Post by redsycorax on Oct 8, 2023 2:43:40 GMT
Earth-800: This alternate Earth began to diverge from the datum when the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian Imperial throne, was thwarted here. The prince succeeded his father and ushered in democratic constitutional reforms, as did Germany several years later. As a consequence, neither fascism or communism came into existence in this universe. While there was a Russian Revolution, it brought a liberal democratic government to power in Moscow. Britain and France together invaded Italy and brought down Mussolini. Instead of two world wars, this twentieth century was instead marked by two global pandemics, with similarly devastating effects. As a consequence, labour markets were forced to adapt to the shortage of skilled white male workers and feminism, the civil rights and lesbian and gay movements accelerated due to the "Death of God" phenomenon, following the dramatic fall in major faith adherence across most of the world. Imperialism collapsed as well, given that Britain, France, Germany and the Ottoman Empires could no longer enforce their authority due to insufficient personnel. However, the same fate befell the United States, although Imperial Japan took advantage of consequent US isolationism to build its Pacific Empire in China, Taiwan and Korea. There are some core differences in social terms as well here- adultery is a criminal offence, and alcohol remains prohibited. Contraception has been perfected here, with strong compliance in place.
The mightiest heroes on this Earth are the Justice Oversight Network. However, given US isolationism, it is based in Canada. It includes Hyperman (Knor-El), the last survivor of Krypton, who landed in a Canadian wheatfield after his world's destruction; Kathy (Batwoman) Kane; Dr Blink (Walter West), the fastest person alive; Jewellee, holder of the power gems; and Carmilla, the immortal vampire and strongest woman alive. But now, these women and men face a growing menace and must reach out across the infinite multiverse for help
++
JON SKYBASE:
"What is it?"
"An anomalous reading, Karl. Blazes. It's as if there were some form of electromagnetic or spatiotemporal 'tidal rip' analogue devastating the solar system."
"Are any crewed spacecraft in danger?"
"We haven't received any distress calls from the Japanese, French or British lunar or Martian bases. It's weird, though. The rip only seems to be convulsing Uranus and Neptune outward."
"What, almost coterminous with the known solar system until the eighteenth century?"
"Even so, the destabilisation effect will cause an inward flux of ice planetoid and cometary bodies bombarding the inner solar system."
"What's causing this, Walt?"
JON's scientific advisor shook his head: "I wouldn't want to guess, Karl. However, we need all our heavy hitters out there. Jewellee, can you generate a protective aura for both of us?"
"I've been trying to find out additional details about this situation. Nothing. Whatever it is, it isn't thaumaturgic, otherwise any relevant information would be within the jewels memory matrices."
"I can't remember anything that describes any such event data inside the educational database Jor-El and Lara provided me within my infant starship."
"Come on, we're going out there. Kathy, any ideas?"
Kathy Kane shook her head:
"It's analogous to a rogue planet or black hole incursion but that would have been apparent for years, if not decades. Instead, this...just happened."
"A sophisticated alien species?" Hyperman asked
"Then why would they do this? If it's Helium 3, then Jupiter and Saturn contain far more prodigious amounts. Uranus and Neptune have little in the way of major satellites, apart from Triton and Pluto's Charon. And if it's disruption, then they'd take Jupiter and Saturn, but this incursion shows no interest in either of the larger gas giants. Perhaps they only need the mass of ice giants?" Jewellee queried
"Kathy...?"
"I suspect you're going to ask me what the effects of removing Uranus and Neptune from our solar system would be. The answer is, minimal, given their distance."
"Is there any reason that we need to retrieve those worlds?" Bat-Woman asked.
"None. I think we need to face the possibility that any civilisation or entity that could do this could have easily attacked or destroyed humanity or metasapients like ourselves. It has chosen not to do so." Carmilla replied.
"I don't like this. With this much power, who can tell when it strikes again and what its intentions even are?" Hyperman said, as Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and trans-plutonian planets accelerated away from the solar system into the darkness of interstellar space- and then, into hyperspatial warp velocity, beyond lightspeed.
"There is one possible answer. We contact someone elsewhere in the multiverse who may know what we've just encountered."
EARTH-500: JAA SEABASE:
Lightning Girl and Captain Thunder had just returned from Argo City with their foster parents, Superman and Superwoman. The other Alliance members clustered around the couple's infant:
"Say hello to the JAA, Lola Kalel."
