His world exploded before his birth. Propelled by a futuristic craft powered by a science beyond mans comprehension he arrived on our world as a baby. Raised as a human by loving, caring parents who instilled in him the difference between right and wrong, he derives his powers from our yellow sun that give him enormous and unheard of abilities! His massive strength and incomprehensible powers are matched only by the great and true heart that beats within his chest! He is one of the most powerful champions for truth, justice, and the American way that has ever lived! A man from the stars ever seeking to make the Earth his home, and to protect that home from evils no one else would have a glimmer of hope against! He is the man of steel, the man of tomorrow...he is...

Superman #30

"Lets have a talk."

By Ralph L. Angelo, Jr.

The transporter tube hums momentarily and a burst of light fills its proportions as a shapely figure shimmers into view. Standing near the tube, The Flash smiles as Gold'n steps from it, her mouth open in an "Oh golly gee whiz." Kind of expression.

"Welcome to the 'Watchtower', Gold'n."  The scarlet speedster offers as he extends his hand to her.

"Wow." Gold'n half replied looking around like a kid in a candy store.

"Superman is this way, follow me." He takes a few steps and then turns back to her smiling. "Hey, I know its intimidating, but what'd you expect? A treehouse?"

"N-no I just, wow I'm on the moon." She peers out a reinforced window onto the lunar surface.

"Never been in space before?" he asks as they walk towards the general meeting area of the JLA.

"Not really." She replies, "I'm still new to all this. I think you guys take it for granted, but to me this is like being in a 'Star Wars' movie."

"From what Superman told us all, you handle your self like a pro already. I mean c'mon, you fought Ares and his stooges. Then you took down that Catalyst guy in Futura City by your lonesome. These are not exactly bush league villains, you know."

She smiles, a little pride showing through, "Yeah well I was trained by the best y'know, and I got really lucky with Catalyst"

The Flash smiles and looks at her as they continue to walk. "Well he is called Superman for a reason. He's great at everything, including training young heroes, and don't sell luck short in this business. It's ALMOST as important as training, skill and sheer power."

"You sound like you're almost in awe of him, Superman I mean."

"Who isn't? No matter what I do, he does things I can only dream of. We don't like to tell him, 'cause we don't need his head swelling any more then it already is, but he is the best of us all."

"I think you guys underrate yourselves. You do some really amazing stuff, too. I'm in awe of you, y'know."

"Yeah I remember when I was where you are. It was a while back, but I was the Flash's sidekick."

"Huh? But you are the Flash?"

"Yeah, but not the first. I'm actually the third Flash, and for the first few years of my career I was 'Kid Flash', the Flash's sidekick. Then when my...mentor disappeared during the first major Crisis we all faced, I stepped up and took his place. I can never fill his shoes, but I can honor him by making sure the world never forgets the name 'The Flash'."

"That was...awesome." she almost whispers.

He smiles, "Yeah it was kinda, wasn't it?"

They exit the hallway they are walking through from the transporter room into the meeting hall, and Gold'n gulps hard. The room is almost transparent and you can see the moons surface as well as the stars above.

But it's not the scenery that grabs Gold'n's attention, its who occupies the room. Standing around talking casually are legends! Batman, Wonder Woman, J'onn J'onnzz, Red Tornado, Aquaman, Steel, Hawkman, Black Canary, Green Lantern (Two of them! Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner) and Green Arrow. Amidst them all is Superman talking to Green Lantern and Batman.

He notices her and motions her over to his side. "Gold'n, come on over here. I want you to meet some friends of mine." He mentions matter of factly.

She gulps hard and walks towards him. Head held high, smiling, trying to not feel out of place, even though she so obviously does feel that way.

Batman looks at her and nods grimly, "Relax Gold'n, you're among friends here. Let your guard down."

"B-Batman spoke to me?" she whispers, half in fright, half in awe.

"Yeah, he tends to do that once in a while, while not barking orders." Hal Jordan replies, smirking.

"Jordan..." Batman growls.

"Easy you two. Gold'n's nervous enough as it is." Superman interjects. "Really though, Batman was right you have to relax Gold'n. You are among friends."

She nods and smiles, "Okay I will, but is it alright if I ask for a few autographs while I'm here anyway?"

