Chapter 10

Bruce is again at the Batcomputer reviewing his notes as he sees the message from Wonder Woman, aka Diana Prince with the Subject, ‘Big Barda.’ Curious Bruce clicks the message and see...

It had been a couple hours since Wonder Woman talked with Batman and then left to visit with Barda again. It had been only a day since Wonder Woman told Barda that her husband, Scott Free, aka Mister Miracle was killed in battle. Barda is packing her stuff to come and stay with Diana, when Diana says, “Barda, I’m sorry to do this, but as soon as we get you settled, I will be departing for a mission, along with Superman to New Genesis.”

“Does the mission have to do with Scott’s killer?” asks Barda, as Wonder Woman, sees a combination of different emotions across Barda’s face. Wonder Woman, just for a split-second debate how to answer Barda, but instead she replies, “Barda, we’re friends, and I know you’re hurt now, but were you having marital issues?”

Diana sees anger and rage fly across Barda’s face but just a moment later she bursts out in tears, while trying to explain, “I wasn’t strong enough to protect him! I should have been there...”

“You can’t blame yourself,” voices Diana, comforting her friend.

“I was physically more powerful than Scott,” replies Barda, who had always been very protective of her husband, “But yes, we were having marital issues. We had grown distant in the last...”

Barda bursts out in tears again, while Wonder Woman places an arm across Barda’s shoulders before voicing, “I can only promise you that I’ll help you avenge him, and we’ll find this new villain!”

“There is more to this than avenging Scott,” replies Barda, standing up and walking over to the window, which looks out of their backyard. Barda wanted nothing more than a quiet life, but Scott wouldn’t abandon the endless war against injustice. Barda explains, “You know that I abandoned Apokolips after falling in love with Scott and he was the second man I ever had sex with, but the first I made love to, since Female Furies are supposed to remain loyal to Darkseid. Anyway, Scott and I were arguing over my secret role in trying to turn the Female Furies against Darkseid. Scott thought I should stay out of it, but I can’t just leave behind my sisters, who themselves are victims...”

“What?” asks Diana, shocked and surprised since she never heard this before but Barda just continues talking like Diana isn’t even in the room, “ ... but that was just what we fought about. The issue was I think I was falling out of love with Scott and I think he knew it. This is why he threw himself back into crime fighting. I guess I fell for Scott because he is so unlike Darkseid, gently, caring, loving, an all-around good man, but there was something missing from our relationship and as time progressed, I was thinking of other men more and more, fantasizing about them. Scott seemed unable to confront this and...”

“When did these fantasies start?” asks Diana, seeing Barda stare off into space, but she explains, “ ... about ten months ago...”

Diana tried to remember what happened ten months ago but draws a blank, until she asks, “We had that celebration in Metropolis?”

Barda nods her head like Diana is on the right track, so Diana asks, “Are you fantasizing about another League member? It’s...”

Diana’s eyes go wide, as she realized who Barda had been fantasizing about and asks, “You’re fantasizing about Superman?”

“Not Superman, he is too much like Scott,” replies Barda, causing Diana to wonder who else it could be? If it is not Superman, and Scott is the opposite of Darkseid, who is in the middle between Scott and Darkseid but still on the side of good?

“Batman?” asks Diana, seeing Barda’s blush with the crush of a schoolgirl but that would make sense because at the Celebration in March 2011, there were rumors about how Batman was ‘treating’ Harley Quinn.

“You’re fantasizing about Batman?” asks Diana, who herself had been fantasizing about the Dark Knight. Barda again blushes red, but Barda mumbles and explains, “I heard some rumors regarding his...”

Diana blushes as she had heard the same rumors, but she comments, “They could be just the rumor mill. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Barda nods her head yes in understanding but replies, “It is more than the rumors about Batman. He is tall, dark, and mysterious, along with being such a bad boy, but he has a heart of gold!”

Diana can’t argue with that, but she is surprised by this statement coming from Barda, as Barda explains, “Batman is the one who started the secret operation on Apokolips. I was scared...”

Barda looks away, as she knows Batman wants her and others to try and turn the elite guard of Apokolips, the Female Furies against their overlord, Darkseid. So far, the mission is progressing slower but there are signs that some of the Female Furies are beginning to doubt Darkseid. Barda continues, “ ... out of my mind to go back to Apokolips, but Batman convinced me that the only way to truly defeat Darkseid was to face him again and take back the power he had over me for majority of my existence.”

