Chapter 4: Banquet of Victory

No matter how many of them he attended, Tanaka just couldn't get used to the lavish extravagance of banquets.

He knew, of course, that it was a tradition for Knightly houses to hold banquets before and after battles, the Knights marching to war in full fanfare. The blaring of trumpets and the cheering of citizenry as the machines stride from their stronghold's gates echoed in his ears, a persistent memory that refused to shake off despite Tanaka's best efforts. Most likely that was due to the excessive volume that had left a permanent ringing in his ears.

The welcome parade was, if possible, a lot more excessive, particularly if the Knights returned in victory. After celebrating the outcome with an obligatory parade through the stronghold and back into the cavernous hangars where the Sacristans tirelessly tended to the damaged machines, the pilots were then invited to a luxurious banquet thrown by the Shogun - Draconis III's counterpart to the High King that ruled over most other Knightly worlds.

Tanaka was well aware that this banquet was partially dedicated to him, as he had played a huge role in the liberation of Ishtar from the forces of Chaos. There were already tales spun from his victory of the Chaos Knight spreading across excited nobles and idolizing commoners alike, mostly embellished with exaggerations or fanciful maneuvers that were impractical in real combat. While the banquet was officially organized to honor all the Knights who played a role in saving Ishtar, Tanaka had taken the spotlight because he was the only one who had engaged a Chaos Knight in a duel.

And that was a very big deal, particularly to the pilots of House Yato. To have survived and emerged the winner in a clash between Knights was an honor few could claim. The towering, armored behemoths that they piloted was a force so formidable in the battlefield that there was a clear lack of what Knightly Houses deemed "worthy" opponents. As the Knightly houses of Draconis III were regularly dispatched to engage Traitor legions and retaliate against invading xenos, their staggering kill counts of conventional creatures and vehicles were considered the norm.

Instead, the slaying of a super-heavy or Gargantuan opponent was the event everyone remembered. For the Imperial Knights who dominated the battlefields with few enemies that could threaten their thick adamantine armor and impenetrable ion shields, only opponents such as Chaos Knights or similarly sized monstrosities possessing immeasurable power were considered worthy enough for proving a pilot's worth.

And it was that worth that was causing Tanaka quite the predicament now.

"My, my, Sir Tanaka! I have heard of your glorious combat!"

A gaggle of ladies dressed in ridiculously colorful clothing, draped with ornaments, had surrounded him, gushing over his recent achievement. Their hair were stylishly tied and curled in overly expressive displays that must have taken the most expensive groomers hours to style, and their exotic dresses were made from luxurious fabric and material that only the wealthy could afford. They were batting their eyelids in a futile attempt to impress him, and to be honest, their praises and flattery sounded more annoying than pleasing.

Still, they were nobles that belonged to one of the three major Knight houses in Draconis III, and Tanaka would do well not to antagonize them. Forcing a smile, he swallowed his discomfort and shook his head.

"No, not at all. I was merely lucky. The opponent was a skilled one."

"Nonsense! There is no enemy in the universe that the Emperor's selected Knights cannot overcome!"

The girl sounded proud of herself for expressing such platitudes in the Emperor's name, but Tanaka inwardly scoffed at her naivety. Delusions of grandeur brought about by a lack of experience in real war that were amplified by glorified holo-vids of heroes and Knights, no doubt. In the battlefield, that kind of complacency would get a pilot killed.

Tanaka took a cup of juice from a waiter who passed by, sipping it to moisten his dry throat. The whole situation was making him feel uneasy, especially since he was never the center of attention before. In fact, Tanaka hardly had a chance to interact with ladies of the nobility. This was the first time that he had been approached by nobles of the opposite gender.

And he didn't like it one bit at all. These female nobles were completely different from the honest, brash and blunt women he was used to dealing with during his attachment to the Astra Militarum regiments or commoners. Those ladies would tell him straight up what they wanted and move on with their businesses. Not so with noble ladies. The daughters and wives of pilots often played subtle games with their words and mannerisms, concealing sinister motives as they sought to build a network of alliances to exploit each other.

