The Phoenix Fallacy Book I: Janus (13 page)

Roderick whipped the turret around and began to shoot wildly at the speedily vanishing disc
s.  Janus whispered to Celes, “He’s almost as bad as a Trooper – maybe worse.”

Celes gave him a scolding look, but the edges of her lips curled slightly.

The five discs were completely unharmed as they became tiny specks in the sky, and they slowed, reaching the top of an extreme arc.  High above the group, the discs were momentarily frozen, suspended for a brief moment from their fall, before beginning their long descent to the ground.  But before they had fallen an inch, all five suddenly veered, twisting in mid-air and making a beeline straight back at Roderick and Northcott.  As they moved closer, they gained speed and flew rapidly from side to side.  Tiny fans pushed the silver discs on their weaving path to their target.  Roderick fired gallantly at the whirling discs, vainly trying to knock but one from the sky. 

Major Northcott watched for a few more moments and then screamed into Roderick’s ear, “What are you doing?  You think that type of shooting will work?  I’m glad you’re not in the field, you’d probably hit me!  Aim, boy, aim!  These things won’t go down if you hit everything around them!”

Beads of sweat formed on Roderick’s brow, as Northcott continued screaming.  A palpable whirring noise filled the air, and the discs accelerated faster towards the platform.  Janus felt his whole being become acutely aware of the five discs hurtling towards the group, and they seemed to slow ever so slightly.  He took a step back, and realized that the other cadets had done the same; Northcott was shouting again, “Shoot, boy!”

Northcott yelled to the cadets, “This is a prime example of what you will likely face from corporate security troopers - absolutely pathetic.  Move boy!”  Roderick scurried out of the way as Northcott forcibly grabbed the turret, “This is what happens when you have a skilled hand, and why you should respect the power of this weapon.”  He whipped the turret onto the first disc and it exploded in a flash of silver.  Within moments three other discs were nothing but smoking remains as they fell from view over the edge of the platform.  The fifth and final disc
disintegrated completely as Northcott fired his final shot.  Northcott turned away from the destruction without hesitation to look at the students.  His voice was hard as he spoke, “Do not underestimate the power of the weapons I show you.”

Janus no longer thought Northcott was so full of bluster.

Chapter 16:  The Beacon of Need

When Wouris reappeared, she speedily whisked them across the city and upwards along the trunk, many floors above the mess hall.  Crossing a lonely bridge that sat separately from the ordered structure of the other branches, the cadets were greeted by a heavy, silent sealed door.

It was dark inside, but a large skylight and a ring of windows created a glass dome through which starlight filtered softly down on the cadets.  “This,” she spoke in a clear but low voice, “is known as the Beacon of Need.  It is an area where any cadet, Adept, or officer may come at any time.  You may use it freely, but know that it is dangerous if not handled respectfully.”  She turned and walked into the center of the room, “Lights!”

The room brightened slowly as wall and ceiling panels came to life with a soft glow.  “This place will help you train.  It is a place where you can face your fellow cadets, or test yourself.”  She spoke loudly and clearly to no one in particular, “Rotate, slow!”  The floor slowly rotated clockwise, moving the cadets in a circle along the outside of the room, while Wouris was turned slowly in the center, watching the cadets as most stared in wonder at the room.  Celes looked unsurprised, but Janus found it difficult to conceal his fascination.  Wouris spoke to them with a slight smile on her face, “Of course, this room can do much more than just go in circles, so feel free to come here when you have time off and experiment with it.  All stop!”  The room slowed and halted, and the cadets were left standing on the other side of the room.

“Earlier today, each of you discovered that your current combat abilities are woefully inadequate to take on someone like Col. Hawkes.  Tonight, I hope to improve your odds.  Remember, you always want to force your opponent to fight on your terms.”

Lyn whispered to Marcus and Janus, “Maybe Wouris isn’t so bad after all, especially if she can stop Hawkes from nearly killing us.”

“Yeah, too bad for Ramirez, though,” Marcus whispered back, “he would have loved to have gotten in on this.”

Wouris took them all through one on one training for several hours that night, showing them simple blocking maneuvers, pointing out errors and weaknesses, and demonstrating how to use an opponent’s movements against them.  When everyone had had a go, she took up her position again at the center of the room.

“Now, I know Keats is your strategy and tactics instructor, but I am sure she won’t mind if I give you your first lesson tonight.  It is always important to remember that you should never let anyone gain a positional advantage on you,” Wouris took several steps backward, “even on good pretenses.”  Janus felt a pit forming in his stomach.

“These advantages can include height, distance…”

Janus became suddenly and painfully aware that Wouris was now blocking the only door out of the room.

“Or even something as simple as an exit.  Now each and every one of you has some defensive training, but how will you do on offense?  If you manage to get out of this room, you are free to go for tonight, including you two, Hughes and Kwandis.”

“Now let’s see what you’ve learned!” Wouris raised her voice.  “Chamber Test:  Wouris I.  Lock.”

A
disembodied female voice spoke up.  “Command registered.  Now accepting commands from Sergeant Wouris only.  Initiating test sequence: Wouris I.”  The door behind her locked and the room came alive with a strange hum.

Suddenly
, the floor dropped out from beneath the cadets, falling a meter and sending the group sprawling.  Tilting upward, Wouris’ half of the room rose upward, granting her the high ground, and a small plateau with which to fight off attacks. She looked completely at ease, not even taking a fighting stance as she stood on her circular hill.  Without hesitation, Janus and Marcus charged in.  Wouris just watched the pair rush the hill with a smile.

