded.

 

"The wards were built to keep everyone away." Ric said with a sigh. "Good work too. I can't turn them off." He looked at Jesse who nodded back.

 

"You think I can." Jesse said slowly. "What kind of wards?" She asked, her eyes not leaving the wall Nikis was also staring at.

 

"Emotional aversion and physical repulsion." Ric said with a grunt as he stepped towards the wall and then took a step back. "Dang, still live after all this time. I surprise myself occasionally."

 

"You always were a wizard when it came to tech." Nikis agreed. "Jesse?"

 

Instead of answering, Jesse's hologram stepped forward, her hands glowing with dark blue code. She took another step, passing Ric who waited. She laid a hand on the wall and the dark blue code flared brighter.

 

"This is..." Jesse inhaled deeply, her voice turning awed. "This is beautiful."

 

"Be careful." Ric warned. "I put a trap in. I bet he did the same."

 

"Yes..." Jesse's voice was distracted, her eyes far away. "I can... see... Oh... That is sneaky..." She said to no one in particular. "I... Hmmm..." She paused and her focus returned. She looked at Ric. "Was your trap an Orokin soul catcher?" Ric went still and she sighed. "Guess not."

 

"A soul catcher? Jesse! Get away from that!" Janet demanded as she stepped forward. Soul catchers had been built to grab and hold energy forms. Not necessarily gently.

 

"It can't touch me, Mom." Jesse said with a sigh as she held up a hand, barring Janet's way. "It can take you. Please, Mom, step back." She begged. "I can do this."

 

"Nikis!" Janet pleaded as Jesse turned back to the wall.

 

"Jesse..." Nikis said slowly as he stepped up to where she was still touching the wall. "Those are very dangerous."

 

"I know." Jesse said with a grunt as she focused. "Trinity told me a little about them. It seems... Kind of like what warframes do to digitize prisoners?" She queried as Janet made a strangled noise.

 

"Kind of." Nikis said softly. "Jesse... let me handle it."

 

"All right." Jesse said, stepping back. "There are two other traps I can detect." Nikis paused, his hand halfway to the wall. "One seems to be a Mind Pull into a virtual environment, I bet an unpleasant one..." She looked at Ric who nodded. "The other... I think is an alarm. At least I did not find any dangerous mechanisms anywhere connected to it. Set to signal and nothing more."

 

"Yours?" Nikis asked Ric who shrugged.

 

"Mine is a short term jaunt into a virtual world where disembodied voices scream at you in four languages. Two minutes real world time. Virtual time would vary. It wasn't meant to be lethal. Just to scare the hell out of people and make them stay far away." Ric said quietly. "The other? I have no idea. But I wouldn't put it past him to have a watch set. Mine was basically  a 'Keep out'. His?"

 

"'I will steal your mind and imprison it until your body falls apart'." Nikis grunted as he laid a hand on the wall and it was suddenly glowing golden. "Wow... he is good." The gold flared then was gone. "I think I tripped the alarm."

 

"You did." Jesse said quickly as Ric stepped up and laid a hand on the wall. A flash of brownish energy and suddenly where a wall had been, a shimmering expanse of golden energy was in its place. "I can... probably open this..." Jesse said a bit dubiously.

 

"Yeah, you probably can." Nikis agreed. "But there is no need. I have it." He slid a ring onto his finger and tapped the shimmering gold with the finger the ring was on. "Open Sesame." The wall... winked out, showing a dark space beyond.

 

"Open Sesame?" Janet demanded, incredulous.

 

"Hey, it worked for Aladdin." Nikis said with a snort as he stepped forward. A light came from his gauntlet and illuminated the dark area. But... it was empty. "What the hell?" He turned to Ric who was standing dumbfounded.

 

"I..." Ric stammered. "This is where he was! He went into the pod here and..." He shook his head. "This is...wrong."

