A World
Without Heroes
In a world without heroesThere's nothing to beIt's no place for me -Music From the ElderKISS
Chapter 6
“Well.” Reed shook himself back to the here and now, startling everyone. They had watched amazed as Linda and Charlie faded from sight, returning to their own Probability.
Rogue, hesitantly at first, moved over to stand next to Kara. She was still staring at the spot Supergirl had occupied just seconds before, her gaze distant, as if she were seeing into the past.
“I’m still not sure I understand all this.” Sherri mused. “If she is the Supergirl from Kara’s Probability…”
“It’s a long story.” Prof. Xavier guided his hover chair over to the woman. “Why don’t you follow me and I’ll explain it to you while you’re being examined.”
“Examined?” Sherri looked down at Xavier, slightly alarmed.
“Just a precautionary examination.” Dr. Strange added as he moved in on her other side. “We just want to make sure that your experience hasn’t left you harmed you permanently.
“Only mentally.” Sherri shivered, recalling the fear and pain as the gang-bangers had steered their auto over her. “Though I want to know more about this Twilight person.”
“As would I.” Reed agreed, somewhat bitterly. He hated not being involved and he hated the unexplained. Though, it appeared that he had best get used to it, especially where Otherverse or Linda Danvers was concerned.
“Are you okay?” Jenny asked softly as she and Lar closed in with Kara and Rogue. She searched Kara’s eyes, looking for some clue, sighing softly as she looked over to see Rogue shake her head slightly.
“I’m not sure.” Kara finally responded. “That girl is what I once was. In a manner of speaking.” Her head tilted as she considered. “Naïve, to be sure. Innocent almost to the point of ridiculous. But there is something…”
“She’s an angel, Kara.” Jenny smiled.
“She’s more than that, Jenny.” Kara disagreed. She shivered, remembering her encounter with Wally. “There is no doubt that she is touched by deity, how ever you wish to conceive it, but that is not what I was talking about.”
“Well, whatever it is, I am sure it will be a long time before she forgets Otherverse.” Rogue chipped in.
“I’m afraid you’re right.” Jenny agreed, though she still looked at Kara. Like Rogue, she still worried about Kara’s mental state. Now, after seeing her actions during Linda’s visit, she was even more concerned. She, like Rogue, knew just about everything there was to know about Kara. They had booth been there almost from the beginning when Reed Richards and Dr. Strange had resurrected the young woman by combining the soul of Kara Zor-El with the empty shell that was all that remained of a clone of Kara’s original body.
She knew, as did Rogue, that the old Kara would never have given in to fits of rage that this Kara suffered under ever since they had arrived in Otherverse… Jenny’s eyes grew wide.
“Ohmygod!” She breathed. Both Kara and Rogue looked at her, puzzled. “I think I know what the problem is.” She looked at Rogue. “If I’m right, then we’ll have to keep a close watch on her.”
“What are you talking about?” Though she knew her friends had been hovering over her like mother hens ever since the death of the little girl during their first visit to Otherverse, she had ignored it. It irritated her, but she recognized the reasoning behind it as being sound.
“The Shard!” Jennifer explained. She had waited until everyone could be gathered in the conference room before continuing. “Sherri told us that it was Superman that brought the Shard, what they call the Artifact, to Earth. She also told us that it was not long after that that he started on his reign of terror.”
“So you think this Artifact was the reason for his personality change?” Reed asked. He had discussed this earlier, before the appearance of Linda Danvers, with Mon El and Sherri. It was the opinion of the people of this Probability that the Artifact was, indeed the cause of Superman’s personality shift. Mon El had agreed it was possible. Jenny had not arrived to that meeting until they had gone one to another topic. So instead of informing her, Reed heard her out. After all, She was a Green Lantern now and might have more insight into the problem.
“I know from the memories stored in this ring,” Jenny held up the emerald ring that glittered on her hand “That energy from the Great Batter could effect the Superman of Kara’s Probability. So it stands to reason that energy from the Shard could effect the Superman of the this Probability.”
“Are you saying that She…” Sherri pointed at Kara, “could become like him?” She shivered and shot Kara a frightened glance.
“Were she not forewarned, yes.” Jenny admitted. “The Superman of Otherverse had no contact with the Green Lantern Corps. There is no way that he could have even suspected that something like the Shard could effect him. By the time he could have realized the truth, it was too late.”
