TWENTY-SEVEN
“That’s a lot of information,” Benny mused as he leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled under his chin as he processed everything Kon had told him. Alice was perched on a table to the side, her fingers drummed an incessant beat on the expensive wood.
“It could be that either the treasure reacted well with my cultivation, or it was the rune, or some combination of them,” Kon said with a sigh as he rubbed at his hair. Benny grunted and nodded as he got to his feet to pace back and forth.
“It’ll simply take more experimentation. I fear we have grown extremely lucky that you aren’t a singed mass of carbon in that bed right now,” Benny said.
“We always knew it was dangerous. We’ll have to warn the recruits though,” Kon said. Benny winced and nodded.
“Being a Knight is inherently dangerous, regardless of whatever method we’re using to forge them. Let them know this is an unproven method but has the potential to be powerful and I’d bet my left arm that we’d have more volunteers than what we know what do with,” Alice said.
“That’s not a fair bet. You lose arms all the time,” Kon said as the mood lightened.
“Mages first, then we collect the Squires. We give Kon a day or two to recover and then we invited the representatives of the Knight’s table over to discuss the forming of our Chapterhouse,” Benny decided.
“Armor!” Alice yelled and Benny sighed and leaned back as he wiped at his face. Kon couldn’t help but smile as he thought of the suit of armor he’d soon have that would help empower him. Then he thought of the cost of fully arming a Chapterhouse and he winced.
“Are you going to be able to pay for everyone's armor? It’s going to be hard to recruit Knights if we can’t supply them.” Kon’s question got Benny to lower his arms and stare at him for a moment before blinking a few times.
“I’ll have to liquidate some assets, but short of an entire Order or the equivalent faction, I can outspend anyone there is. I’ve been doing contracts for a long, long, time, boyo. I’m also an heir of decent wealth that I’ve built up and most of my descendants are off the financial teat, so I don’t even have that to worry about.” Benny waved away the financial concerns with a quick flap of his hand.
“That’s one headache off the table,” Alice said as she jumped off the table and landed lightly. She seemed to be more full of energy than normal, stalking back and forth like a caged animal.
“What’s the matter?” Kon asked after just a minute of watching her pace.
“What did I tell you back on Crucible about earning your cores the hard way?” Alice said. Benny looked up and seemed to be interested in the conversation.
“You said it was better that way and Benny concurred. It helped me build out an aura that I can use now to empower my attacks. Gives it that metaphysical punch,” Kon said, miming throwing a punch.
“Because you earned it. Rift energy that we cultivate has a way of representing who we are in a way. Our deeds and actions in relation to rift energy can deepen our auras and more. At the higher levels cultivators use their aura almost exclusively. That shit Daniur was doing, the lighting, strom, winds, all of it. That was aura, Kon. Shaped by her techniques and empowered by the power she’s cultivated, but it was monstrously powerful. Knights don’t really have that all the way. Our aura leaks out when we draw on our runes to empower us, but we can’t shape it that way. We can use our runes to shape the world obviously, but not our aura directly,” Alice said. Her pacing had increased as she stalked back and forth.
“Alright?” Kon trailed the word off, wondering what it was she was getting to. He was still tired from absorbing Compress and it showed as his brain couldn’t keep up.
“I’m pissed I can’t go further with you guys. I’m strong and I’ve glimpsed peaks that Knight’s can reach. The Fleet Guardians can handle damn near anything and the old man was probably just as strong. Hell, might have been stronger,” Alice threw in after a moment. Benny didn’t react, still watching her with his faded blue eyes.
“You’re not going to be left behind, Alice,” Kon reassured her. She snorted and shook her head.
“I’m not worried about that. I’m pissed that I don’t get to learn new ways to fight. Ways that cultivators fight.” She stopped and stared at him and Kon stared back. Benny sighed and rubbed at his face again.
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“I had been thinking the same thing,” Benny said and Kon got doubly confused.
“I’m not at my best right now, you might have to help me out here,” Kon admitted defeat.
“I don’t know how to fight like a cultivator. Damn near nobody in the fleet does. There’s a few who have tried it, but space travel and cultivation don’t mix well. Colonists have started a few equivalent sects, but they’re worse than the damn rogues we fought.”
“And if you don’t know how to fight like one, you can’t train us to use cultivation techniques,” Kon said.
“Correct. And while it's fine, you’ll know how to fight like a Knight and a mage, you’ll be leaving potential behind,” Alice said.
“Daniur,” Kon started but Alice cut him off with a laugh.
“That wild woman wouldn’t stand around for the years it’ll take to train you kids up. Diur is skilled, but only knows a few techniques and is busy fighting a war right now. We’re going to need a few friendly cultivators, especially body cultivators to teach you how to properly utilize techniques,” Alice summarized as she looked toward Benny.
“I’ve been hesitant, we all know this. Kon wants Diur to be involved with the Chapterhouse and we’re obviously going to need to bring some level of talent over from the sects or equivalent to make the body cultivation work,” Benny started to explain. Alice leaned back against the wall and nodded along.
“I agree. We can’t be spilling humanities secrets to outsiders, no matter how well loved or trusted they are,” Alice said, voice firm. Benny nodded and Kon understood neither of them would be willing to bend on this.
“Then how do we entice them to work with us?” Kon asked.
“We open up the vaults and pay them in what they need. Cultivation resources. We collect enough rift treasures and cores that just sit around, each of them vastly useful. Our collection of lesser runes could help them with their array works too. Hell, even weapons from armorers if we need to. They don’t get to sniff the greater runes,” Benny said, voice full of iron.
“Chapterhouses, the bigger ones anyways, have companies that specialize in different things. Not all of a Chapterhouse is Knights obviously, but we can have more than cadets and Squires. Equals in pay and everything else, but they can’t become Knights?” Alice offered. Benny winced and shook his head.
“Equal but separate? Bad taste in my mouth on that one. Separate contractors who work with us are better. A different body that’s loosely attached to our Chapterhouse. They can take their own contracts, have our legal protections within the fleets if they follow the rules, and it's a pure trade. They offer their techniques and trainers and we pay them in wealth and lesser secrets. Both sides profit and they have their own leadership and representation,” Benny said. Both of them looked toward Kon and he swallowed as he realized they were in the first meeting as leaders of their Chapterhouse.
“I don’t know enough. My gut desire is to treat them as equals, but I recognize that the politics and security of the fleets make that impossible.”
“Admitting flaws is hard to do, especially in our field, but it’s good you recognize your limits. I must admit some myself, my views may have calcified over the last few centuries,” Benny said. Both of the men turned to look at Alice who raised a single eyebrow at them.
“If I can’t fight it or sleep with it, I don’t really care,” Alice said with a shrug.
“That’s bullshit. You can keep the facade up with the others, but if this is going to work, you need to be honest with us,” Benny said. Alice’s face twisted as she looked him over and sighed.
“It’s easier being just seen as the battle junkie. This is a pain in the ass. We have close allies, whom without their direct intervention neither of us would be alive,” Alice said, pointing to her and Kon.
“At the same time we have secrets that can’t be given out. We need them to give us their secrets though, secrets and history that are written in blood so that we can grow stronger. Strong enough that honestly I can’t see anyone really being able to fight us without having a full grade advantage. Cultivators aren’t dumb, they’re not going to give this out without getting something good back in return. We have both personal obligations to fulfill,” again she waved at herself and Kon.
“While making offers to pull in cultivators. Now, of course we could go all brimstone and death and Benny could go in and take whatever he wants, but living knowledge is better than written. If we want to reach our full potential we need experienced trainers who can help reach it. So, we better come up with something real damn good,” Alice finished.
“Good analysis and I concur,” Benny said. Kon nodded along but didn’t let the fact that Alice’s whole speech had been a way to prevent herself from admitting any type of flaws.
“We need to work up a compensation package for the cultivators we bring in then. Let’s table that for now, once we get back in contact with our own cultivator allies and see what they actually want rather than what we think they want,” Benny said.
“I’ll go get the mages. Those kids are in terrible shape, but they got heart and discipline. I can beat them into shape in a month I think? As long as we keep juicing them up with the good stuff and feeding them enough,” Alice said as she got up and walked out of the room.
“Proud woman,” Benny said with a shake of his head as he turned to look over at Kon.
“And now you’ve seen what her flaws are. At least some of them. Remember, that actions speak louder than words,” Benny said.
“I know who she is more and more everyday and I’ll take her with all the warts associated with it,” Kon stated.
“Good. You won’t find anyone perfect. All of us are flawed no matter how much they try to hide it or pretend it’s not there. Find the ones whose flaws don’t exacerbate your own,” Benny said as he rose from his seat with a sight and stretched out.
“Come on, boyo. There’s work to be done.”