AN: This story is set in the same continuity as the rest of my "Teen Titans Saga". The other fics are not required to understand this one, but if you want to learn more about the HIVE Master and his previous encounter with Jinx, see "Luck of the Draw", and to see why he allied with Madame Rouge, check out "Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter".

Prologue: Vacuum

"The time has come," the HIVE Master said quietly, drumming his fingers idly on the arm of his thronelike chair. Beneath his mask and the hood of his cloak his expression was nearly impossible to read, but his eyes and posture spoke of a man who was prepared to test himself against his enemies, and who believed that he had a very real chance of success. "Soon, the true rise of my empire will begin."

"I agree that the opportunity is a good one," Madame Rouge said from where she stood beside the chair. "The Brain and Monsieur Mallah remain in prison; Slade and General Immortus are missing, presumed dead; Brother Blood is in a coma*. There is a power vacuum in the superhuman underworld**."

"And nature abhors a vacuum," the Master finished for her. Lifting his staff from beside his chair, he began to toy with it, pressing a hidden switch on one side and sending currents of energy rushing up and down it. In spite of herself, Rouge flinched reflexively- on certain settings, the staff's energy was one of the few things she knew of that could do her permanent harm. "And what of you, Madame Rouge?" the Master asked softly, eyes following the dancing energy bolts. "Do you perhaps dream of overthrowing me in my moment of triumph and stealing all I have worked to build?"

Rouge snorted. "I have no desire to rule. Compensate me well and show me your enemies, and I will crush them for you. So long as you hold up your end of our contract, you have nothing to fear from me."

"Good." The Master stood and began to pace along the railing at the edge of his throne's platform, which overlooked the main body of his control room- empty for now, the HIVE soldiers and minions who normally staffed it having been dismissed to allow their leader and his most dangerous mercenary time to speak alone. Finally he stopped and turned back to her. "Now, I have another task for you. We need to broaden our ranks."

Rouge crossed her arms and regarded him coldly. "Am I not enough for you, then?" she asked.

"Remarkable as you are, there is only one of you." The Master returned to his throne and began to type on the keypad on one of the armrests, calling up images on the room's immense viewscreen. "I will need many more to achieve our goals. You will fetch them for me."

Rouge regarded the images on the screen with distaste. "You wish for these?" she asked. "I know them- they are pathetic. Surely we can do better than this!"

"They are fools, but they are pliable, and when given proper direction, they are powerful," the Master told her, voice frigid. "Besides, they have a history with the Titans- and with the renegade Jinx. If we are to succeed in our plans, they must be dealt with, and these five will help us accomplish it. Am I clear?"

"You are clear," Rouge said, her voice faintly grudging, though she knew better than to argue- it could easily cost her contract, and if she wasn't careful with this man, her life. She was fairly certain he had the means at his disposal to neutralize her powers, and she knew for a fact that he had an unhealthy interest in superhuman biology- she had no desire to end up as one of the specimens in his lab. "I will leave at once."

"Good. I trust this will not take long. You are dismissed." Rouge turned without a word and departed from the control room, leaving the Master alone on his throne, staff crackling with power as he contemplated his schemes. Yes, he thought quietly to himself, the hour was at hand- and son, the power he had dreamed of all of his adult life would be at his fingertips.

* Brother Blood was put into a coma by Raven's inner demon in "The Abyss Gazes Also"; General Immortus was defeated by Robin and Red X in "The Art of War"; Slade's master plan was stopped and he was apparently killed in "Sins of the Father". The Brain and Mallah were, of course, defeated in the show.

** I'm not going to write out Madame Rouge's accent- I don't feel I have enough of a handle on Russian to make it sound right, and she's a character I absolutely want you to take seriously. If you've seen the show, you know what she sounds like.