Prod Zone

19th July
12:49 GMT -6

I peer into the desiccated face of what was once our target.

"Ye-ap. This one's not alive either."

After yesterday I thought it might be good for M'gann and Superboy to get out of the base on something that looked kind of like a mission. Which is why we're walking through the swamps of Louisiana in an attempt to track down either Doctor Alec Holland or, as I hope, Swamp Thing. Finding the weird mutant plant he nominally lives in was quite simple for the ring. Finding the Elemental himself is presently defeating us. This is the seventh abandoned Swamp Thing body we've come across.

Robin is helping Red Tornado investigate Mister Twister's remains. American summer holidays are really long, apparently. He wanted to come until I said that it was unlikely anything interesting was going to happen and Red Tornado made it clear that we were obliged to retreat in the event of a hostile reception. His orders may not be binding like Batman's or Diana's but I don't want to irritate him all the same.

Wallace is back in Central City doing… Something. Possibly washing his hair. Since Robin let everyone know my name Wallace decided it would be fair to share his. Apparently, not even his mother calls him Wallace and I'm on a list with his grandmother and his geography teacher.

Kaldur wanted to plan out team training activities. I also asked him about getting the base warded against arcane attack. He said that it was a bit beyond his abilities. Mentioned some Atlantean friends of his who might have been up to it. Someone named Tula -whose name sounded vaguely familiar from the comics- and Garth. Kaldur became Aquaman's aide after he and Garth aided him in combat against Ocean Master. Both were offered the position, but Garth chose to remain at the Conservatory of Sorcery instead in this timeline. Would he have chosen differently if Kaldur wasn't there? I don't remember his comic background well enough to know if that's how it happened there. Kaldur also said that my referring to him as Royal Champion was a bit premature. He doesn't actually have a formal court title as yet.

Superboy appears to be adjusting well to his new and improved ears. He's currently photographing and taking samples from different parts of the Swamp Thing modified plants that we've found so far. M'gann and I are doing a bit of exploring. Since none of us know which bits are safe to step on floating over the ground is really the best way to do it. Superboy looked a bit down at the whole 'can't join in because you can't fly' aspect of the thing, but as I told him, we need information. He perked up a little once M'gann offered to teach him to fly the Bio-Ship.

**Orange Lantern to Miss Martian.**

**It sounds weird when you think it.**

**I'm still not sold on the whole 'secret identity' thing. Makes even less sense for you.**

**My Earth name is similar to my Martian name.**

**Actual name.**

**Right. And my face is the same, just a different color. People might make the connection if they heard it.**

**Anyone on Earth capable of telepathic eavesdropping could already get your secret identity. I don't suppose you've heard anything from our target?**

**I don't know what a Plant Elemental's mind would sound like, but.. so far it's just swamp creatures.**

**Right. He's either not here or he's avoiding us. I'll do a ring scan and then I think we should break for lunch. Try a different approach in the afternoon. Superboy, you about done on your end?**

**Yeah.**

**Red Tornado say anything about the pictures?**

**He said he'd get someone to look at it.**

I smile. **Anyone know a super powered botanist other than Pamela Isley?**

**Who?** / **Who?**

Neither of them have heard of her? **Poison Ivy? Crazy Gotham plant woman? Feeds people to giant pitcher plants?**

Silence from Superboy.

**I.. think I remember Robin mentioning her.**

**Right, when we get back I'm sticking both of you in front of some case files. You need to know this stuff.** I get a sense of disgruntlement from Superboy. I'll snap him out of that. **You think Superman doesn't read up on potential threats? You think he hasn't invested a great deal of effort in finding out exactly how hard he has to hit someone to put them down quickly without causing permanent damage? Being strong isn't enough, you have to know how to use it.**

**Fine.**

Done it again. **Look, I was thinking about asking Diana to give you some hand to hand combat tuition. I'm not convinced that Black Canary's martial arts are going to be of much use to someone as strong as you. Is that something you'd be interested in?**

There's a brief pause. **I should be getting taught by Superman.**

Haven't seen him around, actually. **How are things between you and him anyway?** There's a flash of something from M'gann. Feels like… Panic? **What?**

**They're fine!**

**Okay, well, let me know if you're interested. I'll see you both back at the ship.** If the swamp were a bit dryer, I might find it pretty. As it is the mud and mosquitoes put me right off. "{orange}Ring, scan for any more piles of vines that used to be Swamp Thing{/}."

Immediately I can feel their locations. Wanting something more precise I create a map construct with their locations. There's about forty, plus or minus seven for degrees of decay. No real pattern, other than there seem to be more around his home, and none of them are moving. Makes sense. I save the map and fly back towards the ship.

There's a shallow pool to one side of the.. tree..? Vine mound? I have no idea what to call the thing Swamp Thing lives in. Beautiful and quite alien. I doubt it would survive without his attention and upkeep. The Bio-Ship is hovering over the more solid ground on the other side, stealth disengaged. Superboy left a letter from us addressed to the owner, asking him to get in contact. I somehow doubt that he will.

I fly around to the rear entrance and enter the ship. Superboy's in the pilot's seat with M'gann standing over him, pointing out the basic controls. Superboy hunches slightly as I land. M'gann turns around and smiles nervously at me.

**This is just coming to you. Superman and Superboy… Well… Superman didn't take finding out that someone cloned him particularly well. I don't think they've spoken since the others got him out of Cadmus.**

**Fiddlesticks.** She frowns slightly. **Dah, okay, sorry. I'll try and fix it.**

She nods, and turns back to Superboy. "Okay Superboy, take us up."

His hands move over the controls and the ship rises above the canopy. I'm not worried about being seen. If the comics are anything to go by this whole area is inhabited only by crazy people who see far weirder stuff on a daily basis. If the comics aren't anything to go by then there's still nothing anywhere near here. I walk over to sit at the right forward seat. I know we brought packed lunches, but…

Idea!

I swivel the chair around to face them.

"How about we go and find a restaurant? There's got to be somewhere that does good food around here. My treat, if we can find somewhere that will take gold as payment."

19th July
13:04 GMT -6

It took M'gann a while to convince me that American roadside food can actually be quite good. That is very much not the case in England. It took me a while to convince her that going outside the ship with green skin would be perfectly fine. I certainly wasn't planning to drop my shield in a state full of gun owners, and hanging around with someone who glows orange while in her civies would do more to give the game away than going in Martian. Superboy didn't much care either way.

That was why on Monday the nineteenth of July in the year of our Lord two thousand and ten a Martian Bio-Ship dropped camouflage over Grammy Smith's Roadside Kitchen, between Houma and Morgan City, just off Highway 90.

"{orange}Ring, prevent mobile phone calls{/}." An extremely nervous looking M'gann levitates herself down to the ground from the back hatch. I turn to Superboy. "D'you want me to-?"

He jumps down the seven or so meters to the ground, landing in a crouch. I float down after him to where M'gann is waving hesitantly at the few diners already present. "Er… Hi?"

They are too busy gawping to return her greeting. Superboy scans the area once, then snorts. Ah! The counter. I stride towards it. "Come on, this way. Either of you actually know anything about Louisianan food?"

Turns out? Superboy does. At least, to the extent of knowing what was in things. Better still, he didn't zombify much when he explained it to us. Maybe simple information integrates faster? Perhaps that means he'll get all of the rest without telepathic help. I order what I think is some sort of seafood stew with rice and Superboy and M'gann order a Risotto. Both food types are kept ready to serve behind the counter, but I can see the next batch being cooked so it's probably pretty fresh. They also order Coke, and I think about asking for a large glass of milk before I realise that they probably don't have enough and order orange juice instead. The cook seems to find our presence amusing, and laughs out loud when I hand him three gold coins to pay for it.

"No way, man! No way anyone is gunna believe this happened! These coins? These're gunna get me arrested!"

We take our food and walk to the most isolated free picnic table. It isn't a large area, so we aren't even out of earshot of the people who are just emerging from their stupor. I briefly consider sticking a shield up… But that would be rude.

{orange}Ring, one way sound baffle.{/}

There's a brief orange surge, and a sound like collecting a water shield in Sonic 3. M'gann looks at me inquisitorially.

"Sound baffle. Makes it harder for people to hear what we're saying."

"Oh. Okay…"

She looks nervously at the other diners, some of whom are taking pictures of us and the ship. A group of children are either trying to jump up to the back hatch of the Bio-Ship or are re-enacting Superboy's jump down. Superboy's already started eating. Conversation has never been a great skill of mine, but if I can start with anything…

"You said that you were planning to attend high school. What year are you planning to start in?"

"Oh, I'm, ah, I'm starting as a sophomore."

I load my fork with what I think might be oyster. I wanted to leave my food comfort zone and -hooray!- I have. Well and bloody truly. "M'gann, I'm English. Our education system is structured differently. What does that mean in terms of how old your classmates are going to be?"

She's trying to split her attention between me, her food and the other diners. "They'll be sixteen. Mostly, anyway. How does it work in England?"

"At sixteen you're in the last year of secondary school. At the end of the year you take your GCSE exams, and then you're done with compulsory education."

"Really? That early?"

"I've never thought of it as early. A lot of people do go on to college for the next two years, or do a vocational qualification, but, yeah."

"That does seem a bit young."

"According to his personnel file, Kaldur started national service when he was twelve. Not sure how that works."

"Maybe it was a military school?"

"Maybe. Any thoughts on what you want to do after you finish school?" That question warrants a hurried mouthful. Yeah, remember that feeling. She shakes her head. "It's not an immediate concern, but you should probably start thinking about it if you intend to move to Earth on a permanent basis. I got the impression that you were planning on living here?"

"I'd like to."

"Thing about being a superhero? You usually don't get paid to do it."

"Usually?"

"Green Lanterns get paid by the Guardians. It's not great money, but you can live off it. Particularly when bounty payments are taken into account."

"They get paid bounties? That doesn't sound.. very…"

I wave a hand to stop her. "Not by the Corps, but a lot of the people they end up going after have bounties on them from other places."

"Do you get paid by your Corps?"

"Orange Lanterns assume that if you can't work out how to make money with a power ring then you're probably too stupid to be given one. Green Lanterns need to get paid because the Guardians have very strict rules against Lanterns using power rings for their own ends."

"And you can use your ring for whatever you want?"

"The Corps doesn't place restrictions. There's things I won't do with it. I mean, Sinestro got booted out of the Green Corps for using his ring to take over his homeworld. I wouldn't want to do that."

"So you used your ring to get gold?"

"And platinum. Asteroid mining. Most of the Mars - Jupiter asteroid belt was untouched, so I used the ring to smelt some metal. Maybe half an hour's work for what I've spent in this parallel so far, and I've been overpaying. Actually, that surprised me a bit: how come Martians haven't got involved in asteroid mining?"

"We've never really needed to. And, well, most Martians aren't very interested in leaving the caves."

"Ooh, maybe we need to introduce the rest of Martian society to the joys of Earth television?"

She smiles. "That might just turn them all into couch potatoes."

I'm finding the textures odd, but the food actually tastes quite good. It pretty much falls into my preferred gap in between 'we-call-it-a-kitchen-but-basically-we-just-microwave-stuff' and 'what-do-you-mean-you-don't-like-cheese-and-tomato-ice-cream'. Stuff that you actually enjoy eating.

Now for the tricky bit. "Superboy, how about you?"

He stops eating and looks at me, as if he's surprised that I'm there. "What about me?"

"School. Education. Do you have any plans, or has anyone talked to you about it?"

"No."

"Do you think it might be good to look into?"

"No." I give him what I hope is an encouraging smile. Please say something else..? "I'm a weapon. I know how to hit things. I don't need to learn anything else." He goes back to eating.

Ooooo keeeey….

"But there's so many other things you could learn to do as well!"

Think you're on to a loser there, M'gann.

"I don't-" He swallows. "-need anything else. I don't want anything else."

Well, that's… yeah. Okay. M'gann and I share a look. New topic. Erm…

19th July
13:12 GMT -6

I should probably eat this before it gets cold. M'gann and I both focus on eating. Superboy's finished, and is glaring moodily at some of the other diners. Or maybe it's a Jason Bourne thing and he's working out potential attack vectors and escape routes?

There is one thing I've been thinking about. "I must admit, I was surprised that Mr J'onzz was prepared to take you in. I didn't think that he and his brother got on."

She looks at me in surprise. "You know uncle Ma'al?"

"By reputation only."

"No, they… Whaw, they really don't get on. My mom is their sister."

"That makes more sense. Any other family?"

"There's my mom and my dad, my brothers and sisters."

"Brothers and sisters? You come from a large family?"

"Not really. Only seventeen boys and thirteen girls. I mean, I've got about three hundred cousins, but it's not really… What?"

I'm gaping. "How many!"

"Why is..? Oh! I suppose by Human standards that is quite big."

"Just a bit, yes."

"What about you? Um, if you don't mind?"

"Both parents still with us, and one sister. Four cousins, if you're wondering."

"I suppose that could be nice. You must be able to remember all their names and birthdays."

One out of two isn't bad. "About the after school thing. Unless you want a normal job for the sake of it, you'd probably be better off finding a unique service you can offer, and charging people for it."

She chews for a moment. "I know there aren't many Human telepaths or shape shifters."

"There you go. Now, what can you do with those things that people will pay you for?"

"Most Humans I've met haven't been very keen on mind reading."

"I used to watch a television series where telepaths were routinely used in business negotiations to ensure that neither party was trying to deceive the other. There isn't a market now, but it's worth thinking about."

"What series was that?"

"Babylon Five. Don't bother looking it up, it doesn't exist here."

She thinks for a moment. "I suppose… Counselling services? I'm not sure I like the idea of going inside damaged minds."

"Not much money in it anyway. But if you can create telepathic suggestions you could offer your services to people trying to stop smoking. Or to stop using harder drugs."

"Mind control?"

"Very limited mind control that they ask for and pay you to perform, and that you can undo whenever they ask."

"I suppose… I don't think I like the idea of doing that sort of thing either."

I shrug. "No problem. Just an idea. How about telepathic illusions?"

"I've been practising, but I'm not that good yet. How about shapeshifting instead?"

"There's modelling. Don't really have any suggestions about that. Acting, but that will require a lot of time. Could work. I think Animal Man works as a stunt double. Money won't be all that great for a while if you're just looking for something to fund your superheroing."

"Well, it isn't as if I have to decide right now."

"True." New topic time. "Why is it that you're choosing to live in the mountain rather than with your uncle?"

"Uncle J'onn isn't around all that much. It was kinda lonely. Plus, I think he prefers being on his own."

"You think us living in a known superhero base is a good idea?"

M'gann looks at Superboy, intentionally giving him a chance to respond, before giving up with a small sigh. "Kid Flash said that we're hiding in plain sight."

"How so?"

"Because… The bad guys know it's a secret superhero base, so they won't look for us there?"

Eh? "That… that really isn't how hiding in plain sight works. A disused base suddenly showing activity draws attention. It would only be hiding in plain sight if there was some other more obvious explanation for it going live again that meant they ignored us."

She smiles. "You think you'll be attacked in your sleep?"

"I'm not worried about that; I sleep wearing a personal force field generator. I'm more worried about what happens if the mountain becomes a tourist attraction like the Hall of Justice. Even if we can cope with an aggressor, random holiday makers would just be hostage fodder."

"Our missions aren't usually going to happen near the mountain. And the Hall of Justice is hardly ever attacked."

"Umm, suppose. Oh, know what I've noticed?"

"What?"

"There's three people here but only two of them are talking. So! Superboy. Had any thoughts on a first name yet?"

He actually seems to think about that one. "No." But the result is the same.

M'gann looks concerned. "You do want one, right?"

He fidgets a little. "Well… Yeah…"

"Given any thought to the sort of name you want? Something Human, something Kryptonian, something that works in both?"

He think about it for a moment. "What… Kryptonian names do you know?"

"Sorry, not many. The male Kryptonian names I remember were all short. Kal, Jor, Dru. I can't even remember what Jor-El's brother was called. I suppose… Er… One of the Greenies might have better records." Not suggesting he ask Superman. Now, do I try to convince him to go for Kon-El/Conner Kent, or just let him do his own thing? Could be awkward if I forget his choice.

"How about Conner?" And M'gann out of absolutely nowhere. She seems strangely enthusiastic.

Superboy looks at me. Why? Oh. Kryptonian authenticity checking. "It works for a Human name, but it's a bit long for Krypton. Maybe if you just used the first syllable?" Might as well… "Maybe if you spelt the Kryptonian version with a K rather than a C?"

He avoids eye contact as he thinks about it. "Kon. El." I'm not sure that he likes it, but he doesn't seem able to come up with a reason to dislike it. And it sounds a bit like Superman's name. "Kon-El. Okay." He actually sounded calm when he said that, without his usual angry or confused tinge. {orange}It sounds better{/}. Looks like M'gann's still in to bat for 'Conner'.

"Maybe Conner could be your Earth name. Like I'm using Megan Morse."

"I don't need one."

He'd probably take one if I demonstrated that Superman had a secret identity, but I think that would be tipping my hand a bit much. Another reason, then. "You might want to pretend to be Human at some point. For a reconnaissance mission, or something. It would probably work better if you were used to responding to a Human style name."

He thinks about it, then shrugs. "I guess."

Continuity preserved, or something like it. Time to get back to work. {orange}Ring, display list of names{/}. There are no Abigail Arcanes, but there are seven Abigail Cables and two Abigail Hollands. The ring {orange}creates{/} a hologram-like screen for M'gann and Superb-. Kon-El. Time to relearn what I already know. The display also has their addresses. "We'll check out the list, then head home. Remember, mid twenties to mid thirties, and she should have white hair with a black streak. If we see her and she starts freaking out, just back away and record the address." I smile. "Kon-El, anything to add?"

He looks blank for a moment, then… {orange}Did he just nearly smile{/}? "Maybe… Maybe we shouldn't crowd her. It'll be less intimidating if only one of us speaks to her at a time."

"Good point. And well volunteered."

"What?"

"Abigail Jane Cable is closest." I stand up and turn to the Bio-Ship. The crowd looks bigger than when we arrived, but fortunately they leave a clear space around us. I wave my right hand and an orange staircase appears from the ground to the Bio-Ship's rear hatch. M'gann and Kon follow me up.

22nd July
15:02 GMT -5

"I know you can lift more, but that isn't the aim here. You're supposed to lift a smaller weight repeatedly. Building strength rather than showing off what you already have."

It's a mark of how much our relationship has improved this week that Kon actually appears to listen to what I say, rather than snapping at me or storming off. He's lying on a bench press bench I fabricated out of tungsten after the normal steel one we tried this with collapsed under the weight. Near his head is an orange construct weight rest with a construct set of barbells. The barbells show fifty tonnes. It won't actually weigh anything until he picks it up, and it will stop weighing anything if he gets into difficulty.

Not too many people around who can spot for a Kryptonian.

This morning wasn't the first time that he mentioned his dissatisfaction with his sub-Superman abilities. Rather than let him either mope or try to persuade me to take a chance on modifying his body I suggested improving his strength in the traditional way. I doubt that any improvement will be significant. Really, I just want something to focus his attention on, but he seems to be pretty into it. We started on regular weights, but even loading the bar up to its maximum it still didn't strain him. So I had the ring exert thirty tonnes and the bench broke.

He reaches under the rest and puts his hands on to the bar, pushing up slightly. The ring {orange}creates the downwards force{/} and he begins pushing. Up down up down up down up no no no. "Kon, it's about power under control. Slower. Here." I {orange}create a metronome construct with a three second swing{/}. "One swing up, one swing down. It's harder to hold the bar with your arms bent than it is to hold it fully up."

He nods, then resumes. It's weird, really. He can lift fifty tonnes like it's no big deal, but is still perfectly capable of fine object manipulation without risking breaking whatever he's holding. No idea how it works. Maybe the level of strength he employs is somehow controlled by his intent? Wasn't he a touch telekinetic in the comics to begin with?

Watching his muscles move is impressive. My ring modified body probably has a little more definition -definitely not earned, I haven't spent any time in the gym for my own exercise- but even ignoring his super strength his muscles are clearly the larger. I haven't watched someone like him lift weights before and it's strangely enthralling. Kon changed into a vest for this and I can watch his muscles move as the tension shifts to different muscle groups.

There's a blast of displaced air and then Wallace-. "Guys! We're getting a mission!"

Kon holds the bar with his elbows bent at ninety degrees. Maybe I am setting the weight a bit low? "Finally."

He moves it to the rest, and sits up as I delete the construct. Should I be nervous? I'm not sure. I'm now fairly confident in my ability to protect both myself and my team mates. Shielding others was the main thing our recent team practices have allowed me to get good at. I can armour up Kon and M'gann in a second or so, and create versions of my environmental shielding for the others. Robin said that he preferred if I didn't use it on him as the orange glow draws the eye when he'd rather use evasion and misdirection. Kon, on the other hand, has been using it to the maximum. Barrier type construct shields are even easier, and I can use simple constructs on separate tasks without really concentrating.

"Do you have any other information for us?"

And the wind leaves his sails. "No. But Batman's coming down later to give the briefing."

Kon's a bit more interested. "When?"

"Batman's getting here about five."

If Wallace knows, then… "Can I assume you heard about this from Robin?"

"Yeah."

"He didn't tell you anything else?"

He gives me an irritated look. "Y'know, you could be more excited about this."

I lean back and cross my arms across my chest. "I don't have anything to be excited about yet."

It's a little frustrating. If we're doing this mission today I'd like a chance to do some preparatory reading. Maybe practise construct types appropriate to the local threats. And if Batman is coming here, he must already know more or less what we'll be going into. No reason he couldn't send an information packet over.

Whaw, listen to me. Actually sound like I know what I'm doing.

Kon doesn't understand my lack of interest. "This finally shows that they're taking us seriously."

"Kon, have you any idea how much it cost them to rebuild this place? This was always going to happen."

Timing's a bit awkward. If we're being deployed this evening then we're going to have to move dinner. Maybe we can rush the mission and find somewhere decent to eat out? Wallace doesn't get to pick this time. Not after the Mexican gut horror.

I could really use more information.

"I suppose using the ring to spy on Batman to find out more would be impolite."

They both look at me, shocked. Wallace speaks first. "You can do that?"

"I'm not going to."

"But you could?"

"Sure. Simply do a long range scan for Batman's DNA and then set the ring to report whatever he says."

Kon thinks about it. "Like you did when you scanned Superman."

"Exactly. Far easier to get the sound around a person than to perform a high grade medical scan."

"Dude. Seriously?"

"A power ring's scanning capacity is a function of the emotional power of the user and its energy reserves. I'd like more information, Batman's almost certainly in North America and I'm fully charged."

"The Bat Cave's got loads of anti-surveillance tech."

"Most of which is early twenty first century Human technology. I doubt any of it could stop a power ring."

"How… Long… Have you been able to do this?"

"From the moment I got the ring. Any Lantern could. Any competent Lantern. Really, the League's fortunate that Sinestro doesn't understand Human society at all, because he could pretty much wreck-."

Wallace's face is a picture of astonished surprise. "Are you seriously saying you think the other Lanterns are incompetent?"

"My mentor was hamstrung by his ring's lack of AI support, and by the fact he couldn't get training. I haven't seen any footage of Lantern Gardner. But the other two? From what I've seen in recordings, I haven't been impressed. They seem to have trained exclusively for power with no appreciation for the more subtle uses of the ring. Which is a shame, because I'm sure their teachers -Lanterns Sinestro and Tui- would have at least tried to expand their range a little."

"They're Justice League members! The League's first Green Lantern saved hundreds of people when Star Sapphire attacked the Las Vegas airshow! He beat the Golden Roc by freezing an entire waterfall solid!"

"Brute. Force. Star Sapphire was after him anyway, and the Golden Roc's transmutation ability only works on physical contact. Why was it even able to touch him?"

Kon frowns. "You really don't admire any other Lanterns?"

"There are four Green Lanterns whom I admire. Lantern Medphyl, for his comportment. If there was any justice he'd be running the Greenies' training program rather than that muscle brain Kilowog. Lantern Jack Chance, for his initiative. He actually carries backup weapons in case something goes wrong with his ring. Most Lanterns don't even wear actual armour, and I'm happy to learn from their mistake. Lantern Rot Lop Fan, for his adaptability. His species doesn't even have a concept of light, so he, hah, thinks that he's a member of something called the F-Sharp Bell Corps, and uses sonic constructs. And Lantern Kreon, for being the most highly skilled construct user in existence. A construct only needs to exist for a second to do its work but most Lanterns -myself included- can't quite get their heads around the idea. Most manage better than boxing gloves, though."

Kon bases his whole heroic identity on Superman. It's clear that he can't really relate to my position. "And no Orange Lanterns?"

Pff. "I surpass Larfleeze by leaving my bedroom each morning. There's nothing admirable there."

"And the others?"

How to put this? "The reason why I meditate each day is to prevent myself from turning out like the others; slaves to their base drives. I feel nothing for them but contempt."

22nd July
20:06 GMT -5

Reconnaissance on a Santa Priscan drug factory? Sounds straightforward enough. I should be able to get most of the information we need via ring scan. Unfortunately, I can't get my head around the idea of the combat drug Venom being a major problem in a world with guns, not sufficiently well to do so long distance anyway. I also don't understand why the US government hasn't done something about Santa Prisca before now. From what Batman was saying its leading exports appear to be drugs, guns and mercenaries. It has basically no friends internationally. Baffling. Batman said that the Justice League would intervene if necessary, so, here's hoping we find something.

We're on the Bio-Ship, heading out over the Caribbean Sea. Wallace and Robin have the front seats. Kon and I are at M'gann's right (hooray for shape shifting decks) and Aqualad is at her left. Everyone except Kon is in uniform. Thinking about it, I suppose he doesn't really have one. I can't think of a material which would stand up to the forces he puts it under.

Fact is, when it comes to stealth? I'm a huge liability. I mean, I glow orange. A lot orange, when I'm actually fighting. As a result, Batman's instructions to me were to remain airborne while my team mates go in on the ground. I'll provide mapping and -if necessary- fire support. If I get high enough I should be mistaken for either a plane or a star. I suggested waiting underwater off the coast instead, but he was concerned that would affect my response time.

"We're approaching Santa Prisca."

The Bio-Ship's mind -or whatever- relays its sensors directly to M'gann's head via her telepathy. I thought about creating a construct map for everyone else to follow, but that might be rude, and the orange glow would be 'off theme' for stealth. Everyone else seems focused, and pretty sombre. I'm relaxed. After leaving Wallace and Kon in the gym I took a quick look through the BBC's current affairs section to try and get some idea what we would be doing. Nothing jumped out at me, so I spent most of the rest of the time either practising rapid construct formation or meditating. Maybe I'm just less emotionally invested in this than a group who've idolised their mentors for as long as my team mates have.

Through the sky around us I can see clouds and -I think- a mountain top. The map Batman showed us had locations marked but I didn't pick up on {orange}relief features{/}. And then I know it's Monte Amarcoré, named after the home village of the captain of the first Spanish vessel to land here. The aboriginal name for it translated as something like 'desolate lookout point', but since the aboriginal groups were completely broken up during the colonial occupation no one uses it.

Is the team ready? We can coordinate our efforts much better thanks to the training Aqualad organised. We haven't completely gelled yet, but we're getting there. During the briefing Robin asked Batman who was in charge. I honestly had assumed that he'd be directing us from the mountain himself. I even offered to set up an uninterruptible communication link, but apparently that goes against the purpose of the exercise. Makes sense, really. Batman wants us to pick a team leader, but it's obviously Aqualad. We haven't even needed to discuss it.

"Drop zone A in thirty."

I thought about getting off the ship early, but since neither part of the group should be moving on the objective until everyone is down it really makes more sense for me to stay on board until the ship reaches the mid point. Otherwise, people looking up might wonder why the star is moving.

Kaldur stands and presses his belt buckle, turning his red vest dull grey. That technology isn't widespread. Either it's very expensive -which wouldn't make sense, otherwise he'd just have two vests- or no one in the Justice League is thinking about the fashion possibilities. "Ready."

"Putting Bio-Ship in camouflage mode."

I wonder if camouflage drains power, or tires the ship out? If not we should have been in camouflage mode since we left the US coast. If the people below have radar… Does this ship show up on radar? Have to ask afterwards.

The ship drops down to just above sea level, and Aqualad dives out through the floor hatch. If I had any doubts about his more than baseline Human physique before, I don't now. We're moving darn fast, and he hit the water without any indication of discomfort. There are anti-submarine nets around this part of the shore -not sure why- so he's going to cut through and make landfall on an empty stretch of coastline to nobble the ground based sensor network. Advanced infrared sensors and AK forty sevens. Weird. Not to mention the fact that the sensors don't have anyone looking after them on site. Or minefields.

**Heat and motion sensors are patched. It is now on a continuous loop. Move in.**

Wallace made some noise about wanting to use radio, but part of our group training session was devoted to getting used to telepathic communication and we're fairly used to it. After our away sessions together even Kon didn't complain.

I'm out next. In order to minimise the chance of my light being seen my environmental shield will be on absolute minimum. I'll be very nearly hanging off the ring until I get to two kilometres up. My active power level is so low that the sigils on my chest and arms have returned to the grey of the rest of the material. I rise and walk to the back of the ship. Hands clasped at my chest I lean into the rear door, which opens around me as I fall through the gap. It's a bit like diving. The ring {orange}arrests my motion{/} once I'm clear and the ship carries on to the deployment zone for the rest of the team. I rise, with the ring notifying me of our height at intervals.

I could use OrangeVision to watch the ship, but that might brighten my aura. I'm rising at around ten metres per second, so I'll be ready in about three minutes.

**Drop zone B.**

Telepathic communication also has the advantage of keeping team members separated from the main group notified on their progress. If M'gann had just spoken that, Kaldur and I wouldn't know they'd arrived.

Wallace just shifted the colour of his armour to black.

How do I know that?

{orange}Information did not come from this ring. Most plausible alternative is image sharing via telepathic link.{/}

That can happen?

{orange}Affirmative.{/}

Not getting that from Kaldur… So, I get it from M'gann because she's maintaining the link?

{orange}This ring lacks data on which to make further observations.{/}

**Very impressive.**

M'gann just changed the colour of her own clothes, though I note with a mental eye roll that she left the big red cross over her centre of mass in place. I asked earlier and it's the closest Manhunters have to an actual uniform. Historically Martians haven't bothered with much in the way of clothing and straps across the chest were once used for carrying tools and other objects. Later, red straps became the military norm and M'gann and Mister J'onn have maintained it despite having access to this wonderful Human invention called 'pockets'.

Hm. If I'm getting more detail from her…

I try thinking the image of a sniper noticing and taking aim at the red cross in the dark. I feel her surprise as she receives it, and I smile as she darkens the cross to a less noticeable dull red. Progress!

**No capes, no tights. No offense.**

Just about the only thing about Superman which Kon doesn't admire. I'll have to see what happened to his original bodysuit, the one ruined during his escape from Cadmus. If the League can replicate the technology that it used then he might end up with a skin tight costume that actually makes sense. Superman could end up using the material as well. Might help them have a conversation.

I get why Superman finds being around him weird, but a single conversation wouldn't kill him, surely? I asked Diana about it, and apparently Kal-El is usually very interested in everything Kryptonian. I suppose it's the American thing of obsessing about your heritage, like how many New Yorkers will describe themselves as Irish despite never having been to Ireland. Maybe me describing him as Kon-El's father was a bit much. I said it because I thought that was how Kon thought of him, and it is biologically true…

**It totally works for you.** Seems M'gann likes the way he looks now just fine. And without thinking about it I send her the image of a sweaty Kon pumping iron. I feel her eyes widen. Shouldn't have done that. **I-i-i-i-in that, that you can totally do good-. Good work in those clothes.** Nearly as smooth as Wallace. I feel her hide her blush with invisibility and her cloak.

From up here I can see the lights around the touristy parts of the island on the west coast. Quite a nice place to visit, if you don't mind the armed guards and can ignore the occasional peasant getting beaten up in the alleyways. Most hotels are on the beach, so the interaction between foreigner cash cows and 'free-range' locals are kept to a minimum.

I feel a squawk of alarm from M'gann as she, Robin and W… Kid Flash -mission now- dive aside as Superboy jumps down from the Bio-Ship without a harness. He seems to like doing that. Maybe he's testing his might against the ground?

**Knew I didn't need a line.**

**And yet, creating a seismic event might not have helped us much with the covert.**

M'gann decides to do the job. **Aqualad, Orange Lantern. Drop B is go.**

**Orange Lantern at altitude. {orange}Beginning scans{/}.**

An orange sphere appears around me. One of the things I really liked about the film 'Avatar' was the computer monitors where a hand gesture could transfer a document or program from one terminal to another. My WarSphere^TM construct feeds information from my scans onto orange screens on the interior surface, and they respond to my touch. I originally tried having them respond to my thoughts but that got a bit chaotic. Having actual monitors would help as I'd get colour. Maybe some sort of liquid crystal thing that could roll flat? I could stick it in subspace, and it wouldn't actually need any processing capacity.

**Main team, head for the factory. I'll track your GPS and rendezvous ASAP.**

**Roger that.**

22nd July
20:21 GMT -5

I'm now tracking everything.

Sort of. I tried making myself aware of every potential enemy on the island, and I couldn't cope. So I've created windows monitoring each of the larger concentrations of armed personnel and arranged them by region. One group in the area around the factory looks like central casting South American rebels, but it's the other that appears to hold the place. They appear to have a wider range of racial backgrounds, and they're wearing the red hoods that the ring informs me are characteristic of members of the Kobra organisation.

Unfortunately, GI Joe doesn't exist in this parallel, so I can't make the obvious joke.

I passed that information on to the others. Robin said that this wasn't in accordance with Kobra's usual MO. Doesn't really change the mission; we still need to get eyes in the factory and to find out where the Venom is going.

I've also found the airfield, and truck depot. Ah, for a bit of a run up and a kinetic harpoon. They appear to be stacking some crates near what looks like the centre of the landing area.

Bane supposedly has links to the Santa Priscan government, mostly in a money-for-pretending-you're-not-there kind of way. No actual local military units in the area, though. Maybe he doesn't want them to know that he's been ejected from his -and their- revenue source. They'd get a lot of good will handing him over to North American or South American authorities. Actually located the man himself, as well. That felt weird. I can see you, Mister Major Supervillain, but you can't see me.

Kid Flash and Superboy were in favour of ambushing a small patrol of Bane's men for information, but Aqualad reminded them that this was a covert recon mission. One burst of gunfire and our location would be given away, and no local faction would make a point of knocking its enemies out and not killing them. Wanting to avoid the patrols resulted in a minor detour from the team's planned route, moving back around a rock formation to approach from another angle.

I can't hear the gunfire from up here with the WarSphere active, but M'gann passed along the noise as patrols from the two hostile local factions encountered one another, Bane leading the locals personally. It gives me the chance to observe the differing tactics the two sides use. The Kobras know how to use their weapons, and from what I can tell their guns are of a higher quality. But the locals know how to use the terrain. Two hold fire and flank the robe-wearers, killing most of them with a grenade and flushing the rest into the fire of the rest of their unit.

Bane closes the distance fast once they're off balance. He grabs the most alive looking Kobra cultist, says something, then…

Oh.

He picked him up by his legs and swung his head into a tree trunk.

That's the first time I've seen someone killed.

With the ones killed by bullets and shrapnel the robes conceal the fatal injuries. The one Bane killed, his head is very broken.

Bane's men scavenge guns and ammunition from the corpses and move into the jungle.

**The two patrols have encountered one another. Kobra… Lost.**

The reply comes from Aqualad. **Understood.**

There are a few minutes until they reach the bluff overlooking the airfield.

Maybe it's the fact that I'm seeing it in orange, on a screen. I'm not sure. I like to think I'm empathic enough to feel bad that someone else is dead. But not this time. It's just, oh, they're dead, I'll stop tracking them. The nearest I've previously experienced to something like this was an episode of Jimquisition where he showed a news clip of a man committing suicide at a press conference, and to be honest that didn't show very much. Maybe it'll hit home later.

Aqualad should meet up with the others just before they reach the viewpoint.

I wonder if Bane's group are going to do a completionist run? Use their superior knowledge of the terrain to attack and destroy isolated groups? I mean, unless the head of Kobra is here in person they're going to have to kill every cultist to push them out. Might as well do it while they're not together, right? That would give us time before we have to worry about them coming in behind us.

{orange}Ring, detailed scan on the landing field{/}.

And then I know what's there. The crates definitely contain drugs. There's Venom, but it's been modified from what I saw in the League's files. The guys moving the stuff don't have more than trace amounts on them, probably residue in their robes. Cultists register slightly oddly to my avarice detector. These guys evaluate their worth purely in terms of the goals of the organisation and directions of their master. Fully indoctrinated, normal wants and needs redirected or repressed.

Hmm.

{orange}Ring, scan for Jeffrey Franklin Burr, aka 'Kobra'{/}.

He's in the factory, standing on a catwalk near the centre. He's bald now, and his face is severe and humourless.

**Orange Lantern to team. Kobra himself is on site. Repeat, I have positive ID on Jeffrey Burr, aka Kobra.**

I feel Robin tense, but the others don't respond. He picks up on their lack of response too. **If Kobra's here in person, then this is big.**

Wallace misses the point. **We get it, Kobra wanted super-cultists, mystery solved. Radio Bats and we'll be home in time for-.**

I shake my head. **W-. Kid Flash, the cultists aren't using the Venom. And the stuff they're loading up reads as different from the normal product.**

**So they're shipping it somewhere else. So what?**

Aqualad's on the case. **So we need to know either the name of the buyer or the name of the destination. Orange Lantern, can you see a way inside?**

**The cargo entrance is only lightly guarded but is well lit, and has clear lines of sight all around. Oh, hang on, it looks like there's a passageway in the rocks near where you'll come out. Might be some rubble in the way. Could be an old mineshaft, or escape route in case of attack. I don't read any defences inside.** I send a mental image of the entrance to M'gann.

**We will take it.**

They reach the top of the bluff. Robin stops to take a look at the airfield for himself, while M'gann directs Superboy to the boulder covering the entrance.

**Look at all that product. They could keep every Venom addict in the US going for years with that!**

Superboy lifts the boulder out of the way without apparent effort.

**Aqualad, I am aware that Kobra is a very high priority target. If we conclude that the mission is complete I am prepared to make a swoop and grab on him before we leave.** I could also turn him into an orange construct and pass everything he knows about his organisation on to the police, but I don't mention that.

**I do not think it appropriate to send you in alone.**

**I defer to your judgement, but the risk would be minimal. I'd fly through the roof and leave the same way. The grab itself would take as long as I needed to get a clear shot at him. The guns they're using won't scratch my shields. The Kobra Cult do make use of metahumans but unless they have a very fast flier they won't catch me.**

**I will consider it, but apprehending Kobra is not our primary assignment.**

**Understood.**

The group enters the tunnel.

22nd July
20:34 GMT -5

At the end of the tunnel there's a service lift. Robin crouches in front of it and tries to access it with his computer. Turns out it's a simple electronic device with no processing power. Once I confirm that there isn't anyone close enough to hear it they enter and descend. At the bottom there's a small generator which powers the thing and another tunnel, this time leading towards the underground portion of the factory. At the end of that tunnel there's a heavy blast door, and Robin gets his hacking fix. That takes them into a locker room, which in turn leads to what I presume to be a mixing room. Large metal cylinders provide cover and concealment, though I don't think having them leak from bullet impacts would be very healthy.

**All clear.** I see Robin sprint forwards into the room, moving from cover to cover.

Aqualad is not happy. **Robin. We need to stay together.**

**I'll be back in a minute.**

**Stay put. I'll get our intel and be back before the Boy Wonder.**

**Oh, for goodness sake, Wallace.**

**Oh El, we're on a mission. Remember code names?**

**Remember staying together and supporting one another? Look, Robin's gone up onto the catwalk around the room you're in now. Looks like one cultist in the control room directly above your current position. There are no guards likely to reach you soon, so I suggest heading there.**

**Agreed.**

I send a map of the route to M'gann, but Aqualad has a better idea. **M'gann, fly up and support Robin.**

**On it.**

The cultist operating the machinery gets one bewildering moment of staring at her before Robin knocks him out from behind with a hand held spray. **Good distraction, Miss Em.**

I watch as the others hurry quietly around the room. The lack of guards in the production areas is a little puzzling. Maybe they're just here to produce the one batch? They clearly know that Bane wants this place back.

Another screen draws my attention. Kobra has descended to ground level and is talking to a scrawny woman and a truly huge bloke with hardened skin and… Ugh, are those cracks? The woman reads as Selinda Flinders, aka Shimmer. She isn't listed as being a Kobra cultist and she isn't wearing the robes. Mercenary work, maybe? Nothing on the big guy.

**Orange Lantern to team. Be advised, Kobra has at least one supervillain with him. He's not on the League's database yet, but he's huge.**

Aqualad responds as they make it to the control room. **Define 'huge'?**

**At least as big as Doctor Desmond. Maybe a bit broader.**

This perks Robin's interest. **Think they're producing the Blockbuster Formula here?**

Oh, whoops. **I'm sorry, I can't check. I didn't think to record its chemical structure.**

**Don't worry about it. I'll soon… Find… Out…**

Another screen blinks at me. **Guys, there's a transport helicopter coming in. Not certain it's coming here, but it is heading in this direction.**

**Is it likely that they will spot you?**

Aqualad, if an unarmed helicopter could take a Lantern… **Anyone can spot me, but they're flying fairly low. They shouldn't be able to identify me.**

**Very well. Maintain surveillance. Alert us if anything changes.**

Kid Flash reaches Robin first. **Rob, what have you got?**

**Chemical formulas. It looks like they are producing the Blockbuster Formula here. Or something like it. I think… I think they've combined the two.**

**According to this, Kobra's new juice is three times stronger than Venom, and the effects are permanent. But how did Kobra get access to Project Blockbuster?**

**Our mystery buyer must also be Kobra's supplier! Using the cult to create a Venom-Blockbuster super formula!**

I feel obliged to jump in. **Let's not jump to conclusions. The two may be unrelated. A cultist working under cover at Cadmus could have passed the formula on to them.**

Aqualad thinks for a moment. **Orange Lantern. How much of the new formula remains to be loaded?**

**Looks like two forklift loads. They'll be done soon. They're not bothering with the remaining regular Venom. Kobra and the big guy are going out to meet the helicopter now. Two guards entering the floor below you.**

**I believe we now have enough information to call in the League.**

Sounds like. There's a pause for a moment.

**Orange Lantern, they have jammed the radio. Are you able to send a message to Batman?**

{orange}!Our mission!
!Not his!{/}

**I generally use radio waves as well. I might be able to message one of the other Lanterns, but I don't know where they are at the moment. If they're on Oa, or near the other side of the Sector…**

I can feel the smug emanating from Kid Flash. **You send messages with… What was it? Early twenty first century Earth technology?**

**The ring can send messages in more advanced formats, but our mountain doesn't have the receivers for them.**

**Maybe you shoulda thought of that before the start of the mission.**

**Do you know how to build a Bleed Fracture-Pulse receiver?**

Kon's feeling combative. **We can take them.**

Aqualad is having none of it. **No. This is a recon mission, not a combat operation. We will exfiltrate and head outside of the jamming area.**

Wallace isn't happy. **But they'll get away!**

**If it comes to it, I'm confident that I can disable the helicopter with minimal risk to myself. The only thing I can see that might threaten my shields is that big metahuman.**

**Robin, download as much data as you can. We'll need to transmit this to the League.**

**… Fine.**

And then a rocket hits the forklift and explodes.

22nd July
20:42 GMT -5

{orange}The hell{/}!?

**Aqualad to Orange Lantern. What just happened?**

Another rocket shreds a group of cultists who had hunkered down to prepare for a rush. **Give me a moment.** A small group of fighters are firing rockets from the tree line. Either they have superb marksmanship, or those are being guided somehow.

**Bane's men fired rockets at the landing zone. Kobra's sending cultists back into the factory to secure it while the big meta goes after the guerrillas. You need to get out now.**

**Understood.**

They begin falling back, jumping down to the ground floor with M'gann's help rather than going all the way around the catwalk. They just about make it to cover by the time the first cultists enter the room and notice that the guy in the control room isn't responding. The team are already in the tunnels by the time the cultists start a search. I can't tell exactly how obvious the secret door is from here, but with a little luck they won't be able to go through it without extra equipment.

If Bane's people aren't rushing, that was a diversion. It clearly wasn't laid on for our benefit. There's still a minute or so until the helicopter touches down. What am I missing?

I feel M'gann's alarm.

{orange}!My team!
!Mine!{/}

Bane. {orange}My team{/} is surrounded by bombs. {orange}That will not do{/}. I drop the WarSphere, switch my environmental shield back to minimum and aim myself at their location. With a little luck I'll be mistaken for misdirected ordnance.

{orange}Ring, what is he saying?{/}

"Halt, children. I'm feeling… Explosive." Hammy supervillain monolog coming up.

**I'm inbound. I'm... I'm not completely sure that I can suppress those explosives.**

"I was a little worried when I found that my secret entrance had been uncovered. I wasn't expecting the Justice League Junior."

Aqualad starts to organise. **Kid, you'll need a running start.**

"I. Want. My factory back. If you're not here to take down my enemy, then perhaps the Justice League will come to avenge their sidekicks. Blowing the tunnel up with you inside should provide them the motivation needed."

{orange}Ring, prep armour constructs, and target his fighters' guns{/}.

"And when the smoke clears, Santa Prisca will be mine once more."

