reconstruction | ETRAYA INBOX.

No.

[but the question still stands - what is he doing out here, loud as the silence that follows when his eyes fall on the motorcycle. Connor has learned to let things as they are sometimes, leaving his concern for kids Damian's age riding motorcycles and the hazards that come with it a thought and not a conversation point.

he walks over to it, kneels down to look at and move his hand over the seat. liquid skin pulls away as he does so, a momentary thing done while scanning its parts, components, and gears.]

This is a very nice bike.

My father is a man with excellent taste. ( and an almost endless supply of money, for whenever the situation calls for it. despite the instinct to tell connor to leave it alone, damian doesn't tell him off. instead, he just - watches. ) That's an earlier model. His later acquisitions tend to have an almost obscene amount of technological advancements added to them.

( see, he's sharing. )

[all information that Connor stores away, but not necessarily deemed as 'important'. he straightens back up, turning to face him.]

Do you have a good relationship with your father?

[that feels like a safe question, but his LED spins yellow as he goes over the potential reactions Damian could have.]

( his brows furrow, clearly - caught off by the question. less because of what it is, and more because damian wasn't anticipating it from connor. )

Of course I do. We're partners.

[that's... not the answer he predicted. Connor has a good relationship with his partner, but they're partners. he made certain choices, kept the dialogue meaningful to explore the possibilities of friendship. it was a relationship he had to cultivate on his own, which is very different from that of a father and son.]

I haven't met anyone that worked with their father. Do you like it?

[is this normal conversation between them happening?]

( a complicated question with a complicated answer. connor seems to already know that though, given. . . well, everything. he wouldn't bother answering at all, but it plays into connor's complaint regarding not knowing anything. )

The incarnation of my father who is here is young. I have found that the differences in experiences have caused some strain, but I would not choose otherwise. My father has worked alongside three sons before myself back home, which has colored his expectations. I wouldn't say I dislike it.

( the bike isn't relevant currently, so damian leaves it where it is and nods his head deeper into the facility. connor asked why damian wanted to know about superman; he may as well show him. )

I see.

[he's learning - learning a lot, even with how little Damian offers him in return. he falls into step with him, quiet for a few moments. now that he's been given some cushion in their conversation, he decides to continue the exchange.]

Is there anything you would like to know about me?

[he'd asked Hank the same question. it doesn't feel right for him to ask question after question without offering the same. that said, Damian has already asked him many, many questions, but Connor has flagged them as ones that were brought up not because Damian actually wanted to know him, but because he was trying to figure him out.]

No.

( he knows everything he needs to know about connor already: why he was created, what he's currently doing, his stance on this: etraya, the city as a whole and its inhabitants. damian understands connor's morals to an extent. he knows what to expect from him.

and therefore, doesn't need to know anything else. )

This specific lab is new to me. It belonged to... an alternate version of one of my father's colleagues. Within it is something he called the Pipeline. A particle accelerator, with small cells that can contain metahumans. It isn't kryptonite, but considering the likelihood of being able to keep a Kryptonian safely attached to kryptonite, this is one method we can attempt to use. I would like to renovate one of these cells with an artificial red sun.

[it's normal, really, Connor should expect that. people didn't want to know about androids (their thoughts, wants, needs) so Damian's lack of interest doesn't surprise him. when he wouldn't think about it before, now that stings in complicated ways he doesn't quite understand.

that is not how friendship is formed. but he does know that people connect in different ways, and that Damian is making an effort to connect with him on some level.]

Are you saying you want to capture and contain the Superman on Etraya?

[he's staring down at him, confused. was the information he obtained purely for reasons of containment, and containment only?]

Why?

I'm saying I would like to be able to, in case the need arises.

( because having backup plans for backup plans and contingencies for those backup plans has come in handy more than once, and given the sheer amount of raw power superman has, having a good way to ensure his compliance is never a bad idea.

with kent, one could safely assume that his loyalty to humanity and his moral compass would keep him from going over the deep end, when he was in control. and clark was well aware it was his own humanity that kept bruce out of his hair most of the time. damian doesn't know this superman well enough to assume his moral compass provides a similar safety leash. )

[that's not a good enough answer for him.]

I don't know what you're getting at.

[excuse him for sounding a little frustrated, because Damian has a pattern of being vague and acting like Connor should know. this would be easier if he didn't have to guess.]

