MISSION part 2

CHAPTER FOUR

Superman stirred. He opened his eyes and blinked. He could feel cold,hard metal flooring under his back. Pale light filtered down from wall lamps. He sat up and looked around him. He was in some sort of holding cell. He tried to get up only to realize a collar of some sort was around his neck. He tried to yank it off only to find a surge of electricity jolting his body. He let out a groan of pain.

"It is designed to keep you in check",said a voice from the adjoining cell.

He looked up and saw, through the forcefield bars that separated each cell, Lord Meric. He was chained the old fashioned way to the wall.

Meric added,"It monitors your every movement and if you make any move to leave this space unauthorized it shocks you into obedience. At worst it can explode and if you are lucky, kill you. It, however, maybe more likely to leave you blind or without limbs."

Superman looked around. The cell was only big enough for a low pallet and a compartment for waste."Where are we?"

"This is the best of the dungeons of Almerac."

"How long have we been here?"

"About two hours."

"Why didn't he kill me?"

"Oh,knowing my brother I am sure he has some depraved reason for keeping you alive."

Superman looked at the cell. There was no window .He used his x-ray vision and saw that they were meters under what appeared to be the main palace. He could not see farther than the cellars. A lead-like metal was used to line the ground floor.

He asked,"What happened to my friend?"

"Wonder Woman?Oh,I am sure by now he'll have added her to his ever growing household of hand maidens. He likes pretty women around him. Your friend is lovely beyond words and I won't be surprised if he covets her for his bed."

Superman's eyes darkened."She'll never submit to it."

"No. I expect she won't but that has never stopped him."

"I'll kill him if he hurts her."

"You have to get out of here to do that,Superman."

Diana was being dressed in a white silk by servant girls. Her hair was curled and scented and a large purple flower was tucked behind one ear. Her uniform,with its lasso, and her tiara laid in a pile on a chair. Her bracelets remained on as she innocently showed them that they were bonded and could not be removed. She jumped as the doors to the room was thrown open and in walked the newly triumphant warlord, Kronor. He was out of his armour;he was in a black tunic with a red sash about the waist .He carried a goblet of wine in his hands.

He clapped his hands."Out!All of you!"

The servants scampered away as ordered. He sank upon cushions on the nearby divan and patted the space next to him.

"Come,princess,sit for a while."

She stood silent and unmoving. He said smugly,"You can be stubborn of course. But remember,I have Superman somewhere incarcerated and I can easily order his torture and death."

Diana coloured and stiffly came to stand near the divan. He yanked her down by the arm and she fell back against the velvet squabs. He studied her rigid profile."Come,my dear,do but smile for me...You are much too sober..."

"I do not feel like it. Will you torture me too for that?"

"Hmmm,you are not afraid of me one bit, are you?"

"I do not fear cowards."

His eyes narrowed."A coward?How have you come to that conclusion?"

"Only cowards use force and threats. It is the only way they can be assured of obedience. They cannot risk letting people judge them based on merit and fair play."

"You speak as one who seems to know much."

"Because it is what I do. It is what the League is all about."She looked at him gravely,"You will never know if someone could ever do something for you out of love and loyalty...only hate and fear..."

"Enough of this preaching",he said crossly,and tossed the rest of his wine down. He put the goblet down and reached out to twist a lock of her hair about his finger."I have no illusions about what I cannot make me feel guilty."

"No. One needs a conscience for that",she returned steadily,trying not to flinch when he let a finger trail up her bare arm.

Kronor bent and kissed her closed her eyes and murmured a prayer to her gods. He turned her face to his. He reminded her languidly,"Remember,I will kill him if you so much as resist me...Would you have his death on your conscience?"

Diana did not resist;she let him lay her down on the divan and as his lips came closer to her,her wrists went up and she slammed her bracelets to the side of his head. He let out an agonizing scream of pain and fell onto the floor,rolling and clutching his ears. Blood was pouring down into his collar. She had shattered his eardrums.

She rose and declared,"I won't have my rape on his conscience either!You disgusting brute!"

Diana thumped him on the head with a nearby vase and he went unconscious. She took the lasergun he had tucked in his waist and lifted him easily and dumped him on the bed. He would be out for a while. She needed to locate Superman. She went to the window and looked out. There were occupying soldiers everywhere. On towers,in the courtyard,in airpods patrolling the grounds. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was too overdressed to be taken for a servant.

