[center][h1]Emmet "the Butcher" Dukes[/h1][/center]
[center][h2]Shock and Awe: Part 1[/h2][/center]

	Emmet stared in the mirror, humming a small patriotic tune to himself as he drew the blade across his face.  With each stroke hair fell down and his soft flesh shone through.  In the mirror he saw a half-shaven and mustached man, a parted haircut that could use some work, and the crest of a knight on his lapel.  He stopped for a moment to consider the symbol, a symbol of his masters and his enlistment.  He was not a free man.  These thoughts were pushed aside for now as he finished his shave, and his song of patriotism drowned out any doubt that he may have had.

	Stepping out of the wash room he entered into the rest of the barracks, a certain stillness filled the air when he entered.  Although a knight of Belisio and carrying the gait of any knight of his position, some weary eyes watched him with every movement.  Rumors had always filled the air at night.  Some had heard of the Butcher and asked whether or not this could be the mad dancer himself.  Others knew him as the lost son of House Singh, recently returned to noble life and given a position in the military with his connections.  
	
	Only a few knew him as Emmet, one of them including an ambitious young lieutenant by the name of Maximillian.
	"Clean shave, Emmet?"
	"Yes sir.  And pray tell, how have your men been feeling about the oncoming conflict."
	Maximillian laughed, "the hounds smell blood my friend, the hounds smell blood."  Emmet took this in for a moment before responding.
	"Well, don't let the thought of it get to their heads, or yours for that matter, too much excitement can do a number on one's focus."  He paused before continuing, "and the quest for blood is not all its cut out to be."

	Before Maximillian could reply a voice interrupted, and the whole ship was called to battle.  With mutual confusion as to the change of plans Maximillian looked to Emmet for guidance.  He and all his fellow officers looked to each other as Emmet broke the palpable silence, "well then gents, I will see you all on the field of battle, the Fifth Shock and Awe Platoon will be ready to save your asses."  Some laughs filled the room as the men got to preparing themselves for battle.  Each putting on their armor and their weapons of choice.  Other officers cried out the calls and the sayings of their platoons.

	Emmet grabbed Rasselbock and donned his powered breast plate.  With his other armaments at his side he finally marched out of the barracks, quickly pacing down the hall with a remarkable apathy, as other squads and individual knights ran frantically around him.  Reaching the hanger he found his platoon ready for him to join in, although far from at attention.  The platoon was lightly armored and armed with a myriad of close quarter weaponry.  He went down the ranks of his fellow men giving each a handshake or a pat on the shoulder before taking his own spot, and a feeling of comradery between officer and soldier hung between them.  Finally, he chose to make the silent fellowship more palpable through words.

	"Gentlemen, knights of Belisio, ... and everyone else," he said with a smile.  "We go into battle now, and we go boldly forth.  Without fear or apprehension we must prevail.  You are the Fifth Shock and Awe Platoon, and this is the start of our work here in this ship.  Our work in this conflict is more important than any other platoon about to go out their today.  We are here for one purpose and one purpose alone: fear.  The enemy will fight with great vigor and with great passion, yes, but we must break that.  Our work may be dirty, it may be ungentlemanly, and by the gods on high it will be bloody.  But when they see the blood that we spill with the power of our will then  they will know fear.  We will give no quarter, we will never surrender, and we will come to the salvation of our fellow infantry.  I will see you there, boys!"

	With a resounding "see you there," from his fellow knights, he smiled once more at his fellow men.  Looking upon the faces, some fresh to combat, he enjoyed this moment.  This moment that will never come again with these same men.  Soon time will take these fresh faces just as it took his own.