932/Step Four: Throw Away the Plan

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Step Four: Throw Away the Plan
Date of Scene: 14 June 2017
Location: Legion Cruiser: Lab
Synopsis: Lyle and Brainy, theorizing again. Mon-El wanders in for a while. After he leaves, a little alcohol makes its appearance and the lab rats engage in some soul-baring.
Cast of Characters: Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid, Mon-El




Brainiac 5 has posed:
        The cruiser is coming along, and the first few decks have been finished—even as the engines are still being constructed, the meeting room, cargo bay, lab, and sick bay are fully completed and have operating life support.  Priorities.
        The meeting room is what you'd call "Legion Classic"—it's a round table, albeit one without the usual assigned chairs, but more can be called up from the floor to theoretically suit everyone, in a pinch.  And now Brainy's sitting at one of the chairs, his fingers steepled, as he runs a diagnostic on the ship's systems.  His little robot monkey is nearby, tilting its head at him.

Invisible Kid has posed:
    Lyle wanders in, making a notation on his Omnicom.  "So far, so good, chief," he comments, not looking up.  "I think we might even be a little ahead of schedule."  He frowns, just a little, rounding the table.  "You know, sometimes I get nervous when everything's going smoothly.  Like that's against nature or something."
    Koko, robotic or not, gets patted on top of its—his—head, and Lyle finally looks up.  "You're thinking.  I mean, moreso than usual."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl murmurs, "Indeed so.  Things are almost starting to feel like home, albeit in a microcosm.  Lar is still resting, and he should be fully recovered within the next day.  I'm just considering, is all.  How many of us are really out there?  How many of us are dead?  How many are otherwise beyond recovery?  What if we're all we find?  Grim possibilities."'
        "And as much as it pains me to consider it, the odds that we will never be able to return home are… greater than zero."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle counts on his fingers.  "We don't know.  We don't know.  And we don't know that's going to be the case," he says, quite matter-of-factly.  He swivels a chair around and plunks down into it, crossing his arms on the back.  "There's always a non-zero chance that any mission we go on is a one-way trip.  This one's just a little more complicated.  I can think of two ways to return to our home time, but neither one is tidy, and I'm not sure the available tech can handle either one.  That might not be a risk worth taking."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "I wouldn't entertain the idea of a cryogenic freeze without the entire team being accounted for.  Also, too much risk of discovery," Querl says.  "I suppose I could come up with some sort of anti-aging drug and we could wait it out.  But who knows what might happen in a thousand years?"  He tilts his head, and then says, "But you always were better at lateral thinking than I was.  Tell me what you're thinking."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "That was one of them, or if not cryogenics, then at least some form of suspended animation," Lyle says with a smile.  "But yes, too many risks over a millennium.  What's unlikely in a day may be statistically inevitable in a thousand years.  The other possibility is just plain relativity—pushing up close to the speed of light and letting time dilation do the job."  He bites his lower lip.  "Of course, coming out of near-c travel early has all sorts of ugly implications for causality, and coming out late means coming into a world that might not be the one we left.  And either way, we run the risk of stranding a teammate if we don't have some assurances we're all accounted for, in this time or in our time."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "The Time Trapper will amost certainly have accounted for that," Querl says.  He leans back in his chair, and sighs.  "No, the best solution is still to find a way through or around whatever they've done, and gather everyone that can be gathered.  Which means, aside from doing continuing research, we plan as if we're going nowhere anytime fast."  He tilts his head, and says, "And that means we need to keep ourselves busy.  Have you considered what precisely you're going to do?"

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "You mean, beyond what I normally do, hang out in the lab until I'm needed elsewhere?"  Lyle chuckles.  "Honestly, no, not really.  This era has enough problems that the Legion will still be needed.  I think we'll be plenty busy, beyond building the cruiser and trying to find a way to tell temporal physics how to get bent in a nice way."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl steeples his fingers over his mouth.  "You know, you've never revealed any details about your life, except that you were part of UP Intelligence before you became a Legionnaire.  You have to have something you wanted to make of yourself.  I had planned to make a name for myself in the Time Institute, spend the rest of my life publishing, doing research, leading the Galaxy into a new golden age of Science.  It was… boring."
        "But nobody is ever just one thing," Querl adds.  He and Lyle are on the Cruiser—the habitation and lab decks have been finished, complete with life support, and they're in the meeting room.

