9975/Knightfall: Leading

Knightfall: Leading
Date of Scene:	09 November 2019
Location:	Central Hub, Watchtower
Synopsis:	Batman (Dick) discusses League leadership with Hal Jordan.
Cast of Characters:	Nightwing, Green Lantern (Jordan)
Tinyplot:	Knightfall
Tinyplot2:	Age of Darkness

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Nightwing has posed:
The rotating rings of the central Hub would create a disorienting movement through the center, as different sections turn with rotational gravity, but as there are no windows, there is no way to see the motion. The hallway seems just a hallway to those inside it.

A request has gone out to a number of the JLA members, including those on reserve, from Batman himself, it appears. In this particular case, a request to speak to Green Lantern, at the monitor room: but it isn't for a little while. Batman is traversing throughout the watchtower, a rapidly moving shadow, as the whole of the place is physically examined. Primarily due to that this Batman isn't familiar with the place, and needs to get his bearings of where everything is. But he can't show, that, of course.

Batman's suit is a very new one, but entirely in line with others. This one is stealth in nature, a more sleek design, but is still overall covered by the long black cape and cowl.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
After a patrol into the darkest reaches of Sector 2814, Hal Jordan returns home to a message on his ring. Deciding to swing by the Watchtower to check things out before moving onto Earth, Green Lantern enters through the main shuttle bay, and walks towards the Mission Monitor Room, taking a moment to pass through the Central Hub.

Hal Jordan is in his normal work attire. Green Lantern basic uniform. Skin toght, green, black and white, as always. Never was one for show like Arisia or Guy Gardner. His mask is on right now, since he is in his home solar system. Never can be too careful.

Nightwing has posed:
"Green Lantern," Batman says, stoic and cold in tone, as always. There are no apparent tells that he isn't anyone other than Batman, at least not on the surface. Of those that know how Batman acts, sounds, and behaves, Dick is at the top of the list of experienced people.

"You received my message," Batman continues; it's a statement more than it is a question. Batman himself does not look injured in any manner, despite what must have happened with the battle with the Kryptonian. He doesn't approach, he waits for Hal's response.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
The sounds of Hal Jordan's footsteps ring out in the hallway at the centre of the Watchtower. "Empty..." Hal says, shaking his head, and wondering why no one was around. Willing a command to his ring, Hal Jordan nods at the telepathic response. "Right. Unsure who is on duty, and no leader after Superman's..." His voice trails off, as he moves further into the Watchtower.

Green Lantern almost jumps out of his skin when he hears a voice...was it the voice? Out of the shadows appears...Batman. "Jeebus, Bats, what the hell?" Hal Jordan looks at the man, and shakes his head. "You almost scared me half-way to Oa."

After a quick second, Hal Jordan pushes his hand through his hair, and collects himself. "Yeah, I got your message. Otherwise, I'd be on Earth." Hal studies Batman for a second. "What's up?"

Nightwing has posed:
The response to smile and laugh has to be suppressed, and Dick does it by clamping his jaw. Batman does not smile, let alone laugh. This role is continually difficult. However, no joy is released, only a slow movement as Batman comes prowling out, moving alongside Green Lantern, in a cool, methodical pace, his body entirely covered by the black cloak.

"This will not be long," Batman says simply. "Lacking Superman, the Justice League requires temporary leadership. Are you available to fill in?" Right to the point, Batman is.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
Green Lantern almost picked that up. The attempt to repress the laugh. That would raise an eyebrow, if his mask wasn't hiding the eyebrows. "Hmm." Hal says, looking closer at Batman as his movement hides that moment. Perhaps it was a trick of the light/darkness. It was so dark in here. "Did you turn the lights down or something? I can't see anything in here..." Hal lets that hang, as he responds to Batman's comment.

"No." Abrupt and blunt. A bit too harsh. "Sorry." Hal raises his hands in the air, and shakes his head. "I am way too busy with the Galactic situation being All F*d up right now, with this damn "War of Light". You are lucky you caught me at all, as I was heading into the system to deal with a rogue Yellow." Bats would know what that meant.

