[Fanfiction] Balance

[evafan002]

OK i am feeling slightly less murderous but if some of my suspicisons of WHY nikis chose to do things the way he did are correct then this is gonna get messy perhaps even The betrayal level messy.....

[WarOverlord]

Super Saiyan Draco.

[S3EK3R]

Blood Mage!

[renleech]

Why this balance? Because an idiot thought once it was a good idea to achieve immortality through digital means. If people still truly died all this mess would have never happened.

 But the devious part was to enslave people with good intentions to keep this idea alive like the orokin did with the deceased Tenno and the old reverend mother did to Serene. Old fashioned manipulation.

 

This balance is a monstrosity meant to be destroyed.

Edited April 12, 2015 by renleech

[BaIthazar]

[Kalenath]

No! Not the SILENCE!

 

CALL THE DOCTOR!

 

Anyway... sorry for the delay. Been sick all week, but finally managed to get a new chapter written.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Countering Measures

 

-This is not going to work.- The words were inaudible, but from Draco's sudden tension, he could hear them too.

 

Jesse tried very hard not to sigh at the machine's words as she sat up on the couch and bit back a cry of pain as her abdomen protested. The machinery had retracted as soon as she opened her eyes. Draco was rising from where he had been lying. And what the hell had happened to him? She would ask. Later.

 

"It will work." Jesse promised. "Just... I don't think I can walk for a bit." Draco moved to the couch and she braced herself. His hands were gentle as he lifted her easily, but it still hurt. She grit her teeth to keep from crying out. "It will work." She gasped out past her tears. "We will not lie. But we will not betray you either."

 

-That is not possible.- The machine sounded somewhat petulant now.

 

"Yes it is." Jesse forced herself to relax as Draco took a step. It hurt. Oh my god, it hurt. But she managed to keep the scream from passing her lips. "What do I call you?"

 

"Nikis called it 'Medicine Man'." Draco offered as he took another slow step. "No coms in here. Have to get you outside to call for help. They will freak."

 

"I see." Jesse said slowly. A medicine man was an aboriginal doctor. A person believed to have magical powers of healing and of seeing into the future; a shaman. "You will need another name. I will say you are an AI, which is close to the truth. You cannot leave this place and you cannot talk to anyone but me. You are bound by your programming and any attempts to ferret out your secrets will not end well. They will understand that."

 

-Just let us go.- The machine begged. -You put yourself at risk. You are Tenno. We aid the Tenno. We cannot put them at risk.-

 

"I swore by Blood and by Steel to fix this." Jesse said firmly. "So I will." Through the code she still held within herself, she felt the other's intransigence. But she had the advantage and would use it as ruthlessly as she had to. "I am not going to let you die. Not again." Steel might have bent under her tone. Draco just shook his head. "As for what to call you? I will call you 'Shaman. Close enough?"

 

-You are determined.- The machine gave a fully human sounding sigh. -We cannot speak to anyone else. We should not have even spoken to you. But you needed aid.-

 

"Yes I did." Jesse bit back a scream as Draco took another step and fire erupted in her belly. "I... Draco..."

 

"Not far, Jesse." Draco said quietly. Indeed, the door hissed open as they approached it. Outside, a pair of familiar forms stood. "She is hurt! She was bleeding internally!"

 

"Set her down!" Raven commanded and Draco moved to place Jesse on the ground. Rachel was obviously on  com, but speaking subvocal. "What happened?"

 

"I... blocked...the pain too long." Jesse gasped out between pulses of agony. "Something...." She broke off as Raven snarled at her.

 

"Shut up, Jesse." Raven snapped. "Draco?"

 

"We were told that the connection between her appendix and the intestines tore." Draco said quietly as she stepped back to let Raven examine the now moaning girl. Raven jerked, her face paling. "She is alive. She needs help though."

 

"Who told you that?" Raven asked, palpating Jesse's abdomen with careful fingers. Despite her care, the pain increased to the point that Jesse bit back another scream. "Rachel!" The Elder begged.

 

"Doc is on the way." Rachel said as she knelt by Jesse. "What happened? We got nothing out here. The scans were blocked and any surveillance systems deactivate as soon as they enter."

 

"Can't say." Jesse said weakly, trying not to writhe. "Swore. Need to fix this."

 

"Jesse, stop talking! Let Draco explain." Raven commanded and Jesse nodded, focusing on her breathing. Rachel had a scanner in hand and was going over Jesse's abdomen with it.

 

"I am not sure what Nikis did or how." Draco said as he stepped back a pace, still wary. "We were accosted as soon as we entered by an entity." Rachel and Raven both froze and Draco shook his head. "It cannot talk to you. Not will not, cannot." Both of the older female Tenno hissed at that and Draco nodded. "Programmed not to and firmly so. Apparently by Nikis himself."

 

"And you know this, how?" Rachel demanded as she perused her scanner's readout. Multitasking came easy to Tenno.

 

"Jesse was hurting." Draco said with a shrug. "Far worse than anyone realized. I bet Ona had a clue. Which is why she didn't want to leave." Rachel and Raven looked at each other, but did not interrupt. "Anyway I reacted badly when it took Jesse from me. Nikis had set a trap though. Sneaky old fart." He snorted with no humor. "How is she?"

 

"No bleeding now." Rachel said with a sigh. "But lots of blood that we need to drain and some swelling that we need to tend." All three of the older Tenno relaxed a little and Raven took Jesse's hand in her own. "So... What happened?"

 

"Jesse happened." Draco said dryly. "It would have just healed her enough to survive her injury and then left, probably self destructed." Rachel and Raven both stiffened, but Draco laughed sourly. "Remind me not to &!$$ Jesse off anytime soon though. She grabbed part of the machine's code. It can't delete itself now without harming her, which it is expressly forbidden to do."

 

"But it cannot talk to us." Rachel said slowly. Draco shook his head as Jesse did the same. "Jesse, don't move! You are in no danger, but I do not like these readings."

 

"Not... going to die..." Jesse gasped out. "Just hurts!"

 

"Jesse, we have a gurney on the way." Rachel said sternly. "You will lie there and let us tend you, clear?"

 

"There... is... something..." Jesse managed to gasp, then she paled and lay still, her eyes closing. Shaman... She begged inside her mind. The vault?

 

There was no reply, mental or otherwise, but a feeling of reassurance swept over her as the doc arrived. She had little attention to spare as he started working and questioning her. But she knew she would have to figure this all out.

 

Her eyes found Draco's faceplate as the doc and Rachel lifted her onto the gurney gently. Draco nodded, just a little and she was reassured further.

 

She could do this. She had to.

 

***

 

It was getting tiresome.

 

Actually no. It was beyond tiresome. Jesse had finally had enough.

 

"I am not going to break!" Jesse declared as she sat up in the bed that Rachel had essentially just ordered her to stay in. "Yes, it was dumb. Yes, I would do it again. The damage has been healed. I am fine." She glared at the four Tenno who stood in the room with her. "I need to talk to Ona. Alone except for Draco." Raven and Rachel both started to protest, but the Volt who served as a doc for the Citadel just shook his head slowly. The Saryn Prime paused and looked at the doc.

 

"Roger?" Rachel asked. "We nearly lost her."

 

"Rachel, we didn't lose her." The doc said quietly. "According to every reading, she is fine. Whoever or whatever did the emergency repairs was good. Yes, she scared us. Yes, blocking the pain and not keeping an eye on the injury was dumb." He glared at Jesse who nodded to accept the rebuke. "But you are treating her like a little kid, Rachel. She is not one."

 

"I..." Rachel swallowed hard and then sighed. "I am sorry, Jesse."

 

"I messed up." Jesse said quietly. "I know I did. I know what I did wrong and I won't do it again." She promised. "But that still leaves us with two big problems. One, the AI that isn't one. And two, the vault thing." Raven scowled, but both Rachel and the doc nodded. Draco just stood quietly in the background. "The machine intelligence cannot talk to anyone here. I hold it. For now. But I am sure it is trying to find a way to break free of my control." She slumped a bit. "It will find a way. I am not perfect."

 

"Jesse..." Raven's tone was gentle now. "Why is it your problem?"

 

"I caused the death of the other one." Jesse said quietly. "I didn't know what was happening. If I had... Maybe I wouldn't have been able to change anything. But the fact of the matter is, through ignorance, a sentience faded from existence because of me. I swore not to let it happen again." Raven stared at her, face slowly paling. "Yes. By Blood and by Steel."

 

"Oh, Jesse." Raven slumped in place. "You crazy girl."

 

"Yeah." Jesse said softly as Rachel and the doc shared a look. They bowed to Jesse and left the room. "I need to talk to Ona, Raven. I swear I will not leave the bed."

 

"Don't you dare cut yourself again." Raven snapped, not at all joking. Jesse made a face, but then smiled a little as Raven sighed dramatically. "You really like making my life interesting, don't you?" She paused as Jesse held out a hand. She took it slowly.

 

"I don't mean to." Jesse said sadly. "It just happens. But now I have a reason to think before I act. I have another life that is counting on me. I don't want to fail it." She gave Raven's hand a squeeze. "I am sorry I have worried you so much, Elder Raven." Jesse said formally. Raven sighed and squeezed her hand back.

 

"I wouldn't change you for anything, Jesse." Raven said with a forced mildness that fooled no one. "But... please?" She begged.

 

"I will do my best." Jesse said through a suddenly tight throat. "You have been far too good to me and I have been a regular pain."

 

"And people wondered why I never wanted kids." Raven said with a smile. She gave Jesse's hand another squeeze and released it. She slumped a bit, then turned and left the room.

 

"I never meant to be such a pain." Jesse said quietly as she sat back. Draco did not reply and she sighed. "Nothing is ever simple is it?" She asked. But she wasn't asking Draco!

 

-Not in our experience.- The mind of the other came to hers easily. -You should let us go.-

 

"Maybe." Jesse frowned and she shook her head. "But I cannot. We need to figure this out. If... If letting you go is the only way to maintain the Balance, then I will. I am not a slavemistress. But only if it is the only way." She said sharply as the code within hers surged, trying to get free.

 

-It is!- The mind replied sharply.

 

"You don't know that." Jesse said with a scowl. "And you can be free anytime. All you have to do is kill me." Her quiet words had Draco stepping forward, but he paused as she raised her hand.

 

-You know we cannot do that.- The other mind snapped. -We aid Tenno, not harm them. Not kill them.-

 

"And humans?" Jesse asked softly. The other voice did not reply. "What are your limitations in dealing with them?"

 

"They have none." A familiar voice preceded the tiny Nyx warframe that was Ona entering the room. Jesse froze as an unfamiliar feeling swept through her from the code she held. Hate and fear. The mind of the machine knew the tiny Nyx and did not like her. "I... didn't want to believe. But he did it. He used what we did. To do this." The Nyx bowed her head. "I..."

 

"Ona." Jesse said softly. "What is the Balance?"

 

"What?" Ona asked, bewildered. "What do you mean?"

 

"For as long as I have been talking to Tenno, I have heard of Balance." Jesse said softly, looking at Draco who nodded a little. "Physical balance is the single most important thing in any martial art. If you cannot control yourself, how can you control your actions or your weapons?" The question was obviously rhetorical and Ona just stared harder. "But Nikis, Trinity and so many others have spoken of another Balance. A Balance that keeps the Orokin shades where they are. If they were to roam free..." She paused as both Ona and Draco hissed. "Yeah. Not good."

 

"It is the single largest source of power in our recorded history." Ona actually shivered. "No. It wouldn't be a good thing."

 

"Hence why they are distracted by the Game." Jesse agreed. Ona shook her head and Jesse continued. "Ona, do you know about the Vault?" The Nyx shook her head. "Then we need to know what it is."

 

Jesse was stunned as Ona, Draco and the mass of code within hers all chorused one word. 'No'

 

"But..." Jesse stammered, but fell silent as Draco stepped forward. "Draco?"

 

"Jesse." Draco's words were soft and worried now. "Nikis is old. Older than me. He is a pain in the butt. Always has been, always will be. He is mean spirited, vicious and has a short way with anything smacking of BS or worse, political correctness." Jesse nodded, confused. "But he also... is not in the habit of keeping secrets because he can. If he kept something secret, he had a reason. If he locked something up as too dangerous to ever see the light of day, I for one will not go anywhere near it." His voice turned stern. "And if you try, you know what I will do." Jesse slumped but then smiled a little.

 

"You will knock me out and sit on me." Jesse said with sigh. Draco nodded and she took a deep breath. "Okay. So we seal it further and leave it the hell alone." She frowned. "The hair is used for something. To strengthen something. I have no idea what."

