"There and Back Again"
It is not possible to fully explore space. The very word explains why, for it is empty and vast, with only the occasional speck of matter to be found. Only by the greatest luck is anything discovered, and the farther the distance the odds rapidly reduce. Even in the year 3000, with the most cutting edge of technology available, it is estimated that just a small percentage of the Sol system has been accurately mapped.
That includes objects only detected. Many of these objects, including the recently named planet Heracles, have yet to be explored in any manner. Probes had not been sent until a few decades ago. When those went silent, a proper investigation was decided on. The Avengers were assembled.
Binary approached the super-massive planet from two directions. They were both drawing on gravity, increasing the speed of their approach to nearly light speed. At that distance from the sun, natural light was virtually non-existent, but they could feel a great deal with gravimetric pulses.
“Things are moving down there,” B-1 said through trans-pathic relay.
“The strength and durability required is enormous,” said B-2.
“Almost equal to our own,” B-1 concurred.
Binary closed with one another as they neared Heracles. At two hundred miles away they were less than a mile apart and within sight of each other, were sight possible. Suddenly it was, as great explosions of light, heat and force erupted across that surface of Heracles. Binary drifted farther apart and drew on heat to protect themselves. One eruption of power enveloped half of Binary, sending her careening toward the surface.
“I am going down and am in pursuit,” B-1 cried out.
Aboard the interstellar Quinjet, still thousands of miles from Heracles, the assembled Avengers heard their teammate in distress. A gloved hand of Black Valkyrie’s tightened over her Ebony Blade’s hilt. Bao Bao moved her paws from communication to propulsion and prepared the starship’s thrust. A few inches had gained on Vespula’s form, a sign that she was nervous. Power Fist remained in the pose of medication, calmly holding a special lantern in both her hands.
“You are to maintain current speed and seek additional reports,” said Power Fist to Bao Bao. “We are not all to rush in with little information.”
“Those are our friend and she may be in danger,” argued Bao Bao.
“Binary is capable of watching out for each other,” said Black Valkyrie. “Binary, please update as to status.”
“I live and live.” Bursts of heat and gravity were erupting from B-2’s hands, but the creatures were still approaching. It was luck and skill that she’d arrested her descent to avoid crashing against Heracles’ surface. Had that happened the…things would have skittered over her. By the way they were flying toward her, unaffected by the Binary power, B-2 would not have long survived the crash.
“We fight machines!” B-1 yelled as Binary approached itself. “Composed of heavy-density metals that protected from our gravity and heat. Moderate propulsion capability but expected massive strength.”
“We would rather not know firsthand,” said B-2 as she gained altitude. That Binary could outmaneuver these creatures was not in question. Beams of energy shot from their front cavities however, and one brushed past B-2. “Though creatures appear mechanical, they seem capable of mental attacks. Psi-armor is hard-pressed against encephalo-beams!”
“Encephalo…” The lantern in Power Fist’s hands went dim. Their leader’s luminescent form appeared in the cabin’s center, forcing their eyes to adjust. “Bao Bao, pull up a visual on screen.”
“But out here there is-”
“Those explosions should provide sufficient light,” declared Captain Marvel. “On screen, now!”
A switch was activated, and the massive view-screen displayed what cameras outside the Quinjet captured. That far from the sun, nothing should have been visually picked up, but Captain Marvel had been right. Heracles was illuminated by the explosions on its surface, which came to resemble a face not unlike a jack o’lantern. That dead expression of hatred was one that Captain Marvel knew well.
“Ultron.”
On reflex, Black Valkyrie unsheathed her Ebony Blade. “impossible! It was destroyed centuries ago, the code purged from all files!”
“Apparently not,” said Vespula. She was now nearly a foot in height, torn between genetic memories. “It went deep into the dark, found a place to hide, and has been slowly building.”
“It would find no lack of materials out here,” Bao Bao said. “There may even be meteors of Vibranium out here. Wakanda sent probes to find out, but apparently Ultron destroyed them.”
“We must now make all haste to aid Binary,” said Power Fist.
“Agreed.” Captain Marvel vanished in a burst of light, but her final orders remain. “Gird yourselves for battle, my Avengers.”
Binary collided with itself, and the result was the reason she is required to remain two thousand feet apart near any settled planet. A new sun briefly appeared on Heracles. Hyper-gravity pulled the Ultron drones into it, feeding the reaction that gave off mega-heat that vaporized the dozens of drones that were too near. Most were only slightly melting however, and they were all firing encephalo beams.
“Aargh!” For the first time ever, Binary could not maintain the form. Forced apart, they now found Ultrons on all sides. Unleashing all the gravity and heat they would separately capable of, they cried out in unison. “Fall, you twisted abomination!”
Not one of the drones even vaguely resembled a humanoid. But as they’d closed in around Binary, restraining them with multiple pincers, a number of them assembled together into a bipedal shape. This was the rudimentary form of Ultron, glaring at the two Avengers with a fiery hatred.
