Although she is well aware that the JLA faces a significant threat, Hawkgirl has no suspicion as to its source. She therefore walks right into an ambush initiated by her friend and colleague Wonder Woman. Ensnared within the coils of the indestructible magic lasso immediately upon her arrival on Paradise Island, the Thanagarian can not escape. There isn't the handful of seconds needed for her to devise a defensive, but even if there were it's doubtful the time would be of much benefit. At the mercy of Diana's mystical lariat and extraordinary powers, her outlook is bleak.
For Shayera Hol, reflex is truly her only recourse. Instinctively, her right hand darts toward her waist. She may not be able to help herself, but her Justice League emergency signal will prompt a swift response from the League. A native of the planet Thanagar, Hawkgirl's alien physiology is considered meta-human by Earth standards. Her strength and speed far exceed that of the normal Terran. Alas Wonder Woman, even in her depleted condition, eclipses Shayera in this regard. The Amazon anticipates her friend's reaction. Diana deftly swipes Hawkgirl's anti-gravity belt a mere fraction of a second before she can activate her signal device contained within it.
The compelling properties of the golden lasso allow the princess to control her ally. Diana leads the submissive heroine up a small hill on Olympian Ridge to the location of the missing Hawkship. Shayera is shocked. "Diana?" she asks in confusion. "YOU stole our ship?! How can you do this to us? Please tell me what's going on here!"
"Quiet!" the Amazon insists. "Please no questions Shayera. Forgive me my friend. I'll explain my actions at a future point. Right now, I need your help on a couple tasks which will save time and free me up to address other pressing matters."
Wonder Woman must devote extensive effort towards finding a counter-agent to Circe's incantation. Her capture of Hawkgirl provides the required JLA contact without periodically having to leave Paradise Island. Diana figures she has bought herself up to 24 hours before their absence becomes suspicious. The Amazon is tempted to simply stash Shayera away for that time, but there are other issues which she could assist her with.
Diana is beginning to notice an effect upon the entire scope of her remarkable abilities. She is particularly concerned with the weakening of her super senses and telepathy. With her speed ebbing, the Amazon champion grows further reliant upon her invisible jet. As time passes, her mental control of the plane fades as does her ability to see it. Wonder Woman must utilize technology to compensate.
Several years earlier, the Batman developed an ingenious pair of goggles which enables a person with normal human vision to see to the invisible plane. This allows him to view the cockpit controls and therefore pilot the aircraft when the need arises. As Diana anticipates, Hawkgirl has borrowed this eye ware from Bruce. The Amazon could simply commandeer them, but she reasons that they will be missed if Hawkgirl does not return with them. It is therefore best to create a duplicate pair. In addition, Wonder Woman seeks a means of amplifying her steadily decreasing telepathic powers.
Diana has pondered this scenario from the moment she and Supergirl left the arctic together. She has ordered Hawkgirl into subservience. Shayera can not escape, retaliate or call for assistance. The princess has prohibited her colleague from verbalizing questions, but even her golden lasso can not prevent the mind from engaging in its normal thought processes. Hawkgirl is sure to contemplate the purpose behind her instructions. Should this lead her to suspect the truth, the Thanagarian would be overwhelmed by insanity. Diana must therefore provide an explanation that steers thoughts away from her diminished self.
"Colonel Trevor is working with me." Diana notes without the typical glow in her expression at the mention of his name. "Steve will be flying my invisible jet and he needs a replica of the Batman's goggles to handle the mission. I want you to construct them. You may use the Hawkship and its resources." The princess pauses momentarily. Shayera remains dumbfounded, but shows no indication of doubting her story. "That comes first." the Amazon insists. "I also need to increase the range of my mental telepathy. Currently, I can command my robot plane from as far as opposite ends of the Earth. I must better this. My telepathy has to be powerful enough to span the distance from Jupiter to Mercury. I know that's a tall order and may be beyond your scientific capabilities, but any boost you can give me would be a plus."
*****
Although Katar and Shayera Hol are inseparable and typically work side by side, the Hawkship contains two fully equipped labs to allow for individual pursuits. Wonder Woman confines Hawkgirl to the facility on the lower level while she utilizes the one above. Safe in the knowledge that Shayera can not disrupt her plans or eavesdrop upon her, Diana is finally free to refocus upon Circe's wizardry.