“Jenny has a point.” Xavier nodded, looking at Kara. “The effects of the Shard are already making themselves felt. You can see that by watching how easy it is for her now to go into a rage. Yet with a little help, she might be able to stave off the effects of the Shard.” He paused and looked at Rogue and Jenny. “It might be wise to assume that you could both be affected as well.” He pointed at Rogue. “you must recall that what can affect Kara can and will affect you.” He moved the pointing finger to Jenny. “And you might want to consider if your own power might be affected. If I understand correctly, your Lantern Energy came from the Great Battery of which the Shard was a part.”
“Indirectly, yes.” Jenny admitted. “Parallax absorbed all the energy from the battery into himself, or so he believed. What he passed on to me was a fraction of that energy. Thankfully, unlike the Green Lantern of Linda’s Probability, I don’t have to renew that energy every 24 hours. Parallax also cleansed an impurity in the energy that made it useless against anything colored yellow. I’m hoping that the cleansed energy will allow me to resist the taint of the Shard.”
“What kind of help?” Kara demanded, somewhat suspiciously, returning the conversation back to Xavier’s original statement.
“Perhaps a hypnotic suggestion.” Xavier answered instantly. “Just a little something that will act to diffuse your rage.”
“I’ve got a better idea.” Rogue piped up. “Why not just find the Shard and deal with it.”
“I’m afraid that may be a bit easier said than done.” Reed answered. “I believe we have narrowed the location of the Shard to a specific area, yet that area is under direct control of LexCorps. And from what I was able to determine, they have the capability of stopping any attempt we might make to get to it.”
“Are you kidding?” Rogue gave Reed a look, as if to remind him who he was talking to.”
“Sherri,” Reed spoke, though he was looking at Rogue. “Did this Superman of your have a weakness? And if so, what was it?”
“Well, it was said that he could be affected by different types of minerals from his home world. I believe it was called Kryptonite. The green variety, it was rumored, could kill him.”
Reed said nothing for a moment, allowing Sherri’s words to sink in.
“There you have it.” He told them, seeing Rogue’s eyes widen with realization. “They know that Kryptonite affected Superman.”
“Hold it.” Kara held up a hand. “Are we sure it is the same stuff. I know from talking to Linda that what they call kryptonite in her probability will have no effect on me, just as kryptonite that affects me will not bother her or Superman. Perhaps the same is true here.”
“Are you willing to risk everything on that assumption?” Reed snapped. “I’m not. Kara, would you please stop being so obstinate and start thinking for a change!”
Quiet settled over the group as everyone looked at Reed in astonishment. Everyone, that is, except Xavier. He kept his eyes on Kara.
Reed, his voice strained with barely contained rage, ordered everyone out of the conference room.
“Not you, Kara.” He snapped, his voice cold. “You and I are going to have a talk.”
“Reed..” Sue began, touching his arm. He shrugged it off.
“No.” He shook his head. “This needs to be done.” He motioned for her to follow the others as they filed out. “You , too.” This last addressed to Rogue and Jenny. They both stood on either side of Kara, their faces set in defiance.
“Not likely, Mr. Richards.” Rogue snarled.
“No.” Kara held up a hand, halting Rogue from saying anything further. “You and Jenny go. Reed is right. He and I need to clear the air.” She placed a hand on the shoulders of her friends and squeezed lightly. “I’ll be okay.” She shoved them towards the door. When it closed behind them, she whirled back to Reed, her face totally devoid of emotion. “Well?”
Metropolis (Otherverse Probability)
From the shadows of a door way, he studied his surroundings. The Broach had worked. Better, he mused, than Reed’s had. The plans he had gathered from Reed’s computer, via his pet mechanical spy spiders, had allowed him to construct a similar device which he had then improved. Unlike the projector in the FF HQ, this device was built specifically as a Broach projector, rather than a Phantom Zone Projector. Maybe later, when he could take the time to install certain safeguards in his own lab, he would investigate this Phantom Zone further.
He lifted his left hand, checking on the deadman switch nestled in his palm, his fingers pressing the two buttons that kept the auto return feature he had added to the broach from activating. Given the volatile state of things in this Probability, a dead man switch had been a mere precaution. Should he, at any time, release his grip on the switch, he would instantly be transported to safety.
Satisfied that all precautions had been seen to, he activated the jump jets of his armor and soared in to the air, his green cloak fluttering in the wind.
There, that office there. He glided upwards angling quickly towards the target until he reached the same height as the shattered office window.
There was only one occupant in the office as he entered, quietly .
