Legend of the Rogue Square

“True Paradox Legion File #02243-B6”, spoke a very characteristic voice, “Trooper #02243-B6 joined on July 14th Zero Year of thedude. Former Aquilone citizen. He quickly showed a talent in the Domain of Technology. Yada yada yada. Rogue 02243-B6 has sabotaged thirty four missions of King thedude's Grand Army, infiltrated five of his bases, freed prisoners, protected wanted fugitives and antagonised thedude's Empire in all ways possible. He is a Rank 3 Wanted Person. And you let him escape? With a Rank 2 Wanted Person no less”.

The Paradox woman's contempt towards Commander Borock was evident. Borock seemed annoyed that this woman, his inferior, looked down on him.

“The Rogue Square is known for managing to slip away from authority. But rest assured, he will be caught. He cannot get away now that he's in Elepharia”.

“Commander Borock, you can't think that after this failure you are still in charge of the situation. The King will be very displeased with you. But why do you think I've been sent here? I'm here to take charge on the hunt”.

“And why do you think you will succeed where all else have failed?”.

“The Rogue Square's record is impressive. But mine is even more”, Mikhaila replied.

~~~\*\*\*---\*\*\*~~~

Nuncius Coedwig looked at the man leading him through the wilderness of Elepharia. He was in full Paradox Rogue uniform, Space Marauder style, carrying two wormholers, which he had now strapped on his back. The man had saved him, but Nuncius was still suspicious of him. He had been very silent and he'd refused to share information about himself.

“I think I deserve to know some things about you!” Nuncius finally said.

The man ignored him and just walked on.

“Why don't you answer me? Who are you? Are you a Paradox Rogue?”.

The other did not reply immediately, but this time he did, “Yes. Yes I am”.

“What?! Then, why are you helping me?”

“I went rogue”.

“So, you're a Paradox Rogue Rogue? Does that make you a Rogue Square?”.

“I was not under the impression that your generation learnt enough math for you to know about powers. But yes, that's what some people call me, the Rogue Square”.

For the first time, the Rogue Square stopped in his tracks, apparently thinking of something.

*He was walking silently towards the exit of the Paradox Rogue base. He had made his decision. He couldn't be part of this inhuman organisation anymore.He reached the door. There was a single Rogue guarding it. The Rogue heard his footsteps and turned around to face him.*

*“Hey, what are you doing?” the man's voice, muffled through the helmet, talked.*

*By some cruel twist of fate, the moonlight coming through a window lit the Rogue's number tag and he recognised the Rogue's number. He knew the Rogue and that made shooting him much more difficult. He was leaving the Rogues, because he couldn't handle the cruel way they smashed people for no reason at all and here he was smashing someone else. But he was justified. He was stopping a cruel person.As he walked over, the pieces of the smashed Rogue, he could not take the image of the Rogue shooting his wormholer, shouting in glee. Still, he promised himself he would dedicate his life on protecting the innocent. So, that he was justified. As justified as he could be.*

*His mind dwelled on the image of the man firing his wormholer all around, monkeys falling on the ground lifeless, their brown fur scorched. More Paradox Renegades were all around him shooting the monkeys down, the forest filling with their lifeless scorched bodies and smoke rising from them. And him in the midst of it all, blocked by the sight of madness, his fingers locked around his wormholer's trigger, but never firing. How could anyone command something so crazy? Why would anyone attack those innocent creatures so relentlessly? Why did those people follow their orders so willingly, some of them even happy with their task at hand?*

*And then when he had thought the madness was over, they'd been ordered to pillage a village. The scared villagers stayed indoors enduring the Renegades stripping them of all their possessions that were worth something, destroying anything else just for fun. And old man refused to bow down to them. The commander came forward and produced a whip. Some other villagers, young and middle-aged men, a woman, too, got in the way to protect the old man. The commander gave the order. Purple lights flashed all around him. When they left, no soul remained to watch them go away in fear...*

*He had not taken it. He had made the decision after a lot of thinking on this. The very same day he sneaked out of his (shared) room in their base. Now, he walked out in the chilly air of the night. He looked at the stars for a moment and then began running.*

*The Paradox Rogues caught up with him in five minutes. There were ten Renegades and the base's commander.*

*“Freeze!” the commander shouted and the runaway stopped on his track. “Ha! 02243-B6, you thought you could run away without our knowing. We have been keeping an eye on you for a long time. The moment you got out of this base, we knew.Now, prepare to face the consequences of your foolish act. Soldiers, learn something from him. Deserters will not be tolerated. Now, shoot the rogue!”.*

*A scene of great confusion followed as the Paradox Rogues aimed each other and started shooting. 02243-B6 seized the chance and got out of sight. He could still hear the commander's yells, “Don't shoot each other you idiots! I meant the deserter! Shoot the deserter! Where is he? Where?”. However, it sounded like he could not control the mayhem just yet. The runaway slipped into the forest and was lost to the Rogues.*

~~~\*\*\*---\*\*\*~~~

“Is something wrong?” Nuncius asked.

“No”, the Rogue Square replied and began walking again.

“But I don't understand. If you do not like the Paradox Rogues, why did you join them in the first place?”.

“You ask a lot of questions”, the Rogue Square replied brusquely.

Why indeed? He had wondered that many times himself. He had been a young Aquilone man once, barely older than a teenager. The man called thedude had just captured Morcia. He had brought technology to their world and promised prosperity, even though Aquila was now in a civil war. Some blamed thedude for that. But most people just lost their faith to Aquilone authority. Hadn't thedude promised riches and glory if they joined him? It was their fault that they were in civil war now. King thedude, however, had power. It made sense to join him. Many young people did. It was the trend. All of his friends joined the Rogues and they told him he should join, too. His father was telling him he should join, too. He thought it was the only way promising some future. Eventually, he gave in. He joined.

He regretted it the first day. Or at least part of him did. The other part remained hopeful that this was just the beginning. That it would get better later.

“*And who are you?” asked a strict-looking man, wearing a Sorcerer's uniform, standing beside a desk.*

*He handed the man the forms he'd been given to fill and spoke, “My name is Tain Lee, sir”. Tain was surprised with himself. He had not planned it, but he had used his mother's last name. Perhaps, he didn't want to be known with his father's last name in this new place; he'd never had a good relationship with his father.*

*“You are wrong, recruit!” the middle-aged man yelled and Tain jumped in surprise. “Forget your name. You are a Paradox member now. And you are just that a Paradox Trooper. You are no different from all the others. You have no distinct personality. You are just a Paradox Trooper, destined to obey the commands of your superiors. The sooner you learn that, the better!”.*

~~~\*\*\*---\*\*\*~~~

They remained silent for a while and then Nuncius broke the silence once again, “Where are you taking me?”.

“Somewhere safe”, though there is no place where one can really be safe.

“Are we going out of Elepharia?”.

“Yes, the place is full of Rogues”.

“You can't. I had a reason I came here! I have a mission. I need to reach the Southern Isles”.

“It's not safe. If you continue on that course, you will be captured again”.

*It's not safe*, he repeated inside him. But nowhere is safe. This was one of the important lessons he'd learnt during his training as a Paradox Rogue.

*Tain walked into the cafeteria and looked around warily. There were many people distributed in several tables, others wearing parts of their suits, others wearing the same red and black clothes Tain had been handed and ordered to wear. Everyone was talking loudly, whilst eating at the same time, and combined together it created a roar-like noise that annoyed and discomforted Tain. Someone pushed him from behind and he remembered he should proceed. He walked further into the big room and noticed a poster-sized painting of a purple and green dinosaur captioned with the words “Big Barney is watching you!”.*

*He found his way to the queue for receiving food. Two Barney Bots with hair nets on their heads was serving food.*

*“Remember you should always say thank you to people who give you stuff”, one Barney Bot said merrily as it filled half his plate with a green-brown-yellowish gooey food.*

*“You shouldn't play with your food!” the other chimed as it filled the other half with something that looked like meat, but was much more chewey and disgusting.*

*Tain walked away from the Barney Bots, wondering if he should take them seriously or not. Most of the tables had at least five people sitting around them and Tain felt uncomfortable joining them. He walked across the room and finally found a table where only one chair was occupied. He sped towards it. Then, he stopped abruptly. He had taken closer notice of the minifigure sitting there alone. She was a woman with long black hair, gracefully falling on her shoulders making a few curls. Her skin was pale white and her eyes were green. She had a small cute nose, slightly pointy at the end. Tain was stunned by her beauty. He couldn't help just standing there gazing at her.*

*The woman looked up from the book she was reading and saw him.*

*“The seats are free”, she said and pointed to the chair around the table, inviting him to sit with her.*

*“I'm Moira. And you are?” the girl said as Tain sat down across her.*

*“They gave me the number 1548-Z5 until we get sorted”.*

*“Don't be silly! I don't want to know the ridiculous number they gave you! I want to know your name”.*

*Before Tain could answer another minifigure appeared and sat next to him, his brown skin a giveaway of his Elepharian origin.*

*“Is that food they're giving us?” he protested loudly. “I mean what sort of nonsense are we expected to eat. I'm telling you someone should do something about this. We can't go on like this!”.*

*Moira smiled to Tain and he smiled back, suddenly feeling his cheeks slightly warmer.*

*“I'mRobben by the way!”.*

*“Moira”.*

*“Tain”.*

*They shook hands with each other.*

*“Are you part Cheinese, Tain?” Moira sked looking curiously at his slightly almond-shaped eyes.*

*“Why, you have a problem with that?” Tain sounded accusing.*

*The girl's smile fell, “Of course not. I was just curious. Cheinese culture is very interesting”.*

*Tain regretted being so brusque immediately.*

*“Sorry, I did not mean to offend you. It's just that... usually people who notice aren't very nice to me”, Tain was surprised with himself; he wouldn't usually share so much information with someone. “My mother was from Cheinir”, he said then with a faint smile.*

*“Yeah, I've heard you Aquilone lot have a special hatred for the Easterlings”, Robben added.*

*“Not all of us”, Moira replied a bit haughtily.*

*“Don't take me wrong. I did not mean you two. I'm just stating the facts”.*

*“I guess that's true”, Moira sighed.*

*The three of them became friends that day. Tain always thought they must look odd, his being a very introverted person side by side with those extremely social people. Moira was the nicest person Tain knew; she was always kind to everyone. Robben constantly complained about something. Unlike most, he thought his opinion should be known to all and he considered a minute during which his voice wasn't heard a waste. He often protested openly to things that he didn't like, especially about the cafeteria's food. Tain often told him he didn't think that was wise.*

*One month after their joining the Rogues, Robben disappeared from one day to another with no warning. When he and Moira asked about him, some people told them they didn't know where he was. Some told them they didn't know who he was -though Tain knew that was a lie- looking worriedly around them. And finally there were some people that ignored them and never replied.*

*In time, Tain realised that some people disappeared from time to time. When they did almost no one seemed to talk about it and those who did were ignored. It was the people who did not act as the Paradox Rogues were supposed to. Those who disagreed too much. Those who committed crimethink...*

*Later, when Tain found his way to one of the officials' computers and he had a quick look, he found a file on Robben. On top of it he was marked as ELIMINATED.*

*The Paradox Renegades' bases were all filled with secret and known cameras. Paintings of Barney were everywhere warning them that they were being watched. After Tain became familiar with technology and got good at using and tinkering it -he joined the Technology Division after all-, he discovered that every different piece of his Space Marauder equipment contained a bug to spy on him and track him down.*

*If there was one thing the Paradox Rogue training taught Tain was that you were never safe. You were always, ALWAYS, watched. No one would ever be safe from thedude and his enforcers.*

