Preface: This series takes place after the events of Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds. As such, there will be some spoilers. Although I try to describe characters to the best of my ability within the narrative, this story does rely on some knowledge of the Legion comics and DC in general. I will be pulling from all over the DC Multiverse for this, hopefully taking you along for the ride. If you have questions as to whom a character is or why they are doing what they're doing, message me and I will get back to you. Also, I will be eventually paring down to a primary team of Wanderers with the rest of the characters as back-up (not unlike the Legion cartoons that came out recently). I would love to hear feedback as to who you would like to see as part of this team!
The New Wanderers Issue #1 - The No-Place Place
Phlox didn't have hands. It had never before really cared that it had no hands. Thanks to its powerful and capable telekinetic abilities, it had never required the limbs that most species seemed to develop. Phlox's people had, through the development of powerful, constant telekinetic abilities, evolved in such a way that they simply were beyond the need for arms and legs. However, given the situation in which Phlox now found itself, it suddenly wished it had a hand if, for no other reason, to place his small head in it to ease his distress. In the last few months, Phlox had determined the reason for its peoples' rampant xenophobia. Emotional stress and weariness, it turned out, was a side-effect of interfacing with limbed species.
It longed for the gray mists and shining silver glaciers of his homeworld, Feszedt. Phlox looked out the portal that was on its left. Outside was nothing. No planet, no stars, not even the blackness of space. There was simply an endless void which his mind translated as whiteness. Phlox was stuck in some sort of Limbo with its teammates. It would have rather have been alone.
The Feszedtian looked to its right, noting three of its teammates who were likely in a similar emotional state as it. Two of them, Micro Lass and Physo, were mirroring the action that Phlox itself wished it could do; their heads in their hands in exasperation. The third, however, had an emotional state that Phlox found quite odd given the situation. Her real name was Sa-Han Dinder Soon, but she called herself Inferno due to her ability to generate an enormous amount of heat and fire. She sat, staring out the window, with the barest hint of a smile on her face. Phlox began to consider questioning her on his behavior when its train of thought was interrupted by another pair of allies as they entered the cabin.
"Telekinesis," Mekt Ranzz announced to the room, using Phlox's codename, "We need you up front." He was accompanied by Jeyra Entinn, who had come to refer to herself as Titangirl and who had become Ranzz's constant counterpart since the incident which had left the group stranded outside their universe.
"Do you have any news of rescue, Mekt?" Physo said, lifting his head from his mire of despair.
"Maybe, Chuck." The leader replied, "We've located an object, but it's impossible to tell exactly how far away it is without any sort of reference points. Acumen is assuming a significant distance, but he's not certain."
"We need to move this ship, Telekinesis." Titangirl added, "We're hoping that you can push something this big." She indicated the interior of the vessel.
"I do not see why I could not," the Feszedtian broadcast, "Unless there is some factor here that would prevent it. However, I would require a target towards which to motivate this vessel."
"Leave that to Tarik." Mekt said with a strained smile, "He says he can calculate the proper coordinates as long as Acumen and White Witch are able to maintain a scan of it. We're going to be utilizing our abilities to create our own targeting system. Tyr has set it all up. All we need is the force to propel the missile to the target."
"Which I, of course, can provide." Telekinesis said. Without another word, it walked into the cockpit of the vessel. Despite the damage done when it was shunted across the Universal Membrane, the ship that held the team was left relatively intact. The ship's drive, however, was rendered completely inoperable from the journey. Phlox had been reasonably certain it would be called upon to provide motivation to the vessel and had been preparing for the strain.
"I'll provide direct contact between Mysa, Vrax, Tarik, and yourself to reduce the possibility of error." Titangirl added as Phlox floated into the control room.
The other members of the group were busy with their various duties as he entered. The White Witch, whose real name was Mysa Nal, floated, legs crossed and had a slight glow around her. He could almost see her aura reaching outside the vessel to seek out life, structures, debris; anything at all. Seated near her was Tarik, a human who had begun calling himself Calculator. He worked the tracking systems from his station staring intently into the viewer. On the other side of the control room sat Vrax Gozzl, who had taken on the codename Acumen. He was corking several control systems simultaneously, utilizing his brilliant Coluan intellect to constantly re-configure their electronic tracking systems as needed. Standing just off center was Tyr, whose tactical genius and skill with weapon systems were unmatched. He kept an eye on everyone's role, ready to lend his assistance when needed.
