The Watchtower

[Sir Les Paul]

Pain...
​

He saw it within her. He saw it stir up the moment he dashed backward. As soon as her body processed what he had done to her, her reactions were almost reflexive. In fact, they may have been true reflexes; her body may have instinctively reacted to his lips as if they were some form of torture. Torture that made her eyes look like an abyss. Pain that made the face of a stoic warrior grimace. If this was the affect his lips truly had, then it was just that much more interesting. 


More interesting, however, was her ability to suppress all of those feelings and return to giving him some lecture that he quite frankly phased out. Her words didn't matter to him; her ability to say them did.


"You ignore what can make you most powerful," he responded. It was his only response. He settled himself on the ground after seeing her dash at him. She wanted to make this conflict a head-on brawl. If that was the case, he would gladly oblige. He maintained his standard stance until she threw her first punch which he met with with a block from his forearm. The movement was too close; his limb was still too rigid to get a solid hold on. What this first punch did, however, was not create an opening. It gave him a proper gauge as to her strength. He knew how much force she could exert in a standard punch; so he would do no more than roughly double that. Her next punch in the flurry was significantly more eventful now that he had an idea of her strength. Once her arm extended for the second time, Thrall met it with his own; in a fluid motion, he parried her punch with his forearm, but unlike before, his extended arm caught hers in a static lock. Not that it was impossible to move, but it was enough to throw off her momentum as he leaned in with a harsh elbow angled directly at her ribcage. Every movement he made was simple, fluid and efficient. There was no wasted energy. This was the exact type of training to expect from Diana.


@Epiphany

 

[Epiphany]

Scyleia didn't fight the lock.  Instead, she focused on the incoming elbow.  Thrall was stronger and the way this close quarters engagement had settled out favored him over her.  She had to reset the scenario.  


The Amazon's response to the incoming elbow was to close the distance, step inside his attack range and shorten his room to connect.  One foot slipped behind his and with a single step she rammed her shoulder towards his chest.  He was stronger but strength didn't make most people heavier.  Reduced in might as she was, Scyleia could likely lift the man's bodyweight and what she could lift, she could knock down.  


"I always accept critique," she stated, regardless of outcome.  "It's how young warriors live to become old warriors."


@Sir Les Paul

 

[Sir Les Paul]

"Good," Waller replied in his same flat, matter-of-fact tone.

Question then requested more information. Waller wasn't normally one to take kindly to such direct requests, but this one could be easily arranged. Not to mention, if this Question was anything like the others, his entire attitude was impersonal. Interactions like these almost needed brushed off like the rambling of a child. Waller let out a sigh. He waved his hand in front of his desk, scrolling through different screens until the desired one appeared. With a quick dab of his fingers, the object he touched was selected. He withdrew his hand in the moment that followed, a tablet similar to the one presently being used by Tim Drake was materialized on top of the golden circle on the desk between the two. Question had likely read about matter transmitters like this, but his chances of seeing a functioning one used so casually were slim. There existed four on Earth; not counting the one on the Watchtower.


"You will find all the information we deem necessary on Drake Swift and Jessica Grayson on this device. Nothing more, nothing less. More importantly, it will serve as a communications device for updates and inquiries. It is presently encrypted to your DNA. Only your thumbprint and skin particles will allow its use," Waller informed Question. 


"Lastly, you be taking a strong arm with you. Her name is Scyleia Lancaster. Her file is not in that database, but what you need to know is she is an Amazon that quested to join the League. I don't know her motivation or how she convinced Diana to allow it, but I expect you will need someone to maintain the streets while you investigate the unknown target. I am sure she will be of assistance in that regard. Presently, Thrall is assessing her physical and mental fortitude, but I have already determined she is most suited for Bludhaven," Waller added, finishing his instructions. 

"You are dismissed, Question. If you wish to find them immediately, they are the level five Gymnasium on the arena floor."





@Hell-Jumper





While she was physically the inferior, her technique was still impressive. She reduced the impact of his elbow - although it would still hurt - all while trying to gain leverage on him. Her fundamental mistake, however, was the movement of her foot. A lesser warrior would have been flipped, but Thrall was trained by Diana herself. Once her foot shifted, and her weight with it, Thrall leaned in, almost forcing the two into an embrace as her shoulder was about to be rammed into his chest. With the hand that was locked with hers, he slid down the length of her arm enough to grab her shoulder and in the same motion thrust his knee of the leg she attempted to slip behind into her gut. While the lock their arms were in halted her punch, he now made use of the limited movement to create an anchor to hold her in place while his knee thrust just below her diaphragm.


"You held back your rage..." Thrall told her, "and that is where your true strength lies."


@Epiphany (I would suggest having her lose her breath in response to the knee, then gain distance. I didn't want to just puppet your character, but my next reply had a demonstration in it. You can do what you want, of course, but I didn't want to drag this out too long.)

 

[Epiphany]

Thrall knew the value of a well-timed demonstration.  Scyleia winced at the elbow but it was a minor inconvenience compared to the solid blow to her torso from his knee.  Whatever his claims at 'fighting on her level', the male seemed to be everywhere at once, anticipating her every action and overwhelming it.  If Thrall had spent literally every hour of his life in combat practice, it wouldn't add up to a tenth of the time she'd spent in training over the centuries.  But most of that training had been against equals.  His powers and her limitations made this a decidedly lopsided match.  


Yet he had made one very good point earlier.  The Princess had long praised mortal skill, the power of humanity rather than divinity.  As much as he overwhelmed her, so most of the heroes and villains on the streets would overwhelm the average citizen.  Kimberly had grappled with this every day of her police career yet she'd still preserved, still accomplished so much good in her life.  


This was an opportunity to learn.  


So the Amazon folded over when the knee struck her and used the only part of her not locked in by the male's grapple; her legs and her weight.  Dropping backwards, she braced against the ground and pulled down at the same time, rolling them both onto her back before completing the roll and kicking off the male.  Reflexes got her back onto her feet, where Thrall likely already waited.  Gasping slightly for breath, she side stepped backwards for space.  


"I've been angry, your Majesty.  Seen countless warriors succumb to fury.  It's strength.  When met with a force too strong to resist?  It snaps instead of bends.  I didn't hold back my rage.  I let it pass through me.  Without it using me.  True strength lies in peace.  Of the mind and heart."


Each set of words gave her a little more wind back.  And by the end, Scyleia had her fists up for another round.  "Perhaps you'll have the opportunity to see that for yourself."


@Sir Les Paul

 

[Sir Les Paul]

"Your words are wasted, Scyleia..." Thrall told her. He waited for her to finish her speech. He waited for her to lift her fists. His emerald eyes never left hers.

Thrall extended his arms outward as he ascended into the air. This was no combat stance. It was too open. Too wide. This was a display. The heat that began to radiate off of him hit like a wall. Violet streams of energy began to swirl around him as he elevated higher and higher into the air. "I was trained by Diana, too... I was battered, beaten and broken on Themyscira... until I grew strong enough to fight back," he explained, "I was one of the strongest in the League when I left, but in your world, I was pathetic... a dog. Of course I was broken, but I was broken to be rebuilt." While his explanation continued, so did the ferocity of the energy that swirled around him. This was unlike anything Diana could do. This was, if anything, only comparable to a feat of Apollo. Thrall was needlessly demonstrating raw power that could nearly be considered divine. He threw away the notion of being on her level the moment he lifted off the ground.

"I will tell you the fault I saw in so many of your kind," Thrall continued on. The energy and heat radiating from began to manifest in physical form. Orbs of bright pink swirled around him, leaving neon trails of purple as they encircled him. The heat itself was growing increasingly dangerous and even bent the air around him. "You have all lived so long... that you have forgotten the first time you tempered your rage... you have stayed in control so long that what infuriates you is not our world, but archaic ideals of the past and intense training..." his rant continued. Each word he said was met with a spike in the energy that surrounded him. His hair and clothing began to lift up and the entire arena began to tremble. It was designed to withstand even greater forces than this, but even it was absolutely impervious. 

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT REAL RAGE IS ANYMORE!" he shouted at her, and as he did, sporadic spouts of plasma shot out from the violet sphere that surrounded him. 

"NO ONE THAT ISLAND HAD FELT TRUE FURY IN CENTURIES!" he shouted again, causing the sphere around him to become even more unstable. The heat nearly unbearable. And, where the plasma landed, the metallic floor of the Gymnasium became scorched red - bright as a fresh maraschino cherry.

A moment of silence... and the heat was gone.
​

Every tassel of energy that swirled around him now began to violently collapse onto his form. Every ounce of his energy from the bright neon lights to the heat in the air was drawn back. Even the cherry floors dulled over. In just another moment, a his energy took a new form. A pulsing, violet blade just slightly longer than the broadswords commonly used on Themyscira. Every bit of the display he had just shown was just a build-up for this. His blade. The fruition of his training with Diana. He grinned as it was finally revealed in all of its splendor and form to Scyleia. That blade was the culmination of his rage. The frustration he felt for being weak. The sorrow he felt at the loss of Alcatraz. His disdain for R'as and even a touch of it for Lexie. Everything was compressed into that blade. This was not his argument against Scyleia. He did not prove her wrong. He showed her that he succeeded in the same training she, Diana and nearly every Amazonian went through.

"This is my fury... the Starfury... it is sustained plasma that once created, requires no more energy from me. It is maintained by sheer willpower. My willpower. It is hotter than the sun and in my hands more dangerous than any bolt of lightning. It is the blade Diana made me forge before she allowed me to leave," he explained to her. It made sense. As arrogant as it sounded, it made sense. It was the pinnacle of most Amazonian training... just not embodied by an Amazon.


Thrall let go of the blade and in doing so, allowed it to dissipate. He descended as well, his emerald eyes once more locking onto Scyleia. "I want to feel your fury, Scyleia. Your new fury. Your rage at this pathetic world and what we have let it become. Show me that... and I'll consider you more than a pretty face from a lonely island," he told her as he landed. He resumed his stance, but this time, something was more serious about him. He wasn't disrespecting her like before. He wasn't abusing her or making her uncomfortable. He was challenging her. He was showing her that everything she held back now had new purpose. A purpose she needed to find.


@Epiphany

 

[Epiphany]

Scyleia winced at the spectacular display of incandescence and scorching fury.  The male had power.  He'd put on such a display, there was no doubt of it.  She looked impassively at him through his speech, though her eyes widened slightly in admiration of the sword once he manifested it.  


His descent and subsequent demand brought her attention back to the moment.  Slowly, and very deliberately, Scyleia shook her head in negation.  


"Forging a sword requires the metal to be heated before it can be worked.  But a sword needs to cool before it can hold an edge, before it can be pressed to its true purpose.  Well, not that sword perhaps."  Her lips curved into the briefest of smiles.  "I was heated once, like you.  I've been tested, tempered.  Rage would only soften me.  It would make me malleable, yes, but also unable to cut effectively.  I'm not you, your Majesty.  Rage has made you powerful but rage has only ever brought about captivity and helplessness for my people.  Unchecked rage has wrecked this world, just as mastering our rage has made Themyscira whole."


"I'm happy to spar you, your Majesty.  I've already learned much from this battle.  But whatever anger I feel for anything is mine alone and not for you.  If it means you consider me just another 'pretty face from a lonely island', that's your choice.  It will cost you more than it will cost me.  While I would enjoy your respect, your Majesty, I don't need it.  I didn't come to the Justice League to earn it.  I came to help; you, the League, this crumbling world.  And from what I've seen, there are plenty of people who could use the help if you'd turn my help aside."


At no point in the conversation did Scyleia's attention drift from Thrall, from his stance or from her own.  Her words were measured, even tempered and carefully chosen.  Thrall's heat only made her grow colder.  But towards the end of her own monologue, the Amazon warmed perceptibly.  There was a serenity on her face, though it had cracks in it.  She wasn't the woman she'd been, not a century ago, not fifty years ago, and with Kimberly's death, not even a few years ago.  The old familiar peace of Themyscira had abandoned her.  But she knew herself, was at peace with what she stood for and what she fought for.  


