Farscape/Batman: The Dark Knight and the Sun, Pt. 2By: Spacelord
Rating: PG-13 (Adult situations, profanity and violence).
Summary: John Crichton inherits the mantle of the bat and begins the fight to free Earth from the Peacekeepers. Pursuing Batman is a Peacekeeper huntress named Aeryn Sun. Will she be friend or foe? A secret from her past may make all the difference.
Spoilers: None, this is an alternate reality. I have placed the characters of Farscape into the world of Batman.
Disclaimers: See part 1 for details.
Part 3: The Dark Knight Rises
Crais and Kanor stood in the middle of the large circular room, their eyes nervously darting down every few moments at the floor beneath them. Rarely were individuals allowed to see the upper sections of the Peacekeeper Tower where Scorpius himself dwelled. The upper quarter of the building was in fact, mostly empty space, which is exactly what the two men were looking at beneath their feet.
The technology used to render metal invisible was still relatively new, even among the Peacekeepers. So the sight of the two men standing on a transparent floor, seemingly floating over one hundred and eighty feet in the air over a vast interior arborium that spread out below them was dizzying, to say the least. The tallest of the trees that were planted in the contained ecosphere was still a good seventy feet below where they stood. Crais himself found the whole scene baffling. It reminded him of flying above treetop level in a prowler, only here he was merely standing in midair, glancing at the forest beneath him.
"Breathtaking, is it not? I find it very relaxing when I need to put my mind at ease. One can almost imagine themselves as a spirit floating towards the heavens, if one actually believed in such things."
Turning behind them, Crais and Kanor watched the spectral form of Scorpius enter the chamber. Lieutenant Braca, his personal assistant, flanked him on his right.
"It is indeed, my lord," said Crais. "The view is magnificent up here. I can see why you have made it your personal dwelling."
Scorpius cocked his head to the side. "Ah, yes. You are Commissioner Crais? I must commend you on the quick and efficient job you and your people did in apprehending the human terrorist. You saved us the trouble of worrying about another traitor in our midst."
Crais nodded his head once as Scorpius walked past him. "But you, doctor, you disappoint me very much." He approached Kanor, who was beginning to shift back and forth uncomfortably. "We came very close to losing all the precious work that will eventually tip the balance of power in our favor. Or do I have to remind you of our conflict with the Scarrans and the Nebari?"
"N-no… of course not, my lord," Kanor said nervously. "But the safeguards we installed against such potential attacks worked perfectly. They were-"
"Not enough!" With his right arm, Scorpius grabbed Kanor by his neck and lifted him off the clear floor. "We are working against time, Dr. Kanor. This new weapon we are developing will be operational within the time that I specified. I will not tolerate any kind of interference." Scorpius’ voice changed from the light soothing tone he normally used to the deep-throated growl that evolved out of his Scarran half.
Kanor gasped for air. He could only make faint gurgling sounds as he looked into the pale corpselike visage of Scorpius. He was a horror among the Sebaceans. His features matched his brutality. Kanor was mere inches from his face, and he could make out the details of his bloodshot eyes, the cracked scales of his skin and the rotten stench from his stained and jagged teeth. Kanor managed to gasp out a response as he felt himself blacking out.
"We… will double… our efforts and the… safety pre-precautions…"
Scorpius released his grip. The doctor fell to the floor in a heap, gulping precious air into his starved lungs.
"See that you do, doctor."
Scorpius turned to leave. "Come, lieutenant. We have much to do. Good day, doctor. And, best of luck with your new assignment, commissioner." Braca fell in behind the despot, choosing to remain silent throughout the entire discussion.
Crais slowly leaned over to help Kanor up as Scorpius and Braca walked back out the door. Kanor rubbed his throat and wiped the tears away from his eyes as he composed himself.
"As you can now see, commissioner," Kanor said through a raspy voice. Mistakes can not be afforded."
Crais frowned. "Then we best not make them."
The two men looked down at the floor once more. The transparency faded, and it slowly turned solid again, taking away the view of the small forest below.
***
John stared at the giant video screen, visibly confused. "You’re who?"
The image on the screen smiled. "My name is Bruce Wayne. In life I was also known as Batman. Welcome to the Bat Cave."
"Batman… Bat Cave… Oh, I don’t believe this. You mean you really were real?" John said. "You weren’t just some story my Dad once told me to make me feel safe?"
Bruce laughed. "Very much real, John. I guarded Gotham City for many years against criminals and those that threatened the safety and freedom of its citizens."
"It was you, wasn’t it? You were the one who sent me that message on my computer."
"Yes, I did. Although the Peacekeepers aren’t aware of it, I use their surveillance systems to watch what goes on in Gotham. I also can enter their data banks without them knowing. I’ve spent the last thirty years studying, replicating and even improving on their technology. I know what they know, and use it to my advantage."
John nodded, still trying to absorb what he has seen so far. "This is quite an operation you got here. So, I guess the $100,000 question is, why did you want me here?"
Bruce’s face took on a serious look. "John, I am charging you with carrying on my work. I want you to be the next Batman."
"WHAT? Me? Why me?"
"I’ve watched you for a long time now. Our lives are very similar, yours and mine. We both lost our parents at a very young age to violence. You have a brilliant mind; you are in excellent physical shape… well, until you recently began your heavy drinking. But, we’ll work on that."
"Whoa, whoa, slow down a minute," John said, slightly irritated. "This is going too fast. Where are you? Why don’t you come out where I can see you? I feel like I’m talking to the all-powerful Oz, with you on that screen there."
"I’m afraid I can’t, John. I know you have a lot of questions, but everything will come to you in a little while. In the meantime, I want you to have something to eat and get some rest. You had a long night, from what I’ve seen. There’s no need to worry though. The Peacekeepers are gone. They don’t know we’re down here. We have safeguards in place in the event they did find us. And now, ALFRED is bringing you some food."
John looked around. "Alfred?"
"Yes," Bruce said, as a tall silver robot silently glided into view holding a tray of steaming food. "ALFRED stands for All-purpose, Free-moving, Repair/Electronics Darter. I named him after my old butler. He was a dear friend."
John could not help but smile as the robot approached. Its head was a smooth silver sphere with two white lights for eyes and a series of holes for its mouth. Best of all, it was wearing black coattails just like a real butler.
