Earth-717: Fantastic Four Vol 2 Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins Scratching the back of his head for a moment, Reed then picked up his welding tool. Stretching around to the far side of his equipment table, he placed the last piece of exterior metal into its socket before using the tool to fuse it to the rest of the device. Once it was finished, he put the welding tool down and pulled off his safety goggles. On the equipment table was a newly finished warp core, which was a special device required to achieve faster than light travel. It was a translucent blue sphere, with much of the internal wiring and circuitry partially visible through the exterior shell. It was a scientific achievement that would change human history, because Reed had finally made space travel a feasible goal. Reaching out with both hands, he picked up the warp core and stretched over to one of his side counters, where he had a handful of carbonadium storage containers to protect his most precious inventions. Opening one of the empty containers, he placed the warp core inside. Sealing the top of the container, he then typed in a digital label on his wrist device, which then appeared as a hologram that flickered on in front of the container.
An alternate time. An alternate world. Despite having formed a new family, Reed Richards' dream of traversing the stars lives on. Having completed a new version of his spacecraft, Reed resolves to take the Fantastic Four to explore the galaxy. However, their interstellar adventure soon has grave consequences, leading the team into the heart of a massive galactic conflict.
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Transcript
Earth-717: Fantastic Four Vol 2
Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins
Scratching the back of his head for a moment, Reed then picked up his welding tool. Stretching
around to the far side of his equipment table, he placed the last piece of exterior metal into its socket
before using the tool to fuse it to the rest of the device. Once it was finished, he put the welding tool
down and pulled off his safety goggles.
On the equipment table was a newly finished warp core, which was a special device required to
achieve faster than light travel. It was a translucent blue sphere, with much of the internal wiring and
circuitry partially visible through the exterior shell. It was a scientific achievement that would change
human history, because Reed had finally made space travel a feasible goal.
Reaching out with both hands, he picked up the warp core and stretched over to one of his side
counters, where he had a handful of carbonadium storage containers to protect his most precious
inventions. Opening one of the empty containers, he placed the warp core inside. Sealing the top of the
container, he then typed in a digital label on his wrist device, which then appeared as a hologram that
flickered on in front of the container.
-WARP CORE 2-
The container to the left was holding the first warp core that he had constructed, which was to
be used for his own personal ship. The newly finished warp core had been commissioned by the Air
Force's Special Projects Division, as part of a joint effort with SHIELD to create a starfighter with
similar capabilities to his own exploration vessel.
Retracting his body so that he was back to his normal shape, he then walked past a group of
small, orb-shaped robots that were using small appendages to fix a hole in the wall of the lab that was
created by a recent battle between the Fantastic Four and the Gamma Corps. They were a group of
female commandos who were trying to capture Bruce Banner, who had sought refuge and a possible
cure at the Baxter Building.
The entire fiasco had caused a great deal of damage to the building, but luckily it did not create
any major setbacks for Reed's work. A day later, he had received a phone call from Nick Fury, who
explained the entire situation: how SHIELD was not responsible for the actions of the Gamma Corps,
and how Bruce Banner and Betty Ross had been granted asylum by the organization.
The small robots that were fixing the wall were Herbie's Repair-Bots, a team of automated
drones that Herbie directly controlled, mostly used for construction and repair jobs, as well as assisting
Reed with small tasks. Herbie's main body was floating next to a table that had a simulated map of the
galaxy on it, with various hard-light hologram images of planets and stars.
“Data collection complete, Doctor Richards!”
Reed sidled up to Herbie, who handed him a datapad. He quickly scanned his eyes over the
information before looking up at the hologram image of a planet in another part of the galaxy.
“A planet similar to Earth in many ways,” said Herbie. “So exciting! An excellent choice for our
first interstellar excursion, Doctor Richards!”
Reed let a smile slowly form on his face as he considered Herbie's words.
First interstellar excursion.
He thought back to everything that had led up to this moment. For an entire decade, he had
worked on a compact spacecraft that would be capable of interstellar travel. He had to revolutionize
contemporary knowledge of physics and engineering in order to do so. Then, one year ago, he finally
took a team of four into space, and their lives were changed forever.
But now, with the warp core completed, he was ready to make the journey he had been
dreaming of for most of his life. It had all been leading up to this moment.
In two week's time, when the newest version of his ship was complete, he was going to take his
family back into space. They were going to travel to that planet as the interstellar explorers they were
always meant to be. As Reed thought about what incredible adventure could be waiting for them, he
tried to imagine what that planet could really be like, and what he might name it when he got there.
What Reed did not know was that planet already had a name.
Rigellia.
* * * *
A large, three hundred metre long golden starship hovered in orbit around Rigellia, flanked by
several frigates and fighter squadron patrols. The ship was the Victory, a heavy cruiser belonging to the
Nova Corps, an interstellar police force that maintained the security of all planets and systems under
the control of the Galactic Senate. It was the core ship in a Nova defensive fleet, which was stationed
around Rigellia at all times because of its importance as a Senate homeworld.
On the Victory's bridge, a man with pink skin sat on the central chair. This was Centurion
Torthar, a Krylorian member of the Nova Corps. The rest of the bridge was filled with crew members
of various races, like all Nova vessels. There were Xandarians, Krylorians, Rigellians and Shi'ar,
representing the four races of the Galactic Senate.
Xandarians and Krylorians were humanoids that were extremely similar aside from skin tone;
Xandarians had a variety of skin pigmentations from white, to brown, to black, while Krylorians were
exclusively pink. The Rigellians were tall, thin and had yellow-green skin, while the Shi'ar were fair-
skinned beings with avian physiological features.
One of the Xandarian crew members was sitting at his station, looking at a video screen that
showed a Krylorian woman holding a young Krylorian girl, just over a year old. The man smiled and
waved at the young girl, who giggled in return.
“Hey, pretty girl,” he said. “How you doing?”
The girl squealed and held out her arms at the camera. The woman bounced her up and down.
“She wants her daddy to come home,” said the woman.
The man sighed and rolled his shoulders. The woman shook her head.
“Rhomann . . . .”
“Soon, Camaria, soon, I promise.”
“You said that last month. They don't have anyone else to defend Rigellia?”
“I know. I know . . . .”
Rhomann looked over his shoulder for a moment before turning back to the video screen.
