Dedicated
with
everlasting love and
respect to Dannell Lites
Starring...
“IN THE VALLEY OF
DECISION”
SHOWCASE
#35
by Derrick Ferguson
In
The 41st Century...
Bare seconds before the beams of lethal energy would have struck him
and most likely done him serious injury, Mon-El again spun, becoming a
red and blue blur. But this time he drilled right into the ground, far
beneath the dome of cosmic energy that roared and thundered above him
like a living creature. He bored into the ground for about a mile, then
turned and tunneled back upwards, bursting out of the ground right next
to the Blue Amok.
BOOM!
The sound of Mon-El’s blow reverberated in the smoky air as the
Blue Amok flew backwards to crash into the Yellow Amok. Both
creatures continued on for another eleven miles before impacting with
what remained of a transport system. The already cracked, smoked
blackened tube collapsed upon the two Amoks, burying them under tons of
reinforced duroplast supports and duraluminum struts.
Mon-El turned back to observe that Gideon Kent and Rael Gandon had
already joined the fight. Each engaged an Amok while Har-Ve and
Flamingo hovered in the air above the combatants. Mon-El shouted terse
orders: "Har-Ve, search the ruins for the injured and fly them to
safety! Flamingo, help him!"
The Black Amok charged right at Mon-El, bellowing and roaring as it
thoomed forward on stubby yet massive legs. Mon-El narrowed his eyes,
concentrating on projecting his heat vision into as narrow a pair of
beams as possible and projected forth intense beams of superlaser
intensity no thicker than two hairs that punched through the Black
Amok’s reinforced armor carapace, sliced through its internal
organs and power transduction systems to finally sever its double
spinal column, effectively crippling it. The Black Amok cried out in
dismay as the lower half of its body refused to work and it fell
headfirst in the dirt, digging a shallow trench due to the tremendous
momentum it had built up. It stopped just short of Mon-El’s feet
and looked up at its conqueror, its red eyes still defiant and angry.
Gideon and the Gold Amok stood toe to toe; trading blows that would
have torn huge chunks from the side of a mountain. The ground itself
shook and cracked as they rained brutal punches upon each other and
neither seemed inclined to give up.
Rael flew circles around the Red Amok, who wildly fired beams of cosmic
energy, trying to nail its annoying foe with no effect. Rael was simply
too fast to hit. The Red Amok, upon spying Mon-El, sent a burst of
cosmic energy speeding at him. Mon-El calmly held up a hand and the
energy bolt ricocheted off his palm, which he twisted in such a manner
as to redirect the energy bolt right at the Gold Amok. The bolt struck
the creature in the back, distracting it long enough for Gideon to land
a good solid blow that sent the creature arcing into the air to come
down with a thunderous impact. The Gold Amok lay in a crater some fifty
feet deep, smoking from the impact of the cosmic bolt.
"My family comes to help!” Gideon announced, pointing into the
sky. Sure enough, Mon-El could see nine flying forms heading to their
location.
"Good. Maybe we can subdue at least one other—" Mon-El broke off.
It was too late. The Blue and Yellow Amok had dug themselves free and
were flying straight up into the sky at incredible speeds. The Gold
Amok shortly followed as did the Red Amok, which abruptly broke off
firing at Rael to join its brothers. Mon-El strode back to where the
Black Amok lay, futilely trying to get up. Mon-El placed a foot on the
creature’s shoulder and held it down while he probed it with his
X-Ray vision and superhearing, searching for something inside the thing.
"We’d better go after them!" Rael yelled, her face flushed and
eyes shining with excitement.
"No." Mon-El said calmly.
"But Grandfather--!"
"I said no. There are many injured and wounded here that need our help
and that has to be our first priority…ah, that’s what I
was looking for." Mon-El bent over and laid a hand on one of the Black
Amok’s thick shoulder plating and yanked it upwards. The Black
Amok yowled as it felt its living armor being torn away. Mon-El grunted
with slight effort as he dug into the creature’s insides and
yanked loose a greenish metal sphere. Tubes that had been brutally
ripped apart dribbled fluids and small wires and cables sparked. Again,
microbeams of superlaser intensity sprang from Mon-El’s eyes to
carve into the sphere.
