It had not gone exactly as planned. Nevertheless, it had worked, thanks to the teams of heroes from five different sectors of the Continuum. Six new probabilities were nestled safely within the confines of the Multiverse. Seven, actually, though no one would learn of that until much later. As far as they knew, there were just six new worlds.
Of course all six worlds, and the entire Multiverse for that matter, would be going through some…settling…for some time to come. Not that there was any thing fragile about their continued existence. Team Sentinel and the Multiverse Starheart had seen to that. Though there would be some question about the about the continued viability of the sixth worlds for some time.
There had, however, been some unexpected side effects.
One such being the weakening of the barriers between the five sectors involved. Consequently, barriers separating those five sectors from the rest of the Continuum were strengthened. This meant it would be more difficult for the agents of Qward to access any of those Sectors. Not impossible, but intensely more difficult and costly.
And the effect of the virtual draining of the Starheart had on other probabilities within the infinite number of probabilities within the Multiverse. Something else the heroes would not discover until much later.
Another unlooked for effect was the actual splitting of five of the worlds, mere half shadows of one another to begin with, into five complete, separate probabilities within the Multiverse sector.
Those worlds and the sixth, the post-crisis world, were already being classified as Probabilities 4 through 9. And those six worlds, coupled with the three worlds created by the probability device seventeen years earlier, were asserting their dominance in the Multiverse, setting the standards upon which many future probabilities would be based. In fact, they were already swaying the future of the Multiverse, throwing off new probabilities that were not replacing probabilities already in existence but displacing them.
After all had been said and done, explanations given and accepted, the heroes of the five sectors had made their way to the various homes until only the Multiverse and Otherverse heroes remained. Finally, Zal-El and Sherri Pennison made their farewells and made their way back to the Otherverse. Both had finally succeeded in convincing Kara and Rogue, to the relief of Dr. Stephanie Strange, that returning with them to Otherverse, in their current weakened condition, would not be a wise move.
So, instead of heading off to Otherverse, they had, at the invitation of Kal-El, remained on the world now known as Probability 4 in the Fortress of Solitude. There they would remain until their physician, meaning Stephanie, was ready to declare them fit for duty. And she would be damned sure they were fit before she declared any such thing. She knew that Lex would have her head if Kara and Rogue were to come to harm because she had released them too early. And, of course, during her stay there, she had made it a point to give the young Kara Zor-El that she had helped rescue from Xenon a complete physical. She had then gone after Ariella, Linda, and finally Kal-El himself. When she was finished, she awarded them all with clean bills of health. While she was unsure as to whether she wished to purse a life as a Super-hero, she was finding that her unique abilities made her a natural to play doctor to the hero types. Dr. Stephanie Strange: Physician to the Heroes. It had a ring to it!
Lanie Kent returned to her own world within the Multiverse, Earth-2, (or Probability 2 as it was already being called by those that knew of the alternate worlds,) though she was accompanied by Carrie and Karen Zor-El Dox . They would remain there for a few days, getting to know this new ‘cousin’, and building a Portal in her Fortress. They would then return here to Probability 4, build a Portal , and then accompany Kara, Rogue, and Stephanie home.
Jennifer Walters-Gand, Lar Gand, Arisia Fentura, Barbara Gordon-Stark, and Tony Stark returned to deal with matters on Earth-1 (Probability 1).
What they discovered upon their return was not good.
“I still think we should have told them!” Jenny complained as she, Lar, and Arisia glided in to land before the great golden door of the Fortress of Solitude.
At one time, the doors had been opened with a huge, golden key that sat out in the open, acting as a navigational sign.
That had been before the first invasion…before the Phantom Zone Criminals had left this worlds Lar Gand lying before the doors, gasping out the last of his life as the lead in his system slowly killed him.
Since then, after the death of this world’s Superman, his adopted brother, Lex Luthor, had re engineered the entrance, doing away with the key and substituting an elaborate computerized security system.
Now, as Lar activated the sequences that would allow them entrance into the Fortress, Arisia shook her head.
“To what purpose?” The Graxian Sentinel asked. “It would have done nothing but cause them concern. This way, we can try to determine what has happened and have the mystery solved before they come home.”
“And the girls?” Jenny demanded, still being obstinate. “Why couldn’t we have at least told them? Zor-El is, in a manner of speaking, their grandfather.” She waved off any response Arisia might have made as the great doors slid open…before Lar could finish the security sequences.
A sure sign that some one else was already in the Fortress and had noted their arrival.
Not surprising since Babs and Tony had agreed to meet them here.
“I just think that maybe Kara might have had some insight to that cryptic remark you all claim I said.” Jenny frowned and quoted back the words the others had told her she had uttered in the JLA satellite when they had paused there in route from Alterverse to what had been Earth-1 of the MHR worlds. It was now, of course, Earth-4, or MVE-4. “The Kandorians are safe…A promise has been kept!”
“Maybe.” Lar agreed. “But that would not have stopped her from worrying. You know her and Rogue better than I do.”
“But not,” a woman’s voice spoke up as the trio stepped into the main hall. As always they were awed by the figures of Jor-El and Lara standing on either side of opening leading to the main control room, both facing forward, the great globe of long destroyed Krypton resting on the upraised palms of their left and right arms, respectfully. “as well as I do.”
Barbara “Babs” Gordon-Stark stepped through the archway and beckoned them to follow her.
“Lar’s right. Kara would be worried sick. It’s in her nature.” She continued. “And you both heard what Stephanie said when we told her. From her point of view, Kara and Rogue are patients. And worrying is not conducive to the healing they both need.”
“Okay okay.” Jenny grumbled.
Babs led them through the Fortress until they came to the room that had housed the Kandorian Habitat.
The room had once housed the bottled city of Kandor, from the Krypton of this probability. But it, like so many others, had died during the original invasion that had ended with the probability being split into three…and the death of Superman.
