One Earth: The Marvel/DC RPG

[Andy C.]

Interludes​

"And so, you see, by replacing the Helium-3 core with one of Tritium, we could increase the energy output of the reactions nearly threefold," said Doctor Otto Octavius, displaying his calculations on a computer tablet for his co-workers. "This could be the answer we've been looking for!"

Octavius had been working at STAR Labs in Metropolis for nearly two years now, part of a team focusing on the development of atomic fusion as a source of renewable energy. Their work had produced proof of concept, but they had been mired in setbacks and frustrations on the way to creating a sustainable reaction.

His two other team members, Doctors Albert Michaels and Mary Alice Anders, carefully looked over his notes. Anders' eyes sparkled as the worked her way through the equations, and Otto couldn't help but smile when he saw she was convinced. Michaels, on the other hand, had a sour look on his face. The two had been competing since the project began, both for leadership of the team and for the affections of Mary Alice.

"I'm not sure," he said skeptically. "After all, Helium-3 is a much more stable isotope. Working with Tritium could increase the inherent risks of this experiment exponentially."

"I've already factored in the risks, Albert," Otto said with a touch of condescension, satisfied at seeing Michaels bristle. "The increased radiation is still well within the safe limits, so long as the containment fields hold."

"There's still the issue of equipment," Michaels said, realizing he was losing the argument. "Our particle accelerator is still offline after the incident weeks ago. Until it's fully repaired and refitted, your theory can't be tested."

Octavius frowned. That much was true; the attack on STAR Labs, stopped by the mysterious Superman, had set back many of the company's projects, and the time it would take for their experiment to get up and running again was time that Michaels could spend trying to undermine Otto's proposal.

"Well, there are other accelerators we could use," Anders said. "Star Labs has a healthy working relationship with Stark Industries, or Kord Technology...."

"Both decent possibilities, Mary Alice," Octavius said with a smile, "But I've already taken the liberty of acquiring access to one of STAR Labs' smaller facilities, based out of New York. They have the room we need and a staff who will follow our instructions to the letter. We will have the whole place practically to ourselves."

"Well, it looks like you've thought it all out," Mary Alice grinned.

"My dear, when you want to change the world," Octavius said, beaming proudly, "it pays to have a master plan."



************



"And you're sure of this?"

"Yeah-- I mean, erm, yes, sir......" said Flint Marko uneasily. "I grabbed as much of the ice as I could, but the freak took out the rest of the boys. I had to cut and run with what I had."

Marko shifted uncomfortably in front of the large black desk, centered before a wide window overlooking the New York City skyline. That view, however, was obstructed by the massive figure sitting behind the desk, a huge, bulbous slab of a man who listened intently.

"This development is.......unfortunate," said the Kingpin, carefully considering his words. "But I suppose it was inevitable. What with the influx of mutants and super-humans cropping up, it was only a matter of time before one popped up in my proverbial backyard, interfering in my business."

For a few moments, there was a heavy silence, as the crime lord pondered the situation.

"So, you, um......you got a plan, boss?" Marko asked nervously.

"I have several," Kingpin answered curtly. "I'm merely considering which would be best to use. I don't want to just eliminate this newcomer; I want to make an example out of him."

He stood, towering over Marko and the others in the room as he turned to look out his window and stare down at the city.

"I need to send a message," he said. "New York is off-limits to the superheroes. Anyone who puts on a mask in my city is painting a target on their chest."

"So who are we gonna send after him?"

"Everyone," he said with a smile. "I want word spread through the usual channels. Five million dollars for the man who brings me the body of Spider-Man. Ten million for him alive.....so I can crush him myself."



************


"What in God's name do you think you're doing, Norman?!" demanded Dr. Victor Fries as he barged into the office of the CEO of Oscorp.

"That's funny, Victor," said Norman Osborn casually, barely looking up from his computer. "I could just as easily ask the same question to you."

"I want to know why you've got your security officers making a mess of my laboratory! This is--"

"You know exactly why, Fries," Osborn cut him off. "You're conducting unauthorized experiments in my facilities, using up my resources, on a project I canceled weeks ago. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

"I thought that you'd have a conscience," Fries said, boiling with anger. "You know my Nora's condition is terminal. You know that my cryogenic stasis tube could keep her alive indefinitely, until a cure is found! You know--"

"I know that you're wasting company assets without permission, on a project that's quite frankly based on wishful thinking. I'm sorry about your wife, I really am--I lost my own wife to a similar illness."

"Then you of all people should know what lengths I'm willing to go to to keep my Nora!"

"I'm sorry, Victor," Osborn said with flat finality. "But the answer is no."

Fries stared at Osborn, fuming with indignant rage, then took a deep breath, straightening up, his composure regained to an icy cool.

"I didn't want to have to do this," he said, his voice a barely-contained calm. "But you're forcing my hand. I didn't come here without some kind of insurance, Norman. I should have known you wouldn't be moved by my wife's condition. After all, you were hardly moved by the tragedy that befell Mendell Stromm."

Osborn raised an eyebrow.

"Stromm was embezzling from my company. He had to be let go."

"Then what about Nels Van Adder? What crimes was he committing against you before he was transformed into a red-skinned monster?"

"I don't like what you're implying here, Victor."

"Neither do I, Osborn," Fries said. "And neither will the press, if I release the data I've taken from Oscorp's databases."

There was a deadly silence in the air before Osborn spoke.

"Do you really think it's wise to try to blackmail me, Fries?" he asked.

"Not particularly," Victor answered. "Especially not if the most recent data I've obtained is true; that you've taken the formula developed by Stromm and produced at Ace Chemicals in Gotham, the very same formula that mutated Van Adder......and have been administering it to yourself. So is it wise to walk into a monster's den and make him angry? No. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and you have made me very desperate, Osborn."

