Chapter 31 - The Reactions - Part 3
Orach, with a warm smile on his face, subtly guided the conversation back to the topic they had been delving into earlier. "You hinted at the existence of other, perhaps hidden, powers?" he inquired, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. Mother Empress, with a sagely nod of her head, confirmed his suspicion. "Indeed," she began. "There are ancient records that mention names which might be indicative of concealed powers in the world. One of these is the mysterious and ancient nation of Kahndaq. Its legends resonate with tales of a liberating hero of immense strength, who heroically relieved the people from their burden of suffering. Sadly, he vanished without a trace, his voice fading into the annals of history. Unfortunately, the once-great Kahndaq is now under the oppressive rule of a mercenary force."
Orach, deeply engrossed in the tale, simply inclined his head in a nod, silently encouraging her to continue her narration. Mother Empress, catching onto his intrigue, continued, "Every government, irrespective of its size or influence, is teeming with corrupt individuals who have their own selfish, often destructive, agendas. Even this country, despite its apparent prosperity, is no exception. I managed to infiltrate their highly-guarded systems and decrypt their top-secret classified files. Many of these arrogant individuals have sanctioned highly unethical cloning experiments with the aim of replicating powerful individuals like Clark that they can control. Others tread on even darker paths, conducting inhumane experiments on their own unsuspecting populace, with the hope of awakening latent powers using a mutation they refer to as the 'metagene'. Their insatiable craving for power to assert their dominance is a testimony to their hubris!" Mother Empress ended her exposé with a tone dripping with mockery and disdain.
Orach let out a long, weary sigh, his disappointment clear in his voice as he spoke. He said, "Are these the individuals who have been chosen to lead this world? It's hard to believe." There was a pause, a moment of contemplation before he continued. "I must remember to emphasize to Bruce the importance of keeping my projects well away from the military's reach." His voice hardened, the weight of his statement hanging heavily in the air. "Their intentions are questionable at best. No, these people simply cannot be trusted with such potent tools."
Mother Empress agreed with his perspective. They continued their insightful discussion, exploring more findings from her thorough investigations. Through their conversation, Orach gained an extensive understanding of this world, its rich history, intriguing legends, and brave champions. Eventually, feeling the day's revelations' impact, Orach decided to rest and retire for the night. He asked Mother Empress to watch for any plans Bruce might devise for him before he went to sleep. Meanwhile, Mother Empress returned to her virtual sanctuary.
Inside the dwelling of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, after their return from the meeting that had taken place earlier
"Dammit! Of all the times for Orach to show up, it had to be now! We've been patiently biding our time, waiting for the perfect moment to assist Thanagar in launching an invasion to seize control of Earth. But this unexpected arrival! This has thrown our carefully laid plans into disarray. Earth was primed and ready for our conquest, with our forces due to arrive in a matter of months," Hawkman said, frustration evident in his voice.
"But Orach isn't just anyone...he's a monster. Thanagar can't possibly make a move on Earth now!" Hawkman exclaimed, his teeth clenched with a mix of anger and worry, while Hawkgirl wore an expression that was conflicted between her duty and surprising love for this world.
"We must inform our commander that it's too risky to provoke Orach at this point. The invasion plan needs to be postponed. We can only hope to occupy this world when Orach is not present on Earth," Hawkman concluded, trying to think strategically.
"But what if Orach doesn't forget about us when he returns? He could kill us. Do we really have to occupy this world? Even though it isn't our home planet, Thanagar, we've been living here for quite some time now. Maybe we should abandon our mission and settle here for good. With Orach here, any attempt to invade this world is tantamount to a suicide mission," Hawkgirl proposed, her arms wrapped around her husband in a comforting embrace.
"No! I refuse to believe that Orach has any genuine care for these human beings, except perhaps for Diana. As long as we can execute our occupation plan while he and Diana are off-world, we still have a chance to seize control of this world. Once we're successful, we can put measures in place to prevent either of them from landing on Earth," Hawkman responded, his determination not waning.
"But are we certain that our technology can protect us from someone as formidable as Orach? And if Diana implores Orach for assistance, can our forces really hold him off? You felt the intensity of his power during the meeting - that wasn't even him at his strongest! Our forces won't stand a chance. It'll be a bloodbath!" Hawkgirl countered, her voice filled with apprehension.
Hawkman fell silent, knowing his wife was right. He couldn't forget the overwhelming fear he had felt when he witnessed Orach's Super Saiyan transformations firsthand.
"…Let's report to the commander and see what the leaders decide," Hawkman suggested after a moment of contemplation.
Although Hawkgirl hesitated slightly, she respected her husband's wishes. The two Thanagarian sleeper agents, living secret lives disguised as heroes, then communicated their reports back to their home planet.
In the lush, secluded realm of Themyscira
"Antiope, what is your opinion on the surge of power we felt coursing through the land? What is your take on it?" asked a regal woman seated on a majestic throne draped in intricately-designed fabrics. This was none other than Queen Hippolyta of the legendary Amazons, the mother of the renowned Diana, also known as Wonder Woman.
"My queen, I fear that the magnitude of this power may well surpass even the mightiest god, Zeus himself. This power could potentially pose a significant, perhaps insurmountable challenge," replied Antiope with a hint of trepidation in her voice, causing the usually stoic face of Hippolyta to visibly darken, her expression becoming grave and full of concern.
Despite still recovering and mourning the painful loss of their kin in the aftermath of their fierce battle with the formidable Steppenwolf, who had audaciously breached their defenses to steal their precious mother box, the sisters felt an immense pressure descending upon their world from the land of man, causing an unease like none they had ever felt before. Nonetheless, their fear didn't deter them. They stood their ground with unyielding determination, the strain of the situation evident in the beads of sweat trickling down their bodies. They had faced the raw power of the gods, battled against champions of various realms, and confronted demons of all kinds, yet this new power was unlike anything they had ever experienced, a unique enigma.
"Antiope, you may be right," Hippolyta conceded after a contemplative pause. "If this power is similar to what we faced last time, we may indeed be facing the end of days, the apocalypse. Diana will need our help. She cannot possibly confront this overwhelming force alone, and she won't have to. Sound the horn and prepare our Amazon sisters for war!" commanded Hippolyta, resolved to support her daughter, Diana, in whatever way necessary.
"As you command, my queen!" saluted Antiope, her voice filled with loyalty and determination.
Soon, the sound of a bugle echoed throughout the verdant island nation of Themyscira, alerting all Amazons. Within minutes, those who heard and understood the urgent call to arms displayed resolute expressions. They were ready to assemble as a mighty, formidable army, prepared to face whatever threat came their way, just as they did long ago to protect their world from the onslaught of external forces.