DCU: Blacklist

[FTR2017]

Lmao, two crooks are salty that they got played, a traitor got shot for betraying her fellow citizens, and Miles is now preparing a party in Bumfuck Island, located in Nowhere Sea.

Makes one wonder just how will Deathstroke track him down ... will he pay out of pocket for a magician to track down Raven's spell?

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Saethyr]

The creature is actually peaceful; it is as much a victim as your missing people are. I wish to set it free if possible, not murder it,

Click to shrink...

I'm sorry, what? Starro is peaceful? Starro the Conqueror?
The megalomaniacal supervillain starfish bent on conquering the galaxy?

 

[Samael61]

Starro? Peaceful? lol.

Click to shrink...

The one in Suicide Squad is. He was just traveling the stars when US astronauts nabbed him for experimentations.

 

[G1 Convoy]

TFTC.

Starro? Peaceful? lol.

Click to shrink...

I mean, its epiteth in the comics is 'The Conquerer', so you're not wrong. However, in the DCAU, I think it's primary motivation was just getting back home, so maybe this one is more benign too.

 

[Mastersgt]

The one in Suicide Squad is. He was just traveling the stars when US astronauts nabbed him for experimentations.

Click to shrink...

TFTC.

I mean, its epiteth in the comics is 'The Conquerer', so you're not wrong. However, in the DCAU, I think it's primary motivation was just getting back home, so maybe this one is more benign too.

Click to shrink...

Don't think I have heard of a Starro that is not evil, but that is because all the smaller ones are clones of the big one, connected via a Hivemind IIRC.
But there are ones of the same species that are not evil, apparently. Not Starro, but there is Jarro and others. At least that what I got from a quick google search.

 

[Samael61]

Hello one and all.

Due to a combination of writer's block, flu and me getting distracted, I wasn't able to write properly this week. Unfortunately, that means no updates this week. I am truly sorry about this and hope to see you all next week.

Until then.

 

[ChickenZero]

S'fine man we chill. Just get better. If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything.


View: https://youtu.be/fUKO_Y6RqEk?si=AH9sAleXBJHvPTHK

 

[G1 Convoy]

No problem. I hope you feel better & get over your writers block.

 

[Samael61]

Thank you all for your well wishes. I am much better now. The rest has helped me clear my mind and I am happy to be back. I am glad to have readers like you with me. Enjoy the chapter.

—
​

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

To the attention of the readers who enjoy reading an intelligent main character like Miles will definitely like my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Metropolis

EnviroCorps Primary Research Center

Today was the day.

The teleportation pads would be tested, and Miles wanted to be there.

"Sir, we are about to begin. Would you like to do the honors?" the lead researcher, Doctor Charles Bennett, offered.

"I would be delighted," he said.

On the screen, a lab rat was placed in a glass box, all the way at Jump City. The research team, on the other hand, gave the go-ahead, and the process started.

"Coordinates locked, coils ready, all readings within expected parameters," Chief Researcher Mra Hedat said.

"Sir, you can press this button when ready," Dr. Bennett informed.

Miles nodded and pressed the indicated button. The glass box on the screen disappeared in a blue flash and reappeared on the pad. The control team approached the rat, scanning it along with the glass.

"It's clear; no side effects from the teleportation," one of the researchers declared, and the laboratory exploded into cheers.

He let the mood calm down naturally, feeling quite giddy himself.

"You all have done monumental work here, and in lieu of that, I believe three salaries' worth of a bonus is in order," he said.

It was the least he could do.

—
​

The researchers were celebrating, though further tests would be conducted. For now, the teleportation was a success.

Which meant he could be ready to turn the Herrera family's annual gathering into a grand display of fireworks.

The gear was already transported to the island, equipping the two thousand-strong force Armando had gathered across multiple villages. The armors had aim assist, among many other improvements, and his men would be seeded around their forces to command them.

