Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

His presence was never announced with fanfare.  His arrival was not accompanied by smoke and fire and brimstone.  He merely appeared and announced himself with a simple greeting.

“Hey, kiddo.”

And yet that was enough to startle the Operator.  There were times when Rev Tal almost struck him, and once they actually channeled their Void powers into a beam.  It had passed through him, damaging the wall behind him, and he had only laughed before disappearing once more. Oh, as time passed they started to become accustomed to him - learning the signs of his arrival.  A chill down their spine, the sense of being watched, a cold spot in the Orbiter that made their hair stand on end. He was like some sort of curious ghost, always poking around the orbiter like he was looking for something.  He wasn't unfamiliar… after all, Rev Tal drew power from him. They would not have survived the Zariman 10-0 without him.

The Man in the Wall and the Void were one and the same.  It was a simple fact at the back of Rev Tal’s mind, driven home by the fact their Cephalon was unable to detect when he was in their orbiter.  A tired sigh comes from the Tenno as they feel the hairs on the back of their neck prickle before they glance to the side. It was always slightly jarring to see what was essentially themself grinning back at them - like looking in a mirror except the image wasn't flipped and their eyes… the yellow-gold of unaltered void energy shone through pitch black sclera as the Man in the Wall studied Rev Tal quietly.

“What do you even want?”  the Tenno snapped, not expecting a response.

“You remind me of him.”

Their voice, echoed back at them and yet somehow distorted into something wholly Other.  Just as he mirrored their appearance, he mirrored their voice. Rev Tal narrowed their eyes at the entity floating in midair, looking at them with his head tilted to the side.  Studying them just as much as they were studying him. They looked away - rubbing at their eyes. Looking at him for too long made their vision blurry. “Who?”

“Rell.”

Alarm flared in Rev Tal so rapidly they almost instinctively entered transference - their Void scarring glowing brightly as they prepared to share body and mind with one of their Warframes.  This was the longest the Man in the Wall had stayed in their Orbiter, and the most he had ever spoken. In fact, their ears were starting to ring the longer they listened.

“What did you say?”  They asked, fixing him with a wild-eyed stare.  “How dare you? How dare you speak his name?!”

The Tenno blinked and he was gone.  Or he seemed to be, if the voice at their ear was any sign.  If you could even call it a voice. “ You remind me of Rell.  Quite a bit really. What did they tell you about me?  Do you believe what they say about Rell? What do you think I am? ”

Rev Tal turned rapidly, energy crackling along their hands as they carved a sickle shape through the air.  There was nothing there but the fading after-image of the sickle, and the Tenno made a high-pitched whine at the back of their throat before crouching down and digging their fingers into their hair.  The whine continued, and Rev Tal slowly began to rock back and forth, breath wheezing in their chest. Tears were welling in the corners of Rev Tal's eyes before a heavy blanket was dropped over them - surprise stopping their tears.  They pulled the blanket around themself and looked up. Excalibur Umbra was crouched next to them, and he gently patted their head.

“... Thanks.”  They mumbled to the Warframe, who nodded and stood up - giving Rev Tal their space until the Tenno had calmed down enough to come into the personal quarters and sit with him.  He had quietly set up a Komi board in the meantime, and when the blanket containing Rev Tal shuffled in he had already made his first move - waiting patiently for them to arrive.  Umbra may not have been able to smile at them, but an air of calm reassurance surrounded the Warframe as Rev Tal sat across from him and placed their Komi piece. The game had begun.

“You let me win.”  Rev Tal accused once the game was over.  It hadn't been an easy win, but they doubted they had actually beaten Umbra in the game.

Yes.  The Warframe seemed to say, simply tilting his head to the side.   But you feel better now.

Rev Tal said nothing, deciding instead to get up and give Umbra a brief hug.  He gently ruffled their hair, pressing the front of his face to their head in lieu of a forehead kiss.  He had lost his son long ago, but he was still a father and was intent on being a good dad to the Tenno.  There was no attempt to hold them longer than they wanted, and let go when Rev Tal did. Later, he found them asleep on a cushion - snuggled up to a Virmink floof.  The blanket was placed back over them, just to make sure they would stay warm.

*   *   *

It was weeks, almost a month, before The Man in the Wall made another appearance.  Rev Tal didn't see him at first, but his voice echoed in their head - almost out of nowhere.  “ I upset you. ”  It was an observation.  “ Why? ”

“Why do you think?”  Rev Tal snapped. Across the room a shimmer signaled the manifestation of the entity that had been off and on haunting them.  “You- you dare talk about Rell? After what you did to him?”

“I did nothing to him that did not happen to you.”  He countered. As unnerving as his smile was, the frown was worse.  A lot worse. The smile was odd and felt like he was laughing at some sort of joke that only he was in on.  That frown… that frown reminded the Tenno that this spiritual nuisance was dangerous .  “Need I remind you..?”

Rev Tal blinked, and their void-born doppelganger was next to them.  They had no time to respond, and his hand touched the side of their head before they could flinch away.  In that brief moment of ice-cold contact, they were transported back. Back to the Zariman.

Rushing.  Rushing thoughts.  Rushing memories, impressions, emotions.  Fear. Anger. Confusion. The energy ripping through the ship, taking it somewhere else.  Waking up something ancient that had slumbered and feeling its eye trained on the ship. A plaything to something bored and curious and ancient.  Ripping. Ripping minds like paper while it only tried to speak. Ripping metal and flesh as it tried to touch. It is only the small ones that don't rip apart.  Only the small ones who are changed. They rip, but do not tear. They bend, but do not break.

And all at once, silence.  Drifting. The curious eye is still trained on the ship, the mind still focused on those inside, but it is learning.  If its true self is too much, then it will take the form of something else. A mirrored face. Its voice too strong, then an echo.  The damage has been done, though, and the small ones - children? - have been changed. Some had fought it, some had tried to ride it out like a wave, and some had chosen to welcome it with open arms.

They were changed.  But they still behaved much the same.  Groups were formed, and where there were groups, there were outcasts.  Where there were outcasts… opportunity. To reach out again. Meet these strange trespassers.  A noise, to draw the attention of one set aside. Rolling knuckles against the wall and then tapping twice.  Rap tap tap. It seemed to work, although the child did not look up, just turned to face the wall.

“... mmmm… who are you?”

A burst of Void energy drove the vision away.  Rev Tal hadn't meant to push like that - instinct had taken over and severed the connection between them and the Man in the Wall.  Blood was dripping from their nose, and a high pitched ringing was in their ears as Rev Tal collapsed, gasping for air - the after-image of Rell still burned in their mind.

“Why are you showing me this?!”  They demanded, wiping tears they had previously not noticed from their cheeks.  “Why do I need to know this?!”

“... I never meant to hurt anyone.”  The Man in the Wall whispered, shoulders sagging.  “I really. I had no way of knowing what I was doing was going to hurt-”

“ Bullshit !”  Rev Tal interrupted, startling the entity floating mid-air in front of them.  “What complete and utter bullshit !  Don’t give me that ‘I never meant to hurt anyone’ sob story!  Sure, maybe you didn’t know what you were doing, but don’t just… assume that you can wipe it all away because you ‘didn’t know’.  Have some fucking responsibility for what you did to me!”

The Tenno’s chest was heaving as they fumbled with the straps on their transference suit, pulling it away to show the black void scarring that curled around their body like smoke, the areas where their skin had turned transparent and hard as rock - glowing faintly pink with the energy that they had become a conduit for.  The Man in the Wall’s eyes had grown wide with surprise while he was being yelled at. Nobody had ever interrupted him before - let alone yell at him like this.

“I’ve lived under too much bullshit to listen to you make excuses.”  Spat Rev Tal as they turned their back on him. “First my own family.  Then Margulis. Then the Lotus. Now you. I don’t want to hear any more excuses.  I-”

Their words caught in their throat, and Rev Tal made a whining sound before striking their thigh with their closed fist, struggling to find the right words.  “I- don’t have. To. To pretend to…”

Again, their words failed, and a frustrated half-scream came from the Tenno.  The Man in the Wall drifted into their vision again, head tilted to the side with an expression of quiet scrutiny that slowly became a maniacal grin.

