Star City.
July 23, 06:48 PDT.
Team Year Zero.

Dinah was in the middle of a workout -- pounding a heavy bag with combination of punches, jabs and kicks -- when her commlink buzzed breaking her concentration. Grimacing slightly, she stepped back from the bag and grabbed a towel and dried off, then activated the tiny device. "Black Canary here."

It was Red Tornado. "The Team have landed at the Cave. Batman is conducting the initial debrief now."

"How did it go?" Dinah asked.

"From what little information that they shared before Batman dismissed them to wash and change, it would appear that they were forced into a three-way conflict with both Santa Priscan forces and the Cult of the Kobra."

A slight feeling of dread crept over Dinah. Even Bane himself was dangerous enough that avoiding him would have been the smart move. Observe and report... not combat... she thought. "Are they okay?"

"They are physically unharmed," replied the android. "Superboy lost a shirt."

"He's got an entire rack of them. He'll get over it."

"He did not appear to be overly concerned about the loss. However, I believe Batman will be unhappy that they deviated from mission parameters."

"No enemy plan survives contact with the enemy, Tornado. You succeed if you adapt the circumstances and come out on top."

"I see... if measured by that standard they would appear to have been successful."

"Tell Batman I'll need to see copies of his evaluations so I can do my own follow-up if necessary."

"I will. Red Tornado out."

At that moment, Ollie wandered into the gym, already dressed for the day. "Is there a problem?"

"Hopefully not," Dinah replied. "The Team's first official mission was a little more... interactive... than Bruce's instructions demanded..."

"Bruce isn't going like that," observed Ollie with a grin. "They're okay though?"

"According to Tornado, they're physically fine," Dinah replied. "I'm going to try and find some time to meet with them soon and see what their morale is like. But it sounds like they came together and bet some pretty stiff odds, so as long as Bruce doesn't come down too hard on them they should be fine for now."

Mount Justice.
July 25, 16:16 EDT.

"What do you think?" asked Bruce as they stood in the Mission Room reading the holo-screens, looking through the mission report on the battle with Psycho Pirate and Atomic Skull in Colorado. "Psycho Pirate did a number on them."

"Not as much as it might seem at first glance," Dinah countered. "He wasn't able to defeat them after all."

"What about their issues?"

Dinah shrugged, "They're teenagers, it's normal for them to have some..."

Batman grunted, apparently not convinced.

"Robin and Kid Flash's issues are normal, and Kid Flash was able to break out on his own anyway... although I think he's right that it was his powers that allowed him to pull that off, rather than any mental strength of his own. They also have a good relationship with you and Barry, so just be there for them."

"That's easier said than done," said Bruce, but nodded. "And the others..."

"They're more complicated," Dinah admitted. "On the one hand, they were able to rally once Kid Flash broke them out of Psycho Pirate's control. On the other hand, their issues are more tangible... particularly Superboy's."

"I agree," growled Bruce. "However, his trust issues and sensitivity to psychic scans currently make it too difficult to investigate further without alienating him."

Dinah nodded. "Aqualad and Miss Martian's concerns are more about self-confidence and familiarisation than anything deep-seated. I expect that they'll go away once they settle in. Overall, I think that the benefits of continuing outweigh the disadvantages."

"I agree."

"Have you had any luck with Clark?"

"He's avoiding me," admitted Bruce. "I'll give it another week or so and then confront him about it."

"I might see him sooner," Dinah said. "I'm heading to Smallville next weekend for Hank's birthday. I expect he'll be there."

"Keep me apprised."

"Will do," Dinah promised.

Smallville.
July 31, 15:16 CDT.

"Recognised, Black Canary One-Three," declared the computer as Dinah materialised inside an old outhouse that the Kents' used as a Zeta Booth.

When she left the booth, a homely-looking, grey-haired woman was waiting for her, apparently not bothered by the uncomfortably dry heat of the day. "Welcome to Smallville, Dinah."

