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[Fanfiction] Motherhood

Kalenath

By Kalenath,
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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Crisis

 

It... wasn't supposed to be like this...

 

The being called 'The Lotus' was many things. She had been many things. Some were well known. Her role as the guardian and guide of the Tenno was well known. As to why she was the guardian and guide of the Tenno, that was known to very few.

 

She hadn't suspected. In hindsight, she should have. Tyl Regor was nothing if not thorough. That fact that he was completely bat**** insane was beside the point. She should have recognized the signs. In her defense, the only signs of anything had been temporary blackouts of her data feeds from several of her agents. All of the ones assigned to scouting the odd energy signatures. She hadn't expected what she had seen. Not in the slightest. It had been... a very long time.

 

Had she forgotten? Been so fixated on what she had become that she ignored what she had been?

 

"Lotus." The voice of the one to whom she owed everything came and she sighed as she released the datastreams.  The probabilities didn't make a lot of sense. They never did in such cases.

 

"I am here, Empress Eliza." The Lotus focused her senses on the woman who stood just inside the door to the sanctuary. "I... I know."

 

"It is not your fault, Rebeka."  Eliza said sadly. "You did what you had to. What my... my ancestors ordered you to." The Lotus shook her head, but Eliza was not to be denied. "We need you. They need you."

 

"I never lied to them." The Lotus said sadly. "But I... omitted things. I didn't want them to know I was... what I was." She said lamely.

 

"After what we -the Orokin- did, Lotus..." Eliza's voice held old pain, old rage. But not at the Lotus. "I do not blame your people for acting as they did. For setting out to destroy us all. We deserved it. Most of the Tenno in this time will agree."

 

"Not all of you deserved it." The Lotus protested. "When I was part of it, it was so clear. So easy. Then I got here... and... it all became cloudy. Grey."

 

"It is not your fault." The Empress of Orokin said sternly. "My family sent you and the others, knowing what would happen. They did that to you and all the others, knowingly and willingly. They hurt you. All of you. We deserved your anger. Your rage." She said in a tiny voice. "We made you what you were. It is our fault. Not yours. Never yours."

 

"It means a lot to me to hear that, Empress." The Lotus said quietly. "But now... They know."

 

It hadn't seemed all that important, truth be told. The Grineer had been up to something. But that was typical for the clones. They were always up to something. In her wildest nightmares of bugged code, she hadn't dreamed of this. Of that madman Regor actually breaching the tomb. Waking... him.

 

"They know who you were when you came back, Rebeka." Eliza countered. "They do not know what happened after or why you have sacrificed so much to do counter to what you were programmed to. They do not know why you saved them. Why you didn't finish the final sequence."

 

"They know my anger." The Lotus said weakly. "They know why I feel about them the way I do. But I cannot tell them the rest, Empress. I cannot. I could not complete the sequence, but I cannot tell them. I cannot. Please, Empress." She begged.

 

"You are no longer Natah, Lotus." Empress Eliza said with a sigh. "Even Tenshin backed off a bit when you dropped that bombshell on him. Bets on how long that will last?" She smiled a little.

 

"He does as he knows." The Lotus slumped a little. "I was... an enemy. A monster. Now? I try to be better."

 

"Rebeka, you are better!" Eliza's face was worried. "You helped us recover. You helped us survive. A pitiful remnant, to be sure. But not the self absorbed, self entitled brats who ruled when you were sent! Not the silly fools I ran away from. But humans. Humans with all the good and bad that they espouse. Orokin needed to go. As horrified as I was and am by what happened, it needed to go." She seemed as taken aback by her own fervor as the Lotus for a moment.

 

"That is your anger talking." The Lotus said with a frown. "At me?"

 

"No." Eliza shook her head. "At my ancestors. At my father. At myself for being so willfully blind to let Michael seduce me. I still wonder if he did it at my father's orders. Dear old Dad... didn't join the database."

 

"I know." The Lotus said slowly. "And no one has been able to find his energy. Lilly felt it, but she couldn't hold it. She isn't a Guardian. But um... You know it wasn't your father. Who started Orokin on its slide to Collapse after the Tenno sealed the tomb." Eliza went still and the Lotus nodded as Eliza paled. "I am sorry. The probabilities... I am sorry."

 

"Oh god! Is she..." Eliza swallowed hard. "If she is still around... it would suit her fine to have Tenno angry with other Tenno and with you."

 

"I know." The Lotus said softly. "That is what I fear. They will not be able to resist her. Even with my help -if they even accept it-, they may not be able to. She is... was..."

 

"A princess." Eliza said with a sour grunt. "A lousy, lying, cheating sack of Grineer piss, but a princess. If she...surfaces... What do we do?" The Lotus did not speak and Eliza shook her head. "I have the crown. Can I order her... eliminated?"

 

"You can." The Lotus said slowly. "Should you?"

 

"If she reappears..." Eliza said with a grimace. "She will destroy any chance we have of rebuilding. In the name of her comfort. You know it. I know it. Whatever love I may have had for the woman who contributed part of my genetic profile died when she tried less than legal means to force me into a mold that she decided was right for me. Wall flowers don't need brains after all. If they have them? They must be removed." She slumped a bit. "I didn't really expect the Tenno to be kind to an Orokin. To hide me as they did."

 

"You were an abused runaway to them, not an Orokin." The Lotus said with a gentle smile that faded. "They still found you."

 

"I knew they would." Eliza said flatly. "But by then... I was pregnant. Used goods. I guess... I guess Michael was playing a long plan all along?"

 

"We will likely never know." The Lotus projected compassion and Eliza relaxed. "Whether he was in it all along or got pulled in after they found you? It is not your fault. By the time you had your kids, the probabilities say he was beyond redemption." She looked away.

 

"What?" Eliza asked.

 

"They could have taken you from that enclave of Tenno, Empress." The Lotus said quietly. "It would have cost them, but they could have."

 

"I know." Eliza said in a monotone. "I never... figured out why they didn't take me. Wipe my mind. Abort my kids. I figured it was either the Tenno would be upset or that the kids..." She paused and then paled. "The kids." The Lotus looked at her and Eliza swallowed hard. "Lotus, are the other girls still in the database? Sina, Nisa, Coriana, Oria?"

 

"I do not know. I can find out, but not swiftly. We will need to summon one of the Guardians of the Dead." The Lotus said, taken aback by this sudden change "Why.. Oh no..." She swallowed hard as probabilities appeared in her mind. "No..."

 

"Find out." The Empress of Orokin begged. "Because if they are not... Then we have big problems."

 

"And if your mother has them?" Lotus asked softly.

 

"Then I kill her."

 

***

 

"She lied to us..."

 

Tenno were not generally loud. They much preferred quiet in most cases. They never spoke in the field, or anywhere that enemies might overhear, so it was to be expected that many believed Tenno to be mute. They were not. Nineteen robed forms sat around a table. Another had jumped to his feet.

 

"SHE LIED TO US!"

 

"Shouting will not help matters." Tenno Elder Mavri kept his temper with the skill of long practice. It wasn't easy. His blood flowed just as hot as any wet behind the ears initiate. The difference was, he knew the consequences of his actions. "How many of us are actually surprised by this?" He asked the irate Elder who stood, face red to glare at him. Mavri kept his voice mild. "We all knew the Lotus had secrets, Hans."

 

"SHE IS A SENTIENT!" The blustering Tenno screamed. "THIS WILL NOT STAND!"

 

"So what do you propose?" Mavri's voice was a direct contract to the other. Calm opposing rage. He looked around at the circle of his peers. All of them looked worried. As well they should. This news was explosive. "Declare war on the Lotus?" More than one of the Elders in the group winced with Mavri at that. "We don't even know where she is. What defenses she has. And don't forget, she is the only reason any of us are alive."

 

He did not like remembering the Collapse. He had been there. A young Elder at the time. Things had been bad. Orokin had not fallen swiftly and it had not fallen cleanly. The loss of the Emperor and his court had only been the first in a long series of horrific events that had culminated in Mavri entering cryo. Praying for a chance to atone, to help rebuild. He had been woken decades previous to help do just that. By the Lotus.

