Old Heroes, Older Villains

3 AM

Astronomers all along the east coast tracked an object that had suddenly appeared in the upper atmosphere over Greenland, without triggering any orbital satellites. It was a meteor like object with a Trajectory that would put it in the Gulf of Mexico, and conventional scans would indeed confirm it had harmlessly landed into the drink. However, local news in Houston would contradict this report; a strange bright teal light suffused the area of the Brazoria National Wildlife refuge, local authorities advising all locals to stay away, and residents within the affected area are to observe a strict self quarantine.

5 AM – At a private farm just outside Houston

Jason Ryder awoke shortly before dawn, a strange teal light creeping through the curtains of his room. His 3 bedroom farm house was empty now, having the misfortune of having outlived his wife and children. His sleep had been restless with his granddaughter now also missing, and the strange light was another unwelcome intrusion in his life.
He would have slept through the disturbance were it not for the realization where the light had come from – the woods where his family were buried. A sudden urgency gripped his usually slow day, and in a handful of minutes he had changed into work clothes, washed away the sleep of his eyes and downed a cup of coffee. He’d have to deal with nosy neighbors, authorities, reporters and the like later on, but right now he wanted one thing- to see to the graves of his family.
Jason readied a saddle and fetched a horse from his stable, and prepared to ride out… and hoped no visitor would come by.

Elena Vexus sat contently in one of her labs somewhere in America. It had been quite some time since she had adequate time to herself to just research. She had undoubtedly fallen off the grid for a while, mostly due to helping different developing nations get their foot in the technological door. It truly had not been for any personal gain, she was just bored. Working on herself had grown surprisingly exhausting. She had hit a wall. There was nothing new, nothing interesting. Her plans for self ‘improvement’ had hit a metaphorical wall.
Soon thereafter, she received a notification from a European governing body about an object that had passed over Greenland undetected. Referencing it with all currently deployed aircraft and judging on its speed and trajectory, it was something that had gotten past even Vexus’ most sensitive orbital satellites.
”Fascinating...”
She said aloud, her bodyguard turning to come join her to view one of the screens amid the extended darkness of the room. Based on the information gathered, the meteor should have landed in the Gulf of Mexico, but such an object getting through all of the world’s satellites did raise suspicion.
”Hm... Pull up all costal new reports coming in for that area. Also, check all social media outlets, if there are any photos or videos of this object in the sky so we can just double check that it landed in the water...”

It took some time, but with herself, her General, and her super computers combing through all the information she found what she needed. Photos of the sky that civilians had posted confirmed what she was thinking. The rock had not fallen into the Gulf. And just like that, a news report from Huston came live.
”Oh wonderful! Triangulate that...Hm.. Bit of a hike from here it seems. What’s all the other data bringing in..?” She slid her chair over to another computer and grabbed a tablet and scrolled through some information.
”Well that only makes sense. Of course a space rock crashed in the middle of nowhere outside a major city. No less someone’s backyard...
General, I’m going on ahead. Schedule an excavation team. Here are my landing coordinates. I want a Cullinan ready and waiting with the most recent information on the house we’ll be paying a visit to.”
Her mechanical bodyguard gave a bow. Vexus smirked as a glow emitted from her left eye before her entire body whisked away in a cloud of sand.

————

Somewhere in Houston, a strong gust of wind knocked up some dust. Upon its settling, Vexus’ form appeared. She walked forward a hundred feet or so to the road as a large Rolls Royce SUV met her. Without missing a stride, she stepped into the vehicle and was handed a tablet with the information she had requested. Behind on payments, missing kids, dead’s family members. This place had all the strings for Elena to pull if necessary. But she just wanted the rock in this man’s backyard. No mess, no fuss. She was not going into this planning on using force. She wore a respectable business woman’s outfit, just ready to negotiate.
After some time riding in the back of the Rolls, she arrived to the household. The sun was still rising, and a glow could be seen off in the distance. Veuxs’ got goosebumps seeing this, thinking now this rock might prove incredibly fascinating. They pulled into the driveway, but already saw a man headed out the back of the house to a stable. Assumably to ride off towards the rock. It must have only landed hours ago and the owner of the property hasn’t even investigated yet. What perfect timing.

