Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business Legion Worlds Four (completed 7 May)

Oh I am so sorry to hear that Harbi. I am a big fan. Hope your PC gets sorted out soon. I will definitely be watching this space for updates!

I missed your last post till just now Harbi, hope you manage to get everything sorted soon! Your fans will be waiting

Yera knew she needed to act quickly.

She surreptitiously grew her antennae out of her altered form to scan the two warriors that had taken over the Mission Monitor Board Room. She now knew where they were heavily armoured and, more importantly for her plan, where their weapons were. Underneath her chair form she grew a few fingers and drummed the knuckles loudly on the floor. The noise was enough to make both attackers leap to their feet and look around them in surprise. As they spun around Chameleon Girl took on the form of a Jovian Monstressor and smashed them both brutally first into the solid ceiling then into the floor. There was no time for them to give any resistance as the Legionnaire took back control of the room. She quickly snapped incapacity cuffs on the fallen warriors before checking that both of Duplicate Girl's selves were okay. Yera took one more quick glance around the corners of the doorway before activating the blast doors.

After the Daughters of Black Adam had attacked Legion World one of the cursed Sisterhood had smashed a hole through the planetoids. In the rebuilding Brainiac 5 and Gear had endeavoured to ensure that the Hub Rooms, the important tactical areas of the teams base, were suitable defendable. As a result the Mission Monitor Board Room was now virtually impregnable at the touch of a button.

Yera spun her fingers gracefully across the control panel checking on her teammates. Element Lad, Mon El, Comet Queen, Tyroc, Sade, all of Duplicate Girl's selves, Chemical Kid, Retro and half of the students were already unconscious, held within energy spheres that appeared to be stasis fields. Starkling and herself were the only full Legionnaires still free... For the moment Yera felt a cold shudder down her spine, this was far worse than she imagined. She glanced up at the monitor board and realised that apart from the two huge teams out on missions Andromeda and Dawnstar we're the only two Legionnaires not currently incapacitated and outside of the base. Yera sent an alert to their flight rings requesting urgent assistance and hoped that they would respond quickly.

She sat back, contemplating what she had to do first. With a flick of a virtual switch Yera Allon activated the communications system. She needed to get the remaining planetoids staff and Legion cadets to safety as a priority. While she had the Board under control she could ensure all control functions went through her console.

Chameleon Girl quickly recorded a message giving all the salient points of their current situation and sent it via quark relay to all the senior team members off base on missions. After she had finished Yera took a deep breath and switched over to the flight ring generated telepathic communications system, hoping the invaders hadn’t yet hacked their way into that.

<Everyone, this is Chameleon Girl, the ambassadorial party are invaders. I repeat, the ambassadorial party are invaders! Cadets use extreme caution and remain in your rooms until further notice. Legionnaires and authorised support staff: we have a mess to clean up, there appears to be a group of them in the Warp Control Room so let's mop up the rest then head down there. I've summoned assistance and let the away teams know of our situation... Let's sort this and take our home back! I’ll send their co-ordinates through in a moment...>

Atom Girl and Slingshot had both been surprised by their attraction to each other.

The Imskian had never felt a physical attraction to a man before yet the young Prince had shown her a surprising degree of attention, not sleazy or desperate, but genuine and gentle, interested and intelligent... She had spent several evenings down time sharing stories and getting to know him... And here they were, in her austere quarters listening to Imskian Dragon Opera playing quietly on her home system, they had nuzzled into each other, both fully clothed, yet the air was thick of expectation... Prince Alfron Gundrix Maunheesta breathed deeply and reached his hand across and tapped Sylva Nrilsan on the shoulder.

As she turned to look at him he reached across and pulled her in close to kiss her on the lips. The Imskian initially recoiled before realising what was happening. She reached out with both hands and placed them on either side of the young prince's head and returned the kiss with more passion than he had initially shown.

Yera’s telepathic announcement rather ruined the moment as they both sprung out of her bed and dived towards the door, quickly readjusting their clothing as they ran.


Lourthraim Mango heard Yera Allon's telepathic message and knew he had to act.

First things first, he took off his flight ring; he was more than astute enough to realise that his sweat production and gone right down and his moods had become much calmer since he had started wearing it. The team had said he needed to be monitored as he had no conscious control over his toxic touch and as they had not directly intervened he had very quickly understood that the flight ring was affecting him. Well, he thought, it was time to take his techno-shackles off and earn his pay as a member of the support staff.

Quickly calling up a holo to show the location of all non Legionnaires or Academy students on Legion World he noted that there were two so-called ambassadorial aides in the corridor below the laboratory where he was currently working. They were approaching Professor Dox's Temporal Lab, and Death Boy knew that the Coluan would not be happy if they gained access.

Louthraim had been bullied and taunted throughout his young life with no support given in his home life as his alcoholic mother had at best ignored her son. He had sworn when he first arrived here as a member of the in-house support staff that he would not allow anyone to terrorise him again, and that definitely applied to these intruders.

The grav-lifts were 100 metres along the corridor, and would let him out just around the corner from the door the intruders were trying to open. Louthraim Mango smiled as he rubbed his palms together to activate the neuro-toxins as he stepped into the lift.

Former Private Drinchnar Lamment heard the Durlan's message and knew that Grava would need help.

Charging out of his room he almost crashed headlong into Babbage and Sister Eclipse.

"Comet King.. You heard?" the lizard like Sister Eclipse said quietly.

"Like star glow girl, we gotta rescue my galaxitious Grava, like and the rest of the base too."

"Affirmative," said the Robotican trainee, "we are away to give our support to Yera Allon in the Mission Monitor Board Control room, we need to protect her at all costs so the returning Legionnaires can...."

"You do that stardust, I'm flying to rescues my princess..." and with that Private Lamment flew down the corridor leaving a trail of noxious fumes behind him.

"Idiotic response." muttered Babbage.

"Young hearts beat to a different... Chaotic beat. Come on Babbege, we will protect Yera Allon. Perhaps the young Comet King will succeed... We must pray the One Who Comes Next will bless his endeavours."
Comet King followed the flight ring generated locator beacon towards Grava.

As he turned the corner he spied two of the intruders ahead. Increasing his speed he flew straight at them. The two Forge Chosen warriors raised their cybernetic gun hands but the young soldier was too fast, swooping down he took their legs out from them at close to half the speed of sound and released a huge blast of noxious fumes as he did. The intruders crashed into the floor, unconscious. Private Lamment didn't stop, he continued along the corridor in search of his precious star shine.

The young soldier didnt see Death Boy stepping out of the lift and start to cough.

"Oi!" the Venusian biochemist shouted, "Get your own bad guys to bash, they were mine!" He stamped a foot in frustration.

Comet King had already flown along the corridor and out of sight.



Noah Kabbo placed a hand gently on Drura Sepht's shoulder.

"The Legionnaires will return soon so until then we must do what we can to assist."

The Legion World medical officer gave a brief smile but didn't reply. The counsellor didn't stop to offer any more comfort, instead he quickly raked through the medi-computers read outs. He flicked at a couple of glowing hard light spheres and drawers sprung open in the otherwise blank wall beside him.

"Anaesthetic sprays... They'll help. You got any ideas Drura?"

"I'll give them something I can cook up myself. Your flight rings Eco protect should protect you but stand behind me just in case..."

"Good girl, now... let's go kick some ass!"

Starkling swarmed down the corridor.

The composite being followed the direction Gear had given. There were two unconscious Legionnaires in a room ahead with four invaders standing guard. Starkling planned on rescuing his teammates, liberating them from their current predicament. It did not have a grasp on the finer points of emotions so was unaware tat what was feeling was something akin to wanting vengeance.

There were three guards outside of the room that were quickly overcome by the swarm of diamond hard particles. Their bloodied unconscious bodies slapped onto the floor, the invaders clothes ripped to shreds. Starkling hurled itself against the closed door denting it considerable before Gears voice interrupted.

"We won't be able to open the door if you continue your bombardment."

As Starkling assumed a swarming spherical form the circular door started to creakily iris open. Starkling streamed through the gap.

Element Lad and Sade were unconscious on the floor while in the air Gear hovered above them. A fourth invader was caught against the wall, the very material stretched and strung around him. Gears nannites had obviously covered the room previously and the Linsnrian had activated them to deal with the intruder while he slipped his core being through the walls.

Starkling started to swoop down towards the Legionnaires but Gear stopped the composite being before it got too close.

"They are held within a stasis field. I have yet to determine the correct frequency to jam it. It would perhaps be prudent to avoid them right now." Gear pointed to the small blue egg shaped objects that sat on the Legionnaires chests.

<Perhaps we can assist>

Several of the swarm beings parts flew into the energy field, the air crackling as the ball bearing sized parts slowed down and gently fell upon the Legionnaires.

<Element Lad... Element Lad!> the new Legionnaires telepathic voice became a shout.

<Star... kling!> the teams leader's voice echoed telepathically. Jan Arrah sounded as if he were fighting a deep sleep <The ambassadors are not what they seem, you need to get away... alert the others>

<We know, it is alright. Though your body is held in stasis, if we tell you where the machine is that holds you can you alter its structure? It is within the stasis field so we cannot reach it from outside. >

The tell tale violet sparkle that indicated the Trommite's abilities were being activated started to appear around the strange egg though it took several long seconds before there was a popping sound as the egg shaped object dissolved into oxygen instantly disipating the stasis field. On the back of his hand a strip of material, the initial anaesthetics patch that had knocked him out, also dematerialised.

