“So, what’s on your mind, Solo? Got any other questions?”

When John asks that, as we ride back to the apartment in his car, I find myself a bit surprised at my own silence. You would think that I would be unable to stop myself from asking John more and more, but I haven’t said anything, yet. I feel like I need a moment to process everything.

Then again, maybe I’d have an easier time doing that if I had more information.

“Let’s see… you said something about an Empire, right? Can you explain a little more?”

“Hm… I should probably give you more context before I answer. Long ago, all of humanity used to live on the planet called Earth. In this era, Transcend Christ, we started to leave Earth for the cold abyss of space. After some time, those of us in space were having trouble getting in contact with the Earth government, so we had to start creating our own.”

“And that’s where the… what’s it called, Metal Star Empire came from?”

“I’m getting to that. Before the Metal Star Empire was formed, many of the wanderers of space decided to stay on a planet with an atmosphere and environment similar to Earth. Believers of some old Earth religion. They called it ‘Neo Messiah’.”

“A whole planet of people who live by holy law, huh?”

“A theocracy, yeah. That said, quite a few of the travelers didn’t want to settle in a place like that, so once again, they pushed even further into space. Eventually, they found another planet. A barren one, but they managed to terraform it. This planet was called Motabia. From there, they continued to expand, claiming more planets for themselves, and building a massive, almost moon-sized space station in the middle of their territory.”

“Ah… that’s the ‘Metal Star’, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Anyway, Emperor Steel and Supreme Commander Wolf hated the weakness of the Earth nations and the reliance on their God that the Neo Messians had, so they started structuring society in a way that the humans within could become strong, think for themselves, and build themselves up with their own hands, to the point that people’s worth is being measured from the moment they’re born. From this mindset, we eventually got the Proving Grounds.”

“Hm. So that’s how it is.” I can’t help but hold contempt for such an idea, seeing the way it’s been executed here. To build oneself up from their own hand… I guess it’s fine to trample over everyone else in the process, huh? Just accepted as a part of human nature, perhaps.

“So, is that it, or do you have more questions?” John asks.

“What about the planet you said humanity was born on? Do you know what’s happening on Earth?”

John sighs deeply. I look at him, and can see a sadness in his eyes. “Where did it all go wrong?”

“It’s that bad, huh?”

“Is it really that obvious?” John chuckles, but I can tell it was more due to awkwardness than genuine amusement. “Seriously, though, yeah, things on Earth aren’t good at all. Not long after the formation and expansion of the Metal Star Empire, territorial disputes broke out between them and Earth. There were a few violent skirmishes, and then, war.”

“Seriously? Across space?”

“Yeah, dead serious. Even the darkness between the stars is just more property to be owned in the eyes of these people.”

“What a shame.”

“Anyway, for years, there’s been an agreed upon ceasefire between these two, but who knows how long that’ll last? That said, the Earth Nations Alliance elites haven’t said a thing about the ceasefire to the common man. As a result, they just keep collecting the military tax as if open combat was still going on. Not that the troops would have been seeing much of that money, anyway. Maybe if they weren’t hoarding all that money for themselves, the people fighting out in space wouldn’t just barely be getting by.”

“This sounds horrible. Isn’t there something that can be done about it? Why are the people just accepting the tax if they’ve been at war for years like you said and nothing’s changed? Surely someone would eventually notice something’s up, right?”

“You’d think that, but the propaganda on Earth is really good at fooling anyone who doesn’t know what to look for, and the elites in general have done a really effective job of training people to think, or not to think about things in the exact way they want. ‘This screen is the same screen that teaches me everything else. The screen told me that one plus one equals two, and other such things. The screen wouldn’t have any reason to lie to me.’ Of course, that’s a very simple way of putting it, and there are other methods, but it’d still surprise you how easy it is.”

“Damn…” I can’t help but be a little bit disappointed. I was hoping that Earth might be in a better state than the Metal Star Empire, but it honestly sounds even worse in some ways. “So, John, you speak about Earth as if you’ve seen these things yourself. Have you actually been there?”

“I was born and raised on Earth, yes. Eventually, though, I...” he pauses, maybe searching for the next words he’ll say. “I left for the Empire. Once I get out of the Proving Grounds, I’ll be a full-on Imperial citizen just like anyone else.”

“Do you like the Empire better than Earth? Was it worth leaving?”

“Well, it’s kinda complicated. I don’t think I can really just answer with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.” As John says this, I see him returning to the apartment building we came from. It has only now dawned on me that I’ve already successfully memorized what this place looks like, despite being surrounded by same-y looking buildings all around. Something about it makes me feel kind of happy. “Maybe we can talk more about it later,” he says, undoing his seat belt and starting to get out. Suddenly, however, his hands stop. “Hey, Solo.”

“What’s up?”

“Earth. Neo Messiah. The Metal Star Empire. If I told you I didn’t feel like I belonged with any of them, what would you think of that?”

“I don’t really know. I’ve still got a lot to learn about the world around me, after all.”

“Heh, I should have expected an answer like that,” he says, smiling calmly. “Still, Solo. While you’re here, try to think about if you belong here, or not. If you belong in the Proving Grounds. If you belong with the Metal Star Empire. When the right time comes, I’ll want to talk about these things again. Don’t worry too much about it, just keep in mind the conversation we’re having right now, okay?”

“Yeah, I will.”

“Alright, then.” Now, John finally gets out of the car. “Aeon and Marie are surely done with what I’ve asked of them. Let’s not keep them waiting.”

When we get back to the apartment, I notice that I never finished the food they bought for me.

“You can heat that up if you want,” John says. “We’ve got a microwave in the kitchen. Just let me know if you need any help with anything.”

“Thanks. Don’t worry, I think I’ll figure it out.” I take the container and place it inside the little grey box sitting on the counter in there. Let’s see… one… zero… zero… start. There we go.

“Anyway, I’m glad it seems we’ve all made it back without incident,” Aeon says. “Did you two have a pleasant drive?”

“Yeah,” John answers. “I just wanted show Solo where we are, in a way that I thought would make enough sense to someone who didn’t remember anything.”

“I’m pretty much up to speed on what’s going on,” I say, watching the container turn around and around inside the microwave. “What comes next?”

“I’ve been thinking about making an attempt to take down Nero and his enforcers,” John says, as he paces around in the living room, bringing his hand to his chin in thought, “but we can’t do that, yet. We have some support among the people, here, but it’s nowhere near enough.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

The microwave makes a loud beeping sound, and the number display has turned to ‘End’. Assuming this means what I think it does, I open the door and take the food out. Looks like it’s been warmed up just right. “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me,” I say, bringing my dinner into the living room again. “The way you explained it, I would expect a lot of people to be afraid of opposing Nero.”

“That’s pretty much the problem,” John says, sitting in the couch opposite the door. “That, and I can’t exactly be out there openly shouting ‘let’s take Nero out!’ or handing out pamphlets, or anything like that. Using the ‘net’s not an option, either.”

“’The ‘net’?”

“Short for ‘network’, or the Internet,” Marie says. “Basically, it’s a tool that you can use to easily communicate with many people at once. In the Metal Star Empire, most people only get access to the Internet after getting to the Proving Grounds. So, simply put, from ages 16 and up.”

“I see.” I continue eating the chicken while waiting for someone to say something, but no one does. “So, what is the issue, there, exactly?”

“There’s a good chance even private messages can be accessed by Nero or one of his goons, since I know that at least some of the people he took in were trained in hacking.” John shrugs. “If we were planning a coup against him, it certainly wouldn’t be through that. We’d be found out before we even got off the ground.”

“So we’re gonna have to hit the streets, and even then, we gotta be discreet about it, huh?”

“That’s what it boils down to.” John stretches, and stands again. “I’ll do some recon in the morning, and from there, we’ll figure out our next course of action.” He walks to his room.

“Well, I guess that’ll do it, for tonight,” Aeon says, now lying on the couch where John was sitting. “I guess I’ll sleep, for now.”

“You’re free to do what you want with the rest of your time, Solo,” Marie says. “Do you want to watch a movie or something? It’s very easy to set up on here.”

“Actually, I’m feeling a bit tired, myself,” I say having finished my dinner some time ago. “I should probably go to bed, too.”

“Oh, okay. You can use the room you came out of if you want,” Aeon says, pointing. “Good night.”

“Good night,” Marie echoes.

With that, I return to the room and crawl into bed. About as quickly as I cover myself with the blanket, my eyes slam shut, and I soon drift into sleep.

When I open my eyes again, it is still night.

“For the love of God…”

Why can’t I seem to stay asleep? Well, in a way, since I keep waking up, here, I guess it proves to me that it’s no dream; this is all really happening.

“Well, either way, I don’t feel tired, anymore.”

With a sigh, I get out of bed once again and leave the room. The lights in the living room are all off. Even the television now stands dark and silent. I can just barely see Marie asleep on the other, smaller couch, in the corner. Someone is standing at the window, looking out of it. Noticing my presence, they turn to face me.

“Oh, it’s you, Solo.” it’s still a bit hard to see him in the dark, but I do recognize his voice. It’s Aeon. “Can’t sleep, huh?”

“Not right now, at least.” Curious as to what he’s looking at, I walk over to join him at the window. When I look out there, I just see the same city, garishly lit as before.

“You aren’t feeling unwell, are you? There are doctors here, if needed.”

“I don’t feel bad, exactly, but I still can’t remember anything, yet.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Aeon continues looking out the window. I still don’t see what, if anything, he’s actually looking at. “Well, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll recover your memory with time,” he says, smiling calmly.

