Orach nodded and said, "Good. Now I need your assistance." He then turned to Victor and continued, "Meet Victor. He has merged with an advanced piece of technology from this universe, but unfortunately, he can't control it. Could you try to access his mechanical half and diagnose the problem? If possible, try to grant Victor control. However, your safety is vital. Although I doubt any technology from this lower realm can harm you, I still want you to proceed with caution." Orach finished with a stern tone.
Mother Empress smiled, nodded, and turned to Victor. She performed an initial visual scan and said, "Interesting. It seems primitive at first glance. But, I suppose I'll understand more once I initiate the connection. Young man, extend your mechanical hand."
Victor, surprised at being referred to as a child, decided to ignore it. He extended his hand towards Orach and Mother Empress. Orach then sat next to Victor, aligning his hand with Victor's. Small tendrils extended from the wrist band and connected to the mechanical arm. Mother Empress closed her eyes and started the process, instructing, "Young man, do not resist."
"Initiating bypass protocols," she stated. After a minute, she opened her eyes, which were now glowing red.
"Resistance detected. Basic building block of multiversal AI detected. Barriers detected. Initiating scan of barriers. Warning: rudimentary space-time law detected. Initiating analysis of the law code," the AI announced, closing her eyes again.
"This is intriguing. I didn't expect a piece of technology in a lower realm to have a rudimentary law code. It'll take some time," Orach mused, observing Mother Empress interface with the mother box technology.
"So, it's possible to gain control. We just need time?" asked Bruce.
"Yes. Our civilization has been studying these primordial laws for millennia. Think of them as the building blocks of everything. So, it's highly likely she can interface with this technology and even control it," Orach responded. As he finished speaking, he noticed a slight smirk on the AI's face. It felt as if his mother was with him.
"First barrier breached," the AI announced after three minutes. "Initiating scan of the second barrier."
Five minutes later, the AI declared, "Second barrier breached. Control code accessed. Warning: Host life signs fluctuating." The AI quickly opened her eyes to check on Victor, who had turned pale and was gasping for breath.
"Mother, abort," Orach ordered, noticing Victor's deteriorating condition.
"Order acknowledged. Ending protocol. Detaching from host," Mother Empress confirmed.
As the tendrils retracted from Victor's hand, his condition slowly improved. Panting, he said, "Thanks, Orach. I thought I was done for."
"Don't thank me. Mother Empress did the work," Orach responded, then turned to his wrist AI terminal and enquired, "Can you give me a situation report?"
"Order received and acknowledged. Summarizing my findings," said the AI, known as Mother Empress, in a serene tone. Her eyes were closed in a concentrated manner, as if she was processing a vast amount of data. After a moment's silence, she opened her eyes, the light glinting off them, and added, "Two out of the three barriers were successfully breached. The second barrier, was cleverly designed to protect the control code. However, I have managed to change the code successfully, giving Victor the priority. The third barrier, a particularly intricate one, is suspected to conceal access to its power source. Therefore, it's suspected that the box threatened Victor's life to prevent me from proceeding further."
"Good. That's exactly what we need. We just want Victor to have the control, not to access the power source. Great job, Mother Empress," Orach responded warmly, his smile reflecting his satisfaction and admiration for the AI.
Mother Empress, in her usual graceful manner, closed her eyes, accepting the praise from her young master, clearly pleased with her accomplishment.
Bruce, reached out to Victor and asked, "Victor, how are you feeling? You good?"
Victor's left eye and chest had undergone a noticeable transformation, changing from an alarming red to a soothing green hue. Feeling the changes in his body, Victor became overwhelmed with the newfound control and capabilities he was now accessing. The potential of it all was immense. He looked at Orach and the AI on his wrist, gratitude filling his eyes as he said, "Orach, Mother Empress, I can't thank you enough. Truly, thank you. I am now in control and am slowly acclimating to the full capabilities of the box. I do believe it will take me a few days to fully understand them, but I promise you, I will get there. I can help the world now, I know it."
Orach and Mother Empress simply smiled warmly, nodded, and accepted his thanks, feeling a sense of accomplishment and relief.
"Bruce, I don't have a place of my own. Would you mind if I stay here too?" Victor asked Bruce, a little hesitantly.
