Repairs

"Um... Jasmina... Please point that somewhere else."

Healer Iriana sounded calm, but no one sane would have said the situation was anything but tense. Nikis had flatly refused to remain on Avalon with Elenia's essence. No one had dared stop him. Indeed, Two had simply picked up the still Mag warframe and followed him. Nikis had ported directly to the newly formed tower and everyone else had followed a bit less precipitously. Then Jasmina had arrived and the less said about her comments to the various persons involved in the fiasco the better. The fact that she refused to disarm was far less disturbing than the five Eximus Ancients that accompanied her that refused to leave her side. She hadn't even bothered to hide her suspicion, and the Phage shotgun in her hands hadn't wavered. The changed individuals -barring Violet who was still unconscious- had come as well as a pair of others.

Sister Abigail was doing...something with the help of the tower. Something that involved the Mag warframe that had so recently housed Elenia's mind. That wasn't the problem. Abrahaim stood between her and Nikis, and also between her and Jasmina. Tiana and Two stood silently by one wall, Jane beside them but not -quite- with them. That wasn't the problem either. Nikis standing near one wall glowering at everyone wasn't the problem this time. The problem was the Prime warframe that had accompanied Michelle when the Princess had come also had a weapon in hand. Michelle hadn't even asked permission, she had just come. But then again...

"I trust you, Iriana." Jasmina said, not moving. "No one else but Nikis. They killed her."

"Jasmina." Iriana's voice was soft now. "I know how angry you are. I agree. But you ready to blow holes in people isn't helping Elenia." Jasmina looked at her and then at one of the Ancients. She shook her head a little and then slung her shotgun. But her hands dropped to her sides where a pair of Vasto pistols hung.

"Why should we trust you?" Jasmina demanded of Michelle who nodded soberly.

"Because we are only peripherally involved." Michelle said quietly using the royal 'we' to denote Avalon and it's rulers. "As soon as we heard that she was at the colony, we knew we had to talk to her. But... No one expected this."

"She hasn't been alone in her mind since the Collapse." Iriana's soft words were sad. "She couldn't handle the stress of being disconnected." Jasmina growled and Iriana shook her head. "Jasmina, anyone could have made the same error. Hell, I could have."

"You didn't." Jasmina snapped, not taking her eyes off the Mag Prime that was Michelle's bodyguard who returned the scrutiny. "We wanted to talk... but this? No more. If you can help her, great. If not? You all can go to hell. We will have nothing else to do with you scum."

"No." Michelle said softly and took a step forward. Her guard made a noise of protest and Michelle snarled at her with a noise worthy of an Infested. "Jasmina, please... We have wronged you. You and her." She shook her head. "We wanted to make it right. End the rift between us. Not this."

"And use us against Horus." Jasmina snapped. "Don't forget that."

"If possible, yes." Michelle agreed. "But only if you so chose." She retorted. Jasmina did not reply and Michelle sighed. "Petra, stand down." She took another step forward and Petra made a strangled noise, but did not move as Michelle closed the distance towards the irate Ember Prime. Michelle's eyes were glistening as she moved to stand within Jasmina's reach and knelt slowly. "We have wronged you, Caretaker. We have cost you. We want to make it right. No matter the cost." Jasmina recoiled as if struck and all five of the Ancients were staring at Michelle now. "Can you still hear my thoughts?" She asked the Ancients who looked from her to Jasmina and back.

"Get... away from me..." Jasmina's words were jerky as if she was fighting herself. One of the Ancients laid a tentacle on her arm and she relaxed a little. "Get back." Michelle did not move and Jasmina retreated a step, then two to stand in the midst of the group of Ancients. "Nikis..." Jasmina said softly. "Tell me she is okay..." She begged.

"She is asleep." Nikis said quietly, not moving at all. His hands lay on his pistols. "All else fails? She merges with the mind mass as she wished." Michelle made a grieving noise and Nikis shook his head. "Fuck you. I ain't letting you screw her again. Not going to happen."