"What a beautiful child. And I say so as the overstressed dad of two children myself already." The Flash said as he waved at the newcomer, who chortled and raised her tiny hand:
"Gah?"
"I...sense something." Quonjurea said, suddenly raising her wards. Green Lantern's ring activated:
"Apparently, this is a non-hostile probe from somewhere else in the multiverse. Someone wants to contact us."
"On what basis?"
"They need assistance. Blazes. Someone's just made away with their outer solar system."
Quonjurea frowned: "Jose, are there any Overlord entries related to any such similar event in our own universe?"
"Yes, and you're not going to like it. One of the extinct galactic empires from early in its history. The rough translation is the "Empire of the Peoples of Wo." The species appears to have been advanced arachnoids and may have mastered extragalactic and multiversal travel. They entered a brutal conflict with Andromeda's Krell Dominion and mutual obliteration occurred. All of this occurred billions of years ago. Most of the Milky Way and Andromeda's earliest civilisations were caught in the turmoil and obliterated. For all their knowledge, even the Overlords have minimal information about what happened that far back."
"Surely that's long enough for most force fields to have collapsed. Unless they derive their power from really long-lived radioactive isotopes like potassium 40, uranium 238, thorium 232, lutetium 176, rhenium 187, rubidium 87, lanthanum 138, samarium 147, platinum 190; gadolinium 152, indium 115; osmium 186, neodymium 144, samarium 148, cadmium 113, hafnium 174, vanadium 50; and so on, out to one septillion years. By comparison, our own universe and analogues with it are only an estimated 13.8 billion years old. If those outlier radioactives are involved, then...blazes..." Jose exclaimed as the implications hit him.
"So, and this is hypothetical, does this mean that the Empire of the Peoples of Wo were responsible for delving backward in time beyond successive big bangs and crunches and salvaging artefacts from earlier universes themselves? And that these artefacts may have destroyed them?"
"Hang on. If this is cross-multiversal stuff, and this archaic technology has been activated, what's to stop it happening here? I think we need to pay a visit to this Earth-800." Superwoman placed their baby in Superman's arms and kissed him:
"I think we agreed this is my turn, honey. Bye, Lo. See you when I get back."
Superman whispered to their infant: "Say goodbye to Mommy, darling. She's going on a long trip."
JON SKYBASE: EARTH-800:
As the Justice Alliance Away Team materialised on Earth-800, Lightning Girl looked around her:
"There's an interesting aura around this place."
"Those must be our equivalents. Hello. We're the Justice Alliance of America from Earth-500. I believe you contacted us and wanted assistance?"
"Yes. Ah, you're Kryptonian. I'm Knor-El, Hyperman."
"Kara Kalel, Superwoman. Canadian accent?"
"Yeah, we're based here. Hmm. Our worlds certainly do resemble each other..."
Bat-Woman and Batman raised their eyebrows at one another:
"Bruce Wayne?"
"Kathy Kane? Well, this is interesting. Your alternate self retired from crimefighting and runs the ARGUS national security agency back home."
"I'm sorry if I sound shocked, Bruce. Your counterpart died when Wayne Manor was levelled by a fuel-air explosive nearly twenty years ago. I still miss him."
"Is Bette still active as well?"
"She's at Hudson University. Does your world have a Dick Grayson?"
"Same with him on our world- he's retired from Robin duties. My, uh, daughter Helena is Robin now."
"So you married... let me guess... Selina Kyle?"
"What about you?"
"There's been no-one else, Bruce. There never could be."
The Flash waved to his counterpart:
"You're their speedster. Tanaka Rei, the Flash."
"Walter West, Dr. Blink. I take it you have a cosmic treadmill?"
"Yes, I do. Must confess, we stay fairly much on our own Earth, though."
"Oh, same here. Rogues Gallery?"
"Ditto. Our Captain Cold's just been succeeded by his sister and we've also lost Ralph Dibny, Elasti-M... I take it that things are different here?"
"Definitely. Colonel Cold's one of the good guys and so is Sue Dibny, Plastic Woman. But strange you should say that. Our Ralph was allergic to gingold, the plasticity biochemical that gave his wife her abilities. Ray Palmer, husband to the Atom- Jean Loring - poisoned him with it. Sue was devastated."
"Green Lantern."
"Jewellee. I'm the guardian of the Jewels of Eternity. They each confer a specific ability on me for a day's duration."
"Well, I'm the local sector representative of an interstellar police force run by the Overlords of Oa, the Green Lantern Hegemony."
