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Description
Vignette - Someday, not Today

Background: Recently, the Infinite Dragon took an entire team of superhumans hostage, and took their place using his self-duplication and shape shifting powers. He then used the hostages as leverage to convince other heroes to help him destroy the so-called Council of Elders, his rivals for control of the Jade Dragon Tong.

After a tense meeting, when the Infinite Dragon met with RiesigeFrau, Alundra, Endgame, and Sven Danielsen, they agreed to help defeat the Council of Elders. It was also agreed to set a trap for two other supervillains, Moloch the Mad and the Yama King.

However, Sven Danielsen has a long history with the Infinite Dragon, and does not trust him.

And RiesigeFrau's grandfather may not have superpowers himself, but that doesn't mean he doesn't intend to be involved in his own way.

****

Sven Danielsen stepped behind the small hangar, located by the runaway outside the heavily armed base. As the airbase served as a staging ground and logistical support for an international team of superheroes, security was tight. But in this one small area, there was currently a purposeful hole in the security net, a place where he could have an apparently private conversation.

A nervous voice chirped in his ear piece. "Sir. I must register my protest again. Meeting with him alone. Yesterday, you had some of the most powerful superhumans in the world backing you up, including your granddaughter."

The tall Swedish man smirked. "Noted. But given what I know about the Infinite Dragon's plans now, I'm confident he won't endanger our further cooperation by attacking me. And if he is foolish enough to kill me here, we'll have exposed his treachery early, with minimal losses."

The voice squeaked over the communicator. "Sir! We can't afford to lose you!"

Sven shook his head slowly. "Young man. This is far from the most dangerous situation I've been in over the last century. And I'd rather die here than send people into a lethal trap involving this bastard. Just keep the telepaths on alert, and make sure the full video and audio of this gets sent to my granddaughter and her friends. Subject closed."

"Yessir." And then there was silence over the comm channel.

A minute later, a hypersonic transport landed. And what looked like a world famous team of superheroes disembarked. But in this case, appearances were deceiving. A figure wearing the face and body of the team's bad-boy with super-magnetic powers pulled away from the rest of group and walked behind the hangar to join the waiting Director of Special Resources.

Sven stared grimly and firmly as the features before him morphed and became the Infinite Dragon, in all his regalia.

"Director Danielsen. Meeting me alone. How bold." he sneered.

With a curt nod, Sven responded. "Dragon." Then cocked his head. "Well?"

"Ah. No pleasantries or banter? As you wish." The Chinese criminal mastermind folded his hands in front of him, and stood casually. "I have contacted Moloch the Mad. He was remarkably easy to manipulate, and eager to believe I would betray the Yama King. His particular delusions make it easy to know which buttons to push. The upstart demon lord madman will be there to fall into the trap as well. How goes the efforts of your allies?"

"I will update you once they give me a briefing in a few hours. For now, I need you to tell me where this ambush of the Council of Elders will happen. I'll be sending in an advance team to check it over." Sven's tone was even and matter-of-fact. Not quite an order, but certainly not just a suggestion.

The Infinite Dragon let amusement dance across his eyes. "To minimize information leaks, I will pass the location along at the last minute."

"Nej."

The face of the crime lord was mostly still. But an eyebrow was slightly raised. And maybe just a little tension set in along the jaw. "I beg your pardon?"

"It's the Swedish word for 'no.' "

The glare from the Infinite Dragon would have made most men melt. Sven Danielsen didn't budge. "My intellect comprehends thousands of variations of human languages. I am aware of the translation. What I cannot grasp is by what stupidity you think you can answer ME with a simple negatory."

Sven Danielsen advanced one step and locked eyes with the deadly superhuman facing him. "It is quite simple. I don't trust you. Clearly, even better than removing the Council of Elders would be to wipe them out while also eliminating the the one group of superhumans who have repeatedly thwarted you.. Some kind of bomb or orbital bombardment or other mass destruction at the site of the battle might do it. Therefore, I am NOT allowing you the temptation. I am NOT sending my teams into an unvetted location. And I will NOT allow my grand-daughter or her friends to go in either, unless I'm satisfied with the location. It is not up for debate, either from you or from any of them."

The two men regarded each other in silence for nearly a minute. Determined eyes staring directly at determined eyes. Then, ever so slightly, the Infinite Dragon blinked and looked away.

Quietly, the Dragon spoke, as he flexed his fingers with pulses of tension. "I've seen that look of determination before. It is a familiar look of righteous conviction. You aspire to be like my old enemy, your now-lost mentor, don't you, Little Sven?"

Sven laughed, a deep, resounding noise from the big man. "Oh, Dragon, how little do you understand. I don't aspire to be as good as my predecessors..."