“I remember Bruce mentioned something about how he felt war was coming between Apokolips and New Genesis that would eventually spill over onto other worlds, including the Earth,” responds Diana, knowing this was Bruce’s chief argument against joining the United Planets. There is also the current conflicts of the Thanagrian-Gordanian War and the Thanagrian-Rannians War, both raging on across the vastness of space, even right now. The two conflicts are pushing the Thanagrian Defense Forces to the limit of their military capability and resources.

“Yes, he was very concerned, about the various conflicts raging across the stars spilling over onto the Earth, which he said already had enough problems,” responds Barda, who fought in many battles and wars for Darkseid, before she finally fled from him.

While Diana and Barda are speaking, back in Gotham City, Nightwing is leading an elite group toward the Gotham Boat Yard.

“Nightwing, I’m detecting approaching vehicles,” voices Oracle, safely in her tower, keeping a watchful eye over the team, which beside Nightwing, included Batgirl, Bluebird, Robin, Black Bat, Huntress, Ravager, and Gotham Girl. Dick tried to convinced Jason and Tim to come along too, but both told him no.

Team 1 is led by Nightwing and includes Batgirl, Gotham Girl, and Ravager. While Team 2 is led by Huntress and included Robin, Black Bat and Bluebird. Nightwing orders, “Team 2, investigate.”

“I’m sending Robin and Black Bat,” responds Huntress, who is watching a small group seemingly working out terms but they’re speaking in code. When Oracle announces, “I’m detecting more vehicles from the opposite direction. It would seem we are onto something here. Nightwing, should I send for our reinforcements?”

“Negative!” replies Nightwing, thinking the eight heroes will be enough but also thinking without Batman he’s not sure if the normal reinforcement will even come and aid them in their endless war against crime. While Team 1 is moving into position, the Huntress had managed to get closer enough to eavesdrop, as vehicles pulled up from several different directions.

“Nightwing, I have Salvatore Maroni, and Carmine Falcone getting out of their vehicles,” voices Batgirl, as one more vehicle approaches the gathering. Huntress watches, as the final vehicle stops and out step a gorgeous woman, who the Huntress doesn’t recognize but overhears, “Welcome, Chase, how is your father?”

“He is doing quite well,” replies Jill Hampton, daughter of former Gotham City Sebastian Hady, “He sent me for the meeting, as his representative for his interests, since he is busy handling other interests of concern regarding the Arkham Knight.”

“That’s what we wanted to talk about regarding this meeting,” voices Carmine Falcone, who is working toward peace between the various of crime families, in order to stand against the Arkham Knight, who in Carmine Falcone’s opinion is even more dangerous than Batman, because of the Knight’s willingness to use violence.

“I couldn’t agree more,” replies Salvatore ‘Sal’ Maroni, who rarely agreed with his rival, Carmine Falcone, but things had changed with the appearance of the Arkham Knight. When all of a sudden, a when large portal opening high above the group.

Salvatore Maroni asks, “Carmine, what the fucking hell is that?”

“Why’re you asking me?” Carmine answers, when all of a sudden two individuals come flying through the gateway and hit the ground hard. Everyone but Jill draws their weapons, when the first of the individual stands up and asks, “What is this realm?”

“Realm?” asks Huntress, seeing the second individual is a beautiful, blonde, large-chested woman. Huntress watches, as the woman draws her sidearm and the man says, “Sonya, I’m going to...”

“Fuck you, Kano,” replies Sonya Blade, as she open fire before driving out of the way. Everyone runs for cover, as Oracle voices, “We need to get that woman out of there and to safety!”

“Huntress have your team rescue the woman. Team 1 will handle the henchmen,” orders Nightwing, before racing off into the chaos below. Team 2 moves toward the woman, who is pinned down but upon seeing the costumed superheroes she thinks, ‘What the fuck?’

Nightwing, Gotham Girl, Ravager, and Huntress are fighting the henchmen, while Batgirl, Robin, Black Bat, and Bluebird are creating a protective perimeter around Sonya. Sal retreats first, followed quickly by Falcone, leaving only Jill and Kano but soon seeing that this isn’t going well, Jill offers Kano a chance to flee. Seeing a world, he doesn’t recognize, Kano decided it is time to regroup, leading his Black Dragon that came through the portal during the chaotic battle. With the various henchmen either defeated or retreating, Nightwing walks up to the unnamed woman and asks, “Who’re you and what the hell was that gateway?”

