Twists

"Um… Ew."

Juil had never seen that particular look on Kol's face. The hulking Grineer lich was many things. 'Squeamish' was not generally an expression that any Grineer ever would have used. Then again, watching while a warframe was impaled by sharp and vicious looking talons and then staring as it was hoist into the air, hung on a wall and surrounded by ugly looking fibers to be dissolved by Infestation?

And the flowers...

Uh…

Right…

Maybe a little queasiness was allowed? Just this once.

Jac smiled at the lich even as he had the grace to look embarrassed. Another expression that wouldn't have been anywhere near a regular Grineer's face.

"It is okay." Jac was quick to reassure as Karl resumed his seat for a moment. "We Tenno truly understand. It is a bit gross but Karl here is dedicated to keeping the Infestation in check. He cannot do that with no resources. The warframe will be reduced to component materials and used to manufacture what he needs. The method is icky, but the end is a cure for Infestation."

"A noble goal." Juil said slowly. "But from what I know about infestation, impractical. Is that even possible?"

"Not in any normal sense, no." The voice from the Nidus warframe was shockingly normal from such a horrific looking thing. "We have more options now than we did in times past. There are more cures, easier ones to manufacture and administer than ever before. That said? The rampant warfare across the system currently precludes spreading anything, let alone something as fragile as medicine."

"I can see that." Juil hadn't moved from her spot by the door and Kol wasn't much better. The whole room reeked of 'wrong' and 'bad'. "And your position on all this?" She asked carefully.

"If you mean Jac's current situation? I am neutral, but I wish to keep her friendship. After some unpleasantness of my own, Jac was kind to me. She never pressed me to do more than I was capable of." Karl replied, clearly focused on other things. Then he turned and… What was he doing? Oh. He was throwing things at the thing on the wall! It was a mouth! Said mouth was opening and the thrown things were flying in. Juil carefully didn't look as it closed and chomping sounds came. "I remember her kindness. She wanted me to find my own way."

"Not true." Jac's face had fallen. "I wanted my friend and teacher back, but it was not to be. I could accept that even through it made me sad. Having been on the receiving end of several of that clan's idea of 'safety' and 'security', I understood just fine when they were being overpowering. You are not who you were any more than 'I' am who 'I' was. What they did was wrong. I said it then, I say it now."

"Our experiences, good and bad, define us." Karl replied, still tossing things into the mouth. Was that some kind of sparking Grineer style electronics? Again, Juil looked away as the thing ate. She winced as a burp sounded. "I was happy to help, but there is little I can do beyond what I have. I have my own duty."

"A duty you do well, Karl." Jac was both sad and proud. "Fighting Infestation is what Tenno were supposed to be all about but every Tenno knew that beating it was impossible. Now? It may not be forever. As with everything, things change, but it is good to see that some things remain constant. Honor cannot be the be-all and end-all, but it is important and you follow yours as you always have. I will find my own way, my friend."

"You honor me, Tenno Jac." Was Karl's voice husky as he rose from his chair? If so, Juil wasn't about to say anything. "If I can aid, you have but to call. I had no idea that you needed my aid, just that Rachel and Elenia had talked to you. Do you wish me not to speak of your visit here?"

"Do not sully your honor for me." Jac waved the offer away. "I will not compromise you, the First or the Caretakers. I have my own duty and maybe, just maybe, a way to fix a mistake made long before Orokin even rose."

"That clan will not let you go." Karl warned. "For love or for fear of what you know, they will pursue you." Jac nodded, face falling, but then Karl spoke again. "I do not remember a great deal, but we spoke many times. A suggestion, if I may?"

"Always." Jac smiled wide.

"As I say, I do not remember when we first met, but the story was a good one and well told." Karl had a matching smile in his voice now. Jac stared at him and he nodded to her. "The Tenno are looking for 'Jac'. A female Tenno who wears a female proportioned warframe. But you know more now than you did then."

"I…" Juil wasn't sure what was on Jac's face, just that she didn't like the conflicting emotions there.

"We will ward her!" Juil snapped, her ire fully fanned. Kol tensed, but didn't move.

"You would try." Karl was unmoved by the lich's hostility. "As powerful as you Kuva enhanced beings are, you cannot stop something that cannot be stopped. You have limits. Everyone does, but the clan that Jac is evading are masters and mistresses of skill at warfare almost beyond comprehension. I do not doubt that you would fight to defend her, Juil Estherai…" He knew her name! She hadn't said and neither had Jac! What else did he know? "...and I honor you for that." He bowed to Juil who relaxed a little. "But if you fight that clan, no matter how powerful or immortal you may be, you would lose. And I think you know it."

There was no condemnation in his tone, just fact. Unpleasant fact, but fact.

"Juil…" Jac said slowly as Juil fought her own emotions. "We will talk, but not here. Helminth is easily startled."

