Post by shlomo on Jun 24, 2021 17:54:45 GMT
Prologue: January, 1968
“It happened!” the voice shouted, “It happened just like they said it would!” The speaker was a young teenage boy, perhaps fifteen years old, with thin brown hair and a winter coat. He was running over to a friend of his, a few years older with thin, blond hair.
“What?”
“The Fallout! Look at the sky—those clouds. They aren’t natural—we dropped the bomb and we’re all going to die!” He broke down on his friend’s shoulder in tears. The friend looked up. They hadn’t been expecting clouds today, and certainly not these clouds, with a slight purple hue. He was scared, from the top of his fur-lined hat to the bottom of his fur-lined boots. But for his little friend’s sake, he needed to put on a brave face.
“It’s all right. The weatherman makes mistakes, he’s only human. It’s just cloudy.”
“But the color, the hue, the texture!”
“I don’t know that much about clouds, but I know that a lot of things can change colors and texture, even without H-bombs involved. Everything is going to be OK.” I hope.
Chapter 1
These two boys were not the only people who noticed the change in weather. Actually, the mysterious clouds covered almost the entire world, plunging half of it into the dark of night, the other into something darker, and all of it into a panicked frenzy. Religious and Civil leaders had their hands full with supporting the terrified masses, in addition to trying to understand what was going on. Among those assembled this dark day was the Justice Society of America.
Seventeen people had held a position on the team from its formation to its initial disbandment, and one had joined since they returned to active service. They were all here now, assembled in the Gotham City brownstone that served as their headquarters. At the head of the table around which they stood were Hawkman, the chair, and Superman, who had just returned from reconnaissance.
“Your report, Superman,” Hawkman was saying.
“Thank you. First off, I will confirm what I’m sure we’ve all suspected: these strange clouds and other weather phenomena are world-wide, in addition to power outages and natural disasters, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.”
“Our first duty, then, is to make sure people are protected,” Wonder Woman said. She had started off as the group’s secretary in 1942, but by the end of the war she had become a full-fledged member. When the original Flash had emerged from retirement in the early 60s, she’d almost immediately suggested restarting the team.
“Better contact the Batmen of All Nations,” the caped crusader said. While a founding member, like Superman he seldom found time to join the team, considering his own workload. And officially, he had retired the cowl and Robin had taken his place on the team, but these were no ordinary times and everyone was needed; The Atom had even suggested calling up the entirety of the former All Star Squadron and the original Red Tornado.
“People all over must be panicking, and chaos and pandemonium are sure to break lose,” Robin added.
“I hear there’s also a ‘Green Arrows of the World,” Johnny Thunder said, “Say, you think we should get in touch with both the groups? There’s no way regular law enforcement will be able to handle the looting and rioting.”
“As you wish, Master John,” said a living pink Thunderbolt, which streaked out to find these international mystery men. This thunderbolt had been linked to Johnny when he was born by some Badhnesian monks as part of the latter’s scheme to rule the world. Whenever Johnny said Cei-U (pronounced “say you”) the thunderbolt would grant any wish he made for the next hour.
“Do we have any idea what’s caused this?” asked Sandman. He was in his original gasmask and trench-coat, though he wondered if perhaps his brightly colored alternate costume might inspire a little more hope, not to mention visibility. Both were currently in short supply.
“No scientist I asked could find any source on earth,” Superman said.
Starman, who in civilian life was astronomer Ted Knight, now piped in.
“Right before this all started, my telescope had picked up strange signals from space.”
“Are you suggesting some sort of alien invasion?” asked Wildcat. Ted ‘Wildcat’ Grant had been a college student studying medicine, when his father died. Without money to further his education, he’d become a boxer. Soon after, he donned a cat costume to bring a criminal to justice and had become a regular mystery man after that. Though he’d only joined the JSA on a case or two in the ‘golden age’ he found that he was excited to be here again. Perhaps, he thought, he could one day become a full-time crime fighter.
Dr. Fate and the Spectre were the two most powerful members of the team; the one a sorcerer learned in all the ancient arts, the other a supernatural being with the mission of stamping out crime and injustice on earth.
“Not an invasion,” the Spectre intoned, “but Starman is correct to mention this. The earth’s state is being affected by alien energies.”
“I will now attempt to create a projection,” Fate said, “of the goings-on out there;” the group fell silent as he worked his magic.
Above the table, above their heads, there now materialized a black box, fuzzy and sparkly. A moment’s reflection led one to realize this was a representation of outer space. In the center of this cube were two ships. One was shaped like a flying saucer, with many extensions that made it look…hairy. The other looked like a rocket and had many colored stripes. Both were firing energy weapons and what appeared to be heavy artillery.
