Judgments

"I am not your mother." Falcon said as firmly as she could. Not very. "Put me down. Now."

"Help her!" Kronus begged Tanah, ignoring Falcon.

I cannot. The Sentient said quietly. I want to. I so want to. She does not deserve this end. But I cannot.

"Why not?" Kronus demanded, cradling Falcon despite her feeble struggles. She was as weak as a newborn kitten.

You know her energy is destabilized. She will not heal until it stabilizes. Which will take longer than that body will last. Her heart will stop, brain will starve for oxygen and she will die. There will be no coming back, no transfers with her energy so damaged. Tanah was still quiet and sad. I cannot aid her. She is trapped in that form. The flesh that she was encased in is immune to any energy I could use. Anything you could do as well.

"No." Kronus shook his head. "No, I can…"

"You cannot stop this." Falcon tried to snap that, but her voice came out a croak. "You are not my son and you cannot stop this."

"I… No." Kronus slumped a bit, still holding Falcon gently. "I was made from you. I always considered myself your child but if you don't, I guess... I… Don't do this." He begged in a very small voice. "There has to be another way."

"There isn't." Falcon said sadly. "You have to fulfill your purpose. You cannot change. Tanah tried to show you another way, but you denied it, hurt him. You refuse to change or stop. You will be stopped. When I..." She swallowed hard. "When my flesh fails, you will lose all of your power. You will not be able to flee from Nikis' wrath this time."

"He can't stop me." Kronus said weakly. "I want him to, but he can't."

When your power fades, he will be able to. The only person who can stop you any other way is you, Kronus and you refuse to. Tanah said sadly. So… She decided to stop you. This is insane, but it is the only way she found.

"I can't." Kronus shook his head. "I have tried. So many times, I have tried to stop, to change. I can't." He pleaded.

"I know." Falcon said softly and then coughed hard. Kronus stared at her and then gently wiped her cheek. His hand came away red. "I will stop you. You will end. This is the only way."

"There has to be another!" Kronus said with a growl. "You don't deserve this! I didn't know what they did to you. I went back. I saw what they did. But I couldn't stop them. I tried!"

"I wish I could believe you." Falcon went limp. "I really do. But I can't. You took my energy and used it to destroy two realities. Maybe our end will allow them to recover, fix things. Maybe." She shook her head a little. "But you are wrong. I do deserve this."

Oh, not this again! Tanah groaned. Falcon, hush. Save your strength!

"How can you deserve death?" Kronus asked, confused. "You are Tenno. A child of Zarimon, a victim of a horrific accident. Yes, Tenno turned on the Orokin, but from what I understand, that was the Lotus' doing, not yours. They earned the Lotus' wrath. You were asleep." Falcon turned her head away, but Kronus pulled her chin back to face him gently. She couldn't fight him. "If this is my end, then I will greet it gladly, but you? No." He shook his head. "You do not deserve such an end. I do."

"I started the Old War, Kronus. I deserve far worse." Falcon said softly. Kronus stared at her and then at Tanah.

"That is..." Kronsu broke off and shook his head. "I want to say that is impossible, but I know for a fact that nothing is impossible when time itself become a battle ground. Did she?"

From one point of view, she did. The Sentient sounded grim. But from most? She defended her mother and her mother's people from beings who wanted to enslave them. Golden skinned beings. That was sour.

"Oh. Stupid Orokin and their messes." Kronus sounded bemused. "Your people?"

Yes. Tanah replied.

"How did she get-? Oh. She traveled in time when she fled the cage." Kronus shook his head. "I tried to follow and couldn't track her. She went to you in the past?" He asked, dumbfounded.

She was looking for Margulis when your makers captured her. Tanah said with a growl. She fled to her mother. Tanah's tone turned regretful. Who didn't remember her. Small wonder. The human woman Margulis was subsumed by our mass and budded into someone new. Most don't remember their pasts before Sentience. A small mercy but in this case? Not much of one. She didn't know Falcon. We did what we could for the scared, hurting energy child who appeared in our midst. It didn't seem enough.

"Oh, no." Kronus hugged Falcon gently. "I am sorry." He actually sounded sincere. "What happened?" He asked Falcon.