Kid Flash moves. "With what? This trigger thingy?"

{orange}"Range achieved."{/}

I grin. Coils of orange light reach down to seize rifles out of guerrilla hands.

"{orange}Don't you know, you never split the party
Cleric in the back, keep those fighters hale and hearty{/}."

Orange armour constructs appear around my team mates. Superboy lunges at Bane, who takes a surprise fist to the diaphragm. M'gann telekinetically catches a thrown grenade and hurls it into the distance, where it explodes brightly.

"{orange}Wizard in the middle,
Where she can spread some light{/}."

Wallace hits the outermost fighters while Aqualad and M'gann use precision blasts of water and telekinesis to slam those closest to them into the scenery. I hit the ground just in time to put manacle constructs around Bane's arm as he tries to punch Superboy. I then put another around his neck to pull his face down into Superboy's fist.

"{orange}And you never let that damn.. thief{/}…"

I stop. "Where's Robin?"

I didn't look for him when I created the armour because he doesn't like using it. Oh, he can take care of himself. Bane shows some signs of life, so I {orange}pop a StunCrown^TM construct{/} over his head and activate it. He goes rigid for a moment, and then slumps.

It seems that my team mates have mastered the art of rendering people unconscious using kinetic force without causing lasting damage. Even M'gann, which I find a little surprising. I wonder what the secret is? I begin piling unconscious guerrillas into neat heaps. **Seriously, where's Robin?**

Aqualad deactivates his Water Bearers and shrugs. **He has a most unfortunate habit of doing that.**

Kid Flash walks back, eating a chocolate bar. "Haven't seen him. Hey, what did I do to finally qualify for actual armor?"

"You just looked so gosh darn fragile."

Actually, all the armour will do now is draw attention to us. The constructs dissipate.

M'gann looks at our captives. "I didn't bring any rope."

Superboy loots one of the fallen. "This guy did. Think he'll mind if we use it?"

Did he just make a joke?

It's been too long since Scouts for me to remember much about knots, let alone how to tie someone up reliably. Wallace and Aqualad on the other hand have the right skill set. Is that something I should learn? Not sure. My StunCrown is more reliable, but that would probably look like inappropriate brutality in this situation. It temporarily shorts out the motor cortex, but it actually causes less risk to long term health than the air tasers used by Batman and Robin. Two mornings of studying neurophysiology well spent.

I suppose if there's no one around who knows rope tying then I'd probably be on my own anyway. Not sure how all of the Venom in Bane's system will affect the paralysis effect. {orange}Don't want him getting away{/}. Hmm.

"Would it be acceptable for me to remove all traces of Venom from Bane's body?"

Aqualad and Kid Flash share a look before Aqualad turns to me. "You are able to do that safely?"

"It's a single molecule whose structure I know. Shouldn't be a problem. Not sure about the withdrawal symptoms, but I can probably do something to reduce them."

Aqualad smiles slightly. Thinking about it, he's probably second only to Superboy when it comes to being sombre. Wonder why? "I think that would be acceptable."

I raise my left hand over the recumbent Bane. "{orange}Ring, locate and remove all Venom molecules{/}. {orange}Identify and repair damage caused to all systems{/}."

{orange}"Compliance."{/}

Strobing beams of orange light project from the ring. There doesn't seem to be much of a pattern, until I {orange}wonder{/} hard enough and I understand that it's targeting the Venom sites in order of concentration. Watching Bane visibly deflate is… Unnerving. Particularly when his neck and face shrivel so much that his mask comes loose.

Once the ring finishes Kid Flash steps forwards and picks the mask up. "Souvenir."

22nd July
20:48 GMT -5

That went well. Now, let's see what I've been missing in the excitement. {orange}Ring, where did Robin and that big meta end up?{/}

Two screens appear in front of me. The one on my left shows Robin, crouched under… The helicopter. The helicopter has landed, and Robin has somehow managed to sneak right up to it. Not good. The one on my right shows… {orange}I need a better name than big meta{/}… Baran Flinders? An orange construct showing his last known appearance now floats next to the right hand screen. Whaw.

"No way. That little guy became that thing?" Wallace is now leaning on my shoulder. He's still eating.

And not sharing. I'm bringing my own snacks next time.

"Baran Flinders, eighteen years old. His DNA hasn't changed, and his face is roughly the right shape, allowing for the growth he's done since this image was taken."

"When was that?"

"Three days ago."

"Whaw."

"Worse news, looks like he's coming here." I move my hand and the picture of him walking through the jungle switches to plane view showing the landing area, Mister Flinders and us. He has a little way to go, but he's between us and Robin unless we want to go through the tunnels again. He looks like he should be able to move faster than he is. I can only assume that he saw a few orange flashes and is being thorough. Doesn't seem to be wearing a radio. Oh, jamming, right.

Aqualad joins Kid Flash just behind me, while Superboy and M'gann watch from the front.

**Robin, are you in immediate danger?**

**No one ever looks under the helicopter.**

**Can you get away safely?**

**Sure, when you get down here and we've finished kicking Kobra's keister.**

**That was not the plan.**

**I don't remember anyone making you leader.** Didn't we? We didn't talk about it but… Argh! That was why Robin asked Batman who was in charge. He thinks it's a contest he can win. Damn it. **Whoo… I think they're loading the Venom Buster now. Not sure the League can get here in time.**

Ah, hell. We can't leave Robin here. We can't extract him covertly. Can we? I pull the left window outwards from Robin. Nope, too many guards. My best idea for remaining covert involves sending a giant orange drill construct up underneath him.

I wonder what vert means? Some sort of skateboarding jump, isn't it?

Aqualad is a bit more together. **We will need to bypass or ambush Mister Flinders, then launch a diversionary attack on the airfield to allow Robin to withdraw. Ambushing without giving away our position will be difficult, and bypassing him risks him attacking us from the rear later. His strength will be particularly dangerous in the close confines of the forest.**

Hang on… I rotate the right screen and switch it to relief map. Since he's having to move up the side of the ridge, and with all of the trees… I {orange}should{/} be able to pick him up without the other Kobra types seeing. After that, I could either stun him or fly him to the sea while keeping out of line of sight of the airfield. I should be able to hold him under water, as long as he has nothing solid to push against. Superboy speaks first.

**I'll take the big guy. I can wear these guys' clothes as a disguise and hold his attention while you get Robin. I'll join you once I'm done.**

I shake my head. **Superboy, you beat rock with paper, not with more rock. Miss Martian or I could neutralise his strength advantage, but I should be able to knock him out faster. That would also put me in a better position to attack the helicopter should it make a break for it.**

Aqualad steps to my side to get a better look at the map. **Following the helicopter in the Bio-Ship while under camouflage might lead us to the ultimate buyer.**

Robin does not appreciate the delay. **OR we can just grab everyone while they're still here, and Miss Em can take the information from their minds.**

She shakes her head. **It isn't as easy as that. There are ways to keep me out. And they might not even know who hired them.**

Kid Flash takes a closer look at the arrangement of guards. **Superboy, you're pretty much bulletproof, right?**

**Yeah?**

**Think you could jump from here-** He points to an elevated area which from the airfield is obscured by trees. **-into the middle of them?**

**Probably.**

**I should be able to clear out most of the Kobra goons if they're all looking at him. If M'gann's invisible when the attack starts she can be right over the helicopter when Superboy goes in!**

Stealth, guys! Stealth!

**Clock is ticking, guys. Don't really want to try hanging onto the underside of a helicopter all the way back to the US!**

Ah, hell. It {orange}probably doesn't violate my orders if I'm not the one doing it{/}.

**Big Flinders is getting close. If we're doing this, I need to move now.**

Aqualad looks about as happy with this turn of events as I am. He bows his head slightly. **I suppose wisdom involves adapting a plan to unpredicted circumstances.** He places a hand on my back, and looks me in the eyes. **You are confident you can take him alone?**

I nod. **It should be within my abilities.**

**Go. Meet us either on the airfield or back at drop point B.**

I look at the relief map once more, planning the best route. {orange}Ring, plot flight path{/}.

{orange}Course plotted.{/}

I drop the map constructs, reinforce my armour and crouch slightly. In my mind I can clearly see the route I'll be taking, but the journey itself will be too quick for me to really experience it. The next thing I'll be aware of is Big Flinders being right in front of me.

{orange}Execute{/}.

22nd July
20:51 GMT -5

An unintelligent person might try to ram him. A moderately intelligent person like Jordan or Stewart would stop and create a striking construct. I like to think that I am a little more than moderately intelligent. That is why the now musclebound Mister Flinders finds himself hoisted into the air by the {orange}awesome power of the full nelson{/}. Once he's off the ground I stick a flight aura around him as well. I do that second as it isn't impossible that he could flail around enough to break its hold, and I really {orange}don't want to make this a fair fight{/}. Superboy and I tested it, and sufficient force can break the flight aura from inside.

Perhaps most importantly, I do this from behind. When I start my attack he can't see me, and he will struggle to turn his head enough to do so. His massive muscles mean that he can't bring his strength to bear to attempt to break my constructs, which {orange}I desire to flow around any strikes he makes and reform while still supporting him{/}.

I'm also far enough behind him to be outside of immediate striking range if he does somehow get free, and I'm keeping a couple of trees between us in case I'm wrong about his neck. Doesn't look like I am.

His attempt to cry out is {orange}muted by the flight aura{/}, and we're moving through the jungle away from the landing field even as I {orange}put a ShockCrown{/} on his head. He twitches a bit, but keeps struggling. Guess his augmented physique is made of stronger stuff. I could turn the power up, but that would risk lasting damage and I don't currently need to.

I'm not going to try and move something as big as him through the jungle at full speed, but once we get down into the gully I can rise above the trees and increase my flight speed. Big Flinders is really going crazy now, hammering his chest in an attempt to hit the parts of the construct holding him. A couple of times he hits it but it just moves around the blows. Hmm.

{orange}Ring, power remaining{/}?

{orange}Fifty eight percent.{/}

A twitch of my right hand and {orange}he's upside down, hanging off his right ankle{/}. He can't reach the construct at all and the flight aura prevents his weight straining it. It also gives me a clear view of the exposed muscle tissue showing through the cracks in his skin on his back and arm. I have no idea whether or not that will grow to cover it. I guess he thought the physical boost was worth it. They must have done animal tests first, surely? If only to find out if it actually worked or not.

{orange}Line of sight from airfield now obscured.{/}

Big Flinders gets a mouth full of tree as we accelerate. I think he may have seen me then, as I've come over the canopy so as to avoid getting slowed down. Of course, he wouldn't be able to make out details, just a glowing orange humanoid. Yep, definitely seen me. He's stopped his flailing in favour of trying to twist around to get a better look at me. Far too slow.

If a person can drown in a bucket or a wheel rut, they can certainly drown in the shallows off the shore. Hm. Wonder if the environmental shield can prevent a person from breathing as well as making them always able to? Don't want to experiment here in case it inhibits all biological processes. Worth thinking about, though.

I drop the constructs around him and he drops towards the sea. Before he hits I loop another construct in an X shape around his chest. He's going at a fair old rate when he hits, hopefully with his mouth open, and then the construct locks him in place. He isn't far under, but he has nothing to push against and the Venom Buster appears to have removed any natural buoyancy he might have possessed.

{orange}Ring{/}? {orange}Notify me when he becomes unconscious{/}. {orange}I have no desire to kill him, but I don't want him fighting again any time soon{/}.

{orange}Based on Human drown times and altered physical structure of subject, optimal time submerged is predicted at one minute thirty seconds.{/}

He's trying to swim towards air now. I {orange}apply a little force{/} and he moves in a circle. He can't reach the bottom with his feet, and the surface is just out of reach even if he twists face up. Which he can't. Without leverage his strength is useless.

I try listening to M'gann's telepathic communication, but I can't hear anything and I don't want to distract them by asking questions. I could look at what they're doing, but I don't want to risk losing focus on my current task.

Big Flinders is properly spasming now. Probably thinks I'm going to kill him. Or it could just be an automatic reaction to being out of breath underwater. He has a criminal record -{orange}I quickly review it{/}- but there aren't any outstanding murder charges. I wonder what he's done that hasn't been discovered? I doubt that Kobra keeps written records.

Alright, I don't have anything better to do. {orange}The rents in his flesh are disturbing me{/}.

{orange}Ring, is knitting his flesh back together practical{/}?

{orange}Task is possible, but not advised under current conditions.

Wait until I take him out then{/}.

{orange}Compliance.{/}

His struggles are getting weaker. Son of Margaret and Joseph Flinders, Australian nationals of Markovian origin. His criminal record starts five years ago. Gang graffiti, petty vandalism. Stops two years ago. Maybe he joined Kobra then? Stands to reason that they'd want him to stop attracting attention.

{orange}Consciousness lost.{/}

He isn't moving now. A {orange}scan{/} of his brain confirms a lack of consciousness. Good, good. I haul him out. {orange}Remove the water from his lungs, and fix the splits{/}. A small fountain vomits forth from his mouth, and the visible muscle glows orange. {orange}Ring, make sure he's breathing and notify me if he looks like he's about to wake up{/}.

{orange}Compliance.{/}

I float him up to my level -I'm about eight metres over the water- and begin flying us back towards the airfield. First solo supervillain take down went well, I think. Does he count as a supervillain if he doesn't have any outstanding super type offences? Not sure.

The ring has finished repairing his skin. Looks much better. The gaps which used to be there didn't seem to be irritating him; even when he was on his own he wasn't scratching the edges. I know I would have been, in his place. Maybe the Venom Buster stuff numbs the skin? Or maybe the whole thing hurts, and the tear isn't notably worse? Wouldn't it have got infected?

{orange}Ring, location of helicopter{/}. It's left the airfield and is flying away from the factory. I suppose that part of the plan went-. The helicopter disappears from my awareness. {orange}Ring, show me what just happened{/}.

An image of the twin rotor helicopter appears in my mind. It lurches in the air as an electromagnetic surge from near its rear hatch wrecks its electronics, forcing it to crash land. I see a single parachute leave from the front before it hits the ground.

I really hope that was intentional, and that the idea of us following them back to their home base was intentionally abandoned. Probably worth me trying to pick up that last guy, as I imagine tracking him and taking care of everything else would tax both myself and the ring somewhat. Also have to consider that the island's military must know that something's going on by now. Don't really want to have to fight our way out through them.

{orange}Ring, location of pilot{/}. And now I can feel him. He's heading down hill, towards a stream which will take him to the coast. He is probably planning to take a boat back to the US. Intercepting him shouldn't be too difficult, but I'll do a {orange}weapon scan{/} just in case. No, one low yield plasma weapon and a few explosives. Nothing I can't handle.

Might even get some useful intelligence out of this. I wonder if the League will be able to bring charges against Flinders, Bane and whoever this is. Bane is a 'person of interest' in a load of places, but all of Flinders' outstanding stuff is pretty minor. Even with being a member of Kobra.

22nd July
20:59 GMT -5

With OrangeVision I can see the guy through the trees. He's carrying a large briefcase and doesn't appear injured. He's still coming downhill towards me. I double check his equipment. Yep, nothing that poses a serious threat to me unless the ring charge gets to around five percent. I'm currently at forty nine percent.

He must know I'm here. I glow orange. What exactly is he planning on doing?

I scan his weapons again. Even if the plasma weapon -which is shaped a bit like a crossbow for some reason- could be overcharged, he's still not a threat.

This is creepy. If he were just a courier, he would have headed for civilisation. Or hidden. His other behaviour and his weapons suggest a competent mercenary. So why is he coming towards an obvious threat?

DC mercenaries… Not Slade Wilson, he only has one sword and it's a rapier. Not Deadshot, he doesn't have a sniper rifle. Can't think of any others I'd call competent. Merlyn? Man's a clown, and this guy doesn't have a bow. Prometheus? He's good, but without his helmet and some very specialised equipment I'd still win. Must check whether or not neural chaff is a real thing.

I triple check this guy isn't carrying any.

Everything I can see tells me that I shouldn't be concerned, and I'm more nervous now than when I attacked Big Flinders. It must be the build up. I did consider just dropping in on him but I wanted to drop my cargo out of the way. And give whoever this is a chance to surrender. I should be able to drop him without causing permanent harm but there's always a risk. I don't think I'd be able to heal an adversary in normal circumstances; Flinders' wounds were just that disturbing.

Alright, he's quite close now. I'll just ask him to come quietly, and drop a ShockCrown on him if he refuses. No need to draw this out.

{orange}Amplification please, ring{/}. "Please drop your weapons and come out with your hands up."

I don't have arrest authority. Well, I might be able to make some sort of Corps-based claim if interstellar law might have been breached, but I certainly don't have that authority on Earth. Maybe the 'please' was a bad idea? He's slowing down. Good. He's now about fifteen metres away through medium foliage, and I get my first look at his face with my normal vision. He's pulling his right arm back…

Why is he wearing a hockey mask?

Ahh! Javelin! I'm being attacked by Casey Jones!

I didn't even realise that DC owned the Turtles!

The javelin bounces off the construct armour around my chest and explodes. The explosion does nothing to me in terms of injury, but I have to {orange}expend effort{/} to avoid getting blown off my feet by the force.

Did Casey Jones ever work undercover? As I ignore another exploding javelin I try desperately to remember everything about this character. It's mostly from the first two animated series, and he wasn't that big in either of them. At least he hasn't tried a hockey stick, the sheer shock of that might have caused me to drop my armour.

No, no, focus. Knock out Casey Jones now, deal with angry mutant Turtles later.

I really hope they don't mix that mutagen from Turtles with Venom or anything. Too much weirdness.

I rise off the ground and fly towards him, jinking to avoid getting knocked around by any more explosives he has. He's gone for his plasma crossbow but it's a simple matter to {orange}yank it from his hands{/} and '{orange}ring, subspace{/}' it. He keeps it together though, dropping into a fighting crouch and moving towards me again. For goodness sake, I just tanked exploding javelins, you're just going to bruise your fists. He throws a smoke canister, then sprints to close the distance faster than someone watching him before would have been expecting. Might work on someone without OrangeVision, but I can still see him perfectly well. I extend a loop of construct rope from my right hip and send it forwards, closing it around his left leg as he shifts weight to his right, and yank backwards. He tries to roll with it, possibly assuming that he's snagged on an exposed root, and ends up flat on his face. I extend a ShockCrown from the loop and drop it over his masked head.

I don't know why I was so worried. {orange}Double check{/}, yes, definitely paralysed.

Now, what happened to the case he was carrying? {orange}Fan constructs{/} disperse the smoke as I begin to look. He was standing there when I last saw him with it…

It's propped up against a tree. A {orange}scan{/} reveals that it's rigged to explode if not opened properly. A {orange}burst of orange light{/} renders the explosive inert, and I open it. Some sort of injection device, and a single vial of purple liquid. So, that's what this stuff looks like.

I walk back over to Mister Jones. Damn. Maybe if I talk to the Turtles first? His mask is more sophisticated than it looks so I {orange}shut down its electronics{/} before removing it. I thought that Casey had darker skin than that? Or maybe that was just in the second cartoon.

Whatever.

{orange}Ring, where is everyone{/}?

I feel a pull from different directions. The airfield, for most, but also… New York? Oh, I just thought 'ingroup' and it's telling me where Alan and Diana are as well.

{orange}No, just the team{/}.

Just the airfield this time. Seems like they've beaten everyone into submission. Right. Taking the case in my hand I extend flight auras around Flinders and Jones and fly up above the canopy. There's some smoke where the helicopter went down, but it'll probably put itself out. Should probably collect any Venom Buster samples that survived. Still got plenty of ring power left…

I head towards the helicopter, felled opponents in tow. It smashed into the trees sideways, which arrested most of its lateral movement but caused it to flip over. I drop the two guys and the case and take a closer look. A moment of work with a {orange}cutting construct{/} later and I step back to avoid being buried in boxes. I can see liquid Venom Buster on the ground where the containers have cracked, and I'm honestly not sure that I can fly all of this stuff. Hah, I'm overthinking it.

"{orange}Ring, destroy all Venom and Blockbuster formula in the helicopter{/}."

An orange pulse shines outwards from me, and the ring rests. No point checking for electronic data, the EMP would have wiped it. I pick up my stunned foes and the case once again and continue on to the airfield. As I come over the rise where we fought Bane I notice that he and his men are no longer there. Stupid, stupid, of course he had more fighters in the area! Ah, no point worrying about it now. A quick look at the airfield shows me that other than that we've won. The only people upright are my team mates. I eagerly {orange}hasten{/} my flight.

Wallace is the first to notice me, and he waves as I approach. **Hey, Oh El's back. How'd it go, 'cause we pretty much cleaned up here.**

I float Big Flinders over my head and drop him down in front of him. Kon and M'gann stay standing guard over the bound and blindfolded Kobra cultists while Aqualad and Robin walk over. Aqualad asks the important question.

**Were you able to stop the courier?**

**Yes.** He smiles faintly as I float the case over to him. **One sample of Venom Buster. I destroyed the other containers in the helicopter at the crash site.**

**And the courier himself?**

I float Casey forwards. **No threat, really. I think his name's Casey Jones. Can't really remember-.**

**His name is not Casey Jones.**

**It isn't?**

**That is Sportsmaster, a noted mercenary.**

Oh. Guess DC don't own Turtles, then. **Erm, what's his real name?**

Robin peers at his face. **Lawrence Crock. Why'd'you wanna know?**

**I tend to feel that using their 'supervillain' names just encourages them.**

Wallace come to a realisation. "Casey Jones. The guy from the Turtles films? You seriously thought that you were fighting the guy from the Turtles films?"

Aqualad hasn't watched much surface television. **Turtles… films..?**

I rub my brow with my right hand. Wallace is happy to heap on the embarrassment. **It's a film about four mutant ninja Turtles who live in New York and fight evil ninjas.**

Aqualad looks like we've put him off surface television for life. He turns to me. **Did you… Why would you think you were fighting a fictional Turtle?**

Wallace is quick to correct him. **No, dude, Casey Jones isn't a Turtle, he's a Human vigilante with a hockey mask…**

I hold up Sportsmaster's. Aqualad holds up a hand to stop Wallace talking. **The point still stands. Why did you believe that you were being attacked by a fictional character?**

I throw up my arms. "My home parallel doesn't have superheroes! I have to pinch myself when I look around the room, or in a mirror! So, yeah, being attacked by a fictional character did seem possible." I drop my arms and sigh. "These guys aren't all going to fit in the Bio-Ship. When do the League get here?"

{red}22nd July
21:02 GMT -5{/}

I rise off the ground and fly towards him, powering forwards to avoid drawing this nonsense out any longer. He's gone for his plasma crossbow but it's a simple matter to {orange}shoot it before he can fire{/}. He hurls it aside before the fuel cell vents and ignites in a brilliant flare of red. He keeps it together though, dropping into a fighting crouch and moving towards me again. I just tanked exploding javelins, idiot, you're just going to bruise your fists. He throws a smoke canister, then sprints to close the distance faster than someone watching him before would have been expecting. Might work on someone without OrangeVision, but I can still see him perfectly well.

