The moment the League returned to the watchtower, Batman had sent a mental communication to J'onn that they needed to talk privately. His tone brokered no excuse, not that he needed to force the Martian to do anything.

The moment he had caught sight of Green Lantern literally drilling Girder in the face, he knew something was dreadfully wrong. That construct, the placement, it all was wrong. Rage had filled him, powering him to stop what was happening before his eyes.

There was no telling how much damage Girder had suffered, the only saving grace being he was composed of metal. Hopefully there weren't any long lasting effects from the drilling. For now, he was being taken to the Watchtower's infirmary to care for any wounds he had sustained, and then he would be placed in one of the holding cells. Once he came to, an interrogation was going to happen and the vigilante was going to make certain he was there for it.

In the meantime, the Dark Knight found himself in the first open room he could find, J'onn joining him shortly after. Once the door was shut, the dark-clad man began, "What the hell was going on back there?"

J'onn didn't bother trying to confirm what the vigilante meant. He had been there and seen the Lantern's actions. "It was rather extreme," he agreed. "I will personally examine Girder to determine what after-effects resulted from it."

Batman began to pace in the room, the Martian watching him walk back and forth. "I understand things happening in the heat of the moment, but I've never seen Lantern use that sort of construct on an actual person. Was the fighting that intense to justify an attack like that?"

J'onn considered the question. "I cannot say that it was," he admitted after awhile. "There were three combatants there and based off of the damage present, I cannot say that we were being overwhelmed. Captain Atom handled himself admirably while holding off Killer Frost. The one I encountered offered minimal resistance as well."

"And Diana took care of this walking shark man we encountered guarding Superman and Hawkgirl." Batman thought on this. "The resistance wasn't all that great, was it?"

J'onn's brow furrowed. "No, it was not," he agreed, though his tone expressed his concern on this.

"So why did Lantern use a drill on Girder? If the fight was—for lack of a better word—lackluster, such an action was unnecessary." Never mind that there was never a necessary time to drill a man's face. While Batman could see it happening out of pure desperation, the result of a man fighting for their very survival, such a scenario had not happened.

"Lantern is close to Hawkgirl," J'onn pointed out. "In fact, I have sensed his concern for her since her capture. His emotions could have gotten the better of him."

That was an interesting point, but Lantern rarely had emotional outbursts on the battlefield. He was always in control, his will indomitable. His background in the military would have put him through the rigors of intense situations, specifically war. One could not be ruled by emotion with gunfire overhead and mortars blowing up all around you. It was an excellent way to get yourself killed.

All of them had been in danger at one point. All of them had been held captive, waiting for one of the others to come save them, if not figuring out a way to free themselves. John Stewert understood this better than most. He also would know just how capable Hawkgirl was, not to mention her rather wide independent streak. If she knew Stewert was fretting about her like a mother hen, she would knock him upside the head with her mace.

The image of Lantern drilling into Girder's face flashed before his eyes once again. That wasn't the action of a man in control of himself. Or was it? He had met a version of Green Lantern that would have done that action, but he no longer existed.

Shouldn't exist.

Batman clenched his fists tightly, stopping his pacing. "Do you think Lantern's emotions could have gotten the better of him? That this was an 'in the heat of the moment' situation that got out of hand for him because of his concern for a colleague?"

J'onn considered the question. "While that is...preferable, I cannot help but doubt that was the situation."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"What are you thinking?"

Batman turned to fully face the Martian. "That this is the first step to the future."

J'onn stared at him for several seconds before he shook his head. "I don't think we have enough conclusive evidence to indicate as much. It would be premature to make any such assumption at this time."

"But it is a possibility," he pressed.

"It could very well be, but my interaction with that timeline is limited. I have no basis other than what you have confided in me."

So J'onn needed more proof. So did he, if he had to be honest. The future was not what he wanted to happen; he had strived so hard to prevent it from happening. To see an action right from that timeline was sobering, concerning.

Terrifying.

At the very least, they needed to eliminate it as a possibility. It was just as important figuring out a mystery as it was to determine what it wasn't. If they could remove the possibility that Lantern's actions were not a precursor to the dark path that created the Regime, it would be a weight lifted from their shoulders.

The comm links suddenly activated, cutting off their conversation. "Hey, everyone," came Green Arrow's voice. "I'm in the Control Room, Monitor Room place and one of the computers is beeping. It's saying there's a ship approaching."

Batman and J'onn shared a look. Just what they needed, another complication

The docking bay where the Javelins were kept was the only place on the Watchtower where this could take place. A spacecraft had hailed the satellite, requesting to board.

It was the first time that such a thing had occurred. Most spacecraft heading for Earth used it as a means to hide illegal intergalactic activity, or ignored it altogether. That one wanted contact had not been anticipated.

It was a tight fit. The craft itself nearly filled the entrance to the bay, mere inches between the ship, and the ceiling and floor. It possessed length that no Javelin had, which meant they had to be moved to the side as best as possible. Only then could this spacecraft dock.

Once the bay doors were closed, the League swarmed in. There was plenty of anxiety from the majority of those newly-recruited. J'onn kept himself centered so as not to have any of it interfere with his own. His recent conversation with Batman weighed heavily on his mind, but it had to be pushed aside for this new development.

For many, this wasn't their first close encounter with a foreign extraterrestrial. Many had been inspired to take up the fight for Earth due to Despero and his Kalanorian fleet. Brainiac's invasion had been a sobering reminder that not all invaders sought conquest. This time was wholly unique in its circumstances, and this included himself.

A hatch opened alongside the space-faring vessel, air hissing as decompression disengaged. The hatch door slid to a side and allowed the ship's occupant to step out. A large figure that appeared to be male to the Martian stood in the hatch doorway, surveying the area, including the assembled League.

One footstep was all it took for the alien to step out, but it was several feet in the air with no solid surface except several feet below. The alien descended rather than fell, indicating that this species may be capable of flight. There was barely a whisper as booted feet touched down, but the heavy footsteps that sounded like stomping more than stepping rang throughout the docking bay.

More than one League member flinched, some taking a step back while others took one forward. The alien continued his approach regardless, more than more of his features becoming clearer the closer he came. He was indeed male, the Martian picking up on the various physical details, small and unusually dismissed. The facial hair was most prominent, a mighty beard flowing down in front of a massive chest, the end divided into four tails and held in such a manner with metallic cuffs.

The body frame was large as it was wide, and soon enough, J'onn found himself craning his neck back in order to keep his eyes on the alien's head. He was not the only one as this alien was easily not only the tallest, but the widest individual here. Each movement, every swing of the arm, and every step taken indicated impressive strength and control.

Once close enough, he could see the jagged scar that disfigured the alien's right eye, the eye in question discolored. A wound had been suffered there, years or perhaps decades ago. He was an individual who had been in a fight, or maybe something bigger, like a war.

He was orange skinned, and that which wasn't covered in a black, sleeveless body suit was ordained with arm cuffs, wrist braces, and a thick belt decorated with a large, dark-green gem. Enormous muscle moved under the skin, and massive hands were balled into fists, ready to be used in an instant if necessary.

Watching them, the alien stood up taller, posture straightening, and held an arm up and out, a fist held level with his shoulder. If J'onn wasn't mistaken, it appeared that the alien was giving a salute of sorts. A deep and rough voice spoke, but the words meant nothing to the Martian, nor to anyone else if the expressions of confusion were anything to go by.

There was a language barrier. Unexpected, and seeing as how the alien paused in his speech, he realized it too. This would make this strange situation all the more harder to resolve. Still, there were other options. J'onn could try reading the alien's mind; language tended to not be a barrier when one understood the language of the mind itself. However, it would require his full concentration and he would have to act as a translator of sorts. It was also quite the invasion of privacy.

This being had yet to prove himself a threat, and as a result, J'onn was more reluctant to use his telepathy to address the issue.

"Um, okay?" Flash was the first to speak up. "Did anybody understand that?" The speedster was giving everyone around him a questioning expression, though the answer was obvious, unfortunately. When no one dared to confirm it, Flash looked up to their new arrival and took a few uncertain steps forward.

The alien trained his attention onto the Scarlet Speedster who drew nearer and nearer until he came to a complete stop feet away. Each step taken was filled with hesitation, yet it was the only movement the League had made so far.

Holding up a hand, little and ring fingers pressed together while the middle and index fingers did the same, ring and middle rings pulling apart so it appeared there was a V shaped with the speedster's hand. "Uh, hey there, we come in peace?"

Had he an eyebrow, the Martian would have raised it. Glancing at Batman, he knew his look was being returned with the smallest of turns of that cowled head.

With a speed that that large body should not have been capable of, the alien abruptly grabbed Flash and picked the speedster up, lifting him into the air. The responses were automatic. Anyone with a power that allowed them to fight long distance was summoning them. Captain Atom's hands were alight with energy. Ice shimmered with a sudden drop in temperature. Green Arrow was notching an arrow. Black Lightning crackled with electricity. Green Lantern was already creating a construct. Fire—no, do not look at her.

Others were readying for a fight. Beside him, Batman was withdrawing several of his batarangs. Wonder Woman had her lasso ready. Various others were raising their fists, and Vixen looked more feral than previous.

"Flash!" Wonder Woman called out, ready to leap headfirst into battle. Heighten tensions were ready boil over in an instant and an unknown entity had merely served as proof as being hostile as he pulled Flash close and—

—kissed Flash?

It was enough to reign in their potential aggression. From uncertainty to bizarre, that was how this situation had dissolved. J'onn had found himself blinking away his Martian vision, dumbfounded by this new development.

As quickly as it had started, the alien ended the kiss and set Flash down before repeating the salute he had given earlier. This time, though…

"My sorries. I had not gained the normal language that this planet uses ahead of time. Too late did I learn of my oversight. I mean no harm to any of yours." The voice was still deep and boomed somewhat, but the English that was used was perfectly understandable.

Wonder Woman was the first to recover her wits. "What you just did. What did you do?"

The bearded alien nodded his head. "It is an ability of my species to gain a new language through lip-to-lip contact. It is most useful when meeting others of a new race."

An alien species that could obtain a new language through the act of kissing? That was new and fascinating.

Nearby, Flash was rubbing at his mouth, and the Martian thought he heard the speedster say to himself, "I always wanted to kiss an alien, but not like this. Not like this!"

League members were lowering their guard, or at least to the point that their powers were put to rest. Captain Atom was no longer alight, nor did Black Lighting crackle, and there were certainly no...flames around. Still, there was caution about, though he did notice how Green Lantern still held his ring at the ready.

Since she now stood before the rest of them, Wonder Woman took charge of the situation. "What is your reason for coming here? Who are you? What is your purpose?"

"I am Galfore," the alien introduced himself. "I am here as an ambassador from my home planet, Tamaran. I come to speak with Princess Koriand'r who I have learned lives on this planet. I have much to speak with her and would request permission to set foot on the planet first."

Interesting. Also a first. Most life beyond this planet did not try to ask for permission. Wonder Woman was lowering her lasso, though she did look in his direction as if to seek counsel. Maybe it was the man beside him who she sought aid from.

Back to this Galfore, the Amazon answered, "This may take time. I am unfamiliar with this name, but we will endeavor to seek out this princess of whom you seek."

Even from beneath his facial hair, one could tell Galfore was smiling. "I have already found her location on a western coast of one of your continents. I do not know the name of the continent, but I know the name of the settlement is named 'Jump City.' It was the name given to me by the princess herself."

He had already been in communication with his princess? That was alarming, but not enough to cause an incident. Inquiries would need to be made first. "How is it you were able to contact your princess?" he asked aloud, drawing Galfore's attention towards himself. On the peripheral of his mind, he could sense approval from Batman to ask the question the man himself had planned on asking.

"Tamaran has invented the technology to locate any Tamaranean by their…" The large alien's face frowned, an expression that indicated he was concentrating, perhaps by identifying the word he wanted to use. He had noted such an expression on many humans before and that one from another planet could use the same expression was fascinating to note. "...bio...measurements. My sorries, but I am lacking the specific word for translation. I did a scan of the planet to locate my princess first and engaged in contact. I was recommended to arrive here first."

Many facts began to click in place. Recently, the League had established the T.I.T.A.N. Initiative, and it happened to be located in Jump City, located on the western coast of North American. As the Martian recalled, there was an individual involved in the program who described herself as a Tamaranean. However, she seemed to have neglected to mention her status on her home world.

"If you knew of where she is and had contacted her, why did you agree to approach us first? Why not go directly to her?"

This was perhaps the most important question of all and would explain why events were happening as they were.

Galfore leaned forward, as if he was about to share a secret. "One does not simply set foot on a planet in which a force powerful enough to defeat Despero of the Kalanorian Empire and not anger it. Caution is the right thing. If you happen to know where this force is, I would hope you would calm it down so it does not attack me."

It was one thing to be told that you were an intergalactic boogeyman from a colleague, but to hear it from one who lived with such tales was humbling. J'onn gave no sign of anything, keeping himself stoic. Still, he would not deny the trace of embarrassment he felt.

Given what the circumstances had been at the time, he would have done what he had done without hesitation.

"Arrangement will be made," was all he said in reply.

"Much thanks." The Tamaranean's eyes were twinkling in gratitude and good humor. "I would hate to think the effort it took to come this far would end in a bad finish. You would not believe the obstacles that had to be beaten to come this far."

"Traveling through space?" Wonder Woman asked.

Galfore shook his head. "Gaining approval from the Green Lantern Corp. They are very touch sensitive about those living in the Vega System."

More than one head turned to Green Lantern. There seemed to be a lot more happening among the stars than any here comprehended. Lantern, for his part, appeared to be communicating with his ring. J'onn recognized the posture and the distant nature of his eyes.

Eventually, "The Corps have been blockading the Vega System for quite a while. The Citadel has been gobbling up planets there one after another and it's only a matter of time until they leave it."

J'onn was beginning to realize how little he knew about what happened outside of Earth. Then again, the only world that was his concern beyond this planet was for all intents and purposes dead. It was in the past, and there was no returning to it, so his energies were better focused on his adopted home world.

"If you have no quarrel and do not intend to bring any trouble with you here, you are welcomed to pass and speak with your princess.," Wonder Woman said. "If we hear word that you possess ill intent, we will speak again."

A nod answered here. "Your warning has been heard. If you have more you need from me, let us finish it once my contact with my princess has finished. You will know where to find me, in this Jump City, yes?"

Wonder Woman gave a sharp nod of affirmation.

So far, this had been a change in pace, and one the Martian found preferable. With the situation with the Legion of Doom escalating, a conflict from another front would have been far from convenient. Still, it seemed there were matters beyond this planet that may be playing a part in future events. Would this ambassador's trip be a quick one, or would it be prolonged? Contact with the Jump City initiative would be needed as well as continued observation.

Nonetheless, they would part with this extraterrestrial visitor on a positive note. That was one development he would accept and happily.

The matters with the Tamaranean were finishing up. John had taken his leave because there were other matters that needed to be handled.

Important ones.

It was a surprise, though. For the most part, Corp business tended to stay off-world. Intergalactic politics was not something the League had to deal with often. To have to consult with his ring while in the middle of the negotiation had been necessary, but he had only sought out what was needed to streamline what was essentially an information dump.

Galfore would need to be watched. Too many invaders had come to Earth to trust any to have altruistic goals.

He would table those thoughts for the time being. Shayera was what took his attention now. He was back at her side and given a chance to gaze at her once more. Her mask was removed and her beautiful features were there to take it all in. How much that helm of hers hid, it was incredible.

Perhaps the business with Galfore had lasted longer than he had thought. Only after several minutes, he picked up the small signs of activity within the Thanagarian's body, signs that indicated that she was about to wake up. He was at her side, grasping her hand and waiting painfully for...yes, her eyes were opening.

Green eyes of a shade he still could not find a name for cracked open. It was a slight movement, one that could be missed if you did not pay attention, but it was normal for her. She was taking in her surroundings without making it noticeable that she was. She needed to know she was safe, and once her eyes shut and a groan escaped her, he knew she was relaxing.

"Hey," he greeted softly, kneeling next to her bedside.

"My head," Shayera groaned, arching her lower back slightly. "John…?"

He would need to see if she had been struck there. If so, someone would be answering for it, but not right now. "It's okay," the Lantern told her, tightening his grip on her hand.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. She nearly bolted up right, but he was ready for her, already slipping an arm behind her back to steady her. "What happened? Where am I?"

"It's a long story," he told her. "A lot has happened. Give it a minute and I'll tell you everything I know."

Cautious green eyes glanced at him, then gave a nod. John took the time to check her over, make sure nothing was out of place, or hurting her. The headache was perhaps the worst, but nothing some Advil couldn't handle.

After several minutes, he then gave her the rundown. Everything he had been told, from Batman, time travel, and what the status of events were at this time. She needed to know so that they could both begin to act. Between the two of them, her mind was the sharper one, her wit coming at a close second.

"We failed," was how she summed everything up. "Never again, right? And still…"

"We have a second chance," he told her.

A glance, questioning. "We're in the past."

"And we can make a stronger future." It was a promise and one he fully intended to keep. "We can make a future where there is no Insurgency or Bat Underground. We can fix every mistake now. Our present day selves will understand."

"But they don't have our experiences, John. They might become threats," Shayera cut in, pinching the bridge of her nose. "And we can't take them down since that would have an effect on us."

"Which is why we will have to work with the Legion of Doom until they're no longer necessary. By then everything will be in place that we can incorporate them in, the smart ones at least." That there needed to be this Legion now was not something John liked and voicing his frustrations with the League was helping to control his revulsion at even needing those criminals.

Killer Frost and Volcana, though, they were allies embedded in the ranks of evil. The sacrifices they had made thus far would be respected and rewarded.

Taking in a deep breath, and then another, Shayera calmed herself. "We're going to need help. It will take more than the two of us to make things right again."

"There are some familiar faces. The League recently made a recruitment drive. There are some new faces, of course, but I saw how they responded to me earlier. We may not have access to everyone like we did before, but we have people now who can take their places." That debrief with the rest of the League had told him a lot of who they were working with. Already he was cataloging who they needed to bring on board.

"Faces…" the red-haired Thanagarian murmured. "What about Cyborg? His skills with tech and communications are too valuable to ignore."

They had been working together too long. Not that that was a bad thing. After returning to the League, he had been quick to access the Watchtower's database and look up everyone he knew to be allies and find where their current locations were.

"Cyborg right now is involved with something called the T.I.T.A.N. Initiative. Something new. Might try to see about contacting him later."

"He'll be younger, though," Shayera pointed out. "And what is this T.I.T.A.N. Initiative? Why don't I remember that?"

"Remember, Batman has been changing the timeline. A lot of things will be different," he reminded her. "And this initiative is bringing together the next generation of League members. All of them are young, teenagers." John paused as a detail bugged him. Dismissing it, "Getting some of them onboard might not be a bad idea either."

With a hand pressed to her head, the Thanagarian shook her head, eyes closed. "I...I need to know more about what's going on. There's too much. But…"

John waited, knowing she needed the time to put into words what was going on through her mind.

With one last shake, she made eye contact with him, her eyes searing into him. "...we need to be careful. We can't underestimate Batman. Not again. We need to work without letting him know what we're up to."

"Right." That was all the dark-skinned man could do. She was right, and even though he wanted nothing more than to beat that traitor down and put him down permanently, now was not the time.

"We need to feel out the others. See if we can't get them on board."

Another nod of his head. "I don't think it will be too much trouble with Superman. If the Legion did its job right, we'll have him on our side. Wonder Woman shouldn't take too much effort. At least this time we'll have Wally."

"Wally," Shayera repeated, and he could hear the fondness in her voice. It had been too long since either of them had really seen the speedster and to have heard him again had been overwhelming for John. If there was something positive about this experience, they had their old friend alive. They had Flash, Wally, here and well. "I've missed him."

"Not for much longer," he told her.

"No," she agreed. "Not for much longer."

Steve was no investigator, so all the damage and destruction meant little to him. Well, not completely. He could recognize Diana's work anywhere.

Tonight, it was just a rundown townhouse. Before it had been a museum, and before that several banks and at least one shopping mall. Someone was giving the League some trouble, and thanks to the fight at the museum, they had a name.

The Legion of Doom was proving to be a headache in a number of ways. The most obvious one was the mess each fight left behind. It was up to A.R.G.U.S. to clean up each one. Waller was another headache and by that he meant she was drooling at the chance to get some new recruits for her private task force.

A bunch of super-criminals and lunatics finally got it in their heads to join forces. It was way overdue and Steve didn't like it. The timing of it, at the same time the League was growing, it felt too close together. However, there was little he could do but try and coordinate efforts.

For the time being, it was cleaning this place up. The original owner didn't care for this place, not until it became ground zero for a fight with the Justice League, and now he wanted compensation. How long did you have to let a place go for it to get into this condition? It felt like being in a condemned building right before someone triggered the explosives.

At least most of it was concrete and not wood. The stairs were half-rotted through though, so each step was like trusting in God not to have a single plank break on you. There wasn't much on the second story, unless you counted a broken window and some chains. Not a lot of chain, to be honest, yet there were two chairs. Was there enough to tie two people down? Back-to-back, maybe, but it still felt like there wasn't enough.

Steve shook his head. What was he thinking? He wasn't the guy who investigated. Before, he was all about the firefight and espionage, and when not doing those, helping guide a very lovely woman into a brand new world. Nowadays he was more cleaning up after her, but still.

What was so important here that it required any kind of fight from the League? Was it Legion related? Had to be, but why hide out here? Sure, middle of nowhere, but this place just didn't seem to scream hidden lair.

Maybe he was just overthinking again.

Everything that wasn't identified as damage was being processed as evidence. Whenever the bad guy of the week eventually got captured, you were going to need to charge them with something and then have the evidence on hand to convict. Yeah, it wasn't just cleaning up the scene of the crime, but making sure the entire clean-up was complete, meaning someone paid for it.

Pictures were important. Where the League obviously crashed in could point to where the worst fighting was. Since the original owner of this place hadn't taken the time to really take care of it, there wasn't too much to pack up, meaning that anything new left here had been brought here recently. So the chairs on the second floor counted. They didn't look old and decrepit like the rest of this place.

A truck was being loaded up outside, two actually. One for debris and the other for the evidence. A.R.G.U.S. would have its forensics work on seeing if there were other clue left behind. Again, not Steve's area at all, so he would leave that to someone else to figure out.

Exiting the building, he took a look around...well the area. A lake, and nothing else really that would indicate why it was picked out. For all anyone knew, it was a random location picked randomly that held no value to it at all.

So why pick it? What was the plan? The bad guys always had a plan.

Nearby, an A.R.G.U.S. agent passed by, two cans of paint in hand and a mass of chains looped up around his shoulder. Steve would have noted it and forgotten about it, but then he stopped and wondered about it.

What was paint doing here in a forgotten place like this?

"Hey," he called out to the agent, getting the man's attention. "Where'd you find that?"

The agent shrugged, causing some loops of chain to slip off his shoulder. "Upstairs. Was just sitting around. Didn't look like it belonged, you know. Picked it up just in case."

Steve nodded, but didn't press further. Really strange there would be cans of paint left here. Judging by the shininess of the can lids and the lack of, let's say, cobwebs, those were brand new and he doubted the owner of this building had gotten into a renovation mood recently.

After a few moments, Steve found himself moving to the evidence truck. He quickly located the paint cans and took a closer look at them. Damn, these things looked like they were right off the shelf. Labels didn't look aged, or anything. And according to the label, it was a shade of green. Lime green, to be exact.

Shaking his head, Steve left the truck, wondering what the hell he was doing. He was not an investigator, so trying to figure out the meaning to why anything was where it was beyond him. Still, why green paint, why that shade, and why in this place? That didn't add up.

Not at all.

To Invisible Fan: AV and I mostly stick to FFN and the PM system. We've been on DeviantArt at one point, but neither of us really do much with those accounts anymore. I have a Facebook that I made when I joined Team Dragon Star, but with the group going out silently in the night, I'm hardly on that either. For now, AV usually puts updates on our series on his FFN profile, so you'll get expected release dates as we get ready to begin posting. There's no plan for us to begin posting on ao3 either, though we really haven't discussed it. In regards to love interests: part of why Batman seems to get tortured in relationships is because he really isn't ready to be invested in them as much as his partner is. That breeds a cycle of failed relationships, which only makes him less likely to get more involved. While AV and I both have our ships in that regard, we're seeing where it goes for our version of Batman. We'd rather it occur organically than to shoehorn it in, which tends to be what happens with him in various media. He may end up with a Mrs. Batman, but we'll see lol