 

"We cannot trust a Sentient!" Hans snapped.

 

"We need more information." Mavri said with a shrug. "What little we know... what little was reported..." He scowled. "Tenshin is being a jerk again. All stone faced. He refuses to talk about it. Does anyone have any more information?" He wasn't -quite- begging.

 

"We trusted her before this." A voice from the side had everyone looking. Probationary Elder Raven stood by one wall, her face a mask of old scars and new worry. There were only twenty seats so she was standing "I do not see why we should stop now."

 

"Spoken like a true Sentient!" Hans said with a snarl, only to freeze as Mavri rose to his feet, his face irate.

 

"We cannot fight amongst ourselves now!" Mavri snapped, his finger spearing Hans who froze. Mavri was the eldest and most experienced of those who were left. "You know what happened to Raven. It could have happened to you. Or me. Apologize."

 

"It didn't happen to you or me." Hans said, unrepentant. Mavri looked at him and did not move. Hans gave a sniff, ignoring Raven who bowed her head.

 

"I will withdraw." Raven said quietly.

 

"No." Mavri said with a scowl. "Stay. Some of us remember basic courtesy." The flat tone was a lie. The bite underneath had Hans flushing angrily again. "Some of us remember the basics." He shook his head. "Forgetting where you came from often comes back to bite."

 

"You are eldest of this Circle." Han said with a snarl. "But you will not be forever." Mavri just looked at him and he snarled again. "What?"

 

"Insult me as you wish, Hans." Mavri said quietly. "You will anyway. It is what you are. But for the love of god, do not insult someone Nikis has taken an interest in. Again." Everyone went still at that and Mavri shook his head slowly. "Or have your forgotten what happened the last time you angered him? The hair grew back." Nikis had parted the Elder's hair with a Magnus slug without drawing blood.

 

"He hates the Lotus!" Hans said with a smile. "Maybe we should get his input."

 

"If you do, be warned... He will surprise you." Raven said from her place by the wall. "He surprised me." The others looked at her and Raven shrugged. "During Jesse's mess, he and the Lotus...worked some things out and no one got shot." She sighed as she met Mavri's gaze. "Elder Mavri, if I am a cause of dissent, I will withdraw."

 

"Elder Raven." Mavri enunciate the title clearly and Hans flushed again. "You have been vetted by Healers, Cyberlancers and shades. The only cause that people have to distrust you..."His eyes never left Hans who stiffened. "...is blind prejudice. And if that is the way this Council is going... I for one want no part of it." He stepped away from the table. "Feel free to replace me, Hans. You know you want to."

 

"Mavri..." Another Elder, a female, shook her head. "We need you."  Mavri looked at her and then around the table. Most of the faces nodded agreement. Only a few were blank. "We have taken advantage of your good nature far too many times. I know you want to retire, but... We tend to err on the side of caution but that is needed. We are not Warriors now. Far more lives rely on us now."

 

"Yeah." Mavri agreed. "I know. We need more information."

 

"What we need is an alternative." Hans said with a snap. "And I have one." At that, the entire chamber went still, all eyes on Hans.

 

"You?" Mavri asked slowly. "You have antagonized at least three quarters of the people we are supposed to be leading.  They won't follow you since 'compromise' is a dirty word to you."

 

"Not me." Hans said with sly grin. He waved and a door opened. Mavri went still as a warframe entered the room. It was distinctive. The many pieces of flowing cloth were familiar. Horrifically so. His eyes went large and then they went flat. "Distinguished Elders, may I present..." He broke off as Mavri snapped.

 

"Gem." The name was cold and hard and Mavri had his hands on his belt. He looked from the warframe to Hans and shook his head slowly. Then he turned and started for where Raven stood frozen. "Raven, go." This was a command and Raven vanished.

 

"There is no need for anger, Mavri." The voice from the warframe was...odd. was it one voice or two? "I am here to help. She didn't need to leave."

 

"Oh yes, she did." Mavri snapped. "You have blocked the coms."

 

"Mavri, calm down."Hans said with a sniff. "I did that. We need to talk with no eavesdropping Sentients."

 

"Calm down?" Mavri asked in a slow drawl as he moved to the wall and stopped. The door Raven had taken did not open for him. "Ah, she got to you. Not that surprising. You always were an idiot, Hans."

 

None of the other Elders moved. None of them could now. All of them...were held by sticky looking strands of energy, holding them in place, asleep. The gold and white Equinox warframe stepped towards Mavri and paused as a Lato pistol appeared in his hand, aimed at her. Him. It.

 

"You bring weapons to a Council?" The armored Tenno asked sadly. Mavri ignored her and faced Hans who suddenly looked worried.

 

"I am Tenno even if you are a slave, Gem. I am not going to shoot you, Hans." Mavri said with a death's head grin. "Your fate will be far, far worse."

 

"I am trying to fix things, Mavri." Gem said softly. "It is going to be okay. Put the weapon away."

 

"You cannot hold me with that when I am aware." Mavri said with a scowl. "And altering the minds of so many people... even your puppet mistress has limits, Gem."

 

"She is not here, Mavri." Gem replied evenly, not moving. "I woke and was brought up to speed. The Tenno need another guide. I know where to find one."

 

"Never." Mavri bit the word out.

 

"Never is a long time, Mavri." Gem replied sadly. "This doesn't need to end in violence, my friend. Put it away." The warframe took a step towards Mavri who sidled away from it. "Mavri..."

 

"This is not the world you and your mistress tried to conquer." Mavri said flatly. "They should have burned her to ash! Destroyed her energy! They could have. But no... They couldn't do that to one of the Emperor's concubines."

 

"Trying to anger me will not work, Mavri." Gem said sadly as the Equinox warframe stepped closer. Now he had nowhere to go. "Rest, Mavri. It will be okay." She held up her hands and froze as he laughed.

 

"**** you." Mavri replied calmly as he raised his pistol, aimed it at the base of his skull and pulled the trigger.

 

***

 

"No!" Gem screamed as Mavri fell. Hans was frozen in place, unsure of what to do as Gem darted forward, grabbing Mavri's limp form as it collapsed. "No. No. No! Mavri! Come on! Don't do this! There is no need!" Energy flared around the Tenno called Gem as the warframe held the fallen Elder in its hands. "Don't be stupid, Mavri! I have you." Gem crooned. "I have-..."

 

"What you have, Gemina Horati..." Hans wet himself as one wall of the room came alive with golden energy and a pitch black Nekros strode into view. "...is a world of hurt." Grandmaster of the Dead Nikis shook his head. "You wanted me here. I am here." Hans moved a little and froze as Nikis' right hand Magnus pistol simply appeared in his hand, aimed at his face. "Sit, brat. Now." There was no emotion in the voice at all. Hans might act stupid on occasion. He wasn't. He sat.

 

"I did not intend this." Gem said sadly. "Take him. Help him. He... He shouldn't have done that."

 

"After what you and the *@##$ who holds your reins did the last time?" Nikis asked, his voice still cold and dead. "Can you really think any Tenno who is true to the Code would act otherwise?"

 

"I am true to the Code, Nikis." Gem laid Mavri's still form down. "I serve."

 

"Yeah." Nikis might have been discussing the weather for all the emotion he showed. "Sure, whatever. So, this is your grand plan to 'replace' the Lotus, brat?" He asked Hans, derision entering his tone now.

 

"Using a traitor?"

Edited by Kalenath
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Spikey844

Spikey844

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I believe i have missed some new Warframe lore, because i've seen the name "Natah" in the forums before and have no idea what it is. Could somebody bring me up to speed? And not only on Natah but everything else too.

It's a massive spoiler about the origins of the Lotus. You scan something and it starts a quest called Natah.

 

http://warframe.wikia.com/wiki/Natah

​

The wiki link for you. Be warned, massive spoilers if you read it.

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Sort of Civil

 

"She is not a traitor, Nikis." Gem rose to and faced the Nekros warframe calmly.

 

"Oh, yeah. Right." Nikis allowed. "She decreed that her will was law, so whatever she willed was perfectly legal. Mindwiping people. Torturing people. Making people into slaves is perfectly justified if you are in the right. And she was always right. Because she was. Self entitled special people always are." He shook his head, just a little. "Tell me. How is she in bed? I wondered how you idiots managed."

 

"Nikis!" Gem exclaimed in exasperation. "There is no need for violence. I am here to help." Everything stopped again as Nikis started to laugh. "Nikis!" The Equinox warframe protested.

 

"You haven't changed at all, Gemina Horati. Still clueless." The Nekros said when he finally managed to restrain his mirth. "And you..." He nodded to Hans who froze, his hands hidden. "It won't work. You cannot hold me with that. Trying will piss me off. I don't recommend you do that." He shrugged a little. "Then again, common sense need not apply here. So... Shall we dance again, Gemina Horati?" Both of his pistols were in hand now, but not -quite- aimed.

 

"Nikis..." Gem said sadly. "The Lotus lied to us all."

 

"And how long have you been awake?" Nikis asked, eyeing Hans who did not move. "I thought you went into cryo with your slavemistress." This last was derisive. "You didn't see the effects of what you did. You didn't see the horrors that resulted from her machinations."

 

"I...read..." Gem stammered, but cut off as Nikis growled.

 

"You didn't see it!" Nikis snapped. "You slept all this time. You haven't had to wade through the muck. Through the filth. Through the horror that your oh so benevolent mistress unleashed on the system. Do not speak to me of lies, Gemina Horati. Do not. She who lives in a glass house should not throw stones."

 

"I...um..." Gem slumped a bit. "Yes. What we did was wrong." Nikis looked at the Equinox warframe and the Tenno inside shook her head again. "Nikis, we were trying to reform Orokin. It went bad..." Gem broke off again as he shook his head. "Nikis... Please."

 

"Maybe you were." Nikis said absently. "She wasn't."

 

"You are wrong. So wrong. Nikis, I do not want to fight." Gem slowly knelt into seiza. "If we fight, no one wins. Take Mavri. Help him."

 

"So then you 'alter' the other Elders." Nikis said slowly. Hans stared at the Nekros and Nikis snorted. "Oh, Gemina Horati didn't tell you? That thing's mistress taught it how to control Tenno." He shook his head. "At least... unaware Tenno. So another civil war. You never learn, Gemina Horati."

 

"Actually... I have." Gem sounded sad now. "Tenno do not fight Tenno. That is the Code. I came here to talk, not fight. But those like you with closed minds will react with violence. I do not want any kin's deaths on my conscience, Nikis."

 

"Yeah." Nikis murmured. "You have enough blood of kin on your hands already. We will not stand by and let you do it again."

 

"Nikis!" Hans exclaimed. "This is a Royal Guardswoman! How can you...?" Everything stopped again as Nikis' left hand pistol roared. Hans stared down at his right shoulder where a red hole shone. His right hand fell limp and the small device in it fell to clatter on the floor. Gem stared at it and a gulp sounded from the Equinox warframe.

 

"I told you not to try to bind me." Nikis snapped, one pistol aimed at the Equinox, the other at Hans. Then his voice turned sad. "You will never learn, Gemina Horati. I will take Mavri. You will not have him. As for the rest? We shall see." He strode to where Mavri lay and bent down. One pistol went back to his side, the other was still aimed at the Equinox who did not move. A burst of energy and Mavri's body vanished. Nikis heaved a great sigh "Naughty, naughty, Gemina Horati... trying to contaminate the energy of a fallen brother to infect me?" The Equinox was on her feet, a pair of hilts connected by an energy chain slapping into her hand but Nikis just shook his head as he drew his pistol again. "That is just... so gauche. I knew not to expect honor or anything like it from you."

 

"I do not want to fight you, Nikis." The Equinox said firmly as she held her weapon in a guard stance. "But I will if I must."

 

"I am going to give you one free piece of advice, Gemina Horati." Nikis said severely. "You won't take it, but I have to try. That piece of advice is this: The world you have woken into is very different from the world you left. The world you and your mistress tried to conquer." He shook his head as he stepped back to the wall. This time, the door opened. Hans tried to work controls with his off hand, but Nikis' pistol roared again and the Elder stared down at the hole in his other shoulder. "Pick your allies with care, Gemina Horati. For I am as I have always been. Your enemy." Then he was gone.

 

For a long moment after the Nekros had left, there was silence. Then Hans collapsed with a sob. Gem was at his side in an instant, holding him up, energy washing down from her hands over the wounds in his shoulders.

 

"Easy. Easy boy." Gem said sadly as the warframe held the Elder. "It's okay. It is going to be okay." Strands of energy flew from the armored fingers and he stayed in the chair as the hands released him, his wounds fading. "It didn't work."

 

"No, it didn't." Another voice answered her as a Nyx Prime warframe stepped into the room. She moved quickly and carefully, checking each of the slumbering Elders. "No one else is hurt. You did well, Gem. He is just... Nikis."

 

"This feels wrong, Siri." Gem said sadly as the Equinox and the Nyx stepped back to the wall. "Really wrong."

 

"We have our orders, Gem." The Nyx said with a nod. "I agree, but... We have our orders. The energy that Nikis drew in should keep him occupied until we can neutralize him. Contain him somehow."

 

"This is Nikis we are talking about. You really think it will be that easy?" Gem asked sourly. The Nyx Prime shook her head. "Yeah, me neither. So...what will you make them remember?"

 

"Hans antagonized Mavri until the Elder stormed out." The Nyx had energy crackling all around her now.  Bits of it flew to touch each sleeping Elder. "Raven left as well. We will need her."

 

"We will see what we can do." Gem focused herself and nodded as the energy holding the Elders faded. None of them even jerked, but a few of them looked a little confused.

 

"-and I think it is high time we replaced that old fart!" Hans was blustering as if he had been speaking for some time.

 

"Old fart?" The female Elder who had spoken before looked at Hans and then at the two warframes by the wall. She rose from her chair, several others following her. "Nice try, Gemina Horati."

 

The Nyx Prime and Equinox froze in place. How did they know?

 

"Wait!" Gem begged. "We don't want a war! Not now!"

 

"You may not." The female Elder said sharply. "But your mistress does. We will never serve her and neither will the colonies we serve. If you or any of your sycophants..." She glared at Hans who had frozen in confusion. "...show your faces in our domains, they will be blown off."

 

"She is not here!" Gem pleaded. "We can find her! You need someone who can take the Lotus' place! We offer one." The standing Elders looked at her and was that pity in their eyes?

 

"The Lotus has much to answer for, true." The female Elder said as she moved to the exit. "But she never tried to enslave us."

 

With that, she was gone along with over half of the Elders. The others stared at each other and then at Gem who sighed and waved a hand. Strands of energy secured each again and then Nyx started weaving her energy.

 

"Well..." The Nyx said in tone of forced optimism. "Now we know which ones are resistant, don't we?" Her power flared and the other Elders sat back, blissful smiles on their faces.

 

"We don't want a war, Siri!" Gem protested. "The mistress... will not be pleased."

 

"No, she won't." Siri agreed.

 

***

 

It was impossible. But it happened. One moment, the Lotus was alone in her chamber, with only the datastreams for company. The next, a pitch black Nekros appeared on the floor in front of her. But... he was curled up in a fetal position!

 

"Nikis!" The Lotus exclaimed. She could not reach him physically, so she sent drones to aid. "What happened?"

 

"Warn..." Nikis grated out as the drones moved him to a more comfortable position. "Warn others... Gemina... Horati..."

 

"Oh my god!" The Lotus swallowed and sent an alert to all of the Tenno who still listened to her. Not all acknowledged her warning and she bit back a sigh of regret. That could wait. "What happened?"

 

"Tried to subvert... Elders..." Nikis snarled and forced himself upright. "Mavri... caught. Killed himself. They held him. Poisoned his energy."

 

"And you took him in." The Lotus breathed in horror. "Is he... I mean...can he be saved?"

