And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Marianne Williamson, "A Return to Love," 1992

Chapter 8. Long Live the Legion!

"Reep. Reep Daggle, wake up!"

Brainy? It IS you!

Chameleon Boy groaned as he opened his eyes. The silhouette of Brainiac 5 came into focus.

"Brainy, you made it! What happened? I thought that the power had gone out."

"It almost did, but I diverted power from the Controller's ship to the cruiser. You haven't realized it yet, but we're on Orando. It's been two days since you lost consciousness."

"Two days!" Chameleon Boy shot up but a stab of pain forced him back down.

"Take it easy." Brainiac 5 pressed his hand against Chameleon Boy's shoulder.

"Ow! My head!" Chameleon Boy rubbed the left side of his head.

"The Controller's blast grazed your head and almost severed your left antennae. The medical nanites have done most of the work."

"I can do the rest." As Chameleon Boy focused on healing himself, he looked around. The room, with its clay walls, reminded him of the ancient adobe huts he'd seen in history tapes about some Native American cultures.

"Where are the others?"

"President Brande is getting ready to deliver his closing speech. I asked Phantom Girl and Timber Wolf to stand outside. I wanted to talk to you alone."

Chameleon Boy studied Brainiac 5. He noticed that his robotic teammate looked different. His hair was still long, but he was taller, standing about Phantom Girl's height. Metallic plates now covered his forearms.

"You've started upgrading."

Brainiac 5 nodded. "The most dramatic change has already happened. I used the Controller's drones to rebuild my body according to my upgrade specs. The rest of the changes will happen gradually, just like the way humanoids mature."

"Heh. Can't wait to see it. How did you survive? I thought that the Controller had killed you."

"I usually make a backup on small circular disks, but I can download myself into just about any electronic medium that has a central processor. My backup systems were damaged, so I had Computo design a special program that housed my consciousness. When Computo downloaded the program, my consciousness was transferred into the Controller's ship. In other words, I became his ship.

"I then sent a message to Orando. Fortunately, the United Planets delegates were already there. They sent their medical team. They intercepted us and took you all to sickbay. I used the Controller's drones to repair the cruisers and to reconstruct my body. Then, I transferred my consciousness back into my body."

"You're really something, Brainy."

"As are you. I am impressed by the way you used your shapeshifting to agitate the Controller. That was a brilliant strategy!"

Chameleon Boy smiled at Brainiac 5's compliment.

"Thanks, but I have to know something. You had control of the drones all that time. Why didn't you use them to help me?"

Brainiac 5 opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. He averted his eyes. It was as if what he had to say was the hardest thing he had ever done. In a way, it was. He sat down on the bed.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I-" Brainiac 5 looked down as he ran his hand trough his hair. "I want to apologize for what I did to you."

"What do you mean?" Chameleon Boy cocked his head to the side.

"You're right. I could have used the drones to help you, but I decided not to. I wanted to see you prevail. I wanted to see if you could become the hero you wanted so badly wanted to be. In a way, I am no better than the Controller. I put you in a dangerous situation just to satisfy my own curiosity. You got hurt…badly."

Chameleon Boy reached out and grabbed Brainiac 5's wrist.

"It's okay, Brainy. I'm glad you did what you did. I remembered what you told me about being a hero, about doing what's right no matter how afraid I am."

Brainiac 5 sighed and gently pulled his arm out of Chameleon Boy's grip.

"I have to keep telling myself that. Seeing you reminded me of myself. Seeing you confront the Controller gave me hope that I too can be a hero." Brainiac 5 kept looking at his feet.

"But, you are a hero," Chameleon Boy protested.

"I would like to think so." Brainiac 5 still couldn't bring himself to look at Chameleon Boy. "I desire to understand humanoids. Despite my intelligence, I still do not understand the subtleties of emotion or willpower. I only know that there is a motivation or drive in the psyche that can mean the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death. This drive originates in the mind. That's what I meant when I said that it was all in your head. At any rate, you truly deserve that flight ring."

"But, I killed him." Chameleon Boy toyed with his ring. "How can I call myself a Legionnaire now?"

"It has been my experience that no matter how unlikely a villain's chances of survival is they have a tendency to live through it."

"The power core exploded right beside him. I saw it!"

Brainiac 5 finally looked Chameleon Boy in the eye.

"There's an old saying, 'Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.' We don't know for sure if the Controller survived. Consider yourself a Legionnaire. I'm glad to have you on the team."

Brainiac 5 smiled and held out his hand. Chameleon Boy took it and the two shook hands firmly.

"You two can come in now!" Brainiac 5 shouted.

"FINALLY!" Phantom Girl phased herself and Timber Wolf through the wall. "Cham! Everyone's talking about it!"

