BEST OF TIMES, WORST OF TIMES
Writer: Ken Penders
Penciler: Steve Butler
Inker: Pam Eklund
Colorists: Josh & Aimee Ray
Letterer: Vickie Williams
Editor: Justin Freddy Gabrie

Knuckles is running and is barely ahead of an energy beam which is catching up to him. He reaches the end of the Floating Island and decides to take his chances jumping off and going into the ocean than getting hit by the beam. As he makes his leap off the island, there's an explosion right behind him which ends any chance of him gliding and he falls (belly flops) into the ocean. Knuckles manages to come up to the surface and falls unconscious on top of a wooden sign that says "Command Center." The Floating Island is above him and there's a big gapping hole on the side Knuckles leapt from.

Now to explain why that all happened, it's flashback time (to earlier in the day to be exact): Lara-Le and Wynmacher (Wyn) exchanged vows with Knuckles, Julie-Su, Mighty, Espio, and Vector watching (Remington and his date are on the opposite page and not shown in their colors like Knux and the others were). Knuckles isn't crazy about it and neither is Locke according to Knux' thoughts, but right after the ceremony he wishes them both the best. Lara-Le tells Knuckles that he should make it to dinner at least once a week just before she and Wyn rush off for their honeymoon. Soon, Knux and the group see Remington and he introduces everyone to his "friend," Komi-Ko. While, Knux and the others start talking to Komi-Ko, Remington gets paged by the Echidna Security Agency (ESA) so he has to go back to work. Knuckles asks him if he needs any help and Remington says that he'll call if he needs help.

Meanwhile in Haven, the Brotherhood and the Council of Ants are visited by Mathias (Hawking's father who no longer has a physical form). He has news of Dimitri preparing the Dark Legion (DL) to attack. The Brotherhood leaves with Mathias to stop Dimitri before he can pull off his plans.

Elsewhere on the Floating Island, Knuckles, Julie-Su, Espio, Mighty and Vector are riding pashas outside the city and heading further inland. Espio asks Knuckles if he thinks they should have helped Remington anyway. Knuckles tells him that they'll get a call if they're needed and Julie-Su says that Knuckles is entitled to some fun every once in awhile. However, Vector sees what Knuckles' planned destination spot is and says "on second thought I should've stayed in the city."

In Echidnaopolis, Remington dropped Komi-Ko home and then notices Harry's cab and asks him for a ride to ESA. Harry basically says that he'll take Remington anywhere in the city but to that building so Remington asks him why. Harry informs Remington that General Stryker is upset with the slow process and is rallying the dingoes for a major protest. Remington, who has been personally overseeing things, says that the High Council is actually about to do something, but if Stryker does this then all the months of negotiation will be for naught. After Harry drops off Remington he tells Remington to skip the fare because he "never saw [Harry] today." Remington starts preparing his troops hoping that he "can talk sense into" Stryker.

Meanwhile, Knuckles and company are standing in front of the DL base that Kragok had self-destruct (Knuckles #3). Basically everyone is of the opinion that there are better places to be and Knuckles tells them to stay outside then because he plans on checking the place out. Mighty asks him if he thinks that they might find the DL in there and Knuckles replies that the DL is always getting the drop on them and that needs to change. So following Knuckles, the group goes inside.

Mathias has taken the Brotherhood to the Grand Conservatory where the DL is preparing for their attack. Spectre takes out two Legionnaires who had the nerve to threaten him with their lasers. Then the group uses their chaos powers together to overturn a tank and start causing havoc in the DL's current base.

The newly weds have arrived at their honeymoon destination: the Albion Chalet (they are still on the Floating Island despite the name). Lara-Le comments that the place is beautiful while Wyn says that they have "all the time in the world."

In Echidnaopolis, Stryker and his troops are armed and start attacking the city. Remington and his troops meet up with Stryker's troops, but Remington tells his troops to hold their fire as he's going to try to reason with Stryker first.

At the old DL base, Julie-Su is leading Knuckles and the guys (who are a good distance behind) now and asks Knuckles what's he looking for. Knuckles doesn't know and then the group finds out that they aren't alone in the base as Julie-Su begins to turn the corner she's grabbed by a bunch of Legionnaires who take her away as the guys finally catch up. Despite the ensuing fight, the Legionnaires kidnap Julie-Su.

In the med-labs of Haven, the spirit of Steppenwolf comes to Hawking. He tells Hawking it's time for him to join the rest of them and assures Hawking that the others "will endure." Hawking's spirit leaves his body and the life support equipment registers that he is dead.

Meanwhile, Julie-Su, who's not being a very nice prisoner, has been taken aboard a heavy duty air craft where she meets Kommissar and they have a "nice" family reunion filled with insults. Kommissar has Julie-Su put in a cell with Floren-Ca and Simon. On board, Moritori Rex and Dimitri are watching the proceedings and Moritori says that they should have left Julie-Su on the Floating Island, but Dimitri says that Julie-Su is as much family as Moritori is. Dimitri then gives the command to activate the quantum beam. The beam is fired directly at the Floating Island and in Echidnaopolis, the city is being consumed by the beam as the buildings, the people, Stryker, Remington, Lara-Le & Wyn, are all covered by the beam. Then at the DL base where Knuckles and the guys are fighting some Legionnaires the beam reaches them. Knuckles sees the beam consume the Chaotix and his first reaction was to throw some Legionnaires at it, but that didn't stop the beam and he starts gliding out the place as fast as he can.

From the air craft, Dimitri watches the explosion on the Floating Island and says that it's "a pity about Knuckles" as he thinks Knuckles got caught up in the beam. He felt that he had no choice since the Brotherhood was about to interfere with his plans. Dimitri also says that he imprisoned everyone into a zone just like the Brotherhood had done to the DL in the past. Dimitri says that they can now "reclaim what is rightfully ours" as the air craft zooms toward the Floating Island, so the DL has control of the Floating Island. Last page, is a full page pic of Knuckles out cold drifting in the water.

Next Story is in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #88