"I don't know. If Jimmy cracks corn and nobody cares, why does he still do it?"
"He was a Legionnaire?"
The others at the table burst into laughter. A few meters away at the bar, Brainiac 5 shook his head. "It's always like this. You get used to it," he told his companion. The young man was sitting hunched up on the seat, trying to put as little of himself in contact with the world as possible, which was quite a feat since he was over two meters tall. He fidgetted with his ball cap. He looked around the Legion cantina, not sure about that. Querl smirked, "Don't worry. Most of them are harmless to anyone but themselves. The trick is to point them at the bad guys."
"Yes sir," the youth said nervously.
Brainy sighed and rubbed his forehead, "I'm not that much older than you, Kent."
The boy blinked, surprised, "You're not?"
"How old are you?"
"Fifteen, sir. Uh... I'll be sixteen in one quarter," he added conscienciously.
And still hasn't finished growing. Bet he tops out at 2.2 meters, Querl thought. "Alright, maybe a little older than you. But unless I'm of age with your father - which I assure you I am not - I don't believe I qualify as a 'sir.'"
"Yes sir. ..uh, yes..."
"You intimidating the new recruits already, Brainy?" Tenzil grinned, sliding a cup of tea over to him and placing a Cerodian Fizz in front of Kent, "Hi, welcome to the Legion. I'm Tenzil Kem."
"Uh, Kent Shakespeare. Kent Shakespeare Gand."
"You always say it like that?"
"My father's Kent Marlowe and my grandfather is Kent Spenser so if people just say 'Kent', we don't know which one they're talking to..." he trailed off in shock as Tenzil bit the head off a fork and chewed thoughtfully.
"Makes sense then. Good to meet you, Kent Shakespeare. Don't let Brainy here get to you. It's not easy being green." Querl rolled his eyes as Tenzil drifted off.
Kent looked confused, "Um... my sister said you don't like to be called that?"
"I don't," Querl admitted, "But it's what everybody calls me, regardless." A green disc appeared beside him and he turned, "Right, Gates?"
Kent was startled by the sudden appearance of what appeared to be an oversized pill-bug in a Little Red Riding-Hood costume. "Right what?" it asked.
"What everybody calls me. To my face, I mean, don't get smartnassed."
"So not '12th Level Dick,' then?"
"NO."
"Probably not 'Mr. Green-Genes' either."
"GATES."
"'Stickerface' probably isn't the answer you're looking for either."
"Never mind, forget I said anything. It was foolish of me to think I could get a sensible answer out of you in the first place."
"I think I called you 'Unabomber' to your face once... mind you that was back in the 20th Century... and I called you 'Mr. Rogers' once or twice after your upgrade, but then you stopped wearing those cardigans..."
Querl turned a composed face to Kent, whose shoulders were shaking with the effort not to laugh. "Disregard this insect. He is deliberately trying to provoke me and I have chosen to ignore him."
"Yes sir."
"And if you call me 'sir' one more time, I will turn on the red sunlight projectors and noogie you until you're dizzy."
"Listen to him, kid, he means it!"
"Oh hush, Chuck, he does not. Don't worry, Brainy's only teasing."
"He does not tease, Vi, he torments!"
"He only torments you."
Brainy picked up his teacup and swirled the contents gently. "Need another friend, Chuck?" He grinned nastily as Chuck abruptly got up and bolted out of the commisary.
A pretty orange-eyed brunette walked up and swatted him on the arm. "He's just kidding," she told Kent, "Grife, Brainy, quit teasing him! It can be hard enough to get your bearings without you freaking the guy out on his first day here."
"Hel-LO handsome!" Another girl, twin to the first with purple eyes, linked her arm through Kent's, startling him, "Has anyone shown you around yet?"
Aliens!! ...cute aliens... Aliens!! "Um, a little..."
A third girl, one eye orange, one purple, tugged the purple-eyed twin away gently but firmly, "Sister, give him space. Please forgive her, she's only trying to be friendly."
