* indicates speech over lens interface
Mount Justice
February 19, 15:14 EDT
"New uniform?"
"Well, my last one sort of blew up."
"I like it."
"All of it? Or just the legs?"
His eyes finally snapped up to meet mine. "Heh, sorry. I like it; it reminds me of your old one."
"Mhm."
"What about all your amazon gear?"
If he meant the helmet, bracers, and everything else they'd gifted me, they were tucked away in my closet. I couldn't help but feel that if they saw me now, I'd seem undeserving—that they'd regret sharing the title of Amazon with someone so weak; someone who gave in so easily to her worst impulses.
They'd be disappointed. Diana especially.
"I read your briefing for this mission," I moved on. "Big lineup for recon... I was thinking I might sit out."
"What? No, I need you out there."
"But you know I don't like Bialya." I wondered if he could see through my lie. That Bialya wasn't the problem, it was having to work directly with Barbara Gordon. "Besides, Miss Martian and Cassie are already going. That's more than another manpower to—"
"It's not about manpower. I need you there so we can test this," he held up a familiar black casing.
"Didn't know you kept that."
"You worked on it for two years. Why would I get rid of it?"
It was the sixth or seventh model of an idea I abandoned years ago, along with everyone else. A contact lens interface that could replace the need for comm and computers on a mission.
"You always said you wanted to test the prototype over long distance." He put the case in my hands. "What better time than now?"
"Emphasis on the word 'prototype.' For all we know, it could explode in my eye."
"You can magic that back, right?"
I gave him an unamused laugh, but he changed tact, taking a step closer. "I"ll make it up to you," he whispered.
"Sure you will."
His hands wrapped around my waist. "I mean it."
The sane voice in my head begged me to pull away; to scream that this would never work and we should give up while we're ahead. The rest of my idiotic self wanted nothing more than to kiss him.
His nose brushed against mine. "I love you, Rens."
Whether that was the truth or not, I still couldn't say it back. I pulled away altogether, giving in to him in a different way. "So, Bialya?"
Qurac
February 19, 19:06 UTC +2
I scrambled to run through the programming on the lens again, making sure that it really didn't blow my eyes up. Everyone else was busy listening to Nightwing's debrief, "Investigating the origin of the alien bomb that destroyed the Krolotean invasion force is still a high priority. We suspect the bomb may have been smuggled to Earth via boom tube. Sensor scans in Bialya have recorded an uptick in boom tube activity. Alpha squad, your mission is—"
"Sneak behind enemy lines, recon known boom tube hotspots, and find alien tech matching the bomb," Cassie interrupted cheerfully. "Oh and don't get caught or create an international incident. Right?"
"That about covers it."
"Psimon?"
My ears pricked up at M'gann's tense question. The lens was long forgotten, as I remembered everything Conner had told me. How she abused her psychic abilities. Who's to say she wouldn't do it tonight—to a villain or a member of this team?
"We have confirmation that Bialya's telepathic enforcer's still catatonic in a Quraci hospital... after his last encounter with you. But Bialya's dictator, Queen Bee, is another story," Nightwing added. "Her ability to control the minds of men is why Alpha is an all-female squad for this mission."
"Oh really," Barbara smirked.
Then, all my thoughts were replaced again.
I didn't want to think I was the jealous type. I'd dated a couple people in Gotham Academy, and a few others on Themyscira. I experienced all sorts of relationships—some serious, others casual and for fun—filling the spaces when I thought Dick and I were done for good. In none of them did I ever feel the need to be possessive. If other people hit on them or gave attention, I found it flattering more than anything else. They were mine, there was nothing to worry about.
But Dick wasn't mine. Not really.
So, given the history, it was hard to look away whenever they interacted.
"And would you have felt the need to justify an all male squad for a given mission?"
"Uh," he stuttered nervously. "There's no right answer for that, uh, is there? So... Nightwing out."
"Queen Bee isn't the only woman who can mess with a man's mind."
All the girls were giggling, and I was busy fighting the urge to assume Barbara Gordon was biding her time with him; waiting for the night he stays with her and never leaves. It was a thought I found lingering in the back of my head every so often. That if I was completely out of the picture, she would replace me. And what if it worked? What if they didn't fight or run away from each other?