“We've just been getting a lot of bad reports out here,” he said. “There's a lot of instability on
the borders. I can't tell you all the details, but they need me out here. I'm doing my job . . . . keeping
you safe.”
Camaria frowned and looked down.
“And keeping us safe is your job,” she said, in a tone that indicated it was a recitation. “We
know.”
“I wish I could do more.”
Camaria smiled.
“You already do.”
Camaria then bounced her daughter one last time as she looked at her.
“I have some errands to run, so we gotta get going,” she said. “Say goodbye to daddy,
Duranna!”
Duranna giggled again, holding her arms up in the air. Rhomann chuckled under his breath and
waved at his daughter before Camaria ended the video call. As his display screen reverted to its default
state, Rhomann sighed and opened up his data monitoring application. He yawned and leaned his head
against his right hand as he clicked through the data streams.
After a couple minutes, he then saw something that caused him to blink and look over it again.
He then stood up and turned to the command chair.
“Centurion Torthar, sir!”
Torthar turned to look at him.
“What is it, Denarian Dey?”
“Sir, I just saw a dark energy spike on the long range scanners that doesn't make sense. It's way
too . . . .”
Rhomann was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a dark energy field in visual range of the
bridge. Everyone turned to look at it, and within a second, a gargantuan war machine materialized
before them. It's design was unlike that of any ship they had ever seen, and was eight hundred metres in
length. The main section, which was curved upright, split open to reveal a huge central laser cannon.
“. . . . big,” said Rhomann.
“Contact!” yelled one of the bridge personnel.
“What is that?” asked another.
The ship also had four unfurling appendages that looked like legs, but they were curled up
under the ship's main section. After a few seconds, the legs emerged from beneath the ship, giving it an
insectoid appearance. It hovered in place, with the central laser cannon pointed directly at the Victory.
Rhomann then saw an indicator light flash on his console.
“We're being hailed.”
“Put it through,” said Torthar.
Rhomann tapped a button on his console, and a large holographic video display appeared over
the bridge window. On the other end was a Skrull sitting on a command chair. Unlike with other
Skrulls, this one had a metallic plate that covered the bottom and right parts of his face, creating a right
angle triangle that cut his face diagonally in half.
Metallic parts were extended over his neck, with a serrated tube that pumped oxygen directly
into his throat. The plate also covered his right eye, which had been replaced with an ocular lens. A
series of clicking noises were heard, and he lifted up his right hand to reveal that it was a completely
metallic limb, complete with a six-fingered hand. The clicking noise was made by him rhythmically
tapping the pointed tips of his fingers against his metal palm.
The Skrull did not have a mouth, given that the metal plate covered where it would have been.
Still, he spoke, with a set of lights on his throat flashing cyan as he did, his highly-synthesized voice
created by a modulator in his esophagus.
“Centurion Torthar.”
Rhomann felt a drip of sweat fall down his right temple. Several of the crew members on the
bridge cringed as they looked at the Skrull, clearly disgusted by his cybernetic appearance. For his part,
Torthar did not give an indication of being alarmed in any way.
“That is my name,” said Torthar. “To whom am I speaking?”
The Skrull clicked all of his fingers against his palm again as he glared at Torthar with his one
biological eye.
“I'm insulted, Centurion. I know it has been some time since last we met in combat, but I was
hoping that you would at the very least remember me. Or do you not recall when you destroyed my
ship during your campaign against the planet Klarr?”
Torthar sat back in his chair as the realization hit him.
“Commander Morrat?”
“That's General Morrat to you, Centurion.”
“Your ship was blown to pieces by my fleet. You survived?!”
“Barely, as you can see. I was rescued by a Mekkan cruiser mere moments before my escape
pod ran out of life support.”
Morrat looked down at his robotic hand for a moment, turning it over multiple times so as to
fully inspect it.
“It took some time, but via the incorporation of Mekkan cybernetics, I was . . . . repaired. I must
say, I was most impressed with your strategic skill on the battlefield, Centurion. You were quite the
worthy foe, and I hoped to meet you yet again in battle. Unfortunately for you, this time your ship is
the one that will fall.”
“That remains to be seen,” replied Torthar. “I'm surprised, Morrat. You were reckless before, but
attacking a Senate homeworld? I wonder what Veranke has to say about this.”
Morrat cackled, his synthetic laugh disturbing Rhomann to his core.
“She ordered it.”
Torthar pressed his lips together as Morrat clicked his fingers again.
“Now that our new vessels, the Pariahs, are complete, our forces are finally ready to deliver this
galaxy to destiny's Queen. Rigellia will be the first. This world, as with all worlds, will belong to the
Skrull Empire. I would ask you if you wish to surrender. After all, it is the courteous action to take . . . .
but I would much rather just crush you myself.”
Rhomann gulped as he saw the Pariah's laser cannon starting to glow brighter.
“Safe travels, Torthar,” said Morrat.
The video screen dissipated, and, seeing the energy forming inside the laser cannon, Torthar
immediately turned to one of the technicians on his right.
“FULL SHIELDS!”
A golden energy barrier formed around the Victory as the Pariah fired a massive beam. The
beam seared its way across the barrier, and the entire ship was jostled by the attack. A surge wave of
electric energy then rippled across the outer hull as the barrier powered down. Several of the crew
members looked around in dismay as the barrier faded.
“What happened?!”
“Barrier is down, sir! That laser, it just . . . . just shredded it!”
“All cannons, open fire! Deploy all fighter squadrons and support frigates into battle positions,
and someone get a message to Nova Command!”
Rhomann rushed back to his station, opening up his communication panel. He activated the
emergency channel and began feverishly typing a message that would be sent directly to the Nova
Corps' Headquarters on Xandar. A Rigellian officer who was sitting next to him turned around to look
at Torthar.
“Frigates and fighter squadrons in position to engage, Centurion.”
The Victory's cannons, which were placed all over the ship's hull, started firing orange energy
blasts at the Pariah. Six support ships and over fifty fighters all flew past the Victory, preparing to
attack. Each support ship was equipped with a polarized ion cannon, firing a sustained white beam with
ripples of purple energy.
All six beams struck the front end of the Pariah, burning sections of the front hull. The armour
plating, which was supported by an interlocking grid of kinetic barriers, was far too strong for the
beams to actually penetrate. The fighters then moved in, ready to engage the ship at point blank range.
“Moving in for attack run,” said one of the Nova pilots.
