Crisis

It... wasn't supposed to be like this...

The being called 'The Lotus' was many things. She had been many things. Some were well known. Her role as the guardian and guide of the Tenno was well known. As to why she was the guardian and guide of the Tenno, that was known to very few.

She hadn't suspected. In hindsight, she should have. Tyl Regor was nothing if not thorough. That fact that he was completely bat**** insane was beside the point. She should have recognized the signs. In her defense, the only signs of anything had been temporary blackouts of her data feeds from several of her agents. All of the ones assigned to scouting the odd energy signatures. She hadn't expected what she had seen. Not in the slightest. It had been... a very long time.

Had she forgotten? Been so fixated on what she had become that she ignored what she had been?

"Lotus." The voice of the one to whom she owed everything came and she sighed as she released the datastreams. The probabilities didn't make a lot of sense. They never did in such cases.

"I am here, Empress Eliza." The Lotus focused her senses on the woman who stood just inside the door to the sanctuary. "I... I know."

"It is not your fault, Rebeka." Eliza said sadly. "You did what you had to. What my... my ancestors ordered you to." The Lotus shook her head, but Eliza was not to be denied. "We need you. They need you."

"I never lied to them." The Lotus said sadly. "But I... omitted things. I didn't want them to know I was... what I was." She said lamely.

"After what we -the Orokin- did, Lotus..." Eliza's voice held old pain, old rage. But not at the Lotus. "I do not blame your people for acting as they did. For setting out to destroy us all. We deserved it. Most of the Tenno in this time will agree."

"Not all of you deserved it." The Lotus protested. "When I was part of it, it was so clear. So easy. Then I got here... and... it all became cloudy. Grey."

"It is not your fault." The Empress of Orokin said sternly. "My family sent you and the others, knowing what would happen. They did that to you and all the others, knowingly and willingly. They hurt you. All of you. We deserved your anger. Your rage." She said in a tiny voice. "We made you what you were. It is our fault. Not yours. Never yours."

"It means a lot to me to hear that, Empress." The Lotus said quietly. "But now... They know."

It hadn't seemed all that important, truth be told. The Grineer had been up to something. But that was typical for the clones. They were always up to something. In her wildest nightmares of bugged code, she hadn't dreamed of this. Of that madman Regor actually breaching the tomb. Waking... him.

"They know who you were when you came back, Rebeka." Eliza countered. "They do not know what happened after or why you have sacrificed so much to do counter to what you were programmed to. They do not know why you saved them. Why you didn't finish the final sequence."

"They know my anger." The Lotus said weakly. "They know why I feel about them the way I do. But I cannot tell them the rest, Empress. I cannot. I could not complete the sequence, but I cannot tell them. I cannot. Please, Empress." She begged.

"You are no longer Natah, Lotus." Empress Eliza said with a sigh. "Even Tenshin backed off a bit when you dropped that bombshell on him. Bets on how long that will last?" She smiled a little.

"He does as he knows." The Lotus slumped a little. "I was... an enemy. A monster. Now? I try to be better."

"Rebeka, you are better!" Eliza's face was worried. "You helped us recover. You helped us survive. A pitiful remnant, to be sure. But not the self absorbed, self entitled brats who ruled when you were sent! Not the silly fools I ran away from. But humans. Humans with all the good and bad that they espouse. Orokin needed to go. As horrified as I was and am by what happened, it needed to go." She seemed as taken aback by her own fervor as the Lotus for a moment.

"That is your anger talking." The Lotus said with a frown. "At me?"

"No." Eliza shook her head. "At my ancestors. At my father. At myself for being so willfully blind to let Michael seduce me. I still wonder if he did it at my father's orders. Dear old Dad... didn't join the database."

"I know." The Lotus said slowly. "And no one has been able to find his energy. Lilly felt it, but she couldn't hold it. She isn't a Guardian. But um... You know it wasn't your father. Who started Orokin on its slide to Collapse after the Tenno sealed the tomb." Eliza went still and the Lotus nodded as Eliza paled. "I am sorry. The probabilities... I am sorry."

"Oh god! Is she..." Eliza swallowed hard. "If she is still around... it would suit her fine to have Tenno angry with other Tenno and with you."

"I know." The Lotus said softly. "That is what I fear. They will not be able to resist her. Even with my help -if they even accept it-, they may not be able to. She is... was..."

"A princess." Eliza said with a sour grunt. "A lousy, lying, cheating sack of Grineer piss, but a princess. If she...surfaces... What do we do?" The Lotus did not speak and Eliza shook her head. "I have the crown. Can I order her... eliminated?"

"You can." The Lotus said slowly. "Should you?"

"If she reappears..." Eliza said with a grimace. "She will destroy any chance we have of rebuilding. In the name of her comfort. You know it. I know it. Whatever love I may have had for the woman who contributed part of my genetic profile died when she tried less than legal means to force me into a mold that she decided was right for me. Wall flowers don't need brains after all. If they have them? They must be removed." She slumped a bit. "I didn't really expect the Tenno to be kind to an Orokin. To hide me as they did."

