Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Author: Zorlond
Title: Kron, Knight Errant
Part: Chapter 03
Summary: The Adventures of Kron, a powerful warrior in a universe of
technology and fantasy.
Keywords: Mf, Mdom, teen, piv, preg, non-sexual viol, magic, penis size



   Chapter 3

   The next few weeks were filled with much the same.  Four days of
physical and weapons training at the base, followed by three days at the
Shrine of the Third Empress.  In between which Kron took every opportunity
to fuck Lin into a happy puddle of hormones, usually once or twice a day.
Kron's ear continued to be left unmarked, not falling even once.

   It wasn't until Red Squad's fourth trip to the Shrine that things took a
turn.

   It started off with being ambushed in the forest by White Squad,
suddenly being in a crossfire of heavy weapons from elevated positions. 
Half of Red fell before they could get to cover.  Kron, having managed to
dive behind a tree trunk with massive gnarled roots, organized a counter
offensive on one of White's positions.  Once White lost that position, the
rest of the squad faded into the forest.  Red squad had to stay there and
wait for the fallen to recover, costing precious time.

   When they finally came in sight of the Shrine, Blue had already taken
and secured it.  And they were just in time to catch sight of Black Squad
retrieving the remains of White Squad from the edge of the forest.  While
Kron started laying out a plan to take the Shrine, where attacks from two
sides covered sharpshooters focusing everything on Blue's heavy weapons,
they ran into a problem...

   Three of Red Squad, ignoring the planning session entirely and just
running into sight of the Shrine, firing away.  Quickly that entire section
of forest and ground was met with a barrage of assault weapon fire.

   The assault on the Shrine immediately degenerated into a mass-charge. 
The sharpshooters did their job as best they could, managing to keep Blue's
assault weapons unmanned, but as more and more of Red Squad was cut down by
rifle fire trying to get up the slope, Kron had to turn his assault weapon
over to a sharpshooter and push up the hill as well, the wild and
barely-controlled fire from the untrained sharpshooter keeping Blue heads
down the whole way.  The few Reds that managed to reach the Shrine followed
Kron's orders, striking from two entrances at once in a brutal assault of
the interior.

   When the last body fell, the Shrine was taken, but only a quarter of Red
Squad was still standing.  Kron, in a low voice, gave orders to bring as
many bodies from Red up to the Shrine as possible while a few would fortify
a small wedge of the interior, each side covering two archways.  Until the
rest of the squad recovered, nothing else could be done.  Black Squad
quickly came to haul bodies of Blue Squad out from the interior of the
Shrine.

   When the first Red Guardsman recovered, one of the three that had blown
their cover, he sat up and laughed.  Joyous, comical laughter.  Kron turned
his assault weapon over to another Guard and marched over to the laughing
Guardsman.  He looked up at Kron and said, "Heh, guess that worked, huh? 
Screw plans, screw training, we got the Empress of Life on our side!"

   "ARE YOU A FOOL?" Kron roared at him.  "We could have taken the Shrine
with far fewer casualties!Your actions could have resulted in disaster! 
What if another squad had been watching and waiting to strike at us while
we were so heavily weakened?  What if we'd failed to take the Shrine in the
first place?"

   The Guardsman chuckled and stood up.  "There wasn't, we did, and it
doesn't even matter.  We all die, we wake up again back at the landing
point.  So what?" Looking around, the Guardsman added, "Okay, rifles got
stored over there, right?  Lemme re-arm..."

   In the face of such total disregard, Kron could find nothing to say. 
Others were waking up, a couple laughing as well, but others looking angry
for having to die for such a poor decision.  Their full numbers restored,
Red had only just begun fully securing the Shrine when the next attack
came. What followed was a constant uphill battle of fighting at partial
strength against one or more attacking squads.  Red held the Shrine, but
only barely, ending the fights within the interior twice over twenty-four
hours.  Kron continued to try to control the squad, but things were
steadily degenerating.

   During one of the rare quiet times at the Shrine, Kron watched over his
quadrant of forest, gently easing his assault weapon back and forth on it's
tripod.  Suddenly, the sound of weapons fire could be heard from around the
Shrine to one side.  Looking that way, Kron scanned what forest he could
see, but could sense no movement, as other Guardsmen at his position
shifted to aim rifles in that direction.  The weapons fire quickly died
down, and all was silent again.  Tapping his comms, Kron intoned, "South
quadrant, report...  South quadrant, report..." No answer came.  "East
quadrant, report."

   "East quadrant, no hostiles seen," came an immediate reply.

   "West quadrant, no hostiles..." Kron began.  "Wait." There were two
Guardsmen marching along the outside of the Shrine, both marked with red
armor.

   One of the Guardsmen yelled out to the two approaching Guards.  "Report,
we heard weapons..!"

   That was as far as he got before both of the Guardsmen opened fire on
him.

   The Guardsmen around Kron were caught completely off-guard.  Kron barely
had time to dive to the other side of the small rise he'd set his assault
weapon on.  Unslinging his rifle, Kron waited for a pause in the weapons
fire before poking up and taking two long bursts.  Both of the attacking
Guardsmen were caught in mid-reload, falling to Kron's precise fire.

   Watching for a moment to see if anything else was going to happen, Kron
straightened up.  Tapping his comms again, he declared, "Medics to west
quadrant.  East quadrant, send three men to south quadrant and find out
what happened to them.  We just got attacked by two members of Red Squad."
Looking around, he saw four Guardsmen had been cut down by the senseless
attack.  "Everyone, watch your quadrants carefully."

   When the two Guardsmen who had attacked woke up, it was to find Kron
looming over them, patiently waiting.  Four more Guardsmen, rifles held at
the ready, stood nearby, watching them carefully.  Both of the waking
Guards had been the same laughing Guardsmen from before.  Kron waited a
moment for their eyes to focus on him before he spoke.  "South quadrant had
been wiped out, and all that had been there say you two opened fire on
them, without warning or provocation.  And then you circled around the
Shrine to attack West quadrant."

   The first one chuckled, and said, "Yeah, yeah, you got us.  Good fight."

   "Good fight?" Kron asked.  "You attacked your fellow squadmates, killed
several of them.  And you call it a 'good fight'?"

   The second Guard shrugged.  "Yeah, well, the other squads weren't doing
anything.  Just trying to relieve the boredom..."

   Kron's expression immediately turned dark.  "Boredom?  You attacked
because you were BORED?!"

   The first Guardsman snorted, "Yeah, why not?  They'll be up in a few
minutes again.  Here, let's have a quick rematch, while we're waiting..."
The guardsman stood up, turning to head over to the weapons storage.

   The click of a weapon being charged up made him pause.  Turning, he saw
Kron aiming his pistol right at him.  "Sit down.  You are staying in here
for the rest of this mission."

   "Like Hades I am," the Guardsman replied.  "Got more kills to make. 
Rack up the body count!  Woo!" He turned back towards the rifles and took
another step.

   Kron's shot immediately took the crazed Guardsman down.  Frowning down
at the body, he thought quietly for a moment before aiming his pistol at
the other.  "Helmet off," he commanded.  When the Guardsman paused, Kron
added, "Helmet off, or I take it off your corpse."

   "Okay, okay," the Guardsman said, his smile never wavering.  Reaching
up, he popped the chinstrap and took the helmet off.  When Kron stepped
over to his right side, he added, "Wanna check my marks, huh?  Coulda just
asked."

   "How many times have you died on this mission?" Kron asked him.

   The Guardsman shrugged.  "I dunno.  Five?  Six?  About that."

   Kron scowled.  "That means you'll be up to at least twenty marks..."

