STARCASTER #3

Marion looks astounded. Regan looks at Marion confused, unsure as to why her facial expression isn't one of acceptance or wonder. It's almost like she's laughing.

"You do not like the name?"

Marion looks at Regan.

"My, ummm, my dad used to call me 'Starcaster' when I was a child..."

Regan smiles.

"Ah. This is why you laugh. Well, there's a very good explanation for that..."

Marion looks confused. Regan leaves the room and beckons Marion to follow. She does so out of curiosity. After a few moments, they end up in a dark room with a digital column in the centre. There's a silver structure in the centre of the room with a light coming from it. It looks silent and clear now. Regan walks up to it lets Marion stop in front of him. Marion looks astounded.

"It's beautiful..."

"It is. It's also unique. This device is the only one of its kind in existence!"

Marion peruses it further. The light changes colour from time to time.

"What is it?"

"In my native language we call it Yulou, In English it would be... 'Hourglass'. It's a device powered by something called the Akara and can allow us to see a few chance glimpses of the past, the present and the future. One of the perks of this is that we can see every potential Starcaster. And you were the first. There is someone else we brought here before you but his experiment is failing. You have been and always will be the first human Starcaster".

Marion looks at the light.

"What did you say it was powered by?"

"The Akara. The goddess and consciousness of the planet Eden. We work closely with the Edenics and, as a symbol of their friendship, the Akara granted us access to her majesty. It comes in handy now and again. Would you like to try it?"

Marion looks shocked.

"Try what? This?"

"Yes!"

"What if it shows me my own future? Wouldn't that be dangerous or something? Doctor Who warns about things like that all the time!"

"The Akara would never show an individual their own future. It might show them glimpses of things they will be involved in, but never anything explicit. And, I believe that this 'Doctor Who' you speak of is a fictional television programme on your planet and should be treated as such!"

"I have a friend or two who would disagree with that statement..."

Marion looks at the light. Regan leans in.

"All you need to do, Miss Gold, is put your head into the light..."

Marion thinks for a moment. She nods, and slowly puts her head into the light. A flash of light can be seen and, suddenly, she finds herself in some kind of vortex or tunnel. She can't quite work out which. She looks around as a multitude of different events circle her. She looks amazed as she sees famous historical events such as the assassination of JFK, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Hiroshima, the release of Nelson Mandela. However, it's the ones that start to appear her are the ones that concern her.

Firstly, she sees a man in a suit removing his mask. 

"So...you must be the famous Starcaster Elsie drones on about! Speedfreak. Big fan!"

That vision fades away to reveal another one. It's a 12 year old child.

"I'M NOT A DEMON, REVEREND, I'M THE CHILD OF A GODDESS!"

That vision fades away to reveal another. This time, a being that Marion finds terrifying. A creature of sheer terror.

"YOU WILL ALL BOW DOWN TO ME. THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO SUBVERT MY AUTHORITY WILL BE DESTROYED!"

That vision too leaves. Another appears. This time it's her funeral. Her father stands at her gravestone and cries uncontrollably.

"I miss you so much, Starcaster..."

Upon seeing this, Marion pulls her head from the light and hyperventilates. Regan puts his hand on her shoulder.

"What did you see?"

Marion catches her breath. Regan looks interested, but then concerned.

"I saw Speedfreak...I saw a girl in what appeared to be Renaissance clothing...I saw a terrifying being...and I saw my dad at my gravestone..."

Regan looks sad alongside Marion.

"Miss Gold, please know we did not intend to keep you here for five years. It was an accident that you were comatose that long".

Marion sighs.

"My mum died when I was 2. We were playing hide and seek in the house. I hid in the loft, my usual hiding place. I left her counting to 25 and then she never came. She never came to find me. 3 hours I waited in the loft. With the insulation and the spiders webs. 3 hours I waited until Dad came home, saw mum and frantically looked for me. I didn't even notice she'd died and I never got to tell her how much I loved her. I was waiting for her to find me so I could scare her...My dad struggled to keep it together after that. But we finally found our groove. And now Dad thinks I left him...just like mum did...he must've been devastated..."

"How did your mother die may I ask?"

Marion fights back tears.

"She had an aneurysm that the Doctors missed. It burst and it just killed her there and then..."

Regan sighs.

"I'm sorry".

Marion turns to look at Regan.

"When can I go home? To Earth I mean?"

"You need to be processed. But after that, you're free to go".

"Processed?"

"You'll be implanted with information about your abilities, your limits and the shared history of the Starcasters. There you will know how to control your new abilities and how to effectively use them. After that, we will send you to Earth. And, I can assure you, it will be a quick journey".

"How quick?"

"2 of your Earth minutes".