I think the sight of it would break me.
The bioship computer beeped, finishing the program check on the lens.
Here goes nothing.
I placed a lens in each eye, blinking a few times as they adjusted. It was strange watching it boot up, obstructing my view with the vibrant interface. With the swipe of my hand, the interface pushed all the text and images aside.
Turning back to the physical computer on the bioship, I began activating all the different programs: mirror imaging, database recognition, comm...
* Did your eye blow up?
Nightwing's speech to text appeared at the top left corner of my view.
"No," I said quietly.
* Good.
* Do me a favor.
* Don't die.
"Don't plan on it."
"Iris, who are you talking to?" Barbara questioned.
I looked around the ship to find all the girls staring at me strangely. "Uh, nobody. Just reading the, uh, debrief to, um... to myself," I stammered, gesturing towards the physical computer still open.
* I thought you were supposed to be good at lying.
I let out a frustrated breath unable to defend myself with words. Instead I lowered my gaze towards my hand that displayed a harsh gesture.
* Hey, manners!
Bialya
February 20, 00:12 UTC +2
The team was perched at a high point, looking down at an entire military base bustling with tanks and soldiers.
"The other boom tube hotspots have all been busts, but—"
"But this much security must be guarding some big deal alien stuff, right?" Cassie cut me off.
"Our job is to find out," I told her. "Batgirl, take the north hanger. Miss Martian, the south."
"Are you sure we shouldn't take hangars in pairs?" Barbara said. "With the possibility of more alien tech waiting inside—"
"If there is then report on the psychic link."
This was only the start of why I didn't want to go on this mission. Barbara was a natural born leader who operated on impulse, compared to myself, a conditional leader with strategic strength. That meant one of us always found the need to question the other.
But for now, whether she liked it or not, this was my squad, my team.
"We could start at the east and west hangars in pairs, then move in towards the north and south. It'll better our odds if—"
"If what?" I said agitatedly, "There's no firefight, we're on recon, which means for now we spread out and observe."
Everyone began to shift at the sound of our debate, which made Barbara reluctantly backdown.
"Batgirl, take the north hanger. Miss Martian, the south," I repeated. "Bee, the east. I'll take the west. Wonder Girl, hold position."
"What? Wait, why can't I go in?"
"Cause you're Wonder Girl, honey," Karen said. "Not stealth-er girl."
"I can do this," she pleaded.
"No one's knocking your enthusiasm, Cass," Barbara said. "And if we were in a firefight there's no one I'd rather have beside me—"
"We're trying to avoid a fight." I need a pair of eyes, not for them to make her feel bad; even if what they were saying had some truth to it. "We need a lookout. A big responsibility believe it or not."
But Cassie didn't look convinced at all.
"Use the psychic link only," I instructed, not having the time to coddle everyone's feelings."The Bialyans have the tech to intercept our radios. Anything goes wrong, we scatter and meet at the rendezvous point. Clear?"
"Clear," all the others girls said.
We all left for our assigned quadrants.
Without a sound, I snuck my way inside the west hangar. I hid behind crates filled with ammunition and other facilities, waiting and watching. Soldiers marched in and out, while the lens scanned for anything out of the ordinary. But there was nothing—no sign of alien tech or trouble.
Just as that thought entered my mind, an alarm began to blare with a red light swirling the room.
"M'gann? M'gann?"
No psychic link.
Every soldier stationed outside of the door, and one by one the exits began to seal. I leapt up towards the nearest vent, barely making it through before it slammed close.
I crawled my way up to the roof, carefully scanning all the other hangars in lockdown. But from my point of view, I couldn't tell what triggered the alarm. All I could do was head towards the rendezvous point where hopefully the rest of the team would arrive.
I turned the interface comm back on.
* What happened to radio silence?
"Scratch that," I muttered, finding Cassie and M'gann. "What happened?"
"Psimon is here," M'gann said. "Along with Devastation, Icicle Jr., and Shimmer."
* They must be the ones behind the boom tube activity!
My mind was running a mile a minute. "Probably."
"Probably what?" Cassie asked.
"The boom tube activity," I said quickly. "Bat and Bee?"
"No sight of them yet," M'gann told me.
