Shayera shuffled from one foot to the other. She once again found herself in a lift, at Justice League headquarters, with Batman. Things hadn't been too awkward between them. Actually, Bruce seemed to have forgotten about their kiss. Not that they had time to talk about their kiss. It had been about 20 hours. And in those 20 hours Bruce had gone to work, J'ohnn had fought Lobo, and now they were at the Watchtower where a Thanagarian was being held for questioning. Bruce and Shayera stepped out of the lift simultaneously. It had been three months since she had last step foot in this place, and it hadn't ended pleasantly. As they walked the halls, many of the younger leaguers stared at her in confusion, shock, curiosity, or hatred. She didn't care. They couldn't hurt her anymore than she already had been hurt.
"Shayera!" Batman and Shayera stopped walking. "Oof!" Shayera exclaimed as she felt a body out of nowhere crash into hers, nearly knocking her off balance. "Easy, Flash," Batman said.
"Hey, Flash," Shayera said to the redheaded speedster hugging her.
"You look way better than when I last saw you," he said, holding her at arm's length. "Your cheeks have gotten chubbier," he said squeezing one of them. "Isn't that right, Bats? Look." Batman cleared his throat in response. "You look really good, Shay. Like, your hair has its bounce back. It was really dull and lifeless when I last saw you." Shayera put a hand subconsciously to her ponytail. Had she really looked that bad? She had been avoiding mirrors as of late. She honestly had no idea what she looked like these past few weeks.
"We're here to see the Thanagarian," Batman said as he kept walking.
"Ahh. That little girl is stubborn," Flash fell into step with Shayera and Batman. "She hasn't uttered a single word since J'ohnn brought her in. She hasn't asked for food or water or to gone to the bathroom. You guys do go to the bathroom, right?" Flash asked Shayera.
"Yes, Flash, we go to the bathroom," Shayera responded incredulously.
"Just wondering," he replied back with a shrug. "I don't recall ever seeing you go to the bathroom." Shayera knew, she just knew, Bruce had to be rolling his eyes underneath his cowl. "Flash," Shayera said, "what…why….just because you don't see – I can't with you right now."
"I'm just saying," Flash said as they all three intered a room. It looked like your average interrogation room you would see at a police precinct save a few differences. The room was separated by one-way glass. But the room the interrogation took place in had monitors and different AI tech built into the walls. These computers read micro-expressions and body language in real time with a 99.99% accuracy. The room on the other side of the glass was home to computers that processed the results in real time, courtesy of Cyborg. And the area was big. It was wide enough to hold 7 Supermen if necessary. Shayera was expecting the room to be empty, but that was too much to hope for. Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern all stood in the dark room, staring at the screen and monitors. But all three turned to look at her when she walked in. Superman looked uneasy; Wonder Woman looked enraged; and Green Lantern looked at her with indifference. Shayera looked away. She deserved whatever animosity was being sent her way. "What is she doing here?" Wonder Woman huffed.
"Diana," Superman stated calmly, "we talked about this."
"We don't have time for this again," Batman interrupted the two. "Do you recognize that Thanagarian in there?" he asked Shayera. Shayera turned to look at the dark-skinned Thanagarian. J'ohnn was sitting across from her at the moment. The Thanagarian was maskless, she looked annoyed, and Shayera recognized her instantly. "I do," she turned to look at Batman. "Her name is Shri. I was once her CO."
"Great," Wonder Woman muttered, "another person she directly betrayed."
"You know, you don't have to be here," Flash pointed out to the Amazon. "No one is making you stay here against your will." Wonder Woman scowled back at him.
"Think she might talk to you?" Batman asked Shayera, ignoring Flash and Wonder Woman.
"I can certainly try," Shayera said. She walked to the door connecting the two rooms together.
"We'll be watching and listening in here," Batman said in reassurance.
"So don't try anything," Wonder Woman sneered. Shayera ignored her and walked into the room. J'ohnn and the Thanagarian immediately turned to her. Judging from Shri's expression, she recognized her. "It is good to see you up and about, Shayera," J'ohnn said. "Would you like me to leave or stay?"
"I don't really have a preference," Shayera said a bit uneasily.
"I'll leave," he stood up from the chair before phasing through the floor. Shayera sat down in the now vacant chair and stared at the girl she had once trained. They held each other's gaze for a few minutes before Shri spoke up. "I barely recognize you without your wings. What's it like?"
"It takes some getting used to." Shri looked at her own reflection past Shayera's shoulder. "They're listening and watching on the other side of that glass, aren't they?"
"Yeah," Shayera saw no point lying to the scout, "but that's more for me."
"Right," Shri said with a smirk, "you're a traitor in their eyes. What's that like," Shri's blue eyes bore into Shayera's green ones, "knowing that no one in the universe really wants you?"
"I wouldn't say the universe," Shayera muttered.
"Your family disowned you. You officially no longer exist on Thanagar. Your birth records have been completely eradicated. I went to your home. There are absolutely no pictures of you anywhere. Your room was burned down and then sealed shut. General Talov no longer has two children. He only has one, and that is Lieutenant Issi." Shayera said nothing. The reality of her situation once again setting in. "All of those medals, all of those awards, have been given to Issi. Your name has been wiped off every plaque. You literally do not exist anymore on Thanagar. Anyone who is named after you had their names changed. The name 'Shayera' is now a mute word."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Shayera asked, trying to hide her annoyance…and her pain.
"Because I want to know, was it worth it?" Shri cocked her head to the side, studying the woman who was once her CO. "You saved Earth, but what do you have to show for it. Earth hates you; you lost your wings; you lost your family; you lost your identity; you are no longer a Thanagarian, and you are not human. What are you?" Shayera pursed her lips together. She had been asking herself that very same question as of late. "You saved a bunch of weak, measly humans. And for what? They slaughtered your character. Your so-called teammates served you up on a platter. All of those people on Earth saved, and none of them even thanked you. So I ask you once again: was it worth it? Were they worth it?"
"It was the right thing to do," Shayera said.
"For who?" Shri countered. "They all had lives they got to return to. You returned to nothing. You became insignificant. You could be standing in front of your parents right now, and they would look right through you. I would say you're dead to everyone, but even the dead get funerals and memorials at least a name in history. You were literally there one day and gone the next."
"Can you just tell them what they want to know?" Shayera refused to show weakness….or tears.
"I just wanted to see you - Thanagar's pride and joy," Shri mocked. "The next great leader of Thanagar, with wings given to her by the gods. It would have been better if you had been dishonorably discharged from the military or disowned by your family. At least then, you would have the chance of working your way back into their good graces." Shayera just stared silently at the young hawk in front of her, showing no emotion. "You guys know what I know. Lobo is hunting you. He is supposed to return you to Thanagar. There you will be given to the Gordanians."
"Do you know what they'll do to me?" Shayera asked Shri. "The Gordanians?"
"Horrific experiments. Rape you. Beat you. Torture you," Shri said with no more than a shoulder shrug. "Your father is the one that negotiated the agreement with the Gordanians."
"Wait…what?" Shayera asked not quite believing her ears. "He wouldn't-"
"He did. And your sister is in charge of making sure everything goes smoothly. You know the Gordanians – they have always wanted to dissect a Thanagarian." Shayera was going to be sick. "So General Talov, your father, said if he handed them a Thangarian, would the Gordanians leave Thanagar alone. It is an exchange. You for peace. That's the endgame here. The Gordanians get you, they leave Thanagar alone."
"And when they're done with me?" Shayera asked. Shri shrugged. "Your father has washed his hands of you, though, there probably will not be much of you left by the time the Gordanians have finished with you. You know how barbaric they can be." Shayera gulped before shakily standing to her feet. "I'm ready to talk to one of those heroes now," Shri said. Shayera stiffly turned and walked out of the room, entering the dark room where her ex-colleagues stood. The looks on their faces were…well, she couldn't really see the looks on their faces. Tears were blurring her vision. "Shay," Flash stepped forward.
"She's willing to talk to one of you," Shayera said in a shaky voice.
"Shay," Flash said, his voice thick with emotion.
"I'll be in the hall if you need me," she said, briskly walking past Batman and Flash. Shayera rushed out the room. Thankfully, the halls were empty. She went and stood in front of one of the many huge windows at the stars in outer space. So this is what her life had come to. She had no purpose. No reason for living. She didn't want to end up with the Gordanians. She couldn't hide out on Earth forever. It was only a matter of time before the Gordanians or Lobo found her. Maybe she could find a boom tube to teleport her to the other side of the universe. She had no idea where she would find one, but…she was running out of options. "You okay?" Shayera heard a deep voice ask her. She turned around, surprised to see John standing a few feet away from her. "You looked like you were about to be sick," he said taking a few steps closer to her. Shayera was both surprised and a bit caught off guard. "I'm fine," she said in a clear, firm voice. "You can go back in there." John studied her for a few moments before turning on his heel. He took a few steps forward before suddenly turning to face her again. "You really did a number on me…on all of us." Shayera looked down at her feet. She was so tired of apologizing. The words I'm sorry were beginning to sound redundant. "Was any of it real?" She swallowed thickly. She did not want to have this conversation…ever.
"Does it matter?" she asked. "You seemed to have recovered just fine."
"I need to know," John said, taking another step closer to her. Shayera began playing with her fingers. "I liked you, John, truly I did. I don't know if it was love, but there was a definite attraction there."
"And now?" John said standing almost in her space. Shayera looked up into John Stewart's light brown eyes. His emotions were always so visible and easily read. Which is why it was so easy to manipulate him. "I think," Shayera began slowly, "if I wasn't who I was…a traitor…I think you and I would have had a wonderful life together." John's face softened exponentially. He was no longer looking at her hard or indifferently. He was looking at her with a different type of softness than what she was used to seeing from him. "You're not a traitor," John said taking a step back from her. "Just misguided. The others will come around."
"That's what Batman said," Shayera said with a small smile.
