BROKEN GROUND by BILLA1

Disclaimer: The Characters Batman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Superman and Flash their respective secret identities are all owned by DC Comics. This story is intended for my own pleasure and is not for profit. It has been posted to this site for others to read. Places and characters not own by DC Comics are my own creation. This story is based on characters from The Justice League Unlimited Animated Series. Thanks to Merlin Missy for her beta on this story. This story is a sequel to "Crystal Clarity." For JLA

Broken Ground

Rating: (PG-13)

Synopsis: The Green Lantern meets an old friend of Shayera Hol in the Omega quadrant. Alternate Universe.

And the water was closing all around like a glove

Like the love that had finally, finally found me

Then I knew in the crystalline knowledge of you.

Drove me through the mountains

Through the crystal-like and clear water fountain

Drove me like a magnet to the sea. -S. Nicks -Crystal

(Now. Seven months after the death of Solomon Grundy at the hands of Shayera Hol)

(The Watchtower)

"She's on her way up now," the voice on the commlink said.

"Thanks," John Stewart answered back. He stood in front of the transporter pad and waited. A few seconds later he watched as Shayera Hol and Elongated Man materialized in front of him. She looked surprised to see to him.

He waited for them to step off the transporter pads before he approached. "How'd it go?" he asked her. Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man, answered up before she could say anything. "Went really well, Green Lantern." Shayera glared at Ralph who suddenly looked like a man who had a brick fall on his foot. Actually, it was Shayera's mace that hit Ralph's foot - accidentally she would later claim.

Stewart flashed his hand in front of Shayera's face, signaling her not to say anything and he heard her do something he hadn't heard her do in years. She growled.

"Glad it went so well, Stretch," he said looking at the man's pained face. "I have to talk to Shayera for a moment. I'm sure you won't mind filling out the after action reports. Thanks."

"Wait a damn minute, John," she fumed. "This was my mission! First one I've been the lead on since I came back. I'm responsible for filling out the reports."

"You don't have the time. You have another mission."

"What mission?" The tone of her voice was pointed.

"You and me. We have another mission."

"You and me?" She looked down and then glanced back at Stewart. "I didn't think J'onn would..." She paused, glaring at him. "Is this on the level?"

Stewart nodded his head.

"Dammit." She turned to Ralph who had brought his foot up to his waist and was vigorously massaging it. "Ralph, if you will put some notes together, I'll fill out the report. Sorry about dropping the mace."

Ralph looked at her, then at the Green Lantern. Stewart wasn't sure what Ralph said under his breath, but he finally grunted an acknowledgment and limped away down the hall.

As they watched Ralph limp away, she said quietly, "I am sorry about his foot. But it had to be done." She flashed a quick smile. "What's the assignment?"

"A new Green Lantern is officially taking over sector 872 and we've been invited to the changeover on Jennia." He added before she could say anything. "The President of Jennia has personally invited me and a guest. Since we were there a couple of years ago, I thought you'd like to go back."

"Jennia?" She furrowed her brow and shook her head. "I can't go back to Jennia, John. I promised someone I wouldn't return there." Her eyes narrowed. "Besides this sounds like Lantern business not League business. Why would J'onn assign me to this?"

"J'onn didn't assign you. I asked for you."

She folded her arms across her chest and frowned. "In that case, no, I'm not going. Sorry John." She turned and walked away.

"Okay." He paused for moment and then added. "Oh. How's the leg? You know the one you almost lost on Valada Prime?"

She stopped. He could see her shoulders sag. "It still hurts," she said softly without turning around. "John. That was a long time ago."

She turned around, balled her right hand into a fist and brought it up her lips as she slowly added, "That was another life."

He smiled. "I know."

She suddenly stood straight. "Wait a minute. I never told you about how I injured my leg? How did you know about Valada Prime?"

(Four months after the failed Thanagarian Invasion)

(John Stewart's apartment in Detroit)

He couldn't sleep. This wasn't new. There had been lots of nights since she left that he couldn't sleep.

He lay in his bed, his eyes open, staring at the ceiling in the dark. He stifled a yawn as he listened to sounds of quiet in his apartment. It was snowing outside, heavy at times. But unlike rain, falling snow was silent, not signaling its presence until seen.

Sleepy but not sleepy. Suddenly his ring flashed and vibrated on his finger. He flicked on the light on his night table - the brightness of the light momentary hurting his eyes. He finally yawned, stood up, and formed a uniform on himself. Pointing the ring toward the ceiling, he called out, "Green Lantern of sector 2814 here."

A holographic image formed in front of him. It was Ch'p, the Green Lantern of sector 1014. This furry Green Lantern bore a remarkable resemblance to an Earth chipmunk except he was two feet tall.

