“Alright then, if you would all board the ship, we’ll begin the countdown at T minus 30 minutes.”

The launch of the Hero went without a hitch. As the space plane taxied down the runway towards takeoff, the world held its collective breath, but the newer, safer launch protocol would prove uneventful. It was twenty minutes later when the Hero slipped smoothly into the vacuum of space that the world breathed a sigh of relief. After a refuelling stop at the ISS, Cossack set the course for the four day trip to Lunar one.

Nathanial Ravensclaw watched the launch with glee for he knew that one of the last pieces of the puzzle was falling neatly in its place. He would soon control the planet both covertly and overtly. He wanted to send out The Hammers to tear a hole in the planet where Franklin Island was, but he decided to hold off on his personal vendetta for a while longer, at least until The SIX were out of his hair forever. To amuse himself in the meantime, he resolved to have his research division work out ways to sabotage the wind generating stations already in existence by making them look like a health hazard and then letting the people demand that they be banned, a win-win scenario.

The launch was also watched intently at Saber Base but for vastly different reasons. Greg had settled down enough to relax and watch television a few days earlier and had seen the news broadcasts of the super-terrorist’s takeover of Lunar one. He didn’t believe a word of it and knew in his heart that Ravensclaw was behind it, but to what end? The pieces started falling into place when the U.N. issued its call to The SIX for help, but he decided to keep his doubts to himself. On the day of the launch, he and Trish sat down with Julian to air Greg’s theories.

“I really don’t buy this entire Lunar one scenario Julian,” he said. “There seems to be no real profit in Ravensclaw sending his remaining enhanced goons into a situation where they can possibly be lost to him. He may be ruthless, but he’s definitely not stupid.”

“I concur Greg. This isn’t his style. He normally uses his resources to destroy things that are hindering him. He only sent his enhanced troops to Washington to draw out The SIX and humiliate them. This smacks of something entirely different…” Julian responded, “…I sense it too.”

“Is there any way we could snoop the data link with Lunar one? Find out what’s really going on up there?” he inquired.

“I’ll put the kids on it right away Greg. We’ll know what’s up, soon enough. Now you just relax for a while and let the team handle it, OK? Spend some time out in the forest with your wife,” was Julian’s sage advice. He left the living area and headed for his office.

Trish cooed.

Greg readily agreed.

“Hestia?” Greg spoke aloud.

“Yes Daddy?” she responded immediately.

“Your Mom and I are going to spend a couple of days out in the woods. Please only contact us in the case of an extreme emergency, OK?”

“Sure Daddy, you two have fun. Love you both,” Hestia giggled.

“Love you too Pumpkin,” Greg smiled.
He packed up his camping gear and set out to one of his favourite places on the island. They walked, enjoying the sounds of nature and revelling in each other’s company. It was just pleasantly warm enough and the trees were a riot of reds and golds. Trish took in all of it with a silent wonder and joy. They arrived at a place by the banks of a freely flowing stream with a clearing and a perfect spot to set up the tent. They did so quickly and made a campfire just before sunset.

he reminisced.

Trish suggested seductively.

Greg enjoined forcefully.

she whispered dreamily.

Greg closed his eyes and recreated their campsite in his mind. When Trish joined him, the world and all of its problems disappeared… at least for a while.

The pair spent the next two days away from the AERI and the world’s problems before packing up the camp and hiking back. They arrived home to a pleasant surprise. Hestia, who was trying to hide a face-breaking smile, greeted them enthusiastically.

Greg wondered.

she suggested.

“OK Pumpkin, what’s up?” asked Greg.

“You’ll see… come on inside,” Hestia said teasingly. They all entered the main house and Hestia escorted them to the living room.

“Close your eyes and wait till I tell you it’s OK to open them,” she instructed.

“Alright Kiddo… we’re waiting…” Greg said, closing his eyes. Hestia led them into the room proper.

“You can open your eyes now…” she announced happily. Greg opened his eyes and blinked… there in front of them, sitting in a powered wheelchair, was Betina.

“Oh my Goddess! You came! When did you arrive? How are you feeling? It’s so good to see you again!” Greg’s words flowed out of him in an unabashed rush.

