Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business FINALE! - Legion 35C

YAY HARBI !!!!!

Thanks guys

Hor Elli never reached the laboratory.

As the Daxamites crunched into the ‘Stroid he had a visitation. Along a Legion bandwidth telepathway a message slid into the Daxamite Space Rangers mind.

Kord Das had a proposition.

“Commander, tell you men to desist now! We only have a small window of opportunity to defeat the Grand Invaders, and your actions in the next four minutes are vital. I repeat Commander, tell your men to desist from this action now!”

Hor Elli, raised his hands and clenched them into fists. A long established signal to stop, no questions, just STOP! His followers stopped their destructive assault on the ‘Stroid, though a few projected their confusion along the Space Ranger ‘pathways.

“Das, what are you doing now? Where is..”

“Commander, this ‘Stroid is from the old Sol Terry belt of the original Oort Cloud. You know what that means don’t you? Of course you do, Daxamites know all about the Bacteria Wars in the Sol System during the 23rd and 24th Centuries, after all they started them with their unprovoked attacks on the Yamashira Triple Sun Gene-tech Co-operatives. You do know about the White Circle War I hope?”

The sarcasm in Kord Das’ tone makes Hor Elli clench his jaw. Every Daxamite child had heard of the Terry ‘Stroids and their rich veins of pure stellar bacteria. Every Daxamite child knew that the Great White Circle Wars were a blemish on their people’s honour. Hor Elli remembered his history lessons – how the Daxamite Empire had been losing systems to the Dominion Khund aggressors for centuries. The Great Loss of Antares had set the Daxamites back centuries. Less than a standard year later they had reeled with horror as yet another blow befell their unique and ancient culture. Humans and their vapid allies had discovered the secret that Daxam had guarded for millennia. The secret of free floating stellar bacteria.

The origin of all carbon based Life itself.

The prime ingredient in the mighty Daxam gene tailoring technologies.

Humans had suspected for four centuries after finding huge rich veins of inert life within their planetary mantle, far below where any life should have been found. They were clever enough to understand that these deposits had been put in place when comets had crashed into their planet millions and millions of years before. The discovery of the huge bacterial rich ‘Stroids within their Oort cloud had confirmed what the sqajjin’ Humans had theorised about.

Without considering the Meta Gene and psionic potential of their opposition Daxam declared war on Mankind! It was an embarrassing episode in Daxam history, taught to children to show them the errors anchored in their history. It taught humility.

Hor Elli: “What does that have to do with anything Das, and what is in it for us?”

Kor Das: “Commander, trust me, you and your men will go down in history as heroes if you do precisely as I ask.”

Hor Elli: “Tell me more Das or we’ll do nothing.”

Clear Skies Coming led another successful Freetrader attack on the Valenian Star.

The Freetraders had come prepared for a long battle, armed with a wide range of weapons. Clear Skies Coming could see that the charges were running out on many of the larger weapons. At this rate he figured the Braves under his call would be able to make at most half a dozen more effective assaults.

Out around the alien Star he could sense the Braalian Army using their considerable magnetic abilities to help the Green Lanterns hold back the AU long tendrils of energy that the Grand Invaders were lashing out with. The young Freetrader had sensed the punishment Dak Sacchev had put himself under to contain the star and was glad, and truth be told relieved, when one of the more astute Vegan Warlords had taken control of the Braalian contingent. The Vegan Warlords had seen the potential that these magnetic warriors brought and had ordered them into groups of five thousand and positioned them strategically to help stem the Stars expansion. The Freetraders had a saying about the Braalians – “They might move metal but their wills are water!” This was too true after many centuries of subjugation under the Scientific Elite. The Okaaran Warlord had used this to their advantage.

The Ancient gods of original Earth had stormed and raged at the Grand Invaders unholy Star, their numbers had been cut by nearly twenty five percent in the last half hour! They fought, Clear skies Coming thought, with a valour and passion that could inspire the most ardent pacifist to war.

The Carggg People’s Planetary Protectorate had lost almost half of its members early on and of the reinforcements, Triple Light, Triple Hype and Triple Wolf had been lost in transit. Still the Cargggites were impressive in the resistance they showed. Triple Heavy was particularly savage against the Invaders.

Mimicron, Star One and Living Solar of the Sol Defence League had all been destroyed! These powerful and iconic sentient crafts were a great loss to the morale of the Sol Meta community. Still the space worthy members fought with a determination that bordered on desperation.

Several hundred Legion ships, utilising whatever skill or meta ability the crew had to use were also amongst the thousands of combatants. Buzzing around the star creating whatever havoc they could against the intra dimensional attacker.

Amongst the Legion ships were fleets of Vegan Bubble crafts, though the mighty Bubble Arcs themselves were badly damaged.

The Flotilla of support vessels and other Hyper Spatial Beings that had followed the Legion 'Stroid out here to the Dark Spaces were all involved in the battle.

The Green Lanterns and Space Dragons had sustained the greatest losses, Clear Skies Coming doubted that there were even half of their original numbers left.

The Daxam Space Ranger reinforcements that Commander Hor Elli had just ordered into battle were greatly needed!

