A/N: I own nothing you recognize.
I realize I haven't updated in a while (much longer than I usually do) but I will admit I've been low on inspiration and incentive. While I do have about twenty chapters total in reserve, I don't want to publish anything without being able to say I've made progress on the story overall. So if you want weekly updates, please please review! I never wanted to be one of those writers who said they wouldn't update unless they got x number of reviews, but I feel like I'm putting myself out there for nothing when I get so few reviews.
Anyway, I'm sorry for the rant. Please enjoy!
Mount Justice
Friday, September 3, 2010
1705 EDT
"The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan desert," Batman said, a holographic map of the country in question appearing behind him. "Spectral analysis revealed elements non-terrestrial in origin. Find out what happened at that site, what landed there.
"Bialya is a rogue state ruled by Queen Bee, and not a member of the League's U.N. charter." The map disappeared and was replaced with an image of an attractive woman with dark hair, tanned skin, and a haughty yet bored expression that made Lilith immediately wary of her. "All communications are subject to interception. Maintain radio silence at all times.
"You'll land in Qurac on Bialya's border, two clicks from the hot zone. Keep this covert; we don't need an international incident on our hands," Batman finished. "You will leave immediately; it's going to be a long trip.
Qurac
Saturday, September 4, 2010
0012 EEST
The Bio-Ship touched down, and Lilith caught Aqualad's nod, telling her to scout. Miss Martian opened a small exit for Lilith to slip through. After carefully walking about the ship, which was still in camouflage mode, she informed, "All clear." The ship reappeared and Miss Martian, Kid Flash, Artemis, and Robin stepped off while Superboy put the large, bulky scanner on his back like a backpack.
"Artemis, Robin, scout," Aqualad directed. The two nodded before slipping away while Lilith took to perimeter patrol.
"The Bialyans control the site," Artemis said.
"We're close," Robin added. "Maybe a little too close."
"Very well," Aqualad said. "Set up here," he added, looking at Superboy.
Superboy set the contraption on the sand and twisted a dial. The machine hissed and panels opened to reveal more dials and controls.
Robin and Artemis appeared a moment later and Robin set to work on the machine. "We'll be up and running in no time," he assured, his fingers moving surely over the keys.
"Jackpot!" Kid Flash sang, looking over Robin's shoulder. "The site's lousy with zeta-beam radiation."
"Detecting non-terrestrial trace elements from the tent," Robin informed.
"Just like Batman said we would," Lilith said grimly.
"I'll check it out in camouflage mode," Miss Martian offered.
"Good idea," Aqualad said. "Go."
"Careful," Superboy said shortly, and Lilith glanced between the two.
"And maintain telepathic contact," Aqualad directed.
"I will, Aqualad," Miss Martian promised. She pulled her hood over her head and disappeared.
A moment later, she said, "I'm in."
"Good, but tread carefully," Aqualad warned. "Camouflage is not invisible," he reminded.
"They're testing something," Miss Martian said a beat later. "But, it's alive! In pain...Hello? Can you hear me?"
"I can," a new, male voice came, almost gleeful. "And an open mind is a dangerous thing."
"Someone's hacked our link!" Miss Martian whispered, sounding terrified.
"Psimon can't see you," the voice continued. "Psimon can't catch you. But Psimon can make you all...FORGET!"
An acute pressure started to build in Lilith's head. She gasped and clutched her head, but the pain quickly faded to a dull throb. Around her, she could hear the others screaming and crying out in pain, and Lilith whirled around, her eyes wide and her heartbeat picking up.
"Aqualad?" she called. "Robin? Artemis?!" The Team started to stumble away in different directions, all of them clutching her heads. "No!" Lilith gasped weakly. She watched, helplessly, as her teammates disappeared; she had no idea what was happening to their minds, but an increased humming, one that Lilith had learned to associate with animals, was building in her head and she quickly realized: this voice had somehow made the entire Team forget. How much, she was unsure, but as the humming grew to a crescendo before fading as it passed from her range, she could guess that Superboy at the very least was back to square one.
"Well, well," the voice, Psimon, said, and Lilith could tell it was a one-on-one link this time. "Someone has gone to great lengths to protect your brain from being meddled with."
"Wh-what?" Lilith asked, too stunned and confused to really try to defend herself from the intruder.
"No matter," Psimon continued. "I may not have been able to make you forget like your weak-willed teammates, but I can make you sleep."
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, Lilith felt her eyelids droop and her body become heavy. She felt herself sway momentarily before finally crashing to the sand, but she was unconscious before she hit the ground.
"Aqualad! Lilith!"