“Who the fucks are you?” asks Sonya, staring at the man in a Halloween costume. Nightwing is about to put the woman in her place, when Barbara Gordon aka, Batgirl says, “I’m Batgirl. That dick’s Nightwing. You’re in Gotham City. So, what is your name?”

“Sonya Blade, I’m from Austin, Texas. I’ve never heard of Gotham City before,” replies Sonya, looking around at the eight people dressed in various colorful costumes. Nightwing looks confused as he asks, “How is that possible? I’ve never met anyone who had never heard of Gotham before, it’s a major city.”

“If you say so,” answers Sonya, wondering if she found a group of crazy people. Huntress suggests, “Maybe, we should talk with Batman, whenever he’s feeling better and back on his feet.”

“Batman?” asks Sonya, wondering if he’s a Bat-man hybrid or a Bat that looks like a man. Everyone but Nightwing chuckle at this, when Batgirl voices, “Batman is going to really like this one.”

“I agree, but Sonya, you’re more than welcome to come with us. We can compare notes,” comments Huntress, as Sonya decides it would be easier to have allies than to be on the rock all alone. The team then departs back into the darkness of the Gotham night...

Batman finishes reading over the reports, while beginning to wonder if this Sonya Blade is from an alternate reality. That would explain why she never heard of Gotham City before. Alfred walks up and says, “Master Bruce, your guests have arrived. Talia has sent word, saying she’s waiting on you at the harbor.”

“Thank you, Alfred,” replies Bruce, actually looking forward to seeing Talia again but first he must meet with his guests and start figuring out how he is going to handle the Arkham Knight.

Sonya Blade is the last one left from the meeting, it is just her and Bruce now, with Barbara and Kate departing just a few minutes ago. Sonya can’t believe that there are other Earths, while the group wasn’t surprise at the existence of other realms since they regularly associate with Asgard. Bruce asks, “Now Sonya, I want you to know if you think this Shang Tsung is a threat to the world?”

“Shang Tsung is a threat to every world,” explains Sonya, who is having trouble understanding how unconcerned Bruce seems regarding Shang Tsung, but Bruce had other more urgent enemies to deal with.

“Alright, what’s the situation on your Earth?” asks Bruce, wondering how many Earths are similar to Sonya’s Earth, which seems quite different from his Earth, since it lacks superheroes, but had other beings with magical powers, sorcerers.

“My Earth was recently conquered by Shao Kahn,” explains Sonya, “We have been recruiting allies to continue the fight against him and his outworlders, we just allied with the Edenian Resistance.”

“Who the fucking hell is Shao Kahn?” asks Bruce, “I thought you were fleeing someone, Shang Tsung, right? Did I miss something?”

“Shao Kahn is the Emperor, with Shang Tsung being his sub-boss,” explains Sonya, “Kahn conquered a majority of the realms within my reality or dimension. What’s the correct term, again?”

“Either one works,” replies Bruce, getting up and walking over so he can pour himself something to drink. After taking a sip of his water, he continues, “Alright, but what type of support do you need? You mentioned allies, what about weapons or equipment?”

“Anything you can do will be helpful but the only way to defeat Shao Kahn is with strong and committed allies,” voices Sonya, as she feels like Bruce finally understands. Bruce finishes drinking his water, responding, “Alright, but in return for helping you with your war, I’ll require yours with another?”

“I didn’t realize you were currently fighting a war,” replies Sonya, but seeing the looks on Bruce’s face, it would seem she stuck a nerve. Bruce calmly says, “Oh, I have been fighting a war for the last thirty years but now, a new threat has risen, and I need all of the allies I can get. You must understand I saw my parents murdered in front of my eyes when I was 8 years old. You see that day is when my war started, and I became Batman twelve years ago, to continue my one-man war against injustice.”

Sonya is speechless, the dedication that this man must have to fight a war that he knows that’s never going to end nor he is ever going to truly win. Sonya nods her head in agreement, before asking, “Who is the new threat you mentioned? What do you know?”

