Having to focus on keeping his breathing shallow made reviewing the data in front of him that much more difficult - and Bruce didn't like unnecessary difficulties. Yet, he was glad that he was able to walk away from Darkseid with just two broken ribs and a concussion – the potential injuries he could have sustained were not for the faint of heart; let alone possible death. He had never been so relieved in his life to give over command and defense to someone else in his life. It was not a feeling he ever cared for except when it pertained to Kal.
While he loved Kal as both brother and friend, he always held the tiniest shred of jealousy towards the man. He was perfection incarnate – physically, mentally, emotionally, and he was practically immortal. He would never fear another man; never worry about physical ailments; didn't even have to worry about death. It was staggering that such a being could exist, let alone be someone he had come to call family years ago. But who wouldn't be jealous, right?
His computer beeped as the data finished processing and uploaded the final portions for his review. While his heart may lie in Gotham, he was well aware that the universe was vast and that there was much more going on outside of their little speck of a planet. Being aware of all of that meant being better able to defend the planet should the need arise. He wasn't going to rely on Kal to save them all the time, or at least as much as he could help it. The planet needed some sort of defense from the Mongols and Darkseids that want to exterminate life and devour their planet of its resources – and he would be the one to figure out what that defense needed to be. He already had blueprints prepared for a "watch tower" that would orbit the planet on the lookout for extraterrestrial life on approach to the planet. He had plans for a planetary shield that would help to prevent 'intruders' from entering their atmosphere undetected. There was much to be done and he knew that he wouldn't be able to accomplish it all in his lifetime.
A lifetime – only 36 years old but his body and heart felt so much older. Having carried on his family's tradition of protecting Gotham had come at a cost. He was alone, save for Alfred and the occasional one night stand. His heart was empty, longing for a connection to someone. But the job always kept him too busy to find it. He was the 6 generation of Wayne to carry on the legacy and to protect the Wayne secrets. His family's wealth was not self-made – rather, it was made with the help of Kal many years ago. His family's luck of finding land with precious minerals that helped to amass their fortune was not luck at all – it was child's play for Kal to find it for them and help them mine it without damaging the country side. And years later when technology became a pivotal point in mankind's development, it was not Wayne genius that created the tech giant Wayne Industries, no. It was the intervention of Kal and his technology, broken down and adapted to human standards, which paved the way for Wayne glory. And while his family had always been grateful to Kal for his aid in making them prosperous and giving them the ability to give back to human kind, he always felt as though his family had cheated their way to prosperity. He was determined to leave a mark all of his own – and protecting the planet from sycophants and warmongers was how he was going to do it.
The gentle wisp of air that passed by his ears clued him in to the man's arrival - no one else could get past his security, it was partially Kryptonian after all. "Am I intruding?" asked the newcomer. "Not at all. The data just finished processing and I was getting ready to view it." "Good – should be interesting to see what we are dealing with." "Agreed – let's see here. Apparently, motherboxes are sentient beings that require organic life to sustain themselves. Yet they do not endanger their 'hosts' in anyway. It's more of a symbiotic relationship. The energy we give off as waste is, for lack of a better word, nutrition for the motherboxes. They give off the same energy that you were able to collect from the Source Wall…can probably be safely concluded that they stem their existence from the Source itself." "Interesting" said Kal, "with so little known about the Source or the Source Wall, perhaps the motherboxes can shed some light as to what we are dealing with" "Agreed" replied Bruce. A few taps of the keys on his computer later, Bruce swiveled around on his chair to gaze upon Kal.
"Did you find anything interesting out there? And any more news on the Guardians and the Thangarian war that seemed imminent?"
"The Guardians are hiding something – I fear they are looking to try to mandate that all of my technology and libraries be given over to them for 'safe keeping.' They never did trust the Kryptonian race and apparently don't trust me, even though I have done nothing to make them feel that way in all of my dealings with them"
"The Guardians fear what they do not know and what they do not control. Even with the best of intentions, tyranny can still arise. I presume your secrets will guard themselves, as usual. What about Thanagar?"
"Of course they will" Kal smirked, "The Thangarrians have yet to go to war, but it is a sure thing. They continue to try diplomacy with Rann, but too many are still hurt by the past aggressions and demand retribution. It is only a matter of time before words turn into metal and all havoc breaks loose in that quadrant of the galaxy. It would be wise to keep an eye out for rogue Thangarrians or Ranns that might come this way."
"Agreed – I already have the blue prints completed for the watch tower and plan for the building to start within the week."
"I can help with that if you would like – speed up the process."
"No – it's something I have to do with the UN and nations of this world, otherwise it will be seen as a way to control instead of help. Besides, we have to be able to do things on our own without your mighty intervention all the time" grimaced Bruce.
"I understand. Speaking of, the update to your suit that you asked for is ready. For now, this is the lightest and most flexible armor I can produce for you. It will withstand just about any bullet, sharp object and explosive device at point blank range. I wish I could supply you with a version of my own armor, but the human body does not have the strength nor agility to wear nth metal laced Kyptonian armor. It would probably kill you before it could save you."
"Appreciated – will make dealing with the thugs in Gotham that much easier. I need to spend more time on planetary defense, but I can't let Gotham sit in rot. The Joker is planning something huge and I want to be ready."
"Well, you know how to contact me if you need help. At least in the meantime, this armor will protect you from just about anything thrown your way."
"Will you be staying for dinner? Alfred will want to talk to you about your latest adventure."
"I wouldn't miss an Alfred meal for anything. Let's go"