 

"Freeze!" Jesse screamed as Nikis took another step forward. Everyone did. "Look at the floor!" All eyes went to the floor where a series of golden lines set in a circle were slowly starting to glow. "Grand Master Nikis... Let me..." She said slowly as she stepped forward. Nikis shook his head as the golden lines erupted into fire that soared all the way to the ceiling of the room. "I can do this."

 

"Jesse..." Janet begged. Jesse smiled.

 

"I can do this, Mom." Jesse said softly. "I can." She stepped to where Nikis stood, staring at the fire. "With your permission?"

 

"Be careful." Nikis said in an undertone just for her ears. "If you get hurt, your mom will flay me."

 

"There... is danger." Jesse said heavily. "But I can do this." Nikis nodded to her and stepped back to where Janet was staring at her daughter who was suddenly wreathed in dark blue energy. "You have your abilities, Mom." Jesse said calmly. "I have mine. I can do this."

 

"You better come back intact or I will tan your backside." Janet said sternly and more than one person smiled.

 

"I know." Jesse said with a grin that faded as she stepped closer to the fire. She held out her hands in front of herself, palms outward and dark blue code arced from them into the fire. She took a deep breath and slowly spread her hands. More than one set of eyes went large as the fire... split in front of her. The golden code on the floor it had come from flared and went dark in front of her. The area...inside the circle of fire was darker than night. Darker than space. She bowed her head and spoke in a language Janet did not know.

 

"What-?" Janet asked, but Cecelia made a hush motion and Janet stilled.

 

"She said 'We come in peace to speak the truth.'" Cecelia said softly. "Old Orokin. She learned a lot from Trinity." Everything seemed to stop as a deep voice answered her in the same tongue. One word. Janet stared at Cecelia and the girl swallowed a little. "He said... 'Leave.'"

 

Janet shook her head as Jesse spoke again, her tone respectful, but firm. Then Nikis spoke in the same language and the darkness in front of them seemed to recoil a little. He laid hand on Janet's holographic arm and suddenly...

 

"You..." The words were clear to Janet. She stared at Nikis who nodded. He had taught her to understand the language somehow. "Why did it have to be you?"

 

"Your oath was to do penance until the world ended, Ser Draco." Nikis said quietly. "It did."

 

"And yet, here you stand." The voice was calm, but... sad?

 

"Orokin met an enemy they could not face." Nikis said heavily. "They fared...poorly. They made... mistakes. They paid for them. The Empire fell. Collapsed. The Golden Age is gone. The Age is Dark. We need heroes once more."

 

"Heroes?" The other asked. Then it turned angry. "What use are heroes? Dead men and women do not serve. They do not aid others. They do not gain honor! They rot! Leave me!"

 

"Ser Draco." Janet could barely believe she was speaking. "We need you." Somehow, she was speaking the same language. She had to ask Nikis how he did that.

 

"Who are you?" The voice asked, his tone more respectful. "You attire is familiar but you are not... Kalina. Where is Kalina, Nikis?" Nikis bowed his head and the voice gasped. "No... oh no..."

 

"Kalina passed into the database. She was taken and hurt by evil men, but now she is free." Nikis said softly. "This one... found me and I found her. Kalina approves."

 

"And you wondered why I stayed away from that foul necromancy?" The voice asked sourly. "You were always crazy but this... Nikis... I cannot..." Janet spoke before Nikis did.

 

"It was not your fault." Janet said firmly. "Your responsibility? Yes. What you did was...excessive. Perhaps it demanded some kind of punishment, but this... No." She shook her head firmly. "We need you. I need you."

 

"You... need me?" The voice asked. "You know not of what you speak."

 

"Perhaps not." Janet admitted. "I am not Tenno. My daughter is. Now." She could feel the scrutiny of whoever was in the darkness beyond the light's beam shift to Jesse who remained still.

 

"Cyberlancer." The male voice mused. "You may relax." The fire...died. The beam of the handlight did not pierce the darkness beyond where the fire had been.

 

"If it all the same to you..." Jesse said quietly, but did not relax. "I know you not. These say you are honorable, but I do not know you. I mean no offense, but my trust has been abused. I will not lower my guard."

