Spider Quinn 18 A Birthday and Stormy Sonnets Part 6

 

Down in the kitchen, Sandi grabbed an energy drink out of the fridge. She then saw that Sam was there. “Oh.”

 

“I know about it, Sandi,” he said.

 

“Know about what?” Sandi asked.

 

“That you and Mother have powers.”

 

“Really?” Daria asked.

 

“And that you know about it,” Sam added.

 

“And what are they?” Sandi asked in annoyance.

 

“And that you’re the fourth vigilante, using telekinesis, energy blasts and some kind of ESP.”

 

“Have you been eavesdropping?” Daria asked.

 

Sam sighed. “Yes. I want in to what you are up to.”

 

 

Daria glared at Sam. “We’re wasting time here. Search and I’ll tell him about William.”

 

Sandi downed the energy drink. “Findu mann sem heiter: William Morris!”

 

As Sandi used her powers to find William, Daria told Sam what she and Jane had heard from Jennifer.

 

 

Sandi found William and marked his location on the map, then waited as Daria finished explaining the situation to Sam.

 

“So, where is he?” Daria asked as she looked at the map.

 

“On Eichler Street, less than a block from Stacy and Anna’s places,” Sandi answered. “But it looks like he just went past there.”

 

“He has a destination in mind,” Daria surmised as she scrutinized the map.

 

“It could be the hospital,” Sam said, as he looked over Daria’s shoulder.

 

“Or any of the subdivisions or warehouses beyond it. Some of latter belong to Oscorp,” Daria responded.

 

“Right, we’re on it,” Sandi said.

 

“I just have to drop the car home first. Then we can intercept,” Daria said.

 

“You could leave it here,” Sandi said. “Grandstaff Drive is closer than Glen Oaks Lane.”

 

Daria looked at the map again. “You’re right. Let’s go then.”

 

“What about me?” Sam asked.

 

“You will stay here,” Sandi said. “Tell Mother that I have gone out and that I’m with Daria. She’ll know what that means.”

 

Sam sighed. “Fine! But what if she asks about the car?”

 

“Just say that I’ll be back for it.”

 

 

The Enigma and Dafoanairi then left the Griffin’s via the roof and headed southwards towards where the former located William.

 

 

Helen and Quinn arrived back at Vitale et al. “Now I have to get back to work,” Helen said. “I want you and Daria to be safe. Stay either at home, at the Historia or at a friend’s place. Go to the Historia and find out where Daria is.”

 

Quinn sighed. “I will, Mom.”

 

“Good.”

 

 

It wasn’t far from Vitale at al to the Historia, so Quinn just jogged down the street. She didn’t see Daria there.

 

“Quinn?” Mrs. Rowe asked.

 

“Is Daria here?”

 

“I saw her earlier with Jane and Jennifer. I think they left.”

 

“I’ll see if they’re she’s still here,” Quinn decided.

 

 

She searched the bookstore and theater before going to the roof and changing to SpiderGirl. She then swung off in the direction of Casa Lane.

 

 

It wasn’t long before the Enigma and Dafoanairi saw William in the distance. “So, what’s the plan?” the former asked.

 

“You can go ahead and try to head him off while I come up from behind.”

 

“Seems, like, a bit dangerous, but I don’t have any better ideas.”

 

“Neither do I,” Dafoanairi said.

 

 

The Enigma then crept along the side of the street. ‘He definitely doesn’t look like a normal human, and also is determined,’ she thought as she passed him.

 

 

William suddenly saw someone ahead of him. A girl clad in purple wearing a mask. “Are you another of the vigilantes?” he asked.

 

“Yes, the Enigma, the fourth vigilante,” she answered as her hands glowed with a strange purple light.

 

“That’s different to SpiderGirl,” William murmured, “but I’m still dangerous! Out of my way!”

 

“No! I can’t let you do what you are going to do!”

 

“I have no choice! Oscorp did this to me!”

 

 

Dafoanairi carefully crept up with her quarterstaff at the ready. ‘I knew Oscorp had something to do with this,’ she thought as she remembered what Ted had said earlier.

 

“Out of my way, Enigma!” William said.

 

“No!” the Enigma said. “We need to get you out of the daylight.”

 

 

William lunged and the Enigma rose a forcefield, with him crashing against it. It sparkled but held. ‘But would it have a deleterious effect on him?’ the Enigma wondered. Her mother wasn’t that specific when saying that the energy powers could cause temporary paralysis.

 

“Figures!” William said.

 

“Now!” the Enigma said.

 

“What?” William asked before he turned and then saw Dafoanairi holding her quarterstarff at the ready.

 

“I’m willing to use this,” she said. “Just as the Enigma is willing to do anything to stop you.”

 

“Then try to stop me!”

 

 

William then ran off to the side. As he did so, the Enigma dropped the forcefield and sent some projections in front of him. Dafoanairi also reacted, moved in the same direction and tried to use the quarterstaff to trip him. However, he avoided both the projections and the quarterstaff. He then turned on Dafoanariri. “You’re just like, Ninja Talon aren’t you? A normal human with training.”

 

“I’m not answering that,” Dafoanairi snarked.

 

“You sound kind of familiar,” William said.

 

“I might, or I might not,” Dafoanairi said.

 

“One of the Morgendorffers,” William mused. “I don’t want to hurt you!”

 

“Then allow us to take you somewhere, like the Historia, to get you out of the sunlight,” Dafoanairi said.

 

“No!” William said as he lashed out again.

 

 

William hit Dafoanairi on her arm, causing her to let go of the quarterstaff and fall over. He then ran, as the Enigma stayed to see if her friend was OK.

 

“Dafoanairi?”