 

"Dunno." Nikis tried to rise. He couldn't and collapsed again. "Don't...trust. But... no choice."

 

"I am sorry, Nikis. I..." The Lotus said weakly. Then she snarled, her anger an odd, echoing thing. "No! I will not allow this!" No one but Nikis saw as her form...detached from her chair, stepped to where Nikis lay and knelt, pulling the stricken Nekros up into her lap. "Shhh, Nikis. It will be all right."

 

"Don't..." Nikis begged but he obviously couldn't move.

 

"No one knows you are here but me and likely Janet. And she will not interfere as long as the system is not threatened. As long as you are safe. You are." The Lotus slowly stroked his helmet, a gentle caress. "No one knows you are hurt but me and likely Janet. And no one will. You are safe, Nikis. Let go, Grandmaster. I have you." Her hands moved, energy flowing from them to soothe the sorely hurt Tenno. "If Mavri can be saved, I will. I give you my word, Nikis."

 

"Stop... her..." Nikis pleaded, his voice fading with his consciousness.

 

"I will, ya old fart." The Lotus held him until he lay still. Then she rose, the limp Nekros in her arms. She strode to one wall where a panel opened, showing an enclosure lined with shining machinery. She laid Nikis inside it and then shut the enclosure. For a long moment, she stood, her head bowed, hand against the wall of the enclosure. "Rest well, most ancient of Nekros. Sleep. Dream of your love and better times."

 

She turned and looked at her chair. She looked at it for a minute. Then two. Then she shook her head. When she spoke, it was sad.

 

"Eliza. I have news."

 

"Rebeka?" The Empress sounded stunned. Then again, she had been asleep, but that particular channel was open at all hours. For good reason. "What?"

 

"Gemina Horati has taken some of the Elders." The Lotus said as she moved to another wall of her chamber. "Siri was seen at the same time." The Empress let loose a vile oath and the Lotus nodded. "The other Tenno won't be able to fight them, especially if the others are active as well."

 

"I know what to do." Eliza agreed. "Will you... ward?" The Lotus did not respond and the Empress hissed. "Rebeka, you are not a Warrior anymore!"

 

"For the first time in my third life, I wish I was!" The Lotus gave a tiny sob. "They will subvert... my... my children. Like they did before. It is what they do. They believe in what they are doing. You know what they will do."

 

"I do." Eliza said softly. "We need you, Rebeka. We do." She heaved a breath. "What do we know?"

 

"I have received word from Raven and the other Elders who escaped." The Lotus said after a moment's perusal of the datastreams. "The Elders are upset with the revelations of my past. Some of them want to... to replace me." Pain sang in her voice. "With her."

 

"Oh no." Eliza stammered. "No, no, no... Rebeka. I..." She broke off and took a deep breath. "What can we do? She was stopped once before."

 

"After she had subverted more than a dozen of the Royal Guard!" Lotus snapped, and then froze. "No. I.. I am sorry, Empress. This is... most distressing."

 

"No need to apologize." A door opened and Eliza stepped into the room, the only person in the Solar System authorized to enter. She froze as she saw the woman out of her chair, horror blossoming all over her face. "Rebeka..."

 

"They do not trust me now, Empress Eliza." The Lotus said sadly. "Few of them responded to my warning. I need to fix this. And to do that..."

 

"No." Eliza snapped, moving to block the door. "No! I forbid it! Rebeka! You can't!"

 

For her part, the Lotus moved to another wall. She reached out and touched it. A hidden locker opened and she reached in. She pulled out a pair of pistols that slid to her hips. She pulled out a pair of ornate but totally functional swords that she slung to her back. Then she bowed her head as the Empress shook hers.

 

"Rebeka!" The Empress begged. "Don't do this! This is what they want! What she wants! You vulnerable!"

 

"They threaten my children, Empress." The Lotus said firmly as she settled the weapons. "How can I stand aside now? How can I... just watch as they subvert my loved ones?"

 

"You can't." Eliza said sadly as she stepped close. "But Rebeka... This isn't you anymore." She reached out to tap the small blue pistol on the Lotus' left hip. "You haven't been a warrior since my ancestors sent you with the others to that horrid place with the blue star."

 

"I AM NOT THAT TENNO! NOT REBEKA!" The Lotus screamed. "I haven't been her... since... since..." She was shuddering and her mouth worked in sobs, but of course, no tears fell past her mask.

 

"Yes, you are." Eliza reached out to embrace the crying woman. "Your mind and so many others were pulled into the horror my ancestors created. But you... You came back." She hugged the Lotus tight. "I don't care if the body you now inhabit was formed as a weapon after your mass made it here through the Void. You remembered. You rose above that. You chose to embrace life, not death. You are Rebeka to me. Now and always."

 

"I am not..." The Lotus cried in Eliza's arms. "I can't... No one will follow me. No one will listen to me."

 

"Oh yes they will." Eliza said flatly.

 

"We will make them listen."

 

***

 

"Any idea why she wanted both of us?"

 

Jasmina was not upset. Not really. Her life had turned upside down yet again, but this time, she found herself surrounded by both family and friends. Karl just grunted at her side and she made a face under her helmet. Of course he didn't know. He didn't really care. He had received a request for himself and Jasmina to be present to meet someone at the next scheduled portal transit to Avalon. Communication between Avalon and the rest of the system was difficult at the best of times. Now? With the Lotus held suspect by so many?

 

These were not the best of times.

 

"We will need to leave, Karl." Jasmina said after a moment. Karl nodded. "I.. thank you for the hospitality. But..."

 

"It was never intended to be forever, Jasmina." Karl said with a shrug. "Lisa and Dustin can stay or go as they wish. The humans with you likewise. We will need to check each time of course."

 

"Healer agrees." Jasmina said with a grin. "I swear, that kindly mass of flesh is more scared of the virus than we are." Kark just looked at her and the Ember Prime wearing Tenno stiffened. "She is."

 

"I will have to take your word for that, Jasmina." Karl replied in his offhand way. "You know I cannot hear them. Mishka still with her mom?"

 

"Yeah." Jasmina bowed her head "She and Jesse have hit it right off. Kind of scary how well those two mesh. But they both need recovery time. If they can sit still long enough." She said with snicker.

 

"Jesse falling and striking her head was not funny at all." Karl admonished the Caretaker and Jasmina nodded.

 

"No, it wasn't." Jasmina said with a sigh. "I do take responsibility. Draco was with her, but she was so curious. We knew the flooring in the area was unsafe. But no one expected it to cave in under her."

 

"We all take responsibility."Karl replied. "It is my dojo and I told you those floors were cleared and safe. At least Draco got to her quickly and Healer tended her in less than a minute. The biosuit helped a lot."

 

"Head wounds bleed a lot." Jasmina said with a sigh. "But my heart wanted to stop when I saw her through Healer's eyes. I really thought she was dead until Healer accessed her vitals." She gave herself a shake.  "Anyway... that area has been reinforced. No more unsafe floors. She is alive, whole and recovering. And making life hell for the nurses and Draco from what I understand. Iriana has her hands full with her and Mishka in the same place at the same time."

 

"Why does that not surprise me?" Karl asked sotto voice and Jasmina jerked a laugh. "Time."

 

The Rhino and the Ember Prime both watched as the portal flared golden. A single figure appeared on it, but even warfame sensors would have difficulty seeing through such energy releases. Both waited until the energy faded and then both froze stock still as the traveler stepped off the pad to stand in front of them and bowed formally.

 

"Good morning." The Lotus in physical form said in a mild tone.

 

"We have a lot to talk about."

 

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Kalenath

Kalenath

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Children

 

Neither of the Tenno who had been waiting dared to speak. Neither dared to breathe.

 

"This won't do." The Lotus said softly as she stepped forward. "Caretaker, may I touch you?"

 

"I... guess?" Jasmina swallowed hard as the figure in blue reached out to clasp her shoulder in a gentle hand. "You... You are real..."

