What part of 'No'...?
"Eliza." Jack's soft tone held no surprise. "Did he manage to warp you or is this all you?"
"Wouldn't you love to know?" Eliza's voice held scorn and pity. "My commander gave you a choice. I respectfully suggest you make the wise one."
"Well, I respectfully,…" There was precious little respect in Jack's tone now. "...suggest you do what Jasmina told you to do in your throne room. Whatever plots you have hatching, we will stop."
"You will try." Eliza's smile grew wide. Actually, the only proper term for her expression was 'maniacal'. "And I look forward to watching you squirm." With that, her hologram vanished and the Galleon rocked under them again.
"Granum, get your people out of here!" Jack commanded as the holo shifted again. It showed the Corpus ships moving to englobe the errant ship in their ranks. Ordinarily, that was not a bad space combat tactic at all, making the enemy divide their fire all around. That meant they could not focus fir eon any one enemy and would eventually wear them down. Now? Any conventional tactic was probably a bad idea. "She has to have planned for your forces. Planning is what she does."
"Whoever that was, she is insane." Came from the com, not a holo projection this time. Parvos Granum was not happy. "She cannot win against all of us!"
"You have no idea who you are facing!" Jack retorted. "She was an Orokin Empress!" At that, Juil stiffened and anew and Jack was quick to continue. "She isn't anymore. No crown, not a shred of the resources she had, but her personal power was undeniable. If she wants you dead, you are." The Tenno warned. "She can likely kill me and Juil. You and your people have no chance."
"Empress?" Granum was subdued now. "The Royal Family survived?"
Orokin had been an Empire, true, but it had started as a constitutional monarchy. That had been both good and bad. The highest caste Orokin had eventually taken almost full control of everything in their need to sate their whims, but all throughout, there had been the Royal Family. Often marginalized or derided as useless, they had possessed incredible power within strict limits. They had been human, not full Orokin. Not immortal like the golden overlords, but when they had access to almost every ounce of tech the Empire possessed? Such distinctions were often moot. Eliza had seen the Collapse with her own eyes, just as Jack had from the other side.
"Only her." Jack replied, calming a little. "She was more than bit driven as a result of everything that happened. I knew her fairly well, once upon a time. Now? I don't know." He admitted. "Whether she is being controlled for the moment by the one who set this all in motion or she has lost it and is going to lash out at the universe or whatever, it doesn't really matter. She is probably the deadliest opponent you will ever face and I may be the only one with a chance against her."
Grunum did not respond but the Corpus ships were moving away now. The Galleon rocked again, but this time, it was different. Outgoing fire poured towards the enemy ship on the holo screen. Some of it got through the screens. Odd. Juil tensed as Grineer glyphs sprang to life on the holo and then vanished just as quickly.
"Boarding shells?" Jack asked and Juil nodded.
"What the heck?" Juil intoned. "We are still reading life signs, but all of the boarders have been neutralized. Unconscious? Why not kill them?"
"What good are dead slaves?" Jack asked very quietly and Juil went utterly still. "The Eliza I knew never would have countenanced such, but now?" He shook his head. "I don't know. I don't want to fight her or Violet, but I will if I have to."
"This has to be a trap for you!" Juil asked and Jack nodded. "Then you do not go alone."
"Get your comrade away from Granum before he gets any ideas." Jack replied, keying for a teleport to the Scimitar. "The last thing we need is for the Corpus to get their hands on Kuva!"
"I sent a team." Juil appeared beside Jack as the Lavos warframe materialized on the Scimitar's deck. Jack just looked at the lich and Juil shrugged. "You will need help."
"And if she can control you somehow?" Jack wasn't arguing. Not quite. He didn't want to do this at all. Killing Eliza was not on his to-do list. If he even could. He had heard a few things.
"I have better defenses than any of my kin." Juil replied. "You need me."
"Okay." Jack shook his head and started up the ramp to the assault section of the Tenno craft, the hulking lich following. Juil had to stoop a little to get in, but she made no complaint. "But if I tell you to run, you run." That was command. "She knows how to kill our kind permanently."
"I am not stupid, Jack." Juil used the new name carefully and Jack looked at her. "I… I find I do not wish to die or be enslaved but if this Eliza has been suborned or gone mad, then we need to stop her here and now. Before she gains any more power."
"True." Jack allowed as the Scimitar moved towards the sole remaining Corpus ship in proximity. "And um… Thank you."
"You are welcome." Jack paused as a 'ding' sounded and then stared at a screen nearby. Juil tensed, but Jack just waved and a screen appeared. A list of… Oh, it was an electronic mailbox! Juil snorted at the sheer mundane of that. "Who is sending you mail?"
"Good question." Jack mused as he opened the mail and stiffened as a hologram of a human woman appeared nearby. He had known the woman! Known her well, but she looked nothing like this now!
"Hello Jack. Juil." Janet, one time agent of the Lotus and now, one of the preeminent Oracles of Saturn said quietly through whatever odd link she had established. This wasn't her current form, was it? She had been burned very badly and then her human body had died! She was an aquatic form, wasn't she? Some kind of whale? "I am sorry it took so long to get back in touch with you, Jack. I know what you are thinking and I did not have a hand in this. Lorinos messed up. That moronic Orokin messed up bad."
"You cannot be who you seem." Jack said flatly. "You cannot be Janet."
"I am. This body was made from my original one." Janet smiled a bit sadly. "Without my knowledge." Her scowl said it all. She wasn't happy about that. "That said? You know what you face now. Juil is starting to get an inkling. I cannot interfere but so much so I will keep this short. Ess is okay. She was in touch. Victor is here at her behest. He is one of the few that might have a chance of stopping Eliza if Eliza looses it completely."
"And I should just believe you?" Jack all but threw the words at the hologram.
"No. Believe in yourself, Jack." Janet smiled wide at Jack's sputter, but then she turned to Juil who was watching her warily. "Juil Estherai. You walk a hard road. Freedom is as much a curse as a blessing. If you survive this, we will talk."
"Who are you?" Juil demanded.
"My name is Janet Pangolin." The holo morphed and Juil actually gasped as white robes with a face concealing veil surrounded her. "I cannot see your path. I care too deeply for the one you know as Jack. What I can say is that Jack's children are safe and will be."
"Oracle…" Juil breathed. "Esther said some things that suddenly make a lot more sense."
"Hindsight is always clearer, yes." Janet smiled as Jack shook his head savagely. "Jack."
"What happened to Karen?" Jack demanded. "Is she aboard?"
"I can't see her, Jack." Janet was calm. "I care for her as much as I care for you. Add to that? Eliza messes everything up when she acts. Which she has. Don't hesitate to call for help if you need it. Victor is not playing you false. I thought he was. He is not."
"I cannot trust him any more than I can trust you!" Jack snapped.
"No." Janet's tone held old regret now. "Trust must be earned. So, I will say this: Do not burn your bridges. Aeron still loves you."
"SHUT UP!" Jack screamed that. "Stay out of my life, you arrogant bitch!" Juil tensed as dark power started to flow around Jack, but Janet spoke first.
"You have a right to your anger, Jack." The Oracle said quietly. "I am angry too. What happened with Karen was a travesty. You may never see your two littlest again, but they will be cared for. I am watching. They will be safe where they are! No one will touch them." Jack was about to speak, but Janet cut him off. "So swears Donna Pangolin."
The holo vanished and both of the mismatched warriors stared at one another.
"'Donna'?" Juil asked into the silence as Jack fought his own emotions. "What does that mean?"
"I have no idea." Jack managed to calm himself. "I... She does seem to mean well, but she knew. She had to know. And she did nothing."
"Did she? I don't know much about Oracles. Orokin era precognitives." Juil admitted. "I know the attire. Esther made me memorize-" The lich broke off and then she chuckled. "I never knew why Esther had me memorize so many kinds of ancient garb, but if there is an Oracle loose in this system, it starts to make a bit more sense. Esther was sworn. She couldn't talk about that, could she?"
"Probably not." Jack allowed. "There is a lot I cannot talk about."
"Security is important. Now more than ever." Juil agreed as the Corpus ship that wasn't part of their company grew in the distance. "So...what do we do?"
"We board the ship and stop Eliza." Jack said with a growl. "Anyone who gets in our way dies."
"If she is half the planner you imply, then whatever trap she has set will be overpowering." Juil said softly. "Even for such as us."
"I know." Jack said heavily. "But it is the job. I need to find out what is going on. If she tries to access the database, which she will since she knows how… I have to stop her."
"Stop an insane Orokin Empress." Juil mused. "Weren't there guards for such things?"
No one with any brains gave any human such power as the Orokin Emperors and Empresses wielded without safeguards of some kind. Even Eliza was human, if just barely after all of what had happened to her. Some of which Jack had no right to share with anyone.
"Yes." Jack said as the Scimitar slowed to docking speed. "But I have no idea if any of the Royal Guard still exist in this reality or not. If they did, they would be here, trying to stop her. Um…"
He paused in whatever he was going to say as he saw another Tenno landing craft connected tot he same airlock he was aiming for. Its shields had hidden it from any sensors, but at such close range, visual detection was possible. A Liset and unadorned. Most Tenno decorated their craft, inside and out but many did not for various reasons.
"Another Tenno." Juil said softly. "A Guard?"
"Maybe." Jack said softly as the Scimitar reoriented, aiming for another landing spot. "We cannot assume anything. We cannot assume they are friendly."
"Operator!" Ordis's worried voice came over the com as the Scimitar docked. "I am being hacked!"
"Can you tell by who?" Jack demanded as he made for the airlock.
"No." Ordis replied, worry and fear rising. "I can hold for the moment, but whoever it is knows my systems! I- Urk!" The voice of the Cepahlon cut off in static and suddenly everything on the ship stopped. All the lights went out! Then the airlock activated and it hummed with power. Power that flared with blue and golden computer code. Code that was familiar to both of them. Olim! Grandmaster of the Cyberlancers!
"Shit." Jack swallowed hard. "Do not fight him, Juil."
"Ah…" Juil was just as upset. "Is he…?" She broke off and sighed. "No way to know, is there?"
"Only way is forward." Jack replied and entered the airlock. Juil was far too massive to fit, but she would find her own way in. In time? Who knew. "If you can't get in, get to your people and get out of here. I will try to send word if I can."
"I will do what I can." Juil replied. Then she saluted Jack as the Lavos warframe entered the airlock. Jack couldn't return the salute in the close confines, but he did nod.
Then the cylinder turned and Jack was swept into darkness, but only for a moment. When he could see again, the Corpus ship stretched out in front of him. But there was no one there. No Tenno to try and take him into custody 'for his own good'. No Corpus. No Juil. Not even cleaning drones! He could see the ubiquitous Corpus turrets and cameras in many places from where he stood, but all seemed inactive.
"Yep. Definitely a trap." Jack heaved a sigh and stepped forward. Nothing happened, but he did not relax and he kept his hands away from the weapons he had chosen for this jaunt. They likely wouldn't do him any good. Not for the kind of fight he faced here and now anyway.
He was only halfway surprised when a door hissed open in his path and he heard others close and lock behind him. He eyed the door and then shrugged, starting for it.
"You are not even going to ask." Came a voice he remembered with both fondness and rage. The Loki warframe shimmered into view standing by one wall just behind the door. Jack ignored it. Aeron shook his head. "You have every right to be angry. With me. With us. We meant well, but we messed up. We know that now." Jack ignored the Loki, just walked right by him and Aeron heaved sigh. "Come on, Jac! Talk to me!"
Jack ignored the Loki even when the other warframe moved to flank him, matching his slow and steady pace. Doors along the huge hallway they were traversing opened in the distance, but all the ones leading away from what was clearly a designated path were closed and if Jack wasn't surprised? Locked and hacked shut.
"I…" Aeron slumped as they approached a large door. "I want to make it right and I can't unless you let me! Please."
Now, the Loki was barring the way and Jack walked right into him! The Loki didn't move and Jack twisted to go around him, ready for an attack. Aeron didn't try to grab. Didn't try to grapple. Didn't do anything, but move to stand in the way again and hang his head. Again, Jack went around him and this time, the Loki followed.
"I fucked up." Aeron said softly. "I know I did. I can't undo what I did. I thought I could disable Karen, get her to help. I didn't know what was happening. If it would make things better, I would let her shoot me, but no one knows where she is. Jac, please! I lost Karen and the kids! I can't lose you too!"
"She cut all ties. She won't talk to you." Another familiar voice. Tiana in her Nyx Prime. "Maybe she will talk to Eliza? Maybe."
"Eliza has lost it, Tiana!" Aeron protested. "You saw what she did to Violet!"
"Violet wanted a way out, Aeron." Tiana moved to Jack's other side but she too made no attempt to stop the Lavos warframe. She just matched the pace. "I don't agree with what Eliza did either, but it was not my call. I don't see a happy ending here."
Again, Jack ignored the pain in the Nyx Prime operator's voice. He was committed. The door ahead led to a huge space with a huge obelisk like statue of Parvos Granum if this was like the other Corpus ships he had been on recently. He had done a few missions after leaving the clan, hoping to find balance on his own, but they hadn't been able to let him go. Now, they would. One way or another.
Other warframes stood just beyond the door. Jack knew them all. Will in his Excalibur Prime. Alicia in her Trinity. Diana in her Saryn. Olim in his Frost Prime with Mori in her Saryn Prime at his side as always. Ric in his Vauban. Martin, Harrow. Jill, Ivara. Rica, Banshee. Ming, Chroma. And then a surprise! Janna stood in her Trinity a bit behind Diana. She wasn't supposed to be out of the dojo. Then again, the clan wasn't supposed to do a lot of things that they did and had done.
Jack ignored them all, striding towards where a woman in golden armor stood beside a hulking form in Corpus attire. Eliza's face was blank and so was Violet's. It was only as he got closer that she saw the golden aura that surrounded Eliza's head. He cast out with his senses and was not surprised to have his probe rebuffed.
"No need to be rude." Eliza's voice was all wrong. It was soft, kind almost but wrong. "Make yourself at home, we have a great deal to discuss."
"No, we don't." Jack kept his tone just as conversational, but behind him, he heard consternation start. Did they know? Maybe. Maybe not. His own senses were augmented far beyond Tenno norm by his power and even he had a hard time seeing the golden wrongness that surrounded Eliza. "Release your hostages now or face my wrath."
"Jac, what?" Aeron's startled voice sounded from behind him, but Jack only had eyes for Eliza.
"We are all friends here, Jac." Eliza's voice was still wrong!
"No, we are not." Jack replied. "You trespass in places you have no right to go, Orokin. You toy with things of which you have no idea how to use or control. I ask one last time." He reached for his Cyanex sidearm. "Release-"
He never got to say the rest. A golden power beyond belief slammed down out of nowhere to strike him and surround him. But it didn't touch him!.
"So be it." Jack said quietly. "As ye sow, so shall ye reap."
"Jac!" Aeron screamed as the Lavos warframe was engulfed in golden flame.