Sentinels of Justice: Cold War, Secret War!

By lawrenceliberty

The Sentinels learn Cold Wars are not limited to Earth!

Sentinels of Justice: Cold War, Secret War!



By lawrenceliberty



The Sentinels learn Cold Wars are not limited to Earth!



1

The Civic City Yacht Club was a luxurious compound where the very wealthy could mingle and indulge in various costly pursuits not entirely limited to sailing. The club’s members paid heavy membership fees and regularly hosted various charitable benefits for the less fortunate. The more cynic among them considered these events nothing more than an excuse to see and be seen since the society pages always featured plenty of photos of the wealthy patrons dressed to thrill. While socialite Eve Eden was certainly a sight designed to thrill any observer, the beautiful blonde, in a pink designer gown and heels, was only there to make a donation and help those in need.


She smiled for the camera and ignored a shrill woman who asked her if she had had worked done!


“I didn’t have a facelift but I was magically turned back into a girl of twenty or so! You should try it!” thought Eve as she waved and posed for a final barrage of photographers.


Eve knew all about magic. She was in fact the daughter of a deceased royal from a magical realm called the Land of the Nightshades. This other dimensional realm had been referred to as “the Shire” by one of her companions since in the dimension fantasy and magical beings were the reality much like those elements comprised popular novels of swordsmen and wizards!


Eve’s brother Larry actually ruled this amazing realm under the name Prince Laredon. The two siblings had been joyfully reunited after tears of lonely separation. While the handsome Larry had become a noble monarch in the realm of the birth, Eve had drawn upon certain magical powers of her own to become an Action Heroine called Nightshade although she concealed her true identity beneath a black wig and a pleated mini-dress and boots. She became the Darling of Darkness and used powers to become a shadow along with superb fighting skills to protect those in need alongside Action heroes like Captain Atom and their fellow Sentinels of Justice or the mysterious Soviet hero the Agent of CHESS!


She had indeed been magically rejuvenated during a visit to yet another magical dimension and she was thrilled to have gained the extra time since she truly wanted to do good as a heroine and possibly as something more. She wondered about taking her father’s seat in the Senate when he eventually retired? It was something to think about.


She smiled as she watched the others mingle at the gala. She was a kind woman and she had a good sense of humor. She rather liked making fun of the foibles of high society and had deliberately played the role of a brainless party girl for a long time. She would need to live that image down if she did decide to enter politics someday.


Eve frowned as one striking woman walked into the room from the open patio. She was lovely with a delicate heart-shaped face and long slightly curly blonde hair. She did not wear a traditional gown but rather she was clad in a flowing green ball gown that seemed to gleam with an otherworldly texture of its own.


She spotted Eve from across the crowded room and gestured to her in an impatient manner.


Eve hurried over and led her outside. She recognized the warrior woman in spite of her unusually demure attire. She was the Princess Melisaunde, Eve’s brother’s wife from the Realm of Nightshades!


Normally, the lithe blonde archer was dressed as the warrior woman she was since few men or women could equal her skill with a bow or sword.


Eve said, “Melisaunde! What brings you here? Is Larry okay?”


Melisaunde shook her head and said, “No. He is well. He is busy with matters of state but he sends you his love and a message of a strange circumstance that requires your attention Princess Eve!”


Eve listened intently and said, “I am glad you are both well. I was worried something bad had happened! I was a bit shocked to see you in this realm!”


Melisaunde said, “It is a most curious place but not the type of domain I should willingly choose to call my home!”


Eve said, “So, tell me, what is going on? You need my help?”


Melisaunde said, “You and Laredon have used your powers over the Nightshades to traverse said realm as well as to pass through dimensions betwixt the known worlds! A bizarre vehicle emerged within our home and Laredon feels it came from this dimension. He says it comes from what you call Russia!”


Eve gasped. “The Russians have invaded the Nightshade Realm! This could be a disaster! I will not only come back with you but I’ll bring my friends!”


2


Later, Eve, dressed in the dark mini-dress, boots, and wig she wore as Nightshade, stood before an assembly of her fellow Sentinels of Justice in the palace from which her bother Laredon ruled the Realm. It had been simple enough to transport the group to the magical realm from one of her rural homes outside DC.


A tall man in a bright red, white, and blue costume smiled and stroked his mustache and he pushed his mask away from his handsome features. His heroic name was Supernova and as Alec Rois he was a true genius…and a reformed Action Villain!


“Nightshade, I know you mentioned the need for us to enter your mystical homeland; however, you really didn’t need to eliminate the satellite as a starting point. With a little experimentation, I know I could invent something to make it easier for you to reach this fascinating land from earth or space!” he said.


Vulcan (John Mann) was a burly figure in the gaudy armor of an ancient Roman gladiator. He was a former war correspondent who could easily discern the various foibles of human nature even when found in such an exceptional collection of super human beings.


He found Supernova’s ego to be extremely annoying although he did trust the changed man and had no skepticism about his good intentions.

It was merely his arrogant manner that bugged Mann.


