The cover shows a clock-face, with an ankh for the hour hand and the AstroSpear for the minute hand reads four minutes to midnight, is super- imposed over a satellite photo of Monaco. The hour and the minute hands converge over a top-down view of the airship, Skyhaven. =========================================================================== . Blackbird & Countinghouse Presents: ( ) CONCLAVE OF SUPER-VILLAINS ( ) I An Academy of Super-Heroes Universe Comic I I copyright 2007 by Tony Pi I #26 - FOUR TO NEVER: Prologue "Time Trials" =========================================================================== Active TRITON Derek Murdock Radner Gadgeteer/Electricity SULTRY Zuri Angeline Croft Weather Control CONFLICTO Eugene Kwan Friction/Viscosity Control MYRIAD Alpha Rho Fourteen Shapeshifting GLYPH Zephirah Reuben Magical Sigils KALIBAN Kaliban Kalibos Monstrous Strength TIARA Princess Ursula of Monaco Master Thief BURNOUT Trish Catrall/Tyra Dumont Ash Elemental LIGHT ERRANT Petra 'Irrlicht' Hollander Wispform, Hypnosis LABYRINTHE Yvan Viau Spatial Magic CARYATID Claudette Viau Magic Inactive TERRASTAR Polla Hectrix Termiddo Earth Control CHALLENGER Robert Coulter Cybernetics SPIRAL Anya Kirova Telekinetic Torque ============================================================================ [April 14, 2026 - Port of Monaco] The middle-aged woman in sunglasses stood on the deck of her yacht, the _Lazy Twilight_, and gazed up at the black airship high over the Rock of Monaco. It was Skyhaven, the mobile aerial headquarters for the Conclave of Super-Villains, in town for the first ever paranormal grand prix, the Prix Ultime. Literally, the Ultimate Prize. She flipped the cover of a device roughly the size and shape of a pocket-watch, and a miniature holographic daemon appeared, hovering over red, glowing glass. It resembled a cross between Anubis and Pan. "Good afternoon, madam. The time is sixteen-hundred hours and three minutes, fifty-two seconds, April fourteenth, twenty twenty-six. How many I be of assistance?" "Hello, Cronyx," she replied. "Please continue the surveillance report. Only the most recent intel, please." She knew most of the information by heart, but a refresher was always wise before any mission, especially with so much at stake. "As you wish, madam," the daemon said. In the blink of an eye, the woman and her hologram seemed to teleport to another place, but it was only a three-dimensional construct projected onto her specially-crafted lenses. They appeared to be in the midst of a crowd of journalists at the Casino in Monte Carlo. Sounds from the press conference were piped through tiny speakers in the frame of her glasses. The woman touched the daemon's device, moving them like ghosts through the virtual landscape. She paused in front of a beautiful woman in an elegant white dress and priceless jewelry, answering a British journalist's question. SUBJECT 27: TIARA "Tiara. Princess Ursula of Monaco, master thief. Threat level, low. She isn't paranormal. Though not at present an active member of the Conclave of Super-Villains, focusing on her regal obligations of late, due to a madness glyph that has incapacitated her father," reported Cronyx. "She intends to use her infamy as Tiara to draw tourism to Monaco, and is sponsoring the Prix Ultime." The woman nodded, and listened to Tiara's interview. "Who are we expecting among the racers?" said the Tiara image, repeating a reporter's question. "Well, we are open to anyone who scores a 3.5 or higher on the Tesla Index. There are a few you will recognize. Arc of EUROPA. Conflicto of the CSV. Lightfoot of the Academy of Super-Heroes. From the Academy's student body, Bobby Chambers, who some of you may recall from the Formula Junior racing circuit before the manifestation of his talent forced him to withdraw." There were some murmurs from the crowd as the minor scandal surrounding that was recalled. Another journalist raised her hand. "Aren't you concerned about... certain racers sabotaging other racers with their powers?" "I understand your concern," said Tiara. "However, there are strict rules and safeguards in place against the use of paranormal powers against other racers." "Such as?" "Every racing car is glyph-marked to limit the effective range of powers from inside to one meter. Even if a racer breaks the rule, he or she will be mystically identified and ejected from the vehicle immediately," said the princess. "To make the race even more interesting, we will also be using speed limiters so that the race will hinge on cornering