: Parthian Shot chapter 2.

"Duke Statian, may I say how glad I am that you have returned alive, your father would have been most displeased". Count Saazbaum's face filled the comms screen.

"I would not have been there in the first place if it was not for my father, nonetheless my inheritance has served me well" The Duke exclaimed. His uniform was crimson like the Orbital knights but had bone colored trims reminiscent of his personal kataphrakt. Statian was a Vers Knight directly from the home world, he did not rank among the 37 clans for he was of a different breed of knight.

"May I inquire as to how you returned?"

"I am unsure, he appeared to have let me go, he declared that he wanted to face me again in battle and I agreed. He was quite the challenge although he seems to have total disregard for protocol hence the reason I stand before you".

"And what of your beloved Ophir?"

"Destroyed, however I still hold the schematics and a number of components for it and my wealth is quite considerable, therefore I have had a replacement commissioned, I managed to have a team recover my shield from the bridge that spans Tokyo Bay".

"And how long will it be till you and the Ophir return to the field of battle?"

"No more than a fortnight, perhaps a little longer. This fortune my father left me ensures that turnarounds are fast, nonetheless I take care of his wealth, I am not one of snobbery or deluded superiority".

"Wise words Statian, may I ask who this enemy was?"

"A young boy, he is known to us, in fact Sir Troyard saved you from him not two years ago" The Duke explained with a smirk.

Count Saazbaum's eyebrows narrowed and the connection was cut.

"It appears that Saazbaum is jealous of the fact I was merely beaten by the boy rather than beaten and saved by a Terran". The Duke exclaimed with a slight laugh.

Miikael his personal assistant stood beside him, she was around nineteen, the same as him, however he had inherited his title and wealth and she was a nobody in the Versian empire.

"Miikael please see to the Ophir's construction in bay 5, after that you have your leave till I have need of you".

"Yes milord Statian".

Unlike the other knights Statian showed respect for everyone he addressed, and that secretly applied to Terrans as well however he could not openly admit it. He had come to admire that young Terran's ingenuity and quick wit, although he was a mere two years older than him age played no part in his ideals of respect.

That Terran possessed the Aldnoah factor.

"Castle Statian plot a course for low Earth orbit, I wish to see our conquest of the Americas".

Duke Statian was a rival of Count Saazbaums, he knew of the plot to assassinate Princess Asseylum however he had rejected the offer to join his crusade and kept quite about since it was not of his concern nor could he do anything about it, despite the fact he held more political power than Saazabaum an allegation like that would damage his reputation. He did however take the opportunity to join the fight in conquering Earth. He pondered about his next move. Did he really want Saazbaum to remain in power after his treachery to the Emperor? He thought about the state of Mars, a desolate waste. That is why they had come to Earth after all, they could claim it for themselves.

However he decided that he did not want Saazbaum to remain, perhaps, when the Ophir was rebuilt, he would seek out the young boy who had defeated him. No doubt Saazbaum would want revenge and so would seek him out as well. Perhaps if he took that opportunity to side with the Terrans, only for a moment and when the Emperor was dead, after all he had little time left to live. He could then destroy him along with the Dioscuria and make it look as if it were the Terrans. There was no double crossing involved and therefore no dishonor, it was plain and simple, the traitor had no right to live therefore he would see to the Count's death himself.

He was confident that Ophir could destroy the Dioscuria, in fact certain, while the Terrans distract him he would ride up and impale the traitor where he stood. However if he failed he had no means of catching the kataphrakt for it could fly and had considerable firepower that could prove fatal while his lacked anything but superior terrestrial speed, durability and close quarters power. He sat back in his chair and continued to ponder.

#

"Ophir, can you hear me?" The Duke asked. Miikael was beside him.

"Yes milord" It replied in a deep grumbling voice. It stood in a vat of turquoise liquid as it awaited the finishing touches.

"The on board A.I has been improved sir, it is far more capable in it's own right".

"Very good, it's a shame that A.I technology is still in it's infancy, the Ophir is barely sentient however it can communicate and it's processing power is more than double it's predecessor, it shall now warn me of un-calculated risks this time, to avoid events like my last encounter".

"Milord I believe It is merely a series of recordings that it pieces together in order to communicate, I do not believe it is really a thinking machine" Miikael interjected.

"If that is the case then this is the last time I deal with Olympus Mechatronics, they had me thinking that I could have a in depth conversation with it".

The Ophir appeared almost identical to its original incarnation, if not identical.

"Miikael tell the workers that they may have their leave when it is completed, ensure that they are payed an extra 12% for their hard work"

"Of course Milord" She bowed her head.

Instead of a cane as many other knights carried, the Duke favored a medieval war hammer as his personal weapon although he still carried a pistol. He held onto the hammer head as if it were a cane and tapped the floor with the shaft while thinking.