Querl couldn't help grinning, "Luornu, please pull yourself together."
"Good idea, Brainy," she said. She linked arms with her look-alikes and merged with them. Kent visibly shuddered, his xenophobia hit hard. "I'm Luornu Durgo, codename Triad, the weirdo from Cargg. You've already met Brainy, the weirdo from Colu..."
"That's freak, not weirdo. Get it right," Querl smirked.
"You are, too, weird," she grinned, "But we're all a bit weird around here. Vi's weird, Gates is weird, Timber Wolf is really weird..."
Kent recovered somewhat, "So, um, what you're saying is, this is a group of outcasts and rejects."
"Pretty much, yeah," Lu agreed, grinning.
Querl smirked again, "I prefer to consider the Legion to be an organisation of free-thinking individuals ... those who can be bothered to think, at least."
"We don't need to think, Brainy, that's what we've got you for," Lu teased. She leaned down to smooch his cheek and he leaned away with an exaggerated squinchy face. She giggled and waved to Kent, "See you around, handsome."
"That's proof that I'm called 'Brainy' by all and sundry," Querl sighed.
Kent nodded but the memory of Laurel telling him "Don't call him 'Brainy!'" was too strong. "Uhm..." Querl briefly considered ignoring him until he called him something other than 'sir.' "Uhm... so... What're your powers?"
Querl smirked and sipped his tea, "Being the smartest person in this - or any - room. ...Although that's hardly a challenging feat, sometimes."
"And?"
"And nothing. I'm smart; that's all."
Kent looked puzzled, "What about your forcefield?"
"My forcefields are artificially generated and thus not considered to be a power."
"Oh." Kent mulled this over, frowning. "It kinda says something that they consider intelligence to be a super power. I'm not sure I like what it says."
I like him. "Congratulations on having one more brain cell than the balance of the Legion," Querl smirked.
"I mean... That would mean that bucolic stupidity could be considered a super-power."
I really like him. "One shudders to imagine how it could possibly be considered an asset," Querl was smiling now.
Kent grinned, relieved that he hadn't inadvertantly given offense. "Yeah, I mean... what would their codename be? Clueless Kid? Dumb Boy? ID10T?"
"...Superboy," Querl smirked and sipped his tea as Kent hastily swallowed his fizz then fell over laughing.
"Um..." Kent was twisting his fingers again.
Querl rolled his eyes and sighed, "Querl, Brainy, Brainiac - pick one."
"Uhm.. my sister said Brainiac was preferred...?" Kent stammered hopefully. He had a feeling that he was digging himself in no matter what he did.
"Yes. That will do." Behind them, Querl was aware of Violet whispering to someone.
"Um, they say you're one of the best astrophysicists?"
"I am quite good with astrophysics, yes. Your point?"
"Uhm.. do you teach?"
Querl turned to look at him face on, surprised, "You've an interest in astrophysics, Kent?"
"Oh yessir!" Kent straightened up, his eyes lighting with enthusiasm, "I was going to study theoretical and practical astrophysics and astronomics engineering at the Academy, I've been saving for years for my tuition and I've kept my grades high so I could pass the entrance exams..." his face fell, "But then I had to leave."
Querl considered the ramifications. He wasn't the most patient man in the universe and the thought of trying to educate someone wasn't appealing. However, it spoke well of how much Kent valued his education. And it would mean a lot to Laurel... "Very well. I expect you to pay attention and I don't like repeating myself. Is that understood?"
Kent nodded vigorously, delighted, "Yessir, Brainiac sir! d'oh..."
Violet snapped her fingers at her companions and opened her hand, "Pay up!"
The senior Legionnaires were seated around the conference table, watching the holorecording of their newest recruit. "He demonstrates the usual Daxamite powers," Cosmic Boy was saying, "Laser vision, penetra-vision, mega-endurance, mega-breath, enhanced senses, invulnerability..."
"Nigh-invulnerability."
"Spoon!"
