With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
19:04 GMT

Britain has… Changed.

Karl is looking around, constantly alert for any threat. I do not remember him doing that when we worked together in the past. I do not have Paul's perfect memory, but I am reasonably confident that I would not forget something like that so quickly.

He takes a moment to glance at me as we fly over their London, and flash me a confident smile. A smile for cameras. We have not-. No, we could have had a talk about everything that has happened, but… It was awkward for him to discuss it with me before I came here, when I had no concept of a society not run according to the rules of National Socialism. And now? Whatever regrets he might have, he has never lived the life of someone in those societies he saw when he travelled to parallel universes or other planets.

And perhaps he does not know exactly how I feel. I should tell-

"Where do you think all of these castles came from?"

-him. Or we can just talk about this mission.

I look around, flashing telescopic vision out at all of the castles which stand out proudly across the landscape. Some, I recognise as belonging to earlier eras. Paul had shown me around Pevensey Castle when we visited, and I recognised that. But it seemed to have been somewhat restored compared to the version on Earth 16, and it made the magic detector I am carrying glow briefly.

The other fortresses are new. They use bricks rather than stone, and there is more metal involved in their construction. The design is also strange. Elements are carried over from the ancient fortresses, but there are also other elements from more modern forts and others that I've never seen before.

And I don't recognise the creatures manning the walls. They're larger and stronger than humans, but they don't appear to be demonic.

"It has only been two years since their Superman became corrupted. That is not enough time for such a great deal of building, not without modern equipment. Karl, can we talk?"

"We can."

He doesn't stop, but he doesn't accelerate. I suppose that's something.

"I understand what you meant now, about what we lost."

"No. Their civilisation is… They have not done the things that we did. Unless you can live through that -and I hope that you never do- you cannot fully understand."

"Then I understand more than I did. I am not a little girl, Karl."

This time he looks at me, and I see a wistful expression on his face.

"I know. But you will always be my little girl."

"But what do we do?"

"I have been trying to decide that for more than half my life. The best I have been able to do is encourage those politicians who are less extreme. I… I do not think that our society can be fixed."

I cannot disagree. That is why I try to use the least force possible when apprehending criminals. If someone is dead, it is too late to say 'oops' if they did not do what you thought that they did.

"We cannot restore the dead to life. And I think perhaps the world is not ready for Aunty Gerri to be open about her relationship with Aunt Valerie."

"Ah. You.. know about that."

"They do not hide it on Earth Sixteen. You know about that?"

"It is hard to hide things from me. Did you really not know?"

"Do not start that with me." I sigh. "I remember your interview with Jürgen. Most people see it like that; as a piece of ancient history. They see it like that when there are normal humans still alive who saw it."

"And then there is Uncle Sam."

"I have seen the Earth Sixteen version. It is strange to see him when he is not baying for blood like a rabid savage." I look down as we fly over London, the suburbs ruined while the inner city is ringed by a mighty fortress wall. "But I understand. Any sign of weakness, and we will watch a thousand murders. And people will turn from us."

"So there is nothing we can do? All this… Strength-."

"Why not bring more people here?" Karl glances back with a frown. "Not here. To other worlds. That was what convinced me. Did it convince you?"

"It was part of it. I do not think that Leatherwing will do more than curse me for being weak."

"Leatherwing is an arsehole."

"And the sun is bright. I think that Underseaman would move his entire race to another world if he could, but that does not help us change it."

"What about Blitzen? She seemed nice."

Karl nods. "She is a dedicated hero. If things were different-."

"I met her father."

"Her father? You mean Jason Garrick? That.. is a point of connection. But would he want to meet her?"

"He and his wife have no children."

"That does not mean the same thing in other societies that it does in ours."

"I know, but I think he would meet her. I do not know what she would think of Earth Sixteen."

"Yes. Someone who can keep up with her would need to be there in case her reaction was… Unfortunate."

"And if we make that work, we will only have seven billion more people to go." He slows slightly. "There. They have fortified Buckingham Palace. We will begin there."

I raise my magic detection stone, and it glows fiercely when I point it at the palace.

"We should start at the gates." He looks at me curiously as I put away the stone. "You saw none of those brute-men when our world was attacked. If it was not people from this Britain, we should not force them to become our enemies."

Karl nods ruefully. "I have become too used to going where I please. I have forgotten my manners."

We fly down at speed, our motion a blur to any normal onlookers. The brute-men on guard duty ready their weapons, large calibre automatic rifles. None fire though, so they must possess at least some intelligence.

Karl takes a step closer and raises his right hand in greeting.

"We are here to speak with your leader."

"Oh?" One of the rougher-skinned brute-men sniffs dismissively. "I'll just go and get her for you, shall I?"

"No, this is her country. I am happy to come to her."

"Tradesman's entrance, then?"

"Your world is collapsing, and a demon and his horde of possessed metahumans threaten what little is left. And somehow they are finding their way to my world. Your nation is somewhat intact. I am hoping to make common cause. If you help me, I will thank you." His face hardens slightly. "And if you will not, then I will move you."

"And who do you think you are?"

"I am Overman. Kal-El, if that name means something to you."

It does. The brute-men involuntarily take a half-step backwards.

"And I am kryptonian."

"Stay there. I'll send a runner."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
17:21 GMT -2

"Look, I know what Kon's peak output is because we tested it, but…" I look around the clean-scoured seabed where once Atlantis rested. "If you were where he is, could you boil us down here?"

Superman focuses on looking around. Not hard to work out what happened, given what we observed of La Palma. It looks like Demon Superman set it off early, as well as several other megatsunami trigger locations, and the resulting pressure wave tore the undersea cities apart.

"Honestly? I don't know. I've never deliberately tried to go all-out before."

I boggle.

"S-seriously?"

"I haven't found anything I couldn't melt with a little effort. I don't want to set any people on fire, so I try not to use it too much. Not at high power, anyway."

"I suppose you're more of a police officer than a soldier. Still, it might be worth knowing, just in case."

"It might." He finishes looking around and returns his eyes to me. "My vision's not perfect with all this silt and residual magic around, but I can't see any evidence that there's anyone still living here."

Darn. A company of Atlantean archmages would be a big help in fixing this world's magic systems. But I guess that Demon Superman would realise that pretty quickly as well.

Okay, so as far as I know, neither China nor Russia have any real experience with travel to parallel universes. Some mad scientists in America do or did, but that puts us firmly in Demon Superman's sights.

"How about Eden? You know where the entrance is, don't you?"

"Yes. But… We're trying to find evidence of the Light poking around or a connection to Overman's Earth. Actually fighting Demon Superman can wait until we have a team assembled."

"If the evidence is in America, we're going to have to go there. And that'll be a lot easier without him watching us the whole time."

"Yes, but-." I frown. "Is something wrong? Did he say-."

"I can hear them. All the people… Crying out for relief. For mercy. Calling my name to-. Him."

"Underwat-?" No, that's the wrong thing to say. "I'm sorry to hear that. But they've borne it for two years, and it's better we be sure than clumsy."

"I know. It's just that I hear them all the time, and now that I've started I can't stop. And yes, underwater."

"I assume that the Demon you knows that."

"I can't imagine that he doesn't. Where next?"

"I.. think the next thing to do would be to check sites of magical imprisonment. Or… Sensitivity. I mean, the world's lousy with demonic magic but we haven't seen any actual demons yet and I'm not sure why."

"Are things so bad that demons can just appear out of thin air?"

"They should be able to. There could be something happening on the Hell side that means they can't or.. won't. I'm not sure what that might be… Unless they've realised the long term problem of corrupting everyone."

"I can't say I've had much to do with demon summoners, but I remember a few names from the League's database. A lot of them were in London."

I nod. "We can meet up with-"

Out of the corner of my eye I notice that the silt appears to be moving, more light being absorbed by the deeper parts of the ocean.

"-the Overs."

Scan?

Working.

"I think we should-"

Black pillars studded with screaming wide-mouthed faces erupt through the murk all around us, merging in the ocean over our heads to form a ceiling that cuts out what little light was reaching us. I switch to ring scans quickly enough to watch the blackness spread all around, utterly enveloping us in tenebrous… Matter? Energy? Some sort of construct? I mean, that looked like Richard Swift's ability, but I don't remember him operating under water.

"-leave."

Superman turns around, taking in the change in circumstances.

"The Shade?"

"Or someone else with a connection to the Shadowlands. I don't think that the Atlanteans were studying that, but this is a parallel universe."

I make my ring shine, but all I'm getting is more grinning faces, all sort of merged into one another. Some I'm looking on from the outside and others I… Think I'm seeing from the inside. I'm also getting weak tactile feedback, like they're pressing on me just enough to let me know that this is a tactile sensation and not some visual illusion.

I try making it glow brighter but I'm not getting a better return. Okay, I don't think we need anything from anyone with Shadowlands access. If this isn't actually going to trap us here we might as well leave.

"Do you want to talk to him?"

"Shade! We've come to help!"

"Help?" / "Help?" / "Help?" / "Help?" / "Help?" / "Help?" / "Help?" / "Help?" / "Help?" / "Help?"

A hundred mouths speak as one, two hundred eyes focusing on our tiny forms.

"We need no help. / Help. / Help. The Shadowlands rise to consume the light. / Consume. / Rise!"

"We're not talking to Shade, are we?"

About two thirds of the mouths smile.

Mouths mounted on tentacles leap from the murk to latch onto Superman -armour!- while in my case they just bite down, multiple points of stress appearing all over as the teeth try to pierce my construct, worrying back and forth with fangs which don't appear to be limited to conventional physics. Superman tries to grip and tear, but while he can pull the lamprey-like mouths off himself, there's nothing to tear them from. The tentacles just merge with the rest of the blackness and are replaced with new tentacles almost immediately.

Message incoming.

Ah, looks like Green Man came through. That's not everything-.

"We need to leave!"

"No-!"

Superman tears a tentacle off his right cheek and tries a burst of heat vision. The tentacle wriggles slightly but doesn't appear to be significantly damaged.

"Kidding!"

I push my armour outward, growing jet engines underneath and pushing myself upwards. Superman follows suit, and I take a moment to be impressed that he's actually flying in one direction while turning around to better fight off the mouths assailing him. His leggings and jumper have a few tears in them, but I can't see any serious injuries.

I jerk to a halt as an unusually large mouth with grinding teeth grabs hold of me, trying to anchor me in place rather than bite through. I generate crumbler gauntlets and punch, the black outline semi-fading around them as I swing.

High speed, catch up with Superman…

Shouldn't we have reached the surface by now?

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
17:24 GMT -2

"How's your sense of-?"

Two great hands made of shadows close in on either side of me. Ah. Large crumbler gauntlet constructs and punch and no, okay, grab?

"Distance? We're not in-"

Grabbing and overcharging the crumbler system appears to disrupt the formation of giant hands. It's even making the faces a bit blurry. But they're not going away, and I don't think I'm doing any actual damage like this.

"-Kansas anymore."

"That hurt-"

Superman looks around, firing short bursts of heat vision in all directions, possibly attempting to illuminate the area and find a source.

"-worse than the-"

No luck, and now the tentacle mouths are wrapping around his legs and chest. They don't seem to be squeezing, but they are impeding his movement.

"-teeth."

Making sense of what's happening with so many translucent phantasms appearing in the blackness isn't easy, but-. Blade!

"You've got-"

I generate a shield construct in the way of the approaching spear made of shadow, but it punches through! Superman spots my construct and pulls himself aside, narrowly dodging and causing it to slice the tentacles binding his legs in half.

"-armour."

"I offered. Ideas?"

"I could spin around real fast."

I take x-ionised knives out of subspace and try using them on the shadow tentacles. It… Sort of works. I cut them apart and they don't just reform, but it doesn't stop more appearing.

"Is that a serious suggestion?"

Multiple giant blades thrust towards Superman and he dances through them, striking the flat of each with his fists as he passes.

"Is that?"

He grabs a broken blade tip and hurls it at an oncoming shaft. Both crack and fracture before merging with the background blackness.

"You don't have some kind of portal?"

"Several. None I've tested in conditions remotely similar to these."

The faces are swimming in and out of focus. I send a crumbler gauntlet construct at one of them, but again, not enough effect to get excited about.

"How about the Ophidian?"

"Parallel universe. Might work, might get the local one and don't really want them exposed to demon magic. Last time I did, I became rather brusque."

"Brusque? I'd hate to see that. How are you doing for ring power?"

"A long way from worrying."

Ring, analysis. Is there one primary head? One head which always starts the facial expression?

No observed primary head.

"I can try assimilating it?"

"Isn't The Shade weak against sunlight?"

"It negates his obtenebration, yes. It doesn't actually hurt him."

"Glad to hear it." He reaches into his belt pouch and pulls out a small crystal. "Har-Zod called this a sunstone."

"If it's unique, don't-"

He throws it back the way we came, then fires a burst of heat vision at it!

Blinding white light blasts outwards, the blackness vanishing and normal water reappearing as it goes! I blink as the sudden change happens faster than my ring can adapt to, the blur causing-.

Something-. There.

I rocket forward, grabbing the figure before putting a bubble around him and rocketing back to Superman. The light burst has faded and the shadows are creeping back, though nothing like as quickly as they arrived.

"Who is it?"

I get a better look.

"Richard Swift. And he-."

Behind his smoked glasses his eyes snap open, and-

"You do not bear the mark!"

-the shadows are coming back and mage slayer round through the bubble and shoot him in the head!

"Uh-!"

Because with all this Shadowland influence around I'm hoping that there isn't quite as much demon magic around here as there is everywhere else. And… Yes, shadows move between the top and bottom of his mouth and return its dimensions to normal, and there's a little more of him in his eyes-. He tries focusing on me.

"You…"

"Mister Swift?"

A swarm of skulls made of shadows batter into the inner surface of the bubble!

"You do not bear the mark!"

And the faces are back.

"Mark." / "Mark." / "Mark." / "Mark."

"Got another stone?"

"One."

He fires a line of heat vision down a row of faces as he tosses it to me, and I grab it with a construct. One railgun round for that, one with a tiny piece of one of Angelica's discarded feathers and hope that he was serious about that whole 'God wants nothing to do with me' line.

Bubble down fire sunstone shield eyes-

"RAAGH!"

-fire angel round-

"AAGH!"

Gold fire roars over his body, causing him to shudder-. Oh whoops, that's a light source. His skin burns and blisters as the demonic magic is -hopefully- purged from him. The Shadowland immigrants around us fall away and fade, and as I look upwards I see the ocean's surface.

"H-aa. H-aa. H-aaa."

Mr. Swift is… Not in good health, but there's no sign of demonic activity and his powers appear to be under control. He weakly opens his eyes, makes momentary eye contact with me, then loses consciousness.

"London?"

"London."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
19:25 GMT

"Her Imperial Majesty, Queen Morgan the First!"

Overman and I stand as the Queen strides imperiously into the room. I used the magic detection stone when she approached so I know perfectly well that she is a powerful magician. Still, to my eyes, she is slightly blurred. I do not know if a pure human would notice… Something to do with the spells protecting her? Or perhaps the actual Morgana is one of the other people in the room and this person is wearing some sort of illusion. But since we don't intend to hurt her it should not matter.

And if she wants to hurt us, we're both wearing wards which do not exist on this Earth. Either of us could tear down this entire palace.

Karl bows to her, and I decide to do the same. My current uniform doesn't include a skirt, anyway. The queen's clothing is made of green and purple cloth, and looks decidedly dated. Much like the castles. She stares at us for several seconds before deigning to speak.

"You're not the possessed one. Where are you from?"

Morgan does not return the favour. Karl and I straighten, and without referring to one another our posture changes from mildly deferential to mildly confrontational. The sort of thing we do with minor party officials who have forgotten their place.

"We come from a parallel Earth. People from this Earth are opening portals to our home and attacking us. We have come to stop the attacks at the source."

The queen does not appear to be impressed.

"And why have you come into my kingdom?"

"Your kingdom seems to function better than the wastelands we have seen elsewhere. I hope that you will be able to share information with us that would allow us to achieve our objective."

"You expect me to help you prevent demonspawn leaving?" She shakes her head. "Then you have sadly misjudged the situation. I hope that they all leave, so that my world can be free of their influence."

Karl shakes his head. "Removing their ability to bridge the gap between worlds would not be enough. They know we exist, and the knowledge of how to reach us also exists. Unless the threat is destroyed, we cannot know that we are safe."

"But you could buy yourself a great deal of time. If I allied my kingdom with you, I would receive no protection against the wrath of those you fought, while you would be safe upon your own world."

Karl looks down for a moment before giving her his full attention.

"Are you familiar with the concept of karma?"

"Where magic is concerned you may assume that I am familiar with a great many things. If you are about to claim that you have a duty as a hero, that would be dharma. And if you consider your first loyalty to be to a single nation, you would not breach it."

"No. I have a great moral debt to pay. A very large number of people died due to my wilful ignorance. I would rather die than allow something like that to happen again, whether to my people or yours. If you wish to test my resolve with your magic, you may do so."

She raises her right hand and makes a curling motion, keeping it raised as the spell renders its judgement. Kryptonians cannot see the souls of the dead, and it did not occur to me to ask if the souls of the dead of the Second Great War cling to Karl in a literal sense. Whatever she sees, she appears satisfied as she lowers her hand.

"Your other self's possession was the start of it. Do you have a plan to fight someone who can do everything that you can do and more? Who has an army of possessed superhumans under his command?"

"Only the outline of a plan. My world makes little use of magic. The idea of casting a spell to remove a demon is completely foreign to us. But Overgirl had made friends upon another Earth. The people who made-" He takes out his spell eater and holds it up. "-these. They have the knowledge that we need."

I nod. "They also count two angels among their number."

Queen Morgan's eyes narrow with spite. "Angels have proven to be extremely unreliable where he is concerned."

"They have had a number of shocks to their faith lately. It has made them more dependable as allies."

"Ours have been conspicuous by their absence. Do you share your father's guilt?"

"No, she does not."

But I do. Perhaps not to the same degree, but for everything I assumed without giving credence to what he experienced… For every untruth I spoke uncritically. Yes, for those things, the fault is mine.

"Perhaps I do not, but he is my father."

"My son slew his father. But ours is not a usual family." Queen Morgan draws herself up slightly. "That is your plan, then? Confront Superman with the magic of angels and burn the demon magic out of him?"

Karl nods. "Or kill him, if that is necessary. I would understand if he preferred to die, knowing what has been done with his powers."

"Very well, then. I will not give you material aid, but I am content to share information if it is to the end of permanently removing Superman. What do you wish to know?"

"None of the people I have seen here have the demonic presence of those bound to Demon Superman's service. The wide jaw, the fixation on his crest… They do not have it. Who are your people? What makes them immune?"

"These?" Morgan glances at the closest guard. "These are hobgoblins. They are partly of Earth and partially of the Fae. Demon magic does not capture their minds so easily as it does mortal men."

"And your human subjects?"

"They remain either in my realm of Camelot or in shielded fortresses. The greater part of the countryside is overtaken by those devoted to him."

"You are evacuating to Camelot?"

"When possible. There are few stable gateways and fewer magicians of sufficient power to shield them while they move. And my armies are not large enough to defend the entire realm."

"Is it impossible for you to remove the demonic presence from those infected with it?"

"It's impractical. The process requires me to pull a form of magic energy out of someone in an environment that is full of it. It's like bailing out a boat that is already underwater!"

"Do you know who is attacking my world? The Demon Superman… He did not appear to be interested."

"The Marked frequently arrange themselves into cults, led by the most fanatical or the most powerful. Opening a gateway to another world would require them to have maintained their intellect and initiative as well."

I frown. "We met humans unaffected by the demonic taint on Zandia. They claimed-."

"Hah! Yes, that their god protects them. And the Marked say that Superman is a wonderful god as well."

My frown deepens. "I thought they were Christian."

"No, though they do like to maintain the pretence around outsiders. And from what little I've seen of their rituals they like to ape those of Christianity as well. But they worship something far darker and with far more ambition than a demigod who just sits in the middle of a ruined city."

Karl nods. "Who is the leader of the largest group of Marked outside of America? We will deal with them, and perhaps gain useful intelligence."

"That is an easy question to answer. His name is Wolf Krieger."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
19:31 GMT

They rebuilt Pevensey Castle!

I'm not sure if that's the original design or something they innovated, but it's still interesting to see it in one piece. Mr. Swift is still unconscious in a construct bubble, and he's not human enough for me to want to risk a purple healing ray. I'm… Assuming that he can fix himself up once he regains consciousness, though I'm not clear about how he got demonified in the first place. I've been assuming that it's a natural process due to the overwhelming demonic presence, but… Where are all the demons? Why aren't our spell eaters heating up? I don't want to try actually summoning a demon in case that results in them going 'oh! Earth! Right!' and flooding the planet, but I'd still like to know.

Angelika waves as she sees us. Or given that she's half-kryptonian, a good deal closer than that.

"Who is-? The Shade?"

Overman's eyes start glowing faintly, and I can see the mist in the air boil away from the heat.

"You've met your version of The Shade, then?"

He certainly lived through the Second World War, so he might have fought Overman back when he was a teenager.

"Yes. He was an extremely dangerous man, until The Ray finally killed him." His eyes dim a little. "I suppose that if America and Britain had won, he would not have become so murderous. You have good relations with your version of the man?"

"Okay relations. He was a criminal, but he's settled down a lot in the last couple of decades." I frown. "No idea why he'd turn murderous; he's killed before, but he's usually quite discerning."

"And your Uncle Sam?"

Superman smiles. "He mostly works in non-violent conflict resolution, going into communities with high instances of violence and calming things down. I… Assume that yours doesn't do that?"

"He continues a war that has been over for sixty years, usually by targeting civilians whose grandparents fought it. If he focused on me I would understand but America becoming a national socialist nation has broken his mind."

Superman moues, but interesting as this is I need to get us focused.

"A criminal group from our Earth called The Light appear to have been stealing from sites on this world. That would explain how they got hold of Demon Supergirl. They'd just have to attack where she was and have the equipment to neutralise her. The Shade attacked us when we tried to make contact with Atlantis, though… I'm not sure if he was warped by demon magic before we fought him."

Superman frowns, then nods. "It was disturbing, but it wasn't until my sunstone blew up in his face that he started demanding to know where our marks were."

"He will recover?"

"Probably."

Angelika looks down.

"We should get him inside the castle. The queen has put spells on them to protect people from the demon magic, but she told us that unprotected humans turn gradually over time."

I take one of my spell eaters out of one of my armour's pouches and slip it around his neck on a thong.

"Queen?"

"Queen Morgan le Fay."

Superman frowns. "I suppose if the alternative was being overrun by demons, putting her in charge almost makes sense. Did you learn anything about how they're attacking your world?"

"A magician named Wolf Krieger is the most likely culprit." He sees me frowning. "You know him?"

"You don't? He used to work for the national socialists. In our timeline he was the head of the Thule Society."

"Ah." Overman nods. "He was most likely purged in our timeline. Hitler liked to believe that he was rational and not superstitious. Do you know where he is likely to be?"

"He was based out of South America in our timeline, but he moved around a lot…"

Oh. The Spear of Destiny. A connection to the soul of every human on the planet. If he went demon…

"You know something?"

"I suspect something. Our Wolf Krieger had an artefact that could bypass certain restrictions which usually limit magic. He never used it this way, but… It would let him manipulate a large number of magic-influenced people at once." I shake my head. "But that doesn't help us find him."

"What is the artefact?"

"The Spear of Destiny." I generate a construct replica of it. "It's a talisman rather than an actual weapon."

Overman shakes his head. "I do not know it."

"Was there any particular pattern to where the attacks came through on your world?"

"None that we could discern."

"Then… Okay, if we observe their behaviour from orbit and watch for unusual-."

"Peru."

Four sets of eyes focus on Mr. Swift.

"He's in..." His eyes open, and they're human, if a little unfocused. "He's in Peru. Superman has a fortress… There. They go there to worship, and he… Picks them up."

"Are you alright? Is there anything we can do to help you?"

"Get the… Blighter. I can…" He pulls himself up slightly, though he's clearly not in the best shape. "He did something to the Shadowlands. That was.. why… That happened. Drop me off, and let me know when I can start using my powers again. I used to be able to go for days without using them at all, and now I'm itching."

"That's probably the burns."

"Ah." … "Good?"

I lower the bubble construct and deposit him on the ground, then wait to make sure that he can actually move under his own power.

"Did either of you ever build a Fortress in Peru?"

Superman shake his head.

"It does not matter." Overman is looking more confident. "Kryptonian crystal technology has a particular sound to it. When we are closer, I will be able to find it."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Superman clearly doesn't think it is. "Now we know where he is, we can call in reinforcements and take him down at the same time as the Demon version of us."

"We do not need to defeat him and his cultists. But we do need to learn more about him than 'he is somewhere in Peru'. And if it is at all possible to deny him the ability to attack my Earth, then I want to make the attempt."

Superman nods, and the four of us set course for South America.

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
14:57 GMT -5

Overman frowns.

"I do not have one of those."

We're approaching Peru from the south, so as to better avoid the gaze of the Demon Superman. Frankly… Yes, he could hit us from here. He can probably track us by sound even assuming that he doesn't have the ability to extend his awareness using the planet's thaumosphere, which he probably does.

Superman raises his eyebrows.

"You don't? Jor-El included the seed crystal in my pod."

"Mine may have been destroyed during the early attempts by the Reich's scientists to understand Kryptonian technology."

Superman nods. "I could have my Fortress make another one, if you want it."

"In my society, showing clearly my allegiance to an alien culture would not be wise."

"In mine, people keep their traditions of their homelands at the same time as taking on new ones."

Overman gives his head a small shake. "I do not live in yours. And… While I would prefer it if the Reich did things in that manner…" He pauses. "I do not like to speak positively of it, but I have had the opportunity to compare nations similar to yours with my own. There are benefits to uniformity. They are simply not worth the evil we did to gain them."

We can see the South American Fortress from here, and it… Seems to be relatively intact. We're too far away for my rune stone to pick up anything more than the background magic level, but there's something… Odd about the surrounding forest. There are towns in the general vicinity of the Fortress, but I've yet to see anything that shouts 'demonic superhero' or Wolf Krieger himself.

"So I can level the site from here, if that's what we're considering."

Superman shakes his head. "Any of us could do that. But we're trying to save these people."

Overman shrugs. "I would rather not kill them, but until we see a portal of my Earth we do not truly know that this is the true site."

I alter my mouth and eyes to resemble those of the local Marked, including the 'S' tattoo on my forehead.

"I can go and take a closer look. Unless they open the portal in the open we're not going to see it from here."

Angelika looks sceptical. "Do they have an Orange Lantern?"

"How would they know?" I shrug. "I can't make it much more realistic than this. Last time I metabolised demonic magic I.. became someone I didn't like."

Now she's concerned. "What did you do?"

"I broke up with Jade on the grounds that our relationship didn't provide a benefit to me proportional to the time I was investing." I shrug. "She shot me until I got better."

Overman looks me over. "Do you think that you can pretend to be as deranged as they are?"

Superman clears his throat and looks away.

"I'm not going to be completely au fait with the local patois, but I'm confident of my ability to perform reconnaissance."

Overman considers the idea. "What race are the people of Peru on this Earth? Could we all fit in?"

"Everyone speak Spanish?" All three of my companions nod. "Then maybe. I can't reshape your faces, but if you pretend to be cultists, that might work. You'll need to change your clothes, obviously."

Overman nods. "Superman?"

"I'd rather we stay together on a world like this."

"Right then. Dishevelled Peruvian peasant it is."

Take a few pictures from ring records, adjust for size and… And opaque construct modesty screens and change. Lastly, 'S' stickers for their foreheads…

Eh. They're all too good looking and healthy to really sell it, and blonde hair's not exactly common in Peru, but… It should work for a little while.

I generate a construct topographical map, and we all examine it.

"Here." / "Here."

Overman and Superman point to the same position, out of sight of the settlements with enough high ground to cover us as we approach from the air. Angelika nods.

"Should I go somewhere else? We don't know what the relationship between the superhumans and Marked cultists is."

Angelika nods, rolling her eyes. "You want to land in the middle, don't you?"

"Seems quickest. Overman, how much caution did the superhumans who attacked you show?"

"None. The Marked cultists, a little more."

"There we go. If they're all violent Demon Superman-fixated crazies, I should be able to fit right in."

Superman nods. "We'll come in low, but we'll be listening for your voice. You can assume that we'll hear everything you say."

I flash him a slasher-smile and a mock-salute and then rocket away. I see them drop down to start their approach, then flare my corona into a burning orange fireball. I don't know if drawing attention to myself will actually achieve anything here, but I don't see how it can hurt.

Let's see… How was their voice altered?

"I bear the-." Hm. "I bear the mark. Tell me his commands!"

Yes, that'll do it. Right, no sense mucking about. I'll head right for the Fortress at maximum flight speed. It'll attract attention, if nothing else.

Alert! Will detected!

I frown as a green glow rises from the Fortress. A Lantern? That might explain why the Corps were so concerned, but assuming they remote destructed the ring's AI they shouldn't have to worry about them getting off the planet. The figure heads my way and I… Don't recognise them. They have the signature wide mouth and a green-burning 'S' on their forehead, but I have no idea of their character.

I don't alter course and react to them coming my way at all, even as they fly towards me. Looks like he's slower than me.

"Who are you? Why are you-"

I fly past him, and he reverses direction to keep up with me. His legs… Huh. They're actually constructs. Curious.

"-here?"

"I hear his commands and I obey! There is no other purpose!"

He gives me a too-broad smile. "Excellent! We are all his dutiful servants. I will guide you to his prophet, who will lead us to spread his word!"

I grin back. "Take me there!"

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
15:03 GMT -5

Okay, that's… Beatriz, that's…

Um.

Okay, I've got no idea who that is. But this is quite a lot of superpeople that I'm having to grin insanely-

"Do you hear the voices too?"

-at.

"Clearer than ever!"

I think I've made a friend.

Regular cultists move with purpose through the Fortress, but like Overman said they're not interacting directly with the superhumans. Other than my escort, they're just sort of… Hanging around. I'd guess that listlessness is a consequence of the control spell Wolf Krieger is using because I've never known people under the influence of demon magic to be anything but effusive.

"Who is his prophet?"

"His prophet is his prophet. We will be the heralds announcing his glory to a new world."

Sounds like I'm in the right place. I'd guess that his extraordinary mental focus is the reason that he's still moving about rather than just barely responding to external stimuli like the rest.

"He has ordered this?"

"His prophet has ordained this."

But does the Demon care or not? Yes, a highly tainted person might enjoy listening to the screams of a slowly dying world, but he's not going to want to do that forever. Demons can be very short sighted, but it's not a class-defining trait. Demons can plan. Does he care about this one? Did he actually give Wolf orders?

We pass through an archway into a large internal space.

Will he actually…

"Great prophet! It is as you foresaw!"

Wolf Krieger isn't in his customary Thule Society robes. Or in any sort of disguise. Rather, he's wearing a robe of blue and red with a prominent yellow 'S' on the back, front and shoulders. Same face I remember, plus the Glasgow grin and mildly glowing eyes. The Spear of Destiny has been stabbed into a crystal monolith and Wolf himself is grinning extra wide as he stares at me.

"Orange? Well, it hardly matters. Come here, my good man."

I walk forward, making a show of being unconcerned by my environment but curious about what's going on. I'm not… Familiar with cutting edge Kryptonian technology. I know what their military was like before they went into isolation, and I know what the mid-to-high tech part of their civilian society looked like, but…

That looks like it could be a teleportation gateway. Possibly. Kryptonian crystal technology was fairly unique, but there are other societies that found other paths to the same ends. Kryptonians weren't big on teleportation but I've seen this general design before. I don't think I can risk scanning it without tipping Wolf off, but I'm going to keep a little distance between myself and it.

"You are his prophet?"

"What else could I be? I spent my life searching for the ultimate strength, only to have it revealed to me at my life's end. But before the end I will open the way, that ALL may know his might."

Okay, he's definitely responsible. I could probably kill him now. Except that he'd go to Hell, and he might come right back. I don't have a handy focus of thematically appropriate magic to use his own weapon against him this time. No one who can work out what magics he's using and unbind them, and I can't rely on my ability to burn it out. It's not like turning him back into a Thule Society Nazi would be an improvement over him being a demon cult leader.

And then there are his followers. What will they do if unconfined? I think I should try to keep him talking.

"What do you mean?"

"One of the technologies he had here was a planar portal. I have located a world with no magical defences and sent through those who know of his majesty and are marked by him. With every mote of mana and every drop of blood they carry his presence with them. Soon, soon the connection will be strong enough to open a portal permanently. His loyal slaves will flood through and brand their world with his sigil. Then, he will grant me the privilege of consecrating his conquest with my death."

Consecration by death, yes, avoid killing him for now.

"How can I serve him? Tell me how I can serve him!"

"Advanced parties are already moving amongst their populations, spreading his word and shedding blood in his name."

Overman's people didn't get them all. They presented an obvious threat so that the more subtle team members would be ignored, while… What, moving to places of magical significance? Overman said that arcane science was underdeveloped on his Earth. Would they even know where to protect?

"You will go through with the next group. Engage their champions so that his hidden followers may complete their work."

"Will he not want to face them himself?"

"If he does, you may fall back once the way is secure."

Right, because the superhumans didn't show anything in the way of self-preservation. 'I' wouldn't be asking 'what if he decides to kill me for my impudence' because 'I' would be fine with that. I'd be asking 'how can I minimise the offence caused to him while maximising my service to him'.

"When will the way be open?"

"I was waiting until we had gathered more strength. But with you here..."

He pulls the spear free, and green bonds snap into place around me!

"Did you think we could not tell one who was bound to him from one who is not?"

I shift my face back, strands of orange light working their way through my bonds until they collapse.

"For a minute there?"

Railgun construct load crumbler rounds fire fire at the green light user!

"B-h!"

Grab his body as Wolf throws lightning at me shield thrust the body at the arch and tear so that the blood soaks it!

Wolf gestures and-

Warning! Spell eater overheating!

-he's doing something as the portal flickers into life as the result of the blood sacrifice. I can detect motion in the corridors as superhumans rush towards us, their passivity instantly removed as a threat appears.

I need to go.

"Superman." I fly at the portal. "Target located."

"Kill him!"

And I'm through.

 

[Mr Zoat]

21st May 2013
21:43 MTZ

The tiny human female groans quietly, her eyes adjusting to the dim light of-. Wait, her hands aren't bound. She was in Knock Out's trunk, then-.

Next to her, her overweight companion rubs his head as he sits up.

"What just happened?"

"I did."

She looks-. She looks up at the twenty foot tall purple robot-. A new Autobot-? No, she thinks as she sees the dark-purple-and-silver face on her wings. Decepticon.

Her companion glowers. "What, did you and Knock Out have a fight over who gets to hand us over to Megatron?"

"Heh. I don't work for Megatron. We're freelance peacekeeping agents. If your government will pay for our work, they can have you right back."

"'Freelance-?" He scowls. "You're a mercenary."

She makes a dismissive motion with her right hand. "Football, soccer."

"And who's 'we'?"

"Down here."

They both look down, spotting the purple jumpsuit-wearing human standing next to her left leg. He waves.

"I'll get in touch with General Bryce. You're worth a few tanks of energon, aren't you, Agent Fowler?"

The man frowns. "The United States government does not negotiate with terrorists."

"Yes you do? And you certainly pay private security operatives. We did rescue you from Knock Out. What do you think, a couple of barrels for you and Nurse Darby?"

"The United States government has no knowledge of any 'energon'."

The robot smiles. "We'll see. I suspect that your General will be quite interested in Cybertronian technology he can just buy."

Agent Fowler hesitates. While the Autobots kept up their end of the agreements regarding technology trades, they weren't exactly open-handed, and… Well, the US army was usually happy to buy any advantage it could. There were plenty of people in government and the top brass who would find a simple monetary transaction for an immediate payoff preferable to the slow drip Prime's team gave them, regardless of prior agreements.

The human man notices his hesitancy and smiles. "I'll go and get in touch now. Keep an eye on them, Slipstream."

The human man turns away, giving them both a quick glance at the cybernetic implants sticking out of the back of his neck. As he walks behind Slipstream to head towards the door he reaches up and-.

And slaps her on the as-. Aft as he goes.

Both remaining humans blink in surprise, while Slipstream just glances back with an amused expression on her face. "Do that again and I might just slap you back, partner."

A moment later the room's door slams shut behind him, and she goes back to watching their 'guests'.

"He said it was something humans do as a sign of physical attraction." Slipstream leans in closer, left eye narrowing. "Unless he was making that up. Was he making that up? Because if he was, then he's sleeping outside my cockpit tonight."

Nurse Darby and Agent Fowler glance at each other.

"No." The nurse decides to field that question, fearing all too much that a question that she'd carefully been avoiding asking her son and his 'partner' was about to make itself heard. "No, it-. Certainly can be. I'm.. just a little surprised."

Slipsteam straightens up slightly. "Why?"

Agent Fowler raises his hands. "Oh, we're not trying to imply that you're not an attractive.. giant.. robot.. woman..?"

Nurse Darby shoots him an incredulous look, and he shrugs helplessly.

"I'm not a woman."

"And there's nothing wrong with that. But you're still.. gi-"

Nurse Darby elbows him.

"-ant-?"

Slipsteam stares at him for a few moments, trying to work out how to bridge the obvious gulf in comprehension. Then she puts her left hand on her hip and points at Nurse Darby with her right forefinger.

"You're a female human, right? You have an internal factory unit for making smaller copies of yourself?"

"That's… Not exactly how it works."

Her finger move to Agent Fowler.

"And you're a male? You have a bio-data exchange injector?"

"Ah…"

Slipstream smiles. "Don't worry, I've seen them before."

"In… That case, yes."

"Why did you assume that I'm female?"

"Well…" Agent Fowler glances at Nurse Darby for help, but she's content to let him take the lead. "Your build, your voice, some parts of how you behave..."

"I have almost exactly the same build as Starscream." She frowns for a moment. "At least, the build he had last time I saw him. It's been a while." She shrugs. "We're both light frame aerial models. Seekers. I don't have any sort of internal fabricator. Very few Cybertronians do, because we don't make more of ourselves like that. My voice? I changed my default voice-" An unpleasant, screeching, grating and far lower pitched voice issues from her mouth. "-a long time ago because I wanted something unique, and I never had any reason to change it again. It's just a setting in my vocal processor; it doesn't signify anything."

