Under the grey sky, massive columns of Russian and Korean refugees shuffled forward to reach the gate that granted entry into China. Stretching as far as the eye could see, the cold and starving civilians clutched whatever they could hold on to, not realizing that the guards at the border forced everyone to dump most of their non-essential belongings. Beside the main pathway, a separate road transported soldiers from the conquered countries into China for another fight.
Inside one of the trucks, a battered Korean soldier looked up from across him to see a Russian naval soldier. He looked down to see that the man's hands were trembling uncontrollably and soiled with dirt, probably fresh out of a battle. Reaching into his pocket, the Korean serviceman offered a cigarette to the Russian, who reluctantly accepted. He was trembling, his hand unable to hold the cigarette straight as he cursed in Russian in frustration.
[Korean soldier] - "저는 정훅입니다. " (I'm Jung Hook)
Jung said as he reached out to shake the Russian's hand.
[Russian soldier] - "Я Владимир, из Владивостока. " (I'm Volodimir from Vladivostok)
Volodimir said as he finally steadied his hand by holding onto Jung's.
Despite the language barrier, the soldiers seemed to understand each other and shared a deep sense of kinship as men fleeing from their homes to fight another day. Deeper inside the truck, Moore watched the scene with a pitiful gaze. Disguised as a Russian soldier with Baltazara right beside him, Moore let out a long sigh as he looked away.
[Moore] - "A bunch of unlucky souls... Should've surrendered to the 8th fleet when they had the chance. A far better outcome than what awaits them. "
Whispered Moore, just as the truck shook violently upon hitting a speed bump.
[Baltazara] - "Could you blame them, though? Were they ever offered a choice to begin with? "
Muttered Baltazara as she glanced at the two men, still seemingly in high spirits despite their situation.
There was a gleam of empathy in her eyes as she glanced at the rest of the soldiers in this truck. Baltazara was no different from them as she sat in a dirty uniform just like the rest of them, a poor young adult never given the choice like them. Passing through a tunnel, the whole truck briefly plunged into total darkness. While everyone became blind, Baltazara did not, as her green eyes glowed in the shadow.
She saw brief flashes of the same claustrophobic pods she used to sleep in, alongside a dozen of her sisters. A woman built for bloodshed, like all those sisters who looked exactly like her, treated like a machine who'd only be awakened for missions. Baltazara suddenly felt the amniotic fluid filling her mouth and lungs and screamed loudly in a panic. She was not supposed to fear, not like this. Something changed her; that meeting with Michele awakened a part of her brain that was deliberately suppressed.
Then, light enveloped the truck again as it exited the dark tunnel. Below, Baltazara felt a comforting sensation in her hand as Moore gripped her palm tightly. A few soldiers gave her a few pitying glances, thinking she was experiencing a war-related panic attack. After taking a few breaths, Baltazara gently felt her face and then pinched her skin to make sure this was no dream.
[Baltazara] - "I don't understand... What is happening to me? "
Whispered Baltazara as she strengthened her grip on Moore's hand.
[Moore] - "Don't worry, just take a few deep breaths. It's going to be alright. "
Whispered Moore as he pulled Baltazara closer.
Baltazara leaned toward Moore, feeling his comforting warmth against her side. Yet, the thought of what just happened tormented her. For all the years she and Moore had worked together, never had she acted this way. No matter the mission or the danger, she felt confident and calm. However, today, she felt panicked and fearful as her mind raced with the jolts of adrenaline hitting her brain.
As the truck stopped at a camp, a Chinese officer waved his hand and forced everyone to disembark from the truck. One after another, the soldiers climbed out, their boots hitting the chalky and grey pavement below. When it was Moore and Baltazara's turn, Moore had to carry his partner on his shoulder as they descended, as she struggled to maintain her balance. Moving away from the main group, Moore settled Baltazara on a bench and checked her head for a fever.
[Baltazara] - "I can't get sick; stop checking! "
Muttered Baltazara as she swatted Moore's hand away.
[Moore] - "Yet, you're acting like you just had the worst fever of your life. "
Said Moore as she crouched before Baltazara, checking her for any visible ailment.
[Baltazara] - "I'm fine. Stop touching me; you're gonna draw attention to us. "
Baltazara screamed, flustered and annoyed by Moore's concern.
