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January 1, 3,971 A.D. Planet of Aheju City of Saalan Pearl Street A tall figure walked through the alley. His heavy boots splashed a puddle with every step. He reached the patrol vehicle at the end. Brown stripes streaked across it and “Defense Limited” was emblazed in large letters on the door. The man’s huge frame squeezed in through the driver side door. “The robot was clean,” he said. The officer seated next to him took a bite out of his sandwich. “Did anything come in on the radio?” “Nope.” he said and licked his fingers. The other man hit the button and the radio buzzed alive. “It wasn’t even on Talzimar.” “Take it easy Gevile, it’s a slow night, people too tired from all the new year partying.” The dispatcher on the radio interrupted them. “Attention all units, a robbery is in progress at Blinker’s Jewelry on Ruby Street.” Gevile scowled. Talzimar shrugged his shoulders. The car burst out from the alley. Its sirens wailed and its lights illuminated the street. The shop’s huge glass windows gave a clear view of two masked men. One of them reached into a broken case and shoveled its contents into his bag. In front of the store sat a gray car. Gevile and Talzimar’s patrol car pulled up across from it. The driver behind the wheel honked the horn and motioned for his buddies to get out. One of them sprinted out and slammed the car door behind him. Gevile marched across the street pistol in hand. “Freeze!” he said. The car took off. The last robber ran out right after now left alone literally holding the bag. The officer repeated the order and the man bolted in the opposite direction as the getaway car. “Talizar follow the car! I’ll get this one.” The officer circled around the car while Gevile chased after the robber. The pursuit went down a nearby alley and spilled out onto the next street over. Bystanders milled about the sidewalk. The robber pushed aside anyone in his way. Gevile shouted to clear a path, but the distance between him and the suspect widened. He got on his radio. “Attention all units Blinker’s robbery suspect is headed for the intersection of Sapphire and Obsidian. I need someone there to cut him off.” The chase continued. The robber made a left at the intersection in question. Gevile reached it right after. There were no security cars or officers. He couldn’t worry about that now. The suspect went down another alley with a wire fence in the middle. He was halfway over the top when the officer rounded the corner. Gevile gripped the fence and hoisted himself up. The metal creaked and then peeled back. He landed in the dirt and lost the robber again. Gevile rose and resumed his run. “Where was my blockade?” “We’re at Sapphire and Onyx, but we haven’t seen him.” “I said Sapphire and Obsidian.” He shook his head. “Talzimar you still got eyes on the vehicle?” “Negative, we lost him when he pulled into a neighborhood, but we got two other cars out here looking for him. We’ll find him.” “Copy, I’m continuing the foot pursuit.” He emerged onto to the sidewalk, spotted the man, and was off again. On a rooftop across the street, two armored figures watched. “He’s got spirit I’ll give him that,” the shorter of the two said, “perhaps even the spirit of a law bringer.” He had less armor than his companion and a cape down to his ankles. “I know it’s not a good idea to question your kind.” “That is correct,” his friend said. Blood red armor encased the man to the point only his eyes could be seen. “Do you still doubt this one?” The officer below disappeared down another alley. “I think it’s about time I finally paid this Heoic Gevile a visit.” **** The law bringer’s armor shined. A silver breastplate covered his huge chest and more bits of armor covered the agent’s limbs. Blue and white clothes poked in-between the gaps. He had broad shoulders more like a cartoon character than a man and the distinct helm of The Order topped his head. Gevile set the tattered piece of paper on his coffee table. The morning after his chase through the streets found him seated on the couch in his apartment. He dug inside an envelope and produced a small note. “I found this while going through some things the other day and thought you might like it. – Love, Mom” Gevile wandered from his living room to the kitchen. He searched the contents of a cabinet when a knock came. He walked over to the peephole, put up his eye, and it widened. A law bringer waited outside. He had less armor than the agent in the children’s drawing, but he was there. The door opened and Gevile saw him in the flesh. He had a thin gray beard and a blue cape trailed behind him. “Hello Mr. Gevile, I’m Major Fraucus Adeodatus. Do you have a moment to talk?” “Certainly.” The officer returned to the kitchen. He offered the law bringer a seat, but instead he wandered and glanced over the furnishings. Blue wallpaper, the couch and chairs, weight set in the corner. “I take it I’m not in any trouble with the law am I?” Gevile said. “And what makes you say that?” Adeodatus said. His eyes passed over a portrait on the wall it depicted three youths including a younger version of the officer in the middle. A shorter woman leaned on him and a young man had his arm around Gevile. “Probably because law bringers don’t operate out here anymore,” Gevile said, “not since the local base shut down.” The major took a seat. “True, operations on the planet had to move further west some time ago, but the law bringers—“ “Have no jurisdiction,” the two said in unison. The major smiled. “An old saying in The Order, although not strictly true.” Gevile moved around the counter and leaned on it, “Then what exactly is your business here Major”—he paused—“Adeodatus? Is that Adeodatus in honor of the teammate of Ozymandias Brucetus or for the liberator of Procul Locus?” “An old trainer I knew at the academy.” His eyes spotted the crude drawing on the table. “I take it you’re a bit of a law bringer junkie?” Gevile stiffened. “Yes, a long time ago.” “And I’m guessing the reason you’re wearing a brown uniform instead of a blue one is because of…” “The Purge.” The words hung in the air. Finally, Gevile continued. “When I was a boy I looked up to the law bringers that operated out of the old base. I was too young to understand what it meant when the government passed The Security Act. For awhile business went on as