Powered Marines

Time Capsule

The city still felt empty, the streets not as busy. The halls of the mall, the high school, the youth center, marginally packed. More then half of the people had been recovered but their was still more before the city felt…complete. There were enough now though for old rutines, school, work, to be resumed and yet with the offices half full and the school hall half empty none felt to encourage to treat it as a full day. Project completed wit ha half team would be half credited. And classes with half the students would have to repeate the lessons the next day as more arrived.

Workers were treated to a light schedual, encourgaged to finish hanging tasks and one shot deals until the full staff had returned. While at the school there were no classes, instead the students had been asked to bring some treasure from home. Elementary, junior or senior high, pre-school, kindergarden, community college. It didn’t matter which as those who called themselves students gathered at the Youth Center, each caarying a bag or box to carry their momento.

The teen heroes all had their place in line, Even Malcom and Claire were back on their feet with no sighs of ill effects. Jason carried two bags however, hs brother Micheal sitting on a bench on the sidelines with a few other students. His face was beaded with sweat and his skin pale and clammy. He tried his best to look mearly worn out but he flicheded every so often as a knife cut into his heart.

“You ok man, you look like death warmed over.” One of the other teenages on the side mused.

“Just go a bit of the flu, my bro’s got my item.” Micheal paused a moment to suppress a whince as he looked to the raven haired latino boy who had to be 18 or 19. “So what’d you bring.”

“I tried to think of what I’d want rememebered a hundred years from now, or even a week if we ever did the vanishing act again.” He boy ppaused, reflecting on the void he had spent only day or two in. “I know it seems kinda silly but my moms makes this killer soup so I asked if I could pack the recipe. What about you?”

Micheal took a cleansing breath, “A photo of simpler times, before Reeva, before the destrouction. Just me and my crew hanging.”

A world away, a behemoth creature with a body that resembled a fusion of the T-Rex, a bird, and a bear loomed over a lone legionnaire. His hands clutched protectively around a steel braclet inset with a ruby center stone. The creatures massive foot came crashing toward our hero, he scrambled to escape.

“And now, hero, you die!” the beast bellowed. As he scrambled over the dune of sand our hero fell and tumbled, coming to rest at the feet of 2 more legionaires, theirs genders indistinct in the armor. One offered a hand and our hero took it. As the behemoth lumbered over the dune one of the duo shouted. “Transform, use the ruby! We can not do this unless you unlock the gate!”

Tears of silver streamed out of the heros helment, staining the armor. “I can not! A man, born on another world, this is his soul. I do not want to be responsible for its destruction.”

The third one placed a comforting hand on the on the firsts shoulder. “Then honor his soul.” It said, it’s voice like the wind chimes, more misic then words. “And let us face this last tyrant, united.”

The beast lunged with its razor sharp winged like arms, but the trio rolled, avoiding the strike. Those rose slowly as the legionare sliped the bracelet onto his wrist.

“One last time,” he whispered, his wrist held high “Unlock!”

A flash or red enveloped the legionnaire, even before it was gone the other two mimicked the pose and phrase, their own bracelets glinting in the sun. “Unlock!”

As as the red light was fading a flash of pink and white light enveloped the duo and obscured the first.

Back on Earth the Red marine clutched his chest, drawing the attention of the translucent mass of tentacles that was the latest monster. His allies were on the ground, their powers failing them, even Micheal found himself struggle to stay powered up.

The monster lunches as a flash of light envelopes Micheal, it passes quickly but his visor is stained red instead of the normal black. With a slash of his blade several tentacles of the beast are cleaved clean off. But the rest wrap around him, constricting him. There is a flash of gold behind the beast and the familiar purr of a feline child. Maat has returned, She holds her wrist high once more and shouts.

“Rakeesh!” her voice full of confidence this time.

The new gold marine stands tall, her voice strong and mature it still hold a child like quality as she speaks.

[Daddy will kill me for having another snack.] She says, dager draws and she slashes into the monster, freeing Micheal in the process. [But you just look so tasty!]

Kenny watches mutly as Micheal and Maat slash at the beast, drawing deep gashes into it befor it collapses to the ground. Maat powers down, as Micheal leaps back and out of the way, she moves swiftly a moment later, crouching in the sand to stuff severed tentacles into her muzzle purring as the creature explodes. She casts a glance at Kenny once more, and winks as Ra once more reappears.

Maat looks up to her father, her eyes wide and innocent, [I saved you some daddy.] she purrs handing a few tentacles to Ra before he lift her up and vanishes with her.

Micheal moves to Kenny, tilting his head at the strange look on the boy’s face.

“Kenny?” he asks finnaly.

“She’s in there,” his voice barely a whisper, right into Micheal’s ear. “Tara/Maat she’s still our girl. She hids it well but she is still our Tara.”

“I know…” Micheal whispers back, “We will find a way.”