Post by Daystar on Apr 16, 2022 1:17:02 GMT
In a way, it felt like the Empyrean had always been meant for something like this. It'd once been home to titans of a sort, but decidedly mortal ones. Those that hadn't died had been thoroughly broken by the pressures of the job they'd taken upon themselves. They'd fled into the desert, or back into the timestream, or into quiet retirement. And not too long ago, Alex had exorcised this place of their spirits, psychic imprints their presence had left upon this place. It was as if the Empyrean had been reforged, ready for a new group of titans to walk its hallowed halls.
Then again, maybe Alex was getting a bit ahead of herself. Not ten minutes ago, she and the Aspect of Control had been at each others' throats. She'd been half convinced that the two of them couldn't coexist on the same planet. They'd been able to forge a brief peace, but anything beyond that was pure speculation, maybe even wishful thinking. That didn't mean it wasn't possible, just that if she wanted it to happen, Alex would have to speak it into being.
"Look. I don't really buy into the god stuff. So I'm gonna frame this more... scientifically. You and me, we're humanity's immune system. We exist to repel threats. And when the immune system starts attacking itself, that's usually a sign that something's seriously wrong."
Biology hadn't been Daystar's best subject in school- but she did have a perfect memory, so at the very least her strained metaphor would have some vaguely smart-sounding terms thrown in. If she was ever telling this story to anybody, she'd definitely make her speech sound a lot more dramatic, though.
"The thing is, bad things can happen when the immune system is too aggressive. You're treating Mettle like he's a disease, when he's more like a vaccine. A small dose of something bad, a manageable amount, makes it a lot easier to deal with the bad stuff when it comes in large quantities. I don't like what he does, but he's a preferable alternative to, like, that Eternal Flame freak they had in Pax. Mettle's never burned someone's kids alive. Hell, I'm pretty sure he's never killed anybody, period. Him running New York means the kid capes- like that girl with the paint, or Spider-Bite, or whoever -are safer."
This part was the hard sell, but it was also the most important. Legion needed to be convinced to leave Mettle alone. Not because Alex particularly liked the Chrome Capo, but because his system represented stability. The Society of Supervillains would keep its members in line, and deal with the real psychos, in a way only villains could. It was why Daystar had allied herself with him in the first place. But Legion's desire for control- probably pathological -had meant he couldn't accept that. Hopefully, she'd be able to change his mind.
"While he's doing that, you and me can take care of the real sickness. The deadliest diseases are the ones you don't notice 'til you're already dead. Case in point- there's this group called the Agency running around, kidnapping kids, giving them powers, turning them into killing machines. Pretty sure that Psi kid was one of their victims. I had another up here, but she managed to get away from me. And most people don't even know they exist. You think we can count on MIRA to deal with it? The government probably funds half of these guys' projects."
If they weren't on a literal space station, Alex was pretty sure she'd have sounded like a schizophrenic, but given the world they lived in, nothing was too absurd to be plausible anymore. Though maybe it hadn't been the wisest move to let slip that she'd allowed one of the Agency's subjects- and her only real lead on the organization itself -escape the Empyrean. Alex blamed Cassidy for that one, dumping a serial killer on her and then disappearing entirely. He hadn't even returned any of her calls.
"It's our job to deal with stuff like that. Not stopping every mugging that happens in one city, in one country, on one single continent. That sort of thing is a waste of your time and mine. From up here, we can pick up on the important stuff the minute it happens- sometimes before. And the two of us, we've got the power to make it go away for good. Not just sweep it under the rug and hope it stops being a problem."
A not-so-subtle jab at the Empyrean's former owners. Alex took a step towards Legion, and extended a hand towards him. The heat that radiated off of her met with the chill that emanated from his pale flesh, resulting in a nearly-invisible hiss of steam whenever they got too close to each other. What would happen if they actually touched was anyone's guess.
"So. In or out?"
Then again, maybe Alex was getting a bit ahead of herself. Not ten minutes ago, she and the Aspect of Control had been at each others' throats. She'd been half convinced that the two of them couldn't coexist on the same planet. They'd been able to forge a brief peace, but anything beyond that was pure speculation, maybe even wishful thinking. That didn't mean it wasn't possible, just that if she wanted it to happen, Alex would have to speak it into being.
"Look. I don't really buy into the god stuff. So I'm gonna frame this more... scientifically. You and me, we're humanity's immune system. We exist to repel threats. And when the immune system starts attacking itself, that's usually a sign that something's seriously wrong."
Biology hadn't been Daystar's best subject in school- but she did have a perfect memory, so at the very least her strained metaphor would have some vaguely smart-sounding terms thrown in. If she was ever telling this story to anybody, she'd definitely make her speech sound a lot more dramatic, though.
"The thing is, bad things can happen when the immune system is too aggressive. You're treating Mettle like he's a disease, when he's more like a vaccine. A small dose of something bad, a manageable amount, makes it a lot easier to deal with the bad stuff when it comes in large quantities. I don't like what he does, but he's a preferable alternative to, like, that Eternal Flame freak they had in Pax. Mettle's never burned someone's kids alive. Hell, I'm pretty sure he's never killed anybody, period. Him running New York means the kid capes- like that girl with the paint, or Spider-Bite, or whoever -are safer."
This part was the hard sell, but it was also the most important. Legion needed to be convinced to leave Mettle alone. Not because Alex particularly liked the Chrome Capo, but because his system represented stability. The Society of Supervillains would keep its members in line, and deal with the real psychos, in a way only villains could. It was why Daystar had allied herself with him in the first place. But Legion's desire for control- probably pathological -had meant he couldn't accept that. Hopefully, she'd be able to change his mind.
"While he's doing that, you and me can take care of the real sickness. The deadliest diseases are the ones you don't notice 'til you're already dead. Case in point- there's this group called the Agency running around, kidnapping kids, giving them powers, turning them into killing machines. Pretty sure that Psi kid was one of their victims. I had another up here, but she managed to get away from me. And most people don't even know they exist. You think we can count on MIRA to deal with it? The government probably funds half of these guys' projects."
If they weren't on a literal space station, Alex was pretty sure she'd have sounded like a schizophrenic, but given the world they lived in, nothing was too absurd to be plausible anymore. Though maybe it hadn't been the wisest move to let slip that she'd allowed one of the Agency's subjects- and her only real lead on the organization itself -escape the Empyrean. Alex blamed Cassidy for that one, dumping a serial killer on her and then disappearing entirely. He hadn't even returned any of her calls.
"It's our job to deal with stuff like that. Not stopping every mugging that happens in one city, in one country, on one single continent. That sort of thing is a waste of your time and mine. From up here, we can pick up on the important stuff the minute it happens- sometimes before. And the two of us, we've got the power to make it go away for good. Not just sweep it under the rug and hope it stops being a problem."
A not-so-subtle jab at the Empyrean's former owners. Alex took a step towards Legion, and extended a hand towards him. The heat that radiated off of her met with the chill that emanated from his pale flesh, resulting in a nearly-invisible hiss of steam whenever they got too close to each other. What would happen if they actually touched was anyone's guess.
"So. In or out?"