She went to the door and poked her head out at the sentinels on duty."Could you two come here for a minute?I don't know what happened to the Overlord..."

The men came in,both were in helms and carried tall staffs. Diana pointed to the unconscious figure on the bed."Do you think he drank too much?"

One went to look,the other asked,"What happened?"

She said innocently,"I don't know. We were... you... know. " She faked a shy smile and looked down. The guard smiled slyly and nodded. She looked up and batted her lashes."And all I did was this..."

Diana's fist went into the man's solar plexus. He let out an "Oof" and fell to his knees. His colleague yelled,"Hey!"

Before the staff could be aimed at her,she moved speedily,took it off him and used the butt to his chin. He fell unconscious. The other,on his knees, was still moaning. Diana picked up a chair and broke it over his head. He passed out. She swiftly began to remove his uniform. She took the helm of the other,as that one was dented from the chair. She stripped quickly to don her uniform,then threw on the sentinel's tunic,breastplate,knee,shin and arm guards and visored helm. She prayed no one would notice in the pale night lighting that one sentinel wore heels.

She lifted the pair and tossed them in a closet. At a glance no one would suspect anything. She looked at herself in the mirror. It would have to do. Very quietly,she slipped out of the room and braced herself to make her way unsuspected into the main corridors.

Superman paced the narrow confines of the cell. His neighbour said wryly,"You may as well sit down. There is little you can do."

He gave him an impatient look."None of this would have happened if it weren't for you!"

Meric grumbled."You do not have to remind me..."

Superman tried the collar again,only to let out a grunt of pain. Meric tutted,"I told you,it is a waste of time...You need a key for that."

He winced."A key?"

"Yes,it is probably kept by the warden."

Superman searched the entire area of cells and true enough he saw a main station with guards and monitors. The warden sat in a glass booth with a cabinet of keys and collars. It was futile however since he had no way of reaching it. He let out a breath of frustration and sank onto the pallet and held his head. The mere idea of not knowing what was happening was driving him crazy.

It was half an hour later when he heard the sound of laser fire. He jumped to his feet and looked around. Meric who could not hear anything,looked over lazily form where he lay."What's wrong with you?"

Superman's eyes widened and a smile turned his lips up as he saw through the walls,a sentinel stun the warden and the guards with a staff-weapon. He saw the beautiful face beneath the visor. She was looking at the monitors,scanning to see which cell he was in. She appeared in less than two minutes.

Superman looked at her."What took you so long?"

Diana replied,her face still concealed,"I had to thump a monarch."

He chuckled but said,"We need a key to get the collar of me. If I put one foot out of this cell,we are toast."

She flicked the forcefield off and came in to look at the serial number on his collar."I'll be back in a minute."

Meric,who was witnessing this exchange,stood up and asked in bewilderment."A sentinel is helping you?"

The "sentinel" returned and produced a electronic metal prong that slotted in the back of the collar. It bleeped and clicked and snapped open. Superman threw it to the floor with a breath of relief.

Diana raised her visor."We cannot delay. My flight would be discovered soon.''

Meric gasped."You!"

She gave him an icy glare and gave her friend a nod to move out. Meric cried,"You are leaving me?Superman,please!"

The Kryptonian paused and Diana gestured,"Kal,let's go!"

Superman looked at Meric,who had fallen to his knees,and was pleading,"Help me,Superman!"

"Kal,you are not going to really..."

He looked at the groveling man and went to the panel outside of his cell. His heat vision burnt the wiring and the beams hissed off. He went into the cell and yanked the chain from the wall. Diana looked at him in bemusement.

"You are crazy!He's a self-preserving snake,if ever there was one!"

Meric grasped Superman's hand."Thank you. Oh,thank you!"

"You had best get going then,before the alarm is raised",Superman advised. Meric did not need telling twice.

Superman called after him."And,Meric,remember:whatever you sow in this world,you will reap."

Meric did not even wait to hear him. Diana sighed,"What a waste of time,Kal."

He replied,"Everyone deserves a second chance...or as in his case,a third and a fourth."

"The eternal optimist."

"Let's go."

Superman smashed his fists into the wall and broke through to the bed rock. He used his heat vision and with a combination of punches and his own powerful momentum, they breached the surface. They emerged from an old well that was used for ornamental purposes. It was right in the middle of the royal gardens. It was dark night and they sank behind a large hedge-grove.

