I5

DOE Retold

By James

Episode 60 — The Golden Age

Jedda awakened on a fluffy cart. Her vision was blurry as she gazed about. The walls were marble. The ceiling was gold. Two well-dressed women were at her sides.

What was this place? Why was she here? And why exactly was she naked now?

She'd lost consciousness in her team's home base, passed out amid all the pain she'd endured. This sure didn't seem like a hospital room. It looked like something in a storybook.

She felt a lot better than she had back home. Her usual strength was flowing through her frame. But what — or who — had brought this about?

Moments before she could question the women, both of them slowed, then came to a halt. They turned toward the sounds of robotic stomps — the kinds of sounds that Ming's robots made.

Jedda tensed, then turned as well, seeing what looked like a huge throne room. Sure enough, Ming was here, standing at a distance away from her. Across from Ming were LJ and Rick, both of them nude, their limbs in chains. She quivered while spotting their private parts. A little dream of hers had just come true. She couldn't really pause to enjoy it, though. All of them were clearly being held captive.

Her father was present in the room as well, but he was obscured by several uniformed men, pointy-eared people who were bald and pale. The Phantom's headgear was nowhere to be seen, and he appeared bare from the neck down too. She gritted her teeth and averted her gaze.

Then she froze, too stunned to move. Her eyes had fallen on a blonde-haired woman, the loveliest person she'd ever seen. The woman was sporting a beautiful dress, an ivory tiara upon her head. She planted her feet, a hand on her hip, looking quite bold as she stared Ming down. This was her home, and she planned to defend it — that was quite apparent as Jedda looked on. The woman appeared to be an actual queen.

Ming held still, scowling at her. "You were supposed to bring the necklace to me."

The Necklace of Oros, she thought quickly. So that was what this was all about. People were looking to take it again. She had no idea where it was right now — and found she was perfectly fine with that. She had no desire to have it back. It had become quite a thorn in her side. That stupid thing nearly got her killed.

Jedda saw a firmness within Ming's eyes, and knew that a fight was about to break out.

The queen murmured something to the group of pale men. A few of them walked the Phantom out of the room. Jedda was relieved that he wouldn't be harmed, but saw that her friends were still stuck in here.

The queen stepped forth, lifting her chin. "Plans have changed, 'Mighty Ming.' " Jedda liked the mockery within that phrase.

Ming scoffed at her. "And when exactly did you change our plans?"

The woman's tone deepened. "When you told me what the necklace can do." She swung her arm. Her men charged Ming. A flurry of lasers shot out of their clubs.

Ming took cover as the beams flew forth. His ice robots quickly fired back.

Amid the battle, Jedda was carted to another room, a chamber laden with video screens. She saw feeds of areas around the world: Paris, London, Central City. Each were distinguished by monuments. Jedda viewed feeds of other places too; the queen seemed to have the whole Earth on display.

Why did this woman need to watch the world? Was she a protector, like Jedda's friends, or were her motives very different than theirs?

The queen walked in, casually, looking indifferent to the noisy battle. A couple of troops shut the doors behind her.

Jedda sat up on the plushy cart. She was very worried for LJ and Rick. Then she caught sight of a screen on her left, one which broadcast the other room. Rick and LJ had taken cover. Both of them appeared to be fine for now.

She faced the royal. "Who are you?" she murmured.

"I am Hadea, the woman who saved you." She brushed a hand along Jedda's cheek.

Jedda paused, absorbing that. How had the woman done what she'd claimed, and why had she even bothered to? "Where am I?" She had to know. She'd never, ever been in a place like this.

"Earth is divided into two areas: the Netherworld, and the surface world. You are in the former. This is my kingdom."

A guard walked forth and bowed down to Hadea, holding out a golden, rectangular box.

Hadea opened it and pulled the necklace out, placing it securely around her neck. "Such power," she whispered.

Jedda stared. What was the woman about to do?

