As mentioned in another thread:
My characterization of the Knights was ultimately rejected by the Mercury fiction wrangler but I thought it was cool
Unifnished but here's what I had:
Cyber Knight
Khanid Cyber Knights are a class of specially-trained soldiers, operatives, and nobles that have combined their ancient warrior traditions with Amarrian cybernetic implants and body modifications to extreme and deadly effect.
==History==
Long before the Khanid people joined the Empire, the title of “Knight” was of special and significant purpose, given by local Lords to individual warriors for spectacular acts of bravery or devotion. Over the years and after many wars between rival Khanid warlords, an entire warrior-caste and cultural tradition would eventually grow around the title. Knights dedicated their lives to perfecting the art of warfare; they were given the best training, the best weapons, and often the finest educations. The price of, and result of this training was absolute devotion to their Lords. They were zealous, loyal to a fault, and would fight and die on the front lines without question; all traits that the True Amarr would eventually come to find extremely useful.
As Khanid warlords eventually consolidated power and eliminated one another, the Knights began to merge into Orders, each with specific traditions and ceremonies. Some orders were dedicated to a particular religious tradition, others to a particular fighting style, but all retained common traits of honor, service, and self-sacrifice. As knights grew in stature and wealth, the title of “Knighthood” itself eventually became a hereditary title of minor nobility as well. Not all knights were wealthy, however, and there were many instances of individual knights or even entire Orders having to sell their services to any Lord that would pay them.
When the Khanid people eventually joined the True Amarr in their war of conquest across Athra millennia ago, the Knights quickly found themselves at the forefront of the new Empire’s infantry fighting, and with many opportunities to impress with their dedication and abilities. The True Amarr had technology far in advance of what the Khanid had developed to that point, but the Knights quickly adapted their training to incorporate all of the modern weaponry provided by their new allies.
During the long history of Imperial expansion that was to come, Khanid Knights were involved in many of the most dangerous and high-casualty operations from large to small; as the vanguard infantry commanders of large-scale planetary assaults, as teams of assassins behind enemy lines, or even as the personal bodyguards of Imperial Governors or religious leaders on distant worlds.
==Cyberization==
Breakthroughs in medical science and cybernetic implants followed hand-in-hand with the military successes of the Empire. The endless supply of wounded Khanid ground troops with missing limbs and grievous bodily harm proved a boon to Imperial scientists. “Dumb” prosthetics with few moving parts were replaced by crude mechanical limbs, which eventually gave way to fully-articulated computer controlled prosthesis as good as the living tissue it was replacing. With advances in miniaturization and nerve-cell integration during these years of research and conquest, some front-line Khanid troops were eventually sporting artificial prosthesis with capabilities far in excess of the limbs they were replacing. Similar advances transpired with cranial implants; Initially designed as command and control hardware for prosthetic limbs, the Amarr quickly developed more specialized implants to assist and improve cognition, life extension, tactical decision making, and even social interactions.
The bulk of this research was paid for by the Empire in order to benefit the wealthy Holder class, which used these implants to extend their lifespans greatly, to upwards of hundreds of years. The costs of cyberization and cranial implants remained far out of reach for all but the wealthiest of the Imperial Elite, and of course, the military.
The implants were far too expensive to be mass-produced, and would only be useful for small numbers of highly trained soldiers, of which the Empire already had in the Khanid Knights. Cybernetic implants proved an extremely potent match with the contemporary Khanid Knights, and they were embraced with fervent support. The Knights had the status, the wealth, and the mindset necessary to integrate this technology into their warrior traditions in a seamless way.
For the Knights, the lethality of modern warfare had unfortunately meant that physical bravery often counted far less than having a good laser rifle, but cybernetic implants made long strides towards changing this balance. Modifying a soldier that had not only the mind and training of a selfless killer but now had the technology to make it a reality proved a devastating combination.
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Topic: Khanid Cyberknights (Read 1770 times)