Author's Note – I do not own any of the characters, Marvel and DC do.
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Chapter Twenty-Three
Neighbours
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"You… died." Clark managed as he stared at the group who were grinning at him. "All of you… but… how?"
"Solar energy." Az-Lan supplied and Clark face-palmed hard enough to cause a small shockwave.
"The crystal coffins! The sunlight revived you!"
"We were mostly dead." Tion-Gri supplied, his grin growing wider. "And remember, if someone is mostly dead, they are still slightly alive. Of course, if someone is really dead, there's only one thing you can do."
"…I know I'm going to regret this." Clark muttered to himself. "Alright, what's that?"
"Go through his pockets and look for loose change!" Half the revived Kryptonian chorused before they all started laughing as Clark shook his head.
"I think that dying may have affected them." Zod said quietly from beside Clark. "Of course, having them back… I think that we will be declaring this day to be a holiday."
"Given that we stopped Galactus and saved Earth, I agree." Clark replied.
"Speaking of Galactus, my people are already setting the framework of our continued safety into place. I think you should take a look."
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Clark stared at the sight before him. From the Golden Feather's observation deck, he could see the World Engine pumping out a beam of solid energy that lanced almost a light-minute through space before striking the semi-gaseous form of Galactus. Around the World Engine, a bustling of activity seemed to slowly flow outwards, leaving behind it the start of a skeletal form of what would eventually be (according to the plans being projected nearby) a ring-shaped space station several hundred kilometers across.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Zod asked as he and Ursa touched down just beside him. "We are not trying to duplicate the World Engine… not yet, at any rate, merely the portions of it which take in the solar energy and transform it into the beam that feeds Galactus."
"For which my Master is most grateful." Another voice stated and Clark half-turned as the Silver Surfer stepped up on his other side, his board floating just behind him as if tethered. "As long as the star burns and the energy flows, his eternal hunger shall be sated."
Clark nodded and looked back at the station. "All that just for a single energy system."
"Six, actually." Zod corrected him. "The idea is simple, each one will be able to match the World Engine for output, but by running them at a half of that power level, they will last far longer. With six, we can have two active, two ready to activate and two being repaired or upgraded, all on a rotating basis."
"So, it looks like we have a permanent guest." Clark said with a disbelieving chuckle. "And you are going to be his ambassador?"
"I am not." The Surfer stated. "Galactus has decided to restore the memories he took from me when I agreed to become his Herald in exchange for the sparing of Zenn-La. Once he has done so, I will depart once more, heading to Zenn-La to… What is it?"
"Zenn-La is here. Or… by Jupiter, at least." Zod said slowly. "Here, these are the planets that Brainiac digitised before we halted his rampage."
The Surfer took the pad and looked at it curiously. "Contraxia, Gunava, Huj, Yanth, Cybertron, Beta, Megan, Zenn-La… Zenn-la…"
"My people are still working on a way to reverse the process that Brainiac used." Zod supplied. "For now, we have them in a secure facility near Jupiter. I'm sorry. If it helps, once a place has been digitised, no time passes for those caught in the process."
"Then I will go and see if I can aid them." The Surfer declared before glancing at the distant, faintly-illuminated form of Galactus. "My Master has sent the one who will speak for him."
Clark followed the Surfer's gaze, quickly spotting the blue-clad figure in the purple helmet.
"What's her name?" He asked curiously.
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"Thanks for coming."
Connor von Doom half-turned from his conversation with Isaiah to see Clark entering the meeting hall with someone he had never seen before. The woman in question stood almost seven feet tall and was dressed in a skintight blue outfit which contrasted with the purple helmet that she wore. Only her eyes and mouth were visible, the rest of her skin was concealed by her uniform.
"Wow, these are the Protectors?" She asked and Clark nodded.
"They are. Patriot, Guardsman, Gatekeeper, Lady Briton, Black Panther and Morph. Once we have figured out how to de-digitize Zenn-La, the Surfer has expressed an interest in joining our ranks."
Several Protectors nodded slowly as they thought about the power levels the Silver Surfer had displayed.
"Galacta is going to act as her father's emissary to Earth, New Krypton, the Asgardian realms and, should we succeed in restoring them, the seventeen worlds stolen by Brainiac. However, she has agreed to become the first Reservist of the Protectors, meaning that should we hit a problem that is more than we can cope with, Galacta will give us whatever help she can. Since she wields the Power Cosmic to a level even greater than the Silver Surfer, that will be a lot of aid."
"First, I'll be helping to restore the worlds that this… Brainiac? …that this Brainiac claimed for his collection." Galacta chirped with a wide smile. "It'll be interesting, touring multiple planets in the same solar system, the memories my Father gave me indicate that he has never come across more then three habitable worlds in one system before, so for there to be nineteen…"
"It's going to get complicated." Clark sighed. "I think that we're going to have to increase the size of the team quite a bit. Not to mention creating a whole new set of Halls of Doors and cross-link them… I can see the headaches approaching…"
"You think you have it bad?" Zod asked as he entered the room. "We're going to have to create an entirely new governmental level to keep things under control. Some sort of Grand Council or something…"
"And it's almost certain that you will be the representative from New Krypton." Clark pointed out, causing Zod to scowl.