“He is known as the Arkham Knight,” answers Bruce, “And honestly, I don’t know that much about him other than he always seems to be several steps ahead of me. He somehow avoids detection before moving against other heroes. He slaughtered Aquaman and his personal guards. He seems to be gathering my enemies against me.”

“In order to destroy you?” asks Sonya, who doesn’t need an answer to her question, and she’s not even sure why she asked it.

“That would be my guess,” voices Bruce, though that is obvious to everyone but a lesson that Bruce learned from Ra’s al Ghul is that sometimes the words people speak are meaningless and often they say things that they already know to be true. This conversation is a prime example of that lesson that Ra taught him so many years ago. Nothing else needed to be said between the two, as Sonya stands up and shakes Bruce’s hand before leaving Wayne Manor. Bruce for his part is curious, as to where this will go and how many other-Earth conflicts there are right now?

The Dragon Daughter,

Gotham Harbor,

Port of Gotham City, Gotham

Batman had come to Gotham Harbor alone. Batman sees Talia’s yacht, The Dragon Daughter, and while everything seems right ... There is something that Batman feels is off, though he doesn’t know what that is just yet. Stepping quietly on onto the yacht, Batman hears nothing. No sounds. No footsteps. No bodyguards. Nothing. Quietly making his way toward Talia’s master bedroom, he sees Talia tied up in the middle of the bed, with her sister, Nyssa Raatko, tied up beside her and several of Talia’s bodyguards all tied all around the room. A voice says, “Hello, Bruce. It’s so nice for you to finally join us. Talia would have apologized for not being here sooner, but that is my fault. I delayed her for several days, but Talia’s still alive...”

Out of the shadow steps the Arkham Knight before continuing, “ ... I learned after capturing Talia’s that she is pregnant with your child. A daughter from what I’ve been told by several doctors...”

Then the Arkham Knight, pulls out a knife and presses it against Talia’s belly. The Arkham Knight calmly says, “Now that I have your attention, here is the deal. I want you to surrender to me, in return I let your beloved go and will not harm your child growing inside of her belly. Refuse and I will cut it out of her, right here, right now! So now, what is going to be, Bruce?”

“You’re not going to do it! You may kill villains and bad guys, but I don’t think you would harm an innocent. You called yourself the Arkham Knight. A Knight is shining beacon of hope, you’re trying to help and save the people of Gotham. So, why’re you my enemy?” voices Batman, which for the first time turns the table on the Arkham Knight, but the Knight doesn’t even flinch, only responding, “You’re partly correct. I’m here to help and save the people of Gotham, but that also means saving them from you. You’re my enemy! Because you’re weak! And unwilling to do what needs to be done. How many lives could have been saved if you had killed the Joker sooner? But no, you will not kill. I don’t have that moral flaw. I make the moral decision on when to take lives and when not to take lives. You’re wrong about not harming innocents. I will cut your child out of her, if you don’t surrender, and stop this war for Gotham, before it even starts!”

However, before Batman can do anything to stop the Arkham Knight, they heard a laugh that they both know all too well. It is the Joker’s laugh. The yacht then rolls to one side, as Batman sees Christina Bell, dressed like the Joker, but Christina isn’t here for Batman, she is here for the Arkham Knight. The Knight is too fast and easily avoids Christina’s attack. However, this gives Batman the chance he needs to rescue Talia, Nyssa, and Talia’s bodyguard. Christina wielding a switch blade explains, “Oh, you’re not going to hurt Batman or anyone...”

Then Christina charges the Arkham Knight, forcing him far back into the rear of the yacht. Wildly attacking the Arkham Knight, though he manages to avoid each attack, the Knight didn’t plan on this fake-Joker interrupting the surrender of Batman. Now, the war will only increase in tension. As the Arkham Knight continues avoiding the undisciplined attacks of Christina, he is blindsided by another enemy. Recovering, the Arkham Knight looks up to see Ivy standing there. The Knight lets out a string of profanity, before asking, “How many times do I have to kill you?”

“I will never stop hunting you! You killed my parents,” scream Ivy ‘Pamela’ Pepper, the ‘Poison Ivy’ of her reality. The Arkham Knight throws explosive pellets that send Ivy flying backward.

Frustrated at recently events and that supposedly push-over Batman, being harder to defeat, the Arkham Knight turns to retreat, before saying, “We’ll meet again, and you will die.”

