The Legion: Antebellum

## Antebellum

Ozak walks onto The beacon. His heavy armored boots bang on the ground with each step. He turns around, looking at the portal. His dark helmet keeps his face hidden from the world. Through the portal, three more people walk in. An Italian man walks through. Behind him, a Chinese man and woman.

Sone: What is this place?

The woman’s eyes dart over to the window. She can see earth.

Aishu: We’re in space?

Ozak: This is The Beacon. A space station that circulates the earth. This is the base of operations for all Legion business. I imagine you haven’t heard of us, knowing your all from China.

Taio: No. I’ve never heard of Legion.

Ozak: We’re a group of heroes that have come together to help safeguard the world.

Taio: Why did you help me then? we’re you trying to save me?

Ozak: Normally I wouldn’t have interfered, but you could be useful.

Taio: If you need to win a king fu tournament, maybe! This is cosmic-level stuff.

Ozak: Most of our missions tend to be planetary. We have much more powerful members for cosmic missions.

Dynamo walks through. He stops and looks at all the people in the portal room.

Dynamo: Yo.

Ozak: That’s one of our other members. Dynamo! Come give them an explanation of what this place is.

Dynamo: if you don’t have anywhere else to go, it’s great.

Ozak: Something that doesn’t make a multi-billion dollar space station sound like section 8.

Dynamo: If you want to be a hero. This is your home.

Ozak: Thank you. Now go away.

Dynamo walks off.

Sone: So you want Taio to join this team to help save the world?

Ozak: I want you all to join. Taio doesn’t have a choice.

Taio: I can’t choose.

Ozak: You think you’ll make it on your own. The Federation isn’t only in China. They are a global organization. The states, Europe, they are everywhere.

Taio: So. I have to live here. There’s no choice.

Ozak: I gave you the only options you have. The choice is yours.

Taio looks at Sone.

Sone: I don’t know, kid.

Aishu: I’ll stay here with you.

Aishu turns to Ozak.

Aishu: You said you wanted all of us, right?

Taio: Don’t stay here just because of me. You don’t have anything to do with The Federation.

Ozak: I can drop the two of them off wherever they want to go.

Aishu: Will I be able to come back here?

Ozak: Anytime you want.

Aishu: Then I’ll leave tonight.

Sone looks conflicted.

Sone: I don’t think you’ll let me stay either way Taio.

Ozak: Pick whichever room you want. There will be a name above the door if it’s taken.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ozak sits in the control room. He scans many different files. He quickly reads over messages, one message says the date for a meeting. Ozak takes a second to ponder the message before moving through. The door opens behind him.

Godson: I finished my mission. It wasn’t a great success though. I couldn’t get close to a B.L.A.D.E. facility. They have a lot to keep me out.

Ozak: It’s a message. I didn’t want you to go over there to learn anything. If I did, a different member would have gone. You’re known for your flashy appearance.

Godson: What message could you possibly be sending? “Hi, The Legion has eyes on you.” Is threatening B.L.A.D.E. the smartest move right now?

Ozak: The smartest move? From what I’ve seen, yes. Godson, have you ever gone outside of America?

Godson: No.

Ozak: B.L.A.D.E.’s strongest roots are in America, but America is a nation that heavily influences foreign countries. B.L.A.D.E. has its hands in everything. Unlike America, not every country went through a meta-mutant civil war. There are a lot more mutants in other parts of the world. However, those mutants don’t want to join us. They’re not heroes, they’re their town's average person. They’ll never join us, but an opportunity with B.L.A.D.E., that’s a career starter. They have reason to join B.L.A.D.E... We wait too long, B.L.A.D.E. will create their own Legion.

Godson: Do we even have the manpower to fight them now?

Ozak: I hope so.

Godson: If we do go to war with B.L.A.D.E., will everyone survive.

Ozak: Unlikely.

Godson: And you swear that this isn’t about someone challenging you?

Ozak: It isn’t.

Godson: Fine.

Godson leaves.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dynamo lays in bed watching TV. His arm is around Nahla.

Dynamo: You might as well just join the Legion. I’d call this your second home, but there’s not a day you don’t come here.

Nahla: I like it here. It’s away from everything, and you have a window that looks out to space.

Dynamo: I know that’s dope. I live here! I just think it’s time to reconsider the offer.

Nahla: Do you want me to join because it’s best for me, or because you want to know what I’m doing?

Dynamo: No, it doesn’t even have to do with that. You explore and learn new magic. That’s cool, but you don’t have anyone. Are you gonna shoot me a text if something happens? At least I would know Ozak has your back if anything ever happened to you.

Nahla puts her hand on Dynamo’s chest.

Nahla: I’ll think about it.

Dynamo looks down at her.

Dynamo: Alright.