“They must have quite the shields to stand up to each other’s onslaught like that,” Hourman said. He hadn’t taken his Miraclo pill yet. He only had an hour of super-powers with it, and he needed to use every minute of it efficiently.
“But where’s it all going,” asked the Green Lantern. As if on cue, the picture now shifted, following the deflected weaponry as they traveled the miles from those ship to the atmosphere of the earth.
“I wonder if this image could even show the chemical reactions that have caused all these troubles...” Dr. Mid-Nite mused. The good doctor was functionally blind, at least in the light, and he wore infra-red goggles as part of his costume. But Dr. Fate’s magic projected the image into his mind to the same degree as his colleagues perceived it.
“I’d rather not think about all that,” Black Canary said, “just tell me how I can help and don’t scare me with the details.”
“You shouldn’t be afraid of knowledge,” Mr. Terrific, Defender of Fair Play and man of a thousand talents, said.
“I’m not scared of knowledge, just the situation we’re in. I can’t be objective right now. Science interests me as much as the next girl, but if it’s all right, I’ll wait ‘til it comes out in paperback.”
The next girl, or guy as it may be, was the Flash, Jay Garrick, who was quite interested in science, being an industrial scientist. For the last few minutes though, he’d been rather silent, taking notes on the pad in front of him.
“OK,” he now said, “we’ve confirmed it’s worldwide and will endeavor to protect innocents abroad and at home. Looks like aliens are involved. Shall I run down to Washington now to report, or wait until we have a plan?”
“Why don’t you go now and see if they have any more information?” Hawkman said, “I know it’ll eventually mean multiple trips, but I think it’s reasonable.”
“Ok, Mr. Chairman, the Flash is off.”
And he was.
Hawkman looked around and continued.
“Obviously, we’ll need to split into groups. I’d suggest as well that a group of perhaps three of us goes to meet these alien vessels; if possible to secure a truce between them, or at the very least to protect the earth.”
“Who would be part of this delegation?” asked Atom.
“If more than one person is going, Green Lantern would probably be necessary, since his ring can carry multiple people,” Batman said.
“Yes,” said Hawkman, “I had him in mind. I also was going to suggest Wonder Woman, considering her experience with alien races, and Mr. Terrific.”
“Me?” Mr. Terrific asked. Like Wildcat, he could hardly be considered a senior member of the team.
“I’m sure you have diplomacy under your belt,” Hawkman said, “Now, as to relief missions…”
“It happened!” the voice shouted, “It happened just like they said it would!” The speaker was a young teenage boy, perhaps fifteen years old, with thin brown hair and a winter coat. He was running over to a friend of his, a few years older with thin, blond hair.
“What?”
“The Fallout! Look at the sky—those clouds. They aren’t natural—we dropped the bomb and we’re all going to die!” He broke down on his friend’s shoulder in tears. The friend looked up. They hadn’t been expecting clouds today, and certainly not these clouds, with a slight purple hue. He was scared, from the top of his fur-lined hat to the bottom of his fur-lined boots. But for his little friend’s sake, he needed to put on a brave face.
“It’s all right. The weatherman makes mistakes, he’s only human. It’s just cloudy.”
“But the color, the hue, the texture!”
“I don’t know that much about clouds, but I know that a lot of things can change colors and texture, even without H-bombs involved. Everything is going to be OK.” I hope.
Chapter 1
These two boys were not the only people who noticed the change in weather. Actually, the mysterious clouds covered almost the entire world, plunging half of it into the dark of night, the other into something darker, and all of it into a panicked frenzy. Religious and Civil leaders had their hands full with supporting the terrified masses, in addition to trying to understand what was going on. Among those assembled this dark day was the Justice Society of America.
Seventeen people had held a position on the team from its formation to its initial disbandment, and one had joined since they returned to active service. They were all here now, assembled in the Gotham City brownstone that served as their headquarters. At the head of the table around which they stood were Hawkman, the chair, and Superman, who had just returned from reconnaissance.
“Your report, Superman,” Hawkman was saying.
“Thank you. First off, I will confirm what I’m sure we’ve all suspected: these strange clouds and other weather phenomena are world-wide, in addition to power outages and natural disasters, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.”
“Our first duty, then, is to make sure people are protected,” Wonder Woman said. She had started off as the group’s secretary in 1942, but by the end of the war she had become a full-fledged member. When the original Flash had emerged from retirement in the early 60s, she’d almost immediately suggested restarting the team.
“Better contact the Batmen of All Nations,” the caped crusader said. While a founding member, like Superman he seldom found time to join the team, considering his own workload. And officially, he had retired the cowl and Robin had taken his place on the team, but these were no ordinary times and everyone was needed; The Atom had even suggested calling up the entirety of the former All Star Squadron and the original Red Tornado.
