Fic: A Certain Thought that Lingers - (1/20) (Clark/Bruce)
Title: A Certain Thought that Lingers
Pairing: Superman/Batman
Rating: R
Verse: DCU/DCAU
Word Count: 13,439
Summary: The decision to use a telepathic link to allow the Justice League to communicate during battle backfires, creating a special bond between Superman and Batman. Batman finds the situation...unbearable.
I.
Many months ago, in Washington, DC…
Ironically, it had seemed like a good plan of action at the time, necessary, even. In fact, it was his idea in the first place.
The seven members of the Justice League were meeting at the Themysciran embassy in Washington while they awaited the retrofitting of their new headquarters, the orbital satellite and watchtower that would provide them with an unprecedented ability to protect the Earth, and would serve as the first line of defense against alien invasion. They were arguing training and tactics, and, of course, Superman refused to understand the need for even a modicum of preemptive planning.
“Superman,” Batman said through gritted teeth, “surely even you can understand the need for communication-“
“Stop trying to be insulting, Batman,” Superman bit out. “I understand perfectly the need for communications in the middle of battle. I simply feel that our comm links are enough-“
“What if our electronic uplink fails at a critical moment-?”
“We have the back-up system-"
“The back-up system could fail-"
“The moon could fall from the sky,” Superman bit out, throwing the report he was holding in his hands to the table in exasperation. “But the bottom line is we are all professionals and know how to function in battle. We have a communication system in place that has three levels of redundancies built in, redundancies that you required and designed. Now you’re saying that even those redundancies aren’t enough. Your paranoia-“
Batman got to his feet. “I’ve had enough of this-“
Diana was at his side, with a placating hand on his arm. “Batman, wait,” she said. “Let’s talk about this.”
“I’m done talking, Princess.”
“Then wait and let someone else talk. You’ve presented your case, now let us consider it.”
Batman frowned darkly but took his seat. Diana was always placing herself between him and the Boy Scout in primary colors. When would she ever learn that the two of them were simply fire and ice, oil and water, rational crime fighter and big blue butthead?
“J’onn,” she said, taking her own seat, “is this perfectly safe?”
The Martian spoke gravely, “I have studied human physiology, and this poses no threat. The proposed telepathic link between us seven will allow us to talk to each other mind-to-mind. The benefits include a level of instant communication beyond the capacity of electronic devices that will persist as long as I remain conscious. There are no drawbacks.”
Superman leaned forward. “How do you shield the team from random thoughts that you might not want others to hear? Can we turn it off, block it if it’s not needed? If one person initiates contact, is the other person compelled to respond-“
“Did you even read my report?” Batman asked out loud, in a disgusted, long-suffering voice. “Do you really think I would allow any sort of mental invasion of my brain that I hadn’t fully vetted and narrowly circumscribed?”
“The brain of the Bat is a dark and unwelcome place and not open for visitors…” The Flash said sotto voce. His boredom was evident and his comment punctuated with a sigh.
“I had a meeting with the president-“
“Maybe you should try reading the report before you-“
“Boys,” Diana said, then louder-
“Boys-!"
“What?” They both turned in her direction.
“Perhaps J’onn could answer Superman’s concerns and then we can vote. There’s no need to argue about this.”
“Fine,” Superman said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Fine,” Batman said, crossing his own arms over his chest.
J’onn’s eye ridge went up, as if to say, Earthlings, what an interesting species! before he explained in plain terms that the proposed telepathic link would only enable communication if the recipient was receptive; that the exchange was limited to active thoughts alone and that stray thoughts or thoughts below the surface of the active exchange were inaccessible. In that way, the telepathy was very much like a comm link or a telephone connection, even. The Martian made such an effort to reassure Superman of the inaccessibility of stray or underlying thoughts that it caused Batman to wonder what the Man of Steel could be so concerned about hiding. If anyone was an open book, it was Superman. He should be the last one to worry.
They took the vote. The result was unanimous.
Pairing: Superman/Batman
Rating: R
Verse: DCU/DCAU
Word Count: 13,439
Summary: The decision to use a telepathic link to allow the Justice League to communicate during battle backfires, creating a special bond between Superman and Batman. Batman finds the situation...unbearable.
I.
Many months ago, in Washington, DC…
Ironically, it had seemed like a good plan of action at the time, necessary, even. In fact, it was his idea in the first place.
The seven members of the Justice League were meeting at the Themysciran embassy in Washington while they awaited the retrofitting of their new headquarters, the orbital satellite and watchtower that would provide them with an unprecedented ability to protect the Earth, and would serve as the first line of defense against alien invasion. They were arguing training and tactics, and, of course, Superman refused to understand the need for even a modicum of preemptive planning.
“Superman,” Batman said through gritted teeth, “surely even you can understand the need for communication-“
“Stop trying to be insulting, Batman,” Superman bit out. “I understand perfectly the need for communications in the middle of battle. I simply feel that our comm links are enough-“
“What if our electronic uplink fails at a critical moment-?”
“We have the back-up system-"
“The back-up system could fail-"
“The moon could fall from the sky,” Superman bit out, throwing the report he was holding in his hands to the table in exasperation. “But the bottom line is we are all professionals and know how to function in battle. We have a communication system in place that has three levels of redundancies built in, redundancies that you required and designed. Now you’re saying that even those redundancies aren’t enough. Your paranoia-“
Batman got to his feet. “I’ve had enough of this-“
Diana was at his side, with a placating hand on his arm. “Batman, wait,” she said. “Let’s talk about this.”
“I’m done talking, Princess.”
“Then wait and let someone else talk. You’ve presented your case, now let us consider it.”
Batman frowned darkly but took his seat. Diana was always placing herself between him and the Boy Scout in primary colors. When would she ever learn that the two of them were simply fire and ice, oil and water, rational crime fighter and big blue butthead?
“J’onn,” she said, taking her own seat, “is this perfectly safe?”
The Martian spoke gravely, “I have studied human physiology, and this poses no threat. The proposed telepathic link between us seven will allow us to talk to each other mind-to-mind. The benefits include a level of instant communication beyond the capacity of electronic devices that will persist as long as I remain conscious. There are no drawbacks.”
Superman leaned forward. “How do you shield the team from random thoughts that you might not want others to hear? Can we turn it off, block it if it’s not needed? If one person initiates contact, is the other person compelled to respond-“
“Did you even read my report?” Batman asked out loud, in a disgusted, long-suffering voice. “Do you really think I would allow any sort of mental invasion of my brain that I hadn’t fully vetted and narrowly circumscribed?”
“The brain of the Bat is a dark and unwelcome place and not open for visitors…” The Flash said sotto voce. His boredom was evident and his comment punctuated with a sigh.
“I had a meeting with the president-“
“Maybe you should try reading the report before you-“
“Boys,” Diana said, then louder-
“Boys-!"
“What?” They both turned in her direction.
“Perhaps J’onn could answer Superman’s concerns and then we can vote. There’s no need to argue about this.”
“Fine,” Superman said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Fine,” Batman said, crossing his own arms over his chest.
J’onn’s eye ridge went up, as if to say, Earthlings, what an interesting species! before he explained in plain terms that the proposed telepathic link would only enable communication if the recipient was receptive; that the exchange was limited to active thoughts alone and that stray thoughts or thoughts below the surface of the active exchange were inaccessible. In that way, the telepathy was very much like a comm link or a telephone connection, even. The Martian made such an effort to reassure Superman of the inaccessibility of stray or underlying thoughts that it caused Batman to wonder what the Man of Steel could be so concerned about hiding. If anyone was an open book, it was Superman. He should be the last one to worry.
They took the vote. The result was unanimous.