Warframe Beyond the Origin
ESKK: Well Chapter 2 hope you're all ready for this.
(Start Resolute)
About a week had passed since the battle with the Corpus and the Tenno had been hard at work aiding the Clones to get back home. In exchanged the Clones kept both Corpus and Grineer from coming to the Zariman for a time. Anakin was more than happy to do this for several reasons one of them being that Shmi was on the Zariman.
Thankfully since both of them sent only one ship at any given time it helped keep their foes at bay. The Tenno had been flying all over getting the needed equipment to get the Resolute ready for its first Void Jump piggyback ride. The Tenno had been seen flying to and from the Resolute on a nearly regular bases adding parts and preparing it for what was coming. To go with it they even brough supplies in and had every intention of sending the Resolute back home. At the moment the Railjack was loading up on the lower docking bay of the Resolute as the Orbiters were out of cloak and attached to various parts of the Resolute. Two Orbiters were on the back end on top and two more were on the back end on the bottom balancing it out. How they did this was a case of clamps, and airlock connections between the vessels.
Yularen watched from the bridge as the Tenno were outside the Bridge in space attaching shielding onto any window the ship had. Apparently, the Void could very well drive them all into madness if anything went wrong and as such were taking every precaution, they could in order to ensure that the Resolute doesn't become a second Zariman. Titus was doing detailing as he was upside and using his Archwing before looking inside the ship and waving at the crew inside in greeting. Yularen rolled his eyes before going over to a Clone for a progress report of what was going on.
(Meanwhile with Ahsoka)
"You sure this will work?" Ahsoka asked as she, Anakin, Akin, and Zed were currently in the Resolute main engine attaching cables connected to the Orbiters and Railjacks engines.
"Nope." Zed responded honestly as he kept working. "But sure, as Void better than doing nothing." Zed added as he welded a part into place. Getting the parts, they needed was a difficult task for them since a good number of parts had to be custom made for this task. The Tenno had been forced to hit up Corpus and Grineer targets for the parts since some components could only be found there. They also had to craft most of it as well and that took forever without Platinum to speed it along.
Thankfully, the weeks end came and thus they were ready for their first attempt at a Void Jump. Anakin had of course learned some of the components were stolen but upon learning that the stolen Corpus equipment was due to Solaris United and learning their plight he looked the other way.
"Ok done on my end, what about you guys?" Akin asked as he looked to the others.
"All set here." Anakin said closing up a hatch from his end.
"Dondo." Zed added as he was also ready. "Now let's go get everyone gathered and prepare to launch." Zed said as Ahsoka agreed and in turn she and Zed left the engine room.
Anakin and Akin stayed behind as the two stood there in silence. "DO you want to drop by the Zariman say goodbye and what not?" Anakin asked as he knew how attached he was.
"No need, I'll see her soon anyhow." Akin said as he wasn't worried one bit about this trip.
"You seem oddly confident?" Anakin asked concerned for his younger self.
"No actually I'm nervous as high hell but... I guess I'm not afraid of losing her again. For lack of better words... I have a new family to fill the void." Akin said as he was referring to the Tenno and Lotus but mostly the Tenno.
(Later in the Railjack)
Zed arrived on the Railjack with the other Tenno as Aya and Akin went down to the maintenance area and activated the hub there. "Cy we ready?" Zed asked as he loaded up on the controls.
"Ready to die perhaps." Cy said as he saw this plan was extremely reckless with a low probability of survival.
"Don't worry we'll make it through." Zed said as he got ready. 'I hope.' He added mentally and thus they got ready to depart. "Aya, Akin how are we looking?" Zed asked as he looked to a screen to show the two down below.
"Prepped and ready." Aya said with a thumb's up and thus they got ready to depart.
"Good. Cy, open up a channel to the Resolute." Zed said and thus Cy opened the channel.
(Resolute)
Anakin and Ahsoka were in the command bridge as the image of Zed appeared on the communication terminal. "Ok we're ready for our part in this crazy plan. I suggest you have your shielding up and hang on to something nailed down." Zed said as he got ready to start up. "You might also experience nausea, vomiting, explosive diarrhea, implosive diarrhea, aching, migraines, loss of sight, loss of limbs, insanity, explosive heart attack, or a stroke." Zed listed off as this got the crew nervous. "That was a joke." Zed said and thus this calmed the crew down somewhat.
"But yeah, hold on to something." Zed added and thus they all got ready to move. "And pray... no, seriously pray." Zed said before severing communication letting Cy handle it.