“Hold on there Herr Doc, one question at a time! It’s good to see you too!” she smiled sunnily.

“I’m so glad you decided to take me up on my offer to recuperate here, but honestly, I didn’t expect that you’d be able to travel so soon. What’s the prognosis on your recovery?” Greg was grinning like an idiot. Betina’s smile dimmed slightly and she had a look of pain in her eyes.

“The physicians, even with the unlimited funding you supplied, were only able to do so much. They say I will probably be in the chair for the rest of my life. Otherwise though I’ve healed up nicely,” she replied unable to keep a quaver out of her voice. Greg rushed to her side and embraced Betina as best he could around her chair. He felt tears in his eyes but ignored them.

“Betina, I am truly sorry for having placed you in danger… I can’t apologise enough… I…” his voice broke with all the pent up emotion he’d been trying to suppress since the day of the attack at AERIE.

“Shhhh Greg, it’s OK. I don’t blame you for what happened and I know that Jon and Rumi would say the same if they could,” the young woman soothed. “Don’t blame yourself for what you could never have prevented. I... we all knew the risks when we signed on with you. No, the blame rests soundly on the head of whoever ordered the attack on AERIE,” she spoke determinedly.

“Nathanial Ravensclaw!” Greg spat vilely. “It was his people that attacked you.”

he decided.

Trish reasoned.

He rejoindered forcefully

Trish begged.

he accused.

“Betina… I… uh… I have a confession to make to you,” Greg struggled for the right words.

“Daddy?!” Hestia protested.

“Hush, Hestia. Betina, you know about The SIX and about their evil counterparts…” he nervously waited for Betina to respond.

“Well yes, of course… but I’m not sure I understand where you’re going with this, Greg,” she replied, puzzled.

“I’m... well, I’m also ‘enhanced’. What I mean is that I have abilities as well…” he trailed off.

“You… wait… you…” shock and disbelief crossed her face in waves.

“It’s difficult to explain but, uh… I was there at AERIE about an hour after you were attacked and I… I killed one of your attackers and pulled you out of the woods. I couldn’t save Jon and Rumi died while I watched helplessly, but… I could save you… I managed that much at least… I…” his confession tumbled out unrestrained before he lost his words again.

“I saw someone in the woods… a figure in black… before I passed out. That was you?” she asked incredulously. He could only nod silently.

“I set your broken bones and made a travois to get you out of the forest. I… we’ve never gone public like The SIX…” he spoke on.

“We’ve?” she jumped on that statement. “How many more of you are there?”

“Betina… as weird as this all sounds, well there’s two of me. Um… no, that’s not quite right either. Do you understand what an AI is?” Greg attempted to explain.

“It’s like an artificial mind in a computer… Doc, I don’t understand what that has to do with anything…” she sounded as confused as he felt. Greg triggered the alter-ego program and let his form become Trish’s. Betina’s eyes widened at the sight of the physical transformation.

“I’m what Greg is trying to explain Betina… I am, or was originally, the artificial intelligence called TRI Ca. Greg got his abilities from, for lack of a better term, a suit… a physio-neural interface unit that bonded with him. I am his other self so-to-speak. We are two minds in one physical form. My name is Trish,” she continued the explanation Greg had begun.

“I don’t… my God… how is this possible?” Betina gasped, trying to work her mind around what she was seeing and hearing.

“I… we can become anyone we have a physical pattern for,” Trish continued, “we’re designed for infiltration and espionage. Oh Betina, we couldn’t tell anyone about who we are, not even our most trusted friends,” Trish cried.

“But why? Trish… Greg… whoever you are… why not?” Betina begged.

“When Greg first met you, we were already on a dangerous endeavour, one that would have placed you in grave danger even back then. We had to rescue the man who created the physio-neural suits and the AIs… my Father, if you will. We managed, but at such a cost to you and the others… forgive us… please…” Trish’s voice was husky with emotion. Betina managed to quell her credulity and ask a question.

“I think I understand… sort of… but why did those people attack the AERIE?”

