Pros and Cons of Anonymity

Disclaimer: Premise and characters belong to Marvel, I'm just playing with them.

Chapter Ten: Plausible Deniability

Dr. Cho was ready to release Peter to his new room in the tower two days later but Rhodes had other plans. "If he had normal healing how long would you keep him?" the Avengers' leader asked.

"If not for the extremely high density of his bones his skull would have cracked like an eggshell. Similarly, it's only his enhanced musculature that kept his internal organs from being turned into paste," Dr. Cho replied frankly. "He'd be in the morgue, not a hospital room if he were a baseline human."

Rhodes looked frustrated, "Let's say you had a baseline patient with Spidey's injuries, how long would you keep them?"

Dr. Cho eyed him irritably, "You want me to put him in a casts don't you?" she sighed.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Peter asked.

"Preferably get it on him before Director Ross makes his visit," Rhodes said. "Unfortunate name aside he's not a bad guy, once you get past the bluster. Still a cast and a hospital bed would be a good prop, I want him seeing a stupid kid who got hurt trying to save people."

"Not someone who can't be trusted to listen? Whose insistence on believing he has all the answers will end up destroying a city someday?" Pepper asked dryly as she walked in.

Peter flushed. "Sorry."

"I think a cast is an appropriate punishment," Pepper replied. She turned to Rhodes, "Have you told him the story yet?"

Rhodes grinned, "You beat me to it."

"Oh no," Pepper deferred. "You were involved, I was just the messenger."

"But without you the best- worst part never would have happened, I couldn't have talked Tony into that."

"Is someone going to tell me, or is this a plot to torture me!" Peter exclaimed.

"Tony and I were celebrating the end of my first overseas posting," Rhodes said. "Tony was was nineteen and I was irresponsible enough not to stop him from drinking."

"When I showed up at the hospital you still smelled like a brewery," Pepper interjected.

"But neither of us was driving the car," Rhodes protested.

"You were scared the police would notice Tony's condition and blame you for giving him alcohol," Pepper said. "Plus your buddy didn't want a speeding ticket."

"It would have been his fourth one," Rhodes shrugged. "We told the police Tony had a broken arm and we were rushing him to the hospital."

"You didn't count on the nice officers volunteering to take Tony to the hospital," Pepper chuckled.

"The guys thought that was a great idea but I couldn't just ditch Tony," Rhodes said. "So Tony asks 'How do I fake it?' And I say,'Hold it limp.' So Tony gets out of the car and limps over to the police with me trailing after him. I figure we're screwed and half the guys are about to break out laughing but Tony plays it for all he's worth. He's a damn good actor and the police, maybe they think we're a bunch of morons who don't know the difference between a broken arm and a broken leg but they buy that Tony's hurting. Then there's the doctor, who probably got his licence out of cracker-jack box. By that point Tony's whimpering and carrying on and the X-Ray's a mess 'cause he won't stay still so the Doctor feels up his leg and says it's gotta be a hairline fracture, then he sticks a cast on Tony. Covers the whole damn leg since he doesn't know what's broken."

"I think they all just went along to see how deep you two could dig yourself in," Pepper contributed. "By the next morning it was all over the tabloids, a picture of this idiot and the police, oh so solicitously helping Tony Stark, who was just starting his bid to be named CEO of Stark Industries, into a hospital. Each story was more outrageous than the last."

"I used to like the one about the brave police officers foiling a kidnapping plot," Rhodes said.

"The mosh pit injury was my favorite," Pepper replied. "Anyway, I get to the hospital and the two of them are both very hung over, with no idea of how they're supposed to get out without blowing their story. I've either got 'Tony Stark breaks his leg tripping on some stairs while greeting returning military buddy Lieutenant James Rhodes' or 'Tony Stark, age nineteen pulled over by police, lies about being drunk etc. etc.' to spin. I tell Tony he's got the cast for the long haul."

"Six weeks," Rhodes said. "I spent most of my leave fetching and carrying for him as penance for my part in the mess. I'd say I got the worst of the deal, except the second day Tony got an itch under the cast that he just couldn't reach and I swear it didn't let up for the whole time." He smiled evilly, "You're going to be trying to itch with only one arm to shove pencils under that cast."