"Admiral if this doesn't work... sorry." Anakin apologized in advance because he might not get a chance to do so after.
"Coordinates set Beginning Void Jump in 3... 2... 1." Cy announced as the entire space in front of them began to change form as they got ready for the Void Jump. When the countdown finished the entire Resolute entered the Void and thus, they began to beam through space intent to get to their destination which was Coruscant.
Everyone hanged on to something as they hoped and truly hoped they would not be the next Zariman. As the ship travelled through the Void a few rumbling sounds were heard as the ship made its way to its intended destination hopefully in one piece. As they all held on, they all had hope they'll make it to Coruscant alive and well but considering how a long-distance Void Jump to Tau turned out they were all hoping for a miracle.
(Scene Break Coruscant)
All was calm around the Capital of the Republic as suddenly the Resolute appeared having a few scratches and burns but one the less was well. Of course, when the ship arrived as it did it set off alarms for those observing it and in turn ships began to contact it.
(Resolute)
The entire crew bar the Tenno were on the ground alive and well but very nauseous. "HRGH everyone ok?" Anakin asked as he grabbed the holo terminal to get back up.
"All hands accounted for." Rex said as he looked green at the moment.
"Let's... NEVER do that again." Ahsoka said as Titus and Mari walked in and saw the scene.
"Heh first Void Jump." Titus teased as he pointed his thumb over to the downed crew. Just then the holo terminal activated which got everyone's attention and opted the Tenno to back off a bit.
"This is General *HRGH* General Skywalker." Anakin spoke nearly vomiting as the holo image appeared to show Obi-Wan, Yoda, Windu, and Palpatine.
"Anakin? glad to see your back but what happened to you and your ship?" Obi-Wan said as he noticed the new attachments it had on his side.
"It's a long story master Kenobi we'll tell you when we land our Hyperdrive needs a full replacement." Anakin explained as he then almost vomited again.
"Are you ok?" Obi-Wan asked as he found it concerning and amusing.
"Yeah... just need some barf bags." Anakin said and in turn Obi-Wan saw the Resolute had one adventure. "Also, Admiral Yularen is transmitting our report to you now." Anakin added as clearly, they wanted to sit down and let their stomachs settle.
(Later down on Coruscant)
Yoda, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, hummed in deep thought.
The old Grandmaster was meditating on recent events. He had just read the report that Knight Skywalker and Padawan Tano had just sent while waiting for them to land. Needless to say, he found that not only did Ahsoka solve her vision but now brought in varying questions. These Tenno were for lack of better words unknown as according to both Anakin and Ahsoka they could not be sensed through the Force.
They were clearly there but it was like the Force could not detect them. Yoda did not believe it until he saw the Tenno in question. It was like they were not even there, yet they could clearly be seen by all. From the looks of it the Clones were suffering from a bout of nausea and dizziness that needed a bit to pass. Even Anakin and Ahsoka were suffering from it while they came down the ramp where the Star Destroyer landed.
The ship needed a new Hyperdrive after all, so it made sense to land it for said new engine. "Ah Anakin my boy... you seem unwell." Palpatine said as he saw Anakin there.
"Yes, Chancellor just a tad bit of motion sickness a new way of travel we used to get home did not agree with me." Anakin said almost throwing up right then and there.
"I would like to hear your report, but I fear you might not be in a position to do so." Palpatine said and thus looked to the entirety of the Resolute crew and saw they too were suffering. "I do know enough that it seems we owe these... Tenno a debt." Palpatine said as he looked to Zed and his team who all seemed nervous somehow. Even Akin was oddly quiet about interacting with Palpatine.
"It's what we do." Zed said as he shook the Chancellor's hand looking at them man with concern which was hidden behind Excalibur Umbra.
"Anyway, I am willing to wait for you to recover before hearing your report General." Palpatine said and in turn Anakin nodded to this.
"Thank you." Anakin said using the Force to calm his stomach.
"Pardon us." Came the bald Jedi Master Mace Windu. "If it would not be much trouble, may we speak with these... Tenno we wish to hear their side of the story." Windu said and with a nod the Tenno followed after the Jedi. As the Clones were met with medics who had medicine for the nausea it was clear no one wanted to do a Void Jump again unless they absolutely had to.
(Scene Break Jedi Temple)
AS they began their journey inside the LAT Gunship the Tenno were met with an assortment of sights. Flying vehicles of different makes, tall skyscrapers that reached the sky, gigantic landmarks that could rival Lua during the peak of the Orokin Empire. All around them were ships whizzing by and if one looked closely enough, the dozens of alien species that populate this galaxy could also be seen piloting these flying cars.
