Author's Note – I do not own any of the characters, Marvel and DC do.

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Chapter Ten

Future Plans

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"…and now, the main story, the double-wedding of the century!" The Anchorwoman said with a wide smile. "America's greatest Superhero, Clark Kent, married Raven Darkholme while the superhero/scientist Reed Richards married Susan Storm at the same ceremony yesterday at the Xavier Institute at Bayville despite a First Contact scenario. We now go to Matt Hicksville at the Xavier Institute. Matt?"

"Thank you, Debbie." Matt smiled, his elegantly-quaffed hair barely moving in the breeze as he grinned at the camera. "Yesterday was a truly amazing day with over fifty Kryptonians arriving in our solar system. Even as we speak, they are preparing to make Venus into a habitable planet so that they can rebuild their former civilisation. Their leader, General Zod, the uncle of Lor-Zod who is part of the Asgardian group known as the Warriors Four, released a statement expressing his gratitude towards Earth for not condemning his people to wander the stars and confirming once again that although his people will remain apart from all political maneuvering on Earth, they will provide aid without reservation should we suffer from a natural disaster such as an earthquake, tsunami or volcanic eruption. We are honoured to have with us today Lieutenant Az-Lan who has agreed to grant us an interview. Good morning, Lieutenant."

##Good morning. I'm sorry, I meant good morning." Az-Lan replied.

"Please, for our viewers, tell us something about yourself."

Az-Lan paused, his expression midway between confused and panicked. "I… currently have no idea what to say. Sorry."

"First time in front of a planetary audience?" Matt asked and the Kryptonian nodded. "Perfectly understandable. Perhaps you could tell us about what Krypton was like?"

"It was beautiful. Our cities soared to the sky and the wildernesses were preserved…" Az-Lan began.

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"Interesting." Doom said as he leaned back in his throne, his children sitting on comfortable armchairs either side of him. "I had feared that my future schemes would have to include ways to counter Zod and his people. Being responsible for the extinction of an entire race is not something that sits easy on me, I am glad that I do not need to do so."

"Charles felt their planet die." Magneto commented from his smaller throne which he had carefully altered so that he was only slightly below Doom's level rather than significantly lower. "It was many years ago, back when he and I were still working together. Until Kent was publically revealed to be Superman, I hadn't realised that he was from that race. I still wonder what I could have done had I convinced him to come to me, rather than join with Charles."

"Clark Kent is the ultimate contradiction." Doom mused. "He lives as much like a human as he can, moral and caring, until everyone around him believes that he is human, then he flies into the sky and strikes down his enemies in ways that could lead people to think him a god. Should it ever occur to him to think of himself that way…"

Magneto nodded. "He is doing a great deal to protect mutantkind, in his own way. Perhaps I need to rethink some of my plans."

"But your aims remain the same?"

"Mutants are the future of humanity." Magneto shrugged, then he paused as Pietro appeared in his characteristic silver blur.

"Dad, Galatea's getting out of control again!"

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The wall exploded outwards and the figure who had been used as an impropmptu cannonball tried to get up, only to fall flat.

"Galatea, what has set you off this time?" Magneto asked in a disappointed tone as he landed in front of the enraged woman.

"You… bastard!" She screamed and the sonic blast sent Pietro flying backwards. Magneto just raised an eyebrow as the magnetic shield he was using to protect himself rippled.

"She found the Chamber!" Tekmage groaned as he staggered out through the shattered wall. "Our planned reinforcements are… gone, as is the equipment!"

Magneto's eyes narrowed and he thrust out his fist, opening his hand slightly. With a scream of agony, Galatea collapsed onto the ground, writhing in agony.

"You were going to be my right hand, the leader of my legion, Galatea." Magneto growled over the writhing Kryptonian. "Your army would have let me gain dominion over the world… and in a fit of childish pique, you destroyed it!"

Magneto curled his fingers back into a fist and Galatea went limp, gasping for breath.

"Chrome, place her in the healing chamber until she recovers."

"As you command, my Lord." Chrome responded as he walked over. Picking up Galatea, he turned, only to pause.

"How well did she fight?"

"She managed to fight her way past all of us, my Lord." Chrome said and Magneto nodded.

"Then she is still of some use to me. Good."

As Chrome vanished back into the base, Pietro stood up and briefly rubbed at his head.

