Back at it again and at the start of the New Year.
So let's not waste time with talk.
Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.
Avengers Infinite Wars Chapter 84: What's our next move?
"Whew. Feels like this suit's making me feel way more than usual."
Peter Parker AKA The Amazing Spider-man, swung above the city planet of Coruscant, the sun setting in the distance.
Behind him was the familiar warbling sound of two LAAT gunships with webbing decorations on their side doors.
They had become a near-common set of companions whenever Peter had the time to do patrols on the planet. At first, it was just small run-ins with each other and they would work together but now they had a special communicator with one another that Peter would send out or he would be pinged by the Coruscant guard whenever he was planetside and they would patrol the streets together.
Tonight was another night to test out this new suit that he got from Mortis.
It wasn't any new bit of technology, just a unique suit of literal alien origins.
Letting go of the web line he was swinging on, Peter allowed the gunship closest to him from behind to fly right on him, with him casually seating himself above the pilot's seat.
"Hey Bee." Peter greeted the Clone Pilot of the gunship, Bee nodding back at him.
"Got tired of swinging around already, webhead?"
The black mask of Peter's new suit retracted to reveal the teen's grinning face.
"Nah, just figure I deserve a cool ride since I do so much for ya slowpokes."
"Oh, it's gonna be like that again, eh?" Bee challengingly said.
"It's always gonna be like that, Bee." Spider-man shot back with a laugh, launching himself off the gunship to swing ahead of it.
His mask reformed around him and he was once more assailed with the sights, smells, feeling, tastes and sounds of the city. He felt his senses on full blast yet were somehow in perfect control and harmony.
It was rather strange for him not wearing his typical, normal outfit while not hearing his onboard AI. This new suit melded well and with some tests, the functions of his more technical suit still worked to their fullest capacity. But this new black suit operated on a different level, being able to form around him on thought and well, he wanted to see what else this suit was capable of.
In some initial testing, he was able to replicate some of the web mechanics Mr. Stark had installed into the suit like plain web balls or even the web grenade.
So now he wanted to see what other features this suit had for him.
For the most part, it was incredible.
Other than his senses being heightened to even greater levels than before, all his other powers were enhanced.
He moved faster, reacted quicker, was stronger, more dexterous, the whole nine yards.
It was like relearning his whole move set like the first time he got his powers. So many broken doorknobs, phone screens and alarm clocks.
Yet through some instances while out on patrol, he began experiencing issues with various levels of sound. It didn't bother him at first until some vehicles began honking rather loud when he was too close to them.
Normally he wouldn't mind them, but he soon had an urge of wanting to wreck them rather suddenly.
He managed to keep his cool though he began noticing his suit shifting about after every sound that exceeded a certain threshold.
It was in those moments that Peter remembered that this suit was a living being and it had bonded with him for reasons he had yet to know.
While it was beneficial for now, Peter has seen enough sci-fi, fantasy and lots of other nerd franchises to always keep a wariness on something he doesn't fully understand.
But right now, he refocused his attention on his patrol.
"Okay, where is a shop that needs rescuing?" Muttered the webhead, moving his jaw around beneath his mask when he tilted his head at an odd sensation. "Huh… I'm hankering for some kind of chocolate or mushrooms."
"Save it for later, Spidey." Chimed in the voice of one Commander Thorn from the earpiece he had on. "We've got a commotion going on in the 12th district."
"Oh come on, Guran again?"
"Yup, some trouble around his restaurant." This time it was Commander Thire who responded, in a wry and equally annoyed voice. "Some people just never learn."
Peter just groaned aloud, shaking his head at the development.
"Alright, let's beat some idiots up again." Spider-man declared, starting to increase the speed of his swings, firing off web lines faster to get to their destination.
The two gunships kept up with the webhead until they arrived at their destination.
There, they saw a large dining establishment with a fight going on.
From within, a lone Twi'lek stood behind a counter, a bored look on his face as he watched several security guards tussling with some thugs that were trying to rob his diner.
He glanced over at a nearby clock, watching the seconds tick by until he heard the telltale signs of Gunships overhead and with it, an all too familiar *thwip*.
"Huh, five seconds faster than usual." The Twi'lek noted, watching as the criminals that tried to rob him turned their attention on the Coruscant guard that arrived along with one Spectacular Spider-man.
"Hey Guran." Peter casually greeted the Twi'lek owner of the restaurant who saw him and did a double take.
"Spidey? That you? What's with the new suit?" Guran asked, walking around his counter to greet the webhead.
"Ya like it?" He asked, casually grabbing a thug's wrist without even looking at him, twisting his arm and flipping him down to the ground. "It's all sleek and menacing."
"I guess. Looks a lot less friendly, I can tell ya that much."
"Ah, but that's 'cause my eyes are all narrowed and dangerous." The white lenses of Peter's masks widened, actually making him look friendlier. "There, see? Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man."
"Uh-huh." The Twi'lek dryly said, looking past the young Avenger. "Hey boys, quiet evening?"
"The usual, Guran." Commander Thire greeted, wrestling a criminal to the ground, cuffing his hands. "Things are finally quieting down… somewhat."
"Do you have those sandwiches?" A clone randomly asked, tripping another crook, and tasing him unconscious.
"Always do Jek, they're in the back waiting for ya." The Twi'lek said, thumbing behind him.
The clones all cheered in spite of the criminals they were still fighting.
"So what did these guys want?" Peter asked, webbing up several crooks at once.
"Turf war, robbery, reputation, I didn't even bother paying attention to it." Guran boredly revealed. "It all blends together after the hundredth time you've seen it. Seriously, I don't even know why they always target this area. You guys are always here half the time for lunch or dinner."
"Maybe they want the challenge of it?" Thire suggested, shoving another criminal to the ground and restraining him.
"Or they're taking advantage of everything that's been happening since Ultron's attack." Clone trooper Rys suggested.
"We'll see once we take them in for processing."
Guran simply shrugged, walking over to the clones and Avenger, kicking a downed thug in the side with an annoyed look.
"Just get these assholes outta here already. They're slowing down the dinner rush."
"You got it, Guran." Spider-man said with a thumbs up. "Dex says hi."
"Yell that old geezer to stop hogging all the good recipes." The Twi'lek said in return in faux annoyance before looking back at the counter of his restaurant. "Cyla, get the usual for the boys."
A female Neimoidian simply nodded, rushing in the back while the Clones and Spider-man rounded up the criminals and loaded them onto the gunships.
Moments later, Cyla came out with a large container of food she handed off to a clone, the troops all thanking her whilst Peter gave his Twi'lek friend a healthy "Tip" considering he refused payment.
Once that was all settled and done, Spider-man went off to continue his patrol, one gunship joining him as the other transported away the recently detained crooks.
Peter felt a rush building within him, something that was starting to become commonplace whenever he went on these patrols now.
His suit would always be shifting about, almost excitedly, adding to this adrenaline that always developed whenever he sought out criminals. It was a lot like the first time when he first began crime fighting except, to sound like a broken record, enhanced.
This suit added to the rush and he was uncertain if that was a bad or good thing…
… For now, it felt good.