Diana began taking off the cumbersome sentinel's uniform. She sighed in relief once clad in her own Wonder Woman suit."That's better."

Superman murmured,"We need to make a run for it and steal a craft..."

She said grimly,"There are soldiers everywhere..."

"We have to take our chances. Once that alarm goes,there will be no way out..."

She said softly,"You could go...You can fly into deep space."

"You can't. I am not going without you. I've worried about you enough for one day."

Wonder Woman impulsively reached out and cradled his cheek."I am glad it is you with me."

He seemed to flush in the darkness. He said lightly,"Me too."

"Kal,I..."

Sirens wailed and made them jump. Superman said worriedly,"I am afraid our escape had been discovered."

Superman and Wonder Woman did not have much time to hide. Flood lights from the towers and the airpods were soon everywhere. They had no choice but to take a stand and try to fight their way to the nearest ship. Superman could see it from where they stood,it was Lord Kronor's very own shuttle on the landing pad just on the inner concourse of the palace.

"It is two hundred meters away. We have to run a gauntlet of towers and sentinel posts. Together we can take them by surprise. I don't think anyone would expect us to go for his ship."

She nodded."Okay. Let's go!"

The two superheros took to the air. At once there were shouts and the spotlight searching them out.

"There they are!Shoot them!"

"Bring them down!"

Superman broke a spire and sent it hurtling at a hovering pod. Diana's lasso brought the tail of another crashing ito the facade of a outer wall. They veered in and out of the high battlements and arching colonnades,blocking and avoiding laser cannons and blaster-fire. Diana broke the head of a statue of Maxima and made a bowling motion and sent a group of guards rolling like skittles. Superman used his heat vision,melting the barrels of rifles and short-circuiting the flood lights.

He yelled,"Diana,come on!The search lights are down!"

She flew to him and together they broke through a wall that led on the grassy concourse. The shuttle was being guarded by three robotic sentinels. At once the machines sensed that their perimeters were breached. Their guns took aim and began to fire at any movement. Superman went into a dive and took one out with a powerful punch. The Amazon princess used her bracelets to deflect the blasts of another, and got close enough to use her lasso and send it flying into the air. The third robot fired at her head,she ducked and watched as her colleague took it out with a blast of icy winds from above.

She was about to rip the door of the shuttle open when they heard the sound of boots on the periphery. Dozens of troops, armed with rifles surrounded them.

She ran inside and flicked on the control panel,and shouted,"Kal,get inside!"

He flew inside and said urgently,"Get us out of here!"

She started the engines and the craft took off. Rifles fires at them,bouncing off the shuttle's sleek hull. Diana bit her lips and lifted off higher. She could see the the palace lights grow small. She was heading for the clouds when the shuttle was hit by something that made the craft lurch and sliced a wing off completely.

Superman looked down and swore."Damn. They are using the ion cannon."

She looked at the wing and gasped."We've been hit!"

"Put the ship's shield on!"

"I can't!There is a code and I...oh,Hera!" The ship was hit again,this time on the bow. The fuel tank began to leak. Diana let out a groan."We are not going to get out of the atmosphere!...The engine's on fire!"

Superman stood up."I'll see if I can fix ..."

The ship shook violently;Diana looked at him in dismay."The tail is gone. We have to abandon ship!"

They were plummeting now at a rapid rate. He reached for her hand and they flew out of the craft seconds before it smashed into a hanger below. An explosion and shouts of bewilderment and surprise could be heard as jets and other ships were destroyed and damaged,and soldiers ran for cover into the nearby field.

Superman and Wonder Woman had only a moment's breather. They looked up to see a horde of men in armour, with weapons,and shields coming at them. But not from the ground as expected. They were flying out of a transport ship from the air.

Superman saw one face he knew. muttered,"The Almerac elite!"

Diana looked eager."We are saved?"

He took her arm."No,they are in his service now,remember?"

Wonder Woman looked anxious."We are in big trouble then."

He said grimly,"If we have to go down,we go down together."

She nodded."Together."

Lord Kronor sat with a swollen jaw and perforated eardrum in his apartments;a physician was trying to treat him with painkillers and send nanobots to do some repair to the delicate organ. He was no longer in much pain but he was fuming. He had been out witted by a woman,had lost not only Superman and Meric,but his own shuttle!

He recognized that the pair of Leaguers were a force with which to be reckoned and upon his regaining consciousness had ordered for the immediate dispatch of Almerac's elite military unit. He wanted to see what the pair would do now. Ultraa and his men all had been bred to fly and match strengths with the great Superman.

He said irritably to the physician,"Just fix me with an artificial earpiece!I have no time for this!"

"Yes,sire. Very good."

Hagar was also on the communicator elsewhere in the palace, waiting for further instruction if the tactic failed.

Kronor said,"I want them both alive. When I am finished with the princess she will wish she had submitted to me. And as for the Kryptonian,he will pay dearly for his interference. Damned do-gooders!"

Superman and Wonder Woman fought with a ferocity that took the Almerac elite by surprise. They were, however, outnumbered,and the men had the powers of strength,speed and flight. They managed to hold out for an hour only to have Wonder Woman eventually surrounded and captured with the help of an electro-magnetic snare. She fell heavily to the ground below as it weighted her down like a struggling fish caught in a net.

Superman had Ultraa by the neck and was about to follow up another fist to the face. The Almerac general rasped,"Your friend is down,Superman."

Superman's fist stopped centimeters away from his cheek. He looked down and saw her being prodded with a prong like staff.

He cried,"Diana!"

He let him go at once and sped towards her. He swooped in,fighting his way to her,only to have several blasts hit him from all angles. He went sprawling to the ground. Ultraa and half of the unit hovered over him."It is over,Superman."

Superman looked up and replied,"Not while I draw breath."

He stood up and his eyes glowed red. He seemed to take a second and then a blast of heat vision that was powerful and strong enough to disintegrate inorganic matter was fired at the Almerac army.

Ulltraa saw it coming and bellowed,"Your shields!"

Every man turned their shields to divert the blast from their bodies and watched in awe as it took out the flying transport above. The ship exploded and pieces of fiery metal began to rain from the sky. Superman in the blink of an eyed had reached his friend and his super-breath sent the half dozen men around her rolling like leaves. He was about to rip the net open,when Ultraa himself came at him with a sword.

The Kryptonian picked up a nearby lance and countered the blade. They levitated off the ground,the general pressing him hard. Dueling was not Superman's strength. He never required to with his gifts. Now facing an opponent with a range of powers near his own made matters a bit more difficult.

He gritted,"Why are you even serving that despot,General?"

Ultraa grunted striking high,"If he had the woman you loved at his mercy then you would not be so quick to judge."

"Maxima knows you are doing this then?"

The look on his face made Superman remark,"Ah,no. She doesn't."

"She...we...have no choice."

"Everyone has a choice. Maxima's biggest failing is her pride but it is the source of her strength as well. The Almerac army serving Syxon?She would rather die."

"She will if I did not do this."

"And you deny her that right?"

Ultraa let his blade hover for an instant."What?"

Superman nodded to Wonder Woman."You see that woman there?She's my friend,my comrade in arms. The thought of any thing happening to her would move me too,but she's strong. She would never forgive me saving her if it meant I went against what we,what the league,believed. She would rather die fighting. Can the same be said of you?"

"What are you asking me?To spare you?"

"You think that's what motivates me?My own life?I would never have even come to Almerac in the first place if that were so. My last experience there was so bad..."

Ultraa put his sword in repose. He looked tired all of a sudden."That is true."

Superman threw his lance away."This is a pointless exercise in time-wasting. We are outnumbered by you. You can take us in."

Kronor was in topmost chamber of the main tower. Dawn was breaking. This afforded him a full 360 degree angle of Maxima's residence and environs. It also boasted a communications network that allowed monitoring the planet and communication with the rest of the galaxy. He was informed by a cowering technician that the Almerac unit was flying back to the palace. It appeared that they had been successful in their mission.

Kronor, wearing his audio-enhancer and in armour, looked at one of his retinue."Go and alert the executioner."

An adviser looked concerned."M-my lord,is that wise?"

"They tried to murder me. They succeeded in destroying royal property...They aided a traitor to escape...They have broken my laws!Are you suggesting I leave them unpunished?"

"No,sire...never sire."

"Because if you had,then that would have been sedition. Punishable by death..."Kronor paced the floor. He saw the approaching unit of flying soldiers on the horizon. He stepped out onto the large circular balcony,and waited.

He could see Ultraa and a dozen men flanking the two Leaguers,who were in manacles. They hovered several feet in the air above him.

Ultraa alighted before him .He smiled."Well done,General."

Ultraa asked,"What punishment have you for them?"

"For the Amazon,I have contacted a slaver from Hann. It seems that backwater colony has a rather thriving bordello. As for the Kryptonian...only death will do."

Ultraa repeated,"Death?"

"Death. The executioner awaits below."

"I am not too sure about that..."

"What?You dare to question me?Have you forgotten one word to Hagar and your Maxima will die?"

Ultraa looked grave."That is true."

"So,then why do you stand there and gawk at me?Get the prisoners below!"

Ultraa replied,"I don't think so...Now!"

Superman heard the signal and instantly shouted,"Go!"

The manacles snapped off his and Wonder Woman's wrists and ankles and their captors moved back. The Almerac soldiers began to move in formation,ready to do battle. Ultraa unsheathe his sword and alarms began to wail as guardsmen began to run to aid the warlord. The two leaguers took on the first wave easily,whilst the Almerac unit faced sentinels from the air and ground.

Kronor reached for a his own weapon. Blades clashed and the Syxon general on the link was soon alerted of the mutiny of the Almerac force.

Maxima and her kin and the diplomats sat in chambers in the west wing of the palace. They were under heavy guard. Since the invasion, the Empress had been isolated and kept ignorant of the goings on in her palace. The group seemed to have some clue that the new lord of Almerac was struggling to keep order. The sirens having been heard several times in the last sixteen hours.

Maxima looked up at the sound. She said with pride,"That is my people. If he thinks this occupation will be easy, he is wrong."

The ambassador of Rann said confidentially to his fellow diplomats,"Personally,I think it is the the two Leaguers."

"You think they are still alive?"

"A greedy dictator is not exactly a novelty to Superman and Wonder Woman."

"Let's hope you are right. I don't want to die here."

The Baron,who was sitting near the window,peering out to see if he could see what was happening,suddenly rushed over."Majesty,I could see the general from Syxon and some heavily armed soldiers coming into the courtyard."

Maxima lifted her shoulders and chin."Let them come. I don't fear them!"

It took Hagar ten minutes to reached the chambers. The doors were thrown open and the general headed straight for Maxima. He pointed his weapon at her."You. Come with me!"

The Baron tried to push forward,only to be forced back and for soldiers to point their weapons at Maxima's siblings."Come along,majesty,lest my men fire upon your family."

She said coldly,"Keep back,Jared."

She was manacled and hustled out towards the main wing. The noise was louder as they drew closer to the ongoing foray at the main tower. She gasped,as she looked around. Casualties of the fighting greeted her in the form of broken towers,destroyed debris from airpods and ships,rubble and twisted metal and men from both Almerac and Syxon running back and forth. She screeched as she saw the headless remains of her statue.

Ultraa and Kronor were locked in a sword battle,when Maxima and her escort arrived.

Hagar shouted,"General Ultraa!"

Ultraa looked over and saw her;he gave Kronor a dark look."I will not be blackmailed."

Maxima looked at him,somewhat impressed. She smiled to Hagar."Now what?You kill me?And what is going on out there?"She nodded to the outside,where a clear battle was taking place between the Almerac elite,the leaguers and the Syxon forces in the palace.

Hagar growled,"You are outnumbered. It will take our main army no time to amass from its camp outside the city walls and the rest of the planet."

Superman flew over to Wonder Woman who had just lassoed three men and was dropping them off in an area where there was a score of half comatosed ,injured men,some stripped of their armor and weapons,under guard.

He said ,"There's a gathering of the Syxon forces outside. I can see scores of fighter-ships coming in. They'll be here in less then five minutes."

She looked worried,"Gods,can we hold them off?"

"I don't know. We have a batallion of Ultraa's men that we didn't have before and men released from the dungeons. It may not be enough..."He suddenly paused and looked up."I hear something."

"What is it,Kal?"

He took off,straight-up and disappeared into the stratosphere. She looked back to see in the horizon,the glimpse of incoming craft. She flew back to the tower to find Ultraa. The duel had spilled out onto the balcony.

Kronor grinned maniacally as he saw his fleet coming."There,general,there is your fate!This time I will not be so lax with Almerac. This time I will raze her to the ground!"

"If you live",he gritted and blocked a blow and hovered off the floor and tried to attack from above. But the Syxon warlord was swift and what he did not have in speed or strength,he made up in agility and his skill at the sword. He used Ultraa's momentum and tossed him. Ultraa fell to the ground,and Kronor followed up with a stab to the side. It hit his body armour,but managed to slice through to cleave the flesh. Ultraa let out a groan but parried the next attack. Maxima tried to move forward but her manacles prevented her. She let out a cry of dismay to hear the roar of engines in the distance.

Kronor laughed,"Even if I die,my men will wipe you out. Hagar!You might as well kill her now."

Hagar unsheathe his large axe and he shoved Maxima to her knees. She struggled .He yelled for his men to hold her. Ultraa tried rising,but Kronor had him cornered.

The Empress felt the cold metal touch her neck,she closed her eyes and waited for the end.

All she heard was sound of metal snapping and a female voice saying,"No,you don't."

Maxima opened her eyes to see Wonder Woman hovering with her lasso about Hagar and the axe broken into two at his feet. He was struggling as the girdle of Gaea dragged him to edge of the balcony and suspended him into the air. He wriggled like a worm on a hook. Diana hung him by the collar onto a protruding conduit rod and left him there.

Kronor's eyes darkened with rage as he saw the Amazon move to free Maxima of her bonds. He used the butt of his sword and knocked Ultraa on the skull. Ultraa went down and stayed down this time. Kronor looked at Diana and Maxima. He had a dozen or so men at his back still. All were armed and they waited his orders.

Maxima hovered with Wonder Woman.

"We need to retreat",Diana murmured.

"What?We stand and fight!",the Empress commanded.

"My bracelets can take so much fire power. I am not Superman you know."

"More's the pity."

"Look,you do not even have a weapon..."

Maxima smiled and concentrated on the monitors and furniture in the room."No. But I can do this."

Parts of the stations tore themselves off and came at the men from behind. Chairs knocked into them,fixtures and fittings flew at them.

Diana conceded reluctantly,"Not bad. But let's go now."

She looked at Kronor taking cover behind a station."I want him..."

"Maxima,we need to get Ultraa out."

Maxima looked taken aback."Oh."

"He fought for you. Will you leave him for Kronor to finish him off?"

She looked reluctant but snapped,"Oh very well."

They flew to where the injured man lay unconscious on the balcony floor. Diana picked him up. And she gasped as she looked up to see the Syxon fleet over the palace.

"Hera,we are in trouble."

The Syxon fleet began to fire upon parts of the palace it knew that was under control of the Almerac elite. Several ground forces were also alighting unto the concourse and gliding onto the battlements. Holding Ultraa over her shoulders and flying with Maxima for cover,Diana bit her lips,"Kal,where are you?''

Maxima scowled."Yes,where is he?It is unlike him to flee a scene."

"He did not flee. He went to ...to..check out something..."

"You and he...you seem very close",she observed stiffly.

They alighted near a tower,where there were Maxima's own men behind an ion cannon. They laid the unconscious general on the floor.

Diana said briskly,"We are good friends."

"Friends. You are not wanting him for a mate then?"

Diana flushed at her blunt question."What?Don't be absurd."

"So you have no designs on him. Good. Does he have any designs on you?"

"No!"

"Even better. On any other earth female?"

"I don't know...That's not my business",she said nettled."What is it to you?He refused you."

Maxima said pompously,"He may yet relent. He cannot remain without a mate. Most males want an heir,you know."

Diana looked at her in amazement and said impatiently,"Now is not the time for us to be discussing Superman's lack of progeny. Your planet is on the brink of being wiped out!"

Maxima looked up and her eyes widened."Am I seeing things?"

Diana followed her gaze. Above the Syxon fleet,breaking through the clouds was the flutter of the red cape,and behind him a familiar ship that usually sat in the JLA hanger,and hundreds of Lantern Corps.

A familiar voice sounded through her comlink."Diana, we are all here."

"J'onn!"

Kronor's jaw dropped when he realized what was happening. He took the lift to the ground floor,looking for a way to access a craft to get out. He was on his way to the palace hanger,hacking down anyone in his path when a blur of motion took him from behind. Superman grabbed him and melted the sword in his hand with his heat vision. He gave him an uppercut to the jaw for good measure and knocked him out cold.

The Batman, who was following up in an airpod,looked at him oddly and said,"That's not like you taking a sly swipe."

Superman said unrepentant,"I owed him that for a friend."

