Owner	Pose
Grace Choi	... the hole in the sky opened.     Boom Tubes were not an unknown thing, in Apokolips. Especially when one was expecting them. A man, a human comes through. Dead. Wearing an all black motorcycle uniform, and a helmet.     But dead.     And, Faora, Superwoman, the Kryptonian who had responded, who had been kidnapped thanks to Intergang, follows. She falls, and lands in front of Granny Goodness. In front of Darkseid's throne.     The small, squat woman of thick build, and piled grey hair, wrinkled features smiles in the disturbing way only Granny Goodness can smile. "Welcome," she tells Faora, gesturing towards Darkseid, "To Apokolips," as if to suggest that Darkseid, himself, /is/ Apokolips.     Desaad stands next to Darkseid's throne, a shrivled, skinny man wrapped in a purple robe. He looks, as much as any humanoid could while still remaining humanoid, like a vulture. A long nose. Gangly features. Long, fingers. Shrewd eyes. An elongated jawline. "See, My Lord," he breathes, quietly. "I told you. The plan I provided has borne fruit. The Kryptonian, as I promised. Or, one of them."
Synestria	"Indeed, Desaad. You have done well to bring even one Kryptonian here." Darkseid rises from his throne and begins the slow walk down the steps from his throne....with Desaad close behind. Darkseid puts his hands behind his back....and stands up rigid straight, if only to look down his nose and everyone at the base of his throne....even Granny Goodness, one of his faithful disciples.
Superwoman	Faora's eyes are wild, and she tosses the dead man away without a care. She stands, her hands clenched into fists as she looks to the grey haired woman. She looks to Desaad, and then finally up to Darkseid. She stands in total silence, breathing slowly now. The sudden rush of training- of life as a soldier- has passed and she's more herself again. More aware of her surroundings.     And her surroundings are disgustingly ugly.     "Who are you? Where am I? Why have I been taken?" she asks, taking a slow breath as she returns to a more neutral stance.
Grace Choi	'Ugly' is certainly one word for Apokolips. Even Darkseid's throne. The vast expanse of the planet are desolate, full of despair, and any and all beauty that was there - any sense of nature having been expunged centuries ago. A near wasteland, with buildings, creations of purpose -- that purpose being destruction, subjugation, across the entire horizons. The air is even try. Unpleasent.     Apokolips makes Death Valley look a rainforest, by comparison.     Granny Goodness shuffles out of the way of the Dread Lord, stating, "You have the honor of addressing Lord Darkseid, child. Be respectful," but then she lapses into silence.     Desaad, pleased, moves with slow, calculated movements down the stairs, just behind Darkseid, staying near the hulking figure's right side, but knowing his place. His hands fold into his robe, and he watches Faora, with glittering eyes of interest. But he says nothing, yet.
Synestria	Darkseid moves with slow, deliberate steps and looks over Faora with his red eyes. "You are on Apokalips, Kryptonian. -MY- world. One that you can be a part of." Darkseid's heavy footsteps finally reach the bottom of the staircase and looks towards Granny Goodness. "What news of Intergang, Granny Goodness?" he asks, his blazing eyes looking at her face.
Superwoman	"Darksied? Your world?" Faora asks, as her eyes narrow and she stares at Darkseid now. She takes a half step back. A more defensive posture. "I'd suggest you keep your distance. The only Darkside I like is Pink Floyd's of the Moon. And you don't look very much like the album cover."     "What do you mean.. a part of it?" she frowns deeply, another half step back- an even more defensive posture.
Grace Choi	Granny Goodness glances, sidelong, to Desaad. "A failure, Lord of Apokolips. The men that Desaad so quickly -- found -- for our efforts have proven to be weak bags of flesh. Unable to comprehend the true magnificence of your technological gifts given to them. They've wasted them on paltry desires. And, they've been foiled at every attempt."     The old hag seems to take a perverse pleasure in her next words, "This Kryptonian is Desaad's only victory in his - cunning plan. Intergang is all but destroyed. We will have to send our armies."     Desaad's features go savage, then, as he points a long, boney finger at Granny Goodness. "-I- brought the Kryptonian here. You! You have done -nothing-, old hag!"     Infighting, it seems, is not an unknown thing.     "A failure," restates Granny Goodness. "The weapons have been confinscated against those who would oppose us. My own spies have tracked Barda. She has escaped to their world. She is warning them."
Synestria	"Enough." Darkseid commands silence of them. Darkseid doesn't even look at them. "Bring Bruno Manheim before me. He will know the price of his failure." He practicall spits the name as he glances to Desaad, then turns towards Granny Goodness. "Ready your Furies, Granny Goodness. Barda is too soft-hearted, but allow her to warn the humans. It will only make their failure that more complete." He then looks to Faora. "yes, Kryptonian. You have the opportunity to join the Legion of Apokalips and be my champion. To join the side that will crush Earth, even in it's feeble resistance to avoid serving the glory that is me. To stand at my side, as earth becomes part of -MY- empire. To serve my will. There is no higher honor in the universe....than to be the Champion.....of Darkseid."
