The special consultant's pledge of allegiance, a legal showdown over jurisdictional conflict
The light seemed to freeze on the dome of the White Bone Hall.
Envoy Mordo's ultimatum of "mandatory adjudication procedures" was transmitted here via encrypted lines. Each word was like an ice crystal falling into boiling water, instantly evaporating, leaving only a room full of stifling silence.
Hela's hand was already on the hilt of the Night Sky Sword. She said nothing, but the entire Stability Maintenance Office command knew that the Director had murderous intent.
Gwen Stacy frowned. On the virtual screen in front of her, the "Multidimensional Security Mutual Recognition Memorandum" copied from Kamar-Taj scrolled repeatedly. Each line was like a rope reaching out from the depths of history, trying to bind the hands and feet of the Negative Zone.
Lynn sat upright in the main seat, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, neither fast nor slow, as if he were playing a rhythm that no one could understand.
"Director, he's forcing us to make the first move," Gwen Stacy's voice broke the silence. "If we react excessively, it will solidify the 'violent resistance' label, and the Fleet from Earth-838 will be able to legitimately cross the Buffer Zone."
Hela scoffed, "Then let them come. The Undead Guard at C-7 Portal isn't just for show."
"Now is not the time for hand-to-hand combat," Lynn finally spoke, his voice calm. "Since they've adopted a defensive posture and intend to play by the rules, then we'll play along to the end."
He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the core executives present, finally settling on the figure at the end of the conference table, who had remained silent throughout.
Ravonna Renslayer.
Former TVA Judge, now a special consultant at the Cross-Dimension Coordination Office of the Negative Zone Management Committee.
Lynn pulled her back from the brink of being silenced and then personally promoted her to the position of Inspection Group Leader, allowing her to handle an ironclad case involving the dark secrets of TVA's top management in full view of everyone.
This is both a warning and a test.
Now, the next phase of the test has begun.
"Advisor Ravonna," Lynn's tone was devoid of any emotion, "You're a veteran of TVA, and you should be more familiar with various cross- Dimension rules and precedents than any of us here. What's your opinion on this matter?"
All eyes immediately turned to Ravonna.
Hela's eyes were scrutinizing, while Gwen Stacy's gaze was full of inquiry. They both knew that whether this new consultant was a remedy to extricate them from the predicament or a source of trouble to invite in a wolf into the house depended on her next answer.
Ravonna slowly raised her head.
Her face showed none of the arrogance she had at TVA, nor the forbearance she had displayed a few days ago when she was surrounded by bureaucratic maneuvers; only a cold professionalism belonging to a seasoned bureaucrat remained.
"Director, esteemed Director." She first followed the proper etiquette, nodding to everyone present.
"I've heard of the ' Mutual Recognition Memorandum ' that Mordo has. It was a gentleman's agreement reached privately by various powerful Dimension before the establishment of TVA, in order to counterbalance primal forces like ' Phoenix.' It has a high legal level, but its enforcement is also extremely restricted."
She spoke slowly but clearly, as if she were giving a work report.
"The core issue is that the signatories were the ' Sorcerer Supreme Council ' and the ' Earth-838 Illuminati,' while the TVA neither participated nor endorsed it. After the TVA was established and promulgated the ' Sacred Timeline Code,' the validity of such ancient agreements was effectively overridden by higher-level legislation."
Gwen Stacy's eyes lit up; she had caught the key point.
"However," Ravonna changed the subject, "Since the TVA has never officially issued a document to abolish these historical agreements, it has left loopholes for the Earth-838 to exploit. What they are doing now is a typical case of ' Selective Interpretation of the Law,' using a historical document that is already ineffective to claim a power that has never been exercised."
"Get to the point." Hela had little patience for her pedantry.
Ravonna glanced at Hela, unaffected by her imposing manner.
"The key point is that we cannot directly deny the legitimacy of this memorandum because one of its signatories is the former Sorcerer Supreme of this Dimension. Denying it would be tantamount to denying our own history, which is legally untenable."
"Isn't that still a dead end?" Hela frowned.
