Bloodthirst
"Well..." The Banshee warframe did not move, but her scrutiny seemed to bore into each of the boys in turn. Each flinched under her regard. "Here we are."
"Mother..." Pieter managed to find his voice. "This... is unexpected."
"We Tenno do try to keep tabs on things." The Tenno replied calmly. Her oddly shaped bow was not up, but it was not lowered either and an arrow was nocked. She shook her head slightly. "Tell me, have you managed to talk to the Sentients? Did they deign to respond?"
"What do you care?" Georges snapped. "You were..." He froze as the golden bow came up, the arrow now at full draw aimed at his throat.
"Keep talking." The female Tenno said in a conversational tone. "Please."
"Georges." Pieter said firmly. "Sit down. Now. Keep your hands in plain sight."
"There is only one!" Georges snapped. "We can take it!"
"If you think she is alone, then you are even dumber than I thought." Pieter said with a snarl that matched the feral brother's. "As impossible as that seems. Sit!" He barked as he sat. Jacques and Henry sat without prompting. Georges snarled, but he did sit. "You have us... at a disadvantage." He nodded to the Banshee. "Tenno. I was not aware your kind spoke." He did not move, but he did send out careful tendrils of thought.
"We rarely have cause." The Banshee relaxed the pull on the arrow, but did not lower her bow. "And if you do manage to gain access to the outer layers of my mind, I will kill you." Pieter paled and retracted his mind. "Smart."
"Why are you here?" Jacques asked softly. "We thought you died. The facility was trashed when we got loose."
"You can say it." The Banshee said calmly. "When you killed the salvage crew and ate them." Pieter swallowed hard. How did she know? "I do not like the Corpus much. You know part of why."
"Part?" Pieter asked carefully.
"You have your experiences." The Banshee said quietly. "I have mine. I saw some of what they did to you. You saw a little of what they did to me. René saw more. Then again... René had more empathy in the little toe of her left foot than all four of you put together."
"René is dead." Georges snapped. "She was weak and-" He stopped as the arrow was drawn again.
"Just so we understand one another." The Banshee said and loosed. The arrow tore through George's leg, pinning it to the floor. He clutched the shaft, his face white, but he did not cry out. None of them would. Pain...was an old friend. Before Pieter could even blink, another arrow was nocked. "You live or die by my whim now. You are not the biggest or baddest predators in this solar system. Not even close. You are not facing a little human girl now, Georges. You are not facing your sister who could not understand why you were hurting her." Pieter had never felt what he did right then. She knew. She knew... it all.
"Yes." She snapped at his look. "I know what you did to René. No. She is not dead. But she is out of your reach." Something dark and terrible reared in the Banshee's voice and Pieter felt fear start to blossom in full. As angry as he was? As angry as his brothers were? She was angrier. "I am here because my kin demanded I try. But you and I both know how this will end. Sooner or later, one of you will attack me. Then you will all die."
"Your... kin..." Pieter was struggling for calm and it came. It was hard. His anger was rising.
"Yes." The Tenno was quiet, but not calm. Oh no. "Kin. Family. Not a pack of rabid animals." She might have been discussing the weather instead of the fates of the four in front of her. "They seem to think you can be saved. I know better."
"Do you?" Pieter asked, forcing his anger back. "You know what they did to us."
"Yes." The Banshee said simply. "They did it again. The exact same thing. The difference? The girl who was made had help. You didn't." There was no pity in her words. Just fact. "There was a time I felt differently. Then you killed and ate the doc." Her head shake was minute. "That was when I realized there was no saving you. Not even René." Again the minute head shake. "Maybe those who have her can help her. Maybe they can't. But your depredations end here."
"Tenno are powerful." Pieter said slowly. "But if you were invincible, you never would have been caught."
"We are not." The Banshee replied offhand. Pieter frowned. He hadn't expected that answer. "Any one of us may be overwhelmed or taken off guard." Pieter went still as two more shadows stepped out into the light. Both warframes were larger. One was huge, white and held a gleaming golden spear. The other was darker with golden hoops on its helmet and held two small pistols. The Banshee's voice turned vicious. "But I learned my lesson."
"Did you?"
The ship
Something woke her. Something familiar. A voice she remembered. One that hurt her. She did not understand the words.
She felt...wrong. Everything was wrong. She was hungry. But she was thirsty. She had no idea who she was, where she was. But none of that mattered. She opened her eyes and smiled. Someone had thoughtfully left food for her.
The food did not have time to retreat as she left the bed she had been lying on and grabbed the human form by the arm, pulling the food close.
"Cindy S-79!" The other screamed as her mouth found the metal that she knew somehow would feed her. "No!"
The food's cry cut off in a rasping gurgle as she latched her mouth over the food's neck and started to feed. In just a few moments, the food fell still. She drank until she could get no more and then she threw the food aside. Her thirst was barely sated. She could feel power rising. She could feel... hunger. It was... she was...
