Faux-DC Proudly Presents:

Issue # 335

Titans Quest- Part II of III "Counterstrike!"

By Mike Hintze
Plot Assist by Brittany Fredricks.
(Thanks to Barry Reese for the initial Titans Quest concept)

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Somewhere on Earth

Donna Troy looked at Circe with fear in her eyes. Not fear of the witch, but fear of the unknown. Circe spoke ancient incantations, and manipulated eldritch energies the likes of which had been lost to the pages of mankind's history. She was trying to conjure a portal to the Vegan Star System, where Donna and Circe would face the threat of the insane Titan goddess, Thia. Through Circe's blundering, Thia had been freed from her apparent death, and had become imbued with untold power that seemed to harken from the Anti-Matter universe. How she was able to tap this power, Donna still did not know. All she knew was that Thia had murdered her fellow Titans, and then proceeded to chase Circe to the Vegan system, which she quickly subjugated to her will. After heinous tortures, Circe had teamed with the Omega Men, and narrowly made her escape to Earth in search of Donna Troy. Donna apparently had the power to defeat Thia, but what this power was or how she could tap into it was a mystery to her. But she would have to learn soon, or the fate of all her friends and loved ones would be at stake.

Suddenly, Circe's chanting ended, and she turned to look at Donna Troy. "I have completed the preparatory magicks for our voyage to the Vegan System. Now, I require your help in completing the spell. Come forward into the range of my magicks."

Donna hesitated. She was about to confront a force that Circe said could destroy the Justice League AND the Titans with one wave of her hand. Taking a deep breath, she continued onward.

As she came closer to Circe, she began to feel a sense of trepidation that was worse than before. Her every nerve seemed to scream out, such was the nature of the mystical forces around her.

Suddenly, energy started to flow out of her, or more specifically, her tunic. It flowed to a central point between herself and Circe, and then coalesced into a shimmering portal the size of a doorway. Through the portal, Donna could see planets and stars...and smoking hulks of what could only have once been warships, vaporized and destroyed by an incredible force. That force, of course, was Thia herself.

"Quickly," beckoned Circe, "I cannot hold the portal for long. We must be away."

Donna walked closer to the portal, and stepped into it. Suddenly, her very perception of reality was skewed, and she could swear that she was hearing light, and seeing sound. Then as suddenly as it began, it was over. She stood on a floating rock in the middle of space. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw the portal still open, and then Circe staggered out onto the rocky surface of the planetoid. The trip and conjuring had obviously taken a lot out of her. Before she could collapse, Donna reached over to support her. Circe waved her aid away irritably.

"I--I have done my part, Troy. Now it is up to you. You must stop Thia!" Circe then laid on the rocky surface, and passed out.

Donna looked around, and tried to decide on the best course of action. She knew the Vegan system fairly well, but she still had to somehow get her bearings. Then, out of nowhere, a small starship shimmered into view over her head.

The ship's running lights came on, and spotlights illuminated the area Donna and Circe were situated. Donna stepped over to Circe to protect her, and prepared for the inevitable battle she knew would come. Instead, however a column of energy beamed down to the surface, and a humanoid floated down on the energy column. Donna recognized him as an old friend, a member of the Omega Men.

"Tigorr!"

As he landed on the surface, he looked at her as if she were a stranger. Donna looked closer at him, and stopped. He seemed confused and disoriented. Finally, he reached behind his back…

…And pulled out a blaster.

"I-I'm sorry…She was…too powerful…", he croaked.

Then he fired.

---

Paradise Island, Earth

Diana sat at the cliff's edge, and watched the sun set on the horizon. Paradise Island still had the most beautiful sunsets anywhere as far as she was concerned. Even having seen sunsets on alien worlds, she still considered here the most beautiful of them all.

"Diana!"

She turned to see her mother, Hippolyta, walking up the slope towards her.

"Mother! Have you come to join me in this beautiful sunset?"

Hippolyta looked away from her daughter, then turned her head towards the sunset. "No, my daughter. I - I worry for your welfare. The vision I saw chills me to the bone. I fear for you.
More so than when I had Artemis take your place as Wonder Woman, to avoid the final battle with the White Magician."*

(*See WW Vol.2 No.92-100 - Has 'em Mike)

Diana took her mother's hand into her own. "Mother, I understand your fear. But my destiny commands that I face down this menace head-on. Any other way would not be the Amazon way."

Tears fell down Hippolyta's cheek. "I realize this, my daughter. Yet I sometimes wish that I had never sent you to man's world."

Neither said any more words, but rather, sat and watched the last vestiges of the sunset.

Suddenly, Diana doubled over, her hands clutching her head as if it would fly apart without their support. Alien thoughts drifted into her mind, thoughts that she knew were not her own.

DianaTroyDonnaTroubleCirceThiaSpartaAthynsTitansX'HalTigorrHelpVegaTroiaTerryKyle
WallyDickDeathMustStopHELP!

