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This is a story I did some time ago following an idea thrown out by an LMBp'er. Using some characters from various posts and some LMBP'ers who alas no longer post, I set a story in the Golden Age. hope you like.

THE END OF INNOCENCE

A TALE OF THE JUSTICE SOCIETY OF MESSAGE BOARD POSTERS


by

Darden Coulthard
4th August 2003.

INTRODUCTION

Newcastle, England, December 10th,1940

11.55 p.m.

The woman’s shoes made a quick hurried clicking noise on the cobbles in this small back terrace street near the river Tyne. It had been raining and the cobbles were wet and slippery. For this reason and probably to keep some of the bitterly cold north east wind out of her face she had her head bent down. Thanks to the black out it was difficult to see where she was going.

“Stupid” she thought pulling her thick grey woollen overcoat tightly around her, “why did you wait so long before setting off back home”

She reached a small cross roads. To her right, down the hill side, she could just make out the cranes and warehouses of the docks. She took one brief last look at them and turned up the hill towards her home. As she did so three shadowy figures emerged from the protection of a low wall across the alleyway. Two of them followed and quickly overtook the woman and stopped her.

“Well ‘hinny’” said a cold voice which was definitely not local, “what are you doing out here?. I was getting very bored waiting in this cold, but now you’re here we can have a little fun and you can maybe warm me up. Eh what do you think Geordie?” He asked his companion.

“Aye, she’ll gue us a bit of fun alreet” said the other man reaching for her coat.

“Please” said the woman, “I have money”

“Divnt worray aboot that” said the local thug, “we’ll tak yer money as weel”


“Now, I say old boy, is that any way to talk to a lady” said a cultured voice behind the men.

Turning quickly they saw a tall well dressed figure wearing a hat, long opera cloak with a green lining and a green gas mask. Without a word they charged at the newcomer. Swiftly he drew a strange looking gun and fired at them. A green gas enveloped the men and almost instantly they fell to the ground coughing and retching. The Stranger stood for a few seconds looking at the thugs on their hands and knees emptying the contents of their stomachs onto the cobbles. Then he moved forward, produced a thin but extremely strong rope and tied the thugs up.
He turned to the woman, who was looking pale and frightened.

“Now then my dear” he said, “do you know who I am?”

“Your that hero man the radio is talking about, the Green Miasma aren’t you.”

“Yes. But tell me why are you out this late at night and on your own?”

Before the woman could answer, a trace of the green gas was blown into her face by the wind. She staggered and fell forwards. Leaping forward, the Green Miasma caught the woman and gently lowered her to the ground. Reaching under his cloak the Green Miasma pulled out a small vial and broke it under her nose. “Here”, he said, “this will help”

Whilst this was going on, unbeknownst to him, the third figure had sneaked up behind him.

But

Before the assailant could get near to the couple a svelte figure clad in form fitting black leather swung out of the shadows, and with one perfectly placed blow knocked out the assailant. Then before any one realised she was there the figure disappeared back into the night.

“You still haven’t explained why you were out alone this late at night?” Said the Miasma gently.

“My husband is second mate on a Destroyer. We were expecting him back last night, I’ve had no word so I went to the docks to see if I could find out what has happened. They wouldn’t tell me anything” and the woman finally broke down into tears....

A strange golden light started to fill the street. Looking around fearfully in case it was a German fire bomb, the Green Miasma was relieved to see the shape of JSMB mystic the Conciliator standing in front of him.

“Miasma” said the sweet female tones of the Conciliator “the Justice Society needs your help.............”

SCENE ONE
December 11th 1940

10.30 a.m.

Michael Lash stood on the Quayside as the SS America was unloading its passengers and cargo. He was talking to the porters who were loading baggage on to hand carts.

“This is the address these bags need to go to and can you make sure they get there as soon as possible?”

“Whye aye man” Said the little geordie porter “nee problem”

Turning, Michael walked back to Candace and Ames as they stood looking down the dock towards a battered Royal Navy Ship which was unloading a much more grizzly cargo of dead and badly wounded soldiers.

Candace turned to Michael, “The British are in trouble aren’t they Lash” she said using his JSMB name. “If only we could do something”

“could send the Brits some bl**dy bombers and ships and guns, that we could do” said Ames bitterly, “but those damnable politco’s in Washington are too scared to do anything in case they back the losing side”

Michael smiled. Ames was Chaos and Candace was Order true enough but when they put on the Orb of Ekron and the Helmet of Toth they actually merged into the one being known as the Conciliator. One of the Justice Societies mightiest members and a powerful wielder of magic. Still he wished that whilst they were separated like this they would manage to agree on something just for a change.

Michael was known as Whip Lash, a hero with the ability to hit any target with a wide range of weapons. His favourite weapon, and one which gave him his name was a long thin Whip.

“About time” snapped Ames “here come the others”

Down the gangplank came the other members of the team. The Beagle Twins, Fast, constantly talking between themselves, the twins were expert trackers and would lead the team towards their target. Following them came the Flying Squirrel and his sidekick Squirrelly the Boy Rodent. Both were experts in unarmed combat and the Flying Squirrel was a gifted gymnast. Finally came Scrapperman and his nine year old companion Slugger. Lash had expressed concern over bringing a nine year old into a war zone but Scrapperman had insisted. Scrapperman was very useful in a fight and Lash believed that it would come to that before this rescue mission was over. If that meant Slugger had to come to, so be it.

Lash gulped, he hoped it was a rescue mission and not simply a journey to collect the bodies.
“OK” said Lash, “Lets find the Green Miasma and get on our way”

“There he is” said Joe Beagle pointing down the dock side. The group turned and moved towards the figures of NT Ritess and his oriental manservant Won Lo Kok. NT was helping out at a Womans Voluntary Service (WVS) point. Moving between the stretchers laid out the dockside he was holding some of the injured soldiers head as his friend Lady Arabella D’horsey knelt beside them helping them to take a drink of hot sweet tea.

As N T approached one man they found him feverish from a badly inflected leg wound.
“The hospital, the hospital” he was saying “the trolls,.......women oh the nurses.............trolls....poor women”

Catching hold of one of the medical orderlies NT asked what was wrong with the man. “Shell Shock” said the orderly, “seen it before” than he rushed off to deal with another soldier who was being violently sick.

“N T” said Arabella “this ship has returned from Norway. There hasn’t been any major battle out there to get shell shocked in. Anyway, in this job you see a lot of soldiers returning from battle. That’s more than just shell shock”

“I know Arabella, did you get a look at his wound, it looked like an animal bite. Anyway, I am sorry but my friends are here. I must go. Will I see you later?”

“Of course NT of course”


Later, back at NT Ritess home The members of the Justice society are sitting listening to the BBC home service and drinking a glass of Sherry before going into Dinner.

“You know”, said NT taking a drink from Won Lo Kok, “I cant believe that someone is powerful enough to take out both the Lard Knight and the Loser.” said NT “what’s happened”

Very cool.

FLASHBACK

December 1st 1940. JSMB Headquarters Metropolis USA.

The Phantom Ghost is on mission monitor duty. Things are busy, a small team is investigating the disappearance of some defence related papers from a laboratory in Los Alamos, Arizona. Suddenly the Phantom Ghost stiffens, his hands fly to his head, he stands, and staggers drunkenly across the room towards the door. Pain is etched into his face. As he reaches the door he lets out a blood curdling scream and collapses.

He wakes up in the Hospital room. War’Rrren and the Loser were next to him. Concern showing on their faces.

“Are you ok PG” asked the Loser, “Do you know what happened”

“I am not sure” said the Phantom Ghost. “I felt such pain as I have not felt since I was mortal. A hugely evil act as been committed somewhere in this world.

“Do you know what and where” asked War’Rrren

“I am not sure what but I do know where you must start” said the Phantom Ghost.


December 4th Casablanca, Morocco

“Well Loser”, said the Lard Knight, “what do you think.. It looks like that bird statue is crucial to everything that’s going on. I wish I could get closer but those two love birds at the bottom of the aeroplane steps are preventing me from teleporting closer”.

Before the Loser could reply there was a sound behind them, turning quickly the two heroes were overpowered by ten small shapes.

SCENE TWO
December 11th, Home of NT Ritess

“....and then we lost contact with the Lard Knight and The Loser. The Beagle twins were transported to Casablanca by the power of the Conciliator and the picked up the trail. They found it ended at the airport. The only plane they could have been on was a German transport into France. As you know Hitler’s shaft of forbidding prevents XLMBP powered Society members from entering Europe So we were stuck and we couldn’t follow them. Until that is the conciliator came up with a plan. Her magic is unaffected by the shaft and she believes that she can help disguise a number of non XLMBP powered members so that we can get into Europe. The Phantom Ghost is still suffering from a fever but was able to tell us to seek somewhere cold? The Beagles think that once into Europe they will be able to track Lardy and Loser. So will you help us?”

“Of course” said NT “Won will make all the arrangements wont you Won”

As the oriental manservant nodded he thought to himself

“Yes, but I fear you may need some extra help”

SCENE THREE
December 20th 1940 The coast of Southern France

22.30.

“Now according to SOE” said the Green Miasma, “that plane you identified must have landed here. As you can see this airfield looks deserted but appearances can be deceptive. Lash, I suggest we split up and search the area for clues”

“Good idea, said Lash. “Ok boys normal pairings meet back here in 30 minutes. That Navy submarine isn’t going to way for ever”

As the group split up and moved off into the darkness The Miasma caught hold of Lash’s arm.

“Lash old boy forgive a chap for asking, and I know its not quite the done thing, but is there a problem with Slugger?”

“What do you mean”

“Well I can’t quite place my finger on it don’t you know but........... Well I don’t think Scrapper is quite the gentleman. I am sure that I seen that look Slugger has on some other boys I remember from school. It seems to me..............”

Before he could finish Lash interrupted.

“Scrapperman is a good team mate and a real bonus in a fight. His heart is in the right place. Sure he’s not a public school boy upper class toff like you but he’s a loyal member of the JSMB and a friend”

“Oh quite old boy, quite, sorry I even brought it up, just you know he seems awfully close to that young boy”

“He’s just worried about him” snapped Lash “I should never have let Slugger come along”

Lash stormed off, muttering under his breath about damn Brits still think they are running the world etc etc.

Later, the Beagle twins are tracking a strange scent in one of the aerodrome’s deserted hangers.

“You know Joe, says Michael “this is weird, the whole place smells human but fishy and salty, and underneath this weird scent I’m sure I can smell the Lard Knight and Loser”

Before Joe could answer both the twins were attacked and quickly knocked unconscious.


“The Beagles are late” said Lash, “does any one know where they are”

Squirrelly the Boy Rodent said “The Flying Squirrel and I saw them go into in that hanger over there but then we went on to check the area by the fence. I don’t know if they ever came out”

“Damn, we’ll miss the rendevous” said Lash “Conciliator can you return to the beach and ask the captain to wait for us”

After watching the trim figure of the Conciliator leave for the beach the Miasma said “Well we must at least take a look, it wont take long. If we all go then if there is trouble we should be able to tackle it”

“All right” snarled Squirrelly “lets kick some German ass”


As they approach the hanger they see a truck pull up. Ducking behind some empty oil drums the Society are not too surprised to see German SS troops jump down from the truck. However they are surprised when they see the limp bodies of the twins being thrown unceremoniously into the back of the truck. They are so engrossed in watching what is happening that they fail to notice five pair of cold incredible evil eyes watching them from the shadows of an office building a few yards away.

“Hey they got the Beagles” shouts Slugger who together with Squirrelly charges forward. For a few moments all is panic and pandemonium as German guards attempt to shoot the two young boys and the other members of the Society run to help. From the shadows of the other building come five incredibly fast small figures. They catch the Society by surprise.
Bundling them over and knocking them all unconscious.

Wasn't this file kept confidential until recently under the Official Secrets Act? I always wondered what the real story of WWII was....

