“Out Of Sorts...With Time...”--An Addendum Adventure of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Ranzz Homestead; Winath:
“So, this is the place where the renowned Lightning Lad grew up?”
“For the first fourteen formative years of his life--allegedly.”
Imra Ardeen, Saturn Girl of the Legion of Super-Heroes, looked about the cozy farmhouse. “I don’t know,” she crinkled her nose a bit. “I guess I expected an even more rustic atmosphere.”
Garth Ranzz, better known as the Legionnaire Lightning Lad, shook his head in bemusement. Neither he nor his companion were wearing their familiar uniforms, settling instead for fashionable, yet inconspicious civilian outerware. “We were agricultural cultivators using contemporary technology and devices, not medieval serfs from Earth’s Middle Ages.” He exhaled with a rueful sigh. “I mean to say that they were...” He features fell into an expression of extreme distress, before he buried them into his hands. “I still can’t believe it all ...”
Imra instantly wrapped the man she loved in a strong embrace. “It’s all right, Garth.” She tenderly kissed his forehead and rubbed his back. “Just let it all out and grieve.”
Garth nearly collapsed in her arms. “Maybe Ayla had the right idea.” He sniffed, holding her even closer. “I thought I could do this, I really did--” he stated as his voice began to waver. “--but just merely walking through the front door--in my whole life, I never felt so bereft and alone...”
Imra caught his head in her hands and drew her lips against his in a long impassioned kiss. “That should adequately remind you that you will never be alone as long as I’m around,” she declared. She looked at him a bit smugly with a meaningful gleam in her eyes. “Understood, Garth?”
“Actually,” her lover smiled wanly and leaned closer. “I could use a little more instruction--”
“I’m sure you could.” She shifted her grip to only enclose his arm. “But we came here for a reason, Garth. And you promised Ayla and your Aunt Ryth you would get it started today.”
Acquiescing, he led her through the house to a cellar used for storage. Opting not to power the lamps within, Garth instead opened the two angled doors set atop the short staircase which led directly outside, letting the natural sunlight illuminate the subwinathean chamber. The pair then moved several containers into the brightened area, making their contents more easily scrutinized.
Garth lugged a random box to the steps and sat down. “I still think Ayla should be here as well.”
Imra placed her chin on his shoulder and draped her arms around him. “Have you not considered how emotionally draining this past year has been on your sister, Garth? Seven months ago, when we all thought Timber Wolf was killed in the line of duty, she nearly fell apart. But due to my prior experience with similar circumstances--” she kissed his ear playfully. “You, me and the other Legionnaires were able to get her through it. But then--” she stopped, and held him tighter. “--Ayla has never said it aloud, or even thought it in my presence,” she bit her lip. “But I suspect that she blames me for that awful crash in the Asteroid Belt that took the life of your parents.”
Garth caught her hands in his and turned to face her. “That’s ridiculous,’ he assured her patting her wrists. “Sure, they took a single day out of their scheduled itinerary to visit Titan and meet your folks, but they spent the rest of the week exploring Saturn’s rings completely on their own.”
The pair began gently swaying their bodies together. “True, but would Luc and Perla Ranzz even have considered visiting Saturn, if they hadn’t wanted to meet the parents of their son’s fiancee?”
For a moment Garth felt he should forestall, yet he knew that was always a bad idea when dealing with a telepath, in particular, the telepath he was utterly enamored with. “No, probably not,” he finally answered truthfully. “But only they could ever really state that for certain.”
Eyes watering, Imra turned her face away. “Then you blame me as well.”
“No!” Garth insisted, lifting her up bodily and cradling her comfortably in his lap. “I’ll never believe that and neither should you--ever. The accidental collision was undeniably tragic, but it was a malfunctioning navigational program which was at fault, not the fact that somehow their son managed to brainwash Titan’s most beautiful telepathic girl into falling in love with him.”
Imra smiled. “Only Titan’s most beautiful girl?”
“Well,” Garth raised an eyebrow. “One should be made aware of one’s limitations.” Imra jabbed him in the chest. “All right,” he chuckled. “You are the loveliest creature in all the universe--but,” Garth qualified, shaking a finger in front of her nose. “That is merely one man’s opinion.”
“The only man that ever really matters to me.” They shared a sweet, thorough kiss. “Anyway,” Imra continued, reluctantly parting. “By that point in her life, Ayla Ranzz had lost Mekt, you--for eight months, her original powers, Timber Wolf, and then your parents. After the miraculous return of Brin Londo from the dead, it’s quite understandable that she’s loathe to leave his side.”
“So, what you’re saying is that it isn’t laziness on Ayla’s part that keeping her from helping out with sorting all this stuff stored down here, but actually repressed feelings of abandonment?”
“The signs are all there.”
“Perhaps,” Garth shifted Imra in his arms until they were fully facing each other. “But I find it easier to side with Occam on that particular point, Imra. Still,” he shot her a mischievous look. “There is at least one advantage of my sister not being present at this very moment in time.”
“Such as? Ayla could move all this effortlessly in seconds--” Garth placed a finger over her lips.
“Since my darling twin sister Ayla is not here, our indulging in a measure of prevarication does not feel awkward at all.” Garth leaned in closer and smoothly replaced his digit with his mouth.
“Garth,” she purred huskily as he moved on to her neck, “Were supposed to be working--”
“Explaining my use of the term ‘prevarication,’” Garth noted in a gentle whisper into her ear. “One nice thing about working on a farm, Imra--there’s hardly ever a dearth of ‘rollable’ hay...”
They proceeded together apace for a time before she abruptly pressed her hands against her head.
“Imra, what’s wrong?”
“My head feels like it going to explode!” Panting, she swiftly got to her feet and stumbled outside. “Help me! I feel like someone is walking on my grave!” Imra cried, still holding her hands tightly to her temples, as Garth chased after her, calling out her name. “I’ve got to get out of here!” She raised her arms, activated her Legion flight ring and staggeredly arose into the air.
“Wait for me!” Garth caught up and just held her tight, soaring together several meters above the ground. “I’m here for you Imra. Just tell what’s happening to you--what can I do to help?”
“I don’t know!” Hyperventilating and now openly in tears, she clung to Garth desperately. “It feels as if my entire life is slipping away... that I’m slipping away too...” Her entire body began to glow and shimmer. “I love you, Garth...” Imra Ardeen avowed, as she faded from existence.
“No! Imraaaa!!” Garth screamed, suddenly plummeting downward. A quick glance at his hand confirmed that his Legion flight ring had followed the girl he loved into oblivion. He helplessly plunged into a large, hard fungal mass, and was unceremoniously bounced face first onto the unyielding loamy soil below. Just before slipping into the waiting darkness, Garth Ranzz still thought he could discern an anguished, high-pitched voice desperately crying out his name...
Sometime Later...
“Garth? Can you hear me, Son?”
“Dad...?” Garth groggily opened his eyes and beheld the familiar features of his father. “Dad!” Garth exclaimed, sitting up in bed and enveloping his father in a fierce embrace, ascertaining that Luc Ranzz was indeed solid and real. “What happened to you? We thought you were dead!”
“Whoa there a moment, Son,” his father was taken aback by the intensity of Garth’s hug. “I wasn’t the one who fell a dozen meters out of the sky. How did you get up there anyway?”
“My flight ring disappeared mid-flight--” The details of his last conscious moments flooded his mind. “Imra! She’s vanished as well!” Garth struggled to get out of bed. “I’ve got to find her!”
Luc looked as his son askance. “I have no idea what a ‘flight ring’ is, and I’ve never heard the name ‘Imra’ in my entire life, Garth,” he proclaimed. “Listen, you are at the Medi-Center in Blythefield. We found you near the berry patch. The docs here at the emergency room warned that you might have suffered some kind of injury to your brain,” he used the superior leverage of his position to force his son back down. “Lord help me, you are not budging from this spot.”
“Dad, can’t you understand? Imra is missing! I’ve got to contact Ayla and the rest of the Legion--they have to be warned that one of our enemies may be targeting us somehow--”
“‘Legion?’ Son, I have no idea what you’re getting on about. But Ayla is waiting outside with her brother Mekt, and their mother. Would you settle down a minute if I let them in?”
“Ayla and Mekt?” He could envision his twin Ayla arriving to be at his side, but the last he had seen of their older brother, the self-styled ‘Lightning Lord,’ they had dueled each other with their lightning powers, with the results of Garth being the victor, and a defeated Mekt, with his hair now completely white, turned over to the proper authorities. That his sibling had been allowed a type of parole to visit him seemed unlikely. “All right,” Garth agreed, figuring at the very least Ayla could help explain things to their apparently-returned-from-the-dead father. “Let them in.”
The elder Ranzz backed away to the portal and opened it. He beckoned to whoever waited beyond in the hallway with an encouraging smile. “Come on in. He wants to see you all now.”
Immediately, twin pint-sized red-headed dynamos raced inside and threw themselves onto Garth. “Daddy!” They both shrieked with delight as they vied with each other to get the closest to him.
Eyes agog and mouth agape, Garth could only turn to his father and ask; “How long was I out?”
“Approximately forty-seven minutes, Garth,” answered an attractive woman garbed in a white lab coat. Her long titian hair was a few shades lighter than his own. She placed a gentle hand on each of the children’s shoulders. “Settle down Mekt, Ayla. Let your father have a little room.”
“But we wanna know how Dad hurt himself,” protested the little boy apparently named Mekt.
“Yeah,” his presumably twin sister Ayla piped up. “When did Daddy learn to fly?”
Garth blinked his eyes in rapid succession and shook his head forcefully several times. But the anxious appearing apparitions before his eyes persisted to exist. “Dad, what going on here? How did you possibly survive that collision? Where did these kids come from? And where in the Hell is the real Ayla–my twin sister not...” he shook his hand at the child, “... her.”
“Daddy, Auntie Ayla is not in Hell,” the girl reminded him, innocent conviction evident in vivid blue eyes. “She and Uncle Mekt have been in Heaven since before we were even born, duh.”
“What? That’s not true--my brother and sister are still very much alive!”
“Garth’s been like this ever since he woke up,” Luc was explaining to the redhead. “Raving on how I’m supposed to be dead, all about some missing person named ‘Imra,’ and how he’s actually part of some kind of ‘Legion.’” He threw up his hands. “I can’t make any sense of it.”
“The Legion of Super-Heroes!” Garth exclaimed. “I’m Lightning Lad--” he face fell as the skeptical expressions of the rest of the room became painful. “--of the Legion of Super-Heroes.”
“It seems my colleagues were a correct about the possibilities of brain trauma,” the woman frowned. “Garth,” she reached out her hand to cup his chin gently. “Do you recognize me?”
“Doctor, I have never seen you before in all my life.”
“That’s very disturbing, Garth, as I’m the person who witnessed your taking a nosedive into the northwest field of the family farm, and gave you immediate first aid,” she bit her lip, her eyes displaying great concern. “But more importantly, I am also Dyra Dopriin Ranzz, your wife, and the mother of your children.” She flinched when Garth violently retreated from her touch.
Garth barely avoided falling out of bed. “No!” He denied vehemently, wildly shaking his head. “That isn’t right! It can’t be true! This all has to be some kind of trick--I don’t belong here--”
“Just calm down,” Luc grappled with his son once again. “You’d better get somebody in here,” he called to daughter-in-law over his shoulder. “And get the little ones out of here, they shouldn’t see their father like this. Please, Garth, get a hold of yourself.”
“Mommy, why is Daddy acting so weird? He’s starting to scare me,” the small girl wailed.
“What’s all that stuff he’s talking about?” Mekt added.
The frightened young countenances drained Garth’s will to overtly resist. “It’s okay, I’m fine now,” he lied brazenly, ceasing to struggle. “But the rest of you have to leave the room--I need to speak with my father, alone.” Garth brought a hand to his sweat-beaded brow. “I’m extremely sorry, but just get out. Please.” He motioned his other wrist toward the entry portal. “Now.”
The doctor looked as she might protest, but eventually canted her head slightly. “As you wish,” she assented in a professional manner. “Come along, Dears, you heard your father, we have to go. We’ll just be waiting outside in the hallway. Take your time.” She guided the children away.
“Be we wanna stay...” Mekt protested as the twins were ushered forward.
“Don’t worry you precious little heads, Kiddies, old Grandpa just need to have a few private words with your Daddy. It won’t take long, I promise.” He waved his fingers jauntily as they left the room. As soon as the portal slid shut, Luc Ranzz turned to his son angrily. “How could you dismiss your family so rudely? Did you see the look on Dyra’s face? You should be ashamed of yourself, Garth. That woman has been at your side for over a decade, gave birth to your two wonderful children. And you just...” He trembled with emotion. “Well, you clearly broke her heart when you told her you’d forgotten who she was.”
Garth swung his feet over the bed. “I didn’t say I’d forgotten her, Dad--I said we’d never met.”
“The existence of little Ayla and Mekt would tend to belie that notion, Garth.”
“And that is the crux of this entire crazy circumstance,” Garth murmured. “Look, just humor my apparent insanity for now. Just tell me this: How did you and Mom survive that accident?”
Luc Ranzz carefully comported himself before replying. “Garth, listen to me. There was no accident--there never was any accident.” He ran his hand through his thinning hair. “And we lost your Mother last year to Yorggian Fever, which you should know, as you were there.”
“You both crashed in the Asteroid Belt--I examined the wreckage for myself.”
“What asteroid belt? There aren’t any in the Winath Star system, Son.”
“The one between Mars and Jupiter.”
“‘Mars and Jupiter?’” Luc Ranzz seemed genuinely befuddled. “But that is deep in MAGE territory, Garth. Why would I ever risk going there? You’re not making any sense at all.”
“‘MAGE?’”
“The Mystical All-encompassing Galactic Empire,” Luc Ranzz answered as if it was the most simplest of questions. “The domain of Imperial Sorcerer Mordru the Merciless? Sound familiar?”
Garth’s head snapped up at that revelation. “Mordru!” The Legionnaire-without-a-Legion hissed through clenched teeth. Balling up his fists, the entire insane situation had became crystal clear.
MAGE Terrestrial Palace, Metropolis, Earth:
“O Great Sire, we have received two items of note which may prove worthy of your attention.”
“Speak, Vykros.”
The shadowed figure knelt before the throne. “Firstly, possible hostiles Tharok the Zadronian cybernaut, Mano the last Angtuan, and the enigmatic behemoth, Validus, have been witnessed by security forces converging on a strangely open lot of land in the center of Metropolis.”
“Puzzling, even I could have never conceived bringing those three disparate elements together.” The most infamous being in all creation pondered the motives of the threatening threesome. “What previously stood at that particular spot? Was it of any special consequence?”
“Unknown. Inexplicably, all records, including anecdotal histories, of that area cannot be accessed at this time. However, the visible intricate patterns worn into the vegetation, suggest that a formidable edifice once existed on that site.” The servant awaited future commands.
“Intriguing. Maintain observation only. However, inform security forces to implement capture protocols should provocative actions be attempted by any of them. What was the second matter you mentioned?” The question was asked in a bored tone. “Continue on Vykros.”
“The Omniscient Ethereal Data Network has detected a variant, ‘Phrase of Ill-Portent,’ Your Greatness forcibly derived from the extinct Trylop Council of Mernl: “‘Super-Hero Legion.’”
Imperial Sorcerer Mordru arose from his throne, a deep fear he could never admit to--even to himself, welled up in the dark place that was his evil heart. “Has that been confirmed? Where?”
Vykros scanned his datapad, secretly enjoying his Master’s discomfort. “Thrice verified. It was within the personal medical journal of a Doctor Dyra Dopriin Ranzz on Winath. She mentions that her husband, the noted Captain Garth Ranzz of the Galactic Patrol, has made a delusory claim of serving such a group, under the pseudonym, ‘Lightning Lad,’ as a result of probable cerebral trauma suffered in a fall of several meters height. He is now under medical observation.”
“The Galactic Patrol?” Mordru roared with laughter. “Were that underachieving pathetic band of inept wastrels, with their antiquated fleet, worth the excrement accumulation necessitated in crushing it, I would have decreed its destruction long ago.” Mordru stroked his beard. “Still, I have heard of that Captain’s valor. Are there any MAGIC resources in that region of space?”
“A Mystical All-encompassing Galactic Imperial Canton sleeper cell of natives, which is not scheduled to be awakened until the full invasion of Winath in sixteen months, is presently positioned near the vicinity of the Blythefield Medi-Center where the target is currently located.”
“Excellent. Activate and assign the team this retrieval mission. Apprise them that under no circumstances is Captain Ranzz to be harmed in any fashion. I intend to interrogate this ‘Lightning Lad’ personally, and woe to anyone who thwarts my will--including you, Vykros.”
“By your command, Mighty Mordru.”
Observation Ward, Blythefield Medi-Center, Winath:
“Where do you think you are going?”
“Out.”
“Not in your condition,” Dyra Dopriin Ranzz stated. She held a sleek flat device in her hands.
Garth finished donning his freshly laundered clothes, uncovered in his search of the room. “With apologies, Doctor,” there was a determined look in his eyes. “But Mordru has made the woman I love completely vanish, and I intend to force that two-credit magician to bring her back to me.”
“No, he has not,” She corrected, holding her head high. “The woman you love is standing right in front of you,” she extended her hand directly in front of his face. “And she has two precious children and a wedding ring to prove it.” Unmistakable challenge glinted back in her eyes.
Garth had the good grace to appear abashed. “Look, I regret the pain you’re going through. But none of this should be happening. Mordru must have done something to affect the rightful timeline, and I’ve got to figure out exactly what and fix it--for the sake of the entire universe.”
“You’re going to challenge the most powerful tyrant in history--the being who already has most of this galaxy in his inertron-fisted thrall--by yourself? Can’t you see how insane that is, Garth?”
“Some habits are too hard to break,” Garth quipped. “And I won’t be alone. I’ve got friends. It’s simply a matter of finding them... I hope...” He finished rather lamely.
She sat on the bed. “Can’t you at least consider the possibility that you’re mistaken? That somehow everything you think are memories are really delusions caused by your concussion? If not for my sake, then at least for two scared kids out there who consider you to be their father.” She placed her burden, a compact computer down. “Your dad can only buy so many Living Adventure Comics to distract a pair of bright inquisitive five year old minds, from their fears.”
Garth sighed and sat at the opposite end. Ayla’s and his own collection of the esoteric reading material, printed with life-imbued ink from the planet Thar, had been among the boxes he and Imra had been moving. “I guess it can’t hurt to hear you out. But I’m not making any promises.”
“Good,” she seem content with his concession. “I apologize in advance, you may find some of this quite distressing.” She activated the device. “This is your life, Garth Ranzz.”
Garth felt a paradoxical mixture of anticipation and trepidation. “Or so you’d have me believe.”
The images began with Garth, himself, lying prostrate, his seared limbs splayed in awkward angles. “This is Korbal, the so-called ‘Lightning World,’ twelve years ago.” The POV shifted to include the similarly displayed figures of Mekt and Ayla. “A Galactic Patrol Vessel stumbled upon the Ranzz family space hopper crashed there with drained fuel cells, one week after you and your siblings absconded with it. Apparently, the three of you had made an ill-advised attempt to trick the native Lightning Beasts into recharging them, and were caught within the radius of the resultant energy field which ensued, and were all bathed in a unprecedented surge of power.”
“I remember that happening.”
“All three of you lapsed into comas.” Holographic Garth was now wrapped up in a levitating medi-bed. “You were found, barely alive, several days later.” Ominous silver reflective sheets were draped over a pair of inert shapes. “But Mekt and Ayla had already perished from exposure. The on site medical personnel believed that you were merely minutes away from joining them.”
“No--that isn’t what happened--we all survived...”
She gave him a sympathetic look, but resolutely continued. “After a few weeks, your family feared you would never awaken.” His parents were now visible, worriedly staring down at his bedridden form which was dotted with medical instruments. “And then, miraculously, fifteen months later, you awoke, but were in a state of severe catatonia.” He was sitting upright, with a blank look on his features as Perla Ranzz hugged him. “And at this point, I entered the picture. My degrees were barely a week old when I came across your case in a psychology journal, and I was instantly engrossed. Before I realized it, I found myself relocating my practice to Winath, and offering my services to your family.” An uncommunicative Garth sat in a grav-chair being pushed by Dyra through a lush floral area. “I spent three hours a day with you, six days a week. We would take long walks and I would tell you all about my life, how your family was faring, the latest Moopsball matches--anything and everything that entered my mind. Each day I hoped and prayed that you would somehow respond, and after two full years, one glorious day you finally did.” A blissful smile lit up her undeniably attractive face, irresistibly compelling Garth forward.
“What did I say?”
