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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Small Sacrifices
Do you ever wish you could just leave this world and all its problems behind you?
‘You wipe that smug little blank stare off your face or I’ll melt it off with this infuriating “Vindicator” battle suit of yours!’ Heather McNeil Hudson a.k.a. Vindicator exclaims angrily to General Jeremy Clarke, Department H’s administrator. Heather tries to move towards Clarke but her teammates Guardian and Puck hold her back as she points out that Clarke fed them false information to make them try and drag Wolverine back into his clutches, before reminding him that it didn’t work. ‘You have lied to us, and it ends right now! Do you understand me?’ she declares.
Heather’s estranged husband, James “Mac” Macdonald Hudson a.k.a. Guardian urges Puck to hold her back, while he tells Heather to calm down. Eugene “Puck” Judd asks why Heather should calm down, as everything she is saying is true. ‘So what’ve you got to say to yourself, eh?’ Judd then asks Clarke. Before Clarke can answer, Heather, who is staring him right in the face, asks what Department H’s ranking official has got to say about conspiring against his own team of operatives? Nonchalantly, Clarke tells Heather that she is making awfully large, unfounded accusations there. ‘Am I?’ Heather retorts, before suggesting to Clarke that he vindicate himself before she does it her way.
Sitting across the docking bay where the Alpha Jet has landed are the rookie members of Alpha Flight. Adrian “Flex” Corbo remarks that he knew Heather was angry on the flight back, ‘But look at her!’ Adrian’s cocky older brother Jared, also known as Radius, exclaims that he digs that, as Heather is getting all primal on Clarke. ‘That jerk deserves it,’ he adds, before suggesting they get closer so they can hear. Sitting on a box keeping Sasquatch under control, Arlette “Murmur” Truffaut remarks that the way Vindicator is screaming, they can hear her fine from where they are.
‘Let go of me!’ Heather exclaims, breaking free from her teammates’ grasp. Judd urges her not to do anything, to which Heather replies that she isn’t going to do anything - unless she doesn’t like the explanation she hears. ‘I’m waiting, General’, Heather points out, before telling Clarke that he stands accused of sending Alpha Flight in under false pretenses, before adding that she also thinks he has found a way to manipulate their memories to spoon-feed them a clap-trap story about Wolverine being a murderer.
That’s what Puck is thinking too, he knows Heather is right, for no matter how hard he tries to keep in mind his confusion over the state of Madison Jeffries or Sasquatch’s capture, something in his head keeps pushing those thoughts away. As for Guardian, he frowns while recalling that his memories were reconstructed by the Department, so if what Heather is saying is true, does that mean his whole existence is a lie?
But General Clarke always has an answer, a fast, clever fix to any problem. This time it is ‘International Intelligence Espionage’ he exclaims, frowning.
‘Break out the seeds, kiddies. I think Pa’s about to spread some more fertilizer around,’ Radius jokes as he hears Clarke begin his explanation to the senior members of Alpha Flight. Murmur suggests that General Clarke could be telling the truth. ‘Heather, she is always irrational and unstable’ Murmur remarks. Flex disagrees, and points out that Puck is not and that Puck wouldn’t make stuff like this up. Radius remarks that if the senior Alphans - the veterans - have been lied to, then what about all that junk the three of them got as novices during their training. ‘Ah, geez,’ Flex mutters.
Clarke claims that the video which was shown to Alpha Flight was acquired - ‘Stolen if you prefer,’ - in a S.H.I.E.L.D. cyber jacking mission, and that Department H analyzed the image and it passed their authentication tests. Clarke informs Heather, Mac and Judd that after they were dispatched to capture Weapon X, Department H learned the image was fraudulent, he claims that no one was more angry over being fed false information than he was. Clarke explains that they tried to recall Alpha Flight but that Manbot’s field transmission receiver was out of cell range.
‘False video? Out of range? That’s convenient,’ Heather mutters. Clarke states once more that the Weapon X information came from a secondary source, while holding up some folders which he explains are for other participants in the Weapon X Program and have been collected from primary Canadian files. He begins to inform the senior Alphans that their next mission is to proceed with the collection of other X’s like Kane and Deadpool - ‘You must be joking!’ Heather declares, hands on hips as she interrupts him. ‘Brain damaged more likely, eh?’ suggests Judd.
Clarke turns to Guardian and points out that he is the team leader, before asking him what he says. Mac’s instinct is to do as he is told…but is that leadership, or obedience? Suddenly, Heather steps in front of Mac and tells Clarke that she will not stand by and let Mac be manipulated. She informs Clarke that Alpha Flight is not going anywhere until they get a chance to get their bearings, and decide for themselves what their next move will be. Clarke scowls as he tells Heather to take all the time she needs, before reminding her that they have all signed contracts and that failure to comply could constitute treason.
Clarke explains that this is a critical time for Department H’s rebirth and therefore he strongly suggests that Heather set aside unmotivated doubts and proceed with the objectives her country has outlined in these documents. Suddenly, Heather whacks the files out of Clarke’s hand, telling him not to threaten them, as they are the ones with the power here. The rookies join Heather, Mac and Judd as they leave the hangar bay, with Heather calling back ‘We’ll notify you of Alpha’s next mission…if there is a next mission’.
Was this all some sort of complicated game of chicken? A staring match? And if so…then who blinked? Clare picks up the phone and exclaims that he wants to be put through to extension 776. When the person at the end of the extension he wants answers, Clarke informs them that they are proceed with the plan as discussed, or else he will drop their funding by midnight.
