Last Daughter of Krypton: Legion IC

[Varshanka]

Allan - Slow and low

Lar had been, to say the least, profoundly moved, by the revelation of The Martian and his great triumphant call to arms.

And when people experience emotion that profound, they process it in different ways. Some sing praises, hallelujahs, others kneel with their fist over their heart and their head bowed... others still simply stand stunned into the silence of awe.

M'onel had missed Earth's great Ages of Heroes, the time of the secret Society, the rise and fade of The League...

...but he was watching the coming of a New Age, and he could feel it in his unbreakable bones.

When Lang returned to him and turned to him, he gazed at her in bewilderment for a moment-- it took even his accelerated neurology whole seconds to dislodge itself from that sense of wonder and to regain traction on the present.

"What?" he frowned. "No. You just-- swore an oath of Valor."

"If I dared ridicule you for that, well, let's just say I'd be the world's worst hypocrite."

An eyebrow quirked upwards as she looked at M'onel, she didn’t understand why he would be a hypocrite, but she wouldn’t ask as she felt it would be impolite. Instead she simply nodded and took her place at his side.

 

[Wyldfire]

The cruiser rose up to meet them, shining like it had just come off of one of Brande's assembly lines. "No problem, Ayla. Engines warm, fueled, all systems updated and all consumables replenished," Jenni answered.

"Also had the time to detail her too."

Lightning Lass grinned. "Showoff."

"Nice work, though. Garth would say that cruiser looks good enough to crash into Korbal."

As Jo landed in the airlock she shook her head and sighed. She adored Jenni, but the speedster was enough frustrate a saint at times. "Okay everyone, let's get up into orbit till we get our reinforcements."

As the last of the team entered the cruiser Jo looked towards Tinya. "Take a quick peek in on Imra please? When she wakes up let me know. If Jen's right, it might be nice to give the Galtos people fair warning."

Tinya seemed to take a moment to decide whether or not she should bristle at Jo telling her what to do. But then, belatedly, she noted the presence of that "please."

Jo Nah of Rimbor was being polite. Might wonders never cease.

She nodded, instead. "I get it. The whammy wears off on her, it's worn off on the rank and file. I'm on it."

She silked through the wall to find Imra, pulling up a seat beside that bunk and holding the beautiful blonde's hand.

As the cruiser rose it was passed by SP relief ships descending to aid the Warden and his people. Jenni whistled as she manuevered the cruiser out of atmo. "Man, that's a lot of SPs. I hope nothing else comes up, those guys are stretched pretty thin if this many of them are here."

"I am necessarily a pessimist," Shadow Lass grimaced, "and even I know better than to declare Famous Last Words like those."

Jenni grinned. "Aww c'mon Shady, it's just a bit of a push. Just a bit of the rush." Jenni hadn't been excited about much of anything lately. It had been so boring. So slow. But since the Five had snapped, everything was more alive. Something big was coming and Jenni could feel it. It tingled through the Speedforce, like a hint of a tune that you couldn't place.

"It's not like we can't handle anything the universe throws at us," she said. "I mean come one, we're the Legion. We've taken everything that's ever come at us." Take a pause. A breath. At their speed. So slow. None of the others really understood how she thought. No one did. Except Bart. She missed him so much sometimes.

He got to be the one. The hero that would keep a legacy alive. What did she get? She got to be the leftover. The leftover in the leftover team. Her twin was the one in the honorable grave before he'd even been born. No one in the team knew this or even had a hint. Jenni Ognats was courting fate. XS of the Legion of Super Heroes was courting death.

"I mean come on, we're the sprocking Legion of Super heroes. We always win."

 

[ChasNicollette]

GL 2261. North

For an instant, a smile spread across his face.

And then J'onn's eyes flared red as he turned his gaze upon Aethyr.

"And this you cling to will fade and fall, just as summer to autumn and autumn to winter," he told her, "and all things will wither and die to be swept away with wind and rain.

"Indeed, for you and your allies it will as the changing of the seasons.

"And winter is coming."

Liz inclined her head to J'onn.

This was well-spoken, and, while she hadn't taken after her mother as much as her sister Ceri had done-- in powers or personality --well, she still appreciated that reference.

Especially as a fantasist.

And then she glanced upward at that gateway to The Phantom Zone, still yawning, still ready to devour.

"Better dress warm."

"Blue suns are cold suns, even when they shine."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Shadow Lass, Lightning Lass. The Cruiser.

Jenni grinned. "Aww c'mon Shady, it's just a bit of a push. Just a bit of the rush."

"Far be it from me," Tasmia allowed, with a slow, slow smile, "to dismiss the thrill of battle, and the anticipation of more to come."

"It's not like we can't handle anything the universe throws at us," she said. "I mean come one, we're the Legion. We've taken everything that's ever come at us."

"That we have," Tasmia nodded, a fist pumping upward in the air.

So far, Ayla caught herself thinking, and winced, and looked away.

"I mean come on, we're the sprocking Legion of Super heroes. We always win."

As Lightning Lass stared out through the viewport, she reflected on The Hall of The Fallen, on Condo, on Lyle, on James, the others...

...she suddenly missed Cham very much.

"Yeah," she murmured, noncommittally, and hoped the Threshold would open soon to break up the conversation. "Always."

...but at what cost?

 

[ChasNicollette]

Cosmic Boy. Assembly Hall. (( Borrowed with Brax' permission. ))

Rokk looked over the assembled Legionnaires.