And still the Kenroshi Starsailors, the reclusive and unpredictable gods of the dark space between stars, spun around the intra dimensional star, their delicate aurora sheened wings spinning out for many kilometres tracing their elliptical orbit.

Clear Skies Coming checked that all of his Braves had returned from the last assault. All present. With a graceful curve of his wing he led yet another attack on the Valenian Star.

Sparkzzz was still in agony.

Even wrapped in a Denebian RNAskin, wrists, palms and cheeks streaked with blue and violet, she hurt breathing deeply or moving too quickly. 35th century science was beyond the imagination of previous centuries, still surviving explosive decompression without a good month for total structural rebuilding was pretty amazing, and not without cost.

The young Winathian had been listening along selected telepathways to Cheshire the cat and Widdid Spood's bravery in the face of the awesome Valenian Star when Kord Das had reactivated the AI Bubblejack network and sent his Holo with the message.

After she had heard the announcement by the Kord Das holo and marvelled at how dignified the reaction had been by the assembled dignitaries – no screaming or gnashing of teeth! Instead the Ambassadors had almost calmly ordered their aides and staff to prepare for some sort sudden action, cushion themselves and hold on tight to anything bolted down.

They didn’t fool one as aware as Sparkzzz for a minute. The façade of calm would rip away as soon as anything hit this deck.

And Sparkzzz was sure that they wouldn’t get away unscathed.

The Legionnaires and cadets present had helped organise this sudden call to be prepared for action. Sparkzzz was still unsure exactly what to expect. There must be something she had missed, she was sure… was the RNAskin medication dulling her thoughts? She wasn’t exactly sure, though she finally realised why the hair on her arms was rising, the feeling of pins and needles along the edge of her tongue, the slight red shift in her vision…

Magnetic fields! Bloody Nass, the magnetics were reversing!

Sparkzzz realised what was happening. Enri Longtan must have ordered the cadet of Greater Braal, Ash- yu Wool to cushion the Ambassadorial level against the approaching mag-field reversal. The potential loss of structural integrity must be a serious concern of Enri’s as he works to save the Ambassadorial staff of the Legion ‘Stroid.

Sparkzzz knows she has at most a minute to act as she looks about to find the young Braalian. The Winathian lightning caster can feel that the young Braalian, for all of her good intentions, does not have the raw power to protect the Ambassadorial Hall from a sudden reversal in the mag-field.

Well, thinks Sparkzzz that’s something I can certainly help her with!

Sparkzzz sees her, forty feet away, in a plush red personal booth, obviously oblivious to the well meaning pandemonium around her. Without any grace the Sol defence Leaguer makes her way towards the cadet, uncaring to the complaints said from those pushed as she unflinchingly walks in a straight line through the excitable crowd.

The Braalian lass has sweat budding on her brow as Sparkzzz reached out to touch her shoulder.

“Cadet, would you like some help?”

Even cocooned in her own pain Sparkzzz could see the relief in the Braalian cadet’s eyes as she opened them and said “Yes Ma’am, I’d be most grateful.”

By Sparkzzz's reckoning they had twenty seconds at most before the Ambassadorial Deck felt the effect of the Mag-shield flip and seperation from the 'Stroid.

Plenty of time!

Just inside Legion 'Stroid, in a corridor smashed open by 102 Daxamite Space Rangers, amidst rubble and leaking atmosphere, Commander Hor Elli of the Daxamite Northern Arm Space Rangers and Kord Das, the Naltori leader of the Legion, are having a telepathic conversation that will have ramifications that will affect the Milky Way for centuries to come.

“Commander Elli, your race have discovered a cure for their hereditary allergy to the element lead. It’s quite painful to undergo isn’t it Commander. How would like me to give you a cure that could be passed onto your offspring?”

Hor Elli is shocked by Kord Das’s offer.

“Das, if this is a joke I swear I’ll personally rip you a second arsehole! <emotional subtext of anger>”

“Commander Elli, every Legionnaire has been fitted with a Telepathway implant of my design. The design for the Daxamite Space Rangers had a small individually tailored element that might help persuade you that I am serious. Pick two of your men Commander. If I can’t persuade you with a generous offer that would help you set up a personal dynasty to rival any in Daxam history, then perhaps you need a little help getting motivated. Pick two of your men Commander or I will pick twenty.”

“Das, what are you..”

“Choose!”

Hor Elli has no idea what to expect but he can feel that a crunch point has been reached and it is not in his interests to vacillate. He mentally pictures two of the most junior members of his team, Ger Futi and Huy Ucre, both have potential to go far. Hor Elli knows with a sickening chill in his gut that he has just signed their death warrants.

“Commander Elli, use your senses to visualise the make up of the atmosphere of the ‘Stroid you and your men have just damaged. I want you to believe me from now on, after this it will be a lot easier for you if you do not doubt me.”

Hor Elli scans the leaking air around his men. Microscopic vision reveals lead, one part in ten thousand. Enough to be felt by an ordinary Daxamite, maybe not kill but certainly hurt.

“Your Telepathway implants each have protein base compounds, each have three potential growth vectors. I have the control of these, Commander.”

“Don’t do this Das, I’ll do as you say, don’t..”<underlying reak of fear, anger, confusion>

Even as he pushes his desperate request along telepathways Hor Elli hears the two men he chose at Kor Das’s request scream and watches them crumple into spasming foetal balls.

“The compound in each implant can activate the lead allergy. I’m sure it must hurt. The proteins have been genengineered to reverse this and make the lead allergy a memory for your people if you wish. Will you follow me Commander? Shall I set your people free? If that is what you want then there all you have to do is say yes to my one request. I want you to do exactly as I ask for the next century. After that you and your men are free to do whatever you want. Which is it Commander, a return to fear of lead, or a freedom from that fear?”

“Das! You sprockin’ madman, we’ll do as you say! Don't hurt anymore of my men and I'll do what you say.”

“I know you will Commander, just as I had foreseen. You will not regret this Commander, trust me, this is for the best, for everyone.”

"What do you want us to do?"

"When I give you the order I want you and your men to blast Legion 'Stroid into the Valenian Star. But not quite yet, there are a few things that must happen first..."

"Das, you are more insane that the Lunator Mongoose Herders!"

"Commander, If I am lying you will be disposing of your greatest political rival in the NuUP, if I am telling the truth you will be the father to the greatest dynasty in Daxam history. What choice do you have?"

The Firstfooters had searched the fractured intra-dimensions for the remains of their Soulsinger, Wee Eavey Hakkawolla.

As the Arch of Time itself was damaged they had no concept of how long they had travelled the twisted turns of Reality. As they returned along their hymn filled paths, carrying knowledge of the whereabouts of the glowing embers of their fallen comrade they gave praise to the wisdom and compassion of their God, the Amber Man.

A third of the Firstfooters came back bent backed, aged and tired. Their love of their God, and His Cosmic strength all that held them together. Still others returned with strange knowledge shining from their eyes as the unknowable had been shown them on their journey. A few more came back radiant in spectrum of what could only be described as Other.

All of them returned with a song on their lips, counterpoint to the Song of Life itself.

In a granite stone amphitheatre on a small bare island in the southern hemisphere of a barely populated world the Being known as the Amber Man began to Sing. His Song tells of the Way of Life, the Web of Reality and of All Truth.

The Firstfooters returned first as a lone journeyman, then in a few small groups of two and three, and finally in two clans. They stand in a circle around their mighty Totem and raise their voices to the clear heavens above.

To any Being watching it would appear initially as a trick of the light as the Scots-Mauri folk approach their God with straight backs and chins held high, their hands outstretched holding the stuff of their Soulsinger. The stuff of their God, shattered and flung wide before being found and retrieved from all points between the very outskirts of the Multiverse.

Without a word between them they walk slowly to their God and as they reach Him they flicker and are gone. All that a viewer would see is robes falling to the ground and the light around the Amber Man pulse with an increased vitality.

What the viewer would not be aware of immediately is the Firstfooters have left the mortal coil behind to become one with their God.

By the time that the fifty second and last Firstfooter had joined with the Amber Man, the viewer would definitely be blinded by the awesome energies being radiated.

Until that is, leaving a darkeness as disorientating as any desert sun and a silence as deafening as any scream behind, the Amber Man winks out of existence and is gone!

more more more Harbi !

But lets be honest - it would be difficult to be as short as YOUR mum!

Thanks Ken, it's always nice to read that someone has taken the time to peruse my little interpretation of the future. You following this okay?

And there's no doubt my Mum is not the tallest woman in the world, but I seem to remember that yours aint exactly lady Goliath either Bless her everyday anyway.

Dajjik Al Ghurani had changed his shape to become an Alephian Roof Walker. These small prot-mammals had evolved to live under the great Barrier Cliffs of the Small Isles on Aleph, nimble, sure footed and renowned for their timid and cowardly nature. It was not a form that Hol El would have predicted to be of any use if there was to be a confrontation with the Dalai Lama and his Emerald Eyes.

“A blatchin’ Roof Rat? We’re going up against the Emerald Eyes and you choose a Roof Rat? Oh great choice that, what you gonna do to it when we find it? Gnaw it’s optic nerves?”

The Durlan had continued to scurry along the ceiling, not deigning to answer. His nimble form allowing him to easily out pace the cadet behind him.

Hol El palmed a couple of Gene-banging caps from her arm holster and ran after him.

"Caritchin' shape changing Yasslebroo! Typical, you just scurry about up there and leave it to the woman to fight your battles!"

………………………..

“Glorion, what are we gonna do now?”

Abbi sounded scared. The young telepath had nervously stood behind Glorion and gently patted his shoulder, unsure of how to react to the death of a Being believed to be a living Goddess. The gorilla sat stroking the dead Tamaran Princesses head, tears rolling down his broad face, occasional sobs and quiet oaths issuing from his mouth. Even the NowYouSeeMeNowYouDon’t Beetle was silent. It had been nearly five minutes since they had found the Princess, Helen of Thermyscira had been alerted and had chose to remain with Zoe Saugin whose condition hadn’t changed, Jo Nah was still under Abbi’s mental control at the Nav Deck and outside their Legion Ship the battle was continuing against the Grand Invaders.

