The white light of Jo teleportation signature flared as they arrived on the holiday planet Cetee Beta 2. The planet was unusual in the fact that it was reminiscent of a mountain resort with the temperatures of the tropics. Commander Dave Goldfish, Guardian of the Fringe - a team of super beings on Earth - was taking a holiday to try and reconcile the images that were in his head. Images of another time, yet the same time as he was in now. He had met so many familiar people who were complete strangers to him and he had met himself, a man who had pushed his potential. He'd also met an alternate Jo who had developed her own powers as well. He had tried to explain this to others but it was no good. The events were forcing themselves over and over in his mind and so the two of them had left to see if Dave could sort out his mind. Something was wrong in there and he was getting conflicting messages from his brain, sa if during the transition it had been altered. Until he figured it out, he was no use to anyone, himself, Jo, or the Fringe.
"This has got to be paradise," he said as he entered the log cabin, next to lake.
"You're right, you know," said Jo. "It's places like this that make me glad I can teleport."
"It's things like that, that make me love you."
"And I married you because I love you too." They embraced passionately and went in to the cabin.
In the evening, they stepped out on to the snow, dressed in their tropical clothes. It crunched under their feet as they walked towards the river that fed the lake.
"So you say I have a form of telepathy?" asked Jo.
"Yes," said Dave. "It's hard to explain, but the facet of your teleportation power that enables you to get a lock on me is a sort of telepathic link between the two of us. You can see and hear in my mind and vice versa." Dave sat down on the banks of the river. "I dunno, sweet. There is so much that I know about this other place, but there are very few people apart from you who believe me, and you are sceptical as it is."
"Can anyone on the Fringe help you?"
"Maybe, but I don't feel as comfortable around them as I did when I started. Perhaps I ought to speak with someone there when we get back. Now isn't a good time, with all the upheavals that are going on. There's been a few departures recently as well as a few arrivals."
"You mean Blaquesmith and Crystal's kids?"
"Aye." Dave was silent a moment, thinking.
"What?" asked Jo.
"Y' know, I often wonder what it would have been like if I'd stayed as I was. I'm not blaming you for the past, though. If I could do it all over again, I'd do everything the same."
"Everything?" asked Jo.
"Everything." Dave looked at the river. He looked at the snow. The air was warm. This place defied physics completely. "Come on, let's see where the river takes us." He didn't notice the eyes that watched their every move as they walked upstream.
"So you'd do everything the same, Commander? We'll soon see...."
For the next few days, the two of them enjoyed themselves, as if it were a second honeymoon. Dave relaxed himself in to the comfortable security that the place allowed. They had seen no-one else on the planet and so they believed that they were safe. They played and swam, ate and drank and acted as if they had no cares in the world. Jo had teleported them the jukebox they kept at home, which played up to 120 discs of music. Queen, Status Quo, The Beautiful South, Genesis and more were played day and night at great volumes. If they were as alone as they thought they were no one would care. However all the while the figure watched them from a safe distance, plotting his revenge. Twice Goldfish had denied him, and it would not happen again. It was about the middle of the holiday that the figure put his plan into action.
Dave had started to dream of the past, something he had not done in years. He dreamt of a time when his power meant something. He had been, for want of a better word, a god. He was the immortal avatarr of neutrality, a servant of Master Order and Lord Chaos, two of the cosmic entities. He had power and responsibility. He was respected by all the other cosmic entities for he was a being with no plans for good or evil. He helped maintain a balance throughout the universe, which was not an easy job, but it was rewarding. However all that changed when he passed by the Earth one day and glanced at the beautiful maiden he saw. He had not been near the Earth for millions of years as even though the planet had it's conflicts it did not affect the grand order of things. The young woman he saw there was to him perfect. He suspended his cause momentarily and took a mortal shape. The two of them spoke with each other for hours after their meeting, and the first meeting between Jo and 'Dave Goldfish' had occurred.
He kept visiting her from time to time, whilst travelling the universe keeping the place in check. His masters watched what he did and if they disapproved they said nothing. If it did not affect his duties then it did not matter. Then one day he returned to Earth to find her gone. He searched the planet over, but she had disappeared. Puzzled by this occurrence, for he knew much about her and he knew he would have felt her die, he beseeched his masters to help him find her. It was the only thing he had ever asked for in his long service, and they denied him. He was a part of the cosmic order and he had his place. So he defied their wishes and searched for her. The aspects were angry at this and attempted to thwart him, but he eluded them as he was a part of both of them.