“I sure hope so.”

Awkward silence. I do have some questions I want to ask Aeon, but--

“Did you have any questions for me, Solo?” He asks, still looking outside.

“Uh--” Maybe it was written all over my face… anyway, “So, Aeon, have you ever been to Earth?”

“Yeah,” he says, with a nod. “Earth… it’s a sad place.”

“Hm.” I keep looking outside, no longer really watching for anything, but just kind of losing myself in the sight of people walking around, cars driving by. “John doesn’t seem to like Earth very much, either.”

“Ah, he told you that?” Aeon asks. Feeling no need to say any words, I just nod. “You two must have had a pretty interesting conversation.”

“I guess you could call it that.” Felt more like me just asking questions and him answering. There’s a part of me that wishes I had more to say. “John doesn’t seem to like being in the Metal Star Empire very much, either.”

“Don’t you agree?”

“Well, I gotta admit my first impression has left me with feelings I still have to sort out.”

“I mean, just take this Proving Grounds as an example. Right under all these glamorous lights, under the image of order and discipline, these people embrace the beast within man.” For the first time, I see the serenity I usually find with Aeon suddenly disappear. What is that look on his face? Irritation? Maybe even anger? “Look past it all, and you’ll see that this place is like the wild. Humans, killing each other and fearing to be killed, like hunter and prey. I’ve seen it all, here; all kinds of horrible violence… and they embrace all of it, Solo. If you’re one of the people that have been wronged, everyone else has been taught not to care. ‘Those bad things happened to them because they were weak. That’s all there is to it.’”

“Damn, is it really as bad as you say?”

“Think about it. Do you remember when Nero’s Angels attacked you? Us stepping in to help you was something few others would have done. By the time we got there, there were even other people watching you get killed.”

“Tch…” I think to say more, but I can’t think of a sentence to express how I feel.

“Watching it like a show on the TV behind us.”

“And no one would have thought anything of it if I died right there.” I must not have noticed anyone watching because I was too caught up in the fight.

“Remember the pain and fear you must have been feeling at that time. Realize that anyone in here can be attacked like that, and be killed as if it were nothing. Then everyone else would just step over their corpse like it’s business as usual.”

“What the hell…”

“Awful. It’s just awful. People aren’t meant to live like this. Not really.” He looks away from the window and sees my face. His expression seems to soften a little. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to start talking about something so depressing.”

“Forget about it.” I think about my conversation with John a little more. “John mentioned another place during our ride. A planet run by religious folks, called Neo Messiah.”

“Oh, that place.” Aeon seems to be searching for the right words. “Nowadays, most people would say that their God doesn’t exist, and that their savior is never coming. Still, they carry on with the teachings as always, perhaps hoping that God will eventually bless them, after all.”

“Hm. I don’t know what to make of that.”

“Anyway, thanks to the Neutrality Pact, they’ve managed to stay out of the mess engulfing the Earth Alliance and the Metal Star Empire. It’s only a matter of time until they get sucked in, though.”

“I hope not.”

“I dread the day it happens.” Something about the way he says it makes it seem as if he knows it will happen. Could it be?

“John said something to me that I’m still thinking about,” I say, repeating what he said in my mind. “He said he felt like he didn’t belong in any of these places.”

“I see. So, he told you that, as well.” I nod. “You, Solo, who has lost his past… could it be that you also feel that you don’t belong?”

“It’s difficult to say. Maybe a person without a past doesn’t belong anywhere.”

“I don’t know about that, personally.” Aeon looks at me, then out the window again. “Regardless, there are many, many people in this world who don’t quite fit in the space allotted them. When that happens, people have a choice presented before them. Should one force themselves into place, suppressing themselves, breaking themselves, if necessary, or should one, instead, carve out their own place in the world, create their own place with their own hands, even at the expense of others? It’s not an easy choice to make.” He looks at me again. “Solo, when John is forced to make this choice, what do you think he’s going to do?”

I look back at him. Though I’ve only known John for a short time, somehow, just as Aeon asks me this, I know what John’s answer will be. The look in his eyes tells me. We’ve come to the same conclusion. There isn’t even a need to say it.

“With that said, Solo,” Aeon says, killing the encroaching silence. “No matter what happens, no matter what you end up seeing or hearing, you can trust in John completely. Remember that as we go forward.”

Why must everyone say such ominous things? Is it something I still don’t know, but should? Should I be concerned about it? John… Aeon… Marie… just what kind of future are you three moving towards? “Yeah, I understand.”

Maybe he can still see my doubt, but he smiles kindly, anyway. “I’m glad to hear it.” Aeon drapes the window, and the living room gets much darker. “I’ve enjoyed this conversation, Solo. Hopefully we’ll get to talk like this more in the future.”

“Right, it would be nice.” I start walking back to the room they gave me. “I’m gonna try to sleep again. Good night, Aeon.”