Brande The 30th Century's Greatest Superheroes.....

Ghostly Occurrences

Legion Worlds #7-April, Year Six by Tony Thornley


    Querl Dox looked at the readouts coming off his latest experiment.  He'd been working on a self-sustaining energy source for weeks now.  Although it had been discovered some time ago, Brainiac felt driven to compact the energy source and personalize it.  Although his race, native to the planet Colu, was hyper intelligent, Querl felt driven by something more.  His ancestors were the infamous Brainiacs, beings of such great intelligence that very few in the universe rivaled them in history.

    "Perfect," Brainiac muttered.  "Now to just tweak the energy field."

    "And there's your problem Querl," said a soft female voice behind him.  "You always need to tweak things."  Brainiac 5 smiled at the sound of her voice.  She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his chest.  He could smell her hair and gave in to the softness of her touch.

    "Andromeda," he whispered.  "You've been gone for so long..."  He turned and embraced his love, pressing his body close to hers.  She returned the embrace, kissing him softly on the cheek.

    "I missed you too, love," she said.  "Being a Legionnaire is busy, busy, busy though."  Brainiac smiled.  Laurel was the only Legionnaire that he dared show any emotion.  The others often joked about him, the stone faced computer lover.  Superboy occasionally called him Spock, an obscure pop culture reference from his own time period.  Around Laurel though, that all melted.  Oh he loved her.

    "Want to see my latest breakthrough?" he asked, more than a little excitement in his voice.  He backed away slightly, looking expectantly into her eyes.

    "Anything to hear the sound of your voice," Andromeda teased.  Brainiac smiled at her and drew away.  He instantly dived into detailed explanations of complicated mathematics and physics, describing how he was ever so slowly shrinking the energy generator.  She merely listened, a content look on her face.  Just as Brainiac was at the height of his excitement, the door of his lab rushed open.  Lyle Norg, the Legionnaire known as Invisible Boy, entered the room.

    "Hey Brainy," he said.  "Your flight ring not working?"  Brainiac looked up at his teammate, a slightly bewildered look on his face.

    "No," he said.  "I never wear it when I'm working.  You should know that, Lyle."  Invisible Kid smiled.

    "Yeah, I should," he replied, walking into the lab further.  He looked at the small ball of energy on which Querl had been concentrating.  "Looks like you're getting closer to pocket size," he observed.  "Cos was looking for you.  Said he might need some help with a rescue mission."  Querl nodded.

    "Just give me a few minutes to shut this down," he said.  "Tell Rokk I'll be there momentarily."

    "Will do."  Lyle walked to the door, stopped and looked around the laboratory.

    "Hey?" he asked, turning back to Querl.

    "Hmmm?"  Brainiac's focus remained fixed on the console.

    "Uh... who were you talking to before I came in?" he asked.  Brainiac looked up, lifting his right eyebrow.

    "Oh, no one," he replied.  "Just, uhm, verbally taking notes."

    "Oh, okay.  I'll see you in the control center."

    Val Armorr watched the quiet protest of the underagers of Metropolis.  It almost felt like babysitting, but he knew it was important to have a Legion presence at the United Planets conference.  The Legion was one of the conference's main topics, and although nothing the UP could do would eliminate the Legion, they could certainly cause some damage.  He glanced at his fellow Legionnaires, Jo Nah and Tinya Wazzo- Ultra Boy and Apparition.

    "I'm ready for dinner," Karate Kid said.  "How about you?"

    Ultra Boy smiled widely.  "Oh yeah," he replied.  "Maybe something like some Formic pasta and Grec mammoth steaks.  Man, that sounds good."

    "I brought you two some protein pastes and drinks," Apparition said, not taking her eyes off the protesters.  "They're in my pack."  Val frowned.  He was hoping to convince them to get relieved, but Tinya was dedicated.  If she was given a job, then she'd get it done.  Val admired that, but it bothered him slightly also.  Ultra Boy shrugged and dug into the pack.

