Saoirse is pronounced 'Seer-sha' Enjoy!
Chapter 10
Softly her eyelids fluttered open. She squinted at the bright lights around her. While Kate's eyes adjusted to the light, she was pleasantly surprised to find she wasn't strapped down. Instead, she was resting on her side upon the softest bed she'd ever slept on. The cool sheets swished under her as she sat up wearily. Thank goodness she wasn't in a cell. Although, she supposed, this room could be called such.
While asleep, her dreams replayed what had occurred. Her memory was foggy at best, but some things stuck. She had attacked people for apparently no reason. Ambiguously, she remembered being enraged to see Romanoff and Tony, yet she didn't know why. It was like something had been programmed in her to attack them. She shook her head, confused and still altogether exhausted. There had also been a red man-bird, and she hadn't been angry at him. She distinctly recalled blood. A lot of it. The smell, the feel of it running down her claws, her fur soaking it up. Everything else is foggy and incomprehensible.
Kate sighed and leaned against the wall, eyes partly closed. Miserable. She felt absolutely miserable.
After Loki had left, she had cried until her tear ducts were dry. Anger to the god for not being more sympathetic and hatred at herself for expecting him to be so. Tangled emotions crowded inside her to the point where Kate didn't even bother to try to unravel them. He had made it quite clear he didn't like her, but she still had to hope. An irrational, illogical, hope.
When she had fallen asleep, her sniffling hadn't stopped. She seemed to sleeping and crying a lot lately.
Well, Kate thought, resoled to not let herself dwell on Loki anymore. I have to do something or I'll go crazy in here. She started to manipulate her tail, seeing how far she could bend it, when a nurse came in. The woman's cart rattling softly with every step. At least, she assumed it was nurse; she was dressed as such. Except for the fact she didn't understand why she would need one. Cold faced and her movements robotic, she gave Kate a meal of rice, a cup of water, and raw meat. Kate was appalled at the idea of eating the slimy looking stuff. The nurse noticed her disgusted face, and smirked.
"It's good for you, monster. Wouldn't want you to lose your strength." The nurse said spitefully. Her cold eyes glinted. There was hatred, palpable in the air, that both shocked and dismayed Kate. Loki said she hadn't killed anyone, but this nurse was acting like she had. Could Loki have lied? Would he do such a thing? Yes, he would. A sick feeling crept into Kate's stomach. She wasn't hungry anymore.
The woman was right. She was a monster. The sinking feeling in her stomach had returned at the nurse's malicious words. She bowed her head, staring at the ground. She was a veritable war of emotions; on one side shame and self-disgust, and the other side, brute justification and bitterness. She didn't know what to feel. So far, the one that seemed to be winning was helplessness. She was helpless to stop herself from attacking again. She hadn't even been aware she was assaulting her friends; it had been like an elusive dream. Tears welled in her eyes as the memory of the soldier came back, vivid and menacing. His blood pooling under him, splattering her claws. The gruesome sight continued to expand in more detail before her. She saw him crumple and the terrified looks the other soldiers shot her, each battling with the desire to flee and the duty to fight. She could smell the blood, it filled her nostrils. The deadly accuracy she had in her claws. It all terrified and thrilled her.
A jolting sensation was coming from her shoulder. The feeling traveled up her spine, and finally registered in her mind. Slowly, the scene before her paled, and vanished. Her eyes snapped opened. The blurry shapes in the room sharpened as her tears stopped flowing. Unsuccessfully, she tried to blink the remaining tears away, but they just wouldn't budge.
The shoving stopped. Her head slowly turned to look at her shoulder, the source of the movement. It was the nurse. The woman's cold eyes now held gentle depth to them. Kate flinched away from her in surprise. One minute this woman looked ready to kill her, and the next she's all kind and warm hearted. Kate ponders if the woman is bipolar. The woman rubs her shoulder gently. Eventually, Kate relaxes and the feeling of her hand becomes rather comforting.
"You all right?" she asks. Her hand rubs circles on her shoulder. Kate frowns at the floor, then shakes her head slightly. "My name's Lylsa."
"I've never heard that before." She blurted. Worry twists her gut. She glances at the woman, but she only smiles with amusement. Her voice is also different; rich and pretty. Kate starts to get a good look at the woman. Raven black hair, slightly tanned skin, and dark eyes. She belongs in the movies, or a fashion show, not working for SHIELD as a nurse. Even though she must be in her thirties, she's gorgeous.
"My mother was a very creative person." She answers. Then, leaves Kate's side and reaches for a small digital pad. She taps several times with her stylus. When she finishes, she glances at Kate. There's a resigned look in her eyes. Suspicion and a little betrayal bleed into Kate. She should have known better. For a moment she wondered if this woman was being kind just because she was a good person, but apparently not. She's probably signing for Kate's next tranquilizer injection.
