Penance

A day later

The holographic meeting was very quiet. No one seemed to dare to move, to breathe as the Reverend Mother appeared in the hall. She was not alone! A young girl in Corpus attire stood beside her, face grave. There was something similar about the pair. They looked nothing alike, but they stood the same way!

"Reverend Mother." The chairman was shaking his head. "Nef Anyo is… indisposed."

More than one of the holographic Board Members stilled at that, but the Reverend Mother smiled. It was not a nice smile. It was mirrored by the girl beside her!

"I know." The Clergywoman said calmly and everyone goggled at her. "I didn't do it. I would have just killed him." The girl beside her grimaced, just aa little, but did not speak. "Before we go any further, I need to explain a few things. Nef Anyo was seeking an ancient Orokin relic, the Crown of Orokin. He apparently thought that offering such to me would stop my vengeance. It would not have."

"The… Crown?" The Chairman asked, stunned.

"Before anyone gets any more stupid ideas, spread this far and wide!" The Clergywoman said firmly. "The Crown of Orokin was a symbol of the Royal Family of Orokin. It was bonded to their genetics. Theirs. No one else's. Just like all Orokin tech, it only served its masters. Anyone else trying to use it died. Period."

"There are many legends about that Crown." One of the others spoke up. The Reverend Mother nodded and he eyed her. "I assume you know them."

"All of them, yes. And as far as we have been able to determine, all of the stories are lies." The Reverend Mother declared. "The Crown was a symbol, a powerful one to be sure but only a symbol. It did not grant wishes, heal, or kill anyone who did not handle it. It did kill anyone who picked it up if they were not the right people."

"And the woman?" Anyo's strained face appeared in a hologram nearby and everyone stared at him in shock. He looked awful. Worse than usual. "There was a woman! She had it!" A sudden hubbub was silenced as the Reverend Mother spoke.

"If you or anyone in your employ ever touches my daughter again, Nef Anyo, I will not humiliate you as you have been. I will not make your body rebel as it has." More than one hologram stilled as Anyo's face seemed to turn a shade of green. "I will kill you. Not your armies, not your fleets, not your proxies. You." Not a threat, a promise. The Reverend Mother laid an arm over the girl's shoulders and everyone stilled. "That goes for anyone and everyone. You are not the only one who can hire people with skills, Nef Anyo. I had to pay a lot of money to cover the reparation costs of you taking my daughter from her protection. Attacking the Voices! You idiot! You angered everyone!"

"There was a Tenno!" Anyo tried again even as several of the others started muttering angrily.

"You of all people know that what is seen is not always the truth." The Reverend Mother snapped right back. "But yes. There was a Tenno in a warframe protecting the Voices' safehouse. You have no idea the favors I had to call in, or the reparation I had to pay when your men tore that warframe apart to attack the Voices. You have no idea how many people want my head right now because you had to be an idiot." She shook her head. "Don't worry. I told them who actually sent the goons and where you are." At that, Anyo actually stilled. "You can expect to see a lot of Tenno around Venus shortly. They are not happy with you."

"There was a woman! She had it!" Nef Anyo was all but frothing at the mouth and the Reverend Mother sighed. "Tell me where it is! Where is the Crown!"

"This crown?" The girl asked as a hologram of Eliza appeared beside her in her gown and crown. The girl made a gesture and the hologram started to arc in a dance that could only be described as 'lewd'.

"Sara." The Reverend Mother said in a very mild tone as every single Board Member gawked at her. The girl jerked upright and the hologram vanished. The gaze the Clergywoman leveled on Sara had the girl wilting. "Nef Anyo? You hurt my daughter, killed her protectors. Sara is a very smart and capable young woman who does not want to hurt people. She made an exception for you. Making you lose control of your rectal muscles was a bit much, but I can totally understand. I almost wish I had been able to watch when they opened your armor to try and get to the damage to fix it. That said? She is not like me." Her voice dropped to a very dangerous whisper. "Be very glad of that."

"I… She didn't do it!" Anyo protested. "She did… Other things!"

"Did she?" The Clergywoman turned to Sara who jerked again. "What 'things'?" She inquired. Her barely interested tone had several of the holograms flinching.

"I um… He had the guy who hurt Lis before, Mom." Sara said very softly. "She was only protecting me! I am not that Priosa brat!" Truth. She was not anymore and no amount of DNA sniffing would ever find any traces of Amelia Priosa or Serene's DNA in hers.

"What did you do?" The Reverend Mother inquired.

"She turned into energy, hit him and then beat him to death!" Anyo snapped. "She is Tenno or something!"

"Still playing with holograms, Sara?" The Reverend Mother asked. "But… beating him? As in, with your fists?" She shook her head as Sara nodded, face still downcast. "I see. I will come up with a suitable penance for you, Sara for physically striking another. As for that pitiful excuse for a man? I probably would have done far worse myself, but hitting people with fists is gauche."

"But… but… but… She was asleep!" Anyo all but begged.

"And you are an idiot!" The Reverend Mother was losing patience and more than one person looked worried. "My daughter is darn good at making things look real. She wants to make holo movies, I think?" She looked at Sara who nodded with a tiny smile. "But that is for later. For right now? I declared 'war to the knife' and I am the only one who can take the knife back. The Grineer are moving to take advantage of our lapses in security. Our Company is threatened by our conflict and while I do still wish your heart in my hand so you can watch while it stops beating, I am held to a higher standard than you." Anyo smiled, but then she continued. "I am biased, you are biased, so… I declare Frohd Bek to be our negotiator to end hostilities."

"What?" That came from every single hologram. Bek was loudest. Then again, he did not like the Clergy and they reciprocated.

"He will charge a hefty fee of course, but he can be trusted to be neutral in this." The Reverend Mother snarled as Anyo goggled at her. "Or you you really want to face my idea of penance? It will involve fire." From the look in her eyes? She wanted him to pick that option.

"Um... His." Anyo said with a large swallow.

"Finally! I knew even you do something smart eventually." The Reverend Mother said with a grim smile as she held up a hand and a knife appeared in a shimmer of blue. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief as it vanished. But then she speared Anyo's hologram with a finger. "Do not think this is ended. You cost the Company a great deal and you very nearly killed my daughter with your madness. I will exact penance from you. Not today, but soon."

"We healed her!" Anyo started, but the Clergywoman cut him off again.

"Barely. The formula didn't work." Everyone looked confused as Sara bowed her head. "And again, you cost me far more than you could ever imagine to get her healed. He lied, Nef Anyo. I know you have read our histories. You know better than to trust anyone with gold skin! You know better!"

"There was an Orokin?" The Chairman asked. "Another?"

The Tenno battles against Sentients on the moon had drawn all kinds of attention. Ballis' appearance had shocked a whole lot of people. Few knew the whole truth. Those few mostly wished they knew less.

"Another liar, yes. He called himself Lorinos Orokin, but also Prince Robert and at least three other aliases that we have discovered. Probably more." The Reverend Mother sighed deeply. "If you wish to serve one of them and give someone else all of your Profits, maybe we can find him." Not very likely considering where Eliza had stashed him. Her smile was cold now. "Is that what you wish?"

"No!" Came from everyone, including Anyo!

"We have other reports of Orokin around the system. Two that are halfway verified." The Reverend Mother said into the silence that fell. "One may or may not be on Earth, in a Tower there. But which ruin or how many men and proxies will we lose looking is another story. There were reports of another on one of Anyo's ships, but they were vague and garbled. If that was one, she vanished with the ship before we could intercept it. Pity. I would have liked to interrogate her." Anyo swallowed as her gaze landed on him. "I personally would love to know where you got all these new assets from, Nef Anyo. Are you working with that female Orokin instead of our Company?" She inquired coolly.

Holograms could not shy away from people, but several of the board members seemed to want to shift away from Nef Anyo.

"Um..." Anyo started to speak and shut his mouth. "No. I am not."

"I hope you do not expect us to take your word for that." The Reverend Mother's tone might have frozen a bonfire.

"That will be discussed." The Chairman was not happy with Nef Anyo either it seemed. He turned to look at Sara who met his gaze. "Your daughter is well?"