Telekineses floated to the area between the pilot's and co-pilot's chairs, taking his place for the journey ahead. Seconds later, Titangirl created a link between the five of them and the path to possible rescue became clear. Phlox pictured the invisible force he had known his entire life pushing against the vessel. Telekinesis could feel the pressure of the force; sense the forward movement; but without any outside objects for comparison, there was no way he could determine whether they were moving or not.
"Well?" Mekt asked.
"We are moving," Titangirl responded, "Telekinesis can sense it."
"And the distance to the object is decreasing." Calculator added.
"Any idea what it is?" The group's leader asked.
Acumen checked his equipment, "It's still not close enough for an active scan," He said, "But it is quite large."
"And it actually seems to be resistant to my mystical senses." White Witch added.
"Then we need to get closer." Mekt ordered. He stepped towards the front screen where a tiny dot had appeared. "What are you?" he asked the distant object.
Deep inside, Phlox feared what the answer would be.
"Cos, I cannot help you." Andromeda said with no small amount of sadness to her friend, "I cut my ties with the Church of Valor when I re-joined the Legion, you know this."
"I do, Andy, but in our current situation, you are the only one with any real theological ties, whatsoever and, frankly, I can't think of anyone I would be more honored to officiate this."
For a long moment, Andromeda stared at the man she had come to know as a natural leader and inspiration. What Rokk Krinn was asking her was beyond what she had been taught, but given their current situation, what other option was there? She smiled as she realized that the only real choice was the one she desperately wanted to make.
"In that case, I would be honored to do so." She held her right hand towards him, palm open and fingers splayed out in the manner of the Church of Valor. Cosmic Boy interwove his fingers with hers and held tightly. Although she could barely feel the pressure, she appreciated the sentiment. The two of them hugged in an embrace that felt all the years of their friendship which had been built out of pain, loss, betrayal, and redemption.
"Terrible idea." Brainiac 5.1 announced as he re-entered the room.
Rokk looked to the Coluan. "What's your problem, Brainy?" He said with annoyance.
"Our current situation is what we should be concentrating on and, frankly, your proposal does, in many ways, contradict what we need to do."
"Querl, you're being ridiculous." Andromeda replied to him, stepping close, "We need every bit of happiness we can get, after what we've been through and, frankly, Cos and Jazmin may deserve it more than any of us."
As she approached, Brainiac 5.1 looked up at her from his datapad and his green skin darkened around the cheeks. Andromeda knew that she had more than a little control over the smitten genius and the blushing was a sure sign that she could probably win the argument. Still, he would never go down without a fight, "Laurel, we need to stay focused." He said, "Our recent encounter with the other-dimensional Legions highlighted the fact that certain members of all three teams were unique to the team they were involved in. Furthermore, it is clear to me that our team from Universe-247 actually has more anomalous members than the other two, yourself included, Andromeda. If we are to continue with our stated goal of seeking out those who have survived the destruction of their universe and are lost in the Multiverse, we must take precautions to ensure that we cause as little additional stress as possible."
"Meaning?" Rokk said, allowing Brainiac to go into one of his infamous over-explanations before being insistent he got to the point.
"Meaning," The Coluan repeated with some level of annoyance, "That certain members of our team will be required to make first contact with those we encounter, the choice of which should be determined by our encounter with our duplicates. Kid Quantum, Andromeda, Ferro, Gear, Shikiri, and Dreamer are prime on this list."
Andromeda began to see where he was going. "You said you needed Gear to help with the repairs we're doing to Warworld, Querl." she said.
Cosmic Boy added, "And we need Shikiri's superhuman tracking skills to locate survivors, not to mention Dreamer's ability to see the future to determine our next move."
"You see our quandary. We have no more than three individuals who are capable of operating with reasonable assurance that they would not cause further chronal damage."
"Are we certain that damage would be done?" Rokk asked.
"No, actually." Brainiac answered, "We are in new territory with this. Theoretically, it is possible that there would be no chronal impact should you encounter a duplicate of yourself, but there is no guarantee without further study."
