It was a dream…or was it?
She stood alone on a strange world, a large red sun ablaze in the orange tinted sky above.
Large plants grew around her, their leaves and flowers reaching for the light, their designs like nothing that had ever existed on Earth…for this was not Earth…it was Krypton!
There was no sound, no sense of movement, but just as she had known she was alone…now she knew she was not.
She did not move, and yet there was a sensation of the universe spinning around her as two figures moved from behind her, without moving, to stand in her line of sight. A single glance was all it took to recognize them.
“Lord Rao! Lady Lorra!” She bowed deeply, resisting the urge to fall to her knees.
The god made no sound as he lifted an arm, sweeping it outward. And the scene changed.
As if from a great height she looked down on a blue green planet, swimming in space around a yellow star…Earth.
Images, too fast for her to comprehend, flashed before her eyes. She wanted to shout, beg them to slow down; she did not. Instead she watched and tried to understand what she was being shown.
Finally it dawned on her….she was being welcomed!
With that realization, a feeling of warmth infused her very being. An affirmation. The gods of Krypton were welcoming her…them (three shadowy figures had appeared at her side) to this new place…and staking their claim.
“You have gone far enough.” The words, clear and soft, like the whisper of rain in a dense forest, were not spoken aloud yet resounded within her head; and she knew it was the Goddess speaking. “You are home, Daughters. We had thought all our children in this reality gone, and yet you have come to us. Here you will stay. This is your home and you are welcome.”
Rao raised his hand again and the vision changed, swirling and shifting and finally coalescing into a vision of the entire galaxy…and other Probabilities! Other Realities.
And within that vision she saw herself…and understood what was being asked of her.
“No!” She shook her head. “It’s too much. I can’t do it alone!”
The vision altered, panning outward until she could see that the image of herself was not alone at all. Her family, those she led…and friends past and future…stood at her side. Heroes of other worlds stepped up to stand beside her.As she gazed at allies familiar and unmet, she understood—they each had their charges, but would join with her when she needed them. As she would join with them.
As she watched, some fell, but always they pressed on. And then…the vision changed…this time showing her what could happen if she did not take up the mantle that was being presented to her…and she hid her face in her hands.
“So much has been asked of you, child.” The Goddess spoke again. “And much will yet be asked of you…but you must be the light that leads the way. The darkness comes…and so you must be…Superwoman!” But what disturbed her was what the gods did not say... What threats would be so large it would require all of them? What had the gods left unsaid?
The vision faded and the dream ended…or did it?
It was a dream…or was it?
She floated in a fog of green. There was no sense of space or time…only the fog.
She felt no panic, no apprehension, and part of her mind wondered at this. She was at peace and yet her mind told her she should not be.
There was no time here, so she could not say how long she floated in this green ether before the fog parted, to reveal a view from space. A view of a planet that was not Earth.
She knew this world! This was Oa, home of the Guardians of the Universe.
As if recognition had sparked some reaction, the world appeared to rush towards her. She felt no movement; only an observation that it appeared that she remained still while the world came to her, stopping until she seemed to hover above the Great Battery.
She could see the little blue figures of the Guardians, could see their faces tilt up, as if they could see her…and the fog closed back in.
Again there was a wait and then…..
POWER. SUCH POWER IN SUCH A SMALL ONE.
No sound, no vision. Yet the words resounded within her head. Here, she knew was something she had never met before. Perhaps it was the ring she wore, the ring that had once belonged to Hal Jordan, that gave her the knowledge. For though there was nothing to see, she knew she was in the presence of a Starheart!
Even as the realization formed, she knew it was not completely correct. A Starheart yes, but unlike the Starheart her ring had known.
That Starheart had been a power harnessed by the Guardians. A power that only afterward gained sentience…before going mad. And in another world, the Starheart had been a mystical power that had chosen a single Champion…a man Hal had known as Alan Scott, the first Green Lantern.
This was something different. Though she could not say why, she knew that this power had existed before the Guardians…and that it would exist after they were mere memory…and it would exist when even the memory of the Guardians was no more.
It was alive…and aware.
Perhaps not life as she knew it…and not awareness as she considered awareness…but alive and aware, nonetheless.
And Powerful!
Powerful beyond her comprehension. And yet powerless all the same.
It was a power that could only be used by one chosen by it…it could not wield that power itself.
I HAVE CHOSEN. THE GUARDIANS WILL NOT HAVE THIS ONE.
She felt a touch…a tingling sensation…and knew she was being marked. She felt…something…enter her, searching, discovering.
She ‘saw’ her memories being studied…and felt sadness when the image of Hal Jordon surfaced. She felt a moment of puzzlement that was instantly answered by a vision.
A vision not of the Hal Jordon she had briefly met…but another. One not of the Green Lanterns, but a Sentinel…chosen by the Starheart. A vision of the Sentinel in battle along side other heroes…one she knew was Magneto!
And she saw the Sentinel fall. The last of his companions…but still he fell. And she knew, at that moment, that whatever the Starheart was…even it could not sway the hands of Fate. It was not a god!
Sadness was replaced by amusement…and agreement. Indeed, the feeling she received was that the Starheart had seen what the Gods must do…and had no desire to have the bosses’ job! And she knew that, though it allied itself, and its champion, with the Guardians, that was the one thing it held against them…their tendency to play god!
She could not say how she knew, but she knew that her very being was being changed. That the power within her was being drained and refilled.
Not to the same capacity, however. And she knew the Starheart was removing the “temptation” to play goddess, by reducing her power….just as she knew that the power would be there when she needed it.
CHAMPION OF THE GREEN FLAME. YOU ARE…THE SENTINEL! I HAVE CHOSEN…YOU!
The fog darkened even as questions rose in her mind. Questions that were answered…and brought both sadness and joy.
…the dream ended…or did it?
“Anything?”
Zor El let out a breath and pushed away from the console. He had spent the better part of three days in the small control center. It had originally been the auxiliary control center before the entire community had moved to the satellite. When they had evacuated, Zal and Kara had helped them divide the old community, covering an area twenty foot by ten foot square, into two equal parts, each part covering an area ten foot by ten foot square (using Terran measurements). One part, which just happened to contain the Main control Center for the city, was erected in Lord Ian’s Tower. The remaining section had been kept as it was with the auxiliary control being wired in to the emergency power, communications, gravity generators and air scrubbers.
The ruling Council had divided as well, with half, under the leadership of Allura’s assistant , Van-Ze, taking on the task of watching over the other half.
They had made sure to divide materials, supplies, and people evenly between the two halves, yet Zor now wondered if the other half had fared as badly.
It had been understood, if the Ripple passed with no effect, the two halves would be reunited…now it appeared that their decision to divide had been the path of wisdom…if not the happiest decision.
They had prepared as well as they were able. People were warned of the approach of the Ripple, but they couldn’t be warned of effects that were unknown.
First had come the disorientation…then the pain. And finally, blessed darkness as consciousness faded.
It was considered a sign that every adult in the city had dreamed…dreamed of a welcome by the Kryptonian God and Goddess…as if to emphasize that, wherever they were, the gods were more active than where they came from. Rao and Lorra had welcomed them…and expressed sadness at the losses they had suffered…and were yet to suffer.
The meaning of this last had become clear when the people began to awaken...to a city of the newly dead.
Reports were still coming in, yet it appeared that a full two thirds of the population had perished, with the heaviest victims being the elderly, of whom there had been relatively few, and the young.
Both Zor and Allura had worked at an aide station after awakening. Still groggy themselves they had given what aid they could to the stream of people that came to them…most often with the lifeless body of a child in their arms.
It was only after more qualified medical personnel began to arrive that Allura was able to pull Zor away, demanding he began work on finding out where they were and what their situation was.
“Right now the people are still shaken and trying to deal with the here and now. Soon, though, they’ll begin to ask questions and we had best be ready with some answers.” She had told him, acting more as the Council Leader than a wife.
“I have been able to determine what caused the deaths.” Zor now answered, running a hand through his thick black hair. “Other than the obvious, of course.” He turned and looked up at his wife and gave a minute shake of his head. “Massive dehydration and, in some cases, starvation were the obvious culprits. Every living person in this city was unconscious for over a week (Authors note: all measurements have been translated from the original Kryptonian to Terran English for the sake of simplicity). That, plus the stress of the Ripple effect, would account for the majority of the deaths in the young and elderly, if the effects themselves had not caused the deaths. It appears that the Ripple caused massive cardiac stress and that only those individuals with extremely strong cardiovascular systems were able to come through alive, though there were exceptions…again this would affect the extremely young and the elderly far more…and it did.”
He shrugged and turned back to his tossed together system.
“By all rights, you and I should be among the dead.” He finished. “We are among the few exceptions.”
Allura moved closer and put her hands on Zor’s shoulders, kneading softly.
“What about…Kara?” She asked in a small voice.
“I don’t know.” Zor shook his head, his own voice showing his concern. “By the calculations I have done, they all should have come through fairly well, though they too would have been rendered unconscious. But for how long?” He shrugged. “Under a yellow sun, they would probably just now be coming around. Under a red sun…they could be unconscious for another two weeks.”
“Two more weeks?” Allura’s grip on her husband’s shoulders strengthened, causing him to wince slightly. “Zor, even they can’t survive that long with out food or water.” She paused. “Zor….Kara and Rogue are no longer powerless under a Red Sun!”
“That, I am afraid is not true…nor has it ever been true.” Zor turned his face up to her again and saw the confusion in her eyes. “I’d been running some tests and some simulations based on information we have been able to gather since Kara rescued us from Rokyn. They, like we, assumed that the Silver Surfer had manipulated their DNA structure to block out the effects of a Red sun. My tests have shown that the effect is merely…delayed. Instant exposure to red sun rays may not effect them as it would Lar or the twins, but continued exposure, over the period of a week or so, would gradually cause them to weaken until they were totally depowered.” He shook his head. “Neither Kara nor Rogue thought to ask the Surfer about it…and the opportunity never arose for them to ask afterward. So it was natural for them to assume that they were totally immune. If they survive this, they will have to be told.”
