Escorts or… um… Escorts?
"It is a mess."
Elenia had finally managed to get Janna to sit down, but it had taken her, Grina and the new medic Lissandra to get the girl to stop pacing. Lissandra's mate Cass and Iriana's mate Kat were working on something that no one was talking about, so Elenia did not press. That anyway. It was clear that Janna had not eaten for awhile, so Elenia had all but carried Janna to the dining hall, where Lissandra had met them, cooking a meal for the distraught girl. Elenia had sat the girl down and just stayed with her until Lissandra had the meal ready. Then the Caretaker had promised Janna that if she didn't eat, she would be spoon fed. Janna, not a complete moron, had started to eat. At which point, Lissandra had asked what brought Elenia to the dojo.
"I need someone who can watch my back while I get samples from the Infestation on Deimos." Elenia said when Janna finally started shoveling food into her face. "Janna! Slow down!" The Caretaker commanded, worried Janna might choke. "Tenno in meat shells need air just like humans. They can choke and die." She said bluntly and Janna froze, a huge bite half chewed.
"Blunt. But effective. You are good at taking care of people. Then again, it is what you do, no?" Lissandra said with a small smile as Janna slowly and carefully chewed the bite that was still far too large for her mouth. She was too polite to spit it out in front of other people though, so she chewed and chewed. No one was paying her any attention though. Everyone was looking at Elenia who nodded to Lissandra. "Do you have any specific plan in mind?"
"Recon." Elenia replied, trying hard to keep surprise from her tone. This woman was a far cry from the sobbing wreck that the Caretakers had seen first on her arrival at the Citadel. The Caretaker still wasn't sure a human like Lissandra in a Tenno clan would work, but Tiana's actions had made Lissandra welcome. More than welcome actually, a part of their family. She was still a bit nervous around Tenno, especially those in warframes, but her confidence was growing. A good thing. "I always preferred not to go in guns blazing. It was counterproductive."
"I can see that." Lissandra frowned a little. "As Janna told you, the clan is out looking for Iriana. They are doing missions as well, but mostly looking. I think Ming and Stephen were on their way back." She looked at Janna who nodded, still carefully chewing. "They both know the value of stealth."
"As if any of you don't?" Elenia quipped to general mirth. "If you ever rename the clan, I think 'Sneaky Tenno Sorts' might be a good choice."
"Not all of us sneak by choice." Lissandra said mildly. "Rica is anything but subtle when she gets going."
"Rica?" Elenia thought for a moment. "Oh. The Banshee. Um… Not quiet?" Banshee warframes manipulated sound. They could stifle even the loudest noises.
"She can be." Grina piped up. "She just chooses not to most of the time." Elenia looked at the former Elder and Grina shrugged. "She likes things that go 'Boom'." Now Grina winced. "A bit too much maybe."
"Well…" Elenia was spared having to respond to that by an alert signal. Both Janna and Lissandra tensed, but then both relaxed. Elenia looked at them and Lissandra nodded.
"Portal. We were not expecting anyone else, but he just identified himself and…" She paused as Janna gasped. Elenia felt confusion rise that was mirrored on Grina's face, but Lissandra just reached out to take Janna's hand. "He says he has word."
"Do you want to meet him?" Elenia rose quickly, but Lissandra shook her head when Janna tried to stand, still chewing.
"Sit down, Janna!" That was command voice from Lissandra! She had learned lot here, it seemed. She looked at Elenia and made a face as she released Janna's hand and stepped back. "He is allowed in. He was Iriana's… um... Escort."
"Uh…" Elenia swallowed hard. There was only one person who had never left Iriana's side recently. Who no one had dared bar from anywhere the Healer went. Even Iriana had learned not to argue. "The 'Escort' who escorted 'Shadow'?" She asked slowly and the human medic nodded.
That had been a hell of a story and if it was the Tenno named Luigi who wore a Grendel warframe? He was not one to be underestimated. Ever. Jasmina and Janas had been badly shaken by what he had done during the mess where they had met him. Elenia had seen it second hand from her mate's mind and it had almost literally scared the crap out of her.
