Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business LMBP Onevision: "The Covenant"

<span style="font-size: 20px;">1: THE MISSION</span>


Day One

Helena Handbasket had just returned home. She'd spent several days at Takron-Galtos helping clean up a prison break and was looking forward to a long, luxurious bath.

Oh, how she looked forward to getting all those remnants of what had been Geo-Thing off her. The grenade had been effective enough against the creature, but she was covered from head to toe in thick, black soot. Before she knew it, the rest of the bad guys had escaped in Trumpeter's ship, the Cacaphony. But not Geo-Thing, at least.

Helena took off her top and was just about to remove her robotic arm, when she caught a glimpse of a flashing yellow light from her Omnicom.

"Sprock!" she cursed, for Helena knew that that signal meant her bath would have to wait...for possibly a long, long time.

Helena picked up the Omnicom and sat down on her bed. She removed a small chip from a compartment in her arm and used it to decrypt the message she knew was waiting for her.

After about a minute, the decryption program finished and she read the message from her contact within the Dark Oval militia. Helena had served with Mai for nearly a decade in the militia before Helena and the rest of her battalion defected during the Dark Oval's invasion of Legion World and became citizens here. Mai had defected as well in her heart but chose to remain with the militia as a spy.

As Helena finished reading the message, her gaze hardened.

"This," she said, "is exactly the kind of scenario our Covenant was formed to look out for..."

The next moment, Helena sent out a message. The Covenant would soon have its first mission...and it would be a doozy!

two hours later

Helena concluded her presentation to the others gathered in this dark bunker and said, "so that's what my contact had for me and what I think we should do about it. What do you think?"

At first no one responded, apparently all lost in thought. She searched all of their eyes for some hint of how they felt: the mysterious vigilante Bat-Fem, intrepid reporter and one-time hero Clark Marlowe, the last-known survivor of the SMB Rockhopper Lass, former street thug Grev Mallor and Seth Gaterra, the last son of Angtu.

As the silence persisted, Helena allowed her gaze to rest on Seth. He'd become so special to her in such a short time. Were they in love? Helena wasn't sure, but she'd never felt so close to any sentient in her long, troubled life. Of that, she had no doubt.

"What does this have to do with fulfilling our purpose, Helena?" asked Rockhopper Lass as she timidly, but boldly at the same time, broke the awkward silence. "I mean...it seems a little...out there..."

Before Helena could reply, Bat-Fem stepped in. "Rockhopper Lass...the Dark Oval has been and still is a huge threat to Legion World, without a doubt. And if there is a new power rising within it...especially one that is going through such great lengths to conceal its identity...then it's important for us to investigate it and assess its threat to our home."

"Yes," Clark added, "let's not forget the Dark Oval's invasion last year and how it helped spawn the instability here that allowed the 52 to nearly destroy us all. If we can stop the first domino from falling this time..."

"Exactly!" Helena exhorted. "'Knowledge is power' may be a cliche, but there's plently of truth in it! If the Oval is guarding a secret this fiercely, exposing it is of obvious benefit."

"But can't we just pass this intelligence on to the LMB and let them handle it?" Rockhopper Lass implored.

His keen reporter's instincts taking over, Clark answered, "no, Adelie. Legion World and the LMB are in a very sensitive place politically. They're embroiled in a war with the Khanate of Sol Invictus while simultaneously in an uneasy stand-off with the Oval since the Invasion. It's too risky for them to try an operation like this. But if we do it...even if we get caught..."

"...Legion World and the LMB will have plausible deniability," said Bat-Fem, concluding Clark's thought. "Even moreso because they actually won't know what we were up to."

"But we're not even all here!" Rockhopper Lass pressed. "Eudyptes, Lolita, Roni, Nightcrawler, Pru, Shadowpl--"

Bat-Fem interrupted, "there are good reasons for all of them not to be here, young lady! No actual LMBers who were there can be involved--it's about plausible deniability, remember? Some, like Hummer Lass, are off-planet and difficult to reach on short notice. Others, especially Jailbait Lass and Nova Girl, are too damned tight with Cobalt and Tamper to be trusted to keep this a secret!"

"And I'm not too 'tight' with Eudyptes?" Adelie rebutted in exasperation.

Helena approached Adelie and let her flesh-and-blood hand rest gently on the younger woman's shoulder. "Adelie, you lost your fellow SMBers in Earth-4's destruction. We had concerns about your closeness to your 'brother', but we felt you would want this chance to help protect your new home enough that you could keep this from him. I know it's a lot to ask..."

"...but I'll do it," Adelie finished and wiped a tear from her eye. "But who is that? I don't remember him being with us." And she pointed to the blue-skinned Grev Mallor.

Grev bowed his head, and Bat-Fem answered her. "Grev is a man seeking redemption and as such, has been under my tutelage for a while. Grev will be an asset to us."

"So it is settled," Seth said, speaking up for the first time, "we will all meet Helena's contact and infiltrate this new, secret power."

"No," Bat-Fem interjected, "one of us will have to stay."

"What?!?!" Helena barked in surprise.

"Helena," Bat-Fem said calmly, "someone has to stay behind in case the mission fails. There is no safe alternative. No computer files can be left. No others outside this room can know. One of us remains."

"And how do we decide that, Jada! Looks to me like we're all committed to going--it wouldn't be fair to make this a popularity contest!"

Bat-Fem ignored Helena's use of her old name. Jada Konti was a name this second Bat-Fem went by when she was a spy for Cobalt, but it's not her true name. Calmly Bat-Fem answered, "we won't, Helena...we'll leave it to chance." And Bat-Fem's gloved fist opened to reveal six straws, one shorter than the rest. "We'll draw lots."

The gloved fist closed, and the others gathered around her, tacitly ready to let fate decide who would stay.

Day Two

Helena watched stoically and clinched her fists as the cruiser containing her fellow members of the Covenant took off.

Why did she have to have drawn the short straw? Shouldn't she have been exempt from having to draw when she brought this mission to them in the first place? It was unbelievable.....


As Helena drew that straw, she smashed furniture with her robotic arm and laid waste to everything she could touch until Seth intervened.

"Helena," Seth had said, "you must accept this. We all agreed--"

"No, Seth!" Helena snarled and pointed her flesh index finger at Bat-Fem. "She set me up, rigged it somehow, so it would be me!"

