Dr. Erdel drifted around his laboratory quietly, humming some ancient
mariner's ballad. Before him lay glistening machinery, beeping and
flashing to an unknown rhythm.
His goal: unknown. After hitting his head on the corner of a table, Erdel envisioned the invention that he named the flux capacitor. He didn't know what it would do and wasn't even sure how he built it, but he knew that, given a large enough power source, it would do something supremely spectacular.
No power had been enough, though. He had tried batteries of all sizes and electricity and turbines and water power, but nothing would ever create a flicker from his flux capacitor. Then the idea struck him – a thermonuclear explosion. If he could channel the destructive force and resultant kinetic energy, maybe it would work. So, in a scientist's normal day work, Erdel whipped up a quantum singularity and created a thermonuclear device to operate from within the safety of the singularity. A conduit streamed from the middle of the singularity – a black swirling mass about five feet in diameter – to the flux capacitor. Theoretically, it would have enough power to make his invention do whatever it was supposed to do.
"Well, I'll never know unless I try." Without hesitation, Erdel pressed the red button on his console, back in the safety of his control room. Through the singularity, he heard a large THWOOMP, and the conduit glowed like a nest of electric eels. His invention began humming and vibrating until it was barely visible. Erdel's jaw dropped as a portal opened, showing a red world with shimmering skies and a glaring sun. There was a bright flash of light and then complete darkness.
Erdel's eyes adjusted quickly. The flux capacitor was melted beyond repair. Clucking his tongue disappointedly, Erdel circled around to enter the testing area of his laboratory. As he rounded the corner, he was greeted by a surprise. A large green humanoid creature was lying on the floor. Quietly, he approached the creature, only to be frightened when it turned, looked at him and growled.
For J'onn J'onzz, a simple walk after evening-meal had changed his life forever. During his stroll, as he watched the moons and sun dance on the horizon, a strange rumbling sound interrupted his peace. With a flash of light, his home disappeared and this strange environment floated before him.
Immediately, he felt the difference and knew that he wasn't in K'aanzasz, his home grouping, anymore. He felt sluggish, as if he were moving through a bowl of the syrup his lifemate spread on herself. As he inhaled, he realized that the atmosphere was much different than his home, and in response, he grew a pair of lungs to filter his breath so he could survive. "The advantages to having complete control over one's molecular structure is that there are few surprises", J'onn thought to himself.
Finally, as he recuperated on the floor, he expanded his mind, using his innate psychic ability to touch every living creature he could find. Before long, J'onn knew what planet he was on and even had a rudimentary understanding of the basic language. Excited now, especially to be communicating with another race from another planet, he turned and faced the creature he now knew was called Er-dell.
When J'onn turned and tried to greet Er-dell, a low growl escaped his mouth instead. Seeing the frightened look on the creature's face, J'onn quickly realized the problem and molecularly adjusted his voicebox to speak the creature's language. "Erdel?" he said. "J'onn!" He pointed to his own chest.
Erdel shrieked and began to back away very quickly. Before J'onn could move, he tripped over the conduit and fell directly into the middle of the singularity. The resulting scream echoed several times in the small laboratory.
Concerned about inciting suicide in all of the creatures he met, J'onn reformed his physical figure to match the one pleasant image he drew from Erdel's mind. His green angular form quickly took the shape of a young blonde man. No sooner had he finished re-forming his structure did he hear six creatures approaching from outside. Looking through the walls, he noticed that three of the creatures were riding three other creatures. Wondering what those other creatures were called, J'onn searched the riders' minds as he approached the entrance to the habitat he was in. "See- horse?" he muttered, wondering about the names these creatures call each other.
"Hello, sir," said the head rider. He was an older man with white hair jutting from his head and from a long, flowing moustache. "The oracle foretold your arrival, and we have been waiting a long time for this moment. My name is Vulko, and welcome to Atlantis."
His goal: unknown. After hitting his head on the corner of a table, Erdel envisioned the invention that he named the flux capacitor. He didn't know what it would do and wasn't even sure how he built it, but he knew that, given a large enough power source, it would do something supremely spectacular.
No power had been enough, though. He had tried batteries of all sizes and electricity and turbines and water power, but nothing would ever create a flicker from his flux capacitor. Then the idea struck him – a thermonuclear explosion. If he could channel the destructive force and resultant kinetic energy, maybe it would work. So, in a scientist's normal day work, Erdel whipped up a quantum singularity and created a thermonuclear device to operate from within the safety of the singularity. A conduit streamed from the middle of the singularity – a black swirling mass about five feet in diameter – to the flux capacitor. Theoretically, it would have enough power to make his invention do whatever it was supposed to do.
"Well, I'll never know unless I try." Without hesitation, Erdel pressed the red button on his console, back in the safety of his control room. Through the singularity, he heard a large THWOOMP, and the conduit glowed like a nest of electric eels. His invention began humming and vibrating until it was barely visible. Erdel's jaw dropped as a portal opened, showing a red world with shimmering skies and a glaring sun. There was a bright flash of light and then complete darkness.
Erdel's eyes adjusted quickly. The flux capacitor was melted beyond repair. Clucking his tongue disappointedly, Erdel circled around to enter the testing area of his laboratory. As he rounded the corner, he was greeted by a surprise. A large green humanoid creature was lying on the floor. Quietly, he approached the creature, only to be frightened when it turned, looked at him and growled.
For J'onn J'onzz, a simple walk after evening-meal had changed his life forever. During his stroll, as he watched the moons and sun dance on the horizon, a strange rumbling sound interrupted his peace. With a flash of light, his home disappeared and this strange environment floated before him.
Immediately, he felt the difference and knew that he wasn't in K'aanzasz, his home grouping, anymore. He felt sluggish, as if he were moving through a bowl of the syrup his lifemate spread on herself. As he inhaled, he realized that the atmosphere was much different than his home, and in response, he grew a pair of lungs to filter his breath so he could survive. "The advantages to having complete control over one's molecular structure is that there are few surprises", J'onn thought to himself.
Finally, as he recuperated on the floor, he expanded his mind, using his innate psychic ability to touch every living creature he could find. Before long, J'onn knew what planet he was on and even had a rudimentary understanding of the basic language. Excited now, especially to be communicating with another race from another planet, he turned and faced the creature he now knew was called Er-dell.
When J'onn turned and tried to greet Er-dell, a low growl escaped his mouth instead. Seeing the frightened look on the creature's face, J'onn quickly realized the problem and molecularly adjusted his voicebox to speak the creature's language. "Erdel?" he said. "J'onn!" He pointed to his own chest.
Erdel shrieked and began to back away very quickly. Before J'onn could move, he tripped over the conduit and fell directly into the middle of the singularity. The resulting scream echoed several times in the small laboratory.
Concerned about inciting suicide in all of the creatures he met, J'onn reformed his physical figure to match the one pleasant image he drew from Erdel's mind. His green angular form quickly took the shape of a young blonde man. No sooner had he finished re-forming his structure did he hear six creatures approaching from outside. Looking through the walls, he noticed that three of the creatures were riding three other creatures. Wondering what those other creatures were called, J'onn searched the riders' minds as he approached the entrance to the habitat he was in. "See- horse?" he muttered, wondering about the names these creatures call each other.
"Hello, sir," said the head rider. He was an older man with white hair jutting from his head and from a long, flowing moustache. "The oracle foretold your arrival, and we have been waiting a long time for this moment. My name is Vulko, and welcome to Atlantis."