View source for 4030/In Unlikely Places

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/04/19
|Location=Faraway Galaxy <FG>
|Synopsis=Juno Eclipse travels to the Smuggler's Moon, Nar Shaddaa, to enlist the help of the Tenno and the Lotus in her battle against the Galactic Empire.
|Cast of Characters=428, 964
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>A set of encrypted coordinates had been sent to the Lotus after their last discussion over the radio, with short instructions on either arriving or sending a Tenno agent to arrive there for further discussion. Juno Eclipse has made no secret of not trusting broadband communications throughout the greater multiverse.<br /><br />The coordinates lead to an abandoned building in Nar Shaddaa, the Smuggler's Moon. This satellite is owned by the criminal Hutt Cartel, and it's the place to go where one can find anything legal or not. It's also a rough place and not somewhere for the faint of heart to go wandering around, which is probably why Juno's coordinates are very specific in how to reach this abandoned building.<br /><br />It's there that either the Tenno or the Lotus will find the pilot. The windows are drawn and in place of shutters, there are boards nailed in place. The view is unflattering; mostly that of the nearby condemned building. There's no furniture, which explains why the blonde pilot is sagged in a corner, one blaster on the floor within easy reach. The other is in her hand, braced against one drawn-up knee, and pointed at the door.<br /><br />That's where the Lotus or her Tenno agent will find her, waiting patiently and murmuring something under her breath. Some kind of scientific formula to do with hyperspace travel, to be more specific; calculations and formulae to keep herself awake against the steady crush of exhaustion. There are shadows under her eyes, and she looks pretty haggard, overall.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>For what it's worth, neither the Lotus nor the Tenno operatives could fault her for not trusting the communication systems, here or otherwise. Which is why whenever someone might study it, there was... an absolutely elegant yet utterly insane degree of obfuscation within the encryption of their own systems and networks.<br /><br />One could say it was almost closer to a living thing than it was mere code.<br /><br />Beyond that, however, the Liset continued on it's trajectory; the Lotus herself would stand out rather severely, and the Warframe only less so. But this one, Mesa, looked closer to a gunslinger in full armor and more closely 'human' compared to the others, thus it was her that arrived. Sure, she looked ''very'' high-techy, but who didn't depending on where one looked? <br /><br />Either way, she didn't so much enter the building as she dropped down, noiselessly, just far enough that the pilot could see her, but without being necessarily spooked in the warehouse itself, before walking her way over to where Juno Eclipse had suggested they rendevouz.<br /><br />She merely inclined her head. Some measure of augmented reality could be seen around her, the visual cut-in of the Lotus floating by her. "You don't look particularly well." she offers as both a question, a statement, and means of greeting. There's... a very ''small'' hint of something maternal in her voice. A blink and you'll miss it moment.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>When one lives on the knife edge of rebellion, one learns to watch everything around them. The arrival of the Warframe doesn't escape notice, but not because it seems particularly out of place. A showy bounty hunter might wear something like that, although there are details about it that do look strange, when one looks too closely.<br /><br />The blaster is pointing directly at the Warframe when the latter finally draws close enough to be seen and noticed. Slowly, slow enough to show that Juno is watching and on high alert, the blaster pistol droops down until it isn't trained directly on Mesa any more.<br /><br />"I wouldn't worry too much. I always look like this." Juno raises a brow at what she presumes is a small holoprojection of the Lotus. Her voice is as it always is; clipped and professional. It's an accent that would immediately place her in one of the Core Worlds, but this is thankfully a foreigner. "TIE pilots are trained to deal with hunter's anxiety. You'd be amazed at the sorts of living conditions you can force your body to get used to."<br /><br />After a few seconds of awkward silence, she eyes the holoprojection, a little bit dubiously. "Uh... are all your agents mute or something?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Privately, far from all of this, the operator smiles. Kushiko knew a little bit about that implication. Of endless training, even if the truth was all the more... complex, to put it mildly and modestly. <br /><br />Yet still, Mesa betrayed none of this, even with that blindfolded visage of hers would betray precious little. There should be a click of those heels, that cowboy gunslinger kind of style would fit in well amidst the outlaws and scoundrels of Nar Shaddaa were it not maybe the coloring. <br /><br />Or hell, maybe it might. <br /><br />The holoprojection cants her head slightly as it blossoms into a larger size, an emitter on the Warframe ensuring it's less tiny, and more full sized enough that one might more accurately address it, floating along and coming to a stop not far from where the Mesa Warframe halts. <br /><br />And review of data outside of what Juno had volunteered had told her much, given she had her own Cephalon to sort it through. To the question of being mute, the projection moves for focus on Mesa herself, as though the Lotus were gazing in her direction. "The nature of what the Tenno do does not warrant speaking, typically. For my operatives, they are not unlike the fingers of a hand, working in concert with one another. It has presented unique challenges as..." The projection swivels again. <br /><br />"You know well the premium that anonymity and security are. The more our enemies speculate, the better it is." And on that, a strange voice, masked and stripped of all inflection, elects to speak through a second localized burst transmission. "Finding people we could actually call friends not something we're used to, you know? It's easier for the Lotus to speak for us so we can focus on the mission at hand." <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The pilot eyes the holoprojection as it resizes itself into more convenient dimensions. There's something a little unsettling about all these people without any visible eyes or expressions. The lower half of the Lotus' face might be visible, but it isn't really expressive in the same way that eyes are. Even Galen, for all that she has trouble reading him, gives something away through those eyes.<br /><br />Maybe that's why Vader unsettles people, she decides. Nobody really knows what he looks like under the mask.<br /><br />With some conscious effort, Juno forces her attention back to the matter at hand. Her eyes flick from the Lotus to the Tenno and back to the Lotus again when they explain that no, the Tenno can speak, they just prefer not to.<br /><br />"I guess I can't really argue with that." The pilot shrugs one shoulder, eyes half-closing. It's sound logic, even if it's really creepy and unnerving for the people who aren't really at odds with them. "Nice to meet you, I guess." She cocks an eye toward the Tenno. After a moment she almost seems like she's going to say something else, but apparently thinks better of it. If she starts asking questions, she's not sure she'll have the wherewithal to stop. Curiosity is a dangerous thing.<br /><br />She stands, kicking the half-broken chair aside, content to holster her blasters and start pacing. Right now, if she keeps moving, she can keep thinking. Her exhaustion is almost a tangible thing. After a second or two, she seems to remember something, reaching into a jacket pocket and flipping a data cylinder at the Warframe. The tiny device is about half the size of a writing pen, all chromed surfaces and practically oozing technology. "Here. Catch. I've copied down the astrogation charts from my ship for your reading pleasure. Or your ship AI's, if that's your game. I've marked down on it areas of concentrated Imperial presence. You're going to need it if you're going to be working with me for any length of time." Fortunately, even if they don't, the map is pretty standard stuff; hardly incriminating.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I guess some background is required, and I'd as soon you hear it from me instead of the Empire's propaganda machine." She turns her head, eyeing both the Lotus and the Warframe from the corner of an eye, but she doesn't stop pacing. "My name's Juno Eclipse. Callsign, 'Blackout.' I used to be a member of the Empire. I joined the Imperial Academy on Corulag, one of the Core Worlds where Imperial presence is at its strongest; the youngest student to join the Academy in its history. And a woman, too. Women don't usually get far in the Imperial ranks." Juno allows herself a tiny glimmer of pride at that. "Anyway..."<br /><br />"I served in over one hundred combat missions in a TIE fighter. Not too shabby, considering they're about as dangerous to their pilots as they are to the rebels they're fighting. Notoriously cheap and cost-efficient. Tin coffins. The rebels call them 'eyeballs' because of their cockpits, but I digress. There wasn't a mission I didn't finish. Dogfights, bombing runs, that kind of thing," Juno explains, folding her hands behind her back as she paces, regaining a little bit of that straight-backed military posture as she does. "Whatever was needed for the Empire."<br /><br />"Eventually, I was transferred off the Imperial Star Destroyer I was stationed on. Darth Vader, the right-hand man of the Empire and probably more of an enforcer than anything else, and the boogeyman to most of the known galaxy, hand-picked me to join in the Black Eight Squadron, his personal TIE squadron. We were a task force of unmatched precision; and it's an honour for any TIE pilot to join that squadron. Membership is usually short. Sometimes violent. Nobody inside the unit really talks about it. Nobody outside it really asks." She waves a hand nebulously. "Anyway... the point is, I served directly under Vader. I even led the Black Eights for a little while." Some fighter pilot indeed.<br /><br />She stops, folding her arms and leaning against the wall, head tilted a little to regard the Lotus and the Warframe obliquely. "I was tasked to lead a mission to quell dissent in an Outer Rim world called Callos. The Black Eights were brought in to assist in the bombardment. I actually asked Vader if there was an alternative to this genocide, so he assigned the Black Eights to spearhead a bombing run on the planetary reactor. Theoretically, this would cripple the infrastructure and make conditions too unpleasant for them to think about raising trouble. I was to deliver the payload. I accepted."<br /><br />"What actually happened was that I destroyed the reactor... and it immediately launched a runaway chain reaction that sterilised the entire planet." She smiles, a little weakly. "We killed every living thing on Callos. Not really what I had in mind. There wasn't really anybody left to rebel after that, and presumably it's still a dead, sterile wasteland now."<br /><br />The smile fades. "I stayed with the Empire, but after that I was transferred to the current ship I'm piloting. I was to serve as pilot and chief mechanic to the Sith Inquisitor, Galen Marek, callsign 'Starkiller.' Years later, both of us defected when we were ordered to strike a rebel compound; as it turns out, it was not a compound full of rebels, but civilians. It was the families of the rebels, not the rebels themselves. We fled, and we've been on the run from the Empire ever since. I've been captured once or twice, Galen sprang me from Vader's custody."<br /><br />"I was content to let sleeping rancors lie, but I can't. My conscience won't stay quiet. Someone has to stand up against the Empire and their injustices; their slavery and strong-arming. So... I am." Juno draws herself a little straighter, something flashing in her tired eyes. "For Callos."<br /><br />She seems to wilt a little, then, going back to leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "...Sorry. That's a lot. Any questions so far?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Curiosity is a very, ''very'' dangerous thing. It's... part of why the Lotus guards certain secrets as well as they can. But at the rate their introduction and integration to the Multiverse at large goes, it may necessitate finding those—like Juno—that mutual secret keeping and revelations may help allay certain issues.