Becoming a Cleric
By: Ryan Hollo

**This story is about a cleric, 10 years before John Preston and Dupont.
All rights about Equilibrium(the film) belong to Dimension Films. All
characters are the property of the author.**

Chapter 1 - The Faith of Father

It was like every other morning for the young cleric. Ryan rose out of bed and laid out his gray uniform. Cleric Ryan T. James was perfectly embroidered on the inner flap of his jacket. Ryan's mornings were the same every day. However his routine was not tiresome. Ryan did not feel any emotion towards the routine, it simply was what he did every single morning. He took a shower; he shaved his face, and then injected his morning prozium into his neck. On the drive in to work, he would listen to the update of the latest EC-10 contraband seizures.

Upon his arrival at the grammaton training center, he receives an important notice that he was to report to the training master immediately. He reported to the training office directly after receiving the message cylinder.

"Cleric Ryan, reporting as requested Sir" He said while standing at perfect military attention.

The grammaton training master sat at his desk, apparently waiting for the cleric to arrive, did not even look up as the Ryan introduced himself. Behind the training master a large T window with no glass illuminated the entire room. The training master stood and began to walk towards Ryan.

"Well Cleric, you have done well for yourself this past year. One of the fastest students to become a senior cleric. Your gun kata skills are nearly un-matched by any other cleric I have seen. I would like you to continue your training as I need more clerics in the first order. Recently you were upgraded to second class, and I am confident you have still yet to reach your full potential. Father has much faith in your potential. I am starting you on a new training program that will push you to your limits. From this day forth you will no longer be involved in any operations in till I deem it fit. Your fieldwork has been nothing short of perfection. However, I need clerics to be at full potential. Now you will report to training room 6 immediately to commence your new training, Your partner has been assigned to a new 3rd class cleric. Next time I see you Cleric Ryan, you will be a 1st class cleric or dead. Dismissed."

Cleric Ryan bowed his head and turned to leave the room, before making his way towards training room six.

When Ryan arrived at training room 6 he entered the Dojo style room, and began his usual morning calisthenics. Suddenly without a sound or warning, a quick strike to the back of Ryan's right knee brings him down on both knees and he grimaces in pain. The sheer force of the blow was enough to cause the mussels in Ryan's leg to begin to spasm, and then go numb. When Ryan looked up from his pain flinch, a standard issue cleric berretta was pointed at his left eye.

"Well cleric, not as good as they told me you were. Interesting. Lets see how you handle yourself when you know there is an enemy. On your feet now!"

The sensei appeared to be slight in build but powerful. It was obvious he was in great shape. He wore a white karate gee, with a belt that was black on one side and red on the other with white trim on the edges.

Cleric Ryan rolled back and casually flipped back to his feet without using his hands or arms leaving himself in his standard kata defense stance.

The training sensei looks at Ryan and begins to speak very slowly. "Cleric.. Ryan.. I am your.. new weapons and martial Sensei. You may call me... Sensei" As he speaks the final word, The Sensei quickly snap kicks Ryan in the chest and again Ryan is taken by surprise and falls back 3 feet almost hitting the floor again.

"Your first lesson Cleric, everyone is a potential enemy, you must be ready at all times. Because I am your Sensei, does not mean I will not strike you or even try to kill you. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir" Ryan stood at stiff attention, preparing for another attack from his new sensei.

"Good, now take out your guns Cleric, I want to see what all the fuss is about."

Ryan removes his twin Desert Eagle Mark 10 hand guns, and empties the clips.

" I did not ask you to remove the ammunition from those guns Cleric. Put the clips back in and hand me those.

Ryan hands his sensei the two pistols, holding the barrel of the weapon, so his sensei could grab the handles. It was the standard way of passing a weapon to a superior.

"When I first heard of your request to use weapons different from the standard issue cleric weapons, I was confused. However now with these weapons in my hands, I can see why you prefer these guns. Much more weight and higher caliber rounds are used with this weapon I see, hmmm. However it does not have an automatic setting, only the semi auto. Why do you use these weapons cleric?"