“Ah… That’s why you got so upset.”  He said quietly. “You are like Rell, aren’t you?  Your mind works like his did. You’re the same… Now, why didn’t Margulis leave you behind like she d-”

The twisted smile vanished as the tip of a blade was placed against his throat.  Umbra had heard the commotion and came to investigate, Skiajati drawn and pointed at what was causing his Operator- his adopted child’s distress.  Tense moments followed while Rev Tal hugged themself to try and stop their shaking and The Man in the Wall stared at the blade and Warframe in shock.

“ You can see me? ”  He hissed, moments before Umbra adjusted his grip on the blade and brought it downard in a slashing motion - the Man in the Wall disappearing into a puff of smoke along where the cut was made.  The Skiajati was placed down so rapidly it was almost dropped and Umbra knelt in front of Rev Tal, hesitantly reaching out to touch their cheek. The Tenno tried to speak, but Umbra shook his head.

No.  Don’t try to talk right now.  He gently pulled Rev Tal into a hug - almost letting go when they flinched until he felt them shake their head against him and tug on his arms to indicate yes, they wanted a hug.  Umbra held them close before picking them up carefully and walking out of the personal quarters to the Transference room. Rev Tal looked up at him, confused, as he set them down in the chair.

“You helped me.”  Umbra’s hand motions were careful and precise.  Grineer sign language - Rev Tal had learned it from the Steel Meridian and suggested Umbra did the same.  He hadn’t made any indication of actually going through with it, but Rev Tal couldn’t help but break into a smile when the Dax-turned-Warframe finally showed that he had a way to speak to them.  “Let me help you.”

*   *   *

    Transference came to them as naturally as breathing.  The connection between Tenno and Warframe as innate and natural to Rev Tal as filling their lungs with air.  Reversing the flow, letting Umbra into their mind and into the shared transference mindspace was more like holding their breath.  Easy enough to do, if not particularly natural or sustainable. The last time Tenno and Warframe were in the black-and-gold space between their minds, Umbra had been on the ground, openly sobbing.  This time, though, Rev Tal didn't see him anywhere and looked around, confused and alarmed until-

“There you are.”

The figure of an old Dax soldier greeted them, helmet abandoned to show a kind face, shoulder-length hair twisted into dreadlocks and pulled back into a ponytail.  If this world between had color, Rev Tal had the sense there would be a touch of grey to his temples. A sadness was around his eyes, but he looked like he still smiled a lot.

“Umbra?”  Rev Tal finally asked, and the Dax nodded before sitting down next to the tree.  “... Do you have a name you want me to call you?”

“Not one I remember, unfortunately.”  He said, patting the ground for the Tenno to sit.  “Let's talk. About whatever that thing was. About what happened to you.”

“What did he look like to you?”  Rev Tal asked as they sat, hugging their knees to their chest.  “I see him as a mirror image of me.”

“I did not see that.”  Umbra's response was immediate.  “I saw a cloud of blackness that barely had a human form and glowing yellow eyes.  That thing is… inhuman. Which is a lot. Coming from me.”

He was bitter, glaring into the middle distance as transference energy made patterns in the black sky.  Rev Tal took his hand and squeezed it, looking up with a worried expression. Even with all that they did, it was clear that Umbra was still working through the traumas associated with becoming a Warframe.  There was little that could be done to filter out his bitter thoughts in this state of existence, but he composed himself and hugged Rev Tal.

“Hey… don't worry about me.  I'm just getting used to being the way I am now.  I'm not too happy with it, but I can learn to deal with it.  It’s not… I can’t control it. So I need to make peace with it.”  Umbra sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before leaning back and smiling at Rev Tal.  “I still have my humanity. I am still myself.”

Then his brow furrowed and he studied his adoptive child.  “Tell me. What is that thing? Who is Rell? What… What happened to you on the Zariman?”

Rev Tal hugged their knees a little closer to their chest, resting their cheek on one knee before reaching for Umbra’s hand again.  It was grounding to be able to hold onto him, even if they weren’t actually sitting together but instead in some form of mutual dissociation that allowed the free passage of thoughts, feelings, and memories.  The Tenno took a deep breath and began to share their thoughts and memories with Umbra.

The Zariman.  Huge, glittering, an Orokin ship that was going to make the Void jump to the new system, prepared for their coming.  Excitement was bubbling within them, seeking an outlet in how they bounced on their feet and began to move their hands - until a tight grip was placed around one.  Firm, almost crushing even. Tight enough to bend their hand and rub bone and tendon together in ways it wasn’t meant to behave - pain deflating the balloon of excitement in their chest.  Not from their hand, though. No, it was because they knew what was coming next.

“Don’t do that!  You look like a fool.  If you keep that up, they might not let us on.”

Mother.

“Sorry, mother.”

“Look me in the eye when you talk.”

Discomfort.  Burning in the pit of their stomach as they looked up and repeated themself.  “I’ll try not to do that. I’m sorry. I’ll be good.”

“Go talk to some of the other girls your age.  Void knows you need more friends.  Try not to embarass me.”

Their hand is released from the vice, but they don’t feel like flapping anymore.  They feel like curling up and dying. Or maybe throwing up. But they obey, eyes fixed to the ground and hands clenched at their sides to try and stop themself from shaking their arms to get rid of the knot inside of them.  Eventually, they end up on the periphery of the groups of other children. Anxiety keeps them from talking, more completely than if someone had glued their teeth together. They sit next to a boy close to their age, drawn by the hum of the object he was holding.  He notices their glance and flinches away at first, defensive, before relaxing.

“.... mmmm… I’m Rell.”

He doesn’t look at them when he speaks, rocking back and forth slightly as they introduce themself.  No eye contact is made, but a bond is forged in seconds as their shoulders drop from their ears and they mirror his rocking.  It feels good, a natural motion that gets rid of the twisted feeling in their gut. Rell looks at them for a moment out of the corner of his eye before moving the humming object from his lap to in between him and the other.  Its hum is grounding, and they smile at him. He doesn’t return the smile, but he doesn’t need to. It’s understood that they were thanking him.

Transference ends abruptly, Rev Tal leaving the transference pod and finding themself shaking, tears welling in their eyes.  That wasn’t the memory they had wanted to share but Umbra was there for them, offering a tissue in case the tears started in earnest.  He can’t speak, not like this, so he’s silent as he kneels next to them - carefully making sure they were looking at him before signing.

“Not a girl.”  

His motions are quick and decisive.  There’s a slight tremor in his fingers, not unlike a voice quivering with tears about to spill.  Or maybe shaking with repressed anger. Or some combination of both.

“Not a boy.  Just you.”

“Just me.”  Rev Tal repeated, glancing back at the Transference pod before Umbra shakes his head.

No more.  Not today.

*   *   *

“Transference loops of that matter are highly dangerous, Operator.  Cephalon Kaus understands that you probably had a good reason for doing that, but it was risky.  You know what almost happened last time. If you were to be-- I don’t know. Trapped , somehow, then-”

Rev Tal had tuned out.  Their Cephalon was in the middle of scolding them for the Transference stunt they had pulled with Umbra - who was currently off to the side, angrily signing at Kaus in defense of Rev Tal (“I know you’re worried, but you can’t expect them not to use their abilities.  Don’t scold them like that!”) - but the Tenno’s mind was prone to wandering, especially when more interesting things were happening.

Like the Man in the Wall abruptly manifesting on the pedestal where the Lotus’ helmet sat.  He looked at it a few times, bending himself sideways to look at it in a way that was just a little too far for the human body to do naturally.  He noticed the Tenno looking at him, and grinned widely, mouthing his traditional ‘hey kiddo’ greeting before disappearing again. Rev Tal narrowed their eyes in his direction before attempting to tune back in to Kaus and Umbra.

“I am their Cephalon!  I was their guardian long before you came into the picture!”  Kaus snapped, while Umbra gave a warning rumble.  Rev Tal rolled their eyes. This argument again.  It wasn’t that the Cephalon was resentful towards Umbra, he was just fiercely protective of his Operator as per Orokin programming that nobody in the system was remotely capable of untangling.  Anything that was perceived as a threat was treated with hostility, and Umbra was a variable Kaus clearly didn’t know how to handle. He had been getting better, believe it or not, and Rev Tal coughed loudly to get the attention of Warframe and Cephalon alike.