<br /><br />After all, there is in no way that Juno would ever suspect there are no eyes within that which faces her here. <br /><br />Regardless, the Lotus and Tenno both offer a slight little inclination of their heads as Juno begins to speak. And to speak in detail about things. Some things Kushiko herself perhaps had a nagging instinct on, that as much as Juno hid herself, maybe she felt something... kindred in this regard? Not that it was something anyone could tell right then and there, not beyond the Lotus at least.<br /><br />The Mesa caught the device itself, turning it over in one hand—interesting, her thumb looked like it had part of a trigger assembly, the hammer of a traditional pistol on it. Interesting. Maybe. She makes it disappear into a subspace-like fold of her suit's systems, to integrate and upload to not only the Lotus, but her own ship. <br /><br />Both Cephalon Cordylon (the Lotus') and Ordis are going to pore over that data at lightning speeds in order to present it to their respective masters in short order. Analysis and what not took time for most humanoid or organic natures, but not the constructs. Useful data to be certain as it came to avoiding things that could be easily avoided without compromising themselves.<br /><br />They listened. They listened without demonstrating anything akin to judgment, nor pity, nothing. There was sometimes a quirk in the corner of the Lotus' lips but nothing more than that. Who knows what she was looking at, if perhaps the datamass that Juno had offered up. Names are cross referenced almost immediately; Corulag, the Core Worlds, the Imperial Academy and beyond. Verification and sundry data.<br /><br />The TIE fighters are rembered by the Tenno for cleaving through them. It did occur to them that 'eyeball' was pretty accurate in hindsight. Vader. Imperial wires and more were some of what the Lotus had been researching using her Cephalon, but this painted a better picture, not that she was one to read only what was publically available. It was often what wasn't available that was more telling.<br /><br />Such as what she said here and now. It changed the dynamic within moments. What Kushiko had suspected, had felt, through her own years of combat, instinct and more spoke to something. It nagged at her. And now it coalesced into a sharper image, a sharper relief than most. Yet sympathy is not quite offered. Not that she doesn't want to, but that would be unprofessional and not what is needed right now with what is shared.<br /><br />The first words out of the Lotus' mouth is rather simple, because she is a great deal like the Tenno. She can be silent, and she can listen. And the first words she speaks, speaks to the understanding of the factor that Juno chose to volunteer this information, ahead of the propaganda machine, ahead of everything else. Even if the Warframe betrays none of these thoughts and feelings.<br /><br />"No one here is exactly what they appear to be." <br /><br />Allowing that statement to hang in the air for a few moments, the Lotus continues. Her voice not solely one of neutrality, but that's a bit more alive than the typical sense of how she normally speaks. "We have no questions. Please, continue your story, should you be willing. Know this, however. What you speak of is not dissimilar from what the Tenno and I have experienced. Different names. Different situations." <br /><br />She seemingly trails off at that, leaving it as something of a prompt for Juno to continue with the remainder. Partly because... that kind of injustice is not far flung from how Kushiko herself feels, more than the Lotus.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"There's not much else to tell." The pilot shrugs, shaking her head. "That's the abridged version, but it does cover all of the important points. I chose to omit things like the waiting, or the part where it took me years to wrestle with my conscience and make the split. The orders against the rebel base were just a catalyst."<br /><br />She folds her arms, leaning back against the wall. The material is cold, and the Force only knows what's getting on her jacket by doing that, but she doesn't care. She's far too tired to adopt her straight-backed soldier's posture.<br /><br />"Nobody anywhere is exactly what they appear to be." Juno shrugs, and seems to dismiss the statement with that gesture. "It doesn't matter whether you're talking about this galaxy, this sector, or some other place in the broader multiverse. Appearances are pretty useless to base anything off of. I learned that a long time ago. Some of those rebel pilots look like piss-poor soldiers, but they fly better than trained TIE pilots."<br /><br />"Bloody hell," she scoffs. "I myself fit that. Nobody in the Academy would have thrown me into a TIE fighter cockpit. Women don't usually get very far in the Imperial hierarchy, and when they do, it's because they have exceptional skill... or determination." Or both, in her case. "I guess it doesn't matter any more, though. I can get further on my own."<br /><br />Juno kicks off from the wall, sidling back over to her chair and plunking down into it, folding her arms over its back. "Well, I'm glad we've had this chance to bond, then." The pilot's tone is one of genial sarcasm. "Excellent. Where that leaves me now, though, is that I've been cut loose from the Empire. I've been living on Galen's ship; we're in this together, whether we like it or not."<br /><br />"In some ways, it's more dangerous for him. It wouldn't take much for him to slide back into the Dark Side of the Force." By the way her tone shifts, that wouldn't be a good thing; though she seems mostly musing to herself. "I don't want to see that happen to him, so our only path is forward. I've been flying his ship, which is basically my ship in everything but name; planning my next moves as carefully as I can. It's not a comfortable life, but it's a life."<br /><br />She pauses, for a few long seconds.<br /><br />"At least my ship doesn't have a broken AI," she adds, with a half-smile. "When I make it do something, it doesn't mouth off at me."