“I am simply a reflection of my creator. After I’ve killed you, the rest of his imperfect species will die, and I will freely evolve.”
“If this is the best you could be after a thousand years,” B-1 began.
“After another thousand you won’t hold a candle to us,” finished B-2.
“Candles flicker and snuff out.” Ultron’s limbs extended over Binary, washing nannies over and into them. Gravity repelled, heat disabled, but they kept coming, and Binary screamed and screamed. “Embrace the black oblivion.”
“That’s what she said.” A fist like unto enlightenment smashed through Ultron’s form. The mythical might of Power Fist exploded outward, scattering the machines away from Binary. “We are here, but will last minutes at most outside the Quinjet.”
“You will be warm and stable,” said Binary in unison. They flew up, to be away from the main fighting. Binary’s purpose now would be to provide life support to their teammates, heat in the cold void of space, and countering the powerful gravity of Heracles.
Binary rose past the Quinjet as Bao Bao, Vespula and Black Valkyrie dropped from it, seconds before Ultron’s drones blew it apart. A propulsion belt controlled Black Valkyrie’s descent, the holographic projection of a winged black stallion to be astride was for the sake of nostalgia. Vespula had shrunk to the size of an insect and sprouted wings, one of a swarm of thousands of specially modified insects that she carried around. Bao Bao simply crashed onto the surface of Heracles, into the horde of Ultron.
Paws of massive strength achieved what gravity pulses couldn’t, smashing metal apart. The powerful panda Avenger roared, the sonic vibrations liquifying circuitry. Encephalo beams proved harmless against the mix of psi-armor and natural serenity, while the suppressed savagery of generations ripped machines asunder. But still the Ultrons kept coming.
“Away, you foul appliances!” In all its history, only a very few metals withstood the Ebony blade, and Ultron’s drones was not made of any of them. Black Valkyrie flew through the seemingly endless army. Those that didn’t fall immediately upon being cleaved broke against mystical armor and Asgardian skin. But as those pieces fell to the ground, countless tiny machines reassembled them, and Ultron’s continuously rejoined the fight.
Vespula continued to shrink as she flew into the midsts of micro-machines. At nearly the size of a grain of sand, she triggered and EMP that cascaded throughout her insect swarm. Though small in area, the effect was magnified a thousand-fold, beyond any shielding Ultron possessed. The insects then scattered about, spreading the plague of electro-magnetic death amongst the billions of nano-bots in the two-foot radius.
“Is this what Avengers are now?” Ultron laughed as it battled against Power Fist. For every kick or punch that destroyed it’s form, another sprung up in seconds to continue the fight. “You come together but fight alone, while I draw on the resources of a planet to overwhelm you!”
The next punch or kick from Power Fist was slightly slower than the last, while more of Ultron’s blows were striking against skin that wasn’t quite steel-hard. Enough drones had gotten inside Black Valkyrie’s swing to immobilize her arm, and they were now swarming over her as they soon would to Bao Bao. Vespula had now exploded to giant-size, her insects now spread to miles all around.
“In your panic you reduce the effects of your bio-pulse,” said Ultron to the giant mockery of a creator. “My processes slow but do not cease. You will fall last, and I will ride your carcass to Earth!”
“That may be the case if you were only fighting the five of us,” Vespula said with a grin. “But the truth is, we’re only a distraction. And that isn’t me slowing you down.”
“What…kckcchk!” Ultron convulsed, and finally shattered apart into drones that flew about wildly.
“You were meant to think that,” Vespula continued. “We wanted you focused on the external threat, and not the invasion to your own programming.
“Immm…p-p-ossi-ble!” Dozens of drones were screaming at once, giving the impression of mad rantings. “Quuuaan…t-t-tum encri-cri-yption…unbeeereaka-a-able!”
“You’ve been away for a few centuries, so you must not have heard.” Billions of points of light erupted from the multitude of machines, forming into a massive Captain Marvel. “Photonic decryption is all the rage, and Ultron, I just hacked your ass.”
# # # # # # # # # #
“It really was nice of Ultron to build us a new Quinjet,” said Bao Bao from her new, reclining pilot’s chair. She was piloting the craft back to Earth utilizing warp speed, as even light speed would take days between Heracles and Earth.
“A great pity it could not recreate the shielded vessel for Captain Marvel.” Power Fist looked at the screen for a point of light that was no longer visible. Binary was following at a slightly faster pace, as on either side of the Quinjet they were able to ride the edges of warp travel.
“She wanted a few more minutes with Ultron anyway,” said Vespula. “To refine the programming. As Ultron rebuilds what it took from Heracles and the surrounding meteors, it’s base code with slowly degrade. In a few years, it will finally cease to be, and Heracles will be ready for proper mining operations.”
“A most glorious victory we have won this day,” declared Black Valkyrie. “Though it was lucky indeed that we learned of the threat when we did.”
