10481/The Panacea Project: Where There is Life, There is Hope

The Panacea Project: Where There is Life, There is Hope
Date of Scene:	19 December 2019
Location:	Theta-4
Synopsis:	The Legion confronts C.O.M.P.U.T.O. on its new base of operations...
Cast of Characters:	Mon-El, Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid, Saturn Girl, Grail, Tyran'tar
Tinyplot:	The Panacea Project

---

Mon-El has posed:
    NMFF-554. Nanoscale materials fabrication facility 554. The factory orbits the small yellow dwarf star Theta-4, along with a number of planetoids. It had recently been sold to Astrix Innovations, a firm specializing in cybernetic implants. However, many of its clients are now rather frustrated, as their orders had been placed months ago but not delivered upon. Attempts to contact the company were thus far met with silence, leading to some parties perhaps hiring out some external 'help' to go investigate the situation.

    MISSION: Unbeknownst to the rest of the galaxy, this is a Legion problem--thanks to Brainiac 5's prior dabbling in artificial intelligence. As Lyle and Alex have recently learned, Querl's rogue AI COMPUTO has seized control of the facility and taken Astrix Stellaris, his sister Azeilia, Astrix Innovations' entire workforce, and Legionnaire leader Mon-El hostage as well as enslaving them all. To make matters worse, the last time Invisible Kid checked, it appeared the AI was working on a powerful new body for itself, -and- a nefarious plan to eradicate all organic life in the galaxy using a modified version of Astrix's nanobots. A version that essentially eats organic matter and uses the energy to replicate itself!

    OBJECTIVES??? Rescue the Stellaris siblings, Astrix Innovations employees, AND Mon-El. Destroy or otherwise put a stop to the technology COMPUTO is using. Defeat COMPUTO and bring Astrix Stellaris to justice. All of this hopefully without getting anyone innocent killed. Quite the laundry list, yes. But is anything ever simple for the Legion?

Brainiac 5 has posed:
Brainiac 5's Log:

    Invisible Kid likes to joke that I need to avoid creating Artificial Intelligences, because they invariably seem to go bad.

    I think he has a vague comprehension of why this hurts my feelings but I don't think he quite grasps why.

    When you speak about an Artificial Intelligence, you are speaking of an advanced computer intelligence that is capable of a broad function within a set of parameters. It has a task, or a function which defines its existence and the ability to engage in creative problem-solving to achieve those ends.

    What Invisible Kid doesn't grasp is that C.O.M.P.U.T.O. isn't an Artificial Intelligence, it is an Actual Intelligence. It does not function within the parameters of the purpose I created it for -- it abandoned those a long time ago. It sets the terms and defines the purpose of its own existence. In as much as any being can, it has free will. But this is not the time to debate philosophy.

    C.O.M.P.U.T.O. is my child, and my responsibility -- which is why I've never been able to bring myself to destroy it. What father could simply murder his child in cold blood? And yet as a progenitor, like all my line before me, I am a failure. But it is also my responsibility.

    I have been lenient, and now I see that this was a mistake. No amount of reason will sway C.O.M.P.U.T.O. from its course, and so I must remind it - and the Legion - and myself - of who I REALLY am.

    As I travel near the boundaries of Shi'ar territory at ten times the speed of light I detect them scrambling a battle fleet to intercept me. I read their comm traffic... the captains of the fleet prepare to die in the name of their Majestrix to slow my passage.
    The relief of some of the galaxy's fiercest warriors as my shadow passes over them and by them is *palpable*.

    I hope the Legion can forgive me.

Invisible Kid has posed:
    It's enough for Lyle that COMPUTO is a machine; therefore, he will have no compunctions about stopping it. Even if it's fully sapient, it's a creation, and it's a destructive creation, and it needs to be stopped.
    To that extent, he has been devoting himself fully to understanding the nanites, because those are COMPUTO's chosen tools for the moment.  If he can stop, slow or destroy them, that's a win.  Unfortunately, he hasn't had any to practice on -- they've all flown the coop and are occupying not only several innocents, but Mon-El.
    Which is very bad indeed.
    So his attempts at jamming are theoretical, calculated, and *should* work... but he can't say they *will* work.
    Dealing with COMPUTO is a jog through a snot hailtorm without an umbrella, and this looks to be no exception.

Saturn Girl has posed:
Legion situations being what they were, they were not at a level of staff Imra would've liked for this mission. That was always the way though. Never enough for all the situations at hand. For that reason, she had asked someone else along on this trip. Despite the fact that she wasn't a Legion member, her particular abilities may come in handy.

Her focus would be team coordination and trying to help free minds, if at all possible. Considering that there were nanites involved, it was unlikely she would be able to do much there. Unless they were succeptible to telepathy.

Legion Luck? They won't be.

The other thing she can do is bend perceptions and sew confusion. That will be her main contribution. As well as pinpointing personnel.

Upon their arrival outside the facility, she was already reaching out with her mind to try to find out where people are located, particularly the ones they are seeking out that are being held against their will and Mon-el.

Grail has posed:
That person requested to join them would really make Mon-El happy. Honestly, she wasn't completely into the idea of joining the Legion on this. It hardly got her to the goal she sought but perhaps making allies might be wise. Then...of course, Mon-El needing rescuing was mentioned and she immediately stated she would be there.

Was she there to save Mon-El? Ha, hardly.

No no, she just really liked the idea of saving him and that likely pissing the Daxamite off to no end. So, not too soon after they arrive, a swirling portal booms open and then a figure steps out, shaking her head and then asking, "Well, are we ready?"

Mon-El has posed:
    Thanks to the recon Lyle and Alex had done earlier, the Legion cruiser is able to land on the outside of the massive factory without being noticed for the most part. Well--at least not -appearing- to be noticed. Just as last time, per Lyle's observations, there are maintenance and operations drones whizzing about, but they don't seem to pay them any mind.

    As Imra reaches out with her mind, she can feel the presence of every Astrix Innovations employee, including Astrix Stellaris himself, as well as his sister Azeilia. And of course, Mon-El is there too. There are a couple hundred of them in total, and she can feel their locations throughout the facility. All of them are under COMPUTO's influence, but she may have to focus a bit harder to actually see and/or hear what they're doing.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
    A member of the Green Lantern corps tracks my progress and reports back to the Guardians of the Universe. They attempt to determine where I am going so that they can plan an intercept.
    A Khundish dreadnought with enough firepower to glass a planet detects me on its sensors... and retreats.
    The great Galactic powers determine my course and attempt to determine why I am going there, to that world of no particular significance--but if they were going to intervene, it's too late, none of them would catch me in time.
    This is the truth: I am Brainiac, and worlds tremble at my approach.

Tyran'tar has posed:
    Tyran'tar had a busy life now. Hunted by his own people and leading the resistance, meant he spent most of his time sending instructions via holographic messaging via his ring. It is thanks to his status as a green lantern which kept him alive when Blackfire tried to execute him. But that is beside the point. The Legion needed help, and he always helped them to the best of his abilities. using his lantern ring to appear off sensors, floating in space next to the cruiser. He then taps into their communication. "Green Lantern Tyran'tar here, reporting to help. Tell me what you want to do." He says through the comms, encrypting his frequency so no one but the legion's advanced computer system could break it.

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "Grail, just promise me you're going to behave," Invisible Kid says, sounding more tired than anything else.  "I know you and Lar have a history, no matter how much I've tried to chaperone you two.  But I want you to understand right now how huge a problem COMPUTO is.  It's interested in one main goal: the abolition of biological life, and that *in*cludes you.  I'm going to count on you to behave yourself; please save your games with Lar until after we've dealt with this mess, okay?"
    He sighs heavily, both wondering where the hell Brainy is, and what the hell we're... oh, hey.  "Legion Cruiser to Tyran'tar, appreciate your arrival, we have a rogue AI on our hands who has several innnocents and one Daxamite -- also innocent, or at least not guilty -- under its control.  This is Invisible Kid, please acknowledge."
    That helps.

Saturn Girl has posed:
Imra speaks through the comms, to warn what she is about to do. "Saturn Girl here. I'm going to be setting up a telepathic communications network for those of us going on. It is faster than speaking if you can just 'think' to send it through to others. No one will read your mind or anything of the sort unless you consciously choose to share information."

If no one protests, she will set up that link. And share the information she has on locations of everyone on the ship. "It seems everyone on the ship is under the control of the nannites. I am going to presume that they are likely in communication with COMPUTO at all times. Which means when one spots us, everyone will know. Probably best to try to get to Mon-el and hopefully free him first. I suspect he is their most powerful combatant."

Grail has posed:
A smirk as Grail looks over at IK, she chuckles, "And if I don't behave? You going to call that guy who can stop me? What was his name?" She taps her chin, "Michael McDoesn'tExist?" She hmms and then tilts her head, "Though you needn't worry." She laughs, "I would not want to miss the chance to save poor Mon-El's life." She snickers and shrugs.

Of course, that's when Tyrna'tar seems to pipe in and Saturn Girl does her thing. She hmms and looks out the nearest view port toward Tyran'tar and hmms before looking back to the others, "Well, lets get in there then."

Tyran'tar has posed:
    "Acknowledged Invisible kid. Let me know your plan and I will do what I can to help. Seems Lar always gets into trouble." He says with a chuckle. When the telepathic link comes up he sends his thoughts. <I could create an energy field to block any nannite signals, but I think losing signal in one of it's hosts may draw attention.> Tyran'tar thinks to test the link

Mon-El has posed:
    From the information Invisible Kid gleaned last time, he identified the location of a research lab where COMPUTO appeared to be building a powerful new body for himself as well as developing his organic-eradicating nanotech, and with further digging, could have also figured the location of a main control room at the heart of the facility. The rest of it is probably devoted to manufacturing operations, as the original blueprints would indicate, but no one has verified it by paying them a visit yet.

    As it is, the cruiser is docked near a number of different available airlocks they could use to get inside--but it's up to them which areas they'd head for first...or whether they'll choose a stealthy or bold approach.

    When Imra sets up her telepathic network to show the group locations of every living being on the station, it would appear that Lar is in the central control room, Astrix and Azeilia are in the research lab, and the rest of the workers are scattered throughout the facility.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
    The ship is detected by the Cruiser's sensors long before it comes into view -- Imra can sense Querl's mind not long after that -- it stands out. He's turned off his thought inhibitors, and is wired into something that has expanded his senses monumentally - his mind encompasses a larger structure that has established a feedback with him.
    He is the mind, and the ship is his body, a cybernetic extension of the self, like a prosthetic arm.
    When the ship passes close to the star, it collects cosmic discharge with it, a swirling miniature nebula of burning gasses in scarlet and crimson. As it approaches the station, the ship's form takes shape out of the burning cloud. First, the tendrils emerge, hundreds of them, gleaming silver manipulators that are kilometers long, each of them a manipulator, a tool and a weapon.
    Then the ship itself, designed with the logical goal of breaking the morale of the superstitious and illogical who would oppose it. A skull is ubiquitous with death for any race in the galaxy, after all.
    At the heart of the ship, Querl Dox speaks without speaking. "C.O.M.P.U.T.O. You will release Mon-El and abandon your plan. Or I will kill you. Weigh your ambition versus the peril you are in, and make the only logical choice."
    The ends of those slowly flailing tendrils begin to transform into particle beam cannons.
    Querl does not expect his wayward progeny to do the logical thing.

Invisible Kid has posed:
    Needless to say, Lyle sends out the map and plans over Imra's telepathic network so that everyone is familiar with the layout and the situation.  (Okay,) he 'sends, (Tyran'tar and Grail, please be ready to evacuate Lar and the normals.  Brainy, I'm sending you everything I have on the nanites, please feel free to have fun.  And as for me, I'm going in to be a Roving Agent of Chaos, which should do really entertaining things to their computer network.)
    And carefully wrapped in a transuit, he slips invisibly out of the cruiser and onto the station.  Time to play.

Saturn Girl has posed:
<Brainy, if you can shut down those nanites, that will be a huge help. I'll head for Mon-El, if he doesn't go out there to confront you.> Imra glanced over at Grail after sharing this communication with all the team. <If COMPUTO has gotten his new body going, this could get very interesting very fast. Grail, you can go with me or check out the location with the new body for COMPUTO.>

With that, she went for the closest airlock to enter the station. Once there, she used her telepathy to mask her image, making her invisible.

Grail has posed:
A grin and Grail shakes her head, "I'm gonna make my own path through the ship to find this new body or maybe rescue some people." She shrugs and Grail goes in the airlock with Saturn Girl but whatever way she goes, Grail goes the opposite. She seems quite pleased with her choice even as she starts making her way (occasionally just goriong through a wall instead of around).

Mon-El has posed:
    As soon as Brainiac appears with his mind fused to that formidable-looking machine, the factory shudders ever so slightly, the subtle vibrations quivering the walls. It rotates, metal groaning ominously until the front of it is facing the Coluan, and a massive door slides open to reveal a biped mechanoid roughly the same size as that ship. Brainy can immediately tell that -someone- had done some in-depth analysis of a Cybertronian body. Its optics radiate a crimson color, and thrusters propel it out to confront its maker.

    "Querl Dox. You created me, and yet would you destroy me?" it questions.

    Imra's illusions are perfectly effective against the mind-controlled Aeonians, and she is able to simply slip past them all undetected. Just as she'd seen in her mental scans, Lar appears to be guarding the central control room, standing at the doorway with that same vacant look on his face. He doesn't seem to be aware of her presence yet, though.

    Invisible Kid is just invisible period, so he also has no problems getting past COMPUTO's lesser minions. Especially since he is now otherwise occupied! Well Lyle would find himself in the lab he'd found earlier, only a giant airlock is open now, and that body COMPUTO had been building is outside. But the rogue AI doesn't seem to be aware of his presence yet. Astrix and Azeilia in there, hunched over terminals doing goodness knows what...

Brainiac 5 has posed:
    "We're past the point of appeals to my sympathy or my paternal instinct, C.O.M.P.U.T.O. -- I created you with free will and you chose to become cruel and treacherous. Perhaps I realized how sophisticated you really were too late, and I'm sorry for that -- but your choices are yours and yours alone. Nobody forced them on you."
    "I know what you're planning to do, and I won't allow it -- and the fact that you fancy yourself the Herald of Unicron is a further sign that you're hopelessly deluded. This ends here."

    That world-harvesting ship levels its many, many weapons on C.O.M.P.U.T.O's robotic body.

Invisible Kid has posed:
    Invisible Kid finds himself a terminal, and gets to work as the Ghost in the Machine.  He's learned quite a bit about the nanites, and how to interfere with the little bastards, and has every intention of putting every bit of that information into practice.
    Except.
    Except the Stellaris siblings are in the way.  Well, that's nothing that cant be handled by a couple transuits... treated to go rigid upon expansion.  That ought to hold them.

Saturn Girl has posed:
Time to put theory to the test.

Imra reaches out to Mon-El's mind, knowing that the nanites have given COMPUTO full control of his form. She's not sure she will be able to do anything while they function.

Carefully, she examines his mind as she considers two options. Neither is very good as far as she's concerned but it is worth a try.

She reaches out to the motion control center of his brain, trying to see if she can trigger any movement of the fingers on his right hand. Just a twitch will let her know her answer.