"Ridiculous," was Bat-Fem's terse, annoyed response.

"You don't trust me, do you?!?" Helena fired back.

"If that were the case, Helena, I wouldn't be leaving you behind. I'd want you with me where I could keep an eye on you."

"Admit it...you think because I was once in the Dark Oval militia myself that I can't be fully trusted!"

"That's simply ludicrous."

Helena practically growled and prepared to leap at Bat-Fem but was stopped by Seth. He held her forcefully from behind for a moment, then eased his grip. Gently, he took her hand with his gloved hands and ushered her to a far corner of a bunker where they could speak privately. "Helena, my dear friend, this is not about her...it's about you and your lingering guilt about your history with the Dark Oval and what their Invasion did to this world."

She looked into his shining pupil-less eyes. She recognized the truth in what he said and unlike with the others, she couldn't posture for him. "You're...you're right, Seth. There's still so much for me to redeem... and...and how are you all supposed to succeed without me leading the mission? I'm the one among us who knows the most about the Oval and--"

"Bat-Fem has been there, too, remember? As Jada Konti, she has about as much knowledge about it as yourself. And what she doesn't know, you can brief her about before we leave. Your contacts, as we meet them along the way, will do the rest."

"You...you're right, of course...but...you..."

"Yes, Helena," Seth said, "we will be apart for the first time since we met. What we have is very special, and it is not over...I promise."


And as Helena watched the cruiser disappear, Seth's words lingered in her memory. In her mind she saw his dark, featureless face, always engulfed by his black nimbus. What others might find frightening, she found quite beautiful.

She knew the Covenant's mission was planned to take about a year to complete based on its complexity. If that year were to pass without word from them, it was Helena's job to presume the mission failed and to notify the Security Office of everything she knew.

So in the best-case scenario, Helena would see Seth again in about a year. Worst case, she'd just seen him for the last time.

She would give anything to be with them on that cruiser. Helena Handbasket, after all, is a warrior, not a custodian of secrets.

At that moment she knew this would be the hardest year of her life.

As Helena contemplated the hard year ahead of her, Seth sat aboard the departing cruiser and spoke softly to Bat-Fem.

"I appreciate what you did for me," he whispered.

"What do you mean?" was her terse reply.

"The straws, of course. I asked you to make sure Helena drew the shortest one."

"Oh, that. Yes, I put a small magnet from my utility belt in it to make sure her robotic hand would draw that one. I drew first, knowing which one it was, and had her draw second. It was simplicity."

"How...did you know she would draw with her robotic arm?"

Bat-Fem sighed and indulged Seth further. "That arm replaced her right arm, and she had been right-handed before. Plus, she never extends her real hand when her mind is on 'business'."

"I see. You are a shrewd judge of sentient nature."

"If I'm to be effective at what I do, Gaterra, I'd better be."

"In any case, I thank you. While I know Helena can more than take care of herself, she is very special to me. I-I couldn't bear for--"

"Save it. I would have done that whether you'd asked me or not."

"What?" Seth gasped and raised his voice a little. Remembering the need for discretion, he lowered it again. "She...she was right about you!"

"No, she wasn't, Gaterra. I've investigated her fully. I trust her."

"Then...why?"

"Helena and I are two alpha females, and there's no room for two in a tight mission like this one. We can't have that kind of leadership conflict. And she's also too emotionally involved...with you...and with the Dark Oval and the guilt she carries. That could lead to her making mistakes that would derail everything."

"And you are completely devoid of any inner conflicts here?"

She hesitated ever-so-slightly before replying, "yes." After another pause, she shifted the conversation. "Now, we have a long journey ahead of us, Gaterra. I'd prefer to minimize the superfluous chit-chat and concentrate on the difficult mission ahead." And Bat-Fem turned to her Omnicom and taciturnly went through various intel of her own and what Helena had given her.

Seth regarded her for a moment. The woman he'd met as Jada Konti had changed greatly since he first met her in the aftermath of the 52 Affair. Her skin and hair were no longer green (if indeed she had ever truly been born with that pigmentation in the first place). Her features now closely resembled that of Mordra of Earth-4, the first Bat-Fem, with her pale caucasian skin and dark black eyes and hair.

Seth resolved to keep an eye on her at all times. There was definitely more to this Bat-Fem than met the eye.

He only hoped he would have the opportunity to see Helena again, and that she would forgive him when he tells her what he'd done to insure her safety. Bat-Fem's supposed absolution would never lessen the guilt he carried in his heart and would take with him into this uncertain path.

<span style="font-size: 20px;">2: THE DEEP END</span>


Day 96

Adelie, the SMBer known as Rockhopper Lass, was tired...tired beyond reason. The long, deliberate journey to the deepest heart of the Dark Oval was arduous and seemingly never-ending.

The Oval guarded its borders fiercely, so the utmost precaution had to be taken in order to penetrate them unnoticed. Every move was choreographed, every step followed to the letter. The Covenant had already met three of Helena's contacts and were very near to meeting the fourth. Only one would await after that, Helena's main source, Mai.

Adelie and the Covenant members had been methodically travelling through various Oval public transports after first being smuggled across the border in the cargo hold of a Hrykosian spy ship commanded by one of Mai's lieutenants Vartos Hrat. Vartos gave them the credentials they needed to pass through various Oval security checkpoints and to board the public transport freighters. Each time they met a new contact, they received new credentials to avoid flagging in the boarding logs and being questioned as to why they were travelling so far.

As a further measure, the five of them never travelled all together on the same transports. Adelie was always paired with one of the others, usually either Clark, Seth or Bat-Fem. But this time, she was paired with Grev Mallor, the one she was closest to in age but knew the least. Together, the two were waiting in a terminal on the largest moon of Hrykosia-7.

Awkwardly, she decided to start a conversation with him as she was dying to know more about the mysterious young man.

"So...I was wondering...how did you come to meet our, uh, mutual friend?"

Grev smiled. He knew she was referring obliquely to Bat-Fem, who had sponsored his involvement with this mission. "Mr. Marlowe and Seth grilled me the same way. Bat-Fem and I, the first time we met...she kicked my ass! Second time, too...only they weren't the same person, turns out."

"Why did she...they...beat you up?"

