Justice League: The New Wave (IC)

[ChasNicollette]

"I, too, have my studies."

He stared for a moment at Kaldur who floated in the tank, felt that constriction in his chest and unconsciously touched THAT zone just underneath his collarbones. He took a deep breath and then his grin returned, "They really did a number on you man. I am REALLY glad to see you."

"I am really glad to be seen," Kaldur admitted. "The invented purpose of those obsidian shards was to kill in minutes. I am fortunate and grateful to be alive, though my condition is still dire. And I am glad to see you again, as a colleague and a newly-forged brother of the battlefield."

He walked closer to the tank and leaned his forehead against it, looking into Kaldur's eyes, OK so he had to hunch something fierce, but this is what he wanted. Eye-to-eye.

"I have just been invited to join the New Justice League. I get told that you endorsed me. Is this so?"

With the easy grace of a man who had literally been born underwater, Kaldur flexed his webbed digits and adjusted his position in the tank so that Gar could stand straighter and more comfortably.

"As it happens, yes. You showed great valor in Keystone-Central. And when you took semiaquatic form, I was able to glimpse your mind. You have a good heart, Garfield Logan, and good instincts. I would be proud to know that The New League counted you as a member while I am... rehabilitated."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Psilent Treatment.

Looking over at the two girls she imagined them writhing and naked on the floor, each of them begging for more. Yeah, read my thoughts and I’ll mentally screw you over. Didn’t hurt that Renegade was thinking about the ménage à trois as a man.

...and then the mental image of Wondergirl shimmered and dissipated, and the mental image of Martian Manhuntress...

...turned green.

...turned into M'gann.

Not that Renegade would have any idea who this was, but she was green, dressed in black, and crackling with nigh-unfettered psychic power.

<Your thoughts are your own business. But my friend is an assault survivor. And she's been perved on enough for one lifetime. I'm not going to risk you triggering her or upsetting her.>

<She's a good person. An actual good person. Do you know she would still be a good person if she was literally and spiritually heartless? That's how good she is, that's how rare she is. And you're going to think those thoughts at her as though they were a rolled-up newspaper and not an IED?>

<Not to mention, Rose isn't the only psychic in the studio audience. Raven could do without seeing your revenge-porn mindscape, too.>

<I could give you a massive lecture about how using Desire as a weapon means they get to use you. But I bet you'd just snort and roll your eyes at that and not care just like you don't seem to care about anything or anyone. So, no.>

<Your thoughts are your own business. How about we keep it that way, and you just keep your mind on the mission, huh?>

...and with that, the scene rippled, and a wall of thick, red, sandstone bricks-- like the interior of a pyramid of Mars-- shimmered into existence.

Psychic blocks of incredible durability.

Even if Renegade had wanted people to see into their mind... now they couldn't.

And M'gann was gone just as suddenly as she appeared, leaving Renegade well and truly alone in her head.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Chase the Rundown.

And that's when Chase walked in, looking grim.

"We still haven't heard from Static, but as DEO Liaison Officer for this team, I deem the situation far too untenable to wait any longer," Chase declared, touching a key on the rim of The Round Table where she stood next to it. "As a unit, you could all do with shaving down your response time and the-- 'witty banter' --when responding to a high-priority summons, but that is a need to be addressed at a later juncture."

The holoprojector built into the center of the table lit up, showing an image of the UFO threatening The Pacific Northwest.

"In the early hours of this morning, an object apparently composed of rock and metal the approximate size of a naval carrier moved out of orbit behind the moon and, shortly thereafter, seemed to teleport into the air above Seattle. All attempts to communicate with it by US and NATO forces have been ignored. All attempts to investigate the object directly by landing on it using conventional military approaches have been repulsed using deadly force-- multiple fighter-jet pilots have been crushed to death inside their own planes. Local superhero Teen Lantern has yet to respond to the situation to our knowledge, but frankly I suspect that this caper is out of her current weight class."

"You will be dispatched to the scene immediately via teleport. You will use the vast and unconventional resources at your disposal to ascertain the nature of this threat and eliminate it. Civilian lives are an absolute priority, followed closely by property-- Seattle, like most of the major cities in North America, is still recovering from the massive damages caused by Kobra's widespread attacks. I highly doubt their infrastructure could survive another such round of punishment."

"Nightwing reports that he is unavailable, presumably on some 'Bat-business,' but that a proxy of his will meet you there."

"Any questions?"

 

[Varshanka]

Danni Ketch

Wondering if this was how every meeting was he walked up to the table and sat across from Danni, putting himself in her line of sight and giving her a very fleeting smile before becoming professional again. It was to let her know he had her back but for know he was acting professional about things.

Danni didn’t say anything as she glowered at the rest of the room. She took a rather acute notice of Conner and his position. Not sure quite sure how she was still feeling, after the ‘vacation’ she took.

"Any questions?"

“Has it been determined if they are alive or if it’s just automated defenses?” Danni asked, which was rather unusual since she didn't talk, much. Mostly she was wondering if the Rider was going to do anything, drastic. And hopefully if it did, they could get the vessel over water before it crashed. Part of her wished that Wondergirl and Martian Girl could sit this one out and have some time together.

The weirdest part was she could feel pain in the room. So much heart wrenching pain. A soul in torment. Or souls. But no blood was spilled. Or being spilled. If that had happened, well the hole in the wall would have been just the first salvo.

Looking around the room she saw Renegade, and that ones soul was as dark as they came. Damned coin. Gonna rip it out of her chest one of these days. Or get someone else to do the dirty. And then send her straight to hell. Express delivery.

Mistress Martian? No, she was having issues but was dealing. Renegade was prodding her. But why? Renegade kept prodding everyone. Why? Why not just blend into the background like she usually did? World War two didn’t even have pictures of Renegade, in any of it’s many forms at the time. Which brought the question.. why only two forms now?

Karan the Wonder Girl? No, she was happy. Like a child with a puppy happy. Or a girl on her first crush. About time those two got it out of their system and made their feelings known for each other.

Garfield? No, he was confused but not upset.

Arrow? No. He was still trying to get into Danni’s pants.

Damnit. She hated this game The Rider was playing, and so Danni – pulled – The Rider forward, not quite front and center, but closer. Close enough to use it’s eyes to SEE.

Ahh. Raven. The Dark Witch.

Deal with it later. For now Purge the Heretic. Burn the Unclean.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Connor didn't like that bit about the pilot's being crushed to death. That made it sound like they had been shot down by something other than the usual ray guns or projectile weapons.

"I have one. Just what were those fighter jets shot down with? If it was some form of Gravity beam what's to stop them using it on us when we appear on the surface of that thing? I know some of you might survive," he said looking at Wondergirl, Rider, Martian Manhuntress and Raven, "But some of us are mere mortals. Do we have a fix on the locations of the gun emplacements at least?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Chase inclined her head coolly. "In answer to both of your questions, sensors have been... obfuscated."

"We have been unable to determine how or if the object is populated and what method they use to counterattack. My partner Helligan suggested that it's not gravitic in origin but that it is electromagnetic or ferrokinetic, but that, of course, is speculation."

"As for teleportation, we are going to put you down next to the Space Needle, directly beneath the object, and you will have to find your own means of ingress to the object itself. No external gun emplacements or localized weaponry of any kind have yet been located."

 

[Varshanka]

"As for teleportation, we are going to put you down next to the Space Needle, directly beneath the object, and you will have to find your own means of ingress to the object itself. No external gun emplacements or localized weaponry of any kind have yet been located."

“I’d rather go on my own. My way if you don’t mind. A single individual may not be noticeable. A flea on an elephant as it were.” Raven said stepping from the shadows.

Renegade settled her feet on the floor and stood up. “Just need my weapons. Unless I’m supposed to talk something to death.” An alien to kill. Now that would be new. Learning a whole new set of muscles and nerves, and what color it’s blood was.

With her eyes already glowing, Danni rolled her neck and exploded into flaming plate mail and rage.

