Farscape/Batman: The Dark Knight and the Sun, Pt. 1By: Spacelord
Rating: PG-13 (Adult situations, profanity and violence).
Summary: In a bleak future where Earth is enslaved by the Peacekeepers, a mysterious message sends scientist John Crichton to discover the legacy of Bruce Wayne and the key to Earth’s salvation. Special appearance by a bad kitty.
Spoilers: None, this is an alternate reality. I have placed the characters of Farscape into the world of Batman.
Disclaimers: Farscape is the property of Henson Company, Hallmark Entertainment and the Sci-Fi Channel. Batman is the property of DC Comics. The character Dr. Kanor and story concept are property of Christopher L. Stine. All characters used here are for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended and no monetary compensation has been received.
Category: Crossover, Farscape/Batman.
Archiving: Certainly. Please let me know when you do it.
Note: Dedicated to Bob Kane. Please send feedback to djspacelord@earthlink.net. Enjoy.
Prologue: A Dark Night Descends
September 3, 2007
The view of Earth was perfect from the observation port of the International Space Station. There was little cloud cover, so the eight-member crew of the ISS was treated to a beautiful panorama of Australia as they floated overhead, their large station fully operational and open for business.
Colonel Jack Crichton, newly assigned commander of the ISS, floated in front of the communications console, gazing at the fluttering image of an attractive woman on his video monitor. After several days of experiments, repair work and dealing with the bureaucrats at the International Aeronautics Space Administration, he finally relished the opportunity to talk to his wife.
"What are they trying to do, work you till you collapse?"
Jack smiled. She was teasing him again. "I’m fine, Leslie. We’re breaking for dinner in a bit and calling it a day. Too bad you and little John couldn’t be here. You would love the view."
She laughed, thinking about how their five-year-old son would respond to a zero gravity space station. "I have enough work to do just keeping an eye on him. Oh, by the way, his teacher says he’s reading at a second grade level already."
"That’s my boy. He’ll be following in his old man’s footsteps."
"Ha! Not if I have something to say about it."
Jack shook his head. "I really have to go now, honey. We can talk again tomorrow. Kiss John goodnight for me."
"I will," she said sadly. "I love you."
"I love you too. Bye."
He watched her image fade from the screen. He was missing her as much as she missed him. His assignment on the ISS was for six full months, and he had only been on board for a few weeks. He did his best to stay in touch with her and their son, but it was never easy. IASA did not schedule flights in between projects for astronauts to visit their families. As he floated through the compartments towards the kitchen facilities, he promised himself he would make up for the lost time with them.
In the ISS kitchen, the other crewmembers were gathered around, enjoying their meals. Jack reached into storage cabinet and produced a packet containing a compressed chicken patty drenched in barbeque sauce. That, and a tube filled with orange juice were his supper. With food in hand, he went to strap himself in beside one of the Russian scientists.
"Hello, Sergei."
Sergei Rubavitch looked up from his meal of borsch. "Evening, Colonel. Did you hear the message IASA sent us?"
Jack bit into his chicken patty. "Which one? I got several from them today."
‘This one says they caught some images of an object on the Hubble telescope heading this way. They want us to keep an eye on it."
"What is it, a meteor?"
Sergei shook his head. "Doubt it. They were a little nervous about it. They said if it was a meteor, it was one that could slow down and change direction."
Jack’s eyes widened. "What? Why didn’t someone tell me sooner? "
"We were getting to that Colonel, but we didn’t want to alarm you. Especially while you were talking to your wife." Jack turned to see James Gordon, his second in command, floating into the dining area.
"Actually Colonel, you should come with me now. There is something I want to show you."
***
Jack and the other crewmembers of the ISS gathered in the main command module. All eyes were fixed on the video monitor mounted on the wall. A series of images were playing in random order, transmitted from the Hubble telescope’s database. Silhouetted against the planet Jupiter was the outline of a ship. It was a long cylindrical construction with a large ring interconnected to it. Jack gazed in astonishment. Whatever the ship was, it had to be gigantic to be photographed at the distance it was.
"Any idea what it is?" Jack asked. His gaze was still locked on the images.
James shook his head. "It’s nothing we made, that’s for sure. But we do know it’s heading this way. IASA wants us to broadcast a message, to try and make contact with them."
"Hmm. Sounds like a plan. Let’s hope they’re friendly."
Sergei looked at the Colonel, clearly taken aback. "And what if they’re not, tovarisch?"
Jack said nothing. Whoever or whatever they were, they were heading to Earth whether anybody liked it or not. At the very least, a friendly greeting might make things a little smoother if this was to be first contact with an alien civilization.
They broadcast several messages, each in different Earth languages. The ship was moving fast and would be approaching shortly. The ISS crew resigned themselves to wait and see what the results would be.
Tomoko, the only female member on the ISS and coordinator of research aboard the Japanese Experimental Module, quietly watched the view screen in the command module. Several hours had passed since the greetings had been transmitted, with no reply heard. She had stayed on to monitor the tracking while the other members of the crew rested and Colonel Crichton went to get them both coffees.
"Colonel, there’s a small ship approaching!" Tomoko said, excited.
The other crewmembers streamed into the command module while Jack and Tomoko looked out the observation portal at the small craft. It was slightly larger than the Farscape evacuation module docked under the ISS. The craft was box shaped, with two pods extending out the sides towards the front of the craft. A pulsing light shot out of the top of the craft, streaming over the body of the ISS. It seemed to be scanning them.
"What are they doing?" Jack said.
"I would gather they’re sizing us up, figuring out who we are," said James. "We should send another message to this ship."
Jack floated over to the communications console and picked up the microphone. "Unidentified craft, this is Colonel Jack Crichton, commander of the International Space Station. Please identify yourself and state your intentions. We are a peaceful world, we offer you our friendship."
There was a high-pitched whine that made everyone wince just before they received their reply.
"Huk tiujj sweewon ellfattsu zwaon Zelbinion. Huk nelzzun toi ajun ka tarznikniyun!"
James’s jaw dropped. "What the hell was that? It sounded like backwards talking."
Jack held up the microphone again. "Unidentified craft, we don’t understand your language. Do you have any way to translate?"
There was a tremendous explosion that shook the ISS crewmembers against the stations bulkhead. A sudden hiss of escaping air announced a breach in the station.
"Was that their translation?" Sergei asked.
My God, they’re firing at us, Jack thought to himself. Through the portal, yellow bolts of light were coming out of the strange craft, shattering the Japanese Experimental Module linked above them.
