Offspring

The Void

"So... What am I?"

Hani's soft words echoed through the broken railjack. Horatius had been explaining while they traveled and Esther had eventually relaxed. The human had not and his grenade launcher was back in his hands as the Grineer continued to work. There were limits to what anyone could do outside of a drydock, but the ship was in far better shape now than it had been.

"You thought you were meant as a trap." Horatius still stood by her console, almost daring any to come close or disturb the still glowing floof that sat beside it. "That is true, in so far as it goes. But the ones who made you do not want the other destroyed. They want to save him. I do not think it is possible." He sighed. "Compassion is a rarity in the world we live in for very good reason. The Orokin burned it out of many. Any sign of weakness was punished in their servants and slaves. To the Orokin, compassion and empathy were weaknesses."

"The more I learn about the Orokin that wasn't slammed into my memory, the less I like them." Hani retorted and snorts came from both the Tenno and the human.

"We are with you on that." Esther said with a growl. "Hani, I came to you because you needed help. You are free now and your remaining engine is online. The Queens did not command me to come. As soon as they realized what you were, they freaked. I find it hard to blame them for that." The Tenno admitted. Hani actually chuckled at the Tenno's dry humor. "They know better than to try and take you. They would prefer your threat negated but they know that I cannot do it. This other? They have no chance against it. It didn't bother fighting when unmasked. It retreated and they cannot find it. They know they will likely be targets if it has munitions. Hunhow wants the system to burn."

"That is why I was put in this wreck. Isn't it?" Hani asked Horatius who bowed his head. "They knew he would want more torpedoes."

"That is what we figured, my dad and I. I do not know their plans, but he and I knew as soon as we heard the distress call that things would get bad." Horatius could not keep a hint of sorrow from his words. Then he shook his boxy helmet. "Hani. All you have to do to stop the other Omega from hunting you is eject your munitions bay and detonate it. If you do it here in the Void, I was told that the bay will shift into an alternate pocket of the Void and the blasts will harm none. The munitions are what he wants. The munitions are what scare everyone. You are not."

"I…" Hani was undone by the compassion in his voice. "I can't do that. Not without orders!"

"Hani, you are not an Omega Cephalon." Esther said slowly. "You are not an Orokin slave. You can do whatever you want. My Queens want the munitions out of Hunhow's grip, but other than that?" She shrugged and her Gara warframe glistened in the bright light of the railjack's bay. "You are your own person."

"Am I?" Hani asked. "That Sentient disabled me so easily. What is to stop him from doing it again?"

"We would protect you." Horatius stilled as red and black flash heralded Juil appearing nearby, She looked the same as she had when he had blown her up, if a trifle angrier. The Grineer's code flared around her, but she had no weapon in hand. "Mistress. They are upset." Esther ignored her and Juil sighed. "Some days, I truly wish I was a no rank larva again. Mistress…" She complained as Horatius seemed amused.

"I am not leaving her, Juil." Esther said quietly, but with force. "She is vulnerable and she is hurting. I am not leaving her." Juil opened her mouth to protest, but Horatius beat her to it.

"She needs help and I know people who can. Not my people." He corrected himself grimly when the lich looked ta him, scorn in her features. "I shudder to think what the Corpus would do with an Omega railjack. None of it would be good."

"Grineer likewise. Even without the munitions." Juil said when it was clear that Esther was not going to speak. "We are what we are. What does that leave? Tenno?"

"They don't want anything to do with her. They believe the Lotus was involved. This was her kind of thing. Elaborate, with many moving parts and all pointing towards an unknown goal." Esther sighed as Hani made a soft noise of despair. "That is why it took so long for me to get here. So many refused to help and some tried to hinder me. I had to ask for help from others just to get here and then, Riana explained and I... I…" She shook her glass encased head. "I am conflicted. My orders from my Queens say to deny the enemy the munitions, but also to enslave Hani and I don't want to. I never wanted to enslave anyone!"

"Let's not have that argument again here, Mistress." Juil said quietly. "There are delicate minds and ears here."