Space had been made to accommodate the much larger Habitat that had housed half the population of the Kandorians Kara and Rogue had rescued from Rokyn even as that world disintegrated beneath them. The other half had remained in Otherverse, returning to their satellite after riding out the Ripple in Ian’s magical tower.
These Kandorians had once been shrunk to nearly microcosmic size, much like those that had once inhabited the Bottled City for which this room had been equipped. Enlarged by Kal and Kara in years past, they had survived the end of their universe, their original reality, by the simple luck of having chosen
a planet that phased in and out between two different realities.
To save them, Kara, Rogue, and Jenny, Zor-El, and Hal Jordon, had shrank them again…this time, however, not as small. In the short time they had in which to work, Zor had not been able to perfect the shrinking rays to match the precision of that used by the criminally insane android Brainiac to steal their city from Krypton to begin with. (Author’s note: See “The Rebirth: Part 3 - To Discover a World” in the Otherverse archives.)
The habitat stood empty now. All the buildings, all the livestock, all the people…gone. And it was that mystery the three had come to investigate.
“But this isn’t the only problem.” Babs admitted, glancing towards another entrance. The doors slid up and Jenny’s heart leapt to her throat as a grim looking Reed Richards, followed by his wife, Sue, stepped in.
“The Baby!” Lar spoke the fear that had gripped Jenny’s heart and Arisia stepped up to put a reassuring hand on Jenny’s shoulder.
“Don’t panic.” Were Reed’s first words as Sue stepped around him to stand by Jenny. “The baby has not been harmed…directly.”
“Directly?” Lar’s eyebrows lowered.
“During the storms…the green energy storms that washed through the universe…” Reed began to explain. “Power in the Fortress was interrupted. Most probably at the same time the Kandorians vanished.”
“The stasis unit!” Arisia breathed, the first to understand. Her hand gripped Jenny’s shoulder harder.
“The stasis unit.” Reed nodded. “It fluctuated and lost power for a few moments.”
Lar sucked in a breath, understanding what even a momentary loss of power meant.
Jenny, however, wanted an explanation.
“To put it simply,” Reed sighed, “we lost time.” He spread his hands. “I have already been able to duplicate the serum used to cure Lar of his lead poisoning, and I was hoping that it would lead me to a cure for the baby.” He shook his head and then fixed them both with a bleak stare. “I hope you both realize that this baby, by all rights, should not even exist.”
“What do you mean?” Lar demanded.
“You, above all, should understand!” Reed snorted, subsiding when Sue placed a hand on his arm.
“Your physiologies are not compatible.” She stated. “Daxamites and Terrans, despite their identical appearances, have enough variance in their genetic make up that cross fertilization should not be even remotely possible without…” and here she looked at Jenny. “…extensive genetic manipulation.”
“The cosmic energy.” Jenny admitted.
“The cosmic energy.” Sue nodded. “But that energy does not have a mind of it’s own.”
“Basically,” Reed went on, talking now for Lar’s benefit, “You both wanted children, despite the fact that you knew it was only a very remote possibility. But with the cosmic energy…it is the will! In effect, Jenny willed herself pregnant. That much the energy could do. What it could not do was act beyond Jenny’s will. And Jenny is not a geneticist. There is no way she could have done the minute manipulation needed to exclude the allergy to lead common to all Daxamites.”
“I figured as much.” Jenny nodded, and then turned to Lar. “It was not a conscious thing…just something that I wanted so much.” Lar smiled reassuringly, showing her that he did not blame her and took her hands in his as he turned back to Reed, his smiling dipping.
“It is also the cosmic energy, coupled with the Gamma Radiation, that is keeping us from developing a cure.” Reed continued. “The energy merged the terran and Daxamite genes so thoroughly that the baby is, in all actuality, neither and both. So that hampers the efforts at finding a cure.” He paused. “But even if we were to find a cure at this point, it would be too little too late.”
“The time loss.” Arisia sighed, the first to understand what Reed and Sue were driving at. When Lar and Jenny turned to her she went on. “If I am not mistaken, Dr. Richards is saying that, because of the time loss, any serum or cure they developed and administered would not have time to counteract the lead poisoning before…” She trailed off, either unable or unwilling to finish the damning sentence.
“Before the baby died.” Jenny finished, squaring her shoulders and looking back to Reed. “Correct?”
“Correct.” Reed nodded. He was silent for a moment. “I am sorry.” He finally announced. “We will of course keep looking….”
“Perhaps there is another way.”
Again Arisia surprised everyone by speaking up. Babs, observing all this, was beginning to think she was really going to like getting to know this gutsy gal. Yet what the golden skinned Sentinel now said surprised even her.
“On my world, which I have come to learn was originally an imperfect copy of this one,” she began. “There was a mystical island. The Isle of Paradise. Home of the Amazons. Themyscira!”
“Up until recently it had been thought to have been destroyed seventeen years ago on this world.” Babs cut in, strangely interested. “That was found to be incorrect during the latest invasion attempt when thousands of Amazons swarmed onto the coast of Florida.”
Arisia turned to her, the question in her eyes.
“Refugees.” Babs continued. “They were fleeing, but no one ever discovered what they were fleeing from. A few days later, they simply got back on their ships and sailed back out to sea.”
“What about Themyscira?” Jenny demanded when the ensuing silence stretched out.
“They may be able to help.” Arisia shrugged. “From what I have heard, they have some…alternate…technology that might prove useful.”
“As much as I am loath to even suggest such methods.” Reed shook his head, “I can’t offer any other alternative.”
“You mean magic?” Jenny asked, trying not to get her hopes up.
“Not exactly.” Arisia answered hesitantly. “While they are known to have practitioners of the magical arts, they tend to mingle it with…well…their religion.”
“And the Amazon’s do not practice a religion that is distant from their deities!” Babs added. “Their gods…the gods of ancient Greece…are very real and hold real power on Themyscira!”
