December 2006, Sentinel’s Lair Medical Center
Odd place. Dr. Jenna reviewed the automated files. Never thought I would wind up in a place so far off the beaten path. He smiled. On the other hand, I never thought I’d find an assignment with my daughter. She’s been on this world for almost seventy years without leave. After meeting the staff here, I can see why! The challenges are amazing for such a small group. I think I can make a real contribution here.
These Terrans are fascinating. Their gene sequences seem so simple, yet so complex. It’s fascinating to watch the interplay across the generations. You can follow the maternal lines so easily. The paternal lines are just a little more difficult. He heard the door buzzer.
“Hi Daddy!” Garja Jenna strode into the room. “I still can’t believe you left such a prestigious assignment to come here.”
“I can’t believe it, either.” He smiled at his only daughter. “I can’t believe I was such a fool for so long. At New Oa, I could yak with the most brilliant medical minds of our people. I thought what we did was so important.”
“Dad?”
“Garja, I thought you were insane to come here, but I couldn’t stop you. For so long, all I had from you were radio messages.” He looked into her eyes. “My daughter believed in a wild assassin’s dream. I’m glad I was so wrong.”
She relaxed against the wall.
“Dad, our family always thought I was a little strange.” She smiled wryly. “Here Jerik and I are both accepted. I have friends. They value what I do. My friends laugh with me. In all my years, I’ve never had that.”
He nodded.
“That was my one comfort over the years. I knew your cousin would watch out for you and you would watch after him. I cannot believe that you have survived for so long on a Kayzik world.” He hesitated. “Yes, I can.”
“I work with the best, Dad. Now, you do too.”
He sobered.
“I never understood what you did until I came here. I don’t think it hit me until I saw you with your friends. You were talking with the blonde girl about her game of fetch. Then I watched her throw a stick for the dog. He chased it. She waved and followed him.”
She grinned.
“But Dad, that’s how you play fetch.”
He shook his head.
“Where did the dog catch up with the stick? Jupiter?”
She laughed.
“Saturn. She was right, he really did need the exercise.”
He looked at her sadly.
“Daughter, I was so wrong for so long. I sat in my tower babbled with bureaucrats. My only child lived on an unimportant mudball, but walked among the Gods. Geez!”
She howled with laughter.
“Come on! I packed a picnic lunch. Let me show you some of the other wonders of this world.”
Later that evening
Helena Wayne showed off Krypto’s latest trick. Jeffrey Nelson, Linda Danvers and Alanna Scott joined her mother to watch.
“He’s an awful smart doggie. He’s so bright he’s almost human.”
Krypto barked.
“He certainly looks as human as some of us!” Alanna joked. “He certainly looks more Terran than I do.”
I never realized how much that bothers her. Linda watched her adopted sister. My skin color is odder than hers, but I can control my appearance. Well, why not have a little fun. Can’t say I haven’t wondered.
“Take away that coloring,” Linda teased, “and I bet you’d look like Jeffrey!”
Alanna sighed.
“I don’t know. I’d love to at least find out, but I never will.”
“Never is a long time.” Linda smiled. “Let’s try a two for one special.” Green Flame flared.
Linda shed her natural green shading. Brown hair and eyes contrasted with Caucasian skin. She looked across to Alanna. The blue skin and black hair vanished. Beautiful long blonde hair cascaded down pale skin. Blue eyes peered out of a sculpted face.
Linda walked over to where her sister stood with Helena Wayne.
“See! You do look like Jeffrey Nelson. Same blue eyes and blonde hair!”
“She looks too good to be related to me!” Jeffrey laughed. “But then again, she always did.”
Selina noted Alanna’s resemblance to Jeffrey. Then she noticed something else. Whoa! How can this be?
The following day
Dr. Jenna worked through his files. I wish I were a little more familiar with Terran sociology. I don’t know what to do with this. I don’t know how this society would handle it. He called his daughter.
Ten minutes later
Garja Jenna walked up to Selina Kyle’s console. Her voice broadcast her concern.
“Selina, I need your help. Do you have a few minutes?”
Selina looked up.
“For you, of course.” She called over to Jerik. “I’ll be back. Call me if you need me!”
