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#1

"Strange Bedfellows"

by David Marshall

Avalon, Mordru's Castle

Mordru readied himself for the evening's festivities. The yearly tribute was his labor of love. While he enjoyed the adulation of his subjects immensely, he tired of the dignitaries from all over the universe with their many requests. The tribute was no time to ask for increased food rations for impoverished planets or to seek aid to rebuild the crumbling infrastructures of worlds conquered by his armies. It was his night to shine and demonstrate to all why he was Mordru, the Dark Lord and their sole monarch.

The enchanted mirror floating before him told the story best. He was regal in his coat with the full-length tails and brilliant courtesan shirt. A purple sash stretched across his chest from his left shoulder to his waist on the right. Mordru caught his reflection in the boots his cobbler prepared for him. Both his cobbler and the court tailor would receive a handsome reward for their efforts.

It took eons but destiny finally bowed its knee before its rightful master. There was opposition, fierce at times, but it served to make him stronger in the end and he was thankful for the experience. What good was a weapon not molded in fire? Such a piece may look opposing but without that testing, it was useless. Mordru knew testing. Nabu was a powerful adversary. The old sorcerer was wily and cunning as a fox. And he had style unmatched by most. His magic was always over the top and quite a spectacle to behold, unlike some of the more stodgy Lords of Order from the old Ninth Age.

The Justice Society of America held a special place in the Dark Lord's heart as well. They made his existence hell for a season, but the experience was valuable. They forced him to learn the subtleties of scheming and taught him more than one lesson in the art of patience. Too bad none remained to witness his final, inevitable victory. Mordru laughed to himself. Teamwork would only go so far against the power of a god. Still, he encountered many groups in the ensuing years who opposed him and thanks to the JSA, he was seasoned for such a battle.

Mordru carefully placed upon his head a crown fashioned from the polished bones of political enemies. His long hair was spotted with more salt and pepper than in times past but it lent a distinguished air to his appearance that he enjoyed.

A knock on his door interrupted the Dark Lord's narcissism. "Enter," he said.

His man-servant looked sufficiently reverent and bowed before his master. "Your guests await, sire."

Mordru nodded and smiled. In another age he would let them wait until they crumbled to dust at his table just to amuse himself. But times had changed - he had changed. Over the centuries he learned to appreciate the nuances of the political games of mortals. "Arise, my servant and inform my guests that I am on my way."

The servant scampered from Mordru's chambers, leaving him alone once more. The Lord of Chaos opened his wardrobe and retrieved a long, purple silk cape that matched his sash. He stopped before the mirror to adjust it to the desired length. Once the tail end of the cape reached the bend of his knees, he was satisfied and locked its elaborate clasp into place.

Confident he was presentable to the waiting dignitaries and courtesans, Mordru stepped toward the ornate, carved oak door that separated his private quarters from the rest of the castle. It vanished in his presence. The Dark Lord paused before exiting the room. Had he forgotten something?

Ah! How foolish of him! How could he forget the one item that pleasured him the most?

A lock box appeared before him and hovered chest high. Mordru waited patiently as the box unlocked itself and the top drawer slid open. He reached for the necklace.

The gemstone itself was cut from an Amethyst from Gemworld and was painstakingly detailed into the shape of an hourglass. There were no bold cut lines visible. Instead the jewel appeared to be a perfectly smooth concave creation. Sand poured from the upper half of the timepiece into the lower one at an impossibly rapid pace, yet the floor of the lower half was barely covered.

Mordru smiled as he peered into the hourglass. Standing beneath the falling sands was the reason the piece was so precious to him.

The Time Trapper no longer bothered trying to free himself from his prison. No doubt his anger still seethed but he seemed resigned to his lot. Such a pity. He was much more entertaining when he spewed threats and curses as he struck the jewel in futility.

Mordru placed the necklace around his neck and waited for the lockbox to clasp itself shut once more. It then disappeared to the nothing from whence it came.

At last the Dark Lord was ready to hold court.

Smallville, Kansas 1958

Clark Kent lifted his nose to the air and inhaled the scent of fresh-cut grass. It was finally Spring, and not a moment too soon. Of all the seasons, Clark enjoyed it most. His adopted world was full of surprises this time of year. Trees that only weeks before appeared lifeless blossomed forth with shiny, new leaves. Ugly caterpillars burst forth from their cocoons, grand and glorious new creations. The birds once again filled the air with sweet songs. Flower beds painted the town's landscape with a rainbow of color. And even though he couldn't participate in spring sports, he enjoyed discussing who would win the pennant with the kids at school. Clark smiled, even the Cubs were in the running this time of year. Rows of perfectly manicured lawns made the walk to Ma and Pa Kent 's store even more pleasant.

Clark turned onto Harper Avenue, taking the short-cut as he sometimes did when walking Lana Lang home from school. Unfortunately for Clark , she made the Spring Pep Squad and would be practicing hard the next few weeks, getting ready for the upcoming high school baseball season. Clark wanted to play so badly, but had to settle instead for games of super-baseball with Krypto. Not that he disliked playing with his dog, but Lana couldn't exactly stand on the sidelines and cheer in the airless vacuum of outer space. Besides, if anyone ever saw him hit a baseball they would know he was Superboy. Clark adjusted his thick, black-rimmed glasses. Sometimes the secret identity thing could be such a drag.

"Hello there, Superboy !"

Clark snapped out of his daydream. He didn't notice the boy who stood in front of Mrs. Binder's elm tree. He was new in town, or at least Clark had never seen him before. A quick glance at the yellow v-neck sweater Ma Kent knitted him assured Clark he wasn't accidentally wearing his Superboy costume. He returned the red-haired boy's smile and offered his most convincing laugh. "You think I'm Superboy ? That is a good one."

The boy didn't answer but his unwavering smile made Clark uncomfortable. The young man certainly didn't look the part of a troublemaker. In fact, his spiffy blue suit looked tailor-made for church on Sunday. He placed a hand into one of his pockets and waved with the other.

Clark walked on past the boy, not daring to look back. He didn't have to. He could feel the smug youth's eyes peering into him. On the other hand, he was a new kid. Maybe he dropped Superboy's name to break the ice with a stranger. After all, everyone knew that Smallville was Superboy's hometown.

Clark arrived at Ma and Pa Kent's store in a daze. He couldn't get the boy's comment off his mind. Did the new kid somehow discover his secret identity? He pushed opened the front door of the small grocery. "Pa, I'm going to go on patrol a little early tonight, if you don't need me!"

His X-Ray vision had already confirmed that his parents were alone in the store.

"A serious threat son?" Pa Kent asked.

Clark shook his head. "It's probably nothing. I just want to be sure."

Ma Kent emerged from a storage closet with a mop. "Be careful and try make it home in time for supper, if you can."

Clark kissed his adopted mother's forehead. "I'll try, but don't wait up. You know how these things can be."

Clark descended into the cellar beneath the store and quickly changed into his Superboy costume. Once in costume, he made his way through his secret tunnel and soared into the sky. Sticking close to the treetops, he headed into town. He didn't see the new boy anywhere. Even the outskirts of town were clean. Where was he hiding? Perhaps he left an accidental clue to his whereabouts near the elm tree on Harper Avenue.

Superboy headed back toward Ms. Binder's elm tree. As he approached Harper Avenue, he saw the boy leaning against the large elm once again and picked up speed. He didn't want to miss the opportunity to speak with him.

However, this time another boy stood there. Superboy didn't recognize him either. He hadn't noticed any new kids at school. Who were these boys?

This boy was about the same size as the other but his hair was black instead of fiery red. An orange jacket covered his white shirt which was set off by a light blue tie. He stood with his hand in his pocket just like the other boy.

"Hi, Clark Kent!" the boy called before Superboy could land.

The unexpected proclamation stunned the Boy of Steel. Did everyone know his secret? Had he done something careless to give it away? Unsure of what to say, Superboy ignored him and said nothing, hoping to fool the boy into thinking he was wrong. He took high into the sky to ponder the situation. Two people apparently knew his secret identity. One had seen him as Clark and the other as Superboy, and made the connection between the two. They seemed to enjoy taunting him about his secret identity. Perhaps they were juvenile delinquents who somehow learned his secret identity and were going to use it to blackmail him?

The evening sun fell lazily into the horizon and Superboy still hadn't figured out the mystery. Who were these kids? More importantly, how did they know his secret identity ? He looked down below. Neither boy was near the elm tree now. In fact, if it weren't for the pretty blonde-haired girl at the school bus-stop bench, Harper Avenue would be deserted. Where had those boys disappeared to? Maybe the girl had seen them.

Superboy landed near her and was surprised to learn that she too was a stranger.

The girl was startled by his sudden appearance- further proof that she wasn't from Smallville where such things occurred every day.

"Superboy !" The girl studied the Boy of Steel then smiled at him.

Wow! Superboy was so intent on questioning her, he failed to notice how pretty she was. Her blonde hair was pushed back away from her face. It was short, not long enough to put in a ponytail, but reflected the glow of the setting sun. Her fair complexion, arched eyebrows and turned up nose made her look like a fashion model or a movie star. A high-collared white pullover shirt and black skirt hugged her frame in places that made Superboy's budding adolescence uncomfortable. She regained her composure and crossed her legs. A black-and-white oxford shoe dangled from her right foot.

She smiled coyly as if remembering some funny story. "Give my regards to Mr. and Mrs. Kent, your foster parents, when you return home."

Superboy was horrified. A girl too? It was true! His secret identity was compromised! If even a girl knew then surely the whole world did too! The Boy of Steel couldn't believe what was happening. Had his nemesis Lex Luthor somehow learned his secret identity and told it to everyone in Smallville? Or could Lana have snooped it out with her Superboy Secret Identity Detection Kit? Perhaps the Pep Squad was just a coverup!

Suddenly, the two missing boys stepped from behind the foliage near the bus stop and joined the girl. Without a word the three youths began undressing. Superboy gave a sigh of relief when he discovered they wore additional clothing underneath.

"Don't worry, Superboy. Only we three know your secret and we took care that nobody else was within earshot before. You'll soon see why we know. We also have secret identities," the dark-haired boy explained.

The three youths shed their outer clothing to reveal colorful costumes underneath. The dark-haired boy donned a magenta shirt with wide, black strips running from his torso up to his chest. There, the black strips of color angled toward his shoulders. Two large metallic discs were centered between two smaller ones in perfect symmetry with the black strips. Above the discs, the words "Cosmic Boy" were prominently displayed. His pants were purple.

The red-haired boy's costume was just as vivid. His shirt was a reddish-orange color with yellow sleeves and collar. Two lightning bolts angled from his shoulders inward toward his solar plexus. Green pants and a black belt with a yellow pentagon-shaped belt buckle completed the ensemble. On his chest, just above the lightning bolts were the words, "Lightning Boy". The girl called herself "Saturn Girl" according to the name written on her costume. Below her moniker was an image of the planet Saturn, which Superboy recognized from his many planetary adventures. She wore a yellow and black top with a green skirt. Each displayed a patch in the shape of a shield on their left arm which proudly read, "Super Hero Club".

Cosmic Boy continued his explanation. "You see, we're from the future! Naturally, we know your life story from historical records. We wore twentieth-century clothes to have a bit of fun with you."

"So that's it!" said Superboy. "What a relief that my secret identity is still safe here in Smallville!" He studied the three smiling youths carefully.

Cosmic Boy stepped forward and pointed to the patch on his arm. "We want to make you a member of our special club, whose members perform super-feats in the future! You would be the greatest hero of us all!"

