Justice League #30
“Diversion in the Deep”

By Kasz and Lightshear



The large, exhuberant crowd of women applauded enthusiastically as the cameras turned back to the stage and the show resumed taping. Still chuckling from a joke her guest told during commercial, Oprah Winfrey smiled as she reintroduced the man on the opposite couch and continued their interview.

“So then, Mr. Lex Luthor - Mr. Metropolis' Favorite Son - we've been talking a lot about your City of Tomorrow project, but I understand you've had some trouble, too.”

“Yes, it's true," Lex said, sighing heavily as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "It would seem that cold fusion is every bit as tricky as they say. There is a reason it remains largely theoretical. But I remain convinced, power fluctuations aside, that it is possible.”

"Is it dangerous?" she asked, watching his mood intently. She was a master of reading people, and was trying to discern just what was going on inside his head.

"No, not at all. Only financially, and that's only an issue for me personally."

"Yes, you've financed this project almost entirely out of your own pocket. People with a lot more money than you would have run screaming from a project like this."

"I can afford any setback," he assured her. "If more people with my resources were willing to risk it all to make our world better, everything would change overnight. No financial setback is large enough to scare me away from that world, where people don't have to look to the stars for help, but can find all they need within their own community."

“But level with me, Lex," Oprah smiled slyly. "Just how much of a setback is this? The City of Tomorrow is largely about endless, virtually free energy - without your reactor, the project is at a standstill, right? Just this morning, the New York Times ran a story about all the backers you're losing over this. That's got to cost you some time.”

“Not quite, Oprah," Lex grinned back as if waiting for that question. "This country has been very good to me. Better than I deserve. And I believe so much in the City of Tomorrow that I'm willing to stake everything I have on its success. Everything. Any financial support that gets pulled from this project will be replaced by LexCorp funds. And I will personally match any new dollars that come in for the City of Tomorrow project from my own pocket.”

“That's amazing," Oprah said as her audience broke into applause. "Really, truly it is, but can even you afford that? Shares of LexCorp are being affected by--”

“The value of stock on Wall Street doesn't mean anything to the people on Main Street," Lex interrupted passionately. "When aliens invaded our world over a personal grudge with the Justice League, nearly destroying our civilization, I put everything I had into the reconstruction. And though it nearly bankrupted me, the end result paid tremendous dividends. I found that every penny I spent came back tenfold, and investments I made in America brought me more than I had to begin with.

"Now, I mean to do that again, and if it means liquidating my holdings, so be it. I've already divested myself of holdings in ChemFox Labs and Preston Genetics even as they turned record profits last quarter. I don't want to bore your audience with numbers, but I want people to know how dedicated I am, and how much this means to me.”

“It means even more to the poor, the jobless, and the homeless that you'll be giving a fresh start to. My foundation raised several million dollars for the project, and I'm donating $200 million more.”

“And I will match it," Lex laughed as the audience applauded. "People like you are an inspiration for me, Oprah. And to all of us, am I right?”

Oprah had to pause for the cheering to die down enough to be heard. “Well, a phone number is scrolling under the screen right now where you can donate to the City of Tomorrow project and help bring a new start to the people who need it most. If we can make this happen, there's no telling what tomorrow could look like for all of us!”

"This was only ever intended to be the beginning, Oprah. I want the world to see what's possible, and then bring those possibilities to every corner of the globe."

“Now, I have to ask you something, and you know where I’m going here,” she said, shifting topics. “You’ve been really critical of the supers, particularly the Justice League. Do you see a place for superhumans in the future you want to build?”

“I have been critical, yes, but not without reason,” Lex said carefully. “The Invasion changed everything. We can’t ignore the fact that it was Superman Darkseid was after, and the so-called superheroes of the old Justice League that were nowhere to be found while the real heroes of the United States Armed Forces, the police, the firefighters, who fought and died to protect our cities. Only the International League - a UN Sanctioned force - stayed to free our people from Darkseid’s men. Where was the old League when the Siege Towers were brought down?