She called out to him ”Pardon me, sir?”
No response. She raised her voice, something powerful that echoed but still danced freely in the realm of approachable.
”Mister Ryder, Sir!...” Hopefully grabbing his attention, she approached further.
”I apologize for the intrusion on this early morning. But as we can both see something interesting has fallen in your backyard... Would you care to go for a drive?”
She gestured to the overly luxurious SUV she had just arrived in.
”I assure you, the ride quality on this one is sublime. Truly something to expierance.”
She spoke in a calm, casual and friendly manner. Figuring it would be something fun to take a a little adventure towards something unknown in such a vehicle. If he accepted her invite or not, she would head in the direction in her car.
She wanted to discuss with him her qualifications with helping him understand what it was that might have landed on his property. But most importantly how she could help put the mess behind him, and how it might benefit him in the long run... Elena Vexus did not mind helping the less fortunate if it meant she would benefit in the end. The deck was stacked in her favor, all she needed now was to come to an agreement with Mist Jason Ryder...

The sun was high and hot, casting vast shadows across the country side of old Romania. Breezy mountains surrounding grassy meadows, and dotted with flowing rivers. It had been far too long since Frederick had come home, the site of not only his birth, but the transformation that made him what he was today. Atop a rocky mountain, a cliff face on one side and a pebbled road on the other, the Balthazar Manor stood tall over the land. It was easily spotted by the few villages that littered the land below the mountain top manor, creating a sort of ominous superiority amongst the peasants that resided below. It was as if this land had been untouched by time; horse drawn carriages, wall sconces, and peddled roads made visitors feel as if they had stepped backwards in time.

The Baron had come back home to sort through some old files and photos, things he had recently needed for an important transaction. The flight here was relaxing, as the weather is mild in old Romania, and allowed Frederick to actually rest a bit. This was something that rarely happened, due to his condition. As he sifted through the files, he was interrupted by a sharp knock on his solid oak door. One of his security guards outside was knocking for his attention, awaiting the firm voice of their superior as acknowledgment and permission to proceed.

"Enter."

His voice was cold, only matching his equally cold stare that met the guard as he entered through the heavy door. His slit pupils rose from his papers to meet the guard, nodding towards him to proceed with his news. The guard would pull out a small tablet, bringing up the information he wished to share with his superior.

"Sir, we have word of a possible alien anomaly that has crash landed in North America. News stories were originally skeptical of it's landing in the Gulf of Mexico, however our people have pinpointed its location to Texas. We already have a team heading out their, and we're prepping the plane for departure. You can be there in less than 2 hours, if we leave soon.... sir...."

The guard seemed on edge, as if he was terrified of his boss, but in reality, it was just his first week. Frederick could not care any less, and was just content that he was following procedure to the letter. The cold man would give the guard a nod, which would signify his permission to leave the room. Once the door clicks shut, Frederick would stand up from his desk, papers in hand, and walk them over to a sophisticated wall safe that was obviously hidden behind a large brush painting of his father. It was a bit cliche now a days, however most wouldn't realize that Frederick actually did this nearly a century ago, when it was far less known and only available to those with means.

After a moment, the doors would swing open and Frederick would emerge, signature cane in hand as he began to make his way down the long corridor. The manor, though maintaining its admittedly old and gothic architecture, has been modified with modern day luxuries. Electricity, air conditioning, plumbing, even biometric security. The guards walked along with him, armed with M-14 rifles and 9mm handguns, their boots clicking and echoing through the immense corridors. Arriving at the newly built in hangar, the plane was already up and running as the sound filled the vast metal box with whirring noise. Frederick was met with another, but not a guard this time, instead someone who resembled that of a diplomat.

"Sir, here is a full report on the anomaly discovery. Its precise location, the properly it has landed on, and the person who owns the land.