"How… how did you do that?"

"Quite simple." Magneto smirked. "Inside our clone is a small lump of Kryptonite encased in a container made of Adamantium, blocking all of the radiation. All I did was adjust the container to let the radiation through. A few more times and she may finally learn her proper place as my weapon."

Pietro whistled, then froze, glancing down at himself. "Ummmm, she is the only one you've implanted things into, right, dad? Dad? Hey, answer me! Dad!"

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Galatea groaned as she opened her eyes, then she winced at the sight of Magneto glaring at her.

"I have invested a great deal of time, effort and money into you." He stated. "It is time that you began repaying my investment. If you do not, you shall be terminated and replaced with a new clone made from your QNA. Do you understand?"

Galatea nodded slowly.

"Good." Magneto said as Frenzy appeared by his side, holding a white bundle in her hands. "Here is your uniform. Put it on, then report to me."

Turning, Magneto strode out of the medical bay and Galatea's gaze turned to Frenzy, who sneered at her.

"I still think he should have killed you for what you did." Frenzy stated as she dropped the pile of fabric on the table by Galatea's bed. "Get washed and dressed."

Pulling herself into a sitting position, Galatea reached out and lifted the top piece of fabric, unrolling it to reveal that it was a white top with Magneto's logo on the chest. Her gaze travelled to the lower part of the top, then she scrabbled amongst the rest of the fabric before sighing.

"A sleeved swimsuit and short red cape? They have to be kidding me."

Pulling herself to her feet, she glared at the outfit before stalking into the bathroom.

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Magneto looked up as Galatea stalked into the hall, pulling on her grey gloves.

"Ah, Galatea, how nice of you to join us. I have a mission for you."

Galatea glared at him, looking away as Magneto raised his fist slightly.

"Who do you want killed?"

"There is a man named William Stryker." Magneto said, motioning for Chrome to hand a file over to Galatea. Accepting it, she started to leaf through it. "I have received information that he is involved with a covert anti-mutant government initiative known as Operation: Zero Tolerance, a movement which has absorbed Gayrdon Creed's Sentinel Initiative. I want him killed as a warning, Galatea."

Galatea nodded. "So, who comes along to control me?"

"No-one, but be aware that you have a device implanted in you which will kill you if you do not return within twenty-four hours." Magneto stated, earning a fuming glance. "I know that he is planning on taking a military plane to a secret base of his on an island just off the coast of Japan, a base that he re-activated a few months ago. Destroy the plane. I want it to crash into the ground, preferably at terminal velocity."

Galatea nodded as she handed the folder back to Chrome, then accepted a small earpiece.

"You will rendezvous with Senyaka who will have the flight-path details."

Galatea gave a brusque nod and Magneto smiled thinly.

"I would advise you to get going, Galatea. You have only a limited amount of time, after all."

A growl was his only answer as Galatea turned, then blurred away so fast that Magneto had to use his powers to remain upright, braced against the sudden blast of air.

"Fuck, she's fast." Pietro breathed in awe. "I wish I cold be that fast."

"You may yet be." Magneto said. "As Doom has proven that hybrid kryptonian clones are possible, I have set my people a new task. Find a way to use the QNA to enhance our powers."

"And what about those who came with Slod?"

"Slod? Oh! You mean Zod. I still have more than enough Kryptonite to deal with them."

As Magneto spoke, a compartment on his belt opened, unleashing a green glow before it closed once again.

"Cool."Pietro smirked.

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"Only a few months 'till you graduate." Alex Masters commented to his older brother. "You going to become a full-time hero?"

"That was my plan." Scott said as he glanced at the weather forecast, then accepted a plate of food. "Mmmmmm, pancakes!"

Alex paused to raise the volume slightly on the television before sitting down.

"You've noticed how the Roberto, Ray and Evans are getting all the girls?"

Scott paused in cutting the pancakes to give Alex a curious look. "Yes, why? Did you want to go public as well?"

"Yeah, I would." Alex admitted, "But if I do, that means they'd quickly work out that you are Cyclops and there's no way I'm gonna screw up the life of my big bro like that."

Scott chuckled around his mouthful of pancake, then swallowed. "How about on graduation day, you go public as Havoc to get the girls and I accept my Diploma as Cyclops. That'll give you a full year of fangirls without you having to worry about me stealing any from you."