She stalked to the door and it opened for her. She ignored her state of undress. She ignored the wires that still hung from her. They were inconsequential. She could hear them. She could smell them. They were nearby. More food. She followed her nose through the corridors.
Someone had been very thoughtful. Each door led to small room where food was chained so it could not flee. She fed, the hot blood fueling her inner fires. Some screamed. Some cried. Some tried to fight. All fed her. It felt... good. She felt good. Everything was right as she fed. But there was never enough. She panted with eagerness with each new food, but none of them sated her.
Finally, she came to the end of the hallway and there was food, but... it was inside something. She could not get at it. She hammered on the cold metal, frustrated. Something went 'crack' and the food... died. She growled in annoyance. She was still hungry. She could not reach the food and it would go bad. But she was still hungry. She turned and froze as a growl sounded.
A large form on four legs stood in front of her. It... wasn't any animal she could identify. It looked... armored?
You! The voice... wasn't aloud. It was in her head. You have killed enough of them! Stop!
"Hungry!" She knew that word. It... wasn't right, her voice. She crouched to spring and the four legged form did the same. "Food!"
"Kori!" A voice screamed as she threw herself forward at the four legged thing that dared to keep her from her food.
She was lithe and sure as she flew at the armored form, but was amazed when it wasn't under her when she landed. Instead, red hot fire erupted across her back and side. She screamed and rolled away from the form that was snarling at her, it's claws dripping with her blood. The head... did not move, but it was growling as it coiled to spring again.
"Kori! Stop!" The voice... was male. But the form that appeared was not... Not food. He was clad in metal of some kind. His head was mounted with horns and he held some long metal thing in his hands. She shied away from it, instinctively knowing it would hurt her. "She doesn't know what she is doing!"
She killed the medic and the ones in the cells, Carlos! The silent voice snapped right back. She is evil!
"No, she is sick!" The horned form said as he raised the thing in his hands. "We can help her."
You cannot smell her! The other retorted. She is wrong. They made her wrong. She is enjoying it. She is lusting for the blood. She is enjoying this!
"Kori..." The male form said sadly. "Move. We can help her. But we need her alive."
No we can't. The four legged one replied as it sprang. She dodged the attack and then the dart thing that the man form fired. She could not win here. She had to flee! She had to feed!
She hissed as she darted to the side. Her hands found...something and the wall opened up. She darted into the tiny room and the door behind her sealed. Then a set of lights started flashing. A sound hurt her ears. But then another door opened ahead of her and she ran into a far larger room.
The huge room seemed empty. Here and there she could smell food, but she could not find any food no matter how hard she looked. It was frustrating. She could hear growling coming from behind her and she darted off into an dark opening she found.
She was strong! She was hungry! She would find food and feed! She would...
Come.
The word was everywhere. She screamed and flailed, but the word bored into her brain, searing each and every nerve. She knew the voice. The voice had hurt her.
She stiffened. She had... It had... She remembered a young voice screaming. A voice she knew. But... It didn't... She didn't remember. Then she smelled it. Food. Nearby. She came out of the duct into a small room and there was food there. It had been partially eaten, but it was still warm. She tore into it, savoring the taste and feel.
Come now!
The command bored into her and she snarled in defiance as she ate. Her hunger was more important than some voice. Then some instinct warned her and she jerked to the side as something spanged off the deck where she had been.
"Ma'am..." She jerked up, looking at the horned form from before. The armored four legged one stood at his side, wary. He was reloading. "Calm..." His voice was low, meant to soothe. "We can help you."
She snarled at him. "My food!" She growled. "Mine!" She grabbed the food, pulling it up so she could feed while watching the odd pair. It also blocked her body from the odd weapon.
Carlos... The four legged form said sadly. She is gone. There is nothing left of whoever she was.
"You do not know that, Kori." The armored man said sternly. "None of us do."
Yes I do. The four legged one retorted. I do not know how, but I do. She is... not human anymore. All that is in her mind is hunger. Nothing more. How many humans must die so we can take her alive, Carlos? The armored dog thing pressed.
Come!
This time the command was a sledgehammer in her mind and she gasped, dropping the food. She managed to dodge the dart again. She edged to the side, wary of the four legged form and the odd man whose weapon was aimed again. She knelt beside the food and snarled.
"Food." She screamed. "My food!"
No more! The one called Kori screamed right back. You will kill no more!
"Kori..." The horned man said quietly. "Back off. Leave her to her meal." The armored four legged being went still and hissed as she bent back to her meal.
This is wrong, Carlos! Kori snapped. And you know it!
"She can dodge the tranks all day, Kori." The one named Carlos said uneasily. "She is faster than they fly. But... something is pulling her. Let her eat." He aimed, but did not fire.
This is wrong. The four legged thing said sadly. So wrong.