"I was in a bad place, a really bad place. You see, I grew up in a family where someone in each generation was expected to take up the mantle of planetary hero. My sister Tasmia embraced that role, but I didn't want anyone telling me what I had to be. So I left my planet and did everything I could to distance myself from that. I eventually came to Legion World, formed a gang of fellow losers and...hurt a lot of people in the process."

"Bat-Fem cleaned my clock and put the whole gang in the hospital. But we got out and did it again. But Bat-Fem was there again to set me straight, and she challenged me to embrace the legacy I'd forsaken."

"She got through to me, and I returned to Talok VIII. I spent time there communing with the spirits of my ancestors. Through visions, they showed me that I needed to apprentice with a true hero and prove myself by performing a great deed. When that happened, I would be ready to wield the Shadow and become a planetary champion."

Adelie prompted, "the great hero is Bat-Fem?"

"Yes, and I believe this mission we're on is the deed the spirits referred to."

"Wow, that's--"

Now boarding Flight Z-185 to Hive Sector.

"--our flight!" Grev completed with a wink.

The pair moved to the queue that formed for boarding the flight and watched idly as the passengers arriving here from the same ship filed by. Suddenly, an alien of unknown origin caught sight of Adelie and panicked.

Shouting something indecipherable, it tried to break into a run but slipped and fell to the floor. In horror, Adelie noticed that it had dark, rotted spots all over its body, as if parts of its body had been severely burned. Its companion, unblemished itself, tried to soothe the frantic sentient but couldn't seem to make sense of the other's ramblings.

Shaken, Adelie nevertheless walked with Grev as their queue finally started moving. She was very concerned about the alien but knew the mission was paramount.

Sparing a backward glance she watched as the two aliens were being surrounded by Hrykosian security guards. But before she could see more, the line had moved beyond sight. She hoped desperately that the guards wouldn't harm the poor, frightened alien.

But why, she wondered, had it reacted that way to the sight of her? That was a disturbing thought she would have no answers to...at least, not anytime soon.

Day 121

The members of the Covenant were aboard a small cargo ship piloted by Helena's friend and their primary intel source Mai Cheronna. All those months of travelling were finally getting them closer to their destination, whatever that may be.

All of the hands aboard the light vessel were loyal to Mai, so they at last didn't have to travel under assumed names or wear disguises. Though the journey was arduous, it was freeing to be able to talk to each other and not have to watch every other step.

Bat-Fem stood with Mai and looked out a porthole and saw an alarming sight. "They're building up an invasion force."

"Yes," Mai said, "they are about to invade Epsilon Sector."

"Epsilon Sector?" Bat-Fem said in disbelief. "That would be a bold move wouldn't it? I mean...Orando, Naltor & Zerox? That couldn't possibly work, right?"

Mai shook her head. "It'll work, friend. Word through the grapevine has it that they've got highly-placed help within Zerox's Council of Seven. And they've already got a super-weapon ready to go off there."

"We've got to warn the U.P. somehow--!"

"Sorry, Fem--it's too late, been much too late for a while. Look again."

Suddenly all of the warships warp out from their positions and disappear.

"They're heading there, now, Fem. They're gonna make a big show of force, but the battle will already have been won for the Oval."

"Then, why didn't you tell us sooner instead of chasing whatever snipe we're after!"

"It's no snipe, Fem. I found out about this Epsilon Sector thing much too late for us to do anything about it. Besides, this is bigger."

"Bigger?!?! How can this possibly be--?!?"

"Shush, we're here," Mai interrupted. "Take a look."

Bat-Fem looked out the portal and saw an unfamilar planet below them. "Okay, the white atmosphere indicates it's basically an iceball. What's so important about it?"

Mai smiled a little and said, "let's go to the main viewer." She gestured for the other members of the Covenant to come over as well. As they did, she said to Adelie, "you, Rockhopper Lass...tell me what you see!"

A little warily, Adelie looked up at the screen and slowly watched the planet spin.

"Recognize those continents, sweety?" Mai prompted.

As Adelie's eyes widened and her mouth began to stand agape, Bat-Fem took a closer look. "Wait! Those are in the same alignment as Earth. But that's impossible! There's no way they could have moved Earth here. It's--"

"That's not this universe's Earth, Bat-Fem. That's Earth-4," Adelie asserted.

"But Earth-4 was destroyed, wasn't it, and it's climate is not all ice, right?" Grev Mallor replied.

"Freeze that frame, Mai," Adelie prompted. "Magnify this area. Look, on our Earth, the island of Krakatoa never exploded. See...there it is. On your Earth the space is now occupied by a much smaller island 'Anak Krakatau' which replaced Krakatoa from the same volcano. Earth-4's version has always been dormant and the original island remains and is visibly much larger."

"But how?" Seth asked. "What is Earth-4 doing here? And why all the ice?"

"It's clear as day to me, now, guys," Adelie said calmly as she thought of the alien who was so frightened of her at the spaceport. "Earth-4 has somehow been moved--switched with some burned-out planet and its climate change to better suit the tastes--of the Evil Emperor Pyngwyn. My brother."

Adelie's and Bat-Fem's resolve grew, and they mentally were already accepting the implications of what lay ahead. The others would be right there with them...as soon as they got over the shock.

Day 165

Interlude

On Legion World Helena Handbasket was in a familiar spot for her these days...a barstool in SHAKES.

"G-gimme another one, Babette," she groaned.

"No way, lady. I'm cuttin' you off! I will NOT stand for someone being in drunken-slash-depressed mode at Semi's bar. If you keep this up, I'll have you banned. Go out and get some help, woman!" the android server barked.

"A-alright...no need to preach. There's plenty more bars around than this one."

She stood up. In the distance she heard explosions and screams.

"Huh. Must be another damn crisis on Legion World, yet again. Think I'll sit this one out..."

"There you are!" came a voice from behind.

"Swear to God, Babette! If you don't shut the fuh--?" As she turned to confront the offending party, Helena was startled to see someone unexpected. "Lolita?"

"Yeah, it's me, Helena," confirmed the heroine most commonly known as Jailbait Lass. "You...you've looked better."

"Yeah, I know. A girl can have a good time every once in a while, right?"

Lolita frowned, "well, my sources tell me you've been having a 'good time' all-too often lately. What's wrong with you, Helena? And where are all the others we were close to against the 52--Clark, Adelie...Seth...and the rest. Does this have something to do with our Covenant?"