“Are you two done or--”

“ Why do you miss her? ”

The Tenno very visibly flinched as that voice-not-voice echoed in their mind.  Ten icy points of contact marked where The Man in the Wall grabbed their head, freezing them in place as he leaned into view.  “ The Lotus was not your mother.  She used you, oh precious Tenno.  So why? Why do you miss her? ”

“I--  Don’t know.”  Rev Tal gasped.  Their eyes were wide, clouding over with Void energy the longer the contact was held.  “I don’t know why I miss the Lotus. Let go of me. Let go. Let go !”

They were released, turning sharply to look for the Man in the Wall’s manifestation - their eyes almost completely devoid of any detail as void energy swam within them.  Umbra was by their side, Skiajati at the ready to try and drive him away again should he appear. There was nothing though - not even laughter.

“Abnormal transference energy detected.”  Kaus unnecessarily informed the Orbiter. “... Operator…  You appear to be… bleeding .”

Rev Tal blinked, raising their hand to where they were now aware of some strange wetness dripping down the side of their head from one of the points of contact - points that still felt chilled.  They examined the black ichor, sniffing it and eventually tasting it when Umbra wasn’t looking before shaking their head.

“This isn’t blood.”  They said, rubbing it between their fingers.  It was cold to the touch, and their shoulders slowly sagged as they felt the numbing cold spread over more of their body.  “..... Shit. Not again.”

Rev Tal collapsed, caught by Umbra while Kaus rapidly began filing through his memory banks - desperately trying to find the first time something like this had happened.  Umbra was aghast as he stared at the seeping ichor, but he came to the same conclusion as Kaus only moments before the Cephalon spoke.

“Transference pod.”  He said, even though Umbra was already standing up to carry them there.  It was times like this that Kaus hated being a Cephalon - hated the feeling of uselessness that came with not being able to physically reach out and assist his Operator in their time of need.  “ Hurry , Umbra!  Support their head!”

There.  Now we won’t be interrupted like last time.

Punching him in his smug face seemed like a really good idea at the moment, but Rev Tal’s limbs weren’t cooperating.  In fact, the Tenno was barely able to process their body as something that existed. As for the Man in the Wall, they were no longer sure he even had a face at the moment.  Which didn’t do much to stop Rev Tal from wanting to punch him in the face, it just made the action that much more difficult.

What did you do to me?  They asked, thinking the question out at the energy around them and getting a chuckle in response.   What do you even want?

Void episode.  You’ve had them before.  Don’t worry, your Cephalon and Warframe will take care of your body.  You and I really need a chance to sit down and chat .  Uninterrupted.  After all… you owe me.  As for what I want?  A chance to explain myself, that’s all.  Your undivided attention.

You hate me.  You hate what I did.  You hate the Veil for what they did.  You hate the Lotus, and yet you miss her.  I don’t understand you humans and your small… fragile selves.  But you really need to understand something: I didn’t hurt Rell .  I was there, while he was trapped in transference and defied and tortured.  I took away his pain because I couldn’t stand to see him suffer like that.

I don’t believe you.  Rev Tal countered, unable to fold their arms but glaring out into the dark void that they knew was the Man in the Wall.  Resolve brought their mouth into a firm line, and they tensed before continuing. Show me.  Show me, don’t just tell me.  You can tell me anything you like, but I doubt even you are strong enough to fabricate everything.

The Tenno raised their arm as best they could, palm up in an offering.  The Man in the Wall gripped their hand, and the side of their face went numb as his presence pressed against them, taking them back.

Back.  

Back on the Zariman but out of the Void, the action bringing the watchful eye out of the Void and showing it that there was a whole new world to watch and explore.  Thousands more minds to listen to, watch, and lead down strange paths in the realm of dreams. He watches as the Orokin enter the ship, some aghast at what happened while others so, so curious as to what could happen next.  The children… their pain is evident even to one like him, but the Orokin don't seem to feel it. The curious ones want to use the Zariman children, while the disgusted ones want to purge everything. A compromise is made - the “mistake” expunged and the children hidden until they can be made useful.

They're talking, discussing what to do.  One, a woman, suggests a method to remove the pain.  To place them in cryosleep until they can be used. The suitable ones will need to be picked out from the crowd.  They can't have had anything wrong with them before this, she said. They will be perfect. Perfect soldiers for the Orokin.  And you can't get perfection from a flawed base, she reasoned. Testing would have to be done to determine which ones were suitable, Archemedian Margulis told the others, and Ballas had been working on something that would put this ‘accident’ to good use.

It was obvious from the start what was going to happen to him.  I couldn't save him. In my desperation, I did something I now regret.

*   *   *

Chapter Text

“They aren't waking up.”

The Cephalon's observation was painfully obvious, but Umbra made no noise to correct him.  Kaus was unable to do much but fret in times like this, and the Cephalon continued to fret as Umbra once again took the Operator's limp hand in his own, squeezing it gently and trying to establish a transference link.  Unable to form the connection, Umbra let their hand drop before standing up and beginning to pace.

“Has this ever happened before?  They said not again.” Umbra signed, pausing in his pacing so he could be sure Kaus saw his hands.

“Ye- N- I don't know.”  The Cephalon replied. “Yes, they've collapsed before, yes they've… bled that goop before, no, they've never… not been able to enter transference as far as I know.  They've refused to in the past, but I don't… I don't think it was because they couldn't.”

“How did you treat the… stuff?”  Umbra asked, looking down at his hands and huffing.  Some of the whatever-it-was was still clinging to his hands, and he looked around for something to scrape it off with.

“... gave them a bath.”  Kaus admitted. “I don't think there's… any other treatment.  I don't know what causes it, and we are not in contact with many other Tenno…”

The Cephalon trailed off as Umbra resumed pacing.  It was was obviously wearing on both of them that they didn't know what had caused their mutual Operator to suddenly pass out, or how to wake them up.  Umbra paused, tapping his hands together as he thought, nodding to himself and waving at the camera Kaus used to watch the transference room - just to be sure the Cephalon would see him.

“They're in an abnormal transference loop, right?”  He asked. “Is there anything that you know of that can disrupt transference?  Anything at all?”

“Yes, I'm still detecting the abnormal energy signature.  Clearly they're in some form of transference loop, but I have no idea what's causing it, and you can't seem to help them but…”  Kaus trailed off, musing over the second part of Umbra's question. “I don't think… waaait…”

He dragged out the word, rapidly drawing up files and rapidly rifling through the data.  “Kubara… kub row … here it is.   Kuva .”

Umbra immediately tensed.  The former Dax was well acquainted with the red broth - and its origins.  All Dax were. And, judging by Kaus’ silence, so did the Cephalon. Umbra shook his head violently, taking a few steps back, raising his hands in an attempt at signing, motions indistinct as his hands shook violently.  A wordless howl bubbled up from Umbra’s chest, and he waved his arms in frustration. No!  No no no no NO!  No Kuva! No! Absolutely not!  Umbra sat down in front of the transference pod, putting his head in his hands.  Communication wasn’t the easiest thing for him, and at times like this… He let his hands drop and glanced back up at the camera.

“Even if I would let them drink it, where would we get it?”  Asked the Warframe, motions clear but resigned. “That… poison hasn't been in production since the Orokin were in power, has it?”

Kaus was silent.  Umbra waited for a response, slowly getting to his feet and walking towards the camera.   What do you know, Cephalon?  He seemed to ask, shoulders drooping as the silence dragged on.

“... They may have already drank Kuva.”  Kaus said quietly. “There was… an incident.  The Grineer harvest Kuva. Something happened and… It was a while ago.  Before the Lotus… showed her true colors. I’m afraid I wasn’t present. I don’t know all the details - Rev Tal doesn’t talk about it - but I do know who does .”

Umbra was already picking up the Skiajati and strapping it to his hip, moving quickly almost as soon as he had heard there was someone who knew more of what happened.  An irritated noise came out of Kaus when he realized Umbra was more or less ignoring him.

“ Listen to me, Umbra!  Let me talk to him.  He’s…”

He’s what?  Again, Umbra was surprisingly good at communicating his thoughts with little more than a look.

“He’s a Dax .  Like you, just… Not a Warframe.  One of the last, I think.”

That made Umbra stop.  A living Dax? One that worked with Tenno, by the sound of it.  Whatever murderous intent had been building in him was gone. There was someone who would understand at least some of what he had gone through.  Someone who would understand.

“... I will contact him.  It would be better if the two of you met for the first time face-to-face.  Do you want me to tell him about you?” Kaus asked. “Not everything. Just… That you’re sentient.  The rest should come from you.”

By this point, the Warframe had sat down near the two computer consoles in the Orbiter, looking out at the planet they were orbiting.  The Sun was burning bright and close, and one of two Solar Rail stations was in sight, connecting the tumultuous surface of the storms of Venus to the heat-blasted world of Mercury.  Umbra seemed lost in thought, contemplating his options and listening to the soft sound of the Ayatan sculptures that had been placed around each console. Eventually, he nodded slowly.

“Contact him.  Ask him to come.  This is beyond us, I think.”  He signed, before sighing quietly and resuming staring out the window.  Another Dax. He had thought everyone of the warrior-slave class likely had perished along with the Orokin.  The likelihood of this Dax being in any way connected to Umbra was… impossibly low. There were hundreds if not thousands of Dax families scattered throughout the system at the height of the Orokin empire, and throughout the Old War thousands more from all over were sworn into the Dax.  It was likely he was one of those.

*   * *

Teshin Dax had not expected to be contacted by the Cephalon, especially because of what happened the last time this particular Cephalon had interacted with him.  Kaus had told Teshin exactly what he thought of him, which was very out of the ordinary for a ship Cephalon to display that amount of free will.  Although, his Operator had been in danger, so that was likely why Kaus had been able to essentially curse Teshin out.  Still, it was strange.

“I’m surprised, Cephalon.”  He said once he had heard the Cephalon’s plea for help.  Something was apparently wrong with the Operator, although Kaus wasn’t sharing any details.  “Why me? Last time we met your Operator was led into peril because of me.”

“You had no choice in the matter, apparently.”  Kaus grumbled. “You did what you could to keep my Operator away.  You told them not to follow. It was more on the Lotus than you, she’s the one who encouraged them to follow.  They’re… stubborn. You know more about what happened. You might have answers.”

“Yes.  Being used as a soldier in a war while still a child does tend to alter someone’s mindset significantly.  As for if I have answers… I hope I do.” Teshin agreed. The image of Kaus on the transmission dimmed slightly, and Teshin rubbed his chin.  “... Is there something else you wanted to tell me, Cephalon? If it’s about the Lotus… I heard what happened. I never trusted her.”

“Neither did I.  Not fully.” Kaus admitted.  “I did what she said but- I am a Cephalon.  I serve my Operator. No… There’s something you should know before you come to visit the Orbiter, if you’re coming at all.”

Even with half his face covered, no amount of stoicism could disguise Teshin’s surprise at what came next.  A living Warframe? One that used to be human? He crossed his arms, gripping his sleeves and gritting his teeth.  So that was the big secret of the Warframes. Many of them likely had been human at some point, now reduced to mindless puppets of Infested flesh and sword-steel to be used by the Tenno.  He had seen the horrors of the Orokin first hand - seen them take new bodies depending on whatever was in fashion at the time of their Continuity. No, the Orokin using humans to create their war machines didn’t surprise him in the slightest.

“I will come.”  Teshin decided. “Thank you for trusting me even after everything, Cephalon Kaus.  And… Thank you for telling me about the Warframe. I await your arrival on the Orcus Relay.  Was there anything else you wanted to tell me?”

“No.  Nothing.  I’ve set a course for Orcus - we should arrive soon.”

The transmission ended after that.  Teshin’s mouth had settled into a grim line as he walked out of the Conclave rooms on the relay, heading to the hangar.  Judging a Cephalon’s tone was considerably more difficult than judging the tone of a human, but Teshin suspected that Kaus hadn’t told him everything.  In his dealings with Cephalons he had found that though technically they couldn’t lie, many of them - especially ones tasked with protecting Tenno - were quite adept at telling lies of omission or interpreting requests differently to allow them to hide information.  Teshin had asked if Kaus had anything else the Cephalon wanted to tell him, and the response had been there had been nothing. Nothing he wanted to share.

So Teshin was suspicious.  Some part of him wondered if this was a trap, but he reasoned away the paranoia.  The only time Kaus had seemed like he was hiding something was when the Cephalon said there was nothing else.  Teshin wasn’t much of a betting man, but he was willing to play the odds that it was less about the Tenno’s mysterious illness and more about the living Warframe.  There was something the Cephalon had not shared, something important. One thing that Teshin had learned over his life was how to play the long game. Patience had always served him well, whatever Kaus was hiding would come to light eventually and Teshin intended to be there to see it.

*   * *

He was scared.  Shaking and sobbing as the red energy crackled off of him.  The Orokin were yelling at each other, demanding to know why it wasn’t working - why the other Zariman children were able to form transference links, but this one could not.  This one. That one. He curled into a ball and rocked back and forth, hands over his ears. He wanted it to stop. He wanted the noise to stop. He wanted it all to stop.

So he called out to the Void with a wordless shriek, energy fracturing observation windows and targeting the humming and buzzing lights until it was dark and quiet and Rell was able to sit in peace, rocking and holding himself to try and put pressure on his body to calm his mind.  A soft tapping was on the ground in front of him, and he felt the pressure increase as the entity held him.

Rell.  I can help you.  It said, brushing something like a hand through his hair.   They want you to feel the body as if it is your own.  I know you struggle with that. I know you think different from the others.

But I can help you.  Will you let me help you?

Rell’s words are not heard by anyone.  They aren’t even spoken out loud. But he tells The Man in the Wall that he can help him, and strikes a bargain with something beyond this world.  

It is your fault.  Rev Tal tells the Void, and the Void sighs quietly back.

Yes.  But not in the way the Veil says.  They say I tortured him. It was the Orokin that did that.  Rell… Did not enter transference in the same way as the others.  He…

He was autistic.  Rev Tal interrupts.   Just say it.  He was autistic. So am I.  Transference didn't come to him naturally even though it does to me.  Just say it. Stop… dancing around the topic.

… Point taken.  He was autistic.  He couldn’t do transference in the way the Orokin told him to.  So they tried to mold him into the figure they wanted him to be.  It didn’t work. So I helped him. In doing so…

You signed his death warrant.  Rev Tal finished, and they felt the Man in the Wall nod around them.   I think want to wake up now.

Oh?  But we’re only just getting started…  You wanted to know everything, didn't you?  I can show you so much more...

*   * *

The only sign Rev Tal was still alive was the steady rise and fall of their chest as they breathed.  Teshin rubbed their hand again, trying to bring warmth to it before letting it drop. He was kneeling to the side of the transference pod, frowning at it before standing up and shaking his head.

“I haven’t seen anything like this before either.”  He told Kaus, still looking at the Tenno. “I have theories, of course, but I can’t be certain.”

“What happened on that mountain?”  Kaus asked, and Teshin sighed quietly.  He had been waiting for the Cephalon to ask.  “That’s the only thing that they wouldn’t share.  I know… about the Grineer Queens. The death of the Elder Queen.  But… The mountain pass. What happened when they went to you there?”

“You are worried they drank the Kuva.”  Teshin observed. Cephalons might have been harder to read than humans, but some things were always easy to extrapolate.  “... I can tell you, with good confidence, that they never have. Rev Tal came to me for advice on what to do with it. I told them what I knew about the Kuva, and they destroyed it.  They poured it down the side of the mountain. Rest assured, Cephalon, this is not because of Kuva poisoning.”

The relief in the Orbiter was palpable.  Outside of the transference room, Umbra leaned on the wall to support himself - legs unable to support himself as he exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.  The Warframe had been listening in, not quite ready to meet Teshin. He looked inside the room, at Teshin again. He was still standing there and frowning, but this time he looked lost in thought before he raised his head like he felt Umbra’s gaze.

“You must be the living Warframe.”  He commented, addressing Umbra. “Come in.  You should be present too.”

Umbra’s footsteps were light as he entered the transference room, pausing a few steps away from Teshin and bowing in greeting, hand over where his heart had been before holding his hand out to shake.  A traditional Dax greeting and an action that spoke far louder than any words could've. Teshin stared at Umbra before responding in kind, bowing and taking his hand.

“You are a Dax.”  Teshin said before he offered Umbra a sad smile and placed his hand on his shoulder.  “Somehow I am not surprised. You and I will have a lot to talk about, friend. But first: your Operator.”

“I do not know what is causing this, but I was brought here.”  Teshin started. “I intend to help, and I have some theories that… judging by your asking about Kuva, Cephalon, are shared.  I trust everyone here is familiar with the phrase ‘it is the dose that makes the poison’? Kuva has been proven to interrupt transference links.  Rev Tal is in an abnormal transference loop. I believe you know where I am heading.”

Umbra stiffened, and Teshin bowed his head.  “It pains me to admit it, but a low dosage of Kuva might wake them up.”

Silence followed Teshin’s statement.  Both Dax looked grim, and Kaus was quietly sorting through data.  Kuva was a dangerous substance, but Teshin had a point. Umbra knelt next to Rev Tal and took their hand in his, pressing it to his face while feeling their pulse - weak and slow - before standing and looking to Teshin.  Desperate times called for desperate measures. The question now was how would they get the Kuva.

And if it would work.

*   *   *

Chapter Text

“He’s crying again.”  There is no sympathy in the Orokin’s voice as they inform Margulis of the Tenno’s state.  “Everyone else has adapted well, but he’s… different. He finally started being able to perform Transference, but he might simply not be suitable for-”

“He’s far more powerful than the others.  You told me that. We aren’t letting our best weapon go simply because there’s something wrong with him.”  She interrupted, waving her hand dismissively before tapping her fingers together as she thought. “The entity we’ve detected visiting him.  Maybe it has something to do with him. I don’t want to just throw him out - he’s too useful to us for that. Clearly our normal methods of control aren’t going to work.”

Margulis’ brow furrowed slightly.  She was playing the role of the mother to the Tenno, as per Ballas’ instructions, but she held no delusions of actually caring for the Zariman children.  The Sentients were too much of a threat for potential weapons like them to just slip away. She couldn’t afford to lose any of them. This one singular child was proving a threat - intuitive to the point there were rumors the Void had made him psychic and linked closely to the entity he had taken to calling The Man in the Wall.  An entity that was almost undetectable and reportedly would whisper information into the boy’s ear. A wedge would have to be driven between the two of them.

“Let me see him.”  Margulis decided before narrowing her eyes slightly.  “You say that there are some people in the outer colonies who are starting to worship the Tenno as gods?  I think… We can use that to our advantage. Start subtly encouraging the more fanatical to organize into a more cohesive religion.  Tell them the Tenno have some… divine purpose to cleanse the world of corruption or something. I’m not the best at this sort of manipulation.”

“Of course, Archimedean Margulis.”

The Orokin who had spoken to her bowed away, and Margulis walked to the room where Rell was being kept.  She knocked lightly before opening the door and glancing in. The child was sitting in the middle of the room, listening to the hum of the trinket he so desperately clung to.  It was time to play the mother, to pretend to care about this abnormal child and shape him into what she needed him to be.

You remember that, don’t you?  The Man in the Wall asked, and Rev Tal nodded.

Margulis would come speak to us.  I don’t know what she would tell the others.  I always felt that she was lying but… I wanted to believe her.  The Tenno thought back.   I wanted to believe I was loved.  That I had a family again.

Did you?

Not with them.  As much as I hate to admit it, Margulis was an improvement over my birth mother.   Rev Tal laughed bitterly.   She at least listened when I said I wasn’t a girl.  When I said I was trans. Let me choose my Warframe based on that.

Did she love you?  Did the Lotus love you?

Maybe?  Maybe as possessions, maybe as children.  I wouldn’t know.

Rev Tal was beginning to feel drained.  It was clear to them that the Man in the Wall was showing them the beginnings of the Red Veil - it was no surprise to them that the Veil originated as some Orokin scheme.  Resigned to their fate, Rev Tal looked back into the Void before closing their eyes.

How much more do you have to show me?

Not much.

This time the plunge into memories that were not their own felt more like sticking their face into a bowl of icy water than someone grabbing their head.  In seconds, Rev Tal was submerged and the rushing images began anew.

*   *   *

Umbra hadn’t moved from Rev Tal’s side since Teshin left.  The two Dax had discussed it, and it was determined to be the best course of action for Umbra to stay on the Orbiter while Teshin ‘acquired’ the Kuva.  Periodically, he would have Kaus open the transference pod to check on Rev Tal who lay, pale and feverish, cradled within. Patience didn’t come as naturally to Umbra as it did Teshin, and the Warframe gripped the edge of the pod, head bowed as a wave of panic and grief washed over him.  He couldn’t lose them. He couldn’t lose another child. At his core, Umbra was terrified that the Tenno was dying and that there was nothing he could do.

“Umbra?”  Kaus asked.  “... Would you like to play a game of Komi to pass the time?”

“Cephalon… Do you mean to distract me from my grief?”  Umbra asked, turning so Kaus could see his signs. “They could be dying .  The Kuva could kill them.  It’s all so far outside of my control I--”

“I know.  Believe me.  I know.” Somehow, Kaus sounded almost human when he interrupted.  “They’re my child too, and I can’t even hold them. Not for real. I don’t ask to distract you… I ask so I can distract myself.  As powerless as you feel… Try to imagine how I must feel.  I can’t even hold them.”

“But you do hold them.”  Umbra insisted, placing his hand on the transference pod before lifting it off to continue.  “This ship is your body, is it not? You hold them. Not in the way I can, but you do hold them.  You do protect them. Just not from this, apparently.”

“Neither of us could.  No more than any other parent can protect their child from sickness.  So we wait. And worry. Because we love them.”

“Because we love them.”  Umbra repeated. “I think I would like to play a few games of Komi with you, Kaus.  Just to pass the time.”

“I will prepare the board, then.”

Umbra nodded his thanks before turning back to Rev Tal, brushing some of their hair off of their forehead.  Though their hands were cold and clammy to the touch, their forehead burned with heat. A cool cloth was draped over their eyes and forehead, and Umbra gently squeezed their hand once more before getting up to go to the Komi board.  He and Kaus had done all that they could - it was on Teshin’s shoulders now.

Three games later (Umbra won all but the first and Kaus suspected he had been permitted to win but said nothing), Teshin hailed the Orbiter.  His mission had been a success, and he held a small vial close to his chest when Umbra greeted him. No words were shared as the pair made their way into the transference room.  The vial was offered to Umbra, but he shook his head, instead choosing to support his Operator into a sitting position so they wouldn’t choke on the red broth. The vial Teshin held contained a little less than a mouthful, and he took care not to spill any as he poured it into Rev Tal’s mouth.  Reflex took over, and the Tenno spluttered as the liquid made its way down their throat.

Please, Void, let this work .  Umbra found himself almost praying as he held their body close, rocking them slightly.  Their eyes didn’t immediately snap open, but Umbra raised his head slightly as he felt the atmosphere change.  He could feel Rev Tal through their mutual transference link - alive, but lost. So he reached out for their mind with his and found it distraught.

It was as if there was a locked or stuck door between Umbra and Rev Tal.  If he pressed against the block, he could hear two voices, but not make out any words.  One voice was his Operator, his child. The other… a deep rumble he had heard a handful of times before - and Umbra supposed this was the creature Rev Tal called The Man In The Wall.  Umbra grit his teeth and slammed his shoulder into the door. There were times when closed doors were to be ignored, and a man he did not know or trust was near his child. He would apologize later, but for now?

For now Umbra was intent on breaking down the block that had trapped Rev Tal within their own mind.  His shoulder ached as he slammed against it, refusing to back down until he felt wood splinter and he fell forward into darkness.  