"We are ready." Sister Abigail said into the tense stillness that resulted from Nikis' proclamation. "But you do not trust." She said to Jasmina and Nikis. "So... Sister Tiana?"

"I knew my time was short." Tiana said quietly as she moved to the wall and started to lay down her arms. "But I... expected something more... concrete."

"Horus hurt you." Abrahaim said quietly. "I do not know when he woke. He was not the one who altered me. I was busy." No equivocation, simple statement of fact. "You may not be as you were."

"You saved me." Tiana said as she started undoing her armor. Talona nodded and moved to assist her. "I was dead, and you saved me. The Emperor sent you to save me."

"I did as ordered." If the hulking Space Marine was embarrassed it was unapparent. No one commented as Tiana stepped out of the power armor. Iriana handed her a patient gown that Tiana took with a nod. "Your body was destroyed, but you were not lost. That counts as a win, if unpleasant for you. And Horus... used me to hurt you." Now emotion sounded. Rage. "He took control. He may be able to again." He warned.

"Over my dead body." Sister Abigail snapped. "I am pretty sure how that spawn of Chaos took control. If so, I have countered it."

"And if not..." He nodded to Nikis and Jane. "You will not get two shots. Make your first one count."

"We have enough trouble without borrowing extra." Iriana said with a deep sigh as a wide table extruded from one wall. She nodded to Tiana who moved to lie down on it. "I did as instructed. Tiana... are you sure? This body is fully functional. Yours is a mess."

"Caretaker Jasmina will not believe without hard evidence." Tiana said quietly as she lay herself out straight. Jasmina shook her head. "I do not blame her. And whatever happens? Do not grieve for me. I go to the Emperor's side." She lay back and closed her eyes, her mouth working as she prayed silently.

A pulse of golden energy heralded the arrival of another form on the table, this one wrapped in golden foil. Two jerked as she saw the torn body of her friend and clanmate inside the foil.

"Iriana..." Two begged.

"Her body is... functional." Iriana said softly. "It goes against the grain, to do something that I know will hurt someone."

"What must be, must be." Tiana said quietly. "I am ready." Then she screamed as power washed over her and the... other. Iriana and Sister Abigail moved forward, tools and skills ready, but both stopped as Abrahaim motioned them to. The human form slowly faded as it became energy that was pulled into the torn mass of flesh that had once been Tiana, a Tenno Warrior of Karl's clan.

The scream cut off.

"I..." Tiana's voice from her old body was raw, hoarse. "I feel... Ow?"

"Tiana?" Iriana asked carefully. "What happened?"

"I dunno." Tiana said softly. "Missed a trap, but I killed the scanner! I know I did. Went down hard..." She tried to move and gave a hiss.

"Don't move." Iriana said sharply, her hands flying over her controls. "Do you remember anything else?" She pulled the foil back from Tiana's face and the woman's eyes opened to look at her.

"A guy in black..." Tiana sounded confused now. "Another... in red." Everyone paused at that. "I don't... I don't know... It's all fuzzy."

"Tenno Tiana..." Abrahaim growled. "You may remember more. You may not."

"You... held me." Tiana said softly, looking at the red armored form. "There was another form behind you. A guy in black. A Tenno I think. Limbo warframe."

"Horus." The hated name went around the room.

"What happened to me?" Tiana tried to move and couldn't. Her body simply wasn't capable of it.

"We thought we had lost you." Two said quietly, tears sounding in her voice. "When we got to where you were, your essence was not in your warframe." Tiana stared at the Banshee and then at the Space Marine.

"You took me." Tiana sounded... unsure?

"I did." Shame sounded in the Space Marine's words now. "I thought he was helping until he took control from me. He interrogated you, to further his ends. His vengeance. Not the Emperor's will but his." The Space Marine shook his head. "Such heresy will not stand."

"But I am back. If hurt." Tiana said with a sigh. "So... now what?"

"Now we do a lot of scans." Iriana said with a smile. "But from what I see, you are you. Sleep if you can, Tiana. This will take a while. You have healing to do." Tiana gave a sigh and then relaxed into sleep, her features smoothing as she lost consciousness. "No abnormalities." She turned to the Caretaker. "Jasmina?" No one moved as one of the Ancients stepped forward to lay a slow tentacle on the slumbering Tenno. It paused for a moment, then retracted the tentacle and retreated a step. "Well?"

