Alterverse: The Sentinel War |
Book 2, Chapter 5:Once Upon an Adamantium Claw |
Alterverse: The Sentinel War
© The Elves of Alterverse
Chapter 5: Once Upon an Adamantium Claw
Prelude to AVfan’s Freedom Force
Hyperspace—a black hole in the Milky Way Galaxy—January 2008
(Editor’s continuity note: this story follows The Inheritors—Chapter 16, as well as the preceding chapter of the Sentinel War).
Bruce Wayne piloted the Kryptonian ship towards the black hole. Well, Wayne, this is it. You got lucky when Kira offered you this ship. Jor-El built it with Kryptonian materials that can’t be found elsewhere.
He looked around the interior of the ship. Large enough for a small crew. This ship is much larger than Lyla’s. Not that it makes much of a difference. Lyla’s ship is built for someone with her strength. He sighed. I can’t even move the controls.
Turning back to the console, Bruce rechecked his calculations. Superboy’s changes to these calculations were certainly correct. Thank you Dr. Ray Palmer, wherever you are.
Bruce looked through the portal. As he expected, a flash of green floated just off to the side. What part of “I don’t want your help” don’t you understand? Bruce sighed. And what part of “I know too many orphans already. Don’t contribute to the Lair’s lack of testosterone.” don’t I understand? I am too much like Selina. I am not used to trusting people, though some have earned the benefit of the doubt.
He punched his comms. “Batman to Sentinel. Welcome aboard.”
As Bruce expected, Alan Scott appeared inside the ship. Alan asked with friendly curiosity. “What earned me the invitation?”
Bruce shrugged. “I plan to kill Kayzik. I don’t plan to kill me, first.” He smiled. “I need a good Plan B if something goes wrong with this flight, and you’ll do.”
Both men quickly seated themselves. Bruce Wayne completed a checklist and fired the ship’s hyperspace engines. He aimed towards the corona of the black hole, using the gravity well to slingshot the rocket into hyperspace.
Bruce watched as Alan checked the status readings.
“It’s working.” Alan confirmed. “The Kryptonian design is certainly strong enough to take the pressure.”
“Good.” Bruce concurred. “Now to slingshot off the next black hole in the sequence.” While still in Hyperspace, he used the next black hole’s gravity to accelerate the ship again. “As long as I can keep hitting these, I don’t have to drop out of Hyperspace. That should save a lot of time.”
Alan nodded with a smile. “This is well beyond the high-end velocity of the Shantar and Kayzik ships. Very well done!”
Bruce said nothing, but Alan watched his neck muscles relax.
The Planet Kalix
Landra Tzu tended her garden. The former Star Sapphire pulled weeds as she thought back on her life. No regrets. But I hate the feeling of being put out to pasture. Well, I made that decision for myself a long time ago. And I’ve lived the life I chose.
And now the Star Sapphire itself has become almost useless. Although I have recently sensed a vitality to it that I have not sensed for some time. I’ve asked my niece Kizan about it, but she seems very confused by it. She is a seer without peer. But the term ‘Freedom Force’ interferes with her view of the future of the Sapphire itself.
Landra sighed. As she did, she realized that her plants had taken on a violet cast. Then, they were in shadow. She looked up to see her successor as the Star Sapphire, Hallie Jordan. “Honey, I never expected to see you again. You look remarkably well for someone who has returned from beyond the grave.”
Hallie Jordan nodded. “Astra needs impartial advice from someone who has held the Sapphire. The problems she has been having with her powers and her ability to stay material have been mostly resolved. But now Astra needs to figure out what to do next. Landra, you live in a world so close to the Kayzik frontier. Why didn’t you fight them? Why didn’t you attack?”
Landra sighed. “I think you have a lot more leeway than I did. My duty was solely to the Zamarons and I was Star Sapphire before the attack on Oa. The Guardians and Zamarons were not always friendly during my tenure. But, they have repaired their relationships as of late. And I’m not sure the Zamarons could take the Sapphire from you if they tried.
Hallie nodded. “So, how do you think Astra can make a difference?”
Landra sighed. “My niece Kizan is a seer. She sees something about a ‘Freedom Force’ in your future. Perhaps your answer is there.”
Hallie looked into the distance. “Astra wonders.”
“Hallie?” Landra asked. “Why do you always speak of yourself in the third person.”
Hallie shrugged. “Because Astra doesn’t always feel real. Maybe, someday she will. But in the meantime, she wants to make a difference.”