Even if you chose to, how could you escape the world around you? ‘I don’t owe you anything! I don’t owe you anything!’ sings Radius to himself as he sits back in a chair in his quarters. He puts his feet, which are decked out in in-line skates on his desk, littered with CD’s and magazines and pretends to strum his hockey stick like a guitar. ‘I stick around! I stick around! Oh - I- Unhh -day by -’ he continues to sing, when Judd bangs on his door. ‘Molson-Man! Come on in! I’m just rocking out!’ exclaims Radius.
Judd turns Jared’s sound system down, ‘Yeah, rocking me right outta my room next door!’ Judd exclaims, before telling Jared that he has to be more of a team of a team player. ‘Whatever’ Radius replies, before informing Judd that he is going to be playing some roller hockey with some Epsilon guards in a minute, so he can skip the big build-up and cut to the chase. Puck lunges for Jared and grabs the top of his singlet, ‘Good! Glad to hear it!’ he exclaims before telling him that there is no secret message here, ‘Just exactly what I said! No more going after objectives like Mesmero and Wolverine by yourself!’
Judd points out that he has tried to tell Radius nicely, but now he is just telling. He adds that being a team player can mean the difference between life and death. ‘Definitely yours, possible mine - I don’t want you, or me, learning that the hard way’. Judd begins to walk out of a stunned Radius’ room, telling to go and play his hockey, and to remember, ‘You gotta pass to score sometimes’. On his way out, Judd turns the volume of the stereo back up.
Walking down the hallway, Judd passes Flex’s quarters. Hearing the commotion, Flex pops his head out of his room and asks Judd what is going on. ‘Your brother needs a butt whipping, this Department needs a lobotomy and I need a beer,’ Puck replies, telling Flex not to worry about it. ‘Oh, okay. Uh, talk to you later,’ Adrian replies as Judd walks off.
All this conflict has Flex worried, for although he doesn’t like being Flex, Alpha flight is all the family he has in the world…though he is looking for more. ‘You’ve got mail!’ Adrian’s computer informs him. ‘Cool!’ he exclaims. Opening the email, Flex sees that it is from the Adoption Uplink Network, and it is concerning his brother. The message reveals that a public record search has matched a biological father for Jared and that the father is Gunther Bain…also known as Unus the Untouchable! The message also states that Adrian is to contact them for further sensitive information on the matter. ‘Unus the Untouchable? What kind of a name is that?’ asks Flex, surprised. But that is the problem with looking for answers…they usually lead to more questions.
Heather Hudson has had enough of it. Packing her suitcase, it seems she is ready to trade this world of government control and bureaucracy for one of her own making. ‘I don’t know why I’ve stayed here this long in the first place’ she thinks to herself. Heather tells herself that it makes no sense, for Alpha Flight was little more than trials and heartaches in the past…what made her think it would be any different this time? ‘Going somewhere, Heather?’ asks Judd as he knocks on the door and enters Heather’s quarters.
‘Anywhere,’ Heather replies, to which Judd asks if she wasn’t going to tell him or Mac, which is unlike her. ‘Nothing I do here is like me!’ Heather exclaims, remarking that she doesn’t know who she is when she is in this madhouse. ‘Environmental poisoning I could accept. But this is more insidious. There’s no one on our side here, Puck. No one’. Judd points out that they still have each other. ‘Unless you go, which you shouldn’t’ He adds ‘Not yet’, at least until we solve everything.
Judd begins to tell Heather that you don’t ignore a cancer, you try to beat it, when Heather’s computer suddenly informs her that she has urgent mail. It keeps repeating itself until Heather asks Judd to turn it off. Judd is about to when he clicks on the message and suggests to Heather that she might want to read it. The message says: Heather - Alpha’s lives are in imminent danger. Collect those who matter to you and meet me in the Prometheus Division man lab immediately. Judd points out that it seems Heather has a mystery friend, and asks if they should trust them. ‘How much worse than Clarke could they be?’ Heather replies, before telling Judd to get the others and meet her at the lab, floor 8, then they can see what this is all about.
Have you ever been to Paris? ‘It’s lovely this time of year…like a whole different world…I’ll miss it,’ remarks Virgo of the new Zodiac as she sits on a window seat. A bloody hand print is splashed up against the wall beside her. Virgo adds that she will especially miss the people, and points out that everyone says such negative things about them, but that they really are kind and warm hearted. The sultry villainess looks at the bodies of the elderly man and woman on the floor lying in pools of their own blood. Virgo proclaims that the elderly couple picked her up, took her in and took care of her without even knowing who she was. ‘Guess they shoulda asked more questions’ Virgo’s teammate Taurus mutters, before telling Virgo that they should get going before Scorpio gets bent out of shape.
Virgo asks Taurus why it was he who Scorpio sent to collect her, to which Taurus explains that Scorpio knew her earth-sign teleporter wasn’t working, so they could both use his. ‘But why didn’t he just come himself?’ she asks. As the two Zodiac begin to disappear in a burst of smoke, Taurus informs Virgo that Scorpio is busy birthing the last of the twelve, and the sooner which means that when they get back, they can meet their new brothers and sisters of the Zodiac!
Back at Department H, outside the Prometheus Division. Heather has noticed it before, but never been inside. This is a day of new experiences. ‘Heather, I’m glad you came,’ Doctor Myra Haddock declares as the senior Alphan walks towards her. ‘”Heather” is for my friends. I don’t even know you, or what your lab studies’ Heather snaps back. Myra introduces herself and claims that she is a friend, before revealing that the Prometheus Division is the technology acquisition arm of Department H.
Myra adds that time is short so she should get to the point, and informs Vindicator that she fears some of her discoveries are being used against Alpha Flight - misused actually. Myra explains that she has reason to believe that General Clarke has been manipulating Alpha Flight by altering their neural patterns with a device they retrieved from Latvia - as well as employing energy-form retrieval sentinels based on U.S. designs - and de-gaining technology gathered from the High Evolutionary’s compound.
Almost nervously, Heather tells Myra that she doesn’t know how glad she is to hear her say such horrible things, for it explains so much. ‘Except why you’re telling me this’. To that comment, Myra replies that she is a scientist and believes very strongly in her work here. ‘But Clarke is out of control, and quite simply, I’m looking to wrest control of the Department from him before his madness tears it apart’. Heather tells Myra that she can feel free to fill out an application after she gets done polishing the floor with his bald head, before excusing herself and starts to take her leave.
Myra calls Heather back, telling her, that with all due respect, by revealing Clarke’s secrets, she has put herself and her work at equal risk and she doesn’t have any super powers to defend herself. ‘And you’re suggesting….?’ Heather replies. Myra warns Heather that if she tries to confront Clarke or flee, then she will never make it out alive, but points to her lab and reveals that she has something in it which could allow Heather and the rest of Alpha Flight to hide out…’To choose your moment…to choose our moment’. Myra adds that once she has set certain wheels in motion, they can all strike. ‘You to preserve yourselves, me to preserve my work and improve my placement within the Department’.
Myra is about to say something else, when suddenly, Puck, followed by Guardian, Manbot, Radius, Murmur and Flex, comes running towards her, shouting ‘Quick! Seal the doors! We got Epsilon guards on our tails!’ Heather is a bit confused, but Judd quickly informs her that the Epsilons ordered Alpha Flight into a briefing room, and when he refused they opened fire like a bunch of lunatics. ‘It’s starting…’ Myra mumbles.
Heather orders Alpha Flight into the lab, explaining that Dr. Haddock is going to conceal them until they can sort out a strategy. ‘A wise choice,’ remarks Myra. Myra smiles as Judd rushes past her and tells him that it is good to see him again, before asking him if he has forgotten about their date. ‘We’ve met? Can’t imagine I’d ever forget a face like yours. Rain check me?’ ‘I’ll count the minutes’ Myra replies.
Standing in front of a gaping hole in the ground once the doors to the lab have been closed, Myra declares ‘Alpha Flight? I give you…the Prometheus Pit!’ ‘What is it?’ asks Mac. Myra explains that it is a portal to another universe - a safer one than this, a microscopic universe that exists along a double helix molecule strand. Myra attaches a device to Manbot and informs everyone that the device is how they will signal a retrieval, either from her end or theirs. ‘Confirmed,’ states Manbot’.
Guardian begins to ask Myra a question, but as loud banging noises begin to come from the lab doors, Radius exclaims that there is no time for questions, ‘Let’s get small!’ he shouts, ‘You first, Flex’ he adds, pushing his brother into the gaping Prometheus Pit. ‘No! Jared! Jared….’ Flex cries as he begins the descent. Puck and Guardian follow, then Heather and Radius who is sporting his new one-piece uniform. ‘Cool, huh, Murmur?’ he asks as he floats down the Pit. ‘Non! I feel sick!’ replies Murmur as she tumbles in, followed by Manbot.
Do you ever wish you could just leave this world and all its problems behind you? Be careful what you wish for.
Suddenly, up in the lab, General Clarke walks up behind Myra. ‘You’re quite an actress under pressure, Dr. Haddock. I am…impressed’. ‘Extreme pressure, Clarke. I don’t appreciate being manipulated!’ Myra replies angrily. Clarke assures Myra that she has done nothing wrong, merely distracted some difficult people who needed distracting. Clarke adds that Myra can sleep easier knowing he wont sabotage her funding efforts with the Director.
As Clarke takes his leave, Myra asks him why he wants Alpha Flight gone. ‘Let’s just say I have a feeling a new order is coming to Department H’ Clarke replies, declaring it is one in which familiar faces will change and a scientist such as Myra will be well-served to have remained on his good side. ‘And all for such a small matter…a very small matter indeed’.
Small? Small is a relative term - it all has to do with your frame of reference.  What is just a molecule to you is a home world to others. And who knows what smaller universes might lie inside the atoms of this “jungle zone” city of Ant Tica? You must keep in mind that even the smallest atom has smaller components within it - that there are worlds within worlds…mysteries within mysteries….
There is a blinding blue light above the city of Ant Tica, and suddenly the seven Alphans appear. ‘JARED!’ screams Flex. ‘They are here!’ whispers a cloaked figure to another as they watch the arrival of Canada’s premiere super hero team. Mac grabs Heather, who doesn’t look well, and asks her if she is all right. Wearily, Heather replies that she is fine, but she feels like someone pulled her stomach inside out. Suddenly, one of the cloaked figures exclaims ‘Upworlders!’
‘The order of this day was long ago written. We prophesized your coming!’ one of the cloaked begins remarks as they approach Alpha Flight. Other beings close in on Alpha Flight, startling Arlette by their appearances. ‘Mon Dieu! Insects! Keep them away from me!’ she screams. Judd tells her to be calm as they need to sort this out. Heather urges Alpha Flight into a defensive posture until they can determine what they are up against, to which one of the cloaked beings informs the heroes that here in Ant Tica, they are up against nothing greater than their gracious welcome. ‘Recording’ announces Manbot.
Mac thanks the mysterious cloaked figures, before pointing out that they have no idea where “here” is, and informs the cloaked ones that he and his team were told that this would be a place to go to for a while. ‘If that’s okay’. ‘As you please, our esteemed guests!’ one of the cloaked beings replies. Mac tells Alpha Flight to be at ease, to which Judd suggests they keep their eyes peeled. ‘How can I be at ease with these bugs everywhere? They are horrible!’ Arlette complains. One of the cloaked figures informs Murmur that they are not bugs, but insectivorids, who are citizens of Ant Tica. With that, the cloaked figures begin telling Alpha Flight the history of Ant Tica.