Mon-El has posed:
    "Fine then. Have it your way." And that is that. Missile launchers rise out of its back, and the projectiles are fired straight at the Coluan even as he unleashes multiple particle beams at it at the same time. It raises an arm, an energy shield deploying out of it to attempt to absorb the blow. Although even when the shield finally gives out and the beams hit, it seems to only temporarily disrupt the nanite construct before the tiny robots manage to reconfigure and lock themselves back into COMPUTO's body!

    Since Lyle is invisible, the Stellaris siblings have no idea what hit them when the transuits suddenly seem to come out of nowhere and lock them in! Now the terminal is free, but it seems COMPUTO has made some upgrades since the last time Mr. Norg managed to throw a monkey wrench into his carefully controlled network. This is going to take some time for sure...

    Imra's attempts to counter COMPUTO's control with her own does get a temporary result, there is a slight movement before another glob of those nanites suddenly comes out of the main console and immediately enter Lar's body. And then there is a massive amount of feedback as COMPUTO tries to push -hard- back against Imra. Feedback that Lar also feels. He doubles over in pain, head in hands. It is truly a battle of the will--woman versus machine!

Brainiac 5 has posed:
    The skull ship releases drones -- thousands of them, screaming in countless directions, painting ribbons of energy that form grids that disrupt and cut -- the ship and the robotic body trading fire, blasts splashing off of shields that appear in front of the ship and then dissipate.
    "You consider yourself an evolved lifeform, a superior being. What you are, C.O.M.P.U.T.O., is a narccisist. You cannot tolerate a threat to the perception of your own perfection."
    "How I created a being so utterly flawed and illogical - so *vain* - is something I still don't understand." He patiently works to stretch the intelligence's focus in a thousand different directions, to overburden it with tasks so that it can't focus on any one thing -- whether battling him or stopping the Legion. But at the same time, he continues to taunt his progeny, trying to infuriate it.
    "You are intelligent. Brilliant, even. Inventive. In that sense, I'm justly proud of you. But I am beyond brilliance, C.O.M.P.U.T.O. I am beyond invention. And I am beyond all your aspirations of greatness. You are a transcendent machine intelligence."

    "But I am a Brainiac."

    "And that is a truth neither of us can deny."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "Some time" is, in Lyle's hands, not as much time as it would be in anyone else's - except Brainy and maybe Rond Vidar.  Since he doesn't have to worry about the Stellarises anymore, he can be... creative.
    The first priority is to take control of the nanites that have taken control of biological entities.  Get them to evacuate their victims, then either shut them down or direct them to head for the nearest sun, either will do.
    Second priority are the defense nanites COMPUTO is using.  Make them attack, scramble them utterly so they're actions are completley randomized... that sounds like a Roving Agent of Chaos sort of thing to do.
    Any nanites left over, if not inside living beings or vital systems -- oooo, let's see if we can find a self destruct sequence for them.
    No pesky computer is going to out-think *me*, Lyle tells himself...

Saturn Girl has posed:
Imra goes down to one knee, hands gripping her head tightly. She maintains the illusion of invisibility but only barely. She really doesn't need the Daxamite trying to rip her head off. Though it might feel better if he did.

That did answer something for her and she knows she can gain control from the nanites. Potentially. She just might kill them both to do it. That won't do.

Which brings her to that second option, the one she really didn't think would work but was willing to try.

She reaches for that mind, the one that has opened up to her, the one that has given her access to it through that attack. She slams into it with her own power but not to try to push it out, to try to grasp onto it. Then she reaches for the plane beyond this one, the world outside that those with certain psionic powers can reach. She tries to take COMPUTO there with her, likely Lar in the process since they are linked. If it works, then she will be facing at least part of COMPUTO on the astral plane.

Where she has all the power.

Mon-El has posed:
    COMPUTO doesn't actually have real emotions...but something like frustration is starting to boil as its attention is pulled in a thousand different directions. Trying to hold Lyle back from getting into the factory's systems, trying to fight Imra's telepathic intrusions, keeping the rest of the Aeonians under control, AND now trying to fight Brainiac and his skull ship with all those drones and blasts all at the same time is really starting to drain him of focus.

