Part 1

1 year ago:

Lex Luthor spins in his chair and looks down to the city of Metropolis from his expensive high-rise office. A streak of red and blue dashes across the sky and he smiles. Not because he feels safe like everyone else, knowing there's a Superman to watch over him, but that this time he has a weapon not even the Man of Steel or the JLA can withstand: the Planetary Annihilator.

His scientists have tested it for weeks and found its power can rip apart an object at the atoms and leave behind enough energy to power Metropolis for a year. When it is properly assembled and its secrets unlocked he will fire it at the Justice League Watchtower and finally be rid of them once and for all. And seeing as it is a "military operation" Lexcorp will be free of all blame.

Lex can't help but smile.

The intercom on his desk softly beeps. He pushes the button, "Yes?"

"Its Colonel Austin on line one sir." comes a high whiny voice from the other end.

"Patch him through…" he picks up the phone, "Colonel Austin. How goes the Annihilator project? No trouble I hope?"

"S-sir, there's something here you might want to see…"

"What is it Austin?"

"It's another superhuman sir, calls himself the Shifter. Says he's looking for the Annihilator, says he wants to speak to you…"

"Very well then." Lex hangs up and reaches for the intercom.

Immediately his secretary replies "Yes Mr. Luthor?"

"Prepare my private helicopter."

"At once sir." The intercom shuts off and Lex is left sitting alone plotting as usual.

Dust is blown outwards into all directions as a large black chopper makes its dissension onto the military helipad. Once down Lex wastes no time and jumps out keeping his head under the rotating blades above.

One of the faceless green soldiers meets Luthor. "Sir, if you'll come this way…"

The two walk past a series of bunkers and over a high mound to see a battalion of soldiers all pointing there guns to a man in a clearing. He is tall and muscular, his skin and long hair almost a metallic gold, glowing brightly in the spotlights. He wears a dark red, sleeveless cloak and tight black pants and with a thought lifts from the ground as so to see Lex Luthor.

"OPEN FIRE" screams a commander and all the soldiers commence shooting on the floating being. Though as the bullets approach they stop suddenly and the very air seems to ripple and if it were water.

"I take it Colonel Austin that this is the Shifter?" says Lex as he approaches.

"Yes sir, this is him. Would you like to speak with him?"

"Certainly Colonel, you and your men may step down now…"

"But sir we…" Lex gives him a single cold stare. "Whatever you say sir…" He picks up the megaphone. "Shifter! We have Luthor here! He wants to talk to you! The rest of you move out!"

The confused soldiers turn and leave while Lex approaches this strange man. "I am Lex Luthor. Who are you and why do you want the Planetary Annihilator?"

"I am the Shifter, this dimensions' herald to Galactus: devourer of worlds. The Planetary Annihilator belongs to him and I seek to retrieve it."

Lex smiles and thinks. "Does this Galactus character have other such items?"

"Yes…many. I have seen them personally."

"You handles his arsenal and yet you are still only second to him?"

"Why…yes…what are you saying?"

"Shifter…friend…I believe we can be of some benefit to each other…"

Today:

Lex Luthor sits in his office, a barely tidy, composed Bruce Wayne enters. "Bruce! Long time no see! How goes Gotham these days?"

Bruce gives him the rough angry stare that only most criminals are acquainted to. Lex is somewhat put off by this. "Why did you call me here Luthor?"

"Ah yes, Lexcorp have developed a new molecule cannon which…well I won't go into details on what it does, I'd just like you to help me sell it to various governments is all."

"Why should I do that Luthor?"

"Well Bruce since the Gotham quake you've been in contact with a number of government officials…"

"…Or potential clients."

"Exactly!" Lex leans forward to his potential partner. "And if you do this for me, I might be willing to pour roughly a few million into the Gotham quake relief fund? How does that strike you?"

Bruce stands to leave. "No sale Luthor. If this weapon is as powerful as you're hinting it to be, then it shouldn’t be sold. No government in the world deserves that kind of firepower."

"Fine then Bruce it's your loss…"

Wayne leaves the room slamming the tall, sleek black doors behind him. Lex reaches for the phone and presses an auto-dial button. "General Austin? The time has come…"

On the brighter side of the moon stands a lone metallic Martian tower and standing at its peak staring into the starry void of space is J'onn J'onzz: the Martian Manhunter. He raises his eyebrows up and down, pondering on the thoughts he is receiving. His head shifts into a great many shapes trying to contemplate what is out there.

An electronic door opens and stepping through it is a mighty hero draped in blue and red, the Man of Steel: Superman. He looks to him Martian friend greatly confused. He stands beside him and studies his ever-changing head. "Er…J'onn? Is everything okay?"

He stops his shape forming for a moment and speaks, "I'm picking up some strange thoughts Superman, from out there." He points to space and the stars. Superman is obviously concerned by this.

"What do you think is out there J'onn?"

"Something cold, something strong, something coming closer…"

"So whatever it is we'll soon be meeting it…"

"Though I'll be meeting it first. I'm taking a pod into deep space."

"Not without me you aren't. You don't know what's out there and you may need all the help you can get."

"Very well Superman, you may join me." Suddenly their heads ring with the words JLA priority alarm and they turn to run to the Main Hall. "What is going on Batman?"

The mental messages continue, There is a situation here in Metropolis. A strange being called the Shifter has arrived and is announcing something to do with the coming of Galactus and a strange weapon…

Sure thing! Come Kyle's thoughts.

I'm almost already there! Follow Wally's.

The pod bay doors open and J'onn beckons Superman to follow. Rockets blast from behind them and the pod is launched deep into the empty void.

A dark haired green and black suited figured with a mysterious Jade glow lands beside the Flash who has been waiting impatiently for two minutes for his arrival. "What took you so long GL?"

"Sorry Wally…had to save a burning bus full of orphans."

"What? Again? Anyway what do you make of this Shifter guy?"

"Hmmm…I dunno. Who's gonna ask him to leave our planet?"

"You!"

"You!"

"Rock, scissors, paper?"

They play rock, scissors, paper. Kyle comes up with scissors and Wally a rock. "Hey I saw that Wally!"

"Are you accusing me of cheating? How is that possible?"

"I saw the blur…not only were you cheating but you were cheating at the speed of light!"

"Ok, ok, I'll confront the spaceman…" He smirks and then speeds off stopping in front of the floating herald who is scaring of people with his cries. "On behalf of the people of Earth I'm afraid you are going to have ask you to leave Shifter!"

The ground beneath Flash's feet curves and shakes and Wally is sent running through a loopy gauntlet. "Haha! Foolish mortal! You are no match for the herald of Galactus!"

Using his vibration powers, the Flash creates a small explosion and launches himself at the Shifter with great speed and delivers a lightning fast punch only to find it ripple through his foes form. He turns in shock and is knocked out by a flying piece of pavement.

"WALLY!" Green Lantern flies to his friends side and is confused as to what to do only to find revenge the most reasonable. "That’s it I'm going to pound you!" His thoughts create a giant emerald piledriver with flies at the herald with all its weight and strength behind it.

The herald raises his hand and the emerald form comes apart. The ground then shifts into a fist shape and Kyle Rayner is hit hard. He flies through the air and lands hard on a car parked by a bank. "Man…I wish the rest of the JLA were here…"

"Ask and ye shall receive…" Kyle looks up to see Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Zauriel, Plastic Man and the Huntress standing over him.

"Thank you God…" he says as he blacks out.

Lex Luthor sits in his office, unmoved, leaning back in his chair, cigar in hand perfectly relaxed. He turns around and switches on his wall of televisions to the various newsgroups now all focused exclusively on the events occurring in Metropolis between members of the JLA and a cosmic being called the Shifter.

Any origins, intentions or weaknesses are as of late unknown to the JLA or the world. Lex can't help but laugh. My my, he thinks to himself, aren't I the cliché megalomaniac?

He stops the laughter and tries to suppress his grin. Naturally he can't…

JLA/Galactus: Worlds Colliding Continues in issue #4 of Cosmic Powers Unlimited, the fan fiction fanzine!  In the mean time, be sure to send us your comments by filling out the following form below...