Memory

Amelia hadn't been sure what to expect. In hindsight that had been dumb. If Tenno were anything, it was stubborn. If anyone in the Solar System could maintain a particular form of architecture unchanged, then Tenno could.

And had.

The room she had appeared in when the portal had released her was exactly the same as the portal room in the dojo she had called home. Everything was in the exact same place. She hadn't had any difficulty finding a wastebasket to be sick in. They had been in the exact same place that they were at Karl's dojo. The trip to the medical section had been familiar too. Apparently Karl and his clan had built the dojo according to ancient plans of this place. Even the medical section was laid out exactly the same. Wards there, ICU there, research wing there. Even the waiting room chairs and restrooms were in the same places. She felt... almost at home. Almost.

It was...different from the Tower where she worked now. Stood to reason, actually. From what little she had gleaned, the Tenno predated the Orokin. She didn't know how or why, and knew better than to ask. What she knew was bad enough. She had learned how to access Orokin towers from Serene. As soon as she had seen the horror filled, madness inducing Void for the first time in Serene's memories, Amelia had known that the Corpus could not be allowed to gain access. The few sorties that the fanatics managed to send into various pockets of the Void usually vanished without a trace and she knew why. She didn't want to, but she did. And she would bear the horror for the rest of her life. It was her penance for what she had done to Serene.

But she was fascinated. This place... it simply oozed history and power. Even more so than the Orokin Tower she worked at with its newly built hospital. She smiled a little. Kori would love it here, but the Kubrow who wasn't really one was a naturally inquisitive sort who loved working with people and helping them. She had remained at the Tower. She was good with the kids and endlessly patient. Amelia missed her.

"Amelia?" A familiar voice pulled Amelia out of her reflection and she smiled a bit tiredly at Ona who stood nearby. "Two came through fine."

"Never doubted that, Ona." Amelia said diffidently. She had known -intellectually- that the Tenno who called this place home would not allow her to stay with Two while her partner's memories were pulled out and scrutinized. They lived and breathed paranoia. Stood to reason. They had been betrayed too many times to act any other way. But Carlos was nice.

"You can sit with her if you like." The tiny Nyx said, looking at the human.

"Don't you need to scan me?" Amelia asked, her eyes downcast.

"Amelia, what is wrong?" Ona asked as she stepped close. Amelia shook her head and Ona sighed as she sat beside the human. "Amelia..." Ona chided her. "What is wrong?"

"I shouldn't be here."Amelia said softly. "This is... Not a place for humans. I ... I shouldn't be here." She repeated.

"You are wrong." A voice Amelia did not know had her jerking up. A Saryn warframe stood in the doorway. And not just any Saryn warframe. A Saryn Prime. This had to be Rachel, the current leader of the Tenno who remained in the Citadel. There were not that many of them left. But... her voice was gentle. "You are so wrong." She moved to sit on Amelia's other side.

"I am not Tenno." Amelia protested.

"There was a time..." Rachel said softly. "...when this place hummed with activity. When the Citadel was a center of learning. When people came from all over the Solar System to learn. To study. Humans and Tenno alike."

"But..." Amelia started to protest, but Ona laid a hand on her arm and she slumped in place.

"Let Rachel finish." Ona said softly as she rubbed Amelia's arm. Amelia looked at the tiny Nyx and then at the Saryn and nodded.

"You have had many shocks." Rachel said gently. "We didn't know how many. Until we saw... You were so kind to Serene. You fought so hard to keep the Corpus from the secrets that would have destroyed them. All you had to do to let them fall was give them the information. Why didn't you?"

"I..." Amelia swallowed. "I couldn't..."

"Why?" Rachel asked gently, her left hand taking Amelia's right and holding it gently. "Amelia, you were lied to. We know this. You were angry. Anyone would be. You were hurt, abused in so many ways. Almost as many as Serene herself was. And you held firm. How?"

"I don't know." Amelia said weakly. "I... just... had to..."

"Who have you talked to about this?" Ona said quietly. "About what happened?"

"A bunch of people." Amelia said with a sigh. "A bunch of docs at the secure psyche unit. But they were more interested in Serene and Two... I was just...there." She said with a sigh. "Iriana, Brianna... They have helped. A lot."

"Yeah." Ona had a smile in her voice. "They would. What did they say?"

"I expected them to judge me because I fell for a patient." Amelia said, sighing. "But... they didn't."

"Tenno can be just as judgmental as any." Rachel said with a shrug. "But you and Serene were caught in a horrible situation. One none of us can imagine, even seeing it in Two's memories." She shook her head. "We will not make you watch." Amelia froze. "Yes, that is why we barred you from the room. Not distrust, not arrogance, not some sense of Tenno superiority... But we knew it was going to be horrible."

They had kept her out... to be kind?

"And even then... We had no idea." Ona's voice was hushed. "No idea at all."

"So..." Rachel was calming a bit. "You have proven yourself to anyone with eye and ears, Amelia Priosa. You aided a sister in distress in every way you could. You did more than anyone could have imagined. We will need to scan your memories. But not yet."

"Why not?" Amelia asked, confused.

"Because while Tenno are strong, they need time to recover from such things." Rachel said quietly. "Two has not given herself time to recover. She has thrown herself into the fray again and again. She takes reckless chances." Amelia swallowed and nodded. "You have seen it."

"But she is not suicidal!" Amelia protested. "I would know."

"No she is not." Ona agreed. "Is it not that clear cut. Not a defined death wish, more a... near fanaticism, especially where the Corpus is concerned. But one thing is sure. The only reason she is not suicidal is sitting between me and Rachel." Amelia stiffened but Rachel nodded.

"I say this formally, Amelia Priosa, as of old." Rachel said in a tone that was kind, but hard as odd as that sounded. It... worked. "You have aided our kin in distress. You have done magnificent service to our kin. Who you choose to sleep with is your business. But you are welcome here at any time, Amelia Priosa. Any time at all. You are partner to our sister. That makes you family."

"Whether you want it or not." Ona said with a wicked laugh that had Amelia chuckle despite her tension. Said tension was easing.

"I..." Amelia felt tears threatening. "For so long, It was just Sara and then... Iriana and Karl's people and...I..." She shook her head. "Karl and his people were kind. Iriana defines kind, but..."

"But they could not trust you because you do not trust yourself." Ona's words were far older than should have come from such a small form. Amelia nodded. "Then it is time for you to start to heal, Sister."

"I... no..." Amelia said weakly. "I am not Tenno."

"We don't care." Ona and Rachel retorted in unison. They looked at each other and Amelia had to chuckle. It was wet, that chuckle, but it was heartfelt.

"So... what now?" Amelia asked. "Scan me?"

"Yes, but..." Ona paused and looked at Rachel who nodded. "Not just memory scans, Amelia. Something doesn't make a lot of sense to us." Amelia looked from Rachel to Ona and back. "You are human. You do not have the same... energy that we have. You should not have been able to link to Serene so easily."

"It was easier than I thought it should have been." Amelia said with a shudder. "I had only linked to humans before. But...there was a connection almost from the beginning. She hated me. She hated me so strongly. She never spoke, but I could feel her hate. And then... it wasn't hate." She blushed a little. "I thought it was because I was hurt so badly. That they had hurt me so badly for not telling them what they wanted. But...I couldn't. Then I realize I had broken her in two. That I had... seduced one part... somehow."

"I don't know." Rachel said with a shrug. "I am no psychologist. Anyone with eyes and ears can see you two care for each other greatly. And if you passed Iriana's review, Brianna's review and the quacks in the secure psyche unit's review..."

"That wasn't hard." Amelia said sourly. "They didn't care about me."

