Justice League
The Second Darkseid Act
By Maru Tamehana (First Draft, 1/6/2019)
1. Superman vs Wonder Woman
2. The Darkseid Act
In the previous episodes, Wonder Woman obtained a magical weapon that allowed her armies to join the fray, while Superman confronted and defeated Darkseid. That was not the end however, and Darkseid has returned with a new plan.
He seemed to have formed a special relationship with Superman, for some purpose and reason they could not fathom.
Cyborg, too, had recovered from an attack they suspected was orchestrated by Darkseid – completely subduing him to mind control and compromising the satellites defenses. They were able to recover Cyborg, but not determine the original source of the attack, which they suspected existed on Apokolips, given the insight Cyborg had been able to give them. It seemed Darkseid had sent an agent of some kind, which also remained a mystery.
CHAPTER ONE
ASSAULT ON APOKOLIPS
Mister Miracle and Big Barda had gathered with the Justice League, to discuss plans to infiltrate Apokolips.
Superman had been to their world once before, but this time, they had a purpose.
"Apokolips is riddled with labyrinth mazes, not unlike the sewers of your Metropolis, but they can be massive stone edifices through which entire armies could move. Darkseid once used these for his own purposes in conquering the planet, or hiding forces, but it's been years since they've been used. I believe these will be our best chance of infiltrating his palace, or wherever he is storing his weapon."
Barda stabbed the power rod onto the table, disrupting the circuitry and map for a moment.
"He has been accumulating his power for some time now. Not to destroy armies or lay waste to defenses, or support his forces. This time he has a particular target. He wants to destroy you, Superman."
She looked up at him.
"I can understand why. Superman sent him packing last time."
"Not without some help," Superman admitted.
New Gods can be a real pain in the neck, but they seem genuine enough.
"Scott can get us inside," she straightened up. She seemed to have some not undue pride in her fellow god. They wondered sometimes, at the relationship of these two cosmic beings. There seemed to be hints of some kind of mystery to them that lay in their past. No-one really knew why.
Mister Miracle seemed to be a creature of mystery, and Big Barda was no more eager for conversation than he for the topic.
(*)
Apokolips.
They packed survival suits and radiation suits – the surface of Apokolips was inimical to life. At least to the unprepared.
It weeded out the weak, Big Barda said – but Superman suspected any lifeforms that lived here, not sharing the New Gods constitution, would suffer. Apokolips had slave hordes and warriors in the countless – baffling enough, appearing to be humans.
In their own suits, they had no fear of the evil climes, but those they enslaved were not so fortunate. The air was like ash.
Superman had been here once before.
They entered through the large sewer like constructions Mister Miracle spoke of. Superman could see with his X-Ray and telescopic vision that the stonework pipes extended for miles and miles, and he suspected they covered the entire planet, or at least underneath it.
Mister Miracle guided them. An assault force on the palace. Big Barda brought up the rear, the goddess watching the walls for signs of disturbance or ambush.
There were things down here. Massive lizard-monsters suddenly burst out of the water, from in front and behind, where they had remained hidden in the deeper parts the party had skirted.
Their roar reverberated.
They battled to subdue them. Batman was handy with his bat-line and batarangs, slinging the jaws shut on one or two, and preparing use of one of his infinite stored gadgets.
Big Barda slammed her power rod on the head of one, and then lifted and tossed it in an impressive display of power – she moved as one accustomed to this sort of battle, there was no hesitance or fear. She blasted another with the rod, which stored incalculable energies, Superman had told them.
Each of the Justice Leaguers and the New Gods acted quickly, and the beasts were quickly subdued and sent into retreat, to wait for morsels that put up less of a fight. Mister Miracle was dusting himself off – a silly display because he was covered in water, not dust.
After watching them disappear down the tunnels, Mister Miracle smacked his head. "All of Apokolips will know we're here. We must move quickly."
He tossed one of his strange disc devices, mysterious technology from the Fourth World, onto the wall – opening up some kind of teleportation portal. The very world they now existed in – this whole dimension was a part of it, if such the term applied. New Genesis, home of the Forever People, including Scott aka Mister Miracle, and his wife (wife! It was astounding) Big Barda, occupied an entirely different dimension – but was still part of the Fourth World.
He would love to understand the dimensional mathematics behind that. Perhaps Superman could tell him – he seemed to know about these things, although it was difficult to admit ignorance. Sometimes mystique was all a Batman had. A powerful ally.
Batman examined the edge. There wasn't even a microscopic millimeter of difference he could detect. It just whorled into the wall. And he suspected when it closed behind them – the wall would be the same as it was before. Fascinating. He thought, but then hurried through with the rest. He didn't want to be caught in the middle of it closing, even if it perked his detective's curiosity.
And to think Mister Miracle spent his time performing tricks, like a magician.
He supposed he couldn't judge. Zatanna and her magically gifted father had taught Batman much about the trade as well, and the life seemed to please them.
"Come on, Batman," came the warning voice from ahead. He followed it.
Wonder Woman wasn't one to long for the things behind, but she was glad Trevor was with them. He had formed up part of the rank out of military habit, wearing one of those survival masks, and carrying one of those new military heavy rifles. She hoped it would suffice. He was brave, but he didn't possess her powers.
She glanced over at him fondly. She had difficulties with those emotions. After such a long time parting, it was difficult for her to reconnect with something that had caused her so much pain already.
"Darkseid's powers have been severely weakened, this will be the best time to attack," Mister Miracle had told them. "That is why he has been relying on the use of his lieutenants."
Suddenly, Cyborg doubled over as if in pain. He hadn't been using any of his instruments, for fear of being detected – but it seemed something had found him!
His fellow Justice Leaguers expressed concern, and Mister Miracle frowned – but there was nothing they could do for his ailment, except suspect he was correct about the device. It was here, and it was attempting to regain control of him.