Helena rubbed her eyes. "No, of course, not. You would know if it did," she lied.

"Not if it's something you didn't want Cobie to know! I may look like a kid, but I'm not stupid, Helena!"

"Easy, Lolita...easy." Helena motioned for them to sit in a booth. "Look, you're on to something, but I swore I would keep it a secret, okay?"

"I don't understand. If they're off doing something, why are you--?"

"I'm here because we drew lots. I'm here because I drew the shortest one. I'm here because someone had to stay behind in case the mission fails."

"I don't--"

"That's all I'm saying, Lolita. Don't press. You're not getting anything else out of me."

"Oh. Okay. That's not why I'm looking for you anyway."

Helena laughed. "You here for an intervention?"

"Not exactly. Look, Helena, our LMB leader Caliente sent me to find you. I don't know if you've heard, but there's a huge threat to Legion World! Some heavies calling themselves the Five Faces of Death are causing chaos all over the place. I mean, there are zombies on the streets, Helena!"

"Zombies? Hah! That's novel..."

Lolita slaps her in the face. "Wake up, Helena! People are dying out there! You took a sprockin' oath to protect Legion World! Caliente needs you to help coordinate our defense and plan a solution. We need you, Helena!"

For a long moment Helena stared at Lolita and contemplated getting into a knockdown-dragout with her right there in SHAKES. But then she thought of how useless she had felt since her fellows went out into the unknown to risk their lives. Why did I have to draw that sprockin' lot? was the thought that had haunted her every hour of every day since they left. That was my mission--MY mission!!!

And she had missed Seth so badly. If she didn't know then, she knew now that she was in love with him. No one's heart could ache this badly for someone unless it was love....

"Okay, Lolita. Tell her I'll be there within the hour. Gotta clean up and drink about three pots of coffee."

Lolita smiled. "Good to hear, Helena...I'll see you in an hour!" She stood up to leave.

"Wait, Lolita."

Lolita stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Yes, Helena?"

"Thanks for the slap."

"Any time!" And she left.

Helena paused for a moment. At last--something to make me feel useful again! Gotta make sure my people have something to come back to, after all!

She smiled a wide grin and headed to her apartment. Those so-called 'Five Faces of Death' would rue the day Helena Handbasket got sober!

<span style="font-size: 20px;">3: SAY YOU WANNA REVOLUTION?</span>

Day 247

"My name is Louis Banzer," the man said as he stepped from the shadows. "I am the son of this Earth's Loser Lad and its Dru the Sorceress. I am also the leader of the resistance against our Pyngwyn oppressor. We nickname ourselves 'The Losers' in honor of my father and all that he stood for. Make no mistake, though...we have every intention of winning. Welcome, friends...to the Loser Cave."

Clark, Seth and Grev felt the grips of their escorts on their arms slacken. Then their shackles were undone.

Clark smiled. "I was beginning to think you guys would never let me into your circle. What changed?"

"Him," Louis said and pointed to Seth.

"Me," Seth replied in confusion.

"Yes. You are Seth Gaterra. You fought with several members of our world's Society of Message Board Posters during your Legion World's invasion by the Dark Oval. Your Rockhopper Lad journeyed to the SMB seeking help, and it sent Openly Gay Lad, Rockhopper Lass, Infra-Red Lass and some others to help. They all fought valiantly. Poor Blaine...he didn't make it. But when the others returned--before everything went to hell--we heard all about the heroism of the LMB and their close allies during that great battle...including you, Seth. Infra-Red Lass shared holos with me, and I remember being captivated by your exotic look."

"So you recognized me?"

"Definitely! I mean, I had to be sure, of course, in case there were others like you. We observed you--your mannerisms, your body language--all of it presented how uncomfortable you were with how our people were being treated, how you didn't fit in with the 'occupying force' mold. And then there was your friend, here..." Louis nodded toward Clark. "It was plain and obvious he was trying to hook up with us, even going so far as to flash our 'L' at us!" Louis rolled his eyes. "Bit unsubtle, weren't you, Clark? About as subtle as a rhino in a glass factory, really!"

Clark smiled but was slightly offended at how his polished undercover reporting methods were being bashed.

"We eventually 'made' Clark from his photo and byline on the holo-clippings that Infra-Red Girl brought back. There was a lot more to eventually make us comfortable with getting to the point where we are now." He nodded toward Grev. "It doesn't hurt your cred having your version of Talok VIII's greatest champion along for the ride!"

Grev was shocked. "'Greatest champion'? I was Talok VIII's champion in your dimension?"

"Oh, most definitely! Grev Mallor is a staunch ally of the SMB and one of the greatest heroes, not only of Talok VIII, but of the entire galaxy!"

Grev was speechless at this.

"We feel there are others in your cell...two women we've observed you all interacting with individually that we haven't been able to identify."

Clark considered his response and decided to be completely open as Louis has. "The dark-haired woman is called Bat-Fem. She was inspired by your Earth's Mordra...your aunt, correct?"

"Auntie Mordra?" Louis said in disbelief.

"Though you believed Mordra killed in the same affair that killed your father, she survived and followed her husband Lard Lord to our Earth. While there, she adopted the identity of Bat-Fem and died saving Legion World. She and our friend were close before Mordra's death, so she took up the identity your aunt had adopted to honor her and continue her legacy."

Louis became visibly upset. "My aunt died a hero, just as she lived. I...I wish I had known about it. I wish I had seen her one last time."

Clark walked up to him. "I knew her, Louis. She was a remarkable woman. She is why we made our Covenant. Ultimately, she's why we came here. I'm sure she would be proud to see what you are fighting for here."

"I...I'm a little overwhelmed..."

"Understandable, Louis. But the best news is that the other woman is someone you probably know very well...someone who means a lot to your world. She's an SMBer!"

"W-what? Impossible! I would have recognized her! I--!"

"She constantly wears a holo-disguise, Louis. She would be instantly recognized here!"

"Y-you can't mean she's--?"

"Yes, my friend," Seth assured the young rebel leader, "she is your universe's very own Rockhopper Lass!"

"Oh, Sweet Nass Sweet!" Louis cheered. "We're really going to win this, aren't we?"

"Yes," Clark grinned, "I think we will! Now, let's get down to some business and see how we can pool what our respective outfits have got--and how we can maximize it to get this revolution ON!"

Day 255

"Louie! It's so good to see you again!" Rockhopper Lass exclaimed as she ran into his arms and gave him a big hug.

She held back her impulse to lay a smooch on him. They had dated a little and had been in puppy love for a while, but it was never anything serious. However, she couldn't help but note that the years apart had done nothing to hurt his looks. He was very ruggedly handsome, much like his father had been, she thought.

"Oh, Adelie, you are such a sight for terribly sore eyes!" And Louis hugged her again, even tighter.

Something else else about that second embrace set them off, and they started crying.

"Oh, Louie!" Adelie sobbed. "I thought for so very long that you and all the rest were dead! My evil brother--!! H-he...Dywh! He's such a monster! I...I should have known somehow that you were all alive...I..." She cried harder and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Shh, Adelie, it's okay. Th-there's no way you could have known..." Louis said and rubbed the back of her head as tears rained from his eyes. "It...it was comforting for me, knowing you were safe, Adelie...far away from...this nightmare."

After a long pause in which they just held each other and cried, Adelie finally broke the embrace and held him at arm's length, so she could regard him again. Stroking his face, she asked, "Louie, how did you escape capture? From all of the intelligence we'd gathered, it was apparent that the entire SMB had been captured! I felt sure that meant the Academy--"

"They came after us, too. Very quickly. But several of us escaped and helped form the core of the Losers. My grandmother made it possible...at the cost of her life."

Adelie's tears renewed. "Oh no...not Klea, too...Louie, I'm so sorry. You've lost your mom and dad...your aunt...and now her, too. She was such a wonderful woman...such an inspiration to us all."

He hugged her again. "It's okay, Adelie. Gramma died for what she believed in. And without her sacrifice, the Losers wouldn't be loose and able to put this rebellion together."

"Oh, Louie..."

Just then, their moment was interrupted as the entirety of Adelie's group and Louis's inner circle of Losers entered the room.

Adelie spun around and embraced the ones who were with Louis. "Oh! I missed you all so much!"

"I'm sorry, Lou," one of them said. "The one called 'Bat-Fem' was getting impatient and--"

"And I insisted we be allowed in and commence getting our planning session under way," Bat-Fem completed for him. "We have very little time before the five of us are missed back at the barracks. No time for...frivolities."

"'Frivolities'?!?" Clark repeated in exasperation. "Those two haven't seen each other in ages! They deserved a moment--!"

"Which they just got, Marlowe," she retorted. "there will be time later for more if they desire. Now, Mr. Banzer, would you care to explain how you are a young adult when his father would not have been old enough to have a child your age?"

Before Louis could answer, Adelie turned from embracing the others and said, "I can explain. Louie was a toddler when his parents died. After they died, his grandmother Klea raised him in a magical dimension where time passed at a quicker rate than either of ours. She returned with him a year later in our time, but he was 16 when they returned."

"I see," she replied. "I suspected something like that." Then she looked around. "And who are your associates?"

Louis pointed first to the one who had spoken a moment ago. "That's Hugh Taylor. I think he's known on your Earth as 'Hugemanbreasts'?" He grins.

"As you can see," Hugh said and pointed to his pectorals, "I don't have quite the deformity my other has! From what I hear, I was a more perfect clone than he was. Except, well, I don't have much Lard Force control. I can inflate and bounce like a ball, though!" He puffed up and demonstrated.

The Covenant members decided that that moment was not the time to inform Hugh that their version had been murdered.

Louis smiled and continued, "the lady in pink over there is Hummingbird Lass. She has some low-level sonic abilities."

"um...hi," Hummingbird Lass offered shyly.

Clark gasped slightly as he realized this was their Earth's version of Hummer Lass. She seemed very demure comparatively and probably had a much more PG-rated story than Earth-1's Pru. The irony that a mind-controlled Hummer Lass was the one who murdered Earth-1's Hugh did not escape him.

Louis noted Clark's reaction and guessed there were some interesting stories to be told. He continued, "and this is CuddlyBeaver." Everyone looked down to see the diminutive figure he pointed out. "She's very strong and has a powerful tail."

"Hiya!" CuddlyBeaver said and winked at Grev. Grev blushed, which looked a little funny on a guy with blue skin.

Grife! Clark thought. I hope she's nothing like her 'Psychotic' double!

"And this is Saffron Lad. Your Earth has a Yellow Kid, right? This is our version's nephew."

Saffron Lad said, "on our Earth my uncle and his Primary Color Gang have always been bad guys. I hear they turned good on your world?"

Seth nodded.

"Maybe there's hope for Uncle Artie after all! I can turn anything saffron-colored and can make some energy constructs."

He then demonstrated by making a yellow-orange rose and presenting it to Bat-Fem. She rolled her eyes in response.

"And finally," Louis said, pointing to the last of his inner circle, "this is Ghost Girl. Her ability to turn intangible and invisible has been very helpful in our efforts at espionage."

She smiled a little and added, "not abilities, really. I'm an actual ghost!"

Clark and Bat-Fem looked at each other and shrugged as they were unfamiliar with an equivalent in their universe.

"So we're all introduced, then," Louis said. "I've already briefed my people on all of you. As for my abilities, I have a diluted form of control over my father's Loser Energy. I can cause some mild bad luck to my opponent. It's...not very potent." He blushes.

Bat-Fem thought, Oh great. I was hoping for a lot more raw power from this group! I suppose we'll have to rely on other strengths...

"But he's a great leader!" Adelie added. "As if his ability to put together a resistance here wasn't proof enough, I can attest to what a tremendous influence he was at the SMB Academy! I spent over a year there before my brother...killed our father, and I had to return to the Pyngwyn Colonies. When Dedman and this universe's Eudyptes rescued me--"

"Enough!" Bat-Fem interrupted. "Seth and the others told me we would be meeting your contact today," she asserted, pointing at Louis. "They said you'd introduce us to the person who helped give you supplies...someone who is highly placed in the Dark Oval!"

"Yes," Louis replied as he listened to something being said in his earpiece. "And I've just been told she is now here. You have to understand, she comes here in person at great risk to herself. She's one of the Dark Oval Elite who sympathizes with our cause! She's--"

The door opened, and the woman in question was escorted in.

