For anime and JLAnimated fans out there:
Disclaimer: Batman created by Bob Kane, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. All three are owned by DC Comics. Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water created by Hayo Miyazaki, based upon characters created by Jules Verne, and owned by Gainax. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.
Justice League/ Nadia - Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the sorcerers magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia’s adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Setting: In the Justice League timeline, this story will be set shortly after the series-finale, Starcrossed. In the Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water timeline, this story will be set during the early episodes; I haven’t yet decided to go with either the pilot or the Marie’s Island arc and I would appreciate any suggestions of when to set it during this time period.
***
Status: Initial Brainstorming; first chapter draft begun.
JLU/Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Moderator: LadyTevar
JLU/Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Last edited by JME2 on 2005-03-01 01:47pm, edited 4 times in total.
Disclaimer: Batman created by Bob Kane, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. All three are owned by DC Comics. Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water created by Hayo Miyazaki, based upon characters created by Jules Verne, and owned by Gainax. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Setting: In the Justice League timeline, this story is set shortly after the series-finale, “Starcrossed”. In the Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water timeline, this story is set during/after episode 6, "The Fortress on the Solitary Island".
Enjoy!
***
Prologue
"I have long hypothesized that there are an infinite number of parallel dimensions, each containing its own planet Earth. Each Earth occupies the same location in space, but vibrates at a different speed."
-Tom Turbine, 'Legends'-
***
Stonehenge.
Of all of the mysteries and unknowns that the third planet in the Sol system contained and was home to, none was more debated or studied than a strange circular pattern of stones and ruins located in England and known throughout both that region and the world as Stonehenge.
Historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, architects, and countless others argued over the origin and purpose of the ruins. Were they ancient signal beacons, a temple of some sort for groups like the Druids, or something else? The debate would continually go on for years until concrete proof was found, their purpose finally revealed.
Unknown to the world, the stones did indeed have a purpose, as the Justice League was finding out to its cost.
The ground around the ruins was marked by the bodies of the Flash and Superman. Flash had simply been too slow to avoid a blast and Superman was, for all of his marvelous abilities, practically useless against magic and had taken the full brunt of
a magical paralysis. From atop a stone on the outer ring, the Batman grimaced as he raised his dark swirling cape as if to shield himself from the barrage he and his allies were being subjected to. If John Stewart were here, they could retaliate with Oan energy, but alas until Kyle Rayner arrived with a replacement, the Green Lantern was out of commission. And if Shayera Hol were here, her Thanagarian mace could easily counteract the magical energy, but she was of course long gone. Either way, his current
position was not secure and he would be moving in the next few moments, but first needed to contact his associate.
"Jason, where the hell are you?!"
There was of course no response; the occultist Jason Blood did not carry a Justice League communicator and without one, determining his position was impossible, especially with the continual bolts of energy that was being hurled at the remaining Leaguers from the center of Stonehenge. He had insisted that his fight with the foe the League was now faced with his and his alone.
J'onn J'onzz would argue differently.
With Diana of Themyscira, AKA Wonder Woman covering his green back, the last Martian was assuming various shapes, battling with a ferocity to reach past the
energy barries and demonic creatures protecting their foe, the witch Morgaine Le Fay. The same Morgaine Le Fay from Arthurian myth, she had survived the centuries following Camelot's fall and had sought out the Philosopher's Stone, which would have granted her the ability to restore Camelot with her son Mordred, upon the throne.
Thankfully, those plans had not come to pass. The witch's sole opponent, Jason Blood, the human bonded to the Demon Etrigan, had hunted her throughout the
centuries and had worked with the Justice League two years prior to prevent her from finally utilizing the stone for her wicked plans. Since that time, the pair had gone underground and with the League's other concerns, from the Secret Society and the Justice Lords to the recently-aborted Thanagarian occupation, the witch and her son had escape their attention.
Then, three days ago, Jason Blood had paid Bruce Wayne a visit at Wayne Manor. Until the Batman could divert sufficient funds to begin construction on a new installation and transportation, the League was operating out of Gothyam City, or rather the Batcave.
J'onn and Diana were also holed up in the Manor, since both of them had no where else to stay until a new Watchtower had been built.
J'onn was not a problem; he spent most of the day meditating, emereging only to pillage Alfred Pennyworth's pantry. Ironically, the only thing that went missing were the Oreoes that Tim Drake kept stashed. Ever the Detective, Batman had observed that J'onn's love of the snack had originated shortly after the previous Christmas, which he had spent with Clark. This was one of the few ocassions where Gotham's protector did not want to know how something like that had gotten started, no matter how much Tim was begging him to solve or stop it.
But Diana...
Working with Diana on a daily basis was one thing. Living with her was quite another.
More than once, Diana had added to the damage done to the Manor thanks to Hro Talak's assault team, by smashing the walls of her guest room in frustration and anger. Clearly, she had not forgotten or forgiven Shayera Hol's betrayal of the League. Alfred had tried to talk with her, but after she had dented one of his silver platters, the butler to the Bat had wisely stayed clear of the former Amazonian princess.
She was also still furious with him over his near-suicide run involving the Watchtower's orbital re-entry. He didn't expect her to understand, despite her own losses and Amazonian upbringing, the promises he had made and the sacrifices he was willing to make to make sure that the world survived and Gotham City alongside of it. He had given up any semblance of a 'normal' life to serve it and he would do anything for it, including sacrificing his life.
That and that Dick and Tim had both been bugging him about finally getting a woman in the Manor and not doing anything un-Bat-like with her.
Still, Batman had allowed both of them access to his 'other' home out of his respect for them as he had spent more and more time in the caves beneath the Manor, rebuilding the damage done to his sanctum by the Thanagarians when Jason Blood had arrived on the Manor's porch.
Blood had spent the last two years trying to track down the witch. It had not been easy and not simply because of the amulet she used as a warning beacon to the Demon's presence. With the destruction of the Philosopher’s Stone, her primary objective was in
ruins and what her agenda had morphed into was known only to her and her son -- at least until Blood, in his form as Etrigan the Demon, had had a little 'chat' with several magical and demonic agents that she had had connections to.
And people thought the Batman was scary.
Her target this time, he had told them, was Stonehenge. The ruins, Blood had explained, had long been a nexus of raw magical energy that had been utilized by the Druids and other cults, but the full potential of the energy was inaccessible to all but the most complex of spells and rituals. Even Le Fay, as powerful and as intelligent as she was, had not been able to unlock its power. However, in the two years since their last battle, Le Fay had gained access to the appropriate spells and methods to unlock that nexus.
With the power of the ruins being channeled through her, she could complete her previous objective and bring the world to its feet. Unfortunately for Le Fay, she had counted on the League being distracted by the aftermath of the Thanagarian invasion to deal with her or to notice.
Now she was paying the price as her final minions and barrier fell before the wrath of J'onn J'onzz. Le Fay stared at the Leaguer, her gaze hidden behind the expressionless golden mask that adorned her being.
"You are a fool, Martian. But it is not too late. You could have your family and world become whole once again. Let me utilize the power situated in these ruins and Mars can return to the Golden Age it once had."
The Martian glared at the witch with a fury that was easily a contrast to J'onn's calm, unemotional personality, clearly un-moved by her offer.
"Your tricks won't work again. Your price is as before too high. This world is now my
home, these people my family, and as long as I draw breath, I will defend it from the likes of people like you."
Behind him, Diana grinned and the Batman involuntarily gave a sigh of relief.
Neither of them had expected J'onn to fall for that again, especially considering the long bout of depression and guilt that had haunted their comrade following his own betrayal of the League and how he had vowed to see Le Fay stopped.
The witch simply starred at the Martian and raised her hand, preparing to engulf J'onn with the taste of her own fury over his betrayal of her for the destruction of the prize she had sought. Before the energies could discharge, however, her own hand was swept aside as she was hit with a blast of magic.
A blast of magic that originated from a fourth figure entering the ruins of Stonehenge, hideous hulking mass of yellow flesh, glowing eyes, and teeth that could, in any age, be summed up as being essentially demonic in appearance.
Etrigan the Demon had arrived.
"It's over witch. Surrender and I might show you mercy."
Le Fay threw back her head and laughed.
"One day in the future, perhaps, but not today, beloved."
Batman grimaced slightly. Every time he heard that word, he thought of Talia Head and her father, the immortal and deadly Ra's al Ghul. The Demon simply sneered at the woman that had used him, as Jason Blood, to take down Camelot and King Arthur.
"So be it."
Both demon and sorceress began chanting, drawing upon the mystical energies granted to the two of them through birth and by learned abilities. Without hesitation, both unleashed their energies upon each other. Even in her weakened state, Le Fay still had awesome powers at her disposal and it was clear to all that Etrigan was fighting hard to prevent her energies from reaching his person.
"Blood cannot keep that up much longer."
"I know J'onn. I'm on it."
Wonder Woman positioned herself into a fighting stance and charged at the two figures. Batman’s eyes widened.
"Diana, don't!"
There were times that working alongside an Amazon could be a pain in the ass. Scowling, Batman quickly unfolded his trademark weapon, the batarang, from one of the many compartments in his utility belt. If Diana charged at them and interrupted the spell, that much energy, without control, could be deadly to all involved. He swiftly took aim and threw the bat-shaped weapon –
-- only to miss as Diana, with the speed that only a warrior and one that was familiar with the Batman’s fighting skills, dodged the batarang and watched as it slammed into Le Fay’s armor-plated chest. Though she had previously been able to raise magical shields and prevent his weapons from striking her, her concentration on Etrigan had been so focused that she had not had the time to raise one.
"You fool! You have no idea what you have --"
Before the Le Fay could finish her shriek an explosion of mystical energies engulfed the ruins and lit up the sky around the countryside for miles. Had the Watchtower still been intact and had had a Leaguer on duty, the explosion could have been, like the Great Wall of China, seen from orbit.
***
"Take it easy."
His body and head aching, J'onn J'onzz slowly opened his eyes, his vision revealing to him the human form of Etrigan, Jason Blood, with his distinct solemn face and swept-back red hair, complete with the white streak running through it.
"What happened?"
"I used a revival spell on you; I just finished performing it on the speedster and the Kryptonian; they should be coming around shortly."
“What happened to Le Fay?”
“If I survived a blast of that magnitude, then so did LeFay; she’s gone for now, but at least she wasn’t able to complete the unlocking spells.”
“And Batman and Diana?”
The expression on Blood’s face made J’onn’s blood run cold.
“I’m not sure. I just, well, I don’t know.
Both the Martian and the Demon’s host glanced at the blackened center of Stonehenge.
There was absolutely no sign of either the Dark Knight or the Amazing Amazon.
***
To be continued...
***
Author's Notes:
* This is where it all begins; we'll get into Nadia in the next chapter.
* For those who don’t know, the Justice League’s prior encounter with Morgaine le Fay can be seen in the first season episode ‘A Knight of Shadows’.
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Setting: In the Justice League timeline, this story is set shortly after the series-finale, “Starcrossed”. In the Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water timeline, this story is set during/after episode 6, "The Fortress on the Solitary Island".
Enjoy!
***
Prologue
"I have long hypothesized that there are an infinite number of parallel dimensions, each containing its own planet Earth. Each Earth occupies the same location in space, but vibrates at a different speed."
-Tom Turbine, 'Legends'-
***
Stonehenge.
Of all of the mysteries and unknowns that the third planet in the Sol system contained and was home to, none was more debated or studied than a strange circular pattern of stones and ruins located in England and known throughout both that region and the world as Stonehenge.
Historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, architects, and countless others argued over the origin and purpose of the ruins. Were they ancient signal beacons, a temple of some sort for groups like the Druids, or something else? The debate would continually go on for years until concrete proof was found, their purpose finally revealed.
Unknown to the world, the stones did indeed have a purpose, as the Justice League was finding out to its cost.
The ground around the ruins was marked by the bodies of the Flash and Superman. Flash had simply been too slow to avoid a blast and Superman was, for all of his marvelous abilities, practically useless against magic and had taken the full brunt of
a magical paralysis. From atop a stone on the outer ring, the Batman grimaced as he raised his dark swirling cape as if to shield himself from the barrage he and his allies were being subjected to. If John Stewart were here, they could retaliate with Oan energy, but alas until Kyle Rayner arrived with a replacement, the Green Lantern was out of commission. And if Shayera Hol were here, her Thanagarian mace could easily counteract the magical energy, but she was of course long gone. Either way, his current
position was not secure and he would be moving in the next few moments, but first needed to contact his associate.
"Jason, where the hell are you?!"
There was of course no response; the occultist Jason Blood did not carry a Justice League communicator and without one, determining his position was impossible, especially with the continual bolts of energy that was being hurled at the remaining Leaguers from the center of Stonehenge. He had insisted that his fight with the foe the League was now faced with his and his alone.
J'onn J'onzz would argue differently.
With Diana of Themyscira, AKA Wonder Woman covering his green back, the last Martian was assuming various shapes, battling with a ferocity to reach past the
energy barries and demonic creatures protecting their foe, the witch Morgaine Le Fay. The same Morgaine Le Fay from Arthurian myth, she had survived the centuries following Camelot's fall and had sought out the Philosopher's Stone, which would have granted her the ability to restore Camelot with her son Mordred, upon the throne.
Thankfully, those plans had not come to pass. The witch's sole opponent, Jason Blood, the human bonded to the Demon Etrigan, had hunted her throughout the
centuries and had worked with the Justice League two years prior to prevent her from finally utilizing the stone for her wicked plans. Since that time, the pair had gone underground and with the League's other concerns, from the Secret Society and the Justice Lords to the recently-aborted Thanagarian occupation, the witch and her son had escape their attention.
Then, three days ago, Jason Blood had paid Bruce Wayne a visit at Wayne Manor. Until the Batman could divert sufficient funds to begin construction on a new installation and transportation, the League was operating out of Gothyam City, or rather the Batcave.
