Loyalty is Punishable, never Rewarded

The central concourse was bustling with activity. 

Automated transport shuttles glide silently along magnetic tracks, arriving from and departing to various destinations across the lunar colonies. Each shuttle was designed for efficiency and comfort, their exteriors gleaming under the station's lights. 

The hum of the electromagnetic propulsion systems was a constant background noise, a reminder of the technological prowess that powered this subterranean nexus.

The passengers, a mix of scientists, engineers, and other personnel, moved through the station with purpose. 

Many wore the distinctive uniforms of the various lunar settlements and organizations, their badges and insignias reflecting their roles and affiliations. 

Robotic assistants, sleek and efficient, zipped around, aiding travelers with directions, carrying luggage, and performing maintenance tasks.

The station's design was both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Greenery, carefully cultivated in hydroponic pods, provided a touch of nature, breaking up the metallic monotony and contributing to the life support systems. 

The air was crisp and clean, constantly filtered and recycled to maintain optimal conditions for the inhabitants. 

No, this was more than simply supplying what was necessary for favorable living conditions. The network of greenery creeped up and against the flows of plumbing an irrigation would suggest that the idea of the barren scape of the moon above was only a dream.

While he couldn't show it, Gage marveled at the sophistication of the Transfer Station. 

Less of a gentle reminder, and instead coming to him as if a slowly lifting fog, the sound of staff rushing on their way echoing within the station while the low hum of tenacious maglev trains zipped through the tunnels with only slips of light indicating their passage.

The feel of that little space was more of a reminder of a long-forgotten home than anything he had experienced in some time. With a glint in his eye as he, for a moment, lost himself in the space, someone was watching. Always watching, and now, the only one noticing.

"Captain Gage–" Vronica said, her curiosity came out meekly against the noise of the world around them.

"Are you going to tell us what you have in store for us?" Major Zoya pressed Valen.

Watching him raise a hand, before signaling the guards to encircle them while asking the Blades to step into the center of the hexagon they formed. 

Doing as a train came into the line in front of them, first appearing as a streamline of cyan light-beams running the length of the train line, before the low hum fell to a quiet buzz as its hazy shape solidified into a sensible idea of the train's chassis.

Entering in formation as the doors opened, they acted in unison, all the guards activated some wrist-mounted device that cloaked each of them in a similar haze as the one that covered the train initially.

With the last of the passengers onboard, the train hummed back to life before coating itself in its silver haze and blitzing off into the tunnel.

"Sigh." Valen removed his dark-olive green beret to push back his falling bangs as he sat in his chair.

"We can talk while they stand around us. Don't worry, they won't hear a word come from us. But I'm going to need your Pygmy to enter Stand-By mode for what I'm about to tell you."

"I refuse." The Captain shot back.

"You are mistaken if you believe that was a request." Pulling out a device that resembled the one the guards possessed, Valen armed it before tossing it at the Captain, who instinctively tried to protect himself with his hands, not knowing the device's purpose. 

However his reaction would only lag behind as Vronica stepped into action. Moving upon the notice of a perceived threat to her Captain, she instead reached out, grabbing the strange circular device.

"Captain Gage, are you—are you—ar–" Falling to her knees, and completely unresponsive.

"V!" Scaring Major Zoya as she witnessed the first time the Captain ever raised his voice.

"Calm down, Captain Pierce. She is only sedated…" The sight of … was the only indication that something wrong was happening, before he realized it, Pierce had Valen by his neck with an ever-tightening grip. 

Lifting him by his throat, it would only be when he began struggling against his grip that Major Zoya would plead with him, calling out to the Blank, pleading that he let him go.

"You will restore V, and you will do it while there's still breath in your lungs."

"She will be restored once we have concluded matters…"

"Captain Gage! Captain Gage, as your superior officer, I order you to stand down, do you hear me?"

"Understood. I am currently disobeying a direct order. You may assert the necessary consequences, but I will not stop."

