2017-06-27: The Fallen Knight
- Log: The Fallen Knight
- Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline, Siegfried, Lady Harken
- Where: Photosphere
- Date: 27th June, 2017
- Summary: Riesenlied and Noeline come to speak with Siegfried, followed by Lady Harken, about an old friend from the past...
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
The skirmish that ended with Commander Gylfi's demise at the end of the week came with some troubling news -- the possibility that Old Petra's location would be compromised. It isn't an unexpected development, in a way... Old Petra's primary purpose was as a staging ground to assault Adlehyde, and in that sense, it's served its purpose. Sooner or later, the Metal Demons would have to move, and such a base would only serve them for a time. A shame, given how it's become something of a first look at the wide world of Filgaia for so many of the rookies that've participated only in this fight... but they, too, would have to learn sentimentality and how to let go of it.
Still, in the midst of all that... it's good to reflect. Reflect on those that have come before, and re-centre their goals and dedications for Mother.
Eres' discovery and subsequent forwarding of the Ash Legion's information have been very interesting and informative, speaking to a different kind of warfare that they do not engage in at present. They aren't engaging in scorched earth tactics; they aren't at open war. No, today's invasion is one of subtlety and information gathering, and moving in relative secrecy so as to not tip their hand too early to the numerous enemies that they have.
Riesenlied rises to the sanctum of Mother where she expects Siegfried to be; she bows courteously, looking towards the large cocoon of their saviour with some distant reverance... then speaks, "Lord Siegfried? It is Riesenlied. If you have time to speak...?"
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
Siegfried expected Old Petra to come under fire. It is a grim calculation, but he knows a human reprisal is inevitable -- and with Mother in torpor, it is critical that one not come at the Photosphere and invite Solarian intervention.
He is in Mother's sanctum, though today, he is at one of the consoles. A holographic screen is projected upward -- displaying a map of Filgaia, with a series of points flashing. The Hyadean runes inscribed next to the dots mark them as various locations to check for a Guardian statue. His arms fold, behind his back, and he turns to look when Riesenlied approaches. He nods.
"Of course, Riesenlied," he says. He turns, then, and looks away from her -- back to the map. "I heard of Gylfi's fall. A tragedy, to lose any of us."
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
Certainly, Gylfi did not expect any oversight of his operations. Perhaps even more certainly still, he didn't expect one of the Quarter Knights themselves to take an interest. Whatever Harken's judgement on his operation (it was bad) ultimately was is pointless: he is gone, somewhere beyond all possible reproach now.
"Tragic, but inevitable."
There it is, the one-line review from the Knight clad in scarlet. She has not been waiting here, the whole time--she seldom does--but has appears to have followed Riesenlied at a few stalker-y paces behind. Whether Riesenlied has been appraised of the fact is a whole different story. Harken looks, as she often does, dispassionate and detatched. She holds a faintly-glowing tablet with a report still visible on the screen. "His operation was in need of competent hands. The whole tragedy could have been avoided. But what's done is done. There's much to be learned from that day."
That's about what passes for a greeting from her, yes.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline, at least, has looked pretty unamused in the wake of Commander Gylfi's demise and her subsequent investigation as to what exactly was stored in the demon's forward base. She would be lying if she said her findings were unexpected - Commander Gylfi was about as subtle and smart as your average brick, after all, and somewhere in Old Petra is a log where she went on record saying that - but the whole experience in general still rankles with the spy and it shows on her face as she huffs softly at Riese's side, arms folded.
Perhaps it was because she and Gylfi were almost complete opposites. Perhaps it was the flagrant ignorance of her warnings about the power that humans can bring to bear if pressed. Perhaps it was simply Noeline sharing in the Metal Demon's dented pride, especially when it comes to intelligence and the proper handling of it.
(Actually, it was mostly Riese getting punched.)
She's obviously still turning these thoughts over in her head when she enters at Riesenlied's side, having placed herself amongst the Ebony Wings - not exactly as their second-in-command or Riesenlied's adjutant, but certainly something a little like it. Her gaze is a little distant, not least because she's taken a look at Riesenlied's book and found the tactics within both illuminating and rather unsettling, but she does remember to curtsey lightly at Siegfried's opening statement.
