Issue 6: "Life During Wartimes"

“Hff.” He ducked and slammed his fist into the punching bag, his fist leaving a lasting imprint that slowly faded away as he punched another section of the large sack. “Hff.” He moved fluidly, with purpose, but it’s subconscious for him now. He knows how to move, how to fight, it’s all in his human nature. Drilled into him by his Grandfather through the operations that made him what he is now. “Hff.” He punches the bag so hard that the chain that holds it to the ceiling snaps and it hurtles into the wall. “Hh.” He breathed in deeply, not because he had to, but because that’s what people do when they finish acts like this. He doesn’t need to breathe anymore. One of his earliest operations removed his lungs so his internal organs could handle the cybernetics added to his physiology. He looks over at the photo of his grandfather in the gym and clenches his fist, the servos whirring underneath his skin as he does so. “You…” He moves over to the photo and holds it between his fingers. “Bastard.” He smashes it with his thumb, and then tears the iron frame in two with his strength. “You made me like this.”

“What is that thing?” Hank Heywood looks up from the street, his costume tight against his skin beneath the thick knit jumper he wears atop it. He shifts his internal temperature and sighs, the stuffiness of his situation not really bothering him. He was just leaving his place of work, Powers Towers, a glass monolith that breaches the street below and reaches for the sky in the most audacious manner possible. It’s owned by one Josiah Powers, one of the richest men in the world, or in America at least. The sky just exploded with a bright light, and then the heavens began to darken as-- “Oh my God.”

Creatures, hundreds of creatures and counting emerging from strange portals in the sky. Weird monstrosities with rocket packs on their backs and lasers in their hands, but it don’t stop there. A giant planetoid is visible past the creatures, past the explosions, past the clouds, and as the skies darkens that little bit more, a massive explosion rips across the surface of that planet and a strange device begins to plummet. It strikes the creatures as it moves in a straight line, a target in mind, a grand target if there ever was one.

The massive tentacle strikes down in the centre of San Francisco. Powers Towers is engulfed in smoke and ash, as the construct slams down hard against concrete and steel, glass shattering and screams dying out as their owners lives are cut short by the sudden, terrible catastrophe that has struck them. Powers towers has been destroyed, but by what?

“ALIENS! IT’S ALIENS!”

“What?” Hank Heywood pulls off his jumper, and looks around, trying to figure out what to do. He doesn’t know, his internal processor slowly clicking as hundreds of sensations flood him, as thousands of questions are asked by him, and as his computer overloads with the information-- He shifts to his back up, shifts to his organic brain. The computer deals with his queries at a steady pace, but he needs to act, and save lives… Now! He dives into action, ready, but then realises… He was too slow! Powers Towers and everyone in it are dead, dying… That device just flattened in it… His main concern must be saving the lives of those who are suffering in the crossfire, those being attacked by the creatures who storm down from the sky… Those must be his targets… But wait… Emerging from the device, from the dust and ash and soot… What is that thing? “Who are you?”

The creature steps forward, his body alike to those creatures in the sky, but more muscular, bigger, more imposing, maybe some kind of pumped up on steroids version of these ‘parademons’ in the sky. The creature raises its arm and motions forward with his finger, and then raises his weapon and blasts Steel with an intense bombardment of liquid fire, and as Steel tries to put himself out his costume begins to burn off, and his skin burn. “Jesus!” He screams in agony as his skin begins to melt, but then he switches back to his computer run mind, and it clicks back into place. He doesn’t feel pain. He doesn’t feel anything. He knows what he has to do. “You… pay.” He sprints at the creature, ducking beneath the blast of fire, and then grabs the weapon, swinging it upwards and jamming it in the owners head, and then he jams down on the trigger, the fire burning through the top of the creature’s head, the being falling to the floor with a wet splash as his internal organs melt. Steel breathes in. Not because he has to, but because he should.

<<Reboot compiling: Information sources building: Query? Query? Continue:: Personal Journal Recitation, beginning::>>

I’m working as a builder, something my enhancements allow me to do with little effort. Even the little inbuilt computer I’ve got in my head means I can switch off and just go on automatic. Sleep the day away until my work is done and I can leave---

<<<Long term memory cortex incomplete//found: Recovering:// Scanning internet feeds: Activating ports: Download, download>>>

Synthetic skin drips off of his metallic skull as the parademon spits fire at him, so intense, it burns through the creature’s jaw as he releases it from his throat. Hank Heywood watches through his unbreakable eyes as his enemy’s mouth dribbles blood and flame, flesh liquefying and being spat away by it’s enormous lung capacity, and when he’s all out of breath, and his lower jaw is a void, it collapses for a moment, the agony overcoming it and causing it to give in to the pain, at least for now. Hank spits out his own liquid flesh as it dribbles into the inner circuitry of his mouth and he finds his chance. He runs, his synthetic flesh slamming onto the concrete as he approaches the massive creature, and with one swift kick he snaps the creature’s neck, and causes it to fall to the ground. He allows himself a slight robotic smile, and then turns, only to be engulfed by more creatures, his metal skeleton exposed from his torso up, razor sharp claws digging into the metal and causing him to scream in agony as his pain dampeners go down for a second as a result of the bombardment. The Parademons smile and spit, firing their laser weapons through his torso and leaving massive chunks in his frame, the intense heat…

---His jaw, breaking it and knocking him out, and as I stand and his friends raises his pistol I cover it with my hand, and as he pulls the trigger, masking the pain that HAVING A GUN COVERED BY YOUR HAND CREATES. I smile. And then I punch him so hard his nose erupts with blood, and he falls to the floor. I turn to the woman; whose eyes are so wide, tears are forming in them.

“Y-You saved me!”

“Any hero would.” I smile, and then realise my words. I don’t speak like that; that’s what a hero would say, an arrogant hero at that. “But you were in trouble, and I had to help…”

“How’d you do that?”

“That’s what I’d like to know.” We turn and a silver haired man stands, a black streak across his hair, a smile on his lips as his sun glasses tilt down his nose. “Do I know you?”

“You’re King Faraday!”

“And you… are a Heywood.”

The woman turns at me for a moment, and I’m surprised by his knowledge of me. “Who?”

“You’ve just been saved by the hero known as Steel, ma’am.” Faraday. A word whispered in the halls of the FBI, and mentioned only in passing, only in fear. What’s he doing here is a mystery to me, but his knowledge of my family scares me a bit too. “Hank, I’d like to talk to you.” He smiles and motions for me to follow, and as the enigmatic man leads, I walk behind him, confused and dragged in to his strange mystery.

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“No ice cream? What age are we living in that a birthday party doesn’t have ice cream?” Josiah Powers overlooks the city of San Francisco. “But yeah. Oberon’s done good. Good party planner.” He sighs, and sits on the ledge that over hangs the streets below. “Bloody health nuts.” He looks upwards, and then his eyes widen, a massive light coming out of the sky and beginning to float above his Tower home. “Sweet Christmas. I’m betting my insurance doesn’t cover this.” He scrambles towards the stairwell, dropping his cigar and then turns as another flash of light fills the air, and the form of a young woman appears behind him. “Spears?!”

She turns slowly, her eyes empty, her sparkling skin growing brighter and brighter. “Mr… Powers…”

He runs towards her, the ship getting closer and closer, but she turns and looks at the great craft as it approaches. “GET DOWN!”

“NO.” She raises a hand and the billionaire financier of Powers, Inc is thrown back, the girl’s palm glowing as a blast of light leaves it. “Oh… My…”

“T-This isn’t you girl… What are you doing?” He rises, his skin gaining a rocky texture to it, and then sprints back towards her, but as she raises her hand, nothing happens, and she looks up.

“Why are… Oh everything’s… Bright…” A blast of light appears from above them, and Josiah is blasted once more, but he doesn’t move, stands his ground, his clothes liquefying as he trudges towards his young employee. “Josiah? Mr Powers?” Her eyes fill with light, and then the alien craft lands, and smoke begins to rush out from underneath it. It’s just then, when the Powers, Inc. team appear in a flash of light near the stairwell.

“Josiah youuuuu’re NAKED!” Oberon lowers his gaze, and then his eyes widen, and he’s looking eye to eye with his employer once more. “What the hell—is that a UFO?”

“Not one I recognise.” Booster raises his gauntlet, realisation flooding him. “Could be…”

Lower your weapons. The voice emerges from the opening craft, and then a man steps out clad in an ornate robe, his eyes dark, his hair long and flowing and his skin glowing a smouldering red, akin to Prysm’s. I am not here to harm you.

“Could’ve fooled me!” Josiah looks up at them, his eyes burning with rage, his skin still rock hard. “You’re trespassing!”

A mere miscommunication, I am here for my daughter. He floats down to the rooftop and lands next to the glowing Prysm, whose body is bursting and boiling over with power. He puts out his hand and nods. You’re undergoing changes, Audrey… You need to concentrate. She looks at him as light flows out of her eyes, and she takes his open hand, only for them to both vanish in a blast of intense light.

“What’s happening?” Airwave looks at the others. “Is that… Is that Audrey’s dad?”

“News to us!” Power Girl looks around, trying to figure out what to do. “Something’s happening… Looker, get Mrs Spears!”

Looker nods, and then vanishes in a burst of light, leaving the team alone on the rooftop with a UFO and two ‘aliens’. “Well… What can we do?”

Booster looks around. “I… I can absorb the energy from that reaction… Maybe… But…”

“LOOK!”

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! The man from the alien craft breaks the link off with Prysm, who falls into his arms. Ok then… That was… Intense…

“WHO ARE YOU?” Oberon points at him, his hands shaking.

The man’s skin transforms into that of human flesh, and then he nods slowly, drained slightly, but calm. Me? I’m Ch’ah. I… I am King of the H’San Natall and this… Is Au’dreh. My daughter.

“What about… What about…” Oberon looks around, confused.

“CHAD?!” The team turns as Audrey’s mother appears with Looker. “You—You BASTARD!” She runs up to him and slaps him round the face. The team look on in wonderment, as the woman looks at him, her hands shaking in clenched fists. “You… You left me… And… And… Is… Is that a space ship?”

Uh… yeah… About that… He smiles awkwardly, not knowing what to say. I’m… King of… Of a far off planet and…

“You’re an ALIEN?” She slaps him again. “Why didn’t you tell me but—Oh… Oh no… It all makes sense… No wonder you were… So… Good… And had such… Oh my.” She blushes slightly.

Oh no, that wasn’t part of my race’s many attributes, that was a genetic thing. He laughs slightly. It’s a long story, my beauty… He smiles, and strokes her face, smiling. But… Au’dreh… She… Her powers were manifesting and I had to help… Else…

“Wait, excuse me…” Steel steps forward. “Manifesting? She’s always been quite powerful with her abilities to begin with, but only just ‘manifesting’?”

The H’San Natall are a race of powerful people, Hank Heywood. With abilities you would not understand… Any Natall has the abilities that Au’dreh has shown, but those of the royal blood line… They are just the start. She has much to learn, and I’m afraid that if she stays on Earth… Her growing abilities, if kept unchecked, will destroy this entire planet. And cause the collective unconscious of the planet to dissolve…

Audrey looks up, her eyes wide. “WHAT?”

I’m afraid so. He smiles slightly. I know that this news could have come better if not for the apocalyptic extent of its ramifications, and I know it is your birthday, but that in fact is why I am here.

Audrey shakes her head, tears forming in her eyes. “D-Dad… Why did you leave us?”

Ch’ah seems lost for words, and then runs his hand through his daughters glistening hair. I am a King. I was… Prince when I met your mother here. My father had sent me here to learn… Something… I don’t know. I think it was to understand people who were not like me… Us… He shrugs slightly. And I… Fell in love with your mother in university.

Audrey turns to her mother, suprised. “You went to university?”

“Don’t sound so surprised… I just… don’t talk about it.”

Anyway… I fell in love with your mother, and… You were conceived. And then you were born, and I tell you Au'… You were a beautiful child. And we lived happily until my father was suddenly stricken with an intense death and… I had to leave… And… He looks away from them all, his emotions getting the better of him. It was the most painful decision I’ve ever made. But my people needed me… And you… You wouldn’t have survived on my home planet, and I’m not even sure if your mother… My one true love… Would have even allowed us to stay together…

“Chad…”

He pulls himself together. I offer you this, my princess. You may return with me, to your people, and I train you in your abilities, and then once you can fully control them, you can return here, or stay with me… But I must insist you come with me at this moment, else all is lost for this planet, so really… I’m not giving you much of a choice young lady…!

“Now wait one cotton-picking minute!” Oberon moves forward, followed by the rest of the team. “Is this some kind of scam? Are we supposed to believe all this?” He shakes his head, his hands clenched, grim determination across his brow. “Come on, Audrey.” He puts his hand out.

“Oberon…” She shakes her head. “I… He’s my dad… I know this… And… And I have to…” She turns to her father. “I can return after it all? I can come back?”

Of course, if that is what you still wish.

“I will. I will want to return.” She turns to her team-mates. “Keep my seat warm.”

“Audrey…” Oberon shakes his head, and then the team motion forward, ready to move if needs be. “Do what you think is right kid.” He smiles. “Go!”

“Thanks Oberon.” She turns to her mother. “Mom… I have to go.”

“I know kiddo.” She hugs her. “And I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For just… Not being all I could be.” Her mother coughs slightly, hiding the fact that her mascara is running with her tears. “And YOU.” She turns to Ch’ah. “You best look after our daughter to the best of your ability, else I… And the rest of Powers, Inc. will come looking for you, and we’ll drag her back! You get me?”

…Of course my true love. He smiles sincerely. I will bring her back; you have my word as King.

Airwave nods, his finger pointed at the King and his other hand clenched tightly. “You better, Ch’ah.”

Booster slaps Airwave in agreement on the back and then points his finger at the alien royalty. “Yeah…bitch!”

“Booster… Don’t disrespect the all powerful alien King…” Vapor rolls her eyes. “G’luck Audrey.”

“Yeah kiddo… be good.” Power Girl smiles, and Josiah nods.

“You won’t hear me say this to any of the others kid, but working vacation. You’re always a member of this team.”

Booster nudges Steel, and whispers in his ear. “Didn’t he say that about Plastic Man?”

“Well you sorted that out, didn’t you, Michael?”

Booster puts his hands up defensibly. “Just saying…”

Audrey follows her father into the craft and the team watch as it lifts off into the sky, it then hurtles out of sight. Josiah turns to Audrey’s mother, and then puts his hand on her shoulder. “Mrs Spears… If we can do anything…”

“You’ve done ENOUGH, thank you Mr Powers. Now if you’ll excuse me… I…I…” She pulls herself from his hand, and then rushes into the stairwell.

“God.” Booster turns to the others. “Don’t you get it? We just made history… That’s like… Like…”

“Leave it Booster.” The team follow Steel back into the building, leaving Josiah and Oberon on the roof of the tall, imposing building.

“You coming, Oberon? I ordered some ice cream and… And it’ll melt if someone doesn’t eat it.”

“Mr Powers… I’m going to stay here for a while. Just… I’ll be down soon.”

“Sure thing,” He pats his diminutive assistant on the shoulder and then walks back into the building.

Your power is a projection of your confidence and your willpower, much like the Guardians of the Universe’s Green Lantern Corps… Gods rest their souls.

Prysm nods, and fires a blast of pure purple light out of her hand, focused, sharp, and then turns to her father, who smiles from beneath his beard. “What happened to them?”

No one knows right now, but we hold them in our prayers to Solton. He smiles and shrugs, and then holds her arm straight. You can decide on the ‘potency’ of the blast with a thought, until the beam connects with the target. You could focus it on someone to totally annihilate them, disperse their molecules and cause them to die, that is the power you wield. But at the last moment, as your all encompassing power is about to strike… You can change it-- He clicks his fingers. And it would be a shower of light, you understand?

“Yes Dad… But… There’s one thing I want to know… About my powers and stuff…” She blushes slightly, meaning her entire body fluctuates in colour from blue to pink.

Yes?

“Can I do what you did? Change from… From this…” She motions to her crystalline form. “Into… Human? Flesh and blood?”

Ch’ah contemplates the query for a moment and then smiles. It’s not about control, daughter… It is about passion… In your heart. Not how well you can blow things up, how high you can fly and how long you can fly through the vacuum of space unaided, it is about your own force of will, and once you do it, once you decide on that course of action, it’s easy. He flickers from alien to human, crystal to flesh, and then pauses. Do you understand?

“I think so… Do you want me to try?”

No… Not now. It’s something you must do alone I believe. It can be disconcerting for someone who has lived so long in one way to be another… And we believe the best way to overcome the change is by being with ones self. He smiles again. Do you understand?

“I think.”

Sire?

The duo turn as a familiar face enters the training room. Kl’s, A pleasure to see you again.

A pleasure to be in your presence sire, and yours, little Prysm.

Audrey blushes again, and shakes her head. “Hey Kl’s…”

Je’wlee has yet to be found sir; we fear she is missing, maybe… Dead.

“Je’wlee?”

The royal treasurer. She’s been missing for weeks now, and now… Kl’s. As my second I give you royal decree to find her, use all those at your disposal.

Kl’s nods. Sire. He bows then leaves the room.

“Dad, what does that mean? You’re ‘second’…”

In case I am incapacitated, Kl’s would become regent, and his bloodline ascendant to the throne, and our bloodline would become annulled as royal.

“Whoa.”

‘Whoa’ indeed. He is my most trusted friend and it is the least I could to make him my second.

“That’s really cool that you trust him so much… Oh, I have another question…”

Yes?

“Will I be able to speak in bold too?”

Her eyes flicker open as she awakens in a crater, her body still glowing, confused at her surroundings. Ok. That plan didn’t work so well. Where was she? She stumbles out of the pit, her eyes opening wider, as she’s met at gunpoint by a battalion of troops.

“Oops.”

“Stay where you are!” The leader of the troops, distinctive by the red stripe running down his uniform where others there is a white one, raises his weapon, only for his own eyes to widen as a star shines brightly in the sky… And approaches. “THE KING! THE KING!”

Prysm spins around, hoping, praying… “D-Dad?”

“Lower your weapons!” The man raises his staff, and then lands beside the crater, his red and yellow uniform glowing still as he steps towards the young hero. “I am King Gavyn of Throneworld, I recognise you, Princess Ch’ah, we thought you dead at the hands of General Mai’vas… It is lucky we found you here before any raiders tracked you down.”

“I… I… Where am I?”

“Throneworld.”

“I don’t know where that is… I’m sorry sire…” She bows slightly, tears welling in her eyes.

Gavyn puts his hand up, smiling and shaking his head. “You do not bow to me, ma’am, we only wish to get you to safety.”

“I don’t understand… I’m… So tired…”

“Rest, we shall get you to safety.” The King smiles and takes her into his arms, and then flies off into the sky, his troops firing up their jet packs and following.

“An’ it’s so damn quiet, ain’t it? The Main Man hasn’t had any fun for months ‘cause all his friends have gone joined that damn army…” He smiles slyly, looking at the bartender. “But then again, when the Main Man say friends, the Main Man means meat bags to frag, you get me?”

“S-sure thing Lobo…” The bartender hands the bounty hunter another drink. “On the house…”

“Cheers Jimmy, you’re a real diamond.” Lobo chugs it down and slams it down on the counter, then looks around. “Real dump ‘round here, ain’t it…?”

“Are you Lobo?” A voice emerges from the doorway, and the albino skinned, jet black haired and tattooed force of nature known as Lobo turns, a smile on his lips.

“Who’s asking, darlin’?”

Gavyn steps out from behind Prysm and speaks. “Acting regent of the H’San Natall Empire. Au’dreh Ch’ah.”

“Royalty? Ain’t fragged me any royalty for a long stretch, come ‘ere beautiful…”

Gavyn raises his cosmic staff, the end buzzing with power, and Lobo sticks his tongue out, sliding off his bar stool, and trudging towards the doorway. “Gavyn, don’t. He’s an unstoppable killing machine; you aren’t going to stop him with your cosmic rod…”

Lobo nods, mock understanding on his face. “Yeah Gavyn, you just try an’ th’ Main Mann will shove it up where the sun don’t shine, you understand me?”

Prysm’s eyes darken, her hands burning with black energy. “I on the other hand…”

“Ooh, kid’s got bite.” Lobo smiles and turns away from the duo, and head back to the bar, and picks up his drink which the bartender just refilled. “Anyways, th’ Main Man thought that some General ran wherever is you’re claimin’ to be runnin’… Does that make you a liar or somethin’?”

“My father has been deposed by a traitorous General, yes… And I think you know why this bar is empty, Lobo…”

Lobo laughs and smiles, drinking his beer and having it dribble down the sides of his mouth. “’Cause they joined your General’s cause, tha’s why lil’ thing.” He burps loudly and looks at the Princess curiously. “Wha’s that in your hand?”

Prysm smiles slightly. “A contract.”

Lobo’s eyes widen slightly. “A contract? For what?”

“Payment for services.”

“Intres’in’…” Lobo snatches the paper away and reads it through. “This is quite… gen’rous of you, ‘Actin’ regent of th’ H’San Natall empire’…” He burps loudly, and grimaces as he finishes. “So let me get this straight… You want the Main Man to frag all o’ the’ Main Man’s old friend’s… For this very large number with all these noughts on the end, tha’ right?”

“Yes.”

Lobo turns away from the duo again and looks away from them for a minute, and then turns, a smile on his lips. “Hell, the Main Man is in! Bu’ you don’t get to tell me how I get the job done, a’ight?”

“As long as you follow the words of the contract, you can ‘frag’ them anyway you want.”

Lobo smiles. “Been wan’ in to try some stuff recently, I have… Looks like th’ Main Man is gonna’ get his chance…”

Prysm turns to Gavyn and smiles weakly. “A means to an end.”

Gavyn shakes his head. “A deal with the devil.”

“COME AN’ GET FRAGGED YOU BASTICHES! COME AN’ FACE TH’ MAIN MAN!” He swings his chain round, catching one of his bounties around the throat and ripping it out, and then yanking it back as the head rolls off his shoulders. “COME AN’ GET FRAGGED!”

General Mai’vas cowers in the citadel, surrounded by his most trusted guard, his eyes wide, sweat trickling down his crystalline body. L-LOBO?! Why is Lobo here?! I sent three emissaries to ensure he WOULDN’T come here! I sacrificed three good men!

“That would be me, General.” The guards and General turn at the familiar voice, to be confronted by Gavyn’s commando unit, the King and Prysm. Prysm raises her hand, bubbling with sparkling energy, and points at the traitor. “I brought him here. Where is my father?”

You’re… Mai’vas laughs as his own men raise their weapons. I killed him as soon as your shuttle headed for Urth. His body was fed to the Fl’akla beast in the sewers beneath the city. Your father is dead.

Prysm smiles slightly and shakes her head. “Wrong answer, Mai’vas. My father needs to be alive for you to have access to the citadel we stand in. I may be half human, but I’m not a fool.”

“HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!” A scream from outside surprises everyone, and Gavyn pulls his communicator from his belt, speaking to those outside.

“What’s going on?”

The radio transmission is quiet, but the King can hear it all clearly. “The enemy, they fired a weapon at the bounty hunter… He’s gone! Dead! Nothing left but a pool of blood!”

“Damn…!”

You never even had a hope of winning this war, King Gavyn, so why did you even side with the girl? You sicken me with your weakness! Men-- FIRE! Mai’vas raises his arm and his men unleash their barrages, but Prysm puts up her hand, bending the energy and making it streak back into the weapons, frying them from the inside out. Mai’vas eyes widen as the unit approach, his men surrendering at this show of power. Bitch half breed! How is this possible?! He throws down a device and the commandos collapse as their bodies are seized with blue energy, and then pulls a knife from his belt and dives for Prysm, only for him to stop abruptly as a hand grabs his shoulder.

“Bad idea, Gen’ral…” Lobo looks up at Prysm, frozen in terror as the bounty hunter towers above them all, his skin still growing back, his clothes burnt off. “This the one behind all the trouble you gots goin’?”

“Y-Yeah…”

What… What are you doing!?

“Then the Main Man throws this in for free.” The bounty hunter tears Mai’vas’ head off, and smiles.

Hk!

“We thought you were dead!”

“Ain’t no weapon that can put th’ Main Man down for long, yur majesty. Heaven don’t want me an’ Hell won’t take me, so I’ll always be ‘round.” He smiles at his words and then licks the blood off his fingers, then dumps the headless corpse on the ground, then turns to the cowering troops who supported the General. “You’re next, so y’best get runnin’.” The men drop their weapons and sprint out the room, some leap out the window, sparing themselves the horrors Lobo will inflict on them. His smile broadens. “Y’r a good kid, y’majesty. Remind’ th’ Main Man of himself when he wuz your age, ‘cept I doubt you killed your entire race o’ people, y’know?” He pulls a cigar from his belt and pulls his gun, firing off a round at it, lighting it loudly. “I got some cleanin’ up to do with some o’ th’ more sneaky bastiches around, but once th’ contract is fulfilled… Th’ Main Man’ll be back for sure.”

Prysm smiles weakly. “Thank you Lobo.”

The bounty hunter turns and shakes his head. “Thank y’deep pockets.” He then leaps out of the window, and after a few moments of silence, hits the ground in an explosive bang.

Gavyn puts his hand on her shoulder and nods slowly. “My men have found your father in the catacombs…”

“Is he alright?”

Gavyn’s eye’s widen at the intensity in her voice, and then nods slowly. “He could be better…”

Daughter? Ch’ah slowly opens the door and then smiles when he sees Prysm staring at herself in the mirror; clad her human clothes, flickering a pale blue. Are you well?

“I want to go home.”

Why, Au’dreh? Are you not happy here?

“I… I hired a man to slaughter hundreds, daddy… I paid Lobo to kill General Mai’vas’ army, and I stood by and let him… That doesn’t make me a hero, and I always thought I was a hero, no matter what else… I save lives, not… Not condemned them to deaths like Lobo handed out so freely.”

You’ve got to realise the bigger picture here, my daughter… you are not only a hero but also a symbol of power on this world, in my empire… You are of royal blood and you must understand that it’s sometimes not about saving one life, but allowing some to die to protect something bigger… He pauses for a moment, and then shakes his head. Now I’m not saying that killing is right, because taking life is wrong, but these men and women who Lobo killed… They murdered, pillaged, tortured, raped and generally were blights on the land, so if they died, that means that others are safe now, and my daughter… I think that’s right.

“I can’t handle it daddy…”

You don’t have to. But do you know what today is?

“No…”

It’s your birthday. A year has passed, and you may of course, as previously agreed… Leave this place and return when you wish…

She smiles for a moment, remembering Earth, but then thinks about her home for the past year… And then tears begin to form in her eyes. “But I’d be leaving you…”

What? Hey, I’m coming with you… Ch’ah smiles slightly. I think I can be hip. I can be cool. And I need to make amends with your mother. My second will rule in my stead, and I shall return in half a year. I don’t intend to let you go yet, my love…
“You’re coming with me?”

If you will have me, daughter…

“Of course daddy!” She embraces him for a moment, squeezing him tightly, and then looks up. “But don’t ever say you can be hip or cool again. It’s embarrassing…”

I’m making strides already as an Earth father!