"I guess with the Time Trapper's involvement, the encounter with the other Legions was a unique situation." Andromeda added.
"Indeed," said Brainiac 5.1, "And you still saw what happened when he and his past self interacted. We must take the utmost care. With this in mind, I cannot help but recommend against your current course with Jazmin Cullen, Cosmic Boy."
Andromeda and Cosmic Boy stared at the Coluan for a moment as they came to realize he was correct. Andromeda began to turn away but noticed that Brainiac's expression had changed. He was smiling.
"Then again," he said, Rokk lifting his head to look at him, "When has anyone ever listened to me."
The three of them shared a laugh. Rokk put his hand on Brainiac's shoulder. "Does this mean we can count on you to be there?"
"I'll be in the front row." The Coluan replied.
They parted ways and Andromeda set about her preparations. She moved through the hallways of the place that had once been known as Warworld. Recent events had necessitated locating a base of operations and, although Brainiac 5.1 was pleased to have located a vessel with the size and technological wonders that Warworld contained, most of the rest of the team was uncomfortable finding themselves in a place that had become synonymous with so many monstrous events throughout history. Unfortunately, the need for a home, as well as the need for something that would allow for as much expansion as the massive, moon-sized space vessel would, overruled any apprehension the team might have had.
When the team had faced off against the time-hopping Fatal Five alongside the 21st Century's Teen Titans, they had been trapped outside their reality as it collapsed. Only Shikiri, the team's alien tracker, managed to escape. However, the tracker managed to locate the team in the void. Andromeda had not been with them, but had, through her battle with her nemesis Roxxas, been shunted outside of Universe-247 at the moment of its destruction. The Legion had located her in the void and, very soon after, they were called to assist two other teams of Legionnaires in battling Superboy Prime and his massive Legion of Super-Villains. That enemy defeated, they had chosen to return to the Multiverse in order to find and help others who were refugees of time-space anomalies.
Almost immediately, they managed to locate the lost and damaged Warworld and began to re-build it to suit their needs. A priority for some of the team, including Gear, who could interface directly with computer systems, desired for the planet to be completely disarmed before they began utilizing it. Brainy and several others, however, made the argument that having a heavily-armed battlestation could actually be quite useful, even if many of the weapons were non-functional. "Deterrent," was the word he had used. Part of Andromeda could not disagree, but that part of her that had found redemption in the shadow of the great Valor wanted nothing more than to dismantle every single planet-threatening weapon on the station.
Despite any minor conflicts that had arisen, they had come a long way in a fairly short amount of time, although it had been impossible to determine how long until Invisible Kid set up a time-keeping system. The Multiversal Void, as it turned out, had null-time. No one seemed to age and even those who could maintain an efficient internal clock, such as Brainiac 5.1 and Gear, had nothing on which to gauge their clocks until Lyle Norg had invented one. Their powers allowed them to make a great deal of progress, but there were still commodities that they could not develop. Life support and food were in the early stages of becoming a concern, although no one was in danger, yet.
As Andromeda entered her quarters, she realized that she was not putting herself in the right frame of mind. Thinking about what had occurred inevitably led to her mood becoming grim and, as Cos had implied, it was especially important for her to maintain a an upbeat attitude. Especially with what they were currently planning. Andromeda was certain that this would be the boost to morale that they badly needed. She opened her closet doors. This was not the time to recall the terrible events which had led to this moment. This was the time to find the perfect outfit.
"Beloved friends and family." Sister Laurel Gand began the ceremony. Gathered were all those who had been lost together. Val Armorr, often also known as the Karate Kid, assessed the room, taking in every detail, every nuance. It was not something he chose to do, it was simply his years of intense training. He had learned to see any weakness in anything and would do so unconsciously on a constant basis. It was this skill that made him a valuable member of the team and the Engineers, as Brainiac 5.1, Gear, and Invisible Kid had come to be referred to, had especially sought his services as they repaired Warworld.
For his part, Karate Kid helped, but he sought the serenity of meditation as often as he could. The group had been under constant stress since they had faced the hundreds of time variants of the Fatal Five and Val had begun to take much of the stress on himself. It thought is was a superb idea to bring everyone together for a happy event.