Glorion knew that his tears were not going to help their situation any but by Mu’s Great Green Cock he didn’t know what else to do.

“Hey furbag, you’re really like freaking my head here, you two can do something can’t you? You’ve got spells and shit that can do, like, good stuff haven’t you?”

Glorion’s lack of an answer worried Abbi even more.

………………………….

Helen of Thermyscira had heard Abbi’s desperate telepathic cry. The Tamaran Princess was dead! At that moment though Helen had other things on her mind. Something else else more immediately pressing had happened and the Amazon was not about to risk losing the miracle before her to a snide young murderess who had less morals that even Ate, the Goddess of Mischief!

Standing before Helen was Asclepios, son of Father Apollo and of Coronis the Nymph, he was the Healer to the Gods. In the form of an elderly man, white robed with a long staff entwined with a three headed snake, the Amazon's God was knelt before Zoe Saugin.

Helen's prayers had been answered.

Xo ‘Strer Chan, the Dalai Lama of the Trom Buddhists approaches the great silvered doors of Kord Das’ laboratory with a nonchalant air to his stride and a sly grin on his weathered face.

Above him an Emerald Eye of Ekron hovers dangerously. The unhealthy light it casts sending elongated shadows along the metal corridor. The Eye stops. It flashes quickly, pulses of it’s ancient energy brightening the way in irregular pulses. Xo ‘Strer Chan frowns and without turning orders it to blast the door in front of them in a tone of one used to getting results.

The Eye does not respond to him.

He turns to stare at his mystical familiar, his brow creased in curiosity. “Eye, blast the damn door in, now!”

Along the psychic connection between them the Dalai Lama can feel.. confusion.. trepidation? This was unheard of, the Eye was a servant, bonded to the will of whomever took control.

Even as he thinks this he can feel the psychic bond begin to unwind, like twine. Xo ‘Strer Chan feels as if daylight has peirced a fog from his senses leaving him momentarily blinded, he has lost his connection to the Emerald Eyes!

The Eye flickers then turns and slowly drifts away from him, back along the corridor.

………………………

Hol El hears the explosion up ahead and races around the corner just in time to witness an Earthquake Beast being flung unceremoniously across the lower mess hall. Before it had struck the wall Dajjik Al Ghurani had reverted to his native form, unconscious. The Emerald Eye that had been in front of him turned towards the cadet.

Popping a Gene-banging cap Hol El raced towards the Eye. In the four seconds the cap took to imbue her metabolism with a meta skill the Eye blasted her with a rake of emerald fire. Hol El kept running towards it, determined to stop the murdering creation before it could kill again.

Heat vision blasted out from her eyes, melting the ceiling above the Eye to a liquid slag, dropping the contents of the room above onto it. She turned to Dajjik Al Ghurani and raced over to his side. She could hear the rubble behind her move and she popped a second cap. She had more tricks up her sleeve, and the Emerald Eye was about to learn that you didn’t mix it with the Last Son’s ultimate descendant.

She could see that the Durlan bodyguard was regaining consciousness so she turned back to the Eye and charged!

Dajjik Al Ghurani was later heard to say that the cadet had fought valiantly, blasting the Emerald Eye with her heat vision then smashing into it with a tremendous crash. Hol El had natural invulnerability and gene-banged thermal vision and strength on her side.

The Eye had an almost endless supply of semi magical energies.

The damage they inflicted was huge! In the end though Hol El was finally stopped when the second Eye arrived. She was held in place by the combined might of the two. Unable to reach for more meta ability inducing caps she was trapped.

The Eyes of Ekron did not want to destroy her though, they had another agenda to follow.

After many years under the iron will of the Trom Buddhist Dalai Lama the Eyes wanted their freedom, and to get that they needed someone to help. They needed to find a new master or mistress, one they could control. In Hol El they sensed greed and a stubborn streak that they could easily influence.

They didn’t want to kill Hol El, they wanted to elevate her above her current station. The Emerald Eyes of Ekron had found their new Empress.

.................

Xo 'Strer Chan stared for several minutes after the Eye had left him, his head felt light and eyes streamed tears.

His shoulders dropped, his chin folded onto his chest and eyes closed as he gave a great heartfelt sob. He stood like this for a minute before he sat lotus position on the floor and breathed deeply. Eyes closed and mouth pursed shut he concentrated on finding the mental connections so recently severed.

It was at this moment that a holographic projection of Kord Das appeared before him and said "We have matters to discuss, get up!"

As the Firstfooters of McCuilola Major returned to and were absorbed into their Cosmic Totem, the Amber man, so the fragile echoes of their hymns died. The myriad of fractured radii of the Intra Dimensional began to close, sealing up like a cut in flesh behind them.

With the disappearance from the Stonehaven amphitheater of the Amber Man and all of His followers the last of the broken pathways between the Many Realms is sealed.

With one rather notable exception. The Valenian Star, the body of the Life Force of the damaged Valenian Realm bravely struggling to defend itself against the many meta beings of the Einsteinian Reality, is still attached by it’s intra dimensional umbilical to it’s empty blister of a home Realm, and through that to the myriad levels of the whole Intra Dimensional Matrix.

