Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business Post ZH Legion: Volume 5 - What Makes Us Special (August 26, 2023)

That COULD be it... I wonder what Condo thinks about the headband?

I have two more segments plotted for Legion day but I have not been able to actually write. Things are hectic right now...

One segment will comment on a long-lost character...

Hey IB, yor Legion Day Celebration has been really wel written, lots and lots of delightful moments. You've nailed every single character moment.

It's a pity Tenzil chose to stay out of active service as you have a really good take on him but his reasoning was spot on, and I'm sure we'll see him again.

Gates being a superstar to the Kwai and the new generation of free thinkers amongst the Kwai, along with his real friendship with Brainy was really well done. Nice pick up on the Kwai's respect for place and direction and good job tying that

The section where the new costumes were being designed was great, loved Kinetix and Candi. Babbage and Amp 's friendship is good to see as was her take on her lack of promotion. You've written her disappointment and later realisation when she trained with Lamprey to keep on chugging away very well. Great characterisation there IB, well done.

You have an interesting take on Mentalla, she kind of annoyed me with her immaturity in the comic (boo hoo they rejected me so I'm going to show them) so its good to see you've made her a bit more mature and flexible. Ferro's crush on her is sweet and I have a feeling it may well lead to something as I'm sure she could help him with his current predicament. Looking forward to where you take this.

I have no idea who Brawler is but he's a fun character, it's good to see the way less than perfect candidates deal with the stress of cadet-hood. Gears reaction was nice, cool, calm and collected, with a hint of amusement. Your take on Kent I'd great too (actually your take on all the characters is great) and I like how he's met a kindred spirit in Gear, they're both professionals so it makes perfect sense really. Cats paw is still a pain, but nice to see her taking training seriously, and of course your Val is as cool as he should be.

Spider Girl, Timber Wolf and Ultra Boy on a mission together is just asking for fun and mishaps, I'm looking forward to their catching up with Tinya's father.

Andromedas meeting with fellow Daxamites was another nice scene.the Daxamites agreeing to the power dampening bracelets was nicely explained. Dragonmages conversation with Mysa was great too, you've given him a lot more personality than I ever remember him having before, well done. I totally agree with your reasons for not including him in the full team though hope you don't forget about him as you write him so well.

IB, you Celebration Day has been epic. There have been no big action scenes and it is all the better for your focussing on these smaller inter-personal moments. I've thoroughly enjoyed catching up with your story, it's amazing!

More, more, more!

Also meant to say, you're giving the team countries of origin is great, well overdue and truth be told I wish I'd thought of it first

Hi Harbi, I'm so happy you caught up, I really enjoy and value your comments

So glad you liked Legion Day and all the character moments!

Tenzil will definitely be showing up often, I think part of his charm is his practicality. I do have plans for him which will hopefully delight you.

The Kwai's valuing place and direction was mentioned in Legion Lost 3, and I always thought a teleporter like Gates must be fascinating for them. Funny how both the Kwai and the Vyrgans seemed to evolve societies which traditionally value conformity, but now have Legionnaires (Gates and Shikari) turning these things on their heads!

Zoe is playful and Candi is so, so sweet, and their love for fashion will definitely bring them together again.

I always thought Babbage, as a robot, would have some programs designed to interpret (if not completely comprehend!) human emotions.

Amp's story draws from my own experiences with delayed promotions, and she is reacting very much as I did Happy you're liking it. She and Lamprey will definitely show up often - look for them to give the other Cadets a run for their money!

This Mentalla is more mature than her Preboot counterpart, and knowing her other self's fate (killed by the Emerald Empress!) had grounded her even more.

As for Ferro, he will certainly be making some moves in the future. Whether they come to fruition, well... we shall see.

Brawler appeared exactly once, in Showcase 1995 6, where he crushed on (and annoyed Andromeda) and bullied fellow Cadets (then called Academy students) Tomb and Cannus. He's actually quite physically attractive, one of the few men in the Legion's time to sport stubble... but his bad attitude totally negates that.

Catspaw, despite her animalistic reactions, is a serious student, happy you liked that aspect.

Gear and Kent make a nice pair, yes, both take their duties very seriously and take much more pride in doing a good job than in hearing the roar of the crowds.

Tinya's father will give Jo, Sussa, Brin and Tinya many more headaches before they catch up with him. I'm going to have fun writing this quartet of Legionnaires.

Laurel and the other like-minded Daxamites have accepted that they need to assuage the galaxy's fears so they can move around freely, but for them it is worth it.

And Dragonmage will certainly show up again - I have big plans for him and would love to have included him if not for his (arguably) checkered past.

And I did get to thinking, even though Earth is unified 1000 years from now, we are just such a diverse planet that there is merit in spreading out the Earth-born Legionnaires and cast all over the globe I think I'm going to have tons of fun exploring how these countries are 1000 years from now.

Thanks again for all the kind words, they encourage me even more to write again soon!

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Legion World. The Legion Day celebrations.

Cosmic Boy, Rokk Krinn of Braal; magnetokinesis
Kid Quantum II, Jazmin Cullen of Xanthu; time manipulation
White Witch, Mysa of Zarrox; sorcery


Gigi Cusimano of Mars; Science police lieutenant and commander of the Science Police contingent on Legion World
**************************************************************

"Hold on a second, Rokk." Jazmin squeezed her boyfriend's hand gently. A women clothed all in white was crossing the hallway behind Cosmic Boy, brow furrowed. Jazmin lifted herself up in the air and flew towards the White Witch.

"Lady Mysa?" Jazmin said gently, though not tentatively. "Are you okay? You seem troubled." Though Mysa had joined the team while she was lost in limbo, she had worked with her twice before* against Mordru and the Elements of Disaster. And even if she had not, Mysa was her teammate now. That was enough reason to be concerned for her.

Mysa smiled, a sad but gentle smile that lit up her face. "Please, Jazmin, call me Mysa. And I thank you for asking. I am well. I just said goodbye to Dragonmage, and I do miss him already."

"He's going home, right?" Cos asked. He paused as both women looked at him, then smiled sheepishly. To Jazmin, at least, she knew it was sheepish. Any other sentient would call it a charming smile. "I'm sorry. I saw you were both talking in normal tones, so..."

"No, no, please don't apologize," Mysa said soothingly. "I am quite grateful that you both asked. It has been so long since I had friends,** and I appreciate your concern." She looked at both serenely, though her eyes spoke of her worry. "I especially appreciate how welcoming everyone is."

"Of course. We are all teammates now," Jazmin smiled warmly. "And we have to take care of one another." She paused as she looked at Mysa; the women was stoic, but she definitely felt things deeply. "Say... Cos and I were about to take a Threshold down to Earth. Just to get away from the bustle for a bit. Would you like to join us?"

Mysa's smile was wide. "I thank you... and I would love to. However, I am due to assist in the VR room. Maybe another time?"

"The invitation is always open," Cos said. He gave a little wave, and Mysa waved back with a warm smile before turning to leave.

Jazmin fixed Rokk with a warm smile as she laid a hand on his firm arm. "Sometimes I worry about them. Not about the state of the team as a whole - we are the strongest we have ever been, with many new and capable Legionnaires - but about some individual team members."

"They'll be fine," Cos smiled back as his eyes twinkled. She loved it when they did. "Especially as they know their leader really cares for them."

She gave his arm a pinch, and he jumped back with a small growl. "Stop messing with me, Rokk Krinn, and let's get a move on." He stuck his tongue out at her, but his smiling eyes told a different story. "To the Thresholds!"

"You'll love this," Rokk grinned. "The old Hall of Justice was started by the Justice League after..."

Jazmin laughed to herself as Cos enumerated the Justice League members at the time the Hall had been built. He was such a history geek; name almost any 20th century costumed hero and he could tell you their powers. And she loved how his face lit up whenever he did.

They took the back hallway to the Threshold chambers, as it was not open to the public. Jazmin enjoyed the respite from the crowds. As co-leader, she had spent her share of time dazzling the crowds, and she had also spent time entertaining diplomats. A quick trip off Legion World was just the thing she needed.

"... and it was not that long after when the second Firestorm joined. And soon after, Kimiyo Hoshi rejoined. Did you know, at one point the League had only the two of them plus Zatanna, Vixen, John Stewart?"

"All pretty powerful, though," Jazmin pointed out as they entered the Threshold Chamber. They quickly took to the air; the chamber was full of sentients joining the celebrations, and many would definitely try to ask for a holo. Jazmin was happy to oblige, but she could use a recharge.

"But not quite a team," Rokk added as he waved to the crowd. He spared a smile for them, then turned his face back to her. They continued to fly towards the Threshold that had been reserved for Legionnaires and staff. "Well, they were all professional, but Kimiyo Hoshi wasn't exactly the most pleasant hero. Not that I would know..."

"Hmmm. So, among the ones you did meet in the 20th century, which one did you like best?"

Rokk tapped a finger to his lip. "Hmmm... I'll have to say..."

Before Rokk could answer, a Kwai burst through the Threshold, a Science Police Officer in his arms. The man's face was blackened, and boils massed on his arms. Murmurs erupted around the room as the Kwai asked loudly for a medic.

"What happened?" Jazmin asked. Before the Kwai could answer, Gigi Cusimano stepped up behind her. "Aldin was assigned to the Metropolis ingress." Her tone was grim. "Who did this?"

"A man throwing fire," the Kwai was calm, his chest barely heaving. "I took him back to save him, but there are others there..."

"Thank you, but we will need you to bring us back." Gigi lowered her visor. "At least, I'm going down there. Fire-retarding systems should help, but if there's a post-human there... Reyes, take care of Aldin." A nearby officer saluted as Gigi pulled out her blaster. "We should be able to take care of this, Kid Quantum, Cosmic Boy."

"I'm sure you can," Jazmin said soothingly. Gigi was extremely professional, and unlike many Science Police officers, she had never harbored any sort of grudge against the Legion. And she certainly did not want to upset someone she would have to work closely with on Legion World. "But if you don't mind, we'll join you. We were heading to Metropolis, anyway."

"We can help with the crowd," Rokk added. "I'm sure there's tons of sentients down there."

Gigi nodded, then motioned to the Kwai. "Lead the way, please." Translucent wings fluttered as the Kwai dove into the Threshold. Jazmin quickly followed into the space between dimensions; though you could keep sight of your Kwai guide a few meters ahead, she still remembered the uncertain exhilaration of passing through the doorway for the very first time. The bright whiteness could be confusing, and civilians were required to ride transports to enter a Threshold to minimize the chances of anyone getting lost. After a few seconds, she stepped into chaos.

A handful of science Police officers were herding terrified sentients out of the hall where a Threshold to Legion World had been set up. Fire-retardant sprays were pouring from the ceiling onto a blond man wreathed in flames. Such was the intensity of his powers that some of the spray evaporated before it reached him. He wove his way through the spray, blasting at the machines pumping it out. He kept screaming all the while, and it took Jazmin a moment to make it out. "Where is she?!"

"Lieutenant! Legionnaires!" An officer - her helmet named her Richards - saluted. As soon as Gigi returned her salute, she began her report. "Several minor injuries, but no dead yet. Only Aldin needed immediate medical attention. Motive unknown."

"It may have something to do with what he's yelling," Gigi noted. "Who is this she?"

"No idea, Ma'am. We asked for a telepath, but..."

"YOU!!!"

Jazmin felt a blast of heat almost as intense as that of the Fire Elemental she had once battled as several fireballs streaked in her direction. She quickly threw up a quantum field to slow down their flight.

"Move away!" She gestured towards the Science Police officers around. "I can slow down the radiation of heat, but not stop it completely!" Gigi nodded as she directed her officers to clear the remaining civilians. "Let the Legionnaires handle the firebug," she called.

"Fine with me. Looks like it's us he wants," Rokk noted grimly. The four discs on his costume levitated in front of him. "Let's end this fast." He sent two of the discs flying in front of the man, who promptly blasted them back. "You! You were there with her! Where is she?!!"

"Who are you talking about?!" Rokk replied as he maneuvered the two remaining discs behind the man.

"SANDY!!!" The name erupted from his throat as a corona of fire enveloped him. Jazmin flinched despite herself, though she maintained her stasis field; the area was not yet clear. Rokk's two remaining discs clattered to the ground as he stood in shock. "No..." he whispered. "It can't be... Inferno?"

Jazmin froze. She had made the connection at the same time. "I never even knew she had family here."

"I never even thought to check..." Rokk said grimly. Jazmin could sense the guilt in his voice.

"We have to talk him down," Jazmin noted. "Rokk, he knows you, can you..."

"Officer down!" Gigi's strident call interrupted her. Officer Reyes was screaming on the ground; flames licked at her uniform. She was rolling around, trying to put them out, but Jazmin could feel her pain. The emergency systems were not strong enough to deal with them. Jazmin quickly enveloped Officer Reyes in a stasis field. "Quickly, Lieutenant. I will need to time my removal of the field just right..."

Gigi nodded as she raced to get a hand-held chemical spray. Jazmin grit her teeth as she maintained her stasis field just so; she was thankful that poor Officer Reyes would not feel like time had stretched for her. She turned her head. "Rokk..."

"I'll do it," Rokk said. He had already put on his transuit. Calmly walking towards the man, hands raised, he spoke slowly and carefully. "Listen... are you talking about Sandy Anderson? Inferno?"

"YES! Tell me where she is!" the man screamed. Tears began welling up in his eyes, though any that fell were quickly evaporated by the intense heat he was emitting. "She went with you on a secret mission* and vanished!"

"She... she did not vanish. She decided to stay."

"LIAR!" A plume of fire blasted the ceiling. "Why would she do that?!"

"I... I don't know," Rokk said sadly. "But I can prove that she decided to stay. Here... I'll take out my Omnicom, okay?"

"No funny moves!" hissed the man.

"None..." Rokk said as he slowly reached into his belt pouch. "I'm not using my powers... See?" He slowly tapped on his Omnicom until he found the file he wanted. He was thankful that it did not show any indications the team was in the far past; their jaunt through time was still a closely held secret and any indications of where they had been - such as the time portal that had opened up in 30th century Metropolis - had been carefully explained away. He set his Omnicom to broadcast, and pressed play.

The image appeared above him; Saturn Girl's Omnicom screen calling Inferno. After a few rings, Inferno's short-haired, scowling face appeared beside Saturn Girl's calm, long-haired visage. "Inferno!" Imra said, excitement filling her tone. "We're finally going home!"

"So?" Sandy's contempt showed as strongly as Imra's confusion. "I don't have a home there. You go back if you want. I'm staying here."

"But..." Before Imra could finish her protest, the call ended abruptly.

"We kept this... as a record... in case anyone ever came looking for her," Rokk whispered. "None did until now."

"No! Lies, lies, all lies!" The man screamed as he released another vast explosion. "I don't believe this!" He began charging towards Rokk, who hastily pulled a metal shield together. "Please, listen...!"

"No, I won't! You're lying!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Rokk saw that Jazmin had finished with Officer Reyes. She was keeping the officers back a safe distance, though the ones remaining were now training their blasters on the man. Jazmin's own hands glowed, ready to release her quantum spheres at the first sign of trouble. He had to keep the man talking. "How can you be sure? I showed this to you... Look, if you surrender, we can figure out a way to go back to her. We can try. Wouldn't you like that?"

"How do I know you will tell the truth? How?"

"If I were lying, would I have showed you that?" Rokk showed the palms of his hands. "Please. Try to trust us. What do you have to lose?"

"I... I..." the man knelt down and covered his face with his hands. The fiery aura around him winked out, though fires still littered the ground. Gigi quickly ran up to him and placed restraints around his arms. "Good job, Cosmic Boy."

"Yes, good job talking him down, Cos," Jazmin said as she patted his shoulder. "Nobody died today."

"Yeah... good job..." Cos said as he stared at his Omnicom. "But I have a promise to deliver on..."

Jazmin squeezed Rokk's arm as she watched the man walk away, still sobbing. Inferno wanted to stay... so why do I feel so guilty? she thought.

*********************************************************************

IB's notes:

1) The Mordru battle was in Legionnaires 48-52; the Elements of Disaster were in Legionnaires 71-74.

2) In L* 48-52, Mysa explains that most of her friends were killed fighting Mordru.

3) The secret mission refers to the time Inferno was stranded in the 20th century along with some Legionnaires (LSH 85-100). Inferno left the team in LSH 96. She decided to stay behind in LSH 100.

Nice little story IB, so glad to see you writing again!

You obviously really like Jazmin and have rounded out her character nicely, her compassion for her teammates was well done. And who exactly is this man that he wants Inferno so badly? I've never read the stories you reference so am eager to find out more.

Rokk's love of 20th century heroes was nice too, he's a big boy scout at heart isn't he?

Looking forward to where you take this storyline and, of course, for more, more and more!

Thanks Harbi, glad you liked it! Jazmin has always cared for her team members, on the same level as Cos, which is part of what makes them a great pair.

As for this man, you might be surprised I have a couple of ideas but still deciding which one

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Legion World. The Legion Day celebrations.

The Hall was a bustle of activity, but much quieter than what was going on outside.

Outside, sentients from all planets and ages were chatting excitedly, walking around while trying to see as much as they could. Exhibits on Legion homeworlds and Legionnaire powers; holos showing great battles and humanitarian efforts; info-boards detailing the application process for the Cadet program, which certainly got many more glances than the ones for the Science Police or the various United Planets offices.

But there were no crowds clustering around Legionnaires, for all the Legionnaires were inside the Hall.

Laughter filled the air as old friends exchanged stories of the past year, sharing new relationships, career changes, and adventures had. Tears of joy were shed as families traded hugs, reveling in the warmth and comfort that waves through viewscreens could not replace. Element Lass hopped from friend to friend, doling out bone-crushing hugs and showering gifts. RJ Brande beamed as he moved from table to table, shaking hands with parents and praising their offspring.

Condo smiled happily as he rested a hand in Lyle's. His parents were there, and the Foccarts, of course. Danielle beamed at him from across the table. Even Lyle's biological parents had taken time off from their busy schedules, though their meal was interrupted by one call or another.

Lyle turned to look at Condo, and Condo melted as those brown eyes stared into his. "I have something to say," he whispered. Then he stood up.