“It’s past time we started asking these questions. We know they keep secrets, with their outer space headquarters, looking down on us ‘mere mortals,’ thinking they’re doing it for our own good. But I think we can determine for ourselves what’s in our best interest. Take the revelations of the Gorilla City - a whole city-state of super-intelligent apes in sub-Saharan Africa that the old League knew about for years but never revealed. Their technology is highly advanced, and we know their society created the monstrous Gorilla Grodd. Can we truly trust these creatures? A dialogue should have been opened long ago, but they were kept secret from us.

“Now, I’m sure the old League thought that we couldn’t handle this discovery. After all, how long did they keep the existence of Atlantis and Thymescira secret before they joined the international community? But if we want to get things done as a global society, we can’t have a small group of self-elected people deciding what we can and can’t know about. Instead of having the benefit of the technology of Gorilla City to defend ourselves during the Invasion, we were on our own. Aquaman is King of Atlantis, but none of his people came to our aid. Wonder Woman is princess of the Amazons, but they stayed on their island paradise. Superman, the Martian Manhunter-- when will we stop trusting Aliens for our defense and learn to stand for ourselves?”
________________________________________

On the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, the domed city of Poseidonis, one of the three provinces of Atlantis, glowed brightly. More than a year and a half after the Manta War, the glorious city beneath the sea was still rebuilding, but its majesty was restored. As the League was preparing to journey outside the oxygen bubbles that comprised the domes, they were in awe of the beauty of this world, a part of ours and yet so unknown and strange.

“Thanks again for helping me out with this situation, Diana,” Aquaman said to Wonder Woman, resting a hand on her shoulder. They smiled together, and she was happy to see it. It hadn’t been long ago that she didn’t know if he would ever smile again.

“It is nothing, Orin,” she said, placing a hand over his and gently squeezing. She always called him by his Atlantean name - it only seemed natural for her. “The rest of the League and I are here to help.”

It made Aquaman happy to have the Justice League back in Atlantis again, to see how his kingdom had been revitalized and restored. He was disappointed that most of his friends who fought by his side during the Manta War weren’t with them now - Hal was off in space with the Green Lantern Corps, and Barry… Barry was gone. Atom had been too busy with his research, and personal matters with his wife, to come on the mission, so that meant it was just Aquaman and Green Arrow of the original four who stood against Manta and saved Atlantis, even though none of them could save his Queen - his beloved wife, and their unborn son.

“You’re one of us, pal,” Green Arrow said eyeing his crossbow-like harpoon gun as he stretched in his Atlantean wet-suit. “The League sticks together. You oughtta know that, by now.” Aquaman had commissioned the suits made for his Justice League allies, and they resembled their usual uniforms, but would protect them against the pressures of the deep. Ollie was grateful, but he never could stand crossbows.

The Atlantean King hadn’t been sure what they would be facing, but reports had been coming in steadily of attacks by monsters on outlying farmland. Their defensive patrols had turned up nothing, and small search teams had gone missing, so he called on the Justice League to help him get to the root of the problem.

“I am sensing great fury ahead,” J’Onn J’Onzz said. The large Martian needed no suit to survive the depths - he was more than strong enough on his own, and the temperatures of the ocean were nothing compared to the vacuum of space. Aquaman was glad that he had returned to the League after his long absence, though the green-skinned gentle soul remained torn about his role on Earth. “These violent impulses are so strong-- nearly overwhelming. They seem almost mindless… They appear to be the ones that have been attacking your underwater farmers. They are about… 200 yards ahead.”

“It is unfortunate that Green Lantern or Superman could not have come,” Red Tornado noted calmly. “They would be more maneuverable in this terrain then most of our team, and their power sets would have increased our probability of success by a factor of 23.372.”

“Kyle’s having some personal problems,” Ollie said, holstering his crossbow and stealing glances at the way the shiny black material of Black Canary’s wetsuit clung to her form. “The kid just needs some time to clear his head and get right again.”

“And my Cuz’ seemed pretty upset after our last mission,” Power Girl said of Superman. “So ‘Clark Kent’ is busy trying to see what he can do about our public relations problems, and maybe drum up some support for Freedom Beast’s movement.”