"The council has approved my request to use these weapons Sensei"

That was not the question Cleric, why do you use these guns?"

"I use them strictly for the added range of the weapon, and I find the higher caliber rounds to be more efficient when dealing with hostiles."

"And the lack of an auto setting?"

"I rarely find the need for using an automatic setting, I would rather be more precise and efficient then excessively powerful. Not to mention that 44. Caliber rounds will bring down an antagonist with less ammo used. One or two rounds is all that is needed with these weapons."

"Very well then, and how do you find these weapons change your Gun Kata skills?"

"They do not, other then adding extra range"

"Very well Cleric, we will begin the first lesson"

"How would you like me to proceed Sensei?"

The sensei hands the guns back to the cleric, and takes a classic defense stance. "Try to kill me Cleric"

"Sir?"

"You heard me, try to kill me, how would you attempt to kill me?"

Ryan quickly raises both weapons to aim at the Sensei's head, but is cut short and stopped by the Blade of the Sensei's sword. "How will you shoot me if I cut off your arms cleric"

"This lesson is very simple. Know your enemy. If you are going to engage an enemy with your guns, be sure that your enemy is not a capable sword fighter. Or make sure you are at an acceptable range. The blade is always faster then the gun. Remember that cleric."

"Yes Sir" although Ryan knew this fact, he had not taken it into consideration when attempting his attack.

"Do not rely on the gun too much Cleric, you must remember your sword."

"Again" said the Sensei with a small hand expression that waved towards his chest

This time the cleric quickly struck at the Sensei with his sword and the two engaged in a sword fight that ended quickly when the Sensei disarmed Ryan with a swift move that the cleric had not seen before.

"That move is not in the gun kata manual, or in any of the forms I have learned" pronounced Ryan after being disarmed.

"The hand book and the martial forms can only teach you so much, there are times when you must improvise, and as you become more apt and adapting your combat to each fight. You will begin to become a formidable opponent. Prepare to learn again Cleric, everything before this was only preparation"

After several hours of brutal training, the sensei decided that Cleric Ryan had progressed enough to end the days lessons.

Ryan had a small gash just under his right eye, and he was drenched in salty sweat. His hair was a tangled mess and he considered shaving it bald, strictly for the fact that it would be more manageable during the strenuous training schedule he knew was ahead of him. On his way to the showers, he decided he would have his head shaved.

After a quick shower and shave, Ryan made his way to the Barbers office.

When he came into the office, the barber was cleaning up from the previous client.

"Any more time for a quick cut Jimmy?" asked Ryan

The Barber looked up, and put his broom aside, "Of course Ryan, the usual?"

"No, Id like a change, I want it shaved clean"

The barber looked at him with a surprised and questioning glance. "Your sure about that?" he said

"I'm sure Jim"

Quickly without Ryan noticing the barber pressed a hidden green button under his mirror, and within 60 seconds, there were two Grammton Guards in the barber office.

One of them stepped into the office while the other watched just outside the door. He pulled out a small computer pad and began asking questions.

"Cleric Ryan, you have requested a change in your appearance, please answer the following questions. Do you wish to change you hair style?

"Yes"

"Are you unhappy, or un-satisfied with your current appearance?

"No"

"Does this change that you are requesting serve a purpose"

"Yes"

"And what is the purpose of this change?"

"The training master of the first order has ordered that I continue my training to become a first class cleric. My training is rigorous and my hair has become a source of in-efficiency. I have no feelings toward either appearance, style or the hair itself, I simply want to improve my combat efficiency"

"As you were cleric" The guard looked at the barber and nodded, then left the office

When Jimmy came to apologize, Ryan simply lifted his hand "Its ok Jim, I understand. Just cut this hair off me"

And without any more conversation, the barber did what the cleric had requested.