A/N: Yay, two reviews! Thank you, The Violet Rose and leathman!
Chapter XVI: I Swear Fealty
6 January 2999
The city of New Metropolis not only had the honor of being the home of Superman, but it was also the capital of Earth. As such, one of its boroughs, Capitol Hill (a comparatively small area encompassing what was formerly Washington, D.C.) was the diplomatic center of the planet, being the location of Earthgov Headquarters and various other official buildings. Capitol Hill was the only borough in New Metropolis that was guarded by both the Science Police and the Terran Security Agency (TSA). Just as New Metropolis was the capital of Earth, Earth was the capital of the United Planets, and Capitol Hill was also the location of Whitehall, the capacious demesne of the most powerful person in the U.P.
In the stylish dining room of the Whitehall mansion, the President of the United Planets poured tea for her guest.
"It's nice of you to visit, Rene," Winema Wazzo said graciously as she topped up Brande's drink and then proceeded to fill her own cup. "I know it's not a long trip from Osterkey, but you're a very busy man."
"And you, my dear, are a very busy woman," Brande returned. "How was your meeting with the new mayor?"
Winema exhaled. "Jeanne Chu is not as personable as Berkowitz was, but she's a woman who knows her own mind. She's always been a far better leader than Fleming, even while she was serving as deputy mayor. I think her confidence will be good for the city after the upheaval of the past few months."
"Hm, I suppose," Brande said noncommittally; he had yet to make up his mind about Mayor Chu. Brande prided himself on being an astute judge of character, but recent events had proved that his trust radar could sometimes malfunction. Roderick had been a trusted friend and business partner to him for years; how he had missed the resentment his brother-in-law held for him was beyond his comprehension. "Have you given any thought to my proposal?"
"I have." Winema pursed her lips. "I'm still not sure it's a good idea."
"Did you not see what they did at the Superman Museum?"
"I did, and I am impressed – but they are very young, Rene. And there are only three of them."
"No, no, Winema, you don't understand." Brande leaned forward eagerly. "I'm sure there are many young people like them who want to make a difference in the universe. There are so many metahumans in this day and age – think what a wonderful force for good they could be if they were a proper team."
"What I think," said Winema, "is that you are trying to make them the new Justice League – which is a lot to demand from a band of teenagers."
"They can handle more than you think, Winema."
"That may be so, but you're talking about giving them huge peacekeeping responsibilities. Even the Justice League needed over 60 members to make the sort of impact you're envisioning. And heaven knows the moral degradation of this century is ten times worse than what the League had to deal with."
"You're not listening, Winema." Brande shook his head patiently. "I don't want to make them the League. Much as I admire the Justice League, they're not what the United Planets needs – they wouldn't be able to work in this social and political climate. These kids are different. They can and have made a difference already – their heroics at the museum were the buzz of town for a month. I see them as the successors of the League, people who can carry on the legacy of the Age of Heroes and adapt it to the 30th – the 31st – century. We need those kids, and others like them, to make the future."
Winema looked thoughtful. "You make a compelling argument, Rene," she said with a smile.
Brande chortled, though the passionate light in his eyes remained. "I should hope so. I've been trying to persuade you for weeks. So how about it, Winema?" he prompted. "Will you charter the Legion of Superheroes?"
Winema met his eyes directly. "I'll give you my answer tomorrow."
Brande inclined his head, accepting that, and for the next twenty minutes their conversation included nothing of politics or business, remaining simply the banter of two old friends.
After their tea was over and Brande had left, Winema remained in the dining room, mulling contemplatively over the proposal Brande had been trying to convince her of since November. After many persistent conversations on the Durlan's part, Winema was beginning to see the merits of his idea.
"Tinya," she called to the daughter who had just breezed past the archway to the dining room.
The brunette 16-year-old backtracked and thrust her head through the wall. "Yes, Mom?"
"Could you bring me the e-papers in the left drawer of my desk, please?"
