[02.39: A Merchant's Dimensional long fhada]

[Yar-har, fiddle dee-dee, being a pirate is alright with me…]

Playing at being a pathfinder for an inter-dimensional invasion force…well, at least I was being well paid for this I reminded myself as I finished off the last of the ritual preparations on the wall in front of me. They were more protective and illusory wards and sigils more than the actual spell itself, which was coming from focusing through the Amulet of the Planes. Even better I had a my 'arcane choir' backing up those defences, and supplying power to the planewalking spell itself in a dozen mages; from Faralda and Zatanna, Ellie and Debbie, with her Justice Alliance opposite Deborah leading the other half of the magical support.

All to provide enough support to avoid being detected, and for me to avoid spending too much of my power as requested by Doctor Fate. It was our…my employers….best bet at getting through the inter-dimensional faraday that The Fraternity appeared to have thrown up since I'd left their merry little hellhole of a dimension. When one considered that no less than four dimensions worth of superpowered beings were ready and raring to stomp down on the Fraternity for their actions…I'd say the villains weren't precautious enough. Then again they'd been actively raiding other dimensions, so it was pretty much comeuppance having a superpowered army descend upon them in my opinion.

So I reached out, blood flowing as I cut my palmed with a ceremonial knife, wincing at the pain as I then pressed the blood into the runes and chanted the incantation. Power flared, backed by a dozen mages support as I channelled what was needed, what I demanded, and pulsing gold-red the smear flowed out in a darkened light that rippled out like water after a few moments. Pressing with my magic the water became a mirror, then a see through Door into…a warehouse it seemed as I careful probed forward with senses, somewhere rundown and abandoned looking…

'Excellent, this'll do I think' I decided as I waited, probing weakly and carefully, feeling little signs of life in the immediate exit area. Despite that protective spells followed, along with invisibility and silence, intangibility and flight, as I hovered off the ground a few inches as the equally invisible Martian Manhunter joined me at the Gate to the Earth of The Fraternity. I wasn't a fan of psionics, and working with M'gan had…

…I missed M'gann and her terrible tasting cookies. Even if I was living another person's life, the copied memories had been strongest from back to front and…

..I pushed those annoyances away as I sync up very basic, very much directed, surface thoughts with the Green Martian, doing one last check that I had all the tools required. There were a number of scenarios to be wary off, and Quinn had supplied a small portable version of his 'Slide' drive that would open for a very brief window if necessary. At least in theory anyway, just like my magic should allow 'easy' escape….in-theory could get you killed unless you had backups. Considering what the victors of this particular world had done to the vanquished I very much was not getting taken alive by them. Of course the plan called for not being detected so I hovered forward with the invisible mind-reading alien just behind as we passed through the event horizon.

Closing my eyes as I came through to the other side I drew out a dark crystal, holding it in my hand as I reached out and touched the minds of a murder of crows. Through eyes now my own, through eyes in great number, I saw and investigated as they became my spies for a time, my eyes and ears in the city beyond as….evening darkened toward night. There were burnt out cars, and signs of either fire or maybe rioting, but people were moving around like 'normal'…mostly as a number were clearly armed, with guns, but also melee weapons…

{We have….what looks like a militia of sorts further up the street outside this building, no sign of costumed villains, but I think there's been trouble here. Is the tracker functioning?}

[Yes my young friend….] came the mentally projected voiced of Martian Manhunter outlining his position in my mind as I did to him […it is beginning to triangulate the source of the dimensional barrier. Are you prepared to activate you're beacon and call through your vessel when needed]

{I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. Tell me the location and I'll begin the spellwork} I answered calm in mind as I watched and waited, disliking every second of the delay that passed as we moved up onto the rooftop to look around. There had been clear signs of violence latterly I could tell now, as my eyes joined the observations of my tiny flying minions. Invading blind was hardly a plan I liked, but it wasn't my plan in the end, and I was merely a cog in the machine. Or, well, the person making money off the conflict as let the fancy Justice Alliance and Justice League tech begin to find our target…

--

{Several hours later…}

The world was at war. Or, to be more accurate, suffering a period of extreme societal disturbance thanks to…well, me and Kara's little escapade through here it looked like. Overall the United States was intact, as was the internet, but it seemed several cities and regions were under de-facto martial law, or in the case of Los Angeles where we were, under the loose 'control' of a Citizens Defence League of some sort. All while fighting took place between…

'Very indistinctly described groups' I thought coming away from the computer in the office block that'd clearly been abandoned for weeks now…one of the surviving ones that hadn't been looted or damaged on the upper floors. One that, even more importantly, had power and internet access that allowed at least a brief perusal of the current situation;- something that was very much a mixed bag. The villains carefully crafted masquerade had, somewhat, fallen apart, as it was clear enough of the US military and National Guard had believed the info dump to….politely disagree with various things the government had tried to tell them after all the craziness on live television.

The good news it should make things easier for our side as the divisions looked to have come out between the various supervillains under the banner of this Fraternity. It was probably why the semi-sane ones amongst them had thrown up the dimensional barrier or divert that made entering this dimension difficult, especially if one wasn't aware of it. Sadly for them *we* were aware of it, and it was also clearly they only had one site allocated to that particular energy output – all while they went about killing each other and angry citizenry. So, two outside agents, us, had snuck in past their defences….largely because they didn't have public support, nor a large-scale support infrastructure that might dial in a tip.

'Let's just hope its garbage in, garbage out, with them' I noted as Martian Manhunter indicated that it was, finally, time to get this shop on the road. Targets had been plotted by the Justice League member, just as I had done my part, and moving up to the rooftop high of the skyscraper I looked up at the full moon, raising up my staff to the heavens. My defences up, and the Martian Manhunter served as primary defender now as I summoned, then unleashed, power in a condensed burst through the Planes. Drawing in a specific target rather than sending up a signal flare into the void, which wasn't usually the best idea in dimensional travel….especially when we didn't want this being revealed till it was too late for the defenders…

It was a crack rather than a door, but moments later it was answered, as it should be I thought with relief as the Fortune's Chance pressed into the breach, coming through, the front bays opening the moment it tore itself into existence on this plane. Slowly as it was a treble lock, or triple door'd or some such as I watched the front of the hull split and pull back, the noise of the inner bays opening as well. The ship had been an assault craft after all, meant for such an attack, albeit on a world of heroes by the Monarch, and now it was fulfilling that task I noted as I continued to hold open the breach as my ship fully came through. Invisible to the naked eye, though the bays opening was showing the inner workings of the ship…

…also the sudden emergence of dozens of colourfully clad flying men and women, spearheaded by Superman and what were effectively Kryptonian tier superheroes. Hard to miss that in the moonlight, especially as more emerged, some burning in bright coronas of energy and flames as Martian Manhunter send on the targeting data to the Bridge of my ship. I'd dropped my invisibility, watching as Kara descended towards me in her white-blue-red Supergirl outfit, smirk on her face "Need a lift?"

"I can fly myself thank you very much!"

She grinned, ignoring me as she came down behind me, hook arms under my shoulders and lifting…

"Yeah….but super-slow about it, and if I leave you here you'll just go back to the ship. Now come'on, help me kick some villain butt…"

--

[02.40: A Merchant's Dimensional long fhada]

[What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum? The barbarians are here today…]

'Ai, an' now we're fucked' Saint Tiberius thought to himself, lighting a cigarette and taking a puff as he watched Fallout….and another Fallout, and a number of flying men and women with Fallout level powers…smash into, and destroy, the most important Pillar facility. Moments later the camera feed died in a scratchy frizzy mass of grey-black-white, followed by the rest of the feeds from that base and those nearby as warning alarms blared inside the Special Investigations Unit. Didn't take a genius to recognise what was going on as his office picked up alerts being sent out by Seltzer to every member of his Family to gather up fight…

'Yeah…I'll say Nay ta dat' Saint thought sitting back in his comfortable leather chair, fingers faintly shaking as he took a calming puff on the cigarette, other hand drawing out a coin and flipping it. Well, coin somewhat undersold the nature of the magical artefact, but he'd never been the most respectful sort…outside of what had been forced on him by higher ups within the Fraternity anyway. So it flipped and shone in the light of the frantic sounding office as his agents ran about as word spread, though realisation would take some time. Flipped, shone, then landed darkly in his hands as he caught it, holding the cigarette in his mouth as Fate unfolded its predictions.

None of them good….just like in the Last Days, before The Change…

'Ah…..Boss-man, well he gonna be busy now, be a mite distracted ah reckon' Saint decided after a moment, pocketing the Coin once again and standing up from his nice, expensive, office chair for the last time. Things had been going downhill for a bit now, and it seemed this was going to be the wagon going off the cliff at long last. It'd been a shitty ride while it lasted, but then again…life was shitty all in all, with all the moments of happiness tainted with corruption and allowing pieces of shit away with far too much. Well, there were some benefits to that he supposed, fingers pressing a series of keystrokes while savouring the expensive cigarette in his mouth.

That task done he hummed to himself while he did a final pat-down, pulling out a pocket watch from his desk along with another packet of cigarettes as shouts and alarms filled the Special Investigations Unit building. Out there he could already feel the approach of a certain nuisance amidst the noise outside, television screens screaming visible warnings from various sites to the FBI's SIU crisis centre. The media might be on lock-down, and SIU's primary task of hunting down Rulebreakers and covering up their idiocy pushed to the side…but the tracking and investigation was still there. And they painted a not so pretty picture…

"Tiberius you're to…"

"Bibble babble, dibble dabble, fookin unicorns" he told the costumed bitch in a serious tone as she stomped forward about to shriek whatever idiocy had gotten into her head. The red hair bitch Duela Inferna, once called Volcano Girl, or Volcano Whore, spasmed as her eyes glazed over….hand drawing her sidearm. By the time he was past her the long planted mental suggestion took effect, and Saint felt mildly disgusted at himself at the sense of happiness that filled him as the loud bang silenced the rest of the Crisis Room. At least that's what he assumed happened as he stepped through a Door that opened up back stage dressing-room of his wife's show for the night.

Shrieks filled the air as her two assistants were startled since the three of them were clearly changing, one currently topless and the other might as well be wearing nothing as he suddenly materialised from the storage closest. Saint ignored them, things were too important now to waste time on nice tits and ass as he pulled the cigarette out of mouth, whispering words of power that burned away the cigarette in a blast of smoke. In moments the room was…gone…instead he, his wife, and her two assistants stood in a foggy void, terror and confusion on their faces. Even Zara's face…

"Cinderella, thine eyes open for the Ball. Will thou wear the crystal shoe?"

Zara grunted as if punched, hands falling to her knees to stop herself falling over, breath coming out of her mouth as her young assistants Clarissa and Raven hugged each other screaming in terror. Saint ignored them as the immediate fear…and love…had vanished from those eyes as they came back into focus…on him "YOU! What have you done NOW?"

"Nay time fer dat now love…" he replied to Mystichick, his once friend, once lover, normally prisoner, as she replaced Zara…or absorbed her maybe. Saint didn't really want to know "…seems things ave' gone ta shite, an' vengeance about ta fall on deservin' ead's. Mine included ah reckon. First though, need get ye away from any of Seltzies boyos"

A vicious smile…one better suited to his face than what Zara…what Mystichick had been, had always been…spread over Zara's face "Good! Good! I'm finally free! All of ME! Let them come!"

