Mars:

J'onn J'onzz stood in the shadow of Olympus Mons, staring out at the vast valley that stretched out before him. Clouds roiled, churning in the high winds that screamed through the great rift below; Valles Marineris. High peaks and plateaus pierced the rolling fogs that raced below, trapped within the winds created by the extremes of temperature, rushing endlessly from one end of the valley to the other. Over three thousand miles long and four deep, it was still largely unexplored, uncharted. It was beautiful, perfect…

Paradise…

"Father!"

J'onn turned, shielding his eyes against the slight glare of the setting sun just falling behind the volcano. He smiled to see his first-born running forward, churning up the red dust, overbalanced by her survival packs and learning instruments. She was a joy, still wide-eyed and exuberant, but just coming of age. She had shifted just a cycle past and wanted now to learn all that she could.

It was a time for father and daughter. The learning time, the Way of the Form. J'onn was truly looking forward to it.

"Father!"

"I hear you little one. The entire valley hears you."

"Look! I made it! I'm here!"

J'onn smiled. "I see you. Come to me, now."

J'onn watched with pride as his daughter charged forward, ignoring the weight of the burden that she carried. Her smile was wide with delight, knowing what was to come. She bounded down the slight rise and came to a stop at his side, breathing hard but excitedly. J'onn helped her out of the harness that held her packs in place, setting each aside as he pulled the straps beyond the beautiful slope of her crest. Her skin was smooth, just the slightest scaling of shed as the new forms fought to the surface. J'onn forced back a tear. She would be a woman tomorrow.

He never thought that he'd see the day…

Why?

"Father?" she asked, stepping too near the edge of the precipice. He turned, saw her sway in the wind. "Will we descend tonight?"

"No, little one. Tomorrow will be soon enough. Tonight there are rituals to perform, prayers to deliver. You have much yet to do. There is a camp to set up tonight, and I must see your H'don before you rest tonight."

J'onn smiled to see his daughter sag. Her sigh was louder than necessary, for his benefit no doubt. He watched as she started to unload the packs, setting aside those things they might need for their contemplation and meditation. He watched her go about her tasks awhile longer, her excitement over what was to come barely contained.

J'onn realized that he was excited as well. He had looked forward to this for some time- years it seemed. The night was perfect; a crisp breeze making the air neither too hot nor cold. Soon the stars would shine overhead, the day star just touching the horizon and throwing the land into a sweet twilight. A soft moan rose up out of the valley, the winds like music, soothing. It was a perfect, peaceful night.

Paradise…

Star City:

Dinah flicked off the light switch and eased the door closed. She heard the satisfying click of the latch and smiled. Another day done. Another good day. She leaned into the glass and took one final glance into the dark shop, making sure that she had left nothing out of the coolers, no flowers to wither and die. Not that they ever did.

The flowers never died…

All was well within Sherwood Florist, as always. All was perfect-

"Hey, Pretty Bird!"

Dinah smiled, recognizing the voice immediately, the voice she knew better than her own. She felt the warm, firm touch of his hand on her shoulder, the gentle caress that made her feel whole. She turned, looking up into his deep blue eyes, staring at the strong, chiseled features that made him so handsome. She brushed a hand over his smooth face, rising onto her toes to meet him as he leaned down to kiss her-

Long…

Passionately…

He still took her breath away. She smiled, his hand gently caressing her huge, round belly as he stepped back-

"Oliver-"

"And how is little Halle today?"

"Kicking up a storm, as usual."

"Wonder who she gets that from?" Oliver Queen chuckled, giving Dinah's stomach a warm rub up under her baggy shirt. "She's gonna be a fighter, that one. Mark my words!"

"Duly noted. Again!"

He took her arm and steered her down the street, away from the closed shop. Oliver had laughed when she had said that she wanted to open the florist's shop. "Why would anyone want to buy flowers when they can walk out into the country and pick them for free?" he had said. She had not had an answer, but she had known that it was right. She had wanted it, and in the end he had supported her, fully.

He loved her. What else could he do?

They walked down the street, arm in arm. A slight breeze blew along the streets, the smells of baking bread and wild flowers on the air. The lights of the city sparkled brilliantly, a pale reflection of the bright stars piercing the thin rolling clouds and shining far overhead. A band played somewhere around the corner, out of sight.

"Hal called today. He and Carol will be by about seven."

Dinah smiled, leaning her head on her husband's strong shoulder. "That's fine. I was thinking lasagna."

"No chili?" he smirked, pausing as a car rolled silently past, turning down the block. "D'you have enough time?"

"There's always time." Dinah cooed softly, hugging his arm a little tighter as they started off again. Her low heels clicked over the asphalt as they crossed the empty street.

The night was perfect. Just Mister and Missus Oliver Queen, and soon to be baby makes three. She held on for dear life, she loved him so. He was her everything. Her all! Oliver Queen made her life complete. Perfect!

Paradise…

Themyscira:

Thwack!

The Princess raised her staff up, deflecting the swinging arch of the quarterstaff wielded by her opponent. She laughed, sweat trickling down her cheeks, matting down her long, raven-black hair. Her muscles ached, and her thigh still stung from a sweeping blow that had slipped past her defenses.

Clack!
Whack!

It was a good ache. One earned from hard work and determination. Princess Diana felt good, her body singing as she swung her staff about with a blinding speed, sweeping her foe's feet out from beneath her. She laughed lightly as Arani went sprawling into the soft, golden sand.

Arani sighed, looking up with her huge, blue eyes in wonderment and resignation. Sand clung to her own sweat-stained skin as she raised up onto her elbows, shaking her long, golden locks from her eyes. She pursed her full lips in a pout, wrinkling her nose-

"Will I never beat you, Diana?" she asked, her voice heavy but playful.

The Princess of Themyscira laughed, her voice the sound of tiny silver bells. She smiled down at her sister, her fellow Amazon lying prone at her feet. Arani was pouting playfully, and Diana knew it.

She looked up, wiping the perspiration from her brow, fluffing out her gossamer shift. She was hot from the exertion of the mock battle, and dirty in her own right with sand clinging to her feet and up to her knees. Arani was getting better, and had driven the Princess back and down several times with the force of her attack. Despite the heat of her body, and the grit however she felt wonderful. Perfect!

The sun was shining, sparkling over the bright blue of the hidden sea within the Bermuda Triangle. The Devil's Triangle as some called it, that mysterious place that had allegedly claimed so many lives and vessels over the years. Far in the distance, at the edge of the horizon Diana could just make out the roiling clouds that hid the island home of the fabled Amazons; Themyscira!

"Hey!"

The Princess looked down again, her reveries broken as sand bounced off of her legs. Arani had kicked sand at her, trying to get her attention. Arani smirked playfully-

"Are you going to help me up, sister, or are you going to daydream the day away?"

Diana smiled, reaching down to grasp her sister's hand. Too late she realized her mistake as Arani's grip tightened on her own, her soft skin belying the great strength of her body. Arani pulled, and Diana, already off-balance, fell into a heap beside her sister Amazon onto the golden beach.

Arani grasped Diana's arms, struggling to roll the Princess onto her back. Diana could hear the roar of the crashing waves as she struggled, allowing her friend and sister to force her back into the warm sand, pinning her arms to the ground over her head. Arani chuckled as she crawled over the prone Princess, straddling Diana's body to hold her in place. Arani stared down, gold framing her wide, grinning face-

"So!" she smiled, leaning closer. "Defeated at last! How does it feel, my Princess?"

It felt wonderful…

Perfect!