Mann had plenty of reasons to feel confident himself since had not only possessed mystical powers granted by Roman gods from myth but he also had once held the position of Monitor and as such had been privy to a universe full of information and experiences. Now, he was happier as an Action Hero with impressive if diminished powers and responsibilities.


Captain Atom (Nathaniel Adam) interrupted and said, “Thanks, Alec. We don’t doubt your capabilities but Nightshade knows the Realm better than any of us. Let’s follow her lead on this one!”


Nightshade flashed a grateful smile at the atomic powered patriot. They were old friends and in spite of his new relationship with Lady Quark and her own attraction to several different men including the mysterious Agent of CHESS, they retained affection for one another.


Lady Quark (Tashana) was a refugee from a lost world in which she and her husband Lord Volt and their daughter Princess Fern had been part of a group of Royals who protected normal citizens on an Earth dominated by several dynastic royal houses. Volt was lost to her not by death necessarily but by time itself. He had sacrificed himself by tackling a villainess and plunging into the time stream with her struggling in his arms. Lady Quark and Captain Atom had failed to find him and their growing attraction to one another made the entire quest problematic although both of them had tried every possible option. Lady Quark had short platinum blonde hair and wore a simple golden leotard. At times the garment crackled with the raw energy she controlled just as her cold but lovely features often flashed with the fiery temper that drove her.


Next to Lady Quark sat an even more exotic woman named Silver Scarab. Silver Scarab (Dr. Melanie Case) was a brilliant scientist who worked for another Sentinel the absent Blue Beetle (Ted Kord). She possessed an other-dimensional magical scarab that transformed her from a flirty redheaded scientist into a platinum blonde beauty with gossamer wings and a pink and white costume. She was new to the powers the scarab granted her but her intellectual curiosity and desire for adventure enabled her to overcome any doubts she may have had. She did miss Kord who was away on a personal mission of his own that involved another missing hero- Booster Gold.


The next member was a pretty woman with short black hair, perfect make-up, and a brief green and white costume that consisted of green thigh high boots, a green top and a fluffy white tutu- style bubble skirt. Alice Medley or Tomorrow Woman worked for Kord as well as a secretary and the perky, fashion plate held one other remarkable trait. She was loving and emotional and beautiful and caring but beneath her striking style and glamour she was an artificial woman- literally made in a lab of synthetic parts. No one would know this either by gazing at her or listening to her conversation since she was programmed with artificial memories and sentimentality of a normal human. She even had a perky demeanor at times and a sense of humor.


The final member was the multi-talented Liberty Belle (Candy Dean) The brilliant blonde was Deputy Leader of the team. She possessed enhanced strength, speed, and agility although her Olympic level abilities were matched by what seemed to be an endless array of talents ranging from marksmanship to computer science.


She said, “You said Russians had invaded the Realm. We know people from various eras of our dimension have entered by accident. Your ally Rebel came from the 1860s for example but emerged in our time. Did these Russians come from our time or some other era? For that matter was their entrance by chance or design?”


Prince Laredon sat close to his bride Melisaunde and spoke in a rather somber tone of voice.


“The craft, for they entered within a vehicle of some type, had Russian markings. I have learned much more about your realm since Eve liberated this kingdom from the tyrant that separated us for so long. It did not seem to descend from space as much as it just appeared much like Eve traverses via magic!”


Melisaunde added, “They have not emerged from their metal shell! They skulk within like some type of cowardly animal. We have approached their shell but they have failed to come out.”


Laredon added, “Nor could we penetrate the hull. That is the correct term is it not? The books Eve brought me have taught me much but I have not fully retained all they contained!”


Nightshade said, “That’s right. It does sound like a Russian rocket or space craft but magic may have been responsible for its arrival here.”


Lady Quark said, “We know enough now. Let’s investigate. They may even be in need of help!”


Supernova said, “Correct and we can get inside their ship with ease. I can teleport inside if we deem that necessary!”


Lady Quark scowled. She did not like waiting nor was she patient by nature. She respected most of the others but perhaps deep inside, she did not always regard them as her equals.


They departed from the castle and approached a clearing near a wooded area. Melisaunde pouted slightly as she received specific orders from her husband’s sister.


“Stay back and observe. You know the land better than we do. Should anything happen to go wrong, get back to Larry and tell him. We might need you to bring some of our other friends here!”


She agreed as any loyal soldier would but she preferred to fight and she made no effort to conceal it.



A large spacecraft rested within the area. Certain writings indicated Russian origin as did the overall design with a few differences in formation.


Captain Atom said, “It came from Russia. The name proves that as much as the style. The name Vesta makes that clear. It also looks like it was guided by an expert pilot. After all, it landed in the middle of this clearing with forest on almost every side.”


Supernova said, “I concur. It looks like the Vega probe but I assume this larger craft is manned!”


At that moment several costumed figures rushed out from an opening hatch and charged at the heroes.


Silver Scarab smiled ruefully. “I’d say that’s a safe deduction!”


Liberty Belle flipped acrobatically away from energy beams that crackled through the air in her direction. Several of the costumed figures who emerged from the spacecraft seemed determined to target her specifically.


