The Defenders
Beyond The Reach
by Chris Vogel
©2000 All Rights Reserved.
In a white space void of star and planets, four super-powered heroes drift helplessly unconconscious. How they got to this sorry state remains a mystery, but as they reawaken, the space around them begins to take shape once more. What they witness is an extraordnary spectacle: The rebirth of the galaxy. They look in awe and wonderment as the stellar matter that comprise the universe virtually explodes to life. What they don't realize is that they are witnessing this galactic creation without life-support suit or viewing it from a spacecraft.
And, soon as the heroes do realize their dire situation, the universe is once again back in a state of normalcy. Wonderman, Captain Kidd, Nocturnal, and Sonic, find themselves onboard their own small spacecraft, the Phoenix. Wonderman wastes no time in checking their flight plan and engaging thrusters. On the trail of Dragonlance's unique energy trail, to a planet several kilometers away.
"Kidd. I think I got a fix on Dragonlance." Wonderman said, glancing down at the sensor readings. "I've steered us onto a direct course. But, it will be some time before reach him."
"Great. But, how do we know that's really Dragonlance?"
Wonderman said, grimly,"We don't."
"I'm not really sure what happened to my dad." This from Sonic.
"Sonic...Jeremy...this is kind of complicated and may sound a little strange." Nocturnal said to their junior teammate. "But, Dragonlance is some kind of corporeal being that has some connection to your father. My guess is he used the anomoly in Colorado to lure us into it and reabsorb himself back into Cyclone's body."
The four star-hopping heroes continue on course toward the planet they suspect Dragonlance is heading for. As they travel the seemingly emptiness of space, their thoughts are of friends and family back home. They know their chances of ever seeing them again are slim at best, yet that doesn't stop them from wondering how to get back back, if at all. For one little boy with the power over sonic vibrations he inherited from his natural mother, who died some years back; His thoughts are of being reunited with his father, Christopher J. Nichols.
********
The Defenders on Earth continue their struggle to keep their sanity in world torn by hatred. Hatred that stretches from the U.S. to the third-world nations. It is the hatred between human and mutant that has this one small world so much unrest.
At the Defenders' mansion in Upper Manhattan, the situation worsens with each passing day. On this day, however, the hatred has spilled over right on their own front door. An angry mob outside chants obscenities, throwing rocks and broken bottles. Virtually, spitting on this team of heroes that has risked their own lives for the safety of theirs.
"Are they still out there?" Claw asked, walking into the room and over to Mrs. Marvel by the large bay window.
"'Fraid so. Though, I've managed to keep up a TK forcefield. But, I can't keep it up forever."
"Ya know. I find it kind of funny that even though we have save the planet a dozens times over, that this is the payment we receive." Omnious said, as he stood, framed by the threshold of the door, before entering.
"Yeah. I know what you...Hey, what's he doing?" Claw said, pointing toward the mob.
Omnious got a closer look, as did Mrs. Marvel and saw the man to which he was refering. A man that they thought would never see again. A man that was killed during the so-called 'Defender Massacre'. He walked up within a few feet of the bay window staring absent-mindedly into their gazes. They, in turn, gazed into his eyes and felt cold hatred staring back. The man stood there frozen and gazed back a small hint of recognition of his former teammates. He simply raised an arm as if signalling someone, and the crowd obediently dispersed without much more panic.
The man, then stepped up to the front door. It opened and he was immediately greeted by Mrs. Marvel.
"Dalamar? Is it you?" She asked, affectionately.
The man said, not a word, merely nodded his rebuttal.
On the planet's surface, the Defenders scout their area for any clue to the whereabouts of Dragonlance or Cyclone. They merely find death and devastation of the fallen alien race that once inhabited this planet. No doubt killed by Dragonlance. The survivors of the onslaught run in terror of the strangers, frightened by the demon that took their loved ones.
Some of the more bold were actually charging the Defenders, but the heroes shrugged them off without too much trouble and without further injury. They continued their search.
Behind them, Dragonlance/Cyclone hovers above them. He rains bolts of electric blue down toward the heroes. The bolts affect Sonic, Wonderman, and Captain Kidd, but Nocturnal goes intangible shoots a shot of darkforce at Dragonlance, enveloping him.
Nocturnal turned to his teammates, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. Just a little shaken." Kidd said, as got back on his feet and shouted, "Look out!"
Dragonlance had emerged from the shroud of darkness, upward.
"We need to get back to the ship." Nocturnal said, as he touched his com/teleporter-badge. The others each touched theirs in turn and started to fade as the teleporter took effect. In mid-teleportation, the beam was redirected from their spaceship to another.
On Earth, Mrs. Marvel sat at the table in the kitchen across from Dalamar. Claw sat her left, Omnious at her right.