Nurse Darby looks slightly interested. "Then how do you reproduce?"

"I was built on a production line during the Quintesson occupation of Cybertron. Other than when my spark case was brought online the entire process was automated. There might be other ways; they didn't bother telling slave soldiers anything they didn't need to know."

Agent Fowler's eyebrows shoot up. "You're a slave?"

"I was a slave. Most Decepticons were. That was why the uprising happened." She frowns. "Didn't Prime explain that to you?"

"The Decepticons… Were slaves-? Of the Autobots?"

"Mostly." Slipstream waves her right hand nonchalantly. "Not all Autobots owned slaves, but most of the old High Council did. And not all Decepticons were slaves. Megatron earned his freedom in the gladiator pits and I think Starscream ruled a city or something?"

"But you were a slave."

She nods.

"In Kaon, which was the first city Megatron liberated. And fighting as a Decepticon was better than being a slave. The food was much better, and we got some time to ourselves. But as the war ground Cybertron to scrap, I kind of lost my enthusiasm. Paul says that when I was freed I just traded one person giving me orders for another, and I think he's on to something. I need to be more selfish, you know? Finally find out how I want to live. Which is why I'm trading you back to your own people, rather than giving you to Megatron."

Agent Fowler clearly needs a moment to process that, so Nurse Darby decides that now is as good a time to ask as any.

"This… Paul. He's your partner?"

"That's right."

"Do you mean… Romantic partner?"

"That's not exactly how it works. I told you: we don't reproduce like you do. I'm not looking for someone to provide half the schematics for my 'minicons'. We don't have the family structures that you do, because we don't need to arrange everything around propagating ourselves and guarding our mini-mes."

"So he's a work partner?"

"Yes, but that means more than you think it does. We don't have 'parents' or 'children'. Our strongest emotional relationships are usually with the people we work with. A Team might work together for hundreds or thousands of Earth years, and get so used to each other that they can't imagine being apart. It's not really a romantic relationship in the way organics have them, but I suppose it's the nearest equivalent."

"What happened to your team?"

"The last of my team died in the war, and…" She pulls back slightly. "Paul is… There."

Fowler shakes his head to clear his daze. "How does that work? I mean… Physically."

Slipstream shrugs. "He has a cybernetic implant that makes it possible for us to engage in binary bonding."

"'Bonding' as in..?"

"We meld into one. Not like humans would; I don't have the components. And since we don't reproduce like that it probably doesn't have the same mental relevance to me. But it's extremely intimate and…" She smiles lasciviously. "Quite a lot of fun."

Nurse Darby shakes her head. "But if you don't have the comp-. The right parts, how does it-?"

"I can adapt to an entirely new body form in a few seconds just by scanning a vehicle. I switch from the mental patterns needed to control my robot form to the ones needed to control my aero fighter mode in less than a second. Adapting my cognition processors to stimuli that I couldn't normally experience isn't much harder. And it's a real rush." Her eyes narrow. "Why are you so interested? Do you have an eye on someone?"

"No! No. But my son insists that he's Arcee's partner-."

Slipstream's eyes light up.

"Does he want the cyber surgery? I can give him a discount. Since we're friends."

"No he does not want cyber surgery. He's sixteen!"

Agent Fowler looks at her sceptically. "When I was sixteen, if I'd had an opportunity to get it on with a hot alien woman who was also a cool motorbike, I'd-."

"Thank you Agent Fowler." Nurse Darby takes a moment to calm herself. "At least that explains why Arcee was so reluctant to call him her partner. Is that..? Sort of thing common where you're from?"

"On Cybertron? A planet with no organic life? No."

"But when you meet other species. Does it happen a lot?"

Slipstream smile becomes more cruel.

"Bulkhead's on Prime's team, isn't he? Why don't you ask him about his old team mate Seaspray? I'm sure he could explain how it works."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
15:07 GMT -5

A shocked face looks up from where its owner is prostrate on the floor, his Superman-themed robes matching those worn by Wolf Krieger on the other side. There are other cultists.. around, but none of them appear to be participating in the ritual.

"Is something-?"

Killing the ritualist has a chance of keeping the portal open and I need it closed now. Sander constructs slash out, scouring the blood-daubed walls free of runic inscriptions as I fire a pulse of orange light at the open portal itself.

There's a… Smell of sulphur and a momentary sensation of pulling, pulling at my internal organs… And then it's gone, and the room is just a room.

"Heretic!"

The ritualist leaps to his feet, his youth making him look a little ridiculous even as his hands glow a sort of purple-red.

"Blasphemer! I will cast-."

A pithing needle construct hits him in the back of the neck, causing his body to jerk and the glow around his hands to fade. Wasn't completely sure that would work as magic is the province of the soul, but I assume that what he does has somatic elements.

Okay, got a bit more time. Ring?

Standing by.

Drain magic.

Orange light flashes in his eyes and flickers around his skin. There's no further source of demonic-

A hail of bullets rattle off my environmental shield, prompting me to erect construct shields around the two of us.

-power other than in this parallel, where it should be a little less freely available. I'm not seeing any runes or sacrificial areas that could be used to open up a portal to the local Hell, and from what Wolf was saying that would be contrary to their intent anyway.

Ring, any trouble digesting the demonic magic?

Energy conversion efficiency low. Process in progress.

I suppose that's the most I can ask for. The cultists attempt another volley, but give up when it clearly doesn't work. They then make way for another of their number carrying an oxyacetylene torch. Which won't work, but I'm mildly impressed by how rational a move it is.

Ring, can we fix his face?

Confirmed. Reconstruction in progress.

Good, and-. Really? Ugh, remove the brands as well.

Compliance.

The torch flares into life as I feel the last of the demonic magic drain from whoever this is. I take one of Wallace's healing potions out of subspace… Yes, looks to be in reasonable condition. I pour it down the boy's throat. That much demonic magic isn't good for a person, but I need to know if it's a survivable experience with moderate intervention. With the potion bottle empty I remove the pithing needle and let him collapse into a construct stretcher.

Nazi Earth. Who do I know here who's even remotely someone I want as my first point of contact? With Overman gone, none of the other Reichmen really struck me as reasonable people. But Angelika spent more of her time with her own team, and…

Well, she's not an objective judge of character, but she talked about them more and I'm confident that I could more easily convince them that I do actually know her. So her team are a better choice, and once I've talked them around I can get them to talk to the Reichsmen. I know what Baroness Reiter's favourite food is. What her favourite film is. About that time Otto Arnold started trying to come up with an actual catchphrase for himself.

I don't know their phone numbers or anything like that, but Axis Germania operate out of Wewelsburg so finding them will be pretty easy once I get out of here.

I extend orange filaments and send the oxyacetylene torch into subspace before shock crowning the cultists.

Okay, the local police are likely to be national socialists and know nothing about magic. There's very little chance that they'll accept what I say about mind control magic… Darn it. I'm going to have to imprison them here -wherever here is- and hope I can talk them into sparing the cultists.

"Sorry about this."

Now, chaining people to walls in certain positions can be quite dangerous due to how the human circulatory system works. But I can't risk them killing themselves while I'm away. Alright, manacles around the wrists, with short chains linking them to the bricks in the walls. The chains are long enough to let them sit or stand, but not long enough to reach another cultist. Then I rifle through their robes for anything that could be used as a weapon. Knives, pistols and a few assault rifles vanish into subspace. Ah, manacles for the legs as well, and I think we're done.

Exit is this way, and I'll take summoner boy with me. Scans don't show any other cultists on-site, and it didn't look like any of the other cultists were magic users.

Al… Right, looks like we're in a.. sub-cellar, and… Up the ladder, I'm into the main cellar. Large barrels of wine stand fermenting in rows all around me, the smell of wine permeating the air. There's light through barred windows high up on one wall, but otherwise the place is in the dark. Looks like that barrel is in position to be moved over the hatch. That would stand up to a casual inspection…

But there's no magic detection on this planet. There's nothing in particular to draw attention to here, so a quick search is probably all that they would have to deal with.

There are a pair of wooden doors over there, so I unlock them with a construct key and pull them open. Ah, good, a goods lift to the surface. I fly up the shaft with my cargo, emerging into the open air. Looks like a… Medium sized town in a fairly rural area.

Ring, where are we?

Western Russia.

Not in this universe.

It seems like mid-morning here. Not all that many people around, though I see a few spot me and stare for a few moments before returning to what they were doing. No real alarm. Curiosity. Curious.

Fear there, but-. The man with her points to the stretcher. Right, it's clearly medical, so I'm helping someone.

Ring, plot course to Wewelsburg.

Compliance.

I should probably call ahead a little, but right now I want to fly up out of sight of the ground. Kryptonian aerospace sensors were good, but even assuming that they've implemented a full network I can turn it aside. Once I'm high enough I accelerate, heading into Germany-proper. That could get me in trouble, but even if Germany is the most secure part of the world, they're still using Kryptonian technology. It's nothing I haven't seen bef-.

I'm knocked back as a yellow blur slams into me, environmental shield briefly flaring as I take a… Low to mid power super strength hit. The figure remains a blur, well below Flash speed but fast enough that I'm struggling to track them by eye.

"Baroness, I-."

"I don't care how much Overman likes you, you do not have permission to have that ring, much less fly here."

She's got the sense not to stop moving as I generate construct armour.

"Looks like you will be going back to Leatherwing. So sad. Your column was doing so well."

"This is going to be tiresome."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
Probably
Pass

"Baroness, I-."

She appears, pink light glowing around her eyes for an instant before the beam blasts out and strikes my construct armour on the left vambrace. My construct armour holds it off easily enough, then the beam vanishes as she evades again. Ah, I see. She knows my alternate here, and was assuming that she could take off my hand and disable me.

"Parallel universe. Angelika ended up on-"

She slows again, and I generate a construct shield as she puts a little more effort into it. Same target, and… Whatever psycho-energy is, it doesn't appear to be particularly good at penetrating constructs. Fortunately, it's not being deflected, because this region isn't that sparsely inhabited and that beam would easily punch through a brick building, let alone a normal person.

Given the all-around upgrades it appears to give the Reiters, I want to see if I can get a sample.

"-our Earth when she tried to save that train?"

The beam cuts off and she doesn't attempt to evade again. Instead she watches me with her arms folded across her chest.

"What happened to Angelika is common knowledge."

Hm. I can see the Kryptonian influences in the structure of her armour, though obviously she isn't using the sort of solar energy storing system they usually did. The design covers everything… Ah, she can manifest psycho-energy in front of her eyes, not literally inside them! So she can wear a solid visor and still use it.

"And you don't have any way to test whether I'm from a parallel universe or not."

"Not anywhere I am willing to take you."

"But… You have a radio in that armour, don't you? You can confirm the location of the version of me on this parallel?"

"No."

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that the National Socialists don't have a police state?"

"That doesn't mean we keep eyes on a single journalist all of the time."

I shake my head.

"Standards have fallen."

"It's nice that you agree with Leatherwing about something. Perhaps after a few years, he will only break one bone each day."

"Ah, well she told me plenty of things about her colleagues, but I imagine that you'd just think I was spying. She used to be really insecure about her infertility and the fact that she was only half as powerful as Karl, who came through earlier today-."

"He went-! What was he thinking!?"

"I could tell you, but I'm worried that it's a state secret. I wouldn't want to get you into trouble. But from the sound of it, leaping through portals to help people on parallel worlds is something he does quite-."

"Silence!"

Because the knowledge that their superman sometimes just leaves the planet for extended periods probably isn't something they want passed around.

"So..?"

"I'm confirming."

"Please tell me that Leatherwing's not in command in his absence."

"That doesn't concern you."

"Do portals to parallel universes made by demon cultists concern you? Because that's where I found this chap."

"Are you trying to die?"

"Were you trying to kill me?"

"That-."

She's silent for a few moments.

"Does your ring have long range communication abilities?"

"Yes."

"The Bat wishes to speak with you."

Ring… Ah. I see his desires, and as I make a little effort to correct for Kryptonian stealth techniques I see… I'm going to say 'Owlwing'? A highly advanced aircraft. It's moving fast but keeping its distance, and… As far as I can see, its weapons aren't deployed.

"Ring, open channel."

"Hello Orange Lantern!"

"Hello The Bat."

"Not going to use my name? Angelika knows my name."

"I know your name, but I assume that it's supposed to be secret or you wouldn't be The Bat."

"No, I keep my name The Bat to annoy Leatherwing. Last year, he wrote 'please die soon' on my birthday card."

"Ah. Okay. Isn't that really inappropriate?"

"Not as inappropriate as being on active service at my age. So, what's this about cultists?"

"There's a parallel universe where their version of Overman got possessed by a demon. He wrecked their civilisation and now the survivors live in self-sufficient enclaves or openly worship him. A wizard named Wolf Krieger has been opening portals to this parallel to spread the worship of his master, and according to him the ones you've caught so far are a distraction."

"Yes, I knew that."

"You knew that?"

Sounds like the Lady Baroness wasn't in the loop.

"What, you thought insane cultists who could only charge at visible enemies were intelligent enough to open gateways between parallel universes, but at the same time weren't intelligent enough to understand strategy? Of course there was a greater aim. But Wolf Krieger? The Thulist?"

"Their history is a little different. He called their Overman his Fuhrer now."

"And are you from there?"

"No. Some criminals on my parallel are trying to loot the place while everyone is distracted. I came across their Overgirl while attacking one of their warehouses. Overgirl, Overman and our Overman are currently staking out the Kryptonian fortress which he's working from, but that still leaves all of the cultists already over here. I came through to warn you."

"And your friend, there?"

"He was one of their superpowered cultists. What I did to him should have cleansed him, but I can't swear to it."

"Hm. Yes, that checks out."

"What?"

"Come to Wewelsburg and we'll do a full debrief."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
21:29 GMT +1

I visited Wewelsburg 16 with Angelika, after she got over her initial shock. The core building is definitely recognisable as being the same, but beyond that…

It's a military base. I can see the force field generators, though they're of the type that need to be raised and lowered. I can see bunkers with anti-infantry, anti-tank and anti-air guns. I can see the expanded barracks and civil accommodation for all of the people needed in order to keep Greater Germany's superhuman defenders informed and equipped.

Can't see the League getting away with putting something like this in Washington DC.

The Bat moves the owlwing into position to land on the landing pad, and I see the man inside look up towards me.

"Impressed?"

"It certainly makes an impact, but… Honestly? I'm a man of extremes. The fortress-builder in me doesn't like the stone castle, while the classicist doesn't like the military base carbuncle built onto the classical castle. It's got two jobs and doesn't do either as well as it could."

"What do you have?"

"Me personally? An upgraded Cluster trade post in Bir Tawil, and a secure apartment in Gotham City. I used to have a flying fortress armed with freeze rays, but some angels destroyed it and it wasn't efficient enough for me to want to rebuild it."

"What about your team?"

"Depends which team you're referring to. The Justice League has a big classical building in the middle of Washington DC, the last team I was actually a member of has a fortified mountain base and the Orange Lantern Corps' command centre is a sentient starship yard with a power ring."

"One which actually looks nice-" He climbs a little awkwardly out of the cockpit and walks into an open part of the landing pad. "-and two that are actually functional. Are the Justice League your world's paragons?"

"They are generally regarded as our greatest superheroes."

"Carefully phrased, there."

Ring, what language is he speaking?

English.

I've gotten used to Angelika speaking English, and there are… Certain turns of phrase she avoids due to them not making sense in German. 'Apostrophe there' is something she wouldn't say. Of course, if he actually is the same The Bat as Nazi Germany had in my timeline then he was infiltrating America in the late thirties as a child with his father, so he's had plenty of time to absorb the language.

"We have certain philosophical disagreements. I can command a fleet of warships." I land next to him, the ritualist's stretcher coming in alongside me. "It would be nice to be able to justify focusing on something as small as a planet."

The Bat pulls off his helmet, and… He looks healthy for an eighty year old. He retains the blue and grey colour scheme I remember from Alan's archival descriptions, as well as the crescent moon logo. Most of his hair has gone white and it's much thinner than it was back then, but his gaze is sharp and his skin is…

His skin is surprisingly good. Ring-?

Kryptonian cloning technology. That skin is cloned. They'd have to have flayed him and stuck it on. Kryptonians used to do that for all their body tissues, but if his hair looks like that… Do they not have the ability, or is it a matter of personal choice?

I dismiss my construct armour, earning a small nod of appreciation.

"Will the Baroness be joining us?"

"No, she's on active duty. With the attacks we have been having, people need to see us on the job."

"Fair enough."

He leads the way inside the castle, which… I didn't want to use this comparison, but I'm getting strong Castle Wolfenstein vibes. Paintings of notable Nazis and scenes from history decorate the walls, busts and sculptures in the classical style decorate wooden hall tables or stand freely on the floor.

"What happened to me in your universe? I assume that I existed."

"You were killed in a fight with Fury in nineteen forty three."

He stops for a moment. "Forty th-?"

A small shake of the head and he resumes his walk. Helena considered killing The Bat to be the most shameful thing she ever did. It made her flat out hate the furies who empowered her. She never succumbed to the berserk rage after that, even if that meant that she couldn't use her powers at full force.

"Angelika told me that you don't employ wizards."

"No."

"That's going to make this difficult."

"Why can't we use the one you captured?"

"We might be able to, but we don't know if he's going to remember how to do it. Or if he's ever going to wake up."

"We have excellent physicians here."

"Are any of them magicians?"

He stops and gives me a serious look.

"Are you certain that we need one?"

"Technically, no, but it's going to be easier to backtrack their spell to reach their home parallel than to find it using the sort of technology that needed a Kryptonian in order to avoid killing whoever used it."

"It's being refined."

"So the choice is whether or not you think you've got the time."

"Two Overmen, plus Overgirl?" He chuckles. "I suspect that we're just opening the portal to give them a way home."

"If it were just Wolf Krieger and his followers, I would agree with you. The problem is that the possessed Overman is a lot stronger than both of them, and that neither like the idea of killing nearly all of the people on that planet to prevent future incursions."

"Overman will do what he needs to."

"Superman would leave it as a last resort. Which means that Overman will as well."

He glances back at me with narrowed eyes.

"Speak only through flowers."

Surprised it took this long.

"Understood. In other news, Angelika is in good health."

"Should we expect her to want to return?"

"Depends on whether she'll need to be hospitalised to use the portal." I frown. "I know the Thulists were cast out, but are you sure you don't have a few minor magicians around-."

"No."

"Ah."

"The only place we might be able to procure one would be Africa, and that would be… Awkward." He pushes open a door and we walk into a well equipped medical bay. "Let's see if we can heal this young man before we discuss extreme measures."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
21:37 GMT +1

Coming in blind, I wouldn't have expected national socialists to have embraced an alien technology so thoroughly. I can't really think of a way to voice that question in a non-confrontational way though, so I'll save it for now. Of course, the phrenology callipers are perfectly in line with national socialist thought and I'm pretty sure that they took a blood sample to check his genetic background.

Other than that, the medical team checking over the ritualist appear perfectly competent. The technology they're using is Krypton-inspired, but human designed and built. Nothing I couldn't do with a power ring, but I imagine that they trust their instruments more than mine.

The physician studying his face looks my way.

"The skin of the cheeks is new?"

"Part of what happens when they're affected by the demonic magic is that they get a Glasgow grin." I reach up to my own right cheek with my right hand, tracing a line along my own cheek. "I felt it would be detrimental to his recovery to leave it in place."