She was able to avoid the blasts but even her agility allowed her to do nothing more than dodge the attacks.


Captain Atom flew forward and intercepted one of the laser beams as a speeding figure in red armor charged toward him.


“He looks a bit like a member of the Soviet Tokamak squads but smaller and faster!” he thought as he increased his own speed and began to grapple with the armored titan!


Captain Atom said, “You won’t invade this Realm without heavy losses! You better head back to the Soviet Union while you still can!”


The Russian replied in perfect English but the armor distorted the voice into an emotionless drone.


“You have your nerve to speak of invasions after you Americans destroyed my homeland and murdered millions!” he said.


Captain Atom frowned as he suddenly lost the advantage and was knocked back down to the ground.


“He’s either delusional or something is very wrong here! Could this bunch come from one of those other Earths like the ones we discovered during the Crisis?” he mused.


Nearby, Supernova had flown skyward to face a weird metallic humanoid with a torso that narrowed at the hips and then broadened out to a normal size at the legs.


“Clearly this thing is a Russian robot or Bostok! I don’t think the Action criminals back home like Koste have much to worry about as far as the Communist scientists are concerned! That thing is pathetic looking!”


He blocked a punch from the robot and twisted aside to avoid a blast of energy from the creature’s jetpack.


He altered his own density and passed directly through the metal being in an intangible state! He returned to solidity below the robot and then phased once more in order to grip and then tear out some of its internal wiring.


Supernova grunted with pain as some of the current surpassed his own costume’s shielding.


“That’s what you get for being an arrogant cuss, old Boy!” he thought.


Liberty Bell had managed to regain her footing and launch an attack on a sultry looking woman with long black hair and a filmy purple dress.

She aimed a stunning kick at the smirking woman but missed.


A second attack left the blonde beauty on her knees as she seemed to once again fail to connect with the mocking woman.


“She’s not becoming wraithlike like Supernova. She’s just not where I see her!” deduced the All-American Girl.


Belle flipped backward and aimed her body directly to the left of the taller woman.


She felt an impact and heard a satisfying grunt as she hit what appeared to be empty air but was apparently her foe’s true position. The woman suddenly appeared beneath Belle where empty space had appeared to be previously. Belle connected with a quick nerve jab that left her enemy stunned.


Nearby, a ruggedly handsome man with red hair and a stocky but muscular build closed in on Silver Scarab.


He wore a black and white costume and smiled at her approvingly.


“You are a lovely American but I ripped the wings off butterflies when I was a youth. Imagine what I may do to your gossamer beauty!” he said.


She flew aside as he released energy bursts from his linked hands.


“He seems to have to close his palms together to emit those bursts. Maybe, I can use that to my advantage!” thought Melanie Case.


She kicked him in the stomach and then brought her knee up to his chin as he doubled over. She flew upward again and struck him with all of her scarab enhanced speed and strength and he collapsed before he could channel his internal energies again into a force blast.


Lady Quark was wrestling furiously with a woman who had assumed the form of a giant bear. The other woman was stronger and more savage than the regal royal but Tashana was angry and her fiery temper fueled her own powers. The yellow leotard she wore now flashed with pulsating energy.


She snarled in anger and lowered her head as she deliberately closed in on the bigger woman and allowed her body to become encased in a nimbus of nuclear fire that surged and then hurled the bear-woman across the clearing.


“Impudent beast!” she said with a scornful look on her face.


Tomorrow Woman was deftly deflecting projectiles that dropped on her from the surrounding woods.


She used her TK power to knock the wooden limbs away even as she studied her own foe. The man was small and had a large head. He wore a blue costume and smiled confidently as the battle continued.


“I don’t have to hit you every time, my dear. Sooner or later one of the fallen trees with connect with you if you tire or lose concentration. The odds are in my favor! Such is my very name of Mozhet!” he said.


She gasped as one of her high heels abruptly snapped and she lost balance long enough to be struck by a suddenly falling tree branch.


“Goodness!” she gasped as she concentrated and lifted the limb off her body.


As she did so the ground below her became soft and muddy and she sank into a newly opened bog.


“He’s causing the environment around us to change to suit his purposes!” she realized.


“He also just about ruined my skirt!” she thought with a frown.


Vulcan was not worried about his costume. He just concentrated on blocking the massive axe his foe was bringing down on him. The bearded man was powerful and wore a black armor with a gold cloak. He laughed as they fought and seemed to enjoy every moment of the battle.


“I am Perun, little man! I gift you with the pleasure of combat! Perhaps, I shall even honor you with a sudden violent death!” he bellowed!


Vulcan blocked another attack with his own sword as he thought, “This Son of Mars makes Dr. Kong look like a boy scout!”


Even as the Sentinels fought onward against the strange invaders and Melisaunde watched in frustration, the most important battle was being waged by Nightshade herself and a pretty girl in a black leotard and silver boots. The blonde looked too innocent to be a hardened warrior like the others but it was not her girlish demeanor but the nature of her power that would prove so significant.


Darklight, as she was called, circled Nightshade warily. She could fly but she also was surrounded with a black energy field that defied the sunlight This dark matter seemed all too familiar to Eve Eden!


“She uses some kind of shadow energy not entirely unlike my own ability to become a shadow. I think she brought them here from Russia in the same way I can travel through the Shadowlands to reach the realm of Nightshades!”


“Who are you? What do you want?” she said.


Darklight said, “You know all too well. Your costumes, your language, all mark you as American Action Heroes. You have killed our loved ones, ruined our once proud nation, and driven us to exile but even here you pursue us!” she cried.


Nightshade dodged as a giant hand made of black energy narrowed missed her body. The girl could shape the black energy into solid constructs as well as travel through it.”


She said,”We are Americans. We have ideological disagreements with your Soviet leaders but we have never attacked your homeland. We have never invaded The Soviet Union!”


Rocket Red continued to exchange blows with Captain Atom as the hero struggled to make sense of the situation.


He said, “Stop! Let’s stop and talk for a moment. There is no harm in taking a minute to treat one another like humans!”


Tomorrow Woman had reached the same conclusion. Her compassion had led her to raise both hands in a placating gesture to the man called Mozhet.


“Please! We mean you no harm. Why have you invaded this Realm?” she asked.


Mozhet said, “Invaded? We came here to escape from your allies. They drove us from our world and Darklight used her shadow walking skill to bring our craft to this strange world!”


Supernova stood over the defeated Bostok and frowned. He could recognize the robot’s design from the plans of countless other automatons he had built or seen. It was strangely similar to other robots he had designed but it also seemed to consist of a few differences that marked it as not merely Soviet but also alien.


“ I get the impression they come from a Soviet Union located on another planet much like Earth. They aren’t from the Russia we know!” he shouted.


The redhead called Protectorate yelled in anger as he saw his allies slow their attacks on the American heroes. He slammed his fists together and as his palms met, energy blazed out at Silver Scarab. She danced aside and the red burst struck Nightshade from behind.


She fell in pain even as Darklight looked at her brother (Protectorate) with an expression of regret.


At that moment, Melisaunde impulsively drew an arrow and fired it at Darklight. She felt she owed it to her husband and king to safeguard his sister no matter what orders she had been given.


The shaft struck the blonde girl a glancing blow and her powers erupted around the teams.


Melisaunde raced forward as a cloud of darkness swallowed them all. It faded away slowly to reveal the deserted spacecraft and an empty clearing. Both the Sentinels and the Soviets had been hurled through the Shadowlands as Darklight called the inter-dimensional void she accessed so readily.


“By the Realm!” gasped Melisaunde as she stared in disbelief at the now silent clearing.


3


Nightshade recovered from the energy bolt even as she fought to regain control of her senses. She was familiar with the sensation of walking through shadows to the Realm of the Nightshades but even she was not used to the sudden violent displacement through a realm akin to but not identical to the one she knew so well. She swallowed hard and tried to focus but even she could not get her bearings in the blackness of what she instinctively recognized as a dimension called the Shadowlands. She was only slightly more prepared than her friends when they all emerged into the bright light of day in what appeared to be New York City.


“Is everyone okay?” she asked as she glanced around at her friends. None of them had reacted to the dimensional teleportation with any sense of ease or confidence. It had been entirely too abrupt and violent for that to be the case.


Supernova said, “I have had a bit of experience with phasing into and out of a material world but this was completely alien to me. I mean that literally since I am convinced more than ever than those Soviets were not of our Earth but came from somewhere similar. My costume’s internal sensors indicate that we are not on our earth or even a parallel Earth. This planet is in our universe but all my scans suggest it is almost completely like Earth with some notable differences!”


Liberty Belle said, “The streets are deserted. It is almost like there’s been some war or atomic disaster but structural damage is almost nonexistent from what I can see. Skyscrapers, parks, normal stores and offices are all around us but no people!”


Nightshade said, “Blacklight brought us here with powers much like my own. The catch is I can’t return us. I’ve been trying to reach out and I can’t find a way home. I can enter shadows like always but they don’t lead me to Earth!”


Captain Atom said, “I don’t think Blacklight even meant to do it. She was reacting out of pain. I think she shunted us back to her world by accident. Melisaude struck her with an arrow. It was a glancing blow but certainly capable of causing trauma.”


Silver Scarab placed one gloved hand on Tomorrow Woman’s shoulder.


“Are you okay, honey? This has been a shocking day for all of us!” she said.


Tomorrow Woman smiled ruefully and said, “Thanks, Melanie. I do feel out of place. I’ve never been much of a traveler. I’m still just a homebody who likes to curl up with a good romance or fashion magazine after work!”


At that moment Vulcan yelled, “Look out! We have incoming and they don’t appear too friendly!”


He gestured to where several colorful figures had emerged from one of the tallest skyscrapers in the area. The stately structure had a sign near the front lobby door that read “Warner Building.”


The fastest moving figure was a pretty young woman with blond hair and rather wholesome All-American looks. She smiled in a cocky manner that made it clear to all that she was not only sure of herself but relished her life. She wore a red and orange costume that left her legs bare above orange boots.


She glowed a vibrant yellow as she flew closer and the heroes felt a rise in temperature.


“You picked a bad day to play dress up! Kid Inferno likes groupies but you went a little too far!”


Lady Quark scowled.


“It will take more than your paltry radiation to disturb one who controls atomic fire!” she said.


She grinned and said, “Nice look, Annie Lennox but I’m more of a Bon Jovi fan!”


She raised his hands and bolts of energy encircled Lady Quark. She flew upward and narrowly avoided the younger woman’s heat beams. They circled each other in the sky as Kid Inferno’s allies attacked her friends!


A massive blond man with a handsome features and a muscular body wearing nothing except for brief white trunks marched confidently forward and raised a huge fist over his head.


“Aye, I know the Kid’s an arrogant little wench but she’s our arrogant little wench so what is a god of honor like me to do but stand by his ally!” he said.


He swung at Supernova who was caught by surprise by the bigger being’s speed. He crashed to the ground and hastily flew out of range of the titan’s reach.


“Hercules is all heart. He won’t hurt you too badly unless you count the way his massive ego might crush you!” quipped the Kid as she tried to strike Lady Quark.


Silver Scarab was under attack as well from a pretty Chinese woman in a white costume that consisted of white briefs and boots with a long sleeved collarless jacket. She seemed to concentrate for a moment and then her body changed into a gleaming white marble and two matching white marble knights materialized before her and raised their lances in the direction of the startled Scarab.


“Surrender! You don’t want to make us angry! Breaking curfew is bad enough without wearing costumes and displaying actual super powers!” she said.


The Silver Scarab flew upward and fought to shield herself from the charging knights.


“Chess may look like a dainty damsel but her magical chess automatons make her one of the toughest of us!” said the Kid Inferno.


Captain Atom found himself facing a grim man with long red hair and a red and white costume with a short cape. He looked at the Atomic Knight with intelligent eyes that glared out from an otherwise handsome face.


“You possessed nuclear energy within your body. I can only speculate how you gained such a curious metabolism but unfortunately for you,

I’m one of the only men alive capable of countering it!” he said.


A narrow beam erupted from the center of a circular plate on his chest. It hit Captain Atom directly in the chest and hurled him across the street.


“X-ionization! Exactly like something Koste would use on me!” he gasped as he felt his own strength begin to fade.


“Rather elementary if you’re a genius with an unlimited access to a billionaire’s resources!” said the supernaturally gifted Red Raider!


“Unlimited access to ego if you ask me!” bellowed a giant blond newcomer who towered above the others at around 15 feet tall as he grabbed at Supernova only to miss as the scientist turned intangible.


Red Raider scowled and said, “Very droll, Kal-Thar!”


Silver Scarab abruptly whirled around and allowed her gossamer wings to disperse the two knights but they fought against her mini-wind with skill and magical strength.


“Hey, Tinkerbell! Pick on someone your own size!” yelled an archer who jumped forward and fired two shafts at the Silver Scarab!


She dodged one but the second one produced a gooey substance that covered her wings and brought her down with a stunning crash. She struggled to break free of the glue-like substance but it had covered her whole body and her super strength could do nothing against its unique composition.


“I can’t punch free of this stuff and it is holding me fast!” she thought.


Chess reappeared over her and smiled winningly.


“Thank you, Falcon A girl appreciates some chivalry from time to time!” she said as she changed her mystical knights to a Rook that erupted into a stunning gas that caused the Silver Scarab to gasp for air.


The giant Kal-Thar seemed to ignore Supernova’s attempts to fight back and the super scientist mused his hulking foe’s enlarged body must have some kind of invulnerability.


Tomorrow Woman hurried to help her friend but she was blocked by a man in a blue costume with purple trunks and a bandana that covered his upper face. He stared at her with eyes that both approved of her looks but disapproved of her actions.


“I’m the Chaos Commando. You cannot hope to challenge the archetype of anarchy!” he declared in a stentorian tone.


Tomorrow Woman frowned and she focused her mental might in a concussive blow that rocked the stalwart figure backward but failed to stun him as he executed a brilliant acrobatic flip.


He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer as she struggled to break his grip which obviously had enhanced strength.


Liberty Belle had not ceased her own fight since the attack started. She was furiously countering each expert move by a man in a red, white, and blue costume and cowl.


“Little Lady, you wear our nation’s colors but how well do you represent them if you associate with these Communist devils?” he said.


He flipped aside as she kicked at him but his own lunge failed to connect as Belle jumped over his head.


“Captain Flag may just speech you to death!” quipped the archer called Falcon.


Lady Quark had fallen down as Kid Inferno had burst into an explosion of energy that sapped even her power!


The young woman called Kid Inferno staggered as she landed. Clearly, beating her foe had robbed her of much of her own stamina as well.


Nightshade was reeling backward as well as a weird woman with long black hair, deathly pale skin and a slinky black evening gown and heels moved silently forward and reached for her with one hand.


She turned to shadow form but she managed to make contact with her body in spite of the change.


She cried out in pain as she solidified and she fell into her arms. The attack had been sudden and devastating.


