Under Justinian's direct order, Nyandra and Soundwave coordinated their efforts to call back the Crusading Fleets back to the Sol System. Each fleet was made up of nearly 600 ships which in total created a titanic fleet of almost 18,000 Void Ships just from the Crusading Fleets alone.
In a matter of hours, all 30 fleets were back and orbited above the artificial rings above Jupiter and the Shipyard above Deimos, Mars' second moon. While Justinian began to prepare for a full-scale assault on Apocalypse, Darkseid began to scheme.
His main issue when facing Justinian in direct combat came not from weakness, but far too much power. His true form excited outside of the Multiverse and he was limited in how he could interact with individual universes.
His Avatars were projections of his power and he could make as many as he pleased, but numbers were not going to work against Justinian regardless, whether it was before or after his 'ascension, something that Darkseid had not planned for.
As such, in his palace which had been infiltrated by Sigismund, Darkseid was observing the damage caused. Already, hundreds of Parademons and Paradooms alongside Apokoliptian workers were in the process of repairing the damage. DeSaad stood next to his enraged Lord trying to avoid drawing his attention.
However, Darkseid glanced over at him and when he noticed him tremble he snarled in anger.
"Stop your trembling worm."
DeSaad instantly did so lowering himself to one knee.
"Mighty Darkseid, please forgive me for displeasing you. This will not happen again."
Darkseid shook his head as he looked at the damage to his palace being repaired. He closed his eyes as he remembered the game of Regecide he shared with Justinain. In that game, he saw that as Justinian said, he had a severe disadvantage in one thing.
In terms of technology, The Imperium of Justinina and Apokolyps were about even. However, their individual forces were the deciding factor. Where Justinian focused on creating vast armies and fleets of powerful cloned races, Darkseid placed all his efforts on Parademons.
His reasoning was that Parademons were completely loyal and they were greatly successful. That was until he met the Justice League in many universes who managed to deal with his Parademons and his Avatars often enough.
As a result of the threat posed by Justinian, he enhanced his Parademons with the DNA of the abomination Doomsday to create his Paradooms. He had tested them out on many universes of the Multiverse and they were a successful new breed.
They were strong enough to take on Kryptonians, they could regenerate better than his previous iteration of Parademon and they could adapt on the fly. As he had seen in tests against other versions of the Justice League they worked and they worked well.
However, when he used them in that game of Regecide he had seen that while his Peradooms could kill individual members of Justinian's armies, they needed groups to do so. Whether it was the Martian Astartes, Kryptonians, Predakons, Tyranids, Krorks, or the rest of Justinian's genetic creations the difference wasn't as great as he expected.
Where his Paradooms were essentially beasts of battle, Justinian's armies were sentient, adaptable, and devoted to their God. His Avatars were not going to cut it and he needed something more. He began to pace as the work continued around him.
DeSaad watched without interrupting as Darkseid was in the middle of concocting something.
'I need something that can contain a portion of my true self without falling apart or destroying the universe I inhabit. An Avatar won't be enough alone.'
Just then he began to grin as he thought back to something that was powerful and inherited power from him. His own children. The issue was that Kalibak was dead for good as Justinian's weapons had destroyed his soul as was Steppenwolf, his uncle.
He had two more sons, Orion, and Grayven, the later who had already been killed. Orion lived in New Genesis as the adopted son of his brother, High Father.
"DeSaad. I have an order for you."
DeSaad lowered his head.
"Name it Great Darkseid."
"I want you and Granny Goodness to gather Apokolyptian females of breedable age. Ensure they are healthy, and of good genes. They shall bear my offspring."
DeSaad raised his head.
"How many, great Darkseid?"
Darkseid squinted his eyes.
"As many is needed."
A dark plan was rising in Darkseid's mind. He would impregnate as many Apokolyptian women as needed. When his offspring were born, he would use their genetics to clone a perfect vessel for a portion of his true self.
With that power, he would be able to exert far more influence over the Universe. Even that upstart Justinian would be nothing more than a memory forgotten.
---
As for Justinian, Erda, his wives and their daughter Leginstrasse had returned to Terra to visit Diana who he saw the least. They were at Themyscira with Diana and Raven.
They were in Diana's home which had been constructed after Ddraig and Albion had devestated the island. Justinian had felt that the devastation his brothers had unleashed had been necessary to cull the arrogance of the Amazons who had accepted his aid after their tragedy.
