After that meeting, everything was assembled. Five minutes. That was all it took for columns upon rows of same-faced and same-armoured Knights to rally. They stood idle in the muster grounds. Half of them wore a different uniform; they were Knights-in-training, Imperial Squires.

Much better discipline than his own men, Kazuki enviously thought to himself.

A trial by fire operation for them, it seemed. The muster grounds were a large plaza, converted into an assembly hall. Prying eyes peered from gardens, resorts, gyms and stores... Fer-Charelota must have chosen this place for a reason, Kazuki thought.

Pacing around the front of the group, on an elevated stage, Kazuki took a moment to glance at Sir Icarus, wearing his full combat regalia and armour.

He looked out towards the tens of Knights assembled in front of them. He wasn't as sure of their quality as he was of his own men, but they will suffice. Any and all bodies will suffice.

A crowd was forming. People of all sorts. None of them were important, except the press. Chloé must have called for them.

"Perhaps they think this is some sort of ceremony or drill," Sir Icarus commented, seeing Press and News drones scurry around them. "I could say it is a graduation ceremony of sorts."

Kazuki stared back at the rank and file. "You talk?"

"I'll introduce them," Sir Icarus stated. He glanced back over his men, wearing the same or similar armour to him, with varying awards and metal decorations. Sir Icarus placed his hands behind his back. "You explain it."

Sir Icarus walked up to the front of the platform. Drones fitted equipment onto the Knights and Squires. It was war-gear.

The shiny, clean white armour was coming off. A pale white and silver reinforcement plate was added to their armour's outer vest-plates. It was the armour the Knights were seen donning into war. It was the armour they wore defending the sector against Imperial Warlords.

It was the Imperial Knight's Crusade Plate.

Kazuki was armed better, though. And armoured. He wore a Contractor's Light Plate. The infamous armour of top-grade mercs.

"STAND ATTENTION!" Sir Icarus shouted, his voice bellowing back at him. All voices and mutters fell silent. The auditorium of people gazed at his demands. "EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: Order 490 is in effect. Any all persons faced against the Imperial Knights shall be treated as collaborators to the source of contention—"

Kazuki walked up beside Sir Icarus. He made his presence known to all the Knights. A few Squires shivered upon the sight of the Contract-Breaker. No Knight shivered.

A simple nod was needed to convey respect for their integrity.

"—and shall be terminated and or detained without hesitation! Standing beside me is Prince Kazuki Izumi Geminorum-Ryzaku of the Imperial Trasian Family. He will provide your briefing. And for the Squires here: if you are commended, you may be knighted to full membership!"

A crowd was starting to form as judging eyes looked up at Kazuki. He looked down at all of them. All eyes fell silent. He nodded at Sir Icarus, who took a step back. Kazuki cleared his throat.

"The enemy is Obadiah Cariana-Slynt!" Kazuki shouted. He took out a card representing Obadiah - The Tower. "He has barricaded themselves within his Penthouse. They have taken hostile actions in preparation for an investigation linked to the recent drone attack. They have of your own."

Murmurs started amongst the rank and file. Kazuki knew he had to hear his words for all to listen. Cracking his knuckles, Kazuki placed his hands behind his back.

The Imperial Knights were all suckers for honour, combat, protecting the weak. All that horseshit. Kazuki guessed he was supposed to do that as well… As an 'Officer of the Law' in technicality. Though his men were more on the killing side than the protecting.

Some of the Knights gave him confused looks.

"No negotiations will be made. The Imperial Knights will hammer down his door. You will remind him that there are rules. You are authorised to kill. Encouraged to," he said. "The Marquis Gilbera Fer-Charelota has sanctioned this mission. He spoke highly of you, all of you, as the galaxy's greatest protectors. Do not disappoint me."

Stepping forward once again, Sir Icarus took over from where Kazuki left off. "The plan is simple. As Kazuki said: we will confront Obadiah Cariana-Slynt. If his security forces disobey or stall, their lives will be considered forfeit under the agreement of our creed. We are to distract them. The Arbiter will lead a strike team to recover the hostage if muzzles start flashing."