"How did you survive?" Claw said, bluntly. "I saw you die."
Dalamar looked at his former teammate, solemnly. "I don't know. All I do know, is that when I was near death on the battlefield, someone approached me. He saved my life, and in return I run errands for him."
"Who?" Asked Omnious.
"I can't reveal his name, but I can tell you this much. It's someone you've met before. An ally."
"So, you've just come back, after all this time. All these years, without once stopping by to let us know you were alright." Mrs. Marvel said, maintaining her composure.
Hesitantly, he said, "Yes. I have come back. Though, not for the reasons you might expect. I have jobs I must perform. One of those jobs happens to be......your death." He gestured.
Surprise and anguish suddenly filled the room.
"But, why John? We are your friends. You and I were something more."
"Friends, Amanda? Friends don't let friends die on battlefields. Do you have no sense of honor." Dalamar said, trying to convince himself that it wouldn't hurt so much in killing his friends.
Slowly, claws extended from the back of Dalamar's hand. The sudden snap of his claws fully extended startled Mrs. Marvel. Claw, anticipationg an incident, reached for Dalamar's clawed hand, gripping it and twisting it.
"Stuff the claws, pal, or I'll stuff'em in for you." Claw said, revealing his own set of retractable claws on the tips of his fingers.
Dalamar doubled-up his fist of the other hand and attempted to hit Claw in the face. As he blocked the punch, Claw grabbed Dalamar's throat, and lifted him off the floor.
"You still wanna play, tough guy?"
"Jason."
Claw cocked his head, to get a view of Mrs. Marvel. As if to answer her.
"Please, don't hurt him."
"You gotta be kidding, Amanda. He just threatened us."
"Please?"
"Fine." Claw pushed Dalamar off as he released his hold on him. Dalamar hit the wall and slid to the floor.
"I apologize. It's true my mission was to kill you, but after seeing you again, I can't. When my benefactor saved my life and started to train me, he laid down the ground rules quite clear. Disobey his word, and pay the price. Now, I've done just that. He will do whatever it takes to kill me." Dalamar said, picking himself off the floor and re-sheathing his claws.
"John." Mrs. Marvel stepped closer to him. Touching his shoulders, as she was attempted to embrace him.
Dalamar stepped back, "Amanda, please. Though, I still love you, you are now committed to Chris. I do know how happy you are with him. In a way, I've still been here with you, watching you. At first it was painful, watching my best friend with my fiancee. After awhile, I resigned myself of this life forever. Never considering that someday I would be back facing you."
Fighting back the tears, Mrs. Marvel said, "John, I don't know what to say. I still love you. I do." The two former lovers looked their eyes on one another, and for a time, they seemed content, even happy. The look stretched on for what seemed like an eternity. They seemed to renew the love for each other at the same re-living their life together.
Then, Dalamar faded into her memory, as if he weren't there to begin with. Maybe he wasn't. They knew not where he had gone, nor did it matter. He was not the Dalamar they once had known, yet he was.
Dalamar left they he came. With hatred and resentment, though not for the Defenders, but for his mysterious benefactor for ordering him to kill his friends. To kill Amanda. The woman he loved in another time.
After the teleporter effect had passed, the Defenders found themselves in a darkened room. Confused, they began tapping the teleport devices on their chests.
"What's going on?" Kidd said,
"I wish I knew."
"LISTEN FOOLS! YOU HAVE TRESPASSED AND CAUSED GREAT DESTRUCTION ON OUR WORLD!! TO OUR PEOPLE!! NOW, YOU WILL PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR YOU TRANSGRESSIONS!!" The voices boomed and echoed around them. Then, one by one, four robed figures appeared around them. Their faces were hidden by their cowls. "YOU MUST BATTLE EACH OTHER!!"
"What if we refuse?" Asked Nocturnal.
"DO NOT ATTEMPT TO QUESTION US!! WE WILL NOT TOLERATE FURTHER INSUBORDINATION!! YOU WILL FIGHT EACH OTHER OR YOU WILL DIE!!"
As the robed figure disappear, the room starts to spin faster and faster still.
{Captain Kidd began the battle by charging Wonderman. He thrust his foot upward toward his face. Wonderman caught Kidd's foot sent him spiralling back. A burst of cosmic plasma erupts from Nocturnal's hands as it rushed toward Sonic. He was unable to avoid the plasma, as it hit him in the chest, causing him to be knocked off his feet. Sonic simply laid there, unmoving.
Meanwhile, Wonderman having successfully defeated Kidd, blindsided Nocturnal from behind with a dagger from the fallen Kidd, and stabbed him in the small of his back through the spinal cord. Nocturnal, too, falls to the floor dead. Wonderman remains standing over his fallen comrade, unaware that Kidd has risen to his feet.