Frederick takes a brief moment to settle in as the plane takes off and heads for America. While he relaxes in his luxury private jet, a mimosa to his left served by his on board bartender, he takes in the information of the case. He daintily takes a sip of his mimosa, setting it back down in the groove for drinks before exhaling.

"Tell our Houston diplomats not to proceed with negotiations for this land. I would prefer to speak to this Jason Ryder personally. However, make sure that they remain on sight, so as to impose our presence and interest in this.... meteorite."

The diplomat would nod in agreement and immediately make the call. Not long after this phone call, another luxurious SUV would pull up to the farmland in Houston. This one contained men in suits and ties, yet another cliche, but definitely imposing to a farmer and their mediocre surroundings. The men would exit the vehicle, remaining by its side and awaiting further instruction from their superiors, all whom answered to the one currently on a plane. The men were given strict orders not to engage unless necessary, reaffirming the importance of this particular transaction, and Frederick's ambitious eye for it.

Jason figured it was close to 530am, but the sky was all wrong here. The first yellow rays of sunrise were nowhere to be seen; instead a pale teal glow bathed his whole property in a… wrong kind of light. It was bluish green but also had a feeling of wrongness to it, literally something out of this world. His horse had taken only a few steps towards the light about half a mile away at far end of the property, and began to panic like never before. The horse was old for his species the way Jason was, but he bucked and kicked like a wild stallion.

“Hey! What’s the matter with you?” Jason shielded himself, instinctively getting away from the animal’s hooves.

(Vexus)
Right on time the anomaly attracted attention, and judging from the make of the cars, wealthy attention. Seems some private individual had noticed the meteor and right away came to speak with him. Vexus would have the misfortune of having a horse gallop at full speed towards her but, as was natural for the animal, simply sidestepped her and ran off the property. It was like he went ‘Nope, I’m outta here’

“Come back! You goddamned stupid horse!” Jason yelled at his sensible horse and threw his cowboy hat down to the ground in frustration. He rubbed his bald head as his problems began to pile up around him. Maybe a walk would be better for him.

He calmed down, took a few deep breathes, and turned to Vexus. “I’m sorry about the horse.”


Vexus quickly offered a friendly, warm attitude. She offered the old, smelly farmer a ride in her very expensive and air conditioned car. There was definitely something up with her, considering she wanted to investigate the meteor. He took one look a Vexus's expensive car. "My land is for cattle and crops, no room for cars." He asked the most obvious question. “Who are you?”

(Frederick)
The horse retreated further away from its home property, and nearly got into a mishap with some additional SUV’s that had arrived. The horse, actually becoming more frantic by the light, started kicking at the headlights and door. A tinge of unearthly light flashed behind its equestrian eyes, as the horse was now going berserk from the influence of the light.

Jason was now visibly stressed, as he was trying to talk to Vexus, while also now having to worry about paying damages to these new people. He wouldn’t talk to them however, until they actually got close.

Unknown to anyone at this point, the light had strange effect on living things. Some organisms like the horse, would be revulsed by it, but others had the opposite effect- overhead one could start seeing flocks of birds starting to fly directly towards the crash site. Elsewhere, animals were either fleeing or, if staring too long, started walking, crawling, even swimming towards it. And some baseline humans could even be affected, as hallucinations of departed loved ones that they could only see or hear started… calling to them.

The horse sped past her without Vexus giving a blink.
”My sincerest apologies...” Elena crossed her left leg behind her right, and folder her left arm behind her back and gave a proper bow. ”My name is Elena Vexus... I would say it is a pleasure to meet you, but I do believe I have already enjoyed such a meeting some time ago...
I do apologize for the chaos. I’m sure all of this must be quite overwhelming.
The trunk of her SUV opened up and she grabbed a pair of combat boots.
”I truly only wish to take the stress of this rediculous rock in your backyard away...” She kicked off her heels very casually, tossing them into the back of her large vehicle as she slipped on and laced up the combat boots.
”I’m nearly positive I won’t be the only, lets say, paranormal investigator, that will show up on your doorstep today. But I will do everything in my power to keep your property safe and keep you as well informed about everything as possible. Now then, I’ll gladly follow you through whatever path might be easiest here. We can save the ride in the Rolls for a rainy day.” she said with a kind smirk.
And just as she finished her sentence, another vehicle pulled behind hers. It did not seem as if Mr. Ryder’s horse tooo a liking to the car. Vexus did not recognize the people coming from the car, but it was clear they were more than likely after the same thing that she was.
”Ah, right on que. Isn’t this quite the popular location this morning...”. Needless to say, Elena was not too happy about the increasing amount of visitors. Especially so closely following her arrival. This meant that these individuals were not with any other world organization and sought after this meteor for their own personal gain. Of course Vexus had the same goal, but things only became more difficult where there are an increasing number of bidders so to speak.
”Mr. Ryder, I would like you to know that I can promise to keep your establishment safe in the case of any violent interactions with anyone who may be interested in the meteor behind us... Be though as it may, I would not be opposed to a tour towards this intersing space annomoly...”

Aboard the private jet Frederick remained relaxed, drinking his drink and scouring the file he had obtained on Jason. Admittedly the man seemed fairly unremarkable; simple farmer, dead family.... nothing really intriguing. Perhaps this was a good angle to work with. Perhaps his farm was in a bit of financial need, something he could use wealth for as incentive for the transaction. His slit eyes continue to search for any other details he could use.

"Sir, the jet is making good time. We should be landing in a half hour on the airstrip. There will be another vehicle waiting to drive you to the farm."

Frederick nodded, not even breaking his concentration as he acknowledged his diplomats words. The diplomat would take a seat across from his superior, trying to remain quiet to allow him to read. During that bit of silence, he would receive a notification on his tablet. It seemed there was a bit of trouble back at the farm.

"Um.... sir. There seems to be an issue happening with the detail we sent to the farm. Apparently one of the men left his post to.... chase the meteor. He claimed it was.... calling to him."

Frederick's eyes then just broke away from the screen and focused on his assistant's words. There was no expression on his face, the lack there of making it difficult to see whether he was upset or not. The diplomat would shiver lightly, trying to read his superior, which he should know by now was impossible. There he sat, waiting for his superior's words to cut him to the core.

"Get us there, post haste. I need to see this for myself. As for the detail team, have them picked up, and keep the one who claimed the meteor spoke to him under surveillance."

Back at the farm the situation was unfolding. The team had managed to calm and divert the horses misplaced rage, shooing it away and salvaging the car as much as they could. The strange happenings didn't end there, however, as one of the diplomats began to act strange shortly after the horse left. He would shake his head and exhale softly, as if his mind was getting fogged up. It wasn't noticable at first, until he began to speak to himself.

"Oh god.... Ryan.... Ryan I'm so sorry..... I didn't know....." Without so much as a warning, he began to run towards the meteor at nearly full speed. He was huffing and puffing as he exerted his full strength and stamina to reach the meteor as quickly as possible. "Ryan.... I'm coming! I'm coming home, I knew you weren't dead!"

The meteor was on the horizon as he sprinted towards it, now going full speed. He had even lost his firearm, having dropped it near a fallen tree he leapt over, seemingly desperate to reach that meteor, or in his mind.... Ryan. In the commotion the other man had called in the disturbance, making sure they were updated on the situation. There was clear protocol for an AWOL employee such as this, however the circumstances were unique.

Frederick had finally landed in the outskirts on a private runway near to his Houston division. He and his personal diplomat were now on route to the farm. They hadn't even been driving for more than 5 minutes before they skyline changed drastically. The air felt unnatural, and the force it was potent. It felt as if they were suddenly plunged into a mirror like dimension, everything exactly the same, except a strangeness surrounded them. Something unexplainable. Frederick would give a tap to the driver as they sped up, double timing it to the farm and leaving a large cloud of dust behind them.

Soon enough the intimidating black luxury vehicle would pull up. Parking at a convenient angle, the driver would shit down the car before stepping out and approaching the back. His fingers would clasp the door handle with a click, opening it wide as the vain and ostentatiously fancy gentleman would step out. His dark charcoal wingtips were immediately scuffed by the cheap, dirty ground that was this farm. Frederick would give a near silent scoff as he firmly tapped the foot of his signature cane into the dirt before he began to make his way towards what he assumed to be the farmer and.... who ever this other woman was.