~~~\*\*\*---\*\*\*~~~

“I don't care about my safety anymore. Other lives are at stake! I need to do what I came here to do!”.

“Wait! I heard something”.

They both remained still and silent for a moment. Then, they heard the sound that the Rogue Square recognise to be that of a jetpack. He took the wormholers from his back.

“Catch”, he said and tossed one to Nuncius.

Nuncius grabbed it and realised it was lighter than a usual wormholer, even though it looked the same. The Rogue Square began running towards a different direction than they'd been going before and Nuncius followed.

It was not long before purple blasts started flying around them. The Rogue Square looked around and finally located the flying Rogue that was attacking them. He raised his wormholer, fired and the Rogue went down. No sooner had he done so another Rogue appeared flying next to them, momentarily disappearing behind trees and then reappearing. He shot them, too, but two more appeared behind him.

“Nuncius, keep running. That way will take you to the coast. I will hinder them as long as I can”, the Rogue Square shouted as he attacked their pursuers.

They were smashed, but he received a blow on the left shoulder. Before he knew it, about a dozen Rogues with jetpacks had surrounded him. He tried to fight them, but he'd only smashed two before their blasts him to let the wormholer go and fall on his knees.

He had not been smashed, yet, but he assumed that was because something worse awaited him before that fate followed. One of the Elite Paradox Renegades walked forth and examined him. The voice that spoke he easily recognised and hated.

“I misjudged you when we first met”, Mikhaila said. “You have much more potential than I thought. You still remain weak for not being able to embrace the infinite power thedude possesses”.

Hearing that voice, that hateful voice filled him with rage and brought back more memories.

*Tain looked around and spotted Moira in the distance. She was talking to another Rogue, who possessed Rank 3 Space Marauder gear -which meant they had finished their training- and who kept their helmet on. He walked towards them with purpose, ignoring all other people.*

*“Oh hey, Tain! This is Mikhaila. Mikjaila, that's Tain. She's been telling me what it's like to be a woman in the Rogues”.*

*“Yes?”*

*“Everyone will look down on you, but if you're determined and ambititious you can rise to important positions like me” said a distinct woman's voice.*

*“And what's the position you hold?”.*

*“I am part of the Paradox Elite Team. But I do not intend to stop at that. One day I will be thedude's second in command”.*

*As they talked, Tain decided he did not like Mikhaila. She seemed too confident of herself and extremely ambitious. More than anything, though she did not seem to nurture any compassion for other people. Moira was too nice and impressed to see those things, but Tain could not be fooled. However, he wished he had been wrong.*

