[Fanfiction] Consequences

[Spikey844]

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.

More like WHAT would be left standing... Edited February 20, 2015 by Spikey844

[renleech]

Looks like this new guy needs a lot of catch up about the last events. i bet he will love to know the ancient enemies showed up. And who will cause him more outrage? Grineer or Corpus?

 

What about the grey morals of our time contrasting with his apparent black & white? Working sometimes for the enemy? Or syndicates? What could be his standing about this? Similar to Mass Effect universe justicars?

 

I just hope we see his armor today at the livestream. Most of us mortals don't have design council privileges, you know?

Edited February 20, 2015 by renleech

[Kalenath]

Looks like this new guy needs a lot of catch up about the last events. i bet he will love to know the ancient enemies showed up. And who will cause him more outrage? Grineer or Corpus?

 

What about the grey morals of our time contrasting with his apparent black & white? Working sometimes for the enemy? Or syndicates? What could be his standing about this? Similar to Mass Effect universe justicars?

 

I just hope we see his armor today at the livestream. Most of us mortals don't have design council privileges, you know?

 

We haven't seen it either. I am playing this one by ear.

 

But Draco has his secrets and keeps them like... a dragon hoarding gold.

 

As for who will infuriate him the most?

 

Wait for it...

Edited February 20, 2015 by Kalenath

[evafan002]

Or that Nikis is scared of?

I would think that there is only one person in the galaxy that nikis is scared of.... mag when she has her spoons out.....

[BaIthazar]

How does one join the Design Council?

[Spikey844]

How does one join the Design Council?

By having master or higher level of founders, or by invite.

[BaIthazar]

By having master or higher level of founders, or by invite.

 

I had attempted to play the game back in 2013, but my old laptop couldn't handle Warframe, I only became an active player when I got a better PC, if I had known about founders I would have contributed immediately.

 

and the part about needing to be an active contributor to the forums is pretty vague and could mean anything

[Vahlak]

I got the feeling that Nikis is the 'magnificent bastard' type who uses every tool he has at his disposal, and uses it extremely well.

 

And that Draco is, for lack of a better comparison, the true neutral ( or lawful neutral ) demigod, who simply exudes so much power that it's ridiculous.

[Kalenath]

 

A whole new world

 

"You wouldn't know." Janet said quietly. "The darkness that is sweeping across the Solar System has many sources, but the most numerous at the moment are clones called Grineer." Draco nodded to her and did not speak. She continued. "Two other larger groups are present. One is the Corpus, a supposedly neutral faction who seek technology and promote trade across the system." Bitterness sang in her tone and Draco tilted his head.

 

"Personal experience with them I take it." Draco's words were not a question.

 

"I was born and raised among them." Janet said with a sigh. "My daughter likewise." Jesse nodded but did not speak when Draco looked at her. "She changed. I... left."

 

"I see." Draco said politely. "Long story there, but for later. The third?"

 

"Infested." Nikis said flatly and Draco froze. "Yeah." Nikis said sourly.

 

"How?" Draco demanded. "Every time the plague appeared, Tenno intervened, stopped it. Often at great cost, but it was our job."

 

"The Orokin were losing their war." Nikis was calm, but rage lay just underneath his voice. "I was... distracted, but from what I can determine... They were losing the War and were desperate. They let the Infested loose from the containment facilities." Draco snarled and Nikis nodded.

 

"What kind of stupid...?" Draco broke off, looking at Janet, Jesse, Cecelia and Brianna. "I can figure what happened next."

 

"It worked, for a time." Nikis said softly. "The 'Sentients' as they were called, were pushed back and their forces in system were apparently eradicated. But..." He shook his head. "We don't know what happened. All we have are hearsay reports. I was... busy."

 

"Doing?" Draco asked softly.

 

"Training Tenno." Nikis said in a tone that discouraged further questions. Draco nodded a little, but it was clear the discussion was far from done.

 

"So the Infested overran Orokin..." Draco said, his tone hushed. Nikis nodded. "Stupid, stupid..."

 

"Desperate people do stupid things when they are pushed too far." Jesse said into the silence that fell. "But the Grineer are the largest threat currently. We have no definite numbers on Infested areas, but the Grineer have overrun most of the Solar System."

 

"Number on them?" Draco asked. Nikis shrugged and Draco sighed. "I guess that is  stupid question. If they clone as much as you imply... Billions." He trailed off and then shook his head again. "Cloning... fegh." He spat.

 

"No argument here." Nikis said with a nod. "Anyway... Jesse here was involved in a Grineer mess. They hurt her, tried to brainwash her. She managed to fight clear and in doing so found out what she was." Draco nodded respectfully to Jesse who returned it. "The problem is... She was pushed into the path." Draco seemed to still and Nikis nodded. "We do not know why."

 

"Because of you?" Draco asked Janet who shrugged.

 

"I do not know." Janet said quietly. "I cannot 'see' much when the subjects are too close to me emotionally. Not without... help." She said delicately. Nikis shook his head and Janet nodded. "I..."

 

"Do not bother." Draco said with a grunt. "If he doesn't want you to say, I will not be the cause of strife between you. But I can guess who might have... aided you. She always was a stickler for ethical decisions. And if you are an Oracle..." He paused and looked at Nikis. "Is it done?" He asked harshly.