Karan shifted position, moving between The Rider and Rose. She’d knock the hell bitch into an alternate reality if she started something.

 

[Lunaramblings]

Dian and Wesley were watching the events unfold on the TV. She knew before he said it that he was going. But it didn't stop her worrying.

As Dian watched the news Wesley sat cross legged on the floor, once again delving into the realm of The Dreaming. As he opened his eyes he was sitting in the Library again. He was hoping to find Lucian, but was shocked at the trio that stood before him.

"Been a long time. Seen Lucian?"

Standing in the middle of the room were three women who were also one. The Hecateae. The Three Norns. Many were their names, but always they were the Three-in-One. Past, Present, Future.

The Maiden, smiles as she wanders closer. "Hey Eddy. What, you don't wanna talk with Us?"

The Sandman summons his Mantle.

"Talk? Listen Cyn, I know the cost of bargaining with The Kindly Ones. HE has imbued me. I work on his behalf. He warned me that something was coming and I think it is here, but I came of information. You are bound to serve Him as I am, so do what you are bound to do and give me a hint will ya?"

Cynthia, the Maiden pouts slightly and runs her hand over the golden mask of The Sandman.

"Whatta ya say Mildred? Morgan? Does this fall within our duties?"

The Mother, Mildred, steps forward, her hands on her hips.

"I don't know... he isn't Him. But you do take a shine to him don't you hun? I suppose we can answer his query. Just once."

The Crone, Morgan, steps forward and tsks at her "sisters".

"You would give our counsel so freely? I suppose times have changed. Very well. He can have his three questions. But remember Dream-child, you don't always get the answers you want, but the answers that are true."

"So be it." The Sandman ignores the affection shown by Cynthia. He knows just how dangerous The Kindly Ones can be. Better not to underestimate them. "What is the greatest threat I will face today?"

Cynthia smiles and pats The Sandman on the arm.
"Eddy, you know the answer to that hun, we are the greatest threat you are likely to ever face."[/I]

"Right. Not what I meant, but it is what I asked. Fine. What is the nature of the greatest threat I will face this day in the Waking World?"

Mildred saunters forward and points at The Sandman and smirks.

"It seems the boy can be taught. The answer is Extremism."

"Right... Extremism. And who would be responsible for this Extremism?"

Morgan, the Crone move slowly to the side of her "sisters" once more.

"Why who else Dream-child? Extremists."

The Crone chuckles as the Three-In-One take hold of their hands, surrounding The Sandman.

"Now Dream-child, It's time to go find the Golem. Bring him to Seattle. He will be of use. Even if he doesn't know it yet."

The Hecateae speak as one voice, and as they do an image of an old damage parking structure forms in the mind of The Sandman. And there is a flash of light and he is once more in the land of The Waking World. As he returns to the Waking, his Mantle coalesces around him.

"I hate dealing with those three... Dian, I gotta go. It's worse than I thought. And apparently, I have a new friend to go meet."

Dian begins to respond as The Sandman swirls into a storm of sand before sinking through the floorboards, and deep into the Earth itself. His mind races along the leylines and tectonic plates of the Earth as he seeks out the place he was shown.

Slowly he coalesces inside what appears to be a concrete structure.

"Hello? I am looking for someone. A hero. Hello?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Elefino.

“I’d rather go on my own. My way if you don’t mind. A single individual may not be noticeable. A flea on an elephant as it were.” Raven said stepping from the shadows.

Chase turned her gaze to the demidemoness. "Acceptable. But stick close to your teammates, please. If there is an immediate counterstrike in response to their arrival, should the pachyderm twitch, your telekinesis would likely prove an effective protective measure for the assembled group."

Renegade settled her feet on the floor and stood up. “Just need my weapons. Unless I’m supposed to talk something to death.”

"Oddly enough, I think some members of this team could be quite proficient at that," Chase nodded. "But by all means, arm up with all due speed."

With her eyes already glowing, Danni rolled her neck and exploded into flaming plate mail and rage.