and well-timed acceleration. We wouldn't want the race to be over in a matter of seconds, would we?" The crowd laughed. "Any word on Prince Maxim's recovery?" asked a Belgian reporter. Tiara kept up her smile. "Thank you for asking about my father's health, but at this point in time, there is little change in his illness. The doctors are hopeful, however, that one day he may return to his former self." "Cronyx, cut audio," said the woman. "Her father may be a point of leverage. Next." The image shifted, showing a racing pit. A race-car driver dressed in bright yellow with clashing orange and blue arrows was polishing a car in the same tasteless color scheme, while a woman in a robe covered in glowing sigils painted a glyph on the steering wheel. Instead of skin, she had rainbow-hued scales covering her. SUBJECT 28: CONFLICTO and SUBJECT 29: GLYPH "Conflicto," said Cronyx. "Threat level, moderate. He controls friction and viscosity. The subject has matured much over the past year, abandoning the role of clown for a more serious outlook on life. It is only partly successful. In times of stress, he reverts back to the role of joker. Infatuated at one time with fellow teammate Spiral, he pursued her and ex-CSV member Challenger to America, culminating in an incident at a circus that nearly devastated Raleigh, North Carolina. Out of that incident, he has amassed a menagerie that he calls the Zoo of Malice. Recently, he was in charge of Khadam forces on Venus, using the Raging Mad Mountain Gorillas. Has a love of technological toys." "Add Spiral as a point of weakness to his file. Also add possible sentimental attachment to his vehicle," said the woman. "His powers could be devastating, but hardly world-beater class. This Glyph is more of a threat." She patched into the sound. Conflicto whined to Glyph. "Couldn't you leave that hex off my sweet ride, cute-and-scaly?" Glyph hissed in reply. "Stick with the rules, Eugene. Remember, our goal is to improve our image in the public eye. Behave, especially around Spiral and Challenger." Conflicto grumbled. "Glyph. Threat level, high," said Cronyx. "A sorceress who employs written symbols to manipulate magic, her powers are most versatile yet limited by her mode of sorcery. The current leader of the Conclave of Super-Villains since Triton stepped down over a year ago. Not as effective a leader as Triton, being more of a recluse, which led to the past year being quiet on the CSV front. Thus far, her most notable achievement during her tenure as CSV leader has been the team's cooperation with ASH during the rise of the World Serpent. However, as you can see, she has twisted that help into power for herself. Her new scales make her nearly invulnerable to physical attacks. However, it also made her cold-blooded." The woman examined the scales on the Glyph hologram. "The power stolen from the World Serpent makes her an even more formidable threat," she said. "File annotation: obsession with serpentine totem, and vulnerability to cold. Show me the other mages, Cronyx." SUBJECT 30: LABYRINTHE and SUBJECT 31: CARYATID The hologram shifted to show a man dressed in a dark gray bodysuit covered in labyrinthine patterns, his deep blue cloak swirling about him in a manner that suggested it was no natural wind that moved it. He was creating a crystal-shielded road through a strange deciduous forest. A woman in a blue cloak and white bodysuit floated in the sky above him, combating feathered serpents in the air by encasing them in elemental ice. "Labyrinthe and Caryatid, twin mages specializing in space distortion and spirit summoning, respectively. The threat levels of both are high. However, they were banished from Earth along with the city of Montreal a while back, having spent their energies keeping the city safe on the planet Venus. When Peregryn took the World Serpent to Venus, he liberated them from their confinement, but the twins are incapable of returning to Earth. Their expected interference is minimal," said Cronyx. "Good. Too many mages could complicate our plans," said the woman. "However, if they do become a factor later, note that the brother-sister relationship is strained," added Cronyx. "Their primary loyalty at this point in time is to Montreal, though they are cooperating with the Conclave of Super-Villains during the colonization of Venus." "What are they doing now?" asked the woman. "Establishing a safe road from Falcon Bay through the Venusian forest to Montreal," said Cronyx. "There is another CSV member on Venus at the present time." "Show