It takes some time for the girls to somewhat collect themselves further, well maybe not them as I needed to cool off for a bit too, I was fuming mad at the whole situation. There is really no reason for this to end up this way. I still use this time to formulate a game plan.

Firstly, regardless of how fucked the actions Claus did were, because of his father's social standing and the whole situation it could lead to war, or even more assassination attempts. Both are things I don't want. That and apparently due to the way society is structured in the empire he may or may not have done something illegal at all, I don't get the full picture but it sounds like the higher your rank the less the law applies. To deal with this issue I decide to go on the attack asap. With permission from Genevieve and Seraphina, I call up Liberty. She picks up the phone and greets me cheerfully, due to my tone and the nature of my explanation her cheerful demeanor disappears. Despite being an imperial citizen, Claus broke American laws on American soil, his rank is nothing but a formality here.

Liberty says she will begin working on a response to this issue and hangs up. In the meantime, I make sure he hasn't died of shock in the bathroom. I find him sitting curled up near the toilet whimpering in pain and I leave him to it.

Next, I call up Kassandra who answers quickly but sounds very busy. I say to her,

"Kassandra, I need you to gather my old AMS squadron that is still alive or isn't imprisoned. I need recruits for something to come and from what I am able to remember, I don't trust anyone more. If they agree to help me, the empress has promised to pay for more AMS to be built for their usage."

Kassandra sits quietly for a moment clearly thinking about what to do and asks carefully,

"Are you sure you want to do that? Remember, you're dead, this resurrection may cause trouble down the line."

I sigh and reply,

"Yeah, I know. I'd just rather have some salty veterans over some hotshot college students."

There are some strange sounds and Kassandra replies,

"I'll see what I can do, I can't promise a full turnout, remember they all hate me. After that, whatever happens, is your fault and in your hands. I don't know what's going on, just be careful."

I thank her and hang up after trading goodbyes. I have some men, some backing, and now all I need to do is start setting things into motion. I'm not some political savant, but I know if I can run the prime ministers family name through the mud enough they'll be forced to back away for a while, and if I choose my words just right I might cause some severe issues in the opposing factions, might even shift the power scale.

As for my little get-together, I kinda just want to see my old war buddies, and second, even if they don't want to fight anymore, I trust them to help train and support anyone else I get added to my little order of knights. After these two things I have no other plans, I'll just roll with the punches and react as needed, that's the only thing I can do. The one advantage I have right now is surprise and the fact the nobility of the empire thinks I am completely incompetent and useless outside of combat. I'll let them think that up until my jaws close around their throat.

Liberty calls me back and I answer, she opens with,

"Alright Mike, I got it all ready, tonight I am sending some security to come and secure the boy, tomorrow we will take statements and everything from you all. Then, if you are telling the truth the hammer of justice will fall. He will be expelled, and he might even be banned from entry into the US afterward, of course, the media will eat this up like starved stray dogs. Make sure this is really something that happened, not just an attempt to slander the dude because of politics."

I don't feel shocked at the question towards the end, right before the war there was a huge string of what turned out to be completely false sexual allegations against lots of political figures, all but one was proven false by overwhelming evidence such as the person being accused not even being in the same country at the time, but all of these were done to destroy campaigns of multiple political figures. I didn't care much as I was still in middle and high school at the time, but it did leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth when it came to this kind of stuff. Probably a few real allegations got swept under the rug due to this major issue. Stupid overly greedy people ruining the whole system for everyone. I respond to her concerns,

"I pulled the man off the victim. I beat his ass. We have blood on clothes and proof of at least assault and battery. Apparently, we also have footage, but I haven't seen it yet and I don't want to watch that kind of stuff."

There is silence for a moment and then Liberty replies,

"Security is on their way. Good luck is all I can say here."

I thank her and hang up. I then ask about the footage. Seraphina shows me Claus' handheld and I see a video library full of his conquests, outright admitting they weren't consensual on camera. I have to double-check to see if the guy has a mental disability or something because the stupidity of this is beyond anything I've seen. I stop watching once any form of nudity comes on. I let out a long breath and kinda slump into the chair I am in just trying to comprehend the situation. It's beyond me how someone can be so twisted.

I decide to just head to bed but wait until security comes and takes the Broken Claus away with his wrists in iron. They also take Genevive to the hospital for treatment for what happened to her. As I leave the room Seraphina follows me all the way back to my door with her head down. When I ask why she followed she says,

"I-I am scared of what's to come, I feel as if I don't have control, and that everything is my fault."

