7 Justice League the Corps

The Question and the Huntress quietly slipped into the monitor womb. They hadn't visited it for a couple of days. Sue and J'onn had read them the riot act regarding its use but they'd fallen short of forbidding the couple from using it.

The Question sat down at his preferred bank of computers and monitors and began accessing reports from around the globe. Huntress sat at the other station and called up the internal security feeds.

"I do believe you were chastised over that," Question reminded her.

"How're they going to know? Who's going to tell them? You? And before you answer that, try and remember that we sleep together and that if I get busted sleep is all you'll be getting in the future." She warned.

Question shrugged and returned to his reports. Huntress gleefully called up the recordings from Booster's room.

"Claire What's-her-face stayed overnight before Booster went on the space mission. I've got to know how good she is in bed." She declared.

"Why?" he asked absent mindedly.

"Booster's been bragging her up for a couple of years now but apparently they only had sex just recently. I want to see what was worth the wait," Huntress revealed.

"You may be surprised," Question warned.

Huntress ignored her husband and found the time stamp of when the couple entered the room. They were rather sedate and Huntress began fast forwarding. Soon, however, they were tearing each other's clothes off. It was rather primal and Huntress had to admit to herself that she was getting turned on.

She looked away towards Question, "Y'know, we could…"

"We'd ruin the equipment," he said with finality in his voice.

"Fine," now she was irked. Returning her attention to the screen, she saw something that piqued her interest, "Q, she's got a strap-on. Maybe I should invest in one and give you a whole new outlook on things."

"I think you'll find the apparatus in question is organic," he replied.

She stared at the screen, "Omigod! She's a he?"

"Not quite," Question countered, "She used to be a man but now she is a woman with opposing genitalia. I believe the crude term for it is 'shemale'."

"But Booster…" she couldn't believe it. The womanizer wannabe was secretly a homo?

"Booster has a broader tolerance and acceptance of such things than your average citizen from this era. I suspect it has to do with his being from the future. He has made passing remarks to the generally more tolerant society that he came from," Question remarked.

"You knew about this? I mean, you knew about her…him…whatever the hell he is?" Huntress asked in disbelief.

"I vetted her a few years ago when she and Booster first made contact. Her supposed secret wasn't that hard to discover, especially since other potential suitors were repulsed by her condition and were willing to talk. The only question was how Booster would react. I guess that's been answered," he explained.

"We have to do something," she insisted.

She could feel him staring despite the faceless visage, "They seem perfectly happy. Leave them be."

"Are you ordering me around?" Huntress got huffy.

"It's a suggestion. A very strong suggestion," Question stated.

"I thought we'd made policy clear," J'onn said as he phased through the wall.

"J'onn! Claire What's-her-face is a man!" Huntress blurted out.

"Claire Connelly is a sweet soul who would be mortified to discover that she'd been spied upon during an intimate moment that is none of your concern," J'onn declared.

"But…" Huntress started to protest.

"Step away from the equipment. Now!" J'onn ordered.

The Question moved away with an air of resignation. Huntress joined him but she was rather put out.

J'onn unleashed his Martian vision and the sensitive equipment was crushed against the wall. He didn't stop until every server, monitor, router, and keyboard was destroyed. He turned to them after he'd finished.

"This space will be converted into something of real use to the League," he announced.

He exited by using the door. Question and Huntress slowly followed him out into the corridor. J'onn was busy storming away. Huntress snorted.

"So much for a little harmless fun," she complained, "What crawled up Greenie's shorts and died?"

"Lady Blackhawk is off on her first deep space mission. They are facing the Star Sapphire Corps, an unknown equation; and potentially the Sinestro Corps, a known and deadly factor," Question revealed.

"Then why didn't he just say so?" Huntress huffed.

"You have to admit, your hobby bordered on the immoral," he ventured. Seeing her flash of anger he amended that to, "At the very least it was indiscreet."

"Okay, I'll give you that," she allowed.

