Obstacles

Tiana was fascinated.

The Voices, all four of the, were doing a marvel. The kids were opening up, even Hawk. The girl was unlikely to ever win any popularity contests, but she was talking to the Voices, explaining what she knew. The others were far more animated. Or... most of them. One other girl hadn't spoken at all. Tiana edged her way slowly to where that hologram sat in her chair. The girl looked at her and then at the others, her face serene. She wasn't angry, she just didn't talk.

"Hi." Tiana said quietly, not wanting to interrupt Hawk talking to the Voice. The girl she was standing beside nodded to her and Tiana smiled under her helmet. "Don't like talking, do you?" The girl shook her head and Tiana nodded. "Can't really blame you for that. Too many talk just to hear themselves speak. I try not to."

The girl smiled at her, but then focused on what Hawk was saying. Tiana shook her head as Hawk calmly argued an abstruse point about what was 'real' and what was not. Tiana stood by the girl, hoping her presence alone would help. The girl eyed her occasionally as Hawk debated with the Voice, but did not speak. Tiana shook her head as Hawk finished her argument and waited for the Voice's response.

"Well reasoned." The Voice sounded appreciate and Hawk beamed. "But have you considered..."

Tiana was hardly the only one to stare as the Voice started getting more and more technical. Hawk was following everything, her eyes alight with a hunger that had nothing to do with physical needs. The girl beside Tiana stared and then looked at Tiana, her smile wide. Tiana nodded.

I am Falcon. The girl said softly enough that only Tiana could likely hear her. Tiana gave her another nod. I didn't know what to expect.

"The unknown is always a bit frightening." Tiana reassured the girl. "One reason I am here. Don't feel a need to do anything to please me." She warned. "I am here for you, not myself."

We never had anyone outside of our group that we could talk to. Falcon said shyly. It's all new and strange.

"At least you can talk to your siblings." Tiana shrugged. "Mine didn't want anything to do with me. Then I found a real family and I haven't looked back."

Except for revenge on Tyl Regor. Falcon said softly. Tiana glanced at her and Falcon shook her head. I don't blame you.

"Revenge on a clone who can be replaced in a matter of minutes is a waste of effort." Tiana said with a grunt. "But it does make me feel better at times. As long as it doesn't interfere with my duties, the clan won't interfere. If it does? I get a stern talking to." Falcon smiled at Tiana's tone.

We didn't mean to do what we did. Falcon said sadly. I didn't mean to hurt anyone.

"Falcon, we were all down. Disabled." Tiana said reasonably. "You were all discovered, vulnerable. I am not saying it was the right thing to do. But looking back, it was the only thing to do. If the Sentients or Stalker had wiped you out... I doubt that would have been good for us."

We don't know. Falcon looked scared for a moment and then her face smoothed. You are all sapient yourselves. Not puppets, not simple tools. I think you will go on if we...fall.

"I would rather not find out any time soon if it all the same to you." Tiana said primly and Falcon actually giggled at her tone.

Me neither. Both female paused as Rikel waved to Tiana.

"Be good." Tiana quipped at Falcon who smiled at her as the Mirage made her way towards the warframe that she still wasn't sure what to call. When she was standing beside him, she spoke softly. "Yes?"

"We have a situation." Rikel's voice was calm and collected. "Tenno Viveka has discovered the existence of this meeting and is on her way with some of her friends to disrupt it. And by 'disrupt', I mean with explosives.."

"Just what we needed." Tiana said sourly. "I do not want to fight kin. Not today."

"They are not going to listen to reason." Rikel replied.

"And having a pitched battle in the middle of Maroo's Bazaar will not endear us to her." Tiana was thinking hard. Then she paused. "Rikel, what is the Naramon school's focus?"

"Knowing one's enemy." The other replied instantly. All conversation in the room stopped as he laughed. "You wouldn't?"

"Ah... Tenno?" One of the Voices asked as Hawk looked at her, her face sour at the interruption.

"We have a complication." Tiana said sadly. "Tenno Viveka is not one to let things lie. Neither are her friends. They are coming here and they are probably seeking weapons, not enlightenment." This was to Rikel who nodded. "Reasoning with them is likely not going to be possible. So... We need to stop them. Preferably without hurting them."

That can be done. This was Owl speaking. But he was also shaking his head. But we cannot hold them indefinitely.

"You won't have to." Tiana's grin under her faceplate was vicious.

"Heron, we are up."


Thirty minutes later

Tiana stood silently in the middle of the walkway that led from the landing areas to the main concourse of Maroo's Bazaar. There was no way for anyone to pass by her unless they were invisible. Viveka could, she wore an Ivara warframe after all. But stealth wasn't why the other Tenno was coming.

I do not like this. Heron's mind touched her own and Tiana responded with a mental grimace. I know you do not either, but still... Tenno do not fight Tenno.

Viveka does not see you as Tenno, Heron. Tiana said sadly. She will kill you if she can, or at least disrupt any chance you have of taking a Trial. Pragmatically speaking, this is not a bad thing. She felt Heron's shock at her calm pronunciation. You have shown your power. Now you need to show if you have restraint.