"We have a threat, one which we have never faced. But this threat, like all others we have faced,

We.

Will.

Overcome!!"

His gaze hardened.

"Wildfire, Sun Boy, go assist Lightning Lass and the others. M'onel, Star Boy, Kid Quantum, you too. Element Lad, I know you're not strictly a combatant, but sometimes even chaplains need to take up arms, and this might need subtlety as well as raw amplitude. Fate-- if The Fatal Five are running with The LSV at the moment, I want you to do whatever it takes to get that helmet back. Power Boy, Valkyrie M3, Aztek-- you're our back-up brigade. All of you: take down the LSV, and take them down hard!"

He then looked at Garth.

"Garth, I want you to..."

He never finished that sentence, for at that moment half of the earth went dark. Completely. No vision could penetrate this blackness, until seven seconds later, it went away in a blink.

"What the sprock was THAT????"

He shot his gaze across the room at Shadow Lad-- or was he Shadow Kid? He felt bad for not remembering right off. "Grev, I take it that wasn't one of yours? If not, Brainy, I'm gonna need an analysis five ticks ago."

Cos swung his gaze over to Dawnstar. "Dawny. Nice outfit. Looks like you've got some explaining to do, but you can explain later. Right now I need to know what you're talking about with 'The Pole.' Is that where Powergirl went in such a hurry?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

M'onel. Assembly Hall.

An eyebrow quirked upwards as she looked at M'onel, she didn’t understand why he would be a hypocrite, but she wouldn’t ask as she felt it would be impolite. Instead she simply nodded and took her place at his side.

Things were happening quickly, now.

Nura had some sort of rupture, and that guy in the gas mask vanished with her in a swirl of sand.

Jo reported from Takron Galtos, The Legion of Supervillains-- even Lar's sun-warmed blood ran a little colder, at that.

Darkness shrouded the room that even a Daxamite's X-Ray vision, infrared vision, nothing could pierce it, and he had to use superhearing to make sure the others were okay.

When the light returned and things were still proceeding apace, M'onel glanced at Allana.

"Looks like I'm getting dispatched. You'll be okay, here. These are good people. And if it's all hands on deck like this, I'm sure you'll see action before long."

 

[Wyldfire]

"We have a threat, one which we have never faced. But this threat, like all others we have faced,

We.

Will.

Overcome!!"

His gaze hardened.

"Wildfire, Sun Boy, go assist Lightning Lass and the others. M'onel, Star Boy, Kid Quantum, you too. Element Lad, I know you're not strictly a combatant, but sometimes even chaplains need to take up arms, and this might need subtlety as well as raw amplitude. Fate-- if The Fatal Five are running with The LSV at the moment, I want you to do whatever it takes to get that helmet back. Power Boy, Valkyrie M3, Aztek-- you're our back-up brigade. All of you: take down the LSV, and take them down hard!"

Dirk broke away from flirting with Nightwind, He hadn't been on the Wanderers rescue, so his being his usual self might be forgiven this once. "Time to bring out the big guns I see." He winked a Nightwind, who really wasn't sure how to respond. "Don't worry Windy, I'll be back."

Star boy walked past him giving him a good natured slap to the back of the head. "Give it a rest Dirk, this is the kind of mission our powers are best used." He gave a gruff laugh. "Otherwise I bet the team would let you stay behind. Now hurry the sprock up would you."

Jed was frozen in place. He was being called into a fight that included Wildfire, Ultra girl, and M'onel. What the nass? Grev gave him a hard shake. "Get going, stop making us cadets look bad."

Jed shook it off and stepped up with the others. "I'm ready," he said with almost no shaking in his tone.

He then looked at Garth.

"Garth, I want you to..."

He never finished that sentence, for at that moment half of the earth went dark. Completely. No vision could penetrate this blackness, until seven seconds later, it went away in a blink.

"What the sprock was THAT????"

He shot his gaze across the room at Shadow Lad-- or was he Shadow Kid? He felt bad for not remembering right off. "Grev, I take it that wasn't one of yours? If not, Brainy, I'm gonna need an analysis five ticks ago."

"No sir, not mine and Tasmia isn't even on planet," the younger man looked perplexed. "But it did feel familiar, like something from home."

Cos swung his gaze over to Dawnstar. "Dawny. Nice outfit. Looks like you've got some explaining to do, but you can explain later. Right now I need to know what you're talking about with 'The Pole.' Is that where Powergirl went in such a hurry?"

"Power girl as well as Mr. Brande or whoever he really is." she kept heading towards the exit. "The ancient one is there as well. There is also a trail that I have tasted many times in my life but if I pay too close attention to it it disappears."

"I have a feeling something bigger than we have ever experienced is unfolding and it's nexus is the Northern magnetic pole of Earth," she turned her falcon headed mask to Cosmic boy. "If we are not quick, we will miss it and the world will fall."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Interlude IV: Mysterious Ways. (Continued apologies to Morrison.)

Then.​

The battle against Mageddon and his unwitting agents, The Injustice Gang, raged in The Heavens and on Earth.

The villain Prometheus had come into The Clocktower in which Barbara Gordon, called Oracle, kept tireless watch over the heroes of Gotham and acted as curator and tech support for the genius A.I. that powered The Justice League's Watchtower. He had destroyed her machines just as he had sabotaged Watchtower, and he had flung her out through the face of the clock.

But she had survived, clinging to the hands of the clock-face and clambering back in with the strength of her upper body.

Now she sat, returned to the wheelchair that gave her a semblance of mobility, and gazed at her ruined equipment with an ache in her heart.

A year ago, The Joker had put a bullet through her spine and trapped her in this chair, ended her career as The First Batgirl. Now, now, she felt crippled.

And then, behind her--

OMMMMM...

...twisting around in her chair, Barbara found behind her a slender, ageless being in blue seated atop a hovering green throne.

Spinning her left wheel backwards, she turned to look at him straight-on.

"..."

"Please tell me you're one of the good guys."

With a voice as cold and calculating as the depths of infinity and the tick-tock of eternity, her visitor replied: "I am Metron, Master of Time, Space, and Mind."

"There are no barriers to my Mobius Chair. I am present in The Meta-Here, The Hyper-Now, The Omni-Moment."

Barbara took a second to process that. But, to her credit, only a second.

"That's some chair," she decided, with only a hint of envy, and then got down to business:

"Metron of The New Gods, right? Planet Earth could use some help right now..."

Metron did not spare that entreaty even as much as a dismissive grunt.

"The Celestials Barda and Orion are Earth's elected defenders."

In one hand, he produced a gleaming metallic cube, lined with living circuitry, sparking with some otherworldly energy.

Barbara couldn't help but find it beautiful. Like the box her mom kept her jewelry in.

And it spoke, insistently:

PING.
PING.
PING.
PING.
PING.

And Metron informed her, reminding her that he was no good guy, no hero, no Defender of The Earth:

"I have reasons of my own for giving you this."

"You are only forerunners."

********​

This was a Motherbox.

Barbara used this to rebuild and upgrade her technology-- restoring her link to Watchtower and granting her the digital telepathy needed to unite Earth's heroes, a shining moment in the downfall of The Warbringer.

And when it was all over save the settling of the dust...

...its influence withdrew, and Barbara rebuilt The Clocktower with upgraded terrestrial technology. Batcave technology.

As she did so, she told Bruce about what happened.

"'Reasons,'" he rumbled, with the Motherbox clutched in a bat-gloved hand.

"Yeah," Barbara admitted, feeling about as sheepish as she had when Jim, her uncle and adoptive father, had first caught her sneaking out at night with a Bat on her chest, just as unable to explain herself.

Batman narrowed his eyes, those fierce lenses becoming slits in his cowl. "Did he tell you what reasons?"

Barbara's shoulders rose, and they fell. "...no."

"Hh," Batman harrumphed.

"Of course not."

"I better keep an eye on this."

********

Now.​

When seven seconds of darkness fell over half of The Planet Earth, The Remnant's hand went to one holster, one of the guns of Lee Travis.

...but as ready as she was to lash out, spit lead at the forces of evil, a soothing influence gave her pause. ...reminded her to have faith.

A gentle, loving voice from a pouch in her utility belt.

PING, it said.

PING.
PING.
PING.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Cosmic Boy. Assembly Hall. (( Borrowed with Brax' permission. ))

"Power girl as well as Mr. Brande or whoever he really is." she kept heading towards the exit. "The ancient one is there as well. There is also a trail that I have tasted many times in my life but if I pay too close attention to it it disappears."

"I have a feeling something bigger than we have ever experienced is unfolding and it's nexus is the Northern magnetic pole of Earth," she turned her falcon headed mask to Cosmic boy. "If we are not quick, we will miss it and the world will fall."

Cos needed all of a moment to digest this.

"Those of you hunting The LSV, get to Threshold Xmission, stat."

"The rest of you, I want volunteers! Go with Dawnstar, get to The Arctic. If she says it's big, it is big."

"Go, save the world."

"LONG LIVE THE LEGION."

"LET'S GO, LEGIONNAIRES!"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Wildfire, Lightning Lad, Cosmic Boy (borrowed from Brax), Brainiac 5. Assembly Hall.

"LONG LIVE THE LEGION!"

"LET'S GO, LEGIONNAIRES!"

Wildfire threw a use-weave fist in the air and roared, delightedly: "EAT IT, GRANDPA!"

...a number of teammates stared at him blankly.

Wildfire shrugged unrepentantly. "What? I like shouting slogans, okay?"

Garth pointed a cyborg finger at Rokk's chest.

"Dude. Don't squaj around with me. What were you going to say? Where am I going? Because I promise you, I am cocked, locked, and ready to you."

Rokk smiled a faint little smile. "You're not going anywhere, Garth. I'm going out there. I'm going to knock some dust off my knuckles for a change. I'm going out to bring down The Legion of Supervillains. And you're a Founder, Garth. I'm leaving you in charge."

Before Garth could sputter in the slightest, a voice roared from behind them: "WHAT?"

Brainiac 5 stormed up to them, apparently cognizant of his surroundings for the first time since Caroline's world-trembling kiss: "Him? Krinn, have you taken too many hits to the head with a Magno-Ball? Have you been completely polarized? To leave him in charge? Of all the subcortical--"

Rokk held up one finger, and Brainiac stopped talking. (Not a lot of people could do that, but this was the respect Rokk Krinn commanded.) "Brainy. Querl. Do you really want your brain bogged down with the red tape of Legion leadership? We need you to think bigger than that. You up for it?"

Brainy thought about this for a moment. "...fine."

Lightning Lad grinned a wobbly grin, nervous as all Hell, but he'd never let on.

"Front row, bastitches!"

 

[Wyldfire]

Dawnstar kept walking through the team's Rah rah bit. Once they were done with it and those going into space had headed towards the threshold she spoke once more. "All due speed due North from here. Follow in a line my signal on the Omnicomm. Track my signal as I would my prey. Now we fly! Now we follow the Warpath! Hokahai!"

With that cry she Launched into the open air. One hundred feet from the door she hit the sonic barrier. BOOM. two hundred feet the second boom. She was in atmo before anyone could have tried to stop her. Her mind had already picked it's tracking point. Brande. She'd felt the call from Starhaven. The memories had followed the call.

The Falcon mask had been modified from a much older mask of a Terran origin. It had been a more feminine hawk mantle. Dawnstar realized the truth. She had never felt one with her own people. As humanity had reached out to the stars an old curse stretched to accommodate a growing universe. Her soul was not a true Apache soul. She had a much older name than she used now, but she had been compelled to only allow that to be known to one other. The bride. She had never found her Carter in this much grown habitat. She was Dawnstar. Legionnaire, and galactic tracker. But she had another name from long long ago. She was Shierra. She was the bride of Khufu. Hawkwoman reborn!

At the apex of her flight she banked. ninety degrees and more banking directly towards the Northern Pole of Earth. Two more booms followed as she reached mach four in her dive towards the north pole.

 

[Varshanka]

"The rest of you, I want volunteers! Go with Dawnstar, get to The Arctic. If she says it's big, it is big."

"Go, save the world."

"LONG LIVE THE LEGION."

"LET'S GO, LEGIONNAIRES!"

Even as the cheers resounded through the Hall, Allana was moving (in a rather undignified fashion). Running down the hall she was giving orders to the Machine spirit, commanding it to power up her armor, full offensive and defense batteries. Energize for combat readiness.

The robe she wore fluttered around her tanned legs as bare feet slapped on ceramite flooring.

Rounding the corner she barreled through the door, her arm knocking it from the frame as the robe fluttered away from her skin. Twisting she launched herself into her armor. Seals closed around her, Penta- Hexagrammatical runes glowing in her skin.

Eternal moments passed as the Machine spirit linked her to the suit systems, and with a burst of speed she was moving through the halls and out the door, the air heating in her wake.

The only thing anyone would hear her say was “Guilty,” But it was a deeper darker voice. A voice filled with hate and anger.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Mark 4:1-20.

As rattled as The Legion had been by that literal darkness, they were even more galvanized by the sight and sound of their Fearless Leader calling them to stand together against the figurative darkness.

M'onel watched Allana go, nodded, wished her whatever speed her God would afford her, and he flew for Threshold Xmission with all his faster-than-a-speeding-bullet speed.

As Rokk prepared to follow the Daxamite, Night Girl-- one of The Subs, activated in this time of emergency --surged through the crowd up to him, clutched his arm--

--it hurt, surprising him. Usually Lydda only had super-strength when it was dark around her. Maybe those seven seconds of such pure darkness had had a lasting effect?

Before he could react to anything except the fingerprint bruises forming on his skin, she stood up on tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek.

"For luck," she promised, and then hurried off after Dawnstar.

"She always did have a crush on you," Kid Quantum noted wryly, and then glanced in the direction of the Threshold room. "You comin'?"

Element Lad and Fate were nearby, exchanging words too quiet to hear. Jonah touched Jan's face for a moment, and then they moved towards the door.

"Looks like I'm with The Big Bad Hunt," Merick's Ghost decided, glancing at Jaymie. "I go where he goes, it's a Kid Eternity thing. You cool?"

VM3 stared to nowhere for a moment, her red eyes hard as Martian stone. "The Fatal Five might be there. And I owe them for Candi. Yeah, I'm cool. I'm so cool."

"Cool," Merick's Ghost nodded, respectfully.

Wildfire, meanwhile, gave Merick's Ghost a long, long look, a look that was necessarily unreadable because of Wildfire's faceplate. And then he followed Jaymie and Merick out.

Aztek glanced at Power Boy-- "I don't think I've ever heard Cosmic Boy say my name before. It-- sounds different when he says it."

Matter-Eater Lad came barreling up at this point, and poked a finger hard into the round sun symbol that adorned Cuatro's chest: "Okay. You represent, man, okay? You tell that Persuader guy I'm coming to take a bite out of his axe, you got me?"

Aztek grinned softly, and clapped M-E Lad on the shoulder. "Tenzil. I'm on it."

M-E Lad then swung his finger to point at Jed, as if Aztek hadn't even spoken, M-E didn't even slow down. "And you. You come back in one piece, huckleberry. You gotta lotta girls to keep safe from my unflappable Kem charm, y'hear? (Flarg.)"

He clapped them both on the shoulders, backed up a few steps. "Now get a move on, nassers. If you need me, I'll be heading North."

********​

Dawnstar kept walking through the team's Rah rah bit. Once they were done with it and those going into space had headed towards the threshold she spoke once more. "All due speed due North from here. Follow in a line my signal on the Omnicomm. Track my signal as I would my prey. Now we fly! Now we follow the Warpath! Hokahai!"

With that cry she Launched into the open air. One hundred feet from the door she hit the sonic barrier. BOOM. two hundred feet the second boom. She was in atmo before anyone could have tried to stop her.

At the apex of her flight she banked. ninety degrees and more banking directly towards the Northern Pole of Earth. Two more booms followed as she reached mach four in her dive towards the north pole.

As Allana's armor hurtled her after Dawnstar, its sensors-- whether she was paying attention to them or not, or necessarily preoccupied with Zarathos' seething vendetta --would then detect movement to one side of her.

...Ceriel, black wings spread wide, ruby-red eagle-eyes set and determined.

...and then on the other side, a flash of Green energy, as, courage summoned, Rond Vidar, "Teen Lantern," pulled even with her.

...behind them, riding the slipstream of the faster fliers, there came Night Girl, and Matter-Eater Lad...

...and others...

...called to arms.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Interlude V: The Goodness of Giving is in The Timing.

It was 2010.

Young Neil Richards leaned on the railing of The Millennium Bridge, mobile phone in hand, nattering away, as an endless stream of pedestrians bustled past him.

He was, to say the least, quite excited.

As a young fashion designer, he'd absolutely nailed an audition with financiers looking to launch a new label, and he hadn't even had to jump through any Reality TV hoops in order to manage it.

"Yeah, mum," he nodded exuberantly, his ginger mop rebounding with each nod. "They just want me to come back tomorrow, go over a few provisos in me contract, additional, uh, quid pro quos, or somefhing? Not sure what that's about, but uvverwise it's in the bag, yeah?"

While the wobblyness of The Millennium Bridge had been largely resolved by early 2002, Neil frowned then as the deckplates started to quiver under his feet, the railing vibrate in his hand.

"Sorry, it's just-- I fhink someone's running--"

--then Neil saw them, saw him. Tall guy, skinny, spiky hair and a blue suit and a big brown coat-- Neil appreciated the timelessness of the look, and the way that the coat gave dynamism and volume to complement the spindlyness of the fella's frame --zig-zagging through the foot traffic, he was apologizing left and right but still, the nerve of him.

And then he got nervier still.

The slender, besuited bloke skidded to a stop next to Neil, one hand clutching the railing, the other hand outstretched.

He pleaded: "Mate, I need to borrow your mobile, please, it's important!"

Neil scowled at him. "'Ang on, now, I'm on the blower wiv me mum, show a little decorum!"

That hand gestured even more desperately, outstretched a bit more, those dark eyes somehow burning: "Come on, come on, please. It is an absolute emergency, ultimate code red."

Neil leaned back from the man, narrowing his own eyes. "There's a 'undred uvver people 'ere, why doncheh borrow one uv theirs?"

"No, no, y'see," his haranguer protested, "it has to be yours, it has to be, I backtraced the signal after the fact, we couldn't do it at the time, the number was blocked, I couldn't even hack it, Chloe couldn't hack it, even ODIN couldn't dig out the phone records, but I used The TARDIS to rewind the signal itself back to the source using reverse temporal progression--"

He stopped.

Neil was staring at him like he was demon-possessed, like he'd just started speaking in tongues--

He groaned, yanked a very official-looking goverment ID out of his pocket in a leather folder, brandished it in Neil's face. "Health and Safety. Phone Department! I'm commandeering your mobile in the name of The Crown, now give over."

Hand trembling, Neil shoved the phone into the slender fellow's hand, and the slender fellow snatched it up with a grimace.

"Ah, Virgin," he muttered, hanging up on Neil's mummy dearest. "Speaking of Crowns. Everywhere I look in this Universe, something's gotta remind me of an ex."

He checked his watch, gritted his teeth, "Always got to cut things so ruddy close."

Shoving the ID away, he instead produced this thin cylindrical white and grey thing, pointed one end at the mobile and it-- lit up, it whistled-- then his thumb was moving, he muttered to himself, "come on, come on, come on..."

He hit "send" with vicious emphasis, sighed with relief, and handed the phone back to Neil after deleting the text and the mobile number to whom the text had been sent.

So much of the tension seemed to billow out of him, then, and he took a deep breath.

"Thank you," he exhaled. "Thank you. I thank you, and your Nation thanks you."

Neil glanced down at his prepaid phone and saw that the minutes display on the screen just had an "infinity" symbol beside it.

He blinked disbelievingly. "Awh, ginchy!"

The Doctor, for, perhaps obviously, The Doctor it was, flinched at the use of that word. His daughter had loved that word so much it was bizarre hearing anyone else use it.

But then he pointed the sonic at the phone again and the sonic whistled and glowed-- the number reverted to the proper running tally, and Neil made a very disgruntled noise.

The Doctor smiled faintly. "Nation doesn't thank you that much, mate. Cheers, though."

And then he turned, and put his hands in his trouser pockets, and joined the flow of pedestrian traffic, wandering back off the way he'd come.

Neil watched that maddening madman walk away, watched him go for a long, long moment, and then decided to call his mum back.

...Then.​

 

[Wyldfire]

As Dawnstar and the vanguard began their decent she keyed her Omnicomm. "Powergirl, this is Dawnstar. I have over two thirds of full Legion reserve on approach to the pole. Status?"

She and Caroline had briefly been roommates at the academy. She had actually become fond of the blond hybrid, it seemed just natural to take Caroline in. She had a good heart. A heart that Dawnstar was going to keep beating at any cost.

 

[Wyldfire]

Jo. Jenni.

The cruiser took up it's position just outside of orbit. Jo waited anxiously to see who she was going to get to back her play on this run for the LSV and the Five.

Wait a second, back her play? Shouldn't she be hoping a leader type would be here? Before she could poke at this thought the threshold opened. Out poured the team selected and as they came she whistled. "Holy Sprock, they sent us the big guns."

Then she saw him. Rokk. The boss. Jo knew she should feel relieved that they'd thought the team leader was best suited for this, but Jo just couldn't. She'd had a handle on this. She could have led the team.

She thought about it again with her hardened eyes. She almost laughed. She couldn't handle it. Not with Tasmia being bitchier than normal. Not with Tinya being here at all. Jo would swear she was over Tinya, but she kept falling right back into idiocy when they were around each other.

Jenni looked. "Hey they sent just about everyone!"

"yeah," Jo sighed. "They sent the A team. Cruiser's all ready Rokk. What are your orders." She'd tried her best to keep it out of her tone, but she knew at least one person onboard would catch it. She hoped Tin got at least a little happy out of it.

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

The realization of what had happened cut deep into Kara's heart. She'd known the pain of loss more times than she cared to remember, but the loss of two of her dearest friends... friends she had come to know when she was still learning about who she was... words just seemed to fail her.

Kara saw those tears welling up in Rose's eyes, but she didn't move to comfort the young Kryptonian.

She didn't move at all.

Kara listened to Zor-Sen's story, and when he was finished her fingers curled upwards and her hands turned into fists. Kara turned her gaze towards the gateway that led to the Phantom Zone, but somehow the punishment of eternal damnation there just didn't seem fitting.

Zor and his lackeys had somehow escaped from its icy grasp... and deep down she knew that they'd do so yet again if given the chance.

Did Aethyr deserve death?

Did Nam-Ek?

The answer seemed obvious.

If there was one thing that Kara had learned, however, it was that no one had the right to chose whether another lived or died. Watching Aethyr struggle against the pull of the two vortex's, however, and she wished to Heaven that she had. It would have been so easy.

So very easy.

Kara turned to Zor-Sen and looked at him sternly.

"Release him," she said, her eyes narrowing on the Kryptonian warrior that the son of Var-Sen had been subduing. The older Supergirl walked over slowly to the pair, and when Nam-Ek was released, he blindly charged at the daughter of Zor-El and threw his fist right at her face. The attack would have easily leveled a mountain and barreled over most superheroes, but Kara Zor-El didn't move at all.

She would move... when she wanted to move.

"You're finished," she said, and before Nam-Ek could pull away she reached forward and grabbed at his neck, her fingers tightening around his throat as she lifted him up off the ground.

It would have been so very easy... to just squeeze a little harder.

But then she would have been no different than Zod.

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

"Powergirl, this is Dawnstar. I have over two thirds of full Legion reserve on approach to the pole. Status?"

Powergirl... or Supergirl... she wasn't sure which name to go by now that she wore the symbol of the House of El on her chest, bearing the trademark colors of her ancestor who was standing not a few feet from her, listened to the incoming message from Dawnstar and relayed their status.

"Well, things were a bit tight down here, but The Fortress is secure."

Caroline looked over at the older Supergirl and smiled.

"Apparently we had a secret weapon down here, and she's amazing. So is um... is Brainy on his way down too?"

 

[Wyldfire]

Powergirl... or Supergirl... she wasn't sure which name to go by now that she wore the symbol of the House of El on her chest, bearing the trademark colors of her ancestor who was standing not a few feet from her, listened to the incoming message from Dawnstar and relayed their status.

"Well, things were a bit tight down here, but The Fortress is secure."

Caroline looked over at the older Supergirl and smiled.

"Apparently we had a secret weapon down here, and she's amazing. So is um... is Brainy on his way down too?"

Of course. "Brainy" End of the world and she asks after him. She was wonderful in so many ways but her taste in men was questionable. "He is on his way at his own speed. If it is tight down there do you need some room to move? I have an idea. There are several of us on approach. I would propose a multiple sonic fly over. The shock wave might give you some room."

 

[ChasNicollette]

ERG-1, Merick, Jonah, Jaymie, Jan, Cuatro, Tasmia, Jazmin, Ayla, Tinya, and Rokk.

Out poured the team selected and as they came she whistled. "Holy Sprock, they sent us the big guns."

"Thassright," Wildfire chortled, use-weave arms flung wide. "I? Am your boomstick!"

Merick's Ghost grinned like a mad thing. "Oh, man, best reference. Love me some Bruce Campbell."

"Yeah," Wildfire noted, glancing at Merick's Ghost. "Runs in the family, see. I'm a couple of Tennylsons, too. Actually, I've got some questions to ask you about that."

Jonah laughed softly, ruefully. "This should be a fun conversation."

"Big guns," Jaymie grinned sheepishly, oh, for all the rattledness her heart still felt right now, God it was good to see Jo, beautiful solid-as-a-rock Jo. "And me, too."

"You have faith a-plenty," Jan reminded Jaymie with a hand placed gently on her shoulder. "And faith can move mountains, even without muscle like that of M'onel or Thom Kallor to back it up."

"That's good," Aztek admitted. "I don't have half that muscle. And right now my faith's feeling a little shaky too."

M'onel nodded quietly to him. "If you can't see your god from where you're standing," he suggested, "remember that your god's put you among friends. And you can have faith in them while your god's away."

He shook his head. "My faith in my friends is all I have left, but it's never let me down."

Tasmia quirked an eyebrow. "Have you tried carrying the power of your Messiah in your very bloodline? That works for me."

"That does sound pretty awesome," Aztek conceded, and took these thoughts to heart.

Jenni looked. "Hey they sent just about everyone!"

Jazmin grinned at that. "Not that you need the help, girl, but we're here." She nodded to Lightning Lass. "Hey, Ay'. You ready for me to kick your electrons up a notch?"

Ayla grinned back at Kid Quantum, and there was a lot of Garth in that grin. "Kid Q, we are wired for sound."

"yeah," Jo sighed. "They sent the A team. Cruiser's all ready Rokk. What are your orders." She'd tried her best to keep it out of her tone, but she knew at least one person onboard would catch it. She hoped Tin got at least a little happy out of it.

Elsewhere in the cruiser, Tinya did smile a faint little smile. But there was as much guilt in the smile as Schadenfreude.

Jo had been doing a good job as leader. Rising above personal differences to get the job done. Yeah, Tinya didn't mind seeing Jo's overconfidence blow up in her face... but it really really was a nice face, and she didn't want it blown up too much.

But then.

Rokk arched an eyebrow. "My orders? Ultra Girl, the way I heard it you were running point on this mission. If I took that from you mid-stream I'd be no better than the Earthgov bureaucrats you mock with Shvaughn over silverales."

He met her hardened eyes without flinching. Sure, he was the Magno-Ball star. But right now she was the coach and he was just coming off the bench.

"I'm just another Legionnaire here to kick nass and take names."

"Jo. What are your orders?"

And at that? Tinya smiled even brighter.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Garth, Brainy, Batman 3010, Tomorrow Woman, and The Remnant. Assembly Hall.

Garth was, let's be honest here, still jazzed at getting a go at the top spot, however temporary. And he was enjoying himself for other reasons.

He stood there for a moment, gazing up at the holodisplay that charted the telemetry for all the Flight Rings out in the field, bio arm crossed over his stomach, cyborg fingers tapping his chin.

He grinned to himself as he listened to the omnicom traffic, and then glanced over at Brainiac 5.

"Brainy."

Querl, meanwhile, was preoccupied with his PD3, the fingers of one hand typing almost fast enough to impress Jenni or Shakespeare. "Working, Ranzz."

Garth grinned a little wider. "...Brainy."

Querl's brow furrowed a little deeper. "Working."

Garth had to restrain laughter. "Brainy."

Roaring in disgust, Querl lowered the PD3 and glared green green eyes at Lightning Lad. "WHAT?"

Garth pointed a cyborg finger up at the holodisplay. "PeeGee's asking for you."

Querl blinked. "...oh. What? But I'm-- factoring the tactical-- uploading new data--"

Garth grinned lazily. "And you really think that's more important than Caroline wanting you around? Priorities, man, I thought that big one-two in your brainpan meant you were smart. B'sides, Dawny said you were inbound, you wanna risk making a liar out of her?"

Brainiac 5 hesitated. "Tell her-- tell her I'll make my egress tout suite."

Batman 3010 walked a little closer, a little smirk on his face. "You want to catch a lift with me and The Remnant? I've just been waiting on teleport coords from my technical support."

[You're welcome,] Olivia harrumphed, scanning The Wall for the location of The Fortress, [you impatient jack-nass.]

"Yes, fine, good," Brainiac nodded, pocketing the PD3 for the time being as he hurried over to Batman and The Remnant. "I can make these calculations from there."

He paused as he approached The Remnant, however. And squinted. "You smell of technology. Old, old, beautiful technology."

"Yes," The Remnant replied, seeing no reason to deny it.

Brainy's frown was as deep as the deepest infocean of Durla. "Why?"

The Remnant met his gaze without flinching. "Reasons."

And then Batman's teleport kicked in and the three of them vanished in a blue-white crash of light.

 

[Wyldfire]

Out poured the team selected and as they came she whistled. "Holy Sprock, they sent us the big guns."

"Thassright," Wildfire chortled, use-weave arms flung wide. "I? Am your boomstick!"

Merick's Ghost grinned like a mad thing. "Oh, man, best reference. Love me some Bruce Campbell."

"Yeah," Wildfire noted, glancing at Merick's Ghost. "Runs in the family, see. I'm a couple of Tennylsons, too. Actually, I've got some questions to ask you about that."

Jonah laughed softly, ruefully. "This should be a fun conversation."

"Big guns," Jaymie grinned sheepishly, oh, for all the rattledness her heart still felt right now, God it was good to see Jo, beautiful solid-as-a-rock Jo. "And me, too."

Jo almost had a fit. They'd picked Val? Shell shocked and all? Rokk was behind this, she knew it. He'd picked her for her combat potential. "Thermangel, fuse yer ass to Dirk. Let him show you what thermal can do in space."

"You have faith a-plenty," Jan reminded Jaymie with a hand placed gently on her shoulder. "And faith can move mountains, even without muscle like that of M'onel or Thom Kallor to back it up."

"That's good," Aztek admitted. "I don't have half that muscle. And right now my faith's feeling a little shaky too."

M'onel nodded quietly to him. "If you can't see your god from where you're standing," he suggested, "remember that your god's put you among friends. And you can have faith in them while your god's away."

He shook his head. "My faith in my friends is all I have left, but it's never let me down."

Tasmia quirked an eyebrow. "Have you tried carrying the power of your Messiah in your very bloodline? That works for me."

"That does sound pretty awesome," Aztek conceded, and took these thoughts to heart.

Jenni looked. "Hey they sent just about everyone!"

Jazmin grinned at that. "Not that you need the help, girl, but we're here." She nodded to Lightning Lass. "Hey, Ay'. You ready for me to kick your electrons up a notch?"

Ayla grinned back at Kid Quantum, and there was a lot of Garth in that grin. "Kid Q, we are wired for sound."

"yeah," Jo sighed. "They sent the A team. Cruiser's all ready Rokk. What are your orders." She'd tried her best to keep it out of her tone, but she knew at least one person onboard would catch it. She hoped Tin got at least a little happy out of it.

Elsewhere in the cruiser, Tinya did smile a faint little smile. But there was as much guilt in the smile as Schadenfreude.

Jo had been doing a good job as leader. Rising above personal differences to get the job done. Yeah, Tinya didn't mind seeing Jo's overconfidence blow up in her face... but it really really was a nice face, and she didn't want it blown up too much.

But then.

Rokk arched an eyebrow. "My orders? Ultra Girl, the way I heard it you were running point on this mission. If I took that from you mid-stream I'd be no better than the Earthgov bureaucrats you mock with Shvaughn over silverales."

He met her hardened eyes without flinching. Sure, he was the Magno-Ball star. But right now she was the coach and he was just coming off the bench.

"I'm just another Legionnaire here to kick nass and take names."

"Jo. What are your orders?"

And at that? Tinya smiled even brighter.

Holy Sprock, he did not just do that. But he had. Rokk had just given her the keys to the quantum racer. She owed him a real big one. Like, a give him the night of his life if he asked for it kind of big one. But he'd given her this and she was going to run with it. Run with it Emerald Dragon style.

"Thanks Rokk," she said coolly. "Let's get to these sprocks and show them that we are the sprocking law."

She turned to Jenni. "The second the last of them are onboard you catch us up to them. Go sprocking between if you have to. I want us on them like shadow on Tass's hard ass."

Jenni gulped. "Yes ma'am," and she waited. Just as soon as the last of the team was aboard she kicked the cruiser to full throttle. "On them as quick as I can Jo."

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

Of course. "Brainy" End of the world and she asks after him. She was wonderful in so many ways but her taste in men was questionable. "He is on his way at his own speed. If it is tight down there do you need some room to move? I have an idea. There are several of us on approach. I would propose a multiple sonic fly over. The shock wave might give you some room."

On his own speed?

Caroline was fast, and she reacted quickly, but Brainiac liked to take his time, working things out to perfection.

On his own speed could very well mean that he'd arrive just at the end of things.

"Actually we're pretty good down here," Caroline responded.

She glanced over towards Kara and the others.

"I wouldn't risk creating too much noise. We've got one of Zod's lackeys trapped, so I think a shock wave might do more harm than good. Tell the others that there's no need for a flyby. The pattern is full."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Kara always could handle herself, and over God knows how many years in a Kryptonian tanning bed she was on a whole new level of power.

Bring it on Doomsday. Try that shit now and you fall alone!

I watched as she put the Zoner into his place, I watched the other one trapped in a web of my daughters making, reinforced by my old mentor.

I watched. I'm not used to just watching.

Let him go Kara. I whispered, knowing she could hear my every word.

She cocked her head at me, the question "Why?" on her mind, but released the pawn, for that's what he was in Zod's game. Hell only had pawns. Always.

It's what makes them predictable.

I said loudly in Kryptonian, "You, you overpowered fool. I'm going to give you something you have been trying for. I'm going to give you a shot at getting out of this alive, which is more than Zod gave you, even if you don't realize it. I'll let you fuck me once, just once..."

I noticed his eyes widen, Kara's eyes widen, then her grin as she brought her hand up to cover a laugh.

"Damnit Kara, did you have to teach us the bad words first." I muttered in English this time.

Yep, she's definitely laughing over there.

"I mean...hit me. You get one chance. I won't move, I won't stop you, they won't stop you, but then it's my turn. OR, you can stand down. Both of you. Zod is leading you down a path I have seen thousands of times, and you will be destroyed. Surrender to the justice of this world, this time, and maybe, just maybe, you can find redemption. That is, if your twisted souls can even understand the concept."

The big Kryptonian narrowed his eyes, then faster than an eyeblink he was moving, fist drawn back and thrown forward in an impact that raised a sonic boom before it connected with my chest.

And. I. Did. Not. Yield.

"You should have taken the red pill." I said, then my fist lashed out, shattering his jaw and launching him into his partner, caught up in the Lantern's web.

"There fate is yours, Daughter of El."

 

[Wyldfire]

On his own speed?

Caroline was fast, and she reacted quickly, but Brainiac liked to take his time, working things out to perfection.

On his own speed could very well mean that he'd arrive just at the end of things.

"Actually we're pretty good down here," Caroline responded.

She glanced over towards Kara and the others.

"I wouldn't risk creating too much noise. We've got one of Zod's lackeys trapped, so I think a shock wave might do more harm than good. Tell the others that there's no need for a flyby. The pattern is full."

"Pattern is full. Understood," Dawnstar answered. "However it does need to be stated a very large number of your friends are inbound. Holding paterns might get scarce."

She gestured to the flight that had kept up with her to circle. "And you need to understand Carter was the patient one, not me." Where had that come from she wondered and dropped it as she remembered. The League. She and Carter. No not her, Shierra and Carter. Enough time to sort these new memories out later, now it is time to guide the holding pattern. Some of them coming were only Academy members.