Chapter 6

"We're outnumbered", reported Phantom Girl, who was once again commissioned to Headquarters as part of Cosmic Boy's rotating system (the current home defense consisted of Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Dream Girl, Phantom Girl, Chameleon Boy, and Colossal Boy). "Ten of them against six of us."

"Seven", corrected Saturn Girl firmly.

"What? No way", said Lightning Lad, as Cosmic Boy's face took on an expression that stated he agreed with him.

"Honestly, Garth", said Saturn Girl. "It's been three months, and besides, you need as many people you can get. The Fatal Five and LSV together are a serious problem."

"It's too dangerous", Lightning Lad insisted stubbornly. He was not going to let her get hurt again.

"For your information", Saturn Girl shot at him, "I have just managed to master my force field generation. They won't know what hit them. Besides, I'm fully recovered now. I can take care of myself."

Lightning Lad sighed. He was running out of options. Even a small voice at the back of his mind told him he couldn't keep Saturn Girl inside Legion HQ forever. "Fine", he relented. "Just be careful."

"Uh, hate to break up your little lovers' quarrel", said Chameleon Boy, making both of them blush, "but the bad guys are advancing pretty quickly. We should go – uh, now?"

"Cham's right", agreed Cosmic Boy. "Let's show them we mean business."

"I've got Esper", Lightning Lad declared as they flew out of Legion HQ to confront the villains.

"No, I do", Saturn Girl countered.

"What?" exclaimed Lightning Lad in surprise. "No! Saturn Girl, Esper defeated you twice and invaded your mind just three months ago. You almost died. And now you want me to let you face her alone?"

"I've got my force fields, Lightning Lad", Saturn Girl said calmly. "And I'd like to get back at Esper too. But more importantly, we need to find out who their mysterious leader is. I can surprise her. Let me do it my way." She made a beeline for Esper. "Keep the others off me", she called over her shoulder.

Lightning Lad wanted to pull her back , but he knew she was right. Besides, she'd reach Esper before he did. Sighing, he tackled Tyr as his teammates went into action too.

"Esper!" Saturn Girl called. The telepath looked up and smirked.

"Why, hello again, Saturn Girl", she said mockingly. "You've been out of action for a while, haven't you? I heard our last encounter didn't end too well for you."

"This one won't end well for you", Saturn Girl declared, her eyes glowing.

Meanwhile, Tyr retaliated valiantly against Lightning Lad, but a well-aimed bolt of lightning knocked him out for the duration of the battle as Lightning Lad went for Persuader.

Dream Girl used her expert combat skills on Mano, dodging his destructive hand as she kicked and punched him. Phantom Girl fought Emerald Empress hand to hand in mid-air, going intangible whenever the Eye of Ekron tried to hypnotize her. Chameleon Boy was pitched against Ron-Karr, the both of them trying to outdo each other's shape-shifting. Cosmic Boy manipulated the metal in Tharok's cyborg body to send him smashing into Wave, who didn't even have a chance to grab anything with her groping hair. Colossal Boy grew to his full height and tackled Validus. Unfortunately, this division left Hunter free, and he didn't seem to like having no one to fight.

Hunter slashed his axe at Phantom Girl, who saw him just in time and phased, allowing the weapon to pass right through her. But her distraction was enough for Emerald Empress to kick her to the ground when she re-solidified. This now left two villains free, and they attacked the Legionnaires, who, with the exception of Cosmic Boy, were all distracted with their own opponents. The battle turned into an intense, hard fight. The Legionnaires were outnumbered, but they made better use of their powers than their enemies. Soon Saturn Girl and Esper were the only ones having a one-on-one fight.

"Give it up, Saturn Girl", Esper cried over the howling wind which had suddenly risen around them as she kept the Legionnaire's telepathic attacks at bay. "I've beaten you twice now. You're no match for me. I'm stronger than you."

"I've grown stronger too", Saturn Girl informed her, putting even more power into her telepathy. She saw, with satisfaction, Esper's astonished expression at the increased attack.

Around them, the other Legionnaires were slowly rallying. Along with Tharok, Wave, and Tyr, Ron-Karr was now out of the battle, having had Colossal Boy's giant fist smash down on his head. Mano was also out of action – Dream Girl had driven a hard kick into his back, knocking him off his feet several meters in the air, before he crumpled on the ground and lay still. Now, Lightning Lad and Chameleon Boy were fighting Emerald Empress while Cosmic Boy battled Hunter and Phantom Girl and Colossal Boy struggled with Validus. Dream Girl was now fighting against Persuader, the only other villain.

But then the tide turned again. With surprising force, the villains pushed all the Legionnaires except Saturn Girl (who was still battling Esper) into one group, forming a tight circle around them and firing attacks at the cornered heroes. Above them, the dark, overcast sky thundered ominously as a streak of lightning crossed it, and the violent wind escalated to a powerful gale.

"Look around you, Saturn Girl", Esper shouted, concentrating hard against Saturn Girl's attack. "You're losing! Your teammates are cornered. You can't fight anymore. Surrender, and my master might be merciful."

"Who is your master?" Saturn Girl demanded.

Esper managed a sneer. "And why would I tell you that?"

"Because", began Saturn Girl, "I can do – this!" And she suddenly changed her telepathic attack into a force field, which she had been waiting for the right moment to unleash. Drawing strength from an unknown source (she said later it felt like the rising storm was channeling its energy into her), her force field advanced toward Esper, pushing away her telepathy. Esper's eyes widened in fear and amazement, as she realized too late what Saturn Girl was about to do.

Saturn Girl once again changed her attack. Her force field having surprised Esper, she probed rather forcefully into the villain's mind. Scanning through Esper's thoughts, taking note of the important things, Saturn Girl finally found what she was looking for – and the answer shocked her.

Enraged, Esper took advantage of Saturn Girl's shock. Unleashing her full telepathic prowess, she attacked Saturn Girl one last time in pure fury before her watch beeped rapidly, heard even over the raging wind. Esper looked at it with distaste even as the watches of the other villains started beeping in the same way. She looked torn for a moment, then, glowering, she rose into the air, proclaiming, "This is not the last battle, Saturn Girl. We will meet again. And then, you will pay." Then she and the rest of her teammates, conscious and unconscious, disappeared. Overhead, heavy raindrops began falling, pelting the stunned heroes.

"You all right?" inquired Lightning Lad anxiously as he helped Saturn Girl up.

"I'm fine", she replied, but although she did look none the worse for the wear, her tone indicated that there was something disturbing afoot.

"What's wrong?" asked Dream Girl, picking up on it immediately. Her premonition from earlier that day came back again, in full force.

"I know who's leading them", said Saturn Girl.

"Who?" asked Colossal Boy. Thunder rumbled loudly, but nobody was paying attention to the storm, despite being soaked.

Saturn Girl looked at them full in the face. "Brainiac 1.0", she answered seriously, as lightning flashed and the sky thundered again.

A/N: Enter Brainiac 1.0! Well, not quite yet, but you know what I mean. Thanks to, again, The Violet Rose and Lillywhitecherub for taking the time to leave some feedback. As for the rest of you, what is up with you? Take a leaf from the books of these two and review, for my sake. Pretty pretty please?

Disclaimer: Help! Disclaimer number six! I don't own Legion of Superheroes.