The
Void: Beyond the Outer Rim lies the vast area of space with
various names envisioned by many races translated: the Wastes, the
Barrens, the Vast Empty, the Dark, and known collectively in the United
Planets as the Void. By any name it is that vast, seemingly
infinite area surrounding the known universe containing virtually
nothing beyond a certain point.
Many theories abound as to the physical reality and logistics, if not
purpose for this largely unexplored area. Most widely accepted is
the belief that it is simply the area beyond waiting to be filled by
the ever-expanding universe after the ‘Big Bang and is not truly
empty but composed of Dark Matter. Theological Fundamentalists of
many cultures believe this is the area beyond Creation, separating the
worlds of Man from appropriate Heaven/Hell dimensions. String
Theorists speculate that this empty area is in fact the space between
dimensions and go on to believe that if one were to travel far enough
another expanding universe would eventually be encountered.
All theories are as yet unproven, though exploration continues most
notably by RJ Brande and his efforts to ‘Unify the
Universe’ through strategically placed Stargates developed in
conjunction with the star-wandering Kwai and the Insectoids of Vryga.
--1,000,001 Fun Facts about the Universe (You may or may not know, or
want to); compiled by Q-raC of PizCa 3—
The Legion Cruiser Nolan Location: Unknown…
“Are we there yet?” Salu Digby whined as she
fidgeted in her seat staring at the blackened forward view screen that
had not changed in hours save for the occasional flickering speck that
was Dawnstar’s retreating form. Glancing at the chronometer
set into her workstation she saw that it was indeed hours, though
oddly, truly she did not feel any real fatigue other than from sheer
boredom. She was bored due to the fact that she had drawn the
navigator’s chair for their journey to Gala, but since being
rerouted by Cosmic Boy to investigate a long range distress beacon and
picking up Dawnstar en route, her purpose had become redundant other
than to push the button that would record the track for future
reference. She had done just that almost nineteen hours ago, and
aside from the occasional scrutiny of the readings, she had had little
to do since.
It had been six hours before that since they had linked up with
Dawnstar at Outland Station 6,
a Khundian dilithium mining station on the fringe of the Outer
Rim. Luckily, Salu supposed. Had Dawnstar not been close
enough they would not even be as far along as they were now.
Mon-El would have had to go on alone probably, with The Nolan following at a space
slug’s pace of Transwarp 15 with little to do but meet him on his
return trip perhaps a bit closer. Once past the last detectable
bits of mass of the Rim however, Dawnstar was able to employ her own
mutant ability resembling interstellar trans-warp.
“An ability I rarely get a chance to use,” she had
explained once she had come onboard and rested for a bit.
“It… causes problems for stellar bodies and I can only
employ it in areas of uninhabited space free of anything but the
smallest physical matter.”
AKA dust, Salu thought at the time. To hear Brainy explain it her
power would rip the atmosphere from any planet that Dawnstar
inadvertently passed too close to, sucking it into the slipstream of
her wake. Obviously not a good idea in the more densely populated
areas of the galaxy. Here in the Void however, Dawnstar got the
chance to spread her wings, so to speak. And Brainiac 5, always
intrigued to surmount any barrier adapted the shields of the
Legion’s Deep Space Cruisers to accommodate Dawnstar’s
slipstream. Salu did not even want to know how, though as she
understood it he had incorporated theories as presented by the finest
minds of Bgztl on co-habitation and inter-dimensional contact with the
Phantom Dimension.
And that Salu’s mind was wandering in that direction was a clear
sign of the sheer amount of boredom that she was enduring. She
sighed heavily realizing that no one had even responded to her
question. She glanced at Mon-El and Shadow Lass who were speaking
in whispers at their own stations on the cruiser’s bridge.
At least they had each other and the slight bit of intimacy that they
could share in closed quarters.
As co-pilot and communication’s officer respectively, they had as
little to do right now as Salu. Colossal Boy had drawn the
pilot’s position for their trip with Mon as back-up so Gim Allon
was really the only one that had to stay one hundred percent attentive
for the journey, adjusting the course to accommodate Dawnstar’s
slipstream. Tasmia, like Salu had become redundant as all
communication with anyone but Dawnstar ended as soon as she went to
warp, and now everyone ‘heard’ her only via the
tele-translator earbuds that they all wore.