She even remembers not to scoff outright at Siegfried's comment that it's a tragedy, because having Harken looming behind you is an EXCELLENT REMINDER to be on her best behaviour. Instead, she glances at the datapad in her hands, letting out a slight sigh as she touches at her forehead. "... whichever way I look at it, we've had a significant amount of information compromised. I would like to say they would be ignorant of how to access our systems, but--..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"... it is unfortunate," is all Riesenlied answers with. It's best to preserve the memory thus, instead of dwell on what he did wrong -- provoking aggression from Drifters by menacing a human village that, in the grand scheme of things, is meaningless, trying to show off a cannon that had no place... those are all meaningless now. What they have to deal with is the 'now'.
"Noeline has made contingency plans for Old Petra's defenses, should our supply lines be traced. We are already looking westward to establish our next footholds, but it will take a few more weeks. If an assault comes before that time... we will still need to defend Old Petra until we can smoothly transition away from it."
Her eyes widen just for a moment as she looks towards Harken, and then bows softly, in deference. It is not that Riesenlied shows fear in Harken's presence, but... it is reasonable to approach with a measure of caution.
"I came today because... Eres forwarded me this document," she holds a familiar-looking manual -- the manual of the Ash Legion. "It speaks of Commander Fafnir and the Ash Legion, from a thousand years ago, and their Dragon-back and Dragon-shifting tactics... ... it made me think of a topic we spoke of earlier, Lord Siegfried. When you mentioned the former Quarter Knight, Enkidu."
A pause. "I would hear that story from you, if you would regale it to me."
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Lady Harken," Siegfried greets. "As you say. We will learn from it, and we won't repeat Gylfi's mistakes ourselves."
The lord of the Quarter Knights looks to Noeline, too, and frowns. Then, he shakes his head once. "Most humans are ignorant. The ones who are fascinated with ARMs will surprise us," he says. "We will need to secure our location. We will need to be sure such events do not... bear repeating."
Siegfried frowns, though, and a moment passes as he considers the answer. His eyes regard the manual, for a moment, and then he shakes his head once. "Yes. They fell, during the war. As did many of our brothers and sisters. Fafnir fell near the end--brought low by some... human martial artist."
He scowls. Then, he looks to the side. The matter of Enkidu is different. That was more personal. Siegfried's voice quiets -- and he almost, /almost/ sounds wistful.
"He was my friend," he begins. Siegfried never had many of those.
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
Harken strides onwards past Riesenlied and Noeline without incident, that the gang might fan around Siegfried and the console he works at in more of a semicircle than a ragtag cluster. Their best behaviour is clearly... well, good enough, not drawing comment. There's always the possibility that the scarlet-haired warrior doesn't care, but it's hard to tell when that rule is active.
Siegfried's greeting does not go unheeded, either. Harken nods once, curtly, making eye contact in a laser-flash moment of clarity. "I know those those mistakes won't be repeated, Siegfried. I'll be making sure of it." it's not really said defensively so much as it is swearing more of a personal involvement in things. "I should be leading from the front more often." And that's for better or worse, depending who you ask.
In a perhaps surprising show of potential empathy on Harken's part, despite looking ready to weigh in on the matter of the compromised data, her mouth stays shut as the conversation swerves with Siegfried's mention of an old friend. Her predecessor, as it were. This is not a topic that comes up regularly, if at all.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Reading the mood around her - for once - Noeline doesn't let her report on their potential losses continue on any longer; it's safer, on the whole, to trail off there and simply nod her head in recognition of Riesenlied's statement, letting the winged woman dictate the flow of the conversation.
Even with Harken around, 'Gylfi was an idiot and I'm kind of glad he got tortoised' is probably not a comment that is likely to go down well on the whole, so Noeline keeps it solidly to herself.
Instead, she watches Siegfried's feelings flicker across his countenance, finding herself acting rather more respectful than she would have imagined - and extremely curious, her attention piqued as Siegfried glances off to one side in what looks suspiciously like a moment's weakness.
For all that she might be a known figure around Photosphere, she certainly isn't a friend of the Quarter Knight the same way Riesenlied is, and hasn't exactly spent a lot of time examining any of the Photosphere leadership in-depth to get a handle on their personalities. More like the exact opposite, in fact, preferring not to paint a target on her back. So the experience is new, and-- interesting.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"Thank you," Riesenlied nods to both Harken and Siegfried, simply, on both their comments to secure Old Petra. She wasn't certain that the Ebony Wings and the deployed troops alone would be able to do it, and the hearings from what Berserk has been up to has been... slightly unsettling. "We will ensure that we practice best security measures until such a time... we will not lose our lead at a time like this."
She does quickly turn and notice the near-wistfulness in Siegfried's voice, however, bowing her head. "... I understand... if it is difficult to say, then I shall inquire no more, Lord Siegfried." It hurts her, though, to know that much like Mother, there was a man there that desired and expressed more than just hatred and vengeance. That it has come to this, even after so many years...
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Good. I will count on you to make the Quarter Knights' presence felt in the field, then, Lady Harken. And I shall join you as often as I am able," he concludes.
He keeps looking at her as he explains. He speaks, of course, of her predecessor. Her reaction to this will be noted. But, he looks away, to look back at Noeline and Riesenlied. He shakes his head to the latter's question. "I am no mewling, sentimental fool, Riesenlied. A fallen friend should be remembered and spoken of," he says, "so that we don't join them in Hell too quickly."
The Quarter Knight scowls, for a moment. "When Mother called forth the Quarter Knights, she did so with purpose. There was to be a commander, which fell to me. A banner, to rally our forces around. A force of sheer brutality, a warhammer to smash the humans. Berserk. A staff, to gather the science and knowledge to guard our people. Alhazred. And, finally, a dagger -- to strike at the heart of whatever threatened us most."
He looks at Harken. "That was your predecessor. Enkidu was unparalleled in such things. He infiltrated human society, then. He killed their commanders, broke their supply lines, and all alone. He and I cooperated closely. We had thought, then, we might end the war through quick, decisive motion."
Siegfried shakes his head. "But it wasn't to be."
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
There is precious little emotion evident on Harken's face at being trusted both with the bringing of a personal touch to the Demons' field operations, and with the specifics of the shoes she's filling. But to say she is steely about it would be wrong, too: a ghost of a smile lights her eyes, not quite reaching to the corners of her mouth. The scarlet knight's grins are reserved for the thrill of battle and bringing terror (and order) to her subordinates. Delight is a subtle spice, for things such as this.
"I'll not disappoint you." she swears, without sounding needlessly zealous about it. After all, that's just how things go: Harken's respect for Siegfried is immense, but not blind and idealistic. On top of that, the towering woman gestures backwards towards Riesenlied and Noeline with an open palm. "These two have given me plenty of opportunity to remind the Humans who they're up against, assisting with their operations. Kalve should have some kind of disguise ready soon, and then, I'll walk amongst their ranks without suspicion."
Ah, there's the grin. Delight at the prospect of something terrifying, perhaps. Maybe the military formality doesn't suit her, entirely. "A second King's blood on my hands would nicely match the first's."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Privately, Noeline wonders about Siegfried's opening statement. Learning from another's mistakes is certainly fair enough - Gylfi is, after all, a not-so-living testament to that - but somehow the spy finds her thoughts laced with skepticism.
It's a nebulous and uncertain feeling, but it does slowly grow as the Quarter Knight continues; there's praise and trust within those words, not to mention an implicit statement buried in the way the seat was left empty for so long. For Metal Demons, that level of rememberance is certainly unique, and Noeline is naturally drawn towards it like a scab to be picked at.
--the chance to focus on it becomes rather scattered rather quickly, though, as the scarier of the two blonde demons indicates that she's looking forward to moving through human society unheeded. Noeline does betray herself with a slightly startled glance over towards Harken, her eyebrows picked up in an honest sort of surprise. She certainly can't say she harbours any hopes that the experience might soften the Quarter Knight the same way it might the Tainted, after all. "Ah--..."
"--if you would like any advice on how better to blend in, Lady Harken, I would be happy to... assist," she recovers the next moment, having to mentally centre herself along the way.
How exactly Noeline 'blends in' looking like that, Mother only knows, but somehow she manages it(??).
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"A dagger..." Riesenlied whispers, "So his role was to spy on the movements of the humans back then? Even today we've such roles, such is the nature of the unpredictable struggle that we engage in." She looks to Noeline for a moment longer, knowing on her role as an infiltrator herself.
Unlike Harken, there is emotion in her face. No matter what anyone has done, there's little that anyone's ever tamped down on Riesenlied's need to express emotion. It is a strangeness. A quirk. Tainted, they call it. Though she isn't officially an infiltrator -- she works more closely with the humans than any other commander. She works with the Veruni, both in the official collaboration between their factions, and also out of sympathy to their cause of stopping the abuses of ancient artifacts.
She even has attracted human sympathy to the demon cause. A remarkable feat, albeit one that isn't appreciated.
Her eyes shift just for a moment. A second King. She must mean King Ardryn... to think that it was not long ago that she empathetically declared her desire to stem war before it spreads... how powerless she must feel, to have led to the cause of his best friend and... possibly, Ardryn himself.
"Then... what happened to Enkidu?" Riesenlied does dare to ask. "Was he discovered and killed, or...?"
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Is that so?" Siegfried asks. "Well done--both for you and for Kalve. I've never had the talent nor the taste for infiltrating human ranks." And, truth be told, he knows he couldn't. He may look approximately human, but he knows that he can spoil that image of himself quickly.
He nods, too, to Noeline's offer. He approves.
He looks back to Riesenlied, when she asks the million gella question -- and he shakes his head once. "It is likely," he says. "The mystery of his death... remains unsolved. He was run through. His body, mangled and looted by the humans, was dropped on the edge of the Photosphere's perimeter in the last days of the war."
Siegfried scowls. "We never found out why he was killed. Or by whose hand. But... his death is a lesson. A lesson to be mindful of our enemy--to know what depravities that they are capable of, and what they will do to us, if they have the chance."
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
Harken's gaze fixes on Noeline as her head finally cranes to look over her shoulder towards she and Riesenlied, azure eyes lit briefly with fires of conviction. "Is that so? I will seek your instruction before I depart." the date is sealed, perhaps against Noeline's wishes. She will soon play fashionista to one of the Photosphere's premiere violent psychopaths. Please look forward to it.
This intensity smoulders quietly, as Harken tempers herself in Siegfried's presence once more. As ever, he is her leader--speaking with Mother's voice, while she herself cannot. If there is one--one person in the Photosphere she acts with restraint around, it is him. It's impressive, given her mission and ethos. "I know what they are capable of... they talk up their own nobility and selflessness, but they're dangerous and hateful. I'll not take any chances once I start infiltrating their ranks..." and with a pause, Harken folds her arms. "In fact, I see a shining opportunity to begin /very/ soon..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline meets Riesenlied's expression with a light frown, followed by a ever-so-slight nod of recognition. It's not just a shared acceptance of her own skills and similarities to Enkidu's position, but also of the emotion that is surely spreading across the face of the Ebony Wings commander. It's not exactly the time to hold hands in shared feeling, but she can at least risk that much even in Mother's shadow.
For her part, the slight sigh she finds herself making and the way her hand goes to her hair - well, it's complicated. There's some sympathy in there, somewhere, but there's also a harsher, ever-so-slightly bitter edge to it, because she of all people knows that that's how the espionage game is played. It's not like you have much in the way of backup, out in the world and away from Photosphere, and there's always a chance of something going awry at the worst time.
It only really strikes her at that moment that-- well, had Cecilia and Jack willed it to happen, Noeline and Riese could have easily ended up the same way, purely from one meeting where they offered a little in the way of trust. Acting on impulse probably has its advantages.
"... if I may..." offers the spy after a moment, rather unbidden and not entirely sure what she's doing - but quietly respectful either way. "... that level of danger is always to be expected in our line of work. To see it through no matter what, for Mother's sake - I am sure he had no regrets."
It isn't much, really, and she knows it, but it seems worth saying aloud, especially as she wonders how she'd feel in the same position. That thought lingers as she bows her head towards Harken. "And, ah-- of course, Lady. It would help if I had some idea of your plans, but--..." but she trails off, because later.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There's a sharp and pained gasp from Riesenlied -- even if Siegfried has identified such that he isn't sentimental, she is. "That is ... that is horrible. Even knowing-- his line of work... it still burdens me to hear that happen to one of our brethren."
She trembles just a bit more, her head lowering as her eyes lower. "Humans are as capable of cruelty and despicable acts as any other that walk on Filgaia... and I have seen it." It's regrettable. Deeply so.
"... I am still sorry to hear, Lord Siegfried. Especially as it is a friend..."
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Be sure that you don't, Harken. This opportunity... approach it eagerly, but cautiously," the elder Quarter Knight says. "We must be cautious, as we progress."
Then, he looks back at Riesenlied. He isn't quite awkward at her expression of sentimentality -- but he isn't sure what to do with it, either. He nods, finally.
"The cruelty of humankind is only limited by their cowardice," Siegfried says. "We will never succumb to weakness. His death was gruesome... but it will be set right, in time. And--" He looks to Noeline, then she nods. "--I think that is why you are right. He knew the danger."
Siegfried shakes his head. "And he knew we would not let his death be in vain."
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
Harken glances askance to where Riesenlied looks as if she might soon break into tears, though she elsewise does not budge an inch. The tainted's emotional ups and downs are, as ever, a strange thing to consider and stranger thing to behold. But there's no denying her intelligence and cunning--something poor Gylfi would attest to first-hand, if a Guardian hadn't dissolved him into so much space-dust before the flood. As such--no comment. Not in her liege's presence, anyway.
"I won't go carelessly into their ranks. Whatever happened to Enkidu, it won't happen twice." those arms remain folded, which is a heck of a feat when you're wearing alloy plate. Maybe it's slightly flexible. "There's no shame in dying for the cause, but ignoring the lessons his death brought us? You're right: that would be pathetic indeed."
Harken's arms drop to her sides. She doesn't salute, but then, a dramatic cloak-flip is more her style. "I'll be in touch. I have preparations to make."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline also has to hold back from further comment - because at the same time as she's offering quiet words of respect, her head bowed as Siegfried accepts them, a traitorous little portion of her mind is busily reminding her that the war was evidently a much more bitter thing back then. If the tales of scorched-earth tactics recorded in Fenrir's accounts are true - then offering a Hyadean a quick death and a return to its home city is probably a lot kinder than many of them deserved back then.
As much as Siegfried calls humans ruthless and depraved, well, it does rather cut both ways. The smoking wreck of Adlehyde says that much.
Fortunately, she has a finely honed sense of survival, and keeps her trap shut.
"I-- will do my best to assist Lady Harken as required," she decides instead, and immediately hedges her bets, because she'd rather have information at her fingertips than not. "Though I may need some idea of her plans to properly tailor a suitable story for her, and would point out that Lacour is, ah, rather significantly guarded at present. I also need to contact Kalve, and provide him with some new research findings myself," she adds, happy to skip gently past the first topic without digging into it too much.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"... do you think that records of his existence would be scribed in human lands, in human history?" Riesenlied dares to ask, after a moment of silence. "If he was discovered such..." She lowers her head. "I would volunteer to search, in my own time. ... it only feels right, that we can properly honour his memory."
She isn't certain why she said it either, she just feels a tug that tells her there's more to this... in the midst of the great tragedy that has gone unknown to so many, she feels like it could be a lead, to better understand what happened.
War is always a bitter deal -- there's no glory in it... and Riesenlied knows that. Even with all of the high ideals that she tries to espouse, she knows that she can't keep her hands clean. "If you have need of my services as well, Lady Harken, please, do not hesitate to ask. Our resources are at your disposal."
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Good, then," Siegfried says, with a nod to Harken. He doesn't demand a salute from the Quarter Knights. After all, Alhazred and Berserk are unlikely to, for entirely different reasons. He watches as Lady Harken leaves -- and then he looks back towards Noeline.
He nods once, to her. "Assist her how you can," he says. "With your experience in this field, I expect you will do well, Noeline."
He frowns, though, at what Riesenlied says. He looks to the side, before he nods. "He wielded a blade," he says, "and it was missing from his body. It is likely that humans encountered him -- and used his corpse. If you would look and find the truth of it, then... I will not stand in your way. It may yet prove useful, Riesenlied."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline's eyebrows raise ever so slightly at Riesenlied's remark - but that curious impulse wells up in her again, and she bows her head in agreement with her commander's idea. "... I will see what can be found, as well. Records from that age are somewhat few and far between, but-- it may be that we can dig something up."
She watches the Lady Harken go, a frown flickering across her face. There's a difference between simply not knowing the Quarter Knights well and not being able to discern a great deal about them in the first place, and the scythe-wielding general definitely falls into the latter camp. It makes her rather uncertain about what she's just got herself into, but she holds back the sigh.
'Wielded a blade' isn't a fantastic place to start, but it's something, at least.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"Perhaps the blade could be discovered, someplace..." Riesenlied murmurs quietly, before thinking further of it. No, she should consider that offline.
Riesenlied bows her head gently and says, "Then, that is all. I anticipate further struggles in the future, but... I have hope that we will see the outcome we all desire." There is an enormous naivete in her words, as she gazes towards the cocoon of Mother and still desires an all-loving, all-forgiving goddess to emerge from within... but... that is part of what faith is like, is it not? The desire for salvation from a grim reality.