Interrogation
Kori woke up suddenly, retching. Armored hands held her gently as she spewed nastiness, trying to control the flow, but her stomach had other ideas. She struggled, but the hands that held her were firm. More… More than one set.
"Easy, girl." The voice wasn't anyone she knew. Female. Kind. Sad. "Chris isn't the most gentle of people at the best of times. These…are not the best of times." Kori opened her eyes, but everything stayed black.
"Where am I?" Kori gasped as the hands straightened her out despite her feeble struggles and cold things were strapped around her. Some kind of restraints.
"In deep trouble." The woman replied, her voice resigned. "I knew this day would come. But I had hoped he would be asleep for it. To wake with it done…" She growled. "That blasted Nekros…"
"What did Nikis do?" Kori begged. "Why can't I see?"
"You cannot see because your head is encased in a bio engineered sea creature that prevents sight and allows for easy sedation." The woman said with a sigh. "A good use of a fairly nasty animal, all told."
"I am a prisoner?" Kori clenched her fists, aware that she felt flesh under her fingers. She was out of her warframe.
"Yes." The woman replied. "He could have killed you with that Undertow. He chose not to. I… don't know why."
"Nikis asked him not to." Kori said weakly. "He betrayed us…"
"Did he?" The female asked quietly. "Nikis is a law unto himself. He always has been. He likely always will be. Why would he betray you and tell Chris not to kill? That makes no sense." Kori felt something odd. A gentle pressure on her mind. Someone was trying to read her mind! Instead of answering, she closed her mind up tight. The other woman sighed. "Girl, this can be easy or hard. I need to know what happened and why. Chris… isn't the easiest person to manage." Kori did not respond and the woman sighed again, deeper. "This is going to hurt, girl. What is your name?" She asked softly.
Kori did not respond. Instead, she started counting in her mind, skipping numbers. One two, five, thirty-seven, three hundred and six… She kept up the counting even as the pressure inside her mind increased.
"Don't be stupid, girl." The other snapped. "You cannot resist the power. It will kill you! Just relax and let me know what I need to."
Again, Kori did not respond. Instead, she kept counting. Three thousand six hundred and nine, fifty, nine million, seven hundred and four… She kept counting as the pain ramped up again and again. She kept counting through the agony that was now seeping through every corner of her brain.
"Damn it, girl!" The woman was irate now. "I don't want to hurt you! You are leaving me no choice!" Something stung Kori on the neck and she could only scream as everything went away.
"She is strong." The voice of the mad Tenno named Chris was openly admiring. Kori couldn't move. She couldn't talk. She couldn't do anything. She felt her body being moved. Her arms being folded. She lay on cold metal. "She will sleep."
"That will kill her, Chris." The woman from before sounded upset now. "You know it. I know it. Outside of her warframe, she will die if you put her in cryo like that."
"And in her warframe, she will take control of me and let you die!" Chris snapped.
"Chris, I am dead!" The woman snapped right back. "I know you do not want to accept it. But I am!"
"You are confused, Martya." The man's voice turned sly. "So confused."
"No…" the woman said sharply. "Don't… I…" Kori went still. What was happening here? She couldn't see. All she could do was feel, but… She could feel! Two presences were nearby. One was soft and warm, but held tinges of wet cold and fury. The other… was cold, but felt warm and comforting. And in pain! "Chris, please!" The woman screamed but Chris just made a noise of regret and she screamed loud and long.
Martya… Kori said softly in her mind. Don't give up…
He… He has control… The woman was crying. I can't… I can't stop him. He has the sword… he has it encased in a block of ice… Every time it melts, more forms… I can't get it free…
I don't want to kill you… Kori said softly. What can I do?
I am already dead. Martya replied. I died when the sword reached full power. All of the wielders did. It's what happens. But… We need to keep the sword powered, so… A source of power was available. Our shades. The remnants of who and what we were.