"There'll be nineteen of us on the council! Nineteen! Any group larger than twelve will become unable to govern efficiently! It's a law of nature!"
"It'll be more than that. Asgard and the other worlds?" You'll have an Asgardian and a Frost Giant… and maybe even an elf." Clark started to chuckle and Zod glared at him.
"You know that the people of Earth will probably choose you as their representative."
Clark's laughter died as if a stasis field had snapped into existence.
"I do not wish for a promotion at this time." T'Challa grumbled.
"Maybe I could suggest someone else…" Clark mused. "I mean, Xanatos is well-suited to the role…"
"…that he is." Zod allowed. "That he is…"
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Clark flopped into the sofa beside Mystique, who promptly shifted position so that she could snuggle up against him.
"Another long day?" She asked curiously and Clark nodded slowly.
"Zod's starting to put the framework of the Grand Council together." He sighed. "I've been going to all of the non-hostile Ygdrassil dimensions… and to Asgard itself, in order to set in motion the process for choosing their own representative for the Council. Asgard was the easiest, Odin decided that Thor should be his representative as training for when Odin finally retires and Thor takes over. Of course, that'll cut down on his time with the Avengers, so he's assigned Thor's best friend Baldur to help cover for him. Jotunheim agreed to drop its low-grade war with Asgard in exchange for membership, the elves of Alfheim are debating which one of their own to send while the people of Vanaheim are in consultation with Asgard due to how close the two realms are… they've been intermarrying for centuries but never actually merged due to astro-geographic reasons. The Dwarves of Nidavellir are holding clan meetings to choose their emissary, I had to suggest that they chose one not of a clan in order to avoid the appearance of favoring one clan over another. All in all, it's been quite exhausting."
Raven hmmmm'd comfortingly as she tightened her hug on her husband. After a few moments, she lifted her head to look at him and giggled, before lowering her head back down onto his chest.
"Ah, Raven." Eric said from the door. "I was… going to come back later."
Raven watched him close the door as quietly as he could, but the steady beat of Clark's heart showed that his sleep hadn't been disturbed by the interruption.
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"I woudn't go in there." Eric said to Chris and Laura. "Your father's obviously had a long day and he needs his rest.
"Okay." Chris sighed as he let Laura pull him back down to ground level. "Um, in that case, we'll ask you. Static asked if we wanted to join in with a training day with the Teen Titans. They're trying to cross-train with as many people as possible."
"…I see nothing wrong with that." Eric mused. "However, I will ask that Storm accompanies you as a responsible adult."
"I can be responsible." Chris half-whined, only for Laura to sigh and gently dope-slap him.
"You not adult yet." She pointed out.
"…okay. Good point." Chris sighed. "Come on, let's find Miss Munroe!"
Eric smiled as he watched the duo run off.
"I sometimes wonder if I was that young." Talon commented from a nearby door.
"I never was." Eric sighed. "I never was…"
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"...headline story tonight, Sol system defended!"
"That's right, Mark. Speaking for her father,the cosmic entity known as Galactus, Galacta had this to say."
"For centuries, my Father's hunger has led to many planets being destroyed due to its overwhelming nature. The natives of the Sol System have managed to find a way to ensure that my Father is now sated and will continue to be so, for so long as the soon-to-be activated Ring Station functions.
"In gratitude for the action that has halted his interstellar rampage and restored his mind and power, my Father has vowed to protect the worlds of this system, both those in this time-space and those in the attached sub-dimensions, against any external threats."
"In addition to this incredible story, New Krypton News has received information suggesting that the Silver Surfer, now going by the name of Norrin Rad, will soon be joining the ranks of the Protectors, the superhero team that is led by Clark Kent himself."
"Indeed he is, Vicky, and with the power of the Silver Surfer in the Protectors and Galactus guarding against external threats, it would seem that the future is going to be very safe indeed…"
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"well, bastion, what do you make of this?"
"Interesting." Zola replied as he looked around at the grey world that both beings had managed to reach. "My internal scanners indicate that the laws of physics may be very slightly different here."
"my scanners detect movement."
"I see it too." Zola said as he transformed into his silvery mode. "My scanners have it… shape is human, but the internal readings… aren't."
Both enhanced beings waited as the distant figure approached and soon it stopped barely five paces from them and the portal just behind them.
"Who… are… you?" It finally managed to ask in a rasping voice.
"i am MODOK, one of the leaders of Hydra."
"I am Bastion, likewise."
The entity stared at them through dead eyes and Zola mentally noted the absence of any breathing. Finally, the being spoke.
"We… are Hive."
Zola inhaled sharply and Modok half-turned to give him a quizzical look.
"The Red Skull told me about a being called Hive, the one who led Hydra centuries ago, but who was trapped on another world. If this is him…"
"…then all of Hydra's factions will unite once more and we shall be able to set in motion new plans that will in time allow us to claim first the Earth, then the entire solar system…"
"…and then the universe, even if it takes decades to set the plans in motion." Zola finished with a grin before turning back to the third figure. "Of course, you need to prove that you are whom you say you are. Show us your true form."
The figure didn't respond verbally, but his skin darkened as tentacles started to replace his hair.
"…hail hydra…" Zola whispered almost reverently.