Post by redsycorax on Feb 3, 2022 22:54:22 GMT
On Earth-500, some familiarly named superheroes have some interesting twists- the Atom (Raimundo Ramirez) is gay, Aquaman is not as humanoid as he is on other alternate Earths, Batman is married to Selina Kyle, Dick Grayson is his natural son and he has other children, The Flash (Tanaka Rei) is Asian-American, Green Lantern is Jose Hernandez, a Brazilian air force fighter pilot, Green Arrow is Oliver Two Feathers, a Native American, Hawkboy and Hawkgirl are Kat and Shay Hol, two teenage refugees from the repressive planet Thanagar, Superman and Supergirl are man and wife from Vathlo, Krypton, the Martian Manhunter is less humanoid than on some other alternate Earths, Captain Thunder is one of the world's mightiest humans, and Wonder Woman is Eurasian. On this world, Franklin D. Roosevelt's long-term survival and working with Philip Randolph ensured civil rights legislation passed in the forties, two decades before it did in many other timelines. As a result, the United States got its first African-American president in 1968, a preacher named Martin Luther King, while its first woman, Bella Abzug, was elected in 1980, and its first gay man, a guy named Harvey Milk, in 1990. The result is a more multicultural society and metahuman law enforcement agency... however, there are some other differences that are less savoury:
CENTRAL CITY:
"Stop struggling, Dibny, you'll only make matters worse."
"The hell I will, speedster! I won't give up that easily."
Tanaka Rei sighed to himself. He wouldn't get home by nightfall, that much was probable. And of course, Ralph Dibny, Elastiman from his rogues gallery, just had to pick today to rob the First Central Bank. Unfortunately, and literally, Dibny's ductility made him a difficult opponent to subdue:
"Olá, amiga Need some help?"
"Green Lantern! Yes, much appreciated..." And so saying, the Brazilian-born Emerald Warrior swiftly lowered the temperature around Elastiman so he became unable to stretch out the proceedings:
"So who's this, then?"
"Ralph Dibny, Elastiman, one of my rogues. They crop up more or less regularly here in Central City."
"Ah. Perhaps I will accumulate such enemies in the course of my career too." Green Lantern marshalled the struggling and chilled Dibny into a refrigerated Central City police vehicle, which bore him off to prison as the two Justice Alliance colleagues caught up with one another.
"Honey? Yeah, Jose helped me out apprehending Elastiman, so I think I owe him a meal."
"Thanks, amigo. I love your wife Hoshi's cooking!"
BATSON CITY:
Meanwhile, several hundred kilometres away, newsboy Willie Fawcett was busily delivering papers- that was, until annoyingly familiar batlike figure flapped overhead. Dumping his remaining papers in their delivery box, Willie ducked into an alleyway and spoke his magic word "Thunder"- which led to a flash of supernatural lightning. And as had happened ever since Willie found Merokee, the shaman and last member of the Mohegan Nation, he acquired the abilities of the tornado, hair, uncas, nature, diamond, eagle and ram and became the one of the mightiest mortals on Earth-500- Captain Thunder. From the alleyway, up flew the hero, intent on encountering his Monster League adversary: "Atropula?! I thought you were permanently banished to one of the 1953 dimensions of space and time. It's literally been years."
"I see your memory is undimmed, Thunder. And you even have a new world that we can conquer."
"Not if I have anything to do with it, buster. Incidentally, where are Victorstein, Lykaios and Akhenuton?"
"Unfortunately, Lykaios died from argentotoxosis due to a fanatical werewolf hunter, Victorstein fell victim to an ice-bound alternate Earth and Akhenuton retired to his pyramid to recharge his energies. So that leaves me. And I am more than a match for- awrkkk!!!" The boastful vampire was felled by a beam of strong ultraviolet light from below as a wavy haired woman in a cape and complimentary outfit rose to shake hands with him:
"Captain Thunder? It's an honour."