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>For what it's worth, Ordis, while broken is incredibly loyal. So much so that, before the Lotus can begin to speak amidst analysis almost rapidfire in a voice that's more... organic? And damn near manic as his little cube shows up on a second screen, pulsating at Juno for a few moments. "Oh that is just rude, we're all a little BROKEN aren't we?" <br /><br />A little glitching ZRRK noise as it reverbs into a polite tone: "I would never defy my Operator. I may be a little broken and do not have my memories, but as long as my Operator returns to me, I will serve." To say there's a pregnant pause as there's perhaps a hidden exchange elsewhere is putting it mildly. <br /><br />Just as well then.<br /><br />The Lotus begins anew, now that the story is given. "Since your initial contact, I have begun research of public and additional records at length. Even then, we cannot nor will we ever take things at face value as you say." Such as to affirm why they said such a thing." Given Ordis' little outburst, her tone is a little more forced neutrality at first, before giving way to less measured cadence.<br /><br />"We would like to know... more about this Force, beyond what's in the amalgamation of public records, both based in your world and otherwise. The Outcast, as mentioned, because what the Tenno can exhibit may be similar to what they do. I may continue to investigate that more personally, as to avoid putting you in danger." The Lotus is nothing if not mildly concerned in that regard.<br /><br />"Regardless, there is something you will need to know, now. Given the situation as you explained it and what is able to be corroborated, the actual matter of pay is something we will ensure happens without placing too much of a strain on you. Mercenary attitudes are merely a facade." Appearences to the contrary. But maybe that was the point.<br /><br />As to the notion of a lift, she makes a faint noise. It's then that the Tenno speaks up. "A life lived for the sake of others is sometimes enough. Those who are silent, and those who have breath yet still." Seems the notion of comforts and lives are something a bit more... personal for her. Or him. The voice doesn't have any hallmarks of gender, despite where it originates from.<br /><br />Just what the hell was in that frame, exactly? <br /><br />The Lotus does finish up at least. "Given our analysis, and what was mentioned before, you may be assured that should you desire it, you will have assistance and bodyguarding, as well as infiltration options. Should someone need to be purged or removed directly, again, you may make the request. For most targets we will conduct indepdent verification as well, as I have my operatives and informants available to work together with you."<br /><br />A pause. "But we will ensure every mark counts. No waste, no civilians. We feel we can trust you, but there is wisdom in the old saying of, 'trust, but verify', as I'm certain you know."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I never said you didn't do what you're supposed to do with the utmost skill, you know." Juno holds her hands up in a gesture of mock placation. "I just observed that you seem to have a habit of mouthing off when you do it. And you just lent a little more weight to that observation, didn't you?"<br /><br />Well, he did sort of step into that one, didn't he? Metaphorically speaking, of course. It isn't like the Cephalon has feet to speak of.<br /><br />"You know, it's a little eerie to think of a ship as having memories. We don't really use advanced intelligences on our ships. We do make extensive use of droids, but those tend to be somewhat more limited in terms of how they express themselves. I guess PROXY is a bit of an exception," she observes, rubbing at her jaw thoughtfully. "Even he's bound by that, though. Droids aren't able to defy the ones they've been programmed to recognise as their masters, either."<br /><br />She blinks a little as the Cephalon transitions, with all the subtlety of a brick through a glass window, into a more polite tone. Presumably this is closer to what he's supposed to be like. Well, that was different. Maybe a little bit unnerving, too. Juno glances back to the Lotus and the Tenno, eyeing them somewhat warily. "Is he always like that...?"<br /><br />Public research? The pilot snorts.<br /><br />"Good luck with that. You're not going to find much of any use in the public archives. Imperial databases are so heavily censored and modified from the truth that you might as well be reading fictional accounts. Some of the basic information is fine, like the kind of standard information about how the worlds work and physics and all that, things given to offworlders and multiversal visitors. But if you want truth in accounts, you'd better know somebody on the inside."<br /><br />The Lotus' question about the Force only earns a shrug. "I can't really tell you much about that. I don't know much about it myself. What I can do is point you at an acquaintance of mine. I'm not sure what her full history is, but she's on my side, and she can be trusted. She might be able to tell you more about it. Her name's Lowri; she's part of the Union, and I've enlisted her help on more than one operation."<br /><br />"Investigating the Force probably won't do much to trace back to me. I was tested for Force early on in my piloting career and came up negative." There's a trace of pride in that. For all her accomplishments, they were made on her own intuition and skill, and no one else's. She raises a brow at the Lotus' mention of pay, though, an expression of piqued interest. "Oh? I'll be able to provide compensation, you know; whether it's information, or a favour for a favour, if you know what I mean. I'm just ideals rich and credits poor, at the moment. Keeping a small stable of mercenaries on hand tends to do that to a person."<br /><br />Folding both arms over the chair, she looks over, eyeing the Warframe when the Tenno finally elects to speak up. The way that thing moves is a little bit creepy, but she can't quite put her finger on it. The sound of that voice only brings her to squint at it a little more. What's in there, indeed. It's like trying to fathom what's behind Darth Vader's mask, except this one's not... well... Vader.