1602/When single shines the triple sun / What was sundered and undone

When single shines the triple sun / What was sundered and undone
Date of Scene:	23 July 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid, 1217

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Brainiac 5 has posed:
After Lightning Lad's return, Brainy is on the bridge, muttering, "And you all just have to pitch yourselves off the cliff just like that old yarn about small Earth mammals, even though I was trying to keep all of you SAFE--" He cuts himself off, and thinks, .oO(Especially now that there's a very real chance that I don't make it home with all the rest of you).

Then a beebeebeebeebee noise from a console on his command chair gets his attention. "Huh. The modulating scanner picked up a flight ring signal." He checks it, "It's in North America. ...Someplace called Arcosanti, Arizona."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "'Safe'," Lyle says with a smirk, "is not in our job description. And you didn't answer my question -- is Booster's ring the same one you have now?"
    He dashes over to a monitor at the beeping. "Where's that? And any idea whose ring? I swear, when I get my hands on the Trapper..." Well, that's an old threat, and well worth repeating every time they get a wonky signal.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
Brainy frowns. "There's a lot of degradation to the ring's microcircuitry. But as best as I can determine, which essentially means 'yes'... yes. It is my flight ring. And I would die before I willingly parted with it for any significant length of time. So I am..." He says, "Not willing to wager much on unknown events, but there is now a significantly increased chance that I do not make it home with the rest of you. We can both run the math on that."

Then he frowns... "I'm not sure. Let me check the Wikipedia... Hm. Arcosanti is an arcology town that was created by an architect to demonstrate how communities could be constructed in a way that was harmonious with the environment rather than destructive to it."

"And no, I can't pinpoint precisely whose ring it is. We're going to have to go down there. K.O.K.O., please open a slip-gate connected to the coordinates I'm providing for you."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "It says nothing about your chances. I could easily have to replace all our rings due to temporal damage. Or just upgrade them to be better tuned to each of us." Lyle sounds certain. Or is at least unable -- not unwilling, genuinely unable -- to consider the alternative.
    He peers over Brainy's shoulder at the entry on the town. The new ring signal is a more immediate concern. "Huh. Sounds interesting. Ready when you are."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
A pinprick of blue light appears in front of the two Legionnaires on the bridge, expanding outward into a circular door... which opens onto the sizzling heat of the Arizona summer. Grife, is it hot. Brainy squints against the unforgiving sun, and then activates his force-field. "What a day to wear a black uniform." He says, to Lyle, with maybe a touch of a smirk.

They're on a ridge looking at a curious, downright futuristically-constructed little town.


"...Mmm." Brainy says, before he rises into the air and begins to float towards it.

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "Ugh," is Lyle's considered opinion on the matter of the heat. He shields his eyes with both hands, then remembers he needs one hand free for his omnicom. "Still no solid fix on whose it is," he remarks, floating alongside Brainy, then hovers there a moment, looking around. "Pretty landscape, though."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
Brainy is quiet, as he considers the little town. Campers... mostly used as an ongoing archectural example, with a lot of tourist traffic... hmmmmmmm.

"Let's see. The best way to draw out a Legionnaire... I'm no Jeka, but let me try--"

He calls up his holographic computer terminal, and uses it to project an illusion of Validus outside of the town. "GROOOOOOOOOOARRRRRR~"

Invisible Kid has posed:
    To his credit, Lyle does *not* cry out. He does whiten perceptibly, and as much as it's possible to stagger in mid-air, he does. "You could--" he starts, with an unacceptable squeak in his voice. He clears his throat grumpily and tries again. "You could have chosen a different subject. Or at least given me some sprocking WARNING you were going to do that!"

Jan Arrah (1217) has posed:
This little place has not seen much of its share of super-drama. In the past weeks, there has been little to disturb it. Even when the strange statue appeared overnight, of a...barely-clothed bodhisattva or something, meditating in the gardens? Few noticed it, though some would come to see, occasionally to touch, the beautifully-crafted statue. So beautiful. Almost lifelike! And was it carved out of jade, or rose quartz? Or was it aventurite, or bloodstone, or moonstone? Maybe they just misremembered, from time to time.