Sweat beaded around Fries' forehead as Osborn glared at him, but he refused to back down.

"Seven days," he said. "You have seven days to finish your stasis chamber. Then I want you gone, for good. And if I ever hear so much as a whisper from you again--"

"You won't," Fries assured him. "Once my work is done, I want nothing to do with you."

The two share mutual looks of contempt and disgust, before Fries stalked out of the office.

Alone, Osborn steepled his fingertips, trying to contain the bubbling anger at Fries. More than that, though, he was angry that he wasn't in control of the situation. Fries was a problem, one that needed to be fixed.

He needed to take control of things once again.



************


"Unacceptable, that's what this is," barked J. Jonah Jameson as he stormed into the newsroom of the Daily Bugle. "I want to know who okayed putting this drivel on my front page!"

"You did, Mr. Jameson," sighed Betty Brant as she worked away at her computer.

"Not the point! What's the point? Here's the point! Every news rag from here to Coast City is running stories about freak shows in costumes! The Planet, the Star, the Globe, the Gazette, all of 'em! And now the Daily Bugle, the last bastion of rational journalism, looks like a Johnny-come-lately, and a crummy one at that! I will not have my newspaper glorifying these reckless vigilantes!"

"Mr. Jameson, I wasn't glorifying anybody," said Ned Leeds defensively. "I just reported the facts--a jewelry store robbery was interrupted by a possible metahuman, believed to be the same Spider-Man that appeared at a wrestling event last month. That's all the article says."

"Oh, that's all the article says, is it?" Jameson asked mockingly. "Why doesn't it say anything about the damages that lunatic probably caused? Or all the lives he put in danger? Or all the hours of labor the city sanitation workers had to put into scraping up that freak's spider-web stuff?"

"Well, sir, the damages were all caused by the crooks he apprehended, and the webbing reportedly dissolved after an hour or--"

"Don't try to change the subject!" Jonah roared. "What we need is a real killer of a story, one that'll show this city the other side of these 'super-heroes' the crowd loves so much. We need to show everyone that taking the law into your own hands just makes a bad situation worse. We need to find this bug and pin him to the wall! The Planet wants to make the super-freaks famous? Well we'll make them infamous!"

Leeds and Brant, as well as the rest of the Bugle's newsroom, stared at Jameson in disbelief.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Chinese New Year? Get to work! Get me another story, a good one this time! And this time, I want pictures! You hear me?! I want pictures of Spider-Man!"

 

[Batman]

While the rest of the heroes talked amongst themselves, Batman walked across the ice towards Superman. "You look like hell," he told the Man of Steel.
​

"Thanks. I feel like it."

Giving him a wry smile, I put a hand on Batman's shoulder as I pull myself up from the ice-ridden crater and walk past, surveying the damage. He obviously doesn't take to the gesture too warmly, which was kind of the point. I don't know what exactly's spurned him to end up like he acts, but I have a feeling that he's got a long road ahead of him in terms of people skills. Nevertheless, I'm not about to judge him. What he contributed today was invaluable. We would have never been able to stop The Gorgon without him.

Heck, I think even Reed was impressed.

"You know, what I implied back in Metropolis, about not being able to see how you'd be able to be an asset to us. Well,", I glance back over my shoulder. "I've never been happier to be proven wrong. That was some good work back there. I may have been the one to set off the spark, but you were the one that helped get it going in the first place. You could really put that ingenuity to good use. The world needs more people like you."

Then the both of us pause, as another familiar face joins us. I'm still too stunned to even process the fact that he's here, infront of us, living and breathing just as he was in those old black and white war propaganda films from the 1940's. But it's definitely him. The sound of his vitals are too impressive to be an imposter.

Nearly tripping over my words, I stand up straight to face the man, despite the residual ache left over from the blast.

"Captain."

"That was one hell of a trick, son. I'm impressed."

I smile a little wider than I probably should. But I don't care. I just got complimented by Captain America.

If only Pa were still around to see this.

"Believe me, it was nothing... sir."

Turning my attention back towards the wreckage of the fight with The Gorgon and his forces, I notice the stone statuettes of The Thing and the woman that provided the Captain with some necessary backup. Whoever she is, she's stunning. I'd hate to see looks like that go to waste under stone.

"How's it look over there?", I ask. "Is your friend going to be okay?"

 

[Carnage27]

​

"Believe me, it was nothing... sir."

Turning my attention back towards the wreckage of the fight with The Gorgon and his forces, I notice the stone statuettes of The Thing and the woman that provided the Captain with some necessary backup. Whoever she is, she's stunning. I'd hate to see looks like that go to waste under stone.

"How's it look over there?", I ask. "Is your friend going to be okay?"

I smile and nod to him, "She'll be fine. Iron Man estimates they will be back to normal within a day or two."

Superman and Batman are impressive men. I have to say. Two dynamically different people and styles apparently, but both get the job done in their own way. Fury had limited files on both of them in the databases, but the didn't give these two enough credit. They're good. Very good.

"I tell you what," I say, turning o the two, "it makes me feel a lot better knowing there are people like you two out there. A lot's changed in the years since I've been asleep. But having other people willing to risk everything for justice is comforting. You've all got my support if you ever wanted to join the Ultimates."

 

[Byrd Man]

"I tell you what," I say, turning o the two, "it makes me feel a lot better knowing there are people like you two out there. A lot's changed in the years since I've been asleep. But having other people willing to risk everything for justice is comforting. You've all got my support if you ever wanted to join the Ultimates."

"Not interested."

Turning away from Captain America, Batman caught the eye of the Man of Steel. "If you're up to flying, I would appreciate a ride back to Gotham. My ride was blown to pieces by a giant, killer robot."