"Seal the hatch!" Jack said. "We have to get to the escape ship now!"
"Colonel! Dr. Yamana and Ito are still in the JEM above us," Tomoko said, panic-stricken. "We have to save them! We-"
An explosion followed by the muffled screams of the Japanese crewmen told of their fate. The JEM disintegrated under the craft’s energy weapons. The small Japanese woman began to cry. They never had a chance.
"Too late," Jack muttered. He quietly cursed the aliens. The ISS had offered the hand of friendship, and the aliens had bit it. "We have to abandon ship now! Everybody, let’s go before they get us, too."
Further explosions began to rock the station. While Sergei contacted his fellow Russian crewman at the other end of the station, Jack led the others down the habitation module to where the Farscape was docked.
As they reached the cockpit, they could see clearly what was going on. Fast moving ships that resembled fighter planes joined the craft. They were Prowlers, as they would learn later. As they passed in a strafing run, they fired their energy weapons down upon the ISS. The truss assembly was already disintegrating, with remnants of solar panels and cables flying past the Farscape’s windows. Several of the modules in the front of the ISS had already exploded. Jack could see bright flashes above the ship and felt the shaking of the station.
As Jack prepped the ship he turned to check the remaining crew. Tomoko, James and Sergei had followed him into the ship. But Viktor Akhromeyev, the other Russian member of the station, was nowhere to be seen.
"Sergei, where’s Viktor?"
The Russian scientist pointed out the window. "Does that answer your question?"
Directly in front of the Farscape, the Soyuz escape ship was already undocking, attempting to flee from the doomed station.
Jack cursed, "Dammit, why didn’t he come with us?"
"There was no time," Sergei said.
As the Farscape undocked, Jack and the others watched as the craft that had first approached them hovered between them and the Soyuz module. It began to turn towards the Russian craft, powering its weapons.
"Bastards!" Jack hollered. "Viktor doesn’t have a chance! Isn’t it enough they chased us off the station?"
In an instant, the craft’s weapons flashed and the Soyuz module exploded in a ball of fire. The people of Earth did not know it yet, but Victor Akhromeyev and the two Japanese scientists were the first humans to perish at the hands of the Peacekeepers.
As the fire from the burning Russian ship died out, the craft turned its attention to the Farscape module. The surviving crewmembers began to panic as they watched it approach.
"And now we die as well," James said despondently.
"That’s not going to happen," Jack said.
Using the turning jets on the Farscape, he rotated the ship around with its back facing the alien craft. He waited for it to get closer. Through the exterior cameras, he saw the craft again powering up its weapons. As it came directly behind them, Jack pressed the ignition switch, igniting the Farscape’s main rockets.
The engines roared to life, shooting out a white-hot tongue of fire that bathed the alien craft, burning through its hull. As the Farscape sped away rapidly, Jack looked back and saw the ship exploding, much to his satisfaction. The craft had been a Marauder, the eyes, ears and claws of the Peacekeepers. Its destruction would be the only victory the humans would have in space against them.
"That was for the others," he whispered to himself.
Watching the scene from a distance, Jack and the other survivors of the ISS observed the giant black ship come into view. It was the one the Hubble telescope had photographed earlier. Its size was beyond belief, even bigger than they had imagined.
A set of three guns rotated into view on the giant ring that circled the Command Carrier. It’s frag cannons fired a massive burst of energy down upon the ISS. Jack Crichton and the others watched in horror as the International Space Station, billions of dollars in cost and six years of construction were destroyed in the blink of an eye.
And with that, the Peacekeeper onslaught had begun. In six months time, Earth’s armies would be defeated. Soon after, Peacekeeper occupation and the harvesting of Earth’s resources would be well under way.
The Peacekeepers had arrived, and they had not come in peace.
***
Part 1: A Slave to the Grind
September 3, 2037 (Earth calendar), Gotham City
He was dreaming. Again.
It was the same bad dream he had for years. In dim shades of gray he saw the evil men surrounding him and his parents in an alley, taunting and prodding them. Fear seized hold of him. Tears ran down his young eyes. His father cursed them soundly, while holding his wife close to him.
Suddenly, there was a flash, a burst of heat, then silence. He turned to see his father and mother falling over dead. The smoking wound left by a weapon was visible on their chests. He felt himself paralyzed, unable to cry or speak. All around him the evil men laughed mockingly. He was alone.
It was then a shadow appeared and covered everyone. Even the evil men looked up, startled at the apparition. John stared at the dark mass in shock. Was it a wraith? Death itself? It stretched out its leathery wings like a giant bat. John heard the beating of his heart over a loud buzzing sound that filled his ears.
John Crichton awoke. His alarm clock had been buzzing for a full minute. He covered his eyes with his hand, trying to adjust them to the light that shone through his bedroom window. He felt the ghosts of dead rock stars staging a drum battle in his head. He had too much to drink last night, just like every other night. His foot contacted an empty whiskey bottle as he moved off his bed. He moaned loudly, wishing it wasn’t a Monday, but it was. Time to get up and go to work.
After a quick shower and a shave, he selected a pair of slate-gray pants and a pressed white shirt to go with his black shoes and tie. He disliked having to wear a white-collar outfit for them, but his Peacekeeper employers insisted on a dress code.
It was not like there was much of a choice, anyway. He did what they told him. He already used up most of the sick time he was allotted for the year, and being late could bring penalties. His co-workers would frequently tell him not to do anything rash to jeopardize what he had: a nice apartment in the best section of Gotham City, his own car and the benefits and privileges of having such a high profile job, even if it was a master-slave relationship. The Peacekeepers were rarely as generous to the rest of the populace. Many humans had to struggle for goods and services. He had it quite easy, compared to some.
Downing a glass of orange juice and a bagel, he took the elevator down to the garage and slid into his car. It was better to stay ahead of the morning traffic, to avoid showing up late. He made it a point to be punctual, but he was never early. Just like the way he used up his sick leave, he would not give the Peacekeepers any more of his time than he had to.
He drove through the city streets, passing graffiti strewn walls and crumbling buildings. Many of the people standing on the corners and walking the streets looked tired and defeated. Life under Peacekeeper occupation had been hard on the citizens of Gotham. Mounted cameras on buildings, armored vehicles with mounted pulse guns and patrols of soldiers clad in black and red were seen all over the city. The Peacekeepers wanted complete control, and they had it.
