I moved through the Waverider quickly, "Gideon, where are Nate and Amaya?"
Dr. Heywood is currently in the library, while Miss Jiwe is in the galley.
"Thanks, Gids," I said. I grabbed Amaya from the galley and dragged her to the library so I could fill in her and Nate at the same time.
Nate stood and started pacing, "Okay, so, Ray and Sara were taken by the Dominators and are on one of their ships, but we have no clue where and you're pretty sure they're somewhere in the atmosphere."
"Yep," I said.
"So what are we going to do about it," Amaya asked.
"Well we're waiting on a location from the tech squad back in Star," I said, "Once we get that location the Waverider is the only thing that has even a chance of getting to them."
"Okay so we get the location then use the ship to launch a rescue," Nate said.
I piloted the Waverider towards the location the tech squad had given us where the ship holding our team members was supposed to be. Nate and I looked through the view screen into space seeing the mothership release dozens of smaller ships which started chasing and firing on one of their own. "How much do you want to bet that they're on that ship," I asked Nate.
He looked at me, "that's a suckers bet," he said.
"Right well let's go get them," I said, "Gideon scan that ship for Sara and Rays bio signs."
Scan completed Captain Lance, Dr. Palmer, and three other human life signs are aboard that vessel.
"Great plot us on a course to intercept them," I said as I pushed the Waverider to get to the ship containing our friends before they got shot out of the sky. Nate left to meet them outside of the docking bay. I locked the tractor beam onto their ship and pulled them in, "Gideon jump us into the temporal zone once they're on board."
I heard Sara from the door onto the bridge where I was, "I'm gonna take Dig to the med bay, have Gideon fix him up." I breathed a sigh of relief that they had all made it while I settled the ship into the temporal zone.
Thea exclaimed as she walked onto the bridge, "Oh...Get...Out!"
"Gideon please take over the piloting," I said, releasing control of the ship back to Gideon.
"Thanks for the save." Oliver said so quietly I could barely hear it from where I was getting out of the Captain's chair.
"No problem," Nate answered.
I walked up to them as Ray said, "Except for all of our other problems."
"Like what, Ray," Oliver asked as Ray walked up the steps of the study.
Thea moved around exploring what she could see as Ray started talking, "After we woke up, I got a look at the tech the Dominators were using to keep us under." Ray explained as I moved to cuddle under his arm I snuggled into his side as my pheromones started to reflect my happiness at their safe return, "They're using a neuromorphic interface similar to how I manipulate the atom suit."
"And-and wait." Thea stopped moving around as she turned to ask, "What does that mean?"
"I-I think the shared hallucination was to keep our minds occupied while the Dominators-" Ray assumed.
"While the Dominators what," Oliver asked grumpily.
"Well, while they probed our subconscious," Ray said hesitantly, "I'm guessing looking for Intel."
"That fits they're mind control device would have to have a basis in mental manipulation." I groaned as I said, "It wouldn't be hard to develop something to dig into memories from something like that."
"Wait. Maybe they didn't choose us at random." Ray said, "Maybe they chose us because we couldn't fight back."
"Because all of you are normal humans," Nate said.
"Bigger question- what Intel were they after? What is their plan," Oliver asked frustrated.
"Klic-clac-to Nick-lava shack-too," Ray said looking intensely in front of him.
"Gesundheit," Thea said to Ray's gibberish.
"It's what one of the Dominators said to another." Ray said before turning forwards and laughing, "Heh. Sounds like the beginning of a not-so-funny joke, but, Gideon," he asked.
Translating.
"Did you ever think that our lives would really get this weird," Thea asked as we all moved to the center console.
"I knew mine could get close, but aliens are new," I said sympathetically.
The phrase loosely translates to "We are nearing completion of the weapon."
Oliver asked commandingly, "What weapon?"
I'm afraid I have no idea, but I'm tracking the Dominator mothership you escaped from, and it appears to be on a direct course for Earth.
"I can't believe that you guys escaped an alien spaceship." Cisco geeked out when Nate, Ray, Sara, Oliver, Diggle, and I walked into the Star Labs hangar, "Key words: alien spaceship. I have questions."
"They can wait." Oliver told him before he turned to Nate and I, "Thanks for helping me get my sister home."
"Yeah, man," Nate responded.
"It was hardly any trouble," I added.
Oliver directed his next words at the group we walked up to, "What's our status?"