"I made a mess. End of story." Falcon sighed and closed her eyes.

"This story is not done." Kronus hugged her again and then laid her down. He rose and turned to Tanah who hovered closer to Falcon. "I cannot change my programming. Can you?"

No. Tanah replied. If you were Tenno or human or Orokin or even Sentient, I could. But you are not. I cannot alter your mind even if I was not sworn never to do so again.

"Is there anyone who could?" Kronus asked. "I heard the plan to alter my creators' minds. It was a good plan. But you are still sworn." Then he paused. "Would your people help Falcon?"

The Sentients now? No. Tanah replied. Hunhow has gone mad and his followers are little better for the most part. Between the Lotus' betrayal and mine, he has lost his way and only seeks destruction. Any who would aid her are too far way in time and space. She hasn't got that long.

"I am not talking about now." Kronus said flatly. "If they knew where she was, where and when she was being experimented on to make me, would they help her? Then? Stop me from being made?"

More likely, they would kill her without realizing she is there. Tanah sounded confused. You saw the cage she was in. They wouldn't detect her in that. They might figure it out, after, but too late for her.

Falcon was tired. So tired. She closed her eyes, but a hand pinched her and she cried out weakly.

"Stay awake, Falcon!" Kronus said sternly. "I think… I think I may know a way."

"I have no power for you to use." Falcon said though her fatigue. "I..." She slumped, spent.

"I know." Kronus patted her arm gently. "Stay awake." He muttered something under his breath and then looked at Tanah. "Call Nikis."

You know what he will do. Tanah snapped. He and the others are sort of busy at the moment trying not to die. You brought lots of nuts.

"I didn't bring any but the Tholians." Kronus shrugged. "The others followed, seeking some kind of advantage, revenge, whatever." He shook his head "I didn't know Mary was the Other. I didn't think they would care about any human or Tenno."

The Other tried to save a Tholian colony fleet from a temporal assault. She failed. Tanah said sadly. But they remember. They became xenophobic and paranoid, but they remember she tried. They were quite shocked when they found her alive and well in the future after she had supposedly died fighting an overwhelming fleet of Klingons enhanced by temporal enemies. They became isolationist after she died. When she was found again, they were confused and splintered. Kronus stared at him and Tanah made a sour noise. You think you are the only time traveler out there?

"I know I am not." Kronus made a soft noise of despair as Falcon wilted further. "Call Nikis. Please?"

"What the hell is going on-" Nikis appeared nearby, his pistols in hand. He snarled as he saw Kronus. He took aim, but he went still as Kronus sank to his knees. Then he saw Falcon and her condition. "What the fuck did you do?"

"I didn't." Kronus said sadly, not taking his eyes from the furious Nekros. "She did."

How fares the battle? Tanah pleaded as Falcon heaved.

"It just stopped."Nikis said slowly. "Bunch of odd ships flew in, cast a whole bunch of something that Owl called 'Tholian webs' and everyone stopped fighting. Hard to fight when you can't move."

"Stand down, Grandmaster Guardian of the Dead." A new voice sounded and all eyes spun to see a large spider like form in a shiny suit appear nearby. A Tholian queen! The one that Mary had dealt with? She didn't step through a portal or transport like the others did. She was simply there. Two more forms appeared beside him. One was human, dark haired and wearing an odd ribbed suit. The other was the Iconian that had hurt Falcon. "You have a grievance with him and it will be addressed. But this must be addressed first."

"No." Falcon begged as the Iconians floated towards her. "L'Miren, no!"

"Be calm, Falcon." The Iconian's voice was so gentle now. "It is all right. You did it. You did what you set out to do."

"But I didn't." Falcon said weakly as energy played across her failing form. "I… This needs to end!" She gasped and her eyes slowly closed. Kronus jerked but then her body started to glow faintly.

"What I did is undone. She will sleep and heal." L'Miren said quietly. "You." She turned to face Kronus who stared at her. "You know what to do."

"I do." Kronus bowed his head. He looked up at Nikis and spoke slowly. "When I woke fully for the first time, you were there, killing my creators. I challenged you not knowing what I was doing. I did not understand what you were, what I was, or what was happening. Now I do. I do not want your place. I cannot take your place and I know it. The programming burns deep in my soul but I will not let Falcon die to stop me. Shoot me if you must, Grandmaster. I need to end this."