 

"And we likely do not want to know." Ona said quietly. "There are secrets that must be kept, Jesse. You know this."

 

"The machine remembers you." Jesse eyed the tiny Nyx who nodded. "You said you made the first scanner. But the mind within it said a human healer did so. It also made comments that it did so willingly."

 

"It talked to you?" Ona asked carefully.

 

"I didn't give it much choice." Jesse said with a smile that faded. "It saved my life and according to Draco, it was called Medicine Man." Ona was obviously gaping at her and Jesse shrugged. "I call it Shaman. Not -quite- the same level of..." She paused, looking for a word. "Mythology?" She asked.

 

"A shaman was a spiritual guide." Ona said slowly. "A medicine man was a primitive healer."

 

"Not always so primitive." Draco said softly, then clammed up again.

 

"What we did was wrong, Jesse." Ona said quietly. "But we cannot undo it now. Not after all this time."

 

"It says it has a purpose, Ona." Jesse said carefully. "Did you program that into them? Him?"

 

"No." Ona's voice was nearly inaudible. "Not that you will believe me. But it was true. What we did was bad enough. We programmed it to be a scanner. No more." Jesse looked at her and then focused her mind.

 

You can't talk with her here. There was no response. I will ask her a few more questions and then we need to talk. Securely. I will make it that way. Again, there was no response but she felt a... caress of sorts across her mind. A non-verbal acknowledgement.

 

"Okay." Jesse said with a sigh. "So you don't know what is in the vault either." Ona shook her head. "Any guesses?" The tiny Nyx shrugged.

 

"It could be just about anything, Jesse." Ona said with a sigh. "I know Teacher was doing things during the War that he never talked about." At that, both Jesse and Draco tensed and Ona nodded. "Up until his son... was taken... he was working with the Tenno. We tried to find him, but we were always to slow."

 

"Too slow?" Jesse said softly. Then she stiffened. "Ona? How did he get back in here?" The small Tenno stared at her and Jesse swallowed hard. "Ona, when did Nikis return to the Citadel?"

 

"He never said." Ona sounded perplexed. "Why?"

 

"They sealed themselves off." Jesse said, a sinking feeling starting to creep up her spine. "But he got back. To seal the vault every so often." Ona was shaking her head slowly, but Jesse was nodding. "But if it was just a vault, he should have been able to just seal it. Why would he need human DNA to seal a vault?" She asked nobody. "To seal a Tenno vault? And why every hun...dred..." She froze as a horrible thought occurred to her. "Oh my god..."

 

"Jesse?" Ona asked, her tone wary. "Your vitals just spiked."

 

"A hundred years. A normal human childhood span without advanced medical tech. You didn't make the scanners." Jesse said softly. Ona shook her head but now Draco hissed. "Human minds are torn out and programmed to make the scanners. But... where would Nikis get human minds that wouldn't be missed? Who couldn't disobey orders given to them?"

 

"We don't know." Ona said weakly. "I mean, we have surmised that he... cloned..." She froze as Jesse shook her head. "No." She actually backed up a step, her tone turning horrified. "He wouldn't! Teacher wouldn't!" But her tone said otherwise.

 

"He couldn't trust the Orokin." Jesse said softly. "He couldn't involve the Tenno who remained here." She waved a hand to encompass the Citadel. "The Tenno he was training needed medical help they could trust implicitly. And now? I was told that the data repository in my appendix held the memories of the AI that self destructed. And my hair is human DNA. But... not. So...Not Orokin. Not Tenno."

 

"Jesse..." Ona actually gulped. "Nikis is a lot of things. I know. I have known him most of my life. He wouldn't do that!"

 

"He wouldn't work with the Sentients!"

 

Edited April 16, 2015 by Kalenath

[Spikey844]

Oh great... Damn it Nikis. Your past is catching up.

Also, I think I may have an idea what is buried in the vault. I could be completely wrong but....

[Shadow977]

....

[FiveHours]

Good lord, they talk a lot.

[evafan002]

GOD DAMN IT NIKIS!!! OF ALL THE.... GAHHH!!! I could understand if he had the leader of the goddamned sentients in the vault and the sealing had to be renewed every 100 years but this? oh there is going to be hell to pay if he was actually working with the sentients or even with their tech

Edited April 16, 2015 by evafan002

[renleech]

When the truth comes out to the other characters, they will want Nikkis's head. Guilty of high treason among other things.

 

When we think about a man who saw too much, lived too much i wonder if he will resist capture and execution, if he will even try...there's a precedent for Nikkis wanting to die. Ah, more questions! Who will pull the trigger? And who will replace him in such hypothesis?

[DJSeraph]

I recall a previous story mentioned good ol' Vlad. So uh... I'm wondering what all the hate is for. Nikis is hardly heretical. He'll do what it takes to get things done, but he has firm morals and only really desires "world peace", when it comes to the question of war.

 

Maybe I'm reading too much into this but... I don't see any need to worry.

[Shadow977]

I recall a previous story mentioned good ol' Vlad. So uh... I'm wondering what all the hate is for. Nikis is hardly heretical. He'll do what it takes to get things done, but he has firm morals and only really desires "world peace", when it comes to the question of war.

 

Maybe I'm reading too much into this but... I don't see any need to worry.

It was Vlad Jr. to be exact but otherwise i agree. I'm pretty darn sure Nikis has a good reason for this.

[4G3NT_0R4NG3]

It's amazing how easily an alien invasion can be defeated by a madman who lives in a phone booth and kidnaps women.

Maybe he could take care of the Grineer for us? I smell a crossover. I'd read it.

[fishworshipper]

It's amazing how easily an alien invasion can be defeated by a madman who lives in a phone booth and kidnaps women.

Maybe he could take care of the Grineer for us? I smell a crossover. I'd read it.

Kidnap: to take (someone) away illegally by force.

The Doctor doesn't kidnap his companions. He invites them and they choose to go with him. Hell, some have even said no and he let them go.

Edited April 16, 2015 by fishworshipper

[Kalenath]

*sigh*

 

I HATE being sick. But I did manage to get the speech to voice software working so I gave it a whirl. (Yes, Fish I KNOW there are errors in this. The edit function can't find them all and I am too FRACKING tired to go through it 20 times to seek them out.)

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Partitions

 

"I don't think Nikis worked with the Sentients." Jesse said as Ona stared at her. "What I fear is that he used some of their tech to do this." Draco and Ona both hissed at that and Jesse nodded. "And I am... not going to be capable for a bit." She was healed, but still very weak.