The medical center
“Ms. Kyle, I have a question.” Dr. Jenna rubbed his eyes. “Please understand that I’m a geneticist as well as a physician.”
“Anything I can do.” She assured them.
“Selina,” Garja confided, “this is an ethics issue. We’re coming to you because we trust that you will respect the confidentiality of the information.”
“I have an odd situation.” Jenna continued. “It causes problems even in our society. Here’s the essence. I have genetic samples from all of the Terran and Shantar who work here. We also have samples of the members of the Terran Resistance who visit here.”
He sighed.
“We have a member of the Terran crew who is not supposed to be related to anybody else in our crew, but that isn’t the case. Let me show you.”
Selina read the file. Her eyes widened.
“Give me forty-eight hours. I need help to clean up what I can of this mess.”
Garja Jenna nodded.
“I hope two days is long enough.”
Later that evening
They sat on a rock outside the Command Center. Green Flame kept them warm even on the cold December night. Alanna sat behind Linda with her arms around Linda and her head on Linda’s shoulder.
“Alanna, tell me about your parents. Mine were so awful, it always feels good to hear about yours.”
Alanna hesitated.
“I always underrated my father. I’ve had a lot of issues to work through. I know you have, too, Squirt.” She relaxed. “My parents both loved me. Mom had the same powers as me, except she may not have had my Dark Force powers. Dad was a minor league sorcerer who worked with mystic forces. They were together for twenty years before I was born.” (Elf note: Terra’s Revenge – Chapter 2).
Linda smiled.
“Sounds like a happy relationship.”
Alanna nodded.
“It was. I grew up in a house of love. Everything changed when I was six. My father conducted a forbidden experiment. It was supposed to increase his abilities to handle otherworldly forces. Instead, it slowly drained his life. It took four months to kill him. When he died, Mom freaked out. Anna took me away and hid me from outsiders. Another year passed before I saw Mom again.”
“That must have been horrible!” Linda looked back with concern. “How did you get through it?”
“It wasn’t easy, Squirt.” She took a long breath. “Mom was never the same after that. She had a sadness I never understood. Every once in a while, she would ask Anna, ‘Have I done the right thing?’ Anna would always answer that she had done the best she could. Mom would smile and then she would seem all right for a while.” She relaxed. “Why so interested, Squirt?”
Linda smiled.
“It’s Dad’s birthday tomorrow. I wanted to do something for him, so I’ve been working on a history of Molly Scott’s life. I’m going to try to find Anna tomorrow. Then I should have enough to finish the story. I want to finish it before he gets back from New Oa tomorrow.”
Alanna nodded her appreciation.
“That is a very thoughtful gift. I know he’ll be thrilled. Mary and Kira will make sure he doesn’t get home too early. It’s not every day you get to hold a 90th birthday party. We have to make sure he suffers properly.” She laughed.
The following day – Terran Resistance Headquarters – Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
Linda shifted to Caucasian skin tone.
“I think she’s down here, little one.” Alexander Luthor walked her to a small cavern. “Anna! You have a visitor.”
The old woman beamed.
“You’ve come back! I can tell just by looking at you who you are. I always prayed I would meet you. I see both of your parents in you! Oh, they were such a happy couple. You have his brown hair and eyes.”
Gently, Linda tried to correct her.
“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’m Linda Danvers.”
The old woman laughed.
“No, dear. We just left you with…”
The scent of Brimstone filled the air. Anna and Alexander were alone.
Leesburg, Virgina – a few minutes earlier
Batgirl and Dr. Fate arrived in costume. Once on the ground, he removed the golden helm. They started walking towards the farmhouse.
“Thanks for the lift, Jeffrey.”
“Selina, if what you say is true, these people are in grave danger.”
And that’s about where they deserve to wind up! Selina bit her tongue.
They saw Fred Danvers on the farmhouse porch.
“Get off my land!” He waved his shotgun. “And don’t come back!”
Jeffrey put the helm back on.
“Sir, you are in great danger.” Selina spoke firmly. “We are trying to save your life.”
“Can’t be any worse than that psychotic Shadow.” Fred Danvers growled. “It didn’t even remember what it did fifteen years ago!” (Elf note: The Guardian Gambit – Chapter 3).
“Much worse, sir.” Selina tried to remain civil. “You have angered a force of nature. She can kill with a thought.” And I wouldn’t blame her.
Edna Danvers joined her husband.
“The shadow had no right to be angry. We had to defend our boy any way we could. He is our blood. We had no reason to care about the girl! We were stuck with her!”
The calm, clear December sky turned black. Electricity sparked in the air. A fierce wind blew across the farm. The scent of brimstone overpowered them. Living flame bellowed.
“You lied to me! Everything you taught me was a lie! You used me! I’m going to kill you!”
Fred Danvers found himself slammed against the side of his barn. Moments later, his wife dangled beside him.
Years of repressed rage found expression. The flame grew. The air crackled with infinite power. The farm animals screamed with fear.
Selina yelled.
“Jeffrey, there must be a way to stop her!”
Dr. Fate shook his helm
“Dr. Fate must disagree. It would take at least two Galaxy class metas to try. The Sentinel, Captain Marvel, and Supergirl are all off planet. There are limits to the power of Nabu.” Dr. Fate scowled behind his helm. “There is only one force that can intervene now.”
“You brat!” Fred Danvers yelled. “Now you stand revealed for the Hellspawn you are! You disgust me! Who are you, now? What region of Hell did you free yourself from?”
“Who am I?” The fire screamed. “Who am I?” The flame intensified. It burned towards Fred Danvers. He knew his day of judgment had arrived. The flame burned inches from his face.
Then the flame wavered. It withdrew. Fred and Edna Danvers found themselves back on the ground.
“Who am I?” Jade stood in front of the Danvers. She breathed slowly. Force of will battled rage. “And what do I really stand for?” Slowly, ever so slowly, she forced back the boiling rage.
“And in the end, that’s the only thing that matters. Isn’t it?” Cold sanity ruled her again. “For the first time, I do know who I am. I am the Champion of the Green Flame. I am the Champion of Life. I am the defender of all life in this universe: even yours.” The green flame faded out entirely. Linda shifted to Caucasian skin tone. She looked up into the Danvers’ eyes.
“I may not be very smart, but I do know right from wrong. This is wrong.” She slowly walked away from them. She turned around. “I should not have come here. I won’t, ever again. This is good bye.” Bamf! They smelled Brimstone.
Selina turned to Dr. Fate.
“You knew.”
Dr. Fate nodded.
“Yes, but it was far more important for her to know. There was a reason the Sentinel entrusted her with so much power.” (Elf note: The Guardian Gambit – Chapter 5).
“Yes, there most certainly was.” Selina smiled. “Let’s go home. Think we can keep her secret for a few more hours?”
Dr. Fate removed the helm.
“Of course. I almost pity the Danvers. They trifled with powers far beyond our understanding.”
“Almost pity?” Selina felt intrigued.
Jeffrey Nelson’s eyes narrowed.
“The Helm of Nabu may be the servant of order, but even Dr. Fate is capable of contempt.”
He put the helm back on. They vanished.
Sunset, The Roanoke Star, Roanoke Virginia
Alan Scott landed on the ground behind her.
“Linda?” He walked towards her. “Selina sent me out here as soon as I got back. Are you all right?”
She turned around. Her eyes were bright. She held a small binder in her hands. She looked up to him.
“I have been trying to make sense of so many things. It will take me a while to sort everything out. I may not be very bright, but I do know some things for sure.”
“Linda, you’re young. You are not dumb.”
She smiled. She looked into his eyes.
“You have always believed in me. You believed in me when nobody else did. You believed in me when you had no idea who or what I was. I want you to know how much that means.”
“Linda,” he spoke gently, “I wouldn’t love you any more if you were my own. You know that.”
She beamed. She handed the binder to him.
“Happy Birthday. You have to read it before you go back.”
He smiled.
“Sure. They can wait a little bit longer.” He grinned at her. “I know they’ve set me up!” He looked down to the binder and read. The Life and Times of Molly Scott. He smiled. “What a thoughtful gift. I shall treasure this.”
She smiled with bright eyes.
“Keep reading.”
Dedicated to my Grandfather, who has always believed in me. I love you and I want to share my Mother’s story with you. Your grateful Granddaughter, Linda.
The Sentinel’s Lair
“So why did you send him out so quickly?” Mary asked Selina. “We didn’t even get to harass him before he left. I was looking forward to it!”
Selina and Jeffrey shared a glance and a smile.
“His Granddaughter is sharing her Mother’s story with him.” Selina smiled mischievously.
“What are you talking about?” Alanna puzzled. “I’m his only grandchild.”
“You were, for about seven years.” Jeffrey escorted Selina out of the room. “The Green Flame burns brightly in your family. Even the Seltan could only balk it for one generation.”
Alanna’s eyes widened. A silly grin crossed her face.
“Well what do you know? She really is my little Squirt!
Down the hall, Garja Jenna quietly told a story to the woman who served as her commander and had become her friend.
The following day - breakfast
Jeffrey and Selina shared a table with the Scott family. Linda found herself firmly wedged between Elise and Alanna. She realized she would have to teleport to get away. The thought warmed her.
“A lot of things sort of make sense, now.” Linda reached for a roll. “The Danvers were part of the Resistance. My mother had worked with them many times. They understood why I could not stay with her. I didn’t have her shadow powers. They really were kind to me until their son was born. Then they changed. They became fanatics about protecting him. They turned on me. Even sacrificed me on an altar to Satan.”
Curious, Jeffrey asked.
“How did they do that? You seem no worse for the wear.”
She grimaced.
“The underworld did not want me. Remember my ties to the Green Flame? The underworld knew of the prophecies. It was not in their interest to allow my death. So, I was taken before the ritual could be completed. They created the Demoness persona to protect me until I could return to resume the fight. I started to heal as soon as the Green Flame hit me.” (Elf note: The Guardian Gambit – Chapter 1).
Alanna grinned.
“So Mom was right. Her daughter would become the backup champion. Just not me.”
“Yup!” Linda drank down her orange juice.
“You know,” Alan chimed in, “Kannet was right. The cloning did not hold true for Linda. It’s nice to know that not all my descendents will be my clones.” (Elf note: Terra’s Revenge – Chapter 5).
“Hey!” Alanna pretended to be hurt. “I have to wonder, though, if the shadow powers my mother and I shared did block the green flame from choosing us.”
“That would seem to make sense.” Alan looked thoughtful. “What about your other odd abilities, Linda?”
Linda answered quietly.
“I developed them in Hell, but that wasn’t where I got them.” She swallowed. “My father died a lingering death after he tried to harness otherworldly powers. He was already dying when I was conceived. He died because he wasn’t able to channel or control all the power he had unleashed.” She looked up at Alan. “His experiment poisoned my genes. I would have died too, except for one thing.”
Alanna smiled at Alan Scott.
“We’re your children. We’re the children of a man who was destined to safely carry and control the Starheart’s gift. We were born to channel infinite power. That legacy saved her life.”
Selina’s eyes widened.
“Alan, do you realize the other implication of this?”
Jeffrey understood immediately.
“The Starheart’s gift. Linda, if you have ever wondered whether you were worthy to carry it, wonder no more. The Starheart in your hand knew just who and what you were when it chose you. And it did choose you. It knew what you were and what genes you carry. It saw the blood tie to Alan and it knew your character.” (Elf note: The Guardian Gambit – Chapter 5).
“And I thought it was my brilliant choice.” Alan smiled lightly.
“It was.” Jeffrey nodded. “Had you chosen anyone else, it would not have been nearly so quick to end the existence of its universe. But you never even considered anyone else.”
Linda spoke with a quiet smile.
“My Grandfather, who believes in me.”
“I knew there was some reason I liked him.” Elise hugged her.
Alanna turned to her. “I’ve seen you teleport. I’ve seen some of your psychic abilities. How much else did our father’s experiment leave you with?”
Linda frowned.
“I have other abilities, but I still don’t know everything I can do. I’m not sure I want to.” She looked up at Alan. “I would rather have grown up with my family.”
He smiled kindly.
“That’s what has always made you so special. Your humanity always comes first.” He reached across the table to her. “Thank you for being the best birthday present I’ve ever had.”
