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Posts: 1674
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Sorry guys no cover this time...couldn't wait any longer to post it. Itching to get started on the next issue...
Oh well read on and enjoy 
Cole Turner found himself fascinated by this future society in which he now found himself. Officer Remus Vel’Kar had taken it upon himself to show Cole around Midnight City and explain the rules and regulations he would need to abide by so as not to find himself in trouble with the law. The law here was a lot more ruthless than he was accustomed to from his own time of 1936. The police force was known as the Avengers Corps and each officer called a Midnighter after the city’s name.
Remus also went on to demonstrate the crimson red bracers he wore in an attempt to dissuade Cole from breaking the law. The bracers fired out red energy blasts that could crumble rock or burn a hole through steel depending upon the power setting. They also provided the Midnighters flight, enhanced strength, and durability to provide them with a means to go toe to toe with the various alien species that now reside on Earth.
Cole Turner steeled himself against the emotions that welled up inside him at the thought of not being able to return to his own time. This place was just so bizarre to him, he did not think he would be able to adapt to life here. Cole had heard rumors of time travel possibilities from some of the drunken locals.
Officer Vel’Kar dismissed them as he explained that time travel had been outlawed due to a disastrous event that had taken place during one of the American Time Travel Association’s missions over two hundred years ago. This disaster led to the original ATTA being disbanded by the United Earth Government and a new group being established to monitor and report all time distortions.
“Is that how you found me so quickly then?” Cole heard himself ask Vel’Kar.
“Yes the Agency for Time Travel Annihilation detected you the moment you arrived. As I was the only Midnighter currently in the vicinity I was sent to investigate. Seeing as how you have no way to transport yourself back I have determined you are no danger.”
“And if I did pose a danger?”
“You would have been eliminated accordingly.”
“Glad I’m no threat then” Cole said as the two entered a local pub called the Mothership.
The bar itself was hopping with live music and several different alien species hanging out having a good time. A blue skinned, purple haired woman winked at Cole as he entered and licked her lips seductively. Even though she was of a different species Cole found her wildly attractive. He then began to gravitate towards her.
Remus Vel’Kar grabbed him by the arm and stopped him in his tracks “even though this is one of the Midnighter hangouts you should be careful.”
“Come off it. I’ve been in bars before. I think I can handle myself” Cole says shrugging his arm loose.
“But she’s a Maiden” Vel’Kar whispers intently as if that should mean something to Cole.
This caught Captain Turner’s attention enough for him to ask “what’s a Maiden?”
“Legalized prostitute” Remus Vel’Kar replied cautiously “but even so sometimes they are dangerous” seeing the look crossing Cole’s face he clarified “no nothing like diseases. Those have all been wiped out for the last eight hundred years. But their handlers sometimes show up unexpectedly and demand more money than originally agreed. That’s when the trouble starts.”
“I’ll be careful” Cole said crossing his heart with his forefinger and then heading off toward the blue skinned woman.
What did he care if she was a hooker? It had been some time for him since he was even lucky enough to have the company of a good woman. As he made it to the counter he smiled at her before turning his attention to the barkeep.
“I’d like a Jack and Coke” Cole said getting stares of astonishment from the other patrons and the bartender.
Remus quickly came up to him and struck him in the back of the head “what do you think your doing? All carbonated beverages have been outlawed ever since it was discovered they cause Cancer.”
“Whoa, was the slap upside my head really necessary? I’m new here, remember.”
“X’ulp I think what our friend here wants is a whisky on the rocks” Remus told the small glowing alien Lite Mite.
“Do you mean to tell me I can’t even get Jack Daniels here in the future?” Cole complained.
“None of our alcohol has name brands anymore” Remus replied “not since we started importing intergalactic drinks. It would be too much for our bars to keep up with.”
The bartender X’ulp, turned and grabbed a bottle of amber liquid from the shelf and poured it into a glass containing three ice cubes. Then he slid the glass across to Cole and held out his hand for payment. Cole reached into the torn pocket of his flight suit and grabbed his wallet then he took out three bills and handed them over.
“We only take bancors here” X’ulp replied in heavily accented English.
Remus pulled out a few strange looking gold coins and dropped them in the Lite Mite’s hand. Then he patted Cole on the shoulder and turned to leave. Looking back over his shoulder he gave the Captain three last words of advice “trust no one” he said and with that he was gone.
“That Midnighter friend of yours is pretty bossy” the blue skinned alien female said after a moment sliding closer to Cole.
“Yup” is all he said in reply as he nursed his whisky.
“Names Lolita” she said extending her long slender hand.
Cole reached out and took it in his own. A wave of nausea passed over him momentarily and his head began to pound. He quickly released her hand and started rubbing his temples trying to ease the pain.
“Whoa you’re a blast from the past” Lolita said as she took in the mental images she received from his mind through the momentary telepathic link “I apologize for the unpleasant sensation, it will pass. My race is telepathic and it is triggered by physical contact with other species.”
The doors to the pub swung opened with a loud bang as a large lizard creature stormed in and plowed his way through the crowd to the bar. He ordered a Kronoan Bloodbath and waited impatiently for his drink to be prepared. Then he greedily gulped it down in mere seconds. Wiping his mouth with the back of his scaled hand he caught Cole’s curious stare and threw the glass against the wall shattering it into a thousand sharp little pieces.
“What are you looking at human?” the Kronoan Lizard Man asked with a look of hatred.
“Calm down you big brute” Lolita suggests soothingly.
“Shut yer yap Maiden. I don’t need any advice from your kind” he says raising his hand to strike her in the face.
Cole was up off his barstool in an instant catching the creature’s wrist in his own hand. The surprise alone is what halted the Kronoan’s attack. The big lizard jerked his arm backwards pulling Cole up off the floor and throwing him across the counter into the liquor shelf.
Falling to the floor and having bottles of alcoholic drinks smash into him was not what Cole Turner had in mind when he walked into the Mothership Pub. The force of his landing left him sore though luckily he didn’t think anything was broken. The glass bottles however did break, some of which cut his arms and face allowing the alcohol to burn as the various liquids entered his wounds.
He pulled himself up off the floor grabbing a hold of the counter with his hands to steady himself. The Kronoan roared in fury while clenching his fists for the fight ahead. But at that moment a robot appeared behind the lizard and clamped his titanium fingers around the brute’s wrists. Then the robot headed for the door dragging the Kronoan behind him and tossed him out on the street.
“What the hell?” Cole swore under his breath as he watched with some relief at having avoided a fist fight with that overly large thug.
“I’m sorry about Crug” Lolita said helping Cole back to a barstool “he must have had a bit of bad luck in the ring tonight.”
“The ring?”
“Crug’s what we call a Berserker. He participates in underground cage fighting. He must’ve lost tonight.”
“Are you badly harmed?” the robot asked coming up to them.
“Not at all, thanks to you” Cole replied “and who are you?”
“My designation is K.N.16.H.T” the robot bouncer replied before going back over to stand by the door.
“Okay soldier boy, you get a freebie tonight seeing as how you are now my hero” Lolita whispered into his ear “that is if you think you’re up for it?”
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cool!
