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The death of the Master of Arms had left the entire base in chaos. Kagi'maro had been a fierce fighter and well respected teacher of Kani'maro, in addition to his duties as Master of Arms, he'd taught generations of Kine the basics of the classic combat form developed by his family generations back. In contrast to the depression that the members felt about Kagi'maro's death there was an underlying excitement that came naturally when another Rune weapon was known to be accepting a bearer.
Tira'Kithari, Tira to her friends, raced through the corridors of Avalon. She narrowly missed running into several of her fellow students in her mad dash to get back to the barracks and get changed for, what she hoped, would be the choosing of a new bearer.
The young Kine, after all was only 300 years old and had been in training only for the past 205 years, didn't really expect anything. It wasn't unusual for a Rune weapon to take decades or even centuries to make a decision. In any case, it wouldn't pay to be late. That was nearly a cardinal sin for a student.
She skidded to a halt at the doorway of her quarters, which were shared with 10 other trainees. Her sea green hair flipped forward covering her face briefly as she palmed the lock plate letting it scan her biometric signature. "c'mon, c'mon," She mumbled as she waited for the scanner to processes her signature. It didn't actually take that long but when your later seconds stretch into days.
"I don't have forever," she complained. She reached for the belt that held her gi together and when the door did open, she tossed the training uniform in the general direction of the cleaning bin. Now naked, not an uncommon sight in the dorms since casual nudity was not taboo in Atlantean culture, rather it was the norm; she dashed for her locker and began donning the formal black garb of the Kine'Iende.
Though slight of form, a fact that Tira cursed due to lack of interest on the boy's parts, the one piece jumpsuit was a tight fit. It was meant to be. It was never designed to be armor, but it would protect the wearer from most of the normal environment hazards found on earth style planets. It wasn't designed as a pressure suit, but it would serve that purpose as well. The uniform of the Kine was, as with many things that Atlantis designed and built, useful for many things. In the eyes of the Atlantean's, why not make things, beautiful and useful at the same time.
Tira pulled the jumpsuit over her shoulders and covered her breasts in one fell swoop. She ran her thumb up the seam that went from the crotch of the suit all the way to the collar. Under the pressure and heat of her thumb the seam disappeared. Dashing back to her locker she retrieved the heavy black boots that matched the uniform.
"Tira'Kithari," Merlin intruded on the young woman's space. "I swear that you would be late for your own funeral. The ceremony begins in three minutes and if you are late again I will have to assign additional demerits."
Tira wondered if it was possible for Merlin to be even more vexed at her that he already was. "I know Merlin," she said as she stomped her foot in to her boots. "I know. If you hadn't assigned me more hours on the practice mats, then I would have been late in the first place."
"Had you been paying attention in your fractals lesson you wouldn't have been assigned extra martial arts training. You now have 2 minutes and 47 seconds. I suggest that you hurry."
Merlin's final word fell on an empty room. Tira was out the door and heading for the assembly room.
The assembly room was located just off the main hanger bay. Normally used for pilot briefings or for command and control if there were large off world missions going on, the assembly room had been converted for the ceremony that was about to begin. Tira was just in time. She hurried over to where her roommates were standing and took her place among them.
On the tick of the clock Merlin slowly materialized. Instead of his normal nondescript dress that was his norm, he was clad in the uniform of the Kind as were all personal in attendance, including Rune Master Dalron.
"We stand here today facing a future that is all the less bright because of the passing of Kagi'maro. Our purpose here today is not to mourn, indeed, Kagi'maro would shun the very thought of that. No, we are here to celebrate his life and to reaffirm that his commitment to human life was worthy of the price he has paid, indeed the price we all one day will pay."
"Kagi'maro was a formidable man. He has risked his life uncountable times defending the ideals that we stand for. He served in our battle to rid our world of the demons that have infested it. Moreover he has, like his father, and his father and even his father before that, served as the Master of Arms of the Kine'Iende. He shall not be forgotten."
A palpable tension ran through the room. Back became straighter, faces became more determined and a glowing sense of pride beamed forth, pride at having known Kagi'maro and to have been his students.
"I ask that you all remember him in your own way. That should you face the perils that your service brings, ask yourself, what would Kagi'maro do? If you follow the teachings that he has imparted to you, the answer will come and it will be the right choice."
"As is the our custom I invite each of you to come forward and share your memories of Kagi'maro, though I will say that the Rune Master has asked that he be allowed to speak last." A murmur ran though the room at that announcement. Everyone present knew what the Rune Master was going to say, and if each member were honest with themselves, each wanted to be the one chosen.
For the next three hours they came to the podium. Some related stories of combat that they had shared with Kagi'maro, while others simply spoke their feelings about his loss. When Tira's turn came she mumbled her way thought the story of Kagi'maro teaching her that the center is not always in the middle and that looking too hard was like trying to grab water with a clench fist, that the only way to find the center was to cup your hands and let them fill on their own. Tira backed away from the podium and waited for the Rune Master to speak.
Dalton had say quietly during the ceremony. Normally everyone was required to stand during a remembrance, but due to his age and the fact that he still hadn't fully recovered from the Ensoulment spell, he'd been allowed a chair on the stage.
"Dalton stood slowly from the chair. His bones creaked with effort. He carefully, almost reverently, picked up the Katana from its stand and approached the podium. He laid Kagi'maro across the podium and looked around. "I know why you are all here," he said in a voice that was much more powerful than anyone had a right to expect. "I know why you and here and I hope that none of you is correct. I hope that Kagi'maro refuses everyone.
"Rune Master," Merlin interjected.
"Of course," he addressed Merlin and the turned back to the crowd. "But I know better. Kagi'maro will choose and he will serve, like all before him." The elderly mage sighed and went back to his speech. "Before the time of the Five, our world was in dire straights. Demons ruled us like farmer rules his cattle. We were broken, we were broken and desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures and thus Rune Weapons became the hope of mankind. Then came the Five"
"Excalibur… Elanthielle… Mjolnir… Tur'ok… Sienele… Each of them once human, just like you are, each of them condemned to spend thousands of years fighting the worst things the universe could throw at them and now they have another brother in arms, Kagi'maro
"Kagi'maro has one last choice that he can make. Like the rest before him, only he can choose his bearer, perhaps one of you or perhaps he will wait for someone else, there is no telling and that's the worst part, not knowing what will happen to the souls I condemn. My only consolation is that Kagi'maro chose his fate willingly, so I ask each of you, when you try and draw this sword, that you remember the sacrifice that went into your own selection and treat it as the honor that it is.
"My art, Rune Magicks, is the highest form of magic and technology that our society has achieved, it is also the worst thing that one human being can inflict on another. Thankfully this will be the last." The life and energy of the Rune Master seemed to vanish like water into steam. "This is the last," he gasped, as he fell to the floor, dead.
"Medical services to the assembly room," Merlin announced over the loud speakers. He turned back to the gathered Kine, "This assembly is concluded."
If the death of Kagi'maro caused chaos, then the semi controlled panic that the death of Dalton caused was pandemonium. For the next few days Tira was kept busy flying one group after another between Atlantis and Avalon. With he extra assigned duties Tira barely had time to keep up he studies up, never mind worry about when Kagi'maro's bearer would be selected.
On the 9th day of special duty, Tiara was called to the hanger bay and told to report to Merlin in the control center. She entered the massive room and waited for the AI to call her name. Nearly an hour went by; the whole time the room bustled with energy. People came and went and several times it looked like Merlin would signal to her then someone else would come in and take up his time. <What the heck if going on,> she thought. <The world must be ending if Merlin is so busy that he can't mulitshare for one lousy minute.>
"Merlin, What's going on?"
Tira'Kithari, there has been a massive earthquake on Vanguard over night. You were scheduled for a day of rest, but I'm afraid that we can't afford that luxury right now. Report to the hanger bay, an Orca transport is now being readied," The AI managed to look even more serious that when he was disciplining her, "You are flying the Princess back to Atlantis and I expect you to comport yourself befitting a member of the Kine." With that said, Merlin turned his attention back to the crisis management that moving an entire city on a far away world demanded.
Tira had just converted from take off mode when a young girl, with the tattoos of royalty, stuck her head into the cockpit. "Mind if I join you miss…"
"Tira'Kithari, your highness," Tira's voice quivered as she answered.
"Oh don't call me that," the young girl gushed, "Call me Kida," everyone does. Kida sat down like a flight in a military transport was an everyday thing. "I just don't get what all the excitement is about. I mean sure my fathers the King and all but really."
Tira's eyes met the princesses, "You father is the king, that's pretty much the point Your Highness."
"Kida," the princess corrected her.
There was an innocence that Kida wore like a gown the even Tira could feel. While the young princess wanted to be called by here name there was an aura the simply screamed royalty. Kid stuck her hands on her hips and tilted her head, aiming her look at Tira. Tira couldn't help herself, she let go with a giggle and when that was over she added, "Ok Kida."
"Much better."
The next few hours passed quickly. The two women chatted about everything under the sun. It was only near the end of the flight when Kida asked a question that Tira didn't really want to answer. "So Tira, what's your family like?"
"I have no family," Tira responded bluntly.
"But that's impossible. Everybody has a family, I'm sure a simple genetic test would clear up any mystery."
"NO your Highness, the Kine have become my family and I need no other. Perhaps it would be best if you returned to the passenger compartment, I need to get ready for landing."
The call came, just like Tira knew it would. Now it was a matter if they were going to throw her in the brig or just save the time and expel her from the Kine. Once again clad in her dress uniform she stood outside the Master of Arms office. "Tira'Kithari reporting as ordered she said weakly into the speaker."
The door slid open without the normal, enter command that Kagi'maro was so fond of. "Sir, if its about the Princess I can explain."
The stocky black man with graying hair that was the new Master of Arms rose to his feet. "I'm sure we will discuss that warrior, but that's for later. He handed her a sword that Tira recognized instantly. "Well go ahead and take it, the Master of Arms demanded. When Tira hesitated he added, "I wouldn't worry, Kagi'maro has rejected everyone else on the base. It seems as if the Rune Master's last wish is to be granted."
"Sir…"
"Draw that weapon cadet, that's an order."
Tira's hand shook as she grasped Kagi'maro for the first time. Her hand shook both out of fear, that should she wouldn't be chosen and of excitement, that, that she would be,. No one was more surprised that she was when the blade cleared the sheath.
Hours later, Tira still unsettled that Kagi'maro would choose her was getting the tattoo that would run down her back that signified a bearer of a rune weapon. In the back of her mind was a warm feeling of acceptance.
Kagi'maro was home. Though he couldn't communicate verbally with his bearer he could feel her emotions and thoughts and he found them refreshing. He hadn't know why he'd waited for this particular girl, but now that he'd found her, he knew, just as his father had said, he could help her and be needed at the same time.
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