"You Made Me Proud"
by
Michka
12/19/00DISCLAIMER: Tempest, Aquaman, Flash, Batman, Wonder Woman, J'onn J'onz, Green Lantern, Max Mercury, Impulse, and Jesse Quick are all the property of DC Comics. No Profit will be made from this work.
Dedicated to:
Maverick, for everything
Danell Lites and Kerithwyn Jade for re-introducing my first love Aqualad, into my life
Daria for keeping the Tempest Fandom Alive
Leah for being Garth's defender
and Phil Jimenez for the Tempest mini-series.
Garth sped up the water tunnel to the transport which flew him directly to the moon-based JLA headquarters. He overrode the members-only compu-lock which kept non-members confined to the lowest level of the structure. He gained access to the upper stairwell, and repositioned his salt rifle on his shoulder, tightening the ammunition belt over his shoulder as he ran. The salt rifle was the newest weapon in the Atlantean armory, it could dehydrate an Atlantean humanoid in a blast, and could certainly do a lot of damage to a surface dweller. As he reached the upper level, where he could sense Arthur's presence, he had no time to override the retinal scan, and instead blasted the door with his rifle, then kicked it in. He narrowly slid past Superman, and around Wonder Woman on his way to the council room. Batman shouted "TEMPEST!", but Garth ignored him, running at top speed through the hallowed halls of the JLA Watchtower. Garth hadn't slowed when he got a break. He would never be able to hack all of the codes protecting the entrance to the council room, and he didn't have time to try, even if he could. But J'onn J'onnz was just leaving the council room to investigate the disturbance as Garth reached the doorway. Garth hit him full force, knocking him flat, then jumped over him into the council room. He leapt up on the table and ran to the end, where Arthur was standing, speaking with the Flash. Garth leveled the gun over Arthur's head at the Flash's heart and shouted, "Get Back!"
Flash froze. "Tempest?"
Garth fired a bolt from his salt rifle which just grazed Flash's head. "I said, get back!"
Arthur whirled on his young protégé. "Neptune's beard, boy! What do you think you're doing!"
The rest of the JLA filed quietly into the council room, assessing the situation, and preparing to subdue Garth as soon as Flash was out of his rifle sight.
Garth ignored Aquaman, keeping his eyes on Flash, who raised his hands and cautiously stepped back.
"Okay, okay, just calm down. I'm backing away, see?"
Garth jumped down from the table and strode quickly to Flash. Ripping the lightening emblem off of the red uniform and freezing it, he tossed it in the air and it broke apart with a small implosion. Wires and circuitry fell to the floor.
"Who are you!" Garth demanded.
"I . .I . ." the Flash stuttered.
Garth cocked the salt rifle and pointed it at the Flash. "I want answers, NOW!"
"Alright! Don't shoot! I'm Gustu Kritsch!"
"Why are you trying to assassinate the King!"
"I'm an agent with the CRM."
"What is the CRM?" Arthur demanded.
"Cerdian Resistance Movement," Garth and the would-be assassin answered simultaneously.
"Tell me where the Flash is!" Garth ordered.
"He's safe. He's in an underground stasis chamber in Cerdi City. He'll be released in an hour."
"So he can take the blame?" Batman asked.
"Yes, and be linked with our cause."
Batman cuffed Kritsch and Superman checked him for weapons with his x-ray vision, finding a concealed handgun and a dagger.
Only when he had been fully restrained and taken from the room to the secure JLA holding tank did Garth lower his weapon. He laid the rifle on the table and removed his heavy ammo belt. Then he wiped his brow and sank into a chair. He put his head down, to keep from hyperventilating. He'd been in space exactly twice before. Once he almost died and the other time he was taken captive. Nothing good ever happened in space.
"You okay, Tadpole?" Arthur asked him.
"I think I need some water," Garth said, breathlessly.
J'onn appeared beside him with a large glass. Garth looked up at him as he took it and blushed deep red.
"Uh, I'm really sorry about - "
"Understandable. Drink." J'onn smiled.
"Thank you." Garth downed the water and began to feel a little better.
"I hope you intend to make reparations for your assault on our door." Batman said, re-entering the chamber.
"Um, yes, sir. I will, sir." Garth turned just a shade more scarlet.
"Ever hear of knocking, waterboy? It's a surface custom," Green Lantern added to the razzing.
"Enough of that, " Kal-El said, sitting next to Garth. "Son, you did a good job. You saved Arthur's life and Wally's reputation, and possibly a lot more than that. You've preserved the peace in your nation. You should be proud of yourself."
That didn't reduce Garth's blush any. He was momentarily speechless. Finally he said, "Thank you, sir."
Superman smiled at him and patted his back. "Max Mercury, Impulse and Jesse Quick were dispatched to Cerdi City, they've already freed Flash. They have also rounded up twenty other members of this resistance movement. They're being held in custody. Arthur, it seems to be in your hands now."
"They'll be put on trial for treason," Arthur said. He turned to Garth, "When did you learn of this Cerdian Resistance Movement? And why didn't you tell me?"
"I only found out today. After you left the palace, a man was apprehended in the surfacer hotel with a note that had the time of your departure. It also had the date from three days ago and map coordinates for Central City. By the time it got to me, he'd been in custody for three hours. He'd already revealed the existence of the CRM. I paged Wally but he didn't answer. The only links between you and Wally are me and the JLA, so I came here. I was afraid I'd be too late."
"You almost were," Arthur said. "Why didn't you page me?"
"I tried, they must have switched your pager before you left, you didn't answer."
Arthur pulled his pager out of its case and switched it on. Dead. "Come on, Garth, we'd better get back to the palace before the news gets out and there's a panic in the streets."
Garth nodded. He stood, took up his rifle and put his ammo belt back over his shoulder. Arthur led the way back to the transport.
They were met by the Royal guard which accompanied them back to the palace. Arthur made a public announcement to calm the people, and show them that he was still alive and kicking. He signed royal orders to have the CRM and their co-conspirators put to death for treason against the crown. He discussed the entire event with Mera. He ate an evening meal. And then, finally, he went to Garth's rooms.
"Tadpole?"
"Yes?" Garth stood as Arthur entered.
"I just wanted to tell you, you made me proud today. Sleep well." The king retired to his bedchamber.
For the first time that day, Garth smiled.
The End back to The Library at Rue Royale