"Hey, thanks for dealing with that pest. Atropula is more a nuisance than anything else, but he might get desperate and try to feed on baseline humans and I couldn't tolerate that. And you are...?"
"You might as well call me Ultra Violet. I have metamorphic abilities and I can reshape myself into anything I imagine. Initially, I used it in my romantic relationships but then I realised that with great power comes great responsibility and when I became aware that my abilities included an accompanying power set as well, I decided to fight crime. "
"I see. Would you be interested in Justice Alliance membership?"
"Oh wow! Wonder Woman, Supergirl and the others? I've hero worshipped them since I was a child!"
"Then come with me. We're always looking for new recruits."
METROPOLITA:
"Uhhhh!" Batman was waylaid by a powerful concentrated burst of sound as Robin gestured to him and Supergirl flew forward:
"Dad! Are you okay?"
"I'm...fine, Dick. Must be slipping. I forgot to put in my earguards when I was suiting up this morning."
Supergirl frowned: "Black Banshee?! What are you doing in Metropolita?"
The blonde-haired, masked motorcycle suited woman snarled at her Kryptonian adversary:
"Butt out, Kryptonian. I was concentrating my attention on Bats over there. He's disrupted my last attempted heist."
"This is going to be very one sided. Your sonic pulse abilities can't affect me and I'm not bound by gender restrictions the way the guys are when it comes to taking you down. So nighty-night." And with a light tap to the chin, the sound wielding supervillainess collapsed onto the ground.
"Thanks, Kara. Good to see you."
"Bruce, I thought Dick was off to Hudson? Wasn't Helena supposed to be replacing him as your new Robin?"
Robin smiled: "Yep. This is my last outing as the "Teen Wonder," though. Everything's packed at Wayne Manor ready for shipping off to my new dorm room. And you know my oldest sister- she's champing at the bit to become the new Robin. It's hard to keep her in check, but Dad's trained her well."
"What does Selina feel about it?"
"She's proud of her."
"So what brings you fellows to Metropolita?"
"Business, I'm afraid. We're investigating a sudden upsurge in co-ordinated hostile metahuman onslaughts."
"You're telling me. First Dita Rance over there, Tanaka told me that he and Jose tangled with his rogues gallery member Elastiman in Central City earlier today and Willie just radioed in with a story about an old enemy of his from his Earth-964 days, Duke Atropula. Oh- and he met a new superheroine, who's agreed to try out for Alliance membership."
"Excellent news, Kara. We badly need reinforcements. So who is this woman?"
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
"Is that who I think it is?" Tanaka Rei said as he accelerated toward the cloaked JAA entry tube to their undersea headquarters.
"If that's the Witch Satanna, yes it is. I may be a novice compared to the rest of you companeros, but she and I have crossed swords before."
"What are you doing here, sorceress?"
Wind whipping around her features and malevolently held aloft by eldritch forces, the darkmage scowled at the two heroes:
"Don't play games with me, speedster and don't insult my intelligence. I know your headquarters is around here somewhere."
"Why are you assuming that, witch? Your enchantments aren't powerful enough to challenge the wards we've placed around it. By a far more powerful mage than you are."
"Enough facile word games, Green Lantern. You may have had help last time, but you're the least experienced of you do-gooders and you got lucky last time."
"If the JAA headquarters is around here, what makes you assume that our other members aren't in the vicinity as well?"
"I'm not stupid. I know enough ancient Green Martian magick to protectively ward myself against the Manhunter's invisibility and interdimensional entry and egress skills and I'm more than a match for the medieval arsenal that those Thanagarian brats wield. And both of the Kryptonians are vulnerable to magic. As for the Amazon, she's away in her precious Themiscyra repelling a Valkyrie invasion, so I don't have to face her."
"Sounds fairly complete, Sat. Of course, you don't have a complete membership list." Captain Thunder, Superman, Supergirl (and Ultra Violet, shielded) had arrived in the interim:
"Come off it, Thunder. I know your pathetic magic word and I can reverse it- and challenge Aquaman's marine mastery, come to that. I'm flattered that so many of you have turned up to confront me. Which does raise some interesting questions about...oh. Who's this?" Ultra Violet had metamorphed again and her violet eyes were fixed on the darkmage, who felt uneasy as her magicks tried to assess and prepare wards against the newcomer and...
Failed.
"Who the hell-?" Ultra Violet shot forward and broke her wards as if they were gossamer or tissue paper. Before she could do anything to recover, Satanna was knocked out by a punch. As the Flash prepared a vortex to insure the sorceress didn't drown while unconscious, there was applause from the assembled JAA members:
"Okay, consider yourself to have passed your membership trial, UV. You're officially in! Congratulations, Alliancer!"
Ultra Violet grinned, but then pointed to the horizon: "Hey, were you expecting anyone else?"
Superman frowned: "Hey, Willie- she's dressed like you. Willie?" But Captain Thunder was busily heading toward the distant falling figure, intent on reaching her before she reached the ocean surface. And there was a reason for his urgency. As Superman and Supergirl caught up with him, Kara asked:
"Willie, what is it? We've never seen you like this."
"I...thought she was dead, Mom. I never thought I'd see her again."
"Who is she? Why is she dressed like you?" As Willie caught the prone figure, they saw the family resemblance to Willie almost immediately, despite the fact that this was a young black woman:
"Mom, Dad? Meet my sister, Lightning Girl, Isabella Fawcett."
"So she has the same abilities that you do? And she's another survivor of Earth-964?"
Willie nodded: "Strictly speaking, Bella is my stepsister, but when I couldn't find her when I returned to find all life on Earth-964 destroyed after its nuclear war left it a dead planet, I assumed that she must have tried to stop the nuclear war and died in the process. But...this is a miracle."
"She's breathing at least and there's no brain damage that I can see with my x-ray vision. Although there are signs of interspatial transit particles around her. Your Earth's nuclear war must have knocked her into bleedspace."
"But...but...why didn't we know about her survival before this? Where has she been all this time?"
JAA SEABASE:
"W-Willie? Where am I...you're alive! Oh, thank god! Where have you been all these years?"
Willie embraced his half-sister: "Chasing the Monster League of Evil across dimensions, but they activated a temporal displacement effect. When I returned to our Earth, it was eleven years later and our world's inhabitants had been wholly destroyed and I couldn't find you anywhere. I thought you'd perished trying to end the ICBM exchange."
Bella got up groggily, then wished she hadn't done so:
"I thought I was going to die too, when I didn't get to the Arnoldstown ICBM before it detonated. But a spacefaring being of some sort saved me. It enveloped me in its limbs, lulled me to sleep and then I woke up here."
Superman nodded: "Spacewhales. Actually, they're not related even remotely to our cetaceans but they fill an analogous interstellar ecological niche. Willie here told us that you had a Justice "League" on your Earth, so perhaps you recognise us?"
Lightning Girl nodded: "Uh, okay. You clearly have an Atom... that must be Aquaman...Batman and Robin... J'Onn J'Onnz...Flash...Green Arrow...Green Lantern...Superman...Superwoman...Wonder Woman...and I'm sorry, but I don't know your name...?"
"Ultra Violet. Hey, she recognised virtually all of the Alliance."
"We're Kator and Shayera Hol, Hawkboy and Hawkgirl."
"I see there are some differences on this...alternate Earth. Not complaining though. So how did you end up here, Willie?"
"Another alternate Green Lantern and Supergirl found me and the JAA took me in. Kalel and Kara here are husband and wife and they adopted me."
"And we'd certainly be proud to have an adopted daughter as well, Bella, if you want to think about it?"
