Solar Legion: Yesterday's Heroes
By libbylawrence

The heroic teens of the future face a threat from the past.

A ruggedly handsome young boy with thick curly hair and a slightly cocky demeanor drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair as the shuttle from the Star Cruiser Orion exited the massive space craft and began the descent to Earth’s famous HubCore Central Space Port. It wasn’t boredom that plagued the boy with blond almost white hair nor was it really a sign of a selfish nature or a stunted intellect. Rather, Ezekiel Adam of New Terra was simply impatient to begin his new life on Earth.

“Great Bird of the Galaxy! My sky skimmer would have made better time than the shuttle! ‘Course, I’ve already been stopped by the Solar Police enough times to not really want any new fines! Last time I took my skimmer out was right after Nan’s death. That was when I passed through that weird energy cloud that made my powers kick into overdrive!” he thought.

He recalled that fateful day all too well. Ez had grown up on the rough and tumble, relatively young Earth colony called New Terra and while he had enjoyed a happy family life with two loving parents, he had always realized that his family situation was far from typical. Life on New Terra was dangerous and many laws taken for granted in older more civilized societies simply were not enforced on the mining colony. So, while Ez had a traditional family, most of his friends came from broken homes or homes plagued with problems like violence born from the desperation of a miner’s life or addiction to substances like Silverale or Lotus Juice.

Crime and addiction had touched him all too deeply at an early age when his childhood sweetheart Nan Rand had eventually succumbed to a drug overdose brought on by her use of substances supplied by thugs working for the notorious Zoltar Gang. Ez had tried to help her. He had used every tactic he could conceive to build her confidence or make her see that his feelings for her were real and that she didn’t have to look for self-esteem in artificial stimulants. Nothing had worked and when word of Nan’s death had reached the Adam home, Ez had stormed out of the house and leaped into his battered but much loved sky skimmer. The roar of its engine had managed to drown out the concerned calls of his parents but it had done nothing to soothe the pain he felt in his heart.

“That poor messed up girl! She had so much goin’ for her and she was just too hurt to see it for herself. Her folks made her feel unloved and nothin’ I did made up for it!” he had thought as he piloted the small craft skyward. As good as Ez was with a ship, even he had not been able to avoid the weird energy field that drifted across his path moments after he had cleared New Terran space. His painful sense of loss had dulled his reflexes until he had lost that edge he had always relied upon in the past!

After the energy saturated his already altered body, he had been able to access the latent quantum energy that had always surged within his cells. What had once made the boy a skilled fighter and exceptionally quick pilot now made him super human! He could channel the quantum energy in his metabolism into any one of several super human powers. He could become super strong, remarkably fast, he could defy gravity, and he could gain temporary invulnerability or enhanced vision! He found that he could only use the energy for one of these powers at a time but that was more than enough to enable him to find Zoltar’s gang on Earth and eventually bring them to justice with help from another super powered boy.

“Drake Gordon! That kid’s got all the right moves! Of course, he comes from a family dynasty of super space champions so a guy could expect him to be ready for a fight. I sure didn’t expect to see him shoot those wild bolts of energy around though!” he thought with a smile as he remembered the boy who had fought by his side in the lair of the oily, turbaned smuggling king Zoltar!

Now, Ez prepared to see HubCore again. He had briefly returned home to New Terra to see his worried parents and to spend a final moment by Nan’s grave. He had also managed to catch up on news that was rapidly spreading across the cosmos! Interstellar travel had been greatly improved by the development of stargates which basically served as an inter-dimensional shortcut from one point in space to another. The technology had been perfected by a brilliant and mysterious industrialist/inventor known as J.J. Kord. No one knew the exact truth about the larger than life man’s background but he was a man whose love of life and charismatic personality had instantly turned him into a media darling. His face and his colorful words were often found on nightly holo news shows and he was rumored to be one of the wealthiest men in all of the known planets. Kord had a new idea that was making news galaxy wide!

He was more than a businessman. He was far more than a mere scientist. Kord was a visionary who dared dream big dreams. Kord also had the confidence, resources, and sheer gall to turn dreams into life altering reality! He wanted to unite the different races that dotted the cosmos by giving them a common dream. He wanted them to put aside the things that made them different while embracing the aspirations of their common humanity.

“What does he call it? United Planets? No, that’s not it. The Commonwealth of Federated Planets! Kord sees this union of all sentient beings for the common good as the best way to improve life everywhere and give natives of every world a chance to learn from one another and help one another. What’s more he figured the way to attract attention to the plan was to put together a team of action heroes like the ones that fought crime back in the old days before the Atomic wars. This Solar Legion is made up of kids like me and I’ve been asked to join it since one of its founders was the same Drake Gordon I met when I closed in on Zoltar!” thought Ez.

Ez looked up and realized that the shuttle had made better progress than he had expected. While he had been lost in thought it had passed through the Earthgov Protective Dome and was now making a steady descent toward the HubCore Central Space Port

Ez shook off his memories and frowned as the shuttle suddenly rocked from side to side! The other passengers were alarmed as well. He glanced around and realized the pilot up front was equally troubled! This was no case of routine turbulence!

“Everyone remain calm!” stammered a sky stewardess as the worried pilot wrestled with the seemingly useless controls!

Ez concentrated and activated his quantum strength as he tried to steady himself within the madly shaking craft! He gasped as he felt the source of the disturbance! The shuttle was being held back by some force to its rear.

“It can’t be a tractor beam! There are no ships between us and the dome itself!” thought Ez.

The shuttle flipped over and suddenly cracked apart! It was as if some giant force had simply smashed it like a child’s toy!

Ez shifted his quantum energies to flight as all around him people were falling! There had been no time for the crew to perform even the most rudimentary of safety procedures.

“I’ve got to help them!” he thought as he dived underneath one of the shuttle’s cracked sides and grabbed two frightened women!

“Hold on!” he said as he flew downward!

“I can’t fly too fast or the friction will hurt them and me! I can’t catch the broken shuttle with quantum strength or I’ll lose my flying power!” he thought as he tried to think of a solution!

“There’s no way around it! I’m just not hero enough to save everyone!” he mused.

At that moment the shuttle fragments abruptly stopped their fall and seemed to bond together again.
The sheets of shattered metal began to gently catch the falling people as some of the passengers appeared to suddenly hover in midair!

It was a remarkable display of controlled and skillfully used power!

Ez noticed a dark haired young man hovering below. He wore a bulky jet pack but he was clearly comfortable in using it to fly. He also was clearly comfortable at saving lives!