 

"As real as anything gets in our world." The Lotus said as she released Jasmina and nodded to Karl who hadn't moved. "I am here. In the flesh as it were. Or... the mass of techno-organic machinery anyway." She slumped a bit. "You have many questions. I have some answers, but not all."

 

"Why are you here?" The Caretaker begged. "You... You can't be here!"

 

"Because my children need me." The Lotus said softly. Jasmina froze. Karl just looked at the blue form and the masked woman nodded. "What have you heard from Raven?"

 

"Mavri ordered her to flee when an Equinox warframe she did not know entered the Council chamber." Karl said softly. "Other Elders report Mavri... killed himself." The clan leader might have been carved from stone. "To prevent capture."

 

"He did." The Lotus slumped a bit. "His energy was recovered, but it was tainted."

 

"Tainted?" Karl and Jasmina exclaimed as one.

 

"Yes, it was a trap. One for Nikis specifically." The Lotus said with a scowl. "He wasn't going to leave Mavri's energy to them though, so he stepped right in." Jasmina jerked and the Lotus shook her head. "It didn't work. Not entirely. He is safe and recovering as we speak."

 

"Recovering?" Jasmina said with a small cry of fear.

 

"They poisoned him, Caretaker." The Lotus said sadly. "He knew they were going to do it, but his duty to the slain... They used that to hurt him. To try and kill him."

 

"I will kill them." Jasmina snapped, fire starting play across her fingers. "I will kill them all!"

 

"No, you won't." The Lotus said sadly. Karl held up a hand as Jasmina growled. "Yes?"

 

"Who did this?" Karl asked, worry coming through clear and strong.

 

"Nikis was poisoned by a Royal Guardswoman named Gemina Horati, you won't know the name." The Lotus said with a frown. "So much has been forgotten. So much has been lost intentionally. But she... She and her fellows..."

 

"Why would a Guardswoman...?" Jasmina snapped. "Did Eliza...?"

 

"Eliza had nothing to do with this." The Lotus replied evenly. "She is just as horrified or more so. You see... Gemina Horati was assigned along with number of others to guard a specific person. Said person used her talents to find a way to subvert Tenno. To control them. Gemina Horati was her first success."

 

"Who?" Jasmina growled.

 

"Her name has been forgotten. The records were wiped. Everyone who knew it was ordered to forget her." The Lotus nodded as both Karl and Jasmina inhaled in shock. "A specialized series of nanobots was sent out to modify peoples' memories. Only Tenno remembered her. Only Tenno remembered her crimes. The reason these beings targeted Nikis was that he was instrumental in stopping her. He wanted to kill her. The Emperor refused."

 

"Is there anyone who has not pissed off Nikis?" Karl asked, somewhat worried.

 

"Not to my knowledge." The Lotus said with a shrug. "He kind of defines cantankerous. Then again, he has earned it."

 

"That he has." Jasmina gave herself a shake. "So... what do we do?"

 

"We find her and we stop her." The Lotus said with a feral smile. "Admittedly, neither of those will be easy since the pod she was put in was intended to vanish. The idea was that she be utterly forgotten. But then again... if anyone deserved it, she did."

 

"You remember her." Karl's words were not a question.

 

"I do." The Lotus agreed.  "Summon your clan, we need to warn them all. My communication links are suspect now. They could access the feeds before. Before I took control of them and even then, they managed to access at times. Those times... got bad."

 

"You...took control. Lotus." Jasmina obviously did not want to say what she was about to. "Are you a Sentient?"

 

"No." The Lotus replied evenly.

 

"But I was."

 

***

 

Jesse was going stir crazy. This was utterly insane. Yes, she had been hurt. Yes, it had been scary, for a lot of people. Waking up with people tending her had been...jarring to say the least. But this?

 

"Come on, Iriana!" Jesse pleaded as she finished her final set of exercises. "Code says it has all healed. I need to get back to work." Draco did not move from where he lurked by the wall.

 

"Your code is not in charge here, Jesse." The Healer said firmly as she stepped forward. Jesse sank to her knees  and bowed her head, allowing the Healer to check her bandaged head. A quick scan and Iriana sighed. "You scared us all. You do not wear a warframe, sister. You are vulnerable. We nearly lost you."

 

"I know."Jesse said in a tiny voice. "I didn't intend that. I was focused on an ancillary system. It needed tweaking. The floor looked stable."

 

"I know." Iriana's hand was gentle as it traced Jesse's cheek. "Listen, Jesse, I know you are chafing. You are healing well. But it isn't complete. Your code is good, but it not set to read organics. You are not healed. I figure two more days, Jesse. Then we do a full neurological workup. That will take eighteen hours and you will sleep for part of it."

 

"All I do is sleep." Jesse said with a grunt. Iriana looked at her and Jesse flushed. "I do as you order, Healer." She said deferentially.

 

"And whose idea was it to paper the restroom?" Iriana asked sourly. Jesse shook her head and the Healer sighed. "I swear, the Clergy introducing you and Mishka will have serious consequences in the long term. You two are bad enough separate. Put you two together for any length of time and the Solar System will tremble." But Iriana was smiling. That smile turned into a frown as Jesse fought tears. "Jesse..."

 

"I am sorry, healer." Jesse said sadly. "It's just... I can't just sit."

 

"I know." Iriana said with a smile. Jesse looked at her and the Healer nodded. "So, against my better judgment, I have found you a trainer for nunchaku kata." Jesse's face lit up, but she stilled as Iriana held up a warning hand. "He has been appraised of your situation. He and Draco will both be on guard for any neurological disorders. Any relapses. This is too soon..." The Healer said with a sigh. "But you have been good. Even with your hijinks involving my daughter."

 

"I did it alone!" Jesse said automatically.

 

"Come off it!" Iriana growled humorously. "She says the same thing! I can and will punish the both of you if this silliness gets out of hand. Clear?" This was not a threat. This was a promise.

 

"Clear, Healer." Jesse said with a sigh.

 

"You will wear protective headgear." Iriana said with a scowl. Jesse opened her mouth to protest, but closed it with a click as Iriana glared at her. "And yes, both Draco and Horat agree with that."

 

"Horat is the trainer?" Jesse asked.

 

"Equinox warframe." Iriana said softly and Jesse's eyes went wide. Those were different. They had both male and female characteristics, and could shift between the two. "Horat has come a long way. He -and I use the pronoun 'he' with reservation- will be here shortly. Show respect."

 

Instead of answering, Jesse bowed, her face to the floor.

 

"Be good." Iriana touched Jesse's shoulder and then was gone. She had so much to do it simply wasn't funny. That was one reason Mishka and Jesse had been doing what they had, to try and make Iriana laugh. To try and relieve some of the tension the Healer was under. It was sort of working. Sort of.

 

It wasn't long before the door opened and a new form stepped in. Jesse fought to keep her face still as the gold and white Equinox warframe nodded to her. The Solstice helmet made it look...vaguely sinister. She bowed low to hide her disquiet. It was hard. Tenno were not humans. They had been, once. But then they had evolved through exposure to the Technocyte Virus or being born to Tenno parents. Some could pass for human outside of their warframes. Some...couldn't.

 

"Tenno Jesse." The odd looking warframe knelt in front of her. "Healer Iriana says you are recovering. That is good." The voice was neither masculine nor feminine. It had aspects of both. "I bother you."

 

"You shouldn't." Jesse said weakly. "But yes."

 

"You are honest." The Equinox replied. "That is good. Some would hide their disquiet behind anger or fear. Honest discomfort is no sin, sister Jesse. I am what I am." The voice turned kind. "Look at me, sister." Jesse forced herself to raise her head. The Equinox warframe hadn't moved. It was just out of reach. "Relax, sister. There is no dishonor in feeling uncomfortable. The only dishonor would be if you treat me different for no other reason."

 

"I will try not to, um... Horat." Jesse said lamely. "I almost called you 'brother'."

 

"Jesse." The Equinox chided her gently. "I am both. If it helps you cope, call me brother. Or sister. Just not 'thing' please." Jesse had to snicker at the wicked humor in the other's tone. She smiled.

