` Chey-Ara nearly slammed her communicator into the wall, only stopping herself because it was her last one.

Did Lieutenant Issi not realize Chey-Ara had done everything she could? Chey-Ara had searched as much of Gotham as she could. She couldn't search during the day, but she had to be careful at night. Of course, nighttime was the best time for her to search. But, unfortunately, nighttime was also when Gotham's defender prowled the rooftops.

Chey-Ara had never fought him personally, but she'd seen plenty of footage to know she did not want to mess with him or his brood – or were they a clan? Whatever.

She'd been stuck on this planet for almost three months. Her SO had promised an extraction two months ago, but she changed her mind and wanted Chey-Ara to stay put. So, here she was, stuck on a planet she didn't like… although living in Gotham's underbelly, sleeping on the streets and alleyways was no different from her living quarters in Lower Thanagar.

Chey-Ara placed her communicator back in the same grove that still hid her wings. She was beginning to hate her SO. Today's weekly report to Lieutenant Issi went as well as usual. Chey-Ara would let her know that Shayera had not been found; Lieutenant Issi would have a fit; Commander Katar would calm her down. Immediately, Lieutenant Issi would storm away leaving Chey-Ara to continue with Commander Katar.

(Chey-Ara had never met the traitor personally. But from past observations, it was apparent the traitor was much calmer and more level-headed than her dark-haired sister.)

Chey-Ara wanted to ask her SO why she was so confident about Shayera's whereabouts? Was there really no possibility that Shayera could be hiding elsewhere? Metropolis, for example, was another major city where Shayera could seek refuge. An ideal place to hide because Metropolis had a Kryptonian protector (weak on Krypton, powerful everywhere else). That guy was a force to be reckoned.

In conclusion, there were many places for Shayera to hide. But Chey-Ara valued her life too much to question her lieutenant's decisions. If her SO said Shayera was in Gotham, then Shayera must be in Gotham. She did not want to be on the wrong side of Lieutenant Issi's anger.


A crash followed by a terrifying scream echoed through the hall. "What now?" Katar asked his wife with an eye roll as he entered the command center. Shayera had never been this temperamental.

"My scout has found nothing," Issi growled, throwing another PADD into the wall. Katar watched it shatter to pieces.

"You know that those aren't easy to make, right?" he asked.

"Katar!" Issi glared at him with wild, green eyes. Shayera's eyes. No, he immediately thought, Shayera's stare wasn't both empty and crazy simultaneously.

"Why do you think she's in Gotham?" Katar stood at the hologram map in the center of the room. "Batman isn't the only hero in the Justice League."

"Oh, please," Issi stared at him as if he was an idiot. "You saw them; you were in the room, too. Batman and the Martian were the only ones who rushed to her. The others immediately began fighting us. And when the fighting stopped, not a single one of them offered to assist Batman."

"Maybe they realized he had everything taken care of…him and that Martian," Katar shrugged.

"No," Issi answered confidently, bringing up an eye-recording of that specific day. "Here," she froze a frame. She had only glanced at him briefly, but it was more than enough for her to read his body language with their technology. "Watch." She then played it frame-by-frame, everything magnified times 1000.

"He reacted first," Katar said.

"Exactly," Issi zoomed in on the minute expression… the twitch of his lip. "He was about to snarl but stopped himself. I've studied this recording 100 times over. At first, I thought he was snarling at how pathetic she was. But then he fell to his knees," Issi let the recording from her headgear play at average speed. "The Dark Knight of Gotham has emotions."

"Hmm," Katar replied, clearly impressed with her work.

"I also went through her notes from her first year on Earth. This Batman does not trust his team; he doesn't trust anyone. No way he was going to place Shayera's recovery in the hands of those she betrayed."

"So you have thought this through," Katar stated, almost admirably.

"Think what you will of me, husband," Issi sneered, "we went through the same training with my father, only I was always better."

Katar didn't respond to that. "What now?" he asked. He didn't like deferring to her judgment, but if things went bad…well…he'd never have to see Issi again.

"Since my spy is too inept to do anything, we'll have to outsource. Send a message to Lobo," Issi commanded. "I have a job for him."


Shayera sat up with a yawn, stretching as she did so. She was in a good mood, surprisingly. Her lightened mood probably had something to do with the fact that her back no longer hurt as much as before. The last tear was two weeks ago, and Bruce had done an excellent job patching her up. Alfred checked her back last night. He said there would be scars, but other than that, she was "coming along swimmingly." Just last week, she'd been able to rotate her shoulders, albeit slowly. But it was still something.

She could now move her legs and wiggle her toes without a searing pain shooting straight up her spine. It was great! It was torture. Shayera loved being able to move around somewhat pain-free. But it didn't matter. She was sfigurat, disfigured…handicapped…weak. And…there goes my happy mood, Shayera thought bitterly as the depressing thoughts ran through her head one at a time.

Theoretically, Shayera knew concentrating on all of the things she would no longer be able to do was terrible for her mental and emotional health. But wallowing was easier to do and more fun.

Humans had a saying about misery and loving company. Shayera didn't understand it. She was miserable, and she wanted to be left alone. Unfortunately – Knock! Knock! – the two people on the other side of that door weren't going to leave her alone or let her wallow. "Come in," she said half-heartedly.

"Good morning, Miss Shayera," Alfred greeted her with a smile.

"You look well," Bruce added, taking note of Shayera's upright position.

"Yep," Shayera popped the p. "I'm all sorts of cured."

"There's that sarcasm that I missed so much," Bruce smirked, folding his arms as he looked down at her. Shayera only shrugged. Bruce's face grew serious as Alfred set about, opening the curtains and whatever else he did in the morning. "How are your pain levels today?" Bruce studied her in a way that made shivers run up and down Shayera's spine.

"It's better," she answered, "almost non-existent."

"Excellent," Alfred joined the two. "On to phase two, I suppose?"

"Phase 2?" Shayera looked back and forth between the two men.

"Standing, walking," Bruce replied, his piercing blue eyes penetrating her soul.

"Oh yay," Shayera looked anywhere but him, "I can't wait. Standing, walking, and then running. What joy! It's almost as fun as flying," she nearly sneered at the end.

Alfred and Bruce exchanged looks but remained silent. They knew when to engage the temperamental Thanagarian. According to J'onn, they'd probably be dealing with sudden mood changes for at least another month. Bruce was worried about the after – when the emotional pain of losing her wings hits her sane mind.

"Do you think I'll ever look back at this and laugh?" Shayera asked him.

"Probably not," Bruce answered honestly.

"I agree. Okay," Shayera stared at Bruce with resolve, "when do we begin?"