On the edge of the galaxy an oddly shaped space craft slows as it exits from hyperspace. Aboard the ship the automated bridge systems initiate a scan. An alien language and images of celestial bodies flash across the screens at an almost imperceptible pace.
As the results of the scan begin to register other systems all over the ship begin to activate.
In what appears to be a science lab there are shelves littered with tall cylindrical glass containers, several with bright, glowing orbs, others with miniature cityscapes. In the corner of the room a large glass jar that appears to be filled with sand begins to glow and swirl. The particles in the jar float about the lab and start to form moderately sized silver probes that float towards a skylight style opening in the ceiling. As they pass by the lip of the opening a force field generates below them as another dematerializes above them. The probes float out into space, each activating, and soaring off towards their destinations.
It's a busy Friday night at Al's Bar in National City. Karaoke is in full swing, the high tables are buzzing with conversation, and pool balls are being racked and cracked. At the bar all the stools are full and the crowd is being entertained by the energetic mixology stylings of Al's newest bartender, Jackson Seaver. Jackson is an attractive, moderately built, young man in his mid-20s, with green eyes, brown hair, and a deplorable excess of personality.
Drink orders are flying fast and furious and Jackson's unique skillset, which includes telekinesis, has glasses, shakers, and bottles whizzing around mixing drinks to the delight of the bar stool occupants and the crowd standing around and behind them.
Out among the stars one of the probes streaks past a moon, heading towards a familiar blue, green, and brown orb strewn with swirling white and grey cloud formations. As the probe closes in on Earth it alters course to intercept a satellite orbiting the planet.
As it nears the satellite a portion of the hull of the probe begins to transform into silver tentacles that penetrate the outer shell of the satellite, winding their way into the inner mechanisms, attaching to the central core. Data begins to flash across the satellite's external monitor as the probe downloads all the information in the satellite's memory. Faces flash across a monitor, many crossed out with red X's, but a handful are outlined in green and placed in a lineup pattern. As the selected faces arrange themselves into place on the screen, smaller pieces of the probe separate from the primary probe's main hull and begin to make their way into Earth's outer atmosphere each heading for different areas of the planet.
Back in Al's Bar, at a large table close to the Karaoke stage, Kara, Alex, Kelly, and J'onn are engrossed in conversation.
"What are we going to sing tonight, honey?", Alex asks.
"Shouldn't we wait for Lena, Brainy, and Nia before we pick?", Kara interjects.
Kelly shakes her head. "We don't want to wait too long. I hate repeating what anyone else has already selected and so many good ones have been done tonight."
"They'll be here soon," Kara says. "Nia's at the Foundation prying Brainy and Lena away from the project they are working on."
"Does anyone know what it is?," J'onn inquires.
"Nope," Alex responds. "Brainy asked for a brief leave from the DEO because he had something really important he needed Lena's help with. Of course, for Brainy, a leave means he's physically at Lena's Foundation, but projects himself to the DEO to assist whenever we need him. The advantages of a 12th level intellect".
Al steps out from behind the bar, makes his way over to the table, and says gregariously, "Well, if it isn't my favorite super hero family. How we all doing tonight?"
"Al, my friend!" J'onn gets up and embraces him. "We're good, how are you?"
Al grins broadly. "Can't complain, J'onn. I love it when this place is buzzing and everyone seems so happy. It's a good night tonight."
Kara turns her head toward the bar and remarks, "That new bartender really seems to be helping pack them in here. That's quite the routine he has."
"That is Jackson Seaver," Al declares. "Just hired him a few days ago. He's a hell of bartender, but he seems to think he's Tom Cruise in Cocktail. A bit too flashy for me, but the customers love it so I can learn to live with it."
"Is he using telekinesis?," J'onn asks.
Al nods. "He sure is. Pretty damn good at it, too."
"Any idea what planet he's from," Alex asks. "I don't recall ever coming across anyone with that kind of telekinetic control before."
"Says he's from here," Al replies. "Just moved here from Central City."
"Let me guess," Kara comments, "he was perfectly normal until one day he was hit by a wave of energy from a particle accelerator explosion."
"How did...," Al reacts surprised. "I thought J'onn was the telepath. Didn't know Kryptonians could read minds, too."
"Actually," Alex interjects, "same thing happened to one of Kara's best friends."
"The Flash?", Al asks.
Kara smiles and taps her nose a couple of times to confirm Al's suspicion.
Al laughs. "Righhhhtt."
As Brainy, Nia, and Lena appear at the table Kara, Alex, Kelly, and J'onn stand up to greet them.
Al smiles and interjects, "So good to see you all, anything I can get anyone?"
A young woman is sitting alone on the balcony of her apartment, enjoying the warm evening air, reading a book, and sipping red wine. A flash in the sky above catches her attention, but as it fades from site she moves her eyes back to the words on the page before her not realizing that the object she assumed was a shooting star has altered its course.
The object drops down closer to her building, winding its way around to approach her from behind. As the probe silently hovers behind her head it separates into two thin pieces that revert back to their original granular form and start to enter each of her ears. The young woman's body immediately becomes ridged as the particles pass through her ear canals, make their way up her brain stem, and begin attaching to clusters in her brain. Her eyes go black and her mouth is slacked open as the invader in her mind begins to assert control. As her eyes begin to refocus, her mouth slowly closes, she stands up, and steps through the open balcony window back into the apartment. Walking through the living room towards the front door the young woman's body begins to convulse, her eyes roll back, and she slumps to the floor in a heap, dead. The particles of the probe re-emerge from her ears, reintegrate, and hover down over her head. A needle like appendage extends from the probe and penetrates her cranium.
Back at Al's it's late and the last of the bar patrons are being ushered out by Al.
"Closing time!", Al's voice booms through the room. "Thank you all for your patronage, be safe getting home. If anyone needs us to call you a ride please make your way to the side of bar for assistance."
The bar staff is busily working to clean up so they can leave for the night. Among them, Jackson is behind the bar cleaning the remaining dirty glasses, wiping down the bar-top, and taking a quick inventory to restock supplies for the next day. He steps away from the bar with a couple of bags of garbage and makes his way out the door to the alley to dispose of them.
As he steps toward the garbage bin and lifts the lid, one of a probes appears behind him. As the probe morphs and invades his body his head tilts up, his arms extend out in either direction, and his eyes turn black. As the nanotechnology attaches to his brain clusters and begins to assert control, the muscles of his body begin to relax. His arms slowly drop to his sides, his head lowers, and his green eyes glow.
Inside his head he hears a voice say, "Integration complete, subject's life signs stable, integration successful."
A terrified expression forms on Jackson's face. "Who said that?"
"My name is Vril, Vril Dox," the voice replies.