Young
Liriel was not tired now.
As always, the meditation had helped and she was rested. Olim had not arrived yet and frankly? She wasn't sure about this. She really didn't want to face Trinity again. She knew she had to. The odd feeling within her deepest self was growing. It would continue to do so, the code that sang within her mind splintering across her entire being until she was either absolved from her oath or it killed her.
That said, she wasn't dead yet, so she wouldn't just sit and mope.
I want to check on Mary. She said to the Ash warframe that hadn't left her side. Quais nodded and rose with her. She had a seizure.
"Poor kid." Quais said very quietly. Liriel looked at him and he shook his head. "I know she doesn't want pity, but it is hard not to. What she went through would have killed many Tenno, Warrior or no."
I know. Liriel replied as she started for the door, Quais matching her speed. She is a good kid.
Memories of other Tenno young crashed in, most bad, and she fought to keep from reacting. She couldn't resist the memories and stopped in mid-step. Quais saw her distress. He reached down to scratch between her ears. He did not offer hollow reassurances or fake condolences. He was simply there. A solid, supportive form. She appreciated that. The memories faded and she relaxed. Then her stomach growled and Quais swallowed a laugh. Liriel fought not to sigh and mostly managed.
No matter what, I still need sustenance. If Trinity does decide I need to die, at least I can do it with a full stomach. The Kavat started off again and Quais followed. I can call Brianna to check on Mary from the cafeteria. I hope to be able to talk to Mary and Abigail again. I like them. She admitted.
"I only know Trinity by reputation." Quais replied and then scoffed. "I mean, she trained Jesse for goodness sake, so she had to be very good."
Very good is putting it very mildly. Liriel smiled in memory. The First Cyberlancer was very dedicated and very skilled. Her smile faded. Also very angry with Ariana. She slumped a bit. Ariana never quibbled about that. She knew why Trinity was angry and agreed with her. She just couldn't stop. Sadness sang in her tone. Humans didn't register to her. Or… Only young humans registered to her. She corrected herself. She never harmed a human child.
"Why not?" Quais asked, curious. "I mean, humans are human, no? What is different about age?"
Honestly? I am not sure about Ariana's motivations. She said she simply felt they were different. Worthy of protection even when they messed up. Liriel admitted. I feel the same way about feline young. Even as angry as I am with the cats, I don't want to harm their kittens. I feel very strongly about that. Part of that might be that some are mine, but the rest? No. I just don't want to harm young. She paused and then gave a feline shrug. Any young.
"Well, that is good, I guess." Quais shrugged when Liriel looked at him. "I am Tenno, Liriel, not human. I don't deal much with humans and certainly not human young."
Get ready then, Tenno. Liriel said with snerk as they approached a golden doorway. Because I bet as soon as I walk into the cafeteria, you will see a bunch of human young. They will likely be loud. Some may be pushy. Please don't harm any of them. They don't mean anything by their actions. They are just young. One definition of the word 'young' is inexperienced.
"My duty at the moment is to keep you safe, sister, but as you wish." Quais wasn't entirely sure about this, but he did step a bit back as Liriel made for the door.
They won't harm me physically. Liriel steeled herself and approached the door. Embarrassment won't kill me, no matter what I may wish. Quais bit back a chuckle at her sour tone.
As she had expected, as soon as the door opened, a cacophony of noise assaulted her tender ears. Said noise faded as she walked in and then a cry went up around the room.
"LIRIEL!"
Liriel ignored the many beings scattered around the room to eye the girl in the hovering chair who sat at the closest table. Mary looked like hell, but she was smiling as she looked at the Kavat. Everyone else was smiling. Said smiles faltered as Liriel eyed Mary. The girl wasn't supposed to be out of bed. Was she?
"Hello, Liriel." Mary said quietly. "I just came in to eat. Will you join me?"
Gladly. I am hungry. Liriel moved to the table, ignoring the looks that everyone gave Quais as he followed her in. Mary looked at the Ash warframe, but then focused on the Kavat.
"Are you all right?" Mary asked as she reached for a cup with an unsteady hand. She glared at her hand and it slowly stopped shaking. She picked up the cup carefully anyway. Liriel nodded approval, but she was worried. Mary was far too pale.
