Saturday Super Stories - Stand Alone 10

“My life is a series of events, one thing after another, each of these things eventually culminating into some kind of life changing event that then alters my destiny from that point forward.  I was born in another universe and because of that I was in line for an Event that ripped our universe to the ground and forced us to go to war with a parallel universe that was invading us.”

“In truth we went to war with them because they accidentally invaded us and we retaliated in the only way we knew how, and at the same time an unseen hand was moving us forward to their own end for some unknown reason.”

“I watched as my universe was sealed away from me and lost my parents and family forever because the way back was gone.  This left me in the care of one of world’s greatest heroes and his training brought me against my greatest enemy, Zero.”

“Zero in turn forced me to locate a new source of knowledge so that I might continue my education and find a way to cure my…father, the man like my father.  I know it’s impossible, but we’re super heroes and that’s what we do every day.  So I will use the Knowledge and weed out the answers I need until I figure out a solution to the problem I have given myself.”  Sapphire looked at Zoe who nodded at her.  “I have to ask it the right questions, everyone has a boss, and that led me to Andreas Darkk, whom I stood over in Carcass his prison.  I saw the birth of Genesis, the Coming Darkness, the thing which is coming next and that which I am now preparing myself for.”  She rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed. “What are the right questions?  What can I ask to start and knit together the last threads to see the whole tapestry.”

Stand Alone 10 - The Little Things 1

“Who was Doctor Kirby?”

“Presenting Doctor Alexander Kellan Kirby noted physicist and quantum engineer.”  The crowd roared in approval as the Doctor came up on to the stage.  He waved his hands for calm and the group quietly rapidly.

“Good morning every one, I feel like a rock star.”  The crowd laughed at the joke.  “Today I am going to go over several of my recent discoveries relating to the evolution of stars.  We think that these celestial bodies are just lights in the sky that twinkle and eventually fade away, but I believe that they are so much more.”  He pointed at the white screen behind him and slides began to follow what he was saying changing from star type to star type across a common stars life cycle.  “What I am saying is…what if the stars themselves are alive and they follow an evolutionary life cycle from birth to death?”  Several people in the crowd gasped and in the silence someone muttered blasphemy.

“I am working with several government and businesses to attempt to draw some of the energy down from the stars and get long range readings; we are currently building several laboratories across the world to attempt to better understand my theories and possibly harness the energy to remove ourselves from a dependent resource like oil.  I would like you all to meet my main financier Rex Ruthless!!”  A young man barely into his twenties stepped onto the stage and joined Dr. Kirby at the podium.  He waved at the crowd.

“Hello everyone,” he spoke quietly but his voice carried, “I believe in Dr. Kirby’s theories and have put forth considerable resources towards this venture.  We already have several ARC, advanced research collectives, in multiple countries across the planet and construction has begun on the equipment that will draw some of the energy down to the Earth.  I have personally hired two doctors that have specialized in this field to oversee that project, and we should have results in a few years.”

“Who is Oswald Johnson?”

“Who are you really Oz?”  Rex Ruthless sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the young man before him.  “I have had some of my people look into you, since you are my roommate, and one cannot be too careful you understand.”

Oswald nodded, “That is a good question Rex.”  He turned and sat at his desk.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Who are you?!”  Rex’s voice raised a few decibels.

“I am the son of Kaliope and Jaswell Johnson.  My IQ is 37 points higher than yours.  I come from no money and a middle class background and have had to achieve all of my college funding through scholarships and holding three jobs during high school.  I also gamble occasionally and raised money that way as I am able to count cards quite easily.  Dr. Kirby put in a good word with the school board and found me placement here.  Other than that I am just a young man looking to make his mark on this world, and your roommate for now.”

Rex ground his teeth, “I knew all of that already but I think you are hiding something.”  Oswald turned in his chair and looked Rex right in the eye.

“Everything I told you was true,” he stared intently at Rex.  “The things I have left out about who I am are none of your concern and therefore none of your business.  So DROP it.”  The single word echoed slightly.  Rex looked away first and immediately felt ashamed, but he nodded.

‘You won’t be my roommate for long.’ Rex thought to himself as he stood and walked out of the dorm room calmly.  Oswald sighed as the door clicked shut and then smiled. 

‘Everything about that story was true Rex,” he thought to himself, ‘Except I’m not actually Oswald Johnson, I replaced him months ago.’ He started to laugh to himself.

Darwin Dexter the Baron of the Side-realms, and King of the Anathema went back to his homework, after all the Star Force wasn't just going to come to him without some work.