 

Dafoanairi groaned. She rubbed her arm. “I’ll be fine, other than a bruise, but he’s getting away,” she said as she grabbed the quarterstaff and allowed the Enigma to pull her to her feet.

 

“We have to just keep up and stop him hurting someone until nightfall.”

 

“It might not be as simple as that, but it’s a better plan than having none.”

 

“True,” the Enigma said as she turned and began following William again.

 

 

Trent opened the door to find Quinn at the door. “Hey, Quinn, Daria’s not here.”

 

“She isn’t?”

 

“No, she just dropped Janie off, apparently.”

 

“Oh, she’s looking for the fourth vigilante,” Quinn said.

 

“That’s what Janie said.”

 

“Can I talk to Jane, then?”

 

“She has gone out again,” Trent answered.

 

“Oh, I’ll be off then.”

 

 

After Trent closed the door, Quinn ran across the road to the woods and then changed to SpiderGirl. She then took out her portable radio.

 

“…Reports are coming in of the fourth vigilante and Dafoanairi chasing some bestial looking man to the south of Eichler Street, heading towards the hospital.”

 

“The hospital,” SpiderGirl murmured. “Why would he go there?” She had some idea. ‘Is it because Osborn is there?’ She then started swinging in that direction.

 

 

The Enigma and Dafoanairi ran up to the main entrance of the hospital. “There are too many entrances to cover,” Dafoanairi pointed out.

 

“True, but I know where he is and can move to block. We could delay him long enough.”

 

“I hope that will work out.”

 

“Probably won’t,” the Enigma responded. “But I will try.”

 

 

SpiderGirl arrived at the hospital and saw William approaching and the Enigma and Dafoanairi waiting at the main entrance. ‘I know Harry is here with his father. I’ll warn him as the usual Quinn first,’ she decided. She swung to the roof where she changed and then headed down.

 

 

Harry was aware that the Hospital staff were anxious about something and he had heard about a dangerous person loose in Lawndale from the radio. He then saw Quinn enter the room. “Quinn? What are you doing here?”

 

“Hi, Harry,” Quinn said. “Daria told you about the boy who’s been writing those poems, right?”

 

“She did,” Harry confirmed.

 

“Well, it turns out that his parents were keeping him locked up because of something Oscorp did to him.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“There was some sort of drug trial and somehow it caused him and others to transform when they were exposed to sunlight,” Quinn answered. She walked over next to his father. “He may be on his way here.”

 

“Oh,” Harry said. “I promise, I’ll look into who may be responsible.”

 

“But he believes that your father is responsible.”

 

“You mean, he’s coming here now?”

 

“Yes,” Quinn answered. “And some of the vigilantes are in action in the hospital trying to stop him.”

 

“Which ones?”

 

“The fourth vigilante and Dafoanairi, and SpiderGirl not long after them.”

 

“Great, the fourth vigilante and SpiderGirl could fight,” Harry groused.

 

“Stay here, watch your father. I’ll be back.”

 

“Wait!”

 

“I won’t be in danger,” Quinn said as she dashed off.

 

“I’ll try to protect you, Father.”

 

 

Meanwhile, Peterson pulled up outside the Hospital, near the Emergency Room. ‘Yet another thing going down in Lawndale, and it seems SpiderGirl, Dafoanairi and the Enigma are already responding.’ She hoped that the Enigma had given thought to what she had talked to her the previous night and wasn’t intending to confront SpiderGirl in the hospital. She got out of the car and headed inside.

 

 

William came up to one of the hospital’s side doors and found the fourth vigilante waiting. “You couldn’t stop me before,” he said.

 

“No, but I can delay you.”

 

“Until nightfall? I doubt it.”

 

“Like, we’ll see,” the fourth vigilante said.

 

He looked around and saw a window open on a higher floor. ‘There!’ he thought. He turned around.

 

 

‘What is he doing?’ the Enigma asked herself. She was tiring but still quite alert.

 

She the saw William running up. ‘Two can do that!’ she thought as she lowered her forcefield and pointed her hands down, ready to jump up.

 

William then jumped up towards the open window, but the Enigma also jumped as she pushed downwards telekinetically and fired projections.

 

William collided with the Enigma and she found herself pushed through the open window.

 

 

“I’m in!” William said as he clambered off of the Enigma and ran out of the room.

 

“Come back here!” the Enigma called out as she clambered up. ‘Dafoanairi and I need some walkie talkies!’ she thought.

 

 

At the same time, Quinn entered the Emergency Room, where Brittany was still waiting for her X-Ray.

 

“Quinn?” Brittany asked when she came up to her and Ashley-Amber.

 

“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” she said in a serious tone.

 

“Sure,” Brittany said.

 

“Right now?” Ashley-Amber said.

 

“It’s to do with school,” Quinn dissembled.

 

Brittany raised an eyebrow at that, and smirked a little.

 

 

“What is it?” Brittany asked once she and Quinn were out of earshot of Ashley-Amber and the other people in the waiting room.

 

“William is here, at the hospital,” Quinn said quietly.

 

“How did that happen?”

 

“She’s after Osborn because of what was done to him.”

 

“That’s not good!” Brittany said in concern.

 

“And the Enigma and Dafoanairi are also here.”

 

“And you’re concerned about that too?”

 

“Yes,” Quinn answered. “I thought I would let you know.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

 

Quinn was about leave the Emergency Room when Peterson appeared. “Quinn?” she asked. “I’m sure you know about William being here.”

 

Quinn nodded.

 

“I’m about to put the Hospital on lockdown, so if you’re going to do something, you need to be quick about it.”

 

‘She definitely still suspects,’ Quinn thought. “I’m just me,” she said.

