Hard Choices for Her

"Did Dark Squire brief you?" Stan did bother turning as he heard the elevator land, the mechanical sound echoing about the Dark Cavern. He knew who it was, even listened to the discussion on the balcony before she'd come down. Carefully planning around the tense worry and halfhearted commitment Miss Psyis had displayed, upping Izime's threat rating even further as it seems he'd compromised his fellow League Member.

 

 

"I had a talk with Steven sure." Psyis nodded walking towards the main cause of all the problems, hoping the rest of that statement didn't need to be finished. She'd even taken the time to change before arriving in the depths below the manor, bright spotlights reflecting off the silver scales of her proper heroine attire.

 

 

If Dark Night was going to call the whole League in for one person she was going to show up in uniform, ready to have a say in the matters that involved her friend. Dark Night would of course take issue with anyone who knew his identity, that operated in a gray zone, and who absolutely didn't respect him. Izime had checked all three of those boxes easily.

 

 

Admittedly Psyis hadn't expected Dark Night to run off and rile Radiation Man up, or sending Hank to demand answers from the tribunal, all over Izime, that was all tears and spilled milk now though. Psyis was glad she'd changed, knowing she'd have looked a fool to demand answer's standing here in an old hoodie and jeans, the addition of that silver and white giving her the courage to face her senior member. Making it easier to sound like she held some kind of power in the League, trying to put her foot down.

 

 

"What's this about you wanting to drag Izime to Savior Orbital?" Psyis demanded to know, crossing her arms while she tried to match Stan's pose.

 

 

The fans of drives in the cavern clicked along in the silence. Stan's blue eyes not blinking once just glaring at the mind-reader in front of him, not the least bit intimidated by the weak-willed heroine before him. Black armor creaking with each slow and heavy breath, watching as those scales twisted a bit under his gaze. The co-founder of The League of Planetary Saviors not the least bit intimidated by whatever childishly naive notions had worked their way into his junior members skull.

 

 

"I-I'm not against getting answers," That fierce determination faltering as Stan's jaw clenched, and his brows furrowed. Psyis realizing she needed to play along with her senior member if she wanted to know anything. Dark Night was one of the reasons she had a seat, the power to act like this at all, so she timidly blew out the flame of defiance to a weak complaint. "I also want to do this right Dark Night."

 

 

"I don't plan to drag anyone." Stan nodded, finally telling a white lie as Psyis broke; it wouldn't be him dragging the magician in after all.

 

 

"I want to do this by the book, the same books Izime is using to avoid our investigations." Stan continued whitewashing his actions with the same excuses he'd fed James. If Izime wanted to act cocky then Stan would just use the biggest guns earth had in its reach on him. When Radiation Man had washed his hands of the potential leak then then Stan would find him a room in the Abyss, the perfect place for such a flight risk. "We can charge him with selling stolen goods, trafficking stolen cargo, illegally transporting sentient species to who knows where, but the main thing I am going to charge him with is forgery."

 

 

"Forgery?" Psyis' brow twitched as she tried to follow along with Dark Nights plan, not quite following just how Radiation Man was involved in charging Izime with anything.

 

 

"There's a hole in Izime's whole existence." Stan didn't bother bringing up any of the information he had copied from Savior Orbital. If Psyis had been motivated she'd know already, now he just needed to carry her weight; it was probably better she knew less in fact.

 

 

Controlling the information was the key to bringing Izime in, feeding James just enough and keeping Psyis just far enough out of the loop. Just enough so James wouldn't ask twice and little enough that if Psyis wanted to help Izime she'd have to keep guessing.

 

 

"Between Earth records and the Vidan Security Councils records he just appeared five years ago." Stan gave a rough account of the back-and-forth red tape shuffle Izime had locked the two record keepers in. The man had made it awfully easy to paint him as questionable at best, something Stan intended to use against Psyis now, "Vidan gave him clearance to be on earth just figuring we'd lost a human somewhere along the way. Something I'd consider possible if it wasn't for absolutely everything about the man, something even you've admitted."

 

 

"No human, no decent one treats earth like it's just another planet." Stan stood firmly on the statement, one of the few truths he'd spoken about Izime tonight. It was ingrained in humans to worry about earth and Izime didn't seem to have a single thought about the planet beyond it being nice picking for his scams. Dark Night using that lack of information to create a solution, he'd use the whole league to do it too. "We can force him to tell the truth, about everything, but only if we take him to court under League jurisdiction."

 

 

"You want to use a trial to bring in Lady Shield." Psyis kept the breath she almost let out, realizing Stan was already cutting her out of the actual interrogating. Carefully keeping her red eyes from searching his face for a sign of distrust, hoping to keep some part in this plan so she could have some say in what happened to Izime.

 

 

"Evidence doesn't matter when we can force the truth out and psychic powers seem to be ineffective." Stan nodded confirming the thought Psyis was having. Dark Night was glad she'd made her own conclusions; the binding of truth would be handy if they needed answers, but they didn't. Stan just needed an excuse to keep Izime locked away from ever revealing anything, being the massive risk he was.

 

 

Blue eyes watching the psychic to see if there were any more reasonable issues, actual valid threats Izime posed. James was already on-board after hearing about Izime's attitude, activities, and that he'd known the Kansas raised Zexxian was Radiation Man. It may have taken some added assumptions like informing James that Izime knew who his wife and kids were as well. Though seeing as Izime had known about Sarah, Stan's own reformed fling, it was hardly a stretch.

 

 

"Unless you're holding back?" Adding a bit of fuel to the fire Stan posed a question to take Psyis further down her own road and away from the actual purpose behind apprehending Izime.

 

 

"I... haven't tried to directly enter his mind. Most humans are broadcasting their thoughts and," Psyis admitted she hadn't tried forcing her own mind to dive into that nothing, naturally wary of the unnatural psychic anomaly. "He's a void, like I said but I could try jumping in."

 

 

"So is the bird if I remember?" Stan continued, casually giving a slight glance towards the timer on the screen. Marking the moment Psyis started revealing information on Izime as he'd need to check for any changes between this conversation and their last talk. Cross-examining the answers she'd given last time to see if there was anything new or anything that she'd tried to leave out this time.

 

 

"Yes, neither of them reacts to surface level telepathy or basic telekinesis like grabbing." Psyis continued to reveal what she knew. Though she was careful not to spill any new information, careful to only answer specifically what Dark Night had asked about. "The bird can break down into particles so its immune. Izime is just, slippery is a good term I guess?"

 

 

"I believe the main things we need to counter are the teleportation spell and the creature." Dark Night added his own notes to the audio log he was making out of Psyis debriefing. It was best she did it while she was fresh, still a bit tipsy from the bar and willing. "Ret-borg should be able to contain it."

 

 

"If not?" Psyis tried to keep the worry from her voice, her attempt at sounding emotionless paling compared to the tone Dark Night took when talking about killing the bird. The technological creature obviously not a part of his no killing rule as he casually mentioned sending the overpowered Zexxian to swat it down.

 

 

"Radiation man can neutralize it." Stan didn't waste time on the emotional girls worries, the animal posed just as much risk as its owner. Even if it did house actual opportunity for study, that was only if it was safely neutralized and not destroyed. Stan figuring the thing had been raised or programmed to protect Izime the odds lay in the latter. "I don't want to destroy it. Its technology seems similar to Ret-Borg's so he should be able to part it out into something useful and not some flying malware."

 

 

Psyis closed her eyes, not needing to try and read between the lines of the bread recipe in Dark Nights mind to understand. This wasn't just about finding out who or what Izime was at all. Stan's goal at the end of it all still saw the man locked up. This wasn't FazzPazz, he wasn't going to try to talk to Izime and figure out what was going on in the man's head. The only reason Stan would bother would be to make sure Izime stayed locked in all that much longer. Why else would he be planning to neutralize Cradle, talking about using pieces of Izime's friend.

 

 

"Dark Night, I..." Psyis voice coming out with a slight tremble regretting coming down at all, though her mouth quickly shut on instinct as Stan came sweeping forward.

 

 

"Dark Squire talked to you upstairs Miss Psyis. I thought when you arrived down here you had already made a choice." Dark Night exhaled as he heard the weak tone, one that certainly didn't deserve a seat beside him on Savior Orbital let alone this minor mission. Still Dark Night pressed, needing the thessian to play her role, it was the best trap he could lay so he used that same seat to remind her. "When you joined the League of Planetary Saviors, I supported you, I voted on your behalf. Giving you a chance to swear an oath to uphold certain ideas, first among those was the Protection of Earth. Do you remember it?"

 

 

"I do. I made that promise with every intention of upholding it Dark Night, bu-" Psyis exhaled trying to hold her ground once more under that hard gaze. Understanding more now why those insane criminals easily cracked under this man and not her own powers, he made sure he held the advantage. Everything from guilt to near blackmail as Stan lofted the position he'd helped her attain.

 

 

"There are no buts Miss Psyis. Izime is not just a risk, he is a complete unknown. A wild card that is transporting some of the most devious creations our enemies have produced, selling them across the galaxy. With information on Radiation Man, Green Ring, myself and even you." Stan walked forward, tilting his head as he looked at Psyis from under his brows. Filling every word with his firm belief in justice, "Izime is going out of business, I've got a cell in the Abyss waiting for him already."

 

 

"Constantinople?" Psyis asked one final question, wondering if there would be anyone left on Izime's side after tonight. Wishing she could be shocked at the Leagues reaction. As nice as Izime seemed that was a mountain of evidence for forcing some answers out and a solid reason to keep their own asses safe. The abyss was a bit much though, Psyis wondering just how deeply the space faring man would hate being locked away from even seeing the stars.

 

 

"I let him take that toxin, it should buy us some time to move on Izime." Stan brushed off the mock worry, giving the psychic a look. One that clearly indicated that if Constantinople showed up there would only be one person he pointed the finger at, and it wouldn't be Izime.

 

 

"Izime is already planning for you to make a move," Psyis warned Stan not wanting him to jump the gun if the salesman was one step ahead.

 

 

The heroine torn between hoping Izime just left Voltham and hoping he'd fall into Stan's net while she was here. There was zero reason for him to leave, and he'd already said that the trip was planned through the new year. Now, even if he didn't show it was just a matter of time until one of the League members encountered him and called it in.

 

If she wasn't there then who knows what might happen.

 

 

"To force him off-world I heard, that wouldn't be very smart considering all of our secrets would leave with him. Steven bugged you," Dark Night nodded with a wave towards Psyis hoodie in explanation. Stan quickly added that it had been at his order, not wanting the two to fight further. "At my request. Sometimes justice is a hard thing to grasp Miss Psyis. Don't let the technicalities Izime's using cloud your decision making, that's his motive. Making you forget what your job is turns you into an opportunity for him, nothing else."

 

 

"The man's running a better con than Constantinople." Dark Night added mortar to the bricks, building a wall in Psyis mind between her and the space conman.

 

 

Taking chunks of Psyis resolve that she'd foolishly built around her feelings and tearing them down, reconstructing those few brief moments into something sinister in her mind. Stan continued confidently gas-lighting the psychic against her own gut intuitions, bringing her mind back to an entirely separate but adjacent topic. One that would only serve to support that wall turning it into a form of mental bunker against any good intentions.

 

 

"This is the first time you can't read someones mind, its hard you you to get a read on him. I heard it myself; you have no idea how the man even feels let alone thinks." Stan reinforced the wall in Psyis mind the same way he had with James, lying. "Izime could easily mislead you and likely has been, so I stepped in; don't blame Steven."

 

 

"Whats the plan to bring him in?" Psyis clenched her jaw, knowing what Dark Night was trying to do and sadly unable to refute him with any real truths; Izime hadn't given her any after all. Izime could easily, no he had easily played around with her tonight in his own way. Flirting then back to an almost sterile friendliness, cocky then embarrassed; he'd been all over the place. Psyis now unsure if it's been so innocent, regretting playing into it.

 

 

Almost regretting going at all until she considered she'd only ever be used either way. Either Izime making her complacent to use her in some way, or Stan had just used her to get to Izime.

 

 

"We let him come to us, he's confident in his ability to vanish but that ability is tied to his hand." Dark Night finally used the computer, pulling up a plan for forcing a showdown with the villains during tomorrow's patrol. It was risky and certainly hastily crafted, but still a solid plot. "If we can render that ability useless then we only have to worry about the bird, the one with actual combat skills."

 

 

"Ret-Borg and Radiation Man, but how are we going to get close enough to Izime t-" Psyis quickly tried to point out a flaw until she realized why Stan was so intent on having her help. She even been foolishly hoping she could get some say on what was going to happen by forcing alterations to the mission through her own suggestions; she was the key to the whole thing.

 

 

"Izime has appeared twice now within our effective combat ranges." Stan kept his disappointment to himself as Psyis had already forgotten just how useful she was going to be for bringing Izime in, rushing to interfere in the whole thing.

 

 

"Both times when I was at risk of encountering fear toxin." Psyis shook her head, wanting to make excuses for Izime; though Dark Nights earlier insinuations were messing with her own views of Izime's motivations, "He's not worried about me, it's about what would happen if I was under its effects, the damage I would cause."

 

 

"It's a logical outcome," Dark Night nodded, following along and slightly course correcting Psyis own assumptions. Painting Izime in a profiteering mindset as everything pointed towards the man being wallet minded first. Stan not wanting anyone to think their target was concerned about the public's safety. "You would likely destroy the area and demolishing his products and his sales."

 

 

"That's..." Psyis trailed off as she considered Constantinople's multiple warnings and worries about Izime being too focused on his gray market. Not mentioning the more personal warning and worries he had dumped on her, dismissing Izime's warning in the alley, "That's a reasonable assumption, even Constantinople warned me he was entirely business minded."

 

 

"It will be a delicate operation to pull off with all the moving pieces involved, considering Izime has already involved Crusher that makes a three-man team of villains." Dark Night hit the play button, the map pieces moving in a 3-d space as various components came and left, the entire operation playing out flawlessly in a digital world. "So, I'm going to call in help, we'll sweep the board tomorrow night with a five-hero squad."

 

 

"Radiation Man, Ret-Borg, Yourself, Dark Night, and finally myself. I'll holding off on contacting Ret-Borg as it would be traced so Steven will send an emergency broadcast when the chance comes, Radiation Man is already waiting up at Savior Orbital for the signal." Dark Night was glad that Psyis wasn't arguing with her role, bait was the best spot for her. He certainly wasn't going to leave the now so easily swayed Psyis in control of sending the signal so that was left to Steven. Hopefully the two could sort themselves out after this, Stan hoping that this Izime's using the young woman would help her see that his young trainee wasn't so incapable.

 

 

"If Zythomia decides to take Izime's side?" Psyis didn't bother having any real hope that the rarely bothered Tribunal would make any big moves to save a small-time smuggler. They had much larger concerns like maintaining the cosmic balance and order of the emotions their Ring Bearers used and weren't so big on batteries.

 

 

"Hank's going to have a difficult case to plead by the time he gets back, worst is we allow them to extradite him to Zythomia and Izime can enjoy a life sentence with the Ring Bearers." Dark Night shrugged as he considered doing the same red-tape tango Izime had in order to keep him Earth-bound. "Best case their tribune dumps the issue on Hank as Earths Ring Bearer and Izime is locked up in the Abyss regardless."

 

 

"What exactly do you need me to do." Psyis finally stepped up, shoulders held back as she looked at the map of Voltham. Willing to do her duty tomorrow as difficult as it might be, Izime would come in and listen. She'd fight to keep him out of the Abyss, but he'd have no choice but to give up his business.

When everything settled, maybe he could walk free and hopefully live a better life than homeless, someday maybe?