*One month later, Tain ran away. He had ran through the woods and gotten out in the clear where the grassy ground stopped a little further in a cliff. He approached the ledge, took off his helmet, which made him feel claustrophobic and tossed it aside, revealing his black hair. As he sat on the ledge, his feet hanging in the air, he realised what had happened and he almost forgot he was in danger. At least, he had already removed the tracking devices from his gear when he set out. He looked at the view below him and made several thoughts.*

*As he sat there thinking, he lost track of time, until suddenly he heard a voice behind him.*

*“Stay still!”.*

*Tain was pulled back to reality abruptly. He shot his hands up in surrender, worrying what would happen now. But then the voice spoke again and it stuttered and wasn't muffled “Tain, how- how c-could you?”.*

*Tain turned around and got up. Moira had taken off her helmet, too. She was pointing her blaster at Tain, but did not seem intent on shooting.*

*“Moira, you don't understand?”.*

*“Why did you do it?”.*

*“Moira, you haven't had your field training, yet. You haven't seen the terrible things we were ordered to do. They told us to shoot monkeys! They wanted us to eliminate a whole village's population! And the others did. I cannot live with that”.*

*Tears were welling on Moira's eyes as she looked at him. Even at such a moment, Tain couldn't help, but think how beautiful she was her hair blown to her left by the wind.*

*“Then, why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you try to take me with you?”.*

*“Moira...” Tain was dumbounded.*

*Another voice suddenly spoke, “Moira, if you can't shoot him, step aside, so that I can do it!”.*

*Moira turned around to face the newcomer. Tain recognised the voice to belong to Mikhaila. Tain had thought she had left their base two weeks ago. What was she doing here?*

*“Mikhaila... No!” Moira spoke weakly.*

*“Pity!” Mikhaila replied and then pulled her wormholer's trigger.*

*Tain did not know how it happened, but Moira got between him and Mikhaila. The blast found her on the chest.*

*“Nooooo!” Tain screamed his lungs off.*

*“Run, you idiot”, the girl managed to say weakly before she closed her eyes.*

*Tain didn't know where he found the power to move away from here, but he managed to do as she asked. Another blast flew above him, as he jumped on the not entirely vertical cliffside and started rolling on it. He had lost everything he had, but somehow that day he didn't lose his life. He escaped. And he lived to meet Mikhaila again.*

~~~\*\*\*---\*\*\*~~~

“I'm not the one who's weak, Mikhaila. I am the one who had the power to leave thedude's army and oppose it. Weak are all those who join him, because he is powerful, never considering if it's right or wrong”.

“Oh, we consider. It's only that we have the power to shake off any foolish sentiments and realise that what's right for us is to seek what power we can”, Mikhaila said.

“I think it is obvious we can never agree”.

“Where is the other minifigure?”.

“Out of your grasp. So, what happens now? Do I get smashed?”.

“Oh no! You wish. thedude reserves a special punishment for traitors. You're going to get the royal treatment in thedude's dungeons. Just like your girlfriend, Moira”.

“What? Moira? Is she alive?”.

“Oh yes!” Mikhaila said enjoying seeing the predicted reaction. “She's being accomodated with every honour in our camp in the Moorlands”.

The Rogue Square had mixed feelings. He was glad she was alive, but he couldn't stand the idea of the pain she must have had to endure in thedude's prison. And he was helpless to help her.

“Come on. Take him. A new era begins for you, Number 02243-B6. Rogue Square. Mr. Tain Lee”.

~~~\*\*\*---\*\*\*~~~

Nuncius felt sorry for the Rogue Square. The chances of his getting away were minimal. Nuncius was afraid he was smashed. But there was nothing he could do about it. Even if he had returned, he would only have doomed himself as well. And he had a mission.

But he was sorry he hadn't learnt who he was. And he had never got to ask how he knew him or that he need help. There would be so many questions left unanswered.

He had finally left the jungles behind him. The savannahs lay before him. He kept running after sundown. He kept running after sunrise. And he finally saw the Suidam Sea and somewhere along the rocky coast a peninsula appeared. And there the city of Ribarba was built. And from Ribarba a whole fleet of ships had begun sailing.

No. This couldn't be happening. No. He couldn't be late. thedude couldn't get to the Southern Isles first! He had failed. After all this, he had failed. After Sir Loin of Beef got injured and after the Rogue Square sacrificed himself and after all the miles he had run, he had failed.

He collapsed on the ground exhausted. The Knights of the Olde Speech residing in the Isles were doomed now. They'd be captured and experimented on. He had been outrun. For the first time of his life, he had been outrun. All hope was lost...

But was it? The ships hadn't reach the Southern Isles, yet. Maybe, he could find a way to get there first. He couldn't give up. Not when there was the slimest chance of success. Nuncius got up and he continued. . .