Young Justice Aftermath
Season 3
Episode 11
Author James the Lesser
I do not own any characters DC does.
Of course a show as awesome as YJ was canceled. We gotta have moar Ben and Ash and other horrible shows instead of some thing awesome.
January 2nd
Pacific Ocean
After several more noises recorded Black Manta has focused in on the area he and Aqualad believed the animal to be in. Every time they got a new audio of the animal it seemed to be larger and larger. Four times, ten times, and now maybe even twelve times larger than a blue whale. Only in the ocean could some thing so large hide.
Except...
In outer space even entire galaxies can be unseen by those who look. Some thing the size of a small planet? Flying closer and closer to Earth it could be invisible compared to the vastness of space.
Dr. Fate might have noticed the disturbance if he had been paying attention. Instead he was going over the book the Team had gotten from the auction several weeks earlier. He had had a hard time deciphering it but was getting a grasp on it.
Zatanna works with Dr. Fate on the book. She wanted to be close to her father when she could. Even with Fate controlling his body it was still her father.
January 4th
Gotham
Batman and Batgirl are on patrol. "How long are you going to do this?" Batgirl still wasn't happy about Dick becoming Batman.
She had gone to Black Canary with her concerns. Black Canary revealed some thing to Batgirl. Some thing she wouldn't have except she too had her concerns. "Dick didn't want to become Batman. He knew he didn't have the coldness, the one sightedness, as Bruce. If he tries to force himself to be Bruce he could lose himself."
Batgirl follows behind Dick hoping he would be the same man she... Had feeling for. "Dick?"
"I am Batman." Dick looks down from the rooftop they were on. "Until we get back to the Batcave."
She hears the change in his voice. "You're still Dick even when you wear the cowl."
He shakes his head. "I am Batman when I wear this cowl." He sees two men walking down an alley.
The two men don't see a junkie with a knife hiding behind a dumpster. "Let's stop this." He jumps and spreads the cape slowing his fall as he lands on the ground below.
The junkie sees Batman's entrance and drops the knife. "I give up!"
The two men walking down the alley have no idea what is going on. They were simply walking home from the bar when they saw Batman come from out of no where.
Batman grabs the junkie by the front of his shirt. He leans forward and glares the junkie in the eyes. "You were going to hurt them. You were going to stab them." He punches the junkie in the stomach.
Batgirl lands near Batman and grabs his arm. "You stopped him. We can turn him over to the police. A switchblade is illegal and he probably has some drugs on him."
Batman pulls his arm free from her and shoves the junkie on the ground. "You call them." Batman uses the batclaw to get back up to the roof.
Batgirl watches him leave. "He's trying so hard he doesn't realize how he has changed." She presses a button on her belt contacting the police.
She turns to the two drunk men. "You should leave before the police get here. I don't really care about drunk in public. Better than either of you driving while drunk."
The War World comes closer and closer. All eyes focus on the world around them. The Watchtower scans the police lines and cameras of Earth. They don't look back behind them at the danger coming closer and closer.
January 6th
Philadelphia
Captain Marvel is flying home after doing his turn on the Watchtower when he sees some one else flying towards him. He slows down and notices it is Ms. Marvel. "Hey! Surprise!" She flies up and hugs him before pulling away. "How are you?"
"Bored. I just got done doing my shift on the Watchtower."
Her eyes get big as he mentions the Watchtower. "I would love to go there some day. I have never been in outer space."
Captain Marvel shakes his head. "Only Justice League or Team members are allowed on the Watchtower."
She raises an eye brow. "The Team? I have heard you speak of them before. Who are they?"
Captain Marvel pulls at his collar. "Well, uh, you know who Robin and Kid Flash are?"
"Of course. Well, Robin I know of. Kid Flash?"
"Flash Jr."
"Oh! Yes, I know of him."
"They make up the Team. There are a few others but yeah, they're like, awesome. I'm friends with them." He smiles brightly.
"Cool! So you have you and then the Team? You go out and do press conferences while they go out and kick butt with out all the cameras." She looks down at the ground far below. "I thought I was used to the cameras when I was in the Olympics." She looks back up at Captain Marvel. "They did not prepare me for being a hero."
"Why we keep our identities a secret. Well, that and the whole our families aren't super heroes with powers." He flies close and bumps against Ms. Marvel with his hip. "Like your family."