Thrall spoke the way a King might, certainly the way a Prince might.  But Scyleia met his demand with refusal, and if his presence grew larger and more spectacular as his passion woke, her presence became more solid, as immovable as a glacier and just as cooling as his challenge tried to wake heat in her.  


"So, your Majesty," she finished, hands still raised to block his next move and return a blow in return.  "Where can I help best?"


@Sir Les Paul


@Hell-Jumper This would be a great spot for you to pop in if you'd like!

 

[Romani]

Szasz nodded as he took the device. He located the file on Swift consisting of his known record, how his abilities were described, and other only slightly helpful but helpful nonetheless information. "Thank you, I'll be sure to put this to good use",he stated. 
​

 
​

Vincent fought hard to keep his expression nondescript and harder to quiet his tongue as Waller informed him that he would be taking on a partner. As he was dismissed he snapped to attention, arms at his side. "Waller",he said, resisting the urge to salute the man, before turning and exiting.
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​

Vincent had spent a fair ammount of time operating with a para-military unit that contracted him out. They didn't know the only reason he had joined their ranks was to chase down a lead on something personal to him - their destinations just happened to coincide.
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​

After leaving Waller, Vincent used the tablet to navigate his way through the still unfamiliar Watchtower to the gymnasium where he would find Scyleia. 
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​

He arrived in the midst of her sparring with an easily more capable individual. He waited until they had finished fighting and speaking before loudly clearing his throat at the woman's question. "Actually, I have the answer to that one",he told her,"Waller's assigned us to handle something in Blüdhaven. I'll fill you on the way to the tubes."
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​

@Epiphany
​

 

[Epiphany]

The tall, strong dark-haired woman tilted her head in the Question's direction but didn't take her eyes off of Thrall until the other man finished speaking.  She wore a white chiton girded with a golden zone or belt, complete with sandals.  The Amazon looked every inch the noble warrior woman that Themyscira produced.  


"Blüdhaven," she repeated.  "I've never been there.  Very well.  If it's Waller's wish."  


She turned from Thrall and strode deliberately towards the Question, stopping just short of him.  Then she reached out a hand in an unmistakable offer to shake.  "I'm Sycleia Lancaster.  I need three things settled before I depart with you.  The first is your name.  I would at least like to know how I am to address you.  The second is arrangements for my armor and a change of clothes.  My impression has been that the Beta team is somewhat more discreet and I'm certain I'll draw unnecessary attention, dressed like this.  The third...."


Scyleia glanced back towards Thrall and dipped her head in respectful acknowledgment.  "Your consent to depart, your Majesty."


@Hell-Jumper


@Sir Les Paul

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Thrall looked to Vincent with the a dulled pair of verdant eyes. While he met many para-military and special operations forces in his life as Question, the look he from a real warrior like Thrall was completely different. The eyes of those men were like pig iron; refined from iron ore, but far from the tempered steel Diana had made Thrall. More than that; those men were but shallow puddles to Thrall. It may be true that were were far vaster oceans, but they were are and few between what Vincent could potentially read when he saw into the eyes of the only living male Amazonian. "I am not familiar with you, but I am sure you know of me. Listen closely," Thrall said, lacking any form of proper introduction. "You will compromise on her requests before you leave, but more importantly, you will keep her safe. She is Amazon, sure, but even the best blades grow dull. Before you send her into battle, make sure she has been sharpened by our world," he instructed Vincent. His tone was far more aggressive and authoritative than Waller's, but it was forced. Waller had a natural flow to the words he said; Thrall seemed like little less than a boasting alpha. 

Thrall then looked over to Scyleia while walking up to Vincent at a slow, relaxed pace.

"You have my permission, Scyleia, but do remember, iron sharpens iron and our power comes from our fury. You seem to have lost yours. Amazons only lose their fury for three reasons: a broken ego, immense sorrow or death itself. I know not which pains you, but I know you are half the warrior you could be as long as it does," Thrall told her. His tone changed from the arrogance he boasted earlier, but he still spoke down to her. As their conversation was wrapping up, his true colors were showing. He was condescending, much like Diana often was, but he was not without point. No, like the needle of Arachne, his point was as sharp and guided as ever.

His eyes fell back on Vincent once he was just a few steps away from him. "Oh, and one last thing, friend... anything that happens to that pretty face from a lonely island," he said before lifting up his hand to point directly at Scyleia to emphasize his point, "will happen to yours." With a smirk, he then guided his fingers in a fluid motion beside the face of the normally faceless man. "Dismissed."


@Epiphany @Hell-Jumper

 

[Epiphany]

The Amazon gave Thrall a considering look.  There was temptation to argue the point, advocate further for a philosophy that had served her well for longer than the young man had lived.  But Princess Diana's lessons had indeed made a weapon of the male.  If he had only listened to some of the other lessons Themyscira taught...but then that wasn't what he needed.  Part of the art of craftsmanship was knowing when to craft.  When to heat and when to quench.  


Themyscira's Heir, the Princess Diana, knew what she was doing with the male.  Scyleia had to trust in the other woman's judgment and hope other lessons were still to come.  


So she instead acknowledged him with another respectful nod and said "Your Majesty" before she turned on one heel and walked to her armor.  Gathering it up under one arm, she fell into position beside the Question and shifted her gaze from his face to the exit, a clear sign that she expected him to lead the way.  "Your name, sir?"