"Wow." Akin said as he saw the Capital of the Republic. He always dreamed about seeing it before Zariman and now at long last he got to see it.
"Welcome home huh?" Zed offered to Akin who smirked at his friend.
"I guess." Akin said as once their Orbiters can be detached from the Resolute, they would be off. Good news was that the Cephalon's with their Sentinel's and Moa were well on their way in that task.
"No one at home will believe this." Mari added as she saw Coruscant in all its glory.
"I'm here and I don't believe it." Titus quipped as they continued their journey.
"So where are we going anyway?" Aya asked as she looked to Anakin for answer who seemed to be doing a little better.
"We're going to the Jedi Temple." Anakin answered with a smirk as he wondered how his younger self was going to react to this.
"This is gonna be good." Akin said and thus they got ready to land.
(Later)
Aya will be the first to say that she was a bit nervous when they descended to one of the landing pads on the side of the Temple. So, when the Tenno entered the hanger, they were greeted with more ships, from dropships to what they had assumed to be starfighters. But when they exited the hanger and entered the temple proper, they were met with the awe inspiring and the sheer magnitude of the Temple and its grandeur. But for the Tenno who dealt with the Orokin it just looked gaudy to them.
Mace Windu and Yoda were ahead of the group to meet the Tenno at the master meeting room, with Anakin leading the group with Ahsoka by his side, he turned to the Tenno and ask them, "So what do you think of the Jedi Temple?"
"Its… big," Aya said as she couldn't find any better words for her to describe them as Titus soon went on saying, "Has… a nice clean floor?"
"It's… quite a site," Mari said with Zed had enough of this awkward moment and said, "Okay I'm just going to say its impressive to its size and how clean it is compared to the ruins of temples we came upon back in our system, but nothing that exciting for us."
"Wait really?" Anakin is surprise to hear all that with Ahsoka just giggle a bit to hearing her master say that with Akin said, "Well compared to the Orokin own building design, this place is just pretty much bare to us… not a lot of colors to say."
"Oh… I suppose that makes sense," Anakin said as he looked around the Jedi temple and remember back at the Zariman that was made by the Orokin it was a pretty impressive design compared to the normal ships the Republic has military, civilian, or otherwise.
"Nothing against the Jedi but, it seemed they aren't one with taste in decoration," Akin said as Zed added on, "But at least it's not over decorative the Orokin does with gold."
"Gold?" Ahsoka question as Zed answer by saying, "They wanted to feel powerful, to be in control of every living being by showing off their gold either by decorating with it or wear it, and due to this they were called Golden lords, but it mostly to fill their Ego."
Ahsoka could help but laugh at that as she soon said, "Sound like these Orokin sound like a real big headache."
"You have no idea," Zed said as there were more to them than that but didn't want to scare her with any unnecessary talk unless it was on the subject of it as they keep following the Jedi until they reach the meeting room which it seem had a few Jedi master already waiting for them with some chair empty as well but had Hologram of the Jedi in said seat no doubt they were doing long distant calling.
Mace Windu, and Yoda had taken their seats with Obi-wan already there no doubt waiting for his former student to arrive as he saw Anakin and Ahsoka with the five new guest they brought with them as Obi-wan said, "I was wondering when you get here."
"Would have been sooner but something sabotaged the Hyperdrive and made off with parts of the ship," Anakin said as Mace soon said, "Now that we are all present, shall we begin?"
All the Jedi had given a nod to this to show they were ready to get the meeting started as Zed step up being the leader as he said as he said to everyone, "I believe a small introduction of us are in order. I am Zed, Leader of this group of Tenno's."
"Akin, second in command, and best pilot in the Origin System," Akin introduce himself as he stepped up to present himself as Zed said, "Second best."
Akin huff a bit at his leader for a bit but keep his cool as he stepped back with Meri soon step up saying, "Meri, weapon specialist, and gunslinger of the group."
She stepped back as Titus step up as he said, "Titus, local powerhouse and back muscle."
Titus stepping back as Aya was the last one to step up as she introduced herself, "Aya, back up and support."
After that she step back as Yoga gave the ma greet nod as he said, "Welcome you Tenno, we do. Grand master Jedi Yoda I am."
"Weird speaking, he is," Titus said in a joking manner as he mimicked Yoda like that but was elbow by Mari a bit to keep quite as Zed soon said to him, "Excuse him, his month run faster than his mind, it's very nice to meet you as well, Master Jedi."
Yoda didn't seem to mind as he just give a small smirk to that as he said, "Matter not, it does. Speaking strange I do."