"Thank you." Jan Arrah said as he slowly raised himself up into a crouch. "Now... Where are the others?"

<Others? There are only us... And Chameleon Girl in the Mission Monitor Room.>

"Ah, I'd better free Sade then as we'll need every warm body we can get."

On the board before her Yera saw the invader run down the corridor towards the Mission Monitor Control Board, they had obviously realised that the two that had previously been sent here were immobilised. Well, they were in for a surprise if they thought the one invader would be enough to get through the defences Brainiac 5 and Gear had put in place.

The red skinned invader raised a cybernetic attachment, his right hand transformed into a powerful looking blaster though before he could fire his attack Yera activated the pyro nullified system and with a flick of a finger the inbuilt system fired instantly coating the invader in a quick setting green goo. She knew it may not be enough to keep him down for good but it would slow him considerably. With a smile Yera sent one of the cleaning droids crashing into the invaders legs knocking him onto the floor.

Yera laughed out loud at the holo display showed the cyborg invader struggling to stand as the cleaning droid positioned its vacuum attachment over his face. The fire suppressant foam was hardening, limiting the invaders movement. Yera summoned another with a supply of incapacity cuffs.

One of Lu's unconscious selves started to moan as she woke up. Yera had set the two dupes flight ring's medical settings to maximum so was relieved to hear that it must have worked.

"Yera.. What...?"

Chameleon Girl reached out an arm to help Duplicate Girl to her feet.

"Hey Lu, no time to sleep on the job. Come up here and enjoy the view."

Ventura


Colossal boy enjoyed thrashing the laboratory.

There was something deeply satisfying about destroying illegal technology that would potentially create even more meta-villains that could cause the team further trouble. Reep had dealt with the staff and was currently examining a hard light console as a data vampire did its work on the AI system. He'd leave the long term solutions to Brainy and Jan to figure out, right now he had far more fun things to think of such as twisted a power coupling against a bank of tubes where there had been a dozen beings receiving the illegal gene therapy.

Wonder Woman had the technicians, scientists and beings from the tubes wrapped in her lasso as she questioned each of them. Each and every one was bonded through debts to the casino, a typical process it seemed on Ventura to get cheap labour. Princess Phoebe was obviously getting more and more angry as each one of her prisoners confirmed their predecessors story. Under the influence of her magic rope they had to tell the truth. The extra dimensional Amazonian sighed as the sixth scientist told of running up gambling debts on a likely rigged game and when it came time to pay the only option was a cortex bond and servitude in this subterranean workhouse.

Almost a klick away Danielle Foccart allowed her brother to give her a gentle hug. Jacques was telling his little sister of how proud he was in her determination and bravery for joining the team on this mission. He kept his worries to himself as he patted her shoulder. Glorith stood protectively to the side of her friend, the young mystics facial tattoos glowed ominously.

Kinetix, Kid Quantum and Thirteen were eager to find Laurel though Brainiac 5 was not to be hurried. The Coluan waited for Danielle and Jacques to finish their conversation. He had promised himself he would look after the young Girl and keep her safe while she was on this excursion and he planned to keep his word, if only to himself. Two minutes until Gim, Reep and Phoebe would rejoin them then, Querl Dox thought to himself, they would end this once and for all.

"You're friends will arrive soon, the telepathic monster will lead them here and the one with the muscles will collapse the ceiling above us. Then this will end. My visions have never been wrong, the future will be mine. You Legionnaires will not invade my home and leave unpunished; I am a Lord of Ventura! Do you not realise that I chose for you to meet my enhanced slaves at this time so you would come here now? Your team is weakened, stretched on all sides and you fools will die because of it... you will all die here today! "

Laurel had no idea what he was raving about, the old man had spittle flying from his mouth as he ranted about what was away to happen. She only hoped that her teammates were ready for whatever the old nut job was planning.

As the old man started to rant the ceiling at the far end of the room started to crack and with a loud bang Wonder Woman, Colossal Boy and Tellus flew through the ragged hole. Laurel Kent smiled as her friends arrived. Behind them Zoe, Jazmin and Dann flew in, followed by Brainiac 5 and, surprisingly, Danielle Foccart. Glorith and Jacques stood behind Danielle.

"Intruders, criminals... I am a lord of Ventura and you are trespassing!" spittle flew from his mouth as the old man shouted at the legionnaires.

"My scans show weapons in his chair... Tellus can you reach through the force screen?" Brainiac 5 glanced at a hard light screen that had popped up from his cyborg arm.

<I have immobilised his hands, he will not activate the chairs defences now>

"Laurel, you okay?" Jazmin and Zoe had flown over to their colleague as thir other teammates approached the Venturan Lord whose meta experiments had drawn them here.

"...yeah, of course, thanks." laurel smiled at her friends before turning to her teammates, "He's a precog so watch out, he's tricky business."

While Wonder Woman advanced on the old man he began to rant.

He called each of the Legionnaires various insulting names before beginning a particularly vitriolic diatribe about how his pre-sight had already shown him how they would each die that day. Thirteen quietly asked Chameleon Boy what the senior team member wanted to do. It would be easy for the Naltorian to switch off the force field that protected this rogue Venturan Lord. Chameleon Boy deferred to Brainiac 5 as the Coluan appeared to be working on a hard light screen that had popped out from his new cyborg arm.

"Make sure he doesn't escape please. Danielle and I will resolve this without anyone getting hurt." Querl said without looking away from the data flow that illuminated the air before his face. At his side Danielle Foccart stared intently at the display. As Querl returned to his work several panels in the ceiling drew back and small attack drones swarmed through. The old man laughter louder.

Kid Quantum froze over half of the attacking crafts almost immediately while Kinetix and Thirteen easily dispatched the remaining swarm before they got close to the team.

"No... You red haired witch, you should be dead!"

Kinetix turned to the old man as he cursed and pointed towards him, "Listen here you disgusting goat, I could telekinetically tear you out of that chair with a snap of my fingers if I wanted so show some respect." she snapped her fingers for effect as she stopped and the old man visibly flinched.

"... No.... I saw you die... You should be bleeding out on the floor... Ahh but perhaps you still will, yes... You will bleed out on the floor where you stand!"

Wonder Woman, Shield, Kinetix and Thirteen all started to mock the Venturan Lord but quickly quietened down as Brainiac 5 spoke, "The precognition you claim... It's not a natural ability. I've found three implants in your cerebral cortex that the machinery of your chair supports. We will leave here today, and you will remain as the current Lord of the appalling institution... though perhaps you need some reprogramming... Danielle would you like to do the honours?" Querl Dox nodded towards the young girl at his side and flicked a hard lightscreen over to her to read. Without an acknowledgement Danielle scanned the screen before squinting towards the old man. Her teammates all stood back and watched.

A laser rifle swing out from behind a wall though Wonder Woman ripped it apart before it could fire.

The old man did not appear to see this as he cheered the apparent deaths of Invisible Kid and Glorith.

"We can leave now, I have contacted the Science Police and informed them of the illegal operations happening here. Lord Drufl will give us no more concerns. We had reprogrammed his implants to show the fantasy that he had foresaw, perhaps in a way we've fulfilled his vision."

"Mon ami! Zat is monstrous!" Jacques said. Even as he spoke the old man gave another cheer as his fantasy world showed another death.

"Not at all my friend. We have solved this dilemma without ny further collateral damage, the Lord remains unarmed and we won't need to waste resources any further."

"Querl... This is highly dubious." Chameleon Boy said quietly, though they all heard.

"Indeed," Wonder Woman joined in, "this s dishonourable!"

"And beating up an old man would be preferable? You genuinely surprise me Reep. And Phoebe, you are a guest and as such..." the disappointment in the Coluans tone of voice was thick. The Legionnaires around him started to protest, some agreeing with their Coluan team mate while others followed Chameleon Boy's lead. Glorith moved next to Danielle and took her hand gently.

"Henry, we're ready to be picked up..." Colossal Boy spoke into his flight ring, though only static came back. He tried twice more before saying loud enough to stop the arguments around him "Guys.... I think we may have another problem to deal with...."

Skarford IV

Wildfire flew along the tunnel at supersonic speed well aware that Phantom Girl would not be able to keep up with him.

Right now the anti-energy Legionnaire was on a mission. It was quite simple: throw himself into every confrontation possible to take his mind off the widening rift that was growing between him and Dawnstar. During the 20th century they had needed each other but now they were back home it was obvious that their relationship... Their whatever the hell it was that had kept them close for the last seven years... Was falling apart. They had spent less and less time together in the last three months and Drake Burroughs realised that he was losing his Starhaven mate. If he hadn't lost her already.

Ahead of him his senses alerted him to two more of the Warmongers. His senses were so accurate since he had transformed that he was aware of the electric currents in the cybernetics, the heat coming from their torsos, the way the air was warmed almost in-perceivably by their breath as they hunched down waiting to ambush anyone in the tunnels not quick enough to spot them.

In seconds Wildfire had blasted them unconscious and flown on down the tunnel to the next stupid warmonger thinking this world could be theirs.

Harmonia watched from the ground as Titan gently flew into the air to hover a hundred or so metres above the Falmoroids.

She could feel the disgusting radiation in the soil around them, a legacy of the red skinned invaders nuclear detonation. Her skin crawled In discomfort but the ancient elemental kept her chin up and focussed on the event happening before her. She could sense the surge in psychic activity and was mindful to keep her thoughts to herself so as not to inadvertently affect the psionic network that was building before her. The air felt heavy as the mental energy increased.

Above the gathering crystalline natives Nasir N'Cube focussed.

The Falmoroids telepathy was different than the fluid mental streams that he was used to on Titan. Their thoughts had a sharp edge as they contacted his mind, an abruptness that he would consider almost rude where it to come from one of his own Titanian people. As the Falmoroids from across the continent linked to his mind he felt his consciousness become absorbed into a collective awareness of this ancient species.

Nasir struggled to keep hold of his own self awareness. Despite the awesome intelligence and knowledge he had gained from Shazam's lightning the force that struck him was almost too much. The Falmoroids lived to a incredible age, tens of thousands of years on average, the oldest being almost seventy thousand years old... Older by far than the entire length of known human history itself. Each had memories of their existence that to their own race was used as an identifier when their minds met, much as a human would offer their name.

The pressure of several thousand beings memories of many many centuries was stifling. The young Legionnaire concentrated on the artificial psychic static that the Warmongers had armed themselves with to prevent a telepathic invasion. He could sense the 57 remaining conscious minds on the planet as well as four on a small craft in orbit above. Titan let the psionic energy the Falmoroids had shared loose upon the Tyrrazians with a cry.

Within seconds every one of the Forge Chosen Warmongers had their artificial defences smashed apart as the hammer blow of the telepathic collective struck deep into their minds.

Titan had just won Sun Boy's challenge as he defeated the majority of the invaders in one blow.

The young Legionnaire didn't really care as he fell unconscious towards the ground below, crashing like a rock into the radioactive soil below.

Hoorah, my son got my computer kind of working again at the weekend and as I've no freelance work today I can get back to posting this.

Hope you are enjoying it so far, not long to go until the big climatic ending.

Sorry for the delay, but there is lots to come.

C

That's why we have children - to fix (or explain) our tech.

Happy to see the story continuing, Harbi. You're doing great world-building with all the small details behind the big story. Space Dragon opera - it brings to mind those interminable Maoist Chinese operas - the dark side of Ventura - Harmonia sensing the radiation in the ground - Kinetix calling the Venturan Lord a disgusting old goat... and I'm still fascinated by Darkling.

Andromeda hung in space before her winged colleague.

Less that 12 AUs away a dark nebulae obscured half of the stars from the sky around them with its dark billowing gaseous form, though behind her the darkness of space had been pricked by millions upon millions of pinholes of light from the Northern Arm of the Milky Way. If Dawnstar had not brought the subject up Kara would have quite liked to just hang here and absorb this most awesome sight.

Dawnstar had always appeared so aloof, confident and self contained, as if the universe around her could only offer distractions for the tracker from Starhaven as she went about her business, yet in the last couple of hours the Mutant Amerindian had opened up more than she had in the years the two women had known each other.

"So you're saying... Ah... Sorry Dawny but I'm unsure what to think... You and Drake, you never loved him?"

"No Kara, I do love Drake, he is a worthy companion but since returning home I no longer need him as I once did. My people often have companions that they travel the way with that are not... He... Drake is a good man but he... He is not a man, not in the way I need. He is... He is my best friend and I wish that our paths will be forever linked yet still I have needs and he cannot meet them. He even approached your Querl to have an adaption added to his suit but it is not what I had wished for."

Kara felt a blush rise on her cheeks a second later as the meaning of what her comrade was saying struck her.

The two women were silent for a few moments until Dawnstar continued, "I am unsure how to broach the subject with him without it upsetting him further. I have become increasingly tense with him of late and he does not deserve my scorn, it is my perceptions of our relationship that has changed, not his."

"Dawny... I'm so sorry honey, I can see how upset you are and wish I knew what to say to help. Have you told him? Just said it to him?"

"I know that our relationship is what keeps him ...together. He has told me that without our love he would have no reason to remain."

"...oh come on, he's a man and they always say stuff like that thinking they’re being romantic or something. Wildfire is a tough guy, he's a lot stronger than that surely? I mean, you know him better than I but I don't believe he'd leave the team if you... Well if you found someone else. He wouldn't, would he?"


"Ah... there was one other once, Johdan... I met him with Querl and... Kara I need to find him again... or another that can open my feelings out like that. My way is blocked without this, The time for procreation is upon me... I have such strong urges Kara that it makes it increasingly difficult to be around such vibrant men..."

Kara never said it but she was very grateful that it was at that moment Chameleon Girls message interrupted them.

Sister Eclipse pretended to be alarmed.

The Robotican Babbage had scanned the level they were on and discovered there were no more invaders so they had used a grav-lift and went searching on the levels below. They had found two more invaders searching the corridors.

"Allow me please..." the reptilian priestess said as she turned the corridor and approached them.

"Thank you, thank you oh great One Who Is Next!" she exclaimed in mock horror as she approached them. Both had drawn their gun arms out, pointing towards her. Neither recognised her as an established Legionnaire and as she appeared to be grateful to see them they did not immediately fire at her.

"Did you release me? The Legion had kept me captive against my will and..."

She said no more as she came into range to activate her possession power. As far as the invader she had not possessed was aware she simply vanished into thin air.

"What trickery is..." was all he said as she turned and clouted him over the head with his companion’s cyborg gun arm.

"Well that was easy..." Slingshot said as he strolled around the corner, "I'm going to put the cuffs on this one now do get ready to get out of him Sister."

"I want the next lot..." Atom Girl said with a tight smile as she joined her companions.

"My way is a lot less blood thirsty my dear." Sister Eclipse said softly.

"Not as much fun though..." The Imskian student smiled broadly as she replied.

Sade grinned savagely as Gear explained the situation.

The Rimborian teleporter was eager to give some payback to the invaders that had not only knocked her out with a sneak attack but, perhaps worse, had made her take them on a boring guided tour of the Legion's base beforehand. Her guns were in her hands as she followed Element Lad out of the room. Gear had reformed his body just outside the door.

The Linsnarian produced a holo of the planetoid that showed exactly where the Forge Chosen were currently along with the positions of the academy students and support staff. Chameleon Girl had control of the Monitor Room so had cut of all transmissions apart from the ones she wanted, which so far had been to the teams off base and the Science Police. She had activated internal security doors blocking exits and also access to the weapons stores and laboratories. Yera and Lu were in contact throughout via the telepathic comms to confirm Gear’s assessment and then added that it appeared that a few of the students and support staff were fighting back.

"Show me please." the Legion leader said, his face stern.

A holo appeared showing Dr Kabbo and Drura Sehpt moving along the upper corridors, an unconscious Tyrazzinan behind them.

"Go Drura!" Sade said happily as she spun her pistols around her thumbs.

The holo faded to show Babbage, Atom Girl, Slingshot and Sister Eclipse striking confidently along a corridor in the accommodation level.

"They have incapacitated six invaders so far, Sister Eclipse is proving to be particularly effective..."

"We should have voted them in..." Jan admitted darkly.

The holo changed again showing Harmonia Li's assistant, Loutharim Mango, the so-called Death Boy, skulking along a corridor, not that far from Infectious Lass and Dr Kabbo.

<Loutharim, please join Dr Kabbo and Drura in corridor 17B... We can't see any more invaders close by and you will all be safer if you stick together> the holo showed the young biochemist had no reaction as he continued to skirt along the wall.

"Damn it, the little idiot has taken off his flight ring... We can't communicate without announcing it to everyone else." Lu cursed as Harmonia’s new laboratory assistant continued to ignore their calls along the flight ring generated telepathic comm.

<We'll deal with it Jan, you go stop the group in Henry's Warp Room> Chameleon Girl reassured the team leader.

<Thank you Yera, keep us up to date with how the Academy kids are doing... We're going to end this now.>

Skarford IV

Dirk ordered everyone back into the cruisers.

A holo of Harmonia appeared almost instantly and told the deputy leader that she believed that for the time being she had to stay behind to help the Falmoroids at the Great Nest.

“Our team needs us Harmonia...”

“They have you Dirk, and whoever joins you. This planet is screaming in agony at the abuse it suffered, so I feel my place is here for now. It should only be a day or two...”

Backlash, Dragonmage and the Flash quickly offered to stay as well to help disable the last of the Warmongers technology and give support to the native races as they came to terms with the recent infiltration and attacks made by the Forge Chosen.

Sun Boy smiled, though not convincingly, as they each sent a holo azking to remain behind with Harmonia. He eventually agreed that the Legion should leave a small team to assist. Before the cruiser with Dr Shakespeare had arrived to pick up the unconscious Titan from the Falmoroids Great Nest, Sun Boy had already ordered Thunder, Wildfire and the Green Lantern to fly ahead. The rest of the team were already onboard the Legion’s star ship and they quickly blasted out of orbit leaving Harmonia and their three colleagues behind.

Phantom Girl stood beside Sun Boy as he piloted their craft back to their base. His anger was very visible. It would take an hour at least to get back to Sol space even with the advanced engines and warp capability that Brainiac 5 had installed to the cruiser. They were all aware that that single hour could mean life or death to their colleagues and friends. Tinya had never felt particularly close to Dirk but at that moment she understood him perfectly.

Legion World

Element Lad, Sade, Starkling and Gear were on their way to the Warp Control room when they came across Comet King cradling Grava in his arms. Retro was in a side room unconscious. Sade dealt with the new Legionnaire; ripping off the anaesthetic patch and being surprisingly gentle while he struggled back to consciousness.

Comet King flinched away from the Legionnaires, protectively putting his body between them and the unconscious Grava in his arms. Jan pulled rank with a barked order. With a wave of his hand the Trommite dissolved the anaesthetic patch on Comet Queen’s hand. As the former soldier that carried her whispered his relief and happiness into her ear Element Lad turned back to Gear to ask what was happening in the Henry’s Warp Control room.

Izor of Linsnar nodded before replying, “After the Emerald Empresses nannite attack Henry created a security sub routine that actively destroys invasive nannites so I’m unfortunately not able to function within, so am unable to report.” Jan grunted sarcastically before saying he would get Henry to get rid of that defence once they were done.

Yera’s holo appeared again, this time to inform them that the support staff and the few remaining conscious students have taken care of the last of the invaders, leaving only the four that the internal sensors had picked up in the warp control room. Element Lad was silent for a couple of seconds before asking her to send the support staff and students to rendezvous with them at Henry’s control room.

As there was only one door into the warp control room Element Lad had a plan.

The Legionnaires within were still registered as wearing flight rings so Jan asked Gear to transform into a huge spinning fan blowing towards the door, and once that was done he gave the Comets the precise positions of the Legionnaires and told them to bring their friends out safely as he transformed the door into chlorine gas. The cloud of poisonous gas flooded the room, blown in by Gear, and the Comets dashed in. Sade started to join them but was blasted at the door. Babbage stepped forward and released a burst of mini darts from his right forearm that swerved around the doorway and streamed into the room. As they heard the small explosions from the Robotican’s attack Jan asked Yera if she had a lock on where the Comets were. Chameleon Girl’s holo replied that they appeared to be frozen, unmoving.

“Time to put an end to this”, Element Lad said, his usual stoic expression taking on a grim edge as he stepped up to the door. Retro and Sister Eclipse were at his side. Just before he reached it Atom Girl darted in front and shot around the corner, “Just clearing any potential trouble.” She said with a determined grin on her face.

Element Lad strode in and shouted "Enough!"

"You have not won Legionnaire, the Chosen will be here soon and you will bow before me." The only one of the Forge Chosen left conscious was the old woman, standing beside the frozen Mon El. The Comets were both frozen mid flight with more egg shaped stasis pods against them.

"You Forge Chosen are beaten already, just give up lady before I turn a blind eye to my colleagues battering you unnecessarily."

" I am not the Chosen you idiot, I am the one who chose them, I am the Forge!" the woman screamed, her red skin melting off of her body in large strips revealing a golden skinned being with dark glass sections on her abdomen and forearms. She glowed with energy and bent her knees as if ready to pounce upon the Legionnaires.

"You would-be conquerors bore me." Element Lad said as the air around her started to sparkle and transform. Before she could move the Trommite had encased her in a block of inerton.

The students were shocked at how easily the Legion’s leader had taken out their opponent.

Atom Girl swore as Sister Eclipsed praised her deity. Element Lad paid no attention as he walked into the room and transmuted the statis eggs that hung on Mon El, Comet Queen and King, and Henry’s control panel.

He wiped sweat from his forehead with his left hand before breaking into a rare smile at the students.

“Can someone please make sure they are okay... I think I need to sit down for five minutes.”

Chameleon Girl watched as the Legionnaires took back control of the Warp Room. She could see from her monitors that Andromeda and Dawnstar were approaching and would reach them in seconds.

Yera let out a huge sigh of relief as she realised that she had been holding her breath as the Forge and her Chosen warriors were tackled by her teammates. Lu Durgo-Taine smiled at her Durlan teammate and said that the hard work wasn’t over yet, they still had to clean up. Both women gave a small laugh at the thought.

<Everyone, it's mop up detail now, we've cut of the snakes head so let's make sure we have catch the rest of them. Yera, can you send location details to our flight rings please...>

<Sorry Jan, the sensors don't show any left. Guess you guys have had your fun for the day now> Yera Allon's pride shone through the telepathic relay as she replied.

<good news, thanks. Okay everyone, let's sort out this mess... Before the next crisis hits us.>

The assembled Legionnaires and students laughed.

Yera Allon leant back on her chair and rubbed her eyes with balled fists. The Durlan actress understood why Gim wanted to be a Legionnaire; the adrenaline rush was incredible!

As she leant forward to help co-ordinate the cleanup Chameleon Girl noted that one of the proximity alarms had started to flicker pointing towards an anomalous reading to their Galactic west. Staring at the read out, Yera was confused... The proximity sensor noted a fluctuation in gravity waves, as if something was approaching Legion World but none of the other alarms or readouts confirmed there was anything else out there. Still, if the gravity wake the sensor had picked up was correct then there was something ten times as massive as Legion World less than 5000 kicks away.

