LSH Issue 5: "Things Change"

[Admin]

[Admin]

Every holo-feed on the planet showed the same scene: President Touronis’s casket gliding into place in the Hall of Fallen Leaders.

It had been more than two centuries since an assassination of a leader on Earth, and the first assassination of a leader since the formation of the United Planets. Touronis was never what one would consider a ‘beloved leader’, but the people mourned him nonetheless.

Since his death, the UP cabinet had been sequestered for their own protection. No one in the government attended the funeral.

Minutes after the crypt closed behind the casket, the feed changed.

President Leland McCauley stood at a podium, his long, greasy blond-and-gray hair pulled back into a tail with a pair of ancient eye-pieces perched on his over-sized nose. Behind him and to his right, his new Vice President: Winema Wazzo.

“People of the United Planets… today we grieve for the loss of our great leader. His assassination at the hands of the Dark Circle yesterday was a sudden shock to us all.” His soft and comforting voice suddenly boomed, “Tomorrow we will act! This Federation of Planets was formed to protect its people, and that’s exactly what it shall do!”

Legion Headquarters, Metropolis, Earth:

The holo-feed beamed the image of the President’s speech through the mission monitor board as every available Legionnaire watched.

{“I’m announcing, here and now, an increase in security at all star ports and transport docks! Science Police will be stationed at every office building, housing complex, shopping mecha and entertainment complex at all times! I am announcing a draft. All able-bodied beings will, when called, join the Science Police in the effort to keep us safe!”}

“So much for personal freedom…” Polar Boy said to the monitor.

“Ssshhhh!” came the response from the other Legionnaires.

{“As long as I live, there will never be another attack like the ones on Mars and Metropolis!”}

“Hopefully he lives longer than Touronis,” Polar Boy said to the board again.

“SSSHHH!!!” came the response again.

{“And lastly, to ensure our protection, I am officially deputizing the Legion of Super-Heroes!”}

“Oh, Frak!” said the gathered Legionnaires in unison.

“Ssshhh, this is just starting to get good!” Polar Boy replied.

[Admin]

Legion of Super-Heroes

[/i]
Issue #5: “Things Change”
Written by Scott Kruger
Cover by Scott Kruger
Edited by Mark Bowers[/center]

[Admin]

Legion roll call:

Lightning Lad (Garth Ranzz)

Brainiac 5 (Querl Dox) (with Koko!)

Phantom Girl (Tinya Wazzo)

Cosmic Boy (Rokk Krinn)

Blok

Sun Boy (Dirk Morgna)

Polar Boy (Brek Bannin)

Triplicate Girl (Luornu Durgo)

And

?

[Admin]

The office of President Leland McCauley

The Argathian Monkey sat perched on Brainy’s shoulder quietly cleaning itself as Lightning Lad fumed to his fellow waiting Legionnaires. The moment the initial shock of the President’s speech wore off, the Earth-bound Legionnaires scrambled to get to the President’s office.

Lightning Lad, Brainiac 5, Phantom Girl, and Blok sat in the waiting area for well over an hour for an audience with McCauley. Garth thought it would be wise to leave Sun Boy and Polar Boy in the transport for their own well-being. The doors to the President’s office were flanked on either side by personal guards. Definitely not SP. In fact, Garth was certain he’d seen wanted posters of one of them before…

The floor-to-ceiling windows of the waiting area showed a panoramic view of Metropolis. The skyways were still filled with the usual commuters, going about their business, flying to and fro… the difference now was the steady stream of SP transports hovering around intersections, and weaving in and out of the fly-lanes. Most of the SP cruisers flew with such abandon it was a miracle that they did not cause more problems than they were intending to solve.

“By damn, kids!” a familiar voice boomed from an opening turbo-lift door. “What kind of pickle have you gotten yourselves into this time!?”

The Legionnaires rose, with Lightning Lad stretching out a hand to R.J. Brande, who promptly ignored the offered hand, preferring instead to wrap the embarrassed redhead in a massive bear hug. Behind Brande was his personal assistant, and part-time Legionnaire, Luornu Durgo, Triplicate Girl. She wore her tricolored uniform indicating that all three ‘sisters’ were present in the one body.

After a warm exchange between the newcomers, Blok and Phantom Girl, (and an odd silence-filled stiff handshake with Brainy) Lightning Lad spoke out again.

“That’s exactly what we’re trying to figure out, Mr. Brande. The President has officially ‘deputized’ us, but we haven’t been able to get in to see him. He can’t just do that, can he?”

“Unfortunately, according to Section 6, sub-section 52.3 of the United Planets charter, the President has the ability to initiate a draft during a time of war,” Triplicate Girl chimed in quickly. The bookish young woman knew more about interplanetary laws than the lawmakers that wrote them, and used that knowledge well as Brande’s personal assistant and legal aide.

“Yes, but I thought you had to be at least 19 to qualify for the draft, right?” Phantom Girl injected.

“Come now, Legionnaires. You’ve faced the Fatal Five, inter-dimensional monsters and every other menace that has stared down at the United Planets with malice in its heart,” the sleazy voice of Leland McCauley slithered out its sugar-coated words as he exited his office. “I’ve just gone and made it a bit more official is all.”

“But, Mr. President,” Lightning Lad began, but was silenced by McCauley’s raised hand.

“Be grateful. Everyone else that has been drafted will be going through a fast paced boot-camp for training. Your experience allowed you to bypass that.”

“Listen here, McCauley!” R.J. Brande began, but stopped suddenly as Lightning Lad put his hand on R.J.’s shoulder.

“Please, let me, Mr. Brande,” Garth said with a spark in his eye that made McCauley stiffen. “We’re currently in the process of taking down the Dark Circle by methods I’m not at liberty to discuss with anyone. Any interruption in that process could have catastrophic consequences for not only Earthgov, but all of the United Planets.”

“Who said about interrupting anything?” the President rebutted. “You may continue whatever clandestine operations you and Cosmic Boy have dreamed up. But from here on out, I will receive regular progress reports on said operations. In addition, I will also begin appointing new members to your Legion effective immediately.”

“Out of the question!” Brande spoke up again before anyone else could. “This team was built on trust! You can’t force them to accept members who have not gone through the appropriate try-out process and…”

“I already have,” McCauley spat, looking at Brainiac 5, “ and I will continue to do so, or the Legion of Super-Heroes will find itself on the wrong side of this conflict! There already is a Legion of Super-Villains; I don’t think they would take too kindly to the Heroes stepping into their turf. End of discussion.”

The monkey on Brainiac 5’s shoulder hissed at the President, which made him jump back. “Querl, get that monstrosity out of my site!”

“Of course, Mr. President” Brainy replied with more malice than any of the Legionnaires had ever heard. Whatever dislike Brainy had for being in the Legion, that paled in comparison for the feelings he had for McCauley. He let the monkey slide down his arm to the floor, then, while holding the President’s gaze, calmly said, “Koko, go.”

The monkey skittered from the room in the direction of the Legion cruiser.

“Now, Legionnaires, let me introduce you to your three new members!” the President exclaimed with great satisfaction. The Legionnaires remained silent.

“Gim Allon, a former member of the Science Police, who not only has super-strength, but also the ability to grow to enormous sizes!” McCauley introduced a tall, muscular brown-haired young man whose smile made Triplicate Girl blush.

“Dawn Evening-Star of the Shikari, an unparalleled master-tracker!” A beautiful raven-haired girl with feathered wings entered the room in ancient-looking clothes. She made no attempt to acknowledge the Legionnaires, content to stare at the floor before her.

“And lastly, your new field commander… Claudis Feng.” The statement drew audible gasps from the ‘real Legionnaires’ as they had already dubbed themselves. Cos was the leader… Garth was the field commander. That’s the way it had been since Saturn Girl resigned!

“You can call me Nemesis Kid!” the boisterous teen announced as he entered the room. His self-imposed superiority preceded him as he walked with a cocksure gait up to Lightning Lad and slapped him on the shoulder. “What’s up, ‘Lad’?”

Lightning Lad’s eyes sparked as he grasped Nemesis Kid by his collar. “What the Grife are you doing here, Feng?”

“Temper, temper, Garth, old pal. Remember what happened last time you went electric on me…” Nemesis Kid taunted, pointing at a small scar on Lightning Lad‘s neck.

“Yeah, as I remember you ended up with a broken nose.”

“You two know each other, I take it?” Phantom Girl asked rhetorically.

“Let’s just leave it at ‘yes‘,” Lightning Lad said flatly. “He has the ability to counteract any meta-ability, whatever it is.”

“My old pal is right!” Nemesis Kid boasted again. “You shoot lightning, I can either ground it or turn it against you. Cosmic Boy throws something at me with his magnet-power, I repel it! You phase yer pretty little smile near me, I’ll phase right back at ya! Those of you takin’ notes, got it?” he said, his eyes fixing on Brainiac 5.

“He’d also just as soon stab you in the back as look you in the eye,” Garth added, drawing a warning smile from the new Legionnaire.

[Admin]

The flight back to Legion headquarters was eerily quiet.

No one aboard the Legion cruiser spoke to anyone which just made the situation even more uncomfortable. Gim Allon opened his mouth to speak several times, but couldn’t work up the courage to say anything at all, which was unlike him at all. He was an ex-Science Police officer for grife’s sake! He was a sergeant! He’d worked side by side with the Legion twice in the past! OK, side by side was, maybe, a slight exaggeration… but he was there! Cleaning up after them… kind of.

He gazed across to the other Legionnaires and caught the glare of Sun Boy. If fire could have shot out of Sun Boy’s eyes, it would have melted him.

Wait… Sun Boy couldn’t shoot fire out of his eyes, could he?

[Admin]

“I think I’m in love,” Polar Boy said as he watched the fierce winged warrior rip apart a battle drone with her bare hands.

Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Sun Boy, Polar Boy, Blok and Phantom Girl stood gathered around the Mission Monitor Board watching as the new recruits demonstrated their abilities in the Gymnasium.

“I thought the Skikari were a peaceful race.” Phantom Girl responded with a wince as the girl, with a warrior’s shriek, ripped another practice drone from its wall-mount. “This girl’s got some issues”

“They usually are. When the original Shikari people left Earth over 800 years ago, they left their warrior ways behind them. When they finally reappeared almost 200 years ago, not only had they found themselves a new home world, but they’d grown wings too. Rumor has it they assimilated themselves into a civilization thought long dead on the planet Thana…” Blok paused when he realized everyone was staring at him.

“What?” he asked innocently. “I like to read when I’m bored.”

Cosmic Boy turned away from the monitor board, deep in thought.

Phantom Girl placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It’s going to be fine. I’m sure of it…”

“The Legion was never meant to be a group of hired thugs on the payroll of the President, and now we have no choice.”

“That’s a load of nass and you know it, Cos,” Lightning Lad rebutted. “There’s always a choice.”

“And find ourselves on the wrong side of the law? We’ve worked too hard to prove ourselves to the United Planets to throw it all away.”

“Sprock that!” Sun Boy added. “We don’t have to prove ourselves anymore! We’re the Legion!”

“And we’re supposed to be an inspiration to the youth of today!” Cos spat back. “What kind of role models are we if we refuse to fight? If everyone asked refused to fight, what would happen then? Anarchy? We’re all on the same side, aren’t we? If this can bring an end to the Dark Circle sooner, then so be it.”

The room went quiet again.

“I think we need a bit more muscle on the team,” Lightning Lad added, drawing everyone‘s attention. “People we can trust.”

“Jeez, guys, just how many people you want hangin’ around this joint?” Polar Boy asked. “It’s already getting overcrowded in the cafeteria. That Allon guy has gotta eat a lot as it is. Look at the size of him!”

“Just two more, I think.”

[Admin]

“No way!” Nemesis Kid shouted in Cosmic Boy’s face. “No Frakkin’ way!”

“It’s already done.” Cosmic Boy said calmly. “Brainy and Phantom Girl are on their way to Titan right now and the other new member is practicing right now in the gymnasium.”

“I’m the field commander of the team. You’re supposed to consult me before adding more members!”

He turned to regard the monitor board as the new member, clothed in green and black with a full face mask pounded a practice drone into dust with his bare fists.

“Look, kid, no one consulted me before adding you to the team. And I’m the team leader. You don’t like it? File a complaint with R.J. Brande!”

“Fine! Have it your way, this time. But elections are coming up, and you won’t be the Legion’s leader forever!” Nemesis Kid clenched his fists as he stormed out of the monitor room.

[Admin]

Imsk, Headquarters of the Dark Circle:

The people of Imsk were strangely serene, all things considered. Though their planet had seceded from the United Planets and all outside communication to UP worlds had been severed, things were not all that bad. There was an aura of calm that hovered in the air.

Prime Minister Shyik gave daily updates of the world’s newfound prosperity through the Holo-net news and always with their leader’s new friend standing behind him.

It didn’t concern them that Shyik’s friend always wore his hood. In fact, nothing really bothered anyone anymore. Imsk had become a Utopia.

A utopia free of individual thought.

[Admin]

“I am worried that you stretch yourself too thin, my Lord…” the masked female underling said to the Dark Circle’s hooded Commander.

He took a deep breath and relaxed for a brief moment. She could see the muscles in his shoulder loosen ever so slightly. Prime Minister Shyik, sitting at his desk in the center of the room began to moan quietly and shake his head as if waking from a dream.

The Grand-Master’s bionic left eye flashed red through his hood as his concentration returned. He gripped the arm of the chair he sat in with his mechanical right hand. It splintered, though he felt nothing.

“I cannot,” his deep raspy voice replied with a hint of sorrow. “Not now. Not with so much at stake. We’ve liberated this world from the grasp of the United Planets, I won’t rest until I’ve liberated them all.”

The underling placed her hand on his arm. “But, my Lord, can you control that many minds…?” she asked gently, but stopped in mid-sentence as blood streamed from her nose.

“Do not touch me. No woman will touch me… that was reserved for one. One that was taken from me long ago. It is for her that I seek my revenge on the United Planets. Do not presume to know me, and never doubt my abilities.”

She tore off her mask in an attempt to breathe, revealing a beautiful face with long dark hair. She gasped for one last breath as she drowned in her own fluids.

As the last breath left her still frame, he removed his hood. He rubbed his temples and ran his hand over his bald head. The underling was right. He couldn’t stretch himself like this permanently. What good was liberating a universe if all he did was enslave it to his will. He was a freedom fighter, not a dictator. He would be no better than them. That would not do at all.

It was time to advance his plan.

It was time to show the United Planets exactly who it was that led them.

Then he would finally have his revenge for what happened to his love… and he would, at long last, be a hero again.

[Admin]

Titan, Temple of the Third Eye

Brainiac 5 and Phantom Girl stood as far apart as the windowless waiting room allowed. He did not care for any of his new ‘teammates’ at all… and especially not this one. After their confrontation in the holding cell at headquarters, and after witnessing first-hand her phasing abilities, he was sure he’d never rest easily while she was around! His privacy was paramount… his experiments were his life. What would happen if she were to phase through the anti-particle displacement cannon he was constructing? He would not be held liable for whatever damage that could cause to the universe! Especially if it was active!

“You’re pacing,” Phantom Girl said to him.

“Oh, excuse me. I do apologize. I wasn’t aware that not being a senior member of the team negated my pacing rights,” he replied, more angrily than he’d meant. His emotions were out of control since he began communing with these Neanderthals.

“It doesn’t… you’re green.” she replied, calmly ignoring his outburst.

“Excuse me?”

“Green people aren’t permitted to pace in the United Planets,” she replied just as calmly as she had before.

His mind raced… he’d never heard of such a law. How could a ‘civilized’ culture devise such a discriminatory law? How did he… HE OF ALL PEOPLE… not know this? Was this a new law that McCauley had passed in the last 48 hours just to agitate him more?

“She was joking,” another voice spoke as a cloaked figure entered the room. She pulled back her hood revealing a beautiful girl with short-clipped blonde hair. “Your new friend there really doesn’t like you, Tinya.”

Phantom Girl rushed to Imra Ardeen and wrapped her in a warm embrace. Brainy just stood there silently fuming in a language he had devised himself. It was based off of a combination of number sequencing and algorithms that only a twelfth-level intellect could decipher. It was a three hour flight to Titan after all; what else was he supposed to do?

