The Barracks

The soldiers took Johan down a worn down steel corridor that looked like a hall in an out of commission factory.

"Hey," asked Johan. "What were the ladies back there talking about?"

The soldiers ignored Johan's inquiries leading him in silence.

Johan frowned at their lack of responses and said, "I want to go home."

A soldier grunted and pushed Johan forward, still ignoring his question. They were making it clear that he wasn't a guest here, rather he was a prisoner.

They came to a stop, and a soldier opened a door with the number 52 A printed on it.

"This is your room," said a soldier. "You will live here with your team. Your teammates will return soon and you can get all other information from them."

The soldiers pushed Johan into the small rundown room and closed the door behind him. The walls were painted an ugly orange, and the paint was peeling. Three steel bunk beds lining the walls and the fourth wall had a worn down rusty steel cabinet.

The steel door screetch shut, indicating the hinges hadn't been oiled in quite some time leaving Johan alone. Johan turned and tried opening the door and then realised that they had locked him in.

"WHAT IN TARNATIONS!?," yelled Johan slamming the door with his fists. "YOU TELL ME YOU ARE GOING TO KILL MY PARENTS AND THEN MAKE ME JOIN YOUR ARMY!? ARE YOU FOOLS!?"

"Shhhh!," hissed a voice from behind Johan. "They'll beat the entire team if you anger them. No one will like you if they get beaten because of you before getting to know you!"

Surprised Johan spun around and saw a small brown male child. He was wore a cast over one of his legs and was lying on a bunk bed.

"W-who are you?," said Johan surprised.

"My name is Theris," said the boy, "I am one of your room mates. What is your name?"

"I'm Johan."

"You'll like it here," said Theris. "It really isn't that bad. It is better than a lot of the places that most people around here come from. Especially, Alcadia. That is where I am from. How about you?"

"I am from earth."

"Earth?," said Theris curiously. "Neil is from Earth too. He is our team lead."

"I need to think," said Johan sitting down on a bunk bed. "I am not having the best of days."

"You should take a nap," said Theris, "Whenever I am upset, I take a nap and when I wake up, everything is better."

Johan looked at Theris leg cast.

"What happened to your leg?," asked Johan.

"My superiors punished me," said Theris shrugging.

"Beaten?," groaned Johan. "These people are psychopaths ... why did they beat you?"

"They beat me because I got upset and gave them an angry look during chores," said Theris.

"A look?," gasped Johan, "and you are defending these animals?"

"Well," said Theris, "if I get unruly while I am deployed for the war, I'll end up dead, right?"

"Slaves," said Johan, "they think of you are a slave, not a soldier. They are just giving it a pretty name."

"It isn't like that," said Theris, "the people that do better in training and get sent out and come back, get nicer food and toys, water, pets and the older kids even get female friends that clean their rooms. They treat you well if you do what they want and cooperate."

Johan stared at the child and thought back to how coldly Armyka had decided to have his parents killed. The child had clearly been brainwashed and didn't realise it.

"They are pretending to be your friends," said Johan, "but you are nothing but a tool for them to accomplish their goals. A disposable tool, whose life has little value or free will. They don't care about your well-being or health, they are lying. Where I am from, this would be called abuse."

"Shhhhh!," said Theris, "if you keep talking like this, you are going to get us in trouble!"

"Getting in trouble with people who don't have your best interests in mind isn't a bad thing," said Johan. "They'll screw you over regardless. At least if you say something, you are taking action to change things, it is better than nothing changing and just taking it."

"OH MY GOODNESS!," moaned Theris, "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

Johan sighed.

"The others will talk sense into you when they return," said Theris. "I am going to sleep now."

"Then sleep well," said Johan.

-- Ø --

Johan sat on the bed waiting.

Theris was snoring loudly and mumbling incoherent nonsense periodically in his sleep.

"I guess Gadra is the only one that can help me find a way to deal with this situation," mumbled Johan quietly to himself. "Maybe Chronos tell me more about what is going on too ..."

The room door squealed opened and two boys walked in.

"Gosh," said a short chubby brown haired teenager. "I am so sore. They never take it easy, do they Neil?"

A tall bald brown teenager smiled and said, "if they did, you'd still complain, wouldn't you Ryan?"

Ryan let out a laugh and flopped down on a bed.

The tall brown teenager turned and looked Johan in the eyes and smiled.

"Hey new kid, I'm Neil, team lead and these nuggets are Ryan and Theris. We will do everything we can to make you feel at home. You are family now. You'll love it here."

"Self proclaimed team lead!," laughed Ryan. "No real titles here, don't let him fool you!"

"and a great one!," laughed Neil. "What's your name kid? and where are you from?"

"I am Johan," said Johan. "From earth, like you Neil."

"Nice to meet you," said Neil. "It is rare that I meet people from back home. Are you here because of Gadra?"

Johan raised his eyebrow. Neil knew Gadra as well?

"She caused an anomaly," said Johan, "Then Chronos took me out to prevent the world from destabilising."

"Chronos?," muttered Neil thoughtfully, "They must have gotten someone new ..."

"Say," said Johan. "Is it possible for me to see Chronos? Can you take me to her?"

"Don't do it!," said Theris sitting up. "Johan wants to go home and hates the elders. He'll get us all beaten! He is trying to cause problems!"

"Take it easy Theris," said Neil, "I see no harm in him seeing the realm overseerer. Best get it out of the way now, rather than later."

Theris stubbornly crossed his hand arm and went silent.

"Theris, don't be a blabbermouth," said Ryan.

"Theris won't," said Neil. "He hesitates, but he has our backs. We are family, and he knows the trainers care less for us than we do for each other. Right Theris?"

"Yeah, I guess you are right," said Theris. "Just be careful guys."

Neil winked at Johan then said, "I am going to give Johan a tour and then go to see earth's overseer."

"Alright man," said Ryan. "I am going to pass out."

Neil then opened the door and gestured for Johan to follow him.

"Common Johan, follow me," said Neil.