<br /><br />"A maxim I follow myself." Juno tilts her head, eyeing the Lotus' image thoughtfully. "I've done what research I can on you lot, but you lot are a hard thing to pin down. I have access to plenty of databases, and infiltration is one of my specialties. Congratulations. It's not very often that I'm completely stonewalled when I'm researching someone or something. You haven't done anything to make me suspicious yet, though, so I suppose it's reasonably safe to trust you, for the moment." A shrug.<br /><br />"I do have a question, though."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ordis is... somewhat contrite, alternating between the utterly pleasent voice, sometimes more glib and angry like he can't quite control it. Sometimes you can see the fracture, the hairline crack in his 'cube'. "Ordis is... very old. My parts were stripped from me, once. The Operator restored me." *GLNKrrrrrnk* "EEEEven ''THAT'' segmen-TT-T-T-T-T-t—" Then normal. Ish. "I do feel my Operator deserves better. But they prefer me, as we think it was in the old times." <br /><br />Oh yes. Ordis is... not necessarily whole. But then realistically, there's a hint that... neither Ordis nor the Operator are necessarily completely intact, now is there? <br /><br />As to continue that line of conversation, he adds, "Sometimes, Ordis would like those memories back. Sometimes, Ordis wonders." He trails off there, as the Lotus continues the lines of discussion. <br /><br />The Lotus inclines her head once regarding Ordis. "Yes, but given how old his systems are and how integral they are the Tenno, restoration is difficult." To put it mildly. Granted there were... options but... maybe it was for the best, now. It depended on Cephalon Simaris and other... things. Perhaps.<br /><br />Back to the matters at hand. "As we suspected. Everything we uncovered there was half-truths and lies. We might have to pay a visit to one of their facilities sometimes for a more direct, ''inside'' line, as you put it." Which is entirely plausible, but they won't make a move on them unless they are necessarily able without drawing attention back to Juno or her people or the rebels. "I recognized the patterns in the public record and not-so-public record." <br /><br />As to the nature of the Force, she purses her lips faintly. "Noted. Given what we observed with that operative known as a 'Sith', we effectively would like to know more, and may yet sortie against them for direct data." Then to the notion of pay and itself. "Of course. Favors and trading. Intelligence is as valuable as credits, because if the opportunity arises, I may simply task my Tenno to assist in relieving Imperial coffers of their credits directly with the right intel."<br /><br />Hey, that's one way to get pay. And to look for supplies. Payment is acceptable in any form that eventually would lead to an appropriate compensation. Effectively, pro-bono, Juno would come to realize by reading between the lines when it comes to her situation. There is a sense they'd rather help her due to a certain moral obligation.<br /><br />One might reflect, trying to puzzle out what's in a Warframe is... beyond the movements, the occasional idle moments wherein she crouches down, swiping at the ground with her finger at some particulate bit of matter before standing back up is... no sound. Not breathing, not even what should be the noises of power or energy flowing through that suit of armor she wears. Mesa is slightly taller than say, Nova, but not as tall as Valkyr with her tail and catlike features.<br /><br />As to the nature of the lack of information, the Lotus shares a ghost of a smile. "Good. That is our hope when it comes to us. Secrecy is a weapon against those who would see my Tenno dead or enslaved. But... there is additional data they themselves keep about us. We'll see to it you know of that, at least." Indeed, there's a recent data cache picked up and may be made available regarding the Tenno and their Warframes. Of this later, there's one thing that is certain: honor and duty. No matter what, they will go to the death to ensure their task is completed.<br /><br />"But what do you wish to know?" <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Juno tilts her head to one side, eyeing the Cephalon as it tries to get the gist of its explanation out, only to stutter into incomprehensibility. It manages to recover, but there's still a sense of something being somhow off. Seeing Ordis struggle with its missing pieces is almost a little sad to watch.<br /><br />"Cheer up," she offers, with a slightly melancholy half-smile. "I'm sure you'll find that missing history, sooner or later. Tell you what. If there's anything I can do to help you look, name it, and I'll be happy to do it."<br /><br />She's not really sure why she's even offering, but there's something likeable about the fractured, slightly demented Cephalon. Never mind that the Lotus and the Tenno seem to be worth the expenditure of extra effort. Her instincts suggest that there are good beings, buried deep down in that warlike pair, somewhere beneath horrifying skill and a warrior's codes.<br /><br />Her eyes flick back to the Lotus when she resumes the conversation. "Maybe. Everything broken can eventually be put back together again, though, and a damaged droid is a little less daunting to me than a person whose psyche has been shattered." Her slightly melancholy smile suggests she's had some kind of personal experience with the latter, but she doesn't elabourate. "Machines can do a lot more than we can, but they're also a lot simpler, in some ways..."<br /><br />"Of course it was." Juno snorts at the state of the Imperial archives. "If you were trying to piece together your world view through that rubbish, then I'm glad I met with you just to clear up those misconceptions." The Empire is a mess that way. Truth is a threat to them, and honesty is almost unheard of when it comes to things like public record. "If you're going to do that, you might as well take me along. I know the systems like the back of my hand, and I can get you into them. I'd be shocked if my security clearance was valid any more, but I don't need it to get what I want."<br /><br />She folds her arms over the back of the chair, resting her chin over her crossed arms. "If you want to. I'd be careful if you're going to go seeking them out, but if that's what you want to do, I'd rummage around the Confederacy. They've probably got a few of them in their ranks. It's the kind of thing that would go there like iron filings to a magnet."