Truth, Honor, and Love in the Wastes

A DCAU (Timm'sverse) and Fallout crossover)

Chapter 1

The stale smell greated her as she opened the door. She looked into the darkness, hoping that the signal she found was something current and not a left over from two centuries ago. Stepping forward she took in how well preserved the Metrotower was. But then again Bruce had designed it. After a moment the lights began to flicker to life. Taking a look she noticed the layer of dust, but more importantly she noticed a set of tracks in the dust covered floor. Following them she found herself going into the dorms. Thoughts of the last time she had came here ran through her mind.

The insanity of war had taken hold, and there was nothing that she, or anyone else, could do would stop it. Ares of course enjoyed the war, loving the fact that he was causing massive destruction, but even the god of war understood what it meant to have things go too far. He understood what could happen if there was no one left to fight, but his realization came too late. She thought of the lasting phrase she had heard over and over again. War, war never changes.

Metropolis - Metrotower 2022

The sounds of sirens going off filled the air, followed by the screams of thousands as they watched in absolute horror at the sights of the first nuclear strikes to hit. Diana stood, baffled at what was happening around her. She knew of war, every Amazon did, and of course living in Man's world long enough to understand more of it on a daily basis. She touched the diamond ring next to a gold band on her finger. Both indicators of where she felt she belonged. She heard the comms going off, and quickly touched the device.

"This is Diana."

"Diana, this isn't a drill, help get the people to the Vaults."

She considered that. It wasn't something anyone in the League actually believed would ever be used, but here it was, the Vaults created by Vault-Tech, a company started by a scientist from Wayne Tech, a former employee of Lexcorp, and one of the PR staff form Dagget Industries. Together they had pitched the idea of underground bunkers that would allow people to not only survive, but thrive should the unthinkable happen. Today their vision proved to be accurate. Diana began directing people to the two Vaults she knew about. One was in Suicide Slums, down inside of a subway station that had long since been abandoned, and the other was under Lex Corp Tower. From what she understood Lex Luthor had paid Vault-Tech a substantial amount of money to create their Vault there. Most likely it was to ensure that he would be able to get inside should the bombs fall. As she directed people she heard the unmistakable sound of something falling and looked up to see a warhead coming down toward her. Before she could do anything she watched as Kal shot off toward it. He caught it, pulling it off course, making it change, and then it exploded above them. She tried to see where he was thrown, but all she could see was him there for a moment, and then suddenly thrown far away. She could only hope that her friend would survive.

Her eyes widened as she considered something else. Her children. They would be in Gotham, would they be in a shelter as well? Uncertain of what to do she left, knowing it was wrong, understanding that she should stay, but her mind could not be settled. She needed to ensure that her children were safe. She arrived at Gotham to see a glowing crater where the Narrows had been, she flew past there to the manor. Windows had been blasted out, but the building still stood. She rushed forward, opening the door, calling out for little Hippolyta and Thomas. She cried for them, and then she saw a body. She moved forward and saw Alfred. He was breathing, but barely.

"We need to get you to the shelter," she said, but it was only to feel him attempt to feebly push her away.

"It's far too late for that your highness, I fear that opening the shelter now would only condemn those inside."

Her eyes widened as she considered what he was saying. He was right, of course, but it didn't change what she felt. She held him softly.

"The children?"

He gasped softly, "Safe. Both are inside of the shelter with Master Richard."

She sighed in relief, "What of Bruce?"

His eyes opened, "Master Bruce needed to ensure that everyone who could be evacuated was."

She understood what he meant by that. He stayed behind and helped get people into the Vaults, up to the Watchtower, anywhere they would be safe. She prayed that he was on the Watchtower.

"Watchtower, do you have Batman's Location?"

There was static for a few moments, and that few moments was enough time to make her worry. Could the Watchtower be gone as well? But her fears were found to be without merit.

