It spun elegantly in space, an emerald as green as its inhabitants. Brainiac 5 felt an unexpected surge of homesickness as he gazed at his homeworld. Colu, the world of his birth, the world that had banished him, the world where all the answers lay. We hope, he thought wryly. He looked up at Brainiac 4; at least he wasn't alone in his banishment.

"You are still shivering."

"Nerves, this time," he replied, "I can't shake the feeling that I'm trying to tell myself something. I'm missing something really obvious." He pushed his hands through his hair and sighed, frustrated, "And I know that when I do figure it out, I'm probably going to feel really stupid."

"Unlikely," Brainiac 4 replied. Her voice was becoming more monotone now; whatever 'mask' Saturn Girl put on her mind was starting to wear off. "If it is as obvious as you believe, I too do not recognise it. Therefore, it cannot be that obvious."

Querl couldn't help grinning, Yeah you're my mom alright. He watched her lean back in the command chair and the interface light cannons picked up speed, playing over her head like disco lights. "What are you doing?"

"Hacking into the SleepNet."

"Ooo! I never thought of that!"

"It requires proximity and an appropriate interface. It is, however, an excellent way to acquire ... information."

"Blackmail material," Querl translated, thinking of the Dark Circle's leader. So that was how she'd come up with so much information so quickly.

"It appears you were correct. I have located the target. I am uploading the information into your personal omnicom."

Querl, also linked into the ship via the dancing beams, saw the information and accompanying map and fought the urge to cheer. At last they were getting somewhere! He checked his omnicom to make sure the information had transferred properly, then disengaged himself from the ship's communion. Brainiac 4 did the same and Querl felt a pang, reluctant to break conta... oh grife, to stop snuggling. All his life he'd dreamed of cuddling with his mother and now that the dream was reality, he did not particularly wish to stop. Nevertheless, they had work to do. "Since I have Andromeda's flight ring, it will be easier to avoid detection if we leave the ship behind one of the moons," he said, "If you will permit me to carry you in my forcefield, Mother...?"

It didn't take long to find the right wing. Security, as expected, was very tight. Brainiac 4 took a few discs out of her belt and gave one to her son. When she activated it, they both faded into transparency.

"Lyle will be disappointed. This is his stock and trade," Querl commented. He stepped out to assess the situation. "Seven guards, armed with phase rifles. The door is deadlock sealed and there is a laser corridor beyond it, then another deadlocked door into the lab. The laser corridor is monitored and can be flooded with cyanide gas. There are three technicians in the lab," he reported when he returned.

Brainiac 4 flicked another disc at the computer bank. Then a laser-thin beam of light lanced from it into the master bindi on her forehead and the computer began to hum. Querl, suddenly recognising what she was doing, looked impressed.

A moment later, alarms began to howl. The guards responded immediately, some racing away, others deactivating the security controls. The lab techs ran out, accompanied by the guards. In minutes, the area was deserted and the two Brainiacs stepped out.

"They have resealed the inner chamber," Brainiac 4 reported, "The encryptions are complicated. It may take a few minutes to work them out."

"The passcodes are all fifteen-digit sections of the Plastic Number," Querl said absently, "This far in, it should be... hm, we're seven storeys down... Start at around the 705th place." He glanced up to see Brainiac 4 staring at him. "What? Our people really don't have much imagination."

"750th place."

"Grife, an even fifty passcodes in, that's even more obvious. And these are the smartest people in the spiral arm." Brainiac 5 shook his head, clearly disgusted with the state of the Coluan intelligence. The doors slid open and they stared at the glowing cylinder hanging in the lab.

Querl's heart was pounding as he approached it. He stared at the figure within and swallowed hard. Force-grown to physical adulthood, visually in mid-adolescence. The features, so familiar, some of them reflected in himself and in his mother. He knew them; he'd seen them before. "It's a clone," he said, tracing his fingers over the plasglass, "Just about ready for release." He noted the implants on the youth's cheeks, "Looks like they've taken some inspiration."