@Sir Les Paul


@Hell-Jumper

 

[Romani]

Question set his jaw in a hard line. He could take the insulting look and tone. He had grown up in Gotham, and then Hub City. It would take a lot more than harsh words from some magical prince to get him to snap. However, the man found it difficult to hold his tongue. So he, in a way that would've made his mother proud, replied in his typical Montoya fashion.
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​

 "Anything else? Want me to go toe to toe with a kryptonian with my hands tied behind my back? I'll take care not to let herget hurt, believe me",he told the man,"But I'd  like to remind you that Amazonians aren't immortal. There are some things that can hurt all of us." Question knew it was stupid to speak with what was, as far as he was concerned, a demigod in this way, but he had always had that bit of Montoya recklessness.
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​

Vincent turned to the woman."I go by Question, pardon the missing Italian suit and disguise",he explained,"I'll need to stop by the armory on the way out, while we walk, I'll debrief you and I'll 'compromise on your requests'."
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​

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his watch, a gift from his mother so many years ago. It had long since stopped working but something kept him from getting it repaired. Returning the pocketwatch, he looked back up at Syclia."I'm ready when you are",he added,"So long as I don't have any other errands to run for Waller. And you're right, we can't exactly have you sticking out the way you do. I think there should be civilian clothes for yoy somewhere."
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[Epiphany]

With a slightly tired sigh, Scyleia said "I don't need either of you protecting me.  I'm here to be a guardian of the innocent, not be guarded myself.  Prince Myand'r of course has some vested interest; he represents my homeland here so what I do and what happens to me reflects on him."


"Your Majesty, you have my word I won't take foolish risks or endanger my team," she added, turning back to Thrall.  "Nor will I intentionally lead them into putting themselves in danger on my behalf."


Unspoken was the real cause of concern.  Thrall had, directly and indirectly, made it clear that he considered her self-control to be dangerous for her, something that held her back from peak fighting form.  Scyleia's words wouldn't address that lingering concern.  She hadn't picked words that would.  Their difference was philosophical and in as much as there was a real quantitative concern, the Amazon felt certain far more warriors imperiled themselves by giving into rage than saved themselves with fury.  Words hadn't proved effective with Themyscira's Ambassador, though.  So the words she'd chosen would have to do.  


Thrall would not be satisfied with anything less than her rage.  And whatever rage she felt, it was private.  Neither would yield on the point.  


Scyleia at last nodded to Vincent and said "Question?  As you wish.  If you're stopping by the armory, it'll give me a chance to store my armor and hopefully find something more...street appropriate.  I also look forward to hearing the details of our assignment.  I'm confident we'll accomplish great things together."  The Amazon's voice was confident, composed and articulate.  Whatever savage reputation her people had earned, particularly fifty years ago when they'd attacked the United States, Scyleia at least sounded like she used her head for something other than a place to store a helmet.  


Assuming no lingering message from Thrall, she gestured with one hand towards the exit and let Question lead the way to the armory.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Thrall looked Question directly in the eye with the same serious nature he had before. No change, no alteration, no shift in his threatening stance. He grabbed Question by the shoulder quite firmly, but none more so than a normal soldier. This was of course after the two finished their banter back and forth and the man, now dubbed Question, checked his pocket watch.

"Actually, Question, that's exactly what I want you to do," Thrall told him. It was an odd throwback to a witty remark made by the man, and it was about to come full circle, "I want to see you duke it out with a Kryptonian with those puny, little arms of yours tied behind your back." 


Thrall kept his intense stare. The tension in the air would feel entirely serious; nothing before had denoted any request from Thrall was anything but serious.


. . . 

Then Thrall laughed. Chuckled, more specifically. A smile crept along Thrall's face as he let go of his shoulder as the entire atmosphere he created previously dissolved. For a moment, he was being nigh-asinine in his request, but he seemed perfectly serious about it.

Not a man to play poker with.


@Epiphany @Hell-Jumper

 

[Romani]

 Question nodded to Scylia."Good, I have a few things I need as well.", he replied. He had been about to exit when he felt Thrall's hand on his shoulder. The man's reply to his earlier remark brought little more than a scoff from Vincent."As soon as you figure out to get Martians to let us colonize their home, I'll get right on that",he said, glad the man had let it be known he was joking. Question clapped the man on the shoulder."We'll be back by the end of the week."
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​

Vincent could not wait to close this case and go back to working on his own. Having to work around a whole nother set of variables presented by a partner was not something he particularly enjoyed. Regardless, he kept up appearances.
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​

Vincent turned away and walked to the door, waiting for the Amazonian."So, how much do you know of people outside of Themyscira?",he asked, putting aside his own curiosity for her home. He stepped out into the hallway and began making his way to the armory.
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​

As they walked, he pulled up Swift's file again. Waller had a list of the kid's abilities, the known ones anyway. As far as he could tell, all of his powers were shadow based, as in he controlled the shadows cast by light. Vincent considered the very short period he had spent studying to become a Shaman under Sage but discarded any idea of combating Neoshade with magic. He instead decided to look into bringing a powerful flashlight and seeing how that affected Swift.
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Question moved onto Drake's known history and psych profile. While he had far from a clean slate, he wasn't the type to attack any leaguer, so what was his motivation? What did this unkown entity have on him? Influential powers? Charisma? Drake didn't appear to have any known weak spots for any specific person, although his file did mention he had a terrible habit of chasing tail with little to no results. 
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Question thought on his plan. He could use Scylia to lure the two, feign mugging her to draw them out. Or, they could find Swift and he could send her in to draw Swift into a trap and he could interrogate him. Surely he and the Amazonian could hold their own against two people not even big enough to make marks on Waller's radar. 
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[Epiphany]

Scyleia fell into step by the Question, uncomfortable and determined to put some distance between her and that discomfort.  


As they walked, the tall Amazon glanced towards her partner and gave him an approving nod.  "I lived in Star City for some years a long time ago.  About...sixty years ago?  I ran a business, was married and had a family.  I don't know what's changed in that time but I did come back to Star City to attend a funeral last month and stayed for a few days.  It didn't seem much has changed, judging by the people I talked to.  Work is still important.  Most love their families and fear for them in this post-League world, a world this League will be challenged to save."


She shrugged.  "I can drive a car, use a credit card and I understand and obey the laws of the United States.  Is there anything in particular you'd like to know more about?"


As the Question pulled up files, Scyleia watched with unfeigned interest.  "Are we it for this operational team?  Anyone else to pick up?  If not, what's our first assignment?"

