May 25
It was another long day in the lab. I had been doing my research since five am that morning and decided to end at eight that night. Figured I'd make it a family movie night with Cassie and Connor. That is until I saw a second moon in the sky. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed that all too familiar number as I starred at the anomaly in the night's sky.
"Um….Mom…..why is there a second moon?" I ask in confusion.
"Carter, you need to get to the warehouse now," she said urgently.
"Mom, what the hell is that thing?"
"Nightwing will explain it all, you need to get your brother and sister to the warehouse if they aren't already there. You all need to be debriefed. We need every free hand we can find right now."
"Alright, I'll make sure Cas and Connor are there. Mom, you and Ollie be careful too, okay?"
"Always, love you. I have to go," she said sincerely with a certain urgency.
"Love you too."
I ran to the nearest zeta tube and ended up in Bludhaven. I walked the rest of the way to the warehouse. They were both there and looked at me in confusion. "Mom said it was all hands on deck." They nodded in understanding and I passed them to go put on my spare suit I had stashed a couple months ago. As I put it on I noticed how much tighter it was, I guess that was a good thing and would probably make Cas happy.
As I walked out debriefing began. Nightwing stood at the front and narrowed his eyes slightly at the sight of me…..I guess he is still mad I have yet to disclose the location of the runaway kids….Oops.
"As of yesterday night, a planet-sized spaceship called the War World is in Earth's orbit. It's wielder, Mongul, see Earth as a threat against his plans to rule the galaxy and intends to open fire. All attempts at negotiation have failed and the only option left is to take him out before he takes Earth out," he paused for a moment before continuing. "The League will attempt distraction while the Team enters the War World unnoticed and take Mongul out from the inside. Alpha Squad: Superboy, Arsenal, Wonder Girl, and Wolf. Your task is find Mongul and Take him down. The War World will be less of a threat without its commander. Beta: Blue Beetle, Impulse, Silver Magic, and Beast Boy. Your Mission is to find the crystal key and acquire it as quickly as possible. Without the key, the entire ship is unoperational. Gamma Squad: Guardian, Bumble Bee, and Blue Raven. Your Job is to disable the War World's power core. No power, no threat. Take Sphere with you. Delta Squad: Batgirl and Robin. You'll be in the Bio-ship, assisting the League in taking out as many of the War World's weapons as possible." He paused again, "You guys be careful on this one, this time there is a lot at stake." They all nodded and began to make their way towards the zeta tubes. I stayed behind with Nightwing glaring at me the entire time.
"Your intel have any schematics of the power core?" I asked in a civil tone.
"No." I stiffed an eye roll at his quick answer and began to make my way to the zeta tubes. "Carter." I paused and turned to look over my shoulder. "Be careful, I'd hate to be the one to tell him….if something happened." I stared at him for a moment or two holding back all the sarcastic comments that popped into my head. I wordlessly turned around and went through the zeta tube.
It was very solemn on the ship. It was an eerie quiet that left the atmosphere anxious and tense. It seemed to occur before every mission and I always hated it. It became even tenser when we watched as the War World opened up and displayed a large laser gun that was aimed right at earth. It fired one shot and was deflected back, destroying the gun, hanks to Doctor Fate. The battle began between the League and the War World, which meant it was go time for us. The Bio-ship approached the War World in camouflage mode and docked onto the ship easily. Blue Beetle bypassed the security and in under a minute we were all in. I gave a look to my siblings and we all nodded at each other before going our separate ways with our squads. The minutes ticked by and soon squads began updating Nightwing on their progress.
"Alpha Squad to Watchtower: Green Beetle's schematics are on the money so far. We are in route to take out Mongul. No commander the threat ends," Superboy stated.
"Beta Squad is in route to the key chamber," Blue Beetle stated eagerly, "We snag the crystal key and the threat ends."
"Gamma squad is in route to disable the War World's power core," Bumble Bee announced for us. "No power and the threat ends."
"Delta squad moving into position. Laying down cover fire for surface forces…Now!" Batgirl stated.
We rode down a vertical cavern that lead us down to the lower level where the power core was supposed to be. It was all clear before a group of fifty or so 3-demensional diamond shaped red drones began firing at us from behind. Bumble Bee and I both began shooting at them while Guardian drove the Supercycle.
"Beta to Watchtower we have been spotted. The War World knows we are here," Blue Beetle's distressed voice came on over the com.
"Fine with me," Guardian said as he made a 180 and used the weapons on the Supercycle to aid Bumble Bee and I. I fired an energy disc and took out two of the little drones simultaneously only for five more to appear in their place. "I like the attention." The battle continued for a couple more minutes before Guardian spoke again while fighting drones close range with his shield. "At least a big alien dense moon notices when I'm around!"
I took out another two before I finally got pissed off and took out one of my guns and started shooting.
"Was that a slam on me?" Bumble exclaimed from her spot a couple yards away from us, involved in her own battle. "In the middle of a mission?"
"Woman!" Guardian snapped at her, "When aren't you in the middle of a mission!"
I took a second for me to put two and two together. "Oh hell no! You guys are not having a relationship spat at a time like this! Can't this wait until we aren't being shot at and I'm not third wheel please?"
The battle went on for a while and apparently the only eventful thing was the Reach joining the League and the United Nations Forces in taking care of the Earth's defense. We finally reached the lower level and reached a hallway that lead to the power core. Guardian and I jumped off of Supercycle and watched for a moment as it began firing at the drones coming down after us.
"Supercycle's got our back!" Guardian announced. "Love a girl I can count on."
"Alright, I get it. I'm a bad girlfriend," Bumble Bee said with an eye roll. "Now quit pouting!"
"Who's pouting? I'm not pouting!"
"Earth's Survival at stack here!" I shouted seriously not in the mood for relationship drama of all things.
"Whatever." Guardian relented, pouting. "Let's just blow this place and go!"
"Uh, we can't just blow this place," Bumble Bee sassily responded in disagreement. "It'll destroy all of the War World and Take half of Earth with it! We need to follow the plan and shut the core down."
"Well, thank you for explaining the obvious to your idiot boyfriend!" Guardian shot back. "Will you just stick to the science and get it done!"
I pressed a hand to my ear, "Never again, Nightwing, I don't care how much you dislike me right now. If you ever put me with the couple again I might just castrate you." I received no response.
"Entering the power core now," Bumble bee stated on the com as she disappeared inside the power core.
Guardian looked at the spot she disappeared from with a worried glance. "Good luck, Beautiful."
I shot a look at Guardian before looking away. "Don't push her too much, Mal, just let her know how you feel. I don't want to see you end up like me."
I backtracked down the tunnel and began to aid Supercycle. There was an influx of drones coming this way and there was no way in hell I'd let them stop us after coming this far. I formed two large shields on either side of a large grouping. I smashed the shield together and watched in slight satisfaction as the crumbled bodies fell to the ground.
"There are too many fail saves built into the core. The power keeps rerouting!" Bumble Bee exclaimed over the com, frustrated.
"Well, them reroute it somewhere useful!" Guardian responded back as he took out another drone.
"Mal—I mean, Guardian, you're a genius!" she exclaimed.
Minutes later the power core behind us glowed brighter and the light spread into the veins of the wall. A second later the light faded and the drones all simultaneously dropped to the ground. "Yes! Great job, Bumble Bee!"
"His own machine stunned him. And I'm guessing with a little help," Superboy said over the com.
Bumble Bee appeared seconds later at her normal size and immediately embraced her boyfriend. I turned away and walked towards Supercycle. "Great job, everyone," Nightwing said over the come. "Now rendezvous ASAP so we can bring you home."
We all meet in the hanger. We meet with Beta squad and waited for Alpha squad so Delta could dock. I ran up to my sister and gave her a hug. "Glad you're safe."
"Same," she replied.
Delta Squad docked seconds later. "WOOOO! Do we rock?" Batgirl exclaimed.
"Girl, we rock," Bumble Bee yelled back in excitement.
"Was there ever any doubt?" Blue Beetle said in the same exicted tone.
"Not over here there wasn't," Guardian stated, "Where's Alpha?"
"Trekking along with the 'Big Bad'. The guy must weigh an actual ton," Arsenal stated over the com. "We're a few minutes out."
Impulse shared a fist bump with Robin and then raced over to my sister's side. "How's your shoulder, Beautiful?"
I raised my eyebrow in question as I looked her. I expected her to give me a sarcastic look but she paid no mind to me. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she rubbed a spot on her arm. "It's fine…..thanks….for asking," she said softly.
"No problemo," he said with a large smile but in a softer tone as well.
"Hmmm," I said loudly startling the two of them and caused Impulse to jump away from my sister a couple of inches.
"What?" Cassie snapped at me.
I gave her a small smile and simply walked away. I stood on the outer rim of the room, the young teenagers all grouped together discussing their victories. Minutes later, Alpha squad slowly made their way into the room with a giant unconscious Mongul. I gave an affirmative nod to Superboy who returned it with one of his own.
"Well, the gang's all here," Blue Beetle announced. I turned to look at him just in time to see him smash the crystal key in the back of Impulse's head. My eyes widened in horror as I watched him fall to the ground unconscious and Blue Beetle turned his sonic cannon onto a group of team members. I ran to grab my sister's hand. "Cassie, we have to—" I was cut short as Blue Beetle now had his focus set on us. I put up a shield to deflect the hit, Cassia wasn't so lucky as I watched her fall to the ground.
"Blue Beetle, what are you doing?" Superboy shouted. Blue looked to him and flew, hitting him into the wall and trapping Wonder Girl under the unconscious villain in the process. I tried desperately to wake up Cassie and there was no use.
"Arsenal, NO!" I heard Bumble Bee cry. I turn my head to see his form.
"I will not be taken again!" Arsenal said as he pressed a button on the wall. Immediately the doors to one of the docking bays, causing a vacuum. I hurried and formed a shield blocking myself and unconscious team members from being sucked into space. Blue Beetle made quick work of stopping that move slicing a control panel and closing the door. There was very little oxygen left in the room. I discovered as he shot down Wolf, Robin, and Bumble Bee. The only other one left standing was Superboy who was worse off than me.
"…..Why?" Superboy croaked out.
"Don't waste the oxygen," Blue said cynically, "There is very little left in here."
I looked around for something, anything to help. Then Arsenal popped out of nowhere, launching himself across the room via a grappling hook. Blue Beetle took aim to take him out but Superboy dove in front, taking the shot. Laying on the ground Connor looked at me then blinked to the open door. I took that as my que and ran, forming my shield tighter around myself to take the preserved oxygen in it with me. I looked over my shoulder to see Blue knock him out one final time.