Saint sighed, thumbing another cigarette into his hand while also flipping open his lighter as the two assistant girls fell into whimpering and staring at them "An' why I dinna want let ye at all, even beyond da Boss findin' out. But dinna hav' a choice now love, we need ta get goin, need ta get runnin afore some goons get to knowin' ah killed me minder and left the buildin"

Mystichick stared back him, fists balled….then seemed to deflate, looking to the floor "I can't go through…it again Saint"

"Ah know, tis why we be needin' ta move. I got a Plan"

"It's a bad plan, you've always got bad plans….and you're accent is back"

Sainted took a nervous puff of the cigarette "Woman we be fooked, ah ain't got time ta be all polite an' formal like. We need be running ta the Nowhere Tavern, then get on from there ta one of the other places. Or I let ye take yer chances with yer alternates, seems be a lot of'em"

She nodded, glancing at the two girls tiredly "Sorry..." then back at him "…and you'll take my memories away again. I don't…I can't take remembering Saint…what they did…what I…"

"Fairs fair love, ah'll do as ye ask, always. But right now ah need ya help, I need da Mistress ah Magick one last time…"

--

{London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down….}

Angelina Zorro, though in her mind her true name would always be The Fox, watched as everything came apart…to an End, with a whimper, not a bang. Not that she could say she was doing any better as she…

Ran…

It'd been so long since she'd ran from a fight, so many fond memories now gone in a fearful rush as she moved desperately towards a nearby building site. Wesley, her new Killer…well, that metal mace to the face had shown that alternate Eaglewoman and her core group of 'heroes' was very much not in a prisoner taking mood right now. Everything was coming apart as she glanced up into the sky where The Professor and the last of the heavies of The Family clashed with…far too many Fallout-level supers…

'Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck' flashed through her head as she jumped, desperately avoiding a stray energy beam from the battle in the sky that tore apart the scaffolding to her right. Hands caught a metal spar and pushed up, using momentum to bring herself up to rest her feet under it…before pushing off immediately to grab onto a nearby stable girder and run along it. Sure she could try surrendering, as it seemed several of The Families were doing once the extent of the threat showed up and it seemed that many of the invincible army were clearly Shining Knight style heroes…

'But they didn't betray Detective Dark and various others' the Fox told herself, not even mentioning all the, enjoyable, murders, rapes, tortures, and various jobs she'd done in the two decades since those halcyon Good-Guys/Bad-Guys days. No, she KNEW Detective Dark, she HAD him…and even a goody two shoes version of him wasn't going to forgive her once he got it out of her. And he WOULD get it out of her, it was one of the things that made him so very, very, hot. With the fact some few of the 'Heroes' were going on a killing spree themselves….well, NO ONE was that good as to forgive her for all the things she'd done…

"Need a lift?" startled her as the flying form of Hang Gliderman came from above her, voice tense an frantic as she felt…

"Fuck yeah!" she growled out pausing a moment, arms raising up and allowing him to grab them, lifting her skyborne "We need to get the fuck out of here!!"

"Yeah I fuggin know!" the useless idiot shouted back as they buzzed up, then jinked side to side as Fox clung on for dear life "Christ, it's all gone to shit. Where the hell do we run too?"

"Anywhere but here, come'on there's a safehouse a few miles to the east…" she detailed out the directions as this idiot was too small-fry to have been given such information. There wasn't any coordination, and it was a matter of when, not if, the invaders won out. It was….soul-crushing, as they'd won the last time by number and coordination…and this time the 'Heroes' had all that as many of those that had won them The War were either dead, or were old and fat from all the…

A blast of light, and energy, followed by shouts of panic by those few magic-users too stupid, or bloodthirsty, to flee over the communications indicated that Professor Providence was returned to this realm. Returned and once more showing that Lord of Good did not mean Lord of Not Killing. With Imp banished, several of their other magic heavy hitters simply vanished…

"We're fuggin fugged aren't we?" the idiot in the pink and blue asked "Like, truly fugged?"

"Course we are you fuckin moron…" she hissed back "…we need to get to The Professor's backup sites and try get off this…"

"It's a relief in a way then"

Fox growled as they soared higher, moving away from the furious fight behind them "What are you fucking muttering about you simpleton?"

"You shouldn't have killed her you know?"

"WHAT ARE YOU….ARGGGHHHH!" Fox screamed out as electricity surged through her body from the man's gauntlets….

…and then she was falling, body spasming, his voice in her ears "You really shouldn't have fuggin killed her!"

It was a shame she had no idea who he was talking about The Fox thought before she impacted the pavement far below…

--

[02.41: A Merchant's Dimensional long fhada]

[Hey-yaa-yaa it's a wonderful day…unless you're a supervillain, then it's not…]

I was watching the end of a global order, amidst burning cities and violent revolution, from the viewpoint of the bridge of the Fortune's Chance. Sensors were the primary systems running, watching for anything threats as I sat watching, rather than fighting in, Day 2 of what some would call the Liberation of Earth-JA02 as others were calling it. I'd done my part I reckoned, and now my dimensional tradeship was serving as part-hospital ship, part-command and control ship, so…that was plenty in my view as healing and support would make or break long term success.

Not that long term success of this 'peacekeeping action'….invasion in my view…was anyway under my control, nor interest beyond having a nice, friendly, port of call out in the multi-verse. Local television channels were back on the air, along with broadcasts by the various Justice groups; League, Alliance, Coalition, all calling for calm and a peaceful….yadda, yadda, democracy. In all honesty that was falling on deaf ears in many case, watching as a Canadian channel gleeful reshowed footage of Candian soldiers gunning down some fleeing local members of the Fraternity. Idiots had been flushed out in costume after all…

'Then again…people know who they are now, so not easy hide I guess' I reminded myself watching as one of the Justice Alliance's Canadian members almost begged his alternate nation to stop killing on sight. There just wasn't enough resources to go around to stomp on the remain members of the Fraternity while ALSO doing more than handing control to local, mostly uncorrupted, local, interim, authorities. Not helped by breaking the Masquerade Enchantment that had held back the memories and powers of the former superheroes of this world. Most were mentally broken, largely hurting only themselves or doing nothing…several though had gone on a roaring rampage of revenge. Like the very unhappy woman who'd been burning down a chunk of a city on the screen near me till Superman had managed to subdue her.

"It's like watching a movie…" Quinn muttered coming over to where I sat "...isn't it? I still can't believe, Superheroes, Supervillains, duke-ing it out…"

I shrugged, and then accepted the come as I stood up and stretched a little as I did so "Dimension travel? Yeah, all a bit mad…but you did invent your own version. So, could be worse let's say. The bright side is that *our* guys are clearly winning…" I'd have said won, but there was still fighting across the ocean "…and it proves certain things that we can do to try help your Earth, so that's a further positive. Also, aren't you working on flying power armour for yourself or something?"

"Maybe…" he muttered as I took a sip of the coffee, attention turning back to the activity here on the ship's bridge "Yeah, good guys winning, awesome, so…we getting access to that lab?"

'Of course that's what's on his mind' I thought sipping the coffee "We're getting access to the lab, yes, but not immediately Quinn, and probably only for a few days considering our own schedule. You do know you'll be surrounded by the various Justice Tech-people of course?"

"That'll only help with the progress of science!"

I sighed "Remember Quinn, Solomon Seltzer was a dangerous, crazy, supervillain…" before the local Superman, Fallout, had put his fist through where 'The Professor's' head had been in the powered armour he'd worn "…so dangerous, crazy, supervillain technology. That means No experimentation, No brainstorm, certainly not without permission"

"Fine, just as long as I get to see the working version of that Gate and the Jammer"

"Oh, don't worry…" I replied honestly as the bridge crew of three Sunnydalers, Burt who'd been local Not-Robin, and was whose alternate was Not-Batman, and two of the Justice Alliance techs; Mia Levanworth and Bill Dunbar. They were all working well, and former brainwashed superhero, turned actor by said mind-control, was proving a decent ship's officer…of a sort. I still hadn't clarified the Bridge crew beyond I was in charge, Kara was XO, and Faralda came after that in coordination with Quinn. Because Quinn had the brains, but not the common sense, or personality, to work in that leadership role without help "…you will. Largely because we need to make sure when they put up the dimensional barriers we've either a way through or, at the very least, a way to let them know to let us in"

'That and I WANT that dimensional blocking technology for our own merry little base on your Earth so your mistake can't be repeated' I didn't say but thought watching the various feeds and listening to the chatting between the various people on the bridge. While they likely weren't going to give it to me…I just needed Quinn for the technical aspects and I could worked towards the arcane and planeswalking side myself. Establishing an extra barrier level atop natural dimensional defences seemed a good idea, and it should prevent another Mass Banishing Catastrophe…and other threats out.

As this was whole situation was showing…some dimensions were vulnerable to…

'This' I noted looking at the aftermath of multiples heavy hitters in terms of Superheroes had crushed the local superpowered capes. Villains sure, and they'd destroyed a great area, killing tens of thousands, before going down – but they'd still gone down fast and hard. Not only that, but they, themselves, were an example that raiding was also potentially a problem…as while there were hard limits on power invasions from higher or lower realms, it seemed close approximations were very much doable. Of course The Fraternity were particularly vulnerable to such an attack as they had no public support beyond that of those anonymity, fear, and greed…and that was nowhere near useful here. Ordinary people were turning on them, and that was what was turning a potentially hard fought battle into a complete rout and slaughter…

I shook my head, sipping my coffee as I watched the sensor feed 'Or Justice as some would call it'

--

{Visiting the Doctor, when they, not you, are the better healer…}

Zatanna Zatara knew he was annoyed at her as she poked at green-grey skin. Honestly Callum was like Bruce in that annoyingly…insufferable…paranoia way of thinking, and of seeking out the help of others. Swearing an Oath on her magic was a new level of that paranoia, but it was far off what Bruce had done….ah, the issues of dealing with a powerful young mage. A powerful, injured, and no longer entirely human mage as she shushed her new friend, tracking through the flow of energy within his body just as Doctor Fate had taught her since she'd decided a year's worth of dimensional travel seemed at grand idea.

Of course part of that was…she sighed, partly at the knot of odd arcane power she carefully poked at in Callum' shoulder, but also partly at seeing the likes of Wonder Woman decided that Batman was now her man, and was not taking no for an answer. Normally she'd have responded aggressively to such…provocation…but Bruce had made clear his intentions, even without directly stating them, and his choice during the whole situation of Circe turning Diana into a pig. He'd, like some miracle, had actually *asked for help!* from her and others…she'd realised she'd lost, then and their…

"You do know you were to take it easy of course?"

Her 'patient', who was lying on his stomach topless grumbled a little as her pressed fingers at the knot in his shoulder "Eltneg esaeler fo ygrene! Laeh!"

"Ahh, ok, that does release some discomfort alrite?" her almost unwilling patient murmured back in thanks and she smiled in amusement. John CERTAINLY wouldn't have thanked her….at least her's wouldn't have, so it was good to see as he continued grumbling, yet being nice about it "Thanks Zee"

"That's Doctor Zatanna to you!" she cheerfully reminded him as the knot released and integrated back into his 'soul' with ease. Overall progress was good, and even his, and Supergirl's, idiocy hadn't done any damage to the hardwork Fate had put in. If anything he was clearly circulating his power as instructed…ah, the joys of being a priest or warlock so drawing power from something else Zatanna supposed "And yes, that should ease the pain there. You're showing significant improvement…"

"About time!" an irritating, blonde, voice stated from the wall behind Zatanna muttered and Zatanna glanced back at the mildly glaring form of Supergirl as the 'Kara' motioned at eyes her fingers, then at Zatanna, and back at herself in a 'I'm watching you!' gesture "No thanks to him I bet"

"Hey, you dragged me into that fight!" her patient protest as Zatanna glared back at the younger girl. One who left her feeling utterly mortified when she'd woken up one morning from a hangover and found a growling, threatening, Supergirl dragging her into the shower to 'sober up' as she'd called it "I merely healed and played support, as asked"

"He did…as best I can tell" Zatanna offered to the girl in an awkward tone, though continuing to glare daggers back at the Kyrptonian. Nobody, but nobody, got to try intimidate her like that "Even if he is looking very green and has small tusks now"

"Thank you Zee, for reminding us all"

"You should tell the others Callum…" Supergirl offered sweetly from the wall, arms folded across her chest and narrowing eyes in a nasty glare as Zatanna deliberately started to massage Callum's now healed shoulders while glaring back at the blonde menace "…I'm honoured by your trust, but you've told Zatanna here of all people, so best to let the others now in case…ya'know, you need help"

"Hey Quinn knows!" Callum muttered wincing beneath her as some of the pain was released, before relaxing at the stress now relieved "…but, yeah, you're right Kara, and I will. Once we're gone from here in five days I'll brief that others that I'm a half-orc"

"That's what you get for worshipping an inter-dimensional pagan god!" Zatanna reprimanded poking his shoulder a little more forcefully "Like what under heaven…"

"Hey! I'm a good priest!" he corrected her with a huffing groan "And I wear a disguise, so everything's fine"

"Yes, it is…" Superbitch agreed in a cheerful tone miles distant from the stone cold look she was directing in this direction "…anyway, I like green, so don't worry. You're like Martian Manhunter…except better looking, green is good, it's….Irish an' stuff?"

