1.11 Outsider Part 11

I trot through the sewers, doing my best to ignore the stench. I really ought to get used to it because having a tunnel system is really useful. Especially one with such easy access and an extensive network.

I got everything from both bags with me. Quite lucky, I think, as the gang could have easily have spread the contents across the house.

Now I have two options, either head to my family’s house or the base. If I head home, I’ll have to answer awkward questions from my family. If I go to the base, folks that will be understanding and Narszara can use her magic to heal any scrapes and bruises.

To the base it is.

The walk to the base from my location technically isn’t that long, but that is only because the base is massive. I would mainly just encounter the unused areas that are for emergencies. To actually reach the parts of the base that I use, it’ll be about an hour and a half walk in this dark and smelly sewer system.

I guess that is what I should have expected as part of being a vigilante when not acting as a superhero.

I check my League communicator. I got a signal despite the fact no phone would be able to get a signal here. Then again, my League communicator certainly doesn’t count as just a phone.

“Report Janelle,” I say.

“No cameras or other devices recorded you,” says the AI via the speakers on my communicator, “Despite attempts by neighbours to call the police once they heard the screams from the house, police only receive notification once you entered the sewers. The police have also a report from the Sentinel detailing almost all of the Shirley Marauders’ crimes. Nothing overly serious such as murder or anything like that, but enough to put them away for a good many years.”

“Good,” I say before walking the rest of the journey in silence, thinking about the fight.

It was the first time I was out in a fight when not acting as a superhero. I was also the first time I when I got into a serious fight without wearing one of the greatest suits of power armour in the world.

It should have been terrifying, but I too calm and focused to worry. And since it went darn near perfectly, I can’t really look back at it and be worried. Especially since between the lack of evidence and my connections, I don’t need to worry about the police.

Sky, Helen, James, Fiona, Alex and Narszara are all waiting for me at the table as I enter the main room. Fiona is still wearing the white cos-mat costume while Narszara is wearing a green one. I only recently have gotten her to wear something other than her armour willing.

“Do I have a black eye?” is my first question and receive variants of the word ‘yes’ in response.

I sigh before asking Narszara, “Can you heal it please? I would rather not explain to my family or the police if they come knocking.”

“Aye milord,” answers Narszara as she gets up and walks towards me as I reach the table.

I sit down and place the bags on the table as Narszara looks at me. I feel an itch around my eye that fades after moment as Narszara retakes her seat.

One thing about Narszara is that she rarely uses words when casting her magic. I been meaning to ask her about that, but now isn’t the time.

“Any questions?” I ask, “I assume you all know about Fiona and her situation by now.”

“Yeah,” says Sky, “The computer lady also says you went and beat up the guys who mugged your sister. I’m guessing from the bags that she is correct?”

“The computer lady is Janelle and she is both correct and the AI of the League’s starship,” I reply, “I took down six of them and last one give me the information I needed. Janelle made sure that wasn’t any evidence of what I did and that the police didn’t get informed before I got away. She also released enough information to police for them to arrest the gang.”

“So everything is going to work out just fine,” asks Helen.

“The police don’t have any solid evidence of what I did and no jury would convict me anyway,” I answer, “Lily will probably just be glad I got her stuff back. Mum will be fine as long as the police don’t get too involved. She knows about granddad and the League. Dad on the other hand will be angry. He doesn’t know about Sentinel and the League so he thinks I’ll have risked getting badly hurt and getting into trouble with the law.”

“But let’s not worry about that now,” I continue, “It’s my problem not yours. Let’s talk about Fiona aka Flashblast.”

“From what I heard, she arrived in our dimension this morning,” says James, “Then you brought her back here and used the Awakener on her. Now she going to back to her home dimension and become its first superhero. And you, we, are giving her equipment and advice to help her do so.”

“We’re helped Fiona picked out some gadgets while you were busy with your...thing,” says Sky, “She using some Sentinel Tech with the rest of her gear being provided by her old boss. You’re also getting her a costume and a League communicator so she can stay in contact with us. How does that last one work?”