"R.J. Brande's proposal?" Tinya guessed before she could stop herself. Winema fixed her with a stare.
"And what do you know about it?"
"Erm…" Tinya had the grace to look sheepish. "I may have…read a little…or all of it." She deliberately did not look at her mother.
"Tinya."
"I was returning a datapad and it was out in the open on your desk – I couldn't help it!"
Winema exhaled, half-amused, half-suspicious. "Just fetch it for me, please."
"Okay, okay…" Tinya's head withdrew from the wall, but not two seconds later it reappeared. "By the way, I think it's a good idea." She vanished again before her mother could say anything, leaving Winema blinking at her sudden declaration.
15 January 2999
Garth made his way through the streets, whistling to himself as he navigated corners and alleys with ease. He still hadn't gotten used to how huge and crowded New Metropolis was, but in most other aspects he had adapted well to city life. He had learned the layout of the New Troy surprisingly quickly; it had taken him just one trial to memorize the roads from Imra's house to the mechanic shop where he worked, and less than a fortnight (not counting the week he spent with Imra and Rokk) to explore most of the borough.
He casually strolled across a main road – timing his walk perfectly to coincide with the changing of the traffic orbs at the intersection – and grinned to himself. If he spent any more time in the city he was going to turn into a true New Metropolis citizen.
After that day at the Superman Museum, Rokk had left with the Magnetic Knights, but Garth decided to find a job and stay on in New Metropolis, even though his reason for being on Earth – i.e. to master his lightning powers – was already accomplished thanks to Rokk and Imra. Imra had since graduated with honors from the Science Police Academy and was now working full time as a Sci-Pol officer.
Thanks to the fame he gained from his part in saving Brande, it had been relatively easy for Garth to find work. Living quarters, however, were a different matter entirely; it was hard to find a decent apartment in New Troy on the minimum wage he was getting. Luckily for him, after a week with no success, Sydne Ardeen (who by now knew all about her daughter's antics while she was away) offered to let him continue staying in their house. Garth had agreed, on the condition that he pay rent, and the Ardeen household made the transition from two persons to three with a minimum of friction. Garth was quite happy with the arrangement – part of it was due to the fact that he got to spend quite a bit of time with Imra; he was honestly amazed at how natural it felt to live in the same house with her.
He reached the Ardeen house and keyed in the pass code without even looking.
"Welcome back, Garth," droned Merriweather as the front doors slid open. "Destroyed any hovercars today?"
"Hullo, Merry – caught any viruses today?" Garth snarked back.
"Please refrain from addressing me like that."
"Not a chance." He and the AI shared a strange relationship – they got along well enough, but they also argued often because of the inevitable clashes between Garth's impatience and Merriweather's sarcasm. In a moment of mischief one day Garth had shortened Merriweather's name to Merry, which the AI took offense to – so of course, Garth refused to stop.
Imra met him in the foyer, to Garth's surprise.
"What are you doing home?" he inquired. "I thought your shift at the precinct didn't end till 2000?"
"Roon Dvron had to take emergency leave for tomorrow – some family issue came up – so he traded shifts with me." Imra held up a video invite. "This appeared on the instamail. It's addressed to both of us."
"Who's it from?" asked Garth.
"Don't know. Haven't opened it yet."
"Well, let's see." Garth sidled up next to Imra and swiped his thumb along the top edge of the thin plastic square. The video paper brightened and the text that bore their names dissolved as Luornu Durgo's image appeared.
"Hello, Imra and Garth," the digital recording of Brande's secretary said with a smile. "This is to invite you to a meeting with Mr. Brande at 2000 tonight, in the north wing of the Superman Museum. Mr. Brande has a proposal he thinks you might be interested in. I'll see you there." Luornu's image gave a little wave before the square went dark again.
Garth and Imra exchanged glances, puzzled.
"A proposal?" Garth queried. Imra shrugged.
"Imra, there's a visitor at the front door," Merriweather informed. "Shall I let him in?"
"Who is it?" asked Imra.
"Does a certain Magnoball captain ring any bells?"
Garth and Imra looked at each other again, this time grinning.
"Let him in, Merriweather."
The front door swished open, and Rokk entered. Imra beamed and went to hug him.
"Rokk! When did you get here?" she inquired as she pulled away.
"I arrived this afternoon. Hello, Garth."
Garth acknowledged his greeting with a smirk. "What brings you back to New Metropolis? Another tour?"
Rokk looked nonplussed. "No, I'm here for the meeting with Brande." His two friends blinked in surprise.
"Luornu invited you too?" questioned Garth.
"Yes, she did. 2000 at the Superman Museum, right?"
Imra nodded. "Yes, that's right. What do you suppose Brande wants to talk to us about?" she wondered.
"I would assume that the purpose of going to the meeting would be to find out this very thing, would it not?"
Garth and Imra rolled their eyes simultaneously; Rokk smirked. "I see Merriweather hasn't lost his touch."
"You have no idea," Garth told him.
"He's right, though," said Rokk. "The only way we'll know what Brande wants is if we go meet him tonight."
"There's still another hour and a half to go before 2000," Imra noted. "Rokk, have you eaten?"
Rokk grinned. "Nope. Your kitchen?" he asked hopefully. Imra laughed.
"Come on, then."
"So, what've you been up to, Rokk?" Garth asked as they bundled into Imra's hovercar to drive to the museum.
"Training, mostly," replied the other boy. "The season starts again next month, and we've drawn the Lodestones for our first match."
"Is that idiot Kort Grezz still with the Lodestones?"
"Yes."
Garth snorted. "You've got nothing to worry about, then. Grezz isn't nearly as good a pilot as you are."
"A compliment, Garth?" Rokk teased. "You have mellowed, haven't you?"
"Shut up."
It didn't take them long to reach the Superman Museum; the 15-meter golden statue gleamed in the glow of the city's nightlights. Imra parked the car and they all disembarked. As it turned out, they were a little early, and Brande hadn't yet arrived – so they decided to look around the museum.
"I wonder what he was like," Imra mused, her eyes faraway as she gazed at the life-size mural of the Man of Steel on one wall of the entrance hall.
"Who? Superman?" Garth followed her gaze and shrugged. "He was a legend, that's what he was."
"No, I mean as a person," said Imra. "You know – what things he liked, how he spent his free time, where he went with his friends…" She smiled softly. "We have all these stories about what an amazing hero he was and what incredible things he did as Superman…but I think I would've liked to know who Clark Kent was."
"Maybe Loretta Lane would be able to tell you," suggested Rokk.
"Well, I know he was a farm boy." There was an undeniable tone of pride in Garth's voice. Rokk rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Garth, but I don't think Superman's temperament was anything like yours."
"'Course not." Garth waved a hand dismissively. "Look at him – I bet he was a real boy scout."
They eventually made their way to the north wing, the part of the museum dedicated to Superman's friends and allies; mementos of the Justice League took up more than half the space here. Of particular prominence was a large floor-to-ceiling holoscreen that ran a constant slideshow of images of all the League's members. As fate had it, the display was currently on the beginning of its (very long) loop, and was flipping through pictures of the League's Original Seven. Rokk, Garth, and Imra watched in fascination as Superman's portrait was succeeded by images of Batman I, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern II, Flash III, Martian Manhunter, and Hawkgirl. The slideshow then proceeded to go through the rest of the League's substantial roster; they hadn't even managed to view all the first generation members by the time Brande arrived.
To the trio's astonishment, Brande wasn't alone. Aside from Luornu, whom they had expected, a pale-skinned girl with large grey eyes and long black hair walked into the room, followed by the President of the United Planets.
Imra was the first to recover. "Madam President!" she exclaimed, inclining her head respectfully in greeting. Rokk and Garth were quick to follow her lead.