J'onn and Diana were also holed up in the Manor, since both of them had no where else to stay until a new Watchtower had been built.
J'onn was not a problem; he spent most of the day meditating, emereging only to pillage Alfred Pennyworth's pantry. Ironically, the only thing that went missing were the Oreoes that Tim Drake kept stashed. Ever the Detective, Batman had observed that J'onn's love of the snack had originated shortly after the previous Christmas, which he had spent with Clark. This was one of the few ocassions where Gotham's protector did not want to know how something like that had gotten started, no matter how much Tim was begging him to solve or stop it.
But Diana...
Working with Diana on a daily basis was one thing. Living with her was quite another.
More than once, Diana had added to the damage done to the Manor thanks to Hro Talak's assault team, by smashing the walls of her guest room in frustration and anger. Clearly, she had not forgotten or forgiven Shayera Hol's betrayal of the League. Alfred had tried to talk with her, but after she had dented one of his silver platters, the butler to the Bat had wisely stayed clear of the former Amazonian princess.
She was also still furious with him over his near-suicide run involving the Watchtower's orbital re-entry. He didn't expect her to understand, despite her own losses and Amazonian upbringing, the promises he had made and the sacrifices he was willing to make to make sure that the world survived and Gotham City alongside of it. He had given up any semblance of a 'normal' life to serve it and he would do anything for it, including sacrificing his life.
That and that Dick and Tim had both been bugging him about finally getting a woman in the Manor and not doing anything un-Bat-like with her.
Still, Batman had allowed both of them access to his 'other' home out of his respect for them as he had spent more and more time in the caves beneath the Manor, rebuilding the damage done to his sanctum by the Thanagarians when Jason Blood had arrived on the Manor's porch.
Blood had spent the last two years trying to track down the witch. It had not been easy and not simply because of the amulet she used as a warning beacon to the Demon's presence. With the destruction of the Philosopher’s Stone, her primary objective was in
ruins and what her agenda had morphed into was known only to her and her son -- at least until Blood, in his form as Etrigan the Demon, had had a little 'chat' with several magical and demonic agents that she had had connections to.
And people thought the Batman was scary.
Her target this time, he had told them, was Stonehenge. The ruins, Blood had explained, had long been a nexus of raw magical energy that had been utilized by the Druids and other cults, but the full potential of the energy was inaccessible to all but the most complex of spells and rituals. Even Le Fay, as powerful and as intelligent as she was, had not been able to unlock its power. However, in the two years since their last battle, Le Fay had gained access to the appropriate spells and methods to unlock that nexus.
With the power of the ruins being channeled through her, she could complete her previous objective and bring the world to its feet. Unfortunately for Le Fay, she had counted on the League being distracted by the aftermath of the Thanagarian invasion to deal with her or to notice.
Now she was paying the price as her final minions and barrier fell before the wrath of J'onn J'onzz. Le Fay stared at the Leaguer, her gaze hidden behind the expressionless golden mask that adorned her being.
"You are a fool, Martian. But it is not too late. You could have your family and world become whole once again. Let me utilize the power situated in these ruins and Mars can return to the Golden Age it once had."
The Martian glared at the witch with a fury that was easily a contrast to J'onn's calm, unemotional personality, clearly un-moved by her offer.
"Your tricks won't work again. Your price is as before too high. This world is now my
home, these people my family, and as long as I draw breath, I will defend it from the likes of people like you."
Behind him, Diana grinned and the Batman involuntarily gave a sigh of relief.
Neither of them had expected J'onn to fall for that again, especially considering the long bout of depression and guilt that had haunted their comrade following his own betrayal of the League and how he had vowed to see Le Fay stopped.
The witch simply starred at the Martian and raised her hand, preparing to engulf J'onn with the taste of her own fury over his betrayal of her for the destruction of the prize she had sought. Before the energies could discharge, however, her own hand was swept aside as she was hit with a blast of magic.
A blast of magic that originated from a fourth figure entering the ruins of Stonehenge, hideous hulking mass of yellow flesh, glowing eyes, and teeth that could, in any age, be summed up as being essentially demonic in appearance.
Etrigan the Demon had arrived.
"It's over witch. Surrender and I might show you mercy."
Le Fay threw back her head and laughed.
"One day in the future, perhaps, but not today, beloved."
Batman grimaced slightly. Every time he heard that word, he thought of Talia Head and her father, the immortal and deadly Ra's al Ghul. The Demon simply sneered at the woman that had used him, as Jason Blood, to take down Camelot and King Arthur.
"So be it."
Both demon and sorceress began chanting, drawing upon the mystical energies granted to the two of them through birth and by learned abilities. Without hesitation, both unleashed their energies upon each other. Even in her weakened state, Le Fay still had awesome powers at her disposal and it was clear to all that Etrigan was fighting hard to prevent her energies from reaching his person.
"Blood cannot keep that up much longer."
"I know J'onn. I'm on it."
Wonder Woman positioned herself into a fighting stance and charged at the two figures. Batman’s eyes widened.
"Diana, don't!"
There were times that working alongside an Amazon could be a pain in the ass. Scowling, Batman quickly unfolded his trademark weapon, the batarang, from one of the many compartments in his utility belt. If Diana charged at them and interrupted the spell, that much energy, without control, could be deadly to all involved. He swiftly took aim and threw the bat-shaped weapon –
-- only to miss as Diana, with the speed that only a warrior and one that was familiar with the Batman’s fighting skills, dodged the batarang and watched as it slammed into Le Fay’s armor-plated chest. Though she had previously been able to raise magical shields and prevent his weapons from striking her, her concentration on Etrigan had been so focused that she had not had the time to raise one.
"You fool! You have no idea what you have --"
Before the Le Fay could finish her shriek an explosion of mystical energies engulfed the ruins and lit up the sky around the countryside for miles. Had the Watchtower still been intact and had had a Leaguer on duty, the explosion could have been, like the Great Wall of China, seen from orbit.
***
"Take it easy."
His body and head aching, J'onn J'onzz slowly opened his eyes, his vision revealing to him the human form of Etrigan, Jason Blood, with his distinct solemn face and swept-back red hair, complete with the white streak running through it.
"What happened?"
"I used a revival spell on you; I just finished performing it on the speedster and the Kryptonian; they should be coming around shortly."
“What happened to Le Fay?”
“If I survived a blast of that magnitude, then so did LeFay; she’s gone for now, but at least she wasn’t able to complete the unlocking spells.”
“And Batman and Diana?”
The expression on Blood’s face made J’onn’s blood run cold.
“I’m not sure. I just, well, I don’t know.
Both the Martian and the Demon’s host glanced at the blackened center of Stonehenge.
There was absolutely no sign of either the Dark Knight or the Amazing Amazon.
***
To be continued...
***
Author's Notes:
* This is where it all begins; we'll get into Nadia in the next chapter.
* For those who don’t know, the Justice League’s prior encounter with Morgaine le Fay can be seen in the first season episode ‘A Knight of Shadows’.
Last edited by JME2 on 2005-04-17 03:46am, edited 1 time in total.
Disclaimer: Batman created by Bob Kane, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. All three are owned by DC Comics. Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water created by Hayo Miyazaki, based upon characters created by Jules Verne, and owned by Gainax. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Enjoy!
***
Chapter I -- The Dark Island, Part 1
***
For Bruce Wayne, the modern form of entertainment, the motion-picture, had been once upon a time a source of entertainment, an escape into fantasy that was almost required for anyone's childhood. That had changed forever the night his parents had been gunned down after leaving a showing of The Mark of Zorro. In that time, he had never watched that film again and did everything he could to avoid seeing them. The few occasions that he had been forced to had been under Wayne Enterprises functions or extenuating circumstances, such as when Dick had tried to get him to see It's a Wonderful Life one Christmas Eve several years prior.
But, before that night, he had, like any other child seen the film The Wizard of Oz and was well aware of the classic line uttered by Judy Garland’s character Dorthy to her canine companion the moment she stepped out of the crashed farmhouse and surveyed the domain of the Munchkins:
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto."
There were many possible reasons for why such a thought would come to his mind now of all times. Whenever he had received a bad blow to the head, his thoughts tended to rumble and despite the highly trained disciplines that had gone into forging the mind of the Bat, a good blow could easily stir up early or nearly-forgotten memories.
Or perhaps it was location. When he had awoken, it was clear that he was no longer in Stonehenge and it wasn’t just the lack of the ruins. The local environment appeared to be confined, almost like an island. The presence of an ocean within viewing distance leant support to such an observation
The Dark Knight had, in those initial moments, wondered if the energies from Morgaine Le Fay’s spell that he had accidentally interruptedd had hurled him miles away from the ruins, but had realized within an instant that such a thing was not possible. Even with the Kelvar weaved into his costume and the minor cushioning it allowed, such a liftoff and subsequent crash landing would have killed him. There was also the matter of where Diana was; there was no indication that she had landed next to him, so where was she?
However, wherever he was, wherever Diana had landed, there was one familiar element, one that usually happened to him at one point of another between the hours of Eleven P.M. and Three A.M. seven days a week – unless a League mission was in effect.
He had a gun pointed to his cowl.
"I'll ask you again. Who are you?"
Gotham City’s protector had awoken to find himself surrounded by military officers of some kind, all wearing what appeared to be hooded masks covering their shoulders and heads. The masks themselves appeared to be a combination of Asiatic and Mediterranean designs, lending support to his island theory.
Even with his limited vantage point, the Batman might have been tempted to declare them Klu Klux Klan members – and yes, the Batman had dealt with them on occasion in Gotham, though that had been years ago, shortly after he donned the cape and cowl for the first time, an era that Dick referred to as B.R., or Before Robin – if not for several factors. Their guns and uniforms were certainly not twentieth-century in design. They were more of a late nineteenth century design, almost French if the Batman’s historical lessons were to be remembered.
Yet, these men spoke clear, crisp English, so the French angle was out of the question.
The Batman remained silent, appraising the abilities of his opponents as best as he could.
“Alright, shoot him. But nothing fatal; he may be the one Lord Gargoyle seeks.”
“Yes sir!”
The masked commander’s men stood at attention, the sound of their rifles preparing to fire at his order. Whoever these people were, they didn’t know that more than anything, the Batman hated guns.
Their mistake.
***
For Jean Coq de Raltigue, things had been going from bad to worse within the last hour. The orphan they had befriended upon this island, Marie, had been captured by the soldiers that had killed her parents and enslaved the village population to whatever it was they were trying to build within the inner confines of the island. And, by attempting to discover her whereabouts, Nadia’s Blue Water had gone off into its mysterious warning signal, attracting soldiers to their position and resulting in her capture.
He needed to get back to the cave where they had taken shelter and think how to possible get into that compound and locate Nadia. But even with his genius, the chances of pulling off something like that were close to nil, even he could see that. He need help to –
The young French inventor tilted his head quizzically. In the distance, he had thought he heard what sounded like a scuffle, almost like the cracking of bones. His natural curiosity instantly overriding his better judgment, Jean moved through the expanse of the trees stealthily, just in case these soldiers were still out there.
After several minutes, he approached where he had heard the sounds. He peeked through the bushes cautiously, careful to not try to be spotted and –
“Who are you?”
Jean’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open He was as shocked and as speechless as the first time less than a month ago that he had laid eyes upon Nadia from his uncle’s boat upon the River Seine.
He was gazing upon a group of these mysterious soldiers, crumpled and unmoving upon the ground in front of him. Standing atop them was…
Well, for a boy who had designed experimental aircraft, a moving stairway, and more with the money his father had left to him shortly before his disappearance at sea, Jean didn’t know how to even comprehend what the man he was seeing atop the mound of soldiers.
The man was cloaked in a dark, swirling cape and black cowl, two pointed demon-like ears protruding from the top of the mask. A symbol of a bat was emblazoned across his massive chest. One of the enemy soldiers was gripped within the grasp of a spiky gauntlet, gasping for breath as the man in the costume stared at him through his blank eye slits.
This creature, no, this man, in his basic costume, reminded Jean of a sketch he had once seen in a book on the great Italian inventor Leonardo daVinci and with that memory, he instantly knew how to simply yet eloquently classify this man standing before him.
A ‘Bat-man’.
He stepped out of the bushes with quiet amazement, the gaze of the ‘Bat-man’ focusing on this new intruder onto what had clearly been a one-sided struggle
“Astounding. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life!”
Jean Coq de Raltigue never claimed to be a very religious boy, despite the insistence and wishes of his aunt, but it appeared that his hopes for a divine intervention, of an appearance of a holy warrior to rescue Nadia from the clutches of the castle that he had seen on the ridge overlooking the island’s center had been answered.
***
A boy of no more than thirteen or fourteen, wide eyes and dressed in clothing that was similar to these soldiers’ uniforms in that it was clearly twentieth-century, had approached from the bushes. The Batman had known he was there, of course. His attention had been focused on this soldiers who had proven relatively easy to take out and had proceeded to interrogate the commander who minutes before had held a gun to his cowl when the boy had appeared. In his look, he reminded the Dark Knight of Dick Grayson when he had first taken the Boy Wonder under his protection all of those years ago.
Years ago.
The men’s uniforms, the guns they had wielded, and the boy’s clothing all connected in the Batman’s finely honed mental computer, creating a theory and probability that with each passing second became more and more likely.
“Who are you?”
“I…I…My name is Jean. Jean Coq de Raltigue”
The boy was more in awe than in fear of the Batman’s appearance, even with the lack of a full night cover as the Batman was used to in springing his image of terror upon Gotham’s criminal population.
Very much like Dick.
“Alright Jean, what year is it?”
The boy starred at him, almost as if he was unable to comprehend the question.
“I asked you what year it is.”