"Yes," Brainiac 4 bent to inspect the wires running up into the youth's cranium, "A greatly refined version of the Dox genotype. A pity they did not correct the Dox male tendency towards bad haircuts."

Brainiac 5 paused for a heartbeat then glared indignantly over the cylinder, "There's nothing wrong with my hair!"

"You look like a Polish chicken, Son."

"What?!"

"Although it is a modest improvement over the DA quiff you were sporting when we first met."

"Mother!"

"You looked like a refugee from the Terran 1950s."

"I cannot believe we're having this conversation."

"If you flipped up your bangs and gelled them, you could call yourself Tin-tin."

"Can we get back to the clone please?!"

"The clone, yes... Really, a buzz cut? Not a good look."

"I was warned that your treatments induced often-inappropriate bursts of emotion. I certainly can't think of a more inappropriate time to develop a sense of humour."

Brainiac 4 smiled. "He has not yet been downloaded. If we intercept now, he should retain his native personality and develop as such."

"Lovely," Querl said with some distaste, "I remember his natural personality. He made me look absolutely personable." A thought struck him, "Er... what were they going to download over it?"

"I am searching for that information now," Brainiac 4 said. Querl became aware of the increased hum of the computers as they strained to keep up with Brainiac 4's demands. He made himself useful by disconnecting the inputs and disengaging the cylinder. Then Brainiac 4 tilted her head, "Curious... It appears a new faction of development has formed during our absence."

"Oh? In addition to the anti-emotion, anti-robotics and anti-organics factions? What we really need is an anti-anti-factions faction."

"This appears to be the anti-height faction."

"'The Campaign for Equal Heights?' What do they want, a height requirement? 'You must be this tall to live on Colu?' With my luck, they'll set it at one hundred seventy-eight centimeters," groused Querl, one hundred seventy three centimeters. He shrugged, "What do I care, they've banned me anyways."

"More like 'you must be this small to live on Colu,'" Brainiac 4 replied, "It is a movement to conserve resources, taking inspiration from the Imskian model." The alarm bells were ringing in Querl's head and whatever part of him was trying to tell him something was now jumping up and down and screaming like Koko. "The world would become 'the Bottle Pla...'" She broke off and they stared at each other in shock.

"That's it! THAT'S IT! It's HIM! That's who's behind all of this! -- It's Brainiac! The first Brainiac!"

"But that's imp..." Brainiac 4 stopped herself and started calculating very aggressively.

"You said the word!"

"I didn't complete it!"

"Nevertheless, you started it! You said 'impossible!' That means it's anything but!"

"The historical record does indicate that he had experimented with robotics and cybernetics in an attempt to prolong his lifespan."

"And Robotica's technology far outstrips anything else in the sector," Querl agreed, eyes alight, "And if he's created an organic body for himself to rule here... If he's taken over Colu and Robotica..."

"Superior technology and the superior intelligence of the Coluan hive mind, unified via the SleepNet. Once he controls that, with the United Planets already in disarray, it will be very easy to usurp."

"That's why he needs to eliminate us! I've fought him before, in the 20th Century! And won! It was close and I needed help, but he knows that I can do it! And you, you, Mother... You were 12th Woman, The Living Computer! You can take over any computer, including the SleepNet!"

"And the Roboticans," Brainiac 4 added. She pulled another disc from her belt and set it on the clone cylinder, "This functions similarly to your friend's teleport gates. That was the inspiration, in fact. This has enough charge to get you and the cylinder to the ship. Take him to R.J. Brande, he will know what to do."

Querl swallowed his emotions when he realized Brainiac 4 had to stay on Colu, and fought the irrational urge to beg her to come back to Earth with him. "I don't even have a forcefield belt to give you," he lamented.