He did not want to use Raven to smuggle weapons to insurgents, but her portals were the cleanest and cheapest method for transport. He did make sure she was compensated properly.

His men were reconnoitering the island, marking high-value targets to hit.

Teleporting explosives did cause them to explode after arrival, which was exactly what he wanted for now. It would have to be fixed, but later.

The staff was given a three-day break to rest, and the entire complex was left to him and his forces.

His mercenary outfit had one week to sabotage their targets.

—
​

October 14

Corto Maltese

Herrera Estate

"Today is another grand day for all of us," Anastasio said, raising his champagne glass. "We will…" His speech was interrupted when a blue flash appeared over the dining table.

The next thing he saw was an orange glow, and everything faded to darkness.

—
​

"Confirmed, the Herrera estate is annihilated. I repeat, the Herrera estate is gone with everyone inside," Sergeant Buckwell reported following the explosion that left a crater where the Herrera family's house stood. "Proceed."

With his confirmation, the operation could begin.

—
​

Armando's freedom fighters started their insurgency by targeting the nearest military outpost to the village. With their superior equipment and the advice of the experienced commanders, the small base did not stand a chance.

When half their forces fell in the blink of an eye, the rest of the soldiers surrendered.

In the interest of creating a stable and legitimate government, the soldiers would be taken as prisoners.

The base was raided for supplies and vehicles in a quick order, and the insurgents pushed forward.

Across the island there was one strategic point they had to capture to largely succeed.

Valle Del Mar, the capital city and the seat of the now dead government, was also the place where the military forces were amassed. The outposts across the island were mere stepping stones to keep their backs clear.

—
​

Armando's fighters rolled into the outskirts of the city uninterrupted. His men were jamming the individual outposts to keep them from contacting the main forces at the city. With the sudden deaths of almost every general, the armed forces were caught with their figurative pants down.

They attempted to retaliate, but his men had made great use of teleportation during the last week.

General Mateo Calderon could not contact his superiors for the last twenty-four hours and had taken command when the insurgents appeared on the edge of the city.

He ordered all available forces to move out to counter the enemy.

When the first tank engine had turned on, there was an explosion. The armored barracks were reduced to smoldering ruins, burying the tanks underneath.

The same happened to the APCs, helicopters, artillery, and multiple rocket launchers. Left with nothing but infantry and transport trucks, General Mateo ordered what men he could command to ride out.

It did not end well.

The plasma rifles tore through the rugged, outdated M-35 trucks and M-151 jeeps before the armed forces could even get into firing range.

The high heat ignited the gas tanks, causing some of the vehicles to explode.

Miles would have laughed like a Saturday cartoon villain at the ease of this insurgency.

Once inside the city, the insurgents targeted the government buildings. Local law enforcement, nowhere near armed enough to resist them, surrendered to save their lives.

Most of the outposts were taken out, but those that were not surrendered, declaring their loyalty to the new rulers within hours.

A ragtag of loyalists attempted to rally their forces, but the citizens of Valle Del Mar were in the streets, celebrating the death of the Herrera family and the end of their tyrannical regime.

They were lynched by the mobs, breaking the final point of resistance.

It took two days for the Herrera dictatorship to fall and the declaration of a new government promising freedom, democracy, and prosperity.

—
​

Watchtower

October 16

The Justice League members were summoned to the Watchtower for an emergency session by Miles.

"I'll keep this brief," he said, clicking the button on the remote. The screen turned on, displaying the image of an island.

"This island nation is Corto Maltese. Until two days ago, it was ruled by the Herrera family with an iron fist. The Freedom Movement, led by Armando Joaquin, took the Herrera family and the armed forces of Corto Maltese out in a blitzkrieg," he briefed, with the images switching to relevant ones as he spoke.

"This is Jotunheim, a scientific research facility created by the Nazis, and then it saw heavy use by the US government for highly dangerous research and experiments," he said.

"Oh boy," Green Lantern groaned, crossing his arms. He knew where this was going.

