With Anansi having fled and my donor and his parents out of the way, I could continue my plans unimpeded. I had to make alliances and I knew where to start. There was a universe called N-3-W-M-0-R-D-0-R, run by Orcs, Trolls, and wicked Men. I asked to meet their Dark Lord for a meeting with another person. I then contacted 5-H-0-C-K-3-R-U-M-8-R-4 and requested to meet with their leader. We decided on holding the meeting aboard the Imperium. Sonavok, Ziddet, and I waited patiently until the Collective gave a report in our heads. “Two vessels have been detected,” it said. “One Ancalagon-class vessel. One Predator-class vessel. Both on intercept course.”
“Let them come within transporter range and hail them,” I ordered. The Ancalagon-class vessel was shaped like the first of the flying dragons Morgoth created for his armies and the Predator-class vessel was a purple saucer. Once the vessels were close enough, I hailed them. “This is the Imperium. You are cleared to send your ambassadors aboard.”
“This is the Gorgoroth, sending over our Dark Lord,” replied the Ancalagon-class vessel. Just then, Gorshagh shimmered into view.
“This is the Relentless, sending over our Great Leader,” answered the Predator-class ship. Metaltron appeared.
“Welcome, my friends, to the Imperium!” I greeted the two. “May I offer you two refreshments? Grog or some wine?”
“Save it,” grunted Gorshagh. “You said you wanted to meet us.”
“So, what prompts the Borg to want to negotiate?” asked Metaltron.
“Strictly speaking, they’re not Borg,” I corrected.
“As far as I can tell, you’re the only individual on this ship.”
“I can assure you,” interjected Sonavok, “we’re all individuals where it matters.”
“The Lords are quite different from our original Borg masters,” supplied Ziddet.
“…Okay, you’re more free thinking than I thought,” muttered Metaltron.
“Tell me, you both wish to command the multiverse, yes?” I asked.
“Yeah, your point?” grunted Gorshagh.
“What if I were to tell you I have the means to do so? To make you lot gods of a new multiverse?”
“…I’d back away slowly and call the nearest insane asylum.”
“Even if I had, say, the Tome?” Metaltron snorted in disbelief.
“That thing?” she asked. “That’s just a myth.”
“It’s no myth,” explained Sonavok. “We’ve been guarding it at the behest of Anansi.”
“Now that’s a lie!” scoffed Gorshagh. “Anansi doesn’t exist!”
“He does,” replied Metaltron. Gorshagh turned to her in confusion.
“I thought you don’t believe in legends.”
“I don’t, but Anansi is real. I saw him.”
“And I was his student at one point,” I supplied. “And the Tome is real.”
“Then show me the proof!” challenged Gorshagh.
“…All right. I have something in mind.” I then opened the Tome up, turned the pages to a passage I wrote, and read it aloud. “‘After the Tome snapped shut, the Relentless and the Gorgoroth reported that they had ended up hovering over a barren wasteland with a single cul-de-sac as the defining landmark.’”
“…What?” asked Gorshagh. I smirked and closed the Tome. After the Tome snapped shut, the Relentless and the Gorgoroth reported that they had ended up hovering over a barren wasteland with a single cul-de-sac as the defining landmark.
“Well?” I asked.
“…Okay, I’m convinced,” muttered Gorshagh.
“Godhood, you say?” asked Metaltron.
“It’s going to require the resources of Shocker Umbra and New Mordor,” I explained.
“Why the negotiations?” quizzed Gorshagh.
“You’re the only one that doesn’t fit with the Borg norm,” observed Metaltron.
“Strictly speaking, this entire mini-Collective doesn’t,” I corrected. “We only assimilate those that want to be assimilated.”
“Even then,” supplied Ziddet, “we still pursue our individual pursuits.”
“Besides,” I continued, “your resources aren’t exactly ones we can take like the Borg. Hence why the negotiations.”
“I see,” muttered Metaltron.
“And these resources are?” asked Gorshagh.
“Multiversal maps,” I explained. “Different types of starships. Soldiers. I need them to find the Sources of the Apocalypse and Flourishment, as well as the Master Wand, the Time Amethyst, and the Mirror of Reality.”
“Don’t you have the resources you want?” asked Metaltron. “This ship isn’t exactly standard Borg design, and you have Cubes, Spheres, and Probes with the necessary man-power for those ships.”
“For all the Lords’ superiority,” I replied, “we’re not exactly the most…inconspicuous of people. Even the Imperium’s outer hull gives away its Borg origins. We need people who can blend in somewhat.
“And that’s where we come in?” asked Gorshagh.
“Yep. Besides, you’re more experienced in multiversal travel. Your mutual defense compact allows one of your two factions to succeed where the other went wrong. And the size of your armies are definitely nothing to sneeze at. So, what say you? Join me and become gods?” The two sides looked to each other.
“…I don’t know about Metaltron,” muttered Gorshagh, “but I say neither Yea nor Nay. I must consider this message and what it means under its fair cloak.”
“He’s right,” remarked Metaltron, “you talk very prettily and have a lot of power, but we need to be careful. We’ll tell you when we’ve made our decision.”
“Consider well,” I said, “but not too long.”
“The time of my thought is my own to spend!” snarled Gorshagh.
“For the present.”
“Let me warn you right now,” growled Metaltron, “rush our decision and, Tome or not, you WILL have a war on your hands. We have various anti-Borg strategies at our disposal.” The two summoned their ships to beam them out and leave. Once the ships left Hell’s skies, I smirked.
“We’ve got them,” I chuckled.
“Got them?” asked Ziddet. “They don’t seem convinced.”
“But there’s a chance for power,” I replied. “They won’t pass this up.”
“You’re sure about that?” asked Sonavok.
“One is a former Dalek; the other is a Middle-Earth Orc. They’re VERY good at choosing power.”
“…Very well.”
“In the meantime, I believe the denizens of Hell are currently enacting the plan. On screen.” A hologram of the cul-de-sac below us then showed the Oni gathering everyone up for a field trip. For some odd reason to the Oni, everyone looked compliant.
“All right, everyone!” called a red Oni woman in a blue dress, Lam Kelgyt. “It’s time for the wonderful castle tour!”
“You will see how we conduct our wonderful operations here!” said a yellow Oni woman in a blue dress, Tan Kelgyt.
“And don’t forget, any misbehavior will result in the removal of certain privileges!” warned a yellow Oni man in a red dress, Pai Urokeh.
“So follow us,” called a blue Oni man in a yellow dress, Tor Mefguf, “and let’s have fun!”
“That’s it,” I chuckled darkly, “go on and give them the means to free themselves.”