-Scene Cut-
While one young teen was experiencing a rush on Coruscant, another was undergoing the opposite.
Walking through a corridor within the Jedi Temple, Barriss Offee was fiddling with her hands. She was taking several breaths as she was getting closer to her intended destination.
Walking out of the temple, she continued toward an adjacent small building not far from the temple.
Around it were several clones, all conversing with each other until they saw Barriss.
They were about to salute her when she waved them down, telling them it wasn't necessary at this time. Nodding in compliance, the clones went back to their previous actions.
Walking past them all, the padawan headed towards the place she was here in the first place.
Opening the door, she entered a space that was filled with many more clone troopers. The only ones who stood out were Sam of the Avengers and his girlfriend Dani.
The aforementioned people took notice of her and greeted her.
"Glad you can make it, Barriss." Sam said with a small smile.
"Thank you for having me." Barriss said with a bow, Wilson waving it off.
"It's our pleasure." Says Dani. "Given what happened, I felt we needed to arrange this with a number of those involved with the Citadel."
Taking a proper look at the Clones, she was quick to recognize that many, if not all the clones here were the ones she and her team had rescued from the Citadel.
Other than them, she saw Flash, Cameron and Lucky in the midst of the Clones and even the large and imposing Wrecker of the Bad Batch seated amongst them.
It was quite the collection of Clones.
Barriss was about to find a seat when the door behind her opened up.
"Sorry I'm late, I- oh…"
"Master?" Barriss said, surprised to see her mentor Luminara here. "What're you-"
"We asked her to come." Dani quickly said. "We believe her being here to be important."
"But she's a council member, isn't she-"
"You will always be my first priority, Barriss." Luminara interjected, standing next to her student. "You were my Padawan before I became a Council member, therefore, the well-being and growth of you as a Jedi is my primary responsibility. If I don't help with what's bothering you, I feel I have failed you as your master. The rest of the Council understands this."
Barriss stared at her master before shooting her an appreciative smile, one Unduli reciprocated, placing a hand on the younger Mirialans shoulder.
She then moved to sit at the front of the group as there was an empty seat for her.
"Seeing as no one else will come to this, we can probably get started." Sam said, standing at the head of this group with Dani by his side.
A brief silence befell everyone here, a somber mood coming over them.
"Now," Sam spoke again. "I'm not one to sugarcoat just why you are all here. What matters now is how you process it. How you deal with what has happened. And this right here," He points to the ground. "Is the first step. Just being here shows you want and need to discuss it, experience it again. Having it just bottled up? That's a hell you already do to yourselves in this war. No need to add to that stress."
"Surprised no one has bothered doing this beforehand." Flash remarked, murmurs of agreement from his brothers.
"Missions and battles happening left and right, making it difficult for most of us to find time in attempting this sort of thing." Sam pointed out.
"There also is the factor of someone experienced to lead these sessions; paid or volunteer." The Zeltron next to him stated, leaning her shoulder against his.
"So why are you doing this, sir? Ma'am?" Cameron inquired on behalf of the group.
"It may come as a shock to some but this was my job back on Earth before I became an Avenger." Sam said. "Back home, I helped veterans and soldiers like you guys process their grief, trauma and experiences they went through that no one else can relate to. Even if I stop being an Avenger, this has always been something I believe in doing."
There was a shared feeling amongst the clones and Jedi as they found themselves swept up in Wilson's speech.
"Now then, let's begin with why we are all here." Dani looked to those present in the room and addressed them. "What happened to your brothers and the Jedi is a clear assault in so many ethical ways. They were violated in the worst way possible. Altered in not just the mind but to the body and even their very being."
The Clones and Jedi Padawan shifted in their seats, Luminara casting a worried glance in the direction of her Padawan.
"I understand that this is an experience many of you would wish to forget." Dani said sympathetically. "There are events in my own past that… are difficult to discuss."
"Just so you know, this is a safe place to talk about anything that's on your mind. We won't judge you." Sam added in. "Just… talk. Let it out. Whatever comes to your mind. Whatever you feel comfortable in discussing, be it big or small. Doesn't even have to do with what happened at the Citadel.
No one was willing to speak up right away. Yet the member of Clone Force 99 present was the first to do so after nearly a minute of silence.
"I always bounce back at everything." Wrecker proudly declared, thumping his chest. "My Batch and have taken out everything we were assigned to blow up or destroy." Some clones snickered at this until Wrecker's posture slouched. "But what that was back there… I thought it wouldn't bother me as much but…"
"There are certain things that just stay with you." Sam said, understanding what the altered clone was going through. "You can go through one mission after the other, not even batting an eye at the things you've seen and done but just one moment, one mission… it all changes afterward. I've seen men and women, all cheerful and upbeat… not as much as you Wrecker, but vaguely close," this earned some chuckles from the Clones. "They had their own respective experience that flipped everything at a moment's notice," Sam snapped his fingers, "like that."
"It could come up at random times with one having experienced various traumatic events." Dani said, walking over to the oversized clone, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What matters right now is you facing it. Don't force it on yourself. Just allow your own mind and heart to come to that confrontation."
There was a brief pause in the room until Lucky spoke up.
"I've been having… hesitations lately." He admitted, almost ashamed to say it. "A part of me wants to stay by my brothers and fight. Go out there, find this sick fuck," Some clones flinched, Luminara was certainly surprised by such a venomous word being spat out. "And take him out, making sure he was filled with every blaster bolt in the Grand Army of the Republic."
The ARC trooper then slumped in his seat, hanging his head.
"But then, I don't wanna fight. I want to stay as far away from the battlefield 'cause this droid… he's taking our brothers from the battlefield. Dead or alive, he's managing to turn them into mindless drones, worse than the droids we've been fighting." Cameron's face was in his hands. "I'm an ARC trooper and I don't want to fight. Not him, not that… monster."
Sam only nodded at this.
"You get trained to handle all these scenarios." He said, looking at all the gathered clones. "Simulations, tests, all that back on Kamino. But there are things at your facilities or camps that don't prepare you for the battlefield. You could be the top of your class back then with no issues at all, only to have been served a hard dose of reality in the present and future."
Hearing this, several more Clones spoke on their experiences, this time being outside the Citadel.
Battles they had survived, batchmates they saw get killed off, orders that just didn't make sense to them.
With each clone that spoke, it was like a domino effect as one after another took a moment to speak on their experiences and what haunts them still.
All the while, Barriss had been silent for the majority of the meeting, listening to each clone recount a past memory, half being non-Citadel related and half being only Citadel related.
It was the latter that troubled her the most, with her closing her eyes several times, feeling her breath catching in her throat as vivid images of what she saw there flashed before her eyes. It had gotten so intense to the point that she failed to notice Sam, Luminara and Dani with several nearby Clones were now crowded around her.
She gasped, breathing heavily, her master gently stroking her back.
"Are you alright, my Padawan?" Luminara worriedly asked. Subconsciously, the master called upon the bond she shared with her student, shocked at the tumultuous feelings she was experiencing.
Nonetheless, being a seasoned Jedi Master, she used her own calmness and serenity to wash over the younger Jedi, helping her catch her breath and calm down.
"You ok, Barriss?" Sam quietly asked. "If you want, you don't have to share. You can head back to your room and sleep."
Barriss, having regained a semblance of composure, shook her head.
"N-No… I want… need to be here and talk." She insisted.
Sam gave her a hard look, seeing if she was certain until he quietly nodded.
"When you're ready. Take your time. Speak when you're ready."
Offee nodded silently, gathering her thoughts.
She didn't say anything at first, instead staring at her lap, hands on her knees, clutching the fabric of her clothing.
"As a Jedi," She began, unknowingly drawing in all the Clones present. "We've been trained to keep our emotions in check. To always understand that our duty is not to ourselves but to the Republic. To its people."
She shuddered, and to a majority of the clones, what they saw was truly a startling first.
Barriss was now clenching her clothing tightly, to the point of nearly ripping it as tears began streaming down her face.
Luminara herself couldn't believe what she was seeing from her Padawan. Barriss, who had been the model Jedi Padawan, worked so hard to emulate the serene grace of her master.
To see her in such a state was truly heartbreaking for the Jedi Master.
"The Padawans… my friends." She managed out through her tears." Seeing them in such a state, it was so hard to bear. I was utterly repulsed and nauseated with what…"
She couldn't manage out anymore, openly sobbing now.
Her master, acting on instinct pulled her in for a deep embrace, allowing her student to cry aloud, feeling her pupil reach up and cling to her tightly.
The rest of the Clones, Sam and Dani listened on in silence.
They could understand what she's going through, in their own respective ways.
With the clones, they weren't exactly emotional when dealing with the loss of their brothers. They were accepting of such a thing, due to them being bred and trained. Yet the factor still stung at times.
Yet this all pales in comparison for the padawan, given her connection with the Force.
After some time crying and eventually calming down, Barriss resumed talking.
"Sorry about that." She muttered. "It's just so hard and…"
"No worries, Barriss." Said Dani. "People need some means of venting their woes. Decompressing from everything that's been piling up on them."
Barriss shook her head. "I was told as a Jedi to regulate and control your emotions. But this?" She shuddered. "How can you prepare for something like that?"
"You can't be ready for everything, trained as all of you are." Said Sam. "Seeing such things affects a person, one way or another. One can easily shrug it off while others find it nearly impossible to work with. It becomes a moment that unintentionally affects our very lives."
The young Padawan shook her head once more, a more worried look coming over her now.
"It's more than just that, Sam. It affected me more than just that. It's affecting me in how I use the Force."
There was a pause in the room, the Clones, her master, Sam and Dani all looking at her in confusion. "Mind elaborating?"
She raised her hand and concentrated. The Mirialan let out a relieved breath upon seeing a familiar greenish-white aura around her hands.
"For a while, since I learned I had the ability to heal others with the Force, it made me happy. Happy to see that others can live another day. Something which I could call my own and -I admit- make me feel unique from others. But after what happened at the Citadel… my skill began wavering. I've begun having difficulties in using Force Healing when I was helping the medics on our way back here to Coruscant. I thought it was merely temporary and could get back to normal after sleeping it off, but it hasn't." Barriss was now sounding distressed.
"Do you possibly have an idea what the root of this came from?" Dani quietly asked.
Offee nodded, biting her lip. "Seeing those tampered by Ultron. Me being forced to give them a second death. They were innocent in all of this. They were our friends and allies and it practically killed me having to cut them down over and over again. I've been having nightmares about it since."
What Barriss didn't voice was how she was able to cope with all this. She didn't feel comfortable talking about it at this time, especially with Master Luminara present.
Waking up in her room the next day after her time at the Citadel, she stayed there for some time. She was jittery and didn't know what to do exactly once leaving what she perhaps deemed a safe space.
The padawan was honestly glad the first people to check up on her once she woke up were Ahsoka and Peter. Practically latching onto them, she cried and held onto dear life like they were her lifeline.
After calming down to a degree, she spoke to them of what happened on her mission and vice versa. And clearly they went through quite the ordeal just as much as she did.
There had been a change between them and it was something that she would normally ask about but she felt it.
However, rather than elaborate on it, she just wanted them to be with her. Almost every night, whenever either one or both of them could, she had them by her side before she went to sleep. Sometimes she would wake up alone, other times, they were there.
Ahsoka would usually be the one to leave as she still had her duties to attend to with her master and legion.
But Peter always made sure to be there whenever she woke up.
It was one of the few things helping her cope with all this.
There was much she wanted to discuss with Ahsoka and Peter but in her current state, she knew now wasn't the time. Only once she was of sound mind would such topics be better voiced.
As these thoughts and memories went through her mind, Sam Wilson moved to stand in the center of the gathered soldiers and Jedi.
"I know that this is a first for you but, it's good that you took this step. Some things you leave there, some you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it with us, whether it's gonna be in a simple storage container to a pack on your person. It's up to you to know how much you can handle."
The clones all listened in a way of silent intensity, hanging on every word he said.
"Ways to help work through these issues is often talking about them with others to help heal through the trauma. Others nurse it through certain activities." Sam said, walking back and forth now, eyeing each clone for a few seconds at a time. "We all have the same problems. Guilt, regret, losing someone close to you. For me, I lost a friend, my wingman." The Falcon soon elaborated. "A night mission. Standard pj, rescue op. Nothing we have done a thousand times before, yet an RPG knocked my friend out of the sky. I couldn't do a thing as I was up in the air, seeing him crash down below. Wasn't the same since. And in order to work through that grief, in a healthy way, I needed to talk to people like where we are now. You have that here now. You can talk or don't. Just listen. You can find your own ways to cope but you never have to do it alone."
The session ended with those words, the clones all standing one at a time, going up to Sam and Dani to give thanks before departing.
Barriss made sure to hug the man tightly before giving one to Dani, thanking them profusely for this.
"We're always here, Barriss." Wilson assured. "You got us, your master, your boys and a whole lot of other people you can talk to. Never hesitate to reach out to them."
The padawan said nothing, only nodding as she left, her master by her side with Offee leaning on her.
"That was wonderful." Dani said dreamily, wrapping her arms around her lover. "I love to see you like that."
"It was good to stretch out those old wings again." Sam admitted, leaning his forehead against hers, exhaling tiredly. "But still, Jesus. The baggage these guys carry-"
"That's what we're here for, love." Dani said, pecking him on the lips. "You reminded me there's more to being a hero than to just get all the bad guys."
Sam smirked at hearing this, looking into the zeltron's eyes, at a momentary loss for words, being stricken by her beauty.
When he first came to this galaxy, he sure as hell never would have expected to be pulling a Kirk, as Parker always said.
Dani was certainly a pleasant surprise, almost a cosmic accident but here they are, almost a year later.
"Come on." He said. "Let's pack up and head home. You mentioned your friend is getting set up with her application."
"Oh yes." Dani nodded. "She's rather excited for the opportunity."
"Be sure to tell me all about it."
The couple cleaned up the little meeting room they had, parting way not to long after, Sam exiting the room and walking to the Jedi temple when at the door, he ran into-
"Anakin?"
"Sam? What are ya doing here so late?"
