Episode 046 Previous Episode	Next Episode
Unexpected Attention Erik Karlsson Age – 31 Current Occupation – Corporate Personal Trainer, Part-Time Model Age sworn to the Oath of Chivalry – 19 Designation – Knight-Errant Weapon of Choice – Sticklestad Viking sword Everything in the refrigerator was laid out in a careful and consistent pattern. The sodas and drinks lined the left side of the wall, while the food was stacked and organized in neat sections according to meal. Ledger leaned down and picked up a soda can. Standing, he shut the door, looking into the mirrored calendar on the freezer door. He leaned forward as Morgan came into the kitchen. With only the dinette set in the middle of the white tile floor, the spacious kitchen was warm and welcoming. “Who’s Rebecca?” Ledger asked, squinting to read the calendar. “A girl,” Morgan griped before opening the fridge, forcing Ledger to move. He got out his own soda and gave Ledger a look before heading back into the living room. Laid out with the couch facing the large flat screen television, the wooden-floored room was kept comfortable by the silent five-bladed fan swirling the air gently overhead. Kneeling down in front of the front door was Armand, wagging his finger at the large aquarium next to the couch. Situated between the couch and the wall, the aquarium was large enough to simulate several different environments. In the water, Ralph puttered around as if unaware of Armand. Morgan sat down as Ledger followed. “So these guys want you to join them?” he asked. He chuckled sarcastically to himself. “Sounds like Arthur.” “That guy who recruited you for the grassroots operation against the Brotherhood?” Ledger asked. He tossed the idea around. “Yeah, but Arthur was charismatic.” “In a megalomaniacal sort of way, sure,” Morgan allowed. “This Alan guy, he rubs me the wrong way. Doubly so the people in his crew.” Ledger put his soda down and slipped off his padded jacket. “I don’t know what it was about that Dante cat, but the moment he mentioned ‘a brother wearing black and red’, I just got pissed.” “Face it, Ledger,” Morgan said, staring past the television and out the window. “There aren’t that many black knights. The fact that you and Everett know each other and live in the same city is just a little remarkable.” “That’s just it, man,” Ledger confided. “I’m not a black knight; I’m a knight. The fact that I’m black doesn’t make a difference.” He chugged his soda. “No idea why, but it just seemed no different than some old Georgia boy calling me a coon.” He snickered. “I tell you what, that punk calls me his dawg and I’m gonna take his teeth out through his ear with a wrench.” Over in the side of the room, Armand started laughing. He stood, his smile spreading from ear to ear. “I don’t know what’s funnier, Ledger; the idea or that you’re probably not kidding.” “Oh, I know he’s not kidding,” Morgan chuckled. “Knights are supposed to transcend race,” Armand said, sitting down on the lacquered coffee table in front of the couch. “But we’re still different races. You’re black, I’m Indian, Morgan’s a dick.” “Yeah, but that’s the thing,” Ledger argued. “I’m black. I’m not ashamed of being black; I’m proud of being black. And I’m a knight too. But the facts that I’m black and I’m a knight are not related. It’s like the facts that I’m a kung fu man and a Trekkie. The two are not related.” “Yeah, but there are some Trekkies who would probably take some comfort in knowing that there are some Trekkies out there who aren’t forty-year-olds living in their mother’s basement,” Morgan pointed out as he checked his watch. “You guys are going to have to leave in an hour or so. I’ve got a client coming over.” “They gonna record some stuff?” Ledger asked, glancing at the door behind the front door. “No, just mix,” Morgan grumbled. “Nobody’s doing in local recordings. Everybody thinks they either need to record in New York or LA, or they can do it at home with their home PC and a Radio Shack microphone.” He shook his head. “Posers.” Armand looked down, awkwardly trying to summon up the strength to speak. “Hey, Morgan. Do you know anything about Knightspeak?” “No, do you?” he retorted, rubbing his eye. He got up and stepped over the coffee table to turn on the Gamecube. Pulling the two controllers back, he handed one to Ledger. On the screen, Soul Caliber 2 came to life. “That’s what Alan wanted to talk to us about,” Armand said, shifting to sit down next to Ledger to watch the game. “Dibs on Link!” Ledger suddenly called, making his selection. Morgan cursed under his breath, but chose another character. “What’s Knightspeak?” Morgan asked as the first match began. His and Ledger’s thumbs began to go into a furious motion as they commanded the characters. “It’s some kind of living language or something,” Armand explained, wincing sympathetically as Morgan’s character got thrown to the ground. “We didn’t see it, but Everett said it made him sit down and hold his right hand still and stuff.” “Sounds like…” Morgan winced and growled as he lost the match. He glared at Ledger who was grinning. “Sounds like brain washing,” he continued as he handed the controller to Armand. “You think?” Armand nodded, selecting his character. “Alan just said some gibberish or something and Everett sat down?” Morgan asked. “That’s what Roland told me happened.” “Pretty much, according to Everett anyway,” Ledger said, jerking as he and Armand entered into a furious battle. “The brain’s a funny thing,” Morgan said, sipping his soda. He looked at the book shelf next to the TV and grabbed a Soul Caliber 2 strategy guide off of it. “It can interpret data in ways that we, or even it, isn’t aware of. Of course, I’d have to see this stuff in action to actually believe it.” “Well, you probably will,” Ledger said, narrowly beating Armand. He threw his hands up in triumph. Armand held the controller across to Morgan, but he didn’t accept it, instead staring at Ledger. “What do you mean?” “Morgan, you’re part of our team,” Ledger explained. “At least, that’s how most of the world seems to perceive you. These guys came looking to recruit us. Do you think they won’t be paying you a visit at some point?” “God, I hope not,” he growled, turning to the screen. He consulted the guide for a moment, then selected a different character. “I’m getting really tired of being involved in knight business. I’m not a knight anymore.” “I know,” Ledger said, going into action. “But just because you aren’t a member anymore, it’s not like everyone else won’t mistake you for one.” “And that’s their problem, not mine,” Morgan grumbled just before losing. With a defeated sigh, he tossed the controller over to Armand, standing up abruptly. Armand and Ledger both watched him cross over to the aquarium. He sat down and stared into the water at Ralph. “I really don’t want anything more to do with knights, with Chivalry, with black and red, with any of it.” “I feel you, man,” Ledger said honestly. “I just wish it was that easy.”
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