Lightray had seen the riots in the streets of Apokolips, but
he had not intervened in them. Apokolips had other protectors
and champions, and he had seen them containing the masses. One
concern, and one concern only, filled Lightray’s mind as he soared
over the scarred and blackened world: The New Genesis Embassy.
Although he had not yet officially been sworn in as New Genesis’s
Ambassador, both Orion and the New Genesis Council had approved
his appointment. Moreover, the Embassy’s staff contained the entire
known assembly of New Genesis officials in the universe in the
wake of Solaris’s attack. Lightray had to know if they had survived
and, if they hadn’t, he had to begin the long, difficult process
of accepting the mass extermination of his race. The young god
alighted, his scarlet hair ruffling slightly against his yellow
headgear as he did.
To his everlasting relief, Lightray saw the white domed Embassy
standing firm. A figure hidden under a brown hood, along with
a motley assortment of youths, was tending to both those who had
rioted, and the Embassy staff that were injured by the rioters.
"Hail, stranger!" Lightray rose his hand in greeting.
"Lucky for you we were here, hm?" a gravelly, hardened
voice drifted out from the hood. The figure ignored Lightray as
he knelt down to hold a cup of water up to a small girl’s mouth,
allowing her to sip from it slowly. After passing a Mother Box
over the girl’s forehead, sealing up some of the scratches that
she had accrued during the panic, he stood again. "Where
were you?" he asked, his back turned to Lightray.
"Now look here!" Lightray started. "I was on official
state business..."
The hooded man finally turned and confronted Lightray. "My
sources inform me that you received the news about your nomination
three days ago. I believe that Orion approved it hours ago. You
are the Ambassador, are you not? Why were you not here at the
Embassy?"
Suddenly, Lightray was struck silent. "How could you know
all of that? That’s top-level...the announcement wasn’t even supposed
to be made public until two days from now!"
The figure stepped forward, allowing a small amount of foggy
illumination to enter his hood, revealing a round, happy face
cracked and creviced by the bleakness of Apokolips. "I make
it my business to know."
Lightray took in the man’s features and recognized the face in
seconds. "H-"
"Shhhh." The man said, drawing the hood tighter around
his face.
"See now, H-" Lightray caught himself, then lowered
his voice "Sir. I made my way here as soon as possible. Once
I was aware of the danger, I made it my only duty to be at the
Embassy. The rest of the time, I was dealing with the Council
and Orion regarding my appointment."
The old man rubbed his chin, considering Lightray’s words. "Let
me pose a question to you, Lightray: does the Embassy contain
a Holoter panel?"
"Yes, sir."
"Could you have contacted Orion and the Council from the
Embassy’s Holoter panel?"
Lightray sighed. "Yes, sir. But..."
"But you wanted to see Orion face-to-face. There is nothing
inherently wrong with that, but if you were due to be announced
as Ambassador, wouldn’t your time have been better spent getting
to know the people working here? Perhaps learning about some areas
of the job you aren’t very familiar with? I’m not condemning you,
Lightray, simply warning you that my followers and I will not
always be around to save the day."
Lightray tacitly agreed. "Perhaps you are correct. I am
not yet accustomed to my Ambassadorial duties."
"Remember your obligation is to your people first, and yourself
second, and you should work out just fine."
"I will, sir."
"Good." The hooded man surveyed his juvenile allies
and the riot victims they were tending to. "Is everyone all
right?" A chorus of mumbles and murmurs arose in affirmation.
"Then we shall be taking our leave of you. May your days
as Ambassador be fortunate ones, Lightray. Phase out!" The
man’s young disciples repeated his order as they pressed buttons
on belts and on Mother Boxes.
And with that, Himon and his young charges vanished back into
his hidden workshop.
===============================================================
As Lightray ponders his own fate, let us ponder that of the
gods! The evil of SOLARIS has been contained...for the moment!
Still, its mechanoids continue its mission of destruction! This
day, who shall claim victory? Soulless machines, or the brave...
===============================================================
Above Apokolips, in the haunting blackness of space, thousands
of lethal robots of all shapes, sizes, and colours charged out
of the mechanoid starship in orbit around the planet. Riding behind
them on cosmic skis was a figure of unimaginable horror, the Black
Racer.
The Racer held one of his ski poles aloft and pointed at Scott
Free and his soldiers.
Scott grabbed his pupil Atrea’s shoulders and pushed her out
of the path of mechanoid charge, gracefully arcing above the robotic
hordes and avoiding their attack. "To arms!" he shouted
to his nearby army. Eagerly and bravely, the combined Apokolips/New
Genesis forces under Scott’s command readied their weapons and
engaged the enemy. Styggan, as usual, was the first to rush to
his mentor’s aid. He took the head of one of the crimson mechanoid
warriors and crushed it between his hands. As fragments and sparks
flew forth from the remnants of the warrior, Styggan silently
thanked the fates for the fact that he was wearing his full Monitor
armour. At that moment, behind him, a purple sentry with a spiky
carapace rushed forward. Styggan turned to see it, and was struck
motionless with shock. "Jena..." the young soldier thought,
moments before he was to be impaled. Then, a sudden flash of silver
appeared. It was the sharp electroblade of Valinus, the former
Parademon. The sentry’s head went tumbling off of its body and
into space, while the body spiraled off after it. "Snap out
of it, Styggan! If these things reach Apokolips, everything will
be destroyed!"
Styggan nodded his helmeted head. "You’re right Valinus...thank
you."
"I was merely doing my duty as a warrior. Now..." Valinus
paused as he held out his wrist-blaster to fire a Radion bolt
at a large red eyed blue mechanoid "let us battle with the
ferocity that is our birthright as Apokoliptians!"
===============================================================
In a simple, dank room, sat a small, frustrated man decked out
in medals and a red uniform. He sat on a flat bunk, examining
reams of paper with a monocle he held to his left eye. He sighed
as he dropped one of the papers beside him in frustration. "Ach,
will this never end?"
Ordinarily, an ombudsman on New Genesis would be supplied with
a Mother Box, computo-styluses and other electronic marvels of
that world, so as to make their appointed duties easier. If the
little monocled man had been anyone else, Orion might even have
supplied him with such tools on Apokolips. However, the small
man had the misfortune to have once served Darkseid as a member
of his elite, a notorious band of power-hungry warlords who schemed
against each other even as they schemed against their master,
which was a cardinal sin in the eyes of Orion. No, Orion’s Apokolips
was not a good place for Virman Vundabar, and had the little Prussian-styled
scientist not talked his way into Orion’s court by offering to
smooth over the governmental transition and revealing Darkseid’s
secrets to Orion, he would surely be as dead as his compatriots
right now.
Sifting through and marking reams of paperwork with only his
hands, ink and a quill at his disposal, Vundabar’s arm was cramped.
"All of Heggra’s bloodline, all alike" he sneered. "Orion
shares his father’s black sense of humour. Not only must I sort
through Orion’s government in the most archaic, taxing way possible,
I must meet with his swine...his so-called ‘heads of state’."
Vundabar frowned. If his calculations were correct- and given
the strictly regimented routine Orion kept him on, there was no
reason for them not to be- he would be summoned by the palace
guards to gather up a report from Scott Free any moment now. "Unless...the
Parademons were able to kill him."*
*See New Gods #20
Vundabar rubbed his chin, deep in wishful thinking. "But
no. Free is too worthy an adversary to be destroyed by common
soldiers, no matter how many in number. Still..."
The soft hum of a cosmi-current barrier dying penetrated the
door to Vundabar’s room, cutting his reverie short. Then, a man
in the powder blue and blood red garb of Orion’s personal guards
walked into the dwelling and ducked down, careful not to catch
the fin of spikes atop his helmet on the doorway.
"I assume it is time, no?" Vundabar rose from his bunk.
"There is a state of emergency. You are to remain confined
to your quarters until further notice."
"But...but..." Vundabar sputtered.
"Orion’s orders are final. Until the crisis is over, you
will remain here and complete your work. That is all." The
guard walked out, locked the door, and resurrected the barrier.
Vundabar paced the room, deeply frustrated that he could not
perform his duties. "Not only will this mean longer reports
to the swine, but she will be very displeased..." Suddenly,
a buzzing at the edges of Vundabar’s consciousness gripped him.
He sat back on the bunk and closed his eyes. The mental image
of a figure wearing a squarish red full-face helmet with large
yellow eyes and a small slit of a mouth appeared in his mind.
"Virman..." The helmeted figure said slowly,
measuredly, as if to underscore the similarity of Vundabar’s first
name to the word vermin. "What do you know of the
attack on New Genesis?"
"Nothing", the little man mentally responded. "I
didn’t even know there was one, Forager. Orion’s guards simply
referred to some vague ‘crisis’, then confined me to my cell."
Vundabar heard a sniff of derision echo from under the figure’s
headgear. He grew panicked. "I will have information for
you shortly. The moment this has passed, I will be allowed to
continue in my duties". Suddenly, Virman felt a strange prickling
sensation underneath his glove. His hand boiled and squirmed.
"You had better." Forager’s cold, hateful voice accompanied
the burning in Vundabar’s hand. "Remember, you now belong
to us. Body, mind, and soul."
Vundabar grit his teeth. He knew he could not cry out, for that
would bring Orion’s guards barreling into his cell. Instead, he
merely took the pain, desperate for it to end. He focused on the
image of Forager’s impassive helmet, trying to block out her punishment.
"That is all....for now." The image of Forager receded,
and Vundabar opened his eyes. Quickly, he yanked his glove off.
Staring at his hand, which was now blood red and lined in scars,
he wondered which was more frightening: serving Orion, or serving
the Bug.
===============================================================
Cautiously, Big Barda and her soldiers approached Solaris. Although
the spherical solar computer looked totally inert, Barda didn’t
want to take any unnecessary risks.
"Commander, look!" the voice of Jena, the young woman
from New Genesis, cut through Barda’s thoughts. Drifting in front
of the soldiers, some distance away from Solaris, was Takion,
Highfather of New Genesis.
"By the Source!" Barda gasped. In a moment, she was
at Takion’s side, holding the fallen god’s body in her hands.
