Shujai sat in front of a UN tribunal with delegates from around the world just a week after the return of the U’ntari. As promised, Sean Pierce took him in and had him held in a secluded holding cell at the Icebox, a prison for metahumans and then brought to a UN facility when it came time for the trial. His compliance went a long way to gain trust but he still had to face a tribunal as his alien lineage placed him outside normal Earth jurisdiction (the tribunal was a holdover from the Invasion of 1981, although no living alien was ever retrieved).

“Please state your full name for the court.”

“Shujai.”

“That’s your full name? No family name or….?”

“No. It is only Shujai. I was never given a family. I was raised by military officials.”

“Please state your origin of birth.”

“Fourth Birthing Matrix: the Moon of U’ntrall.”

“What year?”

“8,740 years after the Great Rebirth.”

Sean Pierce stood alongside Dafne Mansoor as he and Ryan Bennings watched the tribunal from the second-level balcony.

“… So you’re thinking of forming a team?,” Pierce repeated Ryan’s statement in the form of a question.

“During the Resurgence, it seemed everyone was trying to get a group together but since we were all scattered in different directions, it didn’t quite work out.”

“We have a team if you hadn’t noticed,” Mansoor motioned toward herself.

“No offense but the Badges were on the run for a good part of it. It’s a very centralized organization with specific boundaries.”

“You want something privatized?,” Pierce crossed his arms.

“I’m not going all Elon Musk if that’s what you’re worried about. I want a group that’s diverse and doesn’t have to answer to a specific governing body before going into battle. That way, if shit goes down, we can snap into action from almost anywhere.”

“And with no oversight?,” Pierce’s tone was polite, yet accusatory in the sort of way that only an old British man could pull off.

“Except the law of the land. Come on, ungoverned superheroes are nothing new. Super teams aren’t even new. The Allied Front never had to answer to Interpol or anything.”

“Yes, and the leader of that team was Rex Robinson… no one thought to keep him in check and look what happened.”

“Okay, maybe not the best example so let’s look at the Upstarts. The US government wanted a team so bad, they turned kids into super soldiers and we know how that turned out. The Industrial Military Complex is not the best place to turn for organized super teams.”

“Certainly, there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about this.”

“I’m aware, which is why I’m doing it the right way.”

“I should tell you, after certain information has recently come to light, I am a bit more cautious about letting metahumans run about unrestrained. I believe if there was someone to keep tabs on Robinson-.”

“Okay, let’s not pretend Rex wasn’t heavily involved in various government entities… including the IMD. He founded the damn thing last I checked.”

Pierce frowned, “The IMD operates under the umbrella of Interpol and answers to a fair number of people.”

“And the police have a habit of investigating themselves when they do something wrong,” Ryan snapped back, “I’ll go there if I need to… wearing a badge doesn’t stop a person from abusing power and in some cases, gives them carte blanche.”

Pierce sighed, “Bennings, I cannot stop you from forming your own super-club. Do as you wish… just know that if you step out of line-.”

“I’ll bring you on board,” Ryan offered, “If I’m doing something like this, maybe it’ll be beneficial if I get some help from your people. Maybe one of your Badges can moonlight. How’s that for checks and balances?”

“I think that would be wise.”

Below, the tribunal called for a recess. Shujai was led back to a holding cell by armed guards where Pierce, Ryan and Mansoor awaited. Shujai, as usual, was distraught.

“I explained to them that my attack on Interpol headquarters was an order given to me by my superior,” he said sadly, “It proved to be little justification.”

“Yeah, humans don’t normally like that excuse,” Ryan explained.

“I’ve heard there are protests,” Shujai continued.

“I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, people don’t like that we haven’t just put you in front of a wall yet.”

“In front of a wall?”

“They’re protesting that we’re giving you a fair trial, essentially,” Pierce explained.

“U’ntari don’t protest. It is not allowed.”

“People exercising their right to be pissed off is both the best and worst thing about humanity,” Ryan told him.

“I see,” Shujai’s demeanor changed from being distraught to being perplexed.

“New York is being rebuilt, lives have been lost, one of Earth’s greatest champions was exposed and our way of life has changed for the second time in 40 years,” Mansoor elaborated, “People are scared and angry. For better or worse, they will be looking for someone to blame but at least you have no fear of the U’ntari anym-“

That was when the wall caved-in, temporarily burying Shujai under rubble.

Mansoor, Pierce and Ryan were blinded by the huge cloud of dust filling the cell, which also made it harder to breathe. Ryan could scarcely make out blue tendrils of light cutting swathes through the cloud and as it settled, he recognized the face, albeit one that had been severely burned on one side. The U’ntari assassin known as Syfire previously attacked him, Cavalier and Farrell Creed in his home during the Resurgence and the scuffle ended when the alien was burned by a flame-thrower and fell out of a window. He expected that if Syfire was still alive, he would have left with the other U’ntari but it was evident that hadn’t happened. Syfire had his energy coils wrapped around guards on the other side of the wall and behind him were several more who appeared to be dried-out corpses. Syfire had presumably drained them of all life and energy, which gave him a great boost in strength. On the floor of the cell, a long slab of granite was pushed over and Shujai shot to the ceiling, only to have a set of tendrils wrap around his throat and limbs which brought him back to the pile of rubble.