Tanaka wanted no part in that world. He was much more familiar with direct, open warfare, where he could see the enemy, and the goal was simple - the utter annihilation of enemy forces. He didn't have to behave squeamishly and tiptoe around conversations with the enemy. Much like the Chaos Knight he had bested, their only response to dialogue was a silent, deadly charge or a bestial roar of challenge (particularly from Orks). All the better - it kept things simple.

"That may be so, but the Emperor protects those who take precautions and are well-prepared." Tanaka paused as he watched the girl's expression turned into dismay, drawing a bit of satisfaction from it. As a couple of single Knights walked past, eager to join in, Tanaka saw a chance to escape. "Kaneda, Godo, these lovely ladies would like to have a word with you."

"Of course, of course!" The two Knights were only too eager for an opportunity to mingle with beautiful girls of noble heritage.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Tanaka bowed deferentially to the girls as he backed away, much to their displeasure. "These gentlemen will entertain you while I speak to a friend."

"Sure! I'll be happy to accompany these lovely ladies!"

As Kaneda and Godo began sharing tales of their own exploits, with the former bragging about how his machine crushed a Chaos Hellbrute in close combat (or literally, by stomping on the corrupted construct), Tanaka made his getaway. As he disappeared into the flow of the crowd, dodging bright-eyed noble girls who wanted to make his acquaintance and using his fellow pilots as cover, he noticed the Daimyo, high-ranking pilots of Houses Yato, Uesugi and Takeda taking center stage.

A good number of seasoned, veteran Knights were parading around the main table of the grand hall, boasting to each other about their glorious exploits. The combat grew increasingly exaggerated with each subsequent tale as each Daimyo sought to one-up the other. The equivalent of Barons in most other Knightly worlds, the Daimyo were each allocated their own domain by the ruling Shogun, who allowed them autonomous rule over their respective fiefs. In return, these Daimyo pledge their loyalty to the Shogun - or in theory anyway, since many of them retained their allegiances to their birth house - and answered his call to arms every time the Imperium called upon Draconis III for aid. The ruling Shogun had been from House Yato for generations now, ever since a great civil war that had torn the world apart before the Great Crusade brought it back to the fold.

As the experienced Knights boasted about their battles, their consorts silently sat beside them in patient indulgence. Though they did not share the same intense experiences of combat and the dizzying heights of glory that their husbands did, the consorts were no less formidable. Theirs were a different battlefield, a political landscape of cunning, schemes and alliances woven in a complicated web that connected each Knight to another. The Knights might strike an intimidating figure during times of war, but behind the scenes it was their consorts who wielded the power and influence that preserved the great houses' dominance in Draconis III, and the Imperium.

The female nobles, particularly the married ones, were not persons to be trifled with. If the pilots were said to represent the strength and might of the Knightly houses, then the consorts were the hidden intelligence and cunning that lay in wait in the shadows, waiting for the correct time to strike. Both halves combined brought about a whole Knightly house that was more than the sum of its parts. The men might do all the fighting, but it was the women who were chiefly responsible for the survival of their houses, as well as lineages.

Tanaka felt sick.

As he made his way through the sea of people chatting and flattering each other, several boisterously toasting exploits and achievements, he caught sight of familiar figures dressed in the black and gold military uniform of the Draconis Armored Defense Force. A collective of officers from the Astra Militarum regiment had gathered near a table, isolated from the pompous nobles that dominated the space of the grand hall.

Tanaka recognized Colonel Ikeda's buff figure and hurried over to him, waving. Ikeda also saw Tanaka and returned his greeting with a smile.

"Well, well. What do we have here?"

"It is good to see you again, Colonel Ikeda."

"I should say the same. What does the hero of the hour need with us?"

Tanaka laughed. "Just your company is fine."

Ikeda lifted a cup and toasted it in Tanaka's direction. Taking the cue, Tanaka also raised his cup of juice before drinking it.

"The food here is good. I'm glad they invited us here."