Yoda clear the air with that as Zed nodded as he said to him, "Understood, thank you, but now what is it that you wish to speak to us about?"
"We would like to know how you came into Position of the Datacron?" Mace question him as Zed nodded to that as he begin to say, "Me and my fellow Tenno were on a mission upon a Orokin colony ship, where we founded this Datacron you speak of, we had no idea of its purpose or the reason why it was on that ship in the first place, but then discover it was a star map of some sort when It open itself."
"Open itself it did?" Yoda ask as Zed said, "I believe so, there was no lock, button, or switch that we found on it, but it started to move on its own in my hand before opening up reviling what it held."
"Strange, it is," Yoda said as he knew no one can open up a any sort of Con by themselves unless they use the force to do so. But the Grandmaster sensed nothing from the Tenno, even as they stood before the Council, he could not sense them. All that he could sense of where they are is just nothing but Void.
Could the force had done it for them or was there an outside factor he doesn't know of, as he soon ask, "Tell us, what are Tenno truly?"
"It's… a bit of a long story," Zed said as he knew this was going to be coming up didn't think it would be this soon as Yoda said, "Time we have, share your story, if you will?"
Zed nodded as he gathered up his thoughts and took a moment to prepared himself as did the other as Zed Began, "We weren't always like this, we were once human and once a child like any other."
Zed told the Jedi master of their story, how it all started when their home world was strip of most of its resources due to the Orokin greed including its moon, Lua. So they plan on traveling to a different system known as the Tau System where they were sending two groups, the first being the Sentients to terra-form the worlds in that system so they can live there, and the colony ship Zariman Ten Zero that held thousands of people on board as they prepared to travel to the Tau system to start building a society there, using an early version of Void travel, believing it was safe to do so, but that was a mistake.
He explained on how the ship was trapped in a Dimension known as the Void and they were expose to its energy, with most of the adults on board suddenly went mad by the void, started attacking and killing anyone they saw who didn't go mad by the void including their own child.
This shock many to hear this, with Zed went on saying the children ran and hide while some fought back and somehow regain control over the ship and try to bring it out of the Void, they succeed mostly, but discover it has been years sense they had vanish.
The Orokin help save all the survivors on board and brought them back to them out of the ship, before it vanished back into the void, and they start torturing and experimented on the children giving them the name Tenno due to being the only survivors of Zariman Ten Zero and also came out not human anymore.
With that if the Jedi weren't trained to suppress their emotion, they would have most likely spoken out in great anger, but keep themselves in check, but it seemed that didn't stop some of them to express it as Anakin clutch his hand when he heard what the Orokin did, thinking they are worse than slavers.
Soon enough Zed soon told of Margulis who had become the first mother to them, who had care, loved, and protected them, even if they had hurt her, blinded her, and made her fall ill, she still loved them as a mother would.
Ahsoka peer up to hear the name Margulis as she remembered the vision she had of the man and woman that were arguing with each other, where the man who wish to destroy the Tenno while Margulis wanted to help them instead.
Zed went on saying that Margulis founded a way to help control their power, but before she could do anything with it, the Orokin had killed her and use their research for their own to try and hurt them more, which Anakin try his hardest not to fall to anger as he hears this.
Soon enough Zed brought up the Sentients that came from The Tau system, but not for the better as somehow the Sentients became intelligent, becoming… well Sentient and turned on their masters.
The Orokin saw they were losing, and so with a last-ditch effort, they used Margulis to develop Somatic Link which transfer a Tenno mind and energy into a body Frame that was able to withstand and handle our power. When it proved to be a game changer against the Sentient the Orokin used them for war, thus named them Warframes.
"So, the bodies we see before us are not your real bodies then?" Obi-wan ask with Anakin and Ahsoka wasn't surprised, as they witness their bodies were not those Warframe, nor were they in them, per say as Zed step up as he Transference out of his Warframe giving almost everyone in the room a surprise site to see as Zed show them what he was as Obi-wan said, "A youngling?"
"More than Human, but once was a child who no longer aged, who innocent was taken away, force to become the Orokin's warriors to fight against the Sentients, slaves to their will, but no more as I stand before you now as Tenno, not a child of war, but a warrior of honor," Zed said with great resolve in his voice to show not to show him and his team pity as Yoda nodded to him and said, "Understood I do, the pain you have suffer I cannot imagine, to become what you are, you have."
After that Zed nodded as he transference back into his Warframe as Mace soon ask, "What happen to those Orokin that enslaved you?"
