Sorrow

Kaitlin Executor did not think, she simply reacted as stupendous mental power slammed into her. She saw horrors in her mind and reacted as directed even as heretical as the thought was. This was Brianna's tower, not hers. She reached out with her mind and the Tower, momentarily confused as to this change in authorization, but accepting it as proper with Executor genetics, reacted to her wishes by bolstering all of its shields to their maximum levels.

"Empress! Princess! Shield yourselves! Everyone else! Hold on to something or someone!" Kaitlin shouted as the Tower rocked. Both golden holograms vanished, Jesse's code vanishing as well. "This is going to hurt!"

Kat had run close and Kaitlin grabbed hold of the terrified woman, pulling her to the bed where both fell to lie as the Tower continued to rock. Kaitlin was careful not to hurt Kat even when Kat struck at her. Such would not end well.

"Let go of me! What the hell is going on?" Kat snapped. The rocking subsided and Kaitlin released the angry woman.

"That idiot Anyo just hurt Brianna!" Kaitlin snapped right back. "And he has no idea what he just unleashed. Even Lorinos learned not to let her loose!" Everyone stared at her vehemence. "Um... I guess I better introduce myself. I am Kaitlin. Is Mary okay?" She begged as Iriana ran into room.

"Who are you and what have you done with Brianna?" Iriana demanded, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"My name is Kaitlin Executor and I think I may have just caused Brianna to be taken by Nef Anyo." Kaitlin wilted as everyone glared at her. "I didn't plan that. I thought to serve her, but…" She slumped and started to cry. "I bet Lorinos planned this too!"

"Of course he did." Kaitlin's eyes shot up at the familiar voice. A young Tenno was escorted into the room by a Saryn warframe and he stilled as her tears stopped and her eyes hardened. "Hello, Kaitlin Executor."

"Hello?" For a long moment, Kaitlin simply felt shock. Then rage flowed. "You locked me in that damn tank for him to play with and you say 'Hello'?" The scream was cold, hard and merciless as golden power came to her hands. Then it faded. She stared at her hands and then at Kat who slowly shook her head, golden power haloing her for just a moment.

"You are not her, you do not rule here." Kat's voice might have bent iron.

"No. I don't. Don't lower the shields!" Kaitlin begged. "I don't know what he did to her, but I can guess! If she falls..."

"...then we haven't seen problems." Micah said and then flinched back as Kaitlin took a step towards him, her hands up to rend and tear even without power. "I know what I did, Kaitlin Executor. Do you know what you did?"

"Yes." Kaitlin all but threw the word at the unarmored Tenno. "I have an idea of how many I killed. Do you have any idea how many he killed? I was awake and you were in cryo! He wouldn't let me go mad, he needed what is in my head! You… You put me in there! You didn't even bother knocking me unconscious! I was awake the whole time, you piece of Tenno excrement!"

"He commanded it, I had to obey." Micah slowly knelt despite several gasps from several others. "I wronged you. At his orders, but I did wrong you. I can make no excuse for what I did, because I did it." He looked at the Sayrn who stood beside him. "Let her take my life if she desires. She has earned it."

"I can't do that." The Saryn replied. "You know I can't after I took responsibility." Then she shrugged. "Not that she can kill you with bare hands and no power. But I bet she can hurt you."

"And she has that right." Micah said quietly. "I did what she says. I put her in the tank and it held her. Awake and aware. It was a stasis tank, so time didn't matter in there, but-"

"SHUT UP!" Kaitlin screamed, throwing herself at the kneeling Tenno. Of all people, Iriana grabbed her and held her despite her frenzied struggles. "Let me go! I will kill him!" She tried to break free but Iriana was well versed in handling difficult patients and far stronger than even an Orokin could hope to be without power.

Instead of anger though, Iriana made a soft noise of consternation. "Another victim. I see. Shhh, easy… Easy… Don't let your rage take control." Everyone made way for her as she carried Kaitlin's struggling form towards the bed. Kat stared at the Tenno Healer and then she nodded, her face set. "Don't do anything rash, Ma'am. We need more information. What happened to Brianna?"

