Aeon Legion: Labyrinth (10 page)

“And the price she paid for
that was loneliness and isolation,” Alya said, staring forlornly to
the side. “You can't be friends with someone you worship.”

Orion
regarded Terra while rubbing his chin. “Well I guess it would make
things more complicated if everyone knew. Not to mention the endless
Trial of Blades
challengers she have to endure. Very well. I'll keep this between us
and Consul Prometheus for now. Just be sure she knows that.”

Alya smiled. “Thanks,
Orion.”

Orion turned to Terra. “What
is your name?”

“Terra Mason, sir,” Terra
said.

“Well, Terra Mason,” Orion
said. “Just be sure to keep the identity of who you are squiring
for a secret. If people knew you were Alya's squire, it would create
a terrible commotion.”

Terra grimaced. “I paid
attention to the conversation even if you two ignored me.”

Orion grinned. “Blunt. Very
different from Kairos.”

“How did you know I was
Alya's squire?” Terra asked.

“You look a little like
her,” Orion said.

“Alya?” Terra asked.

“No. Kairos,” he said as
he turned to leave. He looked over his shoulder before he exited. “I
look forward to working with you, Tiro Mason, when the next calamity
hits. And, Alya. I look forward to seeing you in that dress.”

∞

After Alya's argument with
Orion, she brought Terra to customs to retrieve her bag and finish
timeport processing before disappearing. Processing turned into a
lengthy ordeal. Terra finished a physical exam before calling her
parents on a terminal. After that she endured a lengthy interview
with a psychologist which Terra thought an odd requirement. The
interviewer said that these tests had something to do with the
training at the Academy. With her exams and interviews done, they
instructed her to pick up a shieldwatch.

Terra found the shieldwatch
station guarded by a man in a similar uniform to Alya. After he
checked with Minerva, he handed Terra a shieldwatch. She then thanked
the man before leaving and wondered where to go next.

Terra turned the shieldwatch
in her hands. A length of metal shorter than the forearm made up most
of the shieldwatch with the glass face on one end while the other
held an embossed infinity symbol. Its glass face glowed a faint blue
color and functioned as a display screen. Two padded clamps under the
device allowed it to attach to the top of the forearm. It was not as
thick as Alya's shieldwatch who likely had a tougher military model.

“Clamp it on your off hand
like a shield. It works better that way,” came Alya's voice from
behind Terra.

Terra suppressed her instinct
to jump and instead glared at Alya. “Do you always come and go as
you please?”

Alya grinned. “If someone
wants to buy that shieldwatch, don't sell it for anything. That
device is far more valuable than any amount of gold, gems, money, or
anything else they try to trade it for.”

After struggling, Terra
clamped it on her left forearm.

Alya tapped her chin with her
index finger. “There was something I was supposed to tell you. Now
what was it? Something about an accident?”

Terra raised an eyebrow as
Alya thought.

After a moment, Alya shrugged.
“I suppose it's not important. Forward unto eternity, Terra. I will
see you in a few weeks.”

Terra's eyes widened. “Wait!
What about lodging? What about food? How do I get to this Academy?”

Alya rolled her eyes. “I
will not count the seconds for you. You made the choice to come here,
so work through these problems yourself. As for the Academy, just be
your usual stubborn self and they should let you in eventually.”

With that, Alya turned and
walked away, leaving Terra in an empty hallway of the timeport.

Terra
scowled. Orion was right. Alya had
just
abandoned
her.

After a long sigh, Terra made
her way out of the timeport to get her bearings. The city lights
flickered on as darkness fell and already a few of the brighter stars
shown in the sky.

Terra walked to an overlook
that showed a view of the city in the distance. She could see why
they built the main gate here. The first thing that any newcomer to
the city saw after stepping through the gate was a full view of the
city center. With darkness settling in, Terra could see the lights of
the city in the distance.

Darkness had cloaked the pearl
colors while blue lights lit up the city like a glowing sapphire.
Buildings in the distance shone like jewels in the night that
reflected on the waters of the more scenic areas. The sight took
Terra's breath away. Terra almost didn't hear the person approaching
behind her.

Saturn City is the greatest
civilization in history. We say this without boasting. It is the
closest humanity will ever get to a utopia. The city's only flaw is
that life here is near perfect enough to remove all desire for
change.

-Consul Prometheus

T
erra
turned
to see a young woman. She was taller than Terra by a few
inches with tan skin similar in tone to Alya's and the other city
natives.

“Would you perpend,” She
said in an airy tone, “relocation to an adjacent space?”

“What?” Terra asked,
raising an eyebrow. Terra inspected the woman. Her straight sleek
hair was a lighter shade of brown and reached below her shoulders.
Terra couldn't help but feel jealous of the woman's slender body,
long legs, and flawless skin. The glow of youth made Terra guess
their girl's age a few years older than her, though Terra didn't want
to make assumptions about age here.

“As I am a cartographer of
the crepuscle sky, this has made me seek vantages such as this to
give me a vista,” she said, continuing in her ethereal tone. In her
ears were the same device Alya had given Terra when she had arrived
at the timeport, though Terra wondered if it was working right. Over
one shoulder the woman wore a white shawl with silver edging and
embroidered in intricate sinuous designs. A silver broach with a
sapphire center held the shawl in place near her neck. The shawl
dipped down below her waist to the top of a knee length white dress.

