The summit!

[ Santa Prisca. June 19th, 00:00 ECT]

Deep underground the Light and the Reach were preparing themselves for a meeting to discuss the current state of their affairs.

After Black Beetle and deathstroke made sure things were safe they allowed their respective parties to come forward.

" Ambassador."

Savage greeted the man.

" Savage."

The Reach ambassador replied.

" As head of security for the reach, I must insist no masks be worn at the summit."

Black Beetle exclaimed as he pointed at Black Manta to remove his helmet.

" Simply because you insist is no guarantee."

Manta replied.

" Manta, if you wouldn't mind. After all we are among friends."

Ra's said to Manta.

Manta growled slightly annoyedly at the man's request but did remove his helmet as a show of good faith as did Deathstroke and tigress.

" Satisfied?"

Ra's asked and Black Beetle growled back before returning to his post.

" Excellent! Then with these formalities out of the way."

The ambassador said to the group.

" Let us begin."

Savage finished.

" And the rest of the light? Won't they be joining us?"

The ambassador asked as he looked around for Luthor, Bee and a few others.

" Our more public members are occupied conducting damage control to mitigate your recent feats."

Ra's explained to the aliens making them slightly angry with his pointing out of their failures.

" And any case we are sufficient."

Savage added on.

" Fine. I know you called this summit. but the reach has come with grievances against the light. Please explain how the young earth champions were allowed access to the biyalian scarab temple under your control."

The reach ambassador asked the light as they had lost both Green and Blue Beetles in that temple.

" If I may respond."

Kaldur asked the group.

" No, you may not! Manta keep your whelp meat silent."

Black Beetle demanded as he shut Kaldur up.

" Beetle! Your insolence grows progressively less... Charming."

Manta replied.

" My friends I think we can all agree in recent days no one has done more, sacrifice more for both the light and the reach than Kaldur'ahm. That is why he was entrusted with security to this summit. And why he's entitled to a voice here."

Savage explained in Kaldur's defense.

" Of course, he may speak."

The ambassador replied, waving down Beetle in the process.

" Thank you, Ambassador. We acknowledge your concerns over the actions of my former team. But you must acknowledge the light could not have known the significance of temple. Or that ancient earth magic could overcome Reach technology to free blue beetle and green beetle from your trawl. If the reach had been more forthcoming about how long ago their scarab was sent to infiltrate earth with a beetle warrior, the light may have made the connection to the temple and certainly would have provided better security for it."

Kaldur explained to the reach their failure in providing adequate knowledge on the scarabs and the temple.

" I told you I wanted to study how Blue Beetles scarab had crashed prior to putting it back on mode. If you had followed my advice, we would have known about the temple and..."

The reach scientist was explaining before the ambassador gave her a look that said shut up.

" Apologies I spoke out of turn."

The woman apologized to the man.

" No, my dear, you were right to call your masters tactics into question. The light has provided everything the reach require. And you Aliens have let it all slip away."

Manta exclaimed as his dislike for aliens was well known.

" I don't believe this is a productive direction for our discussion."

The ambassador stated.

" No? Your public approval ratings are at an all-time low as are sale for the reach drink. Which you had hoped would enslave the population."

Ra's explained to the man his constant failures.

" You allowed the young heroes you kidnapped to be rescued by the very teenagers whose metagenes you enhanced."

Savage said to the man.

" After allowing their escape as well."

Manta stated.

" Worst of all Blue Beetle and Green Beetle have slipped from your grasp and have fallen into the hands of the enemy. The justice league."

Kaldur finished the lights berating of the reach.

" Rest assured. Both Beetles will soon return to the fold. In fact, Black Beetle has been summoned to earth from his post guarding access to the key chamber on the war world."

The ambassador was explaining.

" To kill Blue and Green."

Black Beetle stated.

" So that their scarabs may be reset and installed on new host bodies that will forever be slaves to the reach."

The scientist explained.

" So, do not question us on that front or any other. Remember the earth is now property of the reach and per our original agreement the light is merely our favored agents amongst the humans"

The ambassador explained to the group disrespectfully angering them in the process.

" Show the proper respect or suffer the consequences."

Black beetle exclaimed.

" No agreement exists that makes a slave of Black Manta."

Manta stated as he approached the reach.

" No agreement exists that guarantees the life of Black Manta."

Black Beetle responded as he got in Manta's face.

" MANTA GUARANTEES THAT HIMSELF!"

Manta yelled as he pointed his shoulder rocket into Beetle's face.

Beetle responded by opening his chest cannon and pointing it back.

" It seems we have a standoff."

Ra's stated as he looked at the two men.

" No, we don't."

Beetle exclaimed before backhanding Manta cross the room.

Seeing the attack Tigress and Deathstroke both jumped into the fight and started attacking black Beetle with their swords.

Seeing that his sword wasn't working deathstroke leapt over Black Beetle and hit him in the chest with his electro-staff, stunning the beetle in the process.

" Agh!"

Beetle yelled as he swatted tigress away into ra's arms.

" Apologies great one."

Tigress said to the man.

" Non necessary child. You have my... Thanks."

Ra's said suspiciously as he spotted the charm around Tigress' neck. A feeling that he recognized it crept over his mind.

After being saved Tigress leapt back into the fight and fired compression arrows into the approaching reach soldiers, stopping them and preventing them from moving.

As she handled the soldiers Deathstroke continued his assault on Black beetle beating him with his electro-staff.

Having recovered to his feet Black manta rushed Beetle but before either man could throw another blow Kaldur got between them and stopped the fight.

" ENOUGH! We are allies. Not enemies. Any conflict between us only benefits our true opponents. The justice league and their sidekicks."

Kaldur explained to the two men.

" Kaldur'ahm is quite correct."

Savage exclaimed.

" Agreed. We must not allow petty disagreements to drive a wedge between us. Thank you Kaldur'ahm. Stand down warrior."

The ambassador agreed with savage and ordered Beetle to stand down.

" Ambassador."

Beetle tried to argue.

" Stand down."

The ambassador demanded the man.

Beetle growled and walked away, making sure to free his subordinates in the process.

" Should we not be concerned that superman batman and the rest will soon return to earth and sway public opinion to their side?"

Kaldur asked.

" Superman and those accused with him will never leave rimbor. The attack we forced them to make on that world plus a few well-placed bribes has guaranteed their convictions."

Savage explained his role in the attack of the worlds, unknowingly giving the team the proof, they needed to save the league.

" And the Green lanterns are forbidden by the guardian treaty from returning to earth. Now, that we've convinced Un secretary sang to welcome us here. As for public opinion, I wouldn't be concerned. Though the tide has turned to a certain degree it will be a simple matter to build on the half truths. We will use to discredit the league to discredit them again..."

The ambassador was explaining until Ra's suddenly walked over to tigress.

" Great one?"

Tigress called out to the man in confusion.

Ra's reached up and pulled the charm from tigress' neck revealing her true self to everyone.

' Shit.'

Kaldur thought as he and everyone in the room was shocked to see Artemis alive and well.

" Treachery."

Savage stated.

" I don't understand... I thought Artemis was dead."

The ambassador asked.

" So did we all. But it seems tigress is Artemis."

Savage replied.

" This is a glamour charm created by magicians like Zatanna or Doctor fate to hide Artemis' true identity."

Ra's explained to the group.

" But Kaldur'ahm killed Artemis if she lives and in disguise as his lieutenant. Then that means."

The ambassador was explaining.

" That means Aqualad duped them all. Including his own father. Hehehe!

Black Beetle laughed as he finished the ambassador's statement once again.

" Kill them both."

The ambassador ordered Beetle.

" No! You will not kill my son."

Manta decreed.

" He's right."

Savage stated.

Deathstroke pulled out his gun and shot both Aqualad and Artemis seemingly killing them both.

" The light takes care of its own."

Savage exclaimed.

" Kaldur."

Manta leaned down and held his son.

" It's too late father, I have already... won."

Aqualad said to the man before passing away and revealing a transmitter in his hand.

" If you are watching this, then your summit is truly over. the light and the reach deserve each other both sides play at being partners. But the reach believes the light to be their naive tools for conquest. When in fact the light has manipulated the reach from day one."

Kaldur's recording played throughout the cave revealing facts to both sides.

" Shut this off."

Savage ordered deathstroke.

" How?"

Deathstroke asked.

" It was the light that brought the reaches attention to earth by sending the justice league to rimbor. the light set their trap and the reach snapped at the bait fulfilling the lights desire to thrust our world into the galactic spotlight. Part of their perverse survival of the fittest scheme for the planet. Which they believe would transform the earth and the light into the eventual rulers of the milky way. The light did not just help the reach take earth. They also sabotaged the reach's efforts. They kept the enhanced metagenes out of the reach's hands. they added a neutralizing agent to the reaches drink, so the earth's population would not become servile. They turned public opinion against the reach, and they intentionally allowed the team access to the temple to purge the scarabs of blue and green beetle. So, you see any agenda I assume they shared was not but a carefully crafted illusion. I trust I have shattered that illusion. As well as whatever remains of this sorry alliance. Goodnight."

Kaldur's recording explained everything to both sides, revealing every single secret the light had to the reach and in the process destroying their alliance.

" Kaldur. Kaldur, what have you done?"

Manta asked his son as he held him in his arms.

" He has in death done more to damage my plans than any living creature has wrought in fifty thousand years. I'd be impressed if I wasn't so."

" RAAAAGH!"

Savage was explaining until the angered roar of the reach ambassador cut him off.

" You earthlings are a pestilence and a plague! You dare sabotage us and betray us?! Have you forgotten who controls the war world?! The light is fortunate we do not carve up your planet as we speak!"

The ambassador yelled at Savage.

" That would indeed impress as I have the war worlds crystal key!"

Savage replied as he got in the Ambassador's face.

" That is all I needed to know."

Kaldur exclaimed as he got to his feet,

" Kaldur you're..."

" Alive! Yes."

Kaldur replied as he cut Manta off.

" If you would? Ugh! And I always heard the great one was such a gentleman."

Artemis said to Ra's as she asked for hand up.

" Impossible! Deathstroke killed you both!"

Savage yelled.

" Just for a little while. After all I wouldn't want to do any permanent damage."

Deathstroke said to Savage as he levitated a sword up to the man's neck and revealing himself to be Miss Martian in disguise.

" To my best friends. Not when a little misdirection and Hollywood special effect will do instead."

Megan explained to the man.

" We value our friends and unlike you we are not short on them."

Kaldur explained and as if on cue the team arrived.

Nightwing, Batgirl, Kid flash, Superboy, Bumblebee, Guardian and Sentry all made their arrivals known.

" Hey baby did you miss me?"

Wally asked Artemis.

" SHAZAM!"

* CRACK BOOM!

Kai's lightning bolt struck down right in the middle of the cave.

" Well, played. Well, planned. But the light always has contingences. "

Savage said to the group.

The brain's brain started glowing and all the walls in the cave shut. The roof pulled back and a horde of the light's ninjas dropped into the cave to confront the heroes

" I've had enough of your interference. Do not expect to survive. Kill them all. Superboy and Sentry may present a problem. But we will deal with them when the other children lay bleeding on the ground."

Savage explained to his soldiers.

" Still, you refer to us as children. No wonder our success is malt. You continue to underestimate us."

Aqualad explained to the man.

Amongst the light forces the younger heroes began making themselves know. Bluebeetle, Impulse, Wonder girl, Robin, Beast boy, and Lagaan all revealed themselves to have infiltrated the lights ranks.

" Take them down!"

kai yelled as he tackled Black Beetle.

The heroes began effortlessly dispatching the lights forces before moving on to members of the light themselves.

" It is true the light has always underestimated these young heroes. But no more."

Savage exclaimed and snapped his fingers. From his pocket Klarion appeared and turned the sword Megan was using to hold Savage hostage into a giant flaming snake.

" Haha!"

Klarion laughed.

" KLARION!"

Kai yelled. He flew above the lord of chaos and tried to fire a bolt of lightning at him.

" You again? When will you learn?"

Klarion asked the man as he returned a blast of fire.

The two blasts hit each other and power struggle began.

" Oh, you have gotten stronger, haven't you? Okay."

Klarion praised the boy before giving it his all and overpowering him.

" Agh!"

Kai grunted as he hit the roof of the cave hard.

" Time to go."

Klarion said to Savage. And with a flick of his fingers both he and savage were gone.

Kai grunted and got to his feet again.

" Miss M! Esrepsid siht erif won!"

Kai chanted and made the giant fire snake disappear. He then caught the falling woman and placed her gently back on the ground.

" Thanks."

Megan said to the man.

" No, problem. Take your time and recover we'll handle things from here."

kai said to the woman before running off to help the others.

" So, Kid how does it feel to be back in action?"

Kai asked as he ran alongside Wally and Bart.

" Feels good. But like I was telling Kid, me and artemis are going back into retirement. Think you can help the kid out more when he takes up the Kf mantle?"

Wally asked the man.

" Of course, he's more than earned it already. And besides gonna need something to do while your lazing around again."

Kai replied.

" You guys! This is so crash!"

Bart exclaimed.

" Glad your excited kid, Now how about using that excitement on the brain?"

Wally asked Bart.

" You got it!"

Bart exclaimed.

Bart ran up to the brain and in an instant disarmed him of all his weapons rendering him defenseless

" Uh-oh Beetle's making a run for it."

Wally said to Kai as he watched the beetle fly away.

" On it!"

kai leapt into the air to follow the man but was shot back down by a series of sonic blasts.

" Damn it!'

Kai grunted he got to his feet and raced back into the air to see the two were gone.

' They got away. that is not good.'

Kai thought to himself.

Kai floated back down into the cave and now that things were over, he helped in arresting the lights soldiers.

" We did it!"

Wonder girl exclaimed as she hugged the man.

" Yeah, we did."

Kai replied as he hugged the girl back.

" But Savage escaped with Klarion and so did Black Beetle and the head scientist of the reach. Luthor and queen bee never showed and ra's al Ghul will no doubt be back."

Kaldur exclaimed.

" Are you kidding me? Kaldur you won!"

Dick exclaimed.

" Won?! Dude, you triumphed!"

Added on.

" You've crippled the reach and literally broken the light in half. Even took down deathstroke before the summit. And since we've holographically recording everything from the summit we'll be able to use the bad guy's own words against them to clear the justice league. Huff!"

Artemis was explaining until she was cut off by Beast boy hugging her.

" What was that?"

Artemis asked the boy.

" I'm still just so happy you're alive. And aqualad's not a traitor. No more faking anyone's death for at least a year, okay?"

Gar went around the table before telling Dick not to fake anymore deaths.

" How about never again."

Kai interjected sternly as he glared at the four.

" Seconded."

Wally replied.

" Ugh! Agreed."

Kaldur sighed and nodded at the man's request.

" Kaldur this is a good night, the best since the three of us took off for Cadmus three plus years ago."

Dick said to Kaldur.

" Come on, enjoy the moment."

Wally also stated.

" I'd say everything you've accomplished has earned you some forgiveness and a reason to celebrate."

kai added on.

" Alright everyone, let's get out of here."

Kai to everyone.

[ The watchtower. June 19th, 05:24 EDT]

" I am now officially returning you back to the team."

Kai said to Aqualad as he welcomed him back to the team.

" I thank you my friend for your forgiveness of my betrayal."

Kaldur said to Kai.

" Everything worked out in the end, and we managed to take down the bad guys. I've already forgiven you both."

kai said to Kaldur and Dick.

The group was celebrating until a boom tube opened up int the watchtower and Black canary, Black Lightning and Captain Marvel fell through.

" The hell?"

Kai yelled as he ran up to the group.

" The war world! It's activating and leaving earth's orbit!"

Dick yelled as he watched the war world leave.

" Uh, is that good news or bad?"

Dick asked.

" I think from my experience that is very Bad news."

Kai replied.