With a frustrated grunt, Baltazara got up and took a few steps away from Moore.
[Moore] - "Baltazara, you need to be honest with me! I will not put you in danger if you're feeling unwell! "
Said Moore, with a tone of concern and worry in his voice.
[Baltazara] - "And I'm telling you that I'm fine! And stop trying to tell me what I can or cannot do! I know myself perfectly well, and even if I'm sick– I'm still the most dangerous weapon in this place– Beside you... "
Exploded Baltazara in a flurry of denial before shyly turning her head away as she whispered her last two words.
Moore's expression softened as he detected Baltazara's usual liveliness.
[Moore] - "If you say so, then. So the mission is still a go? "
[Baltazara] - "Of course it is a go! We are the best duo in the whole Knight Exemplar order! Don't let your petty concern rob us of our prestige! "
Said Baltazara confidently while crossing her arms.
[Moore] - "Sure, sure, if you're feeling so pumped already, let's get out of here, then. "
Moore said enthusiastically as he began to lead the way.
However, as Baltazara moved behind him, she couldn't help but glance at Moore with worry in her eyes. She's from the Empire's finest assassin order; bioengineered girls born as weapons rather than as children. What good is a surgeon who can't stand the sight of blood? The thought of her losing touch with the one thing she's good at, the one thing that makes her useful enough to stay beside Moore, frightened her. Something changed in her, but Baltazara cannot afford to acknowledge it, not now, not ever.
With a few aggressive rubs of her palm against her face, Baltazara swallowed her emotions and assumed her usual serious demeanour. Don't think about it; don't even let the thought rear its ugly head in her psyche; she has too much to lose. Seeing how she was falling behind Moore, she hurriedly rushed to keep up with his pace, a look of panic in her eyes that she quickly buried.
As Moore and Baltazara moved into a small guard post as two Russian soldiers in ragged uniforms, they came out the other way as a duo of well-dressed Chinese Colonels. With Baltazara's blonde bob cut hidden under luscious long black hair, she adjusted her hat while keeping up with Moore.
[Moore] - "Come on, keep up. "
Said Moore as he adjusted his steps to mimic those of a proper officer.
[Baltazara] - "Not my fault your stupid legs are so long. "
Cursed Baltazara as she kicked up some dust in frustration.
[Moore] - "I remember your big sis Kadyn was taller than you. Were you really that malnourished? "
Taunted Moore with a smirk.
[Baltazara] - "My generation had height reduction for agility and stealth, dumbass! Ugh! I swear to God, if you compare me to my sisters again, I'll rip your tongue out! "
Muttered Baltazara in anger as she punched Moore in the back.
Even though the punch left Moore with more than he bargained for, he swallowed the pain and carried on as if it didn't hurt. When they arrived at a checkpoint, the soldiers immediately put Moore in front of a face scanner to confirm his identity. Behind him, Baltazara's eyes abruptly shifted from green to purple, her neural impulse infiltrating the system like an unwanted visitor. As binary numbers jumped from 1 to 0 and 0 to 1 in the trillions of comparative sequences that were levied against Moore's face, the system admitted a lie it was never supposed to tell.
[Inspector] - "You're clear; move forward, Colonel Weng Lai. "
Said the inspector as he waved Moore over.
A name that never existed in the data and a face that never appeared before their camera; a ghost that needs no disguise to walk among men. When it was Baltazara's turn, the system didn't even bother running the diagnostic as it knelt before the one who bent it to her will.
[Inspector] - "System's running rather quickly today. Move forward, Commissar Bai Lian. "
Said the inspector as he waved Baltazara over.
As Baltazara joined Moore on the other side, he couldn't help but shoot her a gaze of admiration for her efficient work, to which she pompously smirked and puffed her chest. Now, instead of having to step into another cramped truck with the others, they were offered a personal car with a driver.
While their car rode through the camp, they watched as the Korean and Russian soldiers were gradually hoarded onto trains destined to take them deeper into the country. All the while, Chinese soldiers arrived in numbers, often riding on the bodies of their missile trucks and tanks to save time. However, it wasn't the 90s anymore, as alongside men, truckloads of drones and battle droids arrived on the field as well.