"Yes! Oh, yes! I can vaguely remember the spacewhale being caught in a singularity so that must be how I ended up here, in your new adopted universe, Willie. I imagine Merokee must have manoveured my descent so I could end up here with you."
But then, any remaining moments of celebration were broken when a hideous protoplasmic blob appeared on the main JAA operation room viewscreen:
"Captain Thunder, you coward! Come out and face me."
Lightning Girl blinked and held her hand to her mouth: "Willie? Is that..."
He nodded: "After all these years."
Supergirl frowned: "I thought we'd imprisoned him in another alternate universe after his last conflict with you..."
SANDWICH ISLANDS: OAHU:
Some alternate Earths have small divergences from the datum. On some alternate Earths, China settled the Hawaiian island chain. In others, it was Japan. In others, it is still an independent Polynesian monarchy. In still others, it was annexed to the United States, governed as a territory and then incorporated as its fiftieth state. And on Earth-500, it was the United Kingdom that proved the imperial power in question, naming the archipelago the Sandwich Islands. Like many other Polynesian nations, it has a Governor General, an independent Prime Minister and Parliament and plays cricket in the spring and summer and rugby union in the autumn and winter.
On the slopes of Mauna Kea, an ungainly shape pulsated and secreted unpalatable substances. It fixed a malevolent regard on the heroes of the Justice Alliance as they set foot on the slope of the volcano. Captain Thunder stepped forward. "Atticus. Atticus Morbida. I suppose it's redundant, but... you've changed."
"How is any of this possible? He's supposed to be securely imprisoned on a lifeless alternate Earth."
And Morbida remembered: "Earth 92,771. This Earth never developed life. While residents of a former technologically advanced alternate universe spanning empire built dwellings there to relieve population stress and overcrowding, that Earth ascended to Singularity status and left them vacant. They are hermetically sealed and have atmosphere generators but you will be unable to venture outside without a spacesuit. The house has access to cultural records and numerous scientific databases. No alien civilisations exist within an eight thousand light year radius. You will live there in solitary confinement for the rest of your life." Destiny of the Endless had spoken those ominous sepulchural words, and for seventy years, it had seemed that Morbida would indeed die there, albeit in relative comfort and with his basic needs met, apart from human company. However, one day, near the end of his natural life, a nonhominid alternate Earth species materialised on the desolate, silent world, intending to colonise it. When it encountered Atticus Morbida, the Construit alternate Earthers offered to readjust his physiology, but Morbida tricked them and slaughtered them all, using their transmatter device to locate and transport himself to the adopted Earth of his nemesis, Captain Thunder.
"What happened to you?"
"I finally decided to abandon any vestige of human limitations and had my anatomy reconfigured. With some advantages over you, this time."
Supergirl nodded: "That must explain the bacteria and viruses in that saclike organ. We can't go near it, Kal. Morbida has generated some Virus X particles in there. If they hit us, we'd die from it."
"Yes. And as you Kryptonians can also see, I have hyperbotulinic plague bacteria percolating within there as well. Unless you cede me total domination of this planet, I will release them all into its planetary atmosphere. How does it feel to be powerless, "Justice" Alliance?"
Captain Thunder looked at Lightning Girl:
"We can't do it, Willie. We're supposed to have a code against it."
"He's threatening all life on this world, Bella. We have a duty to protect all sapient life here. And this time, there's no other way out."
"Why is he doing this? He was bad before, but this? No, you're right. Things are different this time. Come on, let's do this before I change my mind." And with that, Captain Thunder and Lightning Girl accelerated forward and grabbed Atticus Morbida's post-human form by its tentacles, soaring into the sky, their JAA polymer spacesuits activating as they entered the vacuum of near-Earth orbit. There, they flung Atticus Morbida sunwards. With a keening, wailing scream, the unbelieving abject parody of humanity hurtled through space and into the fiery embrace of the life-giving sun, flaming into oblivion as he did so.