Landra smiled. “You already have. Thank you for allowing me to feel useful again. But, come, I do have some information you will find helpful the next time you meet the Kayzik. And remember the greatest strength of the Sapphire. Yellow isn’t a weakness.”
Hallie nodded with a smile. “Astra has found that out.”
“I love the purple hair.” Landra complimented.
“Thank you.” Hallie shook her hair. “All the astral avengers have it. It’s a union rule!”
Landra chuckled as she led Hallie inside. “You’ll do just fine! Come, and I’ll tell you what the Guardians and Zamarons won’t!”
Two weeks later—The Rock of Eternity
Linda Scott and Iris Grayson walked into the library. They spotted Kent Nelson hunched over several large volumes.
Linda called to him. “Kent? Diana said you were expecting us?”
Kent turned from his volumes and stood to greet them. “Yes. I’d like to help fill in one of the gaps in your education.” He motioned them over to a seating area with several overstuffed couches and tables. Linda and Iris sat down while Kent continued to stand.
“What I’d like to discuss is the principles of magic.”
“I only have one principle when it comes to magic.” Iris cracked. “Run like Hell!”
“Usually, not a bad idea!” Kent chuckled. “But in this universe, knowledge is still power.”
Iris nodded. “And a good way to keep from being trapped by Shazam’s lightning, like Jay was.” (Elf note: Alterverse Book 1: Funeral for a Friend, Parts 1 and 2). “Scary when your grandfather is only seven years older than you are.”
Kent agreed. “You have to understand power to both use it well and defend yourself against it. I…” He looked over to Linda. Her eyes had narrowed to slits. “What is it?”
“I’m being good.” Linda stated. “I won’t kill him, just yet.”
Iris realized that Kent had not answered. Instead, he shared Linda’s look of anger as he looked in the same direction.
Four blue-skinned aliens appeared. Kent knew one far too well. And his anger drove Shazam’s lightning to manifest in his hands. Jade’s eyes burned with fury, but she held her tongue.
Kent addressed the one he knew. “Kannet, do you suffer from a death wish, or just bad judgment? You got what you wanted. Why are you here?”
A woman stepped in front of Kannet. “Because I requested it. I am Diedre. I lead the Seltan.”
Iris tried to recall the story. The Seltan? They are shadow creatures with some of the same powers Alanna had. They originated from the same universe as the Kayzik. Kannet tricked Linda into their universe to kill the mother Kayzik queen. And it almost destroyed her. And it would have killed Alanna, too, if Alanna hadn’t left this universe. (Elf note: Alterverse Book 1: Final Night and Beyond the Final Night, and the Inheritors, Chapters 15 and 16: Shadow Crossing.)
“I’m listening.” Kent advised. “But not patiently.”
“Very well.” Diedre responded. “Fair enough.” She walked towards them. Tall and slender with an aristocratic bearing, Diedre’s long hair grew white. “We of the Seltan have spent billions of years battling our common foe. And the foe has been defeated in our universe. Yes, we have much rebuilding to do, and will have for some time, but we have come to realize that we are shirking our true responsibilities.”
“And?” Kent shrugged.
“We are doing something about that, now.” Diedre stated. “There are several universes we can now contact directly. And we would like to send our teams into many more to help battle our common scourge. But to do so, we require your cooperation. She looked at Linda. “Because you and your fellow flamelings control the Great Portal.”
“You got that right!” Linda sneered. “Want me to open it to a demon dimension and aim the residents into yours?”
“Linda!” Iris countered. “I do the snide remarks!”
“What we would like to do,” Diedre continued, unfazed, “is to put teams into other universes with a one-way ticket home. Can you do that?”
Linda shrugged. “Nope. The Portal is shut down. It takes a certain power level to call it. And even then, you have to be on the access list. I just can’t leave it with unattended access. Best I could do. I can send your people through, but we’ll have to schedule retrievals.”
Diedre nodded. “It will have to do.” She looked around. “Of course, Kannet and his team will remain in your universe.”
“Mother!” Kannet reacted with shock. “They’ll kill me!”
Diedre snarled. “If you seek re-entry to the Royal House, you will have to earn it! And don’t come back until you do!” She vanished.
Linda marched towards Kannet, her eyes and hands blazing. “Mom says the Kayzik taste like chicken.” She snarled. “I wonder if the Seltan taste any better?”
“Linda!” Iris warned. “Save me some!”
Kannet vanished. Green Flame forced him to reappear.
