Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business Postlo3w stories *LATEST UPDATE 13 AUGUST*

Hey Raz, how are you?

I really like the relationship between Tinya and Garth and Imra - the casual alnowledgement of the stresses of leadership was well done. Motherhood changing Imra, haha, love that she stiffened up after Tinya said this, that was a nice touch. Also, the wat garth mentioned he knows about the risk of not being ready as he had previously died - nicely written. The ease that the three of them interact with each other was really well captured, what a scene.

"the last thing any of us want to do is put these kids in danger before they're ready" - umm Tinya, have not learned from Tellus that those sort of comments only tempt fate? haha.

So, the Academy kids get an adventure - fab, got to love them!

Well done that they try to find out what hapened and discuss their last memories before waking on that rock.

Jungle Queen - haha! I literaly lol'ed! Totally adore the students attitude, they're trapped and wearing power dampeners and they just dismis him, haha, great stuff.

30 seconds head start, Orion means business as no-one wants a cliff landing on them.

Nice tip having a detatchable cape, I may steal that idea Poor Glorith didn't listen to the cape convesation obviously.

Amp seems quite spiky, which is nice, it fits in with the majority of the group, and the team talking over Glorith reads perfectly like teenagers.So rude! But ten weren't we all

So they split the team? Oh. okay, not the wisest move surely?

Your Jazmin is probably the one that stands out as the most capable, I think. Her researching the Legion's opponents, helping Oaa and giving up trying to stop the sniping between her fellow students - she seems the most mature and has my vote for internship (just in case you're opening it up to public votes). Actually, there's a good mix of personalities on display within the group.

I can't remember you writing Lallor as a radioactive waste world previously, though it's a good idea given its history.

Chemical Kid is a jerk in every version isn't he you write him really well.

Your Fire Lass is fun, her niavity plays ell as the straight man to the others, almost like Blok was back in the day. I always love the outsider that doesn't realise the nuances of language/culture.

Nice having the usually meek Glorith step up and lead the group, and I like how Ley Lines are a universal thing. Her quoting Garth was good too, at least she listened to him on that day

Wow! Marya shows some empathy and maturity, and good that she admits her failings. Who knows perhaps she might grow up after all - though where would be the fun in that?

Waiane wanting to apologise to Dag was sweet. And Marya slips into character to tell him off for going on about Tel, haha, it's almost like she forgot what she'd just been saying.

Nice that Glorith's magic was unaffected. Orion's dagger to the throat is savage! Variable Lad as a winged beast - nice! Would love to see what other forms you could come up with for him as we never really got much of a chance to get to know him durig his short canon appearances.

Hadru slowing down Orion, well done, and good that he noted his abilities took a little bit of time to affect the subject.

Amp really is feisty! And I agree with her, get the bad guy knocked out and stop talking to him already Hadru!

And, just after they were actually needed, the Legion turn up. Nice ending there Raz. that was fun, great characterisation and a nice little adventure for the student team.

Looking forward to what you have planned next (death of Lu? Which one?)

Thanks again, and it probably goes without saying these days but I'm looking forward to more, more, more!

Hi Harbi! It was fun writing the opener with Tinya, Garth and Imra - I always like bits that showcase the relationships between the older Legionnaires.

I am glad Jungle Queen landed well - smartass teenagers are the same now or a thousand years from now it seems

I can't recall if Lallor being a radioactive wasteland is something I read in a Who's Who ages ago or if it's my headcanon but I know nuclear wars were a part of their history so it makes sense to me that a lot of it would probably be pretty uninhabitable.

Glad also that the students' individual personalities came through well...some of them are gonna get a big spotlight in the not too distant future so I thought it'd be good to throw in an adventure with them all now just to have them fresh in people's minds, I don't think they've appeared as a group together for a while

MARS
Husband Hill, Legion Academy Recreation Yard

ROLL CALL
Nightwind aka Berta Skye Haris: deputy leader, wind control
Supergirl II aka Laurel Kent: invulnerability

Lamprey aka Tayla Skott: Legion ally; amphibious, electricity generation
Lightning Lad aka Garth Ranzz: reserve Legionnaire, Legion Academy co-head; electricity generation and manipulation
Saturn Girl aka Imra Ardeen Ranzz: reserve Legionnaire, Legion Academy co-head; telepathy

Standing with Nightwind and Lamprey, the 31st Century's newest Supergirl watched with mild curiosity while extradimensional outcast S'jn demonstrated their abilities to Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad several meters away. "So," Laurel teased Tayla, "When are we gonna get to meet this Turtle guy? Grava says he's red shift racing, which I can only assume means something good."

"He's been so weird lately!" Lamprey complained. "I really thought we were making progress but ever since the Aquamarines attacked us for some reason he's pretending not to know...I'm not sure. Maybe a parakat can't change their stripes after all. Anyway, where is Grava? And Bobb for that matter? I was looking forward to catching up with the whole gang while S'jn was trying out for the Academy!"

"Sorry we're not good enough for you, Officer Skott!" Nightwind joked. "I think Grava said she and Chlorophyll Kid were taking Ivy to Wackyworld today, and our good friend Crystal Kid is pretty much joined at the lips with Gravity Kid lately...I'm afraid you're stuck with us, girl!"

Lamprey was ready with a snappy retort when she noticed S'jn floating back toward her with Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad accompanying the blue and yellow cephalopod. "What do you think?" Lamprey asked the married couple. "Does my friend here have what it takes for the Legion Academy?"

"Thank you both for coming such a long way," Saturn Girl began. "S'jn's telepathy and telekinesis are quite underdeveloped compared to Tellus, but I certainly see potential there."

"But more importantly their teleportation ability is something nobody else in the Legion has," Lightning Lad continued without pause. "And Glorith doesn't have anywhere near S'jn's range. They could do with a little work to be Legion-ready but that's what you came to us for, right? Imra and I are in agreement, there's a place for you in the Legion Academy if you want it, S'jn."

<Gratitude> S'jn projected to both Garth and Imra. <I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to use my abilities in service of this plane. However, Lamprey has made clear to me the importance of a superheroic nomenclature and I have chosen for mine...Sojurn!>*

"Sojurn it is," Saturn Girl gave them a warm smile. "Welcome to the Legion Academy, young sentient!"

At that moment, Nightwind's flight ring sounded and she excused herself for a moment. "Sorry everyone," she announced after a brief chat, "I've been summoned. Welcome to the gang, Sojurn!"

**********

MARS
Legion Academy, Lullabye Lad's quarters

ROLL CALL
Lullabye Lad aka Waiane Wentim: Legion Academy student; Zwennite physiology, narcoleptic induction
Stone Boy aka Dag Wentim: ability to transmute to living stone

Standing in front of a smartmirror, Lullabye Lad gently pressed his fingertip against the screen and turned his reflection around so that he was looking at his left profile. With a couple more simple gestures, the device zoomed in on his skull so Waiane could see the scar over his ear more clearly.

"You have to stop getting shot, kid brother."** At the sound of his older sibling's voice, Lullabye Lad turned to see Stone Boy standing by a console where he'd just finished reading Waiane's medical report. "It's bad for your health."

"Hey!" Lullabye Lad greeted him. "You came! I um...I wasn't sure if you would."

"What??" Dag Wentim was genuinely taken aback. "Why wouldn't I come? I'm your brother, you dope! Adam Orion's lucky I wasn't in the search and rescue team, although from what I hear you didn't need the Legion's help."

Waiane faltered. "I just thought...after how I blew up at you before that Orion guy kidnapped us..."

Chuckling, Dag walked over to Waiane and pulled him into a bear hug. "You're the one who got all the big emotions in this family, you think I'm not used to it by now? I'm still gonna worry about you when you're hurt."

"Okay, okay." Waiane allowed Dag to hug him for a few seconds before he made a show of pushing Stone Boy away. "Go back to being all stoic and boring, you're weirding me out."

Stone Boy ran his hand through Lullabye Lad's hair affectionately, fully aware of how much it would annoy him. "It's not every day someone tries to kill my little brother, give me a break. Anyway, you don't have to go back to class till tomorrow...you want to hang out?"

"If hanging out equals shopping I'm in," Waiane replied cheekily. "Hey, what do you think? Should I keep the scar or not? It's kind of ugly but like...masc ugly, you know?"

Dag rolled his eyes but before he could frame a response, his flight ring breeped at him. "Stone Boy, could you please meet me in the hangar in fifteen standard minutes?" Nightwind's voice sounded.

"We've got a mission...Bouncing Boy needs our help."

**********

TITAN
Titanopolis, the Time Institute

ROLL CALL
Blok: magically enhanced strength, invulnerability, speed, flight, stamina, wisdom and courage
Diamond Damsel aka Iris Jacobs: living diamond
Evolvo Lad aka Sev Tcheru: Legion ally; hyperevolution/devolution
Mwindaji: tracker infused with White Lantern energy
Nightwind aka Berta Skye Haris: deputy leader, wind control
Stone Boy aka Dag Wentim: ability to transmute to living stone

Bouncing Boy aka Charles Foster Taine: reserve member; super-bouncing

In one of the lowest levels of the Time Institute was a smallish room lined completely with monitors and other equipment designed to observe and protect every square inch of the famous building. This was the office in which former Legionnaire Charles Foster Taine spent much of his time in his role as the Institute's Chief of Security, and it was here that he now stood with an uncommonly sober expression while six other Legionnaires watched footage he'd already viewed dozens of times.

The gathered heroes observed attentively while security cameras showed Duplicate Damsel in the on-site laboratory of Dr Jax Madri. Dr Madri had been studying Luornu Durgo Taine's powers for months now, since just after she and Chuck had left the Legion of Superheroes. The Legionnaires watched as the white-haired scientist instructed Luornu to summon one of her duplicates and then they watched as he assisted the identical women in positioning themselves on a podium where sophisticated scanning equipment could analyze them from head to toe. None of this was out of the ordinary; Chuck himself had been present for several of these tests, and Luornu had described many more that were far more tedious than any Bouncing Boy had observed first hand. Dr Dax was an affable man though, and he'd made no secret of the fact that Luornu's powers ignited his scientific curiosity greatly. It was what happened next that made this footage worth watching.

A costumed man suddenly appeared right alongside Dr Dax in the laboratory. He wore a slick white bodysuit which included a masked cowl, and it bore a multi-coloured pattern over his torso and his forehead. The stranger pointed a finger, and the two Duplicate Damsels slumped to the floor. When Dr Dax bravely threw himself at the stranger, the costumed man gestured theatrically and Dax too instantly collapsed. The stranger produced some kind of small orb from a hidden pocket and pressed a button on its side, and every camera feed abruptly cut out.

"...And that's all we've got," Bouncing Boy concluded. "That thing was an EMP grenade, it cut out all power in the room for six minutes. I responded to the blackout in three. By the time I got there, there was no trace of any of them. That was over an hour ago and there's been no contact, no demands made...the only physical evidence that any of them were there in that room at all are Luornu's flight rings." He looked at the dual rings in his palm with the expression of a sad dog.

"I'm so sorry, Bouncing Boy." Nightwind gave her former teacher a look of sympathy. "Phantom Girl really wanted to come today herself, but she had some diplomatic thing on Weber's World she couldn't get out of. You and Duplicate Damsel have given me more than I can ever repay though...I'm not going to rest till we find her."

"And take down the scum who kidnapped her," Diamond Damsel added.

"Thanks, you two." Chuck smiled weakly. "I appreciate you all coming more than you know. Mwindaji, Evolvo Lad; I barely even know you both, it means a lot to me that you're helping us."

"Community is very important on my homeworld," Mwindaji explained in his deep baritone. "The Legion of Superheroes is my community now, I am honoured to assist."

"Bouncing Boy, do you have a better image of this person?" Stone Boy asked. "We could run him through criminal databases--"

"That's a good idea," Chuck replied, "And it's one of the first things I did. He's a mystery." As he spoke, he generated a three-dimensional hologram of the stranger which had been compiled from the various recording devices in the lab. "You have to understand, the Time Institute's security is almost on par with Legion headquarters itself. The work being done here is incredibly sensitive and could be very dangerous in the wrong hands. There's an impressive array of detection equipment throughout this building and none of it outside of what we just saw registered this guy's arrival or departure. We don't even know how he took down poor Jadzi or Luornu, there were no energy spikes registered and no visual cues to indicate what he did to them. I've done everything the Science Police could possibly do, this is beyond any conventional means of investigation."

"It's a good thing you summoned unconventional investigators then," Evolvo Lad spoke up. Until now he'd been in his base form, that of a normal young blond man. As he spoke, he grew thinner and taller. His hair disappeared as his cranium grew several times larger and his skin became almost translucent. "I do not doubt the efficiency of yourself or your technology," Evolvo Lad continued in a calm monotone which sounded nothing like the man he'd been a moment ago, "But in this form my intellect is beyond that of even Brainiac 5. May I trouble you to take me to Dr Dax's laboratory, Bouncing Boy? Perhaps I can intuit something which has been otherwise missed."