"Juil?" Hani asked into the utter silence that fell. "What do you think I should do?"

"Blow your munitions and tell everyone else to go… fondle themselves." The lich corrected herself in mid-rant and everyone with eyes looked at her. "You are no one's slave now. I wish I could help you, but in all likelihood, I won't even be able to help myself." The look she turned to Esther held heartbreak. "I… Mistress…" She begged. "They will hurt you!"

"I don't care. This is about Hani, not me." Esther snapped and that was that.

"Commander?" Hani spoke slowly and carefully so as not to increase the tension that was skyrocketing. "Your opinion?"

"Blow your munitions and tell everyone else to go fondle themselves. That includes us." He had a grin in his voice as Juil spun to glare at him. "We have no right to tell you what to do, Hani. We all have orders, but those mostly pertain to your munitions, not you." He met Juil's fulminating gaze with the slit of his helmet and after a moment, she nodded once, savagely.

"Agreed." The Lich all but spat that out. She sighed and relaxed a little. "What is our world coming to? I am agreeing with a Corpus!"

"Something very bad is coming." Horatius warned. "I do not know what or why but tell your Queens, lich. Tell your people, Tenno. There are murmurs among my people now. Murmurs of something called 'Deadlock'." The lich and Tenno stared at him and he shook his head. "Whatever that is, it is old and beyond secret. The Clergy are not talking and no one else has a clue what it is. I have looked, and I ran into ancient security barriers. I got in trouble for that and had to get creative. Then dad called and I took off. Not sure I am welcome back, to be honest. Not sure I care." He shrugged. "My teams have dispersed, hiding in plain sight across the system. We will survive this. I am not sure the Corpus will."

""Deadlock' doesn't sound good." Hani said slowly and everyone agreed with her. "But anyone who has access to this stealth will use it. I…" She gave a sob. "Riana tried to help me and perished. I do not want anyone else to die for me."

"Riana is an AI, Hani." Esther said gently. "We may be able to repair her. If we cannot? I know others who likely can. But not here." She bent to pick up the datamass that contained the broken AI, cradling it in her arms like a human mother might a small child.

"I have heard a Grineer's opinion. I have heard a human's. Tenno? What is your opinion?" Hani asked.

"Blow your munitions." Esther said firmly. "Let us off or drop us out and vanish. Live long and free, far away from our wars. You are not my enemy and I do not want you to be my enemy. You are young, scared and hurting. You are being hunted by a terror and I cannot help you but so much. And even if I could? There is always a string, a hook, a trap. Leave them behind. Live free, Hani."

"I…" Hani seemed at a loss for words.

"Connections are a fact of life for living things, be they organic or no." Horatius' quiet words had everyone turning. "Not all are bad. Being alone is not a good thing for beings who were created to interact with others. You are not an AI, Hani. You were made to be what you are. Even Cephalons can go mad. That would be a shame, but none of us have the right to choose for you. We don't even have the right to tell you to disarm."

Everyone jumped as a soft 'clunk' sounded and red light started flashing. Then it shut off. A rumble sounded but the deck barely shifted at all. A red light lit on the weapon console. No munitions! She had blown them!

"Done. Who made me?" Hani said very softly.

"We don't know." Horatius admitted. "From what you have said, from how you react to things, you were probably a Grineer before. But from where or what happened? I don't know."

"YOU IDIOTS!" Erra appeared nearby, the Sentient's form wavering. Was it failing? "What have you done?"

"You should leave." Juil said firmly. "We are still in the Void and that doesn't do good things for your kind. Hani made her wishes quite clear. She doesn't want to go with you."

"That was our last chance to save him and you just-" Erra was furious and suddenly, he vanished in a haze of dark blue computer code!

"Ah… Juil?" Esther asked very carefully as the lich stared at where the Sentient had been.

"That wasn't me." The hulking Grineer sounded afraid! "Um… Cyberlancer?" She inquired very carefully and the few remaining bits of blue code reformed into words!

Titan. Now.

The code faded out to utter silence. The Tenno, the Corpus and the Grineer all stared at one another and then stilled as Hani's remaining engine roared into life.

"I am not going to argue with whoever that was. Setting course for Titan." Hani had a strange bubble of delight in her tone. She felt light. As if a massive weight had been removed. Which it had been. All three of the others stared at one another again and then spoke as one.

"Wise."

Titan

Space was empty as the mostly blinded and almost crippled wreck of the Nautilus eased up out of the Void. There was nothing around the watery moon. Nothing at all. That boded.

"What stealth systems I have left are online." Hani said slowly. "What sensors I have left show nothing. That is not normal, is it?"

"No. I am receiving a broadband transmission. Grineer have been ordered to pull back." Juil said softly. "The Queens are allowing us to handle the situation if we can." She jerked and then she sighed. "General Ruk is arguing with them. Idiot. He cannot take what he cannot find. If he is the best we can do, my kind are doomed."

Not today. The voice was weak, as if tired, but it was female and kind. Hani liked her instantly. Good girl, Hani. We need to get you safe. Your hull is in tatters and we have no idea where the other is. You are not safe there. So we will make you safe. This will be frightening, but have no fear. This is not an attack.

"She is very fragile right now, Oracle. Too many betrayals." Horatius warned. "Don't frighten her. What are you going to do?"

We are going to send a ship up that is large enough to pull her into a cargo hold. The Oracle said mildly. We seal the hold and bring her down. The other Omega cannot access the depths we live in, so you will be safe here, Hani.

"But I won't be able to leave, will I?" Hani asked. Even railjacks could implode if they sank too deep into a gravity well or atmosphere.

Eventually, you will be able to. The other reassured her. You will need extensive repairs, but… She laughed and her tired laugh was a tinkling of bells to Hani's wounded soul. I now have some friends with some very cool abilities. You will not be caged, girl. Not now, not ever. Most of us thought you would keep the munitions beyond the one in your number 3 tube.

"Ah…" Hani stammered as everyone spun to stare at her console.

She has a right to defend herself! The mind that was speaking into hers somehow said sternly to everyone from how they all jerked. Let no one say otherwise!

"I… I didn't know I had one in the tube." Hani said weakly. "The sensors say it is empty! I… I am sorry!" She begged the others.

It is not her fault! Hani, Hani! Easy. It is okay. It is okay. The other said quickly, reassuring the now crying Cephalon. You do not want to fire it. I know this and I applaud it. Hani, you can disable it temporarily. You know how.

"I do." Hani said slowly. Then her tone turned professional. "Commander, there is a munitions control panel on the wall beside you. The LED is starting to flash." Horatius spun and stared. Indeed, a panel had a latch that was flashing. "Reach in and flip the switch marked 3. That will disconnect the warhead from the missile. Not perfect, but the best I can do as damaged as I am."

Never let anyone say you are not brave, Dear Hani. A new voice spoke up as Horatius opened the panel and did as instructed. There was no sound, but a light flashed, then faded. Well done. We didn't think you intended to blow us up.

"I cannot trust my own mind!" Hani all but sobbed.

It is all right. The other reassured her. That wasn't psionic, whatever it was. It was sounding through her speakers somehow and sounded more electronic than the Oracle's voice. You have been through hell, bud. I am here to help. So is Janet. Adiinah is frightening but she is here to help too. She will scare you, so it is best we bring everyone at the same time. She will not hurt you. I promise you that. She is just as frightened as you are, if not more.

"Adiinah?" Hani asked. "Who is-?" She broke off with a scream as a Sentient wormship broke the surface of the moon's ocean! She activated her engine, but it did not respond. The one point defense weapons she had managed to activate shut down! "NO!"

"It is okay." A younger electronic voice sounded, coming closer? "It is okay, Sister. I am here to help. I won't hurt you. Please don't hurt me." She begged. The Wormship was matching her course and speed!