He observed the gathered Legionnaires. The couples stood out the most. Apparition had her head on the shoulder of her husband and father of her child, Ultra Boy (whose issues had recently been resolved). Saturn Girl and had Live Wire's arm around her. Chameleon and Sensor sat very close, as did Star Boy and Dreamer. M'onel and Umbra were seated together, but not as close as some of the other couples. What was surprising was that Shikiri sat close to Wildfire, whose forays into the void together had clearly brought them the beginnings of a relationship. The rest; Timber Wolf, Triad, Invisible Kid, LeViathan, Gear, Spark, Brainiac 5.1, and Ferro sat without dates, but mostly grouped together. Only Karate Kid had sat without any nearby company. This was at the request of Invisible Kid, who had asked that he look out for trouble. Although incredibly unlikely, Lyle knew that no one in the room would see it before Val.
"We are gathered here, today," The ceremony continued, "To witness the joining of two souls: Rokk Krinn and Jazmin Cullen; our beloved Cosmic Boy and Kid Quantum. They, like all of us, have fought through constant adversity for years. And through it all, they have forged a bond of love between them that cannot be broken by all of time and space."
Karate Kid noted that a tear was in LeViathan's eye. She was likely thinking of Gim Allon, the former Leviathan, in who's death she had some responsibility. Val knew the pain of these people. They were all friends and that bond could not be broken; they had proven as much through the trials the team had undergone.
"We honor the memory of friends who cannot be with us, knowing that if they could be here, they would look upon these events from wherever they are with pride and joy."
This brought smiles and tears to the faces of more members of the crowd. Val knew they were thinking about those who had died in battle: Leviathan, Element Lad, Monstress, Kinetix, and the first Kid Quantum; as well as those who had, for whatever reasons, been unable to be present: Gates, XS, Magno, Thunder, Chuck Taine, Tenzil Kem, Lori Morning, Superboy, and even Inferno, although her tenure was more by necessity than any real desire to be a Legionnaire.
"It is for them, and for all of us that have sacrificed so much, that I invite you to bear witness to the joy of this union." Andromeda continued, "For all the battles of the Legion of Super-Heroes, the greatest foe we often face is that which holds us back from stating our true feelings." (Brainiac 5.1 rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and fore-finger) "But these brave souls have faced that foe and eventually, one found the courage to ask the other out for a date."
The crowd snickered at this. Although they had been through a lot, they were still young and everyone understood the idea of the kind of bravery about which Andromeda spoke. Even Val smiled.
The ceremony continued on. Andromeda had clearly put a lot of thought into her speech and the crowd was moved by it. The pair exchanged their own vows, as well, which were heartfelt and strong. Some of the other couples held each other tighter as the nuptials neared their conclusion.
"So, with the power vested in me by the Church of Valor and by Cosmic Boy when he asked me to do this," Andromeda said, a wry smile appearing on her face as the group chuckled again, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss."
"Damn right, we may." Kid Quantum said as she and Cosmic Boy embraced in a passionate kiss. Music, electronically provided by Gear, flowed through the room. The crowd stood and cheered. Val could feel his smile and even a tear or two behind his stern eyes. This happiness was more than they had all felt in ages and even the stoic Karate Kid was swept up in it. He was pleased he had been asked to remain separate. He didn't want anyone to see his strong facade break down, even for a moment.
As the crowd died down, Cosmic Boy stepped to the center with his new wife. The two of them were born leaders and to see them together brought a swell of pride. With these two leading the group, nothing could overcome them.
"Thank you all for coming." Cosmic Boy said to the group, "I want to let you all know how grateful we are to have you here and to have you as our friends. I also want to make some other announcements, of a more, official nature. Given our current situation and mission, calling ourselves the Legion of Super-Heroes might not be appropriate. We have a different vision than we did before and I believe that we should have a title that evokes such a vision. Prior to leaving the Legion of New Earth, Ferro referred to us as the Wanderers. I can't think of a name more appropriate, can you?"
The crowd applauded the decision, some of them standing in agreement. Cosmic Boy continued:
"In addition, we have this great planetoid that we're in the process of turning into a base of operations. Of course, I'm not crazy about the name of this, either. What do you think of 'Warworld'?"
Boos and jeers came from the team.