Wilson gestured to the small building behind him. "I was having a group therapy session with a number of clones. Luminara and Barriss also attended."
"They did, huh…" Anakin muttered.
"It was an open invite for anyone to attend. It was mostly with those who were present at the Citadel."
"Figures." Anakin said in a low voice. "I heard the worst from that place."
"Always one." Sam held up a single digit. "Dozens of ops and missions and all you need is one to stick with you."
"What if it's all of them?"
"Well then you better book up as often as ya can, cause Dani and I have shit to do outside all this."
"Well aware." Anakin said knowingly.
"So where are you coming from?" Wilson asked, the pair falling into step as they walked down the corridor they were in.
Skywalker frowned, shaking his head. "A meeting, not the best of news, really."
"What is it?"
"Well… not to sound like the bearer of bad news but… with the Citadel and all that we found out about it, a new development has cropped up that's making the Jedi on edge." The Jedi had a more grave voice. "See, when the team from the Citadel learned about what Ultron has been doing, we started to pay attention to any missing person cases in the army be it Jedi or Clone."
Sam felt a pit in his stomach. "And?"
"What do you think?" Anakin shot back grimly.
Wilson exhaled heavily, shaking his head. "... How many?"
"Clones, close to around 700 thus far." Sam openly winced at that. "And Jedi, around 30. Mostly Padawans. Perhaps more. Hard to tell from most systems."
"That's fucking terrifying." Falcon blandly said, a humorless laugh escaping his Jedi companion.
"That's putting it mildly."
The two fell silent for a few seconds, their thoughts a bit of a jumbled mess.
Sam was processing the news he had just received, not even knowing what Anakin is going through himself.
Mostly Padawans.
The man must be gripped in horror at the thought of losing Ahsoka to Ultron.
And then there was Barriss.
'God, can things really not get any worse?' Wilson internally asked, glancing at the troubled Jedi next to him.
Seeing his expression actually brought a memory back up as he had seen that face before.
It was one akin to how he reacted when finding out about the chips the clones had in their heads.
"You know," Sam spoke up, making Anakin turn to him. "There is something on my mind that's actually been bugging me and I know it's been on the team's mind. We just… didn't wanna bring the topic up. But seeing where I just came from," Wilson cleared his throat, making sure not to sound awkward right now. "You never really did talk about that whole freakout you had back when we told you about the biochips and how you were a slave once."
Anakin blinked at that particular reaction and looked ahead.
"That was… unbecoming of me." He quickly said. "As a Jedi-"
"Aw, fuck all that." Wilson interrupted, surprising Skywalker with his crassness. "Put the stuff with the Jedi aside and be selfish for once. Well, more so when you're with us. Talk about it for Christ's sake. We already know," Sam looked around and made sure they were alone before leaning in. "We already know about you and Paddy. You got all of us to talk to if ya need to."
Anakin wasn't quite sure on how to respond to that and he actually laughed slightly.
"You guys sure don't know subtlety, do ya?"
"Oh, subtlety is a skill we have, some more than others." Sam shot back. "We just pick and choose when we want to use it."
Skywalker snorted, shaking his head at that.
He was silent for a few seconds until he sighed.
"Maybe… maybe another time." Anakin said. "Not that I don't appreciate the offer or anything but right now… I got a lot on my mind. Last thing I wanna do is bring up more of my past after what I've already done lately."
"Fine by me." Sam replied. "And uh… yeah, should've had better timing with that."
Anakin chuckled. "Yeah, probably."
"Just so you know, the offer will be on the table indefinitely."
The Jedi clapped the Avenger on the shoulder. "Appreciate it."
The next day…
"She's getting fat."
Black Widow shot an unamused look at Pietro who stood next to her, Mara Jade in her arms.
"She's pleasantly plump, thank you."
She heard chuckling from the side, Steve leaning on a nearby pillar.
"If only Clint could see you now." He commented.
"The messages will have to do for now." Nat said, making faces at her daughter who laughed in return.
At her sides were Merrin and Ilyana, looking up at Mara in wonder and intrigue.
"Were we that small?" The former asked, holding up a finger which the baby grabbed onto.
"Likely even smaller." Wanda said from the side, standing with Peter and Vision. She turned back to the pair, focusing on the young teen in particular.
"Now, what was it that you wanted to show me and Viz specifically?" She patiently asked.
"This."
Spider-man's symbiote shifted into a civilian outfit that was rather akin to what Peter wore back on Earth. The thing that seemed to stand out the most was it being primarily black in color with the occasional white highlights on decals. It then shifted back into his full suit, his white eyes winking before shifting back into civilian clothing.
"Pretty cool, right?"
"Eh, mine is better than yours." Said Wanda, who used her Scarlet powers to shift from one outfit to the other.
"I beg to differ." Vision said next, a yellow glow encompassing him entirely to no longer appear his android self, but more human in nature with Caucasian skin and blonde hair. The only thing that was remotely normal from his original appearance was the Mind Stone on his forehead.
Rhodey merely rolled his eyes. "Okay, we get it. You three like changing outfits rather quickly than the rest of us."
"In style, might I add." Noted Pietro.
"I already had that, mind you." T'Challa spoke up and to show off, his suit immediately formed around him.
A boisterous laugh was then heard, signaling the arrival of one God of Thunder who was looking at all the gathered Avengers with a beaming smile.
"It heartens me to see that even in a world and galaxy not of your own, your spirits all have remained high and strong." Thor declared aloud. "And this home away from home isn't too bad."
"We made do with what we have."
"Along with license liberties." Added in Scott.
Thor was confused with what Ant-man was referring to as this was said.
"Don't worry about it." Hope waved him off. "It's something that Stark would approve of-"
"Which isn't exactly a ringing endorsement." Matt cut in, making the shrinking hero concede to his point.
It was at this point did Sam come into the room, a bag of food in hand.
"Alright, we're all here." Steve announced, the Avengers all moving to sit around the large dining room table. "We can begin."
"Merrin, Ilyana." Wanda levitated two trays of food, sending them over to her girls. "Please take Mara from Nat and go to your room for now."
"Aw, Wanda, do we have to?" Ilyana whined.
"Yes young lady, you two need to keep an eye on her and Grogu." Wanda said in her motherly tone. "This is grown up talk."
Both girls puff their cheeks in response, Merrin being handed Mara Jade by Natasha.
They wanted to respond but a quick twirl of the Scarlet Witch's hands had them surrounded by her red energy and they were sent to their room, screaming in protest along the way.
"You've gotten stronger since I've seen you last, Lady Maximoff." Noted the Asgardian.
"Just call me Wanda, Thor." The Sokovian kindly asked. "We're teammates after all."
Thor gave her a small smile, nodding at her before the thirteen Avengers all seated themselves, distributing lunch amongst themselves.
"There's a lot to discuss," Steve spoke first. "So let's just get everything out of the way. Thor, your trip back to Earth."
"The rest of the group back on Earth are working tirelessly on the Infinity Gate in getting it open." The Thunderer immediately said. "Jane told me before my departure she is confident in a breakthrough."
"Let's hope we don't get a repeat of last time." Hope stated, pulling out a holo-screen that showed the data Thor had brought back with him from earth. "We need to find the correlating gate here with the one back on Earth. That doesn't really narrow down our field, does it?"