"Mine are magical in derivation. They don't work against the element bronze."
"My power ring doesn't work when I'm up against mycorrhizal fungi. And it has to be charged every week or so."
"Do you have any ideas...?"
"Jose Hernandez. From what we were told by our Earth's sorceress supreme- that's Quonjurea, the tall black woman over there - you're being menaced by artefacts from previous universes."
"That's all we know. They activated and deleted Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Eris, Persephone, Minerva and Bacchus from our solar system. Apart from it now ending at Saturn, there were no adverse effects, but we're still bewildered about what reason they could have for abducting our outer planets. They're not exactly inhabitable, even by species that usually populate the upper atmosphere of larger gas giants. You?"
"From what Q told us, an ancient interstellar empire, the Empire of the Peoples of Wo, was one of the first civilisations to evolve in the Milky Way. They fell afoul of this archaic technology, activating it during an interstellar war against another primeval culture. Apparently, that backstory is the same for a large swathe of alternate universes, including both of ours. Which implies that the potential threat in question may not be solely limited to your Earth."
"It has magical aspects, Jose. I've been able to penetrate some of its shields since the event took away our outer planets. You're right there, it is."
"Great Hera! You're a vampire!"
"Great Myotamater! You're an Amazon!"
"Sorry, I just realised how that sounded. So you're a benevolent vampire, I take it?"
"Yes. I got into a major blood vendetta against Nosferatu, the Darkside vampire leader. He's a 'non-assimilationist', which means that he's a royal headache and has delusions of superiority when it comes to his 'right' to feed on humans. I'm the strongest woman undead here. So do you have all of the legendary Amazon capabilities?"
"Yes. I'm Queen Hippolyta's daughter. I have my own child, Unitti. She's going to succeed me as Wonder Woman eventually."
"This is fascinating. So is there an entire Amazon civilisation?"
"On Themiscyra, an island shielded from Patriarch's World."
"Vampires have Transylvania to ourselves here."
ELDERA:
The aeons old device rotated steadily in its pocket universe, fused to Earth-800's own through its impenetrable forcescreen. Its artificial intelligence deduced and then detected the threat and began its preparations. However, it was not alone.
JON HEADQUARTERS:
"It looks like we'll have to call in reinforcements, Jewellee."
"I know, Knor. I've contacted Merimee, she's on her way."
Lightning Girl and Captain Thunder looked at one another: "Willie, did you feel that?"
"Sure did. It was an eldritch lightning discharge akin to the ones that empower us."
"Well, hello. The old shaman told me that we might have some visitors."
The voice came from a young Native American woman dressed in a blue version of Lightning Girl's ensemble:
"Hi. Um, I'm Lightning Girl, Bella Fawcett and this is my brother Willie, Captain Thunder."
"Pleased to meet you. I take it you're both followers of the old Monhegan shaman Merokee? I'm Merrimee Owlcaller, Sister Rain."
"You have the same elemental abilities as ours, then?"
"It makes sense- Merokee's Cave is dimensionally transcendental, not limited to any one universe."
As Hyperman generated a holographier input, Superwoman looked around her: "So, Hyperman... I take it you're from the House of El."
"Yes, Kara...the surviving son of Jor-El and Lara."
"Surviving? You had a brother...? Was he named Kal-El?"
"Yes. We had a few years together before the planet exploded and I came to Earth as a teenager. Kal's...Kal's rocket didn't make it out of Krypton's gravity field in time. He was caught in the blast."
"Rao. On my world, Krypton exploded when Kal-El and I were adults. We were married at the time. We've just had a daughter."
Hyperman looked up: "Congratulations. I'm an ordained Raoian priest. Celibacy seemed the best solution to my situation here. In this universe, I'm the only survivor of our world."
"
Bat-Woman looked out at the broiling void:
"What happened? Why is that thing attached to our universe like a...a...parasite?"
"I know. Strange as it sounds, I'd rather be in Gotham fighting known quantities. Unlike this."
Kathy sighed: "I'm the brains of this outfit, Bruce. They need me for tactical combat scope and skills."
"Yes. Yes, I guess they do. You've learnt your lessons well, Kathy. It's so good to see you again."
"Come on then, Bruce. They need us."
