Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business Legion Worlds (fanfic - Finished 23 April)

Hey Raz, you're right, Henry is... um... why can't I remember? He'll be officially introduced in the next couple of posts.

Haven't quite finished with Ontiir, he's a slippery character.

Poor Jed, if ever there were two legionnaires suited to a atmospheric battle it's Dawny and Wildfire so is it any wonder he felt outclassed? Still, as you pointed out, he's stable enough to accept it, though what does 'Nerfed' mean

Glad you liked the Tinya/Kara relationship, like you I can't remember her doing much beside bug Brainy but there must have been more to her career as a Legionnaire than that, right?

Nearly at the end of this section and then onto the final part of my Legion Worlds storyline - the try outs!

Thanks again for your support Raz.

“You’ve only just got back here as well, haven’t you?” Laurel seemed to be gazing into space.

“How do you know that Laurel?” Brin Londo looked at the invulnerable girl.

“I can see it Brin, you were in the 21st century. That Harvest was a right bastard....”

She blinked several times and shook her head, “I think I’m picking it up from your shirt.”

Her hands tightly gripped the front of the top Timber Wolf had taken off so she could cover herself up. She smiled reassuringly at the Legionnaire and he tried to smile back though it was obvious he was worried.

“This isn’t part of your Kryptonian power set Laurel. I think we need to see Brainy.” He looked down at his flight ring, willing the communication function, “Brainy where are you?”

“Brin, we are going to the Temporal Vortex control room, can it wait?”

“Nope, we’ll meet you there.”

They stood in the Temporal Vortex control room, Phantom Girl, Ultra Boy, Brainiac 5, Harmonia, and Danielle Foccart listening to the holo man called Henry. Timber Wolf and Laurel Kent walked in and could tell immediately that they would need to wait, the atmosphere was tense. Jo Nah acknowledged them with a nod and a smile before turning back to the holo before them.

“It started with the destruction of the Titan, and in particular the Time Beacon.”

Jo and Tinya both involuntarily glanced towards Harmonia Li as the holo of Henry said those words. She remained expressionless, her back straight and her eyes fixed upon the image of the man before them. “The Beacon is a fixed point in time that stops a lot of ... of interference from the wider multiverse. On Naltor they have almost completed rebuilding it. In under six months its quantum illumination will once more channel the timestream. I only had this one opportunity to intervene.”

“Why? Why intervene in our history?”

The holo smiled at Tinya as she asked her question.

“I was once part of your team. I have always admired you. The legacy you leave will shape the future in ways you could never believe.”

Brainiac 5 interrupted, “We found your image. We thought it was a joke, a prank. Garth destroyed the picture.” Both Jo and Tinya looked at Querl as he spoke, they obviously knew nothing about this.

“I joined you when I was much younger. About seven years ago for you, almost four hundred years ago for me. I was so eager to meet the legendary Legion, so wanted to be part of your team. It was you Querl who figured out the member who called himself Anti-Lad was a fake. When I left your memories were over written so you wouldn’t remember.”

“My head hurts. Time travel always confuses me. And... ‘Anti-Lad’? Seriously?” Jo Nah crossed his arms across his chest as he spoke.

“I used to have an aunty Mary.” Brin Londo said it quietly though everyone heard, Jo and Laurel both smiled.

“I’m from almost five thousand years in your future Jo, I apologise if this is confusing. Where you to visit your ancestors five millennia ago you would find them hunting and gathering on the Siberian Steppes. Can you imagine explaining space travel or flight rings to them? You see, that is the dilemma I have.”

“So, why intervene? You never answered me.”

“Because history said at this time you would go through changes that will affect your legacy. I’m sorry Tinya, it would not be appropriate to tell you what is coming though I hope you understand everything I’ve done since I came here was for the greater good.”

“Like support the Dark Circle?”

“Support them? From this date on the Circle will be a footnote in history, a political mistake that will not trouble you again. I simply gave them the opportunity to self destruct.”

“And the people who have died today so you can make the Circle a footnote in your history classes? What about them Henry? Are they just acceptable losses? I refuse to believe that you truly adore us as you said if you allowed that?” Tinya Wazzo had walked up towards the holo image and her body language made it abundantly clear that she didn’t believe what she had heard.

On Earth the Science Police were struggling.

So far what they hoped were cloned copies of Colossal Boy, Psyche, Shrinking Violet, Mon El and several hundred Dark Circle fighters had been captured. And it was still not twelve noon standard time. With the attacks in the Saturnian System and trouble in the Oort Cloud they were stretched to their limit. A few Legionnaires and students from their academy had helped in the initial stages of capturing these rogue elements thankfully. Finding the capacity to keep them sedated enough to process them was becoming a challenge though.

Sun Boy knew none of this. Dirk Morgna was currently sat on a cliff top overlooking a flat and pale luminous sea, his flight ring communicator had been switched off and his mind raced as he tried desperately to plan what he should do next.

His father was dead.

