TEN

Taking One For the Team

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Amora shook her head to clear it. She groaned and pushed herself to sit up. The sight that greeted her almost made her smile.

Angela and Valkyrie were watching warily as bugs skittered and chased around the prone form of Thanos. A steady stream of the universe's coldest power was flattening him to the ground. To his credit, he was still struggling against it. The gauntlet, once shiny and powerful, was now mostly frozen and dormant. His newly regrown right arm was showing the effects of horrendous freeze-burns, even as bugs jumped at the wizened flesh. They froze and died on impact; they fell to the ground.

Amora waved a hand and the beetles faded into nothing. She got up, dusted herself down, and then cast a wary eye over Loki.

Now completely blue and apparently enjoying it, he was watching with rather too much eager satisfaction as Thanos slowed, his petrified flesh gradually turning to something very close to ice.

Loki came nearer to get a better view. "Remember how your underlings found me drifting through space?" he growled. "Remember how you set your pets on me, those pathetic Chitauri, to badger me into accepting your little offering, your tesseract? How when you realised the pain of physical torture wouldn't work, you had The Other begin his whispers? How you had your minions tell me that conquering a planet in your name would take away all the demeaning, belittling shade of a big brother? How with the gift you deigned to bestow upon me I could wipe away all that injustice, all my shame - the pain?"

Thanos writhed and fought against the ice creeping over his side, up his neck.

"Then remember this pain, Titan," Loki snarled. "Remember how this 'little upstart' you so wanted to die in his conquest of Midgard, to leave you with the tesseract's stone and a culled world, has beaten you!"

Thanos gave a bellow of rage. He forced a hand under himself. He pushed to get up.

Angela drew her sword. She leapt at him, landed on his back.

Loki jolted in fear. "No!"

She rammed her blade through Thanos. It clanged into the rock beneath and kept going. She leant all her weight on it.

Trapped, Thanos simply shouted and panted in air against lungs already freezing over.

"Angela!" Loki raged.

She gasped as she felt the cold nipping at her hands. They tried to release - but they were stuck to the freezing hilt. She pulled. She could not move. A warrior's instinct kicked in and she piled more weight on the hilt to keep Thanos down.

"Help her!" Valkyrie cried. She rushed to her side.

Angela gasped in pain. "Stop! Do not touch me!"

Valkyrie and Amora watched in horror as dark blue power leeched up her sword to her arms, burning her flesh to frozen, wizened sticks as it went.

"Let go!" Valkyrie cried.

"He - will - escape!" she grunted. She fell to one knee in agony.

The winter casket stopped. Valkyrie's head snapped round to see Loki already rolling his hands, hiding it somewhere she couldn't guess. His skin was at once back to a pale imitation of Asgardian. He ran at Angela.

"Stop! You'll burn too!" Valkyrie urged.

"Not me," he said bitterly. He put his hands to Angela's, and while his skin might have turned to pale blue, they did not freeze. He tried to get his hands under her fingers. She blurted something in pain. He stopped. He backed up a step, his palms up, his face white with fear. He looked at the quickly thawing Thanos. He cast around for something - anything - that might help.

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"I don't know, man - this one's really hard," Korg said. He scratched his head. "I mean, how are we supposed to allocate that land when we don't know anything about it?"

The woman next to him, Hasson, shrugged. "Well she says it's hers, and he says it's his. I don't think they're looking for allocation, I think they're looking for a judgement."

"You shouldn't judge people," Korg said. "It's not nice. That's what my mum says."

She smiled. "I meant the situation."

"Oh. I guess I can have a go at that." He heaved a sigh at the picture of the land, drawn on the tablet in his hand. "What would you do, man?"

She flicked long brown hair over her shoulder. "The same as you."

"But I don't know what to do."

"You've known the answer to everything so far," she said. "In fact, people are starting to rely on you."

"Well I'm only here till Loki gets back, man. They shouldn't get used to me." He snapped his fingers. "Loki."

"What of him?"

"I solved every other problem by doing what he told me to. So…" He looked at the map again. "Aaaand… I know what we have to do."

"What?"

"We have to burn the land."

"What?"

"We have to set fire to the land," he said cheerfully.