It wasn't like the statue appeared in a particularly easy place to access. Tucked away, in one of the gardens to be much like an oasis to the desert town; but in a corner somewhere, innocuous, blending in so well with everything else.

The statue now seems to be gone.

Though a suspiciously similar-looking figure drifts through the air, towards the manifestation of illusion. His expression turns to a slight frown as he gets closer, and then with a single shake of his head, he does...something, and it's not quite as convincing an illusion anymore, thanks to atmospheric interference. Harmless, but disruptive to the attempt. Whoever is doing this, Jan is sure, is an irresponsible amateur, and of questionable taste. Though obviously some amateur with future knowledge.

That could be dangerous.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
"I believe," Brainy says, glancing to Lyle, "That we've found our Legionnaire." He seems pleased with himself. "MUCH more efficient than going into the town and actually having to look for them, wasn't it?" Then he looks up, and squints, before he says, "Blast this sun--" He takes out a pair of tinted goggles from his tool belt and puts them on.

"I do not think I've ever seen Element Lad look so..." Cranky. "I think I may have upset him."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "He's not the only one," Lyle mutters, then brightens as the words 'Element Lad' sink in. "Wait, it's Jan? Are you sure?"
    Without waiting for an answer, he goes high, studying the same direction Brainy was looking, looking for movement that's not the waverings of excessive heat.

Jan Arrah (1217) has posed:
Jan doesn't move much from the place, looking around himself to make sure the projector isn't close enough to present some personal risk. Then he starts to lift off again, to get more of a vantage point. Fortunately, very few people noticed the illusion in the first place, so perhaps he'll have the good fortune to be able to avoid a serious incident. He certainly didn't want to deal with *this* today.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
"I am fairly sure." Brainy says. "I don't recall another member of the Legion with hair that curly." He dismisses the illusion, which vanishes into motes of light. "I thought," He says, as he rises into the air along with Lyle, "It was a fairly good Validus. I can't duplicate the SMELL, of course, but then again who could?"

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "It was realistic *enough*," Lyle says, still not happy. "And I don't see him anywhere. Are you sure you weren't sunblinded?"

Brainiac 5 has posed:
"No," Brainy says, "I swear I saw him." He looks around, and then he sighs, and cups his hands to his mouth. "Element Lad! JAN!" He calls out, as he floats further up in the air. "HELLO--!"

Invisible Kid has posed:
    Lyle tries a more direct route, and opens up the communications circuit on his ring. "Jan? Or whoever? Do you read me? This is Invisible Kid. Please respond."

Jan Arrah (1217) has posed:
The voice is easy to recognize. It's not hard for Jan to believe that Brainy, of all the Legion, would probably be blithely irresponsible enough to do something like that.

Once the illusion is discontinued, Jan turns to the source of the voice and, spotting his flying teammates, glides through the air in their direction. He doesn't shout across the distance between them; he just waits until he's close enough to be heard. He raises his hand in greeting to the pair, and his frown is replaced by a soft smile.

And when the three are close enough, Jan finally opens his mouth to say something. "It's good to see you again." And then, barely seconds later, he continues. "Please act more responsibly in future." Because Brainy knows what he did, or he should know what he did. He can at least figure it out with some rational consideration, and if that's what he needs...that's what he definitely should get.

Jan knows how it is.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
Brainy does look mildly chagrinned. "Hm. It would seem I need to re-evaluate. Re-evaluate a few things, lately." He floats backward in the air a bit, with his hands behind his back. And he glances at Lyle, and says, "...We've come to get you, Element Lad--I'm sorry that it took so long for us to find you. We've constructed a new Cruiser, with enough room for all of us, though it's no Weisinger Plaza."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    Element Lad's comment gets an appreciative smile from Lyle. "Responsibly? Come on, Jan, you know if he did that, he wouldn't be our Brainy anymore." He turns a disingenuous grin to what's sure to be Brainy's glare. "And it's good to see you, too."