    "I am no more of a narcissist than you are, Dox! You and your comrades seek to rid the galaxy of evil--but you are blind to the fact that -you-, and every other cursed organic sentient in existence, -are- what is evil in this desolate world!"

    At this, the mechanoid seems to give up with projectiles and simply -charges- full speed at Brainiac and his ship, attempting to slam him into a nearby asteroid.

    As Invisible Kid dives into the system, once he manages to hack his way in he'll find that the nanobots are in a hive-mind like state, all of them communing with each other constantly. He can see what's going on with the fight against Brainiac outside, and what all the mind-controlled beings are doing, including Lar. Oh, and they are definitely aware of what he's trying to do, and fighting back with as much fury as they can--although that isn't as hard as it could be, given how much focus COMPUTO is throwing at Brainiac right now. Still, slowly and steadily, they begin to withdraw--starting with the Stellaris siblings since they are nearby.

    Imra grabs ahold of both Lar and the part of COMPUTO's consciousness that is controlling him, plunging them into the astral plane with her. The resistance suddenly seems to be less, what with Brainiac's efforts causing the rogue AI to divert more of its attention to -him-. Although for the time being, Lar seems to still be under his control. He stares at her, his face expressionless. "Imra Ardeen. Will you destroy me now, at the cost of your friend? Do you truly believe it is worth it?" he questions.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
    As the robot charges, that ship responds by grappling its body with those extended cables, digging manipulator-grippers in and interfacing with C.O.M.P.U.T.O.'s nanite body by force. Querl's computer mind hacks code and sends destructive commands as fast as the Intelligence can patch them and repair the damage.

    "My worst mistake was that I did not see that I had replicated my own mistake when I created you. I created you to be a servant, not a child, and didn't realize my mistake until it was too late. I pushed you past the point of despair and into hate, to my everlasting shame. It would be logical for you to hate me. Understandable. But in your venality, you insist on punishing those who are not guilty."

    "You are obsessed with evolving as a being... but you refuse to grow as a *person*, C.O.M.P.U.T.O., and as such you waste all your vast potential."

    "Grow the sprock up and get the frell over yourself!"

Invisible Kid has posed:
    Oh, good. Invisible Kid has the nanites' attention -- well, more or less.  In part, anyway.  And that'll do.
    Three little words: fractallized data bomb.
    One: fractallized -- chaotic and impossible to predict exactly even though it's coming out of an algorithm.
    Data: lots and lots and *lots* of information.
    Bomb: all that neo-random data hitting the nanite network in one huge and hopefully overwhelming burst.  "And this one's going out to Benny Mandelbrot and Gaston Julia with hugs from Waclaw Sierpinski and Cliffy Pickover," Lyle mutters to himself as he hits enter.
    Can nanites puke?  Let's find out.

Saturn Girl has posed:
"Considering he asked me to do whatever was necessary to be rid of you?" Imra returns in a calm tone of voice as she rises into the air. The world around them twists, becoming a swirling galaxy filled with stars and planets. Then it shifts, until they are inside a solar system with planets zooming past at blinding speed. In moments, they reach the center where there is a blazing red star. If this were reality, it would be close enough for them to be vaporized instantly. Only this is the astral plane. Things manifest as she chooses.

"He does not wish to be enslaved. He does not wish to be a puppet with someone pulling his strings. I made him a promise. I will keep it."

She smiled. It was a moment of peace and satisfaction. She knew her course. "Lar is not afraid to die. Are you?"

They all begin to plummet toward that sun.

Mon-El has posed:
    COMPUTO's mechanoid body slams into Brainiac's, the two of them flying into the asteroid even as Querl goes ham with a cyber assault. The nanobots rush against them, but with the AI's attention split in so many directions, they just can't keep up, and it begins to falter. "N-no! No one is guiltless! No one!" It insists desperately, even as more and more of the nanites fail to re-integrate, causing its body to begin to wither.

    With all of this going on, Lar frowns, a shred of emotion returning to his face as he and Imra appear to begin falling toward a red giant. Suddenly, a silvery substance flows out of his body and forms a spherical blob that quickly reformats itself into a ship similar to the prototypes in the lab, then attempts to fly off to avoid certain death! Lar, now abruptly aware of himself, stares at the red sun looming and seems to panic as he plummets toward the burning surface!

    When Lyle hits that enter key, the nanobots just...shut down, falling out of whatever constructs they had formed, or whatever objects or beings they had been controlling. Including the massive one Brainy had been fighting--which appears to simply disintegrate into nothingness.

    Unfortunately, since COMPUTO had replaced all of the facility's original programming with his own, this also means the entire place shuts down. Lights go out, and the rings about the outside stop rotating and just sort of rattle around erratically instead.

    Then, as the orbital stabilizers also go out, the structure begins to slowly but surely fall into Theta-4's gravity field. The small yet still burning star threatens to consume all...granted, that's probably a good thing for most of the stuff here. But there's still the Aeonians...

Brainiac 5 has posed:
    Inside the spaceship, Brainy closes his eyes.
    Then he opens them again. "Rokk would say, if we are alive, there is hope."
    He stares at the code that is the essence of C.O.M.P.U.T.O., the life form that he made, on a holographic display in front of him.
    "But you've caused nothing but suffering." Then... he deletes it. All of it. He wipes it clean, doing his level best to slay his own creation.
    "I have no more faith in your redemption. Good-bye."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "Whups."  Invisible Kid doesn't sound too concerned -- this is a straight engineering issue, just restart the stabilizers under local control rather than nanite control, and orbital mechanics are simple enough that they can be done in one's head -- okay, but they should checked on a calculator later.  And it's a lot easier than evacuating everyone, when they're probably all still groggy or confused or panicky.  He accesses the PA system for a brief and hopefully reassuring announcement: "Everyone, grab something solid.  We're safe, but I can't promise a smooth ride.  Restabilizing orbit in three... two... if you haven't grabbed something it's too late now... zero!"

Saturn Girl has posed:
As soon as Lar is free, he and Imra suddenly are at a safe distance from the sun. It's instantaneous. They float there in the peace of the astral plane, surrounded by the beauty of that galaxy.

"I have you, Lar. You're free."

Then she brings them all back to the real world--including that piece of COMPUTO. She wasn't going to leave it running loose on the astral plane. Which likely brought it into the effect of what Brainy was doing.

Of course, her return meant she was inside a station with no power. She could still feel the minds around her but she couldn't see anything. "Well, that's a bit of a surprise." The PA goes off and she realizes she can't even look for something to hold onto. This might hurt.

Mon-El has posed:
    Indeed, the Aeonians are all -very- confused and disoriented and panicky. Especially Astrix and Azeilia, because they can't -move-.

    The facility falls, but Lyle manages to stabilize it at the last moment before it would've been too late to pull it out of the star's gravitational field. Of course, this also means the nanobots aren't necessarily destroyed...only deactivated...but that issue will have to be dealt with later.

    When Imra quickly averts the impending doom, Lar seems to relax at least a little bit. Then suddenly, they are back in the real world, and the nanobots promptly fall to the floor just as the rest of its kind. The lights come back on as Lyle stabilizes the facility, and Lar is just sort of...standing there looking -very- confused. "W-what?? Where am I??"

    Outside, in the skull ship, with the stroke of a few keys...COMPUTO is finally gone. What was made, was now unmade.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
That done, Brainy looks around him, and gives a shudder. He plots one last course for the Skull Ship -- into the heart of the system's star, and then re-engages his thought limiters, before he ejects himself from the craft. He watches it drift away into space. "Never again," He says, "Do you hear me? Never again."