*   *   *

Rell stood before his Warframe, looking up at the still and silent Harrow.  So many things were conflicting. The Man in the Wall had helped him, shown him how to use the powers he had been given, protected him when the Void claimed his mother.  And yet… Margulis - who had come to him and promised she would help him, protect him, care for him, and even love him - told Rell time and time again not to trust The Man in the Wall.  Rell had knocked, asked The Man in the Wall if he could be trusted to the entity’s face and only received a shrug in response. And then there was the Harrow.

Margulis had said the Warframes weren’t alive.  That they were animated only by the will of the Tenno.  But Rell’s Harrow had spoken to him, apologized to him for the pain Rell felt every time he entered transference, told him stories when transference became overwhelming, assured him that there was nothing “wrong” with him when he cried over broken ayatan treasures but struggled to know how to react to the adoration of the people he had saved.  It never moved or spoke outside transference, but Rell could tell that it watched him patiently - a silent guardian. He just wished transference didn’t hurt.

I can take away your pain.

“Mmmm… Margulis says our suffering is…. mmmmm... what makes us stronger.”  Rell replied. He had long since grown used to The Man in the Wall, and hadn’t been surprised by his presence for quite some time.  “Keeps us… mmmmm… human.”

Does she tell the others that, or just you?

Rell turned to look, genuinely surprised.  “I don’t…. mmmmmmmmmm…. I don’t know. Why would she--mmmmmmmmmnh… Don’t like lies.  She lied, didn’t she? Have you ever lied… to me?”

A glittering of too-sharp teeth as The Man in the Wall smiled at Rell from where he was floating.  Kiddo, don’t take this the wrong way but I don’t care enough about you to lie.  Certainly, I like you. I like you a lot.  But ultimately I don’t care about humans enough, even if you are the most interesting thing I’ve ever encountered, to lie.  Margulis is afraid of your power, kiddo. They all are. I can help you unlock it, and control it.  Take away the pain. Show you what you’re really capable of. What do you say, kiddo? Want to make a deal with the Devil?

Rell looked at the hand that was offered to him as The Man in the Wall flipped over and floated down until they were face-to-face.  Mirror images stared at each other until one nodded weakly and took the other’s hand. A burning flash of light filled the room and when it cleared only one figure was left.  It cracked a smile, turning on its heel to look at the Harrow.

“Okay, kiddo.  Let’s get to work.”

The entity that entered transference was not Rell, nor was it The Man in the Wall.  It was both, though some would argue that it was neither.

Rev Tal fell backward, eyes wide with shock.  They scanned the black void around them for any sign of The Man in the Wall.   What did you do to him?!  They demanded, unsure of how to defend themself from an entity that was surrounding them completely.   What was that?!  What did you do?!

Something I regret.  In my haste I… fused to Rell, so he could have the full power of the Void at his disposal.  In doing so I gave Margulis the perfect martyr. Sweet Rell. The disabled child who was rejected by the others, taking on the onus of trapping the monster that drove the adults on the Zariman to hunt and kill each other and their own children.   The Man in the Wall sighed, before a shiver went through the strange mind-space.   Hmm… Out of time.  But… I do hope you understand.

No- I don’t!  Not really! I--  Rev Tal’s protest was cut short by the sound of fracturing wood, a door falling inward with the form of a very familiar Dax soldier on it.  The void was finally bathed in light - revealing an empty room etched in the black and gold of the transference mindspace. The form on the broken door groaned slightly as it pushed itself up, Umbra looking up at Rev Tal and slowly standing.

“Hey.”  He said, leaning on the doorframe and giving the Tenno a weak smile.  “It’s time to wake up.”

*   *   *

Chapter Text

“Easy does it, Tenno.”  Umbra said, helping Rev Tal to their feet.  The pair was still in the transference mindspace, and Umbra held their hand and began to walk with them, leading them out of the house and down to a beach.  Everything was as it normally was, devoid of color except for the golden outlines that marked where shapes ended and began. Umbra paused, looking out at the incessant motion of a dark ocean before sighing softly and sitting down, patting the sand next to him.  “You don’t have to wake up yet. We can talk for a bit beforehand.”

The Tenno sat next to him, still numb from everything that had happened - everything they had seen.  An arm was wrapped around them, and Rev Tal shook before beginning to cry softly. Umbra didn’t speak much until they had calmed down, rubbing their back gently as the time passed, his hand moving in time with the ocean waves.

“Where is this?”  He asked once Rev Tal was calm.  “I don’t think I’ve been here with you.  I don’t recognize it.”

“I think it’s… Near the Cetus - the Ostron city - docks. I like to come here when I’m feeling overwhelmed.  We can go sometime if you want.” Rev Tal replied, wiping their cheeks dry with the backs of their hands and looking around.  The pair sat in silence, listening to the waves. Umbra nodded to himself - he understood why Rev Tal came here, and why it would appear in their transference mindscape.  He watched as they shifted around, rubbing their hands together before speaking. “Was Issah… like me?”

“Stubborn?  Headstrong? Didn’t ask for help even if he needed it?”  Umbra asked, raising an eyebrow before his expression fell.  Rev Tal hadn’t asked him much about Issah, and he understood why.  It was still an open wound. “... I know that’s not what you meant.  No. Issah was not autistic. Nor was he trans. He wasn’t like you in that regard… but he was my child, as are you.  And you and I have something in common. We were both born with bodies that didn’t quite match our minds.”

Rev Tal looked up at Umbra as he smiled at them and ruffled their hair gently.  A small smile formed on Rev Tal’s lips before they looked back at the sand, scooping some into their hand and letting the grains slip out from between their fingers, gold dust making shapes like stars against the black sand before the pinpricks settled back into their proper places.

“... What happened to you?”  Umbra finally asked, shoulders slumping as he studied Rev Tal.  Something had changed about them, but he couldn’t identify it.

“The Man in the Wall wanted to show me something.”  They replied. “I let him. It’s like transference but… Different in a way, I guess.”

“Do you trust what he showed you?”

Rev Tal hugged their knees, putting their chin on their arms as they thought, making a face as they mulled the question over.  “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask the Quills next time I’m in Cetus. They seem like they’d know.”

Umbra stood up, shaking sand from his clothing and starting to walk away, heading towards doorway standing on the beach a few paces away.  The Tenno watched him before getting up and following, pausing again when Umbra glanced back at them.

“I thought of something else I could call you.”  They told him. “But… Only if you’re ok with it.”

“Oh?  What is it?”  Umbra asked, even though he had a good guess as to what it was.

“Dad.”

Umbra nodded, blinking away a couple tears before he offered Rev Tal his hand.  “Yeah. I’m okay with that. Now come on, kid. Let’s go home.”

*   *   *

A few days had passed since Rev Tal had reawakened.  Umbra hadn’t stopped fussing over them the first day and even Teshin’s stoic exterior had broken down, the relief that the Tenno seemed to be recovering was so strong.  To Kaus, familiar as the Cephalon was with the oddities of the Tenno, this seemed like a repeat of when Rev Tal first woke up from cryosleep - they were weak and sick, only drinking clear broths and fruit juices until their body stopped its seeming rebellion against food.  But, as their strength returned, so did the sense of restlessness that frequently vexed the Tenno. This time, at least, there was a clear remedy.

“I want to go to the Iron Wake.”  Rev Tal told their assembled apparent guardians.  “There’s something there that… I think I should have.  I think he would want me to have it.”

Teshin looked like he wanted to ask who ‘he’ was, but elected to say nothing after a quick study of the Rev Tal’s expression.  They had spent such relatively little time in the waking world yet had already seen so much loss that the Dax elected not to pry and let the Tenno have their quiet grief.  In fact, Kaus was the only one to ask a question - the Cephalon’s perpetual calm alleviating any tension in the Orbiter with practiced ease.

“Will you be using transference, or shall I land?”

“I want to go there as myself, if that’s okay?”  Rev Tal’s statement ended in a question directed towards Umbra, who nodded.

