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The Sith of Brockton Bay
Phase 03: A game of Sith
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Part 1
10:40, January 16, 2011
"Conference" room
Cauldron's base
Location: Classified
I glanced at the cup of steaming coffee on the simple steel table in front of me and smirked.
"Bribes already?"
Zash rolled her eyes at me.
We were in the conference room, which suspiciously looked like an interrogation one, complete with a one sided mirror, when a woman clad in black costume joined us.
"So an old acquaintance of mine and Alexandria. This got to be interesting."
The Triumvirate member froze for a split second and looked between us. "You know each other?" There was a hint of displeasure in her voice.
My smile grew, while I was putting as much power as I could behind my mental shields. Meeting Zash on this world of all places… That could be either a very good or tremendously bad thing.
"We do." Zash gave me a long suffered look.
"So, are we going to aggravate each other, as usual, or is there a particular reason for this meeting. You know, you could have just called." I nodded at my former master.
"Where is the fun in that?" She pouted.
"Contessa!" Alexandria gave a long suffered hiss.
Ah. So Zash has been her old self. I wondered if the heroine already had the thick.
"Alex, don't. It won't work on him." Zash said when Alexandria opened her mouth to speak.
"I'm glad to see that you're keeping the time honored tradition of trolling the minions." I quipped at my fellow Sith.
Alexandria groaned. Then she grabbed Zash and pulled her out of the room… and my former master giggled.
The fuck?! She was messing with me. As usual. I shook my head and used the Force to scan the steaming beverage on the table. It appeared unaltered so I took a careful sip. Yum. Just as I liked it.
It was a bribe all right.
While Zash was talking with Alexandria of all people, I had some time to think. The fact that my former master had ended up here was anything but coincidence. As far as Force Adepts were concerned, there simply wasn't such thing. How the hell she was here, why was she here, damn it?! Did she had another source of power beside the Force?
Those were important questions. I may never get a satisfying answer for all but the last.
What did Zash want? That I knew. How it was changed by merging with the person she now inhabited… Unless she simply possessed the body as she did back home…
The door opened and an irritated looking Alexandria strode in, followed by a beaming Zash.
I knew that smile very well. She was going to pull a fast one.
"Now, children, listen to the professional!" Zash grinned. "You!" She pointed at Alexandria. "Want to save Earth Bet. It's a boring endevour, but whatever." My former master's eyes gleamed with mischief as she pointed a delicate finger at my chest. "My grumpy apprentice over there wants the same. For his daughter's sake alone. Congratulations, by the way! When are you going to introduce her to auntie Zash?"
"When all nine Corellian hells freeze over." I deadpanned. Zash wasn't going anywhere near Taylor.
"Most importantly, I want to be left in peace to conduit my research. In peace." She announced.
Alexandria was looking between us with a pained expression on her face. Ah. She was still getting accustomed to Zash.
"Contessa..." The Heroine tried speaking.
"Shh…!" Zash put a finger to her lips and winked.
Damn it, she was too chipper. That was never a good news for my continued well being.
"Now that I remember, I can see it clearly. We are getting manipulated by our stowaways. Oh, we knew that the Agents promote conflict, make us more aggressive, more wiling to use our powers. Just like our old friend that is always whispering at the back of our heads." Zash winked at me.
"Your point being?" Alexandria asked in a long suffered tone. "We know that already. And why are you sharing that with him?"
"Fuck." I growled. I had the sinking feeling that I knew where this was going.
"You'll have to buy me a dinner first." Zash paused, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face. "Drinks too. And start working on proper hyperspace drive and starship design. No matter how convenient Doormaker is, he can't get me everywhere. There's a whole new galaxy to play with!"
I glanced at Alexandria. The Triumvirate member was glaring at us.
"I think you forgot to fill in your friend." I nodded at the heroine.
"Nope. I'll be doing it later."
I gave Zash a flat stare.
"I'm delegating." She smiled and waved at us. "When you did whatever you did while fighting Lung, you made me remember. Gave me the Force back… and kriffed up my chosen path." Zash grinned at me. "Now there is a new one. You are going to do your thing, save the world for your daughter sake." She frowned. "Ah. While cleaning up the fucked up plans we put into motion. Congratulations."
"What?!" Alexandria simply stared at my former master. Yep. That was the effect she had on people.
"The Number's Man will fill you in. Door." Zash waved cheerfully at us. A portal appeared next to her. "I've been working for ages on things that I have no real interest in. I'm going on vacation!" Zash stepped through and the portal closed.
"She did it again." I shook my head in exasperation and glanced at my half-drunk coffee. I finished it and looked at Alexandria. "I hope you have a well stocked bar in this facility. We bot can use something strong."
I really didn't want to think about the mess Zash had dropped in my lap this time.
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Part 2
11:45, January 16, 2011
Conference room
Cauldron's base
Location: Classified
"That was enlightening." I muttered.
The Number's Man nodded. "Twenty five years. Best case scenario."
"That's if our friend continue plucking kittens from tress. If he gets impatient we are basically fucked." I summarized the situation. "Now, can someone please explain to me, what the hell were you thinking?" I asked quietly.
I got the promised briefing. Which only led to more questions. The chief among them was were they bloody idiots, or should I just blame their shards.
"We follow only the plans that give us the best odds."
"Pull the other one. In the end they might end doing more good than bad. I'll grant you that." I shook my head at the Cape and poured myself another glass of Scotch. "However, I would be hard pressed to make plans that lead to the same ultimate result which create more conflict and collateral damage as a byproduct even if I tried…" I trailed off and drained my cup. The warmth of the alcohol helped me relax a bit.
"In this case the end does justify the means." My host shrugged.
"I'm the last person that would oppose a plan just because of morality or collateral damage if it gets the job done in a reasonable fashion. Take that imbecile you sicked on me the other day. He could face an Endbringer if he sufficiently ramps up. Probably. He hasn't done so since the first time. What made you think you could count on him to fight golden rods MK II?" I asked.
"Contessa believed that she could convince him to face ZION when the time came." The Numbers Man shrugged.
"I don't think that's on the table anymore. Damn it man, think about it! You can grant powers, which are stronger than any that occurs 'naturally'! This is the same bullshit that you are obviously doing with the S9! Only the Siberian and possibly Bonesaw, if she can manipulate powers are of any use. The conflict they spread is detrimental in the long term."
"They give us more Capes to throw against him." Another shrug.
"Because they would actually work together when the time comes and be an asset instead of hindrance." I rolled my eyes.
The more I heard about it, the surer I became that Cauldron's members were compromised by their shards. Even the few of their plans that sounded good on paper, had glaring weaknesses in practice. Oversights that would spread more conflict without regard if it would be helpful or not.
Damn you, Zash, for dumping this mess on my head! Of course convincing Cauldron that I actually knew what I was talking about would be easier said than done, damn it.
I poured myself another drink. At least Alexandria was busy ensuring that the Protectorate won't be waiting ready to try apprehending me when I get back. Which would be soon, because I wanted to see how my little girl was. There was a good chance that by now she would have learned about my little scrap with Lung.
Damn, I had a daughter again. I needed to start thinking, before getting myself into the next mess. That and ensuring that I would have backup. I glanced at the disgruntled Number's Man. Preferably backup that wasn't being manipulated by a trans-dimensional monstrosity. Joy. That meant more work for me.
"What do you plan to do?" My host asked.
"See to my daughter's well being. Clean up the Bay while you are busy gathering the necessary personnel and equipment so we can start working on the tech I can provide."
"Big picture, I mean."
"Get this world straightened up. It should be obvious, but if the deterioration isn't stopped or at least slowed down, we'll be actually weaker when golden boy decides to break his toys."
"Irrelevant. Parahumans would be the ones to stop it."
"Really? Perhaps a tinker devise might be the answer. Then it might be deployed by an ordinary human." Considering that most parahumans are connected to ZION through that thing in their brains, I wouldn't really trust them to be successful against golden rods MK II on their own.
What I left unsaid was my fear that he would be able to turn against us everyone who possesses one of his shards. That wasn't a fun thought and I kept it to myself for a reason. For all I knew, if he wanted to, ZION could look even through the shards of his dead mate.
Where is the fleet of Stardestroyers when you need it? Right now, I'd take a discount Death Star or two too.
The Number's Man pondered my answer for some time, before shaking his head in denial. "Highly unlikely. Ordinary humans won't survive near ZION long enough to deploy any weapon."
"If we can have modern power armor in mass production when the time comes, that won't be an issue." I smiled grimly. Well, the armor worn by troopers who are genetically and cybernetically enhanced, but that's another topic.
"You can build something that good?" Now I got his attention.
"Eventually. A lot of infrastructure and applied science will go into that particular project. It isn't something we would have in the next few years."
"The last prediction stated that we would have eighteen or so years before he turns on us."
"It might be enough time." With Cauldron's resources I might have at least a discount Stardestroyer up by that time.
"I would like all information you have on the Endbringers. In the short term they would be our greatest obstacle."
"Indeed. The Simurgh is keeping us on Earth, while the rest are targeting anyone who tries to make a difference." The Numbers Man gave me a pointed look.
"I've always had such fans. At least we know where the next attack is likely to come."
"Ah. You'll be using Brockton Bay as a bait."
I smiled. "Well, I'm a bit rusty on both my personal combat skills as well as command. Cleaning up my city will be a good way to get back into shape. That the conflict might attract one of the big three, well that's a bonus." I finished my last drink for the day and stood up. "I think it's time to spook the Bay's finest and go visit my daughter. Door?" I asked.
A portal formed in front of me.
"We'll be in touch." The Number's Man nodded and stood up.
I walked through and appeared back in the conference room Zash picked me up from earlier today.