 

"It is done." Nikis said, his tone calm. "Nyx has him." Draco relaxed.

 

"Is she... calmer about him?" Draco asked after a moment and Nikis shook his head. "I see."

 

"She has a right to anger after what he did." Janet snapped and Draco nodded soberly.

 

"I am certainly not saying she doesn't." Draco said quickly, his hands rising partway in a placating gesture. "But Nyx scared Master Hayden occasionally. We do not want her going off the deep end, even as a shade."

 

"I... can agree with that." Janet said with a sigh. "I barely encountered the scum myself and I was sorely hurt in the process." Draco looked at her and she made a face. "The reason I am not there in person is that I cannot move."

 

"And you will not leave her side." Draco's words to Jesse were not a question but she nodded anyway. "Admirable." He shook his head slowly, obviously thinking hard."So...a  three way conflict. And Tenno caught in the middle."

 

"It gets worse." Jesse said quietly.

 

"Of course it does." Draco said in a mild voice that fooled no one. "What else?"

 

"In their desperation, the Orokin tried to duplicate Tenno." Nikis said with a snarl. Draco jerked and suddenly was on his feet. "Yeah. I know." Nikis said with a snap. "Hear us out?"

 

"I listen." Draco said, his stance rigid.

 

"They copied Tenno." Nikis said softly, barely repressed rage underlying his words. "They took human volunteers. Some of them had been exposed to Void energy and changed as a result. Others... they changed themselves. They built warframes for them, cheap copies. Mass produced."

 

"That... is wrong..." Draco breathed, horrified.

 

"No argument here, Draco." Nikis said softly. "They killed Kalina to do it." Draco jerked and Janet moved to stand by Nikis.

 

"You have my sympathy, Nikis." Draco said softly. "She was...exceptional."

 

"That she was." If the ancient gunfighter's voice was a little husky, no one blamed him or dared to comment. "Anyway. They asked me to train the... new Tenno. I told them to F*** off." At that, Draco chuckled.

 

"I can just see you doing that." The dark shrouded form said with a sinister laugh. "How many of the messengers did you kill?"

 

"A few." Nikis said with a matching laugh. "I... ah... Eventually, I did. They needed it. The war...was going badly. Our kin who were fighting were being overwhelmed. A few of the new ones had a clue. I trained a few. Then more." He shook his head. "Then I was betrayed."

 

"What?" Draco demanded. "Who would dare?" Now his voice held worry. Small wonder. Nikis angry was nothing anyone sane wanted to face.

 

"You won't know her." Nikis said sourly. "She is an AI/human hybrid called The Lotus."

 

"Nikis..." Jesse said softly.

 

"No." Nikis said with dreadful force. "I will neither forgive nor forget." Janet laid her insubstantial hand on his arm and he relaxed a little. "She earned my ire and I will have my revenge one day."

 

"What happened?" Draco asked into the silence that fell after the Nekros' declaration.

 

"The evil men who took Kalina's brain dead corpse from the battle in which she fell were trying to make Tenno." Nikis said softly. "They succeeded once. A boy. My son." Draco stared at him and then slowly sank to his knees.

 

"Oh no..." Draco actually gulped.

 

"He wasn't perfect." Nikis said as if he hadn't even heard the other's soft words. "But he was a good kid. Always learning. Always trying to do the right thing. He decided the 'right' thing for him was to become a Caretaker."

 

"And... the Caretakers would not just 'let' the Orokin set the Infested loose, would they?" Draco asked. Nikis shook his head. "Damn."

 

"He resisted. They confined him." Nikis said sadly. "It was a godsawful mess. Then he escaped and things got odd. He was captured. I... heard about it and went to see him. They denied me entry."

 

"Uh oh..." Draco swallowed hard. "And then?"

 

"I took it to the Elders who told me he was deranged. Dangerous." Nikis said softly. "What none of them apparently knew was that a total wackjob was trying to get information that Dustin had. He had Dustin imprisoned in a secure psychiatric ward in a off planet colony. I didn't know either. I took my appeal all the way to the top. To the Lotus, who is supposed to be a guide or some such. She refused me, told me -commanded me- to leave him where he could be helped." He spat. "Helped."

 

"This Lotus... is a moron." Draco said firmly.

 

"Again, no argument." Nikis said with a sigh. "I was on my way to try... less than legal means of reaching him when all hell broke loose. The Emperor died. Some say Tenno killed him, others a Sentient attack. Others say he killed himself. I don't know. Don't care."

 

"And Dustin?" Draco asked, his tone oddly gentle.

 

"All that time you spent in cryo?" Nikis was barely in control and Janet hugged him tight, her hologram able to touch him somehow. "He was in the secure psyche unit. Unable to escape. Unable to talk to anyone except shades of the First. Alone except for them. All that time. Alive. Awake and aware." Draco actually backpedaled a step and Nikis nodded. "She commanded me to let them have him. I... was so angry I did not go at once. I had to calm down or I would have killed everyone I met. If I ever meet her in person, she dies." No scream could have been more definite than his cold words. "I tried to get in and couldn't. The colony was dead. I thought he was. I really did. Then they opened the unit and he was alive... but he didn't know me."

 

"Aw S#&$... Nikis..." Draco shook his head. "We have had our disagreements, but that..."