"Maybe." T'Challa said, having the same set of data open. "But we can perhaps narrow it down. There are markings on the gate. They could be inscriptions or they could be coordinates. We must deduce which is which."
"Wonder how many of them are gonna come through." Scott idly said. "Cuz I've noticed Stark and Barton have been busy recruiting since we got sent here."
That was a large topic of interest for the gathered team here.
Officially, they can now say there are two teams of Avengers. One in this galaxy and one on earth.
And for a few in particular, they were certainly surprised to see one James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes now listed in their ranks.
"At least we know that our homeworld is protected." Murdock brought up. "Us all vanishing so suddenly and undoubtedly left Earth severely undermanned for a time."
"Got that right." Rhodey said, a sentiment shared by the team. "But still, how are we supposed to know where they'll end up? Even with all of them working together, who's to say that a repeat of all of us won't happen again?"
"Can only stay positive, I guess." Rogers admitted. "Trust the team back home that they know what they're doing. And with that Jedi that's with them…"
That was certainly another surprise to be sure.
To discover that a Jedi had made her way to Earth with no one in the Jedi council even being aware of it.
When asked who could it have possibly been, they all came up with no answers.
They were given the name of Celeste Morne and while the Jedi council didn't recognize the name straight away, there were some that felt the name to be familiar.
Jocasta Nu was assigned in hunting down the name in the Jedi archives while other masters were given the name, see if it rang any bells.
On the concept of a Jedi ending up on earth, many theories and ideas were flung around.
A similar method to how the Avenger appeared in this galaxy was brought up or a means unseen or unknown in the Force.
There was one that seemed promising.
Jocasta had brought up an old mission that was given to a large group of Jedi almost fifteen years ago now, prior to the start of the war.
It was called the Outbound Flight, a mission where six Jedi Masters, Twelve Knights, twenty Padawans and fifty thousand personnel were assigned with one goal.
To explore the unknown regions of the galaxy and to go beyond the edge of known space, into the endless void.
Unfortunately, not long after, contact was lost with the ship and all hands with it.
In checking the names of the lost Jedi, Celeste Morne was not among them.
So Jocasta resumed her search. Haven't gotten an update since.
"My friends, I do believe we have a more serious matter we must attend to." Thor then said, a grim visage for them to see. "Well, not the only serious matter but one of the three we face at this very moment. With the Son escaping the confines of Mortis, a new, powerful threat is now roaming this universe freely. One with the intention to wage war on all that may oppose him."
"Just another problem to add to the list." Sam said with a deep sigh, running his hands over his face.
"What even is he?" Wanda asked, looking at those who were at the realm called Mortis. "You called him a Celestial, right?"
"He is." Vision confirmed for her. "It is… difficult to fully elaborate on just what kind of being he is but now that he is no longer confined to Mortis nor restricted on utilizing his full power, we should be expecting a coming attack from him fairly soon."
"But why?" Pietro inquired. "From what you guys described it as, he's more pissed at this ari guy than the galaxy. Why bring more war here?"
"He views it as his vengeance for his thousands of years of imprisonment." T'Challa stated firmly. "And that is within his nature. Strife and conflict is what defines him, as the Daughter told us. With the Son on the loose, the only thing in taking him down for good is with the Mortis Dagger."
"Where is this Dagger?" Matt asked for those unaware of its location.
"In the vault at the Jedi Temple." Peter revealed.
Some of the Avengers glanced at each other.
"You sure it's good being kept there? It was robbed during Ultron's attack." Scott reminded them all. "Ain't that place kinda open for more robbery?"
"As you said, it was during Ultron's attack." Murdock said in return. "That was a… unique and unfortunate circumstance that allowed for such a theft to occur.
"At this point, we sadly need it there. It's the only place we can securely store and extract it once we perhaps know the Son's whereabouts." Vision added in.
"Easier mentioned than done. At this point, it's practically staying there indefinitely."
"Do you think if they knew about it, would they take Wanda's Holocrons?" Pietro asked.
"I'd like to see them… ok, maybe they could take XoXaan but Kreia stays with me."
"But won't the Jedi inevitably find out about them?" Hope asked, looking at the Chaos magic wielder. "Don't the Jedi have a right to know?"
"They'll have it when they've earned it." Wanda defensively stated.
"We're not here to talk about that." Steve sternly cut into the conversation, giving them all a hard look. "Drop it. They're Wanda's so we leave them with her."
Once more, Thor was confused.
"I'm clearly missing something here. Wanda has what?"
"We'll show you later." Nat brushed it off.
"Yes, there's something else actually we wish to speak with you about." Vision said. "How did your meeting with the Jedi Council go? Been meaning to ask."
"Ah, right. It went like this…"
Days earlier…
"Fair thee met, Jedi Council." Thor greeted the gathered Jedi in his usual confident self. "I am Thor, God Of Thunder. I have heard much of your order from my father, Odin All-Father, King of Asgard."
"Welcome you, Thor of Asgard, we do." Grandmaster Yoda said in return. "Many questions, Imagine you have as we have for you."
"Naturally." Thor nodded.
To Yoda's left, Mace Windu eyed the Thunderer, with the hammer swinger looking back at him with clear intrigue and disbelief. Sensing the mood of the God, the Jedi Master rolled his eyes, already knowing just why he was particularly singled out.
"Yes, I have come to be made aware that I look like this Nick Fury your team is familiar with." Windu quickly said.
"The resemblance is striking." Thor stated. "Just wear an eyepatch and grow his beard and I wouldn't be able to tell either of you apart. The universe is truly a strange place at times."
"So we've heard."
Obi-Wan Kenobi smirked beneath his beard, having been informed and shown an image of this Nick Fury they spoke of by the other Avengers.
Had it not been for said features Windu lacked, Kenobi would have believed that to be a clone from Kamino of his fellow Jedi Master.
The conversation was then turned to the matter of Thor's "status", so to speak.
"Calling yourself a god is rather arrogant, don't you think?" Master Plo Koon inquired respectfully.
Thor nodded at the question, understanding the want to ask about it.
"My people have often been confused as such in the past. Others labeled us as a higher advanced civilization. But in truth, I am indeed a god." Thor declared in total seriousness, lightning flashing around his hammer and eyes momentarily.
"Putting the status of deities aside…" Mace Windu leaned forward, an intense look in his eyes. "You speak as though you know us. Have you been here before?"
Thor shook his head. "That would be my father in his younger years."
"What defines younger years?" Kenobi asked. "Considering the longevity of your people if you are indeed Gods."
"May we know your age?" Depa Billaba asked.
"Certainly, milady. I am 1500 years old."
That certainly stunned the Council into silence, Yoda having a slightly impish smile.
"You look rather spry for your age." Kit Fisto remarked, a slightly amazed smile compared to his usual easygoing one.
"I've learned that age does not begot wisdom, Master Jedi." Thor plainly said, hearing the Grandmaster hum aloud.
"But the wisdom you have that we lack. Knowledge of a greater universe that is cut off from the rest of us."
At that, the Thunder God's expression became serious as he nodded at the Jedi.