Marion smiles. Before she has the chance to thank him, a nurse comes in.

"President Khan, you need to come and see this! The other human has woken!"

Regan smiles.

"Miss Gold, it appears you will have a counterpart after all!"

*****

The nurse, Marion and Regan enter the room where Marion woke up and they see a human male awake in his bed.

"Adam Petty of Alderbury?"

Adam looks terrified.

"Yes...where am I?"

"We're not going to hurt you, Mr Petty. Just try to relax and everything will be explained to you in due course..."

*****

"Miss Marion Gold of Southampton and Mr Adam Petty of Alderbury. You have both made history by becoming the first Starcasters to come from the planet you call Earth. You have both been processed and have sworn to protect your star system and deal with any problem within it. By swearing this oath, you are also obligated to help your fellow Starcasters if they require assistance. I look forward to seeing you once again whenever that may be. I wish you both good luck on your missions. Now, be gone and shine your light throughout the universe!"

Marion and Adam nod. They walk towards two pods. The golden capes on their uniforms flap behind them as they walk towards them. Marion looks at Adam.

"I know we haven't known each other long, but I do look forward to getting to know you better. And maybe even work with you sometime!"

Adam's expression remains the same.

"I prefer to work alone..."

Adam changes his path to the pod while Marion shakes off how rude he was. She gets in her pod and straps in. After a few moments, the pod powers up, levitates off the ground and leaves the Klast. Both pods streak across the vacuum of space towards the solar system. Marion is awake the whole time and takes in as much of the passing worlds and stars as she can. It's beautiful.

*****

Within two minutes, they are in plain sight of Earth. Marion smiles as she sees the outline of the UK. The ship starts to enter the atmosphere and fire starts to engulf the front of the craft. Marion still smiles as she enjoys it. She even screams a bit as if she's on a rollercoaster. 

As she does, the craft next to her starts to break apart. She notices.

"ADAM! ADAM! CAN YOU HEAR ME!?"

"HELP ME! MY SHIP'S BREAKING!"

Marion struggles to free herself from the straps holding her down. It's not letting her go despite her frantic efforts.

"I'M STUCK! YOU NEED TO EJECT!"

"I CAN'T! MARION HELP ME PLEASE!"

"I'M COMING! I PROMISE I'LL GET YOU OUT!"

Marion looks around frantically for a way to help. She sees an eject button and presses it herself. In a second, she's freed from the straps and the craft. She steadies herself and flies towards Adam's craft which is now all on fire. She catches up to it and lands on it.

"I'M COMING, ADAM!"

She pulls the door of the capsule as hard as she can but it's just not working. The sky around them starts to change from a dark blue colour to a light blue colour. They're coming closer to Earth.

"MARION! THE FIRE'S GETTING CLOSER! GET ME OUT!"

"YOU SHOULD BE FINE! OUR SKIN'S FIRE RESISTANT!"

"GET ME OUT NOW!"

Marion continues to pull at the door but to no avail. She tries punching the glass but nothing's happening.

"OH COME ON!"

She continues to try the glass window until something flies past them. Marion looks for a moment.

"MARION! WHAT WAS THAT!?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Another objects flies past them. Marion follows them and notices two planes. RAF Harriers.

"IT'S THE RAF!"

Marion tries at the glass again but still to no avail. Adam starts to move in the capsule. His movements are sporadic but he's terrified.

"MARION! THE FIRE!"

"YOU'LL BE FINE..."

As she finishes that, she hears an agonising scream from inside the capsule. Marion looks inside and sees his skin starting to burn from the fire. It's engulfed him and is starting to melt his skin. 

"ADAM!"

Something appears to be coming towards them again and fast. Marion looks back and sees a missile heading towards them.

"NO!"

Marion jumps from the capsule and catches the missile. She holds it and starts to melt it with her hands.

The pilot who fired the missile flies close by and sees Marion melt the missile.

"THIS IS FOXTROT 1 TO BASE! ONE OF THE BOGIES HAS MELTED THE MISSILE! I REPEAT, ONE OF THE BOGIES HAS MELTED THE MISSILE! WITH THEIR BARE HANDS!"

Marion drops the melted missile and looks at the plane. As she does, she hears an explosion from below her. She looks down and sees the capsule exploding. She looks at it for a moment and starts to cry. Before she gets a chance to, however, the plane does another circuit around her. Angrily, she chases the plane and catches up to it.

"THIS IS FOXTROT 1 TO BASE! ONE OF THE BOGIES IS ON MY PLANE! I REPEAT ONE OF THE BOGIES IS ON MY PLANE! SHE CAN FLY LIKE MISS INVINCIBLE!"

"Understood Foxtrot 1. We're sending help now..."

