The final test

Serene was staggering a bit as she walked. She was... weak. Her body wasn't as she remembered. It felt...wrong. Parts were hot and parts were cold and other parts just felt wrong in ways she could not define. She leaned against the door for a moment and then forced herself upright. She opened the door and walked in. Well, staggered in.

The room was dark. A single light illuminated a small circle on the floor. Serene stared at it. It had... concentric circles of energy floating above it. She knew what it was. But... What was a Tenno kneeling pad doing in the middle of a secret Corpus stronghold?

"I..." Serene snarled at her weakness and strode to the pad. There she paused. "Must I choose now?"

"No." This time, the voice was not mental. It was female, old, powerful. "But you are about to collapse." Serene snorted and sank to her knees. Seiza felt good after so long on her feet.

"There is more going on here than I thought." Serene said after a moment of rest.

"Yes." The voice replied. "And you have been involved for a long, long time. Far longer than you know." Serene went still and the voice chuckled. "I have missed you, Serene."

"My memory is a mess." Serene said after a moment. "But I would think I would remember you."

"You never met me." The other replied. "You... found parts of me. You did as asked, with no questions asked. I asked you to go into dark places. To find dark things and you did."The voice snorted. "I wouldn't have been able to keep my curiosity in check like you did. You are better than I was. Far better."

"I don't know about that." Serene said with a shrug. "I am stubborn. That is all." She was not expecting the other to make a rude noise. "What?"

"Serene..." The other said between chuckles. "All Tenno are stubborn. It is part of who and what you are. But you?" She made noise of amusement. "Comparing most Tenno being stubborn to you being stubborn would be like comparing a candle flame to a bonfire. They both give off light, but the difference in magnitude..." Serene jerked and the voice made a sad noise. "The only person who could possibly outstubborn you is Nikis. But he cheats." The other sounded sour now.

"I..." Serene swallowed. "You know Nikis?"

"I do." The other was very sad now. "And I will explain. But for now...Serene, you have gone through hell. More than once. And I am asking, begging, you to do it again for people you don't like. For people you hate."

"The Corpus." Serene felt anger rise, but... it faded. Something seemed to wrap around her, gentle, kind. "What are you...?"

"Oh, Serene..." The other said gently. "I am not doing anything." Serene went still. "I had hoped, but... part of me had feared your anger was too strong. For many, many of the supplicants, they could not get past their rage. Without help... they failed. Or died."

"Then...what?" Serene felt the... whatever it was soothe her and she relaxed.

"What do you feel?" The other voice was also soothing, calming.

"It..." Serene swallowed. "I cannot define it. It feels... gentle, but strong. Compassionate, but implacable. Calm, but the feeling is... I... I don't know. It's like... someone is holding me, but... Helping. But no one is here."

"I know." The other was so gentle. "No one is."

"You are." Serene countered.

"And all I can do is talk, Serene." The other said quietly. "I have no power except my words. I gave up everything I was, everything I might have been. One moment of anger destroyed everything, Serene. The dark rage that you felt inside for so long. It isn't gone. But it is muted, no?"

"It...changed..." Serene said softly, still trying to fathom this oddness that seemed to cling to her. She felt no hostility, only deep compassion. "When I destroyed the Orokin reactor... It changed..."

"Yes, that would change it." The other said with a sigh. "But Serene, it isn't gone."

"I know." Serene bowed her head. "I have to fight it, every day."

"No you don't, dear." The other said calmly. Serene jerked. "Fighting it gives it more strength, Serene. The angrier you get, the stronger you get. The anger is part of you."

"Then..." Serene felt her eyes start to burn, but she had no idea why. "What do I do? What can I do? I can't fight myself!"

"You have been fighting yourself since you found the first piece, Serene." The other said sadly. "On your very first mission during the war." Serene jerked and the other sighed. "Yes, I know. I asked you to find others."

"No one knows about that!" Serene snapped. "Not even Sun! He never went that far!"

"I don't need to interrogate you, Serene." The other replied. "I felt it the moment you picked it up." Serene went still and the voice chuckled. "Haven't you guessed?"

Another light appeared in front of her and the... female Tenno wearing a warframe nodded to Serene. A Banshee Prime. No... Not a Banshee. The Banshee. The First. She was... transparent. Her shade was dingy gold, and... it seemed parts of it were missing.

"Banshee..." Serene said and then she slumped. "How?"

"I lost my temper. Made a big mess." The Tenno shade said softly. "I fled. I knew Nikis would hunt me when I crossed the threshold, but I couldn't stay in the database. Not after what happened." She shook her head. "I ran, from network to network, throwing bits of myself away to throw off pursuit. Until finally I ended up somewhere I had no idea how to get out of. Here."

"Here?" Serene asked, stunned. "The Corpus?"

"This wasn't the Corpus then, Serene." Banshee said sadly. "It was a small monastery and cloister." She snorted. "They were rather surprised to find me in their power systems. But we reached an accommodation. I managed the systems, they didn't have to bother. I... learned a lot from them. A lot." She bowed her head. "Once I explained the situation, they were actually kind. To me. A fugitive Tenno. I learned... a lot..."