   The Guardsman's hand suddenly snapped around Kron's pistol.  "Good, you
can add!" he shouted.  His laughter continued as he struggled with Kron for
the weapon.  Even though Kron far out-massed the Guardsman, Kron still had
to exert himself to keep the pistol under control, struggling against the
strength of insanity.  And the Guard didn't even seem to mind as Kron
slowly but steadily, inevitably, forced the pistol to aim right back at the
Guardsman.  The Guards' laugh cut off as the pistol fired again.

   Kron straightened up, wiping splattered blood from his face.  After a
moment, he ordered, "Tie both of these men up.  They are not to stand or
fight for the rest of this mission.  Keep two armed men on them at all
times.  Is that clear?"

   "Yes, sir." The Guardsmen set to securing them quickly.  Kron marched
over to the main altar and set to reading the manuscript again. 
Unfortunately, it offered no answers, though it looked to be that several
pages in the back had been carefully removed.  Kron gritted his teeth.  So
little information on Holy Shrines existed, yet someone had defaced this
manuscript to hide more?  Was this why the Shrine was left unoccupied so
much of the time?  Did the raw life energy damage one's grip on reality? 
Or did the act of dying and resurrecting over and over again come at a
cost? The answers were not here.

   Kron looked upwards, into the eyes of the great golden statue of the
Third Empress, as if it might grant him some divine answer to his
uncertainty.  But it said nothing, revealed nothing.  Sighing, Kron stepped
away from the altar, at first turning towards an archway to take his
station.  But then, he diverted slightly, his eyes focusing on the minor
shrine to the First Empress along the outer wall.

   The golden statue, only about seven feet tall, stood on a short
pedestal. A woman, covered neck to toe in heavy armor, long hair held back
in a braid that curled as if catching a breeze.  A few strands of loose
hair hung in front of eyes furrowed in steely determination.  In her
gauntlet-covered hands, a heavy rifle, the same design as the one issued to
Kron.  Before the statue, an arcing railing formed a pseudo-altar for it.
Scattered all along the railing were offerings.  Some loose bullets, some
magazines, people paid homage to the Iron Empress with what ammo they could
spare.  They knew she'd appreciate it.  And that she wouldn't mind if
another came along to take some ammo for the battle upon them.

   Kron met her gaze, held it, and felt the words on his chest stir, ever
so slightly.  They were her words.  Her oath to protect the Empire, at all
costs.  Kron wondered if she approved of the training the Guardsmen were
being subjected to.  If it was a necessary cost for the Empire to
survive... Kron gazed into her golden eyes for a bit, then glanced down at
his hand.  The pistol he'd just used was still there.  After a moment's
more thought, Kron set the pistol down on the shrine's railing.  He bowed
briefly to the Iron Empress, then unslung his rifle, holding it ready and
moving on.  She'd keep the pistol safe.  Perhaps pass it on to someone who
needed it.

   Kron circled the outer wall, looking over the minor shrines as he went.
Most had been unapproached by the Guardsmen of Kron's time, though there
were signs of tributes paid to each of them at one time or another.  Kron's
eyebrow rose at the sight of a pair of dice set before the Empress of
Misfortune.  Whatever brave soul decided to ask for her aid, Kron hoped it
had turned out well for them.  There was no way to know now, as the dice
clearly had been there for many years.  But the only other shrine that
showed significant recent use was the Eighth Empress.  Unsurprising,
considering the criminal background of most of the Guardsmen.  It would
actually have been strange if they hadn't paid homage to the Empress of the
Streets.

   Kron gave each Empress' shrine a measured bow of respect, even though he
did not leave any other offerings.  And then he paused before the last. 
The Ninth Empress.  Kron looked into the eyes of the golden statue of her.
He'd seen smaller shrines to her all over the apartment complexes back in
the industrial megalith, most only of a small bas relief mounted on the
wall, though Kron had seen a small statue once, barely a foot high.  Here,
she was standing seven feet tall, arms and legs held as if casually
walking, short top baring her belly, belt holding up a short, loose skirt,
one hand up to brush a bit of her short hair aside from her face.  A bright
smile under friendly eyes, as if she were about to call out in greeting.

   And, as always, Kron was struck with the feeling that he had met her...
Somewhere, somewhen, could never quite place her.  Did she live next door
to him at one point?  Perhaps he'd only walked past her on the street one
day.  Or perhaps she was one of the many girls he bent over and pounded in
her tight pussy.  He could never really be sure.  After a moment's thought,
he gave her a bow, equal to the others.

   Behind him, a Guardsman on patrol walked past.  He snorted.  "Dunno why
you waste your time with her.  What a waste of space." Kron turned his head
to shoot the Guardsman a look, but he had already walked past, not even
giving a backwards glance.

   Then the comms flared to life, an instant before the sounds of weapons
fire could be heard.  Without hesitation, Kron headed back to the fight
before him.

   When Red Squad was ordered to stand down and return, Kron felt as if he
should be drained.  That mission to the Shrine had been the worst so far,
with a few more of Red Squad losing their grips on reality.  Kron had been
forced to fire upon others in red armor again and again, in between the
expected firefights with the other squads.  And yet, he felt full of vigor
as he was marched over to the tattoo center once more, to again declare
that he had not yet died.  Each time, as his count was verified, Kron was
put on hold.  Lin always made it a point to be his keeper.

   In the back of the storage room, where Lin had set up a small 'nest' for
them from some blankets and a few pillows, a naked Kron kneeled, holding an
equally bare Lin up by her hips, held firmly in place as his cock speared
into her.  Her back arching down under gravity, her head on the pillows,
she cried out her pleasure as her belly stretched out a little bit with
each thrust They'd already came multiple times, thick wetness plastered all
over their groins and legs, squelching and squirting even as Kron began
unloading into Lin yet again, his cock thrusting deep into her pussy as
nuts clenched and sent their sperm into her core, even as her pussy began
clenching and leaking once more around him.

   Eventually, the pair finished, cooling down with comfortable snuggling.
And Lin once again debated with herself if she should finally tell him that
she knew she was pregnant, and that it was his.  Not that it was any
mystery that it'd happen, what with him stuffing his massive sausage into
her every day he was on the base.  Lin considered it, then pushed it aside.
It could wait.  She rolled over to face him, seeing the look in his eyes.
"What is it, Kron?"

   Kron, his eyes focusing on her once again, sighed.  "Just thinking. 
About the Shrine.  And what it seems to be doing to the other Guards. 
They're being affected, Lin."

   Lin half-shrugged.  "They're not the only ones." Off of his look, she
continued, "It's affecting you too.  Not the same way, of course, but only
because you haven't died there yet.  You've been bathing in the energy of
the Third Empress for days at a time.  Magical energy always seeks some way
to ground." Her finger slowly traced the first few words of the Oath of the
First Empress on Kron's chest.  "Ungrounded magic is always in motion,
flowing, coiling, probing, seeking any tiny crack in the world to seep into
and fill.  My magic locked these words to you.  The Shrine would do the
same."

   Kron thought about that for a bit.  "I haven't felt any new oaths
forming."

   Lin smiled at him.  "No, silly.  The Empress of Life doesn't do that
sort of thing.  Her acts are in flesh and bone.  Your flesh and bone. 
Surely you've noticed?  Kron, you're bigger than you were when you first
came here."

   Kron blinked, and thought about how his armor had been feeling a tad
snug of late.  He had chalked it up to uniform wear.  "Are you sure?"

   Lin gave him another little smile, her hand sliding downwards to come to
a rest on his cock.  "Trust me, I can feel the difference." Kron silently
admitted that she probably was in the best position to judge on that
particular point.  He hadn't bothered to measure himself in years, ever
since his dick passed a foot long.  "Every time you come back, you're just
a little bit bigger, and a little bit more vigorous." She let out a little
giggle as she added, "I'm just glad it's a little bit at a time, gives me a
chance to adapt.  But it's not just that, Kron.  All of your body is..."

   Wham!  The door suddenly slammed open, heavy feet quickly marching
around the limited cover the spare equipment offered.  Lin scrambled for
covers, Kron immediately reaching for a weapon he didn't have, then
relaxing as he saw Tanner march into view.  Not reacting to the sight of
the two of them naked, Tanner looked at Kron and declared, "Get up.  Orders
have come down for you, recruit.  You're coming with me.  Now."

   Message delivered, Tanner settled into at-rest stance, continuing to
glare at Kron as he stood and got dressed.  Lin, at least somewhat used to
brusque military life, still looked ticked at the interruption.  Heck, if
they'd had a bit more snuggling time, perhaps Kron would have been in the
mood to fuck her silly another half dozen times.  But no, they have orders.
Lin kept her thoughts to herself as she grabbed for her own clothes.

   Before long, Tanner opened the door to his office, stepping inside
before snapping a tight salute.  Kron, entering in behind him, took this
cue and rose to attention, saluting as well.  The room was dark, a single
ceiling light over them lighting a small circle.  To the shadows, Tanner
declared, "Sergeant Tanner, here with Recruit Kron, as ordered, my lord."
Kron's eyes flickered in Tanner's direction very briefly.  Lord?  But
that...

   "That will do, Guardsman," came a voice from the shadows.  "You are
dismissed." With that, Tanner lowered his salute and marched out of his
office.  Left standing there, with no word to do otherwise, Kron remained
at attention, staring into the shadows of the office.  Eventually, the
voice began again.  "Recruit Kron.  You have managed to impress the System
Guards." Heavy footfalls could be heard, the voice moving to one side. 
Kron kept his gaze and arm steady.  "Your physical and weapons training
were completed with remarkable swiftness.  Your performance at the Shrine
of the Third Empress has been unmatched, in kills and participation.  And
you have yet to suffer even a single fatal blow to yourself.  The Guardsmen
are indeed, impressed."

   The voice paused, and then two firm steps brought the voice within the
light in front of Kron.  Heavy armor covered every inch, joints covered in
thicker armored segments, not a single weak point allowed to be
unprotected. Across the broad chest, multiple ribbons hung from iron seals,
each with a bit of writing on them.  On one massive shoulder, twin swords
in black crossed over three drops of red.  The whole armor was red and
black in color.  And above it, glowering down at Kron's face, a
square-jawed man with three even-spaced scars down the right side of his
face, a swirling glass orb where his right eye should be.  Glaring down at
Kron, he intoned, "I am not impressed."

   Kron said nothing.  This was a Knight.  One of the Empress' own.  All
within the Empire knew of the Knights, nigh-immortal warriors that have all
seen centuries of incessant war across the galaxy.  He wore the power
armor, on his hip rested a plasma sword, both relics from ages long lost.
Kron would be expected to take anything the Knight had to say.  The Knight
glared down at Kron for a bit more before turning to the side and walking
around him, moving with the ease of a predator waiting to strike, even
within the bulk of his armor.  "Countless billions face the same trials you
have endured, all across the galaxy.  Billions pass through them, and
become Guardsmen, in defense of the Empire.  You have done nothing that
others have not.  What say you to that, Recruit Kron?"

   Kron, still remaining at attention, thought quickly.  "And yet, here you
are, my lord."

   That caused the Knight to pause, if ever so briefly, his thudding
footsteps showing a slightly longer gaps between steps.  Finally, the
Knight replied, "That is...  accurate.  Does my mere presence give you
reason to be prideful?  Answer."

   "I was merely stating an observation, my lord."

   The Knight quickly demanded, "What reason or meaning do you discern from
my presence here?"