One cosmic being saw his quest and pointed him in his quest. Hela, Norse God of the Dead pointed him in the direction of Mephisto, Lord of the Underworld. They had been enemies for countless millennia and this suited her purpose. Dave did not care for her reasons and went in after Jo, in to the Underworld. Mephisto was waiting for him. Mephisto wanted to ruin him so the balance of power could shift in his favour and he decided that this had been the perfect opportunity.
He kept Jo caged for his own reasons and wanted her to become his Queen, for 'one desired by the avatar of neutrality must have some significance in the cosmic game.' Dave, who until now had kept the truth about himself from her, became angry with Mephisto and they began to fight each other for Jo. Mephisto's power was great but Dave's was greater, and for the first time since his awareness he fought against evil, for his own sake. He vanquished Mephisto, but spared his life in exchange for that of Jo. Mephisto agreed, begrudgingly and told Dave that he should not interfere in his affairs again, but for now, he had no quarrel with him. Soon they were transported out of Underworld by Mephisto himself. Dave checked to see if Jo was all right and in doing so he let down his guard which allowed the aspects to find him.
They took him before the Living Tribunal, the great Tri-Judge who maintained a balance with fairness on both sides. At the trial were several aspects, including Eternity who pleaded for leniency on the avatarr in light of the work he had done previously. The trial ended when the Tribunal announced his decision. He knew that the avatarr's responsibility and heart were in so much conflict that he could no longer fulfil his duties as avatarr. However, the Tribunal decreed that the avatarr should be spared oblivion and joined with his love on Earth, where there would be a great deal of conflict between the developing super beings that would eventually affect all reality and some future juncture. He charged the avatarr to keep an eye on the planet and granted him a new life. He and Jo would remember nothing of the events until they were joined again, as the Tribunal allowed both to be reborn with their own genetic abilities. Once they would meet the truth would be revealed. However such a gift comes with a cost - a longer natural life span and they would be denied the ability to have children. What was decreed was and Dave and Jo would not meet again for twenty Earth years after their rebirths.
Dave woke up with a start. He had not dreamed of anything like that in years. Perhaps his once cosmic senses were trying to correct was wrong with him. He knew he retained certain aspects of that life, including the memories of all he had seen and done since time began. He looked at his wife, sleeping. He kissed her forehead and went back to sleep. In the morning he told her what he had dreamed. They both knew what had happened next.
Dave, at the age of 16, got a job at a special military command post based in the UK which did work in genetics. He was allowed in instantly due to his own abilities to control metal and heat, and had soon worked his way up the command post. It was after four years of working there he met up with the owner of the facility, Admiral Geneva, himself a being the super abilities of time and space teleportation. He had watched Goldfish work his way up to Commander and made him Chief of Operations and during this time he met the Chief of Staff, Josephine 'Jo' Geneva - the Admiral's daughter as well as a teleporter in her own right, with the ability to travel any distance with anyone or anything as well as a healing field which had hyper regeneration properties. When the British government stopped doing the research, the Admiral bought the facilities from them and renamed the place Command and Control, otherwise known as C&C to it's occupants.
During this time, Dave and Jo fell in love and on their first kiss the truth was revealed about them. Dave used the C&C to monitor the events of super beings on the planet as he had been charged by the Tribunal. Later he joined the team called the Fringe (a neutral team, irony was always a part of Dave's fate, thanks to his former masters) but he always kept his past a secret.
"Oh Dave," sighed Jo. "I don't know what you can do. My healing field has no effect on curing these problems, so what can we do?"
"Just enjoy what little remains of the holiday," said Dave and went for a swim. Jo watched him then went inside. She was afraid for him and was worried that the problems they both faced would not and could not be solved. It was then she heard the laughter.
"Yet again, you are mine!" Jo looked about but saw no one. Then she felt the claw like hands grab her and cover her mouth, preventing her from screaming. The heat was unbearable and then the cabin walls disappeared around her to be replaced by the rocks and red haze. The stench of blood and evil was everywhere. She called out with every iota of her being. Dave was still in the lake when he heard her in his mind. He saw what she did and he knew who had caused it.
"MEPHISTO!" he shouted and was teleported in to the Underworld, where someone hit him over the back of the head.
Dave came around to find himself in chains and surrounded by a wall or rocks. There was a gap in which he could see Jo, who was encased in a large diamond creation, next to the throne of Mephisto.