"Good morning, Master John," ALFRED said in a synthesized voice. "I have prepared you some buttermilk pancakes, bacon, a fruit cup and some orange juice. Please eat while it is still warm. Master Bruce had a terrible reputation for leaving the meals I made go cold."
John scratched his head and sighed. He sat down and ate everything on the tray while ALFRED waited quietly. He must have been hungrier than he realized. His flight through the forest had taken a lot out of him. He felt sleep beginning to overwhelm him as ALFRED removed the tray.
"Now, get some sleep, John." Bruce said. "ALFRED will show you the living quarters we have down here. Once you’ve rested and cleaned up, we’ll talk more."
John watched as Bruce’s image faded from the video screen. He got up and followed ALFRED through a set of sliding doors into an ornately decorated room filled with the remaining furnishings of the manor above him. There was a large canopied bed in the corner. John could practically hear it calling his name.
"Clean up and rest yourself now, Master John," ALFRED said. "Master Bruce will converse with you again later. If you need anything, do not hesitate to pull the cord and summon me." He indicated the braided gold cord that hung down next to the bed. "I will make any accommodations to ensure your comfort while you are here with us."
"Thanks Alfred."
The robotic servant departed, leaving him alone to relax. John sat down on the edge of the bed, gauging its comfort. Only now, after the long and harrowing night, did he finally allow himself to relax.
So, this is where it all begins, he thought to himself.
***
John awoke with a start. He had the dream again. He saw the evil men surrounding him and his parents, the fear, the flash of light and the look on their faces as they died and finally the shadow that covered them.
He lay in the bed perfectly still, staring up at its canopied ceiling and listened to the beating of his heart, slowing down from its heightened rate. As his body calmed, he looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings he was now in. This was not his apartment, since there were no windows. The furniture that was present was far too fancy for anything his tastes cared for.
No, he thought to himself. Not my home. I’m still in the Bat Cave. He sat up and placed his bare feet down on the elaborate Oriental rug that covered the hard floor. He reached out and pulled down on the gold cord that would summon ALFRED.
He had earlier used the shower that was adjacent to the bedroom before going to sleep, washing away the hours of dirt and sweat he had accumulated during his night on the run from the Peacekeepers. He then put on the underclothes that ALFRED had laid out for him. He stretched out his arms and exhaled a deep yawn. He had slept like the dead, and not just dreamed about them.
Finding the manor had been a revelation. Finding the legendary Bat Cave underneath its remains had been an unexpected shock. His mind was still swimming with questions before he went to sleep, and waking up did not change that. The image of Bruce Wayne had said he called him here to charge him with becoming the new Batman.
The new Batman?
ALFRED appeared in the doorway, with a set of black clothing draped over one of his mechanical arms. "Good Afternoon, Master John. I have bought you a clean set of clothes. While I am preparing dinner, Master Bruce would like to speak with you."
John smiled slightly. "Good. I have a lot I want to talk about. What time is it, anyway, Alfred?"
"5:15 pm, Master John. You slept for quite some time. This is very good, as it will place you in cycle with the training that Master Bruce is preparing for you."
***
"All right, this is very impressive, I admit, but it still doesn’t answer my question." John looked back towards the screen at the image of Bruce, turning away from the black suit with the image of a bat on its chest that sat behind a lit glass booth.
Bruce watched him warily as he walked across the floor to the main console. "John, when the Peacekeepers came to Earth, we were not prepared either for their intentions or their superior technology. They defeated Earth’s forces in a very short time and have been plundering our resources ever since, to aid in their bid for mastery of space. While I was Batman, I was not prepared to deal with them. But now…"
"Now you need me?"
He smiled slightly. "I consider you a worthy successor. I’ve watched your life for a long time. I know you worked to help the Earth resistance. I also know you’ve lost friends and loved ones, and that you are a moral person, but bitterness is eating away at you. I’m now offering you the perfect solution to helping your fellow humans."
"You want to make me into a soldier? How many Peacekeepers do you think one guy can snuff out? They occupy the whole goddamned world, you know."
"You don’t understand, John. I will not train you to kill. The Batman does not kill. He fights to protect life. And he is not a gutter mouth, either. Please curb your profanity."
He started to laugh. The man was just too good to be true. "That’s great, Bruce. You want me to just rough them up? Scare them a little? In case you haven’t noticed, they don’t play fair, plus they do have all the big guns."
Bruce’s eyes narrowed slightly on the screen. "I think you underestimate the power of fear, John. Look how fear affects you when you dream about your parent’s death."
John froze. "How do you know about that?"
"Like I said, I’ve studied you, to determine if you were worthy. I know your parents were gunned down in front of you in a dark alley, just like mine were. In fact, it was the exact same alley. Synchronicity is strange that way."
He remained silent.
"Let me ask you this," Bruce said. "When they died, how did you feel?"
John closed his eyes. He struggled to find the right words. "I felt… hatred. And fear."
"Yes. Fear is good. But travel lightly. Lose hatred. A Banik slave said that once, shortly before the Peacekeepers executed him. John, you must not become that which you seek to destroy. Your actions will not only protect your fellow humans, but you’ll inspire those who see your actions."
"But I’m only one man, Bruce."
"It was only one man who died on a cross that changed the face of the world," Bruce said dramatically. "That’s a radical comparison, I admit. But you’re needed now more than you could ever know."
"And where are you in all this, Bruce?" John looked across the expanse of the cave, hoping to see some curtained booth where Bruce, playing the great and powerful Oz, would show himself.
"I’m afraid this is as good as it gets, John. I died recently. But I was able to download my consciousness into this computer before I expired. It was a complete sensory download of all my synapses. I’ve worked hard over the years to create the technology to accomplish that, as well as the new equipment you’ll be using to fight the Peacekeepers. If you accept my offer."
The images of DK being gunned down flooded back to John’s mind, as well as the little girl who cried out desperately for the Batman. The dreams of the shadow that covered him and his parents now made more sense to him. It was not just fate that seemed to beckon to him. It felt more like destiny with each passing moment. Destiny? Or was it an epiphany? Did it matter?
"If I do this," John said steadily, "It’s not for me, it’s for all of them."
"I wouldn’t want you to do it any other way, John."
He nodded. "All right, then. I accept. Let’s do this thing."
***
June 12, 2038
"I know what you just said, but I still don’t believe it," Barbara said, growing irritated at the Peacekeeper guard on the other end of the phone. "Are you sure it’s him?"
"Yes, Ma’am. He still possesses the proper identification."
Barbara felt her heart begin to race. "Then send him up. I’ll let Dr. Kanor know he’s here."
"Yes, Ma’am."
Barbara Gordon hung up the phone, and sat back down in her chair, scarcely believing the news. It had been over nine months since John had disappeared. After DK’s death in the streets, she had feared the worse. John was one of her oldest and dearest friends. Her father and his had served together on the International Space Station before its destruction. She looked upon him as family, and when he had disappeared…
After several minutes, she could see out of the corner of her eye a tall figure standing in the doorway.
"Hello, Barbara."
"John?
He walked up to her, smiling big. She hesitated, and then locked him in an embrace. After nine long months, Barbara finally allowed herself to shed tears.
"Is it really you? My God, I don’t believe it, we thought you were dead!"
Barbara stood back, stunned, looking over John. He was alive and quite healthy despite a long disappearance. She could lay to rest her fears about his fate. There had been a story that a man matching John’s description had knocked out two guards at the northern perimeter of Gotham and escaped into the country. But Peacekeeper Command was later sent a message by a human terrorist group that said they had kidnapped John Crichton and were holding him for ransom. John could not help but smile as Barbara went over the elaborate – but false – details of the story that Bruce had helped concoct and execute in order to slip John back into the city without any suspicion.
"Really, Barbara, I’m all right. I was well treated by the terrorists," John said, reassuring her. It was a necessary lie, but one that had to be convincing, so he could continue with his mission.
"So we can see, Dr. Crichton." Kanor said, entering the office. "We should have guessed that the survivors of that attempt at sabotage on us would have tried to kidnap some of our people. It’s good to have you back, John." He extended his hand.
John accepted the handshake without any apprehension. "Thank you Doctor. I would much like to get back to work, now that my little ordeal with the terrorists has ended. I think it would help clear my head."
"Certainly! We look forward to you looking over the work we have done. Without you, it has been much harder for us."
That would have been the general idea, John thought with a smile.
"If you will excuse me, I have to attend a meeting with members of Peacekeeper High Command. I’m sure Dr. Gordon here can bring you up to speed with everything we have been doing. Good day, Dr. Crichton." Kanor walked out of the office, much to John’s relief.
"So, John," Barbara said, smiling. "Tell me all about it?"
John laughed. "You would never believe me if I told you."
***
Part 4: The Dark Knight Returns
Night had finally arrived. High winds whipped his cape around him in irregular patterns as he stood on the ledge of the skyscraper, silent and still as the stone gargoyles that surrounded him on either side. Casting his eyes downward, he inhaled deeply at the sight of the city streets far below, their distant lights creating a glowing chasm that spread out before him.
John Crichton had disappeared for the night. Batman now stood on the ledge of the building looking over Gotham City. His city.
"Any time you’re ready, John." Bruce’s voice came to him over the radio built into his cowl.
John stretched his arms out by his sides and held his head back. For an instant he stood like a crucifix, a living part of the statuary on the décor of the old building. Leaping forward, he was airborne, free of gravity and sailing rapidly downward between the buildings. The windows of the buildings streaked past him in a blur of light and shadow, while the forms on the streets far below were rapidly becoming larger in his eyes. The wind roared through his ears as his speed increased with his descent.
As he dropped closer to the waiting ground, he extended his left arm and fired the cable from the gauntlet he wore. A thin braided strand of metal fibers with a small bat-shaped hook shot across his line of sight and anchored to an old brick building.
Steel muscles tensed as they absorbed the shift from the freefall, the cable drew tight and it bought his body into a sweeping arc, swinging fully around the building with perfect precision. As he reached the end of the arc, the hook released itself and he dived forward, allowing the momentum to open his cape, its metal armature inside unfolding into leathery black wings. As the cable retracted and readied itself to fire again, he used the wings to carry him on the night breeze.
"Excellent, John, you did that perfectly. You’ll be able to cover a lot more ground in shorter time this way." Bruce sounded pleased.
John repeated the process with the cable and the wings and traveled across the breadth of Gotham’s midtown in only minutes. The progression seemed so much easier now than it had when he first began training with Bruce. His body sailing far above the streets gave him a freedom he had thought he would never experience under Peacekeeper occupation. Still, he had yet to test himself on the streets below before he would be totally confident in his new role.
"Let’s cut to the chase, Bruce," John said. "Have you detected anyone in trouble yet?"
"Patience, John. It can happen anytime." There was a pause. "Swing over to 28th and metropolitan, there is a Peacekeeper patrol bothering a woman and her child."
John fired out the cable again and swung towards the far end of Gotham’s business section. Using the night vision optics built into the cowl, he could easily spot the patrol and their victims.
***
The woman had been walking down the street with her daughter from a store when they encountered a Peacekeeper patrol. There were five of them, and patrolling was most definitely the last thing on their minds. The woman held her groceries and her daughter tight against her trembling form.
"I have to say, you human females are quite nice for a primitive species. Enough raslak in me, and I wouldn’t know the difference between you or Sebacean." The Peacekeeper leered at the woman’s body.
"Leave us alone, we didn’t do anything." The woman pleaded.
"C’mon, girl! Be nice. We don’t bite, not much anyway." The dark haired soldier grabbed the woman by her blouse and knocked her groceries out of her bag. Her child was screaming at the laughing detail of Peacekeepers.
"You leave my mommy alone!"
"I don’t think she likes you, Torq." A large bald male said, laughing hard. "I guess she should join the crowd, eh?"
"Frell you, Dex. Hey, Zamia, shut the brat up, will you? She’s too loud."
"You shut her up, Torq. This was your idea." The female Peacekeeper sneered. The other males were having their fun with the helpless human; she preferred no part of it.
"You got fire, girl." Torq said. "I like that. I haven’t recreated in awhile, so be good, and you’ll even get a treat for your daughter there."
"Get away from her!" The little girl kicked the dark-haired soldier in the knee while his companions laughed.