Salu looked at the back of Gim’s body and saw that his hands were
passing over the control panel adjusting their flight. Salu
sighed again mentally cursing Rokk Krinn for interrupting their
much-needed vacation to the pleasure planet, Gala. It was
supposed to be the next step in she and Gim’s blossoming
relationship, but of course when duty called that all went out the
window with Gim. He was all business now and barely spoke beyond
mission status since they had entered the Void. Salu was
definitely having second thoughts about him and was definitely missing
Qued, though her recent encounters with Duplicate Boy had been few and
far between. At least outside of the Holo-Chambers on Legion
World –
I’ve reached the beacon’s
origin point.
Everyone visibly jumped at Dawnstar’s thought. And everyone
jumped to task: Mon-El shifting back to the control board as Tasmia
slid back to the communications console. For her part, Salu
quickly logged the specs for contact into the records and set the
computer to task triangulating position, impossible as that seemed.
Slowing for re-entry as soon as you
catch-up, slowpokes.
Dawny was definitely spending too much time with ERG, Salu thought even
as Gim responded The Nolan’s
status. Shrinking Violet looked up to the screen as
Dawnstar’s distant form eventually grew and became distinct from
a pale speck to the exotically beautiful Anazi Indian of Starhaven, her
glorious wings outstretched as she rode the cosmic winds of
Hyperspace. Salu saw her turn, arcing through her own slipstream
as the cruiser neared, and then the deathly black onscreen abruptly
changed…
Legion World Docking Bay 20
Chuck Taine appeared a harried mass of tension Brainiac 5 noted as he,
Invisible Kid and ERG hurried down the still lowering access ramp of The Arlik trying his best to ignore
the cloying release of compression gases and hydraulic steam from the
Cruiser’s evaporators. Taine’s usually jovial
features were taut and stressed, the skin of his plump cheeks red and
glistening as though he had been crying. And as soon as they all
drew near Brainiac concluded that, that was indeed fact.
“Thank the Creator you’re finally here,” the former
Bouncing Boy turned Legion Academy Headmaster said with a quivering,
scratchy voice. “It’s been hours.”
“Easy, Chuck,” Lyle Norg said placing a hand on his fellow
Earther’s shoulder. “We got here ASAP as soon as we
got the emergency call; took the Stargate at Beacon 23 but it took us
some time to get there, then here.”
Brainiac saw Taine sag a bit; breathing deeply in effort to calm
himself, remembering the Reserve Legionnaire’s reduced physical
conditions brought on inadvertently by the ‘super-plastic
fluid’ that initially gave him his inflating powers. The
fluid had, over the years, changed Taine’s physiology and
adapting his body to the powers that it imbued him with while at the
same time creating immunities within the man’s system that
prevented some of modern medicine’s simplest drugs from working
on him. Taine thus forever suffered from medical conditions such
as high-blood pressure, leaving him continually on the verge of a heart
attack or stroke if he did not regulate his food intake and
consumption. Looking his former teammate up and down, Brainiac 5
could see that he had been lax.
“I know,” Taine continued seemingly more in control,
“it’s just I’m frantic over Luornu.”
Brainiac 5 looked up and noted Val Armor approaching, looking his usual
grim and stoic self. He had not been the same since Projectra had
returned to Orando to ascend the monarchy and throne some month’s
prior. Rumor was that they had had a heated discussion the night
before she left and that she had revealed some dark secret to her lover
that had left him shaken. Luckily Brainiac ignored rumors and
preferred to deal in facts.
“Just what IS going on, Chuck?” ERG said as the Karate Kid
joined the group to walk towards the exit of the Hanger Bay.
“Rokk’s message was pretty garbled by the time it reached
us in the Outer Rim. Something about Duo Damsel being
kidnapped?”
“It’s true! She was kidnapped by the Emerald
Empress!” Taine’s voice rose an octave at least as he
cast a wild-eyed look to his friends. Brainiac 5 withdrew his
tricorder and scanned his friend’s vital signs frowning.
