posted
What follows was my first-ever attempt at fanfic circa 2000 or 2001. This story takes place during the Post-Zero Hour/Reboot era in the Legion of Superheroes continuity. More specifically, it occurred sometime between the "Team 20" storyline and "Legion of the Damned" and primarily stars just one Legionnaire.
"Inspiration" is still my only writing set in an established non-LMB comic book continuity and will probably remain so. I did, however, plot a sequel once upon a time....
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Rinaxl was conquered by the Khund Empire 50 solar cycles ago. There were few left who remembered the time when Rinaxl was a free, peaceful planet. It's inhabitants' spirits were broken long ago. The early rebellions to Khund rule were utterly crushed before they even had a chance to get off the ground. Rinaxl and its people were enslaved and broken. Even the name "Rinaxl" was removed as it's official designation by its cruel masters. It was now simply referred to as System 163.
Jalarl was a 13 year old Rinaxlian. Since the age of 5 cycles, he had been forced to work as all had been starting at that age. It had been 8 cycles since he'd seen his mother. All Rinaxlians were taken from their mothers and placed in separate slave camps at 5 cycles. This was done to discourage family bonds and keep slaves from potentially rebelling. There was no socializing, only 12-hour/every day work shifts, subsistent meals before and after, and sleep to prepare for the next day's work. Any violation of this met with harsh, unspeakable punishment.
But Jalarl remembered his mother very well. He remembered her loving embrace, her soothing words, and some of the stories she told. Particularly, he remembered her telling him about Rinaxl before the Khunds took over. She passed on the stories that her own mother told her, who in turn was told by her mother. Jalarl didn't remember too many details of his mother's stories, but the idea of a world without slavery, which seemed so impossible yet so amazing, stayed with him always.
Slaves frequently were given new assignments, about four times a cycle. This, too, was done to discourage any kind of affiliation which might someday lead to rebellion. Jalarl was in the early weeks of his most recent assignment, janitorial duty in the planet's prison facility. Rinaxl only needed one with all the executions and the very few who would disobey in the first place.
Jalarl found himself enjoying (to what extent any slave can enjoy) this assignment. This detail, unlike the others, involved limited freedom of movement around the facility. It was much preferable to being guarded constantly by an irritable Khund with a hair-trigger electro-whip! In this detail Jalarl was given a block of 12 cells at a time to clean and tend to the prisoners. At either end of the block was stationed two guards. So Jalarl had a small comfort zone invaded only by the guards' four times-hourly walk-throughs. It wasn't much, but it was a relief.
When Jalarl would enter the cells, there was no danger from the prisoners. All of them were completely shackled and had almost no freedom of movement. For most this was unnecessary because many were too weak to move at all, essentially starving to death. In each cell Jalarl would sweep the floors, clean up the prisoner's feces, place the prisoner's meager meal where he could reach it with his mouth, and collect the remains of the previous day's meal. Jalarl would also check the life monitors and report any expirations to his masters. Jalarl felt for the prisoners but didn't dare console or comfort them for fear of punishment. Most were beyond consolation anyway.
On one particular day, Jalarl met a prisoner who would change his life, for better or worse. That day Jalarl walked into cell D-9. The previous occupant had expired a day earlier. Jalarl saw a strange creature unlike any he'd seen before. This wasn't a Rinaxlian nor one of the brutish yellow or pink-skinned masters. This creature had an orangeish hue to his skin and two antennae protruding from his forehead. Jalarl stood agape at this creature, despite himself. He was shocked when the creature opened its eyes and stared back. The eyes, Jalarl thought, had a vitality and spirit to them he'd never seen before. He was even more startled when the alien spoke with that same distortion that his masters used. The words didn't seem to match the movements of its lips. The creature said:
"Hello. My name is Reep Daggle. I need your help!"
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Jalarl was so frightened that he could barely move. He just stood agape, not knowing what to do.
"Please, there's no reason to be afraid," Reep said. "I'm a friend--a member of the Legion of Super Heroes. Chameleon."
Jalarl croaked, "Legion of Super Heroes? What's that?"
Chameleon was a little taken aback by this. He hadn't encountered many who hadn't heard of the LSH. "The Legion is a group of young people, some about as young as yourself, who've gathered together to fight evil."
Evil. That Jalarl understood very well. His curiosity was definitely piqued.
Chameleon continued, "Every member of the Legion has a special power."
"Power?" Jalarl asked confused.
Chameleon began to grasp the enormity of the boy's isolation. "Yes. A power is a special ability most people don't have. My power is the ability to change my body into almost any form I can imagine. I can even change myself into a perfect likeness of you!"
Jalarl began to feel something he'd never felt before: childlike wonderment. He tried to contain the excitement as he asked, "Please show me!"
"I would if I could, but," Cham gestured to his restraints, "these keep me from using my power. That's what I need your help with."
Jalarl stiffened. On one occasion, another more lively prisoner had begged Jalarl to free him. Jalarl had walked out. He never saw the man again. He changed the subject, "How did you get here?"
"I was on a mission for the Espionage Squad, a special part of the Legion. This planet was believed to be a site for the construction of a new devastating weapon. I found it, but unfortunately, the Khunds had a new device for detecting my race and I was caught. I was alone, and they don't yet realise I'm a Legionnaire. Soon, they will interrogate me."
Jalarl shuddered. He'd witness the Khund masters interrogating prisoners before.
"What is your name?" asked Cham, interrupting the boy's morbid thoughts.
"My name is Jalarl."
"Jalarl! I like the name!" Cham changed his mood back to the dropped subject. "I need to know if you will help me, Jalarl.
Jalarl thought about it for a moment, but the sound of heavy footsteps startled him. It was the quarter-hourly guard patrol! Shaken, Jalarl hurriedly whispered to Cham, "I've got to get out of here. They'll wonder why I've been in here so long!"
Cham understood and whispered back, "I understand, my friend. See you tomorrow?"
Jalarl nodded back and shuffled quickly to the next cell. He tried to feign as if he'd been in there for a while. The guards passed by without incident.
As Jalarl went about his duties, his thoughts were consumed with Reep Daggle and his request. He also wondered what a "friend" is.
He was definitely looking forward to the next day!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
The next day as the claxons sounded the beginning of his shift, Jalarl leapt from his cot. He'd barely slept at all that night. Reep Daggle, this Chameleon, stirred up an excitement he's never felt before. He couldn't wait to see him today.
About six hours into his shift, Jalarl finally got his chance. Jalarl timed his detail, so that when he got to cell D-9, he'd have the entire 15 minutes between guard rounds to spend with Reep.
When Jalarl walked in, he startled Cham from a light sleep. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, Reep!"
"Oh, that's quite alright!" Cham said with an instant twinkle in his eyes. "I can't think of any better reason to wake up!"
Jalarl brought Cham's meal to him. Cham was so hungry that he didn't care that even Durlan buurglards would probably turn up their pig-like noses at it. After hurriedly gulping down the meager offering, Cham asked, "How much time do we have?"
"A little over 10 minutes," Jalarl replied ruefully.
"Okay, it'll have to be enough! I need to know if you'll help me escape, Jal."
"Jal?" inquired the youth.
"Oh, sorry. Where I come from friends often shorten each other's names because of the ease of their relationship. My friends in the LSH call me 'Cham'. If you'd like, you can call me Cham!"
"I don't understand--what is a 'friend'? You called me that yesterday."
Cham felt incredibly sad for the boy. What a bleak existence he and the other Rinaxlians must lead. After this pause he explained, "Friends are sentients who enjoy the company of one another. They share dreams, tell stories, have fun...basically they care about each other and like to spend time together. I care about you and enjoy your company--that's why I called you my 'friend'!"
Cham could see a light turn on in Jalarl's eyes. Jalarl understood and said, "I've never had a friend before, but I'm glad to have you as one...Cham!"
Cham couldn't help but smile.
"Cham, I'd like very much to help you!"
Cham felt a tremor of guilt. "Listen Jarl--I want you to understand that our friendship does NOT depend on whether or not you help me. Doing so could put you in a lot of danger. You must understand this before you agree to go any further. If you want to change your mind, I will understand completely! And I will still be your friend if you do."
Jalarl thought about it for a moment. His Khund masters would surely punish him severely, possibly torture and/or kill him, if they catch him. But what would be the difference? He was a slave. He felt an urge within him unlike any he's ever felt before. He had a friend now and never knew what that was before today. He couldn't let his masters break this wonderful friend as they had so many others. He couldn't live with himself. And he remembered his mother's stories. The answer was clear.
"Yes, I will help you, Cham! I can easily get a key to your shackles from the outer guard station. I go in there all the time to pick up my cart and load it with supplies. I won't be able to come back 'til tomorrow, though..."
"That's fine, Jal." Cham said and then paused, "Jal, I want to take you with me."
"Me...go with you?"
"Yes," Cham said very seriously, "I can't bear your masters punishing you if they found out you helped me. Grife, I can't stand the thoughts of you continuing to be enslaved!"
Jalarl was overwhelmed. "You'd do that for me?"
"Yes, I would. In a heartbeat."
"Then, I'd be free?" Jalarl said, almost disbelieving. He remembered his mother's tales of freedom. "What about the others on my planet?"
Cham answered sadly, "I couldn't take them, too. But the Legion could work on ways to free your people."