"Gone, as we discover after the war the Orokin was victorious against the Sentients, but their empire fell and were destroy by their enemies," Zed said as mace went on asking, "And how did they do it?"
"I… don't know, we were freed and also put into a deep sleep, sealed away for years with parts of our memories of that time are mostly gone only fragments were left, but no one knows what happen that day… other than her," Zed said as Obi-wan soon spoken up saying, "You said you and the others were sealed away, how did you become freed then and who is this 'her'?"
"The one who had freed us from Orokin controlled, The Lotus. She came to us in our darkest moment, she helped us, cared, and protected us, she is the reason that we are here and become who we are now," Akin said chipping in on the conversation as Ahsoka soon said, "She became a second mother to you then?"
"She was a mother to us, almost all of us," Akin said as The lotus has become a great mother to the Tenno, but he will not forget his real mother who has become a Holdfast upon the Zariman as Anakin understand what he meant, but keep it too himself, not wanting to put him into an awkward position than they are sort of already in.
Soon enough Zed went on to explaining more about them, how Lotus was taken away from the Tenno for a time by a surviving Orokin known as Ballas who had somehow brainwash the Lotus making her turn on the Tenno while Ballas work alongside the Sentients, telling them of the Tenno's weakness and how all the they started the new war that nearly destroy the Tenno.
Ahsoka was starting to figure out now, the man that was also in her vision, he was the one that wanted to destroy the Tenno in the first place, who driven by hatred that he willingly teamed up with his own worst enemies.
Zed went on explaining they had won the war, and had also brought back the Lotus while things started to calm down and thought thing were going back to normal… that until the Zariman somehow reappeared once again now stuck half out through a tear into the void and discover the ships ghost crew and the creatures who were original apart of the same crew who had turned into the creatures known as the Void angels that Ahsoka and Anakin testify on that.
Anyhow Zed soon said that he and his team they had went to the Zariman to investigate the ship several time for one reason or another and which on their last investigation they discover the Datacron upon the ship which they had no knowledge of it being there in the first place or how and why, which bring them to where they are now.
"So, it was just there, curious." Plo Koon said as he thought it over.
"If you lot want it you can keep it." Zed said as he looked to the Jedi.
"Thank you my young, friend but that is not entirely why we wish to speak." Obi-Wan said as he looked to the Tenno. "And your tale of this 'Void,' has us asking more questions." Obi-Wan said as Zed had an idea as to what it was.
"You want to know what the Void is don't you?" Zed asked and thus when the Jedi grew quiet Zed in turn sighed. "Let me answer that with another question, what is the Force?" Zed asked and thus Obi-Wan had the answer.
"Its life for lack of better words it surrounds us and binds the Galaxy together." Obi-Wan said and thus Zed smirked a bit.
"The Void isn't like that... its indifference it cares little for life, death, and those who mistakenly think they are the masters of it the Void has a nasty way of reminding them who is in charge." Zed said revealing that while the Force is about life the Void cares little for it. "Think of it as the Force's antithesis I assume you can't sense us can you because you guys were all focuses on us yet hid it well." Zed said and thus the Jedi were surprised Zed saw right through them.
"Forgive us but the moment you landed everywhere you went it was as if a hole was there in the living Force a hole that moved wherever you were and the more you gathered the more it grew." Obi-Wan said meaning the Tenno at large.
"I see." Zed said with a calm tone knowing what the Jedi meant. "Anyway, I'm sure you're all looking forward to seeing us leave I suspect our presence is making you all unnerved." Zed said as he looked to the Jedi.
"Our apologies if we gave that impression but we were more intrigued then unnerved." Obi-Wan apologized as he offered an explanation to the Tenno.
"Huh and here I thought you were going to introduce them to the Drifter... and I wasn't supposed to bring the Drifter up, was I?" Titus spoke and then trailed off causing Mari to glare at him while Akin face palmed himself.
"Drifter?" Anakin asked as he did not know about this.
"I met him during the New War and well its confusing." Zed said and thus closed his eyes to focus. Soon to their surprise his body gave off a glow and as quickly as it came it was gone replacing Zed with a clearly older version of himself.
"My Word." Shaak Ti gasped as she saw the Drifter appear.
"Zed?" Ahsoka asked and thus 'Zed,' chuckled a bit.
"Kind of... I'm basically a version of him who never got off the Hell hole that was once known as the Zariman or was rescued." Zed or the Drifter said as he looked to the group. "And if Titus kept his mouth shut, I wouldn't need to calm you guys down with my presence." Drifter said as he glared at his other self's friend and teammate.