"Of course," Chuck nodded. "Follow me." He left the room, followed quickly by almost everyone else.

"Blok?" Diamond Damsel asked, waiting at the door. "Are you coming?"

This whole time, the stone giant had been silently examining the costumed stranger's hologram. He turned away from it now and joined Diamond Damsel in tailing the others. "My apologies," he rumbled. "Sometimes I wish I had more than simply a portion of the wisdom of Solomon. There is something curious about this whole incident, I feel I am on the verge of some insight...but I cannot draw it all together."

The diamond woman cocked her head up toward him with a slight smirk. "Nice to know you can still get stumped like the rest of us occasionally."

Before they could proceed any further, Nightwind stopped in her tracks and slapped her forehead. "Grife, how stupid am I? I'm so used to thinking of Dawnstar as the team tracker...Mwindaji, can you find Duplicate Damsel?"

The tall youth closed his eyes, his face a mask of concentration. After a moment, he opened his eyes again and nodded. "I believe so, Nightwind. She is not close, but I am confident that I can locate her more precisely as I approach her position."

"That's settled then," Bouncing Boy's spirits were immediately bouyed. "Let's get going!"

"If I may make a suggestion?" Evolvo Lad addressed the others. "I would like to stay behind and examine Dr Dax's laboratory and research more closely. We must not forget that both Duplicate Damsel and Dr Dax were abducted, there is a high probability that their abductor seeks to use Dr Dax's work with Duplicate Damsel for his own benefit. I can of course bypass any security protocols myself with time--"

"--but it'll be easier if I stay with you and give you what you need," Bouncing Boy interrupted with a tone of resignation. "That's what you were going to say, right? I don't like it, but...it makes sense."

"I-I don't know," Nightwind stammered, unusually indecisive in the face of her mentor. "Bouncing Boy, I don't want you to feel obliged--"

"If it makes any difference," Blok added, "I agree that Evolvo Lad and Bouncing Boy should remain here, Nightwind. I feel that there are answers waiting to be unlocked here, and Evolvo Lad is the most suited among us to unlock them." Gently, he laid a gold-flecked hand on Bouncing Boy's shoulder. "I vow that we will do everything in our power to bring Luornu back to you, my friend."

"I know you will, Blok." Chuck patted Blok's hand warmly.

"I'm staying too then," Nightwind declared after a momentary pause, her voice once again resolute. "If this guy can overpower a squad that includes three people made of stone, I don't see what help I'm going to be; but if he comes back while Bouncing Boy and Evolvo Lad are neck deep in research files they're gonna need someone else on their side. Blok, we'll be in touch as soon as we find something useful. Good luck!"

Diamond Damsel flashed a hopeful smile at Bouncing Boy before she, Blok, Stone Boy and Mwindaji walked away. "Hang in there, Chuck. I know how much you love Luornu, we'll have you two back together in no time."

**********

Forty standard minutes later Blok, Diamond Damsel, Stone Boy and Mwindaji stood at the foot of one of the many towering apartment buildings of Titanopolis. Science Police Lieutenant Perr Alta accompanied them, all five watching as more Science Police escorted dozens of residents out of the building to gather in the plaza outside. Lieutenant Alta tapped the side of his helmet gently, then turned to address the Legion. "I just got telepathic confirmation, that's the last of them," he noted. "Is there anything else we can do to help, Legionnaires?"

"Thank you for the offer but that will not be necessary," Blok rumbled. "While Mwindaji's power has enabled us to find our friend, we do not yet know what to expect up there. We appreciate you evacuating the surrounding apartments, but I believe it best if the Legion of Superheroes handle matters from here."

"Understood," Lieutenant Alta nodded. "We'll be down here if you need us anyway."

"It was a smart move minimising the risk of injuring any bystanders like that," Stone Boy complimented Blok as the Legionnaires walked into the building.

"It seemed prudent," Blok replied as the four of them commandeered a turbolift to take them to the 112th floor. "We do not know this villain's capabilities and three of us have much destructive potential ourselves."

They exited the turbolift and Mwindaji led them down the empty corridor to a door with 11209 marked on it in bright blue Interlac. "This is the place," he spoke in a hushed voice. "I sense the presence of both Duplicate Damsel and our missing Dr Jadzi if I am not mistaken."

"Are either of them on the other side of this door?" Diamond Damsel asked.

"No," Mwindaji shook his head and pointed a finger toward the wall. "They are...four to five mets that way."

"Good," Diamond Damsel growled. "Then I can do this." She rended the door into strips with a two-handed slashing motion and stepped inside the apartment. "Duplicate Damsel, Dr Dax; the Legion of Superheroes are here!"

The others followed the heroine's lead and found that the spacious apartment had been stripped bare. Rather than furniture, packed boxes lined the walls. Exactly where Mwindaji had stated she would be, Duplicate Damsel was inside a transparent tube pounding fruitlessly against the soundproofed plexiglass. Thick cables connected the cylinder to a heavy console, and behind that console stood her abductor. Dr Dax though was nowhere to be seen.

"Hi there," the villain remarked as casually as though he were welcoming neighbours in for a drink. "You didn't have to wreck the door, you know. I'm never going to get my deposit back now!"

"Who are you?" Diamond Damsel demanded.

"I thought you said Dr Dax was here as well?" Stone Boy whispered to Mwindaji.

"I-I thought he was," Mwindaji stammered uncertainly. "I suppose...I must have mistaken him for this villain, I have never met him in person so I may have been confused..? I apologise for my error."

"It doesn't matter," Diamond Damsel started marching toward the villain. "We'll beat Dr Dax's whereabouts out of this creep once we bust Luornu out of there."

"I don't think so," the masked man gave an indulgent laugh. "Something tells me you'll be too busy playing with my toys to do me any damage, Diamond Damsel." Right on cue, the boxes littered around the room were torn open from inside as droids laden with weapons burst out and trained guidance lasers on the Legionnaires. "Oh, and to answer your question...you can call me Myriad."

The droids all opened fire with searing energy beams which tore holes in the floor, walls and ceiling as they ricocheted off of the more durable of the heroes. Blok quickly stepped in front of Mwindaji, shielding him with his own indestructible hide. "Diamond Damsel, Stone Boy!" Blok shouted over the high-pitched whine of the energy weapons. "I will protect Mwindaji, but you two must destroy these machines before they cause irreparable structural damage!"

"Consider it done, Blok." Stone Boy walked up to the nearest droid and punched a fist straight through its centre before moving on to the next one.

"These things aren't even a challenge!" Diamond Damsel grabbed two of them and slammed them together into so much scrap metal. "Did you really expect your bargain basement henchbots to put up a fight against the Legion of Superheroes? Hang in there, Duplicate Damsel! We'll have you out in a nano!"

One of the droids tried to circle round behind Blok to get to his more fleshy teammate, but the stone giant's fist lashed out in a blur and pulverized it the instant it came close enough. Blok didn't even spare the automaton a glance, his narrowed eyes regarding Myriad with suspicion. None of this made any sense. Why would Myriad simply be waiting here for them with weapons that almost any Legionnaire could make light work of? Why had Mwindaji sensed Dr Dax here? Why had Myriad not yet even attempted to use whatever power he'd used to subdue Duplicate Damsel and Dr Dax in the first place? Just as Diamond Damsel and Stone Boy finished off the last of their robotic opponents, Blok laid eyes upon Luornu and saw her shout something behind that thick layer of plexiglass which suddenly made everything fall into place.

At the same time Diamond Damsel grabbed a fistful of Myriad's costume, lifted him off the floor and shoved him against the wall with a painful sounding thud. "That was a pathetic waste of time, and now you're going to tell us what you've done with that scientist or you're gonna get a taste of what your stupid robots just got! Stone Boy, see if you can find a way to get Duplicate Damsel out of there."

Dag Wentim approached the console and looked it over, then turned to Myriad and Diamond Damsel in obvious confusion. "It...it's not even connected to a power supply. What's this all about, Myriad?"

Myriad's answer was mocking laughter. "Don't worry...you'll all find out soon enough." Then without any warning at all, both he and Luornu simply vanished.

"Damn it!" Diamond Damsel put her fist through the wall where Myriad's head had been a moment ago. "What is any of this even about?"

"I can not answer that question entirely," Blok replied calmly, "But I know who Myriad is now.

We need to contact the others immediately."

**********

Not long after the other Legionnaires had left, Evolvo Lad was sitting in front of a computer terminal in Jadzi Dax's laboratory. While the hyperevolved genius familiarised himself with Dax's research, Nightwind took her chance to speak with her old mentor one-on-one for the first time since the Legion had arrived on Titan. "How are you holding up, Bouncing Boy?" Berta asked softly.

"Don't worry about me," Chuck Taine gave Nightwind a half-smile. "Obviously I'm worried about my wife and Jadzi, but I trust the Legion. I just wish I had more of a role to play, I know this is the best place for me right now but I don't like not being there when they rescue Lu." A moment of silence filled the air between them before Bouncing Boy added in a more upbeat tone, "I'm glad you're leading this mission though...and you're deputy leader now, that's exciting!"

"Nerve-wracking more like it," Nightwind looked aside nervously. "Commanding people I've looked up to for years, coming here to help you and Duplicate Damsel...I'm so scared I'm gonna screw up, you know?"

"I do know," Bouncing Boy acknowledged her doubt as he placed a hand on Nightwind's shoulder. "And I'll tell you something...you will screw up sometimes, Berta. We all screw up, that's how we learn. But I couldn't be prouder of you, you worked hard and you absolutely deserve this position. I know that every Legionnaire is as worthy as any other, but I have to admit it does help that little bit more having you and Blok and Diamond Damsel here."

"Thanks, Teach." Berta placed her own hand over Chuck's and squeezed it briefly. "I appreciate the vote of confidence."

"Bouncing Boy?" Chuck and Berta both glanced across at Evolvo Lad's summons. "May I ask...are you at all familiar with the nature of Dr Dax's work with your wife?"

"I'm not a quantum physicist, it's all way over my head." Bouncing Boy walked across to where Evolvo Lad was seated. "As far as I know, he's just trying to explore where Lu's expanded powers came from. I mean, Brainy already told her but I guess Jadzi wanted to see that for himself? Hey, what language is that? It's not Interlac!" Chuck pointed at the wall of text Evolvo Lad had been reading.

"I do not know," Evolvo Lad admitted casually. "I have deciphered it, but I remain oblivious as to its point of origin."

"You just taught yourself a whole new language?" Nightwind asked incredulously. "You've only been on that terminal for like ten minutes!"

"The linguistic pathways are actually quite predictable," Evolvo Lad explained as though this were the simplest task in the world. "The translation only took me 145 standard seconds, I have been absorbing the information within these files since then. In fact, I would be further along if these systems had more advanced processors. But I digress; it seems that Dr Dax had initially approached his research from a misinformed premise. He thought that Duplicate Damsel's powers might allow her to access alternate versions of herself from different planes of the multiverse. Much of his early research explores this theory."

"Is that...helpful to know?" Nightwind asked, sharing a baffled look with Bouncing Boy.

"In all honesty it might only be a footnote," Evolvo Lad replied. "Except for the fact that Jadzi Dax was trying to find a way to take that supposed ability for himself."

"Wait, what..?" Bouncing Boy frowned. "What do you mean, take the ability? He wants to steal Lu's powers??"

"Indeed," Evolvo Lad gave a subtle nod. "I presume that neither your wife nor yourself were aware of this motivation?"

"Absolutely sprocking not!" Chuck growled. "Are you sure about this, Evolvo Lad? We knew he was a big fan of Lu's before we ever came to Titan, but he's never been anything other than respectful!"

Evolvo Lad turned back to the holoscreen, scrolling faster than Chuck or Berta could keep up. "I am certain," he answered after another minute of reading. "However, it seems this escaped even Brainiac 5's attention so I can understand how the two of you were similarly unaware. These files are painting Dr Dax as a man quite adept in deceit."

"What does Brainiac 5 have to do with any of this?" Nightwind cut in.

"When Dr Dax's original hypothesis came to a dead end he compared notes with Brainiac 5," Evolvo Lad continued, "Brainiac shared some of his own findings with him, and gave Dr Dax a new scientific path to pursue."

Bouncing Boy saw the confused expression on Nightwind's face and decided to step in. "Brainy and Jadzi are professional colleagues," Chuck explained. "That was how we met Jadzi in the first place, through his friendship with Brainy. But Evolvo Lad, are you seriously telling me....this man orchestrated all of that just to get his hands on Lu? She's been working with him for months and he's been friends with Brainy for years, all of that was just some long con?"