“I want to know who the hell they were and where they hell they came from!” The man was speaking quietly into a handheld comm. Unit as he survyed the damage in the office. His tone, though quiet, left no dougbt that this man was deadly serious and that he would have the answers he sought.
“Perhaps I can be of assistance.” The green-cloaked man spoke softly, his voice taking on a metallic sound as it was filtered through his face mask.
Lex Luthor whirled around, his empty hand now sporting an energy pistol.
“Just who the hell are you and how did you get in here?” Though he was obviously surprised, there was no fear in his tone. His eyes narrowed as he took in the sight before him. The man was dressed, head to toe, in some form of armor. Over the armor, he wore a green cloak, its cowl pulled up so that only his masked face was visible.
The armored man gestured towards the shattered windows, as if that were explanation enough as to his entrance.
“You expressed a desire to know the identity and origins of those that have wrecked your office and caused a stir in the community.”
“Alert code gamma.” Lex spoke into the comm. unit before putting it in a pocket. The pistol never wavered. “As a matter of fact, I did.” He then confirmed the armored man’s statement.
“Three women? One green, approximately seven feet tall? One blond, and one red head with a white streak. Both of average build and height?”
“Actually, there were five women.” Lex corrected, “Though three fit the descriptions. What do you know about them? And you still have not answered my first question. Who the devil are you?” He still showed no fear. Rather, his look was speculative. Here was, he knew, a man used to command, much as himself.
“Ah, I do apologize.” The armored man made a slight bow, as one sovereign to another. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Doctor Victor Von Doom. I come from the same probability that these three women I have described come from.”
“Dr. Doom, huh.” Lex cocked his head and held up his hand, palm out as several armed and armored men, in Lex Corps battle armor, burst into the room. Weapons drawn and aimed straight at Dr. Doom. “At ease.” He ordered. The men lowered their weapons slightly, yet made no move to leave the room.
“Probability.” He mused, his eyes locking with those peering through the face mask. “Another way of saying an alternate reality, unless I miss my guess.”
“My original supposition was correct.” Doom nodded. “You are indeed an intelligent man. Yes, you are quite correct, Lex Luthor. An alternate reality. I know of these women, though I have only had the dubious pleasure of meeting one of them. I also know why they are here.”
“And what might that be?”
“Why, they look for something I believe to be in your possession. They are looking for what you have named – The Artifact!”
“Where are we going now?” Rogue demanded as the broach effect faded. She looked around quickly, scanning the area with telescopic as well as x-ray vision. She, Kara, Sherri, Jenny, and Mon El stood in farm field just outside the town. The farmland had obviously not been plowed or tilled for years and was now over grown with weeds amid the wild grown crops.
“Smallville!” Mon El breathed. He turned to Kara, his eyes full of questions.
“It’s time we got down to business.” Kara told them. She and Reed had been locked in the conference room for over two hours. When they had finally opened the doors, allowing the others to come back in, neither looked extremely happy, yet the feeling of tension that had grown between the two seem to have dissipated a bit. Neither had, at that time, or any time since, offered to explain what they had discussed. “Reed seems to believe that the Artifact is being held in Metropolis by Lex Luthor. But we need to find out all we can about the Artifact itself before we go charging in. We need to find out exactly what we might expect, what effects it may have onus before we get anywhere close to it.”
“So why Smallville?” Sherri asked. “Superboy may have been from here, but surely he left nothing here when he moved to Metropolis.”
“Actually, he did leave something.” Kara corrected. “She pointed with her chin towards a run down farm house situated in the midst of the farm land. Nearby, a vegetable garden, freshly tilled, took up about a half acre. Large enough to produce enough crops to keep a person from starving to death, yet small enough for one little old lady to tend alone. A trickle of smoke drifted up from the crumbling chimney of the farm house. “Come on, let’s go.”
They made their way towards the house, keeping a sharp eye out for anything out of the ordinary. As they passed the garden, Kara stopped and squatted down to examine something. A print in the tilled dirt. Her eyes widened as she looked. What ever animal had left that paw print was huge. She couldn’t identify the print, yet something about it tugged at her memory. Shaking her head, she straightened and joined the others as they climbed the rickety step onto the porch.
“Land’s sake! It’s you!” the gray haired, haggard woman peered at them through the torn and ripped screen door. “You were with that angel girl.”
“Yes. Mrs. Kent, we were.” Kara’s voice was husky with emotion. “I’m sorry to bother you ma’am, but we need to ask you a few questions.”
“Why of course.” The little old lady held open the screen door with one hand as she motioned for them to enter. “Won’t you please come in? I was about to make some dinner, perhaps you would like to share it with me?”
