Y*AD - Refugees
by Rob Morris
THE ANCIENT DESTROYER UNIVERSE"Will this work?"
"It has to. We can't stay here any longer."
"We can do this. The ships are set correctly. Its just like entering another system. Its all in the coordinates."
"But will it help us to escape Ghidorah?"
"YES!! Its working--we're all broaching the barrier!"
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THE SUPREME COLLECTIVE, 5TH KILOCYCLE SINCE THE ASCENDANCY
"I am Locutus Of Borg. You will be assimilated. You will live as Borg."
"But we will live?"
"Affirmative."
"Then we await you."
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A UNIVERSE OF LEGENDS
At their Watchtower on the Moon, two reluctant allies met and discussed the sudden influx.
"We can't help them. There's too many, and Darkseid is threatening war if they aren't turned back. Apparently, he fears something in their native universe."
Superman nodded, grimly.
"Batman, you tell them. I can't turn refugees away."
"No one thinks any less of you. But--I don't know if I can do it, either. This decision will destroy countless families."
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A UNIVERSE OF MARVELS
Richards pleaded onscreen to his old foe.
"Victor, they'll overrun your country. You can't contain them all. They've already exhausted your food stores."
"Richards--you are not Romany. After the Juden, Hitler picked we Gypsies to be next. If I tried to turn away those in need, my people would never accept me as their sovereign again. All my strength and technology could not erase the stain of my unworthiness. They shall stay until every last scrap of grass and edible dirt in Latveria is gone. Doom out."
Breaking the link, Doom moved towards his multiversal chamber. But an old man stood in his path.
"Victor--I know this Ghidorah must seem tempting. But could you forego this tired sequence of events--just once?"
Doom laughed. The old man was the only one who could survive such a request.
"For you, my faithful Boris."
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LUNA MOBILIA, 2005
"This is Moonbase Alpha! WE have little enough to feed ourselves. Please withdraw or be destroyed."
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DELTA COLONIES, 2375
"Admiral Janeway--your orders?"
"Captain Chakotay--redirect those you can to Occampan Prime. But under all circumstances protect The Array. Without the Kazon mercs, The Alpha Quadrant will be easy pickings for The Bor' ghadar."
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E*N*T*E*R*P*R*I*S*E* - D
Captain John McIntyre turned to his Number One.
"Gonzo! Where the hell are these things coming from?"
XO Gates just shrugged.
"Trapper, they say they're refugees from another universe. Something about old Gojira films."
"They will not be there long."
"Standard--explain."
The android did just that.
"Captain--the Crystalline Entity has emerged, and is matching their course and speed."
Trapper, Jr., lowered his head.
"Then we give our lives protecting the refugees, if need be."
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DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION, DIVISION SIX
Agent J stared dumbly at the mega-multiplied influx.
"K, you ever get the impression that the sign on the Statue Of Liberty just may be a bad idea?"
"Slick, all I'm worried about at this point is if one more immigrant makes it through. Tall drink of water, about a megameter around with three heads....."
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A NONSENSICAL UNIVERSE
"Guys! I just heard about the greatest Pokemon' there ever was!"
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MULTIPLE REALITIES, 29TH CENTURY, TIMESHIP RELATIVITY
"The situation is deteriorating. We need answers."
Quinn, son of Q and Q, spoke for the Continuium.
"My Aunt Katie always said that there's always a way to make it work. We just have to keep feeding the refugees as we can. The Q pledge their support."
Speaking for the Prophets was the being once known as Father Francis Mulcahy.
"Unlike that realm's native Bajor, these refugees have not been transmorgified. They still bear the signatures of their native universe. I fear we must find a way to 'baptize' them, if you'll pardon the expression. Otherwise, other universes may develop Funnel Syndrome."
Speaking for The Travellers was an alternate version of Wes Crusher.
"Parts of me have been to The Funnel. Parts of me will act to seal off The Funnel. The Funnel must be maintained. Ghidorah must be contained. The harsh choice is called for, and we must make it so."
Speaking for The Line Of Life was the being called The Bright Lady by her cousin, James Kirk.
"The Funnel is not truly a Funnel for all bad things. If it were, that universe would have died in its infancy, or never sparked at all. But Ghidorah is ascendant, there. If my kin fail, its function as a filter is done. We will all be poisoned by toxic waters kept back longer than creation has had form. I sadly agree that these souls must die."
Finally, The Last Immortal spoke.
"Yer all talkin like ya can do anything. Hey, Folks! The genie's out, and there ain't nothin we can do, cept' slaughter those poor folk, and then live with ourselves. Me, I got no choice but ta do just that. The needs of the many, yadda."
Braxton, the man once known as warlock Adam Stephens, nodded. Ahead of him was a task that no amount of chronal pattern knowledge could make any easier. Braxton vanished, and in a cloudy void, cast a spell.
"Let Technology Fail; Let This Escape Be Done; The Way Is Blocked; For Those On The Run."
Time flowed backwards, under a very precise set of hands, to a certain point mere relative weeks ago.
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ANCIENT DESTROYER UNIVERSE
"Will it work?"
"It has to. We can't stay here any longer."
"The ships are set. Its just another set of coordinates. That's all."
"NO!!! Its failing---the barrier is holding firm!"
"Then Ghidorah has won."
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29TH CENTURY
A note was found next to Captain Braxton's body.
"Funnel Secure. 10 billion lost."
Braxton stared at his counterpart's dead form.
"Its his own fault. Personality realignment every Thursday, whether we need it or not."
And on an endless row of monitors appeared---there was no signal at all, on the screens marked 'ADU'.
"But the genie's back in, right fellas?"