Gone Native: Enemy Action (ch. 33) (Patreon)

"I thought you hated aliens," Ra's al Ghul remarked to Lex Luthor, lounging in one of the chairs in Lex's office. He was the acting Secretary-General of the New United Nations. Though, they weren't really nations anymore, and they were hardly united. They all had their own agendas, wanting their nation to be the one that had the greatest say in humanity's fate. Lex Luthor was letting them indulge in those childish fantasies. It made them so very easy to manipulate, more so considering that the new leaders in charge were so drunk on the idea of holding the reins that they failed to realize a simple fact. America, Great Britain, Russia, and China…these were all relics of a now-defunct era as of two months ago.

Lex leaned into his chair, which he had designed specifically for himself, maximizing comfort and authoritative appeal. All the while he considered Ra's -- a near-immortal about a millennia-old, from roughly around the era of the First Crusades. Despite his true age, he appeared in his mid-forties to early fifties, his black hair holding a tinge of white near his temples and his regal face sporting a partial goatee. He wore a luxurious silk robe, concealing a well-trained body underneath.

"I hate Superman," Lex admitted, almost hoping that the Kryptonian was listening to this conversation from a half a world away. "His existence was a limiting factor to human development. Necessity is the mother of invention and Superman, and beings like him stifled that need to innovate. After all, Superman cannot lose, thus there is no need to grow. He'll be there to protect us forever. Even if it's from ourselves."

The mentality was utterly disgusting. Downright revolting, really. Humans were shortsighted creatures that were slaves to their base needs and desires far more than they would admit. And because Superman protected them and was nice, they were content to put their lives in his hands.

"I do hope that this isn't simply because King Tarble defeated Superman in battle?" Ra's questioned, tilting his head and giving Lex a very pointed look even as he accepted a glass of scotch from Mercy, Lex's long-standing bodyguard and personal assistant. Dark brown hair, an attractive enough face to distract whoever was sitting across from him, but rather than appearance Lex valued her because of her devotion. Mercy was loyal. She'd slit her own throat before she would even consider betraying him.

It wasn't. Though, Lex would be a poor liar if he said that he didn't like King Tarble a little more for shattering Superman's invincible image. Though to be honest Lex suspected he might have been upset if the alien monarch had killed Superman, if only because Lex had long since dreamed of doing it himself. Preferably with his own two hands. "I admire talent, Ra's. You know this," Lex responded, his tone smooth as silk as he took a sip of his own glass of scotch.

The Saiyan race was an interesting one. The Titans had proven invaluable in that regard. The data they provided was incredibly useful. Lex knew they were expecting him to put Tarble in his sights, but there wasn't a need for that. Saiyans were effectively cavemen that managed to not drive themselves into extinction due to pure dumb luck. Tarble was an outlier for his race, but that wasn't important.

"Saiyans have motivation," Lex continued. He didn't care for aliens. Not for racial reasons, but for power dynamics. To simplify -- you were either a native tribe or a Spanish conquistador. In comparison to most alien species, humans were closer to the natives than the conquistadors. "For absolutely anything that they set their mind to -- this one, for example, has decided to be the most powerful diplomat in the universe," Lex said, sharing a photo with Ra's. A young Saiyan boy with a scar over one eye and hair that seemed styled after a pineapple.

The desire to say a single word and instantly win an argument. It was utterly impossible, but Saiyans just didn't care. They were all like that: the ultimate diplomat, the richest merchant, the most powerful urban developer, or the greatest spaceship pilot. It was the one trait that they all shared -- a Saiyan would not rest until they felt like they had made progress to their self-imposed goal. Nor would they ever settle for being anything less than the greatest. It was fascinating. It was a trait that Lex wished humans shared.

"Simply put, I believe we are in a position to benefit from the current situation," Lex continued, setting his glass of scotch down as he regarded Ra's far more seriously, getting to the meat of the pitch. Ra's was a type-A personality. Personally powerful, very old, and having achieved some reasonable success in his ventures, and due to that, he was arrogant. Most of it was undeserved in Lex's eyes, but flattery did wonders for people like Ra's al Ghul. "While Tarble remains at the top of the hierarchy, everything below the top is in complete disarray." Not strictly true considering the military was directly below Tarble, but it was a minor exaggeration.

In short, it was an opportunity. Humanity was collectively small in comparison to some species. However, as a whole, Tarble's empire was suffering from shock from the War of Light. Everything revolved around the war. It was fresh in people's minds. Tarble’s people’s but not humanity’s. As such, Lex intended to use the time that they were left paralyzed due to what amounted to galactic PTSD to humanity's favor. The situation was so dire that an empire that spanned hundreds of millions of planets didn't have official laws beyond military regulation.

Lex Luthor knew he was an arrogant man, though he would go so far as to say that his arrogance was completely justified, however, even he had to admire Tarble for what he had accomplished. Not for his personal might, nor his accomplishments during the war, mind you. No, Lex admired him purely for the fact that he had held together a massive, multicultural, and multiracial empire that was suffering from a devastating war purely by force of presence. His empire should have dissolved into infighting days after breaking away from the Trade Organization. Instead, it remained whole even months later simply because Tarble sat at the top.

"I am of the same mind," Ra's admitted easily. "However, cooperation has proven difficult. Many of our… colleagues have resolved to lay low for the foreseeable future. New risks have been introduced with this change we face. For most, death was a risk they were willing to take, but it's a very different thing when that death hunts you down like a dog." Ra's pointed out. The prompt execution of Adonis and Tarble's refusal to work with villains even as he attacked the planet solidified that message.

"Everyone fears change," Lex dismissed their concerns. They feared it when one should embrace it. Especially when it was he who delivered that change. "But one must adapt, or die. The previous way of doing things is no longer feasible. Instead of mourning what was lost, we must look to the future."

Ra's gave him a thin smile, "A lovely speech," he remarked, his tone borderline sarcastic. "I'm sure it will have a great effect on those willing to accept you as the head of this new world order." To that, Lex offered a thin smile of his own. While he was without a shadow of a doubt the most intelligent person on the planet, it wasn't merely because every other human was an idiot. Ra's likely knew the exact reason behind this meeting before the invitation was even sent.

"Not just them," Lex responded, speaking without pretense. "Not when they realize that Tarble shall not forgive past transgressions merely because they happened before his time. Hiding will not work. Nor will escape, as things stand," he continued, bringing up a hologram of a design. A prison.

Ra's frowned the moment he saw, instant seeing the implications. Still, Lex spoke to drive them home. "A microscopic prison held in the center of a yellow sun that is also microscopic in a vacuum-sealed container which is, in turn, housed at one of his shield worlds. One of the most heavily fortified military installations in the galaxy."

There was a small beat of silence as Ra's steepled his hands together, "I see King Tarble does not do things by half measures," he remarked idly. However, Lex knew that the man was caught flatfooted.

They had all expected high security, but still something… reasonable. These security measures were anything but. The designs for the microscopic prisons were elaborate as well, essentially planets in themselves, and there would be dozens in that sun, one of the most hostile environments in the universe. To break someone out, one would need to first infiltrate the Shield World and locate the container, shrink down and travel through the vacuum tube, then fly into the sun, identify the Prison Planet with the prisoner they were after, bypass its security and retrieve the prisoner from it, then escape.

It was possible. Especially with one such as himself aiding the escape. On the inside, however, you would be completely reliant on someone breaking you out.

"He does not. He is also thorough," Lex continued, sliding Ra's a sheet of paper with a list of names. All taken off of Tarble's private servers. His cyber security was truly something to behold. It was more than just a firewall, it was an entire castle forged in war with countless other species desperately trying to get a peek at the data within. Those aliens had the disadvantage of not being him, and because of that, they failed spectacularly. Even he had barely managed to slip in, and even then, Lex had to use the equipment he had been reserving for when he decided to get his hands on the data in the Fortress of Solitude.

"This is-" Ra's muttered, and Lex fought to keep a smile off of his face. There were few things that brought him as much joy as making others realize that they weren't on his level. In any capacity.

"A list of names. Of all the major villains that have been active in the last twenty years, and their expected sentence. The only reason why they have not been rounded up is that Tarble feels as if he has pushed Earth too hard in the past and his current draft of laws are not applicable as of yet." Laws that Lex himself had a hand in writing. It was very tempting to slip a loophole or three into them, but he resisted. Right now, it was important that Tarble saw him as a useful tool to keep Earth in line, and Tarble wasn't someone that valued those who used their position to benefit themselves.

It was a frustrating quality and a shockingly naive one, but they all had their roles to play.

"When does this go into effect?" Ra's questioned, seeing his name on that list. As well as his daughter’s. It was for that reason that Lex had arranged this meeting. In a way, Tarble's arrival resolved the greatest reason for the League of Shadows to exist -- the climate had been rectified. Quite easily. Nothing has been stated outright, but all signs pointed to Ra's Al Ghul retiring and resting on his laurels. Such a waste of a man of his caliber.

Lex allowed himself a slight smile, "By the end of the week." He answered, taking his glass of scotch and giving Ra's a moment to process that. It was hardly any time at all, but it was also a full week to prepare. To flee. To make arrangements. "Every known villian on Earth will be taken to this prison facility -- Tartarus, as I've taken to calling it -- and there you shall live out the rest of your days."

"There are names missing from this list," Ra's pointed out, an unspoken accusation in his tone. To that, Lex smiled freely for the first time during the meeting. It was an honest smile.

"I, and others like me, who are suspected of being too dangerous to mingle with the gen pop, will be taken to a specialized facility," Lex answered. He was digging through astounding amounts of data, but he hadn't found specifics as of yet. It was also worrying that he was likely on that list of those too dangerous for an absurdly secure prison. While he had been effective in covering up the trail of his many, many crimes, it also showed that Tarble did not trust him to any degree. As well he shouldn't. Still, it would have been more convenient if he’d been taken in by the same act Lex had used to hoodwink the rest of his species, with a few exceptions, for most of his professional career. "There, I suspect, our sentences will be more… extreme."

How so, Lex didn't know. He also didn't care to find out. To that end, it might be prudent to send some bait into the prison to test the waters.

Ra's didn't seem overly impressed with the knowledge that there was apparently a more secure prison to deal with. "I suspect you know more than you're letting on," he accused lightly. A benefit of being an unparalleled genius was that people tended to assume you had the answers, even if you didn't. "Using fear of the unknown to act as motivation?"

"It's a trick that's worked well in the past, as you are well aware," Lex responded evenly. "Are you feeling motivated, Ra's?" He questioned, and the Demon's Head allowed himself another sip of his scotch as he thought everything over in a long second. It was why Lex preferred working with people like Ra's -- they were used to making snap decisions and processing things quickly.

That being said, Lex Luthor already knew what his response would be before he gave it. The meeting had proceeded well within the expected parameters for his desired response. Ra's saying it was a mere formality at this point. He knew it as well. "You've managed to sway me, Luthor. What is it exactly that you have in mind?"

"It's simple really -- Villains are becoming a marginalized and oppressed party in the change in management. It would only make sense for them to… unionize," Lex said, smiling with satisfaction at the brief look of surprise on Ra's face. Lex himself was a notorious union crusher, but he valued the idea behind them. Just not when they were interfering with his profit margins. "The idea has been proposed before to varying degrees of success, but every time, the tenuous alliance fell apart because of one simple fact -- Earth wasn't big enough to house so many strong personalities."

Hive, the Injustice League, and various other conspiracies and backdoor alliances had been made throughout the years. They always fell apart. Usually crumbling at the height of their power, because after the heroes were defeated, the type A personalities involved would look to each other to see who really held the reins of the alliance. A power struggle would ensue, which would give the pesky heroes the time they needed to recover and sweep the rug out from underneath the villains.

Tarble's Empire was vast. Incredibly so. His prodding at the wider empire showed that there were near countless places to hide within its borders. It was large enough that the membership of the next Hive or Injustice League could spread out, keep to their own agendas, without needing to be within a dozen light-years of another member. It would be a far looser alliance, but that's what was needed. Joint missions would be a rare occurrence, thus far less likely to create fractures in the collective. Naturally, information compartmentalization would be an added benefit of the loose structure.

Ra's tilted his head ever so slightly, putting the pieces together at a speed that Lex respected. "I see. You shall front the resources necessary, while I am to be your proxy?" He questioned, earning a patient look from Lex.

"Partner," Lex lied. Ra's was an excellent choice for a fall man. He had centuries of experience operating a secret organization, he fit the expected profile of someone who would attempt to create such an alliance, and he was someone like-minded enough that even when Lex took a step back, Ra's would push the organization where Lex wanted it to go. "Our proxy is someone that Tarble has already given us -- currently, he is engaged in a shadow war with the Trade Organization. Any activity that this… Legion of Villains perpetrates will be laid at the feet of Cooler, the CEO of the Trade Organization."

It was also possible that the relationship could become more formal in nature when Cooler saw the effectiveness of the Legion. Lex had no interest in becoming a pawn on anyone's board, but additional resources were always nice.

"I see that you have it all planned out," Ra's remarked, realizing that he had been bested in this conversation. "I will begin discreetly reaching out to interested parties, but there is the issue of how we are getting off planet."

"That will be taken care of," Lex reassured him. Clones were being mass produced to take the places of the various villains. They would be a distraction. Ideally, the fact that they were clones would remain a secret until they were in prison, serving out their originator’s sentence, giving the originals more time to make their escape. However, Lex was prepared for every possibility, including that the misdirect wouldn't work at all.

Years ago, when he learned of Tarble, Lex had begun making preparations. To resist the alien tyrant. To fight back. Among these strategies were plans on what would be done should humanity lose anyway. It was how he became the Secretary-General of the NUN, something he handcrafted, even if the rest of the so-called alliance was unaware of that fact. Some of those preparations included the development of parallel dimensions and exploration of how they were linked with this one.

At any moment, Lex Luthor was prepared to evacuate the planet. Likewise, he’d made preparations to start evacuating the villains and begin sprinkling them across Tarble's Empire in numerous safe houses that Lex had created over the past two months… The point being, Lex was ready. His failure to secure humanity's independence was a result of overestimating the Justice League, and the surprise of the Super Saiyan transformation.

However, it was pointless to weep over spilt milk. In any case, the current situation also worked to humanity's advantage. Hundreds of projects were currently underway to develop the allocated sector that Earth was in charge of by virtue of not having any neighbors. Over the next year, Earth would see vast development and become a space-faring race. Over the course of the next five to ten years, Lex intended humans to have completely infiltrated the developing bureaucracy of the empire.

By the time it came to kill King Tarble, humanity would control a significant portion of his empire. With Tarble's death, the parts of his empire Lex didn't want would shatter like glass, not too different from how the Thanagarian Empire fell apart. The Federation and Trade Organization would swoop in, going to war with a few well placed touches, giving humanity the time to consolidate with him at its head. From there, over the course of a few centuries, both organizations would weaken themselves to the point that it would be child's play to defeat them.

Lex Luthor would have the entire galaxy in the palm of his hands. Even better, his enemies would be developing his empire for him.

Ra's wasn't satisfied with the response he received, but he also knew that he would not receive an honest answer. To gain some semblance of control over the discussion, Ra's stood, "It has been an enlightening conversation, but time is short. I shall begin consolidating my resources in preparation to lead this Legion."

Lex gestured to the door, and Ra's dismissed himself. He couldn't control the flow of the conversation, so he tried to control how it ended. Pride was a fragile thing. Especially when it came to people like Ra's. Like them, Lex supposed.

"There's been a development," Mercy informed, speaking up for the first time as she handed Lex a secure tablet. It was less convenient than a hologram, but it was also far more secure to hacking. Lex quickly gave the information a read through, his brow furrowing as he digested the information and how to best use it to his advantage.

"The divide in the heroes is mending…" Lex muttered, not at all happy with the news. Lex understood that it was a close vote. He had hoped that those on the fringe would pull others into splitting away from Tarble's Empire if there was ever a re-vote, but that wasn't the case. Heroes that wanted to work with Tarble were converting those that wanted to leave the Empire. Frustrating, but nothing that he couldn't handle. Lex handed the datapad back to Mercy as he gave an order.

"Kill Queen Mera," he instructed, the Queen had lingered on her deathbed since she was struck with Aquaman's Trident. The wound should have killed her then and there, in all honesty. The fact that she lasted this long was simply due to her own stubbornness. Lex found himself admiring her for it, but, with her death, the scales against Tarble would gain another weight.

Her death would be the breaking point. All because she hadn't died during the battle and succumbed to her wounds. Aquaman would snap, and his faction would demand action.

All because of one dead woman that clung to life for the sake of it.

Lex did so love it when pawns lined themselves up to be used by him.