No one knew that he had been the cause of the calamity and no one would know as the island was better off after. Hippolyta was still Queen of the island, but due to the destruction of the magical protections had been forced to accept Justinian's terms for aid.
First of all, the rule barring men from the island was no longer in place and Justinian had to have troops stationed on the island for him to repair the damage. Hyppotyla wanted to refuse, but Diana instantly agreed since she and her Mother were now on bad terms.
The slap that Hyppotyla gave Diana had created a rift between them and Diana's trust and now love for Justinian made her pick her side. As a result, Justinian used his abilities to repair the island and he stationed several Psian Jackels, Tempestus Scions, Space Marines, and Predakons on the Island. They were there to protect it, but as a result of the lowered number of Amazons, they needed to begin the process of repopulating.
Which was something that Diana wanted to talk about as the old ways were not going to fly. Diana had no idea how that was going to work so she glanced back at the large living room Justinian had created himself.
She still remembered how he merely raised his hand and the entire house had built itself from nothing. It was perfect and it was made with the large sizes that Justinian and those of his empire preferred.
Though, not at his full size as when with Diana he limited himself to a mere seven feet a much more manageable size. The same applied to Erda, Remnosh, Lauralina, Leona, Magna Sangunia, and Leginstrasse.
They also were not wearing their Power Armor with all of them wearing regular clothing from the 21st century something Diana had never seen them wear. She decided to just ask as beating around the bush wasn't her style.
"Justinian, I need to ask you something."
Justinian who was sitting on the large couch in the middle of the room set down his drink as he focused on what she had in mind.
"Ask away."
Diana walked toward the Window before looking at Justinian's troops marching, and the few Amazons who she could see. There were more of Justinian's forces here than Amazons.
The two Dragons that had laid siege to her home hadn't come back, but they had brought down the Amazons low.
"The population of the Amazons after those dragons attacked is severely lacking. My fellow Amazons have been talking of beginning to repopulate, but the old ways are against what I believe in. Plus, it's not like any ships other than Imperial ones are allowed to sail the oceans.
The danger is far too high with all the beasts that are mutating under the effect of the Leylines. There have been talks between different Amazons to try to mate with your soldiers. It is not going well."
Remnosh knew what the problem was. She glanced over at Justinian before she stated the problem.
"They are uninterested, is that it?"
Diana nodded while scratching the back of her head. She knew that her sisters the Amazons were beyond beautiful, but Justinian's forces didn't even break formation. They didn't glance at them and ignored them for their disciplined ranks.
"Some of my sisters approached each type, Space Marines, Psian Jackels, Tempestus Scions, they were refused without a second glance. I was wondering what was the problem. Are they not allowed to reproduce, or something?"
Lauralina was excited to explain this.
"Here is what you got to take into account. The Space Marines are all Martians of the Warrior Caste. They come from either Green, White, or Red Martians as only Martians of that cast are allowed to become Space Marines.
They only mate with other Space Marines so they are uninterested in lesser races."
Diana's face instantly tightened.
"Lesser races? Oh, so I am a lesser race?"
Lauralina was about to correct herself, but Justinian stepped in for her.
"No, you misunderstood her. That isn't our opinion, but that of my Space Marines. To become a Space Marine they have to be of the Warrior caste or an Elite. As such, among the Legions, they have their rituals of courtship between fellow Astartes to produce stronger children.
The children born become born Astartes and they then receive the genetic, psychic, and magical enhancements their parents receive making them stronger than their parents. As such, among the 20 Legions of Space Marines, their culture has adapted to only marry among each other and other Legions to keep the genetic pool diverse and powerful.
Tempestus Scions are Martians and they only breed among their race, sometimes between castes, but not with outsiders so I won't talk about them. If your Amazons intend to reproduce, I can speak to my Psion Jackels which comes with its own problems. They are all clones so they are identical and look the same."
Diana didn't know that as they never took off their helmets.
"Clones?"
He nodded not intending to explain their creation process.
"Yes. Clones, but by my laws they are still citizens of my Empire. They have their freedoms and their culture, they are free to take wives, but very few do so. Their duty takes precedence, but I can speak to them. Not force them, just talk to them, I am their God, but I listen to my people."
Diana thought about it as while they were clones they were strong.
"I guess that can work, would you do that?"
He nodded as he had no issue with trying to get his Psian Jackels to mate. The children would be part of Amazon and they could be a new race for his cloning labs. He also had another race to add to the repopulations, The Asgardians.
He could take young Asgardian men who were still being integrated into The Imperium. The children of Asgardians, and Amazons would also be an incredible thing. The hybridization of a race of DC and Marvel would be worth the effort.
"I have another race to add to the equation, they were integrated into my Empire recently. I can also call upon the young men looking to marry."
Diana shook her head.
"There is no need for the marrying part, the Amazons just want to repopulate, not marry men."
Erda snicked as she gently elbowed Justinian to get his attention.
"A pump and dump situation. They just want to bump the uglies get pregnant and give birth?"
Diana nodded if a bit ashamed.
"Yes, Amazons only copulate to reproduce."
Instantly, his wives glanced right at him since he was technically infertile by his own design. Even now after his ascension he had left himself unable to reproduce as the time was not ready.
Justinian kept his head high and didn't bring it up. Instead, he stood up and began to walk outside. When he left Diana's house he connected to the minds of his Psian Jackels.
'All of you, gather at the home of Diana. Do so in an orderly fashion and just you the Jackels.'
With his order given he waited patiently as his forces began to march toward Diana's house. In Themyscera, he had around 25,000 Scian Jackels since that was all he needed. They quickly gathered in an orderly fashion in front of them.
They all slammed their fists against their chest plates before they dropped to their knees weapons pointed to the sky.
"WE SERVE THE WILL OF THE GOD EMPEROR!"
He raised his hand to address them all.
"I thank your quick gathering. I have questions for you. Not all of you must answer, pick one among you to answer. Have the Amazon women approached you for reproduction?"
The Jackels glanced at each other before in a few moments they picked their Captain in charge of this small force.
"Yes, my Emperor. The Amazon females have asked many among my men to lay with them for reproduction. The men ignored them since their orders took precedence over distractions."
Justinian nodded.
"As they should, but I never said they had to abstain from reproduction."
When the words left his mouth the Jackels all began to look at their brothers. He then continued.
"Of course, their duty comes first, however, when they have rest time, they are fully within their right to accept the offers from The Amazons. You were not created to be infertile after all, so next time an Amazon asks to lay with you, go for it."
The Captain blinked a few times.
"My Emperor, not to question you, but are you sure?"
Justinian nodded.
"Yes, I won't forbid you from expressing a completely normal urge. Only when you are not on the job. And this is from me, do your best men. For The Imperium."
One after the other his Psian Jackels began to smile. Other than a few differences they were identical. Now, however, they were full of smiles.
"FOR THE IMPERIUM!"
Justinian smiled as he waved them away.
"Go on all of you, get back to work. Don't get distracted."
Their Captain instantly began to yell at them to get back into formation.
"BACK TO MARCHING! FORWARD MARCH!"
They got to clean formations and they began their duty. However, in the coming days, weeks, and months, a new hybrid race between Justinian's Psian Jackels and Amazons was going to be born.
He would also try to introduce The Asgardians to this, but he first planned to create a stronger breed of Asgardians in his laboratory. He would sneak these new Asgardian clones into the Asgardian population where they would introduce their stronger genes into the Asgardian Population along with genetic loyalty to him.
He always had ways to prevent betrayal. With that, he turned back around and returned inside the house. He turned to Diana with a smile.
"There you are, as time goes on, the Amazons will begin to repopulate. I will take the boys myself back to Mars where they will be raised as your sisters rather than kill the boys. The females will remain here to become Amazons. Is that fair?"
Diana nodded.
"Of course, though some of the Amasons will want to keep their babies. Some in the old days did try to keep them."
Erda smiled.
"Those Amazons will be allowed to raise their boys if they so please. Now, can we talk about something else? We are making the child uncomfortable."
Everyone instantly looked at Raven who frowned. She had been here the whole time pretty much ignored.
"I am not a child, I am 18."
Justinian shook his head.
"As long as you are under a century, you are still a baby to us, Rachel."
Hearing his words made her sigh. Everyone here had centuries on her and they all considered her a child. It was annoying as even Leginstrasse had spent lots of time in Time Formations to study and train.
She was only here since she had become the apprentice of Diana and Justinian. Leginstrasse glanced over at Rachel before trying to cheer her up.
"Chin up, you will grow older. You got millennia to come."
Somehow that did the opposite as it meant all her friends of the Teen Titans would be long dead. Once again she sighed while the 'adults' talked around her. Somethings she was used to.