He knew rationally that it was inevitable. People died every day. Even surprisingly healthy and young people died. But they weren’t Derek Morgna. His father had a huge personality and drive that had fueled his business growth. Before he was thirty the young Derek Morgna had been a millionaire. By the time he had married his first wife, Dirk’s mother, he was in the top two hundred richest people on Earth. He was widely regarded as an entrepreneurial legend, his Fusion Sphere business lighting the way, quite literally, for millions.

Dirk had never really been close to his father while growing up.

Work always came first for Morgna senior..... The Star League game when the Vesuvian Volcanoes beat the Triton Goliaths... and Dirk had watched his father spend the entire match casually flicking through stock ratings on his Omnicron.... The rare Sunday meal where the family would sit down together to have so called quality time together, his father would have a screen up showing charts and information to prepare himself for the Board meeting on the Monday....The vacation to Ventura after his mother died, Dirk could picture his father’s happiness when that waitress from Delawhere took Dirk by the hand and led him away to give his father peace to read reports, Happy holiday dad! The dismissals and lack of acknowledgement that had marked his childhood, the aloof bastard had all but said he never wanted kids. Those rare moments when Morgna senior would praise him had been like manna from heaven for the emotionally starved child. Rare happy times that would drive him harder to get noticed. That had driven him to give up his dream of being an astro navigator to work in the power sphere plant and that led to becoming a Legionnaire. That was something Derek Morgna had been very vocal against... until his son’s publicity and popularity overtook his own, then... then he would acknowledge him, then he would say he was proud of him. Dirk hadn’t spoken to him in over a year, and that was purely by chance they had met at a charity function.

Dirk Morgna hated the old man.

He hated him with all his heart for all those missed opportunities and their frozen relationship. He hated him almost as much as it hurt him that he was dead. Almost as much as he missed him and wished he could speak to him one more time.

Dirk put his face in his hands and wept.

“Because history said so... isn’t that right Henry? You are doing what you have been told will happen.” Harmonia Li remained coolly aloof as she spoke.

“You are as wise as history says Harmonia Li.” Jo snorted a cynical laugh as Henry spoke and turned away from the holo to sit on one of the benches that ran along the walls of the room.

“If you like Tinya I could give you the names of every person who died today. At this time the Legion stumbled upon a civil war between the five creators of the Dark Circle. Please believe me that today would have happened whether or not I was here. Who do you think alerted you to the Starburst Bandits around this planetoid? Who made sure the Science Police knew where the Legionnaires I brought from other realities were? History said the Dark Circle internal power battle would ultimately lead you here Tinya, you have to be here.”

“Hmm. So, now what Henry? What do you want? Why are you telling us this?”

“Wait Henry, you are not telling us everything. When Danielle asked the planetoids AI what had been brought through your vortex it told her 25,000 troops had arrived. Where are they? Where are all of the Dark Circle operatives you brought here? And this civil war, what of the ring leaders?”

The holo broke into a big grin as Querl Dox asked his question.

“Norak Kun of Naltor was assassinated on Earth, his killer was a stealth operative who took only twenty clone foot soldiers and was caught by the Huntsman and Sade. Norak knew he would be targeted today so set up decoys across Earth to give him the chance to collect information he needed before his escape. Sade has that information now, you may want to examine it Querl. Their Colossal Boy had fifty foot soldiers, they were defeated in Australia. The emotional manipulator Psyche was captured in a small village in Alaska with her fifty soldiers as she searched for her quarry. Your Mon-El caught his counterpart in Kiev as they tried to create a fusion sphere meltdown to flush out the missing Naltorian. Their Chameleon Girl assumed an ambassadors form to spy on your United Planet’s high council. She was caught and even now is being held on Mons Olympus.”

“So where are the rest of the soldiers?”

“I sent some to N’Cron and some to Fresish. Grullug Garkush was in a bunker that only he had the DNA and voice print to unlock. It’s a shame the foot soldiers didn’t know that before they killed him. The bunker is several clicks under their southern polar cap. On Fresish they were placed within a natural fault, something akin to your grand canyon, roughly six hundred kilometres from the nearest living being. I may have accidentally miscalculated you understand.” The holo image smiled broadly, “I believe you will find almost eleven thousand stranded aboard a disused supply satellite where they believed Gorgoth kept a base. The co-ordinates of each one is...” The holo waved an arm in a dismissive manner, “there, in your flight ring database. You can personally track them down if you like?”

There was a slight challenge in his tone that Tinya Wazzo found infuriating. This holo of a man who said he had once been one of them and that the horrific deaths they had all witnessed today were acceptable did not know her or the Legion nearly as well as he thought.

Otaki didn’t realise that both Chameleon Boy and the newly returned Chameleon Girl were watching her.

The Legion Academy student was concentrating on the control panel before her. The Durlan Legionnaires had finished attaching the data vampire and had skimmed through the read-outs. Otaki had been looking over several screens and had stopped to examine one. It showed the propulsion system that the Dark Circle had recently fitted to this planetoid in the dark area of the Sol Oort Cloud. She showed an incredible understanding of its workings and was thoroughly examining the read outs when Reep Daggle interrupted her.

