15. Preparations and Questions

Summary: What has been going on either side? A taste of things to come.


"Bruce, are you sure this will work?" Dick leaned against the control panel, comprehending what the device whose schematics were displayed on the computer screen, supposed to do.

The silence he got for an answer was clear enough for him. Bent over what at the first glance appeared to an elaborate projector, his cape and cowl off, two-day-old stubble on his face, Batman continued with his work, making corrective modifications in his machine. Every minute or so, he would speak into the mouthpiece of his trans-dimensional communicator. It was a remnant of the time when the Justice Lords were on this side and the League captives on the other. On the other side of the line was also a Batman, the Lords' one. He was however, not in any costume. After the League had de-powered his teammates, the Lords' Batman had arranged for handing them over to the authorities, and he had disappeared into the darkness he worked from. Since then, he worked alone and rarely if ever ventured out of his city.

Right now, he was getting a direct video feed from the work that the League Batman was doing to enhance the 'projecting' power of the machine. Currently, they could only communicate with each other, because they knew the locations and frequencies on which to broadcast their signal so that it crossed dimensions safely and completely. Having found twenty-seven matches, any one of which might have Diana on it, they needed a signal powerful enough and expansive enough to cover the possible League, Lords, Bat and Oracle used frequencies. If any of those worlds had a Batman or a League or something akin to it, they would get the message. Also in the message were instructions for a return signal that only Batman or Wonder Woman could respond with, thus negating any chance of the technology falling into the wrong hands, be it anti-Leagues, governments or Criminal elements on that particular world. It was a long shot, having more chances of failure than of success.

"Why are we doing this?" Tim turned to Barbara in hope of some explanation.

"It seems that there were traces of an unknown energy signature of a few of the objects retrieved from the scene." Barbara brought up the list on her own computer, having linked it up with the Bat-computer's database. "During analysis, they were recognized as being similar to the energy signature of the trans-dimensional portal that the Lords' developed." Given the closed nature of the conversation between the two Batmen, only they could hear each other and only each other. That meant, the Lords' Batman could hear anything that the League Batman said but not what the others present did.

"So, Diana's been sent onto another world." It was more a statement than a question on Tim's part.

"It appears so," Barbara nodded, her voice carrying the barest of hope. "At least that's the hypothesis. She could also have been sent through time or…" she trailed off, not wanting to mention that the force of the beam just might have vaporized her….as believed earlier. The only reason that Batman did not subscribe to that line of thought, well apart from his heart's blunt refusal to do so was that there was evidence of any such occurrence. Even if that happened, there would at least be something left, even if it were ashes, on the ground or in the air…or the residual signature of such.

Any further discussion halted as Batman stood up straight, walked to the Bat-computer and powered up the machine. A soft hum filled the caverns as lights started blinking on the machine, each successive light going from blinking red to solid green as Batman progressed through the preparatory steps. Once that was done, he brought up a previously recorded file, and initiated a test transfer between him and his Lords' counterpart.

'What now?' Was the unspoken question on Cassandra Cain, a.k.a. Batgirl's lips as she laid a hand against Barbara's shoulder. Although one of the best and potentially deadliest fighters in the world, the teenaged Cassandra lacked in verbal and technical skills. She had watched with a mixture of fascination and confusion as what Batman was doing.

"We wait," Barbara rested her hand over Cassandra's, smiling a slightly sad but encouraging smile.

The wait was for the signal transfer to take place over the myriad range of frequencies that Batman had programmed for the transmission.

It was almost ten minutes later that the Lords' Batman responded with the results. "All signals seem to be transferring properly."

The League Batman did not respond. From the body language and words of his doppelganger, he knew that there was a 'but' or a 'however' coming.

"There seems to a time delay as the frequencies rise," there it was, one of the them. "And the effects of transferring it over various unknown dimensional distances…"

"I've factored that," Batman interrupted. Even though, he was taking help…taking assistance, he wasn't going to reveal his whole hand to the Lords, not after seeing what they could and had done.

"I am sure you have," his counterpart's words told him that he too had thought on the same lines. Had he been in the same position, he would have done the same and kept similar contingency plans.

The screen went blank as both Batmen ended their conversation.

"Alfred…." Batman started, halting as if summoned by magic or in his case an uncanny sense of timing, the Wayne's family butler and Batman's closest confidant appeared at his side. Draped on one bent hand was a clean cape and clown, while on the other an electric shaver. He also had a trolley at his side on which was placed a 'proper' dinner, one that he hoped that his master would finally partake in.

"After all, we wouldn't want to show madam that we are not taking care of ourselves in her absence," his usually poker-faced exterior was brimming with the barest of smiles and moist, hopeful eyes. "We would sir?"

"No Alfred," Bruce sighed as he reached for the shaver. For the first time in almost two weeks, he allowed himself a moment's rest and an illogical, irrational but emotional hope.

"No, we wouldn't."

----

Back on the other side of the dimensional partition, earlier in the afternoon,

"Wow," Donna exclaimed with wide-eyed appreciation at the story that the visiting Diana had told her and her sister, the Diana from their world. "That was…." She trailed off, fanning herself with her hand. "I won't be able to look at Batman the same way now."

'Neither will I.' Diana sighed mentally.

"Well, it wasn't as easy," the new Diana started again, filling in the remain details from her Christmas time getting together story. (Note: Read 'The Symmetry Interludes' #2 for that part of the story)

"What do you mean?" This got Diana's interest piqued again.

"When he came to my room to apologize, we had another round of our, umm, talks," she smiled wistfully. "We even exchanged a few choice words. I called him an egomaniacal warlord who had no feelings, not even for those he lived and or worked with."

"Ooh," Donna winced in mock pain. "That's gotta hurt."

"It did," Diana words held regret. She did not truly mean them. It was just he made it so hard to love him that she had reached the end of her line, having tried everything in her 'womanly-wiles' arsenal, not that there was a lot, all with her having grown on an island of women, one where the only man would be a dead man. "Almost as much as when he called me a pampered brat whose mother had spoilt her rotten."

"That's not so bad," Donna commented, her eyes flashing between the two Dianas.

"It is, when it comes from him," the Diana from this world answered, getting a raised eyebrow from Donna, the 'match-making' and 'detective' gears of her brain turning at her sister's words.

"I agree," the new Diana nodded.

Before anyone could say anything else, a fourth voice sounded from the door.

"Alright ladies, time for the mother-to-be's weekly medical checkup," Dr. Leslie Thompkins calming voice greeted the three Amazons as she stepped into the room, Alfred at her side.

"Hey Leslie," Donna greeted the older woman, and pushed herself of the plush couch.

"Hello Donna," Leslie sounded back, both women hugging each other. Breaking off, she turned to the Dianas, wished them and spoke to the pregnant one. "Ready Mrs. Wayne."

"Leslie," Diana admonished light heartedly, smiling nevertheless, both at the 'title' and the choked gasps from the other two women in the room. "I am only engaged to Bruce, not married."

"Ah, mere technicalities, Leslie flipped her hand, her eyes twinkling at the humor. "It feels good to say. Its been so long for either of us. Hasn't it Alfred?"

"My sentiments exactly," Alfred nodded in support. Seeing and living with this future Mrs. Wayne, even if she was from another world, made him think about the possibilities for the Batman here. Over the years, he had seen his charge fall in and out of love, both due to his dedication to his mission and due to his seemingly opposing luck in this matter. There had been many who would have fit nicely as the co-head of the Wayne family. Rachel Caspian, Vicki Vale, Dr. Shondra Kinsolving, Vesper Fairchild, Selina Kyle and the other Wonder Woman in the room, Diana herself, to name a few. He had even consideration to Ms. Talia al' Guhl once, but her inability to leave her father's shadows and Master Bruce's opposition to Ras's and his terrorist activities had effectively ended their 'partnership'. He also knew about Bruce/Batman's involvement with Selina/Catwoman and on more than occasion had felt that mixed love, hate, friendship relation would develop into something more fruitful.

He felt the same hope with Diana, although that did not last for long. Even though the details were not known to him, he knew that something happened between the two that made them step back from the door of a 'romantic relationship' that they had stepped to and even opened. Like any father, he wanted his son to be happy and his prayers and wishes gaining in fervor at seeing and hearing of such a thing happening on another world.

----

Diana smiled and shook at her head at the child like excitement in the older couple's eyes. Having experienced a smile reaction from the Alfred and Leslie on her world, she wasn't as surprised as the others, especially not her twin from this world.

With both Leslie and Diana stepping towards the ballroom turned mini-medical center, the remaining two Amazons, after shoo-shooing from Leslie accompanied Alfred to the dining room where a scrumptious lunch awaited them.

"Now Di," Donna started as soon as Alfred was out of earshot. "There is something I need to ask you. There is something I need to know."

"Yes," Diana looked up as, her hand stilling on way to the salad dressing.

"What is going on between you and Batman?"

-----

That night,

Diana had been standing for almost a minute as Batman continued to type away, entering new data into the record of this new Wonder Woman and her world.

"Bruce." Batman's hands stilled, yet he did not turn to face her. Knowing from experience that he was listening and that he wasn't going to answer with a, 'yes', 'yes Diana', 'yes princess' or anything, Diana stepped forward to come into his central field of vision before speaking the same words that Donna had spoken to her.

"There is something I need to ask you. There is something I need to know."