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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:38:22 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:41:46 GMT -5
Titans: The Resistance [/i] Issue #3: Part 3 (of 6) Written by Jay McIntyre Cover by Craig Cermak and Ramon Villalobos Edited by Mark Bowers[/center] |
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:42:43 GMT -5
Krypton is my home, and I love it dearly, but I must experience more than is available there. The researches of the House of El have always intrigued me, and even though they have led me to this battle, I feel not the slightest measure of regret.
Indeed, as I battle the foolish Lantern, the rational part of my mind is analyzing his combat style, his utilization of his emotional instability to focus and strengthen his powers with the ring. He is formidable. Even my rage is tempered by excitement. Never before have I experienced combat outside of simulation. How invigorating it is! I feel alive as I have not in years!
Of course, my own mysterious abilities are manifesting as well, certainly fascinating in their own right. The flight I anticipated, and the endurance to extreme conditions. But the strength! How marvelous! And the projection of thermal energy from the eyes is a startling and useful development as well!
We continue to battle. He dives in for another attack, and I knock him away effortlessly with a single punch. I wonder what sort of measurement system my physical strength would be measured on... the Sain-Kohl scale, perhaps?
My teachers always said I was too imaginative, and that analysis is at least partially borne out, as my pondering of my powers and his abilities distracts me to the point where is able to score a palpable hit with his ring blast and send me tumbling into the sodium-chloride-laced water of this world.
Pain. It is real, and it shocks me from my analytical nature. I am under the surface of the water for the briefest of moments before I erupt skywards again, flying directly at the Lantern.
He blocks me again with the power of the ring, creating a bubble around himself. This time my strength is not enough to punch through it; he has anticipated me, and strengthened the field with his own will. Deciding to be inventive, I grab the sides of the sphere and hurl it, Lantern and all, towards the coast.
My name is Kai-Al. I have come to this world for new experiences and the satisfaction of my curiosity, and so far I regret not a single moment of it.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:43:21 GMT -5
Terra and Robin were floating skywards on one of her rocks when they saw the distant green light flashing up in the sky.
“What is that?” Terra frowned.
Robin shrugged. “I have no idea.” He refrained from asking her if it was more of her people. “We should go investigate, I think.”
“Perhaps more people we can recruit,” Terra said thoughtfully, as she sent her rock floating towards the commotion.
“Perhaps,” Robin agreed noncommittally. He balanced uneasily on the chunk of rock behind Terra. For him it was unfamiliar, and totally unlike swinging between rooftops. It was like flying, and it disquieted him. He balanced uneasily on his feet, not wanting to cling to Terra for support. She gave him a knowing smile over her shoulder.
With difficulty, he took binoculars from his utility belt, and stared through them at the distant light. “Whatever it is, it’s barely at the Jersey Coast. It must be very bright for us to be able to see it at all.”
“Can you pick out any details?”
“Not at this distance. We’ll have to get closer. But there’s another problem.”
“What is that?” She raised an eyebrow.
“The military is certain to notice first.”
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:43:59 GMT -5
Indeed, this was in fact the case. Both the Coast Guard and Fort Johnson had noticed the bright light.
The Captain of the lead Coast Guard ship, Andrew Wilkerson, frowned suspiciously at the light in the skies.
“Sir, Fort Johnson wants to know if it’s Markovians,” the radio operator reported.
“I don’t know, but whatever it is, I doubt it’s friendly, and it’s invading our airspace. Try contacting them one more time.”
The communications officer hailed the green flashing light once more, with no response. “Nothing, sir!”
“Alert the Navy, and tell Fort Johnson that we’re firing at will!” Wilkerson smiled grimly. “I’m sure they’ll want to join in the fun.”
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:44:30 GMT -5
Kai-Al and Green Lantern had closed the distance and were now simply pounding on each other, without noticeable effect. Both were astonished when a rocket came roaring in.
The explosion knocked both of them back. “What is that?” Kai-Al demanded.
“The local military have decided we’re both hostiles,” Green Lantern sneered at her. “I need to talk to them--”
“So you can tell them to aim at only me? Oh no, you don’t!” She caught him in a flying tackle, and both went beneath the waves.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:45:09 GMT -5
“Did they take it out?” Terra frowned. She hoped they had not just lost a potential ally.
“Wait a moment! If nothing else we can scour that patch of ocean after the military is done.”
“Can you swim?” she asked, looking at him over her shoulder again.
“On the surface, yes, but this isn’t my scuba-diving costume,” he admitted.
“Then we’d better hurry up, don’t you think?” She increased their speed towards the coast.
“We don’t want to fight the military as well,” he pointed out. “At least I don’t.”
She made a face. “We’ll come around in a looping arc from the south.”
“Thank you,” he said, relieved. For a moment he thought she was going to try to force him to fight his own country. But no, of course not. She was much more clever and subtle than that.
So why did he want to believe her?
For her part, Terra focused on the patch of ocean they were trying to reach—while at the same time not get killed by the military themselves. There was, of course, no guarantee that the source of the light was even a person, or would join them. Technically speaking, even Robin wasn’t on her side yet. She knew well enough that he expected her to double-cross him somewhere down the line. How long would it take, she wondered, for him to accept the truth?
What sort of name for a vigilante was Robin, anyway? They had exchanged codenames on their way out of the subway system. He already knew her real name, of course. He had not divulged his own, nor had she expected him to. A robin was a small bird, harmless, not even a predator. Hardly intimidating. She wondered what the history behind it was. Not that he would tell her.
She wondered briefly if she should’ve used a more extensive disguise....but no, it was her powers that had given her away. Granted, Robin was trained to be more insightful than most, but the powers of the Imperial family were certainly known worldwide.
Not for the first time she wondered what it would’ve been like if her country had remained as it had been before the war—a small, independent, peaceful country. She would never know, now. Even if they succeeded beyond her wildest expectations, still things could not go back to the way they were. A past she only knew from history books, that she would never know herself.
While she had been ruminating over these things, the glowing green light had resurfaced and was moving quickly inland.
“I think it must be over the mainland now,” she said softly.
“The military can’t be pleased by that.” he murmured back.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:45:43 GMT -5
“This is madness!” Kai-Al shouted over the detonating shells around them. “I did not come here to fight your people!” She caught a missile and hurled it skywards, where it exploded.
“Then leave the land area!” Green Lantern shouted back. “And why did you come here?”
She shook her head. “Barbaric, paranoid--” she cut herself off and flew out to sea. Green Lantern shot after her.
The ground fire did not slacken. Only Kai-Al’s new found strength under the Sun and Green Lantern’s power protected them. Green Lantern absorbed several more explosions with shields from his ring, then cursed and followed at speed. He wasn’t about to let her get away.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:46:32 GMT -5
Meanwhile, in Washington DC, President Badnarik, a stern and independent-minded man, sat uneasily in the Oval Office, rubbing his temples.
For many years, the United States had pursued a course of peaceful neutrality, defending its own borders but not engaging in action overseas. Trading with all—even the Markovians—but fighting none.
Which was not to say that he and his predecessors had not foreseen the coming Markovian invasion. This, they certainly had done. They had built up their defenses over the years, slowly, quietly. Their profits from peaceful trade had enabled them to focus on defensive war capabilities. The Markovians would not find them easy prey.
But the war would come, sooner or later. And then many people—innocent people—would die.
It was a heavy burden.
One of his phones rang. The black one. Defense hotline. Heart racing, he picked it up. “This is the President.”
“We have metahuman activity over New Jersey, sir. It appears to be internecine violence. We have tentatively identified one of the combatants as a Green Lantern. The other is wearing all black and seems to primarily be gifted with flight.”
“So we can’t positively say it’s Markovian.”
“Not positively, sir. We have had to take defensive measures already. The Green Lantern is, unfortunately, in the field of fire. His powers seem to be holding up.”
Badnarik nodded. “I’m sure that he’ll understand.”
“Thing is, sir, the other combatant seems unharmed as well.”
A chill went through the President’s bones at the implication of that statement. “Maintain fire, and keep me informed.”
“Yes, sir.”
The President hung up, then pressed a button on the intercom. “Open the direct line to the Empress.”
“Sir?” his assistant’s voice on the phone was uncertain.
“Just do it,” Badnarik said grimly.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:47:31 GMT -5
“It’s heading back out to sea,” Terra said.
Robin nodded, looking through the binoculars again. “I want to believe that’s Green Lantern, but I can’t be sure. And he wouldn’t be fighting the military. Still can’t see any details. Any Markovians using green plasma energy or anything like that?”
She shook her head. “Not that I’m aware of.”
“Okay....look, stay on the looping arc like you planned. If we can meet this person out at sea, so much the better.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she agreed.
They were approaching the coast themselves now. Terra boosted their altitude a bit. She didn’t need to explain why; Robin understood well enough that they didn’t want any other military forces, already on alert, to notice them too.
For a moment he let all thought go, and tried to live in the moment. Tried to treat it like an adventure, like he had always visualized being Robin would be like as a child. Here he was flying on a chunk of rock over the coast, riding behind a cute Markovian double-agent towards some unknown power. And yes, he did feel some faint thrill of memory.
But the stakes here were very real.
Even so, he tried to hold on to that spark, as Dick somehow had.
For her part, Terra hoped the green glow was an ally. For her it was all idealistic hope for the future. The present—and her role in it—was always haunting her.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:48:10 GMT -5
Empress Petra was already having a long day, and was preparing to turn in for the night when a phone was brought to her in a glass case.
“Your Majesty, the American President is calling.”
“Whatever for?” she sniffed disdainfully. She opened the case and picked up the receiver of the old-fashioned phone. “Yes? What is your name, Belochik, wasn’t it?”
“Badnarik,” the President corrected her wearily. “You wouldn’t know about any metahuman activity over the United States’ Atlantic Coast, now, would you?”
“Of course not,” Petra sniffed. Then she froze, thoughtfully. Had she misjudged her daughter, after all? Had Tara rushed to begin the war with the Americans? This was a transgression of patriotism and pride she could forgive; but somehow she doubted it. “I have sent no operatives to attack you; had I done so, you would be calling to surrender, not to ask me about it. Nevertheless, you have piqued my curiosity. What sort of metahuman attack is it?”
“I’m not sure I should tell you that,” Badnarik said.
The Empress closed her eyes and hissed in frustration. “Let’s try this, then; are any elemental powers involved?”
“No,” he said.
“Then it’s nothing to do with the Empire. If there was nothing else, I am turning in for the evening.”
The President hung up without another word. The Empress rather admired that, actually; he had more spine than the two predecessors of his that she had dealt with. To the butler who had brought the phone she said, “Have the Minister of Espionage get his operatives in America on this at once. I want to know what is happening with this supposed metahuman attack. I doubt it is my daughter’s doing, but even so... the chances of it being a genuine coincidence are slim.”
“Yes, your Majesty.”
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:48:57 GMT -5
Kai-Al shot over the ocean, frustrated. She felt several more shots bounce harmlessly off her, but for the moment she felt no joy in her powers. Already she was becoming accustomed to them, as she adapted to her new situation. But her analytical mind was, for the moment, distracted by how disastrous first contact with these people had been.
She had refrained from attacking any of the primitives directly. But she supposed she could understand their xenophobia. They couldn’t know any better, after all. It was the Lantern that annoyed her. By all accounts, his Oan masters who prided themselves on their wisdom should’ve taught him better.
Despite the savagery of these people, she had to give them at least some credit. After all, the House of El would never have planned to send one of their own here as a last resort if the people did not have potential. But then, the House of El had been wrong about the nature of the disaster in their own system, as well...
Her thoughts were interrupted by Green Lantern’s hand clasping around her ankle. “All right, that’s it. What are you really doing here?”
“I told you what I was doing here!” she retorted, kicking him with her other bootheel. He grunted and let go. “I was curious about the data our own scientists had recorded about the planet!”
“Your behavior is far out of character for a Kryptonian,” he retorted. “You hardly ever leave your own planet. I can’t believe it was out of simple curiosity.”
“My behavior? What about yours! Attempting to interrogate me, trying to imprison me without due process! If someone is out of character here, it is you, Lantern! We know of your Oan masters, and your behavior is totally irresponsible!”
“They are not masters, they are teachers, and by protecting my planet from a potential threat I am being responsible!” he shouted back.
“Are all your people so paranoid?” she said, seething with frustration.
He sobered a bit at that. “Only in the last ninety years or so,” he said, somewhat crestfallen.
She blinked; it was not a response she had expected from him. “Why the last ninety years? Did something happen?”
He scowled. “The Markovians happened.”
“What, an alien invasion?” She did not know the name.
He laughed bitterly. “If only it were that simple. No, this is a home grown threat. One nation trying to conquer all others.”
“Forceful attempted military unification engendering paranoia,” she nodded slowly. “I begin to understand.” She stood straight—which looked somewhat odd floating in midair. “I give you my word, Green Lantern, that I am no threat to your planet. I am as much a pure scientist as all my people, just more... proactively motivated.”
He nodded. “Proactivity is something we can use more of around here... but maybe we should move further out to sea.”
“Why?”
A missile exploded between them.
“That’s why,” he said.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:49:43 GMT -5
The ships had gotten close enough to actually see their two distinct targets by now, and followed them as they went out over the ocean. No longer just the Coast Guard, several Navy ships had joined the fray. But as Captain Wilkerson had been here first, he was given priority and command. The Coast Guard was a serious proposition in this world, where defending your coasts was much more than busting the occasional smuggler.
“Whatever they are, they’re moving back out into international waters, sir,” an officer reported to Captain Wilkerson.
He hissed in frustration. “Pursue to the edge of our territorial waters, and keep firing until they’re out of sight.”
“The Navy suggests that one of them might be Green Lantern, sir,” the radio operator said.
“Then his ring will protect him. Keep targeting the other one,” Wilkerson ordered.
The radio operator made to argue, but a gleam in Wilkerson’s eye quieted him. Shoulders slumped in defeat, he kept his head down as the ships continued firing.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:50:30 GMT -5
Terra and Robin were almost in the low clouds now, and both of them were a little short of breath.
“I’m sorry,” Terra gasped, “but we needed the altitude.”
“I know,” Robin wheezed back.
Below them, they could see the green light retreating, and even in this dim light there was clearly another small black shape as well. As the two sped out to sea, Terra followed, keeping a discreet distance.
“Wonder who the other one is, and if they will help us,” Terra said softly.
“Not likely if they were fighting Green Lantern,” Robin pointed out.
“If it is Green Lantern. You aren’t sure.”
Robin had no answer to that. Yet he sensed she wasn’t really challenging him. She seemed focused on the tactics of the situation, something his own mentors would have approved of. He checked himself; his mentors would never approve of her.
Sooner or later, he would have to lead her to them, to be interrogated.
But not today.
Eventually, they left the ships behind, and yet the green light and the black blur continued outwards, well out of range. Finally, they seemed to stop. Slowly and carefully, Terra brought them down, closer and closer.
The two figures seemed to be having an argument of some kind.
“That one is wearing the symbol of the Green Lantern,” Robin said, “but I’ve never met that particular one before. The other is unknown to me.”
The woman in black saw them, stiffened, and pointed. The Green Lantern turned around, and his eyes widened.
“Markovian!” he shouted.
“Not again,” Terra sighed.
Green Lantern powered his ring up, ready to fire.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:51:20 GMT -5
Another small fleet of ships was waiting, deeper into the Atlantic. Their craft were not as large as the American Navy ships had been, but larger than the Coast Guard ships, while more numerous than either. And every last one of them was armed to the teeth.
They were not American, nor Markovian, nor representatives of any other world power.
Except that power that was almost as old as humanity itself, and owed loyalty to no nation.
A black flag flew high on the command ship, and on it were inlaid the white skull and crossbones of the Jolly Roger. A pirate ship.
Beneath this flew an orange and blue banner with no symbol at all. A personal flag of this particular group of pirates. Both the pirate and personal banners flew on each craft.
Not just a pirate ship; a pirate fleet.
The “Admiral” of this collection of corsairs stared at the metahuman argument out at sea through what looked to be a simple old-fashioned spyglass, but was in truth much more technologically advanced. Image enhancers and magnifiers made the meeting between the four costumed folk very clear indeed to the pirate leader.
It was a woman, and it was just as well that she was using a high-tech spyglass; for she only had one eye. The other was covered by a white silk eyepatch. Her hair was likewise so pale as to be at first considered ash blonde, but in truth it was naturally white. But this did not belie age; for the woman was little older than the costumed heroes she was observing.
She herself wore body armor that was a combination of high tech fabrics, ceramics, and good old-fashioned chain mail, tightly woven. The armor was stained blue, and was complemented with orange belt, gloves, and boots. The same color scheme as the personal flag of the fleet.
“Should we advance?” A lieutenant, a tough grizzled customer in his own right, asked the young woman.
She smiled thinly without taking her view from the heroes. “Not yet, Wintergreen. Let’s see how they get on, before we approach. They might be useful to us.”
“As you command, Ravager,” the old man said formally. He took orders from this girl naturally, without hesitation because of her age. He followed her faithfully despite her relative inexperience.
But then, after all, he knew how well the Ravager had been trained. He had served her father, the previous leader of this fleet of corsairs, and watched the girl grow up under her old man’s training and tutelage. And when her father had been killed by the Markovians, he had been more than willing to follow the daughter on her missions of plunder and vengeance.
Ravager, daughter of the Deathstroke, greatest pirate ever to sail the seas, continued to observe the heroes.
Watching, and waiting, for her moment.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2007 14:52:17 GMT -5
To Be Continued!
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