She remembered all too well the turmoil of Man's World; the constant war, the hunger and poverty. She had gone forth to spread the word of the Amazons. She had gone to bring peace to the world beyond Themyscira, and she had succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. The world beyond Paradise Island was now a world where mankind- and womankind as well- could live in peace and tranquility. War had been abolished. Hunger and disease were a thing of the past. She had gone forth to change the world, and they had actually listened. The men had listened and taken her words to heart. It was perfect…

Paradise…

Manhattan:

Kyle Rayner leaned back, stretching the kinks out of his arms and shoulders. His back popped loudly as he twisted and turned, knuckling his eyes to relieve the slightly growing tension. He blinked, glancing about and finally picking up his mug of coffee. It was still warm.

He had been working on the pencil layouts for most of the day, but he was finally almost finished. He had done six solid pages that he was happy with and another two that were passable- one more to go. Then of course came the inking before scanning the finished pages into the computer to add those special touches that made him the most sought after artist in the comic book industry. Number one at DC, doing both the Crusaders and Americommando, and the highest paid freelance artist at Marvel. Add to that his own creator owned comic with Image- the Justice League of America- and Kyle Rayner, artist extraordinaire was sitting on top of the world!

He sipped at his coffee, staring out the window at the glorious sunset. From the vast windows of his Chelsea apartment he could see the Twin Towers sparkling in the rays of the setting sun. The sky was red and glowing, and in the distance he could see a cloudbank creeping over the horizon beyond Staten Island. It seemed that a storm was coming, but he remembered that rhyme that he had learned on The Great Escape:

Red sky in morning, sailor take warning!
Red sky at night, sailor's delight!

Red skies meant no storm. A beautiful ending to a productive day. A perfect day!

Kyle spun about at the sound of the door opening. He smiled, watching his fiancée stagger through the door overloaded with bags and packages. He saw the now familiar logos of Saks and Tiffany's on the bags. She had been out shopping again, and why not? He could afford it.

"A little help here?" she called out and Kyle sprang from his stool to take her bags and kick the door shut behind her. Kyle followed as she made her way across the living room, watching the way her butt swelled in her faded blue jeans, her boot heels clacking across the hard wood floor with every hurried step. She flopped down onto the leather sofa with a tired sigh-

"My hero!" she smiled, and Kyle felt warmth rush through his body. Even after all these years he still found himself in love with Alex DeWitt. He loved her smile. He loved her sparkling eyes and her playful sense of humor. She was all that he needed really. All that he could ever want. She was perfect!

Kyle Rayner dropped onto the sofa beside the love of his life, smiling as she draped her long sexy legs across his lap. He leaned closer and they kissed, long and passionately. When they broke, he heard her gasp, and found sweat beading his own brow. He licked his lips, savoring her sweet taste.

"How goes the pencils?" she asked, glancing at his drawing board with the blank page taped to the linoleum. She saw the picture of the two of them taken in Aruba and smiled, remembering that hot and steamy vacation.

"Almost done." Kyle followed her gaze and smiled as well, his own thoughts drifting back. "I was just taking a break. I have one more page to pencil, then I'll be done for the day." He yelped as she slapped his arm-

"Then why're you sittin' here, boy?" she snapped, taking that playful, dominant tone that he loved on occasion. "The sooner you finish, the sooner you can see what I bought at Victoria's Secret. A little leather, a little lace! I think you'll like it."

Kyle flushed warmly, pushing her legs from his lap and jumping to his feet-

"Yes, ma'am!" he saluted, rushing back to his workstation and picking up a fresh pencil. The last page would not take too long as he had it all laid out in his head. It would be perfect, as long as he was not distracted. A little slice of paradise! The only thing that would make it better would be if he could psychically will the page to be done, like his favorite character- the Green Lantern!

Kyle watched Alex as she stood and picked up her bags, disappearing into the bedroom- hopefully to change. He sighed and returned his attention back to the blank page of Bristol Board. Back to work! Back to…

	The World's Greatest Superheroes..... RED MENACE Part 3: Red Sky in Morning
JLA #12 - January, Year 2	by Curt Fernlund

Russian Defense Command:
Mission Control Center
Moscow-

Rajas blinked, trying to focus. He spat blood welling in his mouth and felt the tattered remains of his teeth rattling about, scratching at his chapped lips. His head was throbbing, the pain making it hard to think and concentrate. His body ached. His mouth seemed afire. He felt something leaking from his ears.

Rajas stared at the console before him, his telekinesis focusing on the myriad display of flashing lights warning of potential shutdown. A slight siren was ringing in his ears, a lesser buzzing making his skin tingle as it raced through the wheeled chair that held him fast and upright. He spat again, drool and blood rolling from the corners of his mouth. He glanced at the medicinal controls, opening the glucose drip to full and increasing the endorphin output. Painkillers washed through his immobile body like a wave and within moments his head was spinning in euphoria. Soon, the Meta that kept him alive would start to close his wounds. It would not heal him, but it would bring him back from the brink, his regenerative powers keeping him at death's door, a shattered cripple and useless husk that housed one of the most powerful minds on the planet.

It was hell!

Rajas tried to focus, his great mind and talent adjusting the feed of the monitors spread out before him. Snow and static greeted his scrutiny as he tried to gain a picture of the battle site. His ears were still ringing as he remembered the last thing that he had seen, the relayed images of the Rocket Red armor as the Black Canary cut loose with her sonic scream and ripped his remote, artificial body in half. The shock of the disruption had made him black out, the sudden psychic pain rendering him unconscious. He wondered just how long he had been out.

A monitor flared, the screen showing a bright white as feedback whined in his ears. Rajas adjusted the gain, working the one remaining camera with the force of his will, turning it to the side to eliminate the overpowering glare. He saw shadows at first, but slowly a fuzzy picture focused through the cracked lens, coming into view.

He saw the forms of both the Justice League and his own comrades of Red Square transfixed, staring immobile at something just out of his Red's line of sight. Red Star was on his knees, his mouth working silently while Bjorn stared skyward with an idiot grin twisting his lips. His eyes were ablaze with the battle lust as his body was washed in the glaring white light. Mysta was almost invisible, her body lost to the bright glow. Only her silver mask stood out, sparkling as she stared at the source of the light.

The JLA was no better off it seemed. The Martian was still on his belly but staring skyward, and the Amazonian ambassador was smiling lustfully. He could not see the Green Lantern as he was out of the picture's perimeter, but the Black Canary was lost to the glare as well, her hands rubbing her stomach tenderly. They were all caught up in some sort of mind control- an illusion it seemed, a mesmerizing effect of the sparkling light. Being apart from the group, Rajas assumed that he was apparently immune. He grinned, his puffy, swollen cheeks aching.

Rajas thought, willing his mind to retake control of all that remained of the shattered Rocket Red armor. He saw the camera jiggle, and again he increased the gain of the live feed. The body was useless, and he could feel the servos grinding, trying to obey his unspoken commands. Grinding his bones in sympathy.

The camera finally panned upward with a jerk. Rajas caught a glimpse of storm clouds on the horizon, the pale glow of the setting sun vanishing in the distance before the glow took hold of the screen. He implemented screens and filters across the lens of the camera, trying to cut the glare as he adjusted the sharpness in the picture quality. He dimmed the colors, leaving just enough to offset the brilliant white, expanding the frame as he magnified the shifting shadows that he glimpsed within the glare.

Rajas gasped-

The creature was… beautiful. Perfect!

Rajas was not a religious man, and the religions of his two countries were far and away from the import of what he saw, but he was not ignorant. Rajas knew immediately just what he was seeing, what the being appeared to be. He had thought that it was the Hawkman at first, another member of the League come to help. The huge wings beat slowly, flapping, keeping the being aloft. Then he saw the pale white skin and the golden armor etched with glyphs and sigils, symbols of power. Rajas saw the fiery, flaming sword, the glowing eyes that had seen Creation and saw too Armageddon, the end of all.

It was an angel…

Rajas' skin was tingling. His head was spinning as the painkillers coursed through his system, making him dull and docile. He injected pure caffeine into his blood to counter the numbing effects of the medicines, then called for a fresh cigarette in order to think. A waldo extended, slipping a smoldering butt between his pursed lips as he checked his working arsenal. There was little he could do as few of his systems were still online. His radio was working. IR scanners were operational. His emergency beacon was intact as well- a high pitched signal!

Rajas smiled-

Mars:

J'onn J'onzz watched, smiling as K'hym shifted forms. Her arms extended, lengthening and expanding with a thin membrane of wings. The slight sloping crest of her skull shrunk back and away as her body slimmed, taking on the aspects of the R'okn- the ancient bird of the H'lter Plains. She had the image well in mind, but J'onn still saw fault here and there.

"Make your wingtips longer and more pointed. Your tail should be thicker for stability in the winds."

J'onn watched as she adjusted to his suggestions. Her slim green body morphed, swirling like thick water as she adapted the form that she had chosen for descent. In just a few short months she would be capable of assuming forms of her own design. She would have a strong wardrobe with his help, and the help of her mother. She would be able to adapt to any situation soon enough, but for now she would have to make do with templates that she recognized from the Learning.

"How's this?" she asked, her voice croaking through the long beak and J'onn's smile grew. He was so proud.

"Perfect!"

K'hym smiled and waddled up to the precipice. The valley stretched out before her, the clouds roiling and spinning red dust as a storm grew to the east. J'onn thought that they would be in no danger as he stepped up to the cliff's edge beside his firstborn. He assumed the shape of a D'llan, a bit more complicated than his daughter's form but better able to cope with the high, whistling winds that echoed about them. He looked at his daughter, his life and smiled warmly-

"Ready, little one?" K'hym nodded, licking her beak in anticipation. J'onn nodded in return.

He watched breathlessly as his daughter stepped off of the edge of the high cliff and began to plummet. She arched her body, spreading her wings to catch the air and suddenly swooped up, soaring higher and higher. He stared, swelling with pride, remembering his own day of ascension as his daughter dove and glided through the air currents rising from the valley. Far and away lightning flashed and thunder rolled soon after. The skies glowed a fatal red.

A scream and J'onn turned to see his daughter falling towards the roiling fog down below. Caught in the grip of the shrieking winds, she was not experienced enough to save herself. J'onn screamed, his own voice feeble before his daughter's and the high-pitched wail of the rising winds. She disappeared into the churning clouds even as he stepped off of the cliff, vanishing before his eyes.

The winds screamed high and sharp and he found it hard to concentrate as he circled, watching. His form wavered and it took all of his control to hold his shape. It was becoming hard to think. He saw a flash of light-

His daughter rose up from the clouds, her face twisted in fear and pain as the flames lapped at her, engulfing her in a blaze. Her body was melting as she clawed uselessly at the sky, trying to climb up and out in a panic.

"Father!" she screamed before vanishing down below again, a dwindling, dying flicker swallowed by the clouds.

"H'ronmeer!" J'onn whispered, diving towards the fog. It was the Curse! The Curse of H'ronmeer come to Mars at last-

Only that was not right. This was not right!

K'hym had not lived to Ascension. She had died when the Curse had struck, not long before he had been whisked away by Professor Erdel. The sole survivor of his race. The last man of Mars trapped forever on Earth.

A world he never made…

J'onn screamed! Screamed the name of his daughter as he fell into the storm, the wind screaming back again…

Star City:

Dinah Laurel Lance-Queen set the bowl of green bean casserole onto the tabletop and slipped into her chair with a weary huff. Her back hurt, and her feet were aching, a wonderful soreness of pregnancy. She could not complain.

She smiled, glancing between Oliver and Hal as they argued, debating the use of finances in Ferris Aircraft where Hal Jordan was a retired test-pilot and advisor and Ollie was a finance manager. They always argued it seemed, whenever they got together. They were the best of friends, but it was their way. She was glad that Carter was not there as well. Dinah glanced at Carol and both women burst out laughing.

"What?" Oliver stared at the women, a perplexed look on his face and Dinah smiled.

"Nothing, love. Nothing at all."

Dinah took a bite of lasagna and glanced towards the living room. Olivia and Sam were watching television, fighting over the volume, which was becoming louder and louder. Carol Jordan turned towards her children and scowled-

"Olivia! Turn that down! Now!"

"Yes, mommy!" was the feeble response, but Dinah noted that the volume did not go down. If anything, the high whine got louder. She gasped, feeling Halle kick!

"Dinah?"

Oliver was suddenly at her side, clutching her hand, feeling her stomach.

"Dinah? What is it? The baby?"

"I- Oh!" Dinah squealed as pain stabbed into her stomach. She felt something pooling between her legs.

"Jesus!" Carol gasped. "Her water's broke!"

"Shit! Whatta we do?" she heard her husband, his voice high and excited. She gasped, panting in pain, trying to catch her breath.

"I'll call 911!" Hal shouted, raising his hand to his face and talking into his knuckle. Dinah squealed as pain ripped through her stomach, her head! She could not think. Oliver squeezed her hand, his skin cold and clammy.

"Hang on, Pretty Bird!" Oliver shouted.

Dinah turned, trying to smile as she squeezed back. She saw Oliver's face disappear in a flash of light, a roll of thunder that shook the apartment. Oliver dissolved, his body blown on the wind.

Hal was screaming into a green and glowing ring on his finger.

Carol was crying!

Oliver was dead-

Dinah screamed…

Themyscira:

Diana arched back, her head pressing into the sand as she forced Arani back and off of her. There was no real need for the battle. There was no more war! There was no turmoil beyond the confines of Themyscira, but it was fun! The Amazons were a warrior race, in the end, their history long and convoluted with battles, and they all liked to spar. These mock fights kept them all at their peak just in case.

Diana's eyes snapped wide as she gasped for breath, gritting her teeth as she forced her adversary back. Arani was stronger than she had realized. Stronger than she remembered. She saw the world inverted, the sea glowing red as the sun melted into the horizon. Storm clouds rolled closer with every beat of her heart. Lightning flashed and the ground shook with thunder. Diana screamed!

The storm boomed, thunder slamming her into the sand. Diana heard Arani scream in terror as lightning lit the sky and blazed across the beach. Winds whipped by, blowing her hair and shrieking in agony as the very sky seemed ablaze. Her body tingled, flashing with energy as she sat up-

Arani was vanishing, her body disappearing as the red clouds swirled about her, engulfing her. Lightning arched through the sky, fusing the sand to glass that cracked under the peals of deafening thunder that rolled and rolled into one. Diana grasped at her head, covering her ears against the noise, screaming for it to stop. It had all gone wrong!

Arani was dead.

She always had been. She had been one of those who had died in the Crisis, defending Themyscira. Diana remembered. She knew the stories. She had never known Arani…

Diana, Princess of Themyscira screamed…

Manhattan:

Kyle Rayner cursed and scrubbed at the page with his kneadable eraser. He was rushing, making stupid mistakes. He had given the Flash six fingers in one panel, and made the Batman's ears too long in another. He was losing it, losing his edge.

Thunder boomed outside and the lights flickered in response. Apparently James Garner was wrong. There was a storm brewing, a real thunder bumper that threatened to drown the city and take away the lights. He had to hurry.

Kyle heard the shower come on, the faint rush of water in the other room. His heartbeat quickened as he imagined Alex naked, the water racing down her body. He turned back to the page and cursed. Superman wasn't even in this issue!

The doorbell screamed, making his head throb.

It screamed again!

"Got it!" Kyle sighed, pushing away from his work and shambling across the floor. The lights flickered and went out just as he reached for the cold, brass knob-

"Great…"

He cursed, turning the knob and opening the door. He wondered who the hell had gotten past the front desk unannounced. A pale light glowed from without-

There was a refrigerator in the hallway…

His mind was screaming, bleating warnings of danger as he glanced out into the dim, deserted hall. There was no one about, and the elevator was still there, wide open, the glow of its emergency light washing into the hall. In the background he heard the water of the shower rattling, beating down. He reached out and grasped the handle of the refrigerator door-

Kyle Rayner screamed, bile rising in his throat. He gagged, staggering back, vomited-

It was Alex!