"Hello, Imra, Rokk, Garth," Winema replied graciously; all three were pleasantly surprised that she knew their names. "Brande's told me all about your heroics in saving his life. You are quite the resourceful trio." The black-haired girl cleared her throat, and Winema added, "This is my daughter, Tinya."
"Nice to meet you," said Rokk.
"Likewise." Tinya flashed them a rather impish grin, implying that she wasn't as demure and proper as she seemed.
"What are you doing here, Madam President?" asked Garth.
Winema gestured at Brande. "I'll let Brande explain."
"Thank you, Winema." Brande smiled at her before he turned to the trio. "Rokk, Garth, Imra – what the three of you did here two and a half months ago was outstanding. It was a magnificent display of your abilities and teamwork – and more than that, it was a wonderful statement of how strongly you believe in doing the right thing. Very few teenagers would have shown the initiative and tenacity you did to uncover the plot behind those murders, and fewer still would have had the determination to take matters into their own hands when the Science Police didn't do enough. Now, I'm not saying the Science Police are inadequate – far from it, really – but I do believe that heroes are needed in every age."
Here he paused to beam at them. "Heroes like yourselves." He waved at the room around him. "What you see here is a tribute to the greatest team of heroes the universe has ever known. Every single member in the Justice League donned a cape or a cowl because they wanted to fight for truth, justice, and hope. They were a symbol of courage and strength to the entire Earth, and the difference they were able to make by working together was nothing short of amazing. And in you three, I see their heroic legacy alive and vibrant.
"Times have changed since then, of course – but the United Planets needs heroes just as much as 21st century Earth did. Therefore, I would like to form a new team, a team of like-minded young people who can do for the United Planets what the Justice League did for Earth…and I would like you three to be the founders of this team."
Rokk, Imra, and Garth exchanged glances.
"Take your time to decide," Winema advised. "It's an extremely ambitious undertaking – though I must admit, Brande's vision for this team and the United Planets is rather appealing."
They nodded, acknowledging her words. Then Rokk spoke up. "Mr. Brande…"
"R.J., Rokk," Brande corrected him.
"R.J.," Rokk amended. "This idea of yours…I think it could be something very big – but as you said, not many teenagers would have done what we did. How would we find enough people to join this team?"
"Lead by example," Luornu answered unexpectedly. "They may not be the majority, but there are quite a number of youngsters who long to make a difference, but don't know how. When you set the example, and you show them how, you won't need to find them. They'll find you." She smiled softly. "You've already got one teenager in this room itself who'll join you."
Garth blinked; she was obviously referring to herself. "Really?"
"Really," Luornu confirmed. "That is, if that's okay with you, Mr. Brande?"
"Of course!" Brande looked delighted. "Who am I to deny you the chance to do something that makes a difference? You're welcome to join, Luornu. The only problem is that I'll have to find a new secretary," he joked.
"I'll join too," Tinya volunteered.
"You will? Winema, unlike Brande, didn't look entirely enthused by her daughter's declaration.
"Everyone knows me as the President's daughter, which isn't what I want to be," said Tinya. "I want to do something worthwhile, something that makes me more than the President's daughter – something which I can do as Tinya Wazzo, not Winema Wazzo's daughter. Plus," she added, "if I'm going to do something, I might as well do it with people my own age."
"She has a point, Winema," said Brande.
Winema sighed, with what could have been either disappointment or acceptance. "Of course she does."
"Well, lads, lass?" Brande turned back to the three who had started it all. "What do you say?"
They met each other's eyes – Garth grinning, Imra inquiring, Rokk resolute – and as one, they turned to face Brande.
"Yes."
A/A:
1. If you'll notice, I reference the "first-generation" members of the Justice League. This means all the members who have appeared in Diamond Earth stories thus far and several more who will join in later stories. I have actually come up with a second- and even a third-generation roster for DE Justice League, and I may or may not do one or two stories about them - but that would be much, MUCH later.
2. You will find out what Lyle's up to in the epilogue tomorrow.