"You aren't at all like they said." She murmurs, quietly enough that it may not have been intended for Kate's ears. Lylsa's eyes are trained on the small device in her hand. There's something new in her eyes, hesitation? Turmoil?
"Like who said?" Kate probed. What gossip was floating around the carrier? It couldn't be good if it concerned her.
Lylsa took a deep breath, and set the pad down on the cart. "Well, for starters they said you were ten feet tall." She smiled mischievously at Kate, who couldn't help but find that slightly amusing too. She was only six foot three. "And that you had the eyes of a demon. There are worse things of course." The woman's smile softened. Kate started to tremble slightly. Wasn't she the answer to saving people? This wasn't as simple as she had hoped. Would they see her as a demon forever? "But all I see is a scared girl who is way in over her head."
Kate's head snapped up to look at her. For some reason, those words were more comforting than she had thought possible. A sliver of a smile formed on Kate's face. Tentatively, Lylsa reaches up and smooths the fur around her ears. She pulls away at first, slightly panicking at the human contact, but eventually leans in to the touch. All to soon she stopped, standing up and checking the remaining items on the cart.
The woman straightened. Her firm voice returned, but the warmth in her eyes didn't leave. "Alright, the doctor says you need to eat raw meat." Seeing Kate cringe, she quickly added, "I know, I don't envy you. But don't knock it until you try it." Lylsa smiled one more time, and tapped a small square next to the door. Before she left, she said briskly, "I'll be back later to gather the dishes." And then she left without a backward glance.
The door closed soundlessly. Kate blinked slowly.
"I think I made friend." She said to the empty room. For whatever reason, Kate found the statement rather funny. It seemed to brighten not only her mood but the room itself.
Maybe raw meat wouldn't be so bad? Her face twisted in disgust. No, it had to be bad. She didn't even like steak cooked medium rare! No way, no how, was she going to like this. Globs of fat hanging like giant dew drops didn't make it any better. Kate shivered as it squished in her hand. It was cold, and juice trickled down her fingers. It didn't look appetizing in the slightest. Maybe to a bear or a lion in was premium stuff, but to Kate, who had been eating cooked food her entire life, it looked like poison. Humans can't even eat raw meat! Isn't that what the appendix was supposed to do, allow humans to eat raw meat? Then again, Kate wasn't exactly human anymore…
She raised the strip of meat to her nose and sniffed. It didn't smell poisonous. Actually, it smelled kind of nice. She took a deeper whiff. Perhaps one little bite couldn't hurt. She took a small mouthful. As soon as her teeth dug in, a burst of flavor swelled on tongue. It was juicy and thick. The strange metallic tang was actually pleasant. Soon, she had finished the entire bowl. She licked her fingers and the bowl clean. Her only regret was that she hadn't savored it as much as she could have. She sighed in disappointment.
Putting the empty dish aside, she looked at the tray next to her. All that remained was the rice and water. Her last few meals had also contained rice. Did they buy a year's supply of the stuff? Not that she was complaining, she very much liked rice, but still. It was rather much. She scarfed the food down in less than a minute. As soon as it was gone, she downed the water. Her belly was far from content, but she wasn't hungry anymore.
The heaviness of sleep started to wash over Kate. That was weird, she hadn't done anything to warrant fatigue. Her eyelids suddenly felt much heavier than they should have. Already, her thoughts were blurring together. The weight in her hand slipped, and crashed to the ground. Shards of glass skittered across the floor, but Kate hardly registered it. As thick sleep threatened to overwhelm her, she thought she heard yelling, but that was rather unlikely. Right?
Lylsa hovered at the door for a moment. Her brow scrunched together in contemplation. The girl was strange. She had thought she was going in to deal with a monster, a demon. But that simply wasn't so. In the monster's place was just a young girl in an adult's body. For years, Lylsa had trained herself to be emotionless. As a SHIELD agent, it was advised to be when dealing with the Avengers and others like them. But, when Kate had started to have a breakdown, her motherly instincts kicked in, full gear. Lylsa didn't know she still had it in her.
Her pale hands gripped the cart's handle like a vise. The blue veins stood out like rivers against a desert of white sand. A lump formed in her throat. For years, she hadn't given the incident any thought. Forced herself to forget about it... about her, about him, and everything to do with that awful, life-altering night. Even after all these years, she still heard that appalling voice that mocked her, following her down the corridors, her dreams... No, just because some girl shows up out of nowhere means nothing. Nothing.
"It means nothing." She growled to herself. Lylsa took a deep breath. With all her might, she forced the budding memory away. Her posture straightened, and her grip relaxed. She smoothed out the nonexistent stray hairs back into place. Her eyes took on the hardened look she had developed over the many years of service. She took another deep breath, and left.
Natasha was furious. Kate hadn't even done anything! She hadn't even snapped at the maid! There was no need for her to be tranquilized!
"Who authorized that!" she demanded. The young guard just stammered. Her jaw clenched in frustration. Behind that door, Kate was passed out, hanging off her bed. It must have been a strong sedative.