Vespula nodded. “Yes, from what Captain Marvel saw in the code, Ultron was planning to fire a hyper-spatial cannon at Earth. In a few weeks it would have taken its shot, and the devastation would have been incalculable.”
“I’ll show you then math once we’re on Earth,” Bao Bao said. “All right. We’ve passed Neptune, and Binary has broken away. Taking us out of warp…now!”
As usually, Bao Bao’s calculations were correct, even compensating for the new ship. Their Quinjet entered normal space just before reaching Earth’s atmosphere. The grand mega-city of Beijing was in sight, with a great gaping scar cut through the center of it. Power Fist leapt to her feet, and Bao Bao could not suppress her gasp.
“Open all frequencies!” Vespula shouted, shivering with a cold fury. “How could this have happened? Where are the Defenders!?”
Bao Bao scanned frequencies, but it was Power Fist who spoke. “Disturbances are centered at the ionic fusion lab.”
After years of irresponsible experiments with ionic energy, the zombie apocalypse of 2746 had led to an almost complete ban. Any research into ionic energy was strictly controlled, and at present the only studies were into its use in achieving fusion reaction. A break thru was rumored to be thirty years away.
The Quinjet hurtled toward the lab, and soon the Avengers saw the disturbance. A large man, powerfully built and dressed in a black and white costume, with a red and yellow cape, was battling nearly a dozen super-humans. Or, to be more accurate, he was battling two super-humans while the others were scattered on the ground, unconscious or worse. As the Avengers approached, another fell and only one of those they knew as the Defenders fought.
“That’s a descendent of Franklin Richards,” said Vespula. “Who could be strong enough to battle one of them?”
“One that needs to be stopped.” Black Valkyrie drew the Ebony Blade. “We should summon Binary.”
“Nothing justifies Binary in the atmosphere,” said Bao Bao. “Until Captain Marvel arrives, it’ll be up to us.”
Power Fist nodded, and opened the Quinjet doors. “Avengers Assemble.”
# # # # # # # # # #
White lightning crackled from Count Nefaria’s eyes and washed over the young woman. He was powerful, maybe even as powerful as Thor, but Nefaria knew it wasn’t a match for him. And a second later he was proven right as, with a cry of pain, the man collapsed to the ground.
“Hmmph, and these were Earth’s Defenders?” Count Nefaria chuckled. He then turned to the lab below, and the great crackling reservoir of ionic power inside. “I may not even need this. I already have power enough to-”
The blast of a pulse cannon staggered Count Nefaria. He looked up, and saw a large panda falling toward him, carrying massive guns in each hand. Behind and above were three other women, all dressed for battle. “Ah, you must be the Avengers.”
“And you’re pulp.” As she was saying that, Vespula was growing to enormous size. She smashed a fist the size of a bus at Count Nefaria. Unfazed, he took hold of the fist, and threw Vespula toward a cluster of skyscrapers.
“How many people do you think she’ll crush?” Count Nefaria asked with a laugh.
“None because she already shrank you fool!” Black Valkyrie flew at Count Nefaria with the Ebony Blade bare. In the distance, Vespula in fact did more than shrink, literally exploding into a massive swarm composed of millions of insects that scattered harmlessly through the air. They had turned to go back to Count Nefaria, but may be too late as the Ebony Blade sliced clean through him.
“Arghh!” Count Nefaria looked down at the gaping wound on his chest, ionic energy leaking out. “That hurt me? How could you have hurt me!?”
“The Ebony Blade has many properties. For instance…” Black Valkyrie tilted the sword as Count Nefaria reached for it. “I now see that you are energy, and at the right angle the Ebony Blade absorbs energy.”
“Nooooooo!” With that helpless scream, Count Nefaria was sucked into the Ebony Blade, not coming close to quenching its endless thirst. Power Fist and Bao Bao slowed to a halt near Black Valkyrie.
“Wow, that was easy,” said Bao Bao.
“Yes, I did expect more,” said Black Valkyrie. “A lucky chance indeed that my weapon was well-suited to…to…”
Crackling energy flowed from the Ebony Blade and throughout Black Valkyrie’s body. A dangerous glow of ionic energy was present in her eyes, and she laughed with a voice of Count Nefaria’s.
“Oh please, I learned to deal with absorption from Thor’s hammer. This paltry weapon is no match for me. Though it seems to have some uses.”
Count Nefaria swung the Ebony Blade, release energy from its tip. This blast of power struck Bao Bao, and she fell crashing against the lab building. Power Fist cried out in rage.
“Monster! You may have just killed the last panda!”
Count Nefaria laughed and flew toward Power Fist. “Not quite as much fun as the first one I killed. That was such a great hunting trip. For you however I’ll go a more traditional route.”
Born into aristocracy, Count Luchino Nefaria was well-versed in the art of fencing. The Ebony Blade was a different kind of sword however, and in Black Valkyrie’s body his swing was unwieldy. Power Fist easily moved inside the swing and struck her possessed teammate in the chest with the palm of a chi-infused hand. Count Nefaria had begun to laugh, delighted at the harm his opponent would be doing to an ally.