 

[Romani]

Question let out a sigh of relief. "Good, you're acquainted.",he replied,"I don't think I could stand you running around in amazement at everything different." He stopped as they arrived at the armory, opened the sliding metal door, and entered. He located a locker with "Question" in blue lettering. Opening it, he found his gloves and trench coat as well as his pistols and their holsters. 
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She asked if they were the only ones going on the mission and he raised an eyebrow."If you know Waller like I do, you'd know he likes his secrets", he explained,"The fewer people he sends, the fewer know about what happened." He pulled the shoulder holster on before putting on his trench coat, and leather gloves."Speaking of which, you should know what we're doing",he added,"We're going to Blüdhaven to deal with a low threat meta-human and an unidentified variable. The second guy is definitely the bigger threat. He's either an extremely powerful telepath or someone with access to huge amounts of intel. Honestly, I don't know what scares me more."
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As he thought about it, he decided to ask Waller for a list of known telepaths to be cross referenced with the list of people with a vendetta towards the league. Same for people with access to the leagues database or who might have similarly extensive knowledge. He sent an encryption protected email to the man asking for the lists ands slid the tablet inside his coat. 
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Before leaving, Question also located a high powered flash light and a metalic box with a strap and slung over his shoulder so that the box rested against his back."You need anything?",he asked,"Change of clothes would be through there." He pointed to a side room marked "females only". "Damn shame there isn't anything we can do about your height.",he muttered.
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[Epiphany]

"You might be surprised at Themyscira's technology, Question," Scyleia said a bit dryly.  Rather than being offended, though, she just seemed amused.  And more interested in the armory than espousing her homeland's advancements, moral as well as scientific.  


"I imagine I'll need my own locker," she said, gazing thoughtfully at Question's as he dressed and armed himself.  "There's a variety of weapons for a variety of purposes.  It might be useful to have a common store.  I may see what I can scrounge up."


"As for Waller, I can't say I know him well at all.  You seem a good judge of character, though," Scyelia added, giving the Question an approving nod.  "I'll trust your description for now.  Now, as far as our assignment's concerned, it'd be useful to understand what the meta-human's abilities are.  Assuming we know.  It would also be useful to understand how we learned what little we do know about the second target.  Fighting a telepath is a very different prospect from fighting a well informed man."


Scyleia gave the Question an appreciative look when he pointed out a place for costumes.  Instead of coming out in shining costume, however, the Amazon emerged in a v-neck white shirt tucked into a pair of blue jeans with a tan leather jacket worn over both.  A trained eye might note the presence of certain inflexible lengths in places, likely concealed knives.  Dressed down, Scyleia looked gorgeous but much more mundane than her earlier white garb.  Even her Amazonian bracelets were concealed beneath the leather jacket's sleeves.


"No, I don't have any enchantments for shrinking but neither am I a giant.  Hopefully I'll blend in reasonably well."  Scyleia slipped a pair of brass knuckles into her jacket pocket, sighed ruefully, then glanced at the Question.  "A shame a sword is so conspicuous.  Now, any known weaknesses of the targets in question?  Do we know where they might be?  One of the most basic questions is if we can go to them or if we'll need to lure them to us.  Do you have any plans you'd like to share or shall we work together on a strategy?"  

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Upon attempting to touch him, Aya would find her hand completely pass through his solid body. He kicked off the wall as she did, but in the next moment, he was completely gone. There was no misdirection. No flashy effects. No time in between his vanish. He had no transparency and no distortion like a hologram. This was something else entirely. Something else this alien girl would have never seen in her lifetime in space. 


"It's rather simple. Agent Hope is a relatively new asset to the United League of Justice. She is untrained in any real militaristic form and has no experience in the field. She has been placed on a team and her progressed needed to be assessed," he told her. His voice was from behind her. Specifically, leaning against the wall a few meters away in a similar pose to the one he had previously. He was typing on his wrist-mounted screen, not having been interrupted significantly. "If Agent Hope was good at her job, she wouldn't have allowed you to get in that car. She wouldn't have put you in danger. She wouldn't have fallen for a simple ruse," he explained to her further. 


"As for myself," he said, ignoring her comments about his appeal or the lewd doctor--irrelevant to him as she was simply ignorant--"I'm quite pleased. Star City is a dangerous place and it will only get worse. One of the greatest mercenaries in the world was just spotted there. That girl will get you killed."


The shuttle that Kary went through was unlike any of the elevators in the Watchtower. After a while, there was no artificial gravity and she would find herself freefloating. It wasn't a long transition. Just a second. A moment later, she would be suspended in a large, clear chute near one of the reactor cores in the Watchtower. They were massive. There were four of them, each larger than any power source found on Earth. After getting into the clear chutes, the atmosphere became as Thrall said. She lost her strength and agility. All she had was her organic-metal body. Even her thoughts seemed to slow as the neural pathways in her brain lost some of their optimization. Aside from her durability, for the moment, Karolkine was the closest to human she had been since... conception. And, not long after, the chute arrived in a docking station beside four others and opened. Gravity was back and a breeze blew inward as pressure equalized itself. The room was not the normal office that Waller was in. It was different. The room was torn up. Three broken chairs, chips in the table, what looked like a long carving down it and then a set of claw marks that cut through the faux wood paneling to show the metal underside. The dark carpet was torn and even what appeared to be ash was scattered on the floor with tufts of hair.


Waller looked over to her stroking his chin. Stubble was prominent on it. His suit was sullied, even torn some. "It's been a long day, Agent Hope," he told her. Something about this was even more intimidating. He wasn't the authoritative voice he was on the screen. He seemed more human. He seemed like he was tired of a busy work day. But, by his surroundings, his shape and what she knew he could do... there was no lack of anxiety in the air.


@NecroKnight @Rui (This is actually where we should have been posting. lol No worries, just post here until we leave the Watchtower. It's its own zone.)

 

[NecroKnight]

@Sir Les Paul


(Wondered that myself)


Kary looked around the place at that, getting slightly scared herself at his sight. Ivo was likely spinning in his grave, if he realized a human had managed to make a bot scared for their life.