"Caitlin, get away! Run!" Her mother cried out.
"Frelling bitch! Torq swung his free arm hard, striking the little girl across her face. She cried out as she fell to the ground.
"Caitlin!"
"Frell her," Torq said. "Now where was I?"
He grabbed the woman and proceeded to tear open her blouse. The woman looked up into the air, not willing to look at the lust in the soldier’s eyes. As she did, she froze at the sight she saw bearing down on the unsuspecting patrol.
A dark blur swung past Zamia and Dex, seizing Torq and pulling him into the air above the single streetlight the group stood under.
"What was that?" Zamia exclaimed. "Torq, where are you? Where-"
Torq cried out and a loud crack was heard just before he hit the pavement hard behind the other soldiers, the impact stunning him momentarily.
"Spread out!" Dex shouted. "We got a renegade in the area!"
Before they could respond, a cloaked figure landed between them and the woman, who was reaching for her injured child. He was covered head to toe in black, with a dark cape covering him and a bright yellow oval in the center of his chest. The silhouetted design of a bat covered it. The man’s head was covered in a cowl that covered most of his face, but he was definitely a man, large and powerful, and spoiling for a fight.
"You just made a fatal mistake, whoever you are," Dex growled. "Cut him down, now!"
The Peacekeepers raised their pulse rifles to fire. The man in black produced a boomerang-like weapon and hurled it at the soldiers in front of him. The batarang struck across the heads of the other two nameless soldiers, stunning them and sending them crashing against Zamia and Dex.
Before they could recover their balance the man was upon them, fists striking against jaws with lightning speed. Only Dex was able to block some of the blows, but he was no match for the man in black. A single uppercut to Dex’s chin finished the fight quickly.
"Hey… look out!"
The man turned at the woman’s voice to see Zamia and Torq getting back up, pulse pistols out of their holsters and ready to fire. He would not be able to reach them before they fired.
He would not have to. Raising his right arm, he activated the other gauntlet he wore. This one, derived from Tavlek technology, fired a concussion burst of energy that struck the pair of Peacekeepers like a battering ram. Torq collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Zamia fell over top of him, the wind knocked out of her. The whole battle lasted all of thirty seconds.
The man in black walked over to the woman and her child, kneeling down to inspect her injury. The woman looked up at the man, gratitude pooled in her eyes, despite the tears.
"Thank you."
He nodded. "She’ll be fine, it was just a glancing blow. She should be up and about in no time. I’ll see to it the two of you reach home safely."
Caitlin looked up, her eyes focusing on the stranger. When she saw the hooded face and the yellow symbol, her eyes widened, a mixture of shock and elation.
"Batman… It’s you, it’s really you."
John smiled. "Yes, it’s me. There’s no need to be afraid." He stroked her soft cheek lightly. "You’re a brave girl, to stand up to them like that." He helped her up on her feet.
"What is your name?" He said to Caitlin’s mother.
"Vicki. And this is Caitlin."
"The two of you will walk these streets again safely, and without fear. I promise you that." He turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows.
Vicki gathered up her groceries with her daughter’s help, and they promptly walked away from the soldiers lying in the shadows.
"I told you, mommy." Caitlin said. "I told you Batman would come back someday and save us. And he did!"
Vicki smiled. "Yes, he did, sweetheart. I hope he’ll save all of us." She looked up into the night sky, wondering if deliverance was truly at hand.
***
As the evening progressed, Bruce sent John across town several times. He knocked out a pair of drunken off-duty Peacekeepers who were harassing an old woman for her money, destroyed a Marauder that was being repaired in a hangar near the Gotham airfield, attacked several foot patrols in the residential areas and disabled three armored vehicles that were on patrol as well. He also apprehended and punched out about a dozen human criminals that were lurking the streets attacking victims for a wallet or purse to steal.
"So Bruce," John said proudly as he swung from a water tower for the fourth time in one night. "How am I doing?"
"You’re doing very well, John," his voice came in, sounding scratchy through the static in the radio. "Although I don’t remember us discussing destroying any Peacekeeper military equipment just yet."
"Relax, Bruce. I have a plan of my own. That was their wake-up call. It will give them something to ponder while we make ourselves known."
"Fine, John. But I would have preferred to start out small, and work our way towards that. We don’t want to jeopardize all that we have worked for."
John smiled big. "Bruce, they ain’t seen nothing yet."
***
Crais looked over the report a second time while Lt. Teeg stood in front of his desk, fidgeting, unsure of how he would respond once finished.
"Are you sure of all this?" Crais said, looking up at her.
"Yes, sir. Reports have been streaming in the past few weeks. Reports have come in from both on and off duty soldiers, as well as some civilians. They have all reported the same thing."
"Which is a man cloaked in black, carrying an arsenal of weapons unfamiliar to them, and armed with superior fighting skills, who has been attacking Peacekeeper patrols around Gotham City and preventing robberies and attacks on human civilians?" Crais grunted, putting the report down. "It sounds like another one of the human’s ‘urban legends’ that I have heard so much about."
Teeg swallowed. "I understand your doubts, sir. But this ‘urban legend’ has also been responsible for the destruction of several of our Prowlers, Marauders and armored vehicles that patrol the cities. He has also been stopping supply convoys meant for the troops and giving the supplies to local humans."
"And I suppose every one of them have also reported this- what did they call him?" Crais looked at the report again. "Batman?"
"Yes they did, sir," she said. "The descriptions were exact, right down to the pointed ears on his headpiece."
Crais frowned. "And the equipment that was destroyed? How soon can replacements be brought in?"
"As you know sir, due to the vast distance from Earth to the nearest Peacekeeper controlled territories, it could take almost half a cycle just to-"
He waved his hand, irritated. "Yes, yes, I understand. In other words, it will take too long. Then who ever this Batman is, we need to stop his little reign of terror before it reaches the attention of Scorpius himself."
Teeg picked up the report and placed it back into her folder. "Your orders, sir?"
"I want Huntress Chatto and Huntress Sun to report here within a half an arn. Tell them I have a classified mission I need them to perform. And, I want immediate results."
***
Part 5: The Sun Also Rises
"Do you see it yet?"
John adjusted the optics in his cowl. The night vision settings turned the images of the warehouse and the vehicle pulling in to it into a sharp outline of green and gray. The increase in magnification bought the vehicle into a clearer view.
"I see it, Bruce." He paused for a moment. "Shall we?"
"By all means, proceed."
John had waited an hour for the supply truck to arrive. It was part of a supply shipment of magnetic coils to the Peacekeeper Tower for the secret weapons projects that they had been working on for so long. He had explained to Bruce the importance of slowing down the progress of their program and convinced him that this mission was of highest priority. Now it was only a matter of knocking out the skeleton crew that stood in the light of the warehouse doors and taking the shipment back to the Bat Cave.
Gliding down from the roof across the warehouse parking lot, he easily stunned one guard with a kick to the jaw as he landed and took out the rest with a smoke grenade that emitted sleeping gas. Walking over to the back of the truck, he pulled open the loose flap to inspect his prize.
Nothing. The back of the truck was empty.
John exhaled sharply. "Bruce, I think we’ve been had."
"Get out of there, John," Bruce said, alarm growing in his voice. "It’s a trap!
Before he could respond, the lights all over the parking lot lit up simultaneously, bathing the warehouse in a brilliant illumination. John raised his arm to cover his eyes, unprepared for the sudden blinding light. Out of the corner of his eye, he could make out a pair of figures, descending the wall to his right.
"Freeze, renegade!" A female’s voice was heard. "You are under arrest! Surrender now, or we will apprehend you by force!"
"Preferably by force." A second female spoke.
He lowered his arm, defiantly glaring at the two women. They were dressed in black, with goggles over their eyes. Both held a combination pulse rifle/crossbow weapon.
Peacekeeper huntresses.
"All right, Bruce. It’s time for Plan B." John muttered.
Filtered lenses in his cowl instantly came down, blocking the glare of the light. He raised his fists and put his foot forward in a defiant stance.
"Have it your way, renegade." The raven-haired huntress said. She raised her weapon to fire the net projectile that was already loaded.
No sooner had she fired the projectile, a three-foot beam of red light activated on John’s gauntlet. With a flashing arc, the expanding net that opened up before him was sliced in half and fell harmlessly to either side of him. The laser blade was based upon the little known Scarran technology stolen from the Peacekeeper databanks. John smiled. Bruce had been very resourceful when designing the Batman’s new weapons.
While the raven-haired woman’s jaw dropped from surprise, the lighter-haired huntress charged forward to attack. She delivered a series of kicks and blows that would have crippled a normal man. John blocked them all and delivered several blows that made her stagger. She was faster, but he was stronger. And to beat them, he would have to be unyielding in this battle.
Grabbing her arm from a failed attempt at a pantak jab, he flipped her over his back in a judo move that Bruce had shown him. No sooner than he did this the other huntress joined the fight. She was as skilled as the first one, but John matched her strike for strike.
As they fought, her face began to jolt a familiar memory in John. She was the same huntress that had apprehended DK the day he was shot dead. The other one had been there, too. The pain of the memory suddenly flooded over him, turning his defiance to rage.
"It’s you…"
She cocked her head slightly; unsure of what was meant by his statement.
Steeling his determination to end the fight, John grabbed her and picked her up off the ground, throwing her into the first huntress who was recovering, knocking them both down.
Producing a heat grenade from his belt, John threw it down in front of the women as they struggled to get up. The quick burst of heat it emitted used the proper combination of temperatures to render a Sebacean unconscious, as they lacked the gland necessary to regulate heat.
But the maneuver was only halfway successful. Walking away, he heard the sound of one of them getting back up. Turning, he saw the raven-haired huntress recovering and reaching for her crossbow/rifle. Why had she not passed out from the heat burst? Before he could ponder the situation any further, he had to quickly dodge an energy burst from her rifle.
Bruce’s voice came in over the sound of gunfire. "John, get to the rooftops. I’ve detected Peacekeeper reinforcements arriving within a few minutes."
John fired the cable and let the micro motor in his gauntlet pull him up above the rooftops just as the sirens of armored vehicles became audible in the distance. There would be too many for him to deal with. He concentrated on escape; that was his first priority. While he did, he failed to notice the huntress was trailing him, swinging from a cable of her own.
"This is bad, Bruce." John said, as he opened his wings to glide towards an old brick building with a tattered sign mounted on top of it. "Got too overconfident. I almost blew that one."
"There was no way you could’ve known, John. You reacted well. Now, look sharp, you’re being followed by that one huntress."
He craned his neck to catch a glimpse of her. "It’s the same one that was there when DK was killed. Why was she not affected by the heat grenade?"
"We’ll worry about that later," Bruce said. "You have to stop her before the other Peacekeeper units get a fix on our position and close in."
"I know just the thing."
Shifting to the right, John swung across several blocks until he reached a dimly lit section of Gotham where tall buildings on either side formed a canyon of concrete and steel. He selected a square building that served as a bank and swung towards its right side.
As he swung behind the building, he checked to see if she was still in pursuit. She was still there, and she was gaining quickly. Whoever she was, she was very good at what she did.
Swinging high into an arc, John used his wings to stop in midair, and quickly reversed his direction. If he timed this right, he would take her down as she swung past, unable to move out of the way.
The wind rushed against his face as he dived downward to his approaching target. Just as planned, she came around the corner of the building in a graceful sweep, completely surprised at the sudden change in her quarry’s direction. Her goggles hid her look of surprise as he tackled her in midair, knocking the wind right out of her.
Holding her in his arms, John glided down to a nearby rooftop and laid her down on the ground, his hand holding the collar of her outfit in a tight grip. He pulled the goggles off her face, to stare into a pair of intense blue-gray eyes. She was already conscious.
"Who are you?" He demanded.
She looked at him hard with her piercing gaze. "Officer Aeryn Sun, Huntress, Peacekeeper Law Enforcement Liaison. I was sent to capture you."
John grunted his disgust. "I’m sure you know by now that’s not going to happen. Your trap failed, and your partner is unconscious back there. Now, you can go tell Scorpius for me that the Peacekeeper’s hold on this world will end soon."
"Really?" She sneered. "What makes you think you can beat us? You’re only one man, we’re an army. And, we fight for a just cause."
"So do I." He pulled out a small container of sleeping gas, and sprayed it in her face. He held her lithe, struggling form until she succumbed to sleep.
"Good work, John." Bruce said. "Now, head on back to the Bat Cave. We need to talk."
He looked back at her sleeping form one last time as he swung away, the sound of sirens wailing far below him. She would recover unharmed, but would have quite a hangover as a result of the sleep gas.
Her eyes…
Despite his thoughts on the mission, the beauty of her eyes haunted him as he made his way back to the Bat Cave.
***
Aeryn awoke. Her head was pounding from the effects of the sleep gas. As she struggled to her feet, she could hear sirens and see the shapes of Marauders hovering in the sky, their searchlights scanning the area, trying to locate the Batman. He was already long gone, of that she was certain.
As she retrieved her weapon, the second huntress landed on the roof. Jenavian Chatto walked gracefully as a panther towards her despite the earlier defeat at the hands of the masked renegade. Pride would not allow her to show any sign of weakness. Aeryn made no move to approach; she stood in place, waiting for her hunting partner.
"Status?" Jenavian said, scanning the rooftop, looking for traces of the recent fight.
"The prey has escaped," Aeryn said. "He was far tougher than we had estimated."
"Then it’s time to change our tactics."
Aeryn nodded. As they departed, images of the Batman’s face clouded her mind. Crais had been right. Not only was he formidable, he had been tougher than any human they had ever been sent out to capture. She could not find the words to describe how he had fought. He was, simply put, magnificent.
And handsome. Although she only saw the bottom part of his face, she could tell he was attractive.
She blinked, surprised at her own thoughts. He’s a criminal. Why would that even be important to me?
***
"You know this woman?"
John gazed up at the image of Aeryn Sun, the Peacekeeper huntress he had encountered earlier in the evening. Bruce was able to access high-level files in the Peacekeeper’s computer network, with pleasing results. Although John concentrated on the matter at hand, he was also trying his best to hide any interest that was more than casual. Since he had seen her face, he could not get her out of his mind.
"Yes," he finally said, in answer to Bruce’s question. "She’s the one I tangoed with tonight. She said she was sent to capture me. You know anything about her?"
"She was born into service with the Peacekeepers. She started out as infantry, but she’s been a huntress with Peacekeeper Law Enforcement in Gotham for about three years now. She has a Decca seven, high-level security clearance for her file, which is unusual for someone in her position. There’s a part that I’m having difficulty accessing. I’ll have to work on the decoding."
"Maybe it has something to do with her resistance to the heat grenade earlier tonight," John added.
"Perhaps," Bruce replied. "Still, there is something about her that seems very familiar."
"What? To you?"
"Yes. But I can’t quite place it yet."
John nodded. "See what you can find out about her. It may have some significance to-"
"Speaking of which," Bruce interrupted. "You still haven’t given me clear details on what that shipment was meant for. I know the Peacekeepers are working on weapons projects at the tower, but to what purpose? Even I can’t access that part of their network."
"I’m in the dark about it as much as you are, Bruce. They only assign us to certain parts of an entire project, and never let us see it as a whole. That way they get their results, without giving away what it is they are doing. It’s been a tremendous disadvantage to the Earth resistance movement."
"But this much I can tell you," he added. "I heard a rumor it’s supposed to have something to do about shortening the gap between their home base and Earth. So, maybe this Aeryn Sun knows something. If we can win her to our side…"
Bruce looked at him hard. "John, I can see where you are going with this, it’s as plain as day on your face. You don’t want to get involved at a private level with someone like her. Personal indulgences can interfere with your ability to fight."
His face tightened. He was talking like the Peacekeeper teachers who had supervised the schools and lectured to him when he was younger. But, he was too tired to argue with Bruce. As much as he wanted to end Peacekeeper occupation of Earth, he was still only one man. If it were possible to make an ally somehow, it would be worth it to look into the secrets of an elite Peacekeeper, and a beautiful one at that.
Like he had said many months ago, he was still just a man.
"Your coffee, Master John."
He turned to see ALFRED holding a cup and saucer and a silver pot of fresh coffee. He lifted the cup to his lips, grateful for the temporary distraction. He walked back to his quarters while Bruce’s image faded from the viewscreen to continue working with the decoding.
***
"While I can appreciate the complications in fighting an army of resistance fighters, Commissioner Crais, I find the amount of time and equipment lost in trying to capture a so-called mythical being who dresses like a flying rodent native to this planet rather taxing on my patience."
Crais swallowed, but remained stoic. The holo-image of Scorpius that materialized before him was the same size as the real despot himself, and was no less intimidating. Scorpius’ presence was enough to daunt anyone, even from a long distance. Lieutenant Teeg stood off to the side, watching the conversation, too afraid to interject.
"With respect, my lord, this ‘Batman’ is no mythical being. He is very much real, and his abilities so far are like nothing we’ve seen among the human fighters. Our intelligence agents have been gathering as much information on him as we can find from thirty of their Earth years ago."
Scorpius raised an eyebrow at the commissioner’s remarks. "It is strange that there would be a gap of thirty cycles before this vigilante appears again. Crais, what do you know about the human life span?"
Crais thought for a moment. "Well, mostly that they only life about half as long as Sebaceans. They are more prone to disease and…"
"Then I believe common sense would dictate that this Batman is most definitely not the Batman of the past. More than likely, he is one of the resistance fighters who have taken up the mantle to rally the humans for an uprising. A rather poor attempt at comedy on their part, I should say."
"Most definitely not the original, my lord," Crais said. "So far, patrols have seen examples of Tavlek and Scarran technology integrated into his armor, and he has used it with devastating results."
Scorpius looked shocked. "What?"
"He also uses weapons we have never encountered before. He has something called a batarang."
"Enough." Scorpius waved his hand, part of its holo-image passed through Crais, causing him to flinch. "Whoever he is, he has gained access to secured files that are not available to the human public. Which would suggest that he either has contacts within the very center of out command structure, or he is working among us without our knowledge."
"There was a human named John Crichton who had disappeared almost a cycle ago, my lord," said Lieutenant Teeg, finally finding the courage to speak up. "He had been kidnapped by terrorists and was missing roughly nine monats."
"Or so he says," Scorpius added. "Let him be your starting point, commissioner. Find out what you can."
