[22nd February 2011]
[LexCorp Headquarters, Metropolis, Delaware, United States of America]
"My city continues to recover does it not Mercy?" he stated looking out over his domain as the sun rose on another day, hands together behind his back and clad in his finest new black suit. There was much work, and deals, to be done today and in the days to come to ensure things continued on an upward trend for his various interests "...despite the hits it, and we, have taken it is still growing, beautiful and strong"
"Yes, Mister Luthor, it does"
He smiled faintly, nodding at her reflection in the armoured glass of the window. Between the Kyprtonian and his allies, and the conflict he know faced with Savage as the Light split apart in the wake of their 'Leader's' debacle, increased security measures had seemed prudent. Even if the hiring of certain magic users had proven rather costly "Be at ease Mercy, I would value your input as ever"
"Of course Lex"
Tone unchanging as usual, and her stiff formal didn't change as her eyes, as ever, continued to scan for dangers to his person despite being within one of his more secure offices. It was useful having trained and intelligent subordinates, especially now with the loss of access to the Light's network and his every move now likely to see significantly greater opposition than prior to this exciting new year. Some matters had gone less than adequately, from Al Ghul's wayward daughter to the destruction of a handful of fairly important research projects by the Caveman's band of rejects from a horror movie.
'Of course...they are less the concern than his off-world ally, whenever he manages to restore contact with that particular alien and his minions I expect. Though, they are proving an irritation in the short term at the very least' he thought plotting his next counter move. Gotham and Bludhaven appeared to be their current targets of choice, but that seemed to be perhaps in pursuit of Talia al'Ghul as indications were of her and a small team seeking out the Batman after her escape from his, and then Savage's, custody.
"Gotham, and by extension Bludhaven? I have a number of options, some direct, some indirect, but it is difficult to adequately estimate the benefits of dealing with the not-living vermin who persist in harassing my more clandestine operations"
"I'd judge the situation there less than ideal for direct tactical engagement of your enemies, while I can vouch for the effectiveness of certain of your unofficial security teams, the analysis you had me study indicates to me that successfully avoiding detection by official sources not easily subverted would be low, low enough that I must recommend against"
"Noted" he replied mentally dropping several of the more direct action plans from his mind. Bruce Wayne could be perhaps trusted to do much of what he intended anyway; monitoring Wayne Industries and the man's known outside funds had indicated a significant uptick in hiring of security personnel and funnelling funds into pro-action and pro-reconstruction lobbyists. Normally Lex would lean towards inhibiting a competitor's moves to consolidate his home territory but currently their interests aligned and a unified front of LexCorp, Wayne Industries, and Kord Industries would be ideal in dealing with current mutual foes. Something that ranged from the idiot President who should hopeful be gone by year's end, to the aliens hovering above them in their starships, and not least the undead and the Caveman's monsters.
"Hmm...Mercy prepare my a list of teams rated by your estimates of their effectiveness, and I shall enquire into whether certain members of the Bludhaven and Gotham business communities..." those large enough to remain legitimate such as Wayne, and the more common ones who had not "...about potential hiring opportunities. If worked out to our satisfaction it should deal with the problem while generating a small profit. I also want monitoring of the situation; some of the reports by the National Guard and Army indicate several potential future hires or associates based upon combat skills, possible meta-gene, or magical abilities"
Loss of Klarion, while a relief in certain ways, was proving a major headache in light of the re-emergence of the oddity to the world at large. While focusing research into the area was occurring, alongside screening and hiring of potential practitioners to LexCorp, or at arms reach small contract firms, the fact was much of that particular area had been hidden from the public mind till now. Most easily known practitioners were either criminal in nature, reclusive in general, or already worked for the opposition such as Zatara for the Justice League, and most British and Irish based ones for SHIELD and their hidden puppet-masters.
He resisted frowning at that irritation, especially now as the Caveman had greater knowledge of that particular ability than he, turning, and walking back his desk and picking up the latest data-pad as it chimed. Good, he noted, the concept being delivered on time as he tapped at the icons and brought up the proposed [Maelstrom] Planetary Defence Satellite. The various members of the United Nations Security Council were expected to sign off on a unified order for a 'Planetary Defence Grid' sometime in the next few weeks, and LexCorp would be ready for it.
With a few taps he pulled out the US made nuclear tipped missiles and replaced them with the Russian equivalents...which would allow replacing of the power module and computer system with LexCorp ones based on all known details of the plan. As much as he would wish to produce the entire system, a full design being acceptable based on what he saw here, but the nature of global 'unified' projects invariably meant using other nation's primary preferred industries, or State owned ones. It was just the nature of these things, and he began the process of amending a few designs to his satisfaction based on those limitations...
--
[22nd February 2011]
[Deep Bunker-Fortress, Arhangay Region, Mongolia]
Setbacks were seldom pleasant he found, resting back into his command chair, hands together, one leg over the other and appearing completely at ease despite recent reversals. It would never do to show any sign of weakness, especially with the creature he was about to negotiate with. Olympia, his dear child, had kept things in good order in his absence despite her...issues...and the immediate chaos following the betrayal of his fellows within the Light had been reduced to mere problems to be dealt with in time.