"Seriously? Six weeks with my arm in a cast?" Peter looked outraged. "I'll need therapy to rebuild the muscles!"

"Osborn's already telling everyone who'll listen that you're Spider-Man," Rhodes said seriously. "Having Peter Parker in a cast for an extended period will help sell the cover I came up with. But we need Ross' buy-in to keep the Accords committee from confirming your identity by charging you with trespassing. So look nice and pathetic and REPENTANT and I'm gonna tell you the same thing she told Tony back then: Don't let me hear you whining, you should be grateful."

With that Pepper held open the door and Rhodes rolled himself out leaving Peter gaping.

Once they were almost to elevator Dr. Cho said, "I can wait until tomorrow morning to put on the cast, he can spend the night thinking he's getting a plaster cast instead of the inflatable one I'm thinking about. It should really showcase the bruising and after a week or so he could start taking it off so Spider-Man could make a few appearances. We don't want Spider-Man to mysteriously vanish the whole time Peter Parker is laid up."

When the slight Task Force Commander of the UN's Counter-Terrorist Division burst into Peter's hospital room with all the subtlety of a hurricane Peter was too startled to remember the apology he'd been rehearsing. He just blinked at Ross in shock.

The door Ross had thrown open rebounded off the wall and the man barely got a hand up in time to keep it from smacking him in the face. "You really are just a child," Ross groaned after looking Peter up and down. Ross came in and started pacing back and forth at the foot of Peter's bed. "What was Stark thinking? What if you'd been hurt at Leipzig? How would that have looked?!

"I'll have you know, the United Nations has taken a very strong stance against the use of child soldiers! How could we have you running around fighting Enhanced threats for us while condemning the use of child soldiers by others? They'd laugh in our face! Obviously you can't sign the Accords until you're an adult- But we can hardly tell anyone that now!"

"I'm sorry," Peter said uncertainly.

"Oh no this is all on Stark," Ross frowned darkly then sighed. "But Rhodes is right, even if Stark hadn't dragged you off to Leipzig we could hardly announce that you're not signing until you're at least eighteen… Personally I'd prefer twenty-one, you hero types are too big on independent action to trust a teenager's judgement."

Peter scowled that that but held his tongue.

"Even before Stark got involved you were making enemies… Not that the former Avengers, no matter how misguided, would ever attack a high school to get back at you for opposing them," Ross rambled. "Really, out of everyone you've fought they're probably the safest when it comes to that sort of thing. But we can't have it getting out that Spider-Man's a high school student, Rhodes is right about that."

Ross heaved a massive sigh, "Super villains are so inconvenient to deal with. They make everything so personal, why can't they be more goal oriented? Rhodes may be on the right track saying we need some sort of preemptive witness protection style arrangement to allow you hero-types to function without being compromised by constant attacks on your friends and family. If there's one thing Rogers proved to the world it's that heroes can't keep their heads in the face of a personal threat. And taxpayers won't appreciate it if the government has to pick up the tab for protecting everyone you lot take a liking to."

Peter considered whether or not he should say something.

"There's nothing else for it, we'll have to go with Rhodes' plan," Ross shook his head in dismay. "I've spoken with both your Captain Stacy and General Talbot- ATCU, he'll be officially in charge of overseeing SHRA once it passes. They're both willing to make this work. Naturally you'll be on probation for at least two years: Restricted from combat apart from extreme circumstances, make it a punishment and we don't have to explain that you're actually a minor who never should have been out there in the first place. It might even shut that Jameson character up for a few minutes if he thinks we're throwing the book at you. Try to tell me what it think! Who does he think he is?"

"Well no- That won't work. Peter Parker was the one trespassing at OsCorp, Spider-Man was nowhere to be seen," Ross corrected himself. "Quite delusional, that Osborn, thinking a teenager, a friend of his son's no less, was Spider-Man but what can you expect of someone running around blowing up our city while dressed for Halloween?" Ross pasted on what was meant to be a reassuring smile. "Don't worry we'll work it all out. You just concentrate on healing and growing up to be a responsible little meta-human."