“Imra, we need you…” Phantom Girl started, but was silenced quickly by a mental warning from Imra.

{“I’ve been meditating on what’s happened. The bombings on Mars and Earth, the uprising on Imsk. They’re not the only worlds that the Dark Circle have infiltrated.”} She peered over Phantom Girl’s shoulder. {“They’re here as well… speaking with the Titan High Command and the Vic…”} Imra suddenly went quiet, she was about to say too much to the wrong person. {“They’ve been negotiating…”}

{“Negotiating…? What the grife? What would they have to offer in negotiations with Titan? They’re mass-murderers!”} Phantom Girl thought back to the telepath.

{“They need us, because Titan can provide the proof they’re looking for to legitimize their cause.”}

{“Legitimize their cause? All they‘ve done so far is kill millions and bring two UP worlds back to the brink of war! Their cause is anarchy.”} Phantom Girl was becoming increasingly agitated as the discussion continued.

Brainiac 5 attempted to, in his new language, decipher the looks on their faces. He got nothing from reading the expression on the blonde’s face, but Phantom Girl looked like her head was pounding…

{“Their methods are inexcusable… and they have to be stopped… but… Phantom Girl… they’re right. The government of the United Planets must be stopped!”}

[Admin]

Epilogue #1:

Koko the Argathian monkey was not at all concerned that the Legionnaires had left him behind. He knew he’d end up back at Legion headquarters eventually… in fact, this was part of the plan.

In all honesty, Koko was no longer an Argathian monkey.

After skittering out of the President’s office, he melted into the shadows and waited until the Legion left. Once they had gone, he flew back into the President’s office as a common housefly. Once in place, and satisfied that McCauley’s office was sufficiently bugged, all he had to do was wait and pounce if need be.

That’s what all good chameleons did, after all…

[Admin]

Epilogue #2:

To: President McCauley

From: Rokk Krinn

RE: Legion of Super-Heroes roster - Updated.

Mr. President, as ordered, the Legion of Super-Heroes will fight alongside the Science Police and the United Planets to battle the threat of the Dark Circle until said threat has been eliminated. Upon completion of this task the Legion will separate itself from the U.P. and all assigned Legionnaires will be re-evaluated. Per your request, the current list of active Legionnaires is as follows:

Cosmic Boy, Team Leader

Nemesis Kid, Field Commander

Lightning Lad, Co-Field Commander

Shrinking Violet, Intelligence

Brainiac V, Science

Phantom Girl

Blok

Sun Boy

Polar Boy

Colossal Boy

Dawnstar

Emerald Dragon

In addition, if need be, the following reservists are also available:

Triplicate Girl

Invisible Kid

Saturn Girl

Hopefully, by working together, we will defeat this threat quickly.

Regards,

Rokk Krinn

As ordered, President McCauley transmitted the document to his masters. He wasn’t sure who the Emerald Dragon was, but that wasn’t the name that worried him the most. If the report was accurate, Saturn Girl was back in contact with the Legion. This development could be disastrous.

After another moment of thought he retreated from his office to his personal quarters. He pressed an indiscreet red button on a desktop and waited patiently. After a long moment the button blinked an acknowledgement… he pressed it again and his desktop lit up.

“What iss the meaning of thissss interrrruption, Mmmacauley?”

“I’m sorry, master.” He bowed his head repentantly. “The Titanian has returned to the…”

“I rrreviewed the docummment, Mmmacauley,” He hated the way they pronounced his name with a gurgled growl. “It issss, ahh, no concern. If she commmes into play, she will be elimmminnated.”

“Yes, master…” He bowed again. “But if…”

“No butssss, worm Mmmacauley.” McCauley winced at the insult but kept his head low. “Can yourrr new Viccce Prresident be trrrusted? She isss not one of usss.”

“Wazzo will not be a problem, master. She is loyal to the United Planets.”

He looked up into the black eyes of his master. The creature’s sickly-yellow skin and mouth full of large visible fangs were dwarfed only by the size of the red disk on its forehead. “Good. We have fought long and harrrd to finally take thisss galaxy... and essspecially thissss worrrld. The Dominion will not losssse it again.”

[Admin]

To Be Continued!