"Anyway, I know the Charter says the previous leader can take over in case of an emergency, but I am a reservist for a reason." A very big sigh follows. "Sorry. Have you tried Diana or J'onn?" Hal looks at Bats. "Or you?"

Nightwing has posed:
Did he turn the lights down? "Yes," Batman answers, without inflection. Yes, he did do that. There's no explanation coming, so hopefully Hal isn't waiting for one.

If this Batman doesn't know about the yellows, he can look it up, so there is no response yet. He doesn't fold his arms, just stands there like a black gargoyle. "Lucky. Yes." So lucky. And deadpan. There's no insult taken to the harshness, it appears.

"You were the previous leader," Batman replies, cool. Which explains why this happened first, before the others. "Does your current problem require Justice League involvement?" Despite the attempt to ask about leadership, that statement alone was very much a leader's move: as if offering to bring the Justice League to help with the War of Light, which does (accidentally?) signal the ability to lead from the Bat.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
"I see." Hal jordan crosses his arms across his chest. "Well. Makes sense then." Turning down the lights was so Batman. Batman didn't take insult to the harshness, which was good. Funny, usually the two of them were like oil and water, and didn't get along, but for some reason, this was going...well. Strange.

"Yes, I was the previous leader..." Strange comment. Curiouser. "No need to include the JL quite yet. It hasn't come here yet. I placed all the intel I have into the JL 'puter, so you can catch up there." Was that a hint that Hal suspects?

"Is there anything YOU need, Batman? I can swing by Gotham, if you need backup. This whole SUperman thing was tough on all of us, especially you...?"

Nightwing has posed:
"Batman had been dormant too long, after the fight. Gotham has been //reminded//," Batman explains, starting to walk: there's an expected quality to it, that Hal will come along too. Something Batman has done many times to Dick or any number of others: hard to resist, unless deliberately aware of the social cue.

There is only a cold shoulder with suggestion to needing help in Gotham; and part of that is reading that Green Lantern might see something is up. Batman's adjusting, turning colder, less friendly.

"And retains my focus." There is a pause, perhaps just for anticipation purposes, before he continues. "The Justice League's leadership needs resolution, for continued protection, and I am here to ensure that happens."

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
Hal Jordan moves a step closer, and leans over slightly. Moving to follow Dick as he moves, Hal walks beside him. He looks right, his eyes looking the man up and down, and his all white eyes narrow. "Right. Dormant." Hal Jordan looks towards the room ahead, and frowns. "Bruce? Are you okay? You seem...out of sorts?"

Hal Jordan almost chuckles. "You aren't as menacing as usual. Plus...well. You seem...nice." Hal Jordan drops his mask, so that his face is clearly visible. Hal then tries to come to terms with that whole idea that Batman had been hurt...bad. Worse than he thought.

Nightwing has posed:
Batman stops, and the side-eye from the cowl is harsh. Still in character, most certainly. But once again, he's failed: failed Bruce. Failed himself. The perfectionist chews quietly on the failure for a moment, and then turns slowly towards Hal. It actually may read very well as Bruce, but this Bat doesn't maintain it.

The voice modifier does a lot of heavy lifting as Batman answers, "I am Batman. But I am not Bruce." A movement of hand inside the cloak disengages the voice manipulator. The continued vocal is definitely not Bruce, or Batman. Dick's tone is quite his own. "I'm here to handle what needs to be done."

"If you want to visit him, I think he'd appreciate it, and I can arrange it," Dick says, dropping out of 'character', allowing his voice to relax. The concern entered it. That 'niceness' he just got called on.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
As Batman grinds to a halt after his attempt to be harsh and fierce, Hal Jordan also stops, with a smile forming on his face as he looks at the man who has never been his friend, but respect. Yeah, he's got that. Or at least, the original wearer of that costume.