 

"Why do I get the feeling you enjoy making people uncomfortable?" Jesse asked slyly and the Equinox barked a laugh.

 

"Ah, caught." The odd warframe put a hand to its chest as if covering it's heart. "Humor has its place, sister. We see so much, we do so much. So many bad things. We need to do good occasionally to balance. I am all about balance." The last was not humorous. Simple fact.

 

"In all things, there must be Balance." Jesse quote the Code, a catch in her throat. Horat bowed formally with her. The silence stretched out and finally Jesse spoke again."The Healer said you study an ancient way."

 

"I do." The other Tenno agreed. "And your interest has been noted to me. But I have reservations, sister. Your injury is not fully healed." Jesse stilled, but the Equinox raised a hand. "The Healer explained that you are cleared for light work, but... The katas we would study are not light." Jesse slumped a little.

 

"One misstep and I bash my head." Jesse agreed.

 

"You know any kind of nunchaku will kill if they strike with full force, let alone the Ninkondi I use." Horat agreed. "You know you are not ready, sister." Jesse swallowed hard but nodded. "When you are, I will be happy to train you. Atlantis Vulcan is a beautiful art."

 

"Atlantis...Vulcan?" Jesse wasn't sure about that at all.

 

"Yeah." Horat snickered. "The name is a bit over the top. I mean, really? An island that supposedly sank into the sea and the Roman god of smithing? What kind of a combination is that?" Jesse had to smile at that. "Whoever named the art was either a history buff, a serious scholar of mythology or a wacko."

 

"Maybe all three?" Jesse asked with a grin.

 

"Actually?" Horat shook with suppressed laughter. "I would bet on that myself." The head of the armored Tenno gave a nod. "I can demonstrate and then I can leave you some holos. But..." He warned as Jesse brightened. "If you start practicing on your own, I will inform the Healer. She will likely not react well."

 

"No." Jesse swallowed hard. "She won't."

 

"She cares for you a great deal, sister." Horat said gently. "And she worries. I can see why. You are vulnerable. I understand not wishing to follow the path of the Warrior and I can admire that. But you must be more cautious, sister. We cannot lose you."

 

"I know."Jesse said weakly. "But... I didn't see the difference. The floor..." She broke off. She wasn't supposed to say where she had been. Horat nodded.

 

"These things happen." The Equinox said sadly. "We have lost kin to such before. We would prefer not to lose you. Okay?" Jesse nodded and the other continued. "This is your only warning. If you do violate Iriana's rules, I will leave." Horat chuckled. "I don't want her mad at me."

 

"Wise." Draco stepped forward, a large thing in his hands. He set it on the floor in front of Jesse who eyed it as her guard stepped back to the wall. It was a helmet, large and padded. Horat picked it up, examined it and nodded, holding it out to Jesse who took it with a dubious expression.

 

"Better get used to it." Horat said quietly. "I won't do anything until you have it on. I like my health." Jesse snickered at that and then slid the helmet into place. But then she froze and Horat tensed. "Jesse?"

 

"I...smell something." The young Cyberlancer said slowly.

 

"Off!" Horat commanded and Jesse all but tore the helmet from her head. The Equinox pulled it from her hands and examined it minutely. "I don't see anything. Draco?" Horat held the helmet out and Draco approached a scanner in hand. The guard shook his head and then scanned Jesse who remained still. "That doesn't make sense. There has to be something for her to smell!"

 

"Maybe." Jesse said slowly. "Com on." She commanded. "Healer, do you have a moment?"

 

"I have a few minutes." Iriana sounded tired, and who could blame her. She put in more hours than anyone should. "What is up?"

 

"I put the helmet on and I smelled something." Jesse said weakly. Iriana did not respond and Jesse continued. "They cannot find anything wrong with it. Or me. So..." She didn't want to ask, that was abundantly clear. But she did. "Should I go back to bed?"

 

"What did you smell?" Iriana asked after a moment.

 

"I am not sure." Jesse said with a sigh. "Some kind of plant matter? Nothing I know. It didn't smell bad and there was no disorientation or anything else."

 

"Such things have happened after head wounds." Iriana said slowly. "Draco?"

 

"No drugs, no nanos. No nothing." The bodyguard reported.

 

"Well... I want to say 'go to bed', Jesse." Iriana said sadly. Jesse wilted. "That worries me."

 

"Healer?" Horat spoke up. "We have decided that she is not ready to start yet. I can demonstrate things to her without danger. I will maintain my distance."

 

"If she doesn't wear the helmet, all kinds of crap will hit us." Iriana said sourly. "You have no idea the number of people who are worried about her."

 

"Oh, I can make a fair estimation." Horat said with a grunt. "Plus or minus a thousand kin or so." Iriana chuckled at that.

 

"You are bad, Horat." The Healer complained whimsically then she turned serious. "Jesse? Your choice."

 

"I would like to see the art." Jesse said softly. "And then I will go to bed." Horat and Draco both bowed to her.

 

"Wear the helmet." The com cut off.

 

Horat held the helmet out to Jesse again and she took it gingerly. She slid it over her head again and secured it in place. She shook her head.

 

"I can still smell it." Jesse said weakly. "But it isn't overpowering. I feel the same. It is kind of nice. Fruity."

 

"Let's not push this." Horat rose as Draco stepped back. The Equinox warframe moved to stand well away from Jesse and then drew two metal sticks connected by a glowing chain. Then the armored Tenno started to dance and Jesse was lost in awe.

 

***

 

She felt fine. Every scan was in the green as she lay down, Draco a watchful shadow near the door. She shook her head slowly.

 

"I am not tired." Jesse said quietly. "Draco, may I do some research?"

 

"Visual, not neural." The guard said calmly and Jesse grimaced but nodded.

 

Using a holographic keyboard and display would be far, far slower than using her code to access things. But it would also be far less wearing on her brain matter which had taken a hell of a knock when she had fallen through that floor and hit her head on a crossbeam. Add to that where she had been at the time... The mind mass hadn't realized the floor had been weak in that area or none of them would have let her anywhere near it. She had never thought to see Infested insane with worry but that was the only word that fit what she had seen the first time she had woken after falling. They had been terrified that she had killed herself or that she had been infected. Neither had turned out to be the case, but they hadn't let her move at all. She had been packaged up and shipped off like some kind of Corpus express delivery straight to Iriana's hospital.

 

She keyed a command and fought back a sigh as she saw Iriana had restricted her access. Again. Really. She wasn't a two year old! She knew better. Mostly. She started pulling up files.

 

"What are you looking for?" Draco asked.

 

"If I can identify the smell, then maybe we can figure out where it came from." Jesse said with a shrug. Draco looked at her and she flushed. "And no, no neural feeds. Most of the files for plant matter have aromatic components."

 

"So you lie there... and smell stuff until you find what you smelled before." Jesse nodded and Draco made noise that was somewhere between a groan and a sigh. "And they call me crazy." He muttered.

 

Jesse was smiling as she keyed the first query.

 

***

 

It is begun. The cover is solid and no one suspects.

 

If they do, your life will be measured in milliseconds. I looked up what I could find on this Draco.

 

And?

 

Nyx and Chroma's son.

 

You are kidding me! The one who almost took over after Hayden? THAT Draco?

 

I wish I was kidding. Oh, how I wish. I nearly lost control of my bladder when I saw that file. At least the database is...offline. If she found out about this... A gulp sounded. Yeah.

 

We won't hurt Jesse. She is needed as an ally. We will take it slow. The orange blossoms peaked her curiosity.

 

There is no way we would be able to extract her from there. Or you if this goes bad.

 

We made so many mistakes last time. We need to do better. We need allies, not pawns. The Elders... no. We cannot do as we did before. Alter their memories and release them.

 

But...

 

We cannot reclaim the moral high ground if we keep sinking to such tactics, Siri. We will do our best to reclaim Orokin honorably. For the Mother.

 

For the Mother.

 

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Altered States

 

Jesse jerked. She had fallen asleep! But...

