Shayera was nervous. She really shouldn't be but she honestly was. Two days ago, Shayera and Emmett had reached an agreement that she will be a part of his squadron and become an actual member of the Midway City Police Department. She will serve as an officer first because she is technically a new recruit in this planet and she will be taking orders from Emmett, and Emmett only. Shayera would be partnered up with Kendra Saunders, the Commissioner's niece, on certain days during her hunt for the missing blueprints and the Unconfirmed Artifact while on other days she will be partnered up with Commissioner Emmett and patrol the city. Shayera was actually glad to have a semblance of belonging fill her thoughts instead of the depressing and lonely ones that invade her mind.
Shayera was currently standing behind a set of curtains while Commissioner Emmett was addressing the press and the audience. When Shayera first learned that she was going to have to address the public and officially introduce herself to Midway City the night she and Emmett made the arrangements, Shayera needed to talk with someone. After Emmett returned home to rest and Shayera promised to meet with him the next night, she met with her hawk companion and together they flew to Gotham City.
Shayera recalled the routes and roads that led out of Midway and to Gotham so the trip back was faster than the last trip when she had to keep at Gordon's pace. The gothic city loomed into view and Shayera could see the bat signal overhead, signaling Batman and his companions to meet with the Commissioner. Shayera decided to fly towards the mansion and wait for them there. She flew high above the clouds to ensure that she wouldn't be seen and flew below the treetops to reach the secret entrance. Her hawk companion was struggling to catch up so Shayera gently held the hawk in her hands as they flew inside the cave. Once inside, Shayera helped her hawk companion perch on the computer chair and she removed her mask and the Absorbascon.
She walked up the stairs leading inside the mansion and opened the secret panel while she left her hawk friend sleeping on the chair. Shayera heard humming from the kitchen and made her way there. To her delight, Alfred was cooking a meal and her stomach growled again, alerting Alfred of her presence.
"Oh! Miss Shayera! You gave me a fright." said Alfred as he motioned for her to take a seat. Shayera sat in the offered seat and said, "I'm sorry if I frightened you. I would have contacted Bruce with the com-link but I fear I might distract him or the others from their duties."
"A wise choice Miss, he often gets quite the temper when the Lantern or Superman get themselves involved in his businesses." said Alfred as he served Shayera tea and biscuits.
"Lantern?" asked Shayera. "Yes, the Green Lantern. I would have thought you might have heard about them in your areas of Space." explained Alfred as he sat down next to Shayera.
"I guess Thanagar is farther away from your areas of Space since we have never heard about them. Are they accepted here?" asked Shayera as she drank her tea. "I wouldn't know about world-wide popularity, but here in the states he is very much admired. John Stewart I believe his name is." said Alfred.
"He reveals his name so publicly? I would have thought he might have preferred a private life." remarked Shayera.
"Oh he does, Miss. But when you fight crime for as long as he did, eventually people will make connections and then they'll begin to find out the truth." said Alfred.
"Bruce manages fine though." observed Shayera as she recalled all the information the Absorbascon had given to her about Batman and Bruce Wayne.
"Master Bruce tends to multi-task even in his sleep. I often worry for his health however but I can't stop him from doing what he deems as his mission." said Alfred as he got up to grab more tea. Shayera watched him and smiled softly when she heard the obvious affection the elder had for his ward. "I'm sure he'll be fine." reassured Shayera. Alfred turned to give her a warm smile and sat back down with a new batch of hot tea in his hands.
"So may I ask what brings you back to Gotham not even a day later?" asked Alfred as he filled his cup and Shayera's cup with tea.
"I have been given a position in the Midway City Police Department." explained Shayera and watched as surprise flickered across Alfred's face. "They… they recruited you?" asked Alfred, incredulity visible in his voice.
"Yes, Commissioner Emmett plans to introduce me to the city in two days and I wanted… I wanted advice I guess you could say. I agreed to join the force but I am now wondering if maybe I shouldn't. The man they call Cheval had desolated the entire Police Department in Midway and I proved to be the only one capable to stop him. I can see the advantage of having someone like me join the force, but I wonder if maybe I am just making myself a target for more threatening criminals and for the people surrounding me." said Shayera, happy to finally let out her thoughts to someone.
"Hmmm, interesting. I wonder how things might have turned out if Commissioner Gordon employed Batman… well no use going over the what ifs. I believe you have a good opportunity to take Miss. I suggest you take it if you need allies and support. There is no point in having to try doing things solo as Master Bruce tends to enjoy." said Alfred.
"He has the others though." said Shayera.
"He does, but even then he always tends to keep his cards close to himself until the very end at times." remarked Alfred. Shayera nodded her head in understanding and said, "I'm sure he's still learning in the same way I am."