"You were an abused runaway to them, not an Orokin." The Lotus said with a gentle smile that faded. "They still found you."

"I knew they would." Eliza said flatly. "But by then... I was pregnant. Used goods. I guess... I guess Michael was playing a long plan all along?"

"We will likely never know." The Lotus projected compassion and Eliza relaxed. "Whether he was in it all along or got pulled in after they found you? It is not your fault. By the time you had your kids, the probabilities say he was beyond redemption." She looked away.

"What?" Eliza asked.

"They could have taken you from that enclave of Tenno, Empress." The Lotus said quietly. "It would have cost them, but they could have."

"I know." Eliza said in a monotone. "I never... figured out why they didn't take me. Wipe my mind. Abort my kids. I figured it was either the Tenno would be upset or that the kids..." She paused and then paled. "The kids." The Lotus looked at her and Eliza swallowed hard. "Lotus, are the other girls still in the database? Sina, Nisa, Coriana, Oria?"

"I do not know. I can find out, but not swiftly. We will need to summon one of the Guardians of the Dead." The Lotus said, taken aback by this sudden change "Why...? Oh no..." She swallowed hard as probabilities appeared in her mind. "No..."

"Find out." The Empress of Orokin begged. "Because if they are not... Then we have big problems."

"And if your mother has them?" Lotus asked softly.

"Then I kill her."

A hidden colony, far across the system

"She lied to us..."

Tenno were not generally loud. They much preferred quiet in most cases. They never spoke in the field, or anywhere that enemies might overhear, so it was to be expected that many believed Tenno to be mute. They were not. Nineteen robed forms sat around a table. Another had jumped to his feet.

"SHE LIED TO US!"

"Shouting will not help matters." Tenno Elder Mavri kept his temper with the skill of long practice. It wasn't easy. His blood flowed just as hot as any wet behind the ears initiate. The difference was, he knew the consequences of his actions. "How many of us are actually surprised by this?" He asked the irate Elder who stood, face red to glare at him. Mavri kept his voice mild. "We all knew the Lotus had secrets, Hans."

"SHE IS A SENTIENT!" The blustering Tenno screamed. "THIS WILL NOT STAND!"

"So what do you propose?" Mavri's voice was a direct contract to the other. Calm opposing rage. He looked around at the circle of his peers. All of them looked worried. As well they should. This news was explosive. "Declare war on the Lotus?" More than one of the Elders in the group winced with Mavri at that. "We don't even know where she is. What defenses she has. And don't forget, she is the only reason any of us are alive."

He did not like remembering the Collapse. He had been there. A young Elder at the time. Things had been bad. Orokin had not fallen swiftly and it had not fallen cleanly. The loss of the Emperor and his court had only been the first in a long series of horrific events that had culminated in Mavri entering cryo. Praying for a chance to atone, to help rebuild. He had been woken decades previous to help do just that. By the Lotus.

"We cannot trust a Sentient!" Hans snapped.

"We need more information." Mavri said with a shrug. "What little we know... what little was reported..." He scowled. "Tenshin is being a jerk again. All stone faced. He refuses to talk about it. Does anyone have any more information?" He wasn't -quite- begging.

"We trusted her before this." A voice from the side had everyone looking. Probationary Elder Raven stood by one wall, her face a mask of old scars and new worry. There were only twenty seats so she was standing "I do not see why we should stop now."

"Spoken like a true Sentient!" Hans said with a snarl, only to freeze as Mavri rose to his feet, his face irate.

"We cannot fight amongst ourselves now!" Mavri snapped, his finger spearing Hans who froze. Mavri was the eldest and most experienced of those who were left. "You know what happened to Raven. It could have happened to you. Or me. Apologize."

"It didn't happen to you or me." Hans said, unrepentant. Mavri looked at him and did not move. Hans gave a sniff, ignoring Raven who bowed her head.

"I will withdraw." Raven said quietly.

"No." Mavri said with a scowl. "Stay. Some of us remember basic courtesy." The flat tone was a lie. The bite underneath had Hans flushing angrily again. "Some of us remember the basics." He shook his head. "Forgetting where you came from often comes back to bite."

"You are eldest of this Circle." Han said with a snarl. "But you will not be forever." Mavri just looked at him and he snarled again. "What?"

"Insult me as you wish, Hans." Mavri said quietly. "You will anyway. It is what you are. But for the love of god, do not insult someone Nikis has taken an interest in. Again." Everyone went still at that and Mavri shook his head slowly. "Or have your forgotten what happened the last time you angered him? The hair grew back." Nikis had parted the Elder's hair with a Magnus slug without drawing blood.

"He hates the Lotus!" Hans said with a smile. "Maybe we should get his input."

"If you do, be warned... He will surprise you." Raven said from her place by the wall. "He surprised me." The others looked at her and Raven shrugged. "During Jesse's mess, he and the Lotus...worked some things out and no one got shot." She sighed as she met Mavri's gaze. "Elder Mavri, if I am a cause of dissent, I will withdraw."

"Elder Raven." Mavri enunciate the title clearly and Hans flushed again. "You have been vetted by Healers, Cyberlancers and shades. The only cause that people have to distrust you..."His eyes never left Hans who stiffened. "...is blind prejudice. And if that is the way this Council is going... I for one want no part of it." He stepped away from the table. "Feel free to replace me, Hans. You know you want to."

"Mavri..." Another Elder, a female, shook her head. "We need you." Mavri looked at her and then around the table. Most of the faces nodded agreement. Only a few were blank. "We have taken advantage of your good nature far too many times. I know you want to retire, but... We tend to err on the side of caution but that is needed. We are not Warriors now. Far more lives rely on us now."

"Yeah." Mavri agreed. "I know. We need more information."

"What we need is an alternative." Hans said with a snap. "And I have one." At that, the entire chamber went still, all eyes on Hans.

"You?" Mavri asked slowly. "You have antagonized at least three quarters of the people we are supposed to be leading. They won't follow you since 'compromise' is a dirty word to you."

"Not me." Hans said with sly grin. He waved and a door opened. Mavri went still as a warframe entered the room. It was distinctive. The many pieces of flowing cloth were familiar. Horrifically so. His eyes went large and then they went flat. "Distinguished Elders, may I present..." He broke off as Mavri snapped.

"Gem." The name was cold and hard and Mavri had his hands on his belt. He looked from the warframe to Hans and shook his head slowly. Then he turned and started for where Raven stood frozen. "Raven, go." This was a command and Raven vanished.

"There is no need for anger, Mavri." The voice from the warframe was...odd. was it one voice or two? "I am here to help. She didn't need to leave."

"Oh yes, she did." Mavri snapped. "You have blocked the coms."

"Mavri, calm down."Hans said with a sniff. "I did that. We need to talk with no eavesdropping Sentients."

"Calm down?" Mavri asked in a slow drawl as he moved to the wall and stopped. The door Raven had taken did not open for him. "Ah, she got to you. Not that surprising. You always were an idiot, Hans."

None of the other Elders moved. None of them could now. All of them...were held by sticky looking strands of energy, holding them in place, asleep. The gold and white Equinox warframe stepped towards Mavri and paused as a Lato pistol appeared in his hand, aimed at her. Him. It.

"You bring weapons to a Council?" The armored Tenno asked sadly. Mavri ignored her and faced Hans who suddenly looked worried.

"I am Tenno even if you are a slave, Gem. I am not going to shoot you, Hans." Mavri said with a death's head grin. "Your fate will be far, far worse."

"I am trying to fix things, Mavri." Gem said softly. "It is going to be okay. Put the weapon away."

"You cannot hold me with that when I am aware." Mavri said with a scowl. "And altering the minds of so many people... even your puppet mistress has limits, Gem."

"She is not here, Mavri." Gem replied evenly, not moving. "I woke and was brought up to speed. The Tenno need another guide. I know where to find one."

"Never." Mavri bit the word out.

"Never is a long time, Mavri." Gem replied sadly. "This doesn't need to end in violence, my friend. Put it away." The warframe took a step towards Mavri who sidled away from it. "Mavri..."

"This is not the world you and your mistress tried to conquer." Mavri said flatly. "They should have burned her to ash! Destroyed her energy! They could have. But no... They couldn't do that to one of the Emperor's concubines."

"Trying to anger me will not work, Mavri." Gem said sadly as she stepped closer. Now he had nowhere to go. "Rest, Mavri. It will be okay." She held up her hands and froze as he laughed.

"**** you." Mavri replied calmly as he raised his pistol, aimed it at the base of his skull and pulled the trigger.

"No!" Gem screamed as Mavri fell. Hans was frozen in place, unsure of what to do as Gem darted forward, grabbing Mavri's limp form as it collapsed. "No. No. No! Mavri! Come on! Don't do this! There is no need!" Energy flared around the Tenno called Gem as the warframe held the fallen Elder in its hands. "Don't be stupid, Mavri! I have you." Gem crooned. "I have-..."

"What you have, Gemina Horati..." Hans wet himself as one wall of the room came alive with golden energy and a pitch black Nekros strode into view. "...is a world of hurt." Grandmaster of the Dead Nikis shook his head. "You wanted me here. I am here." Hans moved a little and froze as Nikis' right hand Magnus pistol simply appeared in his hand, aimed at his face. "Sit, brat. Now." There was no emotion in the voice at all. Hans might act stupid on occasion. He wasn't. He sat.

"I did not intend this." Gem said sadly. "Take him. Help him. He... He shouldn't have done that."

"After what you and the bitch who holds your reins did the last time?" Nikis asked, his voice still cold and dead. "Can you really think any Tenno who is true to the Code would act otherwise?"

"I am true to the Code, Nikis." Gem laid Mavri's still form down. "I serve."

"Yeah." Nikis might have been discussing the weather for all the emotion he showed. "Sure, whatever. So, this is your grand plan to 'replace' the Lotus, brat?" He asked Hans, derision entering his tone now.

"Using a traitor?"