MAXIMUM VENGEANCE

Prologue

The Kree battleship, the Conquest, flew over the planet Siorni III.  Its double laser cannons hummed with life, ready to fire.  The ship's commander sat at his chair aboard the bridge. His name was known throughout the known galaxy, Ronan the Accuser.  "Take us down so we can have a clear view of the settlement," he ordered.

Ronan had been performing many missions such this that involved raiding Shi'ar colonies on various planets.  He had been doing this ever since the Supreme Intelligence announced that the alien race the Ruul was in fact the newly evolved Kree and declared war against the Shi'ar people and the other civilizations of the stars.

The Shi'ar settlement on Siorni III had been warned to expect attacks but didn't expect the Kree to come to this barren solar system.  This increased the Shi'ar colonists' alarm when the Conquest appeared in the blue sky above.  Laser blasts sparked down to the surface destroying buildings and causing the people to flee in panic.  The government complex soon turned into a pile of rubble and ashes.

"Continue firing," Ronan said from the bridge.

And so it went on until nothing was left of the Siorni III colony.  Ronan finally gave the command to cease-fire.  A Kree officer reported that only twenty percent of the planet's population remained.  Ronan was satisfied.  

"Return us to space.  I shall inform Sintariis of our progress."

Ronan stepped off to the bridge to the private comm. room.  He hailed the Kree homeworld of Hala.  The computer screen lit up and showed the Kree leader Sintariis and the Supreme Intelligence.  "What have you to say, Ronan?" asked Sintariis.

Ronan first gave a bow to his masters.  "As requested more than half of Siorni's population has been eliminated.  We are moving onto the next planet on our path."

As Sintariis nodded the ship's lights flashed out and the computer screen showed static. Ronan cursed and stormed onto the bridge.  "What on Hala was that?!" he demanded with rage.

The officer stammered:  "A blast of energy hit us.  We can not detect any ship within target range."

"Then what was it, you fool!" Ronan spat.

A second officer answered: "It appears to be the Silver Surfer, sir."

Indeed it was, the Silver Surfer flew past the Conquest while bombarding it with shots of his Power Cosmic.  He was too small a target for a ship of that size to hit.  Laser bolts whizzed past him.  He didn't even have to bother dodging the shots.

"Sir, we lost all power to the ship,” a commander told Ronan from his station.  "The Silver Surfer took out our main generators and back up generators."

Ronan cried out aloud with anger.  He knew that the Surfer severely damaged the Conquest he'd be soaring away now.  Ronan sat back in his chair and waited for power to be restored to the ship.  The Kree wouldn't tolerate interference in their plans, such as what just took place.

End Of Prologue

Chapter ONE

The heavily guarded palace on the newly reclaimed planet of Hala served as a home for the Kree Supreme Intelligence.  Few people were allowed to enter that structure.  The Kree Leader Sintariis was one of those few.  The two guards at the entrance let him pass by as the other guard did inside the complex.  Sintariis walked swiftly down the narrow corridor until he came to two large steel doors.  He typed the access code in at the control panel and the doors slid open reveal the Supreme Intelligence's chambers.  Sintariis saw that he was not alone.  Ronan the Accuser stood in the room as well.

"The Silver Surfer has disabled three more of our battleships since the Conquest. Something must be done about that ally of the Humans!" declared Sintariis with anger.  "He is giving the Shi'ar time to escape our raids."

The Supreme Intelligence's face remained unemotional and expressionless.

“Ronan has already informed me of the Surfer's actions and you are correct, he must be dealt with.  I doubt if it would be long before he got Earth's Defenders involved."

Ronan was furious and he didn't hide it.  "What difference does it make?  We'll be expanding our empire across Earth's star system soon enough anyways, just like all the others.  Every civilization will soon fall to the Kree Empire."

"Of course they will, Ronan." replied the Supreme Intelligence plainly.  "We shall conquer the whole galaxy just as we were destined to do so.  Not even Earth's most powerful heroes can pose any match to us."

"Where shall we plan our next strike, Master?" Sintariis said.  "The Silver Surfer is currently in the Skrull galaxy for some purpose or another."

The Supreme Intelligence's eyes met Ronan, "What would you suggest?  After all you are my Chief Military Commander."

Ronan smiled for the first time that day, "Where we can cause the most harm."

The Intergalactic Council meeting place was located on the planet Selandiar in an enormous domed structure.  Here there was a delegate from every known alien race.  The Council was led by the Shi'ar ruler Lilandra.  She stood on a floating platform in the center of the huge auditorium.  Her bodyguard Gladiator stood silently at her side.  Needless to say, today's topic concerned the invading Kree forces.