"I have to-" Kaitlin gave herself a firm shake and relaxed fully in Iriana's grip. "You are right, Healer. I am not the important one here. Healer, I... Brianna Executor was fading despite the best everyone could do. Just like Mary, there was no physical malady to fix. There was no way to help her that any of you could find. I could and realized I had to despite the danger. There wasn't anything you could do and no one would let her in reach of Lorinos. With reason." She said sourly. "He would get stupid and it would get messy."

"What did you do?" Iriana laid Kaitlin on the bed and held her down. Not that the Orokin was resisting now.

"I soothed her rhythms." Kaitlin said quietly. "And yes, before anyone asks, I did it without her consent." No one reacted and she slumped, her tears slowing and stopping. "It worked. She was healed. She forgave me. She is so much better than me. Or… she was." She said in a tiny voice. "And then… I got her captured." She slumped and tears were falling again. "I didn't mean to! I just… My genetics were demanding that I take the tower from her. This place was mine before Lorinos came." She glared at Micah through tear streaked eyes. "With him."

"What did you do?" Iriana asked, her hand now stroking the sobbing Orokin's scalp. "Clearly you know who and what Nef Anyo is and you don't like him any more than we do."

"I read fast and could access most of the tower's records. I woke here after a cataclysmic battle." Kaitlin said softly but clearly enough that everyone could hear her. "I had to shift to energy form to survive in the tank. I was trapped in a containment vessel that was damaged in the fighting. You know how hard it is to hold a pure Orokin." Iriana nodded. "It was a stasis device. I was awake and aware, but unaware of how long passed between Lorinos' 'visits'." The last word held rage as deep any Tenno's. "Only after Mary found the tank and tried to pull me free of it did I understand exactly how long it had been. I was energy form, but I could touch things. I tried not to hurt her, Healer. I swear I tried not to hurt her! The being I was would have done so without hesitation, but I am not her anymore. Lorinos' evil lusts burned that heartless woman to ash. I didn't know if he would come back! Or if that one was free!" She glared at Micah again. "I had to hide, regain my solidity. I did. But then Brianna was sick and Mary was dying and it is my fault! I had to do something no matter the cost to me!" She was all but babbling now and her physical form seemed to phase. Iriana sighed.

"Calm." Iriana said firmly. "Be calm." Kaitlin took a shuddering breath and the another. "Good. Just breathe. Don't think. Just breathe. Hold your form. Don't think about anything but breathing. Just hold your form."

"It is my fault!" Kaitlin sobbed but her form did stabilize and everyone breathed a sigh of relief as she slumped on the bed. "I... I surrender, Healer. Do with me what you will. This is my fault."

"No." Micah spoke up from where he knelt. "This is firmly on Lorinos' shoulders and mine, Kaitlin Orokin." Kaitlin inhaled sharply, but Iriana grabbed Kaitlin's jaw in a firm hand and turned it to face the Healer instead.

"Close your eyes! Focus on breathing." Iriana commanded and Kaitlin nodded, her eyes closing tightly. "Nothing else. Get him out of here!" She snapped and the Saryn grabbed Micah and but hauled him towards the door. Smart Tenno, he did not resist. Only after the door closed behind them did she speak again. "Easy Kaitlin, easy. Such violations are no joke at all for anyone, but for people like us, when we lose control, bad things happen."

"I know." Kaitlin sobbed. "I am sorry. Do with me what you will, but please don't put me back in that tank!"

"Don't give us cause." Iriana looked at Kat who slumped a bit and nodded. "What does he want with Brianna beside the fact that she is Executor?" Kaitlin bowed her head but Iriana squeezed her hand again. "We need to know."

"It is her secret, not mine." Kaitlin said weakly. Iriana glared at her and Kaitlin wilted. "I can't, Healer. She is more important than I am."