“You called me the loveliest creature in all the universe.” She caught his chin with the tips of her fingers. “And then you told me that you loved me.” She smiled fondly “I was a fully trained psychologist, and you were my first patient; I was well aware of the professional ethics I was bound to, but they did not matter. I confessed to you the secret truth I had denied to myself from the first moment we met in person,” Dyra leaned closer. “You were so lost and forlorn, yet I could sense the real you striving to be free, and I was determined to help. Yet, in doing so I... I fell completely in love with you as well...” She touched her lips to his for the briefest moment.
“No!” Garth nearly fell off the bed. “I’m sorry... that should not have happened.”
There was a smugly triumphant glimmer in Dyra eyes as she continued. “Naturally, your recovery was quite rapid after that.” A scene of Garth with his arms around Dyra, posing with his parents popped up. “After our relationship became... physical, I felt conflicted, and abandoned my psychology credentials and concentrated on my medical career. You returned to running the Ranzz farm until this...” A headline from the Winath World flashed, reading: ‘Space Pirate Roxxas and Rocket Riders Pack Routed By Rural Local Hero.’ The accompanying image was of Garth, riding a rocket sled with the brigand leader bound and strapped comically over the hood.
“Now that I would definitely remember.”
“After that, the Science Police, the United Planets Military, even a small group of provocateurs identifying themselves only as ‘The Wanderers,’ all openly sought to recruit you. But as you were always beholden to the Galactic Patrol for saving your life, you opted to enter their service.”
Garth formed a perplexed expression on his face. The Galactic Patrol had its roots in the fabled Interplanetary Patrol established centuries ago on Earth, thus it predated the United Planets itself. As Earth grew in prominence, the Patrol, its role gradually growing obsolete, ultimately left Earth altogether. By the 30th Century, the proud organization was all but extinct, and had lately only been notable for rescuing a delinquent Jo Nah from the maw of a ferocious Space Beast--at least in Garth’s untampered memories. Apparently, it was not much better off in the current time frame.
“You entered the Academy at Heiline as a Cadet, and spent an additional year at Officer School, graduating both times at the top of your class.” A farrago of Garth in various military garments ensued. You were made a full Lieutenant, and were assigned to the GPV Bodie under Captain Jenman.” A portrait of Garth in a full dress uniform with Dyra looking angelic in a frilly white gown appeared. “A month before you shipped out, we got married.” A gallery filled with images of the wedding followed. “A year later, Ayla and Mekt were born. Naturally, we decided to name them in honor of your lost siblings.” A heartbreakingly beautiful scene of a radiant Dyra sitting up in bed, with Garth beaming proudly while leaning over her, each cradling a twin closely together. “We still use this as the Ranzz Family Seasonal Greeting,” she admitted.
“It’s magnificent,” Garth confessed. “Absolutely magnificent.”
“You quickly rose through the ranks, which with the perpetual dearth of personnel available to the Patrol, was not overly difficult. Yet when Captain Jenman was killing during the Battle of Politor, and you took control of the ship and masterminded the defeat of the Automatonic Armada of Zaryan the Conqueror--your becoming the youngest Captain in the history of the Galactic Patrol was a foregone conclusion.” Various depictions of the battle played out in the air.
“That’s was a very inspirational story, truly it was.” He shook his head with admiration. “But I’m afraid you have to get someone else to star in the holo-vid ... Doctor...” Garth was loathe to use her ‘married’ name. He rose to his feet. “My apologies, but I have a whole universe to save.”
“No you don’t.” Dyra stood and held her arms akimbo. “Garth, all this quixotic ‘Super-Legion’ nonsense is merely a concoction of your addled mind.” She reached over and placed his hand over her heart. “Feel that beating? Because it’s real. Our married life together, the love we share, our incredible twins--all of that is our reality.” Desperation marred her flawless features.
Garth retracted his hand as if it hand been burned. “Perhaps yours, Doctor... It’s just not mine.”
Dyra sat down, buried her face in her hands and sobbed. “Haven’t you even considered what this will do to our family?” She demanded, dabbing her eyes with a corner of the bedding. “And what kind of ridiculous name is ‘Imra’ anyway?” She sniffed angrily. “I have only known one person by that name--a classmate at the Academy on Titan--and she was a real piece of work--” Her head popped up abruptly. “Of course! This Imra of yours, was her last name Ardeen?”
“Yes,” Garth confirmed, suddenly filling with dread. “Wait, you’re a telepath?”
“Now everything makes sense,” Dyra affirmed with a broad smile. “While your were in that catatonic state, your subconscious must have remembered everything I ever told you. Somehow your fall must have triggered these repressed memories and to deal with the trauma, your mind fabricated this elaborate fantasy you think really happened.” She caught him in a joyous embrace. “I can distinctly recall telling you all about Imra Ardeen after I learned of her death.”
“Death? Imra is dead?” Numb, Garth disentangled himself and fell back into the bed.
“She was a bystander killed in the R.J. Brande assassination.” Dyra’s pager beeped. “Yes?”
“Doctor Ranzz, two Galactic Patrolmen are in Reception, demanding to see Captain Ranzz.”
“Inform them I will be down shortly.” She quickly glanced at the mirror and placed a kiss on Garth’s crown. “Stay here, I will be back after I consult with my colleagues. But just now, I have to apprise your colleagues that the Galactic Patrol will have to make do without you for a while.”
Remaining still until the door slid shut after her departure, Garth pounced on the device on the bed, and urgently punched in a request for information on the death of one Rene Jacques Brande. A holo file immediately opened. At Metropolis Spaceport, the recognizable form of R.J. Brande was just disembarking the final steps of a spaceliner. On the higher stairs above, a blond teenaged girl abruptly pointed downward. Below, a trio of nearby nondescript ground crew slipped weapons out their worksuits. A dark-haired youth, easily identified as Rokk Krinn, left the girl’s side, quickly descending. He brought his hands up, but hesitated for a spilt second, as if just realizing he was rushing into a perilous situation completely alone. That split second was fatal, as a crimson beam pierced his forehead. R.J. Brande fell next, struck in the heart. Garth discerned a vicious sneer upon an assassin’s face, coldly taking a Parthian shot before fleeing. Gravity caused the form of the final victim to gruesomely tumble down the ramp below to join the others. Tentatively, Garth reached a hand into the hologram to caress the face of Imra Ardeen.
“It’s my fault,” Garth whispered aloud in a horrified realization. “Because I was not there that day, Doyle’s assassins slaughtered them all.” Tears freely flowed from his eyes. “All my fault...”
Reception Desk, Blythefield Medi-Center:
“Gentlemen, I’m Dyra Ranzz.”
“Doctor,” one of the Patrolmen, identical in every respect save for their rank insignias, stepped forward. “Commander Mosane,” he nodded at his twin. “Lieutenant Commander Mosane.”
She shook their proffered hands. “A bit behind in the sibling rivalry, eh?” Neither officer deigned to comment. “O-kay. How may I be of service to the Galactic Patrol today?”
“The Commodore is extremely concerned with Captain Ranzz’s condition.” The Commander produced a datapad. “Here is an official request that the Captain be transferred to our medical complex on Heiline, as well as the Captain’s own orders to comply, as soon as possible, Doctor.”
Dyra made a show of perusing the documents, before solidly slapping the pad into Commander Mosane’s chest. “Tell Commodore Dodsar, that regretfully, my husband will be remaining on Winath for the foreseeable future. He requires psychological treatment far beyond the scope of your current resources--and do not attempt to disagree with me, I have visited that shameful excuse of a medical institution on numerous occasions. You request is hereby denied.”
Commander Mosane did not retrieve the pad. “Doctor, we all have our orders to follow. Something else else your husband, himself, would no doubt attest to, when he sees these for himself.”
“I can assure you both, Captain Ranzz is leaving this facility over my dead body.”
The Patrolmen shared a significant look. “That is entirely your call, Doctor Ranzz.” In a instant, they both drew their sidearms and blasted every posted security guard in the room. Mosane nonchalantly strode forward and placed his gun to Dyra’s head. “Now, where is your husband?”
Observation Ward:
Frantically, Garth continued tapping names into the small computer. The discoveries he ultimately uncovered after finishing were grim. Besides Imra and Rokk, Dirk, Gim, Lyle, Tenzil, Vi and Lournu, were all confirmed as deceased futilely resisting MAGE conquering of their respective homeworlds. Star Boy and Condo had joined the Wanderers whose whereabouts were currently unknown. Tinya along with the rest of Bgztl’s nationals had retreated back to their own realm. Kal and Kara were a millennium away. Nura was reputed to be a captive of Mordru, being exploited for her prognosticating powers. Chuck was enslaved as Mordru’s court jester. Most disturbing of all, Jo Nah, Tasmia Malor, Karth Arn and Xola Aq were listed as known elite MAGIC enforcers. Mon-El, presumably was still trapped in the Phantom Zone. Strangely, despite repeated attempts, Garth could not find any traces whatsoever of either Brainy, Cham, Jan, Val or Jeckie. In desperation he entered Brek, Lydda, and the rest of the subs, but except for Dag who had returned to Zwen, they were all deceased. Garth Ranzz was truly alone in this universe. Despondent, he scanned MAGE history, looking for any weaknesses he could, discovering that Mordru actually protected the Earth from various threats the Legion originally had, in particular, both Sun-Eaters. Mordru had actually consumed the first beast that very same night it attacked, as a repast. The second, (the gargantuan plasmic cloud informally codenamed “It” which Ferro Lad had sacrificed himself to destroy) had merely been shrunken into a magical vat with which the Imperial Sorcerer implemented in the disposition of any who displeased him. He pressed his fingers into his weary brow. Somehow Mordru had manipulated Garth’s personal timeline to facilitate the ultimate conquest of the galaxy. But the despot had made one mistake, Garth Ranzz was still very much alive, yet somehow, Captain Garth Ranzz never consciously manifested his lightning powers. Deciding that all he needed was access to chronal technology, he inquired to the current status of Rond Vidar. Blaring klaxons disrupted his search. Slipping the compact device into a pocket, Garth made for the portal, but it refused to open. Apparently, his would-be-wife had taken the precaution of locking him in. Despite wishing he could give in to his emotional turmoil and blast the offending object into smithereens, mindful that he was in a place of healing, Garth merely placed his fingertips against the door, only using enough power to disrupt the magnetic locks, confirming this his powers were intact. Stepping into the chaotic hallway, filled with panicked sentients, he grabbed an orderly trying to flee through an emergency stairwell. “Where’s everyone going? What’s all this commotion about?”
“Two men wearing uniforms and have taken a hostage in the first floor Reception Area!” the terrified man babbled. “They already killed a dozen security personnel! The rest of the building is being evacuated!” Garth released him, and the figure rapidly sped away out of sight.
A small of him whispered that it was an opportune time to slip out and begin planning his one-man-counteroffensive against Mordru, but the remainder reminded him, that with or without a Legion, Lighting Lad would always strive to act as Legionnaire should. Innocent people were in trouble and he would do what he could. Garth resolutely began descending to the floors below.
Reception Desk:
“Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, have you decided to become reasonable, yet?”
“Reasonable? You just murdered a room full of people!”
“No, you did,” asserted the ersatz Commander. “By refusing to accede to my simple request.” He turned to his twin working the reception desk. “Why haven’t you gotten access by now?”
“We should have had adequate preparation for a system as sophisticated as this--without the proper tools it will take time. How could we be expected to accomplish our mission without planning for every contingency?” He complained, furiously typing password guesses.
“When the Big Beard tells us to move--we move, it as easy as that if we want to continuing breathing. Just find out which room of this place the target is in.” He smiled sweetly at the defiant Dyra. “Unless the lovely lady Doc is ready to cooperate.” He leered as he ogled her. “Matter of fact,” he bent over a caught her chin. “I wouldn’t might operating on you for a bit.”
“Don’t you touch me!” Dyra squirmed away and gave him a furious glare. Her gaze faltered as he continued to stalk her. “How are you still on your feet? You should be totally insensate.”
“Lurium helmets,” he tapped his protective headgear. “We know you’re from Titan, Doc. So mind-blast away. It’s an upside a being a MAGIC operative, anything we want,” he brazenly brushed some dust debris from the shoulders of her lab coat, “we get. And I do mean anything...”
“MAGIC?” Dyra put her hands over her mouth. “Mordru really does wants Garth,” she whispered to herself. “What does the MAGE Imperial Sorcerer want with my husband?”
“Don’t know, don’t care, not our department.” Mosane declared. “We’re only supposed to shove your hubby into a crate and ship it straight into the tender mercies of the Big Beard, himself.” He toyed with a tress of her hair. “Whether or not he will still breathing at the time is your decision.”
Dyra rolled her neck away. “Go to Hell!” She struck him hard across the face.
He touched his mouth, noting with fury the dab of blood on his finger tip. “Oh, there’s little doubt about that.” He responded in kind, his back-handed swipe knocking Dyra to the floor. He confidently loomed over her. “But first, Doc Baby,” he roughly dragged her upright and held her by the back of her neck. “I believe a little sidetrip together to Heaven is in order...”
“Now that is hardly professional behavior,” chided Garth’s disembodied voice. “Your objective is nowhere to be seen, and you let your baser nature disrupt your focus? Wait until ‘Big Beard’ hears about that? Or better yet, what will Big Beard think about being referred to as Big Beard?”
Dyra’s tormentor wrapped an arm over her neck and pressed his gun to her head. “The famous Captain Ranzz, I presume.” His twin carefully backed away from the reception desk, slowly arcing his weapon in the air searching for targets, but mutely indicated that he saw nothing.
“You could presume that, although I tend to prefer the adjective ‘renowned’ but that’s just me.”
“We have your wife. Come out in the open, unarmed, or else she’s dead.”
“Actually, the good Doctor and I are going through a little rough patch at the moment,” Garth revealed candidly. “Ergo, that threat is not as compelling as you might think--”
“Gar-arth!” Dyra stated in disapproving, yet also desperate warning..
“Coming, Doctor Dear.” Garth stepped into view with his arms over his head. “Why, if it isn’t Golgo and Golgro Mosane. Long time no see, yet still as inept as I remember,” Garth jibed.