Back on Oahu, after Jose had used his power ring and Superman and Supergirl had used their microscopic vision to scan for any residual toxic bacterial or viral particles and found none whatsoever, Bella Fawcett said her magic word: "Lightning!" In place of the heroic woman stood a young girl. Willie Fawcett had already reversed his transformation and Captain Thunder was in spatial abeyance until he was next needed. Willie hugged his half-sister and then the couple ran into the welcoming arms of their new adoptive parents.
EPILOGUE:
In a satellite high above, the sole unimprisoned member of the self-proclaimed "Injustice League" bided his time. Soon, though, the Justice Alliance would learn to fear the name of ... Mr. Apocalypse.
THE END
CENTRAL CITY:
"Stop struggling, Dibny, you'll only make matters worse."
"The hell I will, speedster! I won't give up that easily."
Tanaka Rei sighed to himself. He wouldn't get home by nightfall, that much was probable. And of course, Ralph Dibny, Elastiman from his rogues gallery, just had to pick today to rob the First Central Bank. Unfortunately, and literally, Dibny's ductility made him a difficult opponent to subdue:
"Olá, amiga Need some help?"
"Green Lantern! Yes, much appreciated..." And so saying, the Brazilian-born Emerald Warrior swiftly lowered the temperature around Elastiman so he became unable to stretch out the proceedings:
"So who's this, then?"
"Ralph Dibny, Elastiman, one of my rogues. They crop up more or less regularly here in Central City."
"Ah. Perhaps I will accumulate such enemies in the course of my career too." Green Lantern marshalled the struggling and chilled Dibny into a refrigerated Central City police vehicle, which bore him off to prison as the two Justice Alliance colleagues caught up with one another.
"Honey? Yeah, Jose helped me out apprehending Elastiman, so I think I owe him a meal."
"Thanks, amigo. I love your wife Hoshi's cooking!"
BATSON CITY:
Meanwhile, several hundred kilometres away, newsboy Willie Fawcett was busily delivering papers- that was, until annoyingly familiar batlike figure flapped overhead. Dumping his remaining papers in their delivery box, Willie ducked into an alleyway and spoke his magic word "Thunder"- which led to a flash of supernatural lightning. And as had happened ever since Willie found Merokee, the shaman and last member of the Mohegan Nation, he acquired the abilities of the tornado, hair, uncas, nature, diamond, eagle and ram and became the one of the mightiest mortals on Earth-500- Captain Thunder. From the alleyway, up flew the hero, intent on encountering his Monster League adversary: "Atropula?! I thought you were permanently banished to one of the 1953 dimensions of space and time. It's literally been years."
"I see your memory is undimmed, Thunder. And you even have a new world that we can conquer."
"Not if I have anything to do with it, buster. Incidentally, where are Victorstein, Lykaios and Akhenuton?"
"Unfortunately, Lykaios died from argentotoxosis due to a fanatical werewolf hunter, Victorstein fell victim to an ice-bound alternate Earth and Akhenuton retired to his pyramid to recharge his energies. So that leaves me. And I am more than a match for- awrkkk!!!" The boastful vampire was felled by a beam of strong ultraviolet light from below as a wavy haired woman in a cape and complimentary outfit rose to shake hands with him:
"Captain Thunder? It's an honour."
"Hey, thanks for dealing with that pest. Atropula is more a nuisance than anything else, but he might get desperate and try to feed on baseline humans and I couldn't tolerate that. And you are...?"
"You might as well call me Ultra Violet. I have metamorphic abilities and I can reshape myself into anything I imagine. Initially, I used it in my romantic relationships but then I realised that with great power comes great responsibility and when I became aware that my abilities included an accompanying power set as well, I decided to fight crime. "
"I see. Would you be interested in Justice Alliance membership?"
"Oh wow! Wonder Woman, Supergirl and the others? I've hero worshipped them since I was a child!"
"Then come with me. We're always looking for new recruits."
METROPOLITA:
"Uhhhh!" Batman was waylaid by a powerful concentrated burst of sound as Robin gestured to him and Supergirl flew forward:
"Dad! Are you okay?"
"I'm...fine, Dick. Must be slipping. I forgot to put in my earguards when I was suiting up this morning."
Supergirl frowned: "Black Banshee?! What are you doing in Metropolita?"
The blonde-haired, masked motorcycle suited woman snarled at her Kryptonian adversary:
"Butt out, Kryptonian. I was concentrating my attention on Bats over there. He's disrupted my last attempted heist."
"This is going to be very one sided. Your sonic pulse abilities can't affect me and I'm not bound by gender restrictions the way the guys are when it comes to taking you down. So nighty-night." And with a light tap to the chin, the sound wielding supervillainess collapsed onto the ground.
"Thanks, Kara. Good to see you."
"Bruce, I thought Dick was off to Hudson? Wasn't Helena supposed to be replacing him as your new Robin?"
Robin smiled: "Yep. This is my last outing as the "Teen Wonder," though. Everything's packed at Wayne Manor ready for shipping off to my new dorm room. And you know my oldest sister- she's champing at the bit to become the new Robin. It's hard to keep her in check, but Dad's trained her well."
"What does Selina feel about it?"
"She's proud of her."
"So what brings you fellows to Metropolita?"
"Business, I'm afraid. We're investigating a sudden upsurge in co-ordinated hostile metahuman onslaughts."
"You're telling me. First Dita Rance over there, Tanaka told me that he and Jose tangled with his rogues gallery member Elastiman in Central City earlier today and Willie just radioed in with a story about an old enemy of his from his Earth-964 days, Duke Atropula. Oh- and he met a new superheroine, who's agreed to try out for Alliance membership."
"Excellent news, Kara. We badly need reinforcements. So who is this woman?"
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
"Is that who I think it is?" Tanaka Rei said as he accelerated toward the cloaked JAA entry tube to their undersea headquarters.
"If that's the Witch Satanna, yes it is. I may be a novice compared to the rest of you companeros, but she and I have crossed swords before."
"What are you doing here, sorceress?"
Wind whipping around her features and malevolently held aloft by eldritch forces, the darkmage scowled at the two heroes:
"Don't play games with me, speedster and don't insult my intelligence. I know your headquarters is around here somewhere."
"Why are you assuming that, witch? Your enchantments aren't powerful enough to challenge the wards we've placed around it. By a far more powerful mage than you are."
"Enough facile word games, Green Lantern. You may have had help last time, but you're the least experienced of you do-gooders and you got lucky last time."
"If the JAA headquarters is around here, what makes you assume that our other members aren't in the vicinity as well?"
"I'm not stupid. I know enough ancient Green Martian magick to protectively ward myself against the Manhunter's invisibility and interdimensional entry and egress skills and I'm more than a match for the medieval arsenal that those Thanagarian brats wield. And both of the Kryptonians are vulnerable to magic. As for the Amazon, she's away in her precious Themiscyra repelling a Valkyrie invasion, so I don't have to face her."
"Sounds fairly complete, Sat. Of course, you don't have a complete membership list." Captain Thunder, Superman, Supergirl (and Ultra Violet, shielded) had arrived in the interim:
"Come off it, Thunder. I know your pathetic magic word and I can reverse it- and challenge Aquaman's marine mastery, come to that. I'm flattered that so many of you have turned up to confront me. Which does raise some interesting questions about...oh. Who's this?" Ultra Violet had metamorphed again and her violet eyes were fixed on the darkmage, who felt uneasy as her magicks tried to assess and prepare wards against the newcomer and...
Failed.