"You're willing to risk execution, because that's all that's left for a disobedient Blank. Why go to such lengths for a machine?" The Major found herself pleading with him, just as she did when they first met. 

For she was oh so willing to do what she could to convince him to help her, rank and authority meant very little to him if he had to stray from the mission, and yet she still managed to reach him

'All because I asked. Earnestly, with words I dreaded using, I pleaded with him…and he heard me.'

"Pierce…please! This isn't how you help your Py–Sergeant Vronica. You know she would tell you the same thing."

"What makes you qualified to speak on behalf of the members of my Sword Company, Major?"

"You said it yourself, if it compromises the mission then it's not worth it. And yet, here you are, potentially jeopardizing your current mission, all for her."

"..."

"Instead of trying to kill him, how about you check on her?..." Dropping Valen back onto his seat before kneeling beside Vronica. Taking out his data slate and using it to scan Vronica.

"Sigh–Say your piece and then bring her back online."

"It seems I was right about you, Major Zoya." Soothing his bruised throat, Valen wondered for a moment if he could still make the Blank comply by force after feeling his strength…no, even with the help of his guards, they wouldn't stand a chance.

With a mild cold sweat, the 1st Order Major composed himself before he finally shared their intentions with them, knowledge of the great they were to play a part in.

Essentially, the IDF had been working on recruiting members directly from the Silver Council to persuade them against any operations that threatened to harm the United Empire of Mankind, mainly due to the large number of uncertainties they face, it is hard for them to reconcile any feelings of safety with the idea of leaving their complete safety in the hands of the Council.

To this end, they sought to employ her aid and others. As the group of IDF guards and the more that's to come are meant to help protect the Titan Fuel Fields.

"Do you not trust the IDF's security?"

"We trust our own. We fear that the attack on Titan may just be the start, for that reason alone, we must put measures in place to ensure the empire and its assets remain protected. The Nebty Sisterhood has deemed you as an asset worth defending, along with those of Titan."

"That is probably the last thing I was expecting to hear. I'm surprised, I always heard that the IDF never takes in applications, you prefer to make the selection yourself for the kind of members that are allowed in the organization?"

"You may not be Terran but you are human. Allies to our kind have always been in short supply, so we do what we must to ensure our strategic interests."

"What if I were to refuse? What if I decide to step outside of this train and tell the Silver Council everything you've said."

"That is most certainly something you can do…but not if it puts Captain Gage at risk." 

"What!"

"Pretend all you want but we've seen the records."

"That still doesn't mean anything. How would me refusing present a risk to him?"

"It would be quite the awkward briefing, when he has to confess to helping us."

"Captain?"

"We should get ready, we will be arriving at the Camp soon. Do as you said and restore her now."

He restores her but not before he reiterates that they maintain absolute secrecy.

"See that no mention of this leaves any of you. When we need you, we'll have our ways of reaching you." Valen marshaled his guards, as they gathered around him and moved into the next train car.

Taking the subsurface railway, access to Silver Command on Copernicus Crater, Camp Insularum. 

They arrived in the Processing Centre, wherein the magnetic rails forcibly docked with the container subduing the prisoner. 

Once docked, a notification was sent to all the Cloudjumpers, informing them to report to their superior officer. All except their Captain, he was summoned to the Nospace Altar.

Similar in design to the Silence Covert within Shahat Base, the Nospace Altar was only accessible through a darkstone corridor that consumed more the stimuli the closer you got to the end. Once you reach the featureless wall, only by the touch of one that was granted access can you reveal the doorway of light, though this time it was different.

An unfamiliar discomfort continued flooding his remaining senses, but as if under a spell, he merely walked towards the light. From his position the intensity of the glow was growing more and more pronounced as he was now overwhelming a burning sensation within the back of his head with his numbed ears rang without end.