"Like I said his mouth moves faster than his head." Mari said and thus Drifter got to it. "So yeah, everything up until the Void Jump is the same for me but I never got rescued and never got powers until I met this guy." Drifter said and his body flashed again to reveal Zed in his place not long after.
"Drawback is that he and I can't exist at the same time, so we switch out though it does put a small strain." Zed admitted as that was the main reason, he only did that in the Orbiter between missions.
"I see." Obi-Wan said and thus they were all in agreement. "Pardon but while we have seen Zed and the Drifter what of the rest of you?" Obi-Wan asked and thus they all knew what would come next.
"You're taking the concept of timelines oddly well." Zed said as he found that that suspicious.
"You have proven it well enough both of you have." Plo said as Zed was skeptical but let it be for now.
In turn the Tenno all began to Transfer out of their Warframe's one by one as the Frame's in question all stood statue still in response. Soon enough only Akin and his Volt Prime was left as he was a bit nervous about this. "Akin..." Zed began but Akin cut him off.
"Ok before we actually talk since you all took the Drifter well don't freak out." Akin said and thus used Transference and thus exited Volt Prime and shocked the Council as Anakin was now a bit worried. "Yeah... I already got that response." Akin said as he saw this response was only for those who had knew his other self when he first entered the Temple years prior.
"Skywalker what trick are you trying to pull?" Windu asked glaring at the pair.
"He and Anakin are like me and the Drifter." Zed cut in as he knew something would happen. "Though I don't know why they can coexist yet me and Drifter can't." Zed said finding that a bid unfair for him.
"Actually, I've been thinking about that." Akin said as he looked to the group. "While we were getting ready to travel, I've played twenty questions with Anakin about the Force. I thought if he was Force Sensitive what happened to me?" Akin said and thus got to his theory. "So, after I tried to use the Force some mind elements similar if not exact copies between Jedi and Tenno, I only used my Void energy instead of the Force." Akin said as Zed heard this. "My theory is that I can't use the Force at all." Akin said as everyone paid attention. "Basically, I had to either get void Power and lose the Force or keep the Force and lose my Void powers." Akin explained and in turn they all saw what this meant for Akin.
"Lost your connection, you did." Yoda said as Akin nodded to this.
"Yeah, pretty much." Akin said with a shrug. "But hey it's not so bad I got off Tatooine in the end." Akin said being a tad bis optimistic about it.
"So that means... you never met Qui-Gon have you?" Obi-Wan said wondering if this also meant his master was alive in the other timeline Akin originated from.
"No, I did not." Akin said as he felt the sadness Obi-Wan felt. Changing gears Obi-Wan focused back on the subject at hand. "Well then I suppose your System and allies are no doubt expecting you all to return soon." Obi-Wan said but then Titus chuckled nervously.
"Uh yeah about that..." Titus said and thus all eyes went to him. "I might have gone a bit overboard in ensuring the Orbiters didn't fall off and I may or may not have... um welded them onto the ship." Titus said and thus Zed glared at his friend as did Akin.
"So, in other words we're stuck here until you can get them unwelded?" Zed asked as he glared at Titus.
"Um... Oops?" Titus offered and thus Akin sighed.
"I don't know whether to be impressed with the caution you took or annoyed that even when your cautious it still costs us." Akin said as he saw that Titus had a nasty habit of doing stupid things to screw them over.
"Considering the Resolute needs a new Hyperdrive I guess we should be thankful for that." Anakin said trying to ease the tension.
"So umm sorry to drop this but can we stay here for a few days at least until we can fix the ships after Titus separates them from your cruiser?" Aya asked a tad bit shyly showing some diplomacy.
"Wait why can't we just stay in the ships?" Titus asked since they did have bedrooms in the ships.
"Because you need to get them off the big ship dummy." Mari snapped a bit as she glared at Titus. This was going to be an eventful time for the group.
(Scene Break that evening)
The Tenno were permitted to stay in the Temple using the Guest Quarters for the time being. But the Council had other matters to discuss and in turn continued the meeting while Anakin and Ahsoka lead the Tenno to the Guest Quarters. Titus had of course returned to the ship docks to start detaching the other ships from the Resolute. Needless to say, he was not a happy camper about it, but he dug the hole he can lay in it. Akin on the other hand was bored for lack of better terms. The Tenno hardly needed sleep but they just liked to sleep at times especially after gaining their full range of powers after the fiasco with the Grineer Queens.