Tanaka caught a whiff of sarcasm in the colonel's tone. The officers of Astra Militarum, particularly Draconis III's native Imperial Guard regiment the Draconian Armored Defense Force, were usually invited to the banquets as a formality. However, they were often nothing more than a red herring, left to their own devices as the nobles preferred to mingle among their own kind more than interact with commoners.

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes. You should try the roasted squig. They're quite delicious." Ikeda helped himself to a large serving of meat on his plate, smiling as he savored the flavor. This time he was sincere in enjoying his meal. "Or if you're not fond of meat, I would recommend the squiggles. I can't say I like vegetables, but those green mushrooms are absolutely a must-try."

"Thank you for the recommendation." Tanaka showed his appreciation as he piled Ikeda's suggested items onto his plate. Trying them, he found that the good colonel was right - they were delicious. "How fare your regiment? I heard they took heavy losses in the battle for Ishtar."

Ikeda grimaced as he bit into a squig's fleshy thigh, his teeth sinking into the succulent meat.

"Better than I expected. We lost a few tanks, but they're easily replaced thanks to the forge world of Draconis IV churning out vehicles like servitors. It's a good thing we didn't lose The Emperor's Wrath - a Stormsword superheavy tank would be much harder to replace."

"I see." Tanaka didn't know what else to say. It was true that superheavy tanks took a lot more resources and time to build, even more so than Imperial Knights. "That's good then."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Ikeda sighed as he leaned against the table, settling his plate down tiredly. "On the other hand, the crews are more difficult to replace. I have gotten fresh recruits to cover the losses after our unit returned to Draconis III, and our roster is back up to full strength again. However, I am uncertain if these fresh recruits will be up to the task. They lack the experience and perhaps mental fortitude of the crews I lost. It takes a few battles before they will be hardened...and most recruits die within the first few hours of their deployment, and the cycle of replenishing my ranks will repeat itself. The loss of experienced crews is huge blow."

Tanaka nodded. "Your men fought well in Ishtar. They will be remembered."

Ikeda was taken aback for a moment, prompting Tanaka to stare at him curiously. Shrugging, the experienced man explained candidly.

"I didn't think a noble would be concerned with the lives of us commoners. You know, what with being above the common man and all that..."

"I'm a low-ranked Knight," Tanaka responded humorlessly. Ikeda grinned.

"A dark knight."

"Huh?"

"Sorry, just a holo-vid I watched some time ago."

The two men fell to silence and watched the nobles growing ever more raucous as they downed more alcohol and food. Kaneda and Godo, who the girls had run away from, raised their beer jugs and gestured for Tanaka to join them. Tanaka shook his head wearily, not at all looking forward to their company. Fortunately, he was saved when the doors to the grand hall flung open, revealing an unexpected visitor.

The tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus were not an uncommon sight, particularly given the proximity of the forge world Draconis IV to Draconis III. Through the Sacristans, the Knightly houses of Draconis III had strong ties to the Adeptus Mechanicus for the manufacture, repair and maintenance of their suits, a trend common throughout all knightly houses in the Imperium. In return for their services, an Archmagos could sometimes demand that the Knightly houses fulfill their military obligations to them.

Might this not be why this particular tech-priest was here?

Tanaka didn't recognize the red-robed tech-priest who seemed to glide across the grand hall. Though the flowing, rust-red robe concealed most of his body, mechadendrites protruded from underneath his long sleeves, eerie metallic gadgets that clicked with each movement. A pair of servo-skulls floated around the tech-priest, who despite his gliding motion, seemed to limp on the cog-shaped power axe he favored as a weapon. As he glanced in Tanaka's direction, the latter saw that the former's face had been entirely replaced by a mechanical mask, the ocular goggles functioning in place of his eyes. Breathing tubes seemed to feed directly underneath the red collar, filtering out impurities in the air.

Most of the nobles halted their conversations to watch the eccentric figure lumber through their midst, more out of curiosity than horror at his deformed figure. Having interacted with tech-priests on a regular basis, the Knight pilots were more than familiar with the sort of surgical augmentations the priesthood of Cult Mechanicus performed on themselves.