THE CARBUNCLE: ADJACENT TO UNIVERSE-800:
"What is that object?" Superwoman asked
"An Artificial Intelligence. Thousands of times older than any civilisation from either of our universes." Hyperman replied
"But if that's the case, it must be able to predict and counteract our moves." Bat Woman postulated
"Not necessarily. Even given its duration of existence, it may be the case that its cognitive and deliberative abilities have decayed over time." Batman countered.
"That's one major gamble. Quonjurea?"
"You are correct, Bruce. It has a weakness and that is magical capabilities. They do not exist in its universe and it has therefore not taken account of its existence."
"I have some problems with this. Even if that is a machine, do we have the right to wipe out the last remnant of this universe?"
The sorceress bit her lip: "True. But, Katherine, it seeks to obliterate your universe and once it does so, it will not be satisfied with one. Which is why we are here. That creature threatens omnicide, the destruction of all life in your universe, untold billions of species, trillions of sentient lifeforms, all in the name of its blind egotism and xenophobic sense of manifest destiny. It may be doing so dispassionately and logically, but that renders its actions all the more monstrous. I share your revulsion at what we must do, but there is no other way. This is a single entity and the needs of the many outweigh that of an individual, especially when that entity threatens the existence of untold others. There is no other way..."
And with that, she said: "IA, uoy reven detsixe. Uoy lliw ton yortsed siht esrevinu ro yna rehto."
And in the space of an instant, the AI dissolved into nothingness before it could realise that its intentions had a fateful flaw, and in that flaw lay the seeds of its destruction. It may have realised its fate or it may not have. It had sought to convert all existence, matter and energy within the universe upon which its pocket realm subsisted into fuel for its survival, regardless of the lethal consequences for any life within that cosmos. However, it had calculated without the fortitude and perseverance of one of the species that it had overlooked in its pitiless and sterile calculations. It had overlooked the basic emotion of every lifeform that sought the common good.
Compassion. Love.
EPILOGUE:
The two metahuman heroic networks prepared to take their leave. After the Justice Alliance had left through the transmatter portal, Bat Woman and Hyperman conversed:
"Thoughts, Knor-El?"
"Seeing Kara like that...and other survivors of Krypton..."
"And Bruce. I know. But Quonjurea... the sorceress... she looked so haunted."
"She's a being of immense power and yet it must have torn her apart to have to do that. I don't know if I'd have been able to do so. She didn't do it willingly. I could feel that."
"I wonder if the Justice Alliance realise how lucky they are."
Dr Blink swallowed and exchanged a glance with Sister Rain and Jewellee. The trio had reasons for their hesitation and sudden fear. Later, out of earshot of their companions, they'd compare notes. All three of them had felt a moment of darkness and depravity which overshadowed even their awesome sources of energy. While the Crisis that had afflicted Earth-800 and its natal universe had been overcome, a greater one faced the Justice Alliance.
An immeasurably greater and far more dangerous one.
THE END [3.30 PM, 13 NOVEMBER 2023]
The mightiest heroes on this Earth are the Justice Oversight Network. However, given US isolationism, it is based in Canada. It includes Hyperman (Knor-El), the last survivor of Krypton, who landed in a Canadian wheatfield after his world's destruction; Kathy (Batwoman) Kane; Dr Blink (Walter West), the fastest person alive; Jewellee, holder of the power gems; and Carmilla, the immortal vampire and strongest woman alive. But now, these women and men face a growing menace and must reach out across the infinite multiverse for help
++
JON SKYBASE:
"What is it?"
"An anomalous reading, Karl. Blazes. It's as if there were some form of electromagnetic or spatiotemporal 'tidal rip' analogue devastating the solar system."
"Are any crewed spacecraft in danger?"
"We haven't received any distress calls from the Japanese, French or British lunar or Martian bases. It's weird, though. The rip only seems to be convulsing Uranus and Neptune outward."
"What, almost coterminous with the known solar system until the eighteenth century?"
"Even so, the destabilisation effect will cause an inward flux of ice planetoid and cometary bodies bombarding the inner solar system."
"What's causing this, Walt?"
JON's scientific advisor shook his head: "I wouldn't want to guess, Karl. However, we need all our heavy hitters out there. Jewellee, can you generate a protective aura for both of us?"
"I've been trying to find out additional details about this situation. Nothing. Whatever it is, it isn't thaumaturgic, otherwise any relevant information would be within the jewels memory matrices."
"I can't remember anything that describes any such event data inside the educational database Jor-El and Lara provided me within my infant starship."
"Come on, we're going out there. Kathy, any ideas?"