Do you think Grandmaster Nikis might have set this up? Heron asked, worried. As a test?

I don't think so. This is not his style. Tiana replied as the ship she had been expecting docked. A Scimitar landing craft, sleek and deadly looking. He might slap you in the face or shoot you. But only in the face. He won't stab you in the back unless you deserve it or earn his ire. That said, he is not stupid.

He wouldn't have lived as long as he has if he were stupid. Heron replied. I... Be careful sister. We are trying to limit the flow. But this will hurt you.

This needs to be done. Tiana did not move as half a dozen forms stepped out of the landing craft one by one. Five were human. One was not. All were heavily armed. They stepped forward, but stopped as Tiana raised her weapon. At this range, the Vaykor Hek's pellets would likely hit everyone in the group, especially as well as she had modded it. "That is far enough." She called. "You are not welcome here, Rising."

"You cannot stop us." Viveka snarled as she raised her own weapon. A Penta grenade launcher.

"No." Tiana agreed calmly. "But I can slow you down." Owl. Now.

Tiana couldn't help it. She gasped as an alien mind invaded hers. But it was gentle, soothing energy seeping across her burning synapses as she slumped to her knees. Viveka stared at her as Owl's form appeared over her and then the Ivara was screaming curses that cut off abruptly as the energy from Owl's chosen Zenurik school washed over them. Tiana's mind was idly curious as each and every one of the fanatics suddenly rose from the ground, suspended in midair by Void energy. Helpless. All of them. She gasped again as Owl's mind left hers. It hurt as she rose to her feet.

Heron. Tiana gasped. Hurry. She begged.

This is hurting you! Heron protested. We are not worth that!

Yes, you are. Tiana retorted. Do it. Her gasp this time was a choked off scream as the pain doubled and then redoubled. She fell to her knees again and this time, Heron's form appeared over her. She could feel him trying to ease her pain and she snarled at him. Do it!

Falcon! Heron begged as energy played from his spectral body, washing over each and every one of the fanatics. Viveka jerked in her prison and fell to the floor, her posture shocked as each and every one of her fellows suddenly was limned by golden energy. Heron's mind vanished from Tiana's and she rose, cursing her trembling limbs.

"You have a problem, Tenno Viveka." Tiana said coldly. "When they are freed, they will turn on each other." Viveka stared at her. "And on you."

"What have you done, you monster?" Viveka screamed, her Penta coming up to aim.

"I asked a friend to show them themselves." Tiana said with a sigh. She couldn't raise her weapon. It was too heavy. "Too bad if they can't handle such truths. You have a choice, Tenno Viveka. Gun them and me down here and now and show everyone your true colors. Or go away and let the adults talk. We are talking, not that you would care about such when you can kill people."

"You know nothing!" Viveka snarled and her grenade launcher burped. Tiana felt fear as the miniature explosive landed at her feet. It rolled to tap her foot and... did nothing. "What?" Viveka stared at the grenade and then at her launcher. "What have you done?"

"Me?" Tiana asked with a cold smile. "Nothing. You just broke the peace here." Viveka recoiled as dozen form suddenly appeared around Tiana. Tenno in warframes. One kicked the inert Penta grenade away from Tiana's foot. All had weapons in hand and aimed. "We do not want to fight you, Tenno Viveka." Tiana said with a grunt. "But we will."

"You are a fool and a traitor to our kind!" Viveka snapped.

"I have been foolish on occasion." Tiana replied. "But I am not betraying our kin or the Code. You are. Go ahead, fanatic." She managed to aim her shotgun now. "We will mourn you."

All five of Viveka's compatriots fell to the floor and got up, groaning. They all froze in shock, seeing the Tenno aiming at them. They looked at each other and then at Viveka who snarled. They started cycling back into the ship.

"This isn't over." Viveka's voice was low and full of malice. Or madness. Hard to say.

"Never thought it was." Tiana replied offhand as the last human entered and Viveka made her way towards the ship. "But beware, sister. The way you are walking only ends in madness."

"Fuck off!" Viveka snarled as she stepped into the ship.

Tiana slumped a bit as the ship undocked. Then she jumped as the Penta grenade exploded where it pay. Shrapnel flew everywhere, pinging off the warframes that surrounded her now.

"What was that all about?" A Tenno in a brown Excalibur warframe asked.

"You all heard about what happened on the Moon." Tiana's words were not a question but several nodded. "I was there. So was she. We found an ancient Tenno secret. It was...not what we expected."

"Is it ever what we expect?" A purple Saryn asked snidely. Tiana shook her head ruefully. "So why is the Rising showing up here? They kill humans, Grineer and Corpus."

"She is one of them." Tiana said sadly. More than one of the surrounding Tenno inhaled in shock and worry. "She thinks I am being corrupted, so I cannot be trusted at all." She shook her head. "I have had intelligence and my clan vet me. If I am being corrupted, then they can't find it."

"You could be anyway." This from a green painted Trinity who sounded worried. For Tiana?

"Yeah, I could be." Tiana slumped a bit.

"She isn't." All eyes turned to... Tiana was hardly the only one to freeze as all four Voices strode onto the walkway, followed by a host of holographic forms in chairs. The Voice spoke again. "Tell me, Tenno. If she was corrupted, if she was truly seeking power, why did she not kill the humans? Why not fight the Ivara?"

"Some kind of sneaky plan." A grey Loki replied.

"I am too tired to be sneaky, brother." Tiana groused and more than one of the surrounding Tenno chuckled at her tone. "And... I hurt."

Sister. Several Tenno flinched back as Falcon slid forward, her holographic face fearful. You held too much. Let me help. Tiana nodded and then she slumped to the ground again. This time though, the power eased through her, soothing her jangling nerves and relaxing her taut muscles. There. That will take care of it for now. You may need more care though.

"What is that?" The Trinity asked, awe in her tone. "That is Void energy modulated to heal. But so much of it." Tiana felt much better when Falcon released her with a final mental hug of sorts.

"My kin...?" Tiana said formally as Falcon's holo returned to where it had been. "I would like you to meet some people. People who know firsthand the horrors of what the Orokin did. People who were hidden on the Moon for their own safety until Stalker and the Sentients discovered their hiding place." She stepped to stand between the still warframes and the holos with their Voice escorts. "Viveka sees weapons or puppet masters. But I have touched their minds and I can tell you that there is nothing that repulses them more than the thought of enslaving someone. They were slaves. All of them."

"Who are you?" The Excalibur who had spoken first asked the holos. Heron slid his holo forward and nodded to the Tenno.

We are the survivors of the Zarimon Void Jump accident, Tenno. Heron said sadly. More than one of the Tenno in the group gasped at that. The Orokin called me Ten Zero Fourteen. Our mothers called me Heron.

"Your... 'mothers'?" The Trinity asked carefully.

The first kindness that we ever encountered in our remembered lives was a human named Margulis. Heron said sadly. We were found on the ship after it was recovered. No one knew how we had survived. None of us were old enough to understand. To remember. We were a mess. We hurt one who tried to help us. We did not understand why we were being hurt, experimented on. We lashed out like animals, hurt many people. It took the love of Margulis to get us past our fear and the Orokin killed her for it. She was our mother and they killed her.

None of the Tenno in the group had as much as moved. Now the Loki stepped forward, his posture wary.

"If you have this much power..." The Loki asked. "Why not use it?"

Because our second mother was and is far wiser than we will ever be. Owl replied for the group. You call her Lotus. A stillness swept the landing area at that. All four Voices seemed to stiffen in place. She is far from perfect, but she is our mother. She freed us from slavery and cared for us until we could grow into our power. But now? We are discovered and none of us are physically capable of defending ourselves.

"And you are here, now... because...?" The Saryn asked.

Because we want to be what we believed we were for so long. Heron replied. Tenno. But to do that, we need to take the Trial.

"Oh boy..."


Several minutes later

Tiana, please sit down. Falcon was being a pest.

"Falcon, I am fine." Tiana protested as she stood back in the room they had started in. They had two more people though. Two Tenno, the Excalibur -whose name was Derek-, and the Trinity -whose name was Ellen- had asked to join the discussion and after a bit of debate, the Voices had agreed. Heron and the other kids seemed happy to meet new people. Tiana wondered how long that would last.

You had three different sources of powerful Void energy flowing through you. Falcon retorted. Until I see you fully scanned, I am not going to assume you are fine.

"Don't sister." The Trinity Ellen warned Tiana as she started to reply. "Falcon here has the soul of a Healer. They do not like being crossed." Elle laughed at Tiana's rude gesture. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"This needs to be done and I swore to stand for them." Tiana replied.

"I understand." Ellen said with a sigh. "But killing yourself won't help them."

Tiana stared at the Trinity and then slumped a bit. She looked at the Voices who seemed to be fighting mirth. Hard to tell, but all seemed to be quivering slightly. She sat.

"There. Happy?" Tiana declared. Falcon just looked at her, hurt in girl's eyes. "Ah, dang... I am sorry Falcon. I am just... out of sorts."

You have a right to it. Falcon said softly. But Tiana, one of us. Only one. You cannot channel more than one of us. Even for moments. I do not know what it would do to you and I do not want to find out. Your body is different from ours. Yours was made for you to inhabit.

"And it has been destroyed once already." Tiana said with a shiver of memory. "Not something I want to go through again." Ellen patted Tiana's shoulder and sat beside her. "Part of me expected you to freak. I sure did the first time it happened to me."

"It is a bit scary." Ellen replied. "But my curiosity is overwhelming my fear." She shook her head. "The best way to face a fear is to face it. Falcon?"

I... Falcon looked at the Voices who shrugged in unison. She looked at Tiana and Rikel who also shrugged. Are you sure?

"No." Ellen said simply. "But I am curious." She smiled at Falcon and then she gasped. "I... Oh. Oh." Her voice suddenly held tears as Falcon started to cry. "Don't cry, Falcon. It's okay." She looked at Tiana and nodded. "This will not be easy. But... Oh, the benefits."

"Nothing worthwhile is ever easy." Tiana quipped and Ellen barked a laugh.

"And Tenno live for complicated jobs."