Titans of Justice Unlimited #80 - "Submission & Control Part 4"
Written by: Scotty2Hotty
Editing & Maxi-Micros by: Power Guy

Earth Marvel...

“Wow…..that was a bumpy ride.” Green Lantern said. He, along with members of the Titans and the West Coast Avengers, had arrived back on the Avengers’ homeworld. Green Lantern was accustomed to cosmic travel, but this trip had been shaky and rough.





“It seems different, the air’s so still.” Cheetah said.





“I don’t hear anything. It’s like this world has died.” Corporal Marvel added, looking around.





The group noticed the sky was a milky gray color and the sun was not shining. A haze drifted off the ocean into the city and no people were present.

“Look. Over there, I think that’s what we’re looking for.” Apotheosis said, pointing to the Hollywood sign. The Hollywood hills were covered with masses of people all bowed to a giant starfish.





“Starro.” Champion said, drawing her sword.





“Everyone here…even the sea life is under his mental control. It’s like he’s feeding off their life energy, almost like he’s drunk.” Storm Surge said.





“Maybe this will be easier than we thought? If he’s kind of out of it, let’s go take him down and free everyone.” The Spider said, itching for action.





The group made their way through the masses of mind controlled people.

“Ah, fresh food!” Starro said as his giant eye snapped open.





“So much for the calm and casual approach. He’s seen us.” Ms. Hulk said.





“Fine. I’m ready to send this starfish back to the sea for what it’s done to our world!” Mr. Marvel said, taking to the air.





Widow Maker drew an arrow and aimed. Starro swatted the arrow away with one of his arms. Suddenly the possessed mass of people started moving clumsily.





“Don’t hurt them!” Widow Maker said. “They’re under his control.” He then gently stepped aside as an elderly woman tried to swat at him.

Sunstar took to the air and fired at Starro. His blasts seemed to have no affect and Starro swatted him away, landing in the ocean. He struggled to the surface.

“D@mn!” Sunstar said. He tried to get his bearings as an army of starfish covered his body, dragging him to the bottom of the ocean.





Just then, Wonder Man, Thundercat, Freedom Falcon, Magneto, Red Hammer, Frost, Wolverine, and Spider Girl appeared. Each of them had starfish attached to their faces.

In unison they said, “Surrender. It is easier this way.” Wolverine’s claws popped.

“Maybe I can free them!” Corporal Marvel said as Flash, Green Lantern, Champion, and Storm Surge attacked Starro. Despite their efforts, Starro captured them. Champion was thrust around, trying to use her lasso but unable to manipulate it due to the thrashing. She struggled as she was captured in one of his tendrils.

“My ring….no effect!” Green Lantern shouted as he blasted away with his power ring, a tendril wrapping around him.

“His arms….too slippery--can't get traction!” The Flash shouted as he tried to run up one of Starro’s arms.





“Maybe this will help!” Storm Surge said, tossing his trident at Starro’s eye.

“SPLOOSH!!!” the trident hit its mark as blood and gore oozed from Starro’s eye.

The Titans all fell as Starro screamed in agony.

“Good work Storm Surge!” Banshee yelled.





Just then, Starro’s eye regenerated as if it had never been harmed.

Corporal Marvel flew to Freedom Falcon. He grabbed the starfish and pulled.

“It is useless to resist.” She said, blasting him away. Espirita squawked as her razor sharp talons clawed away at Corporal Marvel, ripping his costume.





“It is useless to resist.” Came Thor’s voice, hammer drawn. He struck at Corporal Marvel who met him blow for blow with his own hammer. Mystical energy poured off both hammers as the struck.





Wolverine engaged Champion in battle, his adamantium claws crashing with her bracelets.

Sunstar emerged from the ocean and joined the other possessed Avengers, a starfish pulsating across his face. He fired into the group causing them to scatter.

“It’s no use! No matter what we do, we fall!” Diva said, using her light manipulation powers to dodge a blow from Wonder Man.





“I can’t reach my dad…..everyone’s gone!” Iron Man said sending a repulsor ray blast at Red Hammer at the exact same time Siren unleashed her wail.





“Iron Man! Look! We did it!!” Siren said, hugging Iron Man. Red Hammer dropped to his knees and said something in Russian. He smiled at Iron Man and Siren.

“Everyone! We have to work together!” Ms. Hulk cried. She didn’t see a starfish drop from the sky and cover her face. Soon she was fighting her teammates.

“NAIL!!!!” Red Hammer said, punching her through a building. She landed 6 city blocks away and quickly got to her feet, the starfish digging deeper into her face.





“We have to defeat Starro! If he goes down, the others will be free!” The Flash said, spinning his arms and creating a vortex that kept Magneto and Frost at bay.