"It most likely will," Kazuki remarked. "In fact, take no prisoners. No stun. No incapacitations. Show that so-called 'fine nobleman' that there are consequences to crossing your sacred duties."

The absolute brutality that Kazuki just spoke of shudders down many of the Squires, the press and the onlookers. The Knights, however, stood firm - simply watching Kazuki. Sir Icarus gave Kazuki a side glance. Silence…

Kazuki was reminded of the hours before his greatest victory in the rebellion…He saw himself in that hangar once more, anxiety hung from the ceiling. Wounded and dead littered the vessel.

Even so, Kazuki rose up with his blade in hand. And all nerves were turned to steel…

The glinting of gold shattered all senses of formality within Kazuki. He stepped forward. "ARE YOU WITH ME?!" he bellowed, demanding an answer. "Will you allow one you have been invested to protect to fall under forced captivation in your own walls?! Those are some stupid fucking idiots up there, looking down and thinking they can break the rules! They don't have enough connections for that. Not at all."

What should have been hypocrisy at best turned into a jab at himself. A few of the Squires and Knights chuckled at the remark. The irony was never lost. Kazuki was a contract breaker. Is a Contract-Breaker.

Even so, Kazuki stirred the Knights up.

Sir Icarus gave Kazuki a respectful look, a small smile and a nod to approve his next words.

"Sir Icarus stands with the Arbiter. Justice stands with me as a member of the Judiciary. If none of you will, I will go alone, with the only men I know will not fail Madamé Justice!" Kazuki glared back out across the field of reporters, the flashes of drone cameras and the looks of anticipation from the Knights. Some had grins. Some had stern looks.

But all shared their want for justice. It was why the Knights were founded in the first place… Categorically.

"Now. You could stand aside and let the Contract-Breaker give that fool justice. Or, you will march me!"

It was a rush of adrenaline that Kazuki had not felt for many months. It was this determination that saw Kazuki through it all. Through the rebellion. Through the Loyalist Crisis and the Freezing Cold. Its embers ignited flames within Kazuki.

The Phoenix awoke. Kazuki reached down to his sheathe, bolted to the armour and bracings beside to leg and drew his blade - raising it to the sky. The Imperial Knights followed. Silver and steel met Kazuki's answer.

An Imperial War Cry of Peace was called upon. Crowd mentality took over, and all looked upon the Contract-Breaker as a leader, the man to spearhead this mission.

"Who is this hostage?!" shouted a member of the Press as they clambered in front of the stage. They were followed by several drones and probes, holding onto and writing notes on a large stenotype. The drones had their faces turned into large scanning screens and lenses, recording Kazuk with raised eyebrow faces. "You spoke of a hostage, who is being kept by Obadiah? Do you have any comments about Obadiah's possible connections to the deceased Matt Oria-Tessie?! Do you have any remarks or counters to the argument that some share: that you are targeting Obadiah for this connection?"

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Kazuki sighed. Fuck... It's the Press. If those fucks want to follow on, he'll let Sir Icarus' teams handle them. He glanced back at Sir Icarus. "I'm not taking the Press with me. The moment I get the chance, I'd use them as body shields..."

"—Ah, excuse me!?" The journalist shouted out of turn.

Both Sir Icarus and Kazuki ignored her. "Understood. I'll keep them safe... from you," Sir Icarus said. He chuckled under his breath. Kazuki nodded.

He turned back to the Journalist. "The hostage's identity will remain confidential under my directive. Do not ask questions you do not want the answer to."

That seemed to silence the press.

Kazuki had no time for them. They were as useful as civilians in a combat situation: worthless sacks of meat and flesh. Useless. Liars. Spare bodies in case Kazuki needed a mobile sandbag.

"But can you provide us with any comments as of now?!" asked the reporter once more.