"Thank you, Laurel and Hardy." Cos rolled his eyes as laughter rippled around the room and Lyle and Brainy smirked. "He does have a minor contact issue..."
"White Triangle aversion again?" Apparition yawned.
"No, just watch."
They watched. Apparition's hand fluttered to her mouth. Kid Quantum frowned. Invisible Kid started to snicker. "That's happened every time he's thrown a punch," Brainiac 5 reported.
"We're considering calling him 'Knock-Out,'" Invisible Kid added.
"I thought that was because of his looks," Spark shot back, grinning.
"I see," said Kid Quantum, current Legion leader, "He KO's them every time, one shot? Is that maliciousness?"
"No, we think he just doesn't know his own mega-strength yet," Cos replied.
"Which is why he should have access to our training facilities, at the very least," Brainy added.
"I see," Kid Quantum said again, "Perhaps he should be admitted to the Legion Academy until he's gained better control of his powers."
Cos nodded, "Will that be acceptable to Sister Andromeda, Brainy?"
"I don't see why not."
"Alright then. The Arthamites are already designing and we can work on his codename later, so if..."
"Actually..." They looked around as Saturn Girl entered the room. She closed the door behind her and looked up with the expression of the mouse chosen to bell the cat. "There is a problem."
Sister Andromeda. It was hard to think of the famous Sister Andromeda as his sister, especially when she was in her formal habit, as now. Big sister Laurel, who'd wiped his nose, beat up the bullies, out-played him at the arcade, top of her class at cadets and rising star in the dance world... Sister Andromeda; Laurel Gand -- no, it just didn't work. She picked up her teacup and sipped, "So how'd it go?"
"It went, I guess," Kent sighed, "It's really hard. So many aliens..."
Laurel nodded and smiled sympathetically, "Yeah, I know. It's overwhelming at first."
"Some of them are so strange.. like the three-in-one girl..."
"Triad," Laurel grinned, "The only person who can argue with herself and lose."
"The cafeteria guy has acid spit... I saw him eating a fork."
Laurel laughed, "Oh nass, Tenzil... he's such a character. He can literally eat anything, it's scary. We called him 'Omniphage' behind his back."
"Then there were these little reptilian guys who wanted my inseam measurements."
Laurel laughed at Kent's shudder, "Oh the Arthamites! They're supposed to be the best designers in the galaxy but I harbour doubts. Did you meet Lyle? Invisible Kid? If not, you soon will, he's always working in the lab. He's Querl's best friend."
Kent nodded, then sat back and sighed, "I don't think he likes me very much."
"Didn't Lar warn you?" Laurel laughed, "He doesn't like anybody, not until they've proven themselves to be worth the effort." Kent wilted and she chucked his chin, "Don't worry, you'll be fine."
"I keep screwing up," the boy sighed, flopping back into his chair.
"Like what?"
"I can't get his name right. I keep calling him 'sir'- " he winced as Laurel burst out laughing, "And I can't seem to stop, it just slips out. Then some girl made a bet about it and she won fifty creds."
Laurel was almost howling with laughter. "Oh nass...! Did you call him 'Brainy'?"
"No! He said everybody does it but I remembered what you said so I figured I shouldn't even if he said it was okay. But it doesn't feel right to call him by his first name and I keep calling him 'sir' even though I try not to and he doesn't like it and I'm afraid he won't want to teach me anymore if I can't stop." The kid looked so woebegone, it set Laurel off again.
"Teach you what?" she asked, once she had her breath back.
"I asked him if he'd teach me astrophysics."
"You asked Querl to teach you? Well, you'll get the best education but you'll have to work for it. You'll have to work your mind like never before. He's a real challenge to keep up to, but the payoff is you'll get a better education than you could get at any university - even on Daxam."
"Maybe I bit off more than I can chew..." Kent said morosely, "He asked me a whole bunch of questions and I thought I was doing okay for a while but then..."
