The Order of the Black Knights

Chapter Six

Pointé Restaurant,

Liberte Pier, Jersey City New Jersey

October 31st, 2040, 8:13pm

Blake Bradley transmitting

Mercury’s Memorial dinner

In normal situations big questions and demands are usually solved on the spot with the commanding officer or person in charge. One would think that would be the same thing that goes on in the Black Knights. Surprisingly no, teams are formed or dissolved all by the command of the leader. The District Commander has little say on what or who goes into a team, unless a crisis calls for his intervention. Members aren’t recruited willy-nilly though. While the guidelines aren’t exactly specific, Knights generally look for qualities within an individual that fit within the four mantras of the Order. A choice we do not make easily.

This was why I was extremely hesitant on saying yes or no to Luna’s admission right away. She understood, only rarely. Because of this, I had to bring her to Pointé for Mercury’s farewell dinner. These usually aren’t big occasions, only the members of the field team usually attend. It isn’t because of inter team animosity, more as is that field members share a deeper connection with each other rather than with the team as a whole.

Black team was no exception, though Ovatio and Deseret were with us at the table because of their own relationship with Mercury, with our one teams political Advisor Sisko waiting us. So it was the six of us, sitting there at a wraparound booth tucked away in a lonely corner with no view of the Manhattan Skyline. That’s how we liked it mostly. When you see something enough, even something like the mighty skyline, it becomes boring.

Pointé was a local seafood restaurant on the Liberte Pier, and a frequent spot for the Order of the Black Knights. In fact many of the GHQ and New Jersey members work at the restaurant, hence Sisko waiting on us. The place would get my recommendation if any of you so wish to dine there one night. Further still the owners knew us and never really asked questions so long as we kept bringing in business.

Luna sat in the one chair we had brought and sat across from me, by her choice not any of our own. The mood at the table wasn’t fully somber as we all had good memories of Mercury, but there was an elephant in the room. Soon enough however, as we were working through our appetizers, that elephant became too blatant to ignore. “So what made you decide you wanted to join?” I asked, “And so suddenly considering that you still no nothing about yourself.”

Luna looked at me, sincerity written plainly in her eyes, “We understand our complications, but we also understand that the answers we see lie within The Union. And tis as you have said Andrew; we cannot simply stand by knowing a life has been taken and not do anything about it.”

“Interesting turn of a phrase,” Ovatio whispered.

“This isn’t a game Luna,” I said keeping my voice stoic and cynical.

“We understand that, but we cannot allow us to stand on the side while others solve mysteries we were meant for!” Luna answered, her voice very concerned with hints of determination. All the while none of the Black Team members present at the table broke face.

At that point, I had no clue if anyone wanted her to join the Black Knights, for very good reason. “Well if you do join, let me tell you this: it’s a tough world out there.” I said then pointed to the skyline behind me, “That city back there is completely unforgiving. We Assassins are an expandable commodity, no matter how good our skills are we are expendable. If you die out there, another will simply come in and take your place. I really want you to consider the position you’re in.”

“We do understand. It is what we want to do.” Luna said.

I knew this was going to have to come down to me. Ironically this was the one time in my recruiting days where I wasn’t entirely sold on the idea of allowing her to join. I needed advice, but asking the others in front of Luna was going to be pretty awkward. Fortunately Luna provided the means of exit.

Her face went sour for a moment, then she said, “Excuse us, we have to use the…” she stuttered on the final word, trying to find a way to get it out.

Deseret did it for her, “Bathroom?”

Luna blushed as she nodded.

“Yea I gotta go too, come on.” She said and then escorted Luna to the bathroom.

After the duo was out of earshot, Lsyric chimed, “Well at least she’s house broken.”

Both Jezebel and I glared at Lsyric while Ovatio did nothing. Then after a moment of silence, Ovatio looked at me, “If sincerity counts as a measure to which we recruit people, I’d put her top on the list.”

“Yea she is very determined to join. I mean I kind of agree with her, I would not be too happy if I had to sit on the side and let others figure out who I was.” Jezebel agreed.

“But that’s the thing; we don’t know who she is. I mean that chick could be any one. Plus she can use a hyper form of magic according to Blake; wouldn’t it be better to wait?” Lsyric countered.

“This is her story thought, we do have to take into account that we may merely be side characters and she is the one who follows the plot line.” Jezebel said.

“I’m not still sold on it.” I murmured, “Lsyric’s right there are too many unknowns, but Jezebel’s also right in that this may be the best way to find out who she is.”

“Well if you want my opinion,” Sisko said brining us our food. He had heard everything, “Who are we to deny someone their right to join. Do remember the wash out rate Andrew, if it isn’t meant to be for her it isn’t meant for her.”

That was the selling point for me. After Sisko dished out all of the food, I looked at him “Sisko you got a pen and paper?”

“Can I have a please with that?” he commented. I didn’t give him the dignity of an answer. Undignified, Sisko pulled out a piece of paper and a pen before handing both to me.

On the paper I drew the Order’s symbol on the paper and handed the pen back to Sisko. Sure enough no less than a minute later, Luna and Deseret returned. The duo must have had a similar conversation that we had previously and Deseret had come to a similar conclusion. I could tell this by the look in her eyes, so that fully reassured my decision. Luna looked first at the food on the table, then at me with an unsure smile.

But before any of us could dig in, I slid the paper over to Luna.

“This symbol,” she said looking at the paper, “We have seen this before. Tis the symbol of the knights is it now?”

“It is,” I answered, “Notice how there are four parts of it. Each of the four parts directs to the four rules of the Order of the Black Knights. Rule number one; ‘Do not work for fame or for fortune. You glory must gained through actions in darkness rather than light.’ Rule number two; “Be Silent with your blade. Stealth and secrecy are your primary weapons; a true assassin must always be hidden.’

“Rule number three; ‘Protect the innocent. They are not your enemy; they shall not be treated as such.’ And the most important Rule, Rule Number Four, “Keep your identity hidden. You must remain anonymous, not only for your protection, but for the protection of those you love.’  These are the rules that we Black Knights live, breath, kill, and die by. If you wish to join us, you must swear upon these rules.” I told her. All the while I spoke, Luna listened in awe and watching. She didn’t move she didn’t speak.

I noticed this and continued, “While these four are guiding principles in which we are based and operate, there is one absolute rule that all guides all Assassins. That rule is…” I started.

Now one note, I mentioned earlier that this is a spot frequent to Black Knight members. It’s not uncommon to have up to five teams of agents in Pointé at any given moment. And all of them were listening in on the conversation, whether to pick up recruiting tips or whom had a vested interested in Black Team’s possible newest recruit. Knowing that as you do now, let’s continue.

In one instant, the entire restaurant went quiet, about two thirds of the members looked in are direction, and in perfect unison with myself they all said, “Nothing is True, Everything is permitted.”

The place was silent for another several moments before the rest of the restaurant got back to its own business. It was then I spoke again, “Now Luna, if you want to join us, you are going to have to swear that you’ll uphold our principles and our laws. Do you swear this?”

“We….” Luna started almost immediately.

“Ah,” I interrupted, “Not we, I.”

Luna looked extremely nervous and trying to change her speech pattern. As evident when she first asked to join, trying to say I was a challenge for her. However I figured that she was going to be here for a while, so that being the case I knew she had to adapt. And that meant having her talk the right way. After a few moments of trying, Luna finally forced herself to say it, “I swear it.”

Nodding, I looked around the table. Despite their faces not showing it, I knew the team was with me on this decision. “Okay now before we get to anything, let’s eat in because our food’s getting cold.”

The rest of the team nodded and we began to eat. Not before preforming a toast to our fallen friend.

Later on that night, I got back to the base long after everyone else. Deseret had held Luna back so that she could inform Marcus of her possible admission. This wasn’t because Marcus wanted to know, it was so that I could clear out the rest room so that I could talk with Luna privately. After a brief and albeit pointless conversation, Deseret went upstairs first and passed me in the relax room.

About a minute later Luna passed and instantly noticed me, “Andrew what are you doing here alone?”

“Waiting for you, come sit.”  I told her.

Nervously Luna walked in and sat at the table I was sitting at. I looked at her with dagger eyes, not meant to look down upon her but more to make her totally uncomfortable. It worked, “What thou wish to discuss, we thought…”

“You assumed wrong,” I snapped, “You may have fooled the rest of the team with your sincerity but I’m not entirely sold on you joining the team.”

“What more must we do to prove it to thee?” she asked.

“How bought give me a straight answer. And none of this we crap. Who are these we? I only see one person sitting in that chair and that one person is you. So I better hear you refer to yourself as an individual rather than a collective drone.” I told her, “Now look at this from my position, you appear out of nowhere with no memory, no identity, and nothing to signify where you’re from save for two Tattoos. And you want to join us almost immediately without even figuring out who you are?

“Let’s look at this with some sense, you could be very sincere with your reasoning behind this, or you could be a Union crafted agent sent to destroy us from the inside out. Now I wouldn’t be a good Second in command nor a good team leader if I didn’t have reservations about letting someone like you in without a full scale background check.” I told her, doing a pretty good job of keeping my voice level yet disheartening to the poor girl. “I’m not saying no, but I need more information.”

Luna looked at me, as if she was fighting back tears and the urge to scream at me for calling her out. Worse still she was taking several big gulps of air and saliva. Finally after trying to put the right words together, she spoke. “It’s…something that…I…have to do! I…can’t explain it but it’s…there’s something within us…me…that is driving me to find out who…I am.” Luna explained, her voice filled with somberness and determination. All the while she never broke eye contact, “I…need to know what it is. What my…talent is. Once we do, we’ll remember who I am, and maybe my talent and my answers will come from being with you guys. This isn’t something we…I… can find out sitting on the side lines.”

I kept my face stoic, but inside I could clearly understand her point. It was almost as if she was telling me her rights and reason to live. That monologue and that monologue alone convinced me beyond any shadow of a doubt that Luna really and truly wanted to be a member of the Order.

“So please,” she whimpered, “Please reconsider.”

I nodded then rose to my feet, “Tomorrow, eight am sharp, the training room. A minute late and I will not be there.” Before I could hear or see Luna react, I left the rest room and went to bed.