Condo's heart lurched as the background music - a tasteful melody reminiscent of the susurration of palm leaves on the beaches of Ventura - stopped. Legionnaires, Cadets, families, allies, diplomats, servers, support staff, all stopped what they were doing and turned to face a standing Lyle, who tried to pull Condo up with him.

"What are you doing?" Condo hissed, conscious of all the curious looks.

"Condo Arlik, I have something to ask..." Lyle smiled bashfully, a smile reserved only for their most private moments. Certainly not the cheeky grin he usually wore in public.

"L-Lyle..." Condo tugged at his collar nervously. "Is this really the time?"

"Yes, yes it is. I can't wait anymore." Lyle had pulled Condo closer, close enough for Condo to smell that familiar freshly-cleaned scent. "Condo, will you..."

Then Condo's whole world began to shake.

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Legion World.

Chemical Kid, Condo Arlik of Phlon; controls chemical reactions (probationary pending completion of Legion basic training)
Invisible Kid, Lyle Norg of Earth (Australia and Israel); invisibility

******************************************************

"Condo, will you wake up?"

Condo grunted as he buried his face in his pillows, trying to ignore Lyle tugging at his foot. "Five more minutes...! I'm still sleepy..."

"Come ooooon, Condo. It's your first day of training, the last training you need before you graduate from probationary status!"

Condo yanked his foot out of Lyle's grip as he pulled the sheets over his head. "I can dress up quickly, Lyle..." He settled back in as he heard Lyle mutter and walk away. Ahh, just a few more minutes...

He stirred as he felt the blankets fly off him. Before he could react, a sudden cold stabbed his waist. He yelled, sitting up as he watched Lyle laugh at him, a bucket of ice swinging from his hand. "Come on, Condo, or I'll give you a bath right in bed!"

Condo grunted as he felt his side. The ice cube was still sitting on his sheets. "Awww... I dreamt it was still Legion Day..."

"Come on, sleepyhead. That was five days ago. We had our time off, and now it's back to work."

Condo shook his head. Lyle's announcement had been a dream. He felt a bit relieved at that; it was too soon. As his head cleared, he remembered. He and Lyle had talked about spending more time away, but they agreed that getting Condo up to speed on Legion matters was more important. So they had taken two days off - one to visit Condo's family and one to visit Lyle's adoptive family, the Foccarts - and then had come back.

Sighing, he stood up. He was more of a night owl - a habit developed by years of chasing stories during the day and feverishly submitting them at night, to try and submit before others could. News was useless if it wasn't new. He gratefully took the mug of coffee that Lyle handed him. He took a sip, then paused. "I see you tried to caramelize the sugar again."

Lyle shrugged. "I like my coffee sweet."

"Here," Condo took Lyle's mug, and concentrated on the sugar in it. Before the Monitor had taken him, he hadn't even thought of the science behind it. But now... it was in his head, and he barely even needed to strain to remember what compounds to affect. A blessing, and one of the reasons why he had made probationary Active status so quickly - far more quickly than others who had spent years honing their powers. The thought sobered him up.

Lyle took the mug back and sipped. "Oh..." he murmured. "Just the way I like it. You're getting really good at using your powers. Training should be a breeze for you. Despite how lazy you are to attend it."

Condo bristled. "You know I'm eager. You just can't see it through all my sleepiness."

"Well," Lyle tapped him on the chest. "We have just enough time before training for me to wake you up..."

Condo smiled as Lyle licked his lips. "I'm already awake, and I can see you are too..."

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Bagan, Myanmar, Earth

Blizzard, Brek Bannin of Tharr; cold projection
Kinetix, Zoe Saugin of Aleph; advanced telekinesis and animation of objects; affinity for magic
Violet, Salu Digby of Imsk; shrinks and grows own body

Matter-Eater Lad, Tenzil Kem of Bismoll; consume and digest all forms of matter. Skilled chef and Legion support staff member. (Reservist)

************************************************************

Kinetix held up her Omnicom as the sun began to rise above the plains of Bagan. Clad in khaki shorts and a cool, white button-down, her hair held back by a headband, she was the very picture of neatness despite not using her powers to get ready. "This is amazing, guys! Look, look!"

"It IS beautiful," Violet smiled quietly as she watched the sun climb higher. As it did, the dozen or so hovercrafts in the sky began winking out their lights one by one, so as not to spoil the view. Violet held her breath as more and more golden domes and brown spires emerged from the mist. Their vantage point on top of Lawkaoushaung Temple really did give them a good view of the area. "This is the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen!"

"A great way to start our trip," Blizzard laughed as he shielded his eyes. The sun was bright, though despite the warm, humid weather, he did not sweat. It was nothing compared to the heat on his homeworld Tharr; though the low-level field of cold he was projecting helped too. Bagan was one of the few places on Earth that did not use weather control unless there was an emergency, claiming that it wanted to preserve the authenticity of its ancient roots for tourists. Brek didn't mind, though he also saw no reason to be uncomfortable.

He raised his own Omnicom and snapped a few shots, marveling at how hundreds of temples could now be seen dotting the plains, where a few minutes ago there was just darkness. "Here, Zoe, let me get a few shots of you."

Tenzil munched on a small bar of energium. The alloy was manufactured on Bismoll, and he swore by it; not only did it stimulate wakefulness and alertness, but it was tasty too. He was used to waking up early - he had to, to get to the kitchen before the Legion's early risers did - but he wasn't used to climbing up ancient staircases in the darkness of night with only a flashlight to guide him. Kinetix had decided not to use her powers to light the way, saying that it would be more fun to climb up the way ancient Earthlings had done so. Well, it had been a bit fun until he had skinned his knee. Tenzil wanted to shake his head. Violet had enjoyed it, though, and he wasn't about to spoil that. He swallowed the last of his energium and grabbed his own Omnicom. "The sun's up high, Vi. You should get a shot, too."

"Let's get one together," Violet grabbed his arm and pulled him beside her. Tenzil sometimes forgot how strong she was. He smiled into the Omnicom as he felt the sun's gentle rays bathing him from behind.

"This is just perfect," Brek breathed as he drank in the view. "This is my first vacation since becoming a Legionnaire, and I don't even miss being in action."

"After all we've been through, I should hope not," Zoe teased. "We deserve a good break. And what better way than by..."

"Seeing the mystical monuments of Southeast Asia!" Brek and Violet continued in unison. Violet winked at Brek. He winked back surreptitiously; she had tipped him off about Zoe's love for archaeology, and what better spot on Earth than Southeast Asia with its magnificent temples to deities of long-vanished cultures? That it tugged at Zoe's other interest, magic, was another bonus. Together, Brek had helped Zoe craft an itinerary that hit most of the best and most well-preserved spots in just a week.

"You both know me so well," Zoe laughed. She called up a map of Bagan on her Omnicom; red circles marked the ten or so temples they had picked out from over two thousand. "I spoke with our driver. Let's hit Shwesandaw Pagoda first, then Dhammayangyi next..."

Brek smiled as he watched the sun light up Zoe's auburn hair. Once, he had thought the only important thing in life was being a Legionnaire. Now, he realized that it wasn't the only thing.

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Enwa

Ferro, Andrew Nolan of 20th century Earth (USA); previously could turn his body into durable iron, but now stuck in his iron form
Lume, of Silvan; energy being made of light
Nightwind, Berta Skye Harris of Earth (Iceland) and Enwa; wind and air manipulation. Current Legion co-leader.

************************************************************

Nightwind tapped her fingers on the window of the shuttle as her memories flashed back to Legion Day. During her closing speech, a reporter with brilliant blue eyes and a nasty grin had interrupted her to ask if she had made the command decision to abandon Legion World in order to retrieve the lost Legionnaires. She had owned up to it, publicly, because there had been no choice. "Against superior numbers, we did not stand a chance," she had added. That was what she had told the hostages as she comforted them. Most did understand. And the Legion's lawyers had assured her they had no legal liability, and the Science Police and UP Army top brass had commended her decision.

So why did she still feel bad?

Even their warm reception at Enwa's main spaceport had not chased the memories out of her mind. If she could, she would have Thresholded straight to their destination, but opening a Threshold there would have been reckless.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ferro's soft voice shook her out of her reverie.

"Oh, just... looking at the terrain below," Nightwind replied. She felt a twinge of guilt about lying. "It helps take my mind of... Legion business. I know we did the right thing back during the Invasion of Legion World, but I also know some of the hostages suffered a lot of fear..."

"You did what was right under the circumstances. I think any of our past leaders would have decided the same thing in your position," Ferro replied. His voice was so gentle, yet strong. Like he completely believed what he was saying.

"Thanks," Nightwind smiled. "That means a lot."

Ferro shrugged. "Just telling the truth." He settled down to look out the window, though Nightwind was sure he could not see much. Few besides natives could; Enwa was in the middle of its four-cycle night, which would be ended only by a one-cycle day. Only the relatively faint glows of Enwa's four moons lit the sky; they were traveling over undeveloped land now, with none of the bright lights in the cities. That was why Enwans had developed such large eyes. The moonlight was bright enough for her, but certainly not for most.

Lume seemed to be thinking the same thing. "I can add some more light, Ferro. Perhaps it will let you see more. From what I read, Enwa has beautiful geological features."