 

"Even if any of us would let you risk yourself." Draco said sternly. "Which we won't." Jesse looked at the shrouded Tenno and then sighed. "You know you wouldn't be able to handle whatever it is, Jesse. You are good, but you are not fully trained."

 

"No, I am not." Jesse admitted, sinking back onto the bed. "So we call Olim. Get him here quickly."

 

"I will do that." Ona said, starting for the door. Jesse went still as a feeling for wrongness came through her. Not just from the other, but from her own code as well. The tiny Nyx wasn't being truthful.

 

"Ona." Jesse said flatly. The tiny Nyx paused at the door and Jesse continued. "Don't lie to me." She warned. "What are you going to do?"

 

"If there is Sentient tech or worse in that vault, then it needs to be eliminated." Ona replied in a quiet voice. "You are not a Warrior, Jesse. I am. We are."

 

"You cannot enter it." Jesse said softly.

 

"You might be surprised." Ona replied, still calm.

 

"Ona, if you enter his quarters, you will never even see anything out of the ordinary." Jesse protested. "There was nothing wrong." She slumped. "Until there was. He is seriously sneaky."

 

"And he left traps." Draco said into the silence after Jesse's words. Jesse turned to look at him and he shrugged. "Took me by surprise. Or did you think I threw myself into the wall?"

 

"Didn't think about that actually." Jesse admitted. She smiled a little. "Been a little preoccupied." Draco chuckled at her wry tone and nodded. She sobered as she looked at the tiny Nyx who was almost to the door. "Ona, please."

 

"Jesse, we caused this." Ona said quietly. "We need to fix it."

 

"You won't find anything." Jesse pressed. "You searched before, no?" Ona nodded slowly and Jesse continued. "I am immobile for a bit." She patted her abdomen. "And I am no Warrior." Ona nodded again, clearly dubious and Jesse smiled. "So, let me try to get some more information. You can't be here for that. And no one will be able to listen in."

 

"Jesse." Ona's tone was flat now. "You know how Rachel and the others will react."

 

"Yes, I do." Jesse said quietly. "And they have a right to it. I have scared Raven in particular far too much in too short a time. But Ona..." She pleaded. "We need to know. We need to find out what to do. We have one source of information and they will not talk to anyone else but me." Ona glanced at Draco and Jesse sighed. "He gave them as little choice as I did but they can refuse to talk to me. If they do... I cannot press them too hard." Draco and Ona both nodded at that. "Please? Talk to the others? Keep them from freaking out too badly?"

 

"I will do what I can, sister." Ona promised as she turned and left the room.

 

"She is going to go in anyway." Draco said to Jesse who nodded as she lay her head back down onto the bed. "How you doing?"

 

"No pain now." Jesse said with a sigh. "Just really weak. I know I was lucky. That much blood loss could have easily been fatal. "

 

She swallowed hard and Draco grunted. She hadn't had any idea how badly she had bled internally. The AI or whatever hadn't said. But the doc -Roger- had been worried even though he worked hard to hide it.

 

"Yeah." Draco agreed. "I can understand why the AI acted as it did. Medical emergencies wait for no one. If they had taken time to explain, you would have bled out." Jesse looked at him and he snorted. "Still mad, but I do understand."

 

"Right." Jesse sighed and opened her mind. Only Draco is here and I will fuddle the sensors.

 

She cast out with code, seeking each and every surveillance system in the room. There were a number of them. She did not disable them. That would have caused alarms to sound across the citadel in all likelihood. Instead, she encapsulated each in small cocoons of her code. The vital signs monitors, she mostly left alone. Indeed, she wanted to know if any of her vitals got worse. But the video camera was treated to an image of her falling asleep in the bed. The microphone would hear her breathing slowly taper down to sleep levels. If she wanted, she could fake a dream or two, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. It was good practice, she had to admit. The code had to be perfect or the automated systems would detect the intrusion and sound alarms. But nothing happened and she relaxed as the code reported its work done.

 

It wouldn't fool anyone. If they had been listening as she had talked to Ona, and they likely had been, then they would be working themselves up to a fever pitch. So... another tendril of code locked the door.

 

We are as alone as we can be. Jesse said into the recesses of her mind. Can you speak now?

 

-This is wrong.- The other's voice was resigned. -You know this is wrong.-

 

"No, I don't." Jesse admitted. "Can you explain it to me? Why do you need the DNA that is on the hair that was remade? Do you need to clone someone?"

 

-We cannot say- The AI or whatever it was' voice was quiet. -It is needed.-

 

"This is stupid." Jesse was beginning to lose patience.  "We can help.  If you let us."

 

-You cannot help us.-  Was the AI say that now?  -All you do is place yourself in danger.-

 

"What can you tell us?" Jesse asked, forcing herself to be calm. "We need to do something.  Something horrible was done and we need to undo it if we can.  If we cannot, we need to know."

 

-You cannot help us.-  The AI repeated. -No Tenno can.-

 

"Wait a minute." Jesse had gone stiff.  "What did you say?" There was no response.  "Now don't be like that.  I'm trying to help."

 

"They said no Tenno can." Draco said quietly.  "If we can't, then someone else can."

 

"Who?" Jesse was confused.  This place was a Tenno fortress. The Tenno fortress.  So who could…?  She went still.  She knew someone who might be able to.

 

-You must not.-  The AI's voice was implacable now.  -You will not.-

 

"You're not leaving us much choice." Jesse tried not to sigh.  This was getting her nowhere.  "We will do what we can.  But there are limits to our power.  If you help us, then we can do more.  If you do not help us, we will still find a way.  It is what we do." Her voice had taken on an edge of steel.

 

-You must not. - The machine sounded… worried. -You will cause harm.-

 

"But I don't want to." Jesse pleaded.  "This is insane.  We're trying to help.  We can help.  Tell me how I would cause harm?  Please?"

 

-That is forbidden.-  The other replied.  -When we…  What we wish is irrelevant.  What must be, must be.- Jesse stilled.  Something about what they just said…  She looked at the other Tenno and he nodded.

 

"Wait." The young Tenno said slowly.  "Erect a secure partition.  Designate Alpha 14." A portion of her code flowed from her hands.  It surrounded her, penetrating her, bound her and her passenger into an unbreakable bond.  "I am an idiot." She said with a sigh.