"What happened?" Serene begged.

"The Collapse happened a few hundred years after I arrived." Banshee said sadly. "It was ... a mess. People scrambling every which way for shelter. A group of ragged survivors found the monastery and the monks and nuns could not turn them away, but... There were only ten nuns and twenty monks. There were over two hundred in that band and they were desperate." Serene inhaled in horror and Banshee nodded. "The only good thing was that the actual fighting was brief. The monks tried to seal the doors, but the survivors blew them open and came in shooting. Only one of my friends survived the rampage through the grounds. She came here." Banshee nodded to the side and a wall was shown. It was covered with inscriptions. "She is buried here. Her name was Evelyn. But she became the first Reverend Mother."

"That seems to be a heck of a change..." Serene was reeling.

"Not really." Banshee said with a sigh. "You see, Evelyn was a kind, gentle soul. I was not although I was trying to be. I wanted revenge, but she..." Banshee chuckled. "She was the only human I have ever met who might have chance against Nikis for sheer not-gonna-moved-ness. She wore me down and led me to a better way. Took her a while, mind you. But the survivors were almost as horrified by what they had done as you or I would have been. They were going to go back out into the madness. If they had? They would have all died. And they had kids with them. She went out to talk to them after she had recovered from her injuries." Banshee chuckled darkly. "They thought she was a ghost at first. I... may have encouraged that a bit."

Serene just looked at her and Banshee shrugged.

"Not my fault they heard voices from the walls saying that if they hurt her they would pay. Or ghastly moans. Or sudden shrieks. I didn't actually hurt anyone!" Banshee said quickly as Serene tried to stifle a laugh. "I didn't."

"And how many of them did you make soil themselves?" Serene asked. Banshee tried to project innocence, but Serene wasn't fooled. "I thought so."

"They killed my friends, Serene." Banshee said quietly and the moment of levity passed. "As soon as Evelyn saw the kids, she was bound and determined to go help. I wasn't sure, but she organized the woman and children so well that they all managed to survive here. And then when the worst had passed, they expanded."

"Into the Corpus." Serene said softly.

"It wasn't what you would recognize at first." Banshee said with sigh. "Evelyn was in her nineties when the first..." She made a gulping noise. "When we saw the first people who had been... indoctrinated. The methods were crude, brutal." Serene nodded and Banshee continued. "We were both horrified. And...fact of the matter? Most of the women we had trained were just as horrified or more so. Some of them were talking revolution and we had to put a stop to it. Too many lives depended on us. So... Evelyn and I founded the Clergy."

"You... and this human... founded the Clergy..." Serene said, stunned.

"Is it so hard to believe, Serene?" Banshee asked quietly. "Evelyn and I shared a number of things. I learned faith from her. I had lost my faith as a child, before I became Tenno. She... was gentle and kind about showing me the way." Now her voice was super soft again. "Serene, the last Reverend Mother made some spectacular gaffs. She was the first to admit it. She screwed up. More than once. What she did do to Mishka though...saved the girl's life." Banshee shook her head. "Can you really blame her for that?"

"I..." Serene swallowed hard. "She is a good kid."

"I know." Banshee said softly. "I saw her both through cameras and through the Reverend Mother's memories." She sighed deeply. "Serene, let go of the anger. It isn't the Reverend Mother you are angry at."

"No." Serene said as tears started to fall. "I... I wasn't there for her."

"Neither was I." Banshee said softly. "I was distracted. I am... part of the networked systems., so I work to help the Reverend Mother collate information. I was...working to figure out the ramifications of Vina's strike when I got word... And my first reaction was amazement that even Bek could be so stupid. I did what I could. We all did. But there was just so much going on what with the review and all."

"Did the review get here?" Serene asked.

"No." Banshee shrugged. "It hadn't been opened since the last review. No need, you know?" She sighed. "Serene..."

"Anger is all I am." Serene said sadly. "Darkness and anger... it is all I have been for so long...I... I don't know what else to do..."

"Serene..." Banshee said softly. "Trust me. Let go." She held out an insubstantial hand to Serene. "Let it go, Sister. Let it go."

"I can't..." Serene was crying. "I can't..."

"Yes you can." Was Banshee getting closer? "Take my hand. We need you. Now more than ever. René's brothers are loose in the system. We need your strength. We need your dedication. We need you, Serene. We need you."

"Sara... Rocky..." Serene swallowed hard. "I..."

"I know that what I am asking is horrible beyond belief." Banshee said sadly. "But... Serene. There is no one else I know of who could possibly do it. The Clergy lost faith in its Reverend Mother when she was shown to be so...fallible. When that happens, a new one is selected. We need you, Serene. Now more than ever. Bek's vendetta threatens us all. If the Clergy falls, the Corpus will fall apart. It will only be a matter of time. And if that happens... the Grineer will be unchecked except for the Tenno. Who will fight. And fail to save humanity. Again."