“How does he know our real names?” Golgro demanded. “No one knows our real names.”
“Does it matter right now?” Golgo shoved Dyra to the floor. “Watch her.” Still aiming his weapon at Garth, he produced a pair of restraints. “Hands behind your back and turn around.” Garth complied . Golgo holstered his weapon and dragged his cuffed prisoner back. “How do you know about us?” He punched Garth four times in the stomach, causing him to double over.
“You’re being far too modest,” Garth spat out, turning away on his knees in obvious pain. “Mosane is the most notorious name, well among twined perpetrators anyway, in the history of Winathian crime–it was a personal goal of mine to deal with you two, early in my Legion career.”
“‘Legion career?’” Golgro echoed. “Isn’t he a member of the Galactic Patrol?”
“Garth’s not well,” Dyra reached for her husband but did not dare to move closer. “He injured his brain. He doesn’t know what he’s saying. He hasn’t been rational at all today.”
“Rationality is but in the eye of the beholder,” Garth finally arose, lids shut in agony. “Take that old adage: ‘If looks could kill’, because in my case,” he opened his eyes, allowing twin bolts of electricity to careen into the Mosanes. “They can.” He easily freed his wrists with a sudden burst of power. “Are you all right Dyra?” He knelt at her side, using her given name for the first time.
She impulsively drew him in an embrace. “That was amazing! How did you do that?”
“A friend of mine once gave me lessons,” Garth replied. Although Star Boy’s own electrical vision had faded away with the rest of his comet-induced powers, Thom did manage to describe the mind-set necessary for Garth to produce a similar version. He rubbed his eyes, using that power always stung his eyes for several minutes. One of his foes had arisen and was now fleeing. “Hold it!” The MAGIC operative made the exit before Garth could produce a bolt. “Well, at least we still have Golgro.” He opened the prisoners belt pouch for the restraints, and something glittering on a golden chain fell free. “It’s Mom’s Cascading Sapphire,” Garth identified with a sad smile on his face, as he held it up to sparkle in the light. “I thought it was lost in the crash--”
Dyra turned completely ashen, and snatched the pendant away. “No, Perla gave it to Ayla as a final gift.” A wild look entered her eyes. “She loves it and never takes it off--ever! Those maniacs must have kidnaped the twins as an insurance policy--they may be dead already!” She collapsed to the floor sobbing. “My babies...What have they done with my babies...”
Garth put a comforting hand on her shoulder. I’m sure they’re fine. Once I track down Golgo--”
She shook off his hand. “What is wrong with you?” Dyra screamed at him. “How can you take the kidnaping of our children so calmly? Amnesia or not you’re still their father!”
Garth shook his head in frustration. “Perhaps this will make you finally understand.” He grabbed her hands and placed them against his temples. “Scan my memories, learn the truth for yourself.”
Initially, Dyra meant to refuse, but the intensity of Garth’s glare swayed her decision. She nodded her acquiescence and closed her eyes. A deluge of memories flowed from Garth’s mind, remembrances far too vivid and detailed to be dismissed as mere delusions. The assumption of power on Korbal, the hunt to find a missing Mekt, the rescue of R.J. Brande, the formation of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and the thrilling action and adventures which formed Garth Ranzz’s true life. “It’s all real. Good Lord, somehow it’s all real,” she whispered in horror. There was a blatant adamant thread which intertwined Lightning Lad’s tenure as a Legionnaire. “You love her...” She drew back a hand and slapped Garth across the face. “Imra Ardeen is dead and gone from this reality, and yet you still love her,” she covered her mouth with her hands. “Far more than you’ve ever loved me.” She tearfully turned away. “Where is my Garth Ranzz? Where is the man I married--who held me in his arms and swore to love me and our children forever?”
“I don’t know,” Garth confessed. “I wish I could bring him back to you. But every second we waste arguing here, is another second Golgo has with his hostages. I have to go after him now.”
Her face clearly indicated Dyra wanted to hurt something, and unfortunately for Golgro he was the only target available. “Give me a second,” She viciously kicked at Mosane’s chin. Garth watched the lurium helmet skid across the tiled floor, revealing a Mohawk hairstyle underneath. Dyra knelt over her victim. “I’ll get whatever information he knows.” She didn’t flinch when her victim abruptly screamed, rolled his head and started frothing from the mouth with a vacant stare. “They took them to the Ranzz farmhouse. Golgo’s probably heading there now. Let’s go.”
“No, Dyra.” Garth shook his head. “You aren’t trained for these types of situations, and you’re definitely out of control. Or have they added a torture exemption to the Hippocratic Oath?”
“I’m not a physician now, I just a Mother who’ll do anything she must to get her children back!”
“I can appreciate that. But if I allow you to accompany me, you have to do exactly what I say, when I say to do it. Ayla and Mekt’s very lives may depend on it. Understood?”
She gave him a furious glare. “On one condition.”
Garth scowled. “Make it reasonable, and I’ll consider it.”
“Just one simple thing.” Dyra snatched up Garth’s hand. She dropped the necklace into his palm and closed his fingers over it. “Personally put this back on Ayla’s neck and then tell her how her ‘Father’ intends to banish her mother, brother, and herself, into nonexistence. If you can...”
Ranzz Homestead:
“My head’s itchy, and I can’t scratch it with this thing on.”
“Mine too. And where is Grandpa?”
“Shut it you two! I’m trying to concentrate!” Golgo Mosane triple checked his handiwork. If the Galactic Patrol Captain expected homefield advantage in his own home, he was going to be sorely disappointed. The MAGIC agent returned to the archway where he had bound his twin captives. “For you and your brother’s sakes, your Daddy better be showing his face soon.”
“And when he does, you’ll be sorry!” Ayla stuck out her tongue.
“Yeah, he’s not going to like what you’ve done to us!” Mekt added.
Golgo strode forward and firmly tapped down both ill-fitting lurium helmets on his prisoners simultaneously. “Believe me, Kiddies, he’ll like what I have waiting for him here even less.”
Two Kilometers Distant:
“Garth Look! There the farm’s anti-grav truck!”
Garth landed the aircar as near to the scene as he could. The vehicle had smashed into a rocky hillside. Although the passenger side door lay ajar, the driver’s seat still appeared occupied. “Dad!” Garth cried as he ran forward. He found Luc Ranzz slumped over the instrument panel, blood oozed from a gash on his head and dribbled from his mouth. “I’m here, you’re safe.”
“S-son?” The older man’s eyes fluttered open. “Garth... I’m sorry. Two men ran us into the side of the cliff, they took Ayla and Mekt... couldn’t stop them...” A coughing fit wracked his body.
“It all right, Dyra’s here. She’ll fix you right up.” He glanced to where the doctor had slipped through the passenger side and was administering her skills as best she could. Garth ran a hand through his hair. “Dad, there are so many things I need to tell you...”
“Don’t worry, Son, I know. You just watch over your wife, and get those precious grand kids of mine back safe...” A contented expression filled his face. “Looks like you were right about the accident, Garth, ‘cept I don’t see any asteroids around...” Luc Ranzz’s head fell with a final rasp.
“He’s gone, Garth.” Dyra was openly weeping.
“No!” Garth paired the upper fingers in each hand and pressed them against Luc’s chest. “Get clear.” The instant Dyra scrambled out, he applied voltage through his fingers which were now acting as defibrillators, causing his father’s form to convulse. “Clear!” He struck again.
“Garth, what are you doing? How are you even doing that?”
“I’m stimulating his heart with electricity,” Garth explained simply. “I’m not losing him again!”
“Why do you care? You don’t think he’s your real father anyway! Just let him go in peace.”
“I can’t,” tears were falling from Garth’s eyes as well. “This time I get to save him... Clear!”
Ranzz Homestead:
“Your Daddy is late, he really should have figured out where we are by now.”
“Our Daddy doesn’t have to answer to you!”
“If he wants to see either of you again, Little Missy,” Golgo made an exaggerated sinister show of extending a finger and bopping Ayla’s nose with each word. “He’s gonna have to learn.”
“Leave her alone! You are a bad man!” Mekt exclaimed, as he sister was effectively muted.
“You’re just figuring that out?” Golgo turned away from the trembling Ayla. “You must be the Brainiac of the family.” He filled Mekt vision with is face. “Any other comments to share, Boy?”
“I-I’m smart enough to know that you’ll never defeat our Dad,” Mekt proclaimed defiantly, his lips quivering with fear. “Because Captain Garth Ranzz always wins, no matter what!”
“That’s a downright lie!” Golgo poked the Mekt in the chest. “I had him utterly defeated, less than two hours ago,” he sneered. “He was bound and on his knees before me.”
“Then why are you still looking for him?
“Because he cheated!” Golgo whined. “He shot power beams from his eyes, probably some type of special contact lenses inlaid with micro energy emitters. Fortunately, my brother took the brunt of the attack, and I managed to perform a strategic withdrawal--”
“You mean you ran away and deserted your twin like a chicken! I would never do that to Ayla.”
Mosane swung out his hand without thinking, striking the lurium helmet, and therefore inflicting more pain upon himself, than his intended target. “Stupid brat!” He muttered as the boy Mekt giggled at his gaffe. Golgo cocked his fist back. “Laugh this off, you little sniveling punk!”
“Golgo Mosane!”
The MAGIC agent cursed under his breath, he had let himself get distracted, and Ranzz had gotten within shouting distance of the house. He hefted his weapon and edged near a window to peer into the darkening dusk outside. A top-heavy man sized shape stepped into view.
“Look, I have had a very trying day, so lets just makes things simple. You release the kids, and I’ll come inside. As an extra incentive, I’ll throw in your lump of a twin brother.”
“Where is your wife?”
“Taking my father to the Medi-Center. We found where you made the anti-grav truck crash.”
“That old man is tougher than he looks.”
“He’s a Ranzz.” Garth stated as fact. “Anyway, I’ve been hauling Golgro’s dead weight for quite a while. Which you should be able to understand, as that is precisely what he’s been doing for you, Golgo in a figurative sense, for whole lot longer.”
The front door opened with a slam and an irate Golgo came out with his blaster rifle aimed directly at Garth. “Shut up. Let me talk to my brother.”
“Not possible.” Despite the burden on his shoulders, Garth managed to approximate a close appearance of a shrug without losing his balance. “Golgro will not be able to communicate verbally for the foreseeable future. But hey, that’s one of the incredibly stupid risks you take when you kidnap kids of telepaths. And then again, the name Mosane has always been synonymous with ‘terribly stupid.’ A fact, doubtlessly, you are already well already aware of. ”
“Hold him still. And don’t you dare drop him. Let me see his face.”
“Why? There are mirrors inside the house.”
“Show me his face, now.”
“Oh, I get it.” Garth nodded, as if Golgo’s intent was just dawning on him. “You wish to ascertain that I’m actually toting you twin around, and this is not some sort of elaborate Trojan Horse of some kind. You know, that’s actually quite a sound tactic, Golgo, I would have never expected it of you. Maybe you do possess more than a mere modicum of intelligence.”
“Show. Me. His. Face. Now!”
“Sure, don’t get so nervous.” Garth steadied the bulk with one arm, while reaching for the back of a Mohawk with the other and jerked it upward, revealing the unseeing gaze of Golgro Mosane. “Ugh! He drooled on me.” Garth whipped the offending spittle off on the original sources’s back. “Satisfied? You should be able to recognize the ugly familiar features of your own face.”
Golgo stepped aside to leave the doorway clear. “Get the both of you inside.”
“Release the children first.”
“Go in now--because if I step through that door before you do, the children will be dead.”
Scowling, Garth acquiesced, and began taking slow unsteady steps plodding towards the door, as if deliberately delaying his entrance, as well as obscuring the view into the farmhouse itself.
“Hurry up, Captain, we’ve got an extraction to prepare for,” Golgo gloated. “Imperial Sorcerer Mordru is extremely anxious to make your acquaintance.” He shoved Garth forward. Although the force involved in the action was inconsequential, Garth still lost his footing, and stumbled forward sending Golgro’s body flying in the air. “You idiot!” Golgo bent over to inspect his brother”s fallen form. “If you’ve hurt him--” He paused, noticing for the first time that his young captives were not bound where he had left them. Whirling around to demand their whereabouts, a well timed knee smashed into Golgo’s face, causing his blaster to fly free from his grip.
“Now, Golgo, let’s see how tough you are without your weapons!” Garth grabbed his stunned foe and tossed him across the room. “What’s the matter? Not used to fighting someone who is neither a senior citizen or a child?” He caught Mosane with a roundhouse kick to the chest.
“Y-you lied! You never rescued that old man!” Golgo realized as he got to his feet. “All that ridiculous bluster outside, you were stalling so your wife could slip in somehow and free the brats!” He took an ineffective swipe in the air which his opponent easily evaded.
Garth countered with a furious series of punches to his target’s face and chest. “His name was Luc Ranzz, remember it!” He landed a tremendous uppercut which sent Golgo Mosane reeling to the floor. “As you’ll be paying for his murder, imprisoned for the rest of your miserable life!”
“I wouldn’t count on that just yet,” Golgo sneered. While lying supine, he pressed a hidden stud on his left glove. Instantly, several previously placed incendiary packets detonated throughout the house, igniting a veritable inferno. The resulting multiple impacts knocked and battered Garth off his feet. “As you can now surmise, I made myself quite at home while I was waiting for you. I especially thought it apropos to suppress the fire-suppressant system.” He regained his feet and sauntered to where a dazed Garth had fallen. “It’s a pity that the Galactic Patrol lacks the funding to provide their personnel with such niceties as this completely heat-proof MAGIC combat suit.” He began kicking his seemingly vanquished foe’s body. “Or even Manganium tipped boots. Perhaps then you family need not be perishing, roasting alive in their own home!”
“No!” Garth grabbed Golgo Mosanes’s leg with both arms and released a massive surge of power. After his attacker fell with a shriek, Garth quickly rolled to his feet, and began retracing the path Dyra and the twins should have made to escape through the cellar. Despite the choking haze of smoke, the fact the he had spent his childhood years within those walls, enabled him to reach the stairwell in seconds. Heedless of the flames, Garth descended the steps below. The entire cellar was ablaze. “Dyra! Ayla! Mekt! Is anyone still down here?”
“We’re here Daddy! Help us!”
“We can’t see you! There’s too much smoke...Where are you?”
“Don’t worry, Kids, I’m here now–stay together, I’ll find you!” Garth groped about in the blinding smoke, heading in the general direction the voices he discerned from the crackling din caused by the fire. Soon he nearly tripped over three huddled forms.
“Daddy!” Both twins hugged him enthusiastically.
“It’s all right now, I going to get us all out of here.” He clasped a hand from each twin into his. “Just step where I step and hurry.” The heat was becoming unbearable, but they still had time.
Dyra Dopriin drew a blaster and aimed it solely on Garth. “Unhand my children! Now!”
Garth scowled, but did not relinquish his hold. “Dyra, this is not the right time for this!”
“What are you doing, Mommy?” Ayla demanded. “Don’t you recognize Daddy?”
“Yeah, this isn’t the bad man we told you about! Dad’s just trying to rescue us, lets go!”
“I’m sorry, Ayla and Mekt, this man may look, sound, and act like your Father, but he really isn’t him. He may be rescuing all us for now, but in his grander schemes for the universe, we have no place within it at all. Go ahead,” Dyra challenged. “Tell them the truth--the entire truth!”
“Daddy,” Ayla wailed. “Why is Mommy acting so weird? She’s starting to scare me!”
“Yeah, what’s all that stuff she’s talking about?”
Were it not for the dire circumstances, he could have appreciated the moment of deja vu. “The only truth I know, Dyra, is that I’m getting the twins out of here!” He turned away. “So either shoot me in the back, or follow behind us--but make your choice now!” Garth strode forward.
Her finger wavered over the trigger. Just as the trio ahead was all but completely lost in the murky haze, she abruptly sped forward. “Garth!” Surging past them, she fired into the flames beyond. Immediately afterwards, the beam seemed to reflect back upon itself and struck her in the abdomen. With a small gasp of shock, Dyra Dopriin Ranzz collapsed to the floor.
“Mommy!” The twins screamed simultaneously and raced to her fallen form.
Garth let himself be dragged along by the kids. He knelt over their mother, but didn’t have to inspect her wound too carefully to see it was fatal. He gingerly touched her face. “I’m so sorry about everything...” She weakly opened her eyes, and it was clear that Dyra knew she was dying as well. Garth swept her hair from her face. “What just happened Dyra? I don’t understand...?”
“Lurium helmet,” she coughed before continuing. “I couldn’t sense Golgo’s thoughts, but I could detect a sudden burst of mental static and pinpoint a target.” She turned to the twins who were on their knees before her. “Ayla, Mekt, promise me you’ll always be there for each other.” Tears streaming from their eyes, and unable to speak, the twins both nodded mutely. “Always remember that both your parents love you very much.” She looked up at Garth expectantly
Garth picked up and held her hand. “I’ll do all I can for them.”
“Thank you.” She smiled weakly. “If only you loved me half as much as you love her--I would have waited forever for you, Garth Ranzz...” Dyra’s head lolled away.
Garth reverently set her hand down, and rose to his feet. The temperature was barely tolerable. “I’m sorry, Kids, but come on, we’ve got to go now–we don’t have much time left..”
“No!” Ayla screamed, still clutching her mother’s form tightly. “We can’t leave her like this--we won’t leave her like this!” Both twins jutted their twins in a synchronous motion.
“Yeah, and nobody can make us leave her! Not even you, Dad.” added Mekt.
“Look, we don’t have time to argue...” He was startled by the eerie glow of firelight reflected in the twins eyes. No, not glowing Garth realized--discerning that despite the visual evidence, all heat from the flames that surrounded him had dissipated--but shimmering. “No! Ayla! Mekt!” Garth bent to scoop up the pair, but fell through their intangible forms, landing on the floor.
“Daddy?”
The fear stricken visages of Ayla and Mekt Ranzz, along with any traces of the raging inferno that had engulfed the Ranzz Homestead, faded from existence, leaving Garth completely alone in the cold darkness of the cellar. Yet the echo of the twins’ final cry continued to reverberate in his very soul. Physically and emotionally drained, he found that he could not move, but did not care, for at that particular moment in time, Garth Ranzz had little inclination to ever move again...
“Garth?” A cool hand touched his forehead. “Are you all right?”
Garth Ranzz opened his eyes to behold the wondrous sight of the angelic features of the woman he loved bathed in the ethereal starlight streaming from the now opened cellar doors. “Imra! You’re really back!” He instantly pulled her down to him and hungrily sealed their lips together.
“I’m happy to see you, too,” she admitted when they finally parted. “I just had the most bizarre experience. The last thing I can recall clearly was ‘prevaricating’ down here with you. The next thing I know, hours have passed, and I’m hovering above the fields outside. Naturally, I tried to call you, but instead detected a strange echoing effect from directly below. Imagine my surprise when I landed and found this nearly buried in the dirt.” She produced a Legion flight ring and placed it back on his finger. “You really ought to be more careful with your valuables, Garth.”
Garth was too elated to quibble. “I know.”
“Speaking of valuables,” Imra reached over Garth to retrieve an object she had spotted glittering in the starshine. “What is this pretty bauble?” She held it aloft to sparkle over their heads.
“Mom’s Cascading Sapphire,” Garth identified with a lump in his throat. “It’s Ayla’s now.”
“Well, unless she comes here to claim it in person, I’m calling dibs,” Imra declared with a playful expression. Their flight rings beeped. “Ayla couldn’t have heard that, somehow, could she?”
“Paranoid much?” Garth smirked before answering.. “Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl here.”
“Garth! Thank goodness you and Imra are safe,” responded his sister. Shocked, Imra guiltily dropped the gem into a nearby box. “Did something strange just happened to the both of you?”
“Yes,” Imra affirmed. “We seem to have recently lost track of time, in some strange manner.”
“So did every other Legionnaire, none of us have any recollection of the past few hours.” Garth let his sister Ayla continue without contradicting her statement. “Even all our clubhouse monitors recorded nothing but static. But get this, while Mon-El was running a security sweep he discovered Tharok and Mano just standing around in a cell in the Legion Jail.”
“The Fatal Five were behind it all?” Garth scowled. “Not Mordru?”
“Apparently so, but neither prisoner is willing to elaborate. And Brainy’s team in Superboy’s time report that Persuader and the Emerald Empress escaped.” Anger and frustration was evident in Light Lass’s tone. “However, our resident green skinned genius does promise to explain everything in a fashion even our lower level intellects can understand upon his imminent return.”
“I can hardly wait.” Garth replied without much enthusiasm.
“Well, I certainly can,” Ayla replied. “After what happened, I suddenly feel the need to confront the past instead of running from it, so I’ve decided to come home and help sort out all our stuff.”
“That’s actually a good idea, Imra can’t seem to keep her sticky paws off your belongings.” She poked him in the ribs and they b
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