“Kid Quantum? If I separate some of the rubble from the part I’m using to carry those people down, can you catch it or melt it so it doesn’t hurt anyone below?” he asked.

Ez readily agreed and followed the other boy’s orders. In a matter of moments what had appeared to be a certain disaster had been averted!

“I’m Magno. Rokky Jones. I’m sorry our first meeting had to be such a trial by fire for you but Drake spoke so highly of you that I had no doubt you could handle it!” said the boy in blue and black.

Ez smiled and shook hands with the leader of the Solar Legion as Solar Police and Medi-Droids clustered around the scene and began to help the startled but largely unhurt victims of the crisis!

“Magno, I’m sure you know most of the S.P. resents your club but I saw just how effective you kids were and you’ve got a supporter in me!” declared a burly man who wore the insignia of a Captain in the Solar Police.

Magno said, “We’re just trying to do a job like you and your fellow officers! We’ll all on the same side!”

Ez nodded as he listened.

“Magno must have learned a lot during his time as a moopsball champ. He really knows how to lead and to work with others! No wonder he’s the first leader of the Solar Legion!”

After giving all the information he had to the Solar Police, Ez was allowed to leave the scene with Magno.

“Back on New Terra, I sure never had such a friendly conversation with the Solar Police!” he said.

Magno laughed and said, “You’ll get used to them. Some of them don’t trust us yet but for the most part they are at least willing to let us try to do our own job! Speaking of that job, we’re going to need to figure out exactly what went wrong with that shuttle!”

Ez agreed. “It sure wasn’t like any shuttle ride I’ve ever taken before and my folks always said I was the most reckless pilot on all of New Terra!”

2

One of HubCore’s most remarkable structures was the J. .J Kord designed, financed, and built HQ of the Solar Legion! The new team of young heroes would never lack room to grow with such a spacious building to call their own nor would they lack storage space or areas designed for scientific research, education and training, leisure activities, and hangers for various advanced vehicles.

Kord, a fat man with a luxurious head of white hair and a thick mustache near chubby cheeks, rubbed his fat hands together with eagerness as he marched briskly through the complex.

“My kids love it! Nothing’s too good for them!” he thought with a broad smile.

He ignored the swarming servo-droids that occasionally crossed his path. They awaited any appropriate vocal command to perform any reasonable desired task; however, Kord was far too busy to put the small devices to use.

He was suddenly embraced from three sides by three identical young women! Each girl had brown hair styled in bangs and each wore a leotard of orange, purple, or a pattern that combined the two shades!

The girl to the right squealed excitedly as she kissed the old man and said, “It’s astro-fabulous!”

Her counterpart to the left added, “And the costume synthesizers are absolutely to die for!”

The third girl spoke in a slightly softer tone and said, “Thank you for everything!”

If the girls looked and sounded remarkably similar it was for a good reason. They were in fact separated beings or replications of a single perky teen girl. Abruptly the three Coranites merged into one dynamic girl who clasped her guardian’s hand and matched his brisk pace.

Luna Grant Kord was the adopted ward of the old inventor and he had rescued her from a life of potential misery on her native Coran. After being orphaned by the death of her loving and protective grandmother, Luna had found herself in danger of being condemned to a life of experimentation and incarceration because unlike the other natives of Coran she could do much more than merely separate sections of her body. She could split into three girls and each one gradually displayed slightly different personalities. While one was demure, another was extroverted, and the third was more average in her behavior. Coranites viewed such a result as abnormal and Luna had been placed in a government medical facility for forced reintegration and suppression of the different personas she could replicate into with ease. A hasty escape had led her to an accidental meeting with Kord himself who had rapidly used his influence to adopt her and to employ her as an aide whose efficiency was only matched by her spunky willingness to speak up to him when he was doing something she felt was wrong!

Luna Kord had talked him into mingling more openly with ordinary sentients in order to better grasp a way to unite what would eventually become his Federated Planets group!

“If you don’t know how normal people think and react to one another how can you come up with a proposal that will appeal to aliens from so many different worlds?” she had demanded.

Kord had embraced the idea with his usual gusto and had hastily embarked on a trip across the known worlds. While on an ordinary shuttle to Earth, three amazing teens had worked together to first detect and then prevent a murder attempt on the old man. Kord had viewed the three aliens as a living example of his plan for cosmic unity. He quickly persuaded Arda Starr, Drake Gordon, and Rokky Jones to form the Solar Legion and to embody the concept of people from different planets using their separate abilities in a united plan for the common good!

Each of the teens had been given a costume and a colorful name and various media outlets had publicized the heroic team until people across the galaxy were talking about the Solar Legion!

Luna had joined them and given herself the name Triad. What Kord lost in an assistant he gained in a dynamic heroine for his young team! Now he was proud to show off the HQ he had built for them and Luna’s zeal added to the old man’s delight!

“Luna, calm down! I want all of you to see the various features together!” he said.

Triad grinned impudently and said, “Sorry! I know how you like to be the center of attention!”

He glared at her then chuckled softly and finally he roared with loud laughter as they made their way to the main meeting room! A large round table with accompanying chairs dominated the room which also contained a huge monitor and various types of communications equipment.

“I put in a hydro vivifier in case you ever get a member from a water world! He or she can sit with the rest of you and still receive the water he needs for comfort!” he said.

He gestured to an odd piece of furniture which consisted of a large chair attached to a much smaller chair that was molded to the top of the first one.

“I thought a symbiot might join up too! You know the larger bio-unit can use the big chair while the diminutive partner may sit in the little seat!”

At that point, Magno and Kid Quantum entered the room. Magno said,”He thinks of everything! I need to make a note or two about how a symbiot would be governed by our team rules. The Legion Constitution is becoming a bigger project than I imagined it would be!””

Kord said, “You are doing a fine job, lad. And this young fella must be the powerhouse from New Terra?”

Kid Quantum quickly accepted Kord’s enthusiastic greeting and said, “I’ll sure try to live up to that kind of build up! “
Magno said, “He’s going to be fine. We just came from a near fatal shuttle disaster. We’ve got to look into it. That shuttle didn’t break apart along any kind of manufactured stress line. It looked as if it had been ripped in half!”

“Rokk, you need to relax once in a while! You’re becoming as big a grind as our illustrious founder!”
joked Triad.