"I think you should finish your bite, Janna." Elenia said very carefully and the other females nodded. "Eating in front of him might be rude."
Janna was quick and careful eating the massive chunk of food she had taken in, and she was just finishing when a short, pot-belied form stepped into the dining hall. Looking at it, a Grendel warframe wasn't that intimidating unless you know what they did. Unless you knew what the odd markings on the belly actually signified. Then, if you knew what was good for you? You got very polite, very fast or you might get eaten.
"Luigi?" Lissandra said as the warframe made bee-line for Janna who looked as if she wanted to stand, but he shook his head.
"Knew it would hurt you." The Grendel's voice was the same as always. Odd. Almost mumbled? "Got here as quick as I could." Luigi bent down to scrutinize Janna who stared at him, wide eyed. "I have news and for once? Good news." He had a smile in his rough voice. "Iriana's okay."
"I…" Janna all but fell over and both Elenia and Lissandra held her until she had her balance again. "I… You tore out of here so fast no one could even ask." Or dared get the Grendel's way!
"There is a lot I can't say, girl. More I don't know." Luigi said soberly as he took Janna's and in a clearly gentle grip. "Thought the same as you. Someone attacked the Healer again, took her against her will again. Didn't take that well. Was rude. Gotta apologize for runnin' off like that. Didn't break anything expensive this time." His tone spoke of long experience in such things.
"She… She wasn't taken?" Janna stammered, undone by all this. "She went… Who could grab her right out of the dojo? Oracle?"
"Not sure who took her from here. Didn't ask." Luigi shrugged, but it didn't touch his hand. "Iriana had to go somewhere and had to be quick and quiet. Know why now and yes, it was a good reason." Luigi sighed heavily. "No one took her vanishing well. Her Family, you in her clan, me and my people… None of us took her vanishing well. She is okay and as safe as she can be in this broken world we live in at the moment. Made sure. Looked her in the eyes. Wasn't about to take anyone's word for her health. We all love her, Janna."
"I know. Thank you." Janna said weakly as she fought to keep from crying again.
"We tried contacting her." Elenia said softly. "We couldn't get through."
"Don't know 'bout that." Luigi replied but still held Janna's hand. "Right now? Got even better news, Janna. Good thing you is sitting already. Gonna shock you. Shocked me." He looked at the standing human and Tenno and then at the chairs nearby. "You might want to sit." They stared at him and he continue. "I had to when I heard this."
"You…" Grina didn't waste any more words. Lissandra was already moving.
Elenia had never seen two females sit so fast in her entire life. Both were glued to the edges of their seats as Luigi turned back to Janna who was staring at him with glistening eyes.
"This gotta stay close for now." Luigi warned everyone. "You Caretakers can tell the First, but they know how to keep secrets just like you." Elenia nodded, opening just hint of her mind to the mind mass who were all but breathless as well. "No one outside of this dojo can know just yet." That was to Lissandra who slowly nodded. What the-? "Gonna be a mess."
"But a good thing?" Janna asked very carefully.
"Very. Mishka is alive." Luigi said simply and everyone stared at the Grendel warframe, dazed. "Dunno how. Dunno why. Don't really care. The Bard ain't dead."
"I…" Janna swallowed hard as Elenia took hold of the hand that Luigi wasn't gripping. The girl's hand was trembling. "That is impossible. She was glassed and no one could find where her energy was taken to! He killed her and imprisoned her mind so we won't ever be able to-!" She broke off as Luigi squeezed her hand, a gentle but firm pressure. Was he chuckling? Yes, he was, but so softly.
"Said the same until I talked with her. Was eight hours ago." The Tenno in the short warframe said with a hint of glee mixed with a bit of worry. Then he sobered. "Yeah. Her body died. Her mind got saved. Dunno how. The ones who did it tried to send her home with Iriana." He sighed with a hint of rueful annoyance. "Girl is just as stubborn as her mom. Feels she is where she needs to be." He shook his head. "Crazy girl."
"And… that is where Iriana went." Elenia said as shock mixed with joy flared across the mind mass. Joy that was suddenly tempered by suspicion. She could see the same feelings on Grina's face and Lissandra's. This was too good to be true. And as always, if something seemed that way? It usually was. But how to say it and not cause offense?
"Iriana didn't know. Matter of fact, didn't believe when she was first told any more than I did." Luigi was aware of their skepticism, it seemed. "Any more than you do. But it is true."
"I am not going to call you a liar to your face, Luigi." Elenia all but spat that at him and he chuckled harder. She was calm, but just barely. Who could blame her? "But… Extraordinary claims must show extraordinary proof."
"Yep." Luigi reached down to his waist with his free hand and set something on the table in front of Janna. "You can check this, but it don't have location data. Made sure it didn't. Can't take any chances right now. That piece of Orokin filth attacked her once, he can again if he realizes she is still kickin'. Can't take any chances." He repeated as set the small box down in front of Janna who stared at it and then at him. "It is set to you. Iriana had your settings."
"I…" Janna stared at the box, licking her lips. "What is it?"
"Proof." Luigi promised and released her hand. "Just a recorder. Scan it if you want."
It said something for the sheer level of paranoia in the clan that Lissandra, Grina and Janna all had scanners in hand before he had finished his words. Elenia was reaching for hers when the mass mind touched hers, hope warring with fear.
He takes his honor and duty as seriously as Karl once did. He would not hurt Janna. The mass mind said to Elenia who slowly nodded. Everyone looked at the Caretaker as Elenia reached out to take Janna's hand in her own again.
"Even if he was ordered to, he wouldn't lie to us about this." Elenia said softly as Luigi scrutinized her. "Would you?"
"Prefer not to." Luigi shrugged. "Causes all kinds of problems. My boss knows that and she tries not to make me." Elenia did not miss Grina's sudden tension. Luigi looked at Grina who slowly shook her head and remained silent. He turned back to Janna. "Janna. Not our choice. Yours."
Janna stared at the Grendel warframe and then at Elenia who did not react. Then, she looked to Lissandra and Grina who also did not react. The girl made a face and then laid her free hand on the recorder.
What happened next was pure beauty, pure joy. The music sounding from the box was simple, not very complex at all, but the power was undeniable. Then the voice. It was Mishka! Janna started to cry as the words came. It wasn't a tune anyone knew. It may have been one that the girl written. She did that a lot. Or, she had. Now? There was no way that this was a trick. Not a chance in hell. Janna was crying hard as the music ended and the beautiful voice faded. Elenia felt her own eyes burn and both Lissandra and Grina had glistening eyes as Janna cried.
"Thank you." Janna was a bit hoarse, but no one minded. She gave Elenia's hand a squeeze, released it and then, she was hugging the Grendel warframe! "Thank you!"
Grina and Lissandra didn't seem to know what to do next. Luigi was incredibly dangerous, but he was also incredibly gentle with the sobbing girl as she hugged him.
"Felt the same." Luigi admitted as he laid his arms around the girl carefully. "Cried myself. Losing the girl was rough. Getting her back? Got no words."
"We will tell the First." Elenia said in a husky voice. The mass mind was sobbing with her. "And they will tell no one until Iriana says otherwise. You bother me, us, Luigi, but for this-" To come here and give everyone here this? This put everyone in his debt.
"Don't say it." Luigi interjected. "Got enough problems. Ain't a good Tenno, but I try."
"I disagree!" Janna hugged the warframe harder and then, she gave a tiny gasp and her eyes were closing. Elenia jerked, but Luigi held up a hand.
"Didn't do nothing but give her good news. Took the weight off her." Luigi was gathering the girl up in his arms now even as she fell asleep. "Needs a bed."