"Indeed Callum, hardly monstrous looking"

"Yeah, it's more the *not entirely human anymore* part…" Callum muttered back in reply and Zatanna used both her hands to give a squeeze of support. It was funny how quickly they'd become friends, and it was clear Little Miss Blondie was unhappy about that, or merely threatened by that fact. Zatanna didn't have thoughts in that direction, but no damned way was she getting *warned off* like that "...that I'm concerned about. But, hey, see how it goes. How are things outside Kara?"

"Chaotic, Supes is…less than happy at the reprisals on The Future and his crew, but this Adam-One has surrendered without trouble, so…maybe good chaos that'll end soon?"

Zatanna sighed at that, the girl being too optimistic in her view "Batman has been…" cornered by that muscle bound bitch Diana and stolen away from me "…tied up sorting through that chaos. I'm sure Batgirl finds similar?"

Supergirl's glare softened, her own sigh coming afterwards "Yeah, yeah, she has. Batman's not sure we can do what we need to easily, and that'll take years sort out the mess…"

'Trust him to be like that' Zatanna mused silently as Callum voiced his agreement apparently "Eh, he's right in might view. Not gonna be pretty, nor gonna be easy, but with some guidance this world is now way better off than before, even with villains fleeing to other dimensions. No more random mass murders, or rapeatons, or any of the other fecked up shite they indulged in under Rictus and the Future in particular. Fucking monsters. Anyway, not our business, we've to get underway ourseves and get back to trading. So…can I put my shirt and jacket back on yet?"

--

[02.42: A Merchant's Dimensional long fhada]

[The aftermath of superheroes…or the time for heroics less awe-inspiring…]

'Well it's certainly one way to train in a crew' I thought as the Fortune's Chance flew over the Mediterranean towards Berbertaria, which seemed to be an amalgamation of Algeria and Tunisia, to deliver holds full pf medical and construction supplies from Earth JL-02 as Kara's Earth was labelled at. I think they were tentatively labelling mine Earth JL-01, though I was reasonably sure my dimension was sealed away thanks to Doctor Fate and the Earth Bet situation. Nobody wanted any of the….Entities…on that side breaking through after all, at least when I'd left. For now though our focus was on dealing with The Future's nasty response to falling out of power on those nearest to one of his weapons test facilities.

I'd setup up shifts with everyone, with myself now doing an extended late shift into the night, which was now as the moonlight shimmered down on the ship. Largely as I'd rested enough for two days, and I really wanted to get a handle on both the technological as well as arcane control systems we'd created and jury-rigged into the Fortune's Chance. It was better to do it now, while I had access to the likes of Blue Beetle, Professor Providence, and Doctor Fate on the bridge for instance, than trying to get everything and everyone ready during a crisis without such hepful supports. Tutorial mode as I thought of it, and it seemed everyone had questions and 'learning curves' to go through as the Fortune's Chance served as mobile support ship and transport now that a Planar Gate was up and running to the various home-Earths.

We were travelling 'visible' right now, albeit with wards and defences up, as it wouldn't do to have a superhero or plane crash into them, or get freaked out and attack us by mistake. I think part of it was just to show the population of Earth JA-02 that they were getting visible support from the governments of the other Earths;- since this particular mission was sponsored, and fuelled, by three of the four Earth's United Nations. The fourth wasn't largely because the Council of Free Nations seemed to be huge joke and wasn't capable of getting organised without the Justice Assembly. Said Justice Assembly that was doing its own relief efforts, so apparently wasn't bothered doing that paperwork apparently – I could see where The Fraternity saw them as sloppy and lacking security awareness.

"Finding everything to your liking?" Blue Beetle asked coming over to as the sensors and live-feeds showed us floating over calm seas, under twinkling stars. I'd been fiddling with the controls, testing them out along with the matching use through the 'magic' interface in the shape of a clear seeming crystal ball "Been an interesting experience let me tell you…and it's certainly made it easier to deliver this quantity of goods fairly quickly, and that saves thousands of lives"

I nodded, glancing up at him as he came to stand beside my command chair "So far so good at least, still getting used to the systems to be honest…probably still will be months from now"

Blue Beetle chuckled "Yeah…it's certainly one of a kind isn't it? I'll be honest; it's something you'll likely be tinkering and evolving years from now. Its alien dimensional tech, regular technology, and magic all added together in a learning system;- I sincerely doubt we could built an exact duplicate, not even right now, let alone a year or two from this point"

"That's…I'm not sure if that's encouraging or not?"

He laughed softly, smiling "Oh, no, it's good, just one of a kind, and it'll let a minimal crew run this big tradeship of yours. At least once you're finished being a hospital-ship and merchantman in a day or two and get your final refit and restock done. Personally I think you've more than earned everything, even if I think you're choice to head out like that, rather than joining up is the more dangerous option you know? Still can't be persuaded to hold around these lovely Earths?"

"Heh heh, no, no, I think not. We've work to be done, in this case letting my crew have some shore leave while we trade into Sigil, and then work towards helping Quinn with his long-term project…" I replied and Blue Beetle nodded, having discussed that disaster…albeit without 'I did it!' part from Quinn for the planned Trans-Dimensional jammers they wanted to build "…so no. Superman put you up to this?"

He shrugged "Maybe, maybe he's annoyed at Supergirl going off into the dangerous realms of the unknown like a fussy parent or big brother instead of a carefree cousin"

I gave a snort of amusement at that "The more he pushes, the more she wants to go. Hells, she roped in Batgirl she claims…" though she and Zatanna were clearly Bat-spies "…so he's not winning that battle I'm afraid"

Blue Beetle let out a sigh "Tell him that…" then shook his head "But, I agree, she's determined to travel the dimensions and see the sights"

"Basically, though the urge to explore and broaden ones horizons is also there" I agreed standing back up and moving tired muscles as the ship neared the African coastline "There won't be any troubles getting the automation installed in the secondary forward bay in two days when we get back? It was supposed to be a repair bay I think, and a basic machine shop would really help"

"No, should be a day and a half really, but we've to clear out the temporary beds and tents and such, and then working through the inner hull seals and security doors makes moving them in a bit harder than it should Mister Terrific calculated"

I waved it off "That's fine, we've three days after getting back before we leave, four if we need to, so as long as it's all functioning well I'm happy. Those holds are just too big to operate without any sort of automation as can be seen"

The front bays, the foremost being several decks high with gantries had clearly been intended as 'amphibious assault'…well, dimensional assault bay, and we'd used it as that with a bunch of superheroes. It'd be a big, empty, ship shortly, but I was more confident with that, even with picking one or two more crew looking to join up. Most that would be interested, and trustworthy enough in my mind, were going to be involved in helping this Earth, and their Justice [Insert Name] group, so best to build with a small group first. The ship was full restored, and everything else was an optional extra;- there was enough crew to make travel solid while we got to adjust to life on shipboard.

"Not unreasonable, this ship seems to have originally been envisioned for a crew of one. Now, as to your crossbow project…" Blue Beetle replied, then shaking his head "…I must ask; you have rifles and laser guns, why do you want military grade crossbows as you called them from the Justice League"

I shrugged studying the sensor blips that were civilian planes, and beyond that the energy output of superheroes burning out the man-eating chimera-things unleashed before The Future went down "Hey, they're silent, energy dampening doesn't affect them, and they'll be useful for hunting and the like on various worlds. At least I think they will be, and I can change the loadout easily enough on the tips of the bolts. So, since I want them I want them made with from the best of modern technology and design, rather than from some medieval warband selling me second hand junk gear"

It was more than that really, as the small shipboard armoury was getting a small, for now, but still wide, selection of weapons. From police riot equipment, to the crossbows, through to the salvaged GCPD riot shields and sonic weapons. Getting heavier weapons would have to wait till returning to Quinn's Earth, and then the Wasteland of Fallout where I wanted more robots, and ideally some power armour suits. Then beyond that was a trip to future California for advanced Hazmat suits and other NBC gear;- that I could do by planeswalking while everyone had their 'shore-leave' before departure to the first salvage sites. Then it would unto Quinn's alternate Earth and hope to all hell's it wasn't blown to nine hells…

--

[Trader's Journal: Day 442]

[Current Dimension]

Earth-JL02

[Current Location]

The Watchtower, In Orbit Earth

[Current Cash Reserves]

1,000 US Silver Dollars [Quinn's Earth[High Quality]

1,200 Gold Dollars [DC-verse[DC-verse, Exp-01[United States of America[High Quality]

1,000 Septims [Low Quality gold-mix]

1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]

2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government[Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled America]

19,667 US Dollars [Earth-JA01 on Account [Bank of New England]

14,210 US Dollars [Earth-JL02] on Account [Bank of Metropolis]

[Recent Trades – Salvage]

Several months' worth of frozen and preserved food, along with medical supplies;- all to go along with refitting this ship to full functionality.

[Diary Entry]

Captain's Log, Stardate I dunno, Day 01?

No matter, we're departing in a few hours so I'm relaxing in my room with a nice mug of coffee, after a refreshing shower, so I'm ready to go. Things are still a mess over on Earth-JA02 with The Fraternity fallen and governments undergoing a de-fraternity-ification, but that's not for me to deal with. That's the part of being a mercenary transport ship, or whatever we were, and now our task is done it's up to others to do all that groundwork. It's a port of call, this new inter-dimensional alliance, and a hostile pirate haven is gone – this is a win in my book.

We all partied it up two nights ago, a going away party for our three Justice League ladies and four brave technicians who've joined our merry band. Important point is they've cleared security clearance of several paranoid groups who are watching each other, as well as my truth-telling spell-craft. So, huzzah, two security guards and two young engineers;- all young, single, and a mix of foolishly eager and ambitious. No matter my warnings of the horrors out there in the void, they still want to come and see what they can see out there and make their fortunes. So they've joined out merry band, and they'll hopefully settle in over the next few weeks, after everyone gets their shore leave. Bad timing there, eh?

But Mr. O'Donnell is Army Ranger Wing, so I've experience with them, at least Other-Me during training with the Irish Army, and Mr. Anderson is retired US Marines. Waller plant probably, but he answered questions correctly, and passed various psionic tests from the Martian Manhunter so all is good. I have given the, now standard, You May Die warning, and left an insurance policy similar to the Justice Alliance staffers that joined up as well. Basically a pile of gold on deposit to cover deaths – though it's largely for parents, brothers, sisters, and such rather than very close family as does joining up tend towards not having major things to hold them back.

The other two are engineers, well, an Army engineer in Miss Sanchez, and Miss Higashi who'd worked for the Justice League through Doctor Light apparently. Got plenty of fancy degrees, and Miss Sanchez knows her way around the salvaged equipment so far, and is willing to listen to things like magic, and advice from others, so all good. I've got them their own rooms, plenty of those empty ones around now after all, and they're free to kit them out as they like, just like everyone else. In the initial term that means Quinn's Dead Earth, basically Trim Castle and the San Francisco naval base, and possibly joining me in my round about, and very quick, round of purchases in Sunnydale, future California, and of course Winterhold. Because where would my Skyrim residents without their precious mead – though, in fairness, they want to order in a lot of stuff beyond that as well.

We're in purchasing mode now, even if we are well stock thanks to our new allies like the Justice League. See I want a relatively diverse stock of goods when we start moving, and more importantly for when we, well, I, visit Sigil once again – just before we set sail properly. Fallout Wasteland first, then Quinn's Alternate Earth, and then out into the great unknown once we've got the lay of the land, and spoken to the locals hopeful. It's a judgement call at that stage I'll admit, but after all the unnesscessay heroics I think we call all get going on our way to making money. Or in my case fixing my body now that my soul is in a far better state – knowledge is what I need, and that is what I shall see. Ad Astra per Aspera!

--

End: Chapter 02 – A Merchant's Dimensional Long Fhada

Next: Chapter 03 – What makes a Merchant, Man of Trade?

--

[03.01: What makes a Merchant, Man of Trade?]

[Knock, knock, who's there? Your doppelganger!]

