"Get back to the cruiser!" Cosmic Boy ordered the legionnaires back to the front of the ship as the Dark Circle assassins flew towards them. "Don't let them take us from all sides!"

They had been caught halfway back to Earth, the Dark Circle Cruiser above theirs and holding it in place by a gravitational beam. Cosmic Boy had Ultra Boy and Timber Wolf on either side of him, shoving assassins away as Kinetix and Gates threw them farther off. Brainiac 5 and Triplicate Girl kept them from getting inside the cruiser as Phantom Girl worked from inside the main console room, trying to get it lose, to no avail.

"This isn't working, Cosmic Boy," Kinetix finally said as he bonked too assassins together, "we're way outnumbered! I'm pretty sure the entire Dark Circle is here to greet us."

"Ambush us, you mean," Gates portaled up beside her, "but why here?"

As they regrouped Brainy placed a force field over them, keeping the assassin's firearms at bay. "They may be trying to take our cruiser and hack into any files we're carrying."

As the Dark Circle looked to move towards them, the speakers on their dark cruiser turned on. "Enough," a mysterious voice boomed out into space, "stand down."

To the legionnaires' surprise they did as commanded, splitting into two neatly filed groups as a hooded figure flew out from the cruiser and in between them, facing the force field. "Let us speak on peaceful terms."

"Peaceful terms?" Timber Wolf growled at them as Triplicate Girl stuck her tongue out. "You people don't know what peaceful is."

Slowly the hooded figure removed their hood, revealing a green skinned robot with long blonde waves and purple eyes. "As leader of the Dark Circle, I will ask you again. Speak to us on peaceful terms, Legion of Superheroes."

"Uh, Brainy," Gates gawked as they all noticed the Brainiac sigil on her forehead, "who is that?"

"That," Brainy's eyes were wide, "is the one person I thought I'd never see again. Brainiac 4 – my mother."

REVELATIONS

Brainiac 4 led the legionnaires through the halls of the Dark Circle cruiser, passing various masked assassins that warily glanced their way. "Is it just me," Gates asked Kinetix, "or are we not welcome here?"

"Judging from the way we're being watched by dozens of security cameras, I'd say…a definite maybe."

Cosmic Boy walked up beside Brainiac 4, Brainy and Triplicate Girl right behind. "Brainy, did you know about this?"

"Not at all," he still seemed to be in shock, "I know next to nothing about her."

She led them into a conference room, where they all sat around a circular table, her at the head between Cosmic Boy and Timber Wolf. "I've brought you all here so we can discuss the possibilities of an alliance."

"Before any of that," Ultra Boy glanced at Brainy beside him, "could we get an explanation about your relationship?"

She nodded. "Brainiac's lineage has been passed down for the past thousand years, but only through four descendants. Brainiac 2 and 3 have passed, and I was to be Colu's representative of him, until I helped build Brainiac 5 with my DNA and then left the planet for…personal reasons."

"No offence, Brainy," Ultra Boy whispered to him, "but your family…how do I say this…"

"Scares you?"

"Extremely."

"You need to understand," Cosmic Boy explained to her as Brainiac 4 pressed a button on the table, bringing up a hologram screen, "the Legion of Superheroes has already given the chance for an alliance with previous enemies which put our members in grave danger. We will need substantial proof that the Dark Circle is willing to follow our conditions."

"How about Brainiac 6's location?" She gestured to the hologram that showed Brainiac 6's face. "This is one of our previous conversations regarding Brainiac 5's bounty."

"So he was the private client," Phantom Girl said, "we were right to suspect him."

The video began to play. "You have yet to retrieve Brainiac 5 for the bounty I have placed. Should your team fail once more to collect what I have plainly requested, I will have no choice but to deal with you personally," his eyes narrowed, "my dear ancestor."

"So he knew you were one of his own all along," Triplicate Girl said as the video ended, "when was this video taken?"

"This was a conversation from yesterday," she answered as the hologram shifted, "he believes that as of right now, we are currently apprehending you for transportation to his planet."

"…But you're not, right?"

"I'm not foolish enough to tell you these things and then ambush you. I may not have the same level of intelligence as my son, despite being one of Brainiac's ancestors, but I know when there's weakness to a plan."

"So let me get this straight," Ultra Boy spoke up, "are you asking us to team up and take down Brainiac…6? By ambushing him at this secret location?"

The hologram showcased a smaller planet. "This is Mekbar, a planet long abandoned by any known species," Brainiac 4 explained further on, "Brainiac 6 is currently arranging some form of army here, having set up base months ago. I contact him frequently. He never leaves the planet."

"Hold on," Gates raised his hand, "Supergirl said that on their mission to Orando, he spoke from one of his ships."

"A mere diversion. He is always on Mekbar." The hologram zoomed into a large base of operations. "He keeps his soldiers to one quarter of the planet, where the planet's sun hits the least."

"This will take time to arrange, if it works out," Cosmic Boy stood up with her, "and I'd like to tour your cruiser first."

"I'll have my men show you whatever you want to see," she turned to Brainiac 5, "so long as I get to speak to my son in private."

Cosmic Boy could see that there was great confliction on Brainy's face, but gave a nod. "Very well. Legionnaires, split into pairs…except for you, Brainy. You're going solo this time."

I've finally made it here to Ottawa, where I hope to turn twenty in two days and finish my schooling. This is one of the most exciting things I've ever done, and I'm glad you were all so patient as to wait for my new stories, so here you go! Oh, and also, Brainiac 5 has a mother who's the leader of the Dark Circle. Geez, this poor guy never gets it easy, huh?

Until the next chapter!