"She couldn't sleep well even with sedatives." Lissandra scanned Janna quickly but then smiled. "You gave her ease for the first time in almost a week. We can tend her now." Whatever passed between Luigi and the medic wasn't something that Elenia understood, so she filed the data away in her memory for later review. "I will show you where she sleeps."
She started off and Luigi followed. Elenia started to get up, but stilled when Grina shook her head. The former Elder didn't move, but her posture was clear. No one was going to know where Janna slept except Luigi and Lissandra, who both probably already knew. Paranoia? Not even close with a mad Orokin running around.
"I think I am in shock." Elenia said after a moment. "So much bad recently and now? Mishka is alive?" She intoned. "Whatever happened was bad or weird even for us. That can be the only reason Iriana is not broadcasting the news across the system."
"Yeah." Grina gave herself a stern shake. "You will need backup. One or two?"
The sudden change was jarring, but Elenia understood. This clan was all about doing the job. Karl had started off that way and it had taken off. What had happened after had made things hard for a lot of people, but the core group didn't stop doing what they did.
"I would prefer three more. A full cell if I can get them." Elenia said after a moment. "Not everyone accepts us Caretakers even now."
"Anyone with a problem can go talk to Rachel about it." Grina retorted and Elenia had to laugh at that. It wasn't really funny. Rachel had a very short way with people who bothered her for 'silly stuff'. She didn't shoot them like Nikis had been known to, but she did send them away quickly and not always politely. "It will be a short conversation."
Considering that Rachel had publicly said that attacking the Caretakers was considered an attack on the First? Oh yes. Short. Whatever Elenia as going to say in response was cut off as another Tenno entered the hall. This one was also a member of the clan, but he was different. Grina froze solid as the Vauban warfame nodded to her but kept his gaze on Elenia.
"Like Arthur against the Black Knight, yeah." Ric, the tech wizard of the clan, stepped to the table and his gaze was on the box that had played Mishka's voice. "Luigi is staying to ward Janna. Ming, Stephen and me. Three of us do, Caretaker or do you want a fourth?"
"Not Sir Robin!" Elenia said to Grina's clear shock and Ric laughed.
"I thought the flame lady might show you that one. No, not him or Sir Galahad." Ric sighed deeply as he stared at the box and when he spoke again, it was serious. "We grieved. We were starting to move on. Janna told us as she was falling asleep." He shook his head. "Everyone is coming back. Better get lost while you can, Caretaker. We can meet you wherever. This dojo is going to be a mess of emotion shortly."
"Um…" Elenia swallowed hard and Ric looked at her. "Jasmina is the one with a ship."
"Oh." Ric actually looked shocked at that. Hard to imagine a Vauban warframe seeming that way, but he did. "And Rachel never-? Oh. Right. You always went with Jasmina. Two peas in a pod and all."
"Better I don't strain too many people's patience." Elenia said with a shrug. "I am not the Warrior Jasmina is."
"Good." Ric replied coldly, but not unfriendly as odd as that sounded. "You are you, not her. If you want, you can ride with me. Or we can get you a ship." Elenia stilled at that. This clan had amazing resources even with Avalon gone.
"If you can get me a basic Liset, better I not make waves." Elenia was still eyeing the box, expecting it to burst into flames or vanish somehow.
"Making waves is what we do, Caretaker." Ric nodded to Grina who nodded back and left the room. "We just need to keep them from being too big."
"Size matters not." Elenia retorted and Ric laughed, the pain that dwelt deep in his tortured soul banished by the wonderful news that had been given.
"You can do better than that." Ric had an evil grin in his voice now and Elenia stilled. When Ric started talking like that…
"Ric." Elenia warned.
"Trust me." Ric spread his arms as if trying to convey honesty. If so, it didn't work.
"Ni." Elenia fought hard to keep from laughing and spoiling this.
"You really want to go there with me?"
"Ni!" Now Elenia was on her feet as Ric started for the door he had come in by.
"Right." Ric reached out and took the Mag warframe's arm. Then they were both singing as they walked!
We are knights of the Round Table, we dance when'er we are able!