"Greetings, Green Lantern," Ch'p said. "One of the residents of Jennia, where I am still temporarily assigned, has requested a private meeting with you. He said to tell you it's important and for your ears only."

Jennia? The second moon of Galtos? I haven't been there since she and I...

"Greetings, Green Lantern," Stewart replied. He then frowned. "Ch'p, it's late here. I don't want to go all the way to Galtos or its moons...any of its moons. Can't you take a message and pass it on later? Or maybe put him on this teleconference and let me talk to him."

Stewart could see Ch'p's fur bristle. "John, I'm not a messenger," he hissed. "The one who wants a meeting is one of the officials here. That's the only reason I passed this on. I told him I would tell you and I've done that. He also said to tell you it concerned a Lieutenant who spoke Jennian and that he was the last Jennian you saw. Now, does that mean anything to you 'cause I am finished passing messages?"

"I'll be there in four hours. Thanks. Stewart out."

When Stewart got to Jennia, he checked in with Ch'p who told him where to find the Jennian who wanted to see him. Ch'p offered to go with him but Stewart told him it was personal business. Very personal.

As he stood outside the registrar's office, he recalled the last time he saw the Jennian, Matuia Ta, who then was the city Administrator. He smiled as he also recalled that Shayera had threatened to kill Ta when they first met in the Administrator's office. She used to threaten to kill a lot of people when she first met them, now that I think about it. But wait. Was she back here? Had she sent word to him via Ta that she wanted to see him? Was that what this was all about?

Stewart entered the building and found the office of the deputy registrar. Deputy? He knocked on the door and entered. Inside the plain windowless office were two desks. Behind one sat a woman whom Stewart thought he recognized as Ta's secretary when he was the city Administrator and behind the other desk sat Ta himself. Wow! How the mighty have fallen.

The woman said something to Ta in Jennian as she stood, walked past Stewart and closed the door behind her. Stewart watched the door close and turned back to face Ta, who did not look up until he heard the door click shut. At the sound, Ta rose, walked past Stewart and locked the door. He turned to Stewart, smiled broadly and stretched out his right tentacle offering it at Stewart's chest.

"How are you, Green Lantern? So glad to see you."

Stewart looked at the offered tentacle but didn't touch it. "You wanted to see me about a lieutenant who spoke Jennian?" he said coldly. His heart raced as he kept his eyes on the purple being in front of him.

Ta looked at his tentacle and withdrew it. "Is it not the custom of your people to seize each other's upper appendage and shake it vigorously? Have I done something to offend you?"

Stewart looked the Jennian in the eye for a moment and then inhaled deeply. He offered the Jennian his hand. Ta smiled as he touched the extended hand with his tentacle and said "Thank you."

Stewart eased his stance as he stood across from Ta. "What was so important you couldn't send me a message via subspace? Why did I have to come here?"

Ta pointed to the chair behind the desk where the woman had sat. "In good time. Please grab that chair and sit. I'm sorry I can't offer you a better chair but as you can see my circumstances have changed since our last meeting."

"So I see," Stewart said as he kept his eyes on Ta and ringed a giant hand that grabbed the chair from behind the other desk and placed it along side Ta's desk.

"Not in front of the desk, huh? What's wrong Green Lantern? Don't you trust me?"

"No," Stewart said as he leaned against the desk he'd just removed the chair from.

Ta rubbed his left tentacle against his long face and smirked. "I see she chose her model wisely. You shouldn't trust me. But if I wanted you dead, you'd be dead now. There's a price on your head, John Stewart, Green Lantern of Earth. You seem to have made a certain high ranking Thanagarian very unhappy."

"And do you have plans to try and collect the bounty?" Stewart said as he stood up straight and held his ring hand ready at his waist.

"No, Green Lantern, I no longer have much love for Thanagarians - particularly that one. There is only one Thanagarian I still care about. But as they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend and all of that. Just be aware there are others on this moon who may try to collect that reward. I offer you my protection while you're here."

Stewart looked around the small office and then back at Ta. He smirked at the Jennian. "Protection? Heh! You, my friend, don't appear to be in a position to protect anyone."

"Yes, it looks that way doesn't it?" Ta said as he sat down. "But looks can be deceiving here on Jennia. For example, do you know how many people saw you walk into this office?"

Without giving it much thought Stewart answered, "I don't know. Three or four I guess."

"Seventeen people saw you walk in and saw Futi, my secretary and bodyguard, walk out. Seventeen spies. Right now, because you're here, half of Jennia is now wondering if the Green Lanterns will take my side in a dispute...any dispute... and the other half are now sure you will because Futi's not here. No, things on Jennia are not like they seem.

"The new government thought I was too closely identified with the old one so they offered me a position as they promised - but as the deputy vote counter." Ta grinned broadly, "Do you know what a deputy vote counter does when there is no election?"

Stewart shook his head. "Not a clue."

Ta frowned. "He plans the overthrow of the people foolish enough to make him a deputy vote counter."

Stewart's jaw dropped.

"Just kidding, Green Lantern, just kidding," Ta said flatly.

Stewart suddenly wasn't sure that he believed that Ta was kidding. In fact he thought at that moment the Jennian was very serious. This man's dangerous.

Ta leaned back in his chair. "So, do you know where she's at?"

Stewart folded his arms across his chest. "Know where who's at?"

A look of anger flashed across Ta's face. "Don't be coy Green Lantern. Your Hawkgirl. Lieutenant Hol. Shayera Hol. Do you know where she's at?"

"Don't you know where she is?" What's his game?

"Do I know?" Ta exclaimed and then abruptly started laughing. "You don't know where's she's at, do you? You thought she was here, didn't you?" Ta stood up and walked over to where Stewart was standing and leaned against the secretary's desk.

"She's not here," Ta sighed as he looked down at the floor. "I thought you might know where she was. Sometimes I think I trained her too well, but apparently you trained her better."

Stewart frowned. "I didn't train her to do anything." I damn sure didn't train her to lie to me.

Ta shook his head. "No friend, you underestimate yourself. Did she tell you she was supposed to kill me when you were both here last because I was a threat to her intelligence mission? Did she tell you that she didn't do it...couldn't do it because of you?" Ta looked Stewart in the face. "No she didn't tell you. She also didn't tell you that I promised to kill her if she came back here either, did she?"

Stewart turned and faced the purple man. Pointing his finger in Ta's face he scowled, "If anything happens to her, I'll..."

Ta raised his right tentacle and pointed it at Stewart. His tone was flat, "Stop Green Lantern. No threats. If she comes back here and I want her dead, she dies. And there's nothing you can do about it. But I don't want her dead and that's the message I want you to pass back to the Lieutenant."

Stewart folded his arms across his chest. "Listen, the Green Lantern Corps is not your personal messenger service." Stewart's eyes narrowed as he hissed, "But if I see her I'll give her your message."

"Personal messenger service?" Ta exclaimed and then abruptly started laughing. "You're the only one she'll trust to deliver my message. That's why I had to see you in person. I couldn't risk sending a subspace message that might be intercepted by our enemies, potentially giving away her position - and mine."

Ta wagged his tentacle in front of Stewart. "You see, Green Lantern you are not the only one with a price on his head. The bounty on her is very large as well. But if ..."

Ta suddenly stopped talking and put his tentacle up to his lips and pointed with his other tentacle at the door. Stewart turned and looked at the door. The doorknob was being turned. Ta moved silently back to his desk, opened a drawer and took out what looked to be a pistol. He pressed a button on the side of his desk. He motioned for Stewart to move to the door as he continued to talk. "Did she tell you that I was with her when she almost lost her leg on Valada Prime or that we spent fourteen hours in bed one time on leave?"

Stewart's eyes momentarily widened and then recovering, he answered, "No." Signaling he was in position with his left hand, he continued, "Tell me about it." Then casting a harsh glance at Ta added, "Particularly the story about the fourteen hours in bed."

Ta pointed his weapon at the door. "Well, Green Lantern, there's nothing to tell. Of course you know that Jennians sleep fourteen hours a day but if I wasn't asleep I'm sure she would have worn me out. NOW!!"

Stewart rapidly turned the handle - unlocking the door - and pulled it open. He formed a giant hand and grabbed the surprised Thanagarian who had been on the other side of the door, pulled him into the room and kicked the door closed.

"Who are you?" Stewart demanded. His green energy hand squeezed the Thanagarian tightly in the air the way someone would hold a bird they didn't want to fly away. The winged man held an energy axe but couldn't move his arms to use the weapon. Not this time.

The prisoner said nothing in response to Stewart's question. Ta approached the struggling man and said something to him in a language Stewart wasn't familiar with. The prisoner suddenly looked frightened.

"He's an assassin," Ta said. "But he wasn't here for you. He was here for me."

Ta spoke to the Thanagarian again but this time the prisoner answered Ta with, "biljat'yimen." Stewart had heard Shayera says those words before and guessed they were an obscenity. His fear was confirmed when Ta walked up to the struggling man and shot him in the foot and again in the wing joint above the man's head. As the winged man screamed in pain, Stewart dropped him to the floor and then yelled at Ta, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm about to hold a conversation with this hakkestran'ge in the only language he understands," Ta yelled back. "Now remove his helmet and hold it."

Stewart rushed over to the wounded man. He quickly examined the wounds noting there was a lot of bone damage to the man's wing and foot. This man wouldn't fly for a while - if ever. Stewart picked up the fallen energy axe and pointed it at Ta. "I won't allow you to kill this man!"

