Issue 08

Title

Intro

We open on the HAUS on a quiet Friday afternoon, where LLoyd has invited Kara and Regula to come see him experimenting on his powers using some the Crystalline technology recovered from the Professaur's minions in Issue 01. He has strapped himself into a set of apparatus covered in sparking cables and tesla coils he expects to unlock more of the Paragon's powers.

"I'm experimenting with my powers!" he exclaims, and explains that ethical approval isn't something he feels is necessary. Regula questions if he's consulted with anyone else, but he attempts to reassure them. He fruther explains that he wanted them to see, but also he needs them to pull the lever to start it. Kara uses her powers to try and get a bead on if the process is going to do what he expects, it's a little bit unstable but it's configured in a way she's seen before, it isn't going to kill him or fizzle out, but combining Lloyd's powers with the Professaur's tech is going to be very unpredictable.

Lloyd tries to convince Regula to start the process - "If this doesn't get used all the energy is going to go somewhere else!". Regula is guilty about it, but refuses to get involved. She looks around try to figure out how to turn this thing off, but it seems like the only way is to discharge the accumulated power into either Lloyd or the environment. She pulls the lever, and angrily starts trying to destroy the equipment as it gathers. Lloyd fills up with the gathered energy, and tries to use his power once it starts to burn through him. The lightning from the crystals starts to set the chemicals and technology in the lab on fire. Kara is trying to intervene and Lloyd shouts her off and she stays her hand. The entire room disappears in a flash of energy, and the 3 disappear.

The 3 are lying on an alley floor in, Regula awakens, and wakes up Kara. She flies up and recognises she's in downtown Halcyon near a movie theatre with a marquee advertising Return of The Jedi. she lands back down.

"It's 1983."

1983

They argue about what to do. As they observe the area they see signs of the era, Rubix cubes, breakdancing teens with a jukebox, a Blockbuster Video is thriving. Kara is adamant she isn't going to wait 40 years for the next episode of Halcyondale. Regula proposes they try to contact AEGIS. The gang put together enough cash to make bus fare to get up to the Halcyon Dam base. Kara adds to her selfie collection with some historical snaps.

On the bus somewhere through the city they come across a blocked road, and are passed by a set of flying and running blurs, and hear screaming and people running away from whatever is blocking the road. The gang depart the bus and head towards the trouble.

Kara pauses and asks Regula - "When was your mum on Earth?" We get a double splash page of a 40 wheeler truck, adorned with Nuclear waste hazard signs, with the Soviet Nuclear villain Meltdown on top of it. He's being confronted by the Vintage '83 Exemplars - the original Mr Mercury I, the original Pandora, the square jawed Paragon (source of Lloyd's powers) and Yemalla a water themed goddess hero.

The Convoy

Meltdown

Regula reckons this is a fight she remembers the team winning and doesn't want to interfere. "We don't get involved." Meltdown swings at Paragon with his might nuclear fists, who tries to teleport away, but somehow fizzles and is sent flying off into Mr Mercury, severely injuring him. "This isn't how it ended, this wasn't in the history books" Regula states as they move to intervene. Meltdown continues to attack and briefly knocks Queen Regula and Yemalla aside.

The team move in, still infighting, unprepared and mistrustful. Transforming into her Mother's vintage 80s costume Regula moves in to engage and distract Meltdown, taking some hits on the way. The Solution tries to take advantage of the distraction to drain power from Meltdown, leaving Pandora in more danger briefly, but shrinking Meltdown slightly, and briefly revealing a human face behind the angry Soviet monster. Meltdown hurls Lloyd away and takes an opportunity to hurl a container of the radioactive waste at an un-evacuated bus. Nihil catches it with her powers before anyone can be harmed.

Among the sirens and the distraction Meltdown has escaped. Yemalla is trying to heal Mr Mercury, and Paragon and the original Pandora confront our heroes.

Queen Regula confronts her daughter wearing her costume - "What are you supposed to be?" they are interrupted by the arrival of a pair of AEGIS agents, including the young Agent Cal Jericho, Regula's Dad and Agent Jefferson. He takes the gang back to the base. "I'm bringing in a couple of situations."

The Dam

In the secret AEGIS base in an interrogation room, Cal has questions about who the team are, and why one of these looks a lot like Regula. Paragon has also referenced a strange connection with Lloyd. "We're from the future" Lloyd declares. Cal explains that the waste was to be launched as part of the SolarMax mission, and now he's down 2 of his heaviest hitters and has Meltdown on the loose after it. As they discuss how they got there and how they'll get back Cal thinks it's cute that Lloyd thinks he invented time travel.

The gang start to argue, with Lloyd blaming Regula for what went wrong with his experiment, and Kara and Regula both angry with him.

"My name's Lloyd and I shot dinosaur crystal energy into myself to try and unlock magical powers!" Kara, sarcastically

- {{{2}}}

Paragon confronts Lloyd in the dressing room - wondering why Lloyd has his powers. He tries to explain how important the Paragon Force is and is distraught at his inability to use his draining powers on Meltdown. They figure out that some of his powers are divided into Lloyd, while he still has the rest.

Young Queen Regula, in her civilian identity confronts our Regula. She obviously recognises a connection between them - she clearly realises that this is one of her daughters. She's clearly trying to get a read on her daughter's motives - telling her the costume means something and she needs to watch what she's doing swanning around in it. The words hit her hard, and she looks sadly down into her tea as the Queen leaves.

The gang gather and Lloyd explains his plan to use Meltdown's energy to power himself up to get them back to the future. Kara tries to comfort Regula, but she's too distracted watching her mother bond with the Exemplars. Meanwhile Meltdown is looming under the water at the Silvestone launch facility, as the last containers of waste are loaded.

Cal Jericho explains that he's talked to Paragon and they need the team's assistance to defeat Meltdown, and lectures Lloyd on responsibility, who starts to feel a little bit guilty. Regula asks Cal for some advice, and he explains that Meltdown was once Ivan Komorov, who was involved in an accident at a Soviet facility, and lost his family, and was eventually exiled from the USSR. There's a brief moment where they share a mannerism and Cal begins to wonder about this strange connection. Kara wanders over and asks Mr Mercury and Yemalla for a picture, and explains to them the concept of a selfie which they happily comply. Lloyd asks if Cal can get his hands on some Return of the Jedi action figures, but Cal explains they're hard to find at the moment.

The Launch

Aboard an E-Jet orbiting the Silverstone Launch Facility on coast, the team are sitting across from Pandora I and Paragon. As an explosive distraction draws off the 2 Exemplars, Kara senses an energy signature coming from under the rocket, and theorises that Meltdown could absorb the thrust from directly underneath. She unlocks her belt and runs off of the opening ramp and leaps into the fray, joined by Regula. Jefferson flies the E-Jet closer and drops Lloyd off. Nihil charges into Meltdown and send him reeling towards The Solution. Lloyd gets the attention of Meltdown.

Regula demands Cal accelerates the launch, and moves towards the rocket, where she sees that something is venting out of the rocket that shouldn't be and it's veering towards the city. She managed to force it back into the right path and seals the hole. Nihil continues to blast meltdown, destabilising the platform he and Lloyd are on. Lloyd begins to drain Meltdown again, and starts to gain too much power, and the combination of power is so powerful that just as the Exemplars arrive the team and Meltdown disappear.

Lloyd, Kara, and Regula wash up on the beach in 2020, with a huge yellow plume behind them. Regula takes a swing at Lloyd, decking him and leaves. Kara tries to comfort Lloyd before she leaves, while Lloyd tries to verbally defend himself.

SolarMax Launch