“I still don’t get why we can’t use a ship,” Black Canary said, drawing her hair up on her head to get her helmet on and secured, glancing aside and watching Green Arrow pretend not to watch her. It brought a small smile to her face that she quickly forced back down.

“Whatever is doing this has been able to avoid Atlantean patrol ships,” Wonder Woman said. “We think they are hypersensitive to the ripples they make in the current, so a small group of swimmers is more likely to be able to catch them.”

“If everyone’s ready,” Aquaman said, nodding as the team gave the all-go signal. “Then let’s get out there.”
________________________________________

They’d been going for a long time. The wetsuits had special packs that drew water in and blew it out to propel the non-fliers through the water at better speeds and with less exertion than swimming the whole way. Aquaman had been ready to turn back when J’Onn picked up a sudden flash of anger. Homing in, Aquaman felt pain and fear from several of his subjects. Increasing their speed, they crossed over a trench and witnessed a brutal sight ahead.

“What are those things?” Black Canary asked, watching a pack of large, monstrous creatures feeding on a group of bizarre deep-water fish in the distance.

“The prey are part of my kingdom,” Aquaman said, his eyes narrowing darkly. “Don’t let their looks fool you - what is unusual on the surface is common in my world. But the others-- the hunters-- they are abominations. I can’t read their emotions, but I can feel that they originated, at least in part, from the oceans. Now… now they are something else entirely.”

“I cannot match their physiology with any known species,” Red Tornado commented. “They are almost certainly the creatures responsible for the attacks against Atlantean farmers.”

“Well, when we get done with ‘em, their mothers won’t recognize them either!” Power Girl said.

The monsters suddenly diverted their attention and swam towards the Justice League. As they got closer, Green Arrow drew his crossbow and shook his head.

“I don’t know what kinda circuits you’ve got in that data-brain of yours, Reddy,” he said. “But those things are pretty obvious to me!”

“Sharks,” Black Canary said. “And they’re coming right for us!”
________________________________________


The Justice League:

E Icn Wonder Woman - 109
R Starro Aquaman - 70
R Or Martian Manhunter - 114
V CJ Green Arrow - 50
R CJ Black Canary - 21
E Red Tornado - 53
E Power Girl - 105

Total: 522

VS

Sharkmen:

E King Shark - 100
E King Shark - 100
E King Shark - 100
E King Shark - 100
U Captain Mako - 52
U Captain Mako - 52

Total: 504

MAP: Players’ Choice

Battlefield Condition: Atlantis Attacks

Init: 9
Obj: 5

...and unless I misunderstand the BFC, 'Atlantis Attacks' means the whole map is water terrain, right? So does that mean that my Aquaman gets all his fancy bonuses for being in water?

I believe you would. If not... lets just say you do anyway... since it's supposed to be the water.

Thanks! This is probably the first Aquaman that I really like as Aquaman, and not just a neat dial with an Aquaman sculpt on it. I'm glad I'll get to really take him for a spin.

Hey Shear, if you need still need help, I'm man for taking up the reigns of this version of Jaws from Hell!

Initiative: (5,5) for a 10

Objects: (5,5) for a 10

Alright, I'll pick the Danger Room map as suitably open underwater terrain then

Let me know which side you want and set-up and we can get going!

I've got the bottom. Thanks for the game, Mel! You're swinging a lot of toughness and BCF over there, and I've got a shiny new Aquaman to try out. Let's rock and roll!

The Justice League:

E Icn Wonder Woman (9/9) W12
R Starro Aquaman (7/7) W13
R Or Martian Manhunter (8/8) W14
V CJ Green Arrow (6/6) W11
R CJ Black Canary (5/5) W10
E Red Tornado (6/6) X12
E Power Girl (8/8) X14

VS

Sharkmen:

1) E King Shark (8/8)
2) E King Shark (8/8)
3) E King Shark (8/8)
4) E King Shark (8/8)
5) U Captain Mako (6/6)
6) U Captain Mako (6/6)

HO: Q11
LO: O12, L14

Hey Shear, sorry about the delay there. Let's see some blood in the water!