"Director Fury said she needed to be kept calm at all times, she didn't seem right before…" he trailed off when the Widow gave him The Look. The Look meant if-you-don't-shut-up-and-give-me-the-right-answer-I-will-force-it-out-of-you.
"Did he mention Banner's report on her mental health?"
"Uh…" was his reply.
Natasha took a deep breath. She would just have to do this herself. Walking up to the door, she flashed her card across the sensor. Nothing happened. Frowning, she tried again. Nothing happened. Something was definitely wrong. Nat had access to everywhere and every file on this carrier, it didn't matter if she was authorized or not.
Stalking back to the guard she said, "Give me the phone." He immediately complied. She quickly dialed the number to Fury's mobile and waited. Finally, he picked up.
"Yes?" he said. No preliminary introduction. He knew exactly who was on the other end of the line, and Natasha was fully aware of this.
"Why can't I open Kate's door?" Nat said.
He sighed. "The last time you invaded her room, she attacked you, Stark, and nearly killed one of my agents. No one goes in, and she doesn't come out until this is settled. Besides, with Kate programmed to kill you, do you think this is a good idea?" When she didn't answer, he said smugly, "No, it isn't and you know it."
"Invaded? She's hanging off her bed, drooling on the floor! You can at least let me in to put her on properly! It's not like she's awake. Loki and that maid were allowed in." she was livid. Even though Fury forbade them from seeing Kate, she didn't care. Kate had gone through something similar to what she had, she knew it, felt it deep inside. If what Loki said about Thanos was true, then Kate needed anyone who could help. Maybe Loki could help her, but Natasha could relate, and sometimes that's the best medicine in the world; to feel you're not alone.
Even so, she had to admit, Fury did give a fair point. Kate was programmed to kill them. If she was set off again, then someone might really die, and Nat would have to do everything in her power to stop her, permanently. She didn't want it to come to that.
"You still didn't need to drug her again. How many times has she been drugged now?" Nat declared.
"You just stay away from her until this is settled, got it?" A threat lurked in his voice, and unsurprisingly, Nat wasn't even closed to being intimidated.
"Yes." She ground out. She'd play along, for now. Better to get the Director off her back before she did anything to help Kate.
"Good. Now I need you to contact Wanda Maximoff and anyone else who didn't fight in New York."
She sighed. More paper work.
Her dream scape was different than normal. On an average night, she had the same recurring nightmare of the pit and the voice. No variations. But it was different now. Kate knew she was dreaming.
She stood in a field of dry grass. It was night, and the sky stretched above her like an ocean; full and the darkest blue imaginable. Stars dotted the sky like tiny gemstones. There was no moon out tonight. The wind had hints of the sea in it, and the rich smell of fresh earth tickled her nose. Distantly, the gently crashing of waves, teasing her to come and swim, completed the perfect landscape. It was an impossibly peaceful scene. She could have stayed here for eternity and never grow tired of it.
"Oh? Is that so? Maybe it's time to shake things up." A deep voice, overflowing with evil, infected the night, bouncing across the water and hills. It seemed to dominate the landscape. All of a sudden, the stars didn't look bright and wise, but nasty. The ocean breeze turned sour and the fresh dirt scent became a moldy stench. The peaceful scene deteriorated. Terror pooled in her stomach and twisted itself into knots.
There was a deep grinding sound behind her. She whipped around, prepared for the worst. There was no need though. Ten feet away was a small black shelter. It looked like a tent, but it was much to sturdy to be so. She couldn't see a front door, but the way the cloth was tilted hinted that one belonged in between the folds. Small, round windows perforated the top. She couldn't see inside they were too high up; probably designed that way on purpose. A circular chimney capped it off.
A small garden had also emerged. The tops of plants were a darker black on the inky background. She could also hear the ocean, but it was tortured, crashing against the beach; more like a roar than a gentle lapping. The wind's speed had picked up. It ripped through her hair and yanked at her clothes. It was just as the wind made her shudder did she notice that she was human again. No wings, tail, or camouflaged fur. That alarmed her above everything else; she was defenseless.
Her feet felt like lead as she made her was over to the hut. When she stopped, Kate reached for the opening between the fabric. When she touched the material, she noticed it wasn't fabric at all. Nor was it metal or wood. It was pliable, but incredibly resilient. The harder she pushed it, the tougher it became. When her fascination was satiated, she groped around for a handle, or something that would grant her access inside. Instead, she passed right through, like a ghost. How strange. Immediately, she drove through. It was much bigger inside than it had looked. It subsisted of one large room, plus a warm springy floor. One large hammock was strung between two poles with a cradle next to it. A small kitchen area in one corner and couple of chests in another. Dead center, a glass encased fire crackled merrily, with the smoke funneling through a pipe and out into the air above. Large cushions lay strewn about.
