DC Comics Noahide Volume Two

Blue Beetle, The Booster Crew

DC NOAH

DC Comics Noahide

Volume Two

Stories:

The Blue Beetle Corps

The Booster Crew: The Empire of Nippon

 

The Blue Beetle Corps 8: The Role of a Defender

‘Things are informally organised.  But as these years I’ve been on Earth have passed, I’ve noticed that while superhuman like heroes have emerged to combat evil, evil has emerged also, in growing attacks and waves, to foster their plans of world domination upon us all.  Many nations have their heroes now.  And a guardian of a city is almost something we feel obligated to do at the Justice League’ said Superman.  ‘It’s nothing official.  We have no great presidential decree, but the United States Government does pay our bills.  There have been questions, many times.  Gordon Godfrey spoke for a lot of the people.  And if you’ve noticed in the Marvel Universe of comics, Civil War was an event which polarised the populace.  Heroes aren’t always welcomed, because evil inevitably comes along.  It’s like the old religions �" Good versus Evil �" God and the Devil.  Whatever the Good Lord does to help us all, the Dark Lord responds in time.  I can’t really say if they are the ultimate powers at work in this universe, but where the Jedi are, the Sith usually reply.’

‘Star Wars,’ said Daniel Garrett.  ‘One of my faves.’

‘So what I am saying is that we feel obligated at the Justice League to ask the heroes as they emerge to choose a city, a village, a locality, and be its defender.  For we are all that, defenders of Truth, Justice and the International Way.  The Blue Beetle Corps must ultimately decide what it does in its work, for we’re not dictators.  God knows we can never be that.  But, if you will, we just ask you continue to station yourselves in El Paso, and defend that part of America and planet Earth, and for that we would be eternally grateful.’

Daniel Garrett the First Blue Beetle offered Superman his hand, and shook it.  ‘We’d be glad to Kal El.  It’s the least we could do.’

Superman nodded, looked around at the city from the top of the Carlton Hotel where they were standing, and smiled at Daniel, took the skies, and, most likely in Daniel’s consideration, back to Metropolis and the never-ending Battle against evil.

Daniel sat himself down, and took his wallet out of his costume interior.  He opened it and looked at the newly designed shield of the Blue Beetle Corps.  They had approval from the FBI, CIA and United States Federal Police, after 6 months of legal training, to operate as ‘Heroes’ in El Paso.  The government had agreed to fund them somewhat, but Ted was one of the richest men in America and fitted a lot of the bills for the Corps.  He looked at his shield, smiled to himself at how far he had come, and stood, put his wallet back in his costume, and strode off, back to the work of the Blue Beetle Corps.

The End

 

The Blue Beetle Corps 9: Radio Waves?

''Blood takes less than half a minute to travel through the body,' said Ted Kord. These Blue Beetle boots have in their heels small devices which are essentially radios.'

'So you can rock and roll while fighting crime, right?' queried Jamie Reyes. 'Cool.'

'No,' replied Ted Kord. 'Unless its Sonny and Cher. Or Bob Seger. Stuff which gets right down to the soul's core.'

'You've lost me,' said Jamie.

'And you're the Generation Y kid,' sighed Ted.

'Hey, us Millennials deal with a lot of crap,' said Jamie. 'Have you seen the amount of homework they give us these days. I'm up till frikking 8 pm doing maths.'

'I studied till midnight every night of my school life to come first in school each year,' replied Ted.

'Well ain't we the superhero,' commented Jamie.

'As I was saying, these boots have miniature radios in them. The tunes are actually from Bon Jovi, if you must know. Their debut album. What the radio waves do is act as a host.'

'Yeh, the host. Cool book by the author of Twilight. Read it last year,' said Jamie.

'Are you going to continue interrupting me?' asked Ted.

'My lips are sealed,' replied Jamie.

'Right. Now the radio waves act as hosts, for which the Zarlecite pulse machine, also in the device in the heel, emits a pulse which carries the radiation of the Zarlecite shard within the machine. This is carried by the host radio waves, only a short distance, but it is enough to affect the blood of my feet.'

'And that takes less than half a minute to get through the bloodstream,' replied Jamie.

'Exactly,' said Ted.

'See, I have been paying attention.'

'Now, its a concentrated amount of radiation, but the Zarlecite shard is not alone. I've been doing some studies on alloys as the basic idea, and through my knowledge of chemistry, dim as it is, I've added a few other mineral shards to the Zarlecite which should modify its affect in the desired way. I experimented on mice. Forgive me. Traditional idea,' said Ted.

'How are the mice?' asked Jamie.

'One of them is now 8 foot high, and likes cheese. The mice are frikking fine, don't worry about it. But they possessed great powers for a while until normal biochemistry in the body expunged the effects of the Zarlecite radiation.'

'The boots? Ready to go?' asked Jamie.

'A few minor modifications, and we'll see,' said Ted.

'And the Blue Beetle Corps gets its second superpowered member,' said Jamie.

'I guess so,' replied Ted.

The End

 

The Blue Beetle Corps 10: Cloudflame and Scorcher

Jane Cloud looked at the bell on her bicycle. She really should ring it. But the driver in the van probably wouldn't hear her anyway. Suddenly the van veered to the right, and crashed into a pole. She got off her bike and ran to the front. The driver was unconscious, but didn't seem hurt. She fished her mobile out of her purse, rang 911, and gave her address. Then she waited. She noticed the back door of the van had jolted open, and decided to do her second good deed of the day and close it. She came around and looked inside. A large object had fallen over and cracked, and green sludge was dripping out.

'Yo, Jane. Wassup,' said a voice behind her. She turned and looked.

'Oh, it's you Freddy.'

'What's in the van?' he asked.

'Green stuff,' she replied.

Freddy Flinders came and looked inside the van, and Jane looked again.

'What is that stuff?' asked Freddy and reached out and touched it. It zapped at his fingers, and he pulled them back. 'Man, that was a rush. Like a bolt of fire went through me or something.'

Jane wasn't chicken. She touched it also, and felt the same bolt of energy. Suddenly the sludge turned grey, and then collapsed to ashes.

'Crazy,' said Freddy. 'Come on. We'll be late for school.'

'The driver is unconscious. I've called 911,' said Jane.'

'See you at school then,' said Freddy, and wandered off. Jane looked at the ashes. She felt different. She felt �" alive.

* * * * *

After school Jane and Freddy were walking home. It stared raining.

'Damn rain' said Jane. She was getting wet, but her bodied started to feel different. All of a sudden she was burning, flames all over her body, blue flame, and Freddy had started burning red. But they wern't being consumed. They looked at each other and Jane could feel her mind instinctively telling the flame to calm down. Shortly it stopped and Freddy did soon after.

'What the hell has happened to us?' asked a bewildered Fred Flinders.

'God only knows,' replied Jane Cloud.'

The End

 

The Blue Beetle Corps 11: Ring of Fire

Firefist was risen from the dead. Not exactly, though. He'd gone down, into the earth, and emerged in a sewer. Then he had wandered, and gone home. The Blue Beetle had taught him a lesson, and he'd thought that over, and turned to a life of petty crime, rather than trying to take over the world, robbing stores from time to time all over the southern states, and read in a paper about the Blue Beetle Corps making its home in El Paso. He drifted south and rented a place in south El Paso. He'd amuse himself here for a while.

 

Jane Cloud and Freddy Flinders were in a deserted region south of the city of El Paso, hovering in the air, their bodies flaming fire.

'I can only go a few feet up,' yelled Freddy.

'Me too,' said Jane.

'Follow me,' yelled Freddy. He started hovering and moving forward and Janes mind worked over this thought and started following. But Freddy sped up a bit and so did she and soon they were bolts of flame roaming the wilderness. The earth was scorched beneath them a bit, but they avoided deep grass and the forests and stayed on the dirt most of the time. They came back to where they started and Freddy's flames diminished and he descended to the earth. Jane soon followed suit.

'We're Cloudflame and Scorcher,' said Freddy.

''Suits me,' replied Jane.

 

Firefist watched the kids for a while. He followed them from a distance as they walked back into the city, and found the girl's home and then the boys. Interesting, he thought to himself. Fire �" flame �" his passion. Perhaps these two could be useful. Perhaps he could bring them into a ring of fire, and have a bit of fun in downtown El Paso. Thoughts of fun entered his head, and maybe thoughts of a little bit of crime as well �" heck, he had bills to pay �" as he walked home through the streets of El Paso, new plots of crime already hatching in his head.

The End

 

The Blue Beetle Corps 12: Takin' on the Flames

'You two handle the flame kids. I'll take care of Firefist,' said Ted, and ran off chasing his foe.

Sandra looked at Daniel. 'They're hot,' she said to Daniel.

'Thank you,' said Freddy, and pointed at Sandra, a bolt of red flame coming out at her which she quickly evaded.

'Hah, is that the best you have?' mocked Sandra.

In response Cloudflame shot forward and burned her flame at Sandra, who was quickly engulfed, but Jane pulled back quite quickly.

'Frik, that was hot,' said Sandra, and looked at her costume. It wasn't burnt.

'Its soft flame for me,' said Cloudflame. 'But believe me, I can heat it up when I need to Blue Beetle.'

'She's a saint,' said Freddy. 'Me, I like to live a little,' and he threw a bolt of flame at Daniel, who jumped to the side, but his grappling hook got torched a bit. 'She's Cloudflame, and I'm Scorcher,' said Freddy.

'We're bad guys,' said Cloudflame. 'Betcha can't catch us,' and they both wizzed up the street, turned, and looked at Daniel and Sandra standing there watching them.

'Should we go after them?' Sandra asked Daniel.

Daniel looked at Sandra and slowly walked towards the two flamebirds. Sandra followed behind him.

'Crime doesn't pay, you know,' said Daniel to Cloudflame. 'Maybe you wanna like think over returning that money.'

'Mmmm. Nup,' replied Cloudflame. She was in blue jeans and a blue sweater which faded to white at the top. She had sunglasses on, which were on cords strapped to her head to keep them snugly on.

'Is that a wig?' Daniel asked Cloudflame.

'Mind your own business,' replied Cloudflame.

'We're going to have to take you in,' said Sandra, showing her Blue Beetle Corps shield.

Scorcher had a red mask covering his face. Identifying either of them would need their duisguises removed.

'Let's have some fun,' said Scorcher. He and Cloudflame started circling the two Blue Beetles, who watched them both carefully, ready to jump out of danger. Daniel looked back at the van the money was in, and figured Ted had Firefist under control.

'Let's get the cash to the police,' he said to Sandra,

'What about these two clowns?' she asked.

'Let them be. I sense they don't really give a damn about the money. They're in it for kicks.'

Daniel and Sandra retreated down the street slowly, but the flamebirds rushed down and stood in front of the van. Daniel took out his air gun.

'We're authorised to use these things,' he said to the kids.

Scorcher shot another bolt of fire at Daniel, who ducked it again, and shot his gun at Scorcher, who whistled backwards, landing on his butt.

'Take the van,' Daniel said to Sandra. 'I'll sort these two out.'

'You're the boss,' replied Sandra, who jumped in the van and took off. The Flamebirds watched her go and looked at Daniel.

'Didn't need the money anyway,' said Cloudflame. 'Firefist's idea.'

'A criminal doesn't get far in life,' said Daniel

Cloudflame looked at him, thinking that over. 'Probably not,' she said after a while. 'Come on Scorcher. Who cares anyway.' Scorcher walked past Daniel, looking at him, and burned flame briefly, before they flamed up and shot down the street, around the corner and out of sight.

'Hopefully they've learned their lesson,' Daniel Daly thought to himself. 'Now where is Ted?' he pondered as he wandered off chasing up the Amazing Blue Beetle Ted Kord.

The End

 

The Blue Beetle Corps 13: Reflection

'No, technically we are not required to arrest people for crimes or intervene. The mandate of the Blue Beetle Corps in El Paso is that we have legal authority to deal with extraordinary situations involving super villains and other high level occurrences of danger and threat to society, but it is not an imposition. Superheroes generally run with their own impetus in dealing with crime. It's not an obligation. We're not legally required to enforce the law,' said Daniel Garrett.

'That was my understanding,' said Daniel Daly. 'So I made a judgment call on the flame kids and decided to let it pass. Give them a chance to think over what they might be getting themselves into.'

'First offenders get a break,' said Sandra. 'We givem em a chance first, don't we?' she asked Daniel Garrett. 'In training that was pointed out, right?'

Dan Garrett nodded.

'Well so I said to the cops that there was these crooks who I didn't get a clear picture of who ran when they saw us. And I returned the money they had stolen,' finished Sandra.

'In Gotham the Batman stil deals with some of his adversaries that way. Makes his own judgment call. Villains some times get away. Some times heroes don't try that hard to stop em,' said Dan G.

'Besides, we'd be out of business pretty quick,' said Ted Kord. 'And its good for publicity. Bwah hah hah.'

'All jokes aside, you did good,' said Dan Garrett to Daniel and Sandra. 'But next time �" if the two flame kids push on further with a life of crime �" well next time we respond with a little more force.'

'Understood,' said Daniel.

'Gotcha loud and clear,' said Sandra.

The Blue Beetle Corps finished off their debriefing, and an incident report was made and filed in their private records. Cloudflame and Scorcher were known to them now. Time would tell if they got to know them any better and, a big if, if they had to deal with them with that much more persuasion.

The End

 

The Blue Beetle Corps 14: Decisions

Firefist, Cloudflame and Scorcher were at their secret headquaters, discussing what had gone down.

'Pretty hopeless,' said Firefist. 'I leave you with the cash and you let them grab it. Hardly supervillain material.'

'Not sure we want to be,' replied Cloudflame, puffing on a ciggie. 'Troublemakers, yeh, why not. What's life if you can't live a little. But I'm Catholic and want to get to heaven in the end. Don't think I want a life of crime in the end. Just a hell of a good time.'

Scorcher sipped on his bottle of whisky. 'Cut the really bad stuff with us Firefist. We're in it for kicks. No more robbing stuff and s**t. But we don't mind breakin' a few of the rules.'

'Hopeless,' said Firefist. 'You're hardly Blue Beetle Corps Rogues material.'

'Didn't sign up for that,' said Cloudflame. 'Maybe some rouguish behaviour. But don't wanna do no hard time.'

'Decisions,' said Scorcher. 'We made em the other day. Party up, but we ain't goin' down.'

'Fine,' said Firefist. He stroked his chin. 'Well, if you like a party, I have the perfect solution.'

Cloudflame looked at Scorcher and looked at Firefist. 'I'm all ears.'

'Whats the score?' asked Scorcher.

And Firefist shared his new plan of adventure, a plan were he would use the unwitting anti-heroes for his own diabolical purposes.

* * * * *

'So, life as a Blue Beetle,' said Sandra, sipping a beer.

'Pretty much,' replied Daniel Daly, who had a dry ginger ale in his glass.

'What you signed up for?' she asked.

'Did you ever sign up? They just sort of fitted me in because of a well made expression of interest.'

'Sort of me too,' said Sandra. 'But a little blue guy got involved. Wondering if he might drop by and visit you some time.'

'Who knows,' replied Daniel, sipping on his soft drink. 'But it could be interesting. And the stipend is enough to pay my rent. Gonna need a green card extension soon enough, though. Or its back down under and solo superheroing for me.'

'I'm sure you'll get approved,' said Sandra. 'Anyway, cheers,' she said, raising her glass.

'Cheers,' replied Daniel.

And the first real adventure of the Sensational and Quintessential BlueBeetles came to a conclusion, but the next chapter in their careers was just on the horizon.

The End

 

The Booster Crew: The Empire of Nippon

Chapter One

'Rocking in New Jersey,' said Booster Red.

'Don't let it get to your head,' replied Booster Gold.

'He can be excitable,' said Goldstar. 'Runs in the males of the family.'

'Pass me a beer,' said Booster Red.

'That runs in the family also,' said Goldstar.

'Booster!' said Skeets.

'Yes,' replied Booster Red and Booster Gold in unison.

'There are 3 men approaching, armed with swords. They are Japanese in appearance.'

Booster Gold looked up and saw the three men. They were dressed in modernistic Samurai outfits.

'Booster Gold San,' said one of them. 'You have information we require. Information of the 25^th century. We are willing to pay much cash for such information.'

'Business is good. Timeline concerns means I don't discuss futurology,' replied Booster Gold.

'That is �" unfortunate,' replied the Samurai. 'We will need to persuade you then.'

The three samurai took out their swords and pointed them at the three heroes. The ensuing melee was a whistle and dance of action and mayhem, which resulted in the three samurais lying unconscious on the ground on the shore of the ocean, where the Booster Crew had been enjoying their twilight party.

'What do we do with them?' asked Booster Red, sensitively touching the fresh cut to his cheek.

'We call the police,' replied Booster Gold. 'Skeets. Notify the New Jersey Police Department. We have three men guilty of aggravated assault, and yes, we will be pressing charges.'

'Certainly, Booster,' replied Skeets.

The Booster Crew waited till the NJPD had arrived, then the men were handcuffed and taken into custody.

'We will need that information,' said the Samurai again. 'If you will not divulge it, drastic measures must be taken. We will pay you one billion American dollars for certain core details about the society.'

'Take em away, officers,' said Booster Gold.

They got back to their party, and Goldstar finally spoke. 'You know, one billion is a lot of cash. I'd be tempted. I am tempted.'

Booster looked at her. 'Timeline issues always cause problems. It's hell resolving them. If we divulged too much information the space-time continuum would alter drastically. Things could change, and in ways we wouldn't like. It's too risky sis.'

'Yeh,' said Booster Red. 'It's too risky.' But there was no sincerity in his words.