They were like insects, so annoyingly flying around him… Even so, a single swipe was all that was necessary to silence them permanently. Sir Icarus sighed, shaking his head at Kazuki.

Awh… Kazuki sighed as well. He turned to the reporter. "My comments are not necessary." He turned his gaze to the drone camera. It shone with a red hue, it was live television. "Make something up, the dim will eat it up."

"Ah, excuse me!?" the reporter raised their voice. "Please, just provide us with a comment on the ongoing situation, have they sent you any terms?"

Kazuki snarled back, "What do you do with a snarling, rabid beasts? Provide it meat? No. They'll get the taste for it and seek more. More. More. More. Obadiah Cariana-Slynt is a man built on greed."

The reporter stood still, taking in all Kazuki had to say. Kazuki knew he was falling for their 'trap'. He didn't care. He wanted them all to know. He wanted to tarnish everything about that slug.

That fool.

That imbecile Obadiah who thought he could fight and win.

"In the Anagoran Judiciary, we use clubs not treats. Fester content for crime and more will spry up. Justice shall be dealt to him, to all who stand with him."

The only difference between those criminals on Anagora and this one is that those on Anagora had little choice. They were the Republic's greatest victims. Forced to fight. Forced to bleed. Forgotten. No love or respect for those who bled for the slugs in the Senate…

Obadiah was one of those who benefitted. He had a choice. He made his choice long ago. And that ball of greed he threw has now rebounded. He may run as he wishes, but…

"Justice knows no wall. No muzzle or boundary," Kazuki remarked. "It is not your Goddess Iris that will dispense with Justice. It is not your tax codes and legal statutes. It will be me. Bullets and blood will turn all of Obadiah's wrongs to right. Nothing of him will remain."

His threatening voice must be harrowing for the viewers back home. Good. Best for them to remember the Contract-Breaker's voice. Best for them to fear him. To fear the only one who lives to tell the tale.

Turning away, Kazuki looked to Sir Icarus.

An Imperial Knight walked over to the two commanders, holding onto a drone by its arms. "Sir Sir Icarus. Prince Kazuki. The drone bears a message. We caught it fleeing the upper suites."

Sir Icarus shifted over, taking hold of the drone and slapping its holographic projector on. He held it some distance from both himself and Kazuki. "Interesting."

Kazuki looked over. He read the message with Sir Icarus.

'TO KAZUKI GEMINORUM-RYZAKU AND ALL OTHERS CONCERNED. I HAVE YOUR FRIEND IN CUSTODY. I DEMAND SAFE PASSAGE FROM THE BALL PALACE, ONLY THEN WILL YOUR POULTRY FOOL BE RELEASED. ADDITIONALLY. I SEEK AN AUDIENCE WITH BOTH THE FIRST LORD MARQUIS AND THE PRINCE OF TRASIA.' At the bottom, there was a holographic print of a brooch's emblem. Obadiah Cariana-Slynt's...

'Archius... we have a problem,' Kazuki started. 'We have a message from Obadiah. Safe passage for Eliza's life... That must mean Cyrus is dead.'

'Shame...' Archius replied, before dragging the Marquis into the uplink channel. 'Hey, you, Marquis, I'll be personally in touch later... for now, we have a problem.'

'I'm guessing you're another associate of the Prince?'

Archiuc snickered. 'I'm THE Associate. But you really should focus, First Consul Gilbera... I've heard many things about you. Some good, some bad.'

'You can say that about everyone,' the Marquis cautiously replied.

Kazuki was instantly annoyed by the political backchatter. 'Silence. Gilbera, Obadiah has stated his demands. What do we do now? It'll seem like we're the aggressors if we don't try to negotiate.'

Fer-Charelota sighed. 'Such a fool, all of this to buy time, he must know by now both your and my policy on such antics. He'll leave this place either in chains or in a body bag.'

'Or not at all,' Archius interjected. 'I think it'd send the right message, a robber baron that dared to ever fathom the idea of opposing a political alliance between the First Consul and a Prince... It sounds amazing, I wonder how they'd speculate on how we disposed of him.'