She herself looked, uncomfortable in this situation at that. Knowing or not knowing about Waller, she was now honestly of saying anything in fear of screwing up something. She did reply though, although as minimal and neutral as possible.


"Yes, Sir. Agent Hope, reporting as ordered," she replied, hoping that she didn't screw up the initial greeting as well.

 

[Rui]

(Yikes!)


Aya flinched once before fully recoiling, staring at him in shock.


"What did you...how did you...?" 


She shivered, her feelings mixed between disgust and confusion. 


Once she regained her sense, she faced him once more in his new location. 


"I think you underestimate them," she said simply, her fake confidence dissolved like salt in water. "I have not known my new team long, but I really think that they can do some...good." 


She looked down for a moment, considering whether she should ask the question which nagged at the back of her mind like a tri-legged balthar. 


"Will...Will Karoline be returned to her team? She means a lot to them, I know." 


Her voice was softly, guilt laced into her tone, along with genuine concern for her "friend", despite merely knowing her for a day. 


"I have hardly been here for one Earthen sun-cycle, and I have already caused much trouble. For that I am truly sorry, even to you." 


@Sir Les Paul

 

[Sir Les Paul]

"Noted," he replied to her in a quick, cold tone. She had missed a slight opportunity to ask about the surroundings, potentially diffuse the situation. Instead, she focused on why she was there. In a way, this may have reflected on her favorably. The focus on her objective. The reality was that if she was witty and charismatic enough--like some in the League--such questions could have played to her favor, but if executed poorly could have equally made her situation that much worse. Granted, her image was shot to Hell regardless, but adding more gasoline on a pyre never helped quell the flames. There was hardly a right or wrong at this point given the gravity of the situation--just a bold line of whom had the authority. Waller locked his eyes with hers, investigating her entirety--looking for signs of anxiety or fear. He was the predator in the room. Everything about his aura and the atmosphere, even to a cyborg, exuded the nature of their relationship.


"Let's begin. From the moment you decided to take the intergalactic asset Kal'aya from her crash site to your domicile with no other member of your team, and having left the presence of Council Member Green Lantern, explain to me in sequential order the events that transpired and your logic behind them," he instructed her in an utmost formal demand.


Meanwhile...


"You're wrong. I do not underestimate them. The opposite, actually. I'm aware of their abilities, skills and personalities. It is my job--literally--to determine how capable they are of doing good," he responded to Aya after she tried to justify Team Arrow. A part of him was infinitely irritated with just how naive she was. An even greater part of him was irritated that he was still attracted to her despite that. It didn't matter, however. He was a well-trained soldier just like his brother before him. She wouldn't--she couldn't--get to him.


"You are not the cause of the trouble," he explained, "before you go on, I'll explain a little more. Almost every member of the League has to be tested. We are important. We have the lives of innocent people in our hands. We are the people that make sure our planet doesn't turn out like yours--and we have saved this world from that fate. Not us specifically, but the generation before us and the one before it. Whatever we call ourselves, we fight for Justice and the well-being of all people in the world. You remember what your planet was like, yes? Imagine just how important it is to make sure everyone that keeps that from happening is capable of doing their job." He was taking a page right out of the book that Thrall seemed to write; wording his intentions in a way she would understand. Right this second, what he was reading up on was her, but more specifically, her culture. They weren't told much about it from the Lantern Corp, but the refugees they took in had already explained a lot. It seemed many of them were... almost relieved to explain to someone, like the sympathetic Earth terrestrials, their experiences.


"I am tested, too, but right now, it's my duty to test all of them. You may think I'm being harsh, but think about this: if something I do now can save lives later, is it worth it? Imagine how much more upset all of your friends would be if it they were being told about a casualty report instead of a test report. Am I hurting them or keeping them from being hurt even worse?" he ultimately asked. He made sure every word he said was tailored to what she would know. While her English couldn't possibly be perfect, he made sure to use words she should know. The only ones he questioned himself on were phrases like 'specifically' due to its modifiers and Justice. The idea of Justice itself was an abstract concept. One that didn't necessarily have a directly translated word. But, if she asked about it, he prepared a response. He had plenty of responses ready for her. Kary made a mess of her understanding of Earth and the Justice League and he needed to help clear it up.


@Rui @NecroKnight

 

[Rui]

Aya didn't really know what else to say. It all made sense. 


At the mention of her planet, she nodded slowly, seemingly deep in thought.  


She didn't quite know what to say: Yes, I was wrong? You are more intelligent, yes, I am a fool? Sorry to waste your time? 


She folded her hands in front of her, rocking on her heels once more. Oh, she's done that a lot today...


She settled for a word that she had found had great meaning on Earth; a word that summed up all of her emotions and thoughts today and in this moment. She parted her full pink lips and replied:


"Okay."


@Sir Les Paul

 

[NecroKnight]

@Sir Les Paul


(Feel like kicking a dog, who ate the roast off the table here)


Kary opened her mouth to speak, before shutting it quickly - a flash of memories and a few notes of bitterness, crossing her face. No doubt her option, to reevaluate today gave her some thoughts as well as reasons to why - she acted as she did. The words of Farrel and Thrall adding upto a very bitter idea in her mind at that - although, it wasn't very heroic to think of such things; as Thrall had said to her before, live sucks and is likely that way.


With that, she soon returned her face to neutral and started speaking about her and Red' arrival to Aya' ship and from there - how she and Liam discussed about settling her in to Earth, with the notion falling to her and Liam deciding to return to the Arrow; she had no reason to lie and likely trying to cover up or lie to Waller was a text-book case of bad idea, but neither would she bad-mouth anybody, she would just explain how things went down.


Explaining their mild drive, through the city and making sure Aya was secure and safe - and her face hidden at that; before arriving at her complex. Letting Aya clean-up and with Kary offering a set of her clothing, for her to appear more normal to the general public. Before she had gotten, a request from Red Arrow about needing for them to return to the Quiver - the reason for it, wasn't mentioned. Followed by the appearance of Farrel, their slight discussion before heading down to the car and...the expected, being blown-up.