“Linda!” Kent ordered. “Stop it! Now!”
Linda shrugged. She licked her lips. A mystic spit appeared. “I can wait for my snack. Until after dinner, anyway.” The spit vanished.
A J’Dinn University Planet—Twenty years prior
The instructor stood at the front of the room. Today, his appearance was Shantar. Tomorrow? Perhaps he would resemble one of the Guardians of the Universe. When one is a shape-shifter, appearance matters little.
“It’s simple, really.” He emphasized. “We ally with the Kayzik because we have no reason not to. We occupy the worlds they milk dry of sentients. From our little world, we’ve grown to occupy hundreds of thousands of worlds!”
The instructor continued. “And since we don’t interbreed with other races, we face no threat from the Kayzik. No female of any other race has ever borne one of our children. And no proper J’Dinn female would ever consider mating outside her assigned circle.” He sneered at the crowd. “Not with the penalties we extract from a guilty female’s family.”
Faleex watched the instructor with annoyance. Why do you lie so obviously, old man? Or do you not know the circumstances of my birth? You, who claim to know everything!!!!
The instructor droned on. “We have grown so large, that almost no one knows where our home world really is.”
A hand went up. The instructor acknowledged a female student. “Is it true, sir, that our home world circles a violet sun?”
“No.” The instructor lied with a sneer. “It’s a yellow sun. Everyone knows that. And do not ever spread such lies again. There are penalties for such mistruths.”
Faleex raised his hand. “Tell me, oh omnipotent sir, what happens when the Kayzik have absorbed all other life forms? What happens when we are all that is left?”
The instructor laughed. “Such a stupid question from such a brilliant student. Ask one more and you will lose your appointment to the academy!”
Faleex shrugged. Bite me. You don’t have that authority. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here, doing this.
The instructor continued. “It really doesn’t matter. The Shantar battle lines have stabilized again. The Kayzik will not conquer them within our lifetimes. And once the Kayzik do win, they will die off, leaving the universe to us!”
Faleex pretended to smile. Or do they set their sights on their sole remaining source of nourishment—us? “Yes sir!” He complimented the instructor. “That is wonderful to hear. I feel so truly inspired by the wisdom of our leadership!”
Around him, his fellow students snickered. Laugh, you fools, laugh. You have no idea why I’m being sent to the academy.
He listened to the instructor drone on. But, familiar with the inept lecturer’s lessons, he found himself lost in thought once more.
My mother was the perfect spy. She infiltrated the Shantar, just like the empire instructed her to. Her success cost the Shantar several worlds. But she was even more successful than you realize.
Faleex’s extended senses caught several conversations around the room. He wondered if any of his fellow students knew just who and what he really was. With a part of his mind, he listened to the instructor babble.
“The Shantar are an inferior species.” The instructor droned. “While we are immune to the Kayzik glamour, they fall so easily. They have no more physical strength than many of their subject races.” He laughed.
Then you are truly a fool. Faleex grimaced. My dear mother, the spy. My dear mother, who bedded a Shantar to complete her mission. Oh, the horror. Little Faleex, the half-breed Shantar. And so they tried to slit my invulnerable throat. I wonder how long before they realized dear Daddy was Andromedan Shantar. Faleex sneered. In the meantime, they sent Mummy dearest on another spy mission and got her killed. And that left them with me—a half-breed with all the J’Dinn powers and all those of an Andromedan Shantar. And, I suspect, a fair measure of my father’s soul.
He listened to the instructor drone on again. What was my father’s name supposed to have been, again? Kolar, or some such… I understand he underwent assassin training after Kalis Five fell. Maybe someday, I’ll find Daddy dearest on some battlefield. I wonder what he would think of me? Faleex smiled ruefully.
So, here I sit on my invulnerable ass, listening to this jerk. He listened as the student next to him propositioned Danna, one of his few friends. Danna glared at the student. Undeterred, the eager student tried once more.
Skoymon, leave her alone. Faleex watched with disgust as Skoymon leaned over to whisper to Danna, while Danna leaned away to the far side of her chair.
I hated this class, anyway. Faleex reached under the fawning student’s bench and effortlessly snapped all but one of the stainless steel supports. He withdrew his hand and waited for Skoymon to shift on his bench. As soon as the student did, the bench collapsed.