Nahla: Then tell me more about the legion. What are your missions like?

Dynamo: Right now. Cameron and Neci are on a mission to take down Prophet. An old enemy we fought a while back.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

On an Island off of the Golden Coast. Cameron runs around the island. He sees bugs, freeze-framed in the air like he’s walking through a painting. He sees his own tracks in front of him. He stops and looks around. He is surrounded by his own footprints in the dirt around him.

Cameron: Neci, I’ve checked the whole damn island. He must have fled!

Neci: Then let’s go home.

Cameron: Home?

Neci: Uh… yeah.

Cameron: Are you alright?

Neci: What are you talking about?

Cameron: Where is home?

Neci: Back at the base.

Cameron: Name?

The world blurs into a giant smudge of different colored light. The lights rearrange themselves into shapes. The footprints on the ground are gone. Prophet stands in front of Cameron.

Cameron: You’ve never spoken to Neci before. You should have thought that plan through more.

Prophet: I didn’t need a good plan. I distracted you for half an hour with something I wished up in 30 seconds-

Cameron begins moving at super speed. Yellow lightning follows behind him. He runs up next to Prophet. He throws his right arm out in a winded-up hook. Lightning crackles off of his knuckles. Then, pain blurs his vision. He feels himself begin to spin out. Lightning circles around him as his punch misses Prophet, and he falls to the ground holding his head.

Cameron: Ah!

Prophet: I might not have all the forces, but I still have one connection left! My mind is just as powerful as your speed.

An arrow flies down from the heavens, colored with a magical glow. The arrow pierces Prophet’s leg. Prophet loses his control, and drops down to one leg. He yells out in pain as he looks down at the arrow stuck in his calf. Cameron’s headache quickly disappears. His vision clears up. One quick punch to Prophet’s forehead, and he falls to the ground unconscious. Cameron taps his com.

Cameron: We got him.

Neci: Yes! It’s time for drinks.

Cameron: I’m still too young.

Neci: I was nothing but a little girl when I started drinking.

Cameron: You were born in like the 700s. It’s been over a thousand years.

Neci: The people are still people. What’s changed?

Cameron: Everything else.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cameron, Neci, and Ozak stand before a prison cell. The cell wall is made out of reinforced plastic. They can see through the wall, but sound won’t penetrate the covering.

Cameron: Why didn’t you want him in a B.L.A.D.E. cell? They’re more equipped to hold a superhuman than we are.

Ozak: They have more men, not more tech. This cell should hold him fine. You two did good on your mission. Take a break.

Neci: Are you coming too, Ozak?

Ozak: No.

Cameron and Neci leave the prison rooms. Ozak presses a button on the wall.

Ozak: My machine records your voice, filters it, and plays it back to me. Your powers won’t work. There isn’t any connection.

Prophet: Who said I was going to use my powers? I’m fine where I am.

Ozak: You don’t want your own personal island on California’s coast?

Prophet: Do you think I found that island on my own?

Ozak: I know you didn’t. I wanted to hear you say that B.L.A.D.E. brought you there.

Prophet: I don’t need to say it. They wanted you to go to that island. B.L.A.D.E. is studying your team.

Ozak: Of course they are.

Ozak walks away.

Ozak: Because they have no idea how to defeat us.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ozak stands in the control room. His feet nearly touch the giant wall of glass. His helmet is off, and laying on the control panel. He drinks a sip of scotch. He looks down on Earth. Another satellite comes into view. Ozak swishes the drink around in the cup.

Ozak: B.L.A.D.E.

A spaceship approaches The Beacon.

Ozak: It’s time for the meeting.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Inside the spaceship. Two men sit in silence waiting for their arrival at The Beacon. President Bordon and Nick Fury sit in chairs as far away from each other as they could find.

Nick Fury: They gave you your Presidential seat back?

President Bordon: I stepped down from office peacefully after the war, but I was still Vice President. I never left the political landscape, even after I retired as the President. You’re older than me, and you haven’t stepped down to let someone younger control the US military.

Nick Fury: Why would I? Over my years I haven’t made the US stronger. I’ve made us the most dominant power on the globe, and that’s including the meta-mutant genocide.

President Bordon: We’re that powerful because you forced the US to become a military country. We make trillions, and spend double our income on just our military.

Nick Fury: I’m not the one who chooses our budget. The President has the last say on those matters.

Bordon chuckles.

President Bordon: Who was the last President again? Tire? Do you remember the polls he had before you shook his hand on television? I do. I pay very close attention. Even though that hand shake spiked his ratings past the other major candidate, how is it that I couldn’t find anyone who wanted him to be our president?

Nick Fury: You must live in a democratic state.

President Bordon: Republican.

Nick Fury: Then you should have asked for a recount.