"That won't work!" Nikis protested. "What trick is this?"

"No trick." Kronus said softly. "Daniels can show you what will happen. Then, hopefully, none of this will have happened. Owl, Tanah, none of it."

Falcon has to go to my people. Tanah said quietly. She has to do what she has to do or the Orokin will enslave us. I don't know what will happen after that, but it wouldn't be good. Everyone shook their heads at that. Once she becomes Tenno, she will be bound by Nyx's decree and she will abide by that. None will know of her ability.

"You know she ain't perfect." Nikis said softly, not lowering his pistols. "Kid tries, I will give her that, but she ain't perfect. Push her hard enough and she will do it again."

"I know." Kronus looked at the still sleeping clone. "Which is why the Falcon who will survive the Zarimon Void Jump Accident and wake from the Second Dream will be male." The Tholian, Iconian and human all nodded. Tanah seemed to freeze in mid-air.

"You son of a bitch!" Nikis snarled and took a step towards the slumbering boy. "Don't you dare!"

Nikis… Tanah said slowly, manifestly against his will. She was happy with us. She was not a fighter. Not a killer. She was a healer. A peer. She never even thought about traveling until the Orokin came.

"Our webs cannot hold so many for much longer." The Tholian queen said quietly. "The Other will be protected. Tenno. This will fix things for both our realities. Repair the timestreams. She and Kronus showed us the way. What we can we do but try to follow the way?" She begged.

"AT WHAT COST?" Nikis all but screamed that. "A little girl's soul?"

"She is willing to pay." Kronus reached down and stroked Falcon's still cheek. He recoiled as energy flared. "Ah, damn." He heaved a sigh. "Can you undo the programming?" He asked the Iconian who nodded. "Do it."

Nikis and Tanah both stared as Kronus was enveloped in sickly blue light. He grunted as the energy flared once, twice and then was gone. Kronus stared at the Iconian and then at Nikis who did not relax.

"I..." Kronus said in a soft incredulous voice. "I… I can yield. I can stop." He was crying now. "Oh my god! I can stop!" He bowed all the way to the floor, his forehead touching it and when he spoke, it was soft, reverent. "I yield the challenge field, mastered. You are Grandmaster of the Dead, Master Nikis." He slumped as he looked at Falcon. "And I am in an ocean's worth of deep shit."

"Ya don't say?" Nikis snarled. "Ya think I am gonna believe that?"

"Actions speak louder than words, Master Nikis." Kronus wavered and vanished!

Nikis stared around, but Kronus was gone. The clone boy vanished as as well.

"What the fuck?" Nikis snarled at anyone, everyone. "Where? When did he flee to?"

"He didn't flee." The Tholian said quietly, turning to Daniels who nodded. A wave of a hand and an image appeared in mid-air. Nikis jerked as he saw a devastated Orokin lab appear on the screen. Kronus and a familiar pitch black Nekros fighting. The then Kronus took a volley of pistol slugs and blinked out, but was right back. Then, everything changed as he held up empty hands.

"Forgive me, Grandmaster." Kronus in the past said sadly. "I didn't understand."

"You attacked me!" The past Nikis snarled, pistols aimed.

"I did and I submit to judgment for such." Everyone watching hissed in amazement as the Kronus on the screen knelt and bowed his head. "I have wronged you, attacked a master Tenno who did no harm to me. The ones here were guilty of violating Nyx's decree against time travel and have paid the price for those crimes. I am a violation. Do with me what you will."

"You travel in time." The Nikis in the past said softly. "Do you have any idea how much of mess this will make?"

"Yes." The past Kronus heaved a sigh. "Yes, I do. I need to fix all the things I just messed up. I will need guidance. May I ask the Tenno for such? I am… I have proven fallible. Harmed innocents and guilty alike."

"Ya really didn't know?" The past Kronus shook his head at Nikis's query. "I shouldn't trust you, but I got a history of trusting some very odd sorts." The Nikis on the screen heaved a sigh, but relaxed. "Cross me and time traveler or no, I will hurt you."