"Nah, he was just sussing out how much you already know. No point in teaching you what you already know, right? Did he roll his eyes and sigh or did he tilt his head and grunt?"
"He grunted."
"Then you impressed him. Good job. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. He doesn't like many people and he respects even fewer, so you're already off to a good start."
"If you say so..."
"Don't worry about looking stupid in front of him; he's got a 12th level intellect, everybody looks stupid next to him. Just use what you've got to the best of your ability. He'll have more patience with you if he can see that you're trying." Laurel refreshed her tea, "When you're on a mission together, leave the thinking to him -- remember, that's his job. You're his weapon, so let him use you and do what he says and don't try to second-guess him. If he tells you to do something and you don't know how, tell him before you get involved. He absolutely hates it when he sends someone to shut down the reactor core and then they tell him they don't know what buttons to push!"
Kent grinned and nodded, "I can see how that would waste time."
They both startled as the door slid open and Brainiac 5 stormed through. He didn't so much as glance at them as he stormed down the hall and into the lab. Laurel and Kent exchanged an apprehensive look. "'Kay, something didn't go right," Laurel muttered, then started counting down. "...three ...two ...one. ... ...one. ... Oh, man, something's really wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"The lab didn't explode." She got up and hesitantly stepped into the lab, Kent at her heels. "Querl...?" No answer. She went to stand beside him. "Querl?"
"What?!" he snapped, then looked up, "Oh, it's you. Sorry. The kettle's on if you want to make tea."
"I'll do it," Kent said nervously.
Laurel leaned against the lab bench and propped her foot up against the cupboard door. "What happened? Did the Legion reject him?"
"Oh no, no, not at all. He tested fine, a little over-zealous but nothing unexpected for a Daxamite fresh into his powers. No problems there at all. Glad to have him and all that, thanks for the vote of confidence, won't let you down, yadda yadda yadda."
Laurel cocked an eyebrow. Contrary to popular belief, Querl didn't often get angry. Frustrated yes, annoyed yes, but seldom genuinely angry. When he did, it tended to be a 'hot' anger, the kind that, in most people, would result in slammed doors and in his case resulted in lab explosions. 'Blowing off steam' was an apt description for it. But occasionally, rarely, he got angry enough that he didn't blow it off, but kept it close and contained, building it up under pressure. "Then... what happened? Querl, you're angry. I've never seen you this angry before. What's wrong?"
He told her.
"What?!" Laurel's face went white with shock and rage. Without another word she stormed out, managing not to destroy the lab door in the process.
Kent peered around a cupboard. "Did... did I do something wrong?" he quavered nervously.
"No," Querl's eyes flicked after Laurel, "Not you. Not you."
"...Laurel?"
Querl sighed and pushed his hands through his hair, "A long time ago. She's paid her debt to society and been pardoned and she still punishes herself more than any court ever could. She doesn't deserve this. Wazzo's had it in for us right from the beginning; this is likely just another way of her lashing out on us. She's probably taking advantage of this because members of the White Triangle murdered her daughter."
Kent was silent for a moment. "Her daughter?"
"Apparition."
Kent was puzzled, "Apparition? But she looked pretty alive."
"Girl never did take a hint," Querl deadpanned, then explained, "Turns out she's part Carggite. She had a spare body kicking around."
"I guess that's useful." He brought out the tea, then hemmed and hawed for a few minutes, working up the nerve to ask, "Um... what did my sister do?"
Querl hesitated. He took several sips of his tea, deciding what to say. Finally he sighed and shook his head, "She gives herself a far greater share of the blame than her actions actually warrented. She gave them my cure for lead poisoning, that's all. Under duress, I should add -- she was being threatened by people who knew about her situation back home. She certainly didn't know what Roxxas was planning to do with it."
Kent was silent for several minutes, digesting this. "She... betrayed you? And you're still..."
"Hm? Oh... yes. Well, what she didn't tell them was that it wouldn't work for very long and would probably drive them insane. It has to be tailored, you see. To the individual's genetic structure. It's not 'one shot cures all.'"