Anyway, Akin was roaming the halls a bit as there was still time before curfew when he noticed movement. "Huh?" Akin asked as he snuck behind a wall with Volt Prime and saw Anakin sneaking out. "What am I doing?" Akin asked as he wondered what his older alternate timeline self was out doing at this time and with R2 by his side. "Well only one way to find out." Akin said and thus quietly began to follow after Anakin to learn what he was up to. After all, Archwings are very useful if you want to follow someone undetected. Besides Zed seemed to have omitted that Akin was the teams Resident Maverick as well as Zed's second.
(Later at Padme's apartment)
Anakin who was unaware that he was being followed by Akin had snuck out and picked up some dinner on the way to Padme's apartment. As he entered the apartment, he walked out over to the balcony area to find Padme there watching the city. "Hope I'm not interrupting." Anakin spoke and in turn Padme looked to find her husband there.
"Anakin!" Padme greeted as she then ran over to Anakin and hugged him just as Akin passed by the window area and hid behind the wall on his Archwing.
As they hugged Anakin was just glad to be back somewhere where things actually make sense. But as Anakin's mind wandered Padme sensed it from her husband. "Anakin is something wrong?" Padme asked as she looked to Anakin.
"Let's just say the mission I was on was a long one." Anakin said sounding a bit tired from it. "I would just like an evening with my wife is all so I can relax and unwind." Anakin said as he looked to Padme much to Akin's shock.
"On that I can agree." Padme said as she smiled to her husband. "I think, I still have a few leftovers from a Senatorial party. We can dim the lights, enjoy a romantic meal." Padme trailed off and Anakin smiled to this.
"And enjoy a quiet evening together." Anakin said finishing for his wife. "That sounds perfect." Anakin said and in turn Akin decided to make himself known before they got all mushy with each other.
"So, this is why you snuck out!" Akin was heard surprising the two and thus Anakin looked while Padme looked ready for a fight or worse.
"Akin?! What are you doing here?!" Anakin asked as the Tenno landed on the platform and deactivated his Archwing.
"Yeah, I got bored at the Temple, so I decided to explore when I saw you sneaking around." Akin said as he walked forward and looked at Padme.
"You know him Anakin?" Padme asked wondering where her blaster was.
"He knows me almost as good as he knows himself." Akin said as he looked to Padme and began to trail off. "Are you an angel?" Akin asked and thus Anakin saw where this was going.
"W-what?!" Padme asked and in turn Anakin sighed to this.
"Padme you might want to sit down, Akin... get out of the Warframe." Anakin said as he felt his headache was starting to return.
In turn Padme was shocked when Akin literally phased and stepped out of the Warframe revealing why he sounded so young and familiar. "Anakin... and Anakin?!" Padme asked as she began to get a headache of her own now.
"Well, there goes the evening." Anakin sighed as he wondered if Akin was out to get him at this point just to screw with him.
(Meanwhile back at the Temple)
The Jedi were still discussing the topic on the Tenno as they tried to figure out how to approach this. "Living paradoxes, the Tenno are." Yoda spoke as the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order spoke to his fellow masters.
"Yet their power is unknown to us. Neither light nor dark yet a balance all of its own through indifference." Windu said as that was how the Tenno described themselves.
"While I agree masters, I also believe we should speak of the Rancor in the room." Obi-Wan said as Akin was still a shock to him. According to the boy he was from a timeline where he and his mother had never met Qui Gon on Tatooine and in turn never joined the Jedi Order.
"They didn't tell us the whole truth." Plo-Koon said as he almost didn't detect it. Yet they spoke of everything else with such vivid detail yet omitted anything involving the Orokin's fall. No doubt they hoped that their long sleep, fragmented memories excuse would make them suspect it may have happened while they slept. Still, they were good but not good enough to fully trick them and while the Tenno cannot be detected by the Force due to their Void Powers it also opened another possibility. If a Jedi cannot sense them what chance does the Sith have at detecting them.
"We can't force them to reveal the truth, but they may prove beneficial to defeating the Sith if not uncovering where they are." Kit Fisto said as he looked to his fellow Masters.
"Are you suggesting we ask for their aid?" Kit Fisto asked as he did not want to deal with Two Skywalkers at once.
"More of them there are in their home system." Yoda began as he looked to his fellow masters. "Just as easy as they may aid us a weapon for our enemy they may be." Yoda said as this was a troubling path they were walking.
"We may need to ask more questions from them, and since it would seem Padawan Tano, and Anakin know them best and there is somewhat of trust they may be the best to ask the questions we have of them." Windu said as he may not trust Anakin it was their best shot.