    "Hey, good choice of flavors," he muttered.

    "Val, Jo, Science Police," she declared.  Val spun, and Jo looked up from the pack.  Sure enough, six hover sleds surrounded the large group of underagers.   Val started to shed his overcoat to reveal his white Legion uniform underneath, but Tinya put her hand on his shoulder to stop him.

    "Not yet," she said.  "Don't want to play our hand too early."  Val nodded and replaced the coat over his shoulders.

    "This is the Science Police!" declared the lead sled.

    "Duh," Jo muttered.

    "We order you to cease this protest and return to your homes!"  As this command was made, Val saw at least twenty armored SP officers gather around the pro-Legion youths.

    "They're going to start a riot," Karate Kid said.  "Then they're going to spin it to make it look like the underagers were the cause."  Val turned to his teammates.  "We need to act, now!"

    "Agreed," Apparition said.  Ultra Boy nodded and the trio sprung into action.  One of the officers loaded a sonic charge into a cannon-like weapon and blasted it into the crowd.  The youths began collapsing, and then as they slowly recovered, the fighting began.

    The Legionnaires needed to end this quick.  Val moved quickest, dropping his overcoat to the ground as he approached the Science Police.  He was on top of them before they even noticed him.

    "Don't even think it," he said.  He slammed the heel of his palm into the chest of one of the SP officers, knocking him to the ground.  He spun, kicking the sonar gun out of the hand of the first officer to notice him.  He then planted that foot and kicked the same officer in the head, flipping him head over heels.  Val jumped into the air next, spinning and flailing his limbs in what the casual observer would have thought was wild and uncontrolled.  In actuality, Val timed each of his movements perfectly, chopping and kicking in one controlled maneuver.

    He landed in a lowered stance, looking directly at the ground.  He looked up at the SP officers in front of him.  He'd taken out five of them before the rest of the SP even knew what was on top of them.

    "Halt Legionnaires!" called the same sled that had warned the crowd.  "You are under arrest for the assault of various Science Police officers and officials.  There are warrants out for your arrest!"

    Val smiled.  "Eat it Grandpa."

    As she phased through the combatants towards the instigators of the growing brawl, Apparition opened a communications frequency on her flight ring.  "Legion World, this is Apparition calling in back-up, I repeat, I'm calling in back-up!  The Science Police are attempting to start a riot and they have engaged us!"

    "Apparition-Legionnaire, this is Dawnstar.  Help is on the way."

    "We're close enough Gates," Cosmic Boy said into his ring.  "Thanks."  Rokk's rescue team flew into the void towards the burning derelict that a quintet of Legionnaires had entered little more than three hours ago.*  Valor, Brainiac 5 and Sun Boy followed closely behind the Legion leader as they approached the ship.

* (Last issue- Tony)

    "Cos," Valor said, "I can see them inside."  He concentrated his naturally enhanced vision on the burning ship.  As a Daxamite, his powers mirrored that of Kryptonians when under a yellow sun.  His weakness was quite different though.  Due to the lack of the mineral on Daxam, lead was poisonous to Valor and all Daxamites.

    "Let's hope that we're not too late for them," replied the Legion leader.

    Superboy stood, hefting a large burning support beam from off his back.  He brushed off the smoldering scraps of what was left of the jacket he was wearing.  The explosion had pretty effectively taken care of it.  He looked down at Lightning Lad and offered his hand.

    "You okay?" he asked as he helped Garth to his feet.  He brushed dust from his uniform, then wiped it from his eyes.

    "Yeah, I think so," he said.  He winced as he moved his left arm.  It might be broken.  There was also a sharp pain in his ankle, but it wasn't severe enough to prevent him from standing.  "Have the others tried to raise you yet?"  Superboy shook his head.

    "No, I didn't try either," he replied, covering his mouth against the smoke that was gradually filling the small bridge.  "I was a little bit more worried about saving your life."  Lightning Lad mimicked Conner's action of covering his mouth to shield the smoke.  Conner began moving aside wreckage to get the duo out of the enclosed space.

