It is the 28th Century, the year 2778. The Earth’s resources were on the verge of being dried up before the colony program was started 300 years ago. Now there are dozens of earths, some rich in the technologies, and others not so. The Earth itself is a different place where people and governments live in constant paranoia of the growing metahuman community. Growing to a staggering 15% of the population, from 3% since 2008, metahumans have become a perceived deadly threat to the existence of the rest of the world.
By David Gibson
«Initiating Connection»
«Connected»
Hello and welcome to the TeleNet News: Western Block afternoon edition.
The date is: July 15, 2777.
And now your award winning news anchors Jaz Ryder and Lynda Lane.
Ryder: “Hello, I’m Jaz Ryder.”
Olsen: “Hello. And I’m Bob Olsen, Lynda is out sick today.”
Ryder: “Our top story tonight is something few people need an introduction to. It is once again the anniversary of the Peacemaker’s ascendance. The seven-hundred fiftieth anniversary to be exact and there are celebrations planned Quadrant wide.”
Olsen: “That’s right Jaz, but no place is having a celebration like our very own Atlantean Block!”
Ryder: “We now go to Cally Sullivan out in the field. Cally?”
Sullivan: “I hear you Jaz. I’m standing here on the Central Atlantean Hub awaiting the arrival of the current High King of Atlantis.”
TeleNetTrivia: King Honsu of Atlantis is named after a previous Atlantean king who lived over 3700 years ago! For the complete lineage of Atlantean Kings, click: HERE.
Sullivan: “This is a momentous occasion because we are witnessing not just the anniversary of the Ascension of the Great Peacemaker, but also the appointment of the new Aquaman. As you can see behind me the Atlantean Hub has been decorated for the occasion. This site, as the central trading platform, was chosen as a symbol of the unity of surface and sea.”
TeleNetTrivia: The pillar of the Central Atlantean Hub is over 3500 feet tall and stretches from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the surface. Over sixty thousand people live in or around the Hub and work in its many hotels and stores. Over one hundred thousand visitors use the Hub and its services each and every day! For a complete listing of stores and services clck: HERE
Ryder: “It sure is an impressive sight, Cally. What is that structure behind you?”
Sullivan: “That is the main hall built for the appointment of the new Aquaman. It was designed to comfortably fit all the seven hundred delegates and dignitaries who journeyed from across this Quadrant of the Galaxy for this event. There are ambassadors from as far away as Neo-Apokalips and New Oan.”
Olsen: “That sure is impressive, Cally.”
Sullivan: “It sure is Bob.”
Ryder: “Thank you Cally. We’ll be back with more on the anniversary and appointment later.”
Olsen: “But now we turn to Mak Mardon for the weather. I hope things won’t be too stormy in the Atlantic for the appointment.”
Mardon: “No worries there, Bob. All weather stations report in that there are no anomalous weather patterns programmed in. A heavy rainstorm is scheduled in to strike San Angeles in seventy two hours while the heat wave that we’re currently experiencing in Washington will break in four days.”
Ryder: “Just long enough for me to get a few more rounds of golf in.”
Mardon: “Exactly. While a small hurricane is being generated near the Gulf of Mexico I am assured it will dissipate before reaching the coast. And now we turn to the local forecast. As you can see on the chart behind me there has been a spike in solar radiation by 14.5% over the past few days so magnetic storms in the system are on a rise. Travelers are advised to keep an eye out for any storm fronts. A few scattered showers are expected near Mars so be sure to keep your fields turned on to avoid meteor impacts.”
TeleNet Weather: For a detailed summary of the local or regional weather click: HERE
Mardon: “Back to you Bob.”
Olsen: “Thank you, Mardon. And now onto today’s headlines.”
Ryder: “Kukri Industries of Thanagar acquired Fuchikoma-Lex Corp in a take-over. No layoffs have been announced and the employees of the failing company breathe a sigh of relief.”
Olsen: “The computer virus that has been rampaging through the main computer of Colu has finally been stopped and the slow planet-wide process of vaccination begins.”
Ryder: “The hostage situation on Durla continues to rage and is on its third day. The local government insists the situation can still be resolved peacefully despite the breakdown of communication.”
Olsen: “Daxamite terrorists continue their reign of terror on the beleaguered planet of Trom, but negotiations are continuing that will hopefully defuse the situation.”
TeleNet News: To read the full details of the Headlines click: HERE. For a full review of other local or regional events click: HERE.
Ryder: “Continuing our top story we go to Valor Vale. Take it away, Valor.”
Vale: “Thank you, Jaz. “I’m here in Happy Harbor standing outside the Justice League museum. Behind me you can see the crowd gathering to pay tribute Peacemaker, the Aquaman of the early twenty-first century.”
Olsen: “That’s sure a large crowd this year.”