“Traitor!,” Syfire stepped into the room and loomed over Shujai victoriously, “You were meant to be our greatest champion and you side with the enemy?”

Mansoor and Pierce already had their weapons drawn and opened fire, but the bullets bounced off along with sparks of energy. A quick flick of a tendril sent them across the room where they hit the metal door leading into the cell. Then Syfire turned to Ryan next and gave him a knowing smile, “Now you, I recognize,” he pointed to the scars across his face, “I’ll settle with you afterwards.” Shujai stood to his feet, grabbed the tendrils with his bare hands and swung Syfire into the ceiling above, dropped him back to the floor, then swung him through the opposite wall. Despite being thrown through reinforced concrete and steel, Syfire clung to Shujai and carried him through. Both aliens flew into the next cell which was thankfully empty considering the amount of debris being tossed into it. “That attacked would have crippled me on any other day…,” Syfire cackled as he stood, “… But with the power I’ve drained from you, I feel stronger than ever.” Shujai grit his teeth and tightened his grip around the tendrils, “Yes, but can you fly?”

Shujai shot into the air, smashing his way through multiple floors while dragging Syfire along. Finally, he burst through the roof and shook Syfire loose. In the parking lot outside, Syfire landed on a car, flattening it. “You’re a Silencer,” Shujai hovered back toward the ground and began to catch his breath due to his strength being drained, “I recognize your abilities. You’re the one they call Syfire.”

“I am. You don’t need any introduction, do you, Shujai?,” Syfire pulled himself off the top of the car, “You were meant to be our greatest hero… What absolute shit. You saved these people and here they are, putting you on trial. Was it worth it?”

“Let me worry about that. What are you still doing here? You should have left with the others.”

“Ryan Bennings and his two friends injured me,” Syfire once again indicated the scars along his face, “It took more than a day to recover and by the time I did, I learned that everyone had left with me presumably being declared dead or MIA. Around the same time, I found out that you killed our Supreme Admiral and went so far as to save this shithole planet!”

“Technically, I saved your life as well, although I doubt you appreciate it.”

By that time, Mansoor and Ryan had caught up to them; Mansoor flew down, both hands holding onto Ryan’s arm. With his free hand, he aimed an energy pistol and opened fire. Since Syfire was still empowered by the life force he siphoned off Shujai, he was still vulnerable to energy attacks. He grunted in pain and frustration as bursts of disruptive energy exploded along his body so he used the last bit of strength to grab the flattened car and hurl it at the duo. Mansoor swerved away from the flying car, but was forced to drop Ryan in the process. Shujai darted to his location and caught him before he hit the pavement and as the three landed safely on the ground, they noticed Syfire had escaped the area.

“Thanks for the save,” Ryan told him.

“You’re welcome,” Shujai looked into the distance, “I think Syfire escaped, however. I suppose my people are just as angry with me as yours.”

“Comes with the territory. You were a big hero back on your homeworld, so you probably know that it’s a thankless job sometimes.”

Shujai looked down in contemplation, “Perhaps.”

“Listen,” Ryan straightened his glasses, “I know it’s weird to give a pitch at this time but I have no doubt armed guards will be showing up soon so we might not get a chance to have this conversation again for a while but I’m putting together a team, one dedicated to ensuring something like the Resurgence doesn’t happen again. We could use your muscle. Are you in?”

Before Shujai could answer, armed guards rushed out of the building. “Get on the ground!,” one of them shouted as he aimed a rifle. Shujai silently complied as he got on the ground while Ryan calmly addressed them, “At ease, gentlemen. He just saved us from another attack is all. He didn’t even mean to escape the building. Additionally, I’m pretty sure he’s bulletproof.” The guards led Shujai back to his cell and as he was escorted away, he turned to Ryan, “I’ll consider your offer.” Sean Pierce exited the building just as they put Shujai back inside and he joined Ryan and Mansoor.

“I’m quite sure they’ll have to change location for the rest of the trial,” he explained.

“Probably, but considering he saved everyone for the second time, I’m sure it’ll be over soon,” Ryan told him.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to recruit him for your little team?,” Mansoor asked coldly.

“It’s a start,” he shrugged.

The Resurgence Reading List

The Resurgence Prologue

The Resurgence #1

The Resurgence #2

Formerly Known as Brain Boy #8

Winghaven #20

The Cavalier #21

The Badges #12

The Resurgence #3

The Resurgence #4

The Resurgence #5

The Resurgence #6

Astra Machina #10

The Resurgence #7

The Upstarts #11

The Resurgence #8

The Resurgence #9

The Resurgence #10

The Resurgence #11

The Resurgence #12

The Resurgence Epilogue