“Apparition makes up in power what her lacks in charm!” said Falcon


Vulcan was grappling with Hercules and his best efforts were proving ineffective.


“Give place to the Son of Zeus! Give place while you may still use your limbs, Jackal!” cried the powerful man.


Vulcan swung his own but the taller man blocked it with a golden wrist band..


“I’m getting tired of facing guys who are bigger than I am!” thought Vulcan.


At that moment a newcomer flew into view and struck Vulcan with stunning force. He wore a solid red costume. He was a handsome man with dark hair and a mustache. His name was Dr. Ralph Hardy but as the costumed champion of the animal kingdom he was famous as the Jaguar!


Liberty Belle looked left and right and realized her friends were being defeated by this strange assembly of super humans! They were American for the most part but they were as hostile to her team as the Soviets had been before. She wondered if this group had been responsible for the deaths and destruction in a Soviet Union that Blacklight and Mozhet had referred to?


“If we don’t change things fast, we’ve had it! It’s like anything that could go wrong has gone wrong!” she said softly.


Kal-Thar had pinned Supenova even as Captain Atom had staggered Red Raider.


At that exact moment a small silvery flying saucer like something out of an old movie dropped down from the sky and a hatch slid open to reveal a man with blond hair and a dark spacesuit.


“Hurry inside my ship! I will help you!” he declared as he raced forward and Lady Quark’s still body suddenly floated upward and into his ship!


4


As the mysterious blond man urged the Sentinels into his saucer, their foes fell back in the wake of the odd craft’s sudden surge into space!


“They won’t give chase! Some of them like Red Raider or Apparition could survive in space but they have no desire to leave the planet itself from what I’ve observed!” he announced as Captain Atom and the other Sentinels recovered or rested from their ordeal.


Captain Atom said, “We appreciate the rescue but who are you?”


The blond man laughed and said, “My name is Rick Servy. I understand your confusion. You see, I come from Earth as well. Have you heard of the Tunguska Event of 1908? Essentially, a comet exploded over Siberia and caused significant damage or so the story goes. In truth, the comet was a space craft that crashed on Earth. My father found it and modified the wreckage to suit his own needs. He was a brilliant scientist. He finally managed to repair the deserted ship and he used it to take my mother into space. He sought to flee from the violent global conflicts that he so rightly envisioned would occur in the next few decades! I was born in space. My parents found sanctuary and good friends on another world. Certain biological alterations performed upon me by my father’s alien friends basically stopped my own aging upon reaching adulthood. I came here recently to explore. You see, this planet called Terra, shares many cultural, linguistic, and environmental traits with Earth. I planned on stopping here briefly and then going on to your Earth- the world my father and mother came from so long ago. That plan altered when I was attacked by the beings you just fought. I was able to read their minds easily. They are American Action Heroes but they have become tainted in some manner. They are ruthless and they almost destroyed the Russia of Terra as you may have discovered. They eliminated their Russian counterparts and became dictators within their own nation! I have monitored them without deducing the reason they changed from idealistic heroes to cruel tyrants!”


Supernova said, “Fascinating! I have several theories on how a planet could develop along the same historical patterns as Earth but more to the point what made those men and women become monsters? They drove the Soviet champions of Terra to a dimension called the Nightshade Realm. We encountered them and one of them accidentally teleported us here!”


Servy said, “I have been known as the Cosmonaut to some. You may call me by that name or merely address me as Rick. I have a plan by which I hope to liberate this mirror-world of Earth!”


Liberty Belle said, “We would like to help you. What can we do?”


Vulcan said, “Under different circumstances, we might have been changed into the same kind of invaders those Action Heroes of Terra’s America became!”


Lady Quark snorted derisively. “I disagree. Weakness of character could account for such a change but nothing would make any of us become morally bereft of all sense of right and wrong!”


Servy said, “According to databases I have tapped into on this world, there was a time when this world had noble heroes who would have resisted whatever turned the remaining ones into such extremists. Sadly, they all disappeared one by one during the later years of the 1940s!
Their loss is a mystery I have never been able to solve.”


Suddenly, a newcomer appeared aboard the ship. He was a young man in a red shirt with blue pants. He had blond hair and looked earnest and intelligent. He materialized aboard the ship in a sleek but clearly futuristic car.


“Don’t be scared. I am a friend. My name is Scott Rand. I am a time traveler. I have been exploring time in my time car and when I monitored this era and saw how badly things had changed, I decided to try to make things right. I learned of your arrival and saw my chance to fix the whole messed up situation!”


Supernova said, “We know a time traveler. Some of them are not overly reliable!”


Scott said, “Well, I’m all you’ve got. You see, I know something you don’t know. I know that time displacement is what messed things up to begin with. The great heroes of the past were all snatched away from their proper time in the late forties and they’ve been trapped in a timeless limbo ever since.”


Nightshade said, “Can you take us there? We could free them!”


He nodded and said, “That’s my plan!”


As they worked to prepare for their rescue mission, the Cosmonaut studied them silently. They were a remarkable group.


“Few would risk their lives for a world not their own! My father may have been wrong when he deserted Earth and declared its redemption to be a lost cause!” he mused.


