Cara Part 7: Iron Beauty Part III

[Cara Lace]

Iron Beauty III

“This is Cat Grant coming to you live from News Chopper 4 high above the remains of the Styger Robotics Plant in downtown Metropolis. The situation has changed in the four hours since an unknown event caused the entire building to collapse; now there is a veritable army of Brainiac Overseers attempting to converge on the site. With the Justice League spread thin across the globe, a contingent of Justice Girls has arrived on the scene and are attempting search and rescue operations while at the same time are holding back the invading alien swarm.”

On the streets below, a crystalline fist slams into the faceplate of one of Brainiac’s monsters sending it rolling into the street. It stands back up briefly, then wobbles and falls over with all its lights going dark.

“Now THIS is more like it!” Kirsten Stomper, or Stompy as her teammates call her, exclaims with satisfaction.

“Don’t enjoy things too much, Stompy.” Sister Rose Marie says back to her. “We are running out of time to find survivors and these monstrosities just keep coming.”

Suddenly, a flash of red, white and blue flies past the super nun and slices through a smaller Brainiac drone that had snuck up behind her. Startled, Rose follows the colorful trail return to its owner.

“Got you covered, soldier!” Comanderette America says as she lands gracefully among the rubble.

“Thanks.” Rose says simply.

“What’s the situation?” The Comanderette asks.

“Stompy and I are trying to search for survivors but it seems Brainiac’s forces for miles around are all converging on us for some reason.” Rose replies. “We won’t be able to hold out for long.”

As if to emphasize the point, Stompy releases a powerful telekinetic wave that sends several of the attacking robots crashing into nearby buildings as people run everywhere seeking shelter from the battle. “We better come up with something or these civilians are going to start getting hurt bad.”

“She’s right.” The Comanderette says standing up to survey the area. “We can’t risk bringing survivors out until we can secure the perimeter. Rose, get some altitude; eyes on everything and keep us healed up. Stompy, you have the east side. Anything gets close you turn it away or you turn it into trash. I’ll cover the north side. We have to keep the fighting focused on us otherwise these things could run wild.”

The tiny group of Justice Girls finalizes their plan and moves into position while a literal army of Brainiac’s forces flood into the area. The trio wastes no time and it is not long before the area is awash with robot parts and the sounds of a desperate battle. High above, Sister Rose Marie calls out the patterns and strays of the enemies movements as Stompy and the Comanderette give everything they have to hold them back. None of them realizing that beneath the smoldering rubble of the Styger Robotics Plant a different saga is playing out as well.

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It’s dark.

This is the first thought that forms in Jenny’s mind as it struggles to come back to consciousness.

Jenny attempts to wave her hand in front of her face to test the old adage but discovers she cannot move at all. She then notices the dull throbbing pain in her chest, as if Superman had punched her there.

“Uhgggh … what just happened?” She utters to herself in the blackness.

“Excellent. You’re awake.” A voice like a wizened old sage says from out of nowhere, startling the young billionaires.

“What the…?? DANIEL?” Jenny asks, hoping it is her digital butler somehow speaking to her.

“No, your automated attendant can’t contact you here.” The voice replies almost chipper.

“Terrific.” Jenny says, the word dripping with sarcasm. “I’m either dreaming, or crazy, or dead.”

“Oh, quite the contrary...” The voice continues. “You are conscious and sane and very much alive, at least for the time being. However, we do need to extricate ourselves from this predicament as quickly as possible.”

“Ok, hold up!” Jenny’s says, her inner fear showing itself as frustration. “Who are you and just what do you mean by all that?”

“I promise to explain everything to you, my dear. Right now, however, I need you to lift this concrete slab off of us.” He says, almost casually. “Just raise your arms and push.”

Jenny pauses for a moment in the darkness. A hundred questions mixed with a thousand emotions floods her mind. She has always preferred direct action to debate and thusly, begins to try and move. Try as she might however, her limbs remain pinned.

“I can’t do it.” She says trying to hide the panic building up within her.

“You can. You just need to put some power behind it.” The voice replies calmly.

“Oh no! I’m not ever doing that again.” Jenny snaps back. “I tried that, and look where it got me!!”

“Trust me. This time will be different.” The voice reassures.

“Why?”

“Because this time, you are not alone.”

“Ok, that’s not creepy at all.” Jenny’s sarcasm showing again as she closes her eyes and starts to concentrate. She tries to will the power contained within her to do her bidding and again, nothing happens. Even as she strains, there is no reaction.

“You are not a Green Lantern my dear.” Her companion says in her head. “Will is not the key. Your fear is holding your power in check. Just let it flow. Release it.”

“It hurt when I let it go before. I’m afraid it will kill me if I do it again.” Jenny says. No sarcasm, no jokes.

“It won’t harm you this time, child. Trust me. This time, it will be different.”

Jenny closes her eyes in the darkness and relaxes her body. “Tell me.” She whispers.

“You are a generator. Just turn yourself on, like flipping a light switch.”

Jenny concentrates and relaxes. Then, it starts with a very low hum and builds. Then crackling, like a million little static shocks going off at once. Jenny feels the power begin to flow, but unlike before it feels right, like a closed circuit.

“Very good, let it flow child. Power us up, and let’s get out of here.”
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Above ground, the situation in the streets of downtown Metropolis has only become more dire. Brainiac’s drones of all types are relentlessly swarming on the site of the fallen Styger Robotics Plant. Comanderette America and Kirsten Stomper fight atop an ever growing pile of scrap, and still the enemy keeps coming. Above them, Sister Rose Marie hovers using her divine powers to keep the two warriors healed, but even her powers are starting to reach their limit.

“Got any other plans Comanderette?” Stompy shouts as she hurls a smashed Overseer at two more approaching her. “This one is almost played out!”

“What’s the matter?” Maggie asks as she uses her fantastic quantum charged shield to reflect several energy blasts back her attackers, and dropping them where they stand. “Getting sleepy?”

“Uhm, girls? Something big is happ…” Sister Rose Marie starts to shout from above.

Just then, the ground begins to rumble beneath the heroine’s feet. The rubble of the Styger Robotics Plant begins to shift and move. The army of Brainiac robots pause, each one assessing the situation.

“What now?” Stompy asks herself under her breath.

A figure then erupts into the sky from the pile of concrete and steel, a beautiful bronze colored female figure with wings to match. She flies up and hovers next to Sister Rose Marie who stares almost in disbelief at her.

“Nice wings.” The super nun says hesitantly to which the bronze woman simply gives a slight nod.

“You!” The Comanderette says, staring up in shock at the new arrival.

“You know that thing?” Stompy shouts. But before the Comanderette can answer a new voice booms out over Metropolis, the voice of Brainiac himself.

“Foolish automaton, I recognized your energy signature the moment you reactivated. The failure of the Watchmaker is now complete; the Clockwork Angel’s technology will finally become one with Brainiac.”

Suddenly one of the many control ships Brainiac has deployed high above the city moves into position directly over the small group of Justice Girls. It’s ominous shadow covering the entire city block.

“He’s going to bottle the place! Everyone, CLEAR OUT!! Rose MOVE!!!” Comanderette America shouts as she and Stompy sprint for cover.

Energy begins to swirl around the massive emitters under the ship and the air itself starts to crackle with power. Distracted by the appearance of the mechanical marvel before her, Sister Rose Marie hesitates, unsure which direction will get her clear the fastest. Then a bronze hand grabs her arm and she looks into the eyes of the Clockwork Angel and for a split second a smile crosses its bronze face. Then the Angel suddenly spins in mid air and releases Rose, sending her flailing through the air and out of harm’s way just as the emitter fires a huge bolt of energy. It hits the Clockwork Angel dead on, and as Rose stabilizes herself, she watches as a bottle force field begins to form around the Angel.

“Oh no you don’t!” The Comanderette says, and then shouts, “Stompy! I need a boost!”

Stompy looks up at the Angel paralyzed in the beam with an impenetrable force field slowly growing up around her, then looks back at her teammate. “You sure about this, Commander?”

“Comanderette.” Maggie corrects, and in a flash she sprints towards Stompy with all her quantum powered might. Surprised at the little dynamo’s speed, Stompy cups her crystalline hands together and kneels down as the Comanderette’s boot lands perfectly in them.

“ERRRRAHH!!!!” Stompy grunts as she launches the Comanderette directly at the Clockwork Angel. She soars through the air like a firework on the 4th of July, and as she closes in on the hapless form of the Angel she sees she will not make it before the bottle completes. She uses her quantum powers to bend time and space itself and in the blink of an eye, vanishes and reappears clutching onto the Angel as the force field encloses them both within it. Sister Rose and Stompy watch helpless as the Comanderette and the Angel are drawn upward and into the alien craft.

“MAGGIE!!!” Stompy shouts in defiance. As the hatch closes, Stompy uses her mental powers and literally shoots several of the fallen husks of Brainiac robots they had just defeated at the ship but they just smash harmlessly against its shields.

“THAT was your plan??! Seriously?!!” Stompy continues shouting at the ship as it slowly moves back into its original location.

Sister Rose Marie lands softly behind Stompy, who turns to her excitedly.

“What do we do now? I’m new at all this! I told them I’m not a hero!” She exclaims as Rose activates her Justice Girl communicator. “What are you doing??”

“Making a call.” Rose replies.

“A call? Who are you calling??

Rose looks up at the monstrous ship that swallowed their friend…… “Everyone.”

To be continued…

[Gatkowski]

Finally. I've been waiting for this one, staring at the screen for hours with bloodshot eyes, clicking refresh every two minutes or so in hopes it might finally pop up when the page loads again...

And now it is here. I can die happy now... wait, I can't. I need to read all of the coming chapters, too, before I do.

Nicely done, I enjoyed reading it. And ah, the fastball special. Can't have a story without one.

[Captain Unohana]

What Gatkowski said, but just not as much ^_-

[Psylinke]

I never read parts 1 and 2. This 3rd chapter made me go back and read them both. Is the next chapter the finale?

[Arwen Skywalker]

Moar

[SisterRoseMarie]

Hehehehe I got flung like a ragdoll. XD So, Jenny is in Clockwork Angel.... and now all three of them are stuck in brainiac's ship. It don't look good for the heroes! And what happened to Terra?? They sure could use her SMASH right about now. Hehehe keep em comin!! =)