"How is he?" Jena asked.
"He looks a little worse for the wear, but..."
Takion’s eyes fluttered open.
"Hail, Highfather. Are you well?" Barda’s voice betrayed
a tenderness she kept well hidden.
"Is New Genesis out of danger?"
Barda nodded. "Yes. Solaris is deactivated."
Takion was momentarily confused as to the identity of Solaris.
"The stellar computer?"
Barda nodded.
"But not destroyed?" Takion pulled himself away from
Barda. "I attacked it with all the power of the Source, and
it was merely damaged?!"
"We believe it to be dead, sir..."
Suddenly, a burst of light flared from behind Barda and Takion.
The two turned to face Solaris, both fearing the worst. What they
saw as they fixed their eyes on the Stellar Annihilator was not
a grey, spikey metal ball, but a raging Tyrant Sun. Solaris flickered,
it’s power ebbing and flowing, but it was clearly operational.
Barda stared at Solaris for a moment, then back to her students
and contemporaries. "Prepare for battle", she ordered.
The motley collection of grim-faced Cadets, ex-Parademons, and
veteran Monitors drew a lethal assortment of lasers, Radion guns,
swords, destruci-poles, and many other exotic weapons, ready to
sacrifice their lives to save their homes. "Activate your
scramblers. Set them for mind frequency Q7. Solaris has a telepathic
lens, and the last thing we need is for it to pick up our conversations."
The troops acted quickly on Barda’s command.
Thoughtcasting through the telepathic lens woven into her elaborate
warrior’s headdress, Barda sent messages to the governments of
Apokolips, New Genesis, and all the soldiers Scott had mobilized.
"This is Barda Free, Commander of the Female Furies. We have
recovered Highfather Takion of New Genesis. Despite his valiant
efforts, which prevented the destruction of New Genesis..."
===============================================================
Lightray sighed deeply with relief as he mentally "heard"
Barda’s briefing by means of his lens, embedded in his helmet.
He threw his arms up in the air and declared to the Embassy staff
"New Genesis is safe!" A loud cheer filled the air.
===============================================================
Barda finished the thought. "Solaris is still intact and
a threat. We will now engage it. Stand by for further reports."
Quickly, she lensed the JLA Watchtower’s files on Solaris to Mark
Moonrider, so that New Genesis could be bought up to speed.
===============================================================
"Great...just great..." Scott Free thought to himself
as he lunged from a punch by a mechanoid with one impossibly oversized
fist.
===============================================================
Orion waved his hand, bringing the cheering crowds to silence.
Once he had quiet, he continued to address the people of Apokolips
in his pastoral, pleasant garden courtyard. "But while our
brave soldiers protect us from outside threats, let us also stand
strong against ones from within. Never again turn upon your brother
or your sister in a moment of panic."
Several in the crowd hung their heads in shame. Virtually the
whole of Apokolips had turned into a hateful, bitter mob due to
the light Solaris had cast over the planet; a light to which most
Apokoliptians had never been exposed. The guilt they felt was
palpable.
A soft pinging emerged from Orion’s Mother Box. Quickly, he unclasped
it from his belt and studied it. Instantly, it projected Barda’s
message into his mind, playing it back verbatim.
"Forgive me, my fellows, but I need to focus my attention
elsewhere. Stand together, for only when we do shall Apokolips
be safe." Orion turned and strode as fast as he could into
the palace, leaving his subjects to consider his words.
===============================================================
Turning back to face Takion, Barda said "I hope you don’t
mind me asking, Highfather, but we could most certainly use whatever
help you can offer us."
"I struck at it with the force of ten cosmic-lasers and
only slowed it down. However...never let it be said that New Genesis
and Apokolips were both lost without a fight." Takion slapped
his hand onto Barda’s armoured shoulder. "It would be an
honour to fight alongside you."
At that moment, six New Genesis monitors swooped up alongside
Barda and Takion. "Hail, Highfather!" one said. "We
were sent by Director Moonrider to ascertain your condition. Now
that we know what it is, we would share in your struggle."
Takion nodded. "By all means, my children."
"Every moment we speak is a moment that Solaris becomes
more powerful..." Barda pointed her Mega Rod at the Stellar
Annihilator. "Attack!"
===============================================================
Three mechanoids surrounded Redac, a New Genesis soldier. Grasping
his destructi-pole tightly, he turned, surveying the artificial
attackers and their armourments. One, a beady-eyed black-hued
figure with skinny clawed arms and legs, looked so frail that
one of the singing children of Supertown could topple it. Another,
a short, squat barrel-shaped creation, sparkled in it’s golden
chrome covering. The third, a totally non-humanform creature,
resembled the head of Medusa- hundreds of wiggling coils, attached
to a small red robotic ball. Redac remembered his training and
thought "The enemy who looks the most harmless is often the
most lethal.". Suddenly, he struck at the spindly black mechanoid,
running it through with his pole. In one swift swoop, he rammed
his felled opponent into the golden one’s head, destroying both
mechanoids in a blinding explosion. Redac recoiled from the blast
and spun to face the ball, but before he could act, he was wrapped
tightly in the sphere’s tentacles.
Atrea swept above Redac, soaring on one aero-disc. "What
happened to the other one?!" Redac shouted as he struggled
against the coils.
"You’ll see!" Atrea smiled calmly and confidently.
At that moment, Atrea’s other aero-disc careened into the little
sphere’s appendages, cutting Redac free. Carefully, Atrea balanced
one foot off of her lone disc, waiting for the other to return.
As it sped towards her, the aero-disc slowed, then stopped, safely
allowing her to stand on it.
Redac exhaled into his Monitor helmet. "I thank you, Atrea."
"Anytime." She said before turning and ramming her
steel-hard fist through an approaching mechanoid.
Elsewhere, the Black Racer hung heavily over a battle between
Bastius the Bold, and a large, hulking grey mechanoid bristling
with guns. As his name would suggest, ordinarily Bastius was high
spirited and raucous both on and off the battlefield. However,
in the presence of the Black Racer, he was stunned into silence.
The Racer hadn’t yet made a move against any of the combatants,
but his presence meant that death was coming for at least one
of them. Silently, he wished it wasn’t him or any of his fellow
warriors.
The gun-leaden mechanoid unloaded a soundless barrage of lasers
into space, each one targeting one who fought in the service of
New Genesis or Apokolips. Bastius gaped at the sight, and called
out "Everybody move!"
By the time Valinus heard the cry, it was too late. The Racer
zipped over to him, quicker than the eye could see. Both the laser
and the Black Racer’s pole touched him at the same time. He vapoursied
instantly.
"Valinus!" Styggan cried, stunned by the death of one
who had so recently saved him. In a blur, the Racer accompanied
the eleven other salvos the mechanoid had launched. Some- mostly
hardened veterans- escaped the touch of the Racer, but eight lost
their lives quickly after Valinus. "Get out of my way!"
Styggan called out angrily. "Find another target, Bastius!"
"Suit yourself, kid!" Bastius swooped at two other
mechanoids, catching them by their necks and slamming them into
each other as he flew out of Styggan’s path. Beneath his helmet,
Styggan grit his teeth, fury seething through him. He could feel
a raw energy growing within him, the likes of which he never felt
before. "DIE!!!" Styggan howled as he wildly rammed
into the mechanoid gunman. The grey mechanoid shattered in half
at the waist, creating a small fireball. Styggan roared victoriously,
then turned his attention to some of the other mechanoids. One
by one, they fell to Styggan’s fury.
Styggan spun backwards, to see if any mechanoids were behind
him. Instead of enemies, he saw only the bodies of his friends
and debris of his enemies. Beyond that, Scott, Atrea, and Redac
were hopelessly outnumbered by a battalion of at least ten mechanoids.
Styggan raced forward to lend his aid, but suddenly stopped dead
in his tracks.
The Racer was before him.
===============================================================
Palace Guards met Orion as he entered his sanctum, escorting
him into the room. "Leave me." Orion said simply as
he took a seat at his simple red chair. With a terse bow, the
two guards left. Without delay, Orion pointed his Mother Box at
the black marble floor, causing a Holoter panel to raise up. Mark
Moonrider’s form was recreated in light, albeit without the usual
recreation of the speaker’s surroundings that the Holoter customarily
provided. Orion further noticed that Moonrider hardly looked lifelike,
as all other Holoter images did. Instead, he was a rather pale,
translucent figure.
"Mark Moonrider," Orion ignored the flaws in the communications
system. "Are you well? How is New Genesis?"
"We had a closer call than I’d care to remember Orion, but
I think we’re fine. Obviously, people are shaken up and the very
proximity of that...thing...caused some disruptions and damage,
but I think we’ve only got minimal casualties, if that."
"Good. If all goes well, Scott and Barda will be able to
bring down Solaris..."
"Do you need reinforcements?" Mark asked.
"You’re a brave one, Moonrider...thank you, but no. Take
care of your own. We will send aid as soon as we possibly can."
"I thank you, Orion. I’ll notify you if anything changes
here."
"Thank you, Mark Moonrider. Orion out." The light of
the holoter faded as Orion reclined, planning a course of action
to destroy Solaris.
===============================================================
On both sides of Solaris, soldiers attacked the burning orb,
staying clear of its colossal, deadly core. Takion led one group,
firing at the Tyrant Sun with golden power rays, while Barda struck
with her Mega Rod.
"This isn’t working!" Takion thoughtcasted to Barda.
"I know! But we have to keep trying!" she shot back
angrily.
"Maybe not!" Takion responded.
"What? Are you the coward Orion thinks you are?!"
Takion bristled at the accusation. "Hardly. I simply have
an idea which might lead to our victory."
"I’m listening." Barda said.
===============================================================
Clumps of bodies and debris surrounded Styggan as he stared at
the Black Racer. The young cadet’s impenetrable Monitor helmet
betrayed no emotion, save the hatred burning in his eyes. The
embodiment of death and Styggan stood face-to-face for a long
moment.
"Get on with it!" Styggan cried in a mixture of fury
and despair. "If you’re going to take me, take me now!"
"I am not here for you." The Racer replied, raising
his pole and pointing it far beyond the battle. "I wish only
to pass, so that I may claim another."
"I’ll never let you do that! Never! You’ve already gorged
yourself on my friends’ corpses!"
The Racer slowly, gently touched Styggan’s heart with the very
tip of his pole. Seizures convulsed through the Apokoliptian’s
body as his mind danced with pain.
"I ask again." The Black Racer said simply. "Will
you let me pass? If you do, you may still have a chance to rescue
Scott Free from my grasp."
Styggan glanced again at the battle. Atrea’s armour was being
cut into by a mechanoid, while Redac tried desperately to fend
off some more that were heading towards them. Scott was tumbling
around destructive blasts, narrowly avoiding each one.
"Go." Styggan said, floating out of the Racer’s way.
The Black Racer bowed his head slightly. With a low "Thank
you", he streaked out into the stars.
Styggan bobbed and weaved around the maze of humanity and metal
before him. With all the speed he could muster, he threw himself
into the battle, drawing four mechanoids away from Redac. Redac
seized upon the opportunity Styggan gave him and slammed his destruci-pole
through three of them. Styggan kicked the fourth’s arms off, then
grabbed it by its’ head and literally tore the mechanoid in half.
Redac’s eyes widened. "I don’t know how you did that, Styggan...but
thanks." Redac said, astonished. Styggan merely pointed at
Atrea. She was limp, her armour cut in several places by the mechanoid
attacking her. Redac sprung into action, throwing his weapon and
shattering the bladed arm of Atrea’s adversary. Styggan swept
by Atrea and dragged her away from the robotic enemy. "Finish
it, Redac!"
Redac took two destructi-poles from a quiver strapped across
his back and fired them at the disarmed mechanoid. It exploded
in a blaze of fire immediately after. "Are you all right?"
Styggan asked Atrea, holding her wrist as he flew at the quintet
that had Scott Free ensnared.
"I’ve seen better days, but I should be fine. I thank you
Styggan."
"You’re quite welcome." Styggan opened his hand, letting
her go, then turned from her and resumed his flight towards Scott.
"Sir, can you activate your cosmi-current barrier?!"
he screamed. The mechanoids eyes left Scott for a moment as they
faced Styggan. Scott pressed his finger into his palm, and the
mechanoids suddenly shuddered into motionlessness.
"No need," Scott smiled "You provided me with
the second I needed to retrieve my multi-cube." Scott held
out his hand, and Styggan saw a small square object.
"Nice trick. But we’re still vastly outnumbered. We should
call in Trantus’s troops. We need backup."
"Barda reported in to me earlier. Solaris was active. Unless
I receive another report telling me otherwise, I’m proceeding
under the assumption that’s still the case. If it is, Trantus
may be all that stands between Solaris and Apokolips."
"Why worry about Solaris? Looks like these robots are going
to get there first..." Styggan grumbled.
An edge of anger crept into Scott’s voice. "Then we just
have to make sure that they don’t, don’t we Cadet?"
"Yes, sir." Styggan replied bitterly. "And furthermore..."
"Hold on a second!" Scott held a finger up to his masked
lips. "It’s Orion." he said.
Orion’s voice came loud and clear through the lens. "Scott,
is there any way you can take control of that ship?"
"I’m not sure, but...I’ll try."
"Do it. Orion out."
"All right." Scott turned to face his pupil. "Orion
wants us to break into the mechanoid ship and take it over. You
game, Styggan?"
The young Monitor’s eyes widened. "Break into the...is he
insane?"
"You said they would get to Apokolips before Solaris. If
we take over their ship, I’d say that dramatically reduces that
possibility, wouldn’t you?"
Styggan shook his head and exhaled. "What’ve we got to lose?"
"That’s the spirit!" Scott wryly exclaimed, then activated
his lens and audio projector. "Patrols 6, 8, and 9: fall
back into defensive position around Apokolips. Follow Trantus’s
orders until further notice. That is all." As fast as they
could, the duo began flying as fast as they could around the mechanoid
attackers and towards their ship.
===============================================================
"Scott will be bringing the ship you need shortly. Proceed
with your plan, Takion."
"Thank you, Orion." Takion closed his mind and focused
on his surroundings. "All right! We’ve got word from Orion!
Fan out and fall back!"
Moving as one, the legions under Barda and Takion’s command flew
around Solaris in a "V"-shaped formation. In an instant,
they were behind Solaris.
Slowly, maddeningly, Solaris turned to face them. With a brilliant
blaze of energy, it finally flashed to full power.
"Solaris!" Takion called. "I defeated you once!
Are you ready for a rematch?!"
The deep, rumbling thunder of Solaris’s voice came across the
mental frequencies of the soldiers. The stellar annihilator merely
said, "I accept."
"Run!" Barda ordered. With all the speed they could
muster, everyone- Takion included- journeyed deeper into the endless
night of space, a Tyrant Sun chasing them.
===============================================================
"I just don’t get it." Bastius grumbled to Redac and
Atrea as they arrived on the other side of Apokolips’ atmosphere,
along with others of the patrol Scott had transferred to Trantus’s
command. "Sure, we weren’t winning the battle, but there
has to be something better than giving up."
