Chen Xi had originally intended to go straight to the Transport Ship to meet the members of this Knight House, but after recalling certain details about Knight Houses, he abandoned that idea.
Instead, he had Rachel contact them in a highly formal manner. Only after a series of exchanges perfectly in line with noble etiquette did he politely extend an invitation to the Supreme King of the Knight House.
The other party responded in an equally proper noble fashion. After arranging a time and place, they dispatched a shuttle carrying the House's Supreme King and several key members to the spaceport. Rachel received them there, and they took the orbital elevator to the Governor's Residence on Rostov II.
A welcoming banquet had long been prepared within the Governor's Residence.
"This Knight House has a rather strange history. During the Great Crusade Era, they were Imperial Knights. But during the Great Heresy, the House split apart. One faction followed the Adeptus Mechanicus into civil war, while the other followed the Imperium in fighting the rebels, creating two separate branches." As they waited for the Knight House's arrival in the Governor's Residence, Mai Mai briefed Chen Xi. "Since both sides had backed the winning side, both branches survived through the following ten thousand years. One remained with the Imperium, while the other remained with the Adeptus Mechanicus."
"But not long ago, their family territory was attacked by the Tyranid Swarm. Their entire domain was eaten clean."
"A Space Marine Chapter that received their distress call rescued them. Although most of their subjects and several of the House's Knights were saved, they lost their territory and most of their Knights."
"They had originally planned to seek refuge with the Adeptus Mechanicus or some Imperial power and serve as Freeblades for a while. But