Soon, their car rolled out of the camp and into the countryside, where they were met with industrial numbers of anti-air and far-strike missile batteries. For every kilometre they rode, they could see massive radar dishes rotating in the middle of a dozen trucks loaded with enough missiles and rockets to turn cities into dust and cast the sky in darkness. Meanwhile, Moore and Baltazara grabbed onto their seatbelts as the car had to take the bumpy roadside ditch while the main road became crowded with supply trucks carrying more ammunition to the front.
Suddenly, as Moore was about to be rocked to sleep by the road, Baltazara pulled on his shoulder and directed his attention to one of the massive behemoth trucks rolling amidst the convoy.
[Baltazara] - "Hey, wake up! Look, that doesn't seem like something they should have. "
Said Baltazara as she pointed at the weird shape of the trucks.
Clearing his view, Moore observed the trucks and noticed how they carried something that didn't seem like a weapon of any sort. Rather, to Moore's confusion, the whole convoy looked like components of a bigger machine, something that required the massive circular coil of a fusion reactor chamber to function.
[Moore] - "What the hell? That– that looks like... A molecular shield generator? "
Moore muttered with a confused grimace.
[Baltazara] - "A molecular shield generator? Them? That is technology a tier or two above their capability. "
Said Baltazara as she rose from her seat to survey the whole convoy.
[Moore] - "And it's not a small one at that... that is at least capital ship grade. How could this be? Perhaps we are making too many assumptions? It could just be a power generator. "
Said Moore, trying to rationalize what he had seen.
[Baltazara] - "It's not out of the question; they do have fusion reactors. But a shield generator, probably not. We are overthinking it. "
Said Baltazara as she sat back into her seat with a sigh of relief.
However, Moore was less convinced of Baltazara's dismissal. Turning his head, he watched the large convoy disappear into the horizon through the rear window, a sense of unease and worry in his stare. Even the most basic of Imperial technology is on tiers far above what is humanly possible. Only thanks to the supernatural abilities of the Cyberknights could certain materials be produced and certain reactions be possible.
Within the order, the sequence of ascension goes from Disciple to Knight to Senior Knight. When a Disciple has proven his or her capabilities in the mastery of their power, a role will be assigned to them. If they possess abilities fit for combat, they will be inducted into one of three branches of the knighthood: Martial Knight for those wishing to serve the Imperial military, Cavalier Knight for those who seek adventure and freedom as special Imperial agents and Knight Paladin for those seeking easier jobs guarding the order's facilities. Those with non-combat abilities will be taken to the fourth branch, becoming an Honorary Knight serving to further the development of technology and science.
However, could humans truly be infallible when given the power to alter reality in ways that violate physics and reality? Could an order consisting of nearly a million knights never produce any rotten apples? The Cardinal Knights are the order's answer to these rogue actors. Made up of Senior Knights, knights who have proven their integrity, power and loyalty, its only mission is to ensure knights who step out of line are promptly dealt with before their actions cause irreparable consequences.
Knights can be as weak as your average scientist, but also so catastrophically strong that they threaten Earth as a whole. So, under Emperor Apogee's explicit order, no knight outside of given orders can use their abilities publicly or to mess with humanity's destiny under the threat of execution. But human vices are built into each person. Even the best of the order can be corrupt; even the ones with the purest intention can walk the most misleading path.
The air hostess's announcement suddenly jolted Moore awake as she announced that they had arrived at their destination. Beside him, Moore shook Baltazara, who was still sleeping against his shoulder like a baby.
[Moore] - "Hey, we're here, wake up! "
Moore whispered while he watched many officers on the plane also yawning and stretching.
The officer sitting beside Moore even chuckled as he found the situation quite cute as Baltazara slept against him. Moore smiled awkwardly before giving Baltazara a few more gentle shakes, to no avail. Moore grunted in frustration, knowing Baltazara was probably pretending to sleep, considering how alert she is naturally.
[Moore] - "Hey, stop pretending; the other guy thinks we're a couple and asked how long we had been married. "
Baltazara jolted awake instantly, aggressively pushing Moore's face away from her while making a disgusted face.
[Baltazara] - "I swear to god, you better have not admitted anything! Ugh... brrr... You probably told him some cringy bullshit, you asshole! "
Baltazara said as she saw the officer who sat beside Moore getting his luggage.
Calling the officer in Chinese, Baltazara fired up a response to a question that never existed.
[Baltazara] - "No, we're not married! He's my brother; we're just serving in the same regiment! "
Baltazara yelled while laughing awkwardly.
