Author's Note – I do not own any of the characters, Marvel and DC do.
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Chapter Twenty-Three
Changes
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"Good heavens."
Xavier's whispered comment seemed almost unbelievably loud in the silence of the Danger Room where every inhabitant of the mansion was watching what was going on. The main screen before them was the only one with sound, but around it were screens showing feeds from all the other news agencies around the world, all of whom were watching as the city of Jerusalem slowly lifted off, surrounded, protected and propelled by a Kryptonian Bubble Drive.
"…and there goes the first of Israel's cities!" The news anchor said in a shocked tone of voice. "Every Israeli city and settlement is being relocated to New Krypton, formerly known as Venus, where Israel will take control of the continent Afaro-Dita which has been terraformed by the Kryptonian Survivors. Wait… Beersheba is now lifting off to start its journey… as is Haifa!"
"They're relocating an entire country?" Scott asked rhetorically and several of the others nodded in shock.
"There's a giant space-ship moving to where Jerusalem was… it's opening doors underneath and… it's dumping something! It looks like… soil? We're getting a communication from Governor Zod…"
The screens flickered and then switched to show Governor Zod seated behind alarge desk.
"The migration of the Israel people to New Krypton has been planned for some time." Zod stated. "They have been granted the continent of Afaro-Dita in perpetuity while we Kryptonians will continue to transform Izh-Taro into our new homeland. However, I refuse to let the Palestinians be bereft of a chance to build their own true nation. Therefore, I have ordered my people to transport soil to fill the craters left by the migration, soil which has been carefully formulated so that any plants placed in it will grow fast and well.
"I wish the Palestinian people prosperity and peace. For decades, you have dreamed of and fought to have your own land, a dream that has now come true.
"For New Krypton and for Earth!
"Thank you."
The screen flickered back to the newscaster, who was gaping in shock before she managed to pull herself back together.
"It… I… this is incredible!" She finally managed. "An entire country being relocated to another planet!"
"I now understand why Governor Zod was so convinced that he was in a position to provide parents to the potential Kryptonians." Clark stated. "Wow. Talk about thinking big."
Xavier touched the armrest of his floating chair and the main screen swapped with one of the secondary channels to show a bearded man giving a speech, one being translated into english. The banner at the bottom of the screen proclaimed him to be Mahmoud Al-Zahar.
"…and now that the state of Palestine can finally be united and the Islamic State of Palestine will finally take its place amongst the nations of the world as Allah decreed…"
"Looks like things are gonna be interesting over there for a while." Logan noted. "Bets on the other nations invading to seize the suddenly-vacant land?"
"I hope that it does not come to that." Xavier said, then he frowned. "This could lead to problems in the future, though."
"Why?" Kitty asked curiously. "I mean, with Israel moving, the other nations won't have to worry, right?"
"Not exactly." Xavier corrected. "Israel was founded where it was both because of the historical aspects going back to the biblical days and because the leaders of the Allied Nations foresaw a time when the Islamic nations might unite and launch a religious crusade against the non-Islamic countries. Israel was meant to be a foothold, a place where if religious war did break out, NATO could mass their forces for a counter-strike. With Israel leaving, that advantage is gone."
Kitty looked surprised by that, then she looked back at the screens, the main one of which was now showing a fourth city rising into the sky with several soil-delivering freighters swooping underneath to drop their loads.
"Where did they get all that soil?" She asked curiously.
"I heard that they dug out special craters for the cities to land in." Chris offered. "Lor-Zod told me yesterday that New Krypton was going to get lots of new citizens and that areas had been dug out for them, but I didn't think that this was going to happen."
"How fast can those things go?" Ray asked.
"About a twentieth of lightspeed, although they are limited to barely three gravities of acceleration." Clark supplied. "It will take a while for them to make the journey, approximately three days, especially since they have to curve round the sun and then match velocities at the other end."
"What happens if they try go faster than three gravities?" Boom-Boom asked.
"The extra gravities leak through. If it accelerates at five gravs, you feel one grav for the first three gravs of acceleration, then each of the other gravities, adding up to three gravities felt." Clark explained. "It's why it wasn't used all that much."
"Except to move cities." Alex snarked.
"Except to move cities." Clark agreed.
