23. The Knights

Summary: The revelations are truly 'lighted'.


A few hours ago,

"What's he doing?"

Coming down the steps of the Batcave, Tim Drake, the teen hero known as Robin, questioned at the two figures waiting in front of the gigantic 'Cray' Bat-Computer.

"A second message," was all the answer he got from Barbara Gordon, the Oracle, as she tapped away on the keyboard. Standing, rather leaning, beside her was the diminutive form of the Cassandra Cain, the second and current holder of the Batgirl name. Born of an unknown parentage, the girl child was, probably stolen or given the conditions then, bought by the David Cain, one of the most dangerous and most notorious assassins in the world. He wanted to train and groom his successor, and in that regard set about to do so with children, 'a built from the cradle' sort of affair. It was not known if Cassandra was the first child he tried it on, or the there was others before her. However, whatever number she came at, one thing was certain….she was his last and most successful try. In her, he found no only the perfect body and mind to follow him, but one that would surpass him on every level….except for one thing….understanding. Understanding, not in the way to do a certain thing or the dozens of way to harm or as was his profession, kill a person, but to understand what it meant to take a life...and the feelings that it brought along with it.

On the day of her 'first kill' itself, the barely ten year old Cassandra got that understanding, not by any verbal or physical training, but by looking into the eyes of the man, in whose throat, she'd just sunk her small, delicate but incredibly lethal fingers into.

…and she ran.

She ran and lived on her own on the streets for almost five years, until….a chance meeting with the then, new Oracle, brought her into the Bat family. Feeling for the seemingly mute and possibly mentally challenged girl she found sleeping at the doorstep of her Clocktower residence, Barbara Gordon took her in and gave her fresh clothes and food to eat. The initial, temporary arrangement, soon became permanent, as Cassandra, as the girl somehow identified herself as, began assisting Barbara in and around the house.

The next change came by chance too, when, while returning from a nearby coffee shop, the duo were surrounded by a gang of four. Looking to make some easy cash, the four men were in for a rather painful shock, when, what at first seemed like a pushover job turned into a waking nightmare for them. A total of eight broken ribs, three fractured wrists, one dislocated shoulder and nose later, Barbara saw her docile companion in a completely new light. The way Cassandra moved propped a million questions and comments in Barbara's mind, including one she had never ever had before. 'She could take down Batman.'

Unknown to the girls, a shadowy figure, that of the man in question had witnessed the scene, and….

….Six months later, the Batgirl returned to the Gotham night skies.

--

"Second message?" Tim scrunched his face in confusion. Having finished with his school and other daytime activities, he had hurried down to the cave to join his companions. Dick had already left for Bludhaven for his Night-wing patrol and Batgirl's costumed form told him that she was ready to do the same with Gotham….just as he was. Initially. Slightly wary of the latest addition to their team, he soon bonded with the still learning to 'emote,' Cassandra. Moreover, if nothing else, the few hours that they spent in the city served as an outing for Bruce, who, ever since Diana's disappearance had become more of a cave dweller than the bats who lived there. He did not even go out during the daytime. Bruce Wayne had all but disappeared, something that Alfred explained away with a practiced ease. Supposedly struck down with a rare affliction, Master Bruce was, currently residing on one a island, somewhere in the tropical Bahamas.

"Its nearly twelve hours since he sent the last one," Barbara clarified. Still getting a confused look Tim, she explained further. "He is going to send it every twelve hours, each time with something new….until he gets a reply….a positive reply."

"'k," Tim nodded as he glanced at the sound proofed room.

"Don't worry. He'll be out soon."

"I know that. Its just that….I hope we get at least some sort of an answer."

---

Elsewhere, present time,

"Yaooza!"

All the present leaguers and even their guest turned at the sound from the door, only to see a head whiz past them….hading towards and finally…through the figure standing in between them.

"YAGGHHH!" Plasticman, Eel O'Brien screeched like a teenager girl seeing a cockroach, his elongated neck snapping back to its original dimensions. "What the….what is….who….what's that."

"It's a hologram," Batman answered as he walked towards the three-dimensional construct of….himself.

The beep of the third part of the message being unlocked was accompanied by another thing. Right in between them, just next to the central table, the holographic projectors started up and projected a form of that for every question and purpose could have been of the Batman present in the room…had it not originated from a Batcave in a different dimension, on a different earth.

While the others expressed their surprise and recognition, Batman merely responded with a raised eyebrow. His mask easily covered and hid his surprise. He did not need anyone else to explain who, no, what that thing was, because he already knew about its origin and intended function. He knew that because, he had one just like it…in the Bat-Computer.

What surprised the League members even more was way the Holo-Batman tilted his head as if assessing each one of them. A mere glance at the computer screen would have confirmed that thought. The recognition part was correct, except that, it wasn't the hologram that was doing the recognition. His moves were just a ruse, a distraction while the camera present in the room did the work. Authorized by Wonder Woman as well as this world's Batman, the programmed message not only opened up completely, it also got 'seniority' access to watchtower systems….and even though, any attempt to sabotage them would be caught, it did allow for the ability to use the cameras as eyes.

