LSH Issue 0: "Hope"

The End…

Wonderful.

I knew you would arrive… it was just a matter of time. But, then again, isn’t it always?

I assume you have come to me to find out why you exist. Perhaps not why, exactly… but why you are who you have become.

Please, hear me out before you make any choices you may come to regret… I could erase anyone you love from history with but a thought.

Good boy.

Now to make a very long story short… I needed a champion. Someone that could stop the greatest threat the Universe had ever known. A threat, that not even I, in my seemingly infinite ability, could stop. No, I needed an icon for others to rally around.

An icon that could form bonds with others just as powerful. Or, perhaps, just with other powers, when used alongside your own, would be unstoppable.

Over the years I have watched as you, and your friends, flourished… grew… developed bonds far greater than any that I could ever experience.

Am I jealous? Of course.

Is that why I did what I have done to you over the years? No, of course not. I was trying to turn you into what you needed to be to defeat him. I molded you into the perfect fighting force. Yes, some of you had to die in the process. It was a necessary evil. But it had to happen. I make no apologies. It was, quite simply, survival of the fittest.

Should I be vilified for that? Perhaps. Is that judgment up to you to decide? No.

You are my children, and I am far wiser than any of you could ever hope to be… even your little green friend. Yes, even he should admit there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom.

I have said all that I will about that. You and your group of friends have performed the task I set out for you… admirably so. And now you see fit to punish me for creating our little family? You feel that I am wicked?

So be it. You may try…

Chapter 2: The Live Wire

“Ladies and gentlebeings, please place your trays in the upright position and fasten your safety restraints.” The voice of the flight attendant droid boomed through the comm. system, startling Garth Ranzz back to consciousness. “Brande Industries flight 214 will be setting down on Braal momentarily.”

Garth had the dream again… He, Ayla, Mekt… on that terrible planet. The final straw that set Mekt off the proverbial deep-end. The ominous black & gray clouds, the lightning, the beasts… everywhere.

He shook off the memory of the nightmare, opening his eyes. It took a few moments for his eyesight to adjust to the garishly lit passenger section. Everywhere he turned, a different creature… not that he was a Xenophobe… it was the first time he had been off planet alone. In the past he had traveled with his family. The family he was responsible for shattering.

“Sir?” A soft, yet metallic feminine voice spoke to him. The golden hued, uni-wheeled flight attendant droid stood over him unthreateningly. Garth looked up into its automated eyes, “Please fasten your safety harness.”

“Wuh?” Garth looked down and hastily snapped the harness together. “Oh! Right… sorry.” The droid rolled, whistling happily down the row making sure everyone on the passenger liner had obeyed it’s request.

Garth leaned back into his seat, trying to relax, yet subconsciously bracing himself for the inevitable entry into the Braalian atmosphere. The turbulence never came. The increased size of Brande industries luxury liners, coupled with upgraded gravity repulsors that surrounded the rear exhaust casing made sure of that. The ship looked bulky and unmanageable, but looks were incredibly deceiving. It could take just about anything thrown at it.

A few moments later the flight attendant droid’s voice came over the comm. system once more. “Ladies & gentlebeings, on behalf of Captain Covix, Brande Industries welcomes you to Braal.” Garth unfastened his safety restraint and rose as the droid continued. “As always, please be sure to familiarize yourself with Braal’s law book, located in the customs area of the arrival terminal. And again, thank you for flying Brande Industries, please enjoy your stay!”

Garth gathered his carry-on luggage and proceeded out of the liner following a relatively small Bolvaxian.

The terminal had no windows to the world outside, which was no great surprise since Braal was considered the armpit of the galaxy. Since the end of the war Braal has been considered a refuge for smugglers, prostitutes and other unsavory types. Hells, newscasts reported that most the buildings were destroyed. Just the sort of place a teenage runaway with powers would hope to disappear into. He had spent every last dime he had ever earned on the family farm to pay for the flight and he had traveled under a false name. If his parents stopped screaming at each other long enough they, may have even realized he was gone.

His thoughts drifted to his twin sister, Ayla… her long, red hair up in pigtails… her nose crinkled with frustration, accentuating her freckles, as she shot lightning bolts at his picture. He felt guilty leaving her behind, but he could no longer take the scrutiny of their parents.

If only he hadn’t pushed… No. he had to leave that behind if he was going to survive on a backwater Hellhole like Braal.

He passed through the customs area, taking the Braalian handbook on laws as it was handed to him and stepped out into the main terminal. It was packed with beings of all size and shape. Most waited for their connecting flights to the UP core system. Others either seemed to be waiting for a handout, or just a way to get off the streets.

Garth squeezed by the loiterers & beggars toward the door when he was stopped by a security guard.

“Not that way kid,” a rough gravelly voice guard bellowed. “Departures only. Arrivals over there.”

