“It’s not like he’s the first superhero to ever die,” Boulder Boy said.

“No, he was just the first superhero, period,” Redstone said. “Dumb ass.”

The news of Doctor Nocturne’s death hit the superhuman resistance hard. While they were not allowing it to postpone their planned attack, hero and villain alike took time to share stories of the venerable hero.

“Did you guys see Crimson Gladiator cry?” Living Doll said. “That’s something I never expected to see.”

Augur had his arm around Zephyr who was unnerved by the whole affair. He worried about her. Even though she, like her Teen Justice Patrol teammates, stood at the threshold of adulthood, she still had a childlike view of the world.

“Sucks that we’re not all going to be together,” Zephyr said. “It just… sucks.”

“I know,” Augur said, “but it can’t be avoided. I have to be here in D.C. when you guys free all the superhumans in New York.”

“Still sucks,” Zephyr said. “I belong with you guys. I don’t want to work with anyone else.”

“You’ll be fine, Peggy,” Redstone said. “At least you’re paired up with Crimson Gladiator. Me and Captain Hornet have to put up with Doctor Megaton.”

“At least Megaton is interesting,” Boulder Boy said. “Have any of you tried to strike up a conversation with Scrap Heap? Man, I am not looking forward to working with him.”

“Your powers complement one another,” Augur said.

“My powers have more in common with Sand Devil,” Boulder Boy said.

“You like her don’t you?” Redstone teased.

“Shut up.”

“You do! You’re blushing!”

Boulder Boy assumed his stone form. “Shut up.”

“Boulder Boy and Sand Devil sittin’ in a tree,” Zephyr sang. “F-U-C-K-I-N-G.”

“Oh my god, Peggy,” Living Doll said. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

Everyone laughed. Including Zephyr.

“Anyway, Sand Devil is with me, so you’re out of luck, Bryan.”

“Actually, there’s been a change,” Augur said. “Sand Devil is working with Boulder Boy and Scrap Heap now.”

“Yes!” Boulder Boy said as he punched the air

“Wait,” Living Doll said. “I’m not infiltrating by myself am I?”

“No,” Lynx said as he entered the room. “You’ll be working with me.”

“Hell no!” Living Doll said. “No way! Not going to happen.”

“We’re both good at the sneaky stuff. It’ll be fine.”

“Nope! No way!”

“I promise I won’t try to eat you.”

“Damned right you won’t.”

“It's going to be fine, Doll,” Augur said. “We have a plan, and this whole invasion thing will be over by the end of the week.”

“Yeah,” Lynx said. “One way or another.”

Junior Justice Patrol glared at the villain, but nobody corrected him.

- - - - -

“I thought dinosaurs was supposed to be big and slow!” Tempus Fugitive screamed to no one as he ran from the pack of swift, horse sized dinosaurs snapping at his heels. “What the hell are these things?”

Ernie Pratt had spent his life running. As a child he ran from schoolyard bullies, as a youth he ran from neighborhood gangs, and as an adult he ran from the police. His running took on a whole new dimension when he acquired the power to traverse time and space. He could close his eyes, take a calming breath and escape to a nice safe place somewhere in the time stream. Unfortunately, at the moment he didn’t dare close his eyes, and he was the opposite of calm as he ran for his life through the prehistoric jungle.

While on his mission to find some means of defeating the giant monsters that were destroying Earth’s major cities, Ernie had an epiphany. If the giant monsters were like big, ugly dinosaurs, then why not fight them with the real thing. Like his other plans, this one did not play out well.

The dinosaurs could have had him multiple times. They seemed to be playing with him like a cat plays with a mouse. He looked for a cave to duck into, but found none. The prehistoric world was supposed to be full of caves and cave men. Where were the god damned cave men? He just needed to buy himself a moment. That was all he needed to make the time jump, just one lousy moment of peace.

He stopped short when his path was blocked by one of the dinosaurs. Play time was over. It was time to eat. The creature leaped high in the air and descended on Ernie with claws extended. Ernie screamed, the opposite of calm, and disappeared into the time stream.

- - - - -

“Honey, I’m home,” Star Sentinel said.

“Welcome back,” Sol said as he began to recharge Star Sentinels fatigued body. “That was humor?”

“Yeah, kind of.”

“Was it a specific cultural reference?”

“More or less.”

“I’m sure it was humorous.”

“Oh, it was hilarious.”

Whenever Star Sentinel returned to the sun, Sol would create an living environment for him. Star Sentinel plopped down in a chair that had just materialized behind him and he groaned.

“Did you gather any new information?” Sol asked.

“I’m afraid not. Instead I just keep verifying what I already know. The force field is generated by huge metal rods that reach down to the Earth’s molten core, is powered by the whole damned planet and is strengthened by my solar blasts.”

“What about the meteors?”