    "I did get something before everything blew," Garth announced as Superboy muscled open the door.  He turned and motioned Garth through.

    "It's a little clearer out here," he said.  "We might get a clear signal to the others.  What did you find?"

    "The Captain's Log, just like I hoped," Garth declared, holding up a small data storage device.  "I just hope that my download was successful.  We can worry about that when we find the others and get out of here."  He stepped forward onto the ankle he'd suspected was hurt and collapsed, an even more intense pain shooting up his leg.  Superboy quickly jumped to his side.

    "You okay?" he asked again.

    "Ankle might be broken," he replied.  "But let's find the others before we freak out about this."

    Shrinking Violet coughed as smoke pushed in upon her.  It was nearly suffocating.  She considered shrinking to a size that the smoke wouldn't bother her, but then it would be a possibility that no one would be able to find her.  She wasn't sure if her flight ring was damaged in the explosion or not, so she wasn't going to take the chance.

    "Reep?" she called into the smoke.  "Are you still conscious?"

    "I think so," coughed the Durlan.  Chameleon approached her through the haze, waving it away from his face.  A small gash ran across his forehead, purple blood oozing slightly from the wound, but it was already sealing itself up.  He smiled the moment he saw Violet.

    "All limbs are still attached," he declared.  "Guess that means I'm fine."  Violet smiled, then began looking around them.  She couldn't see their third member, the one who had saved their life.

    "Where's Gear?" she asked.  "I don't see him."

    "Right here," came Gear's voice.  Violet looked to where his voice came from and found the techno organic Legionnaire lying on the ground, barely able to hold his form.  His skin had come apart, exposing circuitry and wiring.

    "Are you okay?" she asked.

    "Yeah," he gasped.  "Putting that force field around the three of us took-" Gear grunted in pain.  "-a lot more out of me than I expected."  Violet shrunk down to where he lay and looked up at Reep.  Her face was contorted with fear.

    "We need to get him back to Legion World," she declared.  "Immediately."

    "I'll try to raise Gates," Chameleon replied.  "Do you think the rings still work?"

    "There'll be no need to try," said a voice from the direction of the main corridor.  "Help's already here."  Violet turned to see Cosmic Boy, Sun Boy, Valor and Brainiac 5.  Sun Boy was using his powers to absorb the flames licking at them.  Through the smoke, she could see that they had already found Superboy and Lightning Lad.  Conner was supporting Lightning Lad as if he'd been injured, but he gave the others a weak thumbs-up.  Cosmic Boy knelt at Gear's side and frowned.

    "He needs medical attention now, doesn't he?"  Violet nodded.  Cos held his hands out, and Gear's metallic body rose from the floor, Rokk's magnetism lifting him up.

    "Gates, we've found them," Brainiac said into his ring.  "Get us out of here."

    Ultra Boy sped through the rioting crowd, calming members of the crowd as he went.  It had been five minutes since the cry for help went out and he was growing impatient.  Apparition phased through SP officers at the edge of the riot, forcing them to fire on each other as she phased.

    "Where are they?!" Ultra Boy cried.  "I can't keep it up with the ultra-speed all night!"  Jo grabbed one of the underagers by the wrist and stopped him from hitting another.  "Any of my other powers would probably hurt them!"

    "Chill out Ultra Boy!" Apparition called, dodging another SP officer.  "It takes time for them to get here!"

    "Very true!" Karate Kid exclaimed.  He was still dodging and weaving through the crowd, making precise strikes to knock out the rioting underagers and incapacitate the aggressive SP officers.

    "You've waited long enough!"  The trio of Legionnaires looked up to see a half dozen others descending onto the riot.  At the lead was Kid Quantum, one of the Legion's field leaders.

    "Officers, the security vids captured images of you starting this riot," she declared.  "Stand down now!"  Jo stopped and looked up at his fellow Legionnaires with a broad smile.

    "Now that's what I'm talking about!" he exclaimed.