"Me and Red Arrow got into a discussion, on where Aya should stay - eventually settling on me, since I had a new apartment, I could share with her. In addition, Aya herself thought that it would be better in human and her cultural terms. Me and Liam agreed on that, and I wasn't informed of any reason not to take help here settle in," she spoke, slight bitterness in her tone. Wondering, if she should have thought of it herself and not be so trustworthy of her then leader. But at that time, she was more focused on being gracious host and making sure Aya' first arrival to Earth was a pleasant one. Now, that she had a second moment to think about it, she nodded herself how stupid and naive...human it was.


"I took her through the city. Aya seemed comfortable on the bike, indicating she had similar technology and wanted to drive it herself. I drove myself, since she was barely arrived. Made sure she was secure, and took it slowly - showing her around the city, the good parts. Then had her clean herself in the new apartment - since she had requested that and also a new pair of clothing, which I provided from my own baggage," said Kary, a sour look on her face, that likely even Waller would see. In her opinion, it was telling him that she stuck her hand into molten metal. She was beating herself over the fact, that Aya might have reacted differently to water, clothing might have been reactive or different than what she might be used to. A thousand things that might have gone wrong, and all because she was thinking like a human - all avoided due to sheer luck.


"My initial words to 'Farrel' hadn't been pleasant ones, so I assumed his ignoring of me - was due to by previous action. I tried to be friendly and agreeable. I...." she said, not daring to take that word into her mouth. "...assumed....he was legit. I scanned him, his badge and appearance seemed real too, I didn't know the fine details of the SCPD Special Division - and...assumed...he was there for a legit reason."


"Since I wasn't certain how, urgent our call-back was....I...decided to 'play friendly'. We could have had Farrel take me and Aya to the hospital and afterwords, me and her could head on over to the Quiver," said Kary, wondering now if that call was about Waller, having some agent or test set up for them. And Liam intentionally not telling her - she was a damn rookie, only a week or two on the team. And she very wondering, slightly scared, if Red had stabbed her in the back and set her up to fail. "I sent a quick note over to the Quiver, didn't get a reply before we...failed."


Kary finished at that, laying bare her great failure - which in her mind, was due to her being a stupid rookie, who too naive and trustworthy. And by trying to play friendly and be a good host - ended up or could have ended up with a massive galactic failure on her head. One amusing thing in her head, came up - Waller accusing her of thinking like a machine, when most of the issues arose because she tried thinking like a human - and ended up paying for those reasons, since she wanted to be a 'good human' and let her emotional processes dictate her actions instead of cold, hard logic.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

The Commander felt his endeavor was a success. All that training his brothers--and even Waller--put him through was far from wasted. While there was no distinct light in the eyes of the alien in front of him, there was a dull, complacent look of understanding. Not one of confusion. But, one of deep thought. More importantly, a look of internal reflection. If this made her think, then he was on the right track. Aya could be salvaged and reshaped. She could fit on Earth. She would fit on Earth. It was almost his personal ambition to make sure she did. "I told you that you could ask any question you want," he said, his voice soft and sympathetic, "but now, I also want you to know that you can explain anything you want. I will give meaning to you whether you ask it or explain it. This is your time to learn, Kal'aya; use it."

Meanwhile...
​

"Liam and I," Waller stressed, "Green Arrow and I." Out of all things, he picked apart her grammar. Or, maybe he was just picking on her in general. Either way, it seemed irrelevant to the current topic. Even still, she was in no place to question it.


"All of you were wrong in your judgemtn," he then told her in a different tone than the scrutinizing one he had just a moment ago. "She was too valuable of an asset to leave in the hands of an untested, junior agent like yourself. I will tell you that this judgement is not entirely your fault; Green Arrow should have known better. If this story holds true, he will receive similar reprimand to you. A leader should be capable of making logical decisions based on the outcome of a mission, not the social norm. It is mere speculation, but I predict that if he would not have allowed her to go with you, this situation would have played out differently. While your actions were still wrong and will be judged accordingly, you were not the only one at fault," he explained to her. Her fears were coming to life. Green Arrow--of all people--was now found at fault. And, the sad reality is that the logic Waller had behind it was sound.


"Your treatment of Kal'aya is acceptable, if anything. Your interpersonal skills--when friendly--seem to be superb. I've seen this before. Unfortunately, that is one pillar of your duties. In fact, you failed in effectively all of your other duties. You assumed Lieutenant Farrel was a real officer because you scanned him. You were reliant on your technology, not your intuition. Your senses are dull because of it. You have little value as a field agent considering Lieutenant Farrel was able to hack those data transmissions real time--I've confirmed with him that he didn't even have to edit the database. Just feed you false information. From this point, I will enlighten you on what Farrel was doing: communicating with my Omega team. Upon realizing he deceived you, I gave them the mission objective to see at what point you would trust your intuition over false data. You never did. You made assumptions based on false data. The only part I find sympathetic for you is that, by what I have heard, you only did so because of an intrinsic fear you have of authority. You had no idea what line to cross with law enforcement. It is true there is no distinct jurisdiction as of yet; the old League had complete jurisdiction and we do not. However, a properly trained agent would know to contact their immediate superiors and follow the chain of command. All authentic chains answer to the same body eventually. Even when I found an understandable portion of your logic, there is training for an agent to supersede it. Lastly, the reason you didn't get an answer back from Quiver was that at that point, the Omegas had Farrel intercepting your messages under the spoofed ID of the Quiver. Using your proprietary technology, he bypassed security measures that you were late on using regardless."


Waller looked at her with his discerning eyes. This was the beast that the rest of the League spoke about. He did not insult her. Unlike Thrall, he did not bring up some philosophical question of if she was human; or even if she was a risk. He didn't bring up anything she was prepared for by others. He addressed her like a human. He spoke to her like any other agent. He ripped apart her story and showed her the flaws. Her human flaws. It was her human side that had weak intuition. It was her human side that lacked training. It was her human side that was reliant on her technology. He treated her cybernetic side like a tool for her to use, not part of her identity. He treated her entirely different than expected. She had built up her defenses around the part of her that was always conflicting: human vs. machine. What Waller did was focus almost entirely on the human and began tearing into a part of her that almost no one else ever addressed. He explained every mistake she made to her--and those of others--so methodically that she could see clearly now the difference between a 'rookie' and a man like him: a veteran. 