Are you saying you're planning for the possibility of Superman losing control of his abilities?

I don't understand why this is so difficult to comprehend.

( but look, he's taking a breath in and attempting to figure out how to dumb his explanation down in a way that connor will understand. )

The man known as Superman here is capable of far more than any normal human being. If I am correct, he could be listening to this very conversation regardless of the distance between where he is and the laboratory. He likely has more raw strength in his little finger than I have in my entire body. It would be easy for him to decimate this planet if he chose to. He has thus far not shown signs of being an active threat, but that doesn't mean he won't become one.

[he stops walking, hands hanging loosely at his sides. he understands the magnitude of power, to a point. he also understands that preparing for the worst is important. but this ...]

Do these precautions include everyone on the planet?

[he'd said metahumans. that could include a variety of people on the planet - it could include Accelerator.]

Why start now? Unless, did you always have this prepared?

( ah.

now he understands where the disconnect lies. damian, too, stops. stays a few steps away from connor, turned to face him. )

These precautions include everyone. And I hadn't just started. I have been maintaining similar plans of action since long before my arrival here, for every enemy and ally.

[he regards Damian with uncertainty, jaw set - expressing what humans would call distrust, caution. his LED spins yellow as he processes what's been said and all the implications that follow. he cycles through as many outcomes as he can without taking longer than a few seconds.]

What about yourself?

[he pauses, thinks of how Damian could respond.]

Where do you draw the line?

I have Drake and Todd if my behavior becomes erratic and uncontrollable.

( he has thought of this. more thoroughly than anyone else his age really should: if he becomes the monster he's tried so hard to avoid becoming, who will remove damian from the equation? who is strong enough, cunning enough, to remove him from play safely? grayson is always damian's first line of defense: a familiar face to go to if he's feeling off in any way. someone he can converse with safely to an extent, except grayson is also soft. he would try every route possible to save damian from himself first, even if it meant putting his own life at risk. damian can't have that. drake is the more logical choice, especially given his reliance on logic. where damian may have drake beat in skill, it's drake's mind that's his true asset.

barring that, todd understands the line damian walks better than most. if it came down to it, damian knows jason wouldn't let him become something he hates. bruce isn't a consideration. )

If they fall through, I trust Accelerator will have an alternate plan.

( but he can't answer as to where he's drawn the line, because there is no line. only further contingencies. )

Robin, [and he's using his alias pointedly, since he'd been serious about Superman having hearing that might be able to reach them. not that Connor thinks that this Superman in particular cares about what they're talking about.] I'm sorry that you can't trust people enough that you have to go to these lengths to protect yourself. You could be using this equipment to bring people together.

[he starts walking again, reaching Damian's side.]

You do want that, don't you?

( there had been the farm, with lisieux and the other children. before laura had disappeared. before things had gotten more complicated, when damian had been attempting to bring together all the youth to give them a safe space free from the judgment of adults who thought they knew better. but a significant amount of disappearances have discouraged him from attempting to bring together others; it's futile, when one cannot rely on others remaining here and cannot even guarantee they have returned to their proper homes.

his mouth twists into a scowl, one that matches the same bruce wears when he's wearing his cowl and thinking. )

»Tt«. ( teamwork would be ideal, but damian knows better than to believe in being able to accomplish ideals. ) And risk everyone's lives when others ultimately discover how to use it against us? If he becomes a concern, we'll only get one chance at this.

Statistically, even if one or two people chose to use what you provide against us, the majority of us would find a solution. We are already risking our lives here. People know what they're getting involved in by now, and we should have more faith in them.

[he pauses. humans would sigh in these moments - he is only quiet.]

I'd really like to go back home, Robin. I'm sure you do, too. [his LED spins yellow as emotions bubble up to the surface, ones he has a hard time facing.] I think it would be a good idea to ask him for help.

( ask him for help, connor says.

ask for help, as if that's something damian would ever do. he's brought connor in, but only because connor asked. damian doesn't feel the need to bring in others for assistance. there's no need. he can handle things by himself, and what he cannot handle, his family can. there is power in numbers, but damian has always kept his numbers close to himself. )

If he proves he can be trusted. Thus far he has given me nothing of the sort. In the meantime, I would like to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

ETRAYA INBOX.

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