me." SUBJECT 32: LIGHT ERRANT A small will-o-wisp floated through the jungles of Venus in the company of a swarm of stone beetles, being pursued by a green living light, shooting energy beams and destroying the bugs. "Light Errant, human will-o-wisp. Threat-level, mid. Again, her presence on Venus takes her out of the equation, although she has the ability to travel to Earth under her own power. Recently, she has been using her hypnotic powers to entrance this particular beetle swarm, and she has been leading assaults on NAC forces, although the true master of the beetles seems to have been quiet of late. The one chasing her is Beacon of the Academy of Super-Heroes." The woman sighed. "Chiaroscuro will be disappointed. Anyone else likely to be out of play?" "Two, maybe three," said Cronyx. SUBJECT 33: KALIBAN A black-furred creature appeared in the holographic image, conferring with a centaur in what seemed to be a building with Greco-Minoan architecture. However, the statuary around them were distinctly bestial in appearance. "Kaliban, threat level low," continued Cronyx. "When the minotaur godling Q'Nos created his kingdom out of 'Shattered Hellas,' the CSV wisely sent Kaliban as ambassador to the court of Q'Nos. Due to his feral appearance, he is palatable to the creatures that inhabit the kingdom. Though he is highly intelligent, he will unlikely be an immediate factor in the coming fight, due to his ambassadorial commitments." "Good. Next," said the woman. SUBJECT 34: MYRIAD A black blob with thirty tentacles and just as many eyes on eyestalks sat in the Conclave of Super-Villains HQ monitor room, adjusting controls and reading sensors. "Myriad. Shapeshifter. Threat level, mid. Her current assignment is to monitor CSV activities from the HQ in Khadam while the team enjoys their holiday in Monaco. She may come to the CSV's assistance if called, so I would advise keeping her in the equation. A versatile mimic and mistress of countless forms, she is both muscle and spy. However, as an artificial lifeform, she is vulnerable to a range of chemical and biological agents that are otherwise harmless to humans." The woman nodded. "Thank you. And the third?" SUBJECT 35: TERRASTAR The Jardin Botanique of Monaco flashed into holographic being, filled with flowers that were blooming earlier than they usually did. "Switching on gravitational filters," said Cronyx. The image turned black, with glowing golden lines delineating space-time curvature. A pocket of bent space, though invisible in the normal visual spectrum, became apparent. The outline of a huge woman wielding a mace was trapped inside the spatial chrysalis. "TerraStar. Nominally a witch of earth and stone, but her powers are greater than she pretends. Threat level, high, but she will be incapacitated for the duration of the battle. During Triton and Sultry's wedding, she had been sealed inside this space-time fissure by Triton. However, using magic, her mind had escaped confinement and had taken over the heroine Geode. When the opportunity arose, she merged with the giant Venusian beetle Heraclius. It is likely that she is currently distracted by the activities of Light Errant from her quest to recover her body. As a result, she will have little impact on our plans." "And yet her prison is the Lock that our Four Keys must open," said the woman, running her hand through the image of the trapped TerraStar. SUBJECT 36: CHALLENGER and SUBJECT 37: SPIRAL The scenery changed slightly, returning to the visible spectrum, this time showing a cybernetically-enhanced human hand-in-hand with a lithe Russian woman strolling in the botanical garden, not far from the spatial rift. They seemed to be enjoying the last of the daylight and the surprisingly balmy weather for this time of year. "Challenger and Spiral. Threat level for Challenger low. He has minor cybernetic enhancements, but his sharp mind and his notoriety as a reporter of paranormal activity are his greatest assets. After leaving the CSV with Spiral, he became an instructor at the Academy, teaching Ethics and Journalism. His presence here is motivated by his student Bobby Chambers, as previously noted." The woman shook her head. "Re-evaluate him as threat level mid. I've seen how his mind works first-hand. He is more dangerous than most people give him credit for. Continue with Spiral." Cronyx bowed. "File amended. Spiral. Mistress of telekinetic torque. Threat level, mid. Along with Challenger, she resides at the Academy. However, given her criminal past, she had been placed under probation