"I wish to speak with Jason Ryder!" It was simple, but to the point. He refrained from speaking his own name, yet, as he didn't want to be left at a disadvantage with the owner of the farm. Currently he held all the strategic cards, at lease that's what he thought. A farmer like this being paid a significant amount of money to simply relinquish an alien meteor, seemed to good to be true. He had closed the gap between himself and the other party fairly quickly, making sure that they were both in eyeline and both in ear shot..... that and he needed to pick up their scent.

When things couldn’t get any worse, one of the suits started screaming a name and ran past Jason and Elena with reckless abandon. Jason was surprised, but didn’t show it. He started growling in annoyance when the man simply started running through his garden and then over his late wife’s herbs and fruits. “Hey! The hell you think you’re doing?!” But it was no use. The man ran in a straight line, showing ample dexterity as he scaled the fence to the cattle enclosure, scaring the cows, then into the deeper woods where the meteor landed.

(Vexus)

Jason took a minute to process everything Vexus was saying. Alot was going on with the new arrival.  

“Elena Vexus. Hmph.” A grunt of disapproval escaped from Jason as he collected his memories of another time, from when he and his friends wore bright colored costumes and fought villains. She had a different face now, but her presence, her speech… it was all familiar.  

“I remember you. It was 1984, with that gold monster. Time has been kinder to you.” He summed it up rather briefly. His demeanor and body language did not change, he did not feel threatened, nor did he act particularly hostile. Superheroes, costumes, the camaraderie… it was all a lifetime ago. Half a century had passed since Jason donned the Red Rider costume.

She was particularly generous with the offer of help. And her interest was the meteor, not his land. “Well. I do not know what you intend with the meteor, and I do not care. If you wish to retrieve it, then I will not stop you.” Then he turned to the newest arrival. A more predatory looking fellow, also rich naturally.

“But it looks like you’re not the only one who wants it.”

(Frederick)

“I’m Jason.” He acknowledged him briefly. “If you’re here for the meteor, you’re welcome to it. But you’ll have to talk with Elena Vexus.”

“Anyway. You want the meteor, walk this way. Mind the strawberries.” He then turned around and started walking slowly, through the winding paths through the gardens. He never imagined the day that an old supervillain would come and pay him a visit.

He looked at his gardens, rather dejected at the man who ran through it, crushing a few pots here and there, and stamping some nice ripe strawberries. His eyesight wasn’t the best anymore though, as the crushed fruits leaked some strange bluish ichor, not unlike the light emitted by the comet. Even this early, the comet already had a strange effect on the land, something worth investigating.

”Goodness it has been quite some time hasn’t it? I may have changed my looks but it seems your memory hasn’t faded!” she said with a kind chuckle. Her smile faded as strange things began to happen around them. The animals were going bezerk, and even more so interesting the well suited individuals who had arrived after her were sprinting towards the meteor screaming wildly.
As she had figured, these people were after the meteor as well. Who she assumed was their boss arrived, loudly stating that he wished to speak with Mr. Ryder. He responded saying if they wanted to take the meteor too, that they would need to talk to Elena Vexus. When she heard her name she gave a cute and polite wave letting them know exactly who she was.
After one of the men passsed her headed towards the meteor, she heard the roar of a car starting up. She turned her head to see her Rolls Royce barricading towards her. Elena gently flicked her two fingers upwards, causing the massive vehicle to go what seemed like completely weightless and float upwards for a time. It then gently landed back down were it had parked, the driver now unconscious. It seemed her men were not immune to whatever energy this rock was giving off. It was time to get closer.

Without even giving the new individual much of a chance to introduce himself or state his case, Vexus went off to follow Mr. Ryder as well as the man who ran through the garden towards the meteor. She figured they could converse while they were on their little hike towards this fallen rock.
Without turning, she raised her hand and waved towards the man who had most recently arrived.
”I hope you brought some boots!...Or maybe a carpet long enough to reach our destination back here.” she called back to him in a casual manner. She had seen his type before. Powerful. Rich. Assertive. Got everything they wanted by whatever means necessary. Elena had been like that once. And now she loves nothing more than being a force that stops entitled individuals from getting what they want. As she walked passed some of the destroyed plants, small golden circles gently glowed around whatever had been damaged. They appeared to be turned backwards in time as Vexus walked past, completely repairing anything that had happened to them when that man ran over them. Elena kept her head forward to make it seem as the fixes were happening automatically.
After passing the garden she was within speaking range with Mr. Ryder.
”As we walk I’d like to use you as a sounding board for some ideas I have about this meteor. So, no need to view this as conversation if you don't want to dear...” There was a slight pause ”Hopefully our new friend joins us shortly...”
There was another pause as Vexus looked around. There were subtle changes in nature around them. The plants were different colors. Some were shrinking, like they were being moved backwards in their life cycle. Some seemed to be fusing with one another. The closer they moved to the meteor the stranger things started to become.
”The environment is changing... And it seems to also have a heavy psychological effect on mammals... And birds apparently too. Hm, maybe just animals in general... Interesting. Alien in nature. Probably. Or maybe interdimensional? That would explain its sudden appearance on Earth. Nothing picked it up. And also, if this meteor is large, theres no way it wouldn’t have erased the entire area from the map with the speed it could have been traveling. So... Maybe it was sent here? And if so, why? And by whom? Ah! All the speculation! All the possibility! How fascinating!...How.. Terrifying..”
There was a growing sense of power as well. It was strange, it was familiar. She did not like it. Power that felt familiar was never good for Vexus. Familiar power to her falls into the realm of apocalyptic. If this meteor contained that kind of power, she would need to remove it. Elena was no hero. Never was, never will be. But being through what she has, and seeing what she has. She understands that there are certain matters which only she can handle, as no one else on this planet would be capable of surviving. In being as powerful as she has become, but remaining docile, she believes such power might not be as well utilized in the hands of someone else...

”Mr.Ryder... I’d like to inform you that this is going to be quite dangerous...”

A warning of danger from Elena Vexus was not something to take lightly.

The sophisticated gentleman increased his pace, attempting to catch up to the two people in a short burst. However while he was catching up, he would use the moments to analyze and learn as much as he could about the two. His keen senses would allow him to dig up any potential details on the two he could use to his advantage. These were only surface advantages, however, as he was not omniscient.

First was the farmer, his primary concern at the moment. His demeanor and facade was typical of a farmer; callused hands and knuckles, dirt beneath the fingernails, oily forehead, slightly hunched over from both lack of proper posture and hard manual labour. His scent was also typical as he wafted with the scents of manure, ripe body odor, fresh earth, and beer. His blood smelled surprisingly fresh and sterile, as if he were still youthful and virile beneath his old man exterior.

Now to the seemingly powerful and ostentatious woman. She struck him as someone who knew what she wanted, and how to get it. Her demeanor was full of confidence, elegance, and a bit of pompous narcissism. She smelled far sweeter than her counterpart, sporting the scent of top shelf cocoa lotion or perfume. It was odd that he wasn't able to get more layers from her aroma, as if she were suppressing or even just not emitting them at all. However, he did get a hint of a metallic essence from her. Even with the strange goings on around him, an whirlwind of scents and sounds, he was still able to ultra focus on him and her. It was as if she had a metallic composition in her very bloodstream. He would have to keep an eye on her.

Once his analysis was complete, he opened his senses again to the world around him. He could still hear the panicked diplomat running through the woods, desperate to reach the meteor. He made sure to keep an ear out for it, just to see what he could possibly hear before reaching the meteor. As he joined the other two, he felt as if he were now a tourist, being dragged through literal shit and dirt to see the alien rock. Every step bounced on his nerves, growing ever more aggravated at the cesspit that was this little corner of Americana. This was important, but it was also a shitty expedition. Despite his distaste for his surroundings, he never showed even one ounce of emotion or reaction. His gaze remained cold and calculating.

