trans_9 | sloppy slop D:

"I suppose. Though I tend to look for the unusual and the unexplained. I've always been fascinated by it." Obsessed might be a better word for it, though it depends on the circumstances.

"I'd be interested in hearing about some of those. Or is all of that supposed to be very hush hush?"

He was quite the interesting person. He seemed good enough, even if a bit underhanded at times. Definitely not the Lex Luthor she'd come to dislike, as much as Diana really disliked anyone.

"Most are personal and its best to ask that person in particular, if they speak about it." That was always the challenge.

Lex wasn't such a bad guy when he didn't have to be. Separate him from the liars, thieves, backstabbers, and corporate sharks that he's normally surrounded by, and he can be a somewhat decent guy when he doesn't have to deal with threats from all sides.

"I see." That would be an interesting challenge when it came to Bat Man.

"What does law enforcement think of superheroes on your world?"

What a complicated question. "Some welcome us, others hate us." It really was a mixed bag after the last Crisis. She wouldn't sugar coat it. She wasn't really capable of lying.

"You'll likely get the same welcome here. Though I feel I should warn you that the Chief of Security is rumored not to have the best relationship with the superheroes on board. Though that may be limited to just the teenaged ones, they seem to gripe about him the most."

"Maybe I could change his mind," Diana suggested sincerely. She had that effect on people sometimes just by speaking. It was some sort of natural charisma. Or something. She wasn't really sure how she did it.

"I'm hoping you can. If you succeed, it'll help push my plans into place."

Lex paused, realizing that he said that last part out loud. He hadn't meant to say that, but he was still in contact with the lasso.

That caused Diana to raise an eyebrow curiously. "Plans? Do tell."

He wanted to say that it was nothing important. No big deal.

"A social engineering project I'm doing on behalf of the Captain." He wanted to stop there, but every time he tried to say something else, the truth and the truth alone came out.

"This crew is a mess, disjointed. So, from the background, I help Picard bring this crew together under his command, in exchange he gives me the freedom to gather intelligence from and conduct business with other worlds as I see fit and will keep people from getting in the way."

Why am I telling her all of this?

This completely matched up with what Bruce had been saying. Something suspicious had been going on with the command staff, causing a general distrust among the populace and she'd found it by pure accident. Being a goddess of truth could do that.

"How are you planning on bringing the crew together? Is it working?"

He was annoyed that things had gotten this far, but now that he started, he might as well spill if not to have her messing up his plans.

"A number of changes are going to be implemented.

"For starters, a civilian council, consisting of members elected by the crew at large, will be formed. It's mostly perfunctory, as they won't have any say in military matters, mostly unimportant social stuff. But people who are uncomfortable with a sole military group in charge will feel a bit more ease. Particularly since Security will have to answer to the council as much as it does the command staff, and thus no longer run the risk of being seen as Picard's personal stormtroopers.

"Secondly, as far as the military aspect of the ship, people will be given more clearly defined titles, duties, schedules, and because I've handed over the location of the treasure to Picard, they will be getting paychecks. In doing so, they'll no longer be conscripts or slaves, but employees.

"We'll also be making stops for shore leave, such that people will have a place to spend their money. They can live on the ship for free, and eat for free, and will be protected for free, but if they want to buy a pair of pants when we stop for shore leave, then they need to work for Captain Picard."

Yes, Lex Luthor's secret plan involves... giving people jobs, money, structure, rules, and democracy!

The horror.

"The structure is still being set up, so it hasn't been announced yet, but it's almost ready. Whether or not it'll work remains to be seen.

"The problem, however, are the superheroes. Their arrogance is holding this crew back. They see themselves as being either above the law, or separate from it, and free to ignore it whenever they see fit. They're undisciplined, operate under some bizzare and nebulous set of rules that change when and how they see fit. They argue orders incessantly, wasting time and resources in the process.

"The military is the ultimate expression of the law, and subject to it under all circumstances. It's Rigid. Structured. Disciplined. The opposite of everything the superheroes are.

"The superheroes don't trust the command staff because of it, and have a hard time integrating. Several of them don't even bother, even splintering off to form their own group, The Outsiders. Even your friend, Bat Man, apparently spent months spying on this crew, rather than actually talking to the Command Staff to see where he could help them. Had Command not actually approached him and asked him to put his skills to use actually helping out, he likely still be skulking around in the shadows, peeping in on everyone like the depraved pervert he is." You have to admire Lex's honesty.

"The Command Staff has established multiple liaisons to help deal with the problem, but that's insufficient in my estimation.

"But you may be the solution to that problem. If you can successfully negotiate with Command and get the superheroes to better integrate into the crew as a whole, to become part of the crew, rather than some separate group that acts above them or deigns to work with them, we can put an end to the distractions, and we might actually end up making progress on figuring out the truth behind why we're here and what we have to do."

Diana found herself pleasantly surprised. She had expected something much more diabolical.

"From what I understand, there is distrust among many of the residents of the command staff itself. I had been considering how to inspire hope and faith to them. We can't fight against universe-destroying beings if we cannot even trust each other." It was a problem that seemed to plague humanity. Even her own people and the gods were subject to it. Distrusting one another when working together to fight a common evil was a much better solution.

"Integration hasn't always been easy for us." She spoke from experience, then again, she wasn't human at all. "If your plan goes as genuinely as your proposition, then I'm certain we can all work out an agreement." That was the thing about plans. They were lovely but didn't always work out as they should. Diana wanted to see how everything began to unfold before making any suggestions of follow-up actions.

"As for Batman? If he weren't watching everyone, I would be somewhat worried." Bruce really had his own way of doing things and it always ended up looking suspicious. "His intentions are good, though."

Don't worry about diabolical plans with Lex, he has several brewing. They just have nothing to do with getting the crew under control.

But he will get his revenge for this. Manipulating him this fashion, however it's being done, shall not go unpunished.

"The Command Staff isn't spying on each other, at least that I'm aware of. They disagree a lot, apparently, but they do work together. It's most of the rest of the crew that's the problem."

It was all in good faith, Lex dear.

"By crew, you mean residents, yes? Or is there more that I'm not aware of yet?"

There is no such thing as 'good faith' to Lex.

"Yes, the residents. If there's anyone here who wasn't kidnapped and stuffed in the pods, it would be a surprise to me."

Well if she hadn't, then she couldn't vouch for him in good faith.

"Well, then, I've heard the crew has had much trouble with low morale as well," Diana added, now on the same page as he was. "Something needs to be done to restore their faith and hope so we may all fight together against this evil. Your proposition might very well help."

sloppy slop D:

((I always wondered why her costume was stars and stripes))

(( yup, that's the reason ))

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