Assuming the pretense of assisting Skoymon to his feet, Faleex stood up and extended a hand to his fellow student. When Skoymon reached up to take his hand, Faleex cleanly broke Skoymon’s wrist with a quick snap. As the student howled, Faleex whispered. “Shut up, Skoymon, or I’ll break the other one.” When Skoymon howled again, Faleex snapped the other wrist, but not nearly so cleanly. As Skoymon howled even more loudly, Faleex announced. “You have violated the instructor’s honor by interrupting his class unbidden. Justice must be served!” With no remorse, Faleex snapped Skoymon’s neck.
Skoymon’s body slumped to the floor. Faleex, aware of all the eyes upon him, pretended to grin sheepishly and addressed the instructor. “Sir, I am so sorry that he interrupted your lecture. He will not dare to do so, ever again!”
Faleex sat back down and waited for the instructor to continue the lecture. As he expected, the instructor ended the class immediately.
Fifteen Years later
In a ten year career, the J’Dinn assassin known as the Terminator compiled an enviable record. Whispers circulated through the J’Dinn worlds that the creature was half demon. Without conscience, the creature was both the perfect spy and the perfect executioner. And the rumors circulated that the Terminator preferred J’Dinn targets above all others.
Faleex—the Terminator.
Present Day—Queensland, Australia.
Donna Troy flew above the forest. It’s been too long since I’ve seen Mum. I should do more to get by and see her.
I doubt she’s thrilled with me. Mum had both Uncle Charlie and I sent away from the population centers to reduce the danger to us, so that she could do her job without worrying. Now, Charlie and Annie are running Themyscira. As for me—well, there are advantages to being ‘Starlight’. She chuckled. How could I turn that moniker down after the way Kira sold it to me? “This may be the darkest of mankind's nights. And into the darkest night you step. And no one will fail to see you, because you are ‘Starlight'." Gawd! Now if I could just get used to the tight costume. At least Hippolyta had the costume enchanted. Not likely to tear.
Donna watched the unfamiliar terrain faded away. She banked over the Sunshine Coast and in towards the Hinterland forests.
She smiled as she flew over the forests of her youth. She remembered the tree forts the Chyrra Resistance used to plan their battles with the Kayzik: not so much battles as opportunities to steal and liberate.
She found the tree forts easily. Easily, because she knew where they were. But then, she was born to the Resistance—the granddaughter of the founder.
To prevent any chance of detection, Donna dropped beneath the treetops. Still flying just under the speed of sound, she slowed as she approached her final destination—her mother’s house.
Old habits returned. She flattened against the side of the tree house. Donna scented the air. Smelling no one but her mother, she still scanned the area with her hyper-acute senses. Finally, she silently entered her mother’s tree house.
Before announcing her presence, Donna watched her mother work at her desk. Her mother’s blonde hair snapped back as she spoke. “I know you are here, Donna. Welcome home, my most beloved child!” Smiling, Artemis rose to greet her daughter. Donna eagerly embraced her mother.
Twenty minutes later
Donna sat with her mother in the greeting area of the tree house. A fairly large tree house, the greeting area was large enough to hold a crowd of thirty comfortably. But at the moment it only held two women and two steaming cups of Earl Grey tea.
Donna smiled at her mother as she held her hand.
“I must admit I was not expecting such a warm welcome. We were eventually able to get word back to you, but that took a while.”
“I wasn’t worried about you.” Artemis Troy stated. “You are notoriously hard to kill. Just like your father.”
Donna looked at her mother again. For the first time, she realized that her mother appeared decades younger than she was. And decades younger than Artemis’ brother, Charlie. Not that Hestia would allow Charlie to age further.
“Just like my father.” Donna laughed. “Whom I have never met. More like my grandmother. Heard anything from her recently?”
Artemis chuckled. “Chyrra does what she will, Donna. I was never close to her the way I hope I’m close to you.”
Donna nodded. “How can either of us really understand what goes through her mind? Not only was she an Amazon, but she was an Oracle at Delphi. And she foresaw the Kayzik. But no one listened.”
Artemis agreed. “Her name should have been Cassandra for all the credit she got. That was Cassandra’s curse—she always spoke true, but no one ever believed her.”
Donna sighed. “And I remember what she said—that she would outlive all other Amazons of her generation. She would even outlive their ghosts. And I think she is right.”
Artemis grinned. “Some days I’m not sure she still hasn’t retained some of her immortality. Either that, or my father wasn’t mortal. But Chyrra never says. Someday, when she’s ready, I’m sure we’ll see her again. But not until.”