"I would have preferred an unaltered specimen."

"There's a planet containing hundreds of people with similar alterations. We need this one to be able to open the portal."

"He hardly needs his cheeks for that. I assume that's how he got here in the first place?"

I turn to The Bat.

"I assume that the Reich has dispensed with the Hippocratic Oath?"

"The version used may not be what you are familiar with. Doctor, the status of the patient?"

"We haven't finished the full genetic workup-."

"Just.. what you have."

"The subject is in reasonable general health. I would usually say that for a youth of his age his physiology is underdeveloped, but since I do not know his background-."

"Please, Doctor."

"He's short, his muscles are not developed for strength and he's underfed. Left arm was broken in two places but has almost fully healed. Initial blood results show… No disease, and perhaps a heightened stress level. That might explain some of the other abnormalities. Brain development appears normal, though the patterns of activity are similar to those of coma patients."

"I don't suppose that you have any magic scanners, do you?"

"Magic is a tool for primitive peoples who lack the wit for technology. It is not a tool for a proper Aryan."

Ah.

I generate an opaque shield around myself and The Bat.

"You're going to need to explain that one to me, because it sounds like it might become relevant."

"When Karl Kant's capsule first arrived, the Führer determined that he was an Aryan of a more advanced sort sent back in time from national socialists in the distant future."

"What?"

"You think that makes less sense than a perfectly human-seeming alien?"

"I don't see why he would have felt the need to weigh in at all. The origin isn't a point of ide… Ol… Ogy."

Except that was a febrile time. If he could make immediate political capital out of it, he would. It's not as if Nazi biological pseudoscience made any sense anyway.

"Yes. We know better now, but the policy was established. The technology we had been given was a pure Aryan technology from the pure Aryan future, so that was the only avenue we would follow. Everything else was for the subhumans. There's some leeway, but magic is officially banned."

"Would you mind if I quote you on that?"

"No? It is public knowledge?" He looks puzzled. "In what context would I be quoted?"

"If anyone asked me about banning magic again, you would be quoted as a leading national socialist superhero. It could help me convince a lot of people."

"Then by all means."

"But now people know that he's an alien..?"

"Some people are more ideological than is… Sensible. Claims have been made that Krypton is a world that will be colonised by Aryans in the future, rather than an alien world."

"So magic is abhorrent."

"If it were essential, we might be able to get some tribal shaman from one of the African subhuman reservations. It would be better not to. And in any case, if they had the power to travel to alternate worlds then they wouldn't still be here."

"Kryptonians didn't study parallel universe travel. You're having to innovate after being led by the hand for seventy years. How lucky do you feel?"

"Is magic a proper Aryan field of study on your home Earth?"

"It's becoming increasingly mainstream, both because of the utility and because we keep getting attacked by magic users. The concept of 'Aryanness' isn't relevant to us."

"I see." He nods at the barrier, and I drop it. "Sorry, Doctor, we needed a private conversation. You were saying?"

"A coma. Obviously I don't know anything about magic, but great strides have been made in the field of psychopharmacology in recent years. I'm confident that we can rouse him."

"Good. Then please, cont-."

"Wait. What exactly are you planning on injecting him with?"

"Are you a physician?"

"What approximately are you planning on injecting him with?"

"Various psychoactive substances, neurotransmitters-."

"Side effects."

"Does potential long term harm really matter in this instance? He's a degenerate and almost certainly a subhuman."

"It matters because we need him coherent. Just being conscious isn't enough if you mess up his memory or hand eye coordination."

The doctor looks to The Bat for instruction.

"He has a point, Doctor. I know little more about magic than you do, while he is better informed."

The doctor disgruntledly acquiesces.

"I suppose we can baby him, if you insist. But that will almost certainly delay him regaining consciousness."

The Bat nods. "We will manage. I-."

A low, warbling alarm sounds throughout the castle, causing The Bat to march over to a wall-mounted communications device. He presses a button, then grimaces before turning to me.

"It seems that the demons are not taking this lying down. Will you accompany us as we discipline them?"

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
13:38 GMT -7

Rainbow Dash flaps lazily, holding herself in the air roughly level with my head as she looks me over.

"So that's what you really look like, huh?"

I shrug. "Define 'really'."

"You know, when the mirror doesn't change you into a pony."

"It's my current default, yes, but this isn't the first shape that I've had, and it may well not be the last." I shoulder aside-.

I stop and remind myself who I am.

I reach out with both arms, grip the trunk of the tree that is standing between me and the Castle, and heave. Despite my strength this is harder than you might think, as my grip strength tends to make trees shatter or strips the bark from the trunk. But with a little help…

There's a burst of flying soil, then the tree and most of its roots pull free from the ground.

Miss Dash backs off slightly. "Whow."

I toss the tree away from us, deeper into the woodland. "So the trees in the Everfree Forest actually move?"

"Ah… I dunno. Sometimes I think they do, but that might just be because they all look the same."

"Because that wasn't there when I made this path." I look back the way we came. I left most of it as-is because I wanted the restoration of the Castle to be a surprise for Luna, but if the path I made through the forest is going to close up that quickly then I'm bricking the darn place over and getting Sunset to put wards on the path.

"It's the Everfree. If you don't want weird stuff to happen, you're in the wrong place dude."

"Your definition of 'weird' and mine are very different." Nodding in satisfaction, I walk the rest of the way up the hill and stop at the gorge acting as the Castle's moat.

"Yeah." Dash frowns. "I don't get how your whole world has wild weather."

"Nearly all of your whole world has wild weather. And as Equestria industrialises, your job will get more difficult."

"It will?" She thinks for a moment. "Right, because of the chimneys. Stuff gets burned and creates heat, and all the smoke in the air messes with the air temperature and humidity. Took me a while to work out where the weird line of wrong temperature air was coming from when the railway reached Ponyville."

"Not just that. As more ground gets paved, it stops absorbing water. Which causes run off rates to accelerate, causing brief but sudden swelling in the streams and rivers."

Miss Dash frowns. "Aw, man! Ponies are gunna get even more fussy about the rain schedule! Totally uncool."

"You could hire diamond dogs to dig storm drains. The land here is vertiginous enough that you could manage it without pumps."

"That's even worse. Ponyville's all zoned as agricultural land! You got any idea how much paperwork I'll need to fill in if the water table changes?"

"No. As you said, my world has wild weather. How much is it?"

"I don't even know!" She throws up her forehooves. "Lots, probably. And whoever's Ponyville's Weather Manager is gunna have to work out how all that extra surface water affects air humidity, and then work their feathers off shifting it all. But that's not gunna happen for a while, right?"

"Luna and I were talking about shifting the main railway hub from Canterlot to Ponyville. The lines are already heading this way, but we'll need to build another big train yard, and then… Things will probably accelerate."

"Bottom line it for me. How long 'till things start getting all screwy?"

"Couple of years for the trains? Then it depends on how fast other things build up."

"Okay. Guess I'll just have to make sure I'm in the Wonderbolts by then." She flies a little way ahead. "So are you actually going to go down there?"

"I'm a little.. nervous about it. I'm not used to trees having the capacity for judgement, and the power to follow through."

She rolls her eyes. "It's fine. Is that why you never went down there when you were rebuilding the Castle?"

"I didn't do much of the rebuilding personally. And I know to leave powerful magic artefacts alone when I don't know how they work."

I follow her down the steps. The genomorphs enlarged the steps into something an alicorn could walk down and added a handrail-. Ah, guard rail, so it's a little safer now than when Pinkie Pie first fell down it. Miss Dash hovers over the path, though I'm not sure if that's just to be sociable or because the air currents make it awkward to fly directly.

"So how come you're coming here?"

I tap Mother Box.

"I believe that Sunset is correct about the nature of Wilson's magic. But what I don't think she's fully appreciated is that magic isn't a passive thing. Existing focuses of magic may well act against someone trying to change things. I need to know where the Tree stands."

"What if it doesn't like you?"

"That's why I'm in bipedal shape. If it lashes out, I can duck behind you."

"Hey!"

"What? It likes you. Maybe it'll give you rainbow power again. Then you'll be rainbow Rainbow Dash."

"Nah, that was just for fighting Tirek. All the magic went into building Twilight's castle."

"Huh. That sucks. You given any thought to becoming an alicorn?"

She screws up her face. "Kinda? I mean, it's pretty cool, but I wouldn't fit in with the other Wonderbolts. And Twilight's started growing again after she became an alicorn, so I'd have to relearn all my tricks. It could be years before I'd be good enough!"

"But you'd have years."

"And thanks to you, I'd have to spend them fighting humidity and zoning laws!"

I snort with laughter.

"Yeah, fair enough. You been up to anything interesting lately?"

She grins. "I got to meet my favorite author, A.K. Yearling! Only it turns out that she's actually Daring Do, the famous adventure archaeologist!"

I nod. "Nifty."

"We fought Caballeron, who was working for Ahuizotl, who was trying to use this magic ring to take control of the sun and unleash eight hundred-"

Wait. Wait. What?

"-years of sweltering heat!"

I smile. "Yeah, okay."

"What?" Miss Dash shakes herself out of her memories, frowning at me. "What do you mean 'yeah, okay'?"

I sigh. "Miss Dash, I realise that you've only lived in Equestria for your entire life… But in the capital city -Canterlot, it's the one on top of the Canterhorn Mountains- there's this big white pony. Her name is Celestia, and her job is controlling the sun: making it rise in the morning and set in the evening."

"That-. What?"

"I know, I know, I didn't believe it when I first heard about it either, but we tested it and it turns out that it's true."

"Bh-? Well, yeah, but-."

"I mean, she can literally make it tick around the sky like the hands of a clock. So.. I doubt that some random magic… Ring? Would do anything she couldn't override with a little effort, resulting in an immediate attack by the Equestrian military on anyone stupid enough to try and undo the control she's had for a thousand years."

I smile at her.

"But I'm glad you had a good time."

I step off the bottom of the steps and walk towards the Tree's cave.

"Hey! Get back here! I'll show you!"

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
13:44 GMT -7

"Yeah, that's a… Giant pile of rubble alright."

I nod, which is a decidedly difference experience now that I'm back in pony form to try and avoid terrifying the locals. There isn't much they could do against me physically, but I have a vague recollection that Wilsonian trolls can be killed with soap and my resilience doesn't stop me from tasting soap if it gets in my mouth. Soap from civilisations at this level of technology is some pretty nasty stuff, and I don't want to be attacked by scrubbing brushes.

"It's a fortress!"

Ah…

I try hard to see it. And… Yes, those look like carved stones, but whatever smashed it made it virtually impossible to tell what shape it used to have.

I give Miss Dash a sceptical look. She meets it, then looks at the rubble pile.

"It was a fortress."

"Yeah. Okay. The rings?"

"They were inside. Except-." She darts off and then stops, studying the ground. "It was…" She darts right and then swoops down, landing on the ground.

I walk over. "Yes?"

"Daring Do and me got the biggest ring out of the fortress so it couldn't be used."

"Out of…" I pointedly look at the rubble pile. "The 'fortress'?"

"Yeah-. Okay, they probably couldn't have used it after the fortress fell apart and the plinth disintegrated, but we-." She frowns. "I didn't really think about it at the time."

"Are you thinking about it now?"

"Yeah. Look."

I look. She's pointing with her right forehoof at… Pieces of broken pottery with gold… Coating on…

I lift them up and fuse the broken segments back into a ring. I can't tell if there's any sort of residual magic here, but I'd guess not. Low quality enchanted objects like this tend to lose power if they're this badly broken, but Sunset might be able to get something out of it.

I don't think there are any enchantments you could put on a ring like this that could control the sun.

"Now do you believe me?"

"I'm perfectly happy to accept that you and… Is Daring Do a doctor of archaeology?"

"No."

"Miss Do got into a fight here. Clearly, you knew where this ring was before we arrived. But… I'm not seeing anything that proves the whole 'control the sun' thing. Was it just this ring?"

"No. There were a whole pile of rings. That's just the biggest."

"Okay. Where are the rest?"

From the way she glances awkwardly at the pile of rubble, I think I can guess.

"They kinda got… Crushed."

Hm.

"Okay, look, I understand that you're an elite athlete, but how the heck did you do that to an actual stone fortress? Explosive decompression? Can you make pressure differentials strong enough to break stone? Because if you can, Tempest's going in completely the wrong direction with her training."

"No? It just kinda fell apart once we got the last ring off."

"Huh." I frown thoughtfully. "That's interesting."

"It is?"

"It implies that the rings are some sort of regulator system, and that the spell was bound into the structure of the fortress. Without the rings, the spell itself tore the building apart."

"Soo… You believe me?"

"I didn't disbelieve your claim to have adventured with Daring Do, I just disputed your belief that this place could have done anything to the sun." I shake my head. "This is a lot easier in systems like mine."

"What do you mean, 'systems'?"

I generate a massively oversimplified model of the Sol system.

"The sun is huge, and the planets move around it due to a combination of momentum and gravitational attraction. No deific involvement is necessary."

Rainbow Dash stares at the system. Then she cranes her neck to stare a little closer. Then she narrows her eyes so that she can… Cut down the glare?

"I don't… I don't get it."

"Most worlds don't have someone like Celestia or Luna to push celestial bodies around. Much as 'wild weather' is in fact normal weather -though props to the Equestrian Weather Service's advertising department, that's some impressive need-generation-through-reframing there- so the arrangement Wilson has where Celestia and Luna manage the movement of the sun and moon is in fact highly abnormal."

Miss Dash can't seem to keep her eyes off the slowly rotating planet.

"So who moves it?"

"Who makes weather in the Everfree?"

"No-. One…" Her eyes widen, then she blinks. "Whow. So it just… Moves?"

"Most star systems are like this. Wilson is a bit of an oddity. It-."

Her eyes are slightly unfocused and her head is tilting slightly to the left. Ah… Luna's going to be annoyed if I break one of Twilight's coterie.

I dismiss the construct, causing her to blink and refocus. "Breathe, my little pony, breathe."

"I'mokay!" She shakes her head and regains her focus. "I'm okay. It just moves. Okay, sure, why not?"

I wave off the dart drone that had appeared behind her.

"I suspect Discord is the reason why this system is as it is, and obviously neither Celestia nor Luna knew that this arrangement wasn't the usual way to do things when they took control."

"And they've… Just been going and going ever since. So…" She glances at the rubble hillock. "What's that got to do with this place?"

"Nothing directly. Though if it could control the sun in some way… We could give Celestia a day off."

"Yeah, but…" She flaps a little way off the ground and gestures to the rubble. "It's kinda been destroyed."

"Do you remember the internal dimensions?"

"Ah… Some of them." She manages a small smile. "They actually had a piranha pit. Classic!"

"In that case, you and I need to redraw as much of the design as we can. While we're doing that, I'll have the genomorphs go through the rubble and try and make some sense of it. Once we've got some idea of what we're doing, I can have the genomorphs start rebuilding."

"You're going to rebuild it? Why? The thing they put all the rings on turned to dust after we took them off."

"Because I'm interested in the core spell. This…" I wiggle the ring back and forth. "Isn't exactly impressive, but it worked. With the sort of techniques at my disposal, I could easily have something better made, but I need to know what the spell it was directing did first."

"I get it. The only way you can find out is if the fortress is in one piece. And then Princess Celestia can have her first day off in a thousand years." She nods. "Let's get started."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
21:46 GMT +1

Unable to detect-.

Yes, I know. Obviously he'd be blocking things like that. Just go through the faces one by one and highlight matches.

Compliance. Working.

"…to know that she is well."

Tante Gerri smiles at me as we fly in the direction of what was once Greece. The maps I've seen show it split between Germany and Italy, and I don't actually know whether there's a real 'Greece' left to speak of. I don't remember much about Greek participation in World War Two on Earth Prime, but on Earth 16 they saw off the Italians before being smashed by the Germans and brutally occupied until near the end of the war.

Here… They were brutally occupied until near the end of the war. Then they were annexed.

"Your alter-ego was one of the first people she asked about, once she woke up."

"I have an alter-ego?"

"Oh yes. You're just about old enough that-."

She mock-frowns. "It's not polite to talk about a woman's age like that."

"My gran used to say that at a certain age it becomes a source of pride."

"Hah! I am not that old." She looks curious. "Is she like me, this other Gerte von Hohenbrauer?"

"I don't believe that she uses the 'von', but I don't know her that well. I believe she shares the same close friendship with Doctor Kameya that you do, which was a surprise for Angelika when she found out."

Ms. Brauer doesn't twitch in the slightest. And I'm fairly confident that she isn't going to ask any questions where there's the slightest chance of being overheard.

"It's good to know that she has some familiar faces."

"Though in our parallel her first name is 'Valerie'."

"Her actual first name, or has she just taken a 'European' n-?"

"Donner, Atom Man, prepare to deploy."

Ms. Brauer nods at The Bat's voice, checking her communication earpiece and throat mike before moving towards the cargo door, keeping a firm grip on the hand holds. She has the same Danner enhancements as her Earth 16 doppelgänger, but that doesn't stop her being tossed around if she isn't anchored. Atom Man on the other hand has an anchor system built into the boots of his kryptonian-derived power armour, and is content to stay in the middle of the hold to await deployment.

I could have flown ahead, but The Bat wasn't keen. He fed me a line about his honour not letting him let me face the danger alone, but… Well, it's not as if I let Angelika out of my sight until I was sure she wasn't going to try re-enacting the Holocaust. While I'm fairly confident that none of the superheroes they have on hand could stop me, they can at least keep tabs on me.

I hear the quiet sound of bullets hitting the aircraft's force field. Not too bad at the moment, but someone unfriendly knows that we're here.

"Enemy superhuman en route. Deploy-" The side of the aircraft drops away. "-now."

Ms. Brauer leaps first, falling a dozen metres to the Greek street below. Atom Man follows her out, using his armour's flight system to land far more gently. I fly out after him, generating a construct shield to cover us from the sporadic automatic weapon fire.

Ms. Brauer stands, nodding. "We're down."

"The Bat pulling back." Thrusters burn as the owlwing turns away and rises at speed. "I will stay on station in case you need emergency evacuation or fire support."

Atom Man deploys his forearm-mounted weapons, several parts of them glowing a familiar green.

"I think we can cope with some uppity subhumans, yes?"

"What do you call it if a subhuman is also a superhuman?"

"Unnatural."

He raises his right arm and a lance of… Yes, that's a kryptonite laser, flickers out and hits the person shooting us in the chest. Their torso sort of collapses inward as their centre collapses in a cloud of ash.

"We could use some prisoners, Atom Man."

"This is the fourth operation I have been on against these subhumans. The ones with guns don't know anything."

He lands, then begins walking in the direction of the screams.

"Usually, we call them 'empowered subhumans'. When they are not race traitors." Ms. Brauer marches after Atom Man, and I float along just behind her. "The local garrison should have evacuated people by now, but… Ah. We are near the Italian border."

"And they're less strict about enforcing certain laws?"

"When it comes to the border, yes. They cannot afford to be too blatant; Greater Germany is a great deal more powerful than Italy."

"Does Italy want something?"

"Yes. Greece. They cite the old links between Rome and the Eastern Empire. Hitler said that if they wanted it that badly then they should have fought for it harder."

"You understand that I have no interest in fighting an international war for the Reich?"

