[31st March 2011]
[The Watchtower, Low Earth Orbit, Earth-16]
Shayera Thal found that, unlike several of the others, the past few days had been less stressful than the past few months despite another crisis. Perhaps that was due to the fact it was more human-based crisis, albeit one involving the Bleed, and while Thanagar was interested in such, it was nothing compared to the demands in the wake of the Starro fight. Oh, there were serious concerns as...well...people in the upper echelons started treating hers and Katar's reports as deadly serious rather than works of drunken fiction. A parallel Earth was a matter of interest rather than dread compared to the indications of Darkseid's interest, or the existence of the newly created Red Lantern Corps.
For the rest of the League of course, especially in the wake of the fight with the creature Tiamat in Biayla and it's concerning resemblance to these 'Endbringers' of this parallel earth. Or the potential it could come to battle with the meta-humans and various other empowered of that world. Concerns Shayera could admit too as well, but she could also see the benefit of simply learning from the experiences of that world's heroes, and what tactics worked and did not work. Katar at least was content it was leading to improved training and better methodology for the junior team, even if was clearing out the cesspool that was Gotham alongside local military and the Batman.
'Of course, such distractions cause problems' she noted reading through the inferior, compared to usual, mission briefs issued now that the Batman was away dealing with his home city. Wonder Woman was still something of an issue for several members since the attack on Mount Justice, and with Red Tornado and Captain Atom focused on the Portal, it had come down to other members. Frankly if not for Green Arrow she suspected the logistical situation of the League's support staff expansion and training would be so much worse; or their reaction times would slow dramatically.
"So, it seems they accessed much of the information we expected?" Shayera decided to start switching to the better organised report originating from Gotham on what the other Earth's delegation had done during their hours of access to this world's public data-networks "Ourselves, the Tiamat footage sent by the Russians to the media, the Child Vanishing where SHIELD announced itself, the Mars Diplomatic visit, Enchanter and Cheshire background searches on the various forums, his known links to John Constantine..."
It was easy list off the various items, as without a clear guiding hand things could spiral into a tangent and it was best identify the various areas that needed to be dealt with first. They themselves had relative extensive information on this Protectorate and associated Parahuman Response Team; something that was raising serious concern amongst several others in the League at the *state* of the other Earth. Several who'd been wary of her's and Katar's position on military and law enforcement active cooperation, alongside Aquaman's support, were at least more willing to discuss it in recent days.
"Shayera's right, mostly what we expected, along with some downloads of recent surface world political debates on such matters and meta-human and magical law enforcement prior to discovery of the Portal..." Aquaman agreed with Shayera as she finished "...it'd call it a, relative, positive in that researched Gotham, from Starro, to the Quake, and then chaos. This should at least confirm to them that all parties on our side of the tear in Bleed are sincere in our statements to them"
She shook her head a little "We should not be too optimistic either Arthur, there Earth seems much less stable that this one, and with a great proliferation of meta-humans, and villainous ones at that"
Superman shook his head "Perhaps Shayera, but we've done our best to aid Batman and US government clear up Gotham, and ensure we have sufficient forces there should such fears prove true, so I do not think we can do much more than have a response ready should the Gate at the SHIELD facility be breached. In fact, since time is limited due to those increased patrols, I think we should focus on the training of the junior team and having them so close to that dimensional tear"
Shayera sighed softly "Kal-El, they're doing an admirable job in cooperating with Army, National Guard, GCPD, and SHIELD, all while Batman serves as mission control. It's dangerous yes, but the job is dangerous, and, let us be frank about it, there aren't enough of us to go around with continuous patrols in the city and elsewhere across the globe. Even with our expanded roster, and moves to expand the Zeta-tube network, there is only so much we can do while also maintain daily watch on that portal, and the other one in Europe"
Flash smiled, nodding at her "The youngsters are doing fine, Kid Flash is learning from it...they're all maturing from it, so let's be honest about it;- it's been less of a disaster than most of the supposedly *safe* missions we tried to line them up with since Cadmus. Bat's is being a huuuuuuge grump right now with everybody stomping around his city, but at least we know he'll keep them organised while they are there"
Shayera quietened down now, allowing the small quorum to debate on the sidekicks' team; while she had suggestions, it truly wasn't her place to judge how the others taught their apprentices. Instead she focused on grading the reports submitted by their activities in Gotham, while noting down a few suggestions that might improve efficiency based on her own experiences in law enforcement back on Thanagar. Katar would likely have some as well, but he would likely be too busy later to offer them, so it was up to her to work in the background with the others...
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[31st March 2011]
[SHIELD Portal Security, Security Zone, Gotham, New Jersey, United States of America, Earth-16]
"Another day, another sector cleared, eh Superboy?" I said to Connor as he and the others came back from their patrol for some coffee, tea, and sandwiches in the rapidly developing base. Quasi-military, quasi-police, in setup, and it was now serving as a secondary location along with the revitalised GCPD Headquarters to coordinate operations in the city. I wasn't patrolling, but I was back into 'semi-off duty' with serving as Liaison and coordinator for a few hours while the Team deployed and did a sweep up near the docks.
"Hey, Skulls, it went okay I guess, Clayface wasn't where we thought, but then Batman took him down before we had a chance too"
I shrugged "Eh, it's a team effort guys, at least that danger is off the streets. Things are slowly starting to get back...well, Gotham normal I suppose, but better let's call it. That and I should let you know the squads that worked you guys are all compliments. Good job I'd say"
"Better night that most yeah, staying traught and things start to look up here. Still don't like how we have to stay friends with Penguin and Monaghan though..." Robin grumbled, still using his word reduction thing as he plopped into the couch for the brief rest "...and it's not over yet. The night is still young!"
I gave a snort at that "For you maybe, I'm off to bed in a bit, as the day and night have been rather long on my side I'll let you know"
With the delegation from another dimension gone home, and no sign of contact for several hours, we'd gotten back to finishing a Teleportation Circle between this base and our existing network, especially to the one in Tropico. Of the course the Justice League had the Zeta-beam teleporters, but now that we finally had some numbers of mages creating a few secure Teleport Gates to this side of the ocean was feasible. For a number of people being moved anyway;- rather than just the sparse links that I'd created for my own usage to and from my Sanctum, and into Mount Justice.
It was draining work, followed by a session with my state mandate psychiatrist, and then the last three hours serving as 'support' to the others on the phone. No healing needed either, and it seemed the vampires were starting to leave the city as they were hunted down, along with the caped villains that had tried to set themselves up like Black Mask. Or simply settled for terrorising people like Killer Croc, and now Clayface, had till they were captured and locked away. Of course all that increased help was drawing away from the relief efforts around devastated New Orleans, but the rest of the EMP hit South was getting a veritable tide of new construction thanks the US government handing out contracts as if it was war-time.
"Not going to watch the spaceship debate Skulls?"
I hummed in thought, then shook my head "Nah Rob, I'll catch up on it later. Not that'll go anywhere, it's a multi-national United Nations project, and everyone will want their piece of that pie. And honestly...the US isn't in the best position right now to take charge of the project, whatever comes out the end will be an ugly flying brick with lots of kinetics and missiles and using whatever we can build easiest from whatever the Guardians or the Thangarians...or whoever, gives us for engines. Oh, and no, I'll not be training either...mages need their rest"
Everyone wanted to build the biggest, baddest, most advanced, and expensive vessels possible, but that wasn't going to fly if you wanted to build more than one or two. Schizo-tech probably would lead to one or two 'advanced prototypes' but if the United Nations Security Council's announcement was genuine then whatever was being built would be from what was available across the globe. For now though I had other concerns; such as the Team, and the people on the other side of that portal;- unlike the Sigil door they knew theirs existed, and had forces on the other side.
"Don't I know it, everything aches..." Zatanna complained drinking her coffee "...I blame Dad for not letting me fly. M'gann can fly!"
"You did ask for more physical and combat training Zee..." I replied with a yawn and then a smile "...and you made the mistake of asking when he's mad at you, and can put the now Bat-family in charge of said training"
Robin gave me a look "Bat family?"
I yawned again, standing up so I didn't doze off from exhaustion "Well there's you, the Big Bad Bat's, the Cat apparently, and now you've got a Batgirl. Oh, and Agent A of course, can't forget him from the call. So, there's a whole Bat Clan out there now isn't there guys?"
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