“If it is just magic, then why don’t we go get Stephanie or Sherri?” Lar demanded.
“Because the cosmic energy and the Gamma radiation that infuses that embryo is highly resistant to magic.” Reed announced, surprising them yet again. “Forgive us, but we have already tried that route. It got us nowhere. That was a surprise in itself, considering.” He gave Lar a look.
“The concept that Kryptonian or Daxamites are more susceptible to magic than anyone else is false.” Lar frowned.
“True.” Reed nodded. “When you are talking about non powered Kryptonians or Daxamites! Those two groups have just as much resistance to magic as a normal human…some more, some less. But powered Kryptonians and Daxamites are a different story altogether. A trade off, it appears. When under the influence of a yellow sun, your tremendous powers are gained…but your resistance to magic drops sharply.” He shook his head. “But that really has no bearing here.” He actually smiled. “I am sorry, Lar, but when that baby is born…” those listening noted that he specifically did not say ‘if’ “…it will inherit traits from you just as any child would inherit traits from his or her father. But your powers are not going to be among those traits!”
“What?” Jenny and Lar looked at each other. “How do you know?”
“We’ve been running test since we took the baby from Jenny. Don’t you think we would have been able to determine that much by now?” Reed laughed, though it was obvious it was strained, as if he were trying to lighten the mood a bit…and not sure if it should be lightened. “That child might, and I stress might, inherit the strength of She-Hulk, thanks to the Gamma radiation. That child might inherit some of your vision powers under a yellow sun. But first and foremost, that child is going to be one hundred percent Sentinel! That much is obvious!”
“If he is born.” Jenny whispered, the reality of the situation forcing itself back into her thoughts.
“So let’s go make sure he is.” Babs clapped her hands together. “Next stop, Themyscira!”
“You’re going with us?” Lar asked. “What did I say?” He then demanded into the silence that followed his question.
“I am going with Jenny and Arisia and the baby.” Babs told him, as gently as she could. Tony, quiet the entire time, though he had stood behind Babs, shrugged.
“You can’t go with them, Lar.” He said now. “No men are allowed to set foot on Themyscira.”
Lar looked around at the faces looking at him, clenched his fist and then relaxed.
“Okay, if I can’t go, I can’t go.” He turned and glared at Jenny, Babs, and Arisia. “But you better damned well let me know what happens!”
“They will.” Reed stepped up and slapped him on the shoulder. “But I think I am going to be able to keep you occupied until then.”
“Are you ready?” Babs asked Jenny and Arisia.
“I’ll get the stasis womb ready.” Sue said, rushing out of the room.
“Ready.” Jenny nodded. “But why are you going with us?”
“When the Amazons left Florida to return to their island, I think they took a visitor with them. On the way, we’re going to pick up Jean Grey. I think she can help me.” She looked Jenny in the eye. “I’m going with you to try to talk some one into coming home. Mercy Luthor!”
Lar watched as Jenny, Arisia, and Babs left the room to get the stasis womb and then turned back to Reed.
“So what are you going to be having me do?” He demanded.
“I’m sending you on a little trip...” Reed responded, his tone deadly serious. Lar’s stomach did a flip-flop as he finished the sentience. “…to Daxam!”
MV E-1
“Are you sure we’re in the right place?” Jenny scanned the scene below her, seeing nothing but water in all directions. “In case no one noticed…that is ocean below us…not an island!”
She had, at Babs direction, slowed to a near hover above the expanse of water below. Behind her, the stasis womb carrying the embryo floated, suspended…and powered…by Jenny’s green energy.
Off to her right, Arisia hovered as well, her energy being used to provide a stable platform for Babs and Jean Grey.
“Paradise Island is hidden.” Babs explained, scanning the horizon herself.
“Well, I would think, having a name like Themyscira, the island would be off the coast of Greece.” Jenny pointed out. “Not here, in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle.”
“It is.” Babs surprised her by answering. “But it is also here. Don’t try to understand it. It was one of the things their Gods did when they hid Themyscira thousands of years ago. Paradise Island is equal distant from every other coast in the Atlantic ocean.”
“Right.” Jenny shook her head. “So, if it is hidden, how do we find it?”
“We don’t.” Babs responded. “We wait right here until some one notices…THERE!”
Jenny gasped as the air above the ocean below shimmered, revealing the ancient isle of Themyscira! From their vantage point, they could see the fields of farms, rolling hills, and Grecian buildings scattered all over. Yet it was the buildings near the western shore of the Island that drew the eye.
“The Temple!” Babs announced. “That’s where we need to go. But take it easy and take it slow. The Amazons are known to shoot first and ask questions later if they feel threatened.”
The quartet descended slowly, without causing undue alarm to those gathered near the temple. Multitudes of Amazons, all armed and armored, ready for battle.
“The blonde woman in the center is the one we need to see!” Babs called out, secure in the knowledge that the green energy that enclosed her and Jean would carry her words to Arisia and Jenny but not those that waited below. “That’s Queen Hippolyta! The blonde woman holding the spear to her right is Artemis. One of the finest, if not the finest, of Amazon warriors.”
“And the dark haired girl to the left of the Queen?” Arisia asked.
“That girl might be older than all of us put together.” Babs laughed, though it was a laugh without mirth. “She’s Donna Troy, Hippolyta’s daughter. A copy of her daughter, rather. She was a magically created twin of Hippolyta’s true daughter, Diana Prince, Wonder Woman.” Babs looked closer, finally nodding as if her guess has been correct…which it had. “And beside her are two more people we need to see. The older one is Magalla. She’s the one that cast the spell that created Donna. If anyone can help you, Jen, she can. And the other one is…”
“Mercy Luthor!” Jenny finished, shaking her head. “What on earth is she doing here?”
“Running away from the past, the future, and the truth.” Jean Grey spoke up.