   "...  The only reason I can think of is that I have yet to die at the
Shrine of the Third Empress, even once."

   The Knight shot Kron a hard glare as he circled back into view.  His
thick, armored arm reached up towards the ceiling, hand gripping at some
invisible string.  "And somehow that event has mystically reached through
the aether and summoned me here?"

   Kron kept his voice even.  Not one bit of pride.  "I only know that
Sergeant Tanner says that it never happens, my lord."

   The Knight considered that.  Eventually, he declared, "An event that has
never happened before is always worthy of notice." He stopped circling,
brow furrowed in thought.  "At attention, recruit." As Kron lowered his
arm, still standing ramrod straight, the Knight stepped into the darkness
that filled the room.  Kron could hear the clicking of buttons and
controls, and then, suddenly, he was surrounded by himself.

   Screens had been set up all around, all of them showing rough and
static-spattered scrys of him.  Exercising, training, fighting.  Each
screen showed a separate loop of him, repeating over and over the life he
had lived while with the System Guards.  The Knight's silhouette could be
seen where he blocked the view of some screens.  Raising an arm, the Knight
tapped one screen in particular.  On it, the Kron of the past hunkered down
behind a small rise, assault weapon set up and firing towards something
off-screen, woods seen behind him.  "Your first battle at the Shrine of the
Third Empress.  Reveal your thoughts at that instant."

   Kron thought back to that time, keeping his gaze level.  "We were under
attack.  The Guardsmen around me were confused at the attack, initially. 
When the order came, I opened fire in retaliation..."

   "You hesitated?  You did not want to fire on your comrades?"

   Kron's lip turned downwards slightly.  "I was under orders, and under
attack.  What I wanted wasn't relevant at that moment.  I delayed only
because my squadmate attempted to speak with them.  Which they responded to
with weapons fire." The silhouette didn't speak, so Kron added, "I chose to
let him try.  When that failed, I returned fire."

   "It cost you the first strike," the Knight told him.  "You were ordered
to fire upon any without red armor, and in that instant, you failed." Once
again the finger jabbed at the scry, just as it played the first few
moments of that exchange.

   "I have not held back since then," Kron firmly declared.

   The Knight was silent for a moment, before stating, "No, you have not."
Heavy footsteps thundered as he walked around the room to a different
screen, finger pointing to the new scry.  There, the past Kron stood at the
top of the slope, heaving his assault weapon up to his hip to sweep it
around to targets trying to climb up.  "A moment of ruthless fury, is it
not?  Your weapon was not designed to be held this way, yet you fought in a
manner you had not been trained for.  Illuminate your reasoning."

   Kron, his head turned a little to take note of the recording, returned
his gaze to straight ahead.  "We were holding the Shrine, as ordered.  At
that moment, we were under attack from two fronts.  My training was to
redeploy the weapon to face a new front for every attack, and to switch to
my rifle if suddenly attacked from a second direction." He thought back to
that moment, recalling the frustration of having a weapon only suited to
facing one way at a time.  "I knew I could bear the weight of the weapon,
had been doing so the whole time, and it's power greatly exceeded a
rifle's. I used the best weapon for the task at hand."

   "You would never have been able to walk or run like that.  Your weapon
was intimately tied to the ammo crate set at your feet, and you had no hand
to spare for it."

   "At that moment, I did not need to move.  Only turn to face the enemy on
either side."

   The interrogation continued, as the Knight picked at numerous tactical
decisions Kron had made at the Shrine.  He answered every question clearly
and with no hesitation.  Eventually, they came to the most recent visit. 
"These two," the Knight said, tapping a screen showing the first two
Guardsmen taken by madness.  "What are your thoughts of them?"

   Kron sighed, "I cannot state what happened to their minds, but they were
a clear immediate danger to all around them.  I gave them one chance to
submit peacefully.  They ignored it.  I will not fight beside them again."