“So,” Artemis leaned towards her daughter, “what’s it like to fly?”
Donna’s eyes sparkled. She answered her mother, but not with words. Two empty cups of tea stood alone in the tree house.
Twenty minutes later—Kondalilla Falls
Donna and Artemis both laughed as they relaxed in the rock pool and felt the waters rush over them. Donna laughed. “I always feel so connected to this place.”
“You should!” Her mother grinned mischievously. “You were conceived here!”
“Mother!” Donna teased. “How can you be so sure?”
Artemis’ eyes misted. “I’m absolutely sure. I was faithful to your father. And we were separated quite frequently. It was here and it was then.”
Artemis watched her daughter’s expression. “I’ll bet you didn’t tell the Amazons what you were, did you? The ungodly healing factor? The advanced senses? The unbreakable bones? And the rest?”
“No.” Donna admitted. “I haven’t. Some of my friends at the Sentinel’s Lair know. The medical staff detected it immediately. My bone structure can’t be hidden from their equipment.”
Artemis chuckled. “I remember when that fool I kicked out of the Resistance tried to take his revenge on me by slicing you in two with his sword. That was ugly. I had to dispose of his body to hide your secret. But, perhaps now it’s time that secret was revealed. You’re no longer a child.”
Donna stared into the trees.
“Donna?” Artemis realized her daughter’s distraction.
“Someone is here.” Donna advised. “Stay here.” She vanished into the trees overhead.
Artemis heard nothing, but her instincts flared. “Donna!” She called. “Don’t hurt him!” Artemis ran.
She caught up to Donna just outside a cave. Donna had trapped a hairy, compactly built, heavily whiskered man. Artemis realized the man had not had time to put up more than a cursory struggle—Donna’s speed and power would not be denied. Donna effortlessly held the man up against the side of the cave. Artemis watched with fascination as the wounds of the battle vanished from both their faces.
Artemis decided not to announce her presence. She would allow the drama to play out.
“Who are you?” Donna yelled.
“I am who I am.” The man growled. “And I answer to no one.”
Out of view, Artemis smirked.
“And I won’t take that for an answer.” Donna growled back. He dangled from her left hand. She placed the right hand a foot from his throat. An adamantium claw extended from it to just beside the right side of his throat.
“That’s one” Donna announced. A second claw extended from the other side of her hand. It pinned the left side of his throat.
“That’s two.” Determination glared from her eyes. A look of curiosity and comprehension slowed his response and tempered his resistance. From her hiding place, Artemis watched as the claws slowly extended from his hands, as well. But Donna’s third claw was already centered at his throat.
“I can move faster than you could ever imagine.” Donna growled. “Who the Hell are you?”
Artemis realized she could delay no longer. “Donna!” She growled. “Put your father down!” She pretended annoyance. “And you, Logan, is this the loving image you present to your daughter? Shame on you!!”
Donna crinkled her nose. She withdrew her claws and let Logan down. “You need a bath. And a shave. Gawd… I bet your back has more hairs than this forest has trees! Mother, how could you?” Donna’s look of distaste caused both Logan and Artemis to laugh.
“Wax. Lots of wax.” Artemis watched Logan cringe at a familiar horror. “And often.”
“Now I remember why I left.” He grumbled.
Forty minutes later—Artemis’ tree house
The pain emanated from Logan’s face. “Donna. I am so sorry. I never knew.”
“Bloody Hell.” Donna cursed. “How could you not know? Or at least care?”
Artemis answered. “Because I didn’t want him, or whatever hunts him, to discover what you were.”
“Art?” Logan questioned.
“Logan.” Artemis answered. “Something created you. Something modified your genes so that your skeleton became genetic, not implanted. And we still don’t know what that is.”
Artemis looked out of the side of her tree house. She could see several of the more than a hundred tree houses that made up Chyrra Resistance headquarters. “Logan, you know too much about me, already. But, I felt, if I could at least keep Donna safe by keeping you ignorant of her existence, I would be doing the best I could for all of us.”
Logan reacted. “Darlin, that choice wasn’t yours to make. You denied me my right to know about Donna. My right to watch her grow up.”
Artemis glared at him. “And given the same circumstances, I would make the same decision again!”
Donna watched her mother with horrified amazement. Artemis turned to her. “Your survival came first. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is.” The older woman turned back to Logan. “And if you don’t like it, you can leave. Just like the last time.”
“Wasn’t my choice, Darlin.” Logan reassured her.