“Flash! Look out!!!” Widowmaker cried as a starfish attached itself to the Flash’s face. He then re-directed his vortex at Widowmaker, knocking him out. A starfish crawled over his face and possessed him.

“This isn’t going well. Starro isn’t paying much attention to me….neither are the others.” Apotheosis thought as he gently made his way through the mass of Starro possessed people. “If I can make my way to Starro, maybe I can shut him down."

As if Starro read his mind, Thundercat and Sunstar lined up to attack him.

“Cover me!” Apotheosis shouted as Green Lantern used his power ring to create a barrier between Apotheosis, Thundercat, and Sunstar.

“Go…go for it!” Green Lantern said, realizing Apotheosis’s plan.

Sparks flew from Champion’s bracelets and Wolverine’s claws. Champion slipped in the slimy trail left by one of the starfish and fell. Wolverine was on top of her before she knew it. “Hera help me….he fights like one of the Gods!”

She strained as he plunged his claws towards her chest. She reached up and caught his arm.

“Artemis give me strength!” she grunted as she slowly but surely was able to twist Wolverine’s arm towards his face.

SLICE!!!!!!!!!! With one swoop Champion struggled to guide his hand. Wolverine slashed the starfish off his face and gasped for air. He stumbled around for a minute and got his bearings.

“What…what happened?” he asked, memories hazy. “Titans…what are they doing here--?”





“We’ll fill you in later, Wolverine!” Diva said. “Right now, we need those claws!”

Wolverine leaped into the air and joined the battle.

Storm Surge was trying to mentally connect with Starro in an effort to stop him.

“His mind….like several minds at once…..” Storm Surge said, grabbing his temples.

“Fool. Your father was a better telepath than you and he failed to stop me.” Starro said, sending a bolt of mental energy at Storm Surge. His body twitched and twisted.

“You ok?” Cheetah asked bounding over to his side.

“Yeah….just need a minute….” Storm Surge said.

Like lightning, both heroes were overcome when two starfish attached to their faces.

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hammer against hammer, Corporal Marvel and Thor fought. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

“Can’t keep this up…..” Corporal Marvel thought. He ducked as Thor swung his hammer. Corporal Marvel was able to land a blow to Thor’s legs, knocking him over.

“Good work, red cheese!” The Spider said, using his webbing on Thor. The thunder god was temporarily slowed for a moment as Diva and Siren combined their powers and blasted the starfish from Thor’s face.

“Red Cheese? Oh, Spider…any nickname but that.” Corporal Marvel smiled.

“What manner of madness is this….?” Thor said, struggling to his feet and noticing Corporal Marvel’s hammer.

“I have had enough of this!” Starro’s voice boomed. I can detect Ultron was a failure! I shall control this world and then invade my own! Starro, the conquorer of two earths!”

The Avengers and Titans noticed the starfish suddenly drop from everyone they possessed and started making their slimey way to Starro. His mass possessed victims dropped, unconscious.

Frost staggered around. “Violated….by that…that thing! I’ve never felt so disgusted in my entire life!” he fumed as the other Avengers and Titans were released from their haze.

“What’s it doing now?” Green Lantern asked.

“Everyone…brace yourselves…look out!” Storm Surge said as Starro absorbed his army and grew bigger…bigger by the moment. Multiple arms and eyes popped out of his rapidly mutating body. Squishing sounds echoed as bile and slime poured as thousands of tendrils developed from his body.

“The mental energy…pouring from him…..he….he’s about to devour us all….his mind….he thinks he’s God!” Frost shouted as the wind around them howled.

“I’m not about to let some side show attraction devour our world or us!” Widowmaker said.

“Me neither! I have a sold out North American tour coming up! Money to make!” Diva said angrily.

“And I….I, well I have no plans, but I’m still mad as Hell!” Iron Man added.

“You fought valiantly to save our world! I will gladly give my life to save yours!” Champion added.

“Avengers! Assemble!” Ms. Hulk cried, leading the charge.

“A pathetic last effort.” Starro’s eyes bulged as blasts of mental energy emitted from every pore of his body. Within seconds all of the heroes were down, save one. Apotheosis stood behind the ‘H’ in the Hollywood sign.

Starro laughed as his tendrils slithered over the iconic famous sign. One of his eyes caught a glimpse of Apotheosis.

“Ah, one that escaped my sights. And what do you plan to do little man? Shall I keep you alive? Make you my herald when I dominate our home dimension?”

“What do I plan to do? I’m going to show you, you son of b*tch!!!! “Apotheosis screamed as he approached Starro.

He placed his hands on a slithering, puss covered tendril. “Dear God, let this work, never tried to absorb this much power!” he silently prayed.