“That’s easy – 1889.”
The Dark Knight Detective, the defender of Gotham and its innocent, grimaced in a way he had not done for many years.
He was no longer in his own time.
***
To be continued…
***
Well, we’re off. Familiar Nadia characters will appear in the next chapter, from the Lord Gargoyle to the Nautilus and her crew. And of course, there’s the question of what happened to Diana, a question that I guarantee will be answered in Part Two. Hope everyone’s enjoying it and thank you for reading!
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Enjoy!
***
Chapter I -- The Dark Island, Part 1
***
For Bruce Wayne, the modern form of entertainment, the motion-picture, had been once upon a time a source of entertainment, an escape into fantasy that was almost required for anyone's childhood. That had changed forever the night his parents had been gunned down after leaving a showing of The Mark of Zorro. In that time, he had never watched that film again and did everything he could to avoid seeing them. The few occasions that he had been forced to had been under Wayne Enterprises functions or extenuating circumstances, such as when Dick had tried to get him to see It's a Wonderful Life one Christmas Eve several years prior.
But, before that night, he had, like any other child seen the film The Wizard of Oz and was well aware of the classic line uttered by Judy Garland’s character Dorthy to her canine companion the moment she stepped out of the crashed farmhouse and surveyed the domain of the Munchkins:
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto."
There were many possible reasons for why such a thought would come to his mind now of all times. Whenever he had received a bad blow to the head, his thoughts tended to rumble and despite the highly trained disciplines that had gone into forging the mind of the Bat, a good blow could easily stir up early or nearly-forgotten memories.
Or perhaps it was location. When he had awoken, it was clear that he was no longer in Stonehenge and it wasn’t just the lack of the ruins. The local environment appeared to be confined, almost like an island. The presence of an ocean within viewing distance leant support to such an observation
The Dark Knight had, in those initial moments, wondered if the energies from Morgaine Le Fay’s spell that he had accidentally interruptedd had hurled him miles away from the ruins, but had realized within an instant that such a thing was not possible. Even with the Kelvar weaved into his costume and the minor cushioning it allowed, such a liftoff and subsequent crash landing would have killed him. There was also the matter of where Diana was; there was no indication that she had landed next to him, so where was she?
However, wherever he was, wherever Diana had landed, there was one familiar element, one that usually happened to him at one point of another between the hours of Eleven P.M. and Three A.M. seven days a week – unless a League mission was in effect.
He had a gun pointed to his cowl.
"I'll ask you again. Who are you?"
Gotham City’s protector had awoken to find himself surrounded by military officers of some kind, all wearing what appeared to be hooded masks covering their shoulders and heads. The masks themselves appeared to be a combination of Asiatic and Mediterranean designs, lending support to his island theory.
Even with his limited vantage point, the Batman might have been tempted to declare them Klu Klux Klan members – and yes, the Batman had dealt with them on occasion in Gotham, though that had been years ago, shortly after he donned the cape and cowl for the first time, an era that Dick referred to as B.R., or Before Robin – if not for several factors. Their guns and uniforms were certainly not twentieth-century in design. They were more of a late nineteenth century design, almost French if the Batman’s historical lessons were to be remembered.
Yet, these men spoke clear, crisp English, so the French angle was out of the question.
The Batman remained silent, appraising the abilities of his opponents as best as he could.
“Alright, shoot him. But nothing fatal; he may be the one Lord Gargoyle seeks.”
“Yes sir!”
The masked commander’s men stood at attention, the sound of their rifles preparing to fire at his order. Whoever these people were, they didn’t know that more than anything, the Batman hated guns.
Their mistake.
***
For Jean Coq de Raltigue, things had been going from bad to worse within the last hour. The orphan they had befriended upon this island, Marie, had been captured by the soldiers that had killed her parents and enslaved the village population to whatever it was they were trying to build within the inner confines of the island. And, by attempting to discover her whereabouts, Nadia’s Blue Water had gone off into its mysterious warning signal, attracting soldiers to their position and resulting in her capture.
He needed to get back to the cave where they had taken shelter and think how to possible get into that compound and locate Nadia. But even with his genius, the chances of pulling off something like that were close to nil, even he could see that. He need help to –
The young French inventor tilted his head quizzically. In the distance, he had thought he heard what sounded like a scuffle, almost like the cracking of bones. His natural curiosity instantly overriding his better judgment, Jean moved through the expanse of the trees stealthily, just in case these soldiers were still out there.
After several minutes, he approached where he had heard the sounds. He peeked through the bushes cautiously, careful to not try to be spotted and –
“Who are you?”
Jean’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open He was as shocked and as speechless as the first time less than a month ago that he had laid eyes upon Nadia from his uncle’s boat upon the River Seine.
He was gazing upon a group of these mysterious soldiers, crumpled and unmoving upon the ground in front of him. Standing atop them was…
Well, for a boy who had designed experimental aircraft, a moving stairway, and more with the money his father had left to him shortly before his disappearance at sea, Jean didn’t know how to even comprehend what the man he was seeing atop the mound of soldiers.
The man was cloaked in a dark, swirling cape and black cowl, two pointed demon-like ears protruding from the top of the mask. A symbol of a bat was emblazoned across his massive chest. One of the enemy soldiers was gripped within the grasp of a spiky gauntlet, gasping for breath as the man in the costume stared at him through his blank eye slits.
This creature, no, this man, in his basic costume, reminded Jean of a sketch he had once seen in a book on the great Italian inventor Leonardo daVinci and with that memory, he instantly knew how to simply yet eloquently classify this man standing before him.
A ‘Bat-man’.
He stepped out of the bushes with quiet amazement, the gaze of the ‘Bat-man’ focusing on this new intruder onto what had clearly been a one-sided struggle
“Astounding. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life!”
Jean Coq de Raltigue never claimed to be a very religious boy, despite the insistence and wishes of his aunt, but it appeared that his hopes for a divine intervention, of an appearance of a holy warrior to rescue Nadia from the clutches of the castle that he had seen on the ridge overlooking the island’s center had been answered.
***
A boy of no more than thirteen or fourteen, wide eyes and dressed in clothing that was similar to these soldiers’ uniforms in that it was clearly twentieth-century, had approached from the bushes. The Batman had known he was there, of course. His attention had been focused on this soldiers who had proven relatively easy to take out and had proceeded to interrogate the commander who minutes before had held a gun to his cowl when the boy had appeared. In his look, he reminded the Dark Knight of Dick Grayson when he had first taken the Boy Wonder under his protection all of those years ago.
Years ago.
The men’s uniforms, the guns they had wielded, and the boy’s clothing all connected in the Batman’s finely honed mental computer, creating a theory and probability that with each passing second became more and more likely.
“Who are you?”
“I…I…My name is Jean. Jean Coq de Raltigue”
The boy was more in awe than in fear of the Batman’s appearance, even with the lack of a full night cover as the Batman was used to in springing his image of terror upon Gotham’s criminal population.
Very much like Dick.
“Alright Jean, what year is it?”
The boy starred at him, almost as if he was unable to comprehend the question.
“I asked you what year it is.”
“That’s easy – 1889.”
The Dark Knight Detective, the defender of Gotham and its innocent, grimaced in a way he had not done for many years.
He was no longer in his own time.
***
To be continued…
***
Well, we’re off. Familiar Nadia characters will appear in the next chapter, from the Lord Gargoyle to the Nautilus and her crew. And of course, there’s the question of what happened to Diana, a question that I guarantee will be answered in Part Two. Hope everyone’s enjoying it and thank you for reading!
Last edited by JME2 on 2005-04-17 03:47am, edited 1 time in total.
Only one gripe:
Etrigan wasn't speaking in Rhyme.
Other than that, so far, so good.
Althought I pity the soldiers who find Diana.
Etrigan wasn't speaking in Rhyme.
Other than that, so far, so good.
Althought I pity the soldiers who find Diana.
Me: Nope, that's why I have you around to tell me.
Nitram: You -are- beautiful. Anyone tries to tell you otherwise kill them.
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP" -- Leonard Nimoy, last Tweet
I present the comments of the JL Watchtower's Dark Latnern on this subj.LadyTevar wrote:Only one gripe:
Etrigan wasn't speaking in Rhyme.
That being said, since I am a die-hard follower of the DCAU (DC Comics Animated Universe), I was trying to keep continuity with the animated Etrigan rather than the comics, hence the lack of rhyme.While a rhyming Demon from the comics is preferred, I can understand why the producers and writers nixed the idea—it would have required more precious TV time for his dialogue, which would cut some of the action scenes down a bit
Heh. What makes you think it'll be the soldiers that find Diana?LadyTevar wrote:Althought I pity the soldiers who find Diana.
Just something to think about.
Anyway, once again, thanks for reading LT.
Disclaimer: Batman created by Bob Kane, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. All three are owned by DC Comics. Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water created by Hayo Miyazaki, based upon characters created by Jules Verne, and owned by Gainax. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Enjoy!
***
Chapter II -- The Dark Island, Part 2
***
As was customary when the Nautilus surfaced from the dark depths of the ocean to recharge her batteries and air supply -- something that, even with the ship‘s advanced particle-annihilation core, was still required -- Captain Nemo stood atop the main deck, inspecting the craft and reflecting upon the events of the last several days.
The children that the Nautilus had rescued from the Neo-Atlantean attack on the American warship were gone and they had resumed their attempts to locate the Neo-Atlantean submarine prototype and flagship, the Garfish, and with it, the source of this entire nightmare, the Lord Gargoyle himself.
But the ocean was vast and even with the equipment that the Nautilus utilized, finding their enemy was proving, as always, difficult and tiring. But they couldn’t stop, especially now To be utilizing the number of resources that they had learned of over the last few months meant that Gargoyle was stepping up his plans for the Neo-Atlantean movement and their bid for global control.
He could not, would not let that happen. Not while there was still life in his body, or the bodies of Electra, his crew, or the Nautilus itself. For Gargoyle to unleash upon humanity his wrath combined with Atlantean technology…
Nemo, as always, shuddered at the thought, the memories of what he himself had done with that technology in order to prevent Gargoyle from utilizing it thirteen long years ago haunting him once again - and again and again until the day he would die.
He buried his thoughts, determined to concentrate once more on the work that lay ahead of them. The recharging process would be complete soon and they would be prepared to resume their search for the Garfish. He turned and began making his way back towards the submarine’s main hatch --
-- when from the distance he heard a strange whistling sound, one that sounded almost eerily similar to a falling mortar shell. Nemo’s eyes widened --
-- and dove to the deck as something crashed into the water less than a handful of meters from the plated hull of the Nautilus
As he rose, his first thought was not for his personal safety, but for the safety of his crew. He glanced quickly at the horizon, searching for any sign of trouble. It couldn’t be the American warship that had been attacked earlier by the Garfish; they were leagues upon leagues away. And the Garfish itself was incapable of firing a surface-to-surface underwater volley as
But as the side hatches opened and as engineers and other crewmembers began moving into position to ascertain what had happened, Nemo saw that is was certainly not a shell or Neo-Atlantean mortar. From the water, with the Nautilus’ netting and deck-mounted cranes, they were pulling a woman from the ocean. Perhaps the victim of a shipwreck? She was dressed…
…well, dressed was hardly an appropriate term to describe her as a shipwreck victim. She was dressed in stylized leotard and breastplate that appeared Greek in origin to Nemo’s experienced eye. A golden tiara adorned her head while a golden lasso and bracelets graced her hips and arms respectively.
From behind him, he could sense Electra running up the main hatch, his first officer temporarily distracted by the sight of the woman being pulled up.
“Electra?
“There’s no sign of any Neo-Atlantean craft. Where she fell from is beyond us.”
She glanced at in-progress rescue before addressing her captain once more.
“What are your orders regarding her, Captain?”
The Captain stared at the unconscious woman for a long moment and then turned back towards his first officer.
“Bring her aboard and see that she is tended to. As soon as she‘s aboard, prepare to flood all ballast tanks, just in case.”
“Aye sir.”
***
From the plush interior of his personal quarters, the Lord Gargoyle turned to stare at the battered, bandaged officer addressing him now. If the stylized, skull-like mask that adorned the Neo-Atlantean Lord’s face was transparent, the soldier would have seen a flicker of amusement cross his face.
“A ‘Bat-Man’, you say?”
The soldier nodded solemnly.
“Yes, Lord Gargoyle, or someone dressed in the image of a bat. We found him sprawled on the ground less than two kilometers from the mining camps. When we attempted to question and detain him, he attacked us.”
“And he managed to take down your entire unit in the space of less than a minute, hmm?”
“He…sir, he fought unlike anything my men or I have ever seen before. His speed, his style, his strength - no ordinary human could possess.”
“What is it you are trying to state? That this ‘Bat-man’, like Nemo, is one of our own?”
“Perhaps, perhaps not sir. I speak only what logically makes sense.”
Gargoyle continued to state at him, silent, before replying
“This will require your immediate attention, Captain. Continue your patrols to locate him and make certain that the security surrounding the Tower is secure. I must attend to the ceremony tonight.”
The soldier bowed.
“It will be done as you command it, Lord Gargoyle.”
As the soldier exited his Chamber of Command, the Lord Gargoyle placed his hands in the pockets of his sharply cut business suit and stepped out onto the balcony, gazing over the expanse of the island and the nearly-completed project, the new Tower of Babel. His thoughts turned to the events of the last day and what had thus far occurred.
Completion of the Tower project was at hand and he had the daughter of his old enemy as his ‘guest’ within the castle. But he did not have her Blue Water, a victim of the ocean she had claimed.
Perhaps Nadia had been lying, perhaps not - he strongly suspected the former. Perhaps she had an accomplice aside from the lion cub and the little girl. Perhaps it was indeed this ‘Bat-Man’ that the Captain had spoken of -- though the idea of this ‘Bat-Man’ being a Neo Atlantean intrigued Gargoyle. Perhaps a former Royal Guard of Old Tartessos?
Possible, but not likely given that they had all been accounted for, either dead or now serving the Neo-Atlantean movement.
Either way, this was an interesting development to his plans and while the Lord Gargoyle preferred his plans and schedule to proceed with as originally intended, he was always prepared for a wild card to enter the picture.
Whoever this ‘Bat-Man’ was, he would be found and eliminated, another broken and defeated body atop the pile that he had built over the last thirteen years, a summit from which he would raise the Neo-Atlantean flag and see the past come alive once again.
***
“That utility belt of yours is absolutely fascinating!”
“The same could be said of your story.”
This boy, with his enthusiasm towards life was reminding the Dark Knight more and more of Dick Grayson after he had chosen to reveal his identity to the young orphan. And like that orphan, he was now in a cave. The sun was setting and the darkness would soon be upon the island, the perfect working conditions for the Dark Knight as far as he was concerned.
Contrary to most occasions, he had listened patiently to Jean’s tale, of the World’s Fair in Paris, of his encounter with Nadia and the Grandis Gang, of their flight to Marseilles and then to the open ocean, to the American battleship and from there to this island. It was an interesting, if somewhat unbelievable tale to an ordinary man.
But then again, the Batman was no ordinary man.
He was a man who had fought against and seen everything, from ordinary, superstitious and cowardly criminals to the psychopaths, schizophrenics, and sociopath of his Rogues Gallery. Add into the mix demons, witch boys, immortals, and zombies and it would be hard to not believe Jean’s story. Thus far, it had all been fascinating - except that the boy had slightly glazed over exactly what had transpired between the American warship incident and his arrival on the island.
The boy was clearly hiding something, but the Dark Knight sensed it was more out of a promise than malice towards him.
“So, will you help me rescue Nadia, King, and Marie?”
From the shadows of the cave, the Batman stared at Jean, considering this. It didn’t matter is this place, this else-world, was another reality. He knew it couldn’t be the past as they knew it; the technology described by Jean and what he had seen of this island’s facility was far too advanced for the year that Jean had stated it was, 1889. There was always the possibility that this Jean was lying to him, but it didn’t seem likely. Still, he wished he had access to the main Computer, so as to chart and compare star positions with those in his era to verify Jean’s story.
But that didn’t matter.
What mattered was that he had made a vow to protect the innocent and defenseless upon the grave of his parents. That applied to any era, any time, and any place.
“Yes.”
These Neo-Atlanteans and this Lord Gargoyle, whoever and whatever they were, had no idea of what was about to hit them.
***
To be continued…
***
Author’s Notes
* Gothic Cowboy -- I had just recently purchased the entire series in ADV Films’ nicely-priced two box sets when Starcrossed aired. As the summer progressed, I resumed work on my other work and, needing a break from thirty-page chapter format of ‘Star Trek/Star Wars: The Best of Both Worlds”, I sought an alternative, one that combined this fascinating anime series. Then, lo and behold, it hit me - a JL/Nadia crossover. And so, here we are. Hope you enjoy and continue to read it!
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Enjoy!
***
Chapter II -- The Dark Island, Part 2
***
As was customary when the Nautilus surfaced from the dark depths of the ocean to recharge her batteries and air supply -- something that, even with the ship‘s advanced particle-annihilation core, was still required -- Captain Nemo stood atop the main deck, inspecting the craft and reflecting upon the events of the last several days.
The children that the Nautilus had rescued from the Neo-Atlantean attack on the American warship were gone and they had resumed their attempts to locate the Neo-Atlantean submarine prototype and flagship, the Garfish, and with it, the source of this entire nightmare, the Lord Gargoyle himself.
But the ocean was vast and even with the equipment that the Nautilus utilized, finding their enemy was proving, as always, difficult and tiring. But they couldn’t stop, especially now To be utilizing the number of resources that they had learned of over the last few months meant that Gargoyle was stepping up his plans for the Neo-Atlantean movement and their bid for global control.
He could not, would not let that happen. Not while there was still life in his body, or the bodies of Electra, his crew, or the Nautilus itself. For Gargoyle to unleash upon humanity his wrath combined with Atlantean technology…
Nemo, as always, shuddered at the thought, the memories of what he himself had done with that technology in order to prevent Gargoyle from utilizing it thirteen long years ago haunting him once again - and again and again until the day he would die.
He buried his thoughts, determined to concentrate once more on the work that lay ahead of them. The recharging process would be complete soon and they would be prepared to resume their search for the Garfish. He turned and began making his way back towards the submarine’s main hatch --
-- when from the distance he heard a strange whistling sound, one that sounded almost eerily similar to a falling mortar shell. Nemo’s eyes widened --
-- and dove to the deck as something crashed into the water less than a handful of meters from the plated hull of the Nautilus
As he rose, his first thought was not for his personal safety, but for the safety of his crew. He glanced quickly at the horizon, searching for any sign of trouble. It couldn’t be the American warship that had been attacked earlier by the Garfish; they were leagues upon leagues away. And the Garfish itself was incapable of firing a surface-to-surface underwater volley as
But as the side hatches opened and as engineers and other crewmembers began moving into position to ascertain what had happened, Nemo saw that is was certainly not a shell or Neo-Atlantean mortar. From the water, with the Nautilus’ netting and deck-mounted cranes, they were pulling a woman from the ocean. Perhaps the victim of a shipwreck? She was dressed…
…well, dressed was hardly an appropriate term to describe her as a shipwreck victim. She was dressed in stylized leotard and breastplate that appeared Greek in origin to Nemo’s experienced eye. A golden tiara adorned her head while a golden lasso and bracelets graced her hips and arms respectively.
From behind him, he could sense Electra running up the main hatch, his first officer temporarily distracted by the sight of the woman being pulled up.
“Electra?
“There’s no sign of any Neo-Atlantean craft. Where she fell from is beyond us.”
She glanced at in-progress rescue before addressing her captain once more.
“What are your orders regarding her, Captain?”
The Captain stared at the unconscious woman for a long moment and then turned back towards his first officer.
“Bring her aboard and see that she is tended to. As soon as she‘s aboard, prepare to flood all ballast tanks, just in case.”
“Aye sir.”
***
From the plush interior of his personal quarters, the Lord Gargoyle turned to stare at the battered, bandaged officer addressing him now. If the stylized, skull-like mask that adorned the Neo-Atlantean Lord’s face was transparent, the soldier would have seen a flicker of amusement cross his face.
“A ‘Bat-Man’, you say?”
The soldier nodded solemnly.
“Yes, Lord Gargoyle, or someone dressed in the image of a bat. We found him sprawled on the ground less than two kilometers from the mining camps. When we attempted to question and detain him, he attacked us.”
“And he managed to take down your entire unit in the space of less than a minute, hmm?”
“He…sir, he fought unlike anything my men or I have ever seen before. His speed, his style, his strength - no ordinary human could possess.”
“What is it you are trying to state? That this ‘Bat-man’, like Nemo, is one of our own?”
“Perhaps, perhaps not sir. I speak only what logically makes sense.”
Gargoyle continued to state at him, silent, before replying
“This will require your immediate attention, Captain. Continue your patrols to locate him and make certain that the security surrounding the Tower is secure. I must attend to the ceremony tonight.”
The soldier bowed.
“It will be done as you command it, Lord Gargoyle.”
As the soldier exited his Chamber of Command, the Lord Gargoyle placed his hands in the pockets of his sharply cut business suit and stepped out onto the balcony, gazing over the expanse of the island and the nearly-completed project, the new Tower of Babel. His thoughts turned to the events of the last day and what had thus far occurred.
Completion of the Tower project was at hand and he had the daughter of his old enemy as his ‘guest’ within the castle. But he did not have her Blue Water, a victim of the ocean she had claimed.
Perhaps Nadia had been lying, perhaps not - he strongly suspected the former. Perhaps she had an accomplice aside from the lion cub and the little girl. Perhaps it was indeed this ‘Bat-Man’ that the Captain had spoken of -- though the idea of this ‘Bat-Man’ being a Neo Atlantean intrigued Gargoyle. Perhaps a former Royal Guard of Old Tartessos?
Possible, but not likely given that they had all been accounted for, either dead or now serving the Neo-Atlantean movement.
Either way, this was an interesting development to his plans and while the Lord Gargoyle preferred his plans and schedule to proceed with as originally intended, he was always prepared for a wild card to enter the picture.
Whoever this ‘Bat-Man’ was, he would be found and eliminated, another broken and defeated body atop the pile that he had built over the last thirteen years, a summit from which he would raise the Neo-Atlantean flag and see the past come alive once again.
***
“That utility belt of yours is absolutely fascinating!”
“The same could be said of your story.”
This boy, with his enthusiasm towards life was reminding the Dark Knight more and more of Dick Grayson after he had chosen to reveal his identity to the young orphan. And like that orphan, he was now in a cave. The sun was setting and the darkness would soon be upon the island, the perfect working conditions for the Dark Knight as far as he was concerned.
Contrary to most occasions, he had listened patiently to Jean’s tale, of the World’s Fair in Paris, of his encounter with Nadia and the Grandis Gang, of their flight to Marseilles and then to the open ocean, to the American battleship and from there to this island. It was an interesting, if somewhat unbelievable tale to an ordinary man.
But then again, the Batman was no ordinary man.
He was a man who had fought against and seen everything, from ordinary, superstitious and cowardly criminals to the psychopaths, schizophrenics, and sociopath of his Rogues Gallery. Add into the mix demons, witch boys, immortals, and zombies and it would be hard to not believe Jean’s story. Thus far, it had all been fascinating - except that the boy had slightly glazed over exactly what had transpired between the American warship incident and his arrival on the island.
The boy was clearly hiding something, but the Dark Knight sensed it was more out of a promise than malice towards him.
“So, will you help me rescue Nadia, King, and Marie?”
From the shadows of the cave, the Batman stared at Jean, considering this. It didn’t matter is this place, this else-world, was another reality. He knew it couldn’t be the past as they knew it; the technology described by Jean and what he had seen of this island’s facility was far too advanced for the year that Jean had stated it was, 1889. There was always the possibility that this Jean was lying to him, but it didn’t seem likely. Still, he wished he had access to the main Computer, so as to chart and compare star positions with those in his era to verify Jean’s story.
But that didn’t matter.
What mattered was that he had made a vow to protect the innocent and defenseless upon the grave of his parents. That applied to any era, any time, and any place.
“Yes.”
These Neo-Atlanteans and this Lord Gargoyle, whoever and whatever they were, had no idea of what was about to hit them.
***
To be continued…
***
Author’s Notes
* Gothic Cowboy -- I had just recently purchased the entire series in ADV Films’ nicely-priced two box sets when Starcrossed aired. As the summer progressed, I resumed work on my other work and, needing a break from thirty-page chapter format of ‘Star Trek/Star Wars: The Best of Both Worlds”, I sought an alternative, one that combined this fascinating anime series. Then, lo and behold, it hit me - a JL/Nadia crossover. And so, here we are. Hope you enjoy and continue to read it!
Last edited by JME2 on 2005-04-17 03:48am, edited 1 time in total.
-
Shroom Man 777
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Wonderful! Simply amazing! I mean...shit, the Batman goes to the not-so-distant past where they have submarines and Atlanteans and Babylonian towers and he's gonna chew some bat-gum (made out of guano) and kick bat-loads of ass! Shit!
Though...do these Atlanteans have any connection with Aqua Man? Does this Nadia thing exist in the DCverse?
Though...do these Atlanteans have any connection with Aqua Man? Does this Nadia thing exist in the DCverse?
"DO YOU WORSHIP HOMOSEXUALS?" - Curtis Saxton (source)shroom is a lovely boy and i wont hear a bad word against him - LUSY-CHAN!
Shit! Man, I didn't think of that! It took Shroom to properly interpret the screams of dying people
- PeZookShroom, I read out the stuff you write about us. You are an endless supply of morale down here. :p - an OWS street medic
Pink Sugar Heart Attack!
The Atlantis of Nadia has no relation to Aquaman (and the guys over on JLAnimated keep begging me to bring him in, though there will be a mention of Orin in an upcoming chapter).Shroom Man 777 wrote:Wonderful! Simply amazing! I mean...shit, the Batman goes to the not-so-distant past where they have submarines and Atlanteans and Babylonian towers and he's gonna chew some bat-gum (made out of guano) and kick bat-loads of ass! Shit!
Though...do these Atlanteans have any connection with Aqua Man? Does this Nadia thing exist in the DCverse?
As for Nadia, it is one of the most famous Japanese Anime series and was what Hideaki Anno was best known for before Neon Genesis Evangelion (though, interestingly, he considers the series a failure). You can find more information on the series here.
Anyway, thanks for reading and I'm glade you enjoyed!
Disclaimer: Batman created by Bob Kane, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. All three are owned by DC Comics. Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water created by Hayo Miyazaki, based upon characters created by Jules Verne, and owned by Gainax. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Enjoy!
***
Chapter III -- The Great Atlantean Caper, Part 1
***
Electra, the Nautilus’ first Officer quickly followed her commander through the bowels of the magnificent submarine, heading for the bulkhead that opened up into the submarine’s state-of-the-art
“What is the status of our ‘guest‘?”
The aging, but still distinguished M.C.O. that had served with Nemo for the past decade looked up from the medical bed. The mysterious woman that had fallen from the skies into the waters around the Nautilus was still clothed in her tiara, but her breastplate and lasso were now laid out on the counter next to the bed.
“Still unconscious, Captain. She’s suffered multiple bruises and possibly some internal bleeding. Either way…”
“Either way, what?“
“It almost looks like she was in a fight or scuffle of some kind before she fell.”
Nemo considered this.