 

"He is dead now." Nikis said with a sigh as he relaxed a little. "He died a hero, saving every Tenno in the system from the evil of the madman who had hurt him before." Then he nodded to Janet. "Then I met this one and she threw me for a loop."

 

"And you did the same for me." Janet said with a mock snarl. She gave herself a shake and nodded to Draco. "My powers manifested and I learned to control them. I helped Nikis and Nyx stop Rasputin."

 

"Well done." Draco said with a nod.

 

"And she was badly hurt in the process." Nikis said with a glower at Janet who shrugged. "And you call me crazy? Silly woman."

 

"Nikis... anyone sane calls you crazy." Draco said mildly. "You pretty much define the word. Anything else?"

 

"There is more, but it is not for discussion outside of a totally secured environment." Nikis straightened and gave himself a shake. "Janet?"

 

"I have not used my powers on this, Nikis." Janet said with a frown. "I am too closely involved for them to be clear. All I have are my feelings."

 

"And those are?" Draco inquired politely.

 

"I was taught that if something seemed too good to be true, it usually was." Janet was still frowning. "You seem that way. I cannot say why. No offense."

 

"You have your secrets." Draco was not offended. Far from it. "I have mine. I am what you see before you. A Tenno. A bit wayward and storm tossed, but I still serve the Code." He shook his head. "Use your sight on me. Not on your daughter. Me." Janet stared at him. Then she slowly and cautiously opened her mind.

 

The visions took her.

 

***

 

"Mom!" Jesse exclaimed as Janet's holographic form winked out. She jerked and stared from where her mother had been to Nikis who shook his head.

 

"She cannot focus on the visions and on us at the same time, Jesse." The Nekros reassured her. "She is good, but she cannot. No one, not even Tenno, could manage that."

 

"A little warning might have been nice." Jesse said flatly as she relaxed a little. "She is a good judge of character though." She glowered at Draco who shrugged. "If she did not trust you, then I should not."

 

"Good." Draco's soft word stopped everything. "Don't. I am as far from infallible as a Tenno can be." He turned to Nikis. "So... if she agrees... You are asking me to ward this one?" He waved a hand at Jesse who bristled a bit.

 

"I am right here." Jesse snapped. Nikis just nodded and Draco sighed.

 

"Young lady..." Draco said in an oddly formal tone. "Nikis is not in the habit of asking for things when they are not needed. These 'Grineer'..." He mouthed the title carefully. "...hurt you. Badly."

 

"They killed her." Nikis corrected quietly and Draco stiffened. "The docs made her a new body and she took the Trial. She passed. She is young, brand new Tenno and a new Cyberlancer. She will need help."

 

"You put me in a difficult position, Nikis." Draco complained. "After the last time, you ask me to assume such a role again?"

 

"I do." Nikis agreed. "Frankly? If we didn't need you, I would have left you alone. I did not know you were awake."

 

"I had time to think." Draco said with a nod. "Time to reflect. I could not save Karla." He sighed. "It was not my fault, although it felt that way. What I did to the girls was wrong. It saved time, but did not help me save Karla."

 

"Karla was the girl you were protecting?" Jesse asked and Draco nodded. "How old?"

 

"Fifteen." Draco replied instantly. "And yes. She propositioned me. Three times. I told her 'No' all three times. She was too young."

 

"I am not interested in such." Jesse replied, then looked a bit unsure. "At least... I am not now. My body is different from the one I knew. I may... change my mind. If you cannot do it, then there is no stigma. As mother said, we will not coerce you."

 

"A new body, a new role and new powers." Draco blew out a breath. "You will need help, Tenno Jesse." There was no derision in his voice. No rebuke. Only simple fact. "You are young and your body is new. It will confuse you."

 

"I do not see..." Jesse broke off as Janet appeared nearby. She was crying. "Mom?" Janet patted her daughter's holographic arm and moved to stand in front of Draco. She wiped her face with her sleeve and spoke.

 

"You loved Kalina." Draco inclined his head at Janet's words. Nikis jerked and then slowly relaxed. "You never acted on it."

 

"No." Draco agreed. "She was in love with someone else. She knew how I felt, but she did not feel the same. Perhaps I was simply in love with an ideal. With the image. But I did love her." He said to Nikis who nodded slowly.

 

"Understandable." Nikis said softly. "She surprised the hell out of me. Many young male Tenno idolized her. With reason."

 

"Not just males." A new voice sounded and all of the visible eyes went huge as another hologram appeared nearby. The Zephyr warframe was standing, tapping her foot. "You are both idiots, you know that?" She asked Nikis and Draco who both shuffled like errant schoolboys.

 

"Been said." Nikis and Draco chorused. They looked at one another and Janet covered her mouth with a hand.

 

"I mourned you." Kalina -Nikis' first mate- said softly as she stared at Draco, who slowly nodded.

 

"I give apology." Draco said as he knelt. "I was your champion and I left my duties." He bowed his head.

 

"Draco." Kalina said firmly. "Look at me." The male Tenno did and she nodded slowly. "I am glad you survived. She needs you. They need you. And you need them." He jerked and her holographic faceplate retracted. She was smiling a bit sadly. "As always, a knight fights better with a cause. One stands before you." She nodded to Janet whose had fell away, she was gaping at Kalina whose smile turned impish. "But... word of advice... Don't piss her off. As bad as I was when I lost my temper? Janet is worse."

 

"Hey!" Janet protested.

