White Knights
The White Knights are a flight group within the CSN.
Early History
Over the years, the assigned number and total members of the squadron have changed, the highest number assigned to the group at any one time being 12. As of 2617 there are five members - Simon Dodds, Estelle de Winter, Chaz Koonan, Kelly Taylor and Enrique Todd. Former members include Jon Wells.
The Honour of the Knights
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The White Knights were one of the flight groups selected to participate in the evaluation of the Advanced Tactical Assault Fighters at the Obex Research Centre.
In June 2617 they participated in Operation Menelaus, originally being assigned to the Initial Run team to strike at Dragon and its frigate escort. The group were, however, moved back to secondary defence of Griffin after Elliott Parks discovered that Simon Dodds and Enrique Todd were still drunk, following a night of heavy drinking. The move ultimately saved the team's lives.
The White Knights are currently the team assigned to piloting the ATAFs, working with the Confederation and Independent Worlds on a number of so-called Special Operations.
The Third Side
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In late 2617, the White Knights were shot down in the Coyote System whilst en-route to the Solaris system. They were travelling aboard Ifrit at the time and acting captain Christian Hail evacuated them from the carrier when it was boarded by Pandoran forces.
Owing to various circumstances, the team became separated on the surface and spent the next twenty-hour trying to both regroup with one another and survive the invasion of the planet itself. Simon Dodds became separated the earliest on, before the group had even departed Ifrit, making his way to the surface with a member of the carrier's security personnel. Estelle de Winter and Chaz Koonan evacuated together, crash landing in a park in New Malaga. Kelly Taylor and Enrique Todd made it safely to the rendezvous point on the beach, but were intercepted by a number of Pandoran soldiers who had traced their descent.
The team were eventually rescued by Elliott Parks, with the assistance of the Mythos Territorial Guard, who recognised the lives of the White Knights as an exceptionally high priority. Parks later went on to reluctantly admit that the five had been chosen to pilot the ATAFs as part of a plot known as Operation Sudarberg, which was designed to defeat the Pandoran threat once and for all.
Despite everything they learned, the team volunteered to go through with the operation.
The Pandoran War
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The Attribute of the Strong
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Throughout the Pandorans' push beyond Mitikas space, the White Knights continued to act as the sole pilots of the ATAFs, participating in every major engagement with the Enemy, in an attempt to hold back or route them.
Following the successful first phase of Black Widow, the team were sent to investigate the remains of the Pandoran fleet that had jumped into the Temper system. The Knights did so cloaked, checking for signs of life and the state of the remains of the warships, fighters and soldiers. After confirming that there were no active warships or soldiers in the area, they destroyed any sizeable remains and the bodies.
The team travelled to the Adetton system, for phase two of Black Widow, all five of the Knights escaping when the operation went wrong - Estelle retreating with Griffin; Dodds and Chaz retreating with Leviathan, and Kelly and Enrique escorting Amarok back to Confederation space.
After the fall out of Black Widow, the Knights were split in two - Dodds, Chaz and Enrique heading to the frontline offensive group, while Estelle and Kelly remained to support the frontline defence.
The team were reunited three years later, in late 2624, when the allied forces fell back to defending Sol. From there, they made their way to HD 21563010 in search of the Elpis' Gift, and the prototype TSB. They worked together on the Gloucester Enterprises' freighter to retrieve the bomb.
The group finally took part in the Battle for the Solar System, striking down many of the enemy warships and fighters, and encouraging Dragon to enter Sol. Following the defeat of the Pandoran fleet, and the departures of Chaz, Kelly and Enrique from the CSN, the flight group was disbanded.
Footnotes