Interludes After the 13th Angel, Part 2
Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I am doing wrong (to correct it).
Note, the parenthesis indicates languages other than Japanese, in this case, English and Interlac.
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV Hospital
Recovery Room 15
(Mental Plane)
Toji Suzuhara tried to wake up.
Before he could move his right hand to rub his eyes, he felt his whole arm was encased in… something, same with his leg. He opened his eyes and looked around. Focusing was quite a feat.
Everything was as blurry as the time he tried Kensuke's glasses on. His excitable friend had a big laugh at his befuddled expression then, saying, "Buddy, if you can see with these, then you CAN'T see without them!" (9)
He looked around, blinking until he could see something. Somehow, he was sitting in a train seat. How had he gotten there? Had somebody dumped him there? Why?
He was tired to the very bones, he managed to move to a less uncomfortable position to rest for a bit.
A whispering at the other end of the car seemed familiar.
It was Shinji's voice.
"I will not break." He said. Several times, as if trying to convince himself of his own words.
Seated right across Shinji, a man appeared as if suddenly revealed by wind-swept fog. He sat like a king on his throne, despite the simple mass-produced plastic seating.
He wore a black suit, with a high-collared blue cloak, and for some reason, a hat. In Tokyo-3, during the unending summer… Toji didn´t notice the impossibly deep shadow over the man´s eyes.
To Toji's surprise, the man's body seemed kinda… transparent.
'I must be dreaming…' he said to himself. "Well, I might enjoy my dream then." He tried to dream about a beach, and Hikari in a swimsuit, but nope, he was still in the same train.
"Stranger, are you Okay?" Dream Shinji asked. "Th-th-there was an explosion and…" Shinji must be in really bad shape if his stuttering was back.
A deep, soothing voice answered. "I am indisposed at the moment. I'll need time to regain my strength. Bardiel's manifestation surprised me."
Shinji relaxed, "Is… is everybody okay? I tried to stop the Angel, but I was weak…" His fist closed convulsively, and he seemed to fold into himself.
"You did well. Your actions bought precious time for an emergency evacuation of the Matsushiro Complex. Many NERV employees are alive now thanks to you."
"If only I would have been stronger…"
"You were stronger than anybody could have expected." The man paused, "Including me. No one could have done much better than you. Not without special gifts. Green Lantern himself wouldn't have lasted much longer than you. Not without his power ring. You faced an Angel with nothing with your will, and in doing so, you put your life on the line, Shinji. Lives were lost, yes. But many lives were saved. No one can save everybody. That's the harshest lesson a hero must learn. Every hero learns it sooner or later. It's what we do after learning that lesson what defines a true hero. Some are broken by it, some are reforged, and a few begin with that knowledge already burnt into their souls."
Shinji kept silent for a long time. "I guess. But I'll keep trying." He said, looking up.
The man nodded approvingly. "I cannot ask for more." He said, disappearing.
Shinji leaned back, closing his eyes.
Toji said, "That was really weird, I must be dreaming…"
A young voice answered. "You are, indeed, in a dream." On the seat in front of Toji, a young man lounged, almost apathetically. His skin was white like alabaster, his hair a shade of blond so light it was almost white, and his eyes looked like a starry night. He wore a white tunic with puffy sleeves, with a curious piece shaped like a V or a pair of wings or something Toji had no word for (10). And for some reason, Toji thought he reminded him of David Bowie in that movie Sakura loved, something about a maze or something (11).
"But, it's not your dream," the young man said, "so you'll have to excuse me as I return you to your own dreams." The man took a pinch of powder from a velvet bag, and blew it towards Toji's face. Somehow, with the logic of dreams, that pinch of powder became a whole sandstorm, but it was warm and welcoming.
When Toji opened his eyes again, he was alone. Gone were Shinji, the man in the black suit, the David Bowie look-alike, and the train car.