Oh, it had required dealing with certain elements he would not have, but that was always the nature of these things when sudden events derailed his plans. He bowed his head, rising to stand hands behind back and back straight as the cold, monstrous, face of the ruler of Apokolips came upon the screen "My Lord Darkseid, I am honoured by your willingness to meet"
"Indeed, after certain failures of late..." Vandal was unfazed by the sight of the naked, tortured, and silently screaming form of 'Glorious' Godfrey strung up a little distance behind Darkseid. He had seen such before...done such many times before after all "...I might question the benefits of spending time in such"
Vandal bowed fractionally "While setbacks, such as the betrayal given by certain allies, and incompetence by others, have occurred Lord Darkseid I can assure you the upper ends of the proposed time table can still be delivered upon for delivery of weapons. The attention of the Guardians of Oa and Thanagarian Empire has limited and delayed of course, but other opportunities have created by this such as capacity to serve as a potential catalyst to a large scale war between these parties and the Reach over events on Earth"
Darkseid nodded, seemingly considering such a moment before speaking in that merciless and callous tone of his "Acceptable such deliveries of the weapons be achieved under our terms. Deterioration of relations leading to conflict between the Reach and other factions would also be an excellent outcome, worthy of redeeming certain other actions"
Vandal's 'ally' gestured with his hand at one of his minions nearby "Support will be limited, and I trust you are capable of functioning with fewer resources than expected. Monitoring by the Guardians and Thanagarians will limit such owing to capacity to track and restrict Boom Tube usage"
He bowed again, it was far better than being cut off entirely as he had feared. Or would face the wrath of the creature and then suffer another invasion of Earth; one there would be no capacity for him to turn back by agreements as the last time "Any support will be welcome Lord Darkseid, as I regret without such further delays are perhaps inevitable"
"I shall consider this"
...and that was that apparently he noted as the screen cut out and signal ended. Frowning slightly he retook his seat, clicking the buttons on the sides to bring up a series of interactive maps of the Earth and scrolling information bars. Less advanced than he'd prefer, but they were secure from both advanced technology detection and from magical means as well so they were suited to task. Delivering such would be a significant challenge without Luthor's distribution networks, Godfrey's public persona, and the likely opposition from former allies and these new upstarts from Albion.
'Perfidious Albion' he mentally growled, that damned island and its wicked magical community and damned traders and financiers had often gotten in the way of his strengthening humanity. Now he was forced to ally with filth he had help exterminate in the past, and inflict sufficient losses upon his species till they came to understand that they needed his firm guiding hand. He drummed his fingers off the sides of his seat. It was perhaps time to once more assume a more direct role in the future once his enemies had been dealt with either as a Khan of Khans or the God-Emperor he was in soul.
'Unfortunately resources are not adequately available as yet for a direct conquest as in times before, so humbling the greater nations as I gather armies in the lesser ones while supplying Darkseid would seem the only viable option for now' he admitted to himself as he smiled back at his child when she delivered him a cold beverage and data-pad with latest updates. Some good, some bad, he saw skimming through them...silently cursing the loss of al-Ghul and then his daughter's betrayal after his efforts to liberate her from Luthor's and the Brain's grasp. A string of assassinations of high ranking members of various global militaries would not go amiss right now after all...
--
[22nd February 2011]
[Private Specimen Display Area, Kurvoog Stellar Corprate Offices, Krolotea]
She hated them...and right now she hated herself and her own sense of relief as she lay on her back and actually enjoyed the fake sunlight on her body. Because being the prime exhibit in their little zoo was by far the better parts of her new nightmare after the vicious alien bastards had killed her personal guard and dragged her kick and screaming through their portal.
Demeaning, but it was certainly less painful than the battery of tests they put her through like she was some animal, or a weapon in their eyes. Which she probably was too them she mused clenching her fists a moment...before forcing herself to relax and enjoy the brief respite by playing tame naked hairless monkey in some ugly little gremlin's zoo.
They'd gotten a little lazy too, nothing too serious, but the silly mirror glass was now a see through so the little monsters could point and shout out instructions to her. Irritating, humiliating, but it had allowed her to see what Kroloteans day to day activities, and she was apparently somewhere close to where the leaders operated.
Not that she could speak a word of their jibber jabber, but she could figure out certain things by watching star charts and planets brought up. Such as the fact they seemed to have a great deal of interest in a place she recognised as Raan, and judging from displays of arms and maps alongside those meetings, likely a place they planned to attack at some point.
'If I can just get to use my powers on someone off the planet I could stage a breakout...or even just prove myself a loyal attack dog perhaps to the gremlins. Trade a few million slaves, or a planet, for the being a favoured pet? Whatever stops the tests and hell that is this place' she mused sitting up noting His Ugliness the apparent leader of this lot striding towards her 'habitat' with a number of other short little gremlins at his heels jibber-jabbering as they went.
Perhaps she should be glad, from all indicators Earth was in galactic lockdown due to the failure to contain the Echinoderm if she had read the star charts and warning colours correctly. But now her audience demanded activities, she muttered under her breath, gave a big fake friendly smile and stood up to wave at the little monsters...
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