"I know." The man with the horns said sadly.
She ate, draining the food in moments. But the hunger was far from sated. If anything, it was growing. She pawed at the food, but no more warm wetness came from it. She growled as she rose.
"Food!" She declared.
Not food. The four legged one declared. Not here. There. It nodded to the open door.
"Kori!" The one called Carlos said sharply.
You know what is pulling her. The one called Kori said sadly. And you know why. We cannot help her.
"I..." The armored man shook his head and then bowed it. "I know." He stepped aside.
Go help who can be helped. I will... keep her on track. The four legged form said quietly. Food.
She perked up at that. They were leading her to food? It sounded as if they disagreed. She did not care. She was hungry. The man with the horns... vanished.
"Food?" She queried and the four legged form gave a definite nod. "Food!" She demanded.
Your name was Cindy S-79. The other said quietly. You had a husband and son. Both were killed. Your taken. You were hurt. They hurt you so badly. We cannot repair what they did.
"Food!" She screamed, her hunger rising.
"In a moment." A new voice had her freezing. It was... she was frozen in place, unable to move at all as a dark form from nightmares stepped towards her. She whined in fear as it's skeletal hand reached out, but... it did not strike her. It did not hurt her. Instead, it gave her a gentle pat on the arm. She relaxed a little. "It's okay, honey." He said in an oddly gentle voice. "We will get you to your food. We just have to do something first." His hands... were gentle as they cupped her head. She whined in fear and confusion as something glared around her. Then it was gone and he stepped back. "Easy, Honey." He said softly. "All done."
Did you get it? The fear and sadness in the four legged being's voice was palpable. It...stirred something in her. Something raw and hurting. Oh... The other cried. She can't remember. It is hurting her, Nikis! What do we do?
"I got it." The dark figure said as he knelt down in front of her. He held out hand to her and she stared at it, confused. "There is nothing we can do, Kori. She is gone." His hand remained and she leaned forward to touch it. He did not react. It... was not food. "No." The dark form said sadly. "Not food, honey."
"Need food..." She said in a weak voice. "Need..."
"I know." The one called Nikis said gently. The four legged form whined and Nikis sighed. "I was worried this would happen to Serene. If the transition is not handled just right, it gets... bad. Stupid Orokin did it twice. Held kin's shades until they were starved for energy. Both times it was a godsawful mess. At least the Clergy followed the fricking instructions on the box."
What is wrong with her? The one called Kori begged.
"She is starving. She can't metabolize most of the protein." Nikis said softly. "The energy she needs, she cannot get from what she is drawn to. Blood is life, but it isn't enough for what they made her into. So... she hungers. And she will never be sated. Ever."
They were... not enemies? She was confused.
Can we help her? Kori pleaded. She had a husband. A kid.
"Both dead." Nikis said quietly, letting her sniff his hand. "So is she. The... transplants didn't work. They wouldn't. They broke her mind. They tried to make her compatible with something that isn't compatible with anything living. The Orokin figured it out... eventually. The only question is how long it takes her to die and how much it hurts her."
There has to be something. Kori had crept close. The armored canine nuzzled the sitting woman and she laid a hand on the armored flank. Not food. Kori said weakly.
"Not food." She agreed sadly. "Hungry. Bad." That word...resonated.
"Yes, Honey." Nikis said sadly. "Bad." He patted her head and she leaned into it.
Come! The word came with such strength that she fell over, keening.
When she opened her eyes, Kori and Nikis were both beside her. The dark human form was holding her. The canid was leaning against her, offering warmth. Comforting her. Helping her.
What is he doing? Kori snapped. He wants her to come and die? Serene will kill them all no matter what!
"Yeah." Nikis lifted her in his arms. She quailed for a moment, but relaxed. He...was being nice. With his closeness... the voice faded. "Either as reinforcement or to feed off of." He set her down on her feet and she stood, unsteady. He held her until she was steady. "Honey. We cannot save you. But the one calling you is bad. He hurt you." The words 'bad' and 'hurt' resounded in her mind. She felt... She remembered agony.
"He... hurt... me..." She managed to grate out. "I... can... not..."
"Not alone." Nikis said with a snarl worthy of her or the canid as he stood beside her. "Want to hurt him?"
"Yessss..." Her word trailed off in a hiss of pain as she took a step. Her stomach hurt, her head hurt. Everything hurt. But she walked. "I... must..."
"Come on." Nikis led her down the hallway through a number of doors. Kori stayed at their sides. She pressed against the canid occasionally and the canid pressed back, offering support.
Finally they came to a closed door. Nikis slapped a panel and it opened. Inside, four forms knelt on the floor, three armored forms standing with weapons drawn. All aimed at the kneeling forms.
"Honey." Nikis said quietly. She looked at him and his voice turned feral as he pointed at the kneeling forms.
"Food."