Instead, Toji sat on a beach chair, looking at the ocean. The waves crashed on the sand, with a relaxing sound, soothing and calming. A brown haired girl emerged from the water, and walked to him.
Hikari knelt on the towel next to him, and with a peck on his cheek, and her most beautiful smile, she offered him the tanning oil bottle before laying face down on the towel.
Toji smiled, 'I like this dream better." He thought.
United States of America
Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana
Belle Reve Federal Prison
Warden´s Office
July the 17th, 2001
"(Father Craemer (1). What a surprise!)" the Belle Reve Warden shook enthusiastically the priest´s hand.
"(The call of holy duty, you know.)" Father Craemer was a tall, stocky man of indeterminate age, his head almost completely bald, but his eyes still retained the same energy and charisma that had served him so well in past years, as the chaplain in charge at Belle Reve. He still kept hid short beard perfectly groomed.
"(I thought you had been… what's the word… I know it's not impeachment.)" (2) The warden snapped his fingers several times.
"(I guess it's the closest word, John. I was relieved of my position as a priest a few years ago, but Second Impact killed a lot of good men and women in the service of the Church, and well… I appealed, and got a dispensation. Here you go.)" He extended a folder with several documents.
The man examined the papers with all due care. ")Everything is in order, Father. Are you returning to the fold?)" He arched an eyebrow, saying more with that little gesture than with his words.
"(Oh, no. I'm just visiting our old friend. She wants to confess and beg forgiveness for her sins. It was cheaper to reactivate my clearance than going through the motions with another priest, and here I am.)"
"(It will be like talking to the Wall.)" The warden chuckled. "(Do you want an escort?)"
"(No need, I remember the way.)" The thin priest said, putting his documents back in his suitcase. "(I wouldn't want to distract your people from their duties.)"
"(Okay, here's your ID card, Father. Um…)" The warden hesitated, "(Would you mind listening to another confession?)"
"(Of course not. I'll see you at the chapel.)" He smiled gently. "(After Mrs. Waller finishes, I´ll be glad to listen to you.)"
It was a small, old, and battered little room. It had seen little use since the last time Father Richard Craemer had been at Belle Reve, probably the worst prison in the country. Especially modified to hold meta human criminals. But the inmates had a particular, not especially obvious thing in common.
All of them were candidates for Task Force X.
The Suicide Squad (3).
And now, among the few remaining inmates, the once chief of the whole project. Amanda Waller (4). Best known for her nickname, The Wall. A heavy-set Afro-American woman whose life had been marked by multiple tragedies. A widow who pushed her children to excel. And who found her place in high level politics.
She had proposed to resurrect Task Force X, the Cold War team specialized in high risk missions, that earned them the nickname of Suicide Squad. Waller's project differed from the original in a key aspect, instead of government operatives, she wanted to use criminals. Most of them meta humans. They were to participate in high-risk missions in exchange of reduced sentences. Disposable agents with built-in deniability.
Now, she was a prisoner in the same jail from where she used to recruit her operatives. Not the first time.
"(Damn Luthor.)" She growled again.
She had to admit the frame-up was perfectly done. She was accused of several federal crimes with such ability that she almost believed herself guilty.
Luthor was a true chess master. She had to concede that.
After a long walk, dragging heavy chains, the guards led her into the chapel, where Father Craemer already waited for her.
They opened the Confessional door and she knelt down with some difficulty. The guards retreated a few paces back. Craemer entered the other compartment.
She growled, "(Bless me Father, for I have sinned.)" She pulled a set of ear beads from the rosary and set them in her ears. She tapped the left bead once. From a hidden speaker, Father Craemer's voice issued, continuing the ritual. But she didn't hear it, the ear beads allowed her a private channel of communication. "Tom. You took your time."
At the other side of the confessional, Tom Tresser, best known as Nemesis (5), master of disguise and covert operations, whispered into his own microphone. "(Had to prepare a lot of things before coming, including renewing Craemer's status with the Church. I got him to a safe house for now, for his own safety. Have you heard the news?)"