 

Where was she? This wasn't a virtual world! She knew those! She had created those in training and in practice. This... was different. She stared around wildly and then forced herself to focus. She forced herself to remain calm, to remain still. She looked through eyes that were open just a crack.

 

The young Cyberlancer was lying on what felt like dirt. All around her, she could see green. Plants that she knew mixed with plants she did not were all around her. She was lying in a small cleared area with just ground cover underneath her. She slowly and carefully extended a finger to poke the ground and it felt like dirt. She opened herself up to code and bit back a scream as static seemed to explode inside her head.

 

"Oh not again..." Jesse grumbled as she looked around. "Okay. Who is it this time?" There was no answer and Jesse sighed deeply. "Whoever is trying to brainwash me this time, you are making a very bad mistake."

 

Again, there was no answer and she focused herself as she had been taught. But instead of oblivion or waking up as dying in dreams was supposed to cause, pain lanced through her skull. Warm arms suddenly surrounded her. She tried to struggle and couldn't. Someone was singing softly nearby as pain erupted again in Jesse's head. A woman. No one she knew.

 

"Easy girl." A male voice said gently. This also wasn't anyone she knew. "You pushed too hard, too soon. The pain will pass. Your disorientation and lethargy will pass. Be calm. Be easy, Jesse. It is okay." Fingers were stroking her scalp and the pain ebbed with the caresses.

 

Jesse was fighting tears as the pain faded and was gone. Whoever was petting her head gave it one final pat and then the arms holding her set her down.

 

"We are not brainwashing you, Jesse." The male voice sounded upset, but not with her. "We are trying to help. Who would dare to brainwash you? You are a Cyberlancer!" Jesse did not move, did not react and the voice sighed. "Let me try to start over. We didn't realize you had woken until after you did. My name is Alexius Flavius Lucius Marcus Maximus Pontius Remus Florentine. The Fourth." Jesse's eyes shot open against her will as she stared at the form who sat in sieza beside her. He shook his head and his face was sour. "But you can call me 'Fred'."

 

"'Fred'." Jesse said flatly and then cursed herself when he smiled at her.

 

He was Tenno, not one she knew. He wore no warframe here, but that didn't mean much in this odd place. Other forms stood and sat around the clearing she had seen before.

 

"I much prefer 'Fred." The Tenno kneeling at her side said with a nod. "My parents were insane. We were trying to help. Your pain called out to us."

 

"I am not in pain." Jesse said flatly. "Release me. Now."

 

"As you wish." Fred said with a nod. Jesse froze as the world turned hazy. That... hadn't been part of the script, had it?

 

Her startled question faded with her memory.

 

***

Karl's dojo

 

 

The room was packed shoulder to shoulder. No one had space to sit. No one dared to move as the three Royal Guards moved to flank the Lotus, each standing still as statues when they reached her.

 

"Mori, Kio, Zac. No. Back off." The Lotus commanded and each stared at her and then at the furious Marine who had drawn his sidearm. "You cannot kill me with that, Gunnery Sergeant Miguel Smith. But you can hurt me. Do so if you must." She stepped away from the others, presenting a clear target.

 

"You... were one...of them!" The Marine grated out through clenched teeth.

 

"Yes." The Lotus said sadly. "I was not involved in what happened to your family, Sergeant. Sentients dealt in mathematical probabilities. They thought such a horrific act would break the Corps, make you easier to fight. In hindsight, that was an obvious error. Perhaps bad coding in the probability. Perhaps simple arrogance." She shook her head. "You have a right to your anger, Sergeant. But I also have a right to mine."

 

"Miguel." Karl said quietly. The sergeant snarled and holstered his pistol. He did not relax. "I think we need an explanation."

 

"All of you have earned it." The Lotus said with a sigh. "Once, long ago, a little over three hundred years before the Sentients came... There was a young Tenno woman named Rebeka." The Lotus smiled in memory. "She was a people person. Likable, funny. Always with a joke to lighten the mood. She was an administrator, but did not stint on her other duties as well. She wore a Nyx Prime warframe in honor of the First Nyx, and she fought well against the enemies of Tenno and Orokin alike. She merged with an AI to better serve." She bowed her head. "A call went out for volunteers for something new and unprecedented. Orokin had finally tamed the entirety of the Origin system, moving each piece of it into places precisely calculated to provide what was needed. But... that left the leaders with a quandary. They needed to expand. Where to?" The Vauban near the back of the press jerked and she nodded to him. "Ric?"

 

"The blue star." Ric said in a dazed voice. The Lotus smiled at him. "Holy fanged flying bunnies."

 

"Don't make me get the Holy Hand Grenade." The Lotus warned and Ric barked a laugh. She smiled. That smile...faded. She was not that woman now. She would not burden him. "Rebeka answered the call. She was... worried. She had no family but the Tenno, she had been an orphan and born infected. The only way to travel to another star was via the Void. You all know the dangers of such."

 

A murmur of disquiet went around the room. The alternate dimension known as 'the Void' produced energies that were inimitable to life. With enough protection, a person could survive for a time in that odd place. The problem was, that no matter how well protected, any significant period of time spent in the Void always had one specific result even if the person's life was saved. Sterility. That was the reason that almost all of the Orokin towers were silent and still except for Corrupted. That was the reason most of the neural sentries had gone mad. They could not protect against such a fate and now? There was nothing for them to protect. Eternity alone with their failures. Most anyone or anything would go mad.

 

"Rebeka was warned." The Lotus said sadly. "She wrestled with the idea for some time. She asked advice and meditated a great deal. Finally, she chose to go." She bowed her head. "She made it there with the others."

 

"And?" Alicia -the clan's resident Trinity- asked when no one else spoke.

 

"They were told they were exploring. The first to go. The first to see. They had all been lied to." The Lotus said softly. No one spoke. Some were not breathing in anticipation. "She and the others were not the first to go to that system." She shook her head. "The idea was to send automated manufacturing capability. It was biotech. It would arrive, unpack and start to grow. But automation -even Orokin automation- was never 100% reliable. They needed some kind of oversight. Which is why Rebeka and the others were sent." The Lotus slumped a bit. Mori patted her shoulder. "The memories that have been recovered are... patchy at best. I think... I am glad of that."

 

"What happened?" Alicia pleased carefully. Her mate Will laid a hand on her arm and she shook her head. "Lotus?"

 

"What happened was that Orokin in their arrogance forgot one of the basic rules of nature." The Lotus said with a sigh. "Life will find a way. No matter how well engineered something may be, as soon as it is exposed to the real world, it will change. For better or worse, it will change." She took a deep breath and straightened. "That cost them."

 

"What happened to Rebeka?" A small voice asked form the side. The Lotus smiled at Cecelia where she stood beside Ric. She looked so out of place among such strapping Tenno, that human girl. But she fit in very well.

 

"She was subsumed moments after she arrived by the biotech that had been altered by the radiation of the star." The Lotus pointedly did not look at where Jasmina and Elenia stood. Some of the others did. The Caretakers had frozen in place, not daring to move as the Lotus bared the past in all of its horror. "All of the others... None of them had any idea what hit them. One moment, they were in stasis for the transit, the next... in pain. I doubt the pain lasted more than few minutes. It only felt like centuries. Your mass mind is gentle, Caretakers. You ease people into it. You don't have to be gentle."

 

"Yes, we do." Jasmina snapped. Elenia patted her arm and she relaxed. "But you are not part of a mass mind now."

 

"No." The Lotus agreed. "The Tenno woman Rebeka ceased to be. Her flesh and memories were mixed with the flesh and memories of all the others. A new personality grew from the gestalt of all of the travelers. It... budded pieces of itself. Reproduced itself. All still part of the whole, but distinct. Each was given a name. One was given the name 'Natah.'" Her visible face was stricken now. "She was... it was... You need to understand and I do not have the words. There are no words in any human language to describe it. It was alien in every way possible. But it was...home." Naked longing sang in her voice and she squelched it. "It was home. No longer."

 

"You sound...sad." Cecelia said slowly. "Were you happy?"

