Biological Supercomputer System

Erik woke up before dawn, pulling on his uniform. The attire was simple but imposing, comprising a form-fitting bodysuit made of a flexible, durable material that allowed for a full range of motion.

In addition, he wore a sleeveless jacket that reached his waist. Brown boots completed the ensemble.

With his uniform in place, Erik left the barracks and made his way to the Blackguards' flying car parked outside.

The vehicle was sleek and menacing, painted a glossy black that seemed to absorb the dim light of the pre-dawn sky.

The driver waiting for him was not as imposing. This man was likely a random blackguards' employee.

There was no way those pompous pricks would allow a talented fighter to work as a driver.

"Good morning," the man said. The driver was working for the blackguards for years. This meant he knew that if he had to pick up this guy, Erik, it meant he had been selected to join the blackguards.

If he really did, that depended on him, but for sure, he had the qualities they were searching for.

The driver was also in front of the military barracks, meaning that Erik was lucky. If the recruit belonged to the military, in fact, more often than not, the recruitment process, or better, the evaluation period, was faster because there was no basic training to provide.

As the vehicle lifted off the ground, Erik took in the view of New Alexandria below. The city was a mix of destruction and renewal.

Many buildings lay in ruins, their exterior pockmarked by gunfire and explosions.

<I bet it was frustrating for the workers who patched up those buildings to have the rebels destroy them. >

Indeed, it was. Many people and construction workers were mad at the rebels.

However, new structures emerged from the ashes, supported by the massive presence of guards patrolling the streets.

The flying car soared over the city, its engines humming. There weren't yet many vehicles in New Alexandria. Many people died, after all, and many more got enlisted, so most of the vehicles were military ones.

Erik watched as the people below looked at the sleek black car moving as it passed above them, their expressions a mix of respect and wariness for what the crest adorning the sides of the vehicle meant.

Order. Power.

After a brief journey, the car touched down at the Blackguards' enlisting center, a sprawling complex in the heart of New Alexandria.

There were many of such buildings within the city, and all of them were symbols of respect.

The enlistment centers were not only in New Alexandria, of course, as there were places like this in every city, but the one in New Alexandria was surprisingly big.

The building was imposing, its black walls looming over the surrounding streets.

Guards stood sentry at the entrance. Most of them were normal people; a blackguard couldn't do degrading guard jobs.

Erik disembarked from the car and walked inside. <Let's see how these fuckers' enlisting machine works.>

The doors closed behind Erik. The first thing he saw once inside was a brightly lit interior, with the walls adorned with portraits of past blackguard leaders and depictions of their victories.

Everything about the place exuded opulence. It couldn't be different. But in that opulence, there was an air of authority. Everything screamed power.

A woman rushed out to meet him, her uniform immaculate. It was still black, like most of the stuff around here. But it wasn't a blackguard uniform. At least not the classic one.

The woman was tall and slender, with short hair that framed her face. Her eyes were a striking shade of blue, so piercing that it captivated anyone who looked into them.

She also had a small smile on her face.

That made Erik suspect, again, it was unlikely the woman was a blackguard. These guys weren't polite, didn't smile and, most importantly, they wore uniforms and masks she didn't have on.

However, if Erik had to give a reason about why he thought she wasn't a blackguard, it was because of the smile alone. This was likely a common woman who worked at the enlistment center.

"Welcome, Private Fink," she said, extending her hand. "I've been briefed about your arrival. I was told you've been selected to join the blackguards."

As Erik reached out and took her hand, he couldn't help but notice the strong sense of respect emanating from her warm greeting.

To join the Blackguards was no small feat, and those who were unable to do so often viewed those who could with a tinge of envy.

"Thank you… Yes, apparently I was."

"I've been tasked with helping you with the enlisting procedure," she said. "We're glad to have you here, Private Fink. You're going to make a great addition to the blackguards' ranks. I have no doubts about that."

"Thank you," Erik said, but he knew little about what he had to do. The man raised an eyebrow, curious. "Excuse me, miss."

Erik's politeness left the woman feeling quite surprised. It was a rare occurrence for the blackguards to choose someone who didn't possess the characteristic of being an arrogant prick.

"What specific steps do I need to take to become a member of the Blackguards? What is the procedure?" he asked.

"You would need to sign some papers first," the woman said. "In theory, you should have had to take some training, but since you belong to the military, most of it won't be needed."

She stopped for a second. "Also, the circumstances of your enlistment are... peculiar. You will need to keep working here in New Alexandria, this time under the blackguards, but you won't be one of them. Not yet, at least. Most likely, the higher ups will assign a mentor to you. During this period, he will monitor you. Most likely they will transfer you to another post within the city." The woman smiled at Erik.

"Aside from receiving mentorship and being observed," the woman said, her voice steady but slightly muffled by the clamor of the bustling hallways, "you will have to study and learn the blackguards' standard procedures, their rules, their code."

She walked with purpose, and Erik matched her pace.

"When you feel ready, you can come to the enlistment center to take the exam. If you succeed," she went on, leading him up a winding staircase, "you will be given the rank of an Initiate, the blackguards' lowest rank, but you will still have a mentor."

The staircase creaked under their weight. Erik adjusted the collar of his uniform, feeling the rough fabric chafe against his neck.

"The higher-ups will give you three chances to take the exam," she said. "After that, if you fail three times, you won't be able to join. You will have to give back the uniform, and you will be sent back to your previous post."

All of that made Erik think.

"I find it somewhat strange that the blackguards are sending me into combat without providing me with specialized training."

It was indeed weird. Before receiving a rank, a soldier would expect to receive training, at least one specific for the blackguards, given this peculiar situation. But in Erik's case, there was no team or scenario training.

"It certainly is," the woman said.

She sighed. "Since you received basic training at the military school and also after you joined the military," she said.

"A lot of the basic procedure has already been taught to you. You were an active soldier, and during the observation period, things won't be different from that. You will most likely do the same things as when you weren't under scrutiny, At least until you get a higher rank, but that will take time. There is no doubt about that."

"If you get a higher rank, then yes, you will receive specialized training. More often than not, you will be assigned to a team, and kept being monitored by your mentor, or the one of one of your team members."

The woman said. In the meantime, she and Erik kept walking.

"But if I were in your shoes, I would focus on the protocol and procedure tests you will have to take. There is no room for dumb people within the blackguards, and a lot of your chances in the future depend on the score you perform here. Consider it this way: the observation period serves as a rigorous test of your skills and abilities. From the Initiate rank, the genuine stuff will start."

Erik nodded. "Thank you for your help," he said.

The woman smiled. "Of course, Private Fink." She paused.

"We're heading toward the administration center to make this part of the process as smooth as possible for you. Welcome to the blackguards; try not to get kicked out."

With that, the two arrived at their destination. They found themselves in an office where a lone individual was engrossed in reading material on a holographic computer.

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