Superwoman	"Actually, that dead idiot on the ground brought me here. Regardless of who may have loaded the gun, neither of you actually did anything." Faora states, "It was the dead man who pulled the trigger. And if you were their commanders, you're really shit commanders. What kind of commander hides behind all those men and pulls strings like a puppet.. who doesn't fight alongside them?"     Faora looks then over to Darkseid, "This is your army? This unfocused rabble?" The Kryptonian soldier does nothing to hide her disdain. "With the technology you have you should have been able to take over a planet such as Earth in no more than seventy-two hours." She sneers quietly.     Faora's attention turns then to Darkseid. "I've heard that song and dance be9fore. What makes you think I would betray the people I have chosen to protect?" Her leather-clad fists clench tighter. The leather groans in protest.
Grace Choi	"As you wish, Father." A dark shape, beastial, that only now moves out of the shadows shifts from behind the throne. "The human will be brought to you." Kaliback speaks with the greater reverence than either Granny, or Desaad. The burly shape kneels, bows, and remains there a few moments. "I will not fail you, Father," he promises. And then? And then, he's stepping away to see to his errand. The fetching of Bruno Mannhiem.     "Of course," says Granny. She leers at Desaad, smugly, "The Furies will be ready to deliver your message, Lord Darksied," agrees Granny. Her eyes linger on Faora, and she begins to laugh, low, a tiny little cackle burbling out of her lips at Faora's defiance. "That? That was the merest effort. Girl. Your Earth is about to meet the true army of Darkseid. His armies will blacken the skies. And you -- you are being offered the chance to lead them. You would be wise to consider."     She nods to Darkseid, "I will gather the Furies, Lord. They will be ready," she assures again, and then she is slowly walking off, occasionally another little laugh bubbling from her ancient lips.     Desaad's eyes widen. "Lord," he begins to plead, "My plan is fullproof. It can still be salvaged, I swear!"
Synestria	Darkseid looks to Desaad. "bring Kalaback before me as well, Desaad." he then turns his head more fully to Desaad. "And your plan will not need to be 'salvaged'. We will either conquer earth....or BREAK them." "Because, Kryptonian. To be my champion means you can live in splendor, as a god. You may have worlds chant your name.....fear you, serve you....as my Champion. To not do so......" And he lets the threat hang.
Superwoman	"Yeah, I've heard that before, too." Faora replies to Darkseid. "Let me help you understand something- I betrayed the people I swore to defend once. I will never do it again." she shakes her head. "So then." She lifts her fists, settling her shoulders. "I'd like to go home, then. Open that portal and I'll be on my way." she continues, taking a slow breath.     "Unless you'd rather dance. I'll be glad to show you why they used to call me the Tigress. I'll beat you, and everyone else in this room into the ground." Faora announces.
Grace Choi	"Of course, Lord Darksied. I will see he - and Bruno Mannhiem, are both returned to you expediently." Desaad turns to go, interested, but too smart to know how close to peril he is, to linger and watch Faora's 'education' at the hands of the Lord of Apokolips. For the moment, the two are left alone. For the moment.
Synestria	Darkseid has not taken his hands from behind his back, but he now stares at Faora. "If earth is, indeed your home...." And his eyes flare a brighter red. "......then I shall place you where earth will end up.....under my boot." Just then, beams of light erupt from his eyes, and move in strange, angular direction...VERY FAST towards Faora. This is Darkseid's Omega beam.
Superwoman	Faora is off like a shot- away from the beams as they come at her so fast. She dives to the side, trying to gain some distance.     Those beams are faster than Faora, though, and then she's struck- first by one and then by the second. She tumbles back and crashes into and through a wall.     But she's not done. She's not out- not that quickly. She's on her feet, and driving back towards Darkseid to go on the offensive. Her attack brutal, quick. Her uniform was already in tatters. Burn marks on her skin. She was injured- but she fully meant to cause Darkseid great harm, if she could manage it.
Synestria	Darkseid does not move from his spot, nor do his arms move from behind his back......at least, not until Faora's in his reach. Suddenly, his hand is at Faora's throat, and squeezing with a vice grip that she's never felt before....even from a Kryptonian, and he's......not. Darkseid slowly turns towards Faora.....that deliberate slowness that causes many people to underestimate him....and his eyes glow even brighter. "I warned you, Kryptonian. You had your chance to be my champion. Now you'll just be another victim." This time, his Omega Beam fires from point blank range, only it doesn't strike faora in the face.....it arcs around to her back....to burn her flesh, and give her the intense pain that her normally invulnerable body could regenerate easily, but Darkseid is counting on the pain......and not lasting damage. "Desaad....." He calls....