John slowed his car down. To his left on a wide space of wall that remained where an old store had once stood, someone had spray-painted a message on the wall in big letters…
PREPARE FOR THE RETURN OF THE BATMAN
John shook his head as he pressed the gas pedal and continued on. Batman? He was supposed to be just a legend, a folk-hero, something that children talked about. It was a shame there really was no Batman to drive the Peacekeepers off the planet, the people of Gotham City, let alone Earth, could sure use a man like that. John remembered the stories he was told as a boy about the Batman. He seemed more like a force of nature than just a man in a costume. If only the Batman had been around to save his parents.
If only… John thought to himself.
Turning at the next red light, the tall silvery spire of the Peacekeeper Tower came into view. It was easily twice the height of the next tallest building in Gotham City. The engineering technology used to build it was previously unknown to humans until the arrival of the Peacekeepers. Construction of its near-impossible height was taught to humans the hard way, considering the number of human laborers who perished during its manufacture. Gotham residents referred to the soaring skyscraper as the stiletto that stabbed Earth in the back. John Crichton simply called it his place of employment.
As he approached the gate, the Peacekeeper guard in the booth glanced quickly at John’s identification card and promptly sent him through. John stifled the urge to give the guard the finger as he saluted his car’s entry into the building. His day had only just started; there was no sense in making it worse.
"Good morning. You look like shit," DK said as John walked into the office.
"I feel like shit," John said. "Did you make coffee yet?"
"Just made a fresh pot. Oh, we have the results from the magnetic wave tests if you want to see them."
"Fine. Put them on my desk. I’ll stare at them totally uninterested in a little while."
DK looked at his friend for a long time. "John, don’t let them hear you say that. You don’t want to-"
"Blow what I have. Yeah. Yeah. I’ve heard the speech before. Jesus, you practically wrote it."
"Maybe so. What’s bothering you?"
John poured himself a cup of coffee and took a deep drink before answering. "I had the dream again last night. In black and white, and full stereo surround sound."
"The dream?"
"Yep."
"Don’t you think you should see a doctor about it? I mean it seems to be happening a lot. And your drinking isn’t helping the matter, either."
John stared at him hard, then turned away. "That’s great, DK. You think a doctor will be helpful? Jack Crichton’s boy is going nuts from a bad dream, and he’s a drunk. Our Peacekeeper overlords will send me to Arkham Asylum. Do you know what they actually do to people there?"
"Dammit John, keep your voice down," DK said fearfully. "They’re always listening. Don’t you remember what happened to Alex?"
"I don’t want to talk about it."
"But-"
"I said I don’t want to talk about it."
DK sighed. "All right, I’m sorry. Let’s try and get on the right foot this morning."
John rubbed his head softly. "Okay, okay. So, where are those magnetic wave results again?"
John and DK walked into the huge chamber where the Human and Peacekeeper scientists were performing various tests on the heavily guarded machines that were set up all over the building. Throughout the day, they measured fluctuations in the electromagnetic spectrum, sampled energy particle accelerations and endured board meetings with the members of Peacekeeper High Command. They were insistent on results from the work they had the humans doing for them. John did his best to put on a face of cooperation while desperately trying to kill his conscience. He tried to tell himself that he was not betraying Earth, that he was merely a victim of circumstances. The excuse rarely worked.
***
"Good night, Dr. Crichton."
John off-handedly waved to the Peacekeeper guard who opened the gate for him. He preferred to keep his contact with them to a minimum. After all, irreversible contamination could work both ways, or so Dr. Kanor, the head Peacekeeper scientist, would joke to him. John merely smiled while fighting the urge to punch out the obnoxious ass that he was.
Stepping on the gas pedal, he sped off into Gotham’s neon-lit streets. He had hoped to get a bite to eat, but more importantly, he had to meet someone on an important matter.
Turning his car down a dimly-lit street, John’s eyes focused on the cul-de-sac at the far end where a tall figure stood silently, awaiting his arrival. As he pulled up in front of a green dumpster cancerous with rust, he could make out the features of a middle-aged woman under the lone streetlight. She was remarkably beautiful. Her long dark hair had a streak of silver running through it in the front. Her figure was quite solid beneath her tight clothes for a woman of her age. John was surprised. Of all the contacts in the Earth resistance he had met, she was not one of them.
"Are you Selina?"
The woman held a long black cigarette up to her mouth. He watched the tip glow as smoke billowed out from between her bee-stung lips. "Who else would I be, Johnny boy? Poison Ivy? She died pretty quick when the PKs hit this burg. Or so I was told."
John tilted his head. "You know who I am?"
Selina smiled. "I’ve heard of you. You work for your Peacekeeper masters during the day, and help pass along Earth resistance info at night. Tell me, does it help you to sleep?" She threw the cigarette down and crushed it under her boot. "Or does all the booze help, too? Maybe you feel like less of a sellout? Don’t you ever get tired of licking Scorpius’ ass?"
"Back off lady, you know nothing about me."
"More than you could imagine," she said smoothly. She reached down and picked up the package sitting on the ground beside her by the twine wrapped around it. "Here are the pamphlets. The virus disc is on top. Use it cautiously when you poison their systems."
John took the box from her, examining it briefly. "If only it were that simple. It’s too bad the Batman doesn’t exist. We could use someone like him, right now."
Selina froze. "What do you know about the Batman?"
"He’s some mythical crime fighter in dark tights. Parents told the story to kids to make them feel safe. My own parents told me about him when they were alive. Whatever he was, he was too good to be true. "
Selina laughed heartily. "Oh, you are so clueless, junior. You just don’t get it, do you? Did the PKs tell you that? He was real, Johnny. Just like your alien masters are. When Batman was alive, this city had law and order. He kept the peace for everyone, even for a manipulative, thieving soul like myself." She sighed, remembering the past. "God, do I miss that man."
John frowned. "So, what happened to him?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows? Maybe he just got tired. When the Peacekeepers came, I guess he thought he had met his match and left while he still could. Or maybe…"
"Maybe what?"
"Maybe he’s just been hibernating, waiting for a day when he would come back and take back what is rightfully ours from these goose stepping Huns." Selina cocked her head at John. "It’s too bad you don’t have any faith in our heroes. You and him have more in common than you think."
John looked at her, confused. "Why do you say that?"
"Like I said, I know more about you than you think. Besides, he and I were very close at one time. I also know that he would be disappointed in someone who was so easily duped by a simple thieves trick." She held up his watch that she expertly removed from his wrist while he accepted the parcel from her.
John’s jaw dropped. He glanced down at his bare wrist. He never even felt the watch being removed. "Give it back," he said, becoming angry.