Garth was roughly pushed aside toward the arrival exit. Like it really mattered. A door was a door. He began to turn away as the door swung open and a gray haired man rushed in, surrounded by assistants & luggage carrying droids. Something was very familiar about the man…

R.J. Brande! The richest man in the Universe!

Garth stood in awe of the older man as he strode by, rustling Garths hair as he passed. Garth turned again to leave when a beautiful blonde girl burst through the door. Her long blonde hair, wet from the rain outside, was pulled back into a bun, revealing Saturn shaped earrings.

A Telepath!

She looked around frantically until she caught site of R.J. Brande.

“Stop!!!” She shouted.

Chapter 4: The Entrepreneur

Metropolis, four days earlier…

“I don’t care what you think Doyle!” Renee Jacques Brande (R.J. to his friends!) yelled into his personal communicator. “If I deem it necessary to give my ENTIRE fortune away to these people, then, by damn, I will!”

He paused long enough to hear his longtime associates retort. Doyle Theg had become increasingly belligerent daily… and R.J. put up with it because of their longstanding friendship. But denying the people of Braal relief because he thought they were ‘traitors’ and the dregs of society. Well, that was the pin that broke the Andarian’s back!

“It was the politicians that started the war, not it’s people! You can’t punish an entire culture for the mistakes of it’s leadership… ” Another pause followed.

“I’ve heard enough Doyle!!!” Brande shouted into the communicator, followed by yet another pause.

“Really? You think so?” Another pause.

“Clean out your desk, Doyle! You’re fired!” Brande clicked the communicator off & threw it across his office. His assistant Luornu Durgo caught the communicator just before it hit the far wall.

“Trouble with Doyle, sir?” She said slipping the communicator into one of her many pockets.

“Lu, my dear, you and your ‘sisters’ have a knack for stating the obvious!” He said, relaxing a bit.

“It’s what we do best, sir.” She replied with a confident smile.

“He believes the Braalians deserve to suffer for the sins of the politicians, I couldn’t live with myself if I associated myself with someone that believes that.” Brande turned to look out of his 251st story office window down into the streets of Metropolis. “Lu… these people. The Braalians… They need something. Something to rally their spirits! If I just toss them money, yes, it’ll help… but they need something more. A symbol of hope.”

“Sir… if I may?” Luornu’s sister asked, as she walked in the door.

“Of course!” he replied with a toothy grin. His teenage assistant walked past her identical sister and stood next to Brande’s desk, looking out onto the Metropolis skyline. Her eyes fixed on an object in the distance.

R.J. looked at her puzzled, then followed her eye line to the Metropolis Miracle Men Stadium. “By damn! Magno Ball! Lu, you’re a genius!”

“Thank you, sir” both girls said in unison.

Brande clicked his tabletop communicator on. “Sir?” came a familiar voice.

“Lu, we’re taking a trip to Braal, book us on the next flight! Oh, and notify Marla Latham… my accountant should be with us to make sure I don’t bankrupt the company with generosity!”

“Yes sir, I will let him know!” Lu replied and the communicator went silent.

“Lu, take a note!” Brande ordered.

The two girls that were Luornu Durgo touched hands and instantly merged into one being.

“Yes sir!” She said, pen & flimsiplast in hand.

“Attention Magno-Ball Players! The Metropolis Miracle Men will be holding open tryouts…”

Doyle Theg arrived on Braal on Brande Industries flight 418. He had a few ‘friends’ with him and an agenda. He had been Renee Jacques Brandes partner since… since… before the beginning! How dare R.J. ‘fire’ him! Hells, is that even possible? They started Brande Industries… Well, maybe Renee funded it and actually started it… But by damn, he was there every step of the way!

And now Renee was going to throw out 25 years of faithful friendship, over the dregs of society! The damned Braalians seceded from the United Planets! They started a war with a neighboring planet! So what if they underestimated the Imskians! Braal got what it deserved! A one way trip back to the dark ages… Serves ‘em right!

“As always, please be sure to familiarize yourself with Braal’s law book, located in the customs area of the arrival terminal. And again, thank you for flying Brande Industries, please enjoy your stay!” The golden flight attendant droid repeated to them as they passed by.

“Sprock you.” Doyle cursed at the befuddled droid, causing his shady associates to guffaw.

“Well! I never…” The droid replied as the men exited the craft.

The men stepped off the craft into the busy terminal. Beings of every race imaginable stalked purposefully about. Doyle and his three associates stopped before a Silver Ale cart.

“So what’s the game plan, boss?” One of Doyle’s goons asked.

“We wait…” Doyle looked at his wrist chronometer, it had already reset itself to Braalian time. “Luckily I still have access to Brande Industries computer systems. The old fool left in such a huff, he forgot to strip my security clearance!”

“Yeah… the old fool.” A second goon added with a chuckle.

