Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business Tales of the Legion: In Universe 248 VOL 2. Update 08/08/2021

Cybernetica:

Nightwind floated high above the surface of Cybernetica, meditating. Her eyes closed tight as she listened to the sounds carried on the winds from across this makeshift world that had been formed with the help of two eternal beings known as The Elementals. The Elementals are beings who take a sentient host to guide the world with their powers of nature. Nightwind was supposed to be one of them. The world below her bustled with life, the sounds of the new cybernetic species working to build their world. Construction of roads, buildings, townships, and many other moving parts rushed past her ears. The loud pounding of hammers forged from the fists of their wielders while the buzzing of drills screeched through the air from the spinning legs and feet of several others with every step they made. Nightwind smiled as she tried to imagine all the sentients below and how each of them chose to use their newly minted gifts. Suddenly, Nightwind felt the air gently rush around her cooling her down a bit. Cybernetica's temperatures were hotter than other worlds as the atmosphere around them was still being built, leaving the new world somewhat unprotected against the heat from the nearby sun.

"Thank you, mother wind for this gift on this hottest of days." Nightwind's violet eyes slowly opened, revealing the wind elemental known as A'rie flying and circling around her newest host Yigr.

Nightwind greeted them with a small smile and a bow. Both of them waved at her as they flew by, energizing this new world with the winds of life. Grabbing hold of tiny particles of dirt and seeds birthed by her fellow elemental Rrox/Blok.

"I want to be happy for Yigr. I truly do. I know she is experiencing a joyous thing. But that was supposed to be me. I have trained all my life...my family stripped from me once my gifts appeared when I was five." Nightwind's anger and hurt welled up, but she couldn't bring herself to cry. If she cried, she'd be giving in to emotions, and giving in to those emotions could unleash her powers unrestrained.

Nightwind's momentary indulgence activated her powers as a strong current began rushing around her.

"Take in the emotion...breath...1...2...3...4...5...6....whew..." Nightwind slowly breathed in and out, closing her eyes and refocusing her mind.

"It doesn't usually get to six. I think I need to contact my mentors and ask for their guidance." Nightwind thought to herself.

<Nightwind, are you almost ready?> Ferro's voice entered her mind and interrupted her thoughts via the telepathic earplug communications network.

<Andrew, is it time for dinner already?> Nightwind thought back, wiping away the small tears she felt form as she tried to calm down.

<Yup. Virx has found a few new master chefs amid the new Cybernetics. He's employed them for the night to thank the squad for coming out to help with the processing of all the new sentients.> Ferro was slightly anxious to see Nightwind. She had been on this mission to Cybernetica for almost a month.

"Don't be nervous. Don't be nervous." Ferro thought to himself. This would be the first time since their outing to Cyclone World. The team as a whole hadn't had much downtime, and Ferro was happy to do his part. But he was starting to feel a little burnt out, and the only solace he seemed to have over the past few weeks was getting to go on missions with Nightwind; that is until she got stationed on Cybernetica for the foreseeable future.

Nightwind gently lowered herself from the sky. Her black braided hair slowly undoing itself as she descended. Revealing a giant mess of thick purple and black curls that circled her face. When she landed, she had nothing but a smile on her face as she looked upon Ferro, who stared at her in awe.

"You look gorgeous." Ferro complimented Nightwind reaching out his hand to take hers.

"Thank you, Andrew. I hope Virx is fine with me wearing my uniform." Nightwind looked down humbly before taking his hand and noticing Ferro had dressed up for the occasion in a blue suit.

"I'm sure it will be fine. I just wanted to look...different for the night since I never get to look like I'm off duty." Ferro was blushing hard, but being a man of literal iron, that wasn't easy to see. For that, he was thankful.

"Then you look very...what was the word I overheard Violet saying...Horrensome." Nightwind smiled.

"Hehe... I think you mean Handsome."

"Handsome..." Nightwind had never heard this word before throughout her studies.

"How about I explain while we walk. We should get to our dinner with Virx." Ferro led Nightwind down a small dirt path that had been lined with flowers that glowed a dark pink from their glass petals filled with tiny pink light bulbs whose wires ran out the bottom and into the ground.

"I may not have been chosen to be the great winds new host. But Andrew makes me feel chosen...and...soothed." Nightwind thought to herself as they walked. Having an intimate relationship on any level with anyone was difficult for most sentients, but for Nightwind, it was even harder. She was always told this could never happen for her as a host for the Great Winds and her own raw emotion-filled powers. But, now her future was wide open, and she was happy to have someone like Ferro with her to help soothe her.

I like your Gim, he's so concerned about everyone and he really cares, but he does it without being - sorry to say - a bit of a jerk like Reboot Gim was.

Nice blossoming relationship between Ferro and Nightwind. I also like how studious Nightwind is, and how she needs to keep her emotions controlled to also control her powers. , while Ferro has become more confident yet still a very nice kind guy

Also cool to see the Elementals becoming potentially a force for good!

Anndranna: Anndranna Prime: Anndraopolis: Dormitory Drive: FireBall's quarters.

Red and orange hues danced across the sky as they invaded, the hues shifting into streaks of gold that rained down from the sky. Each streak becoming the blazing form of a golden warrior whose fire reached out from them. With each strike of their swords, spears, and arrows, flames burst forth, destroying everything in their path. Humanoids ran in every direction trying to escape the infernos. Smog filled the skies blocking out the stars above while the eerie green glow of a floating eye glided through the smog-filled sky, tainting it further and twisting it while it searched for the scorched planet for the rage within the world.

Stepping into the charred remains of the humanoids that had been running from the flames crushing them. From the smoke stood the only brightness on this now-dead world. The reddish-gold armor glistened through the smoke like a beacon. The glow called to all who dared to stand in her way. Her blade, bright like a sun dripped with the crimson dried blood of those who had fought back against their descent.

"Ruff! Ruff! HOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The howl of the brimstone dogs erupted into the sky. The smog and flame from their mouths added to the darkness.

The wind whisked the smoke away revealed the glowing red crystals below the surface that the Brimstone dogs had unearthed.

"Ugg...ngg....No....mother...no..." Cadet Fireball tossed and turned in her bed. She had been trying to sleep for three days now. But every time she tried to, her mind would fill with nothing but nightmares and visions.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cadet Fireball screamed, her body bursting flames that surrounded her body revealed reddish-golden armor that flickered to life around her body before setting her bed on fire.

"Fire detected! Suppression methods activated" The A.I. loudly toned before it rained down a glopping mess of blue fire-retardant foam.

"Huh...?" Cadet Fireball looked back and forth, covered in the fire-retardant foam seeing only her dark room with the auto-shades drawn, unsure of what time of day it was.

"What is happening to me?" Cadet Fireball pulled her knees up and held herself tight.

Hi Omni, I really liked that interchange between Nightwind and Ferro - I thought this bit was sweet:

Jewel being the jewel Mordru is looking for is a great twist! I can't see this ending well for the good guys though somehow lol

Hey Omni, I've got an hour, so plan on putting it to the best of use and write you shameless praise... ahem, a review. Also, apologies again for the delay but life is really busy, so sadly finding the time to really dig into the fics to give it the attention it deserves is sometimes difficult to do. so, anyway, diving in...

Jeudoel sounds interesting, I love these imaginary worlds that don't follow known science, and the encyclopedia galactica entries are such a clever way to introduce a scene.