The tech-priest wasted no time, heading straight for Shogun Yato. The de facto ruler of Draconis III was surrounded by his closest and most loyal Daimyo, who bristled at the tech-priest's breach of etiquette, but Yato himself seemed more amused than offended. Smiling, he gestured for the Daimyo to stand down and invited the tech-priest for a drink. The tech-priest declined, pointing to his horrific mask, earning a chuckle.

"Well, this is a rare sight, Archmagos Trozac. To what do we owe the honor of your presence?"

"I am here to make a request," Archmagos Trozac responded, his cold mechanical voice a rasp. Yato nodded and gestured for a butler to bring the unexpected visitor to a room. Whispering to his outraged Daimyo and their horrified consorts, he calmed them down and told them to stand down. Picking a couple of his closest friends, he led them into the room to carry out the discussion with the archmagos.

"Archmagos Prozac?" Tanaka repeated, scrunching his face in puzzlement. Ikeda burst out laughing at that.

"No, it's Archmagos Trozac. Perhaps you can approach him for hearing augmetics."

"I would much rather avoid that, thank you very much."

Tanaka took a deep breath as he glanced at the room where Shogun Yato and Trozac had disappeared inside. Seeing his curiosity, Ikeda chuckled.

"Archmagos Trozac is an Explorator. Currently he is assembling a small Explorator fleet to reclaim a STC that's rumored to be at the edge of the Genova System."

"Heh..." Tanaka turned back to Ikeda. "Do you know him?"

"How could I not? Archmagos Trozac has requisitioned the 42nd Draconian ADF to help him in his journey. Our tanks will be loaded into the Mars Battlecruiser, The Triumph of Deliverance, tomorrow. He's in effect our commanding officer."

Tanaka nodded sympathetically at the colonel's bitter tone. The seasoned soldier evidently would prefer to be elsewhere in the galaxy, razing the forces of Chaos and driving back the encroaching armies of xenos scum. A search and retrieval mission where the probability of encountering enemies was low wouldn't sit well with him. A whole regiment of tanks being shipped off to some obscure end of the galaxy was a complete waste of firepower - immense firepower that could turn the tide of any war where no Titans were involved.

"But the Lord General has promised to cooperate, so we don't have a choice. Well, it can't be all bad." Ikeda flexed his muscles as he stretched his arms. "Join the Imperial Guard. See the galaxy. Meet xenos scum. Kill xenos scum."

"Sounds appealing to me. Death to all the xenos!"

However, Ikeda didn't seem to agree with Tanaka. Rather, his eyes bulged and he took a step back. Perplexed, Tanaka turned around, only to see Shogun Yato's consort sashay toward them in her exquisite dress.

"That is so very marvelous and inspiring, Colonel," Lady Yato gushed, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "I am so moved that you are encouraging our boy, Sir Tomoyuki here. As grateful as I am, however, do you mind if I borrow him for a moment?"

"O...of course not, my lady." Colonel Ikeda swallowed nervously as he bowed his head deferentially and backed away, looking like he wanted to disappear. Tanaka was aghast to see that even such a high-ranked officer of the Astra Militarum was no match for the Shogun's consort. "He's all yours."

"Thank you very much." Lady Yato smiled sweetly at him as he quickly departed the scene. Once he was out of earshot, along with the other Astra Militarum officers, her expression twitched a little, turning into a slightly disapproving one. "Sir Tomoyuki, you would do well not to associate yourself with such vulgar soldiers."

"They're not vulgar," Tanaka responded instantly, and regretted it when he saw the flash in Lady Yato's eyes. "They're...honest and candid, and I appreciate that a lot in combat."

"Yes, of course they are worthy allies who have your back. I understand that much. But there's a time and place for everything...and if you must socialize with them, then at least do so in the absence of other nobles."

Tanaka wondered why. It wasn't as if the other nobles cared what he did. Most likely it had something to do with keeping up the image of a noble being above everyone else.

"As a noble who has achieved a great victory over a traitor, you are now placed firmly in the spotlight. You need to behave as befitting your reputation." Lady Yato shook her head, and smiled gently. "But enough about that. I'm here to ask you about your choice."

"My...choice?" Tanaka stared blankly at Lady Yato, who heaved a sigh of disappointment.

"Yes, your choice, my dear boy. Haven't you decided on the consort you wish to marry?"

"No, that's..."

"My dear boy, you mustn't flounder about the issue indecisively. Marriage is a very important matter, not just to you and your family, but to House Yato."

Tanaka knew. The knightly houses were often full of political marriages, the wedding of two individuals to strengthen alliances between major families within the house, and bind the Knight's loyalty tighter to the Shogun. After all, it would be more difficult to betray the Shogun if one's consort was related to the Shogun by blood. In addition, the consort often would have schemes of her own, and would keep a tight leash on the Knight to manage their domestic affairs.

Women, despite not piloting the fearsome, formidable Knight suits their husbands owned, could often be a lot more terrifying than even the deadliest xenos.

"I would recommend my niece, Tomoyo. Or perhaps you would be more interested in Erika, of the Shimizu family. Both girls are highly competent and intelligent."

"That's..."

"Think about it, and discuss it with your parents. Perhaps they would want to forge a connection with the Shimizu family, or deepen your ties to the shogunate. If it's the latter, I will be very happy."

But I won't be happy at all, Tanaka thought bitterly Scratching his head, he sought for an appropriate response, but for some reason Ensign Urushibara came to his head. The confident, dark-haired woman with a snarky sense of humor seemed more appealing than complete strangers who he had never met before.

Wondering if it was worth a try, he cleared his throat as he stammered.

"I...I was thinking of marrying a female officer from the Astra Militarum..."

"Certainly not," Lady Yato cut him off, looking absolutely horrified. "You're a noble. You cannot lower yourself to marry a woman from a lower class. Not to mention, your position and achievement marks you as a potential Daimyo. You'll be expected to marry into a strong family so as to cement our alliances."

So in the end it was all about House Yato and its Emperor-damned alliances and politics. Tanaka wanted no part of it at all, but he was helpless before the scheming machinations of the consorts and their shadowy web of intrigue.

"I'm already generous in giving you two options," Lady Yato continued sternly. "Normally, the marriage would have already been decided on and arranged before you even get to know about it."

That seemed tyrannical rather than generous, especially given how none of the noble girls viewed Tanaka as a potential marriage partner before. It seemed that besting the Chaos Knight had caused his stock to rise, and every major player wanted to secure his loyalties before he fell into the wrong hands. It was no wonder Lady Yato had moved this quickly after his return to arrange a partnership between her niece or the closely allied Shimizu family.

They wouldn't have bothered and would continue leaving me alone if I never encountered that Chaos Knight, Tanaka thought grumpily. It wasn't that he regretted slaying the Chaos Knight now, but he had vastly underestimated the reaches of the consorts. Was there no way out of this predicament?

Seeing Tanaka waver helplessly, Lady Yato smiled in undisguised glee. She was most likely over sixty, but her pale, seemingly youthful face had received the best juvenat treatments House Yato could afford to maintain her beauty. After all, she was literally the face of House Yato.

"I'll give you time to think about it."

Before Tanaka could respond, the doors to the room where Shogun Yato was conducting his meeting with Archmagos Trozac were flung open.

"Archmagos, I cannot allow you to do this," Yato's voice was tense as he followed behind the gliding tech-priest. The hooded figure inclined his inhuman head toward the annoyed Shogun.

"You leave me no choice."

"I have little choice in the matter as well. Your Fabricator Locum is the one who requested for additional military forces. My Knightly house is stretched thin as it is. I am unable to afford to lend you even a single contingent of Knights."

"Just one would do," Trozac replied, his voice rasping over the grand hall. "A volunteer."

Yato smirked as he allowed Trozac to take the center stage. "You can try and appeal, but I fear not one Knight here is sane enough to volunteer his services."

"Nonetheless, I must try." Trozac turned to face the stunned audience, amplifying his audio emitters so that everyone could hear him. "I am Archmagos Explorator Omnid Trozac, and I am assembling a fleet to reclaim lost STCs so that we may use them in the fight against the Great Enemy. As such, I require the assistance of a Knight."

