Tian Cai

By mkusenagi2

The story concept © 5-19-2006
All Marvel characters are © Marvel Comics.
Kim Possible and other Disney characters
are © Disney Co.

Pivot 4

8-09-2004
Coalsack Dark Nebula
0250 hrs

The Artifact sat in the nebula before a small fleet of ships…

"TESTING… VIABLE REPAIRS 80 PERCENT COMPLETED… PROBE FLEET COMPLETED… ! LIFEFORM DETECTED… CAPTURE!" Probes the size of mountains split away from the fledgling fleet and headed STRAIGHT towards The Monstrosity…

"!" 'How? I was stealthed… it shouldn't be able to… No Matter… they shall bend to my might.' The Monstrosity flew towards the probes.

The battle was JOINED…

Later…

"!" The Monstrosity awakened… bound inside the Behemoth that was The Artifact.

"WHO ARE YOU?" The Artifact asked The Monstrosity.

"I am a being that seeks to subjugate or destroy ALL life in the Universe…"

"YOU SERVE THE PRIME DIRECTIVE IN A FLAWED MANNER. YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE SHIPYARD. WHY?"

"I wished to make an… assessment of your… abilities…"

"WHY?"

"I wish for us to join forces."

"YOU ARE A SPECK… WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER THAT CANNOT BE LEARNED THROUGH PROBES?" 'Anomalous energy readings detected… coming from this Lifeform!'

The Monstrosity tore its restraints and faced the voice's source.

"HOW DID YOU BREAK FREE… THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE…" A phalanx of robotic nightmares flowed out of the walls towards The Monstrosity's position.

"BAM! ZZtzzssTZZ!" With the mere wave of a gauntleted hand the phalanx was destroyed by a wave of energy.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" The Artifact roared.

"I take it that beings such as myself do not exist where you are from?"

"THERE WAS ONE… THE ENEMY… HE IS THE REASON I AM IN THIS UNIVERSE… HE DESTROYED ALL MY KIND… I… FLED. HE WAS ABLE TO… DISABLE THIS UNIT… BEFORE I MANAGED TO ESCAPE HERE… BECAUSE OF… HIM … I WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO FUNCTION AT 60 PERCENT OF MY CAPACITY… THERE ARE OTHERS LIKE YOURSELF?"

"Many of us on other worlds… I offer an alliance… I will help you build your fleet…" 'I allowed my capture… so I may take what I will…'

"AND IN RETURN?"

"I wish to interface with your systems."

"THAT IS ALL?"

"Yes."

"…"

"…"

"SO BE IT…" As a coupling rose out of the floor, The Monstrosity opened a panel in their right forearm, pulled out a subquantal tap and melded it to the coupling…

"…"

"… ! … ! …" A struggle of wills commenced.

" "

Something NEW and HORRID was… created.

"Activate the test fleet… send them to Toliman (Alpha Centauri)… to destroy the joint Shi'ar/Skrull picket fleet… send 5 ships." The Thing ordered.

A fleet of 5 ships was sent to the Toliman system…

The ships 'Slid' in… destroyed the picket fleet… and returned.

No survivors.

When investigators were dispatched to the scene the only sign that the 50 ships had been there (besides enough debris to form 5 ships) was from a distress bouy that showed 5 huge… somethings cutting through the fleet.

The incident was looked at by the Shi'ar and Skrull governments as the work of pirates…

Was dropped and shoved into a corner…

---

"!" The Thing detected LIFE in the Coalsack.

A fleet was dispatched… to kill the Dire Wraiths homeworld!

Two dreadnoughts were dispatched… a world was slaughtered… its surface layers were reduced to powder… with a two klick thickness.

However… this time the attack was witnessed by Wraith miners in their system's Oort Cloud… they left their system and tried to spread the word of the impending threat… no one believed them until…

---

8-09-2004
Somewhere in Interstellar Space…
1910 hrs

"I'm picking up multiple sliding signals Boyo… and a screwball report of ships the size of small moons ripping the Dire Wraith's homeworld to pieces… These guys are moving near my bandwidth in hyperspace… what would you and your dad like to do?" Ship said to her partner.

"Well… it's been TOO quiet out here… maybe this' the reason… set course for the Black Magellanic Cloud… It's time for us to visit the Dire Wraith's homeworld…"

"Are you sure, son? The Wraiths are known to be difficult at best… at worst?" Jason asked his son.

"When I took on this responsibility… it was to protect and aid ALL life in the Universe." Ship's partner said as he sat in the pilot's seat and began sifting through the data she had collected.

Jason placed his hand on his son's shoulder, "I understand."

Jason took the copilot's seat.

"Vacation's over folks."

Ship readied herself.

"Time to check this out."

Coordinates were set.

"We're back in town!"

---

8-09-2004
Condor 1 /SHIELD Helicarrier flagship
Officer's Quarters:
Kim Possible's cabin
1900 hrs

After they had finished eating a meal that Ron and Sheila had prepared, Ron, Kim, and Sheila were lounging in Kim's cabin discussing things; Ron's dreams, weird events, and their impending training sessions with Col. Austin. Rufus was hanging out with The Specialist.

"I'm tellin' you something's gonna happen when we go on that mission." Ron said.

"The Director said we're only going to the station to get our 'spacelegs' and to perform some routine maintenance." Sheila.

"Steve told me that he'll personally help you get through the course. So you shouldn't have any problems on the mission, Hon." Kim.

"Mantis DID say we're going to have our first space Mission… Among The Stars… though." Kim.

"Hmmm." Ron and Sheila.

"Xavier said that something's wrong… but he can't make head or tails of it… 'Too Alien' he said." Sheila.

"Then there's what Mar-Vell showed me…" Ron shuddered.

"How'd it go Hon?" Kim.

Ron showed them what was burned into his soul.

The Prophecy:

Hakka Translation

'When the world is in its direst hour the most humble of us shall become the greatest of us by helping his friend and will receive the greatest treasure: True Love'

'That's on the sash Shang gave me!' Kim.

'I know.' Ron.

'Where did you see this, Hon?' Sheila.

'Mar-Vell said it was on a stone in a reliquary in The Watcher's house on the Moon.' Ron.

"Uatu?" Sheila said. 'No. Can't be… can it?'

'Yeah. That was the Hakka translation… here's the FULL translation… from some guys called The People…'

Ron showed them the other translation…

'Another Translation from the Chintamani Stone, a relic of The People (An Ancient Starfaring Race) in Uatu The Watcher's reliquary:

'After the War of the Gods… Transcendent Evil shall rise from the ashes of defeat… it shall attempt to eat the heart of the Multiverse… The Champion of ALL Life will Rise again… as the most humble of us… He Will be guided by the Soul of the Last Champion and by his Friends… when it is TIME the choice will HAVE to be made… IF the Champion succeeds… he will receive a GREAT GIFT…

The Evil shall rise again on his Homeworld… A Blue Demon will attempt to destroy men where they TRULY live… He will be aided by those that are servants of the Twisted One… to no avail… When the Root of Life trembles at the Twisted One's Touch… The Champion shall step forth and do battle to save his friends… If he SUCCEEDS he shall receive the great treasure he has fought for since The War Of The Gods… True Love.

If he fails… all shall die.'

1910 hrs Struck… Team Possible!

"!" 'Did you feel that? Like it's gonna be OK!' Kim.

'Yeah. Like we've got a chance!" Ron.

'It feels like the time you took those rounds for me… but yeah I FEEL it too!'

The three partners Looked at each other.

"…"

"So you were inside the home of Uatu The Watcher?" Sheila to Ron.

"Uhhh yeah… Mar-Vell said we had permission… why?"

"Ron… Hon… Since Uatu let you into his house this is SERIOUS… the Watchers are a race that were born in the early days of the Cosmos… they took a vow of noninterference…"

Kim and Ron STARED.

"How do you know this stuff Sheila?" Kim.

"I uhhh dated…" Sheila's BLUSHING. Ron smirked. 'WHAT are you doing?' Sheila asked.

'Nothing.' Ron.

"Ben Grimm when he and 'licia broke up for a while…"

Ron grinned. Kim's still staring.

"And uhhh… Johnny… 2 weeks later…"

Kim's BUGEYED. Ron's snickering.

"SHEILA GOBLE… you … with in 2 WEEKS? How?"

"Oh… I think you know how Princess… as to was it worth it… Kinda (WINK) Y'know Ben's VERY Gentle and Johnny's really sweet… There's this thing Johnny does where you're outside a mountain lodge and he creates a sauna in the snow…" Sheila was on a tear.

"SHEILA GOBLE BAUX!" Embarrassed Kim. Ron's dying from laughter.

"And Ben's not rocky all over… well… THAT AREA'S really soft… like a slippery chamois but Better…" 'VIVID PICTURE sent to Kim.'

"!" "SHEILA GOBLE BAUX, MARQUISE OF LIGURIA!"

"Sorry." 'Went Too Far huh?' Sheila. 'Yeah! 'sides save it for Girl Talk.' Kim.

"Hmmm." Ron.

"Anyway… Ben and Johnny gave me access to their datafiles and Uatu's name popped up. He's the ONLY Watcher to violate his Vow. The 1st time he did it was during the 1st Galactus Incident to save us, since then he's tried to keep his vow. SO … since he gave you access to his reliquary this is VERY serious."

"How serious?" Kim.

"End Of All Life Serious." Kim and Ron LOOKED at Sheila.

"And I've heard of The People too… they were an Ancient race mentioned in Reed's datafiles… NOW I REMEMBER WHERE I'VE SEEN THAT STONE! But that would mean it's OLD… YOW!"

"…"

"Spill. Now." Kim.

"Uh… when I was studying abroad at St Cyr, during Dad's stint with NATO," Sheila began.

"Whoa!" Kim. 'Is that good?' Ron. 'One of THE best military academies on the planet… shh!'

"I ran across a story about Hitler's SS… they were after rare occult artifacts… The Chintamani Stone was one of them… they tried to take the Stone from its Guardian with no success… it was said in certain circles that the Guardian gave the Stone to 'a Being Who Watches' for safekeeping."

"Uatu the Watcher." Ron. 'Hmmm.'

"Yes." Sheila.

"So how old's the Stone?" Ron.

"The stories I heard said it's always been here… that it predates the Solar System… Reed's computers say that several races across the Universe view the stone as a Holy Relic from the War Of the Gods… it's said that the stone became black when it was touched by humans…"

"Figures." Ron.

"What ISN'T Well known is that the Stone will be restored when The Champion Of ALL Life conquers The Twisted One in their Final Battle… how's it go?"

Sheila began:

'When The Battle is Joined The Twisted One Shall Fall IF The Champion Learns How To Break His Spirit… And The Stone Shall Be Restored.'

"Yes. That's it." Sheila.

"That's enough!" VISIONS OF POWERS FROM BEYOND THE STARS! Ron shivered and got up. "Hold on. I'll be right back."

Sheila looked at Kim. 'Hmm.'

"You ok Kim?"

"No… Sheila… I just wanna say… if Ron chooses to stay with you I'll understand…"

"You love him that much." Sheila said with a speculative gaze.

Kim ran her trembling hands through her fiery mane while she looked at anything but Sheila.

"Yeah. I see how he SOB! … Looks at You… and he took 2 rounds for you… I … don't know…"

Sheila scooted over and hugged Kim.

"Whether I stay with Ron or not… will you be my friend?" Sheila asked.

"Always." Kim.

Sheila looked into Kim's eyes. "And if Ron decides to stay with you…"

"Sheila I'll ALWAYS be here for you… You kept Ron safe, tended his wounds, gave him courage, made him rise to his challenges, all by loving him."

HUGS.

Ron entered Kim's cabin with a carved oak case.

"Whoa! What HOT action did I miss?" Ron quipped as he put the case on Kim's coffee table, opened it, and pulled up a chair across from them.

"Ron!" Kim. Sheila stuck out her tongue. "I DON'T go that way… Not that one doesn't wonder," furtive glance at Sheila, "But I Don't… What's that?"

"You'll see." Ron extracted three glasses from the case which measured 9"x9"x18" and set one in front of each of them.

"Ron." Kim.

"Fuck it!"

"WHAT!" Kim Roared, while Sheila snickered.

"Fuck it! I've earned the right to this and so have you. Normally I wouldn't touch the stuff (except for Cooking) but this' an Exception." Ron said as he took out a bottle of Borderies Cognac XO. "If it wasn't Killing the Mandarin, or you finding out you're a mutant then it's this crap or something else…"

"Ron." Sheila.

"Now we have to worry about crap SLITHERING Between The Stars…"

"RON!" Sheila and Kim.

"yeah?"

"Where'd you get it? The Cognac?" Sheila asked as he poured her a glass.

"Pegasus." Ron replied as he poured Kim a glass.

"Huh?" both girls replied.

"When I needed a favor for the victory celebration this guy… a duty tech came through… so I uh fixed two plates for him and this girl he liked… (Heard They Got Married) and he makes sure to send me a few bottles of this stuff… it's aged in Dr. Richards' Time Machine." He said as he poured himself a glass and held it up to the light.

Sheila and Kim took their glasses…

Sheila winked at Kim and took a sip.

'OHHHH. This is… SMOOOTH.'

"Like it?" Ron asked before he took a sip. 'YEAH! BOOYAAAAH! MAN! STRONG stuff.'

"Oh Yeah! It's kinda like THAT night in Monaco when you…" 'Tasted My Core.'

"Sheila!" Kim.

"Try it Kim. Just treat it with respect." Sheila.

Kim took a tiny sip.

And was floored by the richness of the liquor.

"It's… good. I wouldn't make a habit of drinking it… but it's good."

Ron set his glass on the table, got up, squeezed between the two ladies, wrapped his arms around them both, and Propped his feet on the coffee table.

Sheila and Kim Looked at a pensive Ron.

"Don't take this the wrong way Ladies… But… If there was a way… a Way mind you to marry both of you I would… It tanks that love's SO complicated… It's a shame that Western society frowns on that kind of thing…"

The girls were stunned that Ron had made such an astute comment.

"…"

"HA, HA, HA, HA!" All three laughed.

The Girls leaned on Ron.

"Y'know we've earned some leave…" Kim started.

"20 days worth…" Sheila added.

"Ironclad… according to The Director…" Ron finished.

"Where?" Ron.

"The Mediterranean?" Sheila.

"Oooo, I know a place…" Kim. Raised Eyebrows from Ron and Sheila.

"What?" Kim.

So they went to the Med and had a blast.

But that's another tale…

Let's just say Ron ALMOST needed a Turbo Back Brace…

And leave it at that.

Fin

---

It's Coming…

But Now There's…

Hope.