Life Ore Death
* December 6 [Overview]
It was past midnight in the surface world, and Ocean Master felt it unwise to remain much longer.
"Begin lowering the Cordon, and prepare to depart," he instructed a handful of oceanic sprites he had conjured. '
This mission has failed,' he did not say out loud, but only in his head. It was important to never imply failure before any underlings. He remained in the mountain base's main room, off the Zeta Tube bay that he was unable to utilize, and he activated his communicator, waiting.
The Cordon – a set of linked sorceries used to encircle an area and raise wards that would isolate it – had the unfortunate effect of severing all communications, including his own. The late and unmourned abomination's chaos magic might have pierced through, but Ocean Master was at least slightly pleased that no other caster the Light could recruit had that efficacy, as yet; Atlantean magic remained supreme.
<Status? >
Ocean Master was rather annoyed that the caveman would use such a tone with him, but deigned to not display it.
"The woman appears to have departed from the mountain prior to our arrival." Ocean Master met Savage's frown with his own.
<…Unexpected. That does not fit her projected pattern of activity. Did your wards tip her off? >
"Unthinkable," Ocean Master declared. In truth, the Cordon had been set to restrict communications first, because their data from Project Shaft indicated that she was less than competent with surface technology – an excusable and exploitable weakness in an otherwise valuable well of knowledge, inferior though her breeding may be, given the clumsy complexity of surface designs – and would more likely interpret the dropped signals as her own mistake, rather than the precursor to an attack.
He had, of course, known all along that this was a possible outcome, but Ocean Master had allowed the others to sway him in his approach, to the loss of this valuable scholar.
'For the moment. In time, I expect she will see the Light,' he resolved, '
and serve my aims well.'
<What of our secondary goals? >
"The security records and blueprints are downloaded to Brain's device," Ocean Master said, emphasizing his ostensible partner's name slightly.
<Good. >
Despite what he had repor- what Ocean Master had
informed Savage of, he was privately annoyed at his uncertainty. Surface world technology was clumsy, and in spite of following the instructions exactly, he was less than certain that the download had functioned as intended.
"My men could not locate too great a number of other valuables-," '
No doubt because truly powerful artifacts are stored elsewhere, as I could have told you, were you willing to listen.' "-but I retrieved one example that matches the described characteristics of her magic."
<…Very well. This was only an attack of opportunity, for the most part. You had best pull out. >
Behind his regal mask, Ocean Master raised one eyebrow at the caveman's audacity, ordering him to do exactly what he already was doing. He let the comment slide, however, generously writing it off to L1's advanced age.
The communication ended. Ocean Master slid the device back into his belt, and then turned to walk away, back to the good water.
When he was close to his escape, however, heard the sound of an explosion, and shouts of combat from his men.
'
Clearly,' he realized with frustration, '
Sportsmaster and Ivo were insufficient to delay and distract the children. Pitiful.' He dipped the prongs of Neptune's Trident into the ocean waters, and felt it flow with the hum of thrumming power. Circulating the magic force, he stood ready.
With a crash, the three servants who had accompanied him into this place were through the doorway, sealed door and all. Luthor's bloviated Project Kr followed, fists clenched, and Ocean Master caught him in the chest with a bolt of the Blue's power turned to lightning.
The clone flew through the door he had entered by in a way that would have been satisfying, were Ocean Master not seething over the incompetence of his men. "Idiots! Do not allow children to so inconvenience you," he roared. Nearby items of machinery floated into the air, and then threw themselves upon him, but with a shockwave from the Lord Earthshaker's stave he rent them apart.
"Ocean Master!" Young Kaldur'ahm's shout was accompanied by a water whip, which was easily disintegrated.
"Very good, gill-child," he deadpanned. "You know how to recognize your superiors. Now if only you would obey them. Begone!"
He called forth a roiling wave from water at his back – a mere shadow of the Trident's power, but enough for this. It crashed forward toward the children and – more importantly – over his own men. Seizing control of the currents, Ocean Master pulled his subordinates into the ocean's waters and led the egress to their waiting conveyance, freezing the water behind them to inhibit pursuit.
Inside a sealed container beside the communicator on his belt, a metal earring in a vial of blood clinked softly as he moved.
They may not be canonized, but that doesn't mean they aren't nice for everyone, and I will happily thread-mark them for easy access.