The queen took a breath, then spread her arms. Her bare feet rose from the marble floor. A glow covered her as she levitated. "Necklace of Oros," the queen said calmly, "destroy the anti-gravity machine." Immediately, the necklace twinkled.

Jedda heard a violent explosion nearby. She turned to the screen on which the battle played out, and saw a cloud of smoke right behind Ming's troops.

"Noooo," Ming bellowed, falling to a knee.

High above the skirmish, Graviton appeared, flashing on the scene in a burst of light.

Jedda shook a bit, balling a fist. Then she heard the voice of the queen again.

"Hear me, my necklace," Hadea said. "Remove that interloper from my kingdom. Send him back to his own domain."

Graviton pointed a finger at Ming, clearly planning to fire at him. Right before he could make his attack, Graviton stiffened, and disappeared.

Jedda gazed up at the screen in awe.

The guards continued their attack on Ming.

"Retreat!" Ming yelled, running to safety. He boarded a hovering vehicle and left.

Jedda looked over at Hadea again.

The queen closed her eyes, shaking now. She seemed to be tenser than she'd been before. "Necklace of Oros..." Hadea commanded, "move all people on the surface to Beta."

Jedda quivered. What did she say?

A huge burst of light emanated from the necklace.

Jedda swung her gaze to the screens again.

All across the Earth, people disappeared, each of them fading in an ivory flash.

Jedda's eyes bulged. She trembled in place. This absolutely couldn't be happening. Moscow was barren. Paris was too. So was New York, and so was London. She gazed at Brisbane, and saw no one. The same with Sydney, the same with Wales. The valleys of Yorkshire were utterly plain. The glittering streets of Hong Kong were bare. She looked to the white-capped Alaska mountains; the people climbing them weren't there anymore. Central City was devoid of life. The same could be said of Los Angeles. Cars without drivers crashed into each other. Planes began falling from turquoise skies. Then Jedda noticed them drifting slowly, and figured that Hadea was easing them down.

The world looked empty — very empty.

She swung toward Hadea, who was back on the floor. "What did you do?!" She felt more fright than she'd ever known.

"I moved the humans to the planet Beta. They are safe. I have sensed it." She waved her hand, and a cloud appeared.

Jedda saw something within the fog; it looked like a view of another place.

"That is Beta," Hadea explained.

Jedda glimpsed a city like the ones on Mongo, comprised of buildings that were utterly strange. Then she noticed people within the streets, humans who looked downright perplexed. The image changed, and she saw a valley. People were wandering through that as well. The scene changed again, and she saw a huge ocean. Then a farmland. Then weird-looking fruit.

"The humans have all that they need on that world," Hadea declared. The cloud disappeared.

Jedda reached out, wanting it back, wanting a view of the people again. She wasn't even close to being at ease. Had this queen really moved billions? Did everyone make it to Beta okay? Were they as safe as they seemed to be?

She'd heard about Beta in Krotan's home. The planet was just a little bigger than Earth. It had been abandoned seven years ago. The bloodthirsty natives had left it behind; they couldn't build the weapons they wanted there — weapons strong enough to blow worlds apart. Beta's resources weren't potent enough. So all of Beta's people had found a new world, one which they'd labeled as Beta Two.

Jedda rarely understood alien logic. Why would they abandon a beautiful world, simply to build monstrosities? In any event, she was glad the natives left Beta intact. But why had Hadea moved humanity there?

"I don't understand," she managed to utter. "Why did you do it?"

The queen stepped forth and touched Jedda's shoulder. "I've loved our planet my entire life, and I dreamed of the day when it would all be mine." Her eyes were teary. "It is hard to fathom that the day has come." Hadea spread her arms and spoke boldly. "Necklace of Oros..." Her locks fluttered up amid a mystical glow. "Make the Earth as I imagine it."

Another burst of light surrounded the necklace.