"You're sense of humour is contagious." His statement was flat and sarcastic, but he spoke with a distinct Romanian accent. He pauses for a moment, lifting one shoe with a slight tilt, then uses the nub of the cane to scrape off a bit of mud. Ultimately an effort made in vain, given the path they were to tread, in order to reach the meteor. "So Mr. Ryder, if I heard you correctly, you said that you were already interested in offloading this meteor as soon as possible. Has Miss Vexus here provided you with a tangible offer, or are we waiting to negotiate until we reach this space rock?" Frederick was already trying to bend Jason's ear to his favour, using the all too familiar tactic of downplaying the opposite party's capabilities of proper negotiation/professionalism. He was basically calling her incompetent and useless. He also had not even acknowledged her very presence apart from his comment on her humourous carpet gag.

Jason stopped by one of the greenhouses and saw that the plants inside had turn into some silvery mess of tangled vines, multi-colored crystalline flowers, and… did that plant just move? Yes it moved.

He retrieved a woodsman’s axe, a Remington shotgun and a belt of shells from a crate under one of the overtaken tables. The metallic plants felt like steel wire and resisted as much, but Jason was able to just pull them out of their pots. He loaded the gun as they walked, and listened to Vexus as she speculated the nature of the meteor. Villain though she may be, she had an academic side to her. She reminded him of his late life, a botanist who gushed about how crop plants were just a small part of a much wider variety of species.

“Couldn’t care less where it’s from. I’ll just be happy to see it gone… but I think the damage is done.”

Jason could sense Frederick’s eagerness to secure the meteor. “Like I said. You and Vexus work it out. I’m already thankful just to see it gone.” Jason summed it up very briefly. Indeed, what value did his land have now, that the people he shared it with were gone?

And so the trio walked and walked, passing through the greehouses and crops and coming upon the grazing grounds. The fence had a weak partition in case of disasters, and the cattle were running away from the meteor in a hurry for sure. At this point Jason figured his land had just lost its value, and the government will likely quarantine it for study.

Still, Jason did a quick headcount and knew not all of his cows got away. His fears were realized when some manner of… insect humanoids flew about and surrounded a black and white dairy cow – Roxy, one of the herd mothers – and were intent on hurting her. He saw that several cows were already dead, their guts spilled all over the ground. Roxy moo’d loudly in distress, being slowly surrounded by these cow murderers.

“HEY! GET AWAY FROM MY COW!” Jason yelled a warning, toting the shotgun at them. Unsurprisingly, they opted to turn their attention to the new arrivals than the cow. They flew with a frantic speed, like shooing away flies. They moved at a near blur, one landing and coming at Jason. His reflexes were rusty, but not so dull as to deal with speedster-lites.

The blast from the shotgun connected, the bug man knocked down from the force. “WRYYYYYYYY!” They let out a metallic screetch when struck. But, on closer inspection, one could already see their metallic forms slowly repairing.

Not knowing who they faced, the six or so … wasp men… encircled the trio, three serving as distractions and three circling around. They now had a fight on their hands, the enemy using rudimentary flanking tactics rather than attacking head on.

He didn’t seem to like her jokes. Shame. She thought she was hilarious. It seemed this new player was very interested in acquiring this rock. Despite popular belief, Elena believed that this would constitute as something ‘falling into the wrong hands’.
”It seems as if Mr. Ryder cares not on negotiations. So I Believe it shall be between us as to who scampers home with the big special rock from space” she said in an almost childish tone. Despite her joking, she knew she had to be the one to remove the rock from this location. There was something about it. The energy signal she was sensing was not something she could allow to be in the possession of anyone else but herself.
Entering more farm area, she could see Ryder might be somewhat concerned about his land.
”Regardless of who leaves with the meteor, after its cleared I can fix up this area of the land for you so you can return to farming. Call it for old times sake? I have learned a few new tricks since the last time we’ve seen each other” she said with a grin. This small smile faded when she saw some very interesting looking creatures feeding on the man’s livestock. He called out, and one of them gunned it towards Ryder. Vexus nearly prepared a counter, but the bug-looking human was shot right down by him.
”It’s refreshing to see you’ve still got some of your heroics left in ya...” Her sentence drifted off seeing the humanoid creature begin to regenerate. It was metallic, it was metal looking... Nanobots? No, no... It was smaller than that. More complex than that...
”...This... This couldn’t be...” she said under her breath with heavy concern.

Technomatter... Could these creatures be made from Technomatter? The very essence she manipulates? She should be the only one in this dimension capable of such a thing... The Celestials don’t have a foothold here... And if they did arrive, Vexus would have known. COuld this be a fluke? Some kind of mistake sent away by the Celestials? She would have detected the Technomatter long before this moment, the outter layer of the rock must be shielding the energy signal some how. Things just became far more serious for Ms. Vexus. If these creatures were truly of Technomatter origin, this rock must not fall into any other hands but her own. She had so many questions already. Sentient beings, formed of this matter. Who created them? How are they able to sustain their form? And even regenerate? She needed to get to the bottom of this. And now.

Activating her Celestial Eye for just a moment, extended her left arm out and six red spell circles appeared on each of the wasp-like creatures. Within a blink, all six went up in a brilliant blaze. The circles remained active on their bodies to keep the fire going. It was not enough to turn them to ash, but enough to keep the regeneration in check so they couldn’t fight again. She wanted to keep them alive in order to capture them. These creatures were complex and more than worth devoting countess hours to studying. Possibly revealing secrets about her own abilities she never would have discovered.

”I don’t believe I ever got you name... But I regret to inform you that due to recent discoveries, you will not be leaving with anything from this crash site...”
She looked over her shoulder towards him, the slight glow from her Celestial Eye meeting his gaze. There was an indescribable pressure in the air not caused by anything else but Vexus’ presence.

”Are we clear?”

Frederick was scoffing and groaning at the filthy terrain he was forced to trek with his party. He could never understand why people were content with wallowing in such disgusting places, and being happy about it. How could anyone be content with this stench, the mud, the dirt, the putrid animals. It burned him to his very core to even be here, and this Vexus character wasn't making it any better with her childish, insolent voice. Just a little further though, then he can out buy this farmer and this..... woman.

"I see, well how about we wait until we reach this rock. Call me old fashioned, but I'd rather not put up an offer until I know what I'll be acquiring. Although seeing that this land legally belongs to Mr. Ryder, you hold no clout until negotiations start."

"Scamper" she says. Frederick grew more aggravated with each syllable that poured from this womans mouth. He couldn't help but think she was trying to bother him, trying to get under his skin and catch him off guard. It wasn't going to work. Despite Frederick's overwhelming urge to simply slit their throats and make off with the stone, he held fast. His facial expressions were non existent, holding his well known and chilling cold stare that so many CEOs before him have come to fear.

His frustration was partially alleviated when he spotted the odd creature who had been feeding on the farmers livestock. It was incredible, beautiful and deadly..... a lovely combination. Frederick watched and observed, not even flinching as the beast ran fiercely towards them. It was shot down by Mr. Ryder; a skillful shot to say the least. Once the creature was down, Frederick would learn more about his and her past relationship. It seems they have known each other for quite some time..... and apparently this farmer is more than he appears. A hero, getting on with the likes of her? She didn't strike him as the hero type, making this all the more interesting.

This is when she addresses him more directly, less sarcasm to her tone. This only proved the worth of this rock, making him want it all the more, especially after what he saw with that creature. "I reiterate, negotiations will partake between Mr. Ryder, you and I. He must legally sign over his land before anything else can come to fruition." He intentionally avoided giving her his name, as he only intended in relinquishing that information to the selling party of the meteor, which at the moment was Mr. Ryder. "However, at the moment, we should probably focus on these things that look to be aggressive. I hope you can defend yourself Ms. Vexus." Frederick then got into a defensive stance, planting both of his feet firmly on the ground while clutching his cane in hand.