"Thanks, Mrs Kent," replied Dinah as she resettled the small bag that she carried.

"You can call me Ma if you like dear, most of Clark's friends do," she said with a broad smile. When Dinah's face became a little conflicted, she added. "Or Martha if you prefer."

"How's Hank, Ma-artha?"

"He's fine, dear," Martha assured her. "You're a little early, but he and Lana will be along shortly, and you can see for yourself. Would you like some lemonade?"

"I'd love one," said Dinah with a nod as she shed her jacket and draped it across her arm. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed an odd expression flit over the older woman's face. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong, Martha?"

"It's not Hank..." Martha began, her expression deepening into a frown. "It's Clark..."

Dinah's interest was piqued, she and Bruce had been trying to get Clark on side through various different approaches for weeks -- they didn't agree on his reasons, but they both agreed that it would be better if they could -- without success, Could this be a viable alternative...?

"He's in a very odd mood lately..." Martha said, as the two women turned towards the farmhouse. "I can tell he's deliberately being cheery and friendly around Hank..."

Well, that's reassuring, Dinah thought. And to be fair, what I'd expect...

"But sometimes his mind wanders off and he gets so angry..." Martha continued. "Jonathan and I have tried to get him to talk about it, but he won't."

Dinah kept her expression carefully neutral. "And you're wondering if I know what the problem is?"

Martha's expression turned hopeful. "Do you?"

Dinah looked away for a moment, weighing her options... Confidentiality was vital in counselling work, but Clark wasn't her patient, and as sympathetic as she was to his feelings it was permitted to break confidentiality if it would -- as she suspected it might -- help her patient, in this case Superboy.

She turned back to Martha, whose expression was still hopeful, maybe even with a tinge of begging now. "I don't know everything about Clark's life, Martha..." "I understand," the older woman assured her. "But..."

"So, I could be wrong," Dinah finished.

Martha nodded. "But you know something..."

"I do," Dinah admitted. "There's one thing that we -- Batman, Tornado and I -- have been dealing with over the past few weeks, that has particularly affected Clark. Unfortunately, he's ignoring and refusing to help, which hasn't been helping him or the 'problem'..."

"Which is?" asked Martha as they reached the farmhouse's back door.

"It all started on Independence Day," Dinah began as she followed the older woman into the kitchen. "Aquaman, Batman, Flash and Green Arrow brought their proteges to the Hall of Justice for a tour..."

15:44 CDT.


Martha frowned at her from across the Kents' heavy kitchen table. "So essentially, what you're saying is that this..."

"Project Cadmus," offered Dinah.

"Yes, them," said Martha angrily. "Violated Clark..."

"Not in person, but yes," agreed Dinah.

"Then grew the baby into a teenager in a few weeks," finished Martha, then frowned. "And Clark is struggling with the implications of that and taking out on the poor boy."

"That's about right. Now, don't get me wrong... as a woman, a counsellor and a hero I understand what he's going through... I might even do the same -- or worse -- in his place..." She paused to take a drink. "But Superboy needs Clark far more than a similar clone of me would need me. There's only so much that Batman, Tornado and I can do to help him... I'm going to talk to Snapper about getting him and M'gann into Happy Harbor High or maybe asking Batman to use his connections at Gotham Academy... but I think the closest school to the Cave will be better for their social and psychological development. I'm going to do some counselling sessions with him, but..."

Martha nodded. "You don't know what it's like to grow up a Kryptonian."

"Exactly," Dinah agreed. "Even J'onn... there's life experience there that only Clark has that can help Superboy to understand how to live with and use his powers."

Martha nodded again and sighed. "I'll see what I can do... have a word with Clark again. If nothing else, maybe Jonathan and I could help Superboy."

Dinah brightened. While she'd prefer to get Clark on side, and she was hopeful that he'd come around eventually.. the more people that she could get to accept Superboy in the meantime the better.