"Yes. Much of Enwa remains undeveloped. It isn't easy to terraform at night, and we are not quite as technologically advanced as the galactic average." Nightwind considered her two teammates. Unlike Lume, whom she had handpicked for this, Ferro had volunteered. He seemed very much like he wanted to get off Legion World. She would have to find time to chat with him on this trip.

The next few minutes passed quickly, with Nightwind sharing some tidbits about her mother's world. Ferro oohed and ahhed, though Nightwind was sure he did not see much. He did share a holo of the Grand Canyon from the 20th century; one of his fondest memories from his home time.

As for Lume, to its credit, it did not seem to fear the darkness of the night at all. Its time in Abyss' void and in Umbra's darkfield had made it used to the dark, though it still avoided it. Good.

Finally, the shuttle docked. As they stood, Nightwind tapped both of their shoulders. "Thanks again for coming, both of you. Now, remember, Enwa rated a visit of its own because it is a gateway to other even less-developed worlds in this space sector. And personal interaction is very, very important; where most UP Worlds could get things done via an Omnicom call, Enwa is... not quite the same."

The two nodded as they made their way off the shuttle. True to her point, the exit was manned by a plump young Enwan with a pleasant smile. Nightwind smiled as she held up her Omnicom for him to scan.

"Welcome to the city of Mountain Breeze," he bowed. "We hope you have a pleas-"

His words were drowned out as a chorus of "Berta!" filled the air. Her grandmother, two aunts, three uncles, and eleven cousins all ran to her.

"Have you been eating enough? You look like a waif!"

"Did you bring me some pluberry chips?"

"Oh cool, it's Lume and Ferro! Can you sign my Legion poster?"

"Your mom is late again, I see!"

Berta smiled as she got lost in a series of hugs. Her earlier worries and thoughts vanished as she let herself relax.

It was good to be home.

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Rimbor

Apparition, Tinya Wazzo of Bgztl; intangibility
Spider-Girl, Sussa Paka of Luna; prehensile hair, extensive espionage contacts
Timber Wolf, Brin Londo of Zuun; enhanced speed, strength, durability, senses and regenerative powers
Ultra Boy, Jo Nah of Rimbor; enhanced speed, strength, invulnerability, vision powers and flight, but can only use one power at a time

*************************************************************

"Pretty girl." Zan Mal licked his lips as the lithe brunette walked past. Her face was hooded, but her long hair fell to her shoulders. And she moved with a grace like a dancer.

He looked around. Nobody nearby, or at least nobody who would care. A man was passed out on the street; he would be lucky if he woke up with his wallet.

He pulled a knife out of his pocket and advanced. In one swift motion, he reached for her wrist with his left hand and raised his right. "Keep quiet or I'll..."

His eyes widened in surprise as his fingers went through her. Before he could react, she had slammed a heel into his instep. "SPROCK!" He doubled over in pain as another hand latched onto his wrist and twisted, causing him to drop the knife.

The woman pulled him up. "Where is Luonel Burdo?"

"Who?" He spat. "I have no idea who you're talking about, you witch!"

"He probably isn't using that name." Behind her, a taller woman came out of the shadows, long red hair billowing behind her. Zan gasped in surprise as she used that hair to pull a holo out of a belt-pouch. She brandished that same holo in front of him. "This man."

"And why the sprock should I answer you?" Zan snarled.

"Because this." The brunette twisted his wrist even farther, causing him to groan.

The redhead arched an eyebrow. "Well done. You're putting just the right amount of pressure, but a little bit more and you'll dislocate his hand..."

Zan moaned. What was it to him if this guy was found? "Okay, okay! I sold him some rations two cycles ago..."

*************************************************************

Apparition fumed as she and Spider-Girl walked away from the thug they had left tied up in front of the Science Police station. "The UP really needs to do something about this place."

Timber Wolf shrugged. "It's a fine balancing act, Tinya. The SPs are undermanned, and they can't push too far just yet because Rimbor doesn't exactly have a ruling body. Just rival gangs and clans. It will be a long time before order is brought to Rimbor."

Beside Apparition, Ultra Boy held her close. "That sprocker did give us some useful information, honey." He avoided casting a smug look in Timber Wolf's direction. Brin didn't understand Tinya like he did; he knew she did care about the situation on Rimbor, but that she also was realistic enough to know crime could not be solved overnight. No, she was just frustrated over their lack of progress.

"Yeah, like narrowing down our search to a much smaller radius. Two blocks, in fact." Spider-Girl smiled as she tapped her Omnicom. Ordinarily, she would have kept her belongings under wraps here on Rimbor, but walking around with three others - including an Emerald Dragon gang member and the Wolfpack gang leader - made it very unlikely anyone would mess with them.

"That's progress," Brin smiled encouragingly at Tinya. He had noticed her frustration over their relatively slow search, but he was just letting Ultra Boy be the one to say the right things. Grife knows he could use a little nudge every now and then. "Come on. Hubble is making his special Plevitz purple pepper pasta for dinner."

"I..." Tinya brushed her hair back, then smoothed her face into a warm smile. "I would love that. Come on, let's get some rest." She turned and beamed at each of her three teammates in turn. "And thanks again for coming over here to help me."

Jo and Brin both smiled back, while Sussa shrugged. "It's Legion business, after all." She acted flippant because she hated being all touchy-feely, but she did give Tinya a wink to acknowledge her appreciation. "Now come on. My feet hurt and I'm hungry."

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Earth - the set of UP Today

Cosmic Boy, Rokk Krinn of Braal; magnetokinesis
Magno, Dyrk Magz of Braal; magnetokinesis
Microbe, Drura Sehpt of Somahtur; generate and control harmful and beneficial microorganisms
XS, Jenni Ognats of Aarok; super-speed

Magnetic Kid, Pol Krinn of Braal; magnetokinesis (Reservist)

*************************************************************

XS beamed as she glanced around the set of UP Today. "Wow, I never imagined it would look so... so... simple!"

Beside her, Magno smiled, a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah, it is nice..."

"Thanks for coming here, both of you." Cosmic Boy's smile was much warmer, though worry tinged the corners of his eyes. "Pol and I appreciate the support. Drura is used to the positive media attention, but Pol always hated giving interviews."

"So did you," XS pointed out. "But we could never tell, even during the early days when Chu was breathing down our necks! I'm sure Pol will do great!"

"Yeah, I'm sure..." Magno muttered.

"Ah, Magno, XS, Cosmic Boy," Hectorrr Arroo called, taking care to name the Legionnaires in the order they were seated. The host of UP Today was warm and friendly, and had a way of putting all his guests at ease. His vaguely canine features and large smile helped with that. "Thank you once again for being here. Microbe and Magnetic Kid are just about done with make-up; it's your turn, Cosmic Boy." He turned to smile at XS and Magno. "I know you declined to appear on the show, but if you do change your minds..."

"Thanks, but we're fine," XS laughed. "Just here to support our good friends."

"Right..." Magno said. "Just here to give a hand to our friends."

Cosmic Boy gave them both a wide smile as he stood up to leave with Hectorrr. As they exited the room, XS turned to Magno. "Dyrk... is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" Magno rubbed the back of his head. Grife, Garth told me to be honest! Well, here goes...

"It's just... I can't... well, we were supposed to meet up with Kinetix and the others, but we decided to push it back to support Rokk and Pol, and of course Drura... well, it's fine, I'm not really that interested in old ruins, not as much as you are... but... it seems like ever since you have been gushing over Rokk... and I know you used to crush on him, before you crushed on M'Onel, and... it also makes me feel bad whenever the tabloids refer to me as a replacement Braalian, even if I joined before Pol ever did, and..."

"Oh, Dyrk." Jenni took his hands in hers, and squeezed them. "They're my friends. You're my boyfriend. Of course I want to support them, but if I had to choose, I would choose you. I just want you to tell me if anything ever bothers you."

Magno swallowed. This wasn't what he had expected... or maybe it was. Jenni was much more open and friendly than most people. She certainly wasn't the type to get all indignant like Saturn Girl sometimes did when Live Wire said something wrong... "Jenni, I... I'm sorry. I didn't want to seem all whiny..."

"You won't seem to be," XS smiled. "It's sweet of you to be concerned. But I love you, and if there's anybody on the team you should be able to be completely honest with, it should be me." She paused for a moment, then added. "And nobody on Legion World thinks you're just a substitute Cosmic Boy, least of all me. Did he train as a Science Police Officer, and go to a different universe without his magnetic powers? I don't think so."

Dyrk's eyes began to water. "Oh, Jenni..."

They kissed so hard that they didn't even hear the show start.

***********************************************************

"... and people should remember that Somahturians, just like many other species, have to go through an intense screening process to be able to leave our world safely. Either you wear a full bodysuit at all times to contain the microbes you carry, or you are tested on your control. That is the exact same procedure I went through when I left to join the Legion Cadet program."

"Your training is, indeed, well-documented," Hectorrr noted. "Thank you, Drura." He turned to the screen. "We'll be out for a short break, sentients. When we return, we will talk to the galactic heartthrob, Magnoball champion and Reserve Legionnaire - Pol Krinn!"

The applause thundered as Hectorrr switched the cameras off. "That was a wonderful interview, Drura."

Drura smiled warmly and extended a hand. "You were very kind and respectful, Hectorrr. I wish all sentients were like you."