I was going to ask you the same thing. Liriel hopped up into Mary's lap and scanned the girl with her code. Mary gave an eep, but didn't react otherwise. What the Kavat found did not surprise her. Tenno of any age sort of defined stubborn at times. What are you doing out of bed, kitten? Do I need to call Brianna? Mary would not meet her eyes and the Kavat heaved a sigh. Mary…
"I am all right!" Mary snapped but then visibly forced herself to relax. She shook her head. "I am sorry, Liriel." She apologized. "I am just sick of being sick." Far from offended, Liriel leaned up and licked Mary's cheek. The girl's cheeks flamed as she put a hand to where Liriel had licked her. "Hey!"
I haven't felt such in a long time, but I do remember the feelings, Mary. The helplessness. The weakness and embarrassment. Liriel admitted. I was just a kitten myself when Ariana found me. Took me in. I was weak and sick for a very long time. I couldn't feed or clean myself. Both Ariana and Trinity later told me I nearly died several times. But I did heal in time. So will you. She promised. You will chafe. You will complain, but you will heal. Just not this moment, kitten. You need to rest.
The last was firm and Mary bowed her head at the rebuke.
"All I do is rest." Mary complained and then heaved a sigh. "Yes, I know, Liriel. It is hard."
If it were easy, anyone could do it. Liriel's wicked tone startled a smile out of Mary and the Kavat nodded. Better, kitten. Have you eaten anything yet?
"No." Mary admitted. "I just got here. I told Brianna I was going to get lunch. I am pretty sure she thought I would get it delivered." She took a sip of what smelled to the Kavat like fruit juice. A good choice, it would replenish her energy.
If so, she won't be happy. Liriel curled up in Mary's lap, her code sweeping around the girl to check vital signs and warn if anything changed. But I will keep an eye on you and we can eat together. Good enough?
"Good enough." Mary smiled at the Kavat and then nodded to the Ash warframe who nodded back. "Quais, is it?" He nodded. "I um… I heard a few things, but they were garbled. I see some of what I heard is true." She eyed Liriel's swirling lavender code speculatively and the focused on the Kavat again. "Is Abigail all right?"
She is a mess, but she is recovering. Her memory came back. Liriel paused and then nodded. You know? She could probably use a friend right about now and so could you.
"Me?" Mary asked. "I haven't decide my path yet and..." She paused and then slowly shook her head. "I heard about what was done to her and I admit, I am repulsed."
How do you think she feels? Liriel demanded. It is not like she or Kieko asked for such a horror to be done to them.
"They both lost their memories." Mary slumped. "But… You say Abigail is better?"
How she got her memory back is not my story to tell. Liriel warned. But I can say she did. It um… She remembered what was done to her. She was awake during what was done to her. Mary paled enough that the Kavat shook her head. Drink, Mary. Now. Liriel commanded. Don't pass out.
"By the ancestors." Mary did as instructed, sipping slowly and carefully. "I thought I knew what evil was. I..."
I sincerely hope you never do, Mary. Liriel said quietly, aware of a hush all around her. She looked up to see Kat approaching. No, that wasn't Kat. That was the other one, Katherine. The human stopped well out of reach, not that anywhere in the room was out of reach of Quais or his code, but still, she was being polite.
"You are the girl that Anatoly hurt." Katherine said softly. Mary looked at her and Katherine shook her head. "I… I am sorry."
"The Library didn't hurt me." Mary replied, her words careful. "It tried to help."
"Sure he did." Katherine's face was stony but she forced herself to relax. "The same way he tried to help me." She shook her head. "I…" She shook her head. "This is not what I was trained for, but if I can help, please, tell me. I am partially responsible for this."
"What do you mean?" Mary asked, clearly confused. "Correct me if I am wrong, but I heard a bit. You were quite loud when you first arrived." Katherine pinked but then nodded, sheepish. "You died. How and why you were pulled out of the timestream just after you died is something many people are investigating. You didn't have anything to do with what happened to me."
"I am the reason Anatoly became Tenno." Katherine said quietly and everyone stiffened. "He was in love with me. I um… I wasn't with him. Still not." She grimaced. "Especially now."
Why not? Liriel asked before anyone else could.
"I know he worked with the scum who originally controlled this tower. I remember them talking. Him and a male he called Lorinos." Katherine said flatly. At that, everyone stilled. Quais in particular was a grim statue. "I couldn't move or speak, I was trapped in something that was golden. I could hear. I remember them talking about me, like I was meat or something. Then another male voice spoke up, told them that I wasn't his. They didn't take that well and there were loud noises. Then I woke up here, thinking I was Tenno." She shook her head. "I am not, but I thought I was. I owe Brianna for helping me through that and you?" She nodded to Mary. "Anatoly hurt you. He may not have intended it or he may have. Do not trust him." She warned.
"The Library is non-violent." Mary said weakly. "My subconscious made it violent."
"The Anatoly I knew was a killer." Katherine said softly. "A soldier of my time. Highly trained and highly motivated, he was one of the most dangerous beings I have ever met. I stood shoulder to shoulder with Hayden Tenno more than once and Anatoly was in the same league as a sneaky, scary, deadly being." At that, everyone gasped. She sighed and relaxed. "Maybe he changed after I died. Maybe he didn't. I don't know. Don't trust him." She warned again.
"I..." Mary slumped in her chair. "I don't know what to think, but for now? I am sort of stuck here. Have you eaten?" She asked Katherine who stared at her. "Oh, come on!" Mary snickered at the older human woman's expression. "Don't tell me you don't eat when you can and sleep when you can. Isn't that sort of a soldier thing?" A chuckle came from Quais who was slowly nodding, his entire posture amused. Liriel for her part was snickering.
"More infantry than air crew like I was, but… Yeah." Katherine shook her head, clearly fighting a smile of her own. "You are crazy, girl."
"And?" Mary pressed as she hit controls on her chair armrest and a steaming plate of food appeared on the table. No, two. One was filled with Kavat sized bites, the other looked human sized.
"And I think I like you, Tenno Mary." Katherine pulled a chair out from the table and sat as Liriel jumped to the table to sniff the food. It smelled wonderful. "That is not necessarily a good thing. My life has always been filled with danger. I see no reason for that to have changed just because I have bounced into my future. Being my friend was dangerous."
"Anything can be dangerous." Mary sighed in melancholy memory. "I didn't think sitting in a chair in the Library was dangerous, but I nearly died doing it and nearly killed several others too." She grinned, banishing her dark thoughts. "And, well…" She shrugged. "Normal is boring."
"On that, we can agree." Katherine took a bite of her food and smiled as Liriel did the same.
The Kavat all but inhaled her food. She was very hungry. She hadn't realized how hungry until now. She had used up a lot of energy to save Abigail and then to talk to Olim and the others. It might not matter if Trinity decided that she needed to die, but in the end? Liriel was still a Kavat, a fairly simple creature. She liked her food. She did keep a wary eye on Mary who did not miss the Kavat's scrutiny. The girl had a small meal made for her and she ate slowly and carefully, savoring each bite. Liriel was done before either of the others and curled up back in Mary's lap to wait while she finished her meal.
"I will say one thing." Katherine smiled as she finished her own meal. "Hospital food has improved quite a bit since my time. Then again, it kind of had to get better. Getting worse wasn't an option." Moe than one person chuckled at her wry tone.
Taste is usually secondary to being easy to digest in such places. Luckily, not here. I too have been in my share of places with foul food. Liriel replied and Katherine smiled at her.
"I wanted to warn you about Anatoly." Katherine said as she finished up and then stared at her plate as it shimmered and vanished. She smiled. "And no clean up. I think I like it here."
It can have its downsides. Liriel said into a sudden hush as two more warframes entered the cafeteria. One was familiar to her, the other was not. Olim was tense, that was clear from his posture as he strode towards Olim and Liriel. The other, by comparison, was relaxed. Maybe too relaxed? The Harrow warframe was a glossy blue and the wicked looking scythe he held in his hand shimmered with evil looking green energy. Liriel jumped to her feet. Not here!
"Liriel!" Mary started to try and sit up, but the Kavat shook her head.
Stay here, Mary! That was a command. Whatever happens, you will not do it in front of the kittens! Liriel snapped at the Guardian as she jumped to the floor, starting for the door.
Quais matched her pace. Olim and the Harrow warframe shared a glance and then followed. Mary's sputtered protest died as Brianna swept in and stopped short on seeing Mary in the cafeteria. The Orokin's face turned stony. Liriel did not speak again. She left the room, all three warframes pacing her. As the door closed, she heard Brianna asking Mary what she thought she was doing out of bed. Whatever Mary said in response was cut off by the door.
The walk wasn't very long, it just felt like ages. Liriel was hyperaware of everything around her, her code reacting to her distress by heightening all of her senses. She could see the tension in Olim, the confusion in Quais and the readiness in the Guardian. She could hear a muted crackle of energy from the scythe and a soft conversation going on in the background. She fought hard not to listen in, it wasn't her business, whatever was going on.
The room she had woken in was not far and when the door opened, it hadn't changed. Even the Orokin drone that had been warding Abigail in her sleep was exactly where it had been when she had left.
Wait a minute.
That drone had been a hologram! This wasn't! This one had a scent! But it didn't smell Orokin! It wasn't-
"Liriel." Olim's voice pulled Liriel out of her worried musing. She spun to face the three warframes. "You were right. Not in front of the kids. Are you ready?"
As ready as I am going to be. Liriel sat on the bed and then curled up. I know she will be angry.
"Why would I be angry with you, Liriel?" Trinity's soft, worried voice preceded the shade into being beside the Harrow warframe. "You stood by your friend. No more, no less."
Trinity looked as she had when Liriel had known her. Small wonder. Shades did not age. They could take any form they chose, but most Tenno shades wore the warframes they had perished in.
I defied you. Liriel said weakly. You told me to stay and I couldn't.
"I asked you to stay." Trinity corrected the distressed Kavat gently. "I was upset, yes, but I never blamed you. I loved her too. Part of me wanted to keep trying, trying to get through to her, to erase the need to kill humans that ground her down from the inside out, but it simply couldn't be done."
If you and Nyx couldn't do it, it couldn't be done, no. Liriel said sadly. She never blamed you for being angry. None of you.
"I know, dear heart." Trinity stepped to the bed and slowly laid a holographic hand on Liriel's head. There was no physical contact, but Liriel felt comforted nonetheless. Trinity choked back a sob. "Oh, Liriel."
I didn't have a choice, Trinity! Liriel begged. If I hadn't...She broke off as Trinity made a clucking noise.
"I know. Olim explained. If you hadn't, Abigail would have gone mad. Idiots." Trinity snapped, but her anger was not directed at the Kavat. Far from frightened, Liriel felt relief. "Oh, Liriel." Her hand cupped the Kavat's skull and something held Liriel in place as power beyond belief arced through her mind and soul. Gentle, soothing power that washed away her pain. "If ever there was reason to break a Cyberlancer vow, that was it. Well done."
They did something to me, or I did something to myself. Liriel said weakly as lethargy pulled at her. Waves of darkness were sweeping through her now. Soothing, golden waves. They… Matril said kittens and I…
"Rest now, Liriel." Trinity's voice was coming from far away. "I will be here when you wake and we can talk. Whatever is going on, we will figure it out. Together."
Liriel took those calm, reassuring words into slumber with her.
The room
Trinity stepped back form the slumbering Kavat, her golden code still sweeping Liriel's form. She looked ta Olim and Quais. Then she glared at the Guardian.
"I am staying." That was not a suggestion.
Both Cyberlancers raised warding hands when the Guardian looked at them. They knew better than to cross her. The Guardian sighed and nodded.
"Not exactly according to the rules, but hey, I am adaptable." Harrow warframes did not slump well, but he managed.
"Better be, training Hawk, Martin." Trinity was scrutinizing the drone and then she snarled as it shimmered in her sight, becoming a Djinn sentinel. "Ok, who the hell sent you?"
Her code reached out for it, but before it could grab hold, the sentinel fell to the floor, inert. Then it vanished in a shower of sparks. Disintegrated beyond any hope of reconstitution. Trinity stared at the place it had been and then shook her head.
"Just when I think things might be starting to make sense..."