Lisa Knight's Blog, page 34

STEVE GILMORE’S MUSIC REVIEWS: SONIC SALAD – MEADOW GREEN (VERSION 2)

You can listen to this artist on Soundclick

For a large majority of Soundclick veterans/regulars/peoplewhoneedtogetalife, 2005 was a tough year. As well as major upsets on the site, we had a few personal ups and downs too. All in all, everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the year ended. As did I, I must admit, but my own relief was tinged with a deep sadness that during that year SC (through IMHO a massive miscalculation) managed to lose two of its brighter talents both together and individually. I speak, of course, about the departure from SC to Artist Lauch and other sites of the justly famed Nad Sylvan and Ol’ Bon Bonamici. Although they are probably better known these days for their incredible post-Genesis progressive collaboration Sylvan and Bonamici, I still rate their solo works as being some of the finest music I have heard anywhere let alone the festering moshpit we all know as the internet.

While they were here though, they made lots of friends besides me. So thanks, Cam, for being the friend that brought at least one of these guys back to my ears, because I miss them a great deal. Cam?? Wtf??? OK, I suppose I ought to explain here that the aural greenery that festoons the band name hides one Cam Bastedo in a different guise; that of instrumentalist. A great many people know Cam though his songs but I’m sure there aren’t many who know that he is also an adept producer/arranger who takes on a lot of different styles through his SS work (Sonic Salad you understand, not the jackbooted kind). Meadow Green was originally written and released in 2004 and is a flute/piano piece that would fit nicely in your Mum’s collection of ‘ooh that’s nice dear’ tunes. Bonamici heard the original and Version 2 is really his take on the track.

Having heard the original, I completely understand why Cam felt moved to include Bonamici in the writing credits. Not only did Ol’ Bon take the original idea completely he ran with it into the woods never to be seen again. This artist’s mastery (please note my italics) of his tools ensures that nothing that emanates from this source is ever likely to disappoint, and it’s ever more likely to thrill and inspire you in a way you would never have thought possible. There’s a depth and majesty that Bon brings to Meadow Green which turns it from a enjoyable (albeit on a Mom level) instrumental into an epic, world-spanning piece with more nooks and crannies (that’s detail in Gilmorespeak) than yer average spelunker* weekend. Even more surprising is the fact it all fits in the original tracks running time of two minutes and change, when all the time your ears are telling you this cannot be so. So much in so little?? I’m not sure whether my reaction to this track is more because I’ve missed Bon’s deft touch or because the track is every bit as glorious as I think, but whatever it is, don’t you miss this one.

MUST HAVE

*= spelunker – someone who climbs inside rock, as opposed to one wot makes it.

Written by Steve Gilmore

MUSIC BLOG: Dig the New Breed – Tuesday 11th November 2014

Silver Fox – Hearts Made Here

Girlpool – Blah Blah Blah

We Were Promised Jetpacks – I Keep It Composed

The Thyme Machine – Jimmy Glass

FAN FICTION: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #79 – The End…? BY ADRIAN J WATTS

What has come before…

LAST ISSUE: Vance Astro chose to stay in the 20th century to lead Britain’s band of mercenary heroes, the Super Soldiers, while Kristoff Vernard revealed that he still had allegiances to the original Doctor Doom! Meanwhile, Anthos is attacking the planets over which he rules, searching for two of the Infinity Gems – Soul and Power!

Y4 ANNUAL: Yellowjacket recovered from her injuries at the hands of Kristoff Vernard, and decided to join the Guardians completely, with brand spanking new armour to boot (same armour, but red).

BEYOND THE BEYONDER #1: Adam Warlock and the Infinity Watch were seemingly destroyed by Era on the planet Safielt.

Vance Astro (Earth, twentieth century, Y4)

As the Icarus departed from the Super Soldiers’ space station, Vance Astro let out an audible sigh. He hated remaining in the twentieth century. But he had little choice. The Venom symbiote had shown him this, during his battle with Kristoff Vernard in Latveria. If he went with the Guardians of the Galaxy, he might destroy them. And he never, ever wanted that to happen.

But he did kind of like being the leader of the Super Soldiers. So he stood there, shield of Captain America in hand, watching as the shuttle departed, and lit up in a blue streak that indicated it’s departure to another time. His face sank as he realised what it meant. He’d been with the Guardians of the Galaxy for what… ten, maybe fifteen years now? He had perfect faith that they would succeed in their future missions – he just wished he was surviving alongside them.

Surviving. The word concerned him somewhat. These past few days, he’d felt rather odd. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. But still….

Adam Warlock (Centauri IV, 31st Century)

Gendu Merrik looked at where the silhouette of Adam Warlock had been mere moments before, and was shocked. A man, a mere man, hoped to thwart the power of the omnipotent god Anthos? Anthos had the might of a thousand thousand worlds backing him up. He even had followers on Earth, the forbidden planet, in the form of the ‘Clan Cyorse’. How could a mere man hope to thwart his god’s attempts?

Simple. Adam Warlock was no mere man. He was Him. Artificially spawned by humans in a lab on Earth, on the now destroyed Shard Island. He was the perfect human, superior even to Captain America. It was his duty, and that of Her, who would come later, to procreate, to make the entire population of Earth… perfect. But he rebelled against his masters and took to the stars. Forming the Infinity Watch, who served as guardians on a cosmic scale.

And then the Martians came. The Infinity Watch attempted to intervene, but lost half their number to the invaders and their horrible tripods. Adam Warlock had no choice but to flee. If the Martians got ahold of him, they could genetically engineer their race to be perfect. So he and all the remaining members of the Watch fled into space.

Until the Badoon attacked. Warlock learned at this point that they had been sent on their attack on Earth by Immortus, master of seventy centuries of time. The Badoon escaped the clutches of the Infinity Watch, slaying all but Him. And Adam Warlock did not care for this at all. He deemed his only recourse was to slay Immortus himself. And he did, leaving him a fleshless corpse adrift in the myriad of timelines he once watched over. It was then that Adam Warlock learned that Immortus had instigated the Martian invasion, as well. But for what? It did not matter. It had already happened. What mattered now was that Adam Warlock was gifted with the added ability of time travel.

He travelled to the future and learned of the very battle he was about to take part in. Anthos, the god to many civilisations across the cosmos, was none other than THANOS, THE MAD TITAN himself! Warlock knew he could not defeat this fearsome beast on his own, so he travelled through time to form a new Infinity Watch. The new team consisted of Him, the 20th-century bounty hunter White Raven, and the still living Drax the Destroyer. They might have the power to defeat Thanos. And soon they would know for sure.

He entered the small building the Infinity Watch had taken as a base. It had partially collapsed under Anthos’ recent onslaught, but Adam Warlock knew that Drax alone would have been able to deflect enough debris to save both he and White Raven, if the need had arisen. Which wasn’t to say that White Raven was defenseless. She could put up a fight for Drax, certainly.

He was right. He entered the building, and there they were, knocking around a couple of Centaurians who had stumbled too close.

“There you are, Warlock!” White Raven said. “I was getting impatient. My contract was merely to come and aid you in destroying Thanos. We never discussed -” she kicked away a young Centaurian “- we never discussed swatting away these vile creatures.”

“Don’t worry, Raven,” Warlock said. “I have the feeling that we’ll be fighting Thanos sooner than you – ugh!” Adam Warlock stumbled but was caught by Drax. “Quickly, to Safielt! We don’t have much time! Something – or someone – is destroying the planet! Their pain is unbearable!”

“Drax, take him to my ship. We will save this planet of Safielt, but he must know he’ll be paying me extra.” White Raven smiled.

Ultron (The moon Ba Banii Bas, 31st Century)

“This is the moon you wish me to devour?” Galactus looked incredulous. “But it is so… small.”

“Small to you, devourer. But it means worlds to Primus and me.” Ultron looked at Galactus’ new herald, Primus. She had once been the android Alkhema, his wife, her brain patterns based on that of Barbara Morse, the human called Mockingbird. Now, imbued with a fragment of the power cosmic, she was far mightier than she had ever been–an adamantium figure, with the ability to manipulate energy lattices to her desire. She could even destroy Ultron, no doubt.

“Very well. This moon shall be destroyed. But what of the people of Ba Banis? The followers of Moondragon, daughter of the Eternal Mentor?” Galactus asked.

“You of all people should know that she is long gone. But she did cause the creation of this moon, as a testament to her power. Little did she know that I, one who could have thwarted her had she remained an Avenger for any length of time, will be using it for my ends now.” Ultron nearly chuckled.

Galactus looked at the android but said nothing. Instead, he sent a command to his ship, ordering it to extend tendrils from its belly to devour the moon’s energies. This would leave it as a lifeless, manipulatable husk, free for anyone capable of manipulating adamantium to do with as they pleased.

Within mere moments, the moon was sucked bare.

“Thank you, fleshling, for preparing this moon for me,” Ultron said.

“For you? I think not.” Galactus issued another command to his ship, and another claw stretched out, devouring the adamantium itself! Galactus laughed a maniacal laughed, and Ultron watched in horror as an adamantium suit of armour began to form around Galactus’ body. “Now no-one can stop me in my efforts to survive. Not even my ex-herald, Norrin Radd, the Keeper! Mwahahaha! Run, little robot! For soon, I shall crush you as well!”

Ultron ran. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed help. And the only people he knew that could give him this help were the Avengers.

Mainframe (Castle Doom, Earth, 31st Century)

Mainframe sat watching the castle’s surveillance monitors. Outside, Guardian Force and the Galactic Guardians were repairing the damage recently done by the Beyonder and the Punishers. But Firelord and Phoenix IX had just returned to let them know that it seemed Ultron was approaching. Not even Mainframe – once the synthezoid Avenger called the Vision – possessed the might to defeat Ultron, the robot who had created him.

“Damn you, Ultron! Why could you not have been destroyed by the Martians or the Badoon?!?” Mainframe said to no-one in particular.

“Because he is mightier than even Pym suspected,” replied a voice that Mainframe had heard before. “And it seems that none but her children can stop him.”

“Who -?” Mainframe began and spun to face the source of the voice. Before him stood a man covered in grey armour, a green hood and cape surrounding him. “Doom!”

“Yes, Avenger. It is I, Victor von Doom. The true Doctor Doom, not Kristoff Vernard.” Doom removed his mask to prove his point. It showed a hideous, malformed face.

“But how can you live?” Mainframe asked. “One thousand years ago, you should have died.”

“I have died, Avenger. Many times. But thanks to Kang the Conqueror, it was not a hindrance.” Doom said. “Long ago, I discovered a secret he had long been using. One that allowed him to transfer his mind into a new body at the moment of death. But I improved upon it. I remained in this body the whole time, telepathically controlling my other selves while this body lay physically dormant in stasis. But that is beside the point. I am back, now. It seems Kristoff has proven unable to maintain things here. I shall help you defend this planet. For, is it not rightfully mine?”

Mainframe stepped aside. Victor von Doom may be a maniacal villain, but he did have Earth’s best interests at heart. “First, we need an army. And that can be produced thanks to – the Badoon Realitee-Vee! Perhaps, with the right numbers, we could send him off, without destroying him.” Doom said. “But first…” he pressed a button near where Mainframe had been standing… “Doomstadt shall rise again.”

The feet beneath the Guardians rumbled, and all the buildings in the city of Doomstadt crumbled, leaving the town a pile of rocks. But almost instantly, huge metal pylons shot from the ground, and metal sheets covered them. The buildings had been replaced by metal constructs of the same size.

“Doom! That is amazing!” Mainframe said.

“It is, robot,” Doom said. “But thus is my power. Doom is always prepared.” Doom’s fingers danced along keyboards, bringing up images of the Realitee-Vee.

“Doom, you mentioned “her” children. Were you referring to Kismet?” Mainframe asked.

“No, you hideous, maligned fool. I was referring to your bride. The Scarlet Witch. Wanda Maximoff.” Doom explained.

“My former wife? What does she have to do with this?” Mainframe asked.

“You truly do not know? Then you are a greater fool than I expected.” Doom pressed more buttons, and suddenly, every TV in the world was showing his image. He spoke to the people. “I am your greatest monarch, Emperor Victor von Doom, master of all I survey. You will fight for me. Die if need be. But you will destroy Ultron. Do you understand?”

Every single person watching TV on the whole planet said, in unison “We understand, and we obey.”

Nikki (A place between times)

To Nicholette, the last survivor of the human colony on Mercury, the Icarus was a ship of dreams. It passed through time as though it was a thin veil. And the sheer beauty of its interior made her forget her hatred towards the one who designed it – Kristoff Vernard,

She sat in the co-pilot’s seat, helping Charlie-27 – “Chunks”, she called him – to guide the ship back toward their destination in the thirty-first century. With a loud POP! The ship appeared in the thirty-first century although it was nowhere near their destination.

“This planet we’re orbiting… do you know what it is, Martinex?” Charlie asked the team’s resident scientist.

“No,” Martinex replied. “Familiar, but I’m still disoriented from the time jump.”

Yondu moved toward a viewport, where his eyes opened wide in shock. “This planet! It is my home! Centauri IV!” he shouted. “Please, let’s visit my people before we return to Earth.” Charlie complied, setting the ship down in a field, where hundreds of Centaurians milled around. The Guardians of the Galaxy disembarked, but as their blue-skinned friend took a step away from the ship, a rock bashed him in the side of the head.

“Hey!” Martinex said, hurling an ice blast at the attacker. “That’s my friend you’re hurting!”

“Yondu the disgraced is your friend, Pluvian?” a Centaurian asked. “Then you shall perish with him!”

The Centaurians charged at Martinex, who made a few useless attempts to defend himself. The attack was only stopped when Charlie blocked the Centaurians passage, and Yellojacket hovered around, bioelectric stings frying anyone who got too close.

“Explain yourselves, now!” Charlie ordered, and Nikki finally noticed a sadness in his eyes. Ever since Vance had announced he was staying in the twentieth century, Charlie had been a little edgy and upset. Charlie and Vance had never been friends, but still…

“Yondu the disgraced has incurred the wrath of our mighty god, Anthos!” a Centaurian explained. “Only he would have the gall to steal one of the master’s mighty gems!”

“What?” Yondu asked. “I have been in another time, with the Guardians, for several weeks now. How could I -?”

“We care not how you did it,” a Centaurian interrupted. “we just want Anthos’ gems back!”

“Anthos?” Kristoff asked aloud. “Anthos? That name… it’s…. Thanos! That’s it! Hey, everyone! The gems! I’ve got them!”

“Glad to hear, live one,” came a voice from above the group. “I, Death, am here to reclaim my master’s possessions. Hand it to me now.”

“No!” Kristoff said. “I stole them for a reason. I didn’t want Thanos to maintain his power. It was necessary to protect my people.”

“My master cares little for the people of Earth. Return now the gems of soul and power.”

“Never!” Kristoff defied Death.

“Then die, human!” came another voice from behind. It was Terrax, using his one free arm to sweep his scythe around to attack Kristoff.

“Guardians!” Charlie said. “Quickly! Defend yourselves!” The Guardians fanned out. Charlie, Yellowjacket, and Nikki took on Terrax while Martinex and Kristoff fended off Death. With the help of the gems of Soul and Power, he wasn’t having too much trouble. But he could have used some help.

“Yondu! Get over here!” Martinex yelled.

But Yondu stood, frozen in place by shock. His god… was Thanos, the madman from Titan? This could not be true! Yondu was a priest. His life had been guided by the power of Anthos. But if Anthos was truly Thanos… then it was all for naught.

“NO!” Yondu yelled. “We will NEVER surrender the gems, Death!” He withdrew his bow and several Yaka arrows. He fired them all, simultaneously, at Terrax, who slumped to the ground when they penetrated his flesh. He was ready to fire again when he heard to pairs of hands clapping in the skies above.

“Really, Guardians of the Galaxy, the effort you show is always astounding. But the time has come for me to take what’s mine.” Thanos/Anthos said from above.

Thanos continued to descend toward the ground, with his other ally, Walker, standing at his side.

“Vernard, give me the gems of Soul and Power.” Thanos ordered.

“No,” Kristoff said, and the Guardians of the Galaxy began to mill around him. Most of them hated him, but they all knew they could not allow Thanos to get the last two Infinity Gems. He needed to complete the ‘Fist of Anthos’.

“Guardians!” Charlie-27 shouted. “Atta -!” He was cut off when he and the other Guardians of the Galaxy (with the exception of Yellowjacket and Kristoff), disappeared.

“That was unexpected.” Thanos said. “But not unwanted.” He shoved out his hand, palm up, waiting to get his gems back.

Vance Astro (Earth, 20th Century, near Avengers Mansion New York)

Vance looked bewildered as he appeared near Avengers Mansion, back in his black and white costume. He looked even more bewildered when the other Guardians of the Galaxy appeared. They all looked equally bewildered, however, so he wasn’t too concerned. He looked up to see the man called Century standing in front of them.

“Guardians of the Galaxy, it’s time for the wedding.” Century said.

“Wedding?” Vance asked. “And what am I doing in this costume?”

“The wedding of Vance Astrovik and Angelica Jones, aka Justice and Firestar of the New Warriors. And the costume would be the fault of the man who helped me bring you here.” Century said. In a flash of light, Starhawk, Aleta, and Replica popped in. Century looked at Nikki and Charlie. “And you shall meet that man soon enough. Now, follow me.”

The Guardians followed and learnt as they walked, that most of them were from the same timeline – all of them except for Starhawk and Aleta. Those two were from another timeline, one where they remained lovers. As they walked, though, Vance began to stumble, and sweat poured off him in buckets.

“I… I… can’t,” he stammered out and fainted.

White Raven (Safielt, 31st Century)

White Raven’s ship hovered in orbit around the planet Safielt while Drax tried everything he could to awaken an unconscious Adam Warlock. The human did finally awaken, and they were ready to go.

“Be wary, my allies,” Warlock said. “We know not what is going on down there. We must be careful.” White Raven picked up a rather large gun.

“We’ll be careful, alright,” she smirked. They left the ship, descending towards the planet’s surface. There they saw tanks, spacecraft, and armoured men fighting amongst themselves while the great Galactus and the evil Era fought over the planet.

“White Raven! You take out the spacecraft!” Warlock yelled. “Drax! You take the tanks! I’m going to get Era!”

The battle raged around them as they each went toward their separate tasks. For some reason, though, Warlock felt inclined to look up as he reached Era. Something was pulling at his senses. He didn’t know what. But it was something important.

Suddenly, a blue flare illuminated the skyline. And as Warlock watched, several figures appeared from the light, arcing towards Safielt. He smiled broadly as he realised he would soon get help. But then, suddenly, the ground beneath his feet began to feel red hot. As he got closer and closer to Era, it began to swell. Soon, it became too bad to bear. Warlock extended a sphere around himself that collected up his allies, and it was just in time, too, for the planet exploded just as he made it back to White Raven’s ship*.

[ * - Told from another point of view in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: BEYOND THE BEYONDER #1 - Adrian ]



“White Raven! Quickly! Get to Earth! I heard Galactus say something to Era while we were down there, and if I heard correctly, Earth will most certainly need our help!” Warlock cried.

Firelord (Earth, 31st Century)

Firelord jumped back in shock as Replica disappeared from before his very eyes. “Galactic Guardians! Come quickly! Replica has vanished!” The Galactic Guardians rushed to Firelord’s side. Doom, mad at the fact that his super powered servants were elsewhere, followed them out to where the Protector of the Universe stood.

“What is wrong?” he asked.

“Our ally Replica has just disappeared, Doom,” Mainframe answered. Doom looked around and spotted something in the air. A blue spark, drifting harmlessly away.

“She has gone back in time, Galactic Guardians. Don’t worry. Firelord, get Talon and Rancor.” Doom said.

“No!” replied Firelord. “I am not your servant.” Doom shook his head. He straightened up and looked deep into Firelord’s eyes. “Get them. Now.”

Firelord flew toward the hut that Talon and Rancor had made their home of late.

Yellowjacket II (Centauri IV, 31st Century)

She watched as Kristoff Vernard handed the two Infinity Gems over to Thanos. Thanos accepted them and slid them easily onto his gauntlet, in specially placed grooves.

“You’re pathetic, Vernard,” she said. “I can’t believe you ever thought you’d be a Guardian of the Galaxy.”

“Why not? They let you join, didn’t they? Didn’t they find you attacking Avengers Mansion in some backwater reality?” Kristoff retorted.

“Enough!” Thanos boomed. “For your insolence, I have chosen a target. I shall spare the people of Centauri, and indeed those of the planet Haven as well. For they did not steal my gems as I once thought. It was you, man of Earth. And so it is that Earth will be the one to pay the price for your insolence!”

Thanos turned and nodded to his allies. A moment later, a specially constructed space vehicle arrived, and they boarded it. Yellowjacket and Vernard watched as it headed in the direction of Earth.

“Now what do we do?” Kristoff asked.

Charlie-27 (Earth, Avengers Mansion New York, 20th Century)

Inside Avengers Mansion, the Guardians of the Galaxy have assembled around a bed where Vance Astro lay, pale, sweat creeping across his forehead. Martinex paced about, while Starhawk sat at the foot of the bed, his arms crossed, staring straight at Vance. He was trying with all his might to help the Guardian, but it seemed he was succeeding very little.

“It grows worse,” Starhawk said. “I can only hold it so long.”

“Dammit!” Charlie said. “We should go down to the New Warriors and let ‘em know what’s goin’ on!”

“No! The moment they find out, all our fates are sealed. Accept the word of one-who-knows. It is far better to act in secrecy. There is still a chance that Vance can be saved.” Starhawk said.

“Is there truly a chance, Starhawk?” Charlie asked. Starhawk did not answer.

Crowded around Avengers Mansion was a veritable army of heroes and friends. The New Warriors: Speedball, Hindsight Lad, Turbo, Nova, Namorita, Silhouette, Rage, Darkhawk, Night Thrasher, and Powerhouse. The Guardians of the Galaxy, looking none too enthusiastic: Vance Astro, his containment suit now covering his entire body, both to cover signs of his sickness and to keep him alive, as it seems fate has once again plagued him with ageing, Charlie-27, Martinex, and Starhawk. Yondu, Nikki, Aleta, and Replica had gone earlier, not feeling to welcome among the assemblage. Three of the four females had met most of these heroes before, but Replica felt too left out, so the others, who had never really met Justice and Firestar, agreed to show her the sights of the 20th century.

The Avengers, too, were present: Captain America, Namor, Ms. Marvel, the original Yellowjacket, the Vision, Beast, and Doctor Amazing. Other heroes were present, if only to prove to themselves that superhero relationships can work out: Spider-Man, Wonder Man, Warpath, Century, and others.

The band played it’s festive tunes, making Vance Astro feel more and more ill. He waited impatiently while Justice and Firestar got ready, fidgeting in the ill-fitting containment suit that he was once again forced to wear. Why? he thought. I was fine on the space station. A few dizzy spells, but not much else.

Finally, Justice and the Thing arrived to take their places by the altar. Hurry! Vance thinks. I can’t take this anymore! Suddenly, everything went quiet, all conversation stopped, all heads turned to face towards the doors of the mansion, where Firestar, in her amazingly beautiful wedding dress, has begun to come outside. She holds her head high, looking at the grinning face of her fiance. She does not smile, though, for she is concentrating far too much. She finally makes her way to Justice, where they turn to face the podium and the priest behind it.

“My honoured guests…” the priest begins, all present focusing intently on his words. He continued to speak for several minutes, every paying him close attention. Suddenly, though, Vance gasped softly, and Charlie reached out a hand to steady his friend.

“Where are they, blast it!” Charlie whispers to Martinex. “We managed to send them a signal, so we know they’re looking for him. But they should have gotten back long ago!”

“He is not an easy person to find or command, Charlie,” Martinex said. “Be patient.”

How can I be patient, Charlie thought, when my…. best friend … is dying?

“We don’t have time,” Charlie said, looking pointedly at Starhawk, one of the most powerful beings in the universe, now clenching his fists in some private battle.

“And now we come to the part of the ceremony where, before God, these two young people pledge themselves to one another. Vance?” the priest prompted. Justice looks toward his older self, Vance Astro, indicating that he should bring the rings to him. Astro began to walk toward the podium; ring outstretched…

… and he stumbles, reaching out blindly for a comforting hand…

… and Justice stumbles, reaching out blindly for Firestar…

… and Vance sags, ring falling from his outstretched hand…

… and Justice sags, eyes rolling back into his head with a moan…

… and they both scream.

“VANCE!” Firestar yelled, reaching out to catch Justice, who has begun to fall, and trickle of blood coming from his right ear. The yell is echoed by an AAAH! from Starhawk, who fell to one knee. There was a moment of shocked silence, and then all of the heroes surged forward, tuxedoes and dresses torn in the rush as everyone got into battle mode.

The two Vances, laying in identical poses of pain on the ground, are seemingly unable to be helped, until the form of a man none but Starhawk recognises comes from the back of the room, explaining that if Vance Astro dies, his, and Starhawk’s, universe is doomed. He gives Starhawk twenty-four hours to correct what’s wrong and leaves.

Later on, both Vances have been moved into the Avengers Medical Centers. Starhawk and Charlie feel compelled to talk to one another privately*, but suddenly, in another blue flash, they have all returned to Centauri IV.

[ * - Everything up to this point was detailed in NEW WARRIORS ANNUAL #5, over at the Adventure branch - Adrian ]

“What the -?” Charlie says. “But we were just… and Vance… and but… Starhawk…”

“I know!” Nikki said. “We had just arrived at Doctor Strange’s house when we popped out, too. This is weird beyond words.”

“Guys, I’m sure you all had fun wherever you went, but it will need to wait for another time. Thanos is heading towards Earth, and we need to get there first!” Yellowjacket said. Everyone present climbed aboard the Icarus, and they headed toward Earth.

Nikki (Aboard the Icarus, 31st century)

Nikki made her way to the back of the ship where Charlie sat in the corner. The ship was in the hands of its designer, Kristoff Vernard, and he know doubt knew how to fly it better than Charlie did anyway. She sat down next to Charlie and placed one of his hands in hers.

“You okay, Chunks?” she asked.

“Well, yeah, and, well, um, no,” Charlie said. “No. Definitely not.”

“What’s wrong?” Nikki asked.

“That whole ‘trip’ was just weird. Vance’s wedding? Vance dying? He’s… he’s my best friend, Nikki.” Charlie said. “And then, when we all popped out…”

“It was weird, huh?” Nikki said. “Well, don’t worry…” With her free hand, she reached up and unbuttoned his shirt, pressing her hand lightly upon his chest. She leaned forward and kissed his chest, and looked up at him.

“You mean…?” Charlie began to ask.

“Yes, Chunkie.” Nikki looked up and kissed him right on the cheek.

Rancor (Earth, 31st century)

Rancor kissed Talon hard on the face, before grabbing his fur.

“So you mean I’m the mother of your son in an alternate reality?” she said. “Good. I always thought you were kinda cute, for a big cat.” She kissed him again, and he pulled back, looking up at the door.

“Rancor, honey, we have a visitor,” he said. They both sat up, Rancor pulling the bedsheets over herself to conceal her nakedness, Talon sliding back into the shorts and vest that made up his Guardians uniform.

“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” the figure at the door said.

“Well, no, not exactly.” Rancor said.

“Good. Because I was told that you wanted to see me. Name’s Logan, but you might know me better as Wolverine.” the figure, Wolverine, said.

“Wolverine!” Rancor gasped. “Finally! I have so many questions to ask you!”

“They’ll have to wait, Rancor,” someone else said. “Doom wants you. Now. Seems we have some problems.”

“Okay, Firelord.” Rancor said. She ushered the three males out of the room so she could get dressed.

Inside Castle Doom, however, things were not quite so… relaxed.

“Doom, we have five entities approaching. Identified as Ultron, Alkhema, Galactus, Thanos, and Adam Warlock. Negative, make that six. The Guardians are approaching as well.” Blitz, a member of Guardian Force, said. “The first, Ultron, will be here… now.”

A large crash outside proved the truth of Blitz’s words, and Doom rushed out to investigate.

“Human!” Ultron said. “You had best hide your people. Galactus is approaching.” Doom sighed. Too many things to deal with now. He motioned for one small section of his enslaved army to capture Ultron, and they did, containing him in a specially produced adamantium cage from which he had no hope of escaping.

“One down…” he began to say, before being blasted back into the castle by a blast of power cosmic. He looked up, to see the forms of Alkhema and Galactus entering Earth’s orbit. “Two to go…”

Alkhema streaked toward Earth while Galactus began to prepare to feed from the planet. He expected more resistance than this, however. No-one had come to stop him yet. It was ridiculous.

“Halt, devourer!” Thanos bellowed. “Earth is mine to conquer!”

“No,” Galactus said. “Earth is mine to feed from.” He leaned toward the sun to show off his adamantium armour.

Thanos chuckled, pressing a button on his ship’s control unit, which began to power up several laser batteries. But…

“Thanos, my lord, wait!” Terrax yelled. “Two ships have just left hyperspace and will intercept the blasts.”

“That is of little consequence,” Thanos said, pressing the button that would fire the lasers. They arced toward Galactus, but just before they would hit, two ships – one identified as the Icarus and the other an unknown vehicle – left hyperspace, heading toward Earth. The lasers lanced through the Icarus as though it was so much aluminium, and sliced off the rear portion of the other craft before hitting Galactus.

Galactus laughed. “That almost tickled, Thanos.”

“AND THIS WILL HURT LIKE HELL!” everyone heard. “GALACTUS, THANOS, WHOEVER THE REST OF YOU ARE! I HAVE SPENT OVER ONE THOUSAND YEARS PREPARING FOR AN ATTACK LIKE THIS, AND YOU WILL DIE.” The sound trailed off into space, and both behemoths chuckled loudly at the sound. Until, moments later, the entire steel nation of Latveria rocketed up from Earth and clutched them both, dragging them beyond even Pluto, and atop the highest point of the nation, Doctor Doom laughed maniacally at his victory, before popping out of existence in a blue pop.

And all anyone could do was stare blankly at the sheer weirdness of it all.

NEXT ISSUE: Is this the end of the Guardians of the Galaxy? Has an entire mechanical nation spelled the end of two of the universe’s most powerful combatants? Is Doctor Doom crazy? What happened with the Guardians going to Justice and Firestar’s wedding? What the HELL is going on in general? Find out next issue, when everything is explained!

Written by Adrian J. Watts of SoftPixels.net

STEVE GILMORE’S MUSIC REVIEWS: JIM-N-LISA – JIHAD

You can listen to this band HERE

While it’s nice that the last couple of months have been quite good on the new name front, I must admit that I felt the loss of some of SC’s more well-known names. So it was a welcome relief to see that this month was going to be different, and already I’ve had some pleasant encounters with some old friends. I shamefully admit that I had to arm-wrestle Jimbo-Bob-thingy into putting down his John Hancock this month, but hey I’m a desperate man, what can I tell you? See, that is the hidden cost of the kind of reviewing schedule I keep to, there is just no time whatsoever for any other kind of listening. So when someone pipes up ‘hey new tune up!!’ I generally HAVE to pass it by and hope that it comes up on the list somehow. As you can imagine I am plagued by locusts who whisper ‘what do you think of this?’ or ‘here’s one you might like’ or ‘peep my poop’ or whatever the latest word fad is…

Fact is; I can’t listen to a damn thing, so stop emailing I and I….otherwise I’ll fatwa your ass…

Speaking of fatwas, old favourites Jim-n-Lisa return to the fray with a cheery little number about the spiritual bliss that comes from slicing and dicing your neighbours, family and friends. I snarfed the 320k version because if there is one thing I love it’s the J-n-L production sound and this track is no exception; a sound vision as wide as the Texas skies that shelter these Soundclick veterans. One of the reasons I picked this outfit for my Artist Of The Year 2004 was their promise, and every track I have heard since then has confirmed that promise and more besides. At this stage of the game, Jim-n-Lisa are one of the better-known bands around and most of the kudos for that has to be down to their often uncompromising style. Never one to take an easy musical path, J-n-L often go out of their way to surprise and confound even the most avid fan (i.e., me).

Jihad, for example, is nothing like I expected it to be. I expected a solid, red-hot angry rant about (and I quote) ‘leaders (who) don’t believe in the science that powers their weapons’ but what we get is an exceptional blend of rock and jazzy structures that put me instantly in mind of the ’60’s band the Soft Machine. More by instrumental sound and song structure rather than vocally mind, because there ain’t no-one who sounds quite like Robert Wyatt. Nonetheless, Jim has a fair set of pipes on him too, and he shows off his tonsilar pecs off on this track with admirable skill. Speaking of pipes, Jim’s also a well-respected horn man and again on this track he shows why – the tone is to die for. Jihad is not going to win any prizes in accessibility because there’s a lot more here to chew on than in any other ten tracks, but given time and patience you will find that this is the reason why J-n-L are so well known and respected.

Written by Steve Gilmore

POETRY: FOUR TOWN PUB WATCH BAN BY PAUL TRISTRAM

They put me on a 4 Town Pub Watch Ban

for fighting in the High Street one night

and there was me always thinking that

that was what the High Street was made for?

It made me smile and glow inside with pride,

they sent it through the post; it took two days

to get to me, cowardly is as cowardly does!

I had it hanging up from a crossbow bolt

on the furthest shit house wall for months

until trading it for a four pack of Special Brew

with a girl from Newquay one morning.

Well, it’s another tale to tell at the bar

and of course it’s going in my next novel.

You just can’t punish a writer with all that

normal crap you are simply giving them

more tools to work with, more ammunition

for the rifle as well as another notch upon it.

It’s like pinning stripes on an officer’s arm!

Besides, the thing that everyone laughs about

is that I was in fact living over in the city

which is 10 miles out of their range, anyway.

Written by Paul Tristram

POETRY: YOU’RE ABOUT AS HELPFUL AS THE SHITS IN TOWN, LOVE! BY PAUL TRISTRAM

I saw this old couple arguing last night

outside The Tilting Tavern as a group of us

stood around smoking skunk spliff’s.

They were verbally laying into each other

and pulling each other about by their coats,

they were in their 70’s and giving it wellie.

“Your brother’s better looking than you

and he used to be the worst boxer in Neath!”

“Yeah, I only went with you in the first place

because your father had already found a whore!”

“Aye, when you were born you were so ugly

that the midwife actually slapped your mother!”

“I shouldn’t have married you, you no good Bastard,

you’re about as helpful as the shits in town, love!”

That was it, we all exploded into laughter

I turned to Sam through tears and cackled

“I’ve changed my mind, I might just get married

after all, it looks like fun, But I’ll take myself

another couple of decades to mull it over properly!”

Written by Paul Tristram

POETRY: WHAT A MAJESTIC MOUSTACHE (I BET OLD LADIES PAY GOOD MONEY JUST TO WATCH HIM EAT SOUP!) BY PAUL TRISTRAM

I hope I have that much style when I’m old.

That Gentlemanly swagger is astounding,

he’s rocking that tweed ‘Full Monty’ with ease,

gleaming silver pocket-watch chain

dipping out of front waistcoat pockets.

That silk cravat tied and folded

at the base of his throat is pure quality and class,

I tell thee, I am almost speechless

but we are not quite finished yet, oh no.

His polished oaken walking-cane

appears to have a trigger switch below

the brass mallard duck head handle,

I do believe he has a rapier blade concealed

upon his ‘Old Spiced’ scented personage.

Why, this takes the biscuit, the man’s a player

too sharp it hurts and smightingly cool.

Of course, the entire effect is all topped off

by a pair of complicated oxblood brogues,

a deep black Crombie overcoat draped

leisurely over crooked arm, like so,

with a scarlet kerchief peeking tantalizingly

from the single left topper-most pocket.

A midnight Trilby hat, brand spanking new,

with a single peacock-feather side band

and a monocle, I kid you not people,

he’s actually sporting a monocle.

“Sir, the entire world salutes you!”

I declare with a respectful short bow

as he saunters past winking and owning it.

Written by Paul Tristram

POETRY: RUNNING DOWN FORE STREET BY PAUL TRISTRAM

With a hatchet in my hand

and bloody murder on my mind.

Prison cells are for later concerns

for now, you have my undivided

attention, completely…well done!

Written by Paul Tristram

FAN FICTION: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY – “ONE MORE TIME…” BY ADRIAN J WATTS

This Annual takes place AFTER the AVENGERS WEST COAST Year 4 Annual, BEFORE the FANTASTIC FOUR Year 4 Annual, and BETWEEN GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #78 and #79.

Prologue – The prison cell of Douglas Birely

Douglas Birely was ill at ease as he waited for his visitor. He had died merely a few years ago* at the hands of the Avengers West Coast, but recently been resurrected by the alien Maur Kon, who graced him with a new orbital space station and laboratory. The value of the space station could not be measured in the mind of Douglas Birely. It’s wonders were many, and the laboratories allowed him to continue his work in mutating plants and other organic life. And finally, he learned of a chemical, a different one for each species of life on Earth, which would mutate it. With a mere touch, he could turn a kitten into a sabertooth tiger; an eel into a monstrous sea serpent. But it was all for nothing. When he attempted to use his wonders against the Earth, the British Super Soldiers, alongside SHIELD, stepped in, defeating him and commandeering the space station for their own use.**

[ * - in AWC #95. ** - in SUPER SOLDIERS #11-13 - Adrian ]

And he’d waited in prison, waiting for a chance to escape. The authorities had taken the precaution of sealing his cell, not wanting so much as an ant to arrive to do Birely’s bidding. But Douglas had not risen to the top by being a fool. He had arranged a visitor, one whose very essence was that of an animal. He was the Condor, a renegade of the near-forgotten offshoot of the Inhuman race known as the Avians. The Condor had already been transformed into an actual Condor once, and Douglas had no doubt in his mind that he could cause the transformation again. But to do that, he’d need to touch the Condor, and the guards would never allow that.

He looked out of his cell’s window at the night sky, wondering how he could possibly reach the Condor and instigate the transformation. And a bright flaring of light illuminated the sky for the briefest of moments, and Douglas felt that he might just have found the solution to his problem.

Douglas Birely! I am your master, the subjugator of your world. I am Zenith, lord of the living Zodiac. It is my power which now courses through your veins, stubborn, leader, changer of animals. You are Capricorn, and you will do my bidding!

“Yes, Goddess,” Capricorn thought. “What is your bidding?”

Your world is strange, unknown to me. The silver one gave me the most basic of knowledge, but I must have more. I will contact you when you are ready for my orders.

“Yes, Goddess,” Capricorn said aloud this time. “I will do your bidding. I will wait.” He felt Zenith’s presence leave him, and some power, some glorious power come to bear within him. He would not need to touch the Condor to escape this land of bars and walls.

“Demonicus! You’ve got a visitor!” the guard called into the cell, opening the cell door to allow Douglas Birely, aka. Doctor Demonicus, aka. Capricorn, to meet the man who would be his saviour.

Now – the hospital room of one Rita DeMara, known to the world at large as Yellowjacket II

“So, you’s calls yourselves tha Gardeens off tha Galacksee?” the vagrant known only as Pete asked Nikki as she and her fellow Guardians of the Galaxy sat beside Yellowjacket’s bed. He’d found Yellowjacket after she plummeted from a New York rooftop, and taken her to the hospital for treatment. But the doctors said she was paralysed, that she’d never walk again. But Martinex, the Guardians’ resident scientist, would not take that for an answer. He was going to try everything he could to restore Rita. He had to. Now that Vance Astro had resigned from the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Kristoff Vernard had revealed himself to be only barely an ally, the Guardians needed new members – especially ones who weren’t able to be physically controlled by Vernard.

“It’s no use, guys. No matter what I do, all I can do is improve her speech. She still can’t move.” Martinex said, exasperated. “We need someone like Mainframe here. He could probably do a better job.”

“Hey, Martinex,” Rita said from her hospital bed. “You can do it.”

“Well, while you try to get Rita back on her feet, I want to go shopping. Clothes are way better in the twentieth century.” Nikki said.

“Yeah, I think we should get out,” Charlie said. “But won’t people be concerned when they see a bunch of aliens walking down the street?”

“This is Noo Yawk, mate,” Pete said. “We sees yor types eeevry day.”

Charlie laughed. “Thank you, Pete. Let’s go, everyone.”

Three days ago

“What do you want, Birely? I’m not getting involved in anything criminal. I’ve served my time.” Condor said.

“Oh, such an un-Capricorn thing to do, Condor. Where’s your drive? Your ambition? Your desire to stay at the bottom of the food chain that is humanity astounds me.” Birely said as he sat behind the plexiglass barrier that divided him and the Condor. “Still, such is your way, isn’t it? A pity. You were a great man of science. But now… you are merely my, and Zenith’s, unwitting servant.” Birely raised a hand to the plexiglass and looked intently at the Condor.

“Zenith has touched me, Condor, as she’d touch you if only you let her. But now, you shall be her follower through another means – me!” Birely waved his hand in a circular motion, and the air around the Condor sparkled briefly.

“Wha – what are you doing to me?” the Condor asked.

“That’s enough, Birely!” the guard called out.

“No, it is not nearly enough. And your answer, Condor? I am doing… this!” Birely snapped his fingers, and the Condor fell back, his body wracked in pain. His usually brown, feathered wings cracked and hardened, and became the colour of onyx. Dark, black, hard feathers covered his body, protruding from every pore of his skin. His mouth hardened into a strong beak, and his eyes gained the ferocious staring look of a normal bird of prey. And this monster was at the beck and call of… Capricorn!

“Birely, what the hell are you doing! Stop, or I’ll shoot!” the guard yelled at Capricorn.

“That will not be necessary. And refrain from referring to me by that repulsive name. Douglas Birely lives no longer, non-believer. There is only Capricorn!” Capricorn rose from his seat, and with a thought, ordered his newly obedient Condor to shatter the glass that separated them, and to eliminate the guard. The Condor obeyed, pecking the glass with one hard strike, and then doing the same to the guard, whose blood pooled on the prison floor.

“Now, Condor, we must travel outside. My master needs new followers – and I intend to provide them!”

Douglas Birely’s space station, current home to the SUPER SOLDIERS

“Concentrate, Vance,” Dalton instructed as Vance sat, cross-legged, on the floor before him. “Allow the rightness of the universe to flow into you. Only then will your true telekinetic powers show themselves.” Vance did as he was told. Alec Dalton had spent twenty years in Thailand learning meditation techniques from the area’s monks after he thought the other Super Soldiers had all been killed in a mission during the Vietnam war. He’d developed telekinetic and telepathic powers, including the rare ability of astral projection. Now, Vance was hoping to similarly expand his powers – and Dalton was happy to oblige.

“Let’s try something simple, for now. Try to project your essence outward, to just beyond where I am sitting.” Vance tried, and he felt himself begin to drift away. He knew that he could not do this himself yet, and thought there must be something helping him. He looked deeper into his own mind, searching for something, anything, that could be pushing him out. He found nothing, but saw, when he opened his eyes, that he had, indeed, caused an astral projection of himself to appear behind Dalton. The figure, according to Dalton, was an exact replica of Vance, and would follow any telepathic instructions directed it’s way.

With but a thought, Vance managed to cause the projection to walk around the room. It caused him to exhaust nearly all his psionic energy, and eventually he had to recall it. And as his mind flooded back to normality, he felt… odd. Something had touched him, touched his mind, and in his weakened state he had not noticed it. But Dalton had, and lay sprawled out on the floor.

“Dalton!” Vance yelled out as he rushed to his friend’s side. “Are you okay?”

“Something… invaded my mind… Zenith… must get… help!” Dalton said.

“Okay, okay! I’m going. I’ll get the Avengers. Just hold on!” Vance ran down several floors of the space station, to the hangar where the Super Soldiers space shuttle, the Icarus, was kept. He boarded it and frantically directed it toward the Earth, to Avengers Mansion, where he would somehow enlist the aid of Earth’s Mightiest.

Now, outside Avengers Mansion, New York

“Hey, isn’t that Avengers Mansion?” Nikki asked as she, Charlie, and Yondu passed the famous Fifth Avenue home. “Wonder if our old buddies, the Avengers, are home?”

“I doubt it,” Charlie answered. “But look, isn’t that their butler? Jeeves, or Jarvis, or something? He looks panicked.”

Nikki and Yondu looked toward the mansion, where they saw the Avengers butler, Jarvis, running down the driveway, his arms flailing in the air.

“Masters and Miss Nikki! Please, you must come quickly!” he turned and ran back towards the front of the mansion, where the three Guardians of the Galaxy could see Vance Astro looking on. They followed Jarvis into the mansion, where he replayed a video message he’d just received from Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.*

[ * - in the Avengers West Coast Year 4 Annual - Adrian ]

“This is Reed Richards, of the Fantastic Four with an emergency message for all heroes able to receive this transmission. A grave threat to Earth is right now bearing down on our planet. An entity of immense power, from the depths of space, has appeared in our solar system. By all accounts, this entity means either to conquer Earth… or possibly destroy it.”

That was the entire transmission, and it was obviously what was responsible for Jarvis’ panic. “I can’t contact the Avengers anywhere, but Mr. Richards’ message seemed quite urgent. And your Vance Astro just came with other news!”

Charlie noticed he had refrained from looking at Vance the entire time he’d been in the mansion. But now, he looked up at his former teammate. He was still mad at Vance for quitting the Guardians of the Galaxy, but he felt that he had to put his feelings aside. Mr. Fantastic’s message seemed urgent, though, and if Jarvis was right and Vance’s message was related, then it was for the sake of the Universe that he must listen.

“Go ahead, Vance,” Charlie said.

“Thank you, Charlie. A few hours ago, Dalton was helping me expand my telekinetic powers when we felt another presence. A strong presence, coming from somewhere out in space. Dalton, whose mind it affected more, called it Zenith and insisted that I get help. I came here looking for the Avengers, but Jarvis here said that both teams are off on a mission. However, the West Coast team just came by to borrow a space-Quinjet, so they may be investigating this incident as we speak,” Vance recapped. “But I think we, er, the Guardians of the Galaxy should investigate as well.”

“I’m sure the Avengers can handle it,” Charlie said. “And besides, we’re busy trying to help out Rita DeMara.”

“Oh, you mean the way the Avengers handled Korvac by themselves? Charlie, this Zenith creature sounded a lot more powerful than the Enemy ever did. That’ll need to be a team effort. Please, Charlie.” Vance practically begged his former teammate for aid.

“I agree with Master Vance,” Jarvis said. “But nonetheless, I will try my utmost to contact the east coast team in your absence. Master Charlie, I have been involved in the affairs of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four for many years. For Mr. Richards to sound so distressed, it must be a grave fight indeed that you will be facing.”

“Okay,” Charlie said. “Yondu, go back to Martinex and let him know what’s going on. Nikki and I will go with Vance.”

“Thanks, Charlie,” Vance said.

Two days ago, New York City

“Today is a grave day for us, the people of Earth,” Douglas Birely said from the middle of Central Park in New York. “The stars beckon to us, and what do we do? We sit here, like the poor mortals we all are, when our master, Zenith, could be using us to convert more worlds into armies of her followers. And why do we do this? Because of them.

“Who are those that keep us from joining our righteous master, I hear you ask. They are the superhumans among us. The Avengers. The Fantastic Four. They all seek to hold us back, to stop us from facing our glorious destiny! But I have found a way, thanks to Our Lord Zenith.

“I will help you, as I have helped the Condor, if you’ll but come to my side.”

“This guy’s nuts!” called out a voice in the crowd.

“The Avengers? Suppressing our destinies? What the hell is he on?”

“You do not believe me? Do you not believe that Zenith is your master? Then come to me, and I will show you. Just one of you. Come before me so I may show you your true destiny.”

One man, a small man, stepped forward to Capricorn. He had a visible smirk on his face, and it was obvious that he didn’t believe a word that Douglas had said. And he would prove him wrong.

“Show me Zenith’s power, oh mighty Capricorn,” the man said, standing directly before Douglas. Douglas smiled with great pity at the man. He was not a believer. He was not worthy of Zenith’s power. But Douglas would convert him into something. He touched the man on the face, caressing it, looking at it as though it was a face more than worthy to be with Zenith. And then came the pain, as Douglas released the chemicals trapped beneath his fingernails, manipulating the man’s genetic structure. No, this man was not worthy of the power Zenith bestowed on Capricorn. But he was worthy of the pain of Capricorn’s chemicals.

The man reeled in pain as his skin became wet and sticky. He began to feel as if he was melting to the floor. And, in fact, he was. Douglas had turned the man into the very essence of water itself. He chuckled as the man pooled onto the floor and began to evaporate.

“He was not worthy, and he was punished,” Capricorn said.

“What the hell was that?”

“He’s some kinda mutie!”

“Damn freak!”

Capricorn, you are now ready.

“Ready for what, my lord Zenith?” Douglas thought.

You are ready to join the others. The other members of the living Zodiac. But first, there is something you must do. I sense a cosmic anomaly near you. Something is out of place. Find it. It has great power but is yet to harness its full potential. It may be of use to me.

“I will find it, Zenith, and I will bring it to you.” Douglas thought.

Good. The time of the ‘heroes’ has come to an end. You must make this world ready for my arrival. But this is only the beginning, Capricorn. Only the beginning…

Now. The interior of the SUPER SOLDIERS’ ship, the Icarus

“Nikki, Charlie, this being was really strong. I have no idea what it’s going to take to beat it.” Vance said as the Icarus headed back toward the space station. “We will need to work together on this.”

“Sure. We’ll help the Avengers out. But if it’s more powerful than Korvac was, how can we hope to defeat it?” Nikki asked.

“Don’t worry, Nik. We will beat this Zenith guy, whoever he is.” Charlie-27 said as the Icarus docked back at the space station. The three Guardians disembarked, and found that Dalton was up and about again, and had now been joined by two other Super Soldier – Owen Llewellyn and Paradox.

“Good, Vance, you’re back. We have an either bigger problem. Long range scanners indicate a major mass out there. We recorded some data on it and piped it through SHIELD systems, which identified it as Ego, the Living Planet.” Dalton said, his voice a little panic stricken. “We’ve also detected several faint life signs around Ego, and one which goes right off the scales, which I assume is Zenith.”

“The others are the West Coast Avengers,” Vance pointed out, “and if Ego’s here, I think they’ll need help. Let’s go.”

“Wait, Vance. The SHIELD reports have information about guys like Thor and the Silver Surfer going toe-to-toe with Ego, and neither battle ended pretty. You’re not just going to be able to fly there. I suggest we put your astral projection abilities to the test, and see if you can contact the Avengers that way.” Dalton suggested. He led Vance and the Guardians into another room, where he instructed Vance to once again sit down and begin the calming techniques that he’d been taught.

“Okay. Let’s begin…”

New York, yesterday

“Condor, our lord Zenith needs this mighty being, and if we are to find it, we will need more followers,” Capricorn explained as the Condor carried him across the sprawling city. “And what a better place to broadcast the powers Zenith gave me, and create more followers, then from Maur Kon’s space station? We must go there, now.”

Now, the surface of Ego, the Living Planet

They were the Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. They had defended the Earth countless times from threats from space. And they had always been victorious. The evil had always fallen before their might. But not this evil. Not Zenith. She cared little for those that the mortals of Earth referred to as heroes. To her, they were merely pawns. But they could be put to use. They could be used to defend her if the need arose. The Avengers would become Earth’s Mightiest Destroyers.

But Clinton Francis Barton, aka. Hawkeye wasn’t going to allow that to happen. He cared too much about his team to let them become helpless pawns in Zenith’s game of chess.

“No way, Zenith,” he said to her as she waited before him. “We will never serve you.”

“Y-y-you… disobey me?” Zenith remarked. “How… dare you! I am Zenith, your lord and master!” She let fly another blast of thunderous energy which washed across Ego’s surface, knocking the Whackos on their backs. “You will obey me.”

“Never.” Hawkeye barked back once the energy had passed. “AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!” He didn’t need to say it twice. The Avengers gathered around him, waiting for instruction. “Siryn, Wonder Man, Tigra, Pete, pile on with me! Merveille…?”

“I’m gone, Clint.” Monica Rambeau, Lady Merveille, said.

“Attack!” Hawkeye cried out, as he and his fellow Avengers let fly with a barrage of attacks against Zenith. Arrows flew, nails clawed, and punches were thrown. But nothing had any effect on Zenith. She stood there, smirking. But the Avengers had achieved their goal. Lady Merveille had escaped during the melee, and she could summon help.

“For this insolence, you shall pay most dearly, Avengers. Photon has escaped, but she will be returned to me before long. Have no fear of that. But you… you will all die!” Zenith began to release another energy blast, and they all knew they would die. It washed over Ego at an alarming rate. But Ego, he didn’t want the Avengers to die.

“NO!” a loud roar emanated from the opposite side of the planet as large pieces of rock jutted from the ground around the Avengers. A large piece covered the top, sealing them away from Zenith’s attack.

“What?” Zenith cried out. “You!” She blasted the rock shield apart as though it were made of crepe paper, and a loud moan washed out from Ego.

“It seems that keeping these Avengers prisoner will be more effective. I can use them as a weapon to keep this beastly planet in check. Ego, form a cage around them.” Ego had no choice to obey. He saw now that disobeying Zenith would surely mean his death. “That’s a good planet.”

“Ock! I hope Merveille makes it to Earth in time!” Siryn said.

“So do I, Tess,” Hawkeye sighed. “So do I…”

Super Soldiers space station, now

The Condor swooped into the bridge of the space station but halted as he saw he had company. This was his master’s space station, and the brightly costumed beings in front of him should not have been there. He squawked loudly, and flew straight at the heroes; Capricorn was also running into the fray.

“Heroes!” Capricorn cried out. “Your time is at an end! The all-powerful Zenith will destroy you all!”

“Zenith?” Nikki wondered. “That’s the person Vance mentioned! Come on, Charlie! Let’s take these birdbrains out!”

Nikki fired a blast of fire at Capricorn, but he merely stumbled back for a moment, and fell backwards onto the hard floor of the station. But it did not take him long to right himself, and when he did, he enacted his evil revenge upon his attacker. He twirled his finger around and around, pointing it in Nikki’s direction as he did so. She began to feel pain beyond imagining. Capricorn was turning her into yet another enslaved animal as he had changed the Condor.

“Stop it!” Charlie yelled out, hurling himself at Capricorn like a truck hurling itself at a wall of pillows. He slammed his shoulder into Capricorn’s back, knocking the villain into the Condor, who found that he was not entirely suited to fighting in such an enclosed space.

Capricorn! The one that you seek is nearby.

“I will find him, Goddess.” Capricorn thought, before being picked up and hurled against the wall by Charlie.

“Nikki!” Charlie called out as he readied himself to punch Capricorn. “Go see how Vance is going!” Nikki turned and ran to the enclosed room where her former teammate was trying to communicate with the Avengers.

“Now, Capricorn, it’s just you and me!” Charlie threw a haymaker right into Capricorn’s jaw, causing blood to spill from his mouth.

“Correction, hero,” Capricorn said. “It is you and the Condor. For I have a more important mission to carry out!” He called out for the Condor to fight Charlie, and then got up, making his way to the station’s controls. He would only need to twist a few dials to activate the devices that would amplify his powers and enable him to use them from up here to attack the people below. And then they, too, would be followers of the Goddess. He began to activate the appropriate systems, when the voice of Zenith once again blared into his mind.

Capricorn! Find the one who I sent you to seek!

“One moment, Goddess!” Capricorn thought.

NOW!

Capricorn felt a blast of pure energy fill his mind, tearing at his very consciousness as he fought against it. But he did fight and was able to complete the activation of his power augmentor. He directed his Zenith-spawned powers into it, causing a wide beam of unearthly energy to strike a portion of the city of New York.

“Now, Goddess,” he thought. “I will help you.” He turned to see how the Condor was faring against Charlie. He had completely defeated the Jovian, Capricorn saw. He looked dead. “Good job, Condor. Now help me find Zenith’s creature.”

Vance Astro concentrated, utilising all his telekinetic and telepathic energy, pushing his essence outward toward Ego. He had to know if the Avengers were alive or launching an attack against Ego would be useless. They could not win alone, and if the Avengers were unable to help them… he didn’t even want to think about it. Finally, he found himself drifting in darkest space, bereft of his physical form. He floated across the vast void the separated Earth and Ego, and finally set himself upon the Living Planet’s surface. He was not unnoticed.

“You! The mortal I sent Capricorn to find! What are you doing here?” Zenith asked as Vance touched down on the planet.

“Fighting you, no doubt!” Vance spat at the vast being before him. “What have you done with the Avengers?”

“The Avengers? Those ‘heroes’ from the planet Earth? They are unharmed. You may see them, if you like. Avengers, to my side.” Zenith ordered, and no sooner did she finish speaking then Ego released the captive Avengers West Coast team. They stalked over to where their new master stood, and readied their weapons at Vance.

“Destroy the intruder,” Zenith ordered. Hawkeye, one of the few present to have met Vance before, tried with all is strength to disobey Zenith. But no matter what he did, it ultimately proved futile, and he found himself nocking an arrow at the man who once helped him defeat a being much like Zenith. He fired the arrow directly at Vance, but the telekinetic simply blinked himself back into his real body, where Nikki and Dalton stood looking over him.

“They’re alive.” he said.

“But you will all be dead!” The three heroes spun around, to see what the source of the sound was. And there was Capricorn, standing at the door to a small room, the Condor’s dark silhouette behind him. “My master Zenith wants the telekinetic. You would do well to surrender h – AAAARGH!” The room behind Capricorn lit up with light equivalent to a star going Nova, and Capricorn fell facedown onto the floor.

“What the…?” Nikki asked as she saw the shape of a woman take form behind the limp forms of Capricorn and the Condor.

“Please,” the woman stammered out. “I am Lady Merveille… and I need your help!”

Rita DeMara’s hospital room

Martinex had found there was little he could do to help Rita DeMara recover from her paralysis, and he told her so. She had hated to hear it, of course, but it was true that she would remain paralysed for probably the rest of her life.

“Ay, that’s bad news,” Pete said. “But I’m sure wee cen find somewhere fer ya!”

“That won’t be necessary, Pete,” Martinex said. “I’m sure that once we return to the thirty-first century, I will be able to find the equipment I need to – “

“Martinex!” Yondu cried out as he ran into the room. “Quickly! Charlie sent me to find you! It seems some major threat to Earth is approaching, and he sent me to warn you to be on your guard.”

“On my guard? What should I be looking for?” Martinex asked.

Pete, who had been standing by the window, turned to face the Guardians. “Ay, there be some funny lookin’ peeple out heeeer.” Yondu and Martinex ran to the window, but it shattered inwards just as they made it, due to a blow by some monstrous, bipedal lizard creature.

“What the hell?” Pete said, startled, as the creature hissed and spat at the room’s occupants. Martinex pushed him out of the way, firing a bolt of freezing energy at the monster as it clawed at him. But it simply shrugged the ice off, apparently able to generate its own heat. It did die, however, when a bright laser bolt blasted through the window, penetrating the creature’s torso, followed by a strong kick from the man named Kristoff Vernard.

“These things are all over this area of the city. Anyone out in the open was turned into some kind of beast,” he said as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, metal device and handing it to Martinex. “Plug that into the cardiovascular monitor and increase the power supply to sixteen thousand volts. That’ll bring her back to normal.”

“Why the hell would you help me?” Yellowjacket yelled. “You’re the one who did this to me!”

“That’s unimportant. Now we need as many people as we can muster.” Kristoff said.

“Yes. This must be the threat Charlie sent me to warn you about.” Yondu suggested. “Let us combat this threat ourselves, and hope the others can join us!”

“Good. And don’t worry – this time you’ll have me on your side!” Rita said as she vaulted herself off the bed. “Let’s go!”

The space station

“Her name is Zenith, and she is extremely powerful,” Lady Merveilled explained once Charlie-27 had recovered. “The entire Avengers West Coast didn’t even stand a chance against her. Not to mention the fact that she has Ego the Living Planet enthralled…”

“None of that matters,” Vance said. “We have to free your teammates, and try to do something about Zenith.”

“You won’t stand a chance. We need the East Coast team, the Fantastic Four…”

“Sorry, Ms. Rambeau, but we are all you’ve got. Jarvis is trying to contact the other Avengers now, but as it is, we are the only ones between Ego and Earth.” Vance told Merveille.

Merveille nodded. She didn’t like involving these people. They weren’t her team. She didn’t know them. But Vance was right. They were all that was available. “All right. Let’s get into your ship and go get her.”

“You can use me,” a voice from the heroes’ feet said. “I am one of her disciples, a member of her new Zodiac.”

“How can you help us, Demonicus?” Merveille asked.

“Zenith’s power can only stretch so far. If you let me, I can attack her other disciples, in the gathering place. Disciplining me may be a sufficient drain upon her power,” Capricorn suggested.

“We have no choice. Go, Birely, and take your pet bird with you.” Merveille sent him on his way, and then joined the other in boarding the Icarus. She strapped herself in as it launched toward Ego.

Ego, the Living Planet

“The telekinetic approaches. Capricorn has performed his task and escaped to Central City as well. The planet is nearly ready for my arrival,” Zenith remarked to her enthralled slaves, the Avengers West Coast. “And here you are, not even five meters away, and you can’t stop me.”

The Avengers West Coast looked at their master, all of their minds silently calculating a plan. They had no way to execute one while under her control, but if Zenith was telling the truth, and Vance returned, perhaps he could find a way to free them, and then they could finally destroy Zenith.

“The telekinetic is here. He will be welcomed.” Zenith looked out into space as the Icarus glided toward Ego. Aboard the ship, however, Zenith’s stare was met with fear. They did not expect her to simply let them land on the planet’s surface.

“Charlie, something is wrong here,” Nikki said to Charlie as he guided the ship ever closer to Ego. “we should go back.”

“I’m inclined to agree. Look, Zenith hasn’t killed the Avengers. Perhaps we can return to Earth and wait for the East Coast team, or the Fantastic Four to handle it.” Charlie said.

“No.” Vance declared. “We will beat Zenith, and show the world that we are heroes too. Keep going, Charlie.” Charlie obliged, and he landed the ship without interference from Zenith or Ego. The crew disembarked but were met by a solid stone wall provided by the Living Planet.

“What -?” Charlie wondered. “Why now -?” He looked around, and was surprised to see Vance, floating skyward and towards the cage in which the Avengers West Coast were imprisoned. “Since when can Vance fly?”

“He can’t, Guardian! Zenith’s doing it! Quickly, we must free the Avengers and escape. Avengers Assemble!” Lady Merveille concentrated, converting her body into pure light and rocketing skyward, hoping to blast her way through the stone prison Ego had created.

“Charlie, did she just call us Avengers?” Nikki asked.

“Yeah,” Charlie answered, helping the Mercurian climb to the top of the ship so that they could escape the canyon Ego had made around it.

“Neat,” Nikki said, climbing over the Jovian and joining the melee. She saw as Merveille let fly with a nova-like burst of energy which freed the Avengers, allowing them to join the fight against Zenith. But when Hawkeye aimed a blast arrow in Merveille’s direction, it became apparent that was not the case. But Zenith didn’t help them. She just stared at Vance, wondering why he was not one of her heralds. He was a fighter. He was strong. He could have been a might member of her new Zodiac.

“Vance!” Charlie yelled out. “Distract Zenith! We’ll get the Avengers out of here!”

“No… so… beautiful…” Vance responded as he looked at Zenith’s lithe form. The star filled void that was her body seemed to be calling him, and he had every intention of heeding that call. He didn’t know why his astral form hadn’t seen what he was seeing now, but he knew he would never leave Zenith’s side.

“Vance! Snap out of it!” Nikki yelled, firing a flare of flame at her one-time leader. “We need you!”

She was right. They did need him. The Avengers were crushing the two Guardians, the three Super Soldiers, and Merveille to the ground. They would not win without him. And somehow, perhaps due to Zenith, he didn’t even feel Nikki’s flames.

“Vance!!!!” Nikki screamed again as Wonder Man threw her into the stony ground. “Help!!!”

He didn’t hear her. He could not leave Zenith.

“Vance, we need you NOW!” Alec Dalton cried as Tigra’s swiping claws pinned him against a rock face.

He didn’t see him. He could not look away from Zenith.

“Vance! Snap out of it before I whoop your ass!” Charlie yelled, and this time Vance heard and saw everything. He saw Hawkeye and Quicksilver, trapping the Jovian in an ever-tightening circle of blasts and physical blows. He saw Wonder Man, continuing to beat Nikki to a pulp. He saw Tigra and Siryn, trapping the Super Soldiers beside the Icarus.

“NO!” he yelled, unleashing a blast of pure psychic force that was enough to make even Zenith stagger. He saw the Avengers West Coast snap out of their trances, and watched as Nikki, Charlie, and Merveille led them to the Icarus. He fell to the ground, caught by Owen Llewellyn, and everyone climbed aboard, waiting while Charlie powered it up and blasted away from Ego, just in time to avoid an attack by thousands of ‘antibodies’ Ego produced as the heroes escaped.

“That human hurt me,” Zenith muttered to herself. “Earth will be mine!”

The SUPER SOLDIERS’ space station

The Icarus landed, disgorging its crew immediately.

“How’s Vance?” Nikki asked Hawkeye, who had been keeping an eye on him during the retreat from Ego.

“Out of it. That blast of his took a lot of power. It could have even killed him.” the archer responded, a grim look on his face.

“So what now?” Charlie asked. “We need to stop Zenith somehow.”

“Right. Hydro-Man said something about going to Central City when we fought him. So did Taurus. I get the feeling that’s where Zenith’s ‘heralds’ are assembling. If we go there, disrupt the meeting…” Wonder Man began.

“… we may be able to stop her.” Merveille finished.

“Right. Come on, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Super Soldiers. We’re going to Central City. And there, Zenith will fall!” Hawkeye cried.

Written by Adrian J. Watts of SoftPixels.net

POETRY: DINING WITH THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER BY PAUL TRISTRAM

“Look, I am trying to be as diplomatic

as I can here but the answer is never

going to be anything but No.

You can flirt and tease as much as you want

but it isn’t going to work on me.

Anyway, even if we tried I wouldn’t be able

to get it up, I’m just too scared.

Yes, you’re pretty, and I’m sure that

it would be dirty and passionate

by the never-ending wicked bucketful.

And if you were an orphan or something

I would either be on top of or underneath you

right now but you are not, and I am far too

petrified of becoming your Father’s

after dinner ‘Wafer Thin Mint’

to introduce you to the carnivore in me.

But don’t worry, you’ll find someone else,

Jesus Christ, with a body like that

I should be regretting my decision

for an eternity and believe me I would be

if it was not for the thrill of that hair-breadth

escape that’s coming up right after dessert!”

Written by Paul Tristram