Vale: “It sure is Bob. Every Sol native knows the story of Aquaman but I’ll summarize for those visiting ETs. Early in the 2020s the hero known as Aquaman died in the line of duty. On his passing he entered what is known as The Clear.”
Ryder: “That would be the group mind of all marine life, right Valor?”
Vale: “That’s correct Jaz. Like the Green for the elemental plant mind and the Red for the rest of animal life.”
TeleNetTrivia: The plant and earth elementals known as Swamp Things can access the Green like Aquaman accesses the Clear. The 20-21st century hero known as Animal Man drew his power in part from his connection to the Red. To learn more about the other known elemental gestalt minds click: HERE
Vale: “However, when Aquaman entered the Clear he did something amazing. He used his telepathy as a final act to bridge the gap between all marine life and life connected to the water and, on a planet that’s surface was over seventy percent oceans or seas, all life was tied to the water. Aquaman joined the minds of every living thing on the planet. All life knew and felt its connection to every other life. In a heartbeat all violence and ill will stopped as all sentient life realized how connected they all were to each other. How superficial the separations between groups and individuals were and how much more they had in common.”
Ryder: “Heck, records show that a full 10% of the word’s population switched to vegetarianism after the ascension.”
Olsen: “A shame it didn’t last.”
Vale: “That’s right, Bob, the effects quickly faded but the peace and good-will lasted much longer. Some people and groups never returned to violence and many decade or century long conflicts stopped entirely. However, it was not long before a generation of humans was born that didn’t experience the event. So they decided to honor the event and remind everyone what occurred on that day. Of course there has been some skepticism of the event recently and the role of metahumans in world history. This did not stop Aquaman’s ascension from becoming one of the most influential events of the millennium.”
Ryder: “If I could just interrupt here Valor, MS-Warner media listed the ascension as the fifth most important event of the past 1000 years.”
Vale: “That sure is impressive, Jaz.”
Ryder: “That it is.”
TeleNetTrivia: The top five events of the past 1000 years are:
5- Aquaman’s Ascension
4- The United Nations assumes the position as the World Government
3- Krypton explodes and Superman/Kal El-Kent arrives on Earth
2- Light barrier broken, FTL possible.
1- Time barrier broken, time travel possible.
For a complete list of the top 1000 of the past 1000 click: HERE
Olsen: “We now check in with our Eye on the Street reporter Gatta Grant. Hello, Gatta.”
Grant: “Hi, Bob.”
Olsen: “So where are you today?”
Grant: “Well Bob, today I popped on over to Mars and am currently walking along the streets of B’rrou’s city. Given the momentous occasion I thought it would be a good idea to talk to one of the system’s more famous heroes, the Martian Manhunter. So what do you think of this event?”
MM: “I have mixed feelings. The current Aquaman and I have been teammates for years and I will be sad to see him step into The Clear to join his predecessors. I have met the new Aquaman, however, and I look forward to working with him.”
TeleNetTrivia: The Martian Manhunter is a native born Martian. During the colonization of Mars, LexCorp aerospace, in conjunction with the STAR labs, genetically modified humans with DNA of the last surviving Martian, J’Onn J’Onzz. The crossbred race, dubbed Martians, was used outside of the domed cities on the planet until terraforming was complete. The role of Martian Manhunter was taken up by a Martian meta and has been passed to others over the years. To learn more about the Martian Manhunters click: HERE. To learn more of Martian history click: HERE.
Grant: “So you’re happy with the choice of Atlan Curry to become the new Aquaman?”
MM: “He was raised for the job and is one of the most dedicated and level headed individuals I have ever met. But the current Aquaman, Kraken, is leaving large boots to fill.”
Grant: “While you’re here, do you have any comment on the increasing numbers of metahumans?”
MM: “Not at this time, no. It is just a natural progression in numbers.”
Grant: “But surely you are aware that the metahuman population has grown to an estimated 14.5% of the population, which is up over a full point from ten years ago!”
MM: “The meta population has been increasing steadily for the past fifteen hundred years; this is nothing new.”
Grant: “And the increased crime rates? Do you believe there is any correlation?”
TeleNetTrivia: The current population of Earth is calculated at twenty billion with over three billion being identifiably metahuman. An estimated 35% of crimes involve metahumans. For more Metahuman statistics click: HERE.
MM: “When metahuman were first identified they were associated with everything from gangs to genocide. As long as people fear what is different or strange there will be this association between metas and crime. Alien races such as the Braalians or the Durlan are not nearly as feared as humans with similar abilities. Even the mutated humans of the Saturn colonies are treated in a more egalitarian fashion.”
Grant: “But with the Saturn psychics and other races all abilities are common and known. With metas there is the potential for individuals to have unknown abilities or talents that are harmful to others or even themselves.”
MM: “I’m sorry but I have more pressing concerns at the moment. If you will excuse me…”
Grant: “Well, thank you for your time. Back to you in the studio.”