"But it worked long enough."
"Unfortunately, yes, it worked long enough. The truth is, they probably could have managed it through transuits, but it would have taken a lot more of them." Querl looked at Kent, who had fallen into a despondant silence. "Roxxas chose a naive girl with a past that made her easy to manipulate," he said gently, "Then he blackmailed her and told her she betraying her people if she didn't betray us. She'd be a traitor either way, and either way, a traitor to herself. She was used; I can't hold that against her."
Kent nodded. "Thank you," he whispered.
"Anyways, she's paid and was pardoned. She doesn't deserve Wazzo picking on her like this, especially not now, not so close to the anniversary."
"...What exactly is going on, sir?" Kent winced, realizing he'd said the S-word again.
Querl opened his mouth to snark at him and was interrupted by a muffled kaboom from several levels away. "By the sound of it, your sister having a temper tantrum, in classic Andromeda style. That takes me back. Good thing we're a long way from the gym."
"She said the lab didn't explode and that was bad?"
"Ha! Yes. No, this time I'm angry enough to think about what to do about it. That's pretty angry, believe me. Just ask Chuck and Gear."
"Is it true you blow up the lab a lot?"
Querl looked around, "Well, not so much any more, Chuck's made it pretty explosion-proof. I'd have to work at it. It's true about the explosions, though."
"Why?"
Querl paused, then tilted his head and looked at Kent out of the corner of his eye. He looked around and ran a quick scan. Finally, satisfied that he wouldn't be overheard, he said, "Because it's fun."
Kent burst out laughing, "Get out!"
"What? You never wanted to blow stuff up?"
"We used to fill model planes with match-heads..."
"There you are. But I'm Brainiac 5, see, I have a lineage to uphold. It's go big or go home, and since I can't go home..." Kent laughed harder. Querl sighed again, "In answer to your question, the Legion wishes you to attend the Legion Academy until you've gained better control of your powers, which is fine. However, as a condition of admission, because of your White Triangle background, President Wazzo wishes you to undergo telepathic evaluation, including a deep probe in case you're harbouring any post-hypnotic suggestion - which is not fine."
"This is an outrage!"
"Mr. Brande, what they're asking for is an outright violation of sentient rights!"
R.J. Brande held up his hands and shook his head, "I know, I know. Believe me, kids, I'm fighting this with everything I've got, but they're not budging. It isn't right and the poor boy's done nothing to deserve it, but the council's firm on this."
Kid Quantum rested her fists on her hips, "I thought the Legion was now operating independant of the government. Did I miss the memo saying we were back under their control?"
"This is where it gets dicey..."
Brainiac 5's eyes narrowed to slits, "He doesn't have to join the Legion. He's here by choice, to try to recover from his White Triangle upbringing."
"I know that, Querl, I know," Brande said again, "Believe me, I'm telling them that every chance I get. They're just not yielding."
"Grife, I don't think I've ever seen Brainy this angry," Violet whispered.
"This isn't the first time they've done this," Saturn Girl whispered back.
"What?!"
"You didn't know? When Brainy was in pris... wait, what did Brande just say?"
Brande was grateful there was actually several million kilometers and a layer of communication technology between him and the combined stares of the Legion elders, otherwise he might fry. He sighed and began to explain.
"I see." Brainy's voice was as dark as his face.
"Don't go shooting the messenger, Querl. I'm on your side."
"That is an unfortunate coincidence," Cosmic Boy said, sounding a little doubtful, "But I'm sure that's all it is."
"That is all it is," M'Onel interjected, "Mr. Brande, I've known Kent on and off for a couple of years now. Yes, he was raised White Triangle but he's a decent kid and he's got a questioning mind. He wasn't sent here, he escaped from Daxam!"
"I know, I know, son, but look at it from the Council's point of view, it did happen before..."
Even with enhanced hearing, the voices were faint and he was rather glad that he couldn't see the expressions. In the Hall of Heroes, Kent sat near the statue of Element Lad, and listened as the argument escalated higher.
