What has come before: A hostile alien force has conquered The Earth. Earth’s heroes are fighting a losing battle as a resistance to the Martian oppressors. Hope comes in the shape of the heroes children, raised in secret in other dimensional Asgard. Great warriors with the sole purpose of freeing their Homeworld have trained these young heroes, in hopes that this secret army could do what they could not.

By Joseph Connell

Legacy: War of the Worlds

“A Brood Too Far”

Part One

Previously: The young warriors of Little Midgard have begun to strike back at the invaders of their homeworld, winning small victories in the Negative Zone, the Arena, the Savage Land, and most recently in Subterrania, enduring some losses while gaining new members and allies. But they will soon learn Earth’s invaders are not the only menace they must face.

Five Days Ago

The Starwind (Chardana-class Superdestroyer)

Flagship of the Shi'ar Impirum

Lilandra - Supreme Imperiatrix of the Shi'ar, Mistress of a Thousand Suns, Victor Over the Kree, et cetera, et cetera - stood in the small pool of dim light and waited. She fiercely resisted the urge to tap her foot with impatience; Shi'ar eschewed such tiny displays of temperament so common to Terrans or Kree or any of the thousands of other races dotting the heavens, believing themselves the superior race. If for that reason alone, Lilandra would have allowed herself do so.

But such mannerisms reminded her too readily of other, happier days, and so she resisted the urge even harder. No happiness for her, no matter how ephemeral, not until this matter was attended to and the burdens upon her soul were lightened. She had promised herself this many a cycle back.

In her quiet moments, Lilandra worried this vow would be her undoing, damming her soul for its willingness to exploit tragedy for gain. The plan itself had crystallized the instant this present crisis confronted her and her Empire, springing to mind fully conceived and irresistible. There were outside possibilities to be considered and accounted for, but none that challenged the fundamentals of the plan itself.

What disturbed her most, now as then, was the ease with which the plan had come to her. Why she'd never considered this course of action before frankly escaped her. The petitions and entreaties from Little Midgard had come as expected, and were reluctantly (truly, honestly reluctantly) dismissed, again as expected. The Skrull Empress herself had sent word she was entertaining petitions of support, finding surprising common cause with the K'ree Freemen on this score. But her own Council had spoken time and again, refusing her even the smallest gesture or word of support. Until now.

It had come too easy, both the plan and the Council's approval. Was there something she had missed in it all, some trade that was hidden from easy view?

Would Charles ever truly forgive her, what she was about to set into motion? The gods could condemn her if they wished, but Charles...?

The handful of the Imperial Guard who surrounded her beyond the light remained still and prepared for anything. Yet even they, veterans all of countless battles, were surprised by the arrival of the delegation. They simply appeared before her, without the slightest disturbance to the air or lower dimensions of sight and sound. More accurately, the one she presumed was their agent appeared before her, a semi-circle of his superiors materializing in the gloom just beyond the light behind him. The Guardsmen all tensed, prepared to throw themselves between her and the giant of human. A quick gesture from her held them still.

Lilandra risked a glance at the ones behind the tall man before her, unsurprised yet disturbed how much they were like shadows themselves. She could just make out the outline of robes and elaborately high collars and skullcaps, yet the figures themselves remained vague and featureless, almost as if they were made of star-speckled space itself.

She quickly returned her attention to the human before her. Yes, he was definitely, distinctly human; a tall specimen to boot, easily towering over herself, with a mop of blonde hair and pleasant features that seemed too young for the duty he now discharged.

The man spoke, his words carrying easily through the room. "Imperiatrix Lilandra?" She nodded superfluously. "My superiors have reached a decision." He paused again, as if awaiting her permission to continue. Lilandra nodded again, knowing exactly what his next words would be and impatient to conclude this small farce.

The man cleared his throat, sounding suitably apologetic as he said "They, er, decline to involve themselves in this, er, affair." He shrugged helplessly and spread his hands out. "It’s just not...not something that they can, er, should become involved in. Uh, sorry."

The Imperiatrix nodded a final time. "My thanks to the High Council for their response. You may depart." Her words were of dismissal, well-practiced and delivered with the proper tone that was more a polite plea than command. She could only pray she played her part well enough so as not to arouse suspicion in her nominal guests; all things depended upon their refusal here. Should they become...suspicious, and reconsider...

To her immense relief both the tall man and his shadowy 'superiors' disappeared as quickly as they'd come, vanishing as if they had never been.

Lilandra turned and swept out of the small room that suddenly seemed too small and far too sinister. The Guardsmen trailed after her, following their duty yet keeping a respectful, practical distance. The ship's crew continued on with their duties, the presence of their beloved empress causing neither a stir nor undue interest among them all. It took literally all of her formidable willpower to keep herself from showing the slightest trace of the elation that threatened to lighten her steps into a veritable dance of joy. She kept herself steady only by stern reminder that events were only just set in motion, that far more still needed to be done before victory was truly her's.

This in mind, her steps brought her to the 'secure' conference suite. Lilandra forced herself to pause, to once again reign in both emotions and expectations before continuing on. It also gave her the time needed to formulate her next words; she would need to be equal parts cautious and suggestive in her directions, guiding without endorsing. A familiar tightrope she had walked many a time in the past.

Waiting her in the room were three figures, their forms shimmering and gently aglow. Lilandra looked at the violet-skinned female figure, her dark hair styled into what Charles would have called a 'mohawk' and heavy red cape gathered about her strong form.

Lilandra offered neither greeting nor courtesies. There was no time, nor were they truly needed. Rather, she delivered the message all expected and dreaded:

"C'a chiqna al ho prezas'tur." Climb to the impossible place.

The three figures nodded as one, then vanished from sight. The room was considered 'secure' because it allowed remote holographic displays over a pre-fixed wavelength whose precise frequency and coding was known to only three individuals in the whole of the Empire; Lilandra herself was not among these three, but held those who were in complete trust.

The Imperiatrix remained where she was, standing in full sight of the stars above, head slightly bowed as if in supplication. Lilandra would never bend her knee to a deity or demon so. Yet there was one in all creation whom she prayed to nightly, and wondered if he would now turn from her, as she had from him once?

"Forgive me, Charles," she breathed to herself, holding back the tears that threatened.

<><><>

Seventeen light years away, a warship of a far different variety leapt into hyperspace, its course charted to a point that would take great daring and skill to reach.

All qualities the captain and crew of The Starjammer had in abundance.

<><><>

Little Midard

Office of Mayor James Rhodes

Only several decades worth of experience in both battle and politics allowed James Rhodes to keep his expression neutral as he and his Chief of Staff listened to the story their guests relate and its attendant proposal. He was torn between surprise, horror, and a smidgen of actual panic; he allowed none of this to actually show in his expression beyond slowing nodding to their words.

His Chief was somewhat less restrained. "You're outta your goddamned minds," he hissed.

"Chief," Rhodes growled warningly.

"C'mon, Jim. You can't be seriously thinkin'..."

"That's enough!" the Mayor nearly barked, then calmed himself. John Walker, formerly the USAgent, settled back into his wheelchair and continued to glare. The three standing before the Mayor's broad desk appeared utterly unruffled by this exchange, although the young woman on the end fidgeted a bit with her thick mane of reddish-brown hair.

Clasping his hands together before him, Rhodes said "I'm going to ask this only once." He sounded as if he were nearly choking on each word. "Are you absolutely sure this is the only course available?"

"We are," said the young man, his expression as grim as his stance was confident. Rhodes met his level gaze, glancing for a moment at his Chief to confirm Walker's own unvoiced opinion.

Rhode's sighed and sat back. "Give me a couple hours to summon the team you recommend and check with Captain Wagner. God willing, you'll all be underway today."

Now the one in the middle spoke up, her dark violet skin and deep red cape marking her as clearly as her bearing. "The gods, I am sure, wish nothing to do with this."

Rhodes couldn't disagree.

<><><>

Civic Center

Conference Room B

Okeyene Monroe and Candace Worthington came up momentarily short at the sight of the two heavily armed Corpsmen who stood guard outside the conference room. While it wasn't unusual to see members or squads of the Midgard Corps throughout the Civic Center or the town in general, they generally went unarmed and were rarely in full combat kit. The girls exchanged a quick glance then resumed walking, Okeyene taking the lead as usual.

Both Corpsmen snapped to attention as they drew near. "We're expected," Okeyene said to the senior looking of the pair, doing so with the authority befitting an actual princess. The trooper, who was half a head taller and easily thirty pounds heavier, made no comment and simply nodded as he opened the door, allowing both entrance.

Okeyene and Candy - code-named Tempest and Talon respectively - entered the room quietly and let the door click shut behind them. To their mutual surprise the lights were dimmed unusually low, affording just enough illumination to make out the others gathered there at the round conference table. Zack Summers, Irene Darkholm, Aleese Vaughn, Rina Howlett, and Katya Rasputin (plus her 'friend' Lockheed) were all present, as was Mayor Rhodes. Candy was staring at something further back in the room, requiring a nudge from Okeyene to prompt her to take her seat.

"Now that everyone's here, we can get started," the Mayor said, sounding as if the words were literally being dragged out of him one at a time. Okeyene took the momentary silence to ponder what manner of exercise could require the briefing room be guarded by armed troops and would require the mix of powers and skills represented by those assembled. Zack, Aleese, Katya, and herself all represented considerable physical power, while Rina was among the best combatant in all the Cohorts, and Candy and Irene were among their fastest and cleverest scouts. Yet they'd rarely trained together, however, and never for any real length. What could require them specifically?

The Mayor was speaking again. "We've been...approached...by representatives of a certain external power that needs our assistance. Before going further, I want to emphasize this is detached duty and extremely hazardous. And I mean extreme." He put as much emphasis on the word as possible. "You seven were summoned specifically because, well, you're perhaps the best suited for the task. I however want to give all of you the chance to step out beforehand."

This really set Okeyene thinking. Quick looks exchanged with Zack, then Irene, confirmed neither of them had the least idea either. Katya and Rina were likewise looking puzzled, but only vaguely; neither showed any sign of planning on leaving. Their recent return from the Savage Land just days before, each with a 'new' brother in tow, should have put them on the bench until proper debriefing was completed. She'd heard Katya was starting to have a hard time with her brother Stel, so his absence didn't seem too unusual, but the absence of Erista (who had become Rina's personal shadow) was a further surprise.

It all came back to the same question as before: what was this mission the Mayor was proposing? She tried it from a different angle, wracking her brain for which 'external power' was requesting their aid. Olympus? Highly unlikely. Atlantis? She knew Marinna, Romania, and Myra were quietly conspiring to get their father to declare against the Martians, but those were long-term plans; had something happened she hadn't heard about? Could it be all their entreaties to Subterannia had finally been heeded?

Okeyene could only shake her head in frustration. There was just too little information to make a good call. She noticed then that Candy was still staring into the darkness just over the Mayor's shoulder, her eagle-sharp eyes narrowing tightly.

When no-one stood up or made the slightest move, the Mayor sighed and said "In that case, I'm turning this briefing over to our guests." He hit a control on the table that brought the illumination up slightly.

Guests? Everyone clearly wanted to blurt or whisper or say aloud. Instead they remained silent and took in the trio that had been standing in the back, patiently waiting for their moment.

Two young women and an equally young man, only two of whom appeared human. The man wore midnight-blue skinsuit, knee-length boots and a short black jacket, which coupled with his unkempt black hair, bright blue eyes, and mouth quirking into an almost-grin gave him a roguish air. The light skinned woman by contrast wore a pair of gray trousers that hugged strong calves and thighs, a pair of flat-heeled boots, and a red-colored utility vest that left her flat stomach bare and further emphasized her noticeable curves. Her own hair was a thick mane of reddish-brown, but her expression and features otherwise mirrored the man's to a tee.

It was the last of the trio that commanded the most attention. She was a full head taller than her companions, with skin colored an unusually dark shade of purple and black hair gathered into a tall Mohawk. She wore a scarlet red cape with a high collar, which parted as she strode forward to reveal she wore a skinsuit matching her cape, her toned and physically perfect physique in clear display. She wasn't quite in the same league as Jenny Walters, at least physically, but there her formidable bearing, how she marched three simple paces forward, that made her seem all the more powerful. There was no insignia or sign upon her outfit to identify her race or origins.

The Mayor stood and said, "Allow me to introduce Captain Phillip Summers, commander of The Starjammer, his sister and First Mate Jeannie Summers, and Gladiatrix, of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard."

Okeyene looked between the two humans and Zack, immediately catching the clear similarities there. And the purple-skinned powerhouse, there was something undeniably familiar there. She could see Zack and Katya had similar thoughts. Candy and the others were all watching the trio like hawks, their interest clearly aroused.

"Greetings to you, warriors of Little Midgard," Gladiatrix stated, her voice easily filling the room. No-one was of a mind to immediately return the greeting, which fortunately didn't seem to offend anyone. Many of those present had been weaned on tales of their parent's contacts with the Shi'ar and it fabled Imperial Guard. News from that quarter however had been sparse to nonexistent in recent years, and so learning the well-nigh-invincible Gladiator had a child was, well, unexpected to say the very least.

Gladiatrix continued after a moment's pause. "We come with a petition from her Imperial Majesty, Lilandra."

Okeyene noticed Candy and Zack were too distracted to rise to the obvious bait. "And what is this...petition...you bring?" she asked.

Gladiatrix fixed her with a intent stare, which she returned, even managing to raise an eyebrow at her in further challenge. She did however have to hide her hands under the table and clasp them tightly together to keep them still.

It was the Shi'ar Imperial who broke the stare first, mostly likely because they simply didn't have time for little contests like this. "The Empire is threatened with possible extinction," Gladiatrix began, gaining everyone's attention. "I do not use these words lightly or carelessly. Believe me in this, if nothing else."

"Extinction...how?" Okeyene asked, having taken the position of spokesperson for the group.

Gladiatrix nodded to the Mayor, who activated another control in the table before him. A holographic image materialized before them all, depicting a tall, powerfully built figure. "The danger is my own father, Gladiator." But for a few extra inches and several extra pounds of muscle, not to mention a clearly different gender, the image could have been Gladiatrix herself.

"Who, if I recall our briefings correctly, is the current leader of the Imperial Guard?" This came from Irene, who adjusted the setting on her omnipresent goggles.

"He...was," Gladiatrix conceded. "The crisis facing the Empire has its origins with him."

Okeyene's patience was quickly evaporating. "Speak plainly, please."

"He's been captured by the Brood." This declaration came from Phil Summers, who to that point had hovered in the background. He stepped forward and, daring greatly, had placed a hand on Gladiatrix's shoulder. "He was captured by a Brood incursion a month ago. We've since learned he was cocooned and transported to one of their hive worlds. And its good odds he's been...implanted."

"Implanted?" Zack asked.

"With Brood larvae."

Those three words hung in the air between them all. The consequences needed no elaboration.

Okeyene looked between the hologram and Gladiatrix. "I'm presuming you know where he is?"

"We do."

"And..."

"The Imperial Guard attempted to retrieve the Gladiator. They were...repulsed." Again, the words hung in the air, the consequences easy enough to imagine.

Irene asked, "How severe were your losses?" Zack however quickly waved this aside and sat forward.

"I'm guessing this petition of yours is for us seven to assist in a rescue operation," he stated to the trio before them, his tone making it clear this wasn't a question.

"Retrieval may not be an option," Jeannie Summers replied in turn, her voice surprisingly strong and decisive given her stance to that point had been shy and retiring. She moved to stand beside her brother and tapped a different command into the table's controls. The hologram blinked out, then reappeared to show a massive planetoid ringed by belt of smaller asteroids and space wreckage.

"This is where they're keeping Gladiator in stasis," she explained, somewhat superfluously. The seven Legacy members all leaned forward, studying the hologram as carefully as they could. Even Lockheed squirmed on his perch on Katya's shoulder to stare. "It is an artificial moon the Brood evidentially constructed some time back. This is where the Guard attacked and were repulsed. We've since noted the presence for several Brood Starwhale transports moving into the region."