The officer quickly chuckled back while Moore cringed and covered his face with his palms. As the middle-aged officer held others at bay to let them out into the alley, Baltazara quickly refused his offer and said they'd leave after the others. With a smiling wave, the officer politely took his bags and left the two at their seat while the traffic resumed.
[Moore] - "Why do you absolutely have to make a scene? What's wrong with us pretending a bit? It's not like we aren't sharing a bedroom. "
[Baltazara] - "We're partners, not a couple; there is a difference in that! One is the best Knight Exemplar duo with a reputation far above others, and the other invokes the cringy and humiliating image of us holding hands, all docile and stupid... The point is, one is glorious and inspiring; the other is the utter absence of professionalism and dignity! "
Baltazara explained, with an unhinged expression in her eyes.
[Moore] - "So the Angel and even our Lord, the Grand Knight, all sissies giggling with their wives according to your logic? "
Said Moore, unfazed, with a blank stare despite Baltazara.
Moore's words hit Baltazara and sent her eyes looking everywhere as if he had just slapped her with the most devious backhand of reason in history.
[Baltazara] - "They– listen, they– they are not us. We! We are... Oh, just shut up, will you? We have our own etiquette! "
Said Baltazara while wildly throwing hand gestures around.
[Baltazara] - "Like, they have a reputation already built, and we need to maintain ours. If you say my sister Kadyn is all lovey-dovey with the Grand Knight, you'd picture something badass, like them walking together surrounded by one thousand perfectly still Marines on both sides. Us, we'd be depicted like some random Joe and Jane giggling like morons on a weekend date; that is pure slander for who we truly are! "
Said Baltazara with renewed vigour, carrying a passion rarely seen in her.
All the while, Moore could barely contain his smile at the sheer heart-melting tantrum of his cute partner.
[Moore] - "Okay, okay, fine, whatever you say! "
Said Moore as he threw up his hands in defeat.
Getting up, Moore slipped behind the last man in the row and reached in to take their luggage from the overhead compartment. At the same time, having finally calmed down, Baltazara realized just how red and flustered she had become. With an embarrassed expression, she looked toward the ground as she stepped in front of Moore, using her long hair to cover her face.
[Baltazara] - "We've come too far to be slandered by your behaviour. Just... act professional in public from now on. "
[Moore] - "Sure, sure, no more cringe-inducing episodes... My little witch... "
Said Moore with a shit-eating grin on his face.
Before he could even register, Moore received a gut punch that sent him gripping the seat.
[Baltazara] - "Watch me cast a worse spell on you if you dare call me that again. "
Said Baltazara with a murderous gaze as she slammed her luggage on the ground.
Unlike the rest of the men who attended the officer's meeting for the upcoming war, Moore and Baltazara descended below Beijing, going inside its underground complex where all the most important leaders resided. As Baltazara kept upgrading their clearance, the two ghost officers kept being led deeper into places they were never supposed to reach.
The elevator jolted; they had been inside that cabin for nearly 45 minutes already, and it still kept going downward. For a brief moment, the dark elevator shaft became illuminated as they passed through underground storage for weapons. Even though that segment only granted Moore barely a second of vision into what was stored in these facilities as big as a city, what caught his eye made him leap out of his seat.
[Moore] - "Did you see that? "
Said Moore in a panic as he turned toward Baltazara, who turned to him with the same shock on her face.
[Baltazara] - "I saw it... I saw more than what you saw in that second. "
Said Baltazara, a frigid expression on her face.
[Moore] - "Those are ships... titans... They couldn't possibly have these! "
[Baltazara] - "But how? How could this be? "
Said Baltazara as she lowered her head, trying to make sense of what she saw.
[Moore] - "The Empire does not know of this, does it? This makes no sense... "
Moore sat down beside Baltazara, his mind contemplating their next course of action. They had been sent here to capture a target, but ended up stumbling onto something more sinister. As the elevator finally reached the city-sized underground bunker, Moore and Baltazara stepped out of the cabin, with Moore still deep in thought, completely throwing their current mission to the back of his mind.
Baltazara, meanwhile, stirred them toward the target, her mind still focused on the mission. However, just as they were already in the hall leading to the elevators connected to the foreign dignitaries' rooms, Moore paused in his steps. With a determined gaze, he strayed away from their goal and stepped into a secluded corner, with Baltazara loyally following behind him.
