Aeon Legion: Labyrinth

by Beaubien, J. P.

  Hanns leaned forward on the table, knitting his fingers together under his chin. “Why wouldn't we be?”

  Terra's brow lowered. “How could you possibly think that?”

  Hanns shrugged. “Because it's true. What has democracy brought us? You say many great things. Oh yes. The Great War is one thing it brought. It also brought us the Great Depression. Your democracy has failed. You need strong centralized leadership. Our system has proven successful. We brought a dying country from the brink of extinction, turning it into a mighty nation. Our science has even brought us through time itself. Yes it is authoritarian, but power must be centralized to deal with crises. Much like the dictators of ancient Rome.”

  “You know who else said that? The Naz... Oh right,” Terra said, focusing on Hanns's steel-gray uniform. She had forgotten since he had removed his red arm band. “What about what you did to the Jews and the other peoples you oppressed?”

  Hanns's brow knitted. “Well surely being an American you can understand the problem with the Jews? I do not go so far as many of my colleagues and delve into conspiracy theories. The links between the Jews and the communist party is tenuous as best and I find the Protocols of the Elders of Zion of rather dubious authenticity myself. Why would those hoarding wealth wish to redistribute it equally? Still, they are a people who are holding us back by hoarding all the wealth. Something needs to be done about it.”

  Terra pointed at Hanns. “So you kill them? Along with thousands of others; gypsies, political prisoners, anyone who disagrees with you?”

  Hanns leaned back, his eyes wide. “What? No! Why would we do that?”

  Terra stood, her hands on the table. “So you really don't know?”

  “Know what?” Hanns said in an irritated tone.

  Terra sat back down, slack-jawed. “Are you that blind? Your nation commits genocide, Hanns.”

  Hanns chuckled. “Genowhat? I am sure our quest for social justice is quite overstated in the Americas. You shouldn't believe in such exaggerations. We would never do such a terrible thing. History will redeem us.”

  Terra's fists clenched as she glared at Hanns. “Listen, Hanns. In my time your entire political party is considered the worst villains in all of history. Nazis are used as cheap disposable villains in video games, movies, and books. That's because no one will ever feel bad for them no matter how many of them the heroes kill. You practically have an entire television channel dedicated to just how evil the Nazis and Hitler were. When politicians want to slander their opponents they compare them to Hitler. History didn't redeem you. It damned all of you. How can you just sit there and still think you are the heroes in your own personal Saturday morning cartoon?”

  Hanns leaned back. After a moment he cleared his throat before straightening his posture. “I see now. You Americans are terrified of us. I suppose news of our victories must have frightened you. You are clearly under the influence of propaganda.”

  Terra had to stop herself from grinding her teeth. “No, Hanns! You don't win. You lose and you lose bad. Germany gets chopped in half after the war is over and your Fuhrer shoots himself in head rather than face trial for his war crimes.”

  Hanns smirked. “I highly doubt that. I don't think England will charge across that channel anytime soon.”

  “Do you just blindly follow orders? Don't you look around and see what's happening in your country?”

  A slight smile touched the edge of Hanns's lips. “Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws, and asks no omen, but his country's cause.”

  Terra sighed. This must be what it's like for other people to argue with her. “Well Hanns, you are smug for someone who is about to spend his life in prison,” Terra said with a grin. Let him chew on that, she thought.

  Hanns smirk widened. “You can't frighten me. These time travelers don’t frighten me either. They have this magnificent city, but so was Atlantis and Troy. In the end they all fell because of their hubris, as will this city. I'm smarter than you and I'm smarter than them because I embrace the truth.”

  Terra's gaze narrowed as she glared at Hanns. She considered smacking him when someone laid a hand on her shoulder.

  “Don't let him upset you Terra,” Alya said, smiling. She turned to Hanns. “Shame on you Hanns. What did you do to get her so upset? It took me days to accomplish such a difficult task.”

