Legionnaires Annual 1

Legionnaires Annual #1 Elseworlds » Arthurian Legion Cover by Paul Pelletier & Mark Farmer. Story title Castles in the Air Publication date May 31, 1994 Cover date 1994 Creators Writer(s) Mark Waid & Ty Templeton Penciller(s) Paul Pelletier and Jeff Moy Inker(s) Mark Farmer, John Lowe, Wade von Grawbadger and Ron Boyd Letterer Pat Brosseau Colourist Tom McCraw Editor(s) K.C. Carlson Mike McAvennie (assistant) Cover artist(s) Paul Pelletier (pencils, signed) Mark Farmer (inks, signed) [colourist unknown] helpfilecontent=true

Castles in the Air

(56 pages/? panels)

Synopsis

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On the ruined planet Thanagar, the first planet to be destroyed by the Dark Circle two centuries earlier in their galactic conquest, R.J. Brande searches for a legendary anti-gravity metal. With the help of Rokk Krinn, his magnetically-powered protégé, the metal is pulled from ore and Brande says will be the key to freeing the galaxy from the Dark Circle's oppressive regime. Amazed, Rokk agrees.

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Five years later, Rokk marries telepath Imra Ardeen - the last survivor of her race, destroyed by the Dark Circle - in a ceremony conducted by Brande and attended by many other residents of the space station Avalon, created by Brande to house natives from many worlds who have banded together to fight the Circle.

Suddenly, the wedding is interrupted by a stranger pushing Brande to the floor, thus saving Brande from a bolt of electricity that had been fired at him by an assassin lurking in the shadows. Once the stranger chases the would-be assassin and discovers that he is gone, he explains to the others present that his name is Garth Ranzz, and that he had always believed in the ideal represented by the space station Avalon and by its appointed guardians, the Legionnaires. He tells them that he had hoped to use his lightning powers as a Legionnaire, but that he became preoccupied with tracking down and reforming his brother Mekt, who had similar lightning powers which he was using as an assassin for the Dark Circle. Garth then explains that he found out that Mekt was sent to kill Brande, and that he came to Avalon to save Brande from him, which he did, and then asks the Legionnaires to allow him to join their team. Rokk has Imra probe Garth's mind to see if he's Legionnaire material, and, after seeing something in his mind that causes her to gasp with surprise, she declares that he is, and Rokk welcomes him to the team.

Meanwhile, other Legionnaires have discovered who the traitor that allowed Mekt onto Avalon is, and it turns out to be Legionnaire Hart Druiter. With Garth watching, the Legionnaires try him, find him guilty, and execute him. As he dies, he mentions a device called the Miracle Machine, a legendary object that can turn thoughts into reality. Brande longingly wishes he had such a device, and Rokk reminds him that rather than chase legends, they would have to defeat the Dark Circle using the tools they actually have.

"As the months turn into years..."

Years pass, and Mekt forces his way onto the Dark Circle's ruling council. On Avalon, Rokk complains about the burdens of leadership, snapping angrily when someone offhandedly mentions the Miracle Machine, and wishes that Imra, his wife, would spend less time in virtual reality and more time with him. Imra, meanwhile, works in virtual reality, and she is joined there by Garth, and the two conduct a love affair, as Imra had found in Garth her perfect soul mate when she probed Garth's mind on her wedding day, moments too late. They stop their virtual session when an alarm goes off, the cause of which is a malfunction increasing the gravity of one of Avalon's sections, causing it to break off and burn up in the atmosphere of the planet Avalon orbits, killing several Legionnaires.

Weeks later, five Legionnaires discuss a plan to look for the legendary Miracle Machine behind Rokk's back, believing Rokk to be irrational in his refusal to even consider looking into the possibility that it may exist when if it does, it will enable then to defeat the Dark Circle in an instant. They travel to another section of Avalon, where the mystic Princess Projectra lives, and they conduct a spell to show them the location of the Miracle Machine, which turns out to be in the hands of Mordru, a powerful evil sorcerer.

