Time shifted back slightly.
While Carol was following the Kree squad on a mission to Torfa, Reid arrived at a military base under the identity of Luthor's assistant.
Normally, if Luthor wanted to negotiate a deal with the military, he would handle it himself—unless Reid's identity was significant enough on its own.
In fact, to ensure Reid had real influence, LexCorp had him personally involved in many of its key projects.
Although Luthor had already split off as a separate entity, Reid still possessed all of Luthor's knowledge and abilities. With nothing else occupying his time, he dedicated himself to research.
Unlike other transmigrators who spent their time building massive harems, Reid had no interest in Marvel's female heroines. And he certainly wasn't going to waste his days in bed, waiting for the plot to unfold.
To the outside world, Reid was just Luthor's assistant. But if he were placed elsewhere, he could easily run a major corporation on his own. That was precisely why the military was willing to negotiate with him directly.
Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes, now promoted, personally escorted Reid to meet the base commander.
"We'll keep this brief, Mr. Pennyworth. What kind of partnership does LexCorp want with the military?"
The military took this potential alliance seriously. Nowadays, it was rare for LexCorp to seek anything more than standard business transactions with them.
Reid's reason for approaching the military was simple: securing an advantage in Captain Marvel's story.
Though Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. had been discontinued, the military base where it had been conducted remained operational.
Reid could have used Martian Manhunter's telepathic abilities to extract information from people's minds and infiltrate the base. However, if he wanted to establish trust with Captain Marvel and Nick Fury later, it was better to go through official channels.
That way, he could integrate himself into their circle more effectively.
"You might be aware that LexCorp is working with NASA to establish an American space station," Reid began, "but relying solely on rockets to transport materials piece by piece isn't enough."
"Rockets aren't enough?" the commander asked, now more engaged.
At first, while the base commander had valued the meeting with Reid, he hadn't held much hope for any significant collaboration. Now, he was taking the conversation seriously.
For LexCorp, if they were truly seeking a major partnership, why not just negotiate directly with the government?
After all, rockets weren't just capable of carrying humans into space—they could also be seen as part of missile technology.
The commander finally understood why LexCorp had come to them.
"Please, go on," he urged.
"A new type of engine," Reid explained. "One that would allow humans to reach space without relying on rockets."
As soon as Reid said this, the commander's expression changed. Something in his memory resurfaced.
Years ago, the military had approved a similar project, only for it to be abruptly halted when the lead scientist mysteriously disappeared. Later, they discovered that the person in charge of the project might have been insane.
The notes and documents left behind were filled with incomprehensible symbols, the meaning of which was unclear.
Yet, they had already invested too much. Some promising results had emerged, and abandoning the project outright wasn't an option—nor was openly admitting to billions of dollars in sunk costs. So, they kept the military base intact, preserving everything for a potential future revival.
For years, they had no clear path forward. But if LexCorp was willing to step in…
'If Lex Luthor and Reid Pennyworth are willing to restart this project, does that mean they could fully open the era of space exploration within just a few years?' The thought filled the commander with excitement.
Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. had been a billion-dollar failure. But with LexCorp's involvement, it might turn into a groundbreaking investment instead.
The commander made his decision. He believed LexCorp wouldn't expose the failures of Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. and trusted in their ability to resurrect the program.
"Mr. Pennyworth, I'll be frank. A few years ago—just before LexCorp fully emerged—we shut down a similar project. But your proposal gives me hope for its revival." The commander leaned forward slightly. "Would you be willing to take a look?"
...
In the western United States. A military base hidden deep within the mountains.
Under heavy military escort, Reid entered the facility openly.
Before long, Captain Marvel and Nick Fury would also arrive under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority. But unlike them, Reid was treated very differently.
Even if Fury and Carol managed to gain access, they would still be met with suspicion. S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't fully under U.S. jurisdiction, and many in the facility feared they would expose Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.'s past failures. Reid, on the other hand, had been personally escorted in by the military.
The security personnel welcomed him.
Nobody wanted to spend their years locked inside a base, forced to guard a buried secret. If anything, the personnel here were the ones most eager to see Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. revived and succeed. If that happened, they might even get some credit.
Led by base security, Reid was taken to the archives.
There, he found the records left behind by Wendy Lawson—Mar-Vell, the Kree scientist—along with the original schematics for Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.'s fighter jet design.
"So, Captain Marvel used this aircraft to break through the atmosphere," Reid muttered, flipping through the notes. "But it's clear the design had flaws."
He also came across Mar-Vell's personal journal, but paid little attention to it—he couldn't read Kree script anyway.
Drawing from Luthor's vast knowledge in his mind, Reid quickly assessed the project's feasibility.
If the goal was to create a superluminal engine like Mar-Vell's, then even with Kryptonian technology, it would be nearly impossible with Earth's current methods.
Even Krypton relied on stargates and warp drives for interstellar travel rather than brute-force acceleration to light speed.
Not to mention that Krypton's centuries of isolation before its destruction had long halted its progress in space travel.
"Still," Reid mused, "if the goal is to operate within Earth's orbital space, the existing design works. With Tony's arc reactor technology, even the energy problem could be solved."
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