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Julie opened her eyes with a groan as the alarm sounded, turning it off, irritably. Pushing back the covers, she swung her legs from the bed, running her hands through her strawberry-blonde hair. 'Good morning, Julie...' a cool female voice said.

'Morning, Friday,' Julie muttered. 'What time is it...?'

'07:28,' Friday replied and Julie groaned as she stood up.

'Ugh. I'm going to grab a shower. I'll be out in a few minutes...'

'Very well...'

Quickly, Julie stripped out of her sleepwear as she headed for the shower cubicle. Shutting the frosted door behind her, she sighed as the hot water cascaded over her. One of the benefits of living on a Smartship was that there was always hot water. In truth, Friday was much more than a machine. Over the years, she had come to think of her as family. Washing quickly, she shut off the water and stepped out, grabbing a towel and drying herself off. Wrapping the towel around herself, she headed for her closet and began pulling out clothes, sorting through for something to wear...

'Black coffee,' Julie said 'And eggs and bacon...'

The food synthesiser hummed and Julie's stomach rumbled as the food materialised. Grabbing the plate and steaming mug from the synthesiser, she started to eat.

'Friday?' Julie asked, through a mouthful of egg. 'How many planets have you been to...?'

'1342...' Friday replied. 'Why...?'

'No reason. I'm...just thinking... Is the comm unit online? I need to make a call...?'

################

'Hi, Mrs Richards,' Julie said.

'Hello, Julie...'

If Mrs Richards was surprised by her sudden materialisation in the middle of her lounge, she certainly didn't show it. As a founding member of the Fantastic Four, she was no stranger to unexpected surprises.

'I'm sorry to drop in like this,' Julie said. 'But, I...need some advice...'

'...alright...' Mrs Richards said. 'About what...'

'I'm...thinking of leaving Earth...'

'This wouldn't have anything to do with your break-up with Carolina, would it...?'

'...no...yes...no...I'm not sure. Maybe...But, I feel that I need to get out on my own for a while...'

'I understand,' Sue said, giving her a hug. 'If that's what you feel you need, then you should do it. Just...call your family before you leave...'

'...I will...'

################

'Alright,' Julie said, taking a deep breath. 'Let's do it.'

'Very well, Julie,' Friday said, as three light screens appeared in front of Julie with a faint hum. On the screens were a pale-haired man with a serious expression, a blonde girl with pigtails and a young man with scruffy brown hair.

'Hello, Alex,' Julie said. 'Hi, Katie. Hey, Jack...'

'Hello, Julie...' Alex said. '...how have you been?'

'...fine,' Julie said, licking her lips. 'I...need to tell you something. I'm...going to leave Earth...'

'You're what...?' Alex asked, just as Katie exclaimed

'You can't!'

'I'm sorry,' Julie said. 'I just...I feel like I need some space for a while...'

'That doesn't mean you need to go to space...' Katie said and Julie smiled, sadly.

'I know, Katie. But, I do have to go...'

'You can't just run away from your problems,' Alex said. 'You need to face up to them and...'

'I've been facing up to my problems since we were kids,' Julie said, more harshly than she intended. 'And where has it got me? I'm doing this...'

'...fine,' Alex said and Julie turned to Jack.

'What about you, Jack?' she asked. 'You've been very quiet...'

'What do I care?' Jack retorted, folding his arms and looking away. 'If you want to go, then go...'

'...alright,' Julie said. 'I'll try and call as often as I can...'

'Sure,' Alex said. 'See you...'

The screens vanished with a faint pop and Julie slumped back in the chair, feeling a tightness in her chest.

'Come on, Friday,' she said. 'Let's go...'

'Where to...?'

'Surprise me...'

################

'Jump complete,' Friday said.

'Where are we?' Julie asked, unbuckling her harness as she moved towards the viewport, staring at the planet below them.

'This is Xandar,' Friday said. 'Home to the Nova Corps...'

'Nova Corps?'

'An intergalactic peacekeeping force with advanced technology. I have the co-ordinates of their capital city and the teleport is charged...

'Alright,' Julie said, crossing to the platform.

'Not so fast,' Friday said. 'I've prepared something for you...'

A small hatch on the wall opened, revealing a small oval device and a backpack.

