MARS: THE MARINER VALLEY

A space shuttle and two humans in space suits were standing on the red land of Mars, with small digging machines in their hands. One of them was looking at the distant horizon where the sun was visible. "Would you look at that? A little sight of heaven." One of the astronauts asked his companion.

His partner chuckled. "If your idea, heaven is a barren land full of red rocks."

"You have a soul of a poet." The first astronaut named Carter joked.

"Carter we didn't come for the view. Our mission here is purely scientific. You got any readings?"

"No detectable level of H2O." Carter said. Then to his left on a pile of rocks he spotted something shining. "Hold on."

"What's up?" His partner asked looking at him.

Without answering Carter stepped past him and reached the pile of rocks.

"What is it Carter?"

"I don't know, could be an ice crystal." Carter replied trying to break the thin layer of rock holding the shiny substance with a small axe. With a few stroke of his axe the rock around it crumbled and the mysterious substance was in his hands. "No, this almost feels organic." Carter deduced.

"Organic? Wha…" The words remain unfinished in Carter's friend's mouth because out of nowhere the ground underneath their feet begin to crumble.

Both the astronauts tried to get away from their death, but Carter wasn't as lucky as his friend. He fell down.

"Carter! Carter!" He called in his radio but there was no response.

In the meantime Carter fell inside the hole but he fell down a slope. So he was alive and unhurt. "Ed. You hear me? I am okay. Ed!" He tried to call the radio but there was no response. "Dead!" He sighed and tried to look around with the light on his suit. He spotted a huge door with strange symbols on it and a lock, at least thirty feet long. Curiosity got the better of him as he grabbed his axe, and tried to break the lock. With more pressure the lock broke with a hissing sound. Then on the door lights begin to criss-cross on its surface like numerous snakes and it opened. As soon as the door opened, a rush of wind almost knocked Carter of his feet. But he steadied himself and tried to look inside. He couldn't see anything except the bright light that engulfed the entire door.

"Hello! Anyone there?" Carter whispered. Then he realized that no one can hear him and he felt stupid.

He wondered whether he should step inside or not. Before he could decide he heard something coming towards him from inside the door. He tried to look and his eyes widened at what he saw. He yelled at the top of his lungs but then he knew no more.

EARTH: TWO YEARS LATER

METROPOLIS CITY

Superman was flying in the sky over the city of Metropolis. His eyes were searching for something. His expression which is usually always calm seems to be distressed. The government got aware of failures of several space satellites a few days ago. But one was working, barely. None of the experts could explain the cause of sudden failures of all the satellites, and at the same time. But the one which was working caught a distress image of a structure coming towards earth's atmosphere a few hours ago. It also didn't help the fact that Senator Carter ordered to disable all the nuclear missiles that protected earth from space attacks. Superman also heard the rumour about several meteorites landing around the city of Metropolis. Currently he was heading for them. It didn't take him long to reach there. The area was crowded. Police were keeping public away, and the researchers were doing their works.

"Superman." One of the scientists regarded him.

"Anything useful?" Superman asked.

"So far nothing. The only thing we can tell that this is no ordinary meteorite." The scientist explained.

"Is this dangerous? Then I can carry it outside the city." Superman offered.

"No. We have no idea how fragile it is and if it breaks we may lose some valuable information. Informations which can even alter our science." The scientist politely rejected the offer.

"Alright." Superman said and took off into the sky.

He returned to his apartment within few minutes, changed into his night attire and got under the covers on his bed. At that moment his phone rang loudly interrupting his slumber.

"Hello?"

"Smallville! I hope you didn't forget. Tomorrow at 11.00, we are going to the power plant to investigate. Perry needs something genuine on yesterday's massive blackout." The voice of the reporter Lois Lane was heard on the opposite side of the phone.

Clark aka Superman almost rolled his eyes. "I will be there Lois."

"Don't be late." Lois said and cut the phone.

Clark sighed as he slumped down on his pillow. Then all of a sudden he screamed. Flashes of images and memories played in his mind. For a few days he was having these unexplained visions. They were unclear but right now, he saw them as if he was there and saw everything through his own eyes. In the blink of an eye he had changed into his famous red and blue attire, and flew away through the window. He now knew what he have to do.

THEMYSCIRA, HOME OF THE AMAZONS, A FEW HOURS EARLIER

A lone hooded figure walked among the corridor of the palace, while looking around carefully. The figure was silent and very careful so no one could see her. Quickly she was standing in front of a statue of one of her goddess and at her feet lay the armour of the champion of the Amazons. The figure pulled off her hood to reveal the face. The stranger was none other than the princess of the Amazon, Diana, daughter of Queen Hippolyta.

She looked around to make sure that no one has spotted her. When she was sure that she was not being watched she let out a sigh of relief. She looked down at the armour and the Lasso of Truth.

"I am sorry mother. But I have to do this. Man's world needs me." Her eyes turned a little sad.

She put on her armour, bracelets, tiara and the star earrings. Finally she tied the lasso at her waist. All the sadness from her eyes was gone now replaced with determination and something else…. love.

"I must find him. He is there. He will need me." She whispered under her breath. She looked back at the palace of her mother's chamber. "I am so sorry mother. I know I am going against your order and the code of the Amazons. But I had already broken the code when I felt love for a man." She stopped again. She knew no one could hear her but she needed to let it out before she leaves. "I have waited a long time to… to be with him. I know you will never approve this: about me loving a man. Despite knowing everything you taught me, I still couldn't help but love him. I am going to him. Perhaps I will visit you one day, if you accept him and me. But from today man's world will be my home. His home will be my home."

She wrote down all these in a piece of paper with her mother's name on it with a goodbye. After she put the paper at her goddess feet she turned around to leave, with her gaze towards the sky.

SECRET GOVERNMENT FACILITY, 20 MINUTES LATER

With two mighty punches from Superman the protective door that led deep inside the secret facility crumbled like a paper. He walked down calmly to the end and found what….no who was looking for. A green skinned alien was held as captive in there. He immediately unlocked the locks and the alien begin to collapse down. He gently grabbed him and held him on his feet.

"I came as soon as I could." Superman said to the alien.

"It was difficult. There are force fields around here that was preventing me to contact you clearly. I arrived here on Earth two weeks ago to warn you, but they took me captive." The alien replied.

"Here. Get your breath." Superman let him sit down for a while.

He sat down reluctantly but begin to shake his head. "There is no time. They are already here. Nothing will be left of this planet unless we do something immediately."

"What are you talking about?" Superman asked, confusion etched on his face.

"The harvesters. They are here." The alien answered.

"Harvesters?" Superman asked.

"Yes. They are an alien species, travels from planet to planet. They feed on the natural resources until it is completely empty. They destroyed my people, my family and my home, Mars." The alien murmured the last part, bowing his head down. "And Earth is rich with natural resources. They will not stop until all life is destroyed along with every bit of resources."

"We need to get out from here and warn everyone." Superman said.

"Yes." The alien tried to stand up but he almost collapsed again. He was still too weak.

Superman helped him on his feet and carried him outside the facility. But as soon as they stepped outside they found themselves surrounded by a platoon of soldiers.

"We can't let you take him away, Superman." The Colonel announced.

Superman held on to his friend tightly, not letting go. "Colonel this is a matter of utmost importance. The existence of our world is at stake."

The Colonel smiled evilly. "I know. That's why I can't let you leave."

Superman's eyebrows scrunched in suspicion. Then before his very eyes, all the soldiers transformed into some kind of faceless alien with strange guns in their hands.

"Harvesters. They are here." The martian said.

The Harvester aliens open fired on Superman. Superman pushed his martian friend away from fire and took the brunt of it. As he crashed against a wall several feet away the wind was already out of his lungs.

"Superman!" The martian, aka J'onn J'onzz called out Superman's name.

Superman lifted a tank and hurled it down towards the aliens. Several were crushed underneath it but miraculously none of them died. They squeezed from underneath the tank as if they were made of liquid. The aliens scattered around and focused there fire on Superman. Superman was overwhelmed by their number. Suddenly the firing on him stopped as several aliens were hit by something very fast one after another. Then a woman wearing a hawk like mask, with a pair of wings on her back appeared out of nowhere and begin to smash the aliens with a magical mace in her hands. A huge green hammer, made of light smashed the aliens to the ground.

"Help has arrived." J'onn smiled slightly looking at Superman.

The Flash, Hawkgirl and Green Lantern has arrived.

Superman nodded and burned several aliens with his heat vision.

"Look out!" Hawkgirl warned pointing towards the top of the facility.