#

-Three weeks later.

"Open comms relay to Castle Saazbaum" The Duke ordered.

A screen flashed up and Saazbaums face appeared once again. "My apologies Duke, it appears our connection was cut last time we spoke, I believe it was just general disruption in the atmosphere. How goes the Ophir by the way?"

"It is complete and now more advanced, I contacted you to ask your opinion on something"

"Of course, what may it be?" The count replied.

"Do you believe that those that commit high treason should be put to death or imprisoned for life? I have been reading a book I picked up on Earth and it intrigues me".

"Of course Duke, especially if one was to be so bold as to commit treason against our beloved yet frail emperor of Vers"

"As I suspected, thank you Count Saazbaum, you have been of great help".

"It is my honor, you have always had a fascination with medieval practices, now if you do not mind I have things that require my attention, I am not one for chit-chat, farewell Duke".

The Duke nodded back to him and Saazbaum disappeared, The screen went blank and faded out.

"I'm glad he thinks that he should die, remain in low Earth orbit, I go to the viewing chamber to see this spectacle below us".

"Castle Saazbaum remains as wreckage on Earth still I assume, he must be on a fellow knights..."

#

"It appears our friend the Duke is about to take action, be it revealing my plan or other. I am not so easy to fool". Saazbaum said.

"Contact Castle Aggrellan, see to it that they shoot him down, his current orbit is... most favorable, he will appear to have been struck by an asteroid from the satellite belt"

Count Saazbaum turned to the monitor and then to the viewing port "You lack experience young Duke, therefore you shall pay the price".

#

Red lights flashed and the comms relay pulsed with warning signs.

"Incoming projectile Milord, time till impact one hundred and twenty seconds!" One of the crew shouted in panic.

"What is this? It can't be he's caught on already, it's barely been an hour!" The Duke said in frustration.

"Perhaps you were too obvious sir?" Mikkael shouted.

"Raise shields and steer clear of the projectile".

"We can't Milord, our thrusters are powered down to remain in low Earth orbit".

"Damnit, brace for impact!" The Duke ordered.

"Raising blast shields and applying stabilizers".

"Miikael follow me to the Ophir"

"Yes Milord" She ran out of the bridge behind the Duke.

"All crew prepare for impact, those of you near kataphrakts in the armory you have my permission to board them for protection, I would rather my platoon be destroyed than my servants" He ordered in concern.

They reached the huge hanger that held the Ophir and climbed the scaffold to the cockpit. The Duke jumped in first and Miikael followed. He powered up the Aldnoah drive and it raised from the turquoise liquid. The crimson and bone centaur stomped out onto the platform "I am not yet aware of it's full capacity, Ophir tell me your stats"

"20.2 meters tall by 11.8 at widest point at the shoulders and 26 meters long, including tail I am over 32 meters. Kinetic lance can eject stored energy from its tip when at full charge. By raising both lance and shield I can produce a kinetic bubble shield. My servos have been updated, my maximum speed is now 120 kph rather than 110" It rumbled.

"Very good Ophir" He instantly remembered that complimenting it was pointless. The Duke raised both arms as instructed and both his shield and lance glowed and formed a bubble around him, anything that struck the shield would be reflected so long as it was physical.

"All personnel brace for impact!" The helmsman said over the comms system.

He looked out of the viewing port to see a projectile streaking towards them.

"Activate point defense lasers, shoot it down".

As if knowing what he had said the projectile opened up and split into hundreds of tiny missiles, the lasers swept through them detonating many of the warheads but it got too close. The missiles recombined into a larger one and struck the port side of the landing castle and ripped through it's shields, then its interior before detonating.

The landing castle dropped low from orbit heading towards Earth, wreckage was cast out into the void as warning alarms screeched throughout the stricken hull. The personnel took up bracing positions and many were consumed in the flame that chased them.

The castle fell through the atmosphere and began to burn up, smoke billowed from the colossal craft as it's flare shield burst into flame.

Its hulking form smashed into the surrounding area of what the Terrans called Colorado, it slowed after plowing through a city block and the smoking wreckage finally stopped when it collided with the base of a skyscraper. The huge building's windows all smashed in unison but it remained standing.

The Duke righted himself and looked behind at Miikael. "I barely felt that" He exclaimed.

"Ophir, scan the interior, tell us the easiest route out of the castle" The Duke ordered.

It stood up unscathed in the hanger bay that was now on it's side and clomped up to a wall, or the roof, or the floor whatever was to his right. "Lance is at full charge after absorbing the impact energy" Ophir stated.

"Very well, kinetic lance: energy stream!" A burst of white light was discharged out of the tip and evaporated the wall. The beam cut through the entire hulk's hull as they forced their way from the wreckage.

