After the meeting I went straight to my new quarters. A nice little room in the centre of a giant concrete bunker. The most secure location in the fort. I immediately got undressed, ignoring the gaze of the snake on my bed.

The moment I knew it was night night time, my energy just depleted. I had been active for four days straight and drug induced hallucinations and a day of suck might sound like a good way to relax on paper, in truth it was taxing.

Sithrik must have picked up on this and quietly moved to the side and off the bed as I approached. I reached out and patted her head as I passed before planting myself on the bed, turning off all my passive Psionics like unclenching a muscle of the mind, except for Gyrokinesis, and allowed myself to feel the warmth Sithrik had left on the bed before passing out.

...

Eight hours of flirting with Sol and Onyx later, I woke up with a satisfied smile on my face. Sithrik had at some point coiled herself on top of my torso, but the heat she was radiating was rather pleasant.

Slipping out from underneath her I stood up and stretched my back before my eyes went wide.

’Something is wrong...’

*grgrgle*

My stomach began grumbling and not for the usual reason of demanding nutrients. No... Something wanted to come out...

Panic set into me. I’ve not had to do that for years, my body absorbed everything I put in. Like I only needed to pee when I drank too much too quickly. All the plumbing was still in operation, but the psychological effect had me stunned.

*grglgle*

I wasted no more time on frivolous thoughts. War was about to be had. I thanked the stars that there was an adjoining restroom in this room. Barging my way through the door, I locked it behind me before I popped a squat on the throne and emptied and unloaded.

...

A minute later I was washing my hands, relief overwhelming me. I was lucky my super gut pulled through and I avoided committing a war crime to the toilet. "Still." I spoke aloud as I began drying my hands. "What did I eat?"

The Praetorian food was adequate and before that all I consumed was... "Oh... Seriously, what was in that goofy juice?"

...

Looking at the brown wet sludge before me, I nodded my head in satisfaction.

The water had already begun being poured out all over the field. Turning the crater filled landscape into a waterlogged swamp. I watched from my vantage point as Phalanx were working in little to no gear as they proceeded with their jobs of distributing and wading through the mud, as not to sink in.

I had noticed even with these adjustments that some soldiers were still getting stuck. The action left me smiling. As if even normal humans weighing at most a hundred kilograms were getting stuck, then the Drakoshi, who naturally weigh so much more, were going to have a bad time.

My attention then turned towards two figures. Francesca and Rhapso. The two of them looked to have no issue in the mud. Francesca was gliding through it while Rhapso simply walked over it like her armour weighed nothing.

I watched as the two coordinated together to make this field of death even deadlier with a smile on my face before I got distracted by the sound of machinery whooshing near me. Turning around I spotted a sole knight carrying cargo back and forth.

I wasn’t made aware an order was here. If it was the guardians I would be very happy.

"Knight. Come here for a moment." I raised my voice. The knight then turned to me before putting down a crate of munitions it was carrying and made its way to my side.

"Lord Sentinel!" The Knight sounded off, banging its chassis with one of its now free hands.

"At ease. I just wanted to ask you a question, if that was alright?"

The knight’s arms then fell to their side with a surprising level of human-ness.

"Of course my lord, ask anything you desire."

"I was just curious about something." I started. "I have only been here for a day, but I thought I would be briefed if a knight order was here at the fort. Are the rest of your brothers and sisters in arms present? I would have to make notes and adjust battleplans for their firepower."

The Knight Chassis took a half step back, I could see from the way the hulking metal moved, the pilot was confused.

"Knight Order? What are you- Oh! forgive me my lord. No, I am not a part of an order. I am from a knight house. We are similar to an order, though a house does not have the same resources and man power as we do not own an entire world. Instead we offer service to the military for accolades as lone knights supporting key strategic locations. Though that makes us sound like paupers... My family pretty much owns the planet we live on in all but name in the private sector, but we are loyal to our Archon and the empire."

I nodded my head, hearing about the houses suddenly reminded me about Evanthe. She came from a knight house, but was too sick to train to be a pilot in her youth.

"I see. Thank you for patching a hole in my awareness Knight. I’ve seen the destruction knights are capable of so I am glad to have you here. Might I ask for your name?"

The Knight saluted once more. "Of course, Lord Sentinel. I’d be honoured. Knight Alex Zeva at your service."

I suddenly blinked in surprise. But I shook my head internally, I wasn’t even going to ask. I decided to leave it as coincidence and just move on.

"Ok then Alex, I’ll allow you to carry on with your task. I will be looking for you on the field of battle when the next wave of Drakoshi arrives.

Alex saluted once more, a slight chuckle in their modulated voice. "Haha! I will live up to your expectations. My Plasma cannon punches holes through even unarmoured Drakoshi!"

I nodded. "I will hold you to that."

The Knight then walked away to resume its duty. I watched the mech in all its glory for a few moments before another armoured figure approached me.

"Hello Apollo, did you sleep well?" Nerissa asked as she came to my side.

"That I did. That I did." I said and looked out over the fort.

"Mhm mhm. And how is your stomach this morning? Feeling turbulent?"

I turned to Nerissa and squinted. "So I was right... It was the goofy juice!"

"Like we told you, the stuff is stronger than the alcohol you consume by a significant factor. Honestly I’m surprised it took so long, humans usually spill their guts after a day... Apparently. But I took into account your enhanced biology... I know this is a gross subject, but how bad was it if I may ask? I asked purely academically, please do not go into too much detail."

I gave Nerissa an odd look before laughing at her. "I am fine. Literally less than a minute and I was done. Though I am starving now"

Nerissa turned to me. "You can eat? Wow. I might have underestimated you... I didn’t think it was still possible."

"Why? Are you also having-"

"-Hahaha! No. Being Psionically created flesh, I have benefits over you regarding that. I am incapable of receiving the side effects you could have received. Now come on, enough of this talk, it’s not appropriate for a Sentinel to talk about these things."

"But you are the one that brought it up!" I declared, but Nerissa just turned to me.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Apollo. Now come along. Let’s find you something to eat."

I watched as Nerissa began walking away, a subtle spring in her step, undetectable to others, but to me it was clear as day. ’She is getting cheekier since the events of the other day.’ I couldn’t help thinking as I watched her.

My lips then softened at the corners and I began to smile.

"I like it."

...

After inhaling food I was given in a matter of seconds, I looked hungrily as someone approached. It was one of the sub commanders from yesterday’s briefing. I resisted the urge to shed a tear at them not being a food bearer.

Instead they placed down a data pad and spoke.

"Sentinel, forgive me for interrupting your meal, but we have spotted Drakoshi scouts encroaching on our position. From our intel and past experience, we have roughly twelve hours before they attack us.

Our forces to the south and North are already in place and are waiting. All that is left is for you to initiate phase one and we shall begin.

I took a deep breath and stood up, using the action to steal the sweet cookie from Nerissa’s plate and sneakily placed it in my pocket before turning to the sub commander.

"Very well. We begin phase one. Order the troops back. It’s time for a siege defence."