“People all over must be panicking, and chaos and pandemonium are sure to break lose,” Robin added.
“I hear there’s also a ‘Green Arrows of the World,” Johnny Thunder said, “Say, you think we should get in touch with both the groups? There’s no way regular law enforcement will be able to handle the looting and rioting.”
“As you wish, Master John,” said a living pink Thunderbolt, which streaked out to find these international mystery men. This thunderbolt had been linked to Johnny when he was born by some Badhnesian monks as part of the latter’s scheme to rule the world. Whenever Johnny said Cei-U (pronounced “say you”) the thunderbolt would grant any wish he made for the next hour.
“Do we have any idea what’s caused this?” asked Sandman. He was in his original gasmask and trench-coat, though he wondered if perhaps his brightly colored alternate costume might inspire a little more hope, not to mention visibility. Both were currently in short supply.
“No scientist I asked could find any source on earth,” Superman said.
Starman, who in civilian life was astronomer Ted Knight, now piped in.
“Right before this all started, my telescope had picked up strange signals from space.”
“Are you suggesting some sort of alien invasion?” asked Wildcat. Ted ‘Wildcat’ Grant had been a college student studying medicine, when his father died. Without money to further his education, he’d become a boxer. Soon after, he donned a cat costume to bring a criminal to justice and had become a regular mystery man after that. Though he’d only joined the JSA on a case or two in the ‘golden age’ he found that he was excited to be here again. Perhaps, he thought, he could one day become a full-time crime fighter.
Dr. Fate and the Spectre were the two most powerful members of the team; the one a sorcerer learned in all the ancient arts, the other a supernatural being with the mission of stamping out crime and injustice on earth.
“Not an invasion,” the Spectre intoned, “but Starman is correct to mention this. The earth’s state is being affected by alien energies.”
“I will now attempt to create a projection,” Fate said, “of the goings-on out there;” the group fell silent as he worked his magic.
Above the table, above their heads, there now materialized a black box, fuzzy and sparkly. A moment’s reflection led one to realize this was a representation of outer space. In the center of this cube were two ships. One was shaped like a flying saucer, with many extensions that made it look…hairy. The other looked like a rocket and had many colored stripes. Both were firing energy weapons and what appeared to be heavy artillery.
“They must have quite the shields to stand up to each other’s onslaught like that,” Hourman said. He hadn’t taken his Miraclo pill yet. He only had an hour of super-powers with it, and he needed to use every minute of it efficiently.
“But where’s it all going,” asked the Green Lantern. As if on cue, the picture now shifted, following the deflected weaponry as they traveled the miles from those ship to the atmosphere of the earth.
“I wonder if this image could even show the chemical reactions that have caused all these troubles...” Dr. Mid-Nite mused. The good doctor was functionally blind, at least in the light, and he wore infra-red goggles as part of his costume. But Dr. Fate’s magic projected the image into his mind to the same degree as his colleagues perceived it.
“I’d rather not think about all that,” Black Canary said, “just tell me how I can help and don’t scare me with the details.”
“You shouldn’t be afraid of knowledge,” Mr. Terrific, Defender of Fair Play and man of a thousand talents, said.
“I’m not scared of knowledge, just the situation we’re in. I can’t be objective right now. Science interests me as much as the next girl, but if it’s all right, I’ll wait ‘til it comes out in paperback.”
The next girl, or guy as it may be, was the Flash, Jay Garrick, who was quite interested in science, being an industrial scientist. For the last few minutes though, he’d been rather silent, taking notes on the pad in front of him.
“OK,” he now said, “we’ve confirmed it’s worldwide and will endeavor to protect innocents abroad and at home. Looks like aliens are involved. Shall I run down to Washington now to report, or wait until we have a plan?”
“Why don’t you go now and see if they have any more information?” Hawkman said, “I know it’ll eventually mean multiple trips, but I think it’s reasonable.”
“Ok, Mr. Chairman, the Flash is off.”
And he was.
Hawkman looked around and continued.
“Obviously, we’ll need to split into groups. I’d suggest as well that a group of perhaps three of us goes to meet these alien vessels; if possible to secure a truce between them, or at the very least to protect the earth.”
“Who would be part of this delegation?” asked Atom.
“If more than one person is going, Green Lantern would probably be necessary, since his ring can carry multiple people,” Batman said.
“Yes,” said Hawkman, “I had him in mind. I also was going to suggest Wonder Woman, considering her experience with alien races, and Mr. Terrific.”
“Me?” Mr. Terrific asked. Like Wildcat, he could hardly be considered a senior member of the team.
“I’m sure you have diplomacy under your belt,” Hawkman said, “Now, as to relief missions…”