She looks up at the moon. "I know. The UN has guards at my home to protect them." She remembers the first assassination attempt. The UN sent more guards but she knows some day some one might... "I don't want to think about it. I came here to see you!" She smiles brightly. "I loved New Year's Eve! It was nothing like at home." She looks at him continuing to smile.
He smiles back at her. "I liked it too. Ever since I got my powers I've gone to Times Square for it. This was the first time I went with any one else."
The two continue to float in the air talking when some one clears their throat.
They turn and see American Patriot and Power Girl. Power Girl motion towards Ms. Marvel. "I told you she was off to see a boy. Or man."
American Patriot crosses his arms. "So Ms. Marvel? Any explanation?"
"I, it, he isn't," She continues to stammer trying to think of what to say.
Captain Marvel flies between Ms. Marvel and the others. "She is a friend of mine. We are all heroes we are not enemies."
Power Girl points at Captain Marvel. "Says you. You are all just thugs who hide who you really are so you can get away with your crimes."
"We are heroes! All of us!"
Power Girl continues. "Heroes? Who wrecked the Light Generator? A so called hero."
Captain Marvel feels his anger rise. He had been played by Lex Luthor. He had actually thought Lex might actually be trying to do some thing good. Instead he some how made Superman go insane and attack the Light Generator. Now one of the UN League who worked for Lex was calling him and his friends thugs? "We are heroes! We work for the better of all not just for Luthor's image. He is an evil man who will use you in the end."
American Patriot raises his shield. "I can walk! I can run! With out Luthor I'd be sitting at home in my wheelchair a cripple."
Power Girl shouts next. "I was homeless! He gave me a home and a purpose."
Captain Marvel is about to shout back when he is stopped by a small, quiet voice. "I could barely move. I struggled every day just to get out of bed. My neck, my spine, the nerves had been, I can not think of the correct word. Compressed? Pressured? My brain would tell my left foot to move but the foot would not. A toe would wiggle but my foot would remain still."
She flies over to the other UN League members. "He is my friend. We are friends. We are heroes, all of us, even if we are not on the same team." She turns her back on them and smiles at Captain Marvel. "We are heroes for the world. We do not need to be enemies."
He holds his hands up. "I don't want to be enemies. But I know things about Luthor that would give you all nightmares."
American Patriot lowers his shield and flies past Ms. Marvel. "Try me."
Captain Marvel isn't sure what to do. Should he tell them about Luthor? But he had no proof with him. Would the Justice League approve? Well, he was a member and he felt it needed to be done.
Captain Marvel flies backwards a few feet. "Luthor is a member of a group that is trying to take over the world. Not through military means but political means. Queen Bee was a member until I guess they kicked her out. Ra's Al Ghul and Vandal Savage are also members plus Klarion the Chaos Lord and the Brain. They used Apokolips technology and Starro bio stuff to mind control us and attack another planet to draw the attention of the Universe. Thankfully some friends of the League stopped us."
Power Girl gives Captain Marvel an incredulous look. "Queen Bee? The nutso dictator of Bialya? If she was a member why were we sent to stop her?"
Captain Marvel shrugs his shoulders. "Maybe they kicked her out because she is a nutso."
American Patriot turns to Ms. Marvel. "What have you told him about us?"
"Nothing!" She waves her arms in front of her like she was trying to deflect any anger or bitterness being sent by the other two. "We don't talk about the UN League or the Justice League. We are friends we hang out and do friend stuff.
Power Girl ignores Ms. Marvel and continues talking to Captain Marvel. "Why did they want the attention of a bunch of aliens?"
"Uh, well, they think we're superior to every one but what's the point if they don't know we're superior? So they got every one's attention and then used that to show how much better we are. Except then the Reach came and they tried to take over and we had to stop them."
"Using Luthor's technology."
"Well, yes, Power Girl. But we're the ones who saved the day. Which wouldn't have needed to be saved if Luthor and the Light hadn't brought the Reach here in the first place."
Power Girl rolls her eyes. "Nothing nightmarish here."
Captain Marvel scowls at her. "Klarion is a Chaos Lord. He is the one who separated the adults from the children using powerful magic. We lost a member of the League to stop the spell. The Brain is a, brain, in a mechanized body thing with a gorilla with a human brain for a body guard. Black Manta used to be a member but they kicked him out too. His son is a friend and he had to pretend to kill another friend so his father would trust him to get close enough to find out what the Light was doing. He also blew up his own home and the home of his other friends to keep his cover. Another friend mind blasted him in to a coma because she didn't know he was undercover."
American Patriot isn't sure what to believe. "If any of this is true then do you have any proof?"
"Well, not on me. I don't have any pockets on my suit." He knew this would be a problem. "We don't exactly keep records of stuff like this. We just know it happened."
Power Girl goes to fly closer to Captain Marvel but Ms. Marvel blocks her. "Do not attack! He is a friend. He is a hero. Even if what he says is disturbing it, I believe, I believe it to be true. He would not lie to me."
Power Girl grabs Ms. Marvel by the arm. "Out of my way." She uses her enhanced strength and throws Ms. Marvel higher in to the air.
Captain Marvel backs away as Power Girl advances. "I don't wanna fight you. I won't. We're all heroes here."
"Hero? You lie about the man who is powering the world for pennies! He is feeding the hungry and protecting the innocent. He made crippled men walk and broken women fly. He is more of a hero than you or any of your other Justice League thugs."
Ms. Marvel recovers and flies back down getting between Power Girl and Captain Marvel. "Stop! Leave my friend alone! He means you no harm."
"I mean him harm." Power Girl pulls back her fist ready to strike when American Patriot grabs her by the wrist.
"Whoa you know we aren't allowed to fight the Justice League. Luthor says if we attack them it gives them cause to fight back. We may have powers or technology but there are dozens of them." He lets her wrist go and her arm falls to her side.
He turns to Captain Marvel. "Look dude I don't want to believe what you said about Luthor. The man gave me my life back." He kicks his legs out enjoying the feeling of them move. "But if he is as bad as you say and working for some group there must be proof. You bring me proof? I'll believe you."
Captain Marvel nods. "Thank you for listening. I'll see what I can get and uh, bring it to you, where?"
American Patriot laughs as he pats himself down. "All the gizmos in the world and no pen. Screw it. Look me up on the internet my penthouse apartment is listed. Bring me proof there and I'll call the others to see it."
Power Girl glares at American Patriot. "Fine. Betray the man who gave you your legs back." She takes off almost as fast as Superman could away from the others.
Ms. Marvel turns to American Patriot. "Thank you friend!" She holds up the peace sign.
"No problem little lady." He looks up at Captain Marvel. "A little lady. She's like seventeen."
Captain Marvel smiles. "She's older than I am."
American Patriot isn't sure if Captain Marvel is being serious or telling a joke. "Ok well I think I'm gonna get going too. I'm at like forty percent power which is enough to get home but if I'm called in to action I might end up with dead batteries." He flies away as well for New York City.
Ms. Marvel turns to Captain Marvel. "You are serious? Luthor is a very bad man?"
"Very bad. We think the Crystal Kryptonite made Superman attack when Luthor turned the Light Generator on. Not only that but we haven't seen him since."
"I am sorry about him. But if the Light Generator does this is there no way to test?"
"We tried the CK on Superboy but it didn't do any thing and I doubt Luthor will let him get any where near a Light Generator since it would prove it did affect Superman."
Ms. Marvel looks Captain Marvel in the eyes. "Why not ask? If he refuses then yes that would be more proof for you."
"I, I guess we could." Captain Marvel tries to smile confidently but his attempt fails.
"You are a good person. A good hero. Thank you for not attacking the others." She puts her arms up around his neck. "They are strong but I am sure you are stronger." She kisses him lightly on the cheek and then flies backwards to hide the blush appearing across her face. "I should go too. I, I may be needed, elsewhere."
"And I need to go to bed. I am out past curfew." The two fly in separate directions not knowing of the doom nearing the planet.
War World flew ever closer to Earth. Nearing Jupiter the War World was but a speck of dust. Hidden so easily amongst the sea of space.
Lex Corp Offices
January 8th
Wally is just outside the offices debating what he was about to do. One of the things he wanted to do if he ever got home was confront the man who sent him north. The man who got him sent to another world. The man who had him locked up in a secret lab for weeks.