“Why was SuperDude in Nevada when Shrulk made its first appearance?”

‘I will guide you where you are needed most, when the greatest dangers arise on this world.’  Dawnbringer voiced its thoughts directly into his mind.  SuperDude banked left as a feeling began to pull him in that direction.

“So you are like a danger magnet?”  Superdude asked the entity that dwelled within him.

‘In a way, I go to the danger, I do not bring the danger to me,’ it responded.  SuperDude nodded.

‘I feel something towards the West Coast of this country, continue on this path and we may be able to prevent many deaths.’  SuperDude nodded again and pushed himself faster.

“How did Doctor Kirby die?”

“Why are you doing this?”  Kirby screamed over the wind howling through the alleys created by the skyscrapers of Megalopolis.

“Because I tire of your repeated failures, I have invested too much time and money on you and your protégés, perhaps your suicide will spur them onto greater achievements.”  He shoved and the good doctor fell down from the penthouse of Ruthless Unlimited.

TBC in Skullduggery 110 Part 1

Stand Alone 8

Sapphire sat up and yawned. “I feel like crap,” she declared to the empty chamber. She stood up and stretched before walking to the wall and requested water from the food-generating device attached to it. Soon there was a knock on the door, and it slid open silently. A young female alien entered and bowed before her.

“I am called Zoe. and I have been sent by the Archivist to assist you with anything you may need this evening.”

“Evening? I was only asleep a few hours.”

“Incorrect. You were asleep almost one whole day by your Earth standards.”

“Well shit, that kind of screws up my plans then. I was only planning on being here for a few days before getting back home and trying to deal with this Coming Darkness thing.” Sapphire sat back down on the edge of the bed and held her head in her hands.

“You came to us in search of Knowledge, and that knowledge tends to add more questions. Perhaps you are looking at the problem in the wrong way?” Zoe had moved across the room silently and was standing to the side of Black Sapphire now.

“When I was still on Earth with the Dark Avenger, and before Zero happened, I had access to his database. And the files written by the heroes involved in all the cases he handled with the WMD and the IED and his other various alliances like the Raven Institute and the Family. I thought they were as complete as I could get before I discovered that you people existed. Now I have access to a font of the universe's knowledge and I don’t know the correct questions to ask it.”

“Correct. I was once taught by another of the Catalogers, one who became exiled. He is only referred to as the Nameless now. He told me two simple things. There’s always a Bigger Picture, and everyone has a boss.”

“So I should ask what the bigger picture is.”


Stand Alone 8 - V

We were the future of the world, this Earth.

The five of us made a pact to change things.

We were wrong.

*******

“Alright, let’s go around the room and introduce ourselves. I’ll start. My name is Richard Reader.” He tipped his cap and sat back down as the next member stood.

“Harold Prick.” Reader cocked an eyebrow. “Please don’t call me Harry,” he sat back down.

The next man stood up and cleared his throat before speaking. “Andrew Jessup, and that’s my sister Erica sitting in the corner. I have to watch out for her and she had no place to go tonight.” Reader nodded and continued to ignore the young woman. Andrew sat back down and looked to the next in line.

“Oswald Johnson.” He stood and returned to his seat quickly and looked to the final member of this group that Reader had brought together.

“Rex Ruthless.”

 Harold gasped. “Don’t you already have a company that you run?” he asked. Ruthless nodded. Harold quickly followed up. “Why do you even need to go to college?”

“Because while I am in the top one percent of the world’s most intelligent people, there are things that I still do not know. Also, it is my father’s company, and I am only technically the Vice President of it.” Harold frowned. “For now,” Ruthless finished. Harold leaned back, suddenly slightly scared. He shut his mouth and looked back to Reader.

“We five are the future. We have the highest GPA's and make up the most brain power in the entire school. Each of us has similar interests in science, astronomy, genetics and other various fringe sciences. I propose that we work together to make the world a better place.” 

Ruthless snorted. “I do not think that I will or can work well with others. I tend to be a brutal taskmaster when it comes to doling out assignments, and I expect them to be done my way.” Rex spoke honestly. 

Reader listened and nodded his assent. “I am the same way when it comes to my experiments.”

“I work with my sister when it comes to the things that... fascinate me,” Andrew added. “We make a great team.” 

Erica smirked from her chair. “Only when you get something right,” she muttered under her breath.

Richard Reader stood. “Any one of us can change things as an individual, but as a unit, we can change and progress the entire world along any path that we choose.”

