MAXIMUM VENGEANCE

Continued from Maximum Vengeance issue #1, issue #2, and issue #3.

Chapter SEVEN

Somewhere in outer space floated three Avengers, the Asgardian Thunder God Thor, the android Vision, and Photon in her form of pure energy.  They had to dessert the quinjet when it was captured by Thanos' star ship, the Sanctuary II, while in subspace attempting to escape Ronan's fleet of battleships.

"Look!" Photon exclaimed,  "There's a ship ahead."

"It appears to be a Kree cargo vessel." Vision observed.

"You and Photon go on ahead and investigate it.  The ship would seem to be abandoned.  It is void of lights and power."

Vision altered his density so he was as light as air.  He and Photon then passed right through the ship's hull.  The inside was dark and empty.  The energy given off by Photon allowed for some light, just barely enough to see.  Vision shifted his body to a solid and slowly walked around.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone occupying this ship." he said.

Photon went over to the back of the room and gasped at what she saw,  "Vision come quick!  Take a look at this!"

"It would seem to be a Nega-bomb." Vision was correct.  

"This can't be any good at all." Photon stated, "I wonder what the Kree are up to?"

The two Avengers were interrupted by an angry but familiar voice: "Halt, enemies of the Shi'ar!" Photon whirled about and the ship's lights went on.  She saw the Starjammers! Corsair, Hepzibah, Ch'Od, and Raza.

"What are the Avengers doing here?" Corsair asked as he lowered his weapon. "And why did sneak into our ship?"

"This is your ship?" Photon asked, "Why on Earth do you have a Nega-bomb?!"

Suddenly, Thor appeared from behind the Starjammers,  "I echo my friend's concern: Why do you have possession such a powerful weapon?"

Corsair sighed, "I'll explain."

The Sanctuary II was the size of a small planet.  It was now the prison of Iron Man, Sersi, the Black Knight, Wasp, and Commander Corbin. They were each suspended on the wall by thick sheets of adamantium.  Sersi was the only one who was kept unconscious because if she were awake she'd be able to use her ability to alter molecules.  Being out cold was the only way to prevent her from using her powers.

Two doors slid open and three people entered the Avengers' prison cell.  It was Thanos, Nartissa, and an armed guard who stayed near the door.  Thanos immediately went over to Sersi.  She was just waking up.  Thanos punched her hard across the jaw to remedy it.

"It would seem we meet once more Avengers.  I'm sorry I hadn't the opportunity to greet you earlier, but I was rather busy.  I hope Nartissa treated you poorly."

"What do you want from us, Thanos?  Are you seeking some type of ultimate power again? Trying to impress Mistress Death?"

"You ignorant fool!" Thanos shouted out, "You have nothing to do with my current plans.  You merely go in the way.  I thought it would be useful to have hostages should I encounter anymore of your kind.  Once my mission is complete however, I will have no purpose for you and you will all die in manner that I see fit."

"Just exactly what is your 'mission', Thanos?" asked Wasp.

"There is no danger in telling you." Thanos answered, "This conflict has already turned many empires into shambles.  I intend on doing the same to the Kree.  My friend here," he motioned to Nartissa, "was born a mutant.  She has the ability to mimic any person's voice or sound.  She posed as Majestrix Lilandra earlier while in contact with the Starjammers.  She gave them orders to intercept and hijack a Kree cargo ship that was transporting a Nega-bomb."

Black Knight cursed under his breath.  Thanos having possession of such a powerful weapon couldn't be good.  Thanos continued, "The Starjammers are now on a mission to crash that cargo ship into Hala's capital which will detonate the weapon.  The Supreme Intelligence and all leading Kree officials should be killed.  The Kree will be looking for a new leader and I step in."

Corbin couldn't believe it,  "Why would they want you to be the new Kree Supremor?!  You're nothing more than a pirate!"

Thanos smiled and nodded, "They don't care who leads them as long as he is strong.  With me in command, the Kree Empire will strike fear into the other civilizations.  We will be the mightiest and strongest force ever to conquer inferior races!"

Black Knight shrugged at the Mad Titan's plan.  It could work.  The Kree once had the sniveling alien Clumsey Foulup as emperor and many of the Kree people were satisfied with him.

Iron Man sighed.  He had to find a way to contact Captain America's team, but Thanos had shut his armor's systems down when they were captured.  He had to stop Thanos' insane scheme.

While at Hala, specifically at the Supreme Intelligence's palace.  The Kree technician walked down the hall to the Supremor's main chamber.  In his hand he held the data disc which he had to feed to his ruler.  The doors opened allowing him access.

"I have been waiting for some new information to feed my mind," the Supreme Intelligence said upon the technician's arrival.

The technician inserted the disc into its slot on the computer console that was connected to the Supreme Intelligence's giant glass tank.  Suddenly the water in the tank began to sizzle and the Supreme Intelligence cried out.  "What did you do!!" he exclaimed.

The Kree technician's body changed to that of a Skrull's.  It was the same Skrull that had assassinated Sintariis.  "It's a virus that is now eating away at your synthetic brain."

The Supreme Intelligence's thick green skin peeled away from his face and smoke steamed out from the artificial brain.  The Skrull shifted his form once more.  This time to Sintariis.  He hit the button for the intercom on the wall.  "Security, come quick!  The Supremor is dead!  I repeat the Supreme Intelligence is dead!"

The news became public knowledge instantly.  The Kree Chancellor was soon heard across the planet as he made his speech.  It ended with: "And so Sintariis is our new Supreme Ruler!!!"

The Skrull smiled, everything was going as it was planned to…

Chapter EIGHT

"I can't believe Majestirx Lilandra would give you the order to wipe out the Kree capital on Hala." Photon said aboard the hijacked Kree cargo ship.

Corsair, leader of the Starjammers nodded, "We surprised as well but I heard her voice over the radio myself."

Thor frowned, something had occurred to him, "Did you see Lilandra upon receiving the command?"

Corsair shook his head.  He explained it was a coded transmission from the Shi'ar throneworld so they didn't see Lilandra in person.

"I say the transmission came naught from Lilandra but an imposter!  You have been deceived by an unseen foe, possibly Thanos."

Raza spoke up to defend themselves, "But the Lilandra-Like voice knew the codes and passwords used among only the top Shi'ar officials.  There is however record of a woman who can duplicate anyone's voice.  I believe her name is Nartissa."

Thor's eyes widened with shock.  Nartissa is Thanos' first officer aboard his ship, the Sanctuary II.  Thor told his comrades of this realization.  Corsair shook his head.  He wondered how he could of made such a foolish error.  He had almost destroyed thousands of Kree.  The Kree would have no doubt accused the Shi'ar which would only worsen the current conflict.

Aboard Ronan's battleship, the Conquest, Ronan sat in the private captain's room just off the bridge.  First Officer Del-Mor entered and sat across from Ronan the Accuser.  "Sintariis is now the Supremor." he stated without need.  Everyone was now well aware of the Supreme Intelligence's death.  Only the top Skrull leaders, however, knew that the real Sintariis had been dead for some time now.

"Sintariis is a weakling!" Ronan scoffed angrily, "I'm glad the Supreme Intelligence is dead!  Now a powerful and worthy Kree warrior can rule.  All that stops me is Sintariis and some officials.  I shall take the Empire by force!  I have the entire Kree army and navy behind!" Ronan smashed his fist into the disk, "I am the most powerful Kree alive today."

"I'm with you, sir." said Del-Mor, "You're just what the Empire needs.  There is no army that can oppose from assuming rulership of the Empire.  Only some civilians and they pose no threat to you."

Ronan stormed onto the bridge followed by Del-Mor.  "Set course for the Shi'ar throneworld.  It's time we finally destroy our greatest enemy."

With that the Conquest entered subspace, one hundred Kree battleships flew in behind it. This was only a small percentage of the Kree fleet but it was enough.

While at the planet that Quasar has dubbed as "asylum" due to the two brilliant doctors who are seeking to help him.  Goliath of the Avengers and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four continued to perform their tests and experiments in their makeshift lab aboard the parked quinjet.

Overhead in the skies, the Silver Surfer frequently flew across to check for any signs of the Kree.  The Thing sat on a rock waiting either to leave the planet or for a fight.  Quasar paced back and forth hoping to hear that they found the way to remove the Ego spores from his body.  

The Silver Surfer put an end to the silence when he swooped from the sky, "A Kree shuttle is on it's way here.  It will arrive in moments."

The Thing jumped up, "It's about time something exitin' happened!"

Hank Pym and Reed rushed out of the quinjet.  Goliath increased his height and size to twelve feet.  

"I was wondering when they'd try to nab me again."

The shuttle touched down, not far from the heroes campsite.  A group of Kree, in warrior form, came forward.  "All we want is the human with Ego inside of him.  You others won't be harmed.  Just hand over Quasar!" the captain demanded.