usual, something about this planet being a backwater world, but eventually they had no choice, but to leave. I pieced together what happened from reports on the data web. The law bringers were betrayed, hunted, and outlawed.” The old agent listened patiently with his eyes glued to the floor. “A fair summary.” He rose and unfurled his cape. “But not the end of the story. My fellow officers, most of them, agree the time has come for a return.” Gevile stood like a statue as if the statement hadn’t even registered. “For the past month my men and I have been combing this planet looking for the best lawmen we can find to create a new generation of law bringers the ones who will rebuild The Order.” “Do you really believe it’s that simple? You think The Security Corps will stand by and do nothing? Not to mention The Purge happened for a reason the people lost faith in the law bringers.” “There’s no love in the hearts of people for The Security Corps or any private company that tried to replace us. The people just need to see new teams of law bringers in action doing what the corps would never dream of doing.” “And you think that The Order is just going to rebuild itself overnight? That you and a few shiny squads are going to bring back what took centuries to make?” “No,” he said in a softer voice. His shoulders slacked. “But I do know that if I do nothing, then nothing will happen at all.” Adeodatus reached into his cape and set a data drive on the table. “History’s moving and if you don’t want it to leave you behind, fill out what’s on this drive and come to the steel works on the edge of town before midnight on Monday.” The law bringer made his exit. Gevile sank into his couch and twirled the drive in his fingers. He had two days to consider the offer. **** A slight mist clung to the road headed east. Gevile rode his motorcycle along it and arrived at the abandoned industrial district. He entered the maze of decrepit buildings. Broken windows and graffiti abound. A bird exited via a hole in the roof. The officer brought his cycle to a halt. A large blue X was spray painted on the side of the building in front of him. Four armed men flooded out. Three of them had sparse armor and Gevile recognized them as constables the more numerous law bringer agents who handled day-to-day affairs. The fourth with more armor lead the group. This one was a gendarme a member of the elite force of The Order. “You Heoic Guh-vile?” he said. “Yes,” TK said in an even tone. One of the constables leaned in to whisper to the gendarme, “It’s pronounced ‘Guh-vee-lee’ sir.” “Whatever, either way, the major’s expecting you and he has something he wants to give you.” Gevile followed the group inside. Several agents studied screens and computers set up around the old machinery. Others loaded crates and cargo on to trucks. The old major came into view seated in his makeshift office. A wooden desk, a wheeled chair, and crates around it. Behind him a rail thin robot stood like a statue. Another constable stood off to the side. The major’s gaze was fixated on the tiny screen of his personal digital assistant. The constable motioned to him. “Mr. Gevile, good to see you again,” Adeodatus said. He came around his desk to greet him. “I hope Captain Ozymandias gave you a warm welcome.” “Certainly,” he said. “Very good, now I have something for you.” The major lead him to a large trunk nearby and lifted the lid. Gevile leaned in for a closer look. A full suit of law bringer armor rested inside. Mid-40th century Hefi style Gevile could tell from the pauldrons. Helmet, grieves, gauntlets, it was all there. “You like it?” Adeodatus said, “I used to wear it back in my prime, when I was a good looking gendarme patrolling the streets. It should fit, since you’re about the same size I was back then.” The major was right. Gevile stood like a titan his already imposing frame enhanced by the armor. Adeodatus fetched a PDA from his desk. “Your orders,” he said, “to be a Captain of The Order in the precinct of Commander Gnaeus.” One of the constables leaned in to whisper to the captain already present, “Eh, Oz the new guy made captain four years faster than you.” Ozmandias ignored him. The major glanced at them and the constable’s smirk disappeared. “You know what needs to happen next,” Adeodatus said, “you need a law bringer name.” “Tacitus Kabulus,” he said without hesitation. The assembled agents shared glances. “Well,” the major said, “I’d ask if that’s in honor of this or that Tacitus, but I can’t think of a famous agent with that name and that goes double for the other name.” “He was one of the gendarmes stationed here when I was a kid.” “Most people will probably just call you TK,” Ozymandias said. The major tapped the PDA and handed it to Captain TK, “They’re effective immediately.” The new captain took them, “Then I’ll be on my way immediately.” The two stepped into the dim sunlight. The sun’s last rays peaked through the city’s typical overcast. “A gendarme captain is only as good as his team and you need to get yourself one.” “You mean some of them,” TK said. He pointed over his shoulder towards the building. “No, pressing business has forced our leave sooner than expected. There is a small city to the south of here called Awilke. The Security Corps is worse there than most places and a lot of local heroes have sprung up to fill the void. Go there and bring the most promising recruits to the academy on Tobe. If things work out they’ll be your new team.” TK glanced sideways. “The academy on Tobe was burned to the ground twenty years ago at the start of The Purge.” “We put up some new wallpaper and now it’s my headquarters.” The captain mounted his cycle. “I won’t let you down major.” Adeodatus put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Remember Kabulus, we need successes for The Order to return and for you to keep that armor so never give in and always do what’s right.” TK rode off into the maze of buildings and left the major alone. A flash of lightning revealed a huge figure behind Adeodatus clad in crimson armor. “You’ve done well law bringer,” he said, “Do you still doubt him?” “He certainly has the spirit of a true law bringer, but he has some tough battles ahead of him.” “Do not worry he can endure more than you know.” The motorcycle disappeared into the mist. He sighed. “I hope you’re right for all our sakes.”