   "That will not be an issue.  They have already been dealt with," the
Knight stated, his voice flat and uncaring.  "You walked from their corpses
to examine the manuscript at the altar.  Why?"

   "I was trying to understand why they had changed.  I sought answers in
the manuscript.  I didn't find any." Kron thought for a moment before
adding, "All I know is that the Guards will remove any who die too often at
the Shrine.  All I have is a suspicion that links the two."

   "Of what?"

   Kron hesitated.  This was a Knight of the Empire.  To even suggest... 
No.  He should not hide what he thought.  "That the blessings of the
Empress of Life should not be abused.  To kill anyone near, frivolously,
without thought to consequence...  It is monstrous.  They had both died and
had been revived many times.  I suspect they already had monstrous behavior
within them, and they had come to believe themselves free to release it,
because they could not stay dead.  Because none could punish them."

   The Knight considered his words for a time.  Eventually asking, "Some
more of your squad also joined them.  Are you sure that the monstrous
behavior was within so many?"

   "The Light of the Empress of Life revealed them for who and what they
are.  Their choices were madness, but it is they who made them." Kron
glared at the darkness between the screens, as if daring it to comment.

   The Knight was quiet, then his footsteps began again.  A new screen was
singled out, a new question asked.  "You communed with the minor shrines
for a time.  What do you think of the Ninth Empress?"

   Kron's brow furrowed briefly.  "She is an Empress.  I give her respect,
as I should."

   At that moment, the scry revealed the Guardsman walking past behind
Kron. "It seems not all would agree."

   Kron's brow turned darker.  "The Ninth Empress is due as much respect as
any other."

   "Some might say that she is simply a tool to placate the masses, that
she has no value beyond that.  What value would the Citizen Empress have in
battle?"

   Kron's mouth turned to a scowl.  "Without the common citizens, what do
we protect?  Without workers to run the industrial megaliths, what weapons
do we have to fight with?  What food do we eat to allow us to continue
fighting?  More than that, the Ninth Empress is the one who organized the
Grand Militia, fought alongside them in battle.  The Militia's value was no
less than the First's Iron Fleet or the Eighth's Pirate Armada.  The fact
that she is so welcome among the masses does not lessen her." Kron's mouth
closed shut, neatly sealing his viewpoint on the matter.

   The Knight watched him from the darkness for a moment, before tapping a
control on the panel next to him.  Suddenly, all the screens changed to a
new set of scrys.  Loud moaning played on hidden speakers, as the screens
revealed multiple encounters between Kron and Lin.  Down in the storage
room, behind the barracks, a secluded corner of wall, every opportunity
they had found to shed clothes and get to hard fucking.

   The sound of multiple climaxes played out, nothing being said.  At a
quieter moment, the Knight firmly asked, "And what is her value to you?"

   Kron thought for a bit, as other scrys grew louder.  In front of him,
Lin's naked form writhed, speared on his cock, a bit of unsensed drool
slipping from her smiling mouth.  When the noise lessened again, he
answered.  "I do care for her.  And she, I.  But I have no illusions on our
relationship.  We cannot remain together.  She is base personnel, I am a
soldier.  Once my training is done, I will be assigned, and will leave. 
She will stay.  And we will likely never see each other again."

   "And if you could choose otherwise, what then?"

   Kron shook his head briefly.  "I do not have any say in that, it's
pointless to..."

   "I did not ask if there was a point, recruit." Quick footsteps brought
the Knight back into the light, glaring hard into Kron's eyes.  "I asked if
you would choose otherwise."

   Kron met his stare evenly.  After a moment, he calmly stated, "I care
for her, deeply.  But I cannot take her with me.  That is simply how it
is."

   The Knight continued the stare, thinking over Kron's words.  Kron could
see the meticulous consideration in the man's eyes.  And then a decision
was made.  "Attend, recruit." With that, the Knight marched out of the
office.  Kron turned and fell in step behind him.