Further talk was cut off as Jenny and Arisia touched down and slowly lowered their burdens to the ground. Arisia allowed her energy to fade yet Jenny kept up a trickle to maintain the energy bubble around the stasis-womb, making sure it remained powered.
“Your Majesty.” Babs began, bowing before the Queen. “Thank you for allowing us to land on your Island.”
“You may thank Matrix.” The Queen nodded stiffly in the direction of Mercy Graves. “It was she that recognized you and the burden you carried.” Here she indicated the stasis-womb.
“Jenny, is the baby okay?” Mercy stepped forward, unable to contain herself any longer, the concern on her face visible to all.
Quickly Jenny, with Babs adding a few specifics, spun out the tale and, as she talked, she noted the weapons carried by the Amazons begin to lower.
“A problem indeed.” The woman Babs had identified as Magalla nodded and then looked to Hippolyta. “With your permission, I will take this woman and her baby and see what can be done.”
Hippolyta nodded and the woman motioned for Jenny to follow. Making sure that Arisia was following her, Jenny did as she was told, leaving Babs and Jean Grey to face Hippolyta.
“You, I gather, are not here for the baby.” Hippolyta crossed her arms.
“Only partly, your Majesty.” Babs admitted. She turned to Mercy. “Jean Grey and I are also here to see if we can convince Mercy to return home.”
“We are well aware of Jean Grey’s powers, Batgirl.” Hippolyta announced, showing that she was just as aware of who and what Barbara Gordon-Stark was. “Matrix,” again she used the name and Babs frowned, wondering what it meant. “knows that she is free to come and go from our Island. But we will not allow her to be coerced.”
“Your Majesty, I have no intentions of using my powers to force Mercy, to do anything against her will.” Jean purposely stressed the name. “Barbara Gordan simply thought that I might be able to offer some assistance to her. Whether or not Mercy leave your island will be…must be…her own choice!”
Hippolyta considered and then nodded.
“That is fair.” She said, raising an eyebrow at Mercy’s downcast look. “We have given you asylum on our island, Matrix.” She told the woman. “But you are not an Amazon. Your final place is not with us. Talking with these two does not mean you must leave…but neither can you run from the past. You must face up to it…and discover where your place in this world truly is. And only you can decide that!”
With that she turned and, with Donna Troy trailing, moved off towards the temple, following the path that Magalla had taken when she, Jenny, and Arisia had left moments earlier.
The rest of the Amazons, with the exception of Artemis, dispersed as well.
“Batgirl.” Artemis stepped forward, grounding the butt of her spear. “I have heard of you. Perhaps, if it is allowed and time permits, you might agree to a sparring contest. It is not often we get the opportunity for such entertainment.”
Though her tone was neutral, Babs had no trouble deciphering the Amazon Warrior’s meaning. Entertainment, in this case, would be Babs’ utter and complete defeat and humiliation.
“Perhaps.” Babs agreed, smiling. She held out her right hand and, instead of letting the Amazon grasp it, clasped it firmly to the other’s forearm. The Amazon was surprised and Babs gave a secret thanks to the things she had learned from the Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince of her old world. Not only had she just claimed a status of equality with the Amazon, she had also claimed the status of comrade, ally, and friend. “It would be a pleasure…and a learning experience...” She waited until Artemis was walking away before finishing, under her breath. “…for both of us!”
Once she and Jean were alone with Mercy she turned and looked at the woman that, as far as the world was concerned, was supposed to be recuperating from an assassination attempt on her husband. (Author’s note: Due to time constraints and a need to advance the time table a bit, I was unable to detail the events that led to the assassination attempt, which led to the revelation of Mercy’s true nature. Perhaps, at some later time, I will be able to go back and correct that oversight. – Dylan)
“So what’s this Matrix crap?” She asked, pulling no punches.
“It’s what I asked them to call me.” Mercy answered sullenly. “It reminds me of who…what I am!”
“Who you are is Mercy Luthor, First Lady of the Unified Earth Government.” Babs replied.
“Mercy Luthor does not exist!” Mercy spat. “Mercy Luthor never existed. Mercy Graves died….seventeen years ago!”
“Yes.” Jean spoke up, surprising her and Babs both. “She did.” She paused and stepped closer. “I know everything there is to know about you, Mercy. Everything. I know how Mercy Graves died. And I know all that occurred afterwards. I even know how and why you have incomplete memories.”
“Because they aren’t my memories!” Mercy spat.
“They were Mercy’s memories.” Jean countered. “Aren’t you even in the least curious as to how you have memories of Mercy’s childhood?”
“Forcefed.” The woman responded. “They told me I had amnesia, caused from injuries that I supposedly received in that ambush! So they fed me Mercy’s memories to convince me that I really was her.”
“You’re only partly right.” Jean told her. “No amount of second hand accounts can take the place of first hand experience. And that is what you have! First hand experience.”
“How do you know all this?” Mercy snapped, curious in spite of herself.
“Because Charles Xavier was there the day Mercy died!” Jean informed her. “That was the day he lost the use of his legs…when a stray bullet smashed his spine as he tried to pull the memories from Mercy’s dying mind!”
Babs was spell bound. This was all news to her. Now she knew why Jean had agreed to accompany them so readily when she had called to ask.
“Did you think Lex Luthor was all alone in this?” Jean continued. “He wasn’t. In fact, he resisted the idea at first. But those around him pressed him on it. They knew, better than he even, how much he depended on Mercy! How much he loved her. And others, the soldiers, the security people? They all knew that they would lose a leader that could never be replaced if Lex did not go through with Project Matrix! But Lex refused! It was not until he was shown a fait accompli that he gave in.”
“You mean….”
“That’s right.” Jean nodded. “Lex’s people went ahead with Project Matrix….without his permission. Reed Richards, Charles Xavier…” she turned and looked at Babs “Even Tony Stark, were in on it.” She paused. “But the bullet that shattered Charles spine also caused him to lose concentration as he was trying to extract the memories from Mercy. That loss of concentration caused the loss of some of those memories. That, and that alone, is why your memories are incomplete.”