“You need to calm yourself, Bouncing Boy. Relax and tell
us. The security monitors – “
“Yeah! They caught the whole thing. We reviewed the
Vids but Val was right there!”
“It’s true,” the Karate Kid said as he led them
through the thick doors and into the brighter hallway beyond.
Brainiac saw several cadets scurry off and try to look as though they
had not been loitering, noting Infectious Lass and Pol Krinn,
Rokk’s brother among them. He noted too that Armor was
wearing his old orange Legion uniform though he did not know why, not
that it mattered he supposed.
“Tell us,” Brainiac said as he turned the audio recorder on
the tricorder to life.
“I did not see the Empress, actually, but I did see what was
definitely the Emerald Eye. It defeated me quite swiftly,
I’m somewhat ashamed to say.”
“Probably a little payback for the time you shattered it,
Val.” Drake Burroughs laughed an obvious attempt to lighten
the mood in their group as they moved down the corridor. Norg
smiled, but that was the extent of his efforts.
“Perhaps. Regardless the Eye took me out after it phased
into the hallway. Duo Damsel and I were en route to the showers
in the Gamma Level Training Facility when it attacked. When I
woke both the Eye and Luornu, and the Empress apparently, were gone."
“I wish to review the video.” Brainiac 5 slipped the
tricorder back into its holster dangling from his Force Field Belt
though leaving the recorder running. He marked the passage of the
corridors and saw that they had entered Gamma Level and were apparently
going to visit the crime scene.
“I’d hoped you would, Brainy,” Taine said with a
forced smile. “I’ve been watching it since I called
Rokk though and I’ll be damned if I can see anything.”
“You might be a little too close to this, Chuck,” Lyle Norg
said, his hand on his friend’s shoulder again. “Let
me and Brainy take a look. If there’s anything there,
we’ll find it.” Chuck Taine nodded as Brainiac
dismissed the urge to correct Norg on his name once again.
They entered the corridor where the abduction had taken place and
Brainiac 5 noted with approval that the Legion World’s Security
Staff were hard at work and on the job. The hallway had been
cordoned and secured, guards placed at both ends of the scene but well
out of it and security/forensic Droids were still in the process of
scouring the area. The small, multi-task robots were zipping
about the corridor, skimming the floor, walls and ceiling and scanning
for the slightest clue. He doubted they would find anything
beyond the unique energy residue left behind by the Emerald Eye of
Ekron; a confounding mixture of otherworld science and what Mysa Nal
deemed magic. It was annoying to him as he could isolate the
signature but never categorize the components. Still, the efforts
of the Droids would save him time later after their collected
information had been collated and scrutinized.
“Not really much to see here,” Taine said as they all
stopped at the cordon.
“That remains to be seen,” Lyle Norg said with a grin as he
stared down the hallway. Brainiac 5 concluded that the Invisible
Kid was shifting his sight beyond the normal spectrum. A lesser
effect of the 19th Century serum that he had rediscovered and consumed
to gain his ability to warp light in various intensity about his form
was the ability to view things on levels beyond those of normal
Earthlings. J’onn J’onzz had stated once that Norg
could indeed ‘see’ well into the range of Martian sight,
far beyond the range of the average Earther.
Likewise, ERG was casting his gaze about the hallway. Testing
with Drake Burroughs initially that he could imitate if not duplicate
many of the powers exhibited by his fellow Legionnaires. He could
compress his mass like Shrinking Violet or expand it like Colossal
Boy. He could phase like Phantom Girl, realize the strength of
Superboy or Mon-El and- because he was now a being composed of pure
energy held together within his containment suit- he could
‘see’ radiation in all its varied forms, including the
unique signature of the Emerald Eye of Ekron.
“There’s definitely scoring, Brainy,” Lyle Norg
finally said. “It’s fading, but the whole
corridor’s splattered green.” Norg shuddered a bit,
then rubbed his eyes.
“He’s right,” ERG agreed his usually dark visor
swirling with a myriad of colors queerly reflecting the images of all
present as he scanned the hall. “I can see the spot where
it came through. Almost gone now, but the exit’s
still…
“Chronal!” ERG suddenly shouted stepping blindly through
the cordon and past security. Taine waved the guards to stand
down as ERG raised a hand and seemed to be feeling empty air.
“Brainy, there’s Chronal energy mixed in with the
Eye’s magic,” he said.
“You’re certain?” Brainiac 5 asked dubiously.
ERG was not necessarily the most reliable source despite his past.
“We just spent the last week setting up the Time Beacon and its
relays. Damn, Brainy I see that signature in my sleep.”
Brainiac 5 frowned, ignoring Bouncing Boy’s sudden flurry of
questions and trying to concentrate. Definitely an unexpected
connection, he would have to contact Rond Vidar and alert him first
then contemplate the situation. He needed some time alone,
without the prattling of his peers. He did not see the
connection… yet.
But he would.
Time Stream Year 2011 The Hyper-Time
Line of Earth 1
“A job well done,” Rip Hunter said as the pirate ship
rocked in the rippling currents of the Time Stream. The ride seemed
a little bumpier than usual to him as he popped the cork on the
champagne; Dom Perignon 1966. Their mission a success, the crew
of the good ship Command D
was en route back to times unspecified.
“Is that wise?”
“Oh, live a little, Mark.” Rip Hunter smirked at the
android Hourman. He had long since given up trying to sort the
lineage, Hourman to the Nth he figured. Rex Tyler was probably
spinning in his grave.
Though on reflection he seemed to recall that the first Hourman
wasn’t quite dead yet. He shrugged and poured the champagne
into one glass, sighing as he looked about the deck of the ship.
His companions were two androids, both of which could partake but
generally chose not to, and a young man with an addiction problem- not
to alcohol but he never wanted to take the chance no matter the rare
vintage they got a hold of in their ‘visitations’.
Rip tipped his glass back and poured a refill.
“Lighten up, crew,” he said raising his glass.
“We’ve stymied the Lord of Time for… a time, and he
won’t be causing problems at the big JLA shindig in the 21st
Century*. Time for
some celebration I think.”
*JLA #58, now
on sale for free - Curt
“Don’t hesitate on our account,” the Tomorrow Woman
said with a smirk. Not for the first time Rip Hunter smiled as
his gaze slid over her shapely – artificial body. He sighed
and tipped back his glass. Such a waste.
“I’m getting some odd spikes here, Rip,” Rick Tyler
said as he stared at the monitors surrounding the archaic helm of the
pirate ship.
“What is it?” Hourman ? asked stepping beside the son of
Rex ‘Tick-Tock’ Tyler, inventor of the Miraclo Pill.
“I dunno. It’s like a wave riding our
slipstream. And it’s getting stronger.”
Rip Hunter rose from his deck chair and sauntered over to the
helm. He had been riding the time Stream for ages and visited
countess alternate worlds. He doubted this ‘wave’ was
anything he had not seen before, but figured he better look just to
calm down the Newbies. He stepped behind Tyler II and glanced at
the screens…
He did not feel the glass drop from his suddenly dead fingers…
did not hear the glass shatter as it hit the wooden planking at his
feet.
“Oh… my… God!
Hard to port! Get us outta here!”
Rip Hunter shoved Rick Tyler aside and grabbed command of the ancient
wheel that steered the pirate ship through the Time Stream. He cranked the
wheel to the left, ignoring the shrill cries of surprise as his ship
mates went sprawling to the deck. He hunkered over the wheel as
he felt the wave of cold wash over him.
Rip Hunter dropped to his knees after the wave flowed past. Still
hanging onto the wheel he shivered and whimpered. In his
peripheral vision he could see Hourman ? and Tomorrow Woman thrashing
on the deck, sparking and sputtering, Rick Tyler was at the rails
vomiting into Creation.
Rip Hunter stared at the dwindling anomaly on the monitors. He
licked his lips, looking up as a beam of white light arched through the
distortion, glaringly bright in its passing.
“Idiots,” he cursed as he cranked the wheel and righted the
ship back on course. He dropped a looped rope over one of the
belaying pins and staggered back to lean against the oaken rails.