Jedda stirred, then eyed the screens. Everything she saw was changing now. The modern-looking buildings simply faded away. In their places were palaces. Shops and houses were redesigned; many looked plucked out of ancient Rome. Some had pillars and triangular tops. Others were like nothing she'd seen on Earth. All of the concrete was gone as well; the grounds looked covered with a whitish clay.

Jedda deduced what Hadea was doing: making the surface like the Netherworld.

"It is done," Hadea said.

Jedda was stunned by the sights before her. All urban places had been transformed. Castles were standing in sprawling valleys. Cities were sprinkled with greenery. The world looked radically different now. With its assortment of cliffs and trees, it reminded her of the Bandar village.

A white toga suddenly appeared on Jedda, clearly summoned through Hadea's power.

The queen wrapped an arm around Jedda's back, holding her close as she spoke again. "Necklace of Oros," she said with a fidget, "bring all in my kingdom to the surface world."

The necklace glittered.

Within a few seconds, Jedda was standing in what looked like a city — a city laden with palaces. The clay was soft beneath her feet. Hadea was still holding her at her side.

The Netherworld's citizens were everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. She spotted Rick and LJ in the distance before her. Both appeared stunned by what had transpired.

Hadea stepped forward, addressing the crowd. "My people," she said, smiling at them, "the surface world is finally ours!"

A burst of cheers flowed out of the group, the loudest that Jedda had ever heard.

One Year Later

Rick stood calmly by a palace door. A fellow guard was stationed on his right — a quiet Netherworlder with long green curls. The guy looked younger than Rick himself.

Birds were singing in the branches above. A soft breeze came, blowing over his face. He wanted to feel it all across his skin, but guard armor made that impossible. Rick hated wearing this tacky suit; he looked like a knight in an old B-film.

But shortly before they had parted last year, Hadea had forced him to become a guard, and all guards had to dress up like this.

He looked to the sky, looked to the clouds, wondering what was happening on Beta right now. He deeply hoped that his dad was okay. He thought about Carlotta and Mandrake too. Then he wished the best for Lothar and Kshin.

A flicker appeared on a video screen — the huge screen mounted high above the town. Hadea had left some of those intact; they helped when she had an announcement to make.

It wasn't Hadea who appeared, however. Rick saw a teen in a glittering dress, a golden tiara nestled in her hair. She straightened her shoulders, then spoke quietly. "This is Princess Jedda, of the royal family, addressing Miss Graf and her followers."

Jedda was referring to Kristina's Movement, a rebel group striking palaces. Like many other humans around the world, they'd been underground when the Earth had changed, thereby avoiding being transported.

Rick knew the rumor that was going around: the necklace's power had been depleted; it needed time to recharge itself. Why else would the rebels still be on this world, instead of being whisked off to Beta as well?

Jedda continued. "My mother can stop you anytime she wishes. I have convinced her to resist that urge. You have no need to 'reclaim the world.' We offer you a chance to live in it. Live in peace with the rest of us." The screen went black.

Rick hung his head as her words sank in. The royals and the rebels were in deep conflict. He didn't know who he was loyal to. Both sides had a compelling case. Rebels believed that they should lead. But Jedda and the royals weren't tyrants at all.

He hadn't seen Jedda for about a year, but steadily watched her on television. Humans were now the minority, and Jedda tried giving them comfortable lives.

Jedda worked hard for Netherworlders too, dealing with issues that had troubled them. She helped foster children get stable homes, which didn't leave Rick the least bit surprised. Jedda was raised with her mother absent; her father was constantly on the go. She'd also created an equality law, one that let men hold public office. That right was previously exclusive to women.

From what Rick could tell, Hadea was proud of the work Jedda did. Many of the people respected her too.

The palace door opened. A man stepped out. "Captain Gordon," the Netherworlder said.

Rick stood straight. "Chancellor," he replied.

"You've been granted an audience with Her Majesty Jedda."

Rick stirred a little. 'Bout time, he thought.

"You leave for Ferran tomorrow morning."