The interior was stunning, but it was the two people huddled around a screen that really intrigued her. One was a woman and the other a man. Both were young and had athletic builds. They wore strange grey robes. The woman's robe was embroidered with small birds done in bright blue. The man's was plain and had a certain official look to it, even though they were essentially the same.
Seated on the floor, they look equally stressed and angry. They were reading something. They didn't seem to notice Kate. A cry from the cradle cracked the heavy silence. Kate's eyes were glued to the small vessel. The cry was so pitiful it was heart breaking to hear. The woman leapt off the ground like she had been scalded. Her elegant arms reached into the cradle and lifted a tiny baby out. The child's eyes were halfway closed. It was wrapped in a black cloth, secured with white buttons.
"Shh, little one. It's alright. Mummy's here now." The woman had a slight accent that sounded British, but it was richer sounding. Then she started to sing. "Little fawn don't cry, some day you will fly, above the woes and worries, with little birds, all dressed in bows, were moonlight flows, and you can swim in sky." The simple lullaby was silky as well as reassuring. The baby stopped crying. A feeling of comfort settled over Kate as well. The woman's voice was as sweet as honey and just as smooth. A tear sparkled in the woman's eye, but it didn't fall. She smiled despondently, and putting the baby back, she settled down next to the man.
"Why is it acting like this?" he muttered. Worry laced his voice. They continued to stare at the screen in silence, the light reflecting off their faces. The only noise was the man's fingers tapping gently on the smooth screen. Colors spasmed from the screen. After a few moments of silence, a red light bathed both their faces.
"No, no! Get to the ship!" the man shouted. The woman ran to the crib and swept the baby up. When she straightened, Kate saw her face clearly. It was terror filled, but still beautiful. Her eyes were dark grey and clouded with fear. Her hair was the deepest black.
The man opened a chest and grabbed what looked like a gun. He also yanked out a short rod of metal. Red lines flickered over it and one end was pointed, like an arrow head. He whistled once, and the rod floated in midair.
He ran back over to the woman who was hurriedly putting on a backpack. "I can't hold him off for long, but- "
"What? No, you're coming with us! You have to! He'll kill you!" the woman pleaded. Tears sparkled in her eyes and her voice was now hoarse. The man looked down at her lovingly, he seemed like he wanted to say something more, but thought better of it. He kissed her forehead and kissed the baby in her arms.
"I know. I love you, but you have to go. If he gets her, everything will end." His eyes scanned over her face again. "Go! You have to run!"
Then, he was gone, leaving the woman and crying baby standing in the middle of the tent. The woman wiped her tears quickly, and rushed outside. Kate followed. She had a sinking feeling that this wasn't going to end well.
The temperature outside had dropped drastically. The wind like a million knives driving into her again and again. She couldn't see the man.
There was a flash of light to her left. She turned to see what it was. There was shouting coupled with the bone jarring clamor of machines. Kate ran over to see what was going on. She wished she hadn't.
When she got to the top of the hill and looked down, a horrible sight met her eyes. A dozen bodies littered the ground, and in the heart of it all was the man from the tent. She could hear his heavy breathing from twenty feet away.
"Show yourself, monster!" he yelled. His voice was pure wrath, thick with a burning madness. It chilled her to the bone. Kate pitied the soul who would dare mess with this man.
"You think you can stop Thanos with a magic arrow, little Prince?" a voice asked. Kate looked toward the speaker. A tall man dressed in white robes strode through the bodies like they were nothing.
"I can and will, Galloran." The man snarled. He whistled shrilly, and all Kate saw was a streak of red, aiming for Galloran's throat. The arrow was easily faster than a bullet, just a faint streak. But he caught it. The white robed man caught the floating arrow in one hand; it was inches from his esophagus. He didn't even seem fazed by it. The red light emanating from it gave his face a ghastly, demonic look. His irises were a clear gray, and his hair was even paler than his robes, translucent. One of his ears was jagged, like someone had tried to saw it off. His nose long and pointed.
"Did you think I would let my own arrow kill me? Foolish boy!" Galloran threw the arrow up into the air in one swift motion. It flew up and up until she could no longer see it. Her attention was brought back to the two men. The young man lifted his gun. A flash of silver light erupted from it and spiraled towards Galloran. He sidestepped it easily. With speed far better than a human's, he raced toward the young man. He batted the gun out of the way. Before Kate could blink, Galloran had the man on the ground. Both men writhed, each trying to gain the upper hand. Finally, one did. It was Galloran.
"You will fail. She'll destroy all of you." The young man snarled.
"Really, well I highly doubt that." Galloran raised a knife above the man's head. In one rapid motion, Galloran slit his throat.
Kate was instantly sick. Galloran had killed the man just as easily as she would peel a banana. Before she even knew what she was doing, she was racing down the incline at breakneck speed. When she reached the place with the man, she stopped. There wasn't much gore. Only a thin red line marred his throat, a trickle of blood oozed out, dribbling down. His pale green eyes were dull. His face frozen in a sneer. Kate's stomach flipped over, and she fought to not be sick. She didn't know him, but he had a family! His only crime had been protecting them! Kate looked at Galloran in horror. Who was this man?