"Meaning the hive already there has called in reinforcements," Phillip put in.

Jeannie nodded and continued, saying, "We presently estimate the Brood presence within the planetoid at roughly 4,000."

"Was that before or after they called in reinforcements?" Irene asked quietly, eyes still fixed on the hologram.

"Before," Gladiatrix conceded.

"And now?"

"No way to know. Those transports could just be for show, or they could be filled to the gills with newly-hatched Brood."

"So why didn't the Imperial Fleet simply atomize the place with a few hundred nova bombs?" Irene continued on in the same quiet voice, giving the distinct impression she already knew the answer. "There's more to this, isn't there?"

The trio looked between themselves for a long moment. Gladiatrix looked ready to say something, only to have Phil override her again. "The day following Gladiator's capture, the Brood launched a three-pronged assault on the Shi'ar frontier. The Empire has lost roughly a third of its territory and nearly half its fleet and available military assets."

"Which is why it’s so vital to either retrieve Gladiator," Jeannie added. "Or to, er, sanction him."

Gladiatrix spoke up next, her eyes still staring into the middle distance. "My father must not be allowed to be assimilated into the Brood's collective mind. His knowledge of Shi'ar weapons and tactics would allow them to reach the Core Systems in weeks rather than years."

Phil nodded. "If they reach the Shi'ar Home System..."

"Why just the seven of us?" Candy asked suddenly. "I mean, I can understand Okeyene and Zack and Irene. They're all pretty high-octane power weilders."

"Flatterer," Irene muttered, eyes still fixed on the Broodworld display.

"I can also understand Rina and Kat here. And Aleese makes sense 'cause space is her place. But me..."

"What Candace is trying to ask," Okeyene interrupted before the girl could talk herself out of the picture, a depressingly frequent occurrence with her. "She's asking why just seven of us, not us seven in particular? Particularly given this sounds a grave enough situation for a full mobilization." The trio nodded in understanding, as did the Mayor. No-one, however, spoke up.

Irene spoke into the silence that stretched on, looking at the three visitors directly. "You mentioned he was already in stasis, which if I recall our briefings correctly, is a precursor state to the Brood larvae's full consumption of the host organism. Your further admission that the Imperial Guard failed to reacquire him, despite their collective might and experience, is a strong metric of the sort of resistance anticipated. The fact you, Gladiatrix, stand in solidarity with the Captain and First Mate of The Starjammer, a privateer craft of often-dubious reputation within the Imperium, leads one to conclude matters are considerably worse than your brief synopsis allows." She sat back and regarded them all carefully. "This isn't really a rescue mission, is it?"

"No," Gladatrix allowed after a moment's pause. "No, it is not." She sighed, seemingly both relieved and burdened at the same time. "You are correct about his being reported in stasis, although from what we have learned it was likely self-induced in hopes it would slow the infestation within him. Unfortunately, between the Brood's steady advance upon the Core Systems and the Guard's reduced numbers, we are left with few resources with which to mount another assault."

She paused to look to the Mayor for a moment, who gave a slow, serious nod to the question that passed silently between them. "We no longer believe he can be reached before this infestation has run its course. The instant that occurs, all is lost. He will be mentally linked directly into the Brood's hive consciousness; they will know all he knew, and the Imperium will fall shortly thereafter.

"You are correct that this is not a rescue mission for my father, but rather for the galaxy itself.

"As for why you seven in particular have asked to assist us, well, I won't offer idle flattery by saying it is because each of you is powerful and uniquely suited for this mission."

"You'll have to do a little better than that," Okeyene insisted.

"Each of you has a, a heritage of experience with the Imperium. Your forebears are respected as few others are or might be. We...that is, the Imperiatrix Lilandra has hopes this will stand you in good stead with the Ruling Council. Perhaps even sway a majority to support your own cause."

The seven took several moments to digest this, several looking between each other. Lockheed, Irene and Okeyene were the only exceptions; the girls' eyes were fixed firmly on the trio standing before them, while Lockheed was still studying the hologram of the Broodworld, his tiny fist rubbing the underside of his jaw.

Mayor Rhodes stepped forward again. "As I stated at the beginning, this is an extremely hazardous mission. Nothing will be said if anyone wants to back out." It was the right thing to say, except of course that things would be said, which of course everyone knew. In the end it made no difference. No one stood or made a move to leave.

"Sir?" Rina raised her hand after a moment, the Mayor quickly nodding to her. "What about my brother? He could be a definite asset..."

But Rhodes just shook his head. "Your brother's good, but he doesn't have the training the rest of you do. He hasn't shown he can work with a unit and we haven't had time to gauge his abilities properly." Rina looked ready to argue, but quickly subsided, a silent admission to his logic.

"Anyone else?" Rhodes asked the group.

Silence was his answer.

"Then good luck to all of you." He said nothing further, instead turning on his heel and marching out the conference room's only door, which slid silently closed behind him.

The seven of the Legacy looked over to Shi'ar and privateers, their anticipation practically shinning in the darkened room.

<><><>

Ethership Das Bamf

In Transit

To the untrained eye, Das Bamf appeared to be nothing more exotic than a four-masted, full rigger frigate, the sort that would have been a common enough sight prowling the Spanish Main a century or three back. In the past, her master and commander had always made it a point to dock the vessel along the shores of Lake Namor as if she were no more than an ordinary ship, often with The Blackbird moored beside her.

The fact it now 'sailed' upon rainbow-coloured waves, beneath and equally multicoloured sky, seemed only slightly less strange than the frankly bizarre assortment of characters that constituted the ship's crew. Swarming up and down the forward deck, the yardarms, and masts were an assortment of...well, things that were uniformly humanoid, uniformly short, and to a one wearing the same sailor's gear as befitting the ship itself. The fact each looked like miniature, cartoon-like versions of their captain and each answered to “Mister Bamf” only added to the surreal nature of the ship itself.

The ship's First Mate, Natalia Wagner, stood upon the quarter deck and barked out orders to the dozen-plus “Mister Bamf” swarming about. Her father, the well-nigh-legendary Captain Kurt Wagner, stood at the ship's wheel on the aft-deck, one sure hand upon wheel itself even as he discussed the coming action with young Captain Summers, Gladiatrix, Tempest and Chaos.

Captain Wagner was his usual dashing self, outfitted like the pirate corsairs of old (right down to the absurdly impractical plumed hat perched on his head) while Natalia - better known to most by her code-name Nightshade - was dressed somewhat more sedately in an overly-loose silk blouse and matching dark pants with the legs tucked into low-heeled boots. Both wore sabers at their sides, completing the costumes and making them look significantly more dangerous than the cartoonish crew might otherwise suggest.

The rest of the ship's passengers milled about on the main deck, doing their level best not to get in the way of the crew. In addition to the seven from Little Midgard, Captain Summers, and Gladiatrix, another seven from the StarJammer had accompanied them aboard: Rapier, the cyborg Raza, a statuesque female Skrull, a powerfully built Shi'ar male, two female Shi'ar (one possessing unusually dark skin, the other colored a deep violet), and a muscular leonine male had accompanied their own captain aboard. Introductions between the two sides had been quick and spare, Gladiatrix and Tempest insistent upon a quick departure.

The journey fortunately proved long enough that the various team members could get some measure of each other. The Skrull woman for example went unnamed by her comrades and did not speak herself save only the occasional apology to the crew or those that sought to engage her. She was at various points referred to as “Fantra”; several times one of the crew would brush past her, causing her skin to either ignite into actual fire or harden into orange rock. At an unspoken order from Tempest, Katya and Lockheed remained close to the tall shapeshifter, making no move to reach out but equally remaining within easy reach.

The violet skinned Shi'ar, answering only to the moniker “Deathcry”, spent the voyage alternately checking and re-checking her (amazingly extensive) personal arsenal and exchanging pleasantries with Technix while the latter herself checked and re-checked the many weapons she could form from her technorganic flesh. The dusky-skinned Shi'ar girl – calling herself “War Dove” - joined them after a time, sharpening her many blades or executing some manner of juggling routine with them. Deathcry and Technix in time joined in this play, both smiling but not once laughing.

The male Shi'ar carried neither weapons nor offered any name for himself. Rather, he remained near the base of the mainmast, eyes fixed for whatever reason upon Talon, who stood at the port railing having drawn her wings close to her and attempting to look nonchalant about matters. Rapier joined her after a time, having exchanged several words with Raza and the felinoid male, both of whom were otherwise unable to keep still and were soon stalking up and down the main deck, growling between themselves and the equally hyperactive Wild Thing.

This is not to say all waited in anxious silence. The captains kept the voices low and intense, but otherwise keeping to themselves. The rest tried hard not to listen, not all of the successful.

<><><>

“Impressive.” Candy managed not to jump out of her skin at Rapier’s quiet voice. “Sorry,” the honey-haired woman smiled. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“S’okay,” Candy grinned in return. “’Fraid I’m a bit tense.”

“Really?”

“That obvious?”

Rapier thumbed over her shoulder towards the Shi’ar man and said “I daresay you’ve H’rak over there ready to carry you off belowdecks.”

“Er, is that a good thing or…” Candy felt her cheeks burn as Rapier laughed.

“Oh, lord. You really are innocent, aren’t you?”

“Hey!”

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just…look, H’rak is one of the Centropah Order. His lot are big time worshippers of anything, well, avian.” Rapier leaned in close. “It’s the feathers more than the wings. They’re a big time turn on for him.”

“R…really?” Rapier’s smile actually widened a bit. “You’re having me on, aren’t you?”

“Well, kinda. H’rak is a Centropan, but that just means he’ll watch out for you before anyone else. You so much as wink in his direction and he’ll as likely as not have a coronary on the spot.” Candy actually started to turn, half-ready to try such a prank, when Rapier’s hand on her shoulder held her still. “I’m serious now. H’rak likely thinks you blessed in some fashion, so this whole venture is ordained from the gods. How would you react to meeting a genuine angel?”

Candy found it a tad difficult to focus on the older girl’s words right then for some reason. She felt herself flush, the heat of the latter’s hand on her arm suddenly burning. “I, er…” was all she could say in response.

Rapier glanced over her shoulder, then leaned closer. “Listen, I know this is kinda sudden and all, but would you be interested in a drink after all this?” Candy felt her mouth open and close like a fish at the invitation.

Before she could regain her voice, the ship gave a hard lurch to port. Fortunately it wasn’t severe enough to toss anyone overboard, though several of the crew and passengers had to reach for handholds to steady themselves. The lionine male threw a loud growl back towards the quarterdeck, where Captain Wagner gripped the wheel with both hands now and stared ahead with a look of utmost concentration. “Mister Wagner,” he barked out, Gladiatrix and the others bracing themselves against the turbulence.

“Aye, Captain?” Nightshade rejoined, making her sure-footed way to the quarterdeck.

“Make ready for action, Mister Wagner. All cannon and full canvas.”

“Aye-aye, Captain.” Nightshade’s smile matched her father’s as she turned back and called out “Beat to Quarters, Mister Bamf. Secure the rigging, loose all canvas, and ready both divisions of gunners.”

Tempest stepped to the quarterdeck’s railing and called out “Everyone brace yourselves. We’ll be transitioning into normal space in a few minutes, coming in close to the Brood’s base. Captain Wagner will blow us as large a hole as possible through the surface. From there, we’ll have to fight our way in.”

“Will he be able to blow a deep enough opening?” Technix asked, letting her arms resume their normal humanshape.

It was the previously silent H’rak who answered, his deep voice carrying over the turbulence. “This planetoid is an artificial construct. Its surface is no more than a single shachol thick.”

“That’s about a hundred and thirteen feet,” Rapier translated.

H’rak nodded and continued. “Beneath the surface is an interconnected network of tunnels and passageways. Your term for it would be ‘hummy-clone’…”

“He means ‘honeycomb’,” Rapier again translated.

“Just so. The trick will be to find our way to the breeding chambers proper. We believe that is where they keep the Gladiator’s body.”

“Will we even be able to breath in there?” Wild Thing questioned.

“The Imperial Guard reported there is a breathable oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere within the tunnels and surrounding the planetoid itself.”

Chaos joined Tempest and Corsair at the railing now. “Talon, you, Quantume and Fantra are on recon. You’re to fly ahead and search out the chamber in question. The rest of us will track and follow your progress.”

Candy was clearly taken aback by the mission. Her ‘tracking’ ability, something she definitely hadn’t inherited from her late father, was based more on some vague psychic ability than the physical senses. She’d trained with it every bit as hard as she had with her wings. Unfortunately, it had its limitations. “I…I’ll need something to track him with,” she stammered.

Gladiatrix descended from the quarterdeck and, with great care and reverence, unclasped a simple chain of gold and silver from about her throat and handed it to Talon. “A Life’s Day gift from my father, forged by his own hands,” she said by way of explanation. “Will this be sufficient guide?”

Candy closed her hand around the metal links and shut eyes, concentrating. She nodded after a moment. “It’ll work. I can sense his aura from this.”

Gladiatrix took a single step back and called to them all. “A final favor to ask you all: when the moment comes, and if circumstances allow: I must strike the killing blow.” She raked the assembled team with a penetrating gaze. “I ask this so I might honor him and his service to the Empire. Our mission is paramount, however. No matter what comes or who must strike the blow, Gladiator must die afore he is consumed by the Queen larvae within him.”

The silence that followed this was as sure an affirmation as if they’d all shouted it out.

<><><>

Open Space

Barely a moment later, the sky lost all colour, quickly and completely replaced with an endless canopy of stars. And looming before them all, the desolate and horrific shape of the Brood’s planetoid.

From even that comparatively short distance away, the planetoid looked at first glance to be like any other celestial body, albeit a bit dirtier and lumpier than one would expect a moon to be. They soon saw close up how the massive ring circling it wasn’t made solely of lumps of rock and ice, but of technological detritus and wreckage as well.

Das Bamf ‘sailed’ towards the planetoid with speed not wholly natural. The once-relaxed, even playful atmosphere on the maindeck had vanished with the first sight of the planetoid itself. Neither the ship’s Captain nor First Mate barked or even whispered another order, yet every Mr. Bamf moved quickly to secure rigging, loose canvas sails to their fullest…and roll out antique-yet-impressive cannon.

The StarJammers and Legacy teams were likewise quick to ready themselves. The barrels and shapes of a number of weapons formed from beneath Technix’s overcoat, Deathcry and War Dove both holding their own weapons at the ready, Katya quickly shifting into her armoured form, and Corsair and Rapier drawing their sidearms. The rest of the combined raiding party simply steadied themselves, save H’rak, who moved to stand beside Talon and placed a hand upon her shoulder.

“Where you fly, I shall follow,” he told her in a quiet voice. A short nod was her only response, her focus being upon the slender aural trail stretching from the necklace she clutched.

No-one noticed how Lockheed watched the debris field from his perch on Katya’s broad shoulder, his bright eyes squinting with enormous interest and concentration as they passed a clump of asteroids and rocks. He suddenly gave a quick peck to Katya’s metallic cheek, then launched himself off her shoulder and flew upwards towards the asteroids.

Katya could only watch this in shock as her small friend vanished amongst the debris. Captain Wagner and a few others likewise saw this and exchanged a worried look with her. “You’d better be safe, dragon, or else!” Katya muttered to herself, anger at this seeming desertion making it easier to focus upon what was sure to come.

<><><>

Corsair, who had remained on the quarterdeck alongside Captain Wagner, consulted a hand-held scanner he’d pulled from his pocket. He murmured “Three degrees off the elliptic, sir. That appears to the weakest point.”

“Ja,” Wagner confirmed, his own eyes upon a similar device hovering near his right hand: a floating globe of magickal energies representing the planetoid itself, various sigils and pointers appearing on its surface. “Two broadsides will suffice, I think.”

“Should do,” Corsair affirmed.

“We will hold position at the breachpoint then and provide you cover topside.”

Corsair pursed his lips and asked “And if they seek to board you?”

Captain Wagner simply shrugged, seemingly unconcerned at the possibility. “They will be repulsed. Though should the unheard of happen and we find ourselves overwhelmed, we will crash the ship and link up with you below. Do not worry so, youngster,” Wagner smiled cheerily. “Worry only for your objective, and leave the rest for Natalia and I.”

“I’d have Jeannie stay aboard if I could manage…”

“What would you do? Tie her to mainmast? Ha! She is her father’s daughter,” Wagner reminded him, then called out “Hard to port coming! Hold fast you all! Port gunners, upon my order!” He hastily crossed himself, several others making similar gestures on the deck below, then spun the wheel in his hands several times to the right, the entire ship lurching in the same direction so it ran momentarily parallel with the still-distant surface of the planetoid itself.

“Port guns fire!” Wagner cried out, a full twenty cannon roaring with eldritch fire, balls of which were propelled towards the planet below them. Not missing a beat, Wagner called to Corsair “Captain Summers, a hand if you please?” Together, Corsair and Wagner quickly turned the wheel to the left now, bringing the starboard hull parallel to the planet.

“Starboard! Fire!” Again, twenty guns roared, sending another volley planetbound. The glowing ‘cannon balls’ soon struck the planet, the aim of both broadsides proving true as a massive mushroom cloud erupted on the planet’s surface, a wide crater appearing there once the dust had fully cleared.

“Talon, go!” Tempest barked, Candy jumping and spreading her wings on instinct at the order. She was sailing towards the planet’s surface, zeroing in upon the great crater, before fully realizing it. A fiery meteor accompanied her down, or so it appeared at first glance. A quick glance to her right and she realized, to her momentary shock, was Fantra, her entire body aflame as if she were an adult Jonni Storm. Aleece was at her left, her body aglow with energies nearly beyond comprehension. They kept perfect time with her.

Talon didn’t allow herself to dwell on this small surprise for too long, quickly returning her focus to the fast-approaching crater below them. She instinctively fanned out her wings, modifying her trajectory and speed by intuition, Fantra matching her moves so they were able to glide through the crater and into the caverns below. Both expected to be immediately beset by Brood drones or worse the instant they passed into the world below the surface.

Instead, they were met only by darkness and silence. The former was dispelled, at least a bit, by Fantra summoning a ball of solid flame, which she then hurled further into the tunnels. This momentary illumination was quickly consumed by still more darkness and even more oppressive silence.

Neither woman dared so much as whisper, lest the silence be hiding something still more terrifying.

The rest of the raiding party soon joined them, those needing them wearing soft-humming jet-packs and all of them holding weapons held at the ready. They appeared only slightly less surprised by the lack of opposition right then than the original three were.

Gladiatrix, hovering there under her own power, drifted over to Talon and asked “Which way?” Candy in turn closed her eyes once more, envisioning the empathic trail that connected the chain in her hand to its creator; she was mildly surprised how easy it proved, so strong and clear was the connection.

Without opening her eyes, she flew on and followed the thread deeper into the darkness, the rest following close behind.

<><><>

Above

Back above, Natalia Wagner looked over the ships railing and down towards the crater. With a sigh that was equal parts worry and frustration. She turned to her father, who still stood at the ship’s wheel, and asked “Do you think this will work, pappa?”

“Without doubt, dearheart,” Captain Wagner responded, offering her a rakish, easy grin. “I admit, I do wish there were a few more of them. If only Illyana hadn’t been appointed to that mission in Europe. Still and all, this team here is every bit a formidable as any I myself have served with.”

Natalia simply looked at him. “You realize your answers always get longer the more nervous you really are.”

“Ja.”

“Good. So we’re clear.” Natalia paced the deck for a moment then asked “Where do you suppose the dragon flew off to?”

Captain Wagner shook his head. “No idea. But I know he wouldn’t abandon Katya like that without good cause.”

“Here’s hoping,” Natalia sighed and resumed her watch of the crater below them.

<><><>

Beyond, In The Rings

He flew swiftly through the void, dodging bits of space junk and detritus with an agility born equally of skill and desperation.

He’d recognized this place the instant the hologram of it had appeared, and for the hundredth time since first encountering his first Other, he cursed his inability to communicate with them all beyond the most rudimentary proto-vocalizations. Even the Mindwalkers among them could not establish that most basic link with him.

It was frustrating in the extreme; and at moments such as this, potentially disastrous. They had no idea whatsoever of the hazard they now marched into so brazenly and brilliantly, and he had no way to warn either his new Other or the rest of them way from this folly; for if legend was any true guide, if the whispers heard on the winds of history were even a fraction accurate, their deaths…or worse…were all but assured. Unacceptable! He had already lost his first Other, and now his second risked all in this madness! Unforgivable!

Yes, these circumstances dictated desperate measures. He had to abandon the post he’d chosen, leave his new Other behind for the moment (a well-nigh-unheard-of breach of proper conduct on his part), and dare what no other of his breed had in living memory.

Landing on one of the larger asteroids, he surveyed the rocky terrain, quickly spying his goal. Scampering over the uneven terrain, he soon came to a small pyramid-shaped structure sticking up out of solid rock, its crystalline-like sparkle shinning like a beacon in the desolation surrounding it. In a bit of whimsy, he pressed the side of his head to the object’s surface, glowing eyes shut tight as if to listen for something. Slowly pulling away, he gave a silent sigh and rapped on it three times.

The silence of the void about him seemed to go still, then was split asunder as the rock upon which he stood began to break apart. Lockheed quickly took to the air once more as the entire asteroid destabilized and fractured to dust.

He hovered there calmly as this destructive cycle played itself out.

He somehow remained calm when the cause of that same destruction stood before him, fully revealed…and saw him in return.

<><><>

Below

The really frightening thing about it all was that they hadn’t been attacked yet. In fact, beyond a few multi-legged…somethings…that quickly scuttled out of sight at the team’s passing, they hadn’t encountered another living thing as Talon led them deeper and deeper into the planetoid. The silence and omnipresent shadows that played over the malformed walls worked havoc with their imaginations, both individually and as a collective, as did the undeniable sense they were flying ever deeper into the planetoid itself.

The sense they were being followed, something Wild Thing and H’rak both confirmed without saying a word, didn’t help any either.

And still they flew on, Talon leading them unerringly along the empathic trail she herself followed.

Long minutes or mere hours later – there was no way to tell in this place – they all emerged into a sight undreamt of, save perhaps in nightmares:

A chamber, vaguely circular in shape whose dimensions literally beggared perception, its walls lined completely with puss-green nodules the each pulsed and twitched at irregular intervals. There were other nodules, far larger ones, that hung from massive stalagtites or were perched atop stalagmites far, far above or below from where the team emerged. A few strangely-shaped drones could be seen flittering here and there between the nodules, tending them with emotionless efficiency. The entire chamber pulsed and shuddered with unmistakable yet alien life.

No-one spoke for several moments, the full magnitude of the sight, of where they now were, taking time to fully process.

“By the Eternal,” Gladiatrix breathed.

“No wonder this entire sector was…is…dead,” Corsair muttered, aghast.

Wild Thing sniffed the air, flinching at the assault on her enhanced senses. “Won’t be dead fer much longer,” she growled, ignoring the looks of bewilderment and horror this elicited.

“Abomination!” H’rak whispered, eyes wide.

“There,” Talon said more to herself than the rest. “He’s there!” she called out, louder this time, as she winged her way over to a comparatively small nodule residing alone upon a wide mesa that somehow floated at the center of the chamber itself, seemingly untethered to the walls. H’rak and Fantra were quick to follow, the rest shaking themselves free of their shock and likewise following.

The single nodule was easily taller than any of them, but there was no doubt of it being their objective; the unmistakable and powerful figure of Gladiator was clearly visible within its clear membrane. Strangely, the capsule itself lay within in a metallic cradle of some kind. Quantume and Rapier both were quick to step closer and examine the various bits and pieces to it. “This is weird,” Aleese said, looking first to Rapier then the others.

“And then some,” Jeannie confirmed.

“What?” Gladiatrix demanded, suddenly anxious and fearful.

“Well, unless I miss my guess,” Aleese began, shaking her head. “Naw, it can’t be.”

“’Fraid it is,” Jeannie confirmed with a sigh. “I see a Kree hypershunt generator here. All it needs is some kinda guidance system…”

“Like this omnicore processor over here,” Aleese gestured to a mass of circuitry on her side.

“Yup, put the two of them together, and you’ve got a stargate-capable travel capsule.”

“Precisely,” hissed a new voice from above, its low syllables carrying easily to their ears. The team as one took a step backwards as the massive form of a mature Brood Queen dropped from the ceiling above and landed directly beside the capsule. Rapier and Quantume only barely managed to avoid being impaled by the Queen’s outstretched legs, both scrambling back quickly to rejoin their fellows.

“This one is mine!” the Queen declared, her hissing voice filling the void around them all. She wrapped several legs and arms about the capsule in a blatant and stomach-turning display of affection.

“My father would never join your perversion.” Gladiatrix declared, taking a step forward, only to be halted by Corsair.

“Your father is nothing. You are nothing. You are food for Us.” The Queen stated each point completely matter-of-fact, but leaned in a fraction closer. The team could practically smell her breath at that point; it was even less pleasant than the thick saliva that dribbled from her razor-teeth. “I speak of my successor!”

That brought everyone up short, and several connections clicked into place. “Brilliant plan,” Corsair conceded, clearly getting it first. “You impregnate Gladiator with Queen larvae, instead of a normal Drone…”

Gladiatrix nodded, picking up the narrative in a disturbingly calm voice. “Then shoot his capsule off through hyperspace, presumably deep into Imperium-held space…”

“Where its picked up by what’s left of the fleet or some otherwise hapless trader…” Rapier continued.

Corsair put in “At which point the gestation cycle completes, the new Queen emerges…”

“And the Imperium falls as your forces renew their offensive at precisely the right moment.” Gladiatrix gave a remarkably respectful bow to the Queen. “A truly brilliant stratagem, Your Highness. A pity it is all for naught.”

“Move!” Chaos screamed. The team scattered or flattened as he unleashed a blast of focused cosmic radiation at the Queen, which she dodged with speed and agility her sheer bulk should have made impossible. Fast as she was, her left flank was still singed and one of her wings was burnt clean off. Chaos was about to let loose a second blast when a stinger of solid bone shot out of the air behind him and impaled his left shoulder. He fell with a cry as the stinger lodged there and blood poured from the wound.

“Subdue them!” the Queen called upwards, and the team saw for the first time the swarm of Drone hovering all about them. “I will feed on their bones!”

There were no orders given, no further shouts or calls to action. The various members of the raiding party flew or leapt in all directions at once, save for Gladiatrix (who flew towards the injured Queen), Quantume (who constructed a splint for Zack’s arm and a larger shield for them both), and Chaos (who managed to pull the stinger from his now-useless shoulder amid still more blood).

Tempest quickly summoned strong winds and began building an outright storm, complete with distracting thunder and plenty of lightning.

Fantra alternatively threw fireballs, invisible blades, and fists made of orange-tinged rock this way and that, while Deathcry, War Dove, Technix, and Raza fired their weapons in every direction. A Brood Drone would fall from each strike, only to see yet another or three take its place.

Corsair, Rapier, Alloy, Talon and H’rak fought nearly back to back, alternately shooting and slashing and simply punching or kicking at any Drone that got too close to them. Wild Thing and the leonine Razorclaw were not content to simply hover there and await their prey; both had taken to literally leaping onto Drone after Drone after Drone, lashing out with their wicked claws and drawing blood with each such strike.

Despite the losses the team managed to inflict – by adamantium claw and blaster, by biometal fist and monomolecule-edged blade, by lightning strike and high-energy maser, and a dozen other ways besides – the numbers of the Drones never seemed to thin, their ferocity growing with each of their number that fell away dead or dying.

There was the unspoken realization amongst the raiders that they had little hope of surviving this assault.

<><><>

Gladiatrix was not unaware of the trap they had fallen into. She was simply so momentarily overcome with rage to care.

She'd tackled the Queen, shoving her over the edge of the floating mesa, her only concern at that point being wrapping her two hands about the Queen's neck...and squeezing with all her considerable might.

The Queen lashed out at her attacker with her many legs, each of them bearing three hook-claws every bit as sharp and wicked as Wild Thing's. The pain of those many small hooks raking her back and sides and legs was a small, distant thing; she ignored it, the same way she'd ignored all other pain life had seen fit to inflict upon her in recent years.

They fell together, the Queen unable to concentrate enough to get her wings working and Gladiatrix pushing her downward with as much strength as she was applying to the Queen's massive neck. They fell...and fell...and fell...

And ultimately landed together on the floor of the chamber with a mighty CRUNCH as exoskeleton, bones and brittle incubator membranes cracked and shattered from the impact. Neither combatant immediately rose, the dust and debris from this landing slowly settling about both, the sounds of the battle far overhead the only sound there for a time.

It was the Queen who roused first, albeit slowly and painfully. All but two of her legs were broken or twisted at some unnatural angle, and thick blood leaked from a dozen fractures in her dark exoskeleton. Seeing her attacker remained unmoving, the Queen grinned and looked upwards, that grin widening at the sight of her Drones effectively surrounding and slowly overwhelming the raiders. To her eyes – at least the only one she could still see through – there was no more glorious sight than her people consuming those soft-skinned primitives who believed themselves superior.

So complete was her enjoyment of the spectacle, she was consequently utterly taken by surprise when Gladiatrix's strong hands grasped the sides of her head, and twisted it violently to one side. Shock didn't even have time to register as her central nervous system was severed at its core, the last sight her conscious mind registered before death consumed it being the triumphant look her attacker and killer stared down upon her. The Queen tried to spit one last invective, or cry out for aid, but could not make her voice work Death took her but seconds later, her consciousness flying into the void beyond, her body slacking and collapsing behind this.

Gladiatrix allowed herself several deep, painful breaths, silently reveling in her sudden victory. As a last gesture, she raised her one good arm and loosed a blast of raw fire that the legendary Johnny Storm would have found hard to match; the flames consumed the Queen's entire head in mere seconds, the fire so furious and powerful it shone like a flare in the unnatural light there. This mutation appeared perfectly natural, the result of mixing of genes and bloodlines, and few knew of it. Her mother, may the Eternal welcome and protect her departed soul, had emphasized the need for subterfuge there until she was firmly established within the Guard. Her father had agreed, his worries over honor and the purity of his line long forgotten.

Satisfied the Queen was no more, Gladiatrix refocused her mind and leapt upwards. There was a battle to finish, and the primary objective had to be secured.

<><><>

The raiders barely noticed when Drone's assault faltered, their attackers suddenly loosing all semblance of order and discipline. They buzzed about, colliding with one another and slashing at each other more than the raiders. It was as if the Drones had one and all lost all sense of who or what they were. None of those under attack were under any illusions that this was more than a momentary respite.

Nevertheless, as this went on for several minutes, Corsair risked grabbing hiscommlink and place a desperate call to Captain Wagner on the surface. “Das Bamf, come in.”

“Ja?” Wagner's welcome, yet distracted voice replied.

“It was a trap!” Corsair practically screamed. “We're surrounded! Get out of here and warn the Imperium...”

“I...don't think that vill be necessary, Phillip.” Wagner's accent had thickened, making his words harder to discern.

“Whu...?”

“You hav...reinforcements coming. Secure that rigging, Natalia! I don't vant to be capsized here!”

Corsair was sure he'd misheard. “Reinforcements? Look, Kurt, we're all going to die down here in a few seconds...”

“Very, very little chance of that, I think.” Corsair met his sister's puzzled look. “In fact, I vould gather the team back togezer and...get ready...”

Rapier could stay silent no longer. “Get ready? For what?”

No sooner had the question been asked than the confused buzzing and incoherent cries of the Drones surrounding was drowned out by a still-greater, more powerful roar as their 'reinforcements' literally swooped into the chamber.

All Corsair and the rest could do was stare.

<><><>

The only two of the raiders who had been otherwise spared immediate attack by the Drones were Quantume and the injured Chaos, mainly because both had hugged the ground the instant the Queen had been tackled by Gladiatrix and the defending Drones had more lucrative targets above.

“Keep 'em off me for a few minutes, 'kay?” Quantume hissed to Chaos then started crawling her way to the side of the incubation capsule. Chaos, still feeling a tad woozy and weak from blood-loss, raised no protest as normally might have. He rallied himself and struggled to one knee, watching all about his tow-haired teammate for any threats. He barely noticed how the solid-light barrier she'd erected over them remained in place, effectively shielding him from attack from above.

Once she was at the capsule's side, Quantume extended a hand to the omnicore processor she'd identified earlier, a soft glow like St. Elmo's Fire pulsing over her outstretched arm. Zack could see a stream of alien-looking characters flash over the small device's display screen, but they were meaningless to him. He prayed she knew what she was doing to it, whatever it was.

She was done in just moments, then crawled around to the other side, kneeling there in the open, doing something he couldn't see to the components built in there. He recalled Rapier referring to a Kree hypershunt generator, a particularly dangerous piece of hardware that reportedly rewrote the laws of physics and could pushed an object through hyperspace with enormous, even destructive thrust. If its activation wasn't carefully controlled, the possibilities of disaster were, well, endless.

Now he really prayed she knew what she was doing.

Still, the Brood Drones remained too busy with the rest of their team to notice them. Even when those same Drones lost interest in the raiders and began attacking and harassing each other, Chaos nevertheless remained alert, as there was no telling how long this disorder would last.

Both of them literally jumped in surprise when the air was split by the roar of the newest arrivals. Both peeked carefully over their respective covers to see the source of this, mouths agape at the sight that greeted them.

<><><>

Everyone stared: human, Brood, and all others. It was all they could do as the new arrivals shot into sight, each roaring loudly and collectively shaking everything not nailed down.

Cradled in the hands of the one leading the way was an unusually-intense looking Lockheed, who quickly pointed up towards the group where Alloy hovered alongside the Summers twins, Talon and H'rak. The new arrivals immediately winged their way up towards that group, their speed slacking only slightly as they moved, yet they all still proved able to stop dead as they used their greater size to form a barrier between the raider team and the now slowly re-organizing swarm of Drones. It gave the raiders a chance to quickly study the approaching group.

There only five of them, each a near perfect duplicate of Lockheed...save in size.

Dragons.

Large dragons.

Each of them at most twenty-five feet from blunt nose to diamond-tipped tails, with a wingspan of perhaps just twenty feet. None appeared all that large in comparison to the racket they made as they emerged, their flight swifter and more agile than their wings should have allowed them. The fact they arrayed themselves into so obvious a protective wall left no doubt exactly who had summoned them, or why. Each of the five growled or howled or roared or snarled in a way equally clear in purpose and intention.

Certainly it was clear to the Drone swarm, which likewise were organizing themselves into a more cohesive group, abandoning their attacks upon the raiders completely and withdrawing slightly. Several of small knots of the swarm tried to approach, only to be promptly incinerated by a breath of fire far stronger than anything Gladiatrix or Fantra could have summoned. Each repulsed attack only seemed to embolden the swarm further, new Drones replacing those lost and swelling their numbers. There was no doubt what was coming, and soon.

Wild Thing, Fantra, and the rest quickly flew over to join the others behind the wall of fire-breath saurians. “Didn't know ya had family here, dragon,” Wild Thing growled to Lockheed, who had quickly flown into Katya's waiting arms as soon as his larger counterparts had arrayed themselves into a defensive wall.

“It was a tad convenient, there,” Corsair affirmed. Lockheed's only answer was to offer a very humanlike shrug of his tiny shoulders and snuggled deeper into Katya's powerful arms. Gladiatrix, looking decidedly bloodied and badly worn, flew up to hover beside them all.

“The Queen is dead,” she declared quietly and calmly, giving no sign of any pain.

“Good t'know,” Corsair nodded. “Must've been what threw this swarm into a tizzy a few minutes ago.”

“Did anyone manage to terminate my father yet?” Gladiatrix demanded.

“Sorry,” Rapier shook her head. “We've been too busy keeping ourselves alive up here.”

“Very well. Prepare to cover me as I...”

Whatever she might have said next was interrupted by a frantic Quantume and Chaos, who flew into view and were racing back towards the same entrance they'd come through, all but screaming as they flew “Move! We gotta get outta here! Now!”

“What?”

Quantume paused and turned back to them. “I modified the capsule's equipment. Its gonna blow any minute!”

That was all the rest of the team needed to hear, everyone following Chaos' lead out of the chamber with the giant dragons continuing to block the Brood from contesting their retreat. Soon everyone was heading back to the surface...save one. Gladiatrix remained where she was, clearly torn between which direction to fly right then. Quantume had likewise paused and watched the violet-skinned woman wrestle with competing impulses, throwing out an energy wall that blocked her path back to her father's capsule an instant before she could move in that direction. “What are you doing?!” she shouted.

Gladiatrix looked back and snarled “I must make sure of this!”

“It'll be destroyed, I swear. We gotta go!”

“I...”

“Trust me! I swear upon my father's charge, it will be destroyed!” Never had she invoked Epoch, by either name or implication. Even now, panicked and terrified as she was, she couldn't bring herself to say the Elder One's name. The claim nevertheless had the desired effect.

Gladiatrix abandoned whatever foolhardy plan she had conceived and turned to follow the rest away, Quantume at her side and the five Dragons on their heels.

No sooner had they made it to the chamber's entrance than there was a commotion far behind them; a fast-building hum, followed by a crashing BOOM, followed by a hurricane wind that pulled rather pushed. It was the last that caused Gladiatrix to throw a glare that was both worried and furious towards Quantume. “Did you...?”

“'Fraid so.”

“Are you mad, girl?!”

“Probably! Time t'book!” With that, the both of them poured on the speed, actually having to concentrate to maintain it against the gravitational force seeking to pull them back. The Dragons were only just behind them, neither appearing the slightest bit bothered by it all. The rest of the tunnel was not as fortunate, whole chunks of it being pried loose and falling backwards: Drones and servitors who had been in hiding, pieces of bio-tech, stray metal, other things those fleeing were too busy to notice or identify, all of it pulled back through the tunnel, all of it with increasing speed.

<><><>

Above

The seven of them emerged into open space to a sight that gave even the Dragons momentary pause: the planetoid's surface was slowly distorting, collapsing inwards, as if some great, invisible hand were crumpling it like a piece of thin paper.

Gladiatrix threw yet another glare towards Quantume, which was completely ignored, and put all her concentration towards reaching the barely-stationary ethership hovering just metres away. It was harder than she imagined, the gravitational collapse of the planetoid below proving frighteningly hard resist. She actually had to grab Quantumes's arm and hold her from being pulled back herself, which did little to help her own progress.

The Dragon's again came to their rescue, the one closest to them easily grabbing hold and defying the pull of the cataclysm that had consumed the planetoid. Before either realized it, they were deposited in the deck of the Das Bamf by their saurian savior, his four compatriots busy pushing the bow of the ship away from the singularity that appeared to be forming beneath them all. Seeing what they were doing, Captain Wagner threw a grateful look towards Lockheed and bellowed “Mr. Bamf! Strike all sails, unt break out the oars! Vee must pull through this maelstrom!”

“Aye-aye, Mein Kaptain!” one or a dozen of the crewmembers called back, all of them quickly scampering over the masts and untying the sails or quickly scampering belowdecks to take up their oars.

The raiders for their part held onto each other or whatever they could grasp to as the ethership lurched this way and that for several seconds as the destruction of the planetoid continued. Several of the sails fell victim of asteroids and rocks from the rings that were drawn into the gravity well, as did the upper parts of the mainmast and mizzenmast. Several of the crewmembers were knocked from their unsteady perches above, only a few of them finding handholds or actually falling to the deck; the rest were pulled into the void, and from there, the gravitational abyss.