"What are we supposed to do?" the Badoon representative demanded.  "These Ruul or Kree have already taken over the Rigellian system and the half of the Andromeda galaxy.  We can't defend ourselves against their new weapons and we can't penetrate their ships newly upgraded shields.  They're practically invincible!"

Many of the other aliens' voices cried out agreeing with the Badoon.  Lilandra sighed.  She knew not what to say to comfort her allies.  What didn't help the situation was the Shi'ar messenger who handed a note to Gladiator.  He whispered into his leader's ear.  Lilandra's facial expression turned to one of alarm.  She shared the news.

"My friends, it seems a fleet of seven Kree battleships is nearing Selandiar as we speak. We can't evacuate the planet for we are surrounded.  We must calmly go to the underground shelters.  That will protect us from any attack!"

Gladiator saw to that Lilandra made it to the tunnel, which led to the shelter first.  The panicking alien delegates were moving in a less then orderly fashion.  They all screamed and cried out for their lives as the first Kree ship could be seen entering the sky above them through the clear dome.  There was not enough time for everyone to make it to safety. Gladiator had no choice but to seal shut the protective shelter's doors.  Many aliens piled up in the tunnel pounding on the door with rage.

Ronan sat aboard the Conquest's bridge, once more leading the assault for the Kree.  "You may fire when ready." he told his second in command, Major Del-Mor.

Blast after blast from the laser cannons ripped down towards Selandiar.  The unlucky delegates stared up through the dome to see the oncoming fire.  The laser shattered the dome in twenty -four seconds.  The council meeting chamber burst into a blazing fireball.

Inside the shelter, the crowed occupants could hear the explosions and feel the ground shake beneath their feet but they were safe.  The shelter was packed with layers of adamantium, an indestructible metal.  The attack didn't seem to end.

Ronan saw the carnage he had caused and still wasn't satisfied until every living thing within a twelve mile radius had been eradicated.  He finally gave the order to cease-fire and Del-Mor gave a report as to the damage they had done.

"Transport shuttles are leaving the planet from various points.  Evacuees, sir." Del-Mor told Ronan.

Ronan nodded, "Take them down one by one."

Three days later, Lilandra and the other aliens exited the shelter.  Recovery shuttles were landing.  The Kree were long gone.  Lilandra put her head down.  This shouldn't have happened.  Gladiator approached her.

"I just received a communiqué from your commander, Corbin." Gladiator told her.  "He and his squad of troops are in Earth orbit undetected.  He wants to know if you still want them to obtain the generator."

Lilandra nodded.  She remembered the orders she had given to Commander Corbin.  After what the Kree had just done she had no choice.  "Tell him…" she paused for a moment, unsure if this was best.  "Tell Corbin to proceed.  The Kree have gone too far…"

Chapter TWO

The Kree Supreme Intelligence stared at the wall of monitors that showed the present status of his various fleets throughout the galaxy.  They were making remarkable progress.  Soon the Kree would rule over the entire universe as they were meant to.

Across the room, the doors slid open and two Kree men entered.  Ronan the Accuser and Sintariis.  They walked over to the Supreme Intelligence.  "What have you to report?" he asked them.

"Ronan has made an essential discovery so I have granted him this meeting with you." Sintariis answered.

"Tell me of this 'essential discovery', Ronan." The Supreme Intelligence replied rather annoyed.

Ronan cleared his throat before speaking, "Yesterday, while I was aboard my ship, the Conquest, we detected a life sign on an otherwise lifeless planet." Ronan said.  "It was a human life sign.  Upon further investigation we learned that human was in fact Quasar.  I'm sure you are well aware that Quasar is carrying the Ego spores.  Ego's very essence!!"

Sintariis nodded, "Quasar had strapped himself to a device to absorb the Ego spores when he was spreading across the face of the Earth.  Quasar then exiled himself to a barren lifeless planet in the event that Ego should become free again."

The Supreme Intelligence actually seemed annoyed, "I am familiar with what occurred those weeks ago on Earth." he turned to Ronan, "I am pleased with your finding, Ronan.  You have served the Kree well.  Do you know if we can successfully remove the Ego spores from Quasar?" he asked ignoring Sintariis.

"We can extract the spores from him and Ego would once more be our own weapon to use against our enemies.  The process of removing the spores, though, would leave Quasar dead."

The Supreme Intelligence was satisfied, "Quasar's well being is of no consequence to us. You shall lead a science team to that planet to do what must be done to Quasar.  That planet he's at now is to be the one that shall be transformed into Ego."

Ronan bowed and walked briskly out of the room.  Sintariis was very angered by the Supreme Intelligence's attitude towards Ronan.  Sintariis was the Kree Leader with the highest rank, just below the Supreme Intelligence and Ronan is being commended.  Sintariis saw Ronan as a militaristic maniac, a lunatic obsessed with conquest thus the name of his personal battleship.  Sintariis was indeed very angry.

"Why are you still here, Sintariis?" asked the Supreme Intelligence with a note of sarcasm.

"Sorry, my master." Sintariis replied and sauntered away.

The Supreme Intelligence was amused.  Did he detect jealousy coming from Sintariis?

One hour later, the Conquest left the space station, which orbited over Hala. Ronan stormed onto the bridge.  He gave the planet's coordinates to Del-Mor and the ship entered subspace for the journey. Ronan sat back.  Ego would indeed be used as a weapon.  Ronan's weapon any way.

Almost a million miles away at that very moment, Ronan wasn't the only scheming warlord. Aboard the enormous ship, Sanctuary II Thanos sat at his command chair.  One of his crew handed him the status report.  He read it and smiled.  The galaxy's war with the Kree wasn't going well, especially for Lilandra and her Shi'ar people.  Most of the galactic civilizations were too concerned with the war too worry about a certain ship of pirates.  Thanos smiled.  It was the perfect time for him to strike.

Thanos no longer sought power such as the Infinity Gauntlet or the Cosmic Cube.  He sought a different kind of power.  After the war either the Kree or Shi'ar empires would be in shambles… ripe for takeover...

Quasar rested on a rock on the empty planet that was only known by its categorized number, TI-390870-G.  Quasar was now living a rather lonely life.  He knew though that Reed Richards and Hank Pym were constantly working on a way to safely extract the Ego spores without harming him.  It was just a matter of time.  Quasar sighed heavily, he could feel Ego's essence moving around inside him.  It was a nauseating feeling.

Quasar's thinking was disturbed by the sound of a landing shuttlecraft.  He turned around and saw what was definitely a Kree troop transport.  Up in the sky he could make out the shape of the Conquest, more then likely where the troop transport came from.  He knew the Kree weren't here to help him.

The shuttle was thirty feet away from him.  He saw the exit hatch pop open and Ronan and seven Kree stepped out.  The Kree soldiers all shifted to warrior form.  "We require your help, Quasar.  We come here as friends."

Quasar knew exactly what Ronan wanted.  "That's bull, Ronan, and you know it!  You only want the spores to reform Ego, under your command.  Well your not going to get it!"

Ronan shook his head and said to his crew, "I was knew he wouldn't cooperate with us.  We'll take him by force but I need him alive."

The Kree advanced forward to meet the Cosmic Defender.  Quasar prepared himself to meet the oncoming soldiers.  Ronan raised his mallet and let loose a blast meant to stun Quasar.

Quasar instantly erected a force field around himself.  It deflected the blast. Quasar's powers were still weakened from having the Ego spores collected into his body.  Ronan fired another bolt of energy.  It actually weakened Quasar's force field!  He needed help and quick!

Without any warning, blue energy bolts rained down from above.  Two Kree warriors were sent to the ground.  All heads looked up, even Ronan was caught off guard.  

The Silver Surfer swooped down on his gleaming board, ready to challenge any one else. Quasar smiled with relief upon seeing his friend's arrival.  Ronan cursed aloud in Kree.

"You Kree soldiers shall leave this place and my ally alone or suffer my wrath!" the Silver Surfer declared.

"Even you can't take on the Kree with their new power and might.  I suggest you stand down!  You are only an interference to me, nothing more!" Ronan spat back.

As the Surfer flew onward to Ronan's platoon, Quasar used the time to send a message to his friend at the Avengers via his "quantum-tap" as he called it.

The Surfer fell the remaining Kree officers and went on to Ronan.  "Perhaps that will serve as a warning to you, Accuser.  I hope you will not bother Quasar again with your visions of conquest." the Surfer said with spite.

Ronan stalked back over to the transport shuttle.  He stepped inside and said, "This is only a minor delay, but your lucky.  In the future I will call for more troops and watch your demise." then he closed the hatch and the shuttle lifted off.

The Surfer returned his attention to Quasar, "Are well?"

Quasar nodded, "I'm fine.  I was able to get a hold of the Avengers.  Wasp would like to ask if you can remain here with me until they can get here. She's briefing the others now and then they're off."

"I shall stay with you.  It is likely that Ronan will return.  This conflict with the Kree is ever expanding.  Now Earth's heroes have become involved."

Continued in Maximum Vengeance #2

Thank you for reading the first chapter of this new sequel to Marvel's Maximum Security!  Please send comments below or e-mail cpufeedback@yahoo.com  

Please leave your comments below:
If you want to be contacted or have e-mail included.
Leave name if you would like it in our letter column.