Batman sees the laser-focus of the Arkham Knight on him, and never before has such a villain shook him down to his very core.

With the Arkham Knight retreating, Batman’s focus is on Talia, who Bruce picks up in his arms and carries her back to the Batmobile. Christina and Ivy approach, but Batman turns prepare to fight, but Ivy voices, “I am not going to fight you, Batman.”

“Then why’re you here?” asks Batman, wondering how many Ivy he’s going to have to deal with? Batman realized the Ivy that him and Harley had a threesome with the other day isn’t his Ivy.

“Any enemy of the Arkham Knight is my friend,” answers Ivy, “I fought with my reality’s Batman, Catwoman, the Tigress, Copperhead and many others against the Arkham Knight but eventually my Batman, my Bruce, who I had known since his childhood, died to save, not only myself but the few remaining of us that are left.”

“What about you?” asks Batman, turning to Christina, wondering where she came from and how she knew to be aboard Talia’s yacht.

“We are yin and yang. Two halves of the same coin,’ replies Christina, who inherited the Joker’s obsession with Batman, but Christina’s obsession is similar in some ways but very different...

Botanical Gardens,

Bristol Distinct,

Miagani Island

It had been several hours since the confrontation with the Arkham Knight. Talia is resting at Wayne Manor, and Bruce had thrown himself back into the crime fighting lifestyle instead of focusing on his feelings. Batman, his Harley Quinn, and his Catwoman, had traveled to the Botanical Gardens on Miagani Island, searching for their version of Ivy, which is where Batman had concluded Pamela is hiding. Sneaking into the Botanical Gardens, they hear Poison Ivy talking, “ ... look at her. She’s been here since before man walked the Earth. She still holds great power...”

Batman is curious to whomever she is talking to, as she continues speaking, “ ... but she’s weak ... poisoned by decades of pollution ... she won’t be able to fight the Scarecrow’s toxin on her own...” Batman can’t make out whom Ivy is talking to, “ ... There aren’t any left like her. Not anymore...”

Batman still can’t make out she is talking with, as Ivy angrily replies, “ ... what do you think? Man. You cut them back, built over them, stopped them from reaching the sun...” as both Harley and Catwoman can’t figure out whom Ivy is speaking to either, she continues, “They’re lost, buried beneath this concrete monstrosity. How will you...” before she suddenly yells, “Harley!”

Ivy races over to her friend and lover, hugging her like she hadn’t seen her in years, when she asks, “Red, who are you talking to?” as Batman and Catwoman jump down from their hiding spots, but they don’t see anybody else in the room, just plants.

“You got my message finally!” voices Ivy, seemly happy that Batman, Catwoman, and Harley had found her, “There’s so much to...”

“What message?” asks Batman, finding himself pulled to Ivy’s body.

“You didn’t get my message?” asks Ivy, seemingly stunned, “I sent it multiple times. Again, after I escaped the other Poison Ivy.”

“You mean the Ivy we and B-man had the threesome with?” asks Harley, referring to the mind-blowing sex they had eight days ago.

“That would be the one,” replies Ivy, as it would seem that Catwoman was unaware of that threesome, but Batman asks, “What was the message and why was the other Ivy pretending to be you?”

“She wanted you or more actually your seed,” answers Ivy, “Sometimes the truth is more effective in getting you what you want than a lie. My message was in regarded to the Arkham Knight.”

“What do you know about him?” asks Batman, as him and Catwoman inch closer to Poison Ivy, since Batman still isn’t sure whose side Ivy is on. Pamela explains, “It started with the meeting...”

“What meeting?” asks Batman, but Ivy just continues, “ ... everyone was there: Penguin, Two-Face, Riddler, Scarecrow, but not poor Harley. The Arkham Knight said he had a plan. He had assembled us, so that together we could take you out and Gotham would be ours...” as Batman voices, “Over my dead body,” but Ivy continues, “ ... I believe that was the idea. I told him that I wasn’t interested in his pathetic human games and when I came to ... I was locked up by some other looking Ivy. She rescued me from the Knight, telling me stories about him. He isn’t what he appears, and she needs you to stop him or more precisely your human seed...”

Batman continues to listen, while wondering what else the Arkham Knight is planning for him, “ ... it’s such a shame that the Arkham Knight’s vile toxin has no effect on me, but nature always wins!”