I know it's wrong but I laughed when the grass snapped back into Amp's face, it's such a classic slapstick trope but it still always works

Vertigo's maturity was well shown, especially against Best Boy's urge to prove himself.

The tree with wndows and lights souunds enchanting, like something from a fairy tale. And more slapstick as garth smacks into the glass wall, haha, that'll learn him for not waiting for the team!

Tharok checking his hair in the reflection of validus' brain case - haha, great! Nice that Garth twigs onto the sinister influence on them too, his experience coming through when it's needed.

The Psycho-Pirate -nice! Is Shurtoaga the Taker an original character? He seems really powerful, so I reckon this might get explosive.

The inside of Validus' mind is very unexpected, and him talking lucidly like that... there's obviously a big story there waiting to come out as he's clearly not the brainless brute that everyone sees.

Haha - Shurtoaga blasting himself in the head to try to shake off mandalla's hallucinations, that gave me another laugh.

Nice end to that scene between Tharok and Shurtoaga.

"Uhhhh...I'm never drinking again." - we've all said that, and we all lie...

Funny that Beast Boy finally gets to track someone and it's too late, oh well.

And, meant to ask, are those crystals from an early S&TLoSH story as they sound familiar?

Nice bit of back-story for Gossamer, being grown in a pod with strawberry flavoured glop being given as a treat - doesn't sound like fun.

Oop, Swap seeing Gossamer and Quicksand hold hands was real soap opera timimg, guess he won't be swapping her powers back in a hurry now.

Erin looking after Gim's welfare was sweet, she's a good egg in every reality it seems. And nice look into Mandalla's past too. Gim's compassion for her by volunteering a visa to have Anndranna as her homeworld was well done too, he's another good egg

Nice scene with Mordru, with a good explanation of how he could circumvent the treaty and a Rimborian councilman being host to Shurtoaga the Taker? that's a surprise and will get interesting...

Nice to see Mysa in touch with Chu. The reboot version of the white Witch confuses me a bit, tbh, but you have given her a strong enough character that she's quite distinctive.

Chu is another reboot character I don't really know but you've put so much into that one scene with the Titan Adept that she's a strong character. Being a relative of Mordru's? That explains why Mysa would contact her, and why she'd take Mysa's call.

Boom! There's an unexpected twist! Cadet Jewel is the crystal Mordru is after.

Very sweet scene with Vi and Gim - great way to show how much is going on, how the relationship between the two is remarkably solid, reinforce that Vi is a surprisingly togh cookie (just another day as a Legionnsire, indeed), and also show much trusted Imra is that Gim will only trust her when communicating through the TitanNt to Chu.

Nightwind feeling jealous at not being the elemental's host was very human and gives her a little bit of depth. We all get feelings like that when wefear we've missed out but often in comics these bits of character flaws are swept under the carpet or made into much bigger and cartoonish facets of a character. Nice that it was acknowleged then moved on from. Also, nice she has enough awareness to know it's time to call her mentors for support. The scene between her and Ferro was also well done, they'd make an awesome couple so nie match-making there Omni

Hopefully Fireball isn't having a vision of what's away to happen, as that was brutal! Another cliffhanger to end on, well done.

What a ride Omni, from teenage angst and soap opera, to macheavellian political scheming, sweet interpersonal down-beats, galactic mysteries and super-heroics! Your fic has it all, and I 'm looking forward to more, more and much more!

Hi All,

Thank you for all the kind words! i love hearing all of your thoughts.

I'm glad that everyone is enjoying Nightwind and Ferro together. They are a sweet couple.
Also glad you all like my Gim. He is a good egg, Harbinger and IB, your right he cares so much. But hopefully he won't cross that line and be too over barring with that caring.

. I'm glad you all liked that twist about Cadet Jewel and you are all right, this won't end well for anyone. especially once you see what's coming.

IB, i'm hoping the Elementals will be a force for good for a while to come. But as we know nature is unpredictable. stay tuned.

Harbinger,
Mysa's the ambassador to the United Planets, if i didn't make that clear before that's my fault. i'll try be clearer about that. Same with Chu's relationship to Mordru; which will be coming up more!
But I'm glad you really liked their scenes and that their strong characterizations came through.

Shurtoaga the Taker is an OC. But nothing the team can't handle.

If you're referring to the Blood Crystals, then yes they are from an Early Superboy and the Legion of Super-heroes story. i read about them on cosmicteams.com and thought they would be a fun tool for Mordru to play with in this reality.

looking to have more soon!

re Jewel, I think I posted just as you posted the reveal of Jewel! Missed it initially, had to go back and read. Smart!

Zerrox:

Mysa walked the dark halls of the castle. She made her way towards the chambers of her young protege. The latest wielder of the Emerald Eye. Torches lit the way, exploding to life upon Mysa's arrival and just as quickly extinguishing themselves. Mysa knew the Emerald Eye was away assisting Mordru's latest tools, the Golden Blood Army. They were searching for something, which she thought to be, Calculha's Crystal.

"He uses every tool...I must start using mine as well." Mysa thought to herself.

Mysa gently knocked on the young woman's door.

"Zoe? How is your meditation going?" Mysa looked upon the red-haired girl floating above her bed. A long flowing green cape hung down. The edges brushing lightly against its soft surface.

"Fine." Zoe answered her voice conveyed the annoyance of the intrusion. Her back was turned to the door. A thick green telekinetic shield wrapped around her.

"I'm sorry, I have not been around as much. The Dark Lord has had me rather...tied up."

"Mysa, I know you have duties. But with Xao missing, my training has fallen behind. Mordru chastised me for my unpreparedness at dinner the other night. I was to be performing a truth spell on a dignitary from a new world he had acquired. They are notorious liars and tricksters. But their Eye couldn't be there. He knew they would be prepared for his magic, and oh Mysa, they were. The wards they had on them would have even kept you at bay. But they weren't ready for mine. But then I messed up. I broke concentration and engaged them..." Zoe floated down to her bed. She relaxed her telekinetic shields revealing the imprint of the Dark Lord's hand across her face.

"Zoe...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know I promised he would never do this again..."

"But you can't make that promise because it is one you cannot keep. The Dark Lord is the one with all the power. I had been doing well enough to stay out of his crosshairs. But without Xao, that's become increasingly harder...Mysa, how are my mother and brother?" Zoe asked, her green eyes filled with anger and fear. Zoe chose this moment to ask something she hadn't been able to ask since arriving in Mysa's services and she needed to see them know that it was all worth it.

"They are well."

"Can I see them?"

"You are not supposed to..."

"Mysa, please." Zoe pleaded.

"We must go now. The Dark Lord is away from Zerrox." Mysa quickly turned and left Zoe's room, who quickly followed behind her floating through the air.

"Mysa, thank you. With Xao missing and you being so busy, I'm very lonely..." Zoe admitted.

"I know child. I know. The world I've gotten you stuck in is, unfortunately, an isolated one for all of us..." Mysa trailed off. She shuffled down the stone hall quickly.

"You miss him too?"

"Who?" Mysa knew who she was talking about but she had pushed that feeling far from her mind.

"Xao...you're worried about him, aren't you?" Zoe tried to fill the silence between them, but she often found it hard to talk with Mysa.