<br /><br />When the Lotus mentions relieving the Imperial coffers of their credits in a more direct manner, the pilot just smiles a satisfied smile. It's nice to have common interests. Any sort of damage is acceptable, as long as it sets the Imperial war machine back in some way or another.<br /><br />Her gaze drifts back to the Warframe, eyeing the thing like one might eye a sleeping rancor beast in the middle of the room. The way it moves is a little creepy. The fact that it makes no sound is even creepier. Juno eyes the projection of the Lotus before glancing back at the Warframe, finally jabbing a finger at the thing.<br /><br />"What ''is'' that?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ordis is, for a brief moment, amazingly placid. Polite. Thankful, even perhaps, as he replies, "Thank you, Agent Juno. If there is anything beyond us, we shall seek your help, then. Perhaps..." His cubic form pulses thoughtfully with the striations of his speech before he blips out for the moment, leaving for the time being, the Warframe, and the Lotus and Juno.<br /><br />For now, at least, he'll be cheered up a little bit. There's a curious little back and forth here. Juno, the Tenno, the Lotus, feeling out one another. For the Tenno, for the Lotus, it is not unheard of to have someone to trust; there are agents, allies, and that sort of thing, certainly. But the Multiverse... the Multiverse put out other options.<br /><br />It left a yearning in her that... well. Others that she could interact with, maybe. Just maybe. In Juno, Kushiko had felt a kindred spirit, someone who... saw and felt tyranny, and could no longer abide it. It's why the instinct for absolute secrecy was beginning to ebb and chip away. Differently. Another, Setsuko had begun to suspect things. As had X. But... maybe...<br /><br />Moving past, the Lotus seems to be quite happy with the notion that hitting the Imperials, likely to either break things or steal things and sell them, perhaps ransom and otherwise, shouldn't be too rife with interference and issues that it might cause. More and more though, there's a sense between the Lotus and her Tenno that this is something they could dedicate some resources to, and have very good returns. <br /><br />More than just monetary or compensatory at that.<br /><br />"Noted. Many Tenno are quite capable hackers, and in some situations they can carry a datamass to upload me directly into a system to pull more information and access files with stronger encryption that require a dedicated source. Having you available in those situations would allow me to maintain oversight while my Tenno would defend you." Mobile defense missions without needing to carry a datamass? That would be a useful thing! <br /><br />Regarding the Confederacy, she nods once more; part of what they had known about the Confederacy was enough to keep them from associating there. And the Union, but for different reasons. Too many direct rules and given the tendency for morally grey areas, it was best they did not associate with them too strongly.<br /><br />"That, is Mesa. The vagabond, the outcast. This is one of many Warframes that my Tenno operate." A faint twinge of mirth, sly sarcasm as she continues, "But that is not what you're truly asking, is it?" <br /><br />The finger-jabbed Mesa rocked back only the slightest of inches, and for a flash of a second, one might feel ike that they weren't being looked at by the frame; something else was there, somehow. Even bereft of a sense of the Force, a pilot's senses might help enough with that offputting sense.<br /><br />And that's when the secondary transmitted voice said, "...Lotus, it's okay. You want to know who's in here, don't you?" This close up, there's no mistaking that the voice isn't coming from within anymore. <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You're welcome, Ordis." Juno considers Ordis thoughtfully, at least until his signal vanishes. She can't say why she offered him the help. Maybe she just has a knack for working with endearingly psychotic droids; the holodroid guarding her own ship has his moments. "Maybe I'll get lucky and find something in my wanderings, when I've got the time."<br /><br />Her attention returns to the Lotus and the Tenno, considering both of them speculatively. How much damage could these two do against the Empire, if given the proper focus? Just how tempered is the blade that is Tenno conduct and skill? She's of half a mind to set them against a key area and find out, but now's not the time for that, and she wouldn't want to endanger them.<br /><br />Though... war seems to be a way of life for these creatures. She isn't so arrogant as to assume they're human, even if what little she can see of the Lotus' face might suggest as much.<br /><br />"I'm a capable slicer, too." Juno shows a hard-edged little half-smile. "It's a hobby I picked up out of boredom, but when you live in the Empire, you learn something like that as a survival skill, too. It was also a tool for Galen's operations. I'd guide him through locations by slicing into security mainframes and using the cameras to see. My ship has cutting-edge capabilities in that regard, although I no longer have access to the best hardware the Imperial war machine has to offer." She pauses, thoughtful. "Well... not unless I steal it, anyway."<br /><br />Juno's eyes slide to the Tenno again, eyeing the Warframe somewhat dubiously. Having a bodyguard like that would be great. Also, kind of creepy. Galen has his moments, but at least she can carry on a conversation with him, awkward as they sometimes are. His social skills leave much to be desired, but at least he has them.<br /><br />Heaving herself to her feet, Juno pads over to the Warframe in question, watching it like a cat eyeing a basin full of water. "You talk about it like it's a living thing, yet you say your Tenno 'operates' it, like a machine... which is it? Living thing or automation?" Juno frowns, standing on tip-toe to eye Mesa's eyeless face. What the hell is that thing?<br /><br />And why is the hair on the back of her neck standing up? Juno glances over her shoulder, but there's nothing there and nobody watching her. Juno's eyes snap back to the Warframe, and this time she can't help something of a shiver, taking half a step back.<br /><br />Before she even says it, she knows she's probably going to regret her answer.<br /><br />"Yeah."