Dark thoughts

Magda was reeling. What was going on? She had met Rachel, leader of the First! Rachel didn't act like that. Rachel was nice most of the time, true, but not like that! It had almost seemed mournful, the way the Saryn clad Tenno had acted. Mourning who?

Magda. Ollie spoke up into Magda's mind even as the Tenno reeled under the onslaught of emotions. Magda gave herself stern shake and focused on her work.

"Ollie." Magda walked out of her quarters, and towards the sentinel's station. Ollie hovered in place, his hull almost still. "What is going on?"

I can't say. Ollie said flatly and Magda paused at his wording. Not that he didn't know what was going on. He couldn't say.

Magda went utterly still as dingy orange energy played around the sentinel and Ollie made a noise that was almost a groan. Someone was hurting her companion! And, was that Narmer energy? No! This would not stand!

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Magda screamed. To who? She had no idea, but she knew she was speaking to someone. She grabbed for the shade, but it seemed phased somehow? Only half there.

Magda! No! Ollie begged even as the energy around him faded. It is all right! I am all right!

"No, you are not!" Magda snapped as she jumped to her arsenal and slid into her warframe, setting up to arm herself to fight whoever was hurting her friend. "Whatever-" She was cut off by pain beyond her worst nightmares.

Tenno knew pain. They knew it well. Even encased in the biological/technological hybrid that made up a warframe, pain was a constant. A natural thing, if not a pleasant one. Anything that did not have a sense of pain had no idea when when it was being injured. The very First Tenno, Hayden Tenno, had apparently been born with a disability when he had been human that had kept him from feeling pain, so he had been forced to examine every inch of himself regularly to see if he had injured himself without knowing. By all accounts, his infection by the Technocyte virus had been the first time in the man's life had he had felt pain. Many wondered if he had been driven mad as as result and come back to a semblance of sanity somehow. As a result, the Code held warnings about pain and Tenno training had incorporated it. Tenno, especially Warrior Tenno, were taught about pain from the first moment they picked up a blade. Magda knew pain. She had for a very long time. She could be hurt even in her warframe and had been many times, but it had been nothing like this. She had no words as the sheer agony flew through her body and energy! It was everything and everywhere. It eclipsed everything and her vision was going dark. On some level, she knew that her lungs had stopped working. That she was starving for oxygen even in her warframe. Her meat shell was dying.

She was dying-

It was-

"No." A firm voice sounded and the pain vanished as if it had never been. Magda fell to her hands and knees. A 'clang' sounded as her Nyx warframe hit the deck. She barely noticed, she was too busy trying to pass beyond her agony. "Breathe, Magda. Just breathe."

"I… won't…" Magda tried to snarl between her gasps, but then, something hissed right by her face and she felt something take hold of her. Not her mind, her body! She was out of her warframe and lying face down on the deck. Her pain vanished and even the memory of the agony was eased away with a soft touch of static.

"Silly girl." The voice chided Magda, but gently as hands just as gentle as the voice turned her head, just a little, clearing her airway. Strong hands, but gentle. So gentle. "You may be older than me chronologically, but you are acting like a silly girl. Your companion is not harmed. Officer Ollie?"

She won't believe me. The shade sounded abject. Please don't hurt her!

"I will do my best, Officer Ollie, but this is not what I trained for." Why was the voice so worried? About Magda? "I may need to call in a specialist. You and yours are the best chance we have of finding this evil killer. Trust won't happen and I know that, but this murderer needs to be stopped."

You lie! It is what you do! Ollie snapped and Magda was heartened for a moment before the odd, gentle static swept through her again, leaving numbness in its wake. What was that? This was nothing like transference static like she got sometimes when she was hurt. It felt so good, but…

"I do lie occasionally, true." The other was not put off at all by the sentinel's rage. That spoke of idiocy or vast power. Ollie was not the most powerful of sentinels but he was no slouch either. Considering how easily Magda had been subdued, this odd being was probably not an idiot. "But this is not a lie. Magda needs help and I cannot give it. He can and will give it."

Magda tried to cry out as something latched onto her upper face and then, her desire, indeed, all of her emotions vanished under a haze of soft static. Something else covered her nose and mouth, then cool gas seeped into her nostrils, easing sore tissues. She went limp on the floor even as something warm went over her ears. Was that music playing in her ears? If so, it was soft and beautiful. Almost lost in the static that crackled around her though.

It is all right. Officer Magda, it is all right. You are going to be all right. The voice was directly into her mind no matter how hard she fought to keep it out. It was soft, still worried, but calmer and it was everywhere. She could not free her mind or keep the voice out no matter how she tried and sorrow rose. She tried to suicide and it didn't work! Terror and rage rose and were quenched, rose and were squelched. No, no. There is no need. It is all right, Officer. The other sounded upset now, but with Magda's feelings, not the situation. I called in a specialist. He will be here momentarily.

What? Ollie demanded. No! NO! That wasn't rage from the sentinel now! That was terror! Magda tried to summon rage again, but it too vanished under the static.