"We're on a ghost planet…and the creepy robots recognise Quinn?" Maggie muttered to Rembrandt Brown as they watched another of the weird hovering robots, that talked, greeted Q-Ball as Mr. Mallory or Master Quinn while delivering them a tray of food "Why are we accepting food off them?"

"Beats me, other than I'm hungry and it smells good maybe?" Rembrandt muttered back as they sat outside on day three of their appearance on the Empty Planet "Look. We're stuck here for another while before the next Slide so…"

"Make do" Q-Ball replied coming back over with a large tray of cooked food, fruit, and beet "…least till we can get out of here or figure out what my alternate was doing. This place here is Not abandoned…but there's nobody here but the Robot, but they've restrictions…"

"Because someone else, with common sense, was here with alternate you!" Maggie smirked back taking one of the bottles of beer, staring out over the silent city beyond "Apologies Master Quinn but that has been restricted due to Safety Concerns. Hmph. Least we know it wasn't the Maggs that did this"

"Yes, but where's Other Me?" Quinn complained seriously sitting down at the metal picnic table overlooking the harbour "Where's everyone else? My house was cleaned, and these things are running around fixing up the place and cleaning out bank vaults!"

Rembrandt sighed looking up at the evening sky, then around him as if they were being watched "Or all the weird squiggles on the base, and that locked door to a wall inside….guys this place is strange, and we've seen some strange things. It's like everyone just up and left except for a small group here…and then they up and left for some, equally unknown, reason. I don't know about you guys, but the sooner we get out of here to somewhere with people…the better"

"Well…" his friend replied back holding up the Slide device and the blinking countdown "…you'll have to wait for that a bit. Anyway, my alternate seemed to have some really out there ideas…"

"That's not a good thing Q-Ball"

Maggie nodding tentatively tasting the barbequed meat "Yeah Quinn, Remmie's right….don't start poking at the Doom Button"

"But…but…the science behind it all…"

Rembrandt just shook his head as Q-Ball started into a long ramble about illogic and slide generation, and a whole host of other things he didn't understand, nor want to understand. It was hard, after the Kromagg Invasion, after what happened to Wade…he took a gulp of the beer, then sighing as he tried to get to focusing on day to day rather than the pain. They'd do something, find some way to save her, save the world and…figure out what was going on here for a start. Maybe if they had a Robot Army to throw against the Kromaggs it'd be a start, right?

"Well, we're rich now if we bring some of the gold with us…" he mused after a few minutes, largely to save himself and Maggie, who gave him a thankful look, from the stream of fancy sounding nonsense coming from their friend "…you seen what's in some of those rooms? It's like this place is run by robot pirates with all the valuables stacked up everywhere"

It would be nice after all to turn to a Slide destination with something to trade that was, most likely, to be valuable after all. There was always the chance it wasn't, considering some of the worlds they'd visited, and that it'd turn out the next place they went to probably found gold and diamonds to be utterly worthless…

"Ugh, guys?" Maggie whispered and Rembrandt blinded at her as did Quinn "Notice the friendly robots are surrounding us?"

"I…" Rembrandt started to say then noticing that that four of the odd hovering robots were, in fact, hovering around them a few metres away. They were looking like they were hovering around them, those dangerous looking metal arms up in the air rather in the non-threatening way they'd been doing since Quinn identified himself as Quinn Mallory "…Q-Ball, question time?"

"Yeah…yeah, good idea Remmie" the smartest of their trio replied after a moment, putting down his bottle and standing up to address the robots who actual obeyed him. Rembrandt and Maggie were 'Registered Guests' thanks to him after all, and they both stood up with Quinn watching the strange machines warily just like they had at first, a day or more ago "Hey….guys, I mean…robots. Everything, um, okay?"

"Alternate Master Quinn…"

'Oh, that can't be good, a name change' flashed through Rembrandt's brain as the machine continued its 'Cheerful English Butler' tone of voice "…and guests, you are hereby asked to remain in place by Order of Management till their return. Please remain calm and await arrival og Management to make a decision"

"Ah…crap" Maggie muttered watching as the four machines held up faintly crackling, and what looked like, electric cattle prods maybe "…it was too good be true, like always"

"Like always…" Rembrandt agreed, looking around for a way to make a break for it "…so, Plan?"

Maggie grabbed Q-Ball's arm as he looked about to do something stupid with the now threatening-looking machines "Woah there sport, we ain't winning this fight, so let's be all peaceful and calm for the nice, buzz-saw armed, robot"

'Oh…great, the best fighter of the three of us things we're doomed, great' Rembrandt thought, then sitting back down after a minute as the robots continued to hover around them doing nothing. Both Maggie and Quinn were staring at him as he did so as they'd been whispering frantically amongst themselves. With the experience born of travelling for Quinn Mallory for so long Rembrandt merely shook his head, taking a bite of the nice food and taking a drink of the beer as Maggie balled her hands against her hips, looking at him, then at the robots, and back again.

"What ARE you doing?"

Rembrandt sighed "Enjoying my meal and drink before the Management show up and…"

…a rumbling thunder filled the air from the direction of the Bay and Rembrandt took another drink as a…

"That's….that's….a big flying ship guys" Maggie stated the obvious as a, well, a flying ship did appear to be flying towards where they were as it descended through the clouds. Rembrandt down his beer, staring at the fearful thing, only glad it didn't *look* like anything Kromagg built. After all the Kromaggs would have their robots slice and dice them straight away, or at the very least wouldn't have allowed Quinn Mallory admin access on anything. Not now, not after everything that had happened anyway. Still, it wasn't good…

So he asked the obvious question "Anyway we can Slide out Q-Ball?"

"No…it's…." Quinn answered pulling out the Device and staring "…crap. No"

"HELLO!" came the shout from behind them, and Rembrandt's attention was immediately torn away the giant flying cargo ship to….

….

"Is she flying?" he blurted out as three people came into view;- a young man in white suit in hat with a walking cane, what looked like another version of Quinn….and a flying blonde white girl in a Supergirl costume…

"Actually it's more hovering" the girl corrected him immediately, before her face focus on Q-Ball….and her expression fell "Ugh, there's TWO of THEM now Callum!"

"I know…" the one in the white suit grumbled glaring at them "…just what we needed; two mad dimension travelling scientists in the one spot"

"HEY!" came the dual response from his Q-Ball and their Quinn Mallory as the white suited man rubbed at his face with gloved hands as Rembrandt stared at the strange trio in as much shock as Maggie clearly was….

"Right…" the man in white stated hand coming away from his face and snapping fingers at them "…you lot are on our property, eating our food, and poking around our stuff. So questions are going to be asked, and you are going to be answering them…"

--

{Several hours later with an irritated Kalum…}

I pinched the bridge of my nose, then sighed as I went back to looking at my notes and those of the others who'd spoken to our current guests "Well, isn't that a joy to hear now isn't it? Got an inter-dimensional empire with Quinn's sliding drive tech, and these idiots gave them a trail of breadcrumbs, lost their Earth, and now are here with us. Joy"

"You fear they could follow them here?" Faralda asked as I'd assembled a small 'council' of the more 'senior' members of my ad-hoc crew "As they had before?"

"They claim otherwise, that they had a tracker…but always a possibility, it's why our Quinn here…" I replied nodding at our Quinn Mallory "…is going to inspect their slide device. The random countdown limit seems a problem, and we can fix that and the recording system…"

Kara gave me a mildly disapproving look "And give us all the records of where they've been too of course?"

I nodded "Yes, and give us those records to get an idea of what's down the chain. Think of it like this;- we're fixing and upgrading their device after they broke into our, admittedly unguarded, base of operations, so I consider us being super generous in this matter. Basically we need to figure out if we could track them, and just build up an improved database on the dangers to us. We'd planned on heading over to the next Earth over…" I again nodded at Quinn "…to see the state of affairs there, but now we've to warn them of this danger, and try and get a Dimensional Barrier up and running with them most likely"

Faralda nodded ever so faintly, finger tapping off her chin "And you think poorly of aiding them?"

I just shook my head at that, sighing as I put the electronic notepad back down "Against an inter-dimensional empire that's conquered multiple earths? We're just going to be annoyance, and dragging in the little Justice Cluster might work….if they're willing to fighting a several years long war against an enemy of unknown strength. I'll be honest…it's REALLY HARD to overcome a technologically advanced, late Cold War in many cases, late twentieth century Earth in a conflict where it's fight or die for humanity. Yet these Kromaggs have done so a number of times already…considering both magic and certain physical abilities are weaker here a fight won't be easy"

Kara frowned a little "Okay…yeah I see that, but what're we going to do now?"

I drummed my fingers off the desk, thinking on the matter as I spoke "In the immediate term? Nothing much changes bar seeing what the three of them want to do. We pass on warnings…" I nodded around at the various people here "…to your own groups, but these Kromaggs appear to be Tech focused, no arcane lore, but they are clearly psionic in some measure. So they've got a Slide Drive, which is limited to same time, same place, just dimension next door travel…"

Zatanna looked curious "Meaning?"

Quinn answered her for me "Meaning they can't get to your dimension, or to Skyrim, or to Sunndydale since they are off different 'Chains of Reality' or 'Planar Clusters' so to speak"

"Somebody's been reading the Planar travel books" I chuckled back in mild amusement "But, yeah, as Quinn said they're limited somewhat in their expansionism, and they can be barred from a dimension by this Slide Cage Other-Quinn mentioned. Something we roughly know how to construct given time and resources thanks to the fight to end The Fraternity. So our best way to help is to do just that while we go ahead with that we were planning to do…the only issue is we'll have to be very wary here with the ship in the next few weeks"

Kara nodded "In case an inter-dimensional army of laser wielding ape-men come surging through portals?"

"Yah, basically…" I replied "…we'll still go ahead with the plans to let everyone get their three weeks shore-leave, and do our trading in Sigil as we'll be months on the waves after this, but we need to ready a backup plan in case we need to bug out. We'll relocate the Dimension Doors to Trim Castle after we move everything we want from here onboard, so if the ship has to bug out from here, Trim is warned and a backup. It also doesn't have the same level of energy emissions and lack of magical defences as here for one, and is less likely to be a first strike target – we can monitor here remotely by the satellites that we've got up and running…"

--

[03.02: What makes a Merchant, Man of Trade?]

[Recruiting and Provisioning before a tradeship's departure…]

"So you won't help us?"

I sighed at the grumpy statement from Other-Quinn as we sat in one of the meeting rooms of the Naval Base with the three 'Sliders' as they called themselves thanks to the Slide Device "No, that's not what I said. I said we won't be fighting a war against these Kromaggs, because we're a trade and exploration company not an army, with a grand fleet of this ship, and a host of other promises to fulfil. What we can do is allow you ask for help off the next Earth over, since we're to try and fix the disaster that happened here for one…."

"That seems reasonable…" the woman, Maggie Beckett apparently her name sitting to Other-Quinn's right answered, elbowing Other Quinn, as I trailed off "…and I can understand you're reluctance in the matter. The Maggs are dangerous, and…while I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole magic, demons, comics, and elves being real thing…I agree, it wouldn't be an easy task"

"Yeah, Maggie's right Q-Ball…" the other man, Rembrandt Brown muttered to Other-Quinn sitting back in his chair, then looking at me "…though, what I want…and might be possible…is…well, break a friend out of one of their camps…"

He held his hands to me before me, Kara, or one of the others could say anything "Look, I'm not looking for a jailbreak from you directly, but if you could….I don't know, give us a loan to hire magic mercs or something? Then we'll join your crew and earn our way, our Q-Ball and your Q-Ball can do great things if they share information. You don't even have to let them see you're ship! Just act as middleman, lets us Slide where we to…then bada-bind bada-boom, we're gone before the Maggs know we're there"

Kara glanced at me, clearly absolutely fine with that idea, and I gave her a look for a moment, before sighing and turning my attention back to the trio "Okay, look, I'm listening to such an idea, as long we aren't get directly involved and these Kromaggs can get a bead on us through you. Since I suspect you'd try it anyway, and they appear to be psionic with mindreading powers…so, if you sign on I'll consider it, as the mercenaries are feasible"

It was a stupid plan in my opinion, but I did listen as he did clearly seem to know some of the details of where this 'Wade' was, or how to exactly locate it. The thing was I also wanted more information on these creatures, and 'deniable' black-ops through a proxy might be a useful way of testing out some new hires – as, apparently, I needed a security force as well now. Another reason was my heroic wannabes onboard, who were all sympathetic to the cause as I'd heard this story already through them in their notes. We'd given the three hope, even if Other-Quinn was…being Quinn about it really.