"Of course, I am. He, like you, is one of my apprentices. But I know he is fine. I would have sensed if any real harm had come to him." Mysa's voice almost cracked.

"But he's missing...has been for months. How can you be so sure?"

"Because I am, child. Now is not the time to concentrate on Xao." Mysa tried to change the subject.

"You know where he is don't you?" Zoe asked, her green eyes narrowing.

"Yes..."

"And you haven't said anything or done anything to get him? I've been worried sick about him. Every day I pray that he comes back and you've just left him?" Bright green energy swirled around her. Anger filled her green eyes, making them glow.

"He is with the United Planets. He is much safer with them than here. Trust me. If he had returned, I doubt the Dark Lord would have allowed him to live outside of that sprocking chandelier of failure. You know the one the Dark Lord spins in his throne room." Mysa lashed out a little bit. Her own anger erupted forth. A gust of wind blew past her, towards Zoe blowing her thick red hair back, while Mysa's eyes glowed bright white.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?" Zoe asked defeatedly.

"I'm sorry...I didn't want you to rush off and try something that could get you caught or worse killed for failure in the eyes of our Dark Lord." Mysa stopped abruptly. The two of them stood before a big thick oak door.

"Through there." Mysa pointed at the door.

"It can't be this easy to see them?" Zoe looked at the door, no locks insight. But she had walked this corridor thousands of times and never once saw this door.

"The door is enchanted. I know the enchantment because Mordru has tasked me with looking in on them." Mysa admitted.

Zoe's anger began to rage within her. But then she took a deep breath and calmed herself.

"Thank you for looking after them...I know this is hard on you too." Zoe tried her best to not sound angry, but she knew it came through every word she said.

The thick oak door crept open on its own. Cool air radiated out from the darkness before a small torch burst into flames. Mysa led the way, Zoe following close behind. The two of them crept down a long winding stairwell. Torches igniting with each step. After what seemed like forever to Zoe, they finally reached a large stone room. Mysa stepped onto the floor, officially entering the room. With that step, she ignited every torch in the room. There before Mysa and Zoe floated two giant gems. One black garnet and one white pearl.

"Are they alright in there?" Zoe's green eyes widened.

"Yes, my dear. They are under a sleeping spell and do not need food or drink. The spell allows the two of them to age without harm. So that the day they are free, you and they will be able to be together without the complications of the average sleeping spell. the spell gives a sense of immortality." Mysa explained, she called forth a stone cane that grew from the floor to hold herself upright.

"Does that mean that someday we'll all be free from the cursed Dark Lord?" Zoe asked, she placed her hands on the two giant gems.

"Yes, my child. I have hope that we will be."

Anndranna: Anndranna Prime: Anndraopolis: United Planets Embassy and Science Police Headquarters: Captain Allon's Office.

Saturn Girl had made her way to Captain Allon's office quickly from the locker rooms. Her shift was just starting, and she was ready for whatever was about to happen. It had been a busy week. But, having the last few hours to relax at her and Garths apartment allowed her to feel recharged.

"Let's see...Garth's due back in a few hours. But I'm on shift for the next twelve. I'll leave him a holo-message later. Captain Allon, must have something big for me to do if I'm called to his office." Saturn Girl thought to herself on the jump-tube ride to Captain Allon's office.

"Officer Saturn Girl, thank you for coming so quickly." Captain Allon put on his best smile. However, Saturn Girl could sense the worrying thoughts rushing from his mind.

"Morning Captain, I?m sorry to ask but is everything alright? You are broadcasting your thoughts pretty loudly." Saturn Girl rubbed her temple for a moment tried to tone down the psychic energy radiating at her.

"Sorry about that. I have my TitanNet temple amplifiers on. President Chu is waiting on the line." Captain Allon pointed to his temples while his eyes flashed with panic.

Saturn Girl understood all too well. President Chu of this reality was a fairly intimidating person whose fake smile hid many secrets.

"Understood. Take a seat Captain." Saturn Girl gestured to the floating white chair in front of her.

Saturn Girl placed her hands on Captain Allon's temples while he closed his eyes and tried to focus. Bright pink psychic energy began surrounding Saturn Girl and Captain Allon as it wafted up into the air. Within seconds the pink psychic energy spread out until it jumped from the two of them and formed the image of President Chu sitting before them.

"Captain Allon, it is good to see you." President Chu smiled at both of them.

"It's good to see you as well, Madam President. What can I do for you?" Captain Allon returned her smile, but his eyes were filled with nothing but worry.

"I need a team of your finest officers that can do somethings for me discretely..."

"I'm sure I can come up with a group of officers. But if I may ask Madam President, is this meta-human related, or is this a more personal matter? If it's personal, I might suggest a private detective. I don't mean to be rude, but we have a lot on our plate these days."

"It's a Mordru matter." The smile faded from President Chu's face.

Captain Allon and Saturn Girl's eyes widened. Saturn Girl had recently come face to face with the Dark Lord. She wasn't looking forward to another interaction anytime soon. President Chu continued before any questions could be asked.

"We have a traitor in our midst. It seems Rep. Yan of Rimbor is working for Mordru. He's been seen with him."

"How did you find this out?" Captian Allon asked, his eyebrow-raising.

"I have spies of my own within Mordru's territory. But I have no official proof that I can present to the Council without risking my contacts' safety." President Chu explained.

"And you need our help to get said proof." Captain Allon's mind began cycling through officers and cadets that he could think of.

"Yes."

"How could Rep. Yan do something like this?" Saturn Girl thought to herself, only for her powerful psychic powers to force the thought through Captain Allon's mind and out of his mouth.

Captain Allon sent a displeased thought to Officer Saturn Girl's mind, who profusely apologized, blaming her own fear and curiosity for getting the better of her. But she knew part of it was the surge of her powers.

"I believe he is looking for something. Something of a magical nature that was hidden from him long ago."

"Culcalha's Crystal?" Captain Allon asked, knowing the answer before President Chu said it.

"Yes. How did you know?" President Chu's brown eyes narrowed looking at the two of them. Her suspicion, fear, and anger flashed through, causing her image to fizzle for a moment.

"I had a team out on Jeudoel, and they were attacked by two individuals looking for the same item. They made it clear they work for Mordru. But this explains how they were able to get planet side on Jeudoel and negate the treaty."

"Send me that report as soon as possible. I think Rep Yan may be helping get Mordru's agents on various worlds."

"Is that a part of the treaty? I thought they were barred no matter what?" Captain Allon asked, realizing he needed to review the treaty again. He realized he hadn't read it since his academy days.

"Because Mysa is his representative with the United Planets there is one loophole that allows his agents to arrive on one of our worlds. Mysa, as his representative, can be invited to a world if they need something from the Dark Lord. But the Dark Lord never lets her come to these worlds alone. Mysa has told me of many who have invoked his name for some reason or another and made a deal with the devil. Once they have invited him in, he has access to a 100 click radius from the domain of the one who summoned him."

"Then the reports and urban legends are true? Many a sentient has claimed to see the hordes of Mordru come close to their door."

"Yes, Captain, they are." President Chu hung her head in shame, one of the few concessions she could get into the treaty to keep him at bay.

"But the public has never been made aware of this?"

