Legion: A Love Story (Unabridged‪)‬

Staff Sergeant Jason Essex, you have received the following orders from the United States Marine Corps: 

Report to: Cain Institute [address redacted] 

Reporting date: between 0800 and 1700 hours 01 Nov. 

Assigned to: Dr. Susan Jenner, project director 

Active duty commitment: Guard an entity currently held in an enclosure at the Cain Institute. Record daily measurements. Keep any and all persons from entering or leaving the facility. Ensure the entity remains completely incarcerated. Observe the entity without engaging. 

Purpose: Relieve science officers for necessary R&R directly related to exposure to the entity. 

Additional instructions: This assignment will be carried out in full isolation. Please be advised.

(This story is approximately 15,000 words and was previously published in the anthology All in Fear. The anthology is no longer available. Other than an updated cover, there are no changes to the story from its original version.)