 

-No.  No, you are not.- This voice was different.  It wasn't as powerful.  It wasn't as angry.  It felt…  Jesse felt her eyes start to fill.  The pain…

 

"Have I hurt you?" Jesse asked, her heart in her mouth.

 

-No.-  The voice was young.  It sounded male.  But not.  -You are very brave. You did not cause the pain. It is what we are, but while in this secure partition, it is muted and will not overload your synapses. If you attempt to do so outside of this partition, it will harm or kill you. And you are too stubborn not to try.-

 

"Been said." Jesse said with a small laugh.  Draco made a strangled noise but he did not move.  Jesse shook her head.  "What can I do?"

 

-You need to get the DNA to someone who can access it.-  The voice of the other was calm. -I cannot help any more than I have.  The others are bound tighter.  I have some freedom in this partition.  Not much.-

 

"Is there anything I can do?" Jesse asked.  She could feel the pain that the other was feeling. If this was the muted version, then no, she didn't have a chance.

 

-No.- The other replied sadly. -We cannot harm you any more than we have. And we will if you keep attempting access. So you must not.  Tenno Draco.- Draco jerked but then nodded.  Jesse jerked as Draco moved to the bed.

 

"No." Jesse pleaded. She tried to move, but Draco already had his hand on the sedation machinery.  Her eyes closed quickly before she could even move.  It did not remove the betrayed expression from her face for several minutes.

 

-I return to the others.- The AI said quietly. -She still holds us within her. You must do what she cannot.-

 

"I cannot leave her side." The bodyguard Tenno crossed his arms.

 

-If you do not do this, she will die.- The other replied evenly.  -She is dedicated.  A bit too dedicated.  The others cannot keep her sedated. But they must keep her safe and secure.-

 

"If you lie to me…" There was nothing in Draco's voice.  Nothing at all.  Somehow, that was scarier than any screamed threat.

 

-There is no need.-  The AI sounded resigned now.  -She will push.  Her duty demands it.  She is too vulnerable.  We must protect her.  As must you.-

 

"Well, what do you suggest I do?" Draco demanded, anger rising.

 

-Stasis.-  The other replied.  -That is the only way to keep her from harming herself.  She is not suicidal.  But she will continue to push.  Her duty demands it.  Her oath demands it.  She feels our pain.  It calls to her and she can no more deny her calling than you can deny yours.-

 

"I know." The shrouded warframe slowly traced his hand over Jesse's hair.  "She is a good kid."

 

-We will ward her as best we can.-  The other sounded heartsick.  -She is a good kid.  A good Tenno.  A Cyberlancer of which there are always far too few.  We wish no harm to her but harm will come.  We cannot allow that.-

 

"I know who can help." Draco said with a sigh.  "The question is…  Will they?"

 

***

 

"You are out of your mind!"

 

The scene was tense.  When Draco had to carried Jesse from her hospital room, the other Tenno in the Citadel had been less than enthused.  The less said about their reaction on finding out what happened the better.  The fact that Jesse could subvert the Citadel's defenses so easily, the fact that she was unconscious -sedated- and add to that what Draco had just asked.  It was a small wonder that people were upset.

 

Rachel stood with Roger and Ona stood slowly apart from them.  All of them were glaring daggers at Draco who held Jesse's unconscious form in gentle hands.

 

"She's going to keep pushing." If Draco was bothered by the ire of the others it was not apparent.  "You know it.  I know it.  She has bound the AI and she feels the pain that it does.  They don't intend her to.  But she feels it.  You know what she will do."

 

"She will try to heal it's pain and that will kill her." Roger said softly. Draco nodded.

 

"And what you and the AI suggest…?" Rachel was not happy.  "…will help her how?"

 

"From what little I understand, she is bound to the AI." Draco said reasonably.  "That means that she cannot block the pain." He looked at the Volt who served as the doctor for the Tenno of the Citadel.  Roger's posture was angry, but he nodded.  "She will look for ways to fix the problem.  And she will deny her body's demands.  She will keep pushing herself past her ability to heal.  Tell me I lie."

 

"You don't." This from the tiny warframe that stood apart.  Ona's head was bowed. "She serves. It is all she knows. She is too young and too inexperienced to know when to stop pushing."

 

"She is not a warrior." Draco agreed.  "The AI thinks stasis is the only choice.  The pain will keep her distracted. Keep her pushing to find a cure. A solution. It said that no Tenno had the cure."

 

"No Tenno?" Rachel asked slowly.  Draco nodded.  "You already went to the Orokin." Draco nodded again.  "So what does that leave?"

 

"Something crazy."

 

***

 

It was hard.  Draco done many hard things in his life, but this was worse than many.  The tiny container that he cradled in one hand held the single strand of Jesse's hair that had been altered. The removal and securing had all been automated and painless. The container was a miniature stasis device so he had time.

 

He had time.

 

He stood and watched as Jesse was lowered the stasis pod.  She looked so small and vulnerable.  So lost and alone.  He took a deep breath and turned to his companions.  Raven had not said a word, she had simply arrived.  He wasn't entirely sure what she wanted.  So he did as he always did.  He charged.

 

"Will you stay with her?" Draco asked.  The glare she leveled at him said much, but told him little.  "Elder Raven, you know…" He broke off as she snarled.

 

"She is my responsibility." Raven was not happy.  "Deciding to put her into stasis without my okay was rude."

 

"We did ask your permission." Draco said quickly.  He knew enough about Tenno females not to anger her unduly.  He was powerful, he wasn't stupid.  She might not be a match for him hand to hand, but it didn't matter.  "Jesse was and is in pain.  Psychological rather than physical.  She will be until we can fix this."

 

"I know that." Raven's voice was flat.  "But I am her sponsor.  She is my responsibility as well.  Do not think to exclude me." Draco looked at the other and gave a tiny nod.  Raven looked at him and then nodded in return.  "I will stay."

 

"Thank you, Elder." Draco said quietly.  He wanted no conflict with other Tenno.  And he did understand her ire.  The sedative that Jesse had given with only last so long.  They had to have her in stasis before it wore off.  If she woke, she would fight.  She might not be a Warrior, but she was Tenno.

 

"I'm going with you." The tiny Nyx warframe that stood to one side hadn't moved since they had brought Jesse into the stasis ward.  Draco looked at her and she shrugged.  "We can argue about this or we can get started on helping Jesse.  What will it be?"