Green Lantern's power ring emits its signature green glow from the Amazon's left hand. Incredibly powerful, the lone limitation of the ring from the planet OA is an inability to affect anything yellow-based. As such, Princess Diana sets her magic lasso aside and removes her tiara, belt and golden halter top. She closes her eyes and concentrates deeply. Wonder Woman bathes her entire body in emerald energy. A green aura over two feet thick encases her lithe frame. The room itself is flooded with nearly blinding residual light. A minute passes. Two. Three. At the ten minute mark, Diana finally relaxes her mind and the green energy quickly melts away.
As she had done earlier, Wonder Woman conducts a quick series of tests. To conserve time, she limits herself to sight, hearing and physical strength. The scope can be expanded if indications so merit. To her dismay, the vision check does not yield promising results. Her super hearing test proves the same. Diana is tempted to forego the rest, but she reasons that she must know whether progress has been made on any fronts. The Amazon performs feats of brute force, hefting and hurling massive weights. She uses Katar's fitness and training equipment to measure both the speed and power generated by her left and right-handed punches. Each readout is yet another disappointment.
Undaunted, the clever Amazon champion tries a variety of combinations. She alters the duration and intensity of green energy exposures. The heroine combines the alien energy with that from her unique purple healing ray. Diana mixes in Thanagarian therapeutic technologies as well. Alas, all of these efforts are for naught.
"Resuming Wonder Woman personal log." recites the very frustrated princess. "I have run an extended battery of tests on myself utilizing GL's ring and both Thanagarian and Amazonian science. None of these efforts have met with even the slightest success. There are several more possibilities left to try, but I grow ever more pessimistic. My meta-human capabilities continue to erode at precisely the same clip. It is now roughly the forty hour mark from the casting of Circe's spell. My powers have declined to approximately 76% of norm."
"It is becoming increasingly difficult to disguise my condition from all of you." Diana continues. "I am able to mask my reduced strength fairly well, because, for the sake of safety, I tend to be conservative in its use. I usually hold back; therefore my loss is less apparent. I have also taken the precaution of coating my body with a transparent, pulverized Kryptonite lotion. I fear that I will be forced to engage Superman or Supergirl at some point during this ordeal and I need something to better my odds. This measure will reduce their Kryptonian powers while in close proximity to me. The solution contains only 15% Kryptonite; its impact should therefore be very subtle. Kal and Kara will not feel the severe pain typically associated with the element and with luck will be too preoccupied with the action to notice any ill-effects.
"Hiding my decreased speed and mobility is a different story." Wonder Woman laments. "Unfortunately, my super speed drop-off has already been detected by Flash and Hera him we've seen the results! I do not fly, but my ability to float on the air currents is the next best thing. As of now, I can barely ride the winds and only then if the conditions are nearly ideal."
"Command of my robot plane will soon elude me." she grimly observes. "The range of my telepathy has curtailed considerably. Worse yet, the jet is swiftly becoming invisible even to me. I have therefore compelled Hawkgirl to develop technological means to counterbalance my deficiencies. If these initiatives should fail, I will be unable to pilot the craft within a few hours."
"I will next attempt to combine the energy from GL's power ring with the mystical emanations of my lasso. I have held off on this option until now, because of what I expect to be an incompatibility between the two. The impurity in the ring's power source will likely preclude it from working in concert with the golden lasso. My hope, and I emphasize 'hope', is that the magic of my lasso will override its limiting golden hue."
*****
The irony is so blatant that it is downright irritating. This is her ship, her home away from home. She glances around the room. It is the auxiliary lab, built to her very specifications. She knows every inch of the vessel, down to its very engine core. She is a master of all its sophisticated technology. So familiar with her ship is Shayera Hol, she can access its many defense mechanisms from most anywhere within. Such measures could repel most any intruder, including the vaunted princess of the Amazons. Alas, she can not avail herself of any of these valuable features.
The door to the auxiliary lab is latched, but the room itself is not designed to restrain a prisoner. Under normal circumstances, Hawkgirl could free herself with relative ease. She is prevented from so doing by the enchanted power of the magic lasso. Shayera wants so desperately to take action against her captor, Wonder Woman. Instead she is tormented by the inescapable conclusion that she is an unwilling pawn in a treasonous crusade against the Justice League.
"Well, Diana now has her goggles." Hawkgirl mumbles aloud as she sets the new duplicate pair on the countertop. The heroine shakes her head in frustration. "I can't resist her orders" she thinks to herself. "I tried to slow my pace and stall for time, but I can't even do that! I have no choice but to proceed as diligently as I can to carry out her commands."
"I keep trying to make sense out this situation." the Thanagarian ponders while setting to work on telepathy enhancement. "I can't believe Wonder Woman has turned to evil, but what other explanation is there? If she still is the heroine I have long respected and admired, what possible motive could she have for what she's doing?"