But immediately after, Count Nefarious was groaning with effort. The ionic energy that he was composed off found itself forced out of Black Valkyrie, expelled through the Ebony Blade. The freed Avenger went limp, supported by Power Fist.
"Such aggression cannot abide the purifying truth on K’un Lun," said Power Fist. "You a may strike now, Vespula."
"Gladly." A swarm of light eating moths, with Vespula at their center, flew into the reconstituted Count Nefaria. He gave a cry at the brief sensation of pain. Black Valkyrie took the moment to recover and remain airborne without Power Fist's support.
"I see one means to contain this villain." Black Valkyrie held out the Ebony Blade in offering. “We know I cannot contain his foul evil, but you can. At least long enough to sheathe the sword and ensure he’ll never escape.”
Power Fist did not consider the offer before shaking her head. “Loss of such a weapon, and a true Avenger, is too great a sacrifice. We shall find another way.”
Flying down past them was Count Nefaria, furiously swatting at Vespula’s swarm at hyper speed. Grown to nearly thumb-size, Vespula was away from the swarm and flew between Power Fist and Black Valkyrie. “The ionic fusion reactor is what he’s after. I say we give him an up close look.”
Her teammates understood the plan. Power Fist held up a glowing fist. “I’ll create a safe entrance.”
“And I’ll see that he’s herded.” Black Valkyrie flew down at Count Nefaria, blade swinging. From instinct, he twisted to avoid a cut, straight into the Asgardian woman’s fist. While the blow’s strength did not match one from Thor, Count Nefaria was staggered. “Vile thing! Your primitive power has been found hopelessly wanting!”
Count Nefaria threw a punch but, well-experienced in the use of her propulsion belt, Black Valkyrie easily avoided it. “Foolish words from one of an ancient race, wielding an ancient weapon. I’ve been awake and observing this era for months! Who do you think tipped you off to Ultron’s plans?”
“So you admit your fear.” Black Valkyrie saw that Power Fist and smashed a hole through the roof of the fusion lab, and Vespula had carried away the debris with thousands of flying ants. “We shall prove that justified, for the Avengers have ever vanquished-”
A punch landed, and Black Valkyrie was knocked into the lab. Count Nefaria followed through the hole that had already been there. “Arrogant children, it wasn’t you I sought to remove, but Captain Marvel! Of all those I’ve fought before, only she’s survived to this era, with first-hand knowledge that could have proved my undoing. But now she’s days away, and with the reactor’s power I’ll crush her like a gnat.”
“My teammate would resent that remark.” Power Fist flew at Count Nefaria and, with a simple judo flip, sent him flying uncontrollably at the ionic fusion reactor. “And if you desire this power so much, by all mean’s have it!”
The moment Count Nefaria entered the reactor’s chamber, Vespula was on hand to turn it on. Super-excited ionic particles flooded the chamber, bombarding Count Nefaria and in-turn exciting his own energy particles. It look less than a nano-second for him to lose cohesion and flow with the other particles into plasma, held in place by powerful magnets.
“This won’t be maintained for long,” Vespula said. “We can only hope that, once the ionic energy is dispersed, his sentience will be lost.”
“We can’t take that chance!” Captain Marvel had suddenly appeared, hovering over the reactor in the form of high particles. “I can feed power to the reaction to maintain containment, but we have to get this off-world.”
“We are glad that Binary managed to get your here so quickly,” said Power Fist.
One of Binary emerged through the hole. “We had only ever accelerated natural light with gravity waves before, but Captain Marvel felt the situation warranted the risk. Once the reactor is freed from Earth’s atmosphere, together I will send it into the sun.”
“That endless fusion reaction should hold Count Nefaria for at least another thousand years.” Captain Marvel flew up and vaporized a section of the roof, big enough for the reactor to follow her through. “Two world-ending threats foiled in one day. This was good work, team.”
# # # # # # # #
The briefings and celebrations that followed were exhausting for Captain Marvel. She arrived at Avengers headquarters far ahead of her teammates, eager to finally get some rest. Formless light passed easily through the window of her private quarters, and a holographic illusion of humanity walked along the carpeted floor.
“I regret to inform you that Bao Bao expired thirty-eight minutes ago.” The disembodied voice belonged to J.A.R.V.I.S., the computerized personal assistant to the Avengers. “The cloning process has already begun.”
“Thank you.” Captain Marvel didn’t understand the appeal, but the presence of a panda raised public approval of the Avengers by 280%. “Once the alarm is set, disable all alerts until the hour has expired.”
“I am well versed in the protocol.”
“Yes, yes, of course.” As immaterial energy, Captain Marvel settled herself into the sealed, specialized sleep chamber. “I’m just so damned tired.”
Eyes closed, Captain Marvel allowed herself to relax. Light became flesh, and the powerful leader of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes became a frail elderly woman. Energy couldn’t age, but also couldn’t be maintained indefinitely. About an hour each day was best, and so over the course of a thousand years a woman aged only fifty.