"Where are they?" Robin asked. "What happened next?"
"I don't know!" Miss Martian said helplessly. "That's the last thing I–-we–-remember."
"Ehh," Kid Flash grumbled as he and Artemis yanked their hands away. "We landed twenty-four hours ago," he said as he twisted his back to Artemis and scratched his head. Artemis crossed her arms across her chest and scowled, turning away from Kid Flash. "If Kaldur'ahm's been wandering in the desert that long, well...that can't be good for a guy with gills."
"And what about Lilith?" Artemis added. "None of us have seen her since we got separated."
"Well, now that I know to look for them..." Robin pulled up his GPS. "They're close," he said. "Neither are moving, but they don't appear to be together."
"Our priority should be Kaldur," Kid Flash suggested. "He's the one that needs the most help."
Robin sighed. "Fine. Let's go."
They quickly found Aqualad, and he didn't look good. He was unconscious and muttering in Atlantean.
"I can't restore his memories in this condition," Miss Martian said, kneeling by his head.
"He needs immediate rehydration," Robin declared. "Call the Bio-Ship."
"It's out of range," Miss Martian sighed. "But you can get him there fast," she said, turning to Kid Flash.
"He's too heavy," Kid Flash said. "And I'm too low on fuel. Right now, I couldn't even carry her," he added, gesturing to Artemis.
Artemis scoffed and batted his hand away. "Why not just levitate him back?" she asked Miss Martian.
"I can't," the Martian said. "I have to find Superboy. Six months ago, he didn't exist. He has no memories...just animal impulse. And I'm the only one who can help him."
"Superboy's indestructible, just ask those tanks," Kid Flash argued. "It's Aqualad who needs your help. Like, now."
Miss Martian's eyes widened. "No!" she exclaimed suddenly. "Superboy's in pain!" She took off. "We can't wait!"
"We still don't know what took our memories!" Robin yelled after her. "It could happen again!"
But Miss Martian wasn't paying attention. All she could think about was how Superboy was being hurt, and that she had to save him.
When Lilith finally woke up, she found herself lying on her side on the ground with her wrists bound behind her back and her ankles tied. She groaned and pushed herself up the best she could, and by the stiffness in her neck and back, Lilith guessed she had been out for the better part of the...day?
She finally looked around and saw she was in a tent with scientists of some sort and Bialyan military personnel. A large grey sphere was stationed in the center, and off to the side was Superboy, strapped to an upright platform. As she watched, an electric shock was delivered and Superboy yelled out in pain.
Lilith winced and glanced toward the flap in the tent, hoping for an idea of the time. Her eyes widened when she noticed it was still dark, and she thought, How long have I been out?
"Only about twenty-four hours," a voice assured.
"Psimon," Lilith growled. "What do you want with me? Or with Superboy?"
"You've been difficult," Psimon admitted. "It's usually so easy to convince people to forget. But you...you've been a challenge. As for Superboy..." Psimon didn't finish his answer. Instead, he turned to the armed Bialyans standing around and said, "Keep an eye on her. Now that she's awake, she could easily escape."
Immediately, three uniformed men gathered around Lilith and she called sarcastically after Psimon, "I'm so glad my reputation precedes me!"
For the next hour, while Lilith was sure Psimon was too distracted to hear her, she called for M'gann.
Just when she was starting to give up, Miss Martian said, "Lilith?"
"M'gann!" Lilith exclaimed, so relieved to hear the Martian's voice she abandoned her usual use of M'gann proper title when out in the field.
"It's so good to hear your voice," Miss Martian sighed in relief. "The Team has been so worried about you."
"How far away are you?" Lilith asked, down to business again. "S.B. and I could use some help."
"I'm right at the entrnace." Lilith turned and saw the silhouette of Miss Martian floating at the flap.
"Great," Lilith said. "Now, if you could just get rid of the men around me..." On cue, the three army personnel went flying back. Across the room, the two scientists working around Superboy were pushed out of the way by an invisible force, and the electricity stopped.
Once Lilith was sure no one was paying attention to her, she rolled on her back and brought her arms forward under her legs so they were in front of her instead of at her back. While she had been stripped of her belt and guns, they hadn't thought to check her boots. Idiots, she thought with a smirk as she brought out the kunai stashed in her boot and sawed through the ropes binding her the best she could.
"Well." Lilith snapped her head up to see Psimon looking directly at the camouflaged Miss Martian. "Someone's certainly a glutton for punishment. Psimon says..." He pulled off his hood and Lilith could only hope Miss Martian didn't lose her memories again.
"Uh, Mr. Psimon," a bearded scientist said, "are you alright?"