“Size of this thing, we might as well be bombing a goddamn moon!” said another.
The fighters closed in and started launching missiles and bombs along the main section, with
some trying to land direct hits to the central cannon. Inside the command centre, Morrat looked up as
he heard the explosions from the fighter attacks. He then turned to look at a Mekkan officer who was
standing in front of a control console.
“General,” said the Mekkan. “Hull and interweaving kinetic barriers are holding steady against
the Nova attacks. Our defensive measures are performing admirably.”
Morrat clicked his metal fingers a couple times before responding.
“Of course they are. Now, let's see how admirably Centurion Torthar performs.”
The Pariah finally broke out of its hovering state and flew towards the Victory. Firing its laser
again, it swiped horizontally along the defensive line, destroying three of the frigates. Opening its legs
wider, the Pariah tilted itself backwards, giving its cannon more room to aim a precision shot. Despite
being fired at by dozens of lasers from the Victory, nothing seemed capable of stopping it.
The Pariah then fired its laser again, sweeping downward across the Victory before
disintegrating two more of the frigates.
“Evacuate the ship!” yelled Torthar. “All of you! Now!”
Multiple explosions rocked the Victory's interior from the damage caused by the laser. Rhomann
scrambled out of his chair and ran off the bridge alongside the rest of the crew. As they rushed for the
escape pods, another explosion broke apart pieces of the ceiling, which caved in. A support beam fell
downwards, crushing the Rigellian crew member who had been sitting next to Rhomann and splattering
his blood all over the floor.
Rhomann watched as many of the crew members from the bridge deck strapped themselves into
escape pods and launched outwards, intending to head for the planet's surface. Stopping himself, he
then took in a deep breath before turning around and running back to the bridge. Torthar was there by
himself, watching as the Pariah's legs clamped down on the Victory's hull as it prepared to strike the
killing blow.
“Centurion!”
Torthar looked over his shoulder at Rhomann.
“I ordered you to evacuate, Denarian!”
“Let's go, sir! There's no sense just waiting here to be slaughtered! Come on!”
Torthar closed his eyes and exhaled as he turned his face downward. Reluctantly nodding,
Torthar stood up and followed Rhomann into the hallway. Running past the downed support beam, the
two made it to the last escape pod. Rhomann stepped in first, but just as Torthar was about to join him,
another explosion sent him toppling backwards, landing on his back on the other end of the hallway.
“Torthar!”
Coughing and looking to the side, Torthar saw the Pariah's laser charging. Frowning and
shaking his head, he then looked up at Rhomann.
“Consider yourself promoted, Rhomann.”
The colour flushed from Rhomann's face as Torthar jammed the side of his fist against the eject
button on the wall next to him. Rhomann's pod shut and was launched from the Victory at the same
moment the Pariah fired, blasting the entire vessel apart. Rhomann could only watch and shout in
horror as his pod plummeted to the planet below.
Earth-717: Fantastic Four Vol 2
Chapter 2: Date Night
“So what's this joint got that yours don't, huh? Some jerk playin' the sax?”
Alicia giggled as she and Ben walked down the streets of Hell's Kitchen together. Since Ben
was far too large to fit in any normal vehicle and Alicia preferred physical exercise regardless, the two
of them had made a habit of walking to their destinations whenever possible. The natural light of the
sun had since disappeared and given way to the iconic lights of the Manhattan skyline.
Looking down at Alicia's feet, Ben found himself once again impressed with her ability to
always know exactly where she was at any given time. She told him very early on in their relationship
that she had essentially memorized New York's layout, and so even if she was alone at any given time,
she could always find her way to any specific destination in the city.
Still, while Alicia was extremely capable when it came to path-finding, Ben still knew that she
did not see the reactions of the other people on the street. As they made their way down the sidewalk,
all of the other pedestrians made sure to move out of their way so as to provide a clear path. Alicia
always kept on her best smile, and Ben was thankful that she didn't actually have to see some of the
facial reactions that the two of them received.
Taking a few more steps, Alicia then stopped in her tracks and turned to the nearby building.
Ben looked up, and saw the words “Scene Contempo Gallery” above the doorway. He then looked
below the sign and sighed with relief upon seeing that the building had a set of double doors. Several
people in high class clothing were entering the building and milling about in the lobby.
Ben looked down at his bare chest and Future Foundation pants and rubbed the back of his
head. Alicia, staring at the building, tilted her head to the side.
“Is something the matter?”
“Eh, I dunno, babe. Not quite sure I fit the dress code, ya know?”
Alicia shrugged and briefly adjusted her sunglasses.
“Wouldn't have exactly been easy to find a tuxedo in your size, Ben.”
Ben rolled his head from side to side and pursed his lips.
“Ha, ha, ha. You been spendin' too much time around Johnny. His lip's rubbin' off on you.”
“Perhaps.”
“Besides, already got Reed wearing one of them penguin suits for his dinner with Sue tonight. I
don't want to be ribbin' anyone else's style, know what I mean?”
Ben grunted and tapped his hands against his sides, still not moving from his spot. Alicia
panned her head slightly so that she was almost facing him.
“Do you not want to go inside?”
“Uh, what? Uh, oh, no, I mean, yeah, I just . . . .”
The sides of Alicia's mouth turned downwards.
“If it makes you feel too uncomfortable, we don't have to.”
Ben closed his eyes for a few moments and swallowed. He then looked to the side and sighed
before tapping his right foot against the ground a couple times.
“Ben? What is it?”
Ben reached up with his right hand and scratched the part of his forehead where his right
eyebrow would have been.
“I, uh . . . . I don't . . . . ugh . . . .”
Alicia tilted her head downwards and blinked as she waited for him to finish. Moving his hand,
Ben rubbed his chin with the side of it before speaking again.
“This is just not my thing,” he said. “Mean, I wanna be there, do it, you know, for you. Cause
it's you. But I won't . . . . fit in. Ya understand?”
“Perfectly.”
“But I still wanna do it. Cause it's you.”
Alicia beamed, reaching out with her hand and massaging the side of Ben's arm. She ran her
fingers through the cragged grooves in his skin, tracing the lines that held him together.
“You've no need to be afraid, Ben.”
“Heh. You been sayin' that one a lot. Tryna give me a complex or somethin'?”
“I'll keep saying it until you believe it.”
