I do not own Young Justice or any of the characters.


Summit

Cassius stepped into the cavern and looked around before seeing Black Beetle enter through the Reach's side of the cavern. Cassius nodded and Black Beetle returned the nod.

"Black Beetle has arrived," Cassius reported. "We're bringing the sides in now."

Cassius stepped aside, allowing the Light to enter, along with Kaldur and Artemis. The only ones not present were Lex and Queen Bee. He could sense his goo on their torsos still, so his worry over that began to fade. No one present had enough firepower to punch through it, and if their cover was blown, he'd be able to save them. He'd warned them ahead of time that he'd be shooting them with goo bullets, which would feel like they got hit for real and help sell the reaction, but which would seamlessly fuse with the goo around their torsos to sell the illusion. He looked to the Reach side again as a couple dozen Reach soldiers walked in behind the Reach, filling the winding path down to the flat area in the middle where the two groups would be talking. Cassius was pretty sure it should say something about the two groups that the Light came with no reinforcements besides Kaldur, Tigress, and Ra's al Ghul's bodyguard Ubu, that the Reach knew about, and the Reach brought two dozen armed soldiers, plus Black Beetle.

"Ambassador," Savage greeted the Reach's leader.

"Savage," the Reach Ambassador smiled.

"As head of security for the Reach, I must insist no masks be worn at the summit," Black Beetle said, pointing to Black Manta.

"Simply because you insist is no guarantee," Black Manta countered.

"Manta, if you wouldn't mind," Ra's al Ghul said. "After all, we are among friends."

Manta growled in irritation and pulled his helmet off, Cassius and Artemis both unmasking themselves as well.

"Your turn, Beetle," Cassius said.

"I have no mask," Black Beetle said.

"Your armor covered your face, does it not?" Cassius asked.

Black Beetle narrowed his eyes before retracting the armor around his head, revealing his pale skin. Cassius wasn't really surprised to find Black Beetle was the same species as the Reach, but he was glad he could convince him into exposing himself to a headshot. That would make it easier to take out their biggest gun in one go, if given the chance. And he would feel no guilt for killing him, given how dangerous he was. The Justice League and the rest of the Team may not approve of killing no matter what, but he was willing to take an ass chewing, and possibly jail time, in exchange for getting rid of the biggest threats.

"Satisfied?" Ra's asked.

Black Beetle growled irritably and Cassius nodded mutely. Black Beetle stepped back, allowing the Ambassador to speak without talking around him.

"Excellent," the Ambassador said. "Then with these formalities out of the way..."

"Let us begin," Savage finished.

"And the rest of the Light?" the Ambassador asked. "Won't they be joining us?"

"Our more...public members are busy conducting damage control to mitigate your recent defeats," Ra's said, the Ambassador's smile dropping into a glare.

"And in any case, we are sufficient," Savage said.

"Fine," the Ambassador said. "I know you called this summit, but the Reach has come with grievances against the Light. Please explain how the young Earth champions were allowed access to Bialyan Scarab temple under your control."

"If I may respond," Kaldur spoke up.

"No you may not!" Black Beetle said flatly. "Manta, keep your whelp meat silent."

"Beetle, your insolence grows progressively less...charming," Manta warned.

"My friends," Savage said. "I think we can all agree that in recent days, no one has done more, sacrificed more, for both the Light and the Reach, than Kaldur'ahm. That is why he was entrusted with security for this summit, and why he's entitled to a voice here."

"Of course," the Ambassador said, raising a hand to keep Black Beetle from stepping forward. "He may speak."

"Thank you, Ambassador," Kaldur said, walking forward. "We acknowledge your concerns over the actions of my former team. But you must acknowledge that the Light could not have known the significance of the temple or that ancient Earth magic could overcome Reach Technology to free Blue Beetle and Green Beetle from your thrall. If the Reach had been ore forthcoming about how long ago their scarab had come to infiltrate the Earth with a Beetle warrior, the Light might have made the connection to the temple, and certainly would have provided better security for it."

"I told you I wanted to study how Blue Beetle's scarab had crashed prior to putting it back on Mode," the Reach's head scientist, the same female who had overseen Cassius's torture, said. "If you had followed my advice, we would have known about the temple and-" she stopped as the Ambassador turned to glare at her, making her bow to cover for herself. "Apologies. I spoke out of turn."

"No my dear," Manta said. "You were quite correct to call your master's tactics into question. The Light has provided everything the Reach required, and you aliens have let it all slip away."

"I don't believe this is a productive direction for our discussion," the Ambassador said.

"No?" Ra's asked. "Your public approval ratings are at the record low, as are sales of the Reach drink, which you had hoped would enslave the populace."

"You allowed the young heroes you kidnapped to be rescued by the very teenagers whose Meta-Genes you enhanced," Savage accused.

"After allowing their escape as well," Manta added.

"Worst of all," Kaldur continued, "Blue Beetle and Green Beetle have slipped from your grasp and fallen into the hands of the enemy, the Justice League."

"Rest assured," the Ambassador said, voice strained with his waning patience. "Both Beetles will soon return to the fold. In fact, Black Beetle has been summoned to Earth from his post, guarding access to the key chamber on the War World-"

"To kill Blue and Green," Black Beetle interrupted.

"So that their scarabs may be reset and installed upon new host bodies that will forever be slaves to the Reach," the scientist finished.

"So do not question us on that score, or any other!" the Ambassador snapped.

"So you can question the Light, and bring grievances against them, yet we are not afforded the same right?" Cassius asked. "And here I thought partnerships were supposed to be equal."

"You should remember, Deathstroke, the Earth is now the property of the Reach!" the Ambassador said. "And per our original agreement, the Light is merely our favored agents amongst the humans."

"Show the proper respect or suffer the consequences," Black Beetle threatened.

"No agreement exists that makes a slave of Black Manta," Manta said, walking forward.

"No agreement exists that guarantees the life of Black Manta," Black Beetle snarled, stepping forward to meet him, towering over Manta by several feet.

"Manta guarantees that himself!" Manta snapped, raising his shoulder-mounted rocket launcher, Black Beetle forming a plasma cannon on his chest in exchange.

Cassius drew his pistol, activating a laser sight on the underside, which Deathstroke kept there exclusively for warnings in situations where he wasn't supposed to kill right away, such as this. He held the laser between Black Beetle's eyes, and Beetle glared at him but both sides held fire.

"It seems we have a standoff," Ra's said.

"No, we don't," Black Beetle said, forming his armor over his head and jerking it to the side as he slammed the back of his fist into Manta's head, hurling him away.

Cassius squeezed off a single round and it clipped the outside corner of Black Beetle's right eye, shattering it, then the right side of his helmet as well, tearing a gash in the side of his head, but making him freeze in surprise as Cassius's laser once again locked itself between Black Beetle's eyes.

"Aren't armor piercing rounds just the best?" Cassius asked. "That was your one warning shot, Beetle. Stand down, or I see what color brains you aliens have."

Fury filled Black Beetle's face and he roared in rage, his chest's cannon firing at Cassius, who flipped over the blast, squeezing off three rounds, all three hitting one of the weak points Jaime's scarab had told him about. One ripped through Black Beetle's right armpit, another through the armor on the left side of his neck, and the last slamming squarely into the armor over his groin and shattering it, though it didn't penetrate. Before he could fire again, however, the Reach Soldiers all began to fire as well.

"Hold position!" Cassius ordered the Team.

"Non-lethal, Deathstroke," Savage said. "At least, for now."

Cassius holstered his pistol instantly and drew his staff, charging alongside Artemis, who had her ninjato in-hand. Black Beetle roared in rage, forming his arms into blades and moved to meet them, their weapons clashing with his several times before Cassius flipped over Black Beetle just as he fired, making it hit the ground. He landed on his feet and dropped into a crouch as Black Beetle turned, driving the blade of his staff into the cannon on his chest, breaking it and making electricity arc over Black Beetle's body before he grabbed the staff and spun, hurling him. At the same time, Artemis moved to use her sword to block a laser heading for Ra's al Ghule, being sent stumbling into him.

"Apologies, Great One," Artemis said.

"No need," Ra's said. "You have my...thanks."

"You're burned, Artemis," Cassius said as he was fending off Black Beetle's blades rapidly. "Be ready for the contingency, both of you."

"Right," Artemis said.

"Standing by," Kaldur said, currently waiting beside his father.

Cassius deflected an arm blade just as Black Beetle formed a sonic cannon from his chest. Cassius spun around him instantly, avoiding the blast before driving slashing Black Beetle across the back of both knees, dropping him onto them, then slammed the base of it into the side of his head, knocking him over sideways before leaping away and tossing a small explosive sphere into the sonic cannon. A second later, it exploded, hurling Black Beetle backward with a hole in his chest. Cassius hurled a small dart with a sedative on it after Black Beetle, but he managed to block it with his arm, then flipped and landed on his feet, his armor regenerating again.

As he did, Artemis fired two arrows from her self-reloading, rapid-fire, crossbow into the ground below a group of Reach troops, polyurethane foam trapping them instantly. Then, Black Beetle flew at Cassius with his wings extended and his a jetpack on his back. Cassius charged, then flipped into the air over Black Beetle as he slashed, slashing him down the back with his staff's blade, causing the jetpack to go out instantly, only for Black Beetle to flip, placing his hands on the ground then flip his feet to the ground and jump forward throwing a punch at Cassius. Cassius spun around it, then flipped away from a blade as Black Beetle formed his left arm into it and slashed at him in one movement. He managed to avoid it and Manta charged, only or Kaldur to step between them just as Black Beetle formed another sonic cannon.

"Enough!" Kaldur said, holding both back and making them pause. "We are allies, not enemies! Any conflict between us only benefits our true opponents, the Justice League and their sidekicks!"

"Kaldur'ahm is quite correct," Savage said.

"Agreed," the Ambassador said. "We must not allow petty disagreements to drive a wedge between us. Gratitude, Kaldur'ahm." He clasped his hands and bowed to Kaldur for a moment, then turned to Black Beetle. "Stand down, warrior."

"Ambassador-"

"Stand down!" the Ambassador snapped.

Black Beetle snarled in rage and turned, walking back to his place, using the sonic cannon to free the trapped Reach soldiers from the foam. Kaldur looked to Manta and he nodded, retracting his shoulder's rocket launcher. Cassius retracted his staff's blade and put it away, then swapped his pistol's magazine for a fresh one, refilling the one he removed without anyone noticing.

"Should we not be concerned that Superman, Batman, the Lanterns, and the rest will soon return to Earth and once again sway public opinion to their side?" Kaldur asked.

"Superman and those accused with him will never leave Rimbor," Savage said. "The attack we forced them to make on that world, plus a few well-placed bribes, has guaranteed their convictions."

"And the green Lanterns are forbidden by Guardian treaty from returning to Earth now that we've convinced UN Secretary Tseng to welcome us here," the Ambassador said. "As for public opinion, I wouldn't be concerned. Though the tide has turned to a certain degree, it will be a simple matter to build on the foundation of half-truths we have already used to discredit the League in order to...discredit them...again." He trailed off as Ra's al Ghul walked over to Artemis, Cassius gripping his pistol instantly and everyone turning to see what was happening.

"Great One?" Artemis asked, only to gasp as he grabbed her charm and ripped it off, breaking the spell disguising her.

"Artemis," Savage growled.

"I...don't understand," the Ambassador said. "I thought Artemis was dead!"

"So did we all," Savage growled. "But it seems Tigress is Artemis."

"This is a Glamour Charm created, I'd wager, by Zatanna, or Doctor Fate, to hide Artemis's true identity," Ra's said.

"But...Kaldur'ahm killed Artemis," the Ambassador said. "If she lives, and in disguise as his lieutenant, then that means..."

"That means Aqualad duped them all," Black Beetle said. "Including his own father."

"Team, hold position," Cassius said.

"Kill them both," the Ambassador sighed, Black Beetle forming a pair of blades.

"No!" Manta snapped, moving to defend Kaldur. "You will not kill my son!"

"He's right," Cassius said, drawing his pistol and shooting both of them, his goo bullets knocking both to the ground and fusing with the goo defending them, forming them both convincing bullet wounds and slowly-expanding bloodstains. "The Light takes care of its own." He holstered his pistol.

"Kaldur!" Manta said, cradling Kaldur, who was pretending to die slowly, where as Artemis was pretending to be dead before she hit the ground.

"It's too late, father," Kaldur said. "I have already...won."

He let his head fall to the side and let his hand fall, a small device in his palm flashing several times before a prerecorded holographic message of Kaldur began to play.

"If you are watching this, then your summit is truly over," the recorded Kaldur said. "The Light and the Reach deserve each other. Both sides played at being partners, but the Reach believes the Light to be their naïve tools of conquest when, in fact, the Light has manipulated the Reach from day one."

"Shut this off!" Savage snarled.

"How?" Cassius asked.

Beside the holographic Kaldur, a screen formed, displaying the images of the six Leaguers currently standing trial.

"It was the Light that brought Earth to the Reach's attention by sending the Justice League to Rimbor," Kaldur said. "The Light set their trap, and the Reach snapped at the bait, fulfilling the Light's desire to thrust our world into the galactic spotlight." As he spoke, the images cycled between an image of Lobo holding the Krolotean that had tried to impersonate Tseng, then the War World hovering in the sky over Earth. "Part of their perverse survival of the fittest scheme for the planet, which they believe will transform the Earth and the Light into the eventual rulers of the Milky Way. Though the Light made a deal to help the reach take the Earth, they have also sabotaged the Reach's efforts. They kept the enhanced Meta-Teens out of the Reach's hands. They added a neutralizing agent to the Reach's drink so the Earth's population would not become servile. They turned public opinion against the Reach. And they intentionally allowed the Team access to the scarab temple to cleanse Blue and Green Beetle. So you see, any agenda either side imagined they shared was not but a carefully crafted illusion. I trust I have shattered that illusion, as well as whatever remains of this sorry alliance. Good night."

Then, the hologram faded.

"Kaldur," Manta breathed. "Kaldur what have you done?"

"He has, in death, done more to damage my plans than any living creature has wrought in fifty thousand years," Savage growled. "I'd be impressed, if I wasn't so-"

He was cut off by the Ambassador's shriek of rage.

"You earthlings are a pestilence and a plague!" the Ambassador seethed. "You dare sabotage us!? Dare betray us!? Have you forgotten who controls the War World? The Light is fortunate we do not carve up your planet as we speak!"

"That would indeed impress, as I have the War World's crystal key," Savage said, stepping forward to tower over the Ambassador.

"That is all I needed to know," Kaldur said, standing.

"Kaldur," Manta said. "You're..."

"Alive, yes," Kaldur said.

"If you would?" Artemis asked, holding out a hand to Ra's al Ghul to ask for help standing, only for Cassius to step up beside her and pull her to her feet. "And I always heard the Great One was such a gentleman."

"Impossible!" Savage snarled. "Deathstroke!?"

"You would think that between the Light and the Reach, one of your groups would recognize your greatest creation," Cassius said as he transformed himself back to himself in his armor, complete with the mask, though he kept the pistol. He finished just as the broadsword began to hover at Savage's throat, courtesy of Megan, who was standing in the Light's entryway now. "Welcome to the party, Megan. Kaldur, Artemis, I'll be taking this back, now."

He held his arm out and the goo covering both of them reached over, encasing his arm and sinking into him, Cassius already focusing goo to his muscles.

"Copycat," Savage snarled.

"Not anymore," Cassius said. "You all saw to that. I go by Void now, thanks to David Cain, rest his soul, and Lady Shiva."

"You see, we value our true friends," Kaldur said. "And unlike you, we are not short on them."

"Come on in, boys and girls," Cassius said.

Instantly, Connor, Mal, and Bumblebee entered behind the Reach, and Dick, Barbara, and Wally joined Megan.

"Hey there Vandy," Wally greeted Savage, then adopted the same voice he talked to dogs and babies with. "You miss me?"

"Well played," Savage said. "Well planned."

"Thank you very much," Cassius said. "I think I did pretty well for coming up with a plan all on my own for the first time since I stopped being an assassin."

Savage glared at him. "You, of all people, should know, the Light always has contingencies."

"Oh, I do," Cassius smirked, just as the Brain, a brain preserved and kept alive in a wheeled, cylindrical, mechanical body, sealed both tunnels.

Then, he opened the roof of the cave, revealing a volcanic shaft, from the top of which Shadows grunts began to drop, bearing all manor of melee weapons, including Apokolyptan tech. The Shadows landed around the three groups of Team members, and Cassius yawned, covering his mouth with the hand not holding his pistol.

"Really now, Great Ego," Cassius smirked, looking to Ra's. "You need to update your playbook. Or just throw it out. You think I didn't plan for you to drop reinforcements from above?"

"I've had my fill of your interference," Savage growled. "Do not expect to survive. Kill them all. Superboy may present a problem, but we'll deal with him when the other children are bleeding on the ground."

"Still you refer to us as children," Kaldur said. "No wonder our successes mount. You constantly underestimate us."

"Show time!" Cassius shouted, grinning widely.

A Shadow behind the three of them pulled his mask off, revealing himself as Blue Beetle, just as his wings formed and he shot into the air, firing a pair of sonic cannons into the Reach soldiers. The other Shadows moved to attack, only for one to knock one out, then expand into La'gaan, who went after Ubu instantly, another Shadow beside him growing into a dark green gorilla and leaping at Monsieur Mala. Cassius sent out strands of goo instantly, yanking pins on smoke grenades all around the room as Wally sped around doing the same thig. Within seconds, smoke filled the room and the Batman Inc members currently present went to work slaughtering the Shadows that tried to fight them while Connor, Mal, and Bumblebee went to work on the Reach soldiers. A moment later, the others they'd snuck in with the Shadows began to turn on the actual Shadows. Wonder Girl used her lasso, Tim used his bo staff, Cassandra and Rose both used their blunt swords, and Impulse used his speed.

Cassius shot forward as soon as they were all doing their part, and slammed a punch into Savage's jaw, rocking him back a step before following it up with several more punches, then jumped and spun, slamming a kick into his chest, hurling him away. As soon as he landed, Ra's al Ghul reached him, slamming a blistering series of strikes into him before leaping backward as Rose and Cassandra slashed at him. Cassius smirked at him instantly.

"It is true," Savage said. "The Light has always underestimated this group of heroes, but no more. It is time!"

A gold ring with a large red stone on his right middle finger began to shine before Klarion shot out of it as a glowing red specter. He blasted the sword Megan was still holding to Savage's throat and it transformed into a massive flaming serpent, which began to expand rapidly as it charged at Cassius.

"Play nice!" Klarion laughed.

Megan yanked Cassius away from the snake and Rose tackled Cassandra out of the way, Ra's dodging it as well. When Cassius landed, he thanked Megan for saving him, then glanced at the girls to make sure they were okay, seeing they were unharmed, but were struggling against Ra's now. Cassius looked back to the snake in time to grab Megan and form a set of wings, taking off just ahead of a bite, then flying as fast as he could to escape it.

"I'll draw it off!" Megan said. "Slow down Black Beetle!"

Cassius nodded and released Megan, who used telekinesis to splash the snake while Cassius headed for the second biggest threat in the room. He could see Artemis going to fight Ra's with Cassandra and Rose, so they'd be fine for now. He looked to Savage and Klarion just as Klarion teleported them pair away.

"Cowardly meat!" Black Beetle shouted, just before Cassius's fist exploded into the side of his head, sending him crashing across the cavern.

"Savage has the right idea!" Ra's said, kicking Rose into Artemis, only for Cassandra to catch his leg and spin, hurling him into a boulder. "I knew I saw potential in you. This battle is pointless! Do not resist! The heroes have no jurisdiction here!"

"Meaning every piece of meat on the Light is a coward!" Black Beetle translated, forcing Cassius to retreat in order to avoid a sonic cannon. Then, Black Beetle launched himself across the room, forming a blade and driving it through Ra's al Ghul's chest from behind.

"Master!" Ubu shouted, hurling La'gaan away and sprinting to him.

"Such is a fate of all meat," Black Beetle said.

Cassius slammed a kick into Black Beetle, hurling him just as Ubu caught Ra's al Ghul. Black Beetle bounced one before Cassius's arm snapped up, his pistol firing over and over. Bits of the enemy Beetle's armor shattered with every shot, but before Cassius could focus enough to score a real hit, Cassandra and Rose's grappling hooks drove themselves through Cassius's gut from behind, yanking him backward out of the flaming snake's path. As he reached them, he flipped backward, forcing the hooks out of himself before landing behind both and grabbing them, launching them all away as the snake tried to swallow him again, missing. He saw Megan lying on its back and wanted to help, but there was literally nothing he could do to fight it. Before he could worry about it, La'gaan leapt down its throat, then expanded, obliterating its head and making it begin to fade. He caught Megan and shielded her from the landing, then also from the snake's heat as it faded.

Cassius sighed in relief, setting the girls down, then turning to Black Beetle, who formed a blade on one arm and a sonic cannon on the other, his armor already repaired.

"Together," Cassandra said.

"To the end," Rose agreed.

"Always," Cassius said, forming himself a pair of goo wakizashi, absorbing his pistol, as the girls switched to their liquid metal swords.

Then, the three of them charged, Cassius sending a goo spike out of his chest to shatter the sonic cannon before it could fire. Black Beetle formed a second blade instead, and a moment later, the three of them began to clash with him rapidly, their five total blades clashing with his two in a near-constant shower of sparks and blood. Cassius knocked one of his blades aside, his other tearing down across Black Beetle's chest as Cassandra slashed the front of his abdomen and one of Rose's swords slashed his right thigh, the other blocking his other blade. Black Beetle shouted in agony, staggering away before Cassius lunged, driving a wakizashi into the sonic cannon Black Beetle formed from his chest, causing it to explode, incinerating Cassius's sword, but hurling Beetle away with a stab wound through his chest.

Black Beetle crashed down beside where the Reach scientist and Ambassador were pinned to a pair of stalagmites by blue staples. However, in a brief sentence, he told the Ambassador that he no longer recognized his authority, then freed the scientist and took off with her, firing a plasma blast at Blue Beetle and Megan when they tried to chase him, giving him the chance to escape. Cassius sighed. That took care of all of the biggest guns. He looked around the room, only to stop, realizing that the fight was over. Black Beetle had been the last opponent standing. He sighed heavily and dropped onto his ass, Rose and Cassandra almost instantly throwing their arms around him. He laughed happily, holding them tightly for a long while as Artemis, Wally, and Nightwing went to congratulate Kaldur on his successful infiltration and sabotage of the Reach and the Light. He'd congratulate him and welcome him back later. For now, he wanted to stay right where he was.

"Sorry," Cassandra said, pulling back, Cassius and Rose both looking over at her, seeing a gash in her right side, about level with her ribs. "Stitch."

Cassius smiled, nodding. "It's alright. I'll take care of it when we get home. Does it hurt bad?"

Cassandra shook her head so Cassius spread goo over it to stop the bleeding, then pushed himself up, pulling both girls into a hug again. After a moment, they walked over to the others and Nightwing and Aqualad congratulated him on his plan's successful execution. Cassius thanked them and began to restrain everyone. Then, he and a handful of others were off to deliver them to Belle Reve.


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