President Bordon: I thought it’d be no use. Either way, you’ll shake the president’s hand.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Weeks later, Ozak watches as a ship lands in The Beacon’s Hangar. B.L.A.D.E. soldiers walk out of the ship. In the middle of the group of soldiers, Nick Fury and President Bordon walk. The soldiers lead them over to Ozak.

Nick Fury: It’s good to meet you Ozak.

Nick Fury puts out his hand. Ozak looks down at Fury’s hand. Then his arm raises, and he shakes his hand.

Ozak: It’s good to meet you both.

Ozak shakes President Bordon’s hand.

Ozak: Why don’t we find a space for more important diplomatic matters.

Ozak leads Nick Fury and Bordon into a meeting room. The three of them sit at opposite sides of a long table with many seats. The room is white with silver highlights. Bordon feels as if the place looks like some type of godlike highland.

President Bordon: You have an acquired taste. You live up in a satellite filled with whites and silvers. Do you humble yourself by hiding your gold?

Ozak: I don’t look at this place as my home. It’s The Legions. I don’t need to hide anything. My team humbles me. Saving people, humbles me.

Nick Fury: I don’t know how you run your team, but I’ve had to give out several “hero” medals to soldiers in my lifetime. The ones who tell the soldiers where to go and what to do, never get that medal.

Ozak: I don’t save people for achievement.

President Bordon: What did lead you to create this team?

Ozak: I had been watching over Earth for a long time. I can keep track of everything going on, but I can't stop everything. The more people I have, the more I can diversify my opportunities.

President Bordon: You’ve been watching over Earth for a long time? I never saw you. What planet are you from?

Ozak: I’m from Barreus 3. A planet two solar systems away.

Nick Fury: How ahead of Earth is their technology?

Ozak: I built this space station. I can’t build a house on that planet.

Nick Fury looks at Bordon.

President Bordon: How old are you, Son?

Ozak: In human years, I have no idea.

President Bordon: Then how long have you been watching over Earth?

Ozak: 20 years.

President Bordon: 20 years? I’ve been a US citizen my entire life. I grew up during the end of the Soviet Union. I remember when everyone in the US looked up and saw the soviet space station floating just above our heads. Now, years later, I hear about this ship threatening me and my people. I want you out of my space. Immediately.

Nick Fury: We have more than one ship focused on your hangar.

Ozak looks at both of them.

Ozak: President Bordon. I know you don’t mean you're scared of superhumans now. You’ve had your own heroes for years now. Kai Adara and Terra Lorenz being just two of the heroes you’ve worked with over the years. You ask me how I stay humble? Maybe I should take tips from you. You’ve prepared America to become Imperialist, that red button must take a lot of willpower not to push. If anything can remind you of who you are. It might be heroes like the ones you slaughtered after the second US civil war.

President Bordon: I didn’t think we’d come to an agreement the first day. We’ll speak again, Ozak. Maybe when one of us has more cards on the table.

President Bordon and Nick Fury stand up. They walk out of the room. Ozak sits in his chair, with his arm resting on the table. He slams his fist down. He presses a button on his helmet.

Ozak: Everyone come down to the council room! Including all non Legion members.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Everyone sits in a seat at the council table. Ripper, Tellal, Neci, Cameron, Dynamo, Godson, Nahla, Taio, Aishu, Sone, Jackson, and Fortune.

Ozak: I just spoke with President Bordon and Nick Fury. The President and Commander in Chief of The United States. They want us to move our space station.

Ripper: Where?

Ozak: Out of their Orbit.

Godson: They just threatened you.

Ozak: We are still working out the peace terms, but I have an understanding that peace will not be met. For all the partial members of the Legion, or anyone considering joining, this is it. You either make our ranks stronger, or you don’t come back. This space station will become a target soon. I give it a few months to a year before the President turns our meetings for a peace deal into a reason for war. When The Beacon becomes B.L.A.D.E.’s first target for conquest, you don’t want to be standing on these floors. For any founding member, this is your time to decide whether you want to stay.

Cameron: I’m part of The Legion. I’ll never leave my home until its shot down.

Dynamo: I’ll stay.

Neci: I’m here for the horns of war.

Godson: You’ll need me.

Ripper: I’ll back whatever happens, Ozak.

Tellal: I’ll stay.

Taio: I’m in.

Aishu: I’ll join too.

Jackson: You need everyone.

Fortune: We’ll all survive.

Taio looks at Sone. Taio shakes his head. He whispers to Sone.

Taio: Aishu will never leave me, but you need to. You’ve done too much for us. It’s time you move on. Live your life.

Ozak: Okay. We’ll try to get as many members as we can before 2050. I don’t believe the President will be able to push off the military’s pressure for war any longer than that.