Batman looks away rolling his eyes as he does.

"So why'd you want me to meet you here?" Gold'n asks Superman.

"Why do you think? I want to offer you membership in the league. I talked to everyone about it and they all agree you'd be a fine addition to this group."

"M-m-m-me???" She stammers, eyes wide, and her golden glow suddenly bursting into full power about her.

"Yes you, now power down, sister. From what Superman has told us all about you, and from what I saw during the battle against Ares, you'd be a welcome addition to our ranks." Wonder Woman offers, walking up behind the small group. "I remember our time fighting side by side well. You impressed me."

"Wonder Woman, wow." Gold'n smiles.

"And that's not a compliment an Amazon gives to freely kiddo." The Flash interjects, smiling as he does.

"Superman, a moment please." Batman asks.

"Sure Batman. Gold'n I'll be right back. Wonder Woman will be happy to discuss things with you here about the Watchtower itself."

She nods and watches Superman follow Batman to the other side of the room.

"What is it Bruce?"

"Are you sure she's ready for this?"

"Positive. She already met and fought beside half the people here during Ares' attack a few months back. She's just a little star struck."*

*See issues 16-20

"That's what I'm worried about. I don't like green heroes getting in the way of professionals."

"She'll never be in the way, I guarantee that. Bruce, she's proven herself to me, time and again. She's a powerhouse and has a good sense of battle. She'll prosper into one of the best, I know it."

"Which is why she should be with the Titans and not here. She's too young yet mentally and figuratively."

"You really think so Bruce?

"Yes." He nods stoically.

"Fine. Defeat her."

Batman's eyes go wide beneath his cowl as he's uncharacteristically stunned by Superman's challenge.

"You're kidding me Clark. She's a child. I don't want to hurt her."

"You won't, and I'll make sure she doesn't hurt you either." Superman winks at Batman while he smiles, walking away towards Gold'n.

"Gold'n I need to speak with you a moment, privately."

She nods and follows him, not in a million years expecting what he is about to ask.

"What is it, Superman?"

"I need you to do something here. Batman doesn't think you're ready for the league. I know you are. So, there's no easy way to say this, but you have to defeat him."

"WHAAAAT???" she shouts, as every head in the meeting room turns her way.

"Ssshhh, listen to me. I don't want you to hurt him, just defeat him. I know you can do it. He's the toughest opponent on the planet, but he's still a man. Use your strengths against him and his weaknesses as well. You can do this. Put him down for a three count and it will be over. He's smart, extremely skilled, and strong, but humanly strong. You can beat him. Just remember he'll be trying to adjust to your powers, and he'll be working on a way to neutralize them, while he's fighting you. Think with your head while you're in battle not with your fists."

"O-Okay, if you really think this is necessary."

"That's just it, Gold'n, no, I don't think this is necessary. I think you should be in here on my recommendation alone. But he challenged that. Now we can vote on it and we'll definitely win the vote, but he'll always have placed a little doubt in the others minds, and while he won't say 'I told you so.' If something unforeseen should happen, he'll always say it with a scowl. We have to do this."

"So don't hurt him, right?"

"Exactly. Just defeat him, not humiliate either."

She sighs exasperatedly, "Anything else?"

"Yes have fun. This is not a fight to the death. This is a sparring match. Think of it that way."

She shakes her head "Have fun he says..."

She follows Superman to a large gym, more like a small arena really where most everyone is already waiting.

"Is this really necessary?" Steel asks Batman and Superman both.

Superman turns towards Batman and asks, "Is it Bruce?"

"Yes. If only to prove how clouded your judgement is with this girl."

"The only thing clouded here Batman is your vision. But we're all going to find that out now." Superman walks away actually annoyed at Bruce Wayne, which he wasn't a few minutes ago.

'This was going to be fun. Now Batman has turned it into something personal.'  Superman thinks to himself as he walks over to Gold'n. "Don't hurt him, but make it decisive." He whispers to her as he sits down in a front row seat in the arena.

She nods nervously as Green Lantern walks over to them both. "Alright you two" Hal begins, "This is a holographic interfaced arena that can take on the aspect of any battle ground. We're going to start with a simple street for your fight, if you two go longer the interface will automatically reconfigure to your fighting styles and the environment will change to suit it. Good luck." He finishes, then ads "Kick his butt, Gold'n."