"I see. I'd like to go with you, Cham!"
"Excellent. I'll devise a plan to get us out of here between now and tomorrow."
The heavy footsteps of the guards could be heard in the distance. Both knew it was time for Jalarl to go. "Tomorrow?" whispered the Durlan.
"Tomorrow!" Jalarl whispered back, then scrambled to move on to the next cell.
That night Jalarl slept fitfully again. His world was changing very quickly, but any change was better than his life as a slave. He'd always dreamed of freedom. Now was his chance!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
For Jalarl the next day couldn't come quick enough. All through the night, he'd continually toss and turn. He'd drift off to sleep only to wake with a start minutes later.
Finally the loud, raucous claxon sounded, and the most important day of Jalarl's life had begun. Everything went routinely until the point when Jalarl snatched one of the deactivators to the prisoner shackles. He made sure to get one of those specifically made to deactivate the type of neutralizer that imprisoned his friend. He hoped no one would miss it before he got to Cham's cell.
As before, Jalarl finally arrived at Cham's cell about six hours into the shift. As he entered, he noticed something strange about Cham. He tentatively called out to his friend, "Cham?"
Cham slowly raised up his head. The orange face now had purplish masses and blood stains on it. Jalarl realized he'd been beaten during a typical "interview" by the Khund masters. He rushed to his friend.
"Cham, are you all right?" Jalarl said with an audible sob.
Cham managed that defiant smile of his that helped inspire the youth in the first place. "It only h-hurts when I breathe!" he managed.
Jalarl returned the smile and dabbed at Cham's cuts with a washcloth. "I've got the key, Cham!" he said. "We've got to get out of here now...the second interview makes the first seem easy!" He then removed the device from his pocket and expertly deactivated the restraining mechanisms. Cham stumbled to the ground without the shackles to hold him up. "Cham!" Jalarl cried.
"S'okay," Cham said, mustering all his strength. Cham then reached out with his mind and tuned into his own body. There was tremendous release in this. For a Durlan, being cut off from one's ability to change shape is like how a human feels when he is paralized below the neck. Reaching out, Cham mended his cuts and bruises. Then, he went through a few of his favorite shapes: a lightening beast, a Protean, Ayla Ranzz, Jeka Winzorr, and a series of others. It was, in human terms, like brushing and flossing your teeth after neglecting it for a week or stretching your muscles after spending 8 hours in a less-than-roomy transport.
Jalarl couldn't believe his eyes, especially when Cham settled on a final form, an exact duplicate of Jalarl. He stared at his double who had the same deep purple skin, pale yellow eyes, and feather textured yellow hair as he. Tears came to Jalarl's eyes. If he knew the term, Jalarl would say it was the most magical experience of his life! Cham embraced his friend, transforming into his familiar, orange-skinned, antennaed form in mid-hug. "Thank you so much, my friend--I feel like a new sentient!" Cham said as they broke loose. Cham's expressioned darkened. "Jal...are you sure you want to go along with the next part. It will be very dangerous."
"Cham, I don't exactly have a lot to lose."
"But I do. I'm worried that you'll get hurt."
Jalarl smiled, "At least this way, we'll be able to look out for each other!"
In the distance the unmistakable sound of the guard marching approached. "Guess there's no turning back, now!" Cham mused then whispered something into Jalarl's purple ear.
Larkhak had served in the Khund militia as long as he could remember. It was ironic that the Khunds treated there own little better than they treated conquered peoples like the Rinaxlians. Larkhak, too, was taken from his mother at the age of five to begin training for the Khund military. It was the role members of the lower class served, to be the grunts, the concubines, the servants. Larkhak wasn't complaining, though. It was his role and all he ever knew. And he felt he served that role rather well. And there were perks: he got to help work over that stinking Durlan last night, for one. Maybe he only got one punch in, but it was one punch to a member of one of the most despised races of the Empire.
The monotony of Larkhak's day was interrupted by screams. Larkhak figured they belonged to the boy assigned to clean up the filth in this place. He jogged his massive form over to the source of the screams, Cell D-9. Off the top of his head, he couldn't remember who was in D-9. As he lumbered inside with rifle drawn, he spotted the boy lying on the ground and saw empty shackles where the prisoner had been. There was no place to hide in the cell. The boy was alone.
"Get up, boy," growled the Khund. Slowly, Jalarl got up. "Where's the prisoner? Tell me now before I blast an ear off!"
"H-he got away! I-I tried to stop him. H-he hurt me!" Larkhak noticed Jalarl had one fist clenched.
"What do you have in your hand? Show me now!" As the boy began to comply, something worked in the back of the Khund's mind, something about who was imprisoned here...
