"Forschner, you don't have to do this."
Emilia stood by the door in her usual white and purple outfit, looking slightly apologetic.
"I do not mind at all, my lady," Forschner replied, putting on his coat, "After all, nursing Rem is but a front, and the true reason that you wanted me absent was so that I do not enter the court. That, I plan to hold true. But I will not have you go to the court on your own without an escort."
Forschner then swiveled around in search of something.
"Sir, are you looking for this?"
Rem picked up the tall officer's cap.
"Leave the cap!"
Rem jolted at the commissar's thundering voice. Emilia stared at Forschner with terrified eyes.
Forschner realized the current mood and averted his gaze.
"I apologize, Rem. I did not mean to... Please let me retrieve my own gear."
He said as he picked up his cap and held it by his side.
Rem bowed her head in shame.
"I apologize, sir. I didn't realize..."
Forschner stopped her.
"No. The fault lies with me. You have done no wrong."
He looked down at his cap and gently brushed the golden crest of the double headed eagle.
"This cap," he spoke, "means more to me than my own life."
Rem looked up at the commissar, who stared at his cap with sorrowful eyes.
"I was blessed with this cap by the Schola Progenium to represent the Imperium, as a symbol of authority and unwavering courage of the Imperial Guard. To me, this cap is who I am and what I stand for.
When I was but a small child, my parents... who were Rogue Traders, died in a tragic accident during their voyage. I was a void shield malfunction. I was present during this accident. Somehow, I was the only survivor of this event.
As a child, I was tortured and interrogated for signs of taint, which they did not find. The Inquisitor at the time gave me two options, to be put to death or enter the Schola Progenium. Of course, I chose the latter. Perhaps it would have been smarter to have me executed, but by the Emperor's blessings, I was given other chance to live, as a servant of the Emperor."
He raised his cap to eye level.
"This officer's cap is my second chance. I should have died many years ago, but somehow I did not-"
Forschner paused and chuckled. He did die, many times and over already.
"Anyhow, I apologize Rem. I should have informed you of this before."
Rem desperately shook her head.
"No, no, no, sir. I didn't know how important that cap was to you. It was my insolence. I should have known better as a maid."
Forschner made a slight nod.
"Well then, shall we be off, Lady Emilia? I'm afraid we are now short on time."
Emilia jumped in surprise.
"Huh? Oh. Yes, we should."
She clumsily walked out the door before Forschner could hold the door open.
…...
The capital seemed more crowded than usual, undoubtedly due to the Royal Election. There were people from all over the kingdom here for all sorts of business.
The carriage carrying Emilia and the Commissar stopped before the court. Forschner exited first to help Emilia off. Before the gate, they were greeted by Julius.
"Lady Emilia, you are as gorgeous as always," said the knight. He grabbed her hand and kissed it.
"Hello Julius."
Emilia greeted.
"I would greet you, but I suppose you'd return a cold shoulder," Julius scoffed, looked at the silent commissar standing beside Emilia.
The commissar looked down at the knight. He seemed to be wearing a pendant. The insignia flashed before his eyes and with that, the commissar drew his laspistol.
It was so sudden that not even Julius had time to react.
"FORSCHNER!"
Emilia screamed.
"You! Show me that pendant!"
Julius made an angry face.
"I do not know what you are doing, but it is making me uncomfortable."
Julius's hand was on his sword.
"Show me the pendant!"
Forschner screamed; there was mad rage in his voice.
Julius scoffed once more and drew his pendant with his left hand, the right still on his sword.
The pendant flashed in sunlight, the mark of the Dark Gods – Eight Pointed Star.
The commissar's eyes grew with frantic rage.
"Why do you possess such an item?" he asked.
Julius raised his brow.
"It is our faction symbol. Why do you ask?"
The commissar gripped his laspistol harder.
"Have you pledged your allegiance to it?"
"Forschner! Stop that!" Emilia screamed.
"Of course," replied Julius, "Why do you ask?"
Forschner and Julius stared off with fearsome aura. Emilia tried to stopped the determined commissar with no avail.
"Regrettable," said the commissar, lowering his laspistol.
"Is that magic?" asked Julius, lowering his guard.
But the commissar continued without answering.
"By the authority blessed to me by the Golden Throne, for your crime of Highest of Treason and Heresy, your punishment is death!"
Julius's eyes flashed as the commissar quickly raised his laspistol to the knight's forehead and fired. With a flash of bright yellow light, the knight fell to his knees.
Emilia screamed in terror; lights were lost from her eyes.
The guards rushed in and surrounded the commissar, who stared at the body of the knight with no remorse. The ground soaked with Julius's blood.
"Forschner! What have you done?" Emilia asked with trembling voice, covering her mouth with her shaking hand.
Forschner answered with stern look on his face, dropping his laspistol.
"My duty, Lady Emilia, my duty."