“Pleasant dreams, Captain,” said the ever present, ever loyal, J.A.R.V.I.S.
END
That includes objects only detected. Many of these objects, including the recently named planet Heracles, have yet to be explored in any manner. Probes had not been sent until a few decades ago. When those went silent, a proper investigation was decided on. The Avengers were assembled.
Binary approached the super-massive planet from two directions. They were both drawing on gravity, increasing the speed of their approach to nearly light speed. At that distance from the sun, natural light was virtually non-existent, but they could feel a great deal with gravimetric pulses.
“Things are moving down there,” B-1 said through trans-pathic relay.
“The strength and durability required is enormous,” said B-2.
“Almost equal to our own,” B-1 concurred.
Binary closed with one another as they neared Heracles. At two hundred miles away they were less than a mile apart and within sight of each other, were sight possible. Suddenly it was, as great explosions of light, heat and force erupted across that surface of Heracles. Binary drifted farther apart and drew on heat to protect themselves. One eruption of power enveloped half of Binary, sending her careening toward the surface.
“I am going down and am in pursuit,” B-1 cried out.
Aboard the interstellar Quinjet, still thousands of miles from Heracles, the assembled Avengers heard their teammate in distress. A gloved hand of Black Valkyrie’s tightened over her Ebony Blade’s hilt. Bao Bao moved her paws from communication to propulsion and prepared the starship’s thrust. A few inches had gained on Vespula’s form, a sign that she was nervous. Power Fist remained in the pose of medication, calmly holding a special lantern in both her hands.
“You are to maintain current speed and seek additional reports,” said Power Fist to Bao Bao. “We are not all to rush in with little information.”
“Those are our friend and she may be in danger,” argued Bao Bao.
“Binary is capable of watching out for each other,” said Black Valkyrie. “Binary, please update as to status.”
“I live and live.” Bursts of heat and gravity were erupting from B-2’s hands, but the creatures were still approaching. It was luck and skill that she’d arrested her descent to avoid crashing against Heracles’ surface. Had that happened the…things would have skittered over her. By the way they were flying toward her, unaffected by the Binary power, B-2 would not have long survived the crash.
“We fight machines!” B-1 yelled as Binary approached itself. “Composed of heavy-density metals that protected from our gravity and heat. Moderate propulsion capability but expected massive strength.”
“We would rather not know firsthand,” said B-2 as she gained altitude. That Binary could outmaneuver these creatures was not in question. Beams of energy shot from their front cavities however, and one brushed past B-2. “Though creatures appear mechanical, they seem capable of mental attacks. Psi-armor is hard-pressed against encephalo-beams!”
“Encephalo…” The lantern in Power Fist’s hands went dim. Their leader’s luminescent form appeared in the cabin’s center, forcing their eyes to adjust. “Bao Bao, pull up a visual on screen.”
“But out here there is-”
“Those explosions should provide sufficient light,” declared Captain Marvel. “On screen, now!”
A switch was activated, and the massive view-screen displayed what cameras outside the Quinjet captured. That far from the sun, nothing should have been visually picked up, but Captain Marvel had been right. Heracles was illuminated by the explosions on its surface, which came to resemble a face not unlike a jack o’lantern. That dead expression of hatred was one that Captain Marvel knew well.
“Ultron.”
On reflex, Black Valkyrie unsheathed her Ebony Blade. “impossible! It was destroyed centuries ago, the code purged from all files!”
“Apparently not,” said Vespula. She was now nearly a foot in height, torn between genetic memories. “It went deep into the dark, found a place to hide, and has been slowly building.”
“It would find no lack of materials out here,” Bao Bao said. “There may even be meteors of Vibranium out here. Wakanda sent probes to find out, but apparently Ultron destroyed them.”
“We must now make all haste to aid Binary,” said Power Fist.
“Agreed.” Captain Marvel vanished in a burst of light, but her final orders remain. “Gird yourselves for battle, my Avengers.”
Binary collided with itself, and the result was the reason she is required to remain two thousand feet apart near any settled planet. A new sun briefly appeared on Heracles. Hyper-gravity pulled the Ultron drones into it, feeding the reaction that gave off mega-heat that vaporized the dozens of drones that were too near. Most were only slightly melting however, and they were all firing encephalo beams.
“Aargh!” For the first time ever, Binary could not maintain the form. Forced apart, they now found Ultrons on all sides. Unleashing all the gravity and heat they would separately capable of, they cried out in unison. “Fall, you twisted abomination!”
Not one of the drones even vaguely resembled a humanoid. But as they’d closed in around Binary, restraining them with multiple pincers, a number of them assembled together into a bipedal shape. This was the rudimentary form of Ultron, glaring at the two Avengers with a fiery hatred.
“I am simply a reflection of my creator. After I’ve killed you, the rest of his imperfect species will die, and I will freely evolve.”
“If this is the best you could be after a thousand years,” B-1 began.