{orange}Ring, access League database{/}. {orange}Who is this fool{/}?

{orange}Lawrence Crock, aka Sportsmaster. Noted mercenary and assassin.{/}

Not Casey Jones then. I feel a bit silly now.

I drop a lasso construct onto him from above and pull it tight under his arms, lifting him off the ground. He reaches for a weapon from his pack, but I cut the pack loose and spill his equipment on the floor. I also target the smaller weapons on his belt for the same treatment.

Now, what to do with him? Before I can reach a conclusion, he speaks to me.

"Not bad. But you're in way over your head, kid. If you know what's good for you, you'll let me go and forget this ever happened."

Hmm.

"Yes. I recovered the drug sample, but was unable to prevent the courier from escaping."

He regards me for a moment. "I'm a little surprised that you're taking the deal. Most people like you are a bit more self righteous."

"Oh, forgive me Mister Crock, I'm not taking the deal. That's just what I'm going to tell the others. {orange}Ring, assimilate{/}."

{red}22nd July
21:04 GMT -5{/}

Now, what happened to the case he was carrying? {orange}Fan constructs{/} disperse the smoke as I begin to look. He was standing there when I last saw him with it…

It's propped up against a tree. A {orange}scan{/} reveals that it's rigged to explode if not opened properly. A {orange}burst of orange light{/} renders the explosive inert, and I open it. Some sort of injection device, and a single vial of purple liquid. So, that's what this stuff looks like.

{orange}Ring, did you detect any damage to Mister Flinders' brain from the Venom Buster use{/}?

{orange}Minor changes in neurotransmitter levels from Human norms. No significant deviations detected.{/}

I insert the vial into the injector.

{orange}Just in case, take a snapshot of my current brain state, and resist major changes from those levels{/}.

{orange}Compliance.{/}

Wait, why am I thinking of using this injector?

{orange}Ring, inject Venom Buster formula into me at optimal locations. Monitor vital signs and prepare to reset to default in the event of danger{/}. Seven orange needles appear around me, each with a link to the injector. I barely feel it as they pierce my arms, legs, neck, heart and groin. I see purple move beneath the orange as the formula flows. The orange light reknits the flesh as the needles dissipate.

Oh. Oh.

There's still no pain, I note, as my ribs break and swell outwards. The expansion of my thighs throws me to the ground. Again, I am dully aware of bones being pulverised and reforming, longer and stronger. Now I can't notice any one thing, everything is twisting and expanding, and unlike on the moon, now that I know what is happening? {orange}I embrace it{/}.

My armour is an impediment, so it {orange}vanishes into subspace{/}. My hands expand, and the ring grows to fit around my enlarged fingers. My skin darkens, toughens, and begins to split as it fails to keep up with the growth of the other parts of my body but {orange}oh no you don't{/}… Better.

The wave of mutation slows, then stops. I push myself off the ground a little gingerly. A mirror construct forms in front of me. I'm naked, but the ring can probably turn some of my clothes into a pair of shorts until I can visit Mister Gambi again. I'm now about two and a half meters tall, though I've kept my body proportions better than Mister Flinders did. The ring tells me that my skin has turned out a little darker than his, but it's all dark at night. I hold out my right arm and flex the muscles for a moment.

{orange}Ring, do not assist{/}.

I brace, then swing my fist directly through a tree trunk. It's like punching jelly, it just parts around my hand. The top part of the tree collapses onto my shoulder and I barely feel a thing, just brush it off like fallen leaves.

I smile. Intellectually, I realise that I haven't added much to my powers as a Lantern, but… There's something viscerally pleasing about this sort of physical power that {orange}I rather enjoy{/}.

22nd July
23:11 GMT -5

I've never actually been naked in a communal shower before. Sure, at the swimming pool I'd rinse off before getting changed but I still had my trunks on. And this is a really terrible time to remember that mass circumcision is still a thing in the US. And now I'm trying to work out which of my team mates… Superboy was grown in a pod, right? They wouldn't have… Aaagh! Bad brain!

Fortunately, I have a power ring.

"{orange}Ring, I really want to be clean{/}. Okay, see you guys later!"

I leave my slightly bemused male team mates in the changing room and walk back to the main living area. We formally resolved the leadership question on the flight back. Aqualad had secured everyone else's support and they wanted to make sure that I was in agreement. When I said that I hadn't mentioned it before because I thought it was completely obvious that he was the man for the job Wallace sniggered and Robin glared.

Apparently, Aqualad's plan for attacking the airfield involved everyone putting on the clothing of Bane's irregulars over their uniforms, and then Kobra robes on top of that. They more or less just walked up to the landing area and doffed the robes once the attack began. Not sure that counts as 'maintaining cover', but Kobra can't be sure that Bane didn't just employ metahumans amongst his thugs. In a way Bane's escape makes that more believable. I violated cover worse than they did, though it's not like Kobra knows that Orange Lanterns exist.

The Santa Priscan authorities have moved troops in to secure the factory, but I imagine that Bane will be back in there before long. Wallace put Bane's mask in the same room as the robot eye from Mister Twister, and I added Mister Crock's hockey mask. Tragedy and Comedy. He wants to make it some sort of trophy room, but given the violent nature of our work I'm not sure that's entirely in good taste. I thought about adding the plasma crossbow thing, but the room isn't secure enough at present to house a weapon.

Batman didn't look too happy when we got back, but I think his eyes widened just a little when Jeffrey Burr and Lawrence Crock were marched off the League's transport jet in manacles. He also unclenched slightly when I handed over the Venom Buster sample. He wants our mission reports submitted by six tomorrow for a debrief at nine, which means that everyone else gets to stay up all night writing them. I did mine on the Bio-Ship on the flight back.

My personal failings? Not keeping track of Bane, obviously. I'm not going to include 'thinking that a lightly armed baseline Human was a threat to me' on a list I'm submitting to Batman, for goodness sake. Not directly sorting out the leadership question before the mission was an oversight, but we all did that and I honestly assumed it had been dealt with. Should I have gone back to the airfield immediately after dealing with Flinders? Maybe. It is possible for me to monitor someone at a distance for a long period of time, but I wouldn't have known exactly what he was doing unless I really {orange}needed{/} to, and I would have been focusing on the prisoner transportation and the possible arrival of the local military. That ended up being dealt with by a surprisingly diplomatic Hawkman, and the captain in charge was more than happy for us to remove 'foreign terrorist criminals' once he was sure that we weren't accusing his government of anything.

Anything else? Attracting attention to myself with glowing lights is on the list, but there isn't much I can do about it. I tried asking the ring about shifting the colour a bit and it started talking to me like I was an idiot. As far as it is concerned avarice construct equals orange construct. Constructs which project other kinds of energy are possible, and I'm planning to head out to somewhere isolated to practise them. I was thinking Titan.

Should we have intercepted the helicopter as soon as we first saw it? Maybe, but I don't think so. Should I have bypassed the jamming signal? After my 'completely obvious' comment Robin was more than happy to explain at great length how I should have used the ring to get around that, so yes, but I didn't know how at the time.

Maybe I could have used some sort of neural interface construct to knock Flinders out earlier? That… It could work, but I'm not comfortable with practising that sort of thing. I know I eat animals. Logically, I shouldn't have a problem testing things like that on them, but I'm not sure that I could look a cat in its bewildered face as it tried to work out why its legs were moving on their own. I could probably bring myself to test the assimilation beam like that, but I'm not sure I want my team mates knowing that it exists.

I reach the living room and M'gann's already here, sitting in a chair. Can't smell anything. Do Martians not sweat, or did she just take the fastest shower ever? She's set up a civilian version of Robin's personal hologram computer on the coffee table and is typing up her report. I walk over and sit on the next door sofa.

"How's it going?"

Her eyes twitch in my direction, then go back to her work. "Slowly. There's parts of the mission where I wasn't really doing anything much, and then the fighting started and so much was going on that it's hard to keep it all straight. Are you going to start yours?"

"Already done."

"Really? Did you do it on the flight back?"

"Yeah. Took about five minutes."

"Five minutes?!"

"I have a power ring. Power rings are awesome."

She slumps slightly. "I don't suppose I could borrow-?"

"No. Quite aside from the fact that there were bits you saw that I didn't, report writing is a valuable skill to learn. Bit surprised you're not using a telepathic computer of some kind."

"I've got one, but it isn't compatible with Earth technology. Only other telepaths would be able to read it."

I suppose Martian tech is very different from Earth tech. There was something else… "I noticed that once you established the telepathic link I got a lot more, erm, imagery than I was expecting. I mean, not just words, but pictures and feelings."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "That was you? I thought it was Conner!"

Eh? "Why would you think it was Kon?"

"Well… Well… One of the pictures was of him…"

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was creating weights for him to lift earlier, and it just sort of slipped out. I mean, he wouldn't have been looking at himself, would he?"

"No, I suppose not. It's not that unusual, actually. It just requires the person who joins the link to have their mind more-" She circles her hands, trying to find the right word. "-open? To be more open with their thoughts than most people not used to telepathy are. The other reason I thought it would be Conner is because of all the time he spent with the G-Gnomes. His mind should be used to receiving information that way."

"I was wondering because it didn't happen when we practised earlier."

She frowns. "Yes it did."

What?

"And, um, I'm glad you like the way I look, but that bikini was probably a bit too risqué for me."

OoOoOoOoOo.

My face freezes into a nervous smile. "Didn't realise that you got those. I was, I was sort of trying to see how forward things had to be in my mind before you heard them, and I tried to think about something that might get an involuntary reaction."

"Oh. Well, this isn't-" She looks around the room to check no one has walked in, and lowers her voice. "-like you said, this isn't my Martian body. Seeing me wearing that sort of clothing doesn't have a strong enough effect to get that result."

"Makes… Makes sense. Um, sorry."

She smiles. "It's fine. It's perfectly normal for you to be interested in girls."

I'm wincing like hell on the inside. "Soo, Kaldur's in charge now."

She turns back to her report. "His plan was a little more sophisticated than Wallace's 'run in and hit everyone'."

"Plus, he organised all of the group training we've been doing. That was sort of why I'd assumed he already had the job."

"I was a little surprised that you didn't want to be leader."

"Why?"

"You were keeping us all organized during the mission."

"That was coordination, not leadership. It really isn't the same thing, and I wasn't even doing that once the fighting started. Our team leader needs to be able to direct people during combat, and I just go all 'Mine!' and lose perspective."

"Is your ring giving you trouble already?"

"No… I don't think so. I think that was just a normal desire to keep my friends safe, but I stopped thinking about the mission when it happened. I mean, you could probably have handled Bane and co without me. I left my post and stopped monitoring Kobra. If something big had happened, I'd have missed it."

"There were a lot of guns pointing at us. I know I felt a lot better when you removed them."

"Won't be my decision next time, I suppose."

22nd July
23:17 GMT -5

"Oh! I wanted to ask you something." M'gann shifts around in her seat so that her legs are pointing at me, knees together, hands clasped in her lap. "When the fight with Bane started, were you singing something?"

"Yes. I'm a bit surprised you heard that."

"We were linked, so it just sort of came through. Was it some sort of battle song?"

"No. No, it's called 'Never Split the Party'. It's about a group of adventurers with different skill sets who can't handle a situation they get into because they split up."

"How does it go?"