"No. We cannot stop sentients from summoning Mordru, and I did not want to start civil wars among the populations. He has worshipers all over the galaxy. As well as magical practitioners in general. Some spells call on him even if they wish not to. He is the supreme, a lord of chaos magic, and lord of Zerrox; the bastion of magic in our galaxy. All magic flows through there. I cannot control sentients, but I can control how far his reach can go. I would have gone for less. But the arguments to that raged for hours before I finally got him to agree to that. But I also got him to agree to one more item..."

"The missing sentients reports." Captain Allon realized.

"Yes. Very astute Captain. Those who chose to contact the Dark Lord are then ordered to leave United Planets space, never to return. They are given over to Mordru as a sacrifice in a sense. It is the penance for their crime." President Chu collected herself. She tossed her long straight black hair back over her shoulder. The psychic image became sharper.

"That sounds like a harsh punishment and explains why we have so few magical cadets..." Captain Allon pointed out the treaty took away an important and powerful element in their battle against Mordru.

"Yes, it has Captain. But now, we face a greater danger. If Rep. Yan is bringing Mordru's agents to our worlds. They will have free reign to ravage our worlds for whatever they want. We need to stop that. But to prove his guilt, we need a team to follow him."

"How long do I have? I've got a few ideas of whom to add to this team." Captain Allon had ideas swirling in his head, all of which Saturn Girl so far agreed with.

"I can give you...one week. Rep. Yan has logged that he will be traveling back to Rimbor from Vulna-5. There are no planets for him to make any stops on during that journey back. I would not be surprised if he spent the time in hibernation mode. Once he is on Rimbor, I want him tracked closely. But this is top secret. No one can now outside of us and the team you have chosen."

"Understood, Madam President. I'll get back to you once I have my team assembled."

President Chu bowed her head and thanked Captain Allon for his time and then cut the transmission.

Saturn Girl slowly pulled her hands away from Captain Allon's temples.

"Ahh...what the actual sprock!" Captain Allon slumped down in his chair exhausted.

Saturn Girl waved for a nearby floating chair to come closer, taking a seat next to the Captain.

"From what I was gathering of your thoughts and that expression, this is bad?" Saturn Girl asked, she didn't want to intrude on Captain Allon's thoughts any more than she had to during the TitanNet call.

"Yes. The Jeudole team faced a demi-god and a man who can manipulate emotions looking for that crystal. If Rep. Yan really is working with Mordru that means he could have either of them protecting him. It took a lot for the last team to take him down. We need a stealthy team but a strategic one as well. Add this to the numerous other problems we have..."

"And we'll be fine. We can handle this. It's part of the job right, Captain?" Saturn Girl did her best to rebuild Captain Allon's faith in the unit.

"You're right?I think I know at least two members for the squad thought."

"Invisible Kid is a great choice. You thought of him while we were in the meeting."

"Ha. Yes. From what I've seen of his work so far he's got a good mind and Vi tells me he's an expert Spy in your home reality."

Saturn Girl was taken back for a second. It hadn't been that long ago that she was reminded this wasn't her home reality. But every time she starts to feel at home somehow this aspect is brought back up causing her guard to rise again.

"Yes. Lyle was a very great spy back there and I know he's the one for the job here. Who was the second choice?"

"Alpha Cadet Mandalla. She proved useful against Shurtoaga the Taker."

"Is that the demi-god?"

"Yes and a demi-god from her mother's homeworld before it was destroyed. It might give us an edge in fighting him."

"I'm not as familiar with all of the Alpha cadets. But that is an advantage." Saturn Girl admitted.

"I'll have to give it some more thought to rest. But I know it won't be a large squad. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Raw power that might be able to take on a demi-god...M'Onel...Chameleon works great with Lyle. Not only power-wise but both are great at the spy game." Saturn Girl admitted.

"Yeah...Vi too would be a good choice. But this mission could last a while..." Captain Allon didn't want to see Vi gone but he knew she might be one of the best operatives to spy for them.

"It could." Saturn Girl knew what Captain Allon was thinking even without reading his mind. She had the same thoughts many times over about Garth when she led the Legion.

"Alright, Invisible Kid will lead. With M?Onel, Vi, and Alpha Cadet Mandalla accompanying him. I trust Officer Chameleon but there are a lot of places that have guarded against Durlarians and I know for a fact Rimbor has shapeshifting detectors."

"Then maybe Sensor would be a better fit? Her illusion casting along with her telepathy would make her a great asset."

"Agreed. That would. What about Triad and Shadow Lad?" Captain Allon suggested moving towards his computer calling up the team and cadet rosters. Throwing the holographic profiles of each officer and cadet up in the center of the room. A wall of holograms showing those already selected.

"Triad is great with espionage. Again, Shadow Lad is a cadet I haven't worked with much. But from what the holo-file says, he's more than perfect for spying. A living shadow, what could be better." Saturn Girl admitted knowing Lyle would love him to be added to.

"I think we have our squad. But I'm still going to look over a few profiles. Maybe play with the arrangement before I have to get it back to the President. Your dismissed Officer Saturn Girl. Thank you again for all your help."

"Anytime Captain." Saturn Girl gave a small salute and left.

The Planet Gryx

The assassin known as Dice stood atop Cryux tower, the largest building in Dryx-Er City at 1000 stories high, making it the second-largest tower in the eastern hemisphere. Dryx-Er City is known for its huge exports of Germanium. The wind blew through Dice?s straight shoulder-length yellow hair. She stood motionless, looking out over the city below. What this world knows as snow began to fall, filling the air with the smell of ammonia. Dice pulled up from around her neck a thin fabric like-mask. The mask covered her mouth and nose, leaving only her pulsing purple eyes visible.

"Are you ready, my dear Dice?" Roxxas' voice rang inside Dice?s mind while her eyes glowed a vibrant purple.

"Yes, Roxxas. I'm ready to roll the dice." Dice smiled with delight. Her hands slowly raised and clasped together. A golden aura began to surround her hands before it turned violet. The aura slowly washed outward, its energy sweeping over any hovercraft nearby. Some began to spark with fires burning from their engines, while others simply fell from the sky and plummeted to the ground.

"LOOOK OUT!"

"AHHHHH!"

"RUUUUUN!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Screams from the sentients below rang out around Dice. A wide smile spread across her face.

Anndranna: United Planets Embassy and MHS Headquarters: Mission Monitor Room

The Mission Monitor room hummed with life as officers rushed around the various holo-monitors checking the feeds. The blue and green lights from the screens cast across every officer's face making strange shadows. Sergeant Erin sat in the center command seat.

"This place sure is busy today..." Calamity King strode in as an officer rushing past almost caught hold of his arm.

"That it is. The MHS has a lot to do. Riots have broken out across the U.P. about meta-humans and their rights. Then there are the issues surrounding Cybernetics and the Roboticans being recognized as members of the U.P.. causing unrest in many worlds. Lastly, add in regular meta-human crime. Both perpetrated by a meta-human or on a meta-human. Oh, and I can't forget the ambassadorial work, and monitoring and assigning shifts for all personnel this place is definitely going to be busy for a while." Sergeant Erin said, barely looking away from her holo-screen.

"It wasn't this busy on my shift the other night..." Calamity King grabbed his assigned Omnicom for the Mission Monitor room.

"Let's see what I've been tasked with watching today..." Calamity King began scanning feeds for missions coming in. Every mission he had been assigned had to deal with unexplained phenomena.