"About what?" He raised an eyebrow.

"About the broadcast! The President's talks with the King of Orando were successful. The broadcast was very effective. The King was so impressed that he agreed to have Orando become part of the Federation of Planets."

"That's great, but what broadcast are you talking about?"

Phantom Girl started snickering. Puzzled, Chameleon Boy looked at Timber Wolf. Timber Wolf looked like he was trying to keep from laughing.

"What? Oh come on, Guys! What?"

"Your confrontation with the Controller has been broadcasted," said Brainiac 5.

"What!"

As if he didn't learn his lesson the first time, Chameleon Boy shot up. The stab of pain forced him back down again. He rubbed his head again.

"Ow, ow, ow! Oh, man. I gotta watch those sudden movements," he said between clenched teeth.

"Allow me." Brainiac 5 held out a hand. Chameleon Boy took it. Brainiac 5 put his other hand behind Chameleon Boy's back and slowly helped him sit up straight.

"Before I disconnected myself from the cruiser, I activated the surveillance system. I wanted there to be an account of our battle so that our comrades would know what had happened in case we had failed. Since our arrival, President Brande has broadcasted the battle between you and the Controller."

"Yeah and it worked!" Phantom Girl cut in. "Like I said, the Orandans were so impressed that they decided to join the United Planets. They're having the ceremony right now."

"We'll leave soon after, and not a moment too soon," said Timber Wolf as he flattened his ears. "I hate politics!"

"So, are both cruisers are fully repaired?" Chameleon Boy asked.

They nodded.

"Can I fly one?" Chameleon Boy asked expectantly.

"Don't push it!" They all said in unison.

"Kidding! Lighten up. Like I said, you guys seriously need a comic relief guy. I'm just the Legionnaire for the job!"

"We wouldn't have it any other way," said a voice.

Brande walked into the room.

"Ah, Chameleon Boy, I'm glad to see you up and about. The Controller's ship and his drones have been confiscated by the United Planets. Congratulations, Legion, on a job well done! Fine piece of work, all of you! You've led your team well, Phantom Girl. Brainiac 5, your genius never ceases to impress me. Timber Wolf, thank you for listening to me rehearse all 8 of my speeches."

I really REALLY hate politics! Timber Wolf mumbled to himself.

"And you, Chameleon Boy, I was hoping that you would wake up in time for the closing ceremonies." Brande's eyes crinkled as he smiled at his son. "Do you feel well enough to walk?"

"Um, sure. I'm just about finished healing myself. So, where are we going?"

"You'll see." Brande had that mischievous gleam in his eyes.

As Brainiac 5 helped Chameleon Boy out of bed, Chameleon Boy noticed that everyone, even Timber Wolf, had one of those lopsided grins on their faces. Chameleon Boy narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but decided not to think about it too hard.

Brande led the team down a corridor. Orandan guards lined the corridor walls. The Orandans resembled giant garden snakes. As Chameleon Boy walked by them, they smiled and lowered their heads. Brande continued to lead the team into a grand auditorium.

Soon, they were standing in front of a crowd of about 500 Orandans. Members of the Press and 60 delegates from the United Planets were huddled on the stage. Chameleon Boy noticed that some of the other Legionnaires were standing among the delegates. Saturn Girl, Bouncing Boy, Cosmic Boy, and Triplicate Girl were among the Legionnaires that he recognized.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted.

Chameleon Boy's jaw dropped. The Legionnaires, delegates, and members of the Press started applauding. The Orandans applauded by tapping the tips of their tails rapidly.

Chameleon Boy turned to Brande. He, Phantom Girl, Timber Wolf, and Brainiac 5 smiled as they clapped.

Brande walked to the microphone and raised his hands in a silencing gesture. He was joined by three Orandans.

The King was the largest snake. He resembled a giant king cobra and easily dwarfed everyone else in height. Two smaller snakes were coiled next to him. They were the crowned Princess Jeka and her brother Prince Willum. As the crowd hushed, the King addressed his people.

"My fellow Orandans, today is a historical moment! Orando has agreed to become part of the United Planets."

There was another round of applause.

"Before the formalities, I would like to present to Orando the jewel of the United Planets, the Legion of Superheroes. Since President Brande's arrival, I have learned that their Legion exists to protect the galaxy and to be a beacon of inspiration. Here is a prime example of their heroism."

Everyone turned their attention to a screen a large vid screen. The scene between Chameleon Boy and the Controller played out. The crowd cheered as Chameleon Boy refused to shoot the Controller. They watched in awe as Chameleon Boy outsmarted his opponent. They gasped as the young Legionnaire tried to wrestle the power core away from the Controller. Some people closed their eyes as the phaser blast grazed Chameleon Boy's head.