You mean New York. He stewed quietly. Hadea saw that every place had been renamed.

The path before Rick was a sight to behold — a round driveway which surrounded a fountain, the glittering structure spraying water about. The palace behind it was ridiculous, a huge rectangle of ivory stone, long steps leading to its massive porch, with strong-looking columns in rounded shapes. Four square buildings surrounded the place, each of them topped by a bright gold dome.

The hovercraft stopped, and Rick stepped out. Four guards awaited as he cleared the stairs, each wearing armor that was just like his. They opened the door without questioning him; all of them clearly knew why he was here.

A well-dressed woman was waiting inside. She led Rick down a long scarlet hall, one that ended with a golden door. "She awaits your presence in there," she said. She opened the door, and he entered alone. He heard a soft thud as it closed behind him.

The floor was covered with a burgundy carpet. The room had a wide, rectangular shape. Rick looked up — and there she was, perched on a platform four feet high, sitting on an elegant-looking chair. She sported a dress and a crown again.

"Jedda." Rick grinned, staring at her.

She frowned a bit, her arms on the chair's. "Why aren't you honoring decorum?" she muttered.

Rick winced a little. "What do you mean?"

"You're supposed to kneel and call me by my title."

He stiffened in silence, his eyes on hers — then he quivered, and let out a laugh. He was glad she still had her sense of humor. "Good one," he said, nodding at her.

Jedda sat still, then squinted a tad. She showed no traces of playfulness.

Rick froze again. The laughter stopped. His jaw hung open as he gazed at her. A cold reality was sinking in. She really did want him to drop to his knees. "Jedda..." he muttered.

"You can't call me that."

Rick fell silent for a lengthy moment. Who was this person sitting on the throne?

He heaved a breath, then touched his side, finally managing to find his voice. "Wow..." He paused. "I don't really know what's worse right now: the changes she's made to the world at large, or the changes that I sense when I talk to you."

Jedda managed a grin. "I haven't changed. I'm the same person you've always known. Haven't you watched what I've done for people?"

Rick held quiet, recalling her deeds.

"But I'm part of the Royal Family of Goldoa, and you're supposed to greet us accordingly."

"Goldoa?" Rick scowled. "I think you meant to say Earth."

"We both know the world has a new name now."

"I can't believe that she's sold you on that. I can't believe she's sold you on everything."

"Mother hasn't 'sold me' on what I've said. I came to embrace this world on my own — naturally, and over time." She smiled again. "Look around. It's a beautiful planet."

"You don't miss the way that things used to be?"

"I never really wanted to be a Defender. And I sure never asked to move to a city. When I was growing up, I wanted two things: I wanted someone I could call my mom, and I wanted the world to look like my village." Jedda was beaming. "Hadea's made both of my dreams come true."

Rick suspected she was overzealous — particularly in regards to Queen Hadea. "You view that woman as your mother now?"

"She is," Jedda stressed. "That couldn't be clearer. She listens to me. She talks to me. Speaks up when I'm wrong, tells me when I'm right..." Her tone grew gentler. "She does her best to be there for me. She does what a mother is supposed to do."

Rick quieted while envisioning that. He couldn't help but feel a little happy for her. It sounded like the bond that she'd talked about having. "What about your dad? He's fine with all this?"

"Father and Mother have fallen in love. He's happier now than he's been in a while." She shrugged a tad. "He gets skeptical about the world sometimes, but he can't deny all the good we've done." Her calm grin widened. "I'm going to be Queen of Goldoa one day. I hope I can do as good a job as Mother."

He scoffed at how far she was looking ahead. She thought that Goldoa was permanent. "You really believe that this is going to last."

"It will," she vowed. "It's worked so far."

"But what if a rebel gets their hands on the necklace? What if they manage to undo everything?"

"We won't let that happen," Jedda affirmed.

"But maybe it should," Rick proposed. "The surface world belongs to humans. It doesn't belong to Hadea's race."