"You are wrong." Two holograms appeared beside the bed. One was Eliza and she was not happy. The other was a human woman in white who wore a veil that covered her face. It did not cover the burn scar on her cheek. The Empress had spoken and she did again before Kaitlin could protest. "You may be her only chance, Kaitlin Executor."

"I..." Kaitlin swallowed hard. "Brianna Executor isn't the woman I knew. She is far kinder now than she was when she had her change of heart. Before Lorinos hurt her and drove her mad."

"What?" More than one person in the room exclaimed the same thing, but Eliza held up a hand and everyone shut up.

"Empress, please!" Kaitlin begged. "She does not deserve this!"

"I know." Eliza said heavily. "But we all need to know now. It is not your fault." She reassured the distraught Orokin.

"I feel it is." Kaitlin said weakly. "But my feelings are all messed up after so long in that tank. One thing I do know. What I did was wrong. I thought it was for the greater good, but in the end? It hurt far more than it saved. I had time to think. To postulate probabilities."

"And almost all were bad." The white garbed woman said with a nod that Kaitlin returned.

"About 95% of them, yes." The Orokin slumped and then nodded to everyone. "My name is Kaitlin Executor. I built this tower long ago. I was a biologist and micro-biologist. My focus was on cellular regeneration. During my research, I discovered an ancient text that spoke of a formula that remade a human into something different. Something greater than human. Something that we Orokin had no name for." Several people inhaled and she bowed her head as Iriana gave her hand another squeeze. "Being a complete idiot, I decided to research that. Being an amoral Orokin ass, I did as I usually did, with no regard for life or sanity."

The torrent of self hate in her voice had more than one person recoiling. Iriana just sighed and sat down on the bed beside Kaitlin who stared at her through streaming eyes.

"Don't fall apart." Iriana commanded. "We need you." Kaitlin stared at her, confused.

"You don't trust me." Concern sang in Kaitlin's voice. Concern for Iriana? "You can't after what you endured."

"I shouldn't but you haven't lied that I know of and Mary is sleeping comfortably. You saved her life." Iriana said with a small, sad smile. "And while I was not watching or listening, I did see Brianna's vitals suddenly improve. You helped her."

"And then I got her caught by a nutcase!" Kaitlin all but screamed that. "I am a moron!"

"How could you have known?" Iriana just held her hand.

"That scum defines evil! He is heartless and evil!" Kaitlin was crying again, but softer this time. "I should have known he had more plans. He had plans for when I realized he was lying to me! I just…"

"What happened?" Iriana pressed. Kaitlin looked at her and then at the Empress who waved permission.

"I was focused on my work." Kaitlin said weakly but her voice solidified when no one interrupted. "I can make no excuse for what I did. How many subjects I killed. I finally had a breakthrough and my only Dax..." She swallowed hard. "He volunteered to try the formula." She bowed her head. "It killed him."

"What was his name?" Iriana asked gently. Kaitlin didn't seem to hear her and the Healer gave her hand another squeeze. "Kaitlin, what was his name?"

"His name was Oriso Dax." Eliza said very quietly and Kaitlin nodded. "You did not kill him, Kaitlin Executor."

"What?" Kaitlin asked, staring at the Empress through wide eyes, She dashed her free hand across her face, trying wipe the tears away. "I did." She contradicted the hologram. "I gave him the formula and it killed him."

"No, you did not." Eliza's face was set and no one dared inquire. "Your research was known and there were those who wanted it stopped. That is all I can say."

"Why not kill me?" Kaitlin begged. "I went nuts after that!"

"I don't know." Eliza said heavily. "That is not in the records. I can guess, but it would just be a guess. We should not inquire." She warned.

"As you wish, Empress." Kaitlin said softly. "I… When he perished I decided that I would make it work, in memory of him. I did things that turn my stomach. I killed so many people, trying to get it to work. I do not know how many were volunteers and how many were sent to me saying they volunteered. I know Lorinos did that, others too probably." She was fighting not to cry now.

"Your subjects." Iriana just held her hand. "Were any of them children?"

"No." Kaitlin said with a growl. "That wasn't adherence to laws, rules or any sense of altruism. I didn't care about any of that. Children would not have been good test subjects. Their bodies are usually in flux and I… I..." She trailed off and then was heaving. "Empress! Please!" The Empress did not answer. Someone else did.

"Brianna needs you, Kaitlin Executor." Even without being able to see her eyes, it was clear that the Oracle was glowering at her. "Calm down."

"I..." Kaitlin took several deep breaths and visibly calmed herself. "Yes, Ma'am." At that, everyone stilled. What kind of high caste Orokin called a human that? Kaitlin actually managed a smile as Iriana stared at her. "I read about who she is, what she did. And no, I do not want her or her mate angry with me." She inclined her head to the Oracle. "If there is anyone in this room who will understand the bond of pain that Brianna and I share, Oracle will."

"I do. I saw some of it." The Oracle said with a matching nod. "You have my sympathy, but you are needed."

"Yes, Ma'am." Kaitlin closed her eyes and took another long, deep breath, trying to relax. Iriana smiled encouragement as the Orokin slowly calmed. Kaitlin opened her eyes and looked at Kat. "I met Brianna Enginus here. I had been indiscreet in some of my research and Lorinos Orokin had gotten wind of my project. He came with honeyed words and promises of greatness. Even as distracted as I was, I didn't believe him entirely. That said, he was a Councilor. His authority was absolute. I had to do as he asked. I gave him space to work and resources."

"Brianna served Lorinos?" Kat asked, dumbfounded. "Wait, yes." She made a face. "I remember. She was there. She was kind to me."

"She always was." Kaitlin said sadly. "Every moment of every day, she was kind to everyone. Even Lorinos." She grimaced. "Especially him. She loved him and he said he loved her. I didn't pay much attention. I was busy."

"What happened?" Kat repeated the question as she too moved to the bed and sat, taking Kaitlin's other hand in her own.

"I was focused on my research but several of my samples went missing." The Orokin was tense, but calmed when both woman gave her hands a squeeze. "I went to Lorinos and asked him about them. He said he was doing further research and I couldn't say no. I mean, he was Council!" She shook her head. "His words rang false to me so I took steps. I added a tracker to the sample cases and the next time one vanished, I followed when Brianna took it at his orders. I managed to stay out of sight of her and him while they injected another subject with my creation. That subject died, but before she did, I saw golden skin appear on her arms."

"Oh crap." Iriana inhaled and Kaitlin nodded.

"Yes, even then, he was trying to make Orokin." Kaitlin looked at the Empress. "My guess is that someone took offense at that. Because the Tower was attacked shortly after that by a team of human mercenaries. Exceptionally well trained and equipped human mercenaries." The Empress met her gaze and did not react. "In the battle, I was hurt. Looking back? I am surprised I survived."

"Likely, no one wanted you dead." Eliza said very softly and Kaitlin stilled. "Just the medical benefits of your formula would have been incalculable wealth to any who managed to hold it. But Orokin did not share power."

"No." Kaitlin sighed. "I woke up with Brianna tending my wounds. I had been knocked out and none of the wounds were life threatening. I didn't understand how I survived until Lorinos' pet assassin came and took me. He tossed me into that tank. That was when I knew I had been betrayed. I refused to talk to Lorinos, so he got Brianna to work on me."

"'Work'?" Iriana asked, fear in her eyes. "Did she torture you?"

"No." Kaitlin had soft, sad smile on her face now. "You know Brianna. Torture is unreliable at the best of times. Even at her worst, when she went off the deep end, she never hurt people." Her smile turned sick. "She never had to."

"And why did she go 'off the deep end'?" Iriana inquired, but from her eyes, she knew. Kaitlin nodded.

"Me."