Merg Gaterra (aka Magpie) is a native of the planet Angtu.
Merg is known throughout the galaxy as its greatest thief (a title both he and Benn Pares lay claim to).
Merg was hired by Universo, who was working for the Monitor, to steal a timechip from the Legion of Super-Heroes headquarters. The tiny chip contained the key to the operating system on the Time Viewer at Metropolis University’s Time Institute, and was kept kept in Legion HQ because of the security available there. Merg gained entrance to Legion HQ through several devices provided by the Monitor. Nevertheless, Dream Girl and Star Boy caught Merg while he was in Brainiac 5‘s laboratory, and they were able to keep him from stealing the timechip. Merg, however, escaped the Legion by teleportation.
A little over five years later, Magpie had a testy relationship working for Prince Evillo, stealing the Hypno-Stone for him before being captured by the Science Police. But Merg didn’t stay in custody for long, as he was able to escape during the chaos caused by the Persuader breaking Mano out of the Science Police Earth Holding Station.