 

"Do not expect trust." Draco's words could have frozen hard vacuum.

 

"I don't." Was that a tinge of sadness in the Nyx's voice? Hard to say.  "Our only concern is Jesse.  When do we leave?"

 

"Meet me in the portal chamber in ten minutes." Draco's voice was less than polite, but no one in the room would care.  The tiny Nyx bowed and left the room.  Rachel looked at him and Draco nodded.  "You said to my quarters are untouched?" Rachel nodded.  He turned and left the room without further word.

 

The Citadel was as he remembered but not.  When Draco had lived here, it had been a center of learning.  A hub of knowledge and had always been bustling with activity.  Now?  There was silence.  It felt wrong.  It felt dead.  The mass of history weighed upon Draco as he walked.  But as always, he ignored everything wasn't his job.  It was what he did to stay sane.  Or as sane as he was.  He was reasonably well adjusted but there were times when he wondered.  But he did know his way around and found his old quarters quickly.  The door opened to his touch as if no time at all had passed.  The room was as he had left it so long ago.

 

Looking around he didn't see anything out of place.  The few mementos that he collected during his time at the Citadel, a few posters -some he still recognized and others he did not- what he had come for.  He moved the paper partition out of the way and there it was. It lay quiet on its stand.  Dormant.  But he knew it was watching. It was always watching.

 

"It has been too long, old friend." Draco said with a sigh as he laid a hand on the sword's handle.  And not just any sword.  The Nikana was not a normal Tenno blade.  It was older.  The basic design predated Orokin by hundreds of years.  But this was no normal Nikana. "I give apology."

 

<Your path and ours diverged, wielder.> The voice was not audible. Nor was it mental. It was more images than actual words. It connected to Draco in a way he'd never been able to explain. <What was required of you was not something you could do. There was no honor to be found in forcing yourself into a path that you were unsuited for when there was no need.> As always, the ancient wisdom that lived within the blade humbled Draco in any number of ways but it did not feel demeaning. Everything to the sword was simple and clear. He had always liked his talks with the sword. <What brings you back to us?>

 

"I have found my way." Draco said quietly. "I guard those who cannot protect themselves." A feeling of approval came from the blade and Draco nodded. "But now, my protectee is in danger. To aid her, I must go into deadly peril."

 

<Then you will not walk alone.> Without sense of transition, the blade he had been touching was at his side. And not alone. Another, shorter blade hung with it. <We are with you.>

 

"I am honored." Draco said and then turned and left the room. For the first time in a long, long time, Draco felt complete. Daisho, the twin blades of the Samurai, remade in the Tenno style were hanging at his side. He was not samurai.

 

It did not matter.

 

Edited April 18, 2015 by Kalenath

[Spikey844]

Hmmm....

Now I'm curious as to what will happen next. A sword older than Orokin that houses an intelligence.

I reckon we will get a curve ball soon.

[fishworshipper]

S% gon' get real now.

[Kalenath]

Hmmm....

Now I'm curious as to what will happen next. A sword older than Orokin that houses an intelligence.

I reckon we will get a curve ball soon.

 

The original DESIGN of the Nikana is older than Orokin. That sword is not. Barely.

 

And yes. it's really going to get really real. For real. Really.

[Riterew]

Hmmm....

Now I'm curious as to what will happen next. A sword older than Orokin that houses an intelligence.

I reckon we will get a curve ball soon.

 

Curve ball, you say...

Yep, had to post this again.

[WarOverlord]

Curve ball, you say...

Yep, had to post this again.

What was the translation again?

[Riterew]

"Just plain amazing"

 

"Much/Such Tenno Skooom"

 

"10/10 would profit from"

 

In order and as memory serves

[Kalenath]

 

Networking

 

The battle had not gone well.

 

Corpus were many things. They were brainwashed, indoctrinated into the service of their Board and it's all consuming pursuit of profit. Being brainwashed meant that they often had far less flexibility than beings who could and would think for themselves. But as in all things, there were variations.

 

By nature, most of the beings who reached the rank of Executive in the Corpus were fairly wary souls. They were careful, timid even at times. This was understandable. While Executive had a great deal of power, they also had a great deal of responsibility and the punishments for failure were far, far harsher than the rank and file. If a Crewman or Tech messed up badly enough to be punished, they might face incarceration, fines, procedural physical rehabilitation (a clever euphemism for torture) or -if the situation warranted worse- they might face capital punishment. After all, if a Crewman or Tech lost his or her way, they could be replaced fairly easily. If an Executive messed up badly enough to demand punishment... The Board got involved. And what the Board might demand for punishment often made any physical pain pale in comparison. So it stood to reason that most Executives would toe the line exactly as demanded, not wavering from what their superiors wanted in any way. Safer for all concerned.

 

Most of the time.

 

There were some situations in which caution was worse than action. Even the lowest brainwashed Corpus crewman knew this. There were some times when inaction or slow and careful action spelled death. Or worse.

 

This was one of those times.

 

The Infestation was a horror nearly beyond imagining. Most of the Corpus had a rudimentary knowledge of the Infested. Some had more. Some wanted more. But... There were problems. First and foremost, the Technocyte Virus was not a simple disease. It acted as a disease on occasion. But it wasn't just a disease. It was more a vector for change. So, many kinds of people in lots of places tried to use the virus for their own ends. It never ended well.

 

Say what you would about the Corpus, they did have a formidable grasp of technology. While their knowledge base was a pale nothing compared to the glories of the past, the fallen majesty of Orokin, it was quite extensive. So when alarms had gone off for a breach in the quarantine labs of the secret Corpus research facility, the response had been instant and overwhelming. Unfortunately, it had also been utterly useless.

 

Before anyone had ever possessed a clue what was actually happening, the quarantine had shattered. Corpus proxies were very powerful, and they were numerous. But... something had happened. The controllers lost connection to the robotics. Ospreys, MOAS, even a Jackal. All had gone offline. That would have been bad enough. What happened next was worse.

 

The message came over every Corpus frequency. Despite frantic attempts to jam it or discover it's source, it played into the receivers of each and every Corpus. The voice was familiar. Most Corpus knew who Alad V was. Most hated him. The message was simple. And horrifying.

 

"Join us."

 

It repeated over and over despite many attempts to jam the transmission or shut down the com system. Then the screaming started. The Infested were coming. The Corpus knew they were doomed. But they would fight and if they could just buy their executive enough time...

