Chapter 9.
Story by Carycomic
NIMBUS III
(DEC. 11, 2378)
The Pakled ship's captain took another swig of his Romulan ale before explaining how he came by the additional "item".
"We find derelict Saurian freighter on barren planetoid near Dark Horse Nebula. And, all Saurians inside are dead. So, immediately, me start thinking: 'We gonna get free brandy!' But, co-pilot? He start wondering what killed Saurians. Because, some look like burned to death by acid. Others look like shot in back with phaser, at point blank range! Well, he find out alright. Hard way!"
"It was weird aliens. Look like really big bugs with spikey tails! First one kill co-pilot. And, me thinking rest gonna get me. But then, suddenly, even bigger alien show up. . .and he cut off all their heads with little flying shield! All but first one, that is. That one sneak up behind him and use spikey tail like spear! So, me use Klingon disruptor and kill first big bug. Then, me drag really bigger alien aboard ship and bring him here to fix wound. Because, me no want to be late bringing you what Daimon Gaila pay me to bring you!"
Sela, wearing the rattiest hooded cloak she could find, looked up from the cantina table top and glared at her "guest".
"A wise decision on your part, Pakled. Where is this 'really bigger alien' right now?"
"You come with me. Me show you."
* * * * *
GARDNER FOX PARKWAY
(JUNE 27, 2001)
Long-time residents, and other veteran commuters of the tri-state area, knew that the fastest way to catch the GFP, from Metropolis, was to take I-84 South from the Siegel Boulevard on-ramp near Fort Schuster State Park. And, while she was definitely not one of the former, Barbara Clarke was most certainly one of the latter. At least, when it came to playing hooky, from boarding school, on the back of a street-racing motorcycle!
That was how she had learned to wear a full safety helmet, complete with lift-up visor. . .and a two-way radio tuned to the local police band. That, in turn, is how she came to hear the call for assistance as she now weaved her Suzuki GSX 1100 through the traffic around her.
* * * * *
"All units! All units! Respond to 10-34 in progress at site of 10-53, near GFP Mile Marker 1. Eyewitnesses reporting use of bladed hand weapons by costumed individuals. Over!"
That was all Barbara needed to hear. She immediately increased speed until a gradually increasing back log of traffic forced her to slow down to a crawl. And, when she saw that the overturned vehicle was a "Roman 'Round" moving van, she instantly switched to a more encrypted frequency.
"Cycle Queen to Dark Knight. Cycle Queen to Dark Knight. Batman, please acknowledge! Over!"
There was one more second of static before she finally got a reply.
"Batman here. What's up, Batgirl?"
"There's some kind of weird duel going on along the GFP, near the intersection of Boltinoff and Frontage. Possibly a hijacking of one of Thorne's contraband shipments! Can't investigate; I only have civvies. Over!"
"Understood. Dark Knight en route. Over and out!"
Back at the King O' Clubs, Batman looked at Robin, who had been listening to Barbara's message, simultaneously. Consequently, the Teen Wonder asked a semi-rhetorical question.
"To the Vulcans?"
"To the Vulcans!" replied his mentor.
Whereupon, the Dynamic Duo broke off their just-begun discussion with Special Agent Dixon Hill and ran towards the hole in the street-facing wall of Rupert Thorne's office. . .and jumped through it!
"Agent Hill" and the other four men in black ran toward that hole and looked through it. To their amazement, they saw the Dynamic Duo gliding to a landing at the office building next door. Disappearing into the shadows near its underground parking garage. The disappearance did not last long, however. As less than ninety seconds afterward, two midnight-black motorcycles came roaring out of that garage!
"Fascinating," said Mr. Spock: "Apparently, they were not referring to the anomalous presence of my people here on Earth, this early in the 21st century."
The elderly diplomat was correct. Batman and Robin were now riding toward the indicated confrontation aboard custom-restored (and painted-black) Bimota Lasers equipped with Kawasaki Vulcan 500 R engines.
* * * * *
GARDNER FOX PARKWAY
(10 MINUTES EARLIER)
The van had been approaching Exit 1, on the Gotham County side of the parkway, when the Predator had been given his next order.
"These two seem to have perpetrated a major larceny," Sela remarked, telepathically. "Maybe their deaths will draw out my target. Kill them!"
Whereupon, the mind-controlled headhunter extended a pair of metallic claws from its right-hand gauntlet. Using them to peel off the roof of the van's cab like the lid from a can of sardines!
"What the frig. . .?!" Sal Maroni began to exclaim.
"Pull over to the side of the road!" ordered Deathstroke: "Now! !"
But, when Sal did not react as swiftly as he would have liked, the masked mercenary took matters into his own hands. Quickly leaning over to his left and seizing control of the steering wheel! As a result, the van veered to the right, crashing through the guard rail and on to the grassy verge of Frontage Road. In the process, it turned over on its right side before ultimately sliding to a stop. Yet, moments before that had happened, Deathstroke had managed to open the driver's side door of the van and launch himself outward. Landing flat on his back, judoka-style, in order to shield the mobster on top of him!
When they both regained their feet, Deathstroke ordered Sal to run off and call for help. The mobster instinctively began to protest, but changed his mind when Deathstroke withdrew his katana.
"Whup his butt, dude," was all he said before running off toward the lights of a nearby gas station.
* * * * *
Back at the King O' Clubs, the Traveler took his four allies aside in order to urgently whisper something to them.
"Captain! The Yautja has arrived in Gotham City. I have the precise co-ordinates from monitoring the local telecommunications, and I can make the police think we left by normal means. But, we must leave here, now!"
Jean-Luc Picard nodded, adding, "Ready your phasers. Set to maximum stun!"
Sure enough, no one noticed the departure of the five "FBI agents". Nor did anyone notice their sudden materialization, two seconds later, at the intersection of Boltinoff Avenue and Frontage Road. Conversely, the time-traveling quintet were just in time to hear Deathstroke proclaim:
"Alright, you ugly other-worlder. Let's dance!"
tbc
Mini-glossary
10-34: in real life, the NYPD radio code for "assault" (usually followed by specification of type).
10-53: in real life, the NYPD radio code for "overturned vehicle."