"Well..." Ona said with smile in her voice as she squeezed Amelia's arm "We do. So... first things first. Amelia, do not move. Rachel?" Her hand moved up... to the neck of Amelia's bodysuit and pulled it down.

"Wait!" Amelia cried. "What are you..." She gave a squeak as the necklet she had been wearing fell off into Rachel's hand, inert. "Ah... Wha?" Her hand shot to her neck as Ona let her bodysuit neck roll back up.

"You have proven trustworthy." Rachel said firmly. "And if anyone at all disagrees, they can come and complain to me."

"Us." Ona corrected sourly.

"But..." Amelia swallowed hard, feeling her neck. She felt... naked without the bomb around her neck. "I am not Tenno."

"You have proven yourself to us, Sister Amelia." Rachel said as the necklet vanished somewhere on her warframe. "And on that note, you need sustenance and then we need to run the scans before Two wakes. We gave her a strong sedative. She will be out for at least six hours."

"Six hours?" Amelia frowned. "What did you give her?" Most sedatives would only put a Tenno out for two or three hours or they would put said Tenno out for a full day. Rachel and Ona just looked at her and she froze. "You didn't give her sedative thirty four... Did you?"

"We know how she reacts to that sedative." Ona said primly. "She needed the rest and you... will need the release. So will she."

"I..." Amelia swallowed hard. Two had a peculiar reaction to that sedative. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to satisfy her when she is coming off that? Any idea at all? The last time she was given that... After she woke, it took eight hours for her to come down..." She whimpered. "She hurt me and she didn't mean to. She was distraught."

"Yeah." Rachel said with a smirk audible in her voice. "But this time, you will be ready."

"Uh... ready?" Amelia gulped.

"The scans will also, coincidentally, allow us to fabricate a custom built protective suit for you." Ona said with an audible smirk that matched Rachel's as she rose, still holding Amelia's hand. "Once upon a time, all family members of Tenno received such." Her voice turned serious. "It will provide much greater protection than a standard bodysuit. Two will appreciate that. You are far more fragile than we are, Amelia. That is a fact."

"You are not combat personnel." Rachel said calmly as she stood as well, pulled Amelia's unresisting from up from the chair with Ona's help. "But we will protect our kin. Both from enemies... and from... um... overzealous kin."

"You are serious..." Amelia said with a gulp as they led her towards the door. "Do I... need to go in a tank?"

"No." Ona promised. "The scanner is set up so you will be in a regular bed. And the scans will take.. lo and behold.. five and half hours. You can sleep."

"I am gonna need it..." Amelia muttered. She glanced from one female Tenno to the other and sighed. "You two are evil."

"No." Rachel replied as door ahead opened and a Volt warframe stood there, waiting. The Citadel's doctor. "We just take our human kin's health very seriously."

"Speak for yourself, Rachel!" Ona declared with a haughty sniff. "I am evil and proud of it!"

"Then get your proud evilness in gear." Rachel choked, obviously trying not to laugh. "We really want these scans done before Two wakes up."

"Because after?" Amelia sighed and let herself be led. "You won't get anything but red screens."

"But that is the fun part, no?" Ona asked, sounding earnest and innocent. And innocent she certainly wasn't.

"I hate you." Amelia groused as they entered the room and the doc followed them in, closing the door. "I really hate you..."

"Save your strength, Amelia." Rachel said as she led the woman toward the promised bed. "You are going to need it when Two wakes up."

"I hate you too..."


Six hours later

It might have been worrisome, if both female Tenno did not know how carefully they had prepared Amelia for Two's reaction on waking. Two was trying so very hard not to do as her body was demanding. Amelia was worried about Two and Two was worried about Amelia. It wasn't worrisome, what the others saw on the single monitor that covered the room the two partners had been left in. It was hilarious.

"How long do you think Two can restrain herself?" Ona asked as she and Rachel focused on the scans they had done of Amelia. "She is not Serene, but she is very strong willed."

