[Location: Apokolips, Umbra]

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Steppenwolf.”

“Yes, and you… I seem to… remember demonstrating what your place is a few times.”

Steppenwolf wouldn’t collect the respect of his peers into neat, little boxes if he kept insulting them. He knew this. Yet Steppenwolf couldn’t help himself if he was in a particularly nasty mood. Poking the membrane of someone else’s feelings allowed a mental reversal of his perceived weakness. He needed that after reading the message Stellar had sent him previously. It was written with Stellar’s professional hand, but Steppenwolf knew how spongy she was. Stellar had never been anywhere except a select few sectors, let alone off-world. The military couldn’t have her panicking during war. Steppenwolf kept reminding himself that was the only reason he should be perturbed.

With an unruffled disposition, the Apokoliptian before him spoke fluidly.

“I’m going to show you around the Abysm now. Try not to fall into the vats. I won’t be cleaning up any messes.”

∞

[10.10.10XX]

[Messaged received from STELLXR_]

Steppenwolf. I am writing this message to let you know that I will now be aboard the Abysm. The Crown has selected me to demonstrate the faults in New Genesis’ atmospheric defense. I will be reporting to the Royal Palace tomorrow morning to review my past work. A Female Fury named Lashina will be advising me. Is she nice?

[End message_]

“Is she nice?”

It had been a peculiar question. Why would Stellar ask if a Female Fury was friendly?

Steppenwolf could almost see her face cracking into a dismal stream.

∞

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

Steppenwolf had to admit that he was indeed impressed. But he wouldn’t say that out loud, of course. The Abysm was Apokolips’ war flagship and it had earned its name. Parts of the build jutted out in wild, angular plumes. Painted gleefully across the hull was Apokolips’ royal crest. Its design led down to a singular point where a control room met with the ship’s most devastating plasma weapons. Mother Boxes were incredible tools when it came to terraforming worlds, but if one wanted to annihilate pesky enemies first? Then the Abysm would be appropriate.

Steppenwolf found the warship’s enormity humbling. It would take precise skill to navigate a vehicle containing almost a thousand Apokoliptians. And Steppenwolf knew the Abysm would be able to cut through New Genesis’ shimmering skies with ease. He wondered what New Genesites would think as they gazed upon the supernal omega about to pollute their world. Some would likely let it still their minds without a fight. Steppenwolf felt the center of his chest warm with amaranthine elation. Apokolips could keep exploring outside of the Fourth World unbothered when New Genesis was no longer a hindrance. They could keep conquering. So, this invasion had to be done sooner rather than later.

Inside the Abysm was austere. Bulkheads seemed to swirl around Steppenwolf and Lashina in a cerise blur. Reverberation made each sentence spoken seem like they were lightyears away.

“Where are… the cabins that elite personnel will be stationed in?” Steppenwolf inquired, thinking of Stellar.

Lashina seemed confused.

“Elite? What do you mean? Military or… ship operators? You need to be clearer when asking questions. Say what you mean.”

With each word Lashina spoke, it felt like lightning struck Steppenwolf. He disliked it when other Apokoliptians told him to reiterate himself. He just wanted them to figure out what he meant on their own. Steppenwolf realized this was selfish on his part, but he wasn’t a good conversationalist.

“Ok… What area of the ship will I be sleeping in?”

“Better. You w-“

“And just out of curiosity… Where will everyone else stay? Ship operators… Those helping to crack New Genesis’ shields?”

Lashina paused, cocking a hip. Steppenwolf’s height was greater than hers, but it didn’t stop Lashina from scrutinizing his expression.

“…”

Steppenwolf wouldn’t allow Lashina to find any impotence she was searching for. He wasn’t going to tell her why he was asking. And so, his posture remained impassive.

“Just… answer the question, Lashina.” Steppenwolf commanded stoically.

“Oh, all right. All right. Come with me.”

∞

“So, um… How long does a trip to New Genesis take? Any idea?”

Stellar and Tilde sat cross-legged on a mottled rug. They held each other’s arms and their foreheads pressed together softly. Stellar had broken the news of her departure a day before, leaving both of them in a disheartened state. Tilde felt lucky to know a rare sympathetic elite like Stellar, but felt frightened over the invasion. And Stellar didn’t want to break Tilde’s sugary heart by meeting her demise.

“This world is so cruel.”

Tilde pulled away slightly. Stellar hadn’t answered the question.

“Tilde, your sist-… She will not be here. She will be aboard the Abysm with the rest of the military. You will be safe. No one will be looking for you… She was the only one who was after you. Just stay here, ok? Please, just stay here. No one will come to my observatory with me gone. There will be no reason for anyone to visit.”

Tilde pulled away fully, tilting her head upwards. She rhythmically tapped her chest as if the action would stop any tears. Everything in the Fourth World was bigger than a single Apokoliptian. Or a single New Genesite, for that matter. The two planets were consistent in inverting each other’s tranquility. No matter what casualties occurred. And beyond the Fourth World?

What was beyond the Fourth World anyways?

“With Boom Tubes… I don’t think it should take long.”

“Ah… I see…” Tilde whispered in reply.

Time seemed to dilate into an exhausting froth of silence. But a minute later, Stellar spoke up again with a forlorn riddle.

“Tilde, who do you think is in the wrong? Apokolips? Or New Genesis?”

“W-what kind of question is that? Why are you asking…” Tilde’s voice trailed off into a hitched snivel.

“Tomorrow morning I’m displaying my skills before the Crown… I wonder…”

Stellar looked at her friend suffused in the lowlights of their situation.

“…How many innocent people there are on New Genesis.”

∞

Queen Heggra lounged restlessly on a settee. She repeatedly pulled her hair back only to release it in a flocculent cloud. The Queen had instructed Wunda and Chasma to accompany her to an isolated room. All other Furies had been sent away. The two remaining Furies were posted inside, electric spears poised in accordance with royal conduct. Chasma eyed a holographic display centered before the Queen. It oscillated with rhapsodic spates, displaying different areas of Apokolips. Some areas were marked in gleaming bronze.

“Wunda… Chasma. I haven’t seen my distinguished son in quite some time. He can not know about Suli Lux. I will not allow him to know… But where is he?”

“Do you wish for us to locate Uxas, my Queen?” Wunda implored.

The Queen pushed herself forward, letting a hand caress the holograph. It relinquished itself to her command with a visual fizzle. Translucent map details flooded the room in an auroral expansion. Light marbled Queen Heggra’s face as the map continued to rotate. She was looking for something.

“Yes. Yes, I do. But what I really want to know is why my son is forging relationships with unworthy commoners.”

Chasma felt her innards ossify in rage.

To be continued…