The boy opened his hand to reveal a small bug in it. Larkhak began to laugh hardily despite the boy's lowly status. Boys and bugs, he thought. As the Khund relaxed his rifle a little, the bug began to shimmer and grow. Then it clicked for Larkhak--the Durlan! The once tiny bug transformed into a bulky Khundian Flarkamonster and clobbered Larkhak. Larkhak managed to get out a weak "Oh, sprock" before the lights when out.
Cham quickly disrobed the unconscious Khund and placed him in the shackles that held himself 'til a few minutes ago. He place the close over his own form. Cham's antennae moved a bit, analyzing the prisoner's features before he completely assumed Larkhak's likeness and filled out the uniform. Jalarl was a bit startled despite what he'd already seen of his friend's power. This form was definitely the most unnerving.
"Alright, Jal," the now Khund-mimicking Cham said, "time to go. With any luck we'll have about 15, possibly 30, minutes or so until we're discovered. Too late to back out, now!" Jalarl nodded with a smile. "You'll be my 'prisoner', and that'll get us a little ways! Ready?"
"Ready!" Jalarl saluted. As they began to march out, Jalarl could feel his heart racing very fast. But the feeling was invigorating. He felt more alive than he'd ever felt before!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Jalarl and Cham headed down the prison corridors toward the checkpoint that Jalarl always goes through on his way to Blocks D, E and F. They could see it drawing nearer in the distance and began to tense.
Out of the blue Jalarl whispered, "Wow, Cham! I can't tell you how breath-taking this 'power' of yours is! The way you took out that guard and turned into him was...I don't have the word to descibe it!"
"That mook had it comin' after the sucker punch he squeezed in while they were interrogating me! And I'm going to make sure you learn plenty of words to descibe positive feelings...count on it!" Cham then realized he didn't know what to do at the checkpoint. "What do I do here, Jal?"
Confidently, Jal said, "Take out the chip in the pouch next to your holster and give it to him."
Cham did as Jal suggested and explained to the guard that the slave was being punished for slacking off. Jalarl was amazed by how perfectly Cham imitated Khund mannerisms and the inflections of the Khund dialect he chose. The two spoke as if they'd known each other all their lives. His friend was more than just a chameleon because of the shape-changing; it was obvious he was expert at carrying out the other nuances required to be a master of disguise. He admired his friend even more at that point.
The two got through three other checkpoints until finally arriving at a less-secure area that contained living facilities for the Khund guards. Surprisingly, they weren't much more luxurious than the prisoner and slave quarters. Cham and Jalarl ducked into a supply closet. When Cham confirmed it was devoid of Khunds, he changed back to his familiar form.
"I knew we wouldn't be able to get out through the front door. That's where they are bound to have devices placed like the one which detected me in the first place.," Cham said and then began scouring the closet for ways out. Jalarl was in awe of Cham's professional, methodical search. Could this sentient only be just two or three cycles older than himself? Could he, a slave, also be capable of such heroism?
Jalarl's musings were interrupted by Cham. "Found it!" Cham showed his friend a grate in the wall. "It's big enough for you to fit, Jal! It didn't matter either way with me because of my power, but it'll work for you as well! The grate leads outside and there are no guards!"
"How do you know, Cham?" Jalarl wondered.
Cham smiled and stretched his eyes out from his skull. "This is how! I stretched them 'til I saw where it ended!"
Jalarl's jaw dropped. Even with what he'd already seen, he was still amazed.
"I believe the word you're looking for is 'Wow'!" Cham grinned.
Jalarl thought about it a moment. Then he said, "Wow!" and laughed. Cham couldn't help but join in. The boy's laughter was a joy to hear, and his own laughter was a much-needed release after all his travails recently. But he quickly turned to the business at hand.
"We can't spare any more time. The Khunds may have discovered I'm missing by now." Jalarl understood and his expression hardened. Cham gave his friend a boost into the grate, then extended his legs to give himself a boost.
The shaft was narrow and dark, but the light from the outside was clearly visible. It was almost blinding to Jalarl; he'd seen the outside world very rarely. At the end of the shaft Cham reached over Jalarl and smashed the grate by transforming the arm into a blunt, mace-like weapon. It was a long way to the ground, but Cham gently lowered Jalarl down by again extending his arms all the way. Soon both were running to the edge of a nearby forest. Cham shielded the two of them from the view of any guards who might have been watching by acting as a true chameleon. He stretched his form over his friend and changed colors to match the landscape almost perfectly.
Just as they entered the outskirts of the forest, a rude noise startled them. Alarm claxons sounded from the facilities. "They've discovered I'm missing!" Cham yelled. "C'mon Jal we've got to get as far away from that place as fast as possible!"
Just as they were about to run, they were startled as a voice from behind said sternly, "just where do you two think you are going?"
Cham and Jalarl whirled around to see a very startling sight.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
An unknown length of time later, Chameleon and Jalarl found themselves sitting across a crudely-crafted table from the sentient whose voice had startled them.
The voice belonged to a Rinaxlian, a man who appeared in his late twenties by earth standards but who had that haunted look that made him seem much, much older. He was apparently the leader of a ragged squad of ten Rinaxlians who were also present. The group offered the pair sanctuary. Having few other options, Cham agreed. The group hiked a little deeper into the woods until a camouflaged hatch was opened into an underground tunnel. The dark tunnel went on for an unknown distance until it opened into a gigantic cave. Cham estimated the cave housed a couple hundred Rinaxlians. He didn't have much time to site-see before he and Jalarl were ushered into the smaller cave with the table.
"Welcome to Haven," the leader of the squad said rather unwelcomingly. "I am Zil, leader of the Rinaxlian Liberation Front, a literal underground movement committed to freeing our planet. Who are you?" The question was aimed directly at Cham. Jalarl was content to sit and watch with a mixture of excitement, nervousness, fear and numerous other emotions.
"I am Reep Daggle, codename Chameleon. I am a member of the Legion of Super Heroes, an arm of the United Planets."
"Hmm," Zil pondered, "the spotty intelligence we've gathered does mention a 'United Planets' as an enemy to the Khund Empire."
"Well, we certainly aren't best buds with each other!" Cham grinned a little, hoping to inject some levity.
Zil was not amused. "Why were you imprisoned here, Reep Daggle?"
Cham resisted the impulse to say "call me Cham!" He paused a moment to decide whether he should trust this man with information that only the Espionage Squad knew about. He went with his gut and told the truth. "I was here on a mission to gather information on a new Khund weapon being developed on this planet. The Khunds detected and imprisoned me." Before Zil could continue, Cham asked a question of his own. "What was your squad doing on the outskirts of the prison?"
Showing irritation at this, Zil nonetheless replied, "We were attempting to break in the facility and free some of our captured soldiers. The timing of your breakout ruined many cycles of careful planning!"
If Cham could blush, he would've glowed a bright red indeed. "I apologize for that," Cham offered. "We had no idea there was even a band of freedom fighters, much less a jailbreak being planned." Cham looked at Jalarl, who nodded agreement.
"And who is this boy," Zil asked addressing Cham.
Jalarl answered instead. "I am Jalarl. I was a slave to the Khunds." He gestured to his friend, "I helped Cham escape!"
"Jalarl, eh? A very powerful name among our people! It has deep meaning!"
"Oh? What does it mean?" Cham asked.
"It translates to 'inspiration' in one of our dialects," Zil explained. Cham thought it was an appropriate name indeed. The term was meaningless to Jalarl. Having learned only the hope-deprived language of the slaves, Jalarl had yet another vocabulary lesson coming eventually. "We'll have to discuss your life in more depth later, young one." Jalarl nodded.
The interview session went on quite a while longer as Cham further explained what the Legion is, demonstrated his powers, and talked more about the mission he'd been on. At that point Zil shared his knowledge of the weapon.
"We've been conducting our own investigations of the weapon you mention. It is potentially extremely dangerous to our planet."
"And our planets, as well," Cham interjected. "It's supposed to be capable of fundamentally poisoning a planet's atmosphere any way it's programmed to. The Khunds could theoretically make an atmosphere toxic, then undo the effect after all the inhabitants perish, so it could still be usable for them. And it can all be done from several light years away!"
"Yes," Zil confirmed, "and our intelligence is that the tests are going very well for the Khunds. They are said to be using a prototype on one of our continents..." Zil's voice broke a little. "...Thousands of our people are said to have been killed in these tests." Cham looked horrified. Jalarl was trying to take it all in.
Zil continued, "Reep Daggle, with these amazing gifts you possess, you may give us the edge we need! The time may be now!"
"For what?" Cham asked.
"To destroy that prototype! Will you help us, Reep Daggle?"
Cham glanced over to the young friend he'd made and come to care deeply for and, without hesitation, replied, "Absolutely! When do we strike?"
The rebel commander smiled for the first time and replied, "Dawn!"
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
That evening, as preparations were hurriedly being made for the attack at dawn, Zil took a break and visited with Jalarl. Jalarl was warming himself by an open fire. Cham was away lending a little morphing muscle to some of the preparations.
"So, Jalarl...what do you think of freedom?" Zil began.
"To be honest, sir," Jalarl answered, "it's a little scary!"
"I know what you mean, young one. I was a slave as well."
"You were?" Jalarl was disbelieving. Zil to him exuded such confidence like he'd been always free.
"Yes. I was about your age when the person who preceded me as leader, Hahnso, freed a group of us from a work camp."
"What happened to him?"
"Hahnso?" Zil had a distant mournful look in his eyes as he spoke. "He died five cycles ago in a similar mission to the one that freed me. He was like a father to me."
"Father?" Jalarl was puzzled.
"Ah, I forget sometimes the cir***stances and mindset I had as a slave. Do you have a mother?"
"Yes...at least I did. I haven't seen here since..."
"Since you turned five cycles! Yes, that's the standard time of separation. What you don't know...what your mother may not have known...is that every child has a father and a mother! Before the Khunds took over, this was common knowledge as all children were raised by their father AND mother well beyond five cycles. And all remained in contact beyond."
Jalarl was astounded by this. He'd learned many new things the past few days, but this was possibly the most foreign yet. "So, I have a father?" he managed.
"Yes and no. The Khunds didn't allow men and women to make children in the natural way. The Khunds needed to breed fresh slaves, so they artificially took the seed from men and placed them inside the wombs of women. You see, to promote the warmth and tenderness of a family was seen to undermine Khund rule. So, you do have a father but not one who knew, or probably even ever saw, your mother. If you or I had been enslaved much longer, our seeds would have been taken in such a manner!"
Jalarl looked around. He saw a man and women cradling an infant. Zil saw this. "Yes, Jalarl...those two found love and happiness with one another and created together that beautiful child. They, in essence, are that for which we are fighting!"
As the realization sunk in, Jalarl began to sob then cry full out. Zil offered an embrace to comfort the young ex-slave. "I never imagined just how much the Khunds had enslaved us, Zil," the boy managed.
"Yes, Jalarl...to see what the Khunds have taken from our planet in full is to see the true face of evil. They have deprived you, me and millions more of the simple joy of being part of a family." Zil added his own tears at this point. "Even after all these years of fighting, I've never stopped being able to mourn the loss of what I never had, but should have had."
Jalarl's face hardened. "Zil, I want to go with you on tomorrow's mission! I want to fight to free Rinaxl!"
"I believe you, young one," Zil answered, "but you are inexperienced in combat. We need to train you in the proper skills! You have no knowledge of how to fight right now. You'd probably be killed. I want you to have every advantage when you participate. You will sit this one out, but soon, you will get to fight for our cause. Do you understand, child?"
"Y-yes, Zil," Jalarl answered with as much conviction as he could fake. Inside he was determined to take an immediate role. Somehow, he would go with them and prove he was ready. He would fight for all the mothers, fathers and children.
"Goodbye, child," Zil said, "we will speak more after the victory!"
After Zil exited, Jalarl whispered, "and I will be there to help!"
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
The following morning a loud claxon rudely awakened those slumbering in the underground stronghold. The time was here!
As Cham finished getting his gear together, he took a moment to speak to his friend. "Jal," Cham began, "in case I don't make it back I wanted you to know how wonderful it's been to be your friend these past few days!"
Jalarl hugged him, restraining tears. "Don't even think it, Cham," he said over Cham's shoulder. "You're coming back!"
"Of course I will," Cham comforted, "but I had to say it just in case." He broke the embrace. "I've gotta go now, Jal. But I just wanted you to know that in just these few short days, I consider you to be among only a handful of really special friends in my life. There's basically Lyle, Jecka, Ayla...and you!"
"I'm honored Cham, but it's you who taught me what friendship really was in the first place!"
With that the two hugged again. Cham broke the hug and headed out. "Later?" he said.
"Definitely!" was the answer, and Cham flashed Jalarl one of his trademark big smiles and a wink in response.
After his friend left, Jalarl quickly pulled out a knapsack he had prepared and mumbled, "sooner than you think, Cham." Jalarl took the knapsack and began to execute his unauthorized travel plans.
After marching for hours, the assembled squad of Rinaxlian freedom fighters emerged from a hidden exit aboveground. The assembled soldiers had to shield their eyes from the blinding light of the sun. Living underground tends to have that effect. The freedom fighters really could empathise with earth's opossums! The light was in reality pretty dim as it was near the day's end. The march began at dawn, but it took nearly the entire daytime to reach this outlet closest to the testing site.
This was all part of Zil's plan. A comparatively under-manned and armed attack force like theirs needed the added stealth and confusion a night strike would bring.
The plan itself was relatively uncomplicated. Three teams would have specific tasks. Team One would provide a distraction at the north side of the base with a full-out assault. Team Two would wait until the Khund forces were fully engaged before creating an entrance to the facility on what was a tactically-determined weak spot along the south wall. Upon gaining entrance through heavy artillery, Team Two would split in two: half would support Team One and half would support Team Three. Team Three was the commando unit assigned to destroy the prototype weapon. Chameleon, Zil and a handful of others comprised Team Three.
So the freedom fighters waited for the last light to fade and a couple hours beyond that to deploy the teams. Team One started things off by charging the facility's front gates and using crude catapult devices to launch explosives.
The attack drew an immediate Khundish response as alarms wailed and soldiers scurried in response. In truth the Khunds relished the opportunity. Few races in the galaxy thirsted for battle like the Khunds. A surprise it was, but not an unwelcome one for the hawkish race.
The freedom fighters of Team One managed to break the outer gate. This was advantageous as the Khunds could not use long distance weapons on them without damaging their own facilities and killing their own soldiers. Soon, good, old-fashioned hand-to-hand combat was afoot.
About thirty minutes to an hour after Team One's part began, Team Two had already set up their heavy cannons at the vulnerable area of the south wall. Firing commenced, and sure enough the wall began to show signs of breakage. Then, the freedom fighters' lone vehicle, a heavily armored tank aquired from the Khunds, charged between the cannons and rammed into the wall. The weakened wall shattered, and the tank plowed through.
As the tank came to a stop within the Khundish facility, the hatch promptly popped open. Out popped Cham, Zil and a dozen or so other Rinaxlians. Behind the tank half of Team Two poured into the breach it created. The rest of Team Two had already headed to the north face to assist that conflict.
Zil pointed to a map he held, "the weapon is in the very middle of the complex...here! We need to go down this corridor." He gestured to the Team Two members behind them, "you know what to do...fan out and create as much havoc as you can! After we reach the agreed-upon time table, evacuate! Now, go, go, go!"
Immediately the backup fanned out and their guns were blazing. Then Zil's team headed down the specified corridor. Cham took the point as a Zzlathian blimwath. He chose this beast for its armored skin that could withstand most weapon blasts. Its size would also make for a good shield of his fellows.
Meanwhile in the remains of the tank, someone stirred. It was Jalarl who'd been hiding in an unused weapons locker. He peeked out of the tank's opening and saw that the action was moving outward. He saw Cham's team head down a corridor and ran to it. A stray blast just barely missed him as he cleared the corner.
Things for Team One were not going very well. The sheer numbers of their enemy and their ferocity were beginning to take their toll. Commander Lasym of Team One prayed that reinforcements of Team Two would arrive shortly, or they might have to pull out prematurely. Luckily, those reinforcements did arrive, and things once again looked more optimistic.
Team Three encountered strong resistance as they drew nearer to the facility's center. Despite Cham's shielding two members of the team had been picked off. But the backup team was doing a good job of keeping the Khunds away from their backside.
Jalarl was still behind Team Three, keeping his distance so as not to distract his friends. He wasn't sure at this point what he was going to do to help, but Jalarl was sure he would help somehow. At one point he kneeled beside one of the fallen freedom fighters and reverently picked up the weapon clutched in his dead hands. Jalarl noted that this was the father and husband of the family he'd been so moved by the previous day. Tears wanted to come, but Jalarl's resolve stifled them and prompted him to move on.
Soon Team Three arrived at the heavily armored door to the room containing the prototype. Cham and Zil placed four explosives on the door as the rest of their team provided backup. On Zil's signal the squad ran backward until ordered to stop. Cham then transformed his body into a shield and covered them all. As soon as he'd done this, a tremendous explosion boomed through the complex. Jalarl, still behind the others, ducked into an alcove. A spout of flame rushed over the shielded squad and past Jalarl. The heat was tremendous.
Moments later, Cham retracted himself and the squad emerged poised for the next step. Several Khunds lay dead or unconscious in the vicinity. No conscious Khunds were in sight. Cham quietly took a moment to mourn his part in the deaths. He hardened as he remembered all the Khundish atrocities he'd seen and experienced.
Before Team Three lay a huge hole where the door had been. They immediately began to file inside, weapons drawn. Jalarl cautiously began to sneak towards the outer opening outside the door.
Inside was a terrible shock! About twenty five Khund soldiers were waiting for them. Team Three was outnumbered and surrounded two to one with no place to hide. The entrance they'd created was blocked as Khunds flanked it. Blasters began to rain deadly fire on the freedom fighters. Cham tried to shield everyone, but the fighters were dropping like flies.
Jalarl saw this, took a big gulp for courage and started blasting at the Khunds who had their backs to the door. Before they could react, four Khunds went down. "Jalarl!" Cham yelled. Then, with one side no longer needing defense, Cham reconfigured his body to shield about 270 degrees. Jalarl leapt in with the five survivors and helped them pick off Khunds. They were still outnumbered though, and two more Rinaxlians dropped.
Then reinforcements arrived as five members of Team Two charged in. This turned the tide, and when the smoke cleared, four freedom fighters were standing but no Khunds.
Jalarl looked around and saw Zil was among those on the ground, but he was still breathing. For the moment. Zil had a huge hole in his chest and was fading. Jalarl kneeled beside only the second friend he'd ever made. "Z-zil?" Jalarl managed.
"Jalarl, I t-told you to stay," Zil said weakly. "But you f-followed your heart. You did good. If you hadn't...bought us some time, we'd never've made it. Now, we'll destroy that horrible weapon. It's a...g-good thing to die for!"
"Zil, you can't go...what will the resistance do without you?"
"They'll d-do...just fine...they have heart...and they h-have you! L-live u-up to your name...be an insp-spiration to them...like you were to me..."
With that Zil's eyes lost their life's spark. Jalarl gently closed them. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Cham.
"Jal, the charges are set. We have to go now."
"Okay, Cham." He glanced at Zil. "Sleep, Zil. You've earned it." Then the four headed out.
On the other front Rinaxlian freedom fighters began to retreat. Many bodies lay lifeless on the grounds. But a precise count would reveal significantly more Khund bodies than Rinaxlians. The Khund base disappeared in an enormous blaze of fiery retribution.
Two days later a mass funeral service was held for those who didn't make it. A special place was set up to commemorate Zil. Lasym presided over the services as the new leader of the freedom fighters. They had much reason to mourn, but at the same time, this was the greatest victory they'd ever achieved.
The next day Cham prepared to leave. He'd acquired a small cruiser as he left the base. A part of him wanted to stay, but he knew that ultimately this was Rinaxl's fight. He'd do whatever he could to increase awareness in the U.P. and hopefully bring aid. That would be more beneficial than his individual soldiering ever could. He had to tell himself this often.
As he implemented final pre-takeoff routines, Cham was joined by Jalarl. "Ready to go?" He glanced at his friend. "Where are your things?"
Solemnly, Jalarl broke the news. "Cham...I'm not going."
"Not going?" Cham felt his heart sink.
"No. I belong here, fighting alongside my people. Cham, I have to!" Jalarl shivered as tears rained down his cheeks.
"I-I understand very well, my friend. Very well."
The two embraced one final time. The two had shared virtually a lifetime the past week, and now they might never see each other again.
"Goodbye, Cham," Jalarl said, "you're MY inspiration! Do you think we'll ever see each other again?"
"I sure hope so...yes! I think we will!"
"Promise?"
"Promise!"
Hesitantly, Cham boarded the cruiser and closed the hatch. The two friends maintained eye contact until the hatch completely closed. Cham engaged the vertical take-off thrusters and raised the cruiser up. Through the cockpit he watched as Jalarl became smaller and smaller until he disappeared. After he escaped the atmosphere, Cham completely broke down. He knew his friend would have a hard, possibly short, road ahead. But he admired him, all the same. What a brave, young soul he'd met. He would never forget him.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Later at the Legion Outpost, Chameleon finally arrived after being away almost two months. He was greeted ny his three dear friends, Lyle (Invisible Kid), Jeka (Sensor) and Ayla (Spark). Despite the sorrow that weighed on his heart, Cham managed a great, big smile for these three he'd missed so much.
Lyle said, "You're back! Grife, we were afraid you were dead! Did you accomplish your mission?"
"That and more, my friends!" Cham exclaimed. Then he put his arms over Lyle's and Ayla's shoulders and said, "now, give us a hug, and let me tell you about a boy named Inspiration..."
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Set
There's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met.
posted
Very cool! I like the hopeful feel to the story, even amidst the grimmer details. There's a sense of childlike wonder about some of the characterization that I haven't seen in a Legion book since Superboy's Legion.
How you navigate between a Silver Age sensibility and a more '90s grim and gritty scenario is beyond me, you've got a deft touch.
Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
I appreciate the compliments, Set. As stated above, I wrote this story over a decade ago, so my style has probably evolved a good bit since then. (I'll have to reread it soon to evaluate this further.) But I do remember that a guiding force for the story's overall innocent and "hopeful" tone was my decision to use Chameleon as my inside Legionnaire. The reboot version of the character (and, really, pretty much all versions of Reep) seemed like an optimistic, upbeat kind of sentient. So I felt that not getting mired in the downbeat, oppressive nature of the threat was character-guided. I also think that having the other major character be a child helped dictate this as well.
And, y'know, wonder and optimism should be a staple of any Legion story, anyway. I'd argue that even the dark, grim 5YL had some of that in its core. (I have to wonder why Levitz seems to have totally removed it in his current run.... )
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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