But how would Luthor react? Kid Flash... Kid Flash was still alive. He had never left had he? Bart picked up the tights while Wally was missing. If Luthor knew who Wally was then wouldn't he call security? Did the Light attack Artemis' apartment because they followed Dick there? Or had they known before? She was Sportsmaster's daughter.
He looks at the doors as they start to open. "May as well." He is a blur as he runs through the doors and up the many, many, flights of stairs to Luthor's office.
Luthor feels the breeze from Wally rushing in to his office and looks up from his desk. "Yes? You are too short to be the Flash and clearly not Kid Flash. Are you here to apply for the UN League?"
Wally was frozen in place. Luthor didn't recognize him? This isn't what he expected at all. He was going to yell, break things, maybe even Luthor.
Now? What could he do? Turn and run away? No way he was... What? A hero? He quit. Except Nightwing, no, Batman was right. He couldn't stay away. This wasn't a tornado but this might be even better. He'd get on the inside and figure out what the UN League was created for. "Uh, yeah, yeah! I don't know how to apply but I know you're the leader of it. Right?"
Luthor nods. "Yes. This is not the usual way to join but I like your take control attitude. If you like you may sit and tell me about yourself."
Wally sits down. He was nervous and wasn't sure what to say. This was nothing like he had planned. "Well, I, I'm Walter. Walter West."
"Double iteration?" Luthor taps a button on his phone. "Mercy, could you bring us two glasses of water?"
"Yes Sir."
Luthor goes back to Walter. "Don't be nervous. You were able to come in to my office unannounced I think you could then talk with me."
"Well, I, I wasn't sure what to do. You hear a lot of stuff about you. But I have these skills that I want to use to help the world."
Mercy comes in with the waters and sets one down in front of each man.
"Thank you Ma'am." Walter takes a sip of his water. "I can run fast as I guess you figured out. But like, all of me, moves fast. Maybe not as fast as the Flash or Kid Flash but I'm really fast."
Luthor doesn't touch his water. "We have a speedster on the team. She is faster than either of them."
"Really? Wow. But I, I could still help."
"Of course you could. I have no limit on my team. Any other powers?"
Walter isn't sure what to reveal and what to hide. "I can some times move through stuff. I don't know how it works but if I focus hard enough I can move through walls. Well, some times. I can get stuck."
"You are untrained but not unskilled. I will send you to some people in New York and they will prepare you. If you feel you are worthy of being a member of the UN League then please join us." Luthor hands Walter a card with all the information he needed.
Walter looks at Luthor waiting for some thing. What he didn't know. "Is, is that it?"
Luthor nods. "Yes. I have some work to attend to so if you could please leave I would appreciate it." Luthor stands up and extends his hand.
Walter stands up and shakes it. "I'll just go the way I came." He is a blur as he runs out of the office.
Luthor sits back down and smiles. "Foolish boy. So easily played." Luthor can't hide the smirk on his face as he prepares new plans for the UN League.
As Wally runs for New York the sky darkens.
People look up as the Sun is blocked. No one knew of an eclipse that day so many were surprised.
The Justice League sounded the alarm to all members. Between the Justice League and the Team the Zeta Tubes were busy transporting as many heroes as possible to the Watchtower.
The UN League was called to various Zeta Tubes controlled by the UN. They weren't sure what any of them could do since War World was in outer space.
The Light was not surprised. They had expected this since they traded War World to Darkseid.
War World hung over the Earth. On the other side was the Watchtower. They had done it on purpose to help hide their attack.
One Green Lantern was at the Watchtower as the other two were busy hunting down War World. "With out Superman there is me, Dr. Fate, and Red Tornado. We couldn't stop it last time with Superman."
Red Tornado speaks up. "And from what we have learned it is controlled by Darkseid. He no doubt improved upon it."
Dick, Batman, sits with the others. "Move the Watchtower between Earth and War World. We may lose the Watchtower but we will save millions."
Batgirl, like the rest of the Team and Justice League, are stunned. Sacrifice the Watchtower? Especially with out Wayne Enterprise funding.
Black Canary thinks back to the boy confessing he could not be Batman. Yet here he was speaking as if he was Bruce Wayne.
Batman stands up and starts to walk away. "Every one go to Earth and evacuate as many people as possible. I will shut down the Zeta Tube security so any one on the side of the planet facing the War World is on can be moved to the other side." He leaves the room.
Batgirl follows him out of the room. "What will you do?"
"No one got up to move Watchtower so I will."
"You won't do it alone." This was what Batgirl feared. When Bruce died in front of Dick some thing inside snapped. "I won't let you stay."
Batman marches down the hallway as Batgirl follows.
The UN League is contacted by Luthor. "Hello great heroes. The War World could eradicate all life on Earth if it fires. I want you to go and deactivate it by stealing this item." A picture of the Key appears. "Understand?"
American Patriot raises his hand. "How? Do we we get on the Space Shuttle?"
Luthor shakes his head. "No. You use the Zeta Tubes to travel but they only take you from one Zeta Tube to another. You will need what some call Boom Tubes to make your way on to the War World."
Some thing opens up behind the UN League. They turn and see a bright portal. "Step through and you should be on the War World." The screen turns off as Luthor has Light business to attend to.
Blue Beetle and Orange Beetle look up at War World. "Last time the Reach sacrificed hundreds to stop the attacks. They aren't here."
"No but we are." Orange Beetle starts to fly up.
"Wait!" Blue Beetle follows after her. "I can't breath in outer space!"
"Have you tried?"
Blue Beetle is unsure of how to answer. "Uh, well, no. Not really."
Yes Jaime Reyes.
"Yes? Uh, well, my beetle says I can."
"Then follow." She continues flying and Blue Beetle keeps after her.
The UN League are on War World. Cyborg and American Patriot go in one direction while Power Girl and Knightmare in another.
Yellow Mamba goes her own direction as fast as possible.
Ravager and Ms. Marvel go down another hallway when they see three monstrous creatures. Ravager pulls a dagger out. "This is about to get fun." She leaps at the nearest monster shoving the dagger up through its chin and into its brain.
Ms. Marvel flies at another monster that spits a fireball at her. She blocks it with the cuffs on her wrists. "You will be stopped!" She slams in to the monster with her cuffs smashing in its face.
The Light convenes as Earth panics. "We new this day would come." Luthor smirks at those who thought Darkseid would wait to attack.
The Brain was one. "His attack is unexpected. He is immortal I at least thought he would wait for some of you to die."
Vandal Savage laughs. "Die? Some of us don't need a jar to stay alive forever."
Joker's laughter is all the response they get from the Clown Prince of Crime.
Klarion adds his laughter next. "He is a fool. I will tell him myself." Klarion disappears from his screen.
Darkseid sees Klarion form in front of him. "You will bow to Darkseid or die."
Klarion laughs. "Die? I am more immortal than you could ever be." Klarion points his hand at Darkseid. "You are foolish to attack Earth."
"I am not attacking I am exterminating."
"You are doing nothing! I need Earth." Why he wouldn't say. Being a Chaos Lord he didn't have to explain himself.
Klarion's power fires at Darkseid but Darkseid laughs it off. "I have many spies on Earth. I know your power is tied to a cat. You left that cat on Earth. I can't harm it but it weakens you to be so far."
"Distance is nothing to the power of chaos!" Klarion attacks again.
Darkseid fires lasers from his eyes and hits Klarion on the chest. Klarion screams in pain. "So far away. I will crush you like I should have crushed the Justice League all those years ago!" Darkseid walks towards Klarion who recovers from the attack.
"Why didn't you before?"
"I was foolish. I confronted them head on. Seven of Earth's most powerful heroes versus me. I should have obliterated them! But I underestimated them. Not this time. This time I shall destroy their planet."
"With the weapon we gave you." Klarion realizes that Darkseid was right. With out his familiar he was weak. His mind was chaotic and had not thought this through. "You will not destroy Earth." Klarion disappears from War World.
Elsewhere on War World American Patriot and Cyborg blast through monsters. "This is awesome!" American Patriot was letting loose. Against criminals on Earth he couldn't use the full functions of the suit. Against some alien monsters? Bullets, missiles, lasers, all were used.
Cyborg blasts a monster with his sonic cannon. "We must focus on getting that Key!" He dodges a fireball and fires back.
Power Girl rips the arm off of one monster and uses the sharp claws on the hand as a weapon on another monster.
Knightmare blocks a fireball with his shield and slashes with his sword. The fire was nothing to him. The power of the Knights of the Round Table protected him. Merlin's spells upon the Sword of King Author, the Helm of Sir Lancelot, and the Shield of Galahad made Knightmare the greatest knight of history.