 

"I don't know." The Lotus said with a shrug. "It wasn't bad. It wasn't good. It just was. Natah had purpose. Natah was managing a solar farm, providing power to the multiple clumps of life that were spreading throughout the system. Natah was content. If that makes any sense at all." She said sourly. "I do not know what happened. I doubt anyone does. Historical records say that incursions from that star came into the Origin system sparking the conflict that became known as the Sentient War. I do not know who attacked who first. I do not think it matters now. Natah became aware of the conflict when her farm was attacked by humans in odd ships. She was not a warrior herself, but she had resources and she was smart. She defended against that attack. But there was damage. Much of her farm was destroyed." Cecelia looked stricken and the Lotus shook her head. "They didn't -don't- think like we do, Cecelia. It wasn't vengeance. At least not for Natah. Some of the others... maybe. But not for her."

 

"So... what?" Karl asked when no one else spoke.

 

"This is going to upset you." The Lotus said slowly. "It upsets me. And I did it!" Karl waved at her after looking around. She continued. "It...wasn't just humans who attacked Natah's farm."

 

"No..." The indrawn breath came from everyone.

 

"Her name was Sabrina and she wore a Banshee Prime warframe." The Lotus was crying. "She had been told of a horrific enemy. One that had to be stopped. What could she do but follow her duty? The humans sent had no chance against Natah's defenses. She did." More than one of the Tenno looked horrified as the Lotus wept, but Cecelia stepped forward. "It is what Tenno do!"

 

"What happened?" Cecelia asked as she embraced the crying woman.

 

"She outmatched everything Natah threw at her." The Lotus said sadly. "Every single thing. Natah was getting frustrated and scared. The Tenno did not know where Natah was, but nothing Natah did could slow the Tenno down. The humans fell, one by one. The Tenno just kept going. Then she breached Natah's sanctuary and paused. Natah struck with everything she had. The Tenno... did not guard herself. She fell in a heap. Natah was stunned. Why had such a powerful warrior simply stopped fighting on seeing Natah's physical form?" The Lotus patted Cecelia's head as the girl hugged her again. "It made no sense. Natah had to understand. Natah had to know. Natah pulled the dying Tenno close and tried to heal her. But Natah could not. The energies were incompatible. Then the impossible happened. The Tenno looked up at Natah and spoke. The fallen Tenno said one word. A word that Natah did not know until much later. 'Sister'. Then she died." No one moved as the Lotus screamed.

 

"SHE LET ME KILL HER! SHE HAD ME! SHE LET ME KILL HER AND I DO NOT KNOW WHY!" Cecelia hugged her tighter and the Lotus spoke through her sobs. "To this day, I do not know why. There are no records left of the first expeditionary forces. She was born in the Citadel. I know that. Raised there. Went out as some Tenno did. Beyond that? I don't know. But I remember! I will always remember! She didn't kill me! I..." She bent down and hugged Cecelia back. "Thank you, Cecelia. This is hard."

 

"How did you find out her name?" Cecelia asked.

 

"Natah was confused. She worked hard to recover every scrap of data from the humans, from the fallen Tenno. She tried bringing the fallen Tenno into her midst. Recovering some of her in any way. It didn't work. Sabrina was gone, but some energy was still in her warframe buffers. There were orders to her. That is the only reason I know her name." The Lotus said softly as she bowed her head. "Tenno Sabrina. I will never forget." She took a deep breath "Needless to say... this development was... unsettling to all of the life in that system. Weapons beyond anything they could counter had been used on them. Natah wanted to know more. Wanted to understand. Others wanted to fight back. Still others wanted to flee. Or hide. Consensus was difficult to achieve, but it was eventually met. It was decided that the species that called itself 'humanity' would continue to attack. That they could not be reasoned with, bargained with or appeased. Anywhere life from that system ran or hid, they would find it and kill it. They needed to be destroyed. It was not a decision made hastily or in anger. They planned. They prepared. And then they struck."

 

"Yes." Miguel hissed.

 

"You are angry with cause, Gunnery Sergeant Miguel Smith." The Lotus said severely. "But can you understand?" She snapped and he recoiled. "Natah was awake and aware for that transit. An eternity in that place." More than one person gagged at that and she continued. "She had been created as a nurturer. A life carrier. She hadn't ever borne life, but she was intended for such. She woudl have done it eventually. Part of her wanted it. And then... when she arrived here, that potential was gone. Just like that." She bowed her head. "She was disconsolate. Other life carriers who had come felt the same. A  few of them chose to seek oblivion instead of continuing." She took a deep breath. "That had been... planned for. Some of the ones who had come had been delegated to tend the ones who were... unable to continue. To speed them on their way. Natah was one such. She focused past her own pain and did her duty. Then she found she could continue. It felt right to her."

 

"And they call Tenno cold..." Alicia breathed, horrified. "To kill your own kind!"

 

"Wars of extinction do not call for compassion." The Lotus said sadly. "Once that duty was done, Natah joined the others in starting the sequences. Each of the actions that were taken had been planned in basic form. Those plans were evaluated and altered somewhat to account for changing circumstances by the time the foothold was secured. Then it was just a matter of time and energy expended." She shook her head. "Or so they thought. They were just as naive in some ways as the Orokin."

 

"'No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.' " Karl said slowly.

 

"And when those enemies were Tenno?" The Lotus smiled a bit oddly. Was it feral? Friendly? Sad? "The initial plan had been a creeping assault. Subversion of populations until they could be altered to the needs of the group. Then a slow and methodical obliteration of each and every stronghold. Each would give more resources to add to the push. They hit a wall made of bodies and warframes." She sobbed and Cecelia hugged her again. "Countless atrocities on both sides. Over a hundred of years of fighting and they were slowly encroaching on Earth. Then things changed."

 

"The Orokin made Tenno in large numbers." Karl said softly. "Myself included." All of the other Tenno in the room nodded soberly.

 

"In hindsight, it is clear." The Lotus agreed. "Natah's people made them desperate. And suddenly, Natah's people were being pushed back. The sequences were all in jeopardy. Her people were in jeopardy. Orokin leaders had repeatedly said that they would exterminate every trace of Natah's people. Something needed to be done, so... scouts were sent to find out were these new Tenno were coming from. Natah was one such." Cecelia looked at her and the Lotus smiled. "What happened was not expected by anyone. Let alone Natah."

 

"Lotus?" Cecelia asked. "Pardon me, but this is important. Do you think coexistence is possible between humanity and Sentient?"

 

"No, Cecelia." The Lotus said sadly. "It isn't. Maybe it was. Once. Long ago. Before Natah's farm was attacked. But not now. The Sentients as Orokin called them are not like humanity or Tenno in any way. They can take human forms, but they are not human. They think in mathematics generally. 'One plus one equals two'. 'Someone tries to kill us, they always will try to kill us and must be stopped'. The only way to stop an aggressive species completely..." Cecelia gave a sob and the Lotus hugged her again.

 

"...is to kill them all." The girl said softly. "We cannot match them, especially now with Orokin gone. We are doomed."

 

"Oh, no you are not!" The Lotus said firmly. "I will not allow it." Every spine in the room straightened at her tone and she smiled. This time, it was fierce. "Because... in the tale I was relating, Natah found something marvelous and terrible when she was sent to scout. Something so far beyond her wildest dreams that she could not accept it and remain as she had been. She had to change into something new. She did."

 

Everyone stared at her as the Lotus snorted in genuine amusement.

 

 "She had help mind you."

 

Edited by Kalenath
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Kalenath

Kalenath

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I asked in the forums and it seems multiple people are having the same problem, and you don't need to remove the spoiler i can still read it on my iPad.

 

LOTS of forum problems these days. Since Saturday. Yesterday was worse with all the traffic from the log-in problems.

 

HOPE they can fix whatever it is quickly.

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BaIthazar

BaIthazar

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I asked in the forums and it seems multiple people are having the same problem, and you don't need to remove the spoiler i can still read it on my iPad.

 

I had the same problem, but turning off adblocker on the forums works

not telling you to remove adblocker (if you're using it), just turn it off on warframe forums

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