Hawkgirl studies Wonder Woman's tiara, which she has asked to borrow. Logically, any amplifying device she may develop will have to conveniently attach to the tiara. "What's the deal with her telepathy?" Shayera wonders. "Diana's range is already extraordinary and she can mentally command her plane in space. Why would she need her telepathy to span planets? If she needs to reach Jupiter, the princess would fly it there herself. This makes no sense, unless ... there's another reason behind her request?"
*****
A rainbow of light irradiates throughout the primary lab of the Hawkship. A dark object is at the core of the near blinding spectrum. As the intensity of the light starts to fade, a feminine silhouette begins to take form. Within seconds the multi-colored light shines no more and its source stands tall at the center of the room. "Wow, I never imagined such a spectacle would be generated by combining the ring's energy with magic!" Wonder Woman marvels. The heroine returns her golden lasso to her side while looking at Hal's ring with curiosity. "I think that may have done some good!" she optimistically theorizes. "I feel somewhat invigorated. Let's pray this isn't just wishful thinking."
With an enthusiasm that has been missing since her fateful showdown with Circe, Diana embarks upon another series of tests. Unlike her earlier disappointments, each result adds further hop to her step. "Praise Athena! It worked!" the Amazon exclaims. She quickly rechecks her figures. "Given the rate that my powers are dwindling, I should be at 75% of my of my optimal self. Instead, I am at almost 77%. There's no question but that this technique restores my meta-human abilities, albeit temporarily. Circe's spell remains in effect, but thank Hera I have a means to combat its effects until I can eradicate it completely!"
"Justice League personal log." Diana excitedly chronicles. "Blending GL's energy with the magic of my lasso was successful in giving me a short-term recharge of my Amazon powers. Unfortunately, it is a time consuming process. It took ten minutes of exposure to restore 1% of my might. As such, it should take nearly four hours to get me back to peak level. It won't be easy to find the time to continuously revitalize my powers while simultaneously dancing around all of you, but I am optimistic that there is an end in sight. Once I get back to full strength, I can focus on Circe's incantation itself, rather than its effects. I pray this will all be over quite soon."
Having completed her journal entry, Wonder Woman opts to recharge the power ring. She wills the power battery, which has been hidden at her side since she took possession of the ring, to become visible. Recalling the words she has often heard Hal Jordan recite, Diana states the classic, heroic oath. "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might beware my power -- Green Lantern's light!"
The recharging of the power ring is a fairly swift process; alas it is not swift enough. Wonder Woman is interrupted by a horrible, maniacal scream followed within a second by a loud crash. "Shayera!!!" Diana cries out as she springs to her feet. She need not see her friend to know what has happened. "Merciful Minerva, Shayera's gone insane! Despite my best efforts to obscure my intentions, Hawkgirl still stumbled across the truth. I've got to stop her before she does any harm!"
*****
"Dalma, we really shouldn't be here. You know Queen Hippolyta said that the ridge is off limits until further notice." The athletic, titian-haired Amazon sneers at her equally nimble and hearty sister. "Will you relax Magda! We're causing no trouble. We're just watching from a distance, that's all. Besides, aren't you curious what 'Wonder Woman' is up to all by herself out here?" Magda smiles. "Of course I am Dalma." she replies. "I guess you're right. Even if Diana discovers us snooping around, what would she really do? The three of us are best friends and sisters." Dalma laughs while adding "The worst she'll do is give us a swift kick in the rear and insist that we leave."
The ambitious Amazons scale the steep hill with considerable grace. They reach the summit which overlooks the impressive Hawkship. Before Magda and Dalma can duck for cover, they are spotted by the rapidly closing form of Hawkgirl. The alien female screeches like a true hawk intent upon attacking its prey. The Amazon sisters have previously met several of Princess Diana's super heroic allies. Of them all, it is Hawkgirl with whom they share the most interests and feel the closest bond. Now, as she dives towards them, it is most clear to Dalma and Magda that something is dreadfully amiss. This is not the Shayera Hol they have come to know as their friend.
The crazed Hawkgirl swoops down onto Magda as the Amazons attempt to dive for cover. The Thanagarian does not recognize the women. She retains none of her civility or morality. Shayera is not nearly as strong the typical Amazon, but in this instance she is driven by savagery and adrenaline. The alien female slams an astonished Magda into the hard ground and goes after her face. Dalma comes to Magda's defense and yanks Hol off of her. Hawkgirl whirls about and directs her brutal ire towards the second Amazon. Dalma fruitlessly tries to calm the incensed Justice Leaguer, only to find herself pinned against a rock base by her relentless assailant.