“But from where is the question that concerns us. Electra?”
“Systems showed no sign of Neo-Atlantean airships at the time of the impact, Captain.”
Nemo frowned.
“This requires some thought and investigation. In the meantime, keep her --”
The Nautilus suddenly began rocking and Nemo was thrown against the wall as his officers fell to the floor. The communication lines to the Sickbay started beeping and Nemo grabbed at the receiver.
“Report!”
“Captain, I think you’d better come up on deck. We’ve got problems.”
***
Sanson cried out as the static electricity in the air contained within the Tower ruined his perfectly-groomed hairstle.
“My hair! My beautiful hair!”
Grandis Granva, already in a foul mood after having been imprisoned by Neo-Atlantean forces, worked like a slave, starved, and now nearly killed by a force beyond her comprehension, for lack of better term, lost it.
“Shut up Hanson!”
As Grandis and her one-time chauffeur, the lean and incredibly vain Sanson, went at it as they had many a time for the last several years, Jean glanced over at Grandis’ other companion, the mechanic Sanson, tranquilly composed despite the surge of energy that they had just hit the chamber.
It had been less than a month before that, on the same day that he had first laid eyes on Nadia and King, that he had encountered the Grandis Gang, an international trio of one lady villain and her male escorts that had sought to steal Nadia’s blue water necklace, now contained within his pocket, but they didn’t realize that. From their mechanical wonder, the Gratan, they had chased Nadia and Jean from Paris to Le Harve to the Atlantic Ocean and now, here on this Neo-Atlantean stronghold.
Grandis suddenly remembered that Jean was there and chose to pull the spare firearm that Sanson had “borrowed
“Look kid, we’re in the middle of a really bad situation and --”
She trailed off, suddenly aware of a presence behind her and she turned to face a narrowed-eyed, angry phantasm of the night that focused on the weapon she held within her gloved hands.
“ I * hate * guns.”
His voice sounded like a low growl being spoken over the chewing of glass and just for a moment, reminded the thief of her father during his occasional stern lectures. In that moment of distraction, before Grandis knew what had happened, the gun was scattering across the floor, just as Sanson charged the Dark Knight.
“You leave Ms. Granva alone, you --”
Sanson quickly followed the same path that the Neo-Atlantean guards from earlier that day as Batman landed a kick into the chauffeur that sent him flying through the air. Grandis just starred on in shock. Sanson had always been the best hand-to-hand fighter she had known, both in the present era and back when .
“Stop it, stop it! We don’t have time for this,” cried Jean, rushing between Grandis and the Dark Knight.
“Anyway, who is this costumed freak?”
Jean smiled proudly.
“This is Batman!”
And yet, there was no reply to the introduction that the young Frenchman had given. Jean glanced to the side --
-- and found the Dark Knight approaching Hanson, the mechanic gazing upon the inner workings of the Tower and the crystal-like apparatus
“This is beyond me; I have no idea what this it.”
Batman was silent.
“I do. While slightly off and odd, I recognize it.“
“What is it?“
***
“A crystalline-super conductive antenna, designed expressly for the purpose of pulling in, concentrating, and then unleashing .”
He knew this because it reminded of the test data he had seen on the Army’s Hyperion-class orbital defense satellite prototype, a wonderful little project that he had known about only because of the then-involvement of a thankfully now-retired General Hardcastle, the alien-hating General that had caused many a personal problem for Clark and with whom he had had a little chat with some time back.
The technology was, still…different. Another odd facet of this Neo-Atlantean technology, tech that was form more advanced that anything from the late Nineteenth-century should be.
“How could you know that?”
Batman didn’t reply, causing Hanson to glance back at Jean.
“Your ‘friend’ isn’t very social, is he.”
Jean shrugged.
“But you saw the way he can fight. He’s our ally -- just as you should be.”
Grandis considered this for a moment.
“Well, for this set of circumstances, maybe. But…”
As the two began discussing the formation of an alliance, Batman continued to glance over the technology in the room, his thoughts whirling as he mentally reviewed everything that he had seen thus far since his arrival earlier that afternoon.
After having spoken with Jean and learning what he young Frenchman knew, he had proceeded to scout the island, ordering Jean to stay put until he had returned. Obviously, like Dick and Tim, he hadn’t. In fact, he had been on his way back to the cave when the blast had gone off and he had immediately knew that he had to see exactly what the hell he was dealing with.
Security for the entire island was above-average. He had broken into places just as, if not, more heavily guarded as this, from Ra’s al Ghul’s desert compound during their first encounter to the Thanagarian flagship the previous month.
This gathering movement, this cult -- whatever the hell it was, had been hosting a large gathering of its members this evening. The Dark Knight didn’t have to be a detective to see that it had to do with the completion of the tower that dominated the central interior of this island, the tower that had just fired that blast of energy into the heavens and then relayed it to a nearby island.
With this many members and to utilize this kind of operation, this Neo-Atlantean movement had to have resources and wealth that rivaled even his and Ra’s al Ghul’s combined.
Now there was food for thought. Jean had claimed that he had never heard of Gotham City -- was it possible that Ra’s or his own ancestors didn’t exist in this era?
“Batman?”
Jean had been trying to speak with him. Batman withdrew from his mental review and back to the land of the living.
“It isn’t safe here; we need to get moving.”
He glanced back at the Grandis gang.
“Can they be trusted?”
Jean shrugged.
“Considering the circumstances, I’d say we need all the allies we can get to rescue Nadia.”
Before Batman could retort, however, a booming voice suddenly filled the walls of the chamber, resonating through speakers hidden throughout the facility and across the entire island itself. It was a cool, crisp voice with a touch of coolness to it.
“To Jean Coq de Raltigue, I congratulate you for eluding our patrols for as long as you have. But wherever you are on this land, the time for delays and for hiding is now over. In one hour, a small lion is going to die. You know what I am speaking of. A little native girl will follow and finally, your companion, Nadia. You can, however, save them by surrendering yourself at the castle. You have one hour starting…now.”
The voice faded and silence filled the chamber. Finally, Granvis spoke.
“What are we going to do?”
Jean looked downward, a sullen look gracing his normally bright and smiling face.
“I…I’ll surrender. It’s the only way to save Nadia.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Grandis eyed the Dark Knight.
“What, do you have some kind of plan, you freak?”
Batman smirked.
“I always have a plan.”
***
Normally the sight of serious, yet still playful banter between the crewmembers, the Naultilus’s bridge was eerily quiet, marked only by the beeping of the bridge’s consoles and equipment as the crew absorbed what had just happened, what the source of the blast was. Many of them has seen it what seemed like a lifetime ago in old Tartessos.
A blast of energy from a Tower of Babel.
After thirteen years, Gargoyle had finally built a new Tower of Babel. Those that encountered the weapon before were equally in shock that such a terrifying weapon had been rebuilt. But it only served to speak volumes about Gargyole’s determination and his insanity with the restoration of a bygone Empire.
Finally, Nemo spoke to his bridge staff.
“Do you have a bearing on the blast’s origin?”
The helmsman nodded, fiddling with a knob and calling up a map of the ocean and all nearby landmasses, including what remained the island.
“Bearing one-five-one mark three-three-zero. We can reach the origin point in about an hour at maximum speed. Shall I set a course.”
It was, of course, a formality; he already knew exactly what Nemo was going to order.
“Flood all ballast tanks. Engage the particle-annihilation engine and set course at top speed.”
It was time to take the fight to enemy.
***
The Lord Gargoyle, High Commander of the Neo-Atlantean’s political and military arm, glanced down in slight amusement at the looks of shock upon the boy’s face and his two companions, two of the mercenaries that had been captured shortly before the arrival of the Garfish and were now clothed in Atlantean military uniforms, the key to their stratagem tha was now about to fall apart.
“Why didn’t they --”
“A shield of pure textite. Those bullets you fired never had a chance.”
Gargyole snapped his fingers, preparing to summon the soldiers back into the main foyer --
-- when the upper observatory windows exploded, raining glass down upon Gargoyle, his emerging men, and the three intruders. From the crashing maelstrom of broken glass and stell came a leather-winged shadow that touched down atop the cross that held Nadia with a speed and grace that astonished even the Atlantean Lord.
The Lord Gargoyle now stood face-to-face with the visage of the Dark Knight Detective.
Over the course of a decade and a half, many had come face to face into the grim look of Gotham City’s protector. They had ranged from the common criminal—such as muggers, rapists, gangsters, and corrupt businessmen—to the more exotic varieties in the form of costumed criminals, supervillains, mutants, zombies, and immortal conquerors. Most of them had been scared out of their minds at the sight of the horned mask and cowl.
From beneath his mask, Gargoyle simply raised an eyebrow.
As he made the slightest of motions with his wrist, this man had suddenly raised what appeared to be some manner of gun or grappling hook from.
“Don’t even think about it.”
The voice was cold and commanding. Gargoyle was further impressed by this man’s audacity and aura of command he surrounded himself with. His men had not been exaggerating at all.
It would be a pity to kill a man such as this, but as the Atlantean sciences and doctrines went, humans were nothing more than genetically-engineered slaves through which the goal and life of Atlantis was to be furthered.
But just when he thought the floorshow was finished, the lights went off and the main wall quickly followed the dome in terms of destruction, some sort of vehicle crashing through the palace wall and the sounds of his men firing and bullets ricocheting off metal and stone.
And then, without so much as a warning, he was thrown back as the textite shield exploded. Exploded! Such a thing was not possible!
After a long moment, the emergency lighting system came to life as he raised his bruised form to now see that his three ‘guests’ were gone, the cross and chains swaying lifelessly thanks to the breeze that had found its way into the palace through the now large hole in the wall.
Out of the corner of his eye, a metallic glean caught his attention. Gargoyle bent down to examine the fallen chain and what had lodged itself into the metal and one of the shards of textite.
Shuiken of the Oriental region, he noted.
All Bat-shaped.
The strange gun that the intruder had drawn was now on the other side of the wall, possible through a rope or line of some kind that had had lodged into both ends of the foyer’s wall.
“Your orders, Lord Gargoyle?”
Gargoyle stood up, fingering the Shuiken for a moment before replying to the lieutenant that had quickly made his way up the foyer’s stairs to the spot where the Atlantean Lord had been thrown back by the explosion.
“Mobilize the robotic sentries and the Garfish. Have my airship prepared as a precaution.”
“Yes sir!”
As the lieutenant rushed away to issue his orders, Gargoyle looked over the chaos that had befallen his domain, his most prized citadel.
If his sentries and forces successfully captured the intruders, he would not only claim the Blue Water, but a man who he would greatly enjoy personally questioning.
After all, he was the Lord Gargoyle and no human, rogue Atlantean, or ‘Bat-Man’ would stand in his way as he fulfilled his destiny and restored the Neo-Atlantean Empire to its rightful place as the ruler of the planet.
***
To be continued..
***
* Batman’s entrance and exit from Gargoyle’s castle is inspired by his museum entrance/exit from Tim Burton’s original film; it’s one of my favorite scenes in the movie and I‘ve always wanted to pay tribute to it.
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Enjoy!
***
Chapter III -- The Great Atlantean Caper, Part 1
***
Electra, the Nautilus’ first Officer quickly followed her commander through the bowels of the magnificent submarine, heading for the bulkhead that opened up into the submarine’s state-of-the-art
“What is the status of our ‘guest‘?”
The aging, but still distinguished M.C.O. that had served with Nemo for the past decade looked up from the medical bed. The mysterious woman that had fallen from the skies into the waters around the Nautilus was still clothed in her tiara, but her breastplate and lasso were now laid out on the counter next to the bed.
“Still unconscious, Captain. She’s suffered multiple bruises and possibly some internal bleeding. Either way…”
“Either way, what?“
“It almost looks like she was in a fight or scuffle of some kind before she fell.”
Nemo considered this.
“But from where is the question that concerns us. Electra?”
“Systems showed no sign of Neo-Atlantean airships at the time of the impact, Captain.”
Nemo frowned.
“This requires some thought and investigation. In the meantime, keep her --”
The Nautilus suddenly began rocking and Nemo was thrown against the wall as his officers fell to the floor. The communication lines to the Sickbay started beeping and Nemo grabbed at the receiver.
“Report!”
“Captain, I think you’d better come up on deck. We’ve got problems.”
***
Sanson cried out as the static electricity in the air contained within the Tower ruined his perfectly-groomed hairstle.
“My hair! My beautiful hair!”
Grandis Granva, already in a foul mood after having been imprisoned by Neo-Atlantean forces, worked like a slave, starved, and now nearly killed by a force beyond her comprehension, for lack of better term, lost it.
“Shut up Hanson!”
As Grandis and her one-time chauffeur, the lean and incredibly vain Sanson, went at it as they had many a time for the last several years, Jean glanced over at Grandis’ other companion, the mechanic Sanson, tranquilly composed despite the surge of energy that they had just hit the chamber.
It had been less than a month before that, on the same day that he had first laid eyes on Nadia and King, that he had encountered the Grandis Gang, an international trio of one lady villain and her male escorts that had sought to steal Nadia’s blue water necklace, now contained within his pocket, but they didn’t realize that. From their mechanical wonder, the Gratan, they had chased Nadia and Jean from Paris to Le Harve to the Atlantic Ocean and now, here on this Neo-Atlantean stronghold.
Grandis suddenly remembered that Jean was there and chose to pull the spare firearm that Sanson had “borrowed
“Look kid, we’re in the middle of a really bad situation and --”
She trailed off, suddenly aware of a presence behind her and she turned to face a narrowed-eyed, angry phantasm of the night that focused on the weapon she held within her gloved hands.
“ I * hate * guns.”
His voice sounded like a low growl being spoken over the chewing of glass and just for a moment, reminded the thief of her father during his occasional stern lectures. In that moment of distraction, before Grandis knew what had happened, the gun was scattering across the floor, just as Sanson charged the Dark Knight.
“You leave Ms. Granva alone, you --”
Sanson quickly followed the same path that the Neo-Atlantean guards from earlier that day as Batman landed a kick into the chauffeur that sent him flying through the air. Grandis just starred on in shock. Sanson had always been the best hand-to-hand fighter she had known, both in the present era and back when .
“Stop it, stop it! We don’t have time for this,” cried Jean, rushing between Grandis and the Dark Knight.
“Anyway, who is this costumed freak?”
Jean smiled proudly.
“This is Batman!”
And yet, there was no reply to the introduction that the young Frenchman had given. Jean glanced to the side --
-- and found the Dark Knight approaching Hanson, the mechanic gazing upon the inner workings of the Tower and the crystal-like apparatus
“This is beyond me; I have no idea what this it.”
Batman was silent.
“I do. While slightly off and odd, I recognize it.“
“What is it?“
***
“A crystalline-super conductive antenna, designed expressly for the purpose of pulling in, concentrating, and then unleashing .”
He knew this because it reminded of the test data he had seen on the Army’s Hyperion-class orbital defense satellite prototype, a wonderful little project that he had known about only because of the then-involvement of a thankfully now-retired General Hardcastle, the alien-hating General that had caused many a personal problem for Clark and with whom he had had a little chat with some time back.
The technology was, still…different. Another odd facet of this Neo-Atlantean technology, tech that was form more advanced that anything from the late Nineteenth-century should be.
“How could you know that?”
Batman didn’t reply, causing Hanson to glance back at Jean.
“Your ‘friend’ isn’t very social, is he.”
Jean shrugged.
“But you saw the way he can fight. He’s our ally -- just as you should be.”
Grandis considered this for a moment.
“Well, for this set of circumstances, maybe. But…”
As the two began discussing the formation of an alliance, Batman continued to glance over the technology in the room, his thoughts whirling as he mentally reviewed everything that he had seen thus far since his arrival earlier that afternoon.
After having spoken with Jean and learning what he young Frenchman knew, he had proceeded to scout the island, ordering Jean to stay put until he had returned. Obviously, like Dick and Tim, he hadn’t. In fact, he had been on his way back to the cave when the blast had gone off and he had immediately knew that he had to see exactly what the hell he was dealing with.
Security for the entire island was above-average. He had broken into places just as, if not, more heavily guarded as this, from Ra’s al Ghul’s desert compound during their first encounter to the Thanagarian flagship the previous month.
This gathering movement, this cult -- whatever the hell it was, had been hosting a large gathering of its members this evening. The Dark Knight didn’t have to be a detective to see that it had to do with the completion of the tower that dominated the central interior of this island, the tower that had just fired that blast of energy into the heavens and then relayed it to a nearby island.
With this many members and to utilize this kind of operation, this Neo-Atlantean movement had to have resources and wealth that rivaled even his and Ra’s al Ghul’s combined.
Now there was food for thought. Jean had claimed that he had never heard of Gotham City -- was it possible that Ra’s or his own ancestors didn’t exist in this era?
“Batman?”
Jean had been trying to speak with him. Batman withdrew from his mental review and back to the land of the living.
“It isn’t safe here; we need to get moving.”
He glanced back at the Grandis gang.
“Can they be trusted?”
Jean shrugged.
“Considering the circumstances, I’d say we need all the allies we can get to rescue Nadia.”
Before Batman could retort, however, a booming voice suddenly filled the walls of the chamber, resonating through speakers hidden throughout the facility and across the entire island itself. It was a cool, crisp voice with a touch of coolness to it.
“To Jean Coq de Raltigue, I congratulate you for eluding our patrols for as long as you have. But wherever you are on this land, the time for delays and for hiding is now over. In one hour, a small lion is going to die. You know what I am speaking of. A little native girl will follow and finally, your companion, Nadia. You can, however, save them by surrendering yourself at the castle. You have one hour starting…now.”
The voice faded and silence filled the chamber. Finally, Granvis spoke.
“What are we going to do?”
Jean looked downward, a sullen look gracing his normally bright and smiling face.
“I…I’ll surrender. It’s the only way to save Nadia.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Grandis eyed the Dark Knight.
“What, do you have some kind of plan, you freak?”
Batman smirked.
“I always have a plan.”
***
Normally the sight of serious, yet still playful banter between the crewmembers, the Naultilus’s bridge was eerily quiet, marked only by the beeping of the bridge’s consoles and equipment as the crew absorbed what had just happened, what the source of the blast was. Many of them has seen it what seemed like a lifetime ago in old Tartessos.
A blast of energy from a Tower of Babel.
After thirteen years, Gargoyle had finally built a new Tower of Babel. Those that encountered the weapon before were equally in shock that such a terrifying weapon had been rebuilt. But it only served to speak volumes about Gargyole’s determination and his insanity with the restoration of a bygone Empire.
Finally, Nemo spoke to his bridge staff.
“Do you have a bearing on the blast’s origin?”
The helmsman nodded, fiddling with a knob and calling up a map of the ocean and all nearby landmasses, including what remained the island.
“Bearing one-five-one mark three-three-zero. We can reach the origin point in about an hour at maximum speed. Shall I set a course.”
It was, of course, a formality; he already knew exactly what Nemo was going to order.
“Flood all ballast tanks. Engage the particle-annihilation engine and set course at top speed.”
It was time to take the fight to enemy.
***
The Lord Gargoyle, High Commander of the Neo-Atlantean’s political and military arm, glanced down in slight amusement at the looks of shock upon the boy’s face and his two companions, two of the mercenaries that had been captured shortly before the arrival of the Garfish and were now clothed in Atlantean military uniforms, the key to their stratagem tha was now about to fall apart.
“Why didn’t they --”
“A shield of pure textite. Those bullets you fired never had a chance.”
Gargyole snapped his fingers, preparing to summon the soldiers back into the main foyer --
-- when the upper observatory windows exploded, raining glass down upon Gargoyle, his emerging men, and the three intruders. From the crashing maelstrom of broken glass and stell came a leather-winged shadow that touched down atop the cross that held Nadia with a speed and grace that astonished even the Atlantean Lord.
The Lord Gargoyle now stood face-to-face with the visage of the Dark Knight Detective.
Over the course of a decade and a half, many had come face to face into the grim look of Gotham City’s protector. They had ranged from the common criminal—such as muggers, rapists, gangsters, and corrupt businessmen—to the more exotic varieties in the form of costumed criminals, supervillains, mutants, zombies, and immortal conquerors. Most of them had been scared out of their minds at the sight of the horned mask and cowl.
From beneath his mask, Gargoyle simply raised an eyebrow.
As he made the slightest of motions with his wrist, this man had suddenly raised what appeared to be some manner of gun or grappling hook from.
“Don’t even think about it.”
The voice was cold and commanding. Gargoyle was further impressed by this man’s audacity and aura of command he surrounded himself with. His men had not been exaggerating at all.
It would be a pity to kill a man such as this, but as the Atlantean sciences and doctrines went, humans were nothing more than genetically-engineered slaves through which the goal and life of Atlantis was to be furthered.
But just when he thought the floorshow was finished, the lights went off and the main wall quickly followed the dome in terms of destruction, some sort of vehicle crashing through the palace wall and the sounds of his men firing and bullets ricocheting off metal and stone.
And then, without so much as a warning, he was thrown back as the textite shield exploded. Exploded! Such a thing was not possible!
After a long moment, the emergency lighting system came to life as he raised his bruised form to now see that his three ‘guests’ were gone, the cross and chains swaying lifelessly thanks to the breeze that had found its way into the palace through the now large hole in the wall.
Out of the corner of his eye, a metallic glean caught his attention. Gargoyle bent down to examine the fallen chain and what had lodged itself into the metal and one of the shards of textite.
Shuiken of the Oriental region, he noted.
All Bat-shaped.
The strange gun that the intruder had drawn was now on the other side of the wall, possible through a rope or line of some kind that had had lodged into both ends of the foyer’s wall.
“Your orders, Lord Gargoyle?”
Gargoyle stood up, fingering the Shuiken for a moment before replying to the lieutenant that had quickly made his way up the foyer’s stairs to the spot where the Atlantean Lord had been thrown back by the explosion.
“Mobilize the robotic sentries and the Garfish. Have my airship prepared as a precaution.”
“Yes sir!”
As the lieutenant rushed away to issue his orders, Gargoyle looked over the chaos that had befallen his domain, his most prized citadel.
If his sentries and forces successfully captured the intruders, he would not only claim the Blue Water, but a man who he would greatly enjoy personally questioning.
After all, he was the Lord Gargoyle and no human, rogue Atlantean, or ‘Bat-Man’ would stand in his way as he fulfilled his destiny and restored the Neo-Atlantean Empire to its rightful place as the ruler of the planet.
***
To be continued..
***
* Batman’s entrance and exit from Gargoyle’s castle is inspired by his museum entrance/exit from Tim Burton’s original film; it’s one of my favorite scenes in the movie and I‘ve always wanted to pay tribute to it.
Last edited by JME2 on 2005-04-17 03:50am, edited 1 time in total.
No, it's not an update. But it's something just as good. I can at last give you the first offical poster for my Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover. I have two initial variants done, though I personally like the first one better. Enjoy!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/JME2A/JLNF1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/JME2A/JLNF2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/JME2A/JLNF1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/JME2A/JLNF2.jpg
-
Shroom Man 777
- FUCKING DICK-STABBER!
- Posts: 21222
- Joined: 2003-05-11 08:39am
- Location: Bleeding breasts and stabbing dicks since 2003
- Contact:
I have no idea who Gargoyle is, but its always enjoyable to see Batman kick ass, literally or metaphorically. Great job. Though you might wanna proof-read your post, some parts are missing, though I didn't catch any typos.
Nice posters (every once in a while, I check on your threat in A&P). But the Bruce Timm characters doesn't go well with the anime characters, they don't really fit with each other. But that's entirely not your fault.
Nice posters (every once in a while, I check on your threat in A&P). But the Bruce Timm characters doesn't go well with the anime characters, they don't really fit with each other. But that's entirely not your fault.
"DO YOU WORSHIP HOMOSEXUALS?" - Curtis Saxton (source)shroom is a lovely boy and i wont hear a bad word against him - LUSY-CHAN!
Shit! Man, I didn't think of that! It took Shroom to properly interpret the screams of dying people
- PeZookShroom, I read out the stuff you write about us. You are an endless supply of morale down here. :p - an OWS street medic
Pink Sugar Heart Attack!
The proofs are due to HTML formatting; I'll fix that sooner or later. As for the art, those are just initial concept posters; I am working on a way to make them fit together.Shroom Man 777 wrote:I have no idea who Gargoyle is, but its always enjoyable to see Batman kick ass, literally or metaphorically. Great job. Though you might wanna proof-read your post, some parts are missing, though I didn't catch any typos.
Nice posters (every once in a while, I check on your threat in A&P). But the Bruce Timm characters doesn't go well with the anime characters, they don't really fit with each other. But that's entirely not your fault.
As for the next chapter, Real life has thus far screwed me over for the time-being; that poster was finished some time ago, I just forgot to post it. But things will improve in the next week so fear not. Thanks for your continued interest in the story!
-
Shroom Man 777
- FUCKING DICK-STABBER!
- Posts: 21222
- Joined: 2003-05-11 08:39am
- Location: Bleeding breasts and stabbing dicks since 2003
- Contact:
Hey, I'm always ready to see the Bat kick anime ass
"DO YOU WORSHIP HOMOSEXUALS?" - Curtis Saxton (source)shroom is a lovely boy and i wont hear a bad word against him - LUSY-CHAN!
Shit! Man, I didn't think of that! It took Shroom to properly interpret the screams of dying people
- PeZookShroom, I read out the stuff you write about us. You are an endless supply of morale down here. :p - an OWS street medic
Pink Sugar Heart Attack!
-
Shroom Man 777
- FUCKING DICK-STABBER!
- Posts: 21222
- Joined: 2003-05-11 08:39am
- Location: Bleeding breasts and stabbing dicks since 2003
- Contact:
And will we see some romantic interaction between the two?
"DO YOU WORSHIP HOMOSEXUALS?" - Curtis Saxton (source)shroom is a lovely boy and i wont hear a bad word against him - LUSY-CHAN!
Shit! Man, I didn't think of that! It took Shroom to properly interpret the screams of dying people
- PeZookShroom, I read out the stuff you write about us. You are an endless supply of morale down here. :p - an OWS street medic
Pink Sugar Heart Attack!
Why else would I choose these two leaguers to pair together, hmm? (Other than that Superman would kick the Neo-Atlantean's ass, I'm not a GL/Hawkgirl shipper -- and besides, she left at this point -- and Flash and J'onn would make things far more complicated). Besides, there's a few issues about the Nadia-verse Amazons that, if I go with it, will make things quite interesting for Diana...Shroom Man 777 wrote:And will we see some romantic interaction between the two?
Last edited by JME2 on 2004-11-14 03:33am, edited 1 time in total.
-
Shroom Man 777
- FUCKING DICK-STABBER!
- Posts: 21222
- Joined: 2003-05-11 08:39am
- Location: Bleeding breasts and stabbing dicks since 2003
- Contact:
This thing just keeps on getting better and better!
"DO YOU WORSHIP HOMOSEXUALS?" - Curtis Saxton (source)shroom is a lovely boy and i wont hear a bad word against him - LUSY-CHAN!
Shit! Man, I didn't think of that! It took Shroom to properly interpret the screams of dying people
- PeZookShroom, I read out the stuff you write about us. You are an endless supply of morale down here. :p - an OWS street medic
Pink Sugar Heart Attack!
