7 Justice League Conflict
The General Assembly voted on Thursday. Besides the regular diplomats of the various NATO nations speaking, the US President, the British Prime Minister, and the French President gave impassioned pleas. The Secretary General of NATO spoke last. He announced that with or without the favor of world opinion NATO would strike. This caused a stir.
That announcement solidified the opposition, with or without the Illuminati's influence, and over two hundred nations voted against the endorsement. Now the Illuminati's influence came into play and a new measure was submitted. It was a measure to send the JLU to defend Myanmar's sovereignty.
Myanmar had their first nominally civilian government in fifty years and it was argued that such a fragile democracy needed protection from Western imperialism. The motion found a dozen sponsors and a vote was called for. This time the measure passed by a vote of over two hundred nations.
The Western leaders stormed out in protest. Sadly for Max Lord, he had to sit there and receive the UN's instructions. He dreaded delivering these instructions.
Max briefed Waller and then the pair of them passed the information on to Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Martian Manhunter. Superman was stupefied, J'onn was grim, and Diana was angry. Superman and J'onn agreed that they'd have to comply but they'd interpret the orders as they saw fit. Diana objected and was told by Superman that the decision was made. It was time to brief the League.
It took four hours to gather the entire League, with a few notable exceptions. They gathered in the auditorium. Superman addressed the assembled heroes.
"The UN has ordered us to travel to Myanmar. NATO is planning an incursion that threatens the existence of Myanmar's newly elected democracy. The UN wants us to play peacekeeper and prevent violence." He announced.
"Why is NATO acting in the first place?" Nightwing asked, already knowing the answer.
"They are acting to arrest the Legion of Doom." Superman admitted.
"And we're stopping them?" Shayera asked, not believing what she was hearing.
"It's not that simple." Superman struggled to explain, "As a city-state we possess the same sovereign rights as other UN nations but we also have to set an example in the compliance with international law. A plurality of nations chose to send us to Myanmar and I don't want set a bad example by defying them. We've had too much of that kind national posturing over the last fifty years. It's time to set our sights on a brave new world."
"No!" Diana shouted as she rose, "I will not stand by and protect the Legion of Doom while making flimsy excuses about a new world order. I refuse to go on this mission. I'm walking out of here and I invite anyone else that feels likewise to do the same."
With that she purposefully strode out of the complex. Shayera arose and turned to Green Lantern, "Are you coming?"
"I think Superman has a point." John replied.
"See ya." She left.
Nearly half of the assemblage followed on her wake. Blackhawk and Penny exited the visitor's balcony and caught up with the departing heroes. Blackhawk caught up with Diana.
"Princess, wait!" he called out.
"My mind is made up." She defiantly asserted.
"NATO has deployed the Global Guardians to do the actual arrest. They're outnumbered and outgunned. Rather than sit out on the sidelines and let a massacre happen, you could join with them and carry out the World Court's wishes." Blackhawk suggested.
"The World Court?" she asked.
"Penny explained it to me while that fiasco transpired. The World Court issued arrest warrants for every Legionnaire. They authorized NATO to be their police arm. So really, if you look at it, NATO is operating under a higher authority than the UN." Blackhawk said.
"Where are the Global Guardians?" Diana asked.
"On an aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean." Blackhawk grinned.
"I'm going." Diana decided, "Each of you have to decide for yourselves."
There was a general chorus of assent. Blackhawk led them out to the flight line. He and Penny cycled "Sawbones" through its checklist. Lady Blackhawk arrived. She was armed.
"Surrender this aircraft." She demanded.
Plastic Man disarmed her, "Naughty, naughty."
"You work for the UN." Lady Blackhawk reminded Blackhawk, "You know what will happen if you defy them."
"I know but I'm doing this anyway. It's the right thing to do." He replied.
"Ya'll had better get off. We're takin' off." Penny warned.
LBH huffed and exited the shuttle all the while fuming, "Bleached blonde, platinum-haired, Southern hussy!"
Plas sealed the hatch in her wake and then joined the two pilots in the cockpit, "I don't think Lady Blackhawk appreciates your new shade of hair."
"Why?" Penny was wounded.
"I think she thinks it's interfering with your virtue." Plas surmised.
"Tramp." Penny snapped, "It's not like Ah talk about the fact that she single handedly is tryin' to sleep with every man in the Justice League."
"You just did." Plas pointed out.
"Are you on her side?" Penny growled.
"No." Plastic Man said with conviction.
"Then shut up and enjoy the ride." Penny ordered.
Plastic Man wisely complied.
As the shuttle lifted off, Diana took an informal roll call. She'd already noted that Captain and Mary Marvel, the Ray, Supergirl, and Kyle Rayner were following the shuttle. She'd spoken to them before boarding. Present with her were Nightwing, Catwoman, Shayera, Zatanna, Stargirl, Booster Gold, Vixen, Captain Atom, Starman, Wildcat, Vigilante, and Hawk. Dove was conspicuously missing as was John Stewart. She knew Plastic Man was in the cockpit. L-Ron made himself be known and she smiled.
