Mission 2: Omega Ice (1)

When Batman returned to the Nosferatu, he didn't rest for a moment and went to the ship's batcomputer. He opened Kri Lan's file and placed it with the picture of Kri Lan on the outside of the folder on the board. The board was digital and the file was also digital. 

Over time, more images appeared on the board and different colored lines connected. Batman sat in his chair typing, clicking, and grunting. 

In another part of the city, Omega Sentinel and Iceman were walking through a ghetto. The ghetto housed a wide variety of aliens. Shops, bars, and other entertainment venues entered the sights of the two. 

"I guess we're here. This is the last known appearance of our missing guy, Ram Nohorn. I wonder if this guy doesn't have a horn or does this mean something else in Basic?" Iceman thought out loud. He looked to his left at Omega Sentinel who looked around the street. The pair communicated through their helmets and no one could hear them.

"Any thoughts?" Iceman asked.

"The translation into English is an approximation. Sometimes the translation is phonetic while at other times it tries to convey the meaning of things," Omega Sentinel replied.

"No, I meant what's our next move to find Ram?" Iceman asked. This elicited a look from Omega Sentinel. 

"Don't ask me, this is your operation," she said. 

"My operation, don't you mean our operation?" Iceman asked back to the young woman.

Once more she ceased looking around to look at her companion. "This is a training mission arranged by Batman for you. My job is to help guide you while helping Batman gather information. Therefore, you need to decide how we are going to find our quarry." 

"Wait, this is my training mission? What about you, don't you need to learn this stuff too?" Iceman asked.

"I already know where our target is. I figured it out before we left the guild hall. Remember that I was configured for search and destroy missions as the Omega Sentinel. Thanks to regaining my free will, I possess all of the best aspects of being the Omega Sentinel," she said to Iceman and then returned to scanning the area. 

Iceman first looked surprised and then at the cantina across the street from them.

"Let's go to that cantina, maybe someone there knows about the guy we are looking for," Iceman walked with confidence toward the cantina.

"Gumshoe techniques, no prior thinking or review of information," Omega Sentinel muttered. 

Iceman froze when he heard Omega Sentinel's muttering, "What?" 

"Nothing, merely assessing your process. We can analyze your sub-standard methodology later," she walked past Iceman who was rooted to the ground.

"I know I was being insulted, but this girl is giving me the cold shoulder. Did I do something wrong?"

"No ice puns, please," Omega Sentinel shouted back to Iceman who jogged up to her and caught up. 

Along the way, he noticed how the locals stared at Omega Sentinel and him. His hunter armor looked awesome and intimidating like all the Dark Knights. 

"We've already made quite the impression," he sent through their private chat.

"True, now think about how you can use that impression to help us complete our mission," she responded. 

"Watch, I haven't been a superhero for all these years for nothin'. Let me show you how it's done," Iceman said.

"I wish you would, Batman's discovered something a lot more interesting than catching "Ram Nohorn." 

Iceman walked into the cantina and looked around, there were all sorts of people, alien people, there. He saw a particularly nasty-looking Dug and walked over to it.

"I'm lookin' for someone, Ram Nohorn. Where is he?" Iceman asked. 

"How should I know," the Dug grabbed the handle of his large mug, drank it, and then wiped his mouth with the other hand.

Iceman saw how he was blown off, "I want answers! Where's Ram Nohorn?" Iceman asked as if angered.

While Iceman focused on the Dug a Chadra-Fan slipped out the back. Omega Sentinel watched quietly as Iceman "interrogated" the Dug. She also took note of the Chadra-Fan that slipped away. 

"Hey, Bounty Hunter, ya' can't just walk into my place of biznez and harass my customers!" The Lasat bartender yelled. It had greying hair, but it was bulky and didn't seem intimidated by Iceman. 

Iceman was about to respond when he felt a hand delicately touch his shoulder.

"You're barking up the wrong tree. This Dug is unconnected with our case, and you're about to cause trouble in this cantina for no reason. Plus, you're embarrassing Batman, everyone can tell that you're a noob at this," Omega Sentinel didn't hold back. Thankfully for Iceman, everything she said was communicated through their private communication network. 

"But look at how surly this guy is, he must be up to something!" Iceman shot back.

"All Dugs are surly, it's how their race is, I suppose you didn't bother to check race characteristics before interrogating him?" Omega Sentinel asked.

"Uh, well, I thought it was obvious he was involved so I didn't bother," he admitted and knew that he already made a big mistake. 

"Your thoughtless interrogation has led to losing a possible source of actual intelligence," she informed him.

"Huh?"

"When you started yelling about who you were looking for, a Chadra-Fan slipped out the back nervously," She said. 

"What's a Chadra-Fan?" He asked confused.

"You're missing the point, someone who might know where our target escaped because of your brutish tactics," Omega Sentinel said.

"But...I see Batman using these techniques all the time," Iceman froze and was unsure.

"Batman knows how to use intimidation. He also knows how to identify persons of interest and takes time to understand the situation. There's a lot more to finding someone than intimidation if that's what you're going to rely on...well, you can see the results," she finished and Iceman looked around the cantina and noticed that several of the patrons had blasters in their hands and the barkeeper had his arms crossed and glared at him. 

"What should I do?" Iceman asked.

"Watch and I'll show you. Follow me," Omega Sentinel walked toward the barman and pulled out a few credits. 

"Sorry for the trouble, and the Dug's food and drinks are on us for the rest of the day."

Omega Sentinel walked out of the cantina through the same exit the Chadra-Fan used. Iceman tried to look calm and confident, but he was truly embarrassed. The Barman looked at the credits and his glaring frown a big smile.

"I see, the blue one is training, and the other is the pro," the Lasat said happily. The customers put away their blasters and resumed their drinking. The Dug smiled menacingly and ordered more expensive food and drinks. He wasn't paying for it, so why not?