Kazuki grunted, placing a hand on his chin. Kazuki walked off to the side as Sir Icarus went on to reorganise and finish the brief with his Knights and Squires.

'Obadiah dies. That is non-negotiable.'

'And what if we cannot allow that?' Fer-Charelota suggested. 'Let's have some tact, for now at least. I've dealt with that 'refined businessman' for many years, my friends; what's one more day?'

There was a reason for that. Even if there was, Kazuki hated it. He grinded his teeth, grimacing to himself. Then, he composed himself, flushing the emotions aside. Yes, he thought. Tact is required. Tact is always required in polite politics.

'Fine,' Kazuki said. 'I'll consider it. But why now, why does this fool try now of all times?'

Fer-Charelota shrugged. 'Mhm?' First Consul Gilbera, an outsider to the current regime and a master of statecraft... not even he understood irrationality.

The notion that Kazuki might have been being played this whole time by all sides crept up. Marquis. Mischief Board. Obadiah. Noah. Not even a month here and Kazuki had entangled himself in many webs.

Still, better to keep potential allies close, he thought. Even if such allies have used him. Still, Kazuki knew he had to make good on Fer-Charelota as an investment.

'We don't need to publicly release that message, you know?' Archius said. 'We can edit it, forge words out of thin air if we have to. Who'd you think would listen to Obadiah? The gutter press?'

Not even that.

Fer-Charelota mulled over the idea for a few seconds. 'I want no part in this section of the plan. However, it wouldn't be wrong of me to say that I... provide tacet approval for this course of action.'

With those words, the plan of action had been solidified. Kazuki knew that after all is said and done, after the dust settles, there'll be far more work to do.

Fuck that. Kazuki had a reason to kill, a contract to kill - his license for justice. Either way, Obadiah will leave the Ball Palace less of a man than he entered. The thought was hard if it was even possible for such a good-willed business magnate.

For that thought, Kazuki scoffed and chuckled under his breath. "The Marquis wants you alive... No one said anything about unscathed." A million ideas poured into Kaz's mind from across his memories.

Millions of humourous ideas on how to make this man suffer, but first... the mission, the objective.

'The perfect casus belli. Edited or not, we have a job to do,' Kazuki muttered across the uplink and loudly. He turned back to Sir Icarus, before cutting off the Uplink channel. Sir Icarus nodded in agreement. But an audience with himself and Fer-Charelota... What would Obadiah be seeking from talking with either? Either way, Obadiah will die, probably best to not sully the Marquis' floors with his blood. Or brain matter.

A professional courtesy from one ally to another.

His fate was sealed the moment he took Eliza hostage. Obadiah chose the wrong Contractor to fight, the wrong Contract to challenge. It will cost him his life.

That was his objective. But why? The question struck Kazuki as strange. "Why?" Kazuki muttered to himself. "Why?"

Sir Icarus glanced away.

Kazuki hated this feeling of unease. It was strange yet familiar. He was doing this for the Contract, nothing else, because that is all he could cling to anymore. He is a machine, and machines do not need to know why.

He must simply follow through with his Contract.

Kazuki could feel a spark in his eyes turn towards delirium. "All for the Contract," Kazuki whispered beneath his dead voice.

Sir Icarus took the message and read through it again. "This is going to be a messy operation, he's probably got enough muzzles and muscle to back up his threat."

"Sir Icarus, do you know where Lady Antiar is?" Kazuki asked, wiping the drone's memory clean. He passed it back to the Knight.

The Knight Commander slowly turned to Kazuki. "I thought of asking the same of you. I lost contact with her a little bit before you arrived at the Marquis' Penthouse. Her absence is an anomaly, one that I worry about."

Lady Antiar will stand against him, whether she likes it or not. Kazuki let off a mumble of acknowledgement, before turning back to the plaza. No hesitation. Not a speck of dust shall remain, nobody left without a bullet in their skull.

And all for the contract, if nothing else, then he had that to bleed for.

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