JLA/Galactus: Worlds Colliding Part 2 (of 3) Written by DJ Ferris, Edited by James
Pedrick |
Click here to read Worlds Colliding Part 1 of 3 if you have not done so yet!
Part 2
Superman and J'onn roar through space in the pod looking for any signs of life. J'onn's head has stopped taking different shapes and is staying in its natural cone-shaped Martian form where it can pick up any brainwaves easily."Are you finding anything J'onn?"
"I can feel it Superman, we are so very close. But as to a physical location I can find nothing "
"Could it be cloaked?"
"Possibly, though we'd have to By the moons of Mars!" From out of nowhere headed towards them is a giant purple and silver craft. J'onn works the controls and tries quickly to move the pod from the ships path. "Brace for impact!"
The pod dives and skims along the hull of the mighty ship soon becoming stuck in a wreck of twisted metal. "J'onn! Are you alright?"
"Yes Superman. I believe we've found the source of the unusual mental patterns " The wreckage begins to change shape and the pod is pulled into the vast metallic hull. As their pod is taken apart Superman and J'onn are transported to a large chamber where they are met by the pilot, a giant being with greek-like purple, dark blue and black armor and a giant cylindrical head.
"WHO DARES SEEK GALACTUS: DEVOURER OF WORLDS?" the being spoke. Even Superman and J'onn were awed by his presence.
J'onn, Superman thinks to his friend, This is the master of the Shifter on Earth.
"YES I AM. THE SHIFTER IS MY HERALD IN THIS DIMENSION."
"It would appear Superman that telepathic communication is rather pointless here."
"Funny I was thinking the same thing "
"I know "
"SILENCE! WHO ARE YOU?"
Superman steps forward. "We are Superman and J'onn J'onzz from the Justice League of America. We are both protectors of the Earth. We are both here to prevent you from ever getting there."
"IS THAT SO?" Galactus thinks and the ship around them binds the two. "DO WHAT YOU MUST BUT I HAVE RATHER IMPORTANT MATTERS TO ATTEND TO ON EARTH."
Superman flexes his arms to break his metallic bounds. "When I break out of here I'll "
"SOMEHOW I DOUBT YOU WILL."
"Calm yourself Superman," says J'onn as he slowly shapeshifts from the shackles of Galactus. "All we can do now is wait and watch "
Steel marches through the hallways of the JLA Watchtower, his cape flowing behind him and his boots making sharp metallic clunks with every step. The electronic door opens and he turns into his workshop and is shocked to see Batman standing there.
"You scared me " says Steel catching a breath.
"What's your situation in this Shifter crisis?" Batman says in his hard whispery voice.
Steel moves his way to the bench and tinkers with his gadgets. "Given the nature of this foe and his powers I've been working on a particle cannon which may have a number of effects on him "
"Such as?"
"If he's powerful enough it'll have no effect it may keep him in a solid form log enough to let us take him down or " The two men stare at each other. " It may destroy him and half of Metropolis with him."
"Keep working on it and hope that we don't have to be forced to use it."
Steel turns and begins rewiring the cannon shaft. "Whatever you say. Anyway what are you going to do about " he turns to see that Batman has already left. "Superman was right, that is creepy "
In a vast cylindrical room in the JLA Watchtower sits a chair. The Batman enters and seats himself. The chair rises and the surrounding walls light up with events across the various news networks. In unison all the screens darken as a giant shadow draws over the scene. Even the legendary Batman can only sit and watch from a monitor room.
The JLA looks up and sees this amazing sight. Wonder Woman whispers to herself "By Hera "
Kyle whispers language not worth repeating.
The ship opens and a giant armored blue, purple and black being steps out. "Master!" cries the herald.
"TREMBLE HUMANKIND UNDER THE AWESOME MIGHT OF GALACTUS: DEVOURER OF WORLDS!"
"Just when things were looking bad " The group looks to Kyle in a menacing tone. "What?"
Lex Luthor's office darkens with the rest of the city as a giant spaceship moves across the sky blocking the sun from view. He can almost see the ship open over a small area in Metropolis, supposedly where the Shifter had landed.
He smiles to himself in the knowledge that the JLA are in a world of trouble.
The group is dumbstruck by the awesome sight hovering above their heads. Plastic Man's jaw stretches and hits the ground. "Holy molly you're a big boy aren't ya?"
Wonder Woman brings herself to her senses and step forward away from the team. "We are the Justice League of America: sworn protectors of this planet and its morals. Galactus, why have you come to our world?"
Galactus' giant helmet moves to see the tiny Earth-woman who has addressed him. These are the Earth's protectors? Though I must not underestimate them, I have received much trouble from those like them. "I COME SEEKING THE PLANETARY ANNHILATOR! A WEAPON CAPABLE OF DESTROYING SINGLE WORLDS AND BREAKING THEM DOWN INTO FOOD!"
"Get ready to fight " Aquaman commands the group. "We're taking him down!"
"Arthur! Be quiet! I may be able to work something out "
"WHAT ARE YOU DISCUSSING HUMANS?"
Wonder Woman pleads with Aquaman not to fight. It may be prevented. Galactus stares down, a feeling of impatience surrounding him.
"Diana no-one in the universe deserves the power to destroy whole worlds!"
Torn between her morals she gives Galactus a bold reply. "We know not of any Planetary Annihilator and even if we would not give it to you!"
"VERY WELL I SHALL JUST HAVE TO TAKE IT THEN!"
"Not if we can help it!" cries the Huntress as the JLA swing into battle. Though the fighting is futile, those roaming the ground are no match for Galactus' giant boots and those soaring through the sky are having a time avoiding his mighty fists.
"This is for you, not-so-jolly giant!" cries Green Lantern. Streams of emerald power flow from his ring and form a gargantuan suit of armor around him and he charges at Galactus. With a single blast of cosmic power the form is broken up and Kyle Rayner falls to the Earth below.
Wonder Woman and the flash tend to their fallen comrade. "Kyle! You okay buddy?"
"Did anyone get the number of that truck?"
Wonder Woman smiles. "I'd say he's alright Wally." Immediately the two rush back into battle.
"BAH! INSOLENT PESTS! YOU DO NOT CHALLENGE AS MUCH AS THE FANTASTIC FOUR OR THE AVENGERS BEFORE YOU!"
Wally stops for a moment. "The Fantastic Four? What kind of goofy comic book type name for a team is that?"
"I've heard of weirder " says Plastic Man reaching to speak to his teammate. "Isn't that right Aquaman?"
Aquaman snubs the two and marches right by. "Come on, we are needed in battle."
The fight rages on throughout Metropolis and all around buildings are crashing with a swipe of Galactus' mighty hands. The JLA are powerless to help, they are nothing but superpowered ants to him...
Inside Galactus' ship Superman still beats away trying to break away from his mechanical shackles. Not heat, not freezing them nor brute strength seems to phase them in the slightest. "UGH! It seems no use J'onn..."
"I would not be surprised, I'm sure this monster has seen beings far greater than the likes of ourselves..."
"What can we do? If we dont escape this monster may devour our world."
"There is always the other half of the Justice League Superman, all is not yet lost..." J'onn focuses his thoughts to the Earth below hoping them to be picked up by another of his team-mates. His skull shifts and ripples even in its normal Martian shape it does not seem to do anything.
"J'onn "
"Nothing I am afraid. There appears to be a strong telepathic block around us. It seems we must work out our own escape, and pray the JLA can thwart Galactus without us "
Once again J'onn's head begins to ripple. "Superman I am picking up strange mental patterns..."
"Show me J'onn." A white light shone before their eyes and they were in a place undreamed of...
Steel rushes through the hallways carrying large metallic pieces in his arms. Back and forth from his workshop to the airlock. Around his forth trip he once again meets his shadowy comrade. "Batman "
"What have you come up with Steel?" He says in his regular harsh gritty voice. Even when he's being nice he's scary...
"I'm going out to the moon's surface to assemble the cannon, it's based on a tank design I created for ArmerTek..."
"...But on a much larger scale..."
"...Yes."
"Keep me posted on your progress."
"I will. Do you have anything new on Galactus?"
Batman gives him an intense glance, which those who know him are quickly accustomed to. "I don't think he's here to eat the world..."
Steel turns his back to load some more pieces. "Then why is he here?" Gone. Batman's gone...again. With a deep sigh he's back to work.
The intercom buzzes. "Mr. Luthor? Er... there is a Mr. Shifter here to see you?"
Lex simply smiles to himself. "Send him in..."
The tall black doors of Luthor's office fly open and the gold and red form of the Shifter flies in. "Hello Mr. Luthor, we meet again."
"Welcome back to Earth partner. Take a seat."
"I rather prefer to hover..."
"Then by all means feel free. I must say I'm extremely impressed by the way you're handling the Justice League."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. Though even as we speak a number of JLA members are on the moon constructing a device that may interfere with out plans. Do you think you can take care of it?"
"At once."
"Good."
The Shifters form ripples and disappears from sight, Luthor still rested, feet up on his table with a glass of wine in hand. Things couldn't be going better.
North of Metropolis Galactus is rampaging a military launch site. All around him are parked jeeps and tanks all opening fire on him and his following craft. Aircraft fly around his head, he swats them down like flies.
Only the horizon Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the remaining JLA plot their new gameplan.
"Why would he come here of all places?" says Aquaman. "Isn't this one of Luthor's bases?"
Plastic Man stretches neck from behind them so he can speak face to face. "You think this guy is one of his many demented genetic or mechanical creations?"
"I seriously doubt it," says Wonder Woman. "This is a powerful cosmic entity we're dealing with here, I dont think Luthor could create something as tough."
"Though I wouldn't be surprised if he was involved somehow..." The two JLA leaders look at each other. "What do we do Diana?"
"Try hold him off Arthur, until something else comes up..."
"I CAN FEEL IT STRONG HERE!" cries Galactus, "IT IS VERY CLOSE!" He looks to the sky and all eyes follow.
"The Planetary Annihilator "
" Or Luthor's new military targeting satellite." The whole team turns to Aquaman. "It's already in the wrong hands "
Flash starts pacing around at lightning speed kicking up clouds of dirt. "So what do we do now?"
Superman and the Martian Manhunter appear in deep space high above a world covered in swirling purple clouds. "J'onn where are we?"
"Hush Superman, we are in a dream world. We're here to witness a story. Watch..."
Over their heads flies Galactus' craft down into the clouds of the mysterious planet. Their ghostly forms follow and they see Galactus preparing to feed on this world and it's energies.
A young man came to Galactus and pleaded with him to spare his world and made a promise to find him another. Galactus accepted and turned the boy into his herald: The Shifter.
Now the Shifter searches this universe for world his master may consume. And such is the same in many universes, Galactus will find a herald to find him planets right for consumption.
The two wake up. "My God, J'onn... What are we up against?"
Now visit the conclusion of JLA/Galactus: Worlds Colliding from Cosmic Powers Unlimited #6... and be sure to send us your comments by filling out the following form below... And if you would like to work with writer DJ Ferris on a JLA/Avengers crossover, send him a message below telling him so. He is looking for someone well educated in the Avengers characters.