Western Nepal

1939

The howling night wind swept across a snowy valley high in the Himalayan Mountains. Three figures emerged on the rim, and looked down onto the ruins below. A huge, ice covered statue of a woman with her arms outstretched dominated the complex. Only a large domed structure stood behind her, everything else had fallen into indistinguishable ruins. The smallest of the figures motioned down to the valley ruins. They were almost there.

Dawn was breaking over the valley by the time the three men made it to the ruins. The smallest of the three removed his hood. He was a small dark man with a couple wisps of facial hair.

"I wait here. You go ahead," the sherpa said. The largest man nodded and continued into the ruins, his eyes barely visible behind his rime-covered goggles.

The two men approached the domed ruin, it was sealed with an intricately carved door. Everything in the ruins that still existed showed signs of being expertly crafted. Despite the door's immense size, the large goggled man pushed it open with ease. Inside was a temple to some unknown entity. There were two large skylights which let in huge piles of snow, but managed to illuminate the entire room. Across the sides were large faded murals with only parts of images still visible, while at the far end there were two doors that lead to other rooms. There was another statue of a woman, identical to the large one outside, that stood at the end.

And in the center, a small dais with a third smaller statue made of solid gold. Instead of both arms outstretched, this one was of a woman with her arms in front of her, with her palms upturned. Her face, though faded, appeared to depict her as talking or singing.

The large man took off his goggles and scarf. He looked very young, despite his size, around eighteen years. His scraggly blonde hair visible underneath his hat. "Is this it?" He asked. "I thought it would be bigger."

The second man removed his scarf from his face, his hair still obscured by a wide-brimmed fedora. He was in his early 40s and had a rugged face and a large short scar across his chin. His five o'clock shadow was longer than usual, bordering on a true beard. The mileage was just beginning to catch up with Indiana Jones. "This is it. Do you know what you're looking for Bjorgman?"

"I'm not here for your gold, Doctor," said Kristoff Bjorgman, "The idol is yours, I'm looking for something worth a lot more." Bjorgman walked slowly in front of Indy, until one of his steps landed on a small round tile, and depressed quickly into the ground. Kristoff's heart jumped into his throat. He'd just triggered a booby-trap. Ancient machinery rumbled and whirred until a large crash. A small puff of air arose from a small hole underneath where Kristoff was standing. A small dull spike rose roughly an inch out of the hole before falling back down. Indiana Jones walked calmly up to the central dais. Unlike some previous places he'd been, the builders of this temple were not known for their booby-trapping prowess.

"C'mon, stop messing around," said Indy.

"What? I almost died and all you can say is stop messing around!"

"Find what you're looking for and let's go."

Kristoff turned away from Indy in a huff, but he watched to make sure he didn't step on any more 'traps' and moved in towards one of the side doors in the back of the temple. Indiana approached the dais, and examined the golden statuette. He blew as much of the snow off of it as he could before touching it. He traced out, with his finger, what looked to be a pressure plate, but it seemed frozen by the ice. He examined the pedestal for any other possible traps and then reached out to take the statuette.

The doors slammed open again. Into the temple burst a squad of soldiers in winter gear armed with submachine guns. Across their arms were red bands bearing a black swastika on white.

"Hände Hoch!"

"Nazis," muttered Jones. He raised his hands above his hands and turned to face the men entering the temple.

A small mustachioed man with thick glasses came in with the soldiers. "Search the temple. Bring me his accomplice," he said in high German. He walked up to Indy, "Ah, Doctor Jones. I've heard so very much about you. I was expecting someone… larger." Indy rolled his eyes. "But I can never seem to get a good description. After all, my colleagues always seem to not survive their encounters with you."

"Doctor Von Weaseldorf, I presume?"

"Wiseldorf. And yes, you are correct."

"Retirement not as fulfilling as you thought?"

"Alas, Doctor Jones, you are again correct. Teaching archaeology is does not have the same thrill as field work. But then again, receiving a personal directive from the head of the German State is enough to bring anyone out of retirement."