Yellow Mamba was running through the monsters ignoring them. She could find the Key faster than any one else couldn't she? Except War World was a maze and she was almost certain she had been this way and that way before.
On Earth the heroes try and help as many people as possible to get to the other side of the world.
Captain Marvel carries several people and drops them off at a Zeta Tube. "Please hurry! I must go find more people."
Rocket lands next to him with two children. "Hurry. I'll make sure your father gets here soon." She turns to Captain Marvel. "There are too many of them."
"Yes but we have to do this! Every one we get through is another who will live."
"Live? War World can destroy the planet no matter what side he is on." Rocket looks up at War World. "We just have to hope the others can stop it."
Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Red Tornado, and Dr. Fate fly towards War World. It was different from before. "Dr. Fate are you ready?"
Dr. Fate stops behind Green Lantern places his hands on his temples.
With the help of Dr. Fate, Green Lantern hoped he could increase his concentration and form a shield over War World that would stop any attack.
Dr. Fate starts chanting as Green Lantern starts to form the shield.
Orange and Blue Beetle see the shield forming. "We must fly faster." Orange Beetle moves ahead and gets by the shield but Blue Beetle doesn't.
"You'll be killed!"
Orange Beetle ignores him as she slams through a wall of War World.
American Patriot blocks a large claw with his shield and then shoves his other fist in to the stomach of the monster. Two barrels stick out from the wrist and fire two heavy lead slugs in to the monster.
It roars in pain and falls backwards.
Cyborg blasts through two more monsters. "This must be the way they are defending this hallway more than the others." He sees several more monsters pour out of the hallway.
"Move!" American Patriot reveals a laser cannon from his left shoulder. "You may want to step back."
"Why?"
American Patriot answers by firing the laser cannon.
It blasts through over a dozen monsters exploding their blood and gore over the walls, floor, ceiling, and Cyborg. "That's why."
Cyborg wipes some of it off his arms. "Why haven't you been using that?"
"One shot deal." The laser cannon disappears back in to his armor. "We better hurry before more show up."
Yellow Mamba hears the blast and follows the noise to the two heroes. "Ew." She sees the carnage left behind.
"Glad you could join us." Cyborg starts running down the hall.
"Really?" Yellow Mamba is a blur as she runs down the hallway.
As Cyborg runs around a corner he sees Yellow Mamba with the Key. "You got it?"
She holds it up. "What do you think?"
American Patriot sees her and the Key. "Then we need to get back to the Boom Tube."
Cyborg taps the side of his head. "UN League, we have the Key."
Knightmare and Power Girl hear the message but are busy. Knightmare fights back against three monsters while Power Girl battled the Black Beetle. "We need help!" Knightmare feels the heat from the flames against his shield get hotter.
Ms. Marvel throws a chunk of War World she had broken off at a monster distracting it.
Ravager uses the distraction and leaps on the back of the monster stabbing it through the top of its skull.
Black Beetle beats Power Girl in to the floor. "More meatbags? Good. I was bored with this one." He stomps on her head.
Knightmare pushes against a monster with his shield knocking it in to the wall behind it. Unable to dodge the monster is skewered by Excaliber.
Ms. Marvel drives her fists in to the last monsters face. She can feel the bone crunch from the blow. She spins and slams a cuff in to the side of the skull hearing more bone break.
The monster falls to the floor dead.
Knightmare, Power Girl, Ms. Marvel, and Ravager are soon joined by Yellow Mamba. "Whoa, he's a big dude."
Black Beetle scans the heroes. "I will kill you all." He looks down at the injured Power Girl. "Starting with you." He reaches down for her when she grabs his wrist and starts to squeeze.
"I am stronger than you think!" She squeezes even harder. Any normal person would have had every bone in their wrist snap.
Black Beetle smiles. "Foolish meatbag." A cannon forms in his chest and blasts Power Girl point blank.
Yellow Mamba grabs Ravagers dagger. "Hey! Give that back."
Yellow Mamba simply smirks. "Catch me." She rushes at Black Beetle and tries to stab him with the dagger.
Instead her arm is caught by Black Beetle powerful fist. Yellow Mamba struggles to break his grip but can't. "I guess I'll kill you first instead." His other hand forms in to an energy blade.