[Moore] - "Say... Baltazara, you said we are the greatest Knight Exemplar duo in the whole Empire, right? "
[Baltazara] - "Yeah, I mean, according to our records, we are technically the best. "
[Moore] - "Yes, and the best are the best because they go above and beyond. "
Said Moore as he pointed his finger at Baltazara, a proud smile on his face.
Baltazara looked at the row of elevators with a worried gaze before shifting back to look at Moore with a slight expression of unease.
[Baltazara] - "You want us to abandon our mission and pursue this case we have no information on? You do realize we might be dealing with an issue we are not equipped to handle, right? "
Said Baltazara as she crossed her arms, doubtful of Moore's intentions.
[Moore] - "Yes, a mission that will cement us as the undisputed best! So bloody groundbreaking that when people think of us as a couple, they'd think of heroes rather than whatever mundane Joe and Jane you talked about. "
Said Moore as he grabbed Baltazara's hand in excitement.
[Baltazara] - "I mean... it would be amazing... But– But what about the mission? It was something the Grand Knight himself gave the order on. Not to mention, the Angel is expecting us as well. "
Baltazara said in a nervous tone.
[Moore] - "That's why we are a Knight Exemplar duo! If they wanted us to be a group of sheep focused only on what they're told to do, they'd call a group of Knight Cavalier to do that! Listen, the mission– I've got an idea. "
Moore quickly pulled a small device out of his pocket. It seemed like a locator of some sort that projected their location alongside a second red dot on the map.
[Moore] - "Knight Exemplars operate on a failsafe system. When one of us is on a mission, another Exemplar duo usually follows not far away in case of an unexpected emergency; it's something Lord Grand Knight himself designed. "
Moore quickly put the device away as a few patrolling soldiers passed in front of their corner. After making sure they moved away, Moore turned to Baltazara, who seemed quite uncertain of his plan.
[Baltazara] - "You want to throw our stable and guaranteed mission to them while we go on this wild goose chase? What if it's beyond our scope of management? What if instead of glory and fame, we get reprimand and failure? "
Fired Baltazara while poking her finger at Moore.
[Moore] - "You don't win big without taking big risks. You liked risks and adventure, no? This is our opportunity to cement our reputation, our future! "
Said Moore as he took Baltazara's hands and looked her in the eyes.
There was a knot in Baltazara's heart as she looked at Moore. Yes, she loved adventure and risks, but today, she somehow could not find that flame inside her. Somehow, as if something had changed inside her, she wanted something safe and risk-free; something that would ensure that both of them could go home unscathed. Baltazara's lips trembled, her mind conflicted between telling Moore the truth and pretending she was still who she was before.
As Baltazara saw the fire of ambition glowing inside Moore's eyes, she knew he was expecting her to accept his plan. After all, their relationship and reputation were built on both of them being daredevils from the first day. What is a Baltazara who can't be Baltazara? This duo is exclusively for Moore and Baltazara, not for anyone else in this world. Gripping his hands, Baltazara steeled her nerves and nodded her head at Moore just as she had always done.
[Baltazara] - "Fine, let's do this, you madman! It's not like I'd get bored of danger and risks. "
Said Baltazara with a smirk.
[Moore] - "I knew you'd be on board. I promise you, we either succeed together or fail together! No in-between! "
For a moment, Baltazara wanted to smile as his words infiltrated her heart and warmed her soul. However, thinking about it again, Baltazara immediately grimaced with disgust.
[Baltazara] - "Ugh, hearing you is like rubbing lemons over my face; you killed all my enthusiasm, asshole! "
Said Baltazara as she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes away.
[Moore] - "Haha, if we succeed, I get to say anything I want in the future. "
Said Moore as he pushed a button on his device.
[Baltazara] - "I'll actively sabotage our success if that's the price. "
Said Baltazara as she covered half of her face with her palm in embarassement.
Together, as they emerged again from their corner, they stepped in the direction opposite to the elevators. Just like the old days, the duo was back at it again, side-by-side and facing uncertainty without an ounce of fear. Though unlike other times, instead of rushing forward by herself to have Moore catch up, Baltazara stayed beside Moore, her hand searching for his before they finally connected.
To be continued...