TRTSS11: Legacy of a Hero! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, Marvel Comics, DC Comics and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: Due to "congestion" in the superhero-centric "Hero Ultimate", I need to do this story, particularly where the Green Lantern mythos is concerned.
Author's Note: Since "Star Trek" factors heavily in the SMST/TRT series, I will be using "Stardate" notations per "adventure". Basically, the way Stardates work is that for every 1000 days (0-9999), a complete rotation occurs. Numbers after the decimal point represents whole hours (ie. 1:00 am means 00000.01, while 1:00 pm means 00000.13 and so on). Because this story takes place in the past, there will be negative rotation (example: "Stardate [-28] 01875.08"), which that it will take 28 rotations before the stardate is "[0] 00000.00", the date that the United Federation of Planets was founded (in the year 2161 CE). From there, the brackets will not be needed (example: Stardate: 64333.04, which is the date that Nero and the Nerada, from the comic book adaptation that leads to the movie "Star Trek", travels back in time). At any rate, I thank "Google Calendar" for having a "Stardate" function, which was, in the end, easy to figure out how to utilize. As always, C&C are welcomed.
Part 1: "Tales From an Iron Heart"
Personal Log, Stardate: [-28] 01875.08. Being a superhero in this modern era seemed to be an interesting life for someone like myself. Yes, I was raised with the notion that it was the duty of a true martial artist, to defend the weak, the helpless and the innocent from those who wish to prey upon them. The irony of this is that I, as I grew into my role as a hero, I learned that being a hero was a lot more complicated than it seemed. For one, not every case was 'black-or-white', and even then, sometimes it was best to leave the EEEVIL character alone in order to prevent a REAL evil from spring forth into the arena of so-called "mortal combat". I also learned that allegiances could be fickle at times. I remember working for SHIELD against HYDRA, or allying myself with the likes of Tony "Iron Man" Stark and the Avengers against the likes of Loki and the Masters of Evil. Now? Everything has been flipped. SHIELD, which was already subverted by HYDRA a LONG time ago, became HAMMER, a Gestapo-like organization run by the Green Goblin. Iron Man had tried to take me down for having the audacity to not submit to his "superhero registration", tried to have me banished to another world, tried to contain my lovely wife Usagi, also known as "Sailor Cosmos"…or whatever superhero moniker she is in the mood to don, and is on the run himself. Talk about poetic justice. And now Loki the Trickster is now a goddess named Lokidis that I am in love with, and is on the side of good…generally speaking. And I thought I had gender identity issues. Anyway, the original personality that Loki once had was thoroughly supplanted by a young woman whom I knew for years: first as a blackmailer, and then as a lover, while in some alternate reality within the "virtual web". It was only because of the Chosun goddess Tokemi that Nabiki and Loki merged to become Lokidis. And though I wouldn't put it past Lokidis to NOT have an agenda of her own, I do believe her when she says that her machinations are usually for the self-preservation of her family. And for profit, if she could get away with it…
And that is just a sample of the type of world I live in.
I've always played the role of the hero, but it wasn't until the turn of the 20th century that I became first a "costumed 'Mystery Man' and vigilante", starting with the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, under Mr. Allan Quartermain. Over the years, when I wasn't working for the American, British or Japanese governments in one shape or another, I would partner up with the likes of Doc Savage…The Shadow…Tom Strong…Zealot…Tarzan…and many others. But when the so-called "Last Son of Krypton", which really didn't turn out the case in the end, the one named "Superman" ushered in a new era of heroes: the superhero. The advent of World War II did not stop the proliferation of superheroes (called "metahumans"). And, with the pause of superhero activity in the 1950s, due to the show trials of House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), there is a virtual sub-culture of metahumans (mutant, mutate and other) that will either defend humanity…or destroy it. Me? I prefer the former…
I have garnered a number of guises over the years, but, unlike my wife, I tend to be a minimalist. As "Ronin", I am a solitary vigilante that brings terror to those villains who hide in the halls of power, whether they are governmental or corporate. As "The Magnificent Kamen", or "Sailor Helios" when female, I am the sworn protector of Sailor Cosmos…though the only thing I need to protect Usagi from is from the guys who want to get into her pants. I am also "The Hulkuru", a gamma-powered version of myself, who is gray as a male, and green as a female. I am a "Green Lantern", I am "Captain Japan", and, recently, I am "Doctor Ranma", Earth's newest "Sorcerer Supreme". And…that's about it.