"No!" Knightmare slashes at Black Beetle forcing him to let go of Yellow Mamba. "We got the Key. Fall back while I distract him."
Ms. Marvel can't hide the concern in her voice. "What about you? He'll kill you!"
"I am a Knight of the Round Table. The only thing we say to death is not today!" He holds up his shield and blocks the energy blade of Black Beetle. "Go!"
"No need to tell me twice." Yellow Mamba is a blur as she retreats.
Green Lantern notices the War World power down. "Did we get some one inside?"
Blue Beetle also sees it power down. "She did it!"
Orange Beetle notices the lights inside War World dim. It doesn't distract her as she flies down a familiar hallway.
She enters the control room and sees Darkseid. "We meet again."
He turns and sees her. "Didn't I kill you already?" He smiles darkly. "I will kill you again."
The Light get Cyborg's message. Luthor had a camera ready and sets the broadcast. "People of Earth. Do not fear the War World. The UN League has infiltrated it and taken the Key that powers it. War World is little more than a speck of rock now. The UN League did all of this while the Justice League did nothing. No one shall die under my watch as UN Secretary General."
The message plays over and over again across the world on every television and radio.
Darkseid holds a hand up and War World starts to power back on. "Your foolish friends thought to disable the War World. What they do not know is that I have control of all War World. I do not need the Key. I have the power of War World flow through me!"
"I do not care! I will destroy you!" Orange Beetle pushes her hands together a they form a large cannon. Powered by four different Beetles the blast hits Darkseid hard enough to knock him back a couple steps.
"Is that all?" Lasers shoot out of his eyes and hits Orange Beetle in the chest.
She falls to one knee. "No, you can't do it." She struggles back to her feet. "I won't let you."
"Who are you talking to little girl?"
She ignores his question. "If you do it you may not survive the blast."
"I took your blast already." Darkseid focuses on War World and prepares to fire the weapons at Earth.
Orange Beetle struggles against the Beetles. Her neck sparks with energy and she collapses to the floor. "No! You will be," She is shocked again as the Red, Silver, and Purple Beetle fly off of her and attach to Darkseid.
Darkseid attempts to reach the Beetles now attached to his spine but can't. "Do you try to control me like the Beetles do you?" Darkseid laughs. "Foolish girl."
Orange Beetle struggles back to her feet. "No. They are going to erase themselves and take you with them. A Beetle draws power from their host to create the explosion. You say you have the power of War World move through you." She flies backwards creating distance between her and Darkseid. "Goodbye brothers."
Darkseid ignores her departure as he continues to try and pull the Beetles off of his spine.
Black Beetle blasts Knightmare's shield knocking him to the floor. "Poor meatbag. Your fellow meatbags have abandoned you."
"No we haven't." Black Beetle looks up just as a flash bang goes off blinding him.
American Patriot grabs Knightmare by the cloak and activates his rockets.
On Earth the UN League, minus American Patriot and Knightmare, are met by Lex Luthor. "Congratulations." Luthor takes the Key from Cyborg. "You have done a great thing today. The UN will want to award you all." He looks and notices two are missing. "Where are the others?"
Yellow Mamba responds. "Knightmare staid back to fight this big dude so we could escape. American Patriot went to grab him."
Luthor pats the Key with his right hand. "No matter. With out the Key the War World is worthless." But now the Light had the Key. They controlled the power of War World.
Or so they thought.
The three Beetles on Darkseid start to glow. Much like they had before the detonated when they were attached to their other hosts. Except this time their host was no simple meatbag. Darkseid was a powerful being connected with War World. The explosion would be like few others.
Blue Beetle sees Orange Beetle. "Where's the Key?"
"Key?" She looks back at War World. "We should hurry. I do not know how large the explosion will be."
"What explosion?" Blue Beetle chases after her as she flies back towards Earth.
Red Tornado sees the two flying from War World. "Maybe the Beetles took the Key?"
"Maybe." Green Lantern looks back at War World. It appeared to start and power back up before blinking off again. "Dr. Fate and I will stay here in case it powers back on. Find out what they know."
Red Tornado flies after the two Beetles as the Watchtower moves between Earth and War World.