“And that brings up another issue.” He forcibly pushed thoughts of his daughter and her lover from his mind and focused on other issues. “Since it is impossible for Kara or any of the others to be awake yet…who can we thank for hooking up the energy and oxygen?” He again turned back to his system. “Our communications are being blocked, but once we can get a full system on line we might be able to break-through. For now, however, we can determine a few things.”
He pointed to a graph on his screen.
“This was eight days ago. Someone hooked in energy and air and then the computers automatically shut down and began recharging the emergency batteries. However, it appears both the energy and air levels provided were extremely low. See here? This shows that some one hooked them in…and then immediately began adjusting levels and pressure. What I found interesting was this!” He split the screen to show a new graph. “These are maintenance charts from our old bottled city, before Kal and Kara enlarged us on Rokyn. Notice the similarities? The energy levels and air pressure match exactly with those that were first recorded before whoever it was began adjusting.”
“They would have to adjust.” Allura, a noted scientist in her own right, nodded. “Considering the size differential. Though you and Kara were forced to reduce us again, no one could help but notice that we are no where near as small as we were in the bottle.”
“Of course not.” Zor shook his head. “From Kara’s point of view, we were microscopic in size. A city that now, or did before the ripple, takes up a twenty by ten square foot area was once confined to the bottom of a mere ten gallon jar. Thus making higher energy levels and air pressure a necessity.”
“The important question, though, is ‘Who’? Who would know to hook up the energy and air? And who would think to start with levels and pressures that would be sufficient for a bottled Kandor?” Zor looked towards the ceiling. “Who is up there? And where have they taken us? And what are they planning? And what have they done with Kara and the others? By Rao, I am going to find out!”
“Zor?”
“There are computer linkages in the energy and air couplings.” Zor actually smiled now. “And as soon as I have this main system online, I am going to use them! I am going to trace them back, find a back door, and bust into our mysterious benefactor’s computer system!”
“I assure you, I have not been made aware of any abnormal activities in the area, nor am I aware of any LexCorps projects in that area. You have my word, however, that I will look into the matter!”
“Thank you, Mr. President.”
Hans Dormier leaned back in his seat behind the grand oaken desk that took up much of the room in his small office as the holographic image of the ex-president faded and looked over at the man sitting on the other side of the desk.
“Well?”
“He’s lying.” Terrance Falker, the UIA director of the NAU division responded.
He had flown directly to Geneva at the orders of his immediate supervisor, Dormier, and had just sat through a question and answer session between Dormier and Lex Luthor…concerning the abnormal readings UIA scientists had picked up in the Colorado area.
“We were able to triangulate the exact location…but by the time we got there, everything was gone. Whoever or whatever was there, Luthor made sure that it was removed by the time my people arrived. They were in a hurry, obviously, since they did not cover their tracks as well as they should.”
“You are saying that Luthor’s people received the same readings we did, and then removed whatever they found there?” Hans leaned forward.
“That is exactly what I am saying.” Terrance stood and paced the few feet the small office allowed.
The UIA was not a rich organization. Relatively young, the UIA was still trying to carve its own place into the hierarchy of things…whenever Sec-Pol or the Military didn’t get in the way. So, instead of the elaborate control centers those organizations boasted, the UIA was assigned a pitiful allowance of office space in an out of the way building…not even remotely close to the UEG Capital Building.
“The next question,” Dormier added, “is whether or not it is any of our business.”
“You’ve seen the readings.” Terrance stopped and stared at his supervisor, disbelief written all over his face. “Whatever caused that…and our people think it might have been a trans-dimensional portal…is something we need to know about.”
“You are right about that.” Dormier nodded. “You do, however, understand the risks of…irritating Lex Luthor?”
Terrance opened his mouth to retort angrily…then thought better of it. Hans might be the head of UIA, but he was also a political appointee. He was not among…The Friends.
“It was my understanding that President Luthor was not looked on with favor in Geneva these days.” He tried a more subtle approach.
“That is a political problem…not a problem for UIA.” Dormier waved it aside. “So long as I am the administrator, UIA will not become a political tool.” He thought for a moment and finally shook his head. “No, until there is some direct evidence of wrong doing on the part of President Luthor, I will not sanction any form of covert activity against him. Is that understood?”
Terrance gave a sharp nod of agreement, his face red with anger. At a sign of dismissal, he turned and stalked out of the office, only to be met by Dormier’s assistant…the number two man in the UIA.
“Well?” The man demanded.
“Nothing.” Terrance spat. “He refuses to get involved in political matters and he basically told me to stay away from Luthor.”
“This is not good.” The assistant shook his head, looking at the door that led to Dormier’s office.
“The Friends will get nowhere while that man is in charge.” Terrance growled.
“Then we shall have to…adjust the situation…shall we not?” The man looked at him and Terrance felt his blood run cold.
“Well?” Lex demanded as he leaned back. The holographic image of the UIA Administrator in Geneva had faded and now he looked over at the other two people in his office. One was, of course, Mercy. The other was Damien Tyler, the Director of the NAU division of Sec-Pol.
“If I know Terrance, he is trying to convince Dormier that you are lying.” Damien pulled no punches. “I think he would be right, Mr President.”
“Damien, I have told you again and again, I do not care for that old worn out tradition that states Ex-Presidents are still called Mr. President. I am not the President of the UEG. I am a civilian. It is either Lex, or if you must be formal, Mr. Luthor.”
“Yes, Mr. Luthor.” Damien smiled and shook his head. “Your people were good, but not quite good enough.” He stood and paced, unconsciously mimicking the actions of his UIA counterpart in Geneva. “Obviously my people weren’t even that good.” At Lex’s raised eyebrow he shrugged.
“We saw the signs of your vehicles…and I ordered our people to clear what your people had missed.” He smiled. “Call it professional competition…I didn’t want to leave anything for UIA to find.”
“And what is it you think they would have found?” Lex regarded the man calmly.
“They would…and probably did, despite our efforts…have found evidence that something from some other dimension came into our world at that exact spot…and your people whisked it or them away.”
Damien stopped pacing and returned Lex’s look…waiting.
“Well now.” Lex leaned back, the very picture of calm. Yet Mercy could tell, just from such a long and close association, that he was tense, that his mind was racing…considering and discarding option after option. “That is an interesting theory indeed.” He smiled and spread his hands. “Unfortunately, I don’t think I can help you, Mr. Tyler.”
Damien did not miss the sudden return to formality. He looked at Lex and then finally nodded.
“Mr. Luthor, I won’t push it. I will be honest and say that I believe your can’t is more won’t.” He paused. “I hope you understand that I am just doing my job.” He started for the office door and turned before stepping out. “You know how to reach me if you change your mind, Mr. Luthor…or if you need our help.” And he was gone.
“Lex, I…” Mercy bit her lip as Lex held up a hand and then removed a small hand held electronic device from his desk. He swept the device through the air and then moved towards the seat in which Damien had been sitting. He passed the device over the seat and then smiled as he reached underneath and removed a small metallic object. He then put the device and the object on the desk and motioned for Mercy to join him.
“Let’s go for a walk.” He said in a pleasant voice. As the door to his office closed behind them he chuckled.
“Damien never changes.” He said. “That bug was the one he meant for me to find. I’ll have someone sweep the office for the others he dropped.”
Mercy shook her head as she linked her arm through Lex’s and walked with him towards the private elevator to the penthouse.
“So, now what?” She asked.
“Right before Damien arrived I got a call from Reed.” Lex told her. “They are starting to show signs of awakening…at least two of them are. So we are going to go greet our visitors.”
Mercy stopped walking and used her arm, linked through his, to stop Lex as well.
“Lex, you can’t go.” She told him. “Both Tony and Reed have told you why you can’t be there. If they see you before they know the score, they’ll kill you!”
Lex shook her arm off and started walking again, his face determined.
“Then we had best hope they bring them up to speed quickly, hadn’t we?”
Reed Richards shook his head.
“They are still out.” He sighed. “They are breathing normally and it appears there is brain activity…but only two have shown signs of awakening.”
“We believe it to be a form of shock.” Dr. Stephanie Strange took up where Reed left off.
When Lex and Mercy arrived, they had been met by the Richards’ and Dr. Strange. Both Lex and Mercy had looked to Reed for an explanation.
“You and Tony left us here to deal with this while two of you jetted back to your offices to arrange cover stories!” Reed had explained, somewhat defensively. “I needed an expert and considering the circumstances, I felt Stephanie to be the most logical choice.”
“I might not be my father.” Stephanie had added her two cents worth. “But I believe that my presence here is more than justified. Considering that two of those patients would now be nearing death if I had not used my…unique abilities to enable us to insert IVs to avert dehydration.”
Lex had merely smiled and asked to be given a summary. Reed, placated, had then led them to a conference room.
“It is quite possible the energies involved in their travel to this reality from their own have caused shock to their cardiovascular systems. If they had been normal people, it would have killed them.” Stephanie continued the debriefing.
“So in your examinations, what have you discovered?” Lex prompted.
“Well, despite their initial resistance to red sun rays, the blonde and the red head are both pure Kryptonian. Their anatomy and DNA structure match that of Superman’s as far as species go. Interestingly enough, the DNA also seems to back up your first suspicions of a family resemblance. It is quite possible that both are near relatives of Superman…most probably cousins.” Stephanie paused and looked at Lex. “I could be more clear, but I am not yet satisfied there is a need. I would, however, suggest that another person be consulted before they are allowed to awaken fully.”