Hectorrr returned Drura's handshake. "My pleasure. You do good work, and my world is one of those you have helped with your medical efforts. I'm happy to let the whole galaxy see just how big a contribution Somahtur can make."

"I'll second that," Pol added. He gave Drura a reassuring smile. "Wow. I don't think any Legionnaire could beat you in giving an interview."

"There's not much to it," she laughed melodiously. "Just remember your core message and stick to it. Now, I have to run to the ladies' room, but I'll join you after the break, okay?"

"And I just have to check on the write-in questions," Hectorrr added. "Don't worry, we've discussed the scope of the interview, and I don't intend to digress."

"Thanks," Pol said, though Hectorrr was already hurrying away. The break would not be long.

"And your core message is, I want to follow my own path." Rokk stepped out from backstage as he stood beside Pol.

"Rokk... we've talked about this," Pol said. He was already almost as tall as Rokk was, and he stood squarely to face his older brother. "I'm not leaving the Legion just because you're back. I mean, it's good to have you and Magno as fellow Braalians on the team, but... after all the battles we've been in, I realized it's not just for me. It's not because I feel like an inferior Cosmic Boy..."

Rokk held up his hands. "I know, I know..." The two fell silent. "It's just... it seemed so sudden, you know. I can't help but feel that part of it is me coming back to active status."

Pol shook his head. "Not completely. Even from the beginning I was having doubts. During that year when you were lost, we had barely gone on any missions, but the ones that we did made me realize I prefer the thrill of the magnoball courts to the thrill of the battlefield. Our retaking of Legion World cemented that. It's not because I want us to be in separate fields, no. You're my big brother, Rokk, and I look up to you and strive to be as good, but I don't obsess myself with beating you."

"I see..." Rokk trailed off. "That's really... Mom and dad would be proud."

"Coming from you, that is a really big compliment," Pol winked. "And... thanks for the support today."

"Of course, Pol." Rokk rested a hand on Pol's shoulder. "You won't mind if I call you little bro more, though?"

"As long as I get to call you Rokky Wokky in front of the other Legionnaires," Pol laughed. Rokk punched him playfully.

Hectorrr rushed back in, tongue panting. "Whew! Finally got all the questions sorted - we had over five hundred, twice as many as we usually get. We go live in five..."

"Just in time, then." Drura walked back in. Pol's gaze followed her, and Rokk punched his brother playfully again. Pol shot him a glare.

Hectorrr smoothed his hair as he faced the three Legionnaires. "So, we begin with Pol and Drura seated. Rokk, wait for the signal..."

Pol felt his brother's magnetic field pulse in a familiar pattern, the same way they used to whenever they were teasing each other as kids. He resisted the urge to stick a tongue out. So he admired Drura... he could. He forced himself to focus on Hectorrr's instructions, even as he felt the rising color in his cheeks.

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Pub Street, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Earth

Blizzard, Brek Bannin of Tharr; cold projection
Kinetix, Zoe Saugin of Aleph; advanced telekinesis and animation of objects; affinity for magic
Violet, Salu Digby of Imsk; shrinks and grows own body

Matter-Eater Lad, Tenzil Kem of Bismoll; consume and digest all forms of matter. Skilled chef and Legion support staff member. (Reservist)

************************************************************

Violet sipped her drink as she watched the bustling crowd of tourists outside. Pub Street had been a haven for backpackers in the 21st century, when people still traveled long distances using ancient transport. Now that they were doing the same, in a fashion - using only their flight rings to travel around instead of relying on fliers and Thresholds - she could understand the appeal. After spending a long day seeing a dozen of Bagan's best pagodas, a few hours wandering around the enormous Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar's old capital Yangon, and about an hour flying from Myanmar to Cambodia, all she wanted now was to sit and not think about anything but the nice, comfortable bed waiting for her. Thank grife she had decided to wear a transuit; Kinetix hadn't, and she was sporting a fairly deep tan that made her auburn hair seem dull in comparison. Violet didn't mind tanning, but she did mind getting sunburned. Even with Earth's ozone layer having long since been repaired, she was cautious about exposure to ultraviolet rays. Imsk's thinner atmosphere and comparatively less sophisticated climate control technology had taught her to be cautious.

Across their table at the interestingly-named Temple of Food, Blizzard was turning increasingly red. "This White Russian is AMAZING! Not like anything we ever had on Tharr... In that baking heat, you wanted to drink as little alcohol as possible," he rasped. Violet tried not to raise an eyebrow. This was Blizzard's third drink, each one a different type. He had decided to stick to Earth food and drink on this trip, and had developed quite the taste for alcoholic cocktails.

"I guess that's why you Tharrians have such poor tolerance," Kinetix giggled. This time, Violet did raise an eyebrow at her friend. Zoe shrugged. "It's nice that we're all having fun," she said casually. "Besides, I brought some Vitawater sachets along. They keep you wide awake in the morning."

"I'll probably need some of that," Tenzil muttered. "I'm his roommate, after all." He took a bite of his creamy Cambodian chicken curry and white rice. "Mmmm, coconut milk... I think Gravity would like this. His family came from this area..."

"Hey, hey, I'm not drunk yet!" Brek protested as he took another sip of his drink. "Hmm, I think I like this even more than the tequila sunrise..."

"This is probably my last drink," Violet said pointedly as she set down her own Imskian Microbrew. Unlike the others, she hadn't enjoyed the Earth cuisine as much, and had been happy to find some comforts from home. Tenzil had stopped asking her what she wanted to order, though he did always offer her a taste of his own food. "We do have a full day tomorrow, and the temples here in Cambodia are generally much larger then the ones in Myanmar."

"I know!" Zoe gushed. "Ta Prohm, where Tomb Raider 14 was filmed - like the first Tomb Raider; Phnom Bakheng, where we should really see the sunset; and of course, the magnificent Angkor Wat! And that's not even half of all the ruins here. We'll need at least two whole days to see the best of the best!"

"I just hope we don't encounter any more disturbances like the one at Shwedagon Pagoda." They had timed their visit to coincide with the sunset; the breathtaking sight of the pagodas spires lit up in the dark still stayed with her. It was so beautiful, and walking barefoot along the same paths taken by pilgrims over a millennium ago had given her chills. But the magic of the site had almost been spoiled by alarms, apparently set off by a Bgztlian who had phased through the center of the monument.

"Just don't look at me next time an alarm sounds," Tenzil quipped. "I kept my promise not to eat any of the monuments!" Violet laughed as Tenzil made a face of mock innocence. "You better," she chided. "We don't want a diplomatic incident."

"Not even RJ Brande's riches could buy my way out of a formal complaint from Winema Wazzo," Tenzil winked. "Say, they never did find the tourist who phased, did they?"

"Probably ran off to another part of the Pagoda," Zoe shrugged. "I'm just glad it wasn't a robbery or a super-villain attack. At least we didn't have to get involved. I mean, we're on vacation, after all!" She settled back in her chair. "Oh, that girl's outfit is perfect!" She absentmindedly altered her own sundress into a green one, and added a sarong around her waist. Violet smiled; at least Zoe stuck to her own outfits now. After that embarrassing incident at the club* where Zoe had made her almost naked, Violet had made her friend promise never, ever to alter her own clothes without asking. She had almost missed that while Zoe was gone, though. Almost.

For now, she was just happy to be here, on vacation, with her friend, the boy who liked her friend, and Tenzil, with his cute grin.

"I think... I need to go to the bathroom," Brek slurred as he set down his drink. "Don't worry, I'll be fineeeee," he added as Tenzil stood up, too. "I can still walk, you know..."

"Eh, I need to go too," Tenzil shrugged. Zoe flashed him a grateful smile as the two boys left. As they watched him go, Zoe sighed. "He's just having fun, you know."

"I know," Violet replied. "And he was responsible enough not to order another drink. Don't worry, I don't think he's being childish." It was the truth, though if Brek had gotten drunk enough to need to be carried home she would have said something.

"I'm glad." Zoe smiled, and Vi smiled back. It was great that they approved of each other's choices in Brek and Tenzil more. Zoe leaned back as she sipped on her own cocktail, a curious blend of chocolate milk and cognac called a Lumumba that was apparently popular in Earth's tropical regions. "This is nice; after all the intensity we've been through recently, it's great to just relax and not have any drama."

"It is," Violet agreed. "Just don't go digging up any magical artifacts again, please? Last time, we nearly got ourselves buried!"**

"Oh, you!" Zoe laughed as she took a sip from Violet's Microbrew. "I learned my lesson. Remember, I gave up all the magic in our universe to restore it!"***

"So you did," Violet smiled back at her friend.

It was turning out to be a really good vacation.

************************************************************

IB's notes:

1) Legionnaires 23

2) LSH Annual 6

3) The end of Volume 3 of this fic

Haha! Tomb Raider 14! (Only 14,though? Did they skip a century or two?) Thanks for the image links, it's so interesting that you include these places in your story.

If Zoe's there, however, can disaster be far behind?

Lyle and Condo have such a comfortable relationship, it makes me smile.

Good move to have Pol exit, IMO. Reminds us that not everyone is cut out for superhero-ing, regardless of their power.

Thanks, FC! Travel has always been my passion, which helps explain my feeling of kinship with Zoe. As for disaster following her, well, she does have a habit of finding trouble...

Only Tomb Raider 14 because they rebooted the franchise a couple of times


Glad you like the Lyle/Condo dynamic! Blaze and I are much like that in real life

Pol's exit kind of just wrote itself. He'll still be around, but yeah, this Pol doesn't much have the desire to be a hero.

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Legion World. The VR Room.

Chemical Kid, Condo Arlik of Phlon; controls chemical reactions (probationary pending completion of Legion basic training)
Dreamer, Nura Nal of Naltor; precognition
Element Lass, Candi "Princess" Pyponte-LeParc III; transmutation
Inferno, Dirk Morgna of Earth (USA and Russia); pyrokinesis (probationary pending completion of Legion basic training)
Karate Kid, Val Armorr of Omega Colony (Earth colony: Japan); skilled martial artist
Particon, Jennifer Sanchez of Earth (India and Philippines); "hard light" energy casting and manipulation, disruption of energy flow
Rebound, Chuck Taine of Earth (Canada and Uzbekistan); inflates into a durable bouncing form
Wildfire, Drake Burroughs (energy gestalt of two beings). Anti-energy being

Amp, Ming Sul of Earth (Korea and Taiwan); amplifies the natural abilities of self and others. (Legion Reservist and Cadet).
Arachno of Arachnidia; enhanced abilities of spiders (Legion Reservist and Cadet)
Beastmaster, Ilshu Nor of Lallor (Hero of Lallor seconded for training); transform into any animal
Density, Jed Rikane of Earth (Mongolia and Nepal); controls his body's density; increasing his density grants a degree of strength and durability (Legion Reservist and Cadet)
Gravity, Tel Vole of Earth (Cambodia and Thailand); gravity manipulation (Legion Reservist and Cadet)
Lamprey, Tayla Skott of Earth (Maldives and Palau); underwater survival; hydrokinesis. (Legion Reservist and Cadet).
Mandalla, Tari Wahlmunn of Takron-Galtos; projects a thought-sphere that affects the target's mental and physical functions. (Legion Reservist and Cadet)
Porcupine Pete, Peter Dursin of Earth (Jamaica and Mexico); ejects quills from his body (Legion Reservist and Cadet)
Sizzle, Teela Spuunvll of Abaddonus; absorbs and redirects energy. (Legion Reservist and Cadet).
Splitter, Floyd Belkin of Lallor; ability to detach his limbs from his torso (Legion Reservist and Cadet)
Tomb, unpronounceable of Sarccus; controls others' bodily functions (Legion Reservist and Cadet)
Vapor, Tal Nahii of Lallor (Hero of Lallor seconded for training); transforms her body into gases
Veilmist of Khundia; teleportation (Legion Reservist and Cadet)
Vision, Rhent Ustin of Earth (Egypt and Spain); microscopic, telescopic, heat, freeze, and hypnotic vision (Legion Reservist and Cadet).

*************************************************************

"Look out!" Lamprey dove as she screamed out her warning, narrowly avoiding Wildfire's anti-energy blast. Inferno was not so lucky; the blast clipped the redhead's leg. "Ouch!" he hissed. Even with his transuit on, it must have hurt.

"Here, let me help you, Dirk." Chemical Kid laid his hands over the injured area. "I can accelerate your healing..."

"Watch it!" Amp tackled Condo out of the way as yet another blast flew through the air. Despite her smaller, leaner stature, she was able to push the bigger Condo out of the way. Lamprey quickly followed, pulling Dirk to safety.

"Thanks Ming -" Condo began. Before he finished, Amp had fixed him with a fiery glare.

"You may be Active Legionnaires, but you were asked to go through Legion Basic for a reason," Amp snapped. Seeing Condo's and Dirk's abashed looks, she softened. "I'm sorry for snapping. But you have to be more alert if we want to win," she said firmly.

"We need to regroup," Lamprey said calmly as she surveyed the area. Wildfire led six Legionnaires against their team of fourteen trainees, yet even with the two probationary Actives and two champions of Lallor, they were not doing particularly well. "We need to come together, everyone," she called into her flight ring.

"I can shield us," Density said as he squared his stance. "Tel?"

"Way ahead of you." The leaner Gravity hovered behind Density as he increased his muscular lover's mass. "it's a good thing you're wide as a lightning beast, honey."

"Yeah, that's how I got you to notice me in the first... Oooph!" Jed's reply was cut off as he sank into the liquefied floor.

Element Lass wagged a finger from the other side of the room.
"Sorry, Jed dear, but I had to take advantage of your distraction!" she called. Lamprey was still amazed at how her deep, husky voice always sounded so sweet, even in the midst of battle. "I'll fix the floor later, Chuck dear!"

"I know you will, Candi!" Rebound called as he ricocheted along the walls towards Gravity, causing the lithe young man to dodge frantically. Lamprey quickly sent a spray of water at his eyes. She knew she was not strong enough to knock him of course; not with his speed. But she could at least make it hard for him to see. Chuck sputtered as he drank in some water; he quickly bounced back towards the other Legionnaires.

Lamprey breathed in relief. Chuck's brief time with powers had shown how tactically proficient he was; even when he had been a non-powered member of the support staff, he had already acted as a coach to Nightwind and the others. But now...

"I'll keep him down!" Vision called as he loosed his heat vision towards Chuck. His four eyes glowed; despite his small frame, Vision was certainly potentially quite powerful. Each of his eyes could access all of his vision powers. "I... aaah!" A burst of light caused him to miss. "I hope that magnesium flare wasn't too bright, dear!" Element Lass called from afar.

"Cover me," Amp said as she darted towards Jed. Condo quickly flew up and began blasting at Element Lass. Energy crackled through the air as his chemical powers stalemated her transmutation. Mandalla stepped up to help; the air around Element Lass' head turned hazy as a thought-sphere enveloped her. "This should help keep her off-balance," Mandalla called, her pretty face a mask of concentration. Condo smiled gratefully at her. Amp quickly reached down and grabbed Jed's hand. "With me amping you, you should be able to lower your density enough to phase yourself out of the floor." Jed grunted as he slowly eased his way out.

"Okay, who else do we have..." Lamprey looked around the room. Particon had one hand up, shielding her from a barrage of Porcupine Pete's quills. With her other hand, she was firing bolts of energy at Beastmaster, keeping the Lallorian animorph at bay even as he shifted forms quickly in an effort to break through her guard.

Wildfire was half-coated in webbing, though he used his one free hand to keep Arachno off-balance. The large arachnid had come to Tomb's aid; as one of the Legionnaires without a physical body, Wildfire had taken it upon himself to distract the Sarccan Tomb from attacking his teammates. Everyone knew how dangerous Tomb's ability to control the bodily functions of others could be.

Behind Wildfire, Splitter had detached one arm, holding it in his other like a club; he stood, scowling. Wildfire was obviously moving too quickly for him to even try to land a hit. Lamprey doubted he could affect Wildfire even if he did get a hit. She tried calling him on the flight ring again, but he ignored her.

Vapor and Veilmist materialized beside Lamprey; the latter was nursing a bruise on her arm. "We heard your call," Vapor noted, her hair still a cloud of mist. "What now?" Amp, Density, Gravity, Inferno, Sizzle and Vision clustered around as well. In front of them, Chemical Kid grit his teeth as he parried Element Lass' attacks, while Mandalla strained to keep her thought-sphere in place.

"We need to start taking Legionnaires down," Amp noted. "Density, if you can get close to Element Lass while Chemical Kid is distracting her. I can go with you. Vapor, you're the only one that can really affect Rebound, so he's your assignment."

"The rest are ours," Lamprey smiled. Amp smiled back; the two of them were beginning to work well together. Ming quickly vanished into the floor with Density, as Vapor transformed into gas. Lamprey turned towards the others. "Particon and Wildfire are being kept busy for now, but I think you can help take them down, Sizzle and Vision." Lamprey added. "Amp and I were talking, and we think that Vision can power Sizzle up..." The two looked at each other in surprise, then nodded slowly. "Of course... I can fire blasts of heat..." Vision began.

"Which I can absorb!" Sizzle clapped in glee. The red-skinned girl's short hair made her look young and perky; it matched her personality "Let's do this!" She grabbed Vision's arm, and the two ran off towards Wildfire. Lamprey turned to Inferno, Gravity and Veilmist. "That leaves Karate Kid and Dreamer..."

"Who are coming this way!" Inferno snarled at the two Legionnaires running towards them. "Keep away!" Inferno hissed as he fired blast after blast in their direction. Val jumped backwards and forwards, almost as if dancing; Nura simply glided away calmly.

"Make a wall of fire," Lamprey noted. "Try to corner him. Gravity, this is your opening."

"Let me," Veilmist smiled slyly. Before Lamprey could object, she vanished. Lamprey cursed. The half-Khundian was much smaller than most Khundian females, though she still had a relatively big frame - Andromeda big, not Element Lass big. Yet she seemed to have inherited all of the Khundian aggression. Rebound had remarked more than once that it was lucky that Veilmist had inherited her father's UP citizenship, else the Khundian Army would have come to try to retrieve her. "Veilmist's teleportation can get her close, but against a hand-to-hand combatant... Gravity, as soon as Veilmist appears, be ready."

