Post by redsycorax on May 22, 2019 2:04:38 GMT
On Earth 133, things are slightly different from our own alternate world. For one thing, two epochal political decisions went very differently from those that occurred here in 2016. Hillary Clinton won several close-run states at the US election and became the first female US president. Neither the far left or alt-right like this state of affairs, but Clinton has been especially popular with female and minority voters. Her gains were reinforced by Democrat recapture of the House of Representatives in 2018. In the United Kingdom, the European Union membership referendum ended in reinforcement of the status quo. David Cameron remains British Conservative Prime Minister narrowly, faced with constant Leave revolts within his party caucus, and the fragmented and defeated "Brexit" lobby has gone underground to lick its wounds.
As for that world's greatest superheroes, there are some interesting divergences from the quotidian. On this world, it was Superman who died during their interface with the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West did not become the Flash after Barry Allen's sacrifice, and the role remains vacant. Aquaman and Mera's infant son survived and is now an adolescent. Lois Lane is editor of the Daily Planet after Perry White died from lung cancer. John Stewart is Green Lantern, Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance are married and retired, Wonder Woman never returned from Paradise Island after she returned there at the end of the Second World War, Hawkwoman is widowed and Chancellor General of Thanagar, and Superwoman is in charge of a transformed Justice Foundation of America.
Superwoman stood silently on the airless surface of what had once been Qward, laid waste by the Crime Syndicate of Ameriqa's genocidal rampage there a decade ago. She laid a crimson Raoflora at the graveside of her mentor and cousin and her heart ached. It always felt like this when she came back to honour him and his sacrifice. She could still remember that day when he was briefly silhouetted in the Anti-Monitor's prodigal fires before the antimatter blast felled him. By then, she was out of harm's way, but Clark Kent...Kal-El...Superman...the Man of Steel, the Man of Tomorrow...had fallen in noble sacrifice. She let her tears flow as she turned, rose into the skies and headed back to Earth, and its securities and challenges.
John Stewart finished recharging his power ring as the JFA signal device sounded. He hoped Mari would be there- something was definitely developing between the two of them. There had been so many changes... Barry had died, Wally, Oliver and Dinah had all retired, Aquaman had turned into a maritime seperatist, Batman's career had ended when Bane broke his back and left him in a wheelchair, and Dick Grayson had replaced him. The Atom was now a full time scientist and Chancellor of Ivy Town University. J'onn J'onnz and Hawkwoman had left Earth forever, Superwoman had replaced her noble cousin, and no-one knew what had become of Paradise Island and Wonder Woman.
At the White House, President Hillary Clinton activated a green telephone:
"Yes, what is it? Your Majesty. All right then, Diana. Good to hear from you again. Thank you. Is there any chance that you might be able to reconsider what you told me? Your Senate has refused to condone any further venture from Themiscyra, then? I'm sorry to hear that. And there will be no further emissary from the Amazon community? We so badly need a dynamic and resolute female metahuman. Yes, I have every confidence in Kara too, but someone of your legendary stature and warrior prowess... I see. Well, thank you, your majesty." The 45th President of the United States sat, pondering what life would be like if she'd lost her own husband to the heart attack he'd had twenty years ago. Because that was what lay at the core of this. Queen Diana of Themiscyra- Wonder Woman- had never forgotten Superman and could not face life in Patriarch's World without him, whether as a comrade or as a lover. She sighed as she reviewed the Cabinet papers about the withdrawal from Syria.
But in both Atlantis and Themiscyra, trouble was brewing. As Queen Diana frowned, Donna Troy zipped up her travel bag as the invisible jet taxied up toward her: "Are you determined to defy me, Donna?"
"If this was World War II, you wouldn't be saying that, Diana."
"That was before I lost Steve and Clark. I have become pessimistic that change is possible in Patriarch's World."
"I haven't. I'm sorry you feel this way, Diana, but this wasn't how mother raised either of us."
"Hippolyta is dead. And the outside world is worse than ever."
"Hasn't it always been? You may have given up, Diana. I refuse to."
"Don't make me do this, Donna."
"It's already too late, Diana."
"You leave me no option. Themiscyra is closed to you henceforth."
"Fine with me, sister." Donna said, boarding the invisible jet before it lifted into the deceptively serene skies above Themiscyra's island paradise. Diana turned, sighed, and walked back into her palace.
Atlantis was similarly beset:
"Arthur, please. Your father didn't mean it."
"Mother, it's no use. Dad knows I agree with him when it comes to oceanic pollution but his seperatist approach is not the way to resolve this."
"He's doing what he thinks is right."
"Yeah, and I'm going to do what I think is. He's considered as little better than a terrorist in the surface world these days."
"Many Atlanteans agree with him."
"He's turned into a demagogue, mother."
"He's still your father, Arthur."
"As much as I love him, I still think he's wrong. Goodbye, mother. Take care of him. Try to make sure he doesn't go too far." Arthur Curry Jr...Aquaboy II...swam from the Atlantean dome and the glories of thousands of years of undersea civilisation. Had he glanced back, he would have seen his gaunt, glassy eyed father, with tears in his eyes, watching him leave.
"I wish you'd reconsider, Wally." John Stewart said, as Wally West watched his children play in Keystone City.
"Why, John? Face it, that life killed Barry. I'm not "Kid Flash" any longer, I'm an adult, I have a family and children. I can't replace Barry. No-one could. He was my friend, my mentor, but he's gone."
"So is Hal, but that doesn't stop me."
"I admire and respect your sense of duty, determination and purpose, John. I always have. But at what cost?"