“Xavier took the memories from Mercy….” Mercy trailed off, a hand slowly reaching up to touch her temple.
“And put them in a new body. Yes. The body died, but the mind lives on…in you!” Jean nodded. Mercy’s face was a mask of wonder…and then it hardened.
“That changes nothing.” She spat. “It just reinforces the fact that I am not Mercy Graves. That I am not even human!” She gave a bark of a laugh. “What human can do this?”
Babs’ eyebrows rose as mercy swiftly changed shape, morphing until she appeared to be Lex Luthor.
“Can a human do this?” it was even Lex’s voice. “Or this?” Now she was Kara Zor-El, and then Rogue, and then Queen Hippolyta, and then babs found herself facing two Jean Grays.
“Impressive.” Jean’s tone said it was anything but. “And to answer your question, yes, a human can. In fact, a mutant I know, by the name of Mystique makes a living doing the same thing…wait a minute…She works for you, doesn’t she? Are you saying some one you hired, that you trust and trusts you, some one you have called a friend, is not human? I am sure she would be interested to hear that!”
Mercy stepped back, herself once again, confusion in her eyes.
“I never….” She began.
MV E-1
“Tell me again why I’m heading towards a dead planet?” Lar Gand demanded.
He was seated in the pilot seat of a hyper capable small ship, speeding through hyperspace towards the one place in all this reality that he had no desire to go. Daxam. He had no desire to see the ruined planet that, in another reality, had been his home and, when last he had seen it, a thriving world of life.
To him, a person used to traveling the galaxy on his own, doing his traveling in a ship was more than a bit uncomfortable, despite the hazy memories of that other Lar that told him there was nothing wrong with it.
Distant shadows of memories drifted through his mind…traveling to and from missions with the Legion of Super-Heroes, comfortable in a Legion cruiser, More often than not taking advantage of ….
Lar pulled his mind back to the present as, over the hyper comm., Reed Richards answered patiently…it was never good to contemplate on the other Lar’s memories of Tasmia Mallor.
“…green energy sweep through the universe,” he caught Reed’s words. “It inundated every single planet…and, from what we are able to tell, every single probability in the Multiverse.”
Lar nodded. This was not news. They had already been made aware of the green energy storms that had swept through the Multiverse; causing who knew what kind of mischief. One of the most noticeable effects had been the sudden inability to observe events in any other probability, even the other two that had been created when the Probability device had been activated seventeen years earlier. When anyone tried to view now, all they got were screens full of snow. As if the broadcasting station they had been watching had gone off the air.
“There were, however, at least in this probability, two focal points from the storms. One centered on Earth and the other, by our calculations, centered on Daxam.” Reed continued.
“And you believe this has something to do with the missing Kryptonians?” Lar demanded, though he already knew the answer. Reed had given him a full briefing before he had left Earth. He was, he knew…as did Reed, talking and considering only to keep himself from worrying about Jenny and the baby.
Though taking in the events of the past few months, there were other things he could think of and try to find solutions for. Arisia, for instance.
It was obvious that the Starheart had thrown them together, for the purpose of keeping Arisia alive and Jenny sane. It was equally obvious that it considered the best method to do that was to encourage them to become mates. To form a triad.
Not unheard of or even uncommon amongst his people. Somewhat less common amongst Arisia’s people, but Arisia was not among those that clung to the traditional methods.
Jenny, on the other hand, had definite problems with the entire situation. Ever since the near destruction of the Earth seventeen years ago, its people had come to realize that who one partners with, or even how many, was not a major issue when faced with total annihilation. That concept had held over to the present day and marriages of all sorts were fairly common.
This, however, was not the Earth Jenny came from. Jenny came from an Earth that had not seen such destruction. An Earth where marriages of the less traditional kind were a rarity. So rare, in fact, that many did not know such relationships truly existed…in practice if not by law.
Still, it had progressed to the point that a majority of the people saw nothing wrong with persons of the same sex entering into relationships. To hear the story, Jenny had been instrumental in getting Kara and Rogue to admit to themselves and to each other their feelings.
Still, the concept of sharing Lar with Arisia was not something Jenny was truly ready to cope with.
Nor, Lar had to admit, was he ready to cope with it. He had a hard enough time keeping the memories of Tasmia buried. While there might not be anything wrong with such a relationship, morally speaking, as far as his people were…or had been…concerned, this was not a matter of morality but rather a matter of practicality. Was he, personally, ready to factor in yet another complication?
And what of Arisia? They had spoken of it, out of earshot of Jenny. She, like Jenny, was still trying to decipher what her true feelings were and what were feelings fostered by the mergers to form Senturia. That had created a bond none of them had been ready for and there was no doubt that it did influence their feelings. This could be seen in the way Jenny and Arisia reacted towards each other when Lar was not in the picture. There was true feelings between them, that was certain. Feelings neither knew quite how to deal with given the situation. But, at the end of the day, all that mattered was what each of them felt towards the others. And it was obvious Jenny, for their sake was attempting to suppress her true feelings…yet it was not something she could hide fully and both he and Arisia knew it…and neither of them wished to enter into such a reluctant relationship.
Their ability to work as a team required that they trust one another. And if maintaining that trust meant that Arisia must always be the outsider, the third wheel, then so be it. It was Arisia’s choice, her solution, but it was not a solution Lar was ready to accept. He had shared memories with both Jenny and Arisia, if only briefly, and his heart went out to her…knowing the loneliness she must feel…the heart ache that must grip her every time she saw Jenny and he touch. There had to be another solution.
Lar grimaced. He knew it was not fair of him, nor entirely true, but he could not shake the feeling that as far as he, Jenny, and Arisia were concerned, the Starheart had made one huge blunder after another.
MV E-1
“Well?”
Jenny was getting impatient.