A laser beam was shot straight towards J'onn, clearly intending to finish him off. J'onn was too weak to jump away or use his powers. He couldn't move. He and his allies knew at that moment that he is going to die. But it didn't happen. A woman appeared out of nowhere in front of J'onn and deflected the shot with ease using her silver bracelet. She had long raven hair with striking ocean blue eyes, wearing a red armour, a golden tiara, star shaped earrings and a pair of long red boots. In short she was breathtakingly beautiful. Even Superman stared at her for a few moments. The alien whose shot she deflected tried to escape but she was not letting him go easily. She took out her golden lasso and easily caught the alien in it. But surprising her, the alien melted down and escaped.

"What was that creature?" She asked the others.

"An alien." Superman said stepping beside her.

"Alien?" She asked confusion etched on her face.

"Alien is someone who comes from outside this planet." J'onn explained to her.

She turned her attention to the green skinned martian. "You are the one who called me." She simply stated.

"Yes." J'onn replied then he took an human shape surprising everyone.

"You said the world is in danger, but from whom?" Diana asked.

"I will explain everything." J'onn replied.

Green Lantern aka John Stewart, Hawkgirl aka Shayera came near them along with Flash. Flash's eyes were wide as he kept on gawking at Diana.

"Where have you been all my life?" He said dreamily.

"Themyscira." Diana stated as if that was the most obvious answer. She didn't understand that the Flash was simply flirting with her.

And Superman elbowed the Flash, silently telling him to stop his nonsense.

"Who are you?" John asked.

"I am Diana, Princess of the Amazons." She introduced herself.

"Amazons? I thought it was just a myth." Hawkgirl said looking at Diana.

Diana smiled a little. "I assure you, it is as real as the ground on which we stand."

Superman tried to focus on the what was important. They could make proper introductions later.

"J'onn what were you saying before?" Superman asked glaring at Flash, who looked a little sheepish but still kept on glancing towards Diana dreamily.

Then J'onn begin to explain everything to them, how the aliens destroyed his home and people, what their purpose is.

"I am afraid that the time is very near since they exposed themselves to us. They are ready to take this planet." J'onn said.

"Not on my watch." Diana said, looking angry.

"We cannot do this alone. Together we may have a chance." J'onn suggested. "We need to be ready before it begins."

"We can stop it before it begins, whatever it is." Hawkgirl said.

"I second on her proposal." Green Lantern agreed.

But J'onn shook his head. "We are already too late. All we can do is prepare."

"We need to let the Government know." Superman suggested. "Evacuate the city perhaps?"

"It is too late for that Superman. In two hours you cannot hope to empty a large city like this. And your Government already knows by this time that something is happening." J'onn said.

"Then we need to go and be ready and let him take some rest." Hawkgirl said looking at J'onn.

They all were ready to leave but Superman stopped them. "Wait."

"What happened Superman?" Green Lantern asked.

"There is one more we must call to our aid." Superman said.

"Who?" Hawkgirl asked.

"Batman." Superman stated.

"Batman?" Diana asked, confused because she had no idea who the this Batman is.

"I thought he was just a myth." Green Lantern said.

"No. He is real and we need him." Superman replied. "We need to go and get him."

"Can't J'onn call him telepathically like he contacted us?" Hawkgirl asked.

"No, as I do not know anything about him." J'onn replied.

"I will go and get him." Superman said to the others. "You guys get J'onn to safety. He is their target."

Everyone nodded. Just before Superman could leave, Diana approached him. "Can I come too?" She offered.

Superman thought for a moment. "You can." He smiled slightly and then took off into the sky.

15 MINUTES LATER

"Where are we going?" Diana asked Superman, as they both flew in the sky.

"We are going to the Gotham city." He replied.

"That is where he lives?" She asked.

"He protects the city." Superman answered avoiding her real question.

"Tell me about him. What are his powers?"

"Powers?"

"Yes. You have super strength, you can fly. What are his abilities?" Diana asked curiously.

Superman simply smiled at her question and curiosity. "You will see." He simply replied.

GOTHAM CITY

The two heroes flew over the night sky of Gotham in search of the mysterious Batman, not knowing that they were being watched the entire time.

"Where can we find him? Do you know his home?" Diana asked.

"We will find him in the streets." Superman said. "Come with me, you will see. It will be hard to find him if he doesn't want to reveal himself."

Diana merely raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything.

As they flew over the city they spotted several bodies of criminals on either the ground, hanging from rooftops by limbs. Some of them have broken bones or in worse state.

"That's his handiwork." Superman said.

"These men are broken badly." Diana said, looking at the criminals. "Not that they didn't deserve it."

"But the question is where is he?" Superman said looking around. Then he spotted a man on a rooftop cowering in a corner. By his looks Superman could tell that he was one of the criminals of Gotham.

He and Diana landed right in front of him.

"No! No! Please! God! No!" The criminal begin to panic.

Diana looked at Superman with raised eyebrows. Did the criminals fear Superman so much?

"Please! No! I will go to prison. Don't come near me!" The criminal still begin to mutter nonsense.

"What happened to you?" Superman asked.

"Bat. Giant Bat. Horrible. It took them all. All of them. Fred, Jeddy, Edward, Tony. All of them. Gone." The criminal kept on rambling.

"Where is he?" Superman asked but he got no reply except more nonsense.

He sighed in defeat. There is nothing he will be able to know from that guy. "Surrender yourself to the police." Superman suggested.

"Surrender? To police? Yes. Of course. There is no Bat. Yes. Surrender." The man agreed.

Superman and Diana let him get past them towards the stairs. But at that very moment a dark shape, just like a bat, dropped in front of the man, blocking his path. A hand immediately snatched the criminal by his throat and held him at least one feet above the ground.

"Where is the Penguin?" A deep baritone voice questioned the man.

But the man couldn't answer. His eyes were wide like saucers in fear. "I don't have much patience." The deep baritone voice asked dangerously.

"He…. He is in the western seawares. Near the port." The man answered somehow.

Then he got hit by something hard and saw blackness.

Diana saw the mysterious figure dropped the man's body on the ground carelessly. She couldn't see him clearly as he was standing in the dark except his white eyes. Those eyes, they were now looking right at her. For some reason Diana felt a shiver ran down her spine, not out of fear but for something else which she didn't know.

"Batman." Superman greeted.

"I know." He simply replied.

Superman shook his head. Of course he knows.

Batman continued. "I tried to investigate. But they were loose ends. Nothing solid."

"Will you come with us?" Superman asked.

"Why did you bring her here?" Batman didn't answer his question.

Diana turned angry. She is not a little girl that Superman will have to carry her here. She can go wherever she wants to and on her own. Who is this man to demand why she is here?

"Excuse me. I can go wherever I want to. This is an independent world." She said angrily.

"Not in my city." Batman replied gravely. "Without my permission."

"Your city? Your permission?" Diana asked angrily. "As I told you, I will go wherever I please."

"No meta is allowed in my city, Princess." Batman almost bit his tongue at his slip. He shouldn't have called her by that name.

Diana flinched at that nickname. How dare he call her by that name? Only one person has the right to call her by that name. No one else.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What did you call me?"

"I called you Princess as you are the princess of the Amazons." Batman replied without any emotion.

"Don't do that again." She warned dangerously and she wondered how did he knew her identity.

"Or what?" Batman begin to make her angry purposefully. He felt horrible inside but he had to do it. She must not come close to him, for her own good.

"Are you challenging me?" Diana asked, her nostrils flaring in anger. She couldn't understand why Superman wanted this man to help. He is….horrible.

"What if I did?" Batman asked simply.

"You will regret it." She fired back.

"Show me." Batman challenged her again.

"Now wait a minute." Superman tried to intervene.

"Don't." Diana warned Superman as she stepped forward towards Batman.

She attacked first, not with her full strength. But surprising her, he avoided it with ease. Her eyes narrowed. She attacked him with different tactics. He avoided almost all her hit except one to his ribs. She was sure that she didn't break anything but she knew that it had hurt him. Then in the next second she was against his body and her feet left the ground as he threw her over his shoulder. She crashed down on the ground with a loud thud and pain shot down through her back.

She looked up at him angrily but he was not in fighting stance anymore instead his hand was offered to her. It was a sign of truce. She didn't take his hand, she got on her feet by herself. But when she had contact with his body she felt strange. His smell which she caught because of her enhanced senses gifted by the gods. When she caught his scent in her nose she felt as if she knew him. She looked at him carefully. Every inch of him was covered in suit except the lower part of his face. By the way his jaw looks she could tell that he must be a very handsome man underneath the mask. She has no idea why but everything about him felt strangely familiar to her. She shook her head because this was not the time to linger in those thoughts. Specially that memory. Her most memorable one. The time she spent with him, the kiss she gave him. It was beautiful.

"It's good you two are done fighting. We have greater things on our hands." Superman said.

"We need to leave now." Batman said.

"You need me to carry you?" Superman asked Batman. In his answer he only received a death glare. He shrugged. "Just asking."

Diana watched the two of them with a frown on his face. She still couldn't understand why they need this arrogant and rude man. But maybe she shouldn't judge him so quickly. She will wait.