A murmur rose among the assembled Knights as they regarded Trozac's slumped figure with disdain. Undeterred, Trozac continued.

"I implore to you, any one of you, to volunteer your services. The rewards, I promise you, will be great. Your machine will be fitted with unique enhancements and receive special treatment from my adepts."

"What of glory?" One of the Knights yelled from the floor. "Will there be worthy enemies for us to slay? Tales that we can one day weave into legends? And I'm not just talking about a footnote as one of the founders of a stupid STC. I mean combat."

Trozac hesitated for a moment, which proved to be his undoing. "There is a high probability of combat, yes..."

"But will we fight Gargants? Tyranid Hierophants? Eldar Wraithknights?"

"I cannot guarantee that as we will strive to avoid conflict with enemies possessing such immense might..."

"Then no deal!"

As the Knight shouted that, the others hollered their agreement. Trozac's ocular implants whirred as he regarded the audience, clearly miffed at what he perceived as an affront to logic. After all, the mission was to recover STC, not risk the entire force in engaging with terrifying enemies on a massive scale.

"If the rewards are insufficient, we can negotiate..."

"You don't get it, Archmagos." Yato was smiling coldly, triumph written all over his face. "We Knights are honorable men. We hold no interest in material reward. Every single one of us here aims only for glory...to etch our name in legends that will pass down for generations."

While Trozac wheeled from his unexpected obstacle, Tanaka was observing the whole thing silently, the cogs in his mind turning slowly as he saw an opportunity to escape. Waiting for the jeers and taunts to die down a little, he took a deep breath and raised his hand.

"I'll do it. I volunteer to participate in this Explorator mission."

Silence filled the air as every person in the grand hall turned their eyes to him. Shogun Yato rounded on him, livid.

"Absolutely not. Sir Tanaka, your steed will be required for a military operation in Gandor. As long as your allegiance lies with House Yato, I will not allow you to run off wherever you please."

"Then what if I renounce my allegiance to House Yato?"

There was a collective intake of breaths when Tanaka made that declaration. Stepping to the front and facing everyone determinedly, Tanaka knew there was no turning back.

"I forsake my place in House Yato. From this day on, I will become a Freeblade, with no ties to any of the Knightly houses."

"Y...you can't do this!" another noble shouted. "What are you trying to do?!"

As more voices added to the cacophony of rage, Shogun Yato raised his hand to forestall the protests, his dark eyes boring intensely into the young man.

"Can you tell us why you have been driven to undertake such a drastic action? You do know the consequences of being a Freeblade, do you not? What will happen to your family? Your parents? And why would you go so far as to sacrifice the privileges and honor of being in House Yato?"

Tanaka had already formulated an excuse in his mind, one that could save his family's honor and protect them from the repercussions of his rash decision. If he could at least make his decision seem honorable, he might be able to spare them the shame.

"I owe my life to the Emperor's Spear Aerial Company from the 42nd Draconian Armored Defense Force. A Vendetta squadron from that company saved me from destruction at the hands of an enemy gunship. As such, I am honor-bound to serve and protect them on their journey with the venerable Archmagos."

I glanced at Colonel Ikeda for help, and after a moment's hesitation, he nodded reluctantly.

"What Sir Tanaka says is true. And the 42nd ADF has been assigned to the Explorator fleet."

Yato suddenly looked very weary as he studied me, but he finally nodded.

"Very well then. I hope you achieve more glory on your travels...and look forward to the day when you return to House Yato."

"I thank my liege for his benevolence."

"Let's not waste any time then." Despite the constant, cold tone of his mechanical voice, Trozac was clearly delighted. Sliding over to me eagerly, he tilted his head gratefully, his mechadendrites twitching in excitment. "I promise you, you will be greatly rewarded for your part in my mission. You will not regret this."

I'm already starting to regret my decision a little... Tanaka thought.

"Let us be off then," the archmagos said as he turned away. "We have a lot of preparation to do before the fleet departs."