“No.” Artemis confirmed. “It was solely mine. I created the mission you accepted. And though I’m happy to see you, I’m curious as to why you did come back.”
“I’ve been back more often than you could imagine.” Logan sighed. “Always just out of your line of sight. But I never suspected…” He pointed to Donna.
Donna looked at her mother with growing horror. “Mother?”
Logan closed his eyes. “Donna, don’t ever fall in love. I only did once. And look at what it brought me.”
Donna watched the scene playing out before her. Two amazing people. How could they hurt each other so much?
She walked towards the outside wall of the tree house and stared into the forest. After a moment, she heard heavy footsteps behind her. A strong hand lay on her shoulder. “Donna,” Logan spoke quietly, “I can’t begin to guess what you are feeling. But, please don’t blame yourself for any of this. You’re the innocent and we have hurt you.”
“Typical Logan.” Artemis remarked snidely. “You always think with your heart, don’t you?”
“Not always.” He answered honestly. “But I like to believe I do, when it counts. Isn’t that what matters?”
“The mission.” Artemis answered firmly. “The mission matters. Children matter. What we want has to come well after that.”
“You don’t believe that.” Logan replied. “Or at least you didn’t used to.”
“I haven’t changed.” Artemis responded.
“Maybe I have.” Logan shook his head sadly. “Or maybe I never really understood.”
“Maybe you didn’t.” Artemis confirmed. “And maybe I didn’t either.”
Donna realized she had to have privacy. She fled into the sky.
Twenty hours later and thirty miles away—a campfire
Logan watched the rabbit cook on the wooden spit above the fire. Memories of the day before tortured him—in a way they always would. He wondered if some cosmic being enjoyed using him for a punching bag. And, he wondered why his healing factor didn’t extend to his soul.
Logan listened for the sounds that should have surrounded him. But he heard them only in the distance, not his immediate vicinity. Then he smelled a now-familiar scent and heard a voice he never expected to hear again.
“You left before we finished our conversation.” His daughter chided.
“As I recall, you left first.” He failed to hide his smile. “Not long before your mother showed me the door.”
“I needed air.” Donna admitted. “And you needed privacy.”
“Sometimes,” he sighed, “privacy doesn’t help. But I’m damned glad to at least see you one more time.”
Donna smiled sweetly for just a moment. “Mum says it’s not safe for you to be any where around her. I agree. She’s not ready to admit what she feels. She needs distance and lots of it. At least for now.”
“And you?” He asked.
Donna shrugged. “She needs her distance from me, too. She has to have it to do her job.”
She smiled. “But I have the location of your next assignment. I can take you there. Pick your rabbit apart, first.”
“Have a bite!” He offered.
“Don’t mind if I do.” She accepted.
Fifteen Minutes later
Donna lifted Logan into the air. As she rocketed skyward out of the forest, she teased. “We have to do something about that hairy back of yours.”
Logan groaned as he inquired. “Where has Art decided to send me this time?”
“I have no clue.” Donna admitted. “And frankly, I don’t care.” She banked towards the open ocean and accelerated. “Is this your first trip to the Americas?”
Realization dawned in Logan’s eyes as she spoke. “You owe me about twenty years of father/daughter conversations.” Donna stated firmly. “And I do intend to collect.”
Logan settled in for the trip. “Why stop at twenty years?” He inquired with a contented grin.
“Never said I planned to.” She answered with a gentle smile. The last of the land disappeared behind them as they flew towards their future, together.
The far edges of the Kayzik/Shantar frontier
Lyla Lerrol flew at top speed through Hyperspace. I haven’t had much luck tracking Querl. And this flight may prove to be yet another wild goose chase. But it’s taken me two weeks just to get this far.
This is frustrating. All I can do is to follow the sightings of Coluan slaves and hope that one of them turns out to be Querl Dox. He’s gone out of his way to cover his tracks. Now, I find that this next sighting is on a Red Sun world. Lovely—I lose most of my powers. Well, once upon a time, I would have lost all of them.
But I wish that I had borne even my limited red-sun capabilities when the Kayzik attacked Krypton. I might have been able to stop the attack.
No. That’s just ego. I’ve never had that kind of power, not even in my wildest dreams. The Kayzik tech combined with their magic makes them more of a foe than even a planet of super-powered Kryptonians could defeat. And I’ll bet the queen is hidden on a red-sun world.
Ah, well. Time to check in with the Shantar. Lyla dropped out of Hyperspace. Her comms activated immediately.