“No thank you, ma’am.” Kara answered quickly before anyone else could say anything. She knew that these people survived, but only barely. Their food was strictly rationed in order to assure they continued to survive. They could, perhaps, have all moved to Metropolis and live under the iron hand of Lex Corps. They would probably have more food. But only at the cost of their freedom. She took a deep breath and plunged in. “Mrs. Kent, I am sorry to have to ask this, but we need to get some information about Kal El.”
“Clark?” Martha Kent took a ragged breath and then fainted. Before she had even started to slump, Mon El moved. Cradling her gently, he moved into the house and laid her on a dirty couch. Then, without a glance to the others, he made his way through the rest of the house, pausing in an empty room, scanning the rubbish littered floor.
“Found it!” He exclaimed after a moment.
“Found what?” Kara demanded, frowning at his odd behavior.
“This was Clark’s room.” Mon explained. “I was a house guest of the Kent’s before Kal had to put me in the Phantom Zone. During that time, Kal showed me a secret tunnel that led from his room, to an underground lab, and eventually to a hidden exit far from the house. That way he could come and go when ever he needed without anyone noticing that Superboy kept appearing and disappearing at the Kent house.” He swept some of the debris away and then moved a thread bare rug to uncover a trap door. “I thought it likely that this Superboy had a similar setup.”
“Oh my!” They all turned to see Martha Kent standing in the doorway, white as a ghost.
“Don’t worry Ma…Mrs. Kent.” Mon El smiled at her, cursing himself silently for his slip of the tongue. “We all know that Clark was Superboy.”
“What!” Sherri whirled to stare first at Mon then at Mrs. Kent. She then whirled to Kara. “That is why Linda was so upset!” She put two and two together.
“Well, I should say Kara and I knew who Kal El was.” Mon corrected glancing sourly at Sherri.
“You…” Martha’s hand flew to her mouth. “You know his Kryptonian name!”
“Ma’am.” Kara stepped forward, smiling though it only reached her lips. “My name is Kara. Kara Zor-El.” She motioned towards Mon El. “This is Lar Gand, though he has recently adopted the name Kal El gave him long ago. He now goes by Mon El.”
“Are you … all Kryptonians?” Her eyes were wide with fright as she looked from Mon to Kara and back again. “That angel girl too?”
“I and Rogue are.” Kara confirmed, motioning towards Rogue.. “Mon is actually a Daxamite, though they are related to Kryptonians. Sherri and jenny are both Earth born.”
“Despite appearances to the contrary.” Jenny put in, smiling.
“And Supergirl is Earth born as well.” Kara finished. She didn’t bother to explain that only Sherri was from the only Earth Mrs. Kent would know. She took a deep breath. “I know it is hard to understand, Mrs. Kent. But Kal was, in a way, my cousin. We need to know what happened to him. We need to find out exactly what caused him to go bad.”
Standing, as she was, behind the others, only Jenny noticed when Rogue stiffened. Her face tilted upwards and her eyes squinted slightly. She was using her x-ray vision.
“What’s up?” She whispered into her ear, putting a hand on her shoulder.
“We’ve got company!” Rogue announced. She whirled towards the door, literally picking Martha Kent up and handing her to Mon. “Sherri, you and Mon stay here and take care of Mrs. Kent.” That said, she flew through the house to and out the front door – Kara and Jenny on her heels.
From the edge of the line of woods that surrounded the Kent farm on three sides, he watched. He saw the massive sky vehicle swoop down from the upper atmosphere, it’s dark metallic surface rippling with the heat of it’s passage. His hackles rose as it came to a hover above the Kent home. He tensed his muscles, preparing to spring into action as huge doors gaped open on the underside of the vessel, spewing forth dozens of brightly polished robots. He readied himself. If the automatic defense system the master had installed long ago did not activate, he would have to take action. He stood, bewildered, as three figures flew from the Kent home, soaring upward to meet the oncoming menace.
As the others sped to intercept the approaching threat, Mon pulled open the trap door. Hold tight to Ma Kent, he dropped down into the revealed tunnel, beckoning for Sherri to follow.
“How did you know?” Martha asked in a shaky voice as Mon zoomed down the tunnel and into a fair sized underground workshop. “You couldn’t have seen it. Clark had it all lead lined!”
Mon shivered and once again thanked the gods of Daxam for Reed Richards and the cure he had developed that had made him immune to lead. Still, the thought of being surrounded by so much of the deadly stuff, to Daxamites at least, gave him chills.
“Oh my god!” Sherri had entered the workshop and now pressed back against a wall, her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with barely suppressed terror. Mon turned to look at what had caused her fear, cursing himself for not remembering when he saw.
There, in the far wall, eight man sized niches had been carved into the wall. All but three were empty. It was the occupants of the three that had Sherri shaking in fear. Eyes closed, as if asleep, three figures of Superboy stood at attention.
“What the hell is this?” Kara demanded as she followed Rogue and Jenny upwards to meet the incoming robots. The ship they were spilling from was huge, it’s shadow easily covering the Kent Home and part of the surrounding acreage.
“I’ve seen these guys before” Jenny answered. “They’re Doombots. Courtesy of one Dr. Doom.” Rogue halted her flight, looking at Jenny with disbelief.
“Dr. Doom?” She demanded. “Here?”
“Yeah. Scary, ain’t it?” She gestured towards the robots. “Let’s figure it out later, first let’s take these guys out. You two concentrate on the Doombots. I’ll take out the ship!”
“Right!” Kara and Rogue dove at the largest concentration of bots, smashing a path through the metallic monsters before they could react. Jenny, glowing with Lantern Energy, didn’t bother with any elaborate energy constructions. Instead, she sent beams of destructive energy searing through the motherhship as she closed in, then, balling her fists, her arms stretched out in front of her, she followed the beams in. Her Lantern Energy, together with the strength of She-Hulk allowed her to smash her way through the hull of the vessel with no problem.
“Damn, I’m not even working up a sweat.” Rogue cursed as she swung two bots together with enough force to send them both tumbling to the ground in thousands of pieces. She reached for another, grabbing it by it’s outstretched arms and sent it spinning into another cluster. More shattered steel and circuits rained down on the long unplowed farmland below.
“Don’t get cocky.” Kara warned. She should have taken the warning herself. Rather than taking any protective measures, she dove straight at another clump of bots. She had nearly reached them when they all fired their weapons. For a brief instant, Kara was enveloped in a green light similar, in appearance at least, to Jenny’s Energy glow. With a shriek, she plummeted to the earth, plowing into the woods to the south of the Kent home.
“Kara!” Rogue yelled. Though ever fiber of her being screamed at her to see about her friend, she forced herself to fight on. Doombots were still pouring from the bowels of the ship. She cursed as a majority veered straight towards her while a small portion dove towards the Kent home.
“Rogue!” Jenny called out, emerging from the top of the ship in a spray of hull metal. “Be careful. I think they are armed with Kryptonite beams!” She reversed her course, intent on her goal to take the ship apart, from the inside out if necessary!
“Just great.” Rouge groused as she terminated yet another robot.
He watched her tumble out of the sky, falling in his direction. He followed her trail, using the feel of her impact against the earth to pin point her location. He glanced back towards the uneven battle. The other two strangers could take care of things. Now he had to investigate the fallen one. He had to determine if these strangers were, like the robots, a threat. Turning away, he failed to see the group of Doombots descending on the Kent home!
Kara groaned in pain as she opened her eyes. Already the effects of the Kryptonite beams were fading. Rao, it had been so long since she had felt the agony of Green K exposure. Despite the pain, she forced herself up on her elbows. She had to get back to the fight. She froze at the sound of a deep growl coming from the woods behind her.
“They’re robots.” Mon was explaining to Sherri. “Kal built them long ago. They were supposed to help him maintain his secret identity, and even act in his stead if the need arose.” He walked closer to the de-activated figures. “Where I came from, Kal had to shut them down due to impurities in the atmosphere that caused them to malfunction.”
“How do you know all this?” Martha Kent demanded. She had finally gone beyond being afraid. These people knew things about Clark that no one should know!
“I can’t explain it well enough to make you understand, Mrs. Kent.” Mon replied in his most respectful manner. “All I can tell you is that were I came from, Clark and I were friends. He saved my life. In that place, Clark never went bad. Instead he grew up to become the greatest hero that world had ever known.” He smiled in remembrance. “I know you won’t understand, but for a short time Kal and I thought we were related. Thus he gave me the Kryptonian name Mon El. I even adopted a secret identity for awhile. Bob Kent, a salesman relative from out of town.” He opened his mouth, as if to continue. He shut it as the ground trembled. He glanced upward in alarm, his eyes squinting as he activated his x-ray vision.
“Sherri!” He yelled as he positioned himself in the tunnel leading back to the house. “Follow the tunnel. Get Ma out of here. Keep her safe.”