I sigh before replying. Sometimes I wish the others would just read what their equipment can actually do instead of only finding out when I mention things.

“The communicators used by the League have setting that can be used to contact any other League communicators, even when they are in different dimensions,” I reply, “Granddad gave them the ability to do so after members of the old League got trapped in other dimensions a few times. In this case, the setting will allow Fiona to contact us and vice-versa. That way she can asks us for advice on being a good superhero and I will be able to resupply her. So when will you be leaving Fiona?”

“As soon as Lantern returns with my costume,” says Fiona, “I’m not going reveal myself to my family straight away once I get back. You see, I want to scout things out and come up with a plausible story before I rejoin my old life.”

“So that was what Sam was doing?” I say, “I saw him flying overhead earlier.”

“Yup,” says Sam from behind me as he enters the main room of the base.

He got a costume folded underneath his arm which Sam then tosses at Fiona. The Drakesguard catches it with ease.

“Can you put it on?” asks Sky, “I really want to see how you’ll look as a superhero.”

“Sure,” replies Fiona with a shrug.

“You know where the changing rooms are?” I ask.

“Alex showed me,” says Fiona as she walks off.

I speak with the others as Fiona gets changed, mostly asking them about what they and Fiona have done together. Turns out that they mainly discuss the differences between our world and Fiona’s, gave her advice and help her pick out items from masses of Sentinel Tech stored in the base.

Sky was particularly impressed by the amount of gadgets and has decided that she’s going to use more of them when she can.

I’m about to start explain what different gadgets my granddad had invented by Fiona returns.

“Take a look,” says Fiona before striking a heroic pose with her hands on her hips.

The costume is white with golden gloves and boots. The sides of her costume are also gold while on her face is a white domino mask with a gold border. The costume itself smugly fits her body, showing off her muscles and curves.

“You look great Flashblast,” says Alex.

1.8 Assassins Part 3

Most of them have come. There is Britannia, Warden, Dreadnought, Green Knight, Merlin, Robyn Hood, Dreadnought, Multitude, Spectre and Eternal.

Ten of the thirteen Albion Defenders. Well, they are based nearby enough so they would have left London when I started fighting Nightblade.

Britannia and Warden are flying while the rest are in one of the Defender jets, a lesser copy of the League jet.

I look back down at Nightblade. He’s running in the opposite direction of the Riley house.

I land on the ground and Britannia flies down next to me, gazing her sister’s house. She looks uncharacteristically vulnerable.

“So now what?” I ask her.

“I don’t know,” mutters Britannia quietly, “I never, it’s just... I never expected this to happen. I just don’t know what to do.”

You can hear the hopeless despair in her voice.

“They could stay at the base,” I say, “We got more than enough room and they would be totally safe. And once things settle down they could always go and live somewhere else if they wanted to.”

She looks at me before sighing in regret.

“I’ll speak with my family,” says Britannia, “Thanks for the offer.”

“That was good thing to do,” says Aunt Mary as she lands on the other side of me and Britannia walks towards her sister’s house.

“Yeah,” I reply quietly, “But the others don’t have a clue about it.”

“Spontaneous?” inquires Mary

“Yes, but I don’t regret it,” I tell her.

“We were discussing what to do about it when we found out about Nightblade,” notes Mary sourly, “We never even considered the possibly of someone going after her family or even bothered to post protection.”

The local police have now shown up.

“I’m going back home,” I say as I fly up into the air, “I need to speak with the others and I got stuff to do.”

***

“Did you even think to check with any of us?” demands Lucy.

We’re all sit around the table, all of the new Leaguers.

“I came up with the idea on spot,” I reply, “I wouldn’t change if I what I said even if I could. It was the right thing to do.”

Lucy looks ready to argue the point further, but Sam cuts in.

“I agree with Daniel,” says Sam, “I know how I feel if my identity was revealed and I would wanted to protect my family. I know you would all feel the same.”

“First they might not even stay here,” I say, “But if they do, we’ll have to find out how much they know about us. We’ll work out what to do from there depending on how thing develop.”

“Any idea who is behind it?” asks James.

“Britannia’s identity going public?” I reply, “Not a clue. I tracked the source down to being originally leaked in America, but beyond that nothing. My gut says it is whoever built the machine and placed the bounties on us is behind it. But that might be me just being paranoid.”

“It could be one of Britannia’s enemies responsible,” suggests Sky.

“What about Nightblade?” asks Sam.

“I believe he was hired by whoever was behind the leak,” I answer, “That’s the only way he could have been hired to go after Britannia’s family like that so soon. I’m not entirely certain Nightblade was trying to kill them by the way. He might have been trying to capture them, but I can say that for sure.”

“What were you doing over there so quickly anyway Daniel?” inquires Helen.

“I had help the police stop an armed fight between a couple of gangs in Salisbury when I found out about the leak,” I tell them, “The situation was under control there so I decided to make sure Britannia’s family was safe when I found out they’re details and addresses were leaked as well.”

“Lucky for them,” mutters Sky.

“So now what?” asks Sam as he looks around the table.

“We get on with our lives and wait for things to progress further,” I say, “And keep an eye out for Nightblade since he got away.”

We all get up. I head for the lab while the others go off in different directions, mostly to the exits.

“Daniel, wait up,” says Charlie from behind me.

“Yes?” I reply as I turn around.

“I want to talk to you about the Bulk armour,” says Charlie.

“Sure.”

We both walk to the lab. Once inside, I sit down in the chair at the workbench, my usual spot in the lab.

“So what about the Bulk armour?” I inquire.

“Well I figured that as it is too big for anything apart from the big such we should adapt for the big stuff,” says Charlie, “You know, some of the stuff Grandpa had on his armour such as missiles and heavy weaponry. In case I have to fight anything like the Machine again.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” I reply thoughtfully, “I’ve been meaning to put some heavier firepower into the Sentinel armour for the same reasons. Last time I clashed with the Machine, I almost got killed. Only Darrac and Lanterns saved me from death.”

“The space pirate,” says Charlie with a nod.

“Right, I-” I pause as my communicator beeps.

It acts as my super advanced phone and is disguised as a smart phone. If people ask me what make, I tell them it’s a custom design I created myself. Which is true.

“What now?” I complain out loud to no one in particular. 

1.3 Dragon Knight Part 6

“You broke Britannia’s arm?” I say blankly, staring at Narszara, “How?! She has nigh invulnerability.”

“She attempted to hold me in place with her hand on my shoulder,” says Narszara, “I tackled her. I bent her arm and it snapped under my strength. I then tossed her into the wall. I once again declared my intentions again and left.”

“I see,” I reply despite not really understanding.

I wonder how power she really is. At first I figured she was a Class 1, a human with some above average abilities, but not being actually superhuman. I would count as a Class 1 without the Sentinel armour on.

But Narszara proven to be really tough to point she could keep fighting her injures and dismiss them as minor. Plus she has to be pretty strong to be walking around in that heavy unpowered armour. But she just took down Britannia, a Class 5. Now I’m thinking she might be a Class 2.

Class 2s have either weak or useless abilities or ones which supplement their normal class 1 abilities. I’m thinking that Narszara is one of the later Class 2s despite being strong enough to break the bones of someone with nigh invulnerability.

Unless she has some other abilities we don’t know about yet in which case her Class will be even higher.

Laura and all of the other Aquilines are Class 1s and they’re the most feared supers in history. Maybe Narszara is like that. After all, I’m certain Laura could easily take Britannia.

But Narszara claimed to have bent and snapped Britannia’s arm. Laura or any of her kin couldn’t have done that.

“I’m going to have to test your abilities at some point,” I tell her.

“I understand,” replies Narszara.

“So what is it that you want to talk about?” I ask her.

“I wish to talk about my new home and duties,” says Narszara.

She looks around her a moment before continuing.

“Now I am trapped in this realm and you are my Thariloth,” she says, “I am in need of a home and I believe this undar’delore fortress is the best place for me to stay. I therefore request that you please show me my new quarters so I may begin settling in.”

“Anything else?” I inquire.

“As has been mentioned, my armour has suffered much damage in the course of my fighting,” replies Narszara, “I will need to take if off and inspect it. In addition to making the necessary repairs, I will require clothing to wear as I have none of my own with me.”

“I’m sure Skyler or Lucy will help with that,” I assure her.

“Thank you milord,” says Narszara, “With your leave, I shall find Skyler and Lucy to assist me.”

“I’ll show you to your quarters first,” I say, “It’ll be small, just big enough to fit in your bed, a desk, some drawers for clothes and a chest to store your items in. Roughly two metres wide and three metres long. It was built for functional purposes not comfort.”

“That will suffice fine,” says Narszara, “My private quarters only have to provide a place to sleep and store my private belongs.”

I lead Narszara through the corridors of the base. A stranger might easily get lost once leave the main section of the base, but after years of being here with granddad and being the one operating the place after his death, I know the place like the back of my hand.

“So here it is,” I say once we reach Narszara’s new room, “Will you be able to remember where it is?”

“My memory is impeccable,” replies Narszara, “I shall not forget this location or any others.”

“Good,” I say, “Lucy and Skyler should still be in the main room.”

“I shall find them,” says Narszara.

***

“Is she ready yet?” asks Charlie as we wait outside Narszara’s quarters.

It’s been roughly four hours after Narszara arrival and everybody has shown up to see her. She has spent most of that time in her quarters after Lucy, Skyler and Aunt Mary helped her pick out some clothes for when she wasn’t wearing her armour. For what she said, she was using the computer in there to learn about the Earth or at least our version of it as Narszara seems to have been to some alternate ones.

“She should be coming out soon,” I say, “It’s quite obvious that she dislikes being out of her armour so I doubt she’ll be conformable in normal clothing or even cos-mat.”

“She’s surprising good looking under there,” says Skyler, “I’m little jealous to be honest.”

“You look fine,” says Samuel, “Personally I’m looking forward to seeing what she looks out of that armour.”

“Narszara looks like a Norsemen or something like that,” I say, “Vance looks the most like her.”

“She doesn’t act like a Viking though,” says Lucy, “More like a knight or paladin. Though she did take out Britannia kind of like one.”

“The fact she took down Britannia is all over the news,” says Helen, “Everybody speculating about it. Especially on the Cape and Cowl website and other super focused ones. I think that Restorer mentioned it on social media or something.”

“I didn’t know you read that,” says Sam surprised.

“My mother is a superhero,” says Helen dryly, “And I’m one now as well as I like to keep track of what people are saying.”

“Good point,” concedes Sam, “It just doesn’t seem like your sort of magazine.”

“I’ll give you that point,” grins Helen.

“I am ready to present myself,” says Narszara from inside her room, “Anyone who laughs or makes fun of me shall be punched and harmed.”

“Sounds fair,” mutters Stefan.

“No one will tease you Narszara,” says Carrie soothingly.

“Fine,” grumbles Narszara as she opens the door.

I’m fairly certain most of our jaws dropped. I know mine did.

Narszara is wearing a green cos-mat costume that leaves her head uncovered. A belt with her sword and scabbard is around her waist. It’s also rather skintight in a manner that really shows off Narszara’s rather...curvaceous body shape.

It also shows off her muscles and strong and healthy body. Of course that doesn’t stand out as much because we were all expecting it. Her curves on the other hand were completely unexpected as they were totally hidden beneath her armour.

Narszara continues to be full of surprises. I wonder what else about her is still hidden.

“Man,” says Stefan while Sam barely suppresses his laugher, “You got curves. And such a large chest. No wonder Skyler was jealous.”

Pretty much all of us glare at him. Then Sam breaks out in laughter.

Narszara lunges at him.