Sharkmen: Set-up



The Justice League:

E Icn Wonder Woman (9/9) W12
R Starro Aquaman (7/7) W13
R Or Martian Manhunter (8/8) W14
V CJ Green Arrow (6/6) W11
R CJ Black Canary (5/5) W10
E Red Tornado (6/6) X12
E Power Girl (8/8) X14

VS

Sharkmen:

1) E King Shark (8/8) B11
2) E King Shark (8/8) B12
3) E King Shark (8/8) B13
4) E King Shark (8/8) B14
5) U Captain Mako (6/6) B10
6) U Captain Mako (6/6) B15

HO: Q11, D5, D20
LO: O12, L14, C5

Sharkmen: Turn 1

Even in the icy depths of the ocean, the cold menace and chilling determination of the strange creatures was palpable as they sliced through the water like torpedoes homing in on their prey.

The dim light from the diving lamps reflected off the razored teeth and claws of the rapidly closing monsters, and the heroes instinctly knew that they were facing foes to whom the notion of mercy was as alien as a vegetarian diet. Before this was done, there would be blood in the water!


1) Sharkman nr. 1 moves to J14

2) Sharkman nr. 2 moves to J8

3) Sharkman nr. 3 moves to J9

4) Sharkman nr. 4 moves to J15

5) Sharkman nr. 6 moves to I15

(Since we're a tad over 500 points I'm not sure if I get a 6th action or not. If I do, would you please move Sharkman nr. 5 to I9 for me?)

The Justice League:

E Icn Wonder Woman (9/9) W12
R Starro Aquaman (7/7) W13
R Or Martian Manhunter (8/8) W14
V CJ Green Arrow (6/6) W11
R CJ Black Canary (5/5) W10
E Red Tornado (6/6) X12
E Power Girl (8/8) X14

VS

Sharkmen:

1) E King Shark (8/8) J14 @
2) E King Shark (8/8) J8 @
3) E King Shark (8/8) J9 @
4) E King Shark (8/8) J15 @
5) U Captain Mako (6/6) B10
6) U Captain Mako (6/6) I15 @

HO: Q11, D5, D20
LO: O12, L14, C5

Wow… couldn’t have made those objects any less accessible, could ya?! And we’re at 6 actions indeed, so you’re Mako is moved.
__________________________

"Move in quickly, but stay alert," Aquaman ordered, darting ahead alongside Wonder Woman. "We don't know what these things are capable of - but whatever they are, they're abominations not of my kingdom. Put them out of their misery."

"Tough talk, yer Highness," Power Girl smirked, keeping pace with the leaders. "Maybe they aren't real fishes, but they're obviously relations. You sure about max force?"

Aquaman looked at her with deadly seriousness. "Confirmed," he said. "These things shouldn't be. Put them down, but save some for whatever made them. That man is going to suffer."

"You heard the man," Green Arrow said. "Reddy - get me out there."

Red Tornado moved the archer through the water on a rush of air. Using the bubbling froth as cover, he raised his crossbow and fired off a quarrel. It lodged firmly in one of the shark-men, though it didn't seem to slow it down.

"Got some nice kick," Arrow nodded appreciatively. Looking on, he saw the red mist of the creature's blood beginning to drive it and those closest to it into a blood-frenzy. "Course, it could have done with a little more penetration power..."

_________________________

Turn 1 (Player 2)

1) Wonder Woman picks up Aquaman and flies to R12, setting Aquaman in R11.

2) Power Girl to Q10.

3) Manhunter to W13.

4) Red Tornado TK’s Green Arrow to Q5.

5) GA shoots Shark #2; rolls a 7 (5,2) for an 18/hit and 2 clicks after toughness. 1 IAP to Tornado for the assist.