"I couldn't agree more. So, since he renamed the team, I talked to Andrew about renaming the base and he came up with the perfect one: 'The Ronin.'"
A smattering of applause could be heard eventually growing until everyone was cheering and patting Ferro on the back. Val smiled. He and Ferro had become good friends durning the years the Legion was separated and he felt some pride for his friend.
"Finally," Cosmic Boy added, I know that we all have been concerned about the remaining necessities, but I want you all to know that we are in the process of taking care of this. Soon enough, we'll have a self-sustaining eco-system that we can rely on. This means that we can't really do much in the way of a celebratory meal, at the current time. However, just this morning, Shikiri and Wildfire located a asteroid with a mining colony that seems to be completely abandoned. This colony appears to have been completely stocked before the colonists left, so we can look forward to a possible re-supply very soon."
This was the biggest eruption of cheers. Despite the fact that the colony may have something dangerous going on, it was most likely empty and abandoned like so much of the other debris the group had located. If this was true, they would be fully stocked long enough to get the eco-system up and running. This was the best news of the day. Cosmic Boy let everyone cheer for a while. As they began to quiet down, the proximity alarms went off.
Immediately, Brainiac 5.1 brought up a holo display from his datapad. It showed the area nearby relative to the Ronin. Cosmic Boy, M'onel, and Invisible Kid gathered around him to assess the situation.
"What is it?" asked Ferro, who had moved closer.
"It seems to be a shuttle of some sort." Answered Brainiac 5.1, "Advanced technology, but different from the advancement from our 31st Century."
"Can we communicate with it?" Cosmic Boy inquired.
"I'm sending a signal on all frequencies, but there doesn't seem to be any power to the shuttle." The Coluan said. He looked up at the leader. "We should investigate."
"Already on it, Brainy." Responded Kid Quantum, "Karate Kid, M'onel, Wildfire, Shikiri, you're with me. Cos, we should put prep fro a rescue in case we have injured."
"Agreed." Rokk responded, "Triad, Chameleon, LeViathan, Apparition, Saturn Girl; you're on stand-by for search and rescue. Brainy, prepare the sick bay. The rest of you be ready, as well. We don't know what we're dealing with and if anything nasty shows up, I want to drop the full force of the Legi..." Cosmic Boy stopped and blushed a little, "Er, the Wanderers on them."
Everyone smiled at the error. "Ferro," Triad added, "We're going to need you to think up a new battle-cry. 'Long Live the Wanderers' doesn't cut it."
Everyone smiled as they set off to prepare for the mission. Karate Kid was already thinking of words that would be alliterate with "Wanderers."
"What the hell happened?!" Hart Druiter yelled as he entered the main cabin of the ship. He was trying to get some sleep when he was suddenly shaken out of his bunk by a violent rocking caused by an explosion. He had struck the ceiling, then the floor, and then, as the artificial gravity ceased entirely, floated aimlessly. Hart couldn't exactly say that he was the best example of a zero-gravity combatant; he had always relied on his powers more than any training. Having the ability to gain the exact powers needed to defeat whomever he might be facing, Hart's codename, Nemesis Kid, didn't seem to matter when his nemesis was zero gravity.
"So sorry, Kid," Tyr spat, acidly, "Did we wake you?" He was nursing a head wound as he floated; orbs of silver blood leaking from behind his fingers. Near him, floated an unconscious Titangirl, Telekinesis, and Acumen. Behind them, White Witch and Tarik were having their own injuries nursed by Micro Lass and Inferno and behind them, Polar Boy and Physo had used their powers to seal up what appeared to be a breach into the cockpit. Near them, crackling with electricity, floated Mekt Ranzz.
Most of the remaining Wanderers; Kid Quake, Plant Kid, and Thoom appeared behind Hart, each mirroring his query. As he surveyed the scene, Nemesis Kid noticed two members missing.
"Where's Grav? Where's Kromak?" He asked, a realization striking him, "Where the hell is our healer?!"
"Grav and Kromak are gone, Nemesis Kid." Tarik answered, "Our healer and our gravity just flew out the front window."
"A window that was destroyed when our leader exploded!" Tyr said, turning to stare at Ranzz's limp form.
"That's never happened before, Tyr," White Witch said, trying to diffuse his anger, "There must be something outside that is affecting him."
