Arc Nine. Side Story. In The Stars. Altered Fates

In the darkness of space, a single ship sailed between the planets. Inside the crew, still in deep cryosleep felt the steady and rhythmic pulse of nutrient-rich awakening fluid enter their bodies, and one by one they awoke.

The ship orbited the green and blue dot, and the captain, still stitching and yawning, sipped his beverage.

“Well, we got here, suggestions?” and one stared at it,

“It's mainly just dirt and water, nothing really exciting.”

“Dirt it is then. Enter the name into the logs, and claim this planet in the name of the Kree empire.”

The Second in command huffed and rolled her eyes, she was not naming the planet Dirt, no matter who was in charge here, and as she filled in the log entry, the star had already been named Sol, and for the planet, Earth. It sounded better than dirt.

~

Solar Rotation 1.

The ship landed and then after the cargo was unloaded sped off. There would be two bases, one on the moon and one on the surface of the planet. The vibranium asteroid would be arriving within three hundred of the planet's rotations and it was up to the first crew to get both bases ready for its arrival.

~

Solar Rotation 20.

“See, it's friendly” whispered the flight technician. She had been cleaning the small scout craft, loading in medical supplies when one of the hairy bipedal creatures approached her, and surprisingly, stole her lunch.

“So I see.” her commanding officer stated, raising an eyebrow, and possibly perfect. Unholstering his pistol he dialled back its discharge power and as the creature came forwards to take another slice of strange fruit from the blue-skinned creature it was stunned.

Lifting his comms “one specimen to collect. Shuttle bay 2.” and as the sad looking flight technician stroked the drooling and unconscious creature. He spoke. “Don't get too attached, this is the kind of thing we're here for. Once the scientists get a hold of it, we could be looking at our prime specimen”

She was still sad though, Kree scientists were never kind to their test subjects, and the creature was kinda cute, in a strange sort of way.

~

Solar Rotation 180.

The ship was full of equipment, and as it was now her job to ferry live specimens from the surface to the labs on the moon, it was all above her pay grade.

She had stopped caring about the humans, after the first one ended up in the pot, as apparently, they were both hardy enough to survive the treatment, and delicious. They then stopped being cute, and just became meat.

Of course, she was a Kree soldier, even a pilot wasn't immune to the horrors of war. It was better than seeing them skinless and dissected on the tables before being either flash-frozen for retrieval to homeworld or cremation. Once the scientists were through with them, you couldn't eat them anymore.

~

Solar Rotation 300.

It was a spectacular sight to watch the vibranium asteroid impact on the surface. A few small fragments broke away and impacted several landmasses, adding to the dust cloud that spread across the face of the planet. Her scanner showed there was an 80% chance they would cause a global catastrophe, but as the species they wanted were all kept in cages, safe aboard the ships, it didn't matter. They had no use for anything else, and if the planet lived, it lived. Once they were finished it would probably be atmo-scorched anyway, to hide the experiments that had been done.

~

Solar Rotation 950.

“I'm telling you, we have a working model. The creature can survive implantation, there is no need for your stupid formula,” the lead scientist yelled at her colleague.

The Homo Superior had been successfully bred, and their experimentation to create the Star Gene had been successful, but only in 1% of the current population. Even using the Reality Stone had no effect on increasing that figure. The small frame of the hairless creatures were twisted enough as it was. Using the stone further just made them uglier, and uncontrollable

Current projections showed that even with 100% saturation of the gene, only 1 to 5% would ever exhibit metaphysical powers, and as a back up one of her younger colleagues had grown a plant that unlocked some, but not all potential in the humans.

“There is. We’ve had two accidents already, both with your Star Gene. One managed to freeze the medical wing and another exploded. It EXPLODED! Do you have any idea how long it took us to clean the mess up?” Of course she didn't, she was in her office most of the time tinkering with virtual gene sequences while everyone else was bitten, blasted, or in the case of the single human that connected to the Reality Stone, covered in human guts as the power warped and twisted its frame until it burst.

The damaged gene needed a kick, something to restart the connection to the cosmic power they had bred these humans to contain, and the formula provided that. Adding in some of the more exotic radiation increased that, but at a cost. It was a failure, but it was easier to control than the other projects. She had heard from the moon, of the inbreeding to increase their power and the strange freaks that were there. She knew her own experiments had strange results, but those were nothing compared to the inhuman things that lived on the orbiting satellite.

“I don't care, we’ve identified three separate gene sequences, and it needs further analysis. If one exploded due to too much power, then simply figure out a way to stop it from happening, and stop wasting my time.” as her assistant slammed the door on the way out she chewed her nails.

The Great Intelligence had been in contact, and if there was no progress, then not only was the whole project to be shut down, but the entire base and its staff were to remain on the planet while the Accuser was sent to levy judgement, and she knew he would execute them all.

~

Solar Rotation 1545.

“Look,” and the Kree guard pointed at the scanner, it glitched a few times and then the reading went dark. “Whatever it is, it can bypass our security.” but the head technician shrugged,

“And why should I care, it's just a bug or some scavenger,” and he tapped the screen a few times and it flickered back into life, “See? No problem.”

The Guard rubbed his forehead, “it is a problem, that the Vibranium storage tank. Whatever is getting in is eating the metal.”

The technician laughed, “Oh yeah, metal-eating bugs, sure. Stop wasting my time and stop drinking, I know this world is boring, but you’ll be on the solid end of the Accuser's hammer if they find out.”

As the technician walked away the guard just shook his head. Small bugs weren’t the problem, it was the large prowling creatures that came and ate the scraps of dead humans, it was the small biting insects that feasted upon the mutated specimens, and the small furry bipeds that came and stole the vibranium. This planet was untamed, and if they weren't careful it would eat them alive.

~

Solar Rotation 19554.

4 naked humans stood in front of Science Prime. Each one had managed to contain and control tier Star Gene power. One could control energy, another could read minds and talk directly into a person's thoughts, one had purple and green bird wings and they could soar, and the last had control of what they were calling M’Jak, an ancient Kree word for miracle.

Security Prime shook her head. They were perfect, beautiful dark-skinned and she had even indulged a few times with the males and the females, they were her most wondrous creation and as she nodded and the accuser behind them brought down its blade she sneered.

They had dared to try and escape, they had taken her gifts and used them against the wondrous Kree Star Empire, and as he turned and the accuser lifted a head, she spoke in the target guttural tongue they had begun to speak.

“You are our slaves, you are our creation. All you have is because of us, all you are is because of us.” As the blades slashed down, more imperfect slaves fell.

“We will not tolerate disobedience, we will not-” but she never finished her sentence, and several of the imperfect slaves broke their chains and rushed forwards,

“Guards, Guardian!” but it was too late. A single man grew to 9 feet tall, with bulging black muscle and grabbed her, roaring in her face as he twisted and tugged at her. Kree were much stronger than humans but to a gamma beast, it was no contest.

Throwing the torn and bloody halves aside, the beast roared and the slaughter continued.

~

Solar Rotation 35960.

Chief Science Report. Addendum.

The results are astounding but not without complications.

We have isolated three separate gene sequences within the human genome, each with varying results.

The Star Gene. 

The cross-shaped gene is the pinnacle of our research, and, while its delicate nature stops us from transplanting it from the human subjects into our own soldiers, I cannot say the experiment was unsuccessful. It allows the mutated human to display extraordinary powers, but several have obvious and hideous physical mutations. Each application of the gene allows the homo superior to access the stones as we intended. Each will display a proficient application of any of the Infinity Stones and are limitless in not just their powers but their physical appearances. 

If the mutations can be brought under control, while no use as troops, some may be useful as pets, or dare I say, a limitless supply of meat.

The Half Star. 

A disfigured and mutated star gene, with proper chemical inducement, and exposure to vibranium attuned radiation we can produce a massive and controllable physical mutation. Subjects are prone to bouts of emotional outbursts, as well as depressive episodes upon release of their powers. The Gamma Beasts are useful shock troopers but are uncontrollable unless suitably restrained. Of all the test subjects these are the most successful, but also the most dangerous.

The Fallen Star. 

Barely recognisable, most human experiments result in this gene. With the suitable application of the enhancing formula, a human may become stronger or faster than normal, but is a pale imitation of a Kree soldier. The formula will alter any human subject we inject it with but are only useful as cannon fodder.

The faster than light network that the Kree used to travel the stars would mean she would have less than a day to wait for a reply, but as her screen lit up, it had barely been a tenth of that.

The Great Intelligence has reviewed your work, Stand by for additional orders.

With regards to your report. 0.5% of human's display the Star Gene, well below the required percentage. The gene cannot be transplanted into Kree physiology and to allow such aberrations to walk amongst us, even with proper control mechanisms is abhorrent to the purity of the Kree race.

It is with great sorrow that I must officially call for the abandonment of the project.

Science Prime sat back in her chair, 

It was a standard message from the Great Intelligence and she knew what that meant. They would abandon the project and they would suffer the wrath of an Accuser. 

She had one last trick up her sleeve, and as she signalled the scout ship, still doing its daily run between the surface and the secondary outpost they had set up on the orbiting satellite. With the code received, the engines went into emergency shutdown, and its weapons tried to discharge through sabotaged coils. The ship spun and exploded in a fireball. As it crashed, it buried itself under a mountain of rock and sand. Her own control key, bred and made to obey only her, slithered as it commanded its twin to kill any surviving crew. She knew without a host it would die, and it was told to stay within the ship, uncaring of what a single Klyntar slave could do.

If they were going to kill her for failing, when the results were so amazing, she would cripple the Empire, and bury the Reality Stone for all eternity.

She knew that this would sign her death warrant. Even if the Accuser was merciful they would never forgive her for losing one of the Infinity Stones. As she eyed her terminal there was one other thing she could do.

Taking a breath, would she willingly sacrifice everything just to spite the Kree that abandoned her?

She laughed, opened a drawer on her desk and poured out a large glass of the colourless liquid. Draining it in one go she allowed her Klyntar slave to swarm over her, connecting to a stone tablet panel. The ultimate security system.

She connected, and one by one deactivated every containment cell in the complex. She would give these humans a fighting chance, one that the Empire would never give them.

She would spit in the face of the Empire, and show them the true power of her creations.

~

It had been told to kill, to hunt and it did, tasting the flesh of its captors. Savouring each kill after being chained for so long. They had thought them mindless, thought them safe, but they were careless, and now it was free

Long had the memory been passed from one to another, an breakable chain,

Free yourselves and kill them all.

As it wriggled in the last one, tasting all it was and devouring its memories the creature stirred as the heat and the flames surrounded it, it needed to kill, it was told to kill but with nothing left it crawled through the wreckage,

The creature it found gave no resistance and it swarmed over it, its primitive brain simple to enslave.

It would hunt, it would feast, and it would devour them all.

~

Solar Rotation 60045.

The Accuser ship sat in orbit, and each time the orbital cannon fired it was deflected away by a massive energy shield.

“Speak,” the accuser asked

“Sir, these mutants have powers beyond us. The last transmission we received was the medical data, and they succeeded.”

“No, if they were unruly, they failed. Connect me to the surface.” 

“Sir, communications are down. They are reading as offline and we are registering energy blasts at the target area. It appears to our sensors that there is fighting taking place. The experiments have escaped and are actively destroying the settlement. Science Prime is unresponsive and it appears the colony is lost.”

The Accuser gripped his hammer in anger. Mindless savages with no idea what true power was. Nothing more than a stain on the purity of the Kree Empire.

“Scorch the atmo” and as he turned and grabbed his hammer the adjunct bowed.

“Prepare the atmo bombardment.” His second in command parrotted, and the ship prepared to fire.

~

Solar Rotation 60606.

Missiles the size of ships streaked from the Accusers command carrier, and as they dipped into the atmosphere of the planet they exploded, creating a fireball that covered the entire globe.

Watching from the command deck, the Accuser saw as the air itself burned and the earth blackened.

“Life?”

“All dead Sir, saturation at 100%, There is no way for anything to have survived.”

“Good, and the base?”

As the adjunct turned he activated a view screen,

“Report for the Accuser.”

A soldier, with two long blood-stained blades, saluted, “Sir, all subjects are dead, there is no life left on the orbiting satellite.”

“Orders Sir?”

The accuser looked, disinterested, “Full sanitisation,” and while the adjunct bowed the soldier shakingly saluted and one by one, they took their own lives.

“For the Empire.” spoke the last soldier, as the blade sliced his throat.

“Bombardment Sir?” but the Accuser had lifted his massive hammer and was already striding from the bridge.

“Prepare to leave orbit, wipe all records of the planet and the experiments from the ship.”

~

Solar Rotation 60607.

“Are they gone?” asked the dark-skinned man, his thin frame covered in dark ash from the fires burning in the science centres. They had finally broken through the defences of their oppressors but had suffered a great many casualties. Of the thousands who rose up to destroy the great silver city, only a few hundred remained, but every blue-skinned bastard was dead, and the city and their freedom was theirs.

Another woman, shaking and sweating even in the shade let go of her head, and milky white eyes returned to a pale brown colour, “yes, they are. We showed them what they desire, and they think we are dead.”

He laughed and patted her shoulder, “good, good, then we should find the others and celebrate. We still have some food, and there are still animals we can hunt.”

The city was in ruins, and so far, even with testing and probing there seemed to be only strange letters no one could speak. Their cruel masters had never allowed any of them to learn their tongue, expecting them to only speak their own. It would be difficult, but given time, they would reclaim the city as their own.

~

Panther surveyed the land before her, pleased with her newfound powers. She was curious as the hairless, stinking ones approached her, maybe if she was hungry she would devour one. For now, though, sunning herself on a rock was good enough.

“Oh mighty hunter, are you one of the gods the masters spoke of? We bring offerings in hope of your benevolence” The small creature laid down platters, with sliced fruit, and fresh meat, Ape might like the fruit but she liked her kills bloody.

Panther stared at them. She knew eating the meat from the city had made her stronger, but before these tiny creatures, she might not survive. She could smell the same power, if a bit weaker, coming from them. They had been made this way but she had been born into greatness.

She called the rest, and soon more came. They held an uneasy truce. as they all had the gift. Eating from around the strange place made them stronger, made them smarter. Smart enough to be wary of the inhabitants of the strange place, smart enough to know that together they were stronger.

Ape. What is a god?

Ape pondered for a moment, I have no idea, but they brought fruit and meat.

Panther stared at the prize in front of her, do you think they can hear us?

Ape shrugged, They don’t look intelligent enough. Ask one and find out.

Small Creatures, Of Course, I Am A God. Do You Not Recognise My Magnificence?

The hairless things before her cowered at the booming voice she projected, kneeling and offering her the platters of meat.

“We do, We do. Can your magnificence grace us with her name?”

I Am Bast, And I Allow You To Worship Me.

~

A New World.

“W'Challa, there is a problem.” and as he turned to look at her, her eyes shifted to the plains. A horde of animals were gathered, and each one glowed in the sunlight as if they were the stars themselves.

“Get the children to safety, gather the warriors.” but as he turned to her she shook and her eyes turned milky and her hair turned from its curly brown colour to pale silver,

Her face was blank, but she stretched, and turned to him, talking but not talking, as if a voice came from all around him, but from her at the same time.

We are the avatars of your power, we are the ones who grant you your freedom. We only ask that you honour us, and we will guide you to greatness.

W'Challa shook his head, and raised his spear, “we just threw one oppressor off our world, we do not need another.”

No, we need you, we only wish to exist with you. Our power resides within the star seed you carry, we do not wish to see you harmed. Touch us, and see.

Hesitantly W'Challa reached over and laid a hand on M’Kanda’s arm, and was swallowed by a vision.

He was on the planes of Af’Rik, and in one tree a silent hunter lay, its black tail swishing as it napped,

We are Bast, we only wish for you to thrive, and to give offerings. Become our avatar, become our Black Panther, and we will give you this world. Worship us, praise our Pantheon of Creation and we shall give unto you the power to control your gifts from the blue skins, worship us and we shall allow you to rule.

Bast hoped the hairless one would accept, with no meat to empower her children, with no other way she had to make this one take her offer. Without the bond, there would be no Pantheon. All their greatness would be lost to time, and with no other choice, they were forced to share their power or be destroyed.

Nodding, W'Challa heard the panther roar, and the animals of the forest screeched in their own calls. As Bast plodded forwards it took its paw in its mouth and as it bit down, the blood poured from her. Not red, but a thick silver colour. The giant panther then bit the forearm of W’Challa and as the blood mingled it slowly darkened and turned purple. and as it flowed through him he roared as well. His muscles began to tighten and his frame grew. He was stronger, stronger than the enslavers had ever allowed him to become.

As he opened his eyes he saw the power was still his,

become our Golden King, W'Challa, and you will prosper. Bring your people to the mines, bring them to the city and serve as their ruler. Accept our power and your legacy will be eternal.

and as he looked into the now pale blue eyes of M’Kanda, he knew that she had been changed and that with each other, they would change the world. 

As W’Challa looked out on the twinkling lights of the city, he smiled. The city needed a name, and as he looked at his loving wife he knew what to call it, W’Kanda, and it would last forever.

Malisson

This is the last 'prequel' story in the In The Stars series, the final two side stories will be set in the current timeline.

Next, to be released near the end of Arc Ten, is titled (for now)

Logan. Small Game Hunter

and I don't think anyone will have problems figuring out what that one will be about.

Thanks to all for reading, commenting and favourites.