Superwoman	Pain shoots through Faora's body. She growls, before crying out in pain- but she doesn't stop fighting. Pain is an old companion to this particular Kryptonian. Even as damage is done. Even as pain is wracking through her entire being. She folds up, legs around Darkseid's arm as she tries to wrack it- but she's feeling weak, after being target practice for Intergang. After the Omegabeams. She's losing this fight.
Grace Choi	Desaad comes back, ..., seemingly having done Darkseid's bidding. A large shape is with him, hunchbacked, bestial, and it's dragging a terrified, babbling, Bruno Mannhiem with it. "Yes, Master. I've returned, and brought Kaliback as you've instructed. He has Bruno Mannhiem with him, Lord. What more would you wish of me?" Desaad seems very, very, overeager to please. He must know he's failed Darkseid. And how the Dread Lord deals with failure.     Kaliback snarls at Bruno. "Quiet." Then, "Father." Bruno is man-handled, picked up, and dragged in front of the the man. "I have brought you that which you requested."
Synestria	Just as Desaad comes in with Manheim and Kalaback, Darkseid, when Faora tries to bend his arm, he simply shifts his grip from her neck, to her face. He then lifts her up over his head....and SPIKES her...skull first...into the stone ground.....leaving a rather sizeable crater. "be glad I let you live, Kryptonian." However, Darkseid is angry.....not only at Faora's refusal, but at more. His gaze turns to Manheim, and his red eyes flare. "You will speak you are spoken to, Kalabak. Bruno Manheim.....I have given you the means in which to conquer earth, and the plans in qhich to do so. Yet you squandered it in childish displays of power. Do you realize how much I dispise -FAILURE-?" That last word should be making Kalabak and Desaad back away from Manheim...
Superwoman	Faora lays there, groaning in pain. "...You'll be sorry you let me live." she hisses out, after a cough. Flecks of blood on her lips as she tries to stand. Tries to find her feet. She's weak from the beating.. but she won't give up.
Grace Choi	Kalibak does indeed back away, and goes silent, his eyes down. He does not need to see what is going to happen. He already knows. And, he knows, too, how angry his father is.     Desaad does not plead for Mannhiem's life. It is nothing to him. And maybe, just maybe, if Darkseid takes his anger out on Mannhiem ... Desaad carefullly backs away, and he, too, goes silent.
Synestria	Manehim actually begins to plea for more chances, more attempts to conquer earth. "ENOUGH." Darkseid speaks the one word normally, but it's impact can be felt, more than heard. "I have given you more than enough chances and attempts to conquer earth....and you -FAILED- at each of them. You will receive no more chances, Manheim. Now.....you will see what the punishment is for -FAILURE-." Darkseid red eyes flare.... Then his Omega Beam arcs out, turning this way and that to give Manheim nowhere to dodge, until he is struck by the Omega beam..... Where Manheim was standing, there was only smoke...not even ash. "There is no failure on Apokalips." "Kalabak.....prepare to bring destruction down upon earth. destroy all that you see. If they will not surrender...they will be broken." "Desaad.....the boomtube...."
Grace Choi	"Your Will, Father, shall be done," Kalibak states, with that same perfect reverance. Then, the beastial creature moves off to prepare for Darkseid's desires.     Desaad says nothing, but pulls from his purple robe a rod. Faora, if she's concscious enough, may well recognize it. It's what sent her here. He extends it, both offering it to Darkseid -- but also prepared to activate it, if Darkseid deems him to activate it.
Superwoman	Faora pauses quietly, taking a slow breath. She begins to formulate a plan- she needs to get out of here. She needs to get one of those things to open a tube. She can't beat this. She eyes Manheim. He could, potentially, be a boon, but just as likely a much needed distraction.     And then he's gone. Things are moving a little quicker than she's able to react to in her injured state. "..I'll be back, Darkseid. I promise you'll regret this day."
Synestria	"Activate the boomtube, Desaad." Darkseid says, before he slowly walks towards Faora. "No, Kryptonian. You will regret turning down my offer to be my champion." He says as the boomtube appears behind Faora. "Now...the fate of earth's.....is yours." And he DECKS her. She wouldn't even see the punch coming, but he hits her with enough force that it creates a shockwave, and knocks her through the boomtube.... ....and rightinto an intersection in the middle of metropolis.....leaving a rather sizeable crater....complete with cars flying in different directions. Those who are alive, are very badly hurt. And the boomtube closes behind Faora....