"(Yes. The whole SSSV (6) blew themselves to bits along with their satellite. Convenient. Clean. Ordered. I don't believe a word.)"
"(I checked. No survivors. Even the energy-based and teleporting villains were taken by surprise, neutralized, and dispersed beyond any hope of reconstitution. No one survived.)"
"(Of course not. Luthor never leaves loose ends. The Squad served its purpose, he shuts us down, jail time at best, if he thinks he could have any use for you in the future. Or you end up like Flagg and Nightshade (7), if you don't fold. The SSSV kills the heroes, and before they can threaten Luthor, they go down. No. I realized too late what Luthor had set in motion. By then, it was best to wait for him to tie the loose ends for me. I hate dealing with loose ends, especially when they aren't mine to begin with. Now, it's my turn.)"
"(What's the plan?)" Nemesis asked, "(Deadshot (8) is very eager to participate. Same for a few others. Luthor has made a lot of enemies. And some, he doesn't even know about.)"
"(Contact Chance. Offer him a very long-term contract. We go with the Binary Sun plan. You can do the job short-term, but are too valuable to me as an operative. I'd rather keep you in the field. He is getting old, and wants to retire. Make him an offer he won't want to refuse. Remind him what Luthor owes him.)"
"(I doubt he has forgotten.)" Nemesis paused, "(Though I'm sure Luthor did forget. For him, it was just another Tuesday.)"
"(Whatever day it was, I don't care. He will jump at the chance to bring down Luthor once and for all.)" She grimaced at her accidental pun. "(The big job. The last job. And then retire for good. In style. I'm sure he will appreciate the irony.)"
"(Okay. I'll set things up.)"
"(Luthor has to go down, Tom. No mercy.)"
"(Absolutely. No. Mercy.)"
They kept the charade for a few minutes more, while they hid the comms equipment again, and during a pause in the recording, Nemesis stopped it, and continued the dialogue.
Amanda Waller hid a nasty, bloodthirsty smile as the guards came to take her back to her cell.
Tokyo-3, Japan
GeoFront
NERV Hospital
Recovery Room 16
(Spiritual Plane)
Boston Brand paced around the room, ignoring any furniture in his way. He was bored out of his mind, but he dared not to leave Shinji´s side. For hours, he had watched as the teenager was subject to a multitude of tests. They had drawn blood and tissue samples, put him through a multitude of devices Boston wasn't sure he could even say their names, not even with a phonetical guide at hand.
The lad had been unconscious for all that. Boston was torn between the need to keep guarding his young friend, and the need to go and confer with the Phantom Stranger. So far, he had stayed, as an unconscious Shinji was vulnerable to whatever Commander Ikari decided. At least, if he was there, he could hijack somebody and interfere, should it be necessary.
Minutes passed with torturous slowness. The only interesting thing so far had been thar Shinji´s friend had gone through surgery to set his bones, and repair the damage caused by the fractures. Now the boy was resting in the room next door. Boston peeked occasionally through the wall, just to have something to do.
Almeracian Empire
Throne World
Crown City
Royal Palace of the Ruling House of Almerac
"(Uh, Princess? I´m not offending somebody?)" Superboy contained the need to tug at his collar. He would have preferred his regular Legionnaire suit, or his original uniform, including the black leather jacket. But for an Imperial Debut, he had to dress extravagantly. His robe had a small clear space over the left side of the chest, with the exact shape of Superman´s S shield.
"(No, Conner. So far, you have acted with a minimum of decorum. You are not a particularly bad student of manners, especially as we had very little time to prepare.)" Sensor´s bionic arms gesticulated subtly, the tree fingered hands were amazingly dexterous, and held a delicate glass of wine. She had asked to be provided with a straw, as flicking her bifid tongue into the glass would not be good manners.
