Faraway Home Chapter 4
Disclaimer: Do not own Incredible Hulk, "Planet Hulk", or any characters you see within. Maybe a few OCs. Please don't sue because I have an overactive imagination and wanted to share the madness.
Warnings: None
Five year have passed, and Hulk has welcomed twin sons to his small family. He delights in watching them grow and learn. Even quiet, sullen Banner finds a measure of joy reflected from the great, green man.
Peace has enveloped the entire planet, for the first time in 50 years*. Not a utopian society by any means, but a balanced theocracy that Hulk rules benignly, Caiera always at his side.
Banner had been successful in figuring out the problem of looming extinction for the Bug people, and had helped them restart their civilization. It didn't erase the horror of the attack, nothing could, but it helped.
One night, the wormhole blossomed at apogee* and a bright object hurtled through. Sky watchers tracked its trajectory, and a mounted force followed it to the Maw*. A young Red page ran for the palace to take warning to the Green Scar.
The shuttle bumped to a landing, kicking up a long plume of dust. A red, metallic humanoid form emerged from the steaming hull. A lava vent exploded beside the shuttle, knocking the mechanical being to its knees. A monstrous form appeared, tentacles waving in the air, tasting the particles on the breeze.
"JARVIS, what the hell? What was that?" a mechanized voice complained loudly.
"I cannot scan this being, sir. Too much interfering radiation," was the frustrated, electronic reply.
"Dammit. No way to tell if he's even here if the place is glowing on its own. Does the translator work?" the robot voice continued, sounding frustrated.
"No Mr. Stark. Incoming biological signals."
"Even better." The red and gold armor turned to face the oncoming hoard of gray humanoids on power sleds. Stark held up his hands in what he hoped was a universal sign for "unarmed". Bright blue-white disks glowed on each palm.
The lead guard, wearing green and silver armor, waved a polearm in the robot's direction and barked incomprehensible words. The remainder of the squad surrounded the robot, all pointing similar polearms at the intruder.
"Look, I don't understand you!" he yelled, frustrated, "I'm looking for someone, huge, green, angry?"
Neither speaker got anywhere.
An hour after encountering the robot, the royal barge hovered into view, both the King and Queen aboard. They wore cloaks against the cool night air, hoods in place as they stood midship. Hulk used a spyglass to take in the situation before anyone touched ground.
"Oh fretz," he grumbled, lowering the glass.
"Husband?" Caiera asked, touching his forearm in concern.
"I know that man. He's from Earth." Hulk sighed. He wondered why he'd been followed, and by that traitor of all people.
"Shall we take command? Take him into custody?" Caiera recommended.
"I'll talk to him, find out what's going on," Hulk replied. "Lower the gangway!" he called to the crew.
They descended the swaying gangway to the orange sands, kicking up puffs of dust as they made their way to the circled guards.
"Your Majesties! Our honor to serve. This being came through the wormhole, and appears to be alone, though we cannot gain access to its ship," the commander saluted when the pair stopped about 10 feet away.
"You've done well Commander. The Green Scar will deal with the stranger," Caiera said, dismissing the guards to watch from a further distance.
Hulk moved past the ring of guards, towards the newcomer, cloak flapping as he walked. The guards bowed, still threatening with the polearms, backing off as he passed them. They followed silently behind their commander, moving to a small, dark hill that afforded them a place to watch the proceedings, and defend their rulers.
"Well, you just had to track me down, didn't you?" he growled, pacing a wide circle around the red and gold armor. "Not content with lying to me, shooting me into space, you HAD" he emphasized with a deeper growl, "to harass me in my new home, my new life." His eyes glowed bright, face scrunched tight as he frowned at his former friend.
"Banner?" the synthesized voice tried to respond. Another, louder, rumbling growl silenced him.
Hulk was teetering on the edge of anger, and the rapid clenching of his fists was the most obvious sign of how close he was to losing control. Caiera watched, impassive. If this stranger meant Hulk harm, she would deal with the remaining pieces of the robot when her husband was done tearing it apart.
"Banner has no place here, there is only me now," Hulk snarled. It was largely untrue, but Banner had no interest in the outer world, other than the family. He had spent time out, when the children had been born. One, that they had named Skaar, had looked sickly, but with his expertise they quickly discovered that he harbored two forms like his father. One appeared easily twice the age and size of the other, and that younger form also seemed much weaker and smaller than even normal Shadow children. The other son, Hiro Kala, did not have the second form, but had inherited the full measure of the Oldpower, often taking the stone form when he was being disagreeable. Banner had had to explain to Caiera, Korg, and Hiroim about all the ramifications, and they were able to teach the nannies how to work around the surprises.
"Hulk" Stark breathed. The man inside stank of fear, and worry. Hulk snorted, and shook his great head, continuing to stalk around the almost quivering being.
"Why did you come?" Hulk finally stopped, standing to one side. Caiera automatically shifted to put the robot between them. He gave her a slight nod of appreciation. They had trained to fight together, and accomplished much with nary a word spoken between them. It was oddly comforting to Hulk, knowing that, without question, he had someone at his back in all things.
"I need..." Stark started, then shook his head, "WE need, you back home." He worried. How was he to convince them to come home? Be with him?
"I AM HOME!" Hulk roared, the rage briefly erupting as he leaned forward into the blank, gold face plate.
The armor collapsed to its knees, Stark chanting denials, "No, no, no..." The voice faded after only a few minutes. He remained kneeling, head bowed, trying to deny the truth that had echoed through Hulk's words.
"Husband?" Caiera called. There was a faint gasp from the robot, another whispered denial.
"Yes my queen." Hulk visibly made an effort to calm down. He had to contain the rage, otherwise he'd never get his answers if he destroyed this creature. "You'll come with us to Crown City. At least we'll be comfortable while we discuss this. I imagine the armor must remain, otherwise you'll die quickly, but horribly." Hulk grinned a rictus, thinking that was possibly the best news he'd had since getting the first report of Iron Man's arrival. His heart, Banner's heart, still bled from their betrayal orchestrated by his so called friends, and abetted by this man, someone he thought he cared for, and cared for them in return.
"All right. Um, the ship?" Stark agreed, looking up into Hulk's humorless face.
The rapidity of the robot's agreement worried Caiera. Who was this creature that Hulk harbored so much anger towards? There was more to it than simple anger. What did it mean that it was here, now? Hulk shook with the barely suppressed rage as the robot regained its feet and waited. She could only hope that he would not regret this early softness.
"The ship will be towed to the crash site of my own. Perhaps, if necessary, you will find enough to repair yours to return to Earth." Hulk led the way to the barge, Caiera at his side. The robot clumped along behind them, the guard commander left behind with his squad.
The trio walked up into the barge, and Hulk gave the commands to grapple the ship below and then to get underway.
AN:
1 – 50 years, rough estimate of rule for the Red Emperor, who took over (assassinated his father) from the previous emperor. The one killed by Hulk was a child/teen when he became emperor.
2 – apogee, furthest point of orbit around an object. Like a satellite from Earth.
3 – The Maw, gladiatorial training facility. Sort of in an active volcano's caldera.