'What is it?' Julie asked, picking it the device and turning it over in her hand.

'A long-range communicator,' Friday said. 'It will be able to reach me, no matter where I am...'

'Thank you,' Julie said, attaching it to her wrist and hoisting the backpack over her shoulder. 'For everything...'

################

As the disorientation of the teleport effect faded, Julie found herself standing in the middle of a metal walkway twice the width of any road on Earth. Below them stretched what she assumed was a park, although it was mostly a large expanse of the same metal construction with a few artfully placed trees and an artificial water course running through the centre. Above her, tall metal towers stretched to the sky so far that she had to crane her neck to see the top of.

'Friday,' Julie said, tapping the communicator on her wrist. 'I've arrived...'

'I know,' Friday said. 'I have been monitoring you with my scanners. Julie...the Jump has significantly depleted my power reserves. I must return to Earth...'

'...yeah. I know... Thank you, Friday...'

'Good luck, Julie...'

The comlink went dead and Julie took a deep breath.

Come on. There's no turning back, now...

Turning away from the park, she joined the crowds moving along the walkway. While a few of the people could have passed for human, most were definitely not. Even though she had seen more than a few aliens over the last few years, she still had to fight not to stare. At least she wasn't as conspicuous as she had feared, even though she was wearing her orange and black jumpsuit with the triangle motif on her chest. As she walked, despite the strange wonder of being on a new world, the analytical part of her started to take over.

You're alone on an alien planet with no family, no money and nowhere to stay...

Sometimes, she hated the logical part of herself. However, as much as she'd come here to get away, she couldn't ignore the practicalities of her situation. Sitting down on a nearby bench, she shrugged off the backpack that Friday had given her and opened it. Inside, she found a change of clothes, including fresh underwear, as well as a small metal box which turned out to be full of rounded triangular tokens.

Hopefully, that's this world's equivalent of money...

Tucking a few into her pocket, she slipped the box back into her rucksack and stood up.

Thanks, Friday...

################

The sun was starting to set by the time Julie had reached what she assumed was the centre of the city, judging by the increasing number of people and the neon signs that illuminated the street. As she watched, her eye was caught by a woman with pearlescent skin and hair on the other side of the road. Their eyes met for a second before she climbed a curved set of steps, disappearing into a round, glass-fronted building. Quickly, Julie crossed the street and followed her inside, loud music assaulting her ears as she stepped into the dimly lit interior. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she could make out the press of bodies on the dance floor in the centre, as well as the raised area with tables and chairs around the edge. Looking around, she headed for the bar at the back of the club, dropping into one of the empty seats. Behind the bar was a tall humanoid with skin that looked like it was made from overlapping plates of metal that clinked when he moved. At least, he looked male, but there was no way of knowing whether that term even applied here. Even so, she had to refer to "him" as something.

'What do you want?' he asked, in a voice that had a faint metallic cadence behind it.

'Uh...' Julie said, glancing up at the board above the bar, only to find that she couldn't read it. 'I...that is...'

'Don't worry,' the bartender said, with a grin. 'I've got just the thing...'

Turning his back, he busied himself for a few seconds before returning with a tall glass filled with a pearlescent blue liquid.

'Sapphire nectar,' he said, putting it down on the bar. 'Two units...'

Julie hesitated before reaching into her pocket, pulling out two of the coins that Friday had given her, holding them up for the bartender to see. He nodded, holding out his hand and she dropped them into his palm, taking a sip of her drink.

'It's delicious,' she said. 'Thank you...'

'Enjoy,' he said, turning away to serve a large creature that looked like it was made of rock. Taking another sip, Julie lent back against the bar, surveying the club. Across the dance floor, she spotted the woman that she had seen earlier. Now that she could see her more clearly, she saw that she had diamond-patterned skin and piercing black eyes, as well as a scar across her jaw like a jagged black line. She was seated at a table with two others, one that looked like he was made of out differently shaped blocks and the other dressed in a flowing red cloak, what looked like a polished marble dome just visible under the hood. As she watched, another figure emerged from the crowds, heading for their table. He was a tall, slender humanoid with a domed head and willowy stature, dressed in a loose yellow tunic, ambling through the crowd with a distracted air. However, he wasn't watching where he was going and he bumped into a heavy-set, balding figure who stood a head taller than Julie with pale grey skin and bulging muscles. Julie couldn't hear what he said over the pounding music, but it was obvious that he was angry as he shoved the tall humanoid, making him stumble. He stepped towards him, just as the woman scrambled to her feet, interposing herself between him and her fallen friend. The heavyset alien bunched his fist and she ducked under the punch, striking him in the stomach with a blow that doubled him over with a grunt of pain. Before he could recover, her foot lashed in a kick that caught him in the head, sending him crashing to the floor. As he fell, the others that he had been drinking with got to their feet. One of them, a black-scaled lizard whipped his barbed tail towards her and she dodged the blow, falling back up the assault.