"I already know what Thrall and the Commander have discussed with you. That is not my concern. I have termination protocols in the precise event anything like that happens. They are correct; you are a liability, albeit a minor one. Instead, my concern is if you could become an asset of value worth that liability. Do you understand that concept? You must become an asset of value to maintain your place in this organization. What you don't know is that there are assets in this organization of sufficient liability that they cannot be discharged back to civilian life. The same threat that makes you a liability to the League is the one that prevents you from leaving it. When you signed on, we attempted to explain this to you, but it appears it didn't sink in. If you fail to become an asset of value, you will either be imprisoned or terminated. Under normal circumstances, I do not go out of my way to explain this, but in your case, I think you need to handle the gravity of your situation. You have too much latent knowledge about the League to ever be leaked and the potential to have no control of it is. That is the situation I am in. I either make you into an effective agent or make you disappear."


His second explanation brought a whole new light to the table. These words held more weight than anything he or anyone had said. While he was addressing her human side before, he took it to a new dimension. Everyone else, even Thrall, thought of her as a liability in times of crisis or to the safety of her active team--those around her. Waller saw the big picture. Waller saw the biggest picture. Waller saw the safety of the League. Waller saw the safety of the world. No one else saw how one little cyborg could be a threat to it, but Waller did. These small scale thinkers saw a few lives at risk and a lost asset. Waller saw a breach in security. The problem she presented ran significantly deeper than imagined. Moreover, it made far more sense as to why Waller was treating her the way he was. Why he was focusing on her. It wasn't personal. Quite the opposite. There were plenty of military-oriented trainers in the League that could have tore into her just like Waller-glorified Drill Sergeants from across Earth. Waller knew her situation made her a liability that needed addressed directly, so he did. In the end, it all made sense.


"Agent Karoline Hope, this is your opportunity to speak for yourself," he said, ending his rant with a slightly lighter tone--but it didn't dampen the damage that had already been done.


@NecroKnight @Rui (I'm not kicking the dog or rubbing salt in the wound. I'm bringing some reality to the situation. Waller has been hyped up to be this cold, calculating, cynical individual that even Thrall respects for his verbose ability. I'm following through. And, I'm bringing in military elements in addition to tying up the entire theme of your character with an unexpected twist. I'm not just being 'mean'; I'm giving you one of those build-ups you've been asking about. Just in the form of dialogue.)

 

[NecroKnight]

@Sir Les Paul


(Oh my lord, the angst and drama. Loving this, and that last part would likely leave anybody off-hinged, so pardon the emotions. Also after this, can she visit the training room or arena - this going to require some major 'blowing off steam')


Kary squeezed her mouth tightly upon hearing her, Waller blame Green Arrow for the problem. Skylar likely didn't know a thing about what had happened - Red Arrow had given her the advice to take Aya to search for a resting spot and not himself; heck they acted like it was an everyday happening. Not to mention, that Red Arrow didn't mention to her, that the call-back was this serious at that - otherwise she would have prepared for such an incident.


And yet, likely so - Waller would have found another way to infiltrate or influence her ability to judge people. Likely this time, in an even worse and more spectaculary failing way at that. She recalled many a war movie, where the Captain was punished instead of the men underneath him - since in the end at that, he was responsible for training her and her skill came from him. Even though she had been barely enrolled with them for barely a month at that.


"Never?"


The came the literal electromagnetic pulse in her face at that - the indication, that she was in essence stuck here. Not in the point of being unable to leave, but in essence - her existence of being functional depended on her succeeding or else...it was her feared outcome, of being reduced to nothingness. Her head dropped at that, feeling like Day One all over again - luckily her hair covered the front of her face. While her hands balled into fists at her sides - a mild whimper escaped her throat, indication of when one cried at that. She managed to stop herself from whimpering a second time, or collapsing onto the ground, in a pathetic heap. As Thrall had said, Waller didn't do pity parties for like...anyone. That didn't stop the few drops of liquid, tapping onto the floor or likely messing up her face.


Kary was now wondering, why she had to do it - why did she have to play 'the hero' - why did she have to care for the organics who wanted to tear her apart. She should have just stayed in Metropolis, a comfortable life, a peaceful life for her at that - nothing to worry about. WHY DID SHE DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE? Then the answer came to her at that, clear as day - on the same day, the Justice League had fallen and the yesterday before that, when she decided to watch 'human' history.


She stood straight again at that, not minding if Waller could see the tears on her face. Her fists were still balled at her side and her 'breathing' looked heavy. The fact was, she was staring at Waller with a look, that one might mistaken for a snarl or anger - but one of his stature might understand the difference. It was determination - and even if her explanation was dust, she had to say it out.


"I...asked myself, why did choose this. With now, failure to result in my eradication. I have only one reply...Sir. For evil to win, is for good...people...to do nothing. That is why, I didn't stand by when I realized whom I was - I couldn't - I had to do something. I might have been naive, in my expectations and understanding. But my belief hasn't changed, I want...to fight," she spoke, looking at Waller, her fire reignited in her eyes. "I want to protect the people, to serve the people. I...may be a liability...and likely deserving of entombment or deactivation...."


"...but I ask is a chance. If I am to go, let me do it on my feet. Though, there is the possibility of me screwing up again - I still want to try. To do good, what I had always wished for. I might have been engineered as an agent of chaos. But its by my choice, that I chose not to be one. I want to serve the United League of Justice, to my dying breath," she said. Feeling like she was being ordered infront of an execution squad, simply for doing her duty - but damned be, she was going to face it with dignity. Thrall had said, life sucked - so it sucked. It meant, that she had to do everything she could, so the world sucked less.