Then he spun around and stomped out muttering under his breath about "Why couldn't the Universe just hold off on powers until everyone involved was old enough to shave?"

Peter noticed Rhodes sitting quietly outside the door. "Good job," the Colonel offered sardonically.

"But I didn't do anything," Peter protested.

"Get used to it," Rhodes said. "We're going to have to keep you on a much tighter reign now. He's serious about not wanting to see you in combat for two years and I can't see that I disagree with the sentiment."

A pout crept onto Peter's face.

Rhodes sighed, "You're more than just another hero Peter, you're the first of the next generation. There are times when I'm going to put you in a support role or ask you to sit out a fight and you're going to hate it, I know. But I'm not just thinking about that fight, I'm thinking about the fight ten years down the road when I can't put on the suit anymore. Let us have the burden of protecting the world for a few more years, Peter. Right now, your job is to learn. Learn from what we've done right, learn from our mistakes. And do better when it's your turn."

"So I'm the kid at the end of Camelot?" Peter asked.

Rhodes smiled, "Naw, I'm still going to be around. I'm picturing myself as the old guy with the giant ear-horn: 'Speak up a little sonny!'. But I don't want to be watching the news and seeing a bunch of punks making the same old mistakes we made, 'cause that'd just be depressing."

What Kind of Role-Model?

The Daily Bugle By: J. Jonah Jameson December 25, 2016

I want to be doing some sort of fluff-Christmas piece today but I can't leave this to wait until after the holidays. On the night of December 22nd, after finishing his school day one of Middletown High's brightest students decided it was his responsibility to step in for the police and put a stop to the outrages perpetrated by the so-called Green Goblin who's been terrorizing our city for the past few months.

This student, a sixteen-year-old sophomore, upon hearing the widespread speculation about the Goblin's ties to OsCorp Industries, decided to use his friendship with Harold Osborn, the son of Norman Osborn to gain illegal access to the OsCorp building. What's worse, this bright, well-meaning sixteen-year-old, dressed up in a red and blue costume reminiscent of the one worn by the vigilante Spider-Man, found more than what he was looking for. He didn't just find evidence linking the Goblin to OsCorp, he found Norman Osborn, the Goblin himself.

Osborn brutally beat the defenseless sixteen-year-old, attacking him with OsCorp's attempt to emulate the Iron Man armor created by Tony Stark leaving the boy hospitalized. Then Osborn turned his attention on the boy's family. It was only through the heroic efforts of the police and the officially registered Avengers that I'm not publishing an obituary for both the boy and his family this morning.

This is what comes of tolerating a yahoo in a mask who runs around claiming to be a champion of justice. A bright, talented kid, still in High School, barely old enough to drive, in the hospital, very nearly beaten to death, very nearly the cause of his entire family's deaths, because he was emulating a so-called 'hero' like Spider-Man.

"All ready?" Pepper asked Marlena as she adjusted the towel over her shoulder before reclaiming Nettie from Mercedes who was amusing the baby by making faces.

"I feel like a dress-up doll," Marlena complained making an aborted gesture to brush at her carefully coiffed hair.

"Get used to it Mom," Harley said.

Pepper nodded approvingly at him, his shorter hair-cut and the clothes his stylist had picked created an illusion of a resemblance to Tony. "Harley, I want you to take more technical questions. Remember to keep an eye on the teleprompter even if you're sure of the answer, I'll be sending cues in case you start getting into anything proprietary." She smiled, "I know how tempting it can be to show off how much you know and there may be plants in the audience who'll try to dig for more than they need to know. If someone wants to ask who you're taking to the winter homecoming, I leave that to your discretion."

"I'm not! How would I? New school! I don't-" Harley sputtered, flushing at the thought of asking a girl out when he hadn't even started classes at the school he'd be attending in New York yet.

Pepper chuckled, "They'll love that. Now, I want you to defer to your mom for any questions about the Goblin's attacks and the lawsuits between SI and OsCorp." Despite the criminal charges against Norman Osborn, OsCorp's legal department had still responded to SI's patent suit with a bevy of countersuits attacking half a dozen of SI's other patents. OsCorp had also filed charges relating to corporate espionage against SI for FRIDAY and Peter's incursion while Norman's personal lawyers were trying to get the charges relating to Peter's injuries dismissed claiming that Norman was not the Goblin and had only used OsCorp tech identical to what the Goblin had stolen to defend his home from an intruder.

