Issue Number Fourteen
"Erewhon"
WHAT HAS COME BEFORE : Kimiyo Hoshi, aka Dr. Light, has travelled to England to seek the aid of the Justice Squadron, only to find that the hero group is beset with problems of their own. Following on the heels of the Knight's departure, the team has now bid farewell to both Revenant and Godiva, leaving them dangerously undermanned. Now, the team accompanies Dr. Light to Bialya, where Light's lover Erewhon has been spirited away to....
SCENIC BIALYA
Sumaan Harjavti bit his nails and felt a tiny bead of sweat run down the base of his spine. He was dressed in a quasi-military uniform, addressing a group of foreign dignitaries. He could feel their glassy-eyed stares and could almost hear their whispered sneers.
Bialya, in their eyes, was a joke.
Since taking over from the notorious Queen Bee, Sumaan had found himself entangled in a morass of legal jargon. Bialya, his beloved Bialya, had lost so much face over the years -- and been blamed for so much international terrorism -- that he now found himself paying off a huge national debt.
It was days like this that he regretted seizing power.
"...The increasingly delicate relations between metahuman-rich nations and those who are without will only worsen in the coming years. Such countries as America and Great Britain have a tremendous advantage over the Middle Eastern nations, none of whom have more than a handful of metahumans between them. That is, in fact, why I asked you to join me here today. Bialya has invested incredible expense in recent years in the hopes of producing our own superpowered strike force. All of our attempts, from the likes of Wandjina to the Global Guardians, have been failures. Until today."
Sumaan swallowed before continuing. A few of the dignitaries were leaning forward with interest, but most were engaged in small talk of their own. After all, what could Bialya possibly do that wouldn't be a folly of the highest order?
"Ladies and gentleman, I present to you the wave of the future. I give you -- EREWHON-1!"
The air crackled at his side as a being phased into view. Encased in a hard promethium shell, he gazed out at the shocked diginitaries without emotion. Energy flickered about his head and shoulders.
Sumaan had to admit -- Erewhon was breathtaking to behold. Black metal from the neck down, his head was a gleaming silver. He looked like some science-fiction nightmare come to life.
"Erewhon is a revelation -- a cross between the robotic power suits of the Rocket Red Brigade and the living fighters of the Global Guardians, Erewhon is a machine operated by a human intelligence -- one that is pledged body and soul to Bialya. Or," he added, "to whomever is willing to pay the price. By combining a human's ability to act in terms of both self-preservation and self-sacrifice, we create a warrior who is capable of far out-dueling any man-made machine. And his instilled devotion makes him ready and willing to die in the line of duty."
A man with a thick Russian accent shouted out, "But he is only one! Are you saying you will be able to mass-produce these things?"
Sumaan smiled. "Bialyan scientists have found a way to replicate Erewhon's condition, yes. A human soul encased in a powerful body. It is the future."
A female voice that sounded of Middle Eastern descent interrupted him next. "But what can he do?"
"In his natural state, he has no physical form and is able to inhabit the bodies of others. Alas, we have had to neutralize said ability at present -- were he to leave his current form, it could expose him to outside influence... To compensate, we have given his physical form a wide variety of armaments -- on the widely-accepted Luthor Scale of Metahuman Energy, he rates a 7.5. The Rocket Red armor rates a 5.4...."
As the now-fascinated dignitaries began to pepper Sumaan with questions, a French observer slid out the door. She had stolen the credentials which had gained her admittance to the invitation-only meeting, but that wasn't the reason behind her sudden departure.
Rather, it was a pure, blinding fury which had threatened to ruin all of the Justice Squadron's carefully laid plans.
Constance D'Aramis found her way to a balcony and leaped over the side. The drop was not inconsiderable, but she landed with grace. Confident that she was away from prying eyes and ears, she withdrew her communicator. "Zis is ze Crimson Fox -- Tell Kimi that she was right. Erewhon is here -- but it is not good. Not good at all."
WORDENSHIRE CASTLE, ENGLAND
"Yoohoo! Is anyone home?" Dmitri Gorki stepped out of the transporter tube, his Rocket Red helmet tucked under one armored elbow. His freshly trimmed beard made him look very debonair, he thought -- an assumption that had been confirmed by his wife before he'd left his home in Russia.
Dmitri stepped through the chilly corridors of the castle, admiring the many tapestries that covered the walls. This is a nice place. Almost as nice as the old JLE embassy.
Humming a song to himself, he carefully poked his head into room after room. Just as he began to accept the fact that the Squadron must have been away, he heard the tell-tale creak of a floorboard behind him. He whirled about just in time to see a large yellow fist slam into his face.
The impact sent him flying into a nearby wall and, after a jarring impact, to the floor. He spit something out of his mouth and worried at first that it was one of his teeth -- and then blinked in amazement as he saw that it was, in fact, a hair.
"You Russian bastard... How did you get in here?!" Dorcas Leigh, known throughout her homeland as the hero Godiva, stood over the fallen Rocket Red. She was dressed casually, a suitcase in one hand. Her long hair writhed like a living thing atop her scalp, ready to throttle Dmitri if he made a wrong move.
"Eh... It is good to see you again?" Dmitri flashed his most winning smile.
Godiva's hair rared back for another strike when Sue Dibny's voice cut off her attack. "Dorcas! No!"
Dmitri shut his eyes and braced for impact, but found none coming.
Godiva glared at Sue. "The last time I saw this man he was a pawn of Sonar's*."
(*Back in the classic Justice League Europe # 50.)
Sue stepped between them, keeping her eyes on Godiva. "So were you, if I remember correctly. Now back off!"
Godiva shoved past her. "Fine. I was on my way out anyway. Give my regards to the others."
The sound of the front door slamming shut made Sue sigh. She glanced back at Dmitri as he stood up. "Sorry about that."
"It is okay." Dmitri rubbed his jaw. "Painful, but okay."
"She's had a hard time of it lately and... Well, she's taking a leave of absence. So how did you manage to get in here?"
Dmitri held up his communicator card. "Max told me I was in. I'm here to help the Squadron." His smile was practically blinding.
Sue blinked. "Max... Lord?"
"Of course... Sue? Are you all right?"
"Dmitri... I think the guys are gonna have a lot of questions for you when they come back."
ONCE MORE IN BIALYA
The royal palace of Bialya was abuzz with excitement following the demonstration. Nowhere was the more true than in Sumaan's personal quarters.
"Marvelous! Simply marvelous! My name shall be sung in the streets! Bialya shall become a world superpower! We shall--"
"Shut up?"
Sumaan Harjavti stopped his excited pacing and turned in the direction of his secret ally. The American had come to Bialya some months ago, seeking funding for his own experiments. It had been he, in fact, who had stumbled upon the notion of using Erewhon as a pawn.
Sumaan drew himself up proudly. He feared the American in some ways, but he was much more confident now that the dignitaries had begun placing their orders for new Erewhon units. Unlike his earlier attempts to use the Global Guardians and to ally himself with Sonar, Sumaan knew that he had stumbled upon a winning formula at last. "I will not be spoken to in such a manner. You are a guest here, but I think that my scientists can now replicate your work... In other words, show me some respect or get the hell out of my country."
The stranger's eyes flashed with power. He stroked his white beard and smiled. "You forget that it was I who studied the Japanese woman until I learned of her lover. It was I who created the process that not only bonded Erewhon to his battle-unit but also can rip out the mental essence of a normal person to make new Erewhons. Without me, Sumaan, your pitiful little country would still be sliding into obscurity."
Sumaan laughed in derision. "You are a laughingstock in your own country. A coward and a failure. You should thank me for giving you this opportunity at redemption."
A powerful light burst sent Harjavti stumbling backwards. Pain threatened to overwhelm him, but the dictator held on to consciousness.
Sumaan looked up into the face of madness. Clad in black and white, the man barely seemed human these days. But he had once been very human, driven by passion and greed. The original Dr. Light gazed down at Harjavti and sneered, "What you do with the Erewhons no longer matters to me -- my bill has long since been paid. But when that woman who usurped my name comes running -- and she will, mark my words -- she is mine. Do you understand?"
Harjavti could only nod.
Dr. Light's pin-point laser sliced right through the reinforced wall. With a powerful kick from Hawkman, the Justice Squadron gained entrance into the underground laboratories of Bialya's royal palace.
The team which had come together only brief months before was now a well-organized machine. The Crimson Fox and Hawkman were the first through the hole, their enhanced senses searching for any guards who might have been attracted by the noise. Maya, with her flaming arrows already drawn, followed suit. The Elongated Man and Dr. Light moved in last, each studying their surroundings.
"He's in the next room, I'm sure of it." Kimiyo Hoshi, the second Dr. Light, studied the palm sensor she carried. Attuned to Erewhon's energy signature, it had led her all the way to Bialya. "There's something conflicting with the signal, though."
Ralph Dibny, team leader, felt his nose twitch. "Gotta be those other Erewhons the other Fox mentioned. If Harjavti is transforming people into bodiless energy, we've gotta be prepared to help those folks."
"What could we possibly do for them, Ralph?" Maya couldn't hide a touch of fear in her voice. This whole affair bothered her deeply -- to imagine herself cut off from her body, forced to live inside a metal shell... It just hammered home to her how dangerous her life had become.
"Don't know, kiddo. But we'd try our best." He elongated his neck so that he was on an equal level with Hawkman, who had flown ahead. "See anything?"
The Thanagarian nodded. "Around the corner is another room. I spotted someone matching Constance's description of Erewhon in the corner, alongside a number of people strapped to tables. I counted six scientists and three armed guards. Nothing we can't handle."
"Then let's do it -- and guys, remember that we want to get some evidence of what Harjavti's up to so don't destroy everything until we do!"
Dr. Light created a hard-light transport for herself and the Crimson Fox, rocketing ahead of the others. Constance could see Kimi's barely contained anger rising to the surface. Once upon a time, Kimi had been a real spitfire, full of rage against the world. But she'd mellowed with time and become a genuinely sweet individual.
Not today.
Dr. Light struck hard and fast, sending laser blasts through the guards as soon as she entered. The Crimson Fox extended her claws and leaped into the air, landing atop a startled scientist, whom she dispatched with a hard backhand.
As Maya and the others rounded up the remaining scientists, Kimi moved towards the inert form of Erewhon. "Can you hear me? I promise that I'll bring this palace down around Harjavti's ears if they've hurt you...."
Erewhon's eyes suddenly glowed bright green. The words that emerged sent a chill through Kimi's heart. "I'm sorry, Kimi -- but you're an enemy of the state." Erewhon's hand shot up and grabbed her about the neck. He squeezed powerfully. "Prepare to die."
Maya fired a fiery arrow at Erewhon, striking the robot in the side of the head and momentarily freeing Dr. Light from his grip. The Japanese woman staggered back, gasping for air.
"More trouble on the way..." Hawkman's warning came just as a door slid open.
There, framed in the doorway, was Arthur Light. Flanking him were five more Erewhon units. The master villain smiled at Kimiyo and purred, "Well, well. At long last we'll get to find out which of us deserves the name...."
ELSEWHERE
Lord Havoc sat before the monitor screen, staring at the faces before him. They were all still images, taken from the time of the League's first battle with the Extremists : Dreamslayer, Gorgon, Tracer, Lord Havoc I, Dr. Diehard. All of them, with the exception of Dreamslayer, had later been revealed to have been only robotic duplicates of long-dead otherworldly villains. But their robotic nature had allowed them to be resurrected in recent times -- against Supergirl*.
(*See Supergirl # 15.)
"When do we strike, Lord Havoc?"
The simpering voice stirred Max out of his reverie and he turned to face Gorgon as the robot approached. Designed to mimic the true villain to the smallest detail, it was easy to forget that he wasn't truly alive. But his artificial nature made him no less deadly. "Soon. I haven't finished preparing the Squadron just yet."
Tracer and Dr. Diehard joined Gorgon, each of them staring coldly at the screen before them. The brutal killer Tracer sneered, "Why are you doing this? Preparing them? Why not just let us swoop in and kill them, then we can dominate this world the way we did our own."
Lord Havoc swayed suddenly. The part of him that was Maxwell Lord rebelled against all this and sought to aid the people he once considered friends. But the part of his personality that had been twisted and warped into the new Lord Havoc sometimes propelled him forward. Ironically, he was both helping the Squadron and seeking to destroy them at the same time. Even as he'd warned them about the Secret Society*, he'd been in the planning stages to rebuild the Extremists under his leadership. It was insane.
(*Back in Justice Squadron # 4.)
When he'd calmed himself, he pointed a finger challengingly at Tracer. "Never question me again! You want a challenge, don't you? You want to prove that you're not only the equal of the old Revengers*, but also of this world's best? I'm going to give you that opportunity...."
(*The greatest heroes of the Extremists' old world.)
BIALYA
So much for not destroying everything in sight, Ralph mused.
As soon as Kimi had seen her predecessor to the Dr. Light name, she'd let out a torrent of curses in Japanese. The general gist of her tirade, however, consisted of various threats which she intended to carry out over several months' time.
It was pretty frightening for someone like Maya to hear. The young girl had only seen the 'meek, quiet' side of Kimiyo -- not the warrior who was now matching the villainous Dr. Light in energy-based combat. Still, she didn't have time to ponder the difference -- instead, she unleashed her flame powers against one of the Erewhons as it approached. When that failed to deter it, she sent a torrent of water towards it. This had the satisfying effect of nearly shorting out the robot.
Hawkman had taken to the air, using his mace to pound against one of the Erewhon units. He found himself holding back, somewhat, however. He was all-too aware that whomever was inside was acting against their will.
The Crimson Fox dodged a series of energy blasts from an attacking unit, flinging the head-tail on her costume to the side. It landed heavily on the side of the Erewhon unit, knocking it to the floor.
The Elongated Man wrapped himself around one of the Erewhons, hoping to immobilize it. The robot electified its shell, however, sending a painful burst of electricity through Ralph. The pliable hero held on, however, increasing the pressure on his robotic foe. There must be some way of turning these things off... some way that the Bialyans would be able to control them....
Ignoring the strained attempts of the Erewhon unit to escape his grasp, Ralph fixed his gaze on a small control box located next to the corner where Erewhon-1 had been resting. Stretching out with one hand, he found that he still couldn't reach it without losing his hold on his Erewhon. Frantically, he caught the Crimson Fox's eye. "The control box -- I bet it's what they use to keep them in line!"
Constance, who had been pounding on her downed foe, nodded quickly. The control box was on the far side of the room, which meant she'd have to cross the field of battle. A sly smile played across her lips.
With a running start, she tumbled past Maya and her foe then vaulted over Ralph. She narrowly ducked under one of Hawkman's swings of his mace and avoided the flying lasers from the two Lights.
Finally, she held the control box in her hand. A series of buttons lined the small remote transmitter, but she quickly found that she couldn't read the Bialyan language. "Oh, bon. It looks like I shall have to close my eyes and wish for the best. Un dieu m'aident."
With a press of the button, the electrical energy in the air began to rise. Ralph felt the hair on his head stand on end and Maya cried out as her dangling earring brushed her cheek, shocking her.
The Erewhons began to shudder and quake. Mechanized voices strained to express human pain as the souls trapped within suffered. Erewhon-1 turned his head towards Kimi, who had momentarily broken off her battle with Arthur Light. "Kimi... I... feel like... I'm... overloading. It hurrrrrrrrrrts......"
Kimi rode a light-bridge to his side. She couldn't touch him but she came as close as she could stand, squinting against the bright light given off by the electrical charges. "Erewhon! Hold on -- I might be able to--"
"No! I can't... hold on." Erewhon suddenly looked away, his head tilting slightly. When he spoke next, his voice seemed confused but full of awe. "Who? The other... Erewhons... need me to lead... them to the other... side? But... you're... Boston?"
Kimi felt a tear roll down her cheek. "No, Erewhon... There's no one there. I... love you."
Erewhon turned to her and nodded. "There... is... someone here, Kimi. A... dead man of some kind. But... he says I have to... go. Thank you... for showing me how to... live."
The sudden shut-down of the Erewhon units was both anticlimatic and shockingly horrific. Erewhon-1 went dark and crashed to the floor with a thump.
For a long moment, there was only silence. And then Kimi turned to face Arthur Light with a look of pure hatred. Tears were flowing easily now, as a woman who had lost her marriage and nearly her children felt fresh salt settle into old wounds. "Damn you! You killed a wonderful, sweet man just to prove that you deserve to have an identity?!"
Arthur Light held up his hands to ward her off. Despite the fact that his powers had been augmented since his stay in Kyle Rayner's Lantern, he was still, at his core, a man who dreaded pain. "I never meant to kill him -- that was your doing, not mine!"
Kimi seethed, "You are
more powerful than me, Arthur. I admit it. But from this day
forward, there will only be one Dr. Light -- and
it won't be you. The Monitor gave me this name
and I've had it while I've watched one hero after another die...
and I will not give it up to some sick old fool! For Erewhon and
all those whom you've hurt --
GO TO HELL!"
The light burst shot forth from Kimi, enveloping the evil villain in a crackling embrace. Arthur Light screamed in terror as the light grew brighter and brighter. The Squadron members covered their eyes, while Ralph expanded himself to act as a shield for them. Arthur's last word echoed in their minds, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
When the light went out, there was only Kimiyo Hoshi.
As the woman sagged forward in tears, it was Constance who caught her. "Shh, mon ami. It shall be all right."
"No, it won't be. Erewhon's gone."
"So is the first Dr. Light. Did you kill him?" The accusation was loud and clear in Hawkman's voice.
"No... I... wanted to show him what Erewhon must have felt. So I forced him to convert himself into pure light and... I dispersed him. Given time, he'll re-form... and probably hurt someone else."
The Elongated Man looked around at the demolished room. "I don't think we'll be able to prove much of this, guys. Looks like Harjavti's going to get away scot-free again."
"Not quite." The Crimson Fox held up a small recording device. "I taped him during ze exhibition earlier. We might not be able to get him out of office, but I'm sure ze U.N. would like to know about this. With enough economic sanctions, perhaps we can force him out."
Kimiyo Hoshi barely heard their words, nor did she notice when they led her from the palace. In her heart of hearts, she felt numb with anger. She had let her guard down, hidden away from her duties of a hero. Despite what the Monitor had told her, she'd tried to give up her identity.
Never again. Even if it meant moving her children from Japan to London, she was going to become Dr. Light again. And she was going to make the world a safer place by locking away every lunatic like Arthur Light....
But it won't bring you back, Erewhon. Nothing will....
In Justice Squadron # 15 : The disappearance of the Knight is beginning to attract some attention... from both his former partner, the Squire, and his former teammates in the Ultramarines. Plus : Is Rocket Red the newest Squadron member?
EUROPINIONS
A strange story that arose out of two desires : 1) To pit Dr. Light against Dr. Light. It seems like such a natural that I can't believe no one has done it before. 2) To return to Bialya, site of some of my favorite JLE/JLI stories. As you can see, not much has changed there. It's still a hotbed of failed schemes.
As for the death of Erewhon... Well, I liked Erewhon and I'm not a fan of superhero deaths. But in this case, it kind of wrote itself. Kimi is a tough woman and, if anything, she'll come through this even stronger than before. This will also allow me to try and reconcile her early "bitchy" persona with the "sweetness and light" that came in her later appearances. I can buy that she became at peace with herself and lost most of her anger, but I also hate how every strong woman is eventually turned into a loving, peaceful type in comics. Something similar was attempted with Power Girl, back when it was "revealed" that her tough-as-nails attitude came from an addiction to colas... I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but some women are very dominant, tough and strong without having an addiction to cola or repressed anger over a failed marriage.
What does this mean for Kimi? Well, it means that while she will continue to be a compassionate person, she is also the same person who appeared in Crisis on Infinite Earths... in other words, there are times when she will kick butt and take names, and not give a damn about who's getting offended.
I'm now off my soapbox. :-)
Next issue brings in the Ultramarines and the long-awaited arrival of the Knight's partner, the Squire. I'll also lay down some clues to our next major story arc.
Keep in touch,