…………………………..

Glorion could hear Abbi speak to him, her queries and anxious demands were registering on the edge of his awareness. Much like how one could ignore the sound of a buzzing fly in another part of a room where one is concentrating, so Glorion finds it easy to block the young telepath out. Right at the present moment Glorion had something quite unexpected happening within his belly.

Glorion and the NowYouSeeMeNowYouDon’t Beetle are reminiscing.

Glorion: I was shitting myself!! I was only nine…

Beetle: It was the best day of your life Glorion, I remember how excited you were at being invisible, stealing those Dajaka biscuits, the flagon of Ambrosiun Cider and hiding Squeaky Simpson minor’s shoes from him! Don’t you remember? You said you’d never laughed so much…

Glorion: I don’t remember laughing the next day when I woke up with a head like a thundercloud and Old Squeaky Simpson came a-knocking…

Beetle: Glorion, what happened to the Ambrosiun Apple crop?

Glorion: They were wiped out by the…

Beetle: Exactly! Don’t you remember how sweet it was? Or how it just slid down your throat like sunshine? And what happened to Squeaky Simpson minor? Remember how badly he turned out? Think of hiding his shoes as a pro-active strike Glorion <smirk>

Glorion: I remember the thump I got at class that day!<rueful grin>

Beetle: And wasn’t it around then you started to develop ulcers? Do you have any idea how unpleasant that was for me? <laughter>

Glorion: It wasn’t to pleasant for me either <smile>

Beetle: I’m glad you learned to relax a little. You’ve been a Grand Host Glorion, one of my favourites. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have.

Glorion: <thoughtful pause> I'm going to miss you Beetle.

Beetle: <sadly> Don't Glorion, it never gets any easier for me to leave a ..friend behind either. Let's agrree to just remember we did have some adventures and not think about what's to come.

Glorion: How long have we got 'Beetle?

Beetle: Within the hour Glorion... I'll be gone within the hour.

The NowYouSeeMeNowYouDon’t Beetle was created nearly 37,000 years before encountering the young gorilla known as Glorion.

He was one of seven scarabs made with a very specific purpose.

Each of the seven scarabs were infused with the personality of an Elder of the Sect. The Elders chosen were said to represent a cardinal point in the development of the human spirit, because of their strength of personality and their determination to succeed. Their wisdom, passion and integrity were all thought to be above reproach. Their magical auras were infused with the collective might of a generation of neo-phytes and their task was ordained in the very make up of their new scarab being.

The Sect worshipped the King of Kings, the God Amun and they created the seven beetles, later referred to as the Scarabs of Humanity to help answer the Ultimate Question of that Age. They wanted to know what their God, the Being who had created all, really looked like.

The sorcerous Sect that created him noticed that each of their creations took on unique personalities of their own. They gave names to his brothers; ‘Courage’, ‘Honesty’, ‘Pride’, ‘Ambition’, ‘Patience’ and ‘Curiosity’. He they called ‘Guile’.

Almost exactly 300 years to the day after he was created Guile saw Amun!

At that time he had taken the role as a good luck charm for a young Amazonian philosopher, whispering silent ideas to her as she slept, she was never aware of what her ‘lucky blue beetle’ truly was. The Amazon was allowed the great honour of witnessing a parley between Zeus and the wondrous hordes of Olympus, and the Egyptian pantheon after a skirmish between the two in a battle long since forgotten.

Amun, ram headed and radiant in his might led the Egyptian contingent before the Olympian Gods.

The scarab known as Guile knew at once that he had fulfilled his task and should whisper to the Amazon philosopher ideas to return him to his makers. He should have. Instead, looking at the mighty Amun the beetle realised that the god before him, while immensely powerful was not the source of all light and life as his creators, and he had previously believed. The beetle fell into a deep contemplation that lasted for twelve days and thirteen nights. When he awoke from it he came to understand that in order to fully complete his task, to look upon the King of Kings and Ultimate Creator, he would have to progress beyond the single spinning sphere of Earth and find the Truths from a more cosmic perspective.

The beetle had been gifted with prophecy, and as such he understood that this revelation given while in a state of contemplation was a gift from the Yet To Be.

Within 200 years the beetle, now calling itself ‘Tricky L'il Thing’ was beyond the Sol system and out into the Milky Way, living the greatest adventure ever had by one originally of the planet Earth.

But that's a story for another day.

How does it go again?

Oh yeah....

MORE MORE MORE!

Pretty please.

Thanks Ken, mucho appreciated

I've got the next three or four parts drafted but won't really have time to write them out properly for a few days, still that gives everyone else time to catch up duntit?

Artemis, Ares and Athena had given the Gods and the valiant mortal Legionnaires their tasks. The three gods had conspired and evaluated the situation and come to only one conclusion. On their command the united forces gathered against the Grand Invaders would attack in one final charge.

At the northern pole of the Valenian Star the Braalian contingent used their incredible magnetic powers to hold the probing piercing tongues of Strange Light. The Braalians had been joined by a group of Talokean shadow casters led by the reborn Eljasa Mallor. Their abilities worked well when combined. The Olympians sent Aether, Eos and Pandia, each personally affronted by this unnatural star in the heavens, to help them.

The Dragons, Triple Heavy and the Carggg People’s Planetary Protectorate, the Martian Manhunter and several hundred Daxamite Space Rangers were to be joined by Ares and a large group of the Olympian Forces.

The Vegan Bubble Arcs and the Legion flotilla, so badly damaged by the eruption of the Star and further decimated by subsequent attacks, are aided by the largest band of Olympian gods, led by Zeus’ favourite son Herakles.

Hermes had rushed to the strange inhabitants of the eternal dusk, the Kenroshi Starsailors, but found even his god given skills at communicating elicited no reaction. Still these most elusive of the dark space Beings continued in their macabre dance, their delicate aurora wings entwined as they hurled around the equator of the Valenian Star.

Boreas approached the Legion ‘Stroid but there found a squadron of Daxamite Space Rangers unwilling to allow him access. Even as the god of the northern wind watched an upper deck of the ‘Stroid slowly, grindingly separated from the body of the mammoth rock, shaking debris from its earthy epidermis like water from a dog's coat. The god could sense that there were many Beings alive on this smaller section and took it upon himself to guide their rude vessel away from the ‘Stroid. The Space Rangers that had so brusquely refused to allow him entrance never left their posts.

Hera, queen of the Olympians and radiant in an aura of peacock hues approaches the Freetraders. On their last attack on the Valenian Star they had lost their greatly revered leader, Silver Crow. The goddess’ approach was initially viewed with suspicion as the Starhaven trackers rallied themselves to continue their battle. She spoke to them in the hushed tones of a mother, convincing them that their aid would turn the tide of the battle. The Freetraders were won over within seconds.

Helios, the sun god, normally so abundant in power had been weakened by the Strange Light that the Grand Invaders had brought to the Einsteinian Reality. He was sent to the southernmost point to boost Dak Sacchev in his monumental one Being fight to hold back the Valenian Star.

Zeus himself readied to lead the remaining forces, a mixed group of meta Beings from through out the Milky Way bolstered by Green Lanterns, Thangarians and several hundred Daxamite Space Rangers. A mighty group indeed! After receiving a signal from his fellow Olympians that all was as he wished he roared a colossal challenge that shook the very firmament.

And with that the Olympian Stand, as historians were to call it, began!

Onboard the CCC Deck of Legion ‘Stroid Kid Mental was radiating the Strange Light of the Valenian Star.

Triple Cubed had tried everything she could think of to help but still he screamed in agony as the intra-dimensional energy tore through his being. With the lack of AI bubblejack support available her options were limited. The Bubblejack facility would not respond to her urgent calls for a DNA scan, internal force fields and communications links to Kord Das or Enri Longtan. Still he screamed.

All 27 of Triple Cubed’s selves were on the Deck and all apart from four manning the essential control panels had their attention firmly on Polurs Corpinini as he struggled with the emanating energy.

The walls and doors were so thick that she did not hear the battle outside between Hol El and her two Eyes of Ekron and a group of four Daxamite Space Rangers Hor Elli had sent to scout the lower decks. She did not have full access to the ‘Stroid surveillance panel so was none the wiser of the damage the new Emerald Empress had just caused smashing two Daxamite soldiers through several decks. Hol El had then fled the site of the battle, gene banging speed to help her escape. The Space Rangers had given chase and called upon their comrades for help. Dajjik Al Ghurani, the Durlan ambassadorial bodyguard had literally flown back to the Upper Decks, being intelligent enough to know that Enri Longtan would appreciate first hand information to a possibly dead Durlan. He made it to the Ambassadorial Level with four seconds to spare before Kord Das initiated the separation of these areas from the body of the ‘Stroid.

Truth be told Triple cubed would not have cared. The man she had grown to love was in obvious agony. All she could focus on was his pain and her feelings of helplessness as he writhed on the floor.

The Daxamite smashing through the rear wall of the CCC Deck got her attention! He fell only yards away from where most of her selves stood clustered around Kid Mental. She turned, three of her selves racing to his aid, six more running for the security panel, seven stayed with Kid Mental while the rest ran to the gaping puncture in the wall to see what had happened.

An Eye of Ekron drifted casually through the rent as she ran towards it. Her selves scattered.

Polurs continued writhing on the floor. The Space Ranger was unconscious. The new Emerald Empress, lips turned in a cruel smile, eyes glazed with greed, floated through the gaping hole in a bubble of sick green light.

“Ah there he is, little Soldier I believe you were saying you wanted to kick my..”

Triple Cubed chose that second to strike. The Empresses attention was on the Space Ranger but she would not miss the other Legionnaires for long.

Blasting the back of the Empress with thirteen Legion standard security issue lasers was ineffective to say the least. The violet beams bounced from her back, sending molten slag running from the walls where they struck. Triple cubed recognised the Empress to late. She realised that the invulnerable descendant of Kal El would not be stopped that easily, and armed with the Emerald Eyes and her gene banging tricks Triple cubed knew that this was going to be a difficult fight to win. Hol El looked at the many Cargggites around her and said "After I have killed most of you I am going to sample your DNA as I feel self replication would be a tremendous ability to add to my collection, don't you agree my dear?"