Batman growls at Jordan's remark as Hal smiles at him.

"The rules are simple." Hal begins, "Superman issued this challenge, so Batman has the choice of environment. He chose, what else, a dark city alley to begin. If one of you wants out, just say it 'I give' and the holographic interface will stop and the match will be over."

"You hear that child?" Batman asks Gold'n.

"Yeah, yeah I did. Did you?" she answers, all business, staring him directly in the eyes.

He nods once, and then the interface kicks in, as suddenly there is a starlit sky overhead and a darkened alley, complete with the requisite odors surrounding her.

"P-yew! This place stinks!" She looks around the alley and sees no one. It's dark as pitch, but she suddenly hears a whirling sound. Out of the darkness a batarang slices past her.

"Ha! You missed!"

Bam!

The batarang turns around and smacks her in the back of the head, dropping her face first to the pavement.

"And that's that. Game over." Batman states as he drops from above. He reaches over and picks up his batarang, as behind him Gold'n stands, as her golden aura bursts into life around her.

"No. It's not that simple. It's not over."

Batman turns to face her, as she fires an energy blast at his body, blasting him back into a wall!

Sha-RACK!

He rolls with the blast, letting his padded suit absorb the impact. Batman leaps to his feet, he immediately circles in, throws a jab with his right fist, then drops his weight to his left foot and executes a spinning wheel kick to her head, connecting solidly as she had walked right into it, trying to avoid the punch.

POK!

Batman follows it up by stepping to his right, and slashing off a left roundhouse kick to her side.

BAM!

He follows that up with a one-two combination to her jaw, jab jab!

"Give up Gold'n I've connected five times, you've connected once."

She looks at him, anger coloring her face red now. "I only have to connect once, to make it count."

She blasts the ground at Batman's feet, blowing it out from under him.

Vra-KOW!

He spins in mid air landing like a cat on his feet, immediately throwing two batarangs, the first she deftly dodges, the second impacts and upon impact releases a quickly expanding, and even quicker hardening compound that covers her from head to toe instantly.

"You're finished, Gold'n. That batarang contained a chemical I developed to encase my enemy, 'Firefly'. It's heat proof. You won't be able to burn your way o- "

BOOM!

The casing explodes outwards from around Gold'n spectacularly! Batman stumbles back shielding his eyes.

"It's a good thing I really don't generate a lot of heat and fire force blasts instead, Batman."

'Brilliant.' Thinks Superman sitting in the auditorium watching. 'She fired a force blast through her whole body instead of just her hands. Good girl.'

Gold'n swoops in, grabbing Batman by the cape, he immediately twists, and kicks her in the face again, this time harder!

POW!

She spins him around, holding onto his cape and then throwing him upwards! Instantly she releases the cape, and he arcs away, landing on the rooftop above her. She flies up immediately after him, as with a suppressed pop, Batman fires his line gun, ensnaring her feet! Surprised, Gold'n veers to the left, but Batman already secured the other end to a chimney, before he fired it! The line goes taut, and Gold'n is suddenly carried by her momentum face first into the hard rooftop!

SPLAT!

"You are good, Gold'n. You've impressed me, but you have a lot to learn yet. A skilled hero wouldn't have fallen for that trick."

"Really?" she answers as she picks her face up from the rooftop, supporting herself with her arms, palms down. "How about this one? Would a skilled hero fall for this?" She fires her energy blasts from her hands, turning the rooftop into dust!

Batman fires another line from his gun almost faster then the eye could follow, but as quickly as he fires it, Gold'n unleashes a blast, snapping the line in two. The dark knight falls through the shattered roof to the room below.

Inside, Batman slowly extricates himself from the wreckage, as Gold'n swoops in. Wordlessly Batman hurls several small, round glass cylinders at her, she smacks them away instinctively, smashing them, and releasing a cloying green gas!

Gold'n chokes as the cloud grows denser around her. Batman reaches for her arm, grabbing it; he pulls her towards him, seeking to put her in a submission hold. She reacts instinctively, flying upwards at incredible speed, pulling Batman up with her into the simulated sky!

"Yield Batman! We're at least a mile up I drop you, I win."

"You drop me I die, is that what you want? Is that how you handle things when the going gets rough?" He growls at her through grit teeth, while struggling non-stop.

"You don't get it, I could pound you into next month if I wanted too, but I've been holding back. Now say uncle so we can get back to reality." She shouts at him angrily.

"You have a lot of guts kid, but power doesn't always win the day." He slaps her across the jaw, with something in his palm that is immediately painful, even through her aura, and she drops him automatically, as she reaches for her face. Stunned she immediately flies after his receding form!

She catches him quickly, this time by the boot, then she accelerates again arcing down to the street below. As she lands he twists out of her grip again, and throws a batarang at her that explodes on contact, actually knocking her backwards!

"OW! That REALLY hurt!"

"No it hurt no more then anything else I hit you with tonight, except I ultra sensitized your skin when I slapped your face. I had a micro thin needle on my glove that pieced your aura. Now you'll feel every blow in even more detail then a normal person would. This is going to hurt." He cocks his fist back and unleashes a punch that she catches in mid air and stops!

"Okay! Enough! Are you crazy? This is really getting out of control! This was supposed to be sparring, you just turned it into a full-scale war. Do you REALLY want me to unload on you Batman? 'Cause I think you do, and I'm not going to oblige you. Enough's enough already. I give up I'm not going to cripple you."

She turns towards the seats she can't see and repeats, "You hear me? I give. This fight is over."

The veneer of the street drops to insubstantiality around them as Gold'n drops Batman's fist and walks away towards Superman. The much taller Batman glares down at her diminutive form.

"I'm sorry I failed you Superman." She looks down at his feet as she speaks.

"You didn't fail, Gold'n in fact you did just what I wanted you to. Welcome to the Justice League."

"Whhaaattt???" She Stammers out, perplexed.

"You passed your test Gold'n." Batman smiles as he places his hand on her shoulder. "You knew when to call it a day, and you knew exactly how far to push a much less powerful foe without killing him. I don't doubt you could have stopped me completely now. This is what I wanted to find out about you, up close and personal in combat. You can watch my back anytime."

She smiles back at Batman then broadens her grin when she looks at Superman and corrects the Dark Knight with an impish grin, "No Batman, you can watch mine."

Everyone erupts into laughter at that, as they file towards the kitchen area. Batman wincing painfully as he rotates his shoulder.

Minutes later...

Superman and Gold'n are alone in Superman's offices inside the Watchtower. Offices each hero in the league has for private use.

"So is this why you asked me to come up here? To invite me to the league?" Gold'n asks.

"Not really. I wanted to see if you were all right after your encounter with Lord Necromance. He beat you pretty badly. I wanted to see if you wanted to talk about what happened, and if you were okay mentally about it. Obviously I shouldn't have worried, I guess."*

*See last ish

"No, it's okay I-I'm glad you did worry."

"What's wrong, Gold'n?"

"You were right, he beat me, and there was nothing I could do about it, and Superman, it hurt, a lot. I- I never felt that helpless before."

He grabs her and holds her as she begins to shudder and cry. "Shh, shhh, it's all right." He consoles her gently while stroking her hair. You're okay now. Everything is all right."

"Sniff, I-I know just hold me a minute okay?" She whispers.

"As long as you need Gold'n, as long as you need." He replies smiling as he holds her tightly.

Later...

Gold'n enters a transporter tube as Superman sees her off. "So you are sure you only want part time membership, Gold'n? I know the League could use you as often as possible."

"No, it's okay Superman. With all the stuff in Futura city going on I want to make sure I'm not spreading myself too thin. I want to make sure I can give everything I'm doing enough time and effort."

"Understood, Gold'n." He smiles as the tube begins to shimmer about her.

Suddenly something catches Gold'n's eye the instant she begins to fade, she watches as Superman and the Flash, who is beside him, both seem to flinch and spasm as if in agony! Then her view fades and changes to the top of the Strombolt building in Futura City. Instantly she reactivates her Justice League communicator and shouts into it "Superman! Superman! Are you there? Talk to me Superman, anyone!  Hello! Hello! Superman???..." and her cries continue on unanswered.

To be continued in the pages of

JLA#284!

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