January 3, 2016. 17:08
Watchtower
~~Emma~~
"Recognize: Zatanna, 25. Rocket, 26."
Three days after the "Willow and Superboy are together" incident, Nightwing, Wildfire, Superboy, Miss Martian and I were at the Watchtower to discuss the attack on the UN on New Year's Day. Green Lantern John Stewart seemed to know a lot about the guys involved.
"The big guy's Lobo. He's an intergalactic bounty hunter. Extremely dangerous, but not likely to return. The little guy's another story. That's a krolotean, and kroloteans always travel in packs," He stated grimly.
"Meaning more of them are on earth," Batman deduced. Nightwing and I nodded, and Martian Manhunter stepped forward.
"I believe my friend may have vital information on that point. many of you have not met doctor Adam Strange of STAR labs Ardel initiative," Willow's science mentor stepped forward and gave us a small wave, and Willow waved back, "He is the scientist responsible for maintaining the zeta-beam technology we use for teleportation."
"I was wondering why a stranger was allowed on the top secret Watchtower," Connor grumbled over a link with Zatanna, Rocket, and the other senior team members. Willow elbowed her new boyfriend gently and he looked at her apologetically.
Manhunter continued, "And he has a story to tell"
"It's a bit involved..." Strange looked around, "Wish I had visual aids or something,"he admitted.
"I can assist you," I felt the familiar presence in my mind as Manhunter set up a mindlink. Strange was certainly new to the experience, and winced and held his head before Manhunter's spoke, "We are all linked, Adam. What you remember, we will see."
"Um...great?" Strange said uncertainly. He then proceeded to tell us about how he was accidentally teleported to a planet called Raan. He met a scientist there, named Sardath, who had been robbed of some of his zeta-technology that he was experimenting with.
"It's the krolotean M.O!" GL declared, "Their entire culture revolves around stolen tech!" They'd be perfect for it
Strange continued, "Sardath detected transmissions between a single location on Raan, and multiple locations on earth. He gave me this," He pulled out a triangular-shaped object that unfolded itself like one of those hologram projectors from Star Wars, "It detects trace zeta radiation, and can pinpoint all the locations where kroloteans have beamed to earth." Um, where can I get one of those? What? I'm a Bat-kid. Technology is my territory.
"Then I'm ordering a two-pronged attack," Captain Atom declared, "We'll stage simultaneous attacks on every spot where the kroloteans have beamed, while a contingent of Leaguers travels to Raan with Strange, here, to cut the kroloteans off at the source.
Strange shuffled uncomfortably, "We may have a problem with that. Totally unclear on the why, but earthlings are persona non grada in Raan's corner of the galaxy. And these six leaguers are wanted criminals."
The same six leaguers I'd been so focused on for five years appeared in place of the golden globe that had been there a moment ago. "Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and...Hawkwoman. Shayera had been training me to use my wings for the past five years, and we had grown undeniably close.
Wait a minute, wanted criminals? Sixteen hours? Batman and GL having no idea what they did to become those "wanted criminals"? Oh my gosh it all fits!
"Batman! It's the missing sixteen hours!" Nightwing and I exclaimed at once.
"Agreed," Bruce said, clarity in his voice, "Five years ago, Vandal Savage took complete mental control of the entire league. These six Leaguers went missing for sixteen hours," He explained to Strange. I looked at my friends, who were all beginning to understand too.
"It never occurred to us that we might have been sent into space..." Stewart mused aloud. Yup, the one thing we missed. HELLO EMMA! They used a boom tube! A boom tube is what Superboy and Wildfire's "Forever People" friends used to travel through space! How did I not see that?
"Meanwhile, we have fifteen other active Leaguers to send to Raan-" Captain Atom was saying to GL and Batman.
"You're not getting it! There's a planetary watch alert for every Leaguer!" Strange insisted, holding up his hologram projector again. Okay, it might not be what it's really called, but I don't know what it's really called, so that's what I'm calling it!
"Not all of us are Leaguers," Nightwing said, giving me a knowing look.
I nodded and looked between Batman and Captain Atom, "We can send a squad to handle the Raan end of things, and to find out more about those missing sixteen hours."
"-Without causing an intergalactic incident," Nightwing added
Atom nodded gravely, "Do it."
Nightwing, Miss Martian and I headed back to the zeta-tubes, Wildfire and Superboy following- AND HOLDING HANDS!!!! -But Rocket and Zatanna stepped in front of us.
"You know that thing about you not being leaguers, the five of you still have an open invitation..." Zatanna said over the link.
"We know, Zee," Richard and I said with big smiles.
"But we're all-"
"-Pretty happy-"
"-Where we are." Connor, M'gann, and Willow finished.
January 4, 2016. 20:00
Mount Justice
"It's all hands on deck," Nightwing declared to the team the next day.
"The league and the team will hit all fourteen zeta locations simultaneously," I continued. Being twins, we were able to finish each other's sentences and we ran a pretty sweet team on top of that.
It wasn't the same as when Kaldur was here. Kaldur could single-handedly lead the team by himself, and honestly, it was more his thing. I took up the responsibility of being the leader along with Nightwing because Kaldur asked me to, and I couldn't say no to him. My new code name was his idea too. When I practiced for "The Little Mermaid" here at the cave, Kaldur took to watching me, and would often call me a nightingale. So when Robin became Nightwing, I became Nightingale.
"The priority is to destroy any zeta-tubes or platforms you may come across, and rescue any humans they may have abducted," Nightwing said, bringing me back from my thoughts of Kal.
"As always, Mal and Finch are ops managers," I gestured to Mal, who stood by the computers as always. Finch is eleven. She's on the team, but Batman decreed that the minimum age was thirteen, so she stays behind to help coordinate. I know she's jealous, watching the rest of us go off on adventures together, but Batman is protective. Paranoid, as Willow says. Still, Finch gets to help us in Gotham. That counts, doesn't it?
"Wonder Girl, you, Nightingale and I are Alpha." I smiled at Cass's enthusiasm at Nightwing's announcement. La'gaan, on the other hand, didn't seem so happy. Did I mention how much I really want Kaldur back?
"Wildfire, Batgirl and Bumblebee. You three and Wolf are beta," Nightwing continued. Willow scratched her old friend under the chin and grinned.
I walked over to the last three team members who hadn't been assigned yet, "Robin, Blue, and Lagoon Boy, you're Gamma. Prep the bioship and head for New Orleans," I told them.
"Gamma always gets the soft gigs," La'gaan muttered as he and Blue headed for the garage. Ungrateful brat.
"Tim, you'll be running Gamma," Nightwing said quietly, grabbing his arm before he could get away.
Robin was shocked, and looked to me for affirmation, "Guys, I've never run a squad before!" He protested.
"Making this a good opportunity to get your feet wet as a field leader," Nightwing suggested.
"Because it's gamma, and you're not expecting trouble? or because we're stretched thin, and you have no choice?" Tim asked impudently, wondering just why we were entrusting him with this.
Richard looked at me, then back at Tim, "Just don't die, okay?"
-------
After taking Sphere to Philadelphia, Nightwing, Wonder Girl and I had very little trouble. All these kroloteans are cowards, the one at our site zeta'd away before we could capture him. I reported as such to Mal.
"Alpha to cave, one zeta-platform: now non-operational. one krolotean: escaped. zero abductees."
"League units are getting the same results," Mal said suspiciously, "Beta too."
I felt myself get nervous as he left out one very important squad. The squad that had my little brother on it.
"And Gamma!?" I almost yelled, getting Nightwing and Wonder Girl's attention.
I heard Finch gulp nervously over the comm, "Yeah...About them...."
"Come on," I snapped to Sphere and the others. We picked up Beta squad on the way to New Orleans, if Robin had hit the "motherload" as Mal put it, we'd need all the help we could get. We'd rendezvous with the League at their coordinates. I could see the explosion from miles away, and flew ahead on my own, catching up to Hawkwoman, Superman, and the others.
Tim, Jaime, and La'gaan's heads were all sticking up out of the water, along with a captured krolotean and, it seems, every that had been captured by them.
Tim looked at the rest of his squad in embarrassment, overwhelmed at all the Leaguers- including Batman! - who were watching them.
But of course, just as he did five years ago, Richard knew just the way to shake off the tension.
"Dude! Way to get your feet wet!" He called. I smiled myself as Tim did.