"Humans are living on Beta now."

"But what if they don't want to stay on Beta? What if the majority want to come back?"

Jedda's grin shrank. She looked aside. "I doubt that's the case," she murmured slowly. Her words didn't sound that genuine.

Rick's heart sank as he stared at her. "It's like I said... You've seriously changed." His voice grew soft. "The Jedda I knew didn't lie to herself."

Jedda held silent, still looking away.

The room was quiet for what felt like a while. Finally, Rick managed to speak. "This is goodbye." He meant for good, and he was pretty sure that didn't need explaining. He crossed the floor and got onto his knees, bowing down right in front of her. "Farewell, majesty." He'd used her title, but Rick wasn't kneeling to Princess Jedda, he was paying homage to the girl he'd known. He got to his feet and walked away.

Jedda's voice came as he reached the door. "Though you don't believe in our new world yet...I know that you will eventually." She paused briefly. "Goldoa Forever."

Rick was irked by the world motto. He wouldn't utter it back to her.

He opened the door and stepped out of the room.

Moments after she'd spoken to Rick, Jedda was standing on her balcony. She held the rail as she gazed ahead, simply eyeing her beautiful world. A calm breeze passed, lifting her hair. A wave of sunlight soothed her skin. She felt more peace than she'd ever known.

She smiled at the sight of a distant castle, the one surrounded by a sparkling moat. She stared at a nearby jungle as well, the place that she liked to work out in.

She loved Goldoa, with all her heart. This was the way the world needed to be.

But there was one thing that could change it back — and Jedda simply couldn't bear the thought of that.

The world was literally at her feet. She had the power to decide its fate.

She turned and walked to her parents' room. Both were away on business now.

She quickly collected what she'd come to retrieve, then summoned a driver and a guard as well.

Following a ride in a hovercraft, Jedda walked onto a sprawling site: the base that was once called Monitor. Hadea had largely left it alone; she'd seen how valuable it could be.

Jedda smiled at the old controls, then steadily entered the volcano's depths. Standing on a cliff overlooking the lava, she reached in her dress and touched a pocket, pulling the Necklace of Oros out.

Jedda smiled as she gazed at it, then cast her stare on the mass of red. "Goldoa Forever." She threw the necklace in the steaming pit. It glittered a little, then melted away.

Jedda turned and exited. The guard and the driver escorted her home.

Hours after she'd made her return, she sat quietly in her balcony spot, legs propped up as she wriggled her toes. The world was going to stay as it was. She'd never been happier in her life.

"Mind if I join you?" a soft voice uttered.

Jedda turned and saw a Netherworlder, a suave-looking teen with short dark hair. "Tristan," she said, smiling at him. She took his hand as he mounted the couch. They shared a kiss, and she closed her eyes, laying at peace in the boy's embrace.

Six Months Later

Jedda had seen several news reports, stories of rebels her men had caught. The tales were becoming too much to bear.

She sat quietly before her large TV. A guy on the screen was being taken to jail.

"You're asking me why I hate this regime?" He let out a chuckle. "I haven't seen my sweet little girl for a year. I was underground when the queen zapped her."

Jedda couldn't help but frown at that. Most of the rebels had stories like this. They'd been separated from the people they loved, people who were living on Beta now.

She pressed the power button, then closed her eyes, rubbing her face as tears rolled down.

"Jedda?"

She looked up and saw Hadea. The queen was standing right beside the door.

"What's wrong, my darling?" She crossed the room, pulling Jedda close.

Jedda sighed, licking her lips. "I made a horrible mistake, Mother." The time had finally come to fess up. She hoped that Hadea would understand. "Six months ago..." Jedda breathed. "I threw the Necklace of Oros in lava. I did it in order to protect our world, to ensure that it would never change."

Hadea was quiet.

"I want to send the rebels to planet Beta, to reunite them with the people they lost..." She shook her head. "Now we can't."

"Yes, we can."

Jedda stirred. "What do you mean?"

"The Necklace of Oros is in my possession. What you destroyed was a duplicate."

She faced her mother.

"I made several copies — just in case. A way to keep the original safe. I wondered what had happened to the one you took, but I didn't want to think that you were involved."

Jedda shook. She hugged Hadea. "I'm sorry, Mother."

"You have my forgiveness." She stroked Jedda's hair. "Your intentions were right."

Jedda pulled back and faced her again. "So now we can send the rebels over to Beta."

"We will..." She paused. "Once it is subdued."

Jedda wasn't sure what Hadea meant.

"I'm going to conquer planet Beta."

Jedda stiffened in utter fright. "You promised you wouldn't."

"I'm afraid I must. The humans are working on spacecrafts now. They're trying to make their way back to Goldoa."

"What if you simply removed their crafts?"

"They'd only build new ones eventually. Human beings are a resourceful race. They will persist until they reach our world."

She gripped her sheets. "Just how violent will this conquest be?"

"That is entirely up to them. I'll give them a chance to surrender, of course, though I doubt that their pride will allow them to."

Jedda was certain that Hadea was right. A terrible battle was on the horizon, one that would shake an entire world.

"I have to prepare." Hadea stood. She touched Jedda's hands as she stepped away.

"I found the genuine Necklace of Oros," Jedda said as she held it out. Wearing it had given her a mystical link. She'd been so excited when she'd taken the fake that she hadn't paused to examine it.

The toga-bearing Phantom folded his arms. "And what do you intend to do with that?"

She eyed the ground. "I can't let Mother invade Beta. This necklace has to be destroyed."

He took a long breath, then spoke again. "Is that the only thing that you plan to do?"

Jedda looked out at the world before them, seeing the castles and palaces. She felt her lips quiver as her eyes grew damp. "I love Goldoa more than I can say...but I know that the world can't stay like this. I do think that humans can thrive on Beta — but that shouldn't be something that's forced on them. They want to come home, and I'm bringing them back. I'm bringing them back to the world they knew."

The Phantom held quiet, relaxing his arms.

Jedda slipped the necklace around her neck. A very bright glow enveloped her frame. She hovered a few inches from the grass. "Necklace of Oros," Jedda commanded. She had to pause before continuing. "Return the people of the Netherworld home." The necklace twinkled immediately.

People on the street simply faded away. All the Netherworlders had disappeared, as had the pointy-eared, pale-skinned beings.

Jedda could sense that Hadea was gone. A slow tear trickled along her cheek. "Necklace of Oros," she said again, "remake the world as it used to be." A large burst of light shot out of the necklace. Things around Jedda began to change. The castles were fading. Modern buildings came back. Her tears grew stronger as she looked around.

The Phantom appeared to be caught in shock. He glanced about with awestruck eyes.

"Necklace of Oros," Jedda said, "bring Beta's residents back to this world." The necklace sparkled, once again.

Within a few seconds, people began to appear in the city. Each looked stunned as they eyed the scene.

Jedda touched down on the grass slowly. She brushed her cheeks as she watched the crowds, and knew in her heart that she'd done the right thing.

The Phantom walked over, and pulled her close. They hugged each other as the noise picked up.

One Day Later

Sitting in her room within Mandrake's home, Jedda spoke to Hadea on a video call. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I love you, Mother."

Hadea looked sullen, but managed to speak. "I love you too."

Jedda brought the call to a sudden end. She'd heard everything that she'd wanted to hear.

A quiet knock came on her distant door.

"Come in," she called.

The door drifted open. "Hey," Rick said.

"Hey," she replied.

"You doing all right?"

"I am," she muttered.

"Okay." He nodded. "Just checking, I guess." He seemed to be observing her shirt and shorts. "Nice outfit."

"Thanks." She shrugged. "How's LJ?"

"He's fine." Rick grinned. "It sure is nice to see him again. It's definitely nice to see everyone."