"I do admit, I envy you all this."
"There's still Katma, over on Korugar, John."
"Yeah, buddy, I know."
"Think about it, pal. Don't deny yourself this. Look what the clash between duty and private life did to Hal."
"Carol and he sure seem happy, don't they?"
With a last wistful look at Wally, Linda, Iris and Jay, John Stewart shot into the sky, en route to the JFA's Watchtower.
Gotham. Dick Grayson shrugged on the Batman uniform as Bruce watched from his wheelchair:
"So you'll think about it?"
"Tim's attending Hudson University, Bruce."
"Batmen need Robins. Although you're a hard act to follow."
"Yeah, well, I had an excellent mentor."
"What about young Bruce?"
"He'd be good, but Helena takes after Selina, definitely. And she's older."
Bruce Wayne sighed: "So I'm left in the Batcave playing Oracle again?"
"Selina said she'd be down with a decent meal later on."
"This is hell, Dick. Both Alfred and she gang up on me and force me to eat."
"Kory sends her regards."
"Tell her they're reciprocated. I wish you'd reconsider and both of you would move back in here."
"Bruce, you have a growing family at long last. Kory and I are still negotiating the finer points of xenopregnancy."
"How did her appointment on Daxam go?"
"She's on the way back. Shayera sent a Thanagarian scoutship to pick her up for the return journey."
"So many changes. Some of them great. Some of them..."
"Gotta go, Bruce." Bruce Wayne could only watch as Batman seated himself within the Batmobile and it roared away from the Batcave. At the sound of his approaching wife, he turned his wheelchair and accelerated toward the monitor screen, ready to begin his night as Batman's Oracle.
Superwoman was busy fielding a report from Jimmy Olsen as Dick Malverne waved at her:
"Hey there."
"Sorry, Jimmy, rest time beckons."
"Ah. Is it promising this time, Linda?"
"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. After all this time, he's re-entered my life. But then there's Querl, uptime. I'm starting to remember what Kal told me about Lois and Lana. At least she's happy with Vartox on Alpha Centauri now. I'll be at Lois' office at six o'clock next week for Superman Anniversary Day. And congratulations to you and Lucy over your new son."
"Thanks, amiga."
"You're a good friend, Jimmy. Kal always said so and I'm glad I can still rely on your wisdom and judgement."
As Superwoman flew away toward her current paramour, Jimmy Olsen reflected on how similar this world was to the one that had ended when Kal-El breathed his last on Qward. Some things had changed less than others. Kara wondered if her life would have been different if she hadn't decided to fly on and locate a cancer cure for Dick on the day that she'd temporarily rejected him over the past. Thank goodness he'd gotten over his obsession with Supergirl's secret identity. Ironically enough, she now entrusted him with it. However, there was the question of marriage, she reflected. Kal and Lois had been in an identical situation- he always feared that if they had married, his enemies would strike at him through her vulnerability. Huh. "Vulnerable" and "weak" were the last words she'd ever use to describe the Daily Planet's editor!
Batman swung over his adopted city, intent on a particular target. His infrared lenses highlighted the British Ambassador and a collateral swing away to the anti-European protestors... and the gunperson in the bushes near them. It looked like the batdrone's assessment had been correct. Dick Grayson activated the stealthguard within his cape armour and it deployed around him. With any luck, the assailant wouldn't detect him until it was too late for them. He missed Tim's presence alongside him, especially given that his former Robin was responsible for the technological improvements that had sharpened the edge of the second Batman's combat capabilities. With twenty years of combat training and expertise behind him, the result was never really in doubt. And as he expected, the assailant belonged to the breakaway anti-European "British Sovereignty Army" terrorist group.
As the assembled heroes convened on the JFA satellite, Batman raised his eyebrows at the arrival of Arthur Curry Jr and Donna Wonder. Superwoman turned and smiled:
"As you can see, we have two new prospective members with us. I'm sure all of you recognise Aquaboy here from Arthur's Young Justice days and Donna will need no introduction whatsoever. I applaud you both for your unselfish decisions." Donna and Dick hugged briefly as they settled around the table and both new membership votes were unanimous. Kara cleared her throat:
"As you can guess, our chief item on the agenda is the rise of anti-European terrorism in the United Kingdom."
Dick nodded: "Yeah, personal experience of that. I suppose all of you heard about the attack on the British ambassador in Gotham last night?"
"We did, and excellent work. So, what's the full story, Kara? Are they connected in any way with the "Army of the Republic" here?"
"Dick and Bruce have been working overtime on intel and there's full co-operation between Prime Minister Cameron and President Clinton over this. And in more bad news, it seems that British metas may be associated with the BSA. Namely, our old friend Dorcas Leight, aka Godiva."
"What?! Hell, I knew D was conservative, but I never thought she'd align herself with that outfit." John exclaimed.
"She's changed. I think it had something to do with the Crisis and losing most of the Global Guardians, apart from Hugh the Tasmanian Devil, Impala and Tuatara. She was close to Dan Cormac, the original Jack O'Lantern in Ireland. He died in her arms."
"But the anti-Europeans are dangerous extremists. They wouldn't accept the European Union membership result and they've turned terrorist as a result. Just like a certain property tycoon and his links to the consolidated far right's 'Army of the Republic'." Dick commented
In the headquarters of the "Army of the Republic," a rotund sweaty figure knelt with profound effort as a figure stepped forward from the all-encompassing darkness. His face was granite and basalt and he roughly jerked the elderly man's face up: "Explain your failure. fool!"
"It was fake news, Your Holiness. I tried my best, but..."