He rubbed at his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“What was that?” Tomorrow Woman asked as she finally stood,
the Time Shock passed.
“The Time Beacon,” Hunter said totally sober as he took the
helm again and steered The
Command D back towards some new destination, sudden
determination in his eyes. “They’ve activated the
Time Beacon. The fools! They’ve shown him the way
home.”
“Who…” Matthew Tyler said his hourglass eyes
flickering in the queer light of the Time Stream.
“Rugarth,” Rip
Hunter spat. “Jaxon Rugarth…
“The Infinity Man…”
East of Eden The Land of Nod
Nura Nal shivered, a slight chill creeping over her as she listened to
Allura’s woeful tale. Almost immediately a muscular,
bronze-skinned man stoked the nearest fire pit urging the flames to
rage and swiftly causing perspiration to dot her brow. The cold
was not within the grand Victorian hall where she dined with Beautiful
Dreamer of the New Gods and their host, Daniel, lord of the Dream
Realm. The chill came rather from the impending cloud of doom
that seemed to swirl through the otherwise jubilant chamber.
She glanced at Daniel who seemed somewhat amused throughout
Allura’s revelations, but she knew he was still keenly aware and
listening intently. Lord of Dream, he seemed untouchable,
endless, but she knew that even one of their ilk could die.
Morpheus had passed in her lifetime; she had attended the funeral, one
of the few who knew it for the truth it was and not just a dream.
“We do not know his goals, but we can suspect. His intent
is generally the same; revenge, domination, power…”
Beautiful Dreamer paused sipping at her mulled wine, the feint aroma of
cinnamon drifting through the air. They had shared Daniel’s
offering then ordered something more to their individual tastes.
Food had been served, whatever they desired but Nura saw that
Allura’s plate was as untouched as her own.
“We’ve beaten Mordru before,” Dream Girl said with
confidence, “and will do so again. In our time we have
defeated far worse.”
Beautiful Dreamer smirked. “I do not mean to belittle your
accomplishments. The war between New Genesis and Apokolips ended
before your time and we New Gods moved on, yet we have heard of your
Legion and its glory. This is not the wizened mage that I speak
of however, rather the young magus, ambitious and in his prime.
And he has gathered a brutally powerful army about him that leaves
shattered, obliterated dimensions in his wake.”
“But… Mordru has freed himself from his prison on
Sorcerer’s World. That’s why I was there when you called me
here, accompanying my sister, the White Witch to the Conclave of
gathered wizards. I assumed that we were speaking of one and the
same.”
“I don’t know. My dreams did not tell me that.
Two versions of the same man, young and old? Perhaps the one I
speak of is from some all too similar dimension as are his
warriors. All I know for certain is that the young magus remains
undefeated and he is slowly coming closer to our reality. We must
warn those that can help and prepare for the worst.”
Dream Girl nodded. “We will. We’ve survived
many a crisis though; the Sun-Eater, the Blight, the Great
Darkness. We’ll survive this as well.” Nura Nal
tried to smile reassuringly and Allura forced a smile in return.
“I cannot enter those other realms, though my sister has that
ability to some extent,” Daniel finally interjected swirling
brandy in a huge crystal snifter as a naked woman with jet-black skin
carved the meat on his plate. “The result is usually
disastrous and resulting in harsh words if not a cat-fight,” he
smirked, “but she has heard rumors and has sensed a great loss in
the fabric that enwraps her domain. I am not privy to
Mordru’s goals, but I do know his dreams. He follows a dark
path that leads to chaos; delusions of grandeur that he will be
anointed a Lord. He dreams of power.”
“Twisted dreams of a madman.” Dream Girl sipped at
her Praxian ale and wrinkled her nose quickly setting the warm goblet
down. It had sat untouched too long and warmed, growing
flat. A young blond boy with an iron collar about his neck
dressed in a black and gold jumpsuit replaced the warm mug with another
lined with frost and promptly wavered from sight. “Tell me
of his armies, all you know.”
Beautiful Dreamer nodded. “First there is the Twisted
League…”
For the full story on this go and
read The Mists of Time: The War That Time Forgot over in Elseworlds
Presents by Darren Burr here at JLU: 2001!