Evolvo Lad thought on it for a second. "With the information at hand I can only speculate, but in my opinion it seems more that he simply seized an opportunity when you and Duplicate Damsel left the Legion of Superheroes." With one slender finger he pointed out a tiny audio device nestled inside his ear. "I have been simultaneously researching Dr Dax's credentials and he does genuinely have a celebrated scientific history exploring fields related to transversal physics. If I may offer a hypothesis of my own, it may be entirely possible that Dr Dax has spent his entire career looking for a way to imbue himself with the ability to breach multiversal barriers and then when your wife became available for study--"

"Damn it!" Bouncing Boy pounded his fist on the nearest surface. "How long have I been a Legionnaire? I'm the sprocking Chief of Security here, I should have seen this coming a mile away!"

"That's not fair," Nightwind soothed. "You heard Evolvo Lad, even Brainiac 5 didn't see it coming...don't beat yourself up, Bouncing Boy." She turned back to Evolvo Lad with a quizzical expression. "But wait, there's something I don't get...you said he found out Duplicate Damsel doesn't actually have the ability he's looking for, so why would he still want her power?"

"As a means to an end," Evolvo Lad stated bluntly. "Duplicate Damsel does not have the power to breach multiversal barriers but Dax knows of somebody who does...and once he has claimed Duplicate Damsel's power for himself he intends on seeking out that person with the advantage of numbers on his side."

"Who--" Nightwind began to ask, but Bouncing Boy cut her off.

"It doesn't matter!" Chuck exploded. "What matters is finding Lu! We can interrogate him after my wife's safe...where is she, Evolvo Lad? Was he working with that creep we saw on the monitors? Does it say anything in there about how they got out of here?"

Evolvo Lad excused himself to continue reading, and the minutes that passed felt like hours. Bouncing Boy alternated between pacing the lab frenetically and glaring at Evolvo Lad as if trying to force the answer out of him through sheer force of will. When Evolvo Lad's beady pink eyes widened in epiphany, Chuck pounced. "What is it? What did you find?" At the same time, Nightwind's flight ring breeped and she walked across to the other side of the lab to take the call.

Evolvo Lad tapped away and a hologram came to life before Bouncing Boy. It was a series of sketches of a costume, a costume Bouncing Boy recognised immediately as belonging to the man he'd seen on the monitors in this very room. "That man's name is Myriad," Evolvo Lad narrated as the costume turned around for a 360 degree view. "And Dr Dax is not working with him...Jadzi Dax is Myriad."

"That...how..." Chuck was visibly flummoxed.

"Guys!" Nightwind ran over breathlessly. "That was Blok! Dax is a Carggite! They just lost him and Duplicate Damsel, but Blok figured it out as soon as Duplicate Damsel told him that Dax and..." Berta noticed the hologram of Myriad for the first time and pointed at it accusingly. "...Dax and that guy are the same person!"

Bouncing Boy put the pieces together in his head. "Then...then that's why no teleportation signature was registered, because he didn't teleport in here...he split into two people? But the costume..?"

"The costume is activated by an electrostatic charge," Evolvo Lad noted. "It explicitly says so in these schematics. More importantly, if Myriad did not teleport in to the Time Institute, then it stands to reason he did not teleport out. I imagine that he provided the Legion of Superheroes a trail to follow simply to mask his true work here. Bouncing Boy....does this laboratory provide access to any storage tesseracts? The nature of the tesseract should provide adequate defence against conventional means of detection."

Bouncing Boy's blood ran cold as he slowly approached a door recess just behind where they'd all been standing. Nightwind and Evolvo Lad followed, and Chuck's hand trembled as he placed it over a biometric scanner. "Security override; recognise Charles Foster Taine," he identified himself hoarsely when the door remained shut, then he repeated himself more firmly.

"If I may?" Evolvo Lad lay his hands upon the door. "I am certain I could bypass whatever adjustments Myriad has made if I put my mind to it...but there are times when my mind is not my best asset." He lowered his enormous head, and before Bouncing Boy and Nightwind's eyes the tall pale man changed shape. His skin grew darker and more leathery, his frame became a broad-shouldered mass of muscle while his head shrunk to more normal proportions. A layer of hair almost as thick as fur covered his exposed arms, and an untamed mane of brown hair sprung forth from his scalp to reach down past his shoulder blades. With an animalistic roar, the caveman now before them pounded at the door with mighty fists. The metal warped with his first strike, and by his third blow it tore loose from its frame and bounced across the floor on the other side.

The sight which greeted them on the other side of that doorway was not the sparse open storage space that should have been there. Instead, flourescent lighting illuminated a gleaming secondary laboratory almost as large as the one they'd just exited. There was minimal architecture, simply terminals and workbenches dotted around the room holding exotic scientific apparatus. The only real splash of color in the room was an oblong screen three feet high and six feet wide which showed roiling blood red energies...and at the far side of the lab, slumped helplessly in a plexiglass tube was Duplicate Damsel herself. To her left, behind a large console, Myriad looked up to see the heroes' dramatic entrance. He didn't look at all surprised to see them, and greeted them with a neighbourly smile. "Hello, Chuck. Legionnaires."

"Lu!" Bouncing Boy began to bolt toward his wife, but Nightwind grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Bouncing Boy, Blok told me his team were attacked by a bunch of modified security droids when they entered a lab just like this," Nightwind explained. "Let's bring him to us." She gestured, and a gust of wind knocked Myriad from his feet and into the air. Even a month ago, manipulating air currents in an enclosed environment like this would have required intense concentration on her part but Nightwind had been training rigorously and that training was paying off.

Myriad was strangely unperturbed, the smile on his face not fading even slightly. "You're all overreacting," he chuckled. "I'm more than happy to release Luornu, so long as you can guarantee my freedom."

"I can guarantee you a fist to the face if you've hurt my wife," Bouncing Boy simmered. Evolvo Lad growled in sympathetic aggression.

Nightwind dumped Myriad unceremoniously on his tailbone in front of the three of them. "You really think you're in a position to be making demands right now, creep?"

"Oh, I assure you..." Myriad stood up, his friendly smile growing more sinister as three more of him suddenly appeared out of thin air. "...I do. You see, Legionnaires," the duplicates continued in unison as even more of them filled the room, "You're too late. I already have everything I need from Duplicate Damsel, and I assure you...I have more faces than you have fists." En masse, the horde of Myriads stormed the trio of Legionnaires as they rushed the open doorway.

None of them individually were a match for Evolvo Lad in his devolved form, but for every villain the inarticulate hero violently dispatched three more took his place. They couldn't actually hurt him, but soon he was buried beneath a mound of wriggling bodies.

Bouncing Boy saw this and immediately realised they couldn't just wade in. "Berta, we need some room!"

"Great minds think alike!" Nightwind shot back. She spread both arms wide and a ferocious gale funnelled through the open doorway behind them, picking up enough force once it bypassed herself and Bouncing Boy that it split the group of Myriads into two and forced them to either side of the room. Equipment went flying along with them and even the terminals bolted to the floor strained against their moorings. The villains were still multiplying though, and as much as she'd developed her power she knew she wasn't going to be able to hold them back forever. "I'm gonna switch tactics!" Berta shouted over the wind. "You might want to power up for this, Teach!"

Trusting his former student completely, Bouncing Boy activated the power that gave him his name and inflated his form into a giant sphere. Nightwind abruptly released the Myriads from her hold and instead used that wind to launch Bouncing Boy into the nearest group like a cannonball. Chuck took over from there, ricocheting from one side of the room to the other like a hyperactive pinball and taking out several of the villains with each rebound. As he bounced, he made his way closer to the other side of the laboratory. Luornu saw her husband's approach and realised exactly what he was planning; she huddled down at the base of the cylinder in which she was trapped, protecting her face so that when Chuck careened right through the plexiglass tube she remained uninjured.

"Honey, are you okay?" Chuck resumed his normal proportions and helped Luornu to her feet. "Did he--?"

Gazing into her husband's face, Luornu's bi-colored eyes were filled with tears. "Chuck, he...he..." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and sobbed helplessly in his embrace.

While this was happening, Nightwind and Evolvo Lad had been doing their best to deal with an untenable situation but the numbers were simply too great. Eventually, some of the Myriads broke through Berta's defences. With a separate Myriad pinning each of her arms to the wall, a third smugly pointed a finger in her face. "You really should have just let me go, Nightwind. This could have been an unpleasant blip in my acquaintance with the Legion of Superheroes but now you've gone and made an enemy out of me."

"You did that when you hurt one of our own," Nightwind snarled. Thinking quickly, she used her powers to assault the men holding her arms with the weighted straps which hung from her costume. The attack wouldn't cause any real damage, but it was both painful and distracting enough that they released their hold on her. Nightwind placed both hands on the shoulders of the Myriad who'd spoken to her and kneed him in the groin. While he collapsed groaning, she elbowed the other two men in the face.

A hearty laugh came from her right hand side, and she saw a whole gang of the villains gathered before her. The Myriad who'd laughed gave her a slow clap. "I suspect your more powerful comrades will be on their way here, and I'm not so enamoured with these new abilities that I'm ready to take some of them on yet. I will bid you farewell, Legion...until we meet again." He began to give a theatrical bow, but Nightwind threw both arms wide and sent the entire mob hurtling backwards. Before they could come to any harm though, each one of them blinked out of existence. Berta looked around the suddenly empty room; the only versions of Myriad remaining were those who'd been rendered unconscious. He'd escaped.

Evolvo Lad shrugged off six insensate men who'd been weighing him down at the bottom of a much larger pile until a second ago, and roared in frustration. Glaring from one corner of the room to the other it eventually dawned on the prehistoric man that the fight was over. His breathing slowed and his shape shifted once more until he stood before the others in his base form again. "We were too late..?" he asked hesitantly.

Bouncing Boy came forward with Duplicate Damsel still leaning into his embrace. "We were," Chuck admitted sadly. "While we sent Mwindaji and the others off on their wild goose chase, he was right under our noses the whole time stealing my wife's powers." Bouncing Boy held Luornu at arm's length, his hands on her shoulders. "Lu, I...I'm so sorry I failed you, but we'll make this right. This guy can't hide from us forever, we'll find him for you and--"

"What? No." Luornu turned her tear-streaked cheek up to face her husband. In an instant, all vulnerability left her to be replaced by cold hard steel. "Nobody else is doing this for me, Chuck. Myriad may have taken my powers, he may have put an end to Duplicate Damsel...

...but Luornu Durgo Taine hasn't even begun to fight back yet."



EDITOR'S NOTES:
* 'Sojurn' is deliberately misspelled for effect because somewhere inside me live all the naming conventions I picked up from comics in the 90s...let's just say the space octopus's telepathy is good enough to convey that somehow
** Stone Boy is of course referring not only to Adam Orion's lousy aim last instalment but also the time Sharpshot Kid shot Lullabye Lad on Zwen that time (https://www.legionworld.net/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=943139#Post943139)

more great stuff, raz!

Sojurn! I knew they would end up in the Academy... and teleportation, whee! Nice new power set.

Nice apology between Dag and Waiane. Dag is really the cool big bro.

Nice bit with Nightwind forgetting that Mwindaji can track too, like Dawnstar! And also how Nightwind still sort of hero-worships Chuck and Lu.

I like how Evolvo Lad is so polite.

Also like how you portrary Blok's widsom as a distinct thing from hyper-intelligence.

Lt. Perr Alta a homage to Brooklyn 9-9?

Also liking how prudent and careful the Legionnaires are regarding innocent bystanders, potentially injuring captives, etc.

I thought that Dax might have been the villain from the beginning - no sensors, suddenly fainting to the ground... nice mystery build up! Esp. with Blok thinking nothing made sense.

Chuck's emotions are touching and realistic.

Like the reference to Nightwind's intense power training, and her canny battle tactics. Chuck's tactics too. And Nightwind weaponizing her costume, plus her hand to hand. Also Lu and Chuck anticipating each other in battle, whee!

oy, he STOLE Lu's powers... Now I'm super invested, can't wait for comeuppance. And you did a good job making Dax such a smarmy &#@$)$. Can't wait for the next installment!

This was a really fun read, Raz.

I'm not sure if its because Chuck is a "classic" member of the team, or due to the fact that Lu is in danger, but I definitely connected to and was invested in the story from his perspective. Also loved the portrayal and description of Evolvo Lad and his powers.

Using Luornu as a lab rat in order to steal/duplicate her power is a neat hook.

And Jadzi Dax? Love it. Does he have a sister?

Thanks for reading, y'all!

Perr Alta was 100% a deliberate thing but I can't believe my brain made me write down Jadzi Dax like 60 times and not once did it occur to me it sounds almost exactly like Jadzia...good pick, GL!

This is gonna go in what I hope to be a surprising direction, but Lu will definitely get a chance before the end of it all to be more than a prisoner in a tube...stay tuned!