Chase arched an eyebrow. "I know someone who might like a tattoo of you. Better to have you in living color, I should think. Carry on."

Karan shifted position, moving between The Rider and Rose. She’d knock the hell bitch into an alternate reality if she started something.

Rose's eye twitched, but as ever-- The Rider's fire didn't, somehow, all the way count as fire. The pyrophobia didn't trigger in nearly the same way. She put a hand on Karan's arm. "I'm all right. I'm all right. Still got my game face."

"Sounds good to me," Ruby nodded, and unholstered her phone, dialing H-E-R... leaving the last number undialed so that she could tag it as soon as they had boots on the ground. She glanced back and forth between Garfield and G.R.I.D. "Keep it loose, keep it tight, hey?"

 

[Deleted member 1306910]

"Hello? I am looking for someone. A hero. Hello?"

Braggock was fond of music, and so Dashiel had set up an MP3 player with a port for him in his room. Which otherwise consisted of a chair. Braggock did not sleep, so he needed no bed. He did not eat, so he needed no fridge or stove. He did not bathe, so he needed no bathroom or even a toilet, because he...well lets just say there were many things Braggock did not do any more. And so, the chair. And the music, which at the moment was the Temptations.

Then the man came up from the floor in a swirl of sand, and Braggock was distracted from his music by looking at the man. His face was gold.

"Oh. A Hero. Hold on mister, I'll get him. Dash! Somebody lookin for you!"

 

[Varshanka]

Chase turned her gaze to the demidemoness. "Acceptable. But stick close to your teammates, please. If there is an immediate counterstrike in response to their arrival, should the pachyderm twitch, your telekinesis would likely prove an effective protective measure for the assembled group."

Giving a nod. A tilt of her head in acknowledgement, Raven vanished. The light reflecting off the ankh, and leaving a ghost image in her wake.

*****

"Oddly enough, I think some members of this team could be quite proficient at that," Chase nodded. "But by all means, arm up with all due speed."

Quite sure that technobabble details, and instructions, would be following – Renegade left the room. Minutes later she had enough weapons strapped to her, or in her hands, to bankrupt a country. And start a war.

*****

Chase arched an eyebrow. "I know someone who might like a tattoo of you. Better to have you in living color, I should think. Carry on."

Standing up, the Rider touched the table. Smoldering unburnable material. Oh, she was angry, but what for? Internal turmoil? And then she/he/it, whatever it was that was that darkly damned soul and it’s Deamon partner, reached out and sucked the heat from the table. Burgeoning flames and smoke snuffed and only a memory. Except for the marks on the table and the scent that lingered.

Rose's eye twitched, but as ever-- The Rider's fire didn't, somehow, all the way count as fire. The pyrophobia didn't trigger in nearly the same way. She put a hand on Karan's arm. "I'm all right. I'm all right. Still got my game face."

A shield formed on The Rider’s left arm, as chains slithered out and lashed the air, a sword glowing with the damned fires of Hell forming in it’s right hand. And the shield? The shield wasn’t just metal or flame. It was more of a mirror polished window into Hell. The flames twisted and writhed, almost as if they were living souls burning in the lava pits of Sheol.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Connor watched as Danni transformed, giving herself over to Xarathos and becoming the Rider. It was a sight to behold, especially when they (He was determined to think of the Rider as they) armored up and then conjured their weapons.

He did see the way it effected Rose though so he got up and walked over, casually putting himself beside the Rider and right in the line of sight between him and Rose.

"So I guess you are ready for battle then," he began trying to distract them from those around. "However I gotta ask you, and no disrespect intended, but will you be able to sense an aliens sins?"

The question was a two pronged one. Again he was hoping to give Rose and Karen a chance to discretely move away, but he also wanted to know the answer. Was one of the Rider's major weapons going to be knocked out during this battle and were they even sure that their hellfire was even going to effect them.

 

[Varshanka]

Rose's eye twitched, but as ever-- The Rider's fire didn't, somehow, all the way count as fire. The pyrophobia didn't trigger in nearly the same way. She put a hand on Karan's arm. "I'm all right. I'm all right. Still got my game face."