Through the chaotic mess, a faint echo, not bearing any distinct sense to it, merely an ordered set of vibrations flowing through him, but the very vibrations and the pattern in which they moved through him felt strangely familiar. With the strength of his body giving under the strain of all he was experiencing, he was soon brought to his knees.

In that moment, what was expected by him to be the hard stone floor, was instead replaced with the sensation of stationary water. 

Within the blink of an eye, the piercing brightness was consumed in a overhanging darkness, a deep shadow that swallowed everything around him, whilst acting as the only source of faint light, The very floor became a shimmering pool of blackness, haring the dim and hollow light that seemed to radiate without a source. 

As Pierce gathered his wits to make sense of his surroundings, his gaze was brought up to the towering monuments floating above crudely cut monoliths of shimmering obsidian that vibrated and pulsed.

While he couldn't speak, his thoughts reached out and mixed with the pulses the monoliths created to broadcast his thoughts.

"Be still and let your mind rest, B 3-004. We have welcomed you into our Altar, know that you are summoned under special privileges, to act out of turn will only worsen your offense." A charming humm rattled his being, forcing its meaning into his mind.

"A safety measure, as you have no doubt experienced, and a fortunate consequence of using the Drace Stones. Blanks are uniquely susceptible to the energy they produce, the very sensitivity they possess for communicating with the Hollow Stars creates their vulnerability and weakness to the Drace Waves.'

"Honorable Blade, B 3-004. Hear us well." 

"Steeled with the blood of our foes, tempered in the mercy we hold. The might behind the weight of my sword, shall carve and cleave with silver light, ward."

"And so your blade remains sheathed in light. Report Captain Pierce Christophe Gage. What has come of your mission?" He explained where the prisoner was and how they were intercepted on their way to Silver Command.

"Why would the Terran Empire go to such lengths to impede our work?" Pierce now embraced the appearance of our unique vibration streams, with their intentions and thoughts pronounced by the monuments, he discovered a discourse between many voices, all seeking answers and none too pleased with what they were receiving.

"I was hosted by the Terran Imperial Defense Force. They were just as interested in the prisoner though I could not figure out what exactly they wanted to do with him."

"Were you authorized to engage with the IDF?" One of the pulses asked, turning its fury against the Blank.

"I was not…"

"And why would he be? The entire reason he sent the members of his Sword Company ahead of his arrival was to inform us without alerting the IDF. If not, do you not think that we would be briefed only after they had their way with the Blank?"

"As if a Blank could be manipulated. It is a thing, a tool has no will of its own, not one beyond that which we bestow upon it."

"Yes, but you must not forget that these Blanks are by their nature, Terrans. No other species have a better grasp on the Blanks than they do. Do you honestly believe that they wouldn't understand them, that they would keep such knowledge to themselves?"

"You speak with such certainty, would the Council be wise in considering his actions reasonable, that you in fact deem him to have acted within complete sensibility? His allegiance belongs to the Silver Council, always."

"Then you may test him if you are the one that is uncertain. You have my permission to assess his mental state before I can assign him his new role, if that would please you." The familiar pulse affirmed with surprising conviction, standing at his defense.

"..."

"We are strict, Monad, but the Council does not punish loyalty." Another pulse intervened, easing the tension between the previous voices.

"No we do not, but we do test the loyalties of those who serve. As it is the responsibility that comes with our authority. Now all of you, silence!"

"What do you have to say for yourself, B 3-004?"

"I have summoned my conviction to serve the Silver Council to the best of my ability. I am an instrument of your authority, that secures the sovereignty of the Council's peoples, the innocent. I have and will continue to do nothing more than that."

"Well said, lad!" A pulse that was more akin to a boom shocked him. More than being simply familiar, this was unmistakable.

'Captain-General Kord?'

With his sudden intervention, a call for order rippled throughout the void before all the attention in the room fell back on Pierce, who once again struck with the same discomfort, bleeding away his strength and bringing him to his knees.

'These Drace Stones…whatever effect they are using to restrain me cannot be functioning within safe parameters. Is the Silver Council punishing me, or do they simply wish to dispose of me?'