 

"I didn't nearly vaporize the Solar System, Janet." Kalina said with a grin. Janet shook her head and her voice turned tender. "Nikis? Janet? Be well." She vanished.

 

"The Solar System?" Draco asked as he stared at Janet who flushed.

 

"I um... went a bit nuts." Janet said weakly.

 

"A bit more than 'a bit'." Nikis said with a snort as he moved to stand by the holo of his mate. "She got better. It hurt her, the energy she held."

 

"I begin to understand." Draco said with a nod. He rose and nodded to Nikis. "We will argue."

 

"Undoubtedly." Nikis agreed.

 

"I think you are a cantankerous old fool who shoots far too quickly and never bothers to ask questions after." Draco continued.

 

"Sometimes." Nikis granted. "Not all the time these days and I am getting a bit better. Personally I think you scare people just to do it."

 

"Right back at you." Draco said as he turned to Jesse who had watched the interplay with an open mouth. She shut it with a click. "You need help, young Cyberlancer."

 

"I am no Warrior." Jesse stammered, a bit unnerved by this sudden change in direction. "I have no wish to be."

 

"Good. It is not a path for everyone." Approval sounded in Draco's tone as he looked her over. "You have a sponsor?"

 

"I do." Jesse's voice firmed a bit.

 

"I will need to meet this sponsor, but... with your permission, Oracle Janet?" Draco said quietly.

 

"I still think you are too good to be true." Janet said with a sigh. "But... I can find nothing to justify my feelings of disquiet."

 

"If you do find a reason and can say so, please speak it." Draco said formally. "My duty is to protect your daughter. From external threats or internal ones." Jesse jerked and he nodded. "If I turn out to be a threat in some way, then said threat must be negated."

 

"I don't get a say in this, do I?" Jesse asked slowly.

 

"You do." Draco corrected her. "But to do my job, I will have to be pushy, I will have to be in your personal space at almost all times. At times you will thank me. Other times you will hate me. You may find yourself attracted to me. But I will do my job. I will protect you."

 

"For how long?" Jesse asked as Draco shifted his stance a bit. Nikis just nodded as Janet sighed.

 

"For as long as you need me." Draco shifted a bit. Somehow, without seeming to move, he was behind Jesse. A warding presence. "When you are trained, you won't need me anymore. But for now..."

 

"You do."

 

[evafan002]

well gods help the lotus if she pushes nikis too far.  this time he may just have help to go after her.... and i dont think every tenno in the system working together would be able to stop nikis and draco if they went on a rampage. I mean we would give it our best shot but by the sound of it the only real way to stop em would be blow whatever planet they happened to be on to pieces.......

Edited February 21, 2015 by evafan002

[Temperance000]

*sigh* Of course someone hates the Lotus.  Granted, Nikis has reason.  But still.  Why, in every continuity I've ever encountered, does someone hate the Lotus?

[Kalenath]

*sigh* Of course someone hates the Lotus.  Granted, Nikis has reason.  But still.  Why, in every continuity I've ever encountered, does someone hate the Lotus?

 

Because they are either fools, conspiracy theorists or they have a valid cause.

 

Nikis has a valid cause and the Lotus knows it. Hence why A LOT of people (Both shade and corporeal) are working to KEEP him from discovering WHERE she is.

 

One point- Nikis IS angry, make no mistake. But he ALSO knows that she is the guide for a lot of the Tenno of the time and thus is needed. He is not ACTIVELY seeking her out.

 

At least... not yet.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Kalenath

[Spikey844]

Because they are either fools, conspiracy theorists or they have a valid cause.

 

Nikis has a valid cause and the Lotus knows it. Hence why A LOT of people (Both shade and corporeal) are working to KEEP him from discovering WHERE she is.

 

One point- Nikis IS angry, make no mistake. But he ALSO knows that she is the guide for a lot of the Tenno of the time and thus is needed. He is not ACTIVELY seeking her out.

 

At least... not yet.

Annnd the 'yet' makes me shudder...

[evafan002]

wait a sec i cant remember did Nikis EVER go into cryo? if not would that not make him mentally and physicly one of the oldest living things in the solar system?

[Kalenath]

Annnd the 'yet' makes me shudder...

 

You know... the REALLY sad thing?

 

The Lotus was following the probabilities. It is what she does in my universe. The probabilities said that Dustin COULD be helped. She had no way of knowing how bat**** insane Redi was or what would happen to Dustin during the Collapse. Neither of those showed up in the probabilities and she was focused on trying to keep ANY of the Tenno and humanity alive.

 

She KNOWS Nikis has a right to his anger. She does NOT blame him. (But that also explains why he drew a pistol and nearly shot a monitor when she spoke from it in 'Healing') But she also has to keep doing her job so she can't let him kill her. And would that end her?

 

wait a sec i cant remember did Nikis EVER go into cryo? if not would that not make him mentally and physicly one of the oldest living things in the solar system?

 

He did, for shorter periods, a hundred years here, a hundred years there. Not NEARLY as long as the others. Every so often, he tried to get into the colony where Dustin's body was entombed (he thought). (The First didn't tell him and he has NOT forgiven them for that either. He understands it, but MAN he was &!$$ed when he found out)

 

And the LESS said about what happened when he saw Dust and Dust didn't know him the better. That colony had sixteen large docking ports. Now it has FIFTEEN.