The Lantern Corps had made short work of the battle. They had Rann and Thanagar on hold and that threat made the leaderless Syxon forces surrender. The Guardians were very clear in what they wanted. And John Stewart informed the Empress later when all the parties had gathered on the open concourse.

She fumed,"I have the right to execute him."

"You are to leave the fate of Kronor to the Guardians and in fact his punishment should be decided by the first party he offended."

"What party?"

"The party that was also responsible for your rescue."

Maxima looked bemused. From the nearby JLA ship emerged J'onn and one Lord Meric.

Maxima gasped,and Wonder Woman looked up in surprise as well."Him?"

The Manhunter said,"It was the Lord Meric that alerted the League of the situation on Almerac. No one knew what was going on,nor suspected that in less than three hours of the league arriving to Almerac,it would be invaded."

Superman said,"Lord Meric deserves to be recognized for his courage. He could have saved himself but he didn't."

Meric looked a bit abashed."I wanted to but...my conscience nagged me all the way to Pteron-5 and I had to turn back."

Maxima spoke up."Well,I thank you. And you ought to have him executed."

"He is my brother. I cannot do that. I submit he should be imprisoned at the guardians' pleasure."

The Flash,who was standing near Hawkgirl,said,"And this must be the boring part. Do we have to stay for the handshakes and bowing and stuff?"

Shyera hissed,"Shut up,Wally."

Maxima looked displeased but had no choice but to relent. She assented."So be it."

The ambassador of Rann said,"It will take some time to get your palace and city in order. Rann will be willing to assist."

"Thank you."She looked at the Leaguers;she gave Diana a stiff nod of acknowledgement."Thank you for your help."

"You are welcome,your majesty."

To Superman she smiled her most dazzling of smiles."Again you save Almerac from disaster. I thank you."

Superman bowed and replied,"It's what the League does and will do again if you need us."

She said softly and looked at him meaningfully,"Are you sure there is no way I can reward you?"

He said calmly,"Peace is its own reward."

She pouted,"Are you always so good or just deliberately obtuse?"

He half smiled,"I don't know what you mean,your majesty."

"Shall I be clearer?"

Superman looked at Ultraa standing,despite his recent injury, at the back."Sometimes,Maxima,it's what you have nearer to you that's worth more. Too often what we think looks more appealing is only so because we can't have it."

Batman announced,"We should go. I have been alerted that all manner of creatures from what appears to be fables are plaguing the eastern seaboard."

Wally groaned,"Aw man,not the witch-queen again. Last time I spun gold until my fingers bled!"

"Come on then,people",said Lantern."Let's go!"

They bade the rest of the parties farewell and boarded the ship. Hawkgirl to the helm,with Lantern as her co-pilot. Superman sat beside Wally and Diana with Batman. The Manhunter sat at the rear. As they took to the air,the Flash began to tease Superman.

"I tell you, Clark,that Maxima has the hots for you."

"What are you talking about?",he asked innocently

"Oh come on,You can't be such a boyscout not to notice!Didn't you see it,Bats?Yes,you did. Nothing goes past you. And I don't think she liked you too much,Diana."

Wonder Woman replied dryly,"The feeling was mutual."

"Word is that Kronor took a fancy to you."

A memory of disgust crossed her face. She said,"He paid for his advances with a shattered ear-drum."

"Ouch .Remind me not to get on your bad side."

Batman looked sharply at Superman. His friend's uncharacteristic action made sense now. The look on Diana's face spoke volumes. Kronor,it appeared, did more than a little flirting.

Lantern ,from in front, added,"And he got himself a shattered jaw. Did you do that too?"

Wonder Woman looked up across at Superman questioningly."No,I didn't. Who...?"

Superman looked at Batman and said in a rush,"Bruce did it."

Diana looked at Batman."You did?Why..."

Batman shrugged."I am Batman. I break people's jaws without compunction."

She looked unconvinced but looked at the dark knight with a half smile."Well,I'll excuse it this time. He deserved worse. How is your museum mystery shaping up?"

Superman gave his friend a tiny nod. It was a tiny lie but it was worth it to cover up a bigger truth. A truth that was beginning to disturb him,more so now that he knew he was caught up in the middle of a triangle of sorts between his two closest friends. He leaned back and looked out the window, trying not to look at the reflection of Diana in the glass as she smiled at Batman.