Disclaimer: Batman created by Bob Kane, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. All three are owned by DC Comics. Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water created by Hayo Miyazaki, based upon characters created by Jules Verne, and owned by Gainax. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Enjoy!
***
Chapter IV -- The Great Atlantean Caper, Part 2
***
Built utilizing the remnants of the Grandis family fortune and the designs of mechanic Sanson, the Grandis Tank or Gratan -- or even Catherine as Grandis affectionately called it -- had been the vehicle of choice for the Granva Gang for the better part of the 1880’s. With medium armor plating and the ability to travel on land, in water, and through air, it was truly a state-of-art automaton for late nineteenth century technology.
It also happened to be in the number one slot of things that the Neo-Atlantean armed forces and their robotic sentries wanted to, like the recently-retired Shayera Hol AKA Hawkgirl, smash until it was destroyed. Or so the Batman noted as the Gratan sped down the platform leading from the castle to the island’s center and the Tower of Babel.
While Sanson’s driving was erratic and frankly dangerous, Batman knew that the man was doing the best he could given the circumstances. In addition, the cross that held Jean’s friend, Nadia, was providing extra weight that was slowing them down. He was therefore on top of the Gratan trying to cut Nadia loose from the cross and then dump it off the ramp so that they could increase their rate of acceleration.
The plan had called for the Gratan to switch to nautical mode once they reached the lake and then run -- or in this case paddle -- like hell to the drainage ducts that connected the island’s interior to the ocean. Normally, that would not have been an option, but thanks to Hanson‘s sabotage were now clear. Out there, they would have to hope they could outrun the Garfish and make for the mainland.
The drainage pipes have proven to be a necessary avenue due to his discovery while scouting the island. Curious to test his own theories about the extent of the Neo-Atlantean technology, he had taken a Batarang -- unique in that this variant was one of the first of the next generation of his arsenal, a type sharpened by laser on the microscopic level to allow virtual ease in cutting. In theory, it should have cut through any known alloys like a hot knife through butter
In practice, it had barely been able to lodge itself into the piece of discarded armor plating that he had tested it on. In short, this level of molecular density manipulation should not have been possible at this point in time. Curiouser and curiouser, as the Mad Hatter -- both Lewis Caroll’s creation and the Gotham criminal Jervis Tetch -- would say. This was just another oddity of this time-period and something that, as a detective, he wanted very much to investigate further.
But that would only happen if they actually made it to the lake before being intercepted, something that was not possible with the cross currently slowing them down .
With his portable laser-cutter -- borrowed from Wayne Tech, as was the case with so many of his technological tools -- Batman began slicing through Nadia’s bonds. Getting the bonds off of the little girl and the lion cub had been easier; Nadia’s was far more complicated -- at least to a layman, something the Dark Knight certainly was not. The difficulty lay both in Sanson’s driving and the alloy used in these bonds. It appeared to be steel, but once again, more reinforced than should have been possible in the nineteenth century.
Nadia was, contrary to what he would have thought, was not screaming but silent and amazed as the Batman went to work.
“Who are you?”
He didn’t bother to look up as he manipulated the cutting tool.
“A friend. Hold still.”
With a grunt, he tore the remaining bond from the cross and threw them off to the side of the ramp.
“I’ve got you.”
Despite the fact that she had barely cast her eyes upon Gotham’s Dark Knight for no more that a handful of minutes, Nadia allowed herself to be lowered into his spiked gauntlets --
-- and they were nearly thrown off as the Gratan’s launched itself off of the ramp and over the expanse of the lake, the cross flying off into the distance as Hanson released the Gratan‘s grappling arms. Under normal circumstances, his instincts would had directed the launching of his own grappling line towards the closest building or tower.
However, he had to resist that impulse since of course the object that adhered to Newton’s principles of gravity was their, as the street phrase went, their ticket off the island. So, his left hand wrapped around Nadia’s waist, he threw himself and the child down onto the Gratan’s hull. Nadia’s eyes widened in amazement as his right hand went rigid, the fingers on the glove extending and becoming claw-like, digging into the hull.
This particular item of technology he had first tested five years previously when the Joker had commandeered Lex Luthor’s Lex-Wing and had, alongside laying waste to half of Metropolis, shot down the Bat-Wing. He had been forced to ditch the aircraft and use these claws to latch onto the Lex-Wing
“Switching to nautical mode!”
Now that he knew that Sanson could hear him through the hatch, Batman chose to respond to the rather wild ride.
“Warn me if you‘re going to do that! Keep it steady”
“You keep steady! I’m driving here!”
If he hadn’t been in danger of falling off and if Sanson could have seen him, then he would have gotten a full blast of the glare that Batman had given the Flash after his twiddling with a Thanagarian interceptor had not only caused further damage to Wayne Manor, but had almost killed his loyal and trusted manservant, Alfred Pennyworth.
“Forget it! We’ll make our getaway through the intake pipe, ” Grandis yelled as the Gratan‘s propellers came online, thrusting the craft towards their exit --.
-- and they came to a stop at the sight that awaited them, the Neo-Atlantean submarine of the Garfish-class. Now it was Sanson’s turn to act upon impulse. The Gratan’s own cannon thundered in front of them as one of Hanson’s custom Techno-bombs was launched at the Garfish-class submarine --
-- and it simply bounced off of the enemy hull.
As the explosive splashed into the water, an exploding Batarang sailed from Batman’s hand and through the air towards its intended target. No that actually thought it would help, but the scientific portion of his brain he wanted to further test his thoughts on whether or not this Neo-Atlantean technology could stand up to good old twenty-first century explosives.
And, just like the molecularly-sharpened Batarang earlier, little effect, though there was some slight scratches and denting..
Les than two standard seconds later, the submarine’s own arsenal fired off a persuasive rebuttal at the Gratan, causing the waters around the custom-built all-purpose vehicle to rock back and forth through the waves and the Dark Knight to tighten his grip on Nadia and the hull.
“You have one minute to stand down and surrender,” an amplified voice boomed from the submarine, though it was not Gargoyle’s.
Batman grimaced, wishing now that he had the Batboat or that le Fay had not shot down the Batwing over Stonehenge; its missiles would probably have been able to pierce that submarine’s hull. But given the results of his Batarang test, even he was reluctant to put much faith in the Batwing’s own arsenal, even with its own payload.
As with so many aspects of his life, things did not turn out exactly as plan. That annoyed him more than anything else. He prided himself on being a master strategist, on having backup plans for backup plans. When on that rare occasion it didn’t work, such as AMAZO’s unexpected adaptation to his Kryptonite a year earlier, he got, as the punks on Gotham’s streets would say, very pissed off.
***
From his chair of command, Captain Nemo was a nexus of concentration and battle prowess, his eyes fixated on his senior staff and the bridge’s monitors.
“Time to surfacing?”
“Our ballast tanks will be completely emptied in five, four, three, two… we have surfaced, sir.”
The bridge’s monitors recorded their transition from the waves towards the surface, the Garfish and half a kilometer distant, a strange, red-shaped water craft. But he paid the latter no attention.
“They’re firing on us, Captain!”
The Garfish had indeed opened fire. But what occurred was an exact opposite of the Gratan’s volley minutes earlier. The shots from the Garfish’s turrets simply bounced off the Nautilius’ hull. He couldn’t help but smile as he pictured the reaction of the submarine‘s commander and of Gargoyle. The Neo Atlantean had likely not been aware of the extent of the Nautilius’ hull plating.
Now it was time for his second surprise of the day.
“Ramming speed!”
***
“The Nautilius!”
As the cry came from both Jean and Nadia, a small, but not entirely insignificant piece of the puzzle clicked into place for Gotham City’s champion.
When he had first spoken with Jean earlier that day, he had been under the impression that the young French boy had left out a key part in his narrative of what had occurred to him since he had encountered Nadia and the Granva Gang in Paris, specifically in relation to the attack on the American warship and their arrival on this island.
Now, he was -- with reasonable confidence -- certain that the second submarine, this Nautilus, which had sliced through the Garfish as easily as his modified Batarang should have sliced through Neo-Atlantean armor, sending the enemy craft to the bottom of the lake. As fascinating as this, he knew that they were out his league.
“Head for the intake pipe,” he yelled, his order obeyed as the Gratan accelerated forward towards their original exit point, his last sight of battle being the Nautilus’ launching of what appeared to be missiles at the Tower.
***
Now it was Nemo’s turn to be shocked as the Nautilius’ aerial depth charges were deflected from the key firing aperture of the Tower, the unmistakable glint of a textite barrier revealing itself in the explosive light.
He cursed at his inability to see that even with the island’s obscure location, with the security systems that had been put into place, that Gargoyle would --
“Captain, we’re reading a massive energy build-up coming from the tower!”
If there had been any doubt that Gargoyle was insane, there wasn’t any now.
He was going to fire the Tower of Babel at point-blank range.
Images of the incineration of Old Tartressos flashed through the Captain’s mind as he shouted out his orders.
“Fill all ballast tanks. Dive, dive!”
But he knew it would not be enough, that there was not enough time as he watched as the energy circuits become energized, the weapon of mass destruction power up, as the the Tower of Babel fired --
***
The energy output of Tower of Babel required a specialized brand of crystal that had been lost when Old Tartessos had been destroyed thirteen years prior, forcing the Neo-Atlantean scientists under Gargoyle’s command to take what they could and mix and match to produce an artificial crystal for the project.
But of course, there were differences between the level of energy that natural crystals and artificial crystals were capable of focusing and how long it could be repeated without the molecular density breaking down.
In short, the resulting explosion of the tower and the conflagration that swept across the Neo-Atlantean fortress could, like the destruction of the neighboring island earlier, probably have been seen from orbit, one that rivaled the kamikaze run of the Watchtower towards the Thanagarian hyperspace bypass generator.
***
Lord Gargoyle watched with an almost detached interest as his Commander plummeted from the airship Calcharodon, shrieking for forgiveness. His failure to capture a handful of children, criminals, and a man playing costumed hero had led to the destruction of the Garfish prototype and the island fortress, a fortress through which a good percentage of the movement’s funds had gone into. And of course, Nemo was, as he had done for so long, continue to harass their movement.
For now, at least, their attempts at constructing an artificial Tower of Babel had proven successful, though costly. He would step up efforts to locate Red Noah and with it, the last remaining Tower. And the Garfish’s design have proven successful enough that their secret shipyards had been in production for some time. Best now to concentrate on the prototype aerial warship, the Kuuchuu Senkan.
He gave the burning inferno of the island once last look as he reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the item thrown by the costumed individual, the bat-shaped Shuriken. Fingering it, he wondered if its’ owner had survived the destruction of the island.
Possibly. Likely too, if the audacity he had shown in his attack on the castle was any indication. But not matter. He, like all other forms of resistance, would fall before the might of Neo-Atlantis.
***
Mere moments after he had returned her sole possession, the Blue Water, Nadia hugged Jean, startling the young boy.
“Thank you Jean, for coming back and saving us.”
He just grinned and laughed.
“Don’t thank me. Without Batman, we would never have gotten to you.”
She let go of him and turned to face Gotham’s knight. He was standing near the hatch, cloaked in his cape and in what limited shadows the light from the explosion afforded him. King and Marie also glanced at him, fascination by this individual.
“Thank you, Batman.”
The Dark Knight simply nodded and proceeded to turn his attention back towards the burning island. The interior had been destroyed, but the outer settlements and the inhabitants had spared and he could discern them standing upon the beach, mesmerized by the conflagration.
In his line of work, the Dark Knight had obviously seen many explosions, the most recent having been the incident in the Sahara desert. But the use of orbital-based weapons platforms worried him once again. He had, as Bruce Wayne, opposed any such forms of “Star Wars” based defense initiatives like the Hyperion-class satellites currently in development, knowing full well that in the wrong hands…
His thoughts trailed off as he caught Jean and Nadia starring at the vessel that had saved them.
“The Nautilus, Nemo, Gargoyle, and the Neo-Atlanteans…What in the world could they really be?
Batman starred out once more at the island, then the Nautilius, and the departing airship.
With everything that had happened to him in the last day, every impossible aspect of this era, he, in his role as a Detective, intended very much to find out the answers to Jean‘s question, for both of their sakes.
***
To be continued…
***
* Well, at last we’re finally moving out of the Dark Island arc of Nadia and into the Nautilus arc of the series. Things are going to become quite interesting and fun to write in the coming chapters.
* Batman’s new type of Batarang is my own little foreshadowing into the katana utilized by Curae, a member of the League of Assassins from the Batman Beyond era.
* The reference to the Hyperion satellite is another piece of foreshadowing to the reincarnated Joker’s seizure of the technology in the DTV film “Return of the Joker”.
* The incident with the Lex-Wing can be found in the STAS three-parter “World’s Finest”.
* The Thanagarian incident can be found in the Justice League three-parter “Starcrossed”.
Justice League/ Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water: Yesterdays and Tomorrows
Synopsis: A Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover; During a battle with Morgaine Le Fay, Batman and Wonder Woman are, through the witch's magic, thrown back through time and space to an alternate 1889, just as Jean and Nadia's adventures are beginning. What effect will the two Leaguers have in the fight against Gargoyle and the Neo-Atlantean movement?
Enjoy!
***
Chapter IV -- The Great Atlantean Caper, Part 2
***
Built utilizing the remnants of the Grandis family fortune and the designs of mechanic Sanson, the Grandis Tank or Gratan -- or even Catherine as Grandis affectionately called it -- had been the vehicle of choice for the Granva Gang for the better part of the 1880’s. With medium armor plating and the ability to travel on land, in water, and through air, it was truly a state-of-art automaton for late nineteenth century technology.
It also happened to be in the number one slot of things that the Neo-Atlantean armed forces and their robotic sentries wanted to, like the recently-retired Shayera Hol AKA Hawkgirl, smash until it was destroyed. Or so the Batman noted as the Gratan sped down the platform leading from the castle to the island’s center and the Tower of Babel.