Silver Scarab stayed close to the Cosmonaut. She was fascinated by his ship and the machines within it.


“So you can tap into Scott’s time car engine and enter the limbo domain?” she asked.


He nodded and said, “I owe most of the wonders aboard my ship to the kind aliens who befriended my family during our time in space. They shared willingly and taught me much! Still, I am eager to see the real planet Earth and leave this strange counterpart to its own devices!”


The Cosmonaut turned to face them as the ship suddenly lurched and then brilliant lights seemed to erupt around it.



5


The heroes watched as the Cosmonaut guided his amazing saucer down to what appeared to be an ancient temple! The vegetation around it seemed to be the kind one would find in Africa.


The group filed out of the ship while Scott remained aboard with his time machine.


“I’m not going to leave it unguarded!” he explained.


Silver Scarab nodded and said, “Yes, losing it would be much worse than merely missing the next bus home!”


Supernova flew forward toward the temple and became intangible long enough to slip inside and scout around. He was shocked by what he found.


Hundreds of pods apparently designed to provide suspended animation life support for those containing within their silvery embrace lined the temple.


He frowned as he gazed down at one and saw a dark haired man in a blue and red costume. The pod was labeled “The Wizard (Blane Whitney).
Next to the pod was one containing a beautiful young woman. Her pod was labelled “Jane Barlow Whitney.” A third pod showed a costumed young man of around 19 or 20. His label read “Roy Carter.” The fourth one contained a heroic figure in red, white, and blue. His label read The Shield (Joe Higgins).


Supernova shook his head in amazement. “Someone has kidnapped all of these people and apparently preserved them since 1948. Some are clearly Action Heroes while others seem to be friends or family members of the captive heroes!”


He began to open them which was easy enough for a man of his genius. He became so preoccupied with the task that he failed to return to his friends in time according to their prearranged plan. Thus, Captain Atom, Liberty Belle, Tomorrow Woman and the rest of the team eventually hurried inside.


“I’ve found the missing heroes!” he explained.


The Wizard was the first of the captives to awaken. He swiftly checked on his wife and partner and once he noticed they too were slowly reviving from their decades long slumber, he turned to the heroes and said, “You’re heroes too! I can sense that much about you. You come from Earth but not our Earth! I’ve met some people from more than one parallel Erath in my day!”


The Shield nodded and said, “Old friend, we’ve been asleep for far too long!”


A red haired man in a black and red costume emerged from another opened pod and said, “It is my fault! It’s all my fault. I was captured by the Queen of Sheba in the early forties and you were lured here trying to save me!”


The Wizard placed one hand on the man’s arm and said, “Firefly, it is not your fault. We did look for you but we failed to find you. We were trapped here later on and the captor came after us!”


Captain Atom said, “We think you were taken so your world could be taken over by someone who turned the other heroes bad or at least controlled their reactions!”


A man in black and gold known as the Black Hood slammed his fist into his palm and said, “We’ll take back our planet even if it takes us years!”


The Cosmonaut explained that his ship had a dimensional storage chamber that would easily allow them to take all the prisoners of limbo back to the Terra.


“My ship looks smaller on the outside than it is on the inside. It is one of the wonders of the aliens who befriended me and my parents!” he explained.


The next few hours were spent with Supernova, Liberty Belle, Silver Scarab, Nightshade, and conferring with the Cosmonaut on their next step.

Gradually, Liberty Belle determined that the captive heroes were the Wizard, Roy, the Shield, Dusty, Firefly, Fireball, Bob Phantom, Black Hood, the Hangman, the Web, the Fox, Black Jack, Kardak, the Marvel, Miss Liberty, Dr. Night, Zambini, and Steel Sterling. Some of them had formed a group called the Mighty Crusaders. The other captives were their closest allies.

After talking things over with the Sentinels, the Shield declared, “I knew Hercules, Captain Flag, and Kal-Thar and they were all good men. I also can’t imagine any heir to the Inferno and Captain Commando I knew could turn bad.”


The Wizard said, “Apparition sounds like the Black Witch using a new name. Falcon puzzles me but I read of a legendary Robin Hood type crusader knight with that name once. As for Jaguar, I can’t say I know of such a man or this woman called Chess! Perhaps, they started their heroic careers at some point after we were taken!”


The important thing is we get ourselves and our loved ones back home and try to resume our lives!” said Bob Phantom.


As they filed aboard the saucer Scott Rand studied them carefully and said, “You can get back to Earth but only to 1988 Earth. There is residual chronal energy in each of you. None of you can risk going back to 1948. I can only take you back to the present!”


As the freed captives mulled this over and the Wizard comforted his wife while the others did the same for their friends and family, a weird image appeared on the ship’s monitor.


It showed what appeared to be a massive exposed human brain nestled in a remarkable computer.


