“Welcome, All!” A kindly old man with a long white beard graced Dan and his group with a warm smile. His eyes touched them all, but settled on Mark. “Allen had told me your planet has had some success against your Viltrumite infiltrator?”
“That’s right, I managed to beat him into unconsciousness and seal him with one of these,” Dan called the man’s attention by projecting one of Venom’s clones in a tendril. This Thaedus existed in Nolan’s memories, a traitor to Viltrum and the original cause of the Great Purge in the man’s memories. “But a feat like that would be easy for you as well, no?”
“Me?” Thaedus raised an eyebrow and turned back to Dan. His smile remained, joined by a hint of caution. “I’m just an old man, hardly up for such adventures.”
“Nonsense,” Dan held up a hand to silence Mark. The young Viltrumite had witnessed a lesser version of his father’s memories, but his eyes held recognition as he squinted at the Coalition leader. “You killed Argall easily enough, and Viltrumites only get stronger with age… right, Great Betrayer?”
Dan expected surprise from Thaedus, or shock. Instead the old man’s countenance shifted, kindness slipped away, replaced by a pressure that caused Eve and Robot to sink to one knee. Allen looked from Dan to Thaedus, confusion in his eye.
“What are you talking about… Great Thaedus?” The orange alien and the Coalition leader held each other's gaze, until Thaedus deflated back to a tired old man.
“I planned on telling you of my past eventually, Allen,” Thaedus gave a weary sigh and turned a critical eye toward Ven. “Who ARE you? Why do you have knowledge of events from over two-thousand years ago?”
“I copied Nolan’s memories, our Viltrumite infiltrator, Mark’s father,” Dan shrugged as he sized the man up. A rebel to his own people, killer of the Emperor of Viltrum and the first domino that led to the Great Purge. “You founded the Coalition of Planets?”
“Indeed, an attempt to curb my people's insanity,” Thaedus shook his head in disgust and settled back behind his desk. “If you’ve seen the memories of that time, then you understand why I made the choices that I did…”
Dan nodded. Viltrum had one core belief that stood above all others. They were destined to rule and no opposition was accepted. If Krypton ever fell into such a state, he would tear it down himself. Thaedus’ decision may have led to the deaths of many of his people, but he probably saved countless others.
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“What the hell are you guys talking about,” Atom Eve wiped a sheen of sweat from her forehead and gave Thaedus a wary look. “I feel like I’m the only one who doesn't know what’s going on…”
“I am also uncertain,” Robot examined his magnetic interlocks. The Coalition leader's pressure had tested the limits of his current model. “This man is of the same race as Mark, but an enemy of his species as a whole…” The drone turned to Thaedus with its dead-pan stare. “Are you a true ally, or is this Coalition of Planets just a place to hide yourself away?”
“I only seek to stop my people, the Coalition helps guard the galaxy until I’ve accomplished that goal.” Thaedus looked into Dan’s eyes, curiosity clear for all to see. “I still can’t believe you stood against a Viltrumite and won… what species are you?”
“You can learn more about my people later,” Dan tapped his foot. The itch to return home had only grown, a pressure that he decided to solve. “For now, take this,” he tossed a symbiote to Thaedus. “I’ve given one to Allen already, and Mark’s can create more clones to outfit your soldiers.”
‘System, do we have enough extra charge to summon Goku?’ Dan was ready to connect these universes. The battle hungry Saiyan would be the only summon who had no tasks in the two weeks that would pass before his return home.
[The system has accumulated enough charge to summon two servants and retain the ability to teleport the user home without ill effect. Would you like to summon Goku now?]
‘Do it,’ Dan turned to Thaedus as a pillar of light filled the space behind him. A confused Goku stepped from the glow, an oversized sandwich in hand.
“Who the heck is this?” Allen stepped forward, ready for battle. Dan raised a hand to stop the alien and waved Goku forward.
“This is my friend, Goku,” Dan motioned and the Saiyan waved hello, still focused on the food in his grasp. “He’s an idiot, but with his help and the added power of the symbiotes, it should be more than enough to cause real trouble for Viltrum.”
“Hello!” Goku shoved the last of his meal down his throat and extended a mayo-covered hand to Allen. “You look pretty strong… do you want to spar?”
“Focus!” Dan swatted Goku’s freakish hair. “I’m going to take a trip back home, you stay here and listen to…” Dan scanned the group around him, until his eyes settled on the human woman in pink. “Listen to Eve until I get back, and don’t fight anyone weaker than Allen or you’ll kill somebody!”
“You want me to tell this guy what to do?” Atom Eve frowned as she inspected the honest faced Saiyan. “Why?”
“Because he’s an idiot, sort of…” Dan laughed. Goku’s early exposure to his symbiote, combined with the Superman serum, had healed the mild damage to his brain. The Saiyan was more aware of social cues, but he was still obsessed with combat like a Saiyan should be. “Just make sure he never visits a friendly planet with a moon, or he’ll turn into a humongous monkey and kill everyone!”
Dan signalled Venom and vanished into the phantom zone. Yet another benefit to phantom travel, it could be done regardless of the surroundings. He returned to real space above the Kryptonian outpost, eyes already on his system rewards.
“Time to install the first gate and then have the system send me home,” Dan streaked toward the hidden base, eager in his heart. He missed his family, the cold separation of a universal barrier was different than a normal trip away. “I hope May and the others are alright…”