"Ah. I figured." Hal raises an eyebrow, this time noticeable. "I heard that you...er, Batman...er, Bruce, was out of commission. Got me thinking. Then, well...there are simple things, really. I must admit, you did a helluva job pretending."

Hal Jordan pauses for a few seconds. "Visit him...yeah, I could." Hal looks unconvinced. "It is not like he and I ever really saw eye to eye." As "Bats" drops into his own character, Hal says, "I'm Hal Jordan by the way. As if you don't know." Hal looks at Dick expectantly, and probably knows anyway.

Nightwing has posed:
"Yes, I've not fully gotten down being quite as... cold," Dick says, a joke with a hooked small smile. It's probably jarring to see coming out of Batman, as the visual clashes. He weighs Hal though, and makes a judgment call: This is not the place, the Justice League, to be close about his identity. Particularly when Bruce has already trusted, and Dick's identity is so close to his. Knowing Bruce means Dick is known, anyway.

Mask removal isn't as easy for the Bat comparitively: it's not just removing a small mask, but disengaging the cowl and pulling it up and back. Dick shakes his head some automatically, and rakes fingers into his sweaty hair, that's touseled into a mess from the hood. "Dick Grayson," Dick says more formally, with an offer of hand, and immediate friendly smile. He doesn't shove whether he knew under Hal's nose; Dick is kinder than that. The Nightwing charisma has always been an opposite spectrum from Batman: which is part of why that partnership worked originally. And that he was trusted with this, in a way.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
"Cold...yeah, that's as good a word as any I suppose." Hal Jordan laughs, and says, "Dammit, Dick..." Hal Jordan laughs and clasps the man on his left shoulder with his ring hand. "Robin. Wait. Nightwing? That was amazing." Then, he notices the man offering his hand to shake, and Hal Jordan looks down, says, "Oooops...right!" Unclasping, he shakes the man's hand, firmly, and adds, "Well, I don't envy you the cape and cowl NuBats."

Hal shakes his head, and releases Dick's hand. "I must say, I am glad you are filling in. I hope Bruce can get back up an' at 'em, but these kinds of things happen." Hal avoids talking about Superman. "So...is this your first mission monitor duty?" Hal's eyes glint in the light with mischief and amusement, and waves towards the doorway to the room in question. "Need any pointers...?"

Nightwing has posed:
Dick laughs; a natural, comfortable sound, as Hal overlooks the handshake at first. He doesn't mind the clasp to shoulder. Unalike other Bats, Dick is happy to be companionable. And this is a lot easier, so much easier, than what he was just trying to be. Which creates a slice of guilt, of that failure, that he has to ignore for now. "Neither of those is wrong," Dick teases as Hal works through possible code-names. He sobers to reply, "But Batman, until further notice." Some solemn quality there.

"The League shouldn't break apart from what happened," Dick says, the awareness of the dodged topic apparent in his blue eyes. There's stress, but not anger. It isn't an off-limits thing to bring up with Dick. "I'm sorting through everything: I /could/ evade monitor duty for a while longer. But I did already do one. //Your// shift is still your own."

"Pointers... less that. I am here about what I said. An interim leader is needed, should something arise. I would have agreed with Bruce doing it, but." The new Bat doesn't make logical sense stepping into lead.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
"Right, right." Hal Jordan walks by the new Batman, and avoids the whole mission monitor duty question/hint/nudge. "You are spot on. The League is the League. We'll sort things out from here, and it is good to know you are a part of that. Welcome to the League, Dick."

Hal Jordan looks at the man wearing the cowl, and says, "I don't envy you this role, that is for sure. I need to take off, but you have my support. Whatever you need. Just give me a shout, and I'll be there as soon as I can." Hal nods. and salutes. "Good luck!"

Nightwing has posed:
Nothing other than relaxed assurance shows from Dick. Confidence is well within his wheelhouse, and he shows that now, with a nod. He doesn't fix the cowl right away, he moves one hand in a parting answer of a wave, and watches Hal go... before turning back to his own objectives. Such as dwelling on continuing to wear the cowl.