Pepper saw Harley and Marlena to the elevator then took Nettie to her office in the penthouse to watch the conference while the two of them headed for the auditorium on the tower's first floor. Marlena joined Dr. Cho, Rhodey and several of SI's marketing and technology directors in the chairs at the back of the stage while Harley squared his shoulders and strode up to the podium.

"Hi! Thanks for coming today," he began a bit awkwardly. "I'd like to tell you about Stark Industries' new addition to our line of medical products. Dr. Helen Cho has expanded her work in soft-tissue regeneration to look at what she can do for severely broken bones. Injuries that, with current practices would require pins, plates or wiring to repair will soon have a quick, non-invasive solution.

"Using a unique memory polymer and advanced imaging techniques we will program an injectable fluid to be introduced to the injury site and the fluid will reassemble the broken pieces of bones while filling any gaps and stabilizing the structure. In days it will be as if the bone had never been broken." As he spoke, Harley's confidence rose and his voice steadied.

"I'd like to introduce you to our latest patient," Harley continued and a handler waiting backstage released a golden retriever to bound out to Harley when the young teen held up a ball. "This is Mindy, a year-old golden retriever puppy. Two months ago she was run over by a car, the vet at the animal shelter where she was brought recommended putting her down because it was believed that she'd never move without excruciating pain again." A screen at the back of the stage flashed to an image of the dog's x-rays after the accident. "SI asked for permission to try our technique on her and as you can see…" Harley tossed the ball across the stage and Mindy tore after it, jumping to snatch it out of the air on the bounce then raced back to Harley's side and pressed the ball into his hand. "During the past year, SI has reached out to animal shelters and wildlife biologist across the country to enable us to complete the animal testing phase without inducing harm. Using this technology we've helped to return over a dozen animals to the wild." As he spoke a montage of videos showing X-Rays of broken wings and legs followed by clips of the the healed animal being released. "We've also treated over a hundred domestic animals ranging from the champion race horse Fleetfoot, who will be racing again next year contrary to speculation, to rescue animals like Mindy here… Now my mom says I can't keep Mindy but I'm hoping someone with a good home will call?"

After the smattering of laughter died down Harley resumed. "I wanted to let you all know that we're ready for human testing and hope to see this product in widespread use by New Year's, 2018."

"Will this technology allow Colonel Rhodes to walk again?" one of the reporters asked.

Harley sighed, "I wish it would, but we still don't have the means of repairing the nerve damage he suffered."

Helen leaned over and whispered to Rhodey, "It will help. The boys will have much less trouble designing your braces if they don't have to worry about providing support for a compromised skeletal system as well as compensating for the loss of motor control."

"What are the side effects?"

"Loss of bone marrow functionality," Harley said. "Bones repaired this way will lose much of their ability to produce new blood cells. With our animal test subjects we've chosen not to use the procedure if blood production was going to suffer a dangerous reduction but in humans there is a possibility of ongoing treatment to counter or offset the side effect."

For several minutes the questions continued in a similar vein, until: "Is SI moving Peter Parker into one of the Avengers' levels of Stark Towers a confirmation that he is Spider-Man?"

Marlena stepped forward. "That's hardly on topic but I'll satisfy your curiosity: Mr. Parker is an employee of Stark Industries who was attacked by an individual who has been classified as an technologically enhanced criminal. Due to the surrounding circumstances, specifically Mr. Osborn's vocal belief that Mr. Parker is Spider-Man, the police and Stark Industries are deeply concerned that other attacks from Spider-Man's enemies may follow. Ever since Howard Stark's efforts to evacuate Jewish employees from Europe in the 1930's SI has always made a point of taking care of it's people and the company remains committed to that ideal.

"As for installing Mr. Parker and his aunt on one of the floors formerly designated for the Avengers? Those rooms have been gathering dust since repairs on the tower were completed in 2015 and the individuals who went rogue this past spring will never be welcome in Stark Towers again. Leaving their rooms empty like some sort of monument to their absence is a waste of space."