Her body was mangled and twisted, made to conform to the confines of the box. Her arm was wrapped up and behind her head at an odd angle. Her eyes were wide and staring. Questioning-

Why?

Kyle Rayner wretched again. He could not scream…

The Russian Federation:
Siberia, just north of the River Lena-

J'onn J'onzz blinked, trying to force away the images that had been burned into his mind. He would forever see the false images of his daughter burning. He would forever feel her agony in his mind's eye. He had known rapture! Ecstasy!

Now there was only the hollow feeling of loss.

All about him he could feel the psyches of friend and foe alike as they shook off the effects of whatever had controlled them. It had been like paradise, a perfect world- at least to a point. He had known and shared the love of his daughter and watched her mature. It had been Heaven, at least until Hell had intruded and twisted his dreams into a nightmare. He had watched her die… again! A different death, but death nonetheless. And as before, there was not a blessed thing that he could do to save her.

He heard Diana moan, felt her struggle in his mind. The psychic bond that they shared made her pain his own. But she was a fighter. She was a Wonder Woman! She would survive. Dinah was gone, at least for the moment. Her mind was a raging storm, a whirlwind of emotion. He saw her there, sitting on the cold hard ground, her eyes wide and full of tears. She was rocking forward and back, holding her stomach in agony. Kyle was little better. His mouth was wide and agape, locked into a silent scream as he hovered not so far overhead. They had both seen a pain at least equal to his own. A rapture that had been ripped away, leaving a hollowed shell behind. They had not learned to deal with their pain yet, as he had.

"Who are you?"

J'onzz turned, hearing the voice. He saw Red Star staring up into the glare of pure white light that shone over them all. He had reformed the energy shield at his wrist, and his face was twisted in anger and pain, but J'onn could see that his whole body was trembling. He was dead on his feet. So too, Bjorn stood, his weapons in hand and a look of battle lust creasing his face. He had not broken free of his bliss as yet. The woman- Mysta hovered over them all. Her body spiraled upward, her arms spread wide as she reached for the heavens. J'onn wondered just what she was seeing.

J'onn J'onzz turned his attention on the glare over the shattered egg. He could see sparks flying from the shell, the casing cracked and shattered, flames leaping towards the sky. He saw circuitry and knew that it had been a ship of sorts as they had suspected, not so different than the Kryptonian incubation matrix that had contained Kal-El so many years ago. There was no child here though. No babe in arms…

The being hovered over them all. His massive wings beat slowly, keeping him aloft in the frigid swirling winds. His body was white, pale and sparkling in the waning light of the sun. His golden armor shone with a glow all its own, words of power ablaze, screaming his glory. He was perfect. Beautiful! Paradise…

"I?" his voice was soft. Melodious. Booming like a thousand church bells on Sunday!

"I am Zauriel!"

Part Five:
Red Sky in Morning…

Russian Defense Command:
Mission Control Center
Moscow-

Rajas opened his mouth as wide as he could as the oral surgeon forced the extractor between his chapped lips. There was a lot of blood, but he felt nothing as the dentist pulled his left bicuspid from his mouth with a satisfied grunt. Another technician was feeding a probe into his ear while a nurse wiped down his chest with alcohol and cotton. Armed and armored guards trained their rifles on him.

"What happened next?"

"Uhh enngll seh ee uzz oin oww oooh uhd uhh orll…"

Colonel Wut stared at Rajas with disdain, biting down on his thick cigar smuggled into the Federation from Cuba to avoid the new tariffs. Smoke billowed about them and Rajas breathed deeply, wishing that he had his own cigarette. His body was starting to shake from withdrawals.

"What?"

Wut waved away the technicians for a moment and Rajas worked his jaw, trying to talk. His entire face was numb, and his ears were so stuffed with sterile cotton that he could barely hear the Colonel's voice.

"The angel said he was going out to judge the world." Rajas stared at the Colonel as his repeated words seemed to sink in. It was bizarre of course. Unbelievable, but the truth. It had happened, and Rajas found that he did not really care if Wut believed him or not. He found that he was missing Kurev.

"The angel…"

"That's what he said he was. It's all on tape. He said that he was the angel Zauriel, of Heaven's Eagle-Host, cast out of the Silver City and made mortal. The Herald of the Host, come to weigh mankind as he had so many other peoples in the Infinitum- whatever that is."

"An angel…"

Rajas sighed.

"Colonel. I am agnostic. I've seen too much to believe in heavenly hosts, no matter the religion. I will admit to feeling a certain awe, even from thousands of miles away and over a camera. The angel, the Meta, whatever he was had a presence. He was electric! However, if you want to learn anymore I suggest you speak to my teammates, or perhaps pay a visit to the moon and ask the Justice League their opinion. I can only give you what I saw on my camera."

Wut rolled his cigar to the other side of his mouth in a cloud of blue smoke. "How did the Metas react to this news?"

Rajas would have shrugged had he been able. "Bjorn and Mysta never came out of their stupors. Whatever this Zauriel did to them had a lasting effect. Red Star stepped right up and confronted the angel however, and the Martian was right at his side. The Amazon at that point seemed to regain her composure, but the Black Canary and the Green Lantern remained incapacitated. I think whatever Zauriel did to them opened wounds that they had yet to reconcile. I-"

"And you are a therapist now, comrade?" Wut stared at Rajas, his dark brows knitting in annoyance above darker eyes. Rajas tried to smile-

"Cigarette."

As the waldo extracted from the machine, Rajas saw the Colonel's hand snake out and pluck the smoldering butt from the small metallic claw. Wut crushed the cigarette in his hand, ignoring the burn and dropping the stub to the floor.

"I expect your report by 0:700 tomorrow." Wut turned to the guards. "Secure the tapes." Then to the medics, "Continue."

Rajas watched as the Colonel turned and stepped off into the darkness of Mission Control. The guards snapped to attention for a moment- at least until Wut was out of sight- then they stepped forward and ripped open his consoles, stealing everything that resembled a video or audio recording; VHS, PAL, digital- they took it all.

"Open wide."

When the guards had departed, the medics went back to work. Rajas could do nothing but sit and let them. His body was shattered after all. Dying, slow but sure. The dentist would cap the stubs of his teeth, and the nurse would clean his wounds but it was a losing battle. Rajas was dead, he just did not accept it yet.

He thought, his mind sifting through the data remaining on the computer and drawing upon the saved JPEG's that he had stored within the security programs. He opened the last recorded image and stared at the picture as the oral surgeon yanked on his molar.

Zauriel hovered in the sky, yards above Red Star and the Martian. In the background, the Amazon was strolling forward to listen to the alleged 'Word of God'.

"I am come to judge the world!" he had said. "Prepare!"

With that he had risen into the sky, his flaming sword pointing the way. The Martian had tried to follow, but he was still weak from whatever they had all experienced. By the time that the Martian had risen just a few feet, the angel had sped away, vanishing in a golden stream of light.

The Martian had hovered there for a moment, then sullenly floated back down to earth. He seemed awestruck, and Red Star was no better off by the look of him. They were at a loss for words. The Martian eventually gathered his wounded and together they all disappeared after a bit, no doubt teleporting back to their base on the moon. Soon after the transports arrived and the Rocket Red was shut down pending maintenance, the image lost.

Rajas stared at the static image on the screen. He stared at the beautiful image of perfection floating there. Paradise, so he had said. Rajas wondered if it were true.

Rajas wondered how he would be judged in…

The End

NEXT ISSUE: Just what is wrong with Superman? Be here next time as the Batman, and eventually an almost full roster of the JLA try to find the answer in…

IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME...