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.
I do not own Fred Saberhagen's characters
either.

Level 3: Wu Li Shi (Knight/Mystic)

Part VI

12-06-2004
The Imperial Ball
In the Imperial Throne Room
Sparta, Spartax Prime
The Triangulum Galaxy
3.14 Million Light Years
From the Milky Way
1900 hrs

Team Possible was having the time of their lives…

First they had been blown away by the fantastic types of architecture that Sparta had to offer…

Everything from the Fey to the Futuristic was on display from the various cultures of the Universe.

They were also amazed by the various modes of transportation…

And the species that used them…

But best of ALL…

Was the Royal Reception.

---

Team Possible dressed in SHIELD regalia, entered the Imperial Throne Room (with Athena and Aurora's remotes in tow) and stood before a phalanx of armored Spartoi troopers guarding the entrance…

A musical susurrus could be heard coming from the room…

A Spartoi Trooper dressed in formal Imperial Black and Silver armor stepped forward and announced their arrival to the species assembled in the cavernous hall.

"Announcing… Team Possible and Star-Lord!"

A hush fell across the room as the assembled species looked at the Heroes from Earth…

All of them either bowed or recognized their presence in their own way…

Kim smiled, slightly turned to Peter on her right and whispered, "Uh, what's going on?"

"The species assembled here have heard the legends of The Ones That Shall Save Them… The Heroes from The War Of The Gods. Several are developed enough to see your Essence or Soul. MOST of them Believe that you're our last hope." He whispered back.

"Ohhh." Kim, Ron, and Sheila said.

"So do you believe the legends too?" Sheila asked Peter.

"… Yes. Yes I Do." He said. "I've seen WAY too much… I KNOW you can DO it."

"!" Kim, Sheila, and Ron thought as they LOOKED at each other.

---

"Coolio, KP! We're hangin' with ALIENS! This is SO BADICALLY COOL!" Ron cried as they made their way through the parted crowd towards the Emperor's throne.

"Yeah. I wish Mom and Dad were here. They'd get a kick out of this!" she said with a grin.

"So Peter, why are the blue-skinned guys looking at me funny? You'd think I killed their dog or something.' Sheila said.

"They're Kree warriors from the Greater Magellanic Cloud… It's a hard core warrior society… they're 'backwards' about some things… They probably think you're a hybrid of some kind…" he said.

"Bigots?" she replied.

"Yes. DON'T tell them that. Mar-Vell was a Kree…" he said.

"But Mar-Vell's cool." Ron said, "How's it that he's not like 'em?"

"Mar-Vell… was a hybrid… but he answered to a HIGHER authority Ron… What is TRULY right for all beings. He was a Champion." Peter said.

"Oh. So who're the folks standing by the throne?" he asked.

"The tiny woman in the green armor is Tana Nile of the Rigellian Collective… They once gave Thor a run for his money… Things are ok now…" Linda said as she petted Rufus while he stood on her shoulder.

"And the woman that looks like a humanoid Bird Of Prey is Deathbird of the Shi'ar… Lilandra's sister… I'd heard she'd had to turn over a new leaf… I guess the rumors are true about Lilandra defeating her in personal combat…" Aurora said as her remote floated with them.

"What about the guy that looks like a Hydra?" Kim asked.

"That's the Kree Intelligence Supreme." John said. "It's composed of the essence of their dead leaders."

"Oh." she said. 'Gorchy!'

"The petite, green, pointy eared woman (with the ruffled chin) next to him is Empress Anelle of the Skrull Empire in Andromeda…" Athena said as her remote clamped onto John's belt. "That's odd… The Skrull and Kree hate each other… PASSIONATELY… If they're standing next to each other like this it MUST be serious."

"Dude. What's with the 8' lizard guys that are staring at you?" Ron asked Peter, "It's like they want to kill ya!"

"They do. They're called Ariguans… one of their lords killed my Mother… I made sure she got her Justice. The one with the medals is called Ssth'ok… brother of Rruothk'ar… the beast that murdered her." He frostily said. "Never mind them, we're here to see the Emperor."

The heroes halted 15' from the Emperor's throne and waited before it as he entered the Throne Room from their left on a skimmer with an armed couple… a svelte, athletic, red headed woman and a focused looking young blond male; landed it next to the throne, disembarked with them and sat on said throne while they and several Spartoi Black and Silver Elites flanked him.

"Please… Step Forward." He said as he looked them over.

Team Possible did so. Star-Lord stood before the Emperor, took off his helm and smiled at him…

Kim, Ron and Sheila looked at the Emperor…

He was a 40ish, well-built man that was graying at his temples…

And he looked maddeningly familiar…

It was the eyes…

The Smile…

And the Mien.

"Star-Lord and Team Possible at your service Sire…" Peter said with a twinkle in his eye.

'Kim, Sheila… this guy looks familiar… Like I've seen him before…' Ron sent.

'You HAVE…' Sheila cryptically said. 'You'll see.'

'Hmm.' Kim.

"You Honor us with you efforts Star-Lord. Wel…" The Emperor began.

"VVVT!" A shot rang out!

Team Possible powered up while Star-Lord, Ship, and The troopers covered the Emperor!

"HISSSS!" said the Ariguan Delegation!

"TAKE THEM AWAY! BEWARE OF ANY BERSERKER TRAPS!" The blond man said to the Spartoi troopers after shooting Ssth'ok's hand off.

A tense palpable strain settled over the crowd…

"I'm sorry Father." He said with a bow.

"It's alright Kip…" The Emperor said, "As I was saying, Welcome Team Possible… I am Jason of Spartax, Emperor of The Spartoi… And Star-Lord's father."

"!" Kim and Co. nee Sheila.

'Peter's a… PRINCE!' Ron and Kim.

'Look at them.' Sheila sent, 'See the resemblance?'

"The young man that just defended me is Kip Holm of the Scania, my other son and Regent… and the lovely lady is Sandy, his bride. I thank you for coming on such short notice." Jason said.

"Thank You Majesty." Kim said with a bow. "It is our honor to be here. How may we help?" she said with politely restrained Kimness.

"We need your help to finally defeat the Berserkers… once and for all." A new voice said from their right, "And the hand that guides them."

Team Possible turned to their right and saw a wonder…

A 'being' composed of… energy, machines, and biological entities hovered before them!

'Coool!' Ron sent to the girls, 'He's REAL.'

'You know him?' Kim.

'Kinda. He's the guy I told you about that's been showing me things… Cooliooo! He's from another Universe… I wonder how he got here?' Ron said.

'Hmmm. These Berserkers must have been something if a being like this… a race this powerful had problems with them…' Sheila mused.

"I am The Campan. It is I that has been talking to you in your dreams, Ron Stoppable. The threat to us all is very real… This plague nearly destroyed my world and Universe… And Threatens yours."

---

A Holo formed over the Carmpan…

It is said that the ones known as Berserkers were a weapon that was never meant to be used…

At the end of a nameless Intergalactic War they were unleashed on an unsuspecting enemy…

The Enemy was destroyed and the weapon slipped its leash…

The 'masters' tried to use their failsafe on the machines…

To no avail.

The new enemy adapted and amended their programming…

Their mission had been CHANGED…

Instead of destroying one enemy…

It was decided that ALL life must perish…

The Berserkers left their galaxy in search of others to sterilize…

Some were victorious against the intruders…

Others were NOT.

Eventually they came to OUR Milky Way Galaxy…

A battle raged that would SOON break the stalemate between

ALL Life…

And the Machines.

While the battle raged a Manchild was born to a couple that fought in the War…

The One.

He was chosen to don the Ultimate Armor…

Forged from the Berserker's own technologies.

He was known as a Hero to us ALL.

But to the Berserkers…

He was Death Incarnate.

They Called Him…

Berserker Man.

Eventually He found his way to the Root of ALL Life in our Universe…

FUSED with it…

And destroyed the Machines…

Except for those few that fell through a rift into your Universe.

The First group was destroyed by those called 'The People'…

They sacrificed their world to destroy the Foe…

During what is called 'The Age of Dinosaurs' on your world…

So we may live.

Now the vessels of Hanuman and his Wives…

A picture formed that showed Kim, Ron, Sheila; as Paldem Lhamo, Hanuman, and Green Tara.

MUST step forth…

To save us all…

From them and a HIDDEN Foe.

The Holoview focused on Kim, Ron, and Sheila as they stood before the assembled.

---

"…" Team Possible stood before a cavernous Silence.

"Dude. Are You SURE you've got the right guys?" a Sheepish Ron asked.

"Yes." The Carmpan replied.

"Ron… I know it seems to be a lot… But we have to try." Kim said as she reached for and squeezed his hand. 'You can do it, Potential Boy… and with the three of us there's nothing we can't do!'

'Princess is right, Hon.' Sheila sent as she playfully tapped his arm with her fist, 'You'll See.'

"Ok." Ron said as he smiled at Kim and Sheila, "I… We'll DO it."

---

The leaders of the various intergalactic nations adjourned to Jason's theater-sized Command Center…

"We have been able to destroy the machine's incursions into our space. It appears as if they're trying to weaken us by destroying fledgling societies and working their way in." Deathbird said to the leaders assembled in the tiers surrounding her.

"We have noticed such a pattern as well." The Kree Supremor said. "However we have had several invasions occur that were aimed at our research facilities… data was stolen and fleets were destroyed… If it weren't for… The Skrull Empire… our losses would have been… incalculable." This last was said with a look of gratitude and… Respect towards Empress Anelle.

'So THAT'S why they're not at each other throats!' Sheila thought.

"The machines have always attacked major and minor targets in my Universe. I sense… a… Hand guiding them. One associated with Death and Great Evil." The Carmpan mused.

"We haven't heard anything from our sources." Tana Nile said.

"Uh… Guys. Don't ask me how… but that's cool… We've been talking to Mar-Vell… His ghost I mean…" Ron said to a shocked crowd.

"Impossible! Mar-Vell's dead!" the Supremor cried.

"No Duh. Really! Hellooo… Ghost?" Ron said. "That's what happens when you die!"

"It's true. Empress Lilandra has seen him too. He's sworn to help us once again." Deathbird said.

"Then the threat is a Dire one!" someone moaned.

"How Do We Know That These Young Ones Can Do It?" Another said.

The meeting turned into a den of doubt and madness…

Until…

"QUIET!" Kimberly Anne Possible growled at the assembled with Emerald Fury glowing in her eyes, "They've Been Defeated Before, REMEMBER? WE'LL DO IT AGAIN! THERE'S NO PLACE TO RUN OR HIDE. We HAVE to stop them or NONE of us have a FUTURE. Got It?"

"I thought these guys were the best their races have to offer." Sheila coolly said. "If this is who we've got to fight beside… were in trouble."

"Have a care… human." A Kree Accuser grumbled.

"Don't even try." Sheila purred as she formed a pulsar.

"STOP THIS MADNESS!" The Carmpan roared.

A hush fell across the room.

"Now that you are All here I may share our technology with you." The Carmpan said as it glided forward and sent encrypted data to the various links around the room. A projection of a convoluted 'device' appeared. "This is a Space Inverter. It is used to enclose Berserkers within a 'focused' bubble of Spacetime. Any weapon fired at said Berserker has its effect increased a Thousand-fold. With the capability I see before me we can improve it further." 'Ron, Kim, Sheila!' "We MUST stand UNITED. It is the ONLY way."

'Huh?' they cried.

'Be at ease. I shall show you how to achieve the same effect with your powers.' It said as it merged its 'mind' with theirs.

"." 'It is done. Use it well. Do NOT use this DEEP inside a gravity well. It MAY kill you.'

'Thank You.' They said. Someone tapped them on their shoulders.

They turned to find Jason dressed in casual clothes standing behind them!

"Come." He said with a twinkle in his eyes.

'Ron.' The Carmpan.

'Yeah?'

'Remember… 'Being a God and NIGH unto a God' is all the Difference… when the time comes… Rely on your friend's strength to make The Choice.'

'I will. I Promise.' He said as they followed Jason to meet their Destiny.

---

The heroes assembled on the Palace's landing pad next to Ship.

Kim noticed John and Athena were missing!

"John's staying behind to get that data back to Earth." Peter said, "We're going undercover to see a friend of ours," this was said with a pensive glance at Jason, "to see who's behind this. Interested?"

"Spankin'!" Kim cried as she winked at Ron and Sheila, "Where are we headed?"

"It's a Den of Iniquity… A Pit of Despair… and One of the Nicest places I've EVER been." Linda said.

"It's a place at Universe's End…" Peter said.

"Coolio!" Ron replied.

'Hmmm. Maybe I can learn some new tricks there so Kimmie's 'first time's' REALLY…' Sheila sent.

'Sheila!' Glowing Kim.

'We'll I'll see about Ron then… (and you!)' Sheila thought with a Devilish grin.

'Coolio!' Ron formed a picture in his head, "Ow! KP!" Ron cried as she pinched his butt.

"Sorry Hon." 'Behave!'

"Let's go guys." Jason said with a knowing smile.

---

Meanwhile…

At the Edge of The Universe.

Mar-Vell decided to check on some old friends of his…

It was just a hunch…

And it paid off.

He had found out the Identity of their foe…

So it was easy to figure out what he'd done…

And Why.

Now it was a matter of convincing Team Possible that he could be…

Beaten.

End Part VI