No, these three were being truthful, and we had an inter-dimensional evil people eating empire potentially on our border. It was deeply problematic as 'over a hundred Earths' did not mean good things, not if they did have tracing abilities…which they clearly did in some measure based on the fact they'd done it before. Even if these three didn't seem to make the connection as the 'tracking chip' was gone or something;- No, I wanted some Kromagg tech, and I wanted to see what we were facing potentially. Ideally enough information to expand, or calibrate, any future Barrier Pillars to serve as one of these 'Slide Cages' that Other-Quinn and co. had mentioned.

I waved my hand side to side though to silence them as they spoke at me "Look, the hand held Slide Device with blueprints would the initial start to any such agreement. It would certainly make some of our trading much, much, easier, along with whatever information you have on the many, many, worlds you've visited that aren't Kromagg conquered. Hell, even warning the most in danger might not be a bad idea in time. So, I suggest you go off now, have a nice long rest and discuss amongst yourselves for a few days while I undertake some of my own business in dimensions we currently trade with…"

--

[Trader's Journal: Day: 446]

[Current Dimension]

Buffy-verse

[Current Location]

Summer's House, Sunnydale, California

[Current Cash Reserves]

1,000 US Silver Dollars [Quinn's Earth[High Quality]

1,200 Gold Dollars [DC-verse[DC-verse, Exp-01[United States of America[High Quality]

2,420 Septims [Low Quality gold-mix]

1,628 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]

2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government[Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled America]

19,667 US Dollars [Earth-JA01 on Account [Bank of New England]

14,210 US Dollars [Earth-JL02] on Account [Bank of Metropolis]

10, 264 US Dollars [Buffy-verse] on Account

[Trading Report]

Goods & Services Provided [Sunnydale]

- Healing Services provided to Summers Family

- 6 X Healing Potions {Strong}

- 6 X Healing Potions {Medium}

- 4 X Boxes of Mentats {Small}

- 20 X Undead Survival Kits {Vampire focus}

- 4 X Custom Built Crossbows {Military grade – designed by Blue Beetle and Mister Terrific}

- 6 X Nord Swords {2 Enchanted Against Undead}

- 1 X Silver Sword {Anti-Undead & Anti-Daedra Enchantment}

Goods & Services Received [Sunnydale]

- 4 X Vials of Gorgons Blood

- 10 X Matchboxes of Werewolf Fur

- 3 X Vampire Fangs

- 6 X Vials of Fynarl Demon Blood

- 6,262 US Dollars [Buffy-verse]{Bargained for above}

- 4,002 US Dollars [Buffy-verse]{Profit from Magic Box, rest reinvested}

Goods & Services Received [Winterhold]

- 40 X 24 Bottle Crates of Nord Mead

- 11 X Bottles of Argonian Blood Wine

- 2 X Daedra Hearts

- 14 X Vials of Bone Meal

- 4 X Vials of Frost Salts

- 2 X Vials of Fire Salts

- 15 X Vials of Snowberry Extract

- 2 X {Small} Crates of Snowberries

- 10 X Crates of Preserved Meats {Boar, Wolf, Staf, other, all labelled now}

[Diary Entry]

Well, long night, two quick journeys, the first to the College of Winterhold and now into the much warmer and more pleasant environs of Sunnydale. Weather wise anyway, the local nightlife leaves much to be desired let's say, even if Skyrim seems to be developing its own vampire problem. All after a big bloody problem of another Quinn Mallory, with friends, turned up at my door with word of an evil empire with Slide Drives and a fondness for human eyes. Then I turn up here and find Buffy Summers Mother dying, or going insane while dying, and I've somehow ended up being her Best Friend or something after healing the madness. Though it's more I healed the madness and the underlying problem, as there seemed to magical damage atop a more natural physical one. Took the wind out of me a bit, but she's fully healed, and I've recommended a fairly length treatment to insure it stays in place, or at least doesn't resurface.

I'm not staying here long though, I've to get to other destinations and the leaving Kara in charge leans a bit too much towards the generous side. Thing is she's our heavy hitter, and I've supplied shield spells and a mental barrier to handle the psionics should these Kromaggs turn up. Damned psionists, 'natural' powers over learned magic and divine abilities is annoying sometimes. Anyway, I want to get to Future California ASAP to buy lots of electronics, then onto Sigil after that within three to six days from now. Mercenaries are going to be hired, by people not me, so that my company stays hidden from the initial transaction till I can assure myself they are competent and to be trusted. Yes, I'm hiring murder-hobos, and I feel sad about that, but that's what they are there for after all.

Anyway;- good news is that the Magic Box is now completely computerised, and has both strong physical defences with reinforced doors and walls, along with magical wards to keep out the wildlife. I've warned much away of that wildlife by bringing Buffy and one or two of her friends out to a certain Demon Bar along with the foolish Winterhold trio who only returned for a day before returning with me. Something about showers and better beer I've been told?

No matter, they could drop their disguises in the Bar, and I let it be known she works for now, and stay the fuck away from my property or I'd be mad when I came back in a few months. Praise be the Shrouded Lord and all that jazz, especially since there's some sort of High level Demon wandering about. Gave her and Giles some tools, and I'll setup some barriers here in Casa del Summers once I've had breakfast. Yes, I've been granted the honour of staying here along with my merry band of three students/bodyguards before we all return through the Magic Door later today – I'll return for Jonathan, Rose, and Brewster in two weeks, with a warning visits could be a bit irregular, or months from now, after then.

I'm going to setup a headquarters, with connections, but that's going to take time, effort, and planning, since I don't want to risk setting it up on Quinn's Earth without barriers due to the threat. So need to find a nice 'safe' and 'empty' place and then establish 'routes' and 'stopover' points once I've got sufficient people to operate them. The fact I'm the primary planeswalker [only magical one] tends to restrict that as Quinn's slide drive is sideways only, and it takes time to establish the Doors/Gates over multi-jump locations like getting from Quinn's to either Kara's or that of the Justice Alliance. First, some breakfast and talks with the Summers women before J'zargo steals something and causes a row or some other issue with Brelyna or Onmund.

--

[Trader's Journal: Day: 451]

[Current Dimension]

Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America

[Current Location]

Season's Hotel, San Francisco, Republic of California

[Current Cash Reserves]

1,000 US Silver Dollars [Quinn's Earth[High Quality]

1,200 Gold Dollars [DC-verse[DC-verse, Exp-01[United States of America[High Quality]

2,420 Septims [Low Quality gold-mix]

1,012 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]

2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government[Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled America]

19,667 US Dollars [Earth-JA01 on Account [Bank of New England]

14,210 US Dollars [Earth-JL02] on Account [Bank of Metropolis]

10, 264 US Dollars [Buffy-verse] on Account

[Trading Report]

Goods & Services Provided [California]

- 42 Gold Bars

- Quantity of Jewels and Jewellery {various types}

- 7 X Nord Swords

- 2 X Chess sets with silver and gold pieces, ivory and ebony board

Goods & Services Received [California]

- 12 X Book-Computers [Lower End, still more powerful than most we've got]

- 23 X Office Computers [Office Sale, Second Hand]

- Rental of Van for 3 Days

- 3 X High End Gaming Systems

- 21 X Tablet Notepad Computers [Office Sale, Second Hand]

- 17 X Boxes of Assorted Electronics, Cables, and Parts [Office Sale, Second Hand]

- 20 X Hazmat Suits [differing brands, High Quality]

- 11 X Portable Drones [Civilian Grade, Second Hand]

- 5 X Drone Pack System [Civilian Grade, High Quality]

[Diary Entry]

Took Quinn away from his opposite – they don't really get on. Too similar, yet too different apparently, but no matter – I get him and Deborah, the Crimson Crow rather than Debbie from villain world. She's struggled with the fact magic is very limited here since it's a hard reality, but her disguise is holding find, and it's a good training experience. It's not like it's a total hard reality and we still have plenty of low level, low energy {though it costs high energy here} spells that we can make use of. So we've hit the ground running here, hitting up the usual low level pawnshops, then finding a bigger fish that'd take 40 gold bars no questions asked for a bundle of cash. Thankfully the magic to check for that honesty and 'charisma' works perfectly fine;- albeit if power and time consuming to pull of here.

So, we've done our immediate shopping, we've settled in for the night, and I'm to try do some more tomorrow before we drive out to the middle of nowhere, park the van to collect, and then head out via Door. Thanks the Gods for Office closing down auctions, blundered across it, but we got a fortunes worth of stuff for next to nothing in my mind. Sure it's second hand, but that's still way better than most of the stuff I can get access to elsewhere right now. The various NBC gear cost more actually, as did the high end gaming rigs, so I'll call that a good thing to blunder across. I'd like to linger longer, but we don't have time, and I don't want to trip anymore red flags with the local authorities after all. Best to get going, make sure everything is calm back at base camp, and then hit Sigil.

I've been thinking on the matter of Other Quinn and his group, and I think the fact they've got broad support amongst my crew thanks to their sob sorry means I need to try something. An out of context combat unit seems my best bet to handle such an effort against the Kromaggs. I can disguise myself as broker between Quinn's group and a third party, and avoid revealing till after the job is done. Considering the nature of the Kromaggs, and the fact they've dealt with advanced technological human societies, means I need to think outside that particular skill set, to creatures with the skill or natural protections against psionics. Stealth too is a good skillset – better start getting criteria ready before I head there then!

--

[03.03: What Makes A Merchant, Man of Trade?]

[I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero…and I got some goblins!!]

"Filthy goblin" Tirdelk, known as the Battlerider, Spider-legs, and occasionally Mad-Eyes, growled back threateningly at the tiefling warrior, weapon coming into his hand…then changed his mind at the glare given from Old Pete the bartender. Right, Right, he'd promised no exploding heads within the Randy Ram….he sighed putting away the blaster, shaking his head sadly as he let the damned idiot live for the time being. If he had time he'd grab the others and hunt'em down…

'Then again not much time if we're to take the job' he grumbled mentally as he saw the first of his band of idiots was already on the table;- drunk, dancing, topless, and what was worse….singing. Singing and getting the nearby tables to sing along with her as she danced with a flagon of beer in both her hands to the clapping beat of the patrons. Well…except the cluster of human women who were taking some exception to the song about how much they loved certain parts of goblinoid anatomy. So Tirdelk strode forward, battlepack on his back sprouting mechanical spider legs to raise him up so he could glare at Munvee and the others as she finished her song.

"BOSS! WOOHOO!"

…and she completely didn't notice his unhappiness apparently as she raised bother her arms high, spilling drink on herself before thrusting one of the flagons into his hand "PARTY! PARTY!"

Tirdelk pinched the bridge of his nose with his organic hand while using one of his mechanic appendages to take the drink off her before she changed her mind and chugged it down "What did I say before I left?"

"Something, Something, Not Drunk?" she slurred back bringing her not free hand up to her chin, completely unbothered by the shouts from the crowd for more singing and dancing…

He glared at the other three, the massive Worghest bulk of Zardayc merely shrugged, eyes bored as he drank his blood-ale, while Blue merely glared back and gesturing at Munvee as if the answer was obvious. Yraeda looked up at him from where she was cutting off some meat from a chicken wing on the plate "What? It's Munvee, what did'ya expect? Leaving us in charge or her?"

Tirdelk shuddered for a second, calming down by closing his eye….then bringing the flagon to his lips and downing before letting out a growling sigh "Righhhht….okay, private room. Team Meeting, we have a Job to pay off all the Debts WE HAVE!"

"YAY! SHINIES!" Munvee announced, waving at the crowd behind them as he Tirdelk used one of mechanical arms to wrap around her waist and lift her up "BUH-BYE EVERYBODY! THINK OF THESE HERE TITTIES AND HOWZA CAN'T HAVE'EM! WOOHOO"

"I'm surrounded by fucking cretins" Tirdelk muttered to himself as the towering Zardayc towered over the rest of them, lifting Yraeda and Blue up by their armour to follow along behind him as he gestured to a back room to Old Pete and getting a thumbs up back as always. Today had been a long day, if they took this job they were under Bond, so he needed to get everyone on board now….after all alchemy and machinery did not come cheap in the planar realms. Time limited jobs were always a nuisance, but the best paying, and this one was both official through the Guild, and also very much on one of the Prime Planes against dangerous opposition.

