Chapter 37 - The Odyssey - Part 4

"Anyway, space cop, remember this image and try to find out if anyone has seen a ship like this," instructed Orach to Hal.

Bruce, Victor, and Hal closely paid attention to the image and the conversation between Orach and Mother Empress. Every description from Orach painted a daunting picture. They felt a creeping terror knowing that a highly advanced and potentially dangerous piece of technology was lost somewhere in the vast wilderness of space. Bruce was particularly worried about the possibility of the ship falling into the wrong hands, so he voiced his concern, "Orach, from your words, I gather this ship is extremely powerful. What's stopping others from taking over the ship before we find it?"

Orach glanced at Mother Empress, silently directing her to answer. She understood her Master's look and nodded before answering, "Like me, there is another AI terminal installed on that ship. Trust me, there is no way my counterpart would allow anyone except you, young Master, to approach it. It would rather self-destruct. I know I would," she said, her tone serious.

Orach listened calmly but didn't like the self-destruct part of that statement. He decided he needed to have a little chat with his AI companion later.

"I see..." Bruce nodded, falling silent.

"Got it. Now that I know how it looks, the next time I go out, I'll ask about it," Hal said. He was deeply worried now. Orach's conversation with Mother Empress had made him realize that the ship was dangerous.

"Mother Empress, you mentioned the onboard AI would try to find the buoys you left and piece together a path to us, correct?" Orach asked. Mother Empress nodded and said, "Yes, young Master. Like me, it would prioritize being by your side. So, it would try its best to follow the breadcrumbs I left along our paths until it makes it to Earth."

"Wait! You left breadcrumbs for it to follow, right? Then can you show me your telemetry data? Maybe I can map the path you took with my ring's power. It has its own navigation feature and thus should be able to map the stars, therefore should be able to map out your path. If we know that, then I can try reaching out to the Lanterns of that area for information on that ship," Hal suggested.

Orach was pleasantly surprised and said, "Good. That's a good approach. I appreciate your suggestion. Mother Empress, could you project out the trajectory our ship took and the celestial bodies you were able to map or record?"

Mother Empress nodded and projected the path and the planets and stars she recorded along the way.

"This...Orach, I think I do recognize some of these planets but, I'm not sure. However, I have recorded the map and images you showed. This will help. I'll connect with the other Lanterns and will get back to you when I hear about the ship," Hal said, nodding.

"Appreciate it, Space Cop. But, I guess you should plan your trips after the announcement about your group," Orach acknowledged.

Mother Empress then ended the projections of the ship and the map while Hal nodded in agreement. Orach then looked at Bruce and asked, "I know Diana won't be there for your announcement but, now with the Space Cop, you should have all but her at the announcement. How is your charter draft coming along?"

Bruce nodded and said, "Yes. Except for Diana, all should be able to make it to the location of our choosing. Speaking of, I think we should do the announcement in Metropolis. You'll be able to meet Lois Lane face to face."

Orach simply nodded at Bruce's suggestion. He then asked, "Hey Bruce, what about the base of your team? Will you construct one or continue to use your manor? You should have something in mind, right?"

Hearing the question, Bruce nodded and said, "Yes. I do have something in mind. Maybe you can help me as well. I plan to have a terrestrial base first while, with those of us who can work in space, we can construct an orbital base in space. Thoughts?"

Hal and Victor were surprised and a little excited at the thought of working in space.

While Orach simply nodded and replied,"Sure. I have seen orbital base stations in the past and should be able to help you design one."

"Out of curiosity, if you are deciding on an orbital space station as our base of operations then why invest in a terrestrial base?" Victor asked, despite his excitement about working in space.

"Biggest reason would be that he would be ousted as the Batman, or someone related to the team, if someone keenly looked at the movements of the justice league members. So, it's better to have a known dummy place where the enemies of your group would concentrate their efforts," Orach answered.

Bruce nodded in affirmation. Victor then nodded in understanding.

"Alright. Going back to the charter. Did you manage to create a draft or have the outline or key points ready?" Orach asked. Bruce nodded and replied, "Yes. Let's all go to the cave, and I'll show you the draft."

"Alright," Orach said, getting up from his seat following Bruce who had already stood up and started walking towards the staircase hidden behind the floor pendulum clock.

Later, all of them followed Bruce down the stairs and, upon reaching the cave, all huddled around Bruce as he awakened his system from sleep mode and opened the draft he had been working on the previous night.

"Here is the draft. It's a basic outline of what I had in mind, and we can alter it as the group evolves."

Justice League Charter

Purpose

The Justice League is established to manage global threats beyond the reach of conventional forces. While its primary duty is to protect Earth, it may also aid other planets if their security does not conflict with Earth's safety.

Prohibited Activities

The Justice League is not permitted to involve itself in politics, national affairs, routine law enforcement operations, or interplanetary issues unrelated to Earth's security, unless explicitly authorized.

Funding

The Justice League operates as a nonprofit organization, funded annually by the Wayne Foundation.

Membership

Active membership is capped at ten members. All members should be adult, full-time crimefighters, who have been serving the public for at least one year and are currently residing on Earth.

Meetings

Regular meetings occur monthly, while emergency meetings can be convened by any member at any time.

Chairmanship

Each active member serves as chairman for a one-month term, during which they coordinate all activities.

Duties and Privileges

Members are required to maintain a log of all missions, provide reasons for absences, and always wear their signal devices. They have unrestricted access to headquarters and are provided with free life insurance for crimefighting activities.

Alternate Membership

Alternates are called upon when needed. They have limited access to the base and can attend social events, but are not required to attend regular meetings.

Honorary Membership

Honorary membership is bestowed upon individuals who have assisted in a mission but have declined or are ineligible for alternate status.

Suspension, Expulsion, and Leaves of Absence

Members can be suspended for misconduct or disobedience. Expulsion can be enforced for criminal convictions, betrayal of secrets, or repeated suspensions. Leaves of absence can be granted for personal reasons.

Punishment of Criminals

Criminals apprehended by the Justice League will be prosecuted under the relevant judicial body. The JLA can implement its own form of detainment for criminals who cannot be contained by existing facilities, subject to review by the U.N. or Guardians.

Disbanding and Restraints

The Justice League can disband through a unanimous vote of all active members or by a U.N. order. The U.N. can also impose restraining orders on the JLA's members or activities, which the JLA can challenge in a special World Court. If the JLA is disbanded, its facilities revert to the Wayne Foundation.

In the midst of the meeting, all present were deeply immersed in reviewing the charter. The atmosphere was thick with concentration, each person engrossed in their individual contemplation of the document's key points. Orach too absorbed the words, letting them seep into his thoughts while withholding any immediate criticism or comment. He opted to wait, allowing the JLA members Hal and Victor the opportunity to voice their views first.

Hal, in his usual thoughtful manner, expressed his appreciation for the charter's consideration of the Guardians. The prospect of cooperative relations with the Green Lanterns struck him as an immensely beneficial arrangement. Furthermore, he found the charter's openness towards the JLA members assisting other worlds to be a commendable stance. The league's roster boasted immensely powerful individuals like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg, who could be of great help even beyond Earth's boundaries. In Hal's opinion, this provision could potentially expand the scope of their benevolent efforts.

Victor, a man of few words but deep thoughts, remained silent for a while, carefully mulling over the charter. After some time, he voiced his agreement with Hal, acknowledging the points highlighted in the charter draft as valid and worth supporting.

Orach listened to their agreement before stepping into the conversation, his voice serious and his question weighty. "Bruce, how would the league handle a criminal who has blood on their hands and, despite going through the correctional facilities, hasn't shown any indication of change? Would you just allow the cycle to repeat?"

His words hung heavy in the room as he continued, "Each life, each soul contains countless possibilities. Taking a life, even for us, is not something we enjoy. We do it with the resolve of bearing the consequence when the time comes and always in the defense of something or someone. During my time on the field, I faced some individuals who derived pleasure from the act of taking lives, people whose eyes contained nothing but pure madness. These people don't deserve to live since they would continue, if given the chance, to bring death and destruction. So, in my opinion, it's a good thing you try to give these criminals a chance to change but, if they don't show signs of change and continue to cause tragedies, I suggest the JLA have the right to judge and execute such individuals."

Bruce's expression turned grave at Orach's words, while Victor instinctively took a step back. Hal, on the other hand, found some sense in Orach's words and nodded in agreement.

Bruce broke the silence, "If we don't respect the laws set by our civilizations, we are no better than the criminals we are trying to stop. Also, if we allow ourselves to go down that path, we wouldn't be able to come back from that."

Orach retorted, "Don't kid yourselves, each leaguer already has blood on their hands, Bruce. It may not have been human blood, but it's lives that you lot took in the war. You all have killed, so don't give me that 'if we go down this path' line. You lot have already gone ahead on that path. Also, I am not telling you to execute all criminals. I'm talking about criminals with the eyes of an insane person who only wants chaos or someone who is a warmonger and has taken lives."

He continued, bringing up a painful name from their past, "Consider a criminal from your past fights. The Joker. You have thwarted his plans time and time again. In each event, his activities have resulted in the suffering of innocent lives. Each time he is sent to prison. But, has he changed? Has he shown any signs of changing? No! He goes back to do what he does - cause more pain and suffering. Imagine if he decides one day to go play somewhere else and manages to create a tragedy since there was no Batman to stop him. You would be drowning in guilt at that point thinking 'if only I had killed him, I could have prevented all this from happening.' So, Bruce, I highly suggest you heed my advice. Anyway, it's your team, your decision. That was just something for you to think about."

With that, Orach decided to leave for the garden to train. The discussion had stirred up his emotions, and he felt a little angry. The charter seemed to depend on a failing system, turning the league into a half-measure without a long-term solution. To cool down and regain his focus, he decided to remove himself from the situation and direct his energy towards training.