Friends
Written by Amazonia V
Chapter 16:
"I think he means Agent Fanci as in that she may be working for a Federal organization, somewhere in the future," Wonder Woman gently interrupted Green Lantern.
"Agent Fanci is a Time Warden with the Omega Team set up by the Inter-planetary Governance Council, which is the governing body for time and space travel," responded Black Star. "In the thirtieth century, each sector of time is allotted to a time warden. Agent Fanci is the Time Warden for this sector of time."
"And who or what is the Timor? What help do you need from us?" asked Wonder Woman.
Black Star responded, "The Timor is a group of inter-stellar mafia who manipulate time, even stealing bits of it, so that they can change the history of the Universe, to dominate it in our time. They do this across the different planets of the galaxies, playing with different histories and eras, altering events, even eradicating time-lines if necessary to achieve their goals."
"We've been working with the Omega Team to foil their efforts and to capture their leaders. It's difficult to identify them as they've mastered the art of time travel, having stolen the technology from the Turix Confederation. The Turix Confederation was a league of planets that has only recently broken alliances, with the disastrous impact of records of their technology, scientists and weaponry being lost. As a consequence, inter-planetary peace is threatened, indeed, the very existence of the Universe as we know it."
"What has this got to do with the JLA?" asked Superman.
"And the Green Lantern corps?" asked Green Lantern simultaneously.
"Well, we've received word that a group of Timor renegades are active in this time sector and have collusions with key people from Earth to change events here. Which means that the JLA will cease to exist. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't already stopped Krypton from exploding," was Black Star's terse response.
He continued, "As for the Green Lanterns, there are Timor renegades who have infiltrated the Lantern Corps and have convinced some of the Green Lanterns to join their cause. Green Lanterns are accepted in most sectors of the universe. It's this acceptability that will help the Timor escape identification."
"Stopped Krypton from exploding? How is that possible?" asked Superman. "Is that why Agent Fanci has a microscopic yellow chip in her ear?"
"What? A yellow chip in her ear lobe?" Green Lantern was surprised. This Fanci woman was turning out to be quite a handful.
"The microscopic yellow chip is a ComBot. Its not really yellow, but reflects the rays of the sun in each solar system. It would be red under a red sun. Before Agent Fanci was attacked, she managed to send me a message saying she had found the Green Lantern that was responsible for the closed loop."
"What's a closed loop?" asked Wonder Woman.
"A closed loop is a somewhen created by an attempted temporal intervention, and then choked off by a countervailing intervention, so it had been but never been. A temporal intervention is an interference with time in any sector," said Black Star.
"How could this Timor stop Krypton from exploding? Would that mean Superman of this Earth never existed?" persisted Wonder Woman.
Black Star was quick to respond, "Time is sequential—a thread spanning the distance between birth and death. Events, however, are more like ancient tapestries —thousands of richly colored threads woven into intricate patterns and images. Any attempt to place events into purely chronological order would be like pulling the threads loose and laying them end to end. It might be simpler, but you would lose the design. All events are interwoven."
"If they have succeeded in their efforts, then Superman will no longer exist, nor will the JLA. Each of you heroes has been marked by a life-changing experience. It's a simple matter to change those events. You will simply cease to be. Take Batman, for example. If his parents aren't killed in the mugging, Batman does not lose them as a child, and he does not grow up to be the Batman," was Black Star's explanation.
"What do you need us to do?" asked Wonder Woman now. Her face was a picture of concern and determination.
"I need to take Agent Fanci back with me. Agent Fanci's mandate was to blend with the people of this sector, and take on a role that allowed her to keep close to the Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. Before she was attacked, the Legion communicated with the JLA asking them to protect her. But we were unable to reveal her identity because of her undercover assignment. It was only when she signaled me that I knew that she had evidence of the Timor and knew how to locate them in this sector. If you would travel back with me, Wonder Woman and Superman, I would be honored for your help and assistance."
"What about Green Lantern?" asked Superman. "Don't you want him to come back with you?"
"We don't know how involved he is with the Timor," responded Black Star. "Agent Fanci was with him when she was attacked and she had evidence that he was responsible for a temporal intervention. He may have been a decoy for the Timor, drawing them to her. Until Agent Fanci recovers, I will need to take this Green Lantern into custody."
Wonder Woman immediately took up battle stance in front of Green Lantern. Looking at Black Star in the eye, she said, "You're wrong, Black Star. We trust this man. And we expect you to trust him, too. There's no way that you are taking him into custody when he hasn't done anything wrong and you have no proof. Only some strange woman's words."
Wonder Woman held up her lasso, "I could simply ask him if he is involved. And then the lasso will work its magic on him to get him to speak the truth."
Black Star held up a placating hand. "I don't wish to anger you, Wonder Woman. Indeed, I have the deepest respect for all of you and especially for your lasso of truth. But Green Lantern remains under suspicion, till Agent Fanci recovers to tell us what she knows."
Green Lantern ran a hand through his hair, then turned away from the group. He stood there for a moment contemplating what to do. He'd never felt so out of sorts.
*****
In the headquarters of the JLA meeting room the following morning, the inhabitants were relaxed and the mood was jovial. The conversation was loud and often laughter could be heard.
J'onn was the first to sense the change in the atmosphere. Without turning around, he said, "Good day, my friend. You've been busy of late."
"Not too busy to miss the JLA weekly meeting," responded Batman. "Is there any news?"
"Not more than that which we have heard," said J'onn.
"It's strange that the first we hear of this Fanci Webb character is the same day that she's attacked. The Legion confirms that her mission and role is legitimate," said Batman as he walked into the meeting room and took his seat.
"I should have guessed there was something fishy about her," was Green Arrow's first comment. "Hal should have listened to me and fired her as his agent. That woman was more trouble than she was worth."
"Oh, Ollie, shut up," interrupted Black Canary. "You knew nothing about her, and after Hal let you see her in his power ring visual, the only comment you had to make was…"
"…Long legs, dynamite on heels," interjected Flash, completing Black Canary's statement.
"Her looks are not the question here. Her presence is. I've asked Superman to officially raise the main issue with the Legion and the Inter-planetary Governance Council – they cannot send a Time Warden to this sector and not alert us," continued Batman in a foreboding tone.
"Begging your pardon, Bats," said Plastic Man, "there was a message that came in for us from the Legion some weeks ago, when I was on monitor duty. They mentioned that an agent from the future would be attached to our time sector, conducting some undercover investigation activities."
"What?" snapped Batman. "Where is this message? How is it that I haven't seen it?"
"…uh, uh, gosh…" prevaricated Plastic Man, "I don't really know…."
Batman glared at Plastic Man, giving him a hard look.
"Ok, ok," yelled Plastic Man, covering his eyes. "Don't make big eyes at me. I can't handle it. I deleted the message by mistake. I intended to send to all of you, but pressed DELETE instead. And anyway, I didn't think that it was all that important."
"What did the message say?" bit out Batman
"It just said exactly that. Some agent from the future would be attached to our time, and this agent wanted to liaise with Green Lantern."
"That just about sums it up. No wonder. This Fanci Webb must have expected Green Lantern to know about her mission and so tried to get in close to Green Lantern. With disastrous results," said J'onn.
"Green Lantern is now a felon in the future. Fanci Webb may never recover. Her team partner – Black Star – is suspicious of our motives. Superman and Wonder Woman need to defuse the situation with the thirtieth century federal authorities. We may soon cease to exist. And you don't think it's important?" came the curt response from Batman.
"…ahhhhhh," said Plastic Man, "garrrrrrrr…" and he turned himself into an extension of the table top.
Batman turned away.
"Bet you Bats is going to explode," whispered Flash to Green Arrow.
"Nah, it's Bats. He's going to implode," was the whispered response.
*****
Black Star and the JLA'ers landed in Cosmopolis.
Fanci Webb had not yet recovered consciousness and was being teleported in a womb-pod designed to keep critically injured beings alive. Black Star privately hoped that the womb-pod would be able to restore Fanci Webb to full consciousness before the meeting with the Council. It had helped that Green Lantern had used his power ring to transport her here.
It was well into the afternoon but the sun was still high in the sky. It bathed the city of Cosmopolis in brightness and warmth as it lay in the sea at the edge of the island of Themyscira.
The group took one of the hovercrafts docked at Freeport in Cosmopolis, attaching the womb-pod to the craft, using the anchor system. As they floated in the air, Black Star pointed out the highlights of the city.
Cosmopolis was a city built in an age of simplicity and understanding, where wealth, power and technology were reflected in art and architecture.
The city was filled with beautiful buildings, temples of learning, tall residential towers with gardens and terraces at every level. All the buildings were rich and white, decorated with columns of a silver metal. Frescoes, murals and carvings covered each grand building depicting heroes in battle, and gods in their might.
And everywhere there were squares filled with mini-amphitheatres, art work, statues and fountains. People came and went about their business, filling the squares, rubbing shoulders with young women who chatted coyly in the sunshine with equally young men.
On the other side of Cosmopolis, across the canal, was the causeway that led to the island of Themsycira.
Like the rest of the city, the foundations of the causeway were built from large square blocks of white, black, and red coloured stone. And the sides and parapets were richly decorated with carvings repeated in sequence. Upon this causeway ran a wide stone road that began at the square before the Senate.
The Senate building was large and architecturally beautiful, resembling a large pyramid with the symbol of the Inter-planetary Governance Council at its peak. This was, in fact, only the upper part of the building and roof, which were offices and meeting rooms.
Beneath was the Senate proper. A large open amphitheatre made of a marble like stone; the Senate was open on all sides to the outside, the pyramid above supported on great columns.
Around the Senate were apartments for the Councilors and Senators, other buildings that housed The Legion Headquarters, and the Great Hall of the Council War Room. This latter building housed the main Octagon Network Portal and the Galactic map, a three-dimensional image of the galaxies.
"It's changed since the last time I was here," Superman said in astonishment.
Black Star grinned. "The last time you were here, Superman, was a long time ago, as we measure time. Time is relative. While you grew from boy to man, the eras in between your trips to the future saw events that changed the course of history."
Wonder Woman was silent. She was still absorbing the fact that in a few minutes she would be on the Island of Themyscira. A world leader in this time era, Themyscira was role modeling and guiding other beings to live in peaceful coexistence, according to Black Star.
In the 21st century, Themyscira was located in the Bermuda Triangle. The island, however, had been blessed by the Gods with the magical ability to teleport to any location or time period its inhabitants desired.
Did the island teleport here then? Or was it the self-same island that she called home?
The thoughts running through her mind would not be stopped.
Had their ideals prevailed? Had her mission been successful?
Was her mother still Queen of the Amazons?
Another thought struck her. Amazons were immortal and so was she.
Would she come face to face with herself?