Post by redsycorax on Nov 29, 2021 3:21:09 GMT
Foreword: Okay, I promised Kaiserleomon that I'd give him credit for some excellent creative ideas, and that's exactly what I intend to do now. Psi Lad, the new Earth-based LSH team telepath is his idea, and so is Black Hole Lad, the updated version of Bismoll Legionnaire Tenzil Kem (formerly Matter Eater Lad). Thank you, Kaiser, and I hope you like what follows.
ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA: THE DOMINATOR/UNITED PLANETS COLD WAR: The early years of the thirty first century were a fraught time in intergalactic politics. The galactic balance of power was firstly upset by the KHUND BLOOD-PLAGUE (See: KHUND HAEMONECROSIS VIRUS), which suddenly broke out during CE 3008, startling the United Planets and Dominator Empire both. The Blood-Plague was almost ninety nine percent lethal, destroying Khund infrastructure and military capabilities and causing an influx of newly liberated former Khund periphery worlds into the United Planets. Unfortunately, too, the Dominator Empire took over much of the former Khund territories and as a consequence, the United Planets and Dominators now share a volatile border territory...
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES: BORDER PATROL: As a consequence of the onset of the heightened tensions between the United Planets and Dominators, a group of LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES members have volunteered to serve on the UP/Dominator border, intervening to keep the peace. These consist of the speedsters IMPULSE and XS (See: BART ALLEN: See: JENNI OGNATS), telepath TELLUS (See: HYKRAIUS), teleporter GATES and COMET QUEEN (See: GRAVA). From time to time, depending on UP needs, the Border Patrol is joined or supplemented by the LEGION ESPIONAGE SQUAD (See: REEP DAGGLE: See: YERA ALLON). Founded by CHAMELEON BOY, with his new role as Chief Executive of BRANDE INDUSTRIES, leadership has now fallen to his successor, CHAMELEON GIRL and INVISIBLE KID II. Although evidence is rudimentary, SHRINKING VIOLET, LIGHTNING LASS, PLANT LAD (See: CHLOROPHYLL KID), SORCERESS (See: WHITE WITCH), MULTIPLE WOMAN (See: LUORNO DURGO TAINE) and SENSOR WOMAN (See: HER MAJESTY QUEEN PROJECTRA OF ORANDO) and PHANTOM WOMAN have been rumoured to serve within this secretive group.
+++
NYRYTI PRIME: This otherwise uninhabited former Khund military base was especially hard hit by the Khund Blood-Plague, resulting in an especially virulent variant leading to one hundred percent casualties. Adjacent to the United Planets/Dominator border, the world is now under Dominator control as a forward surveillance base. However, given the extended scale of the Dominator Empire and logistical and supply routes, security and impregnability are hard to maintain.
As they crept forward, Chameleon Woman nodded to her Border Patrol colleagues: "Bart and Jenni, we need their perimeter surveillance nullified before we can infiltrate the base. Jacques, Tinya and Luornu, go with them. Salu, it'll be your job to take out the sensors. Ral, Ayla, Mysa, you have defensive capabilities. Grava and Gates, stand by for extraction if necessary. Tellus, monitor and intervene in any telepathic communication."
"Wow, she's good at this,' Bart Allen whispered to his cousin, Jenni, "almost in the same class as Batman or Nightwing back in the twentieth and twenty first centuries."
"She's had a lot of practice over the years. Reep trained her well and given Gim became Assistant Science Police Commissioner after he lost his expansion abilities, we don't have a problem with them over shared intel and jurisdiction. In any case, we need to focus on the mission at hand."
"No problem. Those nass-damned bastards murdered our parents, Jenni. I've wanted payback for that ever since."
As they prepared to slipstream in their wake, Luornu nodded to the younger Legionnaires: "I know what that's like. I've felt that way too ever since the Khunds widowed me and left me to bring up Lorne on my own. Unfortunately, then there was the Blood Plague and that empire of theirs fell apart like a badly constructed hologram."
"You're an excellent asset to the Legion, Bart and Jenni. And no-one blames you for wanting a piece of them." At times, Yera, Jacques and Tinya felt uneasy at the edginess of some of their colleagues. No-one blamed any of them for their respective animosities against their targets, given their arduous experiences, but Shrinking Violet, Lightning Lass, Sorceress, Multiple Woman and Impulse had all been hardened by them and now gave no quarter in combat. That was necessary sometimes, but their unwillingness to hold back led to some debates with the United Planets Senate and Science Police over the scope and precision of their missions. Yera nodded: "Operation green."
The Dominator Garrison on Nyryti Prime never knew what had hit them. At first, there was electromagnetic feedback and image instability at the perimeter of their base, followed rapidly by the collapse of their surveillance towers and particle beam weapon gantries. Worse still, equipment failure began to proliferate within the inner perimeter as well, and any attempt to respond to the sudden attack was thwarted by a sudden profusion of airborne allergenic pollen not previously known to infest the planet. And then, there were the hallucinations as beasts from their nightmares and unconsciousness, childhood terrors and other buried aspects of the Dominator psyche made themselves felt. Moreover, their weapons were jamming so they couldn't respond and the geography of the base layout had suddenly changed to something unfamiliar as precipices and gaping chasms opened beneath their feet and unearthly screams beset their equipment. And then, with an almighty crash, the Interrogation and Prisoner of War Compound erupted open and its United Planets spacers were free, amidst abnormally heavy electrical activity and scanner-clogging mist and pollen. Within five minutes, it was over and the base lay burning, its Dominator inhabitants forced to evacuate as their life support dome gave way under the assault that had overwhelmed the battalion. Well within the United Planets side of the border, a rapid-transit Legion starship momentarily appeared before it went to hyperwarp, headed for Earth and the United Planets core worlds.
HYPERSPACE:
"Oh, great..." Bart said coolly as he checked the holomail console.
"No way. Grandfather Barry's visiting the thirty-first century?!" Jenni gasped.
"You handle him, Jenni. I don't want anything to do with him."
"Come on, Bart. It was the Dominators who murdered our parents, not our grandfather."
"So why didn't he do anything to cancel it out? He was actually alive all that time. Yet he chose not to intervene. It's different with Grandma Iris. She was the one who helped bring me up. But Barry suddenly appears and behaves as if nothing happened in the interim period. Sorry, Jen. I came back uptime for a reason- to avoid him. And that's what I intend to do- choose a new mission as soon as I'm rested and relaxed."
From the navigation console, Luornu was listening into the conversation:
"Sympathies."
"Thanks, Luornu. You understand, don't you?"
"Definitely, Bart. I've felt the same way about the Khunds since they killed Chuck in the midst of a planetary evacuation. Only the Blood-Plague happened and I was cheated out of it. Now, I'm not going to lecture you about Barry Allen, but he was one of the foremost heroes of the twenty-first century. I'm sorry he wasn't there to prevent Don and Dawn's execution, but sometimes even heroes can't be everywhere and everywhen at once."
"It's not that simple, though. He can travel at lightspeed. He could have prevented it from happening, but that's impossible now. The Dominators have had time to hardshield that whole sequence so no-one can travel forward or backward to it. They were his children, for nass'sake! He was never there for them in life and he wasn't even there when they were killed in cold blood."
"Vengeance is a complex thing, Bart." Projectra observed.
"Yes, but at least you had the satisfaction of sending off that bastard Nemesis Kid for murdering Val, Projectra."
Projectra nodded: "It was the Dominators who slaughtered Don and Dawn Allen in cold blood, Bart. I've seen how that propels you. I know it broke your heart when you found out, but the absence of Barry Allen was a secondary factor. The primary cause was the Dominators and I agree- for that crime and so many more they must be made to pay."
Ayla looked up: "i know too, which is why I will never, ever forgive Mekt for his role in what happened on Orando. He played his part in the destruction of your happiness, Projectra."
