DC Universe: Invasion, Book 3, Epilogue: Immortal

by Doc Quantum

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“Our plans have been completely successful.”

“Indeed. The Renegade has been purged from our midst. His rampant enthusiasm has been curbed, and we can look to our own matters once again without his persistent pestering. A few years in the custody of the Others will cure him of any last remaining vestiges of his love of Oa.”

“Yes, and the stability of the universe has been ensured by the return of the Others. They should never have abandoned their jurisdiction. Imagine allowing themselves to age, requiring them to procreate! No powers will be tempted to fill that power vacuum now that they are back.”

“Let us not forget the creation of a second policing organization, one which will be as powerful as the Green Lantern Corps but one which is extremely motivated to fight evil in ways the Others wouldn’t have allowed them to under their guardianship. The universe need no longer rely solely on the Corps as its only protection.”

“As well, the great failure of the Alien Alliance will discourage any new alliances between the empires from forming for that purpose. Future alliances are sure to be primarily for the purpose of trade and not of conquest, further cementing stability in that universe.”

“Our dimension is safe from contamination, then.”

“Yes. And our brethren who disapproved of our actions, despite their extreme dislike of the Renegade, have all been silenced by the success of our endeavor.”

“This is good. The Renegade will learn much from his humbling. After a proper amount of time, he may yet again make a good Controller.”

“Yes, brother. That is, once he’s learned his place.”

***

The Renegade Controller sat in complete and utter silence in his sciencell on Oa. He had much to think upon this day. It was obvious now that he, who had manipulated so many in order to accomplish his goals, had himself been manipulated by other master manipulators. It was a brilliant scheme, he had to admit to himself. But he had been made to take complete blame for everything. His brethren had outwardly approved of his plans, but ultimately he had played right into their hands.

Never again. This kind of disgrace would never be allowed to happen to him ever again. Although his motivations had been pure, just, and noble, his plan had only benefited others. Next time, he would be its only benefactor.

It was only a matter of time. He would serve out his sentence here among the Others and become their most model prisoner, the one more eager to reform of his ways than any other here. He would in time be released back into the arms of his brethren, and he would show his repentance by his subservience to them. He would regain their trust. After a time, he would be welcomed back into the fold as a full Controller. And by that time, the already-waning interest of the Controllers in this universe may have already prompted them to leave it in the hands of mortal organizations. Then he would be in a position to make his move again.

Perhaps he would by that time even have an opportunity to use his Sun-Eater in a more dramatic display. Each of the Controllers had invented his own weapon to eradicate evil, and his invention had been the Sun-Eater, a weapon designed to consume an entire star, in effect destroying a planetary system in the process. He had only ever used it on the rare occasion when it was necessary to destroy a star that was in danger of threatening the order of things, but on no occasions had that star system been inhabited. Perhaps he had been shortsighted on that score. Why reserve such power if it is never displayed? Why not use it on an inhabited system if the occasion called for it?

All those damned mortal creatures continue to crawl about on every planet, living futile, quick lives living only for themselves, all the while tolerating and even encouraging evil to not only exist in their midst but to thrive there. He would demonstrate his power over them. He would show them all.

After all, he was immortal, was he not? He had all the time in the world.

Continued in DC Universe: Invasion Homecomings

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