"You are welcome anytime, Tenno Jac. Even if just to talk." Karl sat back in his chair and his focus was clearly elsewhere as Jac turned and left the room. Both liches followed her and with a flash, they were back on the orbiter. When Juil spun to check the door, a storage area half filled with varied containers of supplies was there instead of the horror.

"Where…" Kol paused and then shook his head savagely. "I don't want to know where we were! Do I?" Both females shook their heads and he nodded. "Okay."

"Suffice it to say it was another Orbiter and there is no way in unless he invites you." Jac replied. "And no, I don't really know much more than that. I never needed to."

"That was creepy." Juil admitted and Jac looked at her. The lich shrugged. "It was."

"More than you know." Jac's tone held old pain, old sorrow now. "When I met him, he wore a Rhino warframe. He was…" Jac paused and shook her head. Was she about to cry? "I have no words. He was kind, gentle and patient. He was also the bravest and most frightening being I have ever met. Kind to his family and death to his enemies, that was him. He held to our Code and was ordered to kill his first clan when they went renegade. He did. Killed all but a couple who surrendered to justice."

"Wait… Rhino." Juil went utterly still. "Karl. THE 'Karl'? That was the…" She broke of as Jac looked at her, sheer desolation in the Tenno's eyes. "I see." The male lich stared from one to the other and Juil bowed her head. "Esther told us of the Rhino Karl, Kol. He died protecting the healer and was partially brought back."

"That was-" Kol went just as still and then, he spun and bowed to the door. "That was all that was left?"

When he looked at Jac again, horror was etched across his face. Another expression that would have rarely, if ever graced a 'normal' Grineer's face. Fear was either beneath them or for most, they were simply too stupid to feel fear.

"Yes." Jac said sadly. "He was such a great teacher and mentor. Now? He is still a good being, but not the same."

"Who could be after such an ordeal?" Juil was kind and Jac stared at her. Juil frowned and then nodded. "We have seen our own share of what the Queens call 'failures'. Half made or half broken." Jac's eyes widened and Juil nodded. "They keep the detritus on display to remind those of us that they empower of the costs of empowering us. It also serves as a means to prevent most from opposing them. Fighting is what we know, but Esther did not wish us to fight the Queens, because she honestly do not know if we would win. They had to have planned for betrayal. For rebellions."

"The strong take from the weak." Jac said softly and both liches nodded. "But you? You seek another way."

"We are trying." Juil smiled to break the dark mood. "That said? We need to get you another warframe and then we need to see about the immature clones and what to do next."

"I had a thought on another warframe." Jac stepped off, heading towards the armory and both liches followed. "Karl made me think outside the box." She smiled. "He was always good at that. Even with no memory, he still is."

"What do you mean?" Juil asked as Jac stepped up to the arsenal panel and spun, her eyes flashing as she accessed its systems with her energy. Both liches stared as the hologram of a warframe appeared in mid-air and Jac frowned. "That is a Loki warframe."

"Yes." Jac replied almost absently.

"You cannot wear that." Juil replied and stilled as Jac shrugged.

"I did."

"What?" Came from both liches. Kol stepped back, letting Juil handle the conversation. Chain of command and all. Juil shook her head before continuing. "That warframe would not fit you. You could not physically fit into such."

"I wasn't supposed to, but I did anyway. I didn't feel it after I bonded to it. It hurt so bad that my body's reaction to pain was shut down." Jac replied, still absent as she scrutinized the warframe. "I still hurt, but my brain did not recognize it. It compressed me, shifted the positions and shapes of my bones. It was not intended as such, but it was a hell of a disguise."

"Why?" Juil asked, concern rising as Jac banished the holo of the Loki and an Excalibur warframe appeared instead.

"I was young and foolish." Jac looked away for a moment. "My family was very traditional. I was just a girl. Not worthy of the warframe that was slated for us. My brother would have assumed it, but he was critically injured in a training accident a week before he was to take the Trials and died a few days later despite every thing people could do." She paused and then frowned. "Or so I was told. That makes little sense in hindsight."

"You had a brother?" Juil asked, not sure where this was going.

"I did. His name was Juan." Jac shrugged and banished the Excalibur warframe. "A moment." She said and her eyes went far away. "He… He isn't in the database?" She asked in an undertone, more to herself than to anyone else. "Odd, but for later. For now? We need to go. Karl won't offer information to anyone, but if they ask, he will tell them."

"Do you really think we can hide from Tenno?" Juil asked, trying hard to keep her disdain out of her tone.

"Yes." Jac's matter of fact reply had both liches staring at her. "And everyone else. You want to go your own way. Violet wants to go her own way. Many will have problems with both of those, but I will help as I can. Grineer and Corpus will hate you, the Tenno and their allies will not trust you. But I will."

"What are you going to do?" Juil took a half step towards the arsenal, only to pause as Jac held up a hand. "Jac Friend of Esther?'

"What I am about to do will hurt me a great deal." Jac shook her head. "I do not wish to go this way, but you need help and I need time. Do not interfere."

"What are you going do?" Juil demanded, anger rising, only for her anger to instantly shift to fear as Jac screamed!

The female lich and Kol both were at the arsenal instantly, but some kind of force field blocked them from touching her as a warframe appeared around Jac. Not a Nova warframe! Nothing that Juil knew. Oddly right and wrong. Incomplete? The scream went on and on as the warframe morphed, taking on a nebulous appearance and then solidifying. That was not a male humanoid form! Jac's scream continued, agony piled on agony as the warframe changed colors and then shifted to bare bio-metal. The two liches stared at one another, helpless as Jac shuddered in place and then her scream cut off. The warframe collapsed and Juil caught it. It was heavier than she had expected, but liches were strong.

"What have you done?" Juil demanded as she laid the warframe on the deck and swept it with her code, for all the good that would do. She had no idea what she was doing.

"Best…" That was not Jac's voice! It was masculine, but oddly neutral. Her words came in gasps that resounded with the memory of agony. "Best place to... hide something… in plain sight!"

"You are insane!" Juil snapped. "Shift back!"

"I am not doing that again." Jac's humor was back as she flexed the warframe's fingers. Then she moved the arms and legs just as carefully. "I don't remember it hurting that badly. Then again? It was long time ago though and I lost a bit in cryo."

"What warframe is that?" Kol asked a bit more respectfully than Juil felt the situation deserved. "I have never seen that kind before. I know the Orokin made dozens of types, but that is odd."

"More than you know." Jac sat up slowly even as Juil's code finished its scans. "This wasn't one of Esther's. This was one of mine. I have access to some oddball stuff as…" She trailed off and then shrugged. "Well, I have access to a lot of odd stuff."

The warframe was odd looking. It looked as if it were wearing long, thick gloves and boots that came up past the knee, but that was just as illusion. It was all bio-metal. Wasn't it? What were coiled around both of its arms? Juil backed off as one of the coiled things moved! Some kind of animal? Thin and coiled. Snake? But bio-metal, just like the armor.

"That is a Lavos warframe, Operator." Ordis sounded almost as subdued as Juil felt. Everyone looked at the energy diamond that appeared in mid-air and Ordis was very subdued now. "The Orokin did not like that warframe. There are few records of such."

"My heart bleeds." Jac started to rise and paused as Juil held out a hand.

"Please don't do that again." Juil said quietly as Jac took the hand and used it to pull herself to her feet a bit unsteadily. "Not being able to help Esther was hard. Watching you suffer was almost as hard."

"Tenno are warriors, Juil Estherai. I am a warrior." Jac said mildly as she settled herself. Was that the proper pronoun? The voice and warframe were male, so… Juil shook her head. "Tenno serve. We do not rule. As the First commanded, so we obey."

She seemed to take strength from the ancient words, at least mentally. She still seemed a bit shaky, but her stance was solid and she stood up straight to meet the Cyberlancer lich's gaze.

"An inspired choice of hiding place, but…" Juil shook her head. "That was still insane!"

"True." Jac allowed. "Sanity went bye bye when Avalon fell. When Nikis died. I have uncovered a mystery and I need to investigate. I will do some digging, do some data searches, but as of now? I am Jack." The name came out different. Harder, colder. "Esther asked me to help you and I will."

Space itself might have bent under his tone.

"I…" Juil sagged and then stiffened as golden code flared nearby. "No! Not now!"

"Do nothing!" Jack commanded as the code flared into a golden portal and two forms stepped out of it! One, a human in Corpus attire. The other, a familiar human form in a golden gown. Jesse was not happy. She was less happy when the Lavos warframe stepped between her and the liches. "Cyberlancer? You should have called first."

The tone was mild, but it held reproof. What was going on? The human was one that Juil knew. She had faced him before and lost. That still rankled. He held a Penta grenade launcher again and if there was one thing Commander Horatius was, it was ready to fight.

"What have you done to Jac?" Jesse demanded of Juil who didn't dare move. "I felt what you did! Where is she?"

"Cyberlancer, these are guests on my ship." Jack said slowly. At that, Jesse turned her head to stare at the warframe and her mouth fell open. "Do not threaten guests on my ship."

"No…" Jesse said weakly. "Oh god no!"

"Say nothing!" Jack commanded and Jesse's mouth closed with a click. Juil stilled. What did the other Cyberlancer know? "My path. My duty. Not yours."

"I…" Jesse swallowed hard and then bent in a formal bow. "I apologize for the intrusion, Tenno. I felt the pain of a friend and reacted badly. I… I am sorry."

"So am I, Cyberlancer, but you need to go now. It is under control." Jack was still mild. Juil was surprised when both Jesse and Horatius scoffed, but it was Jesse who spoke as her hands started to glow with golden code so much more powerful than Juil's.

"What do I doubt that?" Just like that, she and Horatius were gone. Jack shrugged and turned to the liches who stared at her.

"'Under control'?" Juil asked, incredulous.

"More or less."