Elsewhere on Avalon, Imra sees an intruder indicated on the security monitor. She goes to check it out and sees no one, but decides to enter Garth's room, since it's nearby. She opens the door and finds Mekt inside, and Garth tells her that Mekt came to give him the brotherly courtesy of warning him that an attack on Avalon is imminent and that if he wishes to live, he should leave the Legionnaires. Garth tells Mekt that he won't leave, and Mekt assures him that their brotherhood won't save him when the Dark Circle attacks. Imra moves to kill him, but Garth insists on letting his brother live. As the two of them discuss what had just happened, the other Legionnaires discover them together and come to the conclusion that they were conducting an affair and that they have betrayed the Legion. Rokk orders them to be taken in for trial, and Garth tries to escape with Imra, who decides instead to stay behind and ensure Garth's ability to escape.

Imra is then tried, and Rokk declares her guilty of betraying the Legion. The five Miracle Machine seekers walk out of the courtroom in protest of Rokk's apparent replacement of pursuit of justice by a thirst for vengeance. As Rokk declares that the law will be upheld despite their protest, Mekt smiles from his nearby hiding place.

In space, the five Legionnaires who had walked out head for the Sorcerers' World, home of Mordru. As soon as they land, their ship is destroyed and they are attacked by magical creatures, but as they fight the creatures, the battle is interrupted bu Mordru, who had been sleeping but was awakened by the fighting and who demands to know why the Legionnaires are disturbing him. On Avalon, the hour of Imra's execution arrives, and Rokk hopes that someone will come, relieving him of having to decide between killing Imra and going against Avalonian law.

At the moment that she is about to be executed, Garth bursts in an saves her, and Rokk smiles with relief, as this was what he had hoped for. As Garth and Imra try to escape the Legionnaires pursuing them, they run across an army of Dark Circle soldiers led by Mekt, who gleefully declares that with the Legionnaires scattered about, the time is ripe for a Dark Circle attack on Avalon.

On the Sorcerers' World, the five searching Legionnaires tell Mordru that they seek the Miracle Machine, and he tells them that he destroyed it, as he was unable to use it and he didn't want anyone using it against him. The five Legionnaires curse themselves for doubting the correctness of Rokk's path.

On Avalon, Mekt attacks Rokk, boasting that he makes better use of his power than Rokk does, and breaking off Rokk's finger to remove his Legionnaire ring made of the anti-gravity metal Rokk and Brande unearthed. Mekt then taunts Rokk over the fact that Rokk's friends aren't around to help him anymore, and is about to deliver a killing blow, when suddenly, Imra comes from behind and stabs Mekt with a piece of scrap metal, killing him.

Minutes later, Rokk has regained consciousness and sees his friends all standing around him. The five who left apologize for their doubts, telling him that Mordru magically sent them back to Avalon, as he, too, hates the Dark Circle, and admit to Rokk that he was right in insisting on total commitment to the group, as this is the Legion's true strength. As Rokk sees the other Legionnaires fly off together to battle the Dark Circle, he happily tells the deceased Mekt that his friends are there for him after all.

After a while, the Legionnaires rout the Dark Circle soldiers, and Imra and Garth return to Rokk, who was fatally wounded by Mekt. Rokk forgives them for their affair and apologizes to Imra for caring more about Avalon than about her, and tells them to use their love for one another to keep the Legion strong.

"Several years later"

Years later, Imra speaks to a group of natives of many planets, telling them that the construction of Avalon is finally complete and that they no longer need fear the Dark Circle. She asks these people to contribute their knowledge to the expansion of Avalon so that Dark Circle tyranny can be eradicated. As she finishes her address, she, Garth and their son speak of how Rokk's spirit still lives on Avalon.

See also

• Legion Publication History - Other issues published (late) 1989-1994
• Legion Publication History - Other issues of Legionnaires

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