They had arrived on Themyscira three days earlier, and during that time they had learned nothing.
Magalla had run test after test, even going so far as to take blood samples, not only from her, but from Arisia and then Senturia as well!
She had just about decided she was finished with waiting when Magalla, herself, stepped into the temporary lodgings the amazons had furnished their guest during the wait.
As usual, Babs and Jean Gray were out, another of their three times a day sessions with Mercy. That had left her and Arisia there to twiddle their thumbs. Now, seeing Magalla, she fully expected the mage of the Amazons to tell her there was nothing she could do.
“We might be able to help you.” Magalla answered the rude query. Jenny and Arisia leapt to their feet, pushing away from the table at which they had been sitting. Magalla’s upraised hand slowed them. There was a look in her eyes that Jenny could only read as sadness and her heart fell.
“What is it?” She demanded. “What’s the catch?”
“It will be difficult,” Magalla admitted. “And dangerous for the both of you as well as the baby.”
“Both…?” Jenny shot Arisia a confused look, getting one in return before they both looked back to Magalla. “I don’t understand.”
“The procedure will require both of you.” Magalla told them. “The baby, the embryo, must be placed back within her mother’s womb…”
She paused as Jenny fell back into her chair…stunned.
“Jenny?” Arisia looked at her green companion.
“A girl.” Jenny’s look seemed to be a combination of confusion and elation. “Back in Otherverse, I miscarried. After the Ripple deposited us in Multiverse, I was pregnant again, as if the miscarriage had never occurred. But the reasons for the miscarriage were still there; lead poisoning. This time, however, the baby was saved by the quick work of Stephanie and Reed.” She shook her head. “It never occurred to me to ask, because I remembered from the miscarriage. My body might not remember it, but my mind did. Arisia, I was not carrying a girl when I miscarried! It would have been a boy!”
She closed her eyes for a moment and then took a deep breath before turning her attention back to Magalla.
“She must be placed back in my womb?” She prompted the mage to continue, a hand stealing down to her belly.
“Yes.” Magalla nodded. “and this must be done while both you and the baby are beneath the Purple Healing ray!” She shook her head. “I have already tested, the Ray cannot cure the baby. It is, perhaps the mingling of the cosmic energy, the Gamma radiation, and the Daxamite genes that will allow the ray to hold off the effects of the lead poisoning, but not cure it.” She held up a hand as Jenny started to speak and went on. “Herein lies the danger.” She said, her tone lowering. “Immediately after the baby had been returned to your womb…you must merge into Senturia!”
“WHAT?” Both Jenny and Arisia demanded simultaneously.
“You must merge.” Magalla insisted. “And you must remain merged for as long as possible. For she…” Magalla pointed to Arisia, “…is one of the keys that will unlock the future for your child. Only by combining your blood with hers…as Senturia…will your child receive one of the key ingredients that will neutralize the lead poisoning and prevent a reoccurrence in the future. The yellow radiation that infuses her body is essential!”
“Alright.” Arisia responded before Jenny could. “So what is the danger?”
“I do not know.” Magalla admitted.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Jenny shook her head. “How can you not know?”
“Because I was not the one to devise this cure.” The mage told her. “I had all but given up hope. Though I had considered the merger as a possible method, my tests revealed that it would not be enough.”
“You are not making sense.” Arisia pressed the mage. “If not you…then who? And what did you mean by ‘one of the keys’?”
“I am afraid the idea was entirely my doing!” a new, strong feminine voice spoke up from behind the two women, causing them to whirl.
A middle-aged woman stood behind them, her entire body outlined in blue.
“Hera!” Magalla whispered, bowing low.
“The mother of the Greek gods!” Jenny breathed.
“Now that would be some doing and I cannot claim full credit.” The Greek Goddess laughed. Her face then grew serious.
“You were informed, I do believe, that there might be a price to be paid.” She said. “A price set by the gods. I am here to set that price.”
“What price? What do you want?” Arisia demanded, nowhere near as awed as Magalla and Jenny.
“A heavy price, I am afraid.” She responded. “You, my golden skinned warrior, are one of the keys to the cure. Yet there will be a danger. It is quite possible that both of you and the baby could die. That is the danger, not the price. Are you willing to face that danger?”
“I am!” Arisia answered without hesitation, looking to Jenny. Jenny could only nod mutely, her eyes watering as she returned Arisia’s look.
“Again, I am one of the keys.” Arisia turned back to Hera. “What are the others and what is the price?”
“The other ingredients need not concern you.” Hera informed her. “Know only that they are freely given. Indeed, were it in our power, we would not require a price at all.” She looked at Arisia and the Graxian felt as if her will were being tested. A strange test indeed for a Sentinel and one that had been a Green Lantern.
“It is the one thing that you can give that will set the price.” Hera continued. She turned to Jenny. “Because mingling of your energies that will be required to cure your child, the yellow radiation, the cosmic energy, and the Gamma radiation, the Purple Ray, and the energy I will give, she will be a danger to anyone near her. Only beneath the Purple Ray of Healing will anyone be able to approach her.”
“The baby must be removed from Senturia and placed back within her iron womb.” Magalla added. “We are already setting up a special Purple Ray that will bath her constantly and keep her in a form of stasis that will allow slow growth. But she must remain on Themyscira!”
“For…For how long?” Jenny finally found her voice.
“Until the energy is dissipated.” Magalla whispered.
“And how long will that take?” Arisia demanded, turning back to Hera.
“A thousand of your years.”
Jenny, the She-Hulk of legend, one of the most power Sentinels to ever exist, a woman that had seen more death and destruction than most accomplished warriors will see in a life time, fainted.
MV E-1
“A thousand years.” Mercy shook her head, reaching out to take one of Jenny’s hands. The other was clinched tight in one of Arisia’s. “Jenny, I don’t….” Her voice trailed off.
“She will emerge from the stasis womb a young woman.” Jenny’s voice was wooden. “Complete with fond memories of a life being raised by us.” She shook her head. “Memories that will be lies.”