“I have the answers to your plight. You see I am the one who placed you all in Sheba’s limbo after removing her. I did so because I wanted to use Terra as an experiment. I wanted to see how life there would change without any major Action Heroes. Thus, I left a few minor ones and observed things. I knew none of you or your friends would age so I could retrieve you at any time should I desire to alter the conditions of my little test planet! When new heroes like the Jaguar or Kid Inferno appeared, I merely observed them as well until recently when Soviet heroes arose and I vowed to free my world of any Communist aggression. I manipulated the heroes left into hunting down those who would interfere with my project. They were easily controlled and they succeeded in driving the Communists from Terra!”


Supernova said, “Terra? I’ve heard that before. The world we left….the world these captives came from…was never Earth was it? It was always Terra?”


The brain seemed to blink and the weird voice said, “Well done, Dr. Rois. You are so boring as a hero. Return to your true calling as a super villain.”


The Fox shouted, “What is this Terra nonsense? I’m from good old planet Earth. We all are!”


The brain replied, “No, you are not. I am from Earth 4 like Captain Atom and these other Sentinals. I even opposed other heroes known as the Mystery Men once or twice. I became bored. I am a genius who has mastered all sciences. I found a parallel Earth and designated it Earth MLJ for reasons all my own. It was destroyed. I found a barren world and named it Terra. I used time travel, mind control, terraforming, genetic manipulation, and cloning among other sciences to ensure that Terra’s history duplicated that of Earth MLJ up until 1948. I even made sure all of you heroes –counterparts to the dead MLJ heroes came into being. I had plenty of time since I am practically immortal. It was easy enough to do since I had access to the past of Earth MLJ and all the scientific wonders needed to produce an exact copy of centuries of history and social development. I tell you, it amused me for a good long while. In 1948, I became bored and removed the major heroes. As I said, I also recently had the remaining heroes like the doltish Kal-Thar drive off the Soviets so my experimental world could resume its course of history according to my plan!”


Captain Atom shouted, “You may be hot stuff around here, mister but we’re going to shut you down! You made a big mistake because those Soviets came to Earth and attracted our attention!


"Captain Atom, you arrogant worm! Did I make a mistake... or did I intend for them to draw you here and enable you to free my captives so I could introduce a new element into the experiment? Perhaps, I now want to let Terra develop anew with freshly returned champions and newly liberated pawns like Hercules and Chess to interact with! Tell me, Captain Atom, do you truly exercise free will or is your every move part of my larger design?”


The Shield said, “Just who are you?”


The brain replied, “I have used many names but you may call me, Dr. Mortal!


The screen began to grow brighter and the voice echoed through the ship.


“Be warned, Captain Atom. I am leaving Terra to its own devices. I am coming back to earth 4 and you will have no choice but to live with the fact that you will never be able to predict what Dr. Mortal shall do next!”


The screen grew blank once more and Cosmonaut said, “To take over my ship, requires awesome power. This Dr. Mortal is a dangerous man!”


Captain Atom said, “Yes, and so am I!”


The Shield said, “I don’t fully understand what he said. I only know the world we all have thought of as Earth is apparently Terra to him. Its history with events like the invention of the printing press and the Industrial Revolution, World Wars I and II all happened just as they did on any other Earth. Our lives really happened as we remembered but we’re forty years behind the times!”


The Wizard said, “We’ll have the remainder of our entire lives to restore order and find our place in a brave new world by any name! Perhaps, men like this Jaguar will join us! It sound as if he and the other heroes like Hercules are now free from Dr. Mortal’s control. They will have some guilt with which to live.”


The Cosmonaut said, “My ship will take you Sentinels and you Crusaders to your respective homes. I am eager to see the world my parents lived on so long ago!”


The Shield glanced over at his partner Dusty who grinned and then he said, “We’re going to have our work cut out for us but we’ll make up for what has happened here if it takes our lives to do. Also, you Sentinels will always be welcome here!”


The heroes boarded the saucer and made their way to Earth 4.

Epilogue


Back on Earth 4 !


It took little time for the heroes to determine that the Soviet heroes from Terra had not returned to the Realm of the Nightshades following their abrupt departure. Prince Laredon thanked his sister for all she and her friends had done and promised to contact her again should the displaced Soviets return.


The Cosmonaut said, “I think I will visit the Soviet Union of this world. It was my father’s homeland once! If I encounter the Soviet Terrans I will do what I can to help them!”


Nightshade said, “There is someone else there I’d like you to look up. I’ll give you the details!”


He smiled and touched his head. “You already have!”


In the Project X satellite, a brooding Vulcan sighed heavily as he thought of Terra.


“I suppose the ways of war and man differ little from one world to another. I guess I’d hoped on other planets, the natives might have found true peace!” he said.


Liberty Belle took his hand and said, “Maybe, someday that will happen. Until then all we can do is do our best to make it a possibility and not merely a fantasy!”


Epilogue 2

Back on Terra, which the Mighty Crusaders and the rest of the populace naturally thought of as Earth, the Crusaders did find much had changed in their time in suspended animation but they were heroes and they were used to bizarre upheavals. Plus, they had allies like the now mentally freed Hercules and Jaguar to help them.  The Wizard was very wealthy and he used his money to smooth things over for his friends. They were provided with expert teachers who brought them up to date on forty years of social and political change. It would take time but they would fit in and find a place for themselves once again!


The End