Yera didn't know if it was a simple flaw in the sensor grid or something far more sinister but before she could speak Luornu Durgo-Taine leant forward and slammed her hand on the alarm button.

“Bastards!” the Cargggite swore, “The ambassadors were only the advance party, the real attack force is still out there.”

Habringer this was a really good way to come back to us.

i liked how the Precog Ventrua lord was dealt with and that Brainy used his future seeing tec. against him. that was a really good twist.

Zoe's attitude was just enough without being too boastful about her power.

Titan's scene was really well written and i'm finding i'm liking him more and more. Harmonia staying behind to help was a really good idea. her powers and knowledge will definitely help the Skarfordian's heal after this invasion.

I wonder if her team will encounter anymore trouble.

Dawnstar and Andromeda's scene was also well done. Her feelings towards Wildfire were well explained and I look forward to seeing how Dawnstar handles it all and i also wonder who she sees as a potential mate. (drama is coming )

I know they just ended a invasion but i'd love to see one of the skarfordian's join the Legion...or maybe this is the beginning of the thoughts of a Legion outpost on each world...

Sister Eclipse is really interesting and her and Babbage make a good team.

Death Boy took off his ring! WTH! he's going to be someone to watch. but i hope its for his Heroism and not for his mistakes.

Atom Girl is spunky.

Chameleon Girl was great. she could be a Leader option in the next round. You've made her more capable than i've seen others do with her outside of missions and i really like it. i still want her to lead the Academy though.

Gear as a gaint fan was really entertaining.

She's the forge not the chosen... so i wonder who the chosen is?

A planet is heading for Legion World... oh boy this is only start of something.

Can't wait for more.

Hey Omni, many thanks for your kind feedback, it's greatly appreciated.

Glad to hear the resolution of the Ventura team mission wwas okay, I was worried that it may be a bit low key after the build up.

The Skarford team left behind won't be forgotten about, I have two more posts to go for them. Titan though has just had his mind somewhat fried so we'll need to wait and see what happens there.... Hopefully you'll like what I have planned.

Ah Dawnstar, definitely the start of an arc there, the poor girl just isn't happy and Wildfire can't give her what she needs anymore. Poor Drake is in for a bit of a roller coaster ride and there may be a bit of dissension in the ranks before the dust settles there.

I like Sister Eclipse, Babbage and Atom Girl too so expect more of them soon. And as for Death Boy, well he's misguided but... Well he's not exactly bad but wait until his father reappears then we'll find out which side he's really on. That'll probably be the final chapter of part four, or the start of part five. Ive drafted it and can promise it's going to get messy.

The Chosen, ah, sorry that wasn't clear: the warriors were the Forge Chosen, she was the Forge, she did the choosing. I've edited the earlier post to make that a bit clearer, sorry about that. Way I see it she was their Mother/Leader; sort of queen of the Borg type, though not quite so hive mind-y or assimalating.

And as for that planet on a collision course, well one of our team is away to do something very dramatic and dynamic, let's hope they make it through.

Thanks again Omni, more very soon ( hopefully tomorrow).

Finally got to read!

Yera kept a very cool head, good for her.

I love how you used this opportunity to let the Support Staff and students take action!

Atom Girl and Slingshot! They would make a cute couple.

Zoe's sass was so her!

I applaud Brainy's resolution on Ventura. I do side with him, though I respect Reep's and Phoebe's feelings. Although, I do find it odd Brainy would play the "you're only a guest" card, I expected him to use logic. but then, I can also empathize with him being disappointed that some of his teammates disapproved.

I liked Jan's comment that Sister Eclipse, Atom Girl, Slingshot and Babbage should have been voted in. I was very impressed with the Sister. Is this a sign, then, that there is Legion membership in their future? Knowing Jan he will follow up on his comment.

Death Boy was smart enough to figure out the purpose of his flight ring, nice.

Uh oh, a big force coming. it's a good thing most of the Away Team members are coming back!

Thanks IB, great to hear your thoughts on this.

One of the characters I want to focus on in this arc is Yera so I haven't finished with her just yet, though I guess all that actress training has paid off and she can appear to be quite cool under pressure, which is just as well really

Glad you like my take on Zoe, I always think of you when I write her so am grateful for your approval.

Jan may or may not get what he wants, lets see if the students and team survive the imminent collision between Legion World and the Forge Chosen's battle world. And I'm afraid it's likely to all be over bar the shouting by the time it takes the returning teams to get back.

I was hoping to post the conclusion to this today but after three hours of rewriting I'm still not happy with the ending so will need to leave it there until later in the week to complete, sorry.