“What is it Bina?” His deep voice was soft though it startled her.

“Oh... propulsion unit controls. My mother was the chief engineer in Lunar Colony One so I grew up around this sort of stuff. Well, maybe not as sophisticated, she’d have loved this. It generates a graviton pulse that would push this to sub light speed capacity. They wanted to move their base. It’s a remarkable system. We could be on Earth within a day if we wanted.”

Reep smiled to himself. The student did not appear terribly confident and her abilities were subtle but she showed considerable depth and ingenuity. She would make an excellent member of the Espionage Team he thought.

Laurel Kent spoke, surprising Tinya, “Henry, enough with the know-it-all attitude please. Cut to the chase already and tell us why are you here?” The question wasn’t phrased as the current Legion leader would have liked but it was exactly what she had been wondering herself. What surprised Tinya wasn't the question itself but that Laurel had said it rather than Brin or Jo. Maybe there was more to the ex-student than she remembered...

Henry bowed his head in acknowledgement before replying.

“Of course Shield, you need to know...”

“What you just call me... Shield? What’s that?”

Henry looked slightly embarrassed before replying, “My apologies Laurel. Shield will be... one option for a code name you could use, where you ever to apply for Legion membership again of course.”

“Wow, thanks for spoiling that Henry. Want to tell me how many kids I’ll have while you are at it.”

“Three actually, though not for a few years yet.”

Laurel looked startled as the Holo called Henry continued answering her earlier question.

“As Harmonia correctly surmised, I am here because history dictated I should be. Within the next three years the United Planets will face two of the deadliest threats imaginable and the Legion will be at the forefront of the campaigns to repulse both. You need to have certain members present to survive those attacks. Kara Zor-El is one of them. She does become a worthy full time member of your ranks Tinya, regardless of how painful it is for you. She will be a part of the team that saves this galaxy when the Great Blight appear.”

“Yeah, right, so we are supposed to have Super Girl with us and no-one will notice anything odd?”

“Jo Nah, so brave and strong and not nearly as stupid as you pretend.”

“Hey, no need to get personal there Henry!” Tinya stepped between Henry and Jo as she spoke.

“There are precedents you know. Miss Terious, Sir Prize.... both far worse names than Anti-Lad I’m sure you agree, and Sensor Girl. All of them were not quite what they seemed were they? I did not say that Super Girl joined your team.”

“And what about you Henry? Are you going to help out against the great Blighters? What’s your role in all this?”

“Once the Time Beacon is back on line I will not be able to do much more. This is my window of opportunity. You need to ....”

“No, stop.” Brainiac 5 stepped forward. “Stop this manipulation Henry, you are dealing with your own history so you must desist.”

“Temporal paradox... I know Querl but it has to be done. You need to know this to survive to become the heroes who inspired my galaxy. Tinya Wazzo, in your first term of leadership the membership increased by twe...”

“STOP!” Querl Dox had his arms in the air as he shouted over the top of the holo.

Wooh, it was Anti-Lad! Kara remaining with the team though not as Supergirl is an interesting idea, am looking forward to seeing how she interacts with Laurel too! PS when I said you weren't nerfing the Academy kids, I meant that you're not writing them as particularly ineffective just to make the Legionnaires look good

Thanks Raz, hope you enjoyed your break and will be posting some more of your story soon.

Henry is fun so will be around for a bit longer. I've found him to be a great character to irritate Brainy with

Supergirl will be on the team, just not as we've seen her before, kind of..... Will be posting more at the end of the week and hopefully it'll make sense then.

Nerfing - ah, that makes sense, definitely not!

Thanks again!

Twelve hours later.

Night had fallen and Dirk Morgna was well on his way to being disgustingly drunk. The bar he was in was once a chapel of rest but currently gave a different solace to those visiting its white plastered walls and marble columns. The Capuchin Crypt in Palermo was an architectural treasure that had survived for almost fifteen centuries and still took the breath away of those who walked into its half lit hallowed spaces for the first time.

“Hey bud, you think maybe you’ve had enough?”

Through squinted eyes Sun Boy slowly turned around to look at who had just spoken. Although he was a Terran home grown hero the patrons had all taken one look at how disheveled he appeared and left him alone since he arrived, exactly as he wanted. Standing behind the drunken Legionnaire stood Wildfire, Dawnstar and Dream Girl.

His eyes opened lopsidedly wide for a second before he turned back to his drink.

“Go ‘way, you’re all dead, except Nura.... she’s too smart to die. Thom got the best one....”

“Dirk, we’re back. I think you should come with us.” Dawnstar’s distinctive clipped voice was unmistakable and Sun Boy turned around again.

“How come you get to come back? It’s not right, we’re targets ...but he wasn’t, he was my dad...”