Oh no… Kori breathed. No… They didn't…
Desperate times, Kori. The other said softly, weakly. I hurt you. I am sorry. I… I can't resist his commands while the sword is blocked like that. He won't let me go.
He has enslaved you… Kori breathed, horrified.
I convinced him to go into cryo. It took… a long time. Martya said weakly. I hoped the next wielder would find the sword before he woke. But Nikis came and woke him…
Nikis. Kori snapped. That back biting scum!
I don't know why he did what he did. Martya said sadly. He didn't speak when I begged him not to wake Chris. Just hit the waking sequence and then held a gun on Chris until my husband agreed not to kill you. But if he puts in you in cryo without a warframe, it will kill you!
The others? Kori begged. The Kubrow and my brother?
Alive and removed from the tomb. I managed that much if nothing more. Martya said sadly. The door is locked. They won't be able to get back in. He only wanted you.
This is insane, Martya. Kori protested. The sword kills the wielder, I get that. It needs power so it drains the life force of the wielder to keep it going. But why would he keep it? Stop us from using it? We need it! The enemy has returned!
Because every time the sword kills a new wielder and absorbs her patterns, the previous patterns are deleted. Kori went still at that and Martya made an affirmative noise. I will be gone for good. He can't accept that.
No. Kori snapped. I won't kill you! I won't! Martya's pain peaked, but Kori held as much of it away from the other as she could.
Kori, I am already dead. Martya's screams had tapered off and she made noise of gratitude. Thank you… That... he… I…
Its okay, Sister Martya. Kori said softly. I don't want to hurt him… But I have no choice, do I?
Kori… Martya sounded wary now. Whatever you are planning, don't… He is too powerful and ready for any tricks.
Is he? Kori asked, her tone a bit wry. "Chris?" She was amazed when her vocal cords worked. A stillness swept the room and she continued. "I don't want to kill Martya. I don't want to hurt you either. Can't we try to figure out another way?"
"There is no other way." A hand traced Kori's brow and she shivered. It was cold, so cold. "I have looked."
"And you are perfect. And you have access to all of the records of the Tenno." Kori said, sarcasm dripping. "I see. Then, go ahead. Kill me."
"I am not going to kill you, idiot girl." Chris said, his tone the resigned father figure. "Nikis would kill me. I don't want to die. I want my wife back."
"I am dead, Chris!" Martya snapped. "Killing her won't bring me back!"
"You are not dead!" Chris screamed. "I am talking to you!"
"Chris… Please…" Martya begged. "I am a copy. A data recording… Nothing more. Don't kill this poor woman just because you cannot let me go. Please."
"You are confused, Martya." Chris said, his tone reasonable despite the insanity that lurked in it. "Rest for now, my dear. We will talk… later."
"Chris! No!" Martya screamed, but her scream was cut off suddenly.
"What have you done?" Kori demanded. "Martya! Martya!" She begged. "Talk to me!"
"She cannot hear you." Chris sounded sure of himself. "She is… resting."
"You hurt her." Rage sang in Kori's tone. "I don't want to hurt her!" She snapped. "I don't want to kill her! I don't want to hurt anyone but the enemy. And you…" She struggled, but whatever held her was far beyond her ability to break. "You hurt my sister!" She declared.
"You are going to sleep here." Chris declared. "Sleep until I can find a way to undo the curse of the sword. To free Martya. Then you can go and take that blasted thing with you."
"And if you can't?" Kori demanded. "What then? Will you consign all of humanity to death and horror because you can?"
"Don't even try, girl!" Chris retorted. "Tenno lie. It is what they do! It is all you do. All of you!"
"I am not lying!" Kori screamed with all of her might. "I am…" A wave of cold hit her and she gasped. "No… No, don't…"
"Easy…" Chris crooned, an eerie mockery of gentle. "Relax, let the cryo take you."
"You… idiot…" Kori managed to gasp and then she was falling.
She was screaming as she landed on something… something soft?