"But it wasn't anywhere near good enough, was it?"
"Give me another chance."
"Your obsequiousness and vacuity does not placate me, cretin. You were entrusted with a mission- to gain control of the United States executive and render its government pliable for my manipulation and weakening. I committed considerable resources to your candidacy and it was all for naught."
"We came so close!"
"No more excuses. You have fawned and grovelled before me for one last time, moron." Darkseid reached out and took the sweating older man's head in his hands. With a decisive jerk, he broke his neck. He sidestepped the blood, faeces and urine that flowed out from the corpse as he threw it too the floor: "Desaad! Get this offal out of here and dump it in space! And send in our next candidate for domination of this world."
Oracle leant back from his chair and looked across at Superwoman:
"It looks like your suspicions were absolutely correct, Kara. He was a Darkseid pawn all that time."
"To think that creature almost became President of the United States. Well, he paid the price for it. Unfortunately, the nanolink you implanted ceased to operate when Darkseid executed him, Bruce. So we can't learn who the surrogate pawn that he's deployed is."
"Not necessarily, Kara. Take a look at the radiation field that Darkseid used with his discarded pawn. That seems to be par for the course with his servants."
"Why did Darkseid think that one would have any success?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. Thank goodness we detected his ruse in time."
The figure before Darkseid was identifiably female. She brushed back her hair and stared upward at him, with none of the fear that had characterised her predecessor. He returned the appraising gaze and rumbled: "Your one-time lover would not have approved."
"He's gone, now. That witch took him from me, even if she couldn't have him in the end."
"Is that all this is, then? Bitterness? Or something else?"
"Look at his cousin, acclaimed while her mentor is almost completely forgotten and discarded. And that woman carries on as if nothing was amiss. I want revenge, Darkseid. I want to bring the world down around me because it's meaningless without him there to anchor it."
"Your neuroanatomy appears to have altered."
"I was helping my mother shift some of my late father's archaeological property out to mueseums when I finally came to my senses. It was as if a veil had lifted from me. Well, Darkseid? I was an insider for years. I can help you bring down the JFA and their sycophants. What is your reply?"
"I used to have a group of empowered females assisting me, the Female Furies. Their leader, Granny Goodness, has been dead for many years. It is ironic, is it? Once, you would have longed for the abilities that I am about to bestow upon you to become an equal to the man you loved. Now, you do it for power, vengeance and the yawning nihilistic void at the centre of your soul. You are about to become metahuman, my chosen instrument, my new dark child.... Lana Lang."
Superwoman heard Jimmy's signal watch as she re-entered Earth's atmosphere. It sounded peculiar, though, and then she realised why. The sound was at a pre-arranged frequency arranged by her late cousin to provide a specfic alert if there was a major scale incident that would affect the whole of Metropolis or any other major metropolitan centre. She accelerated toward her cousin's adopted city and her x-ray vision detected the source of the alert. There was a thermonuclear device installed within the globe of the Daily Planet. But Kara was so intent on defusing the bomb, she didn't hear the intruder until it was too late. A sideblow deflected her and she swung away from the globe, to encounter the masked metahuman female figure who re-fused the bomb with her heat vision and restarted its countdown. Kara recovered from the blow and swept toward the sphere, delivering an upper cut to the anonymous figure and hurtling upward with the sphere in her hands. She cleared the Earth's atmosphere and the range of most communication and surveillance satellites, making it to the Moon before a brilliant flash lit up the night sky. As the detonation subsided, Superwoman came out of what would have been the funeral pyre of Metropolis, angry and intent on the intruder. She made some estimates and with a shock, realised that the explosion was on a par with the Tsar Bomba, the largest ever nuclear explosion detonated on Earth, at fifty megatons. Her face set in grim determination, Kara contacted the other Justice Foundation members.
Green Lantern rose from the Earth below and trained his power ring on the hostile female metahuman. He rained kryptonite at her, then a leaden hail in case the intruder was a Daxamite. She ignored both as if they were nothing but a summer shower. He put out a distress call to the rest of the Green Lantern Corps and John flew to engage Kara's assailant. The figure turned in her course, a twisted smile on her face. She might have been unable to destroy Metropolis, but this might be the next best thing. She caught Green Lantern by his collar, balled her fist and punched her lemon yellow glove through John Stewart's ribcage before Kara could stop her. Superwoman hurriedly wrapped the dying Green Lantern in her cape and accelerated toward the JFA satellite. He shuddered beneath her as she entered through the airlock, rushing John to the medicentre. Donna turned on the purple ray as Kara deposited him on the pallet, but it was too late. John Stewart arched his back once and then his eyes glazed over as his heart stammered to a halt. Earth's second and greatest Green Lantern was dead.
It was a dark and overcast day as the Justice Foundation's current membership stood above John Stewart's grave as a tearful Tawny Young, Stewart's one-time lover, gave a solemn commemorative broadcast. Wally looked across at an inconsolable Oliver and Dinah, holding on their children for dear life, never letting them go. In an exoskeleton, Batman I said: "This never gets any easier. Ralph, Barry, Hal, Katar, J'onn, Clark... and now John. How many more? Dear god, how many more?"
"Tawny? Come over here, honey..." Dinah said, as the sobbing WGBS journalist ended her broadcast, unable to continue despite a valiant effort:
"It wasn't your fault, Linda..." Dick Malverne said as he cradled the woman he loved more than anything else on this world.
"Sure, I saved Metropolis and the Daily Planet staff, but... Rao, Dick, look at Tawny. And Dinah, this must be reminding her of the time she lost Larry. And Iris. John Stewart was one of the most fearless and courageous of us all and now he's gone because I..."