"But it's farm land."

"I know! Loki is a genius," he chuckled. "Send them in."

Hasson turned and swept gloriously coloured skirts out of her way to walk to the doors. She pulled one open, waiting for it to arc wide. Her head popped out. "Hello," she said brightly. "The acting leader will see you now."

A woman, short and stocky with wide arms and a perennial tan about her, nodded and walked in without fear. A man pulled his suit jacket together and followed at a more respectable pace.

"Now listen here," the woman began, even as she stopped in front of Korg's chair. "This is my land and he's trying to steal it!"

"I am not," the man shot back. "She's been trying to nick it bit by bit since she moved next to me."

"Alright, man, calm down," Korg said. He stood up slowly. "I've already decided what we do with it."

"With what?" the man asked.

"The land," Korg said. "We're going to burn it."

"Burn it?" the woman spluttered. Then she stopped short. She thought about it. She folded her arms and nodded. "Ok."

"What? No!" the man cried. "I need that land! It's mine and you can't just—"

"See, I don't think it is," Korg interrupted. He walked over and towered over the man.

"Of course it is," he said quietly.

"Really? Then you want what's best, right? We burn it."

"No! If we burn it then it's no good to me!" he protested.

Korg looked at the woman. "You good, man?"

"Yeah," she shrugged. "Burn it."

Korg smiled. He turned to Hasson. "It's hers. Give it to her. Make a seal or a letter or something."

The man almost choked in anger. "What? It's mine! How dare you!"

"It's farm land," Korg said. "You're not a farmer. It's not yours."

The woman grinned but said nothing.

"How dare you!" the man shouted. "Just because I know how to wash and I've got an expensive suit doesn't mean—"

"You didn't want to burn it," Korg shrugged.

"Well of course I don't!"

Korg went back to his chair and sat. He looked at the woman. "Hey, man. Tell him why you don't mind it being burnt."

She smiled, then turned to appraise the apoplectic man. "Because it'll purge the crops and weeds and I can start again. Farmers do it every now and then. You might want to look into that."

His mouth flapped. He threw his hands in the air. "Fine! Take it! It's worthless anyway!"

"What?" Korg asked.

"It's half covered in muh'tholey weeds," he snapped.

"Nice," the woman smiled.

"Idiot!" he raged. He turned on his heel and stormed out.

Korg looked at Hasson, then at the woman. "What's he talking about?"

"Muh'tholey weeds," she said slowly. "They grow all over Sakaar. People think they're nasty, useless weeds, when actually you can make muloy oil out of them."

"Is that for engines or something - oh hey, we could use some of that for a spaceship we parked outside the city," he asked.

"A medicine," she said. "I'll just go… farm some medicinal ingredients, then."

"Yeah! Cool, man. Off you go," Korg grinned. "And my aide here, Dave—"

"Hasson," she interrupted.

"—Dave will get you the deed so you own it properly. That ok with you?" Korg went on.

The farmer grinned. "That'll be great. Thanks."

"Hey, don't thank me - it was what Loki said to do," he said.

"This Loki sounds like a nice bloke," the farmer said. "I mean, everyone says he started a union to make sure strippers got paid equal, and solved the food crisis in the blue quarter. Is that right?"

"Uh… yeah, sure," Korg nodded.

"Impressive," she nodded.

Hasson swished her long skirts over to her. "Follow me," she said, "and we'll get you that deed."

"Yeah, ok. Thanks, acting leader," the farmer said, waving to Korg.

"No worries. Just make a tonne of medicine," he nodded. "But you can't sell for it a high price, man. You have to sell it fair."

"Will do." She and the aide walked out in deep conversation.

Korg gave a contented sigh and looked out of the window. "Wow - Loki does have an easy life, deciding things. I wonder what he's doing now. Bet he's having a nap somewhere. You have to keep your health, after all."

.

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Thanos heaved a shoulder; Angela's hands were torn free of the hilt in his back. She cried out in pain and fell - Loki grabbed her by the elbows and she fell back directly into him. It was all he could do to bolster her fall. They flumped in a seated heap on the floor, Angela leaning back into him in helplessness.

He sat up, kept his arms round her, held hers clear. She looked at his hands and saw the blue steadily leeching from her to him.

"What are you - you doing?" she gasped.

"Not sure," he grunted. "Trying - to - stop it."

She heard the pain and anger in his voice. "Leave it be."

"No."

"There is nothing you can do."

"How dare you call me useless," he snapped through gritted teeth.

"You - will - not - stop me!" Thanos shouted. "There must - be - balance!"

Loki's eyes fastened on him with an entire universe of loathing. "Amora - remove those cursed stones, if you're not too busy!"

Amora raised her hands. She looked up; she called something into the air, into the universe itself. Her hands came down - and the stones pinged up out of the gauntlet as if kicked.

They flew through the stench of burnt flesh and pain. They rolled into green cloth and leather. They stopped. They waited.

Loki's hands weakened on the Asgardian's arms. "Angela," he said quietly in her ear. "Can you hold on?"

"I can - if you kill him."

He grinned, shaking his head, knowing she couldn't see it behind her. "You are… magnificent."

"Go."

Loki carefully sat her forward and extricated himself. He hauled himself to his feet, then looked at Valkyrie. He put a hand out.

She looked down at her sword, hefted it in her hand - and then she tossed it at him.

He snatched it from the air and walked up to the fallen Titan.

"You know, I'm really old by Midgard standards," he breathed, "but even I was naiive when I first met you. Me, the God of Mischief, was naiive." He reached down and put a hand to Thanos' shoulder. He yanked and the man was rolled up to his side. He fell to his back, glaring up at the much smaller man. "If there's one thing I've learnt in all my years, it's that everyone just keeps getting another chance. Everyone. I mean, Amora there has had at least two that I know of. Valkyrie? On her second. Angela? Plenty. I've had several, and believe me, I'm not sure I deserve any of them. Then again, I could use one right about now - I need to find my brother. There is sun, and light, out there - and he needs to see it. Because even he got another chance." He placed a boot on Thanos' chest and leant his elbow on it to look down into his face. "Everyone just keeps getting another chance." He flipped the sword around his hand deftly, the blade sitting backward along his forearm. "Except you."

He jerked his elbow round. The sword went in under Thanos' chin. It slid through tissue, through bone - and then hit its target. An awful cracking sound later and the point was escaping through the top of his head.

Thanos jerked. His body rose in stiff protest.

And then, gently, gradually, all the air was purged. His huge lungs emptied, his chest deflated. He sank, he sagged, he lay still.

Valkyrie blew out a long, relaxing breath. Amora nodded and her hands went to her hips.

Loki stared down with abject hatred. He got some breath back as he watched the dead man's face very, very carefully. Finally he yanked the sword free.

He rammed it down into the barrel chest. He stood back, leaving the blade upright. He panted in air, wiped his hands on his trousers, and nodded to himself in vindication.

The Collector's gallery was a very quiet place.

"Loki," Valkyrie said. "Angela."

He turned immediately and went back to the fallen warrior. He crouched, one knee behind her to keep her up, a hand to her far shoulder. "Angela," he said, his voice smooth, quiet, for her ears alone, "do you trust me?"

Tears of agony breaking from each eye, she dragged in a breath. "No," she whispered.

Loki smiled. "There's hope for you yet." He brought his right hand up to produce a small blue stone.

"How did you—?" Amora blurted. She looked at Valkyrie. She threw her hands out and shrugged, lost.

"Give me a moment," Loki whispered.

Angela closed her eyes, ready to fall down where she sat.

Amora and Valkyrie watched, their hearts in their mouths, as Loki's hand glowed a bright, brilliant blue. His eyes sank closed and he bowed his head.

Angela sucked in a deep breath in pain. She clenched her teeth, blew out lungfuls of angry, agonised breath. But her arms - they began to heal, began to replace lost flesh.

Valkyrie took a step forward. She watched, open-mouthed, as Angela was repaired exactly as she had been. She shook her head slowly, impressed.

Loki looked up. He opened his hand. The stone went dim. "There - that should do it," he said quietly.

Angela turned her hands over, checking all of her skin. She looked up at him. "Thank you."

His mouth opened but stalled. He tilted his head. "Uh… right."

"People don't say that to you a lot, do they?" she managed.

"Uh… no," he said edgily. He squeezed at her shoulder. "Are you ready to get up?"

"I am always ready."

He grinned and stood clear. She pushed herself to her feet, pulling her armour straight, scraping hair from her eyes.

Loki was watching her. "Everything… repaired? Back as it was?"

She nodded. "Yes. Yes, I think I am intact."

"But… you have a stone," Valkyrie said. Loki swirled to see her tracking him with narrowed eyes. "Where did you get that stone? How are you even holding it?"

He lifted it in his thumb and finger, showing it to the room. "Oh, this stone and I have a history," he said. "And I picked it up from where Amora left them when she prised them from the gauntlet." He paused, then looked around. "Amora?"

"So you have two stones," came her voice.

Valkyrie spun to see her behind her, back by the last broken case. "Amora?"

"And I have just one," she said. She lifted the small silk cushion, the polished red stone still sitting upon it as if awaiting the care of servants.

"Now, wait a minute," Loki said quickly, walking toward her.

"Don't come any closer," she barked. "I have this one - the reality stone, if I'm not mistaken. You have those two, which I'm guessing are power and space. Shall we see who has more power?"

"Don't," Loki said. "Amora - please - don't use that."

"You sound scared," she sneered.

"I am," he admitted. Valkyrie blinked - and even Angela seemed surprised. Loki took another step toward her, his empty hand out-stretched. "That is more power than anyone can handle. Not even as Asgardian or Jotunheim deity can hold that stone."

"So you say," she countered.

"Amora, don't do anything stupid," Valkyrie warned.

"Oh be quiet, soldier," she snapped. "You think you're such a rebel. Please - I've been on Asgard's Most Wanted list for longer than you've been old enough to drink."

Valkyrie's mouth snapped shut, but something about her sudden glower made Amora smile.

"I'm sorry," Loki said gently. They all looked over, but he was regarding Valkyrie. "I did try to warn you."

"Yes, the would-be hero," Amora scoffed. "Don't think that you've won us over, God of Lies. We know you're here to keep the stones for yourself."

"Actually?" he said politely, rolling his fingers. The blue stone in his hand was switched for a purple one. "I'll do you a trade."

She stared. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I said I'll trade. You give me the one you have there, and you can have this power stone. After all, that one is no good to you. It's for reality. You need something you can draw power from so that your own spells are amplified. Imagine never having to recharge again," he mused.

Her eyes narrowed. "You're trying to trick me out of this."

"Ok," he shrugged. "Yes; once again you've seen through me." He let his hand drop. "I'm trying to trick you into taking the power stone from me in exchange for a stone I cannot handle and cannot use. Great detective work; fantastic." He gave a thumbs-up in appreciation. "Go you," he added with a sarcastic wink.

She frowned. "So… why would you want to trade it for that one you can use?"

"I have to get these somewhere they can be safely incarcerated," he said. "And I've had enough of stones. I can't leave you with that one, but I know giving you this one is the lesser of two evils."

"The lesser of two evils is still evil," Angela said from behind him.

"Shut it," he bit out.

"I can still kill you from here, little man," Angela snapped.

He closed his eyes and took a calming breath. "One fight at a time, people." He opened his eyes again. "Look, Amora - you have all the power here. Take that stone - the one you can't use - and we can't stop you. Take this stone and we won't try to stop you - and you can use it to fuel whatever magic you desire, until the end of time. It's up to you. It's your choice. Whatever you decide to do, we literally cannot stop you."

She smiled. "You have a point."

"I'll stop you," Valkyrie said stiffly.

Amora looked at her. "Ngaw, kitten," she gushed. "You really won't."

"No - you won't," Loki said meaningfully.

"Yeah I will," Valkyrie shot back.

Loki glared at her. "No, you won't."

She opened her mouth but the sudden, barely-there shake to Loki's head made the protest die on her lips. She threw up her hands. "Whatever. This whole week has been a shitstorm of unwanted drama. Can we get on with this please?"

Loki settled his gaze back on Amora. "What will it be?" he asked simply. "Are you going to leave here with a stone you can use, or one you can't?"

Amora looked down at her hand, and the stone on the cushion.

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