Issue#1 "In The Beginning" by David Marshall

The trip to Earth proved rather uneventful. Rokk talked with the Winathian kid most of the way. Sure, he did flip over the girl on the shuttle who wore the Titan badge, but he seemed to be a decent guy, nevertheless. Hopefully, he would locate his crazy brother and his sister.             Of course, Rokk had other things on his mind. Finding work would be tough, even on a planet with a strong economy like Earth. The family had to eat though, and since his father's position on the force disappeared when the Khunds conquered Braal, Rokk would have to supplement the meager rations Khundia allowed their subjects to earn, with whatever work he could find.             Rokk made his way through a sea of sentient beings from all over the galaxy. There were many races he had never seen, even in holo-vids. Was that a real live Durlan? The little guy with the blue skin, a Seeron maybe? That girl! An Enwan? Rokk moved into the main lobby of the spaceport. He looked out from atop the large central tower. Craft of every sort circled in the sky waiting to land, like bees buzzing their hives. Old space clunkers mingled with the latest Star Class cruisers. The Metropolis Spaceport was such a contrast to the modest accommodations on Braal. Maybe life on Earth wouldn't be so bad after all.             "A credit for your thoughts."             Rokk turned. It was the Winathian guy from the shuttle. "Ranzz, why are you still here? I figured you'd be halfway to Rimbor by now."             Garth Ranzz shrugged his shoulders. "Actually, I was headed to Starhaven. The flight's been delayed for a few hours. I overheard the pilot say the ship's Stargate drive is malfunctioning."             "Tough break, buddy. Hey, you want to get a drink or something?"             Garth smiled. "I don't believe either of us will pass for legal age here on Earth."             Rokk put his arm on his new friend's shoulder and led him down the long corridor known as the Palisade. "I may have come to Earth looking for work, but I don't want to grow up that fast, Ranzz."             Ranzz apparently had left home with quite a haul. He suggested just about every fine eatery the Spaceport offered. It embarrassed Rokk to tell his new friend he was short on credits. Garth offered to buy, but Rokk politely declined. The two young men finally settled on a restaurant on Level 103. For once, Rokk's financial situation proved to be a good thing; The restaurant was excellent.             They found a seat at a small table near the back of the room. Garth quickly slid into the seat by the window, leaving Rokk a glorious view of the Metropolis skyline. The service was quick and efficient. The Rakan Sprouts were even better than those his mother made, not that he would ever tell her of course.             "I don't see how you can survive on that. You sure you don't want some of these ribs?" Garth asked.             Meat? Rokk shuddered at the thought. "No, I'm fine. We Braalians are accustomed to a vegetarian diet."             Garth stopped just short of his mouth with a bite of food. He gestered with his eyes to the ribs on his fork. "It doesn't offend you if I...?"             "No certainly not," Rokk answered. "It isn't a social choice, or even a religious one. The animals on Braal taste so bad they'd choke a Bismollian. Besides, I like vegetables."             Garth peered over Rokk's shoulder and smiled.             "What are you gazing at so intently ?" Rokk craned his neck to look over his left shoulder toward the door. The Titan girl from the shuttle entered the room.             "Be careful, buddy. Didn't you see the badge on her blouse? She's a telepath."             "In that case, let me send her a thought."             Rokk leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. He spoke in a hushed tone. "Please tell me you're not serious."             Garth Ranzz answered with a mischievous grin. Rokk was half-glad his association with Ranzz would soon come to an end. Rokk looked over his shoulder again. Great!. She was headed to their table. "Way to go Ranzz!"             Rokk could feel the girl's presence behind him, but he didn't dare turn around to face her.             "Excuse me?" the girl from Titan asked Garth. "You'd like to do what to me?"             Garth leaned back against the plush backing of his chair. "I thought it was considered a crime for a telepath to listen in on the thoughts of others without their consent."             Reluctantly, Rokk slid his chair slightly to the right. From this vantage point, he could see both Garth and the girl. Without warning, the girl pulled up an empty chair and sat beside him. She leaned into his face. "Maybe I'll take you up on that sometime, Tiger."             Rokk couldn't believe what was happening. Surely she knew he didn't send her such a thought. Why was she smiling at him? "But I...."             