"Who the hell-?" Ultra Violet shot forward and broke her wards as if they were gossamer or tissue paper. Before she could do anything to recover, Satanna was knocked out by a punch. As the Flash prepared a vortex to insure the sorceress didn't drown while unconscious, there was applause from the assembled JAA members:
"Okay, consider yourself to have passed your membership trial, UV. You're officially in! Congratulations, Alliancer!"
Ultra Violet grinned, but then pointed to the horizon: "Hey, were you expecting anyone else?"
Superman frowned: "Hey, Willie- she's dressed like you. Willie?" But Captain Thunder was busily heading toward the distant falling figure, intent on reaching her before she reached the ocean surface. And there was a reason for his urgency. As Superman and Supergirl caught up with him, Kara asked:
"Willie, what is it? We've never seen you like this."
"I...thought she was dead, Mom. I never thought I'd see her again."
"Who is she? Why is she dressed like you?" As Willie caught the prone figure, they saw the family resemblance to Willie almost immediately, despite the fact that this was a young black woman:
"Mom, Dad? Meet my sister, Lightning Girl, Isabella Fawcett."
"So she has the same abilities that you do? And she's another survivor of Earth-964?"
Willie nodded: "Strictly speaking, Bella is my stepsister, but when I couldn't find her when I returned to find all life on Earth-964 destroyed after its nuclear war left it a dead planet, I assumed that she must have tried to stop the nuclear war and died in the process. But...this is a miracle."
"She's breathing at least and there's no brain damage that I can see with my x-ray vision. Although there are signs of interspatial transit particles around her. Your Earth's nuclear war must have knocked her into bleedspace."
"But...but...why didn't we know about her survival before this? Where has she been all this time?"
JAA SEABASE:
"W-Willie? Where am I...you're alive! Oh, thank god! Where have you been all these years?"
Willie embraced his half-sister: "Chasing the Monster League of Evil across dimensions, but they activated a temporal displacement effect. When I returned to our Earth, it was eleven years later and our world's inhabitants had been wholly destroyed and I couldn't find you anywhere. I thought you'd perished trying to end the ICBM exchange."
Bella got up groggily, then wished she hadn't done so:
"I thought I was going to die too, when I didn't get to the Arnoldstown ICBM before it detonated. But a spacefaring being of some sort saved me. It enveloped me in its limbs, lulled me to sleep and then I woke up here."
Superman nodded: "Spacewhales. Actually, they're not related even remotely to our cetaceans but they fill an analogous interstellar ecological niche. Willie here told us that you had a Justice "League" on your Earth, so perhaps you recognise us?"
Lightning Girl nodded: "Uh, okay. You clearly have an Atom... that must be Aquaman...Batman and Robin... J'Onn J'Onnz...Flash...Green Arrow...Green Lantern...Superman...Superwoman...Wonder Woman...and I'm sorry, but I don't know your name...?"
"Ultra Violet. Hey, she recognised virtually all of the Alliance."
"We're Kator and Shayera Hol, Hawkboy and Hawkgirl."
"I see there are some differences on this...alternate Earth. Not complaining though. So how did you end up here, Willie?"
"Another alternate Green Lantern and Supergirl found me and the JAA took me in. Kalel and Kara here are husband and wife and they adopted me."
"And we'd certainly be proud to have an adopted daughter as well, Bella, if you want to think about it?"
"Yes! Oh, yes! I can vaguely remember the spacewhale being caught in a singularity so that must be how I ended up here, in your new adopted universe, Willie. I imagine Merokee must have manoveured my descent so I could end up here with you."
But then, any remaining moments of celebration were broken when a hideous protoplasmic blob appeared on the main JAA operation room viewscreen:
"Captain Thunder, you coward! Come out and face me."
Lightning Girl blinked and held her hand to her mouth: "Willie? Is that..."
He nodded: "After all these years."
Supergirl frowned: "I thought we'd imprisoned him in another alternate universe after his last conflict with you..."
SANDWICH ISLANDS: OAHU:
Some alternate Earths have small divergences from the datum. On some alternate Earths, China settled the Hawaiian island chain. In others, it was Japan. In others, it is still an independent Polynesian monarchy. In still others, it was annexed to the United States, governed as a territory and then incorporated as its fiftieth state. And on Earth-500, it was the United Kingdom that proved the imperial power in question, naming the archipelago the Sandwich Islands. Like many other Polynesian nations, it has a Governor General, an independent Prime Minister and Parliament and plays cricket in the spring and summer and rugby union in the autumn and winter.
On the slopes of Mauna Kea, an ungainly shape pulsated and secreted unpalatable substances. It fixed a malevolent regard on the heroes of the Justice Alliance as they set foot on the slope of the volcano. Captain Thunder stepped forward. "Atticus. Atticus Morbida. I suppose it's redundant, but... you've changed."
"How is any of this possible? He's supposed to be securely imprisoned on a lifeless alternate Earth."
And Morbida remembered: "Earth 92,771. This Earth never developed life. While residents of a former technologically advanced alternate universe spanning empire built dwellings there to relieve population stress and overcrowding, that Earth ascended to Singularity status and left them vacant. They are hermetically sealed and have atmosphere generators but you will be unable to venture outside without a spacesuit. The house has access to cultural records and numerous scientific databases. No alien civilisations exist within an eight thousand light year radius. You will live there in solitary confinement for the rest of your life." Destiny of the Endless had spoken those ominous sepulchural words, and for seventy years, it had seemed that Morbida would indeed die there, albeit in relative comfort and with his basic needs met, apart from human company. However, one day, near the end of his natural life, a nonhominid alternate Earth species materialised on the desolate, silent world, intending to colonise it. When it encountered Atticus Morbida, the Construit alternate Earthers offered to readjust his physiology, but Morbida tricked them and slaughtered them all, using their transmatter device to locate and transport himself to the adopted Earth of his nemesis, Captain Thunder.
"What happened to you?"
"I finally decided to abandon any vestige of human limitations and had my anatomy reconfigured. With some advantages over you, this time."
Supergirl nodded: "That must explain the bacteria and viruses in that saclike organ. We can't go near it, Kal. Morbida has generated some Virus X particles in there. If they hit us, we'd die from it."
"Yes. And as you Kryptonians can also see, I have hyperbotulinic plague bacteria percolating within there as well. Unless you cede me total domination of this planet, I will release them all into its planetary atmosphere. How does it feel to be powerless, "Justice" Alliance?"
Captain Thunder looked at Lightning Girl:
"We can't do it, Willie. We're supposed to have a code against it."
"He's threatening all life on this world, Bella. We have a duty to protect all sapient life here. And this time, there's no other way out."
"Why is he doing this? He was bad before, but this? No, you're right. Things are different this time. Come on, let's do this before I change my mind." And with that, Captain Thunder and Lightning Girl accelerated forward and grabbed Atticus Morbida's post-human form by its tentacles, soaring into the sky, their JAA polymer spacesuits activating as they entered the vacuum of near-Earth orbit. There, they flung Atticus Morbida sunwards. With a keening, wailing scream, the unbelieving abject parody of humanity hurtled through space and into the fiery embrace of the life-giving sun, flaming into oblivion as he did so.
Back on Oahu, after Jose had used his power ring and Superman and Supergirl had used their microscopic vision to scan for any residual toxic bacterial or viral particles and found none whatsoever, Bella Fawcett said her magic word: "Lightning!" In place of the heroic woman stood a young girl. Willie Fawcett had already reversed his transformation and Captain Thunder was in spatial abeyance until he was next needed. Willie hugged his half-sister and then the couple ran into the welcoming arms of their new adoptive parents.
EPILOGUE:
In a satellite high above, the sole unimprisoned member of the self-proclaimed "Injustice League" bided his time. Soon, though, the Justice Alliance would learn to fear the name of ... Mr. Apocalypse.
THE END
