The Indestructibles (Book 4): Like A Comet (27 page)

Chapter
47:

Gods
old and new

Jane and Doc met in mid-air. As both
hero and magician flew back to the Tower, Jane eyed the book tucked under his
arm.

"I thought you were teleporting
instead of flying these days," she said.

      Doc smiled.

      "Maybe I just wanted to see
the City from above today," Doc said. "You never know when this view
will be your last."

      "It's easy to forget that,"
Jane said. The City, in all its grubby glory, really had become her second home
since joining the team, her place in the world.

      Once again, she checked out the
book Doc carried.

      "That looks like it's made
out of poison," she said.

      A twist of disgust on his face he
said, "Might as well be. But it might help us in the coming battle."

      They drew closer to the Tower and
Jane said, "What's in it?"

      "War magic. I never needed
war magic before."

      "I've seen you cast spells
like weapons, though," she said.

      He nodded.

      "I've cast harmful spells
before, or even aggressive ones, but this type of magic is larger scale,"
he said. "The damage it causes is more profound, as is the cost to the
caster, and the harm it does the world. There's a reason I never use it. But if
we're at the point of perish or die…"

      "What do you mean, cost to the
caster?" Jane said, squinting at Doc with worry. Her mentor had a self-sacrificing
streak. She had no desire to see him martyred again.

      "Nothing I haven't dealt with
before, Jane," he said. "Don't worry."

      "Worrying is my job."

      Doc grinned.

      "I know," he said. "Where
were you just now?"  

      "Not like you to pry,"
Jane said.

      "Just curious. You don't have
to answer."

      "Where did you go to get that
book?"

      Doc frowned and glanced down.

      "You went to her for help,
didn't you?" Jane said.

      "You really want to know?"

      "Why does it always come back
to her?"

      "Because Natasha has been
here a long time, Jane," Doc said. "She'll always know things I don't.
And sometimes you have to ask for help, even if that means going to people who
otherwise oppose you."

      Jane's lip curled into a slight
snarl.

      "I don't like her," Jane
said.

      They arced toward the entrance of
the Tower, but Doc grabbed Jane's wrist before she spotted what caught his
attention. Two figures, standing guard outside the landing bay, one man, one
woman.

      "That's Valerie," Jane
said, seeing the sentient hurricane's distinctive cloud-like skin.

      The other figure looked familiar
to Jane, but she couldn't quite place him. Deep blue hair, braided down his
back, with an equally well-crafted long beard. He wore armor that looked archaic
and unearthly, also in deep blue, and held a staff in one hand, tipped with a
razor-sharp axe head. The stranger and Valerie stood in mid-air, watching their
approach.

      "Well look at that," Doc
said.

      "Who's the guy?" Jane
asked.

      "If we're lucky, he's our
backup."

      He picked up speed a little and
Jane followed suit until they both hovered in front of the newcomers.

      "Val," Jane said,
floating over to put arms around the sentient storm. Valerie, always a little
shy and awkward, hugged her back, her arms cool as mist.

      "I've come to help," she
said. "I'm ready."

      "We're glad to have you,"
Jane said. "Your timing is perfect."

      The powerfully built man stared at
Jane, his eyes like polished black stones, before addressing Doc.

      "You shamed me, Doctor. I
will not soon forget this," the man said.

      "Did I shame you into action?"
Doc said, fighting off a bemused smirk.

      The monstrously large man ignored
the question and pointed one thick, scarred arm at Jane.

      "Is this your little sun god?"
the man said.

      "Hi. I can speak for myself.
I'm Solar. And you are?"

      "I am—" the man started,
but Doc cut him off.

      "This is Korthos," Doc
said. "He has a lot of names. Let's keep it simple for now."

      "Korthos of Aramaias, the
Truthbringer, last son of—" Korthos started, and Doc stopped him again.

      "It's nice to see you face to
face again, Val," Doc said to the storm, who floated patiently beside
them.

      "I'm sorry I don't come
around much," she said, delicately offering her hand to Doc.

      Jane couldn't help but smile a
bit, the four of them, flaying, floating in the sky, making introductions as if
at a dinner party.

