"Yes Kaldur, right there…" The young Atlantean listened to me and gently lowered the circular contraption similar in many ways to a manhole cover.
In fact, the only difference between them would be their dimensions and functions. The improved and miniaturized Zeta technology was as thick as two of the hole covers pressed together and had little to no engravings on it, just faint lines and depressions.
While Kaldur made his way back to the center of the mission room where the rest of the team was gathered, I looked over to the far side of the large space, opposite where he placed the platform.
"I still can't believe you shrunk the Zeta tubes. Like squeezed all that," said Kid Flash while pointing at the tubes, "..into that," he shifted his index finger to the end of the room opposite to where Kaldur placed the miniature platform.
I followed his gaze to find Mike in all his robot glory lowering the other platform we needed to fully demonstrate what we'd achieved this past few weeks. I gave him a thumbs up to let him know everything was okay and brought my attention back to the watch on my wrist.
"If you can't believe this, you definitely won't believe the other things I'm going to show you guys," I said while my fingers blurred across the blue hologram hovering above my wrist.
The past month had been very fruitful—production and tech advancement wise. I had checked off almost all the points of my todo list and then some.
"So this is the stuff?" Robin asked from his position near the cart carrying the rest of the aids I'd suggested for the Cadmus mission. "The tech you said would help us get Speedy back?"
Sneaky little bugger. If I were anyone else, I'd be wondering how he got so close to me without making a sound.
"Yes. I've already run them through several tests and they work with no issues. I just need to show Batman and the rest of the League so they approve them for use in the field."
"What does this do?" the impulsive red haired sidekick asked while reaching for a silvery blue helm with a design that would scream a single name to anyone with a hint of marvel fiction in their blood.
Smack!
Robin slapped his gloved hand away, unknowingly earning himself a small gift from me.
"Ow! What gives?" the young speedster asked while rubbing his hand.
The Boy Wonder did not sound apologetic at all when he responded. "It's unknown tech, and you were gonna touch it."
KF directed both hands at it before gesturing at his head. "It's a helmet. Logic dictates that for it to do something, it has to go over my—"
"Recognized. Green Arrow 0 8. Red Arrow B 0 4. Batman 0 1. Martian Manhunter 0 7. Red Tornado 1 6. Green Lantern 1 4. Captain Atom 1 2."
By the time the computer was done voicing out the designations, the eponymous heroes had joined us in the center of the mission room.
Clone Speedy, or rather, Red Arrow, as he was going by now, stood by his not-mentor's side with a small but noticeable distance between them.
When you slapped this and how he refused to acknowledge his friends together, not even passing them a glance, you got a picture that conveyed the subtle shifts that had inevitably formed in the various relationships he previously had with them.
In fact, his eyes were fixed squarely on me, the intensity of his gaze probably due to my role in his recent life changing crisis. Not at all ready to open that can of worms, I swept my gaze across the room, making eye contact with everyone present.
"Everyone is here. Normally I'd go ahead and start right away, but I want to introduce you to someone first," I said and waited till I had everyone's attention, which wasn't long.
"This is Mike," I said with a hand gesture to my right, and the towering metal humanoid with glowing blue eyes wearing a plain black shirt and pants waved.
"He's my friend and assistant. He's an artificial intelligence, just like Red Tornado. Without him, I wouldn't have made so much progress in such a short amount of time. Now I know this is a lot, so does anyone have anything to ask?"
There was no question from anyone when I looked around, though I didn't know why I expected anything less now that I thought about it. Batman, Wonder Woman and Manhunter knew about Mike since I told them about him.
It wasn't a stretch to imagine they'd shared this tidbit with their colleagues.
As for the kids, barring Red Arrow, they'd come to discover a lot of things about me this past month, Mike's existence included. Not that I planned to, but there was no way I could have hidden it from them, especially when they came over to the cave to train or while I built him his body.
Overall, this was a huge relief. So with no small amount of excitement and impatience, I went straight ahead and picked up the first exhibit from the cart. I held up the tiny earpiece everyone present should already be familiar with and spoke.
"One of the problems with The Light…" my eyes momentarily flicked over to Red Arrow, "well, being The Light, is their knowledge of the Justice League's many secrets, one of them being the communication frequencies we use. The problems with this are obvious—eavesdropping and jamming being the least of them.
Another problem I also wanted to solve by making this was range and signal availability. Cadmus, the real Cadmus, where all the shady stuff goes on, is dozens of meters below ground. Normal comms, even the League issue ones would be of no use down there, unless a team member carried a relay along, which, even though can be done if I put my mind to it, brings me back to the first point about. The Light's ability to eavesdrop."
I slotted the comm device into my ear and without a signal from me, Mike turned the screen of the tablet towards the audience. My voice echoed inside the mission room again, but my mouth stayed shut.
"This new comm incorporates Zeta-Tech and psi tech," I said, gesturing to my ear. "You just have to think and your message will be relayed. This is not telepathy. It's my brainwaves being translated to data and then said data being transmitted. The psi aspect, courtesy of Manhunter, handles this conversion and the Zeta aspect handles the transmission, but not in the way some of you may be thinking.
You see, all Zeta-Tech works by sending a signal to another Zeta device first before actual teleportation happens. This signal component is what I've coopted, not the teleportation. Of course, I could have incorporated the teleportation function, but as you've come to understand, it is completely unnecessary. Plus, the power cost. I wouldn't call it insane, but it would be way too much for simple communication."
The tablet speaker quieted, mirroring the end my cogent thoughts came to. I looked around, some part of me satisfied at the openly stunned expressions of the kids and the repressed ones of Green Arrow, GL2, and my mentor.
"Wait," Kid Flash spoke up first. "Doesn't this mean you've created a means of global communication that costs nothing and cannot be jammed?"
"Not entirely. Zeta transmissions are affected by the weather. My improved design mitigates this a bit, but I've yet to test it. The range has also been improved," I said, unable to hold back a smile. "Again, it needs testing, but I am certain it can reach the moon."
The jaw drop that followed this statement was even better, but I restrained the display of my gratification and looked around for more questions. "Anyone else? Should I move on?"
"Continue," Batman decided to put his foot down.
"Okay," I said and removed the comm, placing it back on the cart and picking up the helmet.
"This was developed mainly for Cadmus, but there are other users for it I'm sure," I tapped the smooth, shiny metal twice. "What you're looking at is a psi blocker. Wearing this thing makes you immune to any application of telepathy. No mind reading or control, maybe except magical ones, can affect you."
A non-constrictive tightness pressed against the sides of my head as I slipped it on.
"The comms also double as blockers. The main difference between them and this though," I knocked on the helmet, "is visibility."
The mix of confusion and understanding from different members of my audience was expected, but none of them save for Manhunter and maybe Batman with his knowledge of the designs got what I really meant.
Because I wasn't talking about the noticeability of the helmet.
"The comms protect your mind just like the helmet, but they don't hide it. Your mind, or to be more precise, the waves it gives off can still be sensed. With this though," I gestured with my head, "you're totally invisible, telepathically speaking. Please confirm this for me, Manhunter."
All eyes turned from me to him briefly.
"It is as he says. I cannot sense his mind at all."
"Holy moly," Green Arrow said. "Jesus kid. I was wondering how you were gonna top becoming the lead in earth's telecommunications arms race, and you go and pull this."
I managed the best modest smile I could and removed the helmet.
"Are there any side effects?" Batman asked.
"None that I've noticed, but that's why I asked for him," I pointed at Manhunter. "I need him to check my mind once we're done. I'm actually curious myself, but there's one last thing so let's finish up."
The dark knight kept silent and I took that as an agreement to move on. The helmet went back to the cart and my hand was back fiddling with the watch on my wrist. "Mike, if you'll please…"
Already moving before I said a word, the A.I. made his way over to the platform he'd set down, walking with steps he'd only learned about three weeks ago.
"The last item on the docket is the Zeta-Platform. Gentlemen, if you'll look there and there, you'll see what I'm referring to. What you're looking at are basically semi-portable teleporters. Yeah, let's just go with that. These platforms work in the same manner as Zeta-Tubes. Observe."
The controls already primed, I tapped the button on the hologram above my wrist and a column of pale yellow light swallowed Mike. A similar scene appeared on the unoccupied platform the same instant and when both lights faded into disappearing particles, Mike now stood across the room atop the platform Kaldur had placed.
"As you can see and as more in depth scans will show, the platforms work perfectly. I've already used them myself and found the experience no different from the tubes. In fact, the platforms leave drastically reduced traces of Zeta radiation.
The only problem is their size. Zeta-tech doesn't really lend itself to portability. These ones can only transport what is on the platform, so that means one person at a time. I can make them bigger though, but that again defeats the purpose. When we locate Speedy inside Cadmus, this'll provide a quick and easy exfil for not just him but the team as well."
I paused there and looked around, letting the wealth of information I'd just dropped sink in. When I felt it was enough, I scanned the room and asked again. "Any questions?"
.
.
.
.
After my presentation, things devolved into several discussions mostly tied to the safety of the users of these items and the steps I'd taken to ensure the tech didn't fall into the wrong hands.
I spoke with Captain Atom, basically catching up with him. Manhunter and I discussed the side effects of the helmet and the comms of which he could find none while I answered all of John Stewart's questions as the probing emerald rays of his ring frisked every inch of my creations, Mike's body included.
Of all these discussions though, the one that I was most interested in, despite the awkwardness, was the one I was currently having with Red Arrow.
"Hey man," I said while noting his body language. He desperately wanted to leave and also stay at the same time from what I could tell.
Once Green Arrow and the senior Leaguers were done with their private discussion about the mission Batman had slated for tomorrow, he would have to leave with him and not stay here with us to discuss it. Or so he thought.
His presence here told me enough. Just like his counterpart from the show, he wanted to find the real Speedy desperately, and he wouldn't be sitting out the mission no matter what.
"I know this is weird, but I want you to stay. You're coming with us on the mission right?"
His face, set in a frown meant to push others away, didn't change. "Yeah. I have to save the real Roy. I have to make it right."
"Good. Then you'll stay. Me and the rest of the team are going to go over what we know. Stuff you don't want to miss."
His frown cracked at the "what we know," but he patched it up just as fast. After a short while though, he lowered his arms with a sigh and said, "Fine," while looking over to where Robin, Kaldur and Kid Flash were not doing a good or any job for that matter at hiding their stares.
"Don't worry. None of them blame you, and I don't either," I said and threw my head in their direction before moving towards them. "Come on."
We both arrived shortly and I noted the look on everyone's faces before breaking the silence. "You guys know him so there aren't any introductions needed. He's coming with us on the mission, so I asked him to join us."
"Hey," Robin greeted first, and Kid Flash followed suit.
Kaldur however, stepped forward with an open hand. "It is good to have you with us."
Clone Speedy looked at the webbed hand for a while before taking and shaking it. "I'm just glad I can help get the real Speedy back."
That earned a series of assenting nods all around, and I took that opportunity to announce something I'd wanted to do since the day I met the team.
"Before we start with anything, I'd like to appoint myself team leader."
The reactions, especially Robin's, were as expected, but I wasn't backing down from this. As serious as this mission was, it was relatively low risk, partially due to the devices I'd made.
It was the perfect mission for someone like me to gain experience leading people. No way I was going to leave it to a bunch of kids. The way they bumbled their first few assignments were fresh in my mind.
A single hand came up and I silenced any protests before they were voiced.
"I know you guys have a lot to say. Valid points no doubt. However, I want you to keep them in mind and wait till after the mission. If you guys don't like how I do things, just say the word and I'll step down."
The temptation to say "is that okay?" was strong, but I fought it and won. No need to give them an opportunity to push back on what I just said and did. I had to make it seem final, because it was.
Kid Flash, Aqualad and Red Arrow seemed fine—at least on the surface. They accepted my quick and sudden claim easily. Robin though… he hid it well, but it was obvious to me what he thought I'd stolen from him.
A chance to be his own Batman.
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