(Shown with Flashback images, narrated present tense)
The cloaked figures inform Alpha Flight that long ago this zone of home world was little more than a primitive colony with no greater goal than continued survival, adding that residents walked on all six limbs in those dark times. However, those shadows faded with the arrival of the brilliant Baron Zebek of Aegyptus - the savior of his people, his legend is well known. A noble explorer, Baron Zebek extended his hand in friendship to this lesser insectoid race and was befriended by them in return. Then, through a process of cultural immersion and education, Baron Zebek quickly came to know the ways and customs of the jungle people.
So beloved was Zebek, that he was asked to settle and colonize the sphere as its spiritual father. It was a glorious day of accord between the baron and the Queen of the colony. The Baron joined hands with the zone’s greatest builders, and led the construction of a mighty city for all its residents, man and insect alike. The city that rose from a primitive jungle was a might one…Ant Tica. Both races peacefully coexisted in the grandeur that once surrounded the entire Microverse.
(Present)
The first cloaked figure reveals that the grandeur which once surrounded the entire Microverse was lost during the great wars, save for this peaceful pocket which escaped the destructive hand of rebellion. The second cloaked being welcomes Alpha Flight to this testament to Baron Zebek, who now seeks and audience with them. ‘Please…join us in his palace presently’.
Can one man save a world? Even a very small one? It’s an awful lot to believe - almost as unlikely as the story that led you to this microscopic place. Not that there’s any time to think about it….
Inside the palace throne room, one of the cloaked being inform Alpha Flight that although they are honored guests, Baron Zebek is still a lord and as such, requires proper courtesies when being addressed. ’So wait, we can’t talk to him? Is that what you said?’ asks Radius. ’You must speak only when spoken to’ begins one of the cloaked beings, when suddenly Baron Zebek enters the room, ’Away, Shadow Priests’ he exclaims, proclaiming that formalities are not needed here. ’His Lord, Baron Zebek!’ one of the cloaked priests announces.
The Baron apologizes to Alpha Flight, informing them that they have many years of tradition which are sometimes hard to set aside, and welcomes them to Ant Tica. ’Thanks!’ replies Flex. Zebek approaches Guardian and asks him if he is the leader of his people. ’In a way’ replies Mac, to which Zebek asks him what is bothering him. Mac replies that given the Baron’s history, he was expecting someone older. ‘And yet you who lead this battalion are not an old man’ Zebek replies.
‘True,’ admits Guardian, before Zebek reveals that in his younger days he bore a warriors heart just as Guardian and most of his entourage do. ‘As such, we are kindred spirits’ he remarks, before asking them to join him as his honored dinner guests. ‘Notice he said “most”, runt?’ Jared says to his brother, ‘He must’ve caught sight of you’ ‘Shut up’ Adrian replies, when suddenly, a furious Zebek shouts ‘Speak only when spoken to, boy!’ Do you understand?
It doesn’t seem to have dawned on Alpha Flight yet what type of society they’ve encountered in this little world. It seems they need more time - an empirical example to drive the point home. The heroes sit around Zebek and are given food and wine as they are about to watch the proceedings on the ground of this colosseum-type building. ‘Your soldiers are quiet, Guardian’ Zebek points out. Mac informs the Baron that this is a lot to take in, for although they have seen a number of things, this is a completely different world. ‘Impressive. I hoped you would see it as such’ the Baron remarks. A scantily clad female ant creature walks past carrying a tray of beverages and Judd remarks ‘You looking at what I’m looking at, Jared?’ Radius smiles, ‘Two extra arms to -’ he is cut off by Heather who snaps ‘Save the sexism for Earth’. Radius points out that this molecule is on Earth somewhere.
Heather agrees, before turning to Manbot who is standing behind her and asks him if the fact that humans are eating and insects are serving make him suspicious about the “harmony” of these two races. ‘I no longer register emotional responses’ Manbot replies before adding that the odds of imbalance of roles indicates more than random choice. One of Zebek’s soldiers suddenly announces ‘He is arrived!’ and the crowd begins shouting ‘Cha Lonn! Cha Lonn!’ The ant down on the colosseum floor holds his weapon tightly, as Flex asks what a “chalonn” is.
‘Probably whatever’s behind that gate. Bug dude’s gonna fight it!’ Jared exclaims, as Arlette remarks that she hopes it is not another bug. ‘Oh me God!’ exclaims a horrified Heather as she sees the creature come out from the gate. But it would appear that Heather is not as shocked by the unsightly creature as she is of the fact that the creature is clearly being sent in to fight the cowering citizen before it.
As the small ant run towards the towering Cha Lonn before it, Heather is reminded of how General Clarke regularly sends Alpha Flight to fight forces beyond their measure. Though their missions are not just for sport…are they? ‘To the victor a heart!’ Baron Zebek exclaims. ‘This is…’ begins Heather, ‘Barbaric’ Judd finishes her sentence for her. As the Cha Lonn kills the poor citizen, the crowd, including Radius, goes wild, cheering the creature on.
Do you wish you could just leave this world and all its problems behind you? You’ve already used that wish.
As Alpha Flight, less Manbot, walk through the darkened city of Ant Tica, Flex asks if Baron Zebek isn’t going to be mad at them for leaving the banquet. Arlette mutters that she, for one, does not care and cannot watch another giant bug battling an even more giant bug again. Heather admits that she feels responsible for this, adding that Dr. Haddock’s plan sounded beneficial at the time. Radius reminds his teammates that they have got that thing Haddock put on Manbot and suggests they signal for a pick up. Guardian points out that they are heroes and cannot just turn their backs on what they saw tonight.