While Sanson’s driving was erratic and frankly dangerous, Batman knew that the man was doing the best he could given the circumstances. In addition, the cross that held Jean’s friend, Nadia, was providing extra weight that was slowing them down. He was therefore on top of the Gratan trying to cut Nadia loose from the cross and then dump it off the ramp so that they could increase their rate of acceleration.
The plan had called for the Gratan to switch to nautical mode once they reached the lake and then run -- or in this case paddle -- like hell to the drainage ducts that connected the island’s interior to the ocean. Normally, that would not have been an option, but thanks to Hanson‘s sabotage were now clear. Out there, they would have to hope they could outrun the Garfish and make for the mainland.
The drainage pipes have proven to be a necessary avenue due to his discovery while scouting the island. Curious to test his own theories about the extent of the Neo-Atlantean technology, he had taken a Batarang -- unique in that this variant was one of the first of the next generation of his arsenal, a type sharpened by laser on the microscopic level to allow virtual ease in cutting. In theory, it should have cut through any known alloys like a hot knife through butter
In practice, it had barely been able to lodge itself into the piece of discarded armor plating that he had tested it on. In short, this level of molecular density manipulation should not have been possible at this point in time. Curiouser and curiouser, as the Mad Hatter -- both Lewis Caroll’s creation and the Gotham criminal Jervis Tetch -- would say. This was just another oddity of this time-period and something that, as a detective, he wanted very much to investigate further.
But that would only happen if they actually made it to the lake before being intercepted, something that was not possible with the cross currently slowing them down .
With his portable laser-cutter -- borrowed from Wayne Tech, as was the case with so many of his technological tools -- Batman began slicing through Nadia’s bonds. Getting the bonds off of the little girl and the lion cub had been easier; Nadia’s was far more complicated -- at least to a layman, something the Dark Knight certainly was not. The difficulty lay both in Sanson’s driving and the alloy used in these bonds. It appeared to be steel, but once again, more reinforced than should have been possible in the nineteenth century.
Nadia was, contrary to what he would have thought, was not screaming but silent and amazed as the Batman went to work.
“Who are you?”
He didn’t bother to look up as he manipulated the cutting tool.
“A friend. Hold still.”
With a grunt, he tore the remaining bond from the cross and threw them off to the side of the ramp.
“I’ve got you.”
Despite the fact that she had barely cast her eyes upon Gotham’s Dark Knight for no more that a handful of minutes, Nadia allowed herself to be lowered into his spiked gauntlets --
-- and they were nearly thrown off as the Gratan’s launched itself off of the ramp and over the expanse of the lake, the cross flying off into the distance as Hanson released the Gratan‘s grappling arms. Under normal circumstances, his instincts would had directed the launching of his own grappling line towards the closest building or tower.
However, he had to resist that impulse since of course the object that adhered to Newton’s principles of gravity was their, as the street phrase went, their ticket off the island. So, his left hand wrapped around Nadia’s waist, he threw himself and the child down onto the Gratan’s hull. Nadia’s eyes widened in amazement as his right hand went rigid, the fingers on the glove extending and becoming claw-like, digging into the hull.
This particular item of technology he had first tested five years previously when the Joker had commandeered Lex Luthor’s Lex-Wing and had, alongside laying waste to half of Metropolis, shot down the Bat-Wing. He had been forced to ditch the aircraft and use these claws to latch onto the Lex-Wing
“Switching to nautical mode!”
Now that he knew that Sanson could hear him through the hatch, Batman chose to respond to the rather wild ride.
“Warn me if you‘re going to do that! Keep it steady”
“You keep steady! I’m driving here!”
If he hadn’t been in danger of falling off and if Sanson could have seen him, then he would have gotten a full blast of the glare that Batman had given the Flash after his twiddling with a Thanagarian interceptor had not only caused further damage to Wayne Manor, but had almost killed his loyal and trusted manservant, Alfred Pennyworth.
“Forget it! We’ll make our getaway through the intake pipe, ” Grandis yelled as the Gratan‘s propellers came online, thrusting the craft towards their exit --.
-- and they came to a stop at the sight that awaited them, the Neo-Atlantean submarine of the Garfish-class. Now it was Sanson’s turn to act upon impulse. The Gratan’s own cannon thundered in front of them as one of Hanson’s custom Techno-bombs was launched at the Garfish-class submarine --
-- and it simply bounced off of the enemy hull.
As the explosive splashed into the water, an exploding Batarang sailed from Batman’s hand and through the air towards its intended target. No that actually thought it would help, but the scientific portion of his brain he wanted to further test his thoughts on whether or not this Neo-Atlantean technology could stand up to good old twenty-first century explosives.
And, just like the molecularly-sharpened Batarang earlier, little effect, though there was some slight scratches and denting..
Les than two standard seconds later, the submarine’s own arsenal fired off a persuasive rebuttal at the Gratan, causing the waters around the custom-built all-purpose vehicle to rock back and forth through the waves and the Dark Knight to tighten his grip on Nadia and the hull.
“You have one minute to stand down and surrender,” an amplified voice boomed from the submarine, though it was not Gargoyle’s.
Batman grimaced, wishing now that he had the Batboat or that le Fay had not shot down the Batwing over Stonehenge; its missiles would probably have been able to pierce that submarine’s hull. But given the results of his Batarang test, even he was reluctant to put much faith in the Batwing’s own arsenal, even with its own payload.
As with so many aspects of his life, things did not turn out exactly as plan. That annoyed him more than anything else. He prided himself on being a master strategist, on having backup plans for backup plans. When on that rare occasion it didn’t work, such as AMAZO’s unexpected adaptation to his Kryptonite a year earlier, he got, as the punks on Gotham’s streets would say, very pissed off.
***
From his chair of command, Captain Nemo was a nexus of concentration and battle prowess, his eyes fixated on his senior staff and the bridge’s monitors.
“Time to surfacing?”
“Our ballast tanks will be completely emptied in five, four, three, two… we have surfaced, sir.”
The bridge’s monitors recorded their transition from the waves towards the surface, the Garfish and half a kilometer distant, a strange, red-shaped water craft. But he paid the latter no attention.
“They’re firing on us, Captain!”
The Garfish had indeed opened fire. But what occurred was an exact opposite of the Gratan’s volley minutes earlier. The shots from the Garfish’s turrets simply bounced off the Nautilius’ hull. He couldn’t help but smile as he pictured the reaction of the submarine‘s commander and of Gargoyle. The Neo Atlantean had likely not been aware of the extent of the Nautilius’ hull plating.
Now it was time for his second surprise of the day.
“Ramming speed!”
***
“The Nautilius!”
As the cry came from both Jean and Nadia, a small, but not entirely insignificant piece of the puzzle clicked into place for Gotham City’s champion.
When he had first spoken with Jean earlier that day, he had been under the impression that the young French boy had left out a key part in his narrative of what had occurred to him since he had encountered Nadia and the Granva Gang in Paris, specifically in relation to the attack on the American warship and their arrival on this island.
Now, he was -- with reasonable confidence -- certain that the second submarine, this Nautilus, which had sliced through the Garfish as easily as his modified Batarang should have sliced through Neo-Atlantean armor, sending the enemy craft to the bottom of the lake. As fascinating as this, he knew that they were out his league.
“Head for the intake pipe,” he yelled, his order obeyed as the Gratan accelerated forward towards their original exit point, his last sight of battle being the Nautilus’ launching of what appeared to be missiles at the Tower.
***
Now it was Nemo’s turn to be shocked as the Nautilius’ aerial depth charges were deflected from the key firing aperture of the Tower, the unmistakable glint of a textite barrier revealing itself in the explosive light.
He cursed at his inability to see that even with the island’s obscure location, with the security systems that had been put into place, that Gargoyle would --
“Captain, we’re reading a massive energy build-up coming from the tower!”
If there had been any doubt that Gargoyle was insane, there wasn’t any now.
He was going to fire the Tower of Babel at point-blank range.
Images of the incineration of Old Tartressos flashed through the Captain’s mind as he shouted out his orders.
“Fill all ballast tanks. Dive, dive!”
But he knew it would not be enough, that there was not enough time as he watched as the energy circuits become energized, the weapon of mass destruction power up, as the the Tower of Babel fired --
***
The energy output of Tower of Babel required a specialized brand of crystal that had been lost when Old Tartessos had been destroyed thirteen years prior, forcing the Neo-Atlantean scientists under Gargoyle’s command to take what they could and mix and match to produce an artificial crystal for the project.
But of course, there were differences between the level of energy that natural crystals and artificial crystals were capable of focusing and how long it could be repeated without the molecular density breaking down.
In short, the resulting explosion of the tower and the conflagration that swept across the Neo-Atlantean fortress could, like the destruction of the neighboring island earlier, probably have been seen from orbit, one that rivaled the kamikaze run of the Watchtower towards the Thanagarian hyperspace bypass generator.
***
Lord Gargoyle watched with an almost detached interest as his Commander plummeted from the airship Calcharodon, shrieking for forgiveness. His failure to capture a handful of children, criminals, and a man playing costumed hero had led to the destruction of the Garfish prototype and the island fortress, a fortress through which a good percentage of the movement’s funds had gone into. And of course, Nemo was, as he had done for so long, continue to harass their movement.
For now, at least, their attempts at constructing an artificial Tower of Babel had proven successful, though costly. He would step up efforts to locate Red Noah and with it, the last remaining Tower. And the Garfish’s design have proven successful enough that their secret shipyards had been in production for some time. Best now to concentrate on the prototype aerial warship, the Kuuchuu Senkan.
He gave the burning inferno of the island once last look as he reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the item thrown by the costumed individual, the bat-shaped Shuriken. Fingering it, he wondered if its’ owner had survived the destruction of the island.
Possibly. Likely too, if the audacity he had shown in his attack on the castle was any indication. But not matter. He, like all other forms of resistance, would fall before the might of Neo-Atlantis.
***
Mere moments after he had returned her sole possession, the Blue Water, Nadia hugged Jean, startling the young boy.
“Thank you Jean, for coming back and saving us.”
He just grinned and laughed.
“Don’t thank me. Without Batman, we would never have gotten to you.”
She let go of him and turned to face Gotham’s knight. He was standing near the hatch, cloaked in his cape and in what limited shadows the light from the explosion afforded him. King and Marie also glanced at him, fascination by this individual.
“Thank you, Batman.”
The Dark Knight simply nodded and proceeded to turn his attention back towards the burning island. The interior had been destroyed, but the outer settlements and the inhabitants had spared and he could discern them standing upon the beach, mesmerized by the conflagration.
In his line of work, the Dark Knight had obviously seen many explosions, the most recent having been the incident in the Sahara desert. But the use of orbital-based weapons platforms worried him once again. He had, as Bruce Wayne, opposed any such forms of “Star Wars” based defense initiatives like the Hyperion-class satellites currently in development, knowing full well that in the wrong hands…
His thoughts trailed off as he caught Jean and Nadia starring at the vessel that had saved them.
“The Nautilus, Nemo, Gargoyle, and the Neo-Atlanteans…What in the world could they really be?
Batman starred out once more at the island, then the Nautilius, and the departing airship.
With everything that had happened to him in the last day, every impossible aspect of this era, he, in his role as a Detective, intended very much to find out the answers to Jean‘s question, for both of their sakes.
***
To be continued…
***
* Well, at last we’re finally moving out of the Dark Island arc of Nadia and into the Nautilus arc of the series. Things are going to become quite interesting and fun to write in the coming chapters.
* Batman’s new type of Batarang is my own little foreshadowing into the katana utilized by Curae, a member of the League of Assassins from the Batman Beyond era.
* The reference to the Hyperion satellite is another piece of foreshadowing to the reincarnated Joker’s seizure of the technology in the DTV film “Return of the Joker”.
* The incident with the Lex-Wing can be found in the STAS three-parter “World’s Finest”.
* The Thanagarian incident can be found in the Justice League three-parter “Starcrossed”.
Last edited by JME2 on 2005-04-17 03:51am, edited 1 time in total.
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paladin3030
- Redshirt
- Posts: 21
- Joined: 2004-04-28 09:54pm
- Location: Sacramento, Ca.
When will Joker, Two-Face, and the others give up?paladin3030 wrote:When is Gargoyle going to learn not to mess with the Bat?
I have a ST/EVA x-over?paladin3030 wrote:By the way when are you going to start working on that ST/EVA crossover that you started?
I kid, I kid.
I'll get around to it one of these days. For the moment, my sole fanfics are this and The Best of Both Worlds.
And for another batch of fanart, a Lord Gargoyle vs. Batman teaser poster for my Justice League/Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water crossover:
Batman/Lord Gargoyle
(Neo-Atlantis never saw it coming... )
Batman/Lord Gargoyle
(Neo-Atlantis never saw it coming...
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Shroom Man 777
- FUCKING DICK-STABBER!
- Posts: 21222
- Joined: 2003-05-11 08:39am
- Location: Bleeding breasts and stabbing dicks since 2003
- Contact:
This is awesome. Batman just never stops kicking ass. He goes from this island and uses his bat-boot to cave in the buttox of some evil megalomaniac atlantian, then goes to a submarine and, while running away, uses his bat-boot to stomp a mudhole into said megalomaniac's volcano island lair, hence nuking it in the process! Batman just kicks ass.
"DO YOU WORSHIP HOMOSEXUALS?" - Curtis Saxton (source)shroom is a lovely boy and i wont hear a bad word against him - LUSY-CHAN!
Shit! Man, I didn't think of that! It took Shroom to properly interpret the screams of dying people
- PeZookShroom, I read out the stuff you write about us. You are an endless supply of morale down here. :p - an OWS street medic
Pink Sugar Heart Attack!