Black Beetle goes back to the control room and sees a blinding light coming from Darkseid. Darkseid looks up and sees him. "Remove the Beetles from me!"
Black Beetle takes a step forward and then stops. It took him a second to realize what the Beetles were doing. He turns to retreat when the three Beetles explode.
Green Lantern throws up a shield just in time to protect him and Dr. Fate from the explosion and the debris of War World.
Red Tornado is hit by the blast and falls to Earth below.
Batgirl feels the Watchtower shake as it is hit by debris. "We have to go!" She grabs Batman by the arm. "Now!"
Batman sees several alarms appear on the screens. "I have to keep the Watchtower in orbit. It would defeat the purpose if Watchtower fell in to Earth. Depending on where it landed I could end up killing millions."
The Watchtower shields Earth from a lot of debris but not all.
The sky is alight with what many believe are meteors. The atmosphere burns up a lot of the debris but some of the larger pieces make it through.
People looks up and wonder what happened.
The Light also wonder what happened. The UN League had not planted explosives. Did the Justice League do this? Where did they get such a powerful explosive?
The UN League panics as American Patriot and Knightmare still hadn't made it back.
The Boom Tube shimmers and American Patriot falls forward.
Knightmare stumbles out after American Patriot. "Not today." He collapses from his wounds. Having taken a brutal beating from Black Beetle if not for the Kryptonian Nano Tech and the Super Serum he would have been killed.
Green Lantern sees the Watchtower is damaged but remains under power. "Dr. Fate check on the Watchtower and make sure it stays in orbit." He looks up at the ruins of the War World. "I'm going after Darkseid."
"You believe he survived such a blast?"
"Yes." The two fly separate ways.
Batman gets the Watchtower under control. "Superficial damage at most. We should be fine now."
Batgirl smacks him. "You idiot! You could have killed both of us!"
Batman gets up from his chair. "You didn't have to come. I am Batman it is my place to do every thing I can to," She smacks him again.
"You aren't Batman! You are Dick Grayson. You never wanted to be Batman. You became Nightwing so you could be your own hero. I get it when Bruce was killed you felt the need to carry on the name but you can be a different Batman. A better Batman." She gets close as she almost pleads with him. "You wonder why I can't love you? I do. But you, you," She can't find a way to put her thoughts and emotions in to words.
He hugs her tightly. "I know." She swears she can hear him start to cry but it stops just as suddenly when he pushes her away. "I'm sorry. I will find a way to make things right I swear. But not now." He turns and leaves the room as Batgirl, Barbara, feels tears swell in her eyes.
Blue Beetle and Orange Beetle land in the desert. "How did you do that?" Blue Beetle's armor pulls away revealing Jaime.
"They sacrificed themselves." Orange Beetle turns and Jaime sees that the Red, Purple, and Silver Beetles are gone.
"Wow. So it is just Orange Beetle now?"
She nods. "I will miss our brothers."
"Uh, yeah."
Be careful Jaime Reyes. It is unnatural behavior for us to do that. Only if a situation was truly desperate would a Beetle self detonate.
"I get it and I bet it was desperate." Jaime sees the Orange Beetle armor pull back revealing Starfire underneath. "You saved the day."
She shakes her head. "No, the Reach saved the day." She mourns the loss of the Beetles. She had been under Beetle, the Reach, control for years. She felt a true connection with them. Years of control warping her mind. "I feel tired. I should sleep soon."
"No one could blame you." Jaime Reyes looks up. "But I don't know about the Watchtower. Did you see they flew it between Earth and War World?"
"Yes. A brave sacrifice."
Jaime looks back at her. "So wanna crash at my place? I can sleep on the couch."
She smiles at him. "Thank you."
A/N This was one of the scenes I had in mind when I first started writing this story. The War World appearing and the UN League/Justice League going in to action. Orange Beetle having the other Beetles attach to Darkseid and detonating. Is Darkseid really still alive? And if so where?
And then Batman pulling off the sacrifice move was another scene I had in my head. Glad to finally get it down.
Gah, so much going on an so many characters to follow. With the UN League my faves are Ms. Marvel and Knightmare. And if you don't watch Game of Thrones that's where the "The only thing I say to death is Not Today" comes from. Such a great line and I wanted to include it in this story. Who better than a Knight of the Round Table? Who are your faves? Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy and if you have the time review!