Rokky Jones (Magno) smiled. He had a good sense of humor and a winning personality as befitted someone who had briefly been a major sports star; however, the boy from Ophiuchus had given up his profitable moopsball career to become a hero after saving Kord’s life and being asked to join the new team. Rokk wanted to use his magnetic powers to help others since he had always felt a little guilty about using them for personal profit. When Alex Cuspin his manager had been exposed as a criminal by his new teammate Arda Starr, Rokk had fired the pushy man and had put his athletic career in the past.

“The Solar Legion is my only team now!” he had vowed. He had dedicated himself tirelessly to mastering any skill that might possibly be required for the successful operation of a team of young heroes. Rokk was determined not to fail or disappoint Mr. Kord or the people the team would be protecting. He knew that many skeptics already looked at the team as some kind of publicity stunt and Rokk knew more than most people about how hard it was to overcome a bad image.

Ophiucus was wrongly condemned by many people because in its early days the planet had been a haven for space pirates. That had all changed long ago but merely being from that planet carried with it a stigma in the eyes of many narrow minded people. Rokk wanted to change that and become a real hero for the galaxy and for his kid brother back home to look up to!

At that moment the flirtatious redhead Zoe Saugin of Aleph entered the room. She wore the brief blue tunic of chainmail and the high heeled boots that seemed to be her favorite costume. She clearly relished being the Scarab and no doubt wanted to make a name for herself that might equal the fame that Kord’s own ancestor once knew as one of the many heroic Blue Beetles that had fought crime during the 20th century. Zoe’s enhanced strength and speed came from the mystical scarab she had found when her archaeologist mother had unearthed the relic! She was somehow bonded to it and like the original Blue Beetle who once used it, she was happy to play the role of hero!

“Love, love, love this place!” she cried as she impulsively gave Rokk a kiss on the cheek!

He smiled sheepishly as he always did when the emotional Scarab made such overtures to him.

“I’ve got more important things on my mind than romance!” he vowed silently.

Kord said, “I’ll leave you kids to it. Call me if there’s any problem I can throw some credits at!”

Zoe looked over at Ez and smiled broadly. She was a fun loving girl and she liked what she saw when she looked at the ruggedly handsome boy.

“I’m Zoe. If you need someone to show you the ropes just give a whistle!” she said as she linked her arm within his own and led him toward the table.

The final two members of the Solar Legion swiftly joined them. The newcomers were a pretty girl in pink and white and a boy with reddish-blond hair. The boy flashed a big smile at Ez as he spotted him!

Drake Gordon (Live Wire) of Alania on Mongo was a slightly impulsive boy who had gained the ability to generate bio-electrical energy after an accident in which his twin sister Della and their older brother Dash were also involved. It was due to Drake’s desire to find the runaway Dash that he had first made the trip to Earth and eventually had ended up as a founder of the Solar Legion!

He enjoyed the excitement of it all but beneath his bravado he was still worried about his brother and he missed his sister. He also had developed romantic feelings for the beautiful Silver Lass (Arda Starr) of New Onym, Venus.

Arda was a serious and capable young girl who had originally had aspirations to serve in the Solar Police after being recognized as the most gifted pupil to ever attend the famous Mind Institute on Venus. Arda was like most mentalists in that she kept a rather icy demeanor and worked hard at discouraging close contact with others simply because she knew the necessity of maintaining a certain degree of privacy for one from a world where many could easy read minds or broadcast thoughts.

She was thrilled by the challenges the Solar Legion’s mission brought to her and she was equally determined to excel as a heroine just as she had never failed at any other task in her young life! She was aware of Drake’s feelings for her and after an initial coolness toward the brash boy she was beginning to at least see him as a trusted friend. In spite of the fact that she had a good heart and truly wanted to help others, she could be seen as being entirely devoted to business.

The platinum blonde girl wore the customary earrings that marked her as a mind reader from Venus and as the emblem swayed when she raised her head, she spoke clearly and precisely as always.

“I’ve been in touch with a contact in the Solar Police. No one was seriously hurt in that shuttle accident but I’d like to question some of the passengers in case some impression or clue might rest within their subconscious minds.”

Rokk said, “That’s our first order of business. Arda, if you’ll do exactly that, the rest of us will make sure no other arrivals suffer the same kind of sabotage. I think we can agree that was no mere accident! I’m going to check the security monitors on the Dome to see if they recorded anything of value too.”

Ez said, “It just seemed to crack open all at once! I didn’t see anything. If only I’d used my quantum vision. Maybe I would have picked up a clue!”

Arda instantly liked the sincere boy and she smiled briefly before saying. “You did more than enough! I know the Solar Police said you and Rokk prevented any loss of life! You made quite an entrance!”

Drake jumped to his feet and said, “I’m glad you accepted our offer! From what I saw when you and I took on those goons of Zoltar’s, I knew you had the right stuff!”

Ez thanked his friend and nodded with obvious approval. He thought he was going to like this new life!

Later Arda called the others into a meeting and made a startling announcement.

“I was able to pick up two pieces of information! An Occuloid was aboard the shuttle and his enhanced vision allowed him to see the attacker for a moment! He picked up what even the Dome monitors failed to register. The shuttle wasn’t sabotaged. It was deliberately torn in half by a humanoid figure with super human strength. He also possessed the ability to fly at great speed. The being fits the general description of the 20th century action hero called Captain Atom!”

Kid Quantum said, “You’re kidding! He died long ago. He was supposed to have been my ancestor!

Arda nodded and said, “You clearly have a connection to the attacker. One of my people was also on the shuttle and she caught a thought from the attacker. His mind was so powerful that his thoughts overwhelmed her with their violent emotional content and she couldn’t react!”

Rokk said, “Exactly what did this pseudo Captain Atom have in mind besides killing all those people?”

Arda crossed her legs and leaned forward for emphasis.

“He didn’t care about killing anyone else on the shuttle! He only wanted to kill Ez!” she declared!

3

Solar Police Academy on Mars

Officer Dbbi Connors was shocked! It is true that the perky young woman was one of the most promising officers of her generation and was held in high regard by her teachers and her fellow officers. It is equally true that she had successfully completed dangerous missions and had witnessed violence and atrocities that would frighten the most hardened of observers; however, even the capable Officer Connors could still be shocked by something as bizarre as a sudden murder within the heart of the Solar Police Academy itself!

Moments ago everything had been perfectly calm within the domed complex that housed the academy and its various support structures. Dbbi had been finishing a typical shift in which she had divided her time between instructing a combat class and entering data from an ongoing investigation.
She had removed her helmet and passed a hand through her short brown hair when alarms screamed into life and every officer and cadet had raced to the scene of a crime within the academy itself!