"What are your plans regarding Ms. Connelly?" Question asked.

She gave him an incredulous look, "I'm outing him."

"Helena, she's done nothing. Her life has been hard enough. Acceptance is a rare commodity for people like her. She needs your help, not another hindrance," he voiced.

"You're serious," she realized how strongly he felt about this.

"Generally," he concurred.

"What'll you give me to keep his secret?" Huntress wanted to know.

"It's her secret," Question amended for her.

She smirked, "Chicks with dicks, huh?"

"That's a poor stereotype," he reproved her.

"Okay, you win. I'll keep quiet about her," she promised.

"Thank you," Question offered.

"Oh, I want more than that. This secret comes with a price," she informed him.

"What kind of price?" he asked with a hint of suspicion.

"Well, thinking about her dick is making me horny. Satisfy my every carnal desire, at least four times, and I'll keep quiet," she laid out her terms.

"That's blackmail," Question retorted.

"Damn straight," Huntress grinned, "Now think about it. I'm asking you to spend the rest of the day making love to me and you're quibbling?"

"Where do we get a room?" he suddenly asked.

"Good boy," she purred, "Let me change clothes and we can book a room at the Four Seasons."

"It's a good thing we started keeping travelling kits in the trunk of the car," he opined.

"We wouldn't have to if you didn't insist on driving back and forth between Hub City and New York," Huntress laughed.

"And let them record my molecular pattern in the teleporter? That machine was designed to make copies of us all. I for one don't want to have to fight a soulless version of myself," Question huffed.

"Go get the car," Huntress couldn't hide her mirth, "I'll get changed and join you outside."

"Looking forward to it," he replied and scooted on off.

She shook her head and headed for the locker room. Idly she wondered which locker room "Claire" would feel more comfortable in. Which one would Huntress feel more comfortable having her in? For the oddest reason, that question kept floating around her mind even later on.


Mary streaked through the crowded skies. She dodged, evaded, and broke through countless constructs. She had one target in mind and when she spotted Galatea she went straight for her. As things stood, the Argoan was caught completely unawares.

Mary slammed her with a right cross before Galatea was even aware of her presence. To be fair, the clone was distracted by her own torn feelings. Slamming into the rock walls of the city, her conflict increased as she recognized her attacker.

Mary doggedly pursued her victim and came at her with fists flying. Being naturally highly invulnerable, Galatea had a tendency not to erect a personal field but seeing Mary's wrathful expression, she opted for one now. It still did little good.

Mary pummeled her shields with blows that came as fast as the Swiftness of Mercury would allow. Galatea's sense of guilt and festering disillusionment worked against her here. Mary was out for blood and Galatea could barely muster the desire to stop her. Her sense of love was faltering and her ring was barely functioning as a result.

Galatea created a construct that held Mary back. Mary spat out her venom, "Coward! I thought you enjoyed a fight or do you only prefer ambushes and beating helpless victims up now?"

Galatea's heart fell and Mary easily broke free. The Marvel pushed Galatea up against the wall. She landed one unobstructed blow after another. Something about the ease of her victory stopped her. Galatea's lips and nose were bloodied yet she still didn't raise a hand in her own defense. Seeing that Mary was actively her reconsidering her course of action, Galatea spoke at last.

"Do you see what's happening? You may be free from Darkseid but the rage within you is always there. We all have it but you're succumbing to it right now. The hate is consuming you," Galatea paused and saw that her words were penetrating so she bared her soul, "I know about hate. That's all my life was composed of until I found love."

Mary's face darkened again, "So now you're going to preach the Star Sapphires' version of love?"

Galatea shook her head, "No. I found love on Earth when Blackhawk reciprocated my feelings. I found they were actually love. I didn't know what they were until he helped explain them and helped me explore them."

Galatea hesitated, "I also had you to thank for that. You showed me love, even through your struggle with your inner darkness. You showed me love despite Darkseid's influence."