Hmm. Still got some ring charge left… Why not? I get to my feet and walk to the open area of the room. A wave of my right hand {orange}creates medieval Dungeons and Dragons style versions of our team{/}. Kaldur is arrayed as a melee fighter in full plate, with his upside down V emblazoned on his surcoat. Kon is dressed more in the barbarian style, stylish but impractical leather and fur which leaves his chest exposed. Robin as a thief just gets a hood and cape extension. Wallace the monk gets a keikogi with a lightning bolt on the back. M'gann and I get robes, hers with a heavy book strapped to the belt and mine with an Orange Lantern Corps sigil hanging around my neck.

{orange}Ring, lyrics please{/}. "{orange}Ring, music please{/}." I step to the side and take a breath.

"We were skulking through this dungeon - A pretty sorry lot."

The group 'walk' forwards, with the 'dungeon' scenery making it look like they're actually moving.

"And Kaldur'ahm the fighter had been actin' like a sot"

The Kaldur construct shoves past 'Kon' and 'myself' to the front of the group.

"Our cleric had colitis;"

'I' walk uncomfortably.

"Our torches all were wet"

'Robin' tries to light one and fails.

"But we had to find some treasure soon to get us out of debt...

So Kaldur'ahm and Conner were itchin' for a fight
They both took the left fork, while we went to the right"

Their constructs walk off down a passageway, while the rest of us remain centre stage.

"And that is when we heard it: the sound of rollin' dice"

I {orange}create a large piece of paper with the words 'Random Encounters' listed at the top, and some spinning dice constructs{/}.

"We wondered why we had ignored those words of sage advice...

Don't You Know? You never split the party
Clerics in the back to keep those fighters hale and hearty"

At the rear of the group my construct brushes his sleeves up his arms and wiggles his fingers.

"The wizard in the middle, where she can shed some light"

Hard to do light when everything's orange, but I create a sort of ripple effect around her raised right hand.

"And you never let that damn thief out of sight..."

'Robin' cringes slightly as the others stare at him.

"So then we heard this bellow from back around the bend
We turned around to see if there was aid that we could lend"

The party about faces, the dice stop spinning, and the random encounters construct zooms in on 'Orcs, D6+3' for a moment before dissipating.

"And suddenly the corridor was covered up with Orcs"

The Orcs are shrunken versions of Baran Flinders, carrying wooden shields and sword/cleaver things.

"We fell back in a panic, feeling like a bunch of dorks..."

The party rushes through the rear Orcs and forms a line.

"The thief had pissed his leathers; the monk was turning blue"

I paint obvious fear onto the faces of 'Robin' and 'Wallace', then 'Robin' jumps into 'Wallace's arms in a forced bridal carry.

"Our wizard got all flustered and she covered us with goo"

'M'gann' gestures, waves, and I generate liquid coming from the 'ceiling' and coating all members of the group.

"The cleric swung his holy club some Orcish skulls to break"

My figure holds out a hand and generates a war hammer with a head the shape of a slightly flattened Orange sigil.

"We tried to dodge his backswing as we pondered our mistake..."

He pulls back to swing at the first Orc, the warhammer's shaft becoming ludicrously long as he does so, forcing 'M'gann' to duck and 'Wallace' to limbo under it. It's high enough that it goes over the Robin construct's head.

"Don't You Know? You never split the party
Clerics in the back to keep those fighters hale and hearty"

I let the fight progress. I remember hearing that Clerics make darn good melee fighters these days anyway. 'Wallace' gets himself together and makes martial art attacks against the Orcs while 'I' visibly feed energy to the others while continuing to swing the club.

"The wizard in the middle, where she can shed some light"

'M'gann' fires off some lightning into where the Orcs were forming a shield wall, killing a couple and breaking their formation.

"And you never let that damn thief out of sight..."

'Robin' sneaks, backstabs, and finishes the last one off with a thrown knife.

"We finally found our fighters; they were hacking at a Troll"

New scene, the Troll looks like Blockbuster. The larger part of the party enters stage left.

"They chopped off knees and elbows but it kept on growing whole"

'Kaldur' swings an oversized sword and 'Kon' an axe, cutting through the limbs only to watch Trollbuster heal them back.

"The wizard flung a fireball, her dice they did not fail"

'M'gann' holds her arms over her head and builds a large fireball, before flinging it forwards.

"She torched the troll and left the fighters roasting in their mail"

Trollbuster disappears, but 'Kaldur' and 'Kon' are visibly scorched.

"The cleric had his hands full; apologies were said"

'I' lay hands on the fighters and their visible injuries disappear.

"We swore an oath we'd stick together just like we were wed"

They gather in a circle, hands meeting in the centre. Robin is absent.

"But then we found that sneaky thief had vanished in the gloom
We caught him stuffing pockets in the secret treasure room..."

The room in question is the enlarged rear of a helicopter. The hatch collapses open and 'Robin' is shown holding two bags with dollar signs on the sides. He grins, nervously.

"Don't You Know? You never split the party
Clerics in the back to keep those fighters hale and hearty"

Cleric and fighters advance on the thief, who backs up a little.

"The wizard in the middle, where she can shed some light"

Wizard also steps forwards, electricity crackling around her hands. Thief makes a pleading gesture while still holding the looted bags.

"And you never let that damn thief ... no you never let that damn thief ... no you
Ne - ver let - that - damn - thief - out - of - sight!"

The helicopter's hatch closes just as they reach him, obscuring their retribution from the audience.

Real M'gann is covering her grin with her hands, but she isn't looking at me. What is she...?

Oh, showers are finished then. An amused Wallace is poking Robin, who seems a little disgruntled. Kaldur and Kon are smiling. I stretch my arms out to the side and take a bow to both parts of my audience in an attempt to brazen through my embarrassment.

I remove the helicopter construct.

"Let me go get something to eat. Chinese sound good?"

23rd July
19:44 GMT -5

Batman's debrief was a good deal less harrowing than it might have been. He picked up on my failure to breach the radio jamming right away, and we'll all be getting lessons on communication technology from Captain Atom in the not too distant future. He was also not happy about us pretty much abandoning the whole 'recon' aspect of the thing, and we'll each be getting a written evaluation 'detailing our many mistakes'. His conclusion was much more upbeat, congratulating us on our inventiveness and for 'capturing some extremely dangerous people'. The League will be making sure that Jeffrey Burr, Lawrence Crock and the Flinders make it to Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary in Louisiana without incident.

I'm not worried about the written report. I've already gone over the things I think I did wrong, and it may suggest ways to remedy my failings. Wonder if Batman'll have Jordan or Stewart write the part concerning my use of the ring? I've had a look at their written records as well as the recordings and I can't see anything about them using their rings for team coordination.

Robin and Wallace have headed home. Just the lifers left; M'gann, Kon, Kaldur and I are trying to find something worth watching on television. A trial at the best of times. Kaldur likes documentaries. M'gann likes sit-coms. Kon has absorbed Wallace's habit of switching channel every few minutes. They aren't bickering, but they are debating with reasoned arguments and that sort of thing only ever leads to trouble.

"How about a film?"

It gets worse. We have WebFilm -a Netflix analogue- but that just gives us thousands of films that none of us know how to choose between. I'm watching the screen trying to spot something familiar -as our token surface dwelling/Human/more than three weeks old team member I have the best chance of recognising some of them- as my team mates take advantage of any hesitation to pluck the remote from one another's hands and search for something which suits their tastes.

Kaldur tries to find a pirate film where the pirates are the bad guys and not the good guys. He is a little disturbed that he can't. M'gann tries to locate a romance film, but can't find anything with aliens in it. She nearly tries Species III, but I suggest that probably isn't the sort of thing she wants. I suppose it could be different to the version from my parallel, but I'd rather not take the chance. Kon seems to just scroll through things with no real idea what he's looking for. During a brief lull in which Kaldur delivered an impromptu lecture on the damage done to world trade networks by pirate attacks I took the opportunity to compare films I know with ones which exist here.

Castlevania directed by Chris Nolan? Wasn't making Batman, I suppose. Star Wars exists here, but it seems that George Lucas was killed in a hit and run accident before he could make episodes I to III. Unfortunately, Disney then bought his company and had Michael Bay do it. So, pro, no Jar Jar Binks. Con, Queen Amidala in a boob tube and hot pants and a thirty foot tall General Grievous. Think I'll give it a miss.

No DC means no V for Vendetta. No Marvel comics either, but I'm not sure that superhero genre is the way to go with this. We are superheroes. Nothing we watch will match the experience. My suggestion of 9 is shot down from all sides, though I don't think I did a particularly good job of selling it. In desperation I suggest having the ring select one entirely at random. Faced with the very real possibility of spending the rest of the evening arguing or -worse- learning more about non-state actors as agents of social decay, Kon and M'gann vote for that idea.

And that's why we spent the evening watching Super Giraffeman Seven.

The plot was threadbare, the sets were made of plywood, the acting was nonexistent and one guy tripped on his own wires and I don't think I've laughed that hard since a crazy woman phoned me at work and said that she'd kept her youngest child's placenta in her fridge for seven months but needed to arrange for it to be stored somewhere else because her children had mistaken it for ice cream and tried to eat it. Took our lab manager twenty minutes to convince her that it would be pointless, after I'd tried for half an hour.

When I laugh really hard, I don't make any noise, I just do a sort of choking action. Watching this abomination I was convulsing so hard that I struggled to keep my eyes focused on the screen. Even better, I think I must have been feeding back into M'gann because she ending up laughing just as hard as I was. I'm not sure that Kaldur or Kon got the joke, but our reactions set them off as well.

And, seventy two minutes later, with one last cry of 'Evil shall fall upon my horns of Justice! They are small but they are mighty!' it was over, and I could try breathing normally again.

Oh god. There might be six more of those things.

"I can't believe someone actually made that!"

Kaldur's still bemused. "Do you think it was intentional?"

"I don't know. It might have been? I mean, they can't have not noticed that you could see the reflection of the entire camera crew in the sacred… giraffe…pool…" I barely manage to get it out before I start laughing again, which causes M'gann to start as well.

Kon's got the remote control and is trying to find more information on it. "It says that it was made in nineteen seventy five by Takeshi Meeki."

I get a breath. "Is that his real name?"

"There's a list of the other movies he's made."

Kaldur leans forwards. "Are they… All..?"

"I don't know."

I risk looking at the screen. The summary screen for Super Giraffeman in Space is there waiting for me. Made in two thousand and one. Oh god. Same title actor. He must be in his seventies.

I suppose he can't have gotten any worse.

"There isn't… There doesn't… Martian cinema doesn't have anything like that." M'gann takes a little longer to recover than I do.

"It wouldn't, would it? When you can shapeshift you don't have to worry about your mane wig sliding down your head halfway through your main scene."

Kaldur blinks in recognition. "It was the way he kept leaning over to try and prevent it from falling off completely that I found the most distracting."

Kon is still going through Mister Takeshi's list of film credits. "Maybe Martian cinema does have things like that, and you just haven't watched it? If I had to introduce someone to Earth cinema, I don't think I'd start with that."

"Don't rule it out so quickly. Rowan Atkinson's character, Mister Bean, is very popular in countries that don't speak English because slapstick is so universal. And I think that was more slapstick than wuxia."

Kaldur can't take his eyes off the screen either. "I cannot say with certainty what it was."

M'gann checks her watch. "We've probably got time for another one."

"I'm not sure it would have the same effect again, now we're expecting it."

"Paul, Uncle J'onn probably felt the laughter in your mind all the way up on the Watchtower."

Kon sits up a little. "If it's a choice between watching another movie like that, or arguing about pirates again, I vote Giraffe."

The cursor is now over 'Super Giraffeman Supreme Shogun-President'. Nothing more needs to be said.