"Sweetheart, you saved a major US city. Even you can't be everywhere."
"Life goes on..." Wally said, as an unfamiiiar figure alighted:
"Tell me if I'm not welcome, but... the Guardians and power ring chose me to replace Mr Stewart. Kyle. Kyle Rayner."
"We'll talk later. Thank you for waiting until this service was over and we'd said goodbye to our friend." Batman II said to the newcomer.
"Got to say buddy, times like this, I've never regretted retiring." Oliver said as Wally, Linda, Iris and Jay left the graveside, along with Dinah, Connor and the grieving Tawny.
"I know. Aunt Iris was disappointed, but now I've got a family and children, she can see the logic in it. How's Connor?"
"He's still too young to know what this all means. I hope he keeps his innocence for a long, long time."
And then it all descended into chaos. Above them, the masked figure of the assailant reappeared, a jeer on her jaw. She lost her composure as Batman II snapped her image with a facial composition programme. She cursed as she rushed down toward Dick Grayson, until his furious wife barrelled into her:
"X'hal! Get away from my man, you accursed monster."
As Superwoman prepared to join Starfire, Batman II showed her the image:
"Rao! Lana Lang??!! How could this have happened?"
"According to the data base, it involved replicating the spatiocetacean incident that will befall Rimbor's Jo-Nah in the thirtieth century. She has the abilities of that Legionnaire, with a tweak so that she can use all of those abilities simultaneously."
"Oh no. No. Querl- Brainiac 5 -tried that, but the experimental android he tried it out on died after several days."
"What turned her into this, Kara?"
Then it gelled: "Darkseid."
"Lana!" Kara called, as she shot up to join Starfire.
"What?! This is Lana Lang?! How?!"
Beneath her mask, the scowling face of the interloper contorted into a laugh: "So you've found out my identity. It won't do you any good."
"Lana, if Darkseid did this, there's a sting in the tail. It will kill you. Please, stop doing this. We can get you to Lexor, have Luthor provide you with an antidote."
"The problem is, Kara, that you're too powerful. You've even been immunised against kryptonite, thanks to Lex going soft. Well, you've met your match now. It should have been you who died during the Crisis, not Clark."
"Do you honestly think Clark would have wanted you doing this, Lana? Do you?!"
"Don't try emotional blackmail on me, blondie. Clark is dead. That doesn't matter now. Nothing..." And at that moment, the clock ran out on Lana Lang's metahuman enhancement and she fell from the sky. Kara dived down to intercept her, as did Koriand'r, but it was useless. With an inhuman scream, Lana Lang's accelerated metabolism burst into flame as she neared the ground. Superwoman tried to smother the flames with her cape, but the combustion had caught her by surprise. As a result, two people died that week.
Lois Lane looked up from her editors desk: "Hello, Kara. Good to see you again."
"I have some terrible news. Lana..."
Lois swallowed: "I lost touch with her after Clark died. I wish I hadn't."
"I tried to save her, but..."
"She changed after Clark died, Kara. Don't blame yourself."
"The Foundation and I think Darkseid engineered her into the predator that murdered John Stewart."
"Might have guessed. Will that granite faced bastard never stop tormenting our world?"
"Are you good for the interview with the new GL?"
"The Guardians didn't waste any time, did they? That'll comfort our readers at least. And don't worry about Tawny. I'll be there for her, just as I was for Carol when we lost Hal."
"I wish things had worked out for you and Kal, Lois."
"I have memories, Kara. Treasured ones."
The new Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner, arced over the landscape as he headed for the distant speck that was the Justice Foundation satellite. To his surprise, he saw a scarlet blur travelling at high speed below him. He descended for a closer look: "Hey, new guy."
"Kyle. Er, I thought the Flash had died during that Crisis... no, wait, you used to be "Kid" Flash, didn't you?"
"After my mentor died, I decided to hang up the leotard and concentrate on leading a normal life. Family, kids, stuff. And look what happened. A good man died needlessly."
"I feel out of my league, y'know."
"Don't feel bad about that, dude. We all start off that way. Donna Wonder, Batman II, me, we all started off as kid sidekicks. Then our mentors retired, got seriously injured or died. Times change, people mature and grow into their roles. I know I did."
"It's just... Hal Jordan, John Stewart... those guys are legends, man."
"And as you're with the Foundation now, it's Wally. Come around for dinner with me and my family sometime. Got anyone you can bring?"
"My girlfriend, Alexandra."
"How'd she react to all this?"
"She suggested the updated threads, to differentiate myself from the served-with-valour contingent."
"Kyle, I think this is the start of a great friendship."
In distant Themiscyra, Queen Diana looked at the softly coruscating blue field that now pervaded their universe. Bruce Wayne's image was inset:
"Did we do the right thing, Bruce?"
"I didn't exactly have any option, Diana, and anyhow, Dick's doing an excellent job. So is Donna."
"It grieves me seeing you in a wheelchair, old friend."
"It's not so bad, with Selina and the children. So much has changed."
"I feel as if we lived in an age of gold or silver, Bruce, and now that has passed."
"None of us lasts forever, Diana. It's not the sixties, seventies or eighties any more. We trained our proteges well and now they've stepped out and they're making the world change."
"At least we can do this, Bruce. The tachyon screen will prevent Darkseid from ever preying on our world and our universe again. It's just a damned shame John and Lana had to leave us before it became operational."
"Thinking of Clark?"
"Damn it, yes. I still miss him, Bruce. There's a void where he used to be and it aches like Hades."
"Speaking of which, I have a surprise for you." As Amazon satellite technology pivoted, it showed Superwoman shaking President Hillary Clinton's age as she unveiled the Colossus of Krypton, a monument to Earth-133's first and greatest hero. And then, for all that she was a Woman of Steel, Kara Zor-El broke into tears as the 45th US President gently embraced and held her.
THE END
As for that world's greatest superheroes, there are some interesting divergences from the quotidian. On this world, it was Superman who died during their interface with the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally West did not become the Flash after Barry Allen's sacrifice, and the role remains vacant. Aquaman and Mera's infant son survived and is now an adolescent. Lois Lane is editor of the Daily Planet after Perry White died from lung cancer. John Stewart is Green Lantern, Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance are married and retired, Wonder Woman never returned from Paradise Island after she returned there at the end of the Second World War, Hawkwoman is widowed and Chancellor General of Thanagar, and Superwoman is in charge of a transformed Justice Foundation of America.
Superwoman stood silently on the airless surface of what had once been Qward, laid waste by the Crime Syndicate of Ameriqa's genocidal rampage there a decade ago. She laid a crimson Raoflora at the graveside of her mentor and cousin and her heart ached. It always felt like this when she came back to honour him and his sacrifice. She could still remember that day when he was briefly silhouetted in the Anti-Monitor's prodigal fires before the antimatter blast felled him. By then, she was out of harm's way, but Clark Kent...Kal-El...Superman...the Man of Steel, the Man of Tomorrow...had fallen in noble sacrifice. She let her tears flow as she turned, rose into the skies and headed back to Earth, and its securities and challenges.
John Stewart finished recharging his power ring as the JFA signal device sounded. He hoped Mari would be there- something was definitely developing between the two of them. There had been so many changes... Barry had died, Wally, Oliver and Dinah had all retired, Aquaman had turned into a maritime seperatist, Batman's career had ended when Bane broke his back and left him in a wheelchair, and Dick Grayson had replaced him. The Atom was now a full time scientist and Chancellor of Ivy Town University. J'onn J'onnz and Hawkwoman had left Earth forever, Superwoman had replaced her noble cousin, and no-one knew what had become of Paradise Island and Wonder Woman.
At the White House, President Hillary Clinton activated a green telephone:
"Yes, what is it? Your Majesty. All right then, Diana. Good to hear from you again. Thank you. Is there any chance that you might be able to reconsider what you told me? Your Senate has refused to condone any further venture from Themiscyra, then? I'm sorry to hear that. And there will be no further emissary from the Amazon community? We so badly need a dynamic and resolute female metahuman. Yes, I have every confidence in Kara too, but someone of your legendary stature and warrior prowess... I see. Well, thank you, your majesty." The 45th President of the United States sat, pondering what life would be like if she'd lost her own husband to the heart attack he'd had twenty years ago. Because that was what lay at the core of this. Queen Diana of Themiscyra- Wonder Woman- had never forgotten Superman and could not face life in Patriarch's World without him, whether as a comrade or as a lover. She sighed as she reviewed the Cabinet papers about the withdrawal from Syria.
But in both Atlantis and Themiscyra, trouble was brewing. As Queen Diana frowned, Donna Troy zipped up her travel bag as the invisible jet taxied up toward her: "Are you determined to defy me, Donna?"
"If this was World War II, you wouldn't be saying that, Diana."
"That was before I lost Steve and Clark. I have become pessimistic that change is possible in Patriarch's World."
"I haven't. I'm sorry you feel this way, Diana, but this wasn't how mother raised either of us."
"Hippolyta is dead. And the outside world is worse than ever."
"Hasn't it always been? You may have given up, Diana. I refuse to."
"Don't make me do this, Donna."
"It's already too late, Diana."
"You leave me no option. Themiscyra is closed to you henceforth."
"Fine with me, sister." Donna said, boarding the invisible jet before it lifted into the deceptively serene skies above Themiscyra's island paradise. Diana turned, sighed, and walked back into her palace.
Atlantis was similarly beset:
"Arthur, please. Your father didn't mean it."
"Mother, it's no use. Dad knows I agree with him when it comes to oceanic pollution but his seperatist approach is not the way to resolve this."
"He's doing what he thinks is right."
"Yeah, and I'm going to do what I think is. He's considered as little better than a terrorist in the surface world these days."
"Many Atlanteans agree with him."
"He's turned into a demagogue, mother."
"He's still your father, Arthur."
"As much as I love him, I still think he's wrong. Goodbye, mother. Take care of him. Try to make sure he doesn't go too far." Arthur Curry Jr...Aquaboy II...swam from the Atlantean dome and the glories of thousands of years of undersea civilisation. Had he glanced back, he would have seen his gaunt, glassy eyed father, with tears in his eyes, watching him leave.
"I wish you'd reconsider, Wally." John Stewart said, as Wally West watched his children play in Keystone City.
"Why, John? Face it, that life killed Barry. I'm not "Kid Flash" any longer, I'm an adult, I have a family and children. I can't replace Barry. No-one could. He was my friend, my mentor, but he's gone."
"So is Hal, but that doesn't stop me."
"I admire and respect your sense of duty, determination and purpose, John. I always have. But at what cost?"
"I do admit, I envy you all this."
"There's still Katma, over on Korugar, John."
"Yeah, buddy, I know."
"Think about it, pal. Don't deny yourself this. Look what the clash between duty and private life did to Hal."
"Carol and he sure seem happy, don't they?"
With a last wistful look at Wally, Linda, Iris and Jay, John Stewart shot into the sky, en route to the JFA's Watchtower.