"We would not want you to. 'Survival of the fittest', yes?"

"Of all the parts of the ideology for you to ke-."

Atom Man slams into my construct barrier back first, dents clearly visible in the front of his armour!

"Atom Man, report!"

"I have found… Found the deviant."

He pushes himself off the construct, floating in the air as his armour shimmers with green light.

"I recognised her. I think she is one who fought for America during the war."

"Are you injured?"

"Nothing I cannot heal."

"Okay, who-?"

A red blur flies past Ms. Brauer, knocking Atom Man into the sky! I fly up, keeping him in sight as he raises his fists overhead and slams them down on his attacker with a blast of green energy! His attacker lets go and he continues on a ballistic arc-. Does he not have stabilis-?

My construct shield shudders as whoever this is decides to assail me instead, giving me a brief view of a madly-grinning face before they pull back, heading back to ground level faster than I can easily follow with my unaided eye.

Fortunately, my rings can track better than that.

I form a railgun and fire.

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
21:50 GMT +1

I think I hit, but my target doesn't appear to react. Tough and fast; that doesn't narrow it down as much as I'd like. Mary Bromfield could do that. Is the Demon Earth version old enough to have fought in World War Two? Is the Nazi Earth version?

"Hold-"

I create a cold gun construct.

"-your-"

Ms. Brauer lunges as the red blur returns but isn't quite quick enough, getting punched in the stomach and knocked into-. Through the wall of one of the houses lining the street.

"-position."

Cold beams fire, creating cold fields across the street in several places. That would stop a pure speedster, but-

Atom Man fires a barrage of low-intensity laser shots along our target's potential path. Very few people can dodge lasers at this range, but someone moving fast enough can be evasive enough to defy an attacker's predictions. He's avoiding hitting the areas I've marked, and as Ms. Brauer pulls herself out of the rubble she braces herself rather than chasing the red blur down.

-someone with enhanced toughness could power through.

Why isn't she flying more? Okay, the buildings provide concealment and cover, but neither Atom Man nor I are hard to spot, and Ms. Brauer can't fly. Why-?

"Weak."

The blur leaps over-

Crumbler round while she's in the air and moving in a predictable arc, strikes with no apparent effect.

-a cold field and dashes past Ms. Brauer, punching her in the face hard enough to make her reel as she goes. Ms. Brauer jerks back, but that's nothing like the level of force needed to do her lasting damage.

Grappling is how you win superstrength fights. So either the attacker isn't very good, or they're not aiming to achieve a swift victory. Which means that they're going to hit Ms. Brauer again which means I need to prepare the cold-.

The blur comes back and I'm firing, cold fields springing up in a square around Ms. Brauer. The blur doesn't hesitate or flinch, they punch Ms. Brauer in the throat and the frost flashes over their armour.

I wish I could be surprised that it's a Diana.

Helmet with metal horns. I don't recognise it as an arcane artefact, so it might just be normal metal? Her eyes are glowing but she doesn't have the signature cheek cuts of the other demon-altered superpeople. Does she..? Regenerate it? Is she too tough? I'd have thought that a demigoddess like her would be able to keep herself free of the demonic influence, but I… Guess not. The costume's a little different as well, a little less 'W' and a little more skully. Still got the bracers though so I'm not going to risk an angel feather round-.

Atom Man fires at full power, apparently not having read-. She, she can block it, but that-.

Ms. Brauer tackles her from behind, trying to pull her arms away to let the laser hit home. I usually describe Danner-enhanciles as 'Wonder Woman equivalent' and she's got the leverage, but that armour doesn't just provide piercing protection. It's a magic artefact which provides protection at least partially through conceptual manipulation. Demon Wonder Woman has to put a little effort into it, but she can keep blocking and with Ms. Brauer grappling her I can't just shoot her from behind. I fly away anyway, trying to get-.

Wonder Woman flies upwards, Atom Man's beam burning the brick behind her for a second before he deactivates it and switches back into pulse mode.

"You know her?"

"A version of her."

People forget how fast Diana can move when she wants to. I forget.

"What else can she do?"

Ugh. Do I fully commit? I like Ms. Brauer and I need the-. The Nazis to win. If it was Atom Man and the Baroness I might well leave them to it, but-.

"Breathe water, and she usually has an unbreakable lasso."

Wonder Woman is hurtling around the skies, skimming the buildings to ram Ms. Brauer into roofs and walls in an attempt to scrape her off. Ms. Brauer is trying to get a grip on Wonder Woman's throat and is gamely doing her best to ignore the brick dust being scoured into her eyes with each impact.

The disadvantage of one party having flight while the other doesn't: Ms. Brauer can't stop Wonder Woman moving.

"Weaknesses?"

Atom Man is getting a few hits with his laser but between Wonder Woman's armour and general toughness she doesn't appear to be at all impaired.

"Not really."

Unless this version is affected by the 'bound by a man' thing, but that seems unlikely.

"Fine." His guns stop firing and retract into his armour, which then begins to glow. "Close quarters."

"That doesn't-."

He flies down, towards where Wonder Woman has ripped a lamp post out of the ground and is using the right angle to strike Ms. Brauer. She swings and the first hit strikes Ms. Brauer's left shoulder hard enough to pulverise any normal person's whole skeleton. Ms. Brauer takes it with a grimace and actually manages to get her right hand around Wonder Woman's neck-.

The next blow strikes her directly on the head and her grip falters and there's Atom Man! His right fist slams into the side of her face hard enough to-!

To.. turn her head very slightly.

She then uses her flight to do a horizontal spin, her right leg coming down on the top of his head and dropping him to the ground, her helmet glowing…

Hang on. Her armour's been recoloured, but it looks basically the same. The bracers are the same. No Lasso of Truth. Why is the helmet glowing?

"Weak."

Railgun. Mage slayer. Target that helmet.

Compliance.

A shot and she turns in a blur, bracers blocking my round, their magic draining doing absolutely nothing that I can see. I generate two more railguns and start peppering her with shots aimed at other parts of her body. She floats off the ground, dodging and blocking-.

I surround her with more cold fields as Ms. Brauer shakes off her concussion and gets her arm around Wonder Woman's throat.

"I think the helmet might be a weak point!"

"Oh?!"

"Maybe!"

Ms. Brauer uses her left hand to grasp one of the helmet's horns-.

And Wonder Woman turns and flies backwards into the cold field no!

It triggers immediately, frost covering both of them but… Mostly Ms. Brauer. She shudders and then stops moving-.

"Gerri!"

Atom Man lunges, grabbing Wonder Woman by the ankles in a blinding flash of green!

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
21:53 GMT +1

Ms. Brauer frozen in place, hand around the right horn of Wonder Woman's helmet.

I transition down, purple healing ray deployed and firing at Ms. Brauer. Atom Man's energy discharge has charred the outer surface of Wonder Woman's armour, though I don't know how much of the energy actually got through. I also don't know whether Danner Enhanciles can survive cold fields. The smaller ones Leonard uses will freeze a normal person's arm or leg solid, but with super tough people it varies depending on how their toughness works. I can still see her lights, but I'm not entirely sure if that means that her brain is still working or just that her soul is hanging around her body for the moment.

Wonder Woman raising her right leg to stomp on Atom Man.

With her attention focused, I form a railgun and fire a mage slayer round at the side of her helmet.

"Geh!"

Atom Man grabs her descending foot and charges for another blast.

My railgun round hits the side of her head and the runes on the helmet flicker.

"Ah?"

"Helmet."

Atom Man takes advantage of her momentary confusion to push himself upright, using his hold on her foot to toss her back-.

I abandon my constructs, put an environmental shield around Ms. Brauer and eliminate friction-. She's off, alive -there's a lot of dead tissue but her regenerative abilities are already kicking in- and as safe as I can make her, though she'd probably be in a lot of pain if she were conscious.

Wonder Woman crashes down and immediately uses her flight to get back to her feet.

I generate a cold gun and shoot it at her chest. She blocks it with her right bracer, then pulls her legs up to dodge Atom Man's overcharged shot. A second cold gun creates cold fields above, behind and to her sides, while I shove the slowly recovering Ms. Brauer out of the way.

"She dead?"

I create a cold field underneath Wonder Woman, forcing her to keep her legs where they are and limiting her acceleration.

"No."

"Good."

He fires another overcharged blast and she moves her left bracer to block it, and immediately I fire a mage slayer through the cold field to her right! It hits, and the runes flicker again.

"Working?"

"No."

Why isn't it working? The round should drain power from the arcane architecture of the helmet, causing the spell to fail. Unless whoever made it used the same techniques that Atlantis 16 does and bind dozens of the same spells to the helmet in order to make them reinforce each other. Still, the effect should be weakening even if I'm only taking out one instance per hit.

Alternately, someone is remotely reapplying the spell. In which case I'm only disrupting what's there when I hit and achieving very little. Unless I can find the thing they're using to guide the spell, which could be her entire body because a demigoddess is highly thaumically active which would mean that I have to get the helmet off.

I fire small cold fields in front of Wonder Woman so that she can't break out by coming towards us.

"I can't hit it!"

"Working."

Eating the magic with a filament connection? Possible, but Diana has highly acute senses combined with rapid recovery.

"Do an overload when I shoot the helmet."

"I'll need a second."

"Fine."

I generate another cold gun and he stops firing, his armour glowing as he builds up power. I wonder whether he's more like the Kryptonite Man or Socialist Red Guardsman under there? Wonder Woman can block both cold rays without difficulty, but if I move them around enough it should keep her focused on-

"Ready."

-them so that she won't spot the filament. In theory.

Filament through the ground, that will take down the lower cold field when I bring it up.

"Go."

My railgun fires as green light bursts in a torrent of hard radiation, causing Wonder Woman to cringe slightly at the pain and shock, then the slight unsteadiness in the runes and I send the filament up and the cold field fails and latch onto the helmet.

Drain.

Compliance.

"Naagh!"

Wonder Woman turns, slashing at my filaments and just.. taking the cold beams? I hit her armour with both beams -not sure how much damage that's doing- while I create multiple paths for the filament connection so that I can keep draining the-

Drain complete.

-helmet.

Wonder Woman collapses bonelessly, the helmet remaining suspended in my filaments as I take control of whatever magic was causing it to function. I float it over to myself, picking up pieces of rubble to make the remaining cold fields safe.

"Dead?"

"No."

"Okay." He begins glowing again. "I'll-."

"No. In most parallels she's a big deal. None of the others had something like this helmet. We should interrogate her."

There's a blast from behind us, and a rocket-.

Atom Man deploys his lasers and shoots the rocket in mid-air, then counter-fires at the cultist with the rocket launcher.

"We don't have time to argue. We need to hit their portal."

"Agreed. The Bat, can you pick up Donner and Wonder Woman?"

"I don't have restraints designed for people as strong as her."

"No problem."

Magic suppression chains, titanium chains with carbon nanotube reinforcement and an inverted kinetic suppressor.

"I don't think she'll wake up, but that should hold her if she does."

"I will be with you in a moment."

I put a self-heating blanket around Ms. Brauer and leave a healing ray firing at her as Atom Man and I advance.

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
21:59 GMT +1

"Another?"

Atom Man stares at me through his visor as I carry another stunned cultist to our drop-off point.

"How many do you think we need?"

"Two possible answers to that. The first is that, since we don't know, we should try to collect as many as possible, if doing so doesn't cost us anything. The more we capture, the more likely we are to gain useful intelligence."

"It's been tried. Leatherwing took many of them captive. They told him nothing."

"I've gotten a bit of a handle on Leatherwing's personality. So correct me if I'm wrong here, but… He beat them, then tortured them with equipment, and then… If there were any left, tried using some sort of experimental destructive mental probe?"

"I won't comment on the third option, but you're probably right about the other two. You don't do that where you're from?"

"Physical coercion is seldom efficacious. My preferences are 'persuade', 'telepathy' and 'unnatural mental influence'. Not because I am a 'soft touch', but because they work better."

"If you have time." He grabs hold of the door to the train storage shed and rips it off the hinges without bothering with the lock. "In the field, you don't always have time."

"Then you bring a telepath with you. And what's field expediency got to do with killing or stunning your target?"

"Nothing. I just mean 'generally'."

The trains have been lifted off their rails and moved to the sides of the shed. Wonder Woman appears to have had that much clarity of thought, at least. The portal space is obvious; part of the train wash has been repurposed.

"You want to capture that as well?"

"If there were any magicians on hand to examine it, yes. As it-"

He's already raising his lasers.

"-is, you might as well."

Two fat green beams burn along the train cleaning device, incinerating most of it and reducing the rest to slag.

"Will that stop it?"

I fly forwards and wave my rune stone at it.

"The spell's been ruined, but the local magic concentration is still above background levels."

"How do we fix that?"

"With a magician. Or time. Or… Ritual purification?"

"We need a priest?"

"You need an extremely devout priest. A saint would be better. But a normal priest, a large group of the devout and time would disperse the accumulated demonic magic more quickly."

"'Pray the Fae Away' actually works?"

"Demons aren't fae. That's a separate thing." I scan the area, but I'm not picking up anything that looks particularly cult-y. "But yes. Genuine faith, focusing your mind and soul on something beyond your material existence, tends to weaken demon magic."

"I will remember that. What was the other answer?"

"I don't know exactly how things were in this timeline, but in mine, the national socialists originally used soldiers to kill their political opponents."

"Yes?"

"Most couldn't handle it. Killing soldiers fighting against you is one thing, but killing civilians kneeling next to a ditch?" I shake my head. "They started coming apart, mentally. That was why your government switched to using gas, and making prison trustees clear the gas chambers out."

"No one had the stomach for it?"

"Only the total psychos. My thought was that if you don't argue against an idea or practice -no matter how rational it seems- then it risks becoming what the philosopher Harriet Taylor called a 'dead dogma'. By sparing people you could kill, you gain an understanding of why you don't usually do it."

"I've never heard of 'Harriet Taylor'."

"She's probably banned. If you prefer Elizabeth Förster-Nietzsche, perhaps you could take helpless prisoners and slowly murder them for no good reason to help with overcoming your slave morality?"

"Why would I-?" He glare at me through his visor. "Look, I don't know what you think we are, but I am not a psycho. I don't hurt people for fun; I do it because it is necessary." He steps back, then turns back towards the door. "Fine. Keep the prisoners. I will call in The Bat."

He pauses.

"Do you have some plan for dealing with the woman? I do not see her becoming 'helpless'. I respect that, but it's still a problem."

"There are two places I might be able to get a magician powerful enough to help. But for her, I think it will be better if I take her to this world's version of her country."

"Where is she from?"

"Themyscira. It's an island hidden by magic. I should be able to get to it, and they'll be motivated and should be able to get Diana back on her feet."

"That's her name? Diana?"

"Ah, yes."

In my timeline and the original comics, Diana left the island to take part on World War 2. But there were stages where that Wonder Woman was Queen Hippolyta, or Fury, or it just didn't happen. So if something else happened… There's no reason why the Reich would have much information on her.

"Princess Diana of Themyscira. Probably. I'm working off the history of my own parallel. They're usually pretty isolationist, so there's next to no chance of them taking it as a casus belli."

"I was wondering if they had wizards. Since they are a primitive, isolated people."

"The version on my parallel has one, and a few priestesses in semi-regular contact with their gods. I'll ask, but they'll probably say no."

"You accept that from primitives?"

"I realise that I sound English, but I'm actually a Themysciran national. They're… Capable of learning, and not completely incurious about the world."

"Heh. If you want to take your princess back to your people, go ahead. I will stay here to liaise with the local authorities, then return to Wewelsburg. Good journey, Orange Lantern."

I nod to him, then fly out towards where the owlwing has landed.

 

[Mr Zoat]

21st May 2013
23:23 MTZ

Slipstream scrapes her right foot across the deck plate and examines her right fingernails as Arcee stares at her, fingers twitching and arm blades deployed.

"Careful." Slipstream stops studying her fingers for a moment and look at Arcee. "If the wind changes your face could get stuck like that."

Arcee's eyes narrow to slits. "Don't push me, Con."

Slipsteam shrugs. "So. Bike alt-mode. How does that work, considering your… You know."

"My what?"

"Your mass."

Bulkhead doors in the side of the room open, revealing Bulkhead with a barrel of energon over his shoulder. "Hey Arcee, where do you want-?"

Arcee steps aggressively towards Slipstream. "What's wrong with my mass?"

Bulkhead hesitates for a moment, then steps back and allows the heavy metal door to close in front of him.

"I was wondering where you keep it. Since I left Cybertron I've had my eyes open for upgrades, and normal T-cogs can't just make mass disappear like that. I-."

The room's other door opens and Agent Fowler, Nurse Darby and Paul walk out at ground level, followed a few careful low-squish-probability steps behind by Ratchet. Arcee's eyes immediately go to the team's medic, while Slipstream only has eyes for her partner.

"Aside from a few minor scrapes, Agent Fowler and Nurse Darby appear to be in good health."

Arcee looks unconvinced. "I thought she shot them with a null-ray."

"Null-rays impede electrical activity. Since humans are organic, exposure to its effects are far less dangerous to them than they would be to us."

Slipstream crouches down as Paul approaches her.

"Did Ratchet give you a clean bill of health?"

Ratchet shifts awkwardly. "I can't claim to be entirely familiar with Nebulon cyber-organic implan-"

Paul grins, rolling his eyes incredulously. "Yeah."

"-ts-. Ch-! Buh-!" Ratchet splutters, though whether he's shocked at the implication or embarrassed at being discovered in a lie isn't entirely clear. He takes a moment to compose himself. "So far as I can determine, Borx effectively bridged the differences between cybertronian technology and human neurology. I have no idea what the long term effects of bonding like-"

Paul smirks. "Never would have guessed."

"-this will-." He blinks, spots the jibe as Slipstream's expression mirrors that of her partner, then stares directly at him. "You have a piece of alien technology wired directly into your central nervous system. No one knows what that might do. You have taken a foolish and unnecessary risk with your health."

"Doctor, going outside is a risk to your health." He walks over to Slipstream and leans against her right leg. "But neither of us are going to stop."

"Cybertronian technology is considerably easier to repair than human physiology."

"Earth has about fourteen thousand high-yield fission bombs. How easy to repair are you after getting hit by one of those?"

"Not very." Ratchet looks bemused. "That quantity seems… Somewhat excessive for a single biosphere. Though as you imply, even one close-proximity detonation would utterly atomise any Cybertronian unfortunate enough to be hit."

"There you go. Look, the Nebulons have been using this technology for decades. I'm not worried."

Slipstream nods. "We're not worried." She stands back up to her full height. "Now where's the rest of our payment?"

The heavily reinforced door slides open again and Bulkhead lumbers in with the barrel of energon. "Here it is, Con." He drops the barrel on the floor in front of her. "You can carry it out on your own."

"'Con'? Really?" Slipstream shakes her head. "That doesn't matter any more."

"It matters to me."

"Megatron used to command an army of billions. Now? He's got the crew of one ship. And most of them don't like him very much. Airachnid and Starscream are actively backstabbing him at every opportunity. And on your side, Prime used to command an army of billions and now he's just.. got.. you. What are you even fighting for?"

"Mom!"

A smaller human runs in from behind Bulkhead and embraces Nurse Darby. Slipstream pauses to watch him.

And then Arcee pointedly steps into her line of sight, blocking her view of him.

Slipstream smiles menacingly, and Arcee raises her arm blades.

"To prevent Megatron realising his ambitions."

Optimus Prime strides in, prompting Arcee to lower her blades slightly. Slipstream affects a nonchalant posture, but Paul can feel the tension in her frame. Optimus Prime is… Bigger than in the images he'd seen so far.

"Even with a single warship, Megatron could destroy every city on Earth."

"Unless."

Slipstream is momentarily surprised by her partner speaking up, and isn't able to stop herself glancing down at him. Mouthing off to Arcee is one thing, but the 'bot who led half of the war that ruined Cybertron and finished it off by ripping out Primus's soul isn't someone she wants to have to fight. Again. But while their bond doesn't let them read each other's minds, she can feel that he's going somewhere with this.

"Unless you'd used any of the half-dozen times you'd been onboard the Nemesis to plant one of those fourteen thousand fission bombs on board and blown it up." He smiles. "Did I mention that we're for hire?"

"You did." Optimus Prime actually sounds sad. "But if you truly have no interest in continuing the war, I would strongly suggest that you both leave Earth."

Paul shakes his head. "Have you got any idea what India will pay for a working thorium reactor design? Besides, we need the energon. And I want to see what happens when Slipstream turns up to an anime convention."

Chu-tsche.

Arcee morphs her right hand into its gun configuration, and everyone hesitates. Agent Fowler comes out of it first, ushering the Darbys out of the room. Then Arcee speaks.

"Are you just treating this as a way to get rich? How dare you not take the war seriously!?"

Slipstream doesn't change her limb configuration. But she does smile.

"Why are you taking that so personally?"

"Decepticons have murdered two of my partners."

Slipstream feels a pulse of confusion from Paul at the use of the term 'murder' to refer to killing an armed soldier during a war. And she thinks that he has a point.

"Huh. How about that. Do you know who else has lost partners since this war started?"

Arcee pauses, perhaps realising that she's escalating too far but unable to restrain herself. "You, I hope."

Oh, that-!

"EVERYONE! Literally everyone has lost people close to them! The fact that it happened to you does not make you special, and it doesn't make them special! My whole squad died one after the other starting with the Kaon Uprising and finishing at the Fall of Iacon and I-. How many do you think are still alive today who started the war-?"

"One in every one thousand one hundred thirty seven." Optimus Prime steps between then, gently pushing Arcee's gun down. "At the last census taken before the launch of the Ark, one in one thousand one hundred thirty seven remained. By now, the figure is likely to be much lower. I imagine that the number on the Decepticon side was similar."

He takes a step closer.

"Slipstream, I would gladly stop fighting tomorrow. All the survivors of the war could return to Cybertron and work together to rebuild our civilisation. A new High Council could be formed with Autobot and Decepticon alike, and we could settle our disputes peacefully. I would even abandon my title of Prime if that were necessary. I would gladly stop fighting, if it were not for the fact that I know Megatron will not. Whatever he once believed, he is fully committed to dominating cybertronian society through force. Do you disagree?"

Slipstream hesitates.

"Ah-?" … "No."

"And that is why we fight. Thank you for rescuing our human allies from Knock Out. Now take your payment, and go."

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th September 2012
00:12 GMT +3

Where is it?

I know the wards which protect Themyscira pretty well. I know what they block and what they don't. I've overflown the area it covers on Earth 16 at sea level both directed -in the hope that my permission carries over- and blind -in the hope that it would prevent the wards sending me astray- and…

No island.

I've checked most of the rest of the Aegean and no luck. They recognised Diana so there must be a Themyscira, but it's not… Here.

Okay, where else has it been in the comics?

I think there was a time when it was entirely divorced from the material universe. If that's what happened here them I'm out of luck. Even if I could in theory access it, I-.

…

Alright, I might be able to access it through ritual magic. I know the offering preferred by various Olympians, and I haven't done anything to alienate the local gods. But is there any.. thing…

The Bermuda Triangle. A meteorological non-phenomenon invented by a newspaper editor during a slow news day, first giving the impression that there was an area near Bermuda that had a more-than-typical number of shipping losses, and second to imply a supernatural explanation for losses that in fact were not occurring.

Oh, it's a smaller area than the Aegean. It won't take all that long to check.

Formerly Demon Diana in tow, I set course.

"Orange Lantern to The Bat. Any updates for me?"

There's a short delay as we fly over Sicily.

16th September 2012
22:13 GMT +1

"Donner has revived, and is currently gorging to fuel her regenerative abilities. The situation in Greece is in hand, and your prisoners are being held securely."

"If he asks, please inform Leatherwing that pulling out their finger nails won't help the situation."

"I think that we can leave informing Leatherwing for now."

"Interesting. I can't imagine my parallel's version of him not being in the loop, even if people were trying to keep him out of it."

"You have a Leatherwing?"

"We have a Batman. Similar look, considerably more regard for the sanctity of human life."

"I am sure that there are many differences between our worlds. Do you intend to maintain contact once this issue is resolved?"

"I'll leave that up to Angelika. There are some rather extreme philosophical differences between our two parallels."

"Are you a Bolshevik?"

"No, the Soviets lost the Cold War. That was-. After what we call World War Two, the Communists and the… Other participants in the War spent several decades in competition and indirect warfare before the contradictions inherent in the Soviet system caused it to fall apart."

"At least they didn't win. What about Germany?"

"You lost Danzig, Pomerania and Silesia to Poland and the Soviet Union. And Austria went back to being independent."

"The French let us keep the Rhineland?"

"You actually beat the French. Completely overran them, occupied the north and made the south a nationalist puppet. We still make… Unfair jokes about how badly the French did. By the time the war was over, the 'free' French were a British puppet with delusions of grandeur. What happened to Germany wasn't really up to them. Though de Gaulle was surprisingly reasonable about the whole thing, considering."

"What became of Overman?"

"He didn't arrive for another forty years, and he landed in America."

"It's interesting to me. I realise that Overgirl is best placed to judge how we could interact, but I would like to request a history book, if that is possible."

"I'll trade you."

"Certainly. I-."

And here we are.

16th September 2012
17:14 GMT -4

And there it is. Too dark for the fishing boats to still be out, and the architecture is different to what I'm used to, but the general shape of the island is the same. The people… They don't look Greek. Themyscira 16 has a range of ethnicities, but it's fairly obvious looking at them where the vast majority come from. Dark skinned Amazons like Philippus or Nubia are in a vanishingly small minority. Heck, Nubia's literally named after the place in North Africa where her parents came from. Similarly, the handful of Amazons with blonde hair have forebears from the far north.

Here, things are clearly diff-.

I jerk to the side as an arrow flies past me.

Clearly different. I-.

The arrow reverses course and flies at my back.

And immediately I respect them more than how the women back home were before I arrived.

I generate a construct shield and block the arrow. It-. Yes, it hits with more than human strength, but there's nothing special about the impact other than that. I should probably return it.

I accelerate once more, heading for the… The battlement where the arrow came from. I take a white flag, add the sigil of the Wonder Woman to my shield and enlarge it. That should at least give them a little pause. Yes, one of them is ordering the others to stand at-ready rather than straight out attacking.

"Hail, Amazons of Themyscira!"

That's the woman with the bow. She's wearing old school Wonder Woman gear from back before Hephaestus made the swim wear version that Diana wears, as well as the Gauntlets of Atlas and the Sandals of Hermes. Her hair is… Pale orange, and impractically long.

I… No, haven't seen her on Themyscira 16.

"Invader."

She's standing in the middle of a plaza, while other guards back off to the edges. She's staring me down, so I make a point of averting my eyes.

"I apologise for the intrusion, but this Amazon was possessed by an-" I move Diana out in front and remove some of the construct straps from the bier holding her to the construct board. Obviously, the bindings are still in place, just in case. "-evil spirit, and I was hoping that you would be willing to help her."

Her eyes move to Diana for an instant but return to me immediately afterwards. "She is possessed?"

"No, I've dealt with that. Or at least I think I have. But there might be residual damage I can't diagnose."

"You say she is an Amazon? What is her name?"

"Diana. Does that name not.. mean anything to you?"

"I know seven women called Diana. I do not recognise this one." She studies me a moment longer. "That is all that you want?"

"That's what I want most from you. There are other matters, but they're less significant."

"I would not be an Amazon if I denied aid to a woman in need. You will explain yourself fully to the Archon while healers are fetched. Do not attempt to leave my sight."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
17:16 GMT -4

Archon. Not Queen. Hippolyta did say that Diana's creation was the closest that she ever came to being overthrown. But… Greeks usually just sent unpopular tyrants into exile, if only because the people casting them down were usually well aware that they might end up sharing that fate at some point and didn't want to establish an unfortunate precedent.

"How did you get through the wards?" Ginger Amazon has relaxed very slightly since I've continued behaving myself, but it's the sort of 'dealing with a total stranger I don't want to inadvertently provoke with a display of anger' thing. "Are you some sort of god?"

"That's a bit complicated, but I don't meet most of the requirements to be regarded as a god." I smile. "You know, like how a plucked chicken isn't a man."

"I agree, a.. plucked chicken is not a man."

Her facial expression hasn't really changed, but it sounds like she isn't familiar with Diogenes. That's a problem with Amazons; they've been on the island since the Mythic Greek period, meaning that they often have a gap when it comes to knowledge of Classical Greece. I'll fabricate a copy of Parallel Lives for her before I leave.

"I don't think anyone else will be getting in, if that's what you're worried about."

"Even if your intent is pure, the wards would not know that you were bringing an Amazon home for healing."

"Yes, but their concept of 'permission' may be a little broader than you've assumed. They know that I'm allowed inside, so even if most of the people inside don't think that someone like me should be able to get inside, I can get inside."

The geography may be the same, but the architecture is radically different. The regular multi-storey stone and brick buildings from Themyscira 16 are entirely absent. Instead, they appear to have gone in for a much more individualistic approach, buildings drawing on a wide variety of pre-modern styles and eras.

"The way you're looking at the buildings. You've been here before."

"Sort of."

"How?"

How to put this? I don't think there's any relevant mythological reference I could make. On the other hand, Amazons are generally fairly well educated and used to things other people would consider very strange.

"How different would life be if we all made different choices? What if Queen Hippolyta had led the Amazons north rather than south? What if Amazons regrouped on the island for a time and then reached outward towards their new neighbours rather than remaining isolated? What if Zeus was a faithful husband?" I shrug. "So many possibilities."

"Do you mean that you got through the wards because it is possible that you would have been permitted through the wards if people had made different choices?"

"Not exactly. Imagine if there were a world… Out there, somewhere, where different choices had been made. Imagine it was possible to move between them. One where I'm a journalist in a country you've never heard of, and another where I'm a Themysciran citizen."

She stops, glaring intensely at me.

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know. I didn't build the universe; I just work here."

"They made a man a citizen?"

"Five, actually. One citizen married-. A man, and they had a son, and the Crown Princess adopted two sons and trained a male student. That's me. Hello!"

She looks like she strongly suspects that I'm lying, but can't prove it right away.

"Your.. Themyscira must be a very different place."

"I haven't seen enough of this one to say. Oh, do you want your-"

She leads us out into a small plaza, and I look up to see the party ready to receive us.

"-arrow back?"

Wonder Woman 10 kneels, receiving a nod from the figure in the extravagant robes in return. She has scars on the left side of her face and her left eye is covered by a patch, but… I don't remember any Amazon on Themyscira 16 looking like that.

"Hail Egeria, Archon of Themyscira."

"Hail Wonder Woman."

Ah, Philippus's predecessor. I assume that in this timeline she survived her injuries. I… Suppose that she'd have been in the running. She'd certainly have demonstrated the sort of martial ability and selflessness that the Amazons respect. Philippus herself is standing at her right hand, still wearing the Captain's armour.

I float the arrow back into the new Wonder Woman's quiver as I bow.

"Archon."

"As a citizen, you are entitled to petition me. Though if all you want is aid for one of our sisters I cannot imagine that I will refuse."

How did she-? Okay, I… Guess they've got radios or something.

"Did you overhear the part about worlds where different choices were made?"

"I did. This may be your first audience, but it is customary to introduce yourself."

Oh. Darn.

"I apologise. The Amazons back home usually call me 'Pavlos'. I hold the rank of Illustres in the Orange Lantern Corps. But about that.. aid. If you're minded to grant the request, I doubt that her condition is going to improve for getting it to her more slowly."

"The healers will be here to examine her shortly."

"Might I request-? I don't know how different your history is, but is your Magala still alive? Given the nature of Diana's injuries, I think it would be a good idea to include a dedicated human magic user."

Egeria turns her head slightly to the right and nods, one of the guards nodding back and leaving at a jog.

"If she is willing, it shall be as you ask."

"Thank you. I'd really like to get her back on her feet."

"Who is she?"

"Um. Okay, my version of Themyscira is ruled by a woman named Hippolyta."

"Yes. We were as well."

"Right. So about eighty years ago she got a bit broody and arranged to have a daughter sculpted from clay and then brought to life by magic. That's a version of her. Incid-."

I stop talking, because even I can read the room better than to continue.

"A daughter?"

"Um. Yes. I mean, that's not your version. As far as I know, she's from a world where a hugely powerful demon twisted everything and everyone with its magic. She had a helmet which was warping her mind, which I destroyed before bringing her here."

"She is the daughter of Queen Hippolyta."

"I haven't had a coherent conversation with her, but that seems most likely. I mean, I don't know what sort of state-"

Three priestesses dressed as clerics of Apollo enter the plaza and immediately head towards Diana with a stretcher. I lay her out on it before removing my construct hold on her.

"-she'll be in when she wakes up. I imagine that she'll want to go home. Archon, I feel like I'm missing some pertinent information that would allow me to better understand what's going on."

She nods. "It seems that you are. Allow me to explain the state of things."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
17:32 GMT -4

"It was Hippolyta."

Egeria nods. "When she did not return, we assumed that she had died. I would thank you for the closure your news brought were it not for the fact that her having a daughter here will simply maintain those feelings."

"I mean, I only recently arrived myself. I don't know for certain that she's dead."

But this world doesn't use magic. Which means that the human/kryptonian technology used in their databases isn't warded.

"Hang on-. You're right, it's an upset. Let me see if I can find out for certain one way or the other."

Ring, access American and German databases. Allied superheroes from the Second World War. What happened to Hippolyta?

Accessing. Archival images available.

I take a hologram projector out of subspace and activate it, displaying the images. Allied propaganda pictures which were widely distributed at the time appear to have survived well enough despite the book burning. A picture of a fairly familiar Justice Society line-up is most popular in modern publications, with Queen Hippolyta standing next to Ted Grant. The German intelligence file on her is fairly limited, mostly relating to public displays of her abilities. A few mission reports, and…

"Reports from near the end of the war are fairly chaotic. The Germans think she died during the Battle of New York, but a lot of the weapons they used didn't leave much in the way of remains and they never confirmed it. There are a few people around who might remember in more detail, but the Americans weren't interested in providing information to the people occupying their country and the Germans were spread too thin to track down everyone." I shrug. "I'm sorry."

"She never had a daughter. After three thousand years, the idea of having anyone else as queen…"

I nod. "I expected as much. It would probably be the same on my Themyscira. Before Diana, when they told the woman who was technically Crown Princess that she was first in line to the throne, she's supposed to have said 'Are you sure?'"

Egeria takes a moment to study the image.

"Those were her companions?"

I nod. "Yes. Other warriors with more than human abilities. Unfortunately, the Germans had far better weapons, and… Overman."

"Yes. We are aware of him. And what his people did with the tools they took from his birth-pod."

"To be fair, they did what they could to hide that stuff from him."

"That they did it is enough."

I hold my hands up. "I'm not trying to defend the Nazis. Just… Him, personally. He was an adolescent, fighting for his country. He wasn't really in any position to reflect on what happens and I know that he bitterly regrets it now. I'd rather that he hadn't fought -the alternate version of my original home nation was on the losing side- but there's not much we can do about it now."

"No, I suppose not." She sighs thoughtfully. "I'm not sure what I would do if we knew who killed her. Revenge seems… Pointless."

"It usually is. Unless you're going somewhere with it. But, ah… That does lead on to the other thing I wanted to sound you out about."

"Yes?"

"Though, first. Do you want me to repair your eye?"

"I was blinded by a demon's claw. Magic cannot heal the wound."

"My rings aren't magic. Yes, I know that it looks similar and Greeks traditionally didn't distinguish between extreme feats of skill and pure magic, but it's technically not. Also, I've seen demon-inflicted wounds before and I strongly suspect that sufficiently sophisticated magic could heal it."

"What are you? I have seen the Green Lantern, and if you are speaking the truth then your abilities far outstrip his."

They've seen..?

"As I understand it, his ring was damaged a few centuries ago when its creators were betrayed by the one wielding it. Mine are-." I glance at Larfleeze's old ring. "Well, one of them is in better repair." I shrug. "If you want a demonstration I can cut my right arm off and reattach it."

Egeria leans forward slightly. "You say that you are an Amazon."

"I'm a citizen of Themyscira. I'm not fully acculturated."

"What gods do you worship?"

"I pay due homage to the Gods of Olympus, naturally. I have gods that I am closer to than others, if that's what you mean."

"Name them."

"Hephaestus and Ploutos. Hades." I raise my hands defensively. "I know that a lot of versions of him aren't particularly nice, but the one from my world is a good person. Thoroughly committed to being a good king to the dead."

"Your people are fortunate."

I nod. "I know. He already intervened on my behalf with another pantheon that tried to poach me the first time I died."

"Is he your particular patron?"

"Ah… No. That would be Eris."

And the tension is back at once. Egeria straightens slightly, leaning forward in her seat so that she can leap into action. Philippus's hand returns to the pommel of her sword, while New Wonder Woman's leans slightly so that she can leap at me should the need arise.

"Eris sent you here?"

"No, Eris trusts me to provide her with entertainment without needing to intervene personally. I search for status quos that I find iniquitous and change them, causing havoc with established social systems. My job here… Well, do you want anything from me?"

"I want to know what 'minor requests' you intend to make before I indebt us to you."

"Horrible as the Nazi World Order is, it's still better than how things are on the version of Earth that this Diana came from. We're trying to either fix that, or at least cut it off from other Earths like this one. And the Nazis are almost wholly ignorant of magic. I certainly don't expect you to feel any camaraderie with them, but an invasion of possessed demigods would be bad for you as well, since they would actually have some idea of how to get through your wards."

"Sound reasoning. And in return?"

"What do you want?" I shrug. "Amazons on my Earth couldn't heal certain types of long-term injury. Fully restoring them was one of the first things I did after gaining citizenship. I remember… Seeing an opinion piece years ago which claimed that if everyone on Earth became unageing, people still wouldn't usually live past eight hundred due to disease and injury. I've restored limbs, fingers, eyes, ears-. And I can use this ring to enable one woman to make another pregnant; that's been increasingly popular."

One woman standing behind Egeria stands a little straighter.

"There's little I can't do with sufficient motivation, and my concern is more about time than ability. So." I shrug again. "What is it that you want?"

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
21:57 GMT

"What do I want?"

Nommo Balewa 10 regards me tiredly. He wasn't even hiding, really. No anti-detection wards at all. Really, why would he have them? The Reich doesn't have magicians who could try to find him or technology advanced enough to be turned aside by that sort of ward, and the other shamen… They've got better things to do than bother him.