    Cosmic Boy, Brainiac 5 and Lightning Lad sat a monitor in Brainiac's laboratory.  They had to wait to begin recovery of the data Garth had been able to recover while Brainiac 5 initiated repairs on Gear's techno-organic body.

    "Here we go," Querl said, inserting the storage device into the port.  A holo appeared across the surface of the monitor.  The panicked face of the ship's captain looked out at them.

    "It's just a matter of time now," he said. "I've been able to shut it out of the bridge's systems, but it will find a way in.  I don't even know what 'it' is for sure, but it's somehow killed every member of my crew.  All I know for sure is that it entered the ship's computers when we docked with that wreck near Tallosia 3."  The captain looked behind himself.  "I'm going to attempt to start to self destruct, but if someone finds this, I guess all I can say is, I'm sorry."

    "Why would he be sorry?" Cosmic Boy asked.  "That was more confusing than anything else."

    "There was something important there," Brainiac replied, looking over his shoulder at Rokk.  "Whatever disabled that ship and killed its crew was technological in nature.  That scares me."

    In the Legion med center, he opened his eyes.  The techno-organic being that called itself Gear was gone though.  Now there only remained COMPUTO.

    Saturn Girl sat in an interrogation room with the Sallakan senator that had attempted to assassinate herself and her fellow Legionnaires just a few hours ago.*  Colossal Boy was in emergency care at a Sallakan hospital right now, thanks to the weapon that the senator had used, a disruptor of some sort.

* (Last issue- Tony)

    Senator Rill, she growled telepathically, Don't lie to me.  I'm one of the most skilled telepaths in the United Planets.  I will sense any deception the moment you think it!  The orange multi-limbed alien looked at the ground, shame in her eyes.

    "I remember hearing the call for assembly," she said.  "Then I was shooting at the four of you.  I swear, I remember nothing in between."  Imra frowned.  Both truth and deception were in the female's words.  She wasn't sure what to believe.

    Senator, Imra replied.  You're lying.  Instantly the female looked up, fear in her eyes.  Had she not been a telepath, Saturn Girl would have thought she was afraid of her.  That was not the case.  She was afraid of something else.

    "I've told you the truth!" Rill cried.  "I swear it."

    Senator, what are you afraid of? Imra asked.  What is it?  The Legion can help you.  We can protect you.  She offered her hand as a gesture of welcoming.  It was the only way she would be able to get her to talk.

    "He's more powerful than the Legion," Rill said, her voice becoming low and dangerous.  "He's going to kill us all.  I just saved my planet."  With that statement, Saturn Girl felt a desperate determination from the Sallakan senator.  Imra jumped to her feet and threw out her hands.

    Senator, NO!

    The female triggered a small sub-dermal explosive that no one had yet detected, ripping herself in two.  Saturn Girl was thrown back by the force of the explosion, hitting the far wall hard.  She gritted her teeth and wiped Sallakan blood off her face.  A troop of Sallakan security officers rushed into the room.

    "Miss, are you okay?" asked the first that reached her.  Imra nodded and accepted the offered hand.  She was pulled up to her feet.  She glanced at the remains of Senator Rill, then quickly looked away.  She fought the urge to vomit.

    Officers, have Senator Rill's communications and movements been monitored over the last few months?  One of the higher ranking officers nodded.  Good.  I want those records.  She was hiding something.

    "Saturn Girl, you might want to hold that off," said another of the officers.

    Imra looked at the officer and frowned.  Why is that?

    "We just received word of your teammate's condition from your fellow Legionnaires," he said, referring to Colossal Boy who had repelled the attack.

    And...?

    "I'm afraid Colossal Boy passed away fifteen minutes ago..."


To be continued...


Next Issue:  In Legion Worlds #8:  The Legion has suffered its first fatality and they gather to mourn one of their own.  Unfortunately, the threat of one of the Legion's greatest foes looms over the funeral, with another waiting in the wings!

Story © 2008 Tony Thornley, and may not be reproduced without permission.