Gotham. Dick Grayson shrugged on the Batman uniform as Bruce watched from his wheelchair:
"So you'll think about it?"
"Tim's attending Hudson University, Bruce."
"Batmen need Robins. Although you're a hard act to follow."
"Yeah, well, I had an excellent mentor."
"What about young Bruce?"
"He'd be good, but Helena takes after Selina, definitely. And she's older."
Bruce Wayne sighed: "So I'm left in the Batcave playing Oracle again?"
"Selina said she'd be down with a decent meal later on."
"This is hell, Dick. Both Alfred and she gang up on me and force me to eat."
"Kory sends her regards."
"Tell her they're reciprocated. I wish you'd reconsider and both of you would move back in here."
"Bruce, you have a growing family at long last. Kory and I are still negotiating the finer points of xenopregnancy."
"How did her appointment on Daxam go?"
"She's on the way back. Shayera sent a Thanagarian scoutship to pick her up for the return journey."
"So many changes. Some of them great. Some of them..."
"Gotta go, Bruce." Bruce Wayne could only watch as Batman seated himself within the Batmobile and it roared away from the Batcave. At the sound of his approaching wife, he turned his wheelchair and accelerated toward the monitor screen, ready to begin his night as Batman's Oracle.
Superwoman was busy fielding a report from Jimmy Olsen as Dick Malverne waved at her:
"Hey there."
"Sorry, Jimmy, rest time beckons."
"Ah. Is it promising this time, Linda?"
"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. After all this time, he's re-entered my life. But then there's Querl, uptime. I'm starting to remember what Kal told me about Lois and Lana. At least she's happy with Vartox on Alpha Centauri now. I'll be at Lois' office at six o'clock next week for Superman Anniversary Day. And congratulations to you and Lucy over your new son."
"Thanks, amiga."
"You're a good friend, Jimmy. Kal always said so and I'm glad I can still rely on your wisdom and judgement."
As Superwoman flew away toward her current paramour, Jimmy Olsen reflected on how similar this world was to the one that had ended when Kal-El breathed his last on Qward. Some things had changed less than others. Kara wondered if her life would have been different if she hadn't decided to fly on and locate a cancer cure for Dick on the day that she'd temporarily rejected him over the past. Thank goodness he'd gotten over his obsession with Supergirl's secret identity. Ironically enough, she now entrusted him with it. However, there was the question of marriage, she reflected. Kal and Lois had been in an identical situation- he always feared that if they had married, his enemies would strike at him through her vulnerability. Huh. "Vulnerable" and "weak" were the last words she'd ever use to describe the Daily Planet's editor!
Batman swung over his adopted city, intent on a particular target. His infrared lenses highlighted the British Ambassador and a collateral swing away to the anti-European protestors... and the gunperson in the bushes near them. It looked like the batdrone's assessment had been correct. Dick Grayson activated the stealthguard within his cape armour and it deployed around him. With any luck, the assailant wouldn't detect him until it was too late for them. He missed Tim's presence alongside him, especially given that his former Robin was responsible for the technological improvements that had sharpened the edge of the second Batman's combat capabilities. With twenty years of combat training and expertise behind him, the result was never really in doubt. And as he expected, the assailant belonged to the breakaway anti-European "British Sovereignty Army" terrorist group.
As the assembled heroes convened on the JFA satellite, Batman raised his eyebrows at the arrival of Arthur Curry Jr and Donna Wonder. Superwoman turned and smiled:
"As you can see, we have two new prospective members with us. I'm sure all of you recognise Aquaboy here from Arthur's Young Justice days and Donna will need no introduction whatsoever. I applaud you both for your unselfish decisions." Donna and Dick hugged briefly as they settled around the table and both new membership votes were unanimous. Kara cleared her throat:
"As you can guess, our chief item on the agenda is the rise of anti-European terrorism in the United Kingdom."
Dick nodded: "Yeah, personal experience of that. I suppose all of you heard about the attack on the British ambassador in Gotham last night?"
"We did, and excellent work. So, what's the full story, Kara? Are they connected in any way with the "Army of the Republic" here?"
"Dick and Bruce have been working overtime on intel and there's full co-operation between Prime Minister Cameron and President Clinton over this. And in more bad news, it seems that British metas may be associated with the BSA. Namely, our old friend Dorcas Leight, aka Godiva."
"What?! Hell, I knew D was conservative, but I never thought she'd align herself with that outfit." John exclaimed.
"She's changed. I think it had something to do with the Crisis and losing most of the Global Guardians, apart from Hugh the Tasmanian Devil, Impala and Tuatara. She was close to Dan Cormac, the original Jack O'Lantern in Ireland. He died in her arms."
"But the anti-Europeans are dangerous extremists. They wouldn't accept the European Union membership result and they've turned terrorist as a result. Just like a certain property tycoon and his links to the consolidated far right's 'Army of the Republic'." Dick commented
In the headquarters of the "Army of the Republic," a rotund sweaty figure knelt with profound effort as a figure stepped forward from the all-encompassing darkness. His face was granite and basalt and he roughly jerked the elderly man's face up: "Explain your failure. fool!"
"It was fake news, Your Holiness. I tried my best, but..."
"But it wasn't anywhere near good enough, was it?"
"Give me another chance."
"Your obsequiousness and vacuity does not placate me, cretin. You were entrusted with a mission- to gain control of the United States executive and render its government pliable for my manipulation and weakening. I committed considerable resources to your candidacy and it was all for naught."
"We came so close!"