Just steps away from her, Wouris raised her ar
m, showing the back of her hand and made a brushing motion towards them.  Janus felt the floor burst upward, sending Marcus and him flying backward.  They slammed painfully into the floor and slid across it, stopping just short of the other cadets, who watched them, eyes wide.

The cadets stepped backward, trying to get closer to the wall.

Wouris shook her head, “Will you stay there like frightened rabbits?  What if I don’t let you out?  Will you let me control you? Will you wait there all your lives?”

She made a simple gesture with her fingers and the wall behind the cadets sprang out, knocking the cadets forward.  Her e
xpression took on an evil smirk.

“What if I don’t let you?”

Her hand became a blur of motions, and the room sprang alive.  The cadets went into a panic, as walls, floors, blocks, and bars sprang forth, attacking them from all directions.  Cadets separated, trying to avoid the storm of blows, and watching as some were swallowed by holes and others lifted high above their comrades.

“Come on, you worthless Bluebacks!  Anticipate!  Anticipation, reaction – these separate Adepts from the rest!” Wouris yelled.

Janus leapt about the room, trying to stay ahead of the shifting and sliding onslaught.  Out of the corner of his eye, he caught glimpses of others that were not so lucky.  But Janus focused on Wouris.  And he started to see a pattern.

“She’s using the same motions!”
he exclaimed.  She twitched in a new direction and a part of the wall slammed painfully into him, knocking him sideways.  But he managed to keep his feet and saw another wall retract.  He yelled over his shoulder, “We’ve got to attack her all together!  She can’t force the room to do everything at once!” 

Some cadets looked uncertain, but Celes yelled
and waved her hand, “Come on!”

“You four with me!”  Marcus said, pointing at Ol
eri, Freeham, Bynes, and Alexis.  “Janus, I have the right!”

“I’m going left!” Lyn yelled.  With the rest of the cadets at least temporarily roused to follow they leapt and dodged across the room, charging towards their quarry.

Janus repeated a mantra of in his mind,
anticipate, anticipate;
he glanced over a rising block to see Wouris coolly watching him,
Anticipate!

“Jump!”
he yelled.

Janus wasn’t sure why he said it.  Whether it was because he deduced it, or it was a reaction to the slightest twinge of Wouris’ fingers, or simply a feeling.  But he shouted it. 

And the cadets listened, leaping, just as the floor gave way.

All of them cleared the gap, avoiding a disastrous fall.  And suddenly, Wouris’ face became hard and grim.  She held her hands flat and the chamber became still, the cadets charging forward.  But then she did the unexpected; she charged, too.

Janus smiled inwardly, they had her; she would be overwhelmed.

What a fool...

Her hands flew out like she was pushing against air and the floor sprang up, launching her into a high-speed flying kick.  Janus felt a sudden, unexpected pain, as her heavy boot connected deep within his gut.  As he flew backwards, and the rest of the cadets rushed by in surprise, a fleeting thought passed through his mind.

…I am.

Janus slid to a stop with Wouris right over him.  He coughed up blood as she reached down and roughly hauled him up by the neck, “You have a lot to learn, Janus.”

“You all are free to go,” she said, making a motion with her hand.  The door slid open.  Through Janu
s’ hazy vision, the door seemed so far away.  “Except Janus.  Janus gets a few more lessons from me about the price of leadership.”  She slugged him in the jaw, knocking him back to the ground.

The cadets looked uncertainly between Wouris and the open door.  No one moved. 
Yanking Janus back up by his armor, she spoke over her shoulder at them, “Unless, of course, you want to see what surprises I have from this side of the room.” She opened her free hand towards the cadets, and the chamber immediately reacted, the floor dropping ominously.  Her eyes never left Janus.  The cadets stepped towards the door.  “That’s bett—” the sound of footsteps behind her made her stop and shift suddenly, and Janus watched as a twitch of her hand made the floor explode upward behind her.   A glimpse of blond hair made him realize Celes had come to rescue him, but Wouris was ready, and she grabbed Celes on her injured foot, bringing her painfully to the ground.  “You’re going to need a little bit more before—” Wouris dropped Janus and Celes and leapt back as Marcus and Lyn flew in.

“Marcus, grab Janus –
Lyn and I will block her,” Celes yelled as she leapt to her feet.

Marcus hauled Janus up, “I got hi—“

“That won’t be necessary,” Wouris cut in, standing up with a grin, “Chamber Test: Wouris I complete.”

“Register,” the chamber responded, “test complete.”  The light immediately dimmed again as the room went quiet, it’s dull hum disappearing.

Wouris smiled, looking at all the cadets, who had come charging halfway across the room, “You all passed.  There are many more trials before you’ll be true Adepts, but this was a good first test.  You learned about the things that separate an Adept from a regular security trooper:  your speed, your anticipation, your reactions.  And your loyalty.  That is what defines an Adept, it is what keeps us alive and whole; not just physically, but spiritually.”

She threw Janu
s’ other arm over her shoulder and shook her head in pity, “And now it’s time to get our fearless leader here back to the Medical Branch so he can have another two-weeks of limited rations.”

Janus groaned.   

High at the top of the dome, watching through the Beacon’s one-way wall, Praetor Jennings laughed.