"Their latest project is this," he continued, pressing the button to display Starro with all its girth.

Some members turned to Flash, remembering his comment weeks earlier, but the speedster raised his hands. "I swear I was joking about the alien starfish."

"This is Starro, a sapient starfish discovered by the US astronauts in 1990 and then taken down to Earth for research. It did not agree to it," he said, playing the gruesome video recording.

"Mind control?" Batman asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes."

"For the last thirteen years, it has been experimented on by the US government organization, Cadmus, to replicate its mind control abilities," he added, and the screen once again showed Jotunheim, but it got worse.

Political prisoners, dissidents, and everyone imprisoned by the Herrera government, including children, were strapped to chairs, with Starro's spores stuck to their faces.

Some other images included the aftermath of the spore removal, leaving behind roughly X-shaped deep and bloody wounds that left nothing of their faces.

The League fell silent again at the gruesome images. Though, at the rate they were squeezing it, the table would not stand for much longer.

"Armando Joaquin," Miles continued, playing a short recording of the man at a press conference, "as the interim prime minister, requested the Justice League's intervention to solve the issue of Starro without a breakout resulting in the deaths of thousands."

Batman, who had been fiddling with his console, displayed some images of his own. "How did Armando acquire such high-tech gear?"

Miles had made sure the advanced gear was not displayed anywhere, and it was almost scary how fast the Dark Knight could be sometimes.

"Lex Luthor was smuggling those weapons to Bialya in a humanitarian aid ship, but they were stolen mid-transit. Armando Joaquin came to acquire them after that," he explained without showing any images.

It is not necessary for now.

"Could Luthor be trying to acquire Starro?" Superman asked. His concern was valid, but Cadmus had enough common sense to not inform Luthor of Starro's existence.

"Unlikely," he said, shaking his head.

The screen switched to an image of an African woman,shaking hands with Luthor, "This is Amanda Waller, head of Cadmus, and the woman the US government goes to for matters they don't want the public to know."

"Cadmus cooperates with Lex Luthor on a regular basis. If he knew about Starro, he would have traded something for it," he explained.

He switched back to Armando's image. "Corto Maltese is not a signatory to the accords, but since the new prime minister made a request, it gives us the opportunity to intervene before Cadmus sends a cleanup team to kill everyone and bury the whole matter."

"What about Starro? You said it's sapient," J'onn queried. He did not know what to do with a creature that had caused so much pain and suffering, only because it was used as a tool by humans.

"Sapient and peaceful, a creature that was happily floating in outer space before it made the mistake of coming too close to Earth. I believe it can be reasoned with and returned to the void, far away from our star system," he said. Starro was a victim too, and if it hadn't gone mad yet, a chance for a peaceful resolution existed.

If not, it would have to be destroyed, with not even a single cell left behind.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Superman asked rhetorically, "Let's go get this done."

The team walked out to the Javelin bay, but Batman stopped right in front of Miles after everyone left.

"Who stole Luthor's shipment?" he grunted out.

"I did," Miles admitted.

"Why?" Batman asked.

Miles handed him a datapad containing information that he didn't show to the rest of the League. Batman scanned through it, nodded, handed the datapad back, and moved to join the team.

—
​

Corto Maltese

Jotunheim

The Justice League arrived over Jotunheim in perfect unison and landed near the military forces waiting outside. Superman approached the new head of the armed forces, General Emiliano.

"Thank you for coming," General Emiliano said. In truth, he was no general and would resign as soon as possible, but for now, appearances mattered more.

"Our pleasure to help, general. What is the situation?" Superman asked. He was itching to get in that base and have a talk with the monsters responsible for this.

"We called them to surrender, but they refused," Emiliano explained. "An attack could release the beast. There are around two hundred hostiles inside, all armed."

"I understand; please stay back," Superman requested. He took off, floating in front of the base.

"Attention! Soldiers and researchers inside. You are expected to surrender immediately. You will not be harmed; I repeat, you will not be harmed," he called out.

