Chapter 8

Lunar Orbit, Earth's Moon

Superman and Martian Manhunter flew through the portal and arrived on the alien ship. The alien manning the portal controls was taken completely by surprise. He reached for a button on the console in front of him but Superman closed the distance with super speed and grabbed his wrist. A super tap on the head knocked him cold. Martian Manhunter completed a psychic scan of the alien's mind, and then he and Superman walked out of the portal room. They had no need for the clandestine approach; they would take a more straight forward path. Superman used his x-ray vision to look through floors, walls, and ceilings. He pointed up.

The floor of the ship's bridge exploded upward. Crew standing nearby were thrown to the floor from the impact of Superman's impromptu entrance. His eyes glowed red.

"If you have escape pods, I suggest you use them." Lasers shot from his eyes as he utilized his heat vision to target various bulkheads and computer stations. Sparks erupted into small electrical fires all around the bridge. He felt the impact of weapon blasts hit his back. He turned unharmed to face the attack. "I am Kal-El of Krypton. You can call me Superman. I am Earth's protector; if you want to invade my planet and kidnap innocent children you have to go through me." He walked toward the blasts continuing from their weapons. "I'm doing you a favor and taking it easy on you, but if you don't leave Earth's solar system that will change." He grabbed the weapons by the barrels and squeezed them shut, rendering them useless. Their users looked with shock and shaking hands at the being in front of them. They dropped their weapons and ran.

Martian Manhunter reached out telepathically, "Superman."

"What is it J'onn?"

"I've been searching the ship, both physically and telepathically; I can detect no humans on board. Most of the crew is abandoning ship."

"Let me know when everyone is off. Can you operate the portal?"

"Yes. I was able to retrieve the proper operations protocol from the alien we first encountered in the portal room. He is still unconscious. I am opening a portal directly into D.E.O. headquarters and will transport him back there for questioning."

"See if you can access any other information, either from his mind or the ship's computers, and get a location for Batman. If he isn't on this ship we need to know where he is."

"Understood."

Once Martian Manhunter informed Superman the ship had been emptied of occupants, and he and his prisoner were safely back on Earth; Superman disabled the ship by finding anything that looked important (particularly the engines) and shutting them down using his various powers. This wasn't a delicate surgical attack. Superman ripped out consoles, froze pipes with his breath, cut conduits with his heat vision, and sometimes resorted to just good old fashioned punching and kicking—super strength punching and kicking. Once satisfied no system on the ship could be used to harm Earth, Superman flew at super speed right through the hull and set a course for his adopted planet; using his various super senses to search for any other threats on his way. He paused a few times in mid flight to let the aliens in the escape pods see him, and make sure they remembered just who it was they were actually dealing with if they decided to proceed with hostilities. He landed at D.E.O. headquarters several minutes later and was met by J'onn J'onzz who had morphed back into his human form.

"The police have arrived at the alley where this evening's activities started and taken the men into custody. Our prisoner from the ship is in a cell here and we'll interrogate him in a few minutes. I've also sent a request through proper channels for the alien in Gotham City Police custody to be transferred here. We're better prepared to handle him than a typical jail cell is."

"Have you heard from Supergirl?"

Winn answered that question, "Yeah, she called a few minutes ago. She made it to the hospital and the doctors have taken that kid into immediate surgery. Hopefully, she got there in time."

Superman nodded and turned back to J'onn, "What about our other friends? Any word from them?"

"Not yet."

"Other? Friends?" Winn looked from Superman to J'onn and back again. "What other friends? Supergirl didn't mention anyone else."

"They prefer to keep a low profile," J'onn replied. "Winn, start running satellite scans of the entire solar system as best you can. Keep an eye on the escape pods. See who, if anyone, shows up to rescue them; and search for any other ships that may try to be hiding. You scanned the portal I arrived from to get here?"

"Uh, yeah." Winn responded with a look that read, 'duh.' "Some freaky looking bright light just randomly starts shining in the middle of the room—you bet I'm recording it for posterity."

"Good. Use the energy signature from those scans and see if you can find any more like it on the planet." Winn turned toward his computer station as it started beeping. "What is it?"

"Uhmm, someone is sending us a message. Video is included," he added with an interested look and impressed nod."

"Let's see it."

On the screen appeared a digital wire frame head which started speaking to the two men who had just returned from space. "Superman, J'onn." A robotic woman's voice came over the speakers, "it's good to see you again."

Winn looked from the computer monitor to the pair standing behind him, "You guys know her, I take it?"

Superman ignored Winn's comments, "Oracle, one of these days we should get together just for fun. No crime or planet saving required."

"Come on over, you know the address. I'm sending the information we've collected to the D.E.O. database."