The Phantom Ghost? My English teacher warned me about heroes like that...

Sorry this has taken so long to continue to post but with legion world imploding and real life getting in the way I let things slip.

So lets get back to the story.
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SCENE FOUR
Newcastle, 21st December 1940. 19.00

Back in the luxury home of NT Ritess the Green Miasma was discussing the previous nights events with the Justice Society.

“So it looks like someone has taken the Lard Knight, The Loser, the Beagles and Squirrelly prisoner. We don’t know why. And we don’t know why WE were left behind for the Conciliator to find and bring back to Blighty”

“What we need to do” said the Lash pacing the floor wildly “is find where they are and go and get them back”

“Do we know what how Scrapper and Slugger are” asked the Conciliator?

“According to the hospital Sluggers bullet wound is not serious and should heal in a few days. Scrapperman is worse. It looks like a huge bite in his leg and on his back” said Won Lo Kok, “they will be shipped back to The USA on the next hospital ship”

As the small group discussed the events of the previous day a picture started to emerge of just what it was that had attacked them yesterday. Whatever it had been it wasn’t human. Slowly they pieced together a picture of a three foot tall creature, short arms ending in strong claws, a tail, a mouth full of razor sharp teeth, and deathly pale almost albiniod.

“It is interesting that the abductions appear to be of XLMB powered member of the society” murmured Won.

The air behind Won started to shimmer and then the image of the Phantom Ghost appeared.
“I have sought knowledge” said the ethereal voice, “you must seek our friends in Norway, more than that my guides can not or will not tell” and, as silently as he had appeared the Phantom Ghost faded from sight.

“Norway” mused NT, “that’s it!!, the troop ship” and he jumped for the phone.

“What’s going on” asked the Flying Squirrel

“I think I may be able to find out where they are holding Squirrelly and the rest” said NT as he dialled. “Hold on. Hello is that the Admiralty.............

As he dials on one phone the Society fail to notice Won slip quietly from the room. Heading to his private office Won Lo Kok lifts a second telephone and swiftly dials a number.
“Hello” he says as soon as it is answered, “The Green Miasma will be going to...........

SCENE FIVE
A Deserted Hospital in Norway.

“W@W” said the Lash, impressed in spite of himself, “I didn’t know you could get through to Churchill himself”

“Well” replied NT, “it did help that my father went to the same school”

“Still” said the Conciliator, “it was fortunate that he was willing to listen to us and place that corvette at our disposal”

“You know, this damage wasn’t all done by the commando raid, NT”, said the Flying Squirrel. “Look here, it seems like some of theses burn marks overlay each other. Almost as if the hospital had been attacked by something else before your boys got here.”

“This place feels evil” said the Conciliator “FS will you come with me whilst I explore these old wards”

“Sure”

“I don’t like this Lash”, said the Green Miasma, “what did that army report say had happened to the nurses?, bodies found with their stomaches ripped out, teeth marks on the wounds, it sounds horrible”

Suddenly there is a noise and two hideous monsters burst through a half open door. Reacting quickly the Miasma fires his gas gun and one of the creatures falls to the floor, its white albino shape twitching as the gas takes effect. The second one has attacked the Lash. Using his whip Lash attempts to bind the enraged thing, but with a twist of its pale white neck the creature bites through the whip and throws itself on Lash. They fall locked in combat onto the floor with the creature biting and snapping for Lash’s neck. With a sudden jolt of fear Lash realises he is not strong enough to fight the creature off. Slowly, as Lashes muscles strain to fight the thing off, the creatures teeth come closer and closer to his neck......................................


“Get off him you foul creature” says a female voice, and a pair of spike heels hammer deep into the side of the creatures head spilling a foul green viscous liquid, which must have been the creatures blood. Without a noise the thing falls dead.

Choking, the Lash rises to his feet.

“You!!” he gasps looking at his rescuer.

“Yes sweety” says Lady Leather, “Hows the foot?”

“But what are you doing here?” Asks Lash “not that I’m not grateful you know but”

Before she can answer however the creature that Miasma had subdued wakes up. Sniffing the air once or twice it starts to go berserk, trying to get at Lady Leather. Lash and the Miasma only just mange to get between her and it. The Miasma struggling with the creature turns and throws it through the open gap toothed space that used to be a window. To everyone surprise the creature stands up and, just as it is about to jump back into the building, turns grey and falls down, quite obviously dead.

“What’s all that noise” said the Conciliator and the Flying Squirrel as they run back into the room. “Oh sweet Goddess what is that” pointing to the thing laying dead on the floor.

“I don’t know” said Lash still rubbing his neck as if he can’t believe it is still attached, “but lets get out of here before any more arrive”


“That” said a new voice behind them, “ I am afraid will not be allowed”.

Turning around, the Society saw a large number of battle hardened SS troops and at their head a small bald man wearing thick rimmed glasses and a white lab coat.

“Allow me to introduce myself”, he said, “I am Herr Doctor Jaroslav Jissum. I believe”, he said pointing to the thing on the floor, “that you have already met my spermoids”

SCENE SIX

The society are escorted by the soldiers deep underground,. After walking for a mile through ice corridors with their hands upon their heads they finally arrive at a large laboratory. Around the walls 30 or forty test tubes filled with a thick green liquid. Shadowy, vaguely human shapes can be seen in the liquid.

On hospital gurneys around the room the bodies of the missing society members.

“Come in, come in mien herren” said Dr Jissum. “Welcome to my Laboratory. You are honoured to be present at the start of a glorious new era for the Reich”

What do you want with us creep” snarled Lash

“With you?” smiled the doctor, “nothing! You will be killed soon, but I first I want you to see how useless your resistance has been and will be. I want you to see the future even though you will not live in it”

“Easy Lash old boy” whispered the miasma, “lets keep him talking” and he passed Lash a number of his small but deadly follow through bombs.

“You! hands on head” shouted a guard from near the doorway.

“So” continued the doctor, “I believe you have already met my spermoids”

“Those , those things upstairs” said Lady Leather.

“Yes, replied the doctor, “I have managed to find a way to grow each and every one of my own sperm into a spermoid. They only live for a few days unfortunately as the process will only succeed if I hatch them before they are fully grown. This means that they fail to develop a stomach and will effectively die of starvation after a few days. I am looking for a way to get around this problem and also the spermoids adverse reaction to sub zero temperatures. I have found that I am the only one my process works on for some strange reason other mens sperm will not respond to treatment. Once I have cured that small fault I will be able to create huge armies which I shall place at the service of my Fuhrer. Soon they will be unleashed on the Russian front and will help our troop in their glorious crusade against the foul decadent pawns of international Jewry. Once we have destroyed the Asian untermenchen the land will be available for the noble god fearing Volk.”

“But one thing I don’t understand” said Lash “is why that spermoid went berserk once it saw Lady Leather”

“Ahh, yes well she is, as you can see, very much a woman. My spermoids are after all sperm. An unfortunate side effect I can not yet eliminate is the desire they have to seek out an egg. They still try to enter the womb. I think some of your soldiers saw the results of an unfortunate accident we had in the hospital upstairs”

“Oh good God”, said NT, “the nurses”

“Exactly. Now if you will excuse me I have work to do” Turning to the guards Dr Jissum motioned a Gurney forward. On it lay the still body of Squirrelly the Boy Rodent.

Dr Jissum, injected the boy and then turned to a large machine and started to attach electrodes to his chest, and head. Finally the doctor puts on heavy goggles and a lead apron. Throwing a switch, Squirrelly is bathed in a strange blue glow. Around the walls the tubes start to bubble and the society can see the shapes starting writhe and turn.

Looking at the prisoners, Jissum says “I knew it, I knew it, the missing factor in my experiments is the XLMB gene. Now I can use the Lard Knight and the Loser to power my machines and my army of spermoids will become a reality”

“I don’t think so”said the Miasma who suddenly threw a number of follow through bombs As he leapt at the nearest guard, Lash also lunged forward, at the same time using his deadly accuracy to target the guards furthest away. The stench of the follow through bombs had driven the guards out of the room and the Miasma had quickly shut and locked the door. Candace and Ames called forth the orb of Ekron and the helmet of Toth and merged to become once again the Conciliator.