"Sure. I'll inform Alfred," Bruce responded in his usual calm and reassuring tone. Just as he said that, the elevator doors opened with a soft 'ding'. Bruce, Diana, Victor, and Orach looked towards the elevator to see Alfred stepping in with a bunch of clothes in his hands.
"Master Wayne, I noticed Master Orach's clothes are a bit roughed up. I brought fresh clothes for him," Alfred said, holding up the clothes.
"Great job, Alfred. Yes, Orach, take those clothes and change out of your battle armor," Diana agreed, her voice filled with authority.
"You'll do great. Continue to serve my young master well and I'll make sure to reward you well, Alfred," Mother Empress said, clearly impressed by Alfred's thoughtfulness, and nodding at him.
Alfred was taken aback for a second at seeing the image of a small woman on Orach's hand, but quickly regained his composure and said, "Happy to serve, Madam. May I know your name?"
"I am the AI named Mother Empress, created to serve and accompany the young master. It's a pleasure to meet you, Alfred," Mother Empress replied, her voice filled with respect.
"Pleasure to meet you as well, Madam," Alfred responded in his ever-so-polite manner.
"Fine, I'll change," Orach said, a little reluctantly, as he started to take off his armor. Bruce and Diana exclaimed in unison, "Wait! Not here."
"Diana, didn't you want me to change?" Orach asked, a confused expression on his face.
"Not here, Orach. Go to a room or the carrier and change," Diana clarified, trying to suppress a smile.
Orach was still confused as this was not the norm during his time on the front lines where nobody had any qualms about changing clothes together since it was seen as efficient and quick. But he took Diana's advice and headed to the hangar with the clothes.
Then, Alfred, with his sharp observational skills, noticed something peculiar and said, "Master Wayne, is Master Orach's belt intelligent or some piece of technology? I think I just saw it move."
Hearing this, Diana's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered Orach's unique trait. She then broke into a giggle, while Bruce smirked knowingly, as if anticipating something.
RIP
The unmistakable sound of tearing fabric echoed from the carrier after five minutes. This unexpected noise was followed by an exclamation that was filled with confusion and disbelief, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS CLOTHING? IT DOESN'T HAVE A HOLE FOR MY TAIL!"
Upon hearing this, Diana, who was previously engaged in conversation, couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled up within her. She burst into a fit of giggles, her laughter ringing out in the room. Bruce, who was standing next to her, broadened his already present smirk into a full-fledged smile. As for Victor, despite being a man of few words, he couldn't help but smile at the amusing scene unfolding before them. The usually composed Alfred, however, was taken aback. It was only after hearing Orach's irate words that he realized what he had seen earlier wasn't a piece of advanced technology, but a tail - an actual tail.
A few moments passed, precisely three minutes later, Orach emerged from the carrier. He was wearing a simple dark blue shirt and brown pants. His anger was evident in his narrowed eyes as he rejoined the group, his tail twitching behind him.
Observing Orach's mild irritation, Diana decided to intervene. She wanted to soothe the alien visitor. "Come on, Orach, humans don't have tails. It's only natural the clothes won't accommodate for one. How about this? Let's have Alfred take your measurements and preferences, and he can have a tailor prepare a fresh batch of clothes for you. They can be sent directly to the mansion. How does that sound?" Diana proposed, her tone light and comforting.
Orach grumbled, clearly not thrilled with the situation, but he finally agreed.
"Leave it to me, Master Orach. I'll make sure to have a fresh batch of clothes ready for you that will accommodate your unique needs," Alfred assured him with a professional smile.
Orach sighed, his anger subsiding. "Thank you, Alfred. I'm sorry for causing trouble."
"It's no trouble at all, Master Orach. I'll go fetch the measuring tape right away," Alfred responded, already moving towards the supply closet.
"Bruce, have Alfred send me the bill for Orach's clothes," Diana told Bruce, her eyes still on Orach.
"Sure," Bruce agreed, nodding his agreement.
"You don't have to do that, Diana. I have a few projects in mind that could potentially make him the wealthiest man in the world. If executed properly, we could even expand business to other worlds. So, the least he can do is cover my lodging and necessities," Orach told Diana, his tone playful. He then turned to Bruce, his gaze intense, "Right, Bruce?" He finished with a smile that was more of a smirk, causing a slight chill to run down Bruce's spine.
Bruce, recovering quickly, replied, "I'm fine with that, and I'm eager to hear your proposals."