"I wonder what other unexpected things will happen today." Xavier sighed.
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"Incredible." Victor von Doom breathed as he watched the sixth city ascend towards the stars. "I had never dreamed that something like this was possible.
"Would you have accepted an offer to move Latveria, father?" Cynthia asked and Doom paused in thought.
"No." He finally decided. "No, I do not think I would. As much as I dislike admitting it, the threats posed by our neighbours are very useful for me. To be in a place where there are no such threats to use and manipulate… no. But moving the cities of Israel… Palestine is not going to last long, not without a significant amount of military aid."
"I… do not follow, father." Connor admitted. "The other countries hated Israel and kept attacking it. Why would they not support Palestine?"
"Because there is land ready for the taking." Doom replied with a smirk under his metal mask. "The countries around Israel have for decades supported the Palestinians in their quest to destroy it, but not for the reasons that the Palestinians thought. No, now that there is new land, fertile, arable land, the other countries will invade in order to seize as much of this newfound wealth as possible. Oh, they will undoubtably hide their reasons at first, claiming that they are sending forces to oversee the transition, but then they will claim that the Palestinians are too wedded to their terrorist ways and they will partition the country between them. No, Palestine will not last for long."
"You could offer it support, father." Conner said and Doom shook his head.
"They are too far away and their resources, while great, are not enough to make it worth my while. No, there is no reason for me to support them."
For a moment, the trio watched the screen, then Doom chuckled.
"I believe that I will attend the next meeting of the United Nations. It will be… amusing."
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"SINISTER!"
Sinister sprinted into the throne room without any of his customary poise. "My Liege, what is it? What's happened?"
Apocalypse pointed at the giant screen that adorned the wall and Sinister stared at it, his eyes widening as he realised what was happening.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"I… I'm not sure, My Lord." Sinister admitted. "I didn't know that this was going to happen…"
"Find. Out." Apocalypse growled and Sinister bowed before departing. Apocalypse resumed glaring at the screen.
"Once I have secured this world, I shall come after you." He promised. "I shall rule over all of Humanity and through Humanity, I shall rule over everything!"
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"A truly magnificent sight." Zod declaimed from his position aboard the Golden Feather as he gazed at the image of the swarm of cities flying through space.
=#It is indeed, sir.#= Nam-Ek replied silently and Zod nodded.
"With Israel providing us with food and recruits for our spacefleet, we will be able to rebuild our civilisation to its former glory within our lifespans." Zod exulted.
"Yes, sir." Az-Lan agreed from his station. "Um… sir?"
"You may ask your question." Zod said gently and Az-Lan coughed.
"Um, sir… if I may ask… I met a woman during my last time on Earth and…"
Zod nodded slowly. "I have no problem with inter-species relationships, Az-Lan. As long as it is mutual, then by all means."
"Thank you, sir." Az-Lan sighed in relief as he turned back to his control panel.
=#I am glad to hear that, sir.#=
*Nam-Ek,* Zod thought back, *If I ever had any doubts that one who is partly Kryptonian was anything other than truly equal to a full-blood Kryptonian, you would have dispelled them. Besides, my godson has married an Earther, so I would be somewhat hypocritical if I suddenly decided it was wrong.*
=#I see.#= Nam-Ek replied, humour flickering in his thoughts. =#Thank you for explaining it to me, sir.#=
Zod smiled, then resumed watching the journey of his allies.
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"This way, please." Mon-El said as he entered Xavier's study and Xavier glanced up, then stared at the second man, a person who he hadn't ever seen before but who almost radiated pure power.
"I had to say that earlier." Xavier sighed before smiling at the new arrivals. "Good afternoon, Mon-El. Who is your friend?"
"You can call me Mr Black." Came the slightly-amused reply. "This very nice man directed me here after apologising for the misunderstanding."
"He managed to match me in combat for ten minutes before I realised that he wasn't on the other side." Mon-El said with a frown. "Then he asked me if there was anyone who could help him to… what is that noise?"
"Oh, excuse me." Mr Black said, rummaging through his pockets. After a moment, he pulled out a small, buzzing lighter and opened it, sparking a green flame. "Mr Black here."