Quickly”, her clear clam voice commanded, “ we must help the others, Lash see to Loser and the Lard Knight. Miasma, you must help the Beagles”

She herself turned to help Lady Leather who had moved towards Squirrelly and was helping the Flying Squirrel to disconnect him from the machinery. Eric my boy are you alright, I’ll never forgive myself if anything has happened to you said the Flying Squirrel as he worked feverishly to free his companion. As she did so she heard a voice from the far end of the room. Turning she saw Dr Jissum leaving by a secret doorway, as he left he pressed a series of buttons. “Goodbye fools” and the door slammed shut.

There was a low ominous rumbling sound and the lights flickered wildly as power was drained from the system. After a few seconds the Tubes around the wall started to crack. They then split wide open and the foul steaming green liquid spilled out onto the floor. From out of the liquid rose the nightmare shapes of Jissums spermoids.

“Whats.. What are those” gasped Lardlad, who was supporting himself on Lashes shoulders.

“There’s no time to explain Lardy old boy” shouted the Miasma, “just keep them away from the Conciliator and Lady Leather”.

moving quickly whilst the creatures were still disoriented by there ‘birth’ the Society formed a line between the two ladies and the spermoids.

“Quick” said the Flying Squirrel to Lady Leather, “take Squirrelly and try to find a way to open Jissums emergency exit” He thrust the unconscious boy into the hands of the Conciliator and turned to face the spermoids.

Silently, for the creatures had no vocal cords, the spermoids spread out around the room. Sniffing the air they suddenly appeared to notice the two women. With no other thought in their brain but to get to the women the creatures launched themselves into an attack. Weakened though he was the Lard Knight fought back. Drawing the Lard out of one of the creatures, turning it into a solid weapon and using it to hit another. The Loser was using all of his rapidly diminishing strength to hit the things with loser force. The Miasma were taking creatures down with the miasma gun whilst Lash was using anything he could get his hands on as weapons to attack the creature. The Flying Squirrelly was fighting like a daemon. Fists and feet flying everywhere the creatures were falling like nine pins but there was too many of them. Slowly they gained ground, until the inevitable happened. One got past the defenders, throwing itself towards the conciliator it pushed her to the ground, causing her to drop Squirrelly. As she fought desperately against the creature who was biting and clawing at her in a frenzy, The Flying squirrelly came to her rescue. Hitting the creature with a chair he knocked it into the corner of the lab where it collapsed

“Oh god no” said the Flying Squirrel as he looked down at the blood stained body of the Conciliator. “Is she alright?”

“Got it” said a triumphant Lady Leather, “quick, lets get out of here while we can”

Stopping only to pick up their wounded the Society fled towards the passageway behind the door, as the last one made it through Lady Leather slammed the door shut on the spermoids and swiftly locked it.

“Oh boy was that close” said Lash

“Yes”, agreed the Miasma looking at the collection of wounded society members, “if I might be so bold, I suggest that as we have rescued our team mates we try to leave this place now. We are in no shape to fight any more of these creatures not to mention the fact that the place will be crawling with heavily armed German guards any minute. I would suggest that we let the RAF take care of this base.

SCENE SEVEN
As the wounded and battered society climbed back tot he surface, they heard the alarms sounding. They arrived at the surface just in time to see Jissum entering a wingless aeroplane with a large propellor on its roof. They were amazed when the propellor started to spin and the machine flew straight up into the air.

“No wings and no runway” said Loser “that’s a useful toy”

“The pick up point is back this way” said the Miasma. “It’ll only take a few minutes, lets hope the boat is still there. Before we move on lets have a look at the conciliator”
laying the still figure down on the snow the Flying Squirrelly removed the Helmet and Orb and there before them were the bodies of Candace and Ames. As the Society looked on, the bodies scars and injuries started to heal themselves, until after a few seconds the two were able to stand up.

