"Ladies and gentlemen," Lex began, addressing the myriad of press that gathered around him outside of the LexCorp hangars on the outskirts of Metropolis, "as you are no doubt aware, we are currently in a time of great crisis. The unknown entity who has identified itself as 'Despero,' apparently another alien like Brainiac and Superman, is threatening our very way of life."
Luthor made certain to put a subtle emphasis on the word alien, a slight sneer in his voice as it left his mouth.
"Those in my campaign have informed me that there is currently a special meeting of Congress underway...wherein the possibility of capitulation is being discussed. If the motion passes, the United States government will have, for the first time in over two hundred years of independence, surrendered to a foreign enemy."
There were murmurs within the crowd of reporters as Luthor spoke. Many of them were still unconvinced of the sheer gravity of the situation. Others were as deadly serious as he was, and the implications of what he said sparked grim thoughts.
"I can assure you that my running mate, the esteemed Senator Ross, is doing everything in his power to make sure that this will not happen. America cannot and will not ever bow to any would-be conqueror! We as a people must rally against him, and fight like our forefathers did!
"And to that end, I am proud to say that, working with other brilliant scientists within the Society and independently, we have developed the means to fight Despero--without the need to rely on super-powered vigilantes--and to defeat him once and for all.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, spreading his hands as the hangar bay doors opened behind him, "I give you...the Knight Watch."
From out of the hangar, a phalanx of armored soldiers marched in perfect formation. Their armor was a mix of rigid plates--bearing the iconic green-and-purple color scheme that had long been associated with the LexCorp brand--and a black body glove underneath. Covering their faces were green helmets with translucent red visors, obscuring their facial features, but just transparent enough to avoid dehumanizing them completely. On their backs were compact versions of the antigravity harnesses that LexCorp security had worn into battle during the Brainiac invasion. And in their hands were wicked-looking assault rifles, their barrels glowing with bright blue light.
"These men are some of the most elite soldiers the U.S. military have ever trained," Luthor half-lied. In fact, they were trained privately by his recent associate Slade Wilson, but were under direct command of General Wade Eiling, so the military connection was still true in that sense. "Their weapons and armor, created based on data gathered during the battle against Brainiac, are all designed with extra-normal targets in mind. L-Soft, if you don't mind, list the specifications."
The PDA in Luthor's hand produced a small projector from one of its many compartments, and began to project a readout of the soldiers' suits.
"Knight Watch tactical combat system:
ARMOR- Military-grade 'dragon skin' body glove, overlaid with kevlar and ceramic plates coated with synthetic diamond. Impervious to small-arms fire and most explosives.
COMMUNICATIONS RELAY- Wireless satellite uplink with command locations and all other Knight Watch units. Interface system designed on OMAC technology, built to counter similar threats. Closed network makes uplink impregnable to hacking or other digital threats.
ARMAMENT- Hand-held LAR-38 Directed Energy Rifles, with interchangeable delivery cartridges: superheated plasma, broad-spectrum lasers, high-voltage electric stun, or cryogenic freezing. Secondary weapons include gauntlet-mounted concussion rockets and an EMP-emitter housed within the local generator.
ADVANCED ENERGY- Next-generation anti-gravity harnesses, with stablizers mounted in the boots, allow for controlled individual flight. Energy can also be directed to emit a temporary force-field, protecting unit from more powerful threats.
SUMMARY- The Knight-Watch tactical combat system is designed to give soldiers every possible advantage over extra-normal opposition, thus reducing potential unnecessary loss of life on both sides of the conflict."
"The next generation of American soldiers, now armed and equipped to handle the new challenges of the world," Lex said proudly, before adding with a grin, "Frankly, I'd put a squad of these fellows against Superman any day of the week."
"And don't think I've stopped there," he continued, "In the wake of Despero's telepathic message, I have located the psionic frequencies the creature uses to activate his powers...and thus designed the means to subvert it. LexCorp is currently in the process of manufacturing a high-powered psionic field generator that, when activated, will render entire cities safe from Despero's power.
I wish the brave men and women of Gotham's Finest good luck, but I unfortunately cannot rely solely on that. With these new technologies in play, however, I can assure you that humanity will stop Despero once and for all!"
To him, this was all old news. The Knight-Watch program had been underway since before he had hired Deathstroke to lead it, the armor just a newer model of his older War-Suit. The psionic field generator was just a bigger version of the one he had used to protect himself when he confronted Despero in person. Honestly, he felt more like he was digging old junk out of his attic than debuting the 'next generation' of weapons.
Politically, though, this was a bold step. He needed to show the press that he was not only willing to protect the American people, but also that he was capable of doing so without needing some super-powered freak 'saving the day' every time his own armed forces weren't enough. Debuting his anti-Superman weapons now simply as anti-Despero would only bring more people to his side when the true confrontation came.
Still, he could hear one voice of dissent among the approving crowd,
"Mr. Luthor," Lois Lane said, a skeptical tone in her voice as always, "doesn't it seem a bit convenient to you that, in the day or so since Despero's arrival, you've already come up with counter-measures for him? That all of a sudden, we have super-soldiers and weapons to save the day, all with the LexCorp brand name on it?"
"My dear Miss Lane," Luthor said, with a little more fire in his voice than he usually allowed, "there is nothing 'convenient' about it. I am fortunate enough to be surrounded with the most gifted minds on the planet, and my own intellect is hardly insignificant itself. The times require that we think fast and act decisively, and that is exactly what the Society is set out to do! That, combined with my own personal funds, allow me to come up with solutions while those in Washington would squander trillions of taxpayer dollars to an inferior result.
"And frankly, with all that I have and all that I am capable of doing, it would be unconscionable for me not to devote my efforts toward confronting the threats others cannot. I know you are used to seeing those in power move slowly and fail to deliver their promises. That will soon change, Miss Lane. I believe we can defeat Despero, and when that happens, America will be ready for the change it needs."
The press conference went on for another half-hour or so, but with that exchange, Luthor had already won another minor battle. Compared to dissenters like Lois Lane or that Kent yokel, an alien invader would be a cake-walk. As much as they would try to spin it, Lex had delivered exactly what the uninformed public craved to hear.
The White House was that much closer now.
And 'change' would indeed be coming.
Little did the public know exactly how much he intended.