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>For what it was worth, the offer tendered to Ordis was shaping Kushiko's opinion of Juno more and more. The similarities that might exist between the two. For someone like her, someone who had no memories save to fight, to kill, the knowledge only of war and comrades, lost and dead... maybe. <br /><br />Maybe one could find new memories. Ever since awakening, ever since the arrival in the Multiverse, the questions had been festering. She had meditated on them, in betwixt missions. Whether it was to slaughter Infested or subverting Corpus and smashing Grineer operations in varying ways. Then there was those who hunted her.<br /><br />If Juno only knew, and frankly... she just might, once certain data was made available to her. The Corpus datastores that were recently hit might be something Juno could use for reading and more, especially corroborated with the Grineer data. There, one might see the blade and gun that they conduct.<br /><br />On the subject of slicing, hacking and other things, Ordis actually pipes in, "Oooh, maybe we can share some technology and elements. I do have a thing for—" "''owning their asses''" "—subverting enemy systems." Zztch. Ahem. The Lotus picks up on that where the Cephalon interjected. "That is something else that I am linked to my Tenno's systems for, their Warframe and local security systems to monitor and advise." A faint hint of amusement in her voice. To say there's the beginnings of a serendipitous discovery here are putting it mildly.<br /><br />For a few, precious moments, the Lotus' screen turns as though to focus on the Warframe itself, and on Juno who's asking the questions. Perhaps an internal debate on how best, if at all, to answer. Not untruthfully, nor with lies and the like. Juno's volunteered too much, they both feel. One cannot go this far only to turn back.<br /><br />"Because it is both. Because to answer one way or another would eliminate a need for speculation in others, which is our preference. My Tenno... and I now agree that this is not something we can afford when it comes to you." The tone in her voice suggests... ''something'' rather important here is about to be disclosed in a sense. Juno has shown them her side. They cannot tell her everything... but they can tell her more than most.<br /><br />The bandana-wrapped visage of Mesa simply cants her head slightly as if she were entirely nonplussed by the whole thing at first. This is when the Tenno's voice speaks again, as if reciting a mantra, or command directives, nearly. Not so much stiffly, but like a long held set of maxims and rules. "We are Tenno. Ours is the way of old, of gun and blade. Ours is the way of honor and duty."<br /><br />"My Warframe, is the hand. ''I'' am the will."<br /><br />At that utterance, the Lotus' visage, the projection fades for now, only to give way to another one. Where there was an obvious technology lining to the cut-in, for this, it's... a spatial storm in the background of some kind. It's difficult to say what lies there, but attention given that pales in comparison to the face. He... she? Is what seems to be human, for the most part. But... she can't be that young, can she? <br /><br />What's really the most striking thing as the holographic panel comes into full resolution is the eyes. They glower, unnaturally so, the coloration almost faint lilac but the pupils and irii just seem... wrong. Maybe because in the eyes of the Tenno, they have seen much more than they will ever know, and only a fraction of that is conveyed through the screen.<br /><br />"...You may call me Kushiko. But I would prefer that stay only between us. This Warframe acts as my body. It cannot be a Warframe without me otherwise." she offers as part of her explanation. The full gravity, the full realization is that her voice is young. She can't be older than 15, if that, but... everything about her screams that she has done so much more. <br /><br />And that to know this information is to quite possibly be considered a trusted ally. Perhaps even friend, in the future.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Maybe it's the first time anyone's offered any kindness to the mismatched group, or at least the sort that didn't have strings attached. They've had help from other allies of their own, surely, but it seems like the kind of world where catches and strings are a common element. It's not unlike living on the other side of the Empire, when it comes down to it. The lives of smugglers aren't too dissimilar from that either.<br /><br />Juno looks up as Ordis pops into view again, sine waves pulsing in time to the sound of his synthesised voice. "I guess it wouldn't hurt anything to give you a peek at what's under the hood. It's highly advanced; it has a powerful computer core, but its real benefit are its engines. It's the fastest ship in the Imperial fleet. Infiltration and exfiltration are my specialties. That's what the ship was designed to do, and that's what I did for Galen, when we were still Imperials. He was the one who completed his missions, but I'm the one who got him in, guided him through the premises, and got him out again."<br /><br />"I wouldn't mind a glance at the inner workings of your ship, too, but I doubt I'd be able to understand it." The pilot shakes her head, gesturing at the hovering avatar of Ordis. "Some of it seems similar, like the holoprojections, but some of it—"<br /><br />Her hand waves vaguely in the direction of the Warframe. Some of it is completely alien, and she wouldn't even begin to fathom it. Speaking of that, she turns her attention to it when the Lotus decides to be forthcoming. She's paying even more close attention when the Tenno opts to speak. That seems to be vanishingly rare; she also seems to understand that they're on the verge of some great revelation to their ally, and she seems to understand, too, that it's not something revealed lightly.<br /><br />That almost sounds like some kind of Jedi nonsense. Some of them talk about balance, and the interplay between the Light Side and the Dark Side. Others talk about some kind of honourable code that the Jedi Order once followed; whatever of them are left. This almost sounds like the kind of mysticism nonsense that Revan might tell her, if she asked about the Force... but... it's not really nonsense. The Tenno clearly believes in this, and it has power to her, just as the Force has power to the Jedi and the Sith; even if it means nothing to Juno herself.