   The Knight led him to a small training room, one Kron had not been in
before.  Marching to the center of a marked circle, the Knight turned and
jabbed a finger at a weapon rack along one wall.  "Recruit, are you trained
in their use?"

   Kron looked over the rack.  "No, Guardsmen aren't trained in melee
weapons."

   The Knight stared at him for a moment, then jabbed at the weapons with
his chin.  "Choose one, and assault me with it."

   Kron's brow furrowed, but he knew better than to question the order. 
Walking over to the rack, he looked over the various swords, hammers, even
a couple ball and chains.  But he went over to select one of the axes, four
feet of steel handle supporting a foot-wide blade.  It felt the most suited
to his hands.  Hefting it for a moment, Kron approached the center of the
circle, where the Knight waited.  As he came close enough, Kron quickly
lifted the axe and brought it down hard with both hands.

   The Knight took half a step forward, raising one hand overhead to meet
the axe handle just below the sharp blade.  Kron's attack stopped cold, the
axe rebounding off the block.  The Knight shifted, turning his shoulder
into Kron's chest and face, sending him staggering back.  "You are not
hewing stone, recruit!  The enemy will not allow so simple a blow to
connect.  Assault me!"

   Kron, circling around to get a bit closer to the center of the circle,
tried to judge his opponent a bit before starting another high swing
downward, only this time rolling his shoulder to bring the blade across in
a horizontal strike.

   The Knight's sword came free of it's sheath, blade meeting axe at an
angle causing it to deflect high.  "Predictable.  I perceived your action
before it occurred, recruit." The plasma sword, inactive, it's metal core
still sharp enough to cleave through bone, swung out at Kron's shoulder. 
He got the axe handle in to block the blow, muscles flexing hard at the
hit. His attack defeated, the Knight took a step back to circle Kron, which
Kron matched with equal circling.  Both sized their opponent up.  And then
a move was made.

   Kron stepped in, striking quickly with the axe blade.  The Knight
blocked it, but that was expected, as Kron struck out with the handle
instead, thumping the Knight's armored side hard.  Pressing forward, Kron
tried to push the sword blade aside, but had to quickly block two blows as
the sword returned faster than expected.  Giving ground under the Knight's
sudden advantage, Kron had to defend as the sword was brought down hard,
pressing into his block.  "You succumb so easily?  Perhaps I should never
have been summoned here..."

   Kron cut off the Knight's words with a sudden spin, slipping around to
one side and bringing the butt of his axe handle square into the Knight's
armored back.  As Kron swung the axe around, however, light and fire flared
as the plasma sword activated, a brilliant white-blue glow around the
already-deadly steel blade.  The sword swung, and most of the axe blade
flew away, severed.  Kron staggered back quickly, two more slices coming at
him, and leaving him with nothing but a small bit of handle in either hand.
Without thinking, Kron immediately threw one...

   "Enough." The Knight held his hand up before his face, fingers curled
around the caught bit of metal.  Lowering his hand, the Knight watched Kron
carefully.  With a flick of his thumb, the plasma sword deactivated. 
Dropping the metal piece, the Knight smoothly sheathed his sword, his eyes
on Kron the entire time.  "...  I have...  decided," he intoned.  "Recruit
Kron, you are hereby pressed into service as a Yeoman to the Knights of
Sanguine Blades.  I shall grant you a few minutes to make your farewells,
and then we shall leave this planet for the Training World.  With the
Empress' blessing, you shall one day be a Knight."





   *****

   This is a work of fiction, if that wasn't clear enough.  Nothing I write
about has ever or will ever occour in reality.  Any resemblence characters
may have to real people is entirely coincidental and unintentional.  And I
can not and will not condone real sexual activity involving minors.

   I do however, condone positive feedback, and encourage it.  :)

   If you feel like sending me some feedback, you can reach me at zorlondAT
yahoo DOT com.