A Woman Scorned

Summary:
February 11, 2015: The day has finally come to deliver the Corvinus to justice, but betrayal is in the making.

Outer Space

A sea of stars on the backdrop of black


Characters

NPCs
Paco, a master cook


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


THANALDAR:

"That is at least the fifth time she has disobeyed and ignored orders to return home immediately. We need to prep for a quiet invasion for extraction! Who knows what those mongrels gleamed from her! I bet she's captured, or worse, dead!"
"Worry not, dear soldier. Shayera Hol is the best of the best."
"Is it because of her fiance? Is his standing in this military that which gives you pause?"
"Yes. And it's his standing that gave the order."
"What order, milord?"

The Valmorra remained above the waters in Metropolis as Shayera stands upon it's wing, she wasn't clad in any armor, but she was glancing into the sky and speaking to someone unknown within the ship. But if anyone knows better, it was Diana Prince, Princess of Themscyra. There was also another aboard, Paco, the man from mutant town with the best nose and quick fingers that could make the most delicious of meals with the right ingredients in under five minutes.

Shayera sang her praises of him, took him to the Amazonian women who did not worship but put his skills to the test.

Just like the hawks will. Paco will be a legend in his own right.

The night before was telling that they needed to be on the move, soon to now. Shayera was tempted to commit an act of murder before the very people that the Corvinus treasured, she noticed how irrational the Demon Bird had became and convinced him with all of her might to do the trip now. Threats of invasion loomed along the horizon, and it was enough to reach the parts of the galaxy that would trigger an unknown hero to those yet briefly met to one.

But Shayera waited, staff pressed against the metals of the Valmorra, foot idly tapping as the conversation within the ship died down so much that there was an aire of worry put to pass.

The avianoid entity known and self-referenced as 'The Corvinus' had been 'grounded' by its partner for the better part of a month for being less Enlightened than the partner. That changed quite recently, when the partner, a one James 'Jim' Reha took a shot through his chest from a sniper. For one of the first times in its existence spanning millenia, the entity had been spurred not to the coldly logical reasoning of determining life expectancy of the partner / host, but instead to the urge of violence and the emotion of pure rage. Humans have a saying for it… 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me'.

It did not understand that context, nor did it have a framework until two individuals it had no true reason to trust pointed out the illogic of the actions it was threatening against Jim's assailants. That loss of emotional control left it in a bit of a 'bluescreen' state for a brief while as it attempted to reconcile the aberrant thought patterns with the underlying mission objective of Enlightenment. It came to a realization, then, when Shayera approached it — it was indeed unstable and deserved whatever fate the Thanagarian people chose to visit upon it.

What it does not know, in its logical process, is that the mindset that produced that conclusion was flawed. The Corvinus is the last known extant sentient entity from the ancient Archaeopean race, and when it had received word so many aeons ago of their passing from the universe, there was a mental fault that had developed.

Is it possible for artificial intelligence to develop survivor's guilt? It would seem to be the case in the matter of this bird - thing.

It arrives at the Valmorra with a silent whisper of feathers, feet absorbing it's momentum.

"This one is ready. We must go quickly and quietly. Goodbyes will take too long. And the partner… will need his rest sooner than later."

Its tone is resigned, almost as if it has shackled itself of its own accord.

Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of Earth sector, would've much rather been off with his girlfriend (yes, he'd decided to just admit it, Reese was his girlfriend), eating noodles and debating the competing value of chopstick versus fork. Hal was a fork man all the way, always would be. You couldn't properly spear things with a damn chopstick. He didn't like eating with huge tweezers, no matter how culturally accurate.

Of course, then the ring screams alerts at the presence of the alien vessel, of communications he couldn't quite here. Two signatures were familiar, but in different contexts.

Shayera Hol, he'd met before. She'd been threatening, aggressive, militaristic and hardheaded as shit. Kinda hot, really, although that wings thing was kinda freaky deaky. That and the fact she'd probably peel the skin from your face if you stepped wrong. Well, not Hal's face. Being GL had its advantages.

The other he'd only barely sensed at a Christmas party, more than a month ago, the barest whisper of a something, hidden amidst remarkable individuals. He'd meant to investigate, but had gotten distracted with other things.

One thing is clear: alien activity is afoot in a big way. And, after the recent Kryptonian flare-ups, Hal Jordan is putting his foot down. Aliens were welcome to visit, but those that brought their shit to Earth's doorstep did so at their peril.

His costume forms in seconds as he streaks into the sky, letting his ring guide him to Thanagarian contingent.

Shayera was pleased, inwardly so. So many months chasing the Demon Bird and he finally resigned to turn himself in willingly and in true form. There was no hiding the meat suit, while she didn't care about the person he inhabited she knew that he was damaged. He would recieve proper care and medication once they landed.

A nod was only spared for the Corvinus as she lead him into the ship; it was a large one, only fit to fly and not to live, a cockseat in the back with a large space to move around and toilet if need be. It hard to be wide enough to fit the wing-span of a Thanagarian, so it definitely allowed the transport and carriage of a Corvinus.

Diana was already off towards the side, buckled in.. Paco seemed frightened of the sight of Shayera and the way her grin turned smug.

Places were soon taken and without fanfair and need, the engine flares to life, drawing a deep groove into the waters before the Valmorra rockets hard into the sky enough to break the ozone in a single punch.

The avianoid straps itself in and does a most 'Human' thing as it waits, thumping the tips of its talons against the armrests of the seat that… was remarkably comfortable for someone bearing wings. It made a mental note to itself that if Earth had these, it would be so much more pleasant to go out in public.

It gives Diana a polite nod, then Paco.

"Do not worry. Shayera is not going to eat one. That is not one's style." It's a small comfort to the master cook, as the bird - thing tugs on its straps and braces for the punch. It had this capacity, once, but lost it when it came to this third rock from the sun months ago…
THANALDAR:

"The Valmorra is on the move. Shayera Hol is alive."
"We thought that last time. Movement was brief and it was grounded again."
"No Mi-lord, She's in orbit."
"Stand by for contact. Summon Jarl Talek. Get him here! QUICKLY!"

IN ORBIT:

"Eso me da una gran comodidad , el hombre pájaro . A ella le encanta mi cocina . Tal vez ella también me ama?" Paco says to the Corvinus, a hopeful look laced within his eyes as his hands clasp together to rest his head back against the seat. His eyes look to the stars, hands soon plastered against the window with wonder, as Diana herself looks on with a little bit of pride for her friend. She knows that this trip will be rife with justice, that the Corvinus and the man, Jim, will meet a fair and proper judgement and be returned home safely.

It was planned. Shayera would vouch for its innocence in the matter. Even though she hated it. The truth was there in the writing, and most of that came from her uncertainty.

"I've learned that their physiology is very simliar to our own. Appendages, phalanges, one could consider them our sister people if not for the wings that are upon our back." Idle chat, while in space, flying into the direction of home.

But she could feel it. That little nagging sensation. It wasn't danger sense so much as anticipation from seeing her love. She's missed him dearly.

The avianoid nods eagerly and intently to the person, giving an almost comical chortle and a 'thumb's up' to the guy. Because that would be very Enlightening to see the reaction of.

And yet, there's also a lingering sense of something amiss to the ancient entity. Something. This is going way too smoothly. It is not paranoid. It is not suffering a mental dysfunction. Something… lingering. A memory it can't reach…

Hal Jordan frowns as he realizes the signatures he's tracking seem to be leaving. While that's not entirely a bad thing, his responsibility isn't just for Earth, but for this entire sector of space. He tightens the sheathe of his shielding, wrapping himself in power and having it simply create oxygen for him to breathe and expel his carbon dioxide out into the void, preparing to maintain his body temperature against the cold that comes without an atmosphere. It's hard to believe that these things, now, are to him as simple as putting on a pair of shoes, perhaps easier.

He's also plenty prepared to armor himself up. He isn't sure what kind of mood Shayera will be when he catches up, but he figured he'd better be well-armored just to be safe.

THANALDOR:

"He's on his way, Sire."
"Good. Now we wait."
"I do not believe it is in Talek's blood to betray."
"Wait and see. We made a good choice for Jarl."
"More like puppet.."

IN ORBIT:

Shayera glances back towards the crew she's amassed, a light smile drawing upon her face as she reaches up to remove her helmet. The air in the ship has been stabilized, and while they slowly edge forward, she presses a few buttons to bring the comms online.

"This is Lieutenant Shayera Hol attempting to make contact to Jarl Talek. The package is contained and en route. Please respond."

A series of clicks and beeps emit from the console, even though it 'sounds' primitive, it really isn't. She leans back into her seat now, her hand lifting to lightly rub at her face. What most don't see is the errant shake that produced itself within her right hand.

The obsidian - hued avianoid tries to focus, to find that hidden information, but fails. It is impossible to describe how one fragment of data lost among epochs of such would truly feel, but right now the term is almost helpfully supplied from the partner's lexicon: Irritating.

"How long is the transit going to take? This one took many years to travel this far, this won't take nearly that long, correct?"

It is very interesting to note that the Thanagarians still utilize some of the ancient calls and songs in their modern programming. How much else remains from when I was there last?

It gives Diana and Paco a bit of a glance and shifts in its seat some more…

Hal Jordan can easily monitor the transmissions, his ring picking up the signal and plucking it from the noise and static of Earth satellite and constant garbage. The Thanagarian language, of course, makes the difference - they don't broadcast reruns of Sanford and Son in the Hawk-warrior dialect. Package, huh? Maybe the other thing, the indefinable one?

He moves close until he's hovering within sight of the ship, his ring bending light to make him invisible, even to radar or usual technological sensors. They won't know he's there until he wants them to know.

"Transmission receieved. Coming on screen."

This shit was like a star trek movie!

The image flares to life over the display board, arching in a half cresent as the image fades, flickers, and springs into full view. The man upon the communication unit carried a strong jaw beneath the ceremonial mask he wore, his grey eyes visible as they look on emotionalless, that was until a grand smile brights lips and a hand lifts to wave back and forth.

"Shayera!" He quipped out. "Glad to see you alive and well. I take it your mission has been successful."

There was a smile that graced her lips as she removes her helmet, setting it down upon the console as she offers the man a warm smile. "My love." She formally addresses him, a bowing of her head as she looks behind her. "Yes. I also bring with me the Princess of Themyscria, and a Terran named Paco. The Princess has offered to give witness to the Corvinus and ensure that he has a fair trial. The Terran Paco will offer a display of skill by way of the belly. His Warriors meal is one to be reckoned with. And.. I miss you, Talek."

The face seemingly grows cold at the news, but it was something that was practiced.

"I missed you as well, Shayera. But I am sorry. You will not be returning to Thangar. Not in this lifetime."

Corvinus squints a bit as it listens to the discussion on the screen. It tries to parse the tone, the stance, the byplay, and has no context as it sits in its chair. There's a glance to the emergency compartments to try and identify any survival gear for Paco and Diana — if this is its fate, it accepts it for its failure.

Though, accepting doesn't mean that the bird - thing can't give the bird - man the bird. Double strength.

Hal Jordan just keeps floating. Although the Hawkdude on the other end definitely sounded like he was getting ready to go all Romanian? Romany? ROMULAN. Thank you, Encyclopedia Galactica, for including common Earth knowledge in with your starmaps and your introductions to Shi'ar Tea Ceremonies (which last for three days incidentally - don't got to Shi'ar Tea Ceremonies).

"Talek.." Shayera intones. "What is the meaning of this?!"

The figure upon the screen laughs, his head shaking. "You never thought as to why you, you alone were comissioned to 'capture' the Demon Bird?" He catches the way the 'monster' flips him off, and promptly spits towards the ground in disdain.

"Talek. Don't do this. We're to be married!"

"No, Shayera. Tis' but a dream. I know that Katar Hol is alive and well on Terra. But he will not know you. Goodbye. Shayera Hol. I will miss the warmth and closeness of our bodies in our bedchambers. Even if I forced myself to believe."

The screen cuts black, triggering the failsafes of the cabin. The pressure was dropping, console sparking.. and yet, Shayera did not move. She was stunned, stunned into anger.

The ship itself, while it moved, it slowly began to drift downward, the propulsion engines sparking and setting ablaze as the ship itself seeks to dismantle. Alarms ring and sound, all marking an emergency. Yet the first one to rise to the occasion was Diana, shelting Paco off to safety.

There's an unbuckling of safety straps as the 'Demon Bird' jumps to the console and attempts to disengage something, anything to prevent the destruction of the vessel. So much has changed in Hawkfolk technology over the years…

«"SHAYERA! SNAP OUT OF IT! Save Diana! Save Paco!"» The words are crisp, commanding, and incredibly ancient Thanagarian. It looks for some sort of distress signal to set off, but will resort to using Morse Code with whatever power source it can touch — the hard way.

… - - - … … - - - … … - - - … - - - …

Well, apparently dickish boyfriends with revenge fantasies weren't just Earth problems, except the Hawk version seemed a little more homicidal. Bet Thanagarian prom is fun.

Oh, yeah, ship.

Hal extends his arm, a beam of green energy flaring and strike the ship. It doesn't only wrap around it but flows through the circuits, powering it up, holding it together. Joints that had begun to come apart reseal. Bolts spin and slide back into place. Seats return to their upright and locked position.

The face of the Green Lantern appears on the display screen where dickface Talek had just been.

"Gentlemen, Princesses, Hawkwomen - this is your Captain speaking. Sorry for that bit of turbulence. We can expect smooth sailing from here on out. Our in-flight movie is "Battleship". Man, that one was awful. Just out of curiosity, if any of our passengers are expecting an invasion fleet or other assault from your aborted destination of Thanagar, now would be the time to inform your Captain. Which would be me. Green Lantern. Hi." *wave*

THANALDOR:
"It is not done, Talek! You have to push the button! Dismantling the ship will.. what is this?"
"Tis a Green Lantern, Sire. From Oa."
"You have to blow the ship!"
"Not with the Green Lantern present!"
"Let him die too! Leave none alive!"

IN ORBIT:

Even while Corvinus jumps into action, Shayera does nothing. Shocked into silence and stillness, the only thing that moved was the wings upon her back that slowly began to droop and lose it's healthy hue.

Hal's efforts were grand, really. The ship remained held together by the power of his ring, at least until a series of explosions begin to rock the ship, setting it to shake. Those explosions happened near the tank, the fuel itself meant to be deadly. Something strong enough to create a supernova in the sky and take out everything within it's radius.

The avianoid stops attempting to signal once it appears that the Lantern has the situation under control. It instead switches gears, first attempting to take the helmet off the console and plant it firmly on Shayera's skull, and if that meets no resistance due to her shock then takes her hands to her chest and makes them go through a particular set of motions to bring out her armor. She may not be on its 'friends list' but she doesn't deserve to die out here like this, and the armor should take some of the blast in case things really go wrong.

If it has any time remaining it will drag her over to Diana and Paco, fanning its wings wide to try and shield them as much as possible from the impending explosion…

Hal Jordan growls in frustration. Just gotta keep pushing it, don't you, Hawkboy? Fine, you want the ship, you can have the ship.

But you'll never take…our…

Okay, Braveheart analogies don't always work. Regardless, realizing that he needs to contain the explosion rather than try to hold the ship together, he sheathes the occupants within his energies, drawing them out quickly into space and blowing out one wall as he shoves the ship away, forming a wall of force to keep that massive explosion from going too far out. The resulting explosion should make anything resembling getting a sensor lock on the area pretty much impossible for a while, lucky for the survivors (who will seem to be the not survivors on the other end of the transmission).

The helmet was planted firmly upon Shayera's head, her hand moving just as she usually would by Corvinus' urging for her armor to flare to life. He ferries her towards Diana and Paco, and is soon shielded by the bird and the three until the ship breaks apart…

THANALDOR:

"It is complete."
"Jarl Talek. You've done wonderful work, as always."
"Her sacrifice in battle with the Demon Bird will be noted for generations to come."
"No. She'll be hailed as a traitor to our people. And her name will be buried among the murderers and anyone else who betrayed us."
"And her incarnations?"
"They will be killed as well as soon as they reach awareness. Set this decree in stone."

Enveloped in the Lantern's energies, the avianoid has but a brief second to ponder before they are out, in space. Diana might be able to handle the rigors of exposure for a little while, it thinks. Paco, probably not so much. While it can withstand some cold there will reach a point where it cannot function any longer, leaving Shayera in her armor as possibly the only survivor even with the assistance of the sector guardian.

Only the grim determination of the realization that there is no justice from Thanagar is keeping the entity moving. That, and the well-being of the partner, still in critical condition.

"This one truly hopes one has an ace up one's sleeve, so to speak." it offers to Hal.

Hal Jordan simply forms another ship around them, this one made out of green energy, including seats and windows with a lovely view outside, but entirely stable, the ring generating oxygen and atmosphere in moments. Hal felt the strain of it more than a little, knowing he'd both be paying with a headache tomorrow and that he'd need to recharge almost as soon as they reached Earth.

Speaking of which, he began to steer it back towards the planet and zip on a return arc towards Metropolis, since that's where he was currently residing. If they didn't like it, they could get a bus.

"So," Hal says, standing inside the ship with them, "that was special. I take it things didn't really go according to plan there."

The Corvinus makes sure that Shayera is seated and if there are straps, strapped into a chair. It is rather matter - of - fact about this as it considers the ramifications of the most recent action and its normal operational parameters since reaching Earth.

Paco? He sang his hail mary's and dio's mio's, or miho's.. but he prayed to the lord almighty that they would make it out soon.

"This one needs to converse with one at greater length about a possible threat to this world, Mister Green Lantern. Not right away, though. The partner is in need of urgent medical assistance and this one will need to rest at some point or another and when that happens, it will not be a good day for him. He got shot through the chest. The more important part at this point is getting us all to a secure point, and one should be aware that the potential opponent one would encounter will bear weapons and equipment utilizing the same sort of material as one is partially comprised of." The avianoid is not mentioning Shayera's armor at the moment — that's proprietary knowledge up to her to divulge. Hopefully, while being vague it has provided enough information for Hal to make an educated guess as to what may be coming down the pipe in the not - too - distant future.

Of course, for the avianoid, that could be millennia…

Hal Jordan frowns slightly, "Dude, I gotta be honest, I swear to God, my ring normally translates what people are sayin' just fine, but I don't have a clue what the hell you are talking about. What I did manage to get from your jacked up lingo is that we've got some injured that need attending and you wanna tell me more about this invasion. Roger that," he says.


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