A lumbering Jovian had witnessed it all and he spoke with the ponderous pace of his race.

“Officer Mike Huston of Earth was murdered! I saw him walking toward me down the hall when a woman suddenly appeared and broke his neck! I was too slow to stop her! I grabbed her and she hurled me half way across the hall!” he said.

Dbbi had listened to his rather breathless account even as she had noticed other cadets bending over the cadet’s silent body.

She caught a glimpse of a fleeing figure reflected in the overhead dome and she inhaled sharply as she realized the colorfully costumed female must be the killer!

She used her communicator to alert the others and then she raced after the taller woman.

“Man! She can move! “she thought as she used her own knowledge of the academy grounds to take a shortcut that enabled her to close the distance between herself and the blonde woman in the red, white, and blue costume!

“Stop!” she bellowed but the fugitive ignored her and smashed through the interior dome and flew across the desert sands!

“She shattered the dome like it was nothing!” mused Dbbi as she chased the super human woman.

Dbbi knew that the enviro-control units and the exterior dome itself maintained a comfortable atmosphere on the red planet but sooner or later even a super woman would have to stop her flight since no one could survive outside the dome itself!

Other officers appeared in the distance and followed Dbbi as she tried to catch up with her target!

“That leotard is not made for space fight! The whole thing looks like a costume! She looks like someone I’ve seen before!” she thought.

Finally she reached the other woman who had stopped in her tracks on a sand dune.

“Stop! You can not escape!” said Dbbi as she drew her blaster.

The taller blonde was wearing a tiara, belt, gloves, and a brief red, white, and blue leotard.

She smiled coldly and casually kicked the blaster out of Dbbi’s hand and then punched her in the chin and sent her rolling helplessly down the dune!

“Too fast! Just too strong for me!” thought Dbbi as she clawed at the shifting sands and tried to stop her fall! She rolled head over heels and sank down into the sand dune. As she dislodged some stones, a strange vapor erupted into her face and she felt the world grow dim before her eyes!

Much later, she opened her eyes to find herself in the Academy hospital where several familiar friends and the skilled Dr. Cineberg were looking down at her.

“Dbbi, take it easy. You had a bad fall but you’ll be fine. You also inhaled some kind of vapor when you moved a stone with your body. It doesn’t appear to have harmed you. I suppose it was inside that half buried meteor fragment. We want to keep you here for observation though!” said Dr. Clineberg.

“What about the woman I was chasing?” she asked.

Captain Zoon Arledge said, “She escaped. She had super powers and she was able to break through the exterior dome and fly into space. Apparently she entered by digging through the planet itself and emerging within the academy grounds. Our security system certainly wasn’t equipped to detect a being who could accomplish something like that! She had super speed and strength!”

Dbbi nodded and said, “My chin can attest to that! Why did she kill Huston?”

Captain Arledge said, “We don’t know. We’re checking everything source we can find. We will get the answer and we will bring her to justice! You just rest!”

Dbbi nodded and in spite of her resolve to sit up, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

4

A few days later Silver Lass frowned as she heard the sound of movement within one of the Solar Legion labs. She also detected a strong intellect within the room but his mind was so complex that she couldn’t get a clear reading.

She pushed open the doors and marched in to confront a rather wizened youth with very pale skin and large eyes. He was using a holo projector to display and complete several complicated calculations at the same time. Apparently he was able to comprehend and follow the processes simultaneously.

Arda placed both hands on her hips and thought, “If this is another one of Drake’s strays!”

She said, “Who are you? How did you get inside?”

He ignored her and continued working for a moment and then with obvious indifference he replied, “I am Koste the Federated Planets designated representative from the planet Cerebella. Obviously I entered through the doors as you just did. You may become familiar with their operation by exiting through them now! While the direction is different the general process is the same.”

Arda sputtered in a combination of anger and surprise and then turned and hurried out of the room!

“Mr. Kord said the FP might send us some potential members but I assumed we would be consulted about their selection! This Koste is the most infuriatingly arrogant self-absorbed brat I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting!” she thought.

She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she ran directly into Drake’s arms as he rounded a corner.

He held her a bit longer than was necessary and the shoved him back as she stepped aside.

“Could you please watch where you are going? This is not the wide open spaces of your farm colony!”
she said huffily.

Drake recognized the signs of his teammate’s frustration and he decided to placate her.

“I’m sorry! Is there something wrong, Arda?” he asked with what he hoped was an endearing smile on his face.

“Do not even try to placate me! When you act like that, you practically broadcast your every intention!”she said.

She started to walk away but then she stopped in mid step and turned back around to face him.
“I didn’t mean to take my frustration out on you. We have a new member from Cerebella and he is a bit difficult to handle!” she said.

Drake listened intently and said, “It is okay. Cerebella? I must have dozed off during the lessons about it when I was in school. Della was always teacher’s pet though. She could probably give the history of the place without even blinking!”

Arda said, “I’d like to meet your twin sister! Cerebella is a planet with a populace devoted entirely to intellectual achievement. Eons ago they swore to devote all their resources to advancing their society in terms of scientific study. Over the centuries, their bodies experienced a type of atrophy while their minds grew stronger and their basic interpersonal skills suffered. This boy Koste must be brilliant but I’m not sure that sheer intellect could be called a super power!”

At that moment Koste himself appeared and said, “Mere intellect does not qualify as a super human quality although I find it is a rather rare one on this planet. However, my mind is more advanced than any other mind on Cerebella. I was selected in infancy to house the brain patterns of the most brilliant scientific mind Earth ever produced. Professor Koste vowed to benefit all mankind by preserving his mind through electronic replication and annual evolutionary advancement. That single human mind expanded and enhanced itself over the generations until it obtained sufficient development to be worthy of implantation upon a Cerebellan mind- namely my own!”

Triad walked up and said, “Koste? Wasn’t he an action villain during the twentieth century? I think he even battled Captain Atom. Maybe he’s tied into our current case!”

Koste said, “The original human Koste was flawed but his mind evolved as I just said. As for your current case, I scanned the data upon my arrival. Clearly the attack on the shuttle and the recent murder of a Solar Police cadet named Huston are related. The attacker in the first instance resembled Captain Atom an ancient action hero of the twentieth century. His actions were designed to end the life of one of Atom’s descendent- namely Kid Quantum. The second attack was committed by a woman who resembled another ancient action heroine the Guardian. While her legend has not attained the fame of Captain Atom’s own career, she was a valiant and capable heroine who fought by his side and on her own. Unlike Captain Atom, her true identity was lost to history until I deduced it this morning. She was secretly a rather famous fitness expert and business woman named Debbie Huston. The cadet murdered on Mars was in fact her descendent Mike Huston. As I said, this connection was not made until I applied my mind to the task since no one knew the Guardian’s true name until I learned it today!”