Whatever happens from this point on, I will do my best to end the present crisis that has befallen Earth, whether on Earth or elsewhere, and I will do so…as a hero.
Lien Son Mountain Range, Vietnam.
For weeks now, Anthony Stark has been on the run from Norman Osborn, aka "The Green Goblin, aka "Iron Patriot", and his HAMMER group. First, he was disgraced over his handling the "World War Hulk" affair, when the Hulk, along with his alien "Warbound", and Sailor Cosmos teamed up to take down Iron Man and the rest of Usagi's allies on the Illuminati. Sailor Cosmos was still angry with Iron Man for what he had tried to do to her husband Ranma, when she formed her alliance with the Hulk. Although the Hulk was angry at Usagi for being a part of the Illuminati, he knew of what his evil persona, the Maestro, had tried to do to her, and thus relented when Usagi suggested an alliance. Besides, as Usagi had put it, she and the Hulk both hate Iron Man more…
Disgraced, Iron Man ran away, keeping one step ahead of Norman Osborn. Osborn, who was able to trick the American government into handing over SHIELD to him and his fellow villains, and thus ended up creating HAMMER, has relentlessly pursued him. He couldn't go after either Stark Enterprises or the Stark Foundation, which was controlled by Antonia "Iron Maiden" Stark, because Mishima Zaibatsu had a controlling interest in those firms. In reality, Osborn knew that if he went after Iron Maiden, he would have to deal with her mother, who just happens to be his archrival Sailor Cosmos. And if Usagi didn't respond, Ronin might…
Since running, Iron Man has used his extremis cybernetics to make himself dumb. As he becomes dumber, he travels the world to destroy his secret labs, which contained his older armor. Soon, after crossing through China, after a tussle with the Chinese version of Iron Man named "August General in Iron", Iron Man, minus his armor, trudged through the mountainous region of North Vietnam. It was there, somewhere along that mountain range, that warlords captured brilliant industrialist Tony Stark, who was in-country on business: war profiteering. Injured during his capture, Tony, along with the help of three other people, created a special suit of iron for him to survive in, and escaped from captivity.
And on that day, Tony Stark became…Iron Man.
Sneaking behind a village, and staying off the main road, Tony manages to find the cave where he and his companions had created the Mark-Zero "Iron Man" suit. He enters the cave, walks a bit, and seemingly stops at a dead end.
"Ferrum," Tony said.
"Ferrum" was the Latin word for "iron".
WOBBLE!
The supposedly dead-end fades from view, and reveals a vault-like airlock, complete with a sensor pad. The entrance appeared to be illuminated by soft light…
"Hurrumph," Tony said. He turns around to see that the cave entrance had been sealed with a holographic illusion, so that there was no sign that there was a cave in the mountain. Satisfied, Tony returns his attention towards the entrance of the lab, and placed his hand on the sensor pad.
TING!
With the identification made, the hatch opens.
Vmmmmmm…
Tony made it a point to modernize the cave in homage to the fact that the cave was where he first became Iron Man. Once the hatch was open, Tony went down a lit deck, until he arrives to the central lab-
"May I help you, sir?" Usagi-LMD asked. She was dressed in a servant's uniform.
"GAH!" Tony yelped, as he jumped back in surprise.
"Tell me about it," said a familiar voice.
Tony glances over someone who was working on one of the copies of the Mark-Zero Iron-Man armor. The original Mark-Zero armor was gray, big and bulky, and looked like something out of a late 1950s sci-fi movie. However, now, there were some noticeable improvements.
"Who-?"
The person that Tony was speaking to took off his wielding mask.
"Oh, it's YOU," Tony said with a smirk. "I'm surprised that YOU are here."
Ranma blinked.
"Who else do you think knows about this place?" Ranma said, as he turns off his torch. "Besides you and me knowing about this place, there is Usagi and Dr. Yinsen…and Yinsen died a long time ago."
"Oh," Tony said, as he rubbed his forehead. "It's getting hard to remember things these days…"
"Care for some tea, sir?" Usagi-LMD said.
"But, I do have a question for ya," Ranma said, as he sets down his tools before taking off his gloves. "Why do you have an LMD of MY wife?"
"LMD" stands for "Life Model Decoy", which are basically SHIELD-issued android duplicates. For those with very high governmental secret clearances, the number of LMDs can range from a dozen to several dozens. Usagi, and Ranma for that matter, had dozens of personal LMDs, with most of them in storage. They were good for when one must go away for a while, or disappear all together...