"Just what are you doing?" Gideon asked and Har-Ve and Flamingo landed
nearby. They had flown some 120 of the most severely injured to
hospital facilities on the other side of the city. Other flying forms
had landed and were drawing near.
"Deactivating the self-destruct." Mon-El answered. "There. It’s
done. It’s harmless now and we have an Amok to dissect and study."
"Gideon!" A tall, silver haired man dressed in form fitting clothing of
green and yellow ran forward to embrace Gideon. "Thank Rao you’ve
returned safely. And with powerful allies it would seem! Can this be
who I think it is?"
"It is. Mon, this is my father, Con-El, First Factor of The House of
El. Father, this of course is Lar Gand of Daxam, known as Mon-El."
Mon-El made a slight bow. "Blessings and all honor to you, Con-El."
"Blessings and all honor to you as well," Con-El said. "I can’t
begin to tell you how much this means to us that you would leave your
home on Helicon to assist us personally."
"We’ll have more than enough time for talking," Mon-El said.
"Right now, we should do something about getting the rest of the
wounded to medical facilities and dampen down the radiation in this
area."
"Of course." Con-El turned and began issuing orders to the rest of his
entourage. Mon-El motioned to Gideon to come closer.
"I’ll require a lab where I can work undisturbed on this Amok."
Gideon nodded. "You can use my own labs. We’ll go there now."
"Fine. Rael, pick this thing up and follow me. Har-Ve and Flamingo, you
stay with Con-El and the others and continue to assist in helping the
injured."
Nowhere
Nothing else existed except The Time Trapper and The HyperClock. There
wasn’t even a Void where they were. It was just Nothingness that
enveloped them. And The Time Trapper saw that he could now remake the
universe just as it was. Save for one tiny change that would allow him
to have what it was that he most desired. And the best part of it all
was that no one would even notice the change he had made until it was
too late, because the change would now be an unshakable, integral part
of the remade universe. The irony was SO
delicious. Oh, yes, The Time Trapper would recreate the universe but
only so that it would be his at last and with one change and one change
only it would be so.
The Time Trapper took a deep breath. "Might as well stay with the
classics," he said to himself as he seized the HyperClock and whispered;
"Let there be light…" In The
30th Century…
The Time Trapper tucked the HyperClock under his arm and floated
downward to where Dr. Perigord was struggling with Mon-El, attempting
to make him touch the Praxian Singularity. "Looks like this is where I
come in," The Trapper muttered and extending a hand, sent forth a blast
of energy that separated the two men. Mon-El lay on his side, looking
up at The Time Trapper. Mon-El grinned widely and shouted; "Thanks,
Trapper! I knew I could count on you to come through!"
"Thank me later, Mon. You might want to wrap up the Praxian Singularity
so that you can’t touch it. I’m not sure if I’ve got
the strength to recreate the universe a second time."
Mon-El didn’t have the slightest idea what The Trapper was
babbling about, which was par for the course since Mon-El had long ago
learned to trust the wisdom and infinite knowledge of his good friend
the Time Trapper. He ripped up sections of metal plating from the floor
and quickly fashioned them into a protective metal sphere around the
Praxian Singularity.
Dr. Perigord looked on in horror as he watched Mon-El seal off the
Praxian Singularity. His black eyes focused on The Time Trapper. "Must
you betray me in every
timeline? Can you not keep your word in any permutation of this scenario?"
"Why should I?" The Time Trapper held the HyperClock up before
Perigord’s eyes and the mutated scientist watched as it slowly
faded out of existence. "This time I had Alternity in my hands. And
that is something you will never know, my friend."
"Madman! Monster!" Dr. Perigord shrieked as he leaped upwards to grab
The Trapper by the throat and they careened through the air, Perigord
attempting to choke the life from his erstwhile partner.
Mon-El flipped aside the ten-ton metal sphere containing the Praxian
Singularity as if it were a pebble and flew upwards to help The Time
Trapper. He laid hold of Perigord and spun him around. "You’ve
lost, Perigord. Maybe you should just call it a day before I have to
get rough and really hurt you."
The thousand of metal fibers that streamed from Perigord’s head
like metal hair suddenly came to life and extended themselves, wrapping
around Mon-El’s head and sending a jolt of mental energy through
the Daxamite’s skull.
"You thought my hair just an affectation? They’re actually data
induction cables that allow me to directly interface my brain with my
timeship’s computer systems…and as you can feel, they also
allow me to attack on a more...cerebral level shall we say?"
Another surge of metal energy ripped through Mon-El’s brain,
making it feel like it was being carved up with rusty razors. Molten
rivers of pain boiled in his veins as he forced himself to bring both
interlocked hands upwards in a double-handed uppercut that ripped the
cables like rotted strings and threw Perigord away.
Mon-El landed and drew in deep gulps of air, wiped his streaming eyes.
His vision was blurry and unfocused and his head pounded horribly, but
he was still alive and still on his feet.
Dr. Perigord got to his feet. "Very well. Again I must swallow defeat
in yet another timeline. But it will not always be so…for I have
seen the future and I know that I will have my revenge on you both."
Mon-El answered coldly. "I’ll be here waiting, Perigord.
Don’t worry about that. And the next time, I won’t be so
merciful."
Perigord sneered and a shimmering aura of temporal energy surrounded
him and with a burst of light, he was gone.
Mon-El sank to one knee, glad that that was over at last. It had been a
while since he’d fought enemies of such vast power like the Amok
and Dr. Perigord. It occurred to him that he ought to start learning
new ways to use his powers and stop relying on strength alone.
The Time Trapper offered a hand to help him up. "We’d best be
going. Perigord’s timeship is going to be following him soon."
"Shouldn’t we dismantle it so that he can’t use it again?"
The Time Trapper shrugged. "Waste of time, my friend. But you should
bring along The Praxian Singularity."
Mon-El nodded. "Brainy should have a field day analyzing it." He strode
over to where the sphere containing the Singularity lay and picked it
up as The Trapper rejoiced.
It had worked. When he recreated the universe he had changed
Mon-El’s perceptions and memories about him and so Mon-El now
believed that he and The Time Trapper were the best of friends and
allies. And The Trapper had gone even further and wiped all knowledge
of his existence from the rest of The Legion’s minds so that as
far as they were concerned, the next time they met would be the first
time.
Mon-El, holding the metal sphere on his shoulder said to the Trapper,
"I’d like you to come with me and meet my Legionnaire buddies. I
know they’d like to meet my new friend who helped me stop such a
threat."
The Time Trapper smiled deep within the depths of his voluminous hood.
"I’d like that Mon-El…I’d like that greatly…" In The
41st Century…
Gideon Kent’s main laboratory was wonderfully well equipped.
Mon-El’s eyes lit up and he strode to and fro, taking in the
glittering equipment and machinery. Mon-El’s true soul was that
of a scientist and he suddenly realized how much he had missed of
scientific developments in the galaxy at large while he had stayed on
Helicon. Oh, he’d done considerable research on his own and his
own labs on Helicon was nothing to scoff at…but
this…Gideon’s lab was beyond state of the art.
Rael Gandon puffed and wheezed as she squeezed through the door with
the immense bulk of the Black Amok on her back. She had been forced to
knock the creature out in order to stop its attempts to rip her head
off. And quite frankly, she was getting tired of hauling this thing
around. Mon-El looked at Rael and couldn’t help smiling. The
expression on Rael’s face said it all.
"Can I PLEASE put this lump down now, Grandfather?"
"In a minute, Rael. Gideon…where can Rael put the Amok down?"
"Over here in this chamber, Mon." Gideon indicated one of five
good-sized rooms side by side on the far side of the main lab. Rael
gratefully tossed the Amok inside and Gideon leaned over the control
pad and whispered some words. The Amok was bathed in a warm orange
glow. "Stasis field," Gideon explained. "It’ll be quite safe
there."
"I wanted to get to work examining it at once, Gideon." Mon-El
protested. "The information I can gain from a complete dissection of
the Amok may be the edge we need the next time we fight them."
"But Con-El has requested that I bring you to The Council Hall where
the other Houses may properly greet you and express their thanks.
Surely we have time for the proper homage that is due you."
Mon-El frowned. "I thought we had established back on Helicon that
I’m no deity to be worshipped. I neither desire nor expect homage
to be paid to me! If I wanted to be worshipped I’d go back to
Daxam and live there!"
Gideon looked embarrassed. "Mon-El, I understand that perfectly,
believe me that I do. But like it or not, you are a legend here on New
Krypton and throughout the known universe."
Rael said, "If these people want to show you their gratitude,
Grandfather, why not let them? It’s your due and your right."
"Very well, then. Here’s what we’ll do. Rael, YOU go and
accept the honors and homage in my name since you seem to enjoy having
people throw themselves at your feet to kiss them. I’ll stay here
and work on the Amok in peace."
Gideon looked unhappy. "Con-El will not be pleased."
"Con-El will be less pleased if the remaining Amoks attack and we are
unprepared for them. You asked me to come and help you against them.
Fine. I’m here. Now leave me alone to do my job. Rael, when you
see Har-Ve, send him to me here. And Gideon, I’m expecting a man
named Lonigan Gray who will be coming in on a starship named The Daedalus Ecliptic. Please treat
him as an honored guest on my behalf and see to his comfort until
I’m finished here."
Gideon nodded. "Everything will be done as you command, Mon-El." Gideon
spent a few minutes pointing out several pieces of equipment that
Mon-El might need to use and informing the lab’s computers that
they should treat commands from Mon-El they same way they took commands
from Gideon himself. Then Mon-El shooed them out of the lab and closed
the door firmly.
Rael linked arms with Gideon and they walked down the wide golden
corridor toward the nearest balcony from which they could take flight.
"Don’t let Grandfather’s mood affect you,
Gideon…he’s been that way since I’ve known him."
"Mon-El is known for his humility, among other things. It’s not
all that surprising that he doesn’t want any kind of fuss made
over him."
"Well, fortunately, I suffer from no such malady," Rael said, tossing
her thick hair back over one shoulder. "Ever since I was a little girl,
Grandfather has been telling me that our powers make us no different
from anyone else and I could never understand his reasoning. I can fly
from star to star at will. I can pound mountains into dust. I can hear
the heartbeat of an insect half a world away. Isn’t it just and
right that those without those abilities defer to me? Especially when I
place those same abilities at their service?"
"I know what your Grandfather means, Rael. But I have to admit that
it’s something I’ve never had to deal with since I grew up
here on New Krypton with my family. You see, I’ve always been
around others with the same powers I have. Perhaps that makes a
difference. You may want to consider staying here on New Krypton for a
while…after this Amok matter is settled, of course."
Rael smiled. The thought had long occurred to her. And it wasn’t
lost on her that there were many handsome young men here on New
Krypton. Men that didn’t break as easy as the ones on Helicon.
"I’ll consider your offer, Gideon…"
Mon-El unsnapped his cloak from the golden discs and tossed it on a
worktable. "You can come out now," he said to the apparently empty
room. "I saw you come into the room at superspeed right after Rael
brought the Amok in. Rael and Gideon didn’t see you, but I did,
so come out and show yourself."
One of the curtains moved and a girl stepped into view, blushing
furiously. She was strikingly pretty, with skin tanned golden-bronze by
the giant yellow sun and a mane of bronze hair several shades darker
than her skin. She wore a skintight one-piece brown and black jumpsuit
that accentuated her deliciously firm and well-shaped body. "I
didn’t mean to spy on you. I was going to let you know I was
here. I just didn’t know what I should say."
"’Hello’ is always a good way to start a conversation.
I’m Mon-El. And you are…?"
"Dann-El. I’m Gideon’s sister." Dann-El stepped forward
shyly. "I’ve been wanting to meet you for so long…I hardly
know if I should bow or curtsy or what."
"Why don’t you just keep me company while I examine the Amok. You
can tell me about things here on New Krypton while I work, okay?"
Dann-El’s eyes opened wide. "I-I-well, sure! I’d be happy
to!" Inside she was both confused and excited. She’d heard for so
many years about The Last Legionnaire and his history, his adventures.
But to actually SEE him was quite another thing. She hadn’t
expected him to have so much white hair. And his eyes…his eyes
were strange and distant.
"I’m impressed by your speed. You slipped right by Rael and
Gideon and they never detected you."
"But you did!"
Mon-El smiled. "Well, I’ve had more experience than they have.
It’s pretty difficult for anyone to sneak by me." Mon-El lowered
the stasis field and went inside to fetch out the Black Amok. He
carried the creature to a large diagnostic grid in one corner and
placed the creature on it. It was beginning to regain consciousness,
its hands moving feebly.
"You must practice a lot." Mon-El stood at a console and manipulated
controls and the diagnostic grid began scanning the Amok.
"I do! Father and I also work out together a lot. He says that
he’s never seen anyone as fast as me. But I bet you’re
faster."
"I can move pretty fast when I want to."
"What are you doing with that Amok?"
"Trying to find out exactly what’s inside of it. I’d like
to be able to capture the Amoks if possible and reprogram them so that
your people can use them for peaceful purposes, such as rebuilding the
damage they’ve caused with their attacks."
"Father says they should all be destroyed for the lives they’ve
taken. Over seventy thousand have been killed in their attacks. Father
says that they should be shown no mercy."
Mon-El was intent on examining the readouts but he answered Dann-El in
a low voice; "If there’s no other way, then the Amoks will have
to be destroyed. But I’d rather try and find another way if
possible."
"Do you think the Amoks can be defeated?"
"It’s not the Amoks that worry me so much as their unseen master.
If we’re to truly win this battle, we have to find Dr. Perigord
and stop him."
The Council Hall was jam packed with representatives from every corner
and city and province on New Krypton. Once they had been brought the
news that Mon-El was busy examining an Amok, it was a general consensus
that everyone would stay and wait to see the legendary Last
Legionnaire, no matter how long it took. Rael was introduced and
treated like a goddess and she seemed quite pleased with the treatment
she was receiving.
Con-El pulled his son into a private corner and fixed him with a
steely, disapproving glare. "You were to bring Mon-El to The Council
Hall."
"Father, one cannot order around a living legend as if he were a
servant. Mon-El does what Mon-El wills."
Con-El waved a hand impatiently. "I needed to have Mon-El stand beside
me as I introduced him to the other Great Houses of New Krypton! You
know my political position is precarious! I need for the people to see
me as having brought Mon-El to save New Krypton from the Amoks! Already
that damned Bal-Ur and Gur-Xu are starting rumors that he’s NOT
the real Mon-El! That’s he’s an imposter that I’ve
had modified to look like Mon-El! And you’re not helping at all!"
"Father, the only thing I can suggest is that you send them to my labs
and accuse the man there of being an imposter and see how quickly he
changes their mind as to who he is."
A servant hurried up to Gideon. "Sir? There’s a starship in a
holding pattern asking for clearance to land. Its captain says that
he’s here at Mon-El’s request and he was told to contact
you. The captain says his name is Lonigan Gray."
"Yes, yes, give him clearance and landing co-ordinates for my estate
immediately."
"What’s this all about?" Con-El demanded.
"One of Mon-El’s friends that he’s asked to come help us
against the Amoks."
"I don’t need his damned friends!" Con-El snapped irritably. "I
need for Mon-El to come out of that thrice cursed laboratory and stand
by my side as I address the other Houses!"
Gideon retorted angrily, "Father, I promise I will do by best to secure
your political position as soon as I’ve made sure that there will
be a New Krypton in existence for you to lord it over. Now if you will
excuse me!" Gideon turned and stalked away angrily. He was surprised to
see Flamingo at his elbow.
"Mind if I go with you? Lonigan’s an old friend I haven’t
seen in a while."
"No, I don’t mind at all. Please do accompany me."
"It would seem that you and your father are having difficulties."
Flamingo said knowingly as they walked rapidly to a balcony and took
off, flying swiftly toward Gideon’s house.
"Did you ever know a father and son who didn’t?" Gideon answered.
"A word of advice, Gideon Kent. Don’t seek to involve Mon-El in
your planet’s political machinations. His motives in coming here
are pure and simple: he wants to stop needless destruction and the
meaningless loss of innocent lives. That’s all. I’d advise
you strongly not to seek to use him for some petty political games. I
wouldn’t like it. I wouldn’t like it at all."
Gideon didn’t look at Flamingo as he said slowly; "I understand
perfectly."
Gideon Kent’s estate was located on the side of a mountain some
eighty miles outside of Lyskandros. Glittering like some giant,
half-uncovered jewel, much of it was built right into the mountain,
including the lab where Mon-El labored.
Gideon and Flamingo waited for Lonigan Gray to be brought to the main
reception lounge where refreshments awaited. Shortly, Lonigan Gray was
ushered in.
Gideon certainly thought that he looked dangerous enough. A tall,
thickly muscled black man with two formidable looking pistols holstered
low on his hips and a short sword strapped to his back. He carried a
heavy coat over one arm and his eyes were dark and cold as he scanned
the room, taking in Gideon and breaking into a delighted grin upon
seeing Flamingo.
"Sathyra! What’s it been? Eighty years since we last saw each
other?" Lonigan Gray strode across the room and tossed his coat over
Gideon’s head and swept up Flamingo in his arms. She giggled
delightedly and pounded lightly on Lonigan’s broad shoulders.
"Brute! Put me down this instance! You know how I hate to be picked
up!" But Flamingo’s dancing eyes and wide, dazzling smile
indicated anything except displeasure. "And I’m going by the name
Flamingo these days, if you don’t mind!"
Lonigan put her back on her feet and grunted; "You can tell Mon and
anybody else to call you whatever you like. You’ll always be
Sathyra to me."
"Please call me Flamingo, Lonigan? There’s a lot going on you
don’t know about and the less these people know about me, the
better I like it."
"Oh-HO... It’s like that, then?" Lonigan turned to Gideon, who
had removed the coat from his head and took in Lonigan Gray a bit more
carefully. The freebooter wore a tight black skinshirt that left his
scarred arms bare. A bandoleer crossed his wide chest. He looked like
most any other spacer eking out a living from the spacelanes and Gideon
couldn’t tell if he had any superpowers or not. But then again,
Flamingo had proven to have surprises up her sleeves as well.
"So where’s the Big Man himself? I’ve flown over 22,000
light-years to get here at his behalf. What’s he doing?"
"I’m Gideon Kent, sir. Mon-El has asked me to look to your
comfort while he’s busy."
"I’d take it as a courtesy if you could have my crew looked
after. There’s eighty hungry men aboard The Daedalus Ecliptic."
"Does your ship require repairs?"
"My crew will handle the maintenance chores. Just give them some hot
chow, plenty of booze and step outta their way." Lonigan Gray cracked
gloved knuckles. "Now, who or what is it we’ve gotta destroy?"