"URGENT! NEED HELP!" A rescue feed ran across his screen. Calamity King tapped it quickly. He discovered a video feed of either exploding or stalling hovercrafts falling from the skies. While building alarms went off uncontrollably, and clothes simply fell apart, leaving the modest citizens of Dryx-Er City running in droves to find places to hide. But as he scrolled through the feeds, many more things going wrong across the city came to the forefront.

"Sergent Erin, this world needs help right away!" Calamity King tossed the feed from his Omnicom to the main screen with a flick of his finger. Showing all of the disasters running across the city.

"What world is that?" Sergeant Erin asked

"It's Gryx, Sergeant. Uhmmm...They hate meta-humans there." Calamity King cautioned.

"They may hate them. But we're the ones to help. How long has this been going on?"

"The request for help reached us moments ago. But the transmission code is marked for two hours ago?" Calamity King's yellow eyes looked up at Sergeant Erin wide.

"Emergency team! All able MHS Squad Officers on Planet report to the spaceport! Immediately!" Sergeant Erin called out over the comm system.

M'Onel quickly flew to the spaceport, reaching it in a matter of seconds. The cruiser was already prepared for the team to leave. A cruiser arriving from Cybernetica landed. Quickly Ferro and Nightwind, followed by Blast-Off, Sun Boy, and Reflex flew out of its back hatch.

M'Onel flew into the cruiser, noticed more team members joining them for the mission; Spark, next to Gates, while Sensor, Vi, and Lullaby Lad sat towards the back.

"Is this everyone?" M'Onel asked.

"Wait! Wait for us!" Raptor screamed over the commlinks.

Raptor flapped her leathery wings hard, trying to reach the cruiser before it left.

"Whose us?" M'Onel responded, he leaned out the cruiser's back hatch.

Flying in were Cadets Raptor, Saber, Calamity King, and Cannon P.

"I don't know if this is a good mission for training today Cadets." M'Onel cautioned.

"But Gryx is my homeworld! I have to go!" Raptor pleaded.

"M'Onel, they are cleared to go." Sergeant Erin?s smooth but commanding voice echoed through the cruiser's speakers.

"Then let's get going." M'Onel waved the four of them in.

They all quickly took seats. The cruiser was off towards Gryx.

"Thank you for grabbing me for this Calamity King! This is my first real mission." Cadet Saber sat tall, looking around at the group. His white hair was cut short and parted to the left. His all-white uniform was pristine.

"Of course, Saber. I've been where you are and more of the Alpha cadets are getting chances now." Calamity King patted Saber on the back.

"Did I hear that right? We have a mission newbie?" Spark teased.

"Hi, Officer Spark! I'm Alpha Cadet Saber." Cadet Saber saluted Spark who smiled and gestured for him to put his arm down.

"Sorry, I'm just excited. I've been training, and I know I?m new to the academy. But I'm ready to help." Cadet Saber smiled brightly.

"Good. Just don?t be too eager, kid. We don't know what we're facing yet." Spark cautioned.

"For the most part, we're doing search and rescue. The people of Gyrx need our help." Vi answered pulled up the information on the monitors.

"Which is one of the reasons Sergeant Erin and I called you up for this. Your super-strength, energy sabers, and x-ray vision will be great for finding them." Calamity King smiled at Saber.

"So, then why are you here Calamity?" Blast-Off snickered ribbing Reflex, who'd laughed with him.

"Well, when you don?t know what you are facing, why not pack the probability in your favor." Calamity King winked at them. He knew they all thought his powers were nothing but jinx and hexes, making him a walking joke. But he wasn't going to let them get to him.

Two hours and three Slipstream jumps later...

The bluish-gray clouds parted effortlessly, revealing a burning spot below as the MHS cruiser made a slow descent into Gyrx's atmosphere. Smoke billowed up into the sky. The team cautiously flew until they reached 5000 clicks above Dryx-Er City when a golden wave pulse passed over their ship.

"The sensors picked up an energy signature. It just passed over us." Vi announced the scanners going off the charts.

But before she could gather more readings, the holo-console fizzled away with a violent swirl. The hull of the cruiser began heating up as the thrusters failed. The whole ship shook and spun out of control.

"What the sprock is happening?" Lullaby Lad screamed.

"Ahhh!!!" They all screamed, the cruiser going into a tailspin.

"The ship is coming apart." M'Onel activated his x-ray vision seeing large chunks of red hot metal flying off.

"We have to get out of here." Ferro activated his flight ring and flew over to the door, punching it open. After three hits, the door was sucked out of the port and instantly sucked him out of the cruiser. The cabin's pressure dropped, instantly creating a vacuum that began sucking everything and all of them out. Nightwind raised her arms and quickly called on the winds at her command to fill the cabin long enough to give her teammates a moment.

"Quickly, everyone! I don't know how long I can keep this cabin pressurized with my winds. The descent is hard on my concentration." Nightwind called out, her violet eyes glowing while she moved her fingers in a small tight formation to add wind to the cabin.

Blast-Off held on to Sensor and took off out the door. M'Onel quickly grabbed Saber and Spark with Vi holding on to his cape after she shrunk down to 5 inches tall. Gates quickly teleported out blindly with Sunboy, Reflex, and Lullaby Lad in tow.

Raptor looked at Nightwind, who was still working on keeping the air in the cabin, but she could see the strain on her face. Their fall faster by the second, ripping the ship apart.

"Cal and C.P., we've gotta move. Nightwind grab hold of me!" Raptor screamed, trying to be heard over the howling winds.

Nightwind moved closer, almost grabbing hold of Raptor's claw. But one of the floating seats that hadn't been sucked out yet crashed into Nightwind, knocking her out. The winds filling the cabin died instantly, imploding the cabin. Calamity King held on to Cannon P and Nightwind's unconscious bodies using his powers to help keep them safe.

"I hope this works. Localize it. Surround us with luck." Calamity King thought to himself. He worked on keeping his powers focused.

Raptor was sucked out but quickly righted herself. Her leathery wings outstretched. Her 360-degree vision allowed her to glide out of the way to avoid the falling chunks of the cruiser.

"Where are they?" Raptor scanned the skies for her teammates. When she saw M'Onel holding Nightwind, Calamity King, and Cannon P. He had used his super-speed to rush back and grab them just as the cruiser imploded.

Raptor flew down, following closely behind M'Onel. They all quickly landed and joined their team in the ruins of Dryx-Er City. Every building around them had crumbled. Hovercars littered the ground, with small fires burning in their carcasses. Burning clothes blew down the streets mixed in waves of sand.

"What happened to Dryx-Er?" Raptor turned in circles looking at her destroyed home. She hadn?t come to Dryx-Er City often when she lived her. But this was a shining city of beauty for her world. The architectural hub for many, but now it was in shambles.

"My guess, it was that energy wave." Spark looked about at all of the destruction.

"Team, there are people out there hurt. Split up and rescue who you can. Don't take unnecessary risk and make sure to call for help if you need it." Vi said quickly before instantly growing to 30 feet tall, using her increased strength to lift and look for sentients in the wreckage.

Spark gestured for Gates to follow her. Her hands glowed white while small white balls circled her hands, large chunks of the buildings nearby hearing their screams for help.

"Gates, get in there." Spark ordered.

"Don't order me anywhere. You know I need to see where I'm going." Gates chided back his teleport disk perpetually open, ready to move. The green light from the disk was the only light not generated by fires in this small space.

