Tower to Wonder Woman. Watch Tower to Wonder Woman."
The position of my head and the drool on my chin suggests that I've been asleep. Not tied up and the ring's still there, so score one for trust.
"I'm here J'onn, what is it?"
"We're getting reports from the Greek media that a cruise ship has been taken captive near the island of Santorini. Since you are in the area I would like you to handle it."
This is actual superhero stuff. I'm actually going to… I really hope it's more straightforward than it looks.
"Anything special about the attackers?"
"Local media claims that messages from the passengers described them as 'harpyia'. Apparently they flew onto the ship from a small island and forced the crew to steer it into a natural harbour."
Harp. Did he say harpies?
"How many people on board?"
"Seven crew and approximately eighty passengers."
"Can I assume that they haven't made any demands?"
"Indeed, though I am uncertain as to how they would if they wanted to."
Ring, tell me how much power you have left, but do it in my head.
Fifty one percent power remaining.
Hearing someone else's thoughts in your head is weird, especially when they aren't a person.
"I'll handle it. ETA seventeen minutes."
"Good luck."
I hear Wonder Woman mutter something. I try to work out how to approach this.
"Aaaaaare you going to want me to participate in this?"
"You're awake then."
"It's been a long and strange day. Uw, sorry for leaving you with no one to talk to."
"It wasn't a problem."
Well, thanks.
"Whether I want you for backup depends on the harpies. Kidnapping is out of character for them. You'll accompany me when I go and talk to them. If it came to a fight, would you be able to shield the hostages?"
I have no sodding idea.
"Probably? I can certainly create a shield, but I don't want to guarantee how long I could sustain it for."
"It'll have to do. I'll drive them away from the boat, you shield it while the crew get it underway."
"You wanted to talk to them first?"
"They know me, and they know what will happen if they try to fight me. I should be able to persuade them to back down."
Harpies are intelligent then, rather than being big birds.
"Any idea why they've done this now?"
"Not really."
"What sort of condition should I expect the hostages to be in?"
"Scared. There may be some minor injuries, but I doubt it."
"What do the harpies usually eat?"
"They don't eat people, if that's what you're asking."
"No, I mean, my world doesn't have harpies but I've seen fantasy art. They don't have hands, right?"
"No, but they have a high degree of fine motor control with their claws."
"They can't farm on a tiny island. So, what, they fish?"
"Mostly, yes."
Long chain omega 3 fatty acids. That explains the intelligence.
"With nets, or with their claws?"
"I haven't spent a lot of time observing them."
I could hear the eyes roll.
"Have they lived in this area for long?"
"At least as long as humans have."
"Greek islands, or this particular island?"
"Does it matter?"
"Maybe? You said this was out of character. Something has caused a change in their behaviour. There's no point freeing one group of hostages if they just grab another boat after we leave."
"I suppose. I'm not sure, but as far as I remember, there has always been a colony around Santorini."
"Do they get on well with the locals. Erm, local humans?"
"They don't usually have much to do with them."
"Do the humans know they're there?"
"Why wouldn't they? It isn't a secret."
"If they don't interact with them they might have sort of fallen out of the public consciousness."
"How could anyone forget the existence of an entire intelligent species?"
"If no one has seen them since before there were photographs, and all people have to go on are old stories, really easily."
She pauses. "Do you think the ship was taking tourists to look for them?"
"It's a possibility. Are they used to boats? Modern boats?"
"I assume so. The area is sailed fairly heavily. They'd have seen them from a distance, at least."
"That would be a fairly recent thing, wouldn't it?"
"Forty or fifty years is hardly recent."
"But, more, recently?"
"Probably."
"Could they be driving away the fish?"
"I wouldn't have thought so. There would need to be a lot of boats to have that sort of effect."
"Wait. Who controls the fishing around here?"
"The Greek government."
"So the harpies don't control the waters around their own island?"
"I... I suppose not."
That's bullshit.
"Shouldn't they? They've been here longer than modern Greece."
"If the Greek people have forgotten they exist, I expect the Greek government doesn't care either."
"Can we… Do something about that?"
A moments silence.
"What exactly do you have in mind?"
I don't have anything in mind.
"Some sort of injunction? Get the courts to stop boats coming here until they can sort out who controls what?"
"You want to help the kidnappers?"
"Yeah, actually. If they're feeling threatened the best thing to do is to stop threatening them. If it actually is a territory problem then it's reasonable to help them sort it out."
"Even if they have a valid complaint, that doesn't justify attacking innocent holiday makers."
"And what would happen if a boat load of tourists turned up uninvited on Themyscira? Most places have laws against trespassing. Besides, we don't know that they've actually hurt anyone."
She's quiet for another moment.
"Alright, I'll ask about it when I speak to their leaders. But I still want you looking after the tourists."
"Having someone who can tell them all in their own language what's going on will probably calm them down."
"We might still have to fight our way out if the courts won't cooperate."
"If that happens, you could always ask Queen Hippolyta to annex the place."
"What!"
"If the Greek government does that then they've demonstrated that they don't care about the rights of their nonhuman citizens. It would be perfectly justified."
"I. I very much doubt it will come to that."
"Oh, do you have a satellite phone I can borrow? Some of them might want to phone home. It'll probably help."
"There's, there should be one in the back."
I release myself from the seat and carefully walk towards the rear section of the aircraft, keeping my hands away from anything technical looking. Now I have to work out how to explain to a crowd of tourists that we're not actually going to rescue them. We're going to leave that to the lawyers.
There is something very wrong with this idea.