Harley leaned back toward the mike, "Besides, Pete and I are friends," he said. "We've been working on the same project since his internship started and he's only a little older than me. It's nice having a friend for a neighbor here on the East Coast."

Peter looked up from his DS when he heard a group of footsteps outside his hospital room. The door opened and Liz Allen, carrying a 'Get Well Soon' bouquet, walked in followed by Felicia Hardy and Gwen Stacy. Flash Thompson tagged along in the after them looking out of place.

"It hurts just looking at you," Felicia said and Liz nodded.

"Does anyone know how Harry's doing?" Peter asked.

Liz shook her head, "First we heard about Mr. Osborn being the Goblin and getting arrested, then you and Harry didn't come back to school after the break ended and we all sort of thought Harry was hiding on private island somewhere and he'd kidnapped you for company."

"You thought," Felicity corrected. "Some of us were capable of putting two and two together and figured out that Parker was the guy in J.J. Jameson's editorial."

Liz wrinkled her nose, "Anyway, then Mr. Osborn started saying you were Spider-Man and Ms. Potts said you'd been attacked and maybe Spider-Man's other enemies might come after you so she was moving you here, to Stark Towers. So-" She held up the bouquet. Then a worried look crept across her face, "No one's heard from Harry since his dad got arrested. I tried calling but his cell's going straight to voicemail, he doesn't respond to texts and there's been no activity on his facebook page."

Peter cringed. 'My fault,' he thought.

"But don't you worry!" Liz finished brightly. "I'm sure he just needs a little time… What with everything."

In the awkward silence that followed Flash stepped forward, "I just came to say that took guts Parker: A wimp like you going after the Goblin in his lair. Dumb but gotta give you credit for guts. Osborn must've been on some good shit to mistake you for Spider-Man."

Gwen glared at the football player, "That is totally not what we wanted to say. Peter, what you did was incredibly stupid and we're all really glad that you're not dead… Class isn't the same without you and Harry. You are coming back to school once you're healed, right? You're not going to home school or something?"

Peter shook his head, but his thoughts were still on Harry.

A Month Later

Peter, Harley, Mercedes, May and Marlena with baby Nettie on her lap gathered in the livingroom of the penthouse watching as the president signed the Superhero Registration act into law. They held their breath, as first Colonel Rhodes, then Vision, Carol Danvers and Hope van Dyne stepped up to register their powers. Then the commentators went mad as Pepper Potts stood up and accepted the pen from Hope. Pepper signed her name and turned back to the camera, her eyes glowing an unearthly gold. She laid a neatly bound folder on the table by the register, "Evidence that I have full control over my powers, as attested to by the Avengers and independently verified by the Dora Milaje of Wakanda," she said calmly.

"So… SHRA's being put to a vote?" Peter asked a week earlier

"Yeah," Rhodey said while Pepper went to reclaim Nettie from May. "The final draft's going back to the House and Senate today." He tossed Peter a USB stick, "Read up. The short version is mandatory registration of Enhanced and Gifted is off the table but most are going to end up with their name on a list anyway. It's not illegal to hide your powers but anyone who uses them to commit a crime, including vandalism, which can be interpreted to cover pretty much any lapse of control, will have their abilities evaluated and it will be part of their record."

"That sucks," Peter declared.

Rhodey sighed, "We have safeties in place to guarantee that the law will distinguish between accidental and malicious acts, the same way that there's a difference in how it's treated when a driver crashes because of alcohol as opposed to a fifteen-year-old with a learners permit making a mistake."

"And the law makes it illegal for the government to require service from someone simply because they have powers," Pepper said. "Other countries may have mandatory military service but the United States does not and that won't change if a person has powers. The current draft regulations apply to those with powers but even if there is a military draft it will be up to the individual if they wish to use their powers or not."

"In short the government is going to end up knowing the names of most powered individuals," Rhodes said. "They're going to demand proof that you have enough control over them to not represent a significant risk to people around you but we've put in as many safeguards as possible to ensure that you have the right to choose how and if you're going to use your powers without penalty. You still have to follow the same laws as everyone else of course. Specifically, SHRA reiterates that vigilantism is illegal and that having powers or highly specialized skills does not exempt you from that fact-"

"What does that mean for Spider-Man?" Peter asked.