“Right, lets get out of here” said Lash, “Flying Squirrel, take Squirrelly and lets start”

As the society set off between snowy undulations towards the beach they are horrified to see the snowy lumps rise up and become spermoids. It was a trap!

“Damn it” says Lash, we’re too weak to fight them off.” Looking at Loser who he was supporting, “I’m sorry Lou, sorry it had to end like this”

Loser managed a weak smile, “No problem bud, You did your best. That’s all I could ask. You didn’t forget me”

“You” says Lash “I just want to say, well you know man”

“I know Lash, I have been honoured to call you my friend, thanks you for being there for me”

“Ermmm Guys” interrupts the Lard Knight, “are we going to actually fight these things or just give up?”

Lash and Loser smiled, the old JSMB spirt rekindling within them, “Hell Yeah” they shouted, “lets kick some spermoid butt”

As the creatures moved towards the group, the Lard Knight drew himself upright. Wielding the Lard force he fired concentrated Lard energy at the leading creatures. With a disgusting splashing noise they are blasted into hundred of small pieces. But the effort leaves him physically drained and unable to do any more. The remain creatures are moving more slowly now, craftily circling looking for a weak point.

In the Flying Squirrels arms Squirrelly stirs he looks up as his partners face,
“Hi FS, what’s happening”

“Eric, your alive” said the Flying Squirrel

Just then the spermoids move in for the kill. As he sees them, Squirrelly jumps from the Flying Squirrels arms and charges in to the spermoids. As he does so the society are surprised to see him undergo a strange physical transformation. He changes into a large vaguely rodent like shape. With the transformation complete he launches himself the spermoids ripping and rending with teeth and claw. .

Despite the numbers it is a very one sided contest and quite soon Squirrelly is standing alone in a circle of dead spermoids. He looks at the astonished JSMB and raising his head lets out a long mournful howl before collapsing in the snow. There is nothing but silence as the JSMB looks on in disbelief.

EPILOGUE

Newcastle Quayside

Michael Lash is back in civilian clothes again, standing at the bottom of a gangplank. Next to him is N T Ritess.

“Well Miasma, do you think we’ve seen the last of Jissum and his abominations?”

“I don’t know old boy, I don’t know,” mused NT Ritess, “I sincerely hope so but I have a horrible feeling that he will return. Anyway let me ask, How’s Squirrelly? Does anyone know what happened to him”

“Well as near as the Lard Knight can fathom, his transformation was caused by the exposure to Jissums radiation. It was apparently triggered by the rising endorphin levels in his body caused by the stress and trauma of the attack. He’s done almost nothing but sleep since it happened. Once or twice in his sleep he must have been having a nightmare because he started t transform again. We managed to give him an injections to control it before the transformation was complete. Candace is with him now”

“Candace” questioned N T “what about the Flying Squirrelly?”

“Well”, whispered Lash “that’s a bit strange. FS has been very withdrawn and has hardly spoken about the change. As far as I know he hasn’t been anywhere near Squirrelly since then. If I didn’t know that FS was the bravest man around, I would have said he was frightened of Eric”

“Anyway”, continued Lash, “what happened to Lady Leather, I never really got a chance to say thank you for saving my life”

“She left us before the attack on the surface. Said she had her own means of getting home. Don’t worry I’m sure we’ll see her again”

After seeing Lash on board N T walked slowly back to his car. He stopped for a few minutes to talk to Arabella who was once again serving tea and sympathy on the WVS stand. Then he collapsed gratefully into the luxurious leather of his waiting car.

“Take me home Won”, he said, “I feel I could sleep for a week”

“Remember sir” said Won smiling, “you have to be at the fund raising dance tonight, you are doing a special radio broadcast”

“Damn, no rest for the wicked eh Won”

“Well sir I do believe that that attractive young Miss Ally Gory will be there and looking forward to seeing you. She is very pretty is she not sir?”

“Oh she is Won she is very pretty indeed”


THE END

A Bump for Bevis