Chapter 20

The very sky darkened, and heavy, looming clouds blocked out the sun, covering the blue above the two Legionnaires below.

Lightning Lad looked down, trying to quell the rising apprehension and cold fear in his stomach.

"I'm sorry, Garth", Saturn Girl said softly, edging closer to him. Before either of them knew it, their lips had met in the sweet sensation of a first kiss, which was unfortunately made too much more serious by the gravity of the situation that circumstances had forced them into.

She ended it after several seconds, gave him one last, deep look, and flew up into the suddenly frigid air. The other Legionnaires on the ground cried out in shock and consternation as they saw her and finally remembered her role in all this. The few who knew what that destiny had in store for her watched anxiously as she approached Brainiac.

"Brainiac 1.0, I challenge you to single combat to determine the course of this war", Saturn Girl called out loudly, gathering her courage and trying to keep her voice from trembling. It was not, after all, easy to march purposefully and deliberately into a battle against one of the most feared and powerful villains of all time, knowing she might not survive it. She had put on a calm face for the sake of the Legion – things were difficult enough without adding such a heavy burden – but she had never been completely at ease since the prophecies had named her as the Protector of the Universe. And now that she was face to face with Brainiac 1.0, it took all her willpower and determination to live up to her momentous destiny.

Brainiac turned baleful, disdainful eyes on the Titanian and snorted derisively. "Single combat?" he repeated in a scathing voice. "What can you do against me?"

Though Saturn Girl was inclined to believe him, she knew there was still a chance, however slim, that all would not end well for him today. "Then you'll have nothing to lose by fighting me, will you?" she said.

Brainiac scrutinized her coldly and calculatively and saw no threat. "Very well", he agreed. "We battle, then, though know that it is your death you have guaranteed. Nothing can stop me from achieving my success at last, least of all you." With that, he assumed a battle stance, a multitude of weapons appearing from beneath his armor.

Saturn Girl readied herself too, pulling together her reserves of strength and shielding her mind.

Brainiac made the first move, firing a particularly large gun in his left arm, shooting a blaze of fire toward Saturn Girl. She dodged it and ducked out of sight, reappearing a minute later behind Brainiac's neck. She kicked it hard, denting the metal, and stabbed his mechanical mind with a powerful telepathic attack. Enraged, Brainiac walled his mind off immediately, striking Saturn Girl with a backhand swat, knocking her away.

Recovering quickly, Saturn Girl propelled herself upward again, avoiding the bullets coming her way, and attempted to get an attack in. But this time, Brainiac was ready for her, and he anticipated her every move, blocking her way and throwing her off-balance.

There followed an intense, difficult battle. Saturn Girl couldn't find any opening to exploit, except for the occasional force field that distracted Brainiac long enough for her to attack his mind again as she searched for something that would shut him down. However, these occurrences never lasted long, and became increasingly infrequent as the battle progressed, and as it did, Saturn Girl's chances diminished. She continually had to dodge constant attacks by Brainiac, and was quickly tiring, but Brainiac appeared to be under no strain whatsoever.

Below them, every Legionnaire and villain alike watched the battle, the Legionnaires in anxiety, the villains in enjoyment. The robots simply stood still, having received an order from Brainiac to cease fighting. Above, the sky was now a dark, overcast grey and lightning streaked across it and ominous thunder roared, but it did not rain.

Saturn Girl ducked under another blast, but this time Brainiac got her arm with a thin laser beam below the energy blast. Crying out in pain, Saturn Girl clutched her arm, momentarily distracted. That was all Brainiac needed. To the dismay and alarm of all the Legionnaires, Brainiac proceeded to fire all sorts of weapons which Saturn Girl, injured and tired, had trouble avoiding. Within minutes, she had been forced back to the ground, and she didn't get up.

Brainiac bent over her. "Do you surrender?" he asked calmly.

Battered and hurt not a little, Saturn Girl felt a sudden, new surge of energy well up inside her, as well as renewed strength and determination. She knew what she had to do, and she knew that no matter what the cost, it had to be done.

Rising slowly into the air, seeming to glow with a bright, strong pink light, she declared, just loud enough for all to hear, "Never." Then, when she was directly in front of Brainiac's metallic chest, she threw her head back and her arms out and concentrated. Slowly pulling her arms toward her body, her eyes blazing pink, a force field appeared. It was small at first, but it gradually grew larger and larger.

As the watching Legionnaires looked on, breathless with fear and apprehension, the force field shimmered and glittered in the dim light, now as big as Brainiac. Then, without any warning, it suddenly advanced powerfully on the evil Coluan, pushing him backward with such force it actually shattered first his metal armor, and then his mechanical body and mind. Brainiac 1.0 disintegrated, never to be seen or heard from again, never to threaten anyone anymore. But even as he dissolved into bits, Saturn Girl stopped glowing, sagged, and plummeted toward the earth with frightening speed.

Exclaiming in alarm, Superman rushed toward Saturn Girl's falling body as fast as his super-speed allowed him to (which was very fast) and caught her before she hit the ground.

The other Legionnaires, with the exception of Lightning Lad, looked toward the remaining villains and robots. The robots were now standing perfectly still, and for a minute, they remained that way; then they all collapsed on the ground in a heap.

"They've shut down", Brainiac 5 announced, prodding one with his foot.

Tyr, Validus, and Emerald Empress all snarled and attacked anyway, which was a mistake, because it was thirteen against three. Within minutes, the villains had been overcome and they and their teammates were tossed into the detention cells in Legion HQ until further notice.

They found Superman in the sick bay with Saturn Girl; apparently he had run back there while his teammates had been taking care of the villains.

"Is she okay?" Lightning Lad asked anxiously as the others flocked around Saturn Girl's bed.

Superman shook his head. "No, she's not. She's in a coma."

"You mean a healing trance", Cosmic Boy corrected, feeling relieved. Saturn Girl always woke up from her healing trances. If she was in one, she couldn't have been hurt all that bad.

"No, I mean a coma", said Superman. "A real, true coma."

A/N: We're nearing the end of this story now. Two more chapters to go, and then it'll be time to mark it complete. However, there are still two more days to go, so cheer up! Thanks to The Violet Rose, TheEclipse, Devilbunny, DangerZone, Mirror's Mirage, and Lillywhitecherub for reviewing!

Disclaimer: Naw...me? Seriously? Own this? No way on earth.