"Yay, it worked!" A perky female voice cheered out of the flame, causing both Mon-El and Xavier to stare in shock. "Mr Black, the Professor and myself found out what went wrong this time and we can get you back whenever you want!"
"Excellent work, Henchgirl." Mr Black smiled. "I've made contact with the local heroes of this reality."
"You are from a different reality?" Xavier asked, then he blinked as he realised that he couldn't sense Mr Black at all with his telepathy. Mr Black glanced at him curiously.
"Yes, why?"
"You are not the first we have met." Xavier said with a smile. "Providing that you are willing to agree to a few things, how would you like a link to your reality and the Moonbase here? We already have permanent links to a couple of other realities."
"Sounds like fun." Mr Black said after a few moments of thought. "Henchgirl, did you get that?"
"A moon base?" Henchgirl almost squee'd. "Please, pleasepleaseplease…"
"Alright. I'll bring back some pictures. Ummm, send my camera, will you?" Mr Black laughed. "So, how do we do this?"
"We normally ask some allies of ours to transport the Gate to the reality we wish to link with and fully power it up once it's there." Xavier admitted, then he stared as Mr Black caught a small tape recorder that had appeared to pop out of the flame. "…how?"
"We can transfer objects through the Zippo's." Black explained with a shrug, then he frowned. "Hmmmm, if I shrink the Gate, I may be able to send it through to be set up at the other end. I'll take a few photos so that Henchgirl and the Professor can see what the Gate looks like and set up a room for it first. Hopefully it'll mean they won't take it apart once I send it through."
"Pictures? With a tape recorder?" Xavier queried and Mr Black sighed.
"It's actually a camera that looks like a tape recorder. I also have a tape recorder that looks like a camera. Don't ask."
Xavier tried to hide his amused bemusement, but a glance from Mr Black told him that he hadn't quite managed.
"So, Mr Black…"
"You may as well call me Joe." Came the reply and Xavier's eyebrows rose slightly.
"Joe… Black?"
"Kara thought it fitted me."
"Whoah, Kara? From Argo?" Mon-El interjected.
Joe Black turned to look at him with a slightly puzzled expression. "Yes. How did you know?"
"What other heroes are in the dimension you came from?"
"Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, The Flash…"
"Sounds like another Justice League reality." Xavier mused.
"Another?" Joe asked, then he shook his head. "I'll actually need two Gates, or maybe three, as I call two realities home, and being able to just step between them would be useful."
"We'll be happy to make them for you." Xavier smiled.
"Really? That would be great, thank you."
The Zippo in Black's hand buzzed again and he sighed. "Excuse me, I think this is a call I've been expecting."
A young boy's voice called from the green flame. "Mr Black!"
"Ah, Naruto. Are they ready?"
"Black-Dono, the Hokage asked if I could wait a couple more hours until all of the elders and clan-heads could be summoned together."
"Certainly." Black said with a relieved expression on his face. "What time should I expect the call?"
"1500 should be sufficient." A different, older voice said in the background. "That will be in… four hours. Find out if that will work."
"Very well, 1500 should be sufficient. I will be expecting the call. Okay, Naruto-kun, very good on notifying me ahead of time. Mr. Black out."
Clicking the lighter closed, Black looked up at the curious stared he was receiving. "What? He's one of my protégés from a third reality."
"How many gates will you need?" Xavier asked in amused shock before he could stop himself and Black shrugged.
"If you'll license the plans to me, I'll have the Professor and Henchgirl build the ones I need. Hang on."
Black clicked open his lighter again. "Henchgirl, can you send through another Zippo, please?"
"Sure thing, Mr. Black." The cheerful woman replied, then a small object flew out of the flame, expanding to its full size as Black snagged it out of the air.
"Thanks, Henchgirl." He said.
Xavier almost numbly accepted the second lighter.
"Instructions are on the side, just ask for Mr Black. In the meantime, any chance of seeing one of these Gates?"
"Of course." Xavier said, his gaze fixed on the small metal device in his hands. "I'll have Logan escort you."
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Author's Afternote – Mr Black is from Rorschach's Blot's "Make A Wish" series which can be found in the Black Ink community. This particular scene intersects with Dunuelos' Naruto story "The Contract", chapter 5.
Both Roschach's Blot and Dunuelos gave their permission for this crossover scene and once again they have my thanks.