Superboy felt himself blushing and lowered his head. "Why...I just do my job."

The heroes led Superboy into the small wooded area behind the bus stop. There they had a vessel stored, a large, clear bubble with elaborate control mechanisms visible to the naked eye. "Don't be modest Superboy. Come to the thirtieth century in our time bubble. It will take only a few hours to install you as an honorary member."

Superboy looked at the strange machine. The future? He had seen the depths of uncharted space, but never dreamed he would one day have a chance to visit the future. Besides, it would be good to have some super-hero pals, even if they were from another era. "Gosh, thanks! I'll go as long as things are quiet in Smallville right now!"

The four colorful, young heroes climbed into the bubble. Once inside, Lightning Boy pushed a button and the ramp raised itself and sealed the opening to the time bubble, serving double duty as a door....

Mordru's Castle

"I apologize for my boorish behavior," said Mordru as he entered the stately dining hall. "I hope the wait wasn't excessive."

A delegation of visiting dignitaries, mostly ambassadors from a group of worlds not in his empire, filled the dining hall. The assembly rose to its feet as one upon Mordru's appearance. The hall was decorated extravagantly for the occasion. Waterfall centerpieces dotted the table every three feet and were joined by a system of troughs that re-circulated the water into the main waterfall in the center. Ice sculptures of animals native to Mordru's empire adorned the corners of the room. Behind each dignitary stood an attendant responsible for assuring their charge was given individual attention. The table was set with golden tableware placed meticulously so each piece was exactly the same distance apart. It was obvious to all that the Dark Lord spared no expense impressing his guests.

Mordru motioned for the dignitaries to sit. "Please, there is no reason for such decorum amongst friends."

The dignitaries waited for Mordru to sit first and followed his lead in unison.

Mordru lifted a glass of sparkling red wine. "To new alliances."

The delegates lifted their glasses and echoed Mordru's toast.

Additional servants rushed into the dining hall with the soup, served in bowls of the finest china in the Empire. The head chef christened the recipe Bisque Avalon, in honor of the Dark Lord's castle and world of the same name. The concoction required a total of two days to prepare to excellence.

"This bisque is exceptional," bragged the lead ambassador. "We have precious few crustaceans in our limited oceans to harvest for such a flavorful dish."

"This particular puree owes its bite to the Tusked Crayfish native to our oceans here on Avalon," Mordru answered. He was proud of his world's culture and the food was high on his list of favorites.

The attendants cleared the table of the soup bowls and saucers. The table was clean for all of twenty seconds before the servers delivered the second course of the meal. It was a swordfish native to Bryl, a far-distant world with frozen oceans. The Bryllian swordfish was considered quite a delicacy and somewhat rare. Some backward worlds even accepted its sword and scales as currency.

Mordru watched his guests carefully. They seemed to enjoy themselves, talking amongst one another and trying to remember which utensils to use with the fish. Such delightful barbarians!

"Hold the fish knife in your left hand between your thumb and forefinger like a pencil," Mordru instructed. "Use the knife to break the fish open and to push it upon the fork. It's a very elegant motion once you master it."

The red-faced dignitaries followed Mordru's lead and were soon breaking fish as if they'd done it all their lives. Before long they settled back into their small talk. Perhaps it was a good sign they enjoyed themselves so.

"You have an impressive empire," said the lead ambassador who sat on Mordru's right at the head of the table.

"Thank you, Ambassador Kim," Mordru replied. "It makes me happy that it pleases the delegation."

"We do have very high standards in the United Planets," the ambassador replied.

"As do I," Mordru added. "Shall we enjoy a sorbet to cleanse the palate?"

Before the Ambassador could nod his approval the servants delivered a bright red sorbet to the table.

The ambassador sampled the sorbet and tried his best to mask his displeasure. It was obviously too strong for him, just as Mordru ordered his culinary staff to prepare it. The taste was so sour one couldn't help but close their eyes and shiver.

The delegation was brave with their politics. Mordru had to credit them with that much. Most couldn't make it past the first bite of Decadence Fruit Sorbet, yet the United Planets delegation labored into the dish.

The experiment was one of Mordru's favorites. It allowed him to glean more information about a visitor's cultural and political thresholds in a few minutes than he could barter from several months of inane discussion. A man's words could lie , but his taste buds always told the truth. Some would push the dish away and excuse themselves. Others reacted in the same manner as the United Planets delegation and tried to eat it - the kind that would call you a friend and stab you in the back.

"I'm afraid the Decadence Fruit Sorbet is an acquired taste," said Mordru. "I enjoy the acidity. I find it freshens my mouth to better taste the fowl."

"A taste I'm afraid is too good for my waistline," the ambassador laughed as he pushed the dish away. "Shall we get down to business, Lord Mordru?"

A hush fell over the table. Even to men of science and politics such words possessed great magic.

"You must be from Earth, Ambassador Kim," said Mordru.

The ambassador nodded. "The old Japan Sector. How did you know?"

"Terrans are renowned for their straightforwardness in such matters," Mordru replied. "I admire that trait. One can only dance to the tune of politics so long before the waltz lulls the brain to sleep."

"We deeply appreciate your hospitality these past few weeks, Lord Mordru. Your empire is every bit as magnificent and as impressive as any I've seen," said the Ambassador.

"But..." said Mordru.

"There are some troubling issues as well," the Ambassador replied.

"Oh?" Mordru asked. The servants brought the Roast Swoonta to the table and sat if before the dignitaries. "What manner of issues?"

"Human rights abuses for one," an eager Junior Ambassador from Winath interjected.

"Bite your tongue!" said Mordru. "Show me the perpetrator of such heinous crimes and I will put them to death myself!"

The Earth Ambassador shot the Winathian a dirty look and sighed before turning his attention back to Mordru. "I would have chosen to word it more delicately, but yes, we've encountered repeated violations throughout your kingdom."

"Enlighten me," said Mordru.

The young Winathian jumped right in. "Do all the worlds in your empire operate feudal societies?"

"It is an absolute necessity," Mordru answered. "It is much easier to rule if all the worlds practice the same government."

"But many of these worlds weren't feudal until conquered by your armies," the Winathian shot back. "Some were thriving technological worlds. You've reduced them to the Dark Ages!"

Mordru was the only one who continued to eat through the tense discussion. "Does not your own confederation contain member worlds of a feudal society?"

"They do," the Earth Ambassador replied. "But it is by choice. Your subjects are ruled by magic and superstition. There is no law."

"Nonsense," Mordru replied. "I am the law."

The Ambassador from Earth dropped his head. "I'm afraid it will be this delegation's recommendation to deny your Empire admission into the United Planets for now. You will be given one year to make progress toward offering your empire's member worlds the freedoms we like to see in our member worlds. During that time we will not negotiate with your member worlds for admission on their own nor will we recognize their autonomy."

Mordru laughed heartily.

"Lord Mordru?" the Ambassador asked.

"I apologize my friends. It seems I've misled you of my intentions," said Mordru. "I have no plans for joining your United Planets."

"No?" asked the Ambassador from Earth. "Then what..."

Mordru sipped his wine and held his glass high into the air as if offering a toast. "Mordru does not join. He conquers."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So what's with all that Superboy stuff in the middle of the issue? I thought that Superboy was lost forever to the original Crisis aftermath? (Damn you, John Byrne). And where is the Legion of Waid and Kitson or Abnett and Lanning? What the heck is going on here?

I wish I knew.

No- just kidding. I have plans for not just those versions of the Legion, but just about every other one you've ever seen as well.

Mordru and the Time Trapper at war, the original Superboy, some major surprises, and more Lads, Lasses, Boys, Girls, and Kids than you can shake a stick at! All this and more in this first epic arc that will not only astonish you, but reconcile the Legion's vast history as well!

See you next issue.

David