"None shall be handed over to you, Kree.  Quasar is a friend of mine and will be protected at all costs.  This the Silver Surfer claims!!"

The Kree Captain nodded, "Then you all must be dealt with." he looked to his men, "Take'em down!"

"It's clobberin' time!" the Thing cried out.

The Thing charged at the Kree.  He rushed right through their crowd bringing down four of them.  Reed's arm stretched out and wrapped around two Kree.  He gathered his strength and flung them far away.  Goliath's size increased once more.  His giant fist smashed into the alien warriors.  The Silver Surfer flew above them, letting loose a barrage of the Power Cosmic.  The remaining Kree dropped to the ground.

"So now what do we do with these guys?  They'll wake up soon." the Thing asked.

"That's not a problem." Goliath said.  He shrunk the warriors down, so they were an inch tall.  He then placed them in miniature containment unit.

"This is good," Reed said, "I always wanted to observe the new evolved Kree.  This will give me the opportunity to do so."

A moment later, Goliath detected something on the quinjet's scanners.  The empty Kree shuttle was emitting a signal, which could be read by any Kree battleship.  The Silver Surfer put an end to the threat by blasting the shuttle apart with a blue bolt of his cosmic powers.

"That will prevent any ship from picking up the signal on their scanners," said the Surfer.

At the Shi'ar throneworld, in the royal palace.  Lilandra had just finished her speech, about Ronan and the potential Kree civil war that could spark from his actions, to Captain America and his team of Avengers.  Hawkeye opened his mouth to ask a question, but Goliath of the Imperial Guard entered the room in hurry.  "Ronan's fleet is nearing the planet.  He has an invasion force with him."

Lilandra stood up, "Call the Imperial Guard to battle." she turned to Captain America as Gladiator left, "Would you-"

Captain America cut her off, "You don't have to ask.  Avengers Assemble!"

A swarm of Shi'ar fighters blasted off into space with the Shi'ar Imperial Guard.  The Avengers were give a small, but well armed shuttle, to man. Through it's viewport they could see the Kree fleet of battleships.  A brief minute later and laser beams filled the space-ways as both Kree and Shi'ar ships were torn apart.

A small one man fighter ship rammed directly through a Kree battleship's shields and into it's bridge.  It set off a chain reaction of explosions that destroyed the ship.  Warbird steered the Avengers' shuttle around quickly, knocking out the Kree's shields to allow the Shi'ar to create as much damage as they could.

Ronan sat on the bridge of the Conquest. He smiled at the destruction he caused.  "That little shuttle has six human lifesigns on it." Del-Mor reported to the Accuser, "It's the Avengers!"

Ronan cursed aloud, "It is time to rid ourselves of Earth's heroes right now." He walked over to the console that controlled the teleporters.  He locked onto the one Avenger he wanted, "Target that shuttle. Fire!"

At the same exact moment that Del-Mor launched the torpedo, Ronan pressed the teleportion control button.  Out in space, the shuttle burst into a billion flaming fragments.  Out of the fireball emerged five Avengers.  Starfox, Warbird, Hercules, Jack of Hearts, and Hawkeye who wore an oxygen helmut.  There was no sign of Captain America.

Below, on the Shi'ar throneworld, Lilandra and her top General, Nortor, walked down a long corridor to a huge room where the ion cannon was stored.  A hole in the room's ceiling was where the cannon's barrel was pointed.  Lilandra went to the control panel and typed in her two access codes.  Nortor then typed his two in and the weapon became operational.

Back in space, the conflict waged on until huge bursts of energy shot out from the throneworld.  The first one sailed towards one of the Kree battleships.  It had no idea what hit it.  The battleship was vaporized in a second.  It's sister ships soon joined it.  

Ronan was outraged, "Blast those Shi'ar scum!!  We've already lost twenty ships.  We can't spare another! Retreat! Spread the order to the other in the fleet."

Del-Mor did so and the fleet made the jump into subspace.

The Shi'ar armies returned to the throneworld.  It took an hour for the Avengers to be reunited again but when they were Lilandra thanked them.

Hawkeye cleared his throat, "Maybe he didn't get back here to the royal palace yet, but… where's the Capster?"

The smiles faded from the Avengers' faces.  Nortor used the scanners to sweep through space.  No human lifesigns were detected.  "I guess the poor guy didn't make it off the shuttle when it blew." Hawkeye said.

Hercules put his head down, "Then Captain America has surely perished."

To be continued.

Thank you for reading this 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.