"Too humble for that, Danielsen?" the Dragon interrupted.

"Oh, no." Sven said through a smile. "I aspire to be better. To do more good, and thwart more evil. And build more of a stronger, healthier world than they could. You remember your foes from the early twentieth century as warriors you fought with. But, if they were anything, they were inspirations, beacons, and teachers. The adventurers who took me on as a young sidekick, they would be quite disappointed in me if I didn't aspire to learn from both their triumphs and mistakes, and do better. To mix metaphors with Newton, when you stand on the shoulders of giants, it raises the bar."

Sven leaned in, looming over one of the dangerous men on the planet, and continued speaking. "That's the difference between you and me, Infinite Dragon. The people who follow me, I want them to do better and be better than me. The people who follow you are only pawns. You are a father biologically, but not in spirit. Your sons, you see them as just extensions of yourself and your will. One of the happiest days of my life was when my 18 year old son finally beat me at chess. And again, even more so, when my youngest grand-daughter checkmated me at age 8. If one of your offspring or followers exceeds you, it plants a seed of fear and hate in your heart. When one of my friends or family achieves, my soul sings."

And with a smile, Sven lightly jabbed his finger into the Dragon's chest. "If the Society couldn't destroy your criminal empire in the early 20th century, then I'll carry on the fight in the 21st. And if I don't deal with the Triads before my time is done, my grand-daughter will. If Okadai couldn't finish you off when he nearly killed you back '52, then his student Hoyle will. And if not them, then someone they train, or help, or inspire. You boast about being immortal? Just live long enough, "Infinite Dragon", and eventually we.... and by "we" I mean the defenders of civilization and justice, for generations to come... we WILL deal with you."

The Infinite Dragon breathed deeply, visibly controlling himself. "Are you quite done? Your idealistic moralizing grows tiresome."

Sven cocked his head. "Not quite done. One last thing."

"Yes?" the Dragon sneered.

"Give. Me. The location. Now." Sven stood up straight, crossed his arms, and waited.

----------

A few minutes later, Sven Danielsen walked back into his secure command center, reading a datapad.

He looked up to see his personal staff awaiting his orders. "I've got the location. Scramble the advance team."

As the team leapt into action with determination and efficiency, Sven thought to himself how these were good people, fighting the good fight, doing good work.

And because of that, someday, the world would do all right without him.

But not today, he thought, not today. And Sven Danielsen smiled.

Description
Vignette - Someday, not Today

Background: Recently, the Infinite Dragon took an entire team of superhumans hostage, and took their place using his self-duplication and shape shifting powers. He then used the hostages as leverage to convince other heroes to help him destroy the so-called Council of Elders, his rivals for control of the Jade Dragon Tong.

After a tense meeting, when the Infinite Dragon met with RiesigeFrau, Alundra, Endgame, and Sven Danielsen, they agreed to help defeat the Council of Elders. It was also agreed to set a trap for two other supervillains, Moloch the Mad and the Yama King.

However, Sven Danielsen has a long history with the Infinite Dragon, and does not trust him.

And RiesigeFrau's grandfather may not have superpowers himself, but that doesn't mean he doesn't intend to be involved in his own way.

****

Sven Danielsen stepped behind the small hangar, located by the runaway outside the heavily armed base. As the airbase served as a staging ground and logistical support for an international team of superheroes, security was tight. But in this one small area, there was currently a purposeful hole in the security net, a place where he could have an apparently private conversation.

A nervous voice chirped in his ear piece. "Sir. I must register my protest again. Meeting with him alone. Yesterday, you had some of the most powerful superhumans in the world backing you up, including your granddaughter."

The tall Swedish man smirked. "Noted. But given what I know about the Infinite Dragon's plans now, I'm confident he won't endanger our further cooperation by attacking me. And if he is foolish enough to kill me here, we'll have exposed his treachery early, with minimal losses."

The voice squeaked over the communicator. "Sir! We can't afford to lose you!"

Sven shook his head slowly. "Young man. This is far from the most dangerous situation I've been in over the last century. And I'd rather die here than send people into a lethal trap involving this bastard. Just keep the telepaths on alert, and make sure the full video and audio of this gets sent to my granddaughter and her friends. Subject closed."

"Yessir." And then there was silence over the comm channel.

A minute later, a hypersonic transport landed. And what looked like a world famous team of superheroes disembarked. But in this case, appearances were deceiving. A figure wearing the face and body of the team's bad-boy with super-magnetic powers pulled away from the rest of group and walked behind the hangar to join the waiting Director of Special Resources.

Sven stared grimly and firmly as the features before him morphed and became the Infinite Dragon, in all his regalia.

"Director Danielsen. Meeting me alone. How bold." he sneered.