Ben opened his mouth as if to speak, but caught himself unprepared for the forceful but still
compassionate tone of Alicia's response. Considering her words for another minute, he then
straightened up his back and let out a deep breath. Turning to her, he then reached out with both hands
and placed them on her arms.
Alicia playfully murmured upon being touched.
“Anybody ever tell ya you're one helluva gal?”
“Hmmm. I might have heard it once or twice.”
His chest swelling up, Ben put on a smile, even if he knew she could not see it. For in truth, she
didn't have to; she could sense the change in his demeanour, but that was not enough for Ben. For him,
that moment where they were smiling at each other helped give him all the confidence in the world.
Letting go of her arms, he then turned back towards the entrance.
“Alright,” he said. “Let's do it.”
Alicia lead Ben towards the doors, pushing them open with both hands. Crouching down so as
to not damage the upper frame, Ben followed her inside and was immediately set upon by dozens of
wary eyes. Many of the patrons turned to look at him as he entered, and all of them were clearly
surprised by his appearance.
Ben quickly scanned the room, trying not to let his dismay show on his face as he took note of
everyone staring at him. He was then nudged by Alicia with the back of her elbow.
“Come on,” she said.
Alicia started walking into the lobby, ignoring the other patrons. Blinking and glancing at the
floor for a moment, Ben then walked after her, trying to focus specifically on where she was going and
not on anyone else. Still, he couldn't help but have his gaze drawn to the floor, watching as his rocky,
orange feet took each trespassing step.
Soon enough, the two of them were inside of the main gallery area, which featured walls of
white with numerous paintings adorning them. The light fixtures and polished flooring were discernibly
expensive, helping to create a lavish decor that embellished the aura of the entire place. Ben had rarely
felt more uncomfortable in his life.
At that moment, a woman walked from another part of the open concept gallery, taking notice
of her two new guests. She had shoulder length, dark brown hair, with her face framed by a twin set of
elegant, lavender gem earrings. Wearing a colour block sheath dress with salmon and white sections,
she strolled towards Alicia with her arms across her chest, her hands gently placed on the inside of her
elbows.
Standing in front of Alicia, the woman then moved her neck back slightly so as to get a better
look at Ben, who towered over Alicia from behind. Shifting her jaw to the left for a moment, the
woman then returned her gaze to Alicia. She waited a second before speaking.
“Welcome. May I help you with something?”
Alicia held out her hand.
“Alicia Masters.”
The woman took a moment before reaching out and shaking Alicia's hand.
“Vanessa Marianna,” she said. “Miss Masters, yes. I know of your work.”
Vanessa then found herself looking over at Ben again.
“I . . . . see you've brought a friend.”
Alicia weakly chuckled as she gestured towards Ben.
“Ah, ah, y-yes, this is Ben Grimm, of the . . . .”
“I'm aware.”
Ben tapped the tips of his index fingers together.
“Eh, nice to, uh, meet you, ma'am . . . .”
“A pleasure,” said Vanessa, her tone flat.
Ben blinked as Vanessa then turned around, haughtily ignoring him. She then started leading
Alicia into the gallery, returning her arms to their crossed position. Ben sighed and shook his head as he
put his hands at his sides and solemnly followed after them, the soft pattering of his feet drowned out
by the noise made by Vanessa's expensive designer heels.
“So what brings you to my gallery, Miss Masters?”
“Well, as I understand, you host a variety of sculptures and other applied arts to go along with
your paintings. I was hoping to get some sense of what types of applied arts you have a taste for.”
Vanessa shifted her jaw slightly to the left again, not turning to look at Alicia when she spoke.
“You're interested in having your pieces hosted by my gallery,” she said.
“Uh . . . . well, yes.”
“Miss Masters, I host pieces for some of the most prestigious clientele in New York. I routinely
sell pieces for prices well into seven figures.”
“W-Well . . . . I, I wouldn't be asking for that much . . . .”
“I have little doubt as to your skill or enthusiasm, Miss Masters, but the fact remains that your
work is nowhere near as well known as many of my other clients.”
“B-But you knew who I was!”
Vanessa brought her hands together in front of her stomach as she replied.
“Of course, because I make it my business to know every artist in this city, regardless of craft or
personal circumstance. It's how I maintain my position as the most sought after art dealer in New York.
I've curated for galleries and functions in over a dozen countries on four different continents. This is no
doubt why you've come to me; after all, you want to become more well known, do you not?”
Alicia lowered her shoulder and gulped, her face growing sullen. Vanessa glanced to the side for
a moment before clearing her throat.
“My concern is not with the quality of your pieces, but with . . . .”
“Hey! Don't you get smart with me!”
Vanessa and Alicia turned to the side, where they were in plain view of Ben, who was waving
one of his arms down. His gesture was directed towards a couple of elderly patrons, a man and a
woman.
“Ah, who needs ya? Buncha lousy, no good, wool suit types who think they're better than me!
Me! The idol of millions!”
Alicia tilted her head to the side and gave Ben a stern face. Vanessa furrowed her brow and
looked at Ben with confusion.
“Ben!” said Alicia.
Ben threw up his hands before using one to point at the elderly man.
“Hey, don't look at me! He started it!”
Alicia sighed and shook her head as she put a hand on her forehead.
“Oh, Ben . . . .”
“Mister Grimm,” said Vanessa, “if you are disturbing my guests, I'm afraid I'll have to . . . .”
“Ah, I ain't doing nothin'. Don't worry about me. I'm as friendly a guy as you'll ever meet, and
I'd pulverize any joker who says otherwise. So, whaddaya say 'bout my girl, huh? She's a real fine
catch, I say so myself. I, I mean . . . . for the art stuff. That is why she came here, ain't it? Wants to
stock up your shelves with her sculptures and knick-knacks. You'll take her, right?”
“Actually, I was just explaining to Miss Masters why I will not be able to help her.”
“YOU WHAT?!”
Without thinking, Ben punched out to the right, slamming his fist against the wall. However, to
connect with the wall, his fist punched directly through one of the paintings. A handful of people
gasped as everyone else went silent. Vanessa held both of her hands out in front of her with open fists
as her jaw dropped.
Ben slowly withdrew his hand, his muscles quivering. The destroyed painting then fell off the
wall, landing on the ground with a deafening crash. The impact shattered the frame and sent shards of
wood and pieces of material all across the floor. Alicia cringed at the sound. Ben looked down at the
pile and blinked, unable to say anything.