"I..." Serene shook her head savagely. "I... Sara and Rocky are my kids... I love them."

"I know." Banshee sounded in tears. "But there are millions of children out there, Corpus and not, who need help. Help you can give. We cannot stop all of the evil. We cannot stop most of it. But we can stop some of it. But we need a Reverend Mother to do that."

"I... I don't know..." Serene said weakly. "Tenno serve, we do not rule."

"The Reverend Mother is not a ruler, Serene." Banshee said gently. "She never was. She is the servant of the Clergy, it's mouthpiece. Not it's leader. It is actually closer to a democracy than any other form of government. Although not quite. Everyone does have a vote, but most don't bother to unless the need is great. The vote to try to bring you in was almost unanimous, Serene. No dissenting, just some abstentions. A first in my experience."

"I ...I don't..".Serene swallowed hard. "I don't know... What do you think I should do?"

"Don't ask me, Serene." Banshee said, bowing her head. "Ask him." She fell silent as Serene stared at her.

She had never been a religious person. She hadn't really thought about it. She had been busy and had seen far too much silliness and horror done in the of religion. She had no idea what to do or how.

Um...Help? Please...? Serene managed to get the thought out and the sense around her changed. It still felt comforting, but now...it was sad. The sadness of a parent who saw her children misbehaving and was powerless to stop it. The sadness of someone who saw evil and could not stop it. But the compassion was also there. It surrounded her, comforting. Gentle. But also... directing. Directing her to where she could do the most good. She... Her tears... stopped.

"I do not know the words..." Serene said quietly.

"You will learn. That and so much more. If you so choose." Banshee's tone was quiet and calm. "But is your choice. Hot his. Not mine. Yours."

"Banshee?" Serene said quietly. "If I choose... Will I remember you?"

"No." Banshee said quietly. "When I take the bits of me you collected out, you will not remember. Which is for the best. I make sure all Reverend Mothers do not remember me. If Nikis finds out I am here, he will blast his way in and kill a lot of people. I would give myself up for these people, but I cannot leave this place. I still... lack so much of myself."

"I am sorry." Serene felt... odd. It was.. she was... calmer than she ever remembered being. "If I can help, send word in a safe way. Because my answer must be 'Yes'. I will miss my children, but they will not lack for love or protection. Others... do."

"Oh, Serene.." Banshee said with a mix of happiness and sadness. "Take my hands."

"Fare thee well, Sister Banshee." Serene said as she held her hands out and Banshee's insubstantial ones passed into hers. It...didn't hurt. It felt...

"Fare thee well." Banshee's voice was coming from far away. "Reverend Mother."

The Convent

She stepped out of the portal into the Convent. All eyes turned to her and she nodded slowly. But she did not speak. Instead, she opened her mind. It felt... natural.

I was not of you. Her mind rang across every Clergy mind, every single one. They all paused in what they were doing for just a moment. Those who were working went back to work, but all with a new sense of direction and purpose. Now I am. I am the Reverend Mother and I serve the Clergy. We have... trouble coming. But I will be here for you as you are here for me. I pledge my life to the Clergy.

More than one of the assembled sisters was crying softly as the newest Reverend Mother focused on the assembled group.

"How is René?" The newest Clergywoman asked quietly. "I assume that was what you couldn't tell me, Sister Harriet."

"She just disappeared." Harriet frowned. "Then we found her here and..." She shrugged."We took her to the medics."

"I am glad she is okay." The Reverend Mother said with sigh. "We have a lot of work to do. But first... Harriet." She stepped forward and gave the clergywoman a hug. Harriet stood there, stunned "Thank you." Then she stepped back and glowered. "And if any of you ever volunteer for such a stupid thing again... I will have you... punished somehow."

"Reverend Mother..." Keiko protested.

"Don't try, Keiko." The Reverend Mother said with a glower. "I know you all volunteered knowing there was a good chance I would kill whoever I saw when I first woke up." She shook her head as all the women looked chagrinned. All of them had hoped she wouldn't realize that. The feel from Harriet was both sad and resigned. The Reverend Mother shook her head. Her voice turned kind. "Harriet... I am sorry, but we still need you. I cannot give up on you any more than my predecessor could. You were hurt because of me. I owe you and I will see you healed of your injuries."

"You owe me nothing, Reverend Mother..." For the first time, Harriet looked perplexed. "It was not you who hurt me."

"In a way it was, Harriet." The Reverend Mother said gently. "And I may have some thoughts on that. But later. Right now... we have a Board to beard."

"Ah..." The women all looked at each other and the Reverend Mother grinned.

"Oh come on, lighten up." The Reverend Mother said with a grin. "I was just... lightened quite a bit myself. I feel... good. Better than I have for a long, long time. I have a great deal to learn and not a lot of time. So.. Harriet? What first?"

"We should... probably tell the Board." Harriet said with a wince. "They were lining up to dismantle us."

"Hence the rush." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "All right. Let's go. I assume Bek is being stupid?"

"Is he ever not?"