"Lance now recharging through locomotion".

The Ophir made its way outside and the Duke surveyed the surroundings, they had crashed into a bustling city and the populous had mostly gone into earthquake mode.

"Miikael are you alright?"

"Yes, milord, thanks to you" She said with due respect.

"No need for formalities here Miikael, we are in a war zone, or at least one that might become a war zone"

"Ophir scan the castle for survivors".

The Ophir surveyed the wreck and analyzed it. "Survivors located in hangers one through seven, three survivors on the bridge and forty seven elsewhere".

"Damnit, there were hundreds on board" The Duke exclaimed in frustration.

He turned as he heard the approaching familiar stomping of Terran kataphrakts.

The Duke placed his shield on his back and retracted his lance to show he did not intend to fight.

The Ophir moved towards them to meet the squad halfway.

"Greetings Terrans, as it appears I have unfortunately been shot down by a treacherous knight" His metal clad hands gestured to the wreck.

They had their rifles aimed at the Ophir. "Get out of your kataphrakt and remove all weapons" one ordered.

The Duke complied and left his suit with Miikael close behind.

The Terran commander, a major by the looks of it came down on his elevator to meet them.

"This is unusual I must admit" He said.

Emergency services had rushed to the area of the crash and began putting out fires and evacuating the population nearby. The shouts of people scurrying about the feet of the Ophir and the colossal wreck behind them could be heard in the near distance.

"It is indeed, as it would appear I've been shot down by a traitor known as Count Saazbaum"

"Ah Saazbaum, yeah we know of him".

They looked each other in the eyes.

"This is getting awkward major, this is not something that happens regularly, I don't even know where to start".

"Well we'll start by taking you and your girlfriend here into custody then we'll see where it goes".

"I am his humble servant Major!" Miikael said in anger but bowed her head.

"No matter, I've never actually talked to a Martian close up before, you look just like us".

"Well that will be because we're both human"

"Milord that's heresy!"

"No Miikael, I will not be silenced by those lies, I am one of free thought, I will not be blind to the truth as our kind is".

#

Duke Statian, Miikael and a pair of high ranking officers sat in a military confinement cell. The table was small but at least there was a table.

"So let's get this straight, you were shot down by Count Saazbaum because he had caught onto your plan to kill him? It sounds like you were pretty lousy at trying to fool him. We know of his plot after what happened over in Japan with the princess and crap like that".

"Correct, he was rather sharp and caught on almost instantly, I'll admit that area I could work on. Seeing that you are the enemy of my enemy you are therefore my friend, I have no problem with working with Terrans so long as it means I get a shot at revenge before my return to the Versian Empire".

"Alright then, we know of your recent attack near Tokyo bay however the top brass has decided that a Versian may be extremely beneficial to the war effort. Do you agree that you will aid us in repelling Count Saazbaum's current assault and that afterwards you will not join the Versian war effort against us?" The older officer said gruffly in a thick American accent.

"Very well, I am a man of honor and I shall keep my word, after all I lack a landing castle now so I couldn't even if I wanted to".

"You seem more like a kid than a man" He said with skepticism.

"Well I am only nineteen although I am rather well spoken".

"Fair enough" He reached over to shake the Duke's hand.

"I have seven kataphrakts and pilots that are battle ready, they are yours to command, the landing castle is yours if you so wish to take it apart. I however will be freelancing as and when I want to" Miikael giggled at the pun.

"Miikael, you are one of those pilots" The Duke said in spite of her shock.

"Milord..."

"I said no formalities"

"Statian I'm not ready for combat, I..."

"Don't be scared, you are more than capable, besides you will be piloting the second greatest of my collection after Ophir of course, the Hecates Tholus"

"B-but that's worth a fortune!"

"Yes, yes it is so don't break it"

"Good then, we are in agreement" The officer said.

Duke Statian turned back to him.

"So we are" The Duke replied.

#

Unknown Versian territory:

"Sir Gheriatrix, as you know Duke Statian has been removed from the picture for the time being, it is your job to ensure that he does not return" Saazbaum explained.

"Yes milord Saazbaum, what of Sir Troyard and yourself?"

"We have business in the satellite belt within the next few days, it is up to you to see that my will is made manifest"

Sir Gheriatrix hailed from Castle Aggrellan, he was serving under Saazbaum for the time being while his Count was busy back on Vers. He was tall and with sharp features, dark hair and the underlying smugness of superiority.

"Your will be done milord" He bowed.

"Very well, see to it that my plans do not fall through" Saazbaum turned and left the hangar.

Sir Gheriatrix turned back to his kataphrakt, it was large, at least 17 meters tall and ultramarine blue. In it's right hand it held what appeared to be a colossal hammer and the other an array of ballistic weapons.

"The Syrtis..."