I sigh and reply,

"A lot of it is your fault, and right now shits gonna happen that's completely out of your control, but that doesn't mean to just roll over and take whatever is happening. Fix what you can and do what you can. Work hard to make things right, all that happened here is a tragedy of your creation, that has now opened a new avenue for you to move forward, and don't worry, I'll keep you safe through it all. That's my job."

She is quiet for a moment and asks carefully,

"I know it's the job I have given you, but what do you want to do? I don't want any more people who I...I...I care about getting hurt."

It warms my heart to hear her say that but I reply with a steely voice,

"What I want to do is take revenge, and I will, and it won't be pretty or clean. They think they're safe from all harm and troubles, I will become the only thing they fear if I have to. Normally this wouldn't be any of my business and I'd only do what the bare minimum was to protect someone in trouble, but now, it's somewhat personal, and I won't let a single one get away unscathed."

That was kinda an edgy speech, but it got the points across, even though our relationship has been kinda rocky, I'd like to think we three have become somewhat of friends, and regardless of that I really dislike Claus, and I can't just screw him over without anything else happening.

Seraphina smiles at my explanation and goes back into her room. I go inside the mine and after washing up and doing my normal rituals I go to bed. Sleep takes its time getting to me as I think through all the potential situations that could come. I find no real reason to stress on it anymore, but sleep still ends up delaying as long as possible.

I wake up later than usual to a hard pounding on my door. I put on clothes and answer the door. There is two campus security there and they ask me to come with them. After putting on shoes I follow them back to their office where I am seated at an interrogation table. Eventually, an older officer enters and sits across from me handing me a cup of coffee and a doughnut. I thank him and we both sit there eating the small breakfast for a moment and the man then says,

"Yeah I'm sure you know your rights, yadda yadda, you're just here as a witness, you're not under arrest, don't lie or anything.

Well here's the thing. That guy, Claus has pretty much admitted to the crime, and his uppity attitude has been driving us up a wall. That boy has somehow convinced himself that you assaulted him without reason, claiming his actions as 'within his rights. I'm not gonna lie, you did a number on him, but could you have at least broken his jaw before sending him to us? I'm tired of his talking."

I laugh a little at the officers' explanation, but I still give my order of events just for the record. After explaining myself I am released quickly. I really don't want to spend anytime more here than I have to. As soon as I leave the security office I get a call from Kassandra. I answer the phone and she says,

"I don't know how but all of the remaining members of your squad have agreed to come here. They're all on their way now, I'm willing to get you here asap. "

I thank her and accept the transport. I wait near the flyer pad and climb aboard the very nice flyer when it arrives. The flight is surprisingly short as usual and overall uneventful. I am excited to see my old squadmates, I really wonder how they have been in the nineteen years I've been gone, I know how one was, I just hope the others are doing fine, despite not remembering their names.

I enter the building and wander around for a bit because I have no idea where I am supposed to go. After about a half-hour I find Kassandras Office. I knock on the door and there is no answer. I swear feeling stupid for being this lost. Eventually, I catch a janitor and he guides me to where I am supposed to go. I thank him and head on my way through the huge building.

I make it into a conference room and inside are a bunch of middle-aged people. Eight in total. When I enter a blonde woman sees me first and her eyes go wide and she instantly stops the conversation she is having. The rest all look over at me and have similar reactions. Four of them have confused looks on their faces, not knowing what's going on. One of the men stands up and approaches me. I'm a little taller than him, but he has let himself grow a little pudgy with age it seems, but his arms are nearly as big as my thighs. He gets close and I see a look of hope in his eyes through his huge coke-can glasses. He asks me,

"Mike... Is that you? Is it really you?"

I nod and I see a small smile appear under his mustache. He simply grabs me by my shoulders before bringing me into an embrace. I hear the woman who was sitting next to him say,

"Ohhh, that's mike."

The other three who looked shocked get up and quickly come over. I either shake their hand or give them a quick hug before the mustached man asks,

"How the hell are you still alive? I thought I saw you on the news at one point, but I assumed it was some other guy who looked similar. Where were you and how do you still look nineteen?"

I shake my head and sigh replying,

"I think we should wait for Kassandra to explain... She kinda has a lot to explain."

The man smiles and replies,

"Alright... but damn... I look old enough to be your father, but you were only five years younger last we saw one another."

I laugh and we all go take a seat at the table. I feel happy on the inside and keep a wide smile on my face as I sit there around them all. I don't remember the names, but I remember I really care about them. They have small talk with one another as I just take it all in. I manage to gather that the four who didn't approach me are significant others of my squadmates. The blonde who saw me first kept eyeballing me out of the corner of her eye, and with a hint of fear. I wish I knew why.

