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

Insect Queen! Atmos! Atom'x! Monstress! Good to see so many Postboot-era characters here.

I also almost forgot about the predicament Jazmin was left in! It looks like you're closing another loop you introduced, well done!

Love the interplay between Lu and Chuck (finally!) and Jo and Tinya (Tinya trusting Jo's judgment). 89 - is her voice familiar because of Leeta 87? Makkia Vei is a very interesting character indeed and I like her psych background.

Tenzil making Nura laugh was great. Also loved (as usual) your use of the various Legionnaires and their powers.

Looking forward to the finale!

Yay, I'm glad it was well received...especially Chuck & Lu's long awaited conversation, it was difficult writing both that scene and the earlier one with Lu/Jo because she's normally so emotionally under wraps I was worried it wouldn't seem natural when she finally broke down. In my experience people like that are the ones who really fall apart when they finally do though...

I had fun coming up with ways to describe Xanthu & Khundia Prime to show them as very different worlds too

Makkia Vei is a Coluan lady who specialises in manipulation...if you're familiar with Marvel Comics' Thunderbolts, think Moonstone with a Coluan intelligence to back her up. Now that I am referencing my own continuity that is a couple years(!) old & working with so many characters I might take a leaf out of all y'all books and start using footnotes & roll calls & such to help with storytelling

wow Raz! great ride.

I have to agree with Harbinger, i had forgotten who Makkia Vei was. so you are right that you've create such a rich world that characters are popping up from your past stories. i love it! makes me have to go back and re read.


i love the descriptions between the two cities.

Lu and Chuck's convo was beautifully done. I agree with you, that when Lu falls apart she falls apart.

The Khaud's have Jazmin and James. This is exciting and this is getting interesting. I knew that new power source couldn't be just technology.

Can't wait for more!

Thanks Omni! Hopefully James and Jazmin's story will get a good ending with the last instalment....and I'm glad y'all liked the two cities, I tried to make them sound like different settings so I am glad it came across

KHUNDIA PRIME
Dharakkia Ohhr

ROLL CALL
Legion of Superheroes:
Bouncing Boy aka Charles Foster Taine: team leader, super-bouncing
Brainiac 5 aka Querl Dox: 12th level intelligence
Dawnstar: translight speed flight, interstellar-range tracking
Duplicate Damsel aka Luornu Durgo Taine: deputy leader, self-duplication
Invisible Kid II aka Jacques Foccart: invisibility
Phantom Girl aka Tinya Wazzo: intangibility
Ultra Boy aka Jo Nah: ultra-energy which can be channelled into any one of the following at a time; strength, speed, flight, invulnerability, flash vision, penetra-vision
Wildfire aka Drake Burroughs: anti-energy being

Oversight Watch:
89: team leader, hyper-skilled combatant and espionage agent
Dev-Em: Kryptonian physiology
Makkia Vei: psychological manipulation
Mandalla aka Tari Wahimunn: thoughtsphere projection
Power Boy aka Jedediah Rikane: density manipulation
Ron-Karr: ability to become 2-dimensional

**********
The combined might of the Legion of Superheroes and the Oversight Watch stood atop a crumbling rooftop, gazing into the cut-throat society of warriors and assassins which loomed above. The air down here was stale and thick with foreboding.

"It's a shame Dawnstar couldn't lead us directly to Jazmin Cullen," Makkia Vei mused aloud. "Still, I suppose we're closer than we were twenty minutes ago." Most everybody else present saw the Coluan woman's comment as utterly innocuous, but the slight stiffening of Dawnstar's posture told Makkia that her jab had hits its target and she filed that fact away.

"We're much closer," Bouncing Boy agreed. "Thanks Dawnstar, I know how difficult it is for you to use your tracking power in a heavily populated area. How about you, Jo? Any luck?"

Craning his neck, Ultra Boy exhaled. "Sorry, Chuck. This is really a job for Supergirl, penetra-vision isn't much good for searching a city block this size without telescopic vision to back it up."

"You don't need Supergirl," Dev-Em smirked, "You've got me." He glanced at his own team's enigmatic leader. "I've found our quantum kid, 89. You want me to take us in?"

"We need to approach this with caution," Bouncing Boy said. "I recommend--"

"We can forget subterfuge, the whole planet must be looking for us by now." 89 spoke over Chuck without even acknowledging him. "Time to go in guns blazing, Oversight Watch."

Dev-Em gave her a mock salute and placed an arm around Power Boy's thick waist. "Come on babe, let's go make a mess." In a blur of motion, the two men were gone.

"Of all the--" Bouncing Boy scowled. "Ultra Boy, Wildfire, try to make sure those two don't get anyone killed. We'll be right behind."

The two men followed Chuck Taine's order, both of them eager to leave behind the dank subcity catacombs in which they'd been hiding. "What do you think's going on between our fearless leader and his wife?" Wildfire asked as they caught sight of Dev-Em and Power Boy.

"Nothing good," Ultra Boy replied sternly. "None of our business either, we're gonna have enough on our plate in a nano."

In front of them, Dev-Em came to an abrupt halt in mid-air before backpedalling to join the two Legionnaires. "Wait here," he instructed them. "We've got a quick detour to make."

"Detour?" Wildfire exclaimed. "What do you mean, detour?!" The Kryptonian didn't answer, shooting straight up into the stratosphere with Power Boy like a rocket. "Sprock," Drake Burroughs cursed. "Company." Reflected in his visor, a squad of Khunds approached on weaponised skysleds. Before they came close enough to fire, Wildfire charged at the warriors and fired a wide arc of anti-energy that destroyed half the sleds and sent the rest veering desperately off-course to avoid collision. Using ultra-speed Jo zipped through the skyborne debris and plucked the falling Khunds out of the air, making sure they had a safe if painful landing on nearby walkways and balconies rather than the ground miles below.

A few of the remaining Khunds tried to envelop Jo in quantum stasis fields, but he was too fast for them. The final attacker instead took aim at Wildfire from above and behind, catching Drake unawares. Jo charged the yellow Khund at high velocity, switching to invulnerability just before the tackle. The Khund's sled circled into a crashing descent while Ultra Boy and his target slammed through thick osmium steel into a cybernetics workshop. "I'm impressed you're still conscious," Jo remarked to his struggling captive. "Whoa, you're a girl!"

"I'm a woman!" the heavy browed fighter corrected him. "Too much woman for you, Rimborian garbage!" She slammed a massive fist into Jo's abdomen and while the blow didn't hurt his invulnerable hide, she did succeed in knocking him into an auto-welder. Jo saw a golden aura enveloping the woman's open hand as he struggled to extricate himself from the machinery. Ultra-strength would have him free in an instant, but he didn't trust the sparks shooting forth from exposed wiring all around him. "Galarr will reward me greatly for a Legionnaire!" the Khund woman trumpeted.

The massive yellow woman was suddenly struck with a burst of anti-energy that slammed her through several specialised workshops. "He probably would have rewarded you too," Wildfire remarked, helping Jo to his feet. "Sorry if we set the cause of Khundish feminism back a couple decades, lady." A tremendous racket drowned out the end of Wildfire's statement, shaking equipment off of the walls. Ultra Boy and Wildfire returned outside to see the top floors of a nearby tower disintegrating under the force of some colossal impact. If they didn't know better, they'd have thought a meteor had hit the building. Shooting out of the billowing cloud of devastation above came Dev-Em, this time alone as he tore through four Khund military vessels. Changing his flightpath, he veered into a much lower level of the same tower.

"Chuck's right," Jo frowned. "That idiot's gonna get people killed. Let's go." He switched his ultra-energy into speed once more and the two Legionnaires took pursuit of their reckless Kryptonian ally.

**********
Everyone else arrived on the scene just in time to see Wildfire's anti-energy trail leading into the building. "...Mon dieu..." Invisible Kid gaped in awe at the destruction which met them here.

"Yep," Ron-Karr whistled appreciatively, "Power Boy sure hits like a megatorpedo at maximum density!"

"He's brought us a distraction," 89 announced. "Let's not waste it." She took point, leading her own team into the building after Dev-Em, Ultra Boy and Wildfire. Even with the majority of the Khund presence in the area racing to deal with Jed's catastrophic entry high above them, there were still plenty of Khunds down here to keep the rest of them busy. They seemed to be in some kind of research facility so most of the Khunds they faced bore standard firearms rather than exotic cyborg weaponry, but even an unaugmented Khund was no pushover.

"That's what you call a distraction?!" Bouncing Boy was incensed as he ricocheted from wall to wall, smashing automated defensive systems before they could cause any inconvenience. "There must be thousands of people in this building! How many of them do you intend on murdering?!" Their own entry point was so far below the chaos Jed had wrought that they were in no immediate danger, but the din of the collapsing structure above them was an intense backdrop of sound.

"Thousands of Khunds," 89 countered, kicking one of them in the face. "Let me assure you, Bouncing Boy...every one of these people you're so concerned about would be more than happy to see any of us turned into a bloody paste."

"That's not the point," one Duplicate Damsel argued while three more of her disarmed an opponent. "We're heroes, we're meant to be better than that."

"Heroism is a laudable goal in a perfect world," Makkia Vei spoke calmly from behind the safety of Brainiac 5's forcefield. "Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world, Duplicate Damsel. I thought you of all Legionnaires would understand that sometimes ideals need to be compromised in order to protect the powerless. I suppose I must have misinterpreted your passive support of my team's mission."

"Guys," Phantom Girl interrupted, emerging from a wall. "The Khunds have got reinforcements coming."

"Ultra Boy and Wildfire are just around the next bend," Brainiac 5 announced calmly, ignoring the chaos around them while he remained engulfed in his omnicom. "According to these readings, I believe Jazmin Cullen should also be just around--" He never completed his statement, a Khund soldier enveloping both teams' Coluans in a stasis field.

"Brainiac!" Dawnstar exclaimed in shock. Despite the close quarters of the research facility she'd been evading attack till now when another Khund took advantage of her surprise to freeze her in place as well.

The remaining heroes were beginning to face overwhelming numbers. Ron-Karr was next to fall, along with all of the Duplicate Damsels. They had reached their goal though, a large open space where Wildfire, Ultra Boy and Power Boy battled on bravely against a tidal wave of Khunds in front of a fluid-filled vessel bearing the insensate form of Jazmin Cullen. Weird machinery buzzed and hummed all around the young Xanthui girl, somehow transforming exotic energies which emanated from her dark skin into golden victory for the Khunds. Dev-Em was poised with one hand braced against Jazmin's tank, his second fist pulled back into a punch that would never be thrown as he too finally fell before the inevitable embrace of quantum stasis.

"Forget everything else!" 89 leaped from console to tabletop, approaching the sens-tank where she drew a firearm from her holster. "We need to free that girl!" Before she could shoot, a lucky yellow hand grabbed her ankle and pulled her to the floor. 89 grimaced in pain as a Khundian machete slashed at her masked face.

"Hey, hands off my boss!" Mandalla cast a small thoughtsphere around the Khund's cranium. His mind turned upside-down, the man stopped his thrusting strikes and staggered back.

"Grife, you okay lady?" Ultra Boy hurled the warrior across the room and helped 89 stand. The mysterious woman's mask had been reinforced enough to save her life, but it had been shredded in the Khund's attack. Her face, while bloodied, was instantly recognisable and Jo's jaw dropped. "...Leeta-87..??" Both 89 and Jo were enveloped in a golden aura before she could react.

"Sprock it!" Mandalla subjected their assailant to another thoughtsphere, and the zigzagging form of Bouncing Boy soon took that warrior out as well as two of his friends. "There are too many of them!" Mandalla wailed at her former teacher.

Chuck knew she was right. Bouncing around as eratically as he had been, Chuck knew he had a little more time up his sleeve but not much. He, Tinya, Jacques, Mandalla and Power Boy were the only ones still standing and their luck couldn't possibly hold out much longer. As little sense as it made, he was glad that most of the Khunds weren't using lethal force but a Legionnaire frozen in permanent stasis was as powerless as a dead Legionnaire. He couldn't help but be reminded of the last time he'd been ricocheting around a secret alien laboratory, subjects floating in fluid-filled tanks and his team overpowered by a superior force while the Legion's allies fell alongside them. The Dominion homeworld had been destroyed that time and they'd lost Duplicate Boy. Chuck vowed that he wouldn't suffer such a loss again, not so long as he was the team's leader.

"Jed!" he hollered. "Hit me!" Bouncing Boy rebounded from a wall into the ceiling and back down at an acute angle toward his former student. The purple-skinned youth's last heroic action before succumbing to stasis himself was to punch an inflated Bouncing Boy with as much force as his increased density would allow. Right on target, Chuck slammed into the transparent shell of the sens-tank holding Jazmin Cullen. Viscous fluid filled the room, knocking people off their feet while Chuck bounced into a mob of Khunds to release his leftover kinetic energy.

He saw Jazmin stir in the wreckage of the tank, and then Chuck Taine's world stopped moving.