“Do what you must, my child.”  He signed. “I trust the Meridian and Kaus well enough to believe you will be safe, and I can use the time alone to talk with Teshin.  We have… much to discuss. If you could drop Teshin and myself off at the Relay before you go… I would appreciate it.”

“Kaus?  Can you do that for us?”  Rev Tal asked, and the Orbiter’s engines hummed to life as a response.

The trip was short and uneventful.  Two solar rail jumps, and the Orbiter was hanging in space above the planet that had once been home to all of humanity.  Lua hung low in orbit to the Orbiter’s left, still-standing Orokin structures glittering in the unfiltered light from the star the entire system drew at least some power from.

“I never get tired of this view.”  Rev Tal commented softly as Kaus began the preparations for the landing craft.  “Even if I could settle down somewhere, I don’t think I’d be able to stay knowing this view was out here and I would be down there somewhere.”

“You stay with me just for the view, Operator?”  Kaus asked, and Rev Tal patted the ship’s console.

“Of course not.  I said I couldn’t settle down, there’s too much to do and I like being around you too much to leave.  Even if I could I’d find some way to bring you with me.”  The Tenno sighed, listening to the hum of the ship’s engines.  “I wouldn’t abandon you, Kaus. I know you lost your first Operator during the Old War.  I wouldn’t put you through something like that again if I had a say in the matter.”

The mood inside the landing craft was somber as the heat shields closed over the window to protect it from the heat and friction from hitting Earth’s atmosphere.  Rev Tal was absently rocking from side to side where they sat cross-legged on the floor, and Kaus was silent - using the process of re-entry to avoid having to speak.  Once slowed enough the heat shields retracted, showing the mass of clouds that the ship had yet to even skim the top of.

“We seem to attract our share of castaways, don’t we?”  The Cephalon asked quietly. “First you and I met. Then the Meridian took you in.  Now Umbra’s here, being the parent you should’ve had long ago. I wonder who we’re going to meet next.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Kaus.  You’re also a pretty good dad.”

The Tenno’s comment took Kaus slightly by surprise as they stood up and walked to the back of the landing craft so they could leave when they reached the Iron Wake.  They absently ran their fingers over the smooth metal of the wall before stopping and looking at their hand. The scarring from the Void was visible here too - staining their fingers and hands black as if they had dipped their hands in ink.  The casual observer wouldn’t notice, or simply think the Tenno was wearing gloves, but there were times when it bothered Rev Tal almost more than the scars on their face did.

“Operator?”

Rev Tal jumped slightly, startled out of their own thoughts by their Cephalon’s voice.  “Uh- Yeah, Kaus? What is it?”

“We’re almost there.  When we arrive, would you like me to stay on the ground?”

“Yeah.  I shouldn’t be long.”  They paused for a moment, hand resting on a support strut while the gentle bump of the ship touching down rocked them slightly.  “... Thanks, Kaus.”

“Of course, Operator.”

The door slid open, letting the dappled sunlight into the ship, followed shortly by the sounds and smells of the Iron Wake.  It was always obvious when Vay Hek’s attention was focused on finding the Wake - the atmosphere would change and become charged with a tense energy.  At those times an eerie silence would settle over everything as every person living there went on high alert. It’s with a sense of relief that Rev Tal notes that this is clearly not one of those times if the ambient chatter and smell of something cooking was anything to go by.  They took a breath and stepped out into the Wake.

*   *   *

Moving through the Iron Wake was not something that could be done quickly.  Rev Tal knew this on some level, but always seemed to forget that Meridian and Kavor Grineer liked to stop them and say hi.  At one point, the Tenno elected to yell ‘no hugs’ at one of the Meridian, who saluted them instead of wrapping them in the hug that he clearly wanted to give them.  They moved faster after that, except for when they found where the smell of food was coming from. Someone was cooking the meat of one of the domesticated food-birds and Rev Tal stopped to chat with her in exchange for a skewer with a thin piece of the meat cooked on it.  Which, of course, meant Rev Tal couldn’t leave until they promised her that they would send messages more frequently, practice their Grineer (“Not everyone speaks standard!”), Grineer hand sign (“And not everyone can hear!”), and to stop to see Cressa Tal before they left (“She worries about you!”).

The lighthearted atmosphere faded as Rev Tal walked to the back of the Wake.  Tucked away under a massive tree and old Grineer structures was a room the Tenno had already spent more time in than they wanted to.  Everyone knew the alliance between the Steel Meridian and the Red Veil was tenuous at best and born almost exclusively out of necessity.  It was an uneasy alliance, and that uneasiness seeped into the air around the only Red Veil room in the Iron Wake.

No guards were stationed outside, Rev Tal noted as they pulled the door open and peered in.  The last time they had been there, the room had been lit only by candles that produced a sweet-smelling smoke that gave them a headache.  This time, the room was dark and the air was clear. No sunlight made it into this room, even through the open door the light was too dim to see by.  A weak crackle of void energy along Rev Tal’s fingers illuminated the room, and they concentrated on holding the ball of light with one hand while they scanned the altar-like table for what they had come to find.

Its golden metal adopted the pink shine as Rev Tal picked it up.  They had recognized it when they saw it then, but they had never held it.  It wasn’t theirs and though the two of them had been very different, Rev Tal respected an unspoken rule: don’t touch someone else’s comfort object without permission.  The weight of Rell’s Donda surprised them as they lifted it from the table. It was heavy in their hands, and even though it had been sitting in the darkness for Void-knows how long a pleasing warmth was within it.  Rev Tal turned to leave, the light in their hand going out as they held the Donda to their chest, and almost bumped into someone. They muttered an apology without looking up, and froze when the person spoke.

“Tenno?”

Palladino’s voice made Rev Tal bristle and they took a defensive step backward, holding the Donda closer to their chest.  The Red Veil’s apparent leader took a breath to speak again, but stopped when Rev Tal shook their head.

“Don’t.  Don’t. There’s nothing you could say that would make this better.”  There was a haggard, vindictive look in the Tenno’s eyes as they glared at Palladino, who bowed her head slightly and looked at her hands.

“Not even an apology?”  She asked, and Rev Tal scoffed.

“What good can an apology do?  You- How dare you? Rell was…”

“- A child.”  Palladino interrupted, shoulders drooping.  Something in her tone made Rev Tal stop - still on edge, but no longer prepared to lash out and bolt.  “... After what happened, I realized, holy ch-- Tenno. I realized that the Veil was wrong. I had been raised to see corruption everywhere.  The same corruption that consumed Rell, or so I had been told. I didn’t question it. I should have. I was either foolish or blinded by dogma.  I ask for no forgiveness, Tenno. Just know that I and others felt remorse for what happened. Remorse that was not shared by the majority of the Veil.  I made my feelings known, and suddenly felt I was no longer welcome with the Syndicate that had been my home. Cressa said I and the others could stay here as long as we needed.  So… I stay here, and do what I can to help.”

“You were excommunicated.”  Rev Tal’s statement was nothing more than an observation, and Palladino nodded.  “Sorry I’m not more sympathetic.”

They prepared to push past her, but Palladino stepped aside, folding her hands in front of herself before speaking.  “Take it. I won’t stop you. He... Rell would want it to go to someone who will use it as it was meant to be used. It should sit where it will be used as a way for someone to soothe their mind and body, not in this place.  Not where foolish people convince themselves it has some mystical properties. It’s a stim tool. That’s all it ever was.”

Rev Tal wanted to remain angry.  They wanted to snap at Palladino, tell her that she was not forgiven and that she didn’t understand, that she couldn’t understand, that she couldn’t possibly understand what it was like to be an autistic Tenno, but all venom in them drained away and they dropped their gaze to the ground.

“You did the right thing.  Telling the Veil you disagreed.  It was a little late, but I think you did the right thing.”  They decided, leaving the dark room and casting a glance over their shoulder.  “I don’t know if I can ever forgive the Red Veil… but you, individually? Maybe.”

Though the sun still shone brightly, it felt dark to Rev Tal as they left the Iron Wake - stopping on their return to the landing craft and Kaus to fulfil part of their promise.  They said hi to Cressa Tal, gave her a brief one-armed hug, and assured the Steel Meridian’s leader that they were doing okay.