“Perhaps.” Jean Grey nodded. She sat across the table with Babs. The three had come on the run when they learned Jenny had fainted. “But they won’t be bad ones, Jenny. She will have a healthy adulthood, because she will have pleasant memories of loving parents. Is that wrong?”
“You haven’t told us what your answer was.” Babs prompted.
“What do you think?” Jenny shook her head and extracted her hands from Mercy and Arisia before standing to begin pacing. “What choice do I have, do we have? If I try to keep her, she dies. For her to live…I have to give her to the future!”
She stopped and looked at Arisia.
“The only thing that makes me hesitant is you.” She said, approaching the golden skinned sentinel. “You don’t have to do this.”
“But I do.” Arisia nodded, once again taking Jenny’s hand. “Jenny, as far as I know, I will never be able to have children. Though it may not realize it, this body of mine is already dead. Only the energy that you give me allows me to live at all. And when I finally do die, there would be only my foster daughter, Lanie, to remember me. Or so I thought. Now that has changed. Jenny, don’t you see? Once we merge, my blood and yours will mingle and that baby will take from both. From that point on, she’ll no longer just be your baby! It will be ours, ours and Lar’s. She will be my daughter too!”
Jenny rocked back on her heals, understanding finally beginning to dawn.
MV E-1
“We are ready.”
Babs, Jean, Mercy, Hippolyta, and Donna Troy stood back, waiting in case they were needed, none knowing exactly what they could do if help was needed.
In a hospital, it would have been called the operating room. Here, on Themyscira it was simply the healing room. A giant circular stone slab was the predominant feature of the room and it was here that Jenny and Arisia lay side to side.
“The Purple Ray will prevent you from feeling pain.” Magalla announced as the stasis womb was wheeled in and she took a position over Jenny, a sharp knife, not a scalpel, in her hand. She smiled and patted the green woman’s hand. “Do not worry. It may not appear to be what your are used to in man’s world…trust me that we could teach your doctors a few things.”
Her speech pattern had fallen out of the formal style of speech of the island into a more comforting tone, possibly mimicked from ‘man’s world’.
The Purple Ray was activated and Babs held her breath as Jenny, Arisia, Magalla, and her two assistants, and the stasis womb were bathed in a faint violet light. She looked away, concentrating on Jenny’s face as Magalla moved in with the knife.
It seemed to be hours, yet it could only have been minutes before Magalla stepped back.
“Now.” She commanded. “You must merge now!”
Having never witnessed the transformation herself, Babs watched closely as Arisia reached out a hand to grasp one of Jenny’s. That quickly it was over. One instant there were two women laying on the slab. The next there was only…Senturia.
“Amazing!” Jean murmured, dragging Bab’s attention to her.
“What?” She hissed.
“Her mind.” Jean whispered back. “There is one mind, one pattern of thought, but two echoes. They are merged into one and yet, at the same time, seem to be separate.” She paused, frowning. She then stepped forward, stopping just at the edge of the purple light. “Magalla! Something is wrong!”
Magalla’s head snapped in her direction.
“What is it?” She demanded.
“I am getting confusion!” the telepath answered. She paused, concentrating. “It takes energy to maintain Senturia!” She announced. “The longer they remain together, the more energy it takes. But something…the baby…is drawing too much. More than they can spare and maintain that form. They can’t keep it up or they’ll start burning energy they need to live!”
Magalla sighed and nodded.
“It was to be expected.” She sighed and then shrugged. “There is nothing we can do. The deadly energy is coming from the mingling of Jenny’s Gamma Radiation and the yellow radiation that poison’s Arisia’s body. As Senturia, that deadly mix is contained, no danger to anyone.”
“But it won’t be shielded by Senturia’s body when the baby is removed.” Babs thought it through, her eyes widening. “So much power…so much energy!”
“This is the danger they were warned of.” Magalla said. “They must hold the form as long as possible. It could kill them all.”
“And if it doesn’t?” Babs clenched her fists, she did not want to face Kara…or Lar for that matter…and admit that she had stood by and watched Jenny die…unable to do a damned thing about it!
“They will be weakened for a time.” Magalla said. “They will still have their powers, but it will take time for them to regain their full strength. A considerable time. And it is quite possible it will be even longer before they are once again able to form Senturia.”
“Magalla!” one of the assistants called, alarmed. “They separate!”
“No!” Magalla turned her attention back to the pair. “The baby must be taken from Senturia!”
“It is too late!’ the assistant shook her head. And she was right. Seeming to separate far slowly than they had merged, Jenny and Arisia appeared to slide, rather than spring, apart.
“By Hera!” Hippolyta gasped, pointing. Babs closed her eyes. For it was clearly obvious that something had gone wrong. The baby, placed within Jenny’s womb, now extended Arisia’s.
“NO!” Arisia doubled over, clutching her stomach, her face contorted with pain. She whimpered and whipped her head back and forth.
“Jenny!” Babs yelled out, trying to break through the haze that clouded the green woman’s eyes. “Jenny, you have to reform Senturia. Now.”
“Can’t…no…energy….” Jenny gasped; obviously unaware of what was occurring just inches from her.
“Jenny, you have to!” Babs yelled. “If you want your baby to live you have to reform Senturia. Jenny! If you don’t reform, your baby and Arisia are going to die! Damnit Jenny!”
Without thinking, Babs plunged into the purple light and grasped Jenny’s hand and reached over and yanked one of Arisa’s from her stomach, locking them both together between her own.
“Jenny! NOW! Form Senturia!” She yelled.
The room faded from her sight and Babs felt herself falling forward into whirlpool of green energy. She closed her eyes, fighting the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her.
“Babs? You can’t be there!”
She opened her eyes and, though she knew it was a mere illusion, took a deep breath.