Alicia sighed as Vanessa then finally broke the silence.
“S-Someone . . . . someone get this, this, this THING . . . . out of my gallery!”
Ben lowered his head, looking down at the floor in shame. He then closed his eyes.
“Don't bother. I know my way out.”
His hands at his sides, Ben then turned away and silently marched out of the room, with all eyes
on him. Alicia took a few moments to think before she took off after him. Pushing through the double
doors, she then walked to the sidewalk, where he had already started making his way back the way they
came.
“Ben? Ben!”
Ben didn't respond. Alicia followed him, listening to the sounds of his footsteps.
“Ben, please. You know I can't run. Please wait. Wait! Ben!”
Still, she received nothing in response. She continued to try and follow him, but the sounds of
the vehicles and pedestrians on the streets made it harder and harder to track his movements. After
moving down an entire city block, she finally lost track of him. Tearing up, Alicia just stood still on the
sidewalk as thousands of people moved all around her.
Then, the moonlit sky gave way to a slew of rain, which just seemed to make everything worse.
Within moments, her tears were drowned out by the infinite number of raindrops, which made her
suffering all the more invisible.
* * * *
“Nice view.”
With her left arm hanging down and her right hand on her left elbow, Susan stared out at the
iconic lights of the Manhattan skyline. She was wearing a dark blue peplum dress that she had
specifically chosen for the occasion. She was standing on a balcony patio, attached to a restaurant
situated in the penthouse level of a building.
While the interior of the establishment was completely stuffed with patrons, the balcony had
been completely cleared. All of the tables were made and ready, but no one was sitting at any of them.
Instead, Susan was standing alone, left to stare out at the lights of the city that she called home. After a
few more moments of silent thought, she heard the transparent double doors to the balcony open behind
her.
Turning around, Susan saw Reed walking through the doors. He was wearing a finely-pressed
and clean tuxedo, and he took a moment to pull on the ends of his bow tie before approaching her. She
moved her eyes and up and down his entire outfit, realizing to herself that it had been weeks since she
had seen him wear anything other than his Future Foundation costume.
Susan put her hands together in front of her, her downward facing palms pressed against her
body. Reed coaxed himself into a smile as he found himself staring at her face. Susan saw that his gaze
kept shifting, seemingly unable to focus on which of her features he specifically wanted to look at.
After a few seconds of this, Susan giggled and ever so slightly shook her head.
“You, uh . . . . you look gorgeous,” said Reed.
“Thanks.”
Silence.
“Should, uh . . . . should we sit down?” asked Susan.
“Uh, yeah. Y-Yeah.”
Reed and Susan took their respective places at one of the tables. Reed placed both of his palms
on the table, repeatedly pattering his fingers against the surface. Susan sat with her hands in her lap,
looking out at the city again. After a minute or so, a waiter walked out and took their drink orders
before handing them both menus and returning inside.
“This is nice,” said Susan.
“Yeah.”
Reed blinked as he looked around at the rest of the tables.
“Good that they didn't put us inside,” he said. “I was getting a little bit mobbed walking through
the dining area.”
Susan blinked.
“Well, of course,” she said. “The hostess told me you requested the whole balcony be cleared
for us.”
“I did?”
Susan nodded. Reed thought for a couple moments before tapping his left wrist against his
forehead.
“Oh, yeah, yeah, I think Herbie said something about that. Probably a good idea he had when he
made the reservation.”
Susan shook her head and blinked a couple times as the waiter returned, pouring out a glass of
water and a glass of wine for each person.
“Wait, what? Herbie made the reservation?”
“Yeah,” said Reed, reaching for his glass.
“You said you were gonna make it.”
“What's the difference?”
Reed took a sip of his water, nodding at the waiter and smiling. She held her gloved hands
together before looking at each of her customers in turn.
“Have you had a chance to look at the menus?”
Susan glanced at the waiter.
“Just, just give us a minute.”
“Absolutely, Miss Storm.”
The waiter turned away and returned inside. Reed looked over at Susan, who did not seem
impressed.
“What?” he asked. “What did I do?”
“You couldn't have called the restaurant yourself?”
Reed coughed, holding his hand in front of his mouth.
“I, I . . . . I was working. Putting the finishing touches on the warp core so I could deliver it on
time. So I asked Herbie to help. Told him to go ahead and pick somewhere nice, somewhere you . . . .”
“You didn't . . . .”
Susan moved her head back as a frown started to grow on her face.
“You didn't even pick the restaurant?”
“Uh . . . . Susan, please. You know how much work I've been doing on the spacecraft. I, I didn't
mean to upset you.”
“I'm not upset,” said Susan. “I know you've been working really hard this past year to make this
happen. I know this is your dream. I just . . . . you know that I have no problem with all the work you
do. It's who you are. But you also said that we would carve out more time for . . . . us. Us is something
that's felt a little sidelined for, for a long time. I want more time for things like this, and . . . .”
Susan took a moment to breathe before continuing.
“I don't think it's too much to ask for you to care about us, too.”
Before Reed could stammer out a response, a beeping noise was heard coming from his person.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white disc. Pressing the centre with his thumb, the
disc flipped open and transformed into a datapad, with a hard-light hologram interface. Herbie's face
appeared on the screen.
“Give me, give me just a second,” he said.
Susan clenched her teeth, but did not open her mouth to show it. She then put her elbows on the
table and lowered her arms so that they were perpendicular to her body, with one palm placed over the
other.
“What is it, Herbie?” asked Reed.
“Hello, Doctor Richards! I hope that you are enjoying your night on the town with Susan! I trust
that the dinner arrangements I made are to your liking?”
“They're fine, Herbie.”
“Splendid! Now, to the matter at hand . . . . I was doing more data crunching regarding our
interstellar trip, and there are a few modifications to some of the design specifications that I believe you
should look over.”
Susan rolled her eyes and looked back out at the city again. Reed noticed this and rubbed the
back of his neck.
“Herbie, c-can we do this later? I just . . . .”
“But Doctor Richards, time is of the essence! If we want to maintain our schedule, I must begin
construction as soon as possible. My Repair-Bots have almost completed their assigned tasks, and then
they will assist me with the construction. As long as you approve of the design modifications, of
course!”
Reed sighed.
“Okay, okay, Herbie. Let's hear it.”