Galloran stood up. He straightened his robes and wiped the knife on his white sleeve. The stain spread up his arm, spiraling into a morbid feathery design.
A cold smile formed on his face. "Two down, three to go." He murmured. Then, the tall pale haired man strode off into the dark without a sound.
Kate knelt next to the body. She didn't know why, but tears were falling from her eyes. She didn't understand why she had run down the incline, why she felt horror at his death. She didn't even know his name.
Then, Kate felt someone kneel down next to her. It was the woman, without the baby this time. Kate watched as she shook and sobbed. Her hands gripped his shirt, as if she could force the life back into him.
"No, no, no! Soryn, my love. NO!" she wailed. The woman flung herself over the man, and clutched at his arms. She shook violently, bawling. Her howls echoed across the empty island. It cut Kate to the core to hear such agonized grieving. She didn't know who these people were, but she felt like she should. Hesitantly, she reached out to pat the woman on the back, but her hand passed right through. Kate couldn't do anything but watch in grim silence.
For several more minutes, the woman cried over her husband's corpse and Kate watched over. There was a deep chuckle from behind them. They both whirled around at the same time.
Behind them was a massive, hulking shadow. Kate couldn't make out his face, but the gold he wore glinted in the starlight.
"So, here we are little Domus." The shadow said. The deep voice occupied her attention. Kate stiffened. She knew that voice. But from where?
"Thanos." Whispered the woman. "You did it. You killed him!" she screeched. "What more do you want?" The woman turned back to the dead man. She gently stroked his face, her eyes scanned over him, like she was memorizing every last detail.
"Oh, you know. The stone." He said casually. Kate felt ridiculously terrified of him. She couldn't shake the oppressing sensation she knew him from somewhere else.
"We don't have it. It's gone, lost at sea." She whispered.
Thanos chuckled again. "No, it's not." The figure walked closer until he was standing just in front of them, blotting out the stars.
"Your husband killed some of my best men. Impressive, if he weren't dead himself." He said.
"Don't you dare mock him! He was a hero! He was everything!" she wailed.
"He was hero, wasn't he? So pointless. He could have joined me."
"Joined you? Joined you!" the woman spat. "You cruel, disgusting creature! He would rather die than join you!"
The shadow chuckled again. "I guess you were right." The woman cried harder. "You don't have to join him. Give me the stone and the girl. You can join me as well, if you like."
"I don't have the stone, you monster! And you will never touch Saoirse!" the woman screams. Her beautiful face is twisted in fury. She leaps to her feet. From within her robe she pulls out a sword. The metal gleams dully and the hilt glows with an unusual purple glow. Kate scrambles away as fast as she can from the woman. Even though she can't touch the woman, she doesn't want to be anywhere near that blade.
The woman swings the sword above her head, aiming for Thanos. He ducks, pulling out his own weapon; a gold rapier pulsing with white light.
"So this is how you want to go out?" Thanos growls, a smile on his face. "Fine by me." Their swords clash. Thanos pulls away first, swinging low. The woman parries, stabbing to his left, before switching to aim for his right shoulder. He ducks, laughing. The star light shines on the woman's face, illuminates her fear. Thanos swings low, targeting her legs. She jumps away just in time, whipping her sword at his arm. The sword makes contact, cutting throw his sleeve and armor like butter. Surprise flashes across Thanos's face as he leaps away. When he does, he inadvertently shoves the woman to the ground. A cry escapes her lips, her sword slipping out of her hand to land at Kate's feet. She backs away, enthralled by the gory scene. The woman struggles to get up, but she does, snatching the sword up, pointing it straight at his chest. A flicker of rage crosses Thanos face, but is soon replaced by confidence. He knows he will win, and the evil look in his eye says he will enjoy every moment.
"This was fun, but it's time to be done." Thanos says casually, before he sidesteps her and swings the sword right into her side. The woman's scream shatters the night. Thanos so easily defeated her. He was playing with her before. The woman hadn't even stood a chance.
She crumples to the ground, clutching her side. Ragged breaths spew from her and tears run down her face like waterfalls. She mutters and cries unintelligibly. Thanos lowers himself to her level and watches her for a moment, amusement plain on his features. He fingers his sword, swirling her blood over the blade. Now he stares slightly bored, like a child watching a long forgotten TV show.
"Did you really think you could stop me? You Domus are odd, aren't you? So full of rage and power. I will harness that power soon." he muses. He picks the woman's fallen sword up and examines it with a keen eye. The sword's pommel is still glowing oddly, and he inspects it. In the dim star light, Kate sees his eyes widen slightly. "Do you even know what this is?" he mutters. "And you said the stone was gone…" he trails off. Thanos grabs the blade, grunting as he snaps it off, just like breaking a toothpick. His hand drizzles a thin line of blood, yet he doesn't notice, instead the handle disappears into his coat.