  Hanns shrugged. “We were merely having a lively discussion about history. Terra seems to be under the influence of propaganda.”

  “Is that so?” Alya said. “Well, Hanns, I am really disappointed in you.”

  Terra smirked. Now, she thought. Alya is about to put Hanns in his place.

  Alya frowned “You put up a much better fight last time. What happened? Did you lose on purpose? I was excited for a good fight, especially after you got a hit in last time.”

  Terra's mouth hung open as she stared at Alya.

  Alya then patted Terra on the shoulder. “Come on. The guards are here. They will transfer him to Tartarus. Hanns will probably have several lifetimes to rethink his position.”

  As Terra followed Alya out of the room, Terra looked back to see Hanns smiling. He wore the smug expression of someone who had gotten exactly what he wanted.

  Alya led Terra to a windy stone walkway on the second floor of a timeport building where a light breeze drifted over them. Terra stopped in the middle of the walkway, repressing the urge to kick something. “Stupid Hanns! Why can't he see the truth?”

  “Oh?” Alya said, turning to Terra. “What truth is that?”

  “That he's the bad guy! He's a villain! He can't seem to understand that the Nazis are evil,” Terra said in a seething voice.

  “Terra, everyone sees themselves as the hero. Hanns sees his quest for victory the same way you see your quest to become a heroine. Just as you journey through the perils of the Academy, so too does Hanns when he faces us. You need to remember that the Nazis did evil not because they were Nazis, but because they were human. Their ideology was a justification to take what they wanted. The crimes they committed though, were their choice in the end.”

  “Then why doesn't he believe the Nazis commit genocide?”

  “Hanns sees a different ideology than your history does. His honor and good intentions are a drop of water in a lake of poison. Whatever good he thinks he can accomplish will ultimately be useless. He is under the mistaken assumption that his single good voice can change a bad choir.”

  “Then what's the difference between a hero and villain then?”

  “An interesting question,” Alya said in a thoughtful tone. “Well you best ponder this yourself.”

  Terra's brow lowered. “That's it!”

  “Well yes,” Alya said as though it were obvious. “I could tell you what I think a hero or heroine is, but it probably wouldn't match your definition. That is part of your journey, not mine. I finished my journey a long time ago.”

  “Then how can you tell when you have become the villain then?”

  Alya tapped her chin with her finger. “I guess it depends on the person. I have known a few who saw the darkness in their own hearts, but that is a rare kind. Those who deny being lost in the dark will never bother to look for light. It is the nature of being a villain.”

  Chapter XVII

  Survival

  Hikari Narashima. I heard the instructors mention that name before the training started. Her talent is obvious. While obvious, it doesn't make her worthy of joining my Legion alone. Furthermore, I am not yet convinced she will be able to bond with others. Legionnaires need bonds. Those bonds held us together during the darkest hours of the Faceless War. Their absence allowed both the Manticores and the Kings and Queens of Time to spread unchecked. I do find it rather curious that she has chosen Tiro Mason, of all people, to compete with. Perhaps this will get both to perform better? Not all bonds are forged in friendship and camaraderie.

  -From the personal logs of Praetor Lycus Cerberus

  The schedule cleared as the Survival
Test drew close. Terra learned from Zaid that many dust out during the Survival Test. Now it was hours away and everyone rushed in their preparations. Terra had found herself locked out of the strategy study which was full. She didn't worry as she had already read most of the materials on the subject. Still, she wanted to review a little more and needed a quiet place to study. She decided to read in Kairos's Garden.

  The Academy grounds lay in the silence of winter with snow scheduled for later in the week. The occasional evergreen tree added color. However, Kairos's Garden remained in a vibrant spring. That spring remained eternal as a stasis field kept it in a constant stable temperature.

  The garden still caught her breath. After wandering through the garden, she found a nice rock to prop her back up on as she sat. Terra read through the highlights again from a holoface.

  She skimmed the survival manual. It covered many aspects of survival in different environments and situations. Sections detailed using the environment to evade enemy patrols, which species of plants were poisonous across various times, and more basic things like how to start a fire with whatever is on hand. There was even a section dedicated to resisting interrogations and escaping from imprisonment. She grew sleepy around chapter seven. It was hard not to relax in the peaceful garden. Despite her best efforts, she fell asleep.

  She must not have slept long. When she woke, the looming metal hands of the city were still near the same place. Terra often thought that the best part about living in a giant clock city was you never went without knowing the time.

  She yawned and stood. Blurry vision made Terra squint her eyes. When her sight focused, she saw a person clad in black standing in the distance. Terra glanced to her shieldwatch, double checking the time. But when she looked up the person had gone.

  “There you are,” came a familiar voice.

  Terra turned to see Alya. She glided towards Terra.

  “I thought you might be here,” Alya said. She paused and regarded Terra with a faint smile.

  “What?” Terra asked. She noticed that Alya wasn't looking at her, but at something in her hair.

  Alya smiled. “Sorry. Just a bit of nostalgia. Where did you find the white rose?”

  Terra raised an eyebrow. “Rose?”

  “It looks pretty on you.”

  Terra felt around her head and discovered a white rose next to her right ear. “I didn't put that there. I was asleep just a moment ago.”

  Alya took the rose and inspected it. “Then who did?”

  Terra pointed to the small hill near the center. “I saw someone over there a minute ago. I didn't catch who it was though.”

  Alya grinned. “A secret admirer?”

  Terra glowered at the suggestion. “Not likely.”

  “Have you studied for the survival test?”

  Terra nodded. “I read the whole thing and now I'm reviewing. I think I'll be okay. My endurance scores are good. I even completed the advanced endurance course a few days ago and earned my stealth and evasion qualifiers, but I still don't have an aeon edge.”

  Alya held up a finger. “Remember what I told you about swords? They can only kill. You are more skilled with the shieldwatch.”

  “Okay.”

  Alya nodded. “You have improved. A few months ago you would have argued with me.”

  “I don’t' argue!”

  “Most stubborn person I have ever met,” Alya said as she put the white rose back in Terra's hair.

  ∞

  Terra noted how few remained as she stood in formation at the central courtyard. Around six hundred still stood. She noted how many had changed. Most carried far fewer of their original weapons and armor, having traded them for Legion gear. Even Terra had begun purchasing equipment. They all stood in formation in the central courtyard while Lycus walked on stage again. He grinned while he surveyed the survivors.

  “Attention!” the centurions yelled.

  Lycus paced the stage. “Today is the day of the Survival Test. This will be a test of not only endurance, but of knowledge as well. You may take your aeon edge and shieldwatch with you. If you lose either, you will fail the training. Everyone will be deployed to survive alone for as long as we deem fit. Team leaders are expected to gather their teams. Leaders who fail to do this will lose their position of team leader. Incapacitating a member of another team will give you one point so you must be wary of your fellow tirones as well. Your shieldwatch will receive authorization codes to return to Saturn City once the test is done, and you will have 24 hours to return after that. You have one hour to get ready before reporting to the timeport. Dismissed.”

  Most left for a last minute visit to the armory. Terra didn't bother. She had too few points for an aeon edge. Instead she returned to her dorm room to check her gear one last time. After tying her combat boots, she tightened the straps on her armored vest. In addition to her knee and elbow pads, she had also acquired greaves, thigh pads, and armor for her upper arms.

  After checking her gear, Terra looked up into her dorm room mirror. She had tied her shoulder length brown hair back into a short pony tail and made sure it was smooth and neat. They wouldn't dock her a point for sloppy hair or untrimmed eyebrows again. 'Attention to detail' had become a curse word to Terra. She nodded at the precise reflection before departing to the timeport.

  The timeport was crowded with tirones and Terra had to search for Zaid. After she found him and the rest of his strike team, they boarded a saucer shaped timeship. Within minutes the timeship lifted off, speeding through the edge. The centurions remained silent about their destination, but Terra guessed it would be a continuum rather than taking the test in a salient.