Neither the Captain nor First Mate, nor any of the raiders could spare more than a moment to mourn those lost.

Somehow the ethership weathered the storm without further damage or losses. By the time the gravity storm died down, what was left of the now-destroyed planetoid’s rings had been reformed into an amorphous cloud of debris in otherwise empty space. Beyond the modest damage the ethership had suffered and the presence of the five large Dragons, as well as the various injuries of the raiding party themselves, there was otherwise no sign the ship or its crew and guests had seen battle.

Several of the crew, now wearing small white smocks with red crosses embossed upon them, moved amongst the injured raiders and offered what aid they could bandaging wounds and the like. Without a word spoken aloud, Captain Wagner and his First Mate moved to ready the ship for departure, sails unfurled once more and the void of open space quickly giving way to the multicoloured sky and waves of Outer Limbo, their ‘escort’ of Dragons following them without pause or difficulty.

<><><>

Ethership Das Bamf

In Transit

Captain Wagner waited until they were well away from normal space and in transit before surrendering the ship’s wheel to his daughter, then stomping down from the quarterdeck to where the raiders sat or stood and demanded “Vat in hell vas that!”

To a one, the raiding party were too exhausted to do more than look up and primarily shrug. At another glare from Gladiatrix, Quantume pushed herself up and stated “That…is what happens when you fire a Kree hypershunt at full power…without first inputing a set of exit coordinates into its guidance system.”

Corsair, Rapier, Gladiatrix, Deathcry, and Technix all looked at her as if she had suddenly grown a third head. “Are you joking?” Technix asked in a slightly strangled voice.

Quantume shook her head and gestured towards the paling Gladiatrix. “No I’m not, and she already asked if I was crazy.”

“I thought you set it to detonate, not activate!”

“There wasn’t time, and even if I could have, the explosion would’ve wiped out the entire sector. Us included!”

Seeing how Corsair was rubbing his temples, hard, and the way the rest seemed ready to simply faint dead away, Captain Wagner cleared his throat and asked “I take it, this was a bad thing she did?”

“It…we could have…I…” was all Corsair could say before embarking on another round of temple-rubbing.

“Basically, sir, I had the incubation capsule containing the target shoot itself into hyperspace, but the entrance point remained open. That formed temporary a mini-singularity, which is what destroyed the planetoid.” Quantume shrugged. “Sorry if I scared everyone.”

“Wait,” Gladiatrix said. “You said you ‘activated’ the hypershunt, yes? That means it in flight!”

“Sure.”

“Into Shi’ar space?!”

“Gods, no! I told you I wiped its guidance system clean. The only place that capsule is going is the Big Crunch. Here, I can show you its progress.” With that, Aleece waved a hand and a holographic graphical display appeared before them all, with a line slowly tracing downwards from the upper left corner towards the lower right. Quantume explained this was a simple, 2-D representation of sub-space itself, with the lower right corner representing the Heat Death of the current physical universe. The moving line represented the capsule’s progress towards the terminal point.

“How can we be sure this won’t saddle the next universe with another Galactus?” Corsair asked. “I mean, the Devourer was a survivor of the previous continuum, right?”

“Technically, Galan of Taa was just the physical host the raw energy that composed his native continuum. There’s no indication that was more than a fluke. Anyway, the capsule should drop out of hyperspace a few seconds prior to the Big Crunch, at which point it’ll be obliterated as the cosmic cycle starts all over again.”

“Are you sure of this?” Gladiatrix insisted. “We dare not risk…”

“Sure I’m sure. See, he’s almost there…” The line tracing the capsule’s path suddenly blinked out. “Oh, wow…”

“Wow? Wow!” Corsair and Gladiatrix both sounded on the edge of hysteria. “Where is it?”

“I think…hang on…” Quantume dispelled the graphical hologram and closed her eyes. “Okay, I see it…geez. It seems like it…collided with something…”

“In sub-space? Isn’t that impossible?” Rapier asked, clearly skeptical at the prospect; Corsair and the others wrestling with outright apoplexy and couldn’t speak right then. Quantume simply shrugged.

“You’d think, right? Guess not.”

“How…how do you know all this?”

“My dad’s bonded to the Quantum Bands, and my mom’s a walking embodiment of the Uncertainty Principle. Believe me, I know. Now shush a minute, I’m tryin’ to track where it got to…there!” She turned back to them and grinned, eyes still closed. “Found it. It was knocked completely out of sub-space, but well away from the Imperium or any other major…er…”

“What now?” Tempest groaned.

“I think…hold on…” A new hologram sprang to life before them all, this one a 3-D representation of the Milky Way. “Okay, it exited here…coordinates from Continuum Point Zero A4-36893564226-Berus-Sig-Daaxtur…40 degrees off the elliptic…oh, shit, its entering the lower spiral arm…” As she spoke there was a small flare near the edge of one of the great spiral arms of the galaxy, followed by a streak of light barely visible amid star’s multitude.

“This is real time?” Chaos asked quietly.

“Yeah, yeah…okay, it’s decelerating…heading against galactic body center 5-by-89-by-kohl-kohl-by-2 against the elliptic…oh, Eternals…no…”

Quantume’s voice died down as the project closed in on the capsule’s path. Everyone – human and otherwise, large and small – could see precisely where it was headed: a small, out of the way solar system. One with a single yellow star at its center circled by ten satellites of varying sizes and densities.

“Ancestors, no!” Gladiatrix breathed in horror.

The capsule zipped past the outermost planets - cold and barren as each was - then past two great giants - one with spectacular rinds about it, the other its course a gas giant with a raging red spot in its southern hemisphere. With its passage by each planet, its course was bent and redirected. By the time it passed the smaller fourth planet, there was no doubt of its final destination.

“Mein gott,” Captain Wagner murmured, crossing himself.

The capsule’s trajectory took it to the third planet of the solar system, one whose blue surface and modest landmasses were all too familiar to them all.

“Planetfall,” Quantume stated flatly, the line vanishing as the planet’s familiar surface zoomed in close. The hologram faded away a moment later, and Quantume looked at them with bleak eyes.

“Earth.”

<><><>

North America

22 Kilometers southwest of the Montreal ruins

Lauren Howlett was abruptly wakened out of her sleep by the distant ‘boom’ and the gentle earth tremor that accompanied it. She hastily got to her feet, nearly entangling herself in the loose folds of her sleeping bag, only barely resisting the urge to pop her claws and simply hack her way out.

They’d been marching for days, heading northwest at a pace you’d think Stark had his entire army out looking for them. No-one dared complain, of course, and her ‘father’ had made damned sure they didn’t loose anyone in the process. Still, this was the first time in days he’d let them just rest. God knew the rest of their rag-tag band of mutates and refugees had been so exhausted most had conked right out, her father keeping watch over them all and refusing rest himself.

Freeing herself of the sleeping bag, Lauren half-expected to see some scout craft or marauding tripod bearing down on them all, but all was quiet. She saw her father standing a short ways off looking towards the horizon. She didn’t try to hide or conceal her approach; it never worked anyway, him being the best at what he did after all.

Drawing up beside him, she whispered “What was that?”

“Felt that, did ya?” Wolverine replied with a hidden smile. “Jus’ somethin’ fallin’ t’earth, about two klicks that way.”

“Transport? Satellite?”

“Not heavy enough,” Wolverine stated with a short shake of his shaggy head. He was a half-foot shorter than her, yet carried himself with easy authority. “Looked like a meteor. Probably jus’ a piece o’space rock.” He sighed and threw a thumb over his shoulder. “We’ll check it out inna mornin’. Back t’bed w’you.”

“You sure?”

“Beat it, kiddo. I want us in Monty by weeks end.”

Lauren grinned and gave him an impulsive peck on the cheek before turning away and going back to her sleeping bag. She was sleep in seconds, and didn’t wake until dawn’s first light.

To be concluded…

Comments and the like can be directed to yankee_pendragon@hotmail.com See ya soon.