Terra's brow furrowed. “What
are you talking about?”

“In shadows, the stars can–”

“Get to the point!” Terra
said, scowling.

The woman cringed at Terra's
outburst. “I just wanted you to move,” she said, her eyes watery.

Terra's expression softened.
Perhaps her mother was right and she needed to be less blunt. “Sorry.
I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just lost right now.”

The woman relaxed her pose.
“Do you need directions? Minerva can provide those.”

Terra sighed. “I feel so out
of place here. I don't even know what Minerva is. This is the first
time I have time traveled.”

“What is your home time?”

“Twenty first century United
States.”

“Oh. You must be here to
join the Aeon Legion.”

“How did you guess?”

“If I remember correctly,
the Americans were a warrior culture. They loved war so much that
they declared it against concepts like poverty, drugs, and terror
when there was no one else to fight.”

“Why do you want to go to
that overlook so bad?”

“I came to observe the
movements of the astral bodies in the evening skies,” she said as
her airy tone returned.

“I think you just said that
you were stargazing, but I'm not sure. Why are you so indirect?”

The woman maintained an aloof
air while looking at Terra. “That is a direct untactful question.
In answer to your query, my statements are indirect by necessity.
Others here take apart my words so I must spend them carefully. Why
are you so direct?”

“I don't mean to be blunt.
People never seem to take me seriously so I'm direct. I'm frustrated
right now since I just got to the city today and I'm tired, hungry,
and without a place to stay,” Terra said, sighing. “My name is
Terra. What's your name?”

She looked at Terra again
while her expression remained unreadable. “I am Delphia, a native
to the city.”

“Oh,” Terra said, looking
at Delphia's hair. “Then why isn't your hair sil–”

“Silver is the color of
condescension!” Delphia said as she crossed her arms and looked
away.

Terra's brow furrowed.

Delphia turned to Terra and
moved closer. “Well I hope you have not judged our city based on a
few cruel citizens. They delight in criticizing those younger than
them, but I assure you we are not all like that. To prove it, allow
me to help you.”

“You don't have to.”

A slight smiled curled
Delphia's lips. She moved closer, standing right next to Terra. “To
use my knowledge to aid others is something I seldom experience. Are
you hungry?”

Terra nodded while taking a
step back. She hadn't eaten since she arrived. “Actually do you
know a cheap place to rent a room for the night?”

Delphia tilted her head.
“Cheap?”

“You know. A place that
won't cost a lot of money?”

Delphia raised an eyebrow.
“Money? What's that?”

Terra sighed. “Never mind.
Is there a place where I can spend the night?”

“You could ask my mother if
you can stay at my home. She loves to have guests over and she would
probably allow you to stay in the guest room until the Academy
training starts.”

“Really?”

“Oh yes. Saturnians are
rather fond of new companionship. They are very centenarian so they
like to have new guests to converse with.”

Terra wondered what
centenarian meant while Delphia gazed at her shieldwatch before
typing on a holographic disc projected above the face. A moment
later, Delphia turned to Terra. “She is interested in meeting you.
Let's go to the Convivium to meet my mother.”

“The what?” Terra asked,
now wondering what a Convivium was.

“Delphia,” came a voice
behind her.

Terra turned to see a handsome
man approach. He had a well toned body with beautiful eyes and could
have been a model if he wished.

Delphia turned to Terra. “I
apologize. Let me address this small detail.”

“My friends are waiting for
us,” he said with a grin.

Delphia looked away from the
man. “I am sorry, but I have committed to another engagement.”

“What?” the man asked.

Delphia spoke in her usual
ethereal tone without a hint of emotion. “I am afraid I must
terminate our romantic involvement for now on account of numerous
minor details too superfluous to warrant citation.” She then turned
to led Terra away from the confused young man.

“Wait,” Terra said after
they were out of sight of the young man. “Did you just dump him?”

Delphia shrugged. “He
stuttered a little, and his eyes were a rather off shade of blue.”

Terra wondered how Delphia
could be so casual about leaving such an attractive man.

Delphia smiled and grabbed
Terra's hand.

Terra shook her hand loose.
“Delphia, no offense, but I am not into that.”

Delphia tilted her head. “Into
what?”

Terra rubbed her forehead
while trying to think of a graceful way to explain it Delphia.

“Minerva,” Delphia said.
“Explain please.”

Minerva spoke from Delphia's
shieldwatch. “The act of holding hands in Terra's culture is a
symbol of romantic involvement. In addition, same sex romantic
relationships are considered taboo in her culture.”

Delphia faced Terra. “Well
in Saturn City, Terra Mason, holding hands is a sign of friendship.
And since you are in Saturn City then you should do as we Saturnians
do.”

Delphia grabbed Terra's hand
and led her to a large sidewalk sized glowing line on the ground.
When they stepped on the line their surroundings faded out before
fading into a new view.

“What is going on?” Terra
asked as the surroundings faded again only to be replaced again.