Nura gently put her arm across her colleague’s shoulder and said, “Come on Dirk, we’ll help you get through this. I promise, we Legionnaires stick together.”

With remarkable stability Dirk stood up and turned towards his friends. His wobbled when he stopped moving and it was obvious his eyes were unable to fully focus on them. He managed three steps before Wildfire put an arm around him and guided him towards the door. None of the other patron’s in the place obviously watched them leave though the Legionnaires knew that by the time they got back to HQ in metropolis the News Gossip Feeds would be running a scandalous story about drunken Legionnaires in rural Sicily.

“He did give us both a bill of clean health Brin...”

“Yup, after all of three minutes examining us Laurel. He didn’t even say more than five words about your... what’d he call it? Psychometry? ‘Suppose it’s reassuring that we may have been away for a couple of years and still Brainy’s an arrogant douche.” Brin Londo looked angry as he stomped up the ramp onto the Mark viii cruiser.

“Hey, enough Brin okay, I’m feeling out of time too y’know. So stop this.... You said you’d help me track down my dad so how about we try thinking about that instead. Please Brin?”

Brin turned to the invulnerable girl that had trailed out of Brainiac 5’s makeshift office on the Dark Circle’s planetoid. “You’re right Laurel, am sorry....do you want to do this now? Would you prefer we go to Earth, catch up with our friends for a day or two maybe?”

“I’m scared y’know....” She looked very young as she admitted to her feelings Brin thought, “The info you had said he was a fictitious character made up to support my Academy claim. I need to know what that bitch Manhunter has done to him.... sorry, if you want to go to Earth that’s fine. It’s cool. We can find out in a few days... maybe Chameleon Boy or someone could help too?”

They had both walked into the control deck before they spoke again.

“Where was he before... well, before you were taken...ummm sorry.... where do we start Laurel?”

She smiled at his awkwardness. For all of the bluster and angst he projected Timber Wolf was a surprisingly empathic man. He was obviously uncomfortable mentioning the six years she had lost, despite just returning to his home century minutes before her after being stranded a thousand years in the past for two years of his life. At least she knew nothing about her experience. She had been on a night out with Pol, Garva Berta and Jed to celebrate the capture of Professor Ivo’s killer machine and then woke up here. She had never had to come to terms with feeling dislocated from her home or trapped in a primitive era. She had simply over slept... and knew if she kept saying that to herself she would not give into the angry urge to punch everything in sight to alleviate the fear of having lost six years of her life.

“Dad worked for the Geoplanetary Survey team for Datsun-Hong- Al Mohamad Terraform Corporation. He surveyed potential planets for the Corp, he loved being out there discovering new things on barely known worlds. Last time we spoke he was on his way out past Xanthu towards the Distant Suns of Rastasmar.”

“Okay, let’s start there. Earth can wait for another couple of days, eh? Xanthu here we come!”

Thom Kallor sat on the Mission monitor Board watching the multiple screens before him.

Nura would be back in a few minutes and Hadru was due to take over the Monitor Board duty soon. Tonight he planned on wining and dining his lady love and who knows... maybe they could get a full night together before some inconsiderate armada would invade known space or hypnotize the planet against them. Star Boy smiled to himself as he thought about the night before him.

“Like star shine and solar glow! Thom you total nebulae.... was there any... like personal and private as dark matter messages waiting for me?” Comet Queen seemed even more hyper than usual as she flew into the room. Her smile was huge and yet Star Boy thought it looked fragile. This was a young woman anxiously waiting to hear from a specific special person. Thom wondered if Nura had ever felt that for him. And even as he had that thought he laughed to himself... Nura? Feel doubt about how much he adored her? Ha!

“Hey Grava, actually there’s one just got here....” Before he could reach to the virtual screen to activate her icon she had flown past him and was cradling it. Thom had been on Panoples with Grave when she had met the young private stationed there from the Extel Colonies, Drinchar Lamment. He knew there was a connection there that had alighted something in Grava. Despite his cynicism Thom hoped the message would be good news. Something else else in the back of his mind though warned him the Legionnaires rarely had it so good.

Comet Queen stood with her back to Star Boy as she activated the message before her. Thom tried to pretend he wasn’t interested in hearing what it had to say. The holo that popped up was not of the young private, instead Pedtu J'guimunsfji the Outer Worlds chief of Science Police spoke.

“Comet Queen. I’m sorry to be the one passing on this news to you but you have recently been named next of kin by Private Lamment. Ah... after your team left Panoples the Private became agitated and during a routine patrol amongst the asteroid field it appears he... ah... he piloted his solo-craft into a blazing comet. His message said that he wanted you to know he was doing it to be with you. He’s currently being transferred to Star Fleet’s Mons Olympos Medical facility, though due to the severity of his injuries we are not sure if he will survive the transportation fully intact. I’m sorry Legionnaire though if you need any further information please feel free to contact Chief Consultant Ammadad....”

Grava didn’t hear the rest of the message as tears were streaming down her face and Star Boy had his arms around the girl trying desperately to sooth her anxious heart.

News that the Lost Legionnaires had returned to the 31st Century dominated the headlines.

Their aid in repulsing the Starburst Bandit’s assault on Takron-Galtos tied the story nicely into the apparent Dark Circle invasion of several colonies. Several social commentators had figured out there may be a connection between the two though no-one, other than Legionnaires and a few Science Police officers really knew what had happened in the last day.

Tinya Wazzo, Lar Gand, Yera Allon and Troy Stewart stood before the High Council of the United Planets. They had just given a report on the civil war between the ruling members of the Dark Circle and concluded that they believed they had managed to put an end to the hostilities while returning their Lost comrades to their own time.

“There is one more matter I wish to inform the Council.” Tinya held her head up high and tried her best to make eye contact with as many of those present as possible. She had their full attention now.

“Within the next month I propose the Legion leave Earth...” A few Councillors rose from their seats starting to protest, “And set up our base off world on the former Dark Circle planetoid. We believe that in this age where we can accept Khundian members the Legion should prove its political neutrality and be seen as separate from Earth. We already have quotes from Brande Tech to update a few of the systems and modify the interior to our specifications...”

The Legionnaires had expected the uproar that followed. Accusations and emotional blackmail were quickly forthcoming. Cheers from Affiliated world’s representatives sparked shouting matches, one delegate even started crying. Tinya exchanged a sideways glance with Lar who looked for all the world as if he were admiring a poignant piece of art. How he kept his cool was a mystery to the Legion’s leader as she fought the urge to bang a few heads together. It probably didn’t help proceedings, she later conceded, when she reminded the delegates present that she was from an entirely different dimension so did not understand their level of anguish.

As the hall erupted again Tinya gave Troy the signal and the sonic manipulating Legionnaire lowered the volume in the hall until there was an eerie silence. Several delegates were obviously distressed by this turn of events but as the seconds progressed and they realised that no-one else could make a sound they all eventually settled down and turned to face the Legionnaires again. When she had their full attention again Tinya Wazzo nodded to Troy Stewart again and slowly sound returned to the chamber.

“We are an independent peace keeping organisation who relies on each of your planetary government's good will to support our efforts on your home worlds and within your territories. That being the case we’re not property of any one world and we will not be held hostage to any one worlds demands. We represent the dreams that I sincerely hope we all share that different races and species can work together for the betterment of all. We have come to the conclusion that we can only do that if we are truly neutral, and seen as such. My apologies for any inconvenience our leaving Earth may cause but we all know, we all know that is the only way we can achieve this next stage in our organisation’s development. In the next month we will be looking for support staff from all the worlds present... and more, to help man our new head quarters and we look forward to welcoming your representatives aboard.”

“And what do we call this new Headquarters of yours Ms Wazzo? Legion Spacestation Alpha? The Dark Circle’s Planetoid of Heroes?” The scorn in the voice from the Uranian representative’s voice was thick enough to choke on.

“We think of it as our headquarters and home. You can call it Legion World.”

Woo! Legion World!

Nice use of Tyroc's powers, to 'lower the volume' on the arguments. Utilitarian and subtle and effective!

Wow! Just wow! The twist with Henry - and you've turned him into a villain I both love to hate and am intrigued to hear more about.

Again, still loving the little moments you're giving to so many characters (Chuck vs. Psyche; appearances by Nightwind and Mandalla; the amazingly cute couple Tel and Jed; Laurel Kent stepping up; Crystal Kid being out of it; Otaki as a budding Espionage Squad member).

Especially like how you write Tinya as being emotional but strong and in control (who says leaders have to be robots?!), and Harmonia being cool yet questioning.

I'm so excited to see Legion World and the dazzlingly tantalizing hint about the Legion growing by twe (twelve? twenty? more than twenty?) members! cannot wait to see who else joins the team!

IB and Set, thanks for your support.

Henry may be a little misguided (or maybe misunderstood at this point?) but he's not a villain as such IB, sorry if that wasn't clear.

More coming soon as Thom discovers the cost of fame, Dirk gets a shock that makes him reconsider some decisions he's made and Laurel meets some long time family acquaintances.

Chief Consultant Ammadad was an officious looking man approximately 25 centimeters taller than Thom Kallor.

Star Boy had accompanied Comet Queen to Mons Olympos, using a Legion priority signal to justify skipping ahead of the queue of vehicles and space craft’s that swarmed around the Star Fleet base’s landing area. Thom had taken charge when they finally entered the base, flashing his flight ring around for all to see and speaking in a tone that brooked no quarrel demanding that they were taken instantly to see Private Drinchnar Lamment. Grava kept surprisingly quiet throughout. The young Legionnaire from the Extel Colonies had only recently met Private Drinchnar Lamment though the two had made an immediate connection.