“This is an emergency signal from the Alganian Nafva settlement. We are under attack by what appear to be demons. We are not heavily armed. We urgently request assistance.”
Those poor people. This area of space isn’t organized in coherent galaxies. It’s just a mush of galactic clouds. Which makes attacking individual settlements all that much easier.
Her comms spoke again.
“This is Sector Command. We have a squad of Andromedan Shantar assassins we can dispatch to your location. We might have a Green Lantern or two in the vicinity, if we’re lucky.”
“This is Navfa. We’re under a red sun. The assassins are going to be in a world of hurt. And the creatures appear to be mostly yellow. But we’ll take anything you’ve got.”
A pity I don’t have my ship. I could do some real damage with it. But what chance would I have fighting alone against a Kayzik invasion? As Querl would say, ‘it’s not logical. Live to fight another day.’ Damn you Querl!
The surface of Nafva, twenty minutes later
Lotar used all four hands to manipulate his communications gear. The Alganians were a peaceful breed, but they made excellent settlers. A patient people, they had evolved into a farming race with the specialty of Terra-forming almost uninhabitable worlds. Nafva had been their most recent project.
Several hundred years ago, two competing native races had destroyed themselves and this world.
But that had been several hundred years ago. After debating the dangers of a world so close to the Kayzik frontier, the Alganians had finally decided to take the risk. This corner of the empire was hungry and this world could produce food.
Over the last fifty years, the Alganians had stripped the radiation from the large world and had begun the process of re-introducing life. The settlement had finally turned the corner and had become not only self-sustaining, but an exporter of badly-needed food supplies. Its loss would mean mass starvation for several nearby Shantar worlds until food supplies could be rerouted. That would take weeks, if not months.
The Alganians, Lotar realized to his horror, had invited the attack simply by being successful. And they had not arranged with the Shantar for the defense this world now had to have.
“Sector Command, this is Nafva. We are in a world of hurt. We are directing our people out of the cities, but we have already taken thousands of casualties. Is there anything we can tell our people?”
“Nafva, this is Sector Command. We are engaged with a series of Kayzik vessels that appeared to be headed in your direction. Our assassins have landed on your world, but we have lost their signal. We don’t know what happened to them. A Green Lantern is on her way, with more to follow. She should be there within half an hour. And the Guardians assure me that she has more abilities than a typical Green Lantern.”
Lotar sighed. “And now something else is dropping through the atmosphere. It’s not one of yours? Damn, that means the main Kayzik fleet has arrived.”
He called to the Gothta City Core. “Gothta, this is Nafka Command. There’s something else headed your way. I’m sorry I have no other information. But the Green Lanterns should start arriving within half an hour.”
He heard a laugh on the other end. “Screw the Green Lanterns. Send us a half dozen more of whatever you just sent.”
“What?”
Gothta City
The small family ran for cover. But the Alganians were built for heavy labor, not speed. The demon caught up to them far too easily. Sensing the life forces within them, it prepared to consume them.
Then it felt pain. Burning pain, as if had fallen under the heat of two intense laser beams. Which it had.
The creature found itself flying backwards under the force of a super-powered fist.
I am out of my mind. Lyla aimed for the creature again. It nipped at her with yellow lasers. She felt pain as her leg began to burn. Damn! Great, I lose most of my invulnerability under a red sun. Have to keep the pressure up—make the creature waste its energy until I can grab a hold of him. His powers won’t matter in outer space.
The creature threw a concrete support structure at her. She caught it, but felt excruciating pain as it forced her into the wall behind her. She felt the concrete tear at her skin and watched her blood drip onto the ground. Damn, this is going to take a while. She shook the dust off and fired her heat vision at the creature. It howled.
“Starchild to Nafva Command.” Lyla barked. “Your welcome wagon leaves a lot to be desired. What’s the status on the Green Lantern Corps?” She aimed at the creature’s midsection and sent it flying. Have to remember. Those creatures can’t fly. I have the advantage in the air. She took off after the now descending creature and slammed into it with all the strength the forbidden Chyrra project had bequeathed her mother. The creature flew skyward again.
“Starchild, this is Sector Command breaking in. Ma’am, we are intercepting an invasion fleet, but we know that a few ships did get through. We have lost track of a ship of Shantar assassins. The only positive news is that there is a Green Lantern inbound with others to follow.”