"Meow! So, there is still some fire left inside of you. I guess the Peacekeepers didn’t smite it all out," Selina said. "That’s good, I think you may need it down the road." She threw his watch back to him. "It’s time for me to go. I need my beauty sleep. Reflect on what I said, Johnny boy."
John turned to walk back to his car, but hesitated. "Hey Selina," he said as he turned around, "what did you mean by-"
She was gone. There was no one in the cul-de-sac but him. She had disappeared without a sound. A lone black cat ran out from behind the dumpster and stared at John for a moment before disappearing into the shadows.
***
John sat in his apartment, reading over the pamphlets in the box he had received from the mysterious woman. He paused only to take a bite out of the hamburger he picked up on his way home. He had helped to distribute Earth resistance information before to the population, but a custom made computer virus was a first for him. Whoever designed it intended it to cripple all the information systems at the Peacekeeper Tower. Whatever weapons projects the Peacekeepers had been developing would hopefully be junk by tomorrow.
John stood up and stretched. His mind was still bothered by the things Selina had said to him about being a sellout. He was even more bothered because there was some truth to it. Maybe the Peacekeepers had broken his spirit. Would he still have the desire to pass on resistance information a year from now? Or would he wash away his sorrows in a bottle?
He walked into the kitchen and opened the cupboard to where he kept his liquor stash. He stared at the bottles for a long time, and then finally closed the door with a shaking hand. He could not bring himself to take another drink, even though he wanted one badly. He walked back to the living room, the weight of his shame crushing him with each step.
I’m sorry, Dad, I can’t be the kind of hero you were. Fate won’t allow it. Your son is a goddamned alcoholic sellout to his own people. I hope you and Mom can’t see me now, I wouldn’t want to embarrass you. John ran his fingers through his hair. A drink suddenly seemed more reasonable.
A beeping noise caused him to look up. The soft glow of green letters appearing on the blackened screen indicated a message. He had left his computer on to send some encrypted e-mails to other resistance members, but he did not anticipate receiving any messages for himself. He approached the computer slowly. Could the Peacekeepers have cracked the coding he was using? He felt his heart beginning to race.
Sitting down in front of his desk, he read the completed message:
I HAVE WATCHED YOU FOR A LONG TIME. I KNOW YOUR TORMENT. YOU SEEK ANSWERS. A SLAVE WILL NOT FIND THEM FROM HIS MASTER. YOU WILL NOT FIND THEM IN A BOTTLE. BREACH THE NORTHERN PERIMETER AND TRAVEL NORTH 20 KILOMETERS TO THE MANOR RUINS. THERE YOU WILL FIND ME.
IT IS TIME FOR A DARK KNIGHT TO RISE.
John stared at the screen with his mouth hanging wide open.
***
"So, who do you think it was?" DK said, puzzled.
"No idea. But I’m sure it wasn’t the Peacekeepers. There was no door being blown off the hinges and taking me off somewhere into the night to be interrogated." John sighed. "It had to be an unknown code signal to get through to my system."
"Speaking of which, do you have the virus with you?"
John tapped his coat pocket, insuring himself the disc was still there. "I got the big, bad mamma right here. We get this into the PK Network, and it’s completely nuked. I just have to get to the central chamber."
DK shook his head. "Not this time, John. I’m due up there for a systems check. Let me do it."
John looked at him with apprehension. He looked over the centrifuge chamber the two of them stood in. Peacekeeper guards stood at every door and cameras kept an eye on the mass of scientists, officers and other personnel that moved about. If they were discovered, they would be captured quickly. There was only one chance to do this, and a mistake would be costly.
"John, I know what you’re thinking," DK said assuredly. "You’re not a sellout, all right? You brought the disc this far; most people wouldn’t have the guts to do this. But now, it’s my turn, ok?
"Are you sure this is foolproof?" John said, reaching into his pocket for the disc.
"Ah, Dr. Crichton, there you are."
John froze, leaving his hand in his pocket. He turned to face Dr. Kanor and a bearded Peacekeeper officer that approached him and DK.
"Dr. Crichton, DK, I would like you to meet Commissioner Bialar Crais. He was recently sent to take over the leadership for the Peacekeeper Law Enforcement Liaison here in Gotham City." Kanor gestured towards the bearded man.
His complexion was darker than the average Peacekeeper. He wore the long black tunic that designated him as a high-ranking official. On his chest he wore a silver badge with a chain attached to it connecting under his left shoulder epaulet that symbolized Peacekeeper Law Enforcement. His face was as hard as a statue, His hands were clasped behind his back, and he did not bother with a handshake.
"Hello Dr. Crichton," Crais said. "Although I cannot speak for Peacekeeper High Command, I assure you that we appreciate the work you do for us." He turned to DK. "I also assure you that the streets of Gotham City will be safe under my jurisdiction."
"That’s good to hear," John said, trying his best to sound sincere. "I gather the good Dr. Kanor is giving you a tour of our facilities?"
"He is indeed. And I am quite impressed with the progress here."
"Our results should be coming to bear quite soon commissioner," Kanor said. "I believe Scorpius will be quite pleased with our project."
"Which would be…" DK said, asking the question he and the others were not allowed to ask.
Before Kanor could correct him, John noticed everyone in the chamber was looking upward towards the upper level that occupied the top half of the room. A dark figure was standing by the rails looking down at the vast centrifuge.
The four of them gazed up at the man dressed in black with a purple cloak wrapped around his shoulders. He was tall and thin, with sunken eyes and a pale complexion. Guards of the Peacekeeper elite flanked him on either side. John winced at the man’s appearance. He was practically a walking corpse.
It was Scorpius.
He silently walked along the rail, examining the people on the lower levels below him. His stare met Johns, and locked on him for a moment. John shuddered. It was like staring the devil in the eye. He felt an icy coldness penetrating him.
Finally, he departed, his heavily armed entourage following him. John and the others breathed a sigh of relief. "Don’t get too many visits from him, do we?" DK said.
"No," Kanor said. "He spends most of his time in the uppermost levels of this tower. No one at our level is privy to what he does."
"And should not be," Crais added.
"Yes of course, Commissioner Crais." Kanor led him to the main exit. "Let us continue your tour, there is so much left for you to see. Thank you for your time, Dr. Crichton."
"So long, ass-kisser," John said quietly through a forced smile.
DK grunted. "Yeah, notice he doesn’t say anything to me?" He reached into John’s pocket and snatched the disc out quickly. "I’ll see you later, buddy. Wish me luck."
John watched his friend walk away. Despite all the planning, dread ran through him. Things were progressing far too easy. Something was bound to go wrong. John swallowed the bile he felt accumulating in his throat and walked back to the centrifuge.