"He might be." The three last men standing gasped and turned for the source of the voice. They found Lilith fully armed again and clipping in her guns with an easy smile on her face. When she glanced up at them, a hard smirk was on her lips. "But you won't."
It didn't take long for Lilith to take down the men. They were only scientists, after all, and she decided against just using a stunner on them; she had some anger she needed to work out.
An increasing beeping caught Lilith's attention as the last man fell, and she turned in time to dodge out of the way of the grey sphere, which had broken loose of its bindings. It headed straight for Superboy and smashed the controls, which effectively released his shackles. He lunged straight for Psimon, but an invisible force knocked him back. When Superboy straightened, he was even with Miss Martian. He reached out and brushed her knee, and for a moment, his eyes glazed over.
When he came out again, Lilith felt the humming which she associated with nearby animals had ceased, and she let out a breath.
Before she could say anything, the sound of guns cocking from outside drew her gaze to the flap as two uniformed men entered. Lilith got ready to fight, but before she could move, the grey sphere beeped and whirred and then zoomed at the two men, knocking them off their feet.
"Uh, thanks?" Superboy said hesitantly. More men entered, and Lilith and Superboy charged.
Lilith had knocked down three before a wind started to pick up. She glanced back, which gave one soldier a chance to smack her across the face with the butt of his gun. Her head snapped to the side and she stumbled briefly before she felt herself get pushed back by the force of the wind.
"Superboy..." she gasped, clutching her throat. "Miss Martian..." Lilith managed to throw herself out of the entrance of the tent just as the wind turned into a storm. She panted, trying to recover some of the air that had been pulled from her lungs. Lilith glanced back and started to stumble her way away from the tent. A green glow intensified, and a moment later, the tent was ripped to shreds.
Lilith felt herself get thrown back by the force, and something connected with her temple. She groaned but felt herself get lighter before all faded to black.
When she finally came to, Lilith found herself lying in the Bio-Ship on a bed M'gann must have conjured. She groaned and started to sit up, but a hand pushed her shoulders gently back to the bed. She whipped her head around but regretted it a second later; a pulsing at her temple made her wince.
"It's okay," Aqualad said, placing a cloth on the gash. "M'gann confirmed your memories are all there and there is nothing wrong with your head."
"Except for, you know, the cut," Lilith said, reaching up to touch her temple, though Aqualad didn't move his hand.
"We are all just thankful nothing serious happened," he amended.
"So, what happened to you guys?" Lilith asked, sitting up against Aqualad's protests.
"Our memories got wiped," Robin said, and Lilith saw that the Team had turned in their seats to stare at her.
"I gathered that much," Lilith huffed impatiently. "I meant, what happened after everyone walked off?"
"You remembered that?" Kid Flash asked.
"Yeah," Lilith said, glancing away almost guiltily. "I never lost my memories."
"How?" Superboy asked.
Lilith shrugged and didn't look at anyone. After a tense silence, she yawned and had to blink her eyes to clear her fuzzy vision. "You should probably eat something," Aqualad suggested, his attention back to Lilith.
"I'll get her something!" Miss Martian exclaimed, a confused look clearing her face quickly. She flew past Lilith to the storage cabinets she hadn't noticed before. She came to Lilith's side a moment later with an energy bar and a bottle of water.
"Thanks," Lilith said with a small smile before tearing open the wrapper and taking a bite.
The Bio-Ship settled into a more comfortable silence than before as Lilith continued to eat. Despite her protests, Robin and Aqualad agreed Lilith should stay reclined at the very least to keep her head from bleeding again.
When she woke up again, it was to Artemis gently nudging her arm. "We're here," she said.
"And I already told Batman what happened," Robin said. "He said he would talk to your parents."
"Thanks," Lilith said again with a tired smile. She sat up and swung her legs over the side. Artemis laced her arm with Lilith's to help keep her steady. Together, they made their way off the Bio-Ship and eventually into Lilith's Cave bedroom.
After thanking Artemis, Lilith hobbled over to her bed and collapsed, not bothering to change or even take off her mask. When she woke the next morning, she was grateful she had been too tired to dream.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed.
So, what did you think about my take on the episode? If you recall Naomi's first encounter with M'gann, it might make more sense (as Psimon tells Naomi someone went to great lengths to protect her mind from outsiders). And yes, I have a plan for this little bit of information for the future, AKA, the sequel!
Again, sorry for the long wait. If my comment box gets some lovin', then the next update should be on time!
If you have any questions about the story or the characters, please don't hesitate to ask! I love to hear your questions and I love answering them, believe it or not.