“The original complex was
laughingly the butt-end of a 20th Century rocket ship; yellow and red
for the Lords of Kobal’s sake. It’s rumored that
Brainiac 5 restructured the headquarters into something workable- and
not an eyesore I might add- using the Miracle Machine after that
debacle with the Dark Circle a few years back…”
‘The Unauthorized Biography of
R.J. Brande: The Formative Years’ by Keena Draxir.
Kal-El winced as he passed through the rainbow hued Time Barrier to appear over the
sprawling megalopolis that was Metropolis of the 31st Century.
The city he knew and one day hoped to live was massive in the future
housing millions of people in mile high structures that would engulf
his own Smallville without a hesitant thought.
The city had spread over the years, rebuilding after two devastating
world wars not to mention crisis’ on many scales incorporating
most of the Eastern Seaboard of America within its borders.
Gotham was a District now, as were Philadelphia, Boston and Washington
DC was now a complex that housed the entirety of the United Planets
main facility. As always it took the Boy of Steel a moment to
orient himself with the future.
Superboy!
Kal-El spun in the air to face the ‘voice’ that he had
heard in his head. He smiled to see Imra Ardeen, Saturn Girl
floating up to greet him via her Legion Flight Ring. At her side
were Lightning Lad with his shining metal arm and Cosmic Boy the
Legion’s current- and best in Superboy’s opinion- leader.
“Glad you could come, Superboy,” Rokk Krinn said as his
three old friends hovered near.
“I knew that if you sent a General Alarm, Cos, it had to be
important. What’s the crisis this time?”
“Mordru,” Garth Ranzz said even as Saturn Girl thought:
The Emerald Empress!
“Golly! I hope they haven’t teamed up.”
Superboy looked past his Legionnaire friends at the
‘clubhouse’, watching as floors and wings seemed to
disintegrate before his Kryptonian eyes. “What’s
going on? Brainy experimenting again?”
The three founders turned, each paling as they watched bits and pieces
of their headquarters crumble and fade away. The Plaza cracked
and shifted as a tour skiff rocked and exploded in a blazing fireball.
“Oh, grife…” Lightning Lad said as he watched in
horror, a man expanding in the devastation. He was huge, the very
fabric of space making up his being. His dark eyes scanned the
devastation he had created, the symbol of Infinity pulsing on his
chest. He looked up and smiled.
Legionnaires!
I have returned…
The Infinity Man! Saturn Girl
thought.
“No problem,” Kal-El said as he arched his flight and
rocketed towards the anomaly. “I haven’t punched out
a giant in ages.”
The Infinity Man laughed and waved his hand and Superboy simply
disappeared.
I wonder how the
world might evolve with Superboy living amongst the Neanderthals.
The Infinity Man cast his gaze on the Legion founders and
smirked. Time
to cease to exist…
And the Infinity Man waved his hand in dismissal…
The Void The Wall at the
End of the Universe
“It’s… awesome….”
“The Source Wall.”
Gim Allon barely heard Mon-El’s response as he stared at the
massively huge wall that filled the view port. It seemed to
stretch on forever in every direction. Impossible of course
but his eyes were seeing it and the ship’s scanners were
confirming that it was there. It stretched to seemingly infinity
in every direction, golden and holding the friezes of various people
that he could not identify.
Giants…
“The Promethian Giants,” Mon-El supplied.
“Those Elder beings that tried to breech the final frontier and
learn the secrets of Creation. Metron explained it to me
once.”
“What?” Salu Digby said.
“Mon?” Tasmia Malor added.
Mon-El stared out the view port at the Wall at the End of the Universe.
He was frowning, his eyes scanning the vast surface watching the
creatures that lived on the detritus and refuse that found its way to
the Wall scurry and huddle against the harsh environs. “You
learn a lot in the Phantom Zone. I was there over a thousand
years thanks to Kal saving me. I saw much. You spend most
of the time just avoiding the White Martians and Kryptonian criminals.
“After countless attempts to escape, you go off on your
own. I flew to the very edge of the universe – I’ve
always loved to explore- and I encountered the Source Wall and
Metron. The Wall contains the previous dimension, or the next,
Metron was not certain. It is
another universe waiting to be realized, of that he did know.”