“Shut up.” Doyle glared at the goon. He began jabbing a meaty finger into a small computer terminal lodged on the wall beside the Silver Ale cart. “His flight leaves in 3 hours. You three morons loiter around here. When I spot him, I’ll signal your chronometers. Activate your personal holograms, and take position around the East gate. You grab him, I kill him, got it?”

“Yeah, but boss… why do I gotta be the girl?” The skinniest of the 3 henchmen asked.

“Just do your sprocking job you idiot!” Doyle shouted and stalked off toward the exit.

R.J. Brande made his way through the star port entrance flanked on one side by his assistant Luornu & on the other by his accountant Marla. There was security everywhere, an unfortunate necessity on Braal. He made his way quickly past a young boy with red hair that obviously recognized him based on the gaping hole the lad had for a mouth. R.J. reached over, rustling the boy’s hair and winking an acknowledgement.

“Sir, I’ve worked out the details with the mayor. Once the Magno Ball field is finished, all natural born Braalians will have free lifetime passes to all home games.” Marla said massaging tension from his own neck.

“Good work Marla, Lu…” Brande put his arms around both of his assistants, “We did good here…”

“STOP!!!” {STOP!!!} a young female voice echoed not only through the star port terminal, but through their minds as well.

The attackers (a skinny and very ugly brunette girl, an oafish human and a short Xudarian) heard the command and froze in mid-pounce, their signal chronometers beeping frantically and small blasters in their hands.

Security guards charged toward the girl that issued the command, but she reached out telepathically into the minds of those around her for someone that could help her save Mr. Brande. She found them… the red headed boy that was ogling her, and a black haired boy standing near the terminal.

{You two, take out those creeps… their trying to kill Mr. Brande!} She ordered.

Rokk dropped his duffle bag and used his magnetic powers to strip the three attackers of their weapons. The Magnetic pulse disrupted their personal holograms, revealing the 3 goons real identities.

Garth stepped up and let out a short, but powerful burst of electricity, immediately rendering the three attackers unconscious.

R.J. Brande was surrounded by his assistant Lu, who had split into her three separate selves. Marla lay on the ground, covering his head with his butt high in the air.

{He’s not safe yet…} Imra thought toward her two new allies.

{Gotta get out of here…}

“There!” she shouted, pointing out Doyle.

He took off at a sprint when he had been made. Rokk focused on Doyle with his magnetic ability, he wore steel tipped shoes. Rokk flipped Doyle’s feet out from under him, sending him skyward.

“AAAAHHHHH!!!” Doyle screamed, whipping his blaster out of it’s holster.

“Draw!” Garth shouted, pulling out his finger in a makeshift gun and firing a steam of electric energy into Doyle’s blaster.

“AARRGGHH!!!” Doyle shouted, dropping the gun.

The attack was over in less than 15 seconds. The three teen heroes stood side by side, with the girl in the center.

“You’re safe now, Mr. Brande.” Imra said.

“By damn!” R.J. exhaled slowly, a look of shock on his chubby face. He looked down at his accountant still huddling in a fetal position. He gently kicked the number cruncher in the rear. “Get up Marla!”

Brande made his way out from behind his bodyguards toward Doyle (who was still hanging upside down by his boots). He stopped just below him, Doyle just glared at him.

“Doyle… Of all the under-handed, dirty…”

“Don’t get all righteous with me Renee!” Doyle spat back. “After 25 years of faithful service, you trade me in over a planet full of traitorous pigs!”

The comment bit Rokk, but he held steadfast, not dropping the offender on his head, which is what he really wanted to do.

“And that comment is why, Doyle. Security, would you please escort Mr. Theg & his unsavory associates to the nearest holding cell?” Brande turned his back on his old business partner focusing his attention on his new friends.

“This isn’t over Renee!” Doyle screamed, Rokk slowly lowered the man, then indulged himself letting him fall the remaining inches, landing on his head.

“Ms. Ardeen, if I remember correctly, the ambassador’s daughter.” Brande smiled, placing his arms behind his back.

“Yes sir, Mr. Brande.”

“And you two…?” He inquired.

“Rokk Krinn, sir.” Rokk said holding out his hand, which impressed R.J.. He took Rokk’s hand and shook it.

“Yeah Cosmic Boy!” the security guard from earlier shouted out, causing Rokk to blush.

“Garth Ranzz.” Garth nodded with a suspicious glint in his eyes. He preferred to keep his hands to himself, since he usually gave people a small shock upon contact.

“That was quite a show you three put on there.” R.J. smiled, the wheels of his brain turning a mile a minute. “Walk with me for a while, would you?”

Brande put his arms around Rokk & Imra, and allowing Garth the space he seemed to prefer. Marla & Lu stayed behind, looking at each other quizzically. Marla just knew this was going to cost them all dearly…

“What do you three know about the heroes of the 21st century…?” R.J. asked jovially with a toothy grin.