Unpleasantness
Liriel was not a happy Kavat.
In fact? The only really proper term for her current state of mind was 'pissed'.
"...and she won't talk to us now." Isis said very quietly as Janna stared at the Kavat who was trussed up on the table. Many straps held the furious Kavat down. "I messed up. She pushes all of my buttons. What she said about Tanah's lab is disturbing to say the least, but there is a lot of disturbing stuff going on at the moment. I got mad, she got mad, the usual. We need to find out more, but she refuses to talk to us now and she is trained to resist interrogations."
"Disturbing? Yes. Indeed there is. You think she will talk to me?" The youngest Tenno asked carefully as she eyed Liriel who was spitting invective at Isis through the thing that barred her mouth. She was not in her warframe and she was decidedly worried as a result. Liriel was dangerous in this mood. "She doesn't look happy."
"We had to restrain her to keep her from hurting us. She is very unhappy with me. With reason. You are the only Tenno here who she might talk to." Isis sighed deeply as Janna turned to look at Grina who pointedly did not look at her. "She won't talk to Grina or Kat. We will be outside."
Liriel couldn't move as Isis vanished from her sight. Janna looked at Grina who slowly shook her head.
"I am not trusted." Grina replied to the unspoken question. "I have just been making sure Liriel is okay. So long asleep outside of cryo takes its toll on any." She sounded very worried, but Liriel was too angry to really notice.
"Indeed it does." Janna said softly as she moved to the table. She shook her head and undid the head restraints. "Please don't bite me." She pleaded as she pulled the mouthguard away from the Kavat.
You are not the one I want to bite. Liriel all but snarled that, her fur spiky under the straps. Lousy, stupid furry pieces of- She struggled, but the other straps had no give at all. She was going nowhere. Let me go!
"I will, but I need to know what is going on." Janna started undoing the straps. Grina opened her mouth as if to say something, but then shut it. "Liriel is not stupid, Grina. Far from it." The young Tenno said mildly. "She is angry. She has cause. But even such as she won't want Iriana mad at her. Do you?" She asked the Kavat who slumped in her bonds.
No. Liriel sighed deeply and relaxed fully for the first time since she had woken bound. I will not harm you, Tenno Janna. You have my word. She snickered. No, I don't want the Healer mad at me.
"Mom won't be happy with the cats for doing this to you." Janna released Liriel and stepped back as the Kavat all but leaped to her feet. "Can you explain?"
I don't know. Liriel said after a moment of checking herself. I saw something that defied explanation. Can you check and see if there are any reports of Corpus activity near Jupiter?
"Liriel..." Janna groaned. "Do you have any idea how many reports we get about Corpus activity?" Her face was so disgusted that Liriel had to smile as only a Kavat could.
No, but I can imagine. It is a Corpus mining center, so it will have all kinds of stuff going on. This would be memorable. The Kavat lay back down on the table, hissing slightly at a strap nearby before kicking it out of the way so she could lie down easily.
"How so?" Janna asked, leaning up against the wall nearby.
I heard a report that the Corpus have possibly found a Sentient enthrallment center sunk deep in the depths of the gas giant. Liriel did not miss both female Tenno's sudden tension. Deactivated, but whole.
"Oh crap." Janna and Grina both exclaimed as one. They stared at one another and Liriel snickered even though it wasn't very funny.
My thoughts exactly. The Kavat replied. The people I got the information from had no reason to lie. Oracle Janet was there. I don't know how I got there or why I went there, but I was there. It was physical, not mental.
"They can be hard to tell apart, Liriel." Janna wasn't arguing. She was thoughtful. Then she jerked and stared at the Kavat.
What? Liriel asked.
"Isis said that you were worried about angering almost all the Tenno. There is only one being I know of currently whose mere presence giving information would anger all the Tenno." Janna said carefully."And no, don't say her name. Very few Tenno are mindless berserkers, but the betrayals cut deep." Grina looked mystified, but then her face cleared and took non a sick expression. She nodded harshly. Janna didn't take her eyes off the Kavat. "She was there?"
I don't know who you mean. Liriel replied with aplomb. There were several beings who sounded female there.
"'Sounded'." Janna repeated. "Oh, Liriel..." She was crying now. She reached for the cat, but Liriel had been ready for just about anything and was off the table and across the room before Janna could blink twice. "Liriel, they did something to you! Let us help you!" Janna begged.
Like you did before? Liriel asked snidely. Lock me in a closet and leave me there to rot? Then you wonder why I go to sleep?
"We couldn't find you, Liriel!" Janna protested. "You ran from Brianna. You ran from the Healer. You disappeared and it took us three days of scanning to find you in that utility closet. We didn't lock you in there!"
Then who did? Liriel snapped.
"No one." Grina spoke up before Janna could. Liriel spun to glare at the older Tenno and Grina shook her head. "We checked the controls, Liriel. You opened the door and ran in. The lock engaged automatically when the door closed. No one hacked it. No one activated it. You may hate the cats, but they were just as horrified at your condition when we found you as we were. Liriel, I know you want to die, but there are easier ways than starving of energy in a closet!"