Epilogue –Three Days Later – Above the Sentinel’s Lair
Selina Kyle leaned against the railing. She felt the early winter wind blow across her. It chilled her to the bone. She heard familiar footsteps. Garja Jenna and Jeffrey Nelson approached. She did not move.
“Selina?” Garja asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Selina,” Jeffrey added, “they have a right to know.”
Selina scowled.
“Don’t you mean she has a right to know? Her sister is only a clone of their mother.”
Garja smiled lightly.
“I have to admit that was funny. My father honestly believed that Alanna was Linda’s mother. Alanna’s tie to the Sentinel was even more intriguing. Their gene match is far more than 99%. The only variance is in the DNA they can’t share. My father is fascinated by the potential. Hopefully the Scotts won’t feel they are too much under my father’s microscope.”
“But you’re dodging the question, Selina.” Jeffrey leaned against the railing. “I’ve come to know you pretty well. Well enough to know you are holding something back.”
Selina growled.
“Do you know why adoption records are sealed, Jeffrey? It’s to protect all of the families involved in the transaction. It hides the dirty secrets. And there are very dirty secrets here.”
She turned towards them.
“Jeffrey, she now knows who her parents were. She knows that she has a home where she will always belong. Only good came from revealing that part of her heritage. I will never regret that.”
Selina scowled.
“But there are very dark forces at work in her background. Let us not forget what killed her father. He barely escaped what targets the rest of us. Otherwise, we would not even know the details of his death. He must have found a good way to hide himself.”
The Shantar woman startled.
“Are the girls in danger?”
“I don’t know.” Selina replied. “I don’t think so. I can tell you that Alanna is clear. I think Linda’s power levels alone are enough to balk any threat.”
“I did speak to my Grandfather.” Jeffrey confirmed. “We agree with your conclusions. Even more to the point, that thing in her hand is far more deadly than anyone realizes. Her conscience keeps it under control. But that is infinite power: it’s not just mystic force, but pure unlimited cosmic power. She kept her end of the bargain when she took out the Kayzik home universe. It knows what that almost cost her. Its devotion to her is complete, absolute, and unrelenting.”
He darkened.
“It doesn’t sleep. It is always fully conscious. It is more powerful than any mortal could ever imagine.”
His mood lightened.
“I would not want to be the fool who tries to catch her unawares. That thing will not hesitate to kill to protect her. It will have what it wants. And what it wants is to be part of her.”
Jeffrey grinned viciously.
“The Danvers are far more lucky than they realize. It wasn’t just her rage she choked back. That thing in her hand is not finished with them. It’s just waiting for them to try to hurt her again. Hell would seem like Heaven when compared to the rage of that Starheart.”
Selina felt the cold wind bite.
“I count on our secrecy and her power to protect her from her ancestry. Others have not been so lucky. Nothing good has ever happened to any member of her father’s family who dabbled in the supernatural. There are things on the dark side that target them. I should know. They will come again. The battle will resume.”
Garja turned and walked a few feet away.
“You make it seem so hopeless.”
“Do I?” Selina laughed viciously. “You would be surprised. But understand that the only thing that matters to me is the safety of the children of the Bat. I will keep them safe as long as I can. Then all bets are off.”
“Children?” Garja peered at her.
“You heard me.”
Jeffrey sighed.
“Selina, we will keep your secret for now. I believe it is a mistake, but I also understand now is not the time to tell her. There will come a time when we have no choice.”
“Jeffrey, that’s true. But the rest of us derive most of our protection from our anonymity. No one pays attention to us. But that’s a Galaxy Class Meta. And more. Don’t involve her until we have to. Let’s not beg for trouble. Not yet.”
He nodded with displeasure.
“I hear you. But when the time comes, I will tell her.”
Selina glared at him.
“I have come to realize that she is a very complex woman. She doesn’t have the training, the background, or the experience that the rest of us do. But those instincts are deadly. When the time comes, we won’t need to tell her.”
Selina relaxed. She held out her hands to both of them. They each took one.
“I will watch after her. I owe her that. But I want you to know one last thing. I had not slept well since we discovered Kal-El’s empty rocket. I have slept very soundly since that thing found a home in her hand.”
Garja breathed slowly.
“We will keep your secret, Selina: for now. But only for now.”