Tel nodded as he took a fighting stance. Sure enough, Veilmist appeared behind Karate Kid, striking with her fist. It connected, but Val rolled forward with the punch. And before Veilmist could teleport again, Dreamer swooped down and gripped her neck in a nerve pinch. "Knew you would do that," Nura said softly as Veilmist slumped to the ground.

"Go, Tel!" Lamprey yelled as she loosed a stream of water onto a portion of Dirk's fire wall, turning it into steam. She hoped it would obscure everyone's vision long enough. Tel concentrated beside her, and moved his arms up in a lifting motion; she heard a loud thud. When the steam cleared, Val and Nura were both hanging from the ceiling. She gasped in relief; the steam had prevented them from maneuvering enough to escape from Tel's range.

Suddenly, she gaped as they began to move.

"How?" Dirk asked beside her.

"I'm tired," Tel heaved. "And they must be using their flight rings..."

Lamprey set her jaw as the two Legionnaires began to move, slowly, off the ceiling. "One each, Dirk?"

"I'll take Val," the redhead licked his lips. "One, two..."

A siren rang out. "Time's up!" Wildfire yelled in triumph. Lamprey groaned, as did many of her classmates. As the room fell silent, she could see Rebound clutching his throat as a cloud of pale green gas surrounded his head; it quickly solidified into Vapor. Density and Amp had just reached Element Lass, and Jed had his arm raised behind Candi. Lamprey shook her head. They had wasted too much time; if they had come together earlier, they could have actually taken down some of their opponents.

"Not a bad session, Cadets," Particon said as she helped Veilmist up. "I saw some good tactics today, though there were some bad ones, too."

"You are learning, but you need to learn some more," Wildfire added. "Fights should be ended as quickly as possible, to minimize collateral damage. Still, not a bad battle. You are improving."

Condo and Dirk looked abashed, as did Beastmaster and Vapor. It could not be easy for those of their status to face failure, especially considering their superior numbers. Lamprey locked eyes with Amp; she could see her determination mirrored in her friend's. If they wanted to make it into the Legion during the upcoming tryouts, they would have to work harder.

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Legion World

Live Wire, Garth Ranzz of Winath; electricity generation and manipulation
Saturn Girl, Imra Ardeen of Titan; telepathy
Spark, Ayla Ranzz of Winath; electricity generation and manipulation

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"Are you sure, Garth?" Cosmic Boy's voice was tinged with worry, even through the Omnicom channel, though the former Legion leader managed to keep it from dripping with shock. "I mean..."

"I'm sure, Cos." Live Wire made sure to keep his voice even. After all, his best friend was just concerned. Best friend. A long time ago, when the Legion had just started, he thought it would always be easy to call Rokk that. But a lot had happened since. When Rokk stood by as Chu expelled him from the Legion*; though it had been part of Rokk's plan to get Chu to trust him, and Rokk had explained everything in due time**. Then there was Rokk's own pursuit of Imra; it was obvious that Rokk and Imra had carried on while they were stuck in the 20th century. But then again, when Imra realized that it was Garth she loved, Rokk had finally stood aside***. For a time there, though, Garth had considered Magno his "true" best friend.

But then, their time together in limbo had reinforced Garth's friendship with Rokk. And Rokk was just concerned, Garth told himself. He slowly let go of his annoyance. "I appreciate the concern, and believe me, I have thought long and hard about it. But there haven't been any incidents. And Imra's okay with it. For that matter, so is Ayla."

"Well, you and they would know better than I would," Cos smiled. Garth smiled back. "And I have to say... it's an honor."

"I know you'll keep from messing up," Garth cracked.

"And so will you," Cos winked. "Okay then, I have to head over to Brainy's. Thanks again, Garth."

"My pleasure," Garth said. A few seconds later, Cos winked out.

Garth leaned back in his chair and sighed. Sometimes, he thought he would prefer facing Mordru again to all these preparations...

Suddenly, he was enveloped in a warm hug. "How's my handsome husband-to-be?" Saturn Girl asked as she pecked him on the cheek.

"Still handsome," Garth smiled as he leaned in for a kiss. Of course, whenever he thought of Imra, he knew all the hassle would be worth it.

Behind Imra, Spark stuck out her tongue. "Ugh, if this is a sign of things to come, I'm going to become diabetic!"

Garth stuck his tongue out too, though he kept smiling. "The next time I see you and Cham with your heads together, I'll say the same thing." It was a twin thing, and he and Ayla had long since stopped bickering all the time. Well, at least even if they did bicker, they knew they could count on one another.

He turned back to Imra. "How was it?"

"She said yes, and with only a little snark, surprisingly." Imra sighed, and Garth squeezed her hand. He had seen firsthand how deep Jancel's jealousy towards her sister ran. "I'm just glad things are a lot better between us."

"What is it with us and our siblings, huh?" Garth laughed. As Ayla opened her mouth, he quickly cut in. "Excepting you, of course, Ayla."

"You better watch that big mouth of yours, brother," Ayla laughed. "Otherwise, Imra and I are going to talk about you behind your back. All the time."

"Well, maybe not behind your back," Imra winked. "It would be fun to talk about you while you're there." Ayla laughed at the horror that spread on Garth's face at the thought of his fiancee and his sister joining forces.

"Just kidding, Garth. Maybe," Imra quipped mischievously. "Now, I have to get ready for my Monitor Board shift." Her hands moved to straighten her ponytail; she always made sure she looked perfect when on official Legion business. Ayla grimaced; she hated Monitor Board duty. For a time before they got lost in the multiverse, Gear, Chuck and Triad had been on semi-permanent duty. But since their return, all three had expressed their desire for more field work, and so the Active membership had begun rotating once more. Satisfied with her neatness, Imra fixed Garth with a look. "Are you sure you don't want me to join you, though? If you can wait, I can join you immediately after my shift..."

Garth gently kissed her on the forehead. "Thanks, Imra, I really appreciate it. But Ayla and I can handle it. I don't want to spook him, and considering his good behavior recently I think nothing bad will happen."

"Okay then," Imra smiled. "I can't wait to hear how it goes." They kissed again. Garth closed his eyes to avoid seeing Ayla mock gagging in the background. He made a mental note to zap her butt after Imra left.

************************************************************

"Just you wait until you let your guard down..." Ayla muttered as she and Garth watched their Kwai guide fly back through the Threshold. As expected, Spark had tried to get even for Garth's earlier zap. Garth had successfully parried every bolt she threw at him, though.

"Now who's acting like a child," Garth laughed. He took a moment to breathe in the pure, fresh air. "Ahh, it's good to be back here."

"Yeah. Even if we keep coming back every few days, it still feels good every time we actually are here," she replied. "Come on, race you." Before he could reply, she launched herself into the air. Grinning, Garth flew after her. It always went this way; one or the other of them would get a head start. They had stopped keeping count long since.

In minutes, they were at their destination. They could have Thresholded right outside it, but they didn't want to risk opening the inter-dimensional doorway where someone could accidentally walk through it. All United Planets worlds, and even most of the Affiliated Planets members, had designated zones for Thresholds to open. Spark stuck her tongue out at Garth again as she landed. "I didn't even need that head start to beat you, slowpoke." She stopped as she saw his face. "Hey, I know you're nervous. It'll be fine."

Garth felt the lump in his throat as Ayla placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know. But I can't help it. Grife, I feel even more nervous now then when I proposed..."

He breathed in deeply as he felt Ayla's fingers intertwine with his. "It'll be fine, Garth." She smiled at him, and he smiled back as they entered.

A smile slowly spread across Mekt's face as he saw them, even as he scrubbed at his sweat with a damp towel. He quickly set his scanner down as he walked towards them with outstretched arms. "Ayla! Garth! What brings you here?"

"I hope you don't mind if we don't hug you back, Mekt," Ayla laughed. "You know we love you, but we can love you without getting your sweat on us!"

Mekt laughed as he dabbed at his face again. "Of course, of course. Do you need mom and dad?"

"No, not right now..." Garth said as he swallowed again. He could feel his heart rise into this throat. Grife! When had he last felt like this?

Ayla squeezed his hand again. "Garth has something to ask you," she said. Garth grit his teeth. Ayla knew him too well; if she didn't prod him know, he might put it off. He quickly cleared his throat as Mekt looked at him with a smile. "Anything, brother."

Garth swallowed one more time. It was now or never. "Mekt, I..."

Mekt's mouth dropped open as Garth asked. Then everything seemed to blur as Mekt dropped his towel and rushed at Garth, enveloping him. "Oh Garth, of course! Of course I'll be your best man! How could I ever say no?"

Garth didn't even care that Mekt's sweat was dripping all over him. He was getting married to the most wonderful girl in the galaxy, with his sister as a Maid of Honor and his brother and his best friend as his Best Men. He smiled at his twin and at his older brother. "Come on, let's go tell mom and dad."

************************************************************

IB's notes:

1) LSH 72.

2) As revealed in L* 36 and LSH 80.

3) Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy were among those trapped in the 20th century. Saturn Girl latched onto Cosmic Boy as a means of security, and she even unknowingly animated his comatose body for a time. She finally stopped when Shvaughn Erin realized Cos was still comatase (LSH 96). When Saturn Girl realized her love for Garth, Cos took it like a man. Spark spoke to Garth about Imra in LSH 100, so I am assuming either she or Saturn Girl told him the whole story.

Hey IB, I don't have much time so will need to be brief with this review, sorry.

I think Pols right to step down thought it's a pity as his lack of stellar confidence like Roll is really quite sweet. Loved Drura getting the opportunity to speak up about her people, I think I'd be scared of them in real life so it's understandable why the public in your story would be concerned - nice observation about human nature there.

The training session was well done, though to be fair the students did quite well given they were up against proper Legionnaires. Amp and Lamprey are great characters, and am glad you included Candi as I've been wondering what you'll do with her in her new identity/power set.

Zoe, Tenzil, Brek and Vi seem like they would naturally be friends, you have a good group there. I'm intrigued by the person that phased through the monument - was that just random or will that be the start of a bigger mystery/ story? Guess I'll need to keep reading eh?

You have Garth and Ayla totally nailed with their banter, though I'd forgotten Mekt had been cured on this reality so it's nice to see Garth having him as one of his best men.

Loads of fun moments IB, it's always a joy to dive into your stories and be carried off on the adventures


The one problem is that I'm left with a strong desire for more, more, more and now I'll be on baited breath for the next installment

Thank you for your kind words, Harbi, you make me blush! And you certainly encourage me to write more

True, the students did very well - I was thinking about how to have them do quite well but not well enough. More on that in the next installment or so. Amp and Lamprey are a duo to watch aren't they? Both very strong-willed candidates. And Candi is still her sweet self.

Happy you liked the groupings - Zoe / Vi / Brek / Tenzil, and Tinya / Jo / Brin / Sussa. I'm going to have lots of fun with these two quartets!

Happy that Pol's decision felt realistic to you. Don't worry; like others who stepped down, we will still be seeing him quite often.

And very happy you loved the Ranzz siblings!

Thanks for the continued support

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Legion World

Chameleon, Reep Daggle of Durla; shapeshifting
Chemical Kid, Condo Arlik of Phlon; controls chemical reactions (probationary pending completion of Legion basic training)
Inferno, Dirk Morgna of Earth (USA and Russia); pyrokinesis (probationary pending completion of Legion basic training)

*************************************************************

Inferno forced himself to stay calm as he walked out of the VR Room. He hated losing... no, not quite. He hated failing. There was a difference. If he lost because of circumstances beyond his control, that was one thing. But losing because he had not given his best?

He mentally replayed his actions during the training session. There were so many times he could have done better, applied tactics that he had learned during their classroom sessions. Why hadn't he? He...

"Dirk? You okay?"

He turned to see Chemical Kid walking towards him. His dark green costume, with his logo emblazoned on the middle in silver, was almost a match for Invisible Kid's. Sometimes Dirk thought they were joined at the hip, though he understood that each had thought the other dead for a while.

Dirk fixed him with a look. They had barely spoken with one another before. "I'm fine, thanks. Why do you ask?"

"You've been muttering to yourself, that's why." Chameleon's head snaked out from behind Condo. "Sorry, my body's still in the VR Monitoring Womb. I watched the whole thing," he said matter-of-factly. Dirk wasn't surprised; many Legionnaires took a keen interest in the Cadets, even among those who had never been Cadets themselves.

"I suppose we could have done better," Dirk laughed as he put on his most charming smile.

"You actually did reasonably well, especially against six Active Legionnaires," Chameleon began.

"But that's exactly it," Condo piped in. "We're Active Legionnaires too. Probationary, yes, but some of the Cadets fight better than we do. And I'm ashamed to admit it, but Amp and Lamprey both showed more leadership than we did."

"Not all of us were expert combatants when we first joined," Chameleon said soothingly. "And knowing how to work as a team is more important than being the alpha sentient." Dirk's mouth opened to retort; Condo had said exactly what he was thinking. How could they prove that they deserved their spots on the Active team when even some Cadets were outperforming them?

Chameleon seemed to know exactly where they were coming from, though. "Still, being a Legionnaire also means knowing your limitations AND wanting to improve. Something else else you both have shown." He gave them a disarming wink. "Condo came to me for help. When we were lost in the Kwai Galaxy* I led the team's training sessions. Want to get a little extra practice in?"

"We'll help too." Dirk turned to see Karate Kid, Rebound and Wildfire walk out of the VR room. Chuck had a large smile on his face.

"We are teammates, after all," Wildfire added. "Just don't expect us to go easy on you, not like what we did back there." Dirk's heart lurched for a bit. That had been going easy?

"Your desire to improve already makes you a winner," Karate Kid gave a small bow. "Of course, training is only effective if it gives results,"
he added with a small smile that, on any other Legionnaire, would have seemed cheeky.

"Practice does make perfect," Condo smiled.

Dirk felt his mood lighten. Maybe they weren't up to snuff now, but he was confident they would be. He held out a hand in thanks. "Let's do it."

**************************************************************

IB's notes:

1) Legion Lost 1-12

Feel daunted by the length of this thread? You can also check out the Recap Thread to catch up!

VOLUME 4: MOVING FORWARD

Legion World

Mentalla, Delya Castil of Titan; telepathic control of others' physical functions.
Particon, Jennifer Sanchez of Earth (India and Philippines); "hard light" energy casting and manipulation, disruption of energy flow

Amp, Ming Sul of Earth (Korea and Taiwan); amplifies the natural abilities of self and others. (Legion Reservist and Cadet).
Lamprey, Tayla Skott of Earth (Maldives and Palau); underwater survival; hydrokinesis. (Legion Reservist and Cadet).

*************************************************************

"That was a good fight."

Amp and Lamprey both seemed to give a jerk as Particon approached them. Unlike her companion Mentalla, Particon had never been in the Cadet program with these two. Some of the Cadets still seemed a bit jumpy when around Active Legionnaires.

She doubted that was the case with these two, though. She had seen them in training, and knew they were made of stronger stuff. In fact, many Legionnaires had taken notice.

"It was," Mentalla said. Particon noted that her tone was complimentary, but not the sort of approving that a teacher would use for a student. Mentalla often helped run the VR Room sessions, but she seemed to avoid participating in them when her former classmates were involved. "And we saw you two take charge during the fight."

Particon smiled at the surprise on Amp's and Lamprey's faces. "Nobody ever told you that before? Don't worry. We Active Legionnaires do take notice."

"Thanks," Lamprey grinned.

Beside her, Amp gave a more restrained smile. "We really want to do well during the upcoming tryouts," she added.

Particon made sure to smile broadly. "I am sure you will." What she avoided saying was that the Active Legionnaires had discussed offering Active membership slots to promising Cadets even before the tryouts. Things had not been ironed out yet, so best to avoid saying anything.

"I'm sure you know that any of us would be willing to give you additional training sessions," Mentalla added. "Just ask anyone."

"Thanks. We will," Amp smiled. It seemed genuine; though Particon had a hunch that the pretty girl must be feeling a bit envious of those who had been offered Active membership after the liberation of Legion World. She had heard whispers among some Cadets that Mentalla, Chemical Kid and Inferno at least had been in the right place at the right time. These three had not been established heroes, ex-Legionnaires or long-time support staff members like Insect Queen, Rebound, Magno and Element Lass, after all. That would explain Mentalla's reticence. Well, Particon was confident that her new teammates would prove themselves. And as long as the Cadets weren't acting up because of that, she saw no need to straighten them out.

"Actually," Lamprey ventured, "we could use some help, if you are free. We could use help building our resistance to telepathic intrusions..."

"That's not something the VR room can teach well," Amp added. "And we could use help taking on multiple foes at a time, too."

Mentalla smiled; the normally stoic blonde was quite pretty when she did. "Of course, I would be glad to help."

"So will I," Particon nodded. Any Legionnaire would be glad to help Cadets, especially ones who were so eager to learn.

Hey IB, great job on these moments.

I gotta ask is Berk known for being a drunk in most realities?

The Zoe, Vi, tenzil and and berk combo works well for me and i'm wicked curious about the person who phased through the monument.

The scrimage was really well done. i liked how well Amp and Lampery tried to lead the team and then the scene between them and Particon and Mentalla is really well done and i knew they'd be joining the main team soon! i can't wait.

Dirk and Condo will be fine and i understand their frustrations after the battle. but i like the point chameleon makes. they weren't the super stars they are now of the hero game and it will be good to see these guys go through the ranks.

Im with Harbinger that it was a good idea to have Pol step down and the hero biz isn't for everyone. i also liked Dura's spotlight. i really love how well rounded and have expanded on their universe. i always felt like that was something missing in the comics.

XS and Magno are cute.

Garth's choice of best man and the whole scene was really well done and i can't wait for the wedding.

Can't wait for more!

Thanks Omni! Happy you are liking them.

My interpretation of Brek is that he's a very eager guy, likes trying new things (which makes him a match for Zoe, who thrives on change!). of course, he is so eager that he wants to try everything. I wouldn't call him an alcoholic, but when faced with a menu of things he has never had before he would want to try as many of them as possible.

You and Harbi both picked up on the phaser We shall see...

Happy that Amp and Lamrey, Condo and Dirk are all proving their potential. I think their attitudes are what makes them great - they might not be perfect now, like you said, but they have the desire to learn. And happy you liked my 20-character battle

I think Drura, Cham and the telepaths could get together, they all come from species/worlds that face distrust by others.

I'm also looking forward to the Garth/Imra wedding I hope this will be one wedding where nothing untoward happens