Rhodes gave him a raised eyebrow "Reality is Stacy and I are supposed to keep you out of combat until your eighteenth birthday. Officially thought, you and the six others who made preemptive arrangements with law enforcement have been grandfathered in," Rhodes said. "Your arrangement with Captain Stacy stands, the only modification is that Spider-Man is officially registered as a consultant for his department, which means other departments can ask to borrow you and you'll owe them a good explanation for why you can't help if you want to refuse. Your activities have been restricted to countering threats from powered criminals, no more trolling for muggers as a hobby. That's for your benefit by the way because it limits what the police can ask you to help with. If you happen across a crime in progress you can act under Good Samaritan laws but if you just happen to have the suit on you too many times when you happen across something, you're going to end up getting in trouble."

"I don't think that will be a problem," May remarked from where she sat at the breakfast bar in the former Avengers' common area.

"Which means it won't be problem," Peter sighed. "I have to wait for the police to call me in or…"

"As the Avengers' representative to the UN I have authority to send you in," Rhodey said. "I can also refuse a request for aid on your behalf if I think you're overmatched. Your qualifications have been acknowledge by the government. The tests Captain Stacy and I subjected you to are being used as the template for other powered individuals who wish to do police work. Outside of the United States I can call on you as a reservist in event of emergencies but I can't have you on the Avengers full time. Anyone new who wants to do police work will need to become a police officer."

"However, no one is going to be required to disclose their identity to the public," Pepper said. "Jameson's attacks on you backfired: He's provided a very public example of how powered individuals can become a lightning rod for vendettas. Tony's history indicates that we can't expect attacks to be limited to smear campaigns. By your natures the people who fall under SHRA's remit stand out from the crowd. Police officers and their families have to deal with those who decide to target police as a population but your odds of having to deal with someone targeting you as an individual are… Honestly, it's pretty much a sure thing that at least some of the criminals you apprehend are going to decide that you're their personal thorn in the side and try to do something about it."

Peter grimaced, "Yeah, Mr. Osborn isn't going to forget about me getting in his way if and when he gets out of jail. I just hope Harry doesn't hate me forever because of his dad. Liz says he's trading emails with her but he still ignores me every time I try to talk to him."

"Your intentions were good," May said. "You shouldn't have acted on your own but I understand why you did. You cared about both Harry and Norman and you didn't want to damage Norman's reputation if you were wrong. I don't like that you ended up hurt because you were trying to do right by him but I understand. If Harry's really your friend he'll understand as well that Norman's current situation is on him. You gave Norman every opportunity to prove his innocence but he was not innocent and that is why he's in jail, not because of you." She sighed, "At the same time, Norman is Harry's father. You have to be prepared for him not to be able to react rationally, to blame you because his father got caught instead of blaming his father for committing those crimes in the first place."

Pepper cuddled Nettie closer as she and Rhodey exchanged a sad look. If Tony had of been able to face his parent's murderer rationally he would have made it out of Siberia alive. "Your friend knows what happened," Rhodes said. "He knows you're keeping the lines open for him, maybe just give him some time to process."

In the weeks that followed a number of others registered their powers more quietly, include a blind lawyer from Hell's kitchen, although he neglected to mention his fighting skills, just claiming enhanced hearing that allowed him a form of echolocation to replace his sight.

Epilogue

On the first day of the Chinese New Year a spaceship landed in the middle of the Golden Gate Park, early 70's pop blaring from it's external speakers. The morning joggers and assorted others in the park and the surrounding neighborhoods stared at the ship in bemusement, even after the last few years an alien invasion set to the accompaniment of "Come and Get your Love" was a little too much to take in at six-thirty in the morning.

Nevertheless, it didn't take long for the city's resident hero, the Wasp, to arrive on the scene. Since the aliens didn't seem to be in a huge hurry to make their appearance, Wasp waited while the police cleared the public out of the park. While the police were working, news vans arrived and set-up camera just outside of the perimeter. Once the police signaled that they were as ready as they could be Wasp shrugged. She walked up to the hull of the spaceship and knocked. A hatch lowered and a surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, human-looking man walked down the ramp. "Will you glare or laugh if I say 'Take me to your leader'?" he asked.