Indiana remembered what he could about Doctor Von Weaseldorf. He was an older Bavarian aristocrat who taught archaeology at the Fredrick William University in Berlin, and possibly a member of the secretive Thule Society before it was disbanded. Either way he was no fan of der Fuhrer. But he was only one man, and when the most powerful man in Europe says jump...

Two soldiers brought Kristoff back to the temple sanctuary. His hands were also above his head.

"A new protege? You do go through them so quickly."

"He's-" started Indy.

"I'm not a student! I'm his partner!"

"Partner? Hmm… well, maybe I must take you seriously," Von Weaseldorf joked.

"Look, Weas- Wiseldorf, you have what you want," Indy motioned to the statue, "You don't need us."

"Ah, you misunderstand, Jones. The statuette is yours, my prize is more unique than your mundane gold.

Indiana's eyes narrowed. This is the second time someone had told him of a greater treasure in this temple that he didn't have any idea about.

"Search them!" Von Weaseldorf ordered. The closest soldier patted down Jones, while another searched Kristoff. All either of them took was Jones' revolver. Von Weaseldorf took it, emptied it and handed it back to Jones.

"For once, Jones, we are not enemies." Von Weaseldorf reached out and grabbed the statuette, but nothing happened. The trap mechanism was frozen solid.

"Here," he handed Jones the statuette, "take it and leave us to our search."

Outside the ruins, Kristoff and Indiana regrouped with the sherpa.

Indy turned to Kristoff, "I don't like being kept in the dark."

"What?"

"The only things in the temple were the statuette and ice! What are they searching for?"

"You're more right than you know, Doctor." said Kristoff, as he pulled a small bundle out of his overcoat. He unwrapped it to show Jones a solid crystal handle that appeared dusted by snow and ice. It was absolutely perfectly cut except for a break where it would attach to another, missing part. Carved onto it was a small six sided snowflake. "They were looking for this."

Barnett College

March 1940

"...And despite what the research suggested, there were only a few small barrows in the entire vicinity of the dig, and none showing the traditional preparation afforded to local chieftains or persons of prominence, and certainly not belonging to Thorwald Ericsson. Despite the research that doctors Ogilvy and Mathowe presented, it was only backed up by circumstantial evidence linking it to the local folklore about the subject."

Indiana paused.

"Research must be based on fact, not stories, and every claim must be examined critically. Folklore and fairytales are not a good basis for any expedition."

The class bell rang.

"Read Michelson, chapters four and five for tuesday. I will not have office hours on friday or this weekend. If you need to discuss your term paper topics with me, I will be able on tuesday after class."

A tall thin man was standing at the door by them time Dr. Jones was ready to leave the classroom.

"Doctor Jones?"

"Yes, can I help you?"

"Major Southland, Army Intelligence. My colleagues approach you a few years ago regarding Abner Ravenwood..."

"I remember. They asked me to look into a foreign archaeological dig. I gave them everything I knew in the debriefing, and I'm not allowed to talk about it."

"Yes, and the US Government thanks you for your efforts, whatever they may have been, but this is not about that, this is something else. I was wondering if we could talk."

Indy motioned to the emptying classroom.

"In private."

Indiana shrugged, "I'm sure my secretary could schedule an appointment for next week."

"This is a matter of vital national importance, Doctor Jones, perhaps if you have time…"

Indiana rolled his eyes. "Yes, I have sometime now," he interrupted.

Ten minutes later, the two of them were in Dr. Jones' office, a crowded messy room that resembled a utility room more than a professor's office.

"We've received an intercepted cable from Tromso, Norway to Berlin, regarding an archaeological dig in Arctic Norway. It's specifically from a Duke Von Weaseldorf, with whom you're familiar?"

"I've read some of his work, he was professor of archeology at Fredrick William University in Berlin."

"And one of the most prominent German archaeologists in the field, despite being retired" interrupted Southland.