Still, they knew the drill; Yraeda casting anti-scry and listening wards the moment the door was close, with Blue using his creepy psionic powers to do the same as Tirdelk deposit his burden on the too large chairs. Except for Zardayc of course, since he was huge, the stools and chairs were too big, being focused on large, tall, elves and humanoids rather than proper height creatures like goblins. They still managed it, as usual, but it grated just as much…as usual. So he stood up on the table, laying out the Blood Bond Contact on the table "Alright you loot, you know the drill. Standard Silence Clause before we sign up. Blood dab before I can speak on it"

Fingers were jabbed and then the blood pressed unto the paper after everyone had a quick read to confirm it was what he said. Trust was always like that;- never trust easy, always make sure what was ask. Well, except for Munvee who was largely out of it and happily hummed her way through slitting her thumb and pressing it to the paper with an 'Ouchie!' muttered before it healed. Damned Nilbog's had it easy like that with their freaky healing and unnatural luck…

"So, what's the job Boss?" Zardayc asked in that stoic rumbling growl of his and Tirdelk nodded as the spell took effect on all of them "Good pay?"

Tirdelk pulled out the scroll, laying it on the table and having Yraeda activate the illusions that showed the target and other basic information "Yes, very good pay….actually beyond good pay to be honest. Gold Bars, jewels, and magic items all mined and solid Prime, none of that fake energy synth crap from some planes - all on escrow with the Guild. Paid in advance since it's a dangerous bloody quest down on one of the Prime Planes against nasty not-mind flayers"

"Not Mind-Flayers?" Blue asked quizzically and Tirdelk shook his head.

"No, they're some humanoids that have psionic abilities and like to eat human faces or something?"

Blue was looking at him suspiciously "Are we SURE they aren't Mind Flayers?"

Tirdelk glowered back "YES, I'M SURE…" he answered showing the images of these 'Kyo-Megs' that were the enemy "…see, no tentacles and they like technology. But they do have a little empire or something, and we've been hired to raid some remote sex dungeon"

"Twue wuv!"

Yraeda rolled her eyes "Shaddap Munvee! But, that seem's a lot fer just a female Boss?"

"There's a third party behind it…" he answered, ignoring the groans from them "…paying for it, don't know who, don't know why, but there's a front. Primary is get this female out alive at all costs, but we're to be paid bonus for every female we take out, along with BIG bonuses for dead bodies of these Kyo-Megs and samples of their weapons…"

"It's under Bond?"

Tirdelk nodded back to Yraeda "Under Bond, paid up in advance, and with evac plans laid out and planeswalking device with it. All very Super Secret Tell No One crap, all in case we get captured and tortured for the info. They've got Wolf, Ram, and Hart as Adjudicators on this, just to point out"

"Ughh….politics!" Munvee wailed "Whys wits all-ways polwitics!"

"Because it's REALLY good money, and maybe solid contracts after?" he muttered back "Look…we owe a lot of coin to some nasty people. This is a gift from the deepest pits, we take it even if it's screwy looking and clearly someone's little shadow war. If we go ahead I think we need a distraction…"

Yraeda nodded looking at the details in the pack "Someone dangerous…"

Blue looked down, then nodding "…and murder-happy…"

Munvee giggled "Oh, and super loud and distracting!"

Tirdelk nodded "….and stupid enough to get sent in and not have us care about the aftermath. I know just the cretins to contact…"

--

{Several hours later….}

Ring*

Ring*

Beeepppppp…..

{When you want somebody gone

And you don't want to wait too long

Call the Immediate Murder Professionals

Hand grenade or cyanide

We'll make it look like suicide

The Immediate Murder Professionals

We do our jobs so well

Because we come straight up from hell

We'll kill your husband or your wife

We'll even let you keep the knife

We're the Immediate Murder Profession-

Kids die for free!}

...beeeppp.

"Yeah IMP? Who'd you want dead?"

"….HEY BOSS! WE'VE GOT A JOB!"

--

[Now, this is particularly dark chapter, so fair warning. While I have made no NSFW scenes or such, it deals with the Kromaggs, who are are horrible cavemen nazis basically, and there is as such implications of constant violence there, and of the fact by sliders canon it's a Breeding Camp. So while I've toned it down to acceptable levels I believe, this is something of a trigger warning. If the mods have any issues, I'll amend obviously*

--

[03.04: What Makes a Merchant, Man of Trade?]

[…I've taken you by the hand. For you must come to my Dance]

Captain-Superior Krunla, Servant of House Ur'juk, glared a path through the lesser ranks as she stomped tiredly into the canteen after another short night's rest. High Command was, once again, proving this was a punishment detail as they stripped yet more of her semi-competent lesser caste to serve in their next great plan after push back from two Earths in the past few months. From a personal level she almost wished that her Superiors would slow down the Great Destiny advance, mostly so that she could have a proper staff, and thereby prove she could get out of this shit-hole of an Earth. Then maybe she could switch over to a Raid Section have some fun on a Hunt, or even a Scouring, Operation.

'There are at least some privileges still here' she thought moving past her lessers to her prepared meal, the cook saluted as she collected it. Since most of the troopers here were dregs, and the price of disobedience higher than normal, she could put them in their place when needed, and got certain delicacies ahead of others. So she took her tray and advanced over to the officers section of the room, where a few of her equals were already seated as they too prepared to begin another shift monitoring the cattle. Captain-Superior Yu'varus and Captain-Dominator Krilka were her company for the next few minutes then she decided as she took her seat at the human made metal table and seating unit. That angered her as usual; always sub-par vermin crap out in these outposts.

"…so, has there any change in status since out last conference?" she asked curiously, savouring the taste of the human eyeball after the usual pleasantries of establishing order and social dominance were completed. Having access to recently conquered worlds, rather than being further up the Vortex Chain, did have its advantages in access to fresh delights at the very least. Krilka growled softly, finishing her own meal, shaking her head in the negative.

"Negative, more cattle in, more trouble with the free vermin, and the General is still unhappy with our numbers. Requests for Combat Assignment or Further Recruitment: Denied"

"Confirmation…" Yu'varus agreed with his own growl of affirmative "…House sources are focused upon new acquisitions and defence of the Iterlac Frontier Chain. We are not even a secondary priority. Requests; Denied"

"Affirmative to that" she growled back unhappily, and then returned to eat her meal in silence now that enough personal engagement had been completed for the morning. Leaving the tray to be collected and cleaned by a lesser Captain-Superior Krunla quickly cleaned herself and trudged towards her shift start. Roster was taken as she formed up her squad of six lesser, entering the breeding facility to work alongside the finishing shift as the cattle were brought out for their morning exercise. Captain-Superior Vhrishtas was on that shift, and she resisted glaring hateful at him in front of the vermin; House rivalries were private things High Command insisted after all…and that could be dealt with, in private, sometime in the future.

Taking a shock-stick into hand Captain-Superior Krunla pressed it into the buttock of the nearest of the shuffling vermin females and ignited the shock to hustle the stupid beast along. She wasn't in the mood to put up with their slowness today as she used the other hand to study the progression reports on this two dozen future breeders for the Empire. A filthy practice she found, the Humaggs being near vermin in her eyes, but Manifest Destiny needed the warm bodies to throw in the field so that proper Warriors could focus their efforts more important tasks and battles. That, at least, was what the scientists and logisticians of High Command said supposedly.

There was little wailing at least as she hustled the ugly naked creatures along with the rest of her squad; this particular herd being chosen for their supposedly high intellect so had learned discipline fast. Not that she believed such nonsense; the vermin were stupid at best, too dumb to know their inferiority even, so this was probably another experiment hoping to the Humaggs less useless. Still, now it was her task to get these cattle whipped into shape so that they could be inseminated in a properly scientific way, so she'd do just that and hopefully get out of this place. So down to work she got making the herd stand at military attention in eight rows, four deep, then scanning the collar-code of the first female, and checking the hormone schedule, mental breaking, along with the planned exercise in the Peddle Booth for the…

"ALERT! FULL LOCKDOWN IN EFFECT! ALERT!" echoed out as the lead lights on the wall turned a threatening purple, startling Krunla as on instinct she jammed the shock prod into the vermin female she'd been inspecting "Down you vermin! Faces to the Floor!"

The yellow tinged female went down with a shriek of pain, still wailing as Krunla noticed as she still somehow got into the appropriate position with fingers laced together behind her neck as she got her knees the same as the other vermin. Her troopers were doing the same, shock prodding the slow, or those not holding their positions as desired…or were simply just looking or smelling wrong as the security doors closed down around the facility…

…as the ground rumbled as if there had been a large explosion nearby…

"Intruders! In….arighhhhhhh" one of her lesser screamed out as…

…Captain-Superior Krunla stared in shock as Private T'kork was left up by an invisible force, his head twisting slowly as she saw a small blue skinned humanoid pulsing in faintly blue-purple light in the shadows. Which was impossible of course, as they had only ever encountered filthy human vermin along the….

On instinct her hand dropped her tablet and moved to draw her side-arm as shadows seemed to flowed across the room despite the lights and blades of darkness impale themselves into Private Yusnuk's body. Yusnuk was clearly dead by the time she managed to move three steps towards the secondary door and her weapon came into hand, shooting a beam of energy at the…whatever they were. Her voice was also shouting for guards as another of her lesser died, weapons-fire missing or get…

"Eeeeekkk!" came from one of the vermin, loud and shrill, overlaid with a clicking, clacking, sound of metal in motion and Captain-Superior Krunla glanced in that direction for some reason. It was their 'VIP' cattle, one the rare Vortex Travellers than the vermin produced, though Krunla had found her rather pathetic…and another of the short humanoids with pointed had dropped unto her back along with a strange metal box or backpack. In the moment Krunla glanced that way as she fled toward the exit she saw box-thing spring open; metal appendages wrapping themselves around the vermin female and pushing her up to stand as the strands of metal wrapped…

Captain-Superior Krunla's weapon focused immediately on the small creature as the….whatever the spirits it was…metal covered the small creature like a armoured battle suit while it started to criss-cross the vermin's body in bands. To her horror the beam weapon she threw out impacted an energy barrier of some sort around the vermin and the tiny monsters as, like in a nightmare, the mass of flesh and metal stood up as a metal faceplate came over the vermin's face. Spider legs emerged from its back where the small grey-black humanoid was, and two…

….and then she screamed as the flesh was burned her face as an energy weapon she'd barely registered was in the small creature's hand melted her body moments after the blue beam struck…

--

{Several hours later…}

General Kronlitus, of House Ler'shelt, stormed down the ramp to where a very nervous looking…and rightly they damn well should…troopers stood at attention. The two officers standing at the head of them even more so, but the nearest, missing the lower part of his left arm, came forward to meet him "General-Dominator, we welcome you, I am Corporal-Lesser Drindac…"

"What happened here. NOW!" Kronlitus growled back striding forward and making the injured lesser follow in his steps "General-Warrior Uhstlasts?"

"Dead General-Dominator, along with the rest of the Command Staff…" the lesser growled back pale-faced despite the treated injury. Likely the pain Kronlitus thought making a mental note to check the Corporal's file about promotion if this was indicative of abilities and maintaining clear-headedness "...as these….unknown creatures appeared from a Vortex near the Command Headquarters of Breeding Facility 78-XY-0923 and then entered the HQ, slaughtering all within. We attempted to kill or capture them, but they had planted explosives as well and with Command eliminated we were not truly aware of the threat till it was too late"

"And why is the Command Headquarters not restored?"

The Corporal let out a shuddering breath "The…blood…."

"Speak up Corporal-Lesser!"

"The blood Lord!" the Corporal-Lesser growled back shuddering "…they…ugh….Painted the Command Headquarters in blood….our Generals and commanders blood. It…seeped into the control machines and has rendered them unusable Sir!"

Kronlitus stopped his stride, turning to face the Corporal-Lesser, and the other coward following along behind him "What?"

"They…took time to paint the HQ in blood, mostly as the Breeding Facility came under assault by another force of these unknown humanoids. There was chaos General-Dominator as a general riot broke out amongst the vermin….many have escaped"

He paused, studying the two officers who'd survived "You are sure they are not human vermin that did this?"

The Corporal-Lesser shook his head weakly "Negative General-Dominator, we have surviving security footage of both clusters, though less than demanded by destiny. Too small to be vermin Sir, too advanced to be either, and they have Telepaths and Power Users as well Sir. I can attest to this, as one claimed my arm with strange and unsettling manipulation of shadows. They appear not to fear us..."

Kronlitus studied the weakened Corporal-Lesser "Why do you say that Corporal?"

"They were…dancing, and laughing…." the lesser growled weakly, shaking his head "….like it was fun joke to them. Security footage and guards confirm this when we attempted to storm the HQ. They escaped via Vortex to destinations unknown…"

Kronlitus merely nodded at that, considering the ramifications of that revelation. Homo Sapiens had been, beyond a few alternates with their own population of the People, always needing violent re-education unfortunately, nearly everywhere they went….to find another species was concerning. Very, very, concerning in fact…and not ideal when they'd a number of problematic vermin Earth's to deal with, including the potential multi-Earth cluster beyond House Itricka Frontier. Not what was going to be popular with High Command when a big push to figure out a way to return to the Homeworld was underway by tracking down the…

His eyes narrowed "The female! The one that was a Vortex Walker! Her condition?"

"Gone or Dead General-Dominator…" the Corporal-Lesser answered after a glance at the other officer, who checked his command line before shaking his head. Kronlitus closed his eyes in rage, calming himself as any chance of luring that particular problem here was not going to go down too well with his own superiors up the chain of command "…and equipment is missing, including two Vortex Manti…tracking has been lost after two Vortex jumps. Reason current unknown"

"Affirmative Corporal…" Kronlitus growled back letting out a breath, rage burning deep inside "…now gather all security footage, every sensor report, every guard account, even the accounts of surviving vermin. I do not care how it is gotten, reward, punishment…just get me everything that can gotten on this threat, whatever it may be…"

--

{Meanwhile;- Elsewhere, Elsewhen}

"Apparently I hired a crack team of goblins, who knew?" I stated looking at the image below of some strange looking transports waiting in the meeting spot after the correct signals had been sent through the broker. Now that mission had been pulled off I wanted this done fast and under our control rather than risk bringing the 'Package' back through Sigil and the Outlands "What?"

Some of the others were staring, or glaring, at me as the Fortune's Chance descended through the clouds to the waiting group of goblins and human women beside what I hoped were Kromagg versions of shiftships. Kara somewhat glowering at me as the drones I'd bought, and we'd deployed on the ground showed the little terrors the Guild had used, along with the women they 'rescued' from the enemy. The primary package was alive and…in some sort of 'Iron Man suit as designed by Playboy' with a goblin in an Iron-Goblin suit attached like she was some sort of Mech he/she was manoeuvring.

"Callum…" she muttered as if I was slow "…why did you hire evil monsters to do the job? And why are those women naked and in chains?"

"Now Kara, not all goblins are evil. That's sort of racist. Anyway, I hired for ability, and the job has been done successful, now I get to see how useful they'll be in the future" I replied calmly "As to nudity. I dunno. Goblins and Demons, maybe they are evil?"

"…." came back from her as the trio who were friends with this 'Wade' looked a combination of happy, embarrassed, and worried. Zatanna was giving me an odd look, then sighed.

"Damnit John, this is your fault, I just know it"

I waved them all off "Hey, shush, we've rescued people to treat, tech to figure out, and a bonus to pay for a job well done to my evil goblin and demon minions apparently…"

--

[03.05: What Makes a Merchant, Man of Trade?]

[Pirates hiding in a rocky cove after raiding the slavers camp…]

I'd brought the Fortune's Chance out into the solar system after sliding to yet another empty Earth from the Other-Quinn's device, one where humanity never developed, to hide from the Kromagg Dynasty forces. It was necessary as the Kromaggs were inter-dimensional, had tracking technology that could go inter-dimensional, and the two captured machines had beacons attached. The beacons, of course, were being suppressed thanks to the mad goblin I'd seemingly hired, as well as the Fortune's Chance suppressing any possible signals now the two Manta ships were in the front assault bay.

All after I'd paid a hefty bonus to the three demonic imps the goblins had seemingly hired to ensure they went away non-hostile to me. Now I only had the five dangerous goblin mercenaries to deal with in addition to the ships they'd captured, and the forty-eight women, Wade Welles included, they'd had inside them. It was a costly bonus as I'd figured one or two rather than forty-eight, but it was good, and they'd brought a few dead, albeit badly damaged, Kromagg bodies along as well. Overall I'd call the operation a massive success…..but that didn't mean that everything was plain sailing. No, instead success had major and minor problems of its own I'd found.

The first had been getting the collars off, and clothes on, the forty-eight naked women who'd been standing at attention we'd found down in the hold soon after the Manta ships were brought aboard. The sad thing was the removing the hard to break collars was easier, thanks to Kara for one, than the having great quantities of clothes immediately at hand. In the end we'd taken a few from everyone, myself included, along with a crate of Tamrielic robes, and gotten the women into them for the moment.

Not that it had been a priority for the women themselves, beyond Wade who rushed off with her three friends to their room, as there's was getting food into them, or holding each other sobbing. It'd been a madhouse on the ship between them and ensuring the goblins got rooms and weren't a threat to us. A Blood Bound Magical Contract between our two parties should ensure that for now, and Dr. Chen went into her psychiatrist role as her helpers, and a few others, went to work cooking for everyone we'd brought aboard. Talking to the recently freed victims was important, one of many tasks, and it was why I sat with the, still unfortunately currently barefoot, dark skinned woman in a white mages robe.

"Iz thanks youse fers feedings, yesk" she told me in heavily accented, though one I couldn't place, English as one hand squeezed the wrist of the other, that hand gripping the fabric of the robe she wore "Oshk nu speaken un…"

I held up a hand as I came back over, offering her a selection of drinks, from water to alcohol, on a tray, while offering an encouraging smile "You can speak normally, in whatever you're mother tongue is, there is a translator here than will allow us converse more easily for now. Callum Outis, Founder Outis Import/Export, and Captain of this vessel, Fortune's Chance. Now would like a drink, water, tea, alcoholic…."

She blinked at me, clearly making the connection that something was actually translating for us, before blinking again and nodded shakily "Yes, something strong…please…to….calm my nerves"

"Of course, here, some whiskey with ice, and water as well" I told her quickly pouring a glass of good quality Irish whiskey along with some ice, and another glass separate filled with water before sitting down across from her in my own leather and cloth armchair. She'd downed the whiskey, coughing and almost spluttering a moment as she downed it, letting out a shuddering breath as I rested my arms back on the arm rests when it was clear she wasn't going to get sick or something. So I waited a moment as she shrank back into the chair, legs coming up to tuck under herself, hands resting on them.

"I am…my name is Zyanya, Daughter of Inx'kul, a Loremaster of the Academy of…." she laughed softly, bitter and broken, tears in her eyes as she suddenly started to shift her position, trying to sit in a mirror of myself "…Gods and Spirits, look at what has become of me! I cannot even sit and debate, and instead wish to cower like a rodent. Now formally I thank thee for rescuing me from that hell those creatures had created"

"We can wait to talk you know…" I replied carefully, awkwardly, as I wasn't exactly great with these scenarios as I could see the woman in her mid to late twenties seeming war with herself "…you can rest, as most of that were with you…"

"NO!" she barked…then shrunk back into herself, bowing to me as she sat, barely avoiding falling to her knees by instinct as she clamped hands together "Apologies Shiplord, this one has overstepped her bounds"

I waved it off "No, no, not at all…but we can do this later. It was only your request…" one of the five amongst the women, and debriefing would likely take time so I'd figured to get an idea here and now "…that prompt this, so I won't be offended if you get some much needed rest Zyanya, or do you have a title you would prefer?"

She came back up as I refilled the whiskey glass for her, and she calmed as she took it "Thank you Shiplord Outis, I…no I wished to speak, I must know what fate has come for us at the hands of your strange inhuman servants…"

"More allies than servants…" I clarified and she nodded, smile almost pathetically and felt a faint pain inside me seeing it. It was clear this was a proud, intelligent, and educated woman, and, just like the others, the Kromaggs had tortured and humiliated her into this state "…they'd object to such a description I know, and you can call me Callum"

"Of course Ship….Callum…" she replied awkwardly sipping at the whiskey, grimacing as she did so "…I was Academician Zyanya, of the Pyramid Natural, studying the mysteries of the Wave Mechanical. Though no more I…I fear, all is no more…."

Her voice died out in a whisper as she sipped at the whiskey, body slipping back into that legs under her on the chair as she started vacantly into space…before letting out a shuddering breath again, shaking her head "No more indeed. No, matter….I felt it best to know our fate, for I…and all of us I would gather…have little to return too but death and pain. But…"

I glanced at her "But?"

She stared into the glass held in her lap, almost cradled in both hands "Family, perhaps, I….my brother and mother died when they came, but my younger sister…others may hold out hopes I do not. I would warn you of this"

"Of course, thank you"

"And now…what do you intend of us?" she asked, very calmly, almost serenely compared to the previous behaviour "I do not believe you intend us as slaves, or to torment us, as you have been kind, but it is also clear you merely wished to rescue the one known as Wade. Something that explains much in how our captors treated her, and assigned her our….herd"

"Herd?" I queried hearing the hate in that hiss. Zyanya let out a breath, gripping the glass and taking a sip before replying.

"She is a nice girl, from what little I gather…" she stated still calm, but avoiding eye contact "…from what little chance we had to interact as more than beasts in a stall. But you must understand, our…herds, that is how the Demons managed us, were…specific in traits. You have acquired two such…herds. The first was selected for physical ability, those who of the Warrior or Enforcer caste, or great Champions of the Pyramid Athletic, all drawn from roughly four of our human worlds"

"That was not yours and Wade's?"

"No" she hissed hands clamped around the glass, but tone still strangely calm "No, ours was of the Mind, of those worlds, but Academicians, Theologians, Matriarchs of the Great Commerce Clans…"

I sighed, filling my own glass and taking a sip "And Wade wasn't one of those. I expect it's because she was a planeswalker of sorts like her three friends, what their home dimension called Sliders…before it fell to the Kromaggs anyway. But you are correct the operation was aimed at rescuing her, largely as I've hired her friends as we're a small company and they brought their own assets to the table. So, I'll be honest, I don't know about your fate…it's largely up to yourselves in truth"

She remained silently, looking at me nervously….then taking a breath and a more confident nod and look in my direction as I continued "I can't drop you off home, it's fallen I'm sorry to say, and I'm not going to try face down this Kromagg Dynasty when it has a hundred and fifty odd worlds. If any of you want I can drop you off on another alternate Earth with some small amount of resources and leave you be. There are a number that are….safe…from the Kromaggs on our route I believe, based on what we've seen. As you seen of the demons, goblins, and flying girl, oh and magic, there's more out there than you likely believed. If you wish to work for me I'll you a berth and a role, but….look, I'll let you all rest a few days before broaching such things Zyanya, and we'll conduct our own operations in the meantime"

"What…what is like to travel between the Realms of the Alternate?"

I smiled at her softly asked question, allowing her a moment to not think on what had been her nightmare for months I imagine "Dangerous. Exciting…Terrifying, but also Rewarding, though we're new to it in all honesty, even the ship is new, and we're all from our own, very different, dimensions"

"Perhaps…" she murmured with a soft smile, before it fell away just as fast it came "And what of the monsters that did this?"

I sighed "If you expect me to fight them? Not something I plan on, beyond if they chase us, and that's largely us running. I'd love too, but we're one armed merchantman, so it not feasible. We will sell defensive means to Earths along the chain now we know the danger of course, so that can be a way of striking back at them if you want to help our science team. If you have any understanding of Kromagg tech it would aid our cause…"

She winced "Only a little, for escape attempts and their language….pain was the result of any attempts to understand it. Though we…our herd oft communicated by tapping numerical code so there is some grasp amongst us and…I will speak to the others if it pleases you Shiplord Callum"

"Of course, but it is your choice. You're not being freed from one slavery to be immediately thrust into another, get to know the others of my crew. I'll try get you other clothes…and shoes...soon, it's just we can't risk port with the Manta ships beacons potentially going active, or…"

"Trackers within our bodies, yes…" she nodded in agreement, albeit uncomfortable as one hand touched her chest and belly "We have had so many painful injection, so many such violations, it would be easy to have done such things….they bar-coded us you know?"

I nodded sadly "Yes, I saw, sorry about that"

She laughed that soft bitter chuckle again "Ah, modesty, I missed such civilized things…along with such things as this?" she held up the whiskey glass "I never had much use for such frivolities would you believe? Nor the politics of the Pyramids….all I wanted was my books and my studies…"

I stood up, placing a hand on her shoulder as she started to devolve into tears "Hey, we've a little library here on the ship. Most are language learned, but I've a spell that'll help with the simpler ones of you like?"

No wonder she was so enraged now, and not at me. It seemed I'd inherited the problems of my own success here and now, and we still had to move to the Fallout-verse for salvage. Now I'd gotten whole crews worth of mentally shattered guests, possible recruits, along with crazy goblins who were friends with demons. As I helped the woman stand up I tried to figure out how to ensure we sorted Quinn's fallen world's situation when a people-eating inter-dimensional empire was coming down the chain….

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[03.06: What Makes a Merchant, Man of Trade?]

[Human Resources is rather busy right now, please sign these forms…]

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[Trader's Journal: Day: 476]

[Current Dimension]

R45-222-561-QTY {According to Other Quinn's Slide Device}

[Current Location]

Landed – Tempe Terre, Mars

[Current Cash Reserves]

1,000 US Silver Dollars [Quinn's Earth[High Quality]

1,200 Gold Dollars [DC-verse[DC-verse, Exp-01[United States of America[High Quality]

2,420 Septims [Low Quality gold-mix]

1,012 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]

2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government[Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled America]

19,667 US Dollars [Earth-JA01 on Account [Bank of New England]

14,210 US Dollars [Earth-JL02] on Account [Bank of Metropolis]

10, 264 US Dollars [Buffy-verse] on Account

[Trading Report – Raid/Salvage]

All the result of our brave, well-paid, mercenary team of Goblins {and demonic Imps} – Extra cost atop previous for bonus – 50 Gold Bars, 50 Silver Bars.

Acquisitions

- 2 X Kromagg Dynasty Manta Ships* {we may leave them here for the time being}

- 48 Human females, various ages and abilities {yeah, I know, but they're under my care now}

- 6 X Dead Kromaggs [4 Male, 2 Female}

- 11 X Kromagg Hand-held Energy Weapons

- Kromagg Dataon Quantum Probability Transit systems {and locations} from the Manta Ships

- Assorted Kromagg Dynasty electronics and supply crates {being left with Mantas}

[Diary Entry]

On Mars, no Martians, no M'gann; always figured she show to me once you got pass the racism. That still saddens me for some reason. Weird what you miss?

Then again she probably will show 'me' there, and I'm being silly, clinging to memories not mine. Probably because my hastily organised, but oddly successful, raid on the Kromaggs has kept us flat-out busy. The goblins are, unsurprisingly, dangerous, and causing some frictions with the likes of the mages from Winterhold, and Kara is wary of them. That and she, and many others, are very much enraged by what the Kromagg Dynasty considers 'acceptable' in its treatment of human slaves/prisoners. Also not unsurprising as we try to deal with forty-eight survivors of the 'Breeding Camp' onboard now, who we can barely cloth properly right, and all needing care of some sort. Six were pregnant, now they're not, causing some issues for some folk's morals, but not mine as that's what they wanted, even if it's only after two days.

I dislike that, but I understand, and I merely help with the healing end of it. Thankfully several of the women are trained medical staff, and already conspired between themselves – healing was merely a benefit that saved lives then. No matter, the basics of the situation is that I've got my own 'Slide' device designs in two Quinn Mallorys and what they can learn off the Kromagg designs. The forty-eight women, all with lost families and world, and a host of mental issues, are now effectively part of the crew. Easy to understand since they seem to come from five recently conquered earths according to the data the goblins grabbed from the Breeding Camp. All horrible and nightmarish to read, but detailed;- even if needing the women to translate the written Kromagg till the system sensor/scanners 'learn' the language.

Though it has revealed a problem with the Manta Ships, or moreso with the fact the Kromaggs can track them with time and effort. Annoying to say the least as I don't have the ability to rework them safely, or feel that I do, so right now they are getting dumped here on Mars till I can make use of them safely. Not that they are the most useful vessels anyway – no space ability, relatively little storage space, energy intensive, and using an alien software. Essentially they're glorified heavy fighter-bombers with a powerful particle beam, along with a 'pain beam' as well. Thankful we have the basics of the designs from scanning, which means if I can find somewhere to build our own we could start prototyping some sort of shuttle design or something similar. It's something t offer the Target Earth once we return to 'Home Base' and 'Backtack' Quinn's Planet-wide banishment effect to its end location.

I am now confident that the women don't have trackers, and anything that might have one is being left with the Mantas here on Mars to collect later. Even returning to Home Base is going to take longer than needed as we'll Slide to another empty Earth, then do another jump back out in the solar system. We're very confident the Kromaggs haven't bothered with space technology, lagging behind humanity to some degrees despite being more advanced, and can't detect signal beyond lunar orbit. So out into the dark, then back home to get my new crew full kitted out and get the ship restocked for such boring things as shoes and bedding. That and some, very basic, training and light work where some of the women want to do something to keep their minds off what happened to them. Kromaggs treated them as somewhere between mercilessly drilled military penal battalion and exercised livestock;- I suspect it'll be some time before the new reality sinks in, and the nightmares diminish.

Now, in terms of the Kromagg Dynasty it's revealed a decent, albeit nasty, level of information on this 'frontier' of their advance. The 'bright side' is that they've made some big advances, and being pushed back by an Earth here or there in fact, and more 'big advances' seem unlikely as several of the records are complaints about understaffing and such. Bad news is that these people are almost comically evil towards humanity, and have a large, well-trained, and expansionist military under their command. There really isn't any chance of peace with their governing body, and I've not idea what their civilian population, if any, thinks of it – it's snippets and clips from a rear area concentration camp on the frontier with sloppy security. What the Core Earths of the Kromagg Dynasty think of this I've no idea; are they a Nazi Germany with Colonies, or just the United States with the Indians?

Anyway, it doesn't overly change the plan;- go Home, travel to Quinn's banished people's Earth and see what state it's in. We'll need resources and support, even from a few small nation states at twrntieth century levels, to construct a Slide Cage and Dimensional Barrier system to shield it, then Home Base, from 'Surprise! Kromagg Attack!' gating in. Having some, somewhat secure, home port and resource depot would help. While I can't exactly take on the Kromaggs, much as Superheroic crewmembers wish to, I can try for an indirect Venetian approach.

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[Trader's Journal: Day: 480]

[Current Dimension]

The Earth Quinn's Earth's population was banished too. Doubled Up Earth we'll call it for now.

[Current Location]

In Orbit Earth under full cloak

[Current Cash Reserves]

1,000 US Silver Dollars [Quinn's Earth[High Quality]

1,200 Gold Dollars [DC-verse[DC-verse, Exp-01[United States of America[High Quality]

2,420 Septims [Low Quality gold-mix]

1,012 Californian Dollars [Earth-04, Chain-2091, Disunited America]

2,621 Dollars [US Provisional Government[Earth-01, Chain-2091, German-ruled America]

19,667 US Dollars [Earth-JA01 on Account [Bank of New England]

14,210 US Dollars [Earth-JL02] on Account [Bank of Metropolis]

10, 264 US Dollars [Buffy-verse] on Account

[Trading Report – Raid/Salvage]

Collected supplies, clothes, weapons military uniforms from Home Base;- everyone now has a work uniform, casual clothes, and fancy wear if they want. Same with bedrooms, all furnished - even if we've bunked a few in two or four to a room due to preference. Also brought some more medical equipment, various mechanics tools and such, along with two forklifts and two humvees, aboard and out them in the large workshop/tank/mech bay behind the front 'assault' bay.

[Diary Entry]

Well, it's been an interesting few days, and the madness has subsided somewhat as we've spent time interviewing our new guests/colleagues, and making clear what we represent. Some are elated, some are depressed, some are resigned, but all seem to understand we're not the heralds of a great liberation army, nor are they now goblin sex slaves. In fact a about six are eager to get to just *Do Something* to help focus, or simply stay sane, so I've assigned three, led by Academician Zyanya as aides to our Science Team.

Of the other three two are former military, though I've never heard of one of their nations, and I've assigned them to working with Oscar O'Donnell, my quasi-Security Guard, quasi-Chief of himself and the ex-Marine Anderson. The final woman Bogomila Levkov, of the People's Republic of Greater Bulgaria, is now helping as a mechanic/engineer under my now Chief Engineer Anna Sanchez, Justice League Staffer.

The other forty-two are on 'hobby-duty' and talking to Doctor-Chef Chen and the likes of Zatanna and Batgirl, who are serving as 'assistant psychiatrists' having experience with traumatised people. Gotham in Barbara Gordon's case probably helps, as she's helping Kara with dealing with the horror story that is a Kromagg Dynasty conquered Earth. Mister Rembrandt Brown, and Zatanna,…and me in one case…have put on a few shows to keep the crew entertained, and I've encouraged the likes of the Winterhold to do a few illusion tricks just to keep up morale.

I'm having to ease them back into normality, as months of being treated like cattle in a military camp does have an effect, even down to me grabbing all the gym equipment in the San Francisco and around Trim to give them that resource. I'll have a full time Doctor, as three of the women were highly paid, once upon a time, medical professionals – though more on the studious than hospital nurse side. I'm rotating th three right now, as we've enough healers to handle till I can tell which of them is most mental competent.

Now, onto the bad news.

We're in orbit of other Earth, and it is the correct location according to quantum signatures identified by Quinn, Other-Quinn, and the ship's sensors. Even without those a quick study of the few surviving news channels and general population density would give me a decent idea that this is the place after a few hours listening in and scanning. It's a mess to quite frank. The United States appears to have collapsed into multiple warning mini-states, with starvation rampant on the coasts as, like in the UK and parts of China, someone detonated tactical nukes during resulting civil wars. Russia's, sort of, intact, as is Germany, well, West Germany is anyway – what was East Germany seems to be in civil war.

Basically a whole new population got dumped atop this world's, and where the two populations had enough similarities to talk, and there was enough food, there was some degree of stability. Where there wasn't, or power struggles took place, it all came apart hard and fast – all combined with the Act of God nature of this event driving madness. All in all this Earth is not in a good place, but I gather neither Quinn's, nor this world, were in a good place before hand and I just should be glad they didn't nuke each other to oblivion when everything happened. Quinn is broken up for it, for Quinn anyway, and Kara is very horrified and thinking he's Lex Luthor for another reality. I've calmed him, or as his much as mildly uncaring self can be truly bother, and going to talk Kara out of her sulk before bed.

So, options aren't great in terms of true power blocs. France and West Germany seem my best bet, followed Nigeria or, equally oddly, Mexico which has taken over Texas, or absorbed it, I'm not sure. My hopes of an 'easy' time then have been struck down, and this place is not ideal to deal with the advancing Kromagg Dynasty military. The one benefit is that I don't need a united world to build the barrier systems, and a divided world is in many ways easier to deal with from a small trader point of view. Hate to play East India Company, but I need persuade people of an alien menace…from Earth, just another one, and could you please let me build these strange energy towers please?

Since my sorta home nation is semi intact, and a democracy, albeit a Constitutional Monarchy for some reason, I'm going to approach them first. Largely as they are part of some French led alliance that's semi-stable and not starving to death, and they gives me an in with the French who I think are my best bet. On the bright side I have an invisible flying spaceship, magic powers, a kyrptonian, goblins, along video and eye witnesses of said inter-dimensional threat. The fact I can open portals to the old Earth as well should hopefully win over people, or at least enough to ensure they'll build a Gate, and then build a Wall to secure the lines. Weeks and months ahead probably, but one can hope, even in the darkness that all will be well.

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