I let out a deep exhale, thinking everything through. "Hangars locked down after the alarm triggered. They could still be stuck inside. My concern is what triggered the alarms."
"Uh," Cassie spoke up awkwardly, "Devastation might have seen me after I warned M'gann that Psimon was here."
"Okay, that solves that." I had to move on to the next thing, but all I could muster was, "I mean, for now we wait."
"What?" Cassie gasped. "What if they're in trouble?!"
"Then we'll help," I put a hand on her shoulder. "But for now we stay put."
For the next few minutes I was swiping aimlessly through the air, barreling through all sorts of records that could put the pieces of this puzzle together. "I need you to pull up any logs of Krolotean activity and abductees not recovered."
"What?" Cassie said.
"Not you. Computer."
* You think this has something to do with the Krolotean abductions?
"Yeah." I bit my lip in concentration, studying the abductee patterns.
"Th- there's no computer?"
* If the the Light didn't use the boom tube for the bombs, then maybe they've used it to—"
"Harbor abductees through the base," I concluded.
"It's been too long," Cassie began to pace. "Something happened to Batgirl and Bee and it's all my fault for getting spotted."
I swiped the interface out of view. "Cassie, calm down. Every mission takes an unexpected turn."
"We recover and adapt," M'gann added. "That's rule one."
"Sounds about right."
"Bee!" Cassie gasped. "You're alive!"
"Was that really in doubt?"
"Have you seen Batgirl?"
"Captured."
Of course.
"So we have to go. Now. I'll brief you on the way. I have a plan."
Bees plan required a lot of taking the base by force. While Cassie and I waited at the hangar doors, M'gann moved in to replace Shimmer and Bee flew to retrieve Barbara.
The lockdown alarms began to sound, sealing the exits again.
The plane was already rolling down the runway, meaning Bee was able to get Barbara to take the helm. The problem was the lockdown shutting the hangar doors before they could make it.
Cassie and I stepped between them, pushing at each other's heels to hold it open. With heavy grunts, each door ripped from its place completely, plummeting down into the chasm below.
"The plane," I told Cassie spotting Devastation on its roof, trying to grab Barbara. "Maneuver 12."
Holding me by the wrists, Cassie darted ahead before launching me forward. My fist collided with the side of Devastation's face, knocking off the plane down to the wing she held onto.
Blockbuster leapt onto the plane, who I am began toward off as Devastation snuck her way back to Cassie.
Bursts of purple light pushed Blockbuster back, until I could get close enough for a direct hit. I kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him back with a big roar. Then my attention turned back to Devastation, holding Cassie by the hair.
"Do you think you stand a chance, Blondie? I've gone toe-to-toe with the actual Wonder Woman."
I sprinted forward, fingers bending methodically as a long strand of purple light flowed from my palm. "So have I." The strand shot forward, wrapping around Devastation's torso. With a great tug, I yanked Devastation back, taking out Blockbuster in the same path.
The collision knocked them both to the runway floor, giving us our first clear chance at escape.
"Yes!" Cassie celebrated as the plane approached the end of the runway. "We did it!"
But just as we were about to take off, Blockbuster launched a forklift in our direction. It broke off the left wing, teetering the plane until we all fell.
The plane continued to stagger as we hit the ground, causing the other wing to snap off. Now the body alone glided off the runway's edge, plummeting down into the chasm outside.
I gasp left my mouth as two immense strands of purple poured from my hands. I flung both forward, as the rest flew past me. The first strain I experienced was mustering so much energy in such a short span of time. The second was trying to pull with all my might as the strands enveloped the body of the plane.
With Cassie and M'gann's help, the plummet began to slow, but I was still running out of ground.
"It's! Too! Heavy!" Cassie grunted.
"No! Kidding!" I heaved, as my heels were pulled to the edge of the runway.
* Let go!
"For me too!" M'gann said. "Time for Plan B!"
* RENA, LET GO!
Unable to plant myself, I finally fell over the edge. I soared through the open air, failing with the plane that Cassie was still directly under.
* RENA!
The bio-ship soared in, catching the plane as M'gann caught me.
"Good girl," she praised the ship.
With the abductees and my team still complete, we flew away from Bialya, and finally back to safety.
Cassie was particularly excited. "Woohoo! The girls killed it!"