When the finally reached the Watchtower, Diana was the first one off. She didn't run, but rather walked swiftly with her head held high, eyes watery but unblinking, as she immediately headed for her room. Superman bit his lip, but J'onn looked at him and shook his head. Batman watched the Amazon disappear through the hydraulic double doors, his expression as intent and unreadable as ever, then began doing the routine check of the Javelin-7 that he insisted on after every flight, even though everyone was sure it was unnecessary. Their shuttle had been built by Batman, after all.

Flash zipped over to help him, then changed his mind and sped over to Superman and J'onn instead.

"Can you believe those Amazons?" he asked, finally able to express his thoughts freely now that Diana was out of earshot. "Geez, we save their admittedly attractive butts, and what's their reaction? 'Men are forbidden on Paradise Island.'" He did a reasonably accurate impression of Queen Hippolyta's voice, although it was doubtful if the queen of the Amazons ever stuck her nose quite so far in the air as the Flash's mimicry suggested. "'You are banned from our South Sea resort forever. Especially you, Diana! How dare you bring friends over without asking permission first!'"

Superman bit his lip again, this time to hold back a twitch of a smile, but his voice was serious when he said, "Flash, you've got to understand, they're a completely different culture with different values, and--"

"Oh, please!" In exasperation Flash threw his hands in the air fast enough to make Superman's spit curl bounce. "Queen Hypertension kicks out her own daughter--AFTER she saved her mom and all the Amazons--because she brought us nasty, wicked men, gasp gasp, over to help . . . and you think the fact that they wear pseudo-Roman armor instead of mini-skirts makes it okay?"

"Greek." They all turned towards the source of the quiet, dark voice. Batman had a panel open on the side of the Javelin and was adjusting the wires. "They are based on ancient Greek culture."

"Although I have not been on your planet long, my initial studies of your civilization confirm this as well," the Martian Manhunter nodded.

"Yeah, well, the Greeks always seemed to have plenty of guys. What about Homer and Odysseus and Ulysses and everybody?" Flash pointed out.

"Odysseus and Ulysses were the same person," Batman said. He reached for his belt and drew out a small tool that vaguely resembled a specialized set of tweezers and started using it on the shuttle's circuitry, doing things no one but he could have explained. "Or they would have been if they were more than myths."

"Ever the skeptic, Br--Batman," Superman murmured.

The Dark Knight ignored him as he continued. "Traditional Greek society held women in contempt. Aside from those lucky enough to secure places as oracles and priestesses in the temple, there were few opportunities or choices for women. Even romantic love was regarded with a sort of horror by the men of the time, since it meant losing control and consorting with women. Sometimes, anyway. Are you familiar with the term--euphimism, really--'of the Greek persuasion'?"

"No," Flash said in confusion.

"Batman!" Superman must have known, because he looked slightly shocked.

Batman gave him a pitying glance before returning to his work, saying simply, "The men of ancient Greece went through great lengths to avoid giving women any sort of power. They couldn't own property. They couldn't leave their homes without a specific reason or approval from their husbands. Their job was to have children. Even then, their infants could be . . . rejected . . . if there was something wrong with them. If they were unhealthy or deformed, for example." Batman's lip curled in scorn at the ancient practice. "Or female."

"So basically you're saying ALL Greeks are screwed up, not just the Amazons."

"The ancient Greeks, Flash. There are still people living there, you know," Superman reprimanded.

"What I'm saying," Batman's voice rose slightly, "is that it's not surprising that a group of women who are so culturally entrenched in the remnants of the civilization that they still believe in Zeus and Hades would be suspicious and hostile towards men."

"Whereas you don't believe in Hades? Even though we just fought him?" Superman lifted an eyebrow.

"We fought someone who said he was Hades," Batman corrected. "Not the same thing."

"Not necessarily, but . . ."

"That history is . . . fascinating." J'onn sounded both amazed and shaken. "When you say the 'rejected' their children--"

"They put them in clay jars and abandoned them along the side of roads, by their doorstep, or in the wilderness," Batman said. "So that their death by hunger, aphysixation, or exposure could be said to be the will of the gods instead of the responsibility of the parents, you see."

"Their own children," J'onn marveled, clearly unable to concieve such a thing.

Frowning, Flash had to agree. "Man, what was wrong with those people?"

"They were people." Batman's voice was as calm and controlled as ever, but there was an extra edge of grimness to it.

"Yeah, but . . . still! I mean, we're not like that. All we wanted to do was help! And Queen Hippo exiled her own daughter just 'cause she was willing to break a couple rules to save them all! And Diana knew that might happen!" Although he couldn't have explained why, Flash knew that Diana's knowledge of her potential punishment made it that much worse. "Is that fair? Is that right?"

Superman looked as though he might launch into another speech, but Batman pre-empted him. "Of course it isn't right," he said disdainfully. "Welcome to the real world, Flash." He slammed the panel shut. "I'm headed back to Gotham."

"Right now?" Superman said, startled.

"I told you when I joined--Gotham comes first."

J'onn shifted. "But do you not think it would be best to wait until after we have briefed Green Lantern and Hawkgirl as to--"

"I'm sure you can handle it." Without another word he entered the Javelin-7. A minute later, the engines began warming up with their familiar thrum.

"Well, whatever." Superman shrugged and turned to leave. J'onn J'onzz followed him, with Flash zipping back and forth, simultaneously following them and watching the Javelin prepare for take off.

"Man, is it just me or was Bats even more pissy than usual?" asked Flash.

"He is as . . . displeased . . . by the actions of the Amazons as you--as we all--are, Flash," J'onn explained. "He feels things deeply."

The Flash paused long enough to give the Martian Manhunter a lopsided, wholly disbelieving smile before racing off ahead of the two aliens. If they wanted Hawkgirl and GL to be briefed, he'd be happy to brief them. Even though he was more of a boxer guy himself.