Ryder: “Thank you, Gatta. We now have an interview with the newly elected Senator Luthor of the Western Block Government. Mr. Luthor, can you hear me?”
Luthor: “I can hear you just fine, Mr. Ryder.”
Ryder: “I’ll spare you the build up and skip right to the hard questions: any comments on the recent acquisition of your family’s former company by Kukri Industries?”
Luthor: “None whatsoever. I’m a politician, not a businessman. But I do appreciate your candor.”
Ryder: “Thanks. So now you have been elected can we look forward to changes in policy? What is President Grayson’s current strategy?”
Luthor: “We intend to resolve some of the disputes that have come up between several of the colonies and Earth as well as cement relations with the other two governments of Earth; having the UN act as middleman does not negate the importance of actually talking to the Eastern and Atlantean Blocks. Oh, and no new taxes.”
Ryder: “Ha! You anticipated my next question. However, I’m afraid we’ll have to cut you off there. We’ve just received word that the ceremony has begun at the Central Hub. Once again, this is Cally Sullivan in the field.”
Sullivan: “Thank you, Jaz. Behind me you can see that the ceremony has begun. The current Aquaman is retiring and joining his predecessors in The Clear. He is quite literally becoming one with all aquatic life on earth. When his spirit has fully departed he will bond his successor to the Clear and pass along the combined power of all the previous Aquamen.
Ryder: “That’s a lot of power, Cally.”
Sullivan: “That it is, Jaz.”
TeleNetTrivia: The current Aquaman has complete control of water molecules in any form and can instantly boil or freeze water. This is in addition to the innate abilities of Atlantean champions and the increased telepathic abilities. The limit of Aquaman’s telepathic talents has never been tested.
Ryder: “Quite a crowd there Cally.”
Sullivan: “Yes it is, Jaz. I can recognize celebrities and politicians from a dozen worlds. I can even make out several key representatives of the metahuman community. Celebrations in honor of the Peacemaker always draw a crowd. Wow, even Superwoman is in attendance.
Ryder: “We’ll check back in with you later, Cally.”
Sullivan: “I’ll be waiting.”
Ryder: “Celebrations for the Peacemaker are also happening in Metropolis, New York, London, Cerdia City, and Neo-Tokyo.”
Olsen: “At this moment we at TeleNet News would like to observe a short moment of silence out of respect for the Peacemaker and the uncountable lives of those saved due to his actions.”
. . .
. . .
Olsen: “Thank you.”
Ryder: “For those of you just jacking in it is the seven-hundred fiftieth anniversary of the ascension of the Peacemaker. A milestone year second only to next year and the ten thousand month anniversary of the beginning of the heroic age.”
Olsen: “I, for one, am already counting down to the 10,000th month.”
Ryder: “The current festival is large enough to last me until then. The days long celebrations for the Peacemaker are just beginning.”
Olsen: “The Peacemaker. Aquaman. He is known by many names. All are respected.”
Ryder: “Very true. In that spirit I would like to send my personal thanks out to the Peacemaker, High-King Seren of Atlantis. Where ever your spirit is now, know we honor you.”
Olsen: “Very touching.”
Ryder: “Thank you. We now we turn to Ted Gold for sports. Take it away Ted.”
Gold: “Thank you Jaz and first let me say I was almost moved to tears there. We start with the Magno-ball finals. The Gotham Knights beat out the Neo-Tokyo Dragons 23-15 in a bone crushing second half. Meanwhile the Metropolis Marvels were thumped as usual by the Cleveland Indians 2-12. Over on the other side of the system…”
. . .
«Connection Terminated»
By Clayton Tooley
“Disease”
If you were to document the effect of a disease on a population of an unsuspecting world, how would it start?
Would it start with one big blast of cases, sending dozens to hospitals, infecting those in their families then those in the hospital and then their families through them and so on? Sometimes. Widespread attacks of such a magnitude usually have, according to experts in the medical community, a conscious mind behind them, a driving force intent on afflicting a select target of a population, say an enemy nation for instance. While there certainly exists the potential for this sort of disease effect, it is not the norm.
No, in most cases a disease occurs due to a random, one-in-a-million set of circumstances within a single individual. Whatever those physical, chemical or biological factors are, from them are born a disease with unique characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. No disease is alike, just like every other form of life down to the smallest snowflake or amoeba floating in the primordial soup of existence.
Once infected, if left untreated or perhaps by avoiding conventional treatments, the disease finds a way to spread. Physical contact, bodily fluids, dirty needles or even, in the most extreme case, the very air itself, the disease makes the jump from the original incubator into other carriers and soon, exponentially, thousands become infected. Incubation periods vary, as do the strengths of individual immune systems, but eventually the disease finds a way in and the death toll will rise.