He walked abruptly by the other two and then stopped to say, “Of course, the logical course of action is to seek out other heirs of notable action heroes and heroines of that era and protect them from this threat. “

Drake said, “Arda, your ancestor was a hero!”

Koste yelled back over one shoulder as he continued on his way.

“Do not concern yourself. Arda’s ancestor was not a traditional action hero nor was your own heroic ancestor. I would only focus on Captain Atom’s closest allies and their current heirs. I left the names and locations for the most likely targets on the main meeting room table. I will be busy in my lab for the rest of the day!”

The normally cool, composed, and articulate Arda exchanged looks with Drake and then said, “Wow!”

5

Solanum- The Planet of Nightshades

Later as Magno guided one of the Solar Legion’s star skimmers to a landing on the bleak desert world known as Solanum, he couldn’t help but feel a thrill as he remembered his lessons about the mysterious planet named for the greatest heroine of its early founders.

“Solanum was settled by members of the Nightshade Dynasty the hereditary rulers of the magical dimension once known as the Land of Nightshades or the Realm. When the magic of that dimension began to fade away the natives send out colonists to find a new home. Some of them settled here and to this day the planter champion is taken from the direct line of Eve Eden the twentieth century heroine known as Nightshade!” he thought.

Triad smiled as she saw how lost in thought Rokk seemed to be.

She said, “If you’re going to be all serious, I could just talk to myselves!”

He nodded and said, “Sorry. I just remember your guardian J.J. telling us specifically about Nightshade and how her legend inspired him to think of forming a new team of action heroes. It seems strange to actually be going to protect someone who has her same powers!”

Triad said, “I hate to sound like that kid from Cerebella but I studied up on some of these heroes as part of my role as J.J.’s aide. He wanted his facts straight before he made his first presentation to you. The people here don’t all have powers. Only Eve Eden’s direct line has the ability to generate shadows and travel through darkness. Every generation one of her heirs is chosen by the tribal council to become their current champion!”

Rokk said, “I see the distinction. If the Shadow Warriors are as fierce as I’ve read, this champion may not need our help! The Solanumians are a private people for the most part. Mr. Kord said they agreed to join the F.P. but they haven’t bothered to take part in most of the discussions!”

Triad said, “We may be able to generate some good will if we do protect the royal family here!”

Rokk agreed as he led the girl out of their craft and they looked around the isolated desert kingdom with its nomadic tribes and solitary tent-cities.

“Apparently they rejected most of the things we associate with modern civilization when they settled here in search of new magic!” he thought.

It didn’t take long for the heroes to be greeted by several stern looking men and women. They all had bluish complexions and each wore a brief outfit that was heavily decorated with various tribal symbols.

“You are welcome here if your purpose is a peaceful one!” announced an elderly man as he stepped forward.
Triad said, “Thanks! We’re looking for your champion. We are concerned that he or she might be in danger. We’re from the Solar Legion.”

The old man remained impassive as he replied in a measured tone of voice.

“Very well. We will take you to her home!” he said.

The group walked across the sands for several minutes and passed some strange looking livestock grazing at a small oasis. A large tent loomed over the top of a dune.

As they approached the tent Magno scanned the area but he did not detect any approaching figures as he casually sent out waves of magnetic force. He frowned as he realized that the general area seemed to be built upon some underground chamber that contained a lot of metal.

“I suppose they have homes beneath the sands to escape from the heat. That kind of partially subterranean existence might explain their skin tone as well!” he thought.

A tall woman in a brief black costume stood rather defiantly at the mouth of the tent. She received obvious deference from the others as they bowed or inclined their heads as they came closer to her.

“This is Talma. She is the Champion of Our People! She will listen to your supplication!” said the old man.

Magno smiled and said, “Thank you for seeing us. We don’t want to alarm you but we think there might be a person who wishes you harm. We’re with the Solar Legion and we’ve detected a plot to harm the heirs of notable action heroes from Earth’s ancient days! Because of your connection with Nightshade, we thought you might need some help!”

Talma glared at him with scorn and then she said, “I am not fearful of any foe nor will I allow your stories to motivate me into joining your group. I believe this is a ploy to trick me into becoming a member of your Legion. I do not need the security found in numbers since I am capable of defending myself against any threat be it an open one or one deceptively phrased as an offering of protection!”

Traid said, “Now look here, lady! The Solar Legion doesn’t need you either! We’re trying to be helpful but you don’t have room for an open mind because of the size of your ego!”

Magno winced as the more impulsive side of Triad apparently exerted some domination over her more moderate persona.

He said, “We would be honored to have you or someone else from this world on our team but we wold never use scare tactics to trick anyone into joining. If you really don’t want our help then we will go but we’d appreciate it if you’d at least be extra careful and let us know in case this threat does materialize here!”

Talma nodded abruptly and said, “It shall be so. We do maintain a sub space com-unit and we will use it to alert you should this menace emerge from the shadows but I assure you the Nightshades are not afraid of the dark!!”

Before Triad could reply, Magno gently guided her away from the tent and urged her to follow his lead.

As they made their way beyond the sand dune, she jerked away and said, “What’s the big idea?”

Rokk stopped and said, “We won’t get anywhere by angering them. I think we should let them believe we are leaving and then we will watch and monitor things for a while. There is something secretive about this Talma and I’d like to be sure the secret isn’t hiding something we should know about!”

He gestured and the ground shook as he drew metallic minerals upward long enough to create a storm of sand! At his signal Triad split into her three selves and two of them joined Magno in boarding their craft. The third hurried out of sight and hid behind a nearby dune.

“She’s be okay! They will see us leave but they won’t realize I’ve left my sister self behind!” said Traid.

Magno said, “I’m pretty sure they aren’t familiar with your powers so this may enable us to learn what’s really going on back there! We will remain in orbit and then see what develops!”

The second Triad smiled ruefully and said, “Hopefully something better than sun stroke for my other self!”

Later that night as Rokky left the small ship on autopilot, Luna concentrated and reunited with her remaining self on the planet below. Rokk lowered himself to the surface using his magnetic powers. He was protected by the nearly invisible trans-suit that he had donned aboard the craft.

He hurried to where Luna was waiting with an eager look on her face.

