"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]

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.