TBC in Demonology 107

History 101 - Part 3

My name is Mercedes Whitman and I am a hero on a foreign world. I'm the daughter of two heroes, and was trapped on this Earth during an Event that sealed the way back home forever. They call me Black Sapphire when I'm out patrolling the streets, and this is my Blog.

SATURDAY SUPER STORIES - HISTORY 101 Part 3: "Original Sin"

Their hands locked and the test of strength began, neither willing to give ground. Shrulk drove her back a step, sweat beading on her forehead. "Why don't you die?!"

"Can't... have...a...date...TONIGHT!" She twisted her left heel and pivoted, turning into the grapple and pulling, forcing a shift in their momentum which her power latched onto and increased. Shrulk lost its footing and flew half a block away, into a parked SUV.

"YES!!" She hopped a little.

"Don't get cocky." The voice growled into her ear-piece.

*******

Rex Ruthless smiled as Shrulk was unloaded from the Column special transport. He held out his hand and the creature shook it. "We haven't been introduced. I am Rex Ruthless, and I have facilitated your release."

"We know who you are Mr. Ruthless. What we don't know is why?" It responded.

"That's the easy part. Because I crave knowledge, and through that knowledge I can gain power. My dream is to someday rise above the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world... not that I am not already ridiculously rich and powerful. I wish to have a legacy that stretches far into the future, and to do that I must start here, in the present." The creature nodded its head. "So to begin that quest I have freed you and built you another lab. I call it ARC One, the Advanced Research Collective, the first of many such facilities that I hope to build all over the Earth. You have carte blanche to continue your research, and maybe someday you will find a cure for what ails you."

"What if we don't want to be cured?"

"That, of course, is up to you."

Shrulk nodded again.

"Allow me to leave you to your task." Rex turned and climbed in his limo and it drove off, leaving the Jessup's to their life as it was.

Months pass...

The last of the switches were hit and the system powered itself on. Various bits of machinery twisted and adjusted themselves as the perfect trajectory was plotted. Shrulk hit the last button. The machine pulsed and immediately the screens around the room lit up with data.

He/She looked over the readings and smiled. "This proves that Dr. Kirby was right, the Star Force is real. The Universe is evolving." Randall spoke quietly.

"At least the Stars are." Erica replied.

"These other readings prove that we have been imbued by a portion of one of these Star Forces, and also that there are more than a dozen readings scattered around the globe."

"This proves our theory on SuperDude."

"What we sensed has to be a Star Force."

"But not diluted like ours. Pure."

"He rarely leaves the confines of Megalopolis. I wonder why he engaged us back then?"

"Someday we will have to ask him."

"Does this mean I can track SuperDude?" Ruthless spoke from the observation platform. Shrulk looked back and up towards him.

"Not in the way you would like." Their voices in unison once again. "This only gives a general location. We would have to refine it, and that would take more time, funds and information. We would have to develop a new tool and scans of SuperDude would be needed as each of the Star Forces seem to vary in degree and strength. Personal readings." It nodded to itself. "We can get these for you. We have been waiting for another chance at... him."

"Make it so." Ruthless spun on his heel and exited." Shrulk went back to the computers and began to work.

More time passes...

The Jessup's looked down on the city and watched SuperDude as he patrolled the East Bank of the river. Their scanners had taken weeks to install and were all working perfectly, passively scanning him as he patrolled the city each day, each scan narrowing the power down.

The creatures arm pinged, and it looked down at the forearm scanner. 98% complete. Data was being mined and collated. "Another few passes and we will have the complete genetic code and power set of SuperDude."

"Really?" Shrulk jumped a bit. They turned and saw SuperDude standing behind them. "I would hate to burst your bubble, but the scans you have been taking are false positives."

"What?" Shrulk lifted its arm and watched as the counter pinged to 100%. PROFILE COMPLETE. SUBJECT SHRULK ALREADY ON FILE. "How?!"

"I have been using my super-speed redirect the scanners, faster than you can even blink. One of my associates gave me the hint that something was up."

Shrulk growled.

"But since you haven't actually committed any crimes yet, I can't take you back to the Spiral. But..." SuperDudes hand popped Shrulk in the chin and she/he went flying. "STAY OUT OF MY CITY!!" he shouted.

Elsewhere...

SCAN COMPLETE. 100% OF GENETIC DATA RECEIVED. Rex Ruthless smiled and steeples his hands together. "Excellent."

END PART 3