"Well, whatever reason Commander Free has for doing this,
I’m sure it’s a good one..." Atrea protested.
"Yeah. Like saving his skin while Apokolips and New Genesis
get burned." Bastius snapped.
"Calm, Bastius...calm." Redac counseled. "Perhaps
Trantus can offer us some hidden insight."
"Perhaps..." Bastius muttered.
The trio made their way past hundreds of their compatriots, directly
towards the old general Trantus.
"Sir," Atrea started. "Bastius wonders if perhaps
Commander Free has abandoned the battle, and now seeks to flee.
I am certain he is not, but...do you know what he’s doing?"
Trantus turned for a moment to consider Redac, then focused his
attention past the equatorial curve of Apokolips towards just
beyond the opposite side of the planet, where Scott and Styggan
were swooping towards the mechanoid ship. He lifted his powerful
zoomibinocs to his eyes, staring at the ship. "I’m not at
all certain...he’s definitely not fleeing..."
===============================================================
"This is foolish." Styggan complained, diving around
a brown mechanoid.
"These things got out. There has to be a way to get in."
"Perhaps...but I have a hard time believing they’ll welcome
us with open arms!"
Scott pointed ahead. "Well, now’s the time to find out!"
Raising his multi-cube to his chest, Scott activated the little
square, bombarding the deep green wedge-shaped mechanoid ship
in invisible rays. "As I expected. There’s a defensive screen
around it."
"Look there!" Styggan exclaimed. "This is a suicide
mission!"
Scott looked over his back to see a tidal wave of mechanoids
rushing back to their home base to defend it. "Not necessarily.
This little multi-cube is by far the most versatile device in
my bag of tricks. Watch!"
The young cadet held his tongue. Like a meteor shower, the mechanoids
streaked through the blackness. Styggan felt a strange tingle
crawl throughout his body. Then, suddenly, about a mile short
of the ship, they exploded.
"What the..."
"I expanded the screen and temporarily decreased its molecular
density. It passed through us, then I increased its density. The
mechanoids couldn’t react fast enough, so they crashed into it."
Styggan spoke with quiet awe. "So we’re in now?"
"Halfway there. We’re inside the screen, but the multi-cube
can only alter the density of energy, not matter. We need to find
the ship’s entrance."
"And find a way around those." Styggan nodded at an
array of small, but imposing, laser cannons on the sides of the
ship.
"Well, that shouldn’t be too..." numerous laser bolts
streaked from the cannons. Styggan dove from them, pushing Scott
out of the way, but not before one caught the corner of Scott’s
cape. In the vacuum of space, the cape couldn’t have caught fire.
However, within the mini-atmosphere of the defensive screen, it
did. Scott rapidly pulled the cape from his back and threw it
against the screen, watching it disintegrate in a spectacular,
but ultimately harmless display. He then said "...difficult".
"Should we split up to search for the entrance?" Styggan
asked, keeping a wary eye out for another blast.
"No. We’d cover more ground, obviously, but we don’t know
what we’ll find in there. It’s better to stick together. Besides,
if there’s any more surprises like that, I think we’ll need to
watch each others’ backs".
At the moment Scott finished, the laser cannons began firing
again. "Let’s move!" he said, weaving around the lethal
rays. Styggan followed him. The cannons ceased fire, then turned
to re-target the two. Barrage after barrage followed Scott and
Styggan, each one only narrowly missing them.
Then, in the light of one of the blasts, Scott caught a glimpse
of a row of indented circles on the ship’s hull. "I think
I‘ve found it!" he shouted at Styggan, expertly somersaulting
to avoid the enemy’s fire and onto the ship’s hull. Styggan twisted,
trying to follow Scott. "Aurgh." he groaned.
Scott looked up to see a large burn mark across the right arm
of Styggan’s armour. Instantly, Scott hit a button on his belt
and shot a cosmi-current barrier at Styggan. The barrier dragged
Styggan towards Scott, protecting him all the while. In seconds,
the two were standing side by side in-between two of the circles.
Styggan held his arm with his left hand, grimacing.
"Are you all right?"
Styggan shook his head. "Not exactly, but I’ll live. This
is our only shot, and I’ve seen too many good people die today
for us to give it up."
"I’m proud of you, Styggan. That attitude will get you far."
"Thank you, sir."
"Now..." Scott stretched out his hand. "Let’s
see what we can do about getting in here." Scott bombarded
the circle with waves of magnetic energy, using magnetic repulsors
housed in microcircutry inside his gloves. Like a butterfly hit
by a semi-truck, the sphere flew back violently. Carefully, Scott
and Styggan made their way inside.
===============================================================
Solaris lumbered after its targets, deadly streaks of plasma
shooting from its core. Barrage after barrage came, some finding
their targets, others missing the mark. At each death, the Black
Racer was present.
"Blast it, Takion! Death stalks us! Let us stand and fight!"
Barda shouted.
"Many more will die if we cannot lead Solaris away from
our worlds. I have faith in your husband. If her needs more time,
it is our duty to give it to him." Takion shot back.
Barda growled softly, then thought to herself "Come on,
Scott..."
===============================================================
Scott Free gasped as he and Styggan entered a transparent tube
that lead up into the mechanoid launch bay, glancing from side
to side for fear that more mechanoids might attack. To their relief,
it appeared that each and every last one had been dispatched against
the forces of Orion and Highfather. Scott rolled down his sleeve
and pulled his Mother Box from the strap around his arm he kept
it on.
"Do you have any idea where to start to looking the controls?"
Styggan asked.
"No." Scott tapped his finger against Mother Box "I’m
having her scan for the largest power source on the ship. That’s
probably out best bet for finding, at the very least, an engine
room and at best some sort of navigational unit."
Mother Box began to softly ping, causing Scott to wave his hand
forward. "Follow me", he said to Styggan.
Through endless, cold steel catacombs, the teacher and pupil
zoomed, Scott on his aero-discs, and Styggan under his own natural
power. After long minutes, the duo reached a large black door.
Scott raised his hands, magnetically knocking the door down.
Beyond the door laid a massive oval-shaped room. At the center
of it was a tall, thin mechanoid. Motionless, the mechanoid stood
suspended in a spider-web of glowing wires that ran from the top
of the room into its head. Styggan gasped.
"I think we’ve found what we’re looking for." Scott
said.
Styggan agreed. "It looks like a sort of...mass director
unit. What now?"
Scott produced his multi-cube. "Try to establish telemechanical
control over it." Scott plugged the cube into his Mother
Box, creating one device. "Mother Box’s linguistic banks
are virtually limitless. If anyone can find a way to get into
the mechanoid’s programming, she can." Scott strode closer
to the mechanoid command unit, holding his device aloft. Wire
after wire became purple, until all were the same colour.
===============================================================
"We’re into the system, Orion. Now what?" Scott’s voice
mentally echoed. Orion rose from his chair and paced his room.
"Find Solaris. Pilot the ship directly into its core chamber.
Leave."
"Your wish is my command."
Orion opened communications to Barda. "You’ve got your impacter.
Scott’s on his way."
===============================================================
"Excellent. We shall await his arrival. Barda out."
she turned to Takion. "We’ve got the ship. Now can we stop
fleeing?"
"I don’t think we’ll have to." Takion pointed at Solaris.
It was stopped dead.
"Turn about, soldiers!" Barda ordered. Everyone stopped
their flight and faced Solaris.
The Tyrant Sun felt its link to its mechanoid servants severed.
It paused to compute scenarios that would explain this turn of
events.
"Double back and loop around Solaris." Takion added.
The warriors spread out around the immobile sphere, then stood
fast, watching, waiting for it’s next move.
===============================================================
Trantus saw the back end of the mechanoid ship light up. Slowly
at first, then more quickly, the ship began moving away from Apokolips
orbit. Within seconds, it sped away at near lightspeed.
"He’s not running! He’s taken over their ship!" Trantus
exclaimed. "He’s luring them away!"
"I knew it! The Commander knows what he’s doing. Go get
‘em!" Redac cheered.
===============================================================
Styggan’s jaw was locked hanging wide open. "Unless you
can control this thing from a distance, there’s no way we can
survive a collision with Solaris’s core. Besides, how do we even
know where it is right now?"
"Barda’s Mother Box and mine are linked. I can home in on
her position." Scott said, focusing his concentration on
navigating the ship via his little Mother Box/multi-cube gestalt.
"Still, I do need to be here to pilot the ship. As for getting
out alive...well, just remember that I’ve been called Mister Miracle..."
Styggan threw his hands in the air, frustrated. "With all
due respect, Scott, we’re going to need six miracles to pull through
this..."
"Shhh...it’s dead ahead."
===============================================================
The green ship sped like a ray of light straight towards Solaris.
"Here he comes!" Barda mentally called out. "Get
back to Apokolips and New Genesis, everyone!"
===============================================================
Solaris’s sensors tracked a large object heading towards it at
incredible speed. All of the humanoid pests around it began to
scatter, fleeing from it. "Command: Pursue and annihilate"
Solaris’s core processed.
===============================================================
"Oh well...at least we’ll die heroically, not to mention
quickly..." Styggan despaired.
"We’re going to make it. We’re going to..." Scott’s
voice trailed off.
"Going to what?" At that moment, Styggan saw the Black
Racer step from the shadows.
"It can wait." Scott whispered.
"I could have easily overpowered you," The Racer rumbled,
staring at Styggan "But despite a moment of youthful defiance,
you did not block my path in the end. You have passed the test
of the Black Racer. You and your teacher should go now. We will
meet again."
"But..." Scott sputtered.
"GO!" The Racer bellowed. "I shall complete
your mission."
The ship shook violently as heat wafted into the room. Scott
and Styggan looped back into the hallways. Styggan took a glance
at the Racer. The oval control room was ablaze, but still the
Racer stood firm. Styggan felt a tug at his arm. "Move it!"
Scott growled. The flames chased after them, always one step behind.
Before him, Scott saw the launch tubes they had entered through.
"Follow me!" He called out to Styggan. Scott went spiraling
out of one of the tubes, Styggan right behind him. A brilliant
streak of flame shot out after them, but was quickly snuffed by
the vacuum of space. Solaris collapsed, consumed in a blazing
supernova, as the shadows of a man riding on aero-discs and another
in a winged helmet zoomed farther and farther away.
===============================================================
Epilogue: Two Days Later
Takion stood in the large courtyard of Orion’s palace. One of
the few places on Apokolips where life blossomed, the courtyard
was, this day, a place of remembrance and sorrow. Roughly three
hundred black caskets, some opened, some closed, formed twin rows.
On the far right and far left of each row sat mourners of all
shapes and sizes. Some, like Lightray, were important delegates.
Others, such as Redac, ordinary soldiers. Even common Hunger Dogs
were present, for some of their brothers and sisters had died
in the fight against Solaris.
At the front of the courtyard, beyond all the caskets, stood
Takion. He chanted a prayer, sacred and solemn, in the language
of the Old Gods. He concluded with a simple declaration in the
basic tongue: "From the Source they came. To the Source they
shall return." Takion closed his eyes, raised his arms, and
stretched his hands outward. Like thin wisps of smoke, spirits
rose from the caskets. Some of those assembled gasped, but none
was frightened. Although strange to those of Apokolips who had
never seen a formal mourning ceremony before, there was an odd
beauty and serenity in the arising of the dead’s souls. The spirits
swept into Takion, one after another, until he became translucent.
A moment passed, then Takion opened his eyes and took a more relaxed
stance. "They will be with us always." Takion bowed,
signaling the end of the ceremony.
The murmuring of voices sprung up spontaneously. Orion made his
way to Takion, taking him aside to speak to him.
"Thank you for coming here, Highfather, and thank you for
your aid in defeating Solaris."
Takion smiled wearily. "You don’t know how long I’ve waited
to hear you call me ‘Highfather’."
"I still do not feel fully comfortable doing so, Takion,
however...you proved your worth during that battle."
"Lightray told me you also managed to keep a modicum of
peace during a rash of riots that broke out. I am proud, Orion."
The two walked slowly together, talking and beginning to mend
the wounds of the past. ===============================================================
"I still don’t fully understand. What did you do to Solaris?"
Trantus asked Big Barda.
"Remember the god-machines of the Great Clash?"*
*If you don’t, check out the modern legend New Gods #7, "The
Pact"- Galactic Gregg
Trantus nodded. "The large impacters that crushed suns?"
Of course. But they were outlawed when the Pact was created, and
to the best of my knowledge, neither world still possesses any."
"True enough." Scott Free continued his wife’s explanation.
"But Takion thought that perhaps we could use the same principle
with another large object.
"We got in contact with Orion, and he suggested that we
crash the ship into Solaris. Highfather, our troops, and I led
Solaris as deep into space as we could so that neither planet
was harmed by either the explosion of Solaris nor the black hole
that would form in it’s wake. Scott took control of the ship,
flew it into Solaris, destroyed not only the ship and Solaris
but all of their robots and...well, there’s not much more to say."
Barda concluded.
Trantus rubbed his white bearded chin, admiring Orion and Takion’s
plan. "Killing several birds with one stone, eh? Very clever,
very clever..."
===============================================================
Styggan sat with his chin propped on his left hand with his injured
right arm hanging at his side, staring at Valinus’s empty casket.
There was no body left, but Styggan insisted upon the casket’s
presence as a memorial to his friend. Jena placed her hand gently
on his knee. "Don’t blame yourself. We all know what could
happen when we go into battle."
"It’s not that." Styggan faced her. "I just...I
wonder..."
Jena reached up and ran her fingers softly through Styggan’s
curly blond hair. "About what?"
"If you or I will be next. What the Racer meant when he
said I passed his test. Who I killed when I let the Racer just
fly past me..."
"The Black Racer is merely a servant of the Source. He does
not kill, he simply appears when people are meant to die, then
takes them back to the Source. I cannot begin to even guess at
his motives, but whatever his test was, and whatever the outcome...I’m
sure it happened for the best of reasons..."
Styggan stared off into the sky. "Perhaps...perhaps..."
===============================================================
Lightray ran up to Takion and Orion, then bowed. "Hail,
Highfather! Hail, Orion! Forgive me for interrupting, Highfather,
but I wish to speak to Orion about a matter of some importance."
"No need for apologies, Ambassador." Takion grasped
Orion’s shoulder firmly. "It was good speaking to you Orion.
Shall we continue this discourse at a more convenient time?"
Orion gave a slight nod. "Indeed."
Takion removed his hand. "Good. Until we meet again, Orion."
The Highfather bowed, then made his way over towards the group
of New Genesis delegates who had accompanied him to Apokolips.
"Now, what do you wish to discuss, Lightray?"
Lightray rose to his feet. "Old friend, I’m sorry, but from
now on, I won’t be able to visit you as often on a personal level.
I will see you professionally often, but my Ambassadorial duties
have to come first."
Orion grunted. "Despair not. A good Ambassador serves his
people first, himself second."
Lightray brightened a bit at Orion’s words. "A wise old
man once told me something similar. I think I’m off to a good
start."