"Diana, the last location we had of Batman was inside of Gotham, ensuring that everyone that could be evacuated was evacuated. I believe the tracking devices he installed into our communicators pinpointed him toward the residential district. I can transport you there."

She considered it for a moment, "Do it, and I have one that needs to be transported aboard and treated immediately."

Alfred seemed to shake her head, but looked undeterred.

"There's clean rooms on the Watchtower, and a full medical staff. I know that they can help."

She wanted to believe it, but somehow she understood what the man who had been like a father to Bruce already knew. He had done what was necessary, he had saved their children, his grandchildren, and in doing so he had condemned himself to a slow and painful death. It was one that likely even the most advanced medical procedure couldn't stop, and likely it would only be slowed slightly. But even if it was to just make his last moments more comfortable it would be worth it.

The sound of chirping birds surrounded them and she found herself feeling ill. She shook her head, trying to ignore the feeling, and instead looked around herself. She moved slightly, toward the building that was standing and grabbed the door handle. She opened it and stepped into the door only to look at a crater behind what had once been a building. The crater seemed to be as large as nearly a city block. Hundreds of apartment buildings, thousands of lives, gone in a few instances. She nearly fell to her knees when something grabbed her and pulled her back. She felt her mouth forced open, a rancid orange taste covering her tongue, and she gagged as the hands that held her forced her to keep the fluid inside of her. She swallowed and suddenly the feelings of weakness, fatigue, and sickness began to leave her.

"Damn, guess that I would have won that bet."

She looked at the one standing before her. He was wearing one of the suits of armor the Military had borrowed from Cadmus' deep storage. It was similar to Steel's own armor, but there had been some advancements. She didn't pretend to understand, but from what she had been told it had a microfusion reactor inside of it, and it had fusion cores it used to run the suit. The cores themselves also could be used to run generators for years, maybe even centuries, without worry of ever changing them.

It had been something that Ray Palmer had proudly created, and he hated that his creation had been made to power a machine used for war. And now it stood before her, a powered armor that was nearly as strong as she was, but without flight. She marveled at how much the helmet looked like a gas mask she had seen when they had went back to World War II. But she studied the suit a moment before it stepped back.

"It's not safe here, most of the lower income area is simply gone. In truth I'm pushing it being here as well. My suit's at its limit of radiation resistance."

"Is there anyone else?"

The helmet nodded, "Yeah, I pulled a few out, gave them some of the Radaway and Rad-X we had for rescue," the armor wearer looked toward the crater, "But it's not enough. Believe me it is nowhere near enough."

The voice sounded feminine, and she took this chance to hope she was right, "Sister, did you see… one of us?"

There was a nod, and then she watched as something happened. The suit stood still for a moment, and then a strange glowing rod shot out of the back of it, landing on the street, The suit stood still for a moment, and then it seemed to move with ease.

"Sorry, I had to change out cores. That one was nearly drained, and I'm pretty sure that it was cracked," the wearer stated, "Yeah, and I bet you're talking about the Bat. We saw him, helping to get people out before the bombs hit. He was getting them surrounded by blue light, I'm guessing teleportation, and then I believe getting them to safety. From what I could tell he was heading toward Arkham Island."

She felt some relief. There was another Batcave on the island. If he made it there then perhaps he was safe inside of the cave. At least that was the hope. She began to rise into the air, but the suit wearer stopped her.

"Ma'am, I had to impose, but I think that the radiation here is messing with my communicator. Do you mind to let my company know that we've got more civilians to move?"

She looked at the armor wearer again, "How many?"

The armor wearer pointed toward an enclosed armored vehicle, and from what she could tell there was at least two more.

"There's about six people per each one of those APCs."

They almost looked like tanks, but there was a true difference in that they didn't have tracks. Instead each one had two sets of duels and one set of single wheels in the front. The vehicles looked mostly in good condition, but then she couldn't be completely sure of that. She moved toward them, feeling the side, realizing that she could fly them out, but it would be slow moving. Instead she nodded to the soldier, and flew in the direction she was told the woman's company was at.