“It’s impossible,” Gim Allon said staring at the
image on his viewer.
“It encompasses our universe, separating it from the next.
It goes on forever. I spent ten years of my servitude following
it at the speed of thought before I gave up.”
Guys?
They all heard Dawnstar through their tele-translators as Colossal Boy
eased The Cruiser Nolan
closer to the Wall, all focusing on the red circle that appeared
onscreen indicating the source of the Emergency Beacon. The four
Legionnaires scanned the Wall trying to find the source of the
emergency.
“There!” Shadow Lass finally said pointing at the screen.
They all stared at the screen as Colossal Boy enhanced the view.
It was a ship, archaic by 31st Century standards yet still functional
apparently, silvery, skull-shaped and embedded in the Wall.
Mon-El stared at the ship as The
Cruiser Nolan approached, something gnawing at his memory.
He could see the strange creatures that inhabited the Wall but they
were keeping their distance, ignoring the ship.
I’ll go in…
“Dawnstar! Wait!” Mon-El shouted into his
tele-translator. He felt Shadow Lass’ hand on his arm as he
stared at the ship, trying to remember. It was something
fleeting, a flicker from the Crisis of the Red Skies so long ago that
were always shrouded and elusive. “Wait for me.
I’m coming out.”
“Mon?” Tasmia said concern in her eyes. The love of
his life, she probably knew him best aside from Superboy. She
knew that something was bothering him. “What is it?”
“Probably nothing, but I think I should go in alone.
Dawnstar can back me up.”
“That’s not standard procedure in rescue missions,”
Shrinking Violet said, “and in light of that… Wall, not very bright either.”
“The Wall itself is not a problem, unless you try to get through
it. It’s just a barrier, size and thickness
not-withstanding.”
“Well,” Colossal Boy interjected, “as far as rescues
go, I’m getting a fat zero on Life Signs. Whoever initiated
the Beacon must be long dead.”
“See,” Mon-El smiled, “no reason to worry.
I’ll take a quick look around, dislodge it from the Wall and we
can haul it back to Far Point and get on with our R&R.”
He hugged Shadow Lass giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
Before anyone could protest further he moved into the airlock and
sealed himself within. Tasmia was at the door staring through the
thick window as the air cycled and the pressure equalized, the outer
door opening with a gaseous, silent hiss. Mon-El drifted out into
the black of the Void and then flew towards the waiting Dawnstar.
I can sense your anxiety,
Dawnstar thought at him alone eyeing him cautiously. What are you not telling the others?
Mon-El stared at the skull ship as they flew towards it. Its
crystalline, geodesic dome held many shattered panels and he saw now
limp, metallic tendrils draped along the surface of the Wall. Its
two huge ‘eyes’ were dark and vacant but seemed to glare at
him all the same.
It looks… familiar.
Something from the Age of Heroes, but that era is a swirl of confusion
at times. There was so much happening.
What do you want me to do? I
know you don’t plan on me joining you inside.
Mon-El smiled. Just be ready
to get them to safety if something goes wrong.
Dawnstar nodded, pausing in her flight at a safe distance as Mon-El
flew on. He wracked his brain as he drew closer, trying to
remember the Age of Heroes and the significance of the ship before
him…
He was known as Valor then, green and fresh and naive. Kal-El had
found him and they had had adventures together until he had almost died
of lead poisoning. To save him Superboy had cast him into the
Phantom Zone until Brainiac 5 had found a cure for his…
No.
He had come to Earth in the Invasion, one of many Daxamites tricked
into the culling of Earth’s Metas by the Dominators. To
make amends he had stayed after the war, helping, until Lex Luthor had
sent him on a fool’s errand into the stars where…
No.
He had been a scientist, trapped on Earth after the Invasion. He
had fought the children of Mongol at some point, on War World. He
had joined Superman to help defeat Darkseid…
Mon-El almost slammed into the skull ship he was so absorbed in his
recollections. His past was confused save for the 1000 years that
he had spent as a prisoner of the Phantom Zone. That was a
constant that he wished that he could forget. Mon-El shook his
head to clear wayward thoughts and searched for a hatch.
