Author's Note – I do not own any of the characters, Marvel and DC do.
The location of Krypton as mentioned in this chapter is DC canon. Seriously.
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Chapter Eighteen
Expedition
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"…and so, I come before you to plead for aid." Lillandra said, her musical voice carrying across the United Nations assembly. "My brother seeks to destroy all in his path, a desire for destruction that will inevitably result in you coming to his attention and if he is not stopped, he will be able to crush you even though you are allies with the Kryptonians…"
"She is good." Zod noted as he and Clark watched the transmission. "And she has a point. The Shi'ar vessel was using Kryptonian technology and it wasn't a front-line vessel. Fortunately, they didn't get more than a tithe of that which survived Krypton's destruction, my people are scavenging all the remaining technology still in Rao."
Clark blinked. "Isn't that the name of your… our god?"
Zod nodded. "It is. Also the name of the star, although humans know it as LHS 2520. I occasionally amuse myself by wondering just what name they would have given it."
"Where is it?" Clark asked curiously. "There are so many stars up there, where should I be looking?"
"You need a telescope or similar… although given our enhanced vision, that might not actually be true, now that I come to think about it." Zod replied. "Look for the human constellation Corvus, then draw an imaginary line from the lowest star to the upper one. Extend the line upwards by half its length and that's where you'll see Rao. If the telescope is big enough or you're using the steller array, you can even see the asteroid field that was once Krypton. But it looks like Lillandra's finished her speech."
Clark turned back to see Lillandra leave the stage and Zod snarled.
"Look at them. Listen to them. Small-minded politicians, each trying to find a reason not to help her while goading their neighbours into taking up the burden instead. There are times that I despair about the future of Earth, if people like these are in charge. And then I meet people like King Marko and King T'Challa and realize that there is indeed hope."
"I… have no idea how to respond to that." Clark admitted.
"Just imagine what would happen if Steve Rogers agreed to become President. After all, I know that he got eight percent of the vote on the last election as a write-in candidate." Zod added with a wry smile. "He'd probably end up protecting the Secret Service agents."
"I think I heard something about that." Clark admitted. "I didn't pay it all that much attention, though… I don't remember them saying who it was."
"And no-one mentioned that you got seven percent of the vote?" Zod asked, causing Clark to stare at him in shock. "I see not. Interesting, I may need to have the news companies investigated."
"Wait. What?"
Zod turned and strode off, half-turning to continue talking. "I believe it is time to call for a meeting."
"Hang on!" Clark muttered. "Seven percent? What? Hey, wait up!"
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"Morons! Idiots! Zha'kasstiano! Fools!" Lillandra cursed as she stomped through the doors. "I seek help to save the universe and what do I find? Worthless, spineless jharrikaniguks that can't make a decision more complicated than which shoe to seal first!"
"I think she's pissed." Juggernaut chuckled, causing Lillandra to freeze as she realized that she had entered a room full of people.
"Lillandra, welcome." Zod said, rising from his seat at the head of the table to give her a bow of welcome. "On behalf of those of us who do know how to make decisions, I apologise for subjecting you to the self-serving politicians. I assure you, we do try to prevent them from screwing things up too badly, but all they really care about is getting elected."
"Too jhrakhled true." Lillinara sighed as she sat down in the chair at the foot of the long table, Charles taking his place beside her. "So, I assume that I am now facing the true decision makers of Sol System."
"To a degree." Zod shrugged. "I personally represent the Triumvirate of New Krypton, the other two have said that they'll support my decision on this matter. As for this world, it is those who are willing to go of their own free will that you need to persuade. Not politicians, but heroes. And that is why we are here. Before you are the leaders of many of the superhero teams, or those allied to them. This discussion is being broadcast to all the super-teams on both Earth and New Krypton. They already know what is at stake."
Lillandra's eyes widened as Zod spoke. "You mean…"
"We will help." Zod confirmed as Clark, sat beside him, nodded. "I will place a division of cruisers at your service. I have already received requests from a score of Kryptonians who seek adventure and over a hundred times that number of humans have volunteered to aid. The vessels will have full crews, well trained crews, and full complements of soldiers to aid you."
Lillinara inhaled sharply, then she tried to speak but failed. Charles placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her before turning to face the others.
"What Lillinara is failing to say is… thank you." He said and Lillinara nodded in confirmation.
"That's not all." Scott Summers noted. "As well as tech-enhanced humans, you're getting a Powered contingent as well. I'll be leading it with Jean as my second. In my absence, Talon is taking over as leader of the X-men. I've asked Logan to go easy on him."
"Thank you." Lillinara whispered.
"Oh, Clark, since I'm going as well, I've asked an old friend to take over running the Institute for me." Charles added.
Clark shot him a curious look and Charles smiled impishly.
"He'll be waiting for us in my office after the meeting."
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"Welcome back, old friend."
"It's good to be back, old friend." Charles returned as Clark stared in shock at the man sitting behind the desk as if he'd always been there.
"Wait…" Clark finally said. "I… this may come out wrong, so I'm sorry in advance, but… Magneto?"
"You think my old friend invited me over simply to see his house and ability to walk once more?" Magneto asked, the corner of his mouth curling into a wry smile. "No, Superman. Charles has always dreamed of teaching the next generation of mutants and back when we first worked together as the leaders of Task Force X, I shared his dream. I was not as fixated on it as Charles was… and still is, come to think about it, but I understood and supported him until our paths diverged.
"And now that we walk the same path once more, my skills are his to command once again."
"Of course, I have placed some precautions." Charles added and Magneto nodded.
"It would take a stronger man than even I to go against those two formidable ladies." He chuckled. "Were I a decade younger, I might be tempted to try to woo one of them… although I remain undecided as to which one I would seek to woo."
Clark stared at the Master of Magnetism before sighing. "Alright. So, just to check. No plans to conquer the world or try to transform everyone into mutants?"
"Should I decide to do so, you have my word that I shall resign from both the Institute and Bayville High first." Magneto promised, causing Charles to give him a Look. "No, I have no such plans."
"Thank you." Clark muttered, earning an amused look from Eric.
"Moving on," Charles said calmly, although a slight twitching of his lips betrayed his amusement, "Several of my people, and a few of Eric's, are going to come wih Lillandra and myself. Jean and Scott are both coming, as are Chrome and Myst, both of whom are curious to see what other worlds are like. SHIELD, or SWORD to be more accurate, are sending along their Team Beta under Agent Kimberly Taylor. She was one of the last agents personally trained by Fury."
"Personally trained by Fury?" Eric asked in shock. "Then I am indeed relieved that I never crossed paths with her."
"I have talked to WAND, but they do not have many operatives, so cannot spare one."
"Wait." Eric frowned. "Wand? Who are they?"
"Another subdivision of SHIELD, but one which deals with roblems of a more… mystical nature." Charles explained. "Their full title is the Wizardry, Alchemical and Necromancy Department. They apparently recruit a number of fully-trained wizards from the magical schools around the world and co-operate with their various magical counterpart organisations. The one in the UK is rather amusingly known as the Unspeakables."
"Any other divisions of SHIELD I don't know about?" Eric asked with a disbelieving chuckle.
"ARMOR." Clark promptly responded. "They're effectively acting as mission control and the overseers of the Moonbase under cover of being a dedicated SHIELD team,although I'm not certain that they know that I know. Not surprising since their remit is to monitor alternate reality incursions and provide intelligence to the groups assigned to intercept said incursions. If you're interested, their name is an acronym for Alternate Reality Monitoring and Operational Response."
"So much that I never knew." Eric marvelled, then he frowned. "Wait, should I know about them?"
"Now that you're in charge of the Institute, yes." Charles said. "Of course, should you choose to return to your previous path, you will forget everything you learned in this office."
Eric froze. "How?"
"Mr Black?" Clark asked with a slight smirk.
"Henchgirl, actually." Charles gently corrected. "She set it up for me just before she headed out on a mission for Mr Black to a place called… I think it was Sunagakure."
"Sunagakure?" Eric repeated. "I don't recall hearing of a place with that name…"
"Different reality." Charles explained. "It doesn't really affect us, although if you decide you need more security for the Institute for any reason, the shinobi village of Konohagakure is on the contact list. They can be trusted, Fury hired quite a few of them to help him clean up SHIELD."
Eric stared at him in near-shock for a long moment.
"There is one other important thing that you need to do before I can formally hand over the Institute to you…" Charles prompted and Eric seemed to collapse in on himself.
"I am a proud man, Charles." He whispered. "I dislike having to apologise… even when I know I was in the wrong."
"It needs to bedone." Charles said just as quietly and Eric nodded.
"I agree. Clark… if you would be so kind as to ask my daughter to join us… It is time and past that I face the mistakes of my past… and take responsibility for them…"
"Of course." Clark said as he rose from his chair.
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Wanda flopped onto her bed, still reeling from encountering her father.
"Something go wrong?" Ororo asked, peering round the doorframe and Wanda gave a slight shrug.
"Yes… no… maybe?"
Ororo slipped through, closing the door behind her and sat down , lifting Wanda slightly so that Wanda's head rested on her lap. Wanda sighed as Ororo started running gentle fingers through her hair.
"Storm… you know that Xavier is leaving?"
"I do." Ororo confirmed. "I know where he's going, why and some of the people who he's going with. Why?"
"Well… his replacement is… Magneto."
Ororo nodded, her face reflecting her concern. "I was aware of that… is it going to be a problem?"
"He apologised to me." Wanda growled. "He explained that he couldn't help me, that he wanted me safe until he could find someone who could teach me how to use my powers… that hearing that Xavier and Clark had taken me in made him… happy…"
Ororo remained silent, stroking the younger girl's hair in an attempt to help her relax.
"He apologised." Wanda whispered again, her mind flashing back.
"…I am a prideful man, Wanda. In fact, many have said, with some accuracy, that I am arrogant.
"That I care only for those who are useful to me, that I place my goals above even friendship.
"There is truth in those statements.
"I have been forced to open my eyes to that which I refused to see before.
"To understand that my plans would have inevitably brought disaster on myself and the whole world.
"It was not an easy realization to make.
"I cannot change the past, Wanda.
"All the things I have done, all the mistakes I have made, I cannot undo, only try to atone for.
"And thus, I promise this. I will try my best to make amends for how I set you aside when you were but a small girl.
"I will do my utmost to support you as you make your own decisions as to what you wish to do, give you the tools you need to achieve that which you desire.
"But I will not try to control you in any way. I will not seek to force you into any given path. I did that before, and it was one of my greatest mistakes.
"I can only hope that in the fullness of time, you will find it in your heart to forgive a foolish man who got carried away in his dreams of the future and who lost sight of the true things in life."
"…he apologised." She repeated. "But… Magneto never apologizes…"
"Perhaps Clark finally got to him?" Ororo suggested, causing Wanda to snort with laughter.
"Yeah, maybe…"
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Beyond the Oort cloud, space seemed to twist and warp briefly, snapping back to reveal that a silvery shape had appeared, apparently from nowhere.
For a long moment, the shape remained motionless, then it started to accelerate towards a distant speck of marbled blue.