“Take care of yourself, kid.”  Cressa said, mostly to herself as she watched the Tenno run off.  “You’re gonna do something big. Something that shakes the whole system to its core.  I can feel it in my bones.”

*   *   *

Chapter Text

The Donda hummed where it sat in the Orbiter, its soft sound filling the room while Rev Tal gathered an assortment of items that they frequently used to ground themself.  Eventually they settled down, weighted blanket draped across their shoulders like one of their Warframes’ syandanas. Somehow the humming was both grounding and disruptive - demanding of Rev Tal's focus as they closed their eyes and began to reach out with their mind.  There was a familiarity to the sensation that followed as Rev Tal's body became a conduit for the energy of the Void itself. They had called upon the Void many times before, but had always reached inward to the part of the Void they always carried with them after the Zariman.  This time they reached out of themself, to the Void between planets, the Void of interstellar space, the Void between worlds. They reached out, and the Void reached back.

When Rev Tal opened their eyes, they were greeted by their doppelganger.  The Man in the Wall looked shocked, and Rev Tal cracked a smile in response - showing slightly too-sharp teeth while their eyes remained glazed over with hot pink energy and their voice echoed slightly within their chest.  “Hey, you. We weren't done yet.”

“Well I'll be damned.”  He said softly, hanging back while Rev Tal stood, the glow slowly fading from their eyes.  This Tenno, this child , had managed to call him forth with no help beyond what they would already use to meditate.  “I'll be fucking damned…”

“What did you show me?”  Rev Tal demanded, resisting the urge to stamp their foot.  “Why did you-- Possess Rell like that?!”

The Man in the Wall sighed before responding, his eyes closing as he spoke.  “Transference… hurt Rell.  Where you are soothed by the altered sensory perceptions, he was being tortured.  It was through no fault of anyone, that was just how his mind and body were. What I did… I would take the burden of Transference, so he would not have to.  At the time, I thought that in doing so I would protect him from the Orokin. Clearly I was wrong. Margulis cast Rell aside when the Tenno were placed in cryosleep so she could use him as a tool to control the cult of Tenno worshipers she had created.  She demonized me, claimed Rell had been chosen to fight me, and that his sacrifice made him a God. She needed a martyr , and in my attempt to help Rell I gave her one.  I never meant to…”

“I’ve told you before.  It doesn’t matter what you meant.”  Rev Tal retorted, though there was not much venom in their voice.  “Do you at least feel remorse? Are you even capable of that?”

The Man in the Wall made a sound that was almost half of a laugh.  “No. Maybe? I don’t know. Whatever I was then, I am not now. When we clashed… What you fought was not Rell.  Nor was it me. You did not kill Rell.”

“Sure felt like it to me.”  There was a sharp bitterness in their voice and Rev Tal looked to the Donda before reaching a hand out and grabbing the floating portion, setting it back in its base so the hum stopped.  “Why do you care? What do you mean by you’re not what you were. What are you talking about?”

“I- mm mmmm …”

Rev Tal froze.  They knew that hum.  The Man in the Wall’s appearance was different when they looked back, eyes wide.  

“ Rell ?”  They gasped, staring at him.  “I- I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.  I- I couldn’t save you. I killed you.  How- what-?”

“Part of me is… part of him now.  We… mmmm, we’re linked now. But I think I’m… mmm… going to leave.  There’s a lot of the universe I want to see, and I can do it now.” Rell, or his ghost, wiped a tear away from his cheek.  He leaned over to hug Rev Tal, his arms leaving bands of ice-cold skin on the Tenno as he sat back and offered a smile. “You didn’t kill me.  I’m still alive. Just… Not - mmmm - human anymore. I’m ok with that.”

“Wait.  Rell, wait.  Can I trust him?”  Rev Tal asked, trying to grab his hand while Rell’s form began to turn to mist.  “The Man in the Wall, can I trust what he shows me?”

“Not always.”  Rell said, his voice echoing.  He was rocking slightly as he continued to dissipate, Rev Tal’s hand passing through his.  “It’s all... real .  Even with part of me in him, he’s not - mmm - human enough to lie .  But he can… mmmm, he can warp things.  If he shows you something, you have to- have to- t- mmmm - to ask yourself why he showed you that.”

“How will I know if it’s him or you?”  Rev Tal asked, standing up to try and follow the mist that once was Rell.

I’ll knock.

The voice is quiet, and only at the back of Rev Tal’s mind.  A rolling of knuckles against the Somachord was heard, followed by two firm knocks.  Rap tap tap. The Tenno stood where they were for a few moments, trying not to cry. Rell was alive.  With shaking hands, Rev Tal returned the knock even though they no longer sensed Rell’s presence. Silent tears began rolling down their cheeks and they breathed out a relieved sigh.  It was if a weight had been lifted off of their chest - a physical relaxation as Rev Tal let go of something they didn’t even know they were holding.

“Operator?”  Kaus’ voice was soft, and Rev Tal wiped their cheeks and smiled up at the ceiling.  “Is everything all right?”

“I’m ok.”  They assured their Cephalon.  “I… I’m feeling okay for the first time in a while.  I managed to get some answers I was looking for.”

“Good.  Ah- Umbra just messaged me.  He wants to be picked up from the Relay.”

Rev Tal grinned.  “Let’s go get him, then.”

*   *   *

Time went on.  Umbra came and went, sharing his time with Teshin on the Relays and his adopted child in their Orbiter.  Teshin visited infrequently, but there were times when he would come with Umbra to visit Rev Tal. The Dax was not the only infrequent visitor - Rell’s knock was heard from time to time around the Orbiter, a quiet way for him to say ‘I’m still here’.  Rev Tal always knocked back, close to where they heard it. Eventually, they learned to recognize Rell by energy alone. Where The Man in the Wall was a cold chill down their spine and a shadow out of the corner of their eye, Rell was a sense of calm and warmth in their chest.  

As for the Man in the Wall, he seemed to have vanished.  It was months before Rev Tal even felt the hair on the back of their neck begin to stand up again.  They returned from a mission and paused in the entryway of the Orbiter, skin crawling with a familiar sensation.  Transference ended, and the Tenno stepped from the transference pod with narrowed eyes and mouth a firm line. Briefly the Man in the Wall was visible out of the corner of Rev Tal’s eye, but when they turned to face him head-on he was gone.  His laughter echoed eerily in the orbiter, and the Tenno grit their teeth together.

“Bastard.”  They muttered, watching a smudge of blackness slide across the floor, up the wall, and between the seam in between the door to their personal quarters.  Rev Tal’s movements are carefully measured as they open the doors and look in. Even with everything the Lotus had done to them, the sight that greeted Rev Tal was almost offensive.

The Man in the Wall sat on the pedestal that the Lotus’ helmet floated above.  A pedestal that Rev Tal mostly ignored. A helmet that was only displayed so Kaus could more easily study it.  A reminder of the years of manipulation and lies that Rev Tal was still struggling to recover from. Yet somehow, as the Man in the Wall tilted his head to the side and rested his cheek against his hand and laughed in Rev Tal’s face, all of the Lotus’ evils were temporarily forgotten.  In that moment, the Tenno’s anger flared red-hot and they briefly became the monster that the Lotus had been carefully cultivating. Void energy snapped around them as they took a step forward, face twisted into a snarl.

“Take.  That.  Off.”  Rev Tal growled, but the Man in the Wall only laughed again, leaning back and kicking his legs before disappearing, leaving a twisting mass of red and black energy where he - and the Lotus’ helmet had once sat.  Transference pulled the Warframe they had been using - not Umbra, he was off visiting Teshin and trying to teach anyone who would sit near him long enough how to play the Shawzin - back around them before Rev Tal stretched their arm out and pressed their palm against the energy.

The vision that followed left them shaking.

“Operator?”  Kaus asked, voice soft as Rev Tal stared down at their hands, the imprint of what Ballas had become still seared into their mind - along with the blueprint for a weapon.  “Are you all right? What did you see?”

“There’s a new war coming, Kaus.”  The Tenno said softly, hand pressed to their head.  “We have to prepare.”

*   *   *

How to Make a Martyr

End