until she has proven herself trustworthy. This is her first major foray out of the Academy on good behavior. She hopes to become an instructor at the Academy in the new academic year. She and Challenger seem devoted to each other, which irks Conflicto to no end." "Thank you. Continue," said the woman. SUBJECT 38: BURNOUT The image shifted to that of the bridge of Skyhaven. A red-skinned woman with grey hair piloted the ship, muttering to herself in a singsong. "Burnout. Threat level, high. Able to transmute people into ash. Possibly the deadliest power that needs to be dealt with. Formerly mortal enemies Cockatrice and Mister Strings, the actions of Jessa Dumont trapped Mister Strings into the mind of Cockatrice," revealed Cronyx. "Due to the strange merger, Burnout is immune to mental effects. Although the two minds have had much time to adapt to their shared body, Burnout may still hesitate in times of crisis as the two minds struggle for dominance. Recommendation: blinding her as soon as possible." "Thank you," said the woman. "That leaves Sultry and Triton." SUBJECT 39: SULTRY The holographic scenery shifted to the skies above Monaco. Flying beside the giant airship was a woman in orange, basking in the sun. "Sultry. Weather manipulator. Threat level, high. She has been blessing Monaco with perfect weather in Monaco for months, making the country among the top travel destinations in the world. I believe it is a gift for Tiara, who had permitted her and Triton to hide their twin children in Monaco. She has done little else recently besides being a mother to her two children. However, she can be a fury when she needs to be, especially if her husband Triton or her children are in danger." "And the Fourth Key?" asked the woman. SUBJECT 40: TRITON A clean-shaven man sat in his office aboard Skyhaven, poring over documents as his children, a boy and a girl, played with CSV action figures on the floor before him. The children each wore a force-field generator like their father. A suit of blue-and-white armor stood behind a shimmering force-field the corner, along with a great shaft of gray metal studded with conduits and controls. "Triton. Electricity generation is his natural power, but he is a gadgeteer of much skill. Presently the Chancellor of Khadam, he stepped down from CSV leadership but still participates in team activities as necessary. Threat level..." "High," said the woman. "He is our Fourth Key. He made the spatial rift here with the AstroSpear, and it will be that act which dooms him and the others." She gave a soft laugh. "Aside from his love of Sultry and his children, it will be his pride that causes his downfall." "Those are all the subjects under surveillance," said Cronyx. "Anything else, madam?" "One last thing," said the woman. She entered the yacht through the hatch. On the ground was an open golden sarcophagus, the interior of the casket filled with glowing circuitry. A young male form wrapped in bandages that resembled black gel was struggling inside the coffin, but unable to escape. Bound like a mummy, only his pleading eyes were visible. The lid to the sarcophagus hung from the ceiling. The woman lowered the lid, sealing the prisoner inside the sarcophagus. The casket was the spitting image of Cronyx, and in its hands was a golden ankh. Its Anubis-eyes began to glow sapphire-blue. "Begin Operation 'Four to Never'," instructed the woman. "Yes, madam," said the Cronyx-casket, and in a burst of blue lightning, vanished. =========================================================================== Next: "Four to Never" Lap 1 kicks off in ASH #77, "Time Traps" as the plans of our mysterious viewpoint character from this issue get underway! Then, come back here in CSV #27 for Lap 2, "Time Bombs"! =========================================================================== Author's Note: The CSV's back! I can't believe it's been almost four years since I wrote the last issue. Where have I been? Well, I've been trying my hand at professional publication, and recently became the Second Place winner in the Writers of the Future Contest, First Quarter 2006. It left little time to write CSV issues, but I did manage to consult with Dave on storylines involving the CSV, including the evolution of the "Four to Never" arc that you are reading now. This issue actually hadn't been in the plans, but Dave suggested that I let readers catch up with what's been happening with the super-villains since the #1-#25 run. So, this is more of a Who's Who in the CSV and what they are doing now, and a