Barry answered, "Nothing, since the Dominators paid their little visit to mess with our heads."
"Why would they do that," Nate asked.
"What if they were trying to pit us against each other, in order to gain intel about meta-humans," Ray guessed at the Dominators motives.
"Man, I wish they would just send us an IM with a questionnaire," Felicity said jokingly.
"Well, metas pose the biggest threat to their invasion," Kara said building off of Ray's guess, "It would make sense they'd want to get to know their enemies."
"By kidnapping people," Martin said, miffed. "Perhaps they were searching your minds for potential meta-human vulnerabilities."
"I think it's time we return the favor," Oliver proposed a course of action.
"What do you want to do?" Diggle said sarcastically, "Kidnap one of them now?"
"Ever since we fought off that one ship, they've kind of been in short supply," Barry pointed out a problem we would have catching one of them.
"Actually, I know where to find one." Nate said before he moved towards the computers, "I've been reviewing old Army footage of their first encounters with the Dominators, and I think I pegged the fight to… Redmond, Oregon. 1951." He said showing us a video of soldiers fighting and losing to a group of dominators.
"You're suggesting we travel to 1951, abduct a Dominator, and interrogate it to determine their intentions," Martin said incredulously.
"They kidnapped us." Sara said looking around, "Seems fair."
I spoke up, "it's not like this is outside of the norm," I looked around and indicated my fellow legends, "well for us at least."
"Whoa. Time travel. I'm definitely in," Cisco said amazed.
"Okay, hold on, though. Professor Stein and Caitlin have been talking about a way to take down the Dominators." Barry tried to stop Cisco from coming, "They could probably use your help."
"Pass," he grumbled, there are definitely some serious issues there.
"Yeah, I mean, I'm with him, mostly 'cause I just don't want to lose my geek cred, but time travel," Felicity excitedly geeked out.
Nate spoke resigned, "Chloe and I could take Amaya and Mick."
"Chloe does not like being volunteered for things," I protested weakly, "but I guess it'll be fine," I said when Sara stared me down.
"Do it," Oliver confirmed.
Felicity cheered as she and Cisco moved to pass Sara and I on the way to the jumpship, "Yeah!"
"Okay," Barry sighed.
Nate and I led Felicity and Cisco from the jumpship bay to the bridge. "This ship is everything," Cisco hooted.
"What type of propulsion system does it use," Felicity asked excitedly.
"No idea," Nate answered honestly, we both knew that Jax was probably the only person that could answer their technobabble questions.
"Oh, my God. That construct on the bow looks like it could be some sort of time sphere," Cisco added joining her in geeking out.
"Yeah, no idea," Nate said, stopping Cisco from stopping to stare.
"To operate a ship of this size, the deep-link nets would have to be…" Felicity trailed off.
Cisco chuckled and finished her sentence, "Oh, my God, you'd have to use, like, a quantum neural chipset…"
I interrupted him remembering that fact, "Yes, the one that's in the ship happens to have been stolen from a future version of you," I said pointing to Felicity as he towed her further down the hall.
"Wait, future me," she started, "you stole from future me," she asked shocked.
I laughed as Nate opened his mouth, "Hey, guys, guys. Amaya and Rory are waiting for us on the bridge. Can we just keep moving this along," he said stopping their fangirling before he moved past them to enter the bridge.
"Has anyone told you guys about the side effects," I laughingly asked Felicity and Cisco as we walked onto the bridge.
"We made it. This is the '50s. Sick," Cisco said as we unstrapped after the time jump.
Nate spoke as Felicity bent over and lost her lunch, "Severe time jumps can cause nausea, temporary deafness…" he started listing the side effects when Felicity tried speaking, "Linguistic disorientation," he finished explaining her language issue.
"You. Clean it up," Mick pointed at Cisco, "We're gonna kidnap an alien," he chuckled as he finished.
We all stood, Nate, Mick, Amaya, and I going to leave the bridge. "Okay. I know I did not just travel through time so we could stay on the ship," Cisco protested as we started walking out.
"Ponytail, you're staying on the ship," Mick ordered before Felicity tried to reply, still suffering from linguistic disorientation.
"I'll take that as, 'Have fun storming the castle'," Nate said to Felicity's gibberish reply.
"Oh, for real? You're gonna use 'Princess Bride' against me? Against me," Cisco railed as we left him and a retching Felicity on the bridge.
We walked towards the fighting after Nate and I had grabbed our suits. "Celebrating July 4th early," Mick asked about Nate's new suit.
"Ray made it for me," he said, oh the bromance there is so cute.
"You look like a star-spangled idiot," Mick said.
I elbowed him, murmuring, "don't be an ass, Mick," when he grunted.
"We need to find the Army," Amaya said seriously.
We ran to look over a ridge when we heard shooting. "I think we found 'em," Nate said as we looked down at the army fighting the group of dominators. "What are we waiting for? Let's grab an alien and get out of here," Nate said eagerly as we watched the fighting.
"Running into that is a bad idea," I said, "we'd end up fighting pretty much all of them while having to watch out for fire from the ship and the army," I explained exactly why Nate's idea was a tactical no go.
"Just waiting for one of the weaker ones in the herd," Mick said nervously.
"I don't think there are any weak ones," Amaya said after we watched as the dominators ruthlessly cut down the soldiers.
"Probably not, but we'll have better luck picking one off after the fight's over," I muttered.
We watched until the fight ended and the dominators started beaming onto their ship with the few living soldiers. "They're taking off," Amaya said.
"I don't get it," Nate said confused he asked, "Why are the Dominators attacking us, then just leaving?"
Amaya glanced at him before explaining, "It's an RIF mission. 'Reconnaissance in force'."
"Instead of infiltrating to get the information they want they're taking it by force," I simplified.
"Ah, look. A straggler," Mick adjusted his gloves as he eyed the last dominator on the ground.
I sighed, "well let's go get him before anyone else shows up."
"We need him alive, Mick," Amaya reiterated as Mick started forward.
"I'm just gonna rough him up a little," He grumbled. "Hey!" Mick shouted at the Dominator who tossed the soldier he was dragging at us, before Mick started jeering as he blasted him with his heat gun. "Whoa! Aah! Squeal, you pig." Mick stopped as Nate punched the Dominator in the head knocking it out.
We circled around the downed Dominator when we heard, "Well done," an Alpha said as more soldiers circled us cocking their guns. "I see that you've managed to catch us a specimen." This is not going to end well.
"I'm afraid we're gonna have to keep this one," Nate said.
Amaya stepped forwards asking, "Who are you?"
"Just a humble civil servant," the Alpha said.
"I don't like guys with badges," Mick grunted before he lunged forwards.
I quickly stepped in front of Mick as Nate grabbed his shoulder, stopping him,"Easy, Mick."
"We just want to ask a few questions," the Alpha said.
"We'd love to answer 'em, but…" Nate trailed off as he looked around at all the men pointing guns at us.
"We're in a bit of a hurry," Amaya said, going to turn away.
"So are we," the government Alpha said as we were hit with tranquilizer darts. I blacked out as the tranq quickly affected me, I groaned as I felt myself hit the ground.
I sat leaning against Amaya's leg, still a little groggy from the tranq. "This is why I hate the government." Mick said angrily, "Can't you three use your powers and get us out of here?"
"Whatever they tranqed us with is screwing with our powers," Nate answered for the three of us.
Amaya shifted me off her leg before she walked towards the restrained Dominator in the room. "Hey, he's still alive," she said before going on, "Although something tells me none of us are gonna be alive for long."
"Wait," Nate said standing up he walked up next to Amaya, "This is the exact opportunity we've been looking for."
"To get captured," Mick asked grumpily.
Nate glanced back at Mick as he explained, "No. To talk with one of the Dominators."
Amaya nodded agreeing with Nate, "And find out what they want with our planet."
I picked myself up off the ground, "well there's no time like the present," I said as I walked to stand with Nate and Amaya.
"Well, this is a first. Talking with an alien," Mick said before he stood up to stand with us.
Nate cleared his throat after Amaya prodded him forwards, "Excuse me, Mr. Alien Guy," he started before we all cringed as the dominator shrieked at us. "Look, we just want to know why you attacked our planet. I mean, we're just down here minding our own business, then you guys just drop from the sky and attack us. Why," Nate finished.
"There has been a recent emergence of meta-humans on your planet," the thing spoke in our heads.
"Wait. He's talking about the JSA," Amaya deduced easily.
"We are here to determine if your kind are a threat," it told us.
The doors to the room we were being held in slammed open about a dozen agents with guns stepped in. "Let's start with him," the head Alpha said pointing at the dominator. He turned to look at the rest of us, eyeing me with interest before he told us, "Rest of you will have to wait your turn," the guards quickly grabbed the dominator and left.
Amaya tested the door as to the background of the dominator's shrieks. "What do you think they're doing to him," Nate asked.
"Torture," I said simply not feeling like coddling him. I moved to the other door to test it.
"Same thing they're gonna do to us unless we get out of here," Amaya said testily as she moved from the door.
I backed away from the door as gun fire sounds from outside, "is someone attacking them," I asked.
No one had a chance to answer as the door suddenly opened revealing Felicity and Cisco with two of the laser guns from the Waverider's stash. "Oh, yeah! Y'all call for tech support?" Felicity joked as she and Cisco struck a pose.
"Great. Saved by geeks," Mick grumbled.
"Waverider's ready to take us back to 2016," Cisco said.
We all rushed out of the room before stopping at the dominator's shrieks, "If we leave him here, they're gonna kill him," Nate said.
Mick shrugged his shoulders, "So what? He's an alien."
Cisco pleaded for a moral high ground, "Just 'cause they're douches doesn't mean we have to be."
"Well…" Felicity chuckled nervously.
I spoke up voicing my doubts, "Not that having a moral high ground isn't great and all, but how do we know that sending him back isn't going to make this whole mess worse."
"We got to send him home," Cisco said decisively ignoring the hesitation from Felicity and I.
"How," Amaya asked seriously.
"Don't we have one of their ships aboard the Waverider," Cisco started to get excited.
"Yeah, but it's damaged," Nate said looking from Amaya to Cisco.
"Felicity's gonna help me fix it," Cisco said volunteering Felicity's services.
"I am?" Felicity spoke shocked then backtracked after looking at Cisco, "I'm gonna help him fix it."
"See," Cisco said triumphantly.
Felicity winced at more of the dominator's shrieks, "Oh, that doesn't sound good."
"Guys, it's up to us to show the Dominators we're better than this," Cisco said.
I groaned as we moved to complete our rescue the dominator plan, "just to be clear I think this is a really bad idea," I said.
Nate, Amaya, Mick, and I walked onto the bridge we leaned against the center console as Cisco and Felicity were inspecting an alien device. They jumped around to look at us as Mick interrupted them asking, "You kids finished?" Mick moved forwards once Felicity was away from the Captain's chair, "Gideon," he said.
Yes, Mr. Rory?
"Prepare for, um…" he fumbled.
"Time jump," Nate completed.
Mick repeated pointing upwards, "Time jump."
Course plotted for Central City, 2016.
"I can't see. Why can't I see," Felicity freaked out has we landed back in 2016.
"More side effects," I said, patting her on the back.
"At least you're not throwing up," Cisco said.
The alien thing Cisco was holding lit up, "What's it doing," Nate asked.
"I don't know." Cisco gasped, "Either our food's ready or this guy's trying to call us. Hey, how... how do... How do I answer? I…" Cisco stuttered like we knew. He put the thing down on the center console and a hologram of a dominator appeared. "Hey. Oh, my God. It's him."
"He's even uglier than the last time we saw him," Mick said crossing his arms.
"65 of your years ago, you saved me from capture," the dominator said.
"Listen, you don't need to thank us," Cisco said, trying to act altruistically.
"Yeah, he does." Mick spoke gruffly,"He can thank us by turning around and heading home."
"I will show you my gratitude by sparing your lives, but I cannot do the same for Barry Allen. If your friend does not turn himself in, we will have no choice but to deploy a weapon that will exterminate all meta-humans."
"This isn't up for debate. It's not even a close call. I mean... Turn myself over to the Dominators, they leave the rest of the world alone. Simple," Barry said to everyone planning to hand himself over to the dominators.
"No, it's not simple," Felicity said sadly.
"Barry, it doesn't matter what you've done. You can't do this," Diggle affirmed.
"They're right," I said repudiating his choice, "no matter whether you turn yourself over or not as long as they think Metas are a threat to them this will never end." Does anyone here think tactically not emotionally?
"It's been an honor to know all of you, to fight alongside of you." Barry said mind made up, "Now it's up to you to keep our home safe."
"Barry! I'm not letting you leave," Oliver said as Barry turned to walk out. We all readied ourselves to have to beat some sense into him.
Barry stopped chuckling, "No offense, Oliver, but you and what army?"
Kara looked at all of us before gesturing to us with her head, "This one."
"Listen, Red. I don't like you. But when you got a crew, you don't take a hit for the rest," Mick grunted.
"That was actually pretty inspiring. I mean, up until the point that Mick compared us to a bunch of criminals, but…" Barry snorted before walking back towards us.
Amaya cut him off chuckling she said, "According to the Dominators, we might as well be," are we really managing to get her to loosen up, I considered amused.
Nate spoke up after her adding into the argument to stand against the dominators, "And maybe they're right. Maybe we do more harm than good, but this is our chance to find out."
Cisco moved to stand in front of Barry, "We're not letting you sacrifice yourself. There's no way. I don't care if that's what it means to be a hero. You're not a hero to me. You're my friend." I guess the issues there have been resolved.
Jax spoke from behind us as he and Sara strode towards us, "Yo. Guys. You know that ship that landed in Central City?"
"It's opening up," Sara declared solemnly.
"Here we go," Oliver said.
We split into two teams Cisco and Sara in the Waverider to intercept the Meta bomb, while the rest of us were on the ground in Central to hold off the ground troops. I stayed in the air blasting Dominators away from the guys on the ground to keep them from being overwhelmed. "Chloe, Firestorm, if you're done playing with your friends out there, we could really use your help," Sara called over comms.
I nodded as Firestorm and I looked at each other before calling over comms, "we're on our way!"
"I'll slow it down, you focus on getting rid of it," I called to Firestorm as we raced towards where the Waverider was trying to stop the Meta bomb from falling. We positioned ourselves on either side of it to do our parts. I reached to my power pushing out a projection, I grasped the bomb pushing desperately against it trying to keep it from hitting the ground.
"Firestorm, we're holding it up," Sara said over comms after we managed to force the bomb to stop falling. "Firestorm, do it now!" Please do, I thought as I strained under the bomb's weight. I flagged exhausted as the weight was suddenly transformed into water which promptly fell soaking me through as it nearly forced me to fall. "Ground, what's your status," Sara's voice crackled through my comm. I shivered as I flew towards the cargo entrance to the Waverider having no intention of going anywhere as cold and waterlogged as I was.
"They're retreating," I heard Nate call over comms as I got to one of the cargo doors. I turned as the dominator ship left the atmosphere before I landed inside the now open cargo door. I pulled out my comm as it started to crackle from water damage as I walked through the ship to the fabricator room to grab a dry suit.
Sara met me at the fabricator room and she cheered "nice work, holding up that bomb." Finally looking down at me she laughed, "you look like a drowned kitten," I scowled at her, "aww, now you look like an angry, drowned kitten."
The combined teams stood at attention behind the newly appointed president as she gave a speech to a crowd of soldiers and intelligence agents that had some of the highest levels of security clearance. "Many responsibilities have fallen to me since the president's passing at the beginning of this crisis. Sobering, sad responsibilities. This is not one of them. Today, it is my distinct honor to bestow upon you a small acknowledgement of the great debt that the world owes to you all."
I briefly closed my eyes as I heard Mick comment to Sara, "Is it just me, or is she really hot?"
"Although your brave efforts must remain a secret…" the president went on unaware.
Sara glanced towards her before confirming for Mick, "She's hot," I barely stopped myself from laughing out loud.
"Know that, meta-human or not, masked or not, each and every one of you is a hero," she closed her speech as she awarded us all Presidential Medals of Freedom. Dad would flip it's almost too bad he'll never know.
After the ceremony was over we all got out of our suits and regathered to have a real celebration. "Whoo! Whoa. Thank you.
Sara held up a flask looking at Mick, Amaya, and I, "Hmm, hmm? Let's go drink," she said. The four of us happily split off to drink separately.
Moving close I threw an arm around Amaya, "so, that was fun wasn't it," I laughed. "Aha," I gasped as she cracked a smile, "a smile, a real smile from Amaya Jiwe, we truly have made it past the end of the world." Amaya chuckled at me as Sara started passing the flask around, "a smile and a laugh, we'll make a legend of you yet."
"So how do you feel about Enchantress?" I looked at Cisco a little confused, "You know as your codename?"
I shook my head, "There's already a sorceress that uses that name."
"Damn, what about Hex?"
"No," I shot that idea down flat before asking, "is there a way to get you to give up on this?"
"Absolutely not. What about Charm." I huffed and rolled my eyes at Cisco's persistence, "that's it, Charm."