Her train of thought was broken as the back door opened again and Hank rushed in, entirely too energetic for the heat in her opinion, and then beamed as he saw her. "Auntie Dee!"

"Hi kid," said Dinah as she slid off the stool to greet the toddler. "How does it feel to be two?"

The raven-haired boy frowned. "It doesn't feel anything different... Should it?"

"Some people think so," Dinah admitted. "I'm not sure myself." Then she turned to greet Lana as the red-head came through the door and closed it.

"Is Clark on his way?" Lana asked.

"He was helping finish up post-tornado clean-up in North Dakota this morning," Dinah replied. "But he said he'd be here."

"Then he will be," declared Lana stoutly.

16:32 CDT.

They waited a few more minutes for Clark to arrive, but at the top of the hour, Hank was getting restless, and Lana decided to proceed without him.

Dinah's offering -- a small ukulele sized for him -- was well received by the toddler, as was the set of Duplo blocks from Martha Kent as was a variety of gifts from his mother, but the highlight of the offering was the hand-carved white rocking horse with a genuine grey horsehair mane and leather reins.

As soon as the horse was unwrapped, Hank settled him on the creation and refused to budge from his new seat, rocking back and forth and chattering in delight, as Martha began to serve an early dinner.

The main course went without incident, but about half-way through his second piece of cake, he fell silent, and Dinah glanced his way. "Are you?" she began, but before she was able to say or do anything more, a blue and red blur shot into the kitchen with a boom and snatched him off the chair, coming to stop at the large sink and aiming the child towards it as the results of his overstimulation produced themselves.

"Thanks," gasped Hank, once he got his breath back. Luckily for him, he'd avoided the worst of it and his clothing wasn't any more soiled than his messy attempts at feeding himself had already made them.

"That's our Clark," said Lana, rising to her feet and joined them at the sink. "Always coming to the rescue."

"It's nothing," Clark said, handing the toddler back to her. "I'd better get changed."

"You do that, son," said Martha, from his seat at the table. "But you and I need to talk later."

Clark hesitated, but then nodded. "Yes, Ma."

Gotham.
August 1, 05:16 EDT.

Martha's chat with her son had taken quite a while and she and Clark had a long and semi-productive conversation after that, so it had been quite late by the time Dinah made it back to Gotham. Therefore, she was not happy when she was woken from sound sleep by the buzzing of her commlink. Grumbling a little, she picked it up off the vanity and put it in. "Black Canary here."

To her surprise, it wasn't Ollie, but Bruce. "Over night, someone -- an archer -- foiled a smash and grab in the Narrows. The same person took on several other minor street thugs and disabled them."

"Well, Green Arrow was on monitor duty, and last I heard Speedy was tracking a kidnap victim down in the Caribbean and was pretty definite about sticking to that."

"Agreed," replied Batman. "Particularly as the vigilante appears to be a teenage girl."

"So why call me?" At this hour, she completed mentally. A teenage girl...?

"You have contacts in the city, I was wondering if you'd heard anything?"

"I haven't," Dinah confirmed. "But I'll let you know if I do."

"See that you do, Batman out."

Sighing, Dinah debated whether to remove the earbud and try and get some more sleep, but a glance at the clock showed that it was only about half-an-hour until sunrise, so it hardly seemed worth the effort. Groaning at inconsiderate team-mates with no sense of personal boundaries or timing, she got out of bed and changed into training gear and left her room, moving quietly past her mother's door so as not to wake her on the way to their small training room/lounge.

August 2, 13:16 EDT.

Dinah looked up as the bell of Pretty Bird Florist's front door dinged, signalling that someone entered the store. "Ollie! What are you doing here?"

Ollie raised an eyebrow, then pouted. "What, you're not pleased to see me?"

"Of course, I am," she assured him, and returned to the bouquet that she was working on for a customer. "I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Bruce has asked me to help look into this archer girl who's been taking down some of your local dirtbags, while he's out of town."

"I'm not upset about that as he is," Dinah noted. "But I've asked around anyway. Sam and Uncle Ted haven't heard anything... Professor Deinhardt is making enquiries at the university, and I've got a couple of inquiries in with contacts at Louis E. Grieve Memorial, Gotham Academy and Gotham North."

Ollie nodded. "Whoever she is, she's only been active at night so far, so I'm not going to head out before sunset. Is there anything I can do to help here?"

Dinah considered the question. "I've got half-a-dozen deliveries ready to go for North Gotham and Bristol Township?"

"Can do."

"They're already in the van," Dinah told him, then reached under the counter for a keyring, which he caught easily. "You might need to gas up on the way back."

August 3, 05:16 EDT.

"What is it this time?" Dinah asked as twin buzzing comm-links roused her from her sleep.

"I'm sorry to wake you this early," said Giovanni.

"That's okay... if it's important?"

"I believe so," Giovanni replied. "We're receiving reports of a disturbance in Litchfield County. Batman is currently tied with vital personal business, and I haven't been able to raise Superman, so you and Green Arrow are the closest alternatives."

"We'll check it out," Dinah promised, and leaned over to rouse her lover.

"What-uh?"

"Got to go to work."

"This early?" asked Ollie with a glance at the window. "The shop doesn't open for hours yet."

"Not my work," she replied, sharply. "Our work."

"Ah," said Ollie, immediately getting what she meant. "Do you know where?"

"Somewhere in Litchfield County, so we'd better get going," she replied, then slipped out of bed and headed to where she kept one of her suits.

Point Judith Harbor.
13:05 EDT.

"We'll be landing at Mount Justice in a moment or two," reported J'onn from the front section.

Dinah checked the bandage over her shoulder wound, then slipped on her damaged jacket and headed forward.

"Any word from Bruce?" she asked as soon as she entered the cockpit.

"Not since you went into the back," J'onn reported. "Are you all right?"

"Just a scratch really, I've had a lot worse," Dinah told him, then looked down. "I'm not sure my jacket would agree though, it might need replacing."

The Martian nodded. "We are approaching Happy Harbor now, engaging stealth mode."

A moment later, Bio-Ship was back in her usual resting place and they were walking down the access tunnel towards the main area. They had almost reached it when the Zeta Tube whirred into life.

Who? Dinah thought and was surprised when the computer announced that Superboy of all people had been away from the Cave. I wonder what prompted that?

M'gann's loud question about Metropolis only increased her confusion and added a little concern. Never mind, not the time, she thought to herself and cleared her throat as they stepped out of the tunnel and onto the training ring. "Ready for training, everyone?"

To her slight surprise and disappointment, M'gann was the first to react and skipped over to them. "Black Canary! Uncle J'onn!" she cried in her usual peppy voice. As soon as she was close enough, she reached out and hugged her uncle.

Although he didn't return the embrace, J'onn did duck his head slightly to touch his chin to the top of M'gann's head before she stepped back. "M'gann, I was in the neighbourhood, so I thought I'd see how you were adjusting." J'onn told her, placing a hand on his niece's shoulder briefly.

"A few bumps, but I'm learning," M'gann replied brightly.

"That's all I can ask," J'onn assured his niece.

At that moment, Superboy -- who had been watching from one of the entrances, turned to walk away, but Dinah spotted him out of the corner of her eye.

"Stick around," Dinah called out. "Class is in session." As she'd hoped he would, Superboy stopped in his tracks, then turned back and stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

Now she had their attention, she walked to the centre of the ring, causing it to light up. "I consider it an honour to be your teacher," she told them as she gripped the lapels of her damaged jacket. Turning away from Superboy and towards the rest of the Team. "I'll throw a lot at you. Everything I've learned from my own mentors..." She continues as she pulls off her jacket, grunting in pain as the cut to her arm throbbed. "... And my own bruises."

"What happened?" asked M'gann, worriedly.

Ollie got sloppy around Tornado, she thought, but didn't say that aloud. "The job." Once she'd discarded her jacket, she continued. "Now, combat is about controlling conflict. Putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting, never reacting." Okay, that might have been a little heavy, lighten up. "I'll need a sparring partner."

"Right here, yeah!" Kid Flash calls out raising his hand, as he still has food in his mouth.

Dinah scanned the group, catching Aqualad's frown and Robin's sly smirk. Bruce has trained you well, kid, Dinah thought to herself as Kid Flash joined her in the middle of the ring.

He finished his banana and then swallowed. "After this..." he began, then paused and aimed for the garbage can. "Swish..." he commented as the peel went in. "I'll show you my moves."

Kid, I've worked with your uncle for years, I probably know more about your moves than you do, Dinah thought to herself, allowing a knowing smile to creep in and narrowing her eyes. She threw a quick jab at the speedster, which he blocked, but then quickly followed up with a leg sweep that took his feet out from under him.

He landed with a thud on the floor of the ring, which immediately showed a notification in big letters: "Kid Flash, Status: Fail."

I wonder who programmed that one, Dinah thought. Probably Snapper.

"Oh, hurts so good," joked Kid Flash.

"Good block," Dinah told him, then helped him back to his feet. "But did anyone see what he did wrong?"

"Ooh, ooh," piped up Robin. "He hit on Teacher and got served?"

Kid Flash gripped a shoulder and looked back at his best friend, annoyed and horrified that he had said that.

"Dude!"

"He allowed me to dictate the terms of..."

"Oh please," scoffed Superboy.

Dinah arched an eyebrow and turned to face him again. "With my powers, the battle's always on my terms."

Really? Dinah pondered. Because that's not what your mission reports read like to me.

"I'm a living weapon," Superboy growled, clenching his hands to prove his point. "And this is a waste of my time!"

Now, I can't let that stand, thought Dinah and then smiled. "Prove it."

Superboy's eyebrows rose. Clearly she'd surprised him with her response. After a moment, he walked into the centre of the ring and Kid Flash immediately left and joined J'onn and the rest of the Team on the side-lines.

Both of them drop into a fighting stance at the same moment, but Superboy almost immediately goes on the attack and comes in with a hard cross. Dinah quickly stepped back out of the way and then before he could compensate she reached out with both hands, grabbed his extended forearm and threw him across the ring to land butt first onto his back.

A familiar laugh, almost immediately muffled echoes through the chamber as the computer reports: "Superboy, Status: Fail."

Superboy remained on the ground for a moment, probably to catch his breath and then he pushes himself back to his knees with a growl.

"You're angry," Dinah observed calmly, not even remotely concerned. "Good, but don't react. Channel that anger..."

Clearly Superboy wasn't in the mood to listen, as he surged to his feet and charged at her with another punch.

Dinah jumped up and using his shoulders as a springboard, she flipped over him, then landed close behind him, careful to help him in the corner of her eye, expecting another punch. As he turned to hit her with a back fist, she dropped, and took his feet out from under him with the same leg sweep as she had Kid Flash, moments earlier.

Immediately, the result popped into view on the ring floor. "Superboy, Status: Fail." Dinah made it to her feet first and reached out, offering a hand to help him up.

"That's it," Superboy growls, standing without her help. "I'm done."

"Training is mandatory," Dinah informed him as he started to walk away. She placed a hand on his shoulder, but he turned and shook it off, rage burning in his eyes. Okay, right now I'm glad he doesn't have heat-vision yet.

Before they could continue, the computer beeped an alert and a large holo-screen snapped into view. "Batman to the Cave."

J'onn and the other teens rush to join Superboy and Canary in the centre of the training ring.

"Five hours ago, a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary. The attacker was capable of studying, then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents."

A smaller holo-screen popped into view, the image of the attacker quickly becoming a satellite video feed, showing Clark lunging in for a massive punch. But the attacker was too fast, and the Kryptonian was caught and used as a bludgeon against both Red Tornado and Barry, before being thrown out of the frame. At the same time, Bruce threw a pair of Batarangs at the attacker from off-screen, but they were destroyed in mid-air before impact.