Tyr pulled a mono-blade from his belt. "Well, he's dangerous, so I say we use something in here that will affect him, permanently."
"Don't be stupid, Tyr," Tarik said, interceding between the crimson-skinned Tyrrazian and their leader, "We know nothing about the electricity that resides within him. What if he explodes again upon his death? This cabin is all that we have, now."
Tyr stared at the one that had come to call himself Calculator and then at Ranzz. Finally, he put away his weapon. "How are we on life support?" He asked.
"Plant Kid?" Inquired Tarik to the young man behind Nemesis Kid.
"We should be fine, as long as we have water." The young man named Ral Benam answered, "Also, food is taken care of as long as none of us are carnivores."
"Water can be recycled, and I can adapt to the vegetation." Said Tyr, eliciting a few uncomfortable looks as people realized what he meant by "recycled", "What is the situation with our target, Calculator?"
"We have momentum." Tarik replied, "Without any outside force to intervene, we will reach it."
"And..." Tyr led.
Calculator looked at him, aware of what he was looking for, "And we will impact with it."
Aware of the danger they were in, everyone's mood dropped further. Tyr, however, puffed out his chest and allowed himself to float to the upper part of the cabin.
"Okay, team," he said, "We need to assume that Mekt was attacked by whatever we are approaching. I know that we are in a bad situation, but this sort of thing was exactly the reason I was recruited for. White Witch, I want to do what you can to wake Telekinesis. He can slow us down. Polar Boy, can you somehow create an airlock?"
"Maybe," Brek Bannin replied, "I might need Telekinesis to hold it together when it's used, though."
"I'm counting on that," Tyr added, "Okay, people, I know things look bad, but this is what I do. When Mekt approached me, he knew that my training in the Tyrraz military is second-to-none. In hopeless situations, I don't just survive, I thrive. As of this moment, all of you are going to do the exact same thing. Something or someone is out there and when it's here, it damn well better be nice."
"Or what?" Nemesis Kid asked, sarcastically.
"Or we're going to cram you down their its until it chokes."
"Brainy, do we have any contact?" Kid Quantum asked over the comm.
"None, Jazmin," came the response, "Scans show life signs, but we have no communication as of yet. Be careful."
"Always." she responded.
As the team approached the shuttle, they could see the cockpit. The thick glass had been shattered and a body could be seen floating inside. The door to the small control room was sealed in ice. Jazmin dropped her head for a moment, in reverence, and then continued to move towards the vessel. It had sustained a lot of damage, but the cabin seemed mostly intact, although she could tell that some quick repairs had been done with ice in a manner similar to the cockpit.
"We have some exterior damage, team." Jazmin broadcast, "Wildfire, I want you to assess it. If you think it's something you can weld together, be ready to do so."
"Sprock it," Brainiac 5.1's voice said over the comm, "I should be there. My force field could..."
"Not do as much as my stasis fields can, Brainy." Kid Quantum interrupted, "We need your smarts on the ship just like we need my hubby's good looks on the ship."
"Let's not become the couple that everyone hates because of our cute little remarks, hon." Cosmic Boy broadcast, "Besides, we all know that you're the good-looking one."
"Agreed." Wildfire added.
"Kid Quantum, there are stress cracks along the hull of the shuttle," Karate Kid said as he did a circle around the object, "But nothing that would indicate any sort of attack."
"Thanks, Val." She replied, "Be ready for anything... you know, like you always are."
"I'll try." Val Armorr joked.
It was good to see him in good humor. Jazmin had noted him having become especially stoic since the group had been lost in the Multiverse. He seemed more focused and on-guard than usual; which was saying quite a bit for Karate Kid. Still, since the announcement of the wedding, she could have sworn she had seen him smile at least once. If Karate Kid's spirits were lifted by the event, Kid Quantum could only imagine what it did for the morale of the rest of the team. She had been unprepared, in many ways, for such a step, but Rokk had suggested that it would be a good boost. Jazmin couldn't help but agree.
Of course, she also knew that he actually really wanted to make that commitment to her. The morale boost was a convenient excuse.
"I sense movement inside." Shikiri said.
"Can you tell how many?" Inquired Jazmin as she flew closer to the vessel.
"No." The tracker responded, "I would also like to note that the movement of the vessel, itself, does not appear to be under its own power but simply momentum."
Kid Quantum looked at the shuttle. It had clearly been badly damaged by whatever forces had brought it to this place but there could be no way of being certain that whomever was inside would be friendly. A decision had to be made and only Jazmin could make it.
"Wildfire, Shikiri, Kid, be ready." She ordered as she prepared a stasis field to prevent anything from escaping from within, including atmosphere, "M'onel, open it up."
"Something's outside!" Inferno shouted as the walls began to buckle and tear, "And it wants in!"
"Be prepared to kill, team!" Tyr ordered, "Inferno, Polar Boy, Kid Quake, White Witch; I want you to tear into whoever comes through that wall with everything you've got. Thoom, Nemesis Kid, Micro Lass, Physo, I want you to deal with what's left."
He leveled his massive blaster weapon at the ceiling which was being torn open by hands more powerful than anyone who was on board. Tyr was determined to survive this experience, even if he had to sacrifice each and every single one of his teammates.
M'onel peeled away the the roof of the shuttle. He was somewhat shocked by what he saw. Within were a handful of costumed humanoids prepared to attack whatever it was that was coming for them. He raised his hands in a gesture of peace and then motioned to the opening, trying to indicate that they were safe.
"What the #&%! do you think that means, Jes?" A woman with a massive amount of cybernetic upgrades said in English, much to M'onel's.
"I don't know, but I'm happy to not be floating out into space." Answered another who had golden skin, red eyes, and was heavily armed.
"He's telling us he's not here to hurt us." Said another who wore a yellow and red outfit that always seemed to indicate a heat generator and who's fists, until he spoke, had been glowing with fiery energy.
"That's right." M'onel reassured him, managing to shake off the shock he felt, "We are the Wanderers and he have your vessel in a stasis field. We're going to tow you back to our base where we can help you in any way you require. My name is M'onel."
"Well, M'onel, you got here just in time." The fiery man said, "We've been out of food for three days and filtration hasn't been doing so great with the atmosphere. Plus, you know, emergency water filtration is of limited appeal."
"I'll have someone come out from our vessel to bring supplies." M'onel said with a grin, adding, "I didn't catch your name."
"Sunburst." The heat generator said, "And we're Stormwatch."
Tyr leveled his weapon, prepared to destroy whatever was about to enter, when an intense burst of light temporarily blinded him. Finding himself reeling, Tyr called to his allies, "Situation, people," he hollered, "I can't see! Anyone else?"
"I'm blind, as well, sir!" Came Inferno's voice from the nearby.
"As am I!" Came another voice.
"Sorry, folks," said a female voice from above them, "I couldn't risk any ricochets doing any more damage."
Tyr's eyes began to clear as he became aware of a woman, no, a girl, who had floated down from the opening that was now in the cabin. She was human with short neck length blonde hair tied back with a golden hairband. She wore a crimson costume with a white cape that had gold trim. On her chest was a symbol that Tyr recognized from Earth's history. It was a massive yellow lightning bolt that ran down the length of her chest. But the belt she wore beneath it told an even more interesting tale.
"Captain Marvel..." Tyr muttered.
"Not quite, but we should be able to help you out anyways." She said with a smile, "Welcome to the Rock of Eternity, You can call me Thunder and I'm a member of..."
"The Legion of Super-Heroes." Nemesis Kid said, clearly noticing the makeshift symbol on her belt, as he approached. We wore a predatory smile on his face, "I am Hart and it is my utmost pleasure to meet you." He said holding out his hand to take hers. She offered her own and Nemesis Kid lightly kissed it with a smile which made her blush.
Tyr stepped forward, disgusted over this display. "My name is Tyr." He said. She smiled and took his hand in a firm shake. It was clear to him that she was incredibly powerful, as the legends of the Marvel Family said they all were.
"Have you met the Legion of Super-Heroes?" She asked him.
"Yes," Tyr responded, "On our world, we helped them repel a Dominator invasion."
Thunder was taken aback by this. "That's incredible!" She said, "That must have been after I left. So what do you call yourselves?"
"Call ourselves," came Mekt's weakened voice as he maneuvered over to the conversation, "We call ourselves the Wanderers."
End Issue #1