"Aye, a barrier surrounds this galaxy, one Heimdall struggles in getting through. He utilizes much of the darker magics to allow entry for me here and even then, it wears him down greatly."
"Darker magics?" Mace's voice turned sharp.
Thor shook his head. "It is unlike that of the Dark Side of the Force your Order is familiar with. The Darker magics while having such a title operate on a different set of laws that you are unfamiliar with."
The Jedi council all looked at one another, a feeling of uncertainty shared between them until Plo Koon spoke next.
"Speaking of things we are unfamiliar with," The Kel-Dor Jedi gestured to the hammer in Thor's hand. "I cannot deny the curiosity many of us must hold in regard to that hammer you have."
"Mjolnir." Thor said, holding it up for them all to see, applying some of his power for it to hum, causing the Jedi to shift about.
"What is that?" Shaak Ti asked, in person as she had been recalled from Kamino for an earlier meeting. "The power that item radiates… I've never felt anything like it."
"A sentiment we all share." Ki-Adi-Mundi remarked. "It's a beacon in the Force. If we were to blindfold ourselves, we'd find it in an instant."
"Examine it, may I?" Yoda abruptly asked, leaning forward on his walking stick.
Thor gave the tiny master a hard stare before nodding and set his hammer down, handle up.
Getting up from his seat, the grandmaster hobbled over to the hammer, eyes raking over every side of it.
"Material?"
"Made of Uru, forged from a dying star." Thor said to the Jedi Grandmaster.
Yoda hummed, placing his hand on the handle and closed his eyes.
"Much power I sense. Grand, powerful, controlled." His head tilted to the side, a frown now marring his face. "Destroyer, one could be mistaken as."
"That it can be." The Thunder God solemnly said. "I have taken great pride in the lives I have saved with this tool. But I have also wrought unfathomable, foolhardy destruction. When I was younger and a bigger fool. Through what I've experienced in these past years, I have learned the hard way that I must be better for the sake of others."
Yoda hummed in approval, pushing against the hammer yet found it unmoving.
Lips turning down again, he pushed against it, this time with some Force enhancement only to be met with the same result.
Thor already knew what it was the Grandmaster was attempting. "My father made a particular blessing upon it, for it won't move for anyone except for who it deems worthy of its power."
"How does one know they are worthy?" Kenobi questioned and Thor crossed his arms, a thoughtful expression for them to see.
"I ask myself that frequently." He shook his head. "I sometimes don't understand how or why I have been deemed worthy but since my banishment to Earth, losing and regaining my power, I've come to understand that at the very least, I am to always work for that worthiness, to make sure Mjolnir's power is never abused so callously again."
"A deep connection, I sense." Yoda said. "But much to learn of this, you do, hmmm?"
Thor nodded. "On that, you would be correct wise Jedi Master."
Obi-Wan then cleared his throat, making all turn to him.
"Back with the earlier topic. We diverted away from the apparent barrier around the galaxy. I recall your arrival on Mortis to be quite spectacular. A literal pillar of light energy."
"The Bifrost." Thor revealed. "A means of my people to get to most anywhere in the universe."
"How is such a method possible?" Luminara asked in wonder.
"Our own means of magic. That and the use of the Tesseract to boost its power. Heimdall believes that was the needed component to help him get through the barrier surrounding this galaxy."
"Tesseract?" Windu repeated with Thor crossing his arms.
"One of the reasons for my journey here, Jedi Masters." He stated. "Since you have met my teammate Vision, I take it he has told you of the Infinity Stones, yes?"
The Council all collectively nodded.
"Earlier last year, the Mind Stone came to light and from what I have been made aware of, that was the fourth Infinity Stone that had revealed itself to the universe at large. In truth, the Tesseract is the one of them, being the Space Stone. Since then, I have been journeying across the cosmos, searching for the last two until I found another back on Earth. Of the six, five have now been revealed and I believe a greater danger is at play now."
"Greater danger?" Windu sharply said. "What do you mean by that? What threat could these Infinity Stones pose?"
"A singular stone in hands of one like Vision and Dr. Strange? None as they would be in good hands. But to those who understand their higher powers, planets can be devastated, even galaxies in an instant. If someone were to gather all six stones, the power they would wield would live up to the namesake given to them."
That certainly troubled the Jedi Council.
A power that can command the forces of the cosmos in the hands of someone with ill intent?
One can only imagine the devastation that can be wrought.
Some of the Council actually felt a bit overwhelmed by what they were hearing.
"Since you know five have been discovered, what of the sixth?" Kit Fisto brought up.
"I do not know its location. I thought the Father of the Mortis Celestials would tell me but couldn't for… reasons." Thor slumped slightly. "The trail has been cold but it should come as no surprise. From what I have gathered from Asgard's archives, the last stone that is hidden is regarded as likely the most important and powerful."
"And what is this stone?" Plo Koon inquired.
"The Soul Stone. The ingot that is the balance of life and death, the manipulation of the soul itself. One can essentially cheat death or who knows what else. Like the Aether -the Reality Stone- the limit of the Soul Stone is only that of its wielder's imagination."
Kenobi released a tired sigh, rubbing his temple.
"Frankly my friends, I do believe we have heard enough today." The Jedi Master commented, sagging a bit in his seat. "Our newest friend here has already done much for us and told us even more. Perhaps we should end it for today and speak on these matters another time."
"Agreed." Plo Koon spoke up, followed by the rest of the Council.
"Thank you, we do." Yoda bowed his head. "Much to discuss we have and learn far more. Our Temple, at your disposal it is. Learn what you can and in return, teach what you know. Knowledge is to be spread and prized about power."
Thor grinned down at the Jedi Master. "I think my father would enjoy your company, Grandmaster."
Back in the present…
"Well, at least they were friendlier to you than me." Wanda dryly said, resting her head on her hand.
"I think having a God that can mess them up easily can do that." Rhodey added on.
"Guys." Steve said sternly. "Not the time."
They quieted down as the good captain addressed the God of Thunder.
"So at least they're not as suspicious of you as they are with Wanda."
"I've been meaning to ask, what is that even about?" He said in clear confusion.
"Long story." Vision spoke on behalf of her. "Was there anything else you discussed with the Council?"
Thor shook his head. "Other than the Celestials of Mortis, nothing else."
It was then that Peter hummed aloud, rubbing his chin in thought. "Barriss, Ahsoka and I have been hitting the archives a lot lately. I'll head over to the library and see if there's any buried knowledge with the Celestials when I'm not patrolling."
"You think the temple would have any on them?" Sam asked.
Peter shrugged. "Maybe. It's a big library."
"With thousands of years of knowledge." Vision stated. "More than ours. Perhaps I shall join you, speed up the process."
Thor then slapped the side of his head suddenly, surprising those who saw him.
"I almost forgot." Thor reached for his belt, pulling out a metal disk. "Stark recorded a message for you all before I last left Earth."
He tossed the disk into the center of the table and a projection of Tony Stark appeared.