“Greg and I… well there is this cabal of very powerful, very jaded, people who call themselves The Council of Twenty and who seek to control the world. They are very real and very evil people. They went after Greg because he threatened their powerbase with the AERI and the AERIE. The irony is they don’t even suspect that he’s enhanced. He wouldn’t sell out, so they moved to destroy him and all of the good he’s been doing. Greg and I, as Shadowknight…” Betina gave a giggling snort interrupting Trish’s story.

“Shadowknight?” she sniggered. Trish smiled kindly.

“Yes, ‘Shadowknight’. Blame it on the overabundance of comic books that Greg reads,” Trish winked at Betina and continued her story.

“Anyway, we’ve been fighting a covert war against The Twenty for over a year now. We’ve survived 3 attempts on Greg’s life and even infiltrated their operations centre in New York City to rescue Julian Saber…”

“Hold on,” Betina interrupted again. “Professor Julian Saber? That genius inventor guy who vanished about 6 years ago? That Julian Saber?”

“Yes, he’s the man who created me and the suits and is ultimately responsible for The SIX… and unfortunately their counterparts,” replied Trish.

“But why did he create the others?” asked the girl.

“My father was held captive by Nathanial Ravensclaw and tortured until he cooperated… but the others, Ravensclaw’s anti-heroes, have a built in failsafe. My father secretly programmed in a key word that makes them vulnerable to injury and destruction… it was all he could really do under the circumstances. But it works… as Firefall found out that day at AERIE,” Trish replied with grim satisfaction.

“So you rescued the Professor and now he’s…” Betina’s question hung in the air, unfinished.

“Yes, he’s here and safe and he’s working with a team of AI’s to find out what The Council of Twenty is doing in order to strip them of their powerbase. He’s ‘atoning for his sins’ as he puts it,” Trish smiled weakly. Betina was quiet for a moment and then spoke again.

“May I meet him? I need him to know that I forgive him,” she asked shyly. Trish took Betina’s hand in hers.

“Are you sure? This can wait if you need more time… you’ve had a lot of surprises today,” Trish said kindly.

“Ja, I’m certain Trish. I need you, Greg and the Professor to know that this is not your fault and that I don’t blame any of you. Thanks to Greg, I’ve been able to… no… am still able to help make the world a better place to be in. Even if your father had not created you and the heroes, I could still have been injured or killed by those that seek to control the world. I am proud to work with you and Greg to try and stop those that would destroy that which is good and right,” Betina squeezed Trish’s hand gently. Just then Julian entered the room from where he had been standing in the hallway.

“Then I am glad to have the opportunity to meet you Frauline Becker,” he announced as he approached her wheelchair.

“Mien Gott! It is you! Professor Saber… I’m so honoured to be able to meet you in person!” she squeaked out.

“The pleasure is all mine Frauline. Greg has had nothing but good things to say about you and I’m glad, if a little puzzled perhaps, that he and Trish were open and honest with you about the realities of the situation. Um… I must apologise to you for my actions however, I do feel responsible for your condition and will do everything in my power to make your life easier,” he said as he gently took her free hand. Betina flushed slightly and replied softly.

“I accept your apologies Herr Professor and please understand that I hold you completely blameless for my current condition. There is only one person who is to blame for this and that is Nathanial Ravensclaw. Wait a minute… what did you mean when you said ‘make my life easier’? The doctors told me that there’s nothing that can be done and that I’ll be in this contraption,” she indicated her wheelchair, “for the rest of my life.”

“Well, Betina, I was thinking along the lines of some sort of exo-skeletal frame to help you walk again,” the Professor replied cryptically.

Greg demanded excitedly.

Trish replied happily.

“If you can do this Professor, I most gladly accept, but whatever happens, I still intend to pull my weight around here. I’m part of your team now, like it or not,” she insisted. Greg then shifted back to his own form as he spoke up.

“Betina, you were on the team from day one and you are part of our family now too. Let her help you Dad, she’s a far better organizer then either of us,” he cracked. Julian started to chuckle at that. Then Betina looked at Greg and with a tone of mock authority commanded him.

“And you Gregory Howard… come here and welcome me into your odd little family properly!” she said, a beautiful smile spreading fully across her pretty face.

Trish giggled.

Greg walked to Betina, knelt and kissed her on both cheeks, welcoming her properly onto his team and into his family, all to the applause and cheers of Julian and Hestia.

To Be Continued