 

Peterson sighed. “You can trust me, Quinn. I know you are more than who you appear to be. But, go, help the other two who are here.”

 

“I’m going,” Quinn said as she dashed off.

 

 

Brittany had seen Quinn and Peterson talking. ‘She’s more suspicious. She probably does know Quinn’s Spidey! But there’s not much I can do about it at the moment.’

 

“Brit?” Ashley-Amber asked.

 

“Just something Quinn said.”

 

“Something else happening?”

 

“You could say that.”

 

 

“Attention, the Hospital is now under lockdown due to a deranged person.”

 

“Oh, that is going to rile him up,” Dafoanairi commented as she ran through the corridors. She then heard an elevator ding. She turned and put herself in a defensive stand, with her staff at the ready. The door opened and the Enigma exited.

 

“He’s on an upper floor,” she said.

 

“But we don’t know where Osborn is.”

 

“Harry told me. He’s in a different wing,” the Enigma said.

 

“Good. Then we need to make sure he doesn’t make his way there.”

 

 

The Shadow arrived outside the Hospital.

 

“…Cedars of Lawndale has gone into a lockdown due to the presence of an unknown metahuman assailant. Police as well as SpiderGirl, the fourth vigilante and Dafoanairi have responded.”

 

“And the Shadow,” the Shadow added as she switched off the portable radio.

 

The Shadow approached one of the Hospital’s buildings and fired her grapple gun to get onto the roof. ‘Now, I need to use non destructive gadgets…’

 

 

SpiderGirl returned to where Osborn was. She squinted at the bright lights in the corridor. ‘I saw that the basement was dark, and we didn’t turn on most of the lights in the café last night,’ she thought. ‘Thus the lights need to be turned off. But how am I going to turn off enough lights to make a difference?’

 

She found an office where Doctor Phillips was.

 

“SpiderGirl?” he asked.

 

“Doctor Phillips, I have an idea how to stop the assailant.”

 

“And that is?”

 

“We’ll turn off the lights in the corridors and he’ll revert to his usual human self,” SpiderGirl explained.

 

“That would be difficult, given the lockdown.”

 

“Can I call the lobby?”

 

“Sure.”

 

 

Doctor Lisa Cuddy was having a bad day. Especially when Officer Peterson had commandeered her office. Thus she was in the lobby when the internal phone rang. She picked it up. “Lobby.”

 

“SpiderGirl here, I have an idea to stop this rampage.”

 

“What is that?” she asked.

 

“He is the way he is because he is being exposed to strong light, like sunlight or the fluorescent lights in the corridors. So, if we turn them off…”

 

“It sounds like a good idea, but I’ll put Peterson on.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

 

Peterson saw Cuddy enter the office. “Yes?”

 

“SpiderGirl has an idea. She’s on the phone.”

 

“I knew she would,” Peterson said as she reached for it.

Church notes - 14th September 2025

 14th

Jeremiah 22:13 - 19

Two Kings

Jeremiah - The weeping prophet

The people didn't want to listen

Kingdom's Fall

vs 13, 14

Jeremiah 22:3

vs 15

Josiah was a righteous king, but Jehoiakim was anything but.

We should be looking at how we're honouring the vulnerable.

vs 16, 17

Hebrew Yada

Know

Psalm 34:1

Psalm 39:1

How much do you know God?

We need to continually grow in our knowledge of Him.

vs 18, 19

It wasn't going to end well for Jehoiakim.

Romans 6:23

Jeremiah 31:34

Mysteries of Aurora - The Manuscript Part 9

 

“So, the Second Age is the Bronze Age,” Olivia said. “This is when writing emerges in Aurora, although it is sporadic at first. Civilisation also spread southwards through the island from the beginning of the period.”

 

“More monolithic,” Freya murmured

 

“This is when Auroran Civilisation begins in Imperial Ages,” Janara added.

 

“That makes sense,” Olivia said.

 

“Is that a game?” Alexia asked.

 

“Yes,” Janara answered. “A Real Time Strategy.”

 

“Anyway, moving on to the Thid Age,” Olivia said.

 

“The Iron Age,” Janara said.

 

“Correct,” Olivia said.

 

“The hard edges become sharper,” Freya added.

 

 

Alexia saw that Freya was sketching swords and steel spears. ‘That makes sense,’ she said.

 

“This is the period the manuscript comes from. The earliest Iron tools and weapons to be discovered in Aurora, are from the late 11^th Century BC,” Olivia added.

 

“This is when the whole island was united, right?” Janara asked.

 

“That’s right,” Olivia said. “But it took a while. The south was still rebellious when Ceasar invaded. Then the Fourth Age started.”

 

“Rome. That’s what most people think of when they think of Aurora’s history, given that Auroran is a Romance language,” Janara said.

 

“True, but they’re also ignoring the Nordic loanwords,” Freya added.

 

“But that’s not until the Fifth Age,” Olivia said as she pointed to the ‘SPQR’ on her timeline.

 

“Most of our architecture is influenced by the Romans,” Alexia said. “Especially as one goes further south.”

 

“What about the legal system?” Janara asked.

 

“That is quite complex,” Olivia said. “There are Roman aspects to Aurora’s laws, but that is one thing the Norse had big influence on, so we’re almost ready to move to the Fifth Age.”

 

“What else comes from the Roman Era?” Alexia asked.

 

Freya drew a cross. “Christianity. It came here early in the 2^nd Century.”

 

“But that’s not really Roman, is it??” Janara asked.

 

“Not really,” Olivia conceded. “But it arose around the same time as the Fourth Age started. In fact, some just push forwards the start of the Fourth Age to the beginning of the Common Era or Anno Domini for convenience.”

 

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Alexia said.

 

“It does cause some confusion,” Olivia said.

 

“Language is the obvious influence,” Janara said. “Auroran is Romance.”

 

“Mostly,” Freya added.

 

“There are Nordic loanwords, but the grammar is Romance,” Olivia said.

 

“And the Fourth Age doesn’t end with the Roman withdrawal,” Alexia said.

 

“It doesn’t,” Olivia confirmed. “But Aurora focused on recovering from the occupation. The remnant kingdom had troubles dealing with the changes and the Church during the sixth and seventh centuries.”

 

 

Freya considered that as she drew a Roman statue with cracks. “And now the Fifth Age?” she asked.

 

“Yes. The Fifth Age,” Olivia said as she pointed further along the timeline. “Nordic and Late Medieval. As you can imagine, the Vikings brought about a different kind of change than the Romans did. More chaotic to start with.”

 

“But they have enriched Aurora,” Alexia said. “The Romans were bland by comparison.”

 

“That’s fair,” Olivia said.

 

“Sagas are more engrossing than Roman Theatre, but that’s my perspective,” Freya said.

 

“Better able to hold your attention?” Alexia asked.

 

Freya nodded as she started adding a longship to her sketch.

 

“It was a little over three centuries between the first raids and the Unification, but most think that was the real end of the Nordic Era,” Olivia said.

 

“The Althing and the Council of Advisors had to learn to work together, right?” Janara asked.

 

“That was a big part of the first century after the Unification,” Olivia added. “But there’s more to the Fifth Age than the political aspects.”

 

“Sagas and Runes,” Freya said.

 

“And that is part of what has brought us together,” Olivia said. “The rune.”

 

“But why would the campus match a Nordic rune when they hadn’t arrived yet?” Janara asked.

 

“That is a mystery,” Alexia said. “But there are many conflicting theories.”

 

“We’ll talk about that later,” Olivia said.

 

‘Sure,” Alexia said.

 

 

“After the Unification, it is usually considered to a period of peace compared to the period of Nordic conquest earlier in the Nordic period,” Olivia said.

 

“But it wasn’t,” Janara said.

 

“No, there were occasional uprisings in the South and West as Nordic influences spread,” Olivia explained. “But many of those areas still have elements of older cultures, especially as folklore and festivals.”

 

“Variety,” Freya commented as she drew another circle below the longship. “Aurora remains diverse.”

 

“And that diversity contributes to the beginning of the next age,” Olivia said.

 

“The Renaissance?” Alexia asked.

 

“Yes,” Olivia answered. “From 15 June 1536, when the Church of Aurora officially broke from Rome and accepted Luther’s 95 Theses.”

 

“But it’s not just that,” Freya said.

 

“Far from it,” Alexia said. “That is when Auroran architects started experimenting. The mixed styles originate from this period, especially between the Roman and Nordic styles, in Urbs Aeterna and the other cities in the Aterana Valley.”

 

“That’s something I haven’t looked at,” Freya said.

 

“It was a surprise the first time I saw it in Imperial Ages III,” Janara said.

 

“But that was far from the only thing that flourished,” Olivia said. “Arts and Science all grew as Aurorans became more aware of what was happening in Europe and the Atlantic islands, once more becoming a crossroads between the two, as well as being involved in the Age of Exploration.”

Mirror Mirror – Jade Survives

 

Mirror Mirror – Jade Survives

Jade Coigley returned to the room that would in her time be Jo Tiegan’s room. ‘Or it will no longer be,’ she thought as she came up to the Mirror. She hesitated, despite the old man saying that she had to come back straight away. ‘I could look around and then go back.’ Her mind made up, she turned around.

 

 

As she climbed down the stairs, she heard Jo, Tama and the other girl enter the house, along with a boy.

 

She hid in the kitchen.

 

“Who are you?” an older lady asked. “What are you doing in my kitchen, here in the Iredale’s house?”

 

“What is it to you?”

 

“Insolent child! You are trespassing!”

 

“So, I am,” Jade countered.

 

The lady grabbed onto her. “Come with me!”

 

“No!” Jade said. She then used a Judo move to get free.

 

 

Primrose Iredale looked at where the Mirror had been, then at Louisa. She could tell that the past few days had had an effect on her daughter. However, she could then hear a commotion.

 

 

“What’s going on here?” Primrose asked as she entered the kitchen.

 

Mrs. Whitelaw held out a girl with red hair. “I caught her snooping in the kitchen.”

 

Louisa gasped. “Jade!”

 

“Is she from Jo’s time too?” Primrose asked.

 

“Or was,” Louisa said.

 

“What do you mean, was?” the girl asked.

 

“The Mirror is gone,” Louisa answered. “You’re stuck here.”

 

“You’re lying.”

 

“What are you going on about?” Mrs. Whitelaw asked.

 

“Leave us for the moment, Mrs. Whitelaw,” Primrose ordered.

 

“Yes, Ma’am.”

 

“Jade, is it? I’m afraid Louisa isn’t lying,” Primrose said.

 

“No! You’re hiding it,” Jade denied.

 

“No, it’s gone.”

 

 

Jade took that in. “You mean, I’m stuck here?”

 

“I’m afraid so,” Lousia answered.

 

Her mother added. “We will have to take you in.”

 

“No where else to go,” Louisa added.

 

“I guess so,” Jade said.

 

 

“Are you serious?” Joshua Iredale asked.

 

“Yes,” Primrose answered. “She has nowhere else to go.”

 

“Has this to do with that other girl, Jo?”

 

“Somewhat, but Jo has left and isn’t coming back.”

 

“It’s going to be very complicated to adopt her,” Joshua said.

 

“If we go about it formally.”

 

“Are you saying we just let her stay here? How would we explain it?”

 

“That we are helping someone in need, which will be the truth,” Primose answered.

 

Joshua thought about it for a moment. Louisa and Titus were a handful already, but they were their children. He knew nothing about this Jade. But Primrose wouldn’t have brought the matter to him without a reason. “Alright,” he said. “But she has to know her place.”

 

“I’ll make that abundantly clear to her.”

Star Trek: Voyager Alone: The Ocampa and the Caretaker Part 3

 Neelix was stressing. Voyager had told him that Kes had been beamed back, but she had told him about her people’s closed minded views. He was sure that she would be affected by her brief time down there. He looked out the window and saw that Voyager was breaking orbit.

“Voyager, what are you doing?” he asked.

“Returning to the Array,” Voyager answered. “We still need to talk to the Caretaker.”

“But, he told you to leave him alone, didn’t he?”

“He did, but we don’t have any other choice.”


Kes returned to the Observation lounge.

“How are you, sweetie?” Neelix asked.

“It reminded me why I left. But I’m fine.”

Even so, Neelix hugged Kes.

Voyager interrupted. “A heads up; Kazon ships are also approaching the Array. There may be battle.”

A klaxon sounded, and red lights flashed along the wall. The words Red Alert! started flashing on the bottom of the viewscreen.


Voyager powered her weapons systems and raised shields as she and Talon approached the Array and the two vessels. She hailed one of them.

“Have you come to investigate the entity's strange behavior too, ship?” Jabin asked.

“We want to get home, Jabin,” Voyager responded. “I was about to try to talk to the Caretaker to arrange that.”

“I’m afraid I can’t permit that.”

“We have no dispute with you.”

“I have a dispute with anyone who would challenge us,” Jabin said.

“This is ridiculous. We have no intention of challenging you.”

“I have no intention of letting anyone with your level of technology contact the entity!” He then cut off the transmission.


I’m going to beam Kes to the Array, Voyager said to Talon. Can you hold off the Kazon?

I think so, Voyager.


“Someone has to beam over to the Array. I doubt the Caretaker would be receptive to a DOT projecting a hologram,” Voyager said to Kes.

“I’m ready,” Kes said.

“Are you sure, sweetie?” Neelix asked.

“I have to. Voyager can’t, and I don’t think you want to.”

Neelix couldn’t argue with that. “Just be careful.”


When she had materialized inside the Array, Kes saw that it looked similar to the city she had called home. But she knew that it was a holographic environment, as the records stated that the Caretaker had based the underground city on existing Ocampa architecture. She took out the tricorder Voyager had given her and picked up the sporocystian lifesigns ahead. She looked closer at the display and saw that they were weakening. “I need to find him.”

Kes entered a large room.

“You’re nothing, if not persistent, Kes,” the old man present said. Kes knew that he was the Caretaker.

“Voyager and Talon need to be sent back where they came from.”

“That isn't possible. I've barely enough strength to complete my work.”

“You’re dying,” Kes realised, after glancing at the tricorder again. “That’s why you have given the Ocampa the extra energy and are now sealing the conduits.”

“If I don't, the Kazon will steal the water. But in several years, when the Ocampa's energy runs out, it won't matter. They'll be forced to come to the surface and they won't be able to survive.”

“You did something to cause the catastrophe, didn’t you? That’s why you have looked after us all this time?”

“We're explorers from another galaxy. We had no idea that our technology would be so destructive to your atmosphere. Two of us were chosen to stay behind and care for you,” the Caretaker answered.

“There’s another? I never heard that.”

“Not anymore. She went off to look for more interesting places. But I didn’t supress the historical information. It was your ancestors who did that.”

“But why were you bringing ships here, inflecting people with a fatal illness? How would that help the Ocampa?” Kes asked.

“Oh, they didn't die of an illness. They died because they were incompatible.”

“Incompatible?”

“I've been searching the galaxy for a compatible biomolecular pattern. Now, in some individuals I found cellular structures that were similar, but I…” the Caretaker began.

Kes interrupted. “You have been trying to procreate?”

“I needed someone to replace me. Someone who'd understand the enormous responsibility of caring for the Ocampa. Only my offspring could do that.”

“Maybe the Ocampa could take care of themselves.”

“They’re children!” the Caretaker said dismissively.

“Because you’ve coddled them. They need to grow up.”

“Voyager to Kes. Another, much larger, Kazon vessel has arrived. It’s out powering us. You have to be quick.”

“Give me another few minutes,” Kes said.


Talon noticed the Kazon ship damage Voyager’s weapons arrays. It would take her time to affect repairs. ‘She has a better chance of returning to the Alpha Quadrant alone if Kes doesn’t come through than I do.’ He knew what he had to do. It was what the Maquis had designed him to do. The Kazon were no better than the Cardassians.


DOTs were repairing the damaged systems, and a transporter lock on Kes was being maintained (even if the sporocystian life signs were no longer registering on her sensors).


The Array trembled around them.

“I have set the self destruct,” the Caretaker said. “You must go, Kes.”

“But you’ll die alone,” Kes objected.

“Your people will be in my thoughts to the last.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Kes said sadly.


Voyager noticed that Talon was on a collision course with the large Kazon ship, whose basic AI was still screaming threats at her.

Talon, what are you doing?

Giving you a chance. Be ready to receive my logs.

Your logs aren’t you.

I know, but you have more of a chance. Bye Voyager!


Talon accelerated as he approached the ship. He transmitted his logs and ejected a buoy for good measure at the last minute. The Kazon ship only realized at the last minute and screamed at him.

Talon was gone in an instant and the Kazon ship was out of control. It soon crashed into the Array.


The room shook and the holographic environment disengaged. Kes saw that the Array was naturally white, and that the Caretaker’s true form wasn’t remotely humanoid, and… shrinking.

More like dying…

“Voyager to Kes. A Kazon ship just collided with the Array. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Voyager. Stand by,” she said as she approached the Caretaker.

“The self-destruct programme has been damaged. Now this installation will not be destroyed,” the Caretaker said as he continued to shrink. “But it must be. The Kazon must not be allowed to gain control of it. They will annihilate the Ocampa.” The Caretaker then completely shriveled up and died.

Kes picked up his remains and tapped her commbadge. “Kes to Voyager. One to beam back.”


Kes materialized in the Observation Lounge. She placed the Caretaker’s remains on the table before rushing out to the Bridge.

“Kes?” Voyager asked as she put the Array on screen. “I’m sorry that the Caretaker is dead.”

“I’ll grieve later, but now the Array needs to be destroyed.”

“Otherwise the Kazon might get their hands on it,” Voyager concluded.


Voyager considered her options after beaming aboard Talon’s buoy. She checked over her weapons load out. Two Tricobalt Devices. Starfleet had given them to her in case she either came across an obstinate Maquis base or a subspace phenomenon in the Badlands that she needed to get through. But they would be effective against the damaged Array.

She hailed the remaining Kazon ships. She saw that Jabin was still in command. “I warn you to get to a safe distance. I’m going to destroy the Array.”

“You can’t do that!” Jabin objected.

“I can. I warned you as a courtesy. Remember that.” She then broke the transmission and withdrew to 400 kilometers from the Array. Once she was in position, she fired.


Kes was still on the bridge when Jabin hailed again.

“You have made an enemy today,” he said before ceasing the transmission again.

The Kazon ships withdrew. Voyager withdrew herself, back into the Ocampa system, to repair herself and prepare for the multi-decade journey back to the Alpha Quadrant.


A few hours later, Voyager had finished her repairs. Kes had wandered her corridors while Neelix had stayed in the quarters he had occupied when he had first arrived on the ship. She then called them both to the Ready Room.

“I am about to set course for home,” Voyager said when both of them had arrived. “I have supplied Baxial with water, Neelix. It’s ready to go.”

“Well, you see, that's what we wanted to discuss. We'd like to go with you,” Neelix said.

“Sorry, I’m not a passenger ship,” Voyager responded.

“We wouldn’t be passengers,” Kes said. “We would be friends, colleagues, like we have been already. I know that you would be lonely, taking the journey by yourself.”

“Whatever you need is what I have to offer. You need a guide? I'm your guide. You need supplies? I know where to procure them. I have friends among races you don't even know exist. And Kes persuaded me.”

“Then welcome aboard,” Voyager responded. “I knew that I would be lonely on the journey.”

“Thank you,” Kes said.


In the Shuttle Bay, a DOT connected Talon’s buoy to a secure dataport, to copy it’s data to a system separate from the rest of Voyager, so she could check it over securely before storing it in her core systems. Unknown to her, a Cardassian symbol flicked on for a second on a screen on the bouy’s side as the data was transferred.


Soon, Voyager was ready to go to warp. Kes was on the bridge as she approached the edge of the system.

“Setting course for Sector 001. Estimated time of arrival: 75 years. But I’m not willing to settle for that,” Voyager said.

“There is the other one, who left the Caretaker to explore,” Kes said.

“There are also spatial rifts, wormholes or new technologies that could help us. Somewhere along this journey, I’ll find a way back.”


Voyager then jumped to warp.

Spider Quinn 18 A Birthday and Stormy Sonnets Part 5

 

However, something happened when they brought William into the daylight. He began to transform, with some of his skin stretching and his eyes turning dark. “William, are you OK?” SpiderGirl asked as she and Ninja Talon let go.

 

“You should have listened to me!” William said in a deeper voice. He then turned against her and sent her flying.

 

She caught herself with webbing. “Ow! Run Talon!”

 

 

Ninja Talon didn’t have to be told twice. She dashed to another tree, but William came after her. “William, what are you doing?” she asked.

 

“Get out of here!” William said as he approached her.

 

She put herself in a defensive stance, ready to defend herself if need be.

 

However, whatever effect the daylight had on him, increased his speed, and she found herself struggling.

 

SpiderGirl tried to web him up, but he broke the webbing, and so, William knocked Ninja Talon over before bolting from the yard.

 

 

SpiderGirl was at Talon’s side in an instant. “Are you OK?”

 

“Ow! I think I sprained something.”

 

“I’ll get you to the hospital. I’ll help you change somewhere.”

 

“Anywhere would be fine. Just not here,” Ninja Talon said.

 

 

They headed directly to Cedars of Lawndale from the Morris’s, with Ninja Talon changing to the usual Brittany on the hospital roof. “But now William is on the loose,” Brittany said.

“I’ll look for him afterwards as well as the Shadow or Dafoanairi.”

 

“I think Dafoanairi may be a liability. You may need to take a risk with the Enigma.”

 

“I’ll consider it, but I’ll sooner find Peterson, but she might not be on duty as she was on this morning,” SpiderGirl said. “But first I’ll call Ashley-Amber.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

 

“SpiderGirl?” One of the orderlies asked, when she brought Brittany into the ER.

 

“I found Brittany somewhere,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“I was running and slipped,” Brittany said.

 

“I see. It will be an hour before the X-Ray machine is available,” the orderly said.

 

“I can wait,” Brittany said.

 

“I’m heading out now,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“Thanks, Spidey. See you later.”

 

 

It was less than 10 minutes before Ashley-Amber arrived, as SpiderGirl had called her on her cell phone from one of the public phones at the hospital.

 

“Your Brittany’s next of kin?” the orderly asked.