  The Edge shown through the translucent sides of the timeship. It was a surreal thing when seen from a distance like a vast river of swirling blue energy that stretched to the horizon. The shifting blue tendrils of the Edge's continua shown brightly in the starry void, like glowing veins of blue in obsidian.

  Terra remembered some of Shani's lectures about the Edge. One lecture detailed temporal storms that could rip apart armored timeships before slinging the wreckage into the Bleak. Another lecture discussed the deep raids of the Sons of Oblivion and the horrible fates of those they captured. Shani also spoke at length about unstable continua that could trap a person in eternal decay. As the dark possibilities mounted in Terra's mind, so too did her nausea. She decided to look away from the Edge.

  Zaid addressed his strike team as Saturn City faded into the distance. “I don't know where they will drop us, but make your way to the highest landmark in the area. I will gather the team there.”

  Nikias walked into the room after Zaid finished speaking. “We begin this survival test with a dirty jump.”

  “Dirty jump?” asked a tiro.

  Nikias touched a holoface on the wall. The sidewall then disappeared after a Restore ring moved around the saucer. “It's a fancy word for when we shove you out the fadedoor with no preparation,” Nikias said as he shoved the tiro out of the now open wall. He screamed as he plummeted into the flowing energy of the Edge.

  Terra felt a stab of panic. “Um. Are you suppose to tell us how to jump into the Edge properly first?”

  Nikias's grin faded. “Oh. Right. Yeah I was supposed to. Oh well. No time now! Everyone jump!”

  “But!” asked another tiro before Nikias shoved her out the timeship as well.

  The others jumped. Terra hesitated, but jumped when Nikias eyed her. Terra fell into the swirling mass of energy. When she was in the center of the stream of blue energy, her shieldwatch activated and a ring appeared around her, forming a sphere as it turned. When the glowing sphere dissipated, Terra found herself in a forest thick with undergrowth. She looked around to get a sense of her surroundings.

  The forest seemed quiet enough. To preserve power, she resisted the urge to use her shieldwatch to Speed her vision. Then realized that her shieldwatch was unresponsive and her connection with time severed.

  Terra fought back a moment of pa
nic before it turned to anger. No wonder they had let them bring their shieldwatch and aeon edge. Any gear they took was now nonfunctional dead weight, but they would still fail if they discarded anything. She felt a little better when she remembered that most tirones carried a heavy lead weighted aeon edge.

  Terra hiked along the forest edge, trying to find high ground. She needed to get a good view of the area. A nearby hill overlooked a large plain. After climbing up a rock she looked over the area.

  The plain she stood bordered a forest. A river ran between the forest and a bog. A mountain loomed to the west. She saw an animal herd that grazed on the plains, though they were too far for her to make out the species.

  After getting her bearings, she climbed down. She decided she would need water first so she headed to the river, moving through the forested area to avoid being spotted in the open. Terra was careful not to make noise and avoided clusters of leaves and underbrush as she tried to leave as few tracks as possible. Her focus on covering her tracks distracted her as she almost ran into an odd shaped tree. When she stopped to look she discovered that it was not a tree, but a huge rib cage. A strong rotting odor saturated the area.

  There wasn't much left of the carcass save for the car sized rib cage. Terra pondered the species when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. It was behind a large mound. Then Terra realized that mounds don't have feathers.

  At first the feathers threw her off, but then she realized what it was. The creature was much larger than an elephant. It lay on the ground covered in dark plumage with a long tail and small arms. She saw the rows of sharp teeth when opened its maw.

  Terra went pale. Her pulse quickened as the dinosaur lifted its large head and sniffed the air. Terra stood still. It tilted its head sideways, studying her. She considered running, but instead remained motionless. She didn't know what species it was as she hadn't read a book about dinosaurs since she was a little girl.