In the course of humanoid history in the galaxy, innumerable diseases have existed. Hundreds of thousands lay dormant, not strong enough to topple even the weakest of immune systems. Millions upon millions have had their day in the sun, causing death and carnage of varying degrees but eventually a cure was found and they were vanquished. Billions upon billions more were never cured by their original victims, wiping out entire planets until cured by aliens with more advanced medical knowledge. Trillions have never been cured.
But what, exactly, constitutes a disease? Must it always fall under the general description of a medical condition that afflicts the body of a humanoid, often destroying from the inside out, withering away the body until the mind dies in a prison cell of useless flesh? What happens when a disease appears that cannot be fought internally with an immune system or externally with medicines and machines or even magic?
What happens when the disease is an idea?
Take for instance the planet Ria and its inhabitants of a fairly young race, by universal standards. The Ria are an offshoot of the same primordial ooze that spawned the population of the universally known Humans from Earth, only the Ria have less developed brains in terms of arts and creativity, and they are all of one color and completely hairless. The Ria are businessmen, scientists and lawyers, with very few ever developing the ability to draw a picture, mold a sculpture or even experience a dream. The construction on their planet is very un-inspired, simple square structures and few color choices. Despite of their lack of depth, or perhaps because they lacked the ability to perceive it, the Ria are a happy, if a bit domineering, race.
But growing over the centuries in the far-flung communities around the world, a resistance has been brewing as the young, with more years of evolution and a desire to see anything different, have been rebelling, finding new ways to do things and experiencing in arts and spoiling their imaginations at every possible moment. It is a cauldron of hate and frustration that was only missing an idea worth fighting for to make them dangerous beyond belief.
Enter the disease.
It takes hold in these remote communities and spreads like wildfire among the young, both male and female alike, but the female Ria, eternally oppressed by the men on their planet, soon take charge and turn the tables on their counterparts. The young male Ria, not aware or concerned of this dramatic shift, go along willingly, subjecting themselves to the whims of their female leaders and absorbing more abuse and demeaning than any female Ria had ever endured…and the male Ria do it willingly.
What starts as random pockets of youth practicing their new religion, and a little sodomy amongst friends, spreads. Disapproving parents are dealt with; school officials and even local police forces cannot contain the spread of the disease. Young parents are swayed by their children and, slowly, it’s not just the young that are under the influence of the disease but entire segments of the population. Mothers stand beside daughters as they inflict their brand on their brothers and husbands. Revolution has come to Ria and it is symbolized by its ‘S’ symbol. Soon the world is swayed and the colorful females who rule the planet are at peace, bowing to the statures they erect of the One Who Soars Above.
And he stands there, atop the stone head resembling the greatest weakness in his long, demonic life, and watches the throngs of women in red, blue, white and yellow costumes bowing and praying before him as he stands atop them, invisible to their senses, the tip of his lit cigarette burning in the darkness. The instigator of this, the Carrier that has spread this Disease across hundreds of planets in the universe…the one who turned his back on her and now will never allow anyone to do so again.
So, what is the idea that spreads across the galaxy causing such death and destruction?
Supergirl.
Fear her humble servants…for they are coming…
By Joe Grunenwald
My name is Jace Allen. I’m the Flash.
People have asked me why I do what I do. They ask me why I put myself at risk in order to save the lives of people I’ve never even met. Why would any sane person do this, they ask me. And I tell them the short version of what I’m about to tell you now.
When I was eight years old, I was injected with a nanovirus by a woman known as Cobalt Blue. This woman hated my father with a passion. My father, Blaine Allen, the Flash before me, had been dealing with Blue’s latest attempt at destroying his life when one of her agents infected me. In order to save my life, my father froze the entire planet to buy himself time to find a cure. Ultimately, he took me into the Speed Force, hoping it would take me.
That’s where fate stepped in.
The Force took my father instead, leaving me to plummet back to normal speed. When I got there, I was running faster than I had ever moved before. Taking me into the Speed Force had given me what I had always wanted: to be like my father.
And my brother.
I was born without a link to the Speed Force, the mystical energy field which gives all speedsters their power. My older brother, Bryn Allen, was born with a connection. He and my father fought as Flash and Kid Flash for as long as I could remember, until I was seven years old. That was when Bryn died.
I looked up to my brother in every respect, and he looked down on me equally so. Nothing I ever did was good enough for him. Looking back, I think he resented that I had been born without speed. He still loved me, though.
Bryn was young, only 10 years old, when he first put on the Kid Flash costume. From what I’m told Mom disapproved to no end of his putting on the costume that my father had worn when he was a boy.
I remember the night Bryn died. Dad was off-planet when it happened, and Blue showed up out of nowhere with an ultimatum, not for the Flash, but for Kid Flash: if Bryn didn’t agree to kill our father, Cobalt Blue would destroy everyone that Bryn held dear. She had discovered their secret identities somehow and Bryn figured he had no choice. He thought he could defeat Cobalt Blue by betraying her when the moment came to kill Dad. He found her and agreed to work with her.
But Cobalt Blue wasn’t taking any chances.
Blue forced Kid Flash to kneel before her in homage to her and as his lips neared the back of her left hand, the blue fire of the Cobalt Blue Gem roared to life. It engulfed him, burning his body away from his face to his feet. As the Flash arrived, he found Blue standing, laughing over the charred body of his first-born son.
I remember watching what happened next on television. By that time, news cameras had gathered. Through the lenses of those cameras, all of Central City could watch as the Flash tore into Cobalt Blue with everything he had. My father was enraged and that fury boiled over like a tea kettle…a tea kettle brimming with furious lightning. And as he stood there, poised to deliver the final and fatal blow to the quivering woman, I saw something in my father’s eyes that I had never seen before and have never seen from another person since.
I saw total despair. The look on my father’s face was that of a man who felt like he’d lost all control.
The Flash stepped back from Cobalt Blue. His arms fell limply to his sides as he turned and sped away.
The police never pressed any charges against my father. Everyone saw what Cobalt Blue had done to Kid Flash and once Blue revealed to the authorities that Kid Flash was the Flash’s son (she didn’t reveal them as Blaine and Bryn Allen out of some twisted sense of fair play) no one thought it would be right to put our family through anything else.
They didn’t realize that our family was falling apart. Mom blamed Dad entirely or what happened to Bryn. A few months later, she told him to leave. I went with him – I’d always been more of my father’s son. We traveled around for a while before settling on the microplanet Petrus.
A few months later, Cobalt Blue returned and I gained my speed. Every day I think about the sacrifice my father made to save my life. Every day I’m comforted by the thought that he’s still with me. I only wish my brother could’ve seen it.
Why do I do what I do? I do it for my family. I do it so that no one else ever has to go through what I’ve gone through. I do it because that’s how I was raised. It’s in my blood.
My name is Jace Allen. I’m the Flash.
By Chuck Rowland
“Are you sure about that, Professor Quink?” Dalia Trentson tapped her fingertips in the air as the nano-bots embedded within her nail polish wirelessly transferred her movements into the data pod which hung at her hip as if she were typing upon an antique keyboard. Her fingers danced rapidly as she continued her trans-vid interview. “You can actually verify those findings then?”
She glanced towards her companion and gave a quick nod of her head; the ball of brown hair she had pulled behind her head shook like a cheerleader’s pom-pom. She nibbled at her lower lip as her eyes darted between the flutter-van and the short Asian man who stood motioning towards the assembling dignitaries a few dozen meters away. When he started tapping his wrist as if indicating the time she rolled her hazel eyes.
“Professor, can I get you to hold a moment? Thank you,” she said as she tapped her left ear com. “What?” she growled towards the Asian man. “Tan, I am working on something here.”
“The Peacemaker is about to begin…” Tan said. After a few moments of staring at her open and unanswering mouth he decided to add, “You know, the reason we are here? Our job as reporters? Covering the largest current event?”
“Not anymore,” she shot back. “Bring the cam around I got something even larger.” She tapped at her left ear again and her lips almost smiled as she slipped back into her earlier conversation. “Sorry about that Professor. Now are you willing to verify this on a live broadcast? Really? That’s even better…excellent then; give me about two minutes to get us qued up and I will get you on Vid. Thanks again, Professor, I owe you one.”
“I really hope you know what you’re doing,” Tan muttered as he pressed the remote bringing the blinking float-cam around to focus upon Dalia. “Because they are calling in for the live feed for the Peacemaker…in 3…2…” He shot a silent finger towards her, while he crossed his other fingers behind his back as she began to speak.
“Good evening, Biffel, as we prepare to witness the ascension of one Aquaman and the christening of another in the Atlantean Hub the excitement here in New Coast City is overwhelming. The magnitude of the Peacemaker celebration has been labeled as one of the top five events of the past 1,000 years. However, this year, as lesser known dignitaries and officials who were unable to make the passage to Atlantis gather in our fair quadrant to view via vid, we are about to become witnesses to a more significant and locally relevant event right here… the return of the entity known as Ion.”
“No frakkin way!” Tan muttered.
“Ion has not been seen since 2503 when it was created during what the historians have labeled as the ‘Great Sacrifice’. As the race of Clavanoxians threatened to conquer our dimension the heroic Green Lantern Corps banded together for one final battle sealing the rift and defeating the invaders at the cost of their numerous lives. The only thing left when the dust settled was the emerald energy, which seemed to have bonded all of the power rings of the Corps into one massive sphere, which contained all the personae of every member. It called itself Ion and announced that the Darkest Night had finally been faced before vanishing into an untraceable path about the outer realms of space. Professor Quink of the Coastal Astrophysical University has discovered a way to trace the emerald energy and has also detected that the entity is heading directly towards Earth…Professor?”
Dalia tapped her left ear and a holographic image of a short purple alien floated beside her. His head was elongated with several visible bumps aligning the length of his skull. His four arms seemed to wave with an eerie sense of unrehearsed unison. “Hello, Ms. Trentson,” he chirped
“Professor, how long have you been tracing the emerald energy?”
“For the past two years there have been more and more traces of the energy signature throughout the known galaxies. They were mostly faint and varied but a clear signature could be determined. The last few weeks the patterns have become stronger and more resolute.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“To be honest, Ms Trentson, I have no concrete idea. However, that said, I do have my suspicions. Those being that it is heading to Earth for a purpose.”
“A purpose? I mean, Professor, why would the entity seek out Earth after all of these years? Why not New Oa?”
“My supposition is based off of the Corps’ history within the dictates of Earth. Earth has become a major Hub for the all of the concurrent galaxies. In fact, for a period the Corps abandoned Oa for a more central locale of Earth. The most noted Lanterns have been predominantly of Earthian origin. Jordan, Gardner, Scott; not to mention the only Corps member to ascend into the ranks of the Guardians, John Stewart. Also it is not without note that the previous bearer of the Ion title was the Lantern known as Kyle Raynor, however briefly he held that mantle. So, as you can see, Earth would be the most likely target for the search of a successor.”
“A successor?”
“Yes, the amount of energy that has been expended by Ion over the recent weeks indicates an intense amount of determination and expedience. It no longer seeks to cloak nor does it move erratically. As clear as the trail has become it has also become less powerful.”
“Less powerful? Is that possible for an entity that bears the power of every last member of the Green Lanterns Corps?”
“Ironically, yes. You see, the energy of the Corps, while a devastatingly powerful weapon, is essentially meaningless without the Will to focus it. Ion has been comprised of personae for centuries now. Templates if you will. It has been pressed through the servitude of the equivalency of an AI…”
“Artificial Intelligence?”
“Yes. As such it has no Will with which to become focused through.”
“So how long before it gets to Earth and do you know exactly where on the planet it is heading?”
“Well, according to the last readings Ion should have entered Earth’s atmosphere two minutes ago. As for where it is heading…”
“Denizens of Coast I call to you.” The air rippled with the raspy voice as the massive sphere of rings hovered above the city. The billions of charms glowing collectively and pulsating their emerald hue over the gathered crowd of dignitaries and celebrants alike.
“I believe that answers that.” The image of Professor Quink smiled.
Tan pressed the remote and shunted the float-cam towards the sparkling orb. “This is huge.” He laughed to himself. “We going B-I-G now, girl.”
“We have need of your will.”
The emerald light blazed brighter, green sparks and embers escaped from between the combined rings contained within. The orb of Ion flickered and then with a large soundless explosion of light the billions of rings burst apart and rained down upon the assembled masses.
By Tobias Christopher
The Inner Core of the Moon
The Teen Titans were gathered around their meeting table, waiting for their last member to show.
Kenyon Sullivan, the Titans leader, went by the name Frostbite. He sat at the head of the table, tossing a snow globe up and down.
“The only one of who has superspeed and he’s late.”
Frostbite looked down the table to his second in command, Josh Emerson, who went by the codename Carnage.
“He probably got distracted by a shiny object.”
“Or he got busted for joyriding in the Lantern’s ring again.”
Everyone’s attention turned to Jake Palmer, codenamed Micron, who sat in a microscopic chair on the table.
“Cut the kid some slack, at least he’s good for a giggle.”
The girl was applying her already over-applied make-up. This was Harley Quinn. No one knew her real name or anything about her life before the Teen Titans.
“We’ll just fill him in when he gets here,” Kenyon said as a map appeared over the table. “We’ve been getting reports of strange activity around a small, uncharted planet on the edge of the galaxy.”
“So?” Jake said. “It’s uncharted, if there’s going to be --”
“Blood was spotted in that area.” Kenyon finished.
Everyone in the room was familiar with Blood, and what he was capable of.
“So, when do we leave?” Josh asked.
“As soon as our last member shows up...”
A few sparks flew out of an electrical socket as an orange, red and yellow blur flew out. A creature made entirely of Speed Force energy slammed into the wall across the room.
“Impulse,” Frostibite mumbled. “Take a seat, you’re late.”
“Sorry, got held up on the rings of Saturn,” Impulse told them. “Those things are impossible to get off of once you start spinning.”
Carnage was busy flirting with Harley as Frostbite sighed. “I’ll fill Imp in. You’re all dismissed.”
Harley practically dragged Carnage to the rec room as Micron followed them out. Frostbite looked over at Imp.
“You need to start taking this more seriously,” Frostbite told him. “Bart.”
Harley and Carnage were making out on the couch as Micron was watching the holo-vid.
“Stay tuned for the 791th season premiere of ‘The Simpsons’,” The announcer said as Micron turned the holo-vid off.
“Why don’t you two get a room?” Micron asked.
“Because I kind of...knocked the walls down last night,” Carnage blushed as Harley giggled.
“Come on, guys,” Frostbite said as he stood at the doorway. “We’ve a lot to prepare for before we go off to fight Blood.”
By Tim Grubbs
KL-99 Station orbited the black emptiness surrounding Earth’s single moon.
Named for the famed space explorer Chris KL-99, the station was one of the first Lunar Orbital Colonies after the Khund War and served as a junction for ships traveling to the Moon’s surface colonies, as well as Venus and Mars.
This duty became less important as humanity’s space travel technology became more efficient, and ships no longer required stopping points during space travel.
Now it existed as a shiny reminder of humanity’s achievements, but almost no traffic passed through the station aside from the occasional school trip.
The station’s only permanent residents were one of the Sol system’s many super-teams, this one made up of younger heroes needing train.
Their stern instructor was one of Earth’s most experienced metahumans, a reserve member of the Justice League, and the chief tactical commandant for the SSDF (Sol System Defense Force). He’d studied most of the major military engagements, both land and space-based, over the last nine-hundred years and was a primary factor in the continued safety of Earth and it’s colonies.
His current duty as drill instructor for the Justice Titans of KL-99 Station was considered one of his most important roles because he knew Earth’s future depended on young metahumans taking the reins after the current generation was gone.
Though he’d had many identities in his long life, his true name was Mitchell Shelley, though the majority of his teammates referred to him as the Resurrection Man.
He had just begun the Titans’ newest training exercise and immediately went about correcting the flaws in their tactics. The team’s current opponents were robotic representations of the parademons used by Apokalips in its many engagements with earth forces.
“Kid Aztek, stay out of range of the parademons. Use your helmet sensors to determine the enemy’s weakness before flying into danger. Your suit isn’t powerful enough for a direct confrontation. Young Amazo, don’t use the Green Flame’s fire powers. You’ll only give the parademon a nasty sunburn. Switch to Ice Maiden’s ice powers. Barrier, keep an eye on the civilian targets and make sure they don’t get hurt. Golden Hawk, good job using the parademon’s lack of maneuverability against it,” he commended as the parademon robot smashed into the wall while pursuing Golden Hawk.
“If you’re students were smarter, they wouldn’t need you to correct them. Also, your encouragement just pads their self-esteem, which makes them overconfident in their abilities. It will only make them a liability in the field.”
The young green-skinned critic was an exchange student who requested permission to witness a Sol-based team’s training exercises. The Justice Titans just happened to be the only team either available or willing to have an observer. Shelley thought it would be give to have a second pair of eyes, even if they were more critical than his.
“They’re still learning. All of these kids have barely been active a year, and they’ve only had three live-fire encounters with enemy forces. Ever thing else has just been holotraining and wardroids. The other Sol heroes do the bulk of the work.”
“That’s no excuse. They children expect to go into combat with enemy forces, either aliens or what your people refer to as super-villains. They need to be ready. They each have access to incredible powers that should make them more than a match for anything they come across. The tactics you give them only slow them down.”
The girl, who Shelley was beginning to regret allowing on the station, was named Kajza Dox and was the current bearer of the famed ‘Braniac’ title of Colu. Her full designation was Braniac 4, taking the title from her father Lyrl Dox following his death.
“Force isn’t always the solution to a physical problem. I want these kids to think before rushing into a confrontation. Even with Golden Hawk’s demonstration against the parademon, on-the-fly reactions will only get you so far if you don’t have a plan ahead.”
“I agree, but any plan they come up with won’t be effective against an opponent which will most likely be far more intelligent than they.”
“Just because they aren’t Coluans doesn’t make them brainless. These kids are smart, they just need the right motivation.”
“Whatever their capabilities, forcing them to defend civilian targets only limits their effectiveness. So long as they achieve victory, civilian casualties will be within acceptable parameters.”
“What’s the point of defending something if you lose the people you’re trying to protect, Twelfth-Girl?”
“What did you just say?” the girl replied, shocking at the familiarity of Shelley’s words. She was the kind of person to use nicknames because of their social significance.
“We stick to codenames here when the Titans are training. Besides, the Brainiac or Dox sobriquets don’t have a good history with the Justice teams of the Sol system, especially recently.”
“My brother was a madman for wanting to conquer Earth in honor of our great-grandfather. Why would anyone even want to control your puny star system. There’s only one planet with an atmosphere suitable for habitation without requiring terraforming.”
“The Brainiac Computer Tyrant aside, just stick to the name Twelfth-Girl for now until your return shuttle arrives.” Shelley went back to viewing the training in progress, before continuing “Besides, the proper forethought can overcome any opponent, regardless of how smart or dumb the planner is.”
“I beg to differ,” the Coluan replied, “It’s one thing to overcome computer programming in combat, it’s another to defeat something with an actual intelligence.”
“Don’t get too sure of yourself. I bet any one of these kids could defeat you if they had the right strategy,” the Resurrection Man laughed.
“Unlikely,” she replied before turning to the trainer, “Not even the renowned Resurrection Man could overcome a twelfth-level intelligence.”
“Wanna bet?” Shelley challenged with a smile.
By Edward Ainsworth
Her Messenger had returned but it’s body was fragmented and cracked, as though the landing on another planet had given it damage that it ordinarily did not incur. Diana moved slowly to its side, since slow was the only speed she had these days, as being made from dense, igneous rock and being made from mystical clay were two entirely different things.
“My Lady Pangaea.” It was the name for which Diana had taken as her own long ago; Pangaea was the supercontinent’s name that had proceeded the time she was born. It was an age of Dinosaurs and change, much as this era was to her.
“We have found others such as ourselves on the planet of Rann and they have returned me as a message,” the probe continued. Fashioned in the image of one of her beloved Amazon’s who, sadly, had not stood the test of time, it’s body was made from the most pliable and hardy rock she could find, a mixture of Pumice and heavier metals that gave her a shiny yet light look.
“And what is their message, my Scout?” Diana asked, lifting a hand slowly to her probe, her movements slow, but deliberate.
“They wish to wage war, My Lady.” Diana pondered this for a while then turned her steady pace to the next logical evolution.
Soon, the council of seven sat at the huge round table that had once been the feasting place of Gods within their new citadel, the Mountain of Olympus. It had been thousands, if not millions, of years since the battle had raged here. After the indiscretions of the Gods, moving against those who worshiped them in their callous ways, Diana and the other Elementals had moved against the Gods, the fundamental power of the Earth bettering the God’s by only a mere fraction.
The battle was bloody and many Amazons had perished in the onslaught of violence. Very few of the old reign had survived, the only male being Herakles who was now a prisoner of Olympus, a mercy Diana had bestowed upon him herself. Without the power of the God’s to sustain his mind he had aged poorly; the ravages of the mind had fallen upon him and left him without sense or concept. The only survivors beyond him were nine Amazons, all of whom had since become the new Pantheon of this new age, bestowing the remaining powers of the God’s onto mortals, yet sparing Herkales of it to finally punish him for his treatment of Hippolyta.
Diana sat at the head of the table on her throne of stone. She was as regal as ever, a toga made from slate was precariously carved around her body, fragments falling off and cracking with every movement. Her body, as well, had changed so much as magma could clearly be seen flowing through her ‘veins’ and coming close to the surface in blushes of radiant light. She placed her hands down firmly on the table and looked across to the Air Elemental.
Traya Smith, formerly the adopted daughter of John Smith, the Red Tornado, had taken up the mantle after he had been destroyed.
“My dad only spoke to me of his origins once, when I received the powers from him. He was from the planet Rann originally; his android body had contained the Tornado Tyrant, Rann’s dominant elemental form. When he became human and aged with my Mother, the Tyrant returned to Rann and apparently he’s been there since then. Their elementals do not change as ours do.”
Diana took a moment to consider her possible actions. The Council of Seven against unknown quantities…
“War is not something we want.” Kako, the Fire Elemental, sat close to Diana, leaching from her heat emissions.
“We may not have a choice in the matter,” Diana said simply, looking to the rest of the Council. Mai, the Water Elemental, sat in her seat close to Kako and Traya. The remaining three elementals, Tefe Holland of the Green, Maxine Baker of the Red and finally Gabrielle Doe of the Electromagnetic Fields and Aurakles, finished the circle around the great table.
It occurred to Diana that, on this world where Elementals were no longer needed since the Global Warming catastrophe had hit and Maya had killed off the remaining Parliaments, she had gathered herself her own Amazons in the Council of Seven Elementals, all of whom were female; perhaps there was something innate in the structuring of the Elementals under her oversight, but also a deep longing to reconnect with her roots. Whilst the nine Amazons were still alive they distanced themselves from Diana a great deal, leaving her alone.
In the late 2000’s the Ice Caps fully melted, despite the entire Elemental force of the planet, Avatars and Parliaments (excluding the Parliament of Waves that is) petitioning Maya to stop her from this action. She did nothing, which resulted in the greatest gulf of all; Maya eventually went into an eternal slumber whilst the rest of the Elementals eventually joined Diana in Olympus, despite hundreds of years between these events. They were the last elementals now as the Parliaments had slowly dissolved and been destroyed over time, with the degradation of the Planet.
These were the last of a long line of powers. The powers of the Earth and they were about to go to War again. This time, perhaps, for the last time.
Diana got up, folding her arms behind her back, as the Toga creaked and cracked with the effort.
“Prepare my arms.”
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