The video paused.

"Arrow called in reinforcements... which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more and more power with each new combatant."

"Whoa," exclaimed Kid Flash. "One guy with the powers of the entire League..."

"In the end, it took eight Leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android."

That caught Robin's attention, he stepped forward. "An android? Who built it... T.O. Morrow?"

"Good guess, Robin," said Bruce. "But Red Tornado doesn't think so."

J'onn spoke up. "The technology bears the signature of... Professor Ivo."

"Ivo?" Aqualad repeated, his voice questioned and a little shocked. "But Ivo's dead."

Dinah looked back over her shoulder and caught his gaze. "So, we all thought... or hoped."

Oblivious to the growing tension, Bruce continued. "To make certain this threat is permanently neutralized..." Another holo-screen -- showing Boston, Gotham, Springfield and New York with a red triangle marking the battle site -- popped up and the group shifted their gaze to that. "... We're sending two trucks carrying the android's parts to two separate STAR Labs facilities... in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation. Every precaution is being taken." They shifted their attention back to Batman. "We'll have four additional trucks to create confusion in case Ivo or anyone tries to recover the remains... You will split into undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks."

"Yes!" Kid Flash exclaimed in excitement. "Road trip."

What the...? Dinah thought, turning to glare at the speedster.

"So now we take out your trash?" Superboy growled.

"You have something better to do?" Batman countered. Superboy looks away just as the tablet that Aqualad was carrying went off.

"Coordinates received," confirmed the Atlantean. "On our way."

As the rest of the Team leave at a run, Superboy begins to slowly follow them.

Dinah grabbed his arm. "When you're ready, I'll be here."

He didn't respond, but instead looked away and then walked off.

Mount Justice,
August 4, 01:06 EDT.

"The Amazo android is in pieces again," reported Aqualad. "Safely being analysed at the two separate STAR Labs. But Ivo escaped and since he originated the tech, he's arguably more dangerous than the android."

"Capturing the professor will be a League priority," Dinah assured them, trying to sound more optimistic than she actually was.

"But we understand that your mission encountered other complications," said J'onn.

The other boys glared at Superboy, who immediately looked away.

"Complications come with the job," asserted Batman. "Your ability to handle them has impressed the League."

"The whole League?" asked Superboy, a mix of anger and hope in his tone.

"Given time, yes," Batman replied instantly. "Kryptonians, as you know... have very hard heads."

To Dinah's surprise, that coaxed a small smile out of Superboy.

"Of course, there's no shame in asking for help," Bruce continued. "That's why the League exists. Because there's some problems that even we can't handle individually."

"Please..." drawls Robin. "If we needed help, we'd never get the chance to ask."

Kid Flash closes his eyes, clearly he knew what his best friend meant.

Robin pulls out the arrow. "Look familiar?"

Not really? Dinah thought. It's not one of Ollie's...

Batman reached over, and Robin let his mentor take it from him. "You were following us... Babysitting! You still don't trust us!"

Ignoring Robin's accusations, Batman passed the arrow to Ollie. "We didn't follow you."

Ollie said nothing but pulled an arrow out of his own quiver allowing the Team to see that they weren't the same.

Robin's eyes widened, and looking between the two, smiling. "And that's not your arrow. But that means..."

"Speedy!" declared Kid Flash, smiling brightly.

"He has our backs," finished Aqualad.

Dinah didn't think so, but she decided to stay nothing until she could talk with Ollie.

Kid Flash ran over to Ollie and snatched the arrow from him. "Souvenir!" Batman and Ollie share a look, but don't comment.

The sound of a throat clearing and movement behind her caught Dinah by surprise, she turned.

It was Superboy.

"I'm ready," he declared.

Finally! Dinah thought, placing her hand on her hip and meeting his glaze. "Good. Because I'm here."