:::Jo::: he called in his mind.
:::Dave::: came the weak reply. :::Help me:::
:::I'm coming m'love::: Dave scanned the rocks with his powers but they contained no trace metals. Then the rocks moved away. Mephisto towered over him.
"Long time no see, Commander." The chains disappeared with a wave of Mephisto's hand. "This time she belongs to me. You may have fooled me when I tried to take the soul of your friend Blaquesmith a while ago, but your powers are not what they were when we first battled. I did warn you not to interfere with my plans again. Now you and she must pay the price." He picked up Dave and threw him across the expanse of the Underworld, only to appear behind him and catch him. "Your pathetic powers will not stop me now. If only you could be turned, you would make a powerful ally. I would restore your powers as avatarr and you could keep the woman. I have no use for her, only that keeping her here denies you. You would be all you ever were and have power to gain revenge on those whom caused this - Chaos and Order...." Dave was still dazed after being thrown and the offer did sound so tempting.
:::Dave::: shouted a voice in his mind. :::Don't let him win. Not like this. He want's your soul:::
"Jo?" asked Dave.
"Silence, you whore!" cried Mephisto and fired an energy bolt at the diamond holding her. The diamond shattered and Jo fell to the floor.
:::Dave. Stop him before it's too late::
:::So you have telepathy::: said Mephisto. :::I can sort that::: His eyes glowed and suddenly Jo screamed physically and mentally.
":::Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa:::" then she stopped. She lay lifeless on the cavern floor.
"Jo?" asked Dave, but no reply came. Mephisto began to laugh.
"There is your one true love. See if she can survive that, but I doubt it." He sneered at Dave as he ran to his wife. He lifted her head but there were no signs of life. Mephisto was laughing again. Dave felt his anger flare. He leapt at Mephisto and using the iron in his own blood, he forged a club and brought it down on Mephisto, who was not expecting an attack. Mephisto threw Dave back and fired a bolt after bolt after bolt of hell fire at him. "Insignificant wretch! No one lays a hand on Mephisto and survives!" Dave tried to avert the hell fire but could not. He held his hands up to try and deflect the brunt of it, in a desperate hope of somehow affecting it with his powers. When the smoke cleared after the hellfire hit him, Dave fell to floor but the flames went out around him but his hands stayed aflame with the power that he had somehow absorbed in to himself. "Impossible!" cried Mephisto. "I'll kill you with my bear hands!" Dave got up as Mephisto advanced.
"So you wanna dance?" He growled. "Let's dance!" He ran at Mephisto who swung a punch at him. Dave got the punch and pushed Mephisto's hand back. He then hit the Dark Lord with a shot to the chest and Mephisto fell back.
"What are you doing?" he shouted.
"Adapting," said Dave. "You just filled me with hell fire. I can match you punch for punch, and use this hell fire for my own use. Such as blasts," and he fired a bolt at Mephisto. It was like a physical punch to him. Dave leapt to him, but it was more than a leap. It was more like flight.
"Damn you, Goldfish!" cried Mephisto as he moved out of his way. In here Goldfish's new powers would be as great as his own. The realm was pure hell fire and was powering him completely. Here the hell fire supply around Goldfish was infinite but in the real world he would have to conserve the power. The only lasting effect would be the flame affect around his hands which seemed to be a side effect of Mephisto's assault on him. "I have had enough of you!" shouted Mephisto. "When next we meet, it will be different!" He teleported Dave and Jo to Dave's office in C&C. Dave collapsed as the injuries the hell fire cascade began to make themselves known. He crawled to his desk and pressed the red alert button. People rushed in to the office and began to fuss over him and Jo.
:::Dave::: her voice said very weakly. :::I love you::: After it faded his mind echoed with silence.
"Get her to stasis," he cried and blacked out himself.
The next day he was declared fit except for a lot of severe bruises, that would disappear over time. He went to his office and reviewed his messages from the Fringe. It would be a few days before he announced he was back on the planet, to give himself time to recover. However, now he had a sense of placement that he did not have when he left, even though the cost had been high. He noticed a wedding between Blaquesmith and Crystal. He'd been asked to be best man. He sent a message to Blaquesmith accepting and explaining what had happened. Then he went to the stasis chamber. Jo was in one of the booths. The booth had been altered so that her healing field could work it's magic on her, but the damage had been severe. The doctors said she had a fifty/fifty chance and all he could do would be to wait.
"I love you too," he said and walked out a tear in each eye.