A knight's determination

[stupidhonor]

[1, shortly after the mission]
With Lord Moswar's death, a moot will be organized. He has left no one to call an heir, so his titles and the Lord's Arm will be given to others - all knights of Ankaia can participate in the moot and decide on that and other important matters.

But his death is just an excuse for the moot to gather. The real reason for the gathering will be to make a unified decision regarding Earth. Lord Moswar's faction lost its head. There is yet possibility of peace.

In the meantime, I will remain here. Lord Moswar's actions were against Earth's good - and Ankaia's as well. I made a vow to guard the innocents against him and the likes of him. I will not break that vow, so until that time...


I hope you will allow me to fight by your side.

[2]
[There is one more thing that a lot of people will probably ask Sielje about. The title Moswar used to refer to her, that made her so angry...]


Lord Moswar had in his grasp - the secret of Power Within. There used to be a time when that was the case for every of Ankaia's warriors, but nowadays only a few chosen know its incantation. The ultimate technique of self-actualization, any knight may use it once and once alone.

The reason for that is it draws upon the life force of the one who uses it. An old or weak person's life may become quickly extinguished... and even if you survive, you are not the same. Your strength, potency, are but shadows of their former selves.

Such a survivor is known as a Burned Out.


[3]
So the weapons of Earth are not powered by their wielders' might? Of course, they are not made from hide and bone of beasts of Ankaia... but does it not allow for even a weakling to excel in combat, if his or her tools are good?

[Sielje asks this question while sitting atop of a Genoace - the mobile suit took only a few steps from where it stood before losing balance and collapsing. You can probably guess who was the pilot, since she was the one who left the cockpit...]

Comments

[stupidhonor]

Of course I did! I tried so hard, I did my best... just to become a Knight...

[keep_your_dignity]

SEE, THAT'S A PROBLEM. YOU SAY THAT EVERYONE BEING ALLOWED TO TRAIN MAKES IT FAIRER THAN EARTH, BECAUSE ANYONE WHO OBJECTS TO THE LORDS' ABUSES OF POWER AND WANTS TO INFLUENCE THINGS CAN BECOME AS POWERFUL AS THEM. BUT YOU ALSO SAY YOU TRAINED FOR YOUR ENTIRE ADULT LIFE AND YET IF YOU FOUGHT ANY OF THEM YOU'D GET SPLATTED BECAUSE THEY'RE IMMENSELY MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU ARE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT ONE TO ME. BECAUSE FROM WHERE I'M STANDING, IT DOESN'T LOOK ANY MORE FAIR. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S THE SAME SHIT BUT WITH AN ADDED LAYER OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS TO MAKE CERTAIN NOBODY TRIES TO SEARCH FOR A BETTER ALTERNATIVE.

[stupidhonor]

There is honor. Ankaia values strength, but honor even more.

If a Lord tries to abuse power, acts like Lord Moswar did - others will rise against him. To act dishonorably is the best way to lose your supporters, title, and possibly more.

It has happened many times already.

[keep_your_dignity]

WHO DECIDES WHAT IS HONORABLE, THEN? WHO WRITES THE RULES?

[stupidhonor]

They are unchanged since Ankaia was founded.

[keep_your_dignity]

WHICH IN NO WAY ANSWERS MY QUESTION.

[stupidhonor]

[With consternation, Sielje remains silent for a moment before finally saying...]

The Champion.

The Champion of Ankaia is the ultimate authority on matters of honor. Everyone understands what is honorable and what is not, but he is the one we refer to when an issue raises. Or when there is suspicion of foul play.

[keep_your_dignity]

I DON'T TRUST ANY SENTENCE THAT STARTS WITH "EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS".

ANYWAY, SO, THE ENTIRE WORLD IS HANGING ON THE WORD OF THIS ONE GUY, WHO LET ME GUESS, DIDN'T EXACTLY GET THE POSITION FOR PROVING CAPABLE OF GOVERNING.

YOU SEEM TO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC OPINIONS ON HIM, THOUGH.

[stupidhonor]

Yes. Yes, I do.

[Sielje stares at Kagura, a strength behind her eyes that was not there just a moment ago.]

He may not be a Lord with his own domain and lands, but he did not ask for it. His task is not to govern anything. His task is to be the Champion, and with that I trust him completely.

I ask you not to speak ill of him.

[keep_your_dignity]

AS YOU WISH. IF ANYTHING I'D PITY THE BASTARD. I'M GETTING PLENTY ABOUT HIM FROM YOU. AND YOUR SYSTEM IS SET UP TO MAKE THE TASK OF BEING A JUDGE A THANKLESS, FUTILE SHOWER OF SHIT. DON'T EXPECT HE'S EXACTLY ENJOYING IT.

[Kagura turns, starting to move away. This conversation was instructive - she definitely got a lot more out of Sielje than Sielje probably did from her]

YOU ASKED SOMETHING OF ME, THOUGH, SO I'LL ASK ONE THING OF YOU.

[stupidhonor]

Yes?

[Sielje leaves the comments about the champion to herself.]

[keep_your_dignity]

YOU'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR A WHILE. SO HERE'S WHAT I'LL ASK OF YOU: WHILE YOU'RE HERE, THINK. ESPECIALLY ON THAT WHOLE "HONOR" SHIT. WHAT OBJECTIVES THE RULES SPRUNG FROM. WHY SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT MIGHT LEVEL THE FIELD BETWEEN THE STRONGEST AND THE ONES WHO SIMPLY ARE DRIVEN - AMBUSH, COMBINED ARMS, RANGED ATTACKS - ARE DECRIED AS DISHONORABLE, WHILE EVERY HONORABLE AVENUE IS, NOT COINCIDENTALLY, ONE THAT FAVORS WHICHEVER BASTARD IS ALREADY MOST POWERFUL. WHAT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM DEPENDS ON AND HOW IT DEALS WITH THE STRESS THIS WHOLE THING IS GOING TO PUT IT THROUGH.

I ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH UNTHINKING FANATICS AND GENERAL BULLSHIT TO DEAL WITH. ESPECIALLY SINCE I BET AT LEAST A COUPLE MORE OF YOUR LORDS ARE GOING TO COME HOWLING, MINIMUM. AND YOU DON'T SEEM LIKE A BAD KID.

[Just kind of an idiot. But then, she deals with plenty of idiots as is. Kagura begins walking away. She stops for a second as she does, though, turning her "face" slightly to regard Sielje over her massive shoulder]

AND BY THE WAY, FRIENDLY WARNING WHILE WE'RE ON THAT - EARTH IS A MESS OF CULTURES, NOT THE MONOLITH OF YOUR WORLD, AND PEOPLE CAN'T AGREE ON FUCKING DINNER, MUCH LESS WHAT'S RIGHT. DON'T GO AROUND YELLING AT PEOPLE ABOUT DISHONOR UNLESS YOU INTEND TO BACK IT UP THE HARD WAY.

[And so she continues, heading off.]

[stupidhonor]

That, enforcing honorable behavior on people of Earth, was... never my intention.

[Sielje waits for Kagura to be gone and out of ear's reach.]

...

Do you honestly believe I never thought of this?

Perhaps it would be easier, if I did not.

[She gives the face-down Genoace a half-hearted punch.]

[keep_your_dignity]

[And far away, under her armor, not seeing Sielje's outburst but having a decent guess as to how her speech was landing while she was saying it (being an empath and all), and reviewing what she's learned, a little fairy smirks to herself, satisfied. That was a more productive conversation than she'd expected when it began.

Now, back to work.]