 

That no one died was a MAJOR miracle. Elder Mavri told everyone to run and slammed ALL of the inner armored hatches shut as soon as he saw Nikis grab his BFG. It took... some time and the expenditure of about 30000 rounds of ammunition for Nikis to calm down.

 

The psyche docs are warned to change clothes any time Nikis visits the colony as he HAS been known to use anything in a white lab coat (Which they wear for tradition's sake) for target practice. One reason you will NOT see white lab coats on the Relays btw. Iriana and her people wear blue with white trim. She wasn't involved and didn't know who the lunatic who shot up the docking bay was. Now? She actually feels he was remarkably restrained under the circumstances.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Kalenath

[evafan002]

You know... the REALLY sad thing?

 

The Lotus was following the probabilities. It is what she does in my universe. The probabilities said that Dustin COULD be helped. She had no way of knowing how bat**** insane Redi was or what would happen to Dustin during the Collapse. Neither of those showed up in the probabilities and she was focused on trying to keep ANY of the Tenno and humanity alive.

 

She KNOWS Nikis has a right to his anger. She does NOT blame him. (But that also explains why he drew a pistol and nearly shot a monitor when she spoke from it in 'Healing') But she also has to keep doing her job so she can't let him kill her. And would that end her?

 

 

He did, for shorter periods, a hundred years here, a hundred years there. Not NEARLY as long as the others. Every so often, he tried to get into the colony where Dustin's body was entombed (he thought). (The First didn't tell him and he has NOT forgiven them for that either. He understands it, but MAN he was &!$$ed when he found out)

 

And the LESS said about what happened when he saw Dust and Dust didn't know him the better. That colony had sixteen large docking ports. Now it has FIFTEEN.

 

That no one died was a MAJOR miracle. Elder Mavri slammed the inner armored hatches shut as soon as he saw Nikis grab his BFG. It took... some time and the expenditure of about 30000 rounds of ammunition for Nikis to calm down.

 

The psyche docs are warned to change clothes any time Nikis visits the colony as he HAS been known to use anything in a white lab coat for target practice. One reason you will NOT see white lab coats on the Relays btw. Iriana and her people wear blue with white trim.

30 thousand rounds!!!? who the hell was STUPID enough to leave ammunition lying around where he could get at it? i mean there aint no way in HELL anyone including nikis could carry that much ammo at once

[Kalenath]

30 thousand rounds!!!? who the hell was STUPID enough to leave ammunition lying around where he could get at it? i mean there aint no way in HELL anyone including nikis could carry that much ammo at once

 

You think he DOESN'T have that much available when he hefts that BFG of his? (Which he is fixing by the way)

 

Dark Sector Gatling Guns had infinite ammunition for the gatling and 10 rockets. http://darksector.wikia.com/wiki/Gatling_Gun

 

My version has 30k rounds in the magazine and 10 rockets. He EMPTIED it.

 

Too big and clunky for most situations, but OMG, the firepower...

Edited February 21, 2015 by Kalenath

[evafan002]

 

 

Dark Sector Gatling Guns had infinite ammunition for the gatling and 10 rockets. http://darksector.wikia.com/wiki/Gatling_Gun

i would call that game mechanics and not to be taken as seriously as most things but then i suppose a human or even a tenno shouldn't even be able to hold one of those things let alone fire it.....

[Kalenath]

i would call that game mechanics and not to be taken as seriously as most things but then i suppose a human or even a tenno shouldn't even be able to hold one of those things let alone fire it.....

 

Never underestimate the power of anger.

 

Hayden needed the power armor to lift it in Dark Sector. Nikis cannot run or parkour with it in my stories.

 

It doesn't matter.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Kalenath

[Shadow977]

I'm curious does Draco know about Stalker and if not i would love too see his reaction.

 

And on a more unrelated topic, i wish DE would have Kalenath in the Community Spotlight someday.

[Kalenath]

 

And on a more unrelated topic, i wish DE would have Kalenath in the Community Spotlight someday.

 

Never going to happen.

 

Art is easy to examine, to say 'Oh, that is cool'. Fictions take a LOT longer to vet even when they are not as long as mine.

 

I do not mind. The art that is spotlighted IS well done.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Kalenath

[renleech]

I'm watching and waiting, wondering who will be the first idiot to argue with Jesse's new bodyguard. I think i already know...

Edited February 21, 2015 by renleech

[BaIthazar]

I'm curious does Draco know about Stalker and if not i would love too see his reaction.

 

I think Stalker would Teleport in, Get a menacing glare from Draco, give him all his blueprints, Teleport out.. The End

Edited February 21, 2015 by BaIthazar

[Shadow977]

I think Stalker would Teleport in, Get a menacing glare from Draco, give him all his blueprints, Teleport out.. The End

Well that would happen in the "normal" universe, i'm not so sure about Kal's universe.

[Kalenath]

 

Uh...

 

"You have got to be kidding..."

 

Karl sounded stunned as Nikis strode into the large conference room, followed by Ric and Draco. Jesse and Janet were both already present as holograms. Draco... was shrouded in darkness still. Somehow he managed to keep his warframe from being visible. It was clear he was there, but what he was... Impossible to tell.

 

Nikis and Ric wore their regular warframes. Nikis his pitch black Nekros and Ric his dark brown Vauban. Both were fully armed. The room... felt full. Olim and Raven stood by one wall, near the two holograms.