“Red!” yells Harley, snapping to bring her friend back on topic.

“Oh, well some other villains also rejected the Arkham Knight’s proposal and afterward they were all dead. He’s not merely using us to defeat you but he’s also planning to eliminate us afterward.”

“You’re not telling me nothing I don’t already know,” replies Batman, getting frustrated, but Ivy reveal, “What if I can tell you where the Arkham Knight’s main base of operations is located?”

“Why didn’t you lead with that Pamela?” asks Catwoman, but Ivy had a mischievous grin, “I don’t know where the main base of operation is located, but I do know where the main hub is, and you can find the location of his main base of operations, there.”

“So, what do you actually want, Pamela?” asks Catwoman, out of patience with her friend and lover. Ivy, still with the same mischievous grin on her face, “I want the same thing that I have always wanted, to protect the Earth and her endangered species.”

But Bruce isn’t sure. He isn’t sure he can trust Pamela. Ivy, while a criminal, is becoming more of an anti-hero than a true villain. Normally, Batman, Catwoman and Harley would have to fight their way through Ivy’s usual group of hypnotized lackeys, enraptured and under her control effortlessly as the result of her natural pheromones, but it seems this time Ivy had no such lackeys. Batman, Catwoman, and Bat Quinn had snuck their way into Ivy’s lair, without encountering a single lackey.

“What changed, Red?” asks Harley, who has become Ivy’s lover, after leaving the Joker, but she always seems to go back to him, at least before the Joker’s death during the Arkham City Incident.

“Because, Batman will need my help and that of my plants in fighting the Arkham Knight, who has the Scarecrow’s toxin, along with other weapons that will not only kill humanity but my babies and the Earth too,” answers Ivy, “And what I want in return is the Bat’s helps in fighting for the natural environment!”

“Pamela ... you’re in no position to make demands...” Bruce spoke, his usual calm demeanor definitely was laced with a bit of impatience towards the green skinned woman though, the events of the day weighing on his mind. Bruce had decided it was time to get a little payback on Poison Ivy for all the times she caused trouble for him. By adding her to his ever-growing harem.

But in typical Ivy fashion, she did her best to act not interested in a human male. She sat in her flower throne, made up of what looked like an opened up, pink Venus flytrap. Her light green skin on display as the woman never wore anything more than just a flimsy top, barely buttoned up at all the skimpiest pair of green panties the world had ever seen. They were matched so well with their color, it almost looked like she wasn’t wearing any at all, and just the ivy like protrusions on her skin covered up her private parts.

She had her legs crossed, and reclined in her throne, hand up by her face as she toyed with some of the dangling vines of her lair.

“Hmmm ... actually I’m in the perfect position to make demands, you need me and my plants...” she swirled her finger in the air above them, making the vine twirl along with her hand’s movement. Her long red, slightly wavy locks of hair cascading around her shoulders as she flipped it casually, as Batman says, “I don’t need you or your damn plants, but you do want me to fuck you!”

“I haven’t felt the desire for a human man ever since I was reborn. And that includes you, Batman,” she spoke slowly, blinking her matching forest green orbs over at the Bat uncaring, but both she and Batman knows she wants him to fuck her like a real human woman and not like the plant-human hybrid she was transformed into. Her hatred of men comes from a lifetime of mistreatment at the hand of her male lovers and then the mistreatment of the Earth by man.

“Oh, really Red?” Harley put her hands on her hips, “I feel like I can recall one or two times after you finished railing me with your handy dandy bludgeon you call a strap-on, that you mentioned wanting to have the big bad Bat bound to your bed before!” she ranted a little, pointing out the history between the two. Back in the days of the Joker, Harley definitely had her fair share of run ins with other villainous women. Ivy included multiple times even. The two were actually quite close in their friendship and Harley often confided in Poison Ivy when she had it out with Mister J.

However, the relationship grew a bit more distant after Harley switched sides and took Batman up on his offer, becoming Bat Quinn and regularly participating in Batman’s quest to satisfy his never-ending boner. Ivy however, seemed unconcerned with Harley’s mention of the past, casting the girl a brief amused glance before explaining, “Harley dear, you simply misunderstood. I wanted the Bat in my bed so I could finally give him the punishment he deserved, for all his cruel treatment of my babies.”