Vaster than Empires and More Slow

[N/A]

At the end of this, they go back to their world. They do NOT belong here. On this point, I will not compromise.

The Scarab sighed, and turned to face Phantom.

"I can sense your discontent. I am sorry that I and my confederates have not done a better job of making you feel welcome. Hopefully, such things can be remedied later, when we once again have the luxury of time. For the moment, let me just say that your aid in these matters is greatly appreciated."

As for our "visitors"...we will do everything in our power to make sure they have a world left to return to. A world worth returning to. But should the worst happen, I will not rule out the possibility of granting them refuge and asylum on Earth-Prime. I will not abandon innocent people to death or worse, and on that point, I will not compromise. As residents of an alternate Earth, they are not to my knowledge in violation of The Pact, anymore than Centurion was when he landed here a century ago.

But we will cross that bridge when we come to it. At the moment, other matters require our attention.

Grimalkin and Avenger once again felt the presence of The Scarab in their surface thoughts, guiding them with a mix of words and images through the use of The Lair's controls.

[alderwitch]

If you do not think there is any knowledge I have, that you do not already possess then I fail to see what aid I could possibly provide, Phantom returned, unmoved by the passionate speech. These are not refugees, nor helpless innocents. Earth Prime cannot support even a fragment of the refugees that do exist. Their world needs their presence. Would you also relocate their children? What about the others on their planet? Decide then, who is saved, and who remains to fight in a hopeless battle. And if your choices result in a war lost that might have otherwise be won, so be it.

Thoughts and memories roiled below the surface of Phantom's mind before they dissapeared behind a smooth wall that did not invite questions.

"I know of this world," Phantom said aloud, "And I can confirm that whoever is behind the spell that brought them here is capable of bringing an army the same way."

[Avenger Assembled]

When Scarab and the others appeared at Transport Central, Avenger was waiting for them. "Scarab. Can you reach Dr. Archeville or Dark Star? Am unable to contact them?" The sight of the grimly menacing vigilante didn't at all thrill Ray and Rachel, who clung to each other all the more tightly, and Avenger headed in the opposite direction, keeping ahead of the others as they headed back to the control center. "Concerned about further retaliation. If we were targeted."

[Heritage]

Grim, who has also joined the group in the teleport room, approaches the two frightened transdimensionals with her hands up in a (hopefully) calming gesture.

"Hi, uh, I'm Grimalkin. Are you guys hungry or thirsty? Can I get you anything? Here-"

She snaps her hands down, and a thin woolen blanket appears.

"I'm just gonna drape this...carefully...over your shoulders, so you can huddle in a bit more comfort, okay? Hey, can we get them a chair or something, a beanbag? They look exhausted."

[Avenger Assembled]

Ray Trask gave Grimalkin a startled look. "My God, Sabra!?" He took a step towards her, reaching out with a shocked look of false recognition on his face, before his sister stopped him.

"It's not her, honey. You said so yourself, remember?" They took the blanket gratefully, nodding their thanks to Grimalkin, before Rachel Trask turned back to the Scarab. From the respect they were showing her, evidently the legacy of Heru-Ra was known on their world too.

"So what happens now?

[Heritage]

Grim's eyes go wide when the transdimensionals seem to recognize her; 'sabra' refers to the prickly pear cactus, Hebrew slang for a native-born Israeli for purportedly being thorny on the outside but sweet on the inside. Typical humor for a tenacious people surrounded by their enemies.

Is there a version of me on the other side? What are her powers? What does she do?

The Jewish heroine, stunned by these revelations, quietly steps to one side to contemplate the ramifications of this.

[N/A]

"We obviously disagree on many things, Phantom. And hopefully we will have ample time to discuss those things at a later date. But for now, there is one thing you are definitely wrong about I do need your help."

"When this madness first began, I attempted to look into the future, to see if I could glean any clues as to our best course of action. I failed. The future is usually vague and symbolic to my eyes at best, but this time it was blocked completely. I suspect that may be because I can only look into the future of this world. And the coming events shape the future of this world and worlds beyond. I need you to help guide my vision. To focus it to a point sharp enough to pierce the barriers between our worlds."

The Scarab held up her hands.

"Please."

