Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League, nor any of it's associated characters. All original characters are copyright me, and may not be used without permission.
Sterile. That's perhaps the best descriptor in the world for the med bay in the Justice League watch tower. Most people don't comment on it too often, since they are inevitably in some kind of pain, emotional, physical, or purely mental. There wasn't strictly any pain involved here, but an overwhelming sense of complete exhaustion permeated his form. Fate lifted his hands from Adam's prone, if now awake form.
"He's awake, and he'll be fine. The fool simply used too much of his energy." he reported to Kara.
"Ouch." It was an audible word, though only barely. He didn't attempt to move his arm, as was the usual reaction. "What happened?" he whispered.
"She's gone." was all Kara could manage. She kept control by taking a deep breath.
"Dead?" he asked. She shook her head. Orion shook his head.
"No, we believe she's been taken to Apokolips. We will take a Boom Tube, and recover her." he answered. "We leave in less than an hour. And before you say it, you will be remaining here."
"I wasn't about to say any such thing." He was speaking stronger now. The lights flickered slightly, almost unnoticably. "You're taking the two Green Lanterns, aren't you?" he asked, almost a demand.
"Why would we?" Orion asked.
"Because they can track her as if she were a beacon. Much as they can sense the battery on Oa." answered the mage, sitting up. The lights returned to normal.
"How did you do that?" Fate asked.
"Second Law of Thermodynamics. Energy is interchangeable without loss except heat. So I can get energy even from electrical input." was the reply.
"Since when have the laws of laws of science been applicable to the field of magic?" Fate snorted. Kara grunted suddenly and angrily. "She is correct, now is not the time."
"We'll take the Lantern's with us."
Roughly an hour later, the team was assembled. Orion, Mister Miracle, Flash, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Star Girl, and Amazo. The last while not technically a member like Rayner, had nonetheless insisted on going. There had only been a couple of objections, quickly over-ridden. Orion raised his hand in salute, and dropped the Boom Tube. The team moved through, and were gone.
Arriving on planet, the group formed quickly into a defensive formation, Stewart leading, Rayner following. Flash scouted ahead, reporting back only when he encountered a problem. At first it seemed there was no resistance,but ten minutes in, all hell broke loose. Weapon fire from not one, but four groups of robots opened up, not only on them, but also on each other. The fight was short and viscious, leaving nothing but several piles of scrap. The team accelerated, assuming discovery. Finally, the point of contention arose. The lanterns could feel Juliana down a corridor Flash said was a dead end.
"Look, could you have missed a side door?" Kyle asked.
"No, I checked both sides, two times." Flash replied, rolling his eyes.
"You were gone less than a minute." Rayner protested.
"Hello, fastest man alive?" Flash shook his head.
"What about the floor?" Miracle asked. Flash started.
"Hmm... good point, I didn't think to check." Star Girl spoke up.
"One of us should remain behind, while the others progress. If it's not a dead end, Flash can return for me, and we'll join you." she spoke for the first time since they'd arrived.
"Why should you remain?" Orion grunted. "I was born here, and..." Star Girl held her hand up.
"Exactly. That means you know as much about this place as anyone else here, and you can help them search for the entrance, if there is one. I know nothing, but I can hold my own." Amazo spoke up as well.
'Allow me to remain with you. My sense of sight is superior in this darkness, and I can see threats approaching first. These walls block my other powers from functioning fully, so I am not as useful as I could be.' the android explained. Star Girl nodded, and looked pointedly at Orion.
"Does that make you feel better?" she asked. Grudgingly, he nodded, and turned to lead the others down the hall. "Thank you for offering to stay with me." she spoke. Wierd technorganic robot though he might be, she could sense amusement within his voice as he responded.
"You are welcome. In truth, I have wished to speak to someone unprejudiced against me." Amazo replied, in a perfectly organic voice, with a slight southern accent. Star Girl started, then recovered with a smile.
"And why would you say I am unprejudiced?" she asked calmly, stare penetrating the darkness.
"Because you are younger than the others, and more willing to accept those different from yourself." Amazo answered. "Besides, Dr. Fate suggested I speak to you."
"Why would he suggest me?" she asked, almost sure it was the same answer, but not willing to take the chance.
"I suspect he was tired of losing to me at Poker." this startled her even more. "Inza taught me, but suggested I play Fate, without using my abilities, explaining it was a greater challenge."
"So, what's wrong with that?" she asked.
"Fate soon realized that I could not be read." Amazo answered.
"I thought you weren't using powers?" she asked. "Or was that just you?"
"No, in poker it is often advantageous to watch the movements, and actions of an opponent to determine the strength or weakness of his hand. These are unconscious movements, difficult to control. Having only a single mind, I cannot make such movements." the heroine giggled.
"I gather that frustrated him." she asked, still giggling softly.
"Certainly. Chess was much the same. Dr. Fate tends to stare at his next move while I make mine." Amazo answered. "But what I wish to speak to you about, are these human emotions. I seem to have duplicated them along with other aspects of those people I meet, but I am not sure what to do with them. They seem somewhat useless, but at times, there is... an increase in energy, a surge if you may."
"Ah. It's much like adrenaline." Amazo's eyes glowed momentarily, as if searching an internal database. Finally he nodded. "It would seem that it works for you as well. We have learned to harness these emotions, particularly love, and anger. They provide boosts of energy, or adrenaline at moments critical to our survival." Amazo tilted his head. "It's like discharging a... capacitor. It drains all that energy to use in one burst, and then takes time to recharge. But it'll let you do something you couldn't normally accomplish."
"Interesting, how is it triggered?" Amazo asked.
"Good question. Take the example of the mother, the child, and the crane..." the two continued to talk, Amazo devoting his attention both to her, and to watching for guards.
A hundred feet ahead down the tunnel, the rest of the team was scanning, poking, and prodding the walls, ceiling, and floor, looking for a door. Kyle laid his hand on the right wall. "Damn it. I can feel her just on the other side of this wall."
"Alright, I think it's time for something a little more direct." John grunted.
"Look out, he's gone marine." Flash ducked behind the son of the head of New Genesis. Two green glowing power rings flared with light. A split second later, a trio of huge prongs penetrated the wall ahead of them. Then they twisted, slicing out a section of wall, and hauling it back, and out of the way. Inside the room bound in a chair with heavy chain, sat Juliana. Her head hung off to one side, Mister Miracle, and Orion were the first into the room the former going straight to the locks, the latter straight to the door. It took the master escape artist but a moments work, and she was free. Lantern moved up to her, and she woke suddenly. His ring instantly went dark. Rayner back pedaled. Flash moved up, and took her from the lantern. She narrowed her eyes, staring momentarily at the ring, and it reactivated. Suddenly, keys were heard in the lock. Orion lunged across the room, and out the round hole. Miracle tossed something through the hole.
"RUN!" he yelled. The two lanterns leapt into the air, Rayner dragging Miracle through the air. Orion swept after them, and Flash bulleted away, passing Star Girl, and a startled Amazo. The two were flying in pursuit as the others caught them. A moment later, the explosion blossomed behind them. Flash was waiting at the exit.
Orion tossed the Boom Tube into the air ahead of them. Nothing happened. "Hello father."
Darkseid descended before them. "I'm afraid I cannot let you take my weapon."
"Your weapon?" a hooded man appeared to one side, guarded by Sinestro. The golden glowing alien tumbled to the ground as Juliana focused on him. Then she turned her power on the hooded man, engulfing him within green flames. The cloak and hood burned away.