Chapter Text
An alarm was blaring, the noise echoing loudly through halls of the Watchtower as warning lights on the walls flashed on and off.
The sound peirced Clark's ears and he winced, raising a hand to his to his head. He blinked against the light, head snapping up away from his desk, where he had been doing work. The alarms didn't ever really go off like this, and the sight of them were concerning. He knew the protocol, though, so he pushed out of his seat and poked his head out of his office. He peeked down the hall, jumping into the air, and soared as fast as he safetly could to the meeting room.
He wasn't sure who had called pulled the emergency alarm, but he hoped they were okay.
Popping his head into the meeting room, he saw that most of the other League members were already gathering around the large center table with concerned looks on their faces. Wonder Woman was speaking lowly with Green Lantern, and if Clark listened closer, he was able to hear her wondering aloud about what was happening. He regretted trying to hear her though, the alarms felt much too loud for his advanced hearing.
Martian Manhunter was standing near a large window, looking out over the Earth passing by far below, before turning to take his place at the table. Flash and Aquaman were the last heroes who entered the room, Flash skidding into place at the table and throwing a conceded look back at the other hero. The doors slid smoothly shut behind them.
And then…there was Batman, standing at the end of the table, leaning forward to examine the large screen mounted on the far wall, which displayed a map of the satellite. There was a spot near top which was blinking incessantly, a throbbing red light that pulsed almost like a heartbeat.
Robin stood at his side, looking startled as he peered around the room, the domino mask across his eyes doing little to disguise his nerves. Clark couldn't help but feel terrible for the boy, who couldn't have been older than sixteen—today had been the sidekick's first time meeting the league, apparently after pestering Batman about it for literal years. The boy had looked awestruck, sounding so excited when he first met Superman that Clark had been able to hear that excitement thundering it's way through his chest in the form of a thrumming heartbeat.
And now, there he was, meeting Clark's eyes again, this time filled with uncertainty. What a great introduction to the Justice League, Clark thought wryly.
Finally, the alarms stopped, and Clark released a heavy breath. It appeared that everyone was in the meeting room, crowded around the table and talking to one another in low murmurs. It was always so bizarre to see so many people in the Watchtower at once—it was infrequent that such a large amount of League members would gather. It was just their luck that the emergency alarm went off on the one day a year they had their annual day of check-in meetings and watchtower matinence.
Batman was still staring at the map, raising his hands to tap on the controls with flying fingers.
For a beat, it was silent.
"Batman," Wonder Woman inquired, "I assume you are the one who called the emergency meeting?"
Batman glanced away from the map, and when Clark saw his face, he could sense the seriousness there. Most of the man's face was covered by a cowl, of course, but his mouth and jaw were exposed. His lips were set into an grim line.
"Yes," he said, "I am sorry, I am not following the proper protocol—"
Robin was holding Batman's cape, and Clark was sure he knew why the hero was being intense enough about whatever issue he has with the map to not follow the proper protocol.
"There was an alert that one of the control panels on the starboard side of the tower was damaged," Batman said, "It is likely something smacked into it."
Clark squinted. "Wouldn't we have gotten an alert about any objects approaching the tower?" he asked, "We have safeguards in place for that."
"Exactly," Batman grimaced, "None of our security alarms went off. I was only notified when the damage actually occured."
"That's odd," Wonder Woman said. "How could that possibly have happened?"
"It's very strange," Aquaman agreed.
"Could it be an attack?" Wonder Woman mused, "There are rarely so many of us aboard the Watchtower. If there was a leak about our meetings today, it would explain why now."
Green Lantern hissed though his teeth. "Our annual meetups are kept strictly confidential. If we have a leak, it would be a major issue."
"I'm sure it's fine," Clark interrupted, raising his hands placatinglyly. "It may be an attack, but it may just as likely be something as simple as some sort of debris knocking the wiring loose." He nodded firmly. "I can go out there and check now."
"What if that's what they want you to do, though?" Flash mused.
"If we have someone actively trying to get Superman alone," Aquaman joked, "Then, I assume we have bigger problems."
Batman was being suspiciously silent, having turned back around to closely watch the Watchtower map yet again. His arms were crossed behind his back, and despite the fact the man was facing the other way, Clark felt like he could feel the concern radiating off him. Batman tried to act tough, but Clark was always able to sense that he was a bit of a softy beneath it all.
That, and the fact that even now, he could see Batman reaching to stroke over the top of Robin's head, as if to reassure him. The teen looked like he was trying his best to look brave, a scoff across his face, like he was too old and mature to need such physical assurement — but he wasn't trying to push Batman away.
"What do you think, Batman?" Clark called, and the other hero turned to face the crowd, hand still stop Robin's head. His mouth was creased, pressed in a thin straight line.
"I am unsure," Batman said, looking out over the room, "But I'm concerned that none of radars picked up anything heading out way. If it were just a projectile, or a rogue person, our sensors would have went off." Robin was still clutching the man's cape, the fabric folded between his fingers.
"Still," Batman continued, "Our best bet is likely just sending someone out to check."
Robin spoke up at that moment, titling his chin up. "Superman," he said, a hush to his voice—Clark could still hear a bit of the awe in his tone that he heard just a few hours before when they first met, "You shouldn't go alone. Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter should go too. They can both breath out there too, right?" Only now, there wasn't nearly as much of a skip to the teen's step.
If Clark looked closely, he swore that he was able to see the pride in the quirk to Batman's lips at Robin's suggestion though.
"Robin is correct," Martian Manhunter nodded, "It would be safest if we all went. I will also be able to link our minds so we may speak to one another."
And that was how Clark found himself, and the other two heroes, floating in the void of space just outside of the Watchtower. He always liked being out in space. Everything was always so loud usually. There were always people talking,
I can hear something concerning, Clark heard, echoing through his mind, and he glanced to Martian Manhunter, who was peering around them cautiously. Someone's mind. Someone is out here but they sound… strange.
What is it? Clark asked. Strange how?
I would connect you to their thoughts, but I am unsure how dangerous they may be yet, Martian Manhunter thought pensively. It is… not words. It sounds like whirring? Or clicking? There are many images. It does not sound quite like a language. There was a pause. It reminds me of a very small child.
A child.
Martian Manhunter shook his head, bringing a hand up to carefully hold his temple. Ugh… they seem to be transmitting me their thoughts. It's very fast. Very excited.
If someone is out here, then I can't hear their heartbeat, Clark thought. His brow furrowed. It's like there is no one out here at all.
Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter exchanged concerned glances.
They made their way to the part of the Watchtower that was reading as critical in utter silence, none of them projecting another thought, though Clark was sure the other men's minds must have been buzzing. As soon as they turned around the corner of the satellite, Clark felt himself freeze.
There was a sparkling thing rubbing against one of the Watchtower's control panels, that looked like no more than a bundle of lights.
What, Clark heard Green Lantern think.
They drew nearer. And then Clark peered closer, and knew at once what it was.
It was… a baby.
Clark glanced over at Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern, as if to confirm that they were seeing what he was seeing. They both seemed stunned.
This makes sense, Martian Manhunter thought. The tone, even his thoughts, was confused. This makes… a lot of sense.
A baby.
Not a human baby, certainly, but a baby nonetheless. It looked like they were composed almost entirely of slightly translucent glitter, which shimmered with every shift the baby made. Clark drew his shoulders back, blinking. The baby was glowing, and it felt almost exactly like the sunlight he soaked in every day. The glitter twinkled, and Clark got the impression that this was a child composed almost entirely out of stars.
The baby pulled away from the Watchtower, and Clark watched as bits of wires came free, drifting off into the void of space. The baby was… chewing on the panel, he saw now, hard enough that they had yanked the protective case open. Clark just blinked, as the child rolled towards their group, catching sight of them with wide, sparkling eyes.
They were humanoid shaped, on the top at least—with a chubby little belly, chunky arms, and a tiny face that stared up at Clark with curiousity filling their expression. It was their lower half that was more interesting. Instead of legs and feet, the baby had a long, flowy tail that looked almost like it belonged to a fish, though it didn't seem to have anything like scales.
The baby made a grabby motion with their hands, reaching towards Clark with a broad smile across their face—and the smile was mostly gummy, but with a few distinctive, pointed teeth poking out at fandom intervals. The baby had their canines already, although too not much else. They mashed their lips open and closed several times, as it trying to bite at the air.
And Clark, who grew up with on a farm with numerous types of animals, recognized what was happening at once. They're teething, he thought to the others, disbelieving. They're trying to chew on the Watchtower because they're teething. Krypto had nearly driven Clark insane back when he was a puppy, so so frustrated over his teething that he had destroyed just about anything he was able to get his teeth on.
He could hear Green Lantern snort even through the man's thoughts. Oh, his distinctive voice thought, I know what this is!
Clark looked to him. A lock of his hair fell over his domino mask, and he reached up to brush it away.
That's a stellar siren, Green Lantern thought. Definitely. They're pretty rare, though, so I have no idea how this little one made their way all the way out to Earth.
Stellar siren? Clark mentally asked, curious.
The baby was still spinning in the void. There was a grumpy look on their face as they batted their tail, sending themself stumbling clumsily towards Clark. He got the impression that the child wasn't very good at swimming yet. He caught the baby, and held it against his chest, surprised at how solid they felt. They were still mostly translucent, glittering in his arms.
Yeah, Green Lantern grimaced. It would explain why the child is bombarding you with thoughts, Manhunter. Stellar Sirens have excellent telepathic powers. It's possible they're instinctively reaching out to you.
Martian Manhunter gave the baby an appraising look. I do not often meet others who possess the power of telepathy. The baby met his gaze and clapped in his direction, that big gummy smile across their lips.
It's how they usually communicate, Green Lantern thought. Stellar Sirens don't live on planets like most species do. They roam galaxies in space itself, and feed off starlight. They need a way to speak with one another without an atmosphere.
Curious, Martian Manhunter thought.
I still can't hear the baby's heart beat, Clark thought. It's bizzare, like they don't have a heart at all. Which, he supposed might actually be true—the child was still slightly translucent, and Clark could see his hands through the glimmering skin. There wasn't any hint of organs, not even a heart, whatsoever.
Yeah, Green Lantern thought, Stellar Sirens are strange beings.
The baby was still clinging to Clark's chest. They seemed impossibly tiny, gripping him with such strength that seemed impossible for an infant. Their little tail beat against his ribs, a soft thumping. Friendly, at least, Clark thought wryly. The baby smiled gummily at him again.
And then, Clark heard something that definitely wasn't a thought from either Martian Manhunter or Green Lantern.
Click? Whir? Click-click-clack? he heard, in a high-pitched thrum. But beneath it all, Clark sensed… emotion. Happy-Afraid-Nervous-Curious, all buzzing through his head. It felt so incredibly different than Martian Manhunter's telepathy that it was bizarre.
The baby squeezed Clark's face. I wonder if they're lost, Clark thought. How a child so impossibly small could have wound up all alone felt mystifying. He peered around them, as if expecting to see other stellar sirens somewhere in the distance. There was nothing.
Can we take the child inside? Clark directed his thought towards Green Lantern. Or do they need to be out here to… breathe. Breathing felt like an odd word, but it was closest one.
They should be fine, Green Lantern replied. Stellar sirens can breathe just about anywhere.
I'm sure we'll be able to find your parents, he tried to tell the baby. He wasn't sure if they could understand him at all, if they got his intention. They just blinked at him, eyes sparkling midnight blue.
Safe-Warm-Comfy, he heard, followed by a rapid series of clicks and whirs, which sounded almost a bit of the calls of a dolphin.
Clark poked the little baby's cheek, gently. They smiled at him again, half-toothed and half-gummy. He couldn't help but smile back.