"And Ayla, know that I admire you for your courage and valour, then and always."
"If I, or Salu, could bring Val back, Projectra, I would. Without hesitation."
"Or Blok. Or Jan, or Dirk, or Thom, or Berta, or Chuck, or...it seems like an endless line of corpses, stretching out to eternity." Mysa observed.
"I see you haven't opened the missive from Nura."
"And I think you can guess why, Ayla. It's going to be another lecture about how dark and threatening I've become. She still thinks I'm her innocent little sister. Doesn't being the High Seer of Naltor give her enough concern?"
Ayla nodded: "Garth never laid down the law when I became Lightning Lass again. Even though I'd toughened up considerably and I was edgier. I definitely changed my life so I can understand why you had to do the same after what Mordru did to you."
Salu came in from the vibroshower, in a robe and towelling down her hair:
"Except sometimes, you do forgive people. Yera has redeemed herself multiple times and saved our backs more times than I care to remember. And I agree with what you said about primary responsibilities and incidental blame. I haven't seen Ord for years. On the other hand, Brin moved on from Ayla, fell for Averil and the two of them are perfect together."
Jenni smiled: "I think the mission's taken it out of Bart. I'm glad he's having a rest- that was a serious mission. I'll wake him up when we make Earth orbit so he can avoid grandpa..."
EARTHPORT, METROPOLIS:
As the Legionnaires disembarked, Bart and Mysa stayed at the back, but Nura and Barry Allen spotted them anyway:
"Bart!"
"Grandfather. I was wondering when you'd pay a visit."
"Look, I know I haven't been around uptime for a while, but-"
"No, sorry. You weren't there when Don and Dawn, your children and my dad and aunt, were murdered by the Dominators. Grandma Iris was the one who brought me up and evacuated me to the twentieth century when it looked as if the Dominators were on our trail. You were gone for years. And frankly, I realised I belong in this century, with my cousin. Grandma Iris is free to visit any time she wants- I owe her my life. But you..."
"Was it really necessary to leave the twenty first century so abruptly?"
"As I said, my Flash was Wally West, who at least treated me like family. You've got his kids to succeed to the family business when they're old enough. Not me. I don't belong there."
"Damn it, Bart. You're not making this any easier."
"No, I'm not. I hope you have a pleasant trip back to the twenty first century, but I have debriefing work to do now. So long." Impulse strode off, leaving a bewildered and saddened Flash in his wake.
Several metres away, Nura's conversation with Mysa wasn't going any better:
"Mysa...? Please, don't walk away."
"What is it, Nura? I'm busy."
"Look, I'm sorry I wasn't there when Mordru tortured you. I'll never forgive myself for what you had to endure because I couldn't leave Naltor at the time, but-"
"Nura. I am no longer your pleasant-natured 'little sister,' the compliant and benign "White Witch." That phase of my life ended with my innocence."
"Mysa, I'm worried about you. With Thom dead, you're the only link I have with the past-"
"The past is dead and gone. You're Grand Seer of Naltor and have a world to govern. I am sorry about what happened to Thom. He was a good and brave man and I miss him too. You haven't mentioned Blok, incidentally."
"Your loss is as significant as mine. I hated what Roxxas did to him. He didn't deserve to die that way. Would he have wanted to see what you've become, Mysa? Can you honestly say that?"
"Oh, so that's it. This is a lofty moralistic lecture from someone who knows nothing of what I went through because she hasn't experienced it. And who disapproves of what I did to Mordru when I caught up with him."
"Mysa, can't we at least be civil about this?"
"I'm sorry you had a wasted journey, Nura. But you have diplomatic needs to pursue at the United Planets Legislature, I'm sure and I have a Border Patrol debriefing to attend. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
"Mysa..." But her sister's entreaties were ignored as the Sorceress left the Grand Seer of Naltor standing alone on the Legion starship tarmac and egress port.