“Perhaps we can help with that!”
Both Mon and Sherri whirled at the voice, Sherri shrinking back against Mon in sheer terror as three Superboys stepped forward out of the niches.
She had a familiar smell. Not the same as the master, but similar. He felt a kinship towards the yellow haired one. Not one of family, but rather as if they were both from the same place and time. Yet, somehow, he knew that such was not the case. And even were it true, there would be no way she would know him now. Not since the change! He did not pretend to understand it. It was far from his ability to comprehend. Yet he knew that the Thing the master had found had wrought the change. It had bathed him in its hellish green light and he had changed.
Kara risked turning her head so that she could glance over her shoulder. What she saw made her forget caution and spin around in total shock! A Karag! A prehistoric Kryptonian Wolf! Pure white and standing as tall as the prehistoric Terran Dire Wolf. At the moment, it sat on it’s haunches, watching her. Unlike the Terran wolves, the male Karags had sported a thick mane of hair on their neck and shoulders; much like a Terran lion. On Karags, however, the mane was pure white. Also like Terran lions, Karags had short, bristly fur on the remainder of their bodies and a small tuft of hair on the end of their prehensile tails. Kara looked into those blood red eyes and felt a shiver of fear run through her body. If it was a Karag, then, like any Kryptonian under a yellow sun, it had the same powers as she.
“Not all.” The analytical part of her mind countered. Some required the more advanced mental capacities of higher life forms. So, while it could fly, was virtually invulnerable, and could wield strength even greater than her own, it could not possess the mental or optical facilities to use any of the vision powers. On the other hand, it’s senses of hearing and smell would be far greater than hers, much like a cat or dogs hearing and sense of smell would be naturally better than that of a Terran human. Its reflexes would also be far sharper than her own.
She backed away slowly, keeping her eyes on the Karag, planning her next move. There was no way she could head back to the Kent home. Perhaps, if she lured it out in the open, she could enlist the aid of Rogue and Jenny to capture the animal, they could then transport it back to the FFHQ and use Reed’s lab to expose it to yellow K. It would still be a dangerous animal, but it would no longer be super powered.
Something Sherri had said nagged at the edge of her mind. Something about animal life here in this probability. Ah! She had said the Artifact had caused some animals to regress on the evolutionary scale. That would explain the presence of an animal that had been extinct for millennia. The only Kryptonian animals related to the Karags still in existence were …She stopped, her jaw dropping as she looked at the wolf. Dogs! Kryptonian Canines were direct descendents of the Karags. That would mean that the animal before her…
“Krypto?” She whispered. The animal’s ears perked. Moving slowly, she squatted down and held out a hand, palm up, making sure to keep it below the level of the animal’s head.
Slowly, it’s muscles still tensed, the Karag inched forward. It kept its eyes on her face as it stretched forward to sniff at the offered hand.
The sound of crashing timber caused Mon to turn back to the tunnel.
“Whatever they are, they’re coming through!” He hissed. He pushed Sherri towards Ma Kent. “DO what I said! Get her out of here. Exit the tunnel and hide in the woods.”
Edging forward, Sherri kept her eyes on the robot Superboys as she fumbled for Martha’s hand.
“C-c-come on, Mrs. K-k-kent.” She stuttered.
“No need to be afraid, Miss.” One of the robots said, smiling with what Sherri assumed was the original Superboy’s charm. “Units Five and Six will help your friend. I will get you and Ma to safety.”
“D-d-don’t you touch me…you…you monster.” Sherri shied away from the robot’s outstretched hand. The robot, adopting a confused look, turned to Martha.
“It’s a long story, Three.” Martha explained. “You have not been activated in a long time. Things have changed.”
“Where is the master?” Five asked as he took a stance next to Mon.
“He’s dead, Five.” Martha stated it bluntly. All three robots looked at her, expressions of disbelief on their faces.
“Can we discuss it later?” Mon spoke out as the first Doombot entered the tunnel. Focusing his eyes, Mon sent twin beams of heat vision searing through the metallic body, vaporizing what he hoped was the thing’s CPU. Soon he, Five and Six were wading through bits and pieces of Doombots as they punched and swung at the invaders pouring into the tunnel.
Three looked once at the carnage and then grasped both Martha and Sherri by the arms.
“Please do not struggle.” He told Sherri as he drug them down the tunnel. “I am not going to harm you, but I need to get you to safety.”
