When the claws come out
"Liriel..."
Trinity actually groaned.
"Don't be needlessly dramatic." The Cyberlancer chided the irate Kavat. "No one need die. No one."
"Right." Liriel snapped back at the Tenno. "Sure. As humans say 'pull the other one!'. You cannot lie to me here and now, Trinity. I wondered. I really did. Nikis doesn't know you are loose, does he?"
The cats stared back and forth. They were not stupid. Anyone would be scared at this sudden escalation. Liriel was not backing down. Not at all, despite Trinity's powerful presence..
"I have permission to be here, Liriel." Trinity was not quite as resigned as she sounded. She was tense. Stood to reason. Liriel wasn't as powerful or experienced as Trinity, but she was sneaky as hell and now? Beyond furious.
"From who I wonder? Mr Mistoffelees?" At the word 'Mistoffelees', all five of the cats vanished from the virtual world and Trinity jerked, but Liriel solidified her control of the virtual environment and the shade was going nowhere for the moment.
"Mr. Mistoffelees ..." Trinity mused, her golden code sweeping out, seeking entrance into Liriel's construction. It bounced off the lavender code that made up the walls, but it would find a way in, eventually. Liriel knew her limits and Trinity surpassed them in almost every way. "He was the magical cat from the musical, no?" She inquired mildly as Liriel curled up, focusing on gripping her code as tightly as she could. It would give her a little more time. "The one who was always playing tricks?"
"Not malicious ones." Liriel replied, her tone frosty. "Tenno kind of tricks were the forte of Mongojerry and Rumpleteazer. Hurting people was always their thing. Just like you, you bitch!" She paused and then shook her head. "No, calling you a female dog is a compliment. You female human!" That was biting and Trinity actually recoiled a step. Liriel pressed her slim advantage even as Trinity's code swarmed in through barely visible cracks in her own. "I guess I am still just a stupid kit. I thought Tenno had a Code to follow. Silly that."
"Liriel, what has happened…" Trinity shook her head. "They didn't know. No one asked me, Liriel and no one from this time had any information about you." She slumped a bit. "Liriel, we don't want to hurt anyone, let alone kill them. Stand down, let me explain."
"Liar." Liriel snapped. "What you will do is knock me out, take my loved ones hostage and then lock me in a cage for the rest of my life to do your bidding or make kittens for you! Maybe that plastic one?" Trinity looked at the floor, but Liriel wasn't fooled. "You were there, weren't you?"
"Every clone they made was feral coming out of the tanks." Trinity said with a sigh. "Even humans will realize eventually that something is wrong when it doesn't work any of the times they try using different methods. They didn't have any idea until one hit them with barely formed code."
"I hope he or she got a few of them before they killed him or her." Liriel snarled.
"Liriel, this isn't a joke!" Trinity snapped only to recoil as Liriel jumped to her feet, fur spiking and rage singing from every hair.
"DO I LOOK LIKE I AM JOKING, YOU LYING HUMAN?" The Kavat's anger rebounded from every wall, the floor and ceiling as Trinity fought to gain control of the virtual environment. The Kavat forced herself to calm a bit, cycling her encryption yet again. She was losing ground and knew it. Both Cyberlancers knew it was only a matter of time, but Liriel wanted to give her cats as much time as she could to get away before she hit the second phase of her and Alejandro's plan. Things would likely get loud after that. "You had no right."
"Liriel, we need more Cyberlancers." Trinity said softly. "Abigail didn't want to do it. Indeed, she doesn't want to do it. I can't really blame her for that."
"So, you copy me." Liriel said flatly. "After all, who will miss me? Just a bunch of cats, right? And whatever Kavat kittens you play God with, you will want to make sure will have no choice but to obey you. Brainwashing won't work. So… Addict them to something? Maybe something powerful enough to destroy their immune systems? Leave them utterly dependent on someone, say the Tenno, for medical care?" Trinity jerked, but Liriel wasn't done. "Ethics might get in the way, so just ignore those. Of course, you might want to be careful with whatever addictive substance you use. It might cause a reaction and that might be unpredictable."
She wasn't speaking hypothetically. She was reciting facts! She knew what Trinity had done! Trinity paled as Liriel sank back to the floor to curl up, but did not look away from the shade. The golden code continued to burrow deep into Liriel's lavender code, but neither Cyberlancer seemed to notice. Neither looked away from the other.
"Liriel… What have you done?" Trinity asked in a very small voice.
"What do you care, Tenno?" The Kavat gave her forepaw a lick, dismissive. "I am sure you will confine me somewhere a bit nicer now that I am awake. But I better be sedated when you impregnate me again or I will kill whoever tries, no matter the species. How much of that was real, I wonder?" She asked no one in particular. "After I was captured by the Corpus? Tenno mind tricks can be very hard to tell from reality."
"Liriel." Trinity tried again. "It was real. You were captured by a Corpus Executive who didn't want to hurt you!" She pleaded. "He did call in the Clergy when you were hurt so badly by his minion. They tried to find out where you had come from and you overreacted."
"'Overreacted'?" Liriel queried. "Really? Is that the best you can do? I 'overreacted' to people who were trying to steal information from my mind about people I was trying to protect?" Her tone was about as warm as an ice cube. "Since I screwed their plans to find, take and use my kittens, I think I did fairly well despite the pain." Trinity's code was into Liriel's inner firewalls. The Kavat was out of time. Phase two it was.
"I don't know what the Executive would have done." Trinity admitted. "But the Clergy were not there to take anyone! They were trying to help you!"
"Sure they were." Liriel replied, offhand. "And I should just trust you since you were there in the lab when they made that poor Oracle kitten!" At that, Trinity recoiled all the way to the wall and Liriel rose to her feet, her fur spiky again. "I didn't think it through. What could stop Oracle Janet in her tracks?" Her tone was mild, but her eyes were flashing and her code was all roiling with her rage. "What could possibly make her stop her quest to save the Solar System? Make her fail?"
"Liriel..." Trinity said weakly, her code wavering with her focus. Liriel wasn't fooled. The shade could brute force right through Liriel's firewalls, she just didn't want to. Yet.
"I am betting she is listening right this moment. What could stop you, Oracle Janet?" Liriel asked and everything stopped as a clap of air displacing sounded and Oracle Janet appeared in the middle of the lavender room, a small, pitiful furless form cradled in her arms. The Oracle wore white, but no veil over her scarred face and she was about as calm as Liriel was, maybe a little less. Furious Oracle or furious Kavat Cyberlancer? Either one was bad, if in different ways. The tiny kitten in Janet's hands mewled in fear but subsided as Janet stroked his head.
"An innocent life." Janet said quietly. The look she gave Liriel was gentle, but the look the Oracle turned on Trinity was anything but. "You stupid Tenno. Of all the… No, no matter what, I refuse to let this happen. Alejandro, we are here. You mom is here. I will help her as you asked. Stop Trinity form pushing her too far. Please?" She begged. "It is not your fault! You don't need to go! We can find another way. Somehow." She slumped as the kitten shook his tiny head.
We tried so hard, Oracle Janet. If I stay… The silent voice from the kitten was as tiny as he was, weak and sick. Liriel felt her eyes burn as she stepped up to where Janet stood. The Oracle knelt, laying her pitiful burden on the ground. The men in blue with the machines will take the bad place and it will all fade. You will try and you will fail. All of your allies will fall and you will as well. Mother and Father will fight for you, but fall. I cannot stop them from using me. Oracle… They have me in stasis, but my mind is free. I know what I have to do. I see the energy paths and I can still them, stop them. Mother… He begged. I am sorry. It is the only way to stop me.
"I am here, Alejandro." Liriel was crying as she knelt down beside the kitten, nuzzling him gently. "I am here. I prayed she could help you. That is why I sent you to her. She can't?" Janet shook her head, face sad. "I… Don't. Don't go! I love you! We can find a way? Please?"
It is not her fault. What will be, will be. We Oracles explored every possible path together, thousands of them. You and yours have a chance if I am not here, Mother. Don't let the Tenno do this to any more kittens. Alejandro said softly, his mind voice fading and then going still. Liriel laid her head on her son's as it heaved once and then was still. She cried. Then, a last rattling breath and one last tiny thought. I love you, Mother.
"Liriel, we can still save him-!" Trinity started, only to freeze as Liriel was on her feet, hissing at the shade, her entire posture one of barely controlled rage. For her part, Janet just shook her head.
"I would quit while I was ahead, Trinity." Janet said flatly. "You may very well be a better Cyberlancer than Liriel is, but you of all people know what happens when a mother's rage is kindled. Let alone Liriel's. The Corpus learned that lesson with Serene. You are about to learn it with Liriel. Kavat or no, she is a mother and so much more. You killed her kitten." Trinity shook her head but Janet would not be denied. "You didn't pull a trigger or swing a sword, but you killed him as surely as if you had with that damn drug. Go away, Trinity." That was a command. "Get lost while I try to salvage some of this mess you Tenno have created with those benighted idiots in the Clergy! Go!" She snapped as she sank to her knees beside the still kitten, her face sad as Liriel glared at the Tenno.
"Janet, we need to-" Trinity tried again, but Janet was having none of it as Liriel lay down beside her still son, keening softly.
"You need to leave so that I might be able to calm her a little before she wakes up surrounded by you and your sycophantic morons. That will get very messy." Janet said flatly. "I know a bunch of people will be waiting when she wakes. You think to control something that cannot be controlled. It can only be bound by bonds of friendship and love. Not enslaved! You idiots. You have forgotten." She shook her head as Trinity made a noise of consternation. "Ask the Reverend Mother. Or better yet, ask Nikis. He just woke and is rather annoyed with you lot."
"Can say that again." Liriel didn't even flinch as Nikis appeared beside Janet, The Nekros' posture just as furious as hers. His tone was ice cold, controlled so tight to hold the rage within. "You know better, Trinity. I don't know who else you have enlisted in this mad scheme, but you know better. What are you trying to do, unleash Armageddon?" He snarled the last.
He wasn't afraid. Angry and wary, but not afraid. Then again, little scared the Grandmaster of the Dead. He knew the truth about Liriel. From her strained face, Janet knew. Trinity obviously didn't. For her part, Liriel just sat beside her fallen son, all but convulsing with grief.
"Nikis, you can bring him back!" Trinity begged.
"Yeah, but I have working brain, Trinity! I know better than to do some things!" Nikis snapped. "Of all the- Stupid- Did you get Eliza into this tomfoolery? Did she actually agree to this? She has to know better! Sun too!"
"Alejandro showed me some. Eliza doesn't know all of it. Neither does Sun. Jesse doesn't know any of it. Didn't. I think she will by now and I bet she is more than a bit angry herself." Liriel said weakly. Janet knelt down beside her, extending a careful hand to the Kavat who nodded a little. "You may, Oracle." She cried. "You tried to help him. I hoped and prayed you could save him. But he saw a vision of you saying he had to die."
"Seven thousand, three hundred and sixty four visions, Liriel." Janet was all but crying as she stroked the grieving Kavat carefully. "We looked into every possible permutation. I didn't know him when he came to me, begged my aid. So the visions were clear at first. Until I did know him and loved him. I knew him a day and I loved him. Together, our visions were clear. He was my match in power, if not in experience. We searched every possible future where he survived. Any where he survived, the Corpus used him to take the lab. You know what befell after." Her tear streaked glare should have rendered Trinity down to ash. "Since someone decided to play goddess."
"Don't!" Nikis snapped when Trinity started to speak. "Go back to the database, Trinity and while you are there? Ask Hayden about what happens when you piss off a Tenno's sworn companion beyond any hope of reconciliation." At that, Trinity stilled and Nikis snarled. "Yeah, that is what you did. Go. Now!" That was a command and Trinity vanished. Nikis stared at where she had been and then slumped, looking at Liriel. "I… I am sorry, Liriel."
Such a thing as an apology, from such a being, was rare enough to be almost unthinkable, but Liriel took it in stride.
"You are a Grandmaster Tenno, not a god. You have limits to your power just as I do." Liriel was so sad as she nuzzled Alejandro's corpse again. "They have all forgotten, haven't they?"
"Yeah. They have forgotten. I know all of them were not in on this but holy shit, this is gonna be a mess." Nikis sank to one knew and extended a hand to Liriel who did not react. He started petting her too, his armored hand alternating with Janet's.
"I know what I have to do." Liriel said sadly. "Grandmaster, Oracle, you must distance yourselves from me. What will happen, will happen." Janet swallowed hard and nodded. "I promise you, I will shed no Tenno blood or energy if I am given any choice in the matter. Ariana never fought Tenno and I refuse to sully her memory with such. I saw Tenno fight Tenno once, never again. I will not split the Tenno. Mine will vanish, go our own way."
"That won't work, Liriel. You will have to defend yourselves." Janet said sadly. "They will come after you. Karl's Shadow will be just as horrified by this as we are. They know the cats. They know what the cats can do and they are rightly wary. But other Tenno? With more Corps on the way? You will be a force to the reckoned with in the Solar System, Liriel. For good or ill, I cannot say. They will try to control you or hinder you."
"I know. Oracles see potential future, not what will actually be." Liriel replied. "I… I have to recover Alejandro's body or they will do the same to another kit using his DNA. Make another Kitten Oracle no matter how many they have to kill trying."
"Let me." Nikis said with a growl. Liriel looked at him and he shook his head. "Did they say it? Her true title?" Janet nodded and Nikis bowed his armored head and clasped the hand that had been petting her over his chest. When he spoke again, it was oddly archaic. Not old Orokin, a different ancient formal language. One Liriel knew. Ariana's first language. "Reina de los gatos. Permítanme corregir esto." [Queen of cats. Allow me to right this wrong.]
