The JSA: The World's Original Superteam! Since World War II, an incarnation of this fabled team has existed to defend Earth from all threats! Now, a new team has been formed, with members from older generations as well as new! They are: The Flash, Sentinel, Wildcat, Obsidian, Hourman, and Wonder Woman…the Justice Society of America!

---

The Earth was under siege.

Members of various alien races; among them the Dominion, Khunds, Branx, Gordanians and Thanagarians; had invaded Earth. Superman was reported missing in Metropolis. The town of Leesburg had been levelled to the ground. Gatesville reported a comet-like being fighting alien warriors there. All over the world, humanity fought for its continued existence.

Like a jewel in the sky, the emerald battlestation called the Higher Authority glowed as it blasted alien starships into the ether. A never-ending fleet of Khundian battleships continued to make their assault, some almost acting as if they were wary of close contact with the Higher Authority. It was constantly picking off parts of the fleet, and even fired energy that seemed to be taking on the shape of a large feline. The feline would approach the ship it was targeted at, and literally rip it to shreds.

Within the Higher Authority, inside a control room, was an old and decrepit man. An emerald console was molded around his command chair, with a visor lowered around his eyes and upper head. The man's body may have looked old, but the grin on his face showed that he was still as sharp as ever. His mind was in control of the battle station, and was seeing to it that it was being used to its fullest extent to kick some alien ass.

He was used to having the odds stacked against him.

After all, being a member of the Justice Society of America was no walk in the park, even if you were close to eighty years old.

But to be honest, Ted Grant, a.k.a. Wildcat, wouldn't have it any other way.

Meanwhile, nowhere close to the goings on mentioned above….

"What the hell just happened??"

Obsidian looked around the barren, lifeless, misty landscape where he and the rest of his teammates in the Justice Society had been uncerimoniously dropped by who appeared to be another incarnation of their old ally and original JSA member, Dr. Fate. Only this Fate wasn't as anyone remembered him. He wore his trademark golden helmet, complete with amulet and cloak, but his other raiment was more akin to something from a bad science fiction movie. Fate was clothed otherwise entirely in black, with what looked like red circuitry interlaced all throughout the uniform.

"I don't know, son, but I think we'd all better be prepared just in case," replied Obsidian's father, the original Green Lantern, now called Sentinel. One would never have known Sentinel was the sire of Obsidian at first glance due to his own youthful appearance, but such were the quirks of living a life of superheroics. Green flame erupted from Sentinel's hands, flickering menacingly in preparation for combat.

"I agree, Sentinel," said Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, and former Wonder Woman from World War II. She brought her war-axe up to bear, a look of determined readiness on her beautiful face. "This place reeks of…evil."

Rick Tyler, a.k.a. Hourman, looked around with his teammates. Scant moments earlier they had been prepared to enter the JLA Watchtower in the hopes of rescuing their counterparts and rallying on the invasion of Earth. His own time twisting abilities had saved their lives already, but with them whisked off who knew where, what chance did the Higher Authority have? He immediately chided himself for that remark. The Higher Authority was heavily armed, true, and was composed of a hybrid of Green Lantern energy, mystic forces from Sentinel and Martian Technology, but its biggest advantage was that of its current occupant, who Hourman noticed was not among the team assembled in front of him. Ted Grant, Wildcat, was still onboard the Authority, and Hourman knew that if anyone could use the resources of the station for victory, it was Ted.

"It's hard to see through this fog," remarked Jay Garrick, alias the Flash. "I'd do a quick recon if I could be sure I wasn't walking straight into a trap of some sort, although I'm not too sure we're not in one as it is."

Sentinel approached the being who had claimed the mantle of Doctor Fate. "Explain yourself. Who are you really, and why are we here? You'll find the Justice Society a force not to be trifled with." Emerald flame erupted from Sentinel's hand, flickering in front of Fate's helmeted face. The light of the flame reflected eerily off of the golden helmet he wore.

Fate began to speak. "I have completed the first of my mission. The Oan Energy has been collected. The Society of Justice has been gathered to aid in the vanquishing of the Great Enemy. And now, we must decide strategy."

Flash approached Fate slowly. "Nabu? Kent? Are you in there?"

Fate turned to face Flash. "Kent Nelson is dead and gone into the afterlife, as is Jared Stevens, the previous holder of the mantle of Fate. I am not Nabu, but merely his servant. I am here, and by extension yourselves, because of Nabu's commands. He has sent me to retrieve you all." Silence enveloped the group.

"Lemme guess," spoke Obsidian, "to fight this 'Great Enemy', right?"

"Exactly," replied Fate. Energy crackled through his uniform, giving the red circuitry on black clothing an eerie and foreboding look. "This place is a dimension adjacent to the one we seek, and also to the one you have just left. We will be safe here for now."

"So who exactly is this Great Enemy? And why us? Surely the Justice League could have been brought in to aid us…not that we would require their help…," said Obsidian, quickly looking around at the others with a sardonic grin on his face.

Fate floated up into the ether, and his amulet shone with a bright light. The light emanated outwards in a coruscating effect, until images began to form in the projection. Images of planets and the cosmos surrounding them. Fate began to speak.

"Billions of Millennia ago, a being was created that was the antithesis of all life in the universe. This being was the opposite number of another being, who was born to save the universe from ultimate evil. The savior was born on the moon of the planet Oa. Knowing his task in life, this savior bound some of his life energies into the planet itself, in the hopes of creating a failsafe should he fail in his endeavors. He then approached various beings of cosmic ancestry, and forged a pact with them. The pact was for each to contribute their resources to the destruction of the Great Enemy should the Savior fail. These PactKeepers were HighFather of New Genesis, Ganthet of the Guardians of the Universe, Nabu the Wise, representing the Lords of Order... and one other." Images of the three shone overtop of the landscape of the Oan moon, the fourth in shadow.

"You knew the Savior by another name, when he alerted and assembled the universe's champions to combat the Great Enemy. He…" Suddenly from out of nowhere, demons crawled out and attacked the heroes. The demons were of all shapes and sizes, but each one was just as deadly as the next.

"To Battle!", commanded Hippolyta, as she cleaved a demon in two with her waraxe. Just as she brought her axe down from the killing stroke, it was back up again, beheading two more. The look on her face was of anger…and a hint of amusement.

"JSA, cover each other!" ordered Sentinel as he scorched the demons closest him with his eldritch flames. Those not burnt to a crisp were grabbed by hands of green flame and thrown against their cohorts directly behind them.

Obsidian transformed into his shadow form, becoming immaterial to the attacks of the demons. One demon leaped at him in the air, not knowing of the characteristics of his shadow form. As it passed through Obsidian, the demon cried out in pain, and landed on the ground, writhing and convulsing.

Hourman looked over at Obsidian. Grabbing a demon by the neck, he threw him at Obsidian, and the same effect overtook the second demon. Realizing what he had just seen, he turned to the others. "Everyone! Herd the demons into Obsidian! Obsidian, expand your shadow self to the max!"

"You got it, oh fearless leader!", replied Obsidian, as his shadow self began to grow until he towered over the others. All that was recognizable to the others was the white outlines of Obsidian's mouth and eyes.

Flash, moving faster than anyone could see, began grabbing demons and flinging them into Obsidian. Sentinel likewise created a large bulldozer blade out of his green flame and began pushing demons as well. Hippolyta simply had to raise her axe at some demons, and they ran themselves towards Obsidian. Finally, one demon remained a ways back from the battle, apparently the leader, looking extremely shocked.

Suddenly, Flash appeared in front of the demon, appearing instantaneously to his eyes. The demon jumped in surprise, and then bowed down in acquiescence, praying for its life. "I think this is the last of the uglies, people."

Sentinel approached Obsidian, who shifted his form back into flesh and blood. "Since when can you do that, son? That seems a lot like someone I used to tangle with."

Obsidian looked away for a second. "I'll explain later, dad. Trust me. I've been doing a lot of exploring with my powers lately."

"When this is over, then. And not a moment longer." Sentinel's face told Obsidian that he meant every word.

Fate suddenly spoke. "These demons should not have been here. This plane is a mystical safe haven…something is amiss."

"You're damn right something's amiss!", replied Hourman. "You ask for our help, and land us in the middle of Demon Central?? I knew Dr. Fate, and you're definitely not him, golden helmet or not!"

"Easy, pal," said Obsidian, his hand on his friend's shoulder, "You'll get used to this kinda stuff. I think Fate here is on the level…" Hourman stared at his friend. "Just trust me. I have a feeling."

"Does this have to do with your expanded powers?", asked Sentinel.

"Kinda…", replied Obsidian.

"These demons were sent by an ally of the Great Enemy. The fact that he knew to send them here tells me we are in more danger than was originally planned for. Perhaps we will require more aid. Just as well, as I have one more to gather for the coming war. Wait here." With that, Fate disappeared in a flash of light.

"Wait!", yelled Sentinel. "Damn it!" He fired a burst of green flame at where Fate was standing, but it was too late. Fate had left them stranded.

"Men," remarked Hippolyta snidely.

---

Earth Orbit

"You want some more, come and get it!"

Ted Grant's smile practically split his face. In the Higher Authority's virtual combat chamber, he had ordered it to form around him as if it were a suit, mimicking his movements. The station proper had reformed again, into a large humanoid shape with a cat's head at the front. Alien ships streaked by, but were punched into smithereens by the left hook of a former heavyweight champ. Heh, thought Wildcat, Who says pugilism's dead?

Meanwhile, in the lower areas of the Higher Authority, seventeen babies and small children were held in the station's brig. They could have been the Earth's ugliest children, if not for the fact they weren't from Earth at all. They were the crew of the Khund warship Gertok Nohtrek, a specially designed ship armed with newly discovered weapons called Quantum Projectiles. The Projectiles were capable of devolving an enemy target while leaving its natural materials intact for the plundering. Just such a projectile was used on the Higher Authority itself, but was made to detonate onboard the Nohtrek by the quick time-twisting reflexes of Hourman. Teleporting the surviviors aboard the crippled ship, it was shown the Khunds onboard had been de-aged to the point of infancy. A fitting end.

One infant in particular crawled towards the bars of the energy cage that kept the babies captive. Individual sleeping areas had been created by the Authority for the infants, but one refused to behave. Previously, this infant was known as High Commander Krug. Despite his infancy, he still retained an awareness of his situation, however tenuous.

Not far from the brig, was a chamber which had the weapons of the Khunds stored. Krug crawled to the bars, and tried to squeeze through. He was almost through…when a set of hands reached down and picked him up.

A man held Krug and looked at him at eye level. Krug found himself about to cry, despite his hating the idea. The man gave a wry grin, and then placed Krug back into the chamber.

It wouldn't do to have the Khunds loose, infants or no. They could prove dangerous in the long run, especially if their time reversals were only temporary. Using a device from behind his cloak, the man activated it and moved over the weaponry as if searching for something. The device beeped, and he stopped, reaching into a pocket of what had once been Commander Krug's clothing. He pulled out a round object with a sliding button on its face, and ran another device over it. His Tachyon detector had found what he wanted, and now his translator would tell him what it was. The script on the round object read on the screen of the second device as a 'Quantum Grenade'. Excellent. A small sample of the weaponry the Khunds had had used against themselves. His superiors would be most happy to see this. But first, he had to eliminate the children.

The man deactivated the energy bars to the brig, and stood in front of the crying infants. He then looked to the walls around him and spoke. "D.I.N.A.H., once I leave this chamber, evacuate all organic beings in it into space."

"AS YOU WISH, DOCTOR MIDNITE.", replied the Higher Authority's housekeeping and station program.

The man exited the room, and once the doors slid shut behind him, the walls around the Khund children opened up into outer space. All seventeen infants' sounds of crying were cut short in the vacuum.

Casualties of War, thought the man.

---

"What the hell was that??", asked Wildcat from the Higher Authority control room. His mind was linked to the entire station as if it were an extension of his own body, but due to the fervor of the battle he was engaged in, he hadn't noticed before it was too late. Images were fed to him at his command, and he was rendered speechless.

The infant Khunds he had seen what was now hours earlier, were dead in space, some blown apart from the pressures of space, others serene as if they had simply went to sleep. Wildcat was horrified.

"D.I.N.A.H., what the hell happened down there?? Were we hit??"

"NEGATIVE, WILDCAT. THE PRISONERS WERE EXPELLED BY ORDER OF A DESIGNATED COMMAND OFFICER."

"Well, since I'm the only command officer onboard the station, I think that means you're full of shit! I repeat, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?? Can we save any of them?" Wildcat swung his frail arm out, and as he did so, the corresponding arm of the Higher Authority swung out as well, knocking a Khundian battle cruiser into pieces.

"ALL PRISONER LIFESIGNS ARE EXPIRED. THE EXPULSION COMMAND WAS GIVEN BY A JUSTICE SOCIETY MEMBER."

Wildcat was getting very pissed off. "WHO, dammit?!"

"DR. MIDNITE."

Wildcat's jaw dropped. Outside, the jaw of the cat figurehead of the station did likewise.

---

The being currently known as Fate appeared in an area of lush white clouds and warm light. Looking around, he saw what he needed. Approaching the source of the light, he came to a being who stood in front of a large golden gate.

"It is time for the pact to be fulfilled," said Fate.

"We have expected you, Avatar of Nabu. Our agent stands ready," replied the being. As he did so, the golden gate opened slightly, and another being approached him from within those gates. A green cloak billowed around the agent.

Without another word, Fate and his new ally disappeared in a flash of eldritch energy.

---

Wildcat stalked the halls of the Higher Authority with the grace of a jungle cat. He may have been aged to a state much closer to his true age, but he wasn't licked yet. His knees ached, and dizzy spells wracked him from time to time, but he ignored any and all discomfort. An intruder was onboard the Higher Authority, and what made it worse, it was someone the station recognized as a Justice Society Member. A deceased member at that. He couldn't trust the station, and by extension, D.I.N.A.H., to help him detain the intruder, not if this man had access to the command subroutines that enabled the true JSA members to utilize the station. One possibility was open to him. Like it or lump it, Ted Grant was on his own. At least he was able to leave the station defenses on autopilot for now, with it having reverted to its standard configuration as a satellite, albeit armed to the teeth.

As he approached the area where the brig was, he slowed down. He had to be cautious here, else he befall the same fate as the Khunds had. Looking around, he saw he was alone. Looking through the viewport, he saw the inside of the brig, stripped clean of anything belonging to the Khunds that had been imprisoned there. Gritting his teeth, he turned to face away from the room. Where would this supposed Dr. Midnite have gone now? More to the point, how had he gotten aboard the Authority? No sooner had Ted asked himself these questions than he knew the only possible answer:

The teleporters.

Moving down the hallway he had just come down, he proceeded to enter a chamber off to the side. In it was a tube, used to transport one to any other part of the station. Wishing he was stronger, he entered a tube.

"Teleport Room, ten meters down from the main chamber." He hoped that would give him an element of surprise, barring the possibility this intruder had full knowledge of the station's workings. He hoped he didn't. He hoped the intruder had taken the long way to the chamber…

The tube whisked him up, with hardly a feeling of motion at all save for the view of him speeding by rooms and chambers he still hadn't seen. Finally, he stopped, and left the tube. Sure enough, the teleport room was down the hall from his current position.

Creeping down the hall, he looked into the teleport chamber through the viewport in the main door. Inside, he saw 4 tubes that could be used to teleport one to a variety of locations on Earth, or to the Justice League Watchtower itself. However, he saw no one inside the chamber. Either he had beaten the intruder, or just missed him.

Entering the chamber, he approached the control panel as the door shut behind him. A computer kept a log of all arrivals and departures to the Authority. Scrolling down, he saw an anomaly in the data. Each teleport had a name beside the time of the transport, except for one. Before the JSA had assembled for the first time aboard the Authority, someone had made a jump onboard. And if the times were correct, it was before Steel and STAR Labs had ever done the systems check to confirm the teleporters status. If the earthbound teleporters weren't active at the time, and it wasn't from the Watchtower, then what-

Suddenly Ted was struck from behind. He fell to the floor, grimacing at the pain he felt from his neck. He had taken much worse hits during his lifetime, but with his body aged to approximately 80 years old, small pains took all of his strength to endure. Looking up, he saw a man dressed in black, with a large crescent moon on his chest. He wore a yellow belt with capsule-like compartments on it. His cape billowed around his shoulders. His face was totally covered by a black mask, save for two eyes peering down at him through glass-like eyelets. He stared back at Wildcat.

"Ted, you should have stayed where you were safe. As it is now, I'll have to kill you. No offense, but business is business. And anyway, truth to tell, I never liked you anyway." The man calling himself Dr. Midnite lifted his gripped boot up, and proceeded to bring it down on Wildcat's skull.

An instant later, Wildcat was out of the way of the boot, and on his feet. In the same motion, he grabbed Midnite's foot, and twisted with all his might. Surprised at his victim's speed and strength, Midnite hit the floor hard.

Wildcat spoke. "D.I.N.A.H.! Detain Dr. Midnite! Hold the bastard down, dammit!" Immediately, the floor of the room shifted and tendrils of green energy ensnared Dr. Midnite, holding him down. "Gag him, too! Don't let him speak!" The order was carried out flawlessly. This Midnite character may have been able to masquerade as a real JSA member, but he couldn't give orders if he couldn't speak.

"Chair," said Wildcat breathlessly, and immediately a soft chair formed from the room's floor. No sooner had he said the order, and he fell back, the chair catching him. He hated being old.

Closing his eyes, he rested. Just for a minute. His choice of fighting the invasion plus the exertion he had just pulled was too much for him. He needed rest. Suddenly, a pain hit his chest like a sledgehammer. His heart.

"D.I.N.A.H., get me to medical," he said weakly. "My heart…"

The chair Ted sat in became a wheelchair, and rolled down the floorway towards the door. As he passed Midnite, he saw his adversary had freed an arm, and had pulled out something from his belt. Not willing to take the chance it was a weapon, and too tired to speak to D.I.N.A.H,, he used his last bit of strength to reach out and kick Midnite's hand.

He missed.

His kick hit part of Midnite's cape, and knocked something loose. A round object. It rolled across the floor, and struck the far wall. As Wildcat lost consciousness, he saw a button on the round object get pressed down…

…and everything went black.

---

Wesley Dodds slept peacefully as he did now every night. But this night, he had dreams , dreams he hadn't had for quite a while…

…he dreamed of heroes who he had never seen the likes of…a man dressed as a flag…a god among men…a man who kept thousands of potential monsters at bay within his own mind, afraid of the consequences of releasing them...a man who wore metal…an insecure insect man…a group of the X…Earth's Mightiest Heroes…

…and a threat to the world unlike any seen in years.

Wesley awoke with a start. He had no idea what to make of his dreams these days. Just the same, he pulled out his journal, and wrote down his recollections before they left his sleepy mind, praying his notes would never need to be used…

…but ready should the need arise.


Jack Knight looked out of the window of the stylish rocketship he and his allies were travelling in. They

were searching for Will Payton, the last man to be known as Starman, at least before Jack's own brother David had been killed. Jack had fallen in love with a woman named Jayne Sadie Payton, Will's sister, and at her request he was now in the middle of deep space with an alien named Mikaal, himself known as Starman in the 1970's, and a computerized reproduction of his father Ted Knight, who was the original Starman from the 1940's. The reproduction was courtesy of a Mother Box, whose other functions aided Jack and Mikaal in navigating the stars.

Sadie knew her brother was still alive somewhere, and that he hadn't died in his last known battle against the dark god Eclipso. Jack had no reason to believe her other than his love for her, but in the end that was enough. He was going to search for Will Payton, and bring him home alive. For Sadie.

"You should really get some sleep, Jack," came a voice beside him. It was 'Ted', the computerized version of his father. "I can man the controls on my own, as I have no need for sleep. You mustn't let yourself be worn down. If and when we find Will, you'll need to be at your best."

Jack yawned. He knew Ted was right. Getting up, he turned to go back to his bunk in the latter part of the ship. "G'night, Ted."

"Good night, Jack. Pleasant dreams."

Jack was asleep within minutes. He dreamed of Sadie. He dreamed of his collectables shop. He dreamed of Opal City. And he also dreamed of the Shade.

The Shade was walking up to him, all dressed elegantly in black, walking stick in hand. He stopped just short of Jack, and said two words to him:

"Come home."

Instantly, Jack awoke. Looking at his watch, he saw he had been asleep for an hour. He jumped out of bed, and headed as fast as he could for the main deck.

"Ted! We have to turn around!"

The holographic projection looked at Jack askance. "Turn back? You mean back to Earth?"

"Yes!", replied Jack. "I can't explain it, but I know we have to go home!"

Mikaal walked onto the deck, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "What's this about going home?"

"It was the Shade," explained Jack. "It's hard to explain, but he told me in a dream that we had to come home." Mikaal and Ted looked at Jack as if he were insane.

"But we have to still find Will, Jack. Remember? For Sadie?", said Mikaal.

Suddenly, a black mass formed from the shadows, and turned into a little bat-winged creature with a cartoony face. "He's tellin' the truth, guys," it said sarcastically. "Moi name is Smudge, and as da duly appointed representative of da great holiness da Shade himself, I can confirm dat Jack had no dream. Dat was a message from da Shade, 'cause trouble is a brewing at home."

"Trouble?," replied Jack. "What trouble?"

"Well, fer starters, yer buddy Will 'I wanna be a Starman' Payton, is on Earth now. Some sorta alien invasion, and he's kickin' it up wit da likesa Sooperman and such." Smudge proceeded to make a cigar out of the shadowstuff he was composed of, and lit it with a black flame.

"Well," said Ted. "If this is so, I guess we'd better make our way back to Earth."

---

Flash sat on a stony outcropping, tapping his foot impatiently. Of course, impatient to him was a steady drumbeat to everyone else. Sentinel held the demons that had attacked them inside a bubble from his green flame. Obsidian stood close by, looking intently at those who awoke. As soon as they saw him, they cringed, remembering what effect he had on them before. His powers were able to make anyone confront their worst fears, so how much worse for a demon, who resided in hell already?

"We can't just wait here forever," said Hourman. "We have to see if we can return home. Obsidian is our best bet with his shadow teleporting."

"I wouldn't recommend that if I were you," replied Obsidian. "I've never teleported farther than on the Earth's plane itself, and never across another dimension. I wouldn't know how to navigate."

"Like it or not, I suspect we shall have to wait either until Fate returns, or more attackers assail us," said Hippolyta.

"I agree with Polly," said Sentinel. "Keep sharp, everyone." No sooner had those words been spoken, than a burst of light shone over the group. The fog around them dissipated, and suddenly Fate stood in front of them. Another figure stood off to the side and behind Fate, the fog obscuring their view of the figure.

"I have returned," said Fate.

"Its about damn time," said Hourman. "Where were you? And who did you bring with you? The 'Great Enemy'?"

"Not exactly, Man of the Hour," replied Fate. "I have brought the last of our assemblage here for the great war to come." He stepped aside as the figure behind him stepped into view.

Immediately, Hippolyta's, Sentinel's and Flash's jaws dropped. Obsidian and Hourman stared in wonder.

The figure before them wore an emerald green cloak, with a hood shrouding his face. He wore emerald gloves, shorts and boots. His skin was pale white. His eyes emanated raw power.

Sentinel found the wherewithal to speak.

"The Spectre", was all he could say.

---

Next Issue: EVIL REBORN - Part the Second - The Justice Society, now joined by an all-new Spectre, prepare to face 'The Great Enemy' to save the universe and the life of Nabu the Wise! Who is the Enemy? Who is his ally? And what is the fate of Ted Grant? Find out next issue!

Comments? Suggestions? Send'em on over to: mikeman@sk.sympatico.ca

Mike Hintze
08/30/00