“Very well, Doctor Richards! Let us start with . . . .”
Herbie would then ramble on for the next ten minutes. Susan blankly stared at Reed, her head
leaning against her right fist. She had to send the waiter back on two separate occasions. Finally
through waiting, Susan turned herself invisible. For a full minute, Reed continued his conversation with
Herbie as if nothing had changed.
Sighing, Susan stayed invisible as she then stood up and jumped over the balcony's railing.
Creating a force field disc under her feet, she then soared her way through the skyscrapers of the city
until she arrived at the Empire State Building. Sitting on one of the highest possible perches and
lowering her legs so that they were dangling over the edge, Susan turned visible again.
For a long while, she just sat there, absorbed in her own morose thoughts. She did not know if
anyone in the city could see her at that moment, but she honestly didn't care, for she truly felt unnoticed
by the one person who mattered to her the most. Finally, she couldn't keep her emotions contained any
longer, and she started to cry, placing both hands on her face.
Then, the moonlit sky gave way to a slew of rain, which just seemed to make everything worse.
Within moments, her tears were drowned out by the infinite number of raindrops, which made her
suffering all the more invisible.
Earth-717: Fantastic Four Vol 2
Chapter 3: Exploration
Bouncing up and down in the air, Herbie led Susan, Johnny and Ben out and onto the roof of the
Baxter Building. There, a special launching platform had been prepared, and situated on it was a sleek,
white and blue starship. It was the same size as the previous iteration, with newly designed engines that
were powered by the warp core.
Reed was standing in front of the ship, looking down at a datapad in his hands. He was wearing
his Future Foundation outfit, as were Susan, Johnny and Ben. Looking up upon noticing the three
approaching him, he smiled at them and tapped a button on the datapad, transforming it into its disc
form. He put the disc in his pocket before holding out his hands.
“Everyone.”
Reed look at the other three members of his team in turn. They were standing opposite him in a
line, with Susan on the left, Johnny in the middle and Ben on the right.
“Today is the culmination of all the work I've done,” said Reed. “The ship is finally ready, and
today, we go into space. Allow me to present . . . .”
Reed turned and gestured towards the completed ship, which had its name painted on the side in
black lettering.
“The Venture.”
Scratching the back of his head, Johnny then held up his hand.
“Johnny?” said Reed.
“Yo, big brain. Uh, question. Where's like . . . . the pizzazz?”
Everyone looked at Johnny with raised eyebrows. Herbie even turned himself sideways.
“I am not quite sure I understand your choice of verbiage, Jonathan,” said Herbie.
“Oh, come on. Pizzazz, you know? Guys?”
No one said anything.
“Really?” said Johnny. “You guys know what I mean! People! Thought we were celebs!
Where's the press, the fans, the cheerleaders?”
“Awh, what's the matter, tough guy?” asked Ben, gently elbowing Johnny in the side. “Sad
cause you done up your hair all nice and fancy and there ain't nobody 'round to see it?”
“Yeah!”
Ben laughed while Johnny sulked. Reed then reached out with both his arms, placing his left
hand on Susan's shoulder and his right hand on Ben's.
“I know we've been through quite a bit this last year,” said Reed. “All of us. Our lives have
turned into a roller-coaster, and I've probably spent far too much time on some things, and not enough
on others.”
Susan glanced away for a moment and smiled.
“But there's nobody else I'd rather do this with. This is my life's dream, and you three . . . .
you're my family. You're the ones I want to share this moment with. Not the press, not the fans . . . . not
even the cheerleaders. Sorry, but I'm really not sorry, Johnny.”
Johnny sighed, putting a hand on his forehead. Susan giggled.
“So, let's go and make history. Together.”
Reed retracted his hands.
“Eh, mighty fine speech, Stretch, but I don't buy it. You're sayin' that we're about to blast off
across the good old Milky Way and nobody's watching?”
Reed smirked.
“Well, somebody's watching.”
At that moment, the SHIELD helicarrier materialized near the top of the Baxter Building.
Susan, Johnny and Ben all gasped as it faded into view.
“What the . . . .”
“Hot damn!”
“By my sweet aunt Petunia!”
Reed laughed as the other three took a moment to recover from being startled. Ben pointed at
the helicarrier.
“How did . . . . how did they do that?”
Then, a voice that they did not recognize called out.
“Oh, that was me!”
A fit of giggles from an unknown source caused the three to look back at Reed. After a moment,
two relatively short people, a man and a woman, came running out from behind the parked ship. They
were holding hands and beaming with unbridled glee. The two of them stood next to Reed.
“Hi!”
The woman waved with her free hand at Susan, Johnny and Ben. Herbie performed an aerial
somersault.
“Ah, so you two have finally come out of hiding!” said Herbie. “Excellent, excellent!”
“Yeah,” said the man, widely grinning. “That whole bit with the invisibility matrix? That was
me. All me.”
“His technical skills are quite marvellous, aren't they?” asked the woman.
“Uh, I'm sorry,” said Susan. “Who are you two?”
“Who are we?”
The man and the woman looked at each other before putting on devious smiles. Noticing this,
Reed then placed a hand on his chin.
“Uh oh,” he said. “You might have wished you didn't ask that.”
“Oh, the routine?” asked Herbie. “I love this!”
“You wanted to know who we are?” asked the woman.
The two closed their eyes and placed their backs against each other. After a couple moments of
silence, the two then broke into a heavily synchronized routine as Susan, Johnny and Ben all watched
in utter confusion.
“Masters of our fields, for we know them best,” said the man.
“Each day we put our lab skills to the test,” said the woman.
“We strive to be better than all the rest . . . .”
“To find all the answers is our main quest!”
Both of them sharply turned their faces to look at their audience.
“Fitz!”
“Simmons!”
The two scientists then faced their bodies forward and held their arms out in what looked like
battle ready poses.
“For we are the ones that the world call . . . .”
“When they need an answer, big or small!”
The last segment they spoke in unison.
“Goooooooo . . . . SCIENCE TEAM!”
Fitz and Simmons held their poses. While Susan and Ben looked dumbfounded, Johnny
immediately broke out into applause. He whistled and clapped, causing Fitz and Simmons to return to
holding hands and taking a bow.
“That was awesome!” said Johnny. “These guys should get their own show!”
“I still ain't sure what I just saw,” said Ben.