Hey Raz, how are you?

I'm writing as I'm reading so here goes:

I like how you referenced the friendship between Laurel and Tayla through the questions about Turtle - they were at the academy for so long together so it made sense that Laurel would be the one asking. Nightwind teasig Tayla about not being enough was cute too. Though it seems Turtles shady past is affecting his relationship - more soon I hope!

Sojurn... sigh... 90's comics naming conventions are so passe (she says after naming one of her own characters 'Lexikon' ). It's going to have a totally unique perspective to the Legion and UP so it joining the academy is another plot I'm very happy to follow.

Real sweet scene between Dag and Waiane, the familial teasing was well done, as was the unconditional bond between them. And a nice way to show their very different personalities too.

Bless Chuck, he's such a decent guy and obviously really worried about Lu but still thanks M'windaji and Evolvo for helping. Evolvo saying he's smarter than Brainy in his hyper-evolved form is a bit of a surprise, though also very cool. It would be good to see them working together and Querl having to admit he doesn't understand...

Iris teasing Blok is sweet. Berta forgetting about M'windaji's tracking abilities was a nice spot, as she said, they're used to Dawnstar as the team tracker. And good of her to admit it rather thn trying to bluff her way through it. It made sense, though must have been a tough decision, for someone to stay to look after Chuck and evolvo, though am surprised that Berta decided she would be the one to remain. The team going are pretty physically pwerful but don't really have much nuances to them. Will be interesting to see what they can do.

Blok having the apartments evacuated was clever - that wisdom of Solomon is working

Ah... Dr Dax id the villain then, as M'Windaji can't differentiate them. Nice! Iris getting rough with him? Fair enough, not every powerhouse can be as laid back as Blok.

Blok knows, and I think I do too

Chuck is so smooth, taking the conversation from his obvious worries to Berta being deputy-leader. Berta's concerns about him was well done too.

Ah, so now it's cler why he calls himself Myriad - he wants to replicate like Lu. Evolvo teaching himself that language in a couple of minutes was impressive too.

Why would he want to breach the multiverse? That's an unexpected twist. And who does he know that he wants to get his hands on? And why go to the trouble of doing all this risking the Legion's involvement when he could just have bought a big gun to scare the person with? Myriad the mysterious...

Cute that Blok's message reached them just as evolvo figured it out. Evolvo battering the door was a nice use of him - a versatile powerset. Berta controlling her powers was great too, though it seems they took too long to find him. Very cool having Berta blow Chuck across the room like that! And Lu knowing what he wa away to do highlights their experience and knowledge of each other.Berta kicking ass (or groin in this case) was great fun, it's nice to see the Legionnaires showing their combat skills rather than just blasting stuff.

Good cliffhanger there though they have the unconscious Myriad's to interrogate so I doubt he'll get away for long.

And poor Lu, though even a single angry Lu is a scary thought. I almost feel sorry for Myriad.

Great stufff Raz, some really good characterisation going on and a nice mystery to get to the bottom of. Looking forward to more, more and much more!

Glad you picked up on my sneaking in a Lamprey/Turtle teaser in there Harbi, I am halfway through putting together a little mini-series for those two and just finished writing Turtle's secret origin a couple days ago! Hopefully that should be good to go in the next few weeks [/shameless plug]

I kinda like writing Dag and Waiane cuz Stone Boy tends to be more of a quiet achiever generally so it shows a side to him we don't normally get to see.

Evolvo Lad being smarter than Brainy might be something I nicked from a really old-school Heroes of Lallor story I think; I like it because it makes him more than a second-rate replacement but it doesn't diminish Brainy either because Sev only has that level of intellect for limited periods whereas Brainy's smart all the time.

I am reasonably confident that Myriad's next step will be a surprise to everyone, but it's also gonna explore something I have wanted to write since way back when I first started this series so I'm really looking forward to it!

[spoiler][/spoiler]Hi Raz,

loving these post.

Watching Tinya, Garth, and Imra together was really fun. its always cool to see how far they go back.
The teasing was fun...loved that Imra's nickname was "Iron Butt." haha

Watching Imra and Garth go back and forth about the students for the internship was fun. its like watching a sitcom where the couple's fighting but won't admit their fighting. So each sentence is said just a bit higher, just a with a bit more mocking mixed with the politeness of "Per my last email" business educate.

I like the reasons for each of the students to not be chosen and upgraded to intern and that P.G. is ok with that and that they all have the kids best interest at heart.

Damn the kids were kidnapped but they were seriously alright.
Loved Dragonwings protectiveness of her classmates.
Chemical Kid's snark definitely helped make this opening not as scary as it could have been for some of these students. ... "Jungle Queen" Haha.
Loved this section with Kid Quantum


Kid Quantum knew who he was and called him out on his bs. There's always that one student in each class who knows what's up and i love that its Jazmin.

Dragonwing stole her fire from the Imperial Dragons Horde? that's a story possibly worth sharing and could have some serious ramification that we don't know of yet.


This line made me laugh a bit. Love when Hardu has to admit that someone is right.

I feel for Amp. After her battle with Duplicate Lad, it makes sense that she wouldn't rest in situations like this and would want to be proactive as possible. I'm slightly surprised that she's planning on staying in this life after what she experienced.

Poor Gloirth. She's so quiet.

It's kind of weird to see Dragonwing get up in Amp's face about her being the new kid, when in the Retroboot series I wish someone had done that to her. I wasn't a fan of hers in that series but you've defiantly helped me like her a bit more.
But the infighting at a moment like this was really well done.

Splitting up at first i thought that might not be the best of ideas. but it makes sense to try and get help.
proud of Kid Q giving aid to Variable Lad and being prepared. A reason for the pouches! lol.

Soulcatchers? yeah i don't think i want to visit V-Lad's planet for a hike.

Thank you for mentioning that Chemical Kid and Dragonwing are older than the others throughout this post. its easy to think of them as younger with how immature they are, especially next to students like Jazmin.

Ok so glad i didn't have to wait to find out what happened to Kid Q. that moment really gave me a fright. Thought Orin shot her or something.
Lullaby Lad is so adorable at times but man you have a class full of cape wearing teens. Edna Mode would chastise you hard core for that.


the whole section above was done well. funny and informative. I liked the back and forth of Glorith and Dragonwing alot.

Fire Lass confronting Dragonwing was well done as well. it's hard not to feel bad for her and i liked that Dragonwing finally saw that she wasn't a threat. I even liked the playfulness of her calling her "Ya big weirdo".
This whole post has made Dragonwing much more endearing to me.

Glad that Lullaby Lad feels bad about his blow up with his brother.

Adam Orion finally pounces on them!
Nice save from Glorith....wow... Fire Lass took a dagger to the throat?
Yes!! the rest of the kids to the rescue. Chemical Kid's power really can be effective.

I love your distinction about magic and that even though it is technically a power, its a power that must be learned! i was not expecting that to be what saved the kids. But i'm glad it was.
Key Kid also a secret weapon? good twist and reasoning for not revealing it sooner and the kids are saved!

S'jin is in the academy! this makes me happy.
i can't wait for the Lamprey and Turtle mini you've got coming. I'm glad Lamprey knows he's lying and isn't taking him at his word on this one.
loved the joking nature of Nightwind and Supergirl II.

Glad that lullaby Lad and Stone Boy did really get their moment to talk even if it was interrupted.

The mission to save Lu was great! i loved the slow reveal of who Myriad is. I was slightly shocked by this. I figured it was more so that the doc was in on it and working with someone.
Blok's intuition was well done and i liked how you mentioned its only a portion of Solomon's wisdom and Diamond Damsels response was great!
i really enjoyed the shifting of Evolvo Lad and how it was applied. in the reboot era he was a character that only seemingly went "savage" when he lost control and was almost always in his hyper evolved state. So seeing the different incarnations was fun for me. Loved the smashing of the lock pad, knowing that sometimes the easiest solution is the best.
loved the comparison between him and Brainy in the other comments.
Chuck is an amazing husband! felt for him the whole time and after being a legionnaire i can say i bet it was even harder to sit back and let the team do their thing.
Nightwind's talks with Chuck were also nicely done. its always interesting to see how the teacher/student dynamic can change once the student is no longer the student.
Can't wait to find out Brainy's reaction to his "friends" betrayal.
the red herring and even faking out Mwindaji was clever and great use of the dupes.

Damn! that was definitely the death of Duplicate Damsel. But i'm glad that Lu is still with us and that she's willing to fight. so does that mean she's back to being a single or is she a regular Craggiate now and can triplicate again?

Can't wait for what's next!

Hey Omni

I nicked Iron Butt Imra from the 5YL Legion, it definitely fits

Glad you liked the kids' side adventure, and you're right - Edna Mode would have some words to say about the capes and dusters and such....I actually never noticed myself till I wrote this story that like half the team have pretty impractical outfits for close quarters combat! This was kind of a warmup for the main event which is coming for them in the not too distant future, Sojurn has joined the Academy just in time!

Luornu's current status power/identity-wise will be resolved much sooner though, y'all are gonna see where all of that's at right up next!

TITAN
Titanopolis, the Time Institute

ROLL CALL
Blok: magically enhanced strength, invulnerability, speed, flight, stamina, wisdom and courage
Diamond Damsel aka Iris Jacobs: living diamond
Evolvo Lad aka Sev Tcheru: Legion ally; hyperevolution/devolution
Mwindaji: tracker infused with White Lantern energy
Nightwind aka Berta Skye Haris: deputy leader, wind control
Stone Boy aka Dag Wentim: ability to transmute to living stone

Bouncing Boy aka Charles Foster Taine: reserve member; super-bouncing
Luornu Durgo Taine: reserve member, currently powerless

"I appreciate your patience," Evolvo Lad's hyperevolved form spoke in his characteristic soft monotone. "I believe I have all the information we require now to pursue our quarry."

Evolvo Lad stood by the bedside of one of the unconscious Myriads the Legionnaires had captured. As soon as the first of the villain's duplicates had woken up he'd blinked out of existence, rejoining his prime body wherever that might be. Bouncing Boy had immediately ordered the remaining duplicates to be kept sedated until they were safely in Science Police custody, and Evolvo Lad had taken the opportunity to telepathically interrogate one of them while he was out. The other heroes had been standing by chatting quietly amongst themselves while they waited for their Lalloran comrade to finish.

"Don't apologise, Evolvo Lad," Nightwind took the lead. "Waiting five minutes for you to rifle through that creep's brain is a lot less time than it would have taken to get the info we need through more conventional means."

"We are fortunate to have had an unconscious captive available," Evolvo Lad rejoined. "With the psionic baffler built into Myriad's cowl I wouldn't have been able to do this any other way. If we move now though, we should be able to intervene before he reaches his next target."

"Duplicate Damsel, are you...are you sure you really want to come with us?" Nightwind asked her former teacher tentatively. "There's no need--"

"There's every need," Luornu cut Berta off. "I may not actually be a Duplicate Damsel anymore, but I'm not a damsel in distress either. I'm not going to just sit here on Titan wringing my hands while the rest of you go after Myriad on my behalf. I just need to get changed, give me a few minutes." Without waiting for Nightwind to respond, Luornu marched out of the room they'd co-opted to keep the various Myriads contained.

"Bouncing Boy...Chuck..." Diamond Damsel approached the bearded hero once his wife was out of earshot. "I know Duplicate Damsel's tough and I don't mean to be blunt, but well...she has no powers. She can't even create a second duplicate anymore. Is this really safe?"

"My wife is tough," Chuck sighed, "Tough and stubborn. Honestly, we'd have a harder time convincing her to stay behind. Believe me DD, once Lu sets her mind on something there's no dissuading her."

"I'm still having trouble accepting who Myriad's going after next," Stone Boy changed the subject. "I don't doubt your abilities Evolvo Lad, but when you told us his real target earlier...are you sure there's absolutely no way you could have misinterpreted that?"

"I understand your skepticism given your relationship with her," Evolvo Lad replied. "However, there is no doubt in my mind. My telepathy only confirms what I read in Myriad's files earlier today, he is en route right now to abduct--"

With a rude abruptness, Evolvo Lad suddenly looked as though he'd been converted to a flat image. Just as abruptly, he vanished altogether less than a second later. He wasn't the only one either; Diamond Damsel, Blok, Nightwind, Stone Boy and Mwindaji all disappeared alongside their newest teammate.

"I'm ready!" Luornu called out from the corridor just outside the storage room. "Let's - hey, where is everyone?" Entering the room, she saw only her husband and Myriad's sleeping duplicates. "Chuck? Surely they didn't leave us both behind..?"

"They just...they just disappeared!" Bouncing Boy stared wide-eyed. "All of them!"

"What?" Luornu frowned. "What do you mean, disappeared? Do you think Myriad..?"