‘One bad situation traded for another’ Heather mutters, reminding Judd that they were about to get to the top of the creepy food chain in Department H, only to be thrust into this Microverse. ‘To look at another creepy food chain’ Judd points out. A loud noise startles Heather who asks what it is, when Mac takes to the skies, announcing that he will find out, he tells his team not to go far in case he needs to be able to find them quickly. Judd shouts after Mac, telling him that he needs backup, to which Heather points out that Mac is not himself. ‘Yeah, so I’m starting to think’ Judd adds, before smelling something awful. He discovers where it is coming from and he and Heather round the corner for a closer look - much to their disgust.
They do not know the exact purpose of the disinfectant pit laid out before them - but some things translate across cultures…things like the stench of evil. ‘…two or three arms…’ ‘…a leg for my…’ ‘…eyes!’ come the cries from the pool. ‘What is this?’ Heather asks. ‘Sure ain’t no swimming hole’ Judd remarks, to which Heather points out that it smells like ammonia. Suddenly, Judd sees Manbot trapped in the pool and being pushed down by the guards with spears. Judd remarks that he thought Manbot was with them. ‘20 crats for the up-worlder’s brain!’ shouts one of the guards. ‘Unacceptable,’ declares Manbot.
Heather leaps into action, ‘We have to help him!’ she exclaims and Judd urges the rookies on, telling them that Manbot is in trouble. ‘Finally, something worth doing!’ exclaims Radius, as Flex cries ‘Hey! Wait for me!’ Judd suggests to the teenage members of Alpha Flight that they put on their war paint…as this isn’t going to be any picnic.
There are worlds within worlds…and mysteries within mysteries. As Guardian flies towards the source of the strange sound, he wonders why Puck keeps challenging him, for his memories keep telling him that they were friends - but if that is true, then why don’t his instincts agree. As Guardian flies into some sort of laboratory, it is possible that he will find on this world answers that elude him on his own. Dropping to the ground, Guardian excuses himself and begins to ask a question when an elderly man declares that he is an upworlder and honored guest of Baron Zebek.
The elderly man informs Guardian that he was in the circle earlier and saw him arrive, before asking if he can be of service. Guardian motions to the people chanting in the room and informs the old man that he heard the chanting and is curious as to what they are constructing - a bomb? The old man explains that it is the Quarkarion, Baron Zebek’s tool to ensure peace in the Microverse. He claims that it is not an instrument of evil, and that Baron Zebek says that once other spheres learn of its might, they will never actually have to use it.
‘With all due respect, they tried that on my “sphere”. It doesn’t work’ Guardian tells the old man, who simply replies that it is not his place to say, before wishing Guardian “good moons”. Guardian exists through the hole in the mountain once more and thinks to himself ‘Quarkarion…? Quarks? A bomb that detonates quarks? That would…’ It would be the same as or worse than a nuclear blast in the heart of the Prometheus Pit. In the heart of Ottawa? Yes, it would.
Back on ground level, Heather and the others cannot seem to find the place they just saw Manbot, they seem to be running around in circles. ‘This is infuriating!’ Heather exclaims, wondering why they cannot get where they’re going from this place. ‘Women drivers’ mutters Radius, to which Heather warns him not to tempt her. As Mac descends upon his teammates, Radius points to his arrival, and asks Puck if he is going to chew him out for running off alone. ‘Stow it’ Judd replies. ‘Mac, we’ve got -’ ‘Problems, I know’ Mac declares, cutting Heather off.
Mac reveals that there is an enormous bomb in a nearby structure. He is about to say something else when Radius motions to the green cloaked figures approaching them, declaring that the Priest guys are back and suggesting that they could get them to Manbot. One of the cloaked figures urges Alpha Flight to come with them, but Guardian tells his team not to. Judd points out that they have a teammate in trouble and that they need to lean on their hospitality, before remarking that these priests seem taller. ‘You’d notice,’ Radius smirks.
The priests being running and Heather urges her teammates to keep on them. Judd points out that they are running into a dead end, which Mac finds strange. Suddenly, the green cloaks fall from the “priests”, as Radius declares that they have been set up! In a strange voice, an ant-like being confirms that they are not Shadow Priests. ‘Nor are we Baron Zebek’s latest acquisitions!’ exclaims a sultry blonde woman. The handsome man clad in black and yellow motions to the robot-like being behind him and introduces him as Dexam, introduces the woman as Mari and the green ant-like being as Bug. ‘And I’m Commander Arcturus Rann…and we’re the Champions of the Microverse!’ ‘Which means a whole lot on this side of the space wall!’ Bug exclaims.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Tides
How would you react in the wake of a disaster?
If you lived here in the village of Battle Harbor on the Labrador Peninsula of Newfoundland, you might exhibit shock, like a man called Josh is right now. An elderly man walks in thigh-high water which covers the town’s streets and asks Josh if he is all right. ‘Water…too much water,’ Josh replies. The old man tells Josh to relax, and although the flooding is bad, they are livyeres, their family will weather it somehow.
Your shock would be a combination of seeing all you lived and worked for swept away in an instant by an unexpected and indifferent tidal wave. ‘This never happens here! It can’t!’ a man in a boat remarks. ‘Tell that to the water’ says his companion. The other part of your shock would be the incontestable fact that there was something strange about the wave that rushed though this quaint little town. Motioning to the air, the man’s companion remarks ‘And speaking of stuff that never happens here…take a look at that, eh? There’s a big fat slice of impossible coming right down the middle of the street!’
‘The first of many such waves of the unfamiliar roaring through Battle Harbor it would seem…Alpha Flight! Flying outside the Alpha Jet are Canada’s most iconic heroes - Heather Hudson a.k.a. Vindicator (perhaps Canada’s greatest super hero ever) and her estranged husband, James MacDonald Hudson a.k.a. Guardian, now nineteen years old. Heather calls back to the Alpha Jet and informs her teammates inside it that they have found their destination, she tells Puck to see if he can find a dry spot to land the jet.
Eugene Judd a.k.a. Puck replies by joking that the driest place he sees is the Atlantic. Guardian tells Alpha Flight that they need to run a tight operation here, for Mr. Gentry is looking for clean investigation and rescue reports to turn in to Department H. ‘So no one go off half-cocked, okay?’
‘Is he talking to me?’ Jared “Radius” Corbo asks from inside the Alpha Jet. Sitting at the console of the craft, Judd remarks that the comment was about a size eleven, and that Radius’ foot is about a size eleven - ‘Looks like you’re wearing that shoe all right,’ he jokes. ‘Uh-huh’ Jared mutters unimpressed, before remarking ‘See who’s wearing my foot at the end of this’. Jared’s younger brother Adrian, codenamed Flex, turns to Arlette Truffaut a.k.a. Murmur and asks her if she is okay. Murmur replies that she is fine, but she has a headache. But perhaps that is not all - perhaps, for the first time in her young life, Murmur is actually worried. Worried that this first trip back in the field after her near-fatal shooting, might be more than she is ready for right now.
Mac announces that he is seeing a lot of people stranded on roofs and informs everyone that they will be doing a full team rescue, except for Heather, as he wants her to take a reconnaissance out over the ocean, and to call in if she meets more than she can handle. Heather replies that she will be fine, but points out that she does see some kind of disturbance at 54.46 West, and tells Mac that she will notify him once she has scouted it, before she heads off over the ocean.
Inside the Alpha Jet, Judd calls to his fellow senior Alphans and informs them that something has just popped up on the radar at those same coordinates Heather gave. Heather replies that she sees it, and announces that it is bad news - another huge wave which is moving at an extremely high velocity with more swells behind it. She tells her teammates that whatever she is doing for the town’s residents they need to do it faster, for they only have about two minutes till impact. Heather then announces that she is going out further to try and find the source.
Guardian acknowledges her before informing his team, who are busy helping civilians into the Alpha Jet that they have another wave cresting, so they need to collect the final people and get to that hospital they spotted. An elderly man is helped into the aircraft and exclaims ‘Alpha? As in Alpha Flight? Since when do Canada’s heroes make it all the way out here to Newfoundland?’ Standing knee-high in water, the handsome Radius exclaims ‘Are you kidding? With all the goofy junk going on in Newfie lately, they could film the “X-Files” here with no script!’
Guardian flies over Radius carrying someone in his hands and asks Jared if he didn’t hear him - they have got more water coming in! Radius smirks that he has a got a force field. Guardian asks what they will do against a tidal wave, to which Jared asks him who said he was against it?
Hovering over the ocean, Heather wonders to herself why being a hero leaves her feeling like the whole world is set against her these days. She thinks that she normally loves the ocean, but now it just seems ominous and threatening. ‘Leave it to Department H to put me in yet another position where the very things I know and love are suddenly, indelibly changed for the worse right before my eyes’. Heather tells herself that now she is done with this mornings self-pity session, she should get on with the job - after all, how much worse can it get?
Back in the town, Radius is using his force field to surf on the large wave. ‘Radius! Are you crazy? We’re not here to surf!’ Mac exclaims. ‘Try telling that to this wave!’ Jared replies. Is Jared Corbo crazy? Is using his force field as a makeshift surfboard a sign that he is cracking under the pressure? Or is he fully aware of his recent leanings towards foolishness…recklessness…and the dangerous risks he is taking. Inside the Alpha Jet, one of the civilians asks if Radius is ‘Touched in the head, or something’. ‘He’s my brother, and yeah, I think he might be’ Adrian exclaims. Judd tells Adrian that he isn’t alone in that thought, and thinks to himself that when they get back to Department H, he isn’t going to be alone in it either.
Murmur suddenly alerts Judd to some more people stranded on the rooftop below them. Judd thanks the sultry Alphan and admits that he would have missed them. While the people on the rooftop cry for help, there is a strange rattling noise coming from the Alpha Jet. ‘Why does it feel as if we are about to crash?’ asks Arlette, to which Judd exclaims that it is because they are going to crash! He explains that they have got low-level choppy air as if it is being pushed right out from under them - but he doesn’t know how.
Back out over the ocean, Heather informs her teammates via their communicators that she has reached the epicenter of the disturbance, adding that she has sixty-foot swells and apparent underwater volcanic activity - though her powers have no effect, which means she is reading the situation wrong, or it is time for Gentry to force a better explanation for how her geothermal suit actually works out of Chief Engineer Su. Back to the situation at hand, Heather announces that she is going in for a closer look.
Heather gets no response from her teammates. ‘Did you copy any of that? Guardian? Anyone?’ Anxious, a part of Heather wants to go back - a scared part that she never really lets show to anyone outside her skin. But then the part of her that once led Alpha Flight tells her to plow ahead and forget the consequences. This part of her tells her that she is ready for anything that lies beyond this monstrous tide swelling against her - proof that she shouldn’t always trust her instincts. But, she will have ample time to ponder that fact….
Later. ‘So I caught a wave, so what?’ remarks Jared inside the hospital where he and his teammates have gathered. Mac tells Jared that they are here on a Department mission, not to “hang ten”. Judd points out that Radius has been showing him a better side lately, and suggests he doesn’t go relapsing. Arms folded across his chest and sitting slumped in a chair, Jared points out that they were done saving the civilians, so he was just screwing around a little. ‘Get off my back!’
Mac tells Radius that it is not going to be that easy, and that one more slip like that on this mission and he is going to send him back to Department H. ‘I wish you would send me back. My outfit is soaking wet, and my hair!’ complains Arlette. Flex asks his seniors if they can all go and yell at Jared outside, as the smell of hospitals makes him sick to his stomach.
‘Send me back? Who do you think you are?’ Radius exclaims, leaping up in his chair. ‘I don’t think, I know. I’m the leader of this team and you’re out of line!’ Mac exclaims. ‘I pull my own weight!’ Jared replies, to which Mac tells him that he pulls a lot of things - until Judd tells them to stop it, as they have got more search and rescue to do and they have not heard a word from Heather yet either. Making his way down the corridor, Judd tells them to make a final round here while he goes to the rooftop to try and raise her, then they can meet him up there. ‘I’m not -’, ‘I’m the one who -’, ‘Just do it!’
Walking towards the Alpha Jet which is sitting on the hospital roof, Judd thinks that sometimes he should be the one leading this team. He’d never say so though - but he thinks it - loud and clear. Judd wonders how long Radius is going to be causing trouble, before telling him to listen to himself - for everyone on this team is a kid except for him. ‘You’re the only fossil in the bunch’. Entering the Alpha Jet and going over to the console, Judd tells himself that the new recruits are all in their teens, Mac has had time turned around on him so he is barely nineteen years old - leaving Heather as the only one close to him in age, but that’s a “close but no cigar” kind of close.
He thinks that begs the question - what exactly is he doing here. Though he realizes that it isn’t so much of a mystery, for Alpha Flight is the only family he has ever had. Judd knows that he is okay without Alpha Flight, but he is much happier with it - which is pretty much the same way he feels about…Heather. He remembers Heather is the reason why he is here and tells himself to stop wallowing and start searching, for he cannot bust Jared’s chops for not focusing and then doing the same himself. Checking the radar, Judd is shocked when Heather’s signal does not come up on it. Searching for and not finding Heather makes Judd feel frightened - but is he afraid for her…or for himself? That’s the important question. But where is he willing to go to answer it?
Soon, Alpha Flight are back inside the Alpha Jet and have come to a stand still over the coordinates which Vindicator issued. Flex motions out the window and tells everyone to look at it - for it is totally calm, like nothing was ever going on here - like everything they just went through never happened. Radius tells his little brother that it happened all right: ‘Don’t you remember the part where you almost hurled in the hospital because of the alcohol smell? That was hysterical!’
Mac tells Judd that there is still nothing on the radar and asks if he is sure they have the right coordinates. Smiling as she looks up at Guardian, Arlette tells him that Puck said this was her final reporting location, and exclaims ‘Maybe like Sasquatch she too has been lost to the cause, no? Perhaps we must admit that we have done all we can and -’ Judd suddenly interrupts Murmur and declares that he doesn’t want anyone talking like that, for Heather is missing, but not dead. He tells Murmur to think about how long she would want them to look for her if she was missing and tells her that is how long she better be willing to stay out here looking for Heather.
Judd begins to tell everyone to pipe down so he can concentrate, when Guardian tells him that there might be another route to take here, for the tremors are some sort of seismic anomalies and therefore they must be causing disruptions in the Earth’s electromagnetic flied, he adds that his battle suit is attuned to that field, so he can detect whatever is causing the anomalies and it just might lead them to Heather. Judd admits that he is no science whiz, but he thinks that the odds seem pretty long on that one, before remarking that it is those kind of odds that sometimes pay off big.
Mac tells Judd to hold the jet steady and everyone else to stay alert - be ready to move out at a moments notice. With that, Mac leaps out of the hatch into open air. Barking out orders has become easier for him in recent months, putting on the confident face while deep inside, his emotions are churning. Certainly easier than dwelling on the fact that he may never see Heather again. Mac doesn’t dwell, he doesn’t think, doesn’t hesitate - he simply acts, cybernetically willing his battle suit to reach out, sending waves of energy along the Earth’s natural electromagnetic field…rippling out in an expanding aura, searching for anything unusual…and then a telltale signal - a familiar energy pattern - at the periphery of the field. It tells him that hope endures.
Inside the Alpha Jet, the craft is rocking from all the shockwaves that Mac is pushing out. Jared asks if Guardian is nuts or suicidal, ‘This bright idea is going to land us all in the drink!’ Judd tells Radius to shut up, as it is hard enough to keep this ship steady without him yapping in his ear. Judd thinks to himself that he hopes Mac is in control out there, but can understand how he feels, for Judd would also walk through Hell for Heather, though he was just hopping not to make the trip so soon.
There is a slam, and the younger Alphans are all knocked to the ground. As Murmur lands on Radius, Judd asks if everyone is okay. Jared smiles and glancing at Arlette declares that he could get to like this position. ‘You are a pig!’ Arlette exclaims, ‘But right now I’m a happy pig!’ Radius replies. Mac flies back in the jet and tells his team to pull themselves together, before informing Judd that they have to move out further. Judd tells Mac that the field of his almost killed the ship’s electrical systems and they almost landed in the water. Mac announces that he has a faint fix on Heather’s uniform right on the edge of his range - so they can find her if they heard further out over the Atlantic. ‘Now let’s move it!’ he exclaims with urgency. ‘God only knows what kind of trouble Heather may have found at the source of those tremors!’