***
The alarm sounded just as John was picking up a computer printout. Looking up, flashing red lights pulsed over each door as they automatically sealed shut, preventing anyone from escaping. A synthesized voice repeated the cause of the alarm over and over as guards and personnel scrambled about:
Warning! Illegal infiltration of systems network by artificial virus…
John’s heart raced as Peacekeeper guards rounded up him and the other civilians. As he passed a closing door, the sound of pulse weapons firing could be heard in the distance. His mind raced, his thoughts imagined the worst. If it were DK they had caught, he would not stand a chance.
"Kanor, what’s going on?" John said to the Peacekeeper scientist who appeared out of the crowd just as they were ushered to one of the emergency exits.
"Someone just tried to install a frelling virus into our systems network," Kanor replied angrily. "But before the guards could reach him, some of your brethren in the resistance movement attacked. They have already been dealt with, but we need to find out how they got in and who the saboteur was."
John said nothing. Kanor’s true colors were coming out. No matter how much he pretended to act in the spirit of cooperation with other humans, he still saw them as lower life forms and treated them as such. There would be no doubt to the fate of DK or any other of his associates if caught.
But he was also concerned with the news of resistance fighters in the building. Were they supposed to have been part of the plan to destroy the computer network? He had never been informed by DK or anyone else. They may have been acting entirely on their own, and it was a mere coincidence that they appeared when DK was uploading the virus into the Peacekeeper’s database.
Not likely, John thought to himself.
After a brief wait, civilian personnel were sent to the ground floor to wait outside while security dealt with the resistance fighters battling in the building far above them. The streets were crawling with Peacekeeper police trying to keep back crowds of people gathering in front of the building to see what was happening. John looked around in the crowd; DK was nowhere to be seen.
"John! John!"
John turned around to see Barbara, one of his assistants from centrifuge testing, running up to him. Her long red hair, pinned up in a bun, was coming loose and falling down around her shoulders.
"Barbara? Are you ok?"
"I’m fine, John. But the guards said they saw DK trying to upload a virus into the main network’s console."
"Where is he?" John asked, trying not to make it obvious he already knew what happened.
"One of the cameras caught him using an emergency escape chute in the back of the tower. By now, he’s already down here in the streets somewhere."
"That’s right, but not to worry," Kanor said as he walked up to them with a cold smile. "Commissioner Crais has already dispatched a pair of huntresses to apprehend him. He was one of your colleagues, Crichton, did you not know he was planning on doing something like this?"
Crichton remained still. If he said anything at all to imply he knew something of the sabotage attempt, he would doom himself. The interrogations would be brutal; he would lose his apartment, his car and his life. DK’s words echoed in his head: Don’t do anything to blow what you have.
"I had no idea, Dr. Kanor," he finally said. "DK was a bit… radical."
Barbara stared in shock at John as Kanor walked away, shaking his head in disgust.
"John…"
"Don’t say it Barbara. The damage is already done."
***
DK felt his heart beating in his ears like the distant sound of bombs dropping as he weaved in and out of the side streets and alleys. He paused along the side of a dumpster and crouched down to catch his breath. There was no sign yet of Peacekeeper law enforcement pursuing him. But that would change, he was sure of it.
He cursed silently to himself. The plan had gone badly, very badly. Place the virus disc into the Peacekeeper’s master control to their computer network and destroy all the weapons projects they were working on, it had seemed simple enough.
But when the resistance members who were supposed to help him escape the building were not able to gain access due to an unexpected code change in the entrances, and the spare few who did were quickly cut down by Peacekeeper security, plus the computer hacker who was supposed to interrupt the cameras and alarm sensors failed to do his part, well…
It just went badly.
He at least had managed to find the escape chute the Peacekeepers built as a safety precaution for quick evacuation of the building, and reached the streets fairly quick. Removing his white lab coat and throwing it into the dumpster, DK scanned the street back and forth before running up the block to a getaway car parked nearby. He at least had thought of some kind of back up plan. I should have told John more about what we were doing, he thought to himself. It was too late for recriminations. Once he was free and clear, he would try and contact him.
Walking quickly down the street, DK stuck close to the shadows, hoping they would afford him some cover. He failed to notice two females silhouetted directly above him moving along the ledge of the building. They were quick and silent, stalking their unsuspecting prey with methodical precision.
There was no one on the street as he crossed the intersection to the yellow van that was parked on the other side. Relief began to wash over him; the ordeal would soon be over.
The female appeared out of nowhere, landing on the van’s roof with a jarring thud. DK stopped dead in his tracks, and felt his heart pounding once again. She was clad entirely in a tight black outfit, with a gauntlet covering one arm and her eyes concealed by sleek oval goggles. She was a Peacekeeper huntress.
"Do not move, human! You are under arrest for attempted sabotage of Peacekeeper computer systems. Surrender yourself, or we take you in by force."
DK said nothing. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the mini pulse pistol he had managed to procure from a dead guard just before leaving the building. He fired wildly, unused to the strange weapon’s recoil. The woman easily dodged the bursts and somersaulted down in front of him, knocking the pistol from his hands and stunning him with a lightning-fast kick.
DK got up and ran around the nearest corner, desperate to escape the huntress. He barely made it past a fire hydrant when he saw the second one swinging into view on a thin strand of cable. She landed gracefully on the roof of a magazine stand and brought her weapon to bear. It was a combination between a pulse rifle and a crossbow. Aiming directly at DK, she fired a bolt from the crossbow that contained a snare net. Air escaped DK’s lungs as the impact knocked him flat on his back and covered him in netting.
Looking up, the female’s head was directly in front of the sun as it shone down into his eyes. He could see long raven-black tresses blowing around her pale face, its smoothness broken only by the goggles that concealed her eyes. That was the last thing he saw before a pantak jab from her sent him into unconsciousness.
***
"What happened? What did they do to him?" John ran behind Kanor, flanked by Peacekeeper security on both sides. He was anxious to hear anything on DK’s fate, but no one was talking.
"The huntresses apprehended him only a few blocks away," Kanor said, clearly irritated. "We are going to question him on his accomplices and how he tried to sabotage us. He didn’t plan it very well, did he?"
"I wouldn’t know, Dr. Kanor. I had no idea any of this was going on."
Kanor snorted. He did not believe it for a moment, but decided it was better to concentrate on the situation at hand. Dr. Crichton and his associates in the building could always be questioned later.