The answer was a sniper round that flattened on his forehead.

"Alright, if that's how you guys want to play," Superman grunted. He was actually hoping that they would refuse.

"Green Lantern, go and secure Starro," Batman ordered, quickly formulating a plan. "Tornado, Torpedo, and Inferno, target the spores; you are the only ones immune to them," he said, and the androids nodded, moving out first.

"The rest of us will neutralize the soldiers inside," the Dark Knight said.

—
​

Superman flew through the thick concrete wall, slamming a soldier aside. The bullets peppered on his skin, as useless as always, and he clapped his hands.

The shockwave left cracks across the walls, ceiling, and ground and knocked out the soldiers in the corridor.

Wonder Woman followed the lead, coming through another section of the wall. She took the rifle from one soldier, kicking him away. Throwing the weapon to the sole soldier on her left, she grasped the arm of the one on her right. Using him as a projectile, she knocked two men out.

Having left the soldiers to his teammates, Batman moved in the cover of the shadows to find Gaius Grieves.

Listening to the door of the subbasement laboratory, he counted three people inside. Opening the door slightly, he tossed a smoke bomb inside, waiting for it to go off. The soldiers inside shouted in surprise and kicked the door open this time.

Moving low and fast, he avoided the blind shots. Spinning counterclockwise, his kick slammed one of the soldiers to the ground, hard. Diving left and then right to dodge more bullets, he pushed the rifle up, ejecting the magazine in the blink of an eye.

The final bullet left the chamber, hitting the ceiling, but the soldier kept pulling the trigger. Seeing it was useless, he reached for his sidearm, dropping the rifle, but a right hook broke his jaw, sending him down to join his comrade.

From the black smoke, two white eyes were the last things Thinker saw.

—
​

John pushed a group of soldiers to the wall, approaching the giant cell that kept Starro locked up.

He almost whistled at the size of it.

"I am Green Lantern of Sector 2184," John declared. "I am here to free and return you to the stars if you cooperate," he called out. He was not sure the creature would even listen to a human after years in captivity but had to try.

"You are here to free me?" Starro asked in a soft and uncertain voice, almost childlike, belying its immense size.

"Yes," he said, throat suddenly dry, "if you cooperate."

"I know your kind," it said unexpectedly. "What must I do?"

"Call your spores back, and if you cannot, neutralize them. After that, I will take you out of here in a bubble and away to an uninhabited star system," he described.

"Yes," it merely said.

"Guys, Starro is cooperating. I am taking him out of here, watch out for the spores," he informed the team. It was best to be cautious under the current circumstances, no matter how cooperative Starro appeared to be.

"Understood, be careful, Lantern."

—
​

Extracting Starro, with its immense size, required them to tear open a hole to the surface. The team quickly moved the prisoners out, while Batman took everything on the databases.

The androids gathered the spores and samples across the facility, joined by the rest of the team once they all stopped exhibiting any life signs. Corpses of the deceased, at least those that were not destroyed to prevent any biohazards, would have to be burned for the same reason.

The soldiers and the researchers, except Thinker, were handed over to the new Corto Maltese forces.

Green Lantern was given the go-ahead, and a green beam tore through the ground, bringing down Jotunheim. Before the dust settled, he was flying to space, with Starro pulled behind, surrounded by a bubble.

---

Notes: I skipped the insurgency part quickly since it wasn't that relevant to the story. With so many high technology options available, it was bound to be a short one anyway.

—
​

In the next chapter:
Starro had been left in a star system far from any civilization. There, it could float in a vacuum without the fear of being abducted and experimented on.

"What is the government's reaction?" Superman asked. His voice was flat, shoulders slumped, and face blank.

The League was still reeling from the mess in Corto Maltese.

Miles pressed a button.

Two images, one of the President of the United States and the other of the head of Cadmus, Amanda Waller, and the recording played.



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[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter