Zeroth Directive

Archive II

It took six months before Operator Fiammetta and Operator Sankta Miksaparato met on Rhodes Island. She promptly looked up his mission logs and found that the gun-knight, despite claiming to want to find a place outside Laterano to get some good rest, had participated in a large number of field missions, along with other even more outlandish activities: At Roberta's introduction, he starred in the Wrankwood action blockbuster Kingdom of Outlaws. He had showed up at just the right time—the filmmakers were having trouble casting someone more than two meters tall who could play a villain, wear a special suit of armor, and carry a massive weapon that sprayed fire. Conveniently, he was able to do all this without special effects or even a custom costume: all the crew had to do was spray-paint his gun-knight armor. He was extremely interested in acting, and turned out to be a natural, finishing most of his scenes in one take. The producer called him 'the last piece of the puzzle for this film to become a classic'... He also took part in a Columbian off-road rally—it took the combined efforts of Closure and Chiave's team and a full month of work to create a vehicle that could carry his weight and that of his armor, but the final result was unsatisfactory at best: though no one was foolish enough to clash with him, the machine lacked the necessary performance, and the massive rider and his massive bike were the last to cross the finish line at sunset. Though the photo album 'Gun-knights and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' became the subject of much discussion on the intercity net. ...... Items such as 'helping Engineering with deck repairs' and 'learning qinggong from Yanese operators' were dismissed by Fiammetta as being mundane. 'Is this your idea of rest and recuperation, Patrizion? You're even busier than you were in Laterano.' 'Did you think I'd spend my days on the deck basking in the sun?' '......' 'Sure, that sounds like what an old man on the verge of retirement might do. But I've spent my entire life as a gun-knight and nothing else. What's wrong with a chance to experience other ways of living?' 'I didn't even say anything!' 'Look, Fia, I won't interfere with your life anymore, so I hope you won't interfere with mine either... There might not be much left of it, but there are still so many possibilities.'

Archive III

It is difficult to define the relationship between Patrizion and Fiammetta. They are not your average grandfather and granddaughter. He took her in when she was seven, vowing to his fallen comrade to raise her into a Lateran any parent would be proud of. Their first 'war' broke out that very day, when he attempted to comfort the young Liberi with movies when she stubbornly refused to show her sorrow. The attempt was a failure, with Patrizion being forced to defend his choice of films (though he insists it was a win because he achieved his original goal of making her forget her sorrow). The adoption documents at the Notarial Hall record their relationship as grandparent and grandchild, but they rarely call each other that. Indeed, during what little time they spend together, they are like two bickering friends, arguing over each other's fighting styles, interests, hobbies, behavior, and even diet, before going back to their own lives, satisfied. They are also not your average mentor and pupil. Patrizion was indeed Fiammetta's mentor, and he was involved in the important moments of her life, from choice of school to choice of career. According to her, however, he only seriously exercised his role as a mentor on three occasions: accompanying her when she upgraded her grenade launcher, encouraging her to join the gun-knights, and attempting to rectify her tastes in cinema. He did not deny these claims, and simply reiterated his disapproval of her prejudice against Wrankwood movies. [Medical Department Audio Log] 'Ah, it's nothing I can't talk about... I've always felt that my role as her mentor was to be the embodiment of Laterano for Fia. As a Liberi child who lost her parents at a young age, she had many questions growing up that 'Paradise' had to answer, questions that couldn't be answered by the papers of the Notarial Hall, or the 'faith' that every Lateran speaks of yet can't properly explain. For Fia, I was a gun-knight, someone who was in a position to interpret the Law. I was a Lateran she could talk to... Honestly, I was in the same boat. After Gia left the Holy City and Pag distanced himself from me—when I realized I'd never truly shared anything with the Liberi I lived side-by-side with—I began to have doubts about the Holy City, and needed a 'Laterano' I could talk to. That was when Fia came into my life. Who's to say who couldn't leave whose side?' 'I see. But why don't you want her to find out that you'll be hospitalized for a while because of arthritis?' 'Because I don't want her to think of me as a bedridden old man.'

Archive IV

[Postcard] Dear Grandmother, I will graduate soon. I would like to apologize for the impulsive decision I made behind your back... Perhaps you already realized that I've felt out-of-place studying theology these past four years. I still believe that my childhood dream is my destined path, and that I can do so much more as a gun-knight than as a priest. I'll be applying to become a cadet gun-knight, so I won't be coming back for the holidays. The training and approval process may take a while, but I'll be in full armor the next time I come see you. With Love, Patrizion [Notice Letter] Mr. Patrizion Pozzo, We regret to inform you that we have held the remains of your grandmother, Marion Pozzo, for the maximum period permitted. As we have been unable to contact you, we have cremated her remains in accordance with the Law. You may retrieve the ashes at your convenience. With Apologies, Ecclesia Requietum Stevonus [Permit] Patrizion Pozzo, Apostolic Knight, is hereby authorized to supervise the departure of the long-range landship Twinflower and accompanying vehicles from Laterano, for the purpose of deporting Lateran citizens afflicted with Oripathy in accordance with the Law. Patrizion Pozzo is hereby granted absolute discretion over all personnel on the ship, and is authorized to make any modifications or cancellations to the schedule as necessary. [Notification] Citizen Gia Lopez, you have been diagnosed with Oripathy, and are now scheduled to depart Laterano on the landship Twinflower in accordance with the Law. Cooperate with supervising personnel during the journey, and remain in the Infected cabins on the lower levels except when necessary. Detailed instructions are attached with this notification. Please read them prior to departure. [Recommendation] Your Holiness: I, Patrizion Pozzo, hereby recommend the cadet gun-knight Aurela, who demonstrated extraordinary performance during the assessment process. While her pride can still get in her way at times, I believe that with proper guidance she could be the most promising gun-knight of the next generation. Patrizion Pozzo [Rejection] To Patrizion Pozzo, Apostolic Knight: As the Pontiff of Laterano, I hereby reject your resignation. What happened to Aurela was not your fault—not entirely, at least—and there is still much for you to do in your current position. If you still insist on resigning and nothing will change your mind, write another resignation letter. Yvangelista XI [Unsent Letter] ...Gia. I retired today. I've been a gun-knight for fifty years... It's plenty, but at the end of it all, I still don't understand what a gun-knight is. At first, I thought becoming one would let me protect everyone. Later, I thought becoming one is what made me lose everyone around me. Recently, however, an even scarier thought occupies my mind. Maybe all the ups and downs in my life had nothing to do with becoming a gun-knight at all. That it's not that being in this position made all those choices for me, but that I was unwilling to make them myself... Was becoming a gun-knight the only choice I ever made in my life? If so, a 'gun-knight' might be no more than a symbol, an ideal, an answer for me that I'd taken for granted. But that's not what a gun-knight should be, and it's not what Laterano should be. No one should allow a symbol, an ideal, to dictate all their choices in life. Do you think I still have a chance to help the children understand this? Or maybe they've always understood it better than I have. I hope so, Gia. I really do...

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Sankta Miksaparato

Archive I

Promotion record

Outfits

Operators

Archive II

Archive III

Archive IV