Not so good

"What is this?"

Lorinos Orokin sounded bemused behind his shield as the kuva liches systematically tore the armored forms that had accompanied him to pieces. None of the liches fired at him, they all knew they couldn't touch him. Orokin had always had the absolute best personal protections available. The only normal way past a High Orokin's shields was 1) Treachery or 2) A more powerful High Orokin. He had come in expecting a fight and there were no available High Orokin to face him, so… He was pretty much untouchable.

The same could not be said for the poor slobs who he had brought with him, whoever they were. They had all been focused on Jack and Ess, their attention drawn to the pair of Tenno. The former Grineer liches had taken full advantage of that and their fire was both planned and coordinated. Devastating. Not 'quite' an ambush since the warriors had been expecting a fight, but definitely a surprise attack from an unexpected quarter. Before any of the armored forms could shake off their surprise, they were all down and Lorinos stood alone surrounded by golden shields that flared with stray ordnance.

"Interesting." Lorinos mused as he looked at the liches. "That is an odd use for kuva. Empowering clones?" He sounded incredulous and his question was to anyone and everyone. Instead of answering, the liches started to vanish in puffs of red. Jack just scoffed and Ess? She was a statue.

"As I said." Jack said flatly as the last armored form vanished, drawn back to wherever Lorinos had grabbed it from. "You are behind the times. Your time is done, Orokin. You had your chance and blew it in the need to be an evil piece of shit." Lorinos opened his mouth to retort, but Jack cut him off. "Don't even try! Whatever reasoning you may have had for doing what you did, you hurt way too many people, killed way too many people to ever claim the moral high ground."

"I wasn't going to." Lorinos replied and both Jack and Ess shook their heads. "That would be pointless. I did what I did and I would do it again."

"Of course you would, Orokin." Juil hadn't vanished and now, she moved to stand beside the pair of warframes, her Karak at the ready. The sheer disgust on the former Grineer's face was a thing to see. "You are the only thing that matters in your universe."

"What is your point?" Lorinos laughed at the lich. "You are just a clone. A filthy worker jumped up past your station."

"Do you know who did that? Who armed and trained the clones to fight?" Jack asked, to all appearances unconcerned, but his hands still gripped his blade tightly. "Orokin. Your kind lost their war. You lost. Ballas played everyone for fools. Your kind, mine, clones, humans, the Sentients, everyone! He got what he wanted. He got his revenge when Orokin fell. Humanity nearly blinked out entirely because one woman decided to flout the Executors openly and one Executor stopped playing by any rules at all becasue he loved her as well as any Orokin can love something other than themselves."

"What Margulis did was stupid." Lorinos replied, still unconcerned. He seemed fascinated by Juil, but she ignored his scrutiny. "What do you want, clone? Why do this?"

"I want my mother back." Juil said with a growl. "And even Orokin power cannot do that."

"I have access to far more than Orokin power now." Lorinos replied. "What was her name? I can give her back to you."

"No, you can't." Juil snapped. "Maybe you can make a copy, but you cannot make her any more than the Queens could make her dance to their tune. Go find some fool who will believe your lies, Orokin, none of those are here. We know better." Ess and Jack both nodded.

"We can all benefit from this." Lorinos tried again. "I am not interested in slaves. Well, not anymore." He seemed earnest now, but that was an act. With him, it was always an act. "I have walked many different places, seen many different things."

"Just stop. You lie. It is what you do." Ess said heavily. "Go back to wherever you hid. The wardens will find you eventually and when they do, you will die or even better, you will wind up a warden yourself." At the sheer hate in her tone, everyone stared at her. "What? You think wardens do it because they want to?" She scoffed. "They don't have choice any more than I do. They won't enslave you, but in the end, the distinction will be moot if they make you do the job whether you want to or not."

"There are always choices, my dear." Lorinos smiled wide at Ess who snarled at him. "Temper. I am giving you a choice right now and it is a simple one."