DEEP SPACE:
Around the immensity of the Cygnus X-1 black hole, an inertron casket drifted through the endless void. And then, unexpectedly, a miracle happened. Within it, the shrivelled cadaver began to fill out as it gained flesh and fat and internal organs returned to life, pumping blood and circulating hormones around it. A minute later, its heart began to beat again, at first tentatively and then with increasing resilience and purpose. An instant later, the figure within the casket began to breathe. Then he realised that he had irrevocably changed, that his body reverberated with power and unaccustomed strength. Transition though the event horizon of the Cygnus X-1 black hole had irrevocably altered his body and he suddenly became aware of the subatomic black holes that permeated his body. Tenzil Kem gathered a ball of atmosphere around himself and soundlessly, the casket broke apart. He gazed at the sky above him, realising where he was and catching sight of the distant Sol and its retinue of planets as he began to journey toward them. Toward the Legion of Super Heroes and his adopted homeworld.
LSH EARTHBASE, METROPOLIS:
The Legion's Recruitment Committee had convened in their old headquarters, ready to assess the worthiness or otherwise of potential new members. With the loss of Sun Boy, Star Boy, Element Lad, Nightwind, Blok and so many others over recent years, it was time to replenish their numbers. Cosmic Boy cleared his throat:
"Right, I think we agree that Wormholer already duplicates the powers that Gates has and thus is ineligible, and that we urgently need a United Planet based applicant now that Saturn Woman's responsibilities with the Academy leave her less time for active duty except in emergency circumstances. Applicant, name and abilities?"
"Psi Lad. Aeven Dvei, telepath, trained at the Titan Science Police Academy. I also have strong telekinetic abilities. Yes, I know I'm young, but I've already had experience on active Science Police duty. Commissioner Cusimano vouched for me, as you can see from my references."
Rokk nodded at his Recruitment Committee colleagues, Lightning Lad, Mon-El and Multiplicity:
"I think we can waive the usual probationary period in your case, Psi Lad. Congratulations. You're our new Central Worlds Legionnaire telepath."
"I'd like to study at the Academy, though, Mr Krinn. I know I could learn a lot from Ms Ardeen-Ranzz, given her extent of public service and experience."
"As the aforementioned Imra's better half, I like your attitude, kid." Lightning Lad grinned as he shook hands with Psi Lad.
"With Wormholer eliminated...hey, aren't you Renkil Kem? Matter-Eater Lad's younger brother?"
Renkil nodded: "I'm here to follow my late brother's example. The Legion needs a hypervore because we can ingest all forms of matter and energy with no ill effect and because..."
"Because you tried to kill me, Ren?" The voice came from a hovering form high above them and Mon-El accelerated into the sky to meet the potential threat:
"Tenz? But...Renkil here told us you'd been killed in a Separatist AI attack on your passenger vessel."
"My little brother was lying. Because he was the one who sabotaged the craft, then moved in to seal me inside a skycasket and set my body adrift."
"Lies! Look, Tenz, I'm just as happy to see you as the others, alive after all this time, but..."
Renkil broke off as Psi Lad shook his head:
"Tenzii Kem's story is the authentic one. Renkil here is lying."
"Get out of my mind, you..."
"He's lying because he is also a deep cover member of the Legion of Super Villains. Aren't you, "Hypervore?"
His facade broken, Renkil Kem tried to run from the aborted membership tryout session that had suddenly turned on him. And then, his brother turned his angry, impossibly red, pupilless eyes on his quaking, duplicitous sibling.
"Renkil Kem, you tried to kill me. With due apologies to Mon-El, there's one place where he belongs for attempted murder and one place alone. Say goodbye to the material world for the next ten years, little brother." And with that, Tenzil Kem's eyes shone a blinding white as his brother screamed- and then vanished into the Kryptonian penal dimension known as the Phantom Zone.
In the sudden silence, Mon-El said: "Look, while Superboy sent me there to save my life, I think you were justified in what you just did. Would you consider rejoining us. Tenz? It's good to see you alive and well after all this time."