"When the assassin they send for you arrives on your planet," Ta snapped, "you can do with him as you like. And rest assured Talak will send one for you and the Lieutenant. But he didn't send this one. This one was for me and probably was hired by my enemies here. Now remove his helmet." Stewart didn't move. Ta finally added, "I promise you I won't shoot him again. I won't have to.

Stewart hesitated and then removed the moaning Thanagarian's golden helmet. He's just a boy. Ta bent over the prisoner and whispered something in the man's ear. Suddenly, the moans became wails of anguish.

"Now," Ta said to Stewart, "walk to the door like you're going to leave."

Holding the helmet and the axe, Stewart walked away. As he opened the door, the young man started sobbing uncontrollably. Suddenly the prisoner started talking rapidly; Stewart couldn't understand him.

Ta moved over to Stewart and kept his back to the sobbing man and spoke in a whisper. "I told him you were going to leave with his helmet and never return. A Thanagarian is disgraced if someone other than family removes their helmet and doesn't give it back to them."

"They removed Shayera's helmet," Stewart said. "I never thought it meant she was..." He paused. "I guess I don't know what I thought it meant.

"They probably destroyed her helmet," Ta said as he took the axe from Stewart. "Procedure would have been to crush it...so no one could ever wear it again. Then they would have killed her.

Stewart pointed in the direction of the moaning man. "What's he's saying now?"

"Don't look at him. Just look at me! He's begging you not to go and please give him back his helmet. I want you to give me the helmet and leave now," Ta said holding out his tentacle. "It is not safe here for you. Soon all of Jennia will know that a Green Lantern would not allow my assassination." Ta chuckled. "At least that's the way I'm going to tell it."

Stewart's eyes were wary as he gave Ta the helmet and nodded in the direction of the winged man. "What are you going to do with him?"

Ta looked at the Thanagarian and then back at Stewart. "You don't want me to answer that because you already know what I'm going to do ... what I have to do. But there is much this assassin must tell me before I permit him to join his ancestors." He paused. "When you see my young Lieutenant, tell her I will give her sanctuary and protection here if she wants it. Tell her I promise on my Jennian family honor."

Stewart rubbed the back of his neck with his ring hand as he said, "I'll tell her if I see her again."

As Stewart stepped into the hall, he saw Ta's secretary and five other Jennians running down the hallway to the office. Ta stepped aside and let the Jennians enter the office. They closed the door behind them leaving Ta and Stewart standing in the hallway.

"How do you know Talak didn't send him?" Stewart asked, indicating the closed door.

Ta gave Stewart a small smile as he said, "Because the Lieutenant promised me on her family honor that she wouldn't mention me or this planet in her report." He nodded his head rapidly. "I'm positive she kept her word. The Thanagarians are losing the war and their army is in shambles. Lots of them are now showing up as bounty-hunters and hired killers.

"That one in my office is going to find out he didn't get paid enough."

Ta opened his office door, but stopped at the threshold. "I'll share something with you. When the Lieutenant was younger, we were lovers. You may have guessed that. And when she came here she was suppose to kill me. It wasn't the fact that we'd been lovers that stopped her - it was you. I'm alive today because of you. So I'll tell you this: She is a good woman, she's loyal to her friends and she's trustworthy. And if she's not on a mission...if you're not her target, you can believe everything she says."

Stewart said nothing as he glanced at the floor. I love you, John. I never lied about that.

Ta extended his tentacle to Stewart. "I will protect her if she comes here. You can trust me on that."

Stewart extended his hand, touched Ta's tentacle and said, "Yeah. I believe you would." But I'm still telling Ch'p to keep an eye on you, friend. I'm going to keep a good eye on you.

(Now -At the Watchtower Transporter)

She paused and then stared coldly at Stewart. "Of course. Jennia. It had to be Matuia!" Her hand nervously fingered her mace. "Did he tell you why I can't go back?"

Stewart shrugged his shoulders. "Shayera, it's okay. I didn't ask you about your leg to upset you. Ta has promised you safe passage ... on his family honor."

She tilted her head to the side. "On his family honor, huh? What else did Matuia tell you?"

Stewart grinned. "Well if I told you that now we wouldn't have anything to talk about during the trip, would we? Can you be ready to leave in thirty minutes?"

She smirked. "I can be ready. Meet you back here." She started walking down the corridor, stopped, turned and asked Stewart, "How is he doing?"

"Ta? Very well. Spoke to him this morning. We've talked quite a bit over the last eighteen months.

Her eyes widened. "You and Matuia - for eighteen months? I don't know if I like the sound of that!" She smiled weakly. "He's a good man. Probably end up running the place before too long."

Stewart rubbed the back of neck with his ring hand. "You're right about that. He's the President of Jennia."

It was then that Stewart heard something he hadn't heard in a long time:

Shayera's laughter.

END