"Never turn your back on an ex-pirate, mate! Unless, you make sure said pirate is dead!" Kidd said, as he lifted his plasma blaster to focus on Wonderman.
Wonderman cautiously turned to Kidd. But, before he could say anything, or react in time, Kidd fired the weapon. Wonderman's death went quickly as he slumped to the floor.}
{Sonic began the battle by charging Captain Kidd. He thrust his foot upward toward his face. Kidd caught Sonic's foot sent him spiralling back. A burst of ionic energy erupted from Wonderman's rifle as it rushed toward Nocturnal. He was unable to avoid the plasma, as it hit him in the chest, causing him to be knocked off his feet. Nocturnal simply laid there, unmoving.
Meanwhile, Kidd having successfully defeated Sonic, blindsided Wonderman from behind with a dagger, and stabbed him in the small of his back through the spinal cord. Wonderman, too, falls to the floor dead. Kidd remains standing over his fallen comrade, unaware that Sonic has risen to his feet.
"Never turn your back on a Defender! Unless, you make sure said Defender is dead!" Sonic said, as he lifted the plasma blaster to focus on Kidd.
Kidd cautiously turned to Sonic. But, before he could say anything, or react in time, Sonic fired the weapon. Kidd's death went quickly as he slumped to the floor.}
{Nocturnal began the battle by charging Sonic. He thrust his foot upward toward his face. Sonic caught Nocturnal's foot sent him spiralling back. A burst of plasma erupts from Kidd's rifle as it rushed toward Wonderman. He was unable to avoid the plasma, as it hit him in the chest, causing him to be knocked off his feet. Wonderman simply laid there, unmoving.
Meanwhile, Sonic having successfully defeated Nocturnal, blindsided Kidd from behind with a dagger from the fallen Nocturnal, and stabbed him in the small of his back through the spinal cord. Kidd, too, falls to the floor dead. Sonic remains standing over his fallen comrade, unaware that Nocturnal has risen to his feet.
"Never turn your back on a Defender! Unless, you make sure he's dead!" Nocturnal said, as he caused plasma to erupt from his hands toward Sonic.
Sonic cautiously turned to Nocturnal. But, before he could say anything, or react in time, Nocturnal's plasma had already reached its target. Sonic's death went quickly as he slumped to the floor.}
{Wonderman began the battle by charging Nocturnal. He thrust his foot upward toward his face. Nocturnal caught Wonderman's foot and sent him spiralling back. A burst of plasma erupts from Kidd's rifle as it rushed toward Sonic. He was unable to avoid the plasma, as it hit him in the chest, causing him to be knocked off his feet. Sonic simply laid there, unmoving.
Meanwhile, Nocturnal having successfully defeated Wonderman, blindsided Kidd from behind with a dagger, and stabbed him in the small of his back through the spinal cord. Kidd, too, falls to the floor dead. Nocturnal remains standing over his fallen comrade, unaware that Wonderman has risen to his feet.
"Never turn your back o Defender, mate! Unless, you make sure said Defender is dead!" Wonderman said, as he lifted his plasma blaster to focus on Nocturnal.
Nocturnal cautiously turned to Wonderman. But, before he could say anything, or react in time, Wonderman fired the weapon. Nocturnal's death went quickly as he slumped to the floor.}
Captain Kidd stood victorious over his friend as the room was blanketed in immense darkness. Various colored lights began to explode around the Defenders. The fallen heroes get to their feet as the room began to spin. Faster and faster still, gravitational forces pull them to the sides as visions of their own memories are pulled from their minds.
Visions appear in the center of this gravitational vortex. Memories of the Defender Massacre, their first major defeat, the Mutant Wars, and finally, Silhouette's death.
Next, the room is again blanketed in a shroud of darkness. Gradually, an image Silhouette stands in the center, then fades to images of the Defenders still on Earth.
Lastly, they take a peek at their future. Silhouette's rebirth, a second mutant war, Cyclone and Dragonlance split from being an amalgated being.
An explosion ensues after the final vision, revealling nothing but white space, devoid of star or planets.
**epilogue**
The Defenders awake to find themselves, again, aboard the Phoenix. They recollect nothing of what transpired, nor do they remember being launched into space. But, fact is fact, they are here.
"So, where are we, Wonderman?" Asked Nocturnal.
After carefully checking the scanning equipment, Wonderman replied, "It would appear we are in a parking orbit around Mars."
"How did we get here?"
"I don't know, Noc. But, I've checked the logs, there's nothing there. We may as well have been abducted and dumped here, for all we know."
The four heroes immediately starts the long star trek back home.
But, questions linger in their mind. Questions that probably will never be answered in their lifetime. None-the-less soon they will be home again. Fighting the same old fight, time and again. They wouldn't have it any other way.