A bold grin stretched across the girl's pink lips. She turned to Garth. "Your friend here is cute, even if he is a bit shy."             So that was it! She was using him to teach Ranzz a lesson! Rokk was about to burst into laughter, when the girl's lips brushed up against his own. She pulled away, tracing his lips with her finger as she did so. "By the way, I'm Imra. Imra Ardeen."             Imra stood, and just as quickly as she had walked into Rokk's life, she was gone.             "Garth, I don't know what to say.....I mean, she was obviously just trying...."             "Oh, shut up Krinn! If you're finished with those veggies, I'd like to get out of here."             Garth stood and laid a five-credit holo-voucher on the table for a tip. Rokk waited until Garth walked past him before wiping Imra's lipstick off his mouth. Credits were tight, but he left a generous tip on the table. He looked at the money, and then at Garth. Yeah, it was definitely worth it!             "Aww, c'mon Rokk! The shuttle for Starhaven doesn't leave for another hour. Don't leave me hanging...."             Rokk was losing his patience with his new "friend". "I've really got to hit the employment center, Ranzz. I need to find work quickly. I don't have the luxury of spending too many nights in a hotel."             Garth nodded his head. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to come off as such a big jerk. I don't know, I guess it's just easier being with someone. Makes me forget Mekt and Ayla."             Rokk winced. "I would go with you all the way to Starhaven if I could, but I hardly believe you have enough creds for both of us. Even if you did, I still have a responsibility to my family. I'm sorry Ranzz."             The two young men shook hands.             Ranzz had a good grip. Rokk's father always told him you could tell alot about a man from his handshake. If he offered you the "fish hand", he wasn't to be trusted. He remembered his father telling him to avoid those who seemed too eager to let go of your hand, as well. The list continued in Rokk's mind; those who turned a handshake into a spectacle wanted you to believe they were your friend, those who pulled you too close as they shook wanted more out of you than they wanted to give in return, those who refused to look you in the eye as they shook were up to something, those who tried too hard, by crushing your hand in a death grip, were to be avoided as well. His father's warnings filled his mind. "They're not sure enough of themselves, Rokk. They'll let you down when the chips fall haphazardly."             Rokk was surprised by Garth's handshake. It was the kind his father had told him to pay special attention to. "Once in a while, son, you will meet someone with a handshake that feels right. They will look you in the eye, and in that moment, you'll know there is magic between the two of you. Your destiny will forever intertwine."             ".......and good luck. I hope you find a good job, Rokk."             "Huh? What?" Rokk felt his face turning red.             Garth's tight lips give way to his infectious smile. "That Imra Ardeen must be one fine kisser! You've been in a daze ever since she give you my kiss."             "Your kiss? Ranzz, you're too much! Take care. I do hope you find your brother and sister."             The two shook hands once more, before Garth disappeared into the throng of sentiency. Rokk tried to keep up with Garth's fiery red hair, but it soon disappeared into the smothering horde.             Rokk turned and walked toward the transport tubes. He had been told by an uncle that he may find work in London. Seems the uncle had served in the short-lived Galactic Guard with an Earthman there. A watchmaker. Rokk knew nothing of ancient timepieces, but the man had agreed to talk to Rokk anyway.             "Hey Rokk! Rokk Krinn!"             Rokk stopped. Was someone yelling to him? He turned to see Ranzz running in his direction, dodging the crowd as he neared. When Garth finally reached him, he was out of breath. "Ranzz, what's wrong? Bad news about your brother and sister?"             Garth bent slightly at the waist, resting his palms on his knees. Between breaths, he managed to blurt out. "Thought you'd be interested to know. The billionaire, R.J. Brande is speaking in the main conference hall. Who knows? Maybe he has a position in his company for someone like you."             RJ Brande? Here? Rokk did remember seeing something about it on a poster in the main corridor. "I thought he was speaking on the Khundian problem."             "He is. Thought you might want to hear what he has to say about that as well. Do you have half an hour or so?"             Rokk nodded. He always interested in the Freedom Movement. "I doubt he'd be interested in a teenager who knows zilch about Stargate tech, but I would like to hear his ideas on the Khundian problem. If it weren't for the Khunds, I would be attending University on a Magno-Ball scholarship."             Garth sprung up quickly and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Magno Ball? Hmm. Krinn. .. Krinn... Sounds familiar. Wait! You're the kid who once scored twelve goals in a single game, aren't you?"             Rokk smiled. "Guilty as charged."             "What was it they called you? Ah yes! Come on 'Cosmic Boy', let's not keep RJ Brande waiting."   To Be Continued... The OutPost Office Hello and welcome to the first issue of Legionnaires. If you've read this far, I do hope you enjoyed what you read. Since this is the first issue there are no comments to get to, so let me use this space to address a few things. 1. Hey! Why are there two Legion books here at FDC that seem to have no relation? Good question. The answer is that Sammy Lindon's Legion of Super Heroes takes place in the pre-Crisis universe and before the "Five Year Gap". Obviously that Legion (my all time favorite era, btw) is based on many concepts not possible in the current DC or FDC universes. Superboy, Supergirl, etc. have been shamelessly swept under the rug by the former National Periodicals so Superman (along with Batman) can rule the DC Universe as marketing kings, and damn any other titles it may hurt. There! I'm off my soapbox now. Here in the FDC Universe, we recognize that many people (including myself) still love the "old Legion" continuity, and give them an opportunity to read those about beloved characters. However, there is still a need for an in-continuity book. Of course, I could have chosen a point in current Legion history and started from there, but even that presents potential problems since the Legion is set in the 30th century. Since it is possible for events in the 20th century to effect the 30th century, it is important that the FDC Legion be tied to our continuity instead of DC's. 2. But why a <groan> reboot? Why not? Having a blank slate allows for a tighter continuity. Plus, I wanted to. There is so much potential in the 40-plus years of Legion history. Don't be surprised to find Kent Shakespeare, Kinetix, and Catspaw on this team. (For non-Legion fans, those are three characters from three different incarnations of the Legion. Kent being a v.4 Giffen-Bierbaum era character, Kinetix from the current reboot continuity, and Catspaw from the Legionnaires book just before the reboot. She existed in the same continuity as Kent, but on different teams.) Or not, but the point is the same. A blank slate allows me to pick-and-choose from the various incarnations of the Legion. 3. So what's going on? A warrior race known as the Khunds are expanding their empire across the galaxy. Only a relatively few worlds are left free, and several of them are in danger of Khundian aggression. One man, RJ Brande, dreams of uniting the remaining worlds into a political and military force able to not only withstand the Khundian invaders, but win back the worlds that have fallen under their thumb. Hopefully, I'll entertain you enough to warrant your sticking around. Over the next few issues the team will start to take shape (after the early recruiting phase, I plan on going slowly and allowing the characters to develop). But I promise you more than a book filled with Khunds, Khunds, and more Khunds. I have nearly thirty years of Legion lore stored in the old cranium, so I can respect the diversity of their many foes. Be warned though; Unlike DC's reboot of the Legion several years ago, I will endeavor to do more than just re-hash old stories and force them into my continuity. There will be things you will and won't like. If I'm lucky, more of the former and less of the latter. So hop aboard and let's see where this little excursion will take us. As writer of the series and on behalf of the FDC, let me be the first to say....Welcome to the 30th Century and Long Live the Legion! Ye Olde Bonehead Dept. - Does anyone remember the issue of All-Star Squadron where Firebrand was introduced as a character? On the cover DC had an arrow pointing to her in a group shot with something like "IN THIS ISSUE--FIREBRAND!", with no word of explanation as to who she was. A few issues later, they explained that there was SUPPOSED to be a little more explanation than that, but it was left off somehow. What does that have to do with the first issue of Legionnaires? Plenty. You see, I wrote the above "lettercol" over the weekend to be a part of issue #1. However, being that it happened at 3 am, I thought I sent it, but as you now, it never happened. So my apologies to you, FDC reader, if the sudden reboot threw you for a loop. Roy Thomas jokingly promised (I think he was joking anyhow) that someone would be fired. Hopefully, the measures here won't be that drastic. Once again, this novice author would like to apologize for his error and any major trauma or open wounds that may have occured as the result of those errors. This apology is void where prohibited and to people who don't read books written by guys named Dave. ;) Thanks, David Marshall Legionnaires

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