The next thing Diana knew, she was in Paradise Island's medical facility, with a very worried Hippolyta looking over her. Cassie Sandsmark, a.k.a. Wonder Girl stood to Hippolyta's side with Phillipus, Cassie's teacher in the warrior arts. Medical personnel buzzed around Diana's bed, checking vital signs.

"Wh-what happened?", Diana was finally able to get out.

Hippolyta spoke. "We were watching the sunset, when you fell over in pain. You began to speak incoherently, and then passed out. You have been unconscious for several hours. We can find no reason or root cause for your affliction. How do you feel?"

Diana sat up, against the wishes of all present. "I feel fine…just a slight tingling…Wait! I remember! It's all jumbled…but…Donna! Donna needs me! She..she's at Vega…with Circe?? I don't understand…"

Cassie stepped forward. "If Donna needs help, then we have to find her! Where is this Vega anyway? South America?"

"No," Diana replied, "It's a star system many light years away from here. I don't fully understand it all, but I have to go to her! She's in mortal danger from…Thia? Sparta? It's all jumbled…"

"Thia??", Hippolyta said. "Diana, she's one of the Titans of Myth. Devious and clever, she could never be trusted."

"I know, Mother. Donna told me of this tale of her past. She was a 'seed' that the Titans raised after Donna's parents in that timeline were killed. Sparta was a rogue seed that tried to kill them all, but the Titans stopped her and saved the Titans of Myth. Somehow, Thia has gone insane…and she has Donna."

Hippolyta's face showed dread concern. In a very real way, Donna was also her daughter, being a magical duplicate of Diana herself. "How will you get to Vega? The Justice League has no ships capable of such a long interstellar flight that I am aware of."

"No, not without some preparation. I haven't time for that. No…I have another idea."

---

One hour later, in Earth Orbit


Diana sat in her Invisible Plane, and almost worried at this plan of hers. Her Invisible Plane could be shapeshifted into almost any form, take on almost any technological properties she could request. This ability was what she was currently banking on.

She had immediately set out for the JLA Watchtower, and against the wishes of all concerned, went alone. Once at the Watchtower, she studied the schematics of the Legion of SuperHeroes starship that had been uploaded by Brainiac 5 when the Legion had been stranded in the 20th Century. He had meant to construct a modified StarGate to return home, but the materials in the 20th Century were not up to the task. Until now.

She had her hand on a clear tendril of her plane that terminated in the Hangar Bay. As her mind studied the schematics, the plane constructed itself into a transparent United Planets Starship, only with a stylized WW logo where the UP symbol would have been. Within minutes, Diana had constructed an interstellar vessel.

Now, she sat in her ship, and prayed to Hera that it would work. While in telepathic communication with J'onn J'onzz, he had stated that her plan would be viable, although he thought her travelling alone was a mistake.

Fortunately, she wasn't alone.

Beside her, Hippolyta sat in the passenger chair. Before Diana could leave the Watchtower, she was met by her mother, garbed in warrior dress similar to her days when she was Wonder Woman.* Her mother still possessed her access codes to the JLA Transporters, and had decided to remind her daughter that she was her mother. Finally, Diana conceded, and the two were preparing to engage their warp drive.

(*Wonder Woman Vol.2 #126-136 - Read-those-too-Mike)

Diana spoke. "Computer?"

"Yes?", replied the new onboard system.

"Plot a course to the Vegan Star System."

"Course plotted."

Diana and Hipployta reached out and clasped their hands together. This was it.

"Engage."

A flash of light, and a moment later, they were gone.

---

Elsewhere, in a place some have called Hell…

The Anti-Monitor paced back and forth in his personal chamber. Patience was, surprisingly, not a virtue of his, considering the millennia he had existed. He was eager to continue on with his plan for resurrection, but to be rash would be to tip his hand too early. He needed Wonder Woman in Vega, and the way he had manipulated her, with Neron's help, was such that no one would realize the truth before it was far too late.

He turned to his personal scrying pool that Neron had supplied him. In it, he saw it all. Diana and Hippolyta streaking through a stargate-like nexus towards Vega…Troia betrayed by Tigorr, and put into the clutches of Thia…Thia herself, once a Titan Goddess, now driven insane by Neron and the Anti-Monitor. All of these pieces…, which were only a prelude to his darker plan, one that would culminate in the ultimate violation of life anyone, would ever experience.

And Diana would experience it, oh yes. Neron demanded revenge on her for escaping his clutches previously, and the Anti-Monitor remembered how her previous self had played a hand in his defeat, during the Crisis. Yes, she had no idea, but he still savored the thought of revenge. And the revenge he had in mind was of the worst kind, indeed…

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The Vegan System

Donna Troy awoke strapped to a harness in some kind of spherical room. On the one side was a window, and on the other side…was Thia herself. But something was wrong with her. Her image seemed to shift, from that of Thia, to that of Sparta, the former rogue seed of the Titans. Donna shook her head, and the shifting ceased. What the hell is going on?, she thought.

"Now, wench, you will tell me how to access the Power! TELL ME!", Thia screamed. Obviously, she was totally insane.

"What Power?? What are you talking about? How did you get this power you have?? What have you done with Circe??"

Thia scowled, and this time, her image seemed to stabilize into that of Sparta, then into Thia again. "The Source of all God Power! You are a conduit! I know!"

"How do you know??", Donna pleaded. What power is she talking about??

Thia continued. "You were exposed to the Source when the Godwave was a threat to all existence.* You are a conduit directly to the Source! You will be the one who grants me unlimited power!"

(*As shown in the Genesis mini-series [1997] - Highfather-Mike)

Donna was shocked. Yes, she had gained some semblance of her powers back, but a conduit to the Source? How could that be? She didn't feel that powerful.

"I have been given the power to unlock your potential, and will use it to decimate all my enemies! Beginning with Circe!"

Suddenly, a door opened on the one side of the spherical room, and Donna could see Circe bound to a similar platform as her own. Thia then entered the chamber, and approached Circe. Circe writhed and tried to escape her bonds, but to no avail. Thia then bent over Circe…and kissed her.

Immediately, energy seemed to coruscate from Circe, and that very energy seemed to flow into Thia herself. Her image flickered between that of Thia and Sparta, and finally settled back into Thia. When the energy cascade ended…

…Circe was nothing but a lifeless husk, emaciated beyond recognition.

"Delicious," exclaimed Thia, licking her lips. "Now, its your turn, Troy."

---

Elsewhere

The starlines began to separate, and finally the computer spoke. "We have reached the Vegan System. Disengaging Warp Drive."

Diana and Hippolyta looked out around themselves. Instead of the peaceful surroundings they expected to see in space, they saw carnage. Literally shattered planets, burnt husks of starships, and in the middle of it all…countless bodies floating in the vacuum, a look of horror in their eyes.

"My God…", exclaimed Diana. "Such destruction…and Donna is out there somewhere in it all."

Hipployta frowned. "Someone will pay for this, I swear."

The starship cruised through the debris, deftly avoiding contact with anything that might damage the hull, although such damage could be instantly repaired due to the nature of the ship. Once it cleared the debris field, the ship began to take a straighter course.

Suddenly, the ship intercom sounded. "Approaching vessel. Cloak initiated."

"Smart ship," said Hippolyta.

A large starship came into view. Its size dwarfed that of Diana's vessel. Then, a crackle was heard, and the communications link onboard Diana's vessel sounded with a low, gruff voice.

"Attention, foreign vessel. Decloak immediately or this entire sector will be decimated. You have 15 standard time units to comply."

"Best to hold our position, Diana. We can assume nothing. Computer, can we reply without revealing our location?", asked Hipployta.

"Affirmative."

"Then open a channel to them."

A second later, Hippolyta spoke. "This is Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons of Earth. We come in peace."

A second passed.

"Earth??! Then you are allied with the one called Troia?? Prepare to be blasted to oblivion!"

Diana looked at her mother in confusion. Her mother stared right back at her, equally confused. Then Diana activated the commlink once more.

"You misunderstand. We have come to…detain Troia. To offer aid for those such as yourselves." Please believe us, she thought. Hippolyta simply smiled at Diana's quick thinking.

Moments passed. Finally, a reply.

"Then allow us to open our cargo bay to you. I am Warlord Troxanas of the Cita-of the New Resistance. By order of her Highness, Our hangar doors are open for you to board."

Diana and Hippolyta both exhaled. Neither had realized that they were holding their breath in anticipation of hostilities.

Minutes later, Diana, Hippolyta, and their craft were aboard the immense starship. No sooner had they disembarked, when they were encountered by a very imposing woman.

"I am Komand'r, Ruler and Supreme Commander of what was once the Citadel. Your assistance is greatly appreciated, but be warned, the slightest treachery will mean your deaths. I do not make this threat lightly. You are fortunate I do not kill you where you stand."

Diana was surprised at Komand'r's words. "Why is that, Your Highness? We have given you no reason to think ill of us. We have come to see what ill has befallen our ally, and take action if necessary."

Komand'r's face filled with fury. "ALLY?? I should have known! If you stand with that woman, then your last words have been spoken! Guards!"

Troops armed with blaster rifles surrounded Diana and Hippolyta, their sights aimed at their heads.

"Kill these threats to the Empire!"

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Next Issue: Titan Quest Part III of III! "Endgame!" Everything comes to a head, and more than a few twists and surprises come into play as the final battle commences! Diana vs Komand'r! Donna vs Thia! And someone familiar to Titans fans steps from the shadows to threaten them all! All will be explained!

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Writer's Notes: Hope everyone enjoyed this second issue of my run on WW! Expect twists and surprises galore in the next while, as Diana's life is set for some drastic changes. Let me know what you think!

Mike Hintze J
7/27/99