“Come on! I hid and watched and it seems this Talma is not so much a revered champion as a feared tyrant! I overheard some of the locals talking and she is one mean tempered witch!”

Rokk said, “There is some kind of hidden chamber below the area surrounding her tent. I can detect the large amount of metal down there. It is some kind of developed room and not just a stray mineral deposit!”

Luna said, “There’s a rock blocking the perimeter of the chamber if that chamber is no bigger than you said earlier! Let me use my triple strength muscles to heave it aside!”

She gripped the stone and shoved it aside as Rokk detected the metal beneath and parted the opening with his powers.

They scrambled into a narrow tunnel that led into a wider opening. Within the darkened chamber they spotted an eerie sight. A young woman who resembled a softer featured version of Talma was chained to a wall. Rokk shattered her chains with a casual gesture and she fell forward into Luna’s arms as the girl split into three selves to steady the captive!

“Praise Eden! I’ve been down here for weeks!” she said.

“You’re Talma’s sister aren’t you? The family resemblance makes that clear!” said Rokk.

“I am Magda, the rightful heir to the role of planetary champion! My sister is jealous of me and she trapped me down here in order to usurp my position. She also has the dynastic powers of our revered ancestor but she does not deserve the role of champion because she lacks honor! Following our mother’s death, she drugged me and then had her followers chain me within the chamber of ancients. The walls have a magical substance which blocks our natural power to walk the shadows!” she said as he rubbed her wrists and regained her balance.

Magno said, “We’ve been discovered! I can tell newcomers are approaching by the metal they are wearing!”

Magda said, “Let them come! I would gladly expose Talma’s craven plot to all of our people!”

Rokk said, “I’m just the guy to make that possible!”

He concentrated and then the entire room with its odd metallic walls and floor broke through the sands to settle on the now dispersed dune above!

A crowd of startled natives looked on as Magno’s power brought the hidden room into the light of the two moons above!

Talma appeared with her group of devoted followers and said, “So you off -worlders continue to meddle in our private affairs? My insipid sister must have appealed to your heroic nature!”

Magda said, “I challenge you here and now to combat! Before the eyes of all of our tribe will I defeat you and prove my worth!”

The two sisters charged at one another as screams rang out from their subjects! Rokk and Luna stepped aside and waited.

“I think we’ve done all we can do. It is up to these two to settle their differences on their own! We better keep our eyes open in case our mysterious killer arrives! I don’t think Talma has the power to fill that role but that doesn’t mean the real killer won’t show up!” said Magno.

The two sisters circled each other with the grace of a warrior. Each of them had trained for years and both were superb fighters. As gleaming swords met in the moonlight the two woman clashed again and again but neither faltered!

Magda danced agilely aside as her bigger sister sliced across her path with her wicked blade.

She kicked out and connected with Tala’s chain. Talma reeled backward and clutched at her sister’s fot but the faster Magda merely swung her other leg upward and connected with a kick to the head before landing on both hands and springing to her feet.

“You were always mother’s darling! How I hate you!” shrieked Talma.

Magda ducked another attack and managed to trip Talma. As she fell forward, Magda swung out with her arm and left Talma flat on the ground. She rolled on her sister’s back and twisted one arm behind her as her knees pinned her to the ground.
“She is beaten! I Magda am champion!” she shouted with a triumphant look on her lovely face.

The cheers of the people slowly spread to even the old man and his peers who had initially supported Talma.

Madga stepped away from her beaten sibling and smiled radiantly.

“I owe my freedom to you two! How may I thank you?” she asked.

Rokk said, “We’re from the Solar Legion. We wanted to warn you about a killer who is targeting heirs of notable Earth heroes!”

Before Magda could respond, Talma hurled herself through an inky black shadow that she cast in her path!

“She has fled by walking the ancient path between the shadows! Use of such powers was forbidden during our combat. I suppose her disgrace was more than she could stand! I hope I never see her again!”said Magda.

Triad said, “This menace we’re investigating has super powers but even he or she can’t be everywhere at once. I’d say we got here before he did!”

Magda said, “I would gladly hear more. Will you join us in our victory celebration?”

Rokk said, “Sure! I also have an offer for you? We could use someone with your combat skills!”

Much later after a satisfying meal and a ceremony in which Magda was named planetary champion, she emerged from a tent in a new costume. She wore a brief black leotard with thigh high high heeled boots.

“My people understand that I am needed elsewhere as well. The original Nightshade did not confine her heroism to her native dimension and I must not limit myself to this homeland. I will return when needed and my public defeat of Talma has robbed her of any right to my position. I will join your Solar Legion if you will have me! It is time we embraced the resources of the worlds beyond this small planet!”

Rokk said, “Magda, you are most welcome! What shall we call you? We all have heroic names!”

She smiled and said, “There can be no more honorable name than that of our ancestor. Call me Nightshade!”

6

Earth- the Chicagopolis Core


Koste was not happy. He was pleased with the lab space being a member of the Solar Legion gave him access to but he was also irritated that Magno had ordered him to take part in a mission instead of allowing him to serve as purely an information specialist. Now, he looked over at the always vivacious Scarab and shook his head in disgust. He didn’t like being around people who were so extraverted. He felt that the redhead’s boisterous personality distracted him from the solitude he needed for clear thinking. He didn’t enjoy being around that kind of person. In fact she simply annoyed him!

He was a bit interested in her scarab because he felt certain that what she viewed as a mystic relic was in fact merely an as yet unexplained scientific device that in some manner stimulated her adrenaline flow. Magic was obviously nothing more than science that baffled a lesser mind!

He sighed as she babbled on and on and on about something related to her hair or her cosmetics. He wasn’t really sure what she had been talking about but then again he also didn’t really care.

“Jenni Ognats lives within that apartment. Her grandfather Mike Karr was the hero known as Impulse. He was primarily active during the latter half of the twentieth century as the leader of the Teen Sentinels but he also briefly lived in what was to him the far future after a mission that involved time displacement. Mike Karr’s father was Speed Karr who in turn was the partner to the super swift Red Robbins!” he announced.

Scarab stopped talking and said, “Huh? Oh sorry! I guess you were getting tired of hearing about my ideas for a new hairdo!”

Koste said, “That assumption would be correct.”

He gasped as a sudden whirlwind swept down the street and threatened to toss them skyward!

He activated a force field from his large belt and said, “My field should secure us! That wind was generated by a humanoid being since I detect no artificial weather control device in operation. The power source alone for such a machine would be easily detected!”

Scarab said, “Shut up!”