“And who would that be?” Lex demanded, raising an eyebrow.
“Professor Charles Xavier.” Was her instant response. “Though he does have a personal code about violating a person’s mind without permission, I am sure he can be persuaded to do a surface scan.”
Lex thought for a moment and then pulled out a phone. He punched numbers and waited. Standing, he moved away from the table and spoke away from everyone else. He then pocketed the phone and returned to his seat.
“Professor Xavier will be here within a few hours.” He told them. He then waved at Stephanie. “Please continue.”
“As stated, the two older Kryptonians initially showed signs of being resistant to the rays of a red sun. However, that appears to be…wearing off.”
“Something within their cellular makeup has been changed from the Kryptonian norm to allow them to retain their powers under a red sun for a short time.” Reed explained. “Though we can’t be sure, we believe the time to be approximately two weeks. Though after a week they may show signs of…weakening.”
“The two teen girls and the male both show the normal vulnerability to red sun rays.” Stephanie continued. “There are differences, however. The male does not appear to be Kryptonian, though it is quite possible that his people and Kryptonians are related.”
“He’s a Daxamite.” Lex told them, causing both the Richards and Stephanie to stare at him.
“You know about him?” Reed demanded.
“His name is Lar Gand.” Lex’s face took on a sour look. “Though he is older than I remember. He came to earth when Clark and I were still teens. Clark was just beginning to start his career as Superboy. He was suffering from a form of amnesia caused by a malfunction of the stasis unit in his star ship.” He shook his head. “The Daxamites had conquered the stars…and then reduced themselves to near barbarism several times before they finally killed themselves off. Lar was a lone survivor, escaping in his ship and hoping to discover the location of the near mythical colony the early Daxamites had founded on the planet Krypton eons earlier. Suffice it to say their technology, while sufficient to kill themselves off, had not yet progressed as far as it had in the past…they still relied on ships that were limited to the speed of light and required stasis units for long trips.” He paused and stood, beginning to pace.
“Lar found Krypton, mere hours after Jor-El had launched his only son towards earth…and mere minutes before it exploded. Jor warned Lar off, furnishing him with star charts to show the way to Earth. Lar’s ship had not traveled far enough, however, when Krypton exploded. The resulting shock wave buffeted the ship, damaging the stasis unit.”
“When Lar’s ship finally reached Earth, years later, his memory was gone. Though Clark knew that he was from another planet and knew that the planet had been called Krypton and that his father was named Jor-El and his mother Lara, he knew little else. So we both assumed that Lar was from Krypton as well…and Jor’s star charts led us to believe he was Clark’s older brother.” He shook his head.
“We could not have been more wrong.” He sighed. “Kryptonians have a weakness to Kryptonite. Daxamites, however, have an extreme allergic reaction to the close proximity of certain forms of lead. Unfortunately, unlike Kryptonians, who quickly recover from exposure to Kryptonite if the substance is removed soon enough, one exposure to the lead compounds common on Earth was enough jar Lar’s memory…and to sign his death warrant. Daxamites do not recover from exposure. They die. To save Lar, Clark and I placed him in the phantom zone until I could develop a cure. A cure I could never develop.” The look on Lex’s face was now one of disgust…disgust for himself for what he considered a personal failure. “When the Phantom Zone Criminals escaped from the Zone, they pulled Lar out with them, dropping him in front of Clark’s Fortress. He died while Clark stood by, watching helplessly.”
“And you think this man is the same person?” Reed demanded.
“No.” Lex shook his head. “But I do believe he is an alternate version of Lar Gand.”
“You may be correct.” Stephanie nodded. “Blood samples we’ve studied indicate a past exposure to lead. It appears, however, that this Lar was cured. His blood cells seem to be coated with some…substance, that resists further exposure while continuously cleansing effects from the initial exposure.” She paused. “That leads us to another subject, but I will hold that for now.” She consulted a note pad.
“The girls, it seems, are the daughters of the blonde woman.” She continued after a moment. “Though they are not full blooded Kryptonian.”
Lex had resumed his seat and now leaned forward, his curiosity instantly evaporating the morose feeling that had come over him while talking about Lar Gand. He had been the one responsible for Clark and Lois being able to have children. Since they both came from different species, it had not been a surprise to him that they would normally be unable to produce offspring. Yet a little gene manipulation on his part had made the impossible happen. Lanie Kent was a true union of a Kryptonian and a Terran, yet there was very little Terran about her. In order to produce a viable offspring, most of the Terran characteristics had to be removed. So, though she was technically only half Kryptonian, Lanie would have had the full scope of her father’s abilities.
“Though we have not yet determined what race the father was, we have been able to determine that he was definitely not Terran. I have no clue how it was accomplished, but cellular manipulation had to be involved. For one thing, the father, unlike both Terran and Kryptonians, was a copper based rather than iron based life form. That would account for their slight greenish tinge.”
“Green tinge?” Lex tried to recall what the girls had looked like. “I don’t recall a green tinge.”
“It is very slight. I don’t believe anyone would notice unless they performed an extremely close examination.” Stephanie explained. “And it seems that much of the alien portions of their genetic make up have been suppressed, in any case. There is one thing that we have noticed. The alien portions of the make up that have not been suppressed seem to be in the mental area.”
“Mental?” Lex frowned. “As in telepathic?”
“They may be, at best, empathic, with each other…but that is not what I was meaning. Whatever the father was…he was engineered for intelligence. So are these girls. Given time and a proper education, our tests indicate that they could well surpass the two most intelligent men on this planet!” Stephanie looked at Reed and Lex so as to make her point as to whom she was speaking of. “And even that is not as interesting as the final data we discovered about them.” She paused and then plunged on. “They are not twins. Strictly speaking, that is. They are, in fact, the exact same person. Even identical twins will have some variance in their genetic make up, however slight. There is no variance whatsoever between those two girls. They are either clones, or they are the same exact girl…from different realities. And yet, the DNA samples insist that the blonde woman is their mother!”
She considered a moment and then turned the floor over to Reed, choosing to save her last comments until he finished.
“The city.” Reed began. “We hooked in life support and energy, and then adjusted for size.” He paused. “You were correct. It is a Kryptonian city, tremendously reduced in size. However there is no way to tell if it is Kandor. In appearance, if you ignore the size difference, it has very little in common with the images you showed us of the bottled city Kandor. The architecture seems to be a combination of Terran and Kryptonian design. We have been able to determine that this is only part of what was originally a larger city. It seems as if a portion may have been split off and the resulting opening sealed.” He shook his head. “We have been able to detect signs of life, some movement, but other than that…” He spread his hands. “…There is really no way we can ascertain the situation within the city. We can speculate, however, that many or most of them died. We can also speculate about how long the normal sized individuals will remain unconscious.” He paused again. “We believe that this…habitat…was a temporary set up. We have detected some computer usage, but not on a scale one would expect from such an advanced society. We have also detected some crude attempts to scan their surroundings…scans we have blocked for the time being.”
“Watch them.” Lex ordered. “If this was a temporary habitat, it may mean that they did not have any major systems online prior to what ever happened that brought them here. If they get those systems on line, there is no telling what they might be able to do.”
Reed nodded and Lex turned back to Stephanie.
“You had something else to add?”
“Two items actually.” Stephanie said…and then hesitated. “You are all aware of my father’s last words, I presume?” When every one nodded she continued. “My father’s abilities cannot be questioned.” She said. “And while I cannot claim to match his…expertise…in things arcane, I am knowledgeable and experienced enough to know power when I see it. And to know the truth when I see it. My father was granted a final vision before he died. I believe that vision to be a true prophecy. My father was, for a brief instant before he passed, allowed to see the future. This future! I recorded his words verbatim, and wished that he had had more time…He left the prophecy unfinished, and I think that we will regret not knowing the final words. Yet even so…I firmly believe we are seeing the beginnings of that Prophecy come to pass. I think he was talking about that blonde woman and those with her!”
Lex sat still for a moment, silently regarding the young sorceress. Finally he nodded sharply.
“You may be correct, Dr. Strange.” His use of her title caused her to stand straighter. Not because it named her according to her chosen profession, but because Lex was basically acknowledging that she WAS Dr. Strange now. The one person capable of taking up the mantle of her father as Sorcerer Supreme! “But we cannot afford to jump to conclusions.” His next words deflated her somewhat and he smiled apologetically. “Though I admit to doing it myself from time to time.” He straightened and looked at Reed, Stephanie, Sue, and Mercy. “We have to be careful, people. The people of this world need for us to be sure, no matter what our personal feelings are. We must be absolutely sure that these individuals are not a threat to our world and that is the bottom line.”
“Actually, it isn’t.” Stephanie cut in. “There is one final thing. The green woman. Our tests show that she is a human woman. From Earth. Her blood, however, has been Gamma radiated in the same fashion Bruce Banner’s was radiated.”
“A She-Hulk?” Lex leaned forward. “Should we bring Bruce in on this?”
“It might be wise.” Stephanie nodded. “But I think we have a more pressing problem.” She hesitated and then continued in a rush. “We believe that she and the…Daxamite…are mated. Husband and wife…or lovers at least.”
“And what makes you think that?” Lex demanded, puzzled. He could not see how the personal relationships between these individuals concerned them at all.
“She is with child.” Stephanie blurted.
“Impossible.” Lex shook his head and then stopped. “Unless…is there any indication of gene manipulation? Daxamites, like Kryptonians, would not ordinarily be able to produce offspring with a Terran…in fact, there is such a wide genetic drift between the three races, Kryptonians, Terrans, and Daxamites that the possibilities of any of them breeding amongst themselves would be highly unlikely.”
“We didn’t look and frankly I don’t care.” Stephanie stated flatly. “I was more concerned with the problems than the mechanics of how it was accomplished.”
“What problems?” Mercy asked before Lex could open his mouth. Stephanie turned towards her and her eyes were haunted.
“The fetus is experiencing extreme trauma.” She reported. “Lead poisoning! If we do not do something quickly, the Green Woman will miscarry! The baby will die!”
The Multiverse
Lights. Pain.
Her eyelids fluttered and then squinted tight against the bright, reddish light, a slight moan escaping from parched lips.
“Shhh.” A soft, feminine voice, coming from above, whispered softly. “Let me turn down the lights a bit.”
The glare dimmed and then, after a few moments, she felt an arm snake under her head, lifting her slightly as the edge of a glass was pressed to her lips.
“You’re dehydrated.” The soft voice told her. “We couldn’t give you or the other one an IV like we did the rest until recently. Here. Drink. Slowly now. Not too much.”
The liquid, not water but cool, slid down her throat. Little sips at first and then she felt the arm letting her back down.
“That’s enough for now.” The voice said. “Sleep now and I will wake you in a bit and give you some more.”
She was in no mood to argue as she felt darkness overtaking her, easing the pounding in her skull.
The Multiverse
Voices. The female voice she had heard earlier…and a male voice. One she felt she should recognize.
The sound of footsteps moving away and a door sliding open and then shut.
“Awake again, I see.” The woman’s voice was above her again.
The pain that had threatened to split her skull earlier was gone, replaced by a mere throb. She could live with it.
With an effort, she forced her eyes open and then squinted almost shut. Open just enough to see the shadow of the woman bending over her and the outline of a reddish glow behind her.
Again the arm snaked under her head and lifted, pressing the glass again to her lips.
“Drink.” The woman said. “This time drink as much as you can. We need to get you re-hydrated.” The woman made her drain the glass and then let her lay back long enough to get a refill. “One more.”
Even as she drained the second glass she felt her strength returning. The ache in her head was all but gone now and she could even feel herself breathing easier.
“Okay.” The woman lay her back down. “Sleep just a little longer if you can.” She was told. “But dear, first. Can you tell me your name?”
Her throat, despite the liquid she had just consumed, was still dry so her first attempt came out little better than a croak. Gently she coughed and tried again.
“K-Kara.” It was hardly a whisper…but it was enough. “Kara Zor-El.”
The Multiverse
The pain was gone.
As she lay there, allowing her mind to come fully awake, she became aware of the lack of sensation. On her earlier occasions of semi-wakefulness, her head had hurt, yet still she had been able to feel itching on her face. That itching was now, like the headache, gone.
She opened her eyes, ready to snap them shut again against the expected pain of glare. There was none. She lifted her head slowly, fully expecting the pain to come crashing back…and gave a soft sigh of relief when there was no return of pain.
She looked around as much as she could from this position, enough to see that, save for her and the occupants of the beds nearby, there was no one else in the room.
Now it was time for the real test…sitting up.
Moving with extreme care, she levered herself up on her elbows and gingerly swung her feet over the edge of the bed, stifling a slight groan as she pushed herself into a sitting position. There might not be any real pain, but her body was stiff!
She sat there for a moment, letting her eyes rest on each of the occupants of the beds. Beside and to her right, were two of the beds, each holding one of the girls. Both seemed to be breathing regularly. Each had an IV running in to her arm.
Across the room three more beds were laid out. The bed directly across from her own held Lar and beside him, to his left, was Jenny. Both, like the twins, seemed to be sleeping and both had saline drips. Finally, in the bed furthest from her own…she grinned as Rogue lifted her head and attempted a smile.
“If I find the driver of the truck that hit us….” The red head wheezed.
“You can have him after I get done with him.” Kara finished. She pushed her self off the bed and stood for a moment, letting a slight spell of vertigo pass before attempting to move. With small steps she made her way into the narrow aisle that ran between the two sets of bed. The floor felt cold to her bare feet.
She leaned on the beds the girls occupied, stopped and moved closer long enough to touch their faces…as if to reassure herself by touch alone that they were truly okay…before she continued on.
As she neared Rogue’s bed, her eyes took in the rest of the room.
She could see, from the scuffmarks on the walls and floor that equipment had been moved out. All in all, it looked as if the room had been stripped of whatever had been here and replaced with the six beds, monitoring equipment for each, and the IV stands.
Behind the three beds that held Lar, Jenny, and Rogue the wall was transparent, giving a clear view into the room beyond and the temporary habitat they had cobbled together for the Kandorians! She paused, and attempted to activate her telescopic vision in order to check out the condition of the Kandorians. Nothing happened. Quick attempts to use other powers met with the same result. Nothing.
She looked down at her hands and noticed the small bandage on the back of her right hand. She lifted the bandage and noted the tell-tale mark of a needle wound. Where an IV might have been!
Powerless. Panic threatened to rise, she roughly pushed it aside and continued towards Rogue’s bed.
Finally she crossed the aisle, moving along side the redhead’s bed. Once close, she brushed her lips over the Rogue’s and then kissed her gently on the forehead.
“Well, it seems we’re all in one piece. Relatively speaking.” She did not mention anything about her powers.
“Speak for yourself.” Rogue sighed. “I feel as if someone has been playing in my head with a jack hammer…and my stomach is itching like crazy.” She opened her eyes…and stared.
“What?” Kara smiled down at her. “Did my hair turn green or something?”
“Your face.” Rogue whispered. “Look at your face!”
Frowning, Kara reached up and felt her cheeks. Her eyes widened and she turned, looking around until she spotted a mirror above a sink across the room…at the other end.
Moving as quickly as her stiff body would allow, she crossed the distance and leaned on the sink, gazing at her reflection.
It was gone! The scar that that had marred her face since her first meeting with the Otherverse Donna Troy was gone. Not healed, not covered…gone! As if it had never been!
Fingers traced the smooth skin where the scar had been for a moment and then she recalled. Her face had itched!
She turned and moved back to Rogue’s bed and, despite the redhead’s protests, pulled back the hospital blanket and pulled up the front of hospital gown that she, like Kara, wore.
As smooth and unblemished as it had been before that dreadful battle! She had watched the blood blossom as Rogue was struck by kryptonite bullets, the wounds stitching across her abdomen from her left hip up to her right shoulder.
She had lived, Rao only knew how, but the wounds had left scars…scars that were no longer there!
Puzzled, and a bit alarmed, Rogue gently ran a hand over her smooth skin, her eyes growing wide at what she discovered.
“How?”
“I don’t know.” Kara shook her head and then stopped, looking down the row towards the sleeping Lar.
Moving was becoming easier now as she tottered the few feet to his bedside. His eyes were closed but she could see the scars that had crossed his right eye were no longer present. Nor did the eyelid have that flat, empty look. The eye was back, of that she was sure. She would have to wait until he awakened, however, to determine if he could see from it.
“I suppose griping at you for being out of bed would be useless?”
So stunned had they been, neither Kara nor Rogue had heard the room’s only door slide open or noticed the young woman that stepped through it.
“Griping at Kara is next to useless.” Rogue quipped, resting her head back on the pillow. “Arguing with a two by four is usually more productive.”
Kara turned and gaped at Rogue. They did not even know this woman and here she was, already cracking jokes. She then smiled, understanding. If this woman had meant them harm, then they would be dead already…or worse.
“Actually, I was just thinking that I had been up enough for a while.” Kara turned her attention back to the woman.
Dressed in the typical white of a doctor, she wore no nametag. Though she did have the required stethoscope draped around her neck.
About Kara’s height, her eyes were a dark brown, her hair black with, despite her obvious youth, sprinkles of white throughout.
“Good thoughts.” The woman smiled at her and approached. She took Kara by the elbow, in what seemed to be a standard method for doctors to guide their patients and guided her back to the bed she had occupied. “I’m sure you could snap me in two and, since I am not used to being around Kryptonians, so you’ll have to excuse me if I’m a bit nervous at times.”
Despite her words, the doctor acted anything but nervous.
“Now,” she said after Kara had settled back in. “I am sure you have lots of questions.” She looked around and then walked across the room to get a stool, which she brought back over.. She placed it on Kara’s left side so that she could keep her eye on all her patients…and so that she could include Rogue in the conversation. “Let me start by being honest. I won’t answer a lot of them.”
At Kara’s instant frown she smiled, shrugging her shoulders.
“Orders.” She said. “I am supposed to answer only those questions directly related to your health and the status of…the city.” She gestured toward the transparent wall. “However,” She held up a hand to forestall any comment. “I am allowed to tell you this. We know who you are, Kara Zor-El.” She looked over at Rogue. “And Marie Zorel…otherwise known as Rogue.” She then looked back to Kara. “And these others are Lar Gand, Jennifer Walters, and your daughters, Karen and Carrie.” She paused while Kara gaped at her. “We are not quite sure how you got here, but we do know that you came from another reality. A place called Otherverse.” She shook her head. “No, before you ask, I am not allowed to tell you how we know this. You will learn in a very short time…as soon as I, your doctor, release you.” She paused. “I know it must be very frustrating, but you will just have to play along for a while. Understand that we do not mean you harm…but we must be sure that you mean us no harm either. For that reason…for our own safety, this entire room and the…city room…are surrounded by lead lined walls…with green kryptonite beyond the walls.”
She must have noticed the sudden angered look in both Kara and Rogue’s faces.
“I am sorry, but the fact that you were not rendered immediately powerless under the red sun emulator gave us no other option. We would have been remiss if we had not taken precautions. As you learn more about us, I am sure you will understand our…concern.”
“Interesting. Green Kryptonite, you say?”
Both the doctor and Kara turned to see Jenny sitting up in bed, idly removing the IV from her arm.