"Easy, Kori." Gentle hands held Kori as she wept. Held her against a warm body that moved under her. "Its okay, Kori…" The voice was familiar. Martya? "It's okay…" She crooned.
"He killed me…" Kori said weakly. "I wanted to stop the enemy and he killed me…"
"Why do you want to stop them, Kori?" Martya asked softly. "Why throw your life away?"
"I…" For the first time in a long, long time, Kori broke down. "I don't want to die! I want to live! I messed up, so many times! I wanted to make it right! I wanted to do the right thing. I never wanted this!" She was babbling as the arms held her gently. A hand was rubbing her head gently, soothing, calming. But Kori was way too far gone. "It is needed. I was chosen… but… I didn't want to do it… I just found my flesh and blood brother! I didn't want to die…"
"Oh Kori…" Martya's voice was soothing now. "It's all right, girl. It's done. Rest. It's okay."
"No, it's not!" Kori stammered. "Everything is going to die because I am too bloody weak! I was too weak. Too slow and too weak."
"No." Martya said quietly. "You were outmatched. Shhh, easy Kori…"
"I didn't want to fail!" Kori begged the woman.
"You didn't." Martya's voice was whisper soft now. "You showed just how strong you are. How brave and strong. You were willing to die. But you don't want to. You are willing to fight to live, even if it is pointless."
"But…" Kori paused. "He killed me… Chris killed me."
"Did you really think it would be so easy, Kori?" Martya chided her gently. "Just waltz in, pick up the sword and leave?"
"Ah… no… But…" Kori winced. "So cold… So dark… I…"
"Lights." Martya said quietly and the room lit. Kori jerked away from the blue Trinity warframe that had been holding her. The warframe rose and stepped away. It looked… odd. She was clad in her red robe. She jerked, staring around wildly. The room was small and bare. She was lying on a pad on the floor. The only other thing in it… was a table on which lay a Nikana. Even not seeing the blade, Kori knew it was the Phoenix. "Hello Kori." The woman's voice came from the Trinity.
"What the hell?" Kori demanded. "This is… I…" She shook her head savagely. "What is going on?"
"A test." Martya said softly. "The Phoenix is an awful burden, Kori." The female Tenno said with a sigh. "A horrible, horrible burden. One that not even most Tenno could shoulder. You can."
"I…" Kori shook her head. "I am not worthy of such power. I am a screw up." To her horror, she started to cry again.
"So was I." Martya said gently. The Trinity came close and sat beside Kori, her arms slowly encircling the sobbing Tenno. "It's okay, Kori. It's okay…"
"Did Chris… really…" Kori froze solid as a door opened nearby and the Hydroid stood there, his posture worried.
"I am sorry, Kori." Chris said softly. "We had to push you past your limits. To see how strong you were."
"You… You are not crazy…" Kori said weakly.
"Well…" Chris snorted a bit. "I don't know about that. But I am not murderous. Your brother and your friend are sleeping." Kori slumped a bit. "We had to be sure, Kori. Especially after Nikis showing up as he did."
"What did Nikis do?" Kori begged.
"Nikis wants to die." Chris said with a sigh. "But… the sword won't work for him. It would kill him, but it wouldn't activate. It wouldn't do what is needed." Kori went still and Chris nodded. "It only activates for a certain kind of Tenno. Female."
"So… what happened?" Kori begged, leaning into Martya's embrace.
"He was being a pest." Chris said with a wince. "I sent him away."
"He catapulted that crazy gunfighter across the ocean." Martya said with a laugh. Kori went still and Martya shook her head. "Kori... He is fine, if annoyed. This was an amusement park."
"A what?" Kori asked, stunned.
"You thought it was a real tomb." Chris said with a laugh. Kori bristled and he shook his head. "I am glad the disinformation worked."
"I don't understand." Kori begged.
"I know." Chris said sadly. "But first… Introductions… I am Chris, last Guardian of the Tomb of the Sea King." He had a smile in his voice, but it faded. "This is Martya… or…" He slumped a bit.