Jan Arrah (1217) has posed:
Jan just glosses over Lyle's comment, figuring -- and probably correctly -- that it'll be something the two work out between themselves at some point. "I'm ready," he answers, drifting close enough to be within touching distance. His eyes are always so expressive. So large-looking, no matter what expression is on his face. It's easy to forget how striking they are, but he really does look like he's gazing into people's souls. Maybe he is.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
Actually... it's more that Brainy looks away, his cheeks coloring a deeper green, slightly. He looks embarassed, and faintly aggrieved at being embarassed, and he doesn't say anything in retort. Finally, he says, "K.O.K.O., slip gate, please." That blue portal expands outward from a single point in space, opening in the air in front of them, the Cruiser's bridge visible on the other side.

Invisible Kid has posed:
    Lyle hovers alongside the gate and waves Jan through first. "Our home away from home," he says. "Brainy did a remarkable job, considering it had to be done with tech a thousand years too soon for a ship like ours." Yup, a free compliment, without qualification. It has the bonus of being actually true.

Jan Arrah (1217) has posed:
"He is our Brainy, after all." Jan quietly replies, moving towards and through the gate. His words were carefully enough chosen to sound like more of a compliment that a remark of placation, but either will work. Brainy might not be likely to admit being embarrassed or feeling awkward, but Jan is insightful enough to notice.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
"...I apologize." Brainy says. Then he floats through the portal, and onto the other side. "That did not have the intended effect." Then, once onto the bridge, he touches down, and says, "You'll find that a berth has already been set aside for you, Jan. You have the run of the ship. Please be careful -- Micro Lad is loose, and in hiding somewhere. We'll have him caught, soon."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    Lyle floats through after Brainy, sighing audibly at the much more reasonable temperatures inside the ship. "Yeah, among other things. Unsurprisingly, we already have a number of... projects... to deal with. But, when haven't we?" He shrugs, and settles lengthwise across a chair at one of the consoles.

Jan Arrah (1217) has posed:
"The current social-cultural climate is...tense, at best." Jan comments, once he sets his feet on the floor. "We have to be careful." It's no longer a chiding or chastising tone, but a more incidental, conversational one. "So...Micro Lad. I'm not too worried."

He casually walks to one of the seats and lowers himself into it, leaning slightly sidelong in it. "What do you need me to do?" He did say he was ready, and with Jan, that means he is entirely ready for whatever is asked of him.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
Brainy puts his hands behind his back and looks up to look out at the earth through tbe bubble-dome, which is currently transparent. "I'd like you to be part of the group working to bring the engines online. We've been hampered by some of the materials composition available to us in this era, and with you here, that problem goes away." Then he adds, "A Brainiac has gone active some distance from Earth. We'll be joining the fight against it."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "Unfortunately, we're probably not going to be able to get the engines online until Our Little Pest is taken care of, since he fancies himself a saboteur these days." Lyle makes a sour face. "But that doesn't mean we can't do a lot of prep work up to that point."
    He smiles very slightly at Brainy's use of '*we'll* be joining the fight'. "And there is that, too. So yeah, just another average week saving the universe," he says, without inflection.

Jan Arrah (1217) has posed:
"Of course." Jan smiles again, warmly. "It feels so good to be back with you. Thank you."

For a moment, he closes his eyes and just...feels. Breathing slowly, deeply, and just feeling his surroundings. He barely seems to move, for those few moments, before he sits up straighter and opens his eyes again.

"I'll get started at once. And maybe fixing the engines will draw Micro Lad out." Jan rises, walking to the door. "I can stay there in case he tries anything."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
"Be careful, Jan." Brainy says. His voice is quiet, subdued. He extended himself, and it blew up in his face -- this happens, sometimes. He'll be more mindful of humor in the future. Then he turns away, still looking up. "I wonder if any of our other enemies made the trip here..."

Invisible Kid has posed:
    "I'm going to hope not," Lyle says, "until definitively proven wrong." He tilts his head back, gazing up through the dome at the Earth below. Above. That-a-way. "I suspect we also won't have much trouble making new enemies," he adds, pushing out his lower lip.

Jan Arrah (1217) has posed:
Pausing just before the door, Jan turns back to look at Brainy. "I will be." He doesn't step out just then. He looks his teammate and friend over, once, and then starts again. "Come see me later. Okay?"

But he doesn't wait for a confirmation to that. Jan figures Brainy will come as he's asked. Maybe they'll have the opportunity to talk. And then he can help put any anxiety to rest.