I don't want to die! Liriel snarled that. I want to be with Ariana!
"And I want my Eran back." Grina said quietly. Janna did not look away from Liriel as the Kavat tensed. "It is not going to happen, Liriel. My son is dead. Even if we could meddle in time, change the past, we would almost certainly make things worse. Liriel, Ariana is alive. Hold to that. I don't know where she is or what the future holds, but maybe you will see her again someday? I have learned not to bet against the long shots."
I… Liriel wilted. I miss her.
"Just like I miss Eran." Grina bowed her head. "Every minute of every day. We go on. He wouldn't want me to mope any more than Ariana would want you to, Liriel." She took a long, slow step and when Liriel didn't move, another. She moved to the Kavat's side and slowly, ever so slowly, reached down to scratch behind the Kavat's ears. "We are not your enemies, Liriel."
I don't like the cats. Liriel heaved a deep sigh. But part of that is genetic. Other felines in my territory call for response. And yes… She cut Janna off when Janna opened her mouth. I know they were here first, so this is their territory and I am the interloper. But my subconscious keeping telling me that they are invaders. Then they are just so… She paused and stared at a wall nearby. When she spoke again, it was sour. Sneaky.
Grina and Janna both turned to see a piece of the wall vanish. In its place was a gray furred cat who nodded to them all. Her fur shifted colors to red and stayed that way.
"We were and are very worried about Liriel." The red cat said calmly. Despite the kind words, Liriel backed up a step, her fur spiking.
"Bastet." Janna shook her head. "You are not helping."
"I know." The red cat replied. "She doesn't trust us and we lack a lot of the knowledge that our Elders took for granted." She turned to look Liriel in the eye. "Someone is coming who you can trust. Someone who understands what it is to lose half of their soul. I will leave and any surveillance we put in place will be remote. You will not see us, Liriel." She paused and then bowed her head a little. Not subservient, respectful. "I hope you feel better."
The red furred cat took off at a run towards a wall. Before anyone could even inhale to cry out, she reached the wall. Just before she hit it, a small golden door appeared in it, just big enough for a cat. She vanished through it and the door vanished as well. Grina stared at the wall, her mouth hanging open. For her part, Janna put a hand to her face. Liriel beat them all to speech.
Showoff. The derision in the Kavat's tone brought sputters to both of the others. She doesn't need to do such displays. She thinks they are 'cool', I believe is the vernacular.
"We all wondered how she got into half the places she got into." Janna shook her head. "Liriel, please let Grina check you out? We are worried. There will be long term effects from such a long nap. When we couldn't wake you when you were found, everyone was upset. Mom in particular was irate."
As you wish. Liriel lay down on the floor and did not move as Grina produced a portable scanner to sweep over her body. Tenno, if the Corpus find that lab…
"That is a bona-fide catastrophe waiting to happen." Janna agreed. "I know what the Corpus do better than many. Add better brainwashing?" She shook her head, face sick. "We need to tell the Clergy."
They know. Liriel replied and Janna stared at her as Grina continued to scan. Oracle said that they have been trying to stop the research, but too many in the Corpus deem it profitable.
"Yeah." Janna's tone held pain and anger equally. "What does it matter if everyone dies as long as you have more money than everyone else when it happens? That is the Company way. The Clergy were kinder, but always limited in what they could do openly."
Liriel stared at the distraught Tenno for a moment and then heaved another sigh. She rose and walked to where Janna stood. Then she rubbed up against the girl's ankles as only a cat or Kavat could. Purring.
I don't know what to do, but what I do know is that whatever needs doing, I can't do it alone. Liriel leaned into Janna's leg and the young Tenno bent down to scratch her chin. The rest of the clan is unavailable?
"Doing missions, trying to act as normal as they can. Trying to keep a semblance of normalcy alive in this madness." Janna replied as she continued to scratch gently. "Everyone is out currently but me."
You will not go. Liriel's soft words had Janna staring at her.
"Liriel, who else can we send?" Janna asked.
You are not fully trained. Liriel said quietly. I can tell just from the feel of your energy that you are not fully trained. Warframe or no, if you go out into the field without training, you are not going to come back. Not as you are. Ariana would never forgive me if I got a young Tenno killed. Or worse, not killed. We saw it happen more than once.
"You… saw…?" Janna swallowed hard as the Kavat nodded. She sat down on the floor, crossing her legs. Liriel climbed up into her lap, settling carefully. She petted the Kavat until Liriel relaxed. Then she spoke to Grina. "Grina? How is she?"
"Physically, she seems fine." Grina shook her head as she looked at her readouts. "Energy wise? It is odd. Her energy is stabilizing, but it was out of kilter. Something definitely happened, but whatever it was doesn't appeared to have been Sentient energy. Not that match any Sentient discharges in our records anyway."