Its 'analysis' complete, the Holo-Batman turned to the primary of its programmed mission….Diana. She, it just needed to confirm the specifications already stored in its program.

"What's it…."

"Eel, Shut up!" Batman's cold voice silenced whatever the newly arrived Plasticman was going to say, as well as anything that the others might have to say….and just in time too.

--

"Diana," the Holo-Batman began to its creator's fiancé. "I am sending specifications for a communication relay that should allow you to contact back and intimate your position." The words carefully worded to contain not even a single mention of a 'we' or as 'me'. Batman did not know how much Diana would have told these people (or any people she was with), and refrained from revealing anything himself…especially if it might be used against her. Even though he asked for the Justice Lords' Batman and hoped that indeed his that doppelganger was once again on the side of non-lethal actions, he did not place his complete trust in him or any other possible Batmen…Hence the cryptic and clipped language.

Next, he tilted his head so that it could address all the others.

"This program has a shelf life of forty eight hours from now." As before, a type on the computer screen accompanied any spoken words (to the League). With the mention of the time limit, a countdown timer appeared there. From the current time, it was clear that the time started not from when the message was sent or even received, but from the time the last section was locked….the hologram activated.

"This program contains enough data to needed to create the dimensional communicator." This time it spoke to the 'real' Batman in the room, making it clear that even though the others were present and might be there even later, all the program and its creator were concerned with was the dislocated Diana and the Batman of this (or whatever world she was on).

"Both this program and the communicator will only work with Diana present. Also included is a schematic for a portable emitter, coded to the same gene code." This Batman did so that Diana could carry the program with her. What he did not reveal was that, whoever got the message, if they created the emitter and as long as Diana wore it, it would retain the copy of the program in the emitter…but only as long as she wore it. Otherwise, the forty-eight hour time limit would come into affect.

"Once completed, the communicator will lock onto the originating frequencies." Even thought short, the hologram cleared one thing…time was of the essence. What wasn't revealed was that the message in its entirety would be sent every twelve hours.

Its 'talking' to the League done, the light construct once again turned to Diana. Even though it wasn't made up of hard light, meaning that it did not have a solid feel, it was dense enough to not allow any light to pass through it, making it seem that there were indeed two Batmen in the room, right down to the soft swaying of the end of their capes.

The hologram…its creator's attention focused all on the woman standing in front of it, the construct let the first and possibly only piece of genuine emotion slide through.

"You should take better care of yourself."

----

A few hours later,

He knew this time would come. In fact, he was surprised at how long it took for it to happen.

"I know you are there." About to inform her mentor about someone following them, Batgirl stopped mid-gesture. He already knew it, and from his tone and the fact that he did not change his crouched posture, told her whoever it was, Batman knew him…or her. However, the stiffening of his body told her that whoever it was, wasn't a welcomed visitor.

In response to Batman's words, the red and blue clad form of the Superman appeared from seemingly thin space.

"What do you want?" Straightaway, it was down to business.

"Batman…" Superman hesitated at the dark form of Batgirl in the shadows. Still not quite certain what to make of her, and not about to pass any condescending judgment until he knew better, Superman, nevertheless erred on side of caution.

"Speak." It was clear that Batman wasn't in any mood to entertain. Being out on patrol alone was heavy on him….especially when, with most of his major baddies back in Arkham, the tide seemed to be on the ebb…for now.

"What are you doing about…?" Clark did not need to mention her name. All three knew who or what, he was talking about.

"None of your business," the Caped Crusader was incredibly blunt in his response. "She's dead, right?"

"Bru….Batman," Superman corrected himself at the last second, squelching his subconscious 'falling back' to using Batman's other's name. He knew that Bruce, at least on some level, blamed him and the others, even her mother and the Amazons, for giving up on Diana.

"Leave…Kent. Get out of my city." Batman did not hesitate from using his teammate's real name. It was meant as a clear indicator that he wasn't going to entertain any more talk.

A barely contained frown marring his face, Superman nodded in defeat. There was only one other thing he could say. "Let us know if the League…if I can be of some…any help."

Silence answered and followed his retreat.

---

Had his lingered a few seconds more, Superman would have got a somewhat of an understanding of Batman's latest venture. Three little words and both Batman and his protégé shot through the air, down to where the Batmobile stood parked in an alleyway.

"We got incoming."

-


Note: The 'comic' history of Cassandra Cain is a little different from what I included here. As there is no such character in the animated-universe (yet), I improvised on the actual history….without including the whole 'No-Man's Land' saga.

Finally got the posts upto speed with the ones on my site and JLAU. (23 chapters each). Will pace it accordingly from now on.

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