She shoved him down as a speeding being slammed into the field and swiftly vibrated directly through it! He missed the pair by inches and kept moving!

“Fascinating! He must possess a remarkable degree of control over the molecules of his body! On the other hand he could very well be one of the Survivalists and have a natural phasing ability although that would in no way account for his speed nor conform to the previous established pattern of duplication of early action heroes!” said Koste as Scarab shifted from on top of him!

She stood up and said, “Less talk, More Rock!”

She looked around and then jumped up to catch an awning and swing through the air to tackle a man in red and white. He was black and in every way he looked identical to the holo images of the heroic Mike “Impulse” Karr!

“We know why you’re here! We won’t let you hurt Jenni!” vowed Scarab.

The pseudo Impulse laughed and then aimed a vibrating fist at her chest! She gasped as he was barely repelled by the Scarab’s power!

She kicked him in the stomach and slugged him with both fists!

He fell backward but vanished from view by passing through the pavement!

As he suddenly reappeared behind her and hit her repeatedly at super speed, she groaned and collapsed at his feet. Koste found himself feeling strangely concerned for her safety. He ran over and stood protectively over Scarab as Impulse turned and ran straight up the wall of the apartment!

Just before he reached the top floor a young girl in a blue and white costume suddenly raced over the edge of the roof to meet him! He hesitated for a second as she knocked him off the wall with counter vibrations of her own! He swiftly stopped his fall and grunted as Koste projected his force field around the speedster’s body!

This tactic delayed him long enough for the black girl who startled him above to move around his body and race down to the ground!

Koste frowned as his efforts to rapidly switch the field’s consistency failed to keep pace with the super swift man’s ability to break free!

Scrarab crawled to her knees and hurled a chunk of pavement at him! As it shattered across his chest he scowled and then flew away!

She hurried to Koste’s side as did the new girl.

“I’m Jenni Ognat! You are with the Solar Legion! I saw Scarab on the holo news last week! I would love to join your group! That guy was dressed like the grandfather but he also had super strength which grandfather didn’t have! I wonder who he really is?”

Jenni’s speech was so swift most of her words ran together in an incoherent buzz!

Scarab laughed and put an arm around the smaller girl.

“Jenni, you sure take surprises well! I think you’d be a great addition to the team! You might need our protection anyway! What should we call you? Impulse?”

Jenni shook her head. “No! I’ve been thinking about a name since I was a kid. I want to honor grandfather but be my own girl- the fastest girl on Earth! Call me XS!”

Koste said, “The super strength and power of flight the fake Impulse displayed convinces me that we are not dealing with exact copies of the original heroes but rather with some type of imposters who merely assume the images and powers of the originals but have perhaps even greater abilities all their own!”

He ignored XS and Scarab and stared off into space.

“But exactly who are they and where did they originate?” he asked softly.

7

Kid Quantum listened carefully as Scarab filled him in on their battle. He was sitting rather restlessly with J.J. Kord inside the man’s luxurious office and he could not help but wish that he had been with Koste and Scarab!

“I know keeping Mr. Kord safe is important since we owe him so much and he is possibly the most prominent heir to an Action Hero of all but I’m getting bored! It could be this mysterious enemy won’t bother J.J. since that kind of attack would get too much attention! Kord has his own security team!”

He glanced over to where the old man sat behind a large antique desk. Kord was deep in thought but he had more than one computer around his desk and he seemed to regularly change his own gaze from one to another.

Alarms echoed as a door broke apart and a man in blue bust into the office! He was dressed as one of the ancient Blue Beetles but Ez couldn’t say which one of the heroes of that celebrated name was actually being depicted by the intruder!

He looked passed him with his quantum vision and sighed with relief. Although several uniformed guards were prone in his path, none seemed to be seriously hurt as far as Ez could tell!

“Get out Mr. Kord!” he yelled as the old man activated a force field around his desk!

The intruder closed in on the desk but Ez blocked his path and used his own strength to hold him back!

“You aren’t the Blue Beetle! We know what you and your pals are up to. We won’t let you hurt anyone else!” he declared as he grappled with the larger man.

“Thrash him, lad!” bellowed Kord as he watched from behind the protective field!

Kid Quantum did his best. He was a good scrapper. The intruder was faster though. When Ez switched his quantum energy to speed, he was knocked flat by the fake Beetle!

He gasped as he struggled to regain his feet. “I can’t match him as long as he has both speed and strength!”

Kord was no coward but he realized his limits. He started to flee but the Beetle grabbed him. He had smashed through the field with ease.

“Do your worst, you murdering jackal!” shouted the old man as his foe drew back one fist.

Before he could strike Kord, the Beetle was tackled by a super fast figure who swooped into the office in a blur of red and blue! She began to pound the Beetle in a rather brutal display of overwhelming power!

Ez noticed she was a very tall, beautiful girl with long blonde hair. He had no idea who she was but he could attest to her super human powers!

She continued battering the Beetle until he suddenly vanished from view!

“Coward!” she hissed.

Kord said, “Young lady, you just saved my life! How can I thank you!”

She looked at him with contempt and said, “I don’t want your thanks! I’m here to join your team.”

Kord said, “Who are you?”

She said, “My name is Astra. I decided to leave the solitude of space exploration because of the creation of your Solar Legion. I would use my powers to help other less evolved races . I came to you since you are the founder of the team. I heard your conversation with that villain. This involves me more than I realized. My ancestor fought crime here. He was known as Wonder Boy.”

Kid Quantum said, “Should we call you Wonder Girl?”

She looked down at him for a moment and then said, “No. Astra is good enough.”

Kord said, “That pseudo Beetle certainly possessed powers that were never attributed to any of the historical Beetles. He either teleported away or turned invisible! I wonder if he’ll be back?”

Ez said, “If he comes back we’ll be ready for him!”

8

Valna-The Enchanted Planet

Live Wire and Silver Lass were on the mysterious planet known as Valna. The pastoral setting seemed strangely at odds with the Enchanted Planet’s reputation as a magical and bizarre place.

“They say the magic of the atmosphere sometimes makes each visitor have a different perspective on what this planet is like. Some have recorded that experiences here changed their lives in very personal ways! That may be way tourism is frowned upon here. The heart of the planet is a city called Fantastia and in many respects it is a culture still lost in Earth’s Feudal period!” said Arda.

Drake said, “Yeah? I half expect fire breathing dragons to come out of the woods at any minute!”

Arda said, “The settlers of this planet left the original Nightshade Realm when that dimension lost its magic. Wizards and other magical beings felt that a new sanctuary was needed so they eventually located this world!”