As the Covenant members turned to greet her, their jaws dropped. Shock turned to outrage as Louis finished: "--Kalla Hrykos!"

The members of the Covenant tensed up: Grev clinched his fists. Seth removed his glove and let his black nimbus surround his hand. Adelie's fingertips sparkled with ice. Clark's jaw set and his crystal glowed slightly.

Bat-Fem beat them all to the punch and threw a batarang straight at Kalla's head.

Kalla smiled as Hugh deflected it by inflating and using himself to shield her.

"STOP!" Louis yelled. "She's here to help!"

Bat-Fem pointed at Kalla and yelled, "that's Kalla Hryl! She tried to destroy Legion World! She's responsible for scores of deaths--"

"--including your aunt Mordra's, Louie!" Adelie cried.

"I...I know," Louis said. "When I told her about your group last week, she told me about her...history with all of you."

"'History'?" Clark mocked. "Do you have any idea what a lunatic Kalla Hryl is?"

"Kalla Hrykos," Kalla corrected. "I am now ruler of the Hrykosian district of the Dark Oval, having finally claimed my right as first born of Clan Hrykos."

"We care little for what you call yourself, now, or for what power you wield," Seth replied, his always-calm veneer wavering a little. "You are a mass-murderess! The very one whose rampage caused us to swear the Oath that brought us here!"

Kalla bowed her head slightly. "Yes, Gaterra...you are not wrong at all. I had lost my way, let myself be brainwashed by the Church of the Eternal Void. I'm no saint now, but I'm in a better place than I was back then...suicidal, depressed. That's not me anymore."

Bat-Fem growled, "you think you can say that and expect us to wipe the slate clean! The original Bat-Fem died to stop you! I--!"

Adelie put her hand on Bat-Fem's shoulder. "I don't like this any better than you do. But I trust Louis...let's hear him out."

Bat-Fem begrudgingly nodded and waved off the others. "Let's hear it," she muttered.

"Thanks, Adelie," Louis said to Rockhopper Lass in gratitude. "Trust me, I wasn't thrilled to find out at all. I've been working with Kalla for over three months now. She had no idea about who my aunt was, but as soon as I explained who you all were and how you were joining up with us, she gave full disclosure. She insisted on meeting with you all in person and keeping no secrets. She apologized to me for what she did while she was in the Church. I know personally from what the same Church in my dimension did to my uncle...our version of Lard Lad...that it can wreck people's lives and make them do horrible, terrible things."

He turned toward Bat-Fem and continued. "But from a more practical standpoint, she's as highly-placed an ally as we could possibly have here! The supplies, the intel, the support she's pledging are entirely invaluable and irreplaceable! Frankly, we couldn't...we can't do this without her!"

"You know he's right," Kalla said to Bat-Fem. "That fire in your eyes...I've seen it before. We fought. Your hair and skin were green, then. But those eyes are the same. You are practical and battle-honed. You know you need every advantage you can get in a war."

"Yes," Bat-Fem acknowledges, "but trust is an even bigger advantage. You don't have that."

"No, I don't. However, I intend to earn your trust by undergoing a mission that will bring back more allies whom you can trust."

"What do you mean?" Grev pressed.

"I intend to go to Legion World and bring the LMB back here with me."

"And what's to stop them from imprisoning you for your crimes?" Clark fired back.

"I have a...friendship with your Lard Lad. He's helped me to work against the other Oval powers. We lost contact after he had recently been presumed dead."

The Covenant looked puzzled at this.

Kalla smiled and said, "suffice to say, much has occurred there while you've been away. I will be journeying there to contact him and inform the LMB of Earth-4's survival and of your presence here. I am certain that they will come to help with your liberation."

She continued after a pause, "but it will take time. The other Dark Oval powers are suspicious of me, so I will have to be very careful. I will be travelling in disguise while a mage friend of mine will assume my place to avoid the others being suspicious."

"How can we trust that you will do as you say?" Seth pressed.

"Obviously," Kalla responded, "if I were simply here to betray you, I would have done so by now, correct?"

The others shifted a little but didn't respond.

"But if you need something a little more solid, there's this." Kalla tossed Bat-Fem an Omnicom. "On that are the complete plans to the Metropolis detention center that holds all your SMB friends. Everything you need to know is in there...security details, passcodes, prisoner lists and locations. I've obtained this for your resistance and eliminated what would have been another six months of spying to get just half of what's in there!"

Bat-Fem began browsing through the Omnicom and was quickly impressed by the level of detail in it. "All right," she said, "we have an alliance. But we will be watching our backs."

"Good," Kalla responded. "I can't stay. The Oval will be suspicious. And I have a mission to start." She nodded at Louis and left.

The others silently gathered around the Omnicom and started the process of planning a prison break...in earnest.

Day 300

Cell Block 3

Alarms were blaring in her ears. The sound was everywhere, inescapable. And then, another sound came in her ear. A voice. A familiar, comforting voice. But one with a pointed sense of urgency to it.

Adelie!, the voice said. As you can hear, our timeline is shrinking! Myself, Seth and our armed support are here in the prison's control room, and it's not looking good. The guards are headed your way! We couldn't surpress an alarm we didn't know about...one that was set off specifically by your ice magic. You have time to free one or two more prisoners. Then you have to get the Hell outta there!

"Understood, Louie. We've freed Faraway Lad, Infra-Red Lass, Hyper-Dense Kid and Polka-Dot Kid so far..."

She hears a commotion down the prison block.

"Dywh! The guards are here and breaking through the blast doors!"

Then get out of there, now, Adelie! There's no time to free anyone else on your block!

"Un...understood. Rockhopper Lass out!"

She looked at the Omnicom and read the prisoner listing for the cell door in front of her. She didn't recognize the name, but her eyes were drawn to all of the visits logged to this prisoner by her evil brother. If he cares so much about this one...

"Guys!" she yelled to her campanions, who included the freed prisoners, Saffron Lad, Grev Mallor and a few armed non-powered Losers. "One more and we're out of here! Hold 'em off!"

The others obeyed and let out a cheer.

Adelie smiled and turned to the door. "Mister...Armorr?" she said tentatively.

She waited for a reply and finally heard a simple "yes".

She was relieved to hear the voice and said, "some friends and I are here to rescue you and the other prisoners!"

Then, she placed her hands on the door. It glowed, then froze...then shattered!

She stepped through the now-exposed doorway and saw a handsome but haunted-looking brown-haired man sitting on the cell floor in chains.

She regarded him for a brief moment, then said, "Hi, my name is Adelie. I'm known as Rockhopper Lass!"

He looked up sullenly, but something sparked in his eyes as he looked into hers, as if something about Adelie wakened his soul. He smiled, and his posture elevated. He flexed and his shackles fell to the floor.

"'Rockhopper Lass', eh?" He smiled and stood tall for what Adelie suspected was the first time in a long time. "I guess you can call me 'Karate Kid' then, young lady! Now what say we get the hell out of this godforsaken craphole?"

"No problem!" Adelie grinned. She knew right then and there that she'd made the right choice to free one more. He could have broken those bonds any time he wanted to, she thought. What he needed was hope.

The two worked their way out to the others. Adelie walked up to this Earth's Faraway Lad. "Can you port us out of here, Darden?" she asked as she glanced at the guards breaking through.

"I'm...sorry, lass", he replied. "My power has been burned out since they forced me to help transport our Earth to this dimension. I'm...so sorry. You would've been keen to pass me by and rescue someone more useful..."

"Nonsense!" she scolded. "We'll just have to improvise!"

She iced up a wall between the guards and her crew. She knew that the wall wouldn't hold for more than a few seconds.

"To the end of the block, guys!" They ran to the far wall at the end. She tried desperately not to think about who might be in the cells they were passing. "All of you--blast this wall!"

All who had energy powers or guns helped her blast a huge hole in the wall. Light shone in from the beacons in the prison yards.

"Now, I'm going to have to create the biggest ice slide I've ever made! It's gonna be slippery! Those with better balance need to help those who might not! I'll make it as wide and inwardly-curved as possible!"

She concentrated and a sparkling white slide started to appear from her fingertips. She stepped on, and started to extend it forward. The others stepped aboard and worked on either skating or butt-sliding behind her. Saffron Lad was at the rear, putting up an energy shield to hold off the artillery fire from the guards behind them from the block and from the towers.

As they approached the wall, Adelie thought, I hope Louie still has that force field deactivated! Before she knew it, they were over the wall. She sighed in relief.

"There's our getaway skiff!" Grev yelled. Within moments, they were all aboard and on their way to the designated safehouse.

Adelie prayed to Dywh that the other teams would be right behind them and out safely.

Control Room

"--out of there, now, Adelie! There's no time to free anyone else on your block!" Louis yelled into his communicator. When he got her acknowledgement, he replied, "Loser-1 out."

Louis shook his head, "she's gonna try to free some more, isn't she, Seth?"

Seth Gaterra turned from the control panel he was working on for a moment and replied, "most certainly, Louis. I believe hers may be the most heroic, noble soul I've ever encountered."

"Yes," Louis said thoughfully as he examined the monitors, "she is, Seth. I...I love her, you know?"

"I know that as well, my friend. Perhaps you should finally tell her when we rendezvous?"

"Yeah, I should," Louis grinned until he saw something on the screen. "Shit! They're sending some guards up here, now. They're not being fooled by our codes anymore! Seth, how are you progressing?"

"I've nearly got the message ready for piggybacking. I...have to be sure it isn't detected, but I'm almost there!"

"Well, not to be pushy or anything, but you'd better hurry!"

"Affirmative," Seth replied and started entering the codes a little faster.

On the other side of the reinforced door to the control room, they could now hear blasting.

"What about you, Hugh?" Louis asked his fellow Loser.

"I'm trying all the codes to effect all the cell doors opening," replied Hugh Taylor, who was working at another station in the room. "No luck so far, but I'll keep trying!"

"Hurry! We've only got a couple of minutes at best."

The four armed Losers that were also present stood perched at the end of the hallway that connected the blast door to the control room proper. They were ready to fire upon the guards as soon as they broke through.

Loser stared uneasily at the monitors and communicated with the other teams. He yelled to the others in the room, "Bat-Fem's team and Beaver's team are not encountering any resistance so far..." The others in the room cheered. "...no word on Adelie's team..."

Just then, the guards broke through the blast door and artillery fire rained through the hallway. Hugh whirled from his station, inflated and provided a barrier to all the artillery. In inflated form he was virtually invulnerable to most artillery and laser fire.

"Louis!" Hugh yelled. "You've gotta keep entering codes!"

"Yeah," Louis replied and switched over to where Hugh had been working. "We can't hold here much longer! Seth?"

"Almost there! Another minute is all I need..."

A moment later, two of the Losers who had been returning fire went down.

"They're dead, Louis!" Hugh cried.

"It's sent!" Seth yelled from his console.

"Then take out the wall, Seth!" Louis yelled.

Seth removed his glove and unleashed his nimbus on the far wall, disintegrating a large portion of it to create a sizable hole. "You have to get over here, Hugh! You're our way out!"

"But I'm the only thing protecting these guys--!" Hugh cried.

The two remaining armed Losers looked at each other for a moment and nodded. One yelled, "we're staying! Now get the Hell outta here!"

Louis entered one last code. As Hugh rolled into position, Louis moved toward him and Seth. Glancing over his shoulders, he saw a green light go off at the cell door control panel, and he smiled. "You two will not be forgotten!" he yelled to the armed Losers as he and Seth climbed on top of Hugh.

"Long Live the Losers!" the two yelled as they continued firing.

Hugh rolled out of the hole in the wall with Seth and Louis aboard. They held on to Hugh's hair as he hit the ground and rebounded up. Hugh was able to control his bounce, so he didn't roll and kept his passengers upward using the 'hands-down' method. Artillery fire zinged all around them, some of it finding Hugh's form and bouncing off.

In the distance Louis could make out what looked like the remnants of an ice slide in the distance. He smiled as he guessed what its significance was until he suddenly felt an explosion of pain.

As Hugh prepared to bounce over the wall, he thought he heard someone cry out. He maintained his concentration, though, and cleared it by several feet. He bounced them for several minutes at high speed until, at last, they had reached their skiff and he deflated.

"Whew! What a ride!" Hugh exclaimed. Then, he turned and saw Seth holding their leader in his arms. "Oh, no..."

"He's been hit, my friend," Seth confirmed. "We must get Louis some medical attention at once!"

Putting Louis aboard the skiff carefully, Seth and Hugh drove with determination to safety. They hoped it wouldn't be too late for their leader.

Day 301

"I've done all I can", Doc Juan said, his eyes red from exhaustion. "But his injury is too severe. He doesn't have much longer. But he's conscious, right now. And he would like to see you." Juan pointed to Rockhopper Lass.

Her head bowed, Adelie silently went into the room where Louis lay dying. She went to his bed and took his hands into hers.

"Adelie..." he said. "...so glad you're okay..."

"Oh Louie," she said softly, "we got so many of our allies out of that prison. And many more broke out after you left, thanks to you getting all the cell doors open. We're working on connecting with them. By any measure the operation was an unqualified success."

He smiled weakly. "...good...they will need a leader, Adelie...I think that's you..."

"Louie..." she managed as tears streamed from her eyes and turned to ice droplets.

"shhh...I know I don't have much longer..." he smiled again. "...it's...that lousy...Loser luck...but you...have what it takes, Adelie...let Darden guide you...and listen to Bat-Fem...but you...you embody what both of them have in-individually...compassion and a warrior's spirit...you'll...you'll do well..."

"Louie," she said softly and put her hand on his cheek, "I love you."

"Love you, too...always have..." he replied, and they shared a tender kiss.

------

Day 302

The entire body comprised of the gathered Losers, SMB and Covenant gathered in the Loser Cave to say goodbye to their friend and leader Louis Banzer. Many stepped forward and eulogized him. Many tears were shed, and at a certain point his body was burned Viking-style per his wishes.

Afterward, Rockhopper Lass addressed all of them.

"Greetings, my friends. I am Adelie or Rockhopper Lass, if we haven't met face-to-face up to this point. This may be the last time we meet en masse for a very, very long time. For as we wage this righteous war for our freedom, we simply cannot all be in one place, lest we risk our revolution presenting one, easy target. We've chosen several unit leaders and divided this body up into several units for them to head up."

"We've won a great victory, though it came at a terrible cost. Louis...wanted me to lead you all. It is my honor to take up that role. If I can do half as well as he did, then we are in for a rousing success! It will likely be a very long war, but our odds have improved a great deal as our forces have freed so many great heroes to help our cause. There are more still out there to find and bring within our ranks. I'm confident we will do just that."

"In addition to all of this, we have great hope that our allies on Legion World will eventually come to our aid. While in the prison's control room, the Covanant's Seth Gaterra sent an encrypted message out that will slowly piggyback on other messages until it eventually reaches our ally on Legion World, Helena Handbasket. It will be several months before she receives it--this was necessary because no traditional message would be able to escape Dark Oval territory through any other means. But receive it, she eventually will, and she will then make sure the right people in the LMB receive it. So help is coming, my friends. But we have much work to do in preparation for their arrival. That starts today."

"And starting today, there are no SMB. No Covenant. No concerned citizens fighting for a better tomorrow. No, none of those exist any longer! For today, among all of us and among all of those ready to join our cause..." She placed the 'L' sign up to her forehead. "...there are only The Losers!"

In response all those present held the sign to their foreheads and yelled, "Long Live the Losers!" Then, they all cheered and applauded for a long, long time.

Adelie smiled and looked toward the funeral pyre. We're going to do it, Louie. We're going to win!

<span style="font-size: 20px;">Epilogue One</span>

The Evil Emperor Pyngwyn examined the video feeds from the prison break.

"Come, Blaine," he prompted his consort. "Look whom I've found."

Wearily, Blaine Fey walked up behind his husband, put his arms around his shoulders and gazed over his head at the monitors. "Is that--?"

"Yes...my sister. The so-called 'Rockhopper Lass'!"

"Are you sure? It could be this universe's version?" Blaine added.

"No, no...it's my sister. I'm sure of it."

"But how?"

"I've learned that Adelie is very resourceful and not to underestimate her. I've learned that the hard way...never moreso than now."

"Your sister..." Blaine thinks. "...part of the rebellion..."

"Yes. The rebellion is more organized than I ever thought possible. So organized, in fact, that they must be getting outside help."

"You don't mean...?"

"Yes, I do. There is no way that they could have accomplished such a successful prison break without some highly-placed assistance within the Oval. Hrykos is a likely suspect, but I would not put it past either Wyandotte or Romaltus, either."

"Then...how do we proceed, my husband?"

"I'll find a way to root the traitor out. In the meantime I will start now by ordering that all remaining prisoners be immediately executed! Keeping prisoners was a vanity that I will discard from this day forth. Any future rebels captured will promptly be tortured, interrogated and then beheaded!"

"And your sister, Eudyptes?"

He smiled. "If rebellion is her choice, then she will be treated like any other of their ilk!"

<span style="font-size: 20px;">Epilogue Two</span>

Legionnopolis, Legion World

Helena Handbasket is sprawled out on her bed, having spent the latest in a series of exhausting days helping clean up in the aftermath of the Red Bee's recent attack. On the verge of passing out into sweet oblivion, she suddenly hears her Omnicom beeping.

"Oh, sprock!" she yells. " Haven't I done enough today?"

She picks up the Omnicom, expecting to see yet another message from Ram Boy with yet another fire for her to put out. She laments, momentarily, the days long past when she spent most of her time in a drunken stupor and the rest of it sleeping it off. But since she sobered up, she's been a special administrative aide to all the leadership administrations from Caliente on.

She clicks the message icon...and her jaw absolutely drops. It's them--it's from Seth! Almost in slow motion, she takes the special decryption chip out of her robotic arm and inserts it in her Omnicom. After a few seconds, the message is there for her to see.

"Oh...my...god!" she says aloud. "Seth sent this months ago! Earth-4...alive and in Dark Oval space? Its coordinates? A rebellion?"

She thinks for a moment. I can't believe it! I had almost given up all hope! They're alive! Seth...oh my god---!

She smiles, and suddenly all of her exhaustion disappears from her body. She gets dressed, gathers the Omnicom and heads right out.

Gotta find Lolita...STAT!

She walks with all the assurance and confidance that she has ever had. The time is nigh, she knows, when she will rejoin her Covenant. And before it's over, they will all raise their glasses together--in victory!