 

"Well said." The other replied. "I can respect that."

 

"Not to mention that if I let you, you would toss us all out on our rear ends." Jesse said with a snort. Everyone stared at her, but the dark voice... laughed.

 

"I would probably be a bit more polite about it." The other replied. "Nikis has a temper."

 

"You don't say!" Janet, Jesse, Cecelia, Brianna and Ric all chorused. Nikis made a rude gesture at them.

 

"That is not very 'royal', Nikis." Janet said with a smile. "Remind me to punish you." Nikis just shook his head.

 

"You are a good match for him." The dark voice sounded... considering now. "What is it you wish?"

 

"Me?" Janet asked sadly. "I want my life to stop being so crazy. I want my injuries to heal. I want my children safe. I want to live without fear and I want the same for my family and friends. But I am needed, so I must serve."

 

"Why?" The other asked. He sounded honestly curious. "You are human, not Tenno. Why must you serve?" Janet looked at Nikis who shrugged.

 

"I am an Oracle." Janet said quietly. The darkness was silent and Janet bowed her head. "I have seen what will happen if I do not aid. If I do the wrong thing. I am mortal, fallible. Fragile. But I cannot stand by and do nothing while the world gets even worse than it is. If I must be a sole beacon of hope in this dark time, then so be it."

 

"Beacons burn." The dark voice said softly. "And so do you. You flare brightly in my darkness." He sounded... so sad. "You bear a terrible curse, Oracle." Janet nodded. "And yet you continue to strive? Why?"

 

"Because I must." Janet replied. "May I see who I speak to?"

 

The darkness... uncoiled. Cecelia gave a gasp and retreated a step. Brianna remained where she was. Nikis, Ric and Jesse did not move as a huge reptilian form slowly stepped out into the light. It's scales gleamed white and blue and it's mouth had far too many teeth. Janet shook her head.

 

"Pretty." Janet nodded to the serpentine form. "But that is not you."

 

"Ah, just once I wish you wouldn't warn them, Nikis." The huge form vanished and a humanoid form stood in its place. Behind him, an Orokin cryopod hung open. The warframe...wasn't quite right. Bits of it shimmered in places. Different colors of energy kept the eye from focusing on its parts, no doubt deliberately. He was fully armed. A sword and rifle hung at his back, a pistol at his side.

 

"Having people faint or have heart attacks is not good for public relations." Nikis replied evenly. "But... You do the illusion well." He said with a nod. "Chinese River Dragon?" He asked, curious.

 

"I did Welsh last time and French before that." The Tenno said as he took another step forward. He nodded to Jesse who hadn't moved. "Who trained you? You do not feel familiar but your energy patterns are."

 

"Trinity." Jesse replied evenly, still not lowering her guard. The other seemed to stiffen and then he nodded.

 

"Ah, that explains it." The other Tenno replied. His gaze fell on Janet who fought not to flinch. "Oracle... You know not what you ask."

 

"Can you explain?" Janet kept her voice level through sheer force of will. This Tenno exuded power and terror. Nikis used fear. This being was fear. No wonder Nikis had said he was scared of the guy.

 

"I can try." The odd Tenno said as he sat... in midair. Janet pursed her lips and he shrugged.

 

"Showoff." Nikis had fond exasperation coloring his tone.

 

"Takes one to know one, huh, Nikis?" The other replied. "As Nikis stated, I am Draco. Called Ser by my peers within the Society. Of whom Ricard was one." He glanced at Ric. "I did not expect you to betray me, Ricard."

 

"He did not." Nikis said firmly. "I demanded his aid. And he is no longer Ricard. His memory was damaged." The other hissed and Nikis continued. "He forgot much. Forgets much. But Ric is still the best with tech I have ever seen."

 

"The world...did end..." Draco said softly, almost bewildered. "I...see."

 

"There can be no forgiving." Ric said sadly. "I knew that."

 

"You are wrong, my old friend." Draco said gently. "If he spoke as the King? Which no doubt he did... Could you disobey?"