      "A sun goddess and the sky
herself on your side, Doctor," Korthos said in his booming voice. "Look
at how you gather greatness around you. And with me, you'll be unstoppable."

      Doc and Jane exchanged looks. He
mouthed the word 'sorry.'

      "We're up against something
pretty unstoppable, big guy," Doc said. "But we're glad to have you
along."

      Billy's voice chirped in Jane's
ear. "Jane? Where you at? We've got news. Never mind, I see you on the
security camera. Who the heck is He-Man and why is he flying outside our door?"

      "Long story," Jane said.
"We'll be right in."

Chapter
48:

Taking
stock of the situation

Titus hung back and watched as the
latest additions to their menagerie walked in. Valerie he recognized—though he
was surprised to see her indoors—and to say she walked was really a misnomer,
as her feet, bare and the color of rain clouds, hardly seemed to touch the
ground. She actually held hands with Jane, who appeared to be whisper encouraging
words, reassuring her that being indoors was safe for all of them.

      Then the other guy walked in.

      Titus had seen pictures of Korthos
the Truthbringer in the Tower, and also while growing up and watching Doc's
team on television, so he thought he knew what the man looked like, but in the
same room, he seemed to be at least as large as Titus was in werewolf form,
muscles piled on muscles. He smelled like war, smoke and fire along with the
faint hint of blood. Mixing with the way Val turned the room into a cool spring
storm, Titus felt suddenly overwhelmed.

      Emily, of course, spoke first.

      "It's like Conan the
Barbarian mind-melded with a samurai," she said, far louder than anyone
felt comfortable with.

      Korthos stared at the monitor,
looking into Emily's eyes.

      She stared right back at him.

      This went on for a few seconds,
stretching out for a disconcertingly long time, and then Emily winked.

      Korthos burst out laughing.

      "The fairy child has guts, Silence,"
Korthos said. "I like that one!"

      Sam sighed heavily on screen. The
soft noise was enough to draw everyone's attention his way, though. "Are
we done?" he said. "Because I have a report to make."

      "Go ahead," Jane said,
sitting down at the long table.

      "So we started getting
reports that the fleet was visible to NASA, and sure enough, not long after, we
had civilian groups reporting they could see something strange via telescope,"
Sam said. "They're still far enough out that you need some real equipment
to know what you're looking at, but—"

      "—But they're close enough
for people to know something's on the way," Billy said. "Sorry guys.
Either we miscalculated or it took me longer to get home than I thought it did.
I lost track of time out there."

      Seng, the alien with powers
identical to Billy's, who had joined them in the control center chimed in. "They
are nothing if not adaptable," Seng said. "It's possible they've
learned how to travel faster recently. Often they absorb into their system
powers or technology from the worlds they devour.

      "Whatever or however they've
been able to accomplish it, we've moved up our timetable," Kate said from
her position on screen. "We need tactics."

      "I plan on calling in
Starfleet to help out," Emily said. "And possibly also the Rebel
Alliance. I volunteer for Red Squadron."

      "Earth has a star fleet?"
Korthos said. "I've been away too long."

      "She's being… never mind,"
Billy said. "No, we don't have a star fleet."

      "Right now what we have is
four of us capable of taking the fight to them before they break through the
atmosphere," Doc said. "Jane, your powers do allow you to not require
oxygen in space. Billy, have you recovered?"

      "Yes," Billy said,
pausing. "Maybe ninety percent. But I'm good."

      "You'll have me as well,"
Seng said, sharing a nod with Billy.

      "Five, then. Korthos and I
can also fight in outer space."

      "What about us land-locked
grunts?" asked Bedlam. 

      "We're going to miss some,"
Billy said. "It's inevitable. The fleet is enormous. We can't get them
all."

      "So you'll be here on Earth
to fight the ones who do make it through," Jane said.

      "I'd rather put our full
efforts into making sure none of them get to the planet," Kate said.

      "I know, Kate," Jane
said. "But unless you're proposing a boarding party—"  

      "I'm proposing a boarding
party," Kate said.

      Jane looked at Titus, who
shrugged.

      "I agree with her this time.
I'd rather be up there fighting them on their own turf than down here where our
own people are at risk," he said.

      "We'll draw up some options,"
Doc said. "For certain, Valerie, you'll stay here planet-side. Your
ability to control the weather only works if there's an atmosphere to control,
and we've clearly seen lightning is very effective on their soldiers."

      "Happily," Val said.

      "And keep in mind the
Department will bring the military up to speed," Winter said. "But
from what I've seen, if we can keep the fighting off-planet—"

      "—The more lives we'll save,"
Jane said. "Which is why I'm going ahead of all of you to try to talk to
them."

      An involuntary response caused
Titus to bolt upright in his chair and when he looked around, he saw he wasn't
the only one. The group grew strangely quiet, but every single one of them wore
some expression of shock or surprise, all except Korthos and Kate, who simply
stared at her. Even Val's storm-colored eyes had opened wider.

      "That's the dumbest thing I've
ever heard anyone say—ever," Emily said.

      "Jane, I get what you're
trying to do, but you can't take them on alone," Billy said. "I saw
them. It's too much. I'm not even sure all of us working together will be able
to do it."

      "I'm not planning to do
battle with them. I'm going to try to reason with them," Jane said.

      "For millennia the Nemesis
have marched onward, devouring worlds," Seng said. "I tell you, the
Luminae were a peaceful people before all this happened. We've tried every way
to negotiate with them. They don't listen."

      "You're not really traveling
up there to negotiate, are you?" Kate said softly.

      Jane smiled. "I'll try. But
if they won't listen, at least I can buy the rest of you some time to prepare,"
she said.

      "You're going to get yourself
killed," Billy said.

      Jane winked. "No I'm not. I'm
Indestructible," she said.

      Doc regarded her from behind his
red lenses, his face emotionless.

      "You're not talking me out of
it, Doc."

      "I know," he said. "So
you and I are going to talk about the extent of your powers and I'm going to
give you something to make sure you get back here to us in one piece."

      "Okay," Jane said.

      "Don't leave without speaking
with me," Doc said.

      "Okay," she repeated,
softer.

      "Everyone, we've got very
little time. Go do what you have to do. See your families. Be safe, and come
back soon." Doc turned and walked out, gesturing for Korthos to follow.

      Titus stood up, but, as the big
monitor blinked out, Jane caught his attention.

      "Hang a minute," she
said.

      He sat back down, trading confused
glances with Billy, who left with Bedlam and Valerie.

      When she was sure they were alone,
Jane spoke.

      "If I don't come back, they're
going to turn to you," she said.

      "You're coming back,"
Titus said.

      "If I don't."

      "They'll look to Doc and
Kate," he said. "Not me."

      "No," Jane said, her
voice just a hint above a whisper. "Kate is a strategist, not a leader.
And Doc… you and I know he won't be okay if I don't come home."

      Titus shook his head. Doc didn't
play favorites among them, but everyone knew Jane was the one Indestructible he
was closest to. Despite his unflappable demeanor, Doc would be devastated
without Jane.

      "Why me, then?" Titus
said.

      "We saw who you became in the
future," Jane said. "We shared leadership. We were partners. You know
you can take command."

      "You're asking the guy with
crippling self-doubt to lead this group?" Titus said. "You're out of
your fool mind. Even more than I thought you were when you announced that you
hoped to parlay with these aliens."

      "You've come a long way,
Titus Whispering," Jane said. "You more than all of us. You remember
that first time we met?"

      "You knocked me out in the
middle of the forest," he said.

      "You were out of control.
Scared. Angry. Dangerous," Jane said. "And now look at you."

      "I'm still a monster, Jane,"
Titus said.

      "No," Jane said. "You
like to pretend you're just a monster. I know you do. It's easier that way. It
sets the bar lower. But even your own people know you're destined for something
grander than to simply be a monster. So if they need something more from you…"

      Titus ran his hands along the edge
of the table nervously, then made eye contact with Jane.

      "You know I'll take care of
them," he said.

      "I know. I better go talk
with Doc."

      "You better come home,"
Titus said. "Just because I said I'll take care of them doesn't mean I
want your job."