**********
XANTHU
Xanth City, Aerie Headquarters of the Uncanny Amazers

ROLL CALL
Legion of Superheroes:
Chameleon Boy aka Reep Daggle: Durlan shapeshifting
Kid Computo aka Danielle Foccart: cyberempathy
Shrinking Violet aka Salu Digby: shrinking
Star Boy aka Thom Kallor: celestial mass-transference
Stone Boy aka Dag Wentim: ability to transform into living stone

Uncanny Amazers:
Atmos aka Marak Russen: team leader, super-strength, invulnerability, flight, energy blasts, low-grade psionic abilities
Atom'x aka Randall Burroughs: atomkinesis
Insect Queen aka Lonna Leing: ability to assume insectoid/arachnid qualities
Monstress aka Candi Pyponte-Le Parc III: super-strength, invulnerability

**********
The colossal form of Warlord Galarr made even other Khunds seem puny by comparison. His frame filled the hole he's made in the Amazers' base, his blue cape billowing out regally behind him. Every hero in the room instantly perceived the threat he presented. The pink-skinned veteran warrior spared a glance for Star Boy protecting the prone form of Kid Computo who'd fallen at Galarr's explosive entry. "Part of me would have liked to have faced you all at full strength," he growled. "I am a Khund after all. I must admit though, I can't say I'm too upset that your machine girl isn't going to be able to end this prematurely with her cowardly abilities. I'll give one of you leave to take her to a safe distance, the rest--"

Atmos had heard enough. Roaring in fury he launched himself at the Khund warrior and the two men hurtled through room after room, damaging the Amazers' base even more than it had been already. "That idiot!" Star Boy shook his head disapprovingly. "Doesn't he know we're going to need to work together to end this?"

A colorful Xanthui bird landed by Danielle's side before taking the more familiar form of Chameleon Boy. "Actually Atmos may have unintentionally helped us out," Cham noted. "It'll be easier for us to keep Kid Computo safe till she recovers this way, Star Boy."

"I guess you're right," Thom grudgingly agreed, though he hated to give Atmos credit for anything. "Cham, can you watch out for her? If she's seriously hurt I don't know how I'm going to face Jacques. Everyone else, let's go!"

The other Legionnaires and Amazers were already moving when Cham reached out and grabbed Thom Kallor's forearm. "Star Boy, wait."

"What is it?" the bearded Legionnaire turned back to his orange-skinned comrade.

"There's something decidedly strange about this whole invasion," Cham said, his eyes gleaming with suspicion. "Khunds don't take prisoners and they definitely don't give their enemies a chance to remove their wounded from the battlefield. Jimmy and Jaz Quantum had stasis and decay fields when we met them, right?"

A look of realisation dawned on Thom's face. "...And the Khunds haven't used decay fields since they arrived. Not on us, not on any of my world's protectors. Even though we'd have no defence."

"They want us alive," Cham extrapolated. "And they want us relatively unharmed."

"You're right, that is strange." Star Boy levitated, preparing to join his teammates. "It also gives us an advantage knowing that Galarr won't be trying to kill us. Thanks Cham!" He turned away from his longtime teammate and zoomed out of the room.

Star Boy found the others on the open-air balcony adjoining Atmos' own personal quarters engaged in vicious battle with Galarr. The warlord might not be trying to kill them, but he was certainly putting on a good show to the contrary. It didn't evade Thom's attention either that Galarr's subordinates were gathering at surrounding windows and rooftops to watch the battle. At least none of them were interfering, Thom supposed Galarr wanted the glory of defeating the Legion and Amazers himself. Fine by me, Star Boy thought as Stone Boy was flung past him, This guy's going to be enough work without his cronies helping.

Thom saw an opening and moved to take it, but Atmos beat him to it. "Insect Queen!" the Amazers' obnoxious leader bellowed. "Restrain him!"

The slight redhead bravely rushed forward though she was clearly terrified. She transformed as she charged, her lower half changing to resemble a striped Xanthui spider. Somewhat grotesquely, thick strands of silk spewed forth from dual spinnerets. Woven with preternatural speed and skill by four hairy limbs they soon ensnared Galarr. The Khund simply laughed and flexed his massive arms, tearing through the makeshift cocoon as though it were tissue paper. "Come here." Galarr grabbed hold of the still attached ropey substance and whipped Insect Queen through the air. She shrieked in shock and fear as she went flying off the edge of the balcony, almost taking Atom'x with her.

Star Boy was appalled to see Atmos rush straight at Galarr without a care for Insect Queen's safety, and Thom could see that Atom'x and Monstress were similarly stunned by their leader's single-mindedness. "Vi!" Star Boy shouted. "She may not be able to change shape in time to help herself!"

"Understood." Shrinking Violet leaped off the edge of the balcony, pursuing the falling teenager thanks to her flight ring.

"Pardon me, dear." With a saccharine voice which belied her hulking appearance, the jade-skinned Monstress gently pushed Thom aside. "I abhor violence of course, but I simply can't excuse anyone treating sweet little Lonna like that." She marched toward the brawling Atmos and Galarr, and as each footfall shook the balcony upon which they stood Thom wondered if maybe Galarr had bitten off more than he could chew after all. Stone Boy returned from where the warlord had earlier sent him flying and he watched alongside Star Boy and Atom'x as Monstress raised a giant fist to pummel the Khund. Galarr simply grinned and winked twice as the insanely powerful woman lurched forward, a short-range flashburst of light exploding from his artificial eye. Monstress and Atmos were only blinded momentarily but the attack served its purpose. Galarr grabbed Monstress' lunging forearm in two strong pink hands and flipped her into Atmos. The two of them crashed through the low wall surrounding the balcony and tumbled after Insect Queen and Vi.

This time Star Boy wasn't going to miss his opportunity to act. He gestured for Stone Boy and Atom'x to stay back with one arm, his other raised toward their foe. The dark nimbus of his power surrounded Galarr and the Khund dropped to one knee. Galarr glowered at Star Boy, but before he could launch a counter-attack the floor beneath him began to crack under his sudden mass. "I've been watching you smack the strongest people here around without a lot of effort," Thom stated, "So I know you can take much more of my power than I'm putting out right now. But I doubt this balcony is as tough as you are, and I doubt that even you'd want to risk a fall from this height. So what's it going to be, Galarr? Are you going to surrender or do I see exactly how much increased mass you need to overcome this building's structural integrity?"

Atmos had already recovered and joined the others with Monstress at his side, and Shrinking Violet and Insect Queen ascended alongside them. "I choose neither option," the Khundish warlord smiled. "Granted, using non-lethal tactics against you all doesn't play to my strengths. Make no mistake though, I have won in every way that matters."

The heroes were visibly confused. "You delusional madman!" Atmos advanced menacingly. "You've been brought to your knees literally! How can you possibly consider this a victory?"

"Let me put this another way," Galarr returned. "I have prevented outside communications from reaching you till now, but I instruct my men now to rescind that command." A few seconds passed and the Legionnaires' flight rings suddenly came alive with chatter.

"--Star Boy, they've captured everyone--"
"--Thom, come in! I'm the last one standing--"
"--the situation is dire--"
"--if anyone can hear me, I can't raise Star Boy and even Mon-El's down--"

Galarr struggled to his feet under the effect of Thom's power. "It's only a matter of time until you're all placed in quantum stasis," he boasted. "The choice is yours as to how broken you are when that happens. So...will you surrender or do we continue this spirited workout?"

Star Boy floundered. He couldn't simply give up his friends to Galarr and he knew that Atmos as least would fight to his last breath no matter what Thom decided. But even if he opposed Galarr, they couldn't possibly battle their way through a planet full of Khunds armed with stasis fields when some of the strongest Legionnaires had already fallen.

"We choose neither option." A feminine voice echoed Galarr's own prior sentiment. Dream Girl, Tellus, Matter-Eater Lad, Light Lad, Chameleon Boy and a still dazed Kid Computo entered the balcony from within the Amazers' damaged base. A figure in a frayed purple cloak walked with them.

"You like quantum tech so much," the cloaked stranger spoke in a croaking voice. "Maybe you should experience it first hand." He pulled his hood back, revealing the battered face of James Cullen. The self-titled Quantum Avenger concentrated on Galarr and the warlord was petrified in a golden aura, suffering the same fate he would have inflicted on his foes.

"Get them!" Nobody knew which of the watching Khunds shouted the command, but in no time at all the heroes were swamped.

"Jimmy!" Insect Queen squealed. "Does this mean you're yourself again?" The slippery secretions of a Vavallan rockworm protected her from two grabby Khunds but beside her Monstress presented a much larger target and was soon frozen in place.

"Good question." Star Boy closed on Dream Girl's group, watching Tellus fall victim to another stasis field.

"My sister is alive," James Cullen explained. "I turned against the Khunds when I learned they're using her to power their quantum tech. I don't know how they're doing it but...we need to rescue her, Star Boy. I never intended for all of this. I never wanted innocents to suffer. I...I'm sorry I turned against you so easily."

"Jimmy, don't get me wrong." Star Boy sent a Khund crashing face-first into the floor. "I'm glad you've come to your senses, but this might be too little too late. Galarr's forces have already taken most of the Legion and the rest of us aren't going to last much longer here barring a miracle." Indeed, Dream Girl and Star Boy were the only Legionnaires here still moving, and Atom'x was the only Amazer. Their defeat was just a matter of time.

"You're too cynical, Thom Kallor." Dream Girl gave her lover a bittersweet smile. "Maybe a miracle is--" Nura stalled in mid-sentence, twinkling in golden stasis.

"Nura!" Thom roared. "Damn it!" He turned to the nearest Khund, but was surprised to find that Khund also frozen in mid-strike...as was the Khund next to him, and every other Khund around them. Thom saw the confusion on James Cullen's face. Every Khund in visual range was in stasis, but it wasn't the Quantum Avenger's doing.

"Star Boy...I apologise that we were...unable to arrive sooner..." Star Boy, Atom'x and James looked up. Like an angel descending from the heavens above, Dawnstar carried a dark-skinned girl in drab oversized coveralls. "Even at my speed...Khundish space is...some distance away..." Completely exhausted, Dawnstar released Jazmin Cullen and collapsed into Star Boy's arms.

"Jaz!" James Cullen's voice broke as he rushed to embrace his sister. The siblings hugged, tears streaming down their cheeks. "I thought you were dead! Are you doing this?"

"Both quantum belts overloaded while I was wearing them but it didn't kill me!" Jazmin rambled excitedly, referring to the last time she'd seen her brother. "It did change my physical state though! It took a while before I came back to normal, or...close to normal I suppose. I've got the power of our quantum belts inside me now, James! I'm different! Without bleeding me of my power, the Khunds' quantum tech isn't going to last much longer." True to her words, the frozen heroes were already starting to rejoin the real world again. "But I can use the link they forged to turn that tech against them!

...The Khunds are finished, James! Xanthu is safe!"

**********
EPILOGUE
At a military spaceport, Jazmin Cullen hugged her brother and he entered a prison transport vehicle with two armed guards. James had given himself up voluntarily as soon as the immediate threat of the Khund invasion was over, and while the Uncanny Amazers coordinated a joint operation with their own world's military forces, the Science Police and the Legion of Superheroes to ensure every Khund was removed from the planet, Star Boy and Dream Girl had agreed to accompany Jazmin to oversee her brother's return to custody.

Thom kissed Nura and held her close. "Well, hopefully that's the last we'll see of the threat of the Quantum Avenger."

"I know you, Thom Kallor." Nura playfully nudged his ribs. "It may be the last we'll see of the Quantum Avenger, but your own overinflated sense of responsibility won't let you leave those kids alone."

"It's like you can see the future." Thom tickled her and she giggled as she slapped at his hand. "I've already spoken to Xanthu's council," he continued a little more seriously, "I made it very clear that James was a vital part of stopping Galarr and that everything he did till now was driven by grief for his sister. It's not going to be an easy road ahead for him, but I'm going to do everything I can to help him make the right choices from now on."

"Xanthu is free, we've helped turn a boy from a life of escalating violence and crime, Bouncing Boy should be able to smooth over any diplomatic problems with the UP once he explains what prompted his spontaneous invasion of the Khund homeworld...I'm happy declaring this a victory for the good guys."

"That makes two of us." Thom realised for the first time how much tension he'd been carrying since they'd begun this mission. He was looking forward to a very long shoulder rub from his beautiful partner when they got home, and whatever else that might lead to. "I guess my first time leading the Legion wasn't a total disaster, huh?"

Jazmin Cullen approached the two Legionnaires while her brother's shuttle disappeared into the clouds above. She'd been given a fresh uniform and a sonic shower, and while she still needed to undergo a vast regime of tests she'd already had a brief medical examination which revealed no immediate health concerns. In fact, where James Cullen had been prematurely aged by his grief and Khundish surgeries, Jazmin didn't look a day older than the day Thom thought they'd lost her in deep space. "Thanks for everything," she beamed. "You saved me...you saved Xanthu. I don't know how I can ever repay you and the other Legionnaires, Star Boy!"

"Are you kidding?" Star Boy laughed good-naturedly. "From where I'm standing, you and your brother did the lion's share of the work! You saved us, Jazmin. I suppose you'll be rejoining the Amazers now?"

"Not just yet," the young girl replied thoughtfully. "I feel like I need to understand these powers...I need to learn how to help people the best way I can. Maybe James and I jumped into joining the Amazers too soon...maybe if we'd had more training we could have avoided all of this happening."

"More training, huh?" Star Boy removed his arms from around Dream Girl and placed a friendly hand on Jazmin's shoulder as the three heroes walked into the spaceport.

"So tell me Jaz...have you ever given any thought to the Legion Academy..?"

*********

Aha! I guessed it, 89 WAS Leeta-87 - or one of her.

Glad to see your look into the future come full circle with the return of Jazmin and the rehabilitation of James, as well as the road to Jazmin's eventual Legion membership opening.

Loved the high stakes as well, and as usual the nice interplay between characters. Dev-Em's recklessness and Makkia's and 89's cold "pragmatism" contrasted nicely with the Legionnaires. Also, great use of Insect Queen, Atmos and Monstress, all of whom came across as unique and interesting characters in their own right. Nice work balancing such a huge cast!

Nice resolution Raz,

I really liked the differences between the Oversight Watch and the Legion's attituides and the barbs and slights that they exchanged. Particularly liked Makkia Vei's dig at Lu's passive support - we aren't going to hear the end of that are we?

You write the Amazers well and hopefully it won't be long before you visit them again. Monstresses gentle nature was a stand out point in amongst the carnage.

Wildfire putting Khundian feminism back was fun, and Jed being a megatorpedo in his high density state was well done.

So we're relieved to learn that the Khunds are now pretty much powerless (as much as a galactic empire full of warriors can be) without Jaz to empower their quantum tech.

Dawnstar taking Jaz to see her brother was sweet, it had a feel of the Levitz styled ending when the cavalry appear right at the very last moment.

Jaz at the Academy will be great, and it would be interesting to see who else you have there too.

And the thing that made me emit a little "squeee" of delight? Your description of Star Boy's powers - celestial mass-transference! How great a description is that! I'm borrowing it for my own roll calls now, thank you.

Great stuff again Raz, as always I'm looking forward to where you take the team next.

Wow that was an amazing ending Raz and i loved every minuet of it.

I was really scared for a minuet there that they hadn't freed Jazmin and Chuck and the others were captured.

Dreamy and the others showing up and then Dawnstar with Jazmin was great! epic save!

I agree with the others i love the way you handled the Uncanny Amazers and i can't wait to see them again.

I hope James and Jazmin get to join each other at the academy soon. i think they both could use the time together.

Jo and Leet-87 face to face. that will have some interesting ramifications.

can't wait for more.

Thanks for the high praise, y'all!

Good detective work on Leeta/89, IB!

Monstress is probably my favourite of the reboot Legionnaires and Atmos is fun to write because he's a big jerk so hopefully the Amazers will get a look in again sometime soon

You are more than welcome to have celestial mass-transference, Harbinger! Making up pseudo-scientific names for powers is highly entertaining!

It feels like I always have a million plotlines either running or waiting for their day in the sun so it does feel kinda nice being able to give one a happy ending for once

MARS
Husband Hill, Legion of Superheroes Headquarters

ROLL CALL
Blok: magically enhanced strength, invulnerability, speed, flight, stamina, wisdom and courage
Bouncing Boy aka Charles Foster Taine: super-bouncing
Diamond Damsel aka Iris Jacobs: living diamond
Duplicate Damsel aka Luornu Durgo Taine: self-duplication
Phantom Girl aka Tinya Wazzo: intangibility
Ultra Boy aka Jo Nah: ultra-energy which can be directed into any one of strength, speed, flight, invulnerability, flash vision, penetra-vision at a time

**********
Phantom Girl phased her head through the floor of the quarters that Bouncing Boy shared with his wife Duplicate Damsel. “Coast is clear!” Tinya poked her tongue out. “You guys can come out now.”

“Thanks PG,” Bouncing Boy smiled. “I know it’s kind of a dirty trick sending Comet Queen away on the galaxy’s most boring security escort but it’s going to be a lot easier for Luornu and I to leave without Grava clinging on to me in hysterics all the way to the hangar.”

Blok and Diamond Damsel stood by the residence’s front doorway, Ultra Boy in an armchair by their side. “It was an honour to work alongside you both,” Blok nodded at the married couple.

“You don’t have to leave,” Diamond Damsel added, “We’re all guilty of having made mistakes, and some of our mistakes are a lot worse than any you’ve made.”

“By hiding information about the Oversight Watch I placed them, the Legion and Xanthu in jeopardy,” Duplicate Damsel responded glumly. “I can’t remain the Legion’s deputy leader after that.”

Chuck Taine gave his wife a supportive squeeze. “It’s better this way,” he advised the others. “I love that we’ve had the chance to work actively with the Legion again, but I think it’s time for Lu and I to focus on us for a while. We’ve already cast our votes for our replacements...by this time tomorrow someone else will be in a position to lead this team to great things, and I’ll be shacked up in a cozy apartment on Titan with my beautiful wife.” He kissed her on the cheek and Luornu blushed.

“Pal, I speak for all of us when I say we’re gonna miss you around here.” Ultra Boy stood up and clasped Chuck’s hand. “Both of you. I’d stay but there’s one particular loose end I haven’t had a chance to tie up since we got back from the Khund homeworld.” He spared a smile for Luornu as well and left the room. Phantom Girl gave her longtime colleagues a warm goodbye as well and hurried after her lover, soon followed by Blok and Diamond Damsel.

Alone in their quarters, Chuck held Luornu close. “You’re tense,” he whispered as he stroked her hair. “Don’t be, we’re doing the right thing Lu. I’ve neglected you for too long and the Legion will survive without us. They always have before.”

“I know,” she replied. “I was just thinking…the Legion of Superheroes isn’t very kind to relationships, is it? Timber Wolf and Lightning Lass, Colossal Boy and Chameleon Girl…”

“...Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl,” Chuck countered, “Cosmic Boy and Night Girl…trust me, honey. We’re definitely in the latter group. I love you, Lu.” The two gathered their bags and once more prepared to live a life beyond the Legion of Superheroes.

**********
VAVALLA
Powder Plains Resort

ROLL CALL
Cosmic Boy aka Rokk Krinn: magnetism
Night Girl aka Lydda Jath Krinn: photosensitive super-strength

*********
Lydda Jath Krinn ran her fingers lazily through the soft sand beneath her. A bloated moon hovered overhead, two smaller sisters keeping it company on its slow journey through Vavalla’s sixteen hour night. Aside from herself and her new husband, the beach was practically empty. Only four pairs of couples dotted the pale blue sands as far as Lydda could see, and the resort complex where they were honeymooning was positioned discretely out of sight behind a large sand dune. “Rokk,” Lydda sighed, “This is bliss.”

“I’m glad you like it, Lydda.” Laying beside his wife in the balmy evening air, Rokk Krinn put down the omnicom he’d been using to research Vavalla’s civilisation. “Did you know less than 3% of the world’s population live above the ocean’s surface here? And the vast majority of those are off-worlders.”

“What’s that word Supergirl uses?” She rolled over on top of her husband and pinned him down. “Oh, that’s right. You’re such a dork, Rokk Krinn. We come to a beautiful fantasy world for our honeymoon and the first thing you can think to do is bury your nose in the Encyclopedia Galactica.”

“I don’t need a beautiful fantasy world,” Rokk retorted, “I’ve got a beautiful fantasy wife.” He took a moment to admire Lydda in the very revealing outfit she’d once worn as a member of the Legion of Substitute Heroes. Unstyled, Lydda's mane of jet black hair fell down around Rokk's own face.

“Good save, Mister.” She leaned down and kissed him passionately. The moment was shattered when a woman’s scream filled the air. Lydda scrambled to her feet and helped Rokk stand. “What do you think that was about?” the alabaster-skinned heroine asked.

“Over there,” Rokk gestured at two women running from the water’s edge. “But why—“

“I can see better in the dark than you,” Lydda frowned. “Rokk, something’s chasing them out of the water!”

Powerful leg muscles propelled her high into the air and Lydda came down with a splash in knee-height water before a quartet of crimson scaled creatures who were vaguely humanoid. The aquatic assailants were heavily muscled, diaphanous fins lining their limbs and running from their scalps down their backs like translucent mohawks. In the place of legs they had thick serpentine tails which supported their weight as they swayed in place, and their arms ended in webbed hands bearing nasty looking claws. Their eyes were black and bulbous, and they each had two stub-like horns emerging from their foreheads. “Easy, boys.” She took a step back. “You don’t want to take me on, I promise you.”

One of the red creatures pounced upon her, and Lydda responded with a punch that sent him flying back dozens of metres into the ocean from which he’d emerged. A second of the fish-men tackled her before she could stop him, and they rolled around in the low tide. Before the third could join the fray, an omnicom smashed into his head like some bizarre missile and knocked him back into the waves.

“That’s my wife you people are bothering,” Rokk announced as his flight ring allowed him a controlled descent. “And you just made me ruin the only link to the rest of the galaxy that Lydda let me bring here. I’m not happy and there’s not a lot of other metal here for me to manipulate so don’t make me get started on the iron in your bloodstream, gentlemen.”

“They’re hardly gentlemen,” a woman’s voice joined the conversation from behind the red strangers. “The devilfish are dangerous though, Sir. Please leave them to the authorities.” Arcs of electrical energy ran through the final of the fish-men still standing as he advanced on Rokk, and seeing the fate of his friends the one who’d been struck by the omnicom quickly retreated back into the dark waters and swam back into the depths.

“There was another one,” the woman continued, and Rokk saw now as she came forth from the ocean that it was the former Legion Academy student Lamprey. Even under a modified Science Police uniform her green skin and long iridescent hair were unmistakably distinctive. “Did you see where he went?”

“He went to sleep.” Lydda stepped out of the surf carrying the fish-man she’d just beaten into unconsciousness.

“Oh!” Lamprey laughed, embarrassed. “Cosmic Boy? Night Girl? Sprock, I’m so sorry….I umm…didn’t recognise you both dressed like that. Or not dressed as the case may be.” In his swimming trunks Rokk was even more exposed than Lydda, and Lamprey couldn’t help but look him up and down.

Cosmic Boy cleared his throat. “What’s the situation, Lamprey? Who are these people?”

“They’re not really people,” the green woman answered. “It looks like you two are on holiday though, why don’t you go back to it and I’ll take care of the devilfish?”

“We’re actually on our honeymoon but I know what my husband’s going to say,” Night Girl replied before Cosmic Boy had a chance to open his mouth. “Now that we’re here, we have to help. Give us ten minutes to get changed and then we’re all yours, Lamprey."

**********
Twenty-three minutes later in costumes famous around the galaxy, Cosmic Boy and Night Girl sat before Lamprey in Vavalla’s floating Science Police outpost a mile from shore. The Science Police global headquarters was several miles beneath the ocean’s surface and a hemisphere away, but the SP had built small automated facilities above sea level near Vavalla's few major landmasses for the occasional problem with off-world tourists. Right now they were three of the only five living beings in the base, the other two being the so-called devilfish floating in a reinforced submerged cell the next level down.

“Thanks for the hand back at Powder Plains,” Lamprey began, “But I don’t want you to feel obliged to help. This can’t be much of a honeymoon for either of you and the Science Police have got this under control.”

“We wouldn’t be very good Legionnaires if we didn’t make ourselves available in times of need,” Cosmic Boy answered. “Please don’t take this as a judgement of your abilities, Lamprey. I’ve only heard good things about your tenure here with the SP since you graduated the Legion Academy.”

“Really? Thanks!” Tayla brushed her long straight hair behind a pointed ear, suddenly quite girlish. She pulled up a three-dimensional holographic map of Vavalla’s subsea surface and zoomed in on a deep trench, her demeanour just as quickly becoming all business once more. “Okay, this is the Latroika Trench. It’s one of the deepest trenches on the planet, and Vavalla’s most widely explored thermal vent. Not that that’s saying much…we don’t really know a lot about Latroika more than a couple of hundred feet down, but it is home to extreme thermophiles the likes of which aren’t known to any other world.”

“So these…devilfish you called them? They’re from the Latroika Trench?” Night Girl asked.

“…Kinda.” Lamprey called up another hologram, this time two separate but almost identical patterns which both Legionnaires recognised as DNA. “This top strand is an organism which lives down in the trench,” she explained. “The bottom was taken from one of the devilfish we captured earlier. They’re way too similar for it to be coincidence, but…well, the top strand belongs to this guy.” Lamprey tapped at a hardlight button and the image of a limbless red-scaled creature appeared before them, two familiar horn-like stubs emerging from what passed for its head.

“Is that some kind of larval stage?” Night Girl queried.

“I should mention that this guy…who by the way goes by the imaginative title of a devilworm thanks to Earth-centric naming conventions when this planet first started being catalogued…is three inches long,” Lamprey explained.

Cosmic Boy thought about it for a moment. “So you think someone’s turned your devilworm into a devilfish?”

“Exactly,” Lamprey nodded. “These creatures have been popping up the past month or so…they were practically mindless when they first appeared and they’re way stronger and faster than your average Vavallan. The Science Police have managed to keep them under control, but it would be nice to know where they’re coming from so we can find out why this is happening. They’ve slowly been getting more intelligent and more inclined to explore their surroundings, so I have to believe someone’s speeding up their advancement.”

“Well then,” a new voice joined the conversation. “Looks like I arrived just in time, gorgeous!”

All three heroes turned to see a blue-skinned man leaning against the doorway, a trashed Science Police droid at his feet. “Turtle!” Lamprey fumed. “Do you know how much those law enforcement droids cost?!”

“I’ll replace it with the massive reward I’m gonna get for leading you right to the evil mastermind,” Turtle smiled smugly.

“...Turtle…” Night Girl thought out loud. “Wait a minute, aren’t you a supervillain? I’m sure Staq told me the Legion of Substitute Heroes fought someone called Turtle!”

“Please,” the attractive Vavallan man waved her concerns aside. “Don’t remind me, I’m not exactly proud of the time I was beaten by a human statue. Those days are behind me anyway, I’m one of the good guys now. Right gorgeous?”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?” Lamprey snapped. “And you’re hardly one of the good guys Turtle…not actively being a psycho isn’t exactly the same as being a champion of justice. What do you know about the devilfish? There’s no reward, you know.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to help out of the goodness of my heart.” Turtle gave her an infuriating smile and sauntered down to the front of the room to join Lamprey standing before Cosmic Boy and Night Girl. He leaned across the attractive green-skinned woman to point to the Latroika Trench again. “See here? What we have here is the headquarters of your average evil mastermind. Your patrols wouldn’t have picked him up because he’s set up base too far down in the trench. A little superheated water can’t hurt ol’ Turtle though, I followed the devilfish back down there a few days ago and did the SP’s work for them.”

“This is very convenient,” Cosmic Boy’s eyes narrowed. “Why should we take the word of a former member of the Legion of Substitute Villains?"

“Hey, Vavalla’s my homeworld!” Turtle threw his hands up. “I might not exactly be superhero material, but I don’t like the idea of some creepy Gil’dishpan nass ruining my planet with his science experiments either. I’ve been looking for my girl here for two days now to let her know what I just told you all!”

Cosmic Boy’s posture stiffened. “Did you say…Gil’dishpan? I think you’d better tell us everything you know, Turtle.”

**********
It didn’t take long for the heroes to convince the roguish Vavallan to take them as close to the Gil’dishpan base as possible. Even through their transuits they could feel the intense rise in temperature as they approached a cavernous chasm bubbling away on the ocean floor. “Down there,” Turtle pointed. “About another half a kek.”

Kek? a confused Night Girl asked via telepathic earplug.

"It’s a Vavallan unit of measurement," Lamprey explained. "About a mile and a half.” Part of her aquatic adaptations allowed Tayla Skott to communicate unimpeded underwater; like Turtle she didn’t need to use the telepathic earplugs shared by Night Girl and Cosmic Boy.

There’s definitely something down there, Cosmic Boy confirmed. There’s a big spike in the magnetic field down that ravine….how are we going to get down there though? I don’t know if I trust unmodified transuits to protect us from the pressure, lack of oxygen and the heat on top of everything else once we get much further down.

The quartet felt a wave of force wash over them, and a low thrumming base which resonated through their bones more than they heard it. They were sent spinning head over heels, and when they righted themselves Cosmic Boy called out for everyone to give a status report.

We’re all okay, Night Girl answered. I think we’ve found our Gil’dishpan though, Rokk.

What? Where? Cosmic Boy looked around, flustered. The only light down here was the pale glow of Lamprey’s aura. Lamprey, Turtle and Night Girl were all physically adapted to see perfectly in these stygian depths but Rokk was completely lost.

“Here,” Lamprey zipped past the Braalian hero like a glowing torpedo. “Let me cast a little light on the situation!” She let loose a barrage of energy, illuminating the spherical containment unit of a sentient they all recognised as Gil’dishpan. The alien resembled a giant tube worm, a solitary mace-like appendage jutting out of its left side.

Legionnaires..? The creature’s shudder-inducing telepathic voice was instantly familiar to Cosmic Boy. Legionnaire interference I should have expected…

You really should have, Cosmic Boy retorted. I expected your involvement as soon as Turtle mentioned a Gil’dishpan was behind these devilfish, Zymyr. I’m glad it’s you to be honest, this gives me a chance to try out an idea I’ve been holding on to for a while now.

Legion interference matter not… Zymyr croaked. Experiments on lesser beings nearly finished…leave this place now I can… He glowed with a harsh magenta light which illuminated the local area, but nothing happened. Warp I cannot…how..?

After the last time we faced one another it occurred to me that your space warps have an immediate effect on the local magnetic field, Cosmic Boy explained. I wondered if I could hold you in place magnetically, and look at that….it seems I can! Everyone present could see that it was no easy effort for the Braalian hero though, and they knew Rokk’s hold wouldn’t last long.

Clever for a lesser being you are… Zymyr said, his glow subsiding as the others flanked him. The Gil’dishpan's singular appendage swirled the methane solution in which he floated. Matters not...save you from my own legion cleverness will not!

“Doesn’t that drive you space-crazy?!” Turtle exclaimed. “Hey, creepy worm guy! It’s telepathy, you don’t need to make with the cryptic alien syntax!”

Lamprey opened her mouth to chastise Turtle when something else caught her attention. “Devilfish!” she screamed, turning to face a couple dozen of the creatures which swarmed them from below. The assault of muscle and talon separated the heroes from one another, and Zymyr took advantage of the chaos to propel himself up into the darkness of the surrounding ocean.

He’s getting away! Cosmic Boy called out, barely dodging the slashing claws of one of the animalistic devilfish.

Night Girl flung her own foe into Cosmic Boy’s like a torpedo, dispatching both of them. Take Lamprey and go after him! Lydda cried out. There’s no metal down here for you to use and every time Lamprey blasts them I feel my own strength wane from the flare of light!

Lamprey could see from the look on Cosmic Boy’s face that he was about to argue the point, and she swam between the newly married couple to face him. “Night Girl’s right,” she said firmly while she zapped another of the devilfish. “With her strength and Turtle’s invulnerability they can handle these guys. You might be the only one who can stop Zymyr from getting away though, Cosmic Boy. Come on!” She veered away and followed Zymyr through the inky blackness, making sure to glow bright enough that Cosmic Boy could follow her trail.

Lamprey and Cosmic Boy caught up to Zymyr in no time, and Cosmic Boy used his flight ring to intercept the Gil’dishpan's escape. What are you even doing here, Zymyr? What’s the purpose of all this?

Answer to lesser beings I need not, Zymyr replied. Evolution of life every Gil’dishpan’s right, Legionnaire…learn to worship me in time these creatures will..learn to claim this world as their own they will…

“Vavalla already has a dominant lifeform,” Lamprey countered. “And they’re not going to worship you.” She stretched out both arms and channelled every erg of power she could summon into one enormously powerful bolt of electricity. Zymyr cried out in pain before his telepathic voice was silenced and he curled into himself a shrivelled mess, his appendage shrinking back into the rest of his body.

**********
Back on the ocean floor, Night Girl and Turtle were holding their own against their foes but the devilfish had already summoned reinforcements. At least we’re diverting their attention from the others, Night Girl declared, but it’s only a matter of time until they overrun us. She gripped one of the devilfish by his thick tail and swung him like a bat, taking out half a dozen more of them.

"How good’s your aim?” Turtle asked, breaking another of the creature’s claws on his skin.

What did you have in mind? Lydda asked, slamming two devilfish skulls together.

“There’s an overhanging piece of rock once you get further down that vent,” he pointed, oblivious to the creatures biting and clawing at him. “Their base is underneath it, if we can smash that I think we can bury the base once and for all and keep these boys trapped down there, at least until the SP can figure out what they want to do with ‘em long term.”

I’m strong but I’m not invulnerable, Night Girl explained. I don’t think I could survive the heat down there long enough to do what needs to be done.

“That’s why I asked about your aim,” Turtle winked. “You’ve got an indestructible missile right here, baby.”

Night Girl quickly took stock of their situation. She wasn’t going to be able to avoid injury forever, and each second that base stood unopposed was another second these creatures could get out to really hurt someone. If you’re buried in the collapse it may be a while before we can dig you out, she noted.

Turtle shrugged. “I had nothing else planned for today!”

Okay then, Lydda agreed. Let me get us some space first. She grabbed hold of Turtle then using her flight ring zipped back from the mass of creatures surrounding them. Turtle kicked one of the devilfish away that had managed to get a grip on Lydda’s leg.

As the devilfish turned to follow their prey, Lydda released Turtle then brought her mighty hands together in an almost soundless clap. The shockwave scattered the devilfish, granting the heroes unimpeded access to the chasm from where their enemies had poured forth. With Turtle pointing the way, Night Girl spun him around and flung him indelicately into the gaping vent. He impacted like a small meteor, shattering the cliff around him into a thousand pieces which closed the vent completely. There were still nearly a dozen devilfish free and conscious, if somewhat groggy. Once a returning Lamprey sent arcs of electricity jolting through all of them, they were no longer a threat either.

Where’s Rokk? Night Girl asked the returning heroine. Where’s Zymyr?

“Zymyr’s no longer a threat,” Lamprey explained. “Cosmic Boy took him back to SP Headquarters so we can make sure he stays that way. I saw what you and Turtle did, that was a good solution. I guess that’s why you’re a Legionnaire, huh?”

Actually, the solution was his. Night Girl smiled at the younger green woman. Seems you may be a good influence on him, Lamprey.

Lamprey chuckled. “Someone has to be. Thanks again for helping, Night Girl. I really hope this didn’t ruin your honeymoon!”

Are you kidding? Night Girl beamed broadly, I spent my wedding night fighting a megalomaniacal vampire, I probably should just count my blessings that we didn’t have to stop a demonic incursion!

“Oh yeah, that was last time the Legion visited,” Lamprey remarked casually.

Both women looked at one another and laughed heartily at the bottom of the ocean.

**********

PLOT NOTES:

• Cosmic Boy & Night Girl are on their honeymoon after their recent wedding where they had to fight the vampire Lord Vrykos on Night Girl's homeworld Kathoon
• Lamprey graduated from the Legion Academy quite a while ago and took a position with the Science Police on the water world Vavalla rather than risk rejection from the Legion of Sujperheroes once more
• Turtle is an indestructible native of Vavalla. He first appeared as a founding member of the Legion of Substitute Villains, but left that team after a couple of misadventures. More of a rogue than an actual villain, he has had some off-screen adventures with Lamprey on his homeworld, and once helped Lamprey and four Legionnaires stop a Lovecraftian demon from materialising on Vavalla.

Hey Raz, I'm sorry to see Chuck and Lu go, you've created great storylines for hem and breathed a fresh perspective into them. Still, I'm definitely looking forwardto seeing who gets the leaders spot next - I'm think Mon El and Brainy?

Is Jo away to track down Leeta? If so is that wise? Loving your development of him, especially playing up his detective andespionage skills, really nicely done.

I bet that Rokk and Lydda were grateful for the action on their honeymoon, so to speak, as they don't strike me as the sort who could laze on a beach all day. Nice to see Lamprey again and also Turtle - you write him particularly well, such a loveable rogue!

Zymyr creating a slave race to take over the world was fun, the Gil'Dishpans are such a marvellously weird race.

Lydda and Tayla's laugh at the end was sweet, nice to see the camaraderie there.

Good stuff Raz, looking forward to more, more, more!

Thanks Harbi! Your leadership guesses are interesting, we'll see how close you got soon

Agreed that Rokk & Lydda seem the types to like a bit of action in their lives...I always really liked the Gil'dishpan as kooky as they are, I'm glad I came up with an excuse to use Zymyr at last

Glad to see Lu and Chuck get a "happy" ending. The outing on Vavalla was a lot of fun and both Lamprey and Turtle did very well. What a fun little episode!

Hey Raz.
this was a really fun read.

i loved how Rokk stopped Zymyr using his own magnetic field against him. that was ingenuous!

I have to agree with everyone else Lydda and Rokk are not the type to just relax on a beach.

I really like Lampry and Turtle. they are a cute pair i'd like to see again.

I can't wait for more!

Glad you guys like Lamprey and Turtle, I have been looking for an excuse to use them again for a while! Also I think y'all are pretty accurate in thinking Rokk and Lydda probably would secretly welcome a little superhero action even if they might not admit it to themselves

TRANTOR SYSTEM
Weber’s World

ROLL CALL
Kid Computo aka Danielle Foccart: cyberempathy
Ultra Boy aka Jo Nah: ultra-energy which can be directed into any one of strength, speed, flight, invulnerability, flash vision, penetra-vision at a time

**********
Ultra Boy paused before a hidden door miles beneath the surface of Weber’s World. “Penetra-vision agrees with your cyberempathy,” Jo remarked without looking at the shorter girl at his side. “89’s definitely in there and even better, looks like she’s alone. You ready, Kid C?”

“I am now,” the plucky young heroine answered. “After last time, I’m making sure I connect with their defence systems before we walk in.”

“That shouldn’t be necessary,” Jo turned to face Kid Computo. “I just want to talk to 89, we’re not going to fight.” Jo only hoped Danielle believed that more than he did himself.

The duo entered, and were surprised to find the masked leader of the Oversight Watch leaning against a wall on the other side of the door waiting for them. “You Legionnaires are making a habit of letting yourselves into my house,” 89 deadpanned, the pitch of her voice electronically altered. “I can’t say I’m a fan of it.”

“How did you know we were here?” Danielle Foccart exclaimed. “I made sure we were hidden from every one of your surveillance systems!”

“I wouldn’t be much of a spymaster if that were really true,” 89 answered dryly. “Now I assume this isn’t a social call?” Though her eyes were hidden behind dark rounded goggles, Danielle and Jo both felt the intensity of her gaze upon them.

“You assume right,” Ultra Boy took control of the situation. “It’s time we hashed a few things out…Leeta.”

**********
WEBER’S ASTEROID BELT
United Planets Space Bank, one light hour from Weber’s World

ROLL CALL
Dream Girl aka Nura Nal: Naltorian precognition
Elastic Lad aka Jams-Ols 5: super-elongation
Shadow Lass aka Tasmia Mallor: darkness generation
Timber Wolf aka Brin Londo: super-strength & super-agility

**********
“W-we’d like to thank the Legion once more for coming to our aid,” the mousy Administrator Keet’n stammered as he escorted four of the galaxy’s most popular heroes through the expansive lobby of the Space Bank’s recently relocated head branch. He was a short man, and of the quartet of heroes only Elastic Lad wasn’t substantially taller than him. A thin hairless tail snapped back and forth behind Administrator Keet’n, annoying Shadow Lass visibly. “Uhh…do you happen to know h-how you’ll be coming to our aid?” he questioned Dream Girl. “Should we…p-prepare? Do you need security backup..?”

“Hmm?” Nura Nal had been gazing at the colorful mosaic murals lining the domed ceiling above them, completely oblivious to the man’s bowing and scraping. “Oh, I’m not sure to be honest.” She waved him away breezily. “The Legion will have this under control. Don’t worry yourself about it, Administrator.”

Timber Wolf placed an overly familiar arm around the puny man’s shoulders and led him away from the other Legionnaires. “Dream Girl’s visions drive us space-crazy too,” Brin shared. “But vague as she is, she’s usually right. If Dreamy says your bank’s coming under attack then you’re going to need the Legion’s help, trust me. Like the lady said, don’t worry about it though.” He patted the man on the back and almost knocked him off of his feet. Administrator Keet’n made a hurried excuse and slipped away.

“Can you believe Bouncing Boy and Duplicate Damsel left the team?” Elastic Lad asked the girls. “Have you voted for a new leader yet? Gosh, it’s so exciting! I was thinking about voting for Brainiac 5 but Star Boy did a swell job on Xanthu, do you think he’d like a chance at the role? I hope I get to be leader one day, that’d be just great! Not for a long time of course, I know I’ve only just joined the team and I have a lot to learn yet but it would definitely be an experience! You’ve led the team before right, Dream Girl?”

“I have led the team, but Star Boy?” Nura laughed out loud at the thought. “Elastic Lad, Thom would run the other direction if any of us so much as nominated him. Brainiac’s a smart choice…I haven’t decided yet to be honest. It’s all been rather sudden, we only got home a couple of days ago!”

“You mean you haven’t foreseen the result already?” Shadow Lass teased. “I actually don’t know why everybody’s so shocked that Bouncing Boy and Duplicate Damsel have resigned. After that debacle with the Khunds I’d be more surprised if they stayed!”

“Aw don’t be so hard on Chuck,” Timber Wolf joined their conversation. “He hasn’t had the easiest leadership term to deal with…you know, I think I’m gonna vote for Blok actually. Now ol’ pebblehead’s got the power of Shazam he’s sure smarter than he was before!” Brin tapped his temple for added effect.

“Blok?!” Shadow Lass didn’t have a chance to expand on her opinion before the lobby was filled with panicked screams. “Outside!” Shadow Lass announced, taking to the air. The other Legionnaires joined her, and found the last thing any of them would ever have expected. Terrorising customers and staff alike outside the bank, half a dozen flasher beasts were bearing down on the building. The one-horned flasher beasts stood over twelve feet tall on their hind legs and were enormously strong, but what gave them their name was their ability to project a beam of blinding light from saucer-like yellow eyes.

“Why aren’t the security guards shooting them?” Timber Wolf asked. “They’ve got stunners, right?”

“Look at them!” Dream Girl pointed. “Nobody can see a thing! Timber Wolf, help me corral these people to safety before someone gets hurt. Shadow Lass, can you and Elastic Lad take care of the animals? Be careful of their—“

“--Eyes,” Shadow Lass completed Dream Girl’s warning. “Yes, I know. Fortunately, my power is more than capable of dealing with theirs.” Four of the flasher beasts disappeared beneath a shroud of impenetrable darkness where they bellowed ineffectually.

“I’ve got the last two,” Elastic Lad announced as he wound one hyperextended arm around each of the remaining beasts, binding their limbs and covering their eyes. “But gosh Legionnaires, where do you think a bunch of flasher beasts came from around here? This is nowhere near their normal territory!”

“That’s a good question,” Dream Girl mused. “Unfortunately I’ve got a feeling we’re not going to find the answer to that question here.”

**********
INSHAR
The World of Giant Flowers

ROLL CALL
Chlorophyll Kid aka Ral Benem: hyper-stimulated plant growth
Comet Queen aka Grava: flight, gas generation
Nightwind aka Berta Skye Haris: wind control

**********
Chlorophyll Kid was glad he had his flight ring to propel him up the face of this steep hill. Inshar was a beautiful world full of all kinds of enormous and exotic vegetation, many of its flowering plants easily dwarfing most humanoids. Giant flowers needed a giant world though, and if he’d had to walk the terrain he’d covered today on foot Ral Benem would have been exhausted an hour ago. Using their own powers, Nightwind and Comet Queen flanked their slightly out of shape teammate on either side.

“Everything’s x-ray clear on this side, starshine!” Comet Queen announced. “No ultra-energy beasts or space dragons for parsecs!”

“Uhh, thanks Comet Queen.” Chlorophyll Kid smirked. The girl was kooky, but her enthusiasm for just about any task was kind of endearing. “How are things on the other side of the slope, Nightwind?”

“Everything’s fine here too,” the pale yellow Earth woman replied drearily. Shiny black straps hung from her bodysuit and whipped in the winds that propelled her. Ral had to admit he found her a little more intimidating than Grava with her skintight black hooded suit and severe facial markings.

“Looks like today might be a b-bust,” Ral stammered. “I know B-Bouncing Boy sent us here to handle security for the new Insharian Governor to be sworn in, but we haven’t found any s-signs of dissent all morning.”

As Comet Queen dipped away to investigate a particularly beautiful lily which sprouted sixteen feet into the sky, Nightwind summoned an air current to carry her closer to their male comrade. “There probably never was any dissent,” Berta confided to Chlorophyll Kid. “I bet Bouncing Boy just used this mission to keep Grava occupied while he and Duplicate Damsel make a clean getaway.”

“R-really?” Chlorophyll Kid eyed the oblivious golden girl. “That seems a little…I don’t know, underhanded, don’t you th-think?”

“You don’t know Grava,” Nightwind chuckled. “Don’t get me wrong, Comet Queen’s one of my best friends…but to say she has a crush on Bouncing Boy would be understating it. She feels things very deeply, she’s…well, she’s kind of obsessed. She’d fall apart if she had to say goodbye when he and Duplicate Damsel make their switch to reserve status official.”

“Right…” Ral watched Grava playing among a cloud of rainbow-winged butterflies she’d stumbled upon. He supposed Comet Queen’s former Legion Academy teacher and peer both understood her better than he did, but it still seemed unfair to trick her like this.

“Who are you going to vote for anyway?” Nightwind asked, bringing Chlorophyll Kid’s attention back to her. “To be our new leader, I mean. I’m going with Wildfire myself. He was always there for us in our Academy days when most of the other Legion didn’t even know we existed.”

“I-I hadn’t really thought about it,” Ral admitted nervously. “P-Polar Boy was always our leader when we were in the Subs together, b-but—“

“Whoa!” Comet Queen circled around them. “You two have to glom this, they’re like giant crammels!”

“Crammels?” Chlorophyll Kid raised an eyebrow. “What’s a crammel?”

The sound of crunching branches broke the placid silence and three enormous crocodilian creatures stampeded through a bank of giant flowers. Each of the stout animals had a smooth rounded carapace of ringed segments and a mouth full of sharp fangs that looked as though they could easily snap any of the Legionnaires in two. “They’re crammels!” Grava explained. “Except maybe 500 macros bigger!” The golden-skinned heroine grabbed her teammates under each arm and swooped them up and away from the reach of the creatures.

“Thanks for the save, Grava.” Nightwind removed herself from her friend’s grip and positioned herself behind the destructive animals. “They’re not crammels though, I think they’re called vrans. Chameleon Boy became one once during a training session at the Academy, remember? They’re like turtles from Earth, if we turn them on their backs they won’t be able to get up…I don’t think I can summon a wind strong enough to do it without hurting them or tearing up half this landscape though!”

Chlorophyll Kid pulled a few seeds out of a hidden pouch in his baggy costume and dropped them on top of one of the vrans. Fast-growing vines quickly sprung up around the beast, but it was strong enough to tear straight through them without a second thought. “T-time for Plan B,” Ral plotted. “N-Nightwind? Can you use your p-power to herd them?”

“Sure,” Berta nodded. “What did you have in mind?”

“First, let me plant some more seeds. All these giant flowers are g-giving me an idea.” He dived down toward a clearing big enough to suit his needs and scooped a couple of handfuls of loose dirt away from the soft ground underfoot. After hurriedly planting a hard-shelled brown pip in the soil he carried out the same process twice again a couple meters away each time. Wasting no time, Ral flew back up to join the girls. It might be coincidence that these creatures were on a rampage at the same time three Legionnaires had been sent planetside on a security escort, but he didn’t want to take that chance. Better to wrap this up as soon as possible. “We’re good to g-go,” Chlorophyll Kid nodded at the yellow-skinned heroine.

Nightwind bit her lower lip and focused. She needed to create a wind tunnel shepherding the vrans toward Chlorophyll Kid’s trap that was strong enough to make the creatures uncomfortable without actually causing any damage. The task was more difficult than she’d made it sound, but she wasn’t going to fail against a trio of giant armadillo crocodile things. Comet Queen squealed encouragement, and soon the creatures were right where Chlorophyll Kid had wanted them. Ral did his part, kicking his own power into effect once more. In the blink of an eye, enormous oaks shot up underneath the vrans. Unbalanced by the colossal trunks, the creatures lost their footing and rolled over on to their backs. The ground was uneven, but the vrans became wedged between the giant trunks before they could roll back on to their feet again.

Comet Queen clapped her hands and laughed. “That was nova-shine cosmic, starshine!”

“Thanks Comet Queen,” Chlorophyll Kid smiled. “Can you please sedate them? N-Nightwind, if you can call this back to base I’ll check in with the Insharian G-Governor.”

**********
KORR
Sky City

ROLL CALL
Sun Boy aka Dirk Morgna: heat and light generation
Tellus aka Ganglios: telepathy and telekinesis

**********
Tellus and Sun Boy stood directly in front of the enormous cylinder which supported Korr’s most famous city high above them. The cylinder was hundreds of feet in circumference and surrounded by several protective barriers. “Thanks for coming out here with me, Tellus.” Sun Boy made small talk as he peered up at the tower disappearing into the clouds above.

“I am happy if I can do anything to help the Legion,” Tellus’ electronic voice modulator monotoned. “May I ask though why it was imperative for us to journey here so quickly, Sun Boy?"

“Call it a hunch,” Dirk Morgna replied. “I was on monitor duty when Dreamy’s team subdued flasher beasts at the Space Bank earlier today, and Chlorophyll Kid came across rampaging vrans on Inshar not long after that. I was also on the last Legion mission where we faced those animals at those places...the whole thing's too much of a coincidence for my liking. If I’m right, I didn’t have time to try and assemble a third team and update them while I was stuck in the monitor room so I asked the closest person to relieve me. Of course, that just happened to be Vi aka the crankiest woman on the team and I have no doubt I’ll be paying for that when I get back…damn it! Where are they?”

The pods on Tellus’ back became a milky pink colour, indicating his confusion. “Whom is it that you are expecting to find?” the Hykraian asked.

“Earthquake beasts,” Sun Boy muttered. He turned to face his Hykraian teammate. “Can you sense any nearby? They must be here somewhere!”

Tellus gazed across the empty landscape. Aside from the occasional stalk supporting Korr’s cities high up in the atmosphere Korr seemed a barren and featureless world. “I shall try,” Tellus responded without much hope for success. Earthquake beasts were huge animals, surely if any existed here the Legionnaires would have spotted them long before now. Still, Sun Boy seemed certain they would find them here so Tellus resolved to give it his best effort. The nodules lining the fish-like Legionnaire’s back flashed stark white. I have found them! Tellus projected telepathically. Sun Boy, they are below us!

“There must be caves down there!” Sun Boy cried out. “Quick, get airborne!” Dirk flew straight up, Tellus close behind. Once the two of them were a safe distance above the ground, Sun Boy unleashed a ferociously hot blast of fire at the desert surface. He was careful not to jeopardise the integrity of the tower holding the city high above them and as soon as the resulting cloud of dust and smoke cleared, the Legionnaires saw two stunned earthquake beasts in an enormous subterranean cavern.

Tellus immediately descended to meet the dinosaur-like beasts eye to eye. They have been trained for one purpose, he explained after probing their minds. They have been brought here from off-planet, led through miles of tunnels to destroy Sky City. I can keep the earthquake beasts docile, but I am afraid their minds are not sufficiently advanced for me to be able to identify the man who trained them.

“That’s okay Tellus," Sun Boy placated his comrade. "I may not know who sent these guys exactly but I think I know where we can find them. Let me call Vi and we’ll wrap this up.” Tellus ruminated on the complexity of his human teammate’s psyche as Dirk Morgna reported back to base. Sun Boy pretended to be utterly superficial more often than not, but there was a strong sense of duty and responsibility which ran through him like a hidden undercurrent. Tellus wondered if he would ever cease to find these air-breathers a source of surprise.

**********
PLANET ACV1309
The Monster World

ROLL CALL
Brainiac 5 aka Querl Dox: 12th level intelligence
Supergirl aka Kara Zor-El: Kryptonian physiology

**********
As Supergirl accompanied Brainiac 5 through the rosy skies of the planet colloquially named Monster World, she was surprised at the sheer biodiversity this world had to offer. “Brainy, this place is amazing!” Kara gushed. “It’s like a planetary wildlife reserve!”

“That’s precisely what it is,” Brainiac 5 replied. “The Legion of Superheroes faced our first super-powered foe on this world, the self-titled Monster Master. He defeated himself really, but once we became aware of this planet’s existence we made it a priority to have ACV1309 categorised for scientific research and exploration. The only sentients permitted here are those with the appropriate research exemptions.”

“Well, I think it’s beautiful.” Kara turned away from the lush rainforest canopy below them and flashed her green teammate a dazzling smile. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

Brainiac 5 cleared his throat awkwardly. “Once Sun Boy reported that the Legion were being confronted with attempted crimes mimicking those of the original Monster Master, it stood to reason that the party behind these incidents would most likely also be using our original foe’s base of operations. And here we are.” He gestured at an unassuming grey bunker standing in a small clearing in the exotic rain forest below them.

Supergirl frowned. “There’s too much lead incorporated into that building, my x-ray vision’s not going to be any use. Do you think they know we’re coming?”

“I’d count on it,” Brainiac 5 answered. “I think we’re going to have to knock. Kara, if you’d be so kind?”

The two Legionnaires landed outside the simple grey building and Kara punched one of the walls, effortlessly smashing a massive hole through it. “Knock knock!” she called out in a sing-song voice.

A lone figure emerged from a sliding door further along the building’s perimeter. “There’s no need to destroy my home,” a stocky broad-shouldered man announced. “You’ve already done enough damage to my family, Legionnaires.” The dark-haired man wore a tiger-striped suit and tie paired with a black shirt and glasses. He wore a golden studded belt with a wolf’s head belt buckle, and golden cuffs were just visible beneath the sleeves of his garish jacket.

“Who are your family?” Supergirl guffawed. “Tarzan and Jane?”

“If I'm not mistaken, you're Weismann King?” Brainiac addressed the stranger.

“You should know exactly who I am!” the man sneered. “When my brother Morton tried to join your team, you monsters rejected him and hounded him to his death! Our eldest brother tried to avenge Morton’s death…I’m going to succeed where he failed, Brainiac 5!” For the first time, Weismann King seemed to notice that the two Legionnaires had come alone. “Wait, where are the rest of your team?”

“I didn’t bring them,” Brainiac 5 announced, “Because there won’t be a need for them, Mr King. We didn’t kill your brother and we don’t want to harm you. The Legion of Superheroes have stopped each of your attempts to recreate Monster Master’s crimes before anybody was injured, surrender to us now and you’ll receive the best psychological care we can obtain. There’s no reason this needs to go any further than it has thus far.”

“Oh, it’ll go further!” the man in tiger-print shook his fist. “You murdered my brother with his own gas creature, well guess what? I brought enough gas creatures for your whole team! And once the Legion learn that I’ve killed you two they’ll learn to fear the all new Monster Master!” As his ranting reached a fever pitch, a swarm of translucent creatures wafted around him from within the bunker. More and more of the creatures converged, and soon there were over two dozen of them.

Supergirl raised an eyebrow. “...Really?”

“Kara, don’t mock him.” Brainiac’s tone was mildly disapproving. “Mr King needs our help, and these creatures are more dangerous than they might seem. They can turn anyone they touch into an insubstantial mist permanently.”

“Then I guess they’d better not touch anyone.” Supergirl inhaled sharply and as the creatures drifted toward the Legionnaires she literally blew them away with a blast of super-breath.

“No!” the new Monster Master shouted in defiance. “You were supposed to die!”

“That was never going to happen,” Brainiac 5 said simply. He touched a control on his belt and the would-be murderer was surrounded by an impenetrable forcefield. “We’re going to have to take you into custody now Mr King, but we’ll make sure you get the help you need.”

Supergirl playfully punched Brainiac in the shoulder. “Nicely handled, Brainy. I’m glad I voted for you in the election now.”

“I never doubted you would, Kara.” Both Legionnaires’ flight rings beeped at them and Brainiac ignored his, taking to the air with a struggling Monster Master in tow. “In fact, that’ll be Shrinking Violet now informing us that I’m the new leader of the Legion if I’m not mistaken.”

“You might be surprised,” Supergirl poked her tongue out before turning to her flight ring. “Hi Vi, Brainy’s a little busy at the moment. What’s up?”

“Give him my congratulations,” Shrinking Violet’s voice sounded. “He’s won the leadership election by a very narrow margin, Ultra Boy’s our deputy.”

Supergirl’s eyes grew wide. “Son of a….you really do know everything, don’t you Brainy?”

“Not everything,” the green-skinned hero gave her a wry smile. “I’d thought Mon-El would be voted deputy.”

Supergirl’s laughter filled the forest skies as the two Legionnaires flew into the sunset.

**********

Some footnotes on the above:

The original Monster Master was a character who appeared in Adventure Comics #309. He tried to join the Legion initially as Jungle King and when he was rejected he turned to a life of crime like all good Legion rejects. Renaming himself the Monster Master, he created a Legion of Super-Monsters made up of various insane critters as reproduced above and he was sadly killed by a gas creature whom he'd rejected from his own Legion in an ironic ending.

89 is the leader of the covert ops team the Oversight Watch, and as we have learned recently also appears to be the meant-to-be-deceased heroine Leeta-87. Now you guys know everything Ultra Boy does!

Raz this was a fun outing. it was nice to have a couple small missions and a done in one kind of feel.

I loved Brainy's line "That was never going to happen."

The Monster Master II was interesting and thank you for the footnotes as i've never heard of him. I loved all those beast though and would love to see more of them.

I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS CONFRONTATION WITH JO AND 89!

keep them coming!

That was great fun, really nice how you focused on small groups and showed how they could deal with the animals with minimal fuss. Also well done for weaving the teams views on Chuck and Lu's resignation throughout as well.

Jo and Danielle facing Leeta will be fun, loved how she kne they were coming despite Computo's efforts. Chlorophyll Kid and Comet Queen were fun together, though why does everyone see Nightwind as such a stern character? I blame the hood personally Tellus and Sun Boy were an interesting pairing as I don't think I've ever seen them together really. Brainy stole the show though with his cool intellect verging on arrogance, that was really well written. As Omni said above "that was never going to happen" was the best line of the post, spot on characterisation in one line.

Looking forward to whatever you bring onus next, it's going to be interesting with Brainiac 5 now in charge!

More, more, more!

Thanks again guys!

re: Nightwind...I think I see her that way because she always looked so somber in her drab cloak days, and I remember in the 5YL Legion she ended up being a military instructor. I kind of see her being someone who wants to be taken seriously as a superhero but would be a lot more relaxed around her friends when she's not trying to impress anyone...I kinda like how a lot of the Legion's support cast have a lot of room for different interpretations

Glad y'all are looking forward to Jo's chat with 89! Hopefully she won't disappoint!

Nicely done, raz, a nice and simple mission that features and develops over a dozen Legionnaires. I particularly liked seeing 3 "rookies" (Grava, Berta, Ral) together with no "senior" member supervising.

Good job having Dirk be the one make the connection between these events and Monster Master. Also liked Nura's comment that Thom would NEVER want the leader job (something that seems very true).

Lastly, looking forward to the final resolution of the Leeta mystery!

TRANTOR SYSTEM
Weber’s World

ROLL CALL
Kid Computo aka Danielle Foccart: cyberempathy
Ultra Boy aka Jo Nah: deputy leader, ultra-energy which can be directed into any one of strength, speed, flight, invulnerability, flash vision, penetra-vision at a time

89: leader of the Oversight Watch, hyper-skilled combatant and espionage agent

**********
In a cramped featureless room miles beneath the ground, Ultra Boy and Kid Computo sat awkwardly in stiff-backed chairs while the woman named 89 stood before them even more stiffly. Her bodysuit covered her from head to toe, with even her face obscured by a full cowl, darkened goggles and a discrete air-purifying apparatus. All the two Legionnaires could interpret was her body language, and that wasn’t giving away anything.

“I suppose you have questions,” she confronted them, her voice altered electronically. “You may as well ask them.”

“Are you really Leeta-87?” Jo came straight to the point.

“Leeta-87’s death is well-known throughout the United Planets,” 89 said, avoiding a direct answer.

“Well…the legend of her death,” Kid Computo clarified. “But legends aren’t always true, are they?”

“No,” the masked woman replied pointedly. “They’re not always true. Then again...sometimes they are.” Her posture relaxed ever so slightly and her head bowed the tiniest amount. Danielle didn’t notice it, but Jo did and he knew they could get her to open up if they kept at her now.

“There’s no point playing games with us,” Ultra Boy announced confidently. “We know who you are, I saw your face myself. And if I’m wrong, Kid Computo will find your secret no matter how weird it is. We know the rest of the Oversight Watch are nowhere nearby so you’re not gonna mind-whammy us. We’ve stopped you from being able to transmit any kind of an electronic signal out of this place. If we need to, we’ll scour every database on Weber’s World. It might not be over quick, but I think you know we’ll find out. So why not save yourself the suspense?”

89 paced the floor of the small interrogation room where she’d brought them. Her back to them, the two heroes could see the tension in her athletic shoulders. She made a silent decision, then turned to face them. “I’m sorry, Legionnaires. I really am. But this is so much bigger than anybody in this room.” Taking the duo by surprise, 89 leaped at Ultra Boy with a flying kick. With his ultra-energy feeding invulnerability, he was unharmed by the vicious attack but he fell backwards off of his chair. Danielle clambered to her feet and tried to block 89’s follow up strike using the combat training Dream Girl had insisted she undertake, but 89 was far too skilled for the young girl. A gloved fist cracked against her jaw and Danielle Foccart fell limply to the floor.

“You crazy—“ Ultra Boy switched his ultra-energy into speed and charged 89, slamming her into the opposite wall hard enough to almost dislocate her shoulder.

“You think I haven’t prepared for you too, Ultra Boy?” Ignoring the pain, she slipped her other hand into a hidden pocket and flung a small cord of wire at his throat.

With ultra-fast reflexes, Jo saw it coming as though it were moving in slow motion and he switched back to invulnerability before it made contact with his exposed flesh. “I bet you thought I’d use ultra-speed to catch it out of the air,” he taunted as he advanced on her. “Let me guess, electrified? Coated in some kind of skin contact neurotoxin? Doesn’t do you any good when your target can’t be hurt.”

“Not at all,” 89 heaved. “You haven’t noticed yet, have you?”

“Noticed what…hey!” Jo realised the wire had flicked around his neck, and was now snapped in place like a segmented choker. He pulled at it, but the cord wouldn’t budge. “So what?” he snorted. “Neither you or your stupid necklace are anything ultra-strength can’t handle. I can rip it off before it comes anywhere near strangling me.”

“I wouldn’t do that.” She reached out to touch his arm before he could switch powers. “You can’t feel it, but the inside of that wire is lined with retractable razor-sharp spikes. Twelve of them. Your invulnerable skin is the only thing preventing your throat from being instantly shredded, Ultra Boy.”

Ultra Boy gingerly poked one finger under the trap as much as he could. It was a tight fit, but he did just barely feel two stud-like protuberances very close to one another. He knew she was right. The second he regained normal vulnerability he was dead. Jo roared through gritted teeth and swung what he knew would be the last punch he’d get to swing. 89 grabbed his fist and in one fluid movement twisted his arm behind his back. She grabbed his other arm before he could react, and a second later both hands were cuffed behind him. “You’re a brawler,” 89’s voice came from behind him. “You’re a damn good brawler, but I’m an expert in martial arts you’ve never heard of. Without any offensive powers you never had a chance.”

“Oh, I knew that.” His voice was suddenly devoid of any of the rage he’d shown an instant earlier. “I just wanted to get close enough to do this.” He slammed his head backwards with as much force as he could muster, and felt a satisfying crack as his steel-hard skull crashed into 89’s face.

She gave an involuntary grunt, then composed herself and kicked at the back of his left knee. Jo collapsed by Danielle’s side in an undignified heap.

“I meant what I said, Ultra Boy.” 89 took a faltering step back from him. “For what it’s worth I really am sorry, I…what…what’s happening..? Woozy…” She swooned, then touched her face with fingers quickly growing numb. Her air purifier. His headbutt had broken her air purifier! She reached into her belt for a spare, but dropped to her knees before she could pull it out. 89 fought it every second of the way, but in mere moments she was lying face-down on the floor by her victims.