'I should be able to withstand this for at least the next two minutes, would that be enough to find everyone and escape? It doesn't matter, I just need to act–' Pierce felt his racing heart burden his senses with each aggressive pulse, numbing and buzzing waves shook his brain as vision slowly clouded over.

"Here us, B 3-004! By our authority, we have recognized your efforts and the role you took upon yourself in guiding your Sword Company. Cloudjumpers in securing the criminal entity known as Ozrickt Flynn."

"While the capture of the Steel-Grounds war criminal, Jackboot James, was not an inherent element of your mission, your lack of success in the matter has already been noted. We will however acknowledge your success in driving the fiend from the Sol System, it is only a matter of time until we have apprehended him."

"As such, Captain Pierce Gage, of the Cloudjumpers alongside Captain Raymond Thallis, leading the Firedancers will be assigned to a Joint Campaign."

"Do you accept, B 3-004?"

"What would you have me do?"

"Rendezvous with Captain Thallis to eliminate the insurgency group that has taken over the Boreas Star System. You will make preparations to depart within the next five solar days. Whatever tools or resources you may need to secure the insurgent forces will be declared and approved by your Captain-General."

"Understood." The strength from his strained breath escaped him before the wave of disorientation finally subsided.

Once he had collected himself, the doorway of light opened up and the space of darkness vanished in a flash of white light, consuming the space once more as two IDF guards came rushing in, forcing him out of the room before returning to their posts outside the room.

"My Sword Company! I would like to know the whereabouts of the officers under my command." Captain Gage questioned the masked guards.

The guards stood stoic, ignoring him, though after he asked them once more, the guards reached for their weapons ordering him to step back they would be forced to engage with him.

"Private Mais Lude, Private Hector Freene. Threatening your superior officer is a punishable offense. I may not flaunt my rank but I will not allow anyone to impede the Silver Council's work. Now, I have requested the whereabouts of my Sword Company."

One of the guards, stayed their hand, instead reaching into his pocket to retrieve his dataslate. Lifting the flexible crystal lens screen in front of the Blank, a HUD of information filled the screen.

Seventh Sword Company: Cloudjumpers

Captain Pierce Christophe Gage.

Lieutenant Rayce Vaun.

Sergeant Ridge Essern.

Sergeant Thella Oswin.

Sergeant Vronica 4HM-U02.

'Urgent Addendum: All permissions and privileges requested by Captain Pierce Christophe Gage will be cleared and authorized by Captain-General Thalia Camejo of the Silver Council.'

"And now that you are aware of their error, please allow me to apologize on their behalf." A lithe and cat-like figure stepped out from around the corner, moving with a grace that alluded the keen eyes of the Blank and even keener sensors of the Pygmy.

"Excuse me?" Vronica said, after taking note of the deep violet fur that covered the stranger that has now joined them. 

"I should be the one to apologize. Had I arrived on time none of this would have happened on my watch. Once she entered the light, the hairs illuminated the most by the overhead corridor lights quickly laid flat against her skin, turning a dull mixture of gray and gold in hue.

"S.C.A.I.R Officer, Réne." Folding one of her pairs of arms as she outstretched another, offering to shake the Captain's hand.

Large golden eyes with slit pupils and a visage resembling a bipedal cross between a leopard and a fox. The Khatim's presence had his attention. For what Pierce knew, very few creatures in the Milky Way could surpass the predatory nature of the Terrans. 

And yet, in front of him stood a creature that several centuries succeeded in driving off Terran colonists, a creature described with the moniker of 'Human-Hunters'. But why was a Khatim here?

His instinct, both inherent and develop from his time under the Speakers warned him, warned him to remain vigilant of her.

"You will have to forgive my ignorance, I am not familiar with your group." Answered Captain Gage.