 

"I could have." Ric said softly. Cecelia moved to stand by him and laid a hand on his arm. He nodded to her. "But there are so few of us left. So few of us who want to remember the good of the past. And now? I cannot remember so much."

 

"Be easy, Ric." Draco said quietly. "Ricard swore the oath to me. And Ric or Ricard...  No matter who you are... You could no more disobey the orders of the King of Sol West than you could swim through molten magma without a warframe." Ric jerked but then he nodded. "It is good to see you."

 

"May I examine you, Sir Knight?" Brianna asked calmly. "I am Brianna, sworn to the service of Ric's Order." Draco inclined his head and she approached, a metal object in hand. It looked ancient and crude, but it hummed with the same noise of any modern scanner as she swept it over his warframe. "You are... very articulate for just having woken from cryo."

 

"I have been awake for some time." Draco replied. She stared at him and he shrugged. "I woke from the cryo sleep about a year ago." Everything stopped at that and Draco shrugged. "I could not leave."

 

"It was sealed. From the outside!" Jesse sounded horrified and Draco nodded. "I... You would have spent eternity in here... alone..."

 

"Yes." Draco agreed. "I do not know if they told you, young Cyberlancer. But I was... distraught after my last assignment. I failed. Failure is to be expected in some cases if not appreciated. No human or Tenno can succeed in everything." She shook her head and he continued. "But I crossed the line. I hurt innocents. I asked for punishment and it was refused me."

 

"You wanted more than we were willing to do." Nikis sounded calm. Mostly. "Yes, what you did was excessive. I would have done worse."

 

"Begging your pardon, Nikis, but you are you. Not me." Draco said calmly as Briana finished her scans. "Apothecary?"

 

"You are in good shape." Brianna commented. "The cryo-nesia will have left gaps in your memory, but they may or may not be recognizable." Draco nodded to her and she returned it as she stepped back. "Be well, Sir Knight."

 

"I will try, Apothecary Brianna." Draco turned his head back to Janet who was looking a bit bemused. "Problem, Oracle?"

 

"I do not know." Janet said with a grunt. "You seem... too good to be true. A true knight. And not as damaged by the long sleep as so many were. We have been tricked before. To our cost."

 

"I can but try to assuage your concerns." Draco replied evenly. "What would you have of me?"

 

"My daughter really, really needs a minder." Janet said and Draco stiffened. "I know what happened the last time someone asked that of you." She reassured him. "I do not ask it of you now. I merely ask for you to hear me -us- out. Then decide. If you choose to return to your prison, we will let you." All of the others stiffened and Janet shook her head. "Coercing him to service is no better than what the Grineer did to Jesse." Draco stared at her and then shook his head.

 

"What's 'the Grineer'?"

 

Edited February 20, 2015 by Kalenath

[Temperance000]

Yay, a nice Tenno who's not booby trapped, for once!

 

I think.

 

Just watch Kal pull something out of the Void behind the woodwork.

[Shadow977]

I was expecting at least little bit of complications. I'm suspicious.

[Kalenath]

Yay, a nice Tenno who's not booby trapped, for once!

 

Nice?

 

Draco is ANYTHING but nice. He is polite. He is not nice. There is a difference.

 

And anyone -even a scary Tenno boogeyman- is polite when Nikis is standing right there.

[Spikey844]

Nice?

 

Draco is ANYTHING but nice. He is polite. He is not nice. There is a difference.

 

And anyone -even a scary Tenno boogeyman- is polite when Nikis is standing right there.

Is there anyone Nikis doesn't scare? Or that Nikis is scared of?

[Kalenath]

Is there anyone Nikis doesn't scare? Or that Nikis is scared of?

 

Nikis told Janet that Draco scared him. That is true. And Janet nearly frying the Solar System TERRIFIED Nikis.

 

As for Nikis and Draco?

 

It is... more a wariness from both of them than actual fear most of the time. Neither really wants to fight the other.

 

It would NOT be pretty and neither knows who would be left standing afterwards.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Kalenath