Wasp eyed him for a moment, "What'll you do if I ask 'Is it true, what they say about you can never go home again'?"

He smiled a bit wistfully, "True. I was born here, on this planet anyway, but it's not home anymore. Still don't want to see the old place written off as collateral damage in an intergalactic war."

Wasp's eyebrows climbed. "What and how?"

"Well, first off I'm Peter, Peter Quill very formerly of Missouri. Currently known as Star-Lord, one of the Guardians of the Galaxy. We're sort of here on behalf of the Nova Empire."

"And back to the Earth being destroyed in an intergalactic war?" Wasp pressed.

"Hmmm, how to put it. Without getting too deep into history, this region of space used to be the border between the Kree and Skrull Empires. They didn't get along well, eventually it became what you might consider a natural neutral zone, although there wasn't anything natural about how it formed. The Kree and Skrull fought from planet to planet until there were none left within reach of each other.

"Basically their war made this area the space-equivalent of the Gobi Desert and Earth's the only oasis that hasn't been nuked out of existence. Not for lack of trying but when the Skrull/Kree war came here a bunch of… well gods, demons, giants, elves and dwarves descended on them and kicked their butts. Since then Earth's been off limits except as a layover for traders. On my side of the divide the Kree moved on from the Skrull to other more accessible enemies, who eventually got sick of being accessed and banded together to form the Nova Empire which recently forced the Kree into a peace treaty.

"On the other side the Skrull did the same, only they didn't do so well in their choice of enemies. Rumor has it they ended up inspiring an insectoid race and a cybernetic race to start a melting pot that became know as the Chitauri. The Chitauri basically wiped the Skrull from the face of the universe before being enslaved by a guy call Thanos or, more popularly, the Mad Titan. Mad on account of how he wants to kill everyone, thinks it'll win him points with this chick he digs."

"He wants to kill EVERYONE?" Wasp interjected dubiously.

"Yep, every last living being in the universe, undo the Big Bang, whatever it takes," Peter agreed.

"To impress a girl?"

"Well, more correctly the personification of Death, but yeah. Thanos considers blowing up the know universe to be a nifty courting gift." Peter's light manner turned strained. "His side of the divide? He's pretty much succeeded. Yeah, the Chitauri are still out there and his other servants but… um… If you aren't willing to die on his command you're already dead in that lobe of the universe. And you can't get from his lobe of the universe to mine, well the Nova and Kree Empires', without stopping off on the good old Earth.

"So of course someone said: Why don't we blow the place up? Close the path and solve all our problems, neat and tidy. Of course someone else mentioned what happened the last time someone tried blowing up the Earth. And a few others argued that if we were going to go around blowing up whole planets then how much better were we than Thanos… But they got shouted down pretty quickly. Which is where the Guardians- Well me, come into the picture since I'm the only one of us who knows Earth from Yirb. So I say: Why don't we hold off on destroying the Earth until it's actually under Thanos' rule. He's not the kind of guy to just throw up his hands when the going gets tough. We blow up the Earth he'd probably find another way to get at us eventually. But if we don't blow up the Earth we know Thanos will almost certainly funnel his whole army through here. Then, if the gods, demons and what have you that kicked both Skrull and Kree butt back in the day still care, well then they go after Thanos not us. And I said not to count humans out, which should have gone over better than it did seeing as how I'm half-human."

A voice wafted out from the ship's doorway. "It went over the way it did BECAUSE you're half-human."

"No respect," Peter sighed shaking his head sadly. "But Nova Prime liked the idea of letting someone else blunt Thanos' charge and everyone figures they can still blow up the Earth later if it comes to that. So we came to warn the Earth and to help out as much as we can. So um, take me to your leader and let's start figuring out how we're not going to get creamed when the most powerful being in the universe shows up to make Earth the new, strategically very important, outermost outcropping of his empire.

"We figure the Earth has a couple years to prepare."