"Of course. That's the other reason I came here. Only, as you can see, "Matter Eater Lad" isn't an accurate description of my abilities anymore. From now on, I prefer to be known as ...Black Hole Lad."
THE END:
NEXT LSH STORY: CRISIS IN LIMBO
ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA: THE DOMINATOR/UNITED PLANETS COLD WAR: The early years of the thirty first century were a fraught time in intergalactic politics. The galactic balance of power was firstly upset by the KHUND BLOOD-PLAGUE (See: KHUND HAEMONECROSIS VIRUS), which suddenly broke out during CE 3008, startling the United Planets and Dominator Empire both. The Blood-Plague was almost ninety nine percent lethal, destroying Khund infrastructure and military capabilities and causing an influx of newly liberated former Khund periphery worlds into the United Planets. Unfortunately, too, the Dominator Empire took over much of the former Khund territories and as a consequence, the United Planets and Dominators now share a volatile border territory...
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES: BORDER PATROL: As a consequence of the onset of the heightened tensions between the United Planets and Dominators, a group of LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES members have volunteered to serve on the UP/Dominator border, intervening to keep the peace. These consist of the speedsters IMPULSE and XS (See: BART ALLEN: See: JENNI OGNATS), telepath TELLUS (See: HYKRAIUS), teleporter GATES and COMET QUEEN (See: GRAVA). From time to time, depending on UP needs, the Border Patrol is joined or supplemented by the LEGION ESPIONAGE SQUAD (See: REEP DAGGLE: See: YERA ALLON). Founded by CHAMELEON BOY, with his new role as Chief Executive of BRANDE INDUSTRIES, leadership has now fallen to his successor, CHAMELEON GIRL and INVISIBLE KID II. Although evidence is rudimentary, SHRINKING VIOLET, LIGHTNING LASS, PLANT LAD (See: CHLOROPHYLL KID), SORCERESS (See: WHITE WITCH), MULTIPLE WOMAN (See: LUORNO DURGO TAINE) and SENSOR WOMAN (See: HER MAJESTY QUEEN PROJECTRA OF ORANDO) and PHANTOM WOMAN have been rumoured to serve within this secretive group.
+++
NYRYTI PRIME: This otherwise uninhabited former Khund military base was especially hard hit by the Khund Blood-Plague, resulting in an especially virulent variant leading to one hundred percent casualties. Adjacent to the United Planets/Dominator border, the world is now under Dominator control as a forward surveillance base. However, given the extended scale of the Dominator Empire and logistical and supply routes, security and impregnability are hard to maintain.
As they crept forward, Chameleon Woman nodded to her Border Patrol colleagues: "Bart and Jenni, we need their perimeter surveillance nullified before we can infiltrate the base. Jacques, Tinya and Luornu, go with them. Salu, it'll be your job to take out the sensors. Ral, Ayla, Mysa, you have defensive capabilities. Grava and Gates, stand by for extraction if necessary. Tellus, monitor and intervene in any telepathic communication."
"Wow, she's good at this,' Bart Allen whispered to his cousin, Jenni, "almost in the same class as Batman or Nightwing back in the twentieth and twenty first centuries."
"She's had a lot of practice over the years. Reep trained her well and given Gim became Assistant Science Police Commissioner after he lost his expansion abilities, we don't have a problem with them over shared intel and jurisdiction. In any case, we need to focus on the mission at hand."
"No problem. Those nass-damned bastards murdered our parents, Jenni. I've wanted payback for that ever since."
As they prepared to slipstream in their wake, Luornu nodded to the younger Legionnaires: "I know what that's like. I've felt that way too ever since the Khunds widowed me and left me to bring up Lorne on my own. Unfortunately, then there was the Blood Plague and that empire of theirs fell apart like a badly constructed hologram."
