Disclaimer: Goes without saying but I do not own Bruce Banner nor the Hulk nor any other Marvel character herein included. They're the properties of the original creators as dictated by official documents, whom you can find out more about in Wikipedia or something. Stan Lee, Marvel Comics, etc.

The Anolians and every related character/lore are invented by me, as is the overarching plot, but obviously, I don't own it. Still Marvel.

Rating: T for a bit of violence. I censor profanity like they would in a comic, if I ever use it.

PART 2: One Man Down

"Really? What kind of danger?"

"Legendary," said Thor, a bit indifferent. "Or so I have been told. I would assume they are not exaggerating."

Carol bit her lip. Thor had received news from Asgard, that it was under attack, and he had told her. He hadn't said he would go, which might mean he wanted to stay, but being Thor, he was checking to see if she would boss him around.

"Well, it is your family, right? If they need you, you should go."

"I agree," Thor said, and Carol winced, immediately regretting her decision. "A man who won't stand and fight for his family, his friends, is no real man. That is why I am so disappointed in what the man of wonder has become, but even so, that's why I must go."

Carol twisted, cursing the universe for her bad luck. Thor and Wonder Man were the only two members of the team she could count on to have her back no matter what, and Thor was right about Simon. She couldn't really count on him in a fight.

She felt a little ashamed by it, but she still asked him: "any chance it will be quick?"

Thor placed his strong hand on her shoulder, giving her a hearty shake and an encouraging smile.

"You do not need the might of Thor to deal with some pesky Anolians. You were put in charge of this team, Captain Marvel, and it is a mighty team, but you have nothing to fear from them. Should my absence cause any one member to disrespect you, well, do as Mother would do and put them in their place." He laughed and slapped her shoulder. "I will deal with whatever fatal danger my family is in and then I shall return to the Avengers."

"Well." Carol sighed. "Good luck, Thor. Whatever is threatening your family, I've no doubt you can handle it."

Thor grinned. "Aye. With any luck, I shall return in time to save your team at their hour of need!"

Carol smiled, shaking her head. "Perhaps."

Thor left the team then, and Carol watched him go, thinking of how she would explain that to the team. The mission hadn't even started, and she had already lost their most powerful member. Carol wondered if she should have ordered him to stay, but knowing Thor, that was more likely to lead to him quitting the team. He always came off more like an exterior force who offered assistance out of charitable interest, and not really like someone who had any stakes in Earth society. Someone at all interested in making connections and climbing the ranks and all of that stuff that she had always failed to do.

And yet, Steve and Tony had picked her to lead their most powerful team. Not Hank, or Thor himself, and not Rhodes, but Carol Danvers. Captain Marvel.

She had never led a team outside of necessary impromptu situations, and those experiences were probably what made them think of her.

Carol brushed her short hair, scratching her head. Part of her missed the long hair, but there was no denying it was a hassle to deal with when she was so often involved in combat. Not only was it a liability during a fist fight, as something that could be grabbed, or that could get in her eyes, but it would often get singed or damaged enough that she would need to spend time trimming it and the like.

No, the short hair removed all of the danger and the hassle, and it gave her a more authoritarian look as well, which was beneficial to her leadership position.

If I change my make-up and wear a mask, people might see Steve in me, she thought, jokingly. He was nearly the same shade of blonde, but obviously, she had nothing on his jawline. And he had nothing on her neckline.

She watched Thor flying away, and almost immediately, the intercom switched on in her ear.

"Is that Thor leaving?"

She nodded at nothing and connected the whole team. "Everyone. Thor had a family emergency at Asgard. He requested leave, and I allowed it since this op's a cakewalk." It was a different spin on how things had gone, but only Simon would know better, and he wouldn't say anything. Mostly because he wasn't really talking to anyone about anything. "E.T.A?" She asked at once, to discourage protests.

"The thingy says thirty minutes," Mr. Immortal said.

"The thingy? For the fifth time, it's the nav computer," Rhodes complained, "how is it that hard to remember?"

"Well I'm using it right, right? That's what matters!" Mr. Immortal said, very happily.

"Keep radio chatter to a minimum," she demanded, to establish authority, and then switched it off. She brought a hand to her forehead and took a breath, and then walked off to talk to Simon.

He was sitting inside his room, looking at nothing with his sunglasses. Carol liked to think he had his eyes closed and was meditating, but he never was. He was always just lost in thought. Always in his red suit with a yellowish W patterned across his chest.

"Si. You doing okay?"

"Sure," he said, indeed revealing he wasn't sleeping or otherwise distracted.

"I want you outside with us. Rhodey will stay in the ship with Mr. Immortal," she said, making use of a terse tone of voice. Like Steve's would sound.

"Expecting a fight?" he asked, and even though she couldn't see it, she knew he was glancing sideways at her.

"No. If there is one, the rest of us will handle it. But you can make shields so if we need to retreat, or if I need you to protect the ship, I want you to be nearby and ready. I don't want you being in the ship if we get caught off guard."

He nodded and his eyes, she knew, turned forward. "Sure. Long as I don't have to punch anyone."

"Yes," she said, wincing a bit disapprovingly. "Do you agree with what we're doing here? Are you okay with the mission? I told you it would be this kind of thing."

"Stopping a war? Of course. It's just that's never how it goes, is it? The situation will get complicated. We'll have to fight, then we'll make mistakes and make it worse. Or at least, that's what'll happen if I get too involved." He gave her a hint of the smile she knew him for. "I trust you can do better than me, Carol. So don't feel threatened by Rhodey."

Carol balked, a bit surprised by that remark.

"Me? Threatened by-you're kidding, right?"

"Guess I am." He shrugged. "Just know I stand by you. Pretty sure the kid does, too. Sunfire's trickier, there's no telling who he'll respect more. But give him time, and that'll be you, too. Rhodey's way too much of a straight shooter."

She frowned.

"I don't appreciate the levity, Si. I'm the leader of this team, and everyone is a volunteer. Just like Thor, you can all leave whenever you want, but so long as you're here, you will listen to me. Or else you're right, everything will go south very fast."

Simon shook his head, lifting his hands in apology.

"I apologize for my words, cap," he said, on purpose. "It's as you're saying and I, for one, welcome you as my overlord."

Carol almost laughed but managed to just scoff instead. Then, she walked out.

"You better!"

Part End: Thank you for reading, please consider leaving a review if you have the time.

There's a theme arising in these stories, huh? With one member leaving every time at the very start. Oh well, I'm sure Carol can handle it. Can she?
Next part, we meet the Anolians and find out about what's going on there. Hope you see you then.