"What are your ideas, Orach?" Diana inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"Considering Bruce's gadgets, I assume he's already quite wealthy and has access to the latest technology. Yet, he used primitive tools to extract Clark's blood. This made me realize there's a lack in the medical field here. I want to work with Bruce to develop a Med pod, a well-known piece of equipment in my world that can heal and even revive critically ill patients," Orach explained, his voice filled with conviction.
Upon hearing Orach's concept, both Bruce and Diana felt it could be greatly beneficial to their world and potentially revolutionize the medical field. From a business standpoint, Bruce found it to be a brilliant idea that could elevate his already thriving enterprise.
"Orach, if you can create the Med pod, it would immensely aid our world. As an Earth native and a human, I thank you for being willing to share this knowledge. You have my full support. Perhaps my R&D director, Lucius, could collaborate with you. He's a genius in his own right and should be quite helpful. Most importantly, I trust him with my secret," Bruce stated, his voice filled with gratitude and anticipation.
Diana nodded in agreement with Bruce's words, recognizing the vast potential of the concept. Her respect for Orach grew, as she realized that despite his alien nature, he was willing to help the people of Earth.
"It's fine. As I previously mentioned, I am more than willing to join your company. You can even create a suitable identity for me, to ensure I fit in seamlessly with the rest of the team. This, I believe, will only mark the beginning of our fruitful cooperation. Bruce, I must make one thing abundantly clear: while I am open to sharing my technology and knowledge with you, I will retain the final say on all projects. I won't tolerate anyone misusing my knowledge as a weapon. The most sensitive data will remain strictly accessible only to you and Lucius.
In terms of profits, I propose we divide them with a 51/49 split, with you taking the larger percentage. The 51% should adequately cover your company commitments as well as your nocturnal crime-fighting activities, which I am aware are necessary and commendable.
Furthermore, while I anticipate no issues acclimating to life in your mansion, I must acknowledge that it is, and will always be, YOUR mansion. In the not-so-distant future, once Diana fully consents to our relationship, I have plans to marry her. We will live in a place of our own, a home we can call ours. To make that dream a reality, I will need this world's currency," said Orach, maintaining a straight face, his tone serious yet calm.
Diana, taken aback by Orach's candidness, slapped her forehead in embarrassment, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. Victor and Bruce were equally surprised, staring at Orach, taken aback by his boldness and straightforwardness. They were left to wonder just when Orach and Diana's relationship had evolved to such a strong bond.
After a moment, Bruce regained his composure and replied, "Well, it's great to see you two going strong. Invite me to the wedding when it happens."
"Sure," replied Orach, receiving a playful pinch from Diana.
"Regarding the profit division, let me discuss it with Lucius first. I'll get back to you on that," said Bruce.
"Sure, I think it would be best if we continue our conversation tomorrow. We've covered a lot today and I'd like to give you time to process the information. My main objective today was to outline my intentions and goals, ensuring we're on the same page. Now, I'd like to stretch my legs. I've been sitting for a while and a walk would be beneficial. Bruce, you have a decent estate, but the garden particularly caught my eye. There's a certain tranquility to it. Diana, would you accompany me for a walk in the garden?" Orach suggested, leading Diana towards the living room with a stunning view of the estate's garden.
"Why are we suddenly on a walk?" Diana asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
"I thought we could enjoy the cool evening breeze during a leisurely stroll," Orach replied nonchalantly.
Diana, always open to a pleasant walk, agreed to join Orach. They began strolling around the large estate, appreciating the calming sounds of nature - the rustling leaves, a distant owl's hoot, and the gentle whisper of the wind.
When they reached the garden, they rested on a quaint wooden bench, perfectly situated for admiring the stunning sunset. Bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, Diana decided to tell Orach about her departure plans.
"I have to return to Themyscira tomorrow morning. I'll be catching a flight to Greece in a few hours. I need to return the box and give some thought to our bond. It might be awhile before we meet again. Will you be alright?" she asked, worried about Orach's emotional state, especially after hearing about a mysterious letter from his mother.
Orach, previously engrossed in the sunset, turned to Diana. He smiled reassuringly and said, "You know there's little that can harm me in this world. So, your concern must be about my mother's letter, right?"
Taken aback by his accurate guess, all Diana could do was repeat, "Will you be alright?"
"Only one way to find out," Orach stated, then commanded the AI system, "Mother Empress, please read out the letter."