Everything stopped as a small form appeared beside Lorinos. Inside the shield. The clone boy from Jupiter! His face, so like Alad V's, was slack as Lorinos laid a hand on his head. Then his mouth opened in a silent scream as golden power flared! Then Lorinos stepped back as clear material started flowing down the boy's face. Glass. Before any of the three watching could react, the boy was entirely coated in glass! With a long finger, Lorinos flicked the glass and it shattered!

"You son of a bitch!" Jack all but threw those words as Juil made a noise halfway between a groan and a moan. Lorinos smiled as a small, golden container appeared at his feet and he kicked it through the shield. It skittered across the floor to stop just in front of Ess, staggered. The oblong container was covered in glass shards and a faint sobbing came from it.

"Nihil was a fool." Lorinos smirked as Ess and Jack both stared at the container. Juil didn't move, didn't shift her aim. "So trusting in his precious laws. So trusting even when he broke one that no one could touch him. But they could and did. Luckily for me, I made a few contingency plans. The wardens won't touch me."

"Oh?" Jack sneered at that. "I think they will. And I think they will enjoy ripping you apart."

"I hold the soul of one of their kin." Lorinos said flatly. "They won't touch me." He paused as Ess started to laugh. "Come now, my dear. There is no need for histrionics. You know what I want."

"Yes, I do." Ess managed through her laughter. There was a hint of madness in her laughter, but more humor. "You want the same thing Stalker did. A tame Oracle and in my case? The conduit to the wardens. So that you can control what is said to them."

"A 'tame' Oracle?" Juil started to laugh. "He… He can't think that, can he?"

"Yes, he does." Ess was still chuckling. "He obviously never read any of the Tenno sagas about Nyx. He probably doesn't even know the name 'Rasputin'. I take it you do?"

"Esther told me some about that. Not to cross your kind." Juil nodded to Ess and Ess managed to control her mirth. "Not that I would have anyway, because I am trying not to get into random fights with incredibly powerful people these days."

"Good policy. Some fights are unavoidable though." Ess was calm now even as Lorinos was clearly losing patience. "Like this one. I am going to quote Nikis. 'Go fuck yourself'." Lorinos goggled at her even as Juil snickered. Jack didn't move.

"You know I can hurt her." Lorinos said flatly.

"I know you are an idiot." Ess retorted. "You really think such things give you power over wardens? You moron! Yes, yes…" She waved unconcerned hands when he started to speak angrily, cutting him off like Jack had! "You big, you bad, you scary Orokin, Yeah, yeah. We get it. You are evil. But… Another quote from Nikis. 'You are dumber than dogshit'."

Lorinos' eyes flashed and another container appeared at his feet. His hand was suddenly glowing with power as he held it over the container. "Give me what I want! Now!"

"Or what?" Ess demanded, her humor fading. "You will break an empty Oubliette?" At that, Lorinos froze solid. "You never even looked to see if you had her, did you?" Ess laughed once more and then her humor was gone, replaced by hatred. "You never had Mishka. Be glad of that. Be very glad of that."

"Mishka?" Jack asked, concern rising.

"Yeah." Ess' humor was gone now and she seemed calm, but just barely. "One of his Cephalons got into the tower, hit the Healer's daughter with a glass shard. It should have imprisoned her soul inside the empty container he is threatening, but someone intervened. I can't see who. It could have been any number of people. I love the girl too much to see her clearly in my visions. Many people do."

"Hence why he thought she would make a good hostage." Jack said slowly. "You are right. That was about as stupid as you can get."

"I can undo what was done to her!" Lorinos finally awoke to his peril. If he didn't have leverage… Which he didn't! Uh oh!

"Yeah, sure." Ess sneered. "And of course, you wouldn't make her your slave. Duh. It is what you do. You are Orokin! Almost every single Orokin existed for one purpose and one purpose only. To fulfill your whims. To make your sick and twisted fantasies come to life. Actual work is beneath you, for people like me. You exist to hurt people." Hate swelled in her tone and power started to flash across her fingers. "Just like one of you did to my daughter."

"Ess…" Jack said slowly. "Don't…"

"There are no Royal Guard left in the system to guard me, Jack. To stop me if I go too far. You have duties of your own. I will not distract you from them." Ess' hate faded again and now, only sadness spoke. "I can't stay, but I will not leave you all un-warded. Juil Estherai… Step forward."

"Oracle?" Juil stepped to Ess' side but her aim did not waver from the frozen Lorinos.

"You are not Grineer." Ess said firmly. "You are brave, strong, skilled and hope to find a better way. I cannot remain here. I am as much a danger to everyone here as Eliza was once her duty was done."

"What?" Jack asked, worry rising.

"Will you tell them or shall I?" Ess demanded of the frozen Orokin. "Actually, never mind. Get lost or keep your mouth shut!" Lorinos opened his mouth and the arcs of power on Ess' arms sang into life a cacophony of sounds drowning him out. He shut his mouth and the awful sounds from Ess' arms faded. "Good boy." She mocked. She turned to Juil and Jack, both of whom were staring at her. "Eliza felt a warden acting in the solar system. She dropped everything and went after them. Her precipitous departure allowed this piece of shit's slaves access into Avalon's systems. When she realized it was Nikis… When she realized he had given up the role of Grandmaster, been forced to resume his role as a warden, she didn't shoot him. She had a breakdown. I was there. I had been trained in so many roles in the hopes it would help me. Even Guardian of the Dead. It didn't. He needed a bunch of candidates to make a good choice for the new Grandmaster. I thought, 'What the hell?'. Maybe it would help. Then this piece of crap sent his army in and we fought. Then Jac did what she did. I…" Ess paused and when she continued, she was sad, so sad. "Eliza watched Jac die. She has holding her rifle on Nikis as he closed the breach. Eliza knew she couldn't close it, so she had to wait for him to do it. Then, maybe she would talked? Or they would have fought? I don't know. Jac had come right out of healing and no one expected her to be able to stand, let alone pick up a sword and fight. To guard Nikis' back while he did what he had to."

"But she did." Jack said softly. "And she perished."

"Jac blocked Eliza's shot. Intentionally I think. Then she just stopped. Fell over. Eliza tried to reset things. To save Jac. It didn't work. I don't know why and I don't think she did either." Grief sang in the words now. "I knew I needed a copy of Jac, but I hadn't had any idea why. My vision wasn't clear. Eliza just folded. She dropped her rifle, hugged Jac's still form and just cried. That was when I knew we only had a little time. Then she started to giggle! I knew what that meant. She was losing it, just like I did. But Eliza was far, far worse than I was. Eliza was and is far more dangerous than I will ever be. But…" She had a small, sad smile in her voice now. "Eliza always had plans." Now, her tone was a smirk as she turned to Lorinos. "Even for lying, lazy good for nothing sacks of shit like most High Orokin."

"This one took control of her!" Juil said tightly. "Against her-" She paused and then gasped. "NO!"

"Yes, actually." Ess said with a snort. "No one wanted to try and control Elizabeth because we all knew better." How her unseen grin was downright evil. "He didn't."

"So… He didn't escape… She let him go to take control of her so that she wouldn't kill her own people!" Jack mused and then snorted. "Yep, that has the Empress written all over it."

Sneaky, underhanded, convoluted to the point of making someone's brain hurt. Efficient. Effective. Brutal. Not 'quite' evil, but close. So very close.

"Bingo." Ess nodded to Jack. "And 1) he is nowhere nearly as good at such as her mother was and 2) He never had time to even get going. He attacked Mishka, but as soon as he did, all hell broke loose. His minions have been thwarted several times already by wardens. Once Nikis 'died' here, it was only matter of time before Lorinos' minions started to push in. To launch the full scale invasion he has been planning. Say what you will about Eliza, even insane she is likely the best planner you or I will ever meet. She had plans within plans and plots within plots."

"And you?" Jack asked softly.

"I have to go." Ess said sadly. "I will miss you all but I am too dangerous to stay. Without some kind of check and balance on me, I will lash out or start to play. Either my power will be used against those I love or I will go utterly mad. Even with all of my improvements, I cannot stop it. I am what I am."