With a curt nod, Sven responded. "Dragon." Then cocked his head. "Well?"

"Ah. No pleasantries or banter? As you wish." The Chinese criminal mastermind folded his hands in front of him, and stood casually. "I have contacted Moloch the Mad. He was remarkably easy to manipulate, and eager to believe I would betray the Yama King. His particular delusions make it easy to know which buttons to push. The upstart demon lord madman will be there to fall into the trap as well. How goes the efforts of your allies?"

"I will update you once they give me a briefing in a few hours. For now, I need you to tell me where this ambush of the Council of Elders will happen. I'll be sending in an advance team to check it over." Sven's tone was even and matter-of-fact. Not quite an order, but certainly not just a suggestion.

The Infinite Dragon let amusement dance across his eyes. "To minimize information leaks, I will pass the location along at the last minute."

"Nej."

The face of the crime lord was mostly still. But an eyebrow was slightly raised. And maybe just a little tension set in along the jaw. "I beg your pardon?"

"It's the Swedish word for 'no.' "

The glare from the Infinite Dragon would have made most men melt. Sven Danielsen didn't budge. "My intellect comprehends thousands of variations of human languages. I am aware of the translation. What I cannot grasp is by what stupidity you think you can answer ME with a simple negatory."

Sven Danielsen advanced one step and locked eyes with the deadly superhuman facing him. "It is quite simple. I don't trust you. Clearly, even better than removing the Council of Elders would be to wipe them out while also eliminating the the one group of superhumans who have repeatedly thwarted you.. Some kind of bomb or orbital bombardment or other mass destruction at the site of the battle might do it. Therefore, I am NOT allowing you the temptation. I am NOT sending my teams into an unvetted location. And I will NOT allow my grand-daughter or her friends to go in either, unless I'm satisfied with the location. It is not up for debate, either from you or from any of them."

The two men regarded each other in silence for nearly a minute. Determined eyes staring directly at determined eyes. Then, ever so slightly, the Infinite Dragon blinked and looked away.

Quietly, the Dragon spoke, as he flexed his fingers with pulses of tension. "I've seen that look of determination before. It is a familiar look of righteous conviction. You aspire to be like my old enemy, your now-lost mentor, don't you, Little Sven?"

Sven laughed, a deep, resounding noise from the big man. "Oh, Dragon, how little do you understand. I don't aspire to be as good as my predecessors..."

"Too humble for that, Danielsen?" the Dragon interrupted.

"Oh, no." Sven said through a smile. "I aspire to be better. To do more good, and thwart more evil. And build more of a stronger, healthier world than they could. You remember your foes from the early twentieth century as warriors you fought with. But, if they were anything, they were inspirations, beacons, and teachers. The adventurers who took me on as a young sidekick, they would be quite disappointed in me if I didn't aspire to learn from both their triumphs and mistakes, and do better. To mix metaphors with Newton, when you stand on the shoulders of giants, it raises the bar."

Sven leaned in, looming over one of the dangerous men on the planet, and continued speaking. "That's the difference between you and me, Infinite Dragon. The people who follow me, I want them to do better and be better than me. The people who follow you are only pawns. You are a father biologically, but not in spirit. Your sons, you see them as just extensions of yourself and your will. One of the happiest days of my life was when my 18 year old son finally beat me at chess. And again, even more so, when my youngest grand-daughter checkmated me at age 8. If one of your offspring or followers exceeds you, it plants a seed of fear and hate in your heart. When one of my friends or family achieves, my soul sings."

And with a smile, Sven lightly jabbed his finger into the Dragon's chest. "If the Society couldn't destroy your criminal empire in the early 20th century, then I'll carry on the fight in the 21st. And if I don't deal with the Triads before my time is done, my grand-daughter will. If Okadai couldn't finish you off when he nearly killed you back '52, then his student Hoyle will. And if not them, then someone they train, or help, or inspire. You boast about being immortal? Just live long enough, "Infinite Dragon", and eventually we.... and by "we" I mean the defenders of civilization and justice, for generations to come... we WILL deal with you."

The Infinite Dragon breathed deeply, visibly controlling himself. "Are you quite done? Your idealistic moralizing grows tiresome."

Sven cocked his head. "Not quite done. One last thing."

"Yes?" the Dragon sneered.

"Give. Me. The location. Now." Sven stood up straight, crossed his arms, and waited.

----------

A few minutes later, Sven Danielsen walked back into his secure command center, reading a datapad.

He looked up to see his personal staff awaiting his orders. "I've got the location. Scramble the advance team."

As the team leapt into action with determination and efficiency, Sven thought to himself how these were good people, fighting the good fight, doing good work.

And because of that, someday, the world would do all right without him.

But not today, he thought, not today. And Sven Danielsen smiled.