Chapter Text
The day Jaylah absorbed power from the Central Power Battery, picked up Tahani and skedaddled, she had caused quite a stir among the still-growing corps. However, Ganthet and Sayd had let them go.
"Through all the times we've observed you, we found out that you are a good person indeed. Your intentions are noble. If there truly is a threat on the horizon, I trust you to guide Earth and the rest of Sector 2814 through it." Ganthet said.
"Now remember, if you ever get lost, you just let that wonderful little heart and all that joy inside your soul be your guide." Sayd added.
And now, here Jaylah was, overlooking the neon streets of a city known as Gotham, holding a green sign that said "Jaylah Osana Dawnbreaker:Hero For Hire". She figured if she made a big enough name for herself like back in outer space, maybe she could open the path to Earth's authorities and perhaps speak to them. Right now, she and Tahani were staying at an abandoned shack at the edge of the city—thank the stars it was big enough to fit a big white sphere and a greasy, no-good ex-pirate, and Jaylah had spent a majority of the money she'd made in installing a security system on the shack, including a cloaking device. But maybe, just maybe, her days in this place were numbered. Already people were questioning her violent methods, despite the fact that it was all for justice.
That was when the familiar black armor came into her view. "Hello, Spooky." said Jaylah, recognizing the city's resident hero.
"Hello, Jaylah." said Batman. "Now tell me, what did you do with the Penguin? He disappeared suddenly on last Tuesday night, and...I don't know what you were up to that night."
"Oh, I flung him into outer space and left him to die. Then a meteor shower came along and hit his dead body. Now he's quite literally resting in pieces." Jaylah stated very casually.
"This has to stop, y'know." said the bat-themed hero. "I know you're hurting, and even I'll have to admit that this town's crime rate has dropped significantly since you arrived, but...aren't you tired of feeling like this?"
"Alright, I'll leave, but on one condition. You'll still have this bilge-sucking town covered, right?" asked the dreadlocked Lantern.
"Hey, I've been taking care of this city like all the Batmen before me." replied Batman. The two shook hands, and Jaylah flew back to the concealed shack to fetch her sphere friend.
Jaylah's next destination was San Francisco, where she also tried to make big name for herself as a hero for hire but there wasn't as many opportunities since this city wasn't crime-riddled like Gotham. Occasionally, she would do some good deeds such as stopping runaway trains, rescuing lost children, and saving citizens from burning buildings and getting paid for it. It wasn't comparable to the sheer joy she experienced at killing criminals back in space or at Gotham, but it was nice and fun at first glance, then one day, it started getting bad. After a while, the citizens began abusing the system, and started requesting something that wasn't an emergency, like looking for a lost cell phone, a kid wanting help on a video game, or somebody asking for help to start a fire in their barbecue grill. But the real deal came, when Jaylah came across an elderly couple faced with an armed thug who she bisected on the spot.
"You're welcome." said the Lantern, as she looked at the shivering couple.
The woman was the first to speak. "Y...you're the fabled Scourge Of Gotham, right? Somebody said the city's crime rate had dropped alarmingly after a green-clad hero took the stage, and..."
"They call me that?" Jaylah asked.
"Anyways, thank you for saving our lives." said the man, barely able to contain the bile and disgust in his throat whenever he looked at the mutilated corpse. "My name's Christopher Pike, and this is my wife Vina. I'd never thought you'd show up here in San Fran, to be honest."
"Jaylah Osana Dawnbreaker." said the Green Lantern. "Actually, I'm here for a mission. My friend needs to warn this planet's denizens about an oncoming threat, and I'm helping her out." She then pulled Tahani out of a nearby corner; since they had ended up on the streets upon coming to San Francisco, the Lantern had been keeping the sphere in close proximity in case something happened to her.
"What is that?" asked Christopher Pike.
"She's the friend I mentioned. A great evil wiped out her entire species, and she's been brought here to warn Earth about that very same evil." Jaylah replied.
"Well, then, Starfleet's just the place for you. I work there, I'll make sure to inform Starfleet Command of your situation." said Pike.
"Thank you, Christopher Pike." said Jaylah, and took off with Tahani in tow. The next few days had been the same boring routine—solving minor cases and still getting paid, and falling asleep on the streets after that. It was one such night that Jaylah had fallen asleep with a deactivated Tahani in a corner, not knowing what was to befall them. Right after Jaylah had curled up next to the sphere with a construct blanket wrapped around the both of them, a smoke grenade was thrown into the corner she was in.
Jaylah awoke in a strange place, alerted to a not-nurse-not-doctor-not-anyone-else-who-works-here presence. There was no sign of Tahani, instead, there was a man who was obviously waiting for her to wake.
"Miss Dawnbreaker," the man greeted with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "I'm Admiral Alexander Marcus. We have much to discuss."
Maybe that was the moment everything went downhill. But Jaylah never doubted this "Admiral Marcus" at first sight, and gladly agreed when he said he needed her for an upcoming war.
"Are you for real?" she asked.
"Of course I am. My colleague Christopher Pike informed everyone of your "threat", and I know precisely what it is. Don't fear for your sphere friend, she is safe and sound. Now, will you hand over your ring, please?" asked Marcus.
And Jaylah simply assumed that he was talking about the Harvesters, but remained a bit skeptical. "What do you need it for? It only responds to me."
"That is why I need you to hand it over. You'll have it returned to you in due time, no worries." Marcus reassured her, and Jaylah took off her ring before handing it to a nearby female attendant. Turns out it was the biggest mistake she had ever made. Afterwards, she was told to change into a blue and black uniform, the standard colors of "Section 31", the top-secret Starfleet organization she was to work at. She also got a nice place to stay at, and a better environment to take care of her precious dreadlocks.
And for the first three weeks, she was fine and dandy, and kept on thinking that Tahani was safe and secure until next Monday, when she discovered that Marcus's plans, the ones that involved her and one other, were actually directed against the Klingon Empire. Afterwards, she was called up in only a tank top and boxers, and asked "how far you can fare without your ring". With that, she was attacked by several black-clad, hulking masses of men who beat her silly. She tried to fight them off, but with no ring, or as a matter of fact, no weapons at all, it was quite the challenge. Of course, being stronger than normal humans, she did take them down but the continued blows soon wore her off.
"You don't have to go easy on her, gentlemen! She's a warrior!" Marcus said, his voice sending chills down her spine. "Isn't that right, M'Ress?"
"My name is Jaylah." she corrected.
"No. That woman is dead. Your name is M'Ress." Marcus sternly told her.
That ticked her off, and she could feel her inner black hole grow. "I am Jaylah Osana Dawnbreaker, and you're not taking that away from me!" she yelled.
"Oh, believe me, I will." the admiral sneered, and told his men "Tie her up."
And so Jaylah was tied up to the wall, where she was electrocuted repeatedly with electric rods until she passed out, and when she did, water was thrown on her to wake her back up and start all over. Then at some point, the despicable man decided enough with the electrocuting and decided to whip her himself. "Come on...Scream for me." Marcus taunted as he dealt the first lash. "See what a cheap whore you are." Two. "Turns out the Scourge Of Gotham is no better than a street prostitute." Three.
"Go to hell." Jaylah spat, the words coming out with a mouthful of bright neon yellow blood halfway through the aftershock of the third lash.
Four. "Oh, she likes dirty talk, eh? I'll keep that in mind when I'll be enjoying you thoroughly, just like how I do with the other one." Five. "Rumor has it that you're a lesbian, right? That only adds to the fun." Six. "Oh, and your sphere friend...she will be put to good use as well." Seven.
Tahani! Jaylah's mind screamed. What if Marcus exploits her, just like the Romulans did? "You win, sir." she finally relented "I'll do anything you want. Just leave her alone, right?"
"What's your name?" Marcus asked.
Jaylah took a deep breath and replied "M'Ress."
"That's a good girl." Marcus said, then ordered "Take her to the doctor."
"Yes, sir." said one of the men, then he unchained her before hauling her off.
The doctor, Elizabeth Dehner, was a kind woman with beautiful chocolate skin and an afro. Her black eyes were lined with blue eyeliner, and three golden stars were tattooed under each eye.
"I knew this would happen..." she muttered as she ran a soft, wet cloth over Jaylah's bleeding back.
"What?" Jaylah asked, weakly.
"It's just like the last man. Tortured, raped, blackmailed...if you aren't good enough, he does all those things to you. The last man was subjected to those horrible things, all for his beloved crew. Marcus held them hostage and used them as leverage, just like what he did with your sphere friend. Not only that, but he is horrible to all who work at Section 31 as well. They are also subject to his cruelty, although at a lesser extent. The only privileged ones are Lieutenant Gary Mitchell and his girlfriend Nurse Christine Chapel, who tag along with all his cruel methods. Thank the stars that you didn't end up with Chapel, otherwise, you would have suffered horribly." said Dehner, sighing.
Just then, Jaylah felt her back had stopped hurting. "You healed me..." she said, surprised.
"Oh, I have my own technique." Dehner said. "I have used it on the last man many times, in the rare moments he ended up in my custody instead of Chapel's. Part of the reason why I got the nickname Witch Doctor. You're Osana, right? The Dawnbreaker."
"How'd you know that?" Jaylah was once again surprised.
"I just know." Dehner chuckled before helping Jaylah up and giving her some clothes, the same black-and-blue Section 31 uniform and black pants. At least Marcus knew Jaylah preferred pants over a skirt, and respected that. "Now listen. Names give power over oneself and over others. Admiral Marcus will do anything in his power to reverse your rise to fame and make everyone forget who Jaylah Osana Dawnbreaker is, but out there, you'll still find someone who still remembers your true warlike self, so never give up. You are M'Ress everywhere but in your heart. Guard your name closely there. Doctor's orders."
"Aye." Jaylah complied.
Meanwhile, some engineers were experimenting with Jaylah's ring when it suddenly began bouncing about in its glass container, then it flew off in search of its owner. As a result of the corruption, a dark tether had formed between wearer and ring, ensuring they would find each other no matter what. "Alert the admiral." said one of the engineers.
And Jaylah was more than happy to have her ring back.
In the second month of her employment, she is relocated to the Section 31 Io Facility and Lieutenant Yuki Sulu, one of her coworkers, introduces her to a pale-skinned, dark-haired man. "M'Ress, this is John Harrison. He'll be working with you from this point forward."
"Ollo?" Jaylah tried, but the man ignored her.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you, he doesn't socialize. The only ones he believe in is himself, Dr. Dehner, and the starship he designed." Yuki informed her.
No matter. She'd somehow find a way around the whole deal.
And she tried many times to open up to him, only to be told "go away" or "keep off" or "none of your beeswax" and things like that, until that fateful day.
One day, she heard a strange humming and followed it all the way to the heart of the Io Facility, where she found Harrison conversing with a...a...a humongous black starship?!
"Holy unanticipated occurrences." Jaylah muttered.