[alderwitch]

"Even for someone with your psychic ability, Scarab, I'm not sure how wise it is to stare into the coil and demand answers of what could be. I can take all of you to this other realm instead. As I mentioned, I know of this place. If you are set on this course of action, however, I will scry out the world and you may cast your thoughts through the image. That should give your intuition the focus it needs."

She lifted one gloved hand to touch the gem at her throat, her expression pensive. She had already taxed her powers once this evening and altering the spell to allow Scarab to percieve it would be no easy task. "I leave the choice to you and your team."

[Avenger Assembled]

Together, Phantom and Scarab pierced the dimensional bonds between worlds, their unified psychic link allowing them to penetrate the very stuff of the multiverse itself. They saw many strange and bizarre things as they penetrated through that space together, their linked minds passing through a vast white fog of time and space full of strange floating obelisks and bizarre, magnificent ruins left behind by some ancient civilization. As they reached the very edge of the other universe itself, passing along their inevitable journey between dimensions, they were confronted, to their surprise, by a threat at the very edge of reality itself.

Neither man wore a costume immediately familiar to the two heroes, but they both, particularly Scarab, recognized the face of the Centurion. One version of the Centurion was a black-haired, malevolent-looking figure in red and gray, the symbol of Omega on his chest an foul obscenity beneath the face of Mark Leeds. His costume was clearly recognizable as the Centurion's, though in its colors and symbolism was an obvious inversion. The other wore a costume closer the legendary Doc Prophet than anything else, his muscular torso exposed, stripped to the waist save for a few small scraps of armor. But he was clearly Mark Leeds as well, though his costume bore no resemblance to the Centurion's. "You fool!" the pulp-Centurion was shouting, "I'll never let you through! If you break through the barrier, you'll loose the Zone into the city!"

"You're the fool, Gladiator," spat the other man. "The more destruction, the better! For I am-" And then they were through, having passed between the two titans like phantoms, in the skies over a city that bore a heart-breaking resemblance to Freedom City...if you ignored the single, terrible tower built where Freedom Hall was supposed to be, rising higher even than the nearby Pyramid Plaza.

-

Back on Earth-Prime, Avenger drummed his fingers on the desk for a moment, then suggested. "Grimalkin. Need a favor done. Can watch these two. How fast can you travel?

[Heritage]

"Grimalkin. Need a favor done. Can watch these two. How fast can you travel?

Avenger's growling voice finally rouses the young heroine out of her odd reverie, and she stands up straighter, almost at attention.

"Hwhut? Oh, um, well..I am a professional bike messenger and I know no fear on the road. What do you need?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"Go to Dr. Archeville," said Avenger implacably. "Verify his condition. Come back quickly." He glanced at Scarab and Phantom as they communed with lands and places beyond. "These two may be a while. Will watch the big one and the small one." He shot a look at Ray and Rachel, who mastered themselves with great effort under the circumstances.

[Heritage]

"Go to Dr. Archeville," said Avenger implacably. "Verify his condition. Come back quickly." He glanced at Scarab and Phantom as they communed with lands and places beyond. "These two may be a while. Will watch the big one and the small one." He shot a look at Ray and Rachel, who mastered themselves with great effort under the circumstances.

In a flash, Grim is wearing her normal Fleet Messenger outfit, though still with the domino mask to protect her identity.

"Cool, no problem." She starts to move to the door, then stops and sheepishly turns back around. "Uh, and Doc would live where exactly? I've never even met the guy." :oops:

[alderwitch]

'Hurry, Scarab,' Phantom urged, her tone still wary of this course of action. 'With my senses extended this way, I can offer very little mystical protection. Let us get whatever information you need quickly.'

[N/A]

At the sound of Phantom's voice, The Scarab suddenly shook her had rapidly and gasped, pulling away from the spectral hero. "This is even worse than we thought." She looked up and turned to the assembled group. "I looked into the future of our two worlds, and I saw the Alpha Centurion looking back at me. He is trying to brute force an escape from the Zero Zone into your Earth. If he breaks through, the rupture between the two dimensions will unleash a catastrophic wave of negative energy. And I suspect the tyrant currently holding your world hostage has left it with inadequate defenses against such an incursion."

The Scarab telepathically projected the image of the terrible tower into the minds of her two new guests. "Do you recognize this? Is this the base of operations from where He rules over you?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"Yes, yes," agreed Ray, looking down at his sister for a moment. "That's the tower He built, right where Freedom Hall used to be. He calls it the World Tower, because there's where he rules the world from."

"The Alpha-Centurion?" asked Rachel, looking concerned. "That's your Gladiator, right? I thought he was from here! Arachnos showed us images of him fighting the Freedom League. He, uh, he said your world's greatest champion had been corrupted by Omega's power, and that was why this world needed to be conquered first."

-

Avenger gave Grimalkin precise directions to Dr. Archeville's house, leaving nothing out about the trip. "See if you can contact the others while you're on the way. There's Divine out in West End, Hellbound in...you know, I don't know where he is, but maybe his phone will ring, and..." Avenger rubbed his chin. "Those are the only ones with phone numbers I know. I'll see if I can raise any of the reservists on the radio."

[N/A]

"Yes, yes," agreed Ray, looking down at his sister for a moment. "That's the tower He built, right where Freedom Hall used to be. He calls it the World Tower, because there's where he rules the world from."

"The Alpha-Centurion?" asked Rachel, looking concerned. "That's your Gladiator, right? I thought he was from here! Arachnos showed us images of him fighting the Freedom League. He, uh, he said your world's greatest champion had been corrupted by Omega's power, and that was why this world needed to be conquered first."

"Our 'Gladiator' analogue was The Centurion, and he was the greatest hero to ever walk the face of this Earth. I knew him and fought by his side for twenty years. He was incorruptible. He never joined Omega. He defeated Omega in single combat. He saved us all, at the cost of his own life. The Alpha-Centurion was a warped, tainted mockery Omega unleashed upon us as vengeance for his defeat."

[Heritage]

"See if you can contact the others while you're on the way. There's Divine out in West End, Hellbound in...you know, I don't know where he is, but maybe his phone will ring, and..." Avenger rubbed his chin. "Those are the only ones with phone numbers I know. I'll see if I can raise any of the reservists on the radio."

Grim nods crisply and fires off a half-mocking salute. "Roger roger, bossman!"

Once she gets to the surface, she ditches the mask and quickly makes it over to her bike, locked to a rack near the Plaza; fishing the Krypto key out the neck of her short-sleeved sweatshirt by its lanyard, she speed dials Divine on her cellphone.

"Hiya, M! I'm calling you on official company business, you free?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"Oh." Suitably intimidated by her angry benefactor, Magpie looked away. For those who'd fought Rachel Trask in the room, a fairly large set, it was decidedly odd to see that look on her face. She wasn't just afraid; she was nigh-on broken.

"That is his headquarters," Ray agreed, shooting his sister a worried look as his arms went around her again. "That's...that's where our families are. He keeps them near his master control room, so he can make sure they grow up thinking of him as the head of their family."

[N/A]

The Scarab exhaled and looked down for a moment, then stepped toward the Trask twins. She placed her hand upon Rachel's shoulder. "We will help you rescue your family, and free your world. But that is not enough. We need to give you hope again. Hope for the future. For a future."

I don't want to do this. I told myself I'd never do this. But I should have learned a long time ago that saying "never" just tempts the gods to prove you wrong.

She turned to Phantom. "I agree with your assessment of the situation. Once we have marshalled what forces we can muster, we must journey to this other dimension and take the fight to this self-styled conqueror 'Arachnos.' You said you could take us. But we need to make at least one stop along the way. Before we leave this Earth, our new allies need to see Liberty Park."

[alderwitch]

Phantom inclined her head, having remained silent while the knights decided on their strategy. She wasn't as shaken at the idea of a fallen Centurion in any dimension but her expression was quietly world weary. For all of her own pragmatism, she had no desire to show the Knights what could have been or force them to deal with the shock of an alternate future but there were no other options.

"Very well, if your compatriots can meet us there, I can take anyone that needs transportation."

She gestured, spreading her cloak wide, her form shrouded by the flickering darkness, forming a man sized portal between iher cloaks ragged edges.

[Moira Morley]

Monday afternoon traffic was the worst. Fortunately the sales on towels today were ridiculous enough to get out into it. While she was waiting her phone rang a tune she hadn't heard from her phone since she programmed it in. "God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy," she hummed before hitting the answer button.

"Lynn," Moira answered cheerfully, "long time no see." She listened to Lynn's query. "Official business," she questioned, "what's up?"

[N/A]

Liberty park consisted of two miles of grass and trees, an oasis of life in the center of Freedom City. Stone walls and iron gates kept the downtown streets at bay. Groves of trees alternated with open lawns, fields and courts for all manner of outdoor sports, and various bicycle trails and picnic areas. Statues and sculptures dotted the landscape in every direction. When the heroes exited Phantom's pocket dimension, The Scarab's telekinesis lifted them into the air and swept them along as she flew across the park.

"Liberty Park is one of the crown jewels of Freedom City. Parents take their children here on the weekends. Bands and acting troupes perform on that stage. Families learn about science at the zoo and the botanical gardens, and about culture at the cathedral and the Kirby Art Museum. And they come here, to Heroes Knoll, to honor our fallen comrades, who gave their lives to protect the city."

*gulp* I really do not want to be here.

The Scarab lowered her companions down to the grass amidst the sea of life-sized stone statues of fallen heroes. "The Human Tank. His brother Gunner. Lady Celtic. The Rogue Fox. White Rose & White Thorn. Sarge Shrapnel. Spitfire Jones. The Allies of Freedom fought the Axis tyrants during the Second World War, freeing half our world from the grip of fascism. They fought and died for a world they never got to come home to."

She nodded, pointed, or waved to each statue as she spoke. "My comrades in the first Freedom League. For twenty years, we defended this city and this world from threats great and small. Lady Liberty. Halogen. Tectonic. ...Brainstorm. And the greatest hero of all..."

She stopped in front of a statue of The Centurion, towering seven feet into the air above them. "He was the last survivor of another world that fell to The Terminus. And he fought with his last breath to make sure the same never happened to us."

The Scarab turned her head slightly to the side, and as the heroes followed her gaze, their perspective shifted just enough to see the Sentry Statue rising hundreds of feet in the air, the mirror image of the one at their feet.

"These are not the accolades heaped upon tyrants or butchers. With his century of service, with his ultimate sacrifice, his unwavering and uncompromising dedication to the eternal battle for truth, justice, and freedom for all people, The Centurion taught us what it meant to be a Hero. He was the best of us, and with his every word and deed, he showed us how to be better ourselves. And he still shows us."

[Avenger Assembled]

Scarab's inspiring words washed over the assembled heroes, even the cynical Avenger moved by Elena's heartfelt words. Rachel and Ray looked at each other and seemed to nod, the former heroes from the other dimension inspired themselves by the heroic sentiments shared by the immortal Scarab and in the shadow of the Centurion himself.

And then the sky lit up. As the shocked Knights and the people in the park looked on in shock, a great half-circle of pure white light erupted open in the sky near the Sentry Statue and the unmistakable figures of Dark Star and Dr. Archeville came plunging out of it at blinding speed!

[Cyroa]

Dark Star brought them to a sudden stop before plowing into the ground. He quickly released his companion and turned back to face the portal. Once it closed behind them, he relaxed visibly and looked around.

"Ah, the Knights! Just the people we needed to see. Time is of the essence. We've been...travelling. There is an evil dictator who's going to attempt an invasion. He's got their world already, barring a few resistance movements. We're going to go back and throw him down. The Doctor can explain it better I suppose." He shrugged.

[Dr Archeville]

AUGH!

AUGH!

"AUGH!"

Dr. Archeville's force field had been flickering when he appeared and as he hit the ground, resulting in actual dirt getting on his pristine white lab coat. When he rose, he seemed temporarily far more focused on brushing it off than anything else.

Get them off, get them off us!!!!

Whoa, whoa, relax! There's nothing there, nothing! See? Just plain old dirt!

As he began to slowly realize where he was, and that he was among friends, he appeared to calm. "Ja... right... dere is much to divulge, und much for us to do, und-" He stops suddenly and looks around at the assembled heroe and otherdimesnional guests, then to Scarab, "vas dere a recruitment drive while ve vere avay?"