"You okay, kid?"
Kent looked up to see Kon-El approaching. He sighed and nodded, "I guess. I didn't think I'd cause this much trouble."
Conner glanced in the direction of the distant angry voices and nodded, "Yeah. It is a big coincidence, you showing up to join the Legion just when the White Triangle are showing signs of being active again."
Kent arched an eyebrow and looked at him through the corner of his eye. "Yes, it is," he replied, "I'm joining as a favour to M'Onel and my sister, 'cause they thought it'd be a good idea for me. I don't know anything about what the Triangle leaders are doing. I left home because I found out that everything the Triangle taught me was a lie. Even the 'lie of Valor' was a lie. I'm here to find the truth."
"What's the 'lie of Valor?'"
"That Valor seeded the worlds and that many of the races have a common ancestry."
"But he did do that! That's not a lie, that's true! But you must've asked him, right? I mean, you hang out with him so much. That must be pretty cool for you."
Kent gave him a blank look, "Huh?"
"That you can ask M'Onel about the stuff he did when he was Valor," Conner clarified, then Kent's blank stare penetrated, "...oh shit, I thought you knew. Andromeda knew so I thought you did too."
Kent stood up. "I'm going to the gym," he mumbled as he wandered off. Great. This day's just getting better and better. Maybe I should've stayed at home.
The gym door slid open. Laurel was there, still working off her anger on the power presses. "How's the argument going?"
Kent sat on the press bench beside her, "Is M'Onel really Valor?"
"Let me guess, you were talking to Superboy."
"Uh huh."
Laurel shook her head, disgusted, "That's the third time he's outed him. I feel sorry for the Last Son believers in the Legion -- they've been really disappointed in Superboy. Mind you, he's not the original Kal-El, but some sort of clone or something, so it's not quite the same. Still, we Valorites were luckier; Valor really is worth looking up to."
"So it's true?"
"Yes, it's true and we keep it a secret for a reason. Not that Superboy seems to grasp that simple concept."
Kent nodded, hearing the warning and heeding it, "Yeah. When I was talking about stupidity as a superpower, his name came up."
"Ha! I'll just bet I know who, too. Those two are a case of opposites do not attract. He was the reason for Querl developing his forcefield." She pushed the weights aside and sat up.
Kent sighed and looked at his hands. "I guess I've got bad timing," he said softly, "I guess... I guess our people are doing stuff again. They think I'm working for them. They think I might be a 'sleeper.'"
Laurel winced and looked away. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't been so stupid... if I'd wised up sooner... I'm sorry, Kent."
"They say it looks bad because I showed up so close to the anniversary. They mean the anniversary of Trom, right?"
"Yes," Laurel sighed, "It's tomorrow. I won't be available then, I'll be on Trom. Jan - Element Lad - he used to go there every year and make monuments. When he died, I took over."
"You make monuments?"
"I make diamonds out of the remains. Heat vision and a lot of pressure."
"How many do you make?"
"As many as I can in a day."
Kent nodded then looked up, "Can I help?"
It had been hot and unbearably humid. The oceans had boiled nearly dry, the only liquid water left being in the deepest trenches, too salty to support any kind of life. Charred bodies lay everywhere they turned; here and there, the sparkling monuments left by Jan Arrah. They'd transformed one hundred fifty bodies each - animal, vegetable, sapient. They had walked through salt crusts thirty centimeters thick, that marked the beachfront of a melted city, in air almost too humid to breathe.
They had been taught to know right from wrong. They had been taught that this was right and good. Twelve Daxamites had done this. Twelve of their people. He even recognised some of their names. So Kent had helped his sister make diamonds of the corpses, using the same power of heat vision that had murdered this world. And they had shed salt tears together that would never fill the oceans. And he shared the burden of her guilt, because a burden shared is a burden eased.