"No more excuses. You have fawned and grovelled before me for one last time, moron." Darkseid reached out and took the sweating older man's head in his hands. With a decisive jerk, he broke his neck. He sidestepped the blood, faeces and urine that flowed out from the corpse as he threw it too the floor: "Desaad! Get this offal out of here and dump it in space! And send in our next candidate for domination of this world."
Oracle leant back from his chair and looked across at Superwoman:
"It looks like your suspicions were absolutely correct, Kara. He was a Darkseid pawn all that time."
"To think that creature almost became President of the United States. Well, he paid the price for it. Unfortunately, the nanolink you implanted ceased to operate when Darkseid executed him, Bruce. So we can't learn who the surrogate pawn that he's deployed is."
"Not necessarily, Kara. Take a look at the radiation field that Darkseid used with his discarded pawn. That seems to be par for the course with his servants."
"Why did Darkseid think that one would have any success?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. Thank goodness we detected his ruse in time."
The figure before Darkseid was identifiably female. She brushed back her hair and stared upward at him, with none of the fear that had characterised her predecessor. He returned the appraising gaze and rumbled: "Your one-time lover would not have approved."
"He's gone, now. That witch took him from me, even if she couldn't have him in the end."
"Is that all this is, then? Bitterness? Or something else?"
"Look at his cousin, acclaimed while her mentor is almost completely forgotten and discarded. And that woman carries on as if nothing was amiss. I want revenge, Darkseid. I want to bring the world down around me because it's meaningless without him there to anchor it."
"Your neuroanatomy appears to have altered."
"I was helping my mother shift some of my late father's archaeological property out to mueseums when I finally came to my senses. It was as if a veil had lifted from me. Well, Darkseid? I was an insider for years. I can help you bring down the JFA and their sycophants. What is your reply?"
"I used to have a group of empowered females assisting me, the Female Furies. Their leader, Granny Goodness, has been dead for many years. It is ironic, is it? Once, you would have longed for the abilities that I am about to bestow upon you to become an equal to the man you loved. Now, you do it for power, vengeance and the yawning nihilistic void at the centre of your soul. You are about to become metahuman, my chosen instrument, my new dark child.... Lana Lang."
Superwoman heard Jimmy's signal watch as she re-entered Earth's atmosphere. It sounded peculiar, though, and then she realised why. The sound was at a pre-arranged frequency arranged by her late cousin to provide a specfic alert if there was a major scale incident that would affect the whole of Metropolis or any other major metropolitan centre. She accelerated toward her cousin's adopted city and her x-ray vision detected the source of the alert. There was a thermonuclear device installed within the globe of the Daily Planet. But Kara was so intent on defusing the bomb, she didn't hear the intruder until it was too late. A sideblow deflected her and she swung away from the globe, to encounter the masked metahuman female figure who re-fused the bomb with her heat vision and restarted its countdown. Kara recovered from the blow and swept toward the sphere, delivering an upper cut to the anonymous figure and hurtling upward with the sphere in her hands. She cleared the Earth's atmosphere and the range of most communication and surveillance satellites, making it to the Moon before a brilliant flash lit up the night sky. As the detonation subsided, Superwoman came out of what would have been the funeral pyre of Metropolis, angry and intent on the intruder. She made some estimates and with a shock, realised that the explosion was on a par with the Tsar Bomba, the largest ever nuclear explosion detonated on Earth, at fifty megatons. Her face set in grim determination, Kara contacted the other Justice Foundation members.
Green Lantern rose from the Earth below and trained his power ring on the hostile female metahuman. He rained kryptonite at her, then a leaden hail in case the intruder was a Daxamite. She ignored both as if they were nothing but a summer shower. He put out a distress call to the rest of the Green Lantern Corps and John flew to engage Kara's assailant. The figure turned in her course, a twisted smile on her face. She might have been unable to destroy Metropolis, but this might be the next best thing. She caught Green Lantern by his collar, balled her fist and punched her lemon yellow glove through John Stewart's ribcage before Kara could stop her. Superwoman hurriedly wrapped the dying Green Lantern in her cape and accelerated toward the JFA satellite. He shuddered beneath her as she entered through the airlock, rushing John to the medicentre. Donna turned on the purple ray as Kara deposited him on the pallet, but it was too late. John Stewart arched his back once and then his eyes glazed over as his heart stammered to a halt. Earth's second and greatest Green Lantern was dead.
It was a dark and overcast day as the Justice Foundation's current membership stood above John Stewart's grave as a tearful Tawny Young, Stewart's one-time lover, gave a solemn commemorative broadcast. Wally looked across at an inconsolable Oliver and Dinah, holding on their children for dear life, never letting them go. In an exoskeleton, Batman I said: "This never gets any easier. Ralph, Barry, Hal, Katar, J'onn, Clark... and now John. How many more? Dear god, how many more?"
"Tawny? Come over here, honey..." Dinah said, as the sobbing WGBS journalist ended her broadcast, unable to continue despite a valiant effort:
"It wasn't your fault, Linda..." Dick Malverne said as he cradled the woman he loved more than anything else on this world.
"Sure, I saved Metropolis and the Daily Planet staff, but... Rao, Dick, look at Tawny. And Dinah, this must be reminding her of the time she lost Larry. And Iris. John Stewart was one of the most fearless and courageous of us all and now he's gone because I..."
"Sweetheart, you saved a major US city. Even you can't be everywhere."
"Life goes on..." Wally said, as an unfamiiiar figure alighted:
"Tell me if I'm not welcome, but... the Guardians and power ring chose me to replace Mr Stewart. Kyle. Kyle Rayner."