"My friend." Jack's voice was a little husky, but no one commented.

"I too am sorry." Juil said into the silence that fell. "I have only just met you and I do like you." Ess bowed to the lich who bowed back. "What do you wish of me?"

"Lorinos will not stop. He cannot." Ess said quietly. "Bending others to his will is what he is just as music is what I am and Death is what Jack is. The golden scum exists to see his whims fulfilled, no matter the cost to anyone else. Eliza would have been an incredibly powerful weapon for him, but she would have destroyed him eventually when she broke the controls. Then things would have gotten very bad. Hence why I called Victor in as soon as I realized what Eliza's plan was. He is one of the few that is a true match for Eliza in both power and control. She respects him and he respects her. If anyone can help her, he can. He also knows what not to do."

"Not going to ask!" Jack muttered loudly enough to be heard easily. "I don't want to know!"

"Smart Tenno." Ess nodded. "Juil Estherai. Your people are few, but incredibly powerful. Good and evil are slippery concepts even when dealing with the same species. In this horrid little encounter, you have dealt with humans, Tenno and now, an Orokin. You think before you act. That is incredibly rare. I ask you to take my place as the conduit for the wardens in this solar system."

"Me?" Juil actually stepped back. "I am just a clone! A copy! Maybe enhanced, but just a copy!"

"So?" Ess inquired. "'I' am just energy inside a meat shell that is inside a warframe."

"That doesn't make me better than you or worse!" Juil snapped. "It makes me different." She paused, thought about what she had just said and then her mouth fell open.

"Bingo." Ess had a smile in her voice. "Well thought, Juil Estherai."

"I… I don't understand." Juil said weakly. "I am just… I fight, it is all I know how to do!."

"All I knew how to do was dance, play and sing the madness in my head. I was insane and everyone treated me as such. Only a few did not and of those few, only Nikis ever treated me like a regular person. Because he understood madness all too well." Ess replied as she took a slow step to the lich who was shaking her head. "Lorinos won't stop. He can't. This is just another copy of him. Jack will need help."

"I was going to do that anyway." Juil scoffed. "The evil one's kind only see my kind as tools, weapons. Jack never treated me, us, like that."

"If I have to throw away lives to save the system or the database, I will." Jack warned. "But I won't let him win. I will try not to do it capriciously, but I might have to."

"You are fighting for the lives of everything in this system." Juil retorted. "It will be a good fight. I am honored to stand at your side, Tenno."

"You say that now." Jack snorted.

"You haven't met the rest of us." Juil retorted and Jack paused and then nodded, conceding the point.

"Esther was very busy." Ess said with a nod. "You don't have to say yes, Juil." She paused as Juil started kneel. "And don't do that! Ever! I am no one's master! Not even my own yet!"

"Maybe not." Juil rose to her impressive full height, towering over the Tenno, but oddly diminished as well. "But I give respect where it is due." She saluted Ess in Grineer style. The Oracle paused what she was going to reply, nodded and then returned it in same way! "I accept this duty, Oracle Ess."

"Just Ess now. Or if you must be formal, Ess Darkstorm." Ess said as several circular green portals appeared nearby and four forms straight out of nightmare stepped into their reality. Then a familiar form, a warframe. "I am ready, guys. Juil will be your contact."

"Good choice." Came from the black Banshee warframe that strode to scrutinize Jack who returned her scrutiny. "You will do." Instead of answering? He made an ancient gesture called 'The Bird' at her and she laughed hard. "Yep, you will do." She turned to Juil. "I will be in touch, Juil Estherai. My name is Serene. Um…" She paused as Jack stared at her. "Long story, but no. I not her."

"Good! One of her is enough." Jack muttered.

"So very true." Came from all the other wardens who had surrounded Lorinos in his shield. He was looking rather worried as they flashed green and then, were gone with him! For good reason.

Serene held out a hand to Ess who took it, but then Jack spoke.

"Ess? Be good!"

"Why? Good doesn't get the job done!"

Then the warden and the newest warden were gone. Jack looked at Juil and both nodded. Then they started back into the ship. They had work to do.