Chuck stroked his beard thoughtfully. "No...no, that doesn't make sense. Why would he take them and not his own selves? And you know, this is going to sound crazy but for a split second before they went they almost looked like they turned paper flat! Like Ron-Karr!"

"Let's check our security scanners," Luornu suggested. "We can call Berta and the others on the way."

"I'm trying now," Chuck gave his wife a concerned look, his flight ring raised to his lips. "I can't get hold of them...I can't get hold of Tinya...Lu, I can't get hold of anybody!

...It's like the whole Legion has just vanished off the face of the galaxy!"

**********

EARTH
Metropolis, United Planets Museum of the Superhero

ROLL CALL

Legion of Substitute Heroes
Antennae Lad aka Khfeurb Chee Bez: can broadcast radio transmissions from different spatiotemporal loci
Polecat aka Dafe Meron: odor generation
Porcupine Pete aka Peter Dursin: projectile quills
Rainbow Girl aka Dori Aandraison: rainbow powers

Though it was well past 2am local time, Weisinger Plaza's vast empty space was filled with laughter as a colorful quartet of friends made their way past the various golden statues leading to one of Earth's newest tourist attractions. Formerly the site of the Legion of Superheroes' headquarters, this space had been converted into a museum which celebrated all of the galaxy's heroes. The Legion of Substitute Heroes had been tasked with maintaining the space, and it was they whose guffaws grew louder as they approached the building which was now their home.

"Can you believe those guys?" Antennae Lad wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. "I mean I know people make fun of us calling ourselves Substitute Heroes but like...there's an actual need for someone to be there when the Legion of Superheroes can't be. Nobody needs a bunch of wannabe bad guys to sub for the Legion of Supervillains!"

"The Legion of Substitute Villains should consider themselves lucky the real LSV don't know who they are," Rainbow Girl giggled. "Can you imagine the high and mighty Lightning Lord being okay with having a fanboy whose power is to--" she faked a retching noise "--projectile vomit on anything and everything?"

Reminded again of the leader of the team they'd just stopped from vandalising China's Great Ten memorial, the Subs all set off to laughing again. "Honestly?" Polecat volunteered once he was capable of speaking again, "I am simply happy that my own power is no longer the most digusting on the field of combat." There was a moment of awkward silence before all four of them were rolling in laughter once more.

"And X-Bomb Betty?" Antennae Lad threw another name out there. "I mean come on, I know I don't have perfect control of my power, but at least I can use it!"

"Do you think she even can explode?" Dori added. "For real? Because as far as I can tell, her only power is having two giant bombshells right here!" Dori jokingly cupped her breasts with both hands and mashed them together while giving a grossly exaggerated sultry pout.

"Come on guys," Porcupine Pete chuckled. "We're just being mean now, it's not like we're that much higher on the food chain than those squajes, we're just not so relentlessly dumb about it." Pete Dursin found their villainous counterparts as amusing as the rest of his team, but he'd developed much more impulse control after training with the monks on Steeple. "Anyway," Pete yawned as the museum's private entrance recognised his biosignature and opened before him, "I was just about asleep before Chee picked up that SP call from Beijing. I'm gonna go hit the hay."

"Hold the turbolift," Antennae Lad jogged a few steps forward. "Sleep sounds amazing right now!"

"I find myself still wound up from our encounter with the Substitute Villains," Polecat waved the other two men forward. "I think I shall find a holo to keep me entertained in the cinema...there are certainly benefits to sharing our base with a tourist museum! Do you wish to join me, Rainbow Girl?"

"I'll pass," the group's sole female member declined. "Thanks anyway, Dafe. My darling husband won't be back from his business trip for the next few days and as much as I love Irveang it's going to be so lovely to get through a whole six hours without that relentless din he calls snoring. Enjoy yourself, I'll see you boys at our next meeting!"

As the other three entered the building, Dori turned back toward the main plaza once more. She loved walking through Metropolis this time of night. Even at its most docile Metropolis was always so much more chaotic than anywhere on her homeworld of Xolnar, but with the walkways mostly devoid of sentients and only a dozen or so skycars zipping by overhead at any given time she felt special; Dori felt like she was a real part of this city and not just one of countless other backwater aliens who'd come to Earth to try and make something of themselves. It hadn't always been that way...for some time, Earth had come dangerously close to succumbing to the forces of xenophobic bigotry, and Dori was quietly proud that she and her teammates had played some part in changing that for the better.

As she approached the towering edifice of her husband's flagship hotel where her penthouse suite awaited her, it occurred to Rainbow Girl that a group of men had been tailing her for the past minute or so. The self-centred starlet who'd originally come to Earth chasing fame might never have noticed such a thing, but Dori hadn't been that girl for a while now. Before she could reach the hotel's well lit grand entrance, another group turned a corner before her and cut off her access. Dori's heart beat faster; she wasn't afraid to fight if she had to, but she didn't like these odds. There were at least ten of the men altogether, and they all wore an identical costume she didn't recognise. "Can I help you gentlemen?" she asked firmly, positioning herself between the two groups with a wall to her back.

"Oh, absolutely!" Only one of the men answered, but all of them grinned in unison and the effect was highly unnerving. "My name is Myriad, Rainbow Girl.

I'm a big fan."

**********

In the roomy cinema normally reserved for groups of visitors during business hours, Polecat had settled in with his tin of surstromming just in time for the credits to begin rolling on his chosen holo. By the time Dark Matter Storm III's title faded from the screen and Yera Allon's convincingly human features took its place, he'd demolished half the container.

Polecat's senses of taste and smell were vastly weaker than most other people; it was the only reason his own power didn't make him sick every time he used it. When he'd been introduced to surstromming by a Swedish colleague while stationed in Antarctica, Dafe Meron had immediately fallen in love with the fermented herring dish. Widely recognised as one of the foulest smelling foods in the solar system and beyond, it was one of the only things Dafe could actually taste at all. It was also something he had long since learned could not be eaten around other people so he relished this rare opportunity to partake in the treat outside of his personal quarters for once.

Just as he poured the last of the pungent juice into his open mouth, Polecat heard the muffled sound of glass breaking followed instantly by a piercing alarm. "I'm coming!" he shouted over the shrill tone. "Deactivate! Shut off! Lord!" His flight ring carried him outside the cinema, and once the alarm finally silenced itself the sound of a woman's cries led him from there.

It only took Polecat a moment to recognise the voice as that of Rainbow Girl, and a second later he came across her sprawled across the floor near a series of chrome podiums which in daylight hours projected images of the ancient Justice League and their villains. She'd obviously come through a nearby window which reached from floor to ceiling, and broken glass covered the carpet all around her. Rainbow Girl herself was clearly dishevelled and shaky, her costume torn in a few places. "Dori, what's going on? You look a mess!" Polecat landed beside her and helped the distraught woman to her feet.

"Thanks Dafe," came Dori's deadpan answer. "Just what every girl wants to hear. Where are the others? My rainbow road was too fast for him, but he's not going to be far behind me! I would have called ahead, but he had an EMP grenade or something, my flight ring might as well be costume jewellery!"

"After that alarm I very much suspect Pete and Chee are on their way down here right now," Polecat addressed her question while he scanned the plaza outside. "And the Science Police should not be far behind them. But who is -- oh." Polecat and Rainbow Girl both saw a mob arrive on foot outside, approaching the building like a human tsunami.

"That's him!" Dori pointed. "Myriad! He tried to abduct me outside the hotel, I only just managed to get away from him!"

"Him?" Polecat gave her a confused glance. "Do my eyes deceive me? I see a crowd, Rainbow Girl! A very large crowd! I suddenly wish this building had forcefield technology!"

"No, you don't understand!" Rainbow Girl persisted. "He's got the same power as Duplicate Damsel, he just kept creating copies of himself until he overpowered me!"

"Ah," Polecat nodded. "Well, I am certain Porcupine Pete and Antennae Lad will be here momentarily to help us turn the tide but until then...let me see if I can buy us some time. Stay here and I shall meet them outside. And before you fight me on this, let me remind you that you are as vulnerable to my power as any of those men, Rainbow Girl."

Dori tried to form an argument, but she couldn't deny that her teammate had a point. She'd experienced his stench more than once and each time had been deeply unpleasant. As Polecat walked outside to meet the oncoming Myriads, Dori told herself that was the only reason for her reluctance...she wasn't entirely sure she believed it, but it made her feel better to think so.

"Myriad?" Polecat greeted the identically costumed crowd of men before him. "Myriads? What do you prefer to be called exactly? And what is it you want with my teammate if I may ask?" Dafe was silently grateful to note that the slight breeze in the air was favouring him tonight.

One of the men stopped advancing and the others moved to flank him on either side, taking the opportunity to catch their breath after chasing Rainbow Girl all the way here. "Myriad is fine," the mob's chosen spokesman replied. "Honestly, it doesn't really matter though. The skunk stripe on your costume, your little horns...you're Polecat, right? I've got no qualm with you, Polecat. Let me by, and I'll be out of your hair with Ms Aandraison in no time."

"Come now," Polecat stepped closer to the army of duplicates. "Myriad, I am surprised that you recognise me but if you do...you must know that I will oppose you till my last breath."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic." Myriad dismissed him with a wave of his wrist. "I'm not going to kill you, Polecat...I am going to have to go through you if I can't go around you though." The rest of the Myriads ran forward as if commanded, and Polecat made his move in response. A noxious cloud of fumes spewed forth from the horns mounted on his forehead, surrounding him and carrying toward the men on the night wind. The first wave of Myriads stopped in their tracks, falling to their knees or clutching their faces desperately as they turned away and ran. The second wave came a little closer but still faltered. They were too numerous though, and in seconds they were on him. Polecat started throwing punches as soon as they were within range, but he may as well have been trying to fight a tsunami. In a dishearteningly short period of time he disappeared beneath a mountain of bodies, stampeded as they made their way en masse toward Rainbow Girl inside.

As the first of Myriad's duplicates entered the hole that Rainbow Girl had smashed through the window, they met a rude shock; namely, a rain of razor-sharp quills embedded into their flesh. "Someone tell me what's going on!" Porcupine Pete hollered from inside the building. "I assume the army of clones invading our museum is a bad thing, right?" Though the first group of men had either fallen or fallen back at Pete's assault, another was already trying to push through. They met the same result, but Pete knew that he would run out of quills long before they would run out of men.

"It's only Rainbow Girl I want!" one of the Myriads countered as his fellows shielded him long enough to get past Pete's piercing onslaught. "You boys don't need to embarass yourselves doing this, just let me have her and I'll go!"

"How about we don't and you go anyway?" Antennae Lad had picked up one of the poles they used to direct queues during the day and smacked the speaker across the skull. One Myriad fell, but soon three more took his place. They managed to disarm Antennae Lad, and as they pinned him down to the ground they were surprised to see that his resolve didn't waver at all. "My power's kind of hard to control with finesse," Chee spoke through gritted teeth, "But there's one thing I've gotten really good at." An ear-splitting feedback squeal emitted from his gigantic ears, and the Myriads closest to him had no choice but to recoil in pain. It was a brave gambit and it would have been a successful one were Antennae Lad not so outnumbered. Just like Polecat and Porcupine Pete, he too disappeared beneath a pile of bodies within seconds.

Watching her teammates fall, Rainbow Girl realised something; she had failed them. She'd let this strange man and his duplicates follow her here so she could have backup, but she'd never intended on letting the others fight her battle for her. Yet here she was cowering while Pete, Dafe and Chee put their lives on the line for her. She didn't doubt that she'd be any less effective than the boys, but she'd be damned if she was going to sit here and just let this all happen. Rainbow Girl activated the rainbow road beneath her feet, the tachyon pathway which had allowed her to escape Myriad in the first place. A tangible field of colors appeared beneath her feet, and like some speeding ribbon it tore through the crowd of villains restraining her friends as she surfed it. Riding a full spectrum band of color, Rainbow Girl brought all of her allies a few extra seconds as she tore outside and toppled Myriads this way and that. The nature of the rainbow road meant that she could never gain more than a few inches height from the ground though, and soon enough that limitation was enough to defeat her. Myriad's sheer numbers overwhelmed her, and while the three male members of the Legion of Substitute Heroes struggled valiantly against their own opponents a hovering vehicle descended from the skyways above and absconded with Dori Aandraison.

As soon as Myriad was at a comfortable distance, he recalled all of his duplicates. Porcupine Pete, Antennae Lad and Polecat were left standing in a bewildered state outside their base. "...What just happened?" Antennae Lad asked. "Who was that guy? Why did he want Rainbow Girl so bad?"

"I don't know," Porcupine Pete answered darkly. "But I don't like how easily he took her."

"I do not like any of this," Polecat volunteered. Wincing in pain, he stood and joined his two remaining teammates. "What do we do from here? Even if we can find Dori again, this man has made fools of us all!"