Magda struggles to her feet while sister Dalma fights for breath with Hawkgirl's hands clasped tightly around her throat. Suddenly Wonder Woman soars to the rescue. The super heroine tears her frenzied colleague away from beleaguered, but relatively unharmed Dalma. Diana wraps her golden lasso three times about Shayera's upper body, thus pinning her arms against her side. "Magda! Dalma! Return to town immediately!" the princess demands. "Mention this to no one, including my mother! Go! Now!"
"But Diana!" Magda pleads. "What's happened to Shayera? Please let us stay! We want to help." Wonder Woman glares angrily at her two dearest Amazon friends. "I said 'get out of here'!" she bellows. Diana calms herself somewhat. "Shayera is ill, but I will help her. Now pl .... huhh!!???"
To her astonishment, Wonder Woman suddenly finds herself twenty feet above ground and rising. "Great Hera!" Diana exclaims. "Shayera's using her wings to propel us upwards." she reasons to herself. "I had my feet firmly planted and my lasso solidly around her, yet Hawkgirl overpowered me!? Perhaps I was too careless. I shouldn't have let Magda distract me, especially given Shayera's insanity."
As she struggles with Hawkgirl in the low skies above Olympian Ridge, Diana is startled by a pair of chilling howls spaced a few seconds apart. Her first instinct is that Magda and Dalma are simply reacting animatedly towards her bout with Shayera. To her horror, she soon understands this is not the case. "Blessed Aphrodite, no!!!" Diana yells. "Both Magda and Dalma recognized my weakened state. They've each been afflicted with the same hysterical lunacy as Hawkgirl!"
Wonder Woman uses her still formidable Amazon strength to force Shayera Hol out of the sky. Fearing for Hawkgirl's life, Diana allows herself to absorb the brunt of the impact. The princess' left leg and hip are driven awkwardly into the ground. She experiences considerable pain, but suffers no serious injury. With the situation worsening, the Amazon champion must now resort to very aggressive measures. As such, she delivers a powerful, precision punch to the head which instantly renders Hawkgirl unconscious.
Diana sprints after her two deranged sisters, both of whom are heading back towards the general Amazon population. "Hermes grant me speed." the princess prays. "I must capture both of them before they reach town. I don't even want to think of the repercussions if more Amazons were to encounter the same fate as poor Magda and Dalma! In this condition, it's as if a person has been reduced to a wild animal. One seems to lose his or her entire humanity! "
Dalma takes a winding route through the thick forest, thus Diana catches up to her rather quickly. The heroine forms a giant green hand with GL's power ring. The hand clenches into a fist and strikes Dalma. The frenzied female slams forcefully into a large Elm tree and slumps into oblivion at its base. The princess knows she has injured her Amazon sister, but to her relief she feels a steady pulse.
Realizing Dalma's health status is not grave, Wonder Woman turns her attention to Magda. The unhinged woman fast approaches a clearing where dozens of Amazon sisters are engaged in archery practice. Diana will not reach her in time; therefore she desperately utilizes her magic lasso. The golden noose rifles through the cool breeze until it finds a pair of ankles to ensnare. A mere ten yards shy of emerging from the underbrush, Magda is abruptly jerked off of her feet. The Amazon lands hard upon her left elbow. Before she can fight to free herself, Wonder Woman yanks Magda towards her. With a tear escaping from each eye, the princess pounds her sister into unconsciousness.
*****
Having returned to the Hawkship with her three insanity-stricken friends, Diana assesses the situation. Dalma has suffered a concussion and mild skull fracture. Magda has incurred a broken left elbow which will require surgery. Both Amazons will need medical attention in the near future, but their statuses are such that they can wait a few days if need be. Fortunately, Hawkgirl has sustained only minor bruising and abrasions.
"My worst suspicions have been proven true." Diana laments to herself while gazing helplessly upon her incapacitated Amazon sisters. "The insanity spell is not limited to just the JLA. It affects everyone. Circe's nightmare left this question unclear, but I feared as much. I avoided taking my dilemma to the likes of STAR Labs for that very reason. Now I know for sure that to protect the masses I must remain as isolated as possible."
The princess restrains the trio in the Hawkship brig. She injects each woman with a powerful sedative which will keep them unconscious for the next 36 hours. Wonder Woman is very upset about the condition of her friends, but she sets aside her guilty feelings and returns to the primary lab. She was in the midst of re-energizing GL's power ring when Hawkgirl became schizoid. Her first task therefore is to complete the recharging process. Diana once again recites the legendary Green Lantern's vow; this time however it is to no avail.
"Great Gaea!" the Amazon exclaims in dismay. "Green Lantern's power battery ... it's dead?!!"
For Shayera Hol, reflex is truly her only recourse. Instinctively, her right hand darts toward her waist. She may not be able to help herself, but her Justice League emergency signal will prompt a swift response from the League. A native of the planet Thanagar, Hawkgirl's alien physiology is considered meta-human by Earth standards. Her strength and speed far exceed that of the normal Terran. Alas Wonder Woman, even in her depleted condition, eclipses Shayera in this regard. The Amazon anticipates her friend's reaction. Diana deftly swipes Hawkgirl's anti-gravity belt a mere fraction of a second before she can activate her signal device contained within it.
The compelling properties of the golden lasso allow the princess to control her ally. Diana leads the submissive heroine up a small hill on Olympian Ridge to the location of the missing Hawkship. Shayera is shocked. "Diana?" she asks in confusion. "YOU stole our ship?! How can you do this to us? Please tell me what's going on here!"
"Quiet!" the Amazon insists. "Please no questions Shayera. Forgive me my friend. I'll explain my actions at a future point. Right now, I need your help on a couple tasks which will save time and free me up to address other pressing matters."
Wonder Woman must devote extensive effort towards finding a counter-agent to Circe's incantation. Her capture of Hawkgirl provides the required JLA contact without periodically having to leave Paradise Island. Diana figures she has bought herself up to 24 hours before their absence becomes suspicious. The Amazon is tempted to simply stash Shayera away for that time, but there are other issues which she could assist her with.
Diana is beginning to notice an effect upon the entire scope of her remarkable abilities. She is particularly concerned with the weakening of her super senses and telepathy. With her speed ebbing, the Amazon champion grows further reliant upon her invisible jet. As time passes, her mental control of the plane fades as does her ability to see it. Wonder Woman must utilize technology to compensate.
Several years earlier, the Batman developed an ingenious pair of goggles which enables a person with normal human vision to see to the invisible plane. This allows him to view the cockpit controls and therefore pilot the aircraft when the need arises. As Diana anticipates, Hawkgirl has borrowed this eye ware from Bruce. The Amazon could simply commandeer them, but she reasons that they will be missed if Hawkgirl does not return with them. It is therefore best to create a duplicate pair. In addition, Wonder Woman seeks a means of amplifying her steadily decreasing telepathic powers.
Diana has pondered this scenario from the moment she and Supergirl left the arctic together. She has ordered Hawkgirl into subservience. Shayera can not escape, retaliate or call for assistance. The princess has prohibited her colleague from verbalizing questions, but even her golden lasso can not prevent the mind from engaging in its normal thought processes. Hawkgirl is sure to contemplate the purpose behind her instructions. Should this lead her to suspect the truth, the Thanagarian would be overwhelmed by insanity. Diana must therefore provide an explanation that steers thoughts away from her diminished self.
"Colonel Trevor is working with me." Diana notes without the typical glow in her expression at the mention of his name. "Steve will be flying my invisible jet and he needs a replica of the Batman's goggles to handle the mission. I want you to construct them. You may use the Hawkship and its resources." The princess pauses momentarily. Shayera remains dumbfounded, but shows no indication of doubting her story. "That comes first." the Amazon insists. "I also need to increase the range of my mental telepathy. Currently, I can command my robot plane from as far as opposite ends of the Earth. I must better this. My telepathy has to be powerful enough to span the distance from Jupiter to Mercury. I know that's a tall order and may be beyond your scientific capabilities, but any boost you can give me would be a plus."
*****
Although Katar and Shayera Hol are inseparable and typically work side by side, the Hawkship contains two fully equipped labs to allow for individual pursuits. Wonder Woman confines Hawkgirl to the facility on the lower level while she utilizes the one above. Safe in the knowledge that Shayera can not disrupt her plans or eavesdrop upon her, Diana is finally free to refocus upon Circe's wizardry.
Green Lantern's power ring emits its signature green glow from the Amazon's left hand. Incredibly powerful, the lone limitation of the ring from the planet OA is an inability to affect anything yellow-based. As such, Princess Diana sets her magic lasso aside and removes her tiara, belt and golden halter top. She closes her eyes and concentrates deeply. Wonder Woman bathes her entire body in emerald energy. A green aura over two feet thick encases her lithe frame. The room itself is flooded with nearly blinding residual light. A minute passes. Two. Three. At the ten minute mark, Diana finally relaxes her mind and the green energy quickly melts away.
As she had done earlier, Wonder Woman conducts a quick series of tests. To conserve time, she limits herself to sight, hearing and physical strength. The scope can be expanded if indications so merit. To her dismay, the vision check does not yield promising results. Her super hearing test proves the same. Diana is tempted to forego the rest, but she reasons that she must know whether progress has been made on any fronts. The Amazon performs feats of brute force, hefting and hurling massive weights. She uses Katar's fitness and training equipment to measure both the speed and power generated by her left and right-handed punches. Each readout is yet another disappointment.
Undaunted, the clever Amazon champion tries a variety of combinations. She alters the duration and intensity of green energy exposures. The heroine combines the alien energy with that from her unique purple healing ray. Diana mixes in Thanagarian therapeutic technologies as well. Alas, all of these efforts are for naught.
"Resuming Wonder Woman personal log." recites the very frustrated princess. "I have run an extended battery of tests on myself utilizing GL's ring and both Thanagarian and Amazonian science. None of these efforts have met with even the slightest success. There are several more possibilities left to try, but I grow ever more pessimistic. My meta-human capabilities continue to erode at precisely the same clip. It is now roughly the forty hour mark from the casting of Circe's spell. My powers have declined to approximately 76% of norm."
"It is becoming increasingly difficult to disguise my condition from all of you." Diana continues. "I am able to mask my reduced strength fairly well, because, for the sake of safety, I tend to be conservative in its use. I usually hold back; therefore my loss is less apparent. I have also taken the precaution of coating my body with a transparent, pulverized Kryptonite lotion. I fear that I will be forced to engage Superman or Supergirl at some point during this ordeal and I need something to better my odds. This measure will reduce their Kryptonian powers while in close proximity to me. The solution contains only 15% Kryptonite; its impact should therefore be very subtle. Kal and Kara will not feel the severe pain typically associated with the element and with luck will be too preoccupied with the action to notice any ill-effects.
"Hiding my decreased speed and mobility is a different story." Wonder Woman laments. "Unfortunately, my super speed drop-off has already been detected by Flash and Hera him we've seen the results! I do not fly, but my ability to float on the air currents is the next best thing. As of now, I can barely ride the winds and only then if the conditions are nearly ideal."
"Command of my robot plane will soon elude me." she grimly observes. "The range of my telepathy has curtailed considerably. Worse yet, the jet is swiftly becoming invisible even to me. I have therefore compelled Hawkgirl to develop technological means to counterbalance my deficiencies. If these initiatives should fail, I will be unable to pilot the craft within a few hours."
"I will next attempt to combine the energy from GL's power ring with the mystical emanations of my lasso. I have held off on this option until now, because of what I expect to be an incompatibility between the two. The impurity in the ring's power source will likely preclude it from working in concert with the golden lasso. My hope, and I emphasize 'hope', is that the magic of my lasso will override its limiting golden hue."
*****
The irony is so blatant that it is downright irritating. This is her ship, her home away from home. She glances around the room. It is the auxiliary lab, built to her very specifications. She knows every inch of the vessel, down to its very engine core. She is a master of all its sophisticated technology. So familiar with her ship is Shayera Hol, she can access its many defense mechanisms from most anywhere within. Such measures could repel most any intruder, including the vaunted princess of the Amazons. Alas, she can not avail herself of any of these valuable features.
The door to the auxiliary lab is latched, but the room itself is not designed to restrain a prisoner. Under normal circumstances, Hawkgirl could free herself with relative ease. She is prevented from so doing by the enchanted power of the magic lasso. Shayera wants so desperately to take action against her captor, Wonder Woman. Instead she is tormented by the inescapable conclusion that she is an unwilling pawn in a treasonous crusade against the Justice League.
"Well, Diana now has her goggles." Hawkgirl mumbles aloud as she sets the new duplicate pair on the countertop. The heroine shakes her head in frustration. "I can't resist her orders" she thinks to herself. "I tried to slow my pace and stall for time, but I can't even do that! I have no choice but to proceed as diligently as I can to carry out her commands."
"I keep trying to make sense out this situation." the Thanagarian ponders while setting to work on telepathy enhancement. "I can't believe Wonder Woman has turned to evil, but what other explanation is there? If she still is the heroine I have long respected and admired, what possible motive could she have for what she's doing?"
Hawkgirl studies Wonder Woman's tiara, which she has asked to borrow. Logically, any amplifying device she may develop will have to conveniently attach to the tiara. "What's the deal with her telepathy?" Shayera wonders. "Diana's range is already extraordinary and she can mentally command her plane in space. Why would she need her telepathy to span planets? If she needs to reach Jupiter, the princess would fly it there herself. This makes no sense, unless ... there's another reason behind her request?"
*****
A rainbow of light irradiates throughout the primary lab of the Hawkship. A dark object is at the core of the near blinding spectrum. As the intensity of the light starts to fade, a feminine silhouette begins to take form. Within seconds the multi-colored light shines no more and its source stands tall at the center of the room. "Wow, I never imagined such a spectacle would be generated by combining the ring's energy with magic!" Wonder Woman marvels. The heroine returns her golden lasso to her side while looking at Hal's ring with curiosity. "I think that may have done some good!" she optimistically theorizes. "I feel somewhat invigorated. Let's pray this isn't just wishful thinking."
With an enthusiasm that has been missing since her fateful showdown with Circe, Diana embarks upon another series of tests. Unlike her earlier disappointments, each result adds further hop to her step. "Praise Athena! It worked!" the Amazon exclaims. She quickly rechecks her figures. "Given the rate that my powers are dwindling, I should be at 75% of my of my optimal self. Instead, I am at almost 77%. There's no question but that this technique restores my meta-human abilities, albeit temporarily. Circe's spell remains in effect, but thank Hera I have a means to combat its effects until I can eradicate it completely!"
"Justice League personal log." Diana excitedly chronicles. "Blending GL's energy with the magic of my lasso was successful in giving me a short-term recharge of my Amazon powers. Unfortunately, it is a time consuming process. It took ten minutes of exposure to restore 1% of my might. As such, it should take nearly four hours to get me back to peak level. It won't be easy to find the time to continuously revitalize my powers while simultaneously dancing around all of you, but I am optimistic that there is an end in sight. Once I get back to full strength, I can focus on Circe's incantation itself, rather than its effects. I pray this will all be over quite soon."
Having completed her journal entry, Wonder Woman opts to recharge the power ring. She wills the power battery, which has been hidden at her side since she took possession of the ring, to become visible. Recalling the words she has often heard Hal Jordan recite, Diana states the classic, heroic oath. "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might beware my power -- Green Lantern's light!"
The recharging of the power ring is a fairly swift process; alas it is not swift enough. Wonder Woman is interrupted by a horrible, maniacal scream followed within a second by a loud crash. "Shayera!!!" Diana cries out as she springs to her feet. She need not see her friend to know what has happened. "Merciful Minerva, Shayera's gone insane! Despite my best efforts to obscure my intentions, Hawkgirl still stumbled across the truth. I've got to stop her before she does any harm!"
*****
"Dalma, we really shouldn't be here. You know Queen Hippolyta said that the ridge is off limits until further notice." The athletic, titian-haired Amazon sneers at her equally nimble and hearty sister. "Will you relax Magda! We're causing no trouble. We're just watching from a distance, that's all. Besides, aren't you curious what 'Wonder Woman' is up to all by herself out here?" Magda smiles. "Of course I am Dalma." she replies. "I guess you're right. Even if Diana discovers us snooping around, what would she really do? The three of us are best friends and sisters." Dalma laughs while adding "The worst she'll do is give us a swift kick in the rear and insist that we leave."
The ambitious Amazons scale the steep hill with considerable grace. They reach the summit which overlooks the impressive Hawkship. Before Magda and Dalma can duck for cover, they are spotted by the rapidly closing form of Hawkgirl. The alien female screeches like a true hawk intent upon attacking its prey. The Amazon sisters have previously met several of Princess Diana's super heroic allies. Of them all, it is Hawkgirl with whom they share the most interests and feel the closest bond. Now, as she dives towards them, it is most clear to Dalma and Magda that something is dreadfully amiss. This is not the Shayera Hol they have come to know as their friend.
The crazed Hawkgirl swoops down onto Magda as the Amazons attempt to dive for cover. The Thanagarian does not recognize the women. She retains none of her civility or morality. Shayera is not nearly as strong the typical Amazon, but in this instance she is driven by savagery and adrenaline. The alien female slams an astonished Magda into the hard ground and goes after her face. Dalma comes to Magda's defense and yanks Hol off of her. Hawkgirl whirls about and directs her brutal ire towards the second Amazon. Dalma fruitlessly tries to calm the incensed Justice Leaguer, only to find herself pinned against a rock base by her relentless assailant.
Magda struggles to her feet while sister Dalma fights for breath with Hawkgirl's hands clasped tightly around her throat. Suddenly Wonder Woman soars to the rescue. The super heroine tears her frenzied colleague away from beleaguered, but relatively unharmed Dalma. Diana wraps her golden lasso three times about Shayera's upper body, thus pinning her arms against her side. "Magda! Dalma! Return to town immediately!" the princess demands. "Mention this to no one, including my mother! Go! Now!"
"But Diana!" Magda pleads. "What's happened to Shayera? Please let us stay! We want to help." Wonder Woman glares angrily at her two dearest Amazon friends. "I said 'get out of here'!" she bellows. Diana calms herself somewhat. "Shayera is ill, but I will help her. Now pl .... huhh!!???"
To her astonishment, Wonder Woman suddenly finds herself twenty feet above ground and rising. "Great Hera!" Diana exclaims. "Shayera's using her wings to propel us upwards." she reasons to herself. "I had my feet firmly planted and my lasso solidly around her, yet Hawkgirl overpowered me!? Perhaps I was too careless. I shouldn't have let Magda distract me, especially given Shayera's insanity."
As she struggles with Hawkgirl in the low skies above Olympian Ridge, Diana is startled by a pair of chilling howls spaced a few seconds apart. Her first instinct is that Magda and Dalma are simply reacting animatedly towards her bout with Shayera. To her horror, she soon understands this is not the case. "Blessed Aphrodite, no!!!" Diana yells. "Both Magda and Dalma recognized my weakened state. They've each been afflicted with the same hysterical lunacy as Hawkgirl!"
Wonder Woman uses her still formidable Amazon strength to force Shayera Hol out of the sky. Fearing for Hawkgirl's life, Diana allows herself to absorb the brunt of the impact. The princess' left leg and hip are driven awkwardly into the ground. She experiences considerable pain, but suffers no serious injury. With the situation worsening, the Amazon champion must now resort to very aggressive measures. As such, she delivers a powerful, precision punch to the head which instantly renders Hawkgirl unconscious.
Diana sprints after her two deranged sisters, both of whom are heading back towards the general Amazon population. "Hermes grant me speed." the princess prays. "I must capture both of them before they reach town. I don't even want to think of the repercussions if more Amazons were to encounter the same fate as poor Magda and Dalma! In this condition, it's as if a person has been reduced to a wild animal. One seems to lose his or her entire humanity! "
Dalma takes a winding route through the thick forest, thus Diana catches up to her rather quickly. The heroine forms a giant green hand with GL's power ring. The hand clenches into a fist and strikes Dalma. The frenzied female slams forcefully into a large Elm tree and slumps into oblivion at its base. The princess knows she has injured her Amazon sister, but to her relief she feels a steady pulse.
Realizing Dalma's health status is not grave, Wonder Woman turns her attention to Magda. The unhinged woman fast approaches a clearing where dozens of Amazon sisters are engaged in archery practice. Diana will not reach her in time; therefore she desperately utilizes her magic lasso. The golden noose rifles through the cool breeze until it finds a pair of ankles to ensnare. A mere ten yards shy of emerging from the underbrush, Magda is abruptly jerked off of her feet. The Amazon lands hard upon her left elbow. Before she can fight to free herself, Wonder Woman yanks Magda towards her. With a tear escaping from each eye, the princess pounds her sister into unconsciousness.
*****
Having returned to the Hawkship with her three insanity-stricken friends, Diana assesses the situation. Dalma has suffered a concussion and mild skull fracture. Magda has incurred a broken left elbow which will require surgery. Both Amazons will need medical attention in the near future, but their statuses are such that they can wait a few days if need be. Fortunately, Hawkgirl has sustained only minor bruising and abrasions.
"My worst suspicions have been proven true." Diana laments to herself while gazing helplessly upon her incapacitated Amazon sisters. "The insanity spell is not limited to just the JLA. It affects everyone. Circe's nightmare left this question unclear, but I feared as much. I avoided taking my dilemma to the likes of STAR Labs for that very reason. Now I know for sure that to protect the masses I must remain as isolated as possible."
The princess restrains the trio in the Hawkship brig. She injects each woman with a powerful sedative which will keep them unconscious for the next 36 hours. Wonder Woman is very upset about the condition of her friends, but she sets aside her guilty feelings and returns to the primary lab. She was in the midst of re-energizing GL's power ring when Hawkgirl became schizoid. Her first task therefore is to complete the recharging process. Diana once again recites the legendary Green Lantern's vow; this time however it is to no avail.
"Great Gaea!" the Amazon exclaims in dismay. "Green Lantern's power battery ... it's dead?!!"