“After another thousand you won’t hold a candle to us,” finished B-2.
“Candles flicker and snuff out.” Ultron’s limbs extended over Binary, washing nannies over and into them. Gravity repelled, heat disabled, but they kept coming, and Binary screamed and screamed. “Embrace the black oblivion.”
“That’s what she said.” A fist like unto enlightenment smashed through Ultron’s form. The mythical might of Power Fist exploded outward, scattering the machines away from Binary. “We are here, but will last minutes at most outside the Quinjet.”
“You will be warm and stable,” said Binary in unison. They flew up, to be away from the main fighting. Binary’s purpose now would be to provide life support to their teammates, heat in the cold void of space, and countering the powerful gravity of Heracles.
Binary rose past the Quinjet as Bao Bao, Vespula and Black Valkyrie dropped from it, seconds before Ultron’s drones blew it apart. A propulsion belt controlled Black Valkyrie’s descent, the holographic projection of a winged black stallion to be astride was for the sake of nostalgia. Vespula had shrunk to the size of an insect and sprouted wings, one of a swarm of thousands of specially modified insects that she carried around. Bao Bao simply crashed onto the surface of Heracles, into the horde of Ultron.
Paws of massive strength achieved what gravity pulses couldn’t, smashing metal apart. The powerful panda Avenger roared, the sonic vibrations liquifying circuitry. Encephalo beams proved harmless against the mix of psi-armor and natural serenity, while the suppressed savagery of generations ripped machines asunder. But still the Ultrons kept coming.
“Away, you foul appliances!” In all its history, only a very few metals withstood the Ebony blade, and Ultron’s drones was not made of any of them. Black Valkyrie flew through the seemingly endless army. Those that didn’t fall immediately upon being cleaved broke against mystical armor and Asgardian skin. But as those pieces fell to the ground, countless tiny machines reassembled them, and Ultron’s continuously rejoined the fight.
Vespula continued to shrink as she flew into the midsts of micro-machines. At nearly the size of a grain of sand, she triggered and EMP that cascaded throughout her insect swarm. Though small in area, the effect was magnified a thousand-fold, beyond any shielding Ultron possessed. The insects then scattered about, spreading the plague of electro-magnetic death amongst the billions of nano-bots in the two-foot radius.
“Is this what Avengers are now?” Ultron laughed as it battled against Power Fist. For every kick or punch that destroyed it’s form, another sprung up in seconds to continue the fight. “You come together but fight alone, while I draw on the resources of a planet to overwhelm you!”
The next punch or kick from Power Fist was slightly slower than the last, while more of Ultron’s blows were striking against skin that wasn’t quite steel-hard. Enough drones had gotten inside Black Valkyrie’s swing to immobilize her arm, and they were now swarming over her as they soon would to Bao Bao. Vespula had now exploded to giant-size, her insects now spread to miles all around.
“In your panic you reduce the effects of your bio-pulse,” said Ultron to the giant mockery of a creator. “My processes slow but do not cease. You will fall last, and I will ride your carcass to Earth!”
“That may be the case if you were only fighting the five of us,” Vespula said with a grin. “But the truth is, we’re only a distraction. And that isn’t me slowing you down.”
“What…kckcchk!” Ultron convulsed, and finally shattered apart into drones that flew about wildly.
“You were meant to think that,” Vespula continued. “We wanted you focused on the external threat, and not the invasion to your own programming.
“Immm…p-p-ossi-ble!” Dozens of drones were screaming at once, giving the impression of mad rantings. “Quuuaan…t-t-tum encri-cri-yption…unbeeereaka-a-able!”
“You’ve been away for a few centuries, so you must not have heard.” Billions of points of light erupted from the multitude of machines, forming into a massive Captain Marvel. “Photonic decryption is all the rage, and Ultron, I just hacked your ass.”
# # # # # # # # # #
“It really was nice of Ultron to build us a new Quinjet,” said Bao Bao from her new, reclining pilot’s chair. She was piloting the craft back to Earth utilizing warp speed, as even light speed would take days between Heracles and Earth.
“A great pity it could not recreate the shielded vessel for Captain Marvel.” Power Fist looked at the screen for a point of light that was no longer visible. Binary was following at a slightly faster pace, as on either side of the Quinjet they were able to ride the edges of warp travel.
“She wanted a few more minutes with Ultron anyway,” said Vespula. “To refine the programming. As Ultron rebuilds what it took from Heracles and the surrounding meteors, it’s base code with slowly degrade. In a few years, it will finally cease to be, and Heracles will be ready for proper mining operations.”
“A most glorious victory we have won this day,” declared Black Valkyrie. “Though it was lucky indeed that we learned of the threat when we did.”
Vespula nodded. “Yes, from what Captain Marvel saw in the code, Ultron was planning to fire a hyper-spatial cannon at Earth. In a few weeks it would have taken its shot, and the devastation would have been incalculable.”