 

"Deal with it." Nikis snapped as he walked to one wall and leaned against it. "As soon as Iriana is satisfied Janet is out of danger, she and Jesse will be coming back. I will go get her with Draco."

 

"Draco...?" Karl said dubiously. Draco did not reply. Indeed, he did not even acknowledge the Rhino. "Nikis..."

 

"Don't start, numbnuts." Nikis was not angry, but he wasn't happy either. "I am in a bad mood."

 

"Where did you come from?" Raven was scrutinizing the shrouded form and her expression was professionally blank. Draco met her gaze calmly.

 

"The past." Draco replied.

 

"And... the reason you are here...?" Raven said after a moment's thought.

 

"Her." Draco nodded to Jesse and suddenly everything stilled in the room. "I am a bodyguard. She needs one."

 

"Oh." Raven looked nonplussed for a moment and then nodded. "I can't disagree." She said after a moment. She shook her head. "I would hope your life is a bit less... exciting for a while, Jesse."

 

"You and me both." Jesse said with a sigh. "You and me both." She turned to Draco. "This is Raven, my sponsor." Draco bowed to her and Raven returned it. "And this is Olim, my teacher." Olim nodded to Draco who returned it.

 

"Grandmaster." Draco said with respect.

 

"Do you have a title or is it just Draco?" Olim inquired.

 

"I won't be in your databanks." Draco said with a shrug. Olim looked at him and Draco shook his head. "I won't."

 

"And I get the feeling you won't say why." Olim said slowly. Draco shook his head. "I see. Do you swear that protecting Jesse is your sole focus?"

 

"I do. I am sworn to protect Cyberlancer Jesse." Draco said quietly. "From any threat, external or internal. She has already been hurt. She will not be again if I have anything at all to say about it. Until she is fully trained to your criteria and able to defend herself, I take responsibility for her safety and security."

 

"Who hurt her?" Karl demanded. All eyes turned to Jesse who shook her head.

 

"I... can't say." Jesse said slowly. "Mom was hurt. They needed me to help her. If they had asked I would have do whatever was needed, gladly. But they did not." Raven shook her head in dismay and Jesse nodded. "I am... well. For the moment. Mom is better." She smiled at Janet who frowned.

 

"I was hurt because I tried to stop something bad from happening." Janet said quietly. "My own dumb fault. I tried to get out of the burn tank I am floating in. I slipped and fell. I landed on my back." She sighed. "I broke it." Karl inhaled sharply and Janet nodded. "I am better. But they hurt my little girl to do it. Get her out of here, Nikis."

 

"As soon as we are done here, I am on my way, Janet." Nikis promised.

 

"Good." Janet said with a sigh. "The rest I think is Tenno business so I am going to butt out and get some sleep. Jesse? Be well."

 

"Rest well, Mom." Jesse said. The Oracle smiled and vanished. Jesse looked around and shook her head again. "For the record... I cannot say where I am. Mother gave her word and I am bound by that."

 

"You vanished right out of the dojo, Jesse." Karl said with a sort of feigned mildness. He was anything but happy about this. "Bad enough that you and Iriana just vanish. But this? Who hurt you?" He demanded.

 

"She can't say, Karl." Nikis snapped. "She can't, all right?" He sighed. "I can. It was my younger sister, Caroline." Draco stilled and the other Tenno in the room seemed to freeze. Jesse just shook her head. "She is an Oracle too, if not in Janet's league power wise."

 

"There are more of them?" Karl and Olim demanded as one.

 

"Believe me when I say you do not want to know." Nikis said heavily. "I wish I didn't. They can be a royal pain in the butt."

 

"Oracles generally were from the little I could find in the databanks about them." Raven sounded thoughtful. "Even with Rasputin finally out of the picture... As I recall, they always had to be careful what they said." She frowned. "Or at least very circumspect. Snatching Jesse and Iriana was not circumspect."

 

"I do not know why they did it." Nikis said with a sigh. "I will make it a priority to find out. After Jesse is safe." Raven and Olim nodded at that.

 

"They said they needed me." Jesse said quietly. "That there were innocents in danger. I am not sure. That is one of my weaknesses. Innocents in danger."

 

"You think they planned to manipulate you?" Raven asked carefully.

 

"Almost certainly." Jesse shrugged. "But as to why? I have no idea. We will need to find out. After Iriana and I are clear."

 

"Oh, I will if I have to tear the place down around their ears." Nikis growled. More than one of the listeners winced at that. Draco... did not. "Janet and I are agreed. This was beyond the pale."

 

"What could have made Janet hurt herself trying to stop it?" Olim asked into the silence that fell. "I mean... she knows how badly she is hurt and she is not stupid."

 

"She said... 'A great darkness pulling her -me- in and swallowing her up as she screams'." Jesse quoted softly. "Small wonder she reacted...badly. I thought it was what the Grineer did to me. Now? I am not so sure."

 

"And the hybrid?" Karl demanded.

 

"From what Janet says, that is intended for short range work." Nikis replied. "Only within the confines of the ocean they are in, using sound instead of the way that lousy *@##$ Lotus does it." He didn't sound angry, more matter of fact. "Caroline swore to me that she wasn't going to put Jesse in it and I believe her. I was ready to draw down on her." He admitted. "She wouldn't lie to me. She knows I wouldn't stand for it." Draco scoffed and Nikis snorted in matching amusement. "Yeah."

