tushanshu | [video]

[video]

[When the video opens on Bruce, much of his 'friendly neighborhood playboy' demeanour is muted. He looks a little more serious than normal, though his tone and expression remain congenial enough.]

As some of you may have noticed, passports have been delivered to our suites. It's very likely that these herald another landfall, and given the fact that our population is significantly increased from what it was in November, I'd like to warn people about what we might encounter.

[Attached is a file, landfall.doc. It contains things like details on the llothi, the mausoleum, the ruins, the temperature, sorts of plants found, soil samples, etc.]

You have Miranda Lawson to thank for those. Sadly, she's no longer among us, but I doubt she'd want her research to go to waste.

[A slight pause, barely notable before he continues.]

And that brings me to my second point of business. At one time, a foreigner was keeping a list of people we might be looking for in the event that they arrive. However, I think it's past due we started a compilation of the names of those that have left us. Since disappearing from this place seems an almost instantaneous process, it could be weeks or even months before we become aware of some people's departure, and I believe that process is best expedited for everyone's sake. Most recently, at least to my knowledge, we've lost Miranda Lawson, Favrielle nό Eglantine and Lina Inverse.

[Not mentioning Jason Todd? Not mentioning Jason Todd.]

I'd appreciate any other names you might have.

Additionally, given the current state of Keeliai, I think it's an opportune time to rekindle the idea for a Foreigner-lead council. Councilman Tarrlok, a word to that effect? I think an elected representative from each Sector would be a good place to start.

And if there is anyone well-suited to the role, I'm happy to hold nominations.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm pretty sure Marceline is gone.

Superboy.

[A nod of greeting.]

I'll add her to the list.

You should have a heading of 'Maybe disappeared. Maybe actually here somewhere hidden.' Who knows. If you do put the heading then add Asami to the list for sure.

[YUP STILL REALLY ANGRY AND SAD ABOUT THAT!]

[Eyebrow.]

Relative to the-- ah, clones?

[Playing dumb is so hard at times like these. He's going to have to track Kon down for a good old fashioned interrogation one of these days.]

That would make things too easy, wouldn't it? Something different.

[He's leaving it more open because really, like Bruce needs to know like this. Kon's available for talking, as long as the cowl stays at home.]

[He makes a frustrated sigh that's only partially feigned.]

I'm not sure 'easy' is the right word one way or another.

Well no, guess not. It's kind of difficult to explain? Or understand. I'm still trying to work it out, but the kedan are seriously screwing with us. It's either them or the Emperor. Or the whole place.

What makes you suggest the kedan?

[bat-contemplate emote.]

[His growing dislike at most of the kedan and the Emperor isn't something he's hiding.]

Because of what I saw under the shell. A lab. Us.

That certainly sounds serious.

[And he sounds like he couldn't care less, and is simply maintaining the conversation for politeness' sake. This is a hint, Superboy, not to discuss these things on the comms.]

[And he looks so pissed about it because right now he hasn't picked up on the hint right away. He goes on about how this place sucks and so on and then eventually trails off because, oh.]

So uh...yeah serious.

[Dude, you need to know about this or something. He needs to tell someone other than Kal about it.]

[KON.]

Well, you know my door is always open if you'd like to discuss it at length.

[THE POINT, YOUR HEAD.]

[GEEZ BATS! OKAY OKAY!

He nods.]

Might be a good idea. I'll uh, fly on over.

I'll see you then.

[The airiest wave.]

[So Kon got the address for where to go because, why would he know where Bruce stays? He's not Kal. And he ends the feed before leaving to go see him, being honest he's a little terrified at the thought.

When he arrives and touched down, he knocks unlike with Kal where he'd usually just walk in of enter via a window. He looks around as he waits for any response.]

[Bruce opens the door almost immediately with an air of complete congeniality.

That lasts about as long as it takes to pull Kon inside and shut the door behind him, ensure they're well out of the view of any windows.]

What did you learn?

[To be honest, he doesn't really expect that to happen so when he's pulled in he makes a surprised noise. Let's be honest, as soon as it's made, he feels embarrassed about it and yet he has no time to think on it because Bruce is there and he's cutting straight to the point.

Kon shuffles a little and then his lips pull down slightly into a frown.]

That not all of us might actually be going home when we vanish. The kedan are doing experiments or something literally under our noses.

I found a hole in the shell that was guarded and went down to see what was up, I found one of us. [Obviously he means a Foreigner.] We found a room. An examination room with those tables. One of us was on it, I don't know who but she did I think. He was dead, they'd cut him open and sewn him shut again and they had diagrams.

[He has to pause because he's getting worked up. He's getting angry and he's getting scared and if he doesn't take a breather he's going to fly off and find the Emperor and make her tell him what's going on. He takes a few deep breaths and when did his hands end up balled into fists so tight his nails were almost cutting into him?]

Dammit!

Kon.

['Get a grip.']

We've dealt with worse. We both have.

Yeah, but we could do something about it! We could find out who did it and kick their asses to next Tuesday!

[He falls quiet and it's sudden. His jaw is clenched shut and it's starting to ache.]

They had Asami and Shifu in a different room. Alive. Alive Bruce! They could talk and walk and they wouldn't come back with us! They wouldn't let me bring them back and I don't know why they were there. I don't know who did it exactly and I can't help them. That's what we do. We help people and they're down there being poked and prodded by...by them and I'm just expected to like...sit back and get on with life here.

[His eyes narrow. He's heard bits and pieces of this story, but until this--

How much of this does Clark know? How much does Tim know? He frowns.]

We'll do what we can. No one is expecting you to 'get on with life'. I need you to tell me everything you remember about the place. The diagrams. Everything that might be relevant, even if you don't assume it would be.

[ooc; ... and you are totally welcome to handwave that infodump haha.]

[He's spoken to Kal, he's gone to him and spoken in person because he was so shaken up about what he'd seen and who he'd seen. Kon nods and begins to tell Bruce just what he saw exactly. About the room with the tables and the guy, the jars, the instruments. He commented on how it wasn't like the labs from back home, how it was old but not run down. He spoke about the corridor Natasha went down but he doesn't know what was there because he called out after finding the room.

Kon has to take another breath and rubs a hand over his face. Then he goes on to talk about what Shifu and Asami were like, what they said and did. It's hard for him, he'd liked Asami when she'd been here and when they'd spoken. She'd seemed like someone he could have been good friends with and she was still here, being fucked with.]

Then we left. Natasha made me leave and then I spent about a day trying to keep it together.

You should have come to me sooner.

[It's a reprimand, in its own way. But it's not harshly said. There's a fair amount of lingering... responsibility that he feels for Kon, in this place. He's since passed that torch off to Clark, but he still considered Superboy an ally in the early days of this place.]

[It's still such a weird experience that he's even here. That he's talking to Bruce, who isn't like the Bruce he's seen on TV or in the newspapers. And he ducks just a little at that, because maybe he should have come sooner, but maybe he should have gone and tried to find out what was going on. It would have ended badly, but in his own personal way, he felt like he was doing nothing.]

Kal says we have to find things out in a sneaky way. Not be bold about it, but...that'll take a long time. I'm here now so...there's that. I just didn't think closer to the time.

['A sneaky way'. Clark, you ass.]

He's right. This is more my area of expertise.

[His eyes go wide and he almost seems to be leaning in.]

Wait, you mean he meant you? Cause...I thought...I dunno what I thought.

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