“And I'm not sure my question was even answered,” said Susan.
Both Fitz and Simmons weakly laughed.
“I'm Fitz. She's Simmons.”
“He's engineering. I'm biochem.”
Susan raised an eyebrow, still clearly unsure of the two. Reed took a step forward.
“Guys, this is Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons. They're scientists who work for SHIELD. They've
been helping me put some finishing touches on the ship.”
“And they also helped us to co-ordinate with Director Fury!” blurted Herbie. “The launch will
now go quite swimmingly, I assure you!”
Fitz and Simmons then proceeded to speak with all of the team members. They revealed that
they were huge fans of the Fantastic Four, and had been clamouring for the chance to meet them all.
Johnny even tried to ask Simmons on a date, but Susan smacked him on the back of the head and once
again reminded him about his girlfriend, Doris.
As Fitz and Simmons continued to speak with Susan, Ben took a moment to step off to the side.
Putting his hands at his sides, he sighed and looked out at the Manhattan skyline. Breathing in the
chilly morning air, Ben took some time to sort through his thoughts. Herbie, noticing this, flew away
from the main group and went to his side.
“Benjamin.”
“Hey, Herb.”
“Is something the matter?”
“Nah, just . . . . just thinkin'.”
“I have another saved message from Alicia. That's four now that you have not returned. Are you
certain you do not want to hear them?”
Ben licked the inside of his cheek as he sighed. Breathing in and looking away, Ben then
grunted and placed both of his fists on his hips.
“Not right now, Herb. Not right now.”
“I understand.”
A few minutes later, Reed, Susan, Johnny and Ben had all clambered inside the ship. Herbie
was floating around the seating compartment as the hood of the ship locked into place. Fitz and
Simmons were standing off to the side. Simmons gave an enthusiastic double thumbs up while Fitz put
his arm around her shoulders.
Putting his hands on the controls, Ben initiated the engine. He was sitting on the upper left of
the seating compartment, with Reed at his right. Johnny was behind Ben, and Susan was behind Reed.
The seating arrangement was identical to the one they used when they went on their first trip into space
on the fateful day that they received their powers.
Herbie was floating between Ben and Reed.
“All engines and power systems are online and operating at peak efficiency, Doctor Richards!
We are go for launch!”
“Thanks, Herbie.”
“Feels like slippin' on an old and comfy pair of sneaks,” said Ben. “Just hope it's uh . . . . not as
nutty as last time. Had a hell of a makeover when we got back on our first space trip.”
Reed placed his hand on Ben's shoulder.
“I wouldn't do this without you,” said Reed.
“Yeah,” said Ben, with a snort. “Think that's the problem. I'm always enablin' ya!”
Johnny kicked out at the back of Ben's chair.
“Got your panties all twisted, Benjy?! Don't flake out on us now!”
Ben groaned. Susan created a miniature force field that she used to smack Johnny across the
cheek.
“OW!”
“You deserved that,” said Susan.
“Sure we can't just toss the kid out?” asked Ben. “Maybe Herbie can take his place as the fourth
member. Or hell, call up that Betty Ross broad. She'd probably be way more helpful than this clown.”
Susan folded her arms.
“I'd actually like to see another girl on the team,” she said.
Johnny threw up his hands.
“You all suck!”
Ben chuckled. Reed smirked. Susan grinned. Johnny sulked. Herbie did a barrel roll.
“Oh, crap!” said Johnny.
“What is it now?” asked Susan.
“Hang on,” he said, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. “Guess I better tell Doris where
we're going.”
“You didn't tell . . . .?”
Johnny tapped a button on his phone and held it to his ear as Ben chuckled again. Susan glared
at Johnny while Reed shook his head. After a moment, Doris answered the call.
“Johnny?”
“Yo, Dorrie!”
“What are you calling me this early for? I wasn't even gonna get up today until I had to get
ready for my noon class . . . . wait, what are you doing up? You're never up this early!”
“Yeah, special case, babe. Have uh, a . . . . thing, I gotta do today. Just wanted to let you know
about it.”
“Well, what is it? Better be during the day. You're still coming over tonight, right?”
“Tonight?!”
“Yeah! Remember? You're coming over for dinner? Meeting my parents for the first time? Don't
tell me you forgot already!”
“Uh, babe, I, uh . . . .”
“So what's this thing you gotta do?”
“Well, not just me. It's me and the rest of the team. Wasn't my idea, really. We're uh . . . . we're
going into space.”
“INTO WHAT?!?!”
“Sorry! I'll make it up to you, I swear! You're the best! See you when I get back!”
“JONATHAN SPENCER . . . .!”
“Bye!”
Johnny hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. Susan grumbled while Ben laughed.
“Ha, ha. Nice one, Romeo. Real sweep 'em off their feet kinda guy.”
“Ah, shut up, Grimm!”
“Let's go!” said Herbie.
Ben pushed a button on the central panel, and the ship's engines activated. The warp core
powered up as the ship lifted into the air, blasting into the sky and towards the atmosphere. Fitz and
Simmons clapped as the ship quickly flew out of their visual range. Within very little time at all, the
ship was leaving the planet.
“Interstellar co-ordinates locked in,” said Herbie. “Oh, I'm so excited! A whole new world, just
for us to explore! I can't wait!”
“I just hope somebody remembered to pack us a lunch,” said Ben.
“Of course!” said Herbie. “I made all of the necessary preparations! My Repair-Bots are on
board, all of Doctor Richards' interstellar research data has been uploaded to the Venture's central
computer system, the warp core has been installed and thoroughly tested via my full suite of diagnostic
programs, and I even remembered to put together a nutritional package comprised of several different
types of specially prepared rations and snacks!”
“Eh. Rations. Hey, Stretch! Don't suppose you could give one of them warp cores to a pizza
place, could ya? Hey, there's an idea! Pizza delivery . . . . in space! Bet it'd make a killing.”
“Wouldn't there actually have to be someone in space to deliver the pizza to?” asked Susan.
“Details, details, Suzie.”
“Warp core primed for launch!” said Herbie. “Faster-than-light path determined.”
“Alright, everyone,” said Reed. “We're about to travel faster than anyone ever has. It'll still take
a few hours to get there. So buckle in . . . . and let's enjoy the ride.”
Ben pushed another button, and the cockpit view of the ship turned into a blue tunnel of flowing
light. Glowing brightly, the warp core emitted a pulse of energy throughout all of the ship's systems.
The Venture then started travelling faster than the speed of light, rocketing through the galaxy towards
the planet of Rigellia.
Little did the Fantastic Four know that the next time they would see their home planet, it would
be a very different place.
* * * *
On board his Pariah, General Morrat was sitting on his command chair. Numerous Skrulls and
Mekkans were in the command centre, sitting at their consoles and performing their duties. Morrat was
leaning his head against his biological hand, which was curled up into a fist. His metallic hand was
stretched out over the arm of his command chair, and his six fingers were rhythmically clicking against
his palm.
The Pariah was no longer in space; rather, it was now on Rigellia's surface. With the four legs
unfurled, the Pariah had transitioned into its walker mode, where it could slowly move on the ground.
The digital view-screen gave Morrat the ability to see the lush jungles of the planet's surface. He
grumbled as the Pariah continued to move through the jungle, not finding anything of consequence.
Suddenly, the Mekkan second-in-command officer turned to Morrat.
“General.”
“What is it?”
“I have received word that you have an incoming transmission. It is the Queen and the other
members of the High Military Command. Apparently the Queen has called a strategic meeting.”
Morrat stood up from his chair, putting both of his hands behind his back.
“I'll take the call in the conference room.”
“Relaying the call to the conference room now, General.”
“Thank you, Officer.”
Hunching over as he walked, Morrat left the command centre and walked down a metallic
hallway to the conference room. Despite the Pariah moving as it lumbered over the continent, the
internal inertia dampeners made it feel as if there was no movement at all, so that people on the inside
of the vessel weren't constantly falling over.
Reaching a sealed door, Morrat used one of his metallic fingers to punch in a five digit security
code on a wall panel. The panel flashed a green light for a second before the door retracted into the
ceiling. He walked into the conference room, and the door sealed shut behind him. The room was small
and circular, with a podium in the centre and four rectangular screens affixed on the wall.
As Morrat stepped on the podium, the circle panel beneath his feet lit up with blue light. The
four screens then turned on, and each one showed a live holographic image, with three Skrulls and one
Mekkan. The Skrulls were General Paibok, General De'Lila, and Queen Veranke, and the Mekkan was
General Bendolan.
Morrat looked directly at Veranke before giving a bow, his left hand behind his back and his
right hand in front of him.
“My Queen.”
Veranke closed her eyes for a moment and nodded at Morrat's gesture.
“General Morrat,” said Veranke. “Thank you for joining us.”
“Of course, my Queen. To what do I owe this most pristine pleasure?”
“I have called this meeting of my military cabinet because the most important phase of our
offensive is finally in place,” said Veranke. “General Paibok and his forces are ready to converge on
Earth. As the most important planet to my plans, I have committed the bulk of the Pariahs to it.”
“My forces will take the planet with the utmost speed, my Queen,” said Paibok.
“Forgive my boldness, my Queen,” said De'Lila. “But I would quite like to finally be privy to
why Earth is so important. You've never explained what a primitive planet has to do with your grand
strategy.”
“I share De'Lila's concern,” said Bendolan. “Why is Earth so important?”
Veranke exhaled.
“Clearly none of you have done as extensive research into Asgardian cosmology as I have,” she
said. “You all should know that the Kree very recently made an attempt to annex the planet. This is
likely because the Supreme Intelligence has come to possess the same knowledge that I have.”
Morrat clicked his fingers again as he listened to Veranke's explanation.
“The reason that Earth must be taken is because the space in the Sol system is extremely
compatible with dark energy portals. If we take Earth, we could build dozens of warp gates in the
system and use them as a hub for our interstellar supply lines. Supremor's attempt at conquering Earth
indicates that he knows of its properties, but I doubt he knows why they exist.”
“Why do they exist?” asked De'Lila.
“Because, according to ancient Asgardian texts, Earth, which they call Midgard, is the direct
centre of Yggdrasil, the World's Tree. It's essentially the Asgardian understanding of the entire universe.
The farther and farther you get from Midgard, the more difficult it becomes to sustain the portals. I
shouldn't have to explain what an advantage having control over the system would be in our war.”
“A most cunning strategy, my Queen,” said Morrat.
“Paibok,” said Veranke. “Get your forces on the ground and eliminate all opposition. I need
Earth under complete Skrull control as quickly as possible.”
“It will be done, my Queen.”
Paibok's hologram then faded out. Veranke then looked back at Morrat.
“General. It is my understanding that Rigellia has not yet been conquered.”
“Yes,” said Morrat. “We crushed the defensive fleet relatively easily, but the ground battle has
become more complicated than expected. The Nova defenders have managed to form a considerable
defensive network across some of the continents, but . . . . they will soon fall.”
“See to it. De'Lila's push on Sakaar is going well, and Bendolan's forces are close to securing
Protaris. We need to conquer as many enemy worlds as we can.”
“What about Xandar?” asked Morrat.
Veranke chuckled.
“Leave Xandar to me. I know someone who can help us with that one.”
Earth-717: Fantastic Four Vol 2
Chapter 4: Rigellia
“Arriving at calculated interstellar co-ordinates in approximately ten seconds. How splendid!”
Herbie spun around with glee, using his hover jets to perform a maneuver similar to a ballet
move. Ben had his hands on the controls, despite not actually having needed to drive the ship for the
last few hours. Reed and Susan were watching the blue light tunnel with heavy anticipation. Johnny
was sleeping.
Reed was looking at a datapad in his hands. It was showing a holographic image of the ship's
plotted course through the galaxy.
“Three, two, one . . . .”
The warp core emitted another pulse of energy, and the blue light tunnel faded away. The
Venture instantaneously slowed down from faster-than-light travel to a near standstill, with the inertia
dampeners preventing the people inside from feeling anything more than a slight lurch. Still, it was
enough to jostle Johnny out of his sleep.
He was so startled that he immediately burst into flames.
“Who, what, when, where, why, how, what?!”
Johnny looked down to see that he was on fire. Susan and Ben shared a brief laugh. Sighing,
Johnny turned off his flame. Reed looked over his shoulder at him.
“Good thing I had the foresight to make the Venture's interior fireproof, right?”
“Hell yeah,” said Johnny, his voice strained from being out of breath.
“Hot dream, junior?” asked Ben. “Heh, heh. Guess it's better than a wet one.”