The hologram leaned forward slightly. "And Crais," he continued. "Do not make me do any more of your detective work for you." The image of Scorpius faded away.
With Scorpius now gone, Crais breathed a sigh of relief. The meeting had actually gone better than he had predicted. With the Durka project nearing completion, Scorpius’ normally considerable patience had been wavering. He was especially relieved the real Scorpius had not been present.
"Sir might I suggest subterfuge?" Teeg said.
Crais looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"As you know, sir, Peacekeeper High Command is arranging their annual banquet for the Sebacean and human personnel, as a way to keep employee relations stable, as well as ease any concerns about the recent terrorist attempts on us. We can plant our people among Crichton, to keep an eye on his movements."
"Very practical," Crais said. "And an excellent idea." He walked behind his desk and pushed a comm button. "Huntress Chatto?"
A silky voice responded over the comm. "I’m here sir. Your orders?"
"Contact Officer Sun. I believe it’s time for the change in tactics we discussed earlier."
***
Formal attire was the standard for the banquets the Peacekeepers held for their employees in the tower. Humans were resplendent in tuxedos and evening gowns while the Sebaceans wore their black leather uniforms. The dining hall was decked out with all the regalia the Peacekeepers used for festivities. The black and white banners with the driving red wedge adorned the walls on both sides of the hall, while tables draped in linens and were laid out with the finest silver and crystal occupied the floor. The center of the hall was reserved for dancing while a band quietly played a Mozart symphony.
At least they have good taste, John thought to himself as he entered the hall with Barbara. But those banners say ‘Third Reich’ in any language. He stopped to adjust his bowtie, while Barbara looked at him with a smile.
"You look handsome," she said.
"I didn’t ask," he responded coyly.
"Watch it smartass. You’re not above getting a POW! right in the kisser."
John laughed. Her television references could rival his any day. "I think you should save that for Lowell in the electronics lab. I hear he has his eye on you."
Barbara rolled her eyes. "There’s too much damned office gossip circulating again. He helps me with filing on his break, and we met at the water cooler a few times."
"Just a few?"
"Alright, twenty times in the last week," she said, trying to suppress a smirk. "What’s your point?"
"Love is in the air," John said tauntingly.
"Oh, shut up."
A young man with curly blonde hair and a well-tailored tux appeared among the throngs of mingling people. He flashed a big smile upon seeing Barbara.
"Here I go," Barbara said.
John grinned. "Good luck."
She gently kissed him on the cheek and disappeared with Lowell into the crowd. John scanned the room looking for other faces as Kanor and Crais approached him.
"Glad you could make it, John," Kanor said with a smile. I understand the chicken they are serving tonight is delicious."
John looked at him with mild surprise. "I didn’t know you liked Earth food, doctor."
"It grows on you after awhile." There is so much variety. I just have to let it cool down a bit before I eat, since there’s no sense succumbing to heat delirium on just food, now is there?"
"I would have to agree, Dr. Crichton," Crais said. "In the short time I have been here, I have been very impressed with your world. Earth is a jewel in the crown among planets. I can see why our fellow Peacekeepers have such a vested interest in it."
"I think some humans would call it more then a vested interest, commissioner."
"Perhaps. But rest assured, all will benefit once our common goals are met in the end. Even the Batman with all the havoc he has wrought will not stop it."
John remained unfazed. "How so?"
A gorgeous woman approached the three of them before he received an answer. "Really, commissioner. Let’s not bore each other talking politics this evening. This is a time to have fun." She looked at John hungrily, with a stare that could melt rock. "And who is this handsome creature?"
"Jenavian, this is Dr. John Crichton," Crais said. "Dr. Crichton, this is Jenavian Chatto."
Jenavian smiled. "Do you dance, Dr. Crichton?"
John grinned sheepishly. "I’ve been known to, once in a while."
"Splendid, doctor," said another female’s voice. "Shall we?" A raven haired woman walked by, quickly taking John’s hand and pulling him away from a surprised Jenavian. Her initial shock followed by her pouting expression, complete with both hands on her hips, caused Crais to break out laughing.
"And that would be Aeryn Sun, Dr. Crichton," he called out to him between laughs.
After reaching the dance floor, John saw who snatched him away from the other woman. Raven tresses, full lips, and skin like porcelain. She looked up at him with deep blue-gray eyes. It was she.
"Aeryn Sun." He said, his voice barely a whisper.
She smiled seductively. "Yes. So nice to meet you, John Crichton."
He could not resist taking in the sight of her. She was dressed for sin. Her sheer black gown was slit at the thighs, and partially transparent. He could see clearly she wore nothing underneath it. Dark stockings covered her thighs. He could detect the gentle waft of perfume. Her hair was a foaming mass of wavy curls, a drastic change from the tight braided ponytail she wore the other night. He found her very intoxicating.
And to think, I haven’t had a drink of alcohol in a year, he thought with a smile.
Aeryn held him close as they danced slowly and methodically on the floor with the other partygoers. She hid her shock as she gently shifted her hands from his arms to his waist, her fingers delicately testing the hard muscle underneath his clothing. For a scientist, he was powerfully built, as the firmness of his muscles could attest. This man is no weakling, she thought to herself.
And he was handsome. His jaw line was strong and smooth. In fact, she was positive it was an exact match with the Batmans. His face, though it had been covered partially, was clearly etched in her mind.
"You dance well," Aeryn said.
"So do you," he replied. "It’s a shame there aren’t more parties like this. It gives everyone the chance to know each other a little bit better, doesn’t it?"
She smiled. She had a wide, brilliant smile that lit up her face. They danced for a while, oblivious to the other dancers, casually asking the other questions, trying not to reveal too much personal information. Neither revealed the others secrets, nor would they admit they were enjoying the process of it, either.
"Tell me, John Crichton," she said. "Have you ever been with a Sebacean woman?"
"Well, that’s pretty forward of you." John said, taken aback by the question. "Are all of you this fearless?"
Aeryn smiled. "No. But I would think your people would be. Your lives seem so brief, why would you not celebrate it at every opportunity?"
"If you live your life right the first time, the length isn’t important," John replied. "Life always ends, that’s what gives it value while you live."
"Well said. And what do plan to do with your life?"
"I’m working for a just cause."