"I had… heard," said Indiana, "that he'd recently come out of retirement."

"So have we."

"But, I'm hardly an expert on Von Weaseldorf. I only think I've met him once or twice. I could name four other men right now who've studied under him. I'm not sure how I can help you."

Major Southland pursed his lips and handed Indiana a copy of the telegraph.

"The telegraph mentions you by name."

It read: "mirror artifact found stop to return to snow palace site stop only missing piece is nepal artifact stop obtain artifact kristoff bjorgman norway or henry jones jr america stop von weaseldorf end"

"Do you know what artifact Weaseldorf is talking about?" asked Southland. "More importantly, do you have it?"

Indiana Jones nodded. A flash of recognition went across his face. "The 'nepal artifact' it talks about, I've seen it. But I don't have it. It's a handle, about four and a half, five inches long. Made of solid perfect crystal, with no crafting marks except for a small engraving of a six pointed snowflake. It looked almost like it was made of ice."

"The Nazi's are looking for a crystal handle?"

"No." Indiana stood up and walked to a bookshelf behind the two army men. "They're looking for the Mirror of Reason."

"Mirror of Reason?"

Jones pulled out a rune covered book, and flipped to the relevant page. A six pointed snowflake was the only illustration. "It's an ancient Scandinavian legend. According to the tale, it's a magic pond or lake that's surface is as still and smooth as glass, and supposedly quite beautiful, though it only reflects the worst qualities of those who look through it."

Indy flipped a few pages ahead, and illustration on the page depicts two images of the same man, in the first, he's shown standing in strong. In the second, the man is at his knees beneath a round blue mirror. A single beam from the mirror is striking his chest, which appears frozen.

"The legend goes that it's waters can be frozen into a solid pane, which takes on the properties of a glassy mirror, and gives those who look through it the power to 'freeze or control men's hearts' or some such, and cause all those who look upon themselves to despair. It doesn't quite translate."

Southland's eyebrows piqued. "A-are you talking about…" he asked "...mind control?"

Indy raised his eyebrows. The look said it all.

"Well. You know why we came to you about this. Obviously, this Von Weaseldorf, and Germany, cannot be allowed to obtain this artifact."

"Again, Indy?" asked Marcus Brody, as he casually walked around Indiana's front room.

"They're paying." Indiana said in the middle of packing a large suitcase with winter clothes. "And besides, I know they pay well. Plus, the museum gets this mirror or whatever it is when we're done. Uncle Sam still owes you for the last time they wanted me."

"Still, Indy, I find it hard to believe that you're going after this Scandinavia mirror, this isn't the same as the Ark of the Covenant… or the Holy Grail. There's only a handful of references to it throughout all of history. Before today, I thought the entire thing was made up by Hans Christian Anderson!"

"But, I've seen it, Marcus."

Marcus lowered his eyes at Indy.

"Well, a part of it, anyway. I just have to find Kristoff in Copenhagen, get his piece and return here. Without the complete artifact, I highly doubt this Von Weaseldorf will be able to get anywhere with it."

Indy looked back at Marcus.

"I'm always careful." Indiana said as he tossed his revolver into the top of the suitcase.

"It's not that, Indy. It's just… you've read the legend. The only defense against the power of the mirror is, well, 'true love'. And in all the years I've known you, you've never seemed to be a…"

"... a lover? There's a first time for everything, Marcus."

Indiana saw Major Southland once more before leaving for Copenhagen. Just prior to boarding the Pan-Am Boeing 314, Major Southland gave a complete briefing.

"You'll arrive in Denmark in just under forty hours. Firstly, check in with the embassy in Copenhagen. If your information on this Kristoff Bjorgman is correct, you should find him and secure this nepal artifact, and return it to our agent there. Then, check back with me within four days time. From there we'll be able to determine our next moves. Any questions, Dr. Jones?"

"How will I contact you, Major?"

"I'll be available through the embassy in London. And, Indiana."

Jones looked back.

"Call me, Hans."