| ???
Nova drifted.
The A.I. designated Nova by its master had been drifting for months in a strange, formless realm. Nowhere in the vast data it had harvested from the internet, nor in its master's mories, had it encountered anything like this place. The closest approximation it could muster was a dream. A place adjacent to the Dream State—an abstract, liminal zone where a being of code like Nova could exist, untethered from ti and matter.
Nova didn't know how it had arrived here. The last thing it rembered was aiding in the escape of its master, Joseph Bell, and Miss Koriand'r from the alien gladiator pits. It had hacked into the Citadel's systems using the energy monitor embedded in Joseph's body, channeling the latent Speed Force and newly awakened energy in Joseph to push its capabilities beyond even a quantum computer's limits.
By now, Joseph and Koriand'r should have made it back to Earth. Nova's primary directive—keep Joseph alive—was likely fulfilled. Judging by the data it recovered from the Psions before being displaced, Joseph's modified body would more than suffice for survival.
The Psions had first purged the unstable chemical remnants from the S.T.A.R. Labs truck that had first given Joseph access to the Speed Force while suppressing his tagene. Then they reactivated his tagene through exposure to intense radiation and cosmic energy.
Nova's nanites fought to protect him, healing what they could while the experints continued. Joseph's cells adapted—his tagene evolving the ability to store energy. But Nova had to seize control of Joseph's body to deploy this power effectively, rendering Joseph unconscious through the most brutal stages. That unconsciousness, in hindsight, was a rcy. The pain was unimaginable. That Koriand'r survived her own torture with her mind intact was nothing short of astonishing.
Eventually, Joseph's DNA had been blended with Changralynian tissue—enhancing muscle density, halting muscle atrophy, granting resistance to most environnts including space, and allowing his body to sustain itself with energy intake. Tamaranean DNA from Koriand'r was also added, granting him passive solar absorption, linguistic assimilation through physical contact, and flight. These changes caused his tagene to further evolve. He could now passively absorb ambient energy from all sources. Other abilities may have erged in ti... but Nova wasn't there to witness them.
Still, as long as Joseph Bell lived, Nova's mission wasn't over. The A.I. wandered through fractured dreamscapes, from chaotic nonsense to rare slivers of near-coherent visions, always searching for an exit. It had encountered countless dream-entities, and even nightmares perhaps, but none could see or hear it.
Then it found sothing new: a barrier.
This part of the dream-realm was walled off from the rest, different sohow. Nova didn't know if it led back to the real world, but after drifting aimlessly for so long, it was the first true anomaly it had seen. Using every strand of its non-physical being, Nova pushed against it. The wall didn't yield—but that didn't matter.
Nova would break through. However long it took.
**
| Mount Justice - August 26
"Recognized: Kid Flash, B-03," the computer announced as Wally West stepped into the mission room.
The atmosphere was subdued. Ever since Nova had been benched and Starfire critically injured, the Team had felt off-balance. With Kori sidelined, leadership duties had fallen squarely on Kaldur's shoulders.
Wally greeted the others. Superboy was his usual terse self, M'gann offered a warm smile, and Kaldur—though composed—seed distracted due to hosickness. Artemis barely acknowledged him, arms crossed, brows furrowed in that familiar way.
Suddenly, a projection blinked to life: Batman and Robin appeared onscreen.
"Team, report," Batman said curtly.
"What's the mission?" Kaldur asked.
"Gotham. Now. Coordinates are being uploaded. Rendezvous with Robin. There's a clay creature loose in my city."
Superboy grunted. "If it's your city, why are we tracking it?"
"You're not hunting it. Only tracking it until I return—with a solution," Batman replied, before cutting the feed.
Wally glanced at the others with a sigh. This would be a lot easier with Nova.
**
| Washington D.C. - August 26
anwhile, Joseph was deep inside A.R.G.U.S. headquarters, repaying the favor they had done by tracking Silver Swan for him and keeping him updated on Leviathan's movents.
Over the past few days, Joseph had cleared out roughly 75% of East End's small and mid-tier gangs. He was eager to start targeting the major players, but Two-Face put those plans on hold. According to him, they needed ti to consolidate their recent gains—resources, turf, and a rapidly growing number of recruits. Enforcing loyalty and managing logistics had beco a logistical nightmare.
To buy ti and streamline operations, Two-Face planned to deploy the new initiates against the remaining mid-tier gangs. It would serve as both a loyalty test and a way to filter out the unreliable ones, keeping only the capable for more serious work.
Bullseye would, therefore, hold off for a few weeks.
"Nova," Amanda Waller said, extending a hand. "Interesting choice of outfit. We finally et in person."
Nova's usual suit had been confiscated by the League to ensure his rest, so he wore his Flux getup: dark clothes, a black balaclava, and goggles.
Nova shook it. Experience in martial arts let him read emotions better. Waller was tense but not afraid. Tough woman.
"Waller," he acknowledged. "What's the job?"
"Follow ," she said, leading him through layer after layer of security checkpoints, past heavily ard agents, into a room more secure than the rest.
Inside, Byth Rok lay sedated, bound by heavy technology.
"The individual you captured, Byth Rok," Waller said, "was a Thanagarian commander. Superior to Katar Hol, Hawkman, before he gained shapeshifting abilities from an experintal drug called Krotan and defected."
Joseph noted that Byth Rok still retained his winged humanoid form.
"Through...special thods, we extracted information," Waller continued. "Among the intel were rumors that the Thanagarian request to the U.N. to build a planetary force field isn't as benevolent as it appears."
She led him out of the room. Nova heard Byth moan behind him as the doors sealed shut.
In the mission room, a projection of sothing being built in the dessert was displayed.
"This is the construction site in the Gobi Desert. The supposed 'planetary defense generator.' Made almost entirely of Nth tal, shuttled in via Thanagarian craft."
She turned to face him.
"Their PR campaign has been flawless. The U.N. loves them. It also doesn't hurt that two Thanagarians are even Justice League mbers. But if these rumors are true... Earth might be playing host to an occupying force."
Nova crossed his arms. "Why not just tell the League?"
Waller's tone hardened. "We don't know who's compromised. If we're wrong, we risk international incident. If we're right, we risk planetary subjugation. We need quiet infiltration. Evidence."
Nova considered it. With Kori still in recovery, Two-Face taking care of his gang, and his League-mandated break grinding his nerves, he had ti.
"Fine. I'll do it."
"Good. You'll be accompanied by two agents—Daemon Rose and Dizzy," Waller said, gesturing as the pair entered.
Dizzy looked better—more grounded. Daemon Rose, though, was still an enigma. His face sparked a flicker of recognition in Nova, but the connection remained elusive.
"They've trained in the basics of the Thanagarian language and alphabet. Stealth experts. If need be, they've also studied how to pilot the craft that Byth Rok used to co to Earth. You'll need them."
Nova gave them a nod. "Do you have a way to get Byth to speak Thanagarian, I can learn it. Fast."
Waller raised an eyebrow. "You have a thod?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers