4 Justice League Twice Shy
"I can't do it." Courtney Whitmore whined, "It's making my head hurt."
"Yah." Mary Batson jumped on the bandwagon, "What she said."
Kara looked at them from the chalkboard without pity. Both of them excelled at trigonometry and basic physics. Kara was going a step beyond and teaching them 4 dimensional math.
Kara used the laser pointer to underline the problem, "Do it. You have twenty minutes. And remember, if you two balk too much the whole idea of 'home' schooling you will be abandoned."
Mary and Courtney exchanged weary looks and then they each tackled the problem. The "home schooling" approach had been implemented to satisfy the court's requirements for Mary's well being now that she was legally Uncle Dudley's ward. If she wanted to live in New York, she had to pursue a high caliber education.
Before moving, Mary had applied to several private academies. She'd been accepted by every one of them…for next fall. That did little for her here and now.
At the same time, Courtney's high school, tired of her Stargirl escapades, tossed her out. That left two 16 year old girls with no school. Of course, it looked like Billy Batson would be joining them soon enough if his teachers had anything to say about it.
Sue Dibney had come up with the solution. They would be taught in the Hall of Justice. Sue would teach English. As an accomplished author, she had a lot of insights to share and a firm grasp on language mechanics.
Hawkman tackled the history and social sciences courses. His research skills in history and archeology served him well. He spent his spare time brushing up on eras, epochs, and disciplines that he only had a marginal grasp on.
Wildcat was the PE instructor. He had multiple ways of making them both miserable and more effective fighters. Although, the occasional game of pick-up basketball or volleyball did occur. It depended on which JLers were in residence and what crises there were to be managed.
There'd been some criticism at having Beatriz da Costa, aka Fire, serve as the social director. Bea's job was to get the kids to mingle with society at large. In effect, how to cope with everyday life.
She'd already held a practical on the art of flirting. Courtney was a natural. Mary was not. Bea comforted Mary with the idea that the sincere "girl next door-best friend" types were becoming the rage.
Kara was in charge of mathematics. Coming from an advanced society who taught their children 5 dimensional math nearly from birth, she was well equipped to tackle geometry and algebra. As far as the 4D hyperspace equations went, the girls might grasp it or they wouldn't yet. They still had trig problems to practice with before they took their yearly evaluations. She knew that they'd safely soar through those.
One nice thing about her super hearing was that neither girl could speak to the other without getting busted. Kara looked at the clock. She had thirty minutes left before her class ended and Bea took over. Mary and Courtney always ended the day with Bea's class and they frequently went over the allotted time.
Courtney's participation came as a relief to her stepfather and her mother. Pat Dugan had recently finished the new STRIPE mecha but it was stored at the Hall of Justice instead of Nebraska with the family. Owing to the severity of his last injuries, Dugan had built a battle droid rather than a suit of armor.
The STRIPE unit was remotely operated by Dugan from his garage workshop. It possessed a 3D holographic environment that he utilized while wearing a command and control suit. It was stored in the Hall because Courtney would work with STRIPE while on League missions but she would be free to combat local hoodlums on her own.
The arrangement pleased Superman and the League's command structure. It also sufficed to allay some of Dugan's fears. The promise of unrestricted movement at home kept Courtney from chafing too much at the bit and she took it all with a grain of salt and complied.
Courtney and Mary had both been accepted at Hunter College High School. Courtney was reluctant but Mary was excited. If they did well there they'd be able to attend the university of their choice!
Of course, Courtney had two more years of high school to go whereas Mary qualified to graduate now. She'd tested out of the bracket on every entrance exam she took no matter the school. Only the Hunter School offered her any real challenges and that was in their elective courses. Mary wanted to round out her education so she was raring to go.
Kara reentered the room and took their work. She examined it and handed it back. Courtney couldn't fathom the seven spatial reference points needed to navigate in hyperspace. Mary came close but even she was frightfully short of grasping it in its entirety. Kara worked though the problem with them and when it was over she promised not to do it to them again.