Karl's Shadow had a lot of records on Sentients. More than many other clans could boast. For several reasons. Having two of the three known current Cyberlancers call the dojo 'home' was a very good reason and the only public one. There were other reasons.
They didn't know how I got there. Liriel offered. They seemed just as shocked as I was.
"Let me postulate and since it is simply me hypothesizing, it isn't going to be recorded." Janna started, only to pause as Liriel raised a paw and put it to her lips with claws sheathed. "Liriel?"
The cats will have surveillance devices in here. Liriel said flatly. You know they will. Anything you say will wind up in Tenno Intelligence's hands in short order.
"I refuse to be controlled by fear." Janna petted the Kavat again and Liriel relaxed, almost against her will. "You were asleep. You were not planning to wake up."
No. The Kavat said simply.
"You found yourself somewhere else." Janna continued. "Nowhere you knew."
Everything was metal. Liriel put her head on her paws and shivered. Janna continued to pet her. Everything.
"It is all right, Liriel." Janna crooned. "You are cold, but it has nothing to do with temperature. It has to do with energy. Right, Grina?"
"Your energy is stabilizing, Liriel." Grina offered her hand and Liriel gave it an experimental sniff. "It won't take long for you to get back at full capability. Until then? Take it easy."
Easy for you to say. Liriel groused, but her heart wasn't in it. I know there is a problem and I know what it is. I know it can be fixed, but… They don't trust me and they won't.
"It is nothing personal, Liriel." Janna petted the Kavat again. "They don't trust anyone but their own and them only about half the time. Is that how you want to live? Or not?"
No. Liriel admitted. I don't want to die. I want to find Ariana. I don't care if I have to spend the rest of my existence locked in a box with her, I need to be with her.
"I am no Healer, but I can feel how much it hurts you to be separated from her, Liriel." Janna was sad. "No one thought about you after the convocation. That was an oversight. I don't know where she is imprisoned. I do know she is not dead."
That is good, I guess. Liriel allowed.
It beats the alternative. A very different non-verbal voice said as the door opened and two very dissimilar forms stepped in. One was an Oberon warframe. No, an Oberon Prime and not just any Prime! The Attica Prime crossbow, Nikana Prime sword and Hikou Prime throwing stars at his side were the least of his weapons. Any more than the warframe clad form beside him was any Kubrow!
"Carlos! Kori!" Janna might have tried to rise, but her lap was full of Kavat and Carlos waved for her to stay seated.
The Kubrow who had taken the name 'Kori' after Carlos' sister had sacrificed herself to save all of the system from an ancient horror did not speak again. She eyed the Kavat who eyed her right back.
"Please don't fight in here." Grina heaved a weak groan. "Way too much fragile, expensive stuff in here for me to replace."
It wouldn't be much a fight. She has a warframe. I don't. Liriel said after a moment. She slowly and carefully lowed her head until it was not quite bowing to the Kubrow. For her part, Kori was a statue. The Kavat did not move. Have I given offense?
No. Kori's voice. Oh my god, the pain in her voice was heartbreaking. I feel you and your devotion to your partner. I remember Kori. Damn the Phoenix! It had no right to take my friend! Kubrow couldn't cry, but she was heaving in grief.
Carlos laid a hand on the Kubrow's flank, but then Liriel rose from Janna's lap and stepped to where Kori stood. The Kavat had to stand up all the way to reach the tall Kubrow's nose, but she tapped it with her own as everyone else stared.
The Phoenix. Sister of pain, sister of loss. Liriel said softly. If she took up the sword, then what your friend did was needed. Horrific, but needed. Ariana did what she did because she found no other way to act. What she did was wrong. I know that but it doesn't diminish my love for her.
Nor should it. Kori gave herself a shake and knelt down to look Liriel in the eyes. Alien minds have touched yours and the contact hurt you. Intentionally? She asked.
No. Liriel replied, meeting the Kubrow's gaze calmly.
"Hunhow?" Carlos asked.
No. Liriel repeated.
Everyone else shared a glance at the Kavat's utterly calm voice registered. She wasn't hostile, but she wasn't budging either.
"There are not a lot of Sentients in charge of things these days." Carlos said carefully. "Hunhow is one. The other that I know of… left."
She is coming back. Liriel replied. To help.
"To… help." Carlos was fighting hard to keep incredulity out of his tone and he managed. Mostly.
I know how crazy it sounds. Hell, I think I may have gone a bit crazy, asking help from the cats of all people. Liriel snapped and then forced herself to relax. The Tenno as a whole are occupied with the revelations of the past.
Both newcomers stared at her and then at Janna when the young Tenno sighed.
"She slept through that, so the only way for her to know about that is for someone to have told her." Janna hadn't moved.
She is right here. Liriel spat that and Janna inclined her head in apology.
Okay. Kori seemed to bite back whatever she was going to say and said something else.
What does the Lotus want us to do?