22nd September 2013
15:39 GMT -5
"…for Justice League members, A is for support staff and other people who aren't League members but need access, B is for members of the original training team -hello!- who were being mentored by a Justice League member.
"
Argent nods while looking around the Mount Justice training area. "So we're… D. Why aren't we A?"
"Because you're only getting access while you're being trained, and it's access to and from places you need to get between for that training.
"
She frowns. "How come?!"
"Security. The Justice League members who oversaw the first class had known most of us for years, and were spending a lot of time around the rest. The chance of any of us being spies or plants was near zero. We haven't done that with you. We can't, it's not practical.
"
"I'd go to a Justice League summer camp."
"Maybe next year. So unless you want to undergo some extremely invasive and unpleasant telepathic and magical probes, it's going to be school-use only.
"
"Ah, pass. Can we get promoted?"
"I don't see any reason why not. But-.
" Ooh, that's an idea. I grin evilly.
"Who wants homework?
"
The Face frowns. "You mean, you want us to stop two muggings? I'm already getting paid to do that."
"No, nothing so easy. You see, the Justice League doesn't actually have a stated recruitment policy. The way you get onto the Justice League is, step one, be a superhero, step two, get a recommendation from an existing member and step three, don't get vetoed by any of the existing members.
"
Argent looks confused. "That's it?"
"What did you
think is was?
"
"I thought they'd be recruiting… The
best, you know? The ones with the most power, the smartest, the ones who do the most good-"
"Recognized, Green Arrow, zero eight."
"-or with the best arrest record-."
Oliver strolls out of the aperture, waving his right hand and smiling at the new kids. "Hey there! Orange Lantern not being too rough on you?"
The Face looks confused. "Ah. No-? Sir?"
"Green Arrow's fine-." He spots how Argent's looking at him and glancing at me. "Okay, my ears are burning. What were you guys talking about?"
"Justice League recruitment.
"
He smiles, nodding knowingly. "O
ooh."
"I was just about to give out today's homework-.
"
"On the first day? Come on, Orange Lantern, don't be such a hard ass."
"I'll have you know, my arse is perfect in form and function.
"
He snorts quietly. "Was it about the League's hiring practices?"
I look at Argent, who hesitates.
"Argent, Green Arrow has excellent comportment and is extremely approachable. If he hasn't taken offence to
me by now he's unlikely to anything you're likely to say.
"
"I wouldn't say I haven't taken
some offence, but… Argent, was it?" She nods. "He's got a point. How bad can it be?"
"Is the Justice League's recruitment policy you just have to know the right people?"
"Ah… It helps. But… If you're gunna be fighting for your life next to someone, I'd say it's more important that they're someone you trust than that they're someone who the spreadsheet says is ideal for the role."
I nod, shrugging.
"Unless you wanna
live or something…
"
He gives me a little side-eye. "And that's doubly true if you're gunna trust them with private information, like your real name and home address. So what's the homework? No." He holds up his right hand. "Lemme guess. You're gunna have them look over your ideas for League expansion so you can get independent feedback."
"Yes. Ah. How did you work that out?
"
"Orange, you put together a computer game company because you wanted people to check your work in Vega.
And, you asked Hawkman about Thanagar."
I nod, and fabricate a copy of each of my plans for both of them.
"Read through these and be prepared to discuss them next week. Green Arrow will take you to your first group tutorial.
"
Oliver heads deeper into the Mountain while motioning for them to follow him. "I'll show you where the lockers are, too, so you've got somewhere to put those pamphlets…"
Alright, I need to check on the Hub City-.
"Recognized, B One Six, Arsenal, D Zero Two, Kid Devil, D Zero Three,
Aztek."
I raise my right hand in greeting.
"Arsenal.
"
He nods back, helmet attached to his power armour's waist. "Hey. How was training?"
"We're feeling out what Argent can do, and Face had a bit of a breakthrough with his metahuman ability. You?
"
"Kid Devil got a lotta use out of the healing ray." Kid Devil -who
had been staring wide-eyed at everything- cringes sheepishly. "Turns out that stunt fighting doesn't translate into
actual fighting."
"I'll work on it, sir!"
"Aztek just needs to learn Justice League protocols and she's good to go."
Aztek stands proud. "I have dedicated my life to being ready. I look forward to surpassing your requirements."
"Good show. Um. I wanted to ask. I had contact with a lot of parallel universe versions of myself a while back, and some of them shared their databases with me. Adjusting for event timelines, I was expecting the current Aztek to be a man named Uno?
" She twitches slightly, giving me her completely undivided attention.
"Is that not how things worked out here?
"
"Uno was my predecessor and, briefly, my teacher. He died during his attempt to kill Bruno Mannheim."
"Yes, there was a reason why the League tried to avoid Mannheim whenever possible. It's a shame that he didn't try to coordinate with us.
"
"My predecessor was not unaffected by the Anti-Life. He came to believe that Mannheim was Tezcatlipoca, the ultimate enemy of our lineage."
I shake my head.
"That's what the… Society? Trains you for, isn't it?
"
Her eyes flick to Roy before returning to me, and she gives me a stiff nod.
"No, definitely not Mannheim. He wasn't even the ultimate source of the Anti-Life. Remind me, is it
literally Tezcatlipoca you're preparing to fight, or is it a being that your forebears
identified with Tezcatlipoca?
"
The mask does a good job of hiding the upper part of her face, and -surprise surprise- I can't scan through it. But there's a definite pause.
"The prophecies are imprecise. If they were not, Uno would not have attacked Mannheim."
"Ah. Well, when the lecture's over, come and talk to me. I think I can clear that up for you.
"