"You're an excellent asset to the Legion, Bart and Jenni. And no-one blames you for wanting a piece of them." At times, Yera, Jacques and Tinya felt uneasy at the edginess of some of their colleagues. No-one blamed any of them for their respective animosities against their targets, given their arduous experiences, but Shrinking Violet, Lightning Lass, Sorceress, Multiple Woman and Impulse had all been hardened by them and now gave no quarter in combat. That was necessary sometimes, but their unwillingness to hold back led to some debates with the United Planets Senate and Science Police over the scope and precision of their missions. Yera nodded: "Operation green."
The Dominator Garrison on Nyryti Prime never knew what had hit them. At first, there was electromagnetic feedback and image instability at the perimeter of their base, followed rapidly by the collapse of their surveillance towers and particle beam weapon gantries. Worse still, equipment failure began to proliferate within the inner perimeter as well, and any attempt to respond to the sudden attack was thwarted by a sudden profusion of airborne allergenic pollen not previously known to infest the planet. And then, there were the hallucinations as beasts from their nightmares and unconsciousness, childhood terrors and other buried aspects of the Dominator psyche made themselves felt. Moreover, their weapons were jamming so they couldn't respond and the geography of the base layout had suddenly changed to something unfamiliar as precipices and gaping chasms opened beneath their feet and unearthly screams beset their equipment. And then, with an almighty crash, the Interrogation and Prisoner of War Compound erupted open and its United Planets spacers were free, amidst abnormally heavy electrical activity and scanner-clogging mist and pollen. Within five minutes, it was over and the base lay burning, its Dominator inhabitants forced to evacuate as their life support dome gave way under the assault that had overwhelmed the battalion. Well within the United Planets side of the border, a rapid-transit Legion starship momentarily appeared before it went to hyperwarp, headed for Earth and the United Planets core worlds.
HYPERSPACE:
"Oh, great..." Bart said coolly as he checked the holomail console.
"No way. Grandfather Barry's visiting the thirty-first century?!" Jenni gasped.
"You handle him, Jenni. I don't want anything to do with him."
"Come on, Bart. It was the Dominators who murdered our parents, not our grandfather."
"So why didn't he do anything to cancel it out? He was actually alive all that time. Yet he chose not to intervene. It's different with Grandma Iris. She was the one who helped bring me up. But Barry suddenly appears and behaves as if nothing happened in the interim period. Sorry, Jen. I came back uptime for a reason- to avoid him. And that's what I intend to do- choose a new mission as soon as I'm rested and relaxed."
From the navigation console, Luornu was listening into the conversation:
"Sympathies."
"Thanks, Luornu. You understand, don't you?"
"Definitely, Bart. I've felt the same way about the Khunds since they killed Chuck in the midst of a planetary evacuation. Only the Blood-Plague happened and I was cheated out of it. Now, I'm not going to lecture you about Barry Allen, but he was one of the foremost heroes of the twenty-first century. I'm sorry he wasn't there to prevent Don and Dawn's execution, but sometimes even heroes can't be everywhere and everywhen at once."
"It's not that simple, though. He can travel at lightspeed. He could have prevented it from happening, but that's impossible now. The Dominators have had time to hardshield that whole sequence so no-one can travel forward or backward to it. They were his children, for nass'sake! He was never there for them in life and he wasn't even there when they were killed in cold blood."
"Vengeance is a complex thing, Bart." Projectra observed.
"Yes, but at least you had the satisfaction of sending off that bastard Nemesis Kid for murdering Val, Projectra."
Projectra nodded: "It was the Dominators who slaughtered Don and Dawn Allen in cold blood, Bart. I've seen how that propels you. I know it broke your heart when you found out, but the absence of Barry Allen was a secondary factor. The primary cause was the Dominators and I agree- for that crime and so many more they must be made to pay."
Ayla looked up: "i know too, which is why I will never, ever forgive Mekt for his role in what happened on Orando. He played his part in the destruction of your happiness, Projectra."
"And Ayla, know that I admire you for your courage and valour, then and always."
"If I, or Salu, could bring Val back, Projectra, I would. Without hesitation."
"Or Blok. Or Jan, or Dirk, or Thom, or Berta, or Chuck, or...it seems like an endless line of corpses, stretching out to eternity." Mysa observed.
"I see you haven't opened the missive from Nura."
"And I think you can guess why, Ayla. It's going to be another lecture about how dark and threatening I've become. She still thinks I'm her innocent little sister. Doesn't being the High Seer of Naltor give her enough concern?"
Ayla nodded: "Garth never laid down the law when I became Lightning Lass again. Even though I'd toughened up considerably and I was edgier. I definitely changed my life so I can understand why you had to do the same after what Mordru did to you."
Salu came in from the vibroshower, in a robe and towelling down her hair:
"Except sometimes, you do forgive people. Yera has redeemed herself multiple times and saved our backs more times than I care to remember. And I agree with what you said about primary responsibilities and incidental blame. I haven't seen Ord for years. On the other hand, Brin moved on from Ayla, fell for Averil and the two of them are perfect together."
Jenni smiled: "I think the mission's taken it out of Bart. I'm glad he's having a rest- that was a serious mission. I'll wake him up when we make Earth orbit so he can avoid grandpa..."
EARTHPORT, METROPOLIS:
As the Legionnaires disembarked, Bart and Mysa stayed at the back, but Nura and Barry Allen spotted them anyway:
"Bart!"
"Grandfather. I was wondering when you'd pay a visit."
"Look, I know I haven't been around uptime for a while, but-"
"No, sorry. You weren't there when Don and Dawn, your children and my dad and aunt, were murdered by the Dominators. Grandma Iris was the one who brought me up and evacuated me to the twentieth century when it looked as if the Dominators were on our trail. You were gone for years. And frankly, I realised I belong in this century, with my cousin. Grandma Iris is free to visit any time she wants- I owe her my life. But you..."
"Was it really necessary to leave the twenty first century so abruptly?"
"As I said, my Flash was Wally West, who at least treated me like family. You've got his kids to succeed to the family business when they're old enough. Not me. I don't belong there."
"Damn it, Bart. You're not making this any easier."
"No, I'm not. I hope you have a pleasant trip back to the twenty first century, but I have debriefing work to do now. So long." Impulse strode off, leaving a bewildered and saddened Flash in his wake.
Several metres away, Nura's conversation with Mysa wasn't going any better:
"Mysa...? Please, don't walk away."
"What is it, Nura? I'm busy."
"Look, I'm sorry I wasn't there when Mordru tortured you. I'll never forgive myself for what you had to endure because I couldn't leave Naltor at the time, but-"
"Nura. I am no longer your pleasant-natured 'little sister,' the compliant and benign "White Witch." That phase of my life ended with my innocence."
"Mysa, I'm worried about you. With Thom dead, you're the only link I have with the past-"
"The past is dead and gone. You're Grand Seer of Naltor and have a world to govern. I am sorry about what happened to Thom. He was a good and brave man and I miss him too. You haven't mentioned Blok, incidentally."
"Your loss is as significant as mine. I hated what Roxxas did to him. He didn't deserve to die that way. Would he have wanted to see what you've become, Mysa? Can you honestly say that?"
"Oh, so that's it. This is a lofty moralistic lecture from someone who knows nothing of what I went through because she hasn't experienced it. And who disapproves of what I did to Mordru when I caught up with him."
"Mysa, can't we at least be civil about this?"
"I'm sorry you had a wasted journey, Nura. But you have diplomatic needs to pursue at the United Planets Legislature, I'm sure and I have a Border Patrol debriefing to attend. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
"Mysa..." But her sister's entreaties were ignored as the Sorceress left the Grand Seer of Naltor standing alone on the Legion starship tarmac and egress port.