As the two Legionnaires approached the ward where the private was being kept under observation Chief Consultant Ammadad had tried to intercept them. The corridor was busy with staff and patients yet the consultant spoke loud enough for everyone within a twenty foot radius to hear perfectly. The tall man was obviously used to people doing exactly what he said. Thom Kallor took an instant dislike to the puffed chested doctor and walked up to him, only an awkward inch or two away from actually colliding and, after listening to the consultant tell them in an irritatingly clipped voice that they would need to wait, the Legionnaire informed the doctor that he was woefully mistaken as the private was currently being looked after by the Legion.

“....you may have heard of us?”

The consultant blinked rapidly but before he could continue Star Boy said, “If you would like to query that maybe a talk with the Earth President will help you reconsider.” Then very deliberately Thom raised his right fist in front of the doctor’s face to show him the Legion flight ring that gleamed on his middle finger. For added effect Thom raised that finger before the consultants face.

“So, arrange for him to be made stable and get him into our cruiser. Stat!”

The veins on the chief consultant’s forehead were throbbing, his neck muscles were ridges and his face a bright scarlet. The corridor was silent. For two seconds it seemed as if everyone was afraid to breath, let alone move or talk.

The chief consultant briskly turned away and waved down an auto porter and gave the order to assist the Legionnaires in any way it could. He then strode off without turning back.

Star Boy and Comet Queen walked into the private room where the injured private was laid. Several hard light cannula’s protruded from his arms, a mask affixed to a canister covered the lower half of his face. The rest of his face was covered in a synthskin hood to aid the regeneration of his lost epidermis. Even with Lamment being covered by a sheet they could both see he had lost a leg. While it was relatively simple to clone grow another it would take a while for the nerves to re-grow and it was not uncommon for that sort of implant to never fully take. He was in for at least a month of intensive treatment before he would be fighting fit again. Grava leaned over the young man and gently kissed his forehead. Thom stood by the door, respecting her privacy while ensuring no-one else interrupted them.

After a couple of minutes Grava stood up and very calmly left the room. She didn’t need to look at Thom for him to know she had been crying.

“Thom,thank you. You have been nebulific tremenderous to me, you are dazzly bright sunshine! Thank you.”

“Grava, it’s okay....”

“No but Thom, you totally helped me, like graviton gluons you’ve stuck by my gaseous ass.”

“Lamment only jumped into a comet to become more like you so you two could be together... and you only jumped into a comet to get powers because I did. I’m kinda to blame here... I think it’s about time we legionnaires took responsibility for how we influence kids.”

Saskia Montague-Brunlry-Frogeside, his father's life partner, was waiting for Dirk in a booth close to the counter within the Legion’s headquarters main foyer. She looked immaculate he thought, not a hair out of place. She was tall, at least as tall as Dirk, and unfashionably she was slightly overweight – not enough that it made her figure anything other than head-turningly voluptuous of course, all her curves were emphasized by her expensively tailored two piece suit. Her high collared over coat looked like real animal skin, her make-up was tastefully understated and on each finger she wore Danosian black jeweled rings – a common sign of mourning amongst those that could afford such luxury.

She was a perfect picture of the early 31st century grieving spouse.

“Dirk, I’m so... so sorry for your loss. I appreciate that we haven’t always seen eye to eye but I had to... we need to talk.”

Dirk Morgna had stood on a desolated planet fully prepared to fight to his dying death against the ancient god Darkseid without blinking yet right now, here within the Legion’s Earth headquarters he felt his legs tremble. He had always suspected Saskia of being slightly more than she appeared. Certainly his father had had almost seven very happy years with her and she had brought her own money into their relationship – she wasn’t a total gold digger that much was true – yet still the uncomfortableness remained.

She reached to the end of the floating table and activated the personal privacy screen. No-one would be able to see or hear them clearly until they flicked that switch off.

“Your father was a very special man....”

“Saskia, let’s not swap platitudes. There’s a galaxy out there that needs my help and let’s be honest, the old bastard and I hadn’t spoken in so long...” Dirk’s voice cracked and he stopped, pulling his gaze to the privacy field that distorted the light around them.

“I’m so sorry Dirk. Truly, I am. But your father had been working as an agent for the ICIC for at least ten years now and we suspect he was murdered because of it.” As she finished she drew a small wallet out of her jacket pocket and flipped it open. Dirk looked shocked as he read her holo identification credentials. Field Agent Commander Saskia Montague-Brunlry-Frogeside of the Interstellar Counter Intelligence corps gave Sun boy a small sad smile.

“You are where?”

The incredulity in Tinya Wazzo’s voice that carried over the holo link made Brin Londo wince. She rubbed between her eyebrows with an index finger, a sign he had only seen when Jo had done something that particularly bemused her. He knew that impulsively offering to help Laurel Kent track down her missing father had not been his brightest moment but surely Phantom Girl could understand. What was one more day after he’d been lost for the last two years?

“The Distant Suns of Rastasmar are dangerous Brin, there are spatial anomalies out there that can’t be tracked. ....”

“Tinya, I’m sorry I persu...”

“Laurel, you are not a Legionnaire, this was Brin’s responsibility. Right, I’m coming out there in six hours if you haven’t reported back. Be careful and we will discuss this further when you get back.” Phantom Girl’s holo popped out of existence before Timber Wolf could say anything more.

“Phew, she was always tough but I think being leader has brought her militant side out.”

“I’m really sorry Brin, really. You shouldn’t have done this.”

“Hey, when we return with your father and they see you’re not a.... well... psychopathic killing machine,” he smiled and she choked a quick laugh, ”we’ll be fine. Anyway, Brainy has obviously tinkered with the warp drive, these cruisers are three times as quick as the old mark vii’s.”

”And the data we got from Xanthu? Does it help?”

“Sure, we’ll be at the Brown Dwarf system your dad’s company wanted to examine in under an hour now.”

“You know.... I think Shadow Lass sat here... wow, this is freaky cool!”

Brin smiled as he continued to pilot the ship towards the last known place where Laurel’s missing father had told her he was going. Laurel Kent got up from her seat and went around the command deck touching various chairs and surfaces and shouting out what her nascent ability was telling her.

They had been flying between stars out towards the very edge of the Milky Way, past Xanthu, for almost forty minutes when suddenly the cruiser lunched throwing them both from their chairs. Brin’s preternatural reflexes had him on his feet and back at the control in a second trying desperately to steady their craft. Despite his best efforts they were thrown around. Laurel reacted as she had been trained and used her flight ring to get her to a solidly fixed support rod for a consol where she clung on desperately.

The shuddering intensified and the air started to shimmer with a nauseous blue which over several seconds brightened until suddenly the shaking stopped and the craft lurched and began to fall. The colours around them had faded and the sickening pale blue overlaid everything.

“Damn! The quark relay has gone off. Brainy you better have....” Timber Wolf punched a control panel and quickly tapped a command into another. The cruiser stabilised and both Brin and Laurel gingerly stood up. “Phew! That’s the fail safe power source kicking in. Thank you Brainy, you did it again....”

“Florgg on a stick! You’re amazing Brin.”

Laurel hugged the Legionnaire as she spoke. He absentmindedly placed his arm around her as he replied.

“We need to see where we are Laurel. We have an emergency power system but we can’t bank on it lasting too long. We just went through a dimensional warp, did you feel it? I think we just breached the Phantom Zone, going by the lighting anyway...”

As Brin finished speaking a light flashed on the master consol before him. The legionnaire flicked a switch and a voice spoke through the Comm deck system.

“...terlopers, you will leave your vehicle and prostrate yourself before me within sixty seconds or you will be destroyed. You will leave your craft now and kneel before Zod!”

Really loving Brin and Laurel together. And Star Boy interacting with Comet Queen is one of those things that makes such perfect sense I'm surprised nobody ever picked up on it before once I read it! You do a really great job with CQ's speech patterns too! I love her as a character but I find her dialogue really hard to write.

Very interested to see how Zod reacts to Laurel!

Thanks for the clarification, Harbi. I agree villain was the wrong term to use, as Henry was by his explanation simply helping fulfill events that had already occurred. I don't know if antagonist is the right word either...

I'm loving your pairings of Legionnaires out on these missions. More, more, more!

Thanks guys, appreciate your feedback!

Brin and Laurel are a cute couple so we will be seeing a bit more of them. Star Boy and Comet Queen are fun - I particularly enjoyed writing Thom giving the uppity consultant the finger though he'll need to face the consequences of that a bit later. Dirk's story will start to take off soon as we learn a bit more about his father's double life, and... oh, who was the girl from the 20th century who Brainy was interested in again as she is surely overdue to appear soon

I'm a bit snowed under with work/family/festive period so it may be a week or two until I get back to this. Until then I hope you all have a tremendous 2014.

“I’m going out Brin....”

“ Laurel... I’m the Legionnaire here so...”

“Listen! You are better at stealth than me, I’ll go out there and face those nutjobs while you sneak out and find my dad ...if he’s here, okay?”

Without waiting for the legionnaire to reply the former Academy student ran to the anti-grav lift, and her way out of the crashed cruiser. The door spiraled open underneath her feet but with the quark relay malfunctioning the anti-grav beam that should have gently placed her on the ground failed and she dropped like a stone, landing ungraciously in a heap twenty feet below the belly of the craft. There were two figures in dark armour close by who grabbed her by the arms and pulled her roughly to her feet.

Pretending to be dazed from her fall Laurel didn’t resist instead she examined the dark crystalline armours her captors were wearing. She had seen them before. Kryptonian definitely, and if she wasn’t entirely mistaken they were from the Military force answerable to the Science Council. She had been to the Superman museum so often during her life and seen so many holos about her famous ancestor that she was fairly certain she could even guess who was inside them, the brutal Non and scheming Ursa, General Dru-Zod’s faithful lieutenants. She had watched holos that showed how ruthless both could be, she had heard about the thousands that both could easily claim to have murdered and she knew with a heart breaking certainty that neither would have any twinges of remorse for their actions.