"I know. I am not Tenno, but I want to be. I have a very good role model to live up to." The past Kronus bowed his head. "Brother to Brother, yours in life and death."

"This is gonna go over so well at the Citadel..." Nikis sighed and then relaxed fully. "Brother to Brother, yours in life and death. Come on, get up. We have work to do."

"Yes, Grandmaster." Kronus said firmly as he rose. The screen faded and Nikis turned to face the others, his pistols falling to his sides.

"I don't remember that."Nikis said slowly. "Oh, this is the lab. We stepped out of time?"

Yes. Tanah said quietly. As soon as you go back, you will reintegrate with the timestream. The others?

"The one named Owl will need a lot of help." The Tholian said sadly. "His suffering will leech over into his new life and he will need help to face it, to move beyond the nightmares that have nothing to do with the accident that made him and Falcon what they are. You will be needed, Guardian Tanah."

Falcon needs me! Tanah said sternly as he hovered closer to Falcon, only to pause as she vanished. What? No!

"You know how this works, Tanah." Daniel said heavily. "She had to go to her proper place. She will be fine."

"Fine. Right. Sure." Nikis and Tanah both growled that in the exact same tone. They moved to stand together. Nikis vanished but Tanah glowed blue. Whatever energy they were using wouldn't work on him, but the lab altered, the metal floors and walls suddenly becoming white, clean and sterile. Almost cheerful.

You had no right to do that to her! Tanah snapped. She deserved better!

"Tanah, if you interfere, it will cause another paradox." Daniel said sadly. "You have to let her go do what she must."

And how much must she suffer? Tanah snarled. Is this some kind of judgment for what she did? She had to do it!

"You know better than that, Tanah." The Iconian said sadly. "We Iconians cannot travel in time, so I must leave soon. May I say our people's final farewell to the Other?"

"I will take you." Daniels smiled and the pair vanished, leaving the Tholian to face the furious Sentient.

"Thank you, Daniels." The Tholian heaved an all to human sigh. "Sometimes I wish all of my people were still paranoid isolationsts. It has to be easier than working for these crazy people."

I will find her. I will help her. Tanah snapped. You cannot erase my memories.

"No, but you are going to be very busy. Many will remember fragments of this horror and will need help." The Tholian said as the world around them shifted, becoming Orokin in nature. "I don't know what this timeline holds, but I bet she will find you. Expect surprises." She warned.

"Tanah?" An unfamiliar voice heralded a golden skinned woman entering, She paused on seeing the Tholian. "Oh, I am sorry. I wasn't aware you had a guest."

"It is all right, Brianna Executor. I was just leaving." The Tholian bowed to her and vanished.

"Every time I think I have the weirdness that surrounds you down, you throw me for a loop, Tanah." The Orokin female complained but she was smiling. "We have three new patients, two with nightmares and one with a persistent delusion that she is Tenno." Tanah made an inquiring noise and Brianna shook her head. "She is not. She is human."

Do we have a name? Tanah asked as he followed his boss out of the room.

"Katherine Keras."

Somewhere, some-when

Falcon was warm. She was home!

"Mother?" She asked sleepily as her systems came online fully.

"I am here, dear." The being who had saved her and then raised her came close and embraced her. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"I dreamed I was Tenno." Falcon said muzzily. "It felt so real."

"Dreams often do." The other said gently. "Are you ready to face the day? Adiinah is almost back up to speed. We should arrive back in the Origin system in a few weeks."

"And then what?" Falcon asked as she hovered her spindly form to stay beside her parent. "Has Mother made up her mind yet?"

"No." The other sounded sad. "I made a mess. Ballas made a mess. Mother, Adiinah and Marlena want to go home, but… So many need her. I can understand. Buds in danger call out to me too."

"Whatever you do, Lotus, I am with you." The Sentient form that held Falcon said firmly as she and her parent moved into the hold of the wormship Adiinah. There, the Sentients that had wanted to go home had congregated. The huge green form that was the Lotus' mother hovered in the middle. She spun and every Sentient went still as they realized she held something white in her appendages.

Oracle Janet was crying.

"I failed."