"Uh, ok," Winn started, "Since my boss isn't sounding any alarms I'm guessing you're a good guy…gal…robot?" No response. "Anyway, I'll lower the security shields annndd…you've already done that." Winn was speechless for a few seconds, a rare occurrence, and spread his hands and nodded in a dual gesture of amazement and impressment. "Uh, yeah, transmission received."

Director J'onzz spoke up, "Thanks, Oracle; we'll send it out to law enforcement and security agencies at all levels and keep them in the loop."

"Please, J'onn," the mysterious voice spoke with a hint of amusement, "do you really think so little of my ability to plan ahead?"

"Apparently so, and I'm reminded time and again just how wrong I am," J'onn replied with a smile. "How do you want us to get in touch with you if we find anything?"

"I'll contact you. Oracle out." The transmission ended and the digital wire frame face disappeared.

Winn turned back to face Superman and J'onn and spoke again, "Ya know, sometimes I get the feeling I'm out of the loop." He was ignored as the two men walked away from the main room and toward the area of the building where the D.E.O. kept aliens incarcerated for attempts at harming Earth or its citizens. "Case and point," Winn spoke to no one as he leaned back in his chair with a sigh and raised his hands in surrender.

Somewhere in Space

Batman sat in the co-pilot seat of the shuttle. He was staring at the controls without seeing them, his mind deep in thought. He turned to the pilot. "Tell me more about the beings who fought your people and made you sign the treaty."

"That was long long time ago. They disappeared for long time, no one see them."

"So you've said. Do they have a name?"

"Uhhm, I think you word is protector. Uhmm, I no think of good word to translate. In my language they are the Ni-en Kun—the Light Soldiers."

"How did these Light Soldiers defeat your people?"

"Ohh, they very powerful. Legend say they have powerful ships, and some legend say they just use light from hands to fight."

"Plasma or laser rifles of some kind?"

"No, no weapons, just hands."

Batman nodded as he processed this information. He looked at the controls again, "we've been out here for four days. Our life support is holding steady, but our rations are almost gone."

"Yes, when engine was hit by weapon it would be much effort to repair; changing energy to life support instead good idea. But no more food. Not supposed to be on long mission, just short distance to other ships."

Just then, the shuttle lights dimmed and an alarm started beeping.

"What's that?" Batman asked.

"Life support just go bad."

Earth, D.E.O. Headquarters, National City

Winn sat at his computer station processing all the information the satellites were feeding him. He tapped his hands on his lap to a song in his head when a voice spoke behind him.

"What's been happening?"

"Supergirl, welcome back. How's the kid?"

"Still in surgery. The doctors are doing their best, but it was a pretty ugly wound." She pointed toward his computer monitor, "what are you looking for?"

"Anything and everything. I've calibrated our satellites to search for any signatures of the alien portals on Earth, and I'm keeping tabs on Outer Space to see if any more ships try to sneak in."

"Seen anything?"

"Superman put the ship behind the moon out of commission and the crew abandoned ship in escape pods. A couple ships came and picked up the survivors, but they just left after that was done. Other than that, nothing."

Supergirl took a closer look at the monitor, "What's that?"

"Uh, that is…I don't know. Wait, it's a ship. It's a really small signature so maybe just a small ship, but a ship none the less."

"Where is it?"

"Just outside the asteroid belt that's between Mars and Jupiter."

"I'll go check it out. Let J'onn and Superman know."

"You got it."

Supergirl walked out to the balcony, took a breath, and flew upward faster than a speeding bullet. She breached the upper atmosphere of Earth and floated in orbit momentarily while she got her bearings. Using her super telescopic vision she scanned the asteroid field until she found her target. The radiation from the yellow sun extended to the entire solar system and her powers would be available to her out there just as they were on Earth. She didn't hesitate as she used her super speed and ability to defy gravity to travel at unprecedented velocity toward the asteroid belt.

Back at the D.E.O. Winn had called Superman and J'onn over to his station. J'onn took a look at Winn's monitor. "What is it? More ships picking up survivors?"

"No, the last of those was an hour ago. It looks like there's a small ship just on this side of the asteroid belt."

"Give me the coordinates."

"I can go and see what it is," Superman offered.

"Supergirl is already on her way," Winn informed them.

Supergirl kept alert as she approached the shuttle. She didn't see any other ships in the vicinity, but she remained cautious. Using her x-ray vision she looked inside and was surprised and shocked to find the shuttle full of human children, a couple aliens, and the man who must be the friend of Clark's—Batman.

Several of the children were drifting in and out of consciousness as the life support dimmed. Their stomachs rumbled from hunger, but they were too exhausted to cry. Batman clenched his fist in anger. He had failed to protect them. He rescued them from alien abductors only to let them die in space where they would never be found. He felt the shuttle move, a slight shake. He looked out the window. The last thing he expected to see was a welcome sight. Supergirl gave him a smile, a wave, and a salute before returning to the rear of the shuttle to begin pushing it home. They were going to make it.