A hazy wisp of air streamed forth from her shattered air purifier, quickly condensing into a decidedly feminine silhouette of mist. The cloud solidified, and Gas Girl soon joined the trio. “It’s a good thing you asked me to sneak along,” the bald Lalloran greeted Ultra Boy. “Why did she do that? She must have realised the Legion of Superheroes would find out one way or another if she did anything to the two of you, and there’s no way the Oversight Watch can take on the whole Legion!”

“Desperation,” Ultra Boy answered. “I think she really believed what she was saying, that her secret’s too big to be let out in the open. I kind of half-expected her to pull something, but I underestimated how far she’d go and how good she is…you might have just saved our lives, Gas Girl.”

“So what do we do now?” Gas Girl asked. “She’s tough but she’ll be out for a few minutes at least.”

“Make sure Kid C’s okay first,” Jo replied. “Then let’s find a way to restrain Leeta-87 or 89 or whatever she wants to call herself…and then let’s get me the sprock out of this low-rent bondage gear and we’ll get some answers!”

**********
When 89 opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was that she was no longer wearing her cowl. She instantly recognised her own team’s training room, the many different-sized panels lining every surface of the room hiding a dizzying array of mechanical threats. The fact that she was bound in place told her she was a victim of the training room’s ensnarement coils, and when she looked down from her mid-air suspension she saw Ultra Boy and Kid Computo standing below her with a third Legionnaire. “Gas Girl,” 89 noted. “Of course. Well played, Ultra Boy. Makkia Vei warned me there’s more to you than meets the eye, I should have listened to her.”

“Were you trying to kill us?!” Danielle Foccart exploded. “Just because we asked you a couple of sprocking questions?!”

“Easy, Kid C.” Ultra Boy held a hand out.

“She nearly broke my jaw!” Danielle retorted angrily.

“Legionnaires, listen to me.” 89 wasn’t too far from pleading. “Walk away from this. Walk away now before it’s too late.”

“Why won’t you just talk to them?” Gas Girl asked her. “If you’re in trouble, the Legion can help. They’ve helped my homeworld plenty of times!”

“I can’t. I told you, this is bigger than any of us. I know you won’t torture me, and even if you did I’ve been trained to resist torture. Accept that I have a reason to keep this secret, Legionnaires.”

“Yeah, see, that’s the thing.” Ultra Boy folded his arms across his chest. “If you’d ever given us any reason at all to trust you, then we would accept that. But the more you fight, the greater lengths you go to hide whatever it is you’re hiding, the more I think we need to know. You’re right that Legionnaires don’t resort to torture, Leeta. But with Gas Girl here, we don’t need to.”

“…And that’s my cue.” The hazy plume which surrounded Gas Girl’s scalp seemed to absorb more of her body from the head down. As she completed her transformation into a pinkish mist and floated up toward the captive 89, she continued speaking. “While you were out, we called Elastic Lad for a quick chemistry lesson. Turns out sodium thearbitol is a pretty effective truth serum for the natives of Cadmu, and I’m always looking for fun new compounds to try out.”

“No!” For the first time they heard a note of panic in 89’s voice. “Don’t do this!”

“Stay calm,” Gas Girl cautioned as her dark-haired victim inhaled her. “You’ll feel less nauseous if you just go with it.”

89 tried to hold her breath, but it was too late. Soon there was no external trace of Gas Girl, and 89 broke out into a cold sweat. In utter desperation, she bit down on the killpod hidden in her cheek to trigger a localised bioelectromagnetic pulse which would fatally disrupt her synaptic network. Nothing happened. Kid Computo, she realised with sinking despair.

Ultra Boy gave her a few minutes of heaving retches for her body to accustom to the chemical reactions now taking place inside her. After an appropriate amount of time, he began. “So tell us, are you…were you Leeta-87?”

“Yes,” she grunted. “...Damn you.”

“Then what the hell happened?” Jo asked. “I met you! You were every bit the hero history says you were! How did you go from that to someone who tries to kill innocent people for asking too many questions?”

89 groaned. She didn’t want to answer them, she even tried to summon the willpower to bite her own tongue off. It was too late for that now though. They had her over a barrel, and they had no idea what they were about to unveil. “…Kismet have mercy on us all…” she whimpered softly. And then she told them her story.

“After Brimstone decimated the Intergalactic Law Patrol, after your team of Legionnaires vanished into the timestream…I knew the universe was a bigger place than I’d ever suspected, the threats more monstrous. I was determined to become a better hero, to redeem myself for the horror I’d allowed to happen on Cadmu.” She could hear her confession, but she couldn’t stop it. “I learned that Brimstone was a creation of Darkseid, and…and that led me to delve into everything history could tell me about Darkseid.”

“Darkseid?” Danielle’s eyes widened. “You mean, ‘enslave the population of Daxam' Darkseid?”

Jo barely heard his teammate. “What happened from there, Leeta?” he asked grimly.

“It wasn’t easy….records…lot of records missing…” They could tell she was struggling against Gas Girl’s infiltration as hard as she could. “…But I discovered some of the history of the New Gods of Genesis….their war with Apokolips…and Darkseid’s ancient quest for…the Anti-Life Equation…”

Ultra Boy and Kid Computo listened, simultaneously transfixed but dreading to find out where this was going to take them.

“...Anti-Life Equation…” she continued. “Darkseid fought the greatest heroes of Earth, centuries ago…fought other worlds….the Avenging Might of Orando…ravaged populations, killed countless sentients….for the Anti-Life Equation…and it occurred to me…if there was an Anti-Life Equation…why not an Anti-Death Equation..?"

“I don’t understand,” Jo frowned. “Wouldn’t..wouldn’t life be the anti-death equation?” He found himself wishing Brainiac 5 were here to deal with this.

89 laughed feebly. “…Life..? No, Ultra Boy…life ends. All life ends. Even on Cadmu…we can extend life…so much longer than natural span, but….even we end. Anti-Death is the absence of death…no more death.” She laughed again, but it was a broken sound.

“I became obsessed...” 89 continued. “…Obsessed with becoming the greatest hero I could be…obsessed with ending death. I thought…I thought I could bring my team back…I thought if I could bring all the dead back...I could find redemption.”

Kid Computo gave Ultra Boy a worried glance. “Maybe we should back off,” she suggested quietly. “This is really hard on her, Ultra Boy.”

“No.” Jo was resolute. “I’m not any more comfortable with this than you are, but we need to know.”

“…My search…led me to dark places…” 89 continued. “Black science…the Krona Cultists…the Bizarro-world Allahgnahs…the United Planets couldn’t ethically support my quest any longer and Kimball….Zendak asked me to stop. So I did the only thing I could…I faked Leeta-87’s death. And defying every Cadmian Rule of Lineage, I named myself 88. I gave up my personhood…and took on the signifier of my many many lives as my only identity…spitting in the face of Death.” She took a deep harrowing breath and continued. “And eventually…eventually I found it. The Anti-Death Equation.”

Jo and Danielle scarcely dared to breathe. Her whole story was so ludicrous as to be unbelievable but they knew she was telling them the truth. The weight of that truth was palpable. “And then…and then what happened..?” Danielle ventured. “I mean…people still die, right..?”

89 remembered those events so long ago now but still so fresh in her memory. The Janusian philososcientists. The Cancer Planet. Ending the Black Racer. The Things Beyond Kismet’s Reckoning. All of Gas Girl’s power couldn't drag those truths from her, she would take them to her grave.

“Yes,” 89 answered simply. “...People still die.”

She centred herself before continuing. She couldn’t prevent herself from answering their questions truthfully, but omission was no lie. “…I placed…a large amount of people at risk,” 89 explained, a little more collected now. “…Countless numbers of people. A universe full of people. There was a struggle that involved Kimball Zendak…myself…entities I hope never to encounter again in this life…the Anti-Death Equation was taken from me to remain a secret for the rest of eternity. What I’d done…it was far far too dangerous to allow that path to remain open for anyone else to follow. So I worked with Zendak to wipe out all trace of that path, from its very genesis in our battle with Brimstone forward. And with what little humanity was left to me after the things I’d done, I begged Kimball Zendak to help me find the redemption for which I’d been searching so long. I was once…special to him. Because of that he agreed, but we both knew that 88 had to die. She had to go along with everything else she’d brought into existence.”

“So you called yourself 89,” Jo concluded.

“But what about the other part of your name?” Danielle asked. “Why didn’t you go back to being Leeta-87 again? Or just call yourself Leeta-89?”

“In every way besides the literal, the woman named Leeta is dead,” 89 answered sadly. “All I can do is try to redeem myself for what I allowed to take her place…until the day redemption no longer matters and I meet Death again on her own terms.”

Silence filled the room until Jo eventually cleared his throat. “Uh Gas Girl…I think we’re done here. You can come out now.”

The bald woman reformed beside them, and Danielle’s power lowered 89 gently to the floor. The cables holding 89 snaked their way free from her and retracted into ports in the wall, leaving the woman sitting on the floor. She stood without a sound, hugging herself as she looked the Legionnaires dead on. “What I’ve told you,” she finally spoke, “I’ve not spoken aloud for more years than I care to remember. Aside from those of us in this room, Kimball Zendak is the only living being who is aware that any of this ever happened. And it is imperative that it stay that way. Do you understand?”

Ultra Boy could see it in her eyes. She’d been right all along. What had been secret needed to stay secret. “We understand,” he nodded on behalf of them all. He considered something privately for a moment, then turned to Gas Girl and Kid Computo. “Can you two give us a nano? I’ll be out in no time.”

“Sure,” Kid Computo answered. She pointed to a recording device in the corner of the ceiling. “But I’ll be watching her.” She turned and walked out with Gas Girl.

“Personal curiosity isn’t the only reason I came today,” Jo said once the girls had left. “There’s something else we need to get out in the open, 89.”

“Go on.” She was emotionally and mentally drained, but stood rigid before him.

“The Oversight Watch,” Ultra Boy continued. “I’m not Bouncing Boy. I know the galaxy isn’t always a black and white place, and that sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to get the job done. I don’t think the Legion of Superheroes should work against you, and I don’t think we need to know your every movement, but if we’re both on the same side I think we need to start acting like it.”

“What do you propose?” she asked him.

“Moving forward? A policy of don’t ask, don’t tell. We won’t pry into your business any more than we need to, but that means you can’t give us a reason to pry. In other words, clean up your act. Some of your crew were reckless on the Khund homeworld and we all paid for it.”

89 thought about what he was saying. “That’s fair,” she agreed. “It hasn’t escaped my notice that you sent the other two out of the room for this though, Ultra Boy. Is this new policy of non-intervention sanctioned by the Legion of Superheroes?”

“You let me worry about the Legion,” Jo replied. “But if you want to improve your chances of us staying out of your business, there is one thing the Oversight Watch can do to earn some good will.”

“And what might that be?” she retorted in a guarded tone.

“Well,” Jo smirked. “I’m glad you asked…”

*********

NEXT: A Legion Academy adventure!

EDITOR'S NOTE: Ultra Boy met Leeta-87 in an adventure where the Infinite Man sent him and several other Legionnaires decades into the past. She had just taken leadership of the Intergalactic Law Patrol, a team which predated the Legion of Superheroes. Most of the ILP were tragically killed in their first mission fighting Darkseid's construct Brimstone on Leeta's homeworld Cadmu.

BLOK
BRAINIAC 5 (leader)
CHAMELEON BOY
CHLOROPHYLL KID
COLOR KID
COMET QUEEN
DAWNSTAR
DIAMOND DAMSEL
DRAGONMAGE
DREAM GIRL
ELASTIC LAD
ELEMENT LAD
FIRE LAD
GAS GIRL
INFECTIOUS LASS
INVISIBLE KID II
KID COMPUTO
LIGHT LAD
LIGHTNING LASS
MATTER-EATER LAD
MON-EL
NIGHTWIND
PHANTOM GIRL
POLAR BOY
QUISLET
SHADOW LASS
SHRINKING VIOLET
STAR BOY
STONE BOY
SUN BOY
SUPERGIRL
TELLUS
TIMBER WOLF
ULTRA BOY (deputy leader)
WILDFIRE

Glad to see the Leeta-87 plot wrapped up - some intriguing tidbits but I think you explored everything that needed to be explored for now. Looking forward to seeing Jo's offer.

EARTH
Metropolis, Hydrostatix Nightclub

ROLL CALL
Judgement League:
Kid Chemo: toxic chemical body
Light Lass II aka Julalai Huo: light generation
Sharpshot Kid aka Mat Cassel: unerring aim, specialty ammunition

Legion Academy:
Chemical Kid aka Hadru Jamik: control of chemical reactions
Dragonwing aka Marya Pai: acid venom, fire breath
Gravity Kid aka Tel Vole: gravity manipulation
Lullabye Lad aka Waiane Wentim: Zwennite physiology, narcoleptic induction

Legion of Substitute Heroes:
Antennae Lad aka Khfeurb Chee Bez: can broadcast radio transmissions from different temporal loci
Crystal Kid aka Bobb Kohan: crystal construct creation
Polecat aka Dafe Meron: odor generation
Porcupine Pete aka Peter Dursin: projectile quills
Rainbow Girl aka Dori Aandraison: rainbow powers

**********
“I can’t believe I agreed to bring you all here,” Tel Vole moaned. Along with his boyfriend Waiane and the two boys’ younger friends Marya and Hadru, the attractive teenager was a student at Earth's elite Legion Academy. Unlike the other three students Tel didn’t need fake ID to get in to Hydrostatix, a new venue popular with Metropolis’ club kids. Shrill beeps punctuated a bassline that resonated deep in their bones. The club itself was an ingenious water construct held together by strong magnetic fields and with each thumping beat of the music, the water fields rippled and strobing lights shimmered.

“I’m glad you brought us, babe!” Waiane stood on his toes to give Tel a peck on his stubbled cheek. “This place is amazing! We don’t have anything like this back on Zwen!”

“Yeah, lighten up,” the group’s sole female chastised Tel as she grabbed an irredescent shot of liquor from a passing waiter. “You wanna show your boyfriend the sights, right?”

“What I want is to not get expelled for bringing underagers to a licensed venue,” Tel moped. “You know Earthgov’s cracking down on that kind of stuff these days.”

“Tel..pal! Relax!” Hadru grabbed four green bottles from another waiter and handed them around the group of friends. “I’ve been buying my way into clubs with Daddy’s magic plastic on every planet between here and Phlon since I was 12…the same magic plastic which is gonna pay for us to get well tore tonight. For once in your life, forget about whatever hell Iron-Butt Imra’s gonna put us through at school tomorrow morning and just enjoy yourself, would you?”

“Sure,” Tel sighed. “Whatever.” He swigged a mouthful of sweet-tasting alcohol and reluctantly allowed Waiane to drag him onto the dance floor behind the other two. Tel loved Waiane’s exuberance and Hadru and Marya were good friends, but it was times like this when their age difference became glaringly obvious. Tel had enjoyed his years going from one club to another, but since a laboratory accident gave him his powers he’d come to realise he had a responsibility to do more with his life. He really wanted to join the Legion of Superheroes and he felt the Legion Academy was the best way to achieve that goal. He couldn’t begrudge Waiane and the others for wanting to sample Metropolis’ nightlife, but he couldn’t help but feel they were holding back his own ambitions. One look at the sheer joy on his boyfriend’s face and Tel felt a surge of guilt. Sprock it, he thought wryly. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. He downed the rest of his drink and grabbed Waiane around the waist, grinding into him while Hadru and Marya whooped encouragement.

Too many hours later, the foursome were stumbling into one another as they exited the club with sore feet and muddled heads. “That was amaaaazing!” Waiane crowed loudly. He tripped and grabbed hold of Tel’s arm to steady himself.

“You said that already,” Tel laughed. “Like….a hundred times.” The others all laughed alongside him.

“See?” Marya wagged a finger, her other hand pulling her stray red hair away from her equally red lips. “Toldja we’d have fun, didn’t I? The dragon knows! Whoop!” Not paying attention, she collided with a dark-haired girl. “Sprock, watch where ya goin’!” the drunk would-be heroine snapped.

Still laughing, Hadru pulled Marya aside. “Sorry ‘bout my friend!” he apologised on her behalf. “She’s a bit space-tipsy!”

The stranger turned around to face the quartet. She was the same age as the Academy students, but something in her demeanour was very different. Like Hadru, she had an Asiatic appearance. Her silky black hair was cut into a perfectly straight-edged bob and she wore an outfit of black and indigo, a starburst pattern across her chest. Alongside the girl was a teenage boy wearing something reminiscent of the space cowboy holos Waiane had loved as a young child. It was the third member of their party that sparked recognition for at least one of the Academy students though - a transparent plasteel humanoid casing containing a cocktail of sickly colored toxic chemicals. Tel’s blood ran cold. Light Lass, Sharpshot Kid and Kid Chemo! They were three of the Judgement League, what were they doing here? Did they know the students would be here? “We really are sorry,” Tel took charge immediately. “We’ll just be out of your way.” He struggled to lead Waiane, Hadru and Marya away from the trio before they started any trouble.

“Not so fast,” Light Lass commanded coolly. “We’re on patrol looking for illegal aliens, and I’d say we’ve just found some. Isn’t that right, Chemical King?”

Hadru adjusted his hardlight glasses, obviously confused. “Wha..? It’s Chemical Kid,” he corrected her. “But how did you know that anyway..?”

“That’s right,” Sharpshot Kid’s hands moved casually to the handguns holstered at his belt. “You’re Chemical Kid in this time, aren’t you? ‘Kid’, as in too young to be as intoxicated as you seem to be. We’d better take you all in to custody.”

“For your own safety of course,” Light Lass added with a sinister smile.

“Chemical Kid,” Tel uttered darkly, “You need to sober all of us up. Now.”

The use of his codename penetrated Hadru Jamik’s drunken haze and he focused his power on himself and his friends. Seconds later the four of them had metabolised all the alcohol they’d imbibed that evening. “Who’s intoxicated now?” he asked the Judgement Leaguers cockily. “Come on guys, let’s get out of here.” Hadru began to push past the trio but with one look from Light Lass, Kid Chemo grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him up against the nearest wall.

“Hey!” Dragonwing leapt to her friend’s defence. “Let him go, you squaj!” She spat acidic venom at Kid Chemo’s arm and watched in surprise as it dripped ineffectively down his arm and seared a hole in the walkway.

Light Lass laughed out loud. “Do you really think your power’s any more corrosive than anything else already inside him?” she taunted. “You should consider yourself lucky it’s not anyway….the last thing you want is to breach that containment suit, trust me.”

“We’re not going to let you hurt our friend!” Waiane shouted defiantly. He turned his own power on Kid Chemo with no more success than Dragonwing. Kid Chemo gave an intelligible gurgle and Chemical Kid cried out in pain as lime green liquid seeped through ports in his fingers and started burning his flesh.

Gravity Kid moved in front of his boyfriend to help Chemical Kid but an intense burst of light left Tel, Marya and Waiane blinded. “Hadru, use your power!” the elder student shouted. “Acid is just a chemical reaction!”

“This one’s the real threat,” Sharpshot Kid sneered, levelling his gun at the still blind Gravity Kid. “The rest of them don’t have the training yet to be any more than a nuisance.”

“Agreed,” Light Lass smiled. “Do him, Mat.”

Sharpshot Kid held his gun inches from Gravity Kid’s forehead. Just as he began to pull back on the trigger, a volley of quills suddenly pierced into his outstretched arm and caused him to drop his weapon. The teenaged marksman yelped in pain and turned hatefully toward the source of the assault.

Standing atop a parked maintenance vehicle Porcupine Pete, Rainbow Girl, Crystal Kid, Antennae Lad and Polecat stared down the malicious trio. "Those were just warning shots, I can do worse." Porcupine Pete raised both quilled forearms ready to shoot again.

“Who the shock are you supposed to be?!” Sharpshot Kid demanded.

“We’re the Legion of Substitute Heroes!” Polecat announced proudly.

Antennae Lad puffed out his chest and pointed an angry finger. “Your buddies trashed our home, but Subs don’t give up that easily. You jerkwits had better let those kids go if you know what’s good for you.”

“You must be kidding!” Light Lass laughed openly. “Do you know what the future holds for you losers? I guarantee it’s nothing good.” She held one hand steady with the other, aiming as though her finger were a gun. A sphere of light surrounded her hands, but before she could do any more a multi-colored beam of light flashed forward from Rainbow Girl’s open palms and smashed the dark-haired girl back off her feet.

“You can’t do this to us!” Sharpshot Kid shouted petulantly. “We’re the heroes here!” He drew his second gun and opened fire on the Subs. A hastily erected shield from Crystal Kid protected the group, and Porcupine Pete shouted a command for them to scatter.

Her vision finally recovering, Dragonwing spat a wad of green venom at Sharpshot Kid’s remaining weapon. The barrel of the gun melted with a hissing sound, and he threw it aside before any of the acid dripped on his exposed hand. “You’re outnumbered and outgunned now, squaj.” Marya grinned as she closed in on him. “How about you tell the walking chemistry set here to let my friend go or we’ll see what my power can do to your pretty face?”

Sharpshot Kid flashed the red-haired girl a cheeky smile in return. “I’m not just a pretty face, Dragonwing…and I’m never outgunned.” He pulled a new gun on the shocked heroine so swiftly that she never even saw from where he’d drawn it.

Before he could shoot her, Sharpshot Kid's weapon transformed to gleaming crystal and Crystal Kid approached the young combatants. “Go ahead,” the former Legion Academy student prompted Sharpshot Kid. “Let’s see if I don’t turn you to crystal next, you xenophobic little bully.”

Sharpshot Kid turned to Light Lass. “Julalai?”

Acutely aware that Rainbow Girl was ready to attack her again the second she made a move, Light Lass weighed their options. The Legion of Substitute Heroes were more of a threat than she'd assumed. She wasn't confident that they could defeat them as well as four students who were all destined to become Legionnaires one day. “Let Chemical Kid go,” she instructed Kid Chemo. “We’re gonna call for backup,” she addressed the assembled heroes. “You’re probably not gonna want to be around when it arrives.”

“If you think we’re just walking away—“ Dragonwing began.

“Marya.” Gravity Kid interrupted his teammate while his boyfriend helped Chemical Kid stand. “They’re still technically the law here.”

“Listen to your friend,” Porcupine Pete added. “It’s important to pick the fights that are worth fighting, Dragonwing. Let’s get out of here. Subs, use your flight rings and we’ll escort these kids back to their school dorms.”

“It’s okay,” Gravity Kid concentrated and all four of the Academy students were surrounded by an azure glow. “We’re not completely helpless.” The heroes took off into the night sky with Light Lass, Sharpshot Kid and Kid Chemo watching scornfully.

“Do you think they just stumbled on us?” Sharpshot Kid asked, wincing as he plucked quills out of his arm. “What are the chances of that happening?”

“That freak with the weird ears,” Light Lass explained once she’d checked in with their headquarters. “Antennae Kid or whatever his name is…he has some kind of super-hearing power, I bet he tracked us down.”

“I’m just glad the smelly one didn’t get involved,” Sharpshot Kid poked his tongue out. “Gross.” Kid Chemo gurgled again.

“Oh, they’re all involved now.” Light Lass glared at the night sky.

“By the time we’re through with them, those Substitute rejects are gonna wish they’d been satisfied with us destroying their stupid satellite.”

**********
Alone in a room in the Science Police’s Earth headquarters, Shvaughn Erin stood rigidly as she watched feeds from surveillance equipment in Metropolis' nightclub district.

When the Science Police’s crowdsweep software had picked up meta-powered activity outside Hydrostatix, Shvaughn’s programming alterations had kicked in and alerted her instantly. She was glad she had happened to be on duty and that she’d been able to covertly notify the Legion of Substitute Heroes in time for them to help the Academy students, but she was just as glad that they had left the scene when they did. She couldn’t delay Science Police response for long without arousing suspicion, and the last thing those kids needed was a public fight with SP droids right now. She saw Radiation Roy and Spider-Girl join their younger three teammates at the same time a couple of SP droids made their appearance, and Shvaughn finally allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief. If the Judgement League had sent their speedsters as backup or any of their members who had half a brain, the Subs would have been tracked down in no time. She knew now that the Subs would get those kids out of there safely, and she could finally relax. Switching her attention to other channels, Shvaughn continued to monitor SP activity around the globe. While she could never really put the Judgement League completely out of her mind she allowed normal SP business to take precedence in her thoughts once more.

A couple of miles away in a darkened room that had once belonged to Phantom Girl, the woman known as Eyeful Ethel sat up in bed wearing a sly grin. Her husband’s enormous grey form took up most of the rest of the bed space. While Tusker’s mutation had taken some adjustment on both their parts it was no weirder a thing to get accustomed to than Ethel's own power continually sprouting eyes all over her body. Those eyes had always gifted her with a hypernormal spatial awareness, but recently they’d gifted her with other abilities too. X-ray vision. Telescopic vision. She gave the sleeping Tusker a kiss on his exposed shoulder. If he didn’t snore louder than a cargo shuttle taking off she’d be asleep right now…and if she’d been asleep right now, she wouldn’t have decided to spy on the Judgement League’s Science Police liaison out of sheer boredom. Ethel had hoped she’d get a cheap laugh out of watching one of Shvaughn Erin’s soppy long distance love-ins with her alien boyfriend but what she’d seen instead was more interesting.

Much more interesting indeed...

**********
EDITOR'S NOTES:
Lullabye Lad is Stone Boy's little brother and Gravity Kid's boyfriend. He joined the Legion Academy after an unsuccessful Legion tryout.

Earth-Man recruited Sharpshot Kid, Kid Chemo & Light Lass to his Judgement League from an unspecified point in the future. No link has been established between either Ayla Ranzz or Light Lad & this Light Lass.

The Judgement League (specifically Earth-Man & Celestine) destroyed the Legion of Substitute Heroes' satellite base, which the Subs had originally repossessed from Earth-Man's Justice League anyway. This happened when Color Kid, Chlorophyll Kid, Stone Boy & Fire Lad joined the Legion of Superheroes and until now it's been assumed that the Subs had disbanded.

Since Earthgov unceremoniously booted the Legion of Superheroes off the planet and gave their headquarters to the Judgement League, Shvaughn Erin has been made the Judgement League's official Science Police liaison (though she's not super happy about it).

PHEW, done!