"I give it another ten minutes, max." Rachel replied. "And as soon as they start, we shut off the monitor. Only the vitals monitors will remain online."

"Spoilsport." Ona said with a mock sigh. She was a lot older than she looked and she wasn't about to violate Two and Amelia's privacy. Then she snorted. "Look..."

Rachel stared at the screen as Amelia reached out to Two and Two jerked back. "Oh geez... Amelia may instigate...She knows Two is hurting and won't let her keep doing it."

"Not our business." Ona said firmly. Then she sighed. "Will we tell them? I mean... we have to. But..."

"Let them relax." Rachel said quietly. "This will... hurt them both. I mean, we know it wasn't responsible for their... attraction. The memory scans are clear. As soon as Two split off from Serene, she felt for Amelia. Amelia was drawn to Two just as surely. It wasn't..."

"That we know of." Ona said very softly.

"I agree, we don't know what it is." Rachel said with a shrug. "But it is not in Amelia's brain." They both turned to where a scan showed Amelia's body. On it, a tiny glowing spot shown. It was in the center of her body, nestled up behind her heart and nearly invisible to almost all scans. Any but the Citadel's super power scanners wouldn't have had a hope of detecting it.

"You know what it is, Rachel." Ona obviously did not want to say what she was saying. "You just do not want to say any more than I do. And you know what we have to do."

"I will call him." Rachel said with a sigh. "He is going to flip."

"No." Ona's voice was heartbroken now. "No, he won't. But he will hate himself. And now we knew where part of her went."

"It wasn't her fault!" Rachel said sharply. "Just like Serene was not at fault at Neptune. They both did what they had to."

"No, not their fault, Rachel." Ona said heavily. "But that doesn't change the facts. We have to report this. We have to."

"I know." Rachel sounded dispirited. "But... Ona... If it is..."

"I know." Ona said softly. "Then we may finally have a line on what happened to Banshee." Not any Banshee. The Banshee. The First.

"And if we find her shade... Nikis will have no choice." Rachel said with a sob.

"I know."


A bit later

"Banshee..." Nikis' voice was hushed as he stood in the scanner room, staring at the screen. "She has been gone a long time."

"Yeah." Rachel agreed from where she knelt. It... didn't feel right to stand when such an event was unfolding. Ona knelt beside her. "Nikis... what she did..."

"She had cause." Nikis said firmly. "Let none say otherwise. I would have done worse. Far worse." Rachel and Ona shared a glance and Nikis snorted. "Yeah, sure Janet saved me. But... Banshee... Girls, the rules are clear. She broke them. Broke them hard."

"It is only a little bit of her." Rachel said with a shiver. "Where is the rest of her?"

"That is a very good question." Nikis said softly. "I mean...I can see Serene picking... up..." He paused. "Sonofawitch... She didn't..." He swallowed hard. "No... No, she might have... All this time, I thought the darkness in Serene was just her. But the feeling when she died... it was familiar... Not just her. But I need to be sure."

"Nikis?" Rachel said urgently as he stared at the screen. "Two and Amelia are..."

"They are busy and will be for a while." Nikis said with sigh. "Banshee has waited all this time, I guess she can wait a few more hours."

"Nikis... if you find her, manage to put her back together... what will happen to her?" Ona asked, worried.

"Not my call." Nikis said sadly. "If it was, I would just put her back in. But... She didn't just flee, she destroyed several shades. No kin. But several."

"Who were trying to destroy her!" Rachel exclaimed. "Who had hurt Excalibur!"

"I am not saying she was in the wrong, Rachel." Nikis said sharply. "What I am saying... is that she broke the rules. And not quietly, or cautiously, but loud and visible to everyone. And then she ran. Hell, I wasn't even in the database and I heard it." His voice turned sorrowful. "Why now, Banshee? Why now?"

"Why after all this time will you make me destroy you?"