"Ugg...Saber, can you see where the people are?" Spark grunted, grabbing hold of a chunk of wall and using her borrowed gravity negation to make the wall float away.

The flames from the burning cars casting a small amount of light. Saber peered into the darkness, unable to see anything through the smoke.

"Sun Boy, we could use some light over here!" Spark yelled out, missing her lighting powers at this moment.

Sun Boy sent over a floating orb of light while he snuffed out the flames from several burning hovercars. The orb of light revealed a blackened wall that began to melt. Saber quickly looked through the flames, rising from the melting wall, revealing seven sentients that had been trapped behind it after the wall's fall. Saber and Gates teleported in. Saber called forth his energy sabers and began slashing away at the melting wall. However, nothing he did made a dent. The wall continued to melt and it got him no closer to the sentients on the other side.

"Officer Gates, can you teleport us behind there" Cadet Saber held his gaze on the melting wall watching the sentients behind it. The flames growing higher. All of them began coughing hard as they struggled to breathe.

"No. We have to go. It's getting too hot in here." Gates instantly teleported out before Cadet Saber could object.

"I could have guided you!" Cadet Saber called out to Gates

"I...I...couldn't handle the heat in there. My lung capacity isn't as strong as humanoids are in fires. I wouldn't have gotten us far." Gates leaned against a chunk of rock. His thin bony arms barely holding him up.

"Do you need help?" Cadet Saber softened and bent down next to Gates.

"I'll be fine. Just need to rest a moment." Gates did his best to recuperate before heading back in to help.

Sun Boy flew over and quickly made his way into the hole Spark had revealed. With a snap of his fingers, Sun Boy snuffed out the flames. It allowed for more oxygen to enter the hole. Sun Boy placed his hands on the melting wall finishing the job, allowing the seven sentients behind it to find their way to freedom.

Gates had recovered and quickly teleported down into the hole and began looking through what appeared to be an office building. Gates found three sentients. They had been trapped under ceiling debris, he held out his smooth claw for each of them to grab. But each time they refused. It wasn't until they heard the rumblings of the ground and building around them alerting them to more destruction that they took his help. Once outside in the middle of the street, they all took off running without so much as a thank you.

"Ingrates. We finally get to do something worthwhile to help and they run screaming." Gates huffed.

"They didn't run because they are scared of you Gates. They ran because they look down on you. They think you are inferior and are now ashamed that they were not only helped by you. But touched." Raptor landed next to Gates, witnessing her people's reactions.

"Are they Meta-phobes or are they Xenophobes? I know hate is hate. But I'd at least like to know what I'm hated for."

"Meta-phobes. They could care less of your alien status." Raptor hung her head. The sunlight caught her scales, giving them a translucent look.

"Risking my life on the meta-death squad for those who hate me. Another thankless day in the machine that is the United Planets." Gates shook his small head before teleporting back into the hole to look for more survivors.

Calamity King searched the wreckages of the cars near him for survivors. Overhead he could see Blast-Off's billows of smoke circling through the air. He watched Vi move a giant portion of a building, holding it up. Both of them looked into all the shattered windows, searching for the injured. Thankfully neither of them hadn?t found anyone.

Several blocks over, Lullaby Lad and Cannon P cautiously walked through the streets.

"Ahhhhh!" A large group of sentients came running down the street towards Lullaby Lad and Cannon P., while behind them, a giant fire could be seen raging.

"We need to calm them down."

"I got this...I hope." Lullaby Lad said before taking a deep breath and releasing his powers.

"OOOOOOOOOooooooooooOOOoooooOoooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOooooo." Lullaby Lad sang out to the surging crowd. Slowly their screams began to quiet. One by one, sentient after sentient gently fell to the ground, fast asleep.

"Neat trick. Much better than what I had planned." Cannon P. slapped Lullaby Lad on the back.

"What did you have planned?" Lullaby Lad asked, looking at the young man from Vocora, whose blacked goggles glinted in the light from the fire. While his shaggy black hair swirled around in the wind.

"This!" Cannon P yelled. He aimed his hands high, blasting a giant falling meteor that had fallen into Gyrx's atmosphere after another pulse of that golden wave passed through the skies. The meteor flying straight at them, only to pass right through them into the ground and through the other side of the planet.

"You'd phase them?"

"Yeah, that way, they wouldn't be a danger to us or anyone else." Cannon P smiled and shrugged.

Sun Boy stood dead center of a building that had burst into flames after three hover cars crashed into it.

"Flames die down..." Sun Boy commanded his eyes ablaze with hot white light while his body shifted from flesh to dancing red hot flames.

The flames wouldn?t stop. They continued to rage and spread to the buildings close by. Unbeknownst to Sun Boy, another golden wave had passed over the city.

"I said stop!" Sun Boy commanded again. He engulfed himself in the flames. He pulled them into himself. After several minutes Sun Boy had soaked up every flame before they burned down the entire city.

Sun Boy stepped from the charred remains of the building into the sunlight just as another golden wave passed by. Sending an unexpected guest straight into his lap.

"Watch out!" Reflex screamed, the science police hovercycle he was on glitching.

Sun Boy blasted the cycle with a wave of fire, knowing Reflex?s power to bounce attacks off.

"Ouch! Hot metal! Buring cycle!" Reflex jumped off the hover-cycle he had hoped to bound off a wall only to crash right into Sun Boy, knocking them both back into the burnt-out building.

M'Onel swooped through the city blocks whose buildings were still somewhat intact, looking for survivors. He alerted Spark and Gates when he found too many who were injured for him to carry. While Blast-Off flew ahead and scouted out areas for Ferro. Blast-Off had found Ferro being chased by animals who rushed into the city from the forest when another golden wave passed.

<All clear buddy. For the next three blocks. No animals in sight.> Blast-Off passed along the telepathic grid.

<Good. The last thing that was chasing me?I don't know what it was. But its snout was wet and felt like it was greasing me up.> Ferro responded.

Ferro made his way looking for more survivors.

"Hey Sensor, how's Nightwind doing?" Ferro called into his flight ring.

"She's coming around. We've been lucky enough not to run into any problems, Andrew. The safe-haven we've set up for the survivors is holding well." Sensor answered. She handed out blankets she had found on other floors. They had set up in the lobby of a hospital that was still standing.

Nightwind sat with her back against a cold steel wall with a cold compress on her forehead.

"I'm glad they made it. But I can not believe I'm sidelined like this...." Nightwind thought to herself. She wanted to get up. Even if it was just to hand out towels like Sensor. But her head was pounding. Her eyes kept glazing over.

Gates teleported in with Spark, who instantly sat down and rubbed her neck.

"Ahgg..." Spark sighed.

"Ayla, are you alright, my dear?" Sensor asked not only seeing Sparks distress but feeling it psychically.

"Yeah...I had a building almost fall on me. "My" powers saved me at the very last minute. But I don't know what happened. I froze and couldn't stop the wall from falling. If it wasn't for the screams of Saber and a young girl who happened to get caught under the falling wall with me, I might have been crushed." Spark continued to rub her neck.

"Take a good rest. I've got a spot next to Nightwind that you can lie down in. There's a blanket and pillow on the floor." Sensor's slender hand patted Spark on the shoulder before she slithered away to help other sentients.

