SRD and Tea

Summary:
January 5, 2015: Rowan tells Babs about a SRD raid he's seen on the the way to visit Babs.

Clocktower

Oracles homebase, the clocktower in Gotham city.


Characters

NPCs

  • None

Mood Music:
[*<http://insert.video.or.music.link.here>]


It's about 9am and Babs has been up for a couple of hours, showered, actually eaten breakfast and is currently relaxing in the small lounge area in her personal apartment. The feeds from the monitoring area are directed to her tablet and the redhead is taking a bit of time for herself, listening to music and reading a book, before heading upstairs to do some work.

***

Rowan rings the buzzer. He's whistling and seems to be a bit paler than usual, which is a good sign he's been flying. He has to call Air to do that. There's something different about this from the usual stopover though. He seems… not worried, but somewhat puzzled. As if working on a problem that was deviling him.

***

Babs checks the tablet to see who's buzzing and smiles as she opens the door and elevator for the Blue Warrior. "It's all open Rowan," she speaks through the Intercom. She's noted the paleness and the puzzled look and puts her book to the side as she waits for him to come up.

***

By he time Rowan comes up he's his usual color. He flashes Babs a smile and comes to sit down next to her. "Good morning." He says. "I thought I'd bring you some pasteries. There's a bakery down the street that I've been smelling for a while and I thought we should both try it."

***

"It's a nice surprise to see you so early and pastries sound great." Babs smiles back watching the Blue Warrior carefully. "Was it just pastries that bought you this way?"

***

"Well…" Rowan scratches his neck. "No. I wanted to try the pasteries and that was it at first but on the way…" He frowns. "I saw the 'SRD' in action. They were raiding a metahuman compound in Gotham. I'm… not sure why, but the people they pulled out were not fighters." That had been on the news. 'Cult' type activity. It had been dangerous but last report the ATF had been on the case not the SRD.

***

Babs stills at Rowans words and looks at him carefully. "You saw a raid… when? and why do you say it was SRD?" she shakes her head slightly "Maybe you should start from the beginning… I'll make some tea….."

***

"I was flying over the city. I had meant to land a block away or so and walk on in but I saw unusual air traffic below me. So I landed early, a mile or so back and walked in for a closer look. There were helicopters and armored vehicles with the markings 'SRD' on them. I hadn't heard of them before so I used the psi- er, sorry, Internet to find out." Which explains how Rowan knew what they were. "They had attacked a building and were hauling out men, women and children. I was unsure why but the sight made me… most unsettled."

***

"In Gotham, in the last hour or so?" Babs was going to make tea but now reaches for her tablet and starts filtering through her alerts. Nothing. "Which way did you come in Rowan… I'm sorry… this could be really important. This is what I was warned about when…" she shudders "he stopped me that day."

Blinking slightly, Babs slows herself down and looks back to Rowan "Unsettled, that's an unusual word to use. Want to talk about it?"

***

"Er, down on fourth, south of here. About three miles or so…" Rowan shakes his head. "It just… reminded me of something I'd see back on my earth. Something the Overlords would do…"

***

Babs moves back towards Rowan, tea making forgotten, and puts a hand on his arm and nods slowly "Yes, I can imagine it would seem like that" and honestly she can see how this might seem like the same thing. "I just need to check some things and then I can focus more on you… OK" she says quietly.

With her free hand, Babs pulls up the video feeds for the area Rowans mentioned on her tabs and taps into the stored data and finds the event that he witnessed. The footage is stored on her systems and a message sent off to Batman. "This is bad I think Rowan, really bad… " the redhead murmurs.

***

The event's all there as he described. Ten minutes and they were gone. It ended before Rowan arrived. The news reportes that Vecinni Antonovich was the leader of a doomsday cult of minor metahumans that had threatened to mass suicide his followers. They'd been in a standoff with GCPD and ATF for a while but this morning the SRD took over.

***

There's little Babs can do at this point. She really needs to speak to Batman and the Bats about it. It seems as bad as The Joker made out.

Looking at Rowan, the redhead shakes her head "Thank you for telling me… did you want to discuss the uneasiness?"

***

"I just wondered. I know things are different in this place. That it's not all… bad even if it looks that way. I just wanted to know if it made you feel the same way or…" Rowan gestures uncertainly. "If you could explain it to me."

***

Babs nods and holds out a hand "Right now, yes, it disturbs me greatly and it will disturb a number of others too." the redhead shakes her head "It's ok to feel as you do… it's like the thin edge of the wedge as I see it. And no" she blows out a breath "I really can't explain it, I simply do not understand."

***

Rowan leans forward and takes that hand. "I see. Then it's bad?" He sighs and scoots a bit forward. "I do, I think." It's something Rowan understands all too well>

***

Babs smiles sadly and looks up at the Blue Warrior "I think it's bad… I need to find out more." Information is like Babs currency, she can go on gut feel, but needs it confirmed before she'll commit to anything "You think you understand? Then try to explain it to me, please" the words are barely audible as she sighs.

***

"Power." Rowan shakes his head. "When people use force in ways they shouldn't, whatever the specifics of the reason, it's always about power. Power to do or prevent or force some kind of change. Whatever the agenda, I promise you someone is trying to change the balance of power."

***

Shrugging Babs feels a shiver run through her "It's always like that in Gotham, the power struggle … but this is a much bigger and wider scale than has been seen before." and Oracles seen a lot.