“I’ll show you then math once we’re on Earth,” Bao Bao said. “All right. We’ve passed Neptune, and Binary has broken away. Taking us out of warp…now!”
As usually, Bao Bao’s calculations were correct, even compensating for the new ship. Their Quinjet entered normal space just before reaching Earth’s atmosphere. The grand mega-city of Beijing was in sight, with a great gaping scar cut through the center of it. Power Fist leapt to her feet, and Bao Bao could not suppress her gasp.
“Open all frequencies!” Vespula shouted, shivering with a cold fury. “How could this have happened? Where are the Defenders!?”
Bao Bao scanned frequencies, but it was Power Fist who spoke. “Disturbances are centered at the ionic fusion lab.”
After years of irresponsible experiments with ionic energy, the zombie apocalypse of 2746 had led to an almost complete ban. Any research into ionic energy was strictly controlled, and at present the only studies were into its use in achieving fusion reaction. A break thru was rumored to be thirty years away.
The Quinjet hurtled toward the lab, and soon the Avengers saw the disturbance. A large man, powerfully built and dressed in a black and white costume, with a red and yellow cape, was battling nearly a dozen super-humans. Or, to be more accurate, he was battling two super-humans while the others were scattered on the ground, unconscious or worse. As the Avengers approached, another fell and only one of those they knew as the Defenders fought.
“That’s a descendent of Franklin Richards,” said Vespula. “Who could be strong enough to battle one of them?”
“One that needs to be stopped.” Black Valkyrie drew the Ebony Blade. “We should summon Binary.”
“Nothing justifies Binary in the atmosphere,” said Bao Bao. “Until Captain Marvel arrives, it’ll be up to us.”
Power Fist nodded, and opened the Quinjet doors. “Avengers Assemble.”
# # # # # # # # # #
White lightning crackled from Count Nefaria’s eyes and washed over the young woman. He was powerful, maybe even as powerful as Thor, but Nefaria knew it wasn’t a match for him. And a second later he was proven right as, with a cry of pain, the man collapsed to the ground.
“Hmmph, and these were Earth’s Defenders?” Count Nefaria chuckled. He then turned to the lab below, and the great crackling reservoir of ionic power inside. “I may not even need this. I already have power enough to-”
The blast of a pulse cannon staggered Count Nefaria. He looked up, and saw a large panda falling toward him, carrying massive guns in each hand. Behind and above were three other women, all dressed for battle. “Ah, you must be the Avengers.”
“And you’re pulp.” As she was saying that, Vespula was growing to enormous size. She smashed a fist the size of a bus at Count Nefaria. Unfazed, he took hold of the fist, and threw Vespula toward a cluster of skyscrapers.
“How many people do you think she’ll crush?” Count Nefaria asked with a laugh.
“None because she already shrank you fool!” Black Valkyrie flew at Count Nefaria with the Ebony Blade bare. In the distance, Vespula in fact did more than shrink, literally exploding into a massive swarm composed of millions of insects that scattered harmlessly through the air. They had turned to go back to Count Nefaria, but may be too late as the Ebony Blade sliced clean through him.
“Arghh!” Count Nefaria looked down at the gaping wound on his chest, ionic energy leaking out. “That hurt me? How could you have hurt me!?”
“The Ebony Blade has many properties. For instance…” Black Valkyrie tilted the sword as Count Nefaria reached for it. “I now see that you are energy, and at the right angle the Ebony Blade absorbs energy.”
“Nooooooo!” With that helpless scream, Count Nefaria was sucked into the Ebony Blade, not coming close to quenching its endless thirst. Power Fist and Bao Bao slowed to a halt near Black Valkyrie.
“Wow, that was easy,” said Bao Bao.
“Yes, I did expect more,” said Black Valkyrie. “A lucky chance indeed that my weapon was well-suited to…to…”
Crackling energy flowed from the Ebony Blade and throughout Black Valkyrie’s body. A dangerous glow of ionic energy was present in her eyes, and she laughed with a voice of Count Nefaria’s.
“Oh please, I learned to deal with absorption from Thor’s hammer. This paltry weapon is no match for me. Though it seems to have some uses.”
Count Nefaria swung the Ebony Blade, release energy from its tip. This blast of power struck Bao Bao, and she fell crashing against the lab building. Power Fist cried out in rage.
“Monster! You may have just killed the last panda!”
Count Nefaria laughed and flew toward Power Fist. “Not quite as much fun as the first one I killed. That was such a great hunting trip. For you however I’ll go a more traditional route.”
Born into aristocracy, Count Luchino Nefaria was well-versed in the art of fencing. The Ebony Blade was a different kind of sword however, and in Black Valkyrie’s body his swing was unwieldy. Power Fist easily moved inside the swing and struck her possessed teammate in the chest with the palm of a chi-infused hand. Count Nefaria had begun to laugh, delighted at the harm his opponent would be doing to an ally.
But immediately after, Count Nefarious was groaning with effort. The ionic energy that he was composed off found itself forced out of Black Valkyrie, expelled through the Ebony Blade. The freed Avenger went limp, supported by Power Fist.