"Yeah, it's annoying and a bit unnerving how correct and insightful he can be at times," John said thoughtfully. Shayera gave another small smile. "I'm gonna go back in there," John said before turning and walking away. Shayera turned to stare back out the window at the stars. That…had not been painful. She expected him to yell at her, curse at her, maybe even swing at her. Life really was full of surprises. Wait, someone was – "How long have you been there?" Shayera asked not turning to look behind her. Batman came out of the shadows to stand next to her. "I left the room shortly after you did," he stated. "I learned everything I needed to while you were talking to her. Shayera," he turned to look at her. "The Gordanians won't get to you."
"And if they threaten Earth? If they give Earth an ultimatum. Me or war?" Shayera looked into his masked eyes with tears still being held back. "You're going to have to give me to them."
"No," Batman said as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.
"I am not worth losing a planet over. If they come here-"
Batman grasped her forearms firmly and said, "If they want you, they will have to go through me."
"Bruce," Shayera whispered his name in a desperate attempt to make him see sense, "I'm not worth it."
"If they want you, they are going to have to fight for you," Batman crossed his arms, taking a stance that clearly said the conversation was over.
"Careful, Batman," Shayera said with a smirk, "you're feelings are starting to show."
"Is that a bad thing?" he asked her point blankly.
"I – uh – I –" Shayera had no idea how to respond to that. This was her second time in the past 10 minutes that she had been taken off guard. She really needed to get her act together.
"Are you two done doing…whatever it is that you're doing?" both heroes turned to look at Flash who leaning against the doorway, watching them with a bemused expression. "Clark wants to discuss next steps."
"Well, what now? The Gordanians, Lobo, and Thanagar – we can't fight a war on three fronts," Wonder Woman said. They had all moved to a meeting room that held one table surrounded by seven chairs. Shayera sat uncomfortably in between Batman and Flash. Her chair was also directly across from Wonder Woman who openly stared at her with hostility.
"Then we don't," Batman said in his deep, gruff voice that Shayera now found oddly comforting. And that thought scared her. "We deal with each of them one at a time."
"That is prudent," Martian Manhunter concurred. "Divide and conquer. Lobo is the easiest to deal with as he is already on Earth."
"How?" Green Lantern asked. "The guy dresses like an idiot, but he can go toe-to-toe with Superman on his best days. We've seen it."
"We catch him on one of his off days," Flash said. The rest of the founding leaguers, except for Shayera, audibly groaned.
"Can you please contribute something…useful?" Wonder Woman asked. Flash glared at her.
"Dolphins," Shayera spoke up. The leaguers turned to stare at her questioningly. "Oh look, she's lost it mentally," Wonder Woman deadpanned. Shayera rolled her eyes before continuing. "When I was studying on Thanagar – "
"To betray us no doubt," Wonder Woman interrupted her.
"Diana," Superman shot her a warning look. "Please continue, Shayera."
"There was a footnote in a scout's report. Lobo has shown a peculiar liking to space dolphins in the past." Green Lantern slammed his hand on the table, surprising everyone, except Batman. "Why didn't I think of that?" he muttered to himself. "I went to a gathering of Lanterns on Oa last year. I overheard this lantern complaining that Lobo constantly kept trying to break into various districts and kidnap space dolphins in an effort to liberate them."
"Then that's what we use. Space dolphins," Superman said.
"You're kidding," Wonder Woman disagreed. "That is ridiculous."
"Yeah," Flash spoke up. "Where are we going to find space dolphins?"
"I know a guy," Green Lantern responded. Martian Manhunter looked up sharply. "No," he said, "not that guy."
"We have to ask him. He's the only one who knows," Green Lantern explained.
"Who are you guys talking about?" Flash asked.
"Guy Gardner," Batman said with a painful moan, echoed by the rest of the leaguers.
"Don't worry," Green Lantern reassured his teammates. "I'll deal with him."
"Well, that takes care of Lobo," Superman said. "That leaves the Gordanians and Thanagarians."
"Once Lobo is out of the way, there's a chance that the Gordanians and Thanagarians will team up to get Shayera," Martian Manhunter said.
"You think Earth may become another battleground?" Wonder Woman asked worriedly.
"It's possible," Superman said with a shrug. "What do you think?" he asked Batman, who had been sitting in silent contemplation.
"I think we prepare for another war. Once Lobo is out of the picture, we need to keep round the clock surveillance on Earth. All hands-on deck."
"All right," Superman nodded in agreement. "Now, what to do about the Thanagarian sitting in the other room?" After a few more minutes of discussing and planning, the meeting finally ended. Batman and Shayera once again ended up alone in the Watchtower's lift. "We need to work on getting you back into fighting shape," Batman said as soon as the doors to the lift closed.
"I am in shape," Shayera argued, crossing her arms, slightly offended.
"I mean fighting shape. Sparring against Jason and Tim will only get you so far. You will spar with me from now on."
"Oh," she said, her face a perfect picture of calm, giving nothing away to show the uneasiness and butterflies she felt in her stomach. "Well, don't go easy on me," she said, trying to exude both toughness and confidence. Batman turned to look at her with a heart-melting, devilishly handsome, and – dare she say – panty-dropping smirk. Was it hot in here, or was it just her? "I don't plan to."
