Ultima Ratio

Chapter 10: Hidden Deal

"Time travel?" Akira repeated, trying her best to sound like she was actually considering the plausibility.

She was painfully unsuccessful.

"You obviously don't believe me," Danya snapped, pulling her restraints taut. "Of course you wouldn't. I'm just that crazy psycho that goes around ripping people's limbs off for no reason!"

Initially, Akira was afraid Danya actually had experience in that exact area and would gladly demonstrate her skill on Akira. But after a second of panic, she realized Danya was only referencing what Hale had said earlier over the comms, before they realized Danya could hear them.

"I just..." But when Akira's lagging mind failed her, she cursed at herself.

Unfortunately, Danya couldn't know Akira's vulgarity was directed inwards, and the rage in her face grew even more vicious.

"I'm talking to myself, okay?" Akira blurted out, scrambling to her feet and holding her hands in front of Danya, as if that was capable of stopping her.

Silence followed. The first thing Akira noticed was that Danya had gotten significantly calmer. While she still kept a glare on Akira, it was more of a "pissed off" look than a "murderous" one.

The second thing Akira noticed was that Danya's arm restraints were no longer secured to anything. Thankfully, that detail wasn't as important as it could've been.

"Sorry," Akira said belatedly, dropping her hands back to her sides. "This...this is a lot, and I just need a moment to think without you looking like you want to kill me, okay?"

Danya grimaced a little before averting her gaze.

"I'm not going to kill you," Danya mumbled grumpily.

"Well, thank you, that's good to hear. I'll remind you of that the next time you look like you want to kill me."

With that settled, Akira began to pace.

From Danya's perspective, she was "made" in the year 2193, the same year Verus Rex took office and began calling himself a king instead of the president he was elected as. Concordia declared war in 2194, but started losing at some point—an event Akira would have to ask about later. Eventually, it got so bad that Concordia actually began to fall, possibly physically, politically, or both, and Verus Rex took Danya with him...to the past.

Akira still didn't understand how that worked, but she'd just have to roll with it for now.

Danya claimed they stayed in Pali Uli for a couple hundred years before something changed in Verus Rex. At that point, there was some kind of fight that ended up with Danya buried alive and Verus Rex traveling to the future where he kept Concordia from losing when they were supposed to.

Akira supposed Danya's story made sense, as long as she ignored the improbability of time travel. Then again, Danya existed, didn't she? And she had proven she possessed technology years ahead of the UN. The only other explanation was that Danya really was a human weapon sent by Concordia... If that was the case, they were screwed in more ways than just having an insider threat.

Akira did not want to think about that possibility; time travel it was.

"When did Concordia start losing the war?" Akira asked.

Danya looked at her skeptically, probably thinking Akira was just humoring her. "Sometime around 2198, I think."

"And what did you mean that Concordia 'fell'?" Akira continued. "Physically, or—"

"Physically," Danya said, her cynicism lifting slightly. "We probably would've fallen faster if we didn't have civilians with us and weren't over UN territory at the time. But once that changed, it wouldn't have taken long."