"I know," she said, smiling as well.

"He and I are gonna take a walk around. You want to come along?"

"Sure." She stood. "Just give me a minute, and I'll be right there. There's something that I need to take care of first."

Rick nodded, and stepped away.

Moments later, Jedda entered the volcano's depths.

The Necklace of Oros shined on her shirt.

She pulled it off, sensing its power, staring at it for what felt like a while.

Then she tossed it in the mass of lava, watching as the necklace melted away.

It had to be done, she told herself. If that power hadn't been removed, Hadea could bring Goldoa back — and Jedda could be tempted to do the same.

She took a deep breath, then turned around, walking outside to meet up with her friends.

Scene Commentary

I liked the idea that Hadea had been watching the world for years. She's very familiar with the places above.

Jedda saw something within the fog; it looked like a view of another place.

"That is Beta," Hadea explained.

With "The Golden Age," I obviously wanted things to play out very differently than they did on the show. We see the awesome power of the Necklace of Oros, and we get a story in which Jedda faces, perhaps, the biggest inner conflict of her life.

In the episode titled "The Prince Weds," the Defenders meet a group of weapon-obsessed aliens on a planet called Beta Two. While I was trying to figure out where Hadea would move humanity, I came up with the concept of an original planet Beta.

Jedda was referring to Kristina's Movement, a rebel group striking palaces.

Though I didn't explore it much, I was intrigued by this idea of rebels opposing the new government. I've always seen potential in Kristina Graf, so I thought it would be fun to make her the rebel leader.

"Jedda." Rick grinned, staring at her.

She frowned a bit, her arms on the chair's. "Why aren't you honoring decorum?" she muttered.

Rick winced a little. "What do you mean?"

"You're supposed to kneel and call me by my title."

The basic thought behind "The Golden Age" was, "What if Hadea changed everything — and what if Jedda liked the changes?" I think that this scene basically sums that up.

"I never really wanted to be a Defender. And I sure never asked to move to a city. When I was growing up, I wanted two things: I wanted someone I could call my mom, and I wanted the world to look like my village." Jedda was beaming. "Hadea's made both of my dreams come true."

And this is exactly why Jedda has taken Hadea's side. I thought it was more realistic than giving Jedda an unwavering loyalty to the Defenders.

Rick's heart sank as he stared at her. "It's like I said... You've seriously changed." His voice grew soft. "The Jedda I knew didn't lie to herself."

Jedda held silent, still looking away.

The room was quiet for what felt like a while. Finally, Rick managed to speak. "This is goodbye." He meant for good, and he was pretty sure that didn't need explaining.

Their antipathy gives me a somber feeling, but the distance seemed natural at this point.

Jedda smiled as she gazed at it, then cast her stare on the mass of red. "Goldoa Forever." She threw the necklace in the steaming pit. It glittered a little, then melted away.

Jedda turned and exited. The guard and the driver escorted her home.

Hours after she'd made her return, she sat quietly in her balcony spot, legs propped up as she wriggled her toes. The world was going to stay as it was. She'd never been happier in her life.

This is one of Jedda's biggest decisions. Of course, she'll later realize that she's made a mistake.

In a moment of weakness, Jedda did the wrong thing, but now she has a chance to make things right.

"Sure." She stood. "Just give me a minute, and I'll be right there. There's something that I need to take care of first."

Rick nodded, and stepped away.

And now these two begin mending their bond. The chapter ends like the episode did, with Jedda getting rid of the Necklace of Oros. It was a lot of fun retooling this tale.

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Article

Chapters

1: The Golden Queen

Four of the Defenders are captured by Queen Hadea.

2: Flesh and Blood

Flash and Lothar discuss Flash's new romantic interest.

3: The Prince Weds

Held prisoner on Mongo, Jedda makes a bargain with Zorelda, believing that they can change the world for the better.

4: Lothar's Homecoming

LJ's discusses his relationship with his father.

5: The Golden Age