The doctor gaped at her and Kara knew, at that instant, that this doctor had not expected Jenny to awaken! She had been ready for Kara and Rogue…but not Jenny!
Nevertheless, the doctor gathered herself together and smiled somewhat.
“And reinforced so that not even a gamma-enhanced woman can get through.”
“You don’t say?” Jenny smiled…and a glow of green energy spread over her.
The doctor stared, her mouth open. Then with a snap, she closed her mouth and looked at Kara.
“Don’t piss her off.” Kara smiled back. “There’s just a bit more to Jenny than appearances.”
“I don’t…I mean…” The doctor stammered until Kara waved her quiet.
“Don’t worry about it.” Kara nodded to Jenny. “We’ll be good. I think we all understand that if you wished us harm you would have done it already. However, I would like discover if there is some way, some equipment I can use, to establish communication with those in the city.”
“I…I’ll ask.”
“No need.”
Kara, the doctor, Rogue, and Jenny all looked up as the door slid open and a man stepped in. A man they knew well.
“Reed?” Jenny gasped. “Reed Richards?”
“I am Reed Richards, yes.” The man nodded towards Jenny first and then to Kara and Rogue. He then looked at the doctor. “Can these three move?”
“I would prefer that Jennifer remain in her bed.” The doctor replied instantly. Her obvious concern caused Rogue and Kara to exchange a worried glance. The Doctor was not requesting that Jenny remain in bed for reasons of safety, of that they were sure. “As for these two…I am surprised they are up, but if they are, then they should probably start getting as much exercise as possible…to work out the stiffness. Just don’t overdo it.”
“Good.” He turned to Kara. “The Doctor will find you your clothes. I will be waiting out side this door. When you are ready, just come through.”
He turned and stepped back out with out waiting for a reply.
“My…that was…abrupt.” Jenny was clearly confused.
“Jenny, he is not the Reed Richards we knew.” Kara reminded her friend. “Besides…I think your little display…disturbed them.”
“I’ll say it did.” The Doctor put in as she produced clothes for the three women.
The stacks of clothing were their own clothes, cleaned and folded.
“Thank you doctor…I’m sorry, I never got your name.”
“Oh, Strange. Dr. Stephanie Strange.”
Kara stared at the doctor as she walked through the door Reed had just used.
The Multiverse
“I swear they looked at me as if they knew me…hell, they even knew my name!” Reed fumed. He looked around the room they had hastily converted into an interview room and glared at the two people that occupied it with him. Charles Xavier and Dr. Strange. “How?”
“Reed, you asked me to determine their threat level…and I did.” Xavier responded quietly. “They are no threat to anyone that is not a threat to them or those under their protection.”
“And I told you that it wasn’t enough.” Reed slammed a hand on the old desk they had moved in after they moved out the previously installed equipment. “I need more.” He touched a button on an installed intercom. “Any progress with the city?” He demanded.
“Yes sir.” Was the instant, harried response. “We have made contact. A male responded and told us they would not communicate further until they were able to talk to Kara or Rogue. They then broke communication.”
Reed cursed and shut off the intercom.
“Reed, put yourself in their position.” Charles suggested. “These people have just been through a traumatizing experience. They are shaken and unsure of what is going on. Your own instruments have detected signs that they have attempted to scan their surroundings. Imagine their disconcertion when they discovered their scans were blocked?”
“Damnit, I don’t care about their fragile feelings!” Reed thundered. “I have to make sure they are not a threat!”
“They are not. I have told you that.” Charles’ tone became sterner as he reiterated his earlier statement. “None of them are a threat. Nor will they be…unless you force them to be!”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you seem to be gearing up to make an enemy out of someone that would rather be your friend…and has been your friend…in a manner of speaking.”
“In a manner of speaking.” Reed sighed. “Charles, You know damned well I don’t want to make them our enemies if they are not already. But they are Kryptonians, for God’s sake!”
“So they are.” Charles nodded. “And I am a mutant.” He then sat quietly in his wheel chair and waited.
“What has you being a mutant…” Reed trailed off and sighed again…this time nodding as he understood the message. “Meaning I am jumping to conclusions…just like the Friends of Humanity.”
“Superman was a Kryptonian.” Dr. Stephanie Strange ventured into the ensuing silence.
“So he was.” Reed shook his head and even managed a half smile. “I am really botching this up.”
“No insult intended, but yes…you are.” Charles agreed. He held up a hand to stop Reed’s instant retort. “Reed Richards, you are a great scientist. But you are not a good…people person.”
“People person?” Reed raised an eyebrow at the term. “You mean psychologist or psychiatrist?”
“No, I mean people person.” Charles tilted his head ever so slightly. “You work with machines, Reed. You work with chemicals and electrons, with computers and engines. To you they are a challenge. You need to discover what makes them tick. Just as you need to investigate these…Kryptonians. But they are not machines, Reed. You cannot go about it in the same way.”
“So what would you suggest?” Reed leaned back. It was the opening Charles had hoped for.
“I came here at Luthor’s request.” He said. “Against my own principles I probed each and every one of those people in the other room. Jean and I both probed a few of the minds in that city. We did this without permission. While I would not hesitate to use my mind against an enemy, I have always tried to avoid invading a person’s mind to such a depth without express permission. I did not get that permission this time.” He paused. “That is why I cannot tell you what I discovered, Reed. It is not my place to tell. It is theirs. So let them tell it. What do I suggest? I suggest you let me take charge of this. You can remain and observe…or better yet, send in your wife, Sue. I will attempt to put them at ease…and guide the conversation so that you get the information you need…from them!”
Reed hesitated and then nodded sharply.
“We’ll do it your way…for the most part.” He said. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “Tony Stark should be here instead of me.”
“Tony Stark would have loved to be here.” Charles told him. “But he had pressing business back at Stark Industries…with Sec-Pol. Neither he nor we could afford Sec-Pol noting his unexplained absence.”
“Right.” Reed nodded sourly and stood, moving his chair from behind the desk so that Charles could move in with his wheel chair. “We might as well get this show on the road. I will call in Sue, but I am staying as well. I promise not to interfere.”
“Whatever you are going to do, do it quickly.” Stephanie spoke up. “The longer we wait, the less chance that baby will have!”
“We don’t even know if she wants to keep it!” Reed shrugged. “She may wish to abort instead.”
“I don’t think so.” Xavier shook his head. “From what I was able to read, she wanted this baby when she miscarried.”
“In that case, I will get the equipment. I am still trying to figure out how she is pregnant, from what I understand, Kryptonians and Terrans can’t naturally produce offspring. I would assume that the same holds true for Daxamites and Terrans.” Reed shrugged and started towards the exit and then stopped. “I suggest that the red sun ray generator in this room be activated before those women come out.” With that he stepped out, letting the door slide closed behind him.
The Multiverse
“How’re you feeling?” Kara asked, putting an arm around Rogue’s waist.
She had just pulled on her tube top and saw Rogue sway as she pulled on her boot.
“A bit woozy.” Rogue replied as she stood. She stamped her feet a few times to seat her boots and drew in a deep breath. “But I think I am going to live.” She smiled wryly. “Though I do feel a bit…vulnerable. I’m not used to being…powerless.”
Kara shook her head and then moved away, walking over to where Jenny sat on the edge of her hospital bed, still in her hospital gown, her black and white uniform draped across her lap. Kara draped the rest of her clothes over the end of the bed.
“And you?”
“Great.” Jenny smiled at her though, to Kara, the smile appeared weak. “What? No kiss for me?”
Kara gave her a hug and then pushed her out to arms length, looking into her eyes.
“Jenny?”
“I had a dream.” Jenny looked down at her hands as Kara took a seat on the bed beside her and Rogue walked over to take a seat on the other side of her. “At least I thought it was a dream… But I don’t know.”
“That makes two of us.” Rogue shrugged.
“Make that three.” Kara looked at her friends. “Did your dream involve…Lorra?”
“Mine did.” Rogue looked at Kara, astonished.
“Not mine.” Jenny shook her head and then went on to describe her dream. As she finished she looked Kara in the eye. “This Starheart didn’t have the…mystical feel I thought it would have, going by my ring’s description of the Starheart it knew. I don’t know…it put me more in mind of the Silver Surfer.”
“A primal Cosmic Force rather than a mystical one?” Kara ventured.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Jenny, I don’t know very much about the Starheart.” Kara told her. “In my time, my universe did not have a Starheart that I was aware of. That was in the Earth-2 Universe with Alan Scott. We had the Guardians. I understand that things changed after…the Anti-Monitor and Parallax, but I could not begin to tell you how.” She paused and thought for a moment. “But I think I understand your dream…and the relation between the Guardians and the Starheart in this place…wherever this place is. The Starheart is far older than the Guardians. And more powerful. But it must channel that power through a single vessel…or that power is useless. I think it has chosen you.”
She moved Jenny’s hands off the uniform she held in her lap and held it up, showing Jenny and Rogue something she had noticed. Where there had been a large Green Lantern emblazoned over the chest area…there was now a large green starburst…the emblem of the Starheart!
“And look at your ring.”
Jenny looked down at her right hand at the ring that Parallax had given her. His old ring…back when he was simply Hal Jordon…Green Lantern.
She had no use for the ring other than as a source of information. Her power was generated from within. Yet she always wore it…to remind her of what Hal had once been…and what he became. A sort of warning to herself.
Both she and Rogue now gasped as they looked at the ring. There, on the face that had once displayed a green lantern…there was now a starburst to match the one on her uniform.
“I would say it was more than a dream, Jenny. The Starheart here has chosen you to be its champion!”
Rogue, now looking at Jenny’s face rather than her ring or uniform, noticed the tears that formed in the edges of her eyes, threatening to spill out and trail down her cheeks.