Apotheosis’s eyes popped open as power surged through him.

At first Starro shook, from laughing but then…..something started to happen. Energy poured off his grotesque body and powerful vibrations shook the land beneath Apotheosis’s feet.

“You…what are you doing….it’s not possible!” Starro screamed.

Apotheosis was silent as he concentrated….stayed focused on absorbing the power. His costume started to burn away….his mask shattered.

“You little fool! You think you can contain this much raw power!?” Starro growled.

“He can….with some help!” came Iron Man’s voice. He had somehow managed to regain consciousness and blasted away at Starro with his repulsor rays. Starro was weakened, thanks to Apotheosis, and started to feel his moist skin begin to dry out.

“No! No, stop!!!” Starro demanded, flipping one of his arms at Iron Man, which he gracefully dodged.

“ARGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!” Apotheosis screamed as the air crackled around him. He dropped to the ground.

Iron Man held back as he noticed Starro’s body become hard…brittle…..

“What…have you…done to us…?” Starro said weakly.

"I've absorbed your power...using it against you....commanding you to...destroy...destroy...yourself!" Apotheosis gasped as Iron Man watched.

“What would Dad tell me to do?” Iron Man thought. “I think I know…..Theo, you’ve got this.”

Iron Man let loose a wide repulsor ray aimed directly at Starro’s dried out eye. The ray cut wide and far and blasted Starro to bits. Hard, dry chunks rained from the sky. Iron Man flew to Apotheosis side.
“Ap—Ap---“ Iron Man struggled to say his name. “Hey man, you did it!”

“Apotheosis opened his eyes. “No man, we did it.”

Soon, both the Avengers and Titans were awake and tending to the wounded.

“Yuck!” Diva said, noticing the chunks of Starro that were lying about.

“This needs to be disposed of. Starro can regenerate pretty easily.” Storm Surge said.

“No problem.” Green Lantern said as he created a giant vacuum cleaner, sucking up the multiple pieces of the defeated villain.

“Sunstar, you up for a return trip to the sun?” he smiled.

“I am.” Sunstar smiled. “Flash, would you be so kind. Your abilities will be needed.”

“Of course.” Flash replied. The three of them were off to dispose of the former threat.

“When we said we’d meet again, I had hoped it wouldn’t be under these circumstances.” Corporal Marvel smiled at Freedom Falcon.

“I know. But, I am glad to see you, and even more happy you could help save our world.”

Espirita squawked in agreement.

“I wish my pet was here, you’d really like him. Not sure if he and Espirita would get along though.”

“Apotheosis, you were amazing.” Champion smiled at the battered man.

“You too Iron Man.” Diva smiled.

Iron Man didn’t seem to notice as he father was talking to him.

“Yeah, Dad. I did it…all on my own. And wait till I tell you what this girl, Lilith did!”

“I can’t wait to hear it Theo. Your mom and I are proud.” Came Tony Stark’s voice.

“I can’t believe it worked.” Apotheosis said. “Champion could you….?”

“Ah! Yes.” Champion said removing her cape and wrapping the nearly naked Apotheosis.

“Costumes in shambles, but look at this world. Almost like nothing ever happened now.”

“You’re right. I’ve been communicating with the sea-life. Everything’s getting back to normal.” Storm Surge added.

Mr. Marvel approached the Titans.

“Once again a crisis has brought our teams together.” He smiled.

“And once again, we faced them and won.” Corporal Marvel replied.

“We’re happy to stay and help you all.” Green Lantern said.

“It’s ok. Ultron did more damage to your world than Starro did to ours. Your world needs you.” Ms. Hulk said.

The Titans and Avengers said their good byes. Mr. Marvel used Sargona’s amulet to send them home….. a home that would see months of rebuilding and repair.


***

Months later...

Reconstruction on the Titans’ earth had been quick. Life was pretty much back to normal and the beach was full of sun-seekers. Connor Kent had invited Freddie Batson and Sherry along with Jared Conhin to the beach.

“Things are looking up.” Jared said as the sun beamed.





“Yeah, things are almost back to normal.” Freddie said as he watched Sherry walk along the beach, the waves crashing at her feet.

Just then Connor’s cell phone rang. It was Hank Hall Jr telling him that he was hosting a pool party that night and Connor and his friends were invited.

“Sounds good to me.” Jared replied.

“Me too. Let me go tell Sherry.” Freddie said, walking down the beach. He noticed she had something in her hand.

“What have you got there?” he asked.

“Isn’t it the cutest little starfish you’ve ever seen?”





Freddie stood back and said, “Why don’t you throw it back? Not a fan of starfish.”


THE END!