Don't own 'em, don't pay taxes on 'em. I guess it evens out.

Klarion and Greta: On the Darkside, chapter 7: No Way Out

"Wait, Klarion…we don't need to pop up in the middle of a cadre of Thanagarian warriors without a plan. Plus, I'm sure the installation, ship, whatever it is, will be shielded. I won't be able to get off a signal, reliably."

While they were mulling that over, Batgirl's communicator rang. "Batgirl? Oracle here. Just happened to see a report from the space administration to the effect of there being an unknown, rapidly fluctuating magnetic field on the moon. It seems to be localized on the dark side, the side always turned away from Earth. Does this help?" Secret, overhearing, broke out in a wide smile. "Now we know where they are, Batgirl. The moon doesn't have a magnetic field, so it's gotta be them."

Klarion looked thoughtful. "But I was always told magnetic fields and necronium don't mix. The one just attracts the other into mutual destruction."

"But," said Secret, "not all magnetic fields are created equal. For example, an alternating current electromagnet actually repels aluminum, or so I've heard. And an electromagnet repels a superconductor. That's the basis for maglev trains. Would this necronium have a similar effect?"

"Hmm." He thought, long and hard. "It's possible…..necronium would tend to have an opposite charge to any magnetic field it found itself in. That would…..that would fit. So they encase the necronium in this magnetic field, and, and launch it out towards the target? When they're ready, I mean?"

"But where's the target?"

"No telling. But first things first. We have to rescue Jason Blood." Batgirl raised her communicator again. "Oracle? We think that's where the Thanagarians are holding Blood. Alert the League. We're on our way."

After she'd clicked off, Klarion spoke up. "Stephanie. We are going into battle with beings armed with weapons that can nullify magic. We'll have the benefit of surprise, but not for long. We need another advantage."

"Have you something in mind?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have."

Secret smiled at him impishly. "Don't believe in a fair fight, do you?"

"Nope. Never have."

"Good." Now she grinned. "Neither do I."

….

This time Batgirl forgot to take her Dramamine, and had to fight down her initial nausea, not just from the teleportation spell, but also from the sudden reduction in gravity. Fortunately, they'd materialized in a deserted corridor.

Batgirl looked around. It was too good to be true; she scanned for surveillance cameras, spy-eyes, but didn't see any. Nonetheless, she pulled her two charges—no, make that allies—uhm, three? Klarion's backup plan gave her the heebee jeebees-back into the shadows. "Klarion!" she whispered softly, "can you sense Jason Blood?"

"Yes. He's down that corridor." And he pointed down a well lit hallway, with a dizzying array of iron-grey cell doors on each side.

"Come on!" They couldn't hope to avoid detection forever, and sure enough, as they sprinted down the hallway, alarms began to sound. "Keep around me, kids!"

"Miss Stephanie, I've an idea," Secret spoke up. "You and Klarion go get Mr. Blood. I'll delay them."

"NO!" They both chorused. Greta put her hands on her hips. "Will you two chillax? I'm not sacrificing myself. Watch." And her outline became more and more indistinct until they could barely see her. "Now go on," said her disembodied voice, "I'll catch up. Don't worry; I don't think they're equipped to catch living mist, do you?"

At her urging they sprinted down the hallway, with Klarion unerringly homing in on Jason Blood's cell.

Behind them, Secret turned. Just before she'd left, however reluctantly, Batgirl had given her a small, button sized communicator disk. "Just put it somewhere as close to the outside as you can. It'll alert the League to where we are." She diffused herself and sank into the floor, only pausing to think a very unladylike word when she discovered she couldn't phase the disk through the floor too. Well, she'd have to come up with something.

She could hear the sounds of feet, running to catch up. They'd be here any minute…she had to do something to give Klarion and Batgirl time to free Blood

Batgirl and Klarion arrived at the cell holding Jason Blood. Over on the far side, he looked up to see them, still manacled. "They evidently didn't intend to take any chances with you, did they, Uncle Jason?" teased Klarion while Batgirl cracked the lock. "I suppose that's a compliment, of a sort." Blood shot the witch boy a look as Batgirl picked his shackles as easily as she had the locks and freed him.

But the electronic device around his throat proved a more difficult challenge. It wouldn't come off. "Never mind," he finally said, in exasperation, "Let's just go!" Out they charged, expecting to see a corridor full of enemies…..

…..only to see a corridor full of dead enemies. The Thanagarians who'd come to protest the removal of their prisoner lay scattered from one end of the hallway to the other. Most looked as though they'd died by means of their own weapons.

"Uuhh….Secret? Did you do all this?" Batgirl was actually rather shocked.

The mist girl coalesced in front of them. "Not really. Well, sorta. I just materialized among them and they shot through me and hit each other." She giggled suddenly. "Kinda cool, actually. Like a road runner cartoon."

Jason Blood looked at the translucent girl with new respect. "Remind me," he said, "never to get on your bad side." Then, to the others, "any idea which way is out, here?"

"We were sorta hoping you could tell us."

Klarion put his hand to his head and closed his eyes. "I'm sensing…a large open space thirty meters down that corridor. Where it leads, I don't know."

The large open space proved to be a huge laboratory, with control panels spaced around it, and a large flat table or pedestal rising from the middle. It was covered by large glasslike cover that looked as though it could be made to retract into the roof.

"So," said a voice familiar to Jason Blood, "You made it this far. I commend you. But it changes nothing." The Thanagarian captain stepped out from the shadows…

…..followed by a platoon of armed warriors on either side.

….

To be continued?