 

"So...what now?" Raven asked after a moment when it was clear Nikis was not going to speak again.

 

"I need to learn a lot." Jesse said firmly. "I need to continue my training." Olim and Raven nodded approval and she continued. "But not here."

 

"We are on our way." Nikis promised. "I will leave it to you three to hash out where you want to have her." He paused as Karl growled. "Karl... there was no way you could have kept them from snatching her."

 

"There has to be something." Karl declared.

 

"Nothing you want to use." Draco said quietly. "Nothing that would be safe for the Healer or for Jesse." He fixed Karl with a glare. "Don't."

 

"You come out of nowhere and expect me to..." Karl broke off as Nikis snarled at him. "What?"

 

"I am only going to say this the once, numbnuts." Nikis declared. "Do not push him. You will not like what happens..." He broke off as Draco raise d a hand.

 

"He is doing his job as a clan leader, Nikis." Draco said mildly. "Would you react any differently?" Nikis stared at the other and then sighed.

 

"I ain't  a clan leader." Nikis said softly. "But... point taken."

 

"Who the hell are you?" Karl demanded of Draco who ignored him. "I have never seen Nikis just... back off like that."

 

"He didn't." Draco said with a shrug. "But if I take no offense, why should he?" He asked reasonably. "I am a mystery. I will be a mystery. That is intentional. Anyone with foul designs on Cyberlancer Jesse will see me and have to wonder. That pause will give me time to react. We are not enemies." He said to Karl. "My only concern is protecting Jesse."

 

"And is your past... likely to come back to bite you?" Karl asked after a moment. Draco shook his head. "You are sure?" Karl pressed.

 

"I cannot be a hundred percent sure." Draco replied calmly. "But the only people who knew me who still exist are Nikis and Ric. Both of them are sworn to silence."

 

"Nikis... and Ric...?" Raven said slowly. Olim did not move, indeed, did not react at all. "You three knew each other. Before."

 

"Please do not push this." Draco asked her quietly. "I know I am an enigma. But my sole focus has to be protecting Jesse. I can do that better as a shadow. Bring me into the light where everyone can see and it will be harder. I will still do it, but the collateral damage will increase." Raven looked at him and then at Nikis who nodded.

 

"Jesse needed the best." Nikis said quietly. "I got her the best. I do not always agree with him..." Draco made a strangled noise and Nikis shrugged. "But there is no one I know better as a bodyguard. Who I can trust anyway."

 

"Nikis..." Raven said softly. "This vendetta of yours..."

 

"Do not." Draco said quickly. "Tenno Raven, do not try. Jesse needs you. Nikis is set in his ways. I...dislike much of what he does and why. But he is honest in what he is. He has cause to be angry."

 

"Everyone agrees on that." Raven said sadly. "Please, bring Jesse home." Draco bowed to her and then he and Nikis left the room. She sighed. "That...being..."

 

"I know." Olim said quietly. "There is something wrong with him."

 

"He uses fear as his primary weapon." Ric said quietly. "Even Nikis isn't as practiced. But a better bodyguard you will never find. Anywhere."

 

"Anywhere?" Raven asked, a bit concerned. After all, she knew about Avalon and the Royal Guard, the bodyguards for the Empress.

 

"Anywhere." Ric confirmed. "And that is all I can say." Karl just shook his head.

 

"He seems... much like Nikis." Karl mused. "Old. Powerful. Dedicated." Ric did not react and Karl sighed. "I won't ask."

 

"Thank you." Ric sounded grateful. "Frankly? He scares me too. He scares everybody. It is what he does. He does menace like nobody else I have ever met."

 

"Okay." Karl gave himself  a shake. "Jesse? This is your future we are discussing. Where do you want to stay? The dojo... has proven unsafe." The admission obviously hurt him.

 

"There was no way to anticipate or defend against such an act." Jesse said reasonably. "And I assume that facilities for training are being set up there?" Karl looked at Olim who nodded. "Then... let us keep this as simple as we can. I am not a Warrior, but I will need training. I need to learn my physical limits as I needed to learn my spiritual and mental ones."

 

"Well said." Karl said, calming. "And you... are comfortable with this Draco as a guard?"

 

"I wouldn't say 'comfortable' myself." Jesse admitted. "But he comes highly recommended. Frankly, I am needed and vulnerable." She shook her head ."I... do not want to be a Warrior."

 

"Jesse..." Raven said gently. "You do not need to be. We have Quais and Olim for tasks that require fieldwork. You can do Research and Development, Defense, Analysis, any number of other fields. Do not rush into anything. You have time." She scrutinized Jesse's holo and shook her head. "But for now? You need rest."

 

"Yes, Ma'am." Jesse said with a smile. She bowed to Karl and Olim. Then she vanished.

 

"Isn't this going to be fun?" Karl said with a grunt as he turned and left the room. Ric would have followed, but Olim held out a hand to forestall him.

 

"The course?" Olim asked.

 

"Set." Ric said with a nod. "Some of it will require direct supervision." He paused. "Olim... the safeties..."

 

"Agreed." Olim nodded. "We will need to set the course to recognize Jesse's limitations. She is not and will not be a Warrior. So... we can act accordingly. Set the safeties for human level endurance and speed. At least at the beginning until she gets up to speed."

 

"She may choose the Warrior's Path." Raven warned him.

 

"I don't think so. She does not seem the type. " Olim replied. Raven shrugged. "If she does? No problem. None of us will constrain her. For now? We go to the dojo, make sure everything is set up. Her quarters adjoin yours."

 

"I am still... a bit unsure." Raven admitted as the three Tenno left the room. "She is confident in my ability to teach. But I never did."

 

"You will not be alone." Olim reassured her. "I have some...advisors clamoring to assist." Raven looked at him and he chuckled. "After so long stuck in the database? Many of the shades would be happy to help."

 

"Don't step on Nikis' toes." Raven warned. "Cyberlancer or no, it wouldn't be pretty." Olim shuddered dramatically and Raven smiled. "Good boy."

 

"I try." Olim said with a grin in his voice as they walked.

 

***

 

Jesse wasn't awake. She was...aware. Sort of. It was odd. She could feel her body. It was... moving. She could not see. Could not hear. Was she dreaming? Tenno did not normally dream, so... Doubtful. Was she being kidnapped again? If so...

 

"I know you can hear me." A soft male voice sounded from nearby. Or...the tone was soft. Low pitched. The voice itself was hard, cruel. "In a moment, you will wake and not remember this."

 

Pressure was mounting on Jesse's skull. It felt.. like and unlike what the Corpus Clergy had done to her. Like and unlike what the Grineer had done to her. She tried to scream. Tried to fight. Nothing happened. So she retreated, closed down her mind. She summoned a bit of code and extruded it from a fingertip. But before she could get any readings, it was cut off.

 

"None of that." The voice said sharply. "I can use you. But you are a dangerous tool. This won't hurt."

 

Indeed, now Jesse was floating on a sea of bliss as power arced over her body. She felt... she was...

 

"Every action has a consequence." The voice moderated a bit as something touched Jesse's cheek. "Good, bad or indifferent, every action has repercussions. They would use you. They would force you to serve them and them only. I am giving you a gift. Use it wisely."

 

Jesse forced her eyes open and caught a hint of red. She clamped down her mind behind her most powerful shields. The voice cursed, power seared into her skull and then...

 

***

 

Jesse woke chilled. She felt... odd. She stared around, but the room she had been led to was empty. She focused on herself and froze. Someone had manipulated her mind while she slept. Or... tried to. They hadn't seemed to do anything. But she could not be sure. She checked each and every part of her brain as Trinity had taught her, sensing places where the manipulation had altered the flow of energy through the tissue.

 

Why would someone... try to alter my mind so clumsily? Jesse asked herself slowly. That... isn't like the Oracles. This is... Odd.

 

"Jesse?" Caroline's voice came from the intercom. The Oracle sounded weary. "Your ride is here."

 

"All right." Jesse said as she rose. She stepped to the door and staggered a bit. Whatever had been done to her... had messed up some things. She worked to correct them as Trinity had taught her. Her power was very useful for repairing damage to her organic form. "Iriana?"

 

"Waiting for you." The Oracle sounded abject now. "I... hope to talk to you again, Jesse." She said as the door hissed open to show the turtle standing just outside. "I am sorry."

 

"You saved my mother from being paralyzed." Jesse said as she started off. The pressurized portion of the Enclave wasn't that large and she knew most of it by now. "For that I am grateful. But if you had asked..."

 

"You might have said no and there was no time." Caroline said sadly as she fell in beside the human. She...wasn't walking. She was gliding in midair. Jesse looked at her and Caroline made a humorous noise. "You all walk so fast. I need a way to keep up."

 

"Do not expect me to forgive or forget, Caroline." Jesse said with a sigh. "I will not betray your secrets, because to do so would betray my mother. But do not expect me to help you willingly. Ever." This last was flat.

 

"We have earned your ire." Caroline agreed. "For what it is worth, I agree we were out of line. We should have asked. But we were scared we would lose her."

 

"Scared people do stupid things." Jesse agreed. "And this was stupid."

 

"Yes." Caroline said sadly. "Your mother and Mira have both been very loud in their silence to us." Jesse looked at the turtle and Caroline sighed. "Mira is... a friend of your mother's. She feels very strongly that what we did screwed us all. We do need your help." She begged.

 

"I can't trust you." Jesse said firmly and the turtle seemed to slump.

 

"I know." Caroline said weakly. "I...For what it is worth? Be well." She stopped as the airlock appeared in front of them. Iriana stood with Nikis and a form cloaked in shadow.

 

Everything stopped as Iriana exclaimed.

 

"Jesse?" The Healer asked, worried. "What happened?"

 

"What?" Jesse asked. The turtle looked at her and seemed to freeze. Nikis and the shadow moved. One moment, they were beside Iriana and the next both were beside Jesse.

 

"What did you do to her?" Nikis demanded as he took Jesse's head in a gentle hand and turned it slowly. The turtle gave a gasp. Iriana stepped forward, tools in hand.

 

"Nikis..." Caroline said weakly. "We didn't do that! She was fine when she went to sleep! I..."

 

"What is wrong?" Jesse asked as Draco moved to stand even closer. The bodyguard replied as Iriana started scanning.

 

"You are burned on the side of your head." Draco said quietly, his gaze roving.

 

"Someone has tried to brainwash you."