(Back at Padme's apartment)
Padme had her hands to her head literally trying to wrap her fingers around what she was just told. "So let me see if I have everything correct." Padme began as across from her both versions of her husband sat. "You're the version of Anakin that never met Qui Gon because you were sold prior." Padme began as she gestured too Akin.
"Yes." Akin responded before looking to her husband.
"And you met with your mother's ghost on your mission where you met him, so far so good right?" Padme asked as she looked over to Anakin.
"That about sums it up." Anakin said and thus Padme looked back to Akin.
"And after an incident you and the other survivors when you weren't cured of your... affliction." Padme began as she looked to the scars that rise from Akin's neck area. "You were drafted into a war and later had to finish that war before returning to that ship and finding your mother." Padme said and thus Akin nodded to this.
"Yeah, that explains it." Akin said and thus Padme went back to her previous position of holding her fingers close to her head to wrap her mind around this. "So... which Anakin is my Anakin again?" Padme asked no doubt her mind had just been blown from this information.
"That would be him/me." Akin and Anakin both said as Akin pointed to Anakin who raised his hand.
"Ok good to know." Padme said and thus Akin raised his hand.
"Question." Akin said as he got the couple's attention. "Since you two are married, and your basically me that became a Jedi... does that mean Padme not only has two husbands but can be considered into younger men?" Akin asked and thus Anakin glared at the kid. Padme then face palmed herself as she was also blushing a bit at the implications and not all of them good. Anakin meanwhile... he just slapped Akin upside the head causing the Tenno to yelp at the sting and glare at Anakin.
"I... I just... I need to think." Padme said no doubt her mind blew a fuse trying to comprehend this.
"Well, she took it better then Zed did when he met Drifter." Akin said as he looked to Anakin. "Though it might not exactly be a good thing considering the other stuff." Akin added and thus Anakin knew what this meant. "I should probably head back to the Temple before they wonder." Akin said but before he could Anakin stopped him.
"Akin wait." Anakin said as he looked to the Tenno. "You can't tell anyone about this." Anakin urged looking to his Tenno self.
"Sure, it's not my secret to tell, after all it will be great to add another member to your circle of secret keepers, right?" Akin asked and thus Anakin and Padme grew silent by this before Akin caught on. "Wait you mean you never told them?" Akin asked as he looked to Anakin in shock. "Not old man Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, or Rex?" Akin asked as Anakin saw Akin had another meaning to that.
"I can't just go and tell them, Padme's position as Senator will be jeopardized and I'll be expelled from the Jedi Order." Anakin said as Akin heard this.
"Ok and with the Clone Wars it's probably a troubled time for you two to leave." Akin said as he thought it over. "But I mean Anakin you weren't that hard to see through, I mean if this has been going on for a while, I'm pretty sure Obi-Wan and your Clones may have suspected." Akin said as he looked to the duo.
"Wait what?" Padme asked as her mind caught up at long last.
"What do you mean they suspect?" Anakin asked as he looked to Akin.
"Well, if you look at it from an outsider's perspective, you're not good at hiding." Akin said and soon Anakin shot up and then sat back down lost.
"Anakin... I love you truly I do... but I'm going to need to reschedule our evening... I think, your younger self just gave me a headache the size of Alderaan." Padme said as she rubbed her forehead to ease it.
"I'll take him back to the temple." Anakin said and in turn knew their evening was ruined.
"Hey um don't mind me I'll just go to another room." Akin said as he didn't want to leave anytime soon. "In fact." Akin began before he vanished and began Void Dashing around the area. Next thing the couple knew dinner was set in place as Akin stood next to Volt Prime. "Why not have dinner first after all I hate to get between my brother and my sister-in-law." Akin said as Anakin and Padme heard this.
"Brother?" Padme asked as Akin smiled a bit.
"Yeah, if it makes it easier just think of me as Anakin's long lost younger brother." Anakin said and in turn used Transference and with Volt Prime opened a lid to reveal food. "So hungry?" Akin asked as he offered the couple food.
"Well... I suppose food should help ease the mind." Padme said and thus adapting the couple had their dinner served. Thus, Akin left the couple be to enjoy their meal while waiting for a ride back to the Temple so he could sneak in. In turn the night was a calm one knowing full well a storm could be just around the corner. Unknown to them a dark force in both the Origin and this new wider galaxy moves pieces and the question remained how the existence of the Tenno and the indifference of the Void will change the events of the Galaxy at large. Only time can tell the answer to that question.
(TBC)
ESKK: Well the second chapter published and done. I hope you all enjoy it and will join us for the next one. So please leave a review before leaving and as I always say ja-ne.