Kathy Kane shook her head:
"It's analogous to a rogue planet or black hole incursion but that would have been apparent for years, if not decades. Instead, this...just happened."
"A sophisticated alien species?" Hyperman asked
"Then why would they do this? If it's Helium 3, then Jupiter and Saturn contain far more prodigious amounts. Uranus and Neptune have little in the way of major satellites, apart from Triton and Pluto's Charon. And if it's disruption, then they'd take Jupiter and Saturn, but this incursion shows no interest in either of the larger gas giants. Perhaps they only need the mass of ice giants?" Jewellee queried
"Kathy...?"
"I suspect you're going to ask me what the effects of removing Uranus and Neptune from our solar system would be. The answer is, minimal, given their distance."
"Is there any reason that we need to retrieve those worlds?" Bat-Woman asked.
"None. I think we need to face the possibility that any civilisation or entity that could do this could have easily attacked or destroyed humanity or metasapients like ourselves. It has chosen not to do so." Carmilla replied.
"I don't like this. With this much power, who can tell when it strikes again and what its intentions even are?" Hyperman said, as Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and trans-plutonian planets accelerated away from the solar system into the darkness of interstellar space- and then, into hyperspatial warp velocity, beyond lightspeed.
"There is one possible answer. We contact someone elsewhere in the multiverse who may know what we've just encountered."
EARTH-500: JAA SEABASE:
Lightning Girl and Captain Thunder had just returned from Argo City with their foster parents, Superman and Superwoman. The other Alliance members clustered around the couple's infant:
"Say hello to the JAA, Lola Kalel."
"What a beautiful child. And I say so as the overstressed dad of two children myself already." The Flash said as he waved at the newcomer, who chortled and raised her tiny hand:
"Gah?"
"I...sense something." Quonjurea said, suddenly raising her wards. Green Lantern's ring activated:
"Apparently, this is a non-hostile probe from somewhere else in the multiverse. Someone wants to contact us."
"On what basis?"
"They need assistance. Blazes. Someone's just made away with their outer solar system."
Quonjurea frowned: "Jose, are there any Overlord entries related to any such similar event in our own universe?"
"Yes, and you're not going to like it. One of the extinct galactic empires from early in its history. The rough translation is the "Empire of the Peoples of Wo." The species appears to have been advanced arachnoids and may have mastered extragalactic and multiversal travel. They entered a brutal conflict with Andromeda's Krell Dominion and mutual obliteration occurred. All of this occurred billions of years ago. Most of the Milky Way and Andromeda's earliest civilisations were caught in the turmoil and obliterated. For all their knowledge, even the Overlords have minimal information about what happened that far back."
"Surely that's long enough for most force fields to have collapsed. Unless they derive their power from really long-lived radioactive isotopes like potassium 40, uranium 238, thorium 232, lutetium 176, rhenium 187, rubidium 87, lanthanum 138, samarium 147, platinum 190; gadolinium 152, indium 115; osmium 186, neodymium 144, samarium 148, cadmium 113, hafnium 174, vanadium 50; and so on, out to one septillion years. By comparison, our own universe and analogues with it are only an estimated 13.8 billion years old. If those outlier radioactives are involved, then...blazes..." Jose exclaimed as the implications hit him.
"So, and this is hypothetical, does this mean that the Empire of the Peoples of Wo were responsible for delving backward in time beyond successive big bangs and crunches and salvaging artefacts from earlier universes themselves? And that these artefacts may have destroyed them?"
"Hang on. If this is cross-multiversal stuff, and this archaic technology has been activated, what's to stop it happening here? I think we need to pay a visit to this Earth-800." Superwoman placed their baby in Superman's arms and kissed him:
"I think we agreed this is my turn, honey. Bye, Lo. See you when I get back."
Superman whispered to their infant: "Say goodbye to Mommy, darling. She's going on a long trip."
JON SKYBASE: EARTH-800:
As the Justice Alliance Away Team materialised on Earth-800, Lightning Girl looked around her:
"There's an interesting aura around this place."
"Those must be our equivalents. Hello. We're the Justice Alliance of America from Earth-500. I believe you contacted us and wanted assistance?"
"Yes. Ah, you're Kryptonian. I'm Knor-El, Hyperman."
"Kara Kalel, Superwoman. Canadian accent?"
"Yeah, we're based here. Hmm. Our worlds certainly do resemble each other..."
Bat-Woman and Batman raised their eyebrows at one another:
"Bruce Wayne?"
"Kathy Kane? Well, this is interesting. Your alternate self retired from crimefighting and runs the ARGUS national security agency back home."
"I'm sorry if I sound shocked, Bruce. Your counterpart died when Wayne Manor was levelled by a fuel-air explosive nearly twenty years ago. I still miss him."
"Is Bette still active as well?"
"She's at Hudson University. Does your world have a Dick Grayson?"
"Same with him on our world- he's retired from Robin duties. My, uh, daughter Helena is Robin now."
"So you married... let me guess... Selina Kyle?"
"What about you?"
"There's been no-one else, Bruce. There never could be."
The Flash waved to his counterpart:
"You're their speedster. Tanaka Rei, the Flash."
"Walter West, Dr. Blink. I take it you have a cosmic treadmill?"
"Yes, I do. Must confess, we stay fairly much on our own Earth, though."
"Oh, same here. Rogues Gallery?"
"Ditto. Our Captain Cold's just been succeeded by his sister and we've also lost Ralph Dibny, Elasti-M... I take it that things are different here?"
"Definitely. Colonel Cold's one of the good guys and so is Sue Dibny, Plastic Woman. But strange you should say that. Our Ralph was allergic to gingold, the plasticity biochemical that gave his wife her abilities. Ray Palmer, husband to the Atom- Jean Loring - poisoned him with it. Sue was devastated."
"Green Lantern."
"Jewellee. I'm the guardian of the Jewels of Eternity. They each confer a specific ability on me for a day's duration."
"Well, I'm the local sector representative of an interstellar police force run by the Overlords of Oa, the Green Lantern Hegemony."
"Mine are magical in derivation. They don't work against the element bronze."
"My power ring doesn't work when I'm up against mycorrhizal fungi. And it has to be charged every week or so."
"Do you have any ideas...?"
"Jose Hernandez. From what we were told by our Earth's sorceress supreme- that's Quonjurea, the tall black woman over there - you're being menaced by artefacts from previous universes."
"That's all we know. They activated and deleted Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Eris, Persephone, Minerva and Bacchus from our solar system. Apart from it now ending at Saturn, there were no adverse effects, but we're still bewildered about what reason they could have for abducting our outer planets. They're not exactly inhabitable, even by species that usually populate the upper atmosphere of larger gas giants. You?"
"From what Q told us, an ancient interstellar empire, the Empire of the Peoples of Wo, was one of the first civilisations to evolve in the Milky Way. They fell afoul of this archaic technology, activating it during an interstellar war against another primeval culture. Apparently, that backstory is the same for a large swathe of alternate universes, including both of ours. Which implies that the potential threat in question may not be solely limited to your Earth."
"It has magical aspects, Jose. I've been able to penetrate some of its shields since the event took away our outer planets. You're right there, it is."
"Great Hera! You're a vampire!"
"Great Myotamater! You're an Amazon!"
"Sorry, I just realised how that sounded. So you're a benevolent vampire, I take it?"
"Yes. I got into a major blood vendetta against Nosferatu, the Darkside vampire leader. He's a 'non-assimilationist', which means that he's a royal headache and has delusions of superiority when it comes to his 'right' to feed on humans. I'm the strongest woman undead here. So do you have all of the legendary Amazon capabilities?"
"Yes. I'm Queen Hippolyta's daughter. I have my own child, Unitti. She's going to succeed me as Wonder Woman eventually."
"This is fascinating. So is there an entire Amazon civilisation?"
"On Themiscyra, an island shielded from Patriarch's World."
"Vampires have Transylvania to ourselves here."
ELDERA:
The aeons old device rotated steadily in its pocket universe, fused to Earth-800's own through its impenetrable forcescreen. Its artificial intelligence deduced and then detected the threat and began its preparations. However, it was not alone.
JON HEADQUARTERS:
"It looks like we'll have to call in reinforcements, Jewellee."
"I know, Knor. I've contacted Merimee, she's on her way."
Lightning Girl and Captain Thunder looked at one another: "Willie, did you feel that?"
"Sure did. It was an eldritch lightning discharge akin to the ones that empower us."
"Well, hello. The old shaman told me that we might have some visitors."
The voice came from a young Native American woman dressed in a blue version of Lightning Girl's ensemble:
"Hi. Um, I'm Lightning Girl, Bella Fawcett and this is my brother Willie, Captain Thunder."
"Pleased to meet you. I take it you're both followers of the old Monhegan shaman Merokee? I'm Merrimee Owlcaller, Sister Rain."
"You have the same elemental abilities as ours, then?"
"It makes sense- Merokee's Cave is dimensionally transcendental, not limited to any one universe."
As Hyperman generated a holographier input, Superwoman looked around her: "So, Hyperman... I take it you're from the House of El."
"Yes, Kara...the surviving son of Jor-El and Lara."
"Surviving? You had a brother...? Was he named Kal-El?"
"Yes. We had a few years together before the planet exploded and I came to Earth as a teenager. Kal's...Kal's rocket didn't make it out of Krypton's gravity field in time. He was caught in the blast."
"Rao. On my world, Krypton exploded when Kal-El and I were adults. We were married at the time. We've just had a daughter."
Hyperman looked up: "Congratulations. I'm an ordained Raoian priest. Celibacy seemed the best solution to my situation here. In this universe, I'm the only survivor of our world."
"
Bat-Woman looked out at the broiling void:
"What happened? Why is that thing attached to our universe like a...a...parasite?"
"I know. Strange as it sounds, I'd rather be in Gotham fighting known quantities. Unlike this."
Kathy sighed: "I'm the brains of this outfit, Bruce. They need me for tactical combat scope and skills."
"Yes. Yes, I guess they do. You've learnt your lessons well, Kathy. It's so good to see you again."
"Come on then, Bruce. They need us."
THE CARBUNCLE: ADJACENT TO UNIVERSE-800:
"What is that object?" Superwoman asked
"An Artificial Intelligence. Thousands of times older than any civilisation from either of our universes." Hyperman replied
"But if that's the case, it must be able to predict and counteract our moves." Bat Woman postulated
"Not necessarily. Even given its duration of existence, it may be the case that its cognitive and deliberative abilities have decayed over time." Batman countered.
"That's one major gamble. Quonjurea?"
"You are correct, Bruce. It has a weakness and that is magical capabilities. They do not exist in its universe and it has therefore not taken account of its existence."
"I have some problems with this. Even if that is a machine, do we have the right to wipe out the last remnant of this universe?"
The sorceress bit her lip: "True. But, Katherine, it seeks to obliterate your universe and once it does so, it will not be satisfied with one. Which is why we are here. That creature threatens omnicide, the destruction of all life in your universe, untold billions of species, trillions of sentient lifeforms, all in the name of its blind egotism and xenophobic sense of manifest destiny. It may be doing so dispassionately and logically, but that renders its actions all the more monstrous. I share your revulsion at what we must do, but there is no other way. This is a single entity and the needs of the many outweigh that of an individual, especially when that entity threatens the existence of untold others. There is no other way..."
And with that, she said: "IA, uoy reven detsixe. Uoy lliw ton yortsed siht esrevinu ro yna rehto."
And in the space of an instant, the AI dissolved into nothingness before it could realise that its intentions had a fateful flaw, and in that flaw lay the seeds of its destruction. It may have realised its fate or it may not have. It had sought to convert all existence, matter and energy within the universe upon which its pocket realm subsisted into fuel for its survival, regardless of the lethal consequences for any life within that cosmos. However, it had calculated without the fortitude and perseverance of one of the species that it had overlooked in its pitiless and sterile calculations. It had overlooked the basic emotion of every lifeform that sought the common good.
Compassion. Love.
EPILOGUE:
The two metahuman heroic networks prepared to take their leave. After the Justice Alliance had left through the transmatter portal, Bat Woman and Hyperman conversed:
"Thoughts, Knor-El?"
"Seeing Kara like that...and other survivors of Krypton..."
"And Bruce. I know. But Quonjurea... the sorceress... she looked so haunted."
"She's a being of immense power and yet it must have torn her apart to have to do that. I don't know if I'd have been able to do so. She didn't do it willingly. I could feel that."
"I wonder if the Justice Alliance realise how lucky they are."
Dr Blink swallowed and exchanged a glance with Sister Rain and Jewellee. The trio had reasons for their hesitation and sudden fear. Later, out of earshot of their companions, they'd compare notes. All three of them had felt a moment of darkness and depravity which overshadowed even their awesome sources of energy. While the Crisis that had afflicted Earth-800 and its natal universe had been overcome, a greater one faced the Justice Alliance.
An immeasurably greater and far more dangerous one.
THE END [3.30 PM, 13 NOVEMBER 2023]