“Jenny?” She pushed green bangs way from Jenny’s face. “Jenny, what is it? There was something else, wasn’t there?”
Jenny nodded and her breathing became ragged, as if she were holding back sobs.
Jenny grimaced, her hand going to her stomach while the other gripped the bed for support.
“Jenny?” She pushed green bangs way from Jenny’s face. “Jenny, what is it?”
“Jenny!” Kara was at her side instantly. “What’s wrong?”
“The walls.” Jenny gasped. “The doctor said they were lead lined. She was telling the truth.” Her free hand grasped Kara’s arm and Kara’s eyes widened as she actually felt the strength of the grasp. “Whatever healed you, Rogue, and Lar has healed me too.” She gasped. She looked up, her eyes full of pain and fear. “I am pregnant again…the miscarriage never happened!”
Kara swore as understanding hit her. She put Jenny in Rogue’s hands and spun towards the door, not caring that she was dressed only in a tube top and panties.
The Multiverse
“What are they waiting on?” Lex grumbled.
Mercy pushed way from the desk she was seated at, going over the reports Dr. Strange had submitted, and wheeled her chair over to the desk Lex occupied, fuming over a closed circuit monitoring system. Through the monitor he could see Prof. Xavier positioned behind the desk and he could see Reed, Sue, and Stephanie talking. Behind Reed, against a wall, a metal tank with tubes and wires and machinery sat on a cart. The red tinge every item in the room had indicated that the red sun ray emulator in the room had been activated.
Seeing that sent another portion of his mind off on a tangent…what would the long term effects be for a Terran exposed to the rays of a red sun over an extended period of time….
He reached over and turned up the sound, resisting an urge to activate the microphone so he could demand information.
“…ree of them that are awake, the blonde, the red head, and the green woman.” Stephanie was saying. Any response anyone might have made was forestalled as the door slid open and the blonde, clad only in panties and tube top rushed into the room.
Lex zoomed the picture and saw the blonde’s eyes registered surprise at seeing Sue and Prof. Xavier; Surprise she overcame as her attention turned instantly to Stephanie Strange.
“Medical emergency.” She barked. Stephanie didn’t wait to hear anymore, rushing into the infirmary with Sue at her heels.
“Kara!”
Lex watched the blonde’s head swing around until she faced Xavier.
“Go with them. We already understand the situation and have everything under control. I give you my word!”
She hesitated and then nodded sharply, turning to follow Sue and Stephanie.
“Reed!” Lex pressed the talk switch “Get that equipment that we put together ready. I’ll be right down!”
“NO!” Xavier turned and looked at the camera. “They are in an extremely stressed situation. We have no idea, under those circumstances, how they will react to your presence.”
Mercy let Lex think it over and answered a shrilly trilling comm. unit on the wall. She listened for a moment, her face going bone white, before turning back to Lex.
“Lex, I think you should leave now.” Her voice was even, yet even so it conveyed her worry.
“Leave? Now? Don’t be ridiculous. Why should I leave?” He turned to her, his eyes wide with surprise and confusion.
“Because the Kandorians have found a back door into the computer system.” Was Mercy’s reply. “They are….”
She trailed off because Lex was not listening. As soon as she had uttered the news he spun back to his terminal, tapping keys furiously.
Finally he paused and pushed back from the desk.
“I’ve slowed them down, but not for long.” He stated, his tone flat. “It would take more time than I have to push them back out…without damaging the system.” He took a breath and once again tackled the keyboard.
“What are you doing now?” Mercy demanded.
“Attempting to communicate.” Lex told her. “I’ve had about enough of this. I want to talk to who ever is in charge and I want to talk now!”
“I am afraid Councilwoman Allura is unavailable.” A voice sprang from the speakers even as the viewscreen switched instantly from a view of the interview room to a dark haired man in Kryptonian style clothes. Though he had a weary, haggard look about him, he glared out defiantly. “Will I do?”
Lex was taken aback! He had seen the holographic images Clark had discovered of his parents.
“Jor-El!” He breathed.
The Multiverse
“…immunize the baby?”
Reed heard the tail end of Kara’s question as he wheeled his apparatus into the room.
“We’ve already tried.” Mercy explained as she continued to examine Jenny. “Whatever method was used to cure Lar was not genetic. It was therefore not passed on to the baby. We have tried to use a sample of the father’s blood to create a serum for the baby, but while it might work with other Daxamites, it won’t work with a half Daxamite half Terran child…one that is infused with gamma radiation at that. The gamma radiation sees the serum as an invader and instantly nullifies it.”
“What other options are there?” Jenny asked, fearful of the answer.
“At this point in time, we can’t save the baby as it is.” Sue tried to be gentle as she broke in “But there is a possibility that we can save it, some time in the future.”
“Ms Walters, Jenny,” Mercy brushed Jenny’s hair back. “The only way to save your baby is to remove her from your womb and place her in an artificial womb and then place her in stasis.”
“Her?” Jenny smiled weakly. “A girl?”
“That much we can tell already.” Mercy smiled. “But Jenny, it will be a risk. Not so much to you, but to the baby. But if we don’t place her in stasis now, we won’t have enough time to develop a cure…if we can develop one at all.” Mercy was honest. “If we don’t place her in stasis, she will die and you will miscarry again.”
Mercy missed the sharp look Kara gave her at her words, nor did she see the glances between Kara and Rogue.
“Do what you have to do.” Jenny grimaced as her body was wracked with pain. “I want my baby to live!”
“Okay…I will be giving you a sedative. It is strong, designed for a gamma-radiated person so it should hit you quickly. By the time you wake up, it will all be over and your baby safely in stasis.” Mercy prepared the needle and then, to Kara’s astonishment, uttered a few arcane words as she slid the needle easily into what would otherwise be near invulnerable skin. She waited until Jenny was out before straightening. She looked first at Kara.
“Sue, Reed, and I are going to perform the procedure right here and now.” She told the blonde Kryptonian. “The twins and Lar are nowhere near waking up. I suggest that you finish dressing and then you and Rogue go talk with Prof. Xavier. I will call you if there are problems.”
Kara looked at her and nodded after only an instant of hesitation. She gathered her clothes and quickly moved out of the way as Sue moved around to the other side of the bed and Reed wheeled the apparatus to her side.
Kara donned the rest of her clothing and, walking with Rogue, stepped through to door into the interview room.
The explosion rocked the world capital, sending people scurrying to and fro in panic.
Emergency crews, always on standby, sprang into action, converging on the nearly flattened, burning building and were, in mere minutes, starting to pull the dead and injured from the rubble.
Though no suspects were rounded up, no evidence displayed, Carlos Drakos, the asst Director of the UIA, promptly announced that the explosion was the result of a terrorist attack perpetrated by maniacal mutants bent on global domination! Standing before the rubble, as viewers around the world stared in horror at the destruction, he vowed that the people that had lost their lives in this cowardly attack would be apprehended.
Among the dead…Hans Dormier.
Later, one lone reporter would come to the realization that, at the time of the explosion, not one UIA agent that was also an acknowledged member of the Friends of Humanity had been in the building at the time of the explosion. The reporter’s information would die with him, the victim, it seemed, of domestic violence as his wife turned a gun on him and then herself.
“Bastards.” Damien Tyler reached over and shut of the holo-viewer and turned to look at his assistant.
“It wasn’t Mutants.” The Assistant said. It was not a question. “We had wind that something like this was in the works…but we still do not know who or what. It has all the signs of being an internal affair.”
“Has any of this been brought to the attention of President Golder?” Damien demanded.
“We sent what we and the EU division were able to cobble together to the main office.” The assistant replied. “They elected to…sit on it.”
“For god’s sake why?”
“They felt it would be detrimental to Sec-Pol at this time.” The assistant shrugged. “President Golder initiated and funded UIA because she doesn’t trust us. It was felt that any news that cast a bad light on the UIA would back fire on the bearer of that news. Meaning us.”
“Shit.” Damien turned and looked out his office window over the International Zone of Metropolis.
“On the plus side…we’ve heard from our operative in LexCorps.” The assistant tapped the top of Damien’s computer monitor. “It’s all been uploaded to your personal system.”
Damien spun from the window and attacked his keyboard.
“Give me the run down.” He told the assistant.
“According to her report, two transports, one of which was a troop carrier, and President Luthor’s private transport, with Mrs. Luthor, Dr. Reed Richards and his wife, lifted from the LexCorps pad within an hour after receiving the first readings on the anomaly.” The assistant consulted a note pad. “She was able to determine their destination and states that they were on the ground for nearly two hours. After that, they lifted again but did not return to LexCorp. Hours later, President Luthor’s transport returned…but only President Luthor and Mrs. Luthor disembarked.”
“No Dr. or Mrs. Richards?” Damien looked up from the file.
“No sir.” The assistant consulted his notes again. “Our agent was able to obtain soil samples from the landing gear of President Luthor’s craft. She sent it along for our people to analyze. Which they did. According to the findings, that craft did make a stop in that part of Colorado and then flew to some snow covered destination.”
“Snow covered? Just how did they determine that?” Damien demanded.
“Wetness.” Was the reply. “Plus reports from the operative. She reports removing snow clumps from the landing gear. Some she packaged and sent to us. It was, of course melted, but still our people were able to determine that the water had a composition that was consistent with water obtained in a polar region!”
“Polar region…but why….” Damien stopped, his face going white. “Oh, dear God.” He looked at his assistant. “I know where they went!”
Leaving the makeshift infirmary, the first thing Kara noticed as she and Rogue stepped through the door, was the lack of a red tinge to everything. This room was not bathed in red sun rays! A quick check of her x-ray vision, however, told her that this room, too, was lined in lead. Though she could see through the desk to see Xavier’s wheel chair. It was enough to let her know that her powers were restored.
