Sequel One-shot to 'Villain Vows' set before a planned fanfic that will be written after Nexus comes out. Basically the baddies team up, and I'm experimenting with interactions and characters right now. Please tell me if they're acting or saying something Out of Character :)

Reviews appreciated. You can find out more about the full story on my (link in profile)

Hope you like this story :)

Before the Metal Hand

Space was quiet. But not the kind of quiet that allowed things to be heard more.

A space station hovered darkly in the shadowy side of a moon; away from the view of any planet or ship. The blue-grey metal and design of the interlocking station areas weren't what you would call conspicuous though; what being shaped into comical looking skulls with enlarged craniums.

Dr Nefarious stared out the tall window of the main planning room, hands placed thoughtfully behind his back. His back was straight and a neutral expression was planted on his metallic face. However, something slightly insane flickered in his eyes.

A plump figure appeared behind him from the carefully set shadows.

"Sir?"

The doctor frowned and looked over his shoulder to the owner of the smooth, sophisticated voice. He rolled his eyes with a little too much emphasis. "What is it, Lawrence? Can't you see I'm planning the doom of my enemies?"

Those lidded eyes never wavered and Lawrence tilted his head. "Terribly sorry, Sir. I was merely about to inform you that the Loki Fellow sent you a message."

Nefarious dropped his hands from behind his back and crossed them, kicking the metal floor as if it where dust. He growled a little before answering, "What does that little twit want now?"

"I am not sure, Sir." The butler lifted a finger to stop his employer from yelling just in time, "Though he mentioned that Tachyon had informed him of the thing he's looking for. Something...important."

Nefarious rose a metallic brow, his temper halting its pace. That little bug had mentioned something of the sorts, though he'd infuriatingly kept it to himself.

With a loud groan Nefarious marched towards the transmitter device on the other side of the room. "Fine," He spat to no-one in particular, "I'll see if this is worth my time."

"Time that could have been spent star-gazing I'd assume." Nefarious either hadn't heard him or had ignored this remark, for he didn't turn to look at the butler.

Nefarious pressed a green button on the controls, glaring at it as if it where the other criminal in question. He tapped his foot, looked around, and waited.

Then, a deep, smooth voice with an accent the robot couldn't place rang through the room.

"Oh look, someone is aware of the fact we're planning a Galactic Assault."

Nefarious rolled his eyes and ground his jaws together, "Funny, fur ball. What was it you had about this...THING the Cragmite's looking for?"

The Loki chuckled to himself dryly, "My, My, seems you where paying attention." Nefarious growled. Unfazed, the parasitic being continued,

"Tachyon spoke of something that originated on my planet. In fact..."

The robotic madman, beyond impatient, snapped: "WHAT IS IT?"

The frown was clear in the Loki's voice, "Temper, Temper. Anyway...it's an augmentation of energy that supposedly granted amplifying qualities, though I didn't have time myself to study it. Mainly because of his kind..."

He stopped there. Rather than be gleeful at the rat's brooding state, Nefarious was thinking hard. He was no fool. "So this 'thing' this...energy came from your world?"

The Loki's voice answered evenly, "Indeed. Well done."

Nefarious had no qualms about stating what he said next as bluntly as he would, "It's gone, ya know. How are we supposed to get it?"

The robotic villain was a bit miffed at the fact this didn't get the rise he wanted out of the Loki. In fact, the other spoke quite calmly.

"That is a question indeed. I didn't mention before that this energy belonged to the very biology of a race of beings that also lived on Toranux." There was a note of disapproval in his voice. Nefarious smirked in a decidedly nasty manner.

"More parasites?"

"No." The Loki answered darkly, "Pacifists related to our species. Smaller, timid, frightened beings who weren't worth our time."

"And yet they had something the Cragmite thinks can help us get what we want?" Nefarious asked in a deadpan tone.

"Precisely."

Nefarious folded his arms and growled to himself, turning away from the transmitter and pacing. "But you said your planet was destroyed, and I take it these relatives of you parasite twits are long gone too, right?"

The Loki growled over the transmitter, "Do NOT speak of us like that again, Doctor."

"Or what?" Nefarious challenged.

"Or pain, that's what."

Before Nefarious could yell back at him like the madman he was, Lawrence coughed behind him. He turned his head, eyes wide in an insane stare of warning.

"Sir, Might I suggest you find out what the um, Emperor, wants from this energy...before killing each other, of course."

Nefarious debated, his head gears turning. Then he looked back at the transmitter controls, scowling. "Fine. What is this energy and what does it DO exactly?"

"Well, apparently the creatures had this energy in their very immune system; they used it for a second life support they used to heal others and themselves. But there where legends it could be used for...so much more. To amplify other, less powerful energies. Make them stronger..."

The tone in the Loki Master's voice switched from a monologue to that indifferent, passive tone that clearly told Nefarious that he didn't think much of his race's relatives at all.

"However, if that was possible, the Thora would never dare attempt to test it. And they where all dead before they could use that potential ironic. They could have used it to defend themselves..."

He said this in a smooth, almost pitying tone, but Nefarious knew better. But he decided not to continue on it; the deaths of these creatures was nothing to HIM.

"Which brings up the issue..." He rose his voice and leaped into the air with the sheer force of his exclamation, "THEY ARE DEAD, SO WE CAN'T GET THE ENERGY!"

He panted; robotic chest heaving oddly enough. Lawrence removed his hands from where they had been clamped over his ears. The Loki chuckled again.

"Dead they are...but that doesn't mean they may have not left anything behind."

Something twitched in Nefarious's face. He cocked his head. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying...they may have left some of the energy behind."

Nefarious straightened up, tapping metallic fingers together. Now, this was different. If these creatures left some of their powers behind for him to grab, what could he do with it? Amplifying powers, the Loki had mentioned...maybe he could amplify weapons...

A sly smirk slid onto his face and he laughed inwardly to himself, barley containing his excitement.

Interest was clear in his voice. "Soooo...what can this energy do...?"

He could almost see the cat-possessing creature rolling his eyes, "I mentioned before. It could amplify other energies...make someone stronger, minions healthier. I believe they used their very own life energy as electric fuses to pull things together. Medical equipment mostly. Those Thora had a thing for wasted potential..."

The Loki couldn't see the sinister glee on Nefarious's face. His eyes narrowed and he drummed his fingers together more quickly, ideas forming in his head. Wasted potential indeed! What he could do with such an energy...his laser beams could be amplified to spread all over galaxies if this where true...! And build weapons quicker if electric fusing where really involved.

Now entirely interested, Nefarious spoke in a smooth manner and inquired, "So...where do we find this Energy?"

The Loki seemed to be smiling wherever he was calling from, judging by his tone. "I believe an archaeologist may have the answer. Though he may not be as..cooperative."

Nefarious smirked, "Patience, Loki." He crooned, picking up a voodoo figure of Qwark from the office table beside him, raising a needle to its face, "We have ways of getting what we want..."

And the needle slid through the doll's eye without any mercy.

Lol Poor Qwark.