Author's Note – I do not own any of the characters, Marvel and DC do.
The Chekov's Gun being fired was loaded in Chapter 7 of the prequel General Zod.
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Chapter Six
Preparations
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"This is Captain Allan of the Asimov." The woman on the holo-display stated. "We have the incoming vessel on our sensors and can confirm an eighty-three percent match with the statistics for a Class Eight Combat Attachment, but the energy readings are… off."
Zod turned round from where he was perusing files on the Class 8 attachments. "Off? What do you mean… off?"
"We're not picking up any of the energy-emissions of the more powerful weapons systems." Allan responded. "The point-defense systems read as being on stand-by, as well as all of the tertiary weapons arrays. The secondary arrays read as not only being in power-down mode, but there are barely a quarter of the numbers that there should be while the primaries are either totally powered down… or not there."
"What?" Zod asked rhetorically. "Why in Rao's name would the Shi'ar strip out the primary weapons array of a Class Eight… It isn't the Shi'ar! It's… it can't be, but it has to be…"
"Has to be who?" Clark asked as the rest of his team watched Zod worriedly.
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probe information analysed.
location of final kryptonian designated Kal-El confirmed.
alert! additional kryptonians indicated.
analysis of records indicates argosian origin.
analysis indicates presence of seven additional argosians with error of +/- three.
primary contact protocol plan efficiency projection 32% +/- 17% due to non-calculable conditions.
accessing databanks for alternate contact protocol programs…
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"Brainiac?" Charles Xavier asked and Zod nodded, glancing round at the intent faces of the assembled team leaders.
"Brainiac." Zod confirmed, his voice filled with cold hatred. "The sentient computer system that was created to preserve Krypton, but instead lied about the threat Krypton faced and abandoned its duty!"
"Its actions condemned Krypton, led to our exile… and destroyed Kandor." Faora supplied from beside Zod. "We were planning to eventually hunt it down once we had built a strong enough fleet… but for Brainiac to come here… why?"
"There might be something here that it wants." Xanatos stated, stroking his goatee as he considered the possibilities. "Something it knows of, something it tracked here…"
Xanatos trailed off as Clark flinched, causing everyone to look at him.
"Me." He stated. "I am the Last Son of Krypton. I was sent by Jor-El as Krypton exploded, the same time that Brainiac escaped. Brainiac would have spotted the transport pod that brought me here. Why it didn't come earlier, though…"
"The number of stars on the vector you were sent on would have been considerable." Reed Richards supplied. "Since Brainiac is a computer, no matter how advanced, it would have scanned every star system on the way in order to ensure that it didn't miss you. Assuming that it's basic functions are similar to most of the AI's that I've encountered, anyway."
"JARVIS, HERBIE… we have several AI's of our own." Tony Stark commented. "When I get back to the Avengers Tower, I'm going to activate JARVIS' advanced hacking counter-measures. Reed, if you need help getting HERBIE's hack-resistance up, give me a call."
"Going up against an AI of unknown capabilities…" Reed mused. "Of course, HERBIE has quite a few Kryptonian upgrades thanks to Kara."
"Zod, I'll probably be sending young Harry to New Krypton until this is over." Tony added. "Pepper as well, I don't want to risk either of them."
"Moving the non-combatants out of the way is a good idea." Zod allowed. "There are many empty buildings in New Kryptonopolis which they can use. Our construction program was… over-enthusiastic about building New Krypton's capital."
"So, we move all the non-combatants linked to super-teams to New Krypton to avoid Brainiac targeting them in an attempt to demoralize us." Clark stated. "We have neither the time nor the resources for a large-scale evacuation, trying to dome the cities and fly them to New Krypton would leave them extremely vulnerable to hostile fire."
"Even if we could install the technology in time." Zod agreed soberly. "Plus, Brainiac has some way of destroying a domed city with a single blast. It did it to Kandor… and killed my wife… Doming the cities is not a wise move, even if we did have the time."
"I don't see any real choice." Clark sighed. "I'm going to activate the Omega Protocols."
A sussurration of protest rose around the table and Clark held up his hand to quieten them.
"Brainiac took out an entire city before it seized a Class 8 Combat Attachment. That thing is the equivalent of the Death Star, without the exhaust port to fire a missile down. We are going to need as many combat-capable individuals as possible, especially those who can operate in space."
"But… to team up with villains?" Falcon protested.
"I think they'll see reason." Clark riposted. "Hard to steal when your entire planet is a cloud of plasma. However, we need to keep this as quiet as possible. It's quite probable that Brainiac is monitoring Earth's communications even as we speak."
"Unlikely… but not impossible." Zod mused. "It is still out of range of radio communications, but then again, we Kryptonians had all-but abandoned that form of data-transfer for centuries. However, we cannot know what technology Brainiac has incorporated into itself during the decades it has traveled…"
A chime interrupted the meeting and Clark raised his hand to signify that he was listening to the micro-communicator nestled in his ear canal. A moment later, his eyebrows shot up.
"Brainiac is hailing us… and is asking for me."
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primary hailing sequence completed.
estimated time for return response – 27 minutes.
possible contact at five-three mark one-eight.
contact lost.
93.15% chance of data interpretation error.
5.26% chance contact is natural space object.
1.47% chance contact is stealthed spacecraft.
0.12% chance of sensor miscalibration.
additional sensor sweeps recommended.
activating point defense. all other weapons remaining in stand-by.
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"Shit!" Captain Allan swore as the readings changed. "We got too close and now it suspects something. Open the range and send a directional pulse to the others warning them that the sensor range is 25% more than previously suspected."
"Yes, captain."
"And send a pulse to Earth too! They need to know. If it's upgraded one system, most of the others are probably upgraded too."
"Yes, captain!"
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"Greetings, sentient beings of Sol Three, known also as Earth." The synthesized voice sounded over the loudspeakers. "My designation is BRAINIAC, Benign Research Artificial Intelligence Neural Integrated Advanced Computer. My primary mission is to seek any information you may possess on the one known as Kal of House El, formerly of the planet Krypton. Additional data-trading is acceptable, especially technology data. I request permission to enter orbit of Sol Three in order to facilitate communications."
"Worrying." Conner mused. "The implication is that this Brainiac has traded with other worlds, so it is highly unlikely that it is limited to Kryptonian technology."
"It's on a perfect trajectory for a minimum-energy-expenditure orbital insertion." T'Challa relayed from the Wakandan analysts.
"Solar Defense Fleet reports that a quarter of its point-defense systems are on-line." Betsy Braddock called from her own console. "They estimate its sensors are a quarter again more effective than baseline Kryptonian sensors."
"Orbital insertion estimated in six hours." T'Challa added.
Clark frowned, then switched on his microphone.
"Attention Brainiac. This is Kal-El, son of Jor-El. Please state your intentions now that you have located me. Over."
Clark listened to the recording, then pressed the icon to transmit it. "Well, let's see what it does."
"SDF will be fully deployed one hour after Brainiac's orbital insertion." Connor stated. "Stealth systems seem to be holding."
"How on earth does stealth work in space?" Isiah Bradley asked. "I mean, there's heat, light reflection, blocking of stars and all that…"
"Our ships use holographic shields to prevent occlusion while waste heat is directed away from any known craft in order to reduce detection." Clark said. "They have other techniques, some of which are the result of humans playing around with the technology of my people, but even Kryptonian sensors have great difficulty picking up a fully-stealthed SDF vessel at anything greater than half-range, even when they know exactly where to look."
"Message from Xavier." Betsy relayed. "The Institute has been evacuated and Bayville is being evacuated to New Krypton as well."
"Greetings, Clark." Doctor Doom declaimed as he strode into the main hall. "I come to place my skills in your service. Although Great Latveria is no longer at risk from beings such as this Brainiac, I still have many plans I wish to see fulfilled, plans which would need considerable and very irritating modifications should anything happen to Earth."
"I… I'm honored that you decided to join us." Clark said, then he frowned. "Lord Doom, how many of the villains on Earth can you contact?"
"Ah, the Omega Protocols." Doom said approvingly. "Fear not, for Doom shall spread the word to all those who need to know!"
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The Javelin rose above the Moonbase domes and on board, Connor von Doom looked at the other two occupants of the craft.
"Honor-father, although I am pleased to be the one of the two chosen to guard your back for this, I must ask why me and not T'Challa?"
"If I may?" Kevin Sydney asked and Clark nodded. "Part of it is that you are stronger and tougher than Black Panther. While he is mystically enhanced, your physical prowess and ability to resist damage is still greater."
"And you are a task-force in your own right." Conner replied.
"And Sedara let me copy her." Kevin added. "She's standing by with our primary backup, thirty of General Zod's finest. All I need to do is flicker a portal in front of her and she'll be able to follow it back to us as we hold the beach-head. while the others begin their own mobilizations."
"Got it." Conner said as ahead of them, a tiny dot of light began to expand. "Is that… Brainiac?"
"It is." Clark said quietly. "Brainiac, this is Kal-El approaching your position from the moon. I have you in sight, requesting permission to dock and come aboard with my two colleagues."
"Permission granted, Kal-El." the reply came a few seconds later. "Welcome."
"Why is my paranoia increasing?" Connor asked, earning a smirk from Morph.
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incoming craft displaying both kryptonian tech and secondary tech of lesser development.
secondary tech designated Earth tech.
activating full planetary datanet interception protocols.
1,956,872 requests for data-trades noted.
re-allocating computational cores 19 through 28 to diversionary data-trading.
deploying field generation nodes.
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As the Javelin curved towards the open landing bay, Clark spotted several dozen spheres racing away from the giant ship.
"Brainiac, this is Kal-El. I have spotted unknown objects moving away from you at high speed. Have you suffered an engineering issue?"
"Negative. To aid in communications, relay satellites are being deployed."
"I don't trust it." Connor growled.
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"Interesting." Doom said as he watched the holographic display. "Those look like communication satellites at first glance, but the external arrays are slightly wrong for data transfer. Someone get me a sensor scan of one of those satellites!"
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incoming craft has powered down engines and the occupants are debarking.
scans confirm that crew-member one is Kal-El.
scans indicate crew-member two is male child of Kal-El.
scans inconclusive on crew-member three.
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"Quite a ship." Morph said, looking round at the crystalline pillars of the Kryptonian vessel's bay and the various pipes, conduits and nodes spread across the walls and deck-head, portions of them glowing purple.
"welcome aboard, Kal-el, son of Jor-El." Brainiac said. "welcome aboard, scion of House El. welcome aboard, ally of House El."
"I think you're the scion." Morph whispered to Connor.
"I got that, thanks." Connor hissed back as a hatch at the back of the bay hissed open.
"please make your way to the central chamber." Brainiac said and Clark nodded as he led the way.
"You know," Connor remarked as they walked down the long corridor, "I'm seeing at least five different types of tech here."
"Really?" Morph asked. "I only see three. Five?"
"Look at the shapes of the conduits, especially the fastenings." Connor replied. "Although form has to follow function to a certain degree if the technology is to work efficiently, there are many different ways to style things. There are bolts with clockwise ridges while others are anti-clockwise. Some of the status lights are round, some rectangular and others are holographic. The nodes come in several different shapes, round, square, hexagonal, and the metals they are made from differ in color and texture."
"So, how many different types do you think there are?"
"Five at the very least, probably… eight."
"there are ten different origins of technology represented in the corridor you are currently traversing."
Connor blinked, then frowned as he looked more closely at the systems adorning the walls.
"Odd, I… wait. Yep, that's nine and that may be the tenth…"
"Doctor Doom trained you well, didn't he?"
Before Connor could reply, they exited the corridor into a huge chamber. Above them, over a dozen glowing spheres floated, encased in filigree cages. In the center of the chamber was a throne-like chair in which a metallic humanoid figure was seated, cables connecting its head and torso to the backrest.
"greetings, Kal-El. i am Brainiac, guardian of the legacy of Krypton. my research indicates your companions are the heroes known as Guardsman and Morph."
"They are." Clark replied. "Quite an impressive ship you have here but I have to ask, what's with the lights? I've never seen anything like them before."
"each light is the repository of the data from an entire world that I have collected in my journey here." Brainiac said as the cables attached to him disengaged and retracted, allowing him to stand up. "i collected them utilizing a variation of the technique that allowed me to store the data of the city of Kandor."
Clark froze as his eyes fixed on the display module integrated into the back of the throne. Encased in a shimmering force-field was what appeared at first glance to be a model city, but his vision let him zoom in on it, showing him the inhabitants frozen motionless, many of them caught as they flinched away from whatever had happened to them.
"Honor-father…" Conner hissed and Clark nodded.
"I see it. That… is Kandor!"