"Even if there were something, why would you be allowed to geev it to us?"

His English isn't quite as good as Nommo Balewa 16. He hasn't had much reason to practise since the Reich took formal control of the African territories of Britain and Belgium after the Second World War.

"I realise that this is-. That this sounds strange, but-"

"You are not of this Earth. But you are human. There are other versions of Earth, then, that exist in reality and not merely in the reflections of the Dream?"

"Yes. I was able to find you because-."

"Yes, I am not eh fool."

He holds my gaze for a few moments before turning away with a sigh and walking through the village.

I follow. I get a few glances from the locals but they look away once they're sure that I'm not heading towards them. They're not afraid of me personally but white people being around isn't usually a good sign.

"Do you know how we live?"

I look around. It's all pretty backwards and primitive, but people live like this on Earth 16 in places. And I'm pretty sure they live like this in places on Earth Prime.

"Not in any detail."

"We are barred from having any technology judged to be 'outside of our cultural milieu'. Anything from Europe is banned. Anything from Asia is banned. The most productive farmlands are taken by white settlers while we are driven into reservations like this."

I frown. "How do they judge whether a thing is 'European-?" I shake my head. "Sorry, for a moment there I forgot we were talking about Nazis."

"It depends. In some places, anything that is not in copyright will be accepted. In others, even the wheel is prohibited. It depends on how vindictively the local Group Leader of the African SS wishes to behave."

"But magic's fine."

"Yes. And I know why you are here. The German Empire is being attacked by demons."

"Yes. And.. I-."

"No."

"You haven't heard my offer."

"And you have not lived in eh Reservation. We may only farm and hunt inside the Reservation, and we can only live where we are told. We cannot use the building techniques which would let us build better and we cannot use chemical medicine. If we could migrate then disease would be less of a problem, but we must stay in one place. It is a slow death."

"Would you all like to leave?"

He stops walking and turns back to face me.

"You do not have the influence to change the policy of the Empire."

"I don't need to. The possessed come from an alternate Earth. Not mine, and not this one. So many people have died on the other side that there's more than enough space for everyone who wants to leave. If you take part, you'll have the opportunity to study the portals in detail. When it's over, you could just portal everyone yourself, assuming that they weren't willing to let you go in the name of the full ethnic cleansing of this Earth."

"True. Perhaps appealing. But that is no reason for me to involve myself now."

"The demons aren't going to differentiate between black people and white people."

"The Empire says that magic is for negroes. They say that it is a sign of foolishness and mental weakness."

"I'm not trying to defend-."

"I will not let this Earth be destroyed. But I think that the interests of the world are best served by letting the Empire bleed a little. I think it is best if they test their devotion of their ideals in difficult circumstances, where the answers are not handed to them by aliens or by men from the future. I think it is best that they see that they need magic as the negro people of Africa need medicine."

"Yeah, that's…" I look away for a moment. "I can't say that's not fair. The version of you from my home parallel is usually pretty non-interventionist, too."

"Why would you ask me, if even he would refuse you?"

"No, I don't think he'd refuse. Not in a situation like this. He doesn't like people with super powers dominating civilisation."

"So he would remove Overman first. And Overman is already gone. Perhaps I should take as many of the Empire's heroes through the portal as I can, and then strand them there with him."

"Given how old you are, I'd be surprised if you were that vengeful. But no. He might have destroyed Overman's pod if he'd been on the ball in the thirties, but I think he'd find the idea that there was an Earth that was ruined by a single possessed man far more offensive than one cruel and racist empire. You can't tell me that you haven't seen things like this before."

"I have seen rulers offering advantages to their own tribe within an empire before. I have even seen tribes slaughtered before. But I have never seen it on this scale before. And before, there was somewhere to flee to."

"You could have a whole Earth to flee to."

"I will watch what happens. But I have no interest in involving myself to aid the Empire."

"I understand. Thank you for hearing me out." I offer him my right hand, and after a brief hesitation he takes it. "Let me know if you change your mind, so that we can coordinate properly."

"I will."

I raise my right hand to my forehead,

step out

and return to the material universe in what would on Earth 16 be Bialya. To be more precise, the site of Nabu's tomb. Scans show nothing, and given that Doctor Fate was on the Justice Society it's most likely that he was either destroyed or is already in Nazi captivity. Assuming that this is one of the dominant Nabus. It could just as well be one of the purely advisory ones.

I step out again and

16th September 2012
18:01 GMT -4

appear in Themyscira's hospital. "Any news?"

The first priestess to recover from the surprise of my reappearance nods.

"She wakes, but she is confused. Her mind is clouded."

I nod. "Let's see if I can help with that."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
18:03 GMT -4

"Good evening, Princess."

Diana looked at me the moment I entered the room, though I don't know if that was because she recognised me from our fight or because she wasn't expecting a man on Themyscira. I suppose there's an outside chance that she knew the 'me' from her parallel. I'm not completely sure that I could stop a demonically-empowered Superman, and I was at the upper end of the power curve during the multi-me meet-up.

"No. No, it isn't."

She's lying on a bed, head propped up slightly by the pillow. She tries to push herself upright only for her right hand to slide out from under her.

"I-."

"You have just been freed from possession. I doubt that you're going to be up to much for a while."

"Themyscira-. Themyscira was destroyed. Where am I?"

"An alternate reality. Earth Ten, if that means anything to you."

She nods. "Uncle-. Uncle Sam."

"Ah… He's around somewhere. I don't know what you're expecting, but at this point the Allies have lost pretty comprehensively. Look, is there anything we can do for you? The Diana from my home parallel usually heals pretty quickly, but I don't think she's ever been through what you did."

She flops back, barely-open eyes looking at the ceiling.

"I have a healing-."

"Earth."

Earth? Oh earth, yes, clear as mud.

"Understood."

I attach a filament to her and lift her up.

"Where are you-?"

"Earth." I look at the priestess who asked and shrug. "I assume it's a magical thing?"

"R-return."

Diana hasn't ever mentioned anything special about her and soil to me. I don't remember anything about the subject from any of her mission reports. Still, given the usual Themyscira attitude to sacred ritual magic I shouldn't be completely surprised if she considered it a sacred trust.

I head out of the room with Diana floating supine behind me, two of the priestesses following on behind. The nearest piece of greenery… A small park, meant for convalescents taking constitutionals. Small stone path, a few trees… The roots of one of the trees have drained the soil of water enough to kill the grass and expose themselves.

I tilt her slightly so that she can look where I'm pointing.

"There?"

A weak nod.

"Alright."

I float her over to the bare soil and lay her awkwardly on it. She.. squirms, clearly not entirely in control of her body but trying to get her bare skin into contact with the ground. I reposition her slightly to make it easier.

"What are-?"

The colour washes from her skin as her flesh turns-. Clay, she's turning herself back into clay!

Um. Um.

I didn't see any black. Yes, her internal connections were kind of a mess and I couldn't read them reliably, but black is noticeable. If she intended to kill herself then I'd have seen some sign of it. So that's not what this is.

"She can turn herself back into clay?" The older priestess frowns at me. "She can do that?"

"That's what I'm hoping."

Her frown deepens. "You don't know?"

"I've known her for about half an hour longer than you. How well do you think I know her?"

"I-." Her frown fades slightly and she nods. "I suppose that you have a valid point. What can we do for her?"

"I met Gaea once, and that was for a few seconds. I don't know what this involves or what she hopes to get out of it."

"You met Gaea?"

"A demon abducted and warped a dryad. I freed her and healed her and then brought her to my Themyscira. Gaea appeared to check up on her. This is new."

I take out a rune stone and… Yes, magic is happening. Fairly intense magic, but I've never seen a woman made of clay brought to life before. It is at least reassuring that something has this in hand.

"So… You get out a lot?"

"Your meaning?"

"Do you get off the island a lot?"

"No, not at all."

"So, do you know much about the outside world?"

"Our sisters of the Bana-Mighdall brought us much knowledge when they fled from the Reich."

No idea who they are. I don't remember anything about them from either the comics or Earth 16. Is that what they call the Amazons who went back to Greece here? Have to ask my Diana about them.

"Were the Reich the ones who did this to her? Was this the result of their magic?"

"No, the Reich know nothing of magic. Their ideology forbids it. This was an action taken by one of their other enemies."

"The Reich killed Queen Hippolyta. Why would their enemies do this to one of our sisters?"

"Because the enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy, and nothing more. Neither side has any interest in cooperating with you. The only difference is that-."

Diana swells slightly, then a thin outer layer of clay flakes off her fully restored skin as she pushes herself upright.

"Feeling better, sir?"

"My body is hale, but my spirit may never recover." She looks around, right hand rising up to brush clay fragments from her hair. "This is Themyscira on Earth Ten?"

"Yes."

"You are native to this world."

"No, Earth Sixteen. A group of supervillains from my Earth have been raiding your Earth for technology while all the survivors are occupied. This parallel is being attacked by-."

"I know. I was a part of it." She exhales. "Nazis."

"Nazis who can still learn to be better."

She gives me an odd look.

"Perhaps. Who rules here? I must discuss the matter with them."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
18:14 GMT -4

"There was no sign that I could see. One day the greatest, most noble man I knew simply… Took leave of his reason."

Diana hesitates for a moment, then presses on. Egeria appears to have cleared her schedule, because this meeting of the government of Themyscira assembled very quickly once I made it known that Diana wanted to meet them. In addition to the Archon herself there's the local Wonder Woman, Philippus, leading priestesses, senators and even Magala lurking in the background.

"He tore apart his home city, killing many of those who were his friends. Then he rose into the sky and laid waste to the entire world. Themyscira was… Burned. There were no survivors."

"No idea why, at all?"

"From the overwhelming power of the demonic magic that now blankets the world, I think that he was somehow possessed." She shakes her head. "The few magic users who weren't driven mad by the sudden change in Earth's magic systems… He killed them during our counterattack."

"I'm sorry to press you like this, but if there was any indication of which demon, or who might have conjured it, or anything that would help banish it…"

She gives her head a small shake.

"Zatanna tried to discover its name. She could not find a match in any of her tomes. Jason Blood conjured demons to interrogate, and none of them knew either. Perhaps… Perhaps it was not a demon, but some combination of telepathic control and mutagen?"

"How did you end up with the crown?"

"I don't clearly remember. I remember being defeated by Superman, and then everything is a blur of fury and madness."

"Can you stomach working with the local Nazis in order to defeat him?"

"I will have to. A reckoning for them will come eventually."

"Could we not have a reckoning and instead use the fact that they're having peaceful contact with other cultures who don't share their viewpoint to encourage a gradual social reform process?" She looks mildly puzzled. "We're going to be working with their version of Superman, and while he's fully aware of how bad Nazi society is he isn't quite ready to sign off on burning the whole system down."

Philippus frowns. "One man devastated a world? I'm sorry, Princess,-"

That title gets her a few looks.

"-but I don't see how that's possible."

"Superman's strength puts Herakles to shame. His endurance would put Atlas to shame, and his swiftness…"

Diana pushes her chair back, stands, and then floats into the air. About half the audience check her feet, presumably looking for the Demon Earth version of the Sandals. And then she's gone, reappearing on the other side of the room to the stares of the crowd.

"The Five blessed me with abilities far greater than those of mortal women. I can move with supernatural speed when I must. Superman usually holds himself back to avoid causing unnecessary harm." She lands and walks slowly back, making eye contact with each member of the audience as she does. "He did not hold back during our fight."

I nod, generating a small stone tower construct. "Unlike Herakles, Superman has natural flight. If Herakles wants to destroy a building and he punches it-"

I make a construct Herakles and have him punch the tower.

"-he goes flying because he can't grip the ground well enough to keep his feet."

The tower cracks slightly and Herakles goes flying backwards. Artemis and Philippus nod, both being familiar with the Gauntlets. Most of the others look to them for confirmation.

"Superman can fly faster than sound. If he wants to destroy a building-"

An orange blur strikes the tower, which collapses to rubble.

"-that happens. Now imagine that rather than a building, he flew into the ground hard enough to make the ground shake."

I pull the image out and show a city of towers falling.

"Or punches straight through it to the magma beneath."

I pull the image out further and show the likely outcome of Kal-El punching through the planet's crust. Dust and rock fly into the atmosphere, magma vomits free and the land is levelled for miles around.

"And then you've got the knock-on effect on the atmosphere. Civilisation is only ever two meals from collapse, and enough dust in the upper atmosphere and you can go years without sun."

"He was more inclined to use heat vision or throw things." Diana retakes her seat. "But the point is well-made."

Egeria nods. "That is frightful power to be in any man's hands. What aid do you want?"

"There would be little point in bringing an army. But if-" Diana makes eye contact with Wonder Woman 10, who nods. "-your Wonder Woman will accompany me, it will greatly improve our ability to fight through the corrupted warriors who will oppose our attacks."

"And Superman himself?"

"Basically, prepare banishment effects before we go in, then let Superman Sixteen and Overman pin him in place while we use them. I've also got weapons that he's weak against, but I'm a little reluctant to just kill someone that full of demon magic in case the result is worse than leaving him there. We haven't planned in any detail yet because we still don't know what resources we're going to have available."

Hm.

"Speaking of that, can I borrow your smiths for a few hours? I've learned a lot about armour transmutation, but I can't do that part of the forging process myself. I-" I look at Diana. "-doubt that you really want to go into a fight wearing demonic armour."

"Have you made armor for the version of me from your world?"

"It was a team effort with Io, Ted Kord and an Atlantean thaumaturgist named Sephtian. The armour will still be good without Sephtian, it just won't have some extra magic effects." I shrug. "I can also make you a sword, but… It depends on what sort of proportion of the possessed people you think can be saved."

She nods solemnly. "It is a hard decision, but I believe that saving what is left of my world must come before saving my friends and comrades."

I nod. "Rightoh. Sword and shield then?" She nods, and I turn to the other Artemis. "And for you?"

"I am content with the weapons which I already have."

Egeria nods. "Io will be able to work with you on creating your armour. Is that all?"

"It would be really helpful if Magala could help with opening the portal. We've got one guy recovering in hospital who knows how they work, and the Reich doesn't encourage magic study."

Egeria looks back and Magala, who nods reluctantly. Diana smiles at her.

"Then we are ready to begin."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
23:37 GMT +1

Atom Man watches as I bring the plane construct in to land on the Wewelsburg landing area. Diana looks godly in her golden orichalcum armour, even if she's going to reek of sweat in an hour or so. Wonder Woman 10 -her name's Artemis, and I kind of remember an Amazon by that name- looks like a Wonder Woman.

"Orange Lantern. You were successful, or are these friends from your home country?"

"Both. Allow me to properly introduce Princess Diana of Themyscira Six Six Six-" A number which was just asking for something like this to happen. "-and Artemis of Themyscira Ten."

He regards them each for a moment.

"And what is their racial background?"

…

Because he's a Nazi. I sigh internally and scan Artemis.

"Ah… The red head appears to be a mixture of Middle-Eastern and European descent and the Princess is… Clay brought to life by the Hellenistic gods, so I don't know what that counts as?"

"A golem? I've had bad experiences-."

"Wrong god. Look, do you have some sort of museum for equipment taken from Allied superheroes during the Second World War?"

"Museum? No. We have research laboratories, but everything from the Second Great War has been studied extensively. Anything that wasn't destroyed would be in secure storage."

"Can you check whether that includes a golden lasso? You were right, there was a Wonder Woman who fought for the allies, and if any of her equipment survived-."

"Then we would keep it and not return it to the allies of our former enemies."

"Have you checked? Because if you haven't got it, then this will be a pointless argument."

"Hold on." He's quiet for several moments. "Yes. Ah. Under the circumstances, I believe that we can release it to you."

"Oh?"

"It appears to be a magic artefact, and causes psychological harm to anyone who touches it. We tried to destroy it several times."

"Don't try and destroy it. I've seen what happens, it's not good."

"The researchers got interested when they couldn't, but they couldn't get a sample of the material. It's actually on the site, if-."

There's a bang and a crash and shouts from somewhere south of us, then Diana and Artemis fly back onto the landing pad. Diana has the lasso twisted around her right arm and Artemis dusts some brick dust off her right shoulder.

"I have it."

"Diana, I understand how important the lasso is in Amazon culture, but we're going to have to persuade groups of people who don't like each other to work together to make this work, and it would be helpful if you didn't demolish their buildings."

"No, no." Atom Man is studying her. "National Socialist ideology respects strength. And she's the first person we've seen who could wield it since the original Wonder Woman. It's worthwhile data."

Artemis narrows her eyes. "You aren't getting it back."

"Artemis, were you listening to me? We haven't agreed any terms, and committing yourself to a position at this point…"

She floats upwards and then shoots into the air with a sneer.

"I'm sorry about-."

Atom Man's eyes follow her as she vanishes from sight.

"No, no, that's fine. Is she married?"

Diana's jaw tightens.

"Um. I.. didn't think-."

"She's European. It doesn't matter if she comes from an isolated island somewhere. She can learn culture."

"I don't think it would work, and please leave off pursuing her until after the mission is complete."

"Who is in command here?"

Atom Man turns back to Diana. "The Bat. But he's an old man and he's in bed. Donner should have heard-."

Ms. Brauer lands on the landing pad, clenches her fists as she sees Diana and then relaxes slightly as she sees me.

"Lantern?"

"Restoring Diana was completely successful. Glad to see that you're feeling better. I also got a magic user, though one of my-"

Magala nervously sticks her head out of the construct aircraft.

"-other possibles turned me down."

Ms. Brauer walks up to Diana and extends her right hand.

"Hallo. I'm Donner."

Diana steps forward to shake the proffered limb. "Diana. Will you be taking part in the attack?"

"That's what I'm for. Is the lasso part of the plan for defeating the Over Overman?"

"It might be. The lasso is unbreakable. We might be able to use it to restrain Superman." She turns to me. "What do you mean, you know what happens if it breaks?"

"The concept of truth breaks down and reality becomes perception. Please don't break it. And please accept that however much you don't like it, if someone bound by it says something then they're speaking the truth."

"That sounded specific. How do you know-?"

"This isn't my first parallel universe. Things happen. Donner, is the wizard awake yet?"

"Yes, but he's not very coherent."

Diana nods. "I will talk to him. Perhaps our shared experiences will enable me able to reach him."

"I'll prepare a ritual space for him to work. Atom Man, can you tell the garrison commander to work with me? I suspect that we'll need fortifications, and I imagine you'd prefer it if they weren't AI controlled."

"I will do that. Will we need human sacrifices?"

"I… Really hope not?"

"I ask because we don't have any detainment centres near here, so if you want them here within an hour we should notify them now."

"Let's-. Let's not jump the gun. I'll get to work."

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th September 2012
02:13 GMT +1

José Luis Lopez shakily finishes off the last of the inscriptions, glancing back at Magala as he cautiously rises to his feet. She waves her hands at the whole layout with her eyes half-closed, then nods.

"That's it?" The large moustachioed man with metal skin who was introduced to me as 'Reichsmark' doesn't look convinced. "You think we can just walk through now?"

Mr. Lopez opens his mouth to respond. Then he hesitates, prompting Reichsmark to make a contemptuous hiss through his teeth.

"Then why-?"

"Reichsmark." The Bat shakes his head. "This is a focusing aid for the magic, which comes from them. They can't open a portal without it, but as soon as they start using magic then anyone on the other side will know it."

The almost cartoonishly obvious vampire next to him nods. 'Count Berlin', real name not provided, is a survivor from the Reich's early super soldier experiments. I'm sort of assuming that he was from this universe's Nazi version of the Creature Commandoes, but that information hasn't been volunteered.

"Like a drop of blood in the water calling sharks. It would be foolish to begin that part of the process until we are ready."

Reichsmark shrugs. "I'm ready now."

There's a clank as Baron Gestapo -and for goodness sake, some of these names- sets his squad of hulking robots to ready mode. The Baron himself has a more defensively-weighted version of Atom Man's power armour, and as I understand it functions as a minion controller rather than a front line fighter.

"We're all ready now, Sven. That's what the design being complete means." Reichsmark gives him a slight glare before turning away in an attempt to imply that Gestapo isn't worth his time to argue with. "Well, boy?"

"I-I can begin opening it. If they try to stop me then it won't work, but… I don't think they will. They-. They want people."

The dark brown thing introduced to me as Shadow of War floats a little closer. Apparently there's a female metahuman under there somewhere, rather than the wraith I originally assumed she was. No idea whether whatever that is turns off or not.

"They will learn that war is no kinder to demons than it is to mortal men."

The Bat nods. "We're ready. Open the portal, boy."

Mr. Lopez plants his crosier at the focus of the ritual space and starts quietly praying. The symbols he's been drawing start glowing with white/blue light, dimly at first but with gradually increasing intensity.

Reichsmark grimaces. "That's not what the portals look like."

"That's because he's not using demon magic. Mister Lopez has a far higher calling."

Baroness Reiter straightens slightly in surprise. "His magic comes from God?"

"No. If it came from Yahweh, it would burn with golden fire and the Count would be dust. This is pure human faith manifesting. I know that you don't really know enough to understand it, but achieving something like this through faith alone is actually extremely impressive. Most magicians would need to make pacts with various supernatural beings or access to high powered magic artefacts to do something like this."

White Dragon's hulking armour stomps forward.

"If you want to suck your pet greaser off that badly, wait until after the mission."

I can't help but chuckle at the fact that in a room full of German Nazis, it's the token American on the team who's racist about the Mexican.

The Baroness appears to agree. "Dragon, he's in control of the portal. Do you want to be left behind?"

"It's…" Mr. Lopez bows his head slightly. "It's opening. You should go through as quickly as possible."

The Bat nods. "Baroness, Lantern. You-."

Reichsmark gives him a glare of protest.

"Fine. Baroness, Lantern, Reichsmark. Go through first. Scout the area and attempt to contact Overman and Overgirl. If you can signal us within the first minute, we will deploy at your direction. Otherwise we're coming through shooting after that. Once it's secure -unless we're all dead-"

Reichsmark snorts.

"-Crusader will join us on the far side while Ms. Magala will hold the portal open from this side."

A blue/white film descends vertically across the ritual space, rippling for a moment before stabilising.

"Go. God-"

Reichsmark grins. "Yes sir!"

"-be with you."

The Baroness vanishes in a yellow blur.

I fly through and Reichsmark leaps after me. Through to the other side… Some ruins, dust and ash and craters where something hit the ground hard.

"Orange Lantern to Superman."

I rise up into the air as the Baroness zigzags across the countryside. Reichsmark just sort of stumbles to a disappointed halt. "Where are all the demons?"

"Orange Lantern to Superman."

"Superman here. You make it out alright?"

"I made it to Angelika's home parallel. And brought back… People with whom we can temporarily align ourselves."

"You mean Nazis."

"And the local Wonder Woman, as well as the Wonder Woman from this parallel whom we managed to purify. How are things in South America?"

"We haven't been discovered. We could attack any time, but unless we've got some way to remove the demon magic from everyone I don't know what we're going to do with them."

"Could you get everyone out of the Fortress and then wreck it? That should disrupt the ritual space."

"We can do that."

"I'll send a map of the interior to Overgirl's personal computer."

"Is there anything I should look for inside?"

"The Spear of Destiny. If we're really lucky, that is what is creating the world wide corruption effect. Get it out of his hands, and we just have to deal with Demon Superman."

"And if we're not, we should still get it out of his hands anyway. I don't suppose you could do anything with it, could you?"

"I don't think so. And there's probably still a Larfleeze in this universe-." Hm. "But there's a magician from here we purified on the other side of our portal. If we gave it to him, that might help."

"Alright, we'll do that. You should hear from us in a couple of minutes. Where are you?"

"Western Germany. We'll expect you when you get here."

"Superman out."

Baroness Reiter comes to a halt back at the portal.

"All clear. Ruins, wreckages and hovels."

"No one attacked the portal in the last thirty seconds."

I head back down. "Overman is in good health and will be heading here after hitting a target in South America. I think we can call in the team."

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th September 2012
02:21 GMT +1

Atom Man takes a moment to look down at the state of central Europe.

"It's strange. I've never thought what it would be like if Overman turned his wrath on us."

"Your suit has kryptonite lasers."

"Yes. But that was to prepare for a theoretical risk. Seeing it in person is different."

"You could treat this as a trial run. If you can kill an Overman fortified by magic, you can probably beat the actual one."

"Yes, I just… It's Overman. The idea that anyone could beat him-."

"It can be done." Diana's voice has a hard edge to it. "It has been done before and it will be done again."

"I've got some gold kryptonite if you can switch the crystal?"

"That is not possible. We-."

Alert! Incoming-.

A roar of displaced air hurricanes past us, and then Overman, Superman and Angelika are-

"Angelika!"

-there, Baroness Reiter flying over at high speed to embrace her friend. Angelika enthusiastically returns her affection, pulling her into her chest with a smile.

"Gisela!"

Overman smiles in a slightly strained manner as he floats down towards the ground bound members of Axis Germania.

"Gentlemen. Ladies. Brothers and sisters in arms. Thank you for coming."

The Bat smiles. "Overman. I assumed that you would survive, but it is reassuring to see it directly."

Overgirl and the Baroness drift down towards Ms. Brauer, while Diana flies towards Superman. He proffers the spear.

"Can you do anything with this?"

She watches him for a few moments, studying his face-.

Superman shakes his head. "I'm… Sorry, I'm not him."

"No. But it's nice to be reminded of what he was, before…" She glances around. "This. I can't do anything with the Spear, but we're hoping that the Crusader can."

"I don't know if I like handing this over to a Nazi."

"No." She shakes her head. "Crusader is from this Earth. He's not a Nazi. He's just a devout Catholic who made an unfortunate choice with his name."

"Oh." Superman nods. "That's a little more reassuring. Who's in charge here?"

Overman raises his right arm to beckon Superman and Diana down. Superman nods, and the pair of them join him and The Bat for a discussion.

Didn't see much of Central Germany the first time. I don't know if Demon Superman bothered converting local superheroes. Actually, I've been assuming that was him, but actually it might just as well have been Wolf Krieger who did it. That could mean that the problem will resolve itself in short order, which would be nice.

Except that it might just make it easier for Truggs to loot the place, since he wouldn't have to worry about Demon Superman taking exception, or any of the other demonically-twisted crazies. Is that something he'd-? Yes, yes it is. Sic the superheroes on the problem, take advantage when everyone relaxes. But there's not much-.

Bats swarm in the sky to my left, eventually resolving into Count Berlin. He makes sure that he has my attention for a moment and then points eastward.

"There. Lantern. Can you see?"

I scan in that direction. "Looks like a refugee caravan. Or it could just be a caravan. Given all the changes to the atmosphere, farming has become quite difficult."

"No. The smell is wrong."

"How so?"

"Like another vampire, but… Different."

"I say ag-."

"I do not meet other vampires frequently. Only a few times. I have little to compare it to, but it's… Off."

"Orange Lantern to everyone. We might have a dozen or so vampires of indeterminate power heading this way."

"Count Berlin." Overman looks around, his eyes pointing in the direction they're coming from. "Take Orange Lantern and speak with them. We have no interest in fighting them, but will do so if necessary."

"Yes, Overman." He doesn't bother looking at me, instead heading towards their current location at moderate speed.

I fly alongside him.

"How does the Reich treat vampires generally?"

"They are exterminated. I was exempted due to my war record and loyal service." His eyes narrow slightly as our target gets into visual range. "But we are not here to destroy subhumans. Just to end a threat to the Reich."

"A valiant sacrifice on your part?"

"I will not talk about it with you."

He swoops down, and I hang back slightly to offer support without crowding some refugees. In densely populated cities vampires can make arrangements for blood. Heck, it wouldn't be hard for me to set up a synthetic blood still for them. Ms. Barr has been living off it for over a year at this point.

One of the vampires pulls his horse to a stop and waves.

"Hello, cousin!"

"State your business. We're busy."

"We're here to feed on the surviving humans of Germany, of course! Pickings are getting rather thin out east."

"You are from Russia?"

"From Markovia."

"Then return to there. Germany is not for you."

The other man looks mildly affronted. "You're claiming all of Germany as your feeding ground?"

"I'm claiming all of Germany as my Fatherland. Is your night vision so bad that you cannot see the swastika?"

The Markovian vampire looks puzzled.

"You're actually a Nazi? I thought it was just for decoration."

"I am a proud National Socialist and a loyal son of the Fatherland."

"Then perhaps you should be concerned to know that I have left followers in every town that I have passed. They are ordered to send a supply of blood to sustain us… But they can be ordered to-"

Ring, scan likely route of travel, towns and other settlements they might have encountered. Locate animate humanoids without heartbeats.

Located.

"-kill everyone just as easily-"

I

step out

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th September 2012
02:25 GMT +1

Mildly interesting fact: the whole thing about wooden stakes is a myth. It's just that most vampires can heal fast enough that stab wounds such as might be inflicted by a narrow stabbing weapon don't really threaten their existence. A wide wound through the heart on the other hand is virtually impossible to heal, and those tough enough to survive it are obviously impaired by the lack of blood flow.

Point is, it's-

"AGHYOUFUCKINGCRAZYBASTARD! I'LL EAT YOUR MOTHER!"

-not the wood.

Construct hooks work just fine.

"How are you still moving?"

"WE ARE A SUPERIOR FUCKING BREED!"

"Superior to humans?"

"TO-! GAH!" The vampire reaches up to the construct hook sticking through her chest with both hands, but isn't able to muster enough strength to damage it. "WEAKER VAMPIRES!"

"Ah." I nod. "Just wanted to be certain. What exactly do you mean by that?"

"WE ARE IMMUNE-! FUCK, TAKE THIS OUT OF MY CHEST!"

"That doesn't sound like a good idea. Though I am impressed that you're still functional."

I look over to the Tree of Pain that I've set up, the other vampires on it somehow still being animate.

"Orange Lantern to Count Berlin. I've identified and removed all vampires in the region."

"Finally. Out."

I bring the hook a little closer.

"Immune to what?"

"SUNLIGHT! GARLIC! RIVERS! ARRRRGHHAHAH!"

"And crosses?"

"YESYESFUCKINGYES!"

"How about religious symbols from other religions?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"Seeds?"

"WHAT?"

"Well." I pull a vial of what I suspect to be an alchemical solution out of her clothes. "It's interesting, anyway."

I put construct clamps on her arms and legs, remove the hook-

She gasps with relief.

-and impale her on the Tree.

"AHNOAH-H-H!"

And then pick up the Tree.

"AAAAGHUUHHHH!"

And fly back to where the boss vampire was talking to Count Berlin.

Boss vampire is shivering on the floor, trying to crawl away from Shadow of War. Reichsmark-

"Stand up and fight, trouser-shitter!"

-is squaring up to a vampire who has already had half of their face caved in but gamely throws himself at the metal-skinned git, claws and surviving teeth extended. Reichsmark takes a stance and extends, the blade of his right hand punching right through the vampire's chest and spine.

A vampire who feels lucky lunges at Baroness Reiter, and he completes his lunge in the form of dust as a torrent of pink energy erupts from her face and disintegrates him.

Angelika floats down over the caravan.

"Would everyone who would like to surrender-"

Energy pulses from Baron Gestapo's robots begin hitting home as they lumber into view.

"-please come over here-"

Ms. Brauer picks her opponent up and hurls them into a wooden caravan face first. The vampire punches through the side, then the other side, and lands under Angelika.

"-and adopt a submissive posture."

I replant the Tree. Angelika regards it for a moment.

"Impaling yourself is not necessary."

White Dragon looks up from where he's incinerating a couple of vampires.

"And suddenly I respect you."

"The difference is that they can answer questions, and can amend their lives and live moral lives in-" His flames are turned away by a construct barrier. "-future."

"Faggot."

"I will take that as a compliment."

"I surrender! I surrender!"

A quick-thinking vampire uses their just-short-of-super speed to dive and cower under Angelika. The other survivors cringingly scurry in the same direction, another flame blast from White Dragon hitting another construct shield.

"I bet you're the kind of faggot who fucks his own asshole."

"That would require my penis to be about fourteen inches long. Are you sure that's the insult you wish to make?"

White Dragon stares at me for a moment, then turns around and stomps back towards the portal site.

"Good." Angelika puts her hands on hips and looks down at the bedraggled-looking undead below her. "Now, who is in charge?"

"Prince Roderick!"

Multiple fingers point towards the man cowering before Shadow of War.

"And why are you following him?"

"We would starve if we did not!"

"Miss Talkative over there-" I point to the Tree. "-was trying to feed me a line about vampiric superiority?"

"She does that with everything! Even before she was a vampire!"

"Starvation shouldn't be a problem. I can build you a machine to create new blood for you."

"Really?"

"Yes. But I'm afraid that we're going to need some things from you in return."

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th September 2012
21:02 GMT -5

"Shadow of War, in position."

In Babylon 5, the character Mr Morden once told the character Prime Minister Londo Mollari, 'What are you going to do, Mollari, eh? Blow up the island?'. And Mollari replies, 'Actually…'.

"Baron Gestapo, in position."

In the comics, that… Weird, Middle Eastern Zod once turned the sun red in order to weaken Superman. I could do that, eventually, but it wouldn't be very healthy for the Earth or the Sun. Instead, I'm creating a giant filter and surrounding it with gold kryptonite crystals. Superman, Overman and Overgirl know not to come anywhere near this, but demons aren't known for their sound judgement.

"Baroness Reiter in position."

Of course, it's still dark where the Demon Superman is, but this is a misdirect/trap, so-.

Gosh… Darn he's huge. I thought the big heat vision beam when we first arrived was… I don't know, diffusion in the atmosphere due to the distance. Nope. That's just how big possession has made him. Somehow. I… Don't know enough about demon magic to know how that could happen. I mean, I'm hoping it's just a result of the presence of the demon, because… I don't know what we'll do if he's stuck like that.

Heh-.

Ahcrap I think he just looked at me. I think. He looked this way and he was using telescopic vision, I know that for certain. But I don't know if he was looking at me specifically.

Aahhh, I hate the fact that cold fields don't work in a vacuum. I've set up some cold-field-gas-contained-by-force fields traps, but I'm pretty sure he can just fly around those. But I'm as ready as I'm going to get.

I generate a gold kryptonite laser.

"Orange Lantern in position."

Bombarding Demon Superman with kryptonite won't work when he's got no pressing reason to stay in one place. And I can't do it while he's fighting because we've got three kryptonians on our side who will be affected as well. And that's assuming that I can keep up when they're moving at maximum speed, which…

Probably not.

I watch as… Yes, they actually found Demon Flash. The local one is an older Wallace West, according to Diana. According to her, Demon Superman had him attacking the few people who managed to resist the corruption effect in America, but she had no idea what he'd been doing recently. I watch as the red blur runs back into Metropolis, completely ignoring the various people trying to scratch out a living from the ruins. It passes them in a f-. Second, and few of them bother to react.

Demon Superman doesn't look around. Instead, he lowers his head and looks back across the Atlantic to where our kryptonians are waiting.

And doesn't react at all as Baroness Reiter dashes past him wearing Flash's stolen uniform, x-ionised knife flying from her right hand to bite into his right ankle.

That gets a reaction. Red light blasts from his eyes but she's still moving, not faster than the beam but faster than his head can turn. Or at least is turning at the moment. He still hasn't got up from his customary seat in the wreckage of the Daily Planet but the expression on his face has gotten just a little more wrathful.

I fire the kryptonite laser.

From this far away I actually get to count a few seconds before-.

It hits, but all the reaction it gets is a quick look up-.

Plasma shots from Baron Gestapo's robots slam into his left side from their position on the ruins of the Statue of Providence in the harbour. Okay, he's not affected by gold kryptonite.

"It looks like he's not affected by gold kryptonite."

"Counter-fire read-."

Heat vision ignites the air between Demon Superman and the Statue, only to vanish as three of the other robots fire cold beams into its path. Some radiation gets through, but they're easily tough enough to survive it.

"Ready." Baron Gestapo can't keep the smugness out of his voice. "I told you that the targetting-."

Demon Superman lowers his gaze, moving the heat beam so that it's pointing at the water of the bay. The cold gun armed robots match his angle even as their brethren continue to pepper him with shots. We were pretty sure that they wouldn't do any damage, but that's not what they're supposed to do.

"That the targetting system would be able to cope."

Another knife buries itself into Demon Superman's leg as Baroness Reiter dashes past him on the opposite side, and I see it as his right hand turns the rubble it's resting on into dust.

He's not hurt, but he's getting annoyed. Okay, can I do anything about his protective aura? If he stays exactly where he is, maybe. Diana said that they didn't have any specifically anti-magic weapons, so he's probably never encountered anything exactly like my mage slayers before.

I'm mostly supposed to be a distraction until he gets up, so… Yes. I change the laser construct into a teleport gun construct, because a railgun shot would be far too slow. It won't hit hard enough to hurt him… Heck, if he makes an effort he could still dodge it. But it looks like we haven't annoyed him enough to even get up yet.

What is he waiting for?

A few miles south west Demon Citizen Steel is intercepted by a vampire enthralled to Count Berlin. The vampire won't be able to hurt him significantly but the reverse is also true as the vampire can turn into mist or a cloud of bats to evade Heywood's punches. If we're really lucky the vampire will be able to mesmerise him, but we don't need that to happen.

We don't want anyone providing cover for Demon Superman, and we want him to know that we're blocking them. We're not.. sure what the mechanism is for him getting corrupted superhumans to aid him. Diana said that he couldn't do it when he first transformed, but that it definitely predated Wolf's efforts. If we could work it out… We might have tried interfering with it using magic. But those vampires can earn their clemency.

The sea between the bay and the statue is completely frozen and Demon Superman cuts off his heat vision. He's smiling faintly. Okay, so-?

Hordes of rag-clad cultists charge out from the city and begin the run towards the statue.

"Raaahhhh!"

Ah, that would explain-.

The plasma gun armed robots shift their fire-. And he's using the stun setting, thank goodness. We had a talk about the inadvisability of killing people in an area affected by demonic magic, but it's nice to see that it actually sunk in.

Baroness Reiter dashes past again, this time running directly in front of him. He ignores the hit, instead, using… Flashes of heat vision to turn the broken ground into a series of molten pits that will make it far harder for her to travel there again.

There's a flash of light next to-

"No mark?"

-me as a twisted version of Michael Holt appears, T-spheres with a pentagram decorating their face floating around him.

"No life."

Filaments flash out from my construct armour, reaching for-. Passing through him. Phasing? I can get around-.

The T-spheres glow and agh!