The video was weird to say the least. The big, giant, white-faced alien speaking in weird words was odd enough, and then General Zhang had to go and get torn in half only to reveal he was a robot controlled by an alien.
I would have cringed had I not felt an obligation to act maturely in front of the league in the HQ. Captain Marvel, Batman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Zatanna and Rocket we're the only member of the league that were present
"The big guys' Lobo." Green Lantern explained. "He's an...Intergalactic bounty hunter. Extremely dangerous, but not likely to return. The little guy's another story...That's a Krolotean, and they always travel in packs."
"Meaning more of them are on Earth." Batman summed up.
"I believe my friend may be able to help us on that point." Martian Manhunter said, turning and motioning to a blonde guy in a white lab coat standing behind us. "Some of you have not met Adam Strange of STAR labs. He is responsible for maintaining the Zeta-beam radiation tubes we use for teleportation."
"Was wondering why a stranger was allowed on the 'top secret' Watchtower." Conner grunted telepathically.
"Easy." I said, trying to douse Conner's temper that had been on a constant high since he and Megan broke up.
"...and he has a story to tell." J'onn finished.
"It's a little involved...I wish I had visual aids or...Something." Adam groaned.
"I can assist you." Martian Manhunter said and his eyes glowed red. Adam held his head for a second before recovering.
"We are all linked Adam; what you remember, we will see." Martain Man said telepathically.
"Um...great?" He said, making it sound more like a question before continuing on with his story. "Well I was preforming some routine Zeta-beam when something went wrong, and I found myself teleported half-way across the galaxy to a planet called Raan. There was a scientist there, Zardath, he was onducting his own experiments in advanced...very advanced zeta-beam technology. It took weeks to establish even basic communications but Zardath eventually made me understand that some of his tech had been stolen."
"Fits the Krolotean MO. Their whole culture revolves around stolen tech." Green Lantern explained.
"Zardath detected communications between one location on Raan, and several locations on Earth." Adam said. "He was attempting to trace those when he accidently transported me to Raan. He gave me this." Adam pulled out a strange object from his pocket, which opened to create a small, yellow, holographic map of Earth. "It detects Zeta-radiation and can pinpoint all the locations that Kroloteans have been to Earth."
"Then I'm ordering a two-pronged attack." Captain Atom said, walking forward. "We'll stage simultaneous raids on all the locations on Earth while a contagion of leaguers travel with Strange here to cut the Kroloteans off at the source."
"We might have a problem with that second prong..." Strange said, before placing his hand on the device and changing the holographic image to multiple images of Leaguers. "Totally unclear on the why...but Earthlings are posada non grada in Raan's corner of the galaxy, and these six leaguers are wanted criminals."
Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Hawkwoman...
Wait a second
"Batman! It's the missing 16 hours!" Nightwing exclaimed.
"Agreed. Five years ago, Vandal Savage took completemental control of the entire Justice League. These exact same leaguers went missing for a whole 16 hours."
"Never even occurred to us that Vandal might've sent us into space." Green Lantern hummed. "I'll alert Hal, he and Guy are on Oa with the Green Lantern Corps."
"Meanwhile we have 15 other active leaguers that we can send to Raan to investigate." Captain Atom said.
"You're not getting it." Adam Strange cut in, and the device began showing images of every other leaguer including Rocket and Zatanna who had only joined a couple months ago. "There's a planetary watch alert for all League members."
"Not all of us are Leaguers."I piped in, Dick and I stepping forward.
"I can send a squadron to handle the Raan end of things and to find out more about those 16 hours." Nightwing agreed. "Without causing an intergalactic incident."
"Do it." Captain Atom said, sounding slightly begrudgingly.
As Dick, Conner, Megan and I made our way out; Zatanna and Rocket intercepted us.
"You know that thing about you guys not being leaguers...you four still have an open invitation to-""Thanks Z." Dick interrupted.
"But for now..." I added.
"We're all quite happy..." Megan said.
"Where we are." Conner finished.
"It's all hands on deck." Nightwing explained to the team save for Garfield, Megan and Conner who had traveled to Raan. I stood beside him and Mal behind us, as the rest of the team stood in front of us. "The league and the team will hit all 14 Krolotean zeta-locations simultaneously. You're goal is to destroy all zeta-platforms and search for any humans the aliens may have abducted. Mal's ops manager, coordinating coms from here."
"Wondergirl, Nightwing and I will be alpha." I explained. "Assignment: Philadelphia."
"Batgirl and Bumblebee, you two and Wolf will be Beta." Dick continued. "Assignment: Vlatavastok."
Everyone headed out save for Maia, Tim, La'gaan, and Jaime.
"Clairvoyance, Robin, Lagoon Boy, and Blue Beetle; you four are Gamma. Take the bioship to New Orleans." I explained. Jaime looked content, but La'gaan looked less then pleased.
"Gamma always gets the soft gigs..." The Atlantean grumbled, earning a punch on the arm from Maia.
"Shut up, if you're going to keep whining we're leaving you behind." The young Maori girl growled.
"No leaving team members behind." I cried.
"But-""No!"
I saw Dick talking to Tim, probably telling him about beingsquad leader which I couldn't see Tim being very happy about.
"Come on Nightwing." I said, tugging on his arm. "Cassie's probably getting antsy."
So Philadelphia was a bust.
There weren't ay abductees, and only one Krolotean that escaped from a single Zeta-platform, which was easily destroyed thanks to Cassie.
Nightwing radioed Mal...but his expression wuickly changed from confused to panicked.
"Gamma's in trouble." He alerted.
"Maia!" I exclaim as we run to the super cycle.
When we got to New Orleans, the only thing we found was the reminents of a factory that had blown up and a huge smoke cloud entering the atmosphere. I gasped and clutched a hand over my mouth: worry hitting my body like a tidal wave.
No...not Maia...God no...
Relief flooded into me when people started breaching the surface, followed by Robin, Jaime and Maia. A moment later La'gaan appeared: hollowering like he had won the lottery.
"Dude! Way to get your feet wet!" Dick called to his young partner.
I flew down, over to Maia and lofted her up. Her powers did't work underwater and I knew that being there in the first place was probably scary for her.
"You're heartbeat's irregular." The young girl said as I held her closely. "Don't tell me you were worried."
"Of course I was worried, mon chou." I said, petting her back lightly. She hated when I used affectionate French nicknames. She said it was annoying because she couldn't understand what I was calling her, and it was embarrassing to be called something affectionate by her older-sister-figure.
"You're so cheesy, it's disgusting." She cried, pretending to gag.
"Whatever you say honey." I said, placing a light kiss on her forehead before flying back down to help with the civilians.