“They just keep coming!” Rogue swore as yet another wave exited the ship. There were less this time and a quick look showed that the ship itself was smoking and shooting forth flame from various places. Whatever Jenny was doing inside that monster was really tearing it up.
She raked a clump of bots with her heat vision and then turned to slam another clump to the ground with a blast of super breath. She then whirled, kicking out, her feet caving in one bot and sending it’s convulsing carcass spinning into a group of its fellows.
She risked a quick look towards the woods Kara had fallen towards. Her attention diverted, she failed to notice the five bots that drew a bead on her and opened up with their Kryptonite beams.
A hideous shriek of pain brought Kara back to the problems at hand.
“Rogue!” She jumped upwards, angling up and back towards the ship and the Doombots. She could see Jenny just emerging from the badly listing ship. A green globe sprang from her fingers to envelope a group of bots. Kara watched as the globe shrank, crushing everything within. When the globe vanished, all that remained was a single, fused sphere of metal that plummeted to the ground. Her attention drawn down, Kara saw the green and yellow clad figure lying amid the wreckage of countless Doombots. “No!” As she started to arrow down, she felt a gust of wind brush past her. She watched, awed as the Karag closed with the Doombots, it’s claws and fangs slashing, tearing through metal like a hot knife through soft butter.
Jenny saw Kara just as she started her descent towards the motionless Rogue. She started to join her when the streak of white shot up out of the woods beneath and behind Kara, past her and into the midst of the Doombots. She didn’t know what it was, but as long as it was on their side…She turned her attention back to the ship and sent a final blast of energy through it’s hull. That was all it took. With all the damage she had caused to the interior, the vessel could no longer maintain its position. It began to fall.
Calling on all her will, Jenny formed an energy field below the vessel, slowing it’s descent until it settled gently to the ground, far from the spot where Kara now knelt, cradling Rogue’s head in her lap. That accomplished, she spun back around…to find the battle over. The sky was clear of Doombots. The massive animal, its red eyes following her every move, simply hovered in place, a piece of circuitry from a mauled Doombot still hanging from it’s fanged jaws.
Lowering herself gently, Jenny drifted downward until she touched the ground, mere feet from Kara. The animal followed, still watching her.
“Kara?” She moved to touch Kara on the shoulder, stopping when the animal growled, deep in its throat.
Kara ignored her for a moment as she brushed hair out of Rogue’s face. She was breathing easier, a sign that the effects of the Kryptonite were fading.
“Rao I hurt.” Rogue gasped. Though she still had her eyes closed, she reached up to grasp Kara’s hand, grimacing from the discomfort even that action caused.
“It’ll pass.” Kara whispered, relieved. “Girlfriend. You have to learn to stay away from the Green K.”
“So says the woman that let herself be knocked into the woods.” Jenny piped in. Kara smiled up at her and then looked over at the Karag. Sighing, she gently lowered Rogue’s head back to the ground.
“Rest for a few moments.” She ordered as she stood. The karag watched her every movement. Then it slowly moved forward, sniffing at Rogue. Jenny started to move forward, stopping when Kara placed a hand on her arm. “He’s not going to hurt her.” She whispered. “He’s just getting her scent.”
“Her scent? Why? So he can hunt her later?”
“What are you two whispering about…Oh Great Rao!” Rogue had opened her eyes, looking straight up into the red eyes of the beast. “A Karag!”
“A what?” Jenny looked to Kara for an explanation.
“A Karag.” Kara was looking at Rogue as she spoke. “A prehistoric Kryptonian Wolf. Rogue, how did you know what it was?”
“I…I” she turned her head to look at up at Kara, her face screwing up as the Karag’s nose nuzzled her ear. “I didn’t. You knew what it was. I just accessed those memories.”
“Remember that she absorbed your memories when she absorbed your powers.” Jenny explained. “Though I thought those had faded.”
“So did I.” Rogue agreed. “Though I have discovered that when something to do with Krypton comes up, I know what Kara knew at the time I absorbed her memories.”
“Krypto. Here boy.” Kara leaned forward as the animal raised its head and took a step toward her. She placed a hand on Jenny’s shoulder. “Krypto, This is Jenny. A friend.” Then to Jenny. “Put your hand out so he can sniff it.”
“What? Are you nuts? That monster could take my hand off even if it weren’t Kryptonian.” Jenny started to back away. She stooped as the Karag took matters into its own paws. It moved faster than any animal its size had a right to as it crossed the short distance between them. Once in front of her, he reared up on his hind legs, placing his front legs over her shoulders. Even at seven feet tall, Jenny had to look up to see the eyes of the animal looking at her. She sputtered as a thick, wet tongue slid across her face.