"We'll talk later. Thank you for waiting until this service was over and we'd said goodbye to our friend." Batman II said to the newcomer.
"Got to say buddy, times like this, I've never regretted retiring." Oliver said as Wally, Linda, Iris and Jay left the graveside, along with Dinah, Connor and the grieving Tawny.
"I know. Aunt Iris was disappointed, but now I've got a family and children, she can see the logic in it. How's Connor?"
"He's still too young to know what this all means. I hope he keeps his innocence for a long, long time."
And then it all descended into chaos. Above them, the masked figure of the assailant reappeared, a jeer on her jaw. She lost her composure as Batman II snapped her image with a facial composition programme. She cursed as she rushed down toward Dick Grayson, until his furious wife barrelled into her:
"X'hal! Get away from my man, you accursed monster."
As Superwoman prepared to join Starfire, Batman II showed her the image:
"Rao! Lana Lang??!! How could this have happened?"
"According to the data base, it involved replicating the spatiocetacean incident that will befall Rimbor's Jo-Nah in the thirtieth century. She has the abilities of that Legionnaire, with a tweak so that she can use all of those abilities simultaneously."
"Oh no. No. Querl- Brainiac 5 -tried that, but the experimental android he tried it out on died after several days."
"What turned her into this, Kara?"
Then it gelled: "Darkseid."
"Lana!" Kara called, as she shot up to join Starfire.
"What?! This is Lana Lang?! How?!"
Beneath her mask, the scowling face of the interloper contorted into a laugh: "So you've found out my identity. It won't do you any good."
"Lana, if Darkseid did this, there's a sting in the tail. It will kill you. Please, stop doing this. We can get you to Lexor, have Luthor provide you with an antidote."
"The problem is, Kara, that you're too powerful. You've even been immunised against kryptonite, thanks to Lex going soft. Well, you've met your match now. It should have been you who died during the Crisis, not Clark."
"Do you honestly think Clark would have wanted you doing this, Lana? Do you?!"
"Don't try emotional blackmail on me, blondie. Clark is dead. That doesn't matter now. Nothing..." And at that moment, the clock ran out on Lana Lang's metahuman enhancement and she fell from the sky. Kara dived down to intercept her, as did Koriand'r, but it was useless. With an inhuman scream, Lana Lang's accelerated metabolism burst into flame as she neared the ground. Superwoman tried to smother the flames with her cape, but the combustion had caught her by surprise. As a result, two people died that week.
Lois Lane looked up from her editors desk: "Hello, Kara. Good to see you again."
"I have some terrible news. Lana..."
Lois swallowed: "I lost touch with her after Clark died. I wish I hadn't."
"I tried to save her, but..."
"She changed after Clark died, Kara. Don't blame yourself."
"The Foundation and I think Darkseid engineered her into the predator that murdered John Stewart."
"Might have guessed. Will that granite faced bastard never stop tormenting our world?"
"Are you good for the interview with the new GL?"
"The Guardians didn't waste any time, did they? That'll comfort our readers at least. And don't worry about Tawny. I'll be there for her, just as I was for Carol when we lost Hal."
"I wish things had worked out for you and Kal, Lois."
"I have memories, Kara. Treasured ones."
The new Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner, arced over the landscape as he headed for the distant speck that was the Justice Foundation satellite. To his surprise, he saw a scarlet blur travelling at high speed below him. He descended for a closer look: "Hey, new guy."
"Kyle. Er, I thought the Flash had died during that Crisis... no, wait, you used to be "Kid" Flash, didn't you?"
"After my mentor died, I decided to hang up the leotard and concentrate on leading a normal life. Family, kids, stuff. And look what happened. A good man died needlessly."
"I feel out of my league, y'know."
"Don't feel bad about that, dude. We all start off that way. Donna Wonder, Batman II, me, we all started off as kid sidekicks. Then our mentors retired, got seriously injured or died. Times change, people mature and grow into their roles. I know I did."
"It's just... Hal Jordan, John Stewart... those guys are legends, man."
"And as you're with the Foundation now, it's Wally. Come around for dinner with me and my family sometime. Got anyone you can bring?"
"My girlfriend, Alexandra."
"How'd she react to all this?"
"She suggested the updated threads, to differentiate myself from the served-with-valour contingent."
"Kyle, I think this is the start of a great friendship."
In distant Themiscyra, Queen Diana looked at the softly coruscating blue field that now pervaded their universe. Bruce Wayne's image was inset:
"Did we do the right thing, Bruce?"
"I didn't exactly have any option, Diana, and anyhow, Dick's doing an excellent job. So is Donna."
"It grieves me seeing you in a wheelchair, old friend."
"It's not so bad, with Selina and the children. So much has changed."
"I feel as if we lived in an age of gold or silver, Bruce, and now that has passed."
"None of us lasts forever, Diana. It's not the sixties, seventies or eighties any more. We trained our proteges well and now they've stepped out and they're making the world change."
"At least we can do this, Bruce. The tachyon screen will prevent Darkseid from ever preying on our world and our universe again. It's just a damned shame John and Lana had to leave us before it became operational."
"Thinking of Clark?"
"Damn it, yes. I still miss him, Bruce. There's a void where he used to be and it aches like Hades."
"Speaking of which, I have a surprise for you." As Amazon satellite technology pivoted, it showed Superwoman shaking President Hillary Clinton's age as she unveiled the Colossus of Krypton, a monument to Earth-133's first and greatest hero. And then, for all that she was a Woman of Steel, Kara Zor-El broke into tears as the 45th US President gently embraced and held her.
THE END