Chapter 180: Tell the Truth
"So, this is all your homework for today?"
Young reporter Clark adjusted his glasses, watching with a curious expression as Kara typed rapidly on a computer built with Kryptonian crystal technology.
A few minutes earlier, Clark had just gotten off work from the Daily Planet. Before his nightly shift as Superman, he decided to fly over to see his cousin and grab some coffee.
For some reason, ever since his last visit, he felt the coffee at this shop called HISHE had a magical quality; one sip was enough to get him hooked. After that, no other coffee in the world could compare, and he had to have a cup every day after work if he had the time.
Sipping coffee in the basement and watching his cousin's daily routine, the young reporter couldn't help but be impressed. With just a cursory glance, he felt that what his cousin was studying involved knowledge from at least six different galaxies. Even by Kryptonian standards, it was astounding.
"It's not really homework. I'm designing a new suit," Kara explained. "Orin Vale said my current one is a Kryptonian civilian model and that I could totally design an upgrade.
He gave me a direction and even listed the literature and applicable technologies. If all the intended functions are realized, this suit will be able to accelerate the absorption and storage of solar energy, insulate against red sun and kryptonite radiation, and even have a crystalline defense against magic."
Clark was stunned. "That impressive?"
"Of course." Kara grinned. "Orin Vale is incredible. I still have several projects on my plate... Oh right, call me 'older sister' and I'll make a set for you when it's done."
Clark smiled. "You're my younger sister now."
"How can what happened in the Phantom Zone count?" Kara pouted. "I don't care, I'm the older sister anyway."
"Alright, alright, Older Sister," Clark said with a smile.
"Good boy, Kal." Kara beamed. "I'll make a suit for you, too. Remember to give me your measurements. Oh, and Diana is here, too."
Diana Prince wore a simple, tailored jacket and high-waisted trousers, a sharp outfit that made her long legs particularly eye-catching.
"I've rented an apartment nearby. Looks like I'll be in the area for a while." Diana smiled, her usual "Song of Ice and Fire" in hand. "Your coffee here is really something else."
She had been a nomad for years, moving from place to place. She'd recently abandoned her previous identity and residence when she went looking for Ares, so it was the perfect time to move to Gotham.
"Of course," Kara said proudly.
"Where is he? I need to see him about something," Diana said.
"Oh, he's in his personal laboratory. We just encountered a crashed fighter jet, and as soon as he got back, he started studying its engine." Kara shrugged. "It's a separate dimension that even I can't just enter. He says some projects are too complex for me to get involved in…"
"Because you haven't reached that part yet."
As the voice spoke, Orin Vale appeared in the room.
"If you work a little harder, maybe I'll consider letting you give me a hand sooner."
Kara pouted. "I'm already working very hard…"
"Mr. Orin," Diana greeted him.
"We know each other well enough, just call me Orin Vale," he said. "You should already know that I'm conducting research on the Eye of Argo project."
Remembering something, he turned and said, "Pal, continue to analyze the engine power system we just collected. Then, pull up the project archives for the Eye of Argo."
"No problem, sir."
Diana crossed her arms and chuckled helplessly. "You're trying to activate the Eye of Argo with instruments and equipment? But that's not how it works.
We're talking about the divine power of Zeus, the supreme magic of Olympus. You can't possibly…"
Before she could finish, Orin Vale, without another word, summoned armor parts from his bracelet, which assembled into a gauntlet on his right hand. Driven by light energy, it unleashed a brilliant burst of azure lightning from his palm, crackling through the room.
Diana swallowed the rest of her words, a look of undisguised astonishment on her face.
Although the power wasn't strong and the scale was small, as a demigod of Olympus and the daughter of Zeus, she could distinctly feel the divine blood in her veins stir at that moment.
It was as if her very instincts were telling her an irrefutable fact.
"Is that… the power of Zeus?" she asked in amazement.
"Something like that," Orin Vale nodded.
"…You mastered it yourself?"
"That's not quite right. It's just a way of converting light… but you can understand it that way."
Wonder Woman couldn't hide her astonishment. "But that's… that's impossible…"
That was the power of Zeus, the King of the Olympian Gods, the authority that symbolized dominion over the celestial realm. How could someone just learn it?
Orin Vale just smiled faintly.
"Like I said. Science."
It was hard to say what magic was like in other worldviews, but at least in the Marvel and DC Universe, there was never an absolute boundary between magic and science. It was common knowledge in both universes that sufficient technology could be used to analyze any form of magic and energy; one just needed to find the right way to do it.
Of course, Orin Vale had only used the Eye of Argo to analyze a fraction of the divine power's attributes. He could simulate it crudely, but it had little practical combat value. His research goal here was simply to understand it and develop countermeasures.
But it was enough to once again reshape Wonder Woman's perception of so-called "science."
At that moment, Kara was behind her, curiously examining her rope. "This rope looks amazing."
Diana smiled and unhooked the lasso from her hip. "You can try it if you're interested."
"Really?" Kara curiously grabbed the rope. "Huh, it actually feels like it's moving, as if it's alive… Ah, it's so hot, and I have this illusion of my heart racing. It's… it's like the thrill I get when I secretly use Orin Vale's supercomputer to play games while he's away…"
Realizing what she'd said, she let out a small "Oops!" and quickly covered her mouth.
The Kryptonian girl snuck a glance at Orin Vale, only to meet his displeased gaze.
"Secretly using my computer to play games, huh?" Orin Vale chuckled lightly.
"I-I'm sorry! But at first, I was just curious and wanted to see your browsing history… no, I mean…"
Flustered, Kara realized the rope was the cause of this and quickly unfastened it, shoving it into her cousin's hands like a hot potato.
Caught off guard while drinking his coffee, Clark suddenly had the rope shoved into his hands. The lasso tightened around his hand. Clark immediately frowned and began to mutter to himself as if in deep thought, "They say my uniform is outdated and ugly, and they make fun of me for wearing my underwear on the outside.
A talk show host in Metropolis, Daisy, even said the biggest difference between me and Batman is that one wears his underwear on the outside and the other on his head.
I actually think my uniform is fine… alright, maybe I should change into something more fashionable and trendy…"
He snapped back to his senses halfway through, realizing he had been muttering his distracted thoughts aloud. Turning his head, he saw everyone in the room staring at him with amused smiles.
He wasn't too bothered, just a bit embarrassed. He scratched his head, offering a smile that was both awkward and polite.
Diana smiled and extended her hand. Clark handed the lasso back to her.
"The Lasso of Truth." Diana smiled. "Everyone eventually tells the truth."
She turned to Orin Vale. "Want to give it a try?"
Her eyes sparkled, seemingly with a hint of anticipation.
"I'll pass," Orin Vale said, then changed the subject. "I believe only a small part of your potential has been unlocked, Diana. With a little research, I'm confident I can find a way to make you much stronger than you are now."
"Thanks, but I'm fine for now," Diana smiled.
Orin Vale smiled without a word.
Diana herself was probably aware that she was far from her limit, and it might even be intentional. She was deliberately suppressing her divine side. Once she fully accepted and unleashed it, even a baseline Wonder Woman already ranked among the most powerful beings on Olympus.
But Diana would eventually accept herself.
Sooner or later.
"Sir, there's a development regarding the engine," Pal's voice reminded him in his ear.
"Oh? Tell me."
"We've hacked into the Coast City Air Force's system and found the project file for the crashed experimental prototype. It was named Project X-2020, and its development was a joint effort between the Air Force and a company called Kerketer Aerospace.
Additionally, our radar just detected an energy signature similar to the engine's in a warehouse at one of the Coast City Air Force bases."
As Pal spoke, he marked a small green dot on the map.
"And based on the readings, whatever the source of that signal is… it appears to have just been activated."
(end of chapter)