The second thing she noticed were the similarities between this room and the infirmary. Like the infirmary, this room had all the signs of being hastily vacated of equipment and furnishings and new furniture brought in.
The furniture in the room, a couch, a couple of chairs, and a desk that supported a device Kara didn’t recognize, seemed out of place, as if they did not fit the room but were, rather, hastily cobbled together after the original contents had been removed.
Prof. Xavier sat exactly where he had been when she had entered the room earlier; behind the desk, watching as they entered. He noted the way they looked, what they looked at, and Kara knew he had seen something in her eyes…
He looked around the room himself, his eyes stopping on the telltale marks on the walls and floor.
He gestured for them to have a seat.
“You will note that I have deactivated the Red Sun emulator in this room. A sign of…trust…I hope.” He told them.
Kara took a seat and Rogue ignored the gesture, wandering instead over to a wall to examine a row of pictures that had been hung at about eye level. Kara opened the game.
“I suppose I know now how Dr. Strange came to know so much about us.” Her words were mild, but meant to be at least somewhat accusatory.
“Yes.” Xavier nodded and, Kara noted, had the grace to appear a bit abashed. “You are quite correct. I was called in to scan you while you were unconscious, to determine if you posed a threat to us or our world.” He clasped his hands together before him on the desk. “I assure you, however, that I have not divulged much of what I learned in those scans. I have reported only that I find you to be no threat and have repeatedly informed Reed and…others…that you will have to furnish any further information.”
“Kind of you.” Rogue frowned, her distaste obvious, glancing over her shoulder at the Professor.
“I believe so.” Xavier looked to her. “I would, were I you, wait until I learned more about the current situation before jumping to conclusions, however.”
“The doctor mentioned something similar earlier.” Kara tried to focus on the here and now and not let her worry about Jenny cloud her mind. “She mentioned that precautions were taken for safety.” She shook her head. “Since you know we are Kryptonian, I would assume you are aware of what we are capable. I would even go so far as to assume that we are not the first Kryptonians you have seen. Am I correct?”
Xavier was truly impressed.
“Now,” Kara leaned forward. “The question is, where do we go from here?”
“That is entirely up to you.” Xavier responded, evasively.
“They are protecting someone.” Rogue ventured suddenly, her gaze fixed on a single picture. She now looked at Xavier, her face hard and cold. “If Professor X scanned us, then he knows who we are…he knows where we have been, and who we have known. THAT is why they are being so careful. They know someone they believe must be protected…from us!”
Kara looked at Rogue and then to Xavier. The professor had leaned back in his chair, his face giving no clues to what he was thinking. Kara then looked towards the pictures, activating her telescopic vision to bring them in to clear focus.
Xavier knew what she was seeing and remained quiet. His first thought had been to pull her attention away from the pictures…but perhaps she needed this. Needed to see where she was…and what it meant. He watched quietly as she stood and moved close to the picture she had brought in to focus with her telescopic vision and ran her fingers over the plate glass.
Since he had ordered the pictures hung, he knew that it was a picture of Superman, standing alone in a corn field, with Jonathon and Martha Kent on either side.
Her eyes traveled to the next picture and she moved slowly to it. A picture of Clark and Lois, on their wedding day.
From picture to picture she moved…and again came to a stop…this time shock and disbelief written on her face.
The picture she looked at now showed Clark and Lois, with Lois holding a bundle in such a way there was no doubt it was a baby. And beside them, beaming as if he were the proud parent, not Clark, was Lex Luthor.
Slowly she backed away, her eyes moving of their own accord to the next picture…This one showing Clark and Lex, their arms around each other’s shoulders.
“It’s true.” Xavier spoke softly, causing Kara to turn to him. “We know what you think of Lex Luthor. What kind of an evil person he had become in the world you are from…it is not like that here.” He gestured for her to look at another picture. “Lex was orphaned at a young age…the Kents took him in and raised him along with Clark. The two were inseparable.”
“Were?” Kara’s voice was weak.
“Were.” Xavier nodded. “Superman, Lois, and Lanie all died seventeen years ago. Along with nearly half the world’s population.” He took a breath and then gestured for her to return to her seat. Woodenly she complied. “I know it is a lot to accept, and I promise that you will get the full story…” He paused, glancing down at a terminal on his desk. A light was blinking, indicating that someone was trying to contact him.
The Multiverse
“No. I am Zor-El.” The man on the screen shook his head. “Jor was my brother. But I know who you are, Lex Luthor, and I know where we are.”
“Stop.” Lex held up a hand, causing the man on the screen to cut off any further words he might have uttered. “You do not know who I am.” He told the man, his mind racing. “I am the one that had your energy and life support reconnected. If nothing else, I believe that alone gives me the right of a hearing before you pass judgment on me!” When the man did not answer right away, Lex pushed on. “I am also the one that brought you….and your daughter and her companions here. Even as we speak, Kara and Rogue are speaking with Professor Charles Xavier.”
“Xavier?” Zor was obviously taken aback. He remembered Xavier, and had even spoken with him on occasion.
“Yes.” Lex nodded slightly, seeing the wavering in the man’s eyes. “And at this moment, Dr. Strange, and Reed and Sue Richards are performing emergency surgery on a green woman by the name of Jennifer Walters.”
“Jenny?” The man’s eyes now showed concern. “What is wrong with Jenny? What have you done?”
“I? Nothing. But I will have to let her doctor…or your daughter tell you more. Would you like to speak with her?”
The man hesitated and then nodded sharply.
“Hold on one moment.” He cut the circuit and then turned to Mercy. “I’ve bought us some time. But he will be watching for any tricks.”
“Lex, I’ve been thinking.” Mercy looked as if she had come to a decision about something that really disagreed with her. “Turn the system over to them.”
“What?” Lex almost exploded…and then calmed. “Of course.” He smiled now. “Mercy, what would I do with out you?”
“Get your ass shot off for one thing.” Mercy muttered under breath. But Lex was not listening.
“It’s a risk…but if I turn the system over to them…they will be able to access all the data records.”
“And that, in turn, should convince them that you are not the hideous monster they expect Lex Luthor to be.” Mercy nodded.
Lex thought for a moment and then nodded himself.
“Very well.” He took a breath and then tapped a few keys and then reconnected to Zor. “Zor-El, I am about to give you total control of the system.” He announced. At Zor’s astonished look he shook his head. “I would simply ask that you not disrupt anything until after Dr. Strange has completed her surgery and you have had the opportunity to speak to her and your daughter. Agreed?”
Zor was still for a moment and then nodded.
The Multiverse
Xavier reached over and pressed the accept button, half fearing what he would hear. He was not disappointed.
“Professor Xavier, this is Lex Luthor.” Xavier saw both Kara and Rogue stiffen and stifled a groan. “Are Kara Zor-El and Rogue with you by any chance?” His tone was light, almost bantering. Completely at odds with the situation.
“They are.” Xavier answered. He resisted the urge to scan Lex’s mind, to find out what the man was up to. He knew full well the women were talking with him.
“Good. If you don’t mind, would you turn your screen and access the video so that I can speak with them?”
Xavier did as requested; all the while thinking that Lex was being extremely…cordial. Though a good person through and through, Lex had never been known to be…Xavier could not even think of a term. Lex was always the one giving orders, the one that would stand to the side as his mind raced in thousands of directions.
It was one of the way in which he and Clark had differed. Clark was more easy going. Able to relate to the common man. Lex had a hard time relating to anyone that was not at or at least near his intellectual level. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. For Lex, those exceptions were Lois, in the past, and now Mercy. To hear him talk this way was…unnerving to say the least.
The screen, once turned, activated and Kara drew in a ragged breath, her eyes flashing.
“Ms. Zor-El.” Lex Luthor’s image nodded to her from the screen. “I do hope you forgive me for not meeting you in person, but all things considered, it was considered…more prudent for me to speak to you in this manner.” He paused, as if waiting for a response. When he received none, he gave a slight sigh and continued. “Despite what you may have experienced in the past, I am not your enemy, Ms. Zor-El. Nor was I the enemy of this world’s Superman. Clark was, and always will be, my brother. Be that as it may, I am sure that you will learn the way of things here soon. We just wanted to be sure you didn’t find out after you had tossed me into the sun or pounded me into the ground.” He paused and smiled and then cleared his throat when Kara still refused to respond. “Ahem, yes. In any case, I do believe you requested to be placed into contact with the inhabitants of the reduced city. If you will hold one moment, I will split this screen and allow you to talk to you father.”
While Lex spoke, Xavier regarded the two women, both of whom were now staring at the screen. He moved one hand down below the desk, letting it rest near the switch that would reactivate the red sun emulator.
With his mind he ranged out to touch, ever so softly, the minds of the two women. Nothing obtrusive. Nothing they would recognize as coming from the outside. Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to trace pathways, first in Kara and then in Rogue. He did not try to change anything. Rather he merely began to broadcast calming thought patterns. Again, nothing overt.
The effects were not instantaneous, but were gradually noticeable as the tenseness in Kara’s shoulders eased and Rogue’s hands, clinched into fists, relaxed.
After a short pause, Lex’s image reappeared, this time smaller and confined to half the screen. The other half, snowy at first, cleared quickly to reveal:
“Dad!”
Zor-El winced and then smiled. It had taken him a long time to get used to the Earth phrase…Now it seemed he would have to get used to it again.
“Daughters.” Zor nodded towards them, ensuring Rogue knew he was including her.
Lex Luthor sat at his desk, watching the exchange on his monitor. He was not surprised in the slightest when both Kara and Rogue began shooting rapid-fire questions at Zor in Kryptonese. It was something he had prepared for.
While the screen Kara observed was divided into two frames, his was divided into three. The two upper frames, side by side, showed Kara and Zor, the bottom frame, smaller yet stretching across the screen, now had text scrolling from right to left. An English translation of what was being said.