Finally, Queen Lois Max-El signaled her majordomo to begin the ceremony. He sounded a jeweled bell, and all the guests kept silent. Queen Lois rose from her throne, and hovered a few centimeters above the floor. "(Royal Family of the Almeracian Empire.)" She addressed the hovering holocameras, "(Today, it is my joyous duty to formally recognize the return of a prodigal heir. Through the mists of time, the lost cousin of Kal Max-El, hero of three worlds, arrives to take his place among the Royal Family of Almerac.)" She signaled at Connor, who coached by Princess Jeka of Orando, flew slowly towards the throne, and sent down, bending the knee before the Queen. He thumped his fist against his chest, in the traditional salute.
"(He comes at with open hands, in friendship. Nor he asks for anything.)" The Queen opened an ornate chest. "(He asks only to serve the memory of his cousin, and in that spirit, it is my pleasure to announce that Kon-El of Earth, shall take possession of the second moon of Kryptare III, as is his right as cousin and heir to the founding Prince consort of the Max-El dynasty.)"
Sensor gasped, while Superboy seemed thunderstruck. This was not in the discussions with the Queen! It was supposed to just be an acknowledgment of Superboy being related to Superman!
Author Notes
(1) Father Richard Craemer debuted in Suicide Squad issue 10 (Feb 1988). He served as chaplain for both regular immates and the Suicide Squad members.
(2) Due to his particular way of preaching, Craemer was relieved of his duties as an ordained catholic priest in The Spectre issue 31 (Jul 1995). As far as I know, he was not reinstated as a priest. By then, he was no longer part of the support team of the Suicide Squad, but, in his own words, "spiritual counselor" for the Spectre himself.
(3) The Suicide Squad has had two main incarnations, both code-named "Task Force X", and both nicknamed "Suicide Squad" due to the high number of casualties they suffered. The original was a government team of operatives, specialized in high-risk missions, this version debuted in The Brave and the Bold issue 25 (Sept 1959). The second, and best-known version of the team, debuted in the miniseries/event Legends, issue 3 (Jan 1987), though the team´s founding is set up since issue 1 (Nov 1986).
(4) Amanda Waller debuted in Legends issue 1.
(5) Tom Tresser, AKA Nemesis, debuted in The Brave and the Bold issue 166 (Sept 1980), but not as a main feature, but as a back-up story. He is a highly trained secret agent, specialized in disguises and infiltration. His back-up series lasted quite a while, and had two team-ups with the star of the book, Batman himself, in issues 170 (Jan, 1981) and 193 (Dec 1982). It seems he dies in this latter issue, but returned in Suicide Squad issue 3 (Jul 1987), and has been closely associated with the Squad ever since.
(6) The Secret Society of Supervillains. The group has had several versions, and originally debuted in Secret Society of Super-Villains issue 1 (Jun 1976).
(7) Col. Rick Flagg Jr, and Nightshade were two of the regular members of the Suicide Squad under Amanda Waller´s command. Unlike most, they were not criminals, but actual volunteers. Flagg debuted in Legends, Issue 1, while Nightshade debuted in Captain Atom issue 82 (Sept 1966). She is part of the group of characters incorporated into the DCU, after the original publisher, Charlton Comics, sold DC the rights. BTW, she, along with the most prominent Charlton characters, were the basis for the characters in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen series, as DC wanted to keep the Charlton characters around and incorporate them into the larger DCU after Crisis in Infinite Earths, Moore and Gibbons created expys of all the characters, Nightshade´s is Silk Spectre.
(8) Another regular in the Suicide Squad, Deadshot was originally a Batman villain, and debuted in Batman issue 59 (Jun 1950).
(9) On a personal note, that´s exactly the kind of glasses I use.
(10) Daniel, successor of Morpheus as Dream, of the Endless, is getting interested into the happenings at Tokyo-3. He will be appearing ocassionally.
(11) The movie is Labyrinth (1986), of course. With David Bowie as Jared, the Goblin King himself.