Epyon closed it’s distance on Noin’s custom Taurus suit. It raised it’s heat rod above it’s head. Noin shuddered as she remembered a chess game that she and Ze— Milliardo played so long ago…

"So I’m white and your black?" A fifteen year-old Noin inquired to the masked trainee.

"Yes, your white and you go first." The trainee said as he set up his pieces.

"Why do I go first?" Noin asked as she set her queen down.

"White is the color of purity." The trainee said simply.

"Okay then… This will start it all." Noin explained as she moved her knight into the margin between the black and the white pieces. The trainee said nothing, instead he moved his pawn out two spaces. Noin, trying to mimic the trainee’s composure, easily captured the rogue pawn.

"First capture is mine." Noin declared.

"Kill." The trainee said.

"Excuse me?" A confused Noin asked.

"You meant to say ‘kill’ but you said ‘capture’"

"In chess you capture the pieces."

"When you are captured you have a chance of escaping. In chess a captured player may never escape."

"But when your pawn gets to the other side…" Noin tried to say.

"… Your pawn dies in exchange for another player." The trainee said. "Very cruel in my opinion; but that is how the game works…"

"I never thought of it that way." Noin said.

"That’s one of the great things about you, Noin. You don’t think about the mission, you think about the people’s lives, even the enemy’s."

Noin looked down at the board. The pieces were plotted everywhere. She and this new person had been unconsciously playing this whole time. She also noticed that none of her opponent’s (she refused to think of him as "enemy") pieces were gone.

"But ultimately, this kind of technique will always lead to failure… Check."

"To you it might, but even the lowly pawn can destroy the mighty king, Checkmate." Noin said, moving her pawn in to protect her king and threaten this new guy’s.

"Congratulations." The trainee finally said, tipping his king on its side. "I am Zechs Marquise UESA trainee for the specials. My eternal gratitude for your insights and exciting game play." He walked out of the room, head held high.

The heat rod didn’t come down. Epyon turned around and flew back towards Libra. In her thoughts, Noin heard Zechs saying "White is the color of purity." And she thought of her Taurus’ color; it had saved her life.

~Zach Rendar