Without a second glance at the dying woman, he starts walking up the ridge, towards the tent. Before he leaves, he says, "You should have listened to your husband. Thanks to you, my plan is now in motion."
The woman lets out a strangled moan. "No! Please, no! Leave her alone! Please! NO!" her sobs transform into screams. Her hands, pale with blood loss, claw at the ground, as if she's trying to drag herself to Thanos. Then, she stops. Her entire body goes limp, and no sounds are made, except her breathing. She must have passed out.
Kate isn't sure what will happen to the woman, but she feels compelled to see what Thanos is up to. She sprints up the hill, looking around wildly. Far away, a dark figure disappears around a rocky outcropping. As fast as she can, Kate takes off, hoping she can catch up in time. When she finally gets there, her jaw drops. Before her is a space ship. Not those cheesy flying saucers or a super high tech sci-fi contraption, but a proper spaceship. It's gold and black, practical in its essence, but still sleek and beautiful. Small circular windows dot the exterior and a large window dominates the front, a giant bubble in a pool of tar. The engine hums softly, like a cat. Lights the size of footballs ring a door and a loading platform. Tearing her eyes from the glorious vehicle, Kate searches for Thanos. She spots him near the platform, opening the hatch. When he does open it, she follows him inside, dread filling her mind. What will he do? Is he going to kill the baby? Kate hadn't seen where the woman had taken her, but it was safe to say it was here.
They board the ship, and Kate studies the interior quickly. A weapons rack, sealed containers, stacks of machine parts, and what looks like a smaller one-person vehicle. The weapons rack has a gap big enough for a sword to fill it.
Nonetheless, Thanos doesn't seem to be interested in any of it. He stalks around the crates, glancing behind them once and a while, listening intently. He exits the cargo bay and enters a small, cramped passageway. He doesn't bother to keep the noise of his footfalls down. His wide shoulders graze the walls, the metal armor clanging with every movement.
They pass door after door, so many that Kate is baffled. For what purpose do these doors serve? She counts twelve in all.
Finally, they reach the end of the hallway. There isn't a door, but an arch way opens to a spiral staircase. Thanos pounds up it, Kate hot on his heels. The first platform on the stairwell is closed off. A large imposing door set with a complicated lock looks the most intriguing to Kate, but Thanos isn't impressed. He doesn't even halt, and Kate rushes to catch up. The last level one has a door as well, but it's glass and would be better suited in an upscale café, not a spaceship. Swirling gold leaf pressed into the crystal panes, and mounted with burnished gold hinges dotted with diamonds. It's stunning, an eye catcher for sure.
Again, Thanos isn't in awe, like Kate. He just stands there for a minute, looking at the door, but not paying attention to the craftsmanship. Calculating his next move, that's what he's doing.
Soon, he's done analyzing. The giant's hands are encased in gold gloves. With one blow, he smashes the doors apart, shattering the carefully sculpted glass. Slivers of crystal rain down, not unlike a vengeful snow storm. Thanos enters the room on the other side, stomping over the glass, crunching it.
The chamber beyond the elaborate door is fairly disappointing. No gold, luxurious fabrics, or anything that might signify wealth. It isn't large, the room, and several pairs of what look like spacesuits hang on hooks along the walls. Thanos considers the area. His head tilted to the side in thought and it looks as though he's listening. Kate hears the whine of the baby before he does. She takes off running down the hall, determined to reach the child before Thanos. There is no doubt in her mind that he intends to do her harm. Kate's legs propel her forward, and her breaths come out in gasps.
The source of the bawling resides behind a plain door; the child's cry intensifies to a pitiful wail. Kate pushes open the door and enters the compartment. Dim lighting hides most of the features but the cradle in the middle is the obvious center piece. Approaching it quietly, Kate watches the baby in fascination.
Her translucent, wrinkled skin looks so delicate, as if she just touched it, it would tear. The baby's dark hair is already thick and her eyes are a bottomless cobalt blue. The crying eases ever so slightly. A mobile of birds twirls without propulsion above the cradle, the child below entranced.
"There you are. You'll do nicely." Thanos stands on the other side of the crib, also studying the baby, but with a cynical glint in his eye. How did he get in there without Kate noticing? What does he want with this baby? He reaches down and scoops her up in one hand. Whatever whimpering the baby made before stops, shocked into silence. "See? You like me already. Maybe you'll survive long enough for me to return the favor."
"No!" Kate cries, reaching out to snatch the girl away from him. Her hand passes right through the infant. It's pointless to try to do anything, this is just a… dream? Memory? It can't be, this is completely new to Kate. Psychological trick? Maybe.
They leave the ship and plod through the tall grass. It tangles around Kate's legs, her feet stumbling through it. Absently she wonders why she can touch the grass but not Thanos. With no time to really give it any thought, she soon dismisses the mystery. Rain starts to fall, gently at first, but quickly turning into a lashing down pour. Thunder rumbles overhead and lightening splays across the sky. It's as if the weather is angry at Thanos's actions, and trying to stop him. Anger ignites in Kate when she sees he doesn't bother to shield the infant from the driving rain. She can clearly see the child screaming, but can't hear it over the thunder.
When Kate and Thanos reach the edge of the ridge, she looks around for the woman. The bodies of the enemy soldiers litter the ground, and Soryn's body also remains, set apart from the others', but Kate can't tell which dark lump the woman is.
"What took so long?" Thanos roars. Tearing her gaze away from the nightmarish scene below, she focuses on the new ship, hovering in front of them. The thunder must have blocked the engine's clamor. This one is glossy and light grey, floating above the ground. It's obviously built for speed. Planted firmly in a circle flattened grass, is a girl. She can't be older than Kate, yet she stands at attention, like a soldier. Her young face hard as rock, with sharp contours that emulate ruthlessness. A diamond of black hair tied in an intricate braid whips in the wind. The girl has blue skin perforated by bolts. Her joints bulge under the flesh slightly, as if she has extra bones. The first thing Kate thinks of is 'Frankenstein'. The girl's eyes are also solid black, spheres of glittering onyx.
"Forgive me father. Gamora didn't return from her mission in time." The girl states in a bland voice.
"Enough excuses! Let's go." Thanos shouts, boarding the jet with the girl right behind him. Kate tries to follow, but an invisible force pushes her back. The more she fights, the less she moves until she resigns herself to watching the ship take off, without her. The noise of the engines drowned out by the storm raging over head.
The tempest swallows the ship whole, leaving no indication that it was even there to begin with. Expecting the dream/mind trick to end, she waits. When it doesn't, Kate turns back to the ridge and decides to start looking for the woman. Just as she reaches the bottom, a blinding flash of light, far greater than any ordinary lightning strike, blinds her. Falling to the ground from the shock of it, she clasps her hands over her eyes. Kate finally pulls them back, blinking away the bright spots in her vision, Kate focuses on three beings ten feet away. One holds a hammer, shining like a star fallen to Earth, and his red cape whips fiercely in the gale. A woman with dark hair, bedecked with silvery armor and a matching sword, stands beside him, searching the hillsides with her eyes. The last is an Asian man, with curiously angular eyes, holding a large bow with two arrows nocked, his stance ridged, alert.
The one with the hammer looks slightly familiar to Kate, searching her memory for a clue, she comes up with a foggy outline of a man, very similar. Yet the memory is blocked. Her attention is drawn back to the group when she hears a roar of frustration. The man wearing the cape thrusts his hammer up, a bolt of jagged lightning erupts from it, attacking the sky. "Too late again! How will we stop him if we don't get here on time?"
"Perhaps he hasn't yet left?" the woman says evenly, but aggravation is evident in her features. She mustn't think Thanos is still here, her sword isn't drawn.
"No, he is gone." The other man says. He lowers his bow and goes to examine the nearest corpse. Chuckling darkly, he says, "Soryn did put up quite a fight." They search the bodies until the woman in silver finds Soryn's corpse.
"I found him! Where should we take him?" the woman asks. The other two gather around the body. "But where are the others?"
The Asian man shrugs, and says, "If they are not here, then Thanos has them, and there is no getting them back." The woman frowns, but nods.
"He belongs with his people, not left to rot on some Migardian rock." Says the red caped one. As he speaks, his eyes glance around disdainfully, passing right through Kate as well. He raises his hammer into the air and yells, "Heimdal!" Another brilliant flash of light fills Kate's eyes. This time when her vision clears, they're gone.
Thoroughly perplexed, Kate gapes at empty space. Who were those people? What did they have to do with Soryn? What was Thanos up to anyhow? Kate wonders. Still crouched in the grass, the rain continuing to pour down over her head, and yet she isn't bothered in the slightest by it. In a way, she's detached from her surroundings.
"Did you enjoy that?" the storm stops. The grass doesn't sway. Drops of rain hang in the air, lightning fixed in mid strike. Everything is still and silent, frozen in time. The only thing able to move is Kate, who whips around, hunting for the source. The voice from earlier is back, and it sounds even more familiar. "Let's change it up."
The dreamscape switches. The colors convert into a blinding vortex of lights. It's so bizarre, Kate thinks as it swirls around her, to not hear anything. The usual swoosh swoosh you would associate with a maelstrom, such as this, is non-existent. It's extremely unsettling. Finally, it ends, to Kate's great relief.
Her eyes snap open. She doesn't remember closing them. Sound cascades over her ears in waves, tuning in and out, like an old radio. She happens to be sprawled on her back, a dagger in one hand and a length of chain in the other. This is different. The point of view from which she is experiencing the dream, is of someone else. The girl's name is Astra. How she knows this, she just doesn't. It feels natural knowing the information, like it's her own name. Kate can hear Astra's thoughts and understand her actions. In the dream, not only is she watching, she is Astra in a way.