Alex chuckled even as he squirted some strawberry syrup over his own pancake stack. "Sounds like a plan, big bro. Sounds like a plan. What the…?"

Alex's gaze snapped to the television as the newsreader spoke.

"…and at this time, there is no clue as to the identity of the flying woman currently locked in combat with Flamebird above Tokyo. Flamebird, also known as Thara Ak-Var of Argo, is a recent member of the Henshin Rangers, having joined after being revived from stasis with the aid of Lady Eir of the Asgardian race, and is currently… she's down! Flamebird has just been kncked out of the sky and the unknown is heading for the plane!"

"Holy shit!" Alex whispered.

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Thara shook her head to try and dispell the dizziness, then she concentrated, turning her fall into a curve that led back into battle. Ahead of her, the white-clad villainess was blasting at the frantically-evading plane with optic blasts and one engine was already engulfed in flames.

"I caught the newscast. Need help, little cousin?" A familiar voice asked and Thara nodded.

"The bitch is mine, Lor, you save the plane!"

"On it." Nightwing agreed as he adjusted his course. Thara narrowed her eyes and accelerated, throwing her fists out in front of her.

"Aaaaaargh!"

Thara grinned as she slammed into her adversary from behind, then she grabbed the woman's belt and used it to anchor herself just long enough to deliver a powerful kick to the blond's face.

The resulting shockwave dislodged her grip and the two of them paused, Thara glaring while her enemy wiped away the blood from her nose.

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Galatea growled as the damned Ranger squared off against her again. The flying bitch was almost as fast and agile as she was! Then there was the second one, the man with the same chest-symbol, who was even then putting out the engine fire on the escaping plane.

"Galatea." Magneto's voice echoed from her earpiece. "Return to base. You are outnumbered and more are probably on their way."

"I can still do it!" Galatea growled, then she gasped as a brief burst of pain hit her.

"It was not a suggestion." Magneto said. "Return."

Galatea glared at the bodysuited Ranger for another long moment before she hurled herself high into the skies, rising almost to the edge of space even as she luxuriated in the sun's rays helping her body heal.

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Flamebird didn't waste any time trying to chase the unknown villainess, but instead somersaulted in mid-air, using the move to re-orient herself and accelerate to where her cousin was trying to support the stricken plane. Pulling up beside him, she tapped him on his shoulder to get his attention.

"You take the front hard-point, I'll take the back one!"

Lor-Zod nodded and briefly let go of the plane, almost seeming to teleport to near the front of the fuselage before the plane could do more than dip slightly. Thara moved to the rear and smirked as she saw the yellow square that marked the position of the hard-point.

"Thanks, Kal." She laughed to herself as she placed her shoulders against the plane. "This suggestion of yours really speeds up saving planes. If only you could see us now."

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Clark Kent stood on the balcony of the suite that he and Mystique were sharing, clad only in a fundoshi. Mystique lounged against him, clad only in a wrapped towel and her hair still wet from the long soak in the onsen, as they watched the two Argosians fly high overhead, carefully supporting the damaged plane.

"You can't fool me, boy scout." Mystique said laughingly. "Part of you wants to be out there, doing good and saving kittens from trees."

"True." Clark allowed as he wrapped his arm around Mystique's shoulders. "But then I look at you and I remember that there are others who can take up the task, allowing me to do something far more important."

"Oh?" Mystique asked with a querying eyebrow lifted. "And what exactly is this more important task you remembered?"

"Well, it begins with this." Clark smiled as he effortlessly lifted Mystique into his arms and kissed her deeply. After a long minute, their lips parted and Mystique sighed with pleasure.

"That… is a good beginning."

"Well, since it was just a beginning, I guess I'll have to do better." Clark laughed as he carried his wife back into the bedroom.

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Author's afternote – The plane hardpoint markings were lifted from the Chicago Sentinel series by Marion G. Harman, specifically Young Sentinels. The series is HIGHLY recommended and I used it as a reference for several plot-points and speeches.

The series (in order) is – 'Wearing The Cape',' Villains Inc', 'Omega Night' and 'Young Sentinels' with the book 'Bite Me: Big Easy Nights' as a sidestory following a vampire character.

They're worth a look…