"Well hello beautiful people, don't ask how I knew to have this greeting, it's me we're talking about." Said the recording of the Invincible Iron Man. "So, you get yourselves lost in another galaxy and are now involved in a war, huh? Cap, I thought you were better than that. All of you really. And then you all go and pull this. From here on, I don't wanna hear any judgment from you warmongers, you hear me?"
"Oh boy, here we go." Rhodey said in exasperated amusement, covering his grinning mouth with his hand.
-Scene Cut-
Captain Rex walked through the hangar bay that his legion utilized, Lieutenant Jesse and Domino Squad walking alongside him.
"-And I want these grenades Parker's been making for us distributed amongst the boys." Rex ordered, tossing a web grenade into the hands of Fives who inspected it momentarily. "Echo, make sure you get the formula he gave you down pat, gonna likely rely on you whenever he can't help."
"Got it captain." Echo replied.
"And then I want-" Rex halted in his instructions, looking over at some clones that had gathered around an AT-TE tank, all appearing to be whispering to one another.
"What's going on over there?" The Captain asked his men, all of whom shrugged save for Cutup who squinted past the group and spotted the topic of interest that caused this small gathering.
"Ah," He spoke up, coughing into his hand with an awkward smile. "I believe that would be our newest member of the 501st, sir. We met her earlier."
The rest of Domino Squad had looks of realization dawn on them, all nodding at one another.
"Her?" Rex said in confusion.
"Our first conscript, sir." Echo informed him. "Senator Cham Syndulla's conscription bill is still in the works but the Republic has already been garnering hundreds of volunteers. She's the first one that our legion got."
Rex had a contemplative look until he heard some of the chuckles the clones around the AT-TE let out and he squared up his shoulders.
Walking over to them, he made sure to get their attention in the way he always knew how.
"If you're done lounging about troopers, then you can definitely provide maintenance or conduct PT. We're on the clock in case you forgot."
The clones around the tank all jolted, hastily saluting the captain before running off to do just that.
In the background, Domino squad and Jesse laughed at the sight, hanging back as Rex approached the AT-TE.
The captain heard a melodic giggle, the lady beneath the tank having likely heard and seen what Rex's orders did.
"Pardon me, ma'am." Rex spoke up, spotting the woman working underneath the AT-TE, the shadow cast by the tank making it difficult to get a proper look at her. "But may I ask who you are and what you're doing here?"
"One moment." She responded, the sound of power tools shutting down.
When the woman walked out from underneath the AT-TE, Rex actually froze up for a moment as he got a proper look at her now that she was out of the shadows.
She had some black smudges here and there but nonetheless, the woman before him was a stunning beauty to say the least. Bright pink skin with violet eyes and blue hair color a shade darker than the one used by the 501st.
A Zeltron, like the one Lieutenant Wilson was currently dating.
This species had a natural promiscuity and beauty to them and the one that stood before Rex was no different.
An hourglass, voluptuous figure with tight, form fitting clothes that made sure to show off every curve of her body.
It was a rather unusual getup for a woman who appeared to be working with power tools yet it worked. In fact, it made her far more eye-catching.
"Hey there handsome, you must be the captain." She greeted with a disarming smile.
And she was polite to boot.
Still, Rex was nothing else if not professional.
Clearing his throat, he gave her a hard look into her violet eyes.
"You seem to know who I am." He said in a serious voice. "But I'm at a disadvantage with you."
"Oh~" She said, wiping away some of the black smudges on her arm. "I've heard about Captain Rex being a strict CO but never a charmer. I'm Deliah Blue. A pleasure to meet you, Captain."
Rex was a bit thrown off by her forward nature, her posture distracting him momentarily with how it showed off her… assets.
But he managed to get himself under control.
"Deliah Blue?" He repeated her name to make sure he got it right, the Zeltron woman nodding. "I hope you don't mind me asking just what you're doing here."
"Well I volunteered, Captain." She said plainly, holding her arms up. "The war hasn't been going so well and Senator Syndulla mentioned a conscription possibly being put into effect soon. Dani told me about it and figured this would be a perfect chance to make myself more useful than being a freeloader at her place."
"Dani?" Rex said. "The Dani that's in a relationship with Sam Wilson?"
Blue nodded. "The very one."
"And she "suggested" you join the grand army of the Republic?" Rex wanted to make sure he wasn't misinterpreting anything.
Deliah shrugged, shooting him a halfhearted smile. "Yeah, I know. It's weird to be sure but it was either that or go to the outer rim and make my fortune there. But… heard things are getting a bit too spicy out there. Criminal war, that kind of thing."
Rex wasn't quite sure on how to respond to that.
"But I don't intend on wasting any space, Captain." Deliah spoke in a far more serious tone. "I'm one of the best engineers in the galaxy and I'll be joining the boys for PT whenever you have them."
The Captain was certainly at a loss as to what to say when Hevy swooped in from behind.
"Then you can't have a better guide or teacher." The ARC trooper cheerfully declared, patting the Captain on the back. "Captain Rex had a hand in all our training even after Kamino. Taught Commander Tano everything she knows that General Skywalker hasn't already."
"Best Captain in the entire Grand Army." Fives chimed in, giving the Zeltron an encouraging smile.
"Well now, I've heard a lot of good things about you Captain." Blue said, cocking her hip with her hand resting on it. "But it seems they don't seem to do you justice."
"He's the best, ma'am." Jesse now joined in. "You can't find a better trooper in the 501st."
"That'll be enough." Rex spoke up, a strange and annoyed look directed at his brothers before turning back to Deliah. "If you would like, ma'am, I'd be happy to show you round and get you better acquainted with the 501st."
"That sounds lovely." Blue happily said. "And no need to call me ma'am, Captain. I haven't been assigned a proper rank yet so you can just call me by my name."
Rex was at a momentary loss of words before coughing into his hand. "This way then ma'- Deliah."
She smiled brightly at the Clone Captain, the pair walking off with Domino squad and Jesse all nudging each other, giving off knowing looks.
They saw Rex looking back at them briefly, Hevy waving innocently at him, laughing at the unamused expression he sent back.
"Was that a bit unfair, do ya think?" Echo asked with Fives scoffing.
"With the way things have been going and how he's been working himself to the bone, maybe a lady friend to distract is what he needs." CT-5555 remarked. "In more ways than one."
"She is a looker, can tell ya that much." Cutup commented. "How many accidents do ya figure will happen with the boys getting distracted?"
"Let's try to keep it to a minimum and ones that won't wind up in the medical wing." Jesse said. "Kriff knows how Kix will handle it."
The group continued chattering on, leaving the area whilst Rex showed Deliah around the hangar, trying to keep a professional attitude yet being a bit thrown off by the 501st newest recruits' casual and outgoing friendly nature.
Least she was nice to speak with.
And gave out many compliments.
Rex wasn't sure how he was gonna deal with this one.
Force knows how General Skywalker and Commander Tano are gonna react.
-Scene Cut-
He stepped out of the starfighter, flanked by Chezo and Sev'Rance who remained at his ship.
The man regarded his surroundings, stopping at a specific spot at a large gate, eyes becoming glazed momentarily.
That's where she fell.
Where he struck her down those many years ago. Feels much longer than merely over a decade.
He could picture it as clear as the day it happened.
Why did she have to follow him here? Why did her belief in him have to lead to her death?
Why did it feel like his master knew that it would happen?
"Something on your mind, my Apprentice?"
Count Dooku nodded.
"Just recollecting recent events, my Master." He replied, turning to face the hooded figure of his master, Darth Sidious.
That wasn't exactly the truth but not really a lie.
"These last few days have been troubling and I fear the worst is yet to come."
"Fear?" Sidious spat out that word as if it were a disgusting virus. "Fear is for our enemies, Tyranus. Fear is what we use to enact our will upon the galaxy."
But having a sense of it can at times, make one sharper and more alert to whatever may come their way.
Dooku understood his master's feelings but he will not act the fool. Not anymore.
"You wished to see me, Master."
With what occurred with Ultron, things are rather hard to be sure not even the advanced droid would ease into their conversations. Thus the two Sith had to meet in person instead of communicating over the Holonet. As such, this poses a risk if they were tracked and exposed by some outside sources; despite the Sith Acolytes present.
"Yes, my apprentice." Sidious groused out, walking along the usual path he and Dooku had when meeting here for their discussions. "There is much we must speak on if we are to move forward with our plans. That blasted droid has thrown a wrench in everything and he must be removed as quickly as possible."
"I agree, my master, but what we lack is the how." Dooku emphasized. "Ultron cannot be so easily killed or shut down. Anybody that is destroyed is nothing more than a drone to be used and discarded. He can travel in between any droid with ease, taking control of them with no effort."
"Unless there is something that can be used to counter him." Sidious stated, folding his hands into the sleeves of his robes. "The Avengers have given us a buffer from him. They have advanced droids, or AI, as they call them, of their own. They have utilized them as a means in which to keep Ultron from taking over the systems of the Republic but they know it can only do so much."
Dooku frowned upon hearing this, thinking back to a report he received not too long ago from an intelligence officer of his own.
He spoke of an unusual coding that has been detected within the systems of the Confederacy, one that they've identified/dubbed as the digital ray shield.
It wasn't an attack on their systems but a means of protecting them.
"The CIS has received something similar to this buffer you speak of my master." Dooku revealed, making Palpatine snap his head at him. "Do you think-"
"The Avengers?" Sidious snarled, looking back down. "Why would they assist the Confederacy?"
"Ultron is beyond a simple war between the Republic and the Confederacy." His apprentice stated. "He has proven that his target is not one but all living things in this galaxy. He wishes for our extinction."
"And he's gotten new means of going about it." The secret Sith Lord muttered. "I take it you've read over the recent mission to the ancient Citadel."
Dooku nodded, a perturbed look coming over him.
Being a Sith Lord, the Count of Serenno has come to hold a stoic visage when it comes to the atrocities that now occur in this war.
Yet he cannot deny the disturbing nature in which Ultron is conducting these organic experiments that are transforming them so horrendously.
Like a gash in the Force, similar to the ancient experimentations of the first Sith Lords.
"We must act, my Apprentice." Sidious spoke up, cutting through his thoughts. "Ultron, the Avengers, the Jedi. If we are to win, let alone survive this war, changes must be made to our plans. Now, not sooner or later."
Now this was certainly a surprise for the old Jedi turned Sith.
His Master is finally considering such options now? Though Dooku doubts doing such actions will make much of a difference as opposed to when Ultron's threats were fresh upon the galaxy.
"And how will we act, my master?"
There was a grunt from the Sith Lord with electricity dancing between his fingers before he snuffed them out. "It pains me to admit to this, but if we must, enact a ceasefire."
That was certainly not what Dooku was expecting to hear.
Just end hostilities like that?
"I am… unsure that would work so easily, my master." Dooku admitted. "Though there are those in the Separatist Parliament-"
"They are not the ones in charge, my apprentice." Sidious cut him off curtly. "They were allowed to play their needless game of politics but that ends here. A ceasefire will be brokered and it must be done now. I will not allow any egos not within our goals to play about whilst this blasted droid continues his war against us. Bring them to heel or kill them if you must."
His master certainly wasn't japing as he felt the pressure of the Dark Side exude from him.
"Once Ultron is ultimately defeated and destroyed, the war resumes." He stated a moment later, making Dooku pause at that.
Such a thing would be rather hard to do. Resume fighting each other after uniting in taking down a common foe. Some would follow through, the rest will be against such an act.
"Are you certain that it would be so simple, Master?"
"No, I am not a fool, Apprentice." Sidious said. "But the mistrust and hatred between certain groups within the two that would despise each other even after a ceasefire would come about. The Separatist Council alone can be enough to fund the war. Those greedy fools care not for lives, other than the profit that can line their pockets."
Dooku couldn't disagree there.
Those of the Council are just greedy fools, who care for nothing than the next amount of credits that will find their way into their accounts.
"And begin training your Acolytes with the deeper knowledge of the Dark Side." Sidious said, surprising his apprentice.
In secret, he has already begun these practices as he saw the need for it, but for his master to now order it directly…
Troubling, this was.
"Master?"
"I sense the Force is shifting, my apprentice. I know you must have detected the same change. The Dark and Light are in motion. Ultron might not be the only threat that is coming our way."
Dooku frowned deeply before he bowed his head. "I understand. I will begin posthaste."
Turning away from his master, Dooku walked back to his ship. Chezo and Tann bowed at him, following their master into the ship.
During the flight back to Serenno, the Count began to ponder.
This might give him the opportunity he needs to take down Sidious with this "grace period".
In this time, he may finally learn which acolytes are with him and which are against him.
Hopefully by the time commences to strike, Ventress will be ready to join him in defeating Sidious once and for all so a new age of the Sith may flourish.
AN
Alright, we're back, first Infinite Wars Chapter of 2023. Hope you guys had a Happy New Year.
Now, here's the thing about this mini arc we're having right now. Technically, it wasn't supposed to happen. We were gonna go into Guardians of the Galaxy but with our many discussions and talks on the story, Jeb basically put together that what we had planned for the next Avengers arc was so big, it can basically serve an arc unto itself.
So we're gonna catch up with the Avengers for these next two chapters while hammering out the details for the GOTG arc that's coming after this one.
Really, this chapter just came together rather easily. We had nothing but then, three days and we got it done like that. Just one of those lucky strokes of writing that we had and hopefully it'll continue onto the next chapter.
Quantumania Trailer was good. Real good. Had it not been for our planning when we made the reboot of this story, we would have considered incorporating Kang into the story.
But hey, maybe in another story or a sequel.
Aiya, a sequel to this mammoth? Not for a good long time if at all really.
Also, there's this weird thing I sometimes get from PM's and reviews about this story ending soon. When did I ever said that this story would end after Season 3? This story is a gargantuan undertaking, as I've stated multiple times, going well into the triple digits, likely 200+. The only reason it's gotten this far is 'cause Jeb, Bullet and I all work together so well.
This story ain't ending any time soon but we hope we can churn out as many chapters as possible this year.
Other than that, thanks for reading again, let's hope we have a good 2023 cause god knows how bad these last three years have been.
And we'll see you all next time.
Also go see Puss In Boots the Last Wish. It is fucking spectacular.
Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.