"Forgotten" -- The Conclusion! *Part Two"

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

Degaton's command ship -- a warship appropriated from the Warlords of Okaara -- hovers, like the rest of Vanishing Point, in a temporal "pocket." To do so otherwise would risk sliding into the future ... into the last remaining moments of the universe.

Consequently, the battle outside of his window is happening entirely at one precise instant ... a moment literally frozen in time. Degaton throws back his head. Sometimes temporal mechanics leave even his head hurting.

The soldiers and engineers around him are impassive, but the man himself is pensive, concerned at the raging war.

"How did Hunter raise an army so quickly?" he muses, but no one dares answer, nor does he expect them to. "No matter. Our forces are inside Vanishing Point, and when it is mine, we can execute the last chronal alterations ... stabilize the altered timelines into one coherent series of events. Rewrite history in my image."

HAIL DEGATON! the soldiers shout on cue. And at that, Degaton smiles.

"Yes," he says. "Hail Degaton. ... And if Hunter and his allies win."

He shrugs.

"There's always the backup plan."

There is no cheering at that. Indeed, the soldiers seem chilled to the bone.

Comments

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

Degaton seems to be enjoying the skirmish, taking initial feints at Terrific and Mid-Nite before turning toward Hex, laser pistol extended.

"Did you really think it would be that easy, Jonah? That you and your so-called Forgotten Heroes could waltz in here and dismantle my plans?"

He smiles maliciously.

"You'll die here, never seeing your real time again."

[midnite-md.livejournal.com]

Dr. Mid-Nite actually smirks.

"The moment you fire that pistol, Degaton, you have to be in phase with this time... and do you really think you're faster on the draw than Jonah Hex?"

[jla-forgotten.livejournal.com]

Hex meets Degaton'sgaze evenly, the evil eye fixing on the man, as if daring him to do his worst. He doesn't point out that Degaton already has his gun out... and yet, by all apparent accounts, he seems unworried.

Even in his time, Hex was never the fastest, just the steadiest, the very definition of nerves of steel.

"See Degaton, that's the fun bit... yeah, we did. Because you phase in for one second, one split second, to stop Mr. Terrific from reprogramming your ship, I put a leak in your brainpan. You try and shoot me, and we see how many bulletholes the two of us can collect before fingers stop twitching on the triggers. I'm game if you are." he says, taking a step forward to put himself squarely between the others and Degaton, nearer the villain.

[midnite-md.livejournal.com]

"And you have to be faster than all of us, Degaton."

Dr. Mid-Nite's got his own tranquilizer gun at the ready - the same thing they used to fell Dr. Fate.

"Continue your work, Mr. Terrific, if you please."

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

Degaton sneers at the heroes, his gun extended, turned now toward Terrific.

Outside, the halls are filled with explosions as the onslaught of heroes. Degaton looks worried for a moment, but shakes it off.

"You're fools. The best that you can hope for is that we all die here."

[jsaboss.livejournal.com]

"If that's what it takes to stop you," says Terrific, accessing the computer system. The situation now at a stand-off, he opens a communication line. to Rip Hunter.

"This is Mr. Terrific for the Justice Society. Hunter, what is it you want us to do?"

[jla-goldenage.livejournal.com]

And somehow, with no one seeing him go, Doctor Occult has disappeared ...

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

And with that, Degaton snaps and panics.

"There's no way I'm letting you win!" he shouts. "YOu have no idea the things I've done to get here!"

And with that, he fires at Terrific.

[jsaboss.livejournal.com]

Terrific's reflexes are fast, though, and Degaton's bullet simply grazes his shoulder.

[midnite-md.livejournal.com]

Thanks to extrasensory input from his goggles, Mid-Nite anticipates the move, and the tranq dart flies toward Degaton's neck - and he hopes Hex takes the chance to incapacitate him...

[jla-forgotten.livejournal.com]

Jonah doesn't do a lot of 'incapacitate'. Due to the temporary allies present though, he goes for the gut shot instead of the head. It'll hurt more, maybe even enough to make even Degaton regret being born, but if he's quick, Mid-Nite might be able to save Degaton's life and a good portion of his internal organs.

"Bad move."

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

Degaton screams as he falls to the ground, a pool of red forming below him.

Terrific says nothing, although he twitches as though he wants to. Instead, he gets back to work on Hunter's instructions: Overriding the evacuation protocols, sending Degaton's troops ... wherever they go. (http://community.livejournal.com/jla_watchtower/1167686.html?thread=35302982#t35302982)

[midnite-md.livejournal.com]

Incapacitate. He'd hoped for a leg or arm shot. The gut shot will make it one hell of mess... but the doctor is there immediately, injecting a sedative to keep Degaton unconscious, and then going to work to find the bullet and repair the damage - to keep him alive.

Nothing like trying to save the life of such a horrible bastard, but... how often have they had the opportunity to actually capture and hold Degaton? He always vanishes back into time...

But now, finally, they can end his threat and lock him down.

[jla-villains.livejournal.com]

As he reaches to deal with Degaton's wounds, Mid-Nite's hands pass through him. The villain's eyes flicker, immaterial. Shaking, his hand reaches for his stomach, where intangible blood still flows from him.

"You think ... I'd permit ... scum like you ... to save me?" he says, bitterly. "You will not ... lay hands on ... my person. If I die, so be it."

He's in agony, a writhing ghost. It's only hatred and contempt that's fueling him now.

[midnite-md.livejournal.com]

Dammit.

Dr. Mid-Nite looks at the flickering form, a stubborn patient refusing treatment.

He knows he should protest against this move, stress how painful that wound is going to continue to be.

But he's also bound to respect the wishes of the patient... and he finds it difficult to want to persist.

"So be it."

But he's resolved not to look away.

He will watch this man die, if that's how the bastard wants it.

Not a proud day for the Hippocratic Oath.