“I think he likes you, Jen.” Kara quipped.
“Ya.” Jenny grimaced. “Most likely he’s just trying to decide whether Gamma radiated meat is good to eat.” Before either Kara or Rogue could reply, the sound of creaking, groaning lumber reached their ears. As Rogue got to her feet, the others swung their heads towards the Kent Home. Even as they watched, the small house seemed to collapse in on itself.
“Mon!” As fast as Kara and Rogue were, Jenny reacted first. She shot up and over the intervening distance to the rubble. Yet even so, she reached it after the karag did. Snuffling, growling fiercely, the animal dug in, sending chunks of torn lumber flying. With her hearing, Kara could hear the muffled sound of battle far below.
“They’re in the tunnel!” She exclaimed.
“I can’t see anything!” Rogue spat as she dove in.
“Lead lined.” Kara reminded her. She stopped and looked around, estimating approximately where Clark’s room had been. “Everyone back!” She ordered. Suprisingly, even the karag obeyed. She took in a deep breath and then let it out as a gigantic green shovel appeared, scraping the entire mound of rubble away from the foundation. The shovel then reformed, becoming a small twister that proceeded to suck up the remaining rubble that filled the basement.
“Don’t worry about that, Jen!” Kara called as she moved to a hole in the ground “The basement did not run under the entire house. She dove into the tunnel, wanting to make sure she got in first. She did not want the Karag to get there first and possible harm Mon or Sherri.
By the time she reached the underground chamber she had to push her way through a virtual wall of wrecked Doombots. The chamber was a total wreck. Despite the urgency of the moment, Kara had a sinking feeling that any information she could have discovered about the Artifact in the chamber had probably been destroyed in the battle.
Still following the trail of demolished bots, she entered the second tunnel. So intent was she on clawing her way through, she almost failed to notice that the Doombots in front of her were still active when she came upon them. Only when several turned, raising their weapons, did she realize her danger.
“Oh no you don’t.” She hissed. Reaching above her head, she dug her fingers into the tunnel ceiling and yanked down. An entire strip of lead peeled from the tunnel wall. Holding the strip before her, she continued her advance. The Bots fired, their kryptonite beams striking the makeshift lead shield instead of their intended target.
Kara did not even slow down. She simply bowled the bots over. Any that did not get trashed as she waded through them were met by the snapping, crushing jaws of the karag.
Kara tossed the shield aside and reached for another Doombot…and froze.
“Kal?” Her eyes rolled up as she slumped to the ground.
Five looked down at her as he finished off the final Doombot and then looked to Mon.
“Interesting indeed!” Lex Luthor leaned back in his seat as the last of the veiwscreens when dead. “To think, that Superfreak was actually Clark Kent all the time.” He turned to Dr. Doom, picking up a small apparatus he had laid on the table. “You say this device can detect Broach signals and triangulate on their locations at any time?”
“You just saw a small demonstration.” Doom replied, gesturing towards the bank of screens, all blank now. He sat back, contemplating his host. “Though I must admit that I was a bit surprised at the ease with which my Doombots were defeated.”
“You wouldn’t be surprised if you had ever gone up against Superman.” Lex spat.
“Considering what happened with him, I am surprised that you and he did not join forces.”
“That would have been the day.” He raised a hand and Doom was mildly surprised that it glowed with a slight green hue. “You don’t know how hard it was to steal the Artifact from that damned do-gooder.” He smiled a deadly smile. “Though once I had it and learned to use it, it was child’s play to use it to change him.”
Doom said nothing, waiting for his host to explain.
“Oh, Superman knew exactly what the Artifact was. He knew what it was capable of. He knew that, eventually, it would begin to affect his mind.” Lex gloated. “He had planned to destroy it or, failing that, toss it into the sun.”
“Yet you obtained it and used it against him.”
“You got it.” Lex stood, his fists clenched as he walked to the windows of his new office. “As far as the World is concerned, Superman went bad. I made sure that even his symbol became a thing to be feared and hated. Yet behind it all, was me. Finally, I was able to defeat him.” He turned back. “And in so doing, almost defeated myself, admittedly. An evil Superman was a hell of a lot harder to handle than the good one. The arrival of that monster, Doomsday, was a godsend.” He shook himself, smiling.
“Doctor Doom, I thank you.” He said. “And I think we are going to work splendidly together. Splendidly!”
End of A World Without Heroes - Chapter Six.