DEEP SPACE:
Around the immensity of the Cygnus X-1 black hole, an inertron casket drifted through the endless void. And then, unexpectedly, a miracle happened. Within it, the shrivelled cadaver began to fill out as it gained flesh and fat and internal organs returned to life, pumping blood and circulating hormones around it. A minute later, its heart began to beat again, at first tentatively and then with increasing resilience and purpose. An instant later, the figure within the casket began to breathe. Then he realised that he had irrevocably changed, that his body reverberated with power and unaccustomed strength. Transition though the event horizon of the Cygnus X-1 black hole had irrevocably altered his body and he suddenly became aware of the subatomic black holes that permeated his body. Tenzil Kem gathered a ball of atmosphere around himself and soundlessly, the casket broke apart. He gazed at the sky above him, realising where he was and catching sight of the distant Sol and its retinue of planets as he began to journey toward them. Toward the Legion of Super Heroes and his adopted homeworld.
LSH EARTHBASE, METROPOLIS:
The Legion's Recruitment Committee had convened in their old headquarters, ready to assess the worthiness or otherwise of potential new members. With the loss of Sun Boy, Star Boy, Element Lad, Nightwind, Blok and so many others over recent years, it was time to replenish their numbers. Cosmic Boy cleared his throat:
"Right, I think we agree that Wormholer already duplicates the powers that Gates has and thus is ineligible, and that we urgently need a United Planet based applicant now that Saturn Woman's responsibilities with the Academy leave her less time for active duty except in emergency circumstances. Applicant, name and abilities?"
"Psi Lad. Aeven Dvei, telepath, trained at the Titan Science Police Academy. I also have strong telekinetic abilities. Yes, I know I'm young, but I've already had experience on active Science Police duty. Commissioner Cusimano vouched for me, as you can see from my references."
Rokk nodded at his Recruitment Committee colleagues, Lightning Lad, Mon-El and Multiplicity:
"I think we can waive the usual probationary period in your case, Psi Lad. Congratulations. You're our new Central Worlds Legionnaire telepath."
"I'd like to study at the Academy, though, Mr Krinn. I know I could learn a lot from Ms Ardeen-Ranzz, given her extent of public service and experience."
"As the aforementioned Imra's better half, I like your attitude, kid." Lightning Lad grinned as he shook hands with Psi Lad.
"With Wormholer eliminated...hey, aren't you Renkil Kem? Matter-Eater Lad's younger brother?"
Renkil nodded: "I'm here to follow my late brother's example. The Legion needs a hypervore because we can ingest all forms of matter and energy with no ill effect and because..."
"Because you tried to kill me, Ren?" The voice came from a hovering form high above them and Mon-El accelerated into the sky to meet the potential threat:
"Tenz? But...Renkil here told us you'd been killed in a Separatist AI attack on your passenger vessel."
"My little brother was lying. Because he was the one who sabotaged the craft, then moved in to seal me inside a skycasket and set my body adrift."
"Lies! Look, Tenz, I'm just as happy to see you as the others, alive after all this time, but..."
Renkil broke off as Psi Lad shook his head:
"Tenzii Kem's story is the authentic one. Renkil here is lying."
"Get out of my mind, you..."
"He's lying because he is also a deep cover member of the Legion of Super Villains. Aren't you, "Hypervore?"
His facade broken, Renkil Kem tried to run from the aborted membership tryout session that had suddenly turned on him. And then, his brother turned his angry, impossibly red, pupilless eyes on his quaking, duplicitous sibling.
"Renkil Kem, you tried to kill me. With due apologies to Mon-El, there's one place where he belongs for attempted murder and one place alone. Say goodbye to the material world for the next ten years, little brother." And with that, Tenzil Kem's eyes shone a blinding white as his brother screamed- and then vanished into the Kryptonian penal dimension known as the Phantom Zone.
In the sudden silence, Mon-El said: "Look, while Superboy sent me there to save my life, I think you were justified in what you just did. Would you consider rejoining us. Tenz? It's good to see you alive and well after all this time."
"Of course. That's the other reason I came here. Only, as you can see, "Matter Eater Lad" isn't an accurate description of my abilities anymore. From now on, I prefer to be known as ...Black Hole Lad."
THE END:
NEXT LSH STORY: CRISIS IN LIMBO