Marion lands on the wing and looks for the weapons. She sees them, raises her hand towards them and a ray of light comes from it. She starts to melt the weapons on the plane.

"FOXTROT 1 TO BASE! THE BOGIE HAS TAKEN OUT MY WEAPONS AND MY MISSILE GUIDANCE SYSTEM! PLEASE ADVISE!"

"We've got help coming Foxtrot 1, just keep her on your craft!"

"FOXTROT 1 TO BASE, I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE A PROBLEM! THEY LOOK PISSED!"

Marion moves to the other side and repeats the process. As she does so, she sees something non-avian fly past her. A pink blur. She looks around.

"No...it can't be..."

As she finishes, she's pushed off the plane and back into the air. She steadies herself and looks across from her. She sees a woman in a pink and black costume across from her.

"WHOEVER YOU ARE, STAND DOWN! YOU'VE ATTACKED THE UNITED KINGDOM AND I AM HERE TO STOP YOU ON BEHALF OF THE CROWN!"

"MISS INVINCIBLE! I'M A HUGE FAN!"

Miss Invincible looks confused.

"I DON'T RESPOND WELL TO FLATTERY!"

"LOOK, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME, THIS WAS AN UNPROVOKED ATTACK! MY FRIEND'S CAPSULE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY AND THE RAF CAME AND BLEW IT UP. NO WARNING WAS GIVEN AND NO CHANCE TO SURRENDER WAS OFFERED!"

"YOU ATTACKED A MILITARY JET!"

"BECAUSE THEY ATTACKED US! I WAS TRYING TO RESCUE MY FRIEND!"

"LEAVE THIS PLANET NOW OR I'LL STOP YOU!"

"LOOK, I'M FROM THIS PLANET! MY NAME IS MARION GOLD AND I'M FROM SOUTHAMPTON!"

Miss Invincible looks confused.

"I'VE BEEN AWAY FOR A WHILE! PLEASE, I'M BEING RETURNED TO EARTH!"

"RETURNED!? FROM WHERE!"

"FROM A PLACE CALLED THE KLAST! IT'S AN ASTEROID OUTSIDE THE GALAXY IN THE DEEP FIELD! PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!"

Miss Invincible looks skeptical.

"WHATEVER YOU SAY YOU ARE, YOU STILL ATTACKED A MILITARY JET. I HAVE TO TAKE YOU IN FOR QUESTIONING!"

"I CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT. MY DAD THINKS I'VE BEEN DEAD FOR FIVE YEARS! PLEASE, I NEED TO GET TO HIM!"

"I CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT. YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!"

Miss Invincible lunges towards her but Marion moves quickly, almost at super speed, out of the way. Miss Invincible looks amazed at how fast she could do this.

"Oh great...it's as if Jody could fly..."

Miss Invincible tries again but Marion keeps dodging at super speed. This happens a number more times before Marion lands a punch. Miss Invincible tumbles slightly.

"Holy shit...I just hit Miss Invincible...and it hurt her?"

Miss Invincible laughs and lunges for Marion again. This time, Invincible successfully grabs her by the throat, punches her a few times and throws her towards the ground. Marion stabilises and throws her hands forward, Beams of light fire from them. Invincible manages to deflect them with her arms. Despite this, Marion speeds out of the way when Invincible catches up. Marion fires a long continuous blast of light from her. Invincible stops it by putting her two hands in front of her head. After a few moments, Invincible separates her hand, forcing the light beams to break into multiple shards. one of them hits one of the military planes flying around them and it quickly plummets towards the ground. Marion and Invincible notice this and they both speed to its rescue.

They both arrive at the same time and they both go underneath it to try and use their flight to counteract the gravity pulling it down.

"GO, STRANGER, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP!"

"I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE, INVINCIBLE. WE BOTH CAUSED THIS AND I'M GOING TO HELP FIX IT!"

The plan isn't working. They all keep hurling towards the ground. Marion gets an idea.

"I HAVE AN IDEA. HOW LONG CAN YOU HOLD YOUR BREATH FOR?"

"HOW'S THAT RELEVANT?"

"TAKE A DEEP BREATH!"

"WHAT!?"

Marion separates from the craft and rises above it slightly so she's eye level with the cockpit. As she does, she starts to fly around it. As she does so, she starts to get faster and faster. Invincible takes a deep breath and continues to try and push upwards. However, she's also amazed by what Marion's doing around her. Marion gets faster and faster until she becomes just a blur. A vortex of wind starts to form the faster Marion goes around the plane and the plane starts to slow down. Instead, it starts to get caught in the suction. It starts to get sway from left to right. As it does, Invincible gets a better grip on it and starts to slowly bring it back towards the ground. They get to the ground and Marion stops creating the vortex. As it subsides, Invincible places the plane on the ground, breaks the cockpit door and tells the pilot to run back to base.

Marion lands near Invincible and they both face each other. Invincible looks astounded.

"You helped..."

"Yes".

"Why?"

"Because that's what I do now".

"Now? What did you do before?"

"I only woke up from a 5 year coma yesterday and I've only just returned to Earth. I haven't had time to anything bad! Look, I don't want any trouble Miss Invincible. I just want to be allowed to help wherever I can and maybe be a force for good in the world!"

Invincible nods.

"Well, you've certainly caught my attention and impressed me. Your abilities are...well...beyond anything I've ever seen before. And your flight and speed? It's like I had a daughter with Speedfreak. Which is weird to think about to be honest..."

Marion laughs.

"Do you have a name?"

"I told you, it was Marion Gold!"

"I meant an alter ego name. You can't dress like that and call yourself Marion Gold. Got a name?"

Marion smiles.

"Starcaster. I'm called Starcaster!"

Invincible smiles.

"I like it!"

"Thanks".

Invincible sighs.

"Go. Go back to Southampton and find your dad. You don't seem like a threat to me. And I apologise for all the hasty shooting. We had a meteorite land in Southampton last week and everyone's on high alert. So I'm sorry about what happened to your friend".

"That wasn't your fault. And thank you. Maybe see you around sometime?"

"Oh, I've no doubt we'll meet again, Starcaster. I can almost guarantee it..."

Invincible disappears into the sky and flies away. Marion smiles and does the same, back towards Southampton.

*****

With a change of clothes and a wash, Marion stands at the pathway of her childhood home. Two days have passed since she met Miss Invincible and she's double checked that her father still lives here. He does. She stares at the house and feels nervous. Even with the body of a compressed star she can still feel nervous. She swallows and walks slowly towards the door. Slowly, she knocks on the door and waits. She just waits for what feels like forever...

After a few moments, the door opens. And there he is. Her father. Much greyer than she remembers but it's undoubtedly him. He looks at Marion with a hint of confusion and recognition. Marion looks at him. Her voice starts to crack.

"Hello...I'm really sorry to bother you...and this might be hard to understand...but I'm..."

"Marion..."

Marion looks surprised.

"Marion...it's you..."

Marion nods.

"Hello, Daddy..."

Her dad steps off the doorstep and stands in front of her.

"It's really you..."

"How did you know?"

He smiles.

"You looks just like your mother did at your age..."

Marion smiles and starts to cry, She jumps and hugs him tightly. He hugs her tightly in return, tears of joy rolling down his face. She's home. And it felt so good to be...

*****

Regan sees the reunion through the hourglass and smiles. He looks happy for her but also looks guilty. A nurse appears behind him.

"Mr President, if I might be so bold as to ask you a personal question?"

"It's ok. I give you permission".

The nurse walks up to him and looks at him.

"Why did you lie to Marion Gold? I know you didn't like to Adam Petty but why did you lie to Marion Gold? I don't understand?"

Regan sighs.

"I had to. The timeline dictates I did".

"But why? Why would Akara let you lead Marion astray like that?"

"On Earth, Marion Gold was a nobody. Someone who continually kept being passed along for opportunity after opportunity. To the point where it drove her to commit suicide. As Starcaster, she's perhaps one of the most important people in all of existence. I can't tell her that future".

"But you couldn't tell her the truth either? We all know the stories. The group on Earth..."

"I couldn't tell her that bit. She has to experience that for herself".

The nurse sighs.

"One day, she's going to find out you lied to her. And she's going to be very angry. She's so powerful now she could kill you with a single light blast".

"She won't. Once she realises what she needs to do".

"I don't see her going along with that. I don't see any of them going along with it".

"They have to. Akara decrees it!"

"Since when did we become slaves to an Edenic Goddess?"

"Since she showed us what really happened! Since she showed us what WILL happen".

"So what will happen, President Khan? What exactly will happen?"

Regan sighs once more.

"You know what'll happen. There will be a group that comes from Earth. That group will face challenges across the cosmos and will become the envy of every civilized world. They will become legends throughout the cosmos and will receive universal recognition as heroes. Speedfreak, Miss Invincible, Elemental, Ghost, Leviathan, Othergirl, Visionarie, Flux, Sarah Jones, Karma...and Starcaster. They all sign up to be heroes and all of them will do what they're supposed to".

The nurse starts to walk away in disgust.

"I know they all sign up to be heroes. That bit has already happened. But I don't think they'll sign up to the part where they destroy the universe...do you?"

"They'll have to. You know what's at stake if they don't..."

"I do. They don't. And I don't think they'll be happy when they do!"

"Like I said...they'll have to..."