Batman let a small smirk cross his face at those last words. Words that, up until today, he never could have imagined saying.

 

[Batman]

Superman and Batman are impressive men. I have to say. Two dynamically different people and styles apparently, but both get the job done in their own way. Fury had limited files on both of them in the databases, but the didn't give these two enough credit. They're good. Very good.

"I tell you what," I say, turning to the two, "it makes me feel a lot better knowing there are people like you two out there. A lot's changed in the years since I've been asleep. But having other people willing to risk everything for justice is comforting. You've all got my support if you ever wanted to join the Ultimates."

At first, I'm not exactly sure what to say. I'm sure the surprise of the offer registers just as much on my face as it does in my head, but I really don't know what I'd be getting myself into if I acknowledged it either way. I mean, when it gets right down to it, you don't exactly say "no" to Captain America---

"Not interested."

Well. Present company excluded, at least, you don't say "no".

But The Ultimates is something I'm hardly familiar with. I saw a headline in passing on my way to job orientation at the market, something about superhumans banding together to create some faction that sounds like what he's talking about. But I don't follow the news that actively, and given the last few years of my life - dodging government types all around the world until I settled on making Metropolis my home - any sort of faction and I hardly go together in any sort of way. If I were to make a habit out of entrusting myself to people with as many secrets as I have, it'd have to be on my terms.

And I hate to say it, but until I find out more about the Captain's team, it isn't something I can say "yes" to either.

"I'll keep it under consideration,", I assure him, with a nod. "I'm still a little new to all of this, so the idea joining a team might take some time to warm up to. But you can be sure that wherever Captain America goes, sir, that I'll follow. Just call me if you ever need the help... I'm always around."

Turning to Batman, I note his request for a transport back to Gotham and begin to walk with him.

"Heh. You know, you're the second person I've carried across the world in the last month..."

 

[Byrd Man]

"I'll keep it under consideration,", I assure him, with a nod. "I'm still a little new to all of this, so the idea joining a team might take some time to warm up to. But you can be sure that wherever Captain America goes, sir, that I'll follow. Just call me if you ever need the help... I'm always around."

Turning to Batman, I note his request for a transport back to Gotham and begin to walk with him.

"Heh. You know, you're the second person I've carried across the world in the last month..."

"Actually," Reed said from behind the three men. "You carried me across the galaxy. A distance of approximately nine hundred and thirty light years. But, that's just nitpicking. Captain, if you can come with me, we'll be able to teleport your team back to the Baxter Building. From there, Susan I can work on getting Ben and your friend free from their current stasis."

 

[Carnage27]

​

"Not interested."

Batman doesn't even consider my offer, which surprises me very little. The man is a loner. That much is certain. He may have a deeper fear of making friends than Stark does, and that's saying something. He walks away without even giving me a second thought. Not the most friendly of first meetings.

"I'll keep it under consideration,", I assure him, with a nod. "I'm still a little new to all of this, so the idea joining a team might take some time to warm up to. But you can be sure that wherever Captain America goes, sir, that I'll follow. Just call me if you ever need the help... I'm always around."

I smile at the young man. He's...well he reminds me of myself if I'm being perfectly honest. Polite, and not cocky, despite his incredible power.

"I understand. I'll make sure to call you the next time I need a gigantic robot taken care of," I chuckle.

"Actually," Reed said from behind the three men. "You carried me across the galaxy. A distance of approximately nine hundred and thirty light years. But, that's just nitpicking. Captain, if you can come with me, we'll be able to teleport your team back to the Baxter Building. From there, Susan I can work on getting Ben and your friend free from their current stasis."

"Teleporting? Yea, sure. Why not. We've already dealt with ninjas, people turning into stone, a giant robot, and aliens. Why not teleporting too?" Wildcat complains.

"Stop being a stick in the mud," I give my friend a sly smile and then open a line to Coulson. "Agent, you still there?"

"Yes, sir. And I have a present for you."

"What's that?"

"One of those bugs attached itself to the quinjet," he answers a bit out of breath. "Attacked me after I landed, but I took care of it."

"Good work." The agent continues to surprise me with his skills. "Meet us in New York and bring the specimen. We're catching a ride with the Fantastic Four."

Looking back up at Dr. Richards, "Good news. You get to take a look at our new discovery, doctor."

 

[bkhedr]

Tony watches Batman and Superman walk away and marvels at how quickly and completely the man of steel has recovered. He makes a mental note to ask Bruce for information about the caped hero then turns his attention to his teammates.

"Well" Tony begins with an exaggerated stretching of his arms "Since we're all done saving the day I say we hustle on back to civilization."

He lowers his arms and flashes a smirk "Some of us have billion dollars businesses to run."

That is not entirely the truth. While Tony does need to get back to Stark Enterprises the real urgency lies in the fact that his armor is all but drained of power. There is also a throbbing pain in his shoulder where a ninja's harmonic weapon penetrated his armor. Between that and his exhaustion, the little voice in his head telling him that he needs a drink is now screaming rather than whispering.
​

 

[Byrd Man]

"Good work." The agent continues to surprise me with his skills. "Meet us in New York and bring the specimen. We're catching a ride with the Fantastic Four."

Looking back up at Dr. Richards, "Good news. You get to take a look at our new discovery, doctor."

Both Reed and Sue exchanged excited looks. "Well, what are we waiting on?"

"I have to boost the range and power of our teleporters to counter for the extra mass," Reed said, fiddling with the 4 logo on his chest. "And that should do it. Everyone, gather around the three of us and we'll be on our way."

"Well" Tony begins with an exaggerated stretching of his arms "Since we're all done saving the day I say we hustle on back to civilization."