The duo did not have time to do more than use their jet packs to fly toward the majestic Castle Fantasia in the heart of the forest when a female resembled the historical Nightshade swooped down to block their progress. Like the heroine of Earth’s 2oth century she wore a pleated mini skirt of dark navy with matching boots.

She stood defiantly before the Solar Legionnaires and waited on them to descend.

“I guess we’ve found our target!” said Drake.

Arda said, “She’s not Nightshade but she’s not just a woman in a costume either! I detect strong emotions and thoughts of vengeance …but I also sense a conflicted mind…or minds!”

The fake Nightshade suddenly flew at Drake and connected with a stinging punch that threatened to knock the boy out of the sky.

He generated an electric barrage that did little to slow her attack!

Arda placed both hands on her temples and concentrated.

“I can’t outfight her but I can add my own powers to the battle! I’ve got to break through her defenses and force what I’m starting to detect to come to the suface!”” she thought.

The Nightshade imposter gasped in pain and as she crashed to the ground a bizarre transformation occurred! The violent figure changed shape and assumed the form of a tall man with short blond hair. He was very muscular and wore a costume of gold and red!

“All the attackers… Captain Atom…the Guardian…. and the rest have all been this one individual! He has been assuming the appearance of each of them and has been copying their powers! He has a powerful hatred for those heroes for some reason!” said Arda.

The man turned away from Drake and confronted Arda.

“I have a good reason to hate those heroes and want revenge on their heirs! I was the first of them! I was the original action hero and yet no one remembers me! My name Is Fred Carson! I took the name Wonder Man but you don’t know that since no one else does either! I should have been a legend and yet I ended up honored and mourned by no one! I won’t let other heroes have living legacies since I was robbed of my own!” he shouted!

Live Wire moved closer and thought, “This guy is crazy! I don’t know how a man who claims to have been the first action hero could have been completely forgotten or still be alive but I won’t let him hurt Arda! ”

He started to step between Arda and Wonder Man when the bigger man knocked him down with one super swift punch!

“I pretended to be each of those so –called heroes when I attacked their heirs! I did it to show that I can do everything any of them could do!” he bellowed.

Arda hesitated for a moment and flew away toward the castle!

Wonder Man laughed as she left and he said, “The little girl can run but no one can hide! I’ll tear down that castle with my bare hands! No more playing games! I’m Wonder Man! Do you hear me?”

Live Wire blasted away at the gloating man but he walked calmly through the brilliant discharge of lightning without blinking!

He gripped Drake by the throat and lifted him off the ground!

“You punks were inspired by those lesser heroes but none of you even knew my name!” he shouted.

Live Wire struggled furiously but he couldn’t break free from the man’s grip!

“You don’t even know your own name!” cried Arda as she returned with two beautiful women!

They both had platinum blonde hair. The first girl wore a pink costume with a laced bodice, high collar, and matching books and cape. The slightly older girl wore a white dress with heels and a silvery tiara.

Wonder Man sneered in contempt as they landed! Drake wondered how the other two girls were able to fly and then shrugged off the question as he fought to break free.

The first girl said, “I am Glamour and my power of illusion always me to expose your true self!”

She gestured and Wonder Man began to lose color! He became solid white from head to foot and his previously rugged features began to lose detail!

Arda said, “You aren’t Wonder Man! At least you aren’t just Wonder Man! I sense two separate minds somehow blended into one confused mental essence!”

The weird figure dropped Drake and cried out, “I must be Wonder Man! If I’m not Wonder Man then who or what am I?”

The second girl posed regally and said, “My power to alter probability linked with Silver Lass’s mental might made you lose your concentration. You are a protoplasmic being with no identity of your own! You only decided that you were Wonder Man when his mental essence touched your empty mind!”

Arda said, “And his essence was not by itself either! I sensed two mingled minds! Wonder Man and his hated foe Zord the Wizard were locked in battle in 1939 when Zord’s careless spell ripped both men out of reality! Somehow Wonder Man’s desire to be a hero and Zord’s hateful nature mingled until one mixed brain pattern returned to our reality and helplessly watched the careers of all those other heroes until in this era, it found that formless protoplasm and took control of it. It had the certainty that it was really Fred Carson but it was also motivated not by his noble nature but by some of Zord’s malice!”

The artificial being melted into a puddle of white matter as Live Wire scrambled away from it and raced to Arda’s side.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Arda smiled warmly and said, “I am. I didn’t want to leave you but I detected the thoughts of Queen Adora and her handmaiden Glamour and realized they could help us!”

Queen Ardora said, “I am known as the Dream Queen. All of Valna is the source of my powers of magic and probability alteration! I know who you are as well and my loyal maiden Glamour and I would like to join your team!”

Arda said, “We would be glad to have you! If you hadn’t helped me break through his defenses and read his mind and then force him to see the illusion he was living under, we might have lost!”

Dream Queen smiled winningly and said, “My loyal servants will contain that poor deluded being. Perhaps my own magic has released the real Wonder Man and Zord from their otherworldly captivity! If my magic has broken through to them then they may appear in their proper era! I can’t say for sure!”

Live Wire grinned and said, “Having a real queen on our team will sure shake things up!”

Dream Queen said, “My needs are simple. My magic provides most that I need. I also will remain linked to this world so if my subjects need me I may respond at once!”

Arda said nothing but she frowned as she thought, “I can’t detect their thoughts at all now. I wonder if I was only able to do so before because they allowed it? Just how great is Adora’s power here?”

Later as Dream Queen stood before a mirror in a tower room of the castle, she gazed at her reflection as Glamour faded from view and then her own image vanished to reveal a large bed and a beautiful dreamer resting within it.

“I will trust this Legion in time but for now there is no need to let them know that Glamour and Dream Queen are but magical phantasms made physical by my magic and that in truth I, Queen Adora must remain here physically forever trapped beneath a magical slumber in this tower. If my sleeping form ever awakens the magic of Valna would fade in time and that must never be! Seeing this cosmos as both Dream Queen and the more humble Glamour will enrich my mystic dreams for some time to come!”
she thought.

Epilogue

J.j. Kord looked on proudly as Live Wire, Silver Lass, Magno, Triad and Scarab formally made Kid Quantum, Koste, XS, Nightshade, Astra, Glamour, and Dream Queen part of the Solar Legion!

“They’ve proven themselves to several planets! This is just the start! Old man, you did something
right when you founded this team! “ he thought as he looked at “his kids” and then listened to the loud cheers from an admiring crowd!


The End