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "Me?"  Lyle leans forward, resting his chin on his folded arms on the back of the chair.  "I never really got to make any plans for myself.  They were always made for me.  EarthGov Intelligence got to me when I was really young.  Really young."  He sighs and leans back.  "And even before that, my father wanted to put my genius to use for his purposes.  Not mine."
        Lyle can't help but laugh.  "And here I am now, and I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  Because before the Legion, I never was allowed to think about it for myself… and since the Legion, I haven't really had the chance."

Mon-El has posed:
        Wandering around, Mon-El is still a little groggy from the events that have clouded his mind for the last several days.  Or weeks.  His costume has repaired itself, easily enough, but there are some things that cannot heal as easy.  Hearing voices up ahead, Mon heads in that direction.  Noticing that it is Lyle and Brainy, Mon smiles and says, "Hi guys.  Burning the midnight oil?"

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl says, "On Colu, I was something of a pariah.  I was exceptionally well-educated; it's considered a crime against sentient life to restrict education, there.  But I found myself stymied socially.  I was going to gain high office there, I'd be… a curiosity, under close watch for my entire life, because I am a Dox.  I found respite where I could.  I actually found a science experiment being conducted by Earthgov prior to its joining the United Planets… a metahuman was being educated in V.R., and I occupied myself by hacking into their network from Colu and befriending him.  He was… fun.  A lateral thinker, like you.  But that couldn't last forever."  He shrugs, "So I took advantage of the U.P. charter of rights and struck out on my own.  I may have had no future on Colu, but they couldn't KEEP me there.  Not by law.  The Time Institute, working for R.J. Brande… and then ultimately the Legion.  I like it in the Legion—I'm able to do the cutting-edge research I should be doing and not have to worry about being a pariah, or budgetary restrictions.  It would be annoying to work for a university or planetary government."'
        He looks up at Mon-El.  "Hypotheticals, Mon-El.  Discussing what we're going to do with ourselves while we work on a way to return home.  My preliminary predictions indicate… several years."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle grins.  "Well, of course we give you a free hand here.  Your research is fun to watch.  Or clean up after, at least.  And yes, it's good to be able to pursue pure research, without a specific goal in mind.  I definitely got sick of being asked for laboratory miracles that fulfilled specific goals."
        He looks up towards the door, and waves cheerily.  "Lar!  Are you feeling better?  Good to see you up and about."

Mon-El has posed:
        Mon-El patiently listens to Brainy as he explains a lot of his past.  It was… fascinating, indeed.  "Ah," Mon says at last.  "I understand.  Hypotheticals."  Mon-El smiles and shakes his head, "It is good to see that things haven't changed in any timeline, Brainy."  His eyes reflect his warmth in his smile.  "It is good to be back to… normal.  I have both of you, as well as the others, to thank.  Thank you."  His eyes regard Lyle and Brainy.
        Lyle's comments hit close to home as Mon-El chuckles.  "Lots of cleaning up to do."  Nodding, he says, "Yes Lyle, thanks.  Feeling a bit better.  Still some last vestiges of after effects.  Nothing this old body can't handle."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "And yet you were almost instantly tapped by Cosmic Boy to run the Legion's Intelligence and espionage activities.  Did you ever resent that?" Brainy asks.  "You're a scientist, an engineer, an inventor.  You have so much more to offer than just sneaking up on people."  He glances to Lar.  "You're from this era, Lar.  Are you going to go home to Daxam?  You have family there."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "No," Lyle says after a moment's consideration.  "Not really.  I mean, it is a logical use of my abilities.  And I was able to pursue my own interests in my own time."  He gives Brainy the 'smack me with a two-by-four' grin.  "I mean, they had to let me have lab time, someone had to salvage the flight ring designs!"

Mon-El has posed:
        Mon-El… Lar Gand… shakes his head.  He doesn't quite respond for several moments, as he hasn't thought about it in a very, very long time.  His eyes grow distant, and his smile turns into a frown.  "I don;t think so Brainy.  It has been… a thousand years for me.  The people I remember as my family are gone."'
        That wasn't quite true, now.  "Or at least, gone from my heart.  I have mourned them a long time ago.  It would be… weird, to go back there now."  A smile returns to his face.  "An interesting thought though."  Another pause.  "No.  My place is here, with the team, and our attempt to find our fallen comrades."'
        Mon-El looks at Lyle.  "Your place is where you want it to be Lyle.  Your gifts are not singular.  You have a lot to offer.  Your mind, and your abilities.  I can respect that.  After all, they were instrumental in rescuing me!"

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "So all three of us are effectively saying the same thing—that the Legion is our home.  It's where the people we care about are.  It's where we're freest to be our true selves."  Querl's eyes are a half-lidded, but the corners of his mouth turn up, and he says, "So I guess that's that," he says, to Mon-El, "I asked Lyle to become my interim deputy, until we get organized enough to hold an election, and he agreed.  We're getting back on our feet, and the number of Legionnaires that turned up in the span of a few weeks exceeded my projections."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "So far, so good," Lyle agrees.  "Hopefully more of us turn up.  We've been lucky so far."  He looks around the meeting room with a satisfied smile.  "And I got to say, Brainy, what you've arranged with only 21st century tech is pretty impressive.  But that is strictly off the record," he adds with a grin.

Mon-El has posed:
        Mon-El simply nods.  "Yes.  Home," he replies to Brainy's comment.  "That is fine.  I expect that Lyle will make an excellent Deputy Leader."  He nods to Lyle.  "Congratulations."  It was heartfelt.  Mon-El has never been one to cause ripples.  He was honest and forthright.
        Mon-El says, "Well, gentlemen.  I am going to get some rest.  I am still recovering.  I seem to be getting better though.  I will chat with you both later.  In the meantime, if you get any leads on any of our friends, let me know and I will be there to bring them home."  With that, Mon-El heads down the hall, letting the two men chat further.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl Dox pauses, and then says, "Mon-El.  Don't overdo it.  You were within hours of complete organ failure down there.  It may take a little bit longer than you think to get back to one hundred percent."
        After a moment, Querl pauses, and then gets up.  "I managed to recreate the recipe in my limited downtime, sort of a personal project.  I'm not a social drinker, but I enjoy a little silverale now and then."  He fetches a bottle, and two glasses, and then pours a healthy measure of the glittering stuff.  He says, "To the Legion.  To home.  And to absent friends, Invisible Kid.  May they all be out there safe, waiting to come home."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle nods.  "Fifty percent is pretty good this soon, but yes.  Take it easy and get all the way recovered," he ways, and watches Lar leave.
        And this, from Querl… definitely surprises him.  He picks up the offered glass and sniffs at it.  "I think you definitely got it right," he says appreciatively, and raises it in answer to the toast.  "And to present friends.  And, who knows, to the future.  The one we remember, and the one we may well have to forge."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl Dox clinks his glass with Lyle's, and drains his silverale, all in one go.  "Klordny week aligns with mid-August in the Gregorian calendar.  We should throw a party.  Maybe introduce some others to the fun.  I've never been much for it, but maybe… I'll make an exception."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle raises his glass.  "Freedom, friendship and frunt!  Even if it is early."  Rather than draining his, he sips at it.  "Besides, it must be August somewhere.  Oh.  Oh.  That's not merely close enough to the real deal, Brainy, I think you nailed it."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "Hardly a strain on a 12th-level intellect to reproduce the recipe for a drink," Querl says.  "I can do Gingold, though I always HATED the taste."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "Silverale's fine.  I've never been much of a drinker."  Lyle grins.  "Except for some of my lab work.  I have to admit, though," he says, peering over his glass, "that I'd be a liar if I didn't admit I've always wondered what you'd be like with a few drinks in you.  If you'd slip out of analytical mode or not."  He shrugs, and laughs.  "But I really can't imagine you drunk.  And I have quite an imagination."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl pours himself another glass.  "I tend to avoid it myself.  I dislike not having control of my faculties.  But maybe it's time I started branching out a bit, and living life more fully."  He tilts his head at Lyle.  "And I always wondered whether you'd talk more, or talk less.  We're both scientists.  Let's find out."  He refills Lyle's drink.

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "Is that a dare?" Lyle asks, and slaps his Omnicom on the table top.  "If we're both scientists, let's do this scientifically!  Computer, track voiceprint changes.  Current status: one silverale each."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl murmurs, "I'll set the omnicom to track our blood alcohol levels."  He scans them both, and then drains his own.  That's two.  He sits back in his chair, a faint green flush on his cheeks.  "So the truth is," He says, "I was always so jealous of how much they LIKED you.  I mean, I was the smarter one, why didn't they like me?"

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle sips his slowly.  "Smarter is scarier.  I had the same problem when I was young.  I might've been as much smarter than my first classmates as you are to me."  He asides to his computer, "Don't record that last sentence."
        He looks at his glass, shrugs, and finishies it.  "We're from a time fundamentally dependent upon science, and still… well.  I don't know about Colu, but Earth, if you're unusually smart, you're unusually weird."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl rests his chin in his hand, and gives his empty glass a dreamy look.  "At first, I told myself I was just putting up with them in exchange for the opportunities the Legion offered.  But… I don't know.  It was nice being needed?  Nobody had ever needed me before.  But you'd all be lost without me!"
        "Brainy, we need you to regenerate Thom's retinas.  Brainy, this black hole is going to eat a planet, please get rid of it.  I always make a show of how big a waste of my time it all is, but… Lyle?" he says, before he says, in a conspiratorial whisper, "I frelling enjoy closing black holes.  They said it couldn't be done at the Science Academy!  The FOOLS!"

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle can't help but laugh… and refills the glasses.  "See, that's it, that's the whole point.  I might be able to close a black hole too, but I would need to run simulations, check and re-check, and even then I'd want to do a test shutdown of some black hole no one was using.  You can do that in your head."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "Yes," Querl says, "But you're so good at moving SIDEWAYS.  You… just… see the potential in things, in people, in ways I never do.  It's like you can see a web of connections spreading out before you and how to move the pieces to get just what you want.  I could never do that."  He says, "To tell you the honesht—honest truth, for a long time I felt threatened by you."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "So I think sideways.  I wish I knew how to control it," Lyle says, regarding his glass with what he thinks a connoisseur's air looks like—it's not.  "It comes from a place that I don't know how to access on demand.  What I have is like a pun.  It happens unexpectedly and depends on the circumstances.  What you have is like a raconteur—you have something for every occasion."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "So I created anti-gravity metal, right?  An act of genius, typical for me, but since it wasn't what I was trying to achieve it was, essentially, junk," Querl says, "But you took one look at it and devised a way to apply it that defined an entire aspect of the Legion.  And I…" He laughs, he actually laughs, "Was so JEALOUS.  I seethed for days!  I was absolutely LIVID.  And when Cos put me to figuring out ways to adapt the rings to an individual Legionnaire's powers, I was SO DETERMINED to show you up.  It was on my mind the whole time!"  He puts his hand on his forehead, his head on the table.  "Grife, it was silly of me.  Especially since looking back I don't think you were competing with me at all."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle blinks at that, as though the very concept of actually competing with a 12th level intellect were mad … which it kind of is.  "Competing with you?  Seriously?"  That brings a genuine laugh, complete with banging on the table top with his fist.  "Really?  Competing?  I made the flight rings because as far as I could tell, you were done with Valorium once you proved you could create it in the first place!"
        Lyle refills their glasses.  "I can promise you, I was never trying to one-up you.  I just saw an application, and I genuinely thought you were done with the stuff.  If I had known… well…"

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl opens one eye, as he considers exactly how much of the stuff Lyle has been drinking.  He checks the BAC readout on the omnicom.  "Well what?" he says.

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "Well, what do you think?" Lyle asks.  "I would have made sure it was a collaborative effort.  I really wasn't trying to steal your thunder."
        He glances at his Omnicom.  "Suspend recording."  He sighs… and then smiles.  "You have got the most remarkable intellect I have ever come across.  D'you have any idea what it means to meet someone that makes me stop and think?  And I mean, really think?

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl pushes himself up.  "And that's just it!  You're so… nice!  But you always tease me!  If just ONCE, I had made you mad, I would've felt like we were even."  He runs his fingers through his hair.  "You were always there, grinning at me.  And I hated it!  Until I… didn't."  He shakes his head.  "When you died—when we thought you died, I didn't say anything, but my heart was broken.  There's only one time I ever remember feeling worse, and it—It's something I don't actually remember.  I just dream it.  Something… someone I knew, once.  But then I wake up and it's just this sensation that I want to cry."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "I… don't know about nice.  It's the only way I know how to be," Lyle says, shrugging.
        "And I don't get mad.  I figure if I tease, I should be willing to be teased in return.  I mean, that's only fair, isn't it?"  Lyle looks into his glass and refills it, and offers to refill Brainy's.
        He winces at mention of his 'death'.  "I really wish that could have been otherwise.  I didn't want to deceive you or the rest of the team.  But I had… commitments… that I needed to fulfill.  At least I'm free of those now."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl snorts.  "You know what's funny, though?  That memory, that same pang?  I had it—when I looked at Supergirl.  I wanted to cry, and I wanted to laugh… and I kind of wanted to puke."  Then Brainy glances up, and then he says, plainly, "Did you let Condo Arlik know you weren't dead?  You're very good at keeping your private life private, Lyle.  And it was none of my business.  But I am very smart."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle genuinely pales a little, and looks down into his drink—and then, in one sharp, almost spasmodic gesture, drains it and refills it.  "I… couldn't.  I was too far under cover.  The risk…."  He raises the glass as if to drink this one too, then sets it down with an effort.  "I couldn't."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl shakes his head.  "Don't worry, I'm not going to criticize you on your love life.  That would be beneath me."  Then he adds, "You want to get back to him.  I don't blame you."  He shakes his head, and threads his fingers through his hair.  "Do you want to know a secret about me, Lyle?  I'm attracted to men and women.  I can't really say I lean either way, except I'm usually physically attracted to tall blondes."  Then he pushes himself up, and leans back in his chair.  "But not always.  Not… always."  Then he pours another glass of silverale, and knocks it back.  "You'll get back to him.  I'll make sure of it."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle laughs softly, but not in a mean way.  "You thought that was a secret?  Well, maybe to everyone else.  Except for the blondes.  Everyone knew about that."
        He stares into his glass.  "I hope we get back together.  I… don't know if I hope he came through the time breach with us, or that he's safe back home or… or what.  I even sometimes have these nightm… these bad dreams that he just isn't.  That something… happened to him.  Like what everyone thought happened to me."  Obviously, it's not a thought he cares to entertain.

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        The corner of Querl's mouth turns up in a smirk.  And then he says, "Well.  You are very smart."  Then he wipes a sheen of sweat off his forehead, and he says, "It's… strange, isn't it?  How such irrational can keep you awake at night.  That… woman.  Supergirl.  I've never met her before in my life.  I have no expectations of her, I'm certainly not going to chase after her.  But on reflection, seeing her—seeing her alive—it fills me with this… indescribable joy, Lyle.  She is that… I feel as if some wrong that I can't remember is put right.  I don't understand it.  I don't have any basis for understanding it, it's completely unscientific."  Then he tilts his head, and says, "I'm not qualified to give advice on love.  But, I will say… It is incredibly difficult to stay mad at you.  Even I had to work at it sometimes."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "I don't know.  I don't mind irrational sometimes," Lyle says, leaning back a little.  "And I don't mean pi or the square root of two.  It makes me appreciate the rational more, at least… and if you expect emotions to be rational, you really don't understand emotions.  They just are."
        Lyle looks at his glass, then at the ceiling, then at Querl, and grins the two-by-four grin.  "Of course you can't stay mad at me.  I'm pure, moral and innocent, cute, kind and cuddly!"

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        "Emotions are a biochemical byproduct that…" Querl pauses, and then says, "I just lost my train of thought.  I am drunk."  Then he says, "You know, Koko would pull my hair and screech in my ear and sometimes throw things at me and all the girls in the Legion liked that monkey better than they liked me—and the monkey was still less infuriating than you."'
        Then he pushes himself up, and he sways, wobbling.  "Ah.  Um."  He laughs.  "You know I'm contemplating the most curious experiments right now.  This is interesting.  …We'll get you back to him, someday.  It's only logical to try."

Invisible Kid has posed:
        "Emotions are a biochemical byproduct that are both perfectly natural and largely non-rational in sentient beings," Lyle says, and gets to his feet with a bit more care than usual.  "You're drunk, and I'm not far behind you, and I think the most rational thing right now is to pour you into your bunk and then find mine somehow, or something close enough."  He offers an arm.  "C'mon, old friend."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        Querl laughs, and then he raises an eyebrow.  He hooks his arm in Lyle's.  "Everyone has their own berth.  They're not exceptionally large, but big enough to be comfortable—" He waves a hand.  "You know—" He says, somewhat muzzily…
        "Sometimes I wonder if you're secretly attracted to me!  - *hic*

Invisible Kid has posed:
        Lyle eloquently says nothing as he assists Brainy along.  He maintains reasonably well—but surely some of the training he had with Intelligence involved managing one's self under chemical alterants.
        All he says aloud, however, is: "I've always been fond of the color green…."

Brainiac 5 has posed:
        …Which makes Querl laugh, aloud.  He really MUST be drunk.