Damn...

Putting down her drink, Julie launched herself towards the fight, her trademark rainbow-streak trailing behind her as she cannoned into a red-furred humanoid. Her momentum slammed him back into the table and she reversed direction, heading back towards the fight. By now, the woman's companions had joined the brawl, the block-being wrestling with a creature who's skin rippled like water. As she watched, he picked him up bodily and slammed him to the ground, where he lay still. Her third companion was standing in the middle of the brawl, seemingly unconcerned, as the fight raged around him. By now, it seemed that half the bar had gotten drawn into the fight, even if they weren't directly involved in the initial incident. From out of the crowd, a short, stocky humanoid leapt at him, bearing a broken bottle in one hand. Casually, he turned towards him, his domed head starting to glow, releasing a blast of energy that knocked him to the ground. Julie dived back towards the fray, dodging around a robed creature with long arms to plant a kick in the small of his back that sent him stumbling. Next thing she knew, she was clapping her hands over her ears to try and shut out the piercing sound that seemed to be stabbing into her brain. Fighting against disorientation, she couldn't maintain her flight, tumbling to the ground in an awkward heap. With an effort, she managed to raise her head to see armoured figures entering the bar, each carrying a futuristic rifle, a triangle of three connected dots on their chest plates. One of them, a human-looking male with short hair and a stern expression stepped forward, holding a silver device aloft in one hand. Slinging his rifle onto his back, he pressed a button on the end of the device and the painful noise shut off, being replaced by the groans of the former brawlers.

'By authority of the Nova Corps,' he barked, 'all individuals, beings or life forms present are under arrest for behaviour contributing to a breach of the peace...'

################

Julie looked up from the hard metal bench that she was sitting on when she heard footsteps and a figure of a grey-haired woman in the uniform of the Nova Corps appeared outside the force field of her cell.

'My name is Irani Rael,' she said. 'Prime of the Nova Corps. And you are Julie Power, from Earth...'

'How do you know my name?' Julie asked, standing up.

'You think we don't keep records of superpowered individuals, especially those who are granted powers by the Kymellians...'

'Technically, it was only Kymellian...' she said and Irani frowned.

'We have heard of your exploits, alongside your siblings as 'Power Pack'. There are those, even among the Nova Corps who were inspired by the bravery you should, especially in ones so young. I am disappointed to see that should more judgement as a child than an adult...'

'Yeah, well, seeing as your not my Mom,' Julie said, 'I don't care. What now?'

'You will be given an official caution,' Irani said, her eyes narrowing. 'After that, you're free to go...'

################

'Hey...'

Julie was descending the steps from the Nova Corps Headquarters when she heard the voice, looking round to see the woman from the bar leaning against the wall.

'Hey,' Julie said. 'What are you doing here...?'

'I was waiting until they let you go...'

'Why...?'

'Because I owe you one, after what you did back in the bar...'

'Forget about it...'

'I owe you,' she repeated. 'I'm Kashanz...'

'...Julie...'

'You're new here, right...?'

'Yeah...'

'Thought so. You got anywhere to stay...?'

'No...'

'Well, tonight, you can stay at my place. Come on...'

'...alright...'

################

'Here we are,' Kashanz said, ushering Julie into a small apartment that looked out over the city. 'It's not much, but the view's pretty good...'

'Just show me the spare bed,' Julie said, 'and you won't have any complaints...'

'I never said anything about a spare bed,' Kashanz said, leaning down to kiss her on the lips. Breaking the kiss, she took her hand and led her towards the bedroom, closing the door behind them...

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any comments, reviews or constructive criticism very welcome.