teaser for the dramatic events about to unfold. You can find the references to the actual issues of ASH where certain events happened above. Enjoy! Editor's Notes: Here's some references for events mentioned in this issue, for those wishing to go back and reread (or read for the first time) those stories. Subject 27: Tiara - Maxim's madness was caused by one of Glyph's spells, some time between CSV #19 and CSV #25 (referenced in #25, but not shown). Subject 28: Conflicto - The Raleigh incident happened between CSV #25 and ASH #50, but this is an untold tale as yet. Conflicto arrived on Venus in ASH #62 with the Raging Mad Mountain Gorillas to help found the settlement of Tritonis on Ouda Regio, and was present for the wedding of Peregryn and Essay in ASH #76 before heading back to Earth for the Prix Ultime. Subject 29: Glyph - Ascended to leadership of the Conclave of Super- Villains at the end of CSV #25. She absorbed the scales of the World Serpent in ASH #50. Subject 30: Labyrinthe - Yvan was banished from Earth during the Capstone series, and was part of Montreal's protective dome until Peregryn freed him in ASH #64. He spent the next few months with the Falcon Bay settlement, but reunited with his sister in ASH #76. Peregryn's banishment, while directed at Caryatid, affected Yvan and still prevents him from returning to Earth. Subject 31: Caryatid - Same fate as Yvan. Following the breaking of the dome in ASH #64, she took over as ruler of Montreal, with the Sans Rouge as her inner circle. She has since gained power over elemental ice, but is likewise still mystically prevented from coming to Earth. Subject 32: Light Errant - Her presence on Venus has not yet been explained, nor have her actions since CSV #25 (when she was admitted to the team) been depicted. So you haven't missed anything. :) Subject 33: Kaliban - He was appointed Ambassador Plenipotentiary for Khadam to the court of Q'Nos in ASH #60, arrived in ASH #61, and has been there ever since. Subject 34: Myriad - Her activities since CSV #25 have not been revealed. Subject 35: TerraStar - Sealed in the warp bubble in CSV #25. In ASH #50, she projected her spirit out of her trapped body and into the body of Base of the Pillar, saving the Moslem superhero from death and transforming her into a new form as Geode. TerraStar mostly bided her time riding Geode's body, until ASH #70, when she transferred her spirit into the mighty stone beetle, Heraclius. She has since attended the wedding of Peregryn and Essay in that form. Her reaction to Light Errant's actions on Venus has not been revealed. Subject 36: Challenger - After traveling for a while with Spiral after both left the Conclave of Super-Villains in CSV #25, Coulter was offered sanctuary and a job at the Academy in ASH #43. He accepted in ASH #45, and has been teaching ethics and journalism there since. He has occasionally given information or advice to ASH. Subject 37: Spiral - As part of Coulter's deal, Spiral was put on a sort of probation, as outlined this issue. She has been allowed out of the Academy on occasion, with supervision, but this was her first trip out of the Combine. Subject 38: Burnout - Cockatrice and Mr. Strings were merged in CSV #21. Burnout was framed for a Hangman killing in ASH #73, but cleared when she was able to demonstrate that she had been in Khadam the entire time, and further cleared when Supernaut was blamed for the murder in ASH #75. Subject 39: Sultry - Fought against sirens in ASH #50, off-screen. Subject 40: Triton - Has been running Khadam since stepping down as leader of the Conclave of Super-Villains in CSV #25. Took part in the defense of Haven in ASH #50, and has performed various diplomatic maneuvers regarding Q'Nos and Venus. Appeared in holographic form before the United World in ASH #69 to publicly recognize Q'Nos's claims to Venus and declare non-aggression with Q'Nos on Earth. Who are Subjects #1-26? Well, there ARE supernormals other than the CSV that might interfere with our mysterious lady's plans. Not to mention, three unnamed Keys.... ============================================================================ For all the back issues, plus additional background information, art, and more, go to http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/ASH ! To discuss this issue or any others, either just hit "followup" to this post, or check out our Yahoo discussion group, which can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ash_stories/ ! ============================================================================