“Father, how is the city? Are you okay?” Kara demanded.
“Your mother and I are fine…but the city…” Zor shook his head. “We have had tremendous losses, my daughter. There is a very good possibility that we no longer have a viable gene pool.”
Kara’s breath caught in her throat. What her father had said, without actually having to force the words from his mouth, was that over half the city had perished.
“It is not all bad, my daughter.” Zor tried to smile. “There are still those with Ian in his tower. If they came through then we can only hope that they did not suffer our losses.”
“Who…what…” It was Rogue that asked the question and, from where he sat, Lex could see the tears in the woman’s eyes.
“Mostly the young and the elderly…and for some reason we have yet to determine, three-fourths of the male population.” Zor answered, the pain evident in his eyes. “My assistant…Dram….” He shook his head and then straightened.
“We will survive, Daughters.” He told them. “I know you. Both. You are not to blame yourselves. Do I make myself clear? This was nothing of your doing. And if you had not rescued us from Rokyn, then there would be none of us alive today. Even those that have died gained more time because of you. There was nothing you could have done to prevent this. Now it is time to move on. Grieve for our losses, but do not let them prevent us from continuing. DO I make myself clear, My Daughters?”
Both Kara and Rogue nodded wordlessly.
“Good. Now then, your mother is at this time, in council. She will be overjoyed to hear that you are alive and awake. But what of the others? Why must Jennifer undergo surgery?”
As quickly as she could, Kara explained the situation to her knowledge and Zor nodded. When she came to the point of noticing the absence of scars, he seemed to look closer, as if he could come through the screen and give her a thorough examination personally.
“This Reed Richards and Dr. Strange are quite correct.” Zor finally nodded. “The antidote the Reed Richards we knew and I developed for Lar would not work on a half Terran half Daxamite. It was tailored specifically for Daxamites. Nor did we take into account internal gamma radiation.” He thought for a moment and then nodded. “It seems that they have the proper solution. Please have them contact me if they wish to consult with me.”
He looked off to the side and frowned and finally nodded, as if talking with someone offscreen.
“Daughters. This is a strange world we find ourselves in.” He turned back to the screen. “It seems that we must, whether we wish or not, trust this man…this Lex Luthor.”
Lex leaned forward, eager to see Kara’s reaction…he frowned when he saw disbelief…and denial
“No!” Kara exploded, her sentiments echoed instantly by Rogue. “Lex Luthor is a monster. YOU know this, I know this…I cannot believe…” She shook her head. “I cannot believe you would even think such a thing, Father! How many times did Lex try to kill Kal…my cousin and your nephew? And in our world he allied himself with Brainiac...the monster responsible for shrinking Kandor in the first place! And in Otherverse! Were it not for Zal, Rogue, the Twins, and I would be dead now…and Lex even sanctioned the raping of the twins!!! If it had not been for Zal…”
As Kara continued her tirade in Kryptonese, Lex first went pale and then red in the face as he watched the words in English scroll across the bottom of his screen. Finally he shoved away from the desk, stood, and headed for the door.
“Lex?” Mercy stood uncertainly…she knew that look. The look that said ‘I am determined so get the hell out of my way!’ “Lex what are you doing?”
“I am going to put an end to this farce.” Lex slapped a palm against the plate by the door and began walking, barely giving the door time to slide open. Mercy scrambled to get ahead of him.
“If you think you are going in there with not one but two Kryptonians that want your blood you got another think coming, Pal!” She informed him, planting herself in his path, her hands on her hips.
With surprising strength, Lex reached out, grasped her upper arms and spun her around. He gave her a quick kiss as he set her down behind him and then kept walking.
“We don’t have time for melodramatics, Mercy.” He tossed back over his shoulder. For a second she stood there, mouth open in shock. Never had he so blatantly…manhandled her! Finally she realized that he was going ahead, leaving her behind.
“YOU pig-headed, stubborn son of a…” She muttered under her breath.
At the door that led into the makeshift interview room he stopped and took her by the arms.
“Mercy, don’t you understand?” He told her. “We lost too much when Clark died.” He pointed at the door. “In there, that’s the answer! No she will never replace Clark…How can you replace a brother? But she can give this world something it has not had since he died. Hope. Right now we are living on borrowed time! What happens if the Khunds return? And they will….there is no doubt. What happens then? Can we fight them off? Hardly. It would take us much more time than we have had to gear up to fight them…and how can we do that if we are all pulling in different directions? Dear, the UEG is about to collapse. The countries and peoples that pulled together to defeat the Khunds are now at each other’s throats. And The Friends of Humanity? They would not have a prayer if their concerns were not somewhat justified. There is a Mutant problem…Perhaps not as they see it, but a problem none the less. Just as there is a Meta problem…they are one and the same. Not purity of race, but purity of…spirit you might say. Mercy…we have no true heroes. Yes, we have some individuals, like Nightwing…and even Reed and Sue, that do what they can…but they aren’t enough. They don’t have the visibility…the power to awe as Superman had. And that is what we need. Someone the new mutants and metas can look up to and use as an example…or someone they fear should they be criminally minded. That woman…that Superwoman and those with her can give us that!”
“Lex Luthor…you actually believe that prophecy of Dr. Strange’s!” Mercy remarked, wonder in her voice.
“Yes…yes I do.” Lex nodded. “Enough so that I am willing to put my life on the line to insure that that prophecy comes true!”
And with that he turned and palmed the door open…hesitating only an instant before stepping into the room.
Kara and Zor were still speaking, neither noticing that Lex now showed on neither of their screens.
Prof. Xavier saw him enter and a raised eyebrow was the reaction he gave. With a slight nod, Lex motioned for the telepath to move away from the desk…which he did.
“Enough already!” Lex then barked, bringing the Kryptonese conversation to a halt.
Both Rogue and Kara spun, clearly startled. Lex didn’t wait for the surprise to wear off. Walking boldly forward, brushing past Rogue, he stood face to face with Kara. Then, he reached down and grasped her arm, pulling her hand up and putting it at his throat.
“You want to kill me? Then do it! I don’t have time for this and neither do you! So let’s get this over with. C’mon…Kill me!”
The stranger was near!
Nightwing edged closer to the edge of the roof of the Wayne-Richards Building and looked out over the city.
This was the third time he had come across traces of…someone else. Another person flitting from rooftop to roof top. And twice, would be saboteurs had been beaten, trussed up, and delivered to police. And though the saboteurs were insistent that the Bat had returned, the police had given the credit for the captures to him.
But Nightwing knew he had not foiled those two attempts. On both occasions he had been busy elsewhere.
And that was the way it had been for the past month. Whenever he was busy taking care of one problem, someone else had stepped up to pinch-hit for him.
Though, he admitted sourly, they sometimes did a far better job than he did.
“Damnit Bruce, I wasn’t ready to take your place.” He whispered to the night. “I’ll never be ready.”
“I don’t think he would expect you to take his place…just carry on his fight…in your own way.”
The voice, soft and melodic, issued from the shadows behind him and he whirled. Nothing. The roof top, was empty….he paused as a shadow detached from an air conditioning unit.
A ray of moonlight glittered off an emblem on the figure’s chest and Nightwing stifled a gasp…a yellow bat!
“Don’t get jumpy, Richard.” The figure spoke, causing ice to run in Nightwing’s veins. She, for he could now see that the figure was a woman, knew who he was!
She stepped closer, the moonlight illuminating more of her and he could now see that she was a redhead, her long hair spilling down to the middle of her back.
Her face was hidden behind a half mask that seemed almost to be a cowl with the top, cut out to allow for her hair, Two black…Bat ears poked up through her full head of red hair her arms were covered in yellow gloves that reached just past her elbow. Her upper body was covered with a black top, that reached up to cover her neck, and was most probably attached to the mask/cowl and was cut just below her breasts, leaving her midriff bare. A large yellow symbol of the bat was emblazoned on the front.
A pair of black hip huggers, with a yellow utility belt around her hips, and black boots, each sporting the same yellow bat symbol, finished her attire.
“You like?” She twirled once and then grew serious. “Don’t sweat it, Dick. Just accept that you have a bit of help…for the time being.”
“Who are you?” Nightwing demanded. “And what are you doing in Gotham City?”
“Who am I?” The dark red lips smiled. “Call me Batgirl.” She glanced up at the sky. “What am I doing here? I’m waiting for someone. I got here before I was supposed to…and now I have to keep a low profile for a time.”
Nightwing felt confusion. This was like no situation he had ever dealt with before. There were either allies or enemies…not…whatever this woman was.
“Who are you waiting for?” He finally asked, feeling a bit lame even as the question passed his lips.
“Oh you’ll know her when you see her…be sure of that.” Batgirl’s eyes took on a far off look. “Believe me…the whole world will know!”
-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2003 by Dylan Clearbrook
-- and may not be reprinted without permission.
-- The Continuum Worlds Concept is a joint creation of
-- Dylan Clearbrook and Eldric. Otherverse, Dark Earth,
-- and Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes, as depicted in the
-- Continuum Worlds, are original creations of Dylan Clearbrook.
-- Alterverse and The Inheritors, as depicted in the Continuum Worlds,
-- are original creations of Eldric.
-- The Realm and Shadowverse, as depicted in the Continuum Worlds,
-- are original creations of John P. and Jason G respectively.
-- Some characters in Continuum Worlds stories are original creations
-- of Dylan Clearbrook, Eldric, Michael Liebhart, Jake H., Jason G.,
-- Andrew Shields, Kyle M., Brian, or Jason Froikin and may not
-- be used without express permission of the respective author.
-- All DC characters are property of D.C. Comics.
-- All Marvel characters are property of Marvel Comics.