Alfred smiled at her and said, "Believe me Miss Shayera, I suggest you take it. Never mind the target that gets pointed at you because you have already proved to achieve the impossible in handling Byth and the Cheval man I saw in the news." Shayera gave him a toothy grin and said, "Thank you Alfred."
"Anytime my dear. Now, I'm sure you're exhausted. Rest up in the cave and tomorrow morning you can return to Midway and get yourself ready for Midway." said Alfred as he led Shayera back into the cave. It was there that Alfred saw the sleeping hawk and asked, "New friend?"
"Yes, we met in the national park during my investigations and we… bonded over our shared similarities." said Shayera.
"Well it is a lovely fellow. Have you named him?"
"I'm not even sure if it's male or female."
"Well, perhaps you can ask when morning comes and you're both ready to fly the nest."
Shayera smiled at his humor and rested against the chair, being mindful of the hawk and went to sleep. She was sure that when morning comes, she would be feeling a little less anxious.
Alfred left the cave and began to cook for the coming hungry bottomless pit that Master Tim seemed to possess. It took some parts of the early morning, but Alfred was quite happy for the feast he had prepared. After having the food ready on the table he heard the secret panel open up to reveal Masters Tim and Bruce walk in with a sleepy Miss Shayera and an alert hawk perched on her shoulder.
"I'll be assuming our feathered-friend would like their meat cooked rare?" asked Alfred.
"Alfred! That's rude!" said Tim, not believing Alfred would say that about Shayera.
"He's talking about her hawk," said Bruce as he sat down and began to eat a good hefty pile of fruits and milk.
"Oh." said Tim, brightening up red and sheepishly smiled at Alfred, who gave him a single raised eyebrow. Tim quickly filled his plate with bacons, eggs, and toast before Alfred decided he wouldn't get to eat any of the delicious food.
"Would you like to eat?" asked Shayera to her hawk companion. Bruce, Tim, and Alfred watched with interest as the hawk chirped and flew off her shoulder and onto the table. He walked towards the plate of bacon and took a tentative peck. It soon began to rip the bacon pieces apart and swallowed the whole plate.
"Whoa." said Tim, happy that he managed to fill his plate up first. The hawk chirped again and Shayera said, "He would like to thank you Alfred for the delicious meal."
"Anytime."
"Wait, you can talk to birds now?" asked Tim, watching the woman with seemingly endless amounts of talents.
"The Absorbascon seems to help me understand the avian languages, but I have yet to discover why." said Shayera as she ate some of the eggs and toast.
"It could be that your DNA matches closely with the avian, the same way humans and primates seem to have a close matching DNA." explained Bruce. "So you can only talk to birds then?" asked Tim.
"It appears so."
The whole group ate their breakfast in silence up until Bruce asked why she returned to Gotham and not communicated with him through the com-link.
"I arrived in Gotham late at night and had seen the signal Commissioner Gordon lights up in the air for you. I decided to allow you to do your investigation in peace and proceeded to the mansion where I talked with Alfred." said Shayera, hoping that he wouldn't be angry.
"I guess I should thank you for not interrupting my work then. Joker had managed to hold the entire Gotham Rogues under hostage. I nearly didn't make it in time to save the fans and players from the laughing gas bomb they had in the middle of the stadium." said Bruce, eyes narrowing in anger at the thoughts of possible failure.
"It was really cutting it close," said Tim, his voice demanding that Shayera pay attention to him and he began to retell the whole story from beginning to end. It wasn't until Tim began to yawn that Alfred began to clean up the empty plates and escorted Tim upstairs. Bruce looked at Shayera and said, "I read the Midway Times, by the way. You made quite the entrance."
Shayera grimaced at that and said, "I couldn't very well allow that man to kill people. Thank the Seven Heavens that Cheval had only managed to injure them."
"Hmm, at least you made a good impression."
"Which is something I wish to talk to you about."
"You're wondering if your actions will bring more harm than good to the people."
Shayera blinked in surprise at Bruce's words and said, "You understand what I am feeling then?"
Bruce nodded and said, "I have often always thought of the consequences of my actions. Chances are that even if the Batman didn't exist, criminals like Scarecrow and the Joker will continue to exist. It's about what you can do and how you react that really makes the difference. When the situation gets tough, will you collapse under the strain? Or will you achieve to go beyond even your own limits to protect and serve?"
Shayera nodded in understanding at his words. Yes, she is strange in this world and chances are perhaps it will make her a target for many. She is an officer of the law and justice, though. She will protect and serve those in need. She turned to Bruce and said, "Thank you, Bruce."
They smiled and exchanged good-byes as the morning turned to afternoon, and Shayera with the hawk flew back to Midway.
I must return back to my nesting grounds. I refuse to have some other fool believe he can have my home in absence. said the hawk as he flew away from Shayera and made his way towards his nest.
"Thank you for being with me my friend. You have been very helpful." thanked Shayera as she and the hawk parted ways. She was glad to have some alone time as she flew past the buildings of Midway City. Even after all the times that she flew by the same buildings, Shayera is still marveled at the architecture. Below her, Shayera could see several sculptures decorate the lawn outside a building and flew down to investigate it more thoroughly. The sun was still about midway down before it was officially nightfall, so Shayera decided to explore Midway better: starting with the strange sculptures.
She flew down and ignored the people gasping at her sudden arrival and walked towards the sculptures. Several were easy to identify but there were some that truly intrigued her. The whole lawn was decorated with different sculptures so she took the time to look over the art with scrutiny. So far, her favorite was the reflective pill-shaped sculpture that perfectly captured her reflection and the buildings behind her. Shayera could see the humans taking out their cell-phones and taking pictures of her, but she paid them no mind. She continued to walk around the sculptures and found herself surrounded by walking leg statues. She walked through the legs and felt as though she was being crowded, so she quickly walked away from the legs, not wanting a claustrophobic episode. She almost flew away to meet with Commissioner Emmett when a certain sculpture captured her attention.
Shayera walked as though hypnotized in front of a sculpture of a human male made of chains, dragging behind him links of chains. She looked at it with confusion but with interest as well. It was simple but there was something about it that spoke to her. Shayera was so entranced by the sculpture that she missed hearing the pair of footsteps behind her until she heard someone ask her, "What do you see when you look at him?" Shayera turned to see a man and a woman looking at her with curiosity in their eyes. Shayera was confused by what he asked and said, "I'm sorry. I don't understand."
The man gave her a kind smile and said, "People create art to express what they feel inside or what they want people to see about what is around them. What do you see?" Shayera looked back at the Man of Chains and paid more attention to how she was feeling. She could almost feel his struggle as though the chains were dragging him behind. Shayera looked at the man and said, "It looks as though he is struggling."
"What is making him struggle?"
"The chains?"
"Is that all?" Shayera shrugged helplessly. What else could be dragging the man behind aside from chains? Not even the Absorbascon could help her with answering the man. It only gave her vague descriptions about the sculpture and just Various Artists. It seemed it was a collaborative art piece. Shayera glanced helplessly at the man and said, "I-I'm sorry. I still don't understand."
The woman gave her a gentle smile and said, "It's alright honey. Danny just likes to quiz people. He's the Art Curator at the Midway City Museum, so he often asks random people." Shayera gave a shy smile and introduced herself, "My name is Shayera Hol."
"I'm Danny Evans," said the man, extending his hand out for Shayera to shake (which she did), and turned to the woman who introduced herself, "And I'm Mavis Trent." Shayera shook hands with her as well and asked, "Do humans often express their feelings through creativity?"
"Some do, others physically, and some just bottle it up like a certain someone." said Danny nodding his head towards Mavis, who slapped him on the shoulder playfully. Shayera smiled at the easy-going friendship and almost asked more about the sculptures when she noticed the sky turning dark blue for night. "I'm sorry. I have a meeting with someone soon and I cannot be late." she said spreading her wings, ready to launch herself into the sky.
"Oh no problem. It was nice to meet you Shayera." smiled Mavis. Shayera flew away, waving good-bye at Danny and Mavis, and made her way to the Police Headquarters. She landed outside and made her way inside where Commissioner Emmett and a few other officers met her. They spent most of the night talking about the press conference and helped Shayera prepare herself for the meeting with the news reporters. By the time they were finished, Shayera was exhausted and accepted Commissioner Emmett's offer to sleep in his office until morning. Shayera spent the night listening to the city outside and fell asleep anxious for morning. Bruce and Alfred's words echoed through her head and gave comfort through the night so Shayera was able to at least sleep a full four hours before being awakened by Emmett. Emmett escorted Shayera to a van where they both entered and made their way to City Hall.
So after a rather turbulent day and night, here stood Shayera behind curtains and watching nervously as Emmett addressed the sea of reporters and the audience. She nervously felt her wings twitch in agitation and she kept gripping the handle of her mace for comfort. She had spotted Danny, Mavis, Alfred and Commissioner Gordon sitting in the audience and felt her nerves fry up. She took deep breaths and tried to imagine how she might address her fellow Thanagarians back on Thanagar. She felt her heart steady and her breaths stopped coming out as short gasps. She heard Commissioner Emmett say, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce Hawkgirl." Shayera took deep breaths and walked out from behind the curtains to be met with applause and lights flashing in front of her as reporters took pictures. Shayera could feel her voice freeze up and she stood rigid for what felt like an hour until Emmett rushed over and said, "I'm sorry, folks. I should have said that now is the time for Question and Answers."
It was as though the spell was broken and Shayera was met with a barrage of questions ranging from: "HAWKGIRL! HAWKGIRL! WHERE ARE YOU FROM? DO YOU KNOW SUPERMAN? ARE YOU HERE AS A FRIEND? WHERE DO YOUR ALLEGIANCES LAY?"
Shayera struggled to try and answer, but where she tried to answer one about three more questions were asked at the same time.
"PEOPLE! PEOPLE! PLEASE! ONE AT A TIME!" yelled Kendra, surprising not only Shayera but also Emmett. When the frenzy died down, Kendra addressed the crowd, "Alright, we'll take questions, but one reporter at a time and three questions." Many hands were raised and Shayera was glad that Kendra began to point out who was to speak first.
A woman stood up and said, "Iris West, Central City News. Are you of Earth or from Space?"
"I am from a distant planet called Thanagar. It is not a part of your solar system, but I do not know where in the Universe it might be." answered Shayera, remembering Emmett's guidance about answering fully to the reporters' questions.
"Who are you? How did you get here?"
"I am a Captain of the Thanagarian Law Enforcements. I was chasing down a criminal when we both entered Hyper Space and problems arose. Long Story short, I am stranded here on Earth with no way to go back home."
"Alright," said Kendra, once again taking over, "Uh, ok. Santi, you're up."
The man from two nights ago rose up from his seated position and said, "Santiago Munoz, of the Channel 5 News. Hawkgirl, will you be cooperating with the Midway City Police Department during your stay here?"
"Yes, Commissioner Emmett and I have entered into an agreement that I will be serving under the Midway City Police."
"You said you were a Captain from your home world, will you also be serving as a captain here?"
"No, I have agreed to start from the bottom as an Officer. It makes sense as I am still familiarizing myself with the Earth's ways of law enforcement."
"What's the difference between Thanagarian Law Enforcement and the Earth's Law Enforcement?"
"Thanagarian Law Enforcement is still a new career for my home world. We used to be a planet of peace, but war has brought crime to our planet and we needed to learn quickly how to contain crime. My parent's generation was the first to begin law enforcement and we are still learning. Based on my research your planet has an extensive history with Law Enforcement and I am honored to be learning it under the guidance of Commissioner Emmett."
It went on for the rest of the hour with Kendra helping Shayera address the crowd and Shayera feeling more confident with herself as she continued to answer the questions. It was when the last reporter asked her question that many people—including Kendra—felt a slight hesitation.
"Lois Lane of the Daily Planet. Hawkgirl, how can we trust you as a defender of justice if you have only stayed on this planet for four days? What happens if you can't handle the levels of crime Earth has to offer? Do you even feel comfortable defending a species that is not your own?"
Shayera honestly felt annoyance at the woman who dared to question her commitment and her dedication to protect and serve. Shayera had to bite her cheek to stop herself from acting out but she hotly said, "I am an officer of the law. I protect and serve everyone and if I have to go beyond my own limits then so be it. I have been trained to serve under justice and I will serve, no matter who it is and no matter what species."
It was silent as everybody could tell that she was offended by Lane's questions, but Lane remained stoic. Kendra began to clap and pretty soon everybody else began to clap. Lois Lane gave a small smirk at Hawkgirl and thought that the alien definitely had spunk to survive this planet. Shayera took deep breaths and looked to see Alfred and Gordon smiling at her and Danny and Mavis amongst the cheering crowd. Shayera turned to give Kendra a small smile and to Emmett a small nod. It definitely was a rocky start for her to officially greet the people of Midway, but she was happy that it turned out all right.
Hey readers, thanks so much for the reviews and PMs. You have no idea how happy it makes me to know that you guys actually find the story interesting.
I feel that I should address certain things for readers who might not have read the comic books. I am planning on mixing elements of the comic books with the DCAU. The art sculptures I actually took out from actual sculptures from Chicago.
Byth Rok: The original criminal that led Hawkman and Hawkgirl to Earth.
Kendra Saunders: She is the New Earth Hawkgirl. She is the reincarnation of the Egyptian Princess, Shayera Hol.
Danny Evans: He is a supporting character of the New Earth Hawkgirl and Hawkman.
George Emmett: The original Commissioner of the Midway City Police Department in the comics
Mavis Trent: A supporting character from the original comics that had a huge crush on Hawkman/Carter Hall and a bit of a rivalry with Hawkgirl/Sarah Hall.
In the original Hawkgirl and Hawkman comics, the Absorbascon was the device that allowed Hawkman and Hawkgirl to learn Earth's languages and to communicate with the avian species. Byth did take a pill that granted him the ability to shapeshift, although the name forever slips my mind.
Thanks again :D you guys make this a fun project
Next Chapter: Shayera integrates to Earthly customs with the help of Kendra.