***

"Is there any way I can help?" Even if it's just to be someone to talk to Rowan's really hopes that there's something, anything he can do. Even though he knows it's not likely to be much.

***

"Apart from help me make tea, eat the pastries you've bought and just be here? No… not right now, Rowan. But when I've looked into it a bit more, I'm sure you'll be able to help." Or Oracle will call on him at any rate. Babs squeezes the Blue Warriors hand and smiles softly.

***

Rowan smiles back and nods. "I'll heat the water." He says standing. "What would you like today?"

Rowan moves to the kitchen and starts the water boiling as he opens the tea cabinet. "I'm sorry to, er, bring the mood down."

***

Babs laughs as she follows him to the Kitchen "I said help, not do… but surprise me, you've bought some really good blends to share over the time we've known each other."

His last statement is met with a soft snort "Don't do that, you didn't and you've give valuable information in doing so."

***

"Mmmmmm. How about some green today?" Rowan pours and starts to brew. "Mmmm. Well I'm glad it's valuable." He glances down. "Can you get the information to people who can help?"

***

Babs nods "Green is fine and the information is valuable." At his glance she nods again "I believe so, the vigilantes, um Champions, we discussed before… even if people think they're make believe or something… they have ways to get information to them." Even if that means that the Gotham Information Goddess is sitting right in front of him.

Babs blinks a little "Were you really coming to see me this early? I'm quite honoured if that's the case" she murmurs.

***

"I was." He smiles. "I um…" Rowan blushes a little and looks down at the floor with a smile as he hands over Babs' cup of tea. "I heard that the bakery made goods that were best consumed early in the day. When fresh."

***

Accepting the cup of tea from The Blue, the blush has Babs intrigued "Rowan? I love that you come to visit, why on earth are you blushing?"

***

"I um… sorry. I brought them mostly because I figured you like them. And I've really enjoyed that you like the things I bring." Rowan thinks it's a bit silly and maybe it is, but he really enjoys being around Babs and doubly so when she's happy.

***

"Come, sit…" Babs is clearly bemused by the response "Was it so different in your version of Earth?" The redhead slides the pastries towards her and tears open the paperbag, offering the Blue his choice before she takes one. Offering a hand to the Dragon Warrior again, she cants her head "There's nothing to be embarrassed or worried about what you do and feel… and if it helps, I really like it and feel the same."

***

Rowan chuckles a little. "I never really had the opportunity for anything like this. Sorry if I'm a little new at it all. I am glad you feel the same though."

***

"An opportunity to have a friend, Rowan?" Babs speaks softly, working through what the Blue is really thinking.

***

Rowan shakes his head. "Friends I had but always soldiers like me. And you're different. Mmmm… It's… I'm your friend but I enjoy being around you more than I have other friends. Does that make sense?" The Blue cants his head. He's not sure he is making any sense at all.

***

It sort of makes sense. Babs is a solitary person and there's only a few who have got close to, particularly since the accident. Those that are close are really family. Nightwing might have expressed an interest in more… but that was not a good experience for Babs at all.

"Well, I'm not a soldier" the redhead smiles as she takes a pastry "Is it perhaps that simple? That I don't remind you what you are, were and lost?"

***

Rowan nods slowly. "That may be it." To be honest to Rowan it doesn't particularly matter why it feels this way. He enjoys coming over to visit Babs, Babs seems to also enjoy that, so he comes over. So long as she doesn't object he'll continue to do that. "And I'm starting to think that what I lost and what I gained in coming over was a good deal for me… still miss my family but…"

***

Babs smiles at those words and laughs a little "Well I'm glad to be even a small part of that Rowan. And missing family, I would hope that you did, it's what gives us compassion. I know I've gained by meeting you." Babs leans forwards and gives the Blue Warrior a hug and a quick kiss to the cheek.

***

Rowan blushes a bit more though Babs… may not have to wonder at that. He does hug her back though. "And I you." The Dragon Warrior gives Babs a tight squeeze before letting her go.

His grin returns, easy and gentle. "Why do you think I come by so often?"

***

"You like tea and wanted to know about us surfacers?" For a while now, Babs might have hoped it was different but… she wasn't willing to entertain the thought, she needed encouragement.

***

"Well yes, and yes." Rowan laughs softly. "But I do genuinely enjoy your company Babs. And I like knowing that you're safe and well and happy as is possible. I like it… perhaps not more than other friends that I've made, but differently."

***

"I'll accept different. I can look after myself, but it's nice to know that there's someone else to rely on. It's the same for me, with you though I know you can more than look after yourself." Babs holds her hands out with a smile.

***

Rowan takes it and laces his fingers with hers. "More or less." He chuckles wryly. "Have you seen the trouble I get into sometimes?" She has, though he doesn't know it. It's a small joke, though, because he's told her. "I'm glad you're happy, Babs. And I'm glad I get to see you like this."

***

"So you've told me and I've patched you up at least once" Babs smiles as their fingers lace "I think we could agree that we both make each happy, regardless of what else is happening in our lives." The ghost of a smile twists the redhead lips "What should we do, knowing that is the case then?"

***

A ghost of a smirk creeps into Rowan's smile. Good natured like much else about the Blue. "Continue enjoying one another's company. And perhaps arrage some time to do so in other settings? Been a close to a week since New Years. Perhaps taking a meal together out somewhere nice would be good?" He suggests.


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