He found it mixed amidst the snarl of metallic tendrils and ripped it
away, stepping inside the seemingly dead hulk. Not so dead as the
Emergency Lighting still glowed illuminating the hallways within.
He floated deeper into the bowels of the ship, heading for the heart,
the brain and control center.
It was robotic he recognized immediately, not designed for human
inhabitation, but built to accommodate Droids for support and
repair. He encountered several dead robotic husks as he moved
deeper into the ship. They were frozen in place, no doubt dead as
power was shifted to more important systems.
He found the Bridge with no resistance and forced the long-closed doors
open using his Daxamite, yellow-sun enhanced strength. A gush of
cold washed over him as he peered into the dim beyond.
The room was small and compact, every inch save for a small bit of
flooring filled with archaic machinery and computer components.
The walls were lined with monitors and everything else was cast in the
same silvery glean as the outer hull. Back against the far wall
was the command chair, in which sat a naggingly familiar robotic form;
equally silver, tall and gangly with leads sprouting from the back of
its head and connected to the ship’s circuitry by thick wires
resembling dreadlocks. It appeared powerless. Dead…
Mon-El scanned the chamber and saw the one blinking light that was
operating at full power amidst the lesser functions of the
machinery. He reached out and hit the button to silence the
Emergency Beacon.
Mon?
Dawnstar’s mental voice was lost to him as Mon-El stared at the
robotic creature in the command chair. Energy suddenly flared in
its eyes as the head shifted to contemplate him. He felt the
pressure in the room change, sensed a field of energy appear at the
doorway that he had sundered, sealing the chamber against the lack of
elements as gravity took hold. A flood of memories suddenly came
crashing back as he staggered, small, spider-like creatures scurrying
from the dark recesses of the machinery, skittering along the walls and
floor, dropping from the ceiling. Mon-El’s eyes blazed with
fire even as one landed on his head. He felt pain in his temples
as his mind suddenly dulled…
“Kal-El…” Brainiac said as the robotic form shifted,
creaking with age in the chair. “How appropriate that the
avenging avatar of the Great Lord be the one to rescue his
disciple.”
Mon-El tried to scream, but even that was denied him as his life
slipped away…
The
Legion Outpost: Bet you
thought Mordru was gonna be the major threat! Wrong, wrong,
wrong… Mordru is a stage magician compared to the Infinity
Man and right now he is in his element; taking revenge and changing
history.
But don’t count Mordru(s) out. His/their time will
come. If you have not been reading the Mists of Time in
Elseworlds: Presents, I suggest you do so as that will impact greatly
on what happens here. Plus, even stand alone Darren Burr weaves a
fantastic tale.
But what about Mon-El and Brainiac?
What about the Emerald Empress?
Only time will tell, but stick with the story as all will eventually be
revealed... eventually.
Next
Issue: however, see the Legion united against the threat of the
Infinity Man. Luckily Cos sent the General Alarm before the
defecation hit the oscillator. Expect to see a burgeoning
membership struggling to keep Reality in place as The Infinity Man Comes Home for the
Holidays! And now a word from Ed
Ainsworth…
Kurt,
Can I just say, firstly, awesome first issue. I loved the Wikipedia
entries. I am a big fan of what little I've read of the Legion. Things
being set in the future is an AWESOME concept, and I must, must find
more comics for the Legion. I know that the people who love them,
really love the characters, and it’s nice to see a series that
grabs
such devotion from its fans.
I can't wait to see what issue two brings and I am glad that you're
not just sticking with one incarnation of the Legion, you seem to be
pulling from all over. Which is awesome!
Anyway, the second thing was how much I LOVE that index page!
Immensely jealous here! It's fantastic!
Anyway, that is all
Ed
***
Thanks Ed!
Jealousy is always a strong motivator to get me to continue. Glad
you liked the issue and the direction I am taking things. This IS
all leading to something HUGE, so stay tuned, keep reading, wake the
neighbors and tell the kids. It’s been awhile since there
was a major EVENT at JLU, but this may be the springboard…