He lowers his arms and flashes a smirk "Some of us have billion dollars businesses to run."
​

"Well said. Superman, Batman, it was a pleasure."

Reed, Sue, and Johnny hit their teleporter buttons. The Fantastic Four, the Ultimates, and the two rock-imprisoned superheroes all disappeared in a bright flash of light.

 

[Batman]

"So, that's the famous Gotham City..."

To be perfectly honest, I was beginning to get nervous on the flight over. Not because of Batman - though, given how quiet he's been the entire way, it doesn't particularly help - but simply because of the mystique that's fueled Gotham's reputation for the last few decades. Some people actually claim it's the worst city on the face of the earth. Plagued with crime, corruption, and whatever you'd call the class of criminal that's began to crawl out of the woodwork from it lately, it's hard to believe that anything positive would ever come out of it. Heck, some have even claimed that the city itself is haunted.

Taking a look at it from afar as we approach from the skies, I can imagine why. If I've ever seen the perfect antithesis for Metropolis, it's this place. Even with the skyscrapers as perfectly lit as any typical metropolitan area, there's an unsettling lack of brightness to any section of the skyline. A thick cloud of pollution makes it difficult to get a bearing on just where the city ends and the next begins. Even the archetecture holds a stong contrast to what I'm used to, with it's retroactive design downplayed through a decay in the structures that make up most of everything. And the worst part is all of the faces staring back at us, through the series of numerous stone gargoyles.

In a way, I can appreciate Batman's inventiveness. Whenever I first approached him in Metropolis, I couldn't imagine what the purpose of his disguise really was. Among the bright lights, he stuck out like a sore thumb. But looking at him here, he fits in perfectly. Yet there's still apart of me that just wants to ask why he would ever want to stay here in the first place. I can see the beginnings of a few interesting nightmares already beginning to stir up in the back of my mind.

"It's certainly an interesting change of pace from the Artic,", I offhandedly mention, trying not to give a direct insult to his territory. "Where should I leave you? Do you have a home? Maybe a base of operations, of some kind?"

He glances over at me with a sneer. I simply shrug.

"Right. I suppose you wear the mask for a reason."

He indicates a nearby rooftop and we float over to it, gently coming to a stop.

Almost immediately, he steps away and places a good amount of distance between us.

The man certainly values his secrecy.

"Well, you're welcome, anyway.", I joke. "So what now? We say our goodbyes, go our seperate ways? Not to draw things out longer than they need to be, but I actually thought we made somewhat of a decent team, back there. You're the last person I would have expected to get along with. No offense."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Well, you're welcome, anyway.", I joke. "So what now? We say our goodbyes, go our seperate ways? Not to draw things out longer than they need to be, but I actually thought we made somewhat of a decent team, back there. You're the last person I would have expected to get along with. No offense."

"None taken," Batman said with a nod. "You pulled your weight out there today. You put your life on the line and saved us, all of us. Maybe even the world. You're more than just some dumb muscle..."

"No offense," he said, smirking. Batman tapped the right side of his head, indicating the earpiece Superman currently had wedged into his ear. "The range on that earpiece is more than enough to cover the distance between Gotham and Metropolis. In case you ever need to get in touch with me, or vice versa, there's a way."

 

[Batman]

Batman tapped the right side of his head, indicating the earpiece Superman currently had wedged into his ear. "The range on that earpiece is more than enough to cover the distance between Gotham and Metropolis. In case you ever need to get in touch with me, or vice versa, there's a way."

Huh. Well, what do you know - he does have a side that's not all grim.

After what he said to Captain America about joining The Ultimates, I'd have thought that he'd do everything in his power to keep me from being able to seek him out again. Turns out that he gave me a way to do it all along. I remove the earpiece and inspect it, surprised at the lack of any residual damage from the explosion. Either it missed the brunt of the blast, or whoever made this made it with heavy artillery in mind. Who makes a two-way communications piece blastproof?

"I'll be sure to do so whenever the situation arises,", I add, putting it back into place. "Wouldn't want to impose on your busy schedule. I hear you've got your share of mad clowns and psychotic puzzlemen to deal with."

I joke, but there is something a bit more serious hanging like a cloud over the both of us. We can both feel it in the air. What we did today didn't feel like a chance encounter that'd only ever happen once. I could easily see myself turning to Batman, Doctor Reeds and his team, Captain America, or any of the others in a time of absolute crisis if I needed to. And I'd be more than happy to lend my hand if they ever needed it themselves.

Without trying to sound pompus, we did good work. And that doesn't mean it has to stop here.

There's a whole world out there that needs us. All of us.

"Batman, I don't want to pry, but... when Captain America made his offer. What is it about the Ultimates that made you turn him down so readily?"

 

[Byrd Man]

"Batman, I don't want to pry, but... when Captain America made his offer. What is it about the Ultimates that made you turn him down so readily?"

"The Ultimates are tied to the government. They originally started out as a black ops team within the former government agency Checkmate. Captain America is a legend, he's a hero, but he's also a government operative."

"How do you know all that?" Superman asked with an arched eyebrow. "The stuff about the government, I mean."

"I have files and a source. Regardless, the Ultimates may have good intentions, that's not a question. But it's not hard to think that, given the right set of circumstances, they could be used to push government agendas, invade hostile countries. I didn't sign up for that, and I doubt you did either."

 

[Batman]

"I have files and a source. Regardless, the Ultimates may have good intentions, that's not a question. But it's not hard to think that, given the right set of circumstances, they could be used to push government agendas, invade hostile countries. I didn't sign up for that, and I doubt you did either."

"No. I didn't, you're right about that."

And just like that, any potential interest in accepting the Captain's proposition seems to dissipate. I cross my arms, silently beginning to wonder just what else Batman could tell me about the organization that he described, but I probably wouldn't like what I'd discover. Ever since I first started using my abilities in public, I've been hounded by the government all across the world. It isn't so much that I don't trust them - on the contrary, I can understand their fascination. But contrary to the way they look at me, I am not a lab experiment, and I have no interest in submitting myself to a group of people who practically deal in the business of smoke and mirrors.

Still, even if The Ultimates are working under government jurisdiction, that doesn't necessarily rule out the idea of superhumans banded together against a common cause. It'd just take some initiative. A different mentality, going in, to realize the idea of a group devoted entirely towards the pursuit of justice.

"That's a shame to hear about. Truthfully, I really admire all involved. But I can't afford to align myself with anyone under that kind of uncertainty. I've had a few run-ins with government types in the past. And suffice to say, it didn't end well."

Trying to shake off a host of bad memories and close encounters, I decide it's best left in the past and turn back to Batman.

"But you know what? The idea itself has some merit. Maybe people like us could stand together and combine our efforts for the greater good, without the need for government interference. It wouldn't need to be anything permanent, but maybe..."

I pause, momentarily, and smirk.

"Heh. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. We did just meet, what, three hours ago? And now I'm talking about putting a team together. That blast must've hit me harder than I realized."

 

[Byrd Man]

"But you know what? The idea itself has some merit. Maybe people like us could stand together and combine our efforts for the greater good, without the need for government interference. It wouldn't need to be anything permanent, but maybe..."

I pause, momentarily, and smirk.

"Heh. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. We did just meet, what, three hours ago? And now I'm talking about putting a team together. That blast must've hit me harder than I realized."

"You may be right. What happened today proves that the world has more threats than one team can handle. The world is an increasingly dangerous place and trust comes at a premium. We may not trust each other fully..."

The lenses in Batman's cowl flashed information across it at him.

Fingerprint scan results.
Subject: "Superman"
Results... No fingerprint matches.
Identity unknown.

"But it looks like we have to," Batman said, turning to the edge of the roof. "I have to go. The city needs me."

 

[Batman]

"You may be right. What happened today proves that the world has more threats than one team can handle. The world is an increasingly dangerous place and trust comes at a premium. We may not trust each other fully..."

The lenses in Batman's cowl flashed information across it at him.

Fingerprint scan results.
Subject: "Superman"
Results... No fingerprint matches.
Identity unknown.

"But it looks like we have to," Batman said, turning to the edge of the roof. "I have to go. The city needs me."

I smile back, equal parts satisfied and curious about our brief little chat.

Something could be made from this. We'll have to work to develop it further.

"Good call. I should probably head back, myself. I can only only imagine what sort of chaos is waiting for me after this."

Floating into the sky, I turn back towards Gotham City and take it in a final time. Hate to keep thinking it, but I honestly wouldn't mind if I never had to come back.

"You know, I meant to ask earlier, but does it ever grow on..."

By the time I turn around, he's disappeared. Not just left, but completely disappeared. The look of shock on my face registers for a full minute before I start to wonder how he managed to pull that trick off. Didn't even hear him leave, much less spot him on his way back into Gotham with any of my other enhanced senses.

After awhile, I simply shake my head and begin the flight back to Metropolis.

Pleasure to meet you, too.

 

[Carnage27]

​

Thor takes feel the exhilaration of victory swelling in his chest but the feeling is overshadowed by the all consuming weakness which now threatens to overtake him. He lowers himself on to one knee and leans on Mjolnir. Before him is a crater and a deep shaft, evidence of the destructive power he has just unleashed.

The power I witness in front of me is like nothing I've ever seen before, which is saying something considering I'm standing on a living planet. Or maybe it's a dead planet now. I'm not sure.

Ego still lives, Lantern, my ring says in my head. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that. The planet has just been temporarily immobilized.

"I need ta get me one of those hammers," Killowag says under his breath while inspecting the crater.

"Going up against Ego the Living Planet and living to tell the tale," Sinestro smiles. "This will be a terrific entry for the archives."

I float over towards Thor and pat him on the shoulder, "Nice trick. Maybe next time we can start out with that one, huh?"

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Lex watches the cranes and construction crews working on the damage caused by The Hulk at LexCorp Towers with the media closely following him.

He puts on a hard hat walking around listening to the construction foreman give a break down of the work at hand.

Lex nods politely and asks a few questions to show not only was he paying attention but that he knows what's going on.

Once Lex feels he's done enough for his photo-op he leaves the site and boards his private elevator with Mercy following close behind him.

He says, "Remind me in the future not wear the good Armani Suits to the construction site, but something that if it becomes ruined I won't care."

She nods and says, "Yes Mr. Luthor."

Lex says, "While I'm getting my shower please get me a new suit, and take this one out to get dry-cleaned."

She nods and says, "Yes Mr. Luthor."

Just then Alexis chimes in and says, "Excuse me Mr. Luthor. There appears to be a schematic flaw with the main servo relays in your battle suit."

Lex says, "Explain."

Alexis replies, "The main servo relay cannot function as constructed, and will inhibit flight capability."

Lex asks, "Can it be corrected?"

Alexis replies, "Yes but it will take time."

Lex asks, "How much?"

Alexis replies, "An additional week."

Lex says, "Make it happen. Any other delays or set-backs Alexis deal with them in your own manner. I want that suit together in 3 weeks."

Alexis replies, "Yes Mr. Luthor."

Mercy asks, "Do you think that suit is going to be able to take down The Hulk?"

Lex replies, "I don't know, but if it can I can see them becoming the big ticket item for the military for the next decade. Unlike Tony Stark I am more than willing to share my goddies with the Government. For the right price"

The elevator stops and the two disembark.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Bruce and Betty arrive at the General Store. They tell Mable that they met Japser and to put the phone charges on his tab.

Mable replies, "Jasper isn't usually that friendly to people. He must've really liked you two. Anyway go ahead and use the phone. Keep it to 5 minutes or less please."

Betty says, "Don't worry Mable the guy I'm calling if we are on there for over 2 minutes it's because the end of the world is at hand."

Bruce looks around the store as Betty calls her father.

The phone rings and a gruff voice says, "General Ross."

Betty says, "Dad it's me."

Ross replies, "Betty where in blazes are your? Are you all-right. Give me your location I'm on my way to Fort Watkins to mobilize the search for you and Bruce."

Betty replies, "Dad for a minute forget you're a General and remember your my father."

Ross says, "I'll try."

Betty says, "We're in a little town called Stabob at the general store. My guess 30-40 miles west of Metropolis. Bruce and I are all-right please leave the Army at home and come and get us. Bruce wants to turn himself over to you. He doesn't trust Lex at all."

Ross says, "Well now we got two things in common. we care for you and don't like Luthor. All-right I'll stand down the Calvary and I'll come and get you both."

Betty says, "Okay dad we'll be here. Thanks bye."

Betty walks back over to Bruce and says, "He's on his way. Just him."

Bruce says, "Great the sooner he gets here the better."

Just then there is a loud rumbling like a thousand elephants were coming down from the mountains.

Mable says, "Oh dear."

Bruce asks, "What's wrong?"

Mable replies, "It's The Black Demons. They're a biker gang that rolls in here from time to time. They take what they want and take off."

Betty looks outside and says, "They got the road blocked off we're trapped."

She says to Bruce, "Go into the bathroom and hide out."

Bruce asks, "What are you talking about? We can still get outta here."

Betty replies, "No they're helping us I want to help them. I can handle myself. You on the other hand you get angry and things break very easily. You would rip through this store like paper mache."

Bruce nods and heads off to the bathroom and locks the door.

Betty stand next to Mable and nods to her as the bikers come into the store..

Some of them begin just taking things off of the shelves while a couple of them begin making "suggestive" comments to Betty.

Bruce in the bathroom is doing everything he can to remain calm. Reminding himself General Ross is on his way and Betty can handle herself.

Just then one of them says, "Okay you boys got what you want now I'm getting what I want."

He grabs Betty who tries to use basic self-defense that isn't working. She struggles to try and get away. Mable tries to intervene but is knocked to the ground as Betty is taken out of the store.

Betty yells, "Bruce!"

Bruce comes out of the bathroom and sees Mable who says, "They got your girlfriend save her I'm fine!"

Bruce comes charging out of the store and says, "Leave her alone!"

The biker carrying her asks, "Boy just who do you think you are?"

Bruce looks and sees 11 other bikers surround him. The Lead Biker says, "Have fun with him boys! I think me and sweet cheeks here are gonna have our own fun behind the store."

He laughs maniacally as he carries Betty away and the other 11 bikers descend upon Bruce.

Bruce says, "Guys you're making a big mistake here. You don't wanna do this!"

One of them says, "You're the one who is making a mistake. Luckily for you it'll be your last!"

They begin to close in on Bruce and begin to beat on him. After the 3rd hit. Bruce feels the transformation occur.

The Hulk the pushes upward as Bikers begin flying everywhere.

The Hulk roars, "ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!"

They all start moving back a couple move in with chains and baseball bats. One swings a chain and hits The Hulk.

The Hulk looks at him very annoyed and says, "Puny man with chain try to hurt Hulk! Hulk hurt back!"

With that he grabs the biker and slams him into the tree. The baseball bat slams against The Hulk's back, and shatters.

The Hulk turns and throws him into the river!

The others begin to scatter to their bikes as one of them asks, "What about Deacon?"

One of them says, "Who cares in about ten seconds Deacon will be lucky if he's still able to walk!"

They start their bikes and take off as Betty screams for help.

The Hulk says, "Betty!"

The Hulk charges off to where Betty is and sees Deacon taking off his boots and starting to take his pants off over Betty who tied by her hands to a tree.

Deacon says, "Don't worry sweet cheeks in a minute you're gonna forget about that scrawny wimp, and you'll never forget me!"

Deacon finishes getting his pants off and moves toward Betty to get her clothes off.

The Hulk grabs Deacon by the back of his neck and picks him up

Deacon is understandably "shaken" by this as The Hulk says, "You try to hurt Betty! Hulk SMASH!"

He slams Deacon into the ground twice and Deacon is now out of it.

The Hulk prepares to slam him again and Betty says, "Hulk No!"

The Hulk looks at Betty and says, "Just untie me and let's get out of here. Please."

The Hulk nods and frees Betty. He picks her up and leaps away.

 

[Eddie Brock]

Space Sector 2813
Andromeda Galaxy
Distance from Earth:
~2.5 million light-years

In his time as an esteemed member of the Green Lantern Corps, Dalor of Timron had seen things which were beyond belief: strange and fascinating races, wondrous planets lush with odd foliage and wildlife, starships which dwarfed small moons. In his travels, he had even seen a living planet which wielded the green light of willpower! All these things and more did Dalor bear witness to, yet even his experienced eyes were unprepared for the sight which greeted him at the far end of his home sector.

Xandar was in ruin.

It was not the first time that a planet from Sector 2813 had been destroyed. Many light-cycles ago, yet still in recent history, a beacon of hope called Krypton had been laid to waste, its billions of inhabitants extinguished like a flame in the galaxy. Many wept over the loss of Krypton and its people. That had been before the ring chose Dalor, before he knew a world beyond Timron. There was nothing he could have done to save Krypton. But this? This had happened on his watch.

Still, Dalor knew that all cause for hope had not been lost. True, the attack on Xandar had decimated the planet, reducing it to floating chunks of rock, but many Xandarians still lived. They had taken heavy casualties, but their race would survive. Better still, the Xandarian militia - the Nova Corps - had largely survived the tragedy. Like the Green Lantern Corps, they had been spread too thin to respond to the threat in time. Perhaps it was for the best. Had the fleet been stationed on Xandar, many more would be lost to the stars.

They will rebuild, Dalor convinced himself. Even now, plans had begun to construct a massive space station: one that would unite the largest remaining fragments of Xandar, rendering them hospitable once more. The Xandarians were an enterprising people, and they would not allow such a terrible tragedy to define their history. The Nova Corps will regroup, and they will come back better and stronger than ever.

Even now, the Nova Corps' most powerful warrior Rhomann Dey - the one they called "Centurion Nova-Prime" - was in pursuit of the war criminal Kanjar Ro. The Green Lantern Corps had offered assistance, but the Xandarians were a proud people. "Centurion Nova-Prime will bring the perpetrator of these atrocities to justice," Queen Adora, leader of the Xandarians, had told the Guardians, "else he will perish in pursuit of the cause."

For the universe's sake, Dalor hoped that the former would be the case.


Space Sector 2814
Milky Way Galaxy
Distance from Earth:
~60 light-minutes

It had all come down to this. Rhomann Dey, Centurion Nova-Prime, had chased the genocidal Kanjar Ro across galaxies and beyond strange, unexplored worlds. The Nova Corps fleet, combined with tactical support from the Green Lanterns Corps, had separated Ro from his armada and sent him on the run. It had fallen to Rhomann, most celebrated officer of the Nova Corps, to hunt down and capture Ro. It was a responsibility he celebrated proudly, remembering the wife and child that Ro had killed in his assault on Xandar. Rhomann would have his vengeance, but he was also a man of honor. He would not kill Ro except in self-defense.

I hope he takes a shot at me, Rhomann thought to himself. Any excuse to blast his head open and see him take his last breath. He had been closing the gap between himself and the criminal for the past two star systems. As they raced past the planet known as Saturn, Rhomann was finally within boarding distance. Ro's starship was small, with a crew of no more than five Dhorians if that many. No match for the Centurion Nova-Prime.

Unleashing a small blast of the Nova Force which all Nova Corps members possess, Rhomann blew a hole in the rear hull of Kanjar Ro's ship. The vacuum of space began ripping loose items from the ship and tossing them into space. Dodging these, Rhomann landed in what appeared to be the ship's limited cargo hold. He struggled against the vacuum until finally a large metal crate plugged the hole. He approached the blast doors, which had sealed automatically due to the breach. Using his hands, Rhomann pried the doors open and entered the ship's main cabin.

The first line of resistance met him there. Two Dhorians, wielding high power energy rifles. Rhomann raised his hand. "By the authority of Queen Suzerain Adora and on behalf of the Nova Corps--"

Before Rhomann could finish, one of the Dhorians opened fire. The unexpected blast caught Rhomann off-guard, knocking him back two steps. His back collided hard with the metal blast doors leading to the cargo hold. Rhomann resolved to make it the last clean hit that any of Kanjar Ro's men would land on him. Getting to his feet, Rhomann blasted both Dhorians with all the might he could muster, reducing them to pinkish-purple splotches on the walls. None shall stand between me and vengeance.

Rhomann approached the door to the bridge when he was attacked from behind. An object crashed against the back of his head with enough force to send him sprawling. He rolled over to see a third Dhorian, one and a half times as big as his crewmates, holding an energy staff. The Dhorian sneered and raised his staff for another blow. Rhomann drove his heel into the massive alien's gut. As the Dhorian doubled over, Rhomann fired an energy blast at his head. It connected with enough force to knock the Dhorian over backwards. The fall took care of the rest.

Back on his feet, Rhomann turned his attention back to the bridge. One last energy blast blew the thick metal doors right off the hinges. Rhomann marched into the cockpit, only to find it abandoned. "No!" He spun. "This cannot be!" He had followed Kanjar Ro relentlessly. There was no way that the warlord could've slipped through his grasp!

Suddenly, Rhomann Dey felt a searing pain - as though a star was bursting its way through his chest. Following this split-second of agony, he felt a strange sensation of alternating warmth and cold. Looking down, he saw his Nova uniform staining red with blood. His own blood, he realized. "... what?"

"You Centurions are all the same," a familiar voice hissed. Rhomann Dey turned to see his foe materializing, his signature power rod in hand. The orb atop the rod glowed with ominous energy. "You can't see what's right in front of you."

Rhomann fell to a knee.

"How does it feel, Centurion?" Kanjar Ro gloated. "To have come so far, only to fail in the final moments."

"No..."

Behind Ro, two more Dhorians materialized as their cloaking shields dissipated. Ro's power rod gave one last flash. Rhomann began to taste blood in the back of his throat. "Take this failure to the airlock. I can't stand the sight of him on my ship any longer."

The two Dhorians grabbed Rhomann by the shoulders roughly and dragged him across the ship. He passed the fallen Dhorian staff wielder, as well as the other two dead Dhorians. Rhomann struggled to conjure up one last gasp of Nova Force. If I could only destroy the ship, he thought, Ro would die with me...

But it was for naught. The two remaining Dhorians unceremoniously threw Rhomann into the airlock. He watched with horrified eyes and waited for the telltale 'hisss' which would signal his ejection from the ship. When it did come, Rhomann was almost beyond conscious thought. As he took one look at the spinning blue and green orb before him, he couldn't help but think how beautiful it looked. And with his dying breath, Rhomann Dey thought of Xandar...
​

 

[Carnage27]

After we appear back at the Fantastic Four's base, the team goes to deal with wounds and bruises. A few just stare at Diana, almost trying to will her back to her normal state. After a short while, Coulson shows up in the Quinjet and the corpse of one of the monstrous swarm. He and Wildcat take it into the Richards's lab and I look at Mister Fantastic.

"So, do you have anything that can take care of Mr. Grimm and Wonder Woman?" I ask him. "Once they're back to normal we can take a look at that...thing."
​

 

[Byrd Man]

After we appear back at the Fantastic Four's base, the team goes to deal with wounds and bruises. A few just stare at Diana, almost trying to will her back to her normal state. After a short while, Coulson shows up in the Quinjet and the corpse of one of the monstrous swarm. He and Wildcat take it into the Richards's lab and I look at Mister Fantastic.

"So, do you have anything that can take care of Mr. Grimm and Wonder Woman?" I ask him. "Once they're back to normal we can take a look at that...thing."
​

"I do have something that may work in a pinch. Let's try it out..."

Reed led the Captain through his lab, passed all his complete and incomplete inventions and ideas. "Here we are," he said, pulling a gun shaped item from a workbench. "Sonic emitter. On its highest setting, it would peel your face like an onion. If I turn it down on a lower setting and place it between Ben and Wonder Woman, it should erode their prisons in about a half hour."

The two men walked back to where the frozen heroes were standing. Reed fiddled and rewired his invention, turned it on and then placed it between Wonder Woman and Ben.

"There we are," he said with a smile. "Now, you had something that needed dissecting?"

 

[Carnage27]

"There we are," he said with a smile. "Now, you had something that needed dissecting?"

"Thanks, Doc."

I nod to him and follow he and his wife to the lab, where they prepare themselves for the dissection. I hover around the body of the thing, and can't help but let the revulsion take me over. It's even uglier dead. The teeth are like swords in its mouth, and the tail is even more devastating than I would have imagined.

Moving back to allow the doctors to do their job, I'm amazed at how much they seem to understand about this creature right away. Or at least I think they understand. After a half hour of dissection and their scientific babble that I understand none of, I speak up, "So what are we looking at here? I mean, unless bugs have gotten a lot bigger and meaner since I've been frozen, I'm pretty sure that's an alien."

I shift uncomfortably and hope I didn't just make a fool out of myself.

 

[Byrd Man]

"Thanks, Doc."

I nod to him and follow he and his wife to the lab, where they prepare themselves for the dissection. I hover around the body of the thing, and can't help but let the revulsion take me over. It's even uglier dead. The teeth are like swords in its mouth, and the tail is even more devastating than I would have imagined.

Moving back to allow the doctors to do their job, I'm amazed at how much they seem to understand about this creature right away. Or at least I think they understand. After a half hour of dissection and their scientific babble that I understand none of, I speak up, "So what are we looking at here? I mean, unless bugs have gotten a lot bigger and meaner since I've been frozen, I'm pretty sure that's an alien."

I shift uncomfortably and hope I didn't just make a fool out of myself.

"It is. without a doubt, an extraterrestrial," Sue said from behind her surgical mask.

"How many of these creatures did you encounter, Captain?" Reed asked with his head still stuck in the cadaver's sternum.

"Over two dozen, probably closer to three dozen."

Reed pulled his head from the body and exchanged glances with his wife. "That makes sense. We believe this thing operates with a hive mind."

"If you look at the brain, or what we think is a brain, that we pulled out, Captain, you'll see it's about the size of an alligator's brain. The lobes don't appear to be capable of anything beyond basic brain functions. No speech centers, no cognitive capabilities, or anything beyond the basic impulses."

Reed wiped the blood from his gloves on to the apron he was wearing.

"Their minds appear to function similar to those of ants or bees. In addition to that, there is a hard exoskeleton on the outside So, your first observation about them being very large bugs appears to be astute."

 

[Carnage27]

Reed wiped the blood from his gloves on to the apron he was wearing.

"Their minds appear to function similar to those of ants or bees. In addition to that, there is a hard exoskeleton on the outside So, your first observation about them being very large bugs appears to be astute."

So it's basically a big alien bug. A big alien bug that can't really think for itself. And if it can't think for itself...

"So it has a queen, right? Since it can't think for itself? Ants and bees have queens that tell them what to do."

"Well, without seeing one we can only-"

"Most likely," Sue responds and gives her husband a knowing look. From what I've gathered, Reed can ramble. So she's probably doing me the favor of sparing me from one. "It definitely needs to get it's orders from somewhere. Especially if they were smart enough to take your friend."

"Well, if HYDRA can control these things, we need to move fast," I say, thinking of the damage they can do.

We head out back to where the team was waiting, and I find Ben Grimm and Diana back to their normal selves.

"Uh, I feel like I got hit by a truck."

"You look like you got hit by a truck. And then a train."

"Why I oughta..."

I kneel down next to my teammate and look into her eyes, "Are you okay?"

"I've felt better," she responds, trying to gain her mental bearings. "Did you stop him?"

"Of course we did," I smile. "But he got away."

"He won't next time," she seethes.

"We're headed back to Washington. We'll need you to rest up. We're going after HYDRA."

"Can't wait."

I then turn back to the rest of the team, "Coulson, go get the jet ready. Everyone else, pack up. We got a rescue mission to plan. Hawkeye's out there, and we're getting him back."

Before I head up to the roof landing deck, I look at the Fantastic Four, "You've been a huge help. If there's anything you ever need me for, don't hesitate to ask. And thanks for getting my teammate back, Doctor."