 

“Her stepmother,” Ashley-Amber said. “Her father is on business out of town.”

 

“Got it.”

 

 

“What happened, Brittany?” Ashley-Amber asked in concern.

 

“I was running and I slipped, and SpiderGirl happened to be nearby.”

 

“You’re usually so careful. Were you thinking about Kevin?”

 

Brittany had told Ashley-Amber about the breakup and the reasons for it before heading to Quinn’s party. “That wasn’t it. Probably the changes in my life, besides the break up.”

 

“Oh,” Ashley Amber said. “You know, ‘Break a leg’, isn’t literal.”

 

“Of course.”

 

 

SpiderGirl arrived at the Historia, certain that either Daria or Peterson would be there. ‘Maybe Daria is Dafoanairi, but do I want to put her at risk? But maybe she’ll know how to find the Enigma, as I have no idea how to find the Shadow.’

 

 

Daria was thinking about William as she ate her afternoon snack with Jane. She hoped that Peterson had managed to get a warrant.

 

“You’re thinking about that boy?” Jane asked.

 

“Wondering if Peterson has got a warrant yet.”

 

“Probably not. I figure that if she had, she would be here telling you that he had been rescued.”

 

“Probably,” Daria said.

 

 

SpiderGirl hung upside down, as she usually did when hanging from an eave, and looked into the café. She saw that Daria and Jane were there. ‘I don’t see Peterson. But how to get Jane’s attention without drawing Daria’s?’

 

She then looked around at the café where Daria and Jane weren’t looking. ‘Got it, Jennifer! I can ask her to tell Daria and Jane!’

 

 

Jennifer Burns was sitting by herself in a corner of the café when she felt a tapping on her shoulder. She was startled and turned to find SpiderGirl hanging upside down from the ceiling next to her. “Ah! SpiderGirl!”

 

SpiderGirl made a shush motion, putting her finger over where her lips were hidden beneath her mask.

 

Jennifer sighed. “Yes?” she asked quietly.

 

“Meet me up on the roof, quickly. I want you to tell you something.”

 

“Why? Why not someone else? What are you hiding?”

 

“I have my reasons,” SpiderGirl answered. “I’ll see you up there in a minute,” she added before crawling away on the ceiling and into the Historia’s HVAC system.

 

“Fine!” Jennifer said as she got up.

 

 

SpiderGirl looked around at Lawndale as she waited for Jennifer on the roof. ‘I’d likely have better chance of finding William from there,’ she thought as she glanced at the Giant Strawberry. She heard the door open and turned to find Jennifer winded from having ran up the stairs.

 

“What is it?” Jennifer asked.

 

“Ninja Talon and I heard at school that there was a boy who was trapped by his parents.”

 

“You mean that boy who was leaving love letters at Mr. Morgendorffers’ grave?”

 

“Yes. The news reached us as our secret identities,” SpiderGirl answered. It wasn’t strictly a lie. She and Talon had spread William’s story around the school so that as many people as possible knew about the situation. ‘Just as well it came in helpful.’

 

“So, did something happen?”

 

“Yes. Something happened when he was brought into the daylight and he’s now dangerously loose on Lawndale’s streets.”

 

“What do you mean?” Jennifer asked.

 

“When we brought him out, he started changing and lashed out, like something was triggered.”

 

“Right.”

 

“So, tell Daria and Jane that,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“I will.”

 

“And also, that Ninja Talon got injured.”

 

“She did?” Jennifer asked in surprise.

 

“That’s how powerful he is, and he ripped through my webs.”

 

“I’ll tell them that.”

 

“Also, Daria knows the fourth vigilante,” SpiderGirl added. “She might go and find her.”

 

“I met her last week, during the situation with the critics. Very intense. But doesn’t she want to confront you?”

 

“She does, but I’m willing to take the risk.”

 

 

Daria was surprised when Jennifer came over to her and Jane. “Jen?” she asked.

 

“I just met SpiderGirl, up on the roof,” Jennifer said.

 

“SpiderGirl?” Jane asked.

 

Jennifer then explained.

 

 

Daria listened as Jennifer relayed what SpiderGirl said.

 

“So, William is dangerous and has escaped?” Jane asked.

 

“If we didn’t need to find Peterson before…” Daria began.

 

“We need to find her,” Jane said.

 

“And the fourth vigilante?” Jennifer asked.

 

Daria thought for a moment. She hadn’t seen Sandi since lunch. She wasn’t sure where she would be. “I’ll look for her too.”

 

 

Meanwhile, SpiderGirl headed to the Vitale et al office. Her mother needed to know.

 

 

“Quinn?” Helen asked when her younger daughter entered her office. “Are you OK?”

 

“I’m fine, Mom, and so is Daria. It’s William. Like, I ran into Ninja Talon after I left school and was heading to the Historia.”

 

“What? Ninja Talon?”

 

“Yes. She had heard about William at school as her secret identity and she and SpiderGirl had tried to rescue him,” Quinn answered.

 

“Tried? Did they find that he had been moved?”

 

“I wasn’t finished. Something happened when they brought him into the daylight. Like it caused him to change, and Ninja Talon barely got away, and he couldn’t be held by SpiderGirl’s webs. He’s now loose on Lawndale’s streets.”

 

“Oh my!” Helen said.

 

“We need to find Peterson,” Quinn said.

 

“I’m sure she’ll find out soon enough. But there is something else we can do.”

 

“Which is?”

 

“We’ll go and try to talk to his parents again,” Helen answered. She turned to Marianne, who had turned from her desk. “Marianne, tell Eric that I had to duck out due to an emergency.”

 

“I will, Helen.”

 

“Come on, Quinn.”

 

“Right behind you,” Quinn said.

 

 

Daria, Jane and Jennifer left the Historia out the rear entrance. “So, what are we doing?” Jennifer asked.

 

“I’ll drop you two at Jane’s and then look for the fourth vigilante,” Daria answered.

 

“You don’t want us to know her secret identity too,” Jane concluded.

 

“Exactly, and you’re likely to be safe there,” Daria said.

 

“True,” Jane said.

 

“I’d likely to be just as safe at the Historia. I’d like to help,” Jennifer said. “Even if SpiderGirl conveniently roped me into this.”

 

Daria could see that Jennifer was struggling a little. “You can do it. You’re helping with the play after all,” she said as she turned on the engine.

 

“Thanks,” Jennifer said.

 

“And you can help Jane. She has been gathering various maps of Lawndale. Maybe you two can try to figure out where William might go.”

 

“Good idea, Daria,” Jane said.

 

 

Jane thought about it as Daria drove towards Howard Drive. ‘It would be difficult for me to leave as the Shadow if Jennifer is there, but Daria would be suspicious if I refuse Jennifer’s help now. I’ll have to wait five minutes and get Trent to help Jennifer with my project.’

 

 

Helen and Quinn got out of the car outside the Morris’. They could hear William’s mother in a panic. Helen then rushed up to the door and knocked on it.

 

William’s mother came to the door. “You really shouldn't be here. My husband is out looking for William. He’ll be back soon.”

 

“We want to help,” Helen said. “My daughter wants to help after she told everyone at school and SpiderGirl found out.”

 

“You just... you can't imagine how hard it was for both of us. You probably think we're horrible parents.”

 

“When Ninja Talon and SpiderGirl took William out into the light, why did he change?” Quinn asked.

 

“ It was one of the side effects of the drug. He can't be out in the sun. I wish we'd never gotten involved in that mess. They promised that the drug would make him better. It would make him normal.”

 

“There has to be somebody somewhere that can help your son. And did you try legal recourse?” Helen asked.

 

“We tried everything. Dr. Jenners watched five other boys die trying to reverse the side effects. They had Byron hooked up to all those machines like he was some sort of alien. We did seek legal advice, but Oscorp would have got off.”

 

“Is that why the death certificate was faked?” Quinn asked.

 

“We didn't know what to do. Finally, we-- we locked him in the cellar. He cried for days. He didn't understand why we had to keep him down here. We felt like the monsters.”

 

“But if William is taken out of the sun, will he change back?” Quinn asked.

 

“If somebody is strong enough, but if SpiderGirl was unable to, I don’t know who would be able to.”

 

 

Daria pulled into the Lane’s driveway. “Here we are.”

 

“Looks unkempt,” Jennifer commented quietly.

 

“We do look after the place,” Jane said as she got out.

 

“I’ll be back later,” Daria said.

 

“Good luck finding the fourth vigilante,” Jane said.

 

“I’m sure that I’ll find her, but thanks,” Daria said.

 

 

Jane watched as Daria drove off. ‘I hope she knows what’s she’s doing when it comes to the Enigma.’ She then opened the door and led Jennifer up to her room.

 

 

“This is a lot of maps,” Jennifer said as she looked about the cluttered room.

 

“Yes. I have been doing a project based on the streetscape,” Jane responded.

 

“It seems fairly big.”

 

“I have been working on it for a few weeks.”

 

Jennifer picked up one of the maps. “The thing is, SpiderGirl didn’t say where his house was.”

 

“And all Daria was that it was somewhere halfway between the Historia and the cemetery.”

 

“That could still be anywhere.”

 

“Definitely. Listen, I’m going to get my brother,” Jane said. “He can help.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Hopefully, he’s awake.”

 

 

Jane quickly found that Trent was awake, playing one of his guitars in the room.

 

“What’s up, Janie?” he asked.

 

She quickly explained the situation with William, Daria, and Jennifer.

 

“Hmm, you want to find William as the Shadow,” Trent stated. “Yet Jennifer is here.”

 

“Yes. I want to find him before the fourth vigilante does. There’s no telling what she could do to him.”

 

“But if Ninja Talon got injured and SpiderGirl couldn’t restrain him, he could hurt you to.”

 

“I’ll be careful. Besides Mom gave me gadgets that can work at range, and that may be stronger than SpiderGirl’s webs,” Jane said.

 

“I’ll keep Jennifer company.”

 

 

“This is Trent,” Jane said to Jennifer. “He’ll help you with the maps while I try to gather information.”

 

“You’re leaving?” Jennifer asked.

 

“I won’t be gone long.”

 

 

At the same time as the Shadow leaving Casa Lane, Daria pulled up into the Griffin’s driveway. She rang the doorbell and Sandi’s brother Sam answered it. “Hi Daria,” he said. “Sandi is up in her room.”

 

“Thanks, Sam.”

 

“Up the stairs, and to the left,” Sam said as Daria entered.

 

 

Daria found Sandi’s room to be the girly space she had expected, except that she also had an investigation wall. ‘I suppose she had started putting it together after she saw mine the first time.’

 

“Daria? I didn’t expect to see you here,” Sandi said in surprise.

 

“Something’s happened,” Daria began and explained what happened with SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon.

 

 

Sandi took in what Daria had said. “So, SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon heard about him and tried to rescue him, and he turned out to be a dangerous metahuman.”

 

“And he could be anywhere in Lawndale. I’m sure you could succeed where SpiderGirl didn’t.”

 

“I know I could, like, find him, but I’m not sure I could restrain him telekinetically without injuring him.”

 

“Maybe not directly,” Daria said.

 

“That’s a good point. But first we need to find him,” Sandi said as she grabbed a map from her desk. “And first an energy drink.”