"As well as can be expected. She will recover fully in time." The Reverend Mother laid her arm around Sara's shoulder's again. "I hid her for fear of what the Company would do. I never expected to take this role, but I was needed. Now? I make enemies and they will try to take any advantage if they can. I will submit Sara to any scrutiny you wish, but her safety is my priority. She joined the Voices to make a difference after I took up this role and she will wish to find such a role but not with them. That nearly got her killed. Such will not happen again. Any attack on her will be considered an attack on me. Physical or otherwise."

That was pure warning and every single Board member nodded. No one with any brains attacked the Reverend Mother. At least, no openly. People would attack Sara, just as they attacked the Reverend Mother, but with the full weight of the Clergy and the Special Forces backing her up? Any such would fail not even counting the other backup that the Reverend Mother was seeking.

"Then, we will adjourn so that Board Member Bek can start the proceedings for ending the conflict between the Clergy and Nef Anyo." The Chairman looked around. "Unless there are any objections?" No one spoke, so he nodded and then smiled at Sara. "For what little it seems to be worth these days, welcome to the Company, Sara."

All of the others vanished but Frohd Bek and Anyo who seemed at a loss for words. Bek nodded to the Reverend Mother. "I will start the paperwork. However,..." The glare he leveled on Anyo might have ignited an ice cube. "He has far more assets than we thought." The Reverend Mother inclined her head to him. "Seventy percent of the fee will be paid by him."

"WHAT?" Anyo demanded. "She attacked me!"

"After you attacked something that must never be touched!" Bek snarled. "And that is leaving aside this whole most recent mess. "Hmmm..." He mused, looking at Sara who stiffened. "Do you wish recompense?" She shook her head. "Why not?"

"This is hurting the Company. Lessening our Profits." Sara said sadly. "I serve the Machine. I wanted to stay with my mom, but then… She took the role and I… I couldn't."

"Now you can." Was Bek being kind? Or was he just trying to stay on the Reverend Mother's good side? Hard to say. "I will be in touch, Reverend Mother. Profit numbs the feeling."

His holo winked out and Anyo opened his mouth but before he could speak, Sara did.

"We know what happened. We know why it happened. The truth must never be known." Sara said in a voice of pure iron. "If you push this, you won't have to worry about your Void or your Profits, because even energy forms can die." Anyo stilled and Sara smiled coldly. "And yes, we know what you did to him. We know why and we will never forget."

"Can she help him?" Anyo's words were soft, almost inaudible.

"I don't know." The Reverend Mother said with a growl. "I did not know any of your reasons until yesterday! If you had just asked! None of this would have happened! I serve the Company! I protect the Company and yes, even you!" She snarled that as Sara wrapped an arm around her. "You might deserve that, he didn't! Of all the stupid... You had to know he was lying! You had to!"

"Even if she can, he may not be able to return." Sara warned. "What you did will have long term consequences even if she can help him. She will try. That is just who she is. But this… Damn, it, why didn't you ask! None of this had to happen. None of this! Lissandra, me, this whole war… None of it!"

"I thought Lissandra could save him." For a bare moment, humanity shone in Nef Anyo's face. "And then, I prayed the Crown could. I am sorry, Sara."

"I don't believe you!" Sara snapped. "We will do what we can, but do not expect trust. Ever!"

The visage of humanity faded and Nef Anyo nodded. "The Void calls us all, some more than others. You will heed its call one day."

"Not anytime soon." The Reverend Mother cut the connection and the virtual world faded to golden walls. She shook her head as she eyed the hovering chair that Brianna had confined Sara in for the foreseeable future even thought the girl protested she could walk fine. She was healed, but Brianna was taking no chances. Especially now.

"Mom." Sara said weakly. "I… I don't want to feel sorry for him. I don't!"

"No one says you have to. I don't. Anyo did what he did. Let go of the rage, Sara." The Reverend Mother said as she started for the door and Sara followed in her chair. "Let the past stay in the past. You have a future. I didn't want to burden you with my horrors, but you insisted."