They both froze. Aeryn’s eyes widened at the comment. Similar words were exchanged the other night between them. John did his best to act as natural as possible, despite wanting to kick himself for practically giving himself away.
"Is something wrong?" He asked her.
"N-no," she said rubbing her forehead. "Let’s get a drink, shall we?"
John put his arm around her. "All right. But, it’s ginger ale for me. I don’t drink anymore."
***
Part 6: Revelations
Time had little relevance to Bruce as his consciousness drifted in cyberspace, his mind plotted channels and routes through the countless streams of electronic information. He processed codes and equations at the speed of thought, breaking down programmed barriers the Peacekeepers had created to block out interlopers. Here, he was a neuromancer, a master of all that was pure data. There was no access code he could not break through, regardless of size or time.
The file of Aeryn Sun had become a challenge to him. He was surprised that a huntress for Peacekeeper Law Enforcement would have such a high security level. Whatever was in the files would be of considerable interest to both him and John.
John. If Bruce still had a physical body, he would be shaking his head in amusement. He made it quite clear he was taken with the Peacekeeper female. The worst thing he could do was to get personally involved with someone like her. While he had been Batman many years ago, he had occasionally tried to have a relationship, each one with disastrous results. He knew the burden of being Batman meant an often-lonely cause, but it was necessary to keep focused on the success of the crusade.
Wasn’t it?
The final barriers of code fell away as Bruce navigated through the bit stream into the files of Aeryn Sun. It took him but a moment to absorb the data. His heart, had he still one beating in his chest, would have stopped at what he discovered.
"Oh God. Dick…"
***
Aeryn felt her teeth rattle as Jenavian slapped her hard across her face.
"Don’t you ever frelling do that to me again!" She screamed. "You embarrassed me right in front of the commissioner!"
"I was gathering information from him," Aeryn said, rubbing her face. "Besides, I was the one he seemed interested in."
"That’s wishful thinking on your part, you arrogant bitch. He apparently never saw your nose in profile while you were dancing."
Aeryn scowled. "I see, sister. And you feel those lines you draw in the middle of your forehead are eyebrows?"
A metallic flash shot out of Jenavian’s wrist, and the stiletto that she kept concealed under the skin of her forearm was quickly pressing against Aeryn’s neck.
Aeryn tensed, not daring to unsheathe the dagger she kept strapped to her thigh. Before Jenavian was a huntress, she had worked with the Peacekeeper Special Directorate as a disruptor. She kept all her deadly skills honed, in addition to retaining the tools of the trade, namely her stiletto.
"Besides," she added. "I was the one he tackled and knocked out with sleep gas."
"And I’m the one he stunned with a frelling heat grenade!" Jenavian screamed.
"That is enough, Huntress Chatto." Crais walked around the corner, not pleased at the scene that was unfolding before him. "You will desist now, or suffer disciplinary action."
Jenavian sighed, and slowly pulled back the stiletto, its length disappearing back into her wrist. "I’m sorry sister," she said flatly.
"Huntress Sun, what have you learned?" Crais asked her, ignoring the ugly scene that preceded his arrival.
"Sir, I’m convinced he could be the Batman," Aeryn said without emotion. "He is in superb physical condition. Also, I saw the lower part of the Batman’s face the other night, and Dr. Crichton’s face was very similar. However, I think we still need to look further." She decided not to talk about the conversation that repeated itself from the other night, even though she could be punished for withholding the information. You don’t need to know that until I decide you do, she thought.
Jenavian laughed. "What? You didn’t take him back to his place and frell him senseless? You could have found more information."
"I offered. But he said he couldn’t at the moment. So, I respected his wishes." Aeryn looked away from Crais and Jenavian. It suddenly seemed very embarrassing to be turned down by him.
"Poor dear. To be so rejected like that. If it had been me, of course, that wouldn’t have happened."
"Because you’re a natural born tralk?" Aeryn asked her mockingly.
"That’s enough, Huntress Sun," Crais warned.
"Besides," Jenavian added. "This Crichton disappeared for nine monats. He was probably spending that time training to fight."
"We shall see," Crais said. "Both of you come into my office, we need to draw up some plans for our next move."
Aeryn watched Crais walk into his office. Jenavian stared back at her, standing by the doorway, but not yet entering.
"After you, sister." Jenavian said.
***
A young man’s image covered the one side of the Bat Computer’s screen, while personal information scrolled down the other side, all of it in Sebacean script. This image switched back and forth with the photo and data of a young female, with long blonde hair and full lips. John walked up to the screen for a better look. The girl’s name was Gilina.
Aeryn Sun’s mother.
"And the boy?" John said, not turning to see the image of Bruce appearing on a monitor to his right.
"His name was Dick Grayson. He had been my ward for several years, after his parents were killed. After the Peacekeeper invasion, I had lost touch with him. He decided at my insistence to go back into the world and try to live a normal life after Earth formally surrendered."
"He had been Robin." John glanced over at the red and green uniform preserved under one of the glass booths.
"Yes," Bruce said sadly. "He’s also Aeryn Sun’s father. Well, he was…"
John lowered his head. "They killed him, didn’t they?"
"Yes, and Gilina Renaez, the Peacekeeper tech. She was declared irreversibly contaminated. She had dared to bend the rules and love a non-Sebacean."
"I don’t get it Bruce," John said, confused. "How can Aeryn be in the position she’s in with the Peacekeepers? This information is telling us she’s half human, and the Peacekeepers despise half-breeds."
"From the data I gathered, she was part of a eugenics experiment the Peacekeepers conducted shortly after arriving here. Some of their scientists decided humans were merely an offshoot of the Sebaceans, and wanted to see if mixing the species could breed a tougher, hardier Peacekeeper." The images on the viewscreen shifted to a raven-haired child of no more than five years old. "They wanted to see if children born of human/Sebacean couplings would have children with the gland that regulates heat."
"Which would explain why the heat grenade didn’t work on her," John said, growing irritated. "This is unbelievable. She’s part human, and she’s a huntress for the Peacekeepers. I guess they decided to be a little more open about who they recruit, is that it, Bruce?"
Bruce looked down at John, apprehension marked on the digitally created features of his face.
"No."
John inhaled deeply. "Oh. She doesn’t know, does she?"
Bruce said nothing.
To be continued…