Macro was strolling slowly along behind all the others, barely close enough for their distorter fields to continue to impinge on his, and thus for him not to lose them. He wore a distracted, or perhaps abstracted look on his face -- his customary expression. Macro's mind was always working, always writing subroutines to counter mishaps that might never happen.
J'Onn J'Onzz, the Martian Manhunter, fell back to join him. "Macro," he said.
The young Super looked up in irritation, which changed as he saw who had addressed him. "Martian," he replied with a twisted smile. "Yeah, you've got my name. What do you want? Or should I ask, what do the two of you want?"
For Imra Ardeen, Saturn Girl, had also dropped back, and sidled up on the other side of him. She blushed at his words. "Forgive me," she said. "I don't mean to be rude, but -- you were in that place. You might have known my children...."
Again Macro's face changed, and he looked at her, not unkindly. "They were taken from you young, weren't they?"
She nodded. "Hardly more than babies. Graym, Garridan...."
"There isn't much hope for kids that little, once they end of there," Macro told her. "They've got no life experience to fall back on. They draw in on themselves, get completely antisocial--"
"Stop!"
"I'm very sorry. I'm just trying to prepare you. I knew no one by those names -- and I knew everyone capable of telling me their names--"
Imra's hand suddenly reached out, her fingers brushing his forehead, and he suddenly flashed on the images of two young boys. "Hey!" he cried, seizing her hand jerking himself away from her. "What are you doing to me?"
"I'm sorry -- I just thought, if you knew what they looked like--"
"No. I don't know them."
Imra turned her face away.
Macro.
He turned his face back towards J'Onn's. The Martian's olive, beetle-browed face with it's ink-black eyes revealed nothing.
"Still with us, huh, Martian?" Macro said, ignoring the invitation to telepathy. "Haven't answered my question yet, either, have you?"
You lied, J'Onn sent. You knew her children. Didn't you?
Yes, I knew them, Macro sent back sourly. Through the Wardens, I knew everyone, sane or not. They weren't. Minds completely gone. Still in Solitary. It would be no mercy to spring them, much less tell their mother. What do you want, Martian?
The Martian gazed back, stony faced. What do you think?
My silence, right? Macro answered. After all, you wouldn't want the others to find out I know you too, would you? Yeah, Martian, I know you all right. How could I not? You were there. You helped break our revolt.
I did my duty as then I saw fit, J'Onn sent.
You're telling me you've changed? Sure. Why not. People do. Sen trusts you, so I guess you must have. That's why I haven't ratted you out. What more do you want? You messed with our minds, man. Don't expect me to just forget all about that.
I do not. I just wish you to know that if in any way I can make amends, I shall. You have but to name it.
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Fri Nov 07 23:48:10 2003
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