It was at this point that the 'Stroid started shaking violently as the Upper Ambassadorial Decks seperated from the Legion's base.

Polurs Corpinini, Kid Mental of the Sol Defence League, stood on trembling legs.

The 'Stroid shook, objects were hurled accross the CCC Deck, the noise was horrendous, he could guess the structural damage needed to create this sort of disturbance. He didn't care.

He glowed with the Valenian Strange Light, his whole body, his very atoms, shrieked in intra-dimensional pain. He was aware, with an awareness far beyond his own, that somehow the Life of the Grand Invaders had found a link between them and himself and in desperation were exploiting this to release their energies into the Einsteinian Reality.

His anger had over-ridden the pain. His fury was directed at Hol El, final descendant of the Last Son of Krypton and current Emerald Empress commanding two of the Emerald Eyes of Ekron. As he had watched in horror from the floor Hol El had commanded her Eyes to scythe down thirteen of Triple Cubed’s bodies, ripping them apart and hurling the remains with careless abandon. As he tried to stand a further six of his beautiful lover’s selves were casually killed. The new Emerald Empress had been concentrating so much on enjoying her killing spree so much she hadn’t yet seen Kid Mental rise behind her.

Triple Cubed’s eight remaining selves had scattered and taken up defensive positions behind any object large enough to give them a shield; a desk, the tracking station com, two fallen chairs, a slice of the smashed wall.

Even as Hol El took pleasure looking for her opponent one of the Daxamite Space Rangers smashed into the CCC Deck and grabbed an Eye, in the same split- second hurling himself through the outer wall, crashing a hole in the hull and diving straight towards the Valenian Star outside. He died within seconds of reaching it. The internal security system automatically kicked in, a force field shimmered into life over the smashed hull protecting those inside from the deep vacuum of space. With the soldier’s sacrifice Hol El started to scream! One of her precious Eyes was torn from her and along with the valiant Daxamite, had perished in the Strange Light outside.

Polurs took an uncertain step towards his opponent and, in a voice much stronger than he felt, said “You bitch, I’m gonna take great pleasure..”

The remaining Emerald Eye had swung behind him as he started to talk and struck with a great burst of green flames accross his back.

Abbi Ardeen has left Glorion and the NowYouSeeMeNowYouDon’t Beetle to their reminiscing over the dead Tamaran Princesses body and walked back up to the Command Deck. She is astute enough to realise that the gorilla and the ‘Beetle are not ignoring her because of anything she has done, merely because they are friends saying their goodbyes.

Part of her wants to find out what the strange presence is she can sense with Helen of Thermyscira, though again, she is astute enough to know she will not be made welcome there either, for entirely different reasons though. Abbi Ardeen decides to return to Jo Nah to check to see how the Legion is coping in their monumental battle.

On the Command Deck of the Legion Cruiser Jo Nah still piloted with Ultra reflexes and centuries of experience. Abbi’s telepathic control had not dampened those skills in the slightest and she watched with genuine fascination as the legendary Ultra Warrior controlled the Cruiser. Placing her pale small hands on his broad muscular shoulders she leaned over Jo Nah to look at the battle on the info-skin before them. The Freetraders racing for another attack, the Braalians ("Braalians? What are those bastards doing here?") and the Talokeans at the Northern pole, the various Legion contingents fighting with a courage beyond her understanding. What caught her eye was the Legion ‘Stroid start to come apart, the upper decks shaking loose from the body of the Legion’s base. Below the now free floating decks there was a man with a huge beard and wild hair, dressed like Sister Paragon in a robe of plain wool obviously pouring energies into directing the decks away from the ‘Stroid.

Abbi tried to reach out with her telepathy to find out more about this Being but could not seem to find anything to grip onto. Somehow the powerful Being helping the ruptured ‘Stroid was beyond her telepathy!

Without needing to acknowledge it consciously Abbi was scared of the ‘Stroid. Kord Das had held her captive and conducted a barrage of experiments on her while she was there. She quite literally had the scars to prove it!

If it weren’t for the NowYouSeeMeNowYouDon’t Beetle and Glorion Grundy Abbi was quite certain she would be dead right now.

And what most surprised Abbi was she was not upset to be alive. As she thought about it Abbi realised she had to thank Glorion and his pathological positive attitude for this, the great brutish looking gorilla had a casual charm about him that made Abbi feel… secure enough to enjoy life? She shook her head at this thought, half dismissing it.

Abbi was not really focussing on the info-skin in front of her but still caught the Daxam Space Ranger bursting out of the ‘Stroid’s CCC Deck and straight into the Valenian Star. Her curiosity awoke and she snuck a telepathic probe towards the Legion’s base.

“GLORION!” She projected her thoughts with a force, “Oh shart Glorion, we gotta help evacuate the ‘Stroid, Kord Das is away to plunge it into the Star!”

Right, on that rather desperate note I'm going to take a break until after Hogmanny. If you have made it this far it would only be polite to post your views for me don't you agree, so don't be shy now, let me know what you think of my little story.

Bxx

Belinda, Belinda, Belinda...

Oh what a wonderful web you weave when first you set out to believe.

Like I promised earlier today, I just finished re-reading your amazing grand epic. And now I must wait on pins and needles for the final chapters.

To quote the Harbinger...

MORE, MORE, MORE!!!!

If this was in a book form it would be a real page turner - as it is it's sheer murder having to wait for the next installment.

Terrific stuff B.

Now, how does it go again.......

more, um, nope lost it.

Thank you both for your very generous support.

I have it rough drafted out and estimate that this will all be over within a dozen posts so hang on in there as there are still (hopefully!) a few suprises in store for you.

AQ- it's great to have you back here amongst us

Ken - you lost it yonks ago

Snaija awoke in darkness.

Even before opening her eyes she knew she was not alone, she could make out the noises that the H’dritki made as they danced and weaved. The air had an electric feel that made the small hairs on the back of her neck stand up and skin itch. Her head ached. Feeling weak and tired she struggled to open her eyes.

The silhouettes of the drone warriors around her seems agitated and restless, they moved with a peculiar jerking rhythm so unlike their normal disconcerting grace. Their chattering and chirping had an angry tone, each sound abrupt and precise.

She tried to stand but a wave of nausea passed over her knocking her back onto her side.

“Oh guys, how did you find me?” Her voice sounded faraway to her ears, almost as if someone else had said the words. She tried to remember what had happened but all she could recall was fleeing from one of the Emerald Eyes of Ekron.

Closing her eyes again and drawing two large breaths she tried to rise again.

Still the H’dritki danced around her and the air stung with electricity.

Abbi could sense that Glorion had not left his virgil over the dead Tamaran Princess but she didn’t plan on waiting for him to tell her what to do. Abbi Ardeen had never thought of other Beings well fare before.

The sudden rush of conscience was a welcome stranger to the skinny girl.

She directed Jo Nah to pilot the cruiser parallel to the CCC Deck of the ‘Stroid. Abbi could sense the agony of Triple Cubed as her bodies were mowed down, the pain and fear of Kid Mental as he stood to confront the traitorous Hol El and the three remaining Daxamites as they rallied to stop the Emerald Empress.

As Abbi watches Jo Nah’s fingers dance across the virtu-control panel playing the control icons with the precision of a concert pianist the Info-skin before them fades and refocuses on the ‘Stroid, the monumental battle around the Valenian Star is forgotten for now as Abbi tries to rescue the Legionnaires that Kord Das plans on sacrificing in his desperation.

The Cruiser’s conical nose flashes with tractor-grid light as they come level to the CCC Deck. On the Info-skin Abbi can see the hole recently smashed by the Space Ranger and through the protective hazy force field she can see a tall woman with pig-tails standing over a fallen man. Telepathically touching on the surface of her mindscape Abbi can sense the confusing influence of the Emerald Eye. Abbi Ardeen, as a hyper telepath and empath knows all about sowing confusion to take control. She smiles to herself as she realises that she can help the pig-tailed girl and maybe earn a few kudos in the process. She scans the ‘Stroid fully one more time and apart from the large group of Space Rangers at the rear of the ‘Stroid and Kord Das with some creepy man with a mind hard like diamond Abbi knows that she is looking at the only Beings alive on the ‘Stroid.

“Well, the Space Rangers will be okay” she thinks, “Blatchin’ Das can look after his own ass, the little Jeygabo can fucking burn with the ‘Stroid.” Her eyes squint with feral glee and her lips tighten and lift at the edges in a savage smile.

Giving the command to Jo Nah to bring the tractor-grid and force fields around towards the CCC Deck she contacts Glorion and the NowYouSeeMeNowYouDon’t Beetle in the docking bay.

“Furbag, you and sneaky Beetle are away to get some guests, get ready”

She hears the ‘Beetles chirping reply, “Glorion, we are away to meet my penultimate Host, it’s time for my prophecy, are you ready?”

Abbi stops listening to her… friends in the docking bay and reaches out towards Hol El. Her mind is rich with emotions and dreams. Here was a strong mind with an all too human flaw, Hol El had lived all of her life in the shadow of her legendary ancestors. The need to prove herself on her own terms had led her to make a few questionable decisions. Overlaying Hol El’s thoughts was the powerful yet subtle longings of the Eye of Ekron. Abbi reached out again and in a single deft action snapped the connection between the parasitic Eye and the invulnerable girl from the Small Worlds. Hol El collapsed like a dead weight while the Eye shakes and slowly turns and looks at the Legion Cruiser not one hundred yards away through the punctured hull of the ‘Stroid.

At that moment Jo Nah releases the tractor-grid, punching through the already battered skin of the ‘Stroid, locking onto Hol El, Kid Mental and the eight surviving bodies of Triple Cubed. As it wrenches them away from the CCC Deck they are wrapped in a protective bubble of a force field. The debris thrown out into space as the Legionnaires are tractored into the docking bay makes it difficult for Abbi to see clearly on the info-skin if they have managed to pull of the rescue.

“Glorion, you got them okay down there?”

“Abbi, we have a problem, you brought a bloody Emerald Eye!”