"He won the first round," a man's voice sounded from outside the building. "He did the same with us." The three remaining members of the Legion of Substitute Heroes looked out to see Chuck Taine descending thanks to his flight ring, accompanied by his wife Luornu Durgo Taine. Her costume had changed since the last time they saw her; she now wore a sleeveless purple bodysuit with white patches on her thighs, an orange vest lined with pockets, orange gloves and boots and a somehow familiar boxy yellow belt.

"That doesn't mean he wins the battle," Luornu completed Chuck's sentiment. "We know what Myriad wants, and working together we can stop him from achieving it."

"Bouncing Boy?" Porcupine Pete asked. "Duplicate Damsel? What are you doing here?"

"We came to stop Myriad from kidnapping Rainbow Girl, though we were obviously too late," Luornu answered. "But I swear she won't go through what I've gone through.

And by the way...call me Una."

**********

Nice! glad the Myriad/Lu plot is moving forward steadily!

Really interesting bit about the conscious duplicates fading away, while unconscious ones remain.

Glad to see a realistic debate about bringing Lu along or not. But yeah, she's tough and won't take no for an answer lol...

whoa, what happened! that disappearance thing...! Also nice way to ratchet up the tension, like... who's next?!

the Subs have really changed eh, with Crystal Kid also graduating...

I do like that Weisinger Plaza now honors ALL heroes in the galaxy. Nice, and also plays into the Legion's thing of doing it for the good rather than for the glory. Nice shout out to the modern day Great Ten too. and also loved Polecat's honesty about his power, plus the Subs laughing about the Sub Villains! X-Bomb Betty, yeah, what use is her power if she can only use it once??

I do like Pete's gentle reminder that they should not laugh at people's powers (or lack thereof)... though their choices (i.e. being heroes or villains) is fair game Nice seeing some growth from his time on Steeple too

I also like Polecat's more formal speaking patterns, nice way to differentiate him

I almost forgot that Dori is married! Glad you're keeping his husband in your continuity. I remember he originated in canon sometime around v3. Also like her reference to her self-centered starlet past, and how she's also now in it for doing good.

hah! love that the holo stars Yera!!!

also nice touch having Polecat's senses of smell and taste be bad... and referencing a real life Swedish dish as something that can get past that!!!

Rainbow Road, nice application of Dori's powers. I'm glad you wrote a good fight scene, instead of just having Dori be taken off screen.

nice seeing the Subs being so courageous. Antennae Lad's short, sharp noise burst is effective too.

Nice cliffhanger, man I am really stoked for the next bit (and possible finale?) Also curious about why Myriad wants Dori - will her rainbow powers combine with his multiples somehow? Super curious, and I bet we will learn more about her Rainbow Road too!

Hey IB

With the dupes, I was going on the assumption that the individual duplicate would need to consciously assent to rejoining the prime body but I'm wondering now if that would actually be the case - I suppose we'll have to wait a thousand years and ask a Carggite lol

Thankfully I have never actually experienced the wonder of surstromming but nothing I have read about it sounds at all appealing hahaha....and I am glad you liked the Yera easter egg, I thought it'd be cute to chuck her in there

The Legionnaires who disappeared will be followed up on very soon and it's probably gonna be the weirdest story I have ever written, but first up...

...Una kicks ass!

...the secret origin of Rainbow Girl!

...and the not a hoax not an imaginary story END of the Legion of Substitute Heroes!

heya raz!

Oh that's a good one. The Reboot has precedent, in Legionnaires 24 Triad could not reintegrate unless Neutral was also conscious. Though there was an interesting bit where Purple and Orange integrate together, without Neutral (but both were certainly conscious).

I'm a big fan of Legionnaires having careers outside the Legion, and I'm a big fan of acting, and a big fan of Yera, so that made me very happy!

Oh man I'm so eager for the next bits! Gasp! Double gasp! Triple gasp! (maybe the Subs join Lu and Chuck as... idk... on Titan... or they form their own group... yeah idk!)

Hi Raz,

and so the Myriad mystery continues. I like that his dups don't disappear as soon as he does or as soon as their incapacitated and that they aren't just blank shells either. If Myriad didn't steal his powers from Lu and now trying to steal powers from Rainbow Girl, he could be a pretty powerful hero.

Converted to a flat image and then Evolvo Lad and the team vanished...hmmm. but not just them the whole Legion? Ok, clearly not something to do with Myriad. But Ron Karr isn't that powerful...or is he now? What would be funny is if they were still there just two dimensional and flat facing.

Loved listening to the Subs bash the Sub-LSV. But it was good to hear Pete acknowledge their own standing. Although, I still think the subs are pretty powerful.
The battle for Rainbow Girl was really well done. I loved seeing the team each play their part trying to take on Myriad. Too bad Polecat wasn't able to get a round or two off at some of those dupes. I know held back to not hit his teammates but he might have been at least able to get to the prime...

that screeching thing Anntenna Lad did was pretty cool. With more control, i wonder how long he'd be able to make it last.

And Chuck and Lu are here, or should I say Chuck and Una!

I can't wait to see what you have in store and whose behind taking the team.

Hey Raz, sorry it's taken me some time to get around to this - I'd be grateful if you could pm me when you post as it's easy to miss updates.

Anyway, I'm posting as I read:

I like how the Myriads can't merge when they're unconscious. Nice simple flaw for the team to take advantage of. Thought Berta would know better than doubt Lu's determination, though nice of her to ask.

Oh you tease not telling us who Myriad is really after! Haha.

Wow, speaking of a teae - kidnapping the entire Legion is pretty major! It came totally out of leftfiend, though the flattening makes me think of dimensions which leads me to Quislet - yeah, tenuous link but I can hope, eh? Anyway, whoever is behind this will have Lu and Chuck t deal with.

Love the banter between the subs, yeah Mekt wuldn't be impressed with a subsitute LSV. So Myriad was after Rainbow Girl - I really appreciate the love you show the subs and of them all she's the most bizarre ao it kind of makes sense that she'd be the target.

Nice little scene with Polecat - how his senses are dulled makes perfect sense. And he likes surstromming? They must be really dulled

So, Rainbow Girl is creating rainbow bridges now? I love how she has a variety of powers but no-one bats an eye about them. Is that why Myriad wants her? as she has some access to multi-dimensions?

POlecat, bless him for his bravery. And Antennae Lad whacking the Myriads with a pole before Schreeching at them. Though have we ever seen Lu produce that many duplicates before as Myriad amped it up even more?

Nice to see Chuck and Lu make an appearance at the end. So, Bouncing Boy, Una and the Subs against Myriad. He doesn't stand a chance

Looking forward to seeing where you take this Raz - I demand more, more and more!

Raz, this was a REALLY great entry. The setup was great, with the Legionnaires being teleported away like that.

VERY much like the scene with Rainbow Girl and Myriad, it was creepy as hell, which of course leads to the fight scene. Your writing made me think of Dupli-Kate from Invincible as portrayed in the animated series, and the way they KEEP duplicating definitely made his victory this round a foregone conclusion, yet the stand from the rest of the Subs was valiant and well done.

I really liked the description of Rainbow Girl's powers, its very original. I have to admit, I envisioned the course in Mario Kart in my mind while reading it!!

And one of the best things - Luornu's determination to keep moving on as Una. Love it.

lol I have tried to reply to this 3 times and keep losing my connection whenever I try to post...hopefully 4th time's the charm!

Thanks for commenting, y'all!

Some of you have come very close to guessing some plot points (I won't spoil which ones exactly, but good work!)....Harbi, to answer your q about Myriad - he hasn't amped Luornu's powers up so much as he has less qualms throwing an army of duplicates out there to be treated like cannon fodder. He also doesn't have the fighting skills of someone like Luornu, so overwhelming his enemies with sheer numbers is really the only way he's gonna have a chance of winning most fights.

Rainbow Girl's powers are one of the funnest parts of writing the Subs and I am pretty happy that it's gonna pay off soon!

And Dupli-Kate is such a cheesy/brilliant name, I'm jealous I never thought of it first!

So next up we're gonna wrap all of the Myriad stuff up, then find out what happened to the Legion, and then I should finally be reveal what's been going on with Otaki behind the scenes! Also, for anyone who's interested I am on the last chapter of my Lamprey & Turtle story so I'll probably give that its own thread soon as it's a pretty self-contained story

very much looking forward to the next bits, raz! Really curious about Otaki, really eager to see Myriad get his comeuppance, more Lamprey & Turtle is always nice, and it will be super cool to see the entire active Legion in whatever predicament you've dropped them into!

EARTH
Metropolis, United Planets Museum of the Superhero

ROLL CALL

Legion of Substitute Heroes
Antennae Lad aka Khfeurb Chee Bez: can broadcast radio transmissions from different spatiotemporal loci
Polecat aka Dafe Meron: odor generation
Porcupine Pete aka Peter Dursin: projectile quills

Bouncing Boy aka Charles Foster Taine: ally; super-bouncing
Una aka Luornu Durgo Taine: ally; currently powerless

As Science Police droids took evidence and cleaned up the plaza around them, the remaining three members of the Legion of Substitute Heroes conversed with Bouncing Boy and the woman whom until tonight they'd all known as Duplicate Damsel.

"So this Myriad guy spent months gaining your trust just so he could steal your powers, Duplic--uh, Una?" Porcupine Pete summarised what Chuck and Luornu had just told them. "That's awful! We have to find him and save Rainbow Girl before he does the same to her!"

"That's why we're here," Luornu Durgo Taine agreed. "Evolvo Lad said Myriad's end goal had something to do with breaching multiversal barriers, but he disappeared before he could explain what that meant. All we know is that somehow Rainbow Girl is crucial to him achieving that goal."

"That's so weird," Antennae Lad absentmindedly stroked one of his oversized earlobes. "Dori's rainbow powers are pretty down to earth, I don't understand how he thinks she's going to help him access another reality...and the whole Legion of Superheroes is gone??"

"We spoke to Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl while we were en route here from Titan," Bouncing Boy explained. "As far as they can determine, every member of the active roster vanished at the same time. They've contacted all the reservists and we'll head to Mars as soon as we can, but honestly Lu and I are going to be a lot more helpful here until Garth and Imra have a lead. Right now, we need to focus on finding Rainbow Girl."

"Her flight ring should have rebooted by now," Antennae Lad reasoned, "But we still haven't been able to track it. From what you two told us, Myriad seems like he's well prepared so I guess he must have found some other way to block it. You know what though? I've got an idea...Pete, I might need your help. Can we find somewhere quiet for you to take me through a guided meditation?"

"Sure, buddy." Porcupine Pete motioned back toward the building. "We'll be as quick as we can, guys."

As the two men walked off, Una arched an eyebrow. "Meditation? Now??"

"Pete has been assisting Chee with his power control issues using the techniques he learned on Steeple," Polecat explained. "I know it seems an odd idea, but they have been meeting with some success. As a team we have discussed the benefits it could provide if Antennae Lad could receive broadcasts from the future on command, say for example from a point of time after we have found Myriad and transmitted his location. He would be our very own Dream Girl if you will...though perhaps not so attractive," he finished with a modest aside.

"That is clever," Bouncing Boy commended. "But we've got a much easier option available to us, Polecat." Chuck walked over to the nearest SP droid and after a few exchanged words, Shvaughn Erin's holographic features floated before the chubby hero. The two were engaged in conversation for just over five minutes before Bouncing Boy returned to his wife and Polecat. "Poor Shvaughn, she thought I was calling with news about Element Lad - she and Jan were on a date when he vanished, she's worried sick. She's going to track down the vehicle that Myriad used to escape and get back to us as soon as she has some results though. As much as Myriad has anticipated us, he's also underestimated us in some ways. He was arrogant enough to think that we wouldn't find his secret lab right under our noses on Titan, and hopefully he's arrogant enough to have assumed the Subs wouldn't have any means of following him without Rainbow Girl's flight ring."

"We did procure a promise from the Science Police that they would assist us to the best of their abilities," Polecat reasoned, "I suppose that request must carry more weight coming from a former leader of the Legion of Superheroes than the Substitute Legion."

"What's important is that it gets the job done," Una volunteered. "Hopefully it shouldn't take Shvaughn long to get us the info we're looking for. In the meantime, we should--"

"Guys! Guys!" Porcupine Pete's voice rang out across the plaza, disturbing the last peaceful moments of pre-dawn. He and Antennae Lad bolted out of the building, both of them looking quite shocked.

"You have results already?" Polecat was astounded. "Congratulations, Antennae Lad; you really have made significant improvement!"

"Not exactly!" an over-stimulated Antennae Lad babbled. "I mean I didn't find anything from the future, but I was trying to focus on Myriad when I wasn't getting anywhere with Rainbow Girl, and you guys are not going to believe what we just heard..!"

