<>The DCFuture Underground Fan Fiction Group acknowledges that DC Comics owns the name Damage and ALL DC-created characters and retains complete rights to said characters. These concepts are used WITHOUT permission for NO PROFIT, but rather a strong desire to peer into the future of the DCU. We also acknowledge that the concepts and original characters introduced here are the intellectual property of the author.
DC Futures presents:
Legends of the DCF #1
October 1999
"Bullet"
Written by Oliver Kiemschies
([email protected])
Edited by Jason Tippitt
Outside of the orbit of Jupiter
Another gravity assist increased his velocity even further. He now traveled at just over 10% the speed of light. The vibration he felt on his chest reassured him that the device he wore was protecting him from the effects of relativity. It was based on half-understood scraps of some more simple warp drives out of stolen bits of alien technology. It would have been very valuable, had it not been for one little problem. It's phenomenally lethal to organic tissue.
This piece of equipment was not a marvel of reverse engineering. There may be better warp drives known to earth, but they were expensive and unnecessary. They could cut corners with this particular subject. His own flight, combined with several gravity assists, would provide the propulsion; all this device had to do was limit the time dilation, and it didn't even need to be biologically friendly in the process.
Life support was another shortcut. He hadn't taken a breath in days. He didn't like it. He didn't need to breath to live; however, his brain needed it to keep a standard consciousness. Over months of training, with a man he believed to be his father, he'd learned to reach a type of meditative state. He was awake, and could make the course correction the equipment prompted him to, but he still didn't feel quite right without breathing. Everything around him felt unreal; much like his earliest memories, when he was in the tank. He didn't like the feeling.
The device sent jolts to various nerves, prompting him to make a slight course correction. Overall, it was a simple and cheap machine. Cheap was the name of the game. Machines could be built to do what he was to do, but they were expensive. The equipment he wore was only one-half the cost of such equipment. His fee brought the total up to three-quarters the price of similar equipment, giving his employer a whopping 25% discount. He didn't even know who his employer was: Justice League, Patriot, God Damn Boy Scouts of NorAm, it didn't matter as long as the check cleared.
The device indicated he was about to penetrate earth's atmosphere. His current kinetic energy was 4.2x10^16 Joules. Due to the unique fields which provided his invulnerability, 50% of this energy was released as he struck the atmosphere. This corresponded to a 5 Megaton explosion. Though the site was remote, weather patterns would be affected some time to come. Of course, the cause was never reported in any weather broadcasts.
He continued onward, too quickly for his brain to register. He struck the compound's force field. Another 3 megatons were released, destroying the shield. The 90Kg body, still traveling at over 4% the speed of light, passed onward. The enemy stronghold was struck, and the remaining 2 megatons were released.
Where there was once a remote mountain stronghold, there was now a crater, several kilometers across. At the center sat a naked man. An hour later, when it was safe, an air transport hovered above him. A ladder was lowered, and he climbed into the transport.
"Excellent job," indicated one of the retrieval team.
"My paycheck."
"The funds have been transferred. We are very happy about the cost and effectiveness of Project Bullet." The naked man began to dress. He was paying little attention to what the retrieval team leader was saying. "Other alternatives would have cost much more for the same damage."
"What did you say!?"
"I... I..." stuttered the stunned man.
"Did you say I'm the same as Damage?"
"No, no, Jack, I said for the same damage..."
"Because I'm not, I'm not the same as Damage; I don't even want the same name. I don't want to be a Jack anymore."
"Okay, fine, pal, whatever you say." The retrieval team member backed off. "One thing I got to say for you, pal: you make one hell of a bullet."
The man smiled. "Bullet, I like that."
"No problem here. From now on, your code name is Bullet."
Bullet sat back and closed his eyes.
The retrieval team member opened his PAD and began to enter the mission data. This included updating the database of freelance agents.
He added the name Bullet to his list. He attributed the powers of invulnerability (at the highest measurable level) and flight. He finalized his operation by deleting the name Iron Jack.
The retrieval officer looked out the window of the transport as it flew over the crater. He briefly wondered what being at the center of an explosion like that does to someone's mind. He looked at the man sitting silently in the transport in a simple gray jumpsuit.
The man's rage was evident. Even after three multi-megaton explosions, this man's anger still had not been released. The officer no longer wanted to know what went on in Bullet's mind.
Suggested Music
Sabotage by the Beastie Boys