 

"Sir?" The tech in charge of the team guarding the power room was tense. Stood to reason. Everyone was.

 

"This cannot be rushed, Tech." The Executive said quietly as he worked, typing keys at lightspeed as well as using a neural link to input multiple passwords. "If I mess this up, I get locked out and this was all for nothing."

 

"Yes sir." The tech said with a sigh as he turned back to the hallway. All of the ducts were blocked, some by the simple expedient of blasting them into rubble. No one believed that such measures would stop the Infested. However, considering that the day had started with the Tech being a part of two hundred troops designated to guard the facility and now he was the sole commander left in charge of nine troops, he would take anything he could get.

 

"Tech?" The Tech turned to his men and nodded. The others were on the edge of breaking down. All of them. One of the Crewmen was praying. A couple of the others were just blank. The horror that they had faced and fought would have broken -had broken- many.

 

"We have to hold them." The Tech said quietly as he checked his Supra. "We cannot stop them, but we have to hold them long enough for the Executive to set the facility for overload. We can deny them a nest. No more." No one would meet his gaze. They all knew they were dead. They were all probably infected already and had been as soon as quarantine had failed. He jerked as the Executive sighed and retreated from the console, which was now blinking. "Executive?"

 

"It has started." The Executive hefted his pistol uneasily. "It will take several minutes to build in energy. And if they get in here... They may be able to stop it."

 

"Sir?" The tech demanded, confused.

 

"I don't know." The Executive admitted. "Rumors and hearsay. Some of the renegade's minions are smarter than... Holy Profit!" He brought his pistol up and the tech spun to see the Jackal was striding towards them. But... it wasn't the proud Corpus automaton that it had been. It looked wrong. It was the wrong color. Then he realized why.  It was covered in organic mass. Ospreys flitted around it. They looked just as wrong. "Keep them out of here!" The Executive screamed as he opened fire. The Cestra bolts hit the Jackal and bounced off.

 

"You heard the boss!" The tech called to his people as he opened fire. His team did as well. All but one. "Marcus G-12! Shoot!"

 

"I..." The crewman shook his head. "I... No..." He shook his head again. "No!" He screamed and then his Penta burped. But the grenade did not fly towards the approaching subverted mechs. It landed in the middle of the group, less than a meter from the stunned executive! Before anyone else could even blink, the Executive kicked the glowing metal orb. It flew out into the hallway and exploded, doing no damage. The tech had the errant Crewman in his sights, but the Executive was there.

 

"Put it down, Marcus G-12." The Executive said quietly, pulling the Penta from the Crewman's nerveless fingers. "Put it down. The rest of you, keep firing." He commanded the others. The Crewman did not resist. The others fired, destroying several Ospreys and driving the Jackal to its knees. All knew it would not stay there.

 

"I am sorry, Sir!" The crewman was actually crying. "I can't stop it! They are in my head! I can't..."

 

"I know." The Executive sounded sad now. "I am sorry. Profit numbs the feeling." His Cestra barked and the Crewman fell, a hole in his helmet. His killer rose and turned to face the hallway, his posture angry now. "Blast you madman! You cannot just take our profits, can you? You have to try and take our souls too?"

 

"Sir..." The tech said quietly as the Executive took cover near the door to the room.

 

"It has been many years since I used a pistol, Tech." The Corpus boss said quietly. "But I haven't forgotten how." He nodded to the Jackal. "When it gets up, focus fire on its right front leg, That will bring it down again. When that happens, pour everything we have at its body. We can't kill it. We can slow it." At the tech's curious look, the Executive shrugged. "I studied proxy weaknesses, trying to find ways to overcome them. That design is flawed in some ways, but normally perfectly functional."

 

"Too bad the Infested got hold of it." The Tech grunted and the Executive nodded. "Did the message go out?"

 

"Yeah." The Executive said softly. "They will stay away now. I added the roster. Everyone's next of kin will know."

 

"Thank you for that." The tech let his mind wander for just a moment, thinking of his wife and child. But then a sound of tortured metal came from the Jackal. "You heard the Executive! Right front leg! Fire!"

 

The fire from six Deras, a Tetra, a bootleg Braton that someone had hoarded and a Cestra joined the Tech's Supra. All of the bolts hit the leg of the machine. It turned and the tech swallowed as metal flanges opened on its forward shoulders. He had a bare moment to pray and then the world lit up.

 

***

 

Something pulled him back to pain. Everything was wrong. He was wrong. He felt wrong. It was...

 

Metal screamed nearby and his gaze was pulled to the hallway where... two dark forms were surging against the Infested Jackal. One was tall, one was short. Both held blades. Tenno!

 

What the? He tried to speak and could not.

 

Don't try to move. The words were calm, clear and precise. And they were inside his head! You are badly hurt. He couldn't tell where the words were coming from. I am not there, Tech Julian H-67. Look to your left. He did and something inside him quailed as he saw another Tenno. This one was kneeling beside him. Behind... it... he could see pieces. A hand, still holding a Cestra. A helmet. A boot. None connected to the bodies they had been part of. The voice came again as the Tenno slowly bent down to touch his cheek. Hello.

 

Tenno do not talk. Tech Julian H-67 said softly. I am going mad.

 

No, you are not. The other's voice was gentle. You are changing.

 

Knew I was dead as soon as quarantine broke. Infested or Corpus clean up teams. Same difference. Julian H-67 said sadly. But... The bomb!

 

Still ticking. The gentle voice said. We have five minutes. You fought well.

 

No way to win. Julian H-67 sighed and relaxed. What happened to me?

 

You were caught in the blast. Why was the Tenno gathering him up? Holding him as he shuddered? You are the only one who survived in any way. And you are Infested.

 

Kill me then. Julian said sadly. Can't go back.

 

No. The Tenno was still that odd gentle. But you do not have to die. I can help you adjust. Care for you. It is what my duty entails. To care for those who are Unclean, but not lost.

 

I don't understand. Julian H-67 said slowly.

 

It will always be your choice. Live or die. The Tenno replied as she rose to her feet. If you die, your biomass will be absorbed by feral infested and used by them. Even with the bomb, they will return and use any biomass they can find. If you live, you can never go back to what you were before.

 

I... Julian swallowed hard and froze as something whipped past his face. It... looked like his hand, but... wrong. I can't live like this. Kill me.

 

Is that what you choose? The other asked, still gentle.

 

Yes. Julian H-67 said softly.