They approached an armored vehicle where DK was standing, a pair of handcuffs shackled to his hands. Several Peacekeeper enforcement officers stood around him, weapons aimed at him point blank. The two huntresses stood off to the side, conversing with Commissioner Crais, who had just arrived on the scene. DK remained silent, his eyes locked on John.
"Excellent work, commissioner!" Kanor said as he approached. "I commend your huntresses. Not even a full arn has passed and they have already captured our culprit."
Crais smiled. "As I said earlier, Dr. Kanor, Gotham’s streets will be kept safe and patrolled efficiently under my authority."
"Indeed." Kanor turned his attention to DK. "You disappoint me, DK. You were such a good scientist. It’s such a pity you had to be drawn to such hopeless causes. Did you really think you would get away with trying to destroy the hard work the Peacekeepers have done on this world?"
DK smiled. "I guess I’m tired of being a lapdog bitch to you and your masters." He focused his stare at John. "Unlike some of my co-workers here."
John remained expressionless. He knew the man he considered his best friend was only trying to protect him, but the words stung him nonetheless. If Kanor suspected he knew of any affiliation with the Earth resistance, everyone would be questioned. Or worse.
"So you insist you and the dead resistance members in the Tower acted entirely on your own?" Kanor’s eyebrow arched slightly as he asked the question. "That seems a little hard to believe. I think a thorough questioning of all human personnel is in order. We may yet ascertain the answers we seek."
"DK," John said, forcing himself to speak. "Why did you do this? Do you know what you’ve done? This is stupid, you’re turning against your friends." Barbara walked up beside John, breathing hard from running to see the events unfold.
"You are the one who has turned!" He screamed. "You’re a traitor to your own people, Crichton! You want to live on your feet under these tyrants, that’s your decision. Me, I would rather go down fighting!"
What happened next no one would have anticipated. After occupying Earth for over a generation, the Peacekeepers did not bother to learn the more efficient Earth techniques of binding prisoners. DK’s hands remained in front of him in their shackles, not behind the way Humans used to do to those they arrested. Seizing the opportunity to use them, DK slammed his body against the guard closest to him and quickly unsheathed his pulse pistol from its holster with his right hand. He would not allow Kanor or the others to suspect John was an ally.
"Look out!" Kanor cried. "He has a weapon!"
"LONG LIVE A FREE EARTH!" DK shouted as he squeezed the trigger of the pulse pistol.
The shots went in all directions, but avoided the area John stood with Barbara and Dr. Kanor. In a split second, two guards went down and a third took a grazing on his shoulder. It remained DK’s last act of defiance as the remaining Peacekeepers aimed their pulse weapons at him and cut him down. His body convulsed in a spastic dance as the bolts of energy tore into him, burning his flesh and tearing apart his insides.
John closed his eyes tight, desperately fighting the urge to cry out for his friend. If they suspected anything, DK’s death would have been for nothing. John kept his head down, his face grimacing to the hardness of rock. Behind him, Barbara leaned her head against his back, weeping quietly. Her tears stained the back of his white lab coat. For a moment, everything fell silent.
Opening his eyes, John looked down at his friends smoldering corpse, already being gathered up by several guards, to be casually disposed of. Traitors were not given proper burials. His body would be incinerated. No mourners, witnesses, family or friends in attendance. No one to recognize he was here once, no one to recognize he had made a stand, no matter how futile it was.
Kanor straightened himself, and adjusted his lab coat. "A pity this was. Now, we may never know who all his accomplices were. But, your men did do an admirable job, Commissioner Crais."
Crais watched silently as the body of DK was put in the back of the troop vehicle the human had stood in front of only microts before. "My men were merely acting on instinct, Dr. Kanor. Things like this come with the job…unfortunately." Crais frowned. This was his first day acting as commissioner, and already there was a death. He did not enjoy this part of the job, despite what others would say of all Peacekeepers in general.
"If you will excuse me Doctor, I have to see that this business is finished up." Crais turned to the two females he had been conversing with. "Huntress Chatto? Huntress Sun? This way, please…"
The huntresses trailed behind Crais as he walked through the throng of security. As they passed by, the dark haired one turned her head and met Johns gaze. Her features were beautiful; her alabaster skin contrasted smoothly against the black form-fitting armor she wore. John stared into her eyes, covered by the goggles she wore designed for night vision viewing and concealing her identity, and saw his reflection staring back at him in duplicate. For a brief moment, her full lips parted, as if she were going to speak to him. And say what? I’m sorry?
John blinked his eyes. The huntress was gone, having disappeared into the growing crowd with the commissioner and the other female. It was the crying of a child that attracted his and Barbara’s attention from the departing vehicle carrying DK’s corpse.
"They killed him, Mommy! They killed that man! I hate them!" The child continued her sobbing.
"Shh… hush, Caitlin," her nervous mother said, trying her best to calm her.
"They always kill people! I wish Batman were here, he’d stop them!"
"Caitlin! Stop it! Do you want them to hear you?"
"Batman! Where are you?" The child cried out.
John watched them, stunned by the little girl’s words. It was the third time in less than two days the name of Batman was mentioned in some form. And then, there was the message on his computer. Was someone trying to tell him something? It was all beginning to feel like an epiphany.
"John," Barbara finally said. "We should go now."
"Yes, it’s time to get back to work, Dr. Crichton," Kanor said sternly. "There is nothing more to see. It’s all over." Kanor walked away. Anger burned in John’s eyes.
"No, Doctor, this is just beginning," he said under his breath.
***
Part 2: A Dark Knight Begins
John leaned forward in his chair with his hands folded while he listened to the message on his answering machine. Rage was slowly boiling inside of him, the images of the past day still burned deep into his mind.
"Dr. Crichton, in an effort to find out the answers to the feeble attempt at sabotage that occurred today, Commissioner Crais has issued instructions for all human and Sebacean personnel to submit to questioning to gain any information that may have been overlooked. Your appointment is tomorrow at 1:30, by the Earth clock. Don’t mess up, John. You are one of the most brilliant members on our staff. Your breakthroughs have aided us greatly. I would hate to see your smoldering remains lying on the street like your associates were earlier this afternoon. Until then, have a good day, Doctor…"
He stood up abruptly, grabbed the answering machine and smashed it against the wall. His face was red with uncontrolled anger. The plan to sabotage his Peacekeeper jailers had failed miserably, his best friend was dead and he felt like he truly was a traitor to his own people. DK’s final words haunted his mind, even if they were only spoken to protect him.
John picked up the glass of Scotch he had poured and swallowed the remains. He justified the drink to himself considering the recent circumstances. Unfortunately, it did not make his guilt go away. He knew he would not find the answers to his grief in a bottle.
You will not find the answers in a bottle… He paused and turned his head towards the computer. The message from the night before had said something about that as well. Who could have known that? And what did it all mean? Breach the northern perimeter and travel twenty kilometers to the manor ruins. Manor? What manor?
There was only one way to find out. John reached for his keys, already predicting the trip he was planning to take. Checking the apartment, he turned off the lights and checked to make sure there was no Earth resistance material left. He was not sure if he would be coming back, but just in case, it was best not to leave anything they could use to hang him with. He considered contacting Barbara, but decided it would be best for now that no one knew where he was going.
He reached his car and quickly sped away towards the northern part of the city. All of Gotham City was surrounded by a walled perimeter, much like Berlin had been during the Cold War of the twentieth century. The Peacekeepers kept the Human population in concentrated areas, not allowing them the freedom to roam the countryside. Only closely guarded farming collectives were out in the rural areas, for the purpose of raising crops for the city populations. Where exactly this manor would be, John could not even hazard a guess.
It was early in the evening and there was still daylight. John lowered the roof to his car and let the cool breeze wash over him. He passed the same crumbling buildings and bleary-eyed pedestrians that he had seen every day of his life. Although he was still unsure of his final destination, he felt like he was saying goodbye to everything that was familiar to him.
It took almost thirty minutes to reach the gates where vehicles entered and exited the northern perimeter to the city. As he approached, it dawned on him he did not have an exit permit or even a legitimate reason to be there. He had never seen the gates in this part of the city, let alone drove through them. Perhaps he could just speed up and knock the gate down, it was only a chain link fence, after all.
A pair of Peacekeeper guards appeared from the sides and motioned for him to stop. Both were carrying pulse rifles, but their black reflective helmets were off, revealing youthful faces. John’s mind began formulating the possibility of trying to bluff his way through the gate.
"What is your destination?" The one guard asked, trying to act as professional as he could. There was little traffic through the northern gates, so they fought off boredom on a regular basis.
"The farming collective nearby." John said. "I’m going for a quality control inspection."
"What? At this time of the day?"
"Yep, that way I get to see how things are before good ‘ol Oliver Wendall Douglas could doctor anything up." John smiled slightly. The excuse seemed very lame, and the Peacekeepers did not get the Earth reference to an old television show.
"We need to see your identification and your exit permit."
John pulled out his card from Peacekeeper Headquarters that he carried, hoping it would be enough.
"Exit permit, please."
"I have no exit permit," John said sternly. He looked at the guard straight in the eyes, hoping for a Zen moment, one where they would take his word and let him drive through with no hassles.
There was no such luck. "Step out of the car."
"Look, I’m in a hurry. I-"
"Step out of the car." The two guards raised their pulse rifles at him.
John tensed and slowly stepped out of the vehicle. One guard kept his weapon aimed at him while the other began to search the car.
"Well, well, look at this," the guard said. He reached down and pulled something from the floor of the passenger side. John felt his heart race. It was one of the Earth resistance pamphlets. In his rush to leave, he forgot he had left one in the car.
"Looks like we got an Earth resistance sympathizer here, Thonn. And one who works for our side no less." The guard walked around the car to John. "Peacekeeper High Command doesn’t take traitors in their midst very lightly."
The other guard laughed. "They’ll take you apart like that nurfer who got shot earlier today."
John’s anger began to grow. "Shut up."
"Oh, I don’t think so. You shut up. You’re in a lot of trouble, Earth trash." The guard began to push his fingers against the back of John’s head. "They may even send you to that Arkham Asylum. I hear the human females there got it real hard. The guards like to have their way with-"
John screamed in rage. Instantly, he turned and slammed his fist full force into the taunting guard’s face. All his pent-up anger and frustration came rushing out in an instant.
The other guard, startled at the sudden attack, stepped forward to fire his weapon. John wheeled, grabbed the pulse rifle by the barrel, and yanked it from the surprised Peacekeeper. John bought the rifle up and swung hard at the man, striking him in the head.
As the guard went down, the other one got back up and grabbed John from behind, trying to get him in a headlock. John lifted him off the ground and threw his weight against the small booth behind them, the impact knocking the guard off of him. Before he could react, John grabbed him and began punching him again and again. The guard’s face transformed, into the image of Dr. Kanor in John’s mind. He brought his fist down upon the face over and over, desperate to destroy it, his fury unleashing itself with each blow.
Coming to his senses, he let go of the guard, his face now a bloody pulp. The other guard remained unconscious from the blow from the pulse rifle. John stood there for a moment, breathing hard and feeling his blood pumping rapidly throughout his body with each heartbeat. The guards were not dead, but there was no way he could get out of this situation without harsh retribution.
Punching the large red button located on the side of the booth, John jumped into his car and burned the rubber on his spinning tires as he raced away from the gates as fast as possible. Night would be soon approaching, and he wanted to reach this manor, wherever it was, while he still could.
The winding roads were cracked and laden with potholes from years of neglect. John carefully drove around them, watching his odometer to gauge the distance he traveled, waiting for the sight of a manor to appear. As he drove along the roads, he was glad to see the forests were still intact and beginning their transformation into a pallet of reds, yellows and orange as autumn came into full bloom. He even saw an occasional deer grazing in a meadow off the road. There was no sign yet of pursuit from the Peacekeepers. For a change, he thought to himself, he may have some luck and his journey would go smoothly.
The flash and explosion of a pulse weapons blast exploding on the road directly behind him told him there was, once again, no such luck. In his rearview mirror, John could see the shape of a Marauder flying above the tree line. It began to dip, closing in for the kill.
Frantically, he swerved his car about; trying to steer clear of the energy bursts the Marauder rained down on him as well avoiding flying off the road into the steep inclines that were appearing to his right. The sky was slowly growing dark, making it harder to see, but he did not dare turn on his headlights lest he give the Marauder a clear target.
A stray burst razed the rear left tire of his car and caused it to burst. Rubber flew in fragments as John struggled to control the swerving vehicle. Despite his skill, he could not regain control at the speed he was moving and it crossed the railing that shielded vehicles from the high sloping ridge and careened down the hill, disappearing through the undergrowth. John slammed his foot on the brakes, hoping to slow down enough to stop a lethal impact against an immovable tree or rock.
The shrubs on the hill slowed him down until the car slammed hard against a thick oak tree. John’s head bounced harmlessly against the air bag that deployed out of his steering wheel. He leaned his head against the bag for several moments before sitting up straight again. His breathing was rapid, and his heart was beating furiously in his chest as he checked to see if there were any serious injuries. He struggled to free himself from the car as the sound of the Marauder landing nearby reached his ears.
John looked back quickly at his car as he ran into the woods. The front was totaled. There was no way to back it out of the position it was stuck in, let alone get it back on the road. He had a better chance in the thick forest, where the trees and the darkness would hide him from the commandos, who would be upon the scene in only minutes.
He ran using what was left of the light to dodge around trees, thorny shrubs, and anything he might trip over. The underbrush tore at his clothes, mud closed around his shoes and the branches of trees reached out at grotesque angles, seeming to come alive to seize him, all in the service of the Peacekeepers. His breath came in hard gasps, howling with each exhalation. His lungs burned despite the cold September wind quietly whispering through the woods. Occasionally, he could faintly make out the voices of the Marauder commandos as they continued their pursuit, the Marauder itself circling the area overhead, searching for a trace of him.
Hours moved by as his flight became more desperate. His legs were bruised and bleeding from crashing into jagged rock and sharp branches, his shirt and skin were damp with perspiration and his whole body ached. Despite it all, he pressed on, fear of capture motivating him as much as his own determination. Sounds from far behind told him the Peacekeepers had not ceased the chase. All he could do was stop for a few spare minutes to catch his breath, and hope he was far enough ahead to avoid them. Even if, by some small chance, he could elude capture, what would he do next?
***
John collapsed at the edge of the woods. The cover of the forest had disappeared. An open meadow lay before him, with a cragged looking hill at its far end.
He stood back up, and leaned against a tree, his head held down. He had run for hours, struggling to keep ahead of the commandos and the Marauder. They had not caught him yet, but they were still behind him, relentless in their hunt. Despite his effort, he had found no manor, no sanctuary to avoid the Peacekeepers and no answers to what he was seeking. Perhaps it had all been a terrible joke, a ruse used by the Peacekeepers to flush out another member of the Earth resistance.
Looking up, he focused his eyes on the hill. It was a good quarter mile away from the edge of the woods. Hopefully, the forest continued on the other side. A point of light began to shine through a crag of rock on top of the hill. Dawn was approaching.
John looked at the crag, or what he had thought was one. He began to make out a structure. The light expanded in the opening on the hill, creating the outline of a window. The light began to outline the cracks and ruins of walls and towers. The hill was not a hill; it was a foundation with a huge ruin stretched across it.
The manor.
Without hesitation, John ran across the field, hope filling up inside him once again. If he could reach it in time, he could hide from the commandos. As he got closer with each step, he could make out its size. Whoever had lived there had been extremely rich; it was as much a castle as it was a manor. Its walls were partially collapsed towards the back and sides, its many windows broken and vines and other weeds had taken residence inside the ruins as well as all around the building. Whatever long ago catastrophe had been visited upon it, it still resisted its own deterioration.
As he climbed up the hill to the foundation, he heard yelling across the meadow. The commandos had cleared the woods and had spotted him. There were four of them, fully armed, with the fifth one in the Marauder somewhere nearby.
"Lt. Melkor! There he is!"
John moved rapidly as bursts from their pulse rifles exploded all around him. He entered the manor through a gaping hole in the back of the rear wall, the sounds of pulse weapons still firing at his retreating form. As he sought shelter, he could hear the distant sound of the Marauder coming in close over the treetops.
Inside the manor, he walked through ornately decorated rooms, where the traces of the manors former splendor were still in evidence. The remains of crystal chandeliers hung precariously in several rooms. There were tattered tapestries draping the windows, their colors still vivid despite the years of wear and tear. Large pieces of carved furniture had remained intact, only dust coated the grandeur they once eluded. Plaster and wooden beams had fallen from the roof and marred the opulence of the rooms. John tried to ignore the wonders inside the building, instead concentrating on trying to find a weapon. Anything he could use to defend himself would help matters considerably.
Entering a room that must have served as the manor’s study, John could hear the commandos entering the ruins. If he did not do something quickly, his flight to this place would have been for nothing.
Approaching the bookcases, he scanned the few remaining books left on the shelves. Throwing a heavy book at a commando was not the ideal option to him, but he needed something. He pulled out a vintage copy of The Divine Comedy by Dante and tested its heft. He caught a flash of red out of the corner of his eye.
Looking back up, he saw a black button on the wall in the back of the bookcase where the book had been. It was flashing intermittently. John stared at it, dumbfounded. Its appearance was completely unexpected.
"Up here! Spread out! He has to be in one of these rooms."
John responded on impulse to the sound of the Peacekeepers voices. He pushed the button and placed the book back in its place. The bookcase silently swung open to reveal a brass pole that was normally seen in old firehouses. John looked down the chamber to where the pole leads. He only saw blackness, with no bottom. The approaching footsteps of the Peacekeepers told him his choices had run out.
Wrapping his arms and legs around the pole, he slid down into the unfamiliar darkness. Looking up, he could see the bookcase closing again, removing any trace he had been in the study. The Peacekeepers had entered the room, examined it, and left just as quickly, still unable to locate the renegade human.
His feet finally struck bottom. As they did, lights came on, revealing a vast cavern underneath the manor. John stood in the spot he had landed; a look of astonishment suffused his face. It was some kind of huge command center. Towards the center was a dais with computer equipment and monitors activating and checking its systems methodically. At one end of the cave, there were several vehicles parked, their details cloaked by the shadows. At the other end, there was an assortment of odd curios. There was an oversized copy of a huge Lincoln penny, a giant life-size replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and also what could only be described as a giant typewriter. There were also several domed glass booths that held outfits of unusual designs, each one lit from the inside showcasing the details of each outfit.
John walked among all the items, greeting them with a mixture of confusion and wonder. Unlike the manor up above, this place was active and well maintained. Whoever built it, it was still being occupied and used. There was no trace of the dust or ruination that had visited the giant home above him. But what was the purpose of this place? Did the Peacekeepers know about all this?
Walking up the stairs to the dais in the center of the chamber, John scanned the controls, looking for something that would give him answers. There was a lit green button on the center of the console. Shrugging his shoulders, John pressed it. It was good a place to start as any.
A large flat monitor mounted on the cave wall began to glow and flutter. A face slowly came into focus on the screen. It was a man, older, judging by his gray hair and aged countenance, but with strong features and an intense gaze that commanded John’s attention instantly.
"Good morning, Dr. Crichton." The man on the monitor said to John, whose mouth now hung open in surprise. "I have been waiting for you for quite some time. My name is Bruce Wayne…"
To be continued…