Chameleon Boy was just as awed as the crowd. He didn't realize that he had been wounded that badly.

As the vid continued, Chameleon Boy fell down. Brainiac 5's voice resonated, "Hold on, Cham, help is coming! Please, just hold on!"

Chameleon Boy responded, "Long live Ferro Lad. Long live Brainiac 5. Long live the Legion."

Chameleon Boy didn't think that he had actually said those things out loud.

After the vid was over, there was silence. All eyes were on Chameleon Boy. Most of the people had seen the vid before but now that the hero of the hour was standing in front of them, they were overcome by a sense of wonder. Chameleon Boy ground his teeth in anticipation.

Phantom Girl broke the silence by applauding enthusiastically. Timber Wolf and Brainiac 5 joined her. The other Legionnaires also joined. Soon, the delegates jumped to their feet in a standing ovation. The Orandans continued to tap their tails on the ground. Bouncing Boy put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.

Chameleon Boy surveyed the crowd. His mouth was agape. Tears filled his eyes.

For me. This is all for me. They accept me!

"Speech! Speech! Speech!" Phantom Girl chanted. Many of the Orandans joined in the chanting.

Brande led Chameleon Boy up to the microphone. The King and his children lowered their heads to Chameleon Boy before slithering away from the microphone. The crowed hushed. Chameleon Boy was sure that the microphone picked up the sound of his teeth chattering.

"Um…Hi. M-my name is Reep. Of course you knew that. Yeah." He couldn't stop rubbing the back of his neck. He took a deep breath and decided to just say what was on his mind.

"I couldn't wait to try out for the Legion. When I'd shown up for tryouts, I was so self-assured. After all, I was the son of R.J. Brande. I had to make the Legion. Now, I feel anything but self-assured and cocky. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into.

"Before this mission, I saw a memorial of one of our own. I disregarded his memorial like some statue in a park. His name was Ferro Lad. He died during the Legion's first encounter with the Controller. He was the first Legionnaire to fall. And…" Chameleon Boy looked down. "He probably won't be the last. That's the risk we Legionnaires take."

Chameleon Boy paused and looked up again.

"As for the Controller, I don't know if he's gone or not. I do know that no one is above the law. There's a provision in the law. There always is. When I find it, and if he's still out there, I will lead the team that brings him to justice!"

The crowd applauded. Chameleon Boy spoke over the noise. The applause of the audience rivaled his amplified voice.

"As a Legionnaire, I promise to use my powers for good, to fight for justice and protect the innocent, to aid my fellow Legionnaires in times of peril, and to keep their secrets safe. I'm more than just Reep Daggle. I am Chameleon Boy. When I get back to Earth, the first thing I'm going to do is to pay my proper respects to Ferro Lad. Long live Ferro Lad! Long live the Legion!" He threw his fist into the air.

The crowd's applause escalated into another standing ovation with rounds of shouting and whistling.

Chameleon Boy would never realize how his enthusiasm had affected the others. Even Brainiac 5 and Timber Wolf couldn't help but smile at their comrade's optimism.

The veteran Legionnaires threw their fists in the air and joined Chameleon Boy in a resounding, "Long live the Legion!"

News crews scrambled to find a good angle to record the Legionnaires' trademark cry.

At this point, Chameleon Boy couldn't hold back his tears. He didn't even try to hide them. He was a Legionnaire, a hero. That's all that mattered to him at the moment.

Phantom Girl flew up to Chameleon Boy and hugged him. She kissed his cheek. Timber Wolf picked Chameleon Boy up. Chameleon Boy grabbed his teammate in a headlock and drilled his knuckles into Timber Wolf's head. Even Brainiac 5 dropped his guard and joined in. Phantom Girl tackled Brainiac 5 from behind. He responded by extending his arms. He reached behind himself and tickled her. Everyone looked at the spectacle with surprise, everyone except Brande.

One of the members of the Press approached Brande.

"Mr. President, Mr. President! In all my years of journalism, I've never seen the Legionnaires, much less Timber Wolf or Brainiac 5, act this way in public. Do you have any comments on this, Sir?"

"What would make these Legionnaires act this way? It's not too hard to figure out. These young people have just been through hell. They fought against damn near impossible odds and won. They are reveling in the joy of their victory, in the camaraderie they all share, and in the simple joy of being alive. Those are more than enough reasons to celebrate."

Brande started to walk toward the four Legionnaires.

"Wait, Mr. President. Before you deliver your closing speech, do you have any more comments?"

President Brande crossed his arms over his chest puffed up with pride. He looked at the news reporter and said, "That's my boy!"

Then he looked directly into the cameras, his voice gruff with emotion.

"That's our Legion! Long live the Legion!"

THE END