Free The Phoenix Fallacy Book I: Janus by Jon Sourbeer Page A

just make out snow-capped mountains sparkling in the fading light.
    Janus stood for several moments, still in awe of the outside world, deeply breathing the cool air as the giant city floated its way over the landscape.  Turning to stare at the setting sun, Janu s’ struggling eyes welled up.  No matter what happened here, or what Jennings intended, it all would have been worth it, just for this.
    Jennings waited patiently for Janus to join him at the edge of the platform. 
    “Is the city always on the move?”  Janus asked as he came to stand beside him, watching as a flock of birds startled from the forest, disturbed by the roaring engines.
    Jennings nodded solemnly, “Yes.  We must always remain mobile.  The risk is too great otherwise.”
    Janus looked back at the city from the edge of the platform.  He could see the scorched and blackened plates upon its pearly exterior, the holes like scars upon its beautiful features.
    Jennings motioned his arm towards the pockmarks, “Risks that you can see, right now.  But our movement is not strictly defensive.  It’s for trading, too.  Trading keeps us afloat – literally, now that the Corporations have fewer military skirmishes, let alone jobs for us.’
    ‘With the completion of our trading with Cerberus, however, we are bound for the ocean for a while.  We have no jobs on the horizon, and it is never wise to become predictable.  Our sojourn will give us a chance to focus on our new cadets, and keep our abilities honed.”
    He turned away from the city, looking out over the forest.
    “ But, I believe you were asking about our vulnerabilities?”
    Janus nodded.
    Jennings pointed down, over the edge, and Janus peered into the creeping dark of dusk.  At first, he thought he was just staring at more rocky terrain shadowed by the mountains and the setting sun, but he soon realized he was staring at a city.  It was a black, twisted mess, and the approaching twilight only made it more difficult to discern.
    “That,” Jennings said, “is all that remains of Phoenix Corporation.  It made the mistake of attacking an Adept Legion.”
    “Adepts did that?”  Janus was in awe.
    “Yes.  Phoenix was once the most powerful corporation in the world.  Many years ago, Phoenix tried to capture an Avalon-class fortress, not unlike this one, and use it as a Trojan horse.”
    “Trojan horse?”
    Jennings glanced at him and smiled, “A deception of sorts, an effort to make someone believe you have good intentions when you do not.”
    He looked back to the broken waste, “It wasn’t a bad idea.  Corporations regularly trade with us; we’re the trusted middlemen, or perhaps, more trusted than another Corporation.  A Legion that is involved in trade negotiations never attacks a Corporation.  And a Corporation will never attack Adepts while they trade.  Even before Phoenix was destroyed, that was the unwritten code; but Phoenix - Phoenix demonstrated what would happen when that code was broken,” there was a tinge of bitterness in his voice.
    Janus remained silent, feeling that it would be inappropriate to speak.
    “To this day, I’m not entirely sure why they attacked.”
    “There was no reason for it?” Janus prodded – the idea that someone could challenge a Corporation…
    Jennings shook his head, “None.  I have many theories, but as for facts, I have few.  Some say they needed something.  Some say they were testing themselves.  There are even rumors that it was integral in some way to Phoenix Serum.”
    “Phoenix Serum?”  Janus asked.
    Jennings gaze was distant, “An elixir, a drug – a mythical substance that grants super strength, or perhaps wealth, or immortality.”  Jennings grimaced, “Or one of many things man is willing to sacrifice so much for – and brings him so little.  All of it is uncertain.  No one knows much about it, and even less about the reasons for the battle that day.  But I do know Phoenix made at least one mistake.