“Sir,” Prime One entered the laboratory and sank to one knee. Dan glanced up from his research and nodded for the machine intelligence to continue. “Cassandra Nova has asked to see you… Mr. Stark has also left another message, he seems determined to study our construction technology.”
Dan sighed and dispelled the holographic displays around him. The Primes had used nanotech constructors to replace Howard’s base with an identical copy. Now the man was on a crusade to gain access to more, even offering a majority share in his company.
“Tell Stark I’ll visit him soon,” Dan uncrossed his legs and descended from his position in the air. Nova had been submerged within Charles’ memories for the last few days, an experience he hoped would pull her to Krypton’s side. “I’ll visit Nova, gather a small sample of safe technology that I can dangle in front of Howard.”
“Understood,” Prime One thumped a hand to his chest and rose to his feet. “We have also located one of the primary targets on the recruitment list, though she is still a very young child.”
“Who…Jean Grey,” Dan raised an eyebrow as he scanned through the most recent reports. “Keep close watch, I want to avoid whatever tragedies fate has planned for her.”
Jean was extremely powerful, a pinnacle omega level mutant. If he could prevent the creation of her darker personality and train her, she would become one of the strongest allies a person could have in this multiverse. The phoenix force was destined to find her and Dan would be certain she was ready.
“I hope that Nova has come around…” a sigh slipped from his lips as he made his way towards the cell block. The symbiote clone she used would tell him if she could be trusted, but it would be a waste if she chose vengeance over a boundless future. “I could always clone her to access her abilities, but it would be better for everyone if she can let the past go.”
The crystal door of Nova’s prison irised open to reveal the bald woman. Seated cross legged on the floor, she opened clear eyes to meet his gaze. Her face was absent its normal rage, freed of a tension that shaved years from her appearance.
“I am willing to work with you, but I would still prefer to stay away from my brother,” Nova’s voice cracked at the mention of Charles but she pushed through the moment and carried on. “His memories have changed things, but I still can’t forgive him…”
“She speaks the truth,” Venom hissed into his ear. “Her confusion is vast, but she has lain aside her vengeance.”
“There are plenty of ways you can work with the order, without ever having to see Charles’ face,” Dan extended a hand and helped Nova to her feet. “We are considering opening a second Academy, one located in central Europe… you can remain in the fortress until it’s ready and serve as a teacher for a new generation.”
“I accept,” Nova shook his hand and glanced outside her cell. “I don’t have to wait in here, do I?”
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“What is this place?” Revan looked around the busy commercial complex, a hive of mechanical and organic activity. “These drones look like Ultron’s service models, but with a reshaped casing… and there’s something wrong with the people here.”
“The increased perceptions granted by the Force are truly a marvel,” Victor smiled as they made their way to an elevator. “This is one of the many corporations that Ultron and I started to influence galactic commerce… it has no direct ties to Krypton, but it belongs to the empire in all but name.”
The lift opened and they stepped inside. Revan frowned as Victor removed a keycard from his robes and inserted it below the controls. Without further commands, the elevator doors closed and they descended into the earth.
“This particular company owns a vast amount of the Corellian system, more than enough to influence the local government,” Victor smiled as the lift came to a halt. “Even if they project a veil of independence, they’re slaves to their politicians and politicians are slaves to greed.”
“So, we will control this place from the shadows,” Revan nodded as the doors opened to reveal a standard Kryptonian production centre. “With a firm hand on the leaders of the next best option to Krypton, the Empire will effectively control the entire galaxy without forcing unwilling systems under its banner.”
“Indeed, and this rising Federation of core systems will need a strong pair of leaders,” Victor reached out to take hold of her hand and drew her into the crystalline halls. “Together we can manage this lesser gathering of worlds, create something beyond the bounds of Krypton’s shadow and find our purpose outside of our Master’s will.”
“You’re quite persistent,” Revan snorted, but left her hand in Victor’s grasp. “I can agree that this is a project worth doing, one that matches our skill sets…”
“There are none better for this task than us,” Victor gave her hand a squeeze as his lips turned up in a smile as he guided them through the base. “Once more, when I receive my promised freedom, this place can be the cradle of our own civilization!”
They entered into the central chamber, where a modified genesis chamber extended under a massive dome. Filled with biomechanical drones, the room buzzed with the same static she’d experience from the humans in the building above.
“Are you asking me to be your Queen?” Revan raised an eyebrow at Victor’s roguish grin as she gave a half-smile. “You really are a confident one, we’ve known each other less than a month!”
“Time is irrelevant,” Victor’s eyes shone as he gestured to the chamber. “We are a perfect team, matched by passion and ability… so, what say you?”
“Fine then, but we move forward as equals,” Revan let her lips take on a full smile and nodded her head. Victor was right. Not only that, but this would be an opportunity to find her greater purpose and build something to support May and Dan in the future. “A true cooperation between us!”
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“It looks like Howard is still in bed,” Dan scanned the penthouse atop Stark Tower and found the persistent fellow asleep with his wife. “It is a bit early… but if he can leave me a thousand messages, he can answer on my time.”
He floated to the master bedroom’s floor to ceiling windows and rapped on the glass. Howard’s wife woke first, face twisted in the confusion of sleep as she blinked at Dan. A moment later she vanished under the covers with a squeak and shoved her husband from the bed.
“What the hell?” Howard peeled his face from the carpeted floor and rubbed at his bruised jaw. “Who’s making all that noise… Superman!”
Howard leapt to his feet and waved Dan toward the balcony entrance. He snatched up a robe from the floor and pulled open the door to a rush of morning air. Eyes bright, he almost clambered over the rail as he gave Dan a salesman's smile.
“I’ve been messaging you!” Howard held his precarious pose, half over the side of the balcony. “That nanotechnology… I have to take a look at it! The things we could do…”
“Not everything can be shared right away, Stark,” Dan shook his head and tossed over a harddrive filled with technical data. “Look at these first and see what you can do, and focus on your family… work isn’t everything and we have all the time in the world.”
“Maybe you do,” Howard looked Dan up and down. “You’re exactly the same as you were nearly twenty years ago… us humans only have so much time to reach our goals before time catches up to us.”
“There are solutions to everything, Stark,” Dan gave a small smile and motioned to the harddrive in Howard’s grasp. “The last entry is on an object called the tesseract, within the next few months I’ll have it shipped to a base of your choice for study…”