"It says she feels like a Tenno." Jasmina's words were halting. "But..."

"Jasmina." Nikis' voice was calm and cool. Jasmina slumped and then nodded. The gunfighter nodded as well. "Elenia's body?"

"There is nothing wrong with her body. It was the shock of disconnection." Iriana said quietly. "We need to talk to her, Nikis. Explain."

"If I wake her up, I may not be able to put her back to sleep." Nikis warned. "And she is likely to be pissed." He glanced at Michelle and Petra. "I better explain fast."

"My life is hers." Michelle said formally. Several sets of eyes went wide at that. "We wronged her. Through ignorance, not malice, but we hurt her." Nikis made a gesture and a soft voice stilled the room again as a holo appeared nearby. Elenia wore Tenno robes instead of a warframe and her face was sad.

I don't want your life. Elenia said quietly. Jasmina made a noise of grief and fear and Elenia turned to look at her, chiding expression on her face. Calm down, Fire Heart. It will be okay. This is what we wanted. To heal the rift.

"Not at the cost of your life!" Michelle and Jasmina both spoke as one and then stared at each other.

Tenno serve. Elenia said calmly. It is what we do. Nikis and Janet got me up to speed fast when they woke me. I am ready.

"This may not work." Sister Abigail said quietly as she moved to stand by the still Mag warframe again. "And if it does not, you may not be recoverable."

Risk is part of life. Elenia said as her holo moved to stand next to the table. Jasmina, if it doesn't work... You will talk to Healer. You will be calm. This was in a voice of iron. You will go on.

"Without you?" Jasmina squeaked, her heart in her voice. "I... Elenia..."

We have a duty, Jasmina. Elenia said firmly. You are needed. Vengeance is not why we took the job. You know this. Jasmina jerked and then nodded as the holo turned back to the Sister Hospitaller. What do I do? She asked Sister Abigail.

"Lay your hands on the warframe. It knows you, it should pull you in." Sister Abigail said quietly. "I do not know if there will be pain or not. But your body is functional."

Thank you. Elenia said quietly. Her transparent hands touched the warframe and her holo vanished. Then the Mag warframe jerked. "That was... odd." Elenia's voice sounded dazed but cleared quickly. "Yes, Jasmina, I feel fine." She said to a silent message from the Ember Prime. She sat up nodding to the others. "And no, not until later." She said firmly.

Everyone looked at her and then at Jasmina who snickered a bit.

"Had to be sure it was her." Jasmina said in a tone of artful innocence. Iriana shook her head as she moved to stand by the table.

"How do you feel, Elenia?" Iriana asked carefully.

"Odd." Elenia said after a moment. "Like I am not all here." She shrugged. "I guess that is understandable. I died."

"We give apology." Michelle said from where she still knelt. "We had no idea."

"How could you?" Elenia asked reasonably. "It wasn't something we told the universe. If, as you say, your life is mine, then I spare it. Get up." She looked at the Healer. "May I rise, Healer? Jasmina needs a hug right about now. She is about to lose it."

"I lost you." Jasmina said quietly as Iriana did a scan and then nodded. Elenia rose and ran to Jasmina, hugging the Ember Prime tight as Jasmina started to cry. "I lost you!" She screamed as she hugged the Mag back.

"Well now you have me back." Elenia said with a sigh. "And we have a big mess to clean up..."

A fairly soggy hour later

"Mitchell is alive?" Iriana snapped.

"We were trying to catch him after NightNova took the hit and went into an uncontrolled trajectory." Elenia sounded abject now. She sat, out of her warframe. Jasmina sat beside her, still in her Ember Prime. "We couldn't stop the tumble! It... We had a thought to attach a pod with thrusters. He and NightNova were unconscious. The pod made contact and... it broke open. It thrusted, stopped the tumble, but..." She slumped. "Our fault."

"He is infected." Michelle said, horrified. Two, Jane and Iriana all hissed as well. Abrahaim and Sister Abigail stood quietly. Nikis just watched.

"Yes." Elenia said sadly. "We had hoped to minimize it and we did. But... He is infected. We wanted to help, to ask for his help. Not this. Never this. The whole point of the mass mind is that joining it now is voluntary. We cannot conscript him." She sighed. "If he chooses... We will send him to the Tenno."

"And they will kill him." Iriana said slowly. "A far more merciful fate compared to falling prey to feral infested or Alad V's latest madness." Elenia nodded and Jasmina hugged her again.

"We were trying to help and we hurt him." Elenia said firmly. "It is no different from what you did to me." She said to Michelle. "Ignorance is no excuse."

"The difference is... Mitchell is still alive." Iriana corrected her. "Michelle? Your arm was changed..."

"It was one of Redi's devices." Michelle said with distaste,, staring down at her right arm. "I don't think any of us would trust it now."

"Got that right." Nikis, Two, Iriana and Jasmina all chorused with Elenia.

"I can... ask." Michelle said slowly. "But I can imagine what people will say. It cannot be moved from where it is. It requires too much power and is too delicate to move." She slumped a bit. "And bringing him to it... if he is Infected... No." She shook her head. "The Royal Guard won't allow it."

"No, we won't." Petra said quietly.

"Can you talk to him?" Elenia asked quietly. "He needs help. We can ease him, slow it. We cannot stop it. Anything we can do, we will."

"Where is he?" Michelle asked after a moment. Petra tensed and Michelle shook her head. "Don't even try, Petra. This is as much our responsibility as what happened to Elenia. Mitchell is our soldier. If we can help him, we must. Anne..." She trailed off with a sad sigh.

"She will freak." Iriana said with a slow nod. "She is barely holding onto her sanity as it is."

"Anne is his mate?" Elenia asked, her tone speculative.

"Another pilot. She can't fly anymore." Michelle confirmed. "Injured by the Corpus."

"Injured how?" Elenia asked, looking at Jasmina who stiffened.

"Elenia..." Jasmina warned.

"Neural shock." Iriana said slowly. Then her eyes went huge. "Wait..." They had treated Iriana for something similar once.

"We might be able to help her." Elenia said quietly. "And... if we prepare for her, we can keep her from being exposed to the virus. Does she.. have a job?"

"No. She is a disabled veteran." Michelle said with a shrug. "We have been taking care of her."

"Maybe... we can." Elenia said quietly. "And we do know a lot about neural shock..."

"And it keeps her close to Mitchell." Iriana finished the thought. "And if it gets her healed and occupied..." She looked at Michelle. "Well?"

"All I can do is ask." Michelle said with a shrug. "But for now... This is formal. We apologize to you, Caretakers." This was the royal 'We' again. "For your hurts. For the betrayals. For all the mistakes we made." She bowed her head and waited. Elenia looked at Jasmina pointedly and the Ember Prime nodded slowly.

"Apology accepted."

Far across the solar system

Lousy stupid Orokin scum, stealing my pieces...

The one known to others as Horus was a silent shadow as he moved through the Grineer ship. He found what he sought and smiled as the Orokin device came to life under his fingers. Alarms started to blare and he ignored them. They were inconsequential. Some charged him, their blows flaying through his Void shrouded form. Others fired their puny weapons and stared as the bullets went right through him. Then they all froze in place as power arced from the Orokin device into Horus' hands.

The closest Grineer screamed as Horus turned to face him, the Limbo's hands wreathed in eldritch purple energy.

"Oh don't worry." Horus spoke calmly as the Grineer was wreathed in power that changed him from a human form into something that looked sort of like brother Abrahaim, although the armor was black and had spikes in various places. "I promise you, you will enjoy this."

The Orokin power scoured through the Galleon, changing each and every of the two hundred Grineer aboard the ship. Some in minor ways. Others... more so. Horus... smiled.

"Arise, Cultists, Daemons and Warriors of the Black Legion. War and death await!"