Spark joined Nightwind along the steel wall. She hadn't felt this bad in a long time.

"Is it my powers? My own mental issues and not being like Garth? But if that's the case, why doesn't he have the same problem? We're twins. We share everything. Except for the burden of feeling ostracized when we're not the same, I guess." Spark laid down. She gripped the pillow as the pain started washing over her a bit more.

"Is it me, or is this the mission of bad luck?" Nightwind looked out the corner of her eyes.

"Bad luck feels like an understatement." Spark replied.

Huh so that is part of Mordru's hold on Zoe. and a chandelier of failure, creepy/evil..

The treaty and the loophole are a god explanation of how Mordru simply hasn't invaded yet, but still goes on incursions. And also sending away those who summon Mordru... it is all tying in together now!

I know hate is hate. But I'd at least like to know what I'm hated for." --? brilliant line from Gates.

Cannon P phases other things? interesting...

Hope Spark will be ok, this seems like a mystery indeed.

Thanks IB, missions not over yet. But no too much of a mystery once you see what's coming. Stay tuned.

Across the lobby, M'Onel landed through the broken skylight in the ceiling. The sentients of Grxy quickly dispersed at the sight of him. Close behind him flew Blast-Off, while Reflex and Saber used their flight belts, and Vi, who shrunk down to her normal height, she landed, each of them carrying an injured sentient. The few doctors that had remained uninjured quickly took the injured from them. Vi stretched her back when Gates' flashed in with more injured.

"Here are more of the ungrateful." Gates said as they all fled from him.

"It's crazy out there. Those golden pulses aren't making life easy. But it's bonkers. It affects machines, animals, the sentients." Blast-Off sat on a pile of rubble.

"And differently. I had to catch a falling hover-car while the next one exploded before I could even think to try and save it." M'Onel crossed his arms, looking around at his weary teammates.

"Is it me or does anyone else feel like this is affecting them more than usual? We've taken on raging forces of nature. Our training alone is super rigorous." Spark asked, sitting up next to Nightwind.

"Agreed. I'm falling all over out there. My agility is barely functioning" Reflex chimed in.

"Well, we know those golden pulses are causing it. But where are they coming from? I didn't see anything on our way down to the ground." Sensor began doing a gentle light psychic scan to see if anyone knew where it was coming from. But couldn't get any clear images or information.

"I don't. But we?ve been on rescue and defense since we got here. With things seemingly getting worse. I think we need to regroup." M'Onel offered, looking around at his battered teammates.

"Is everyone here?" Vi looked around, realizing several of their teammates were MIA.

Raptor flew through the skies, avoiding crashing hover-cars and tumbling buildings at every turn. While Lullaby Lad and Cannon P. worked to move all of the Gryxians, Lullaby Lad had put to sleep. Ferro came running towards them, chased by a giant grey creature with spikes all over its body. The creature's spikes radiated with steam.

"Ahhhh!!!" Ferro yelled, running past the two cadets.

"What is that thing?" Cannon P. looked at Lullaby Lad.

"I don't know. But we better help Ferro. Can you phase these people to keep them safe?" Lullaby Lad quickly took off into the air to chase after Ferro and the giant spiked creature.

Cannon P's hands glowed as they passed over the unconscious mob. Their bodies faded, becoming translucent. He quickly chased after Lullaby Lad and Ferro. High above Raptor flew fast. She looked for the next golden wave.

"What's causing this?" Raptor thought to herself as she watched another building topple, unable to do anything.

Before she knew it, another golden pulse passed over her causing a hurricane of wind gusts to rush at her causing her to spin out of control. Her eyes finally catching the direction it started from. Her 360-degree vision, seeing at the top of her eyes, one building that was standing, its structure completely unharmed.

<Vi, I found a building that is untouched by any of this trouble. I'm heading to investigate.> Raptor plugged into the telepathic earplug communications network.

<Raptor, be careful. M'Onel, Blast-Off, and I will make our way to your location.> Vi responded.

Raptor flew high and fast towards the tall building.

<That's the Cryux building. But that should have been the biggest target. It would have leveled half the city if it fell.> Raptor thought to herself, unsure why or how the Cryux building was still standing.

Far below, Calamity King walked the streets filled with burning hovercars spreading their flames to the ruined buildings around them. He searched for survivors when Calamity King realized he was alone.

"I can cut loose a little bit..." Calamity King thought to himself, allowing his powers to turn on to their full effect. Allowing him to avoid many of the dangers that befell his teammates and the sentients of this world. Suddenly a golden pulse passed over him and the area around him.

"Where is that pulse coming from?" Calamity King shook his head violently, trying to clear the hazy feeling that had just come over him.

"pisshhhssssssssssssss...." The high-pitched squeal of gas leaking out caught Calamity King's attention.

Calamity King's eyes glowed yellow as he began to run, knowing that sound all too well. Within seconds of him running away from the building and the hissing sound, a giant explosion erupted. Fire burst out of its already shattered windows before rising high up its facade. The wave from the explosion sent him flying. Calamity King's eyes glowed a brighter yellow allowing him to maneuver himself to land on a hovercar seat that had been in the middle of the street after the hovercar had exploded. Calamity King landed upside down with his feet in the air.

definitely looking forward to what comes next you have such a big cast, it's fascinating to see how you develop each of them!

Also Azra and Thanot being under a sleeping spell in the form of gems... yikes. it's both good and bad... good they're safe and not in pain, but bad because they are still captives!

"You really are the luckiest agate, huh?" Lullaby Lad stood over Calamity King, his hands on his hips. He smiled down at Calamity King before helping him up.

"It's the power man. Lucky for me and disaster for everyone else." Calamity King winked at Lullaby Lad.

"Well, how about you turn that luck into figuring out where that pulse is coming from. Every time it happens things just get worse." Lullaby Lad said as another golden pulse wave passed over them. The sewers began to rumble and shook the ground beneath their feet before giant holes erupted with water and waste geysers all around them.

"I am really thankful for these transuits." Calamity King smiled. Everything that landed on them coated him for a second and then instantly whipped off, the transuit keeping him dry.

"That makes one of us. Phew." Lullaby Lad spit out some water, or at least what he hoped was water. He wasn't able to get into his transuit before the cruiser exploded. Since landing, he had been preoccupied with saving lives and keeping himself alive.

"We will have to get you to med-bay when we get back to Anndranna...Haha" Calamity King tried to stifle a laugh but couldn't.

"Glad you can laugh at a time like this. Now, do you know where that waves' coming from?" Lullaby Lad asked wiped himself off.

"Hmm. No. But I can tell you what it is now." Calamity King held his hands together and they began to glow a golden yellow.

"You mean this is because of your powers?" Lullaby Lad looked at Calamity King's hands confused.

"Not my power. But someone with one similar...look!" Calamity King's eyes and hands glowed as he pointed towards the only standing building. The two watched Cadet Raptor flying towards it.

"Follow her Cal! I'll grab Cannon P and Ferro!" Lullaby Lad ran off in the opposite direction.

Calamity King nodded and took off into the sky using his flight belt. He pushed the belt hard to catch up with Raptor, who was more than halfway to the building.

<Raptor, I'm coming up behind you. Care to slow down?> Calamity King asked, flying fast.

<Sorry Cal, But I've gotta get to the top. Whatever that wave is, it's coming from there. I caught a glimpse of it.>

<I'm not saying don't investigate. Just wait for me to catch up. I think I know what that wave is!> Calamity King cautioned.

<Oh? Care to explain before we fly into battle?> M'Onel joined the conversation flying at Mach II to reach them and arrive next to Calamity King.

<I think...it's a probability manipulator.> Calamity King thought back.

<Doesn't your whole planet have that power?> Blast-Off asked, passing past the two of them. Blast-Off saluted them.

<Yes. But it could be from a device. The output to cause this much "bad luck" is massive.> Calamity King and M'Onel caught up with Blast-Off and Raptor, who had finally reached the top of the building.

Raptor and Blast-Off landed with M'Onel and Calamity King not far behind. The four of them looked around the roof but nothing seemed unusual. Tall metal antennas littered the roof with a small botanical garden off to the far right corner.

"Are you sure this is where you saw the wave come from?" Blast-Off asked.

"I'm sure of it." Raptor responded, walking farther in towards the antennas. Her long tail gently wagging back and forth in the wind.

M'Onel began doing a sweep with his x-ray vision and listened with his super hearing.

"There's an extra heartbeat here somewhere." M'Onel answered, hearing it beating fast.

"I really do hate you Daxamites types." A woman's high-pitched voice called out before flash grenades went off all around them.

The light from the grenades blinding all of them while a sonic boom grenade was tossed at M'Onel, causing him to double over in pain, clutching his head. Calamity King rubbed his eyes while stumbling around the roof. Blast-Off, however, crouched down and waited. The flash grenades hadn't caused him too much trouble due to his visor. But the sonic grenade, however, left him shaken.

Raptor had blocked her eyes from the flash grenades. But the sonic grenade knocked her down. Raptor laid on her back, she looked up at the pale green sky, the first star appearing before a shadow covered her.

"Why won't any of you stay down." The shadow revealed the same high-pitched voice they heard before the grenades were tossed at them. Standing over Raptor with a pulse blaster pointed at her head.

"Because we fight to the finish!" M'Onel yelled, his laser vision blasting the pulse blaster on the handle hitting the woman's hand.

"You'll pay for that Super-boy!? The woman snarled, lowering her black glasses, revealing glowing purple eyes that pulsed as she gazed upon M'Onel.

A gust of wind blasted towards M'Onel, pushing his cape back. It tangled itself around an antenna attached to a satellite. The woman then tossed a small ball that burst open. It created a giant glowing net that wrapped around M'Onel.

"AHHHHHHH!" M'Onel screamed in agony.

"How is that possible?" Blast-Off asked.

"Oh, you mean the lead-lined net? Mixed with a little red sun radiation for power? Anything is possible." The woman winked at Blast-Off.

Blast-Off smiled for a moment before he saw the flash of golden purple from her eyes. The antenna next to the one M'Onel had been attached to began to fall. The thick silvery metal antenna's bolts had rusted away to nothing. Blast-Off prepared to move, smoke billowing underneath him. For the first time since he gained his powers, he began coughing on the smoke.

"Coghallck! Cheallough!" Blast-Off began choking.

"Haha." The woman laughed, holding Raptor with the heel of her boot.

Vi instantly grew to 20 feet tall, she grabbed hold of the large antenna.

"Cal! Do something!" Vi called out, looking for a place to land the antenna without hitting anyone.

Calamity King?s eyes glowed brightly as his hands began to glow his golden aura. His eyes widened once he took a good look at the woman before him.

"Dice!" Calamity King shouted.

"Hmm...oh. Look who it is." Dice?s devilish grin grew beneath her mask. Then she kicked Cadet Raptor hard in the stomach before stalking towards Calamity King.

"Ugg...you know this sentient?" Vi asked, growing a couple more feet to increase her strength to hold the antenna.

"Yes. We used to be jinx-masters." Calamity King said calmly, letting his aura grow a bit larger.

"The what?" Vi asked.

"The Jinx-Masters, a traveling minstrel group, and thieves." Dice bowed, her blonde shoulder-length hair falling over her face. As she rose, her eyes made contact with Calamity King?s as they flashed violet.

"What happened to your eyes?" Calamity King asked without thinking.

"Just an upgrade."

"Can we get back to the thief thing for a moment?" Blast-Off asked, the smoke around him finally clearing up.

"It was a petty crime. We stole from the rich and gave to the poor."

"Your world makes its own luck. How can there be poor on your planet?" Vi noticed that the more they talked, the more things began to calm down, and the golden waves had stopped.

"I never said it was on Touston. We traveled the rim worlds, Rimbor, Xanthu, Orinda...."

"Don't forget the Alpeti Astroid belt in the Helix nebula." Dice smirked, tossing her blonde hair back.

"Yeah, and the Alpeti Astroid belt...which is where we were caught." Calamity King's hand dropped to his side, but their golden glow never faded.

"Correction. Where you got caught. I never get caught." Dice's eyes flashed violet.

"I got caught because you got greedy! Every job you got worse! Always needing more! More credits! More gems! More clout! More Danger!" Calamity King began to rant as the two of them began to circle each other.

"What's wrong with wanting more? Like this world. It needed more disorder. More chaos." Dice's hands slowly began to glow, but her pace never changes. She moved slow and deliberately.

"There has to be a limit. Besides, we were supposed to be helping the poor. Not ourselves. That's why we left Touston." Calamity King tried to not let his voice betray how hurt he was.

"That's why you left. I wanted adventure and lots and lots of credits." Dice flashed her eyes again at Calamity King.

"You weren't always like this. You liked helping those sentients just as much as I did. I know you did." Calamity King's voice cracked. He remembered their times together. She was his friend and fellow musician before she turned into the thief that stood before them. Even though he knew there wasn't supposed to be honor among thieves, he thought of them as musicians first and thieves second.

Dice clapped her hands slowly.

"Love the performance. You always were good with the heartfelt numbers."

"Fine. Then how about you give up some facts. What happened to you?" Calamity King asked. His eyes glowed gently before a wire became untangled near Dice's feet.

"Hmm." Dice smiled. She sensed his probability adjustment and stopped in her tracks.

"You want to know why I'm here?" Dice asked.

"I asked, didn't I?" Calamity King asked. He looked around at his teammates.

Vi was holding the antenna, still unable to land it. M'Onel was trapped in the red sun radiation net, M'Onel struggled to break free. Raptor and Blast-Off moved to the edge of the roof. Both of them did their best to stay out of the line of fire of Calamity King and Dice.

"I'm here because this retched world hates "aliens" and if they are going to hate us for no reason. I'll give them a reason." Dice snarled.

"They don't hate you!" Raptor called out.

"What?" Dice glared at Raptor.

"They don't hate you. At least not for being an alien." Raptor's soft but strong voice corrected her. She even began to help herself and Blast-Off stand up.

"No. That's not true. They hate aliens. I was told they hate aliens and I punish those who hate aliens." Dice said, her voice changing, becoming almost emotionless with only the hints of malice dripping from her voice.

"This is my homeworld. Please listen to me. They don't hate aliens. They hate Meta-humans. They fear those with powers. But if you were from Bellatrix, or Arrok, or Janda they'd have absolutely no problem with you. All because those worlds are known for not having meta-humans." Raptor watched Dice closely, her eyes flashing violet uncontrollably and her nose twitching a bit.