It took some adjustment seeing a Gelt male, hairless scalp covered in battle tattoos, sporting Foundation Navy fatigues. His skull ink included a portrait of Tishla from her days on Hanar and the family crest of the House of Windsor. This former Warrior had come to Bonaparte to join the Sappers. His uniform and service crest, however, did not belong to one of the seven Household Guards. He wore the light blue of the Foundation Navy and a patch with a European medieval knight holding a sword.
Suicide realized this had been the real reason for the political theater in Parliament earlier. She suspected the Chancellor’s antics had been a bonus. The former Commander Edward Windsor frequently complained about him.
The Gelt sergeant swung his sword at a very dark woman in a similar uniform. The woman blocked his blow. An Afro, Suicide guessed this one had once been part of Impi, which House Zulu had named its division of Guards. Small and compact, the woman moved with a grace and style that resembled ballet more than combat.
And the Gelt fighter seemed pleased with her defensive blows as well as her feints.
“My two best fighters,” said Mitsuko, casually leaning against the rail at the edge of the sparring court. “Seldom had House Zulu’s guards on my missions, but she’s good.”
“Is that Gelt one of the rookies,” asked JT, “who Bornag and I trained back when I became a pilot?”
Mitsuko straightened, smiling like a proud mother. “Eleven years ago, I would never have guessed he’d have been up for NCO by now. Or even working directly for me. But he’s been pretty impressive, especially since the merger with Bonaparte and the Republic. I had to convince him not to go to Amargosa.”
“So what’s with the blue uniforms?” asked Ellie. “I thought the Household Guards all wore black when they worked together.”
“They did.” Mitsuko led them around the sparring court toward a tall blonde woman with stripes more impressive than the last time Suicide saw her. “Except when we elevate to the Foundation Navy. Like when we were part of the Compact. When we elevated, we wore Navy or Marine Corps gear. This, of course, is Foundation Navy gear.” She turned and smiled to her friends. “And it’s permanent. I’m creating a new Special Forces.” She turned to the woman. “Master Sergeant, you remember my friends?”
The woman’s posture had been casual until she locked eyes with Suicide. Then she snapped to attention. “Admiral Cui.”
Suicide was going to have to have a talk with the first citizen before she returned to Amargosa. “At ease, Arestes. I’m operating as a civilian.”
“So, this,” said JT, “was what the pomp and pageantry was about?”
“Well, that,” said Mitsuko, “and Edward and Louis-Phillipe really are going to end the monarchy. Louis-Phillipe wants to work in terraforming, and that’s not a proper job for a future king.” She frowned. “The chancellor’s political suicide was a bonus. He objects to my plans for this unit.”
“Which is…?”
“Susan, could you accompany us? I need to show these three something.”
Arestes, who a moment ago struggled to pass parade muster in front of a nominal admiral, now fell in with a loose gait, suggesting a grunt counting the days until she would be discharged. “Is this the shitshow, Colonel?”
“Colonel?” said JT. “Not general?”
“I just ditched Princess Consort and Duchess of New Kyoto. Stop trying to push me back into the cage.” She started for the far side of the gymnasium. “And there are no longer any Household Guards. I’m welding them into one force. We call ourselves the Templars.” She turned and pointed at the Gelt sergeant, who now bowed to his diminutive opponent. “He’s going to be my senior NCO. And we’re no longer just a planetary guard. We are permanently elevating to Foundation level.”