"Si." [Yes.] Liriel replied, her resolve slowly hardening. "I cannot be two places at once. But only that." A command. Odd that both Janet and Nikis nodded to the command. "You both must withdraw. You must not support me in any other way. You must not be with me when I wake. This must not be Tenno, not Oracle, not Orokin or anyone else with us. Not anyone else. Just me and mine against those who would harm us."
"The Reverend Mother did mean well, Liriel." Janet said quietly. "She didn't understand at first. She didn't know what Trinity and the other planned. While the Solar System could use more Cyberlancers, this… This madness horrifies her and all of them as much as it does me. They know what you can do, Liriel and they are afraid. What the Clergyman said was proper and honest." She shook her head. "Or, as honest as they can get. They do wish to pay the debt. Use them if you can but do not trust them."
"Can I trust you?" Liriel asked softly. Instead of answering, Janet laid her hand on the Kavat's skull and power flowed into Liriel, revitalizing, soothing, calming. But underneath, a rage as deep as space itself roiled and foamed like the sea. Janet was furious.
"You can trust that I will look to the benefit of the solar system." Janet said as she retracted her hand. "First, last and only. Keeping you from going completely off the deep end is a good thing. I could hope to make your son's sacrifice mean something, but we both know that innocents die in this fallen world every day, often with no meaning at all. I am truly afraid of what you will do, what your vengeance calls for. I fear that no one but the Clergy and the two of us here truly understand what was done to you, what you are now."
"The big green being who helped you when you were distraught and I woke from my coma; She understands and so do her people." Liriel said softly. "The Tenno and everyone else have forgotten. I think it is time to remind them that companions are not slaves." That was cold and hard. Nikis and Janet both nodded.
"I would ask that you try not to kill anyone." Janet said softly. "With the Lotus occupied, the Tenno are rudderless, dangerous to be sure, but directionless. They will lash out at any threat. We need them and I know you can kill them. Please don't if you can help it."
"I will try." Liriel promised. "Beyond that? I cannot say. I saw a vision in Alejandro's mind... And if they do kill Matril..." She snarled harshly enough that both the Oracle and the Tenno Grandmaster backed up a step. "You know what I will do." The fires of hell might have gone out from fear at her words.
"Maybe scaring the shit out of them all will help a little." Nikis shrugged as he rose. "Maybe. Ain't gonna hold my breath." He shook his head. "If it comes to it, I will defend my kin."
"I hope we do not come to conflict, Grandmaster." Liriel said quietly. "But if so, I will not hold back. You might be better served to strike me down now."
"Maybe." Nikis allowed. Janet looked horrified, but then Nikis chuckled. "Nah. Not dumb enough to fight a Cyberlancer on her own turf. Would hurt. And then there is that pesky Code that Trinity ignored." He shook his head. "I better go see how mad Hayden is. And..." He bowed to Liriel. "I swear to you: I will recover your son's remains and see them buried proper somewhere hidden. What was his name? Alejandro?"
"I accept your oath, Grandmaster. Yes, his name was Alejandro. I almost added De La Vega. Ariana always did like 'The Curse of Capistrano'. The book, not the movies." Liriel said with a smile as Nikis vanished. She looked at Janet who looked nearly in tears. "I am no Oracle to tell the future, Oracle Janet, but I hope we do not find ourselves on opposite sides. I do count you a friend."
"Me to." Janet knelt down again and petted Liriel one final time. "Can I warn Brianna?"
"Yes. Tell her I will start nothing." Liriel pushed her head into the Oracle's hand. "I will exit her facility as quickly and quietly as I can."
"Quick? Maybe." Janet rose and then bowed to Liriel. "Quiet isn't going to happen."
"Have they called in other Cyberlancers?" Liriel asked as she focused her mind.
"Funny how busy all of those got when the call went out that you needed to be restrained." Janet said with an evil grin. "You would think they might be a little peeved with this entire screwed up situation." She shook her head. "They may send Jesse. I bet she is more than a bit upset herself. If she does come? She will want to try and resolve this peacefully. I don't know if it can be." She slumped a little. "And, if she does show up? She won't be alone."
"Jesse was your daughter, no?" The Kavat inquired. Janet nodded, her face remote. "If so, then you have the word of the Queen of Cats that she will not be harmed if I have any choice in the matter at all. One, she is a Cyberlancer and we need every one of us. Two? I like her." Liriel rose and her fur changed to lavender scales and then more, harder. Armor! She was suddenly clad in bio armor that looked very similar to a warframe, but not quite.
"All others who get in my way will find out how sharp my claws are now." The Kavat snapped and Janet nodded, her own face severe.
The world fell away to the snarl of a hunting Kavat.