Eventually, Kassandra enters and everyone's cheerful demeanor disappears and becomes stoic and almost grim. Kassandra greets everyone and then tries to kick me out of the room. There are protests all around and I try to stay seated but she threatens to just leave and not explain to the others the full details. I relent and stand outside pouting.

I can't hear words exactly but I do hear yelling, the mustached man and the other two men, one bald and the other Maori are really ripping into Kassandra. Eventually, the shouting stops and the conversation continues for a little while before I am called back in. All the men are red in the face with frustrated looks.

I take my seat and look around the table before saying,

"Lemme guess, you've all been convinced to go behind my back?"

There is a wave of frustration and embarrassment in the expressions of everyone at the table. The awkwardness goes for a while before the mustached man says,

"So... You can't remember us? "

I shake my head and reply,

"Sorta, I remember kinda who you all are, but I don't know your names or faces. It's frustrating because I feel happy to see you all, but also deeply disturbed because I can't remember you."

He nods a few times before he answers,

"Well I'm Frederick, but you always called me Fred or Freddie, I'd be okay with either of those... oh yeah I was your sergeant."

I thank him when the bald man says,

" I'm Jack. I was a lower-ranking sergeant than Fred."

I nod and the Maori says,

"I'm Stevie. I was a corporal back when."

The woman then pipes up,

"I am Helena, I didn't technically have a rank nineteen years ago, I was a defector from the Solar Empire, and a knight. "

I nod raking over the memory as something is off about that information, most likely something bad in the past. I then ask,

"Alright, it's nice to finally see and meet you all, but aren't there supposed to be more?"

Fred looks down and replies in a sad voice,

"It's a shame you can't remember, aside from one who was killed in Alaska for being a sack of shit, the rest all died during the war or took their own lives due to mental degradation that sometimes comes from being an AMS pilot of our kind."

I feel as if I just got punched in the gut and reply,

"Oh... I'm...I'm sorry I don't know that..."

Fred reaches over and places a hand on my shoulder and says,

"Hey... don't get down on yourself. It's not your fault you can't remember, and knowing who you were I know it hurts badly..."

I nod and thank him, before righting myself and say seriously,

"I guess now it's time for business."

All the ex-soldiers straighten up as emotion leaves their faces. I then continue,

" As you all know, for some unknown reason I recently was granted a title in the Solar Empire. I have also been tasked with starting a knight house, which I will do when I get around to it.

What I asked you all to be here for isn't to make you knights, unless you want of course, but I wish to ask for your support as war is on the horizon once again, and just killing a divine emperor isn't enough this time. It's going to start with a civil war within the Solar Empire, which will then escalate into a war with earth once again, this time I doubt we have the men, or the ability to beat them. I've seen the quality of earth pilots, they rarely make it past first rounds in tournaments.

I won't ask you to fight, as you've all done enough and have families who need you. All I ask is for your support in building up troops, training, mentoring, and really anything you can think of... I'll pay you with whatever I can and supply you as needed. I can't force your participation, but all I ask is to help me prevent another all-out war, if not that, help me weather the oncoming storm."

The room goes quiet as even Kassandra's face darkens and they all contemplate for a moment. The significant others of my old comrades look worried at their partner and glace over at me with a little horror in their eyes. They've most likely heard the war stories, lived through the war, and had their partner wake up in the middle of the night screaming. I feel horrible for asking these old war dogs for help, but even though I just now learned their names once more, I feel as if I can trust them... I hope I am not proven wrong by trusting an old comrade again.

Stevie stands up suddenly and gives me a salute and says to me with resolve in his voice,

"Mike, I said once before I'd follow you through hell or high water, and if this storm is going to cause a flood, then I'll march into the high water with you. I'll fight, train, and do everything I can to help you."

He gives me a wide smile as his wife looks up at him for a moment before she smiles and nods, I guess she had known he was going to do this. Next Jack says,

"I can't fight anymore, my back and head are to bad, but I'll help out where I can."

I smile at him and then Fred says with a laugh,

"Well, what's the point of being a man if you don't rise up to protect your family and home. I'll join you, and do whatever I can. If what you say is true, one way or another I'll have to fight, might as well scrape the rust off right now."

Finally, Helena speaks,

"I will join and fight, only if you grant me back my title."

I say back,

"Of course"

When everyone has their requests sorted out I say to Kassandra,

"Kassandra, will you please get these fine men and women an AMS each. Top of the line if you please."

This causes Kassandra's face to grow into a wide smile causing everyone to recoil as she happily gets up and practically skips off, I guess she is happy to get her old toys back.

I let out a long breath and begin discussing a plan with my oldest friends.