"Such aggression cannot abide the purifying truth on K’un Lun," said Power Fist. "You a may strike now, Vespula."
"Gladly." A swarm of light eating moths, with Vespula at their center, flew into the reconstituted Count Nefaria. He gave a cry at the brief sensation of pain. Black Valkyrie took the moment to recover and remain airborne without Power Fist's support.
"I see one means to contain this villain." Black Valkyrie held out the Ebony Blade in offering. “We know I cannot contain his foul evil, but you can. At least long enough to sheathe the sword and ensure he’ll never escape.”
Power Fist did not consider the offer before shaking her head. “Loss of such a weapon, and a true Avenger, is too great a sacrifice. We shall find another way.”
Flying down past them was Count Nefaria, furiously swatting at Vespula’s swarm at hyper speed. Grown to nearly thumb-size, Vespula was away from the swarm and flew between Power Fist and Black Valkyrie. “The ionic fusion reactor is what he’s after. I say we give him an up close look.”
Her teammates understood the plan. Power Fist held up a glowing fist. “I’ll create a safe entrance.”
“And I’ll see that he’s herded.” Black Valkyrie flew down at Count Nefaria, blade swinging. From instinct, he twisted to avoid a cut, straight into the Asgardian woman’s fist. While the blow’s strength did not match one from Thor, Count Nefaria was staggered. “Vile thing! Your primitive power has been found hopelessly wanting!”
Count Nefaria threw a punch but, well-experienced in the use of her propulsion belt, Black Valkyrie easily avoided it. “Foolish words from one of an ancient race, wielding an ancient weapon. I’ve been awake and observing this era for months! Who do you think tipped you off to Ultron’s plans?”
“So you admit your fear.” Black Valkyrie saw that Power Fist and smashed a hole through the roof of the fusion lab, and Vespula had carried away the debris with thousands of flying ants. “We shall prove that justified, for the Avengers have ever vanquished-”
A punch landed, and Black Valkyrie was knocked into the lab. Count Nefaria followed through the hole that had already been there. “Arrogant children, it wasn’t you I sought to remove, but Captain Marvel! Of all those I’ve fought before, only she’s survived to this era, with first-hand knowledge that could have proved my undoing. But now she’s days away, and with the reactor’s power I’ll crush her like a gnat.”
“My teammate would resent that remark.” Power Fist flew at Count Nefaria and, with a simple judo flip, sent him flying uncontrollably at the ionic fusion reactor. “And if you desire this power so much, by all mean’s have it!”
The moment Count Nefaria entered the reactor’s chamber, Vespula was on hand to turn it on. Super-excited ionic particles flooded the chamber, bombarding Count Nefaria and in-turn exciting his own energy particles. It look less than a nano-second for him to lose cohesion and flow with the other particles into plasma, held in place by powerful magnets.
“This won’t be maintained for long,” Vespula said. “We can only hope that, once the ionic energy is dispersed, his sentience will be lost.”
“We can’t take that chance!” Captain Marvel had suddenly appeared, hovering over the reactor in the form of high particles. “I can feed power to the reaction to maintain containment, but we have to get this off-world.”
“We are glad that Binary managed to get your here so quickly,” said Power Fist.
One of Binary emerged through the hole. “We had only ever accelerated natural light with gravity waves before, but Captain Marvel felt the situation warranted the risk. Once the reactor is freed from Earth’s atmosphere, together I will send it into the sun.”
“That endless fusion reaction should hold Count Nefaria for at least another thousand years.” Captain Marvel flew up and vaporized a section of the roof, big enough for the reactor to follow her through. “Two world-ending threats foiled in one day. This was good work, team.”
# # # # # # # #
The briefings and celebrations that followed were exhausting for Captain Marvel. She arrived at Avengers headquarters far ahead of her teammates, eager to finally get some rest. Formless light passed easily through the window of her private quarters, and a holographic illusion of humanity walked along the carpeted floor.
“I regret to inform you that Bao Bao expired thirty-eight minutes ago.” The disembodied voice belonged to J.A.R.V.I.S., the computerized personal assistant to the Avengers. “The cloning process has already begun.”
“Thank you.” Captain Marvel didn’t understand the appeal, but the presence of a panda raised public approval of the Avengers by 280%. “Once the alarm is set, disable all alerts until the hour has expired.”
“I am well versed in the protocol.”
“Yes, yes, of course.” As immaterial energy, Captain Marvel settled herself into the sealed, specialized sleep chamber. “I’m just so damned tired.”
Eyes closed, Captain Marvel allowed herself to relax. Light became flesh, and the powerful leader of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes became a frail elderly woman. Energy couldn’t age, but also couldn’t be maintained indefinitely. About an hour each day was best, and so over the course of a thousand years a woman aged only fifty.
“Pleasant dreams, Captain,” said the ever present, ever loyal, J.A.R.V.I.S.
END