Initiative 2028
Chapter 25: Cosmic
Out in the depths of space...
Nowhere was the severed head of a cosmic entity, floating far from the Earth and it's clashes between heroes and villains. The size of a small planet it had been colonized by various aliens, and was filled with various races, civilizations and cultures. It was a hub of trade, both legal and illegal, and was often used for various diplomatic purposes too.
It was also home to the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Peter Quill, known to some as Star Lord, was sitting at the head of the table as they held an informal meeting. The sandy blond haired man still looked young, partially because he was half alien. "What's the Kree and Shiar situation?" he asked.
Sam Alexander, the team's Nova Corps member, made a face. "The Kree are still in pretty bad shape, even with Ronan having returned to lead them," the younger man noted. "I THINK I talked Gladiator into allowing them to stay a Shiar Protectorate, for now."
"We'll need to keep a eye on that," Peter noted, "there are still a LOT of Shiar nobles that would like to seize the Kree territories outright." He made a face, "Are Earth's Inhumans still with them?"
"They are," Sam confirmed. "With Black Bolt gone they aren't a HUGE problem, but they're relatively powerful."
"Maybe they'll balance out the Shiar Imperial Guard," Peter mused. He looked over at a third figure at the table, "What's the Asgard situation?"
"The island is still on Earth," Angela the Huntress said, the golden blonde woman dressed in light armor. "While the realm is mostly empty," she added. "That may create problems eventually."
"Oh?" Sam asked.
Sara, Angela's lover and fellow warrior, added, "The realm being 'empty' destablizes the balance between the ten realms. One or more kingdom might seize the chance to gain more power."
"Lovely," Peter muttered. "Anything we can do about it?" he asked wryly.
"Odin, as I understand it, is still in the Asgard realm, so that'll help," Angela offered. "My father is not one to be challenged lightly."
"Is Thor ever going to take Asgard back home?" Ikon asked. The armored Spaceknight was feminine designed, and spoke with a firm but slightly cold tone. She was flirty, however, as Peter knew from first hand experience.
"He's vowed to stand by his comrades in the Avengers," Sam shrugged. "Plus there's the question if they WANT to go back too. I understand they like Earth..."
"Has the Galactic Council lifted it's ban on contact with Earth?" Eve Warlock asked. The golden skinned woman had once been the villain the Goddess, enemy of Adam Warlock, before something caused her to change sides. Now as Eve she aided the Guardians, though Peter had his suspicions of her.
"No," Peter shook his head grimly. "They want a representative from Earth to ask them to lift it. Specifically, the President of the USA."
Sam snorted loudly. "Like Richards would want anyone checking on her," he shook his head.
"I still think we should launch a raid. We KNOW they have hostile aliens in their Dreamland facility," Eve shook her head.
"The Shiar are VERY firmly behind the ban," Peter observed. "Speaking personally, I don't want the whole Imperial Guard raiding Nowhere to get us."
"Hmph," Eve pouted.
"I am Groot," Groot offered intelligently, the tall, plant alien standing off to the side.
Rocket nodded, the raccoon like alien sitting nearby. "He says we don't really KNOW if Richards did the dirty stuff she's accused of," he noted.
"But the Avengers say..." Peter started.
"I hold the Avengers in the greatest respect," Angela noted, "but they are not infallible."
"Their Civil War," Sera noted.
"Twice," Angela added.
"Okay, okay, point," Sam said. "But still..."
"And the time we visited earth and that wizard tried to blow up Groot," Rocket added.
"Harry Dresden," Peter nodded, "Honest mistake tho."
"I am Groot," Groot said grimly.
"You didn't have to regenerate an arm after that," Rocket translated.
"Heh," Angela hid a smile.
"No insult intended, but humans are insane," Rocket concluded.
Peter puffed out a sigh. "I can't really argue with that...," he admitted.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The Negative Zone crackled with the energy of dying worlds, the pocket dimension slowly dying as it collapsed inward. It would be thousands of years before the end came, but the life forms there knew it was coming. They restlessly searched for a way out, even as they ruthlessly turned on each other.
Blastaar, one of the more powerful beings in the Zone, faced off against the bug like drones that served Annihilus. "Come, insects! Face death at my hand!" he cried,
The creatures charged madly, sweeping over him only to be blasted back by his palm energy blasts. They attacked relentlessly, drowning him in numbers until the huge alien was finally still.
A figure leaning on a cane shuffled up as the bugs restrained Blastaar. "Old enemy, we meet again," the old, whizzened bug croaked.
"Annihilus," Blastaar blinked, shocked at how old his enemy now seemed. "How...?"
"My cosmic control rod," Annihilus wheezed, "gone. Most of my power with it."
"The better to kill you then!" Blastaar yelled, fighting to break free and reach his enemy.
"Not me. You," Annihlus struck suddenly, a taloned hand bursting through the other's chest. With an unholy hunger, he began to eat.
Within moments of finishing his 'meal,' Annihlus looked better. He stood up straigh, and seemed somewhat more vital. Still, he also showed his years. Age hadn't been turned back, just lessened a bit.
"I... live. Yet I still hunger," Annihlus groaned.
"That is what I told you to expect," the human voice said.
The man in purple and black armor smiled wryly, his pencil thin mustache gone white with age. He was also nearly bald, hidden under his matching purple helmet. He should have looked fairly silly, but somehow managed to be threatening.
"Wizard," Annihlus growled at him.
Bentley Wittman smiled coldly, the brilliant scientist known as the Wizard standing safe behind his suit's force field. "Are you feeling stronger, master?" he asked mildly.
Annhilus glared at him, unsure if he was being mocked. "Somewhat," he conceded reluctantly. "I need more," he added angrily.
"And we shall get you more," the Wizard agreed. He smiled slightly, "We know the Fantastic Four are here in the Zone."
THAT made Annhilus even angrier, if that was possible. "Death to the Richards!" he roared.
"Death! Death! Death!" the bug monsters chanted.
'Charming,' Wizard thought. "We'll need to find him, first. Something your troops have had issues with," he observed.
Annihlus managed to scowl at the Wizard, even with his inhuman face. "Do not try me, human," he warned.
"I wouldn't think of it," Wizard met his eyes calmly.
"Can YOU find them?" Annhilus demanded.
"Eventually," Wizard said simply. "He's a human, as am I. We think alike, so yes, I can find him given enough time," he explain.
Annihlus hissed, "I do not have time!"
"Continue to feed, my lord," Wizard reassured him, "we will find the power you need. And then we will have our revenge."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Far off, in the depths of space, Galactus consumed a world.
Massive, inhumanly designed machinery formed a massive shape enclosing the biosphere. Living matter was converted into pure energy, sucked down by Galactus to feed his immense hunger. Eventually the actual potential the planet had to carry life was broken down, and finally consumed.
The machinery retracted into Galactus' ship, and the immense being looked with sorrow at the now lifeless rock.
In a flash of shining metal the Silver Surfer returned to his side. "Master, another uninhabited world awaits for you, two sectors from here," he reported.
"Then let us go, for the hunger shall return soon enough," Galactus said.
With that, they soared off into space.
"What was the point of THAT cameo?" Stan Lee, agent of the Watchers, wondered aloud as he hung out with Pip the Troll.
Pip took his cigar out of his mouth. "Author probably needed some filler," he noted wisely.
"That's just terrible," Stan shook his head.
"Wanna go do a cameo in Deadpool VII: The Deadpoolingness? I heard there's another titty bar bit," Pip suggested.
"Let's do it," Stan agreed and they both teleported away.
To be continued...?
Notes: I'm pretty much ignoring the Inhumans stuff in Marvel Comics over the last while, mostly because I started this story before it did, and to work it in would require rewrites.
Guardians of the Galaxy II established that Stan is a agent for the Watchers. Explains all his cameos. And YES this chapter was short, so tossed in Galactus. Ha.