Now he stood in the command room and faced the giant viewscreen that showed him the face of Winema Wazzo, President of the United Planets. "I'll do it," he said quietly. Immediately the Legion voices rose in protest but he waved a hand and cut them off. "I'll do it. I'll submit to the probe. And then you'll apologise to my sister."
President Wazzo's eyes narrowed, "I beg your pardon?"
"You won't find anything. I'll submit to your probe, but you won't find anything because there's nothing there to find. I don't know what the leaders are doing. You won't find anything, and then you'll apologise to my sister for dragging her through the dirt."
"My dear boy, that's not how it works. If you're a 'sleeper' agent, you won't know what you know; that's what post-hypnotic suggestion is all about. You won't know if you're working for the White Triangle. Now I understand how you feel about all this but -"
"No, you don't," Kent interrupted, "I just came back from Trom. I don't know what the leaders are planning but I want to know, so I can put a stop to it. The Triangle lied to us and they used my sister. I'm not working for the Triangle. I'll go through your probe to prove that, and then you'll apologise to my sister because she's not the one who killed your daughter." Behind him, he heard Apparition gasp then the room fell quiet.
Winema Wazzo's eyes were blazing and she was shaking with rage, "You.. you dare...!"
"Yes I dare," Kent blazed right back. Then he relaxed and pushed his hands through his hair. He pulled off the ponytail holder and combed his fingers through, then worked it back into a ponytail as he spoke, "You know, I don't have to join the Legion. My sister and M'Onel suggested it and I respect their wisdom but I don't have to. Fact is, I'd rather dedicate as a monk and follow my sister. I can still do that."
"Then why don't you," Winema spat.
"Of course, everyone would want to know why I didn't join the Legion and I'd have to tell them, because monks are honest." Winema looked suspicious but Kent was aware of the slow grins that were spreading around him. "I'd have to tell them how you bullied Sister Andromeda's little brother because you've got a grudge." He heard the choked sounds that became artificial coughs.
"That is not what it is, you stupid child!"
"Yes ma'am. Not quite sixteen, ma'am."
"This is about galactic security, not--"
"Yes ma'am. Don't know much about politics yet, ma'am. But I know a lot about being bullied. When you're the kid whose big sister is a traitor to her people, you meet a lot of them." Behind him, Ultra Boy broke into a wide grin. "'Course, now I'm the kid whose big sister is poised to be one of the most influential religious leaders in the U.P. It'll be an honour to be one of the first Andromedan monks."
President Wazzo stared at him, finally realising she was on politically thin ice. "Very well," she said at last, "Under the circumstances, I shall accept Saturn Girl's testimony." She rang off abruptly. Then the room erupted into cheers.
"Bravo!" Kent flinched as Ultra Boy slapped him heartily on the back, "Something else you learn when you're bullied, how to fight dirty!"
"Yes sir. Wasn't always this tall, sir," Kent demurred.
"Oh nass, I can't believe you said that to her face! I thought I'd die! ...again!"
"Grife, the look on her face!!! Last time I saw that look was when Brainy's monkey jumped on her and grabbed her by the--"
"Do you have to remind me of that?" Brainy tried to snarl but his heart clearly wasn't in it.
Kid Quantum wiped her eyes, "After that, I don't think we even need to vote. Okay, Kent Shakespeare -- you get control of your powers and you're in. You pick a codename yet?"
"Sort of. We decided on 'Impulse' but I don't know if I like it much."
'Impulse??' Only Lyle noticed the strange light that had entered Querl's eyes, 'Knock-out,''Kid Obvious'... oh this is almost too perfect.
"You've made an enemy, you know." "Oh sprock that, the entire Legion's her enemy, has been from day one." "You've won. She won't pursue it any further."
Kent just bowed slightly, "Yes ma'am. Thank you ma'am."
The senior Legionnaires were filing out of the room, still gabbling. Kent looked around and saw Brainiac 5 waiting near the door. As Kent approached, Querl tilted his head speculatively, "Hmph." Then he smiled, "C'mon, Koko - we've got work to do."