Great… just great. Lyla smashed into the demon again. She felt a rib crack. With a grimace, she punched the creature into the upper atmosphere. As the creature aimed yellow lasers at her, a violet starbolt tore at it from behind. It screamed, but made no sound in the thin air. Another starbolt hit it. The distraction proved to be enough. Lyla flew at the creature at full speed. She grabbed it from behind and accelerated into hyperspace. Just short of the red sun, she released the creature. It flailed helplessly into the sun.
Lyla felt her ribs slowly begin to heal as she flew back to Nafva. She followed the owner of the Starbolts to the surface.
“Koriand’r, welcome to the fun house.” She greeted the Tamaran Green Lantern. “Next time I go on a blind date, you have my vote to be the chaperone.”
Kori nodded. “One down, nine to go. Shall we?” They headed for the closest demon.
Twenty minutes later
“This is one of the problems the empire has.” Kori blasted a demon away from a group of natives while Lyla froze its feet with super breath. Lyla knocked it skyward. They followed the ascending creature as Kori continued. “We really don’t have a team that specializes in this kind of quick-reaction work. And these creatures are usually built to be immune to the Green Lantern Corps and the Shantar.”
“So I’ve noticed.” Lyla exclaimed ruefully as she pounded the demon upward. “I’m here by accident. And I don’t like fighting under a red sun.”
The creature howled as Kori blasted it out of the atmosphere. “It’s safe enough in orbit. And it should enjoy the view.”
Lyla smirked as they dove down towards the next demon. “The only good thing about this is that the longer they fight, the weaker they get. I wonder what world got pillaged to provide the life forces for these demons? I know it wasn’t Daxam.”
“I don’t know.” Kori fired at the creature, luring it away from its targets. “But the idea of an emergency response team is sounding better all the time.”
Lyla nodded before she aimed her heat vision at the creature. “There are some at the Lair who might jump at the chance. Bruce Wayne for example. Moody, but brilliant. And Oracle would be willing to provide its unique brand of support.” Lyla kicked the creature in the groin. It hit her full-force with yellow lasers.
Feeling no pain, Lyla realized the creature had run out of power. She slammed into it with an uppercut. The creature sped upwards through the atmosphere.
“A very uplifting experience, don’t you think?” Lyla quipped.
Kori groaned. “Four to go. Then we try for the Necromancers that I suspect are on the ground.”
A demon disappeared under an onslaught of heat vision. “Three to go.”
Another demon charged them. It disintegrated under the fury of a starbolt. “Two.”
Kori’s comms activated. “This is Hal Jordan. Hope you don’t mind the company. Astra is introducing herself to a couple of your friends.”
They watched two violet platforms rise into the air out of another part of the city as another streak of green approached them. “She has them.” Hal Jordan confirmed. “They’ve pretty much worn down. Astra is just taking out the trash.”
He looked at Lyla. “I think we can handle it from here. I think you could use a little time under a yellow star.”
Lyla nodded thankfully. “I feel like it. And I am tired. Give Astra my best.” She tapped her comms. “Sector Command, this is Starchild. I am departing your airspace.”
“Yes Ma’am.” She heard. “Sector Command sends its thanks.” Lyla plunged upwards through the atmosphere. She stopped long enough to wave to Astra and jumped into Hyperspace.
Three minutes later—a nearby yellow sun
Lyla soaked up the rays of the yellow sun. She felt the scratches, torn ribs, bruises, and cuts fade away.
Querl, you may have been right. Fighting that battle was not the most logical thing I’ve ever done. I may have endangered my mission by allowing my location to become known.
Then why do I feel so good about it? Now healed, Lyla smiled broadly as she charged back into Hyperspace.
Nafva—near a Shantar ship
Kori flew over the Assassins’ ship with Hal and Hallie. They landed next to the locked hatch. Hal used his ring to unlock and then open the hatch.
Kori led them inside. “The necromancers we just took out? This is what they were trying to hit.” They counted over three dozen almost lifeless Shantar bodies. “Knocked out and ready to eat. I never suspected that the Assassins would go down so easily.”
“It looks like they missed two.” Hal noted. “One of the assassins, named Kolar, is missing. So is the ship’s engineer.”
“What?” Kori reacted with surprise.
“Astra can’t find them either.” She floated back to them. “They’re not aboard and the necromancers did not have them.”
“How very odd.” Kori remarked.
“Quite.” Hallie confirmed. “And I wrote the book on odd.”
To be continued in Freedom Force One, by AVFAN!
End—Chapter Five—The Sentinel War
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