As she flew she saw both the best and worst of humanity. There was those trying to help each other, others who were acting as if there was simply nothing else to lose, and in truth they weren't wrong. She couldn't be certain, but it felt as if the world they knew was simply gone. She landed near five others wearing similar suits of armor, and one of them lifted a gun that looked impressive in its size.

"I was asked to relay that one of your own has six APCs full of civilians that need to be evacuated."

The one with the gun lowered it, "Reynolds is alive?"

She studied the masculine sounding voice, "If that was her name, then I suppose she is."

The owner of the voice nodded, and then motioned toward the others, "Everyone, one of the T-60 Power Armor company has continued to do her due diligence. It is up to us to move forward, find her, and ensure that those civilians are moved to a safe location," he said before looking at her, "Thank you ma'am."

She smiled, "You're welcome…"

He grinned once more, "Conroy, Sergeant Kevin Conroy of the 90th infantry division. Thank you again ma'am," and with that he turned again toward the other soldiers, "Move out!"

Watching them leave she took off again and flew toward Arkham island. She knew where the cave was, and came in from the outside. Knowing that the cave would pick up her flight pattern, scan her for the wedding band that also doubled as the key to enter from the outside, and once it determined it was her the rock face would move allowing her to enter. It worked as it should, and she flew inside of the cave. Once inside she saw the Batwing, or rather what was left of it. It looked as it if had been near a blast. She stepped toward it, and then heard the sound of raspy breathing.

"Bruce?"

She moved to see a figure slumped over a table. She rushed toward him, and helped him onto the table. Moving the mask she found her beloved. His skin was red and blistered, there was places that it looked as if some patches of his skin had burned completely off. She touched him, praying for Hera's mercy, that Bruce might be spared, that he could live.

"Bruce, Hera, let me help you."

He opened his eyes and one of them was a cloudy white. The other was the same shade of blue she had fallen in love with.

"Princess…"

She touched him, "We need to get you to the Watchtower…"

He shook his head, "Wouldn't matter."

She looked at him, "Of course it would! The Doctors…"

He shook his head again, "I took a lethal dose of radiation Diana. The fact I'm not dead is troubling enough."

She watched as he moved his hand, "By all rights I should be dead, but I survived being nearly ground zero for a massive nuclear strike."

She touched his chest, "That only proves that you have designed your suit, and vehicles, well."

He laughed, "Even with the extra armor the Batwing has, it wouldn't be enough to stop the radiation from getting to me. Not from that distance."

He opened a piece of his belt and suddenly he began moving easier, "Hmmm, that's odd."

She watched as he pulled out the ring that Kal had given him. The same one that he was told to keep in case there was ever a chance he went rogue.

"This shouldn't be making me feel better…"

Metro Tower - 2222 - Barracks

Her mind came back to the present as she moved forward. Some part of her hoped it was someone left over, a friend that was wondering around, looking for any sign of them. She even wondered if it could be Kal. Maybe he finally released himself from his self imposed exile, but there was no breathing. She moved forward again, slightly, and saw a figure that looked humanish in stature, but not in appearance. No, in appearance there was various places that looked as if flesh had been torn off, and under it was a collection of wires, metallic limbs, and a glowing green eye.

"Well, if it isn't Princess Diana. I was hoping to find Superman, old habits and all, but instead I found you."

She studied him for a moment, "What do you want Corbin?"

He laughed, "Where is your diplomatic nature?"

She studied him, "You're standing, aren't you?"

He shrugged, "I suppose I am. In truth I'm not here to hurt Superman, instead we wanted to make a proposal to him."

She shook her head, "I doubt that he would want to hear it."

He shrugged, "Perhaps, but then I would believe the ability to cure ghouls and restore them might change his mind."

She stopped, what he said couldn't be right, "Cure?"

He laughed, "If you want to know then I need to see the man that I should thank for surviving the end of the world," he looked at her, "Bring me Superman, and we'll talk again."