Neither of you will be harmed. Magda fought on even as power beyond belief grabbed her and lifted her in oddly gentle tendrils of red-black energy. She had never heard that voice that she knew of, but she knew what it was. Not who. What. Officer Magda is what she is. You are what you are, officer Ollie. Both of you are needed.

LEAVE HER ALONE, HUNHOW! Ollie screamed in rage as the tendrils penetrated Magda, sweeping into her energy without hindrance despite her suddenly desperate struggles that did nothing. Again, her will to resist faded along with every other emotion even as she summoned them. She was helpless! She would not cry! Magda would not cry in front of the worst enemy of the Tenno! Never!

If I do,… Why was Hunhow suddenly sounding tired? This being destroyed worlds! Why was it bothering to be gentle with Magda or trying to be patient with Ollie? Such was not its way. ...she will fight. It is what Tenno do, Officer Ollie. It is not her fault, yours or even mine. Erra made a hell of a mess with his choice of allies, but even he is not totally at fault. Fault lies elsewhere. This situation must be resolved and soon. You and yours were and are the best choices for such, Officer.

Just tell her the truth! She can handle it! Ollie all but begged as the odd red-black energy swept through Magda, but it didn't hurt, indeed, even the memories of her pain faded. Not even static this time. Despite all of her struggles, she was almost asleep now. Somehow, she knew that when she woke, she would not remember any of this. That bothered her, but again, the worry faded.

She probably can. She is very strong willed to resist so fervently even enthralled. Hunhow replied and Ollie sputtered. But the probabilities say that if she does learn the truth, she will react badly enough that all will be for naught. There. Done.

Magda felt floor underneath her, but then, all too human hands gripped her and eased her onto a yielding surface. She was shivering as something warm was laid over her. She managed to crack her eyelids and saw a dim form clad in white standing over her. The young man shimmered with familiar energy, but he was not a Zarimon child. Was he? Had he carried her? She seemed to be in her quarters, but...

"Sleep now, brave Tenno." The young man said quietly as something hissed loud in Magda's ears and then static carried her away. Was it singing to her? "It is going to be all right."

Another room

"I hate this." The young looking being said with a growl as he sat in the horrible chair that had become his home and prison. "I hate all of this!"

You accepted the path of this Sequence. You know what must be done. Hunhow said from a hard light projection that mimicked his real form, but tiny. His true form dwarfed the orbiter, so he made allowances to fit in the room. Everyone who knows anything about this is upset, but youandI are the only ones free to act. We must save her and these officers are the tools we must use.

"If she realizes what we are doing, that you stole these from Narmer for me to use, even to save her..." The being slumped in his chair. "She hates you, and thus she will hate me since I am your slave now. She has every cause to hate you as much as I do." The young man snapped.

Yes. Hunhow replied and was silent. Yes, she does.

"Thank you for helping me save Magda,…" The sort of respectful words came out almost as if the man was pulling teeth. "...now go away while I try to fix what I can."

The probabilities are unclear at this time. Officer Ollie may be right. Hunhow's words clearly surprised the other and Hunhow continued. To throw off the limited enthrallment we have done is exceptional, even for a Tenno. Officer Magda is incredibly strong willed. The young man stared at Hunhow's projection in disbelief and Hunhow continued. She may be able to accept that even 'I' can do what you consider 'good' in your limited view.

"Sentient and Tenno are enemies." The chair bound boy snapped. "That is all we have ever been and all we will ever be. Natah begged me for help, I gave it. For her, I will even let you take temporary control of me, but I will not let you harm Tenno to suit your needs. Not now, not ever!" For a moment, the young man's energy shimmered, the Narmer colors fading to show something far brighter and cleaner. Then it faded and he was white, silver and orange again.

I am not asking that of you, Tenno Owl. Hunhow replied, still as patient as he had been with Magda. I know you can throw off my controls and break what has been done to the officers, but Officer Magda needs to think she is enslaved. She has to believe that with all of her heart or this was all for naught. If you do not act as my servant, they will simply kill you or Veil you if they can. We need to follow the Sequence as it was laid out.

"And then Kanaah kills me and you win a victory." Owl said with a sigh. "If Natah herself had not begged my aid, I would not have even thought about this. Magda will remember it all eventually and when she does, she will react badly. You know this."

I do. Hunhow allowed and then winked out. Even such as the being who had fathered Natah and so many others had difficulty in such a space, encased by the Void as it was.

"Mother." Owl said weakly as Natah's seeming appeared nearby. Her visible face under her mask was sad. The boy in the seat gave himself a shake and then nodded. "Lotus, I can continue."

"Are you sure, Owl?" Natah asked. Here and now, she wore her 'Lotus Radiant' seeming, but he knew that wasn't her true form any more than any of her others were now. She transcended physical forms, eschewing such in almost all situations. But the being who was her adopted son in almost every way needed her, so she came in her own unique way. Love truly did transcend species and time. "We have options. This is hurting you, acting like this."

"If we are to help Kanaah, we need to do it soon." Owl said firmly, settling in his chair. "She will be very upset."

"That is putting it very mildly." Natah moved to stand by the chair, scrutinizing her son with many wavelengths and clearly not liking what she saw. "My sister will be incensed by what we have had to do. I will accept responsibility."