Recap:

The Justice League:

[] E Icn Wonder Woman (9/9) R12 @
[] R Starro Aquaman (7/7) R11
[] R Or Martian Manhunter (8/8) W13 @
[2] V CJ Green Arrow (6/6) Q5 @
[] R CJ Black Canary (5/5) W10
[1] E Red Tornado (6/6) X12 @
[] E Power Girl (8/8) Q10 @

VS

Sharkmen:

1) E King Shark (8/8) J14 @
2) E King Shark (6/8) J8 @
3) E King Shark (8/8) J9 @
4) E King Shark (8/8) J15 @
5) U Captain Mako (6/6) I9 @
6) U Captain Mako (6/6) I15 @

HO: Q11, D5, D20
LO: O12, L14, C5

For some strange reason, I felt I might be happier with those objects out of the way in this fight

And thanks for fixing Makos' placement.
__________________________

The scent of blood in the water, even their own, pushed the abominable creatures beyond any fragment of sense or reason they might have contained. They halted their rapid advance and thrashed wildly amongst themselves in their mad bloodlust.

Could anything survive within reach of that almost primal fury, that veritable maelstrom of teeth and claws? The Justice League would have to find out...

_________________

Sharkmen: Turn 2

The sharkmen thrash about wildly in their bloodthirst and stops dead in their tracks for the moment (they all clear)

Recap:

The Justice League:

[] E Icn Wonder Woman (9/9) R12 @
[] R Starro Aquaman (7/7) R11
[] R Or Martian Manhunter (8/8) W13 @
[2] V CJ Green Arrow (6/6) Q5 @
[] R CJ Black Canary (5/5) W10
[1] E Red Tornado (6/6) X12 @
[] E Power Girl (8/8) Q10 @

VS

Sharkmen:

1) E King Shark (8/8) J14
2) E King Shark (6/8) J8
3) E King Shark (8/8) J9
4) E King Shark (8/8) J15
5) U Captain Mako (6/6) I9
6) U Captain Mako (6/6) I15

HO: Q11, D5, D20
LO: O12, L14, C5

Turn 2 (Player 2)

Methinks I'll clear as well. I'm going out of town this weekend, first for Thanksgiving and then to the Mid-Ohio Comic Convention. I'll have a wi-fi capable laptop with me, but there's no telling how often I'll get a signal, so I'll probably be spotty starting tomorrow until Monday.

Thanks in advance for your patience

Recap:

The Justice League:

[] E Icn Wonder Woman (9/9) R12
[] R Starro Aquaman (7/7) R11
[] R Or Martian Manhunter (8/8) W13
[2] V CJ Green Arrow (6/6) Q5
[] R CJ Black Canary (5/5) W10
[1] E Red Tornado (6/6) X12
[] E Power Girl (8/8) Q10

VS

Sharkmen:

1) E King Shark (8/8) J14
2) E King Shark (6/8) J8
3) E King Shark (8/8) J9
4) E King Shark (8/8) J15
5) U Captain Mako (6/6) I9
6) U Captain Mako (6/6) I15

HO: Q11, D5, D20
LO: O12, L14, C5

I'm back, Melkhor-- wanna play?

Sorry 'Shear, I just forgot all about our little game here. I'll get a turn for you right away!

Sharkmen: Turn 3

Like living torpedoes the monstrous shark-beasts surged through the waters, heading directly towards Green Arrow who suddenly found himself surrounded by menacingly circling beasts drawing closer and closer...

The other part of the group veered to the side to close with Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Power Girl. It was obvious to all that blood would taint the waters in a matter of seconds, the real question was, could the League prevail against this bestial threat?


1) Sharkman nr. 2 moves to Q4

2) Sharkman nr. 3 moves to P5

3) Sharkman nr. 5 moves to Q6

4) Sharkman nr. 1 moves to P12

5) Sharkman nr. 4 moves to O10

6) Sharkman nr. 6 moves to P13

Recap:

The Justice League:

[] E Icn Wonder Woman (9/9) R12
[] R Starro Aquaman (7/7) R11
[] R Or Martian Manhunter (8/8) W13
[2] V CJ Green Arrow (6/6) Q5
[] R CJ Black Canary (5/5) W10
[1] E Red Tornado (6/6) X12
[] E Power Girl (8/8) Q10

VS

Sharkmen:

1) E King Shark (8/8) P12 @
2) E King Shark (6/8) Q4 @
3) E King Shark (8/8) P5 @
4) E King Shark (8/8) O10 @
5) U Captain Mako (6/6) Q6 @
6) U Captain Mako (6/6) P13 @

HO: Q11, D5, D20
LO: O12, L14, C5