Having been physically invulnerable since birth Laurel had become somewhat of a daredevil, renowned as being fearless in the face of potential harm. She would have no doubts in challenging those before her knowing she was perfectly safe in her natural indestructibility. That though was fine for the day to day trouble a girl could get into on Earth and its local environment but her present situation was in a very different league. Laurel knew that she would need to use her brain here and that she needed all the help she could get.

Luornu Durgo had drilled into her, and the other students, that to waste the opportunity to find out information about ones opponents was throwing away a chance to win. Laurel reached out and rested her palm on Ursa’s arm as the ruthless Kryptonian dragged her towards the waiting General.

Querl Dox stood silently as he watched Kara Zor-El.

She was still unconscious though there were definite signs that she was recovering from her horrific injuries. Her Kryptonian physiology had an incredible ability to heal at an accelerated rate under the light of a yellow sun so he had arranged for two banks of star light lamps to be placed around her as she lay on the floating medi-bed.

Her eyes fluttered and she gently sighed.

Querl Dox broke into a grin that would have surprised quite a few of his Legion comrades; it had been a long time since his face had moved in such a clear signal of genuine happiness. He reached out and patted the unconscious Maid of Might on the shoulder.

“You will be alright Kara, I won’t allow anything to happen to you again I promise.”

He remained standing over her, in his hand hard light read outs sprung up giving him information about the incredible recovery as it progressed before him. His eyes barely read them as they flickered rapidly before him, he was concentrating too hard on simply watching the woman before him breathe.

Since the age of three standard Querl Dox had known to use the regular rhythm of his own heart beat to keep a track of the passing of time. It was a simple trick he did as a matter of course in his day to day life. Kara Zor-El started to move, her irregular soft moans became muttered speech and Querl Dox was surprised to realize that he had no idea how long he had been stood there watching her in her comatose state.

In a sudden movement she opened her eyes and in a blur flew upwards, crashing clumsily into the ceiling raining debris down upon the room. Brainiac 5’s personal force field sprang up around him protecting him from any damage. Above the Coluan Legionnaire the disorientated Kryptonian started to spin at great speed. The wind this generated tore the floating medi-bed from its tether and threw it into the wall.

“Kara! Kara, stop!”

The red and blue blur slowed until Super Girl stood before him.

“Brainy? Where am I? What happened to the Anti-Monitor? We were ....”

“Kara, you must listen to me. Please....”

“I have to get back there Querl, Kal and the rest need me...”

“No Kara, if you go back to where we took you from you will die. If you go back to another point in that conflict Kal El will die instead, if not the Earth...”

“What? What are you saying? We need to...”

“Kara, please you have to listen. I’ve run almost half a million scenarios and ... every scenario predicted it would end badly for you and in most for the entire world as well.”

“What? ...you’re telling me I can never go home?”

“I’m truly sorry Kara but history states definitively the other heroes thought you had been killed. Your death unified the planetary forces of that era against the threat of the Anti-Monitor. Without it to shock the heroes into unified action they would never have reacted in time. Your supposed death saved the world and if you return to your own time the likelihood is you will be killing the Earth 1,000 years in our past.”

Brin Londo didn’t waste any time.

While Laurel distracted the Kryptonians Brin raced to the opposite end of the cruiser and after quickly checking the scanners for any more potential figures watching, he snuck out of a vent shaft and dived into the cover of the close-by ragged settlement. He was aware very quickly that gravity felt different here within the Phantom Zone. Light seemed to be sluggish to his sharp eyes creating rippled effects around distant objects and sounds had an echo that reminded him of being in a swimming pool. His senses would not give him the warnings he would hope for but he focussed on the job at hand as these were minor problems when one was potentially facing a psychotic Kryptonian general and his ruthless followers.

From a vantage point within the blasted upper floor of a tumbled down bleached white building he could see the invulnerable student being dragged away. He took a few seconds to get his bearings. The cruiser seemed to have landed on the edge of a dusty expanse. Other than the ruins of the township where he hid there was nothing apparently to see. There was one building that looked to be above two story tall that he imagined was some central building, even that though looked as if it was ready to collapse under the weight of its age.

All around the ramshackled settlement lay a dusty barren land of distant dunes and rocky outcrops. Never having been into this dimension before Brin only had what he could remember from Lar speaking about it and a holo- report that he had sat through with Blok several years ago to go by. He definitely remembered Lar saying the Krypronians had spent centuries building a citadel, and if this was it then Brin wasn’t terribly impressed as it looked like the desert had overtaken it as soon as it was completed. This didn’t make sense, but the legionnaire knew that now wasn’t the time to think about that.

Laurel needed him.

And with that thought he bounded across the crumbling walls and aqueducts towards the central building where he had watched her being dragged. Above the stealthy Legionnaire a crystal globe no bigger than a child’s heart gracefully dove down towards him.