Then, it's like someone suddenly pressed the 'Play' button. Everything starts to move, lights brighten, the sweat beading her brow falls, breaths of putrid air are inhaled, and everything hurts.
Astra jumps back up instantly, ignoring the throbbing pains in her shoulder and back. The ground subsists of a mixture containing jagged shards of glass, coals the size of basketballs, and sand, gritty, burning sand, and if that wasn't bad enough, she's barefoot. Rivulets of sweat pour off her, the tight customary, long sleeved training uniform is torn and burned, but she isn't aware of these inconveniences. She has eyes only for her opponent. Gamora is ten years older, more experienced, stronger, faster, and wilier. However, Astra possesses something she doesn't; rage. Gamora and Nebula have been trained to block out emotion when fighting, it allows them to focus on precision, but Astra was never taught that. In fact, Father always pushed her to allow her emotions to take over, to control her. She never understood why, but it seemed to assist her in fighting, especially when her challenger is Gamora.
The fighting pit is small, forcing the combatants to keep moving, stoking aggression in the fighters. The walls are just as hot, if not hotter, than the coals that litter the floor. Astra's back is speckled with blisters from being pressed against it by Nebula.
Gamora stands on the other side of the pit, almost touching the barrier, her chest heaving with each breath. Her eyes appear dead, disconcerting for anyone who hasn't fought her before. The muscles in her arms are taught, outlined by the heat waves. In that moment, Astra isn't facing Gamora, she's facing an assassin. Armed with a whip studded with razor blades and a weighted net, she's perfectly capable of killing Astra. The goal isn't to kill each other, but if one of them does die, Father wouldn't care very much; that's just how it is. Astra is also capable of killing her. The dagger is her favorite weapon, easily concealed, with the added bonus of being a projectile. The chain is also another of her preferred weapons. It wraps like a snake around her enemies, tangling their legs, cutting into flesh, immobilizing them so she can go in for the kill. She made her second kill just a few days ago during the Tournament. She had used a chain then, too.
Without warning Gamora attacks. She swings the whip high above her head while aiming to throw the net at Astra's legs. A drop of fear starts to creep in. No! she snarls to herself. No fear! You will win! No hesitation. The floor becomes Astra's ally. Before Gamora can begin to lower her arm, Astra rakes the chain across the sand, sending it into Gamora's face. She doesn't scream, but she does waver, giving Astra enough time to get away. Panting severely, Astra squares up, waiting for Gamora to get ready for their next conflict. That was her mistake.
A sharp pain behind her ears brings Astra to her knees. It feels like thick needles are pressing into her skull, digging in harder and harder. She drops her weapons, forgets the fight, clutching her ears instead, focused pointlessly on trying to rip the small devices off. A scream bubbles in her throat, and she struggles to suppress it; the punishment will be worse if she does. Then, a blinding hot flash of pain flares across her back, and only then does she screech. Giving up on removing the electrodes, she flails on the ground, throwing sand in the air, attempting to scramble away. Another ribbon of agony erupts on her neck and forearm. Gamora whips her again and again until Astra finally passes out.
Kate woke up gasping. She was drenched in sweat. Her wings flapped in alarm, her tail thrashed violently, and her heart seemed like it was about to burst out of her chest. She clutched her neck, checking for blood or marks, but found nothing. Her fur felt sticky and she wished she didn't have it. After many minutes of controlling her breath, Kate's heart slowed and she stood up. Shakily, she walked a few steps. That dream had been so real. It was inexplicable and terrifying.
She was still in the same room, that was a relief. Recently, SHIELD had taken to moving her while she slept; it was quite unsettling to wake up in a place with no memory of how you ended up there.
The lights were off, but she had no trouble seeing. In fact, she preferred it this way. Slowly, she stretched her cramped muscles, thinking about her dreams. It had been very odd. Now that she had calmed, it didn't feel very real anymore, or scary. It was more like a fantasy, really. The second one had felt bizarrely recognizable, like she'd been in that pit many times before, and fought that green skinned girl. That voice had felt so real too, like it had been responding to her. But it was just a dream, right? Nothing to worry about. Yet… she had to tell someone, but who? Banner? No, she wasn't comfortable telling him. Loki? Maybe, he had been inside her head before. He'd be the most likely to take her seriously. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to tell him. She'd figured out a while ago that he had been in her head. Strangely, she didn't mind. At least she had someone who would understand. It would hopefully make telling him her dreams easier. He might even interpret them for her. She smiled ruefully at the thought.
She finished stretching and moved on to really exercising. Instinctively, she began doing a series of training exercises. It felt good to move her body like this, like this information had lain dormant inside her.
Two hours later she was done, breathless and weary. She sat down and waited.
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