Bea and Tora dropped by to collect the girls and then they went out on the town. Kara briefly wondered what kind of hijinks Bea would get them in today. She'd brought Ice along with her so it was a lesson she intended for adults as well. Kara shook her head and decided she'd rather not know.
Bruce entered a café alongside Police HQ. Barbara had met some of her coworkers from Cyber Crimes there. She had the day off but had thought that it would be pleasant to get out and see some friendly faces.
She still wore the sling so she'd had to take a taxi to get here. She was planning on walking for a bit, having ditched the crutch; doing some window shopping, and would take a cab home later.
Bruce spotted her and saw that she was still at the table she'd sat at with her friends. She was reading a novel and was so engrossed in it she didn't hear him approach. He stood in front of her for several seconds before clearing his throat.
She glanced up with a bright expression, one that soured as she registered who it was; "I thought we were going to let our lawyers do the talking."
"I needed to see you." Bruce softly replied, "I have some apologies to make."
"You're right." She met his gaze and held it. Her eyes were steely and resolved, "And you'd better do it before my dad shoots you. Costume or no costume."
"Can we go somewhere more private?" Bruce asked.
"No." Barbara decided, "Being in the public's eye will keep you from acting like a total butt. You'll understand if I'm reticent. Once bitten and twice shy and all that. Now sit down."
Bruce began to round the table but she kicked the chair across from her out, "That's close enough."
He was offended at first but then he gradually came to realize that she needed to maintain physical distance in order to bolster the emotional walls that had been erected. He compliantly took the proffered chair. He sat down and immediately began to speak.
"I know I've hurt you. My inability to stand by you when you were injured is inexcusable. I should have been by your side while you were, and are, recovering. Most of all I'm sorry that I can't return your love. I've pushed you away instead of keeping you with me by my side. Your filing for a divorce is an appropriate response to my actions." Bruce slowly said with heartfelt conviction.
"Won't Bruce not can't." Barbara sighed, "You make it sound as though you're trapped but you're not. Every one of these actions has been made as a result of a decision."
She kept her eyes locked on his, "Believe it or not, I understand why you've done what you've done. Deep inside you're still a seven year old boy who's lost his parents. Every one of your actions was the act of a wounded child. But while I understand it I'm not going to live with it."
Bruce started to rise and Barbara stopped him, "What made you come down here today?"
"I've wanted to tell you these things for a while." Bruce confessed, "It was Alfred that finally galvanized me into acting on it."
Barbara wore a sad smile, "I'll have to thank him. Good luck, Bruce. With all of your lives."
"I wish you the best." Bruce admitted, "Anything you need, anything, and I'll do it myself."
"I may hold you to that." Barbara warned him.
"See that you do." Bruce tipped his head and then turned and exited.
As he left, Barbara was left sitting there. She felt relieved. She wasn't certain the "new" Bruce would ever be capable of such an act. Fortunately, it seemed, there was enough of the man she loved within him to be capable of a gesture.
In many ways, they were a couple experiencing the death of a child. Tim had been his ward and then Barbara had entered the picture and become an ersatz "mother." The removal of Tim from the family dynamic had shattered that same family. But it weren't as though Tim was dead. Barb saw him 3X a week.
His prognosis was guarded but hopeful. The nightmares still came, Leslie informed her, but infrequently now. There were signs of life in Tim's formerly dead eyes and that life needed encouragement.
Bruce's absence only made the recovery that much harder. Now's when he could be a real hero and he was shirking his responsibilities. Everything else Barbara could forgive but not this. And it was the one thing he hadn't apologized for.
While it was late afternoon in Gotham and New York, it was after 10 pm in Bailya. Black Adam drug a terrified man before Galatea. Several villagers gathered about crying out, some angrily and some with anguish. The torchlight made the scene surreal.
"This man has killed another man for his wife." Adam explained the circumstances, "The dead man had threatened the killer and had assaulted him on two different occasions. The village holy man had granted a divorce between the dead man and his wife but he refused to let her go." Adam nudged the kneeling man with his knee, "This man, Farik, went to retrieve the woman but was confronted by a violent husband. When he turned away, Farik grabbed a heavy water basin and hit him over the head with it. He continued hitting the husband's head until it shattered. Now the husband's family wants blood for a murder and Farik and the woman's family call it self defense."
"Those are the facts." Adam said, "What do you do? How do you decide the case?"
"Ask Farik why he kept beating the husband." Galatea instructed.
Adam and Farik had a short exchange. Adam turned to Galatea, "He says that he was afraid. The husband was far larger than he is and knew how to fight. When he saw his opportunity to knock him to the ground he took it. Once he was on the ground, he wanted the man to stay there."
"Ask him if he wanted the man dead and warn him that I'll be able to tell if he's lying." Galatea ordered.
There was another short exchange and then Black Adam returned his attention to Galatea, "He admits that he wanted the other man dead but says he didn't mean to kill him."
Galatea pursed her lips, "It doesn't matter what he meant. His motive was to see the man dead. That makes him guilty."
Adam made the announcement and the dead man's family cheered and began pulling knives from their belts. Galatea held up a hand, "I will execute the sentence."
Adam translated and there was a grudging silence. He looked to Galatea again, "They understand."
"Good." She stated. She strolled up to the kneeling man and Adam released him. Galatea's hand flashed out so fast he didn't have a chance to move. She took him by the throat and lifted him into the air. Tilting his neck with her hand, she snapped it and then dropped his corpse.
The bereaved ex-wife rushed to the body. She knelt beside it and keened her grief as she held him.
Galatea faced the villagers, "If I hear of anyone troubling this woman I will come back here and destroy the village. Is that understood?
Black Adam did the honors once again and as the village broke up and returned to their lives he turned and smiled, "They believe you."
"They should." She said, "I mean it."
"I must confess," Black Adam said, "You are further along the path than I thought you would be by now. My congratulations."
"Thanks. I think." Galatea was troubled, "I just wish there'd been another way."
"But you recognize that there wasn't?" Adam asked.
"Yes." Galatea took a deep breath before continuing, "Their laws demanded a death penalty for a murder."
"But you carried out the sentence yourself. Why?" Adam inquired.
"Handing him over to the family would've been the same as murdering him." Galatea explained, "I didn't have a personal stake in it. That left me as the only sane choice. If you can believe that."
"But you're still bothered by having to kill this man?" Adam sought clarification.
"I admit that it bothers me. It just seems like a waste." Galatea answered.
"Excellent." Adam beamed, "The students of the Rule of Absolute Justice cannot be afraid to take life when necessary but they shouldn't enjoy it. It is an irreversible measure of last resort."
Galatea slowly nodded, "I can see why."
The villagers were trying to be inconspicuous while they stared at them…at her. She prodded Black Adam, "Don't you think we should be going?"
Adam took a look around, "Yes. I think we've terrified these people long enough."
They took to the air and Adam asked, "Do you know what tomorrow's briefing is about?"
"Legionnaires are being sent by rail to their arraignments. We're supposed to intercept the trains and get our people back." Galatea replied.
"You make it sound as though the Legionnaires aren't 'your people' anymore." Adam commented.
"They're not." Galatea confessed, "We have a common goal of crushing the Justice League. Other than that they're just a convenient tool for establishing my kind of justice."
"Do you honestly think Luthor will allow that if he takes over?" Black Adam had to ask.
"He won't have a choice." Galatea smiled, "He'll need to maintain law and order somehow and you and I are his perfect candidates for the job."
"And Mary Marvel." Adam reminded her.
"Why do you insist on bringing her into this?" Galatea asked.
"She is almost ready to join us." Adam confided, "All it will take is one final nudge and she will embrace the Rule of Absolute Justice."
"I hope so." Galatea confided, "You're putting a lot of stock in this girl."
"My faith will be rewarded." Black Adam confidently asserted, "You'll see."
Galatea wished him all the best in his efforts but she couldn't see it. Then again, three weeks ago she wouldn't have seen herself as one of his students. Who was she to judge?