**********

Rainbow Girl had been immediately sedated once the army of Myriads had taken her captive, and as she groggily raised her head now she realised she had no idea where she was. Her first impulse was to call the other Subs for help, but her flight ring had been removed from her finger. She climbed to her feet, using the thick plexiglass of the cylinder in which she was enclosed to support her as she stood.

When she'd first come to Earth, Dori had played a small role in a not terribly successful science fiction holofilm about a mad Coluan scientist; looking around the large laboratory she now found herself in, she was instantly reminded of the set for that holo. Large consoles, different colored flashing lights and weirdly shaped sensor rods crackling with energy filled the windowless room. Besides herself though, there was only one other being in this room. His back was turned to her as he manipulated controls on a table centred amongst a mess of cables, but there was only one person this could be.

"Myriad!" Dori angrily cried. "You better not have hurt my friends!" The man in the white bodysuit didn't react at all, and Dori pounded against her transparent prison. "Myriad!" she called his name louder. "Don't ignore me! Myriad!!"

It were as though he couldn't hear her at all, and it was only then that Rainbow Girl realised she could hear nothing herself outside of this containment tube; it was soundproofed. She wasn't going to just give up though, and she redoubled her efforts to get his attention even knowing that it was useless. Eventually, Myriad noticed Rainbow Girl's protests on a security monitor and turned to face her after opening an intercom channel so they could talk. "Hello Rainbow Girl," he gave a bizarrely friendly smile as he approached her tube. "My apologies for the accommodations, I know it's not exactly one of your husband's hotels."

"Where are we?" Dori demanded. "Where's the rest of my team?!"

"I didn't need them...oh relax, Antennae Lad and Polecat may be nursing a few bruises tomorrow but those two and Porcupine Pete are all fine. I only need you tonight, Rainbow Girl."

"Why?" Rainbow Girl continued. "And you still haven't told me where we are!"

"Look, I know the mad scientist's lair is a bit of a cliche," Myriad shrugged as he looked around the equipment-laden room, "But it was either this or I rent a storage tesseract from SolMove...and frankly, they charge an arm and a leg."

"I don't know what you want with me," Rainbow Girl interrupted, "But the Subs will find me...you're not going to get away with this!"

"Rainbow Girl...can I call you Dori? Dori, let me ask you something." Myriad approached her containment tube and stood inches away; his assumed familiarity was infuriating. "You've seen my power tonight...where do you think I got that ability?" Rainbow Girl was rendered speechless with confusion for a moment so Myriad took the opportunity to keep talking. "I stole my duplication ability from Luornu Durgo Taine. And I got away with that very easily. Now, no offence to your team (and I mean that with the greatest sincerity), but if the Legion of Superheroes couldn't stop me from stealing Duplicate Damsel's power, what makes you think that anybody is going to stop me from stealing yours?"

Rainbow Girl recoiled involuntarily and bit her lip. If he was telling the truth...

"...Wait a nano," she spoke up after processing what he'd just told her, "Why do you even want my powers? My rainbow powers weren't good enough for the Legion of Superheroes, why do you want them?"

Myriad didn't respond straight away, but simply regarded Dori curiously for a moment. When he finally spoke again, surprise was evident in his tone. "Well, I'll be...this will teach me to second guess a 12th level intellect, I suppose. Rainbow Girl...what do you think your powers are?"

"What sort of a stupid question is that?" Dori folded her arms across her chest. "I have rainbow powers, you obviously know this or you wouldn't want them!"

"Dori, sweetie...rainbow powers is just a catchy visual descriptor. What is the actual function that your metahuman power performs?"

Dori scowled, the villain's condescension just angering her further. "I create a multi-colored pheremone field around me that makes people devoted to me," she replied curtly. "Let me out of this tube and I'll show you."

"Is that what your power is?" Myriad asked with exaggerated shock. "Really? Because if that's really the case, how could I have captured you in the first place?"

"I...I don't...you overpowered me!" Rainbow Girl reached for the answer. "You and your duplicates!"

"I assure you, Dori...neither I or my duplicates have any innate defence against pheremonal attacks." Now Myriad crossed his arms, though in his case this was a gesture intended to show his superiority. "And in fact, I can very easily recall just how vile Polecat's olfactory assault was thanks to the memories of my duplicates who succumbed to it. It's funny that I have no recollection of anything remotely similar coming from yourself though and I'm certain that if you had some of my own duplicates on your side that would have been enough to turn the tide for your team." Rainbow Girl stammered helplessly, feeling her reason slip out from under her.

"Let me tell you what I believe your power to be," Myriad continued before Dori could gather her thoughts. "Actually, it's rude of me to try and take credit for this - let me tell you what Brainiac 5 believes your power to be. After all, it was only Querl's 12th level intellect that had the capacity to truly recognise your power unprompted. Rainbow Girl...Dori...Brainiac 5 at some stage noticed that something didn't quite add up when it came to your metahuman power. There have been instances where your power was integral to the success of an adventure, and yet when he more closely examined the specifics of those adventures...well, what could a pheremonal field really do against ranged weapons or lasers or directed weather phenomena? Querl also noticed that nobody ever really seems to refer to your power in more than the vaguest terms, and when he perused your readings from any one of the various times you'd entered the Legion of Superheroes' headquarters, he found that you emanate a harmless but nonetheless higher than average level of transversal radiations."

"What does all that mean in Interlac?" Rainbow Girl challenged the villain. "And why do you know so much about Brainiac 5 anyway?"

"Oh, Querl and I are old friends," Myriad answered off-handedly. "And what it means...or should I say, what Querl thinks it means, and what I'm inclined to agree with after he was kind enough to share his theory with me...is that your true power is something with far more scope than whatever you think rainbow powers are this week. I honestly thought you were already aware of this and simply hiding the truth from everyone around you, but as I mentioned earlier I need to defer to my more knowledgeable colleague on this. Brainiac 5 never raised this with you himself because he had come to the conclusion that you yourself were unaware of the truth and he wasn't entirely sure it was a can of worms worth opening. Honestly, if I know Querl Dox he probably just assumed that explaining any of this to you was a task that was beneath him. But to put it as bluntly as possible, Rainbow Girl....I firmly believe that you possess the ability to reach out to your own multiversal counterparts and to temporarily overwrite your own local reality with theirs. Essentially, you're just borrowing the powers of a Dori Aandraison one or more dimensional planes away at random every time you go into combat and it seems neither yourself nor anybody else around you has any idea it's happening."

"That...that's crazy!" Rainbow Girl protested. "We'd remember! I'd remember!"

"Would you though?" Myriad patronised her. "Reality is not going to fall apart because of a few minor localised disruptions here and there....but the human mind might. Our capacity for self-delusion is quite amazing, Dori. If thinking too hard about something could be dangerous, then we'll just tell ourselves whatever little mistruths we must to not have to do that. If Brainiac 5 weren't so frighteningly intelligent but still good-natured enough that he'd consider my interest in multiversal physics and metahuman abilities to be innocent, if any number of factors hadn't perfectly fallen into place you might never have discovered the truth. But don't worry too much...I'm going to take that burden from you because I'm going to take your power. And I'm going to perfect your power until I can access my own multiversal counterparts at will and with full forethought...and then I'm going to accomplish something that nobody in the history of our universe has ever accomplished. I am going to have a knowledge base that transcends the boundaries of multiple universes. I can't wait!"

"You...you're insane..!" Dori exclaimed.

"Insane? Really? Look, as long as we're embracing all the supervillain cliches tonight I may as well let you know there's no way your plucky little underdog teammates are going to find you, Dori." Myriad turned away from her and headed back to the console he'd been operating earlier. "Your flight ring's been locked away in a comms-proof safe, and this lab is buried quite secretly beneath the empty lot where the Time Institute used to stand before it was relocated to Titan. On the off-chance that the Subs call in the big boys in the real Legion, I've got some extra insurance as well. I really have thought of everything, so why don't you just try to make yourself as comfortable as possible and this should all be over in a few hours. I won't lie...as you're not a Carggite, the power transference likely won't be as painless as it was with Luornu but I have tried to minimise your discomfort." With that, he switched off the intercom and Rainbow Girl found herself once more raging fruitlessly at deaf ears.

After another minute or so, Dori realised that she wasn't going to get anywhere this way. She kneeled down in the small amount of space allotted to her and stared at her closed fists in her lap. Slowly, with deliberate purpose, she splayed her fingers out against her thighs and allowed her power to come forth. Just as she'd told Myriad, she was surrounded in a twinkling aura of candy-scented pheremones. If only this tube weren't hermetically sealed she wouldn't need to hope for the Subs to get here in time; she could save herself.

Rainbow Girl pondered what Myriad had told her...it certainly seemed insane that little failed holostar Dori Aandraison possessed a power which bridged universes, could it even possibly be true? She thought back to the first time she'd manifested her abilities back on Xolnar; she'd only been a young girl then and unaware at the time, but her homeworld had spent weeks being subjected to increasingly violent solar flares. Dori only remembered the stunning atmospheric disturbances that filled the skies, enormous curtains of crimson light which shimmered with a pretty rainbow accent at the right time. Years later, her parents told her that Xolnar had been at great risk during that period and had even considered a planetary evacuation. Dori distinctly remembered her manipulative aura appearing for the first time around her 11th birthday, around the same time Xolnar's solar flares ceased. She'd wondered occasionally if the two phenomena were connected in some way, and now she wondered something else...what if those solar flares had been something else entirely? Something...not from this universe? She very clearly remembered using her pheremonal aura for the first time to pass classes she hadn't studied for, just as she remembered her parents explaining to her why that was wrong once they discovered her power.

Dori thought about other instances where she'd used her powers though...hadn't the Legion of Superheroes rejected her because her presence endangered Superboy and Supergirl? How could a pheremonal aura possibly endanger two Kryptonians? She'd used her powers to evacuate innocents when Alek Arcane launched an attack at Chlorophyll Kid's wedding, hadn't she? She'd used her powers just tonight to flee Myriad when he first approached her! She remembered now; her rainbow road, rainbowarps, manipulation of the emotional spectrum, kryptonite radiations...the more she really examined her own past, the more she came up with bizarre and completely unrelated uses of her rainbow powers. Why had she never questioned any of this before having it pointed out to her??

Dori took a deep breath. It doesn't matter. What matters is that if I can do it, then I should be able to control it. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again she focused on her hands once more. Meanwhile, the lighting in her tube had became brighter and uncomfortably warm, and she felt the entire tube thrum menacingly. If you're gonna do this you need to do it now, Doritheea... She stood up and placed her hands on the tube; Myriad was so preoccupied with his devices that he didn't even notice her.

Rainbow Girl willed her power to flow through her, to become something solid and dangerous. The energy sizzled through her spine, out through her outstretched arms, and emerged in a multi-colored flash from her fingertips. A spectrum of light filled the lab, and Myriad finally turned around to see what was happening. He wore an unsettled expression for a moment, but both he and Dori soon realised that the light she was projecting had no power beyond simple illumination. Dori couldn't hear him inside her soundproofed prison but she saw him throw his head back and laugh, and she knew that she'd just blown her only chance to escape.

At that exact moment, the door to the lab exploded inwards.

Myriad and Rainbow Girl both turned to see Porcupine Pete, Polecat, Antennae Lad, Bouncing Boy, and standing in front of the boys surrounded by a translucent aura, Luornu Durgo Taine. "Damn it!" Myriad cursed as a dozen more of him appeared and one of him rushed to consult a security monitor. "If you hadn't distracted me, I would have noticed those proximity alerts! Where are your Legion friends, Bouncing Boy? And how did you know I was here anyway?"

"I'm the Time Institute's Chief of Security," Bouncing Boy explained while more of the Myriads popped into existence. "As soon as the Science Police tracked your aircar to where you dumped it a few blocks away, I recalled all the times I had to organise clearance for you to come to the Institute's original site to transport equipment and records to Titan. It didn't take much from there to realise that every time you came back to Earth you were building yourself a secret lab for when your plan came to fruition."

"We've been doing this a long time," Una continued without pause. "Once we figured out you were hiding around here somewhere, it didn't take us long to find your hideout...and now that we've taken your measure we don't need the Legion of Superheroes to defeat you, Dax."

"Big words from a powerless woman," Myriad retorted as he and his duplicates shared the same condescending smile. "And I've already outwitted everyone else in this room once already...so you'll forgive me if I don't quake in terror." The Myriads all surged forward, and were surprised when Polecat stepped out in front of his allies. "I know your power," one of the Myriads taunted Polecat, "It's gross but it's not exactly terrifying."

"Granted," Polecat agreed calmly. "But you experienced my power outdoors earlier, Myriad...and when I had to modulate the strength of my emissions so as to protect my friends. This time we are in an enclosed space...and my friends all came prepared." Polecat stood his ground as five of the villains jumped him, and the room was soon filled with a stench so unimaginably worse than anything Myriad could possibly have anticipated that every one of the duplicates within an arm's reach of Polecat immediately collapsed to their knees and retched so violently they found themselves doubled over with abdominal cramps. Every other villain in the room was at least mildly nauseous, and some of the duplicates were so badly affected by Polecat's assault that they chose to retreat back into Myriad's prime body altogether.

Antennae Lad waded into the sickly villains still standing and as Chee started throwing punches at his weakened foes, Myriad realised just what Polecat had meant when he'd said they were prepared...Antennae Lad had the environmental protection of a transuit, presumably just like everyone else who'd come here with him.

For every Myriad that Antennae Lad and Una took out, Bouncing Boy's spherical form took out three more. For the first time, Myriad was growing concerned about his chances of victory....he still had the advantage of numbers though, if need be he could fill this whole room from floor to ceiling and smother the lot of them. Just so long as--

--shattering and sparking sounds overcame the noise of multiple men throwing up, and the Myriads saw Porcupine Pete hovering over the equipment that the villain had taken so long to build down here beneath the surface of Metropolis. Pete Dursin's quills prevented him from wearing the transuit that protected his teammates from Polecat's power, but a simple facemask did the same job. One of the Myriads roared in defiance and instinctively grabbed at Porcupine Pete's ankle, recoiling in pain as his palm came away punctured with quills just like his precious equipment had been. Whatever had been happening in Rainbow Girl's tube came to a meandering halt, and Myriad watched helplessly as Pete shot a volley of quills into the plexiglass high enough to avoid any possibility of endangering Dori. The tube became webbed in fine cracks, and one kick from an airborne Porcupine Pete was enough to crumble one whole side of the tube so Rainbow Girl could make her way free.

"That's enough!!" One of the Myriads climbed up on the sturdiest console still standing and addressed them all from above. The air was mildly more breathable up here, but it still took colossal effort for him not to be ill. "You've done well, you pack of rejects...I can't believe you've done this well to be honest. But I still have half a dozen aces up my sleeve. If you don't let me walk away from here unharmed--"

"You'll instruct the duplicates you sent out earlier to six powerspheres to set off the explosives they planted?" Una completed the threat. "I mean it was a good plan, Myriad...if you'd been facing the Legion of Superheroes. After all, the Legion of Superheroes would have had to send their fastest or most powerful members away from here to protect as many innocents as they could. But the Legion of Superheroes don't have Antennae Lad...we didn't make our move here until the Science Police confirmed that they had every single one of your would-be bombers that you stupidly had radio contact with earlier tonight in custody." Several of the Myriads glared disbelievingly at Antennae Lad, who in return beamed smugly and gave a little wave.

"No...no, it's not fair!" The Myriad standing on the console raged. "I thought of everything!!"

"You really didn't." Casually turning to her left, Una gestured at one of the Myriads who'd been sneaking out the door while everyone was distracted with his more vocal counterpart. The more unassuming villain collided face first with something and recoiled, then saw almost immediately that he was surrounded in a transparent forcefield. "One of the things you never considered isn't your fault I guess," Una continued as she approached the captured Myriad, "It turns out that my affinity for your stolen power means I know which one of you is the primary body once we're in the same room together. One of the things you should have considered with everything you allegedly know about Brainiac 5 is that he once gave me a copy of his forcefield belt. The very forcefield belt which busted our way in here and is right now holding your primary body in place. I never felt the need to pull it out of storage before because its inner workings are too delicate to risk duplication anyway but you kind of removed that disadvantage, Jadzi."

"Luornu," Myriad floundered. "Look, I'm sorry...I only--"

"Most of all," her eyes narrowed and her lips curled into an angry scowl as she cut him off, "You should have realised that with everything I've lost in my life, stealing these powers from me would do the absolute opposite of destroying me. I had to make peace with what Computo did to me, I had to make peace with what the Time Trapper did to me, but you...you I don't have to make peace with. You're going to jail and if by any chance you're foolish enough to escape I will make it my life's goal to kick your thieving nass right back in there, Jadzi. Are we clear?"

Myriad stammered a nervous "yes", and one by one his duplicates popped out of existence.

**********

Standing in the early morning light, the six heroes watched as a Science Police vessel disappeared into the glut of vehicles above them with Myriad safely on board.
"You guys really came through like the cavalry!" Rainbow Girl gushed. "Duplicate--sorry, Una and Bouncing Boy....I can't thank you enough for helping the boys rescue me! I'm still reeling with what Myriad told me, I'm going to have to explore these powers of mine more fully I think!"

"You know," Luornu smiled conspiratorially, "Chuck and I have experience teaching people how to use their powers...and your team is short some members these days. Maybe we could stick around and help?"

"Lu, are you sure?" Bouncing Boy placed a hand on his wife's arm. "You don't have to..."

"Circumstances aside, it felt good to be able to help," Una replied thoughtfully. "The Legion of Superheroes brings too much baggage with it for me, but Chuck...I don't think I want to give up helping people altogether. I mean, I'm sure we can figure out a way to make it work with your job - Titan's just a commute away these days!"

"That part isn't a problem," Bouncing Boy shook his head. "After what Dax did to you...I'm always going to remember how I failed you if we go back there, Lu."

"Charles Foster Taine, you stop that right now!" Luornu frowned at her husband. "Neither of us saw what Dax was planning all that time...even Brainiac 5 thought he was trustworthy! You have nothing to feel responsible about, you hear me?"

"I guess we probably should vote," Porcupine Pete spoke up diplomatically, "But I think I know what the answer's gonna be already. If you guys want in, I bet the Subs would be happy to have you!" The other three Subs agreed enthusiastically.

"I appreciate it, Pete." Bouncing Boy stroked his beard. "But something Lu said earlier made me think...none of the Legion of Superheroes could have exposed Myriad's plan with those powersphere bombs like Antennae Lad did. And a lot of the Legion of Superheroes wouldn't be able to to incapacitate a room full of villains without hurting anyone like Polecat did. None of us here are substitutes for anyone, we're all heroes in our own right."

"I'm with Bouncing Boy!" Rainbow Girl agreed quickly. "You know, I've been thinking recently that the Legion of Substitute Heroes were formed by a bunch of kids who all ended up joining the Legion of Superheroes. Pete, Chee, Dafe; we've all made this team our own thing, but none of us are doing this because we're desperate for the Legion of Superheroes' attention anymore. I think we've outgrown that name, boys!"

"Then...what shall we call ourselves?" Polecat ventured.

"I like what Dori said before," Antennae Lad thought about it. "We come through when people need a cavalry, right?"

"Works for me!" Pete beamed.

"Everyone...welcome to the Cavalry!"

**********

Ok, realtime comments active, starting NOW!

I'm REALLY curious to see where you're headed with the multiverse angle here. Everyone's sudden disappearance makes me wonder if this team was shunted to their own universe, or the Legion itself.

Good old Chuck coming up with a strategy to get to Myriad in a way to take advantage of his arrogance.

Pete's enthusiasm is great.

I LOVE the explanation that Myriad is giving about the different realities - its like the quantum "bubble" hypotheses that there are an infinite number of alternate quantum universes out there, so why not have her borrow the powers from one of them?

And during his explanation, in my head I was thinking "MONOLOGUING!!" and sure enough.... (The Incredibles is a favorite movie, obviously!)

What's with Una's aura?

Go Polecat! I've done the same thing a few times in my life!

Excellent description of Pete's work to get Dori out of the tube.

ah-hah! A force field! Go Lu!!

The Cavalry. Nice.

Really enjoyed the read and great fight scene. I think this multiverse plot can have some interesting angles with both Myriad AND Dori. It's cool that you're setting up Myriad as the Cavalry's villain. I definitely want to see him again.

Excellent, excellent installment, Raz!!

another awesome one, raz!

Great to see Antennae Lad improving his powers. That's the Subs spirit!

nice to see Shvaughn pop in too!

Hah! typical mad scientist lab. Love the call-backs to Dori's past. You go Dori, you tell em. I love her spirit.

"this will teach me to second-guess a 12th level intellect." that must be Brainy, so is Myriad referring to some disparaging comments that Brainy made about Dori before? ono her not understanding her powers well? Ah, I read along and see now that Brainy was being wise. though I wonder, do Dori's powers have the potential to be dangerous? Brainy must have thought not, as he seemed content to let her continue as is.

the condescending convo between Dori and Myriad was well done, I wanted to slap Myriad while also thinking how he sounded like some teachers I had. On the other hand, the way Dori described her powers doesn't work either - if it's just a pheromone field, how did she do her rainbow slide thingie?

oh wow, that dropped a bombshell. So Dori is able to draw on an infinite supply of Doris elsewhere... and so her powers... wow. I need to sit down a bit!

Oof, so that's also why, this whole self-delusion speech was interesting. Also like Dori digging deep and thinking why she'd never questioned it all before

Myriad's evil motivation makes sense.

I like how Dori's power display still played a role in distracting Myriad!

Nice detective work from the gang!

whoo! go Polecat!! wow, that was potent!

yay! transuits! one of my fave bits from the Reboot, glad to see them appear here too

Oh yes, I love it! Antennae Lad and the Science Police getting through the bomb threats! Oh yeah!

And the forcefield belt, as soon as I read Lu's description with her translucent covering I knew! Yeah! Also like the reference that Lu's duplication might not work on too-delicate or too-complicated things, like a forcefield belt (though I guess a flight ring is small enough not to be a problem)

So wait, did Lu get her powers back? ok, not yet as she's still Una. I assume it can be reversed, right? although I do like that she's not grieving or lost, she's totally fine losing her powers. Go Lu, go! It makes sense that her past experiences with the deaths of her other selves, have helped prepare her for this

And I like this new team AND their new name, And the affirmation that the gang, well, they're not desperate to be Legionnaires anymore. It feels like full circle!

Glad y'all liked the conclusion...Myriad is surprisingly fun to write so he will probably pop up again sooner or later! And I think I may have mentioned before, I have been sitting on that particular revelation about Rainbow Girl's powers since I started writing this series so it's good to finally get a chance to get it out there!

This made me LOL...honestly, the fact that Polecat's power comes from those dinky horns on his head and not anywhere else is the only thing that makes him salvageable as a character

I love Shvaughn; the one problem with me having the team based on Mars is it really cuts down on how often I get to use her but I do like sneaking her in when I can

This is a very good observation, and I will at some stage delve into this area a bit more but let's just say Brainy may have had reasons not to be completely open with Dori that are more altruistic than Myriad gave him credit for...

I'm glad you caught on to the forcefield belt, IB! I kinda figured most of the flight ring's qualities come from the actual metal it's made of so all the micro-circuitry inside it is probably just stuff for comms and some environmental sensors which by the 31st century I figure would be pretty standard issue tech (my flight rings are a lot dumber than the ones that other writers here have added excellent additions to)

There will be some clarification on where Lu's at power-wise as soon as I get a chance - I kind of wrote myself into a corner because I wanted a believable excuse for the Legion to be unavailable to deal with Myriad, but I didn't realise until I started writing this arc that it meant there wouldn't be anyone around with the knowhow to reverse what Myriad did to her.

Anyway, this series isn't called The Cavalry, so we'll get back to the Legion ASAP! As usual thanks for reading, everyone!

thanks raz, re Lu good to know that her getting her powers back is in the cards. Yeah, a few Legionnaires could fix it for sure...

and yeah, the forcefield belt is definitely way more complicated than (I imagine) a flight ring to be!

Sorry I'm so late to the party (and I'll review the Lamprey and Turtle after-party tomorrow).

Your love of the B-listers is really great to read. I'm in actual awe of how muh respect you show Pete, Antennae Lad and the Polecat, as I find them really difficult to write without turning all Giffen and making it a comedy at their espense. Nice that they think to call in Shvaughan, and yes poor her as watching Jan vanish like that must have been hard, though good that she tries to help out.

Really enjoy Myriad's self depriciating cliched villainous banter, and his comment "But it was either this or I rent a storage tesseract from SolMove...and frankly, they charge an arm and a leg." made me laugh

And we finally get an explanation of Dori's powers, and they really are weirder than any of the other Subs. Brainy thinking that explaining Dori's powers to her was was beneath him is cruel, but probably accurate.

Nice use of Polecat and Pete to keep Myriad occupied and free Dori. Antennae Lad picking up the signals so the SP could catch the Myriads at the powersheres was a nice twist, and great use of his abilities.

Lu explaining the consequences of Myriads actions to him was great, she's a real hardass, probably more than Imra is.

And that is a great ending, with Chuck explaining that the team did something that the Legion would have struggled to do. And the Cavalry! Perfect name and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with them next.

And will Lu get her duplicating powers back?

Great stuff Raz, as ever I'm eager for more, more and more!