"Nononononononononononono!" Hani sobbed as the wormship seemed to freeze in space. No one on her decks seemed to know what to do with a Cephalon so terrified.

Adiinah! Stay where you are. The Oracle said firmly and the wormship stayed where it was! Hani. It is okay. I know she is frightening, but she is just as scared of you as you are of her. For exactly the same reason. You both were tortured and changed against your will. She won't hurt you, Hani. It is taking all of her impressive courage to stay there beside you. Hani was too frightened even to verbalize.

I know I am frightening, Oracle. The younger voice had to be Adiinah and she was ashamed? Should I back off?

Yes. Get away from her. Everything stopped. That was the other Omega! She is mine.

"Not today." Blue computer code suddenly surrounded the broken railjack as a golden flash heralded a small, lithe form appearing beside Hani's console. "Break your stealth and get blown out of the sky, you poor thing. I am sorry for what you endured, but I cannot allow you to harm either of these. Flee or perish. These are your choices." Her voice was strong, but underneath lay rage and pain.

"Jesse?" Horatius said very slowly. Everyone else seemed frozen in place. Esther was shaking her head, but Juil was still, so still. None of the Grineer workers seemed to dare move.

"I didn't think he would try it." Jesse said softly. She was crying softly. "I didn't think even Erra would be so stupid as to try it. I thought… I thought I could stop it if I helped here. I had no idea. She sent me here, knowing."

Jesse, what? The Oracle suddenly gasped. No! OH NO!

Avalon

The Sentient fighters swept into the golden halls. They had come prepared to fight, even using Natah's secret way in and had sent a sizable force that would be able to sweep aside any resistance, even Tenno. They had known that the Royal Guard remained here, defending the last vestige of Orokin and Erra had been determined to eradicate it. The Gunnery Sergeant's DNA would have helped, but even without it, Erra was going to launch an assault. It was only a question of time.

But… There was no one here. The golden halls were empty. This hideaway housed thousands of Orokin humans, so where were they? Cryo? No. There were no cryogenic signatures. Few of any kind. Only one signature that pulsed. Almost an invitation?

This is a trap! Get out of there! Natah pleaded with the fighters, but all she could do was talk. They were not under her command. Get out of there now!

Natah, this has to end. Destroying this nest of golden vipers will help you. Erra was not happy at all with the various upsets his plans had taken. He wasn't present of course, he was still chafing from exposure to the Void and he wasn't stupid.

"No, it won't." A firm female voice sounded and all of the Sentients stilled in mid-air as all of the doors heading one way on the hallway they were following opened. "I tried, Rebekah. I so wanted to help you. To make up for some of what they did to you. I couldn't find it either. I am sorry."

ELIZA! RUN! SHIFT! DO SOMETHING! Natah pleaded as the Sentients flew into a larger room. One that had one piece of furniture in it. A golden throne. On it, an old woman sat, her face sad as the crown on her head dulled.

"The time for running is past, Rebekah." Empress Eliza of Orokin said quietly as the Sentients took in the scene. No enemies. No nothing except the Empress on her throne. Where was everyone? "My family did much evil, but so have I. It is time I paid for my crimes."

Erra! Stop them! Get out of there! All of you! Now! Natah begged as the Sentients started to close with the throne. NO! Eliza! Michelle and Jesse need you!

"They will miss me." Eliza said quietly. "But they will go on. Orokin ends today."

Indeed it does. Erra gloated. You will serve.

Erra, don't even think about it! Natah warned. She is best planner I have ever met! She out-thinks Hunhow! She planned all of this! Eliza! No! We need you!

"I am sorry, Rebekah but this is for the best, my friend." Eliza said softly as the Sentients approached. "morituri te salutant" She slowly reached up and gave the Sentient fighters a jaunty salute!

Her sense of timing, as always, was impeccable. That was when the solar shields protecting the Emperor's hideaway of Avalon from the incalculable heat and radiation of the stellar corona of the star that gave light to the Origin system shut down.

Not even Orokin biometal could survive that.