"You are not alone, Mom." Sara said firmly as the door opened and three forms all but hurtled in. Sara caught the tiny kavat as it launched itself at her lap, missed and gave a screech of fear as it skittered off an armrest. "Whoa there, Iso! My lap is far more comfortable than the metal." She set him in her lap and started to pet. She smiled as the kitten subsided in her lap, her instinctive petting soothed her and him.

Mistress! I don't like leaving you alone! The tiny kavat protested. I don't understand why you had to do this alone!

"It is a human thing, Iso. They do not always make a lot of sense. If any." The Reverend Mother reached down to scratch behind the kitten's ears and he arced in pleasure. "She came to no hurt, but Brianna wanted to see you again, Sara."

"Ah, not another brainscan!" Sara groaned, but did not resist as the Nova Prime warframe that had followed the kitten to her side moved to push her chair. "Lilly!"

"Lis can't come back for a few more days, Sara." The human looking woman who had stopped just inside the door wasn't one. "Lilly is obeying orders. If you want to argue with Michelle and Jesse, you are welcome to. I am not." She grinned as Sara groaned louder.

"You are so much help, Karen." Sara sighed deeply but did not stop petting the kavat as Lilly pushed her through quiet golden halls. Her mother followed, shaking her head. Karen brought up the rear, her sub-machine gun at the ready even here. Spetsnatz rarely relaxed. "I… Lilly..." Her voice broke. "I looked like you asked. He is gone."

"I know, Sara." Lilly said quietly. "The man I loved died a very long time ago. But he would want me to ward you. To make sure he didn't hurt you. I would even if Michelle and Jesse hadn't commanded it. The Emperor…." She sighed and deep regret sang in her tone. "He was not always nice, but the man I knew tried to be a good man."

"He did what he could and he did save Eliza." Sara said weakly. "She will not be happy when she wakes up." She made a face that everyone with visible faces shared, even the kitten!

"Which is why we are here instead of Avalon. Less civilians in close proximity." Lilly said dryly as they entered a large medical ward. Half of it was closed off and guarded by six Prime warframes. Eliza slept on a bed in the middle of that, warded by three drones. Many golden monitors showed her vital signs and they looked good to Sara's inexpert eye. Then Lilly turned the chair the other way and Sara wilted. Lilly murmured support as they passed the bed where Kaitlin Executor lay asleep. Nothing roused her and many feared for her, but all would ward her until there was no further hope. "Courage, Sara."

"I don't want to feel sorry for him!" Sara said with a growl. "His men killed Jane! His men killed Lis and almost killed me!"

"No one says you have to feel sorry for that creep, Sara." Brianna Executor stepped into view, her face sad. Her shadow came with her and she sighed. "Micah, back off! What is she going to do? Bite me?" Sara smiled and shook her head. She knew better.

"I have my orders, from my clan leader and your fiance." Micah Naramon replied as his Excalibur warframe moved to stand beside her. "I obey my orders."

"Gah!" Brianna's exclamation was so loud that several of the guards near Eliza's bed tensed, but all relaxed when nothing more happened. "You silly stubborn Tenno. Almost as stubborn as that silly Prodman!"

"Can you blame him? He said he really liked the way you-" Sara asked slyly but broke off as she was interrupted and Brianna's cheeks flamed.

"Sara!" Brianna, Lilly and the Reverend Mother all exclaimed. Micah just shook his head as Sara sobered. Karen did not react.

"I… I feel wrong, Brianna, but it is nothing to do with me." Sara looked to one side where a large tube of gel hung in one wall. She stared at the young human form that was composed of dingy blue energy who was ensconced within. "Any change?"

"It is too soon to tell." Brianna said sadly. "Maybe. Nikis came by and harrumphed, then left. I don't know if that is good or bad. Even if we cannot save him, do you blame him for his father's actions, Sara?"

"I… No." Sara admitted. "No, I can't. Profit may numb the feeling. Greed be all for him but even Nef Anyo has to be feeling this as some form of penance."

No one seemed to know what to say as they watched the energy form sleep that had once been Derf Anyo, Nef Anyo's son.