Monastic Knightly Order

[knightlyorder]

Here begins this passage in the annals of the Order.

Beneath a sullen sky on Planet Cambridge, in the grounds of a nature reserve fifty miles from the capital three knights met and shook hands. Two were tall, upright men whose muscles filled their shirts and suits with ease. The last had become smaller with age, many of his years spent in service to the Order, of which he had been Grand Master for twenty years.

The evening darkened the sky ahead of him, and between the shoulders of the knight brothers, he caught a last glimpse of the monastery tower before the sun'€™s light left it.

'€œKusari?'€ The Grand Master'€™s voice was soft and the knight brothers leant forward to listen.

Thomas Childe, Knight of the Thorn, took his cue.

'€œThe criminals that Kusari has sent among us, to spread fear and raid supplies, these Hogosha,'€ he said, mispronouncing the foreign word, '€œwere routed in Leeds. We discovered them engaged in assault upon a single corporate security agent and moved to render assistance.

Their bomber craft, the Mamoru, is quick and deadly, though not so quick as to match a Paladin. I wore it down without great difficulty. Further, I surmise that the Paladin should be used exclusively against Kusari threats of fighter size if we are to minimize losses.'€

The Grand Master bowed his head, an action that deepened the shadow beneath his hooded velvet cloak. The deep blue of it marked his rank in the Order, since all knight brothers beneath him wore white and silver. In raising his left hand to the knight brother on that side of him, he gestured for the knight to speak.

Sebastian of Gloucester, Knight of the Realm, responded with his usual energy.

'€œOur first foray into the depths of Kusari can only be described as a complete success,'€ he said, and took a breath. '€œDiplomatically, we have an accord with the militant Ladies of the Golden Chrysanthemum movement, and were able to re-supply at the Ainu Station in the system Hokkaido, which borders New Tokyo. We were alerted, as our brothers finished loading supplies, of an approaching destroyer and its escort, hailing from the Kusari Naval Forces Battleship Matsumoto in the same system.

'€œWe declared our determination to assist in maintaining the safety and secrecy of Ainu Station and made ready for our sortie. Led by a Chrysanthemum guide, we laid ambush and brought down all ships, excepting one Chimaera, which fled. Though we spent some small time searching, the nature of the radiation in Hokkaido masked its escape from our sensors entirely.

'€œThe command crews of the destroyer and its gunboat escorts were turned over to the Golden Chrysanthemum movement in order to secure our fresh diplomatic ties.'€

The Grand Master nodded as Sebastian drew to a close. The knight brothers waited in silence for minutes while the Grand Master considered their reports.

'€œSebastian,'€ said the Grand Master, causing the knight brother to jump. '€œYou will return to Kusari. Where there are weapons of war you are to smash them. The bearers of these weapons may claim to bring these weapons to our Bretonia. Believe them not, Sebastian. These weapons of war will not be suffered.'€

'€œYour commands are heard and understood, Grand Master,'€ said the knight brother and he stepped back, the cast off leaves of last year'€™s fall crumpling beneath his boots.

Thomas watched the shifting of shadows beneath the Grand Master'€™s hood with close attention. It was in his nature to watch, and see and pierce the obfuscations of others, but the Grand Master remained an enigma to him.

'€œThomas of the Thorn,'€ said the Grand Master, '€œAssist the forces on the frontline. Shine, and be seen to shine. Present a shield to the Kusari. Be struck down, but rise again. Your injuries will not trouble you long, be assured of that.'€

In the darkness of the hood, two eyes glittered. Without warning, the Grand Master hobbled between the brother knights towards the monastery'€™s tower, now visible by the lights within.

Taking their cue from the Grand Master, the knight brothers bowed briefly to each other, then returned to their ships.

Thomas'€™ Paladin pulled away from the ground first, searing atmosphere on the short trip to the space dock.

Sebastian'€™s shuttle proceeded at a more sedate pace. His journey would be longer; via Liberty to avoid too many checkpoints, and then to rendezvous with the '€˜Realm'€™ in Kusari territory.

There was no trepidation in Sebastian'€™s heart as he keyed in the waypoints and let autopilot take over. He had a purpose in this life.

And he would have it no other way.

Here ends this passage.

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