She blinked and touched one of the tiny jewel-like sensor buds on her forehead, "You gave me your notes; I built my own. There has not been time to inform you that I solved the phase issue. The parameters are on your lab omnicom."

"Thank you. I hope this can be resolved quickly and you can return to complete the upgrades you had begun."

Brainiac 4 crossed to him, "Son... do not trust the ship. There is no life more important to it than that of Brainiac. While its original master is absent, it transfers that directive to the lives of Brainiac's descendants."

"And if it learns that the original is alive, all bets are off. I understand, Mother."

She reached up to cup his cheek gently, "You must survive. You are all I have. You are the only one who makes me feel."

Querl felt the tears well up. That was it, then -- Laurel had said it, "you'd have to go a long way across the galaxy to find someone more 'it's all about me' than Brainiac 4." He only mattered to her because she'd felt more emotion over the last couple of days than she had in her entire life. But... he did matter to her now, and her emotions were so priceless to her that she would endure an hour of agony to achieve them. It was a start. He reached up and threaded his fingers through hers and asked, "Do you know why Laurel called you Pandora, Mother?"

"It is a Terran myth. Sister Andromeda hoped that I would be able to prevent another war."

Querl shook his head, "That's not why. It's because... they stole all of your emotions from you, but they left you with one. You've been acting from that emotion ever since. It's been your motivation for everything you've done, from being 12th Woman to being Dark Leader, to having me. You weren't completely without emotion, Mother - you've always had hope." She stared at him. Then, slowly, she teared up. He kissed her fingertips, "You have to survive, too, Mother, so I can complete the purpose for which you gave me life. I will find a way to cure you, Mother, I promise."

He saw her hand lift hesitantly, uncertainly, and he reached out to hug her. "You must go. Now," she told him.

Querl nodded. "I love you, Mother," he whispered, in case he never got another chance. Then he stepped to the cylinder and caught it in his forcefield. Then he activated the teleport disc and vanished.

The silence stretched out. Cub was still asleep, so Tinya didn't even have him to distract her from the tedium. Sometimes, she wished she could read Saturn Girl's mind, to know just what the other girl was thinking, at times like this. Although to be frank, right now part of it was pretty plain. "Can't blame you for feeling a little resentful," Tinya said, startling the other woman.

"Hm?" Imra's eyes fluttered open.

"I mean, it was pretty obvious that they stuck you on monitor duty as punishment for letting Brainiac 4 sneak out. It's not even close to being your regular turn."

Imra nodded, "True. But I owe it to Brainy. Besides, would you have wanted to be the one to tell Andromeda?"

"Point," Tinya grinned.

"I miss Garth," Imra admitted.

Tinya looked sympathetic and asked softly, "Do you know when he'll be back?"

"If he'll be back," Imra said sadly, "It's an indefinite leave of absence. I really don't know."

"He didn't tell you anything?"

Imra shook her head, "And I haven't heard anything from him since. It's my fault - I didn't pay much attention when he told me he was going." She wiped her hand over her face and sighed, then looked at Tinya, "I haven't coped with what happened to him very well, have I?"

Tinya sighed, "Ayla's not done much better. It creeps me out, too, and I didn't even go through what you guys went through, with Jan."

Imra was silent for several minutes. Then, in a tiny voice, she said, "I think I was glad when he left."

Tinya just nodded. Imra, who'd been expecting a gasp, shock, protests - none of which were forthcoming - glanced at her. "What? I understand how you feel," Tinya said, "Staying with Cub wasn't the only reason I wanted to stay on monitor duty." She sighed and leaned against the duty desk, supporting her cheek with her hand, "I'm so tired of the fighting and the arguing and the suspicion and the paranoia.. not to mention the stench of testosterone. I love Jo as much as ever but I'm seriously considering asking for a divorce."

"Oh honey..."

"I don't know how much longer I can take this and it just isn't a good environment for Cub."

Imra reached out for her old friend as Tinya started to cry. Jo and Tinya were the first. Having endured so much and come through, they'd been become the Legionnaires' icons of 'love triumphs over all.' Because of that, the tension between Tinya, Jo and Brin had been a strain on the entire Legion. "Is.. is this because of... what I did?"

Tinya hugged her tightly, then sat back and wiped her eyes, "You know, I blamed you for the longest time, but now..." she sighed and shrugged, "I think it would have happened anyways. He lost me once and I think it affected him a lot more than he realizes."

"It has," Imra admitted candidly, "That's why I..."

"I know. I can understand that now. You did what you thought you had to do to keep him from coming unglued."

"Brainy's the only one who really understood that," Imra sighed, "That's why I had to let Brainiac 4 go. I honestly don't think we had any other chance of finding him. We don't know where he ended up and by the time we got a shuttle down to Earth's Threshold, it could have been too late."

"It might still be too late."

Imra shook her head and her eyes looked haunted. "What I saw in that creature's mind," she whispered.

"Imra?"

"The things she's done to get even a taste of what we take for granted," Imra wiped her eyes, "When I saw... I knew Brainy would've wanted me to try. He'd've had me evaluate her anyways, I know that. Grife, Tinya, I'm so sprocking shallow... A miracle gave me back my Garth and I'm agonizing over pittances and that poor creature..."

"That 'poor creature' tried to murder her son."

"I know, I know. But I know Brainy, too. He was giving her another chance and he'd've expected us to, as well."

"That's true," Tinya sighed, then startled as a klaxon sounded, "Hey, we've got incoming!!" Her hands moved rapidly over the keys, calling up visuals and opening the ID encyclopedia. "Grife!!"

Imra's eyes went wide, "Is that...?!"

"Unknown ship, this is Legion World control! Identify yourself immediately!"

"Relax, Apparition - it's just me."

"Brainy!! You're alright!"

"Where did you get that ship?!" Imra demanded.

"It's my mother's ship, Saturn Girl." Imra breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Call R.J. Brande and have him meet me in Medical," Brainy instructed, "We'll need to have a conference, so let President Wazzo know."

Saturn Girl nodded, "Understood, Brainy. The Legion World Threshold has been destroyed though, so he'll have to take a shuttle."

"Unsurprising. It's just as well, it will take me another fifteen minutes to coast in. I just hope I don't sprock up the docking procedure. I've never done this before."

"Brainy, that thing looks an awful lot like..."

"That's because it is. I'll tell you everything when I arrive. Querl Dox out."

The giant skull-shaped ship hovered, metal tentacles swaying, bathing the docking bay in its ichor-green light. Recognition made him feel cold and he shivered, "By damn! I never thought I'd see it again!"

Cosmic Boy's head snapped around, "'Again?' You've seen it before, sir?"

"Oh yes," R.J. Brande breathed, "Oh yes, I've seen it before."

"Brainy said it was his mother's ship."

"It's..." Brande shrugged, "I suppose it's an heirloom now." He turned to follow Cos to the Medical labs.

"They've started the release cycle," Cos told him, "He'll probably be out by the time we get there. Brainy's insisting that you be there when he wakes up."

"I can't fathom why," Brande shook his head.

They passed through the Medical lab doors and walked over to where Doctor Gym'Ll, Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid and Gear were clustered. An EEG monitor screen was visible and Brande noted the mostly inoperative traces. As he watched, the traces began exhibiting more activity. "Mr. Brande..."

"Querl!" R.J. hugged the young man, startling him. He pulled back to hold him by the shoulders and looked him over critically, "By damn, son! - you've had one hell of a day!"

"Yes sir."

"Where's your mother?"

"She's on Colu, sir. She said you would know what to do with him. We estimate perhaps twenty minutes until he achieves full consciousness," Querl told him, then pulled back the bed curtain.

Brande gasped and he felt the blood drain from his face, "By damn...! Vril Dox!!"