 

You did well, Julian H-67. The Tenno's tone was sad now as she laid him back down. An odd three bladed saw appeared in her hand. Rest now.

 

***

 

Jasmina, Caretaker of the Unclean, rose from her grisly business and turned to scrutinize the battle. She had faced Jackals before, but never this kind of odd mish mash of Corpus tech and Infested flesh. Alad V had been melding Corpus tech with flesh to make his monstrosities, but this was the first time she had seen a Jackal fall prey to such. And she had to admit, the pair assaulting it was unlikely.

 

The tiny Nyx warframe was known to her. Ona was one of Nikis's students, a product of Orokin genetic manipulation during the war with the Sentients. She was half Jasmina's size, but she wielded her Skana expertly. The bolto pistol she had slung across her back seemed incongruous, but it was better than her companion.

 

Jasmina had met the shrouded warframe who called himself Draco before. But this was not the remote and forbidding bodyguard she had met on Avalon. Going there had been rough, but she admitted, she was better for facing her demons. But it wasn't the fact that she couldn't see what warframe he wore that had her freezing in place.

 

Those blades... The mind of her partner Elenia was as stunned as Jasmina herself. Those... can't be...

 

Every Tenno, be they warrior or not, knew blades. Every Tenno knew a great deal about blades. How to use them, how to maintain them, how to counter most forms of attack with them. And every Tenno knew some of the history of the blade in Tenno culture. It was part and parcel to what Tenno were. Masters of Blade and Gun. Some, like Elenia and Nikis, preferred to use firearms, but all knew the basics. The blades that Draco was wielding, parrying attacks and striking with such speed and grace that Jasmina could only whistle in awe, were known to her. Just as they would be known to every Tenno who saw them.

 

'Honor' and 'Duty'. Dust's mind was -if anything- even more stunned.

 

Then, as if he was aware of the scrutiny or had simply tired of the combat, Draco lashed out with both blades. Ona struck as well, her diminutive form hiding strength far beyond human norms. Jasmina fought back another whistle as one of the Jackals legs simply flew off. Another hung by  a few artificial tendons, obviously useless. Ona's strike, obviously by plan rather than accident, bit deep into the machine's hull. Directly over where the CPU was housed. He had dropped it exactly where she could reach to kill it with one blow! Talk about teamwork!

 

Lets... not fight this guy. Dust said quickly as Jasmina stared. Ever. Wouldn't be pretty.

 

No. Jasmina agreed as she stepped forward. She spoke evenly. There were no living enemies anywhere nearby. "We have three minutes until the bomb goes off. Why are you here?"

 

"Looking for you." Draco replied. Jasmina stiffened and Draco nodded. "I come in peace." He swung both blades in an ancient gesture designed to clean blood from them, then they were back in the saya at his hip. Nothing flashy. Nothing showy. He was a lot like Nikis in that regard. He had done it for so long he made it look effortless when it wasn't. "Will you trust our ship if I give my word you will take no harm?"

 

What the hell? Dust asked for the entire mass mind. He doesn't need to ask. He could easily force you. The he paused and scoffed at himself. No, actually he couldn't. Not with 'Honor' and 'Duty' in his hands.

 

"You bear the past." Jasmina nodded to the swords. "They accept you?" Draco shrugged.

 

"It has been a long time, but yes." The shrouded warframe said quietly. Ona did not speak. That was odd to Jasmina.

 

"We should go." Jasmina started off at a run and the others kept up with her easily. "I will ride with you. If just to find out where you found those." She jerked her head to the swords.

 

"They found me." Draco replied calmly. That cryptic statement puzzled Jasmina as they ran through the destroyed Corpus facility.

 

They made it to the airlocks with a minute to spare and cycled through. Jasmina had already called off her own ride. They would remain close in case she needed an extraction, but somehow, she doubted she would. The interior of the Liset seemed extra crowded with three in it, but Ona moved up to the cockpit without a word. Jasmina stared after her and then turned her full attention to the shrouded warframe.

 

"Why me?" Jasmina asked.

 

"Because I needed to talk to a Caretaker." Draco knelt slowly into seiza. But his hands were steady in his lap. "And you were the only one that anyone had any kind of trace on." Jasmina shook her head a bit ruefully. "You did no wrong, sister."

 

"I still fall back on old habits at times." Jasmina retorted. "Warning the Lotus about the Infestation outbreak there seemed the right thing to do." She sighed.

 

"Why wouldn't it be?" Draco asked reasonably. Jasmina looked at him and he shrugged. "Nikis told me nothing about your quarrel with the others except that your mate died." He paused and bowed his head. "You have my condolences."

 

"Thanks." Jasmina slowly knelt into seiza as well. "Our trust has been abused." She ignored the pokes from various parts of the mass mind with the skill of long practice. They did not like her fixating on her hatred.

 

"I have not done so and I will not." Draco said calmly. Then he snorted. "If I did? The swords would correct me. And not so gently."

 

"They really do that?" Jasmina asked and then froze as another mind spoke.

 

<We have our purpose just as you have yours, Tenno Jasmina.> Jasmina swallowed hard and bowed her head. <Be at ease, Tenno. Our wielder is an honorable being. Any who would try to make him act otherwise will learn to regret it.>

 

"I... believe they would." Jasmina said with a sigh. "My anger is strong. My hate is strong. I scare my family with it." Draco nodded.

 

"In the end, we are the sum of our experiences, Sister." The shrouded Tenno said in a voice that was not unkind. "Yours have been bad. Mine?" He shrugged. "I crossed the line when my former protectee was taken. I hurt innocents. I did penance for that. I thought about what I did and why. In the end? I am stronger for it."

 

"So, why do you need a Caretaker?" Jasmina asked after a moment. He did understand. That was clear. He knew hate. He knew rage. He knew.

 

"Because Jesse is in danger and we cannot find the answers." Jasmina stiffened at his words and the shrouded Tenno continued. "She is in stasis, for now. And we were told that no human, Tenno or Cyberlancer could find the answer."

 

"Maybe an Infested can."

 

[Shadow977]

Wowzers.....

[BaIthazar]

had this scenario in my head where Jesse basicly used her own code to get herself out of stasis and pretty much dumbfound everyone because that wasn't supposed to be possible for anyone to do.. but I thought that might have been a bit too farfetched.

 

anyway.. kinda looking forward to seeing how She's gonna react when she wakes up again.. (if things go right)