She was…nowhere. A simple plane of green energy, with more energy crackling in a featureless green sky above. Off in the distance she could see Jenny and Arisia locked in an embrace.
“Babs…I know you can hear me!” It was Jean’s voice…or thoughts rather.
“I hear you, Jean.” She whispered, knowing the telepath would pick up her thoughts.
“Babs you have to come out. You weren’t supposed to get pulled in.”
“Right.” Babs nodded. “As soon as you tell me how I’m supposed to do that, I’ll give it a shot. I don’t control this…they do!”
“NO!”
It was the twin voice Babs had come to recognize as Senturia.
“SHE…ADDS…STABILITY.”
“Babs?”
“That was Senturia, Jean.” Babs explained, knowing the telepath knew it as well as she did. “It seems I’m contributing something neither Jenny nor Arisia can at this time.”
The scene before her blurred and then cleared. Jenny and Arisia were no longer in the distance, but next to her. The two women looked at her and then nodded, pulling her into their embrace.
Senturia spoke again and Babs passed the message on.
“Tell Magalla to take the baby now. She cannot hold much longer.”
For what seemed an eternity she stood there, waiting, not daring to move or speak for fear of disturbing the delicate balance. And then.
“IT…IS…DONE!” The twin voice spoke. Jenny and Arisia faded from her view and a single, large face suddenly loomed above her.
“OUR…DAUGHTER…SHALL…LIVE.” The face announced. “THANK…YOU…BARBARA…GORDON.”
The face faded as well and once again she was in the whirlpool, fighting nausea.
“Babs? Babs?”
Babs opened her eyes to find herself lying across Jenny and Arisia’s legs. Both women appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Turning her head she saw Jean and Mercy at her side, both offering to help her up. She took them up on their offer and fought back another wave of nausea as she was pulled to her feet.
“Are you okay?” Mercy asked, her face a mask of concern.
“I think…oh no…” She turned quickly, vomiting on the floor.
“She will be fine.” Magalla announced, turning away from the stasis womb. The portable Purple ray was activated and the unit wheeled away by the assistants.
With Mercy and Jean’s help she got Babs up on the slap, lying her beside Arisia and Jenny under the Purple Ray.
“A small price to pay for such rash actions!” Magalla grumbled. Yet her voice was tinged with respect as she tried to make Babs as comfortable as possible.
“Arisia, however, was incorrect.” The Mage announced as she stood to face Jean and Mercy. “It seems this has pulled much of the yellow radiation from her body and healed much of the damage. Not all, but most. She will still need to draw energy from Jennifer, but…” Now she smiled. “They will both find that they can both have other children in the future!” She looked back at the three figures. “And she was wrong on another count as well. The child will have not two, but three mothers. I will have to run some tests to see what effect this will have on the child.”
She turned back to her patients and shooed Jean and Mercy back to stand beside Hippolyta and Donna Troy.
“They will be a few days recovering.” The Queen told them. “What will you do when they are ready to leave?”
“Go home, I suppose.” Jean answered. “Back to where we’re needed.”
“And you, Matrix?” Hippolyta turned to Mercy. “What will you do? Will you remain with us?”
Mercy was thoughtful for a moment and then she looked back at the three sleeping figures.
“No. I don’t think so.” She answered in a quiet tone. Then she drew herself up and looked Jean in the eye. “I think it’s time I got back to my job…and my husband. It’s time I stopped feeling sorry for myself and realize that, no matter the body I wear, I am still…Mercy Luthor!”
Hippolyta gave her an approving nod and turned back to Jean.
“When they awaken, I would very much like to talk to the all of you. It is my turn to ask a favor.” She glanced at Donna and sighed. “As you say, it is time to go where you are needed. So too, I think, is it time for Donna to return to where she is needed. And I would ask you to take a message from me to this…President Luthor…your husband. I would like to begin talks to learn how Themyscira can once again become a part of the world!”
MV E-1
Reed Richards did not spend all his time waiting for Lar to check in. Even traveling through Hyperspace, the journey would take days.
And so they had established contact times, based on the estimated time of his arrival in the Roxal system…the system which had been the home, thousands of years ago, of the giant, heavy gravity world of Daxam.
When that time came, as he had on the previous three days, Reed was waiting at the console when the Hyper comm. activated.
“Reed!” Lar’s voice, full of awe? Excitement? Disbelief? sprang from the speakers. “I’ve entered the Roxal system! You are not going to believe this!”
“Lar? Lar?” Reed gripped the edges of his seat, waiting for Lar to explain his cryptic remark. “Lar, what the hell is happening?”
“I found them, Reed!” Lar’s voice came back, choked with emotion. “I found the Kandorians! They’re on Daxam. The whole planet has been transformed, or reformed, to support life! It’s been restored and Reed…they’ve been enlarged! The Kandorians have been enlarged!”
Epilogue
Magalla observed as her acolytes moved the stasis womb into the position prepared for it in one of the many chambers below the temple. Here it would stay, watched over and cared for through the ages as the life within continued it slowed growth.
She gazed at the womb, worrying her bottom lip until the lead acolyte, dismissing the others, turned to her.
“She should not have split.” The acolyte observed, following her mistress’ gaze. “Will it affect the child?”
“I don’t know.” Magalla answered honestly. “There is something…but that vision is blocked to me.” She sighed and drew herself up. “What will be will be…and it will be the future that sees what comes of this day.”
She and the acolyte departed, letting the chamber sink into a darkness let only by the faint glow of the purple ray that continuously played over the stasis-womb.
Within the womb there was a stirring, a movement that would, in this slowed state, take months if not years before it was even noticeable.
The embryo began to divide!
-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2004 by Dylan Clearbrook
-- and may not be reprinted without permission.
-- The Continuum Worlds Concept is a joint creation of
-- Dylan Clearbrook and Eldric.-- Otherverse and Multiverse, 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, as depicted in the Continuum Worlds,
-- is an original creation of John P.
-- 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.