"No," Ravonna shook her head, "The Director has already given us a solution."
Her gaze shifted to Lynn.
"Use the rules to defeat the rules."
Ravonna stood up, walked to the Holographic Projection in the center of the conference table, and pulled up two documents.
One document is the "Multidimensional Security Mutual Recognition Memorandum" presented by Mordo.
The other document is Cross-Dimension Coordination Mechanism Bilateral Memorandum, which Lynn recently brought back from the End of Time and signed with the "He Who Remains".
"Please take a look," Ravonna's finger lightly traced across two documents, "Memorandum 838 grants them immunity from 'unilateral elimination' within this Dimension under certain conditions. And this new memorandum we signed with TVA explicitly grants the Negative Zone Management Committee independent judicial and administrative Jurisdiction as a ' Multiverse Special Coordination Zone.'"
"In the same jurisdiction, two legally binding documents were issued, granting conflicting powers to two different entities. This is a typical case of ' Jurisdictional Conflict '."
"According to the general judicial principles of the TVA, and indeed most civilized systems, when Jurisdictional Conflict arises, all related unilateral actions must be immediately frozen, arbitrated by a higher-level institution, or the conflicting parties must reach a new supplementary agreement through negotiation."
Ravonna's voice echoed in the quiet conference room.
"Therefore, what we need to do now is not to argue with Mordo about the validity of that historical document, nor to explain our internal regulations to him. Instead, we need to formally and officially raise a ' Jurisdictional Objection ' with the Earth-838 Illuminati and all parties involved in this document."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.
The murderous intent in Hela's eyes was gradually replaced by a strange light. Gwen Stacy looked at Ravonna, and for the first time, her eyes revealed genuine approval.
Defeat bureaucracy with bureaucracy.
Use a more sophisticated and domineering set of "rules" to freeze the other party's "rules".
That was a masterful use of official documents, a brilliant maneuver.
A smile finally appeared on Lynn's lips. He hadn't misjudged her. Ravonna's "pledge of allegiance" had been presented at just the right time.
"You draft the specific regulations," Lynn told Ravonna. "The Liaison Office will fully cooperate."
"Yes, Director." Ravonna bowed and accepted the order.
The meeting then adjourned.
Instead of returning to her own office, Ravonna followed Gwen Stacy directly to the Liaison Office.
In less than an hour, a formal letter, meticulously worded, full of quotations and obscure legal jargon, was placed on Lynn's desk.
Notice of Objection regarding the request to freeze and review the Jurisdictional Conflict clauses of Memorandum of Understanding 838-616 (Multidimensional Security Mutual Recognition Memorandum).
Lynn glanced at it and then signed his name.
The Red-Headed Document was simultaneously sent via the Highest Access Privileges quantum communication channel to the Mordo envoy at C-7 Portal, the Earth-838 Illuminati, and the Time Variance Authority Disciplinary Commission, which was acting as the record-keeping party.
Almost instantly after the document was sent, the atmosphere of the standoff on C-7 Portal subtly shifted.
The communications from Mordo's silver-white spaceship fell into a long silence.
His threat to "initiate compulsory adjudication procedures" became utterly meaningless in the face of this seemingly effortless "Notice of Objection."
Before the new arbitration ruling is issued, any action he takes will transform his "legitimate enforcement" into "illegal intrusion."
He's determined to suffer this injustice in silence.
White Bone Hall, the tense atmosphere finally eased.
However, Lynn's gaze fell on another report.
This report comes from the Technology Integration Department.
"Director," Wanda's voice came through the Communicator, tinged with seriousness, "While analyzing the overflow communication data from Mordo's ship, we captured some fragmented information about ' Project Insight '."
"Explain."
"This plan doesn't seem to be as simple as just physical cleanup. Based on the model, its Underlying Logic is more like... a conceptual pump."
Wanda paused, seemingly searching for a more precise wording.
"Its true purpose is likely to legally and harmlessly deprive and absorb certain special energy sources within our jurisdiction by extraditing and executing us so-called ' Variant '."
"For example, my Chaos Magic, or Jean's Phoenix Force."