<br /><br />The pilot frowns as the Lotus' image gives way to the Tenno, studying it carefully. They certainly look young, but it's also immediately obvious to her that they're not human. Something in those eyes is chilling, and wrong in the same way that she can feel when another fighter is on her zero angle; that hair-raising sensation of being really and truly watched. The Tenno ''sees'' her, beyond the shadow of a doubt.<br /><br />Juno folds her arms. She herself doesn't look as old as the veteran that would match her service record; she can't be any older than her early twenties, although the perennial shadows under her eyes and the lines of fatigue in her face make her seem a little older. She studies that image carefully, as though she were committing it to memory.<br /><br />Finally, she bows her head; a gesture of respect.<br /><br />"I'm honoured, Kushiko."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:964|Kushiko (964)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Everyone tends to have something they want. And on the other hand, the Tenno have been used, exploited in their past. And nine times out of ten, the average reaction to Tenno is usually hostile; perhaps justified, perhaps not. Their allies are few and far between but what allies they obtain, they work to ensure they're strong allies. Darvo would come to mind as protected as he is at one of the relays.<br /><br />Now Ordis is fairly keenly interested; the Landing Craft segment added to the foundry had enabled him to provide air support, sometimes in the cases of hacking and other security system overrides but it was always so lovely to behold how others worked and the like. His cube pulsed and closed in on view with a kind od keen little oscillation that brought the faceted element of his cube persona into relief at times. "Hmhmhm. Collaboration, perhaps, yes. This is an option." <br /><br />As to the nature of the ship, Ordis is only... somewhat regretful as he remarks, "I do not like... being poked around in too much. Maybe, another time, ''maybe''." Yeah, being picked apart by the Grineer, even if Juno ''was not'' Grineer (for one, she had a greater intelligence score than most) at the same time being prodded and explored was a concept he was uncomfortable with.<br /><br />And it's true; there is an element to what Kushiko herself says, what the Lotus says, that very much might resonate with the Jedi, though theirs was closer to the Bushido of Earth. A code of honor, of discipline. And a singleminded dedication to the safety and security of those under their charge. <br /><br />At the bow, at the words of Juno, the Warframe Mesa itself bows once, as the young girl, the child soldier bows her head on the screen as well in perfect sync with that of her Warframe. If she was human, she's transcended that element. 'Tenno' in this regard may be well to do as a species in this regard.<br /><br />Yet as much as she has the appearence of a child, there is so much more to her. To those eyes. Eyes that have killed. Eyes that have seen so much death and terror and misfortune, even as she lacks the memory of the exactitude of these things. <br /><br />"The honour is ours." she offers. That was something that was always a little odd. The mixture of 'we' and 'our' along with personal pronouns. Like it was she and Mesa who both spoke as one. That would be a thought for the future. Or maybe... maybe it was something else entirely. <br /><br />"We will help you as best as we are able, Juno. We aren't used to this kind of thing... for us, the longest time the only allies we could truly count upon, or even entertain the notion of being allies and friends were our fellow Tenno and the Lotus." A faint smile on that face, a hint of the scarring around her right eye slightly more evident.<br /><br />The visual blips out after a few moments; the Lotus is back. "Now you understand her preference, I hope. Few would understand." <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tilting her head, Juno glances up to look at Ordis' image with a slightly cockeyed regard, as though speculating. Clearly he seems nervous about the prospect of being poked and prodded about in, and she can't really blame him. If she were the governing sentience of the Rogue Shadow, she'd be nervous about someone rummaging around in her innards, too... though she doesn't have the context to know why precisely Ordis is nervous about that.<br /><br />"Only to satisfy my curiosity. I doubt your systems are even familiar to me, so there probably wouldn't even be any point in it." Juno dismisses the possibility with a careless wave of one hand. "Besides, I'm sure you're wonderfully capable, but you're not the Rogue Shadow."<br /><br />Sorry, buddy. Juno has only one mechanical love, and that's the ship that doubles as her home. It's a magnificent piece of engineering, and she works hard to keep it that way.<br /><br />She glances down once the two manage to exchange pleasantries, checking both of her blasters to ensure the charge on them is still adequate. She's about to say something else, but a scuffle outside brings her to stop short, both pistols out in the time it takes her to inhale, fetching up against the wall and glancing carefully through the boarded, shuttered window. Some sort of neighbourhood dispute; it's already dissipated by the time she looks, but her nerves are clearly jangled by the incident.<br /><br />"I appreciate the visit, but I've been here too long already." Juno shows a tight little smile that practically bleeds exhaustion. "No rest for the wicked or the weary, as the saying goes. Oh, and that data cylinder should also include the frequency for a secure channel that will let you reach my ship more easily."<br /><br />Holstering both pistols, she touches her fingers to her forehead in mock salute. As to Kushiko's preference... "Yeah. I think I do." She offers a faint half-smile. "Lotus. Kushiko. Ordis." Yes, even the ship's governance. Hey, it's basically a droid without a body. Or maybe a really big body, as it were. "Stay safe. I'll be in touch."<br /><br />With that, provided none of the three actually stop her, Juno will slip past them and into Nar Shaddaa's neon nightscape – to find the Rogue Shadow's berth, and make sure nobody's tried to make off with her ship, in the meantime.<br> <br>
}}