Mary was softening and Galatea struggled to exploit that advantage, "I won't stop you. I won't even resist. Beat me half to death if that's your goal but consider one thing, what happened to that girl that loved so easily? Does she want to twist her soul with hate the way that I did? Does she want those scars? Because they last for a lifetime. They wake you up in the middle of the night and make you scream because of the things you've done. Do you really want to live that way?"

Mary was in a full conundrum. She struggled to deal with the ramifications of Galatea's message. The Wisdom of Solomon and Athena was kicking in and she didn't like what she saw. She'd faltered. Even after all of her struggles and work with Black Adam she'd fallen into the trap. Her anger had seduced her.

And what was anger but a reaction to fear? Galatea had bested her and she'd been afraid. Despite all of her gifts, she'd been terrified. Why? She'd been beaten up before, usually by Galatea. That irony amused her. She'd fallen to the one foe that had consistently bested her. Where was the real harm?

The harm came from Galatea's changed position in her heart. She'd transformed from despised enemy to trusted friend. It was that breach of trust that had hurt and that hurt had generated the fear and the anger. She'd been afraid that it would happen again.

But wasn't this course of action just a guarantee that it would happen again? Pushing Galatea back into her old life wouldn't solve anything. It would just recreate a world of hurt. Hurt for her and for Galatea. She'd offered Galatea her heart and her trust; she'd literally offered her love.

And she couldn't blame Galatea for accepting the ring and joining the Sapphire cause. Mary had felt its seductive power herself. Only Courtney's timely intervention had spared her. Of course, if Isis was any indication, her ties to the gods of Olympus would sever any and all bonds with the ring, quite painfully.

Galatea hadn't anyone to intervene on her behalf. She'd resisted the lure of the ring once, in the presence of Blackhawk. His love being a more attractive prize than that offered by the ring.

Galatea had lived a life with a dearth of love. She craved it so badly that she was willing to make poor decisions in its pursuit. She'd been outstandingly fortunate that she'd fallen for a man as honorable as Blackhawk. He'd guided her but he'd also sheltered her and steered her towards well reasoned decisions.

Mary felt her hate and anger slipping away. She released Galatea and took a step back. Galatea wiped the blood from her nose. Mary could see the love in her eyes and it nothing to do with a ring. Galatea saw her as the younger sister that Kara should be.

"I thought you were going to pound me into paste," Galatea admitted.

"I thought about it," Mary admitted, "So what happens now?"

"Now I guess we both reassess our priorities," Galatea offered.

"Well, the League is here to free Fire, Ice, Owlwoman, and Wonder Girl. We'll even take Talia and Ivy back to Earth if they want to come," Mary revealed.

"Mmm, good luck with that," Galatea mused.

"Why wouldn't they? You've broken free of the ring. Who's to say they couldn't as well?" Mary argued.

"I'm not sure I've completely broken free," Galatea confessed.

"You're thinking for yourself again. Why don't you take the ring off and help us?" Mary pressed her point.

"You don't understand the power of Love," Galatea countered, "I don't think I ever have until now."

"What about Blackhawk? He loves you and you're abandoning him," Mary accused.

"Blackhawk will work with me if he loves me. It's not like we don't have a long distance relationship now. I…" Galatea's head snapped around and she focused on something that her incredible hearing was picking up, "Blackhawk is here?"

"Who do you think flew the Javelin?" Mary asked, "Why? What's wrong?"

"I hear him. He's in trouble. I have to go," Galatea suddenly announced and started to step away.

Mary held her arm, "Let me come with."

"He's being attacked by a Star Sapphire," Galatea said glumly.

"So I'll deal with her and you can help Blackhawk. It's a win-win proposition," Mary offered.

Galatea mulled it over even though seconds were precious. Finally she nodded, "Try and keep up."

"No problem," Mary grinned.

Galatea smiled back and then disappeared as she streaked off at supersonic speeds. Mary was right behind her. Galatea could only hope that Blackhawk would survive long enough for her to arrive.