"Um, well…never mind THAT!" Tony yelled. "Why are YOU here?"
"Believe or not, Usagi wants me to help you…recover, and that includes taking down 'Iron Peon'."
Ranma was referring to Norman Osborn, the Iron Patriot…when he isn't the Green Goblin…
"You REALLY don't respect my life's work, huh?"
"I respect your work, Tony. I don't respect your judgment, or your decision to, oh, I don't know…to send me into the space with the Hulk."
"…"
"Now, answer MY question: what the hell is your deal with Usagi? I'm not EVEN going to ask why you have an LMD in your 'custody'."
For a moment, Tony looked down at his feet, before he turns his attention towards Ranma.
"Because…I love her."
"Huh," Ranma said.
"I…I don't why," Tony said, as he looks around. "Ever since I met her, back in college, Usagi has haunted my dreams. I…I tried to get over it-"
"Oh, that you did, with all those dates of yours," Ranma said with a smirk.
"Hey, you're one to talk…"
"Fine. As you were saying…?"
"I'm love with your wife, Ranma. Okay? That's why I tried to get rid of you."
"But you went after Usagi in that stupid superhero 'civil war' stunt," Ranma said. "And then attacked her, forcing her to become 'Lady Doomsday'."
"I was angry at her for sending me five billion years into the future, so I wanted to hurt her."
"And that's when I responded with my own armor: the Destroyer."
"Yeah, you did," Tony said. "I was surprised by that."
"Hey, I got my own resources. But, that still doesn't explain why you attacked Usagi."
"I…hated the fact that I loved her, even after she had hurt me for hurting you. I tried to get over it, but…but I couldn't."
"And thus these LMDs serve as a surrogates of sorts," Ranma said.
"Pathetic, isn't it?"
Silence.
"No, it says much that you want to love Usagi the best way you can," Ranma said.
"Care for some sandwiches?" Usagi-LMD asked.
"No," Tony said. "Return to your cove."
"Yes, Mr. Stark," Usagi-LMD, as she returns to her cove for "sleep mode".
"I should deactivate her," Tony said.
"Why?" Ranma said. "Usagi doesn't mind. And I swear that she's…flattered by this sort of thing."
"I know, but I want to…respect her, and using an LMD as a surrogate for my fantasies is a bit…tasteless."
"It appears that you are growing, my friend," Ranma said, as he presses key on the keyboard.
CHIRP!
HUMMMMMMM…
"J.A.R.V.I.S. Online," said a computer voice. "IM Mark-Zero is powering. Please standby."
"By the way, a HAMMER heli-carrier is on its way to this region, just off the coast of 'Nam," Ranma said.
"No doubt Osborn has been keeping track of your movements," Tony said. "But he doesn't know about this place."
"Correct, otherwise the People's Republic of Vietnam would have secured this facility a long time ago."
Silence.
"I…I need the armor, so I can get to Dubai."
"I know, which is why I upgraded this armor as best as I could," Ranma said.
Pause.
"But do you really need to erase your mind, just to make sure Osborn doesn't get your secrets?"
"I…I need to make amends, the best way I can, even if it means my demise," Tony said.
"Okay," Ranma said. "Let's get you suited up…"
A few minutes, Iron Man was ready for launch.
"Ranma, I know that we…aren't the best of friends, but thanks," Iron Man said.
"No problem, Tony," Ranma said, as he lowers the shield and the upper hatch. "And good luck."
"Thanks," Iron Man said. "And Ranma?"
"Yeah?"
"If I don't make it, tell Usagi that I am sorry for everything."
And with that, Iron Man leaves the last, and first, lab and workshop, that he and his companions had built, in his quest to be a superhero.
"Well, that's that," Ranma said, as he sits down. "I hope Tony doesn't get himself killed…"
Silence.
"Hmmm," Ranma said, as he presses a button on a control panel.
CLICK!
Wrrrrrr…
"How may I serve you, Mr. Saotome?" Usagi-LMD said, as she steps out of her cove.
"Oh, I can think of a few things, starting with some food," Ranma said with a mischievous grin.
"I aim please, sir."
"Heh, I hope so…"
Tbc.
Next Time: Prince Ran, consort to Queen Thordis, the Lord of New Asgard, must team up with Herakles, Achilles, Young Zeus and Sifdis on a quest to help cure Zeus of his youth, only to end up in bigger trouble! And why does Ran have yet another wedding ring upon waking up? Be here for "Fractured Fairy Tales in the Land of the Norse Elves". Later!