"Not alone." Owl's reply was flat and firm enough that the Lotus paused whatever she was going to say. "All you had to say was that my aunt as in trouble. You know I would have helped anyway without you explaining. With your explanation? I chose this. I do not like ti, but I can accept it.."

"I do." The Lotus sounded nearly in tears. "As much as it galls me to say, Hunhow may be right. Maybe Magda can handle it. She has done undercover work before."

"Can we risk it?" Owl asked slowly and then Lotus stared at him before slowly shaking her head. "We do not know who took her or why. All we know is that as soon as Kanaah vanished, these bodies started showing up. Such horrific deaths, and all drained like the historical cases. We know it is not Kanaah doing it, but it has to be connected somehow."

"Agreed." The Lotus seemed to slump. "Owl… This hurts you. I know it does. We can help."

"No." Owl shook his head firmly. "Much as it galls me, Hunhow is right. It has to be people outside of the current power structures because the cops will react very badly when they realize what is happening. Hunhow is all but unstoppable and me?" He slumped a bit. "I was bound by the Code and by the Law until he took me. Now? All hands will be raised against me when the truth comes out."

"Not mine." The Lotus promised. "Tiana and Janna know the truth. Rachel knows too." At that, Owl jerked in his chair and the Lotus continued. "I Think Mother and Janet have been tampering with things, but I cannot be sure. They have learned how to keep things from me." That was sour enough that Owl smiled. Said smile faded as the supposedly sealed hatch of the orbiter room opened and a small form flew in. Owl bowed his head as Ollie beeped at him, irate. "Officer Magda sleeps, Officer Ollie. I just finished my own checks. She took no hurt."

"Except in her mind." Ollie snapped, aloud this time. The Lotus' physical presence changed a lot of rules. "Even if she recovers from this.. this violation of her very being, she won't be the same."

"No." Owl agreed. "She cannot be after such. I know." That was raw, hurting and Ollie paused in whatever the shade was going to say next. The Lotus beat the sentinel to speech.

"The Orokin who harmed you are all gone, Owl." The Lotus moved right to the chair side. "Only memories. Ballas was the last remnant of their evil and he is gone, thanks to you and your siblings." She paused when Owl looked at her and tears were streaming down his face. "Oh, Owl. I am sorry."

"I never thought in a million years that I would do to someone else what they tried to do to us." Owl said through his tears. "It hurts, Lotus! The Orokin didn't care, but I do!"

"So does Hunhow, in his own way. We were supposed to be better than this. Another thing the Orokin destroyed." The Lotus said heavily and both the Sentinel and the chair-bound boy stared at her, shocked. "We need to find Kanaah. I have devoted many resources to finding my sister, but all for naught. If Mother and Janet know anything, they cannot say. All they will tell me is that the murderer is connected to my missing sister, but not how, why or who it is doing this."

"It is not Kanaah." Owl said with a growl. "That is quite clear. Your sister is just as sneaky as you are, but Sentient methods of killing leave traces and there are none." He bowed his head, stemming his tears. "Go on, Lotus. Officer, I will play my part. The ship Cephalon will be ready when Magda wakes. I will do my best to protect her. From Hunhow and from Narmer." He took a deep breath. "And you have my word, Officer Ollie, that when we are done, no matter what Narmer wishes, I will get her and her brethren to Brianna Executor's Tower. Tanah can and will help them even through this." As mind healers went Tanah was very good. Added to Brianna Executor? He was incredible.

"I cannot accept your word." Ollie all but spat that.

"Can you accept mine?" The Lotus asked and Ollie spun to face her. "Because I give it as well. This is bad, no question. If my sister is involved in these horrific murders, I must know. If she is guilty of such, then she will be punished. My kind have done horrible things, but as she is now? My Mother will not stand for such things even if she wasn't dedicated to Janet. And we all know how Janet reacts to such things." The Lotus actually shuddered and both of the others shared her worry. Oracle Janet was terrifying when she got mad, and this kind of thing always made her mad.

"I…" Ollie seemed to wilt in mid-air. "I don't know, Lotus. I just don't know. I can accept that a violent crime is being committed and this travesty may help us solve said crime. But another crime is being done to my partner, if slightly less violent. This is hurting Magda."

"I know." Owl took a deep breath and then nodded to the sentinel. "You have my word that when this is done, I will surrender to Magda and her peers." The Lotus gasped as he grabbed the edge of his seat and his hand tore! Energy fell instead of blood, but the thought was the same. "I swear it by Blood and by Steel."

The Lotus stared at her son and then she bowed her and vanished. Ollie just looked at Owl as the Zarimon child was encased in evil looking energy. Narmer energy.

I accept your Oath. The sentinel replied as he headed for the door. Don't make me regret it.

"I will do my best." Owl said as the chair closed up around him, but did not quite mask the orange energy that swept through him. Evil energy meant for one thing. To warp the Zarimon child completely to serve Narmer.

It also did not mask his screams as he fought the evil energy that sought to corrupt his very self. As it scoured him from the inside out.