“I directed a few dozen meteors at it. They just bounce off.”

“Perhaps larger meteors would work?”

“I’m starting to think that a meteor big enough to penetrate the force field would go on to destroy the planet.”

“That would be unacceptable.”

Star Sentinel smiled. In the years since they first met, Sol had matured socially, but he still on occasion betrayed his childlike naiveté.

“Yes, Sol, that would be bad.”

“Are you still frustrated?”

“Of course, I mean... it's like... Okay, I'm going to come out and say it. All modesty aside, I'm the most powerful being on Earth. Hell, I'm the most powerful being in the solar system...”

“Ahem!”

“Present company excepted.”

“Thank you.”

“... and yeah, it's frustrating because I can't do anything to help. I can see everything that's going on from orbit. Everything. Hell, I even watched Doctor Nocturne die. I just watched. I couldn't do a damned thing.”

“I'm sorry, Garrett. I wish I could do more for you.”

“You do plenty, Sol. Don't even worry about it.”

“Perhaps I could point out the silver lining that you seem to be missing.”

“This should be good.”

“The Grays fear you. To them you are a nightmare of their own making, and they have taken extraordinary steps to keep you out of this fight.”

“Yeah, and they've done a damned good job of that.”

“For now.”

“For now?”

“They can't fend you off forever. An opportunity to bypass their defenses is inevitable. When that happens your vengeance will be swift.”

“And painful.” Star Sentinel managed a smile for Sol even though his words gave no comfort. Sol was billions of years old. For him 'inevitable' could mean a long, long time. “I just hope, when that happens, there will be something left of the Earth to avenge.”

- - - - -

Two Shocktroopers marched through the corridors of the New York Prison Ship. A glassy tube containing the unconscious form of Silver Scarab hovered between them. One of the Shocktroopers stopped, turned and raised his weapon. His partner copied the action.

“What is it?”

“You didn't see it?”

“See what?”

“I guess I don't know.”

“Scanners show nothing. Perhaps fatigue is affecting your senses.”

“Impossible. I've only been awake for three Earth days.”

“Let's just get this one plugged in and we'll take a break. I'll procure you an Earth beverage.”

“Fresca?”

“If you wish.”

“Agreed.”

They returned to their task and were soon at the entrance to the Stasis Room. The guards allowed them to enter and they were soon in the shadow of the massive storage unit. It was a floating sphere measuring nearly 100 feet in diameter. It's surface was covered with circular depressions three feet wide and just as deep. Most of those depressions supported a stasis tube like the one the housed Silver Scarab. The sphere rotated until Silver Scarab was aligned with an empty housing. Umbilicals extended from the sphere, connected to the stasis tube and drew it in until it clicked into place.

“Now we feast on Fresca and Bugles,” one of the Shocktroopers said as he and his partner left the Stasis Room.

The light was strong and direct in the Stasis Room, casting long shadows. From one of those shadows a dark figure emerged. He had no features. The Other looked like a starless night in the form of a man. He floated over to Silver Scarab's tube and stared at it's occupant.

“Gavin?”

The voice took the Other by surprise. He looked around.

“Gavin?”

The voice was inside his mind. “Where are you?” The Other suddenly had a sense of direction and followed it to a tube containing Hypnos.

“Gavin?”

“No, Gavin is my father's name.”

“Oscar?”

“Oscar is my brother.”

There was a long pause before the voice returned to the Other's mind.

“Gavin is dead?”

“Yes, his heart failed this evening.”

“I'm sorry. I know you have been with him a long time, and I can sense your fear.”

“Yes, I've never been on my own. I promised father that I'd rescue my brother, but I don't know how.”

There was silence.

“Are you still there?” the Other asked.

“Yes, but I'm so tired. I've been fighting the effects of stasis for days, but I can't fight it much longer.”

“You must stay awake,” the Other said. “Stay with me. Show me what to do.”

“Can't... so tired.”

“I am filled with doubt, nothing but doubt.”

“Your father was an incredible man. I'm sure... you've learned much. You will be fine. I have... faith.”

“No, stay, please stay.”

The Other waited for a reply, but there was none. He returned to his brother's stasis tube. His father would know what to do. He would have a plan, but he was not his father. No, he was far different. He didn't even have a true body. He would have to turn that into a strength. He swirled around his brother's tube as a vapor until he found a vent and he entered.

Now he was with his brother. Oscar Johnson's lips were parted. The Other seeped inside and became a part of his him, just as he had been for his father. Silver Scarab's eyes opened and he cried out.

“What the fuck?”

“Don't be afraid, brother,” the Other said. “I am here with you.”

There was a presence within Silver Scarab that frightened him until it became familiar and reminded him of his father.

“What are you?”

“I am your brother,” the Other said with pride, “and I am rescuing you.”