chrono-wars: legacy of past

The Time Pod's engines hummed with an electric intensity, casting faint blue light across Elara's face as she checked her gear. The mission briefing had been brief and unnerving: Revisionist operatives had infiltrated 1943 CE, during Operation Valkyrie, the German military's failed plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. The Chrono-Guard suspected the Revisionists were attempting to alter the mission's outcome, but why remained unclear.

"Chrono, give me a status update," Elara said as she tightened her straps.

"Temporal destination locked. Berlin, July 20, 1943, 12:05 PM. Breach detected near the Wolf's Lair, Adolf Hitler's military headquarters. Temporal stability in the region is at 54% and dropping."

"Right in the middle of the operation," Elara muttered, her mind racing. "If they succeed, Hitler dies too soon, and the power vacuum could completely change the course of the war."

"Correct. Historical records indicate Hitler's survival prevented further destabilization in Nazi leadership, delaying their collapse in a manner that allowed the Allied Forces to consolidate victory."

"Translation: if he dies now, the war drags on, or worse—someone worse takes control." Elara shook her head. "God, I hate time travel."

The pod's engines surged, and the swirling vortex of light outside her capsule gave way to the dense forests of East Prussia. The Wolf's Lair lay ahead, an intimidating fortress hidden among the trees.

"Chrono, let's move," Elara said, stepping out of the pod and activating her cloaking device. Her 21st-century appearance melted into a convincing World War II-era German uniform. She adjusted her cap, her eyes scanning the area.

The tension in the Wolf's Lair was palpable. Soldiers and officers moved with purpose, their faces etched with suspicion. Elara blended in seamlessly, her forged identification papers granting her access through the heavily guarded gates.

"Keep an eye on me, Chrono," she whispered under her breath.

"Always. Scanning for Revisionist signatures."

The scanner on her wrist beeped softly, picking up traces of advanced tech disguised as period-appropriate equipment. Elara followed the signal, weaving through the maze-like compound until she reached a nondescript storage room.

Inside, two men in officer uniforms stood over a suitcase bomb—the same explosive Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg was meant to use in the assassination attempt. But something was wrong. The Revisionist operatives were tampering with the bomb's mechanism, replacing its components with advanced microdetonators.

Elara's breath caught. "They're making sure the bomb works."

"Confirmed. If the enhanced device is detonated, it will increase the likelihood of Hitler's death to 99.8%."

She stepped closer, her disruptor in hand, carefully aiming at the operatives. But before she could fire, one of them spoke without turning.

"We've been expecting you, Dr. Trent."

Elara froze. The taller operative turned, pulling off his officer's cap to reveal Kai Rynar's smirking face. "You Chrono-Guard agents are so predictable."

"How are you doing this?" she demanded, stepping into the room. "This era isn't your playground, Kai."

"Oh, but it is," Kai replied, his tone casual. "You see, history is like clay—it's meant to be molded. And this moment, this pivotal failure in your timeline, is a chance to reshape everything."

Elara gritted her teeth. "By letting Hitler die and throwing the world into chaos? That's your big plan?"

Kai chuckled, his calm demeanor chilling. "Chaos is just another word for freedom. A fractured Nazi leadership opens doors you can't even imagine. Besides, your timeline isn't as noble as you think."

"I've seen your work," Elara shot back. "You're not liberators—you're terrorists."

Kai sighed, as if disappointed. "Still clinging to your Chrono-Guard's propaganda, I see. Tell me, Elara, has it ever occurred to you to question the history you've been ordered to protect?"

Before she could respond, the second operative lunged at her. Elara fired her disruptor, the pulse striking him square in the chest and sending him sprawling. Kai, however, was quicker. He activated a device on his wrist, creating a shimmering shield that deflected her next shot.

"You're good," he said, circling her. "But not good enough."

Elara lunged toward the suitcase bomb, her hand reaching for the modified detonators. Kai intercepted her, grabbing her wrist and twisting it painfully.

"This bomb is going off, Elara," he hissed. "And when it does, the world will finally break free from its chains."

Elara winced but managed to shove him back. "Not on my watch."

The room exploded into chaos. Elara ducked behind a stack of crates as Kai fired at her with a sleek energy pistol. She returned fire, her disruptor's pulses lighting up the dim space. The bomb's timer began to tick, its countdown accelerated by the Revisionist tech.

"Chrono, I need options!" Elara shouted, her back against the wall.

"Recommendation: disrupt the bomb's power source. However, the device is shielded. You will need to remove the shield manually."

"Of course I will," she muttered.

She darted out of cover, sliding toward the bomb. Kai's shots barely missed her as she grabbed the suitcase and pried it open. The inner mechanisms glowed with blue energy, a clear sign of Revisionist interference.

"Elara, don't!" Kai shouted, his voice tinged with desperation. "You don't understand what's at stake!"

"Neither do you!" she snapped, ripping out the power core. Sparks flew as the countdown stopped at 00:02.

Kai stared at her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint hum of Chrono's systems.

"This isn't over," he said, activating his recall device. In a flash of light, he was gone.

Elara sat on the floor, breathing heavily as soldiers burst into the room, alerted by the commotion. She held up her forged papers, quickly fabricating a story about a saboteur she'd neutralized. The officers seemed convinced, their attention more focused on securing the compound.

As she slipped away from the chaos, she couldn't help but feel a pang of doubt. Kai's words haunted her.

"Has it ever occurred to you to question the history you've been ordered to protect?"

Back in the Time Pod, Elara leaned back, staring at the swirling vortex of the time stream. The mission was technically a success. Hitler had survived as history dictated. But the nagging question remained: was she truly preserving history—or rewriting it?