"That is simply a testament to how well we've done our job. We are Silver Command's Internal Affairs & Regulation Officers. In simple terms, we're the arm of the Silver Council charged with keeping all it's internal staff in-line. You can imagine why I was summoned here."

"Upon the Council's orders, the Blank is to remain in our custody…"

"Do you truly think that you speak for our superiors when I am standing here in front you? Living proof that you have trespassed beyond your measure?" Supplicating them with her tone that shared very little respect.

"The Silver Council does not trust me?"

"Correct, or rather more to the point, the Council needs to ensure that its asset hasn't been compromised. To do that, I will be monitoring this mission."

"Pardon me?" Said Vronica.

"There is no need, Sergeant. Simply make peace with the reality that from this moment, I will be in charge of this operation. Your Sword Company's standing within this organization depends on the quality of this mission's completion."

'The Silver Council has secured the obedience of the Khatim? Then it is only wise to assume that they will not be simply watching. Any action taken out of turn may incur their wrath...' Pierce's gaze remained firm on the S.C.A.I.R Officer, an unsurprising display for one that watched him so closely, but this time, Vronica saw something different.

The same deep and hollow gaze peered from Réne's, locked fiercely against his.

"Captain?"

"Hmph. We have our orders, V. What others choose to do should not stop us from fulfilling them."

"I'm glad we can understand each other, Captain Gage. Of course, by leading this operation, I will be employing my own Pygmy. 4HM-U02, you will be dismissed from this mission effective immediately." 

"I am assigned under Captain Gage. Unless he dismisses me, I am afraid that I cannot abide by our request, ma'am."

"Do not confuse orders with requests, Sergeant. And your Captain will dismiss you as per my command or he is going to find out the hard way what it means to…"

"Threaten my old students?" A voice boomed with a resounding depth, as if it was echoing from within a wide and empty chamber, and with it a looming figure made itself known as they walked down the corridor, towards the Hangars.

"Captain-General Kord? I was under the impression that the Council was still holding its deliberations over the most recent 'events'?" She said with a sudden change in tone, even standing at attention until she noticed his uninterested gaze.

"Well then, my presence here must suggest an alteration to that plan. Now, I find it strange that a S.C.A.I.R officer would be put in charge of standard Blade matters, unless of course you have reason to suspect the Cloudjumpers of some misdeeds?" While never provoking others with his words, he never needed to, with most succumbing under the weight of his mind the moment they got close enough to stand within its oppressive force.

"Indeed it does, but that shouldn't be an issue. As to your latter question, the Council has taken your words by some measure and have summoned me to act upon them."

"From what I understand, that does not sound very much like commanding your fellow officers."

"No, however I was made to believe that such an amendment would be of no consequence."

"Well what say you, Captain?" Kord pointed one of his three digits at Pierce, while speaking some measure of lax in his voice.

"I will act on the Silver Council's words. However, I will not acknowledge any command or request that threatens to impede my work. Stripping my Sword Company of Sergeant Vronica is one such action."

"As such, while Officer Réne, I understand your task, understand mine and once you have accepted that, you and your Pygmy may join my Sword Company on our ship."

"If you will excuse us, Captain-General." 

"V, alert the rest of the crew. We will be departing in the next twelve hours. Officer Réne, I'm sure you already know where to find our ship." With that, Captain Gage led Vronica into the elevator while leaving the stunned Officer with Kord, who made no effort to disguise the prideful expression that revealed the shaped tusks from his lower jaw.

"We should regroup with the others as soon as possible, there is much to do before we can–"

"Captain Gage–"

"We can refuel and restock any perishable supplies by Procella. We can visit the armory while we are still on base."

"Captain-Gage…" Realizing that he hasn't let go of her since they entered the elevator, her mind settled, not because it was the most sensible action, but because it wasn't.

"Yes, V."

"Thank you. For what you said to Officer Ren and Captain-General Kord."

"Think nothing of it, V." She would have missed it if she had remained focused on the other distraction, but she was certain of it, that was a smile, a smile on her Captain's face.