Looking over at Chase Karan asked, "Anyplace we should be waiting for the um.. Teleport? Or do you want us to just fly to the landing zone?" Either worked for her, as long as Rose was comfortable being around the pissed off Demon.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Final Ready Check.

Oh, as if the sizzling of the tabletop wasn't bad enough, that shield was terrifying and mesmerizing and drowning...

...like an abyss that bore also manifold witness.

But then Green Arrow stepped in the way of the blazing imagery, visibly obstructing the view of those terrible infernal eternities, and Rose nodded to him gratefully with a tiny smile.

Looking over at Chase Karan asked, "Anyplace we should be waiting for the um.. Teleport? Or do you want us to just fly to the landing zone?"

"Tactically, I find that have divided the landing party more than enough already, and further diluting our presence would dull our spearhead, so to speak. The rest of you will be momentarily teleported to The Space Needle Loop."

"The object has not yet made overt direct attacks on any ground population, but be on your utmost guard in case who or whatever is aboard the object takes exception to your arrival."

"I trust we are... good to go?"

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Carin had been quietly sitting at the table taking it all in. She still couldn't believe she was actually here. Oh sure she had been a Super for as long as she could remember and that was in the literal sense, and she had worked in a team before, but nothing as big as this. This was the JLA.

Of course she had been wanting the quiet life, a strange thing for one as young as her to crave but you just couldn't say no to something like this.

However she hadn't expected the animosity between members or the lack of leadership now that Kaldur was gone. Sighing she got up as Chase asked them all if they were ready.

"I'm ready, Let's get going. All this standing around is hard for a speedster to do."

 

[Zet_Cross]

GRID nodded at Ruby. "Sounds good. Maybe you'll doppelganger one of us again."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Can't None of Y'all Mirror Me Back.

GRID nodded at Ruby. "Sounds good. Maybe you'll doppelganger one of us again."

"That seems infinitely improbable," Ruby pointed out with a slow glimmer of a grin. "But you never know with this damn thing. Still, I wouldn't mind having that sheila's voice in my head again. She sounds hot. Like-- hotter than a crocodile noonday sun. Promise me you'll introduce us someday, hey?"

 

[Zet_Cross]

"That seems infinitely improbable," Ruby pointed out with a slow glimmer of a grin. "But you never know with this damn thing. Still, I wouldn't mind having that sheila's voice in my head again. She sounds hot. Like-- hotter than a crocodile noonday sun. Promise me you'll introduce us someday, hey?"

Oh yes that would go over well. 'Hi. I'm Lysl Dox, a Couluan that Braniac created.' Lets try and avoid that conversation please.

GRID grins inside his helmet. "One day maybe."

 

[Lunaramblings]

Then the man came up from the floor in a swirl of sand, and Braggock was distracted from his music by looking at the man. His face was gold.

"Oh. A Hero. Hold on mister, I'll get him. Dash! Somebody lookin for you!"[/QUOTE]

The Sandman grind beneath the Mantle.

"Hold up pal. I think you're the one I'm here for. Unless Dash is another Golem?" The Sandman couldn't help but be touched by the seeming naivety of the huge obsidian Golem that stood before him. There was something familiar. Almost like something he half remembered from the Dreaming. I don't suppose you've seen the news big guy, but there's a situation and I'm pretty sure we are both meant to be there to stop it. How about we take a road trip... well, then again, where we're going we don't need roads."

 

[Wyldfire]

Thea quieted down and just stayed in the background. She sat back and listened patiently. She was starting to have some doubts about this. "We gonna get goin?"

Jo was also staying surprisingly quiet for her. She had paid attention through the brief and was itching to get started. She had her own thoughts on this team but she was going to keep quiet. She stayed unobtrusive so as to not draw attention to herself.

 

[Deleted member 1306910]

Then the man came up from the floor in a swirl of sand, and Braggock was distracted from his music by looking at the man. His face was gold.

"Oh. A Hero. Hold on mister, I'll get him. Dash! Somebody lookin for you!"

The Sandman grind beneath the Mantle.

"Hold up pal. I think you're the one I'm here for. Unless Dash is another Golem?" The Sandman couldn't help but be touched by the seeming naivety of the huge obsidian Golem that stood before him. There was something familiar. Almost like something he half remembered from the Dreaming. I don't suppose you've seen the news big guy, but there's a situation and I'm pretty sure we are both meant to be there to stop it. How about we take a road trip... well, then again, where we're going we don't need roads."[/QUOTE]

Braggock poked s thumb into his own chest, as if to say; "me?" He listened to the man talk. His voice was reassuring and kind. Brag found himself nodding.

"Sure, Mister. If you think I can be useful, I'll come with you. I like to be useful, and help people."

 

[ChasNicollette]

In Pacific Northwest, Space Needles *you.*

Thea quieted down and just stayed in the background. She sat back and listened patiently. She was starting to have some doubts about this. "We gonna get goin?"

Chase's gaze swept once more around the table.

"You have done plenty, most of you, to earn your stripes."

She inclined her head to Rebel, appreciating the new top for one thing, and appreciating her presence for another. "Others of you have only now begun your journey."

"But remember that the moment you rest on your victories and become complacent, all is lost. Each new threat deserves your utmost attention-- each of you must fulfill the highest of standards. Remember who came before you, and become who you were born to be."

She held her watch up near her face. "We are go for matter transition."

Blue-green light flared around them like waterspouts from a luminescent ocean.

And they were gone.

The Space Needle Loop.
Seattle, Washington.
Now.
********​

The light receded.

And they were back.

The world stopped whirling, and was solid again under their feet.

Just as they had encircled The Round Table in the meeting room in NJLHQ, they stood encircling a small fountain, and were themselves encircled by a paved cul-de-sac allowing tourists to drive up close to the base of The Space Needle before being dropped off. This looped road was, in its own turn, surrounded by green grasses and the occasional playground-- a park. On any other day, this would be a fun, innocent tourist destination, and an opportunity to reflect upon the triumphs of human engineering.

But.

The sky above them was fully wreathed in shadow, as the titanic anti-gravity space-rock and its gleaming metal architecture eclipsed so much of the rare blue Seattle sky.

And.

A perimeter had been set up by National Guardsmen and local police in militarized riot gear, and as much of the surrounding buildings as they could manage had been evacuated--

--a pall of panic hung in the air, as might have in H.G. Wells' fabled War of Worlds. Like the whole Emerald City was holding in a scream.

This wasn't a daytrip.

It was a nightmare.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Green Arrow looked around. He was surprised at how dark it was considering it was supposed to still be day time here. Then he looked up and understood why. Directly overhead hung the biggest chunk of rock he had ever seen.

Well okay he had seen bigger, but they had been mountains and had not been floating above his head!

Whistling appreciatively he calculated the distance between the tallest structure, being the Space Needle, and the bottom of the rock. Too far away for even him to shoot. There was no way he was reaching it without help.

"Okay, so it looks like the non flyers are not getting up there without the aid of the flyers among us. Anyone got a plan how we should split ourselves up?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

She's got an app for that.

"Okay, so it looks like the non flyers are not getting up there without the aid of the flyers among us. Anyone got a plan how we should split ourselves up?"

"No sense making a plan until we know what we're dealing with," Ruby pointed out. "Can we get a read on it with scanners or super-senses now that we're closer to it?"

She glanced down at her Dial.

"Speaking of knowing what we're dealing with..."

She thumbed the number 6.

The letter O.

Finalizing her Dial.

4. 3. 7. 6.

H-E-R-O.

SssshhCLICK!

 

[Wyldfire]

Jo looked around to make sure everyone was okay as she growled "Someone needs to readjust that phase inverter." She the have a very confused look. "Teleported must a scrambled Mah head. Sorry y'all."

She turned her head up and gave Mount St. Floaty a good looking over with her penetravision to see what she could see.