She knew the Huntress and the Question were still on their honeymoon. Elongated Man and Sue were out on parental leave. That left the rest of the JLU headed for Myanmar. To be honest, she'd expected John and the Flash to join her. Or at the very least Green Arrow and Black Canary. And Wildcat was present. Where was his protégé, Commander Steel?
L-Ron interrupted the Amazon's darker thoughts, "I'm serving from the galley. Can I get you anything?"
"Some tea would be lovely. The stronger the better." She requested.
"It is that kind of day, isn't it? Never fear, Princess, right will triumph might every time." He assured her and then he trundled off to get her tea.
"The short stack is right. You should listen to him." Wildcat said as he sat down next to Diana.
"Maybe, but I…" her voice trailed off.
"But you can't help but think of those that aren't here. Especially loved ones that didn't make this choice." Wildcat filled in the blanks.
Diana rewarded him with a wan smile, "Exactly."
"They made their choice, just as we made ours. What we have to decide is how far are we going to push it? If the others won't back down, do we confront them? Possibly fight them?" Wildcat asked.
"I hadn't thought that far ahead." Diana admitted.
"The time to answer those questions is now. After this we're committed. A united front delivers a more profound message than a disorganized approach based upon individual conscience." Wildcat advised, "I can tell you that the Global Guardians are fully committed. The Legion is holding their team leader and his girlfriend. They won't back down, even if it gets them killed."
"Hera. They don't stand a chance on their own." Diana breathed.
"But they do if we actively support them. That'll force the others to decide on whether or not they want to actively defend the Legion of Doom. I'm willing to bet that they won't." Wildcat stated.
"We'll see. I know that with Clark at least you'll have to redirect his thinking for him to grasp that reality." Diana warned.
Wildcat shrugged, "I'm a persuasive kinda guy and I think you're a persuasive kinda gal."
"'Gal'?" Diana's eyebrow rose.
"Hey, I grew up in the `20's. It wasn't an insult back then." Wildcat reminded her.
She relaxed, "Very well. I think it's time to derive a consensus."
"I'll get Plastic Man." Wildcat sprang to his feet.
Diana summoned the fliers.
"…and those are our options. Any ideas?" Diana concluded her presentation.
"I think we should prepare to confront the rest of the League with force." Nightwing opined, "They won't hesitate to try and force us back."
"I agree." Starman was the first to join in. The others all agreed in a rush. Some still wrestled with how comfortable they were with the plan but they were committed to it. The rest of the League was in for a surprise.
All too soon they were within striking distance of the USS Carl Vinson, the aircraft carrier assigned to supporting the Global Guardians' mission. The French carrier, Charles de Gaulle, was also tasked with the mission. Between the two ships they had a full taskforce backing them.
"UN Flight 113 to Carl Vinson traffic control. We are en route to your vessel and are requesting permission to land."
"UN Flight 113, are you transporting Justice Leaguers?" the controller radioed back.
"Affirmative." Blackhawk answered.
"Permission denied." The controller decided.
"May I speak with your superior?" Blackhawk bumped his way up the chain of command. After explaining the JLers mission to an ever increasingly important audience he eventually reached the admiral in charge. Blackhawk reiterated his offer of assistance. Finally, they were given permission to land on the flight deck.
Blackhawk flew up from behind the carrier. He made a low, slow pass before turning around and making his approach in the glide path. He asked Penny if she wanted to make the landing.
"Mah goodness, no. Ah've never attempted a carrier landing." She begged off.
Blackhawk chuckled, "I'm a bit rusty myself. You may want to have a life preserver handy just in case."
The landing went smoothly. Blackhawk's instincts proved themselves once again as his memories of carrier landings came back to him. Penny punched his shoulder in a friendly salute.
The JLers disembarked to find the admiral and Vapor waiting for them. Vapor purposefully confronted Wonder Woman.
"You'd better not be planning on stopping us." She declared.
"Actually, we're here to help you. The rest of the League is arrayed against you and quite frankly, without our help, you won't be able to withstand them." Diana announced.
Vapor studied her and finally she relented, "Okay I believe you. You made it just in time. We've one more day at sea and then we go in."
"Then we'd best start planning on how we're going to coordinate our forces." Diana decided.
Vapor grinned, "Ready to get at it, huh? We may get along better than I ever thought."
Galatea and Ulla were ecstatic to learn that their paramours were aboard the ship. Galatea found Blackhawk and Penny inspecting two aircraft that seemed to operate on the same principles as the Javelin-9 only they were heavily armed and seemed to have greater lift capabilities. The reunion was pleasant. It wasn't as fervent as their meeting a week and a half ago but then again, they'd only been separated for a day and a half.
"I thought you'd check these out." Tea grinned.
"What are they?" Blackhawk wondered.
"They're Ferris Aircraft Oracle-5's. They're our ticket in." Tea was enjoying herself.
"Your entire team could fit in one. Ours could fit in the other." Blackhawk assessed.
"Vapor's called a planning session. You can submit the idea there." Galatea suggested.
Blackhawk smirked, "I think I will."
"Follow me, Flyboy." Tea said.
"Anywhere." He replied with conviction. Galatea blew him a kiss and began to lead away.
Penny grinned. Her heart swelled with joy for her teammate.