"What is left of me." Martya replied. "Before we took up the sword Kori… Each wielder downloaded a copy of herself into a Specter. Tenno are brave. We are not stupid or suicidal."
"Will that work for me?" Kori asked, staring at the Trinity, noting the blue tinges that denoted a replicant warframe.
"It should." Chris replied. "For now… we need to talk. All of us."
"My brother… the Kubrow…" Kori wasn't –quite- begging.
"Next room." Chris said gently and stepped back. The Trinity Specter rose and helped Kori to her feet. Kori was staggering as Martya helped her from the room and into the next where the Kubrow and the Oberon warframe lay still.
"Carlos…" Kori pleaded as she knelt beside his still form.
"Kori?" Her brother asked, then jerked upright. "Kori! No! I…" He spun to where the Hydroid and Trinity stood, and his hands flashed towards where his weapons… had been… The Kubrow was on her feet in an instant, growling at both as well.
"It's okay." Kori said softly. "He is not insane."
"Legend says he is." Carlos said with a snarl that matched the Kubrow's.
"Legend says a lot of things, Tenno." Chris said mildly. "Not all of it true. I did break with the Code, so technically, I am a renegade." The Trinity punched his arm and he winced. "Ow… Stop that Martya!"
"You are no more a renegade than I am." Martya's voice was sour. "We are the Guardians of the Phoenix, Tenno Carlos. It is an old, old burden and only those who have wielded it or… choose to aid those who wielded it…" Her voice turned soft and she laid an arm around the Hydroid's shoulder. "…know that we are true to the Code."
"How could you keep this a secret?" Carlos asked, stunned. "This is… You would merge with Orokin… be known to all."
"If we merged." Martya said softly. "We don't. We merge…" Kori inhaled sharply and Martya nodded to her.
"You merge with the sword…" Kori said, awe flaring. "No wonder it is so powerful."
"It was always powerful." A new voice sounded and a Valcyr Specter entered the room. "We have a meal prepared for you three. You will need your strength, Kori."
"Nisa…?" Carlos sounded nearly in awe.
"Don't start." The Valcyr snapped. "I am no better or worse than any of my sisters here."
"How many…?" Kori asked, stunned.
"Thirty nine, counting you." Nisa said gently. "Come on, we have a lot to talk about."
You trust these, Kori? The Kubrow demanded.
"Do we have a choice?" Kori asked after a moment.
"Yes." Nisa, Martya and Chris said in unison. Chris looked at the others and shook his head. Nisa… snickered. "Wimp." She said with a laugh and he nodded.
"I know my limits. I never win arguments with you all." Chris said with a snort of his own. But then he focused on Kori. "Kori… No one would dare to force you to take the sword. It is not a burden to shoulder unwillingly. I was... hard to convince when Martya took it." Ancient shame sang in his voice and the Trinity laid a hand on his shoulder. "But… if there is one thing Tenno know… it is duty."
"You would just… let me go?" Kori asked. Instead of answering, all three stepped aside. A door opened behind them and the hallway Kori, Carlos and the Kubrow had entered through shone behind it. "I... see."
"Yes." Martya replied. "But you know what will happen."
"I do." Kori said softly. "The enemy will win. I… I cannot allow that." She shook her head. "What do I do?"
"For now?" Martya said gently. "You need to eat, drink and rest. We put you through hell, Kori. You have many questions. We have some of the answers, but not all. We can help you. If you wish it. If you truly wish to take up the burden that has chosen you."
"I thought I didn't have a choice…" Kori said weakly.
"Do you have any idea what Mag would do to us if we did it that way?" Chris demanded, his tone scared. "Or Nyx?"
"Ah… Good point." Kori said with a laugh. She shook her head. "I choose… I am… The Phoenix." She said formally.
"Well met, Phoenix." All three of the ancient Tenno, the Specters and the living one, bowed to her.