Trouble? Heather? Yes. The powerful Alphan plummets into the ocean, and unconscious, she sinks to the sea bed. However, some mysterious figure swims by and grabs her, taking her away with him.
The safety of Vindicator is foremost on Judd’s mind as well - perhaps that is why he doesn’t put up a stronger argument when Guardian suggests his dangerous plan again. Leaning over the console, Guardian tells Judd that he is ready to go out there again, for he is sure he can get an exact fix on Heather’s location now. Judd tells Mac that his stunt could totally disable the Alpha Jet this time, but Mac declares that it is the only way, before ordering Judd to put the jet on hover and open the hatch door. Albeit anxiously, Judd complies, and wishes Mac luck.
As Mac flies out of the hatch, an uncharacteristic solemnity settles over Murmur - is it concern that Mac’s desperate attempt to find his wife - her teammate - won’t prove fruitful…or perhaps it is concern that it will. Hovering some feet away from the Alpha Jet, Mac wonders if this is how Heather felt all that time she thought he was dead - all this dread and emptiness. Mac knows that they have both changed so much since then and that they may never be the same people again, though he knows that in Heather’s heart, she never gave up on him - so he is sure as not going to give up on her, so he once more goes about expanding his electromagnetic powers.
Inside the Alpha Jet, Judd shields his eyes and exclaims that he was afraid of this - the guidance systems and the stabilizers cannot take much more of this buffeting. But it is all Judd can do to keep the jet steady, much less keep it airborne. Judd mutters that Mac had better make this work fast, or this poor abused aircraft is going to make like the Titanic! ‘He chews me out for a little surfing, then pulls an asinine stunt like this?’ mumbles Jared, while Murmur is thrust around in the back of the jet, exclaiming that she can feel them losing altitude.
Judd announces that he is getting them clear, for if they stay here, they will break apart - the systems are already overloading! Judd tells everyone to hold on tight, for he is kicking in what is left of the craft’s thrusters. Mac tells himself that he can still feel Heather, all he has to do is push further and further. Mac lets loose one massive push, generating a full-fledged electromagnetic pulse so strong that it strikes the Alpha Jet and knocks out the ships systems - and the engine. Radius points out that Puck is the Alphan with all the experience - the veteran who has got to teach the young punks to tow the line - ‘So how are we gonna get out of this one, huh?’
Judd snaps that he cannot fly a ship with no power, and tells Radius that since he was nice enough to ask, one thing his experience has taught him is that panic and insults won’t help the situation one bit, before pointing out that with his force field, Radius would probably be the only one with a prayer of walking away from a crash landing anyway. Radius bites his lip and mutters ‘Well…yeah…I guess’. As the Alpha Jet nose-dives towards the deep ocean, Judd exclaims that the only chance is to tug on the wheel - hope for an updraft or a miracle. ‘Who knows? Maybe some guardian angels will finally show some mercy on this poor old sinner…’.
Suddenly, ‘What the -?’ Judd exclaims, as the jet suddenly stabilizes. Radius is knocked off balance and falls to the ground, as Arlette asks how this could happen. Mac flies back in the hatch and tells his team that they aren’t going to believe this - but they need to look out the window. ‘Mon Dieu, Judd…you were right…they are guardian angels!’ exclaims Murmur as she sees four serene looking woman hovering alongside the craft.
Back inside the Alpha Jet, Puck tells Mac to not even try and tell him that this was part of his plan. ‘Not a chance’ replies Mac, explaining to Puck that he just caught a glimpse of them on his way back to the ship when he was returning to help them. Judd remarks that they don’t know what these creatures are, where they are from or where they are taking them to - not to mention what their intentions are. ‘That would be accurate, yes’ Mac says. Judd points out that Guardian seems rather calm about this, to which Mac exclaims that they are in better shape now than they were a few minutes ago. ‘Wow!’ exclaims Flex as he looks at one of the women.
Judd agrees with Mac, but remarks that they are still no closer to finding Heather, before motioning to the fog bank ahead of them and pointing out that it appears they are headed straight towards it. He asks Mac if the radar screen is up and running from that electromagnetic pulse, so they can get a clue as to what is inside the fog. Mac examines the radar and replies that it is online, but damaged - according it its readings, there is absolutely nothing inside that fog. With urgency in his voice, Radius tells his fearless leader to take a look out the window at that great big “nothing”.
Puck’s breath is taken away - not an easy thing to do for someone who has lived such a long and storied life as his - even before he joined Alpha Flight. He has experienced so much of the world and its wonders that even many of his exploits with Canada’s premiere super heroes have been relegated to the common place. Super-villains, sorcerers, shape-shifters, demons, Great Beasts - Eugene Judd has consorted with or battled against them all. Still, his view of the world is one of jaded acceptance, and it takes a lot to leave him gape-jawed and wide-eyed.
The sight of the proud city-state of Attilan - its spires jutting majestically from this raised island that was once part of the sunken continent of Atlantis - is one of those all too infrequent rarities. ‘Wow, if this is Euro-Disney I take back all the jokes I’ve ever made about it!’ exclaims Jared, until Judd tells him that they are a bit far a field for even that. Guardian remarks that it look like they are coming in for a landing - the smoothest one in recent memory he adds, before asking Puck what he is doing. Judd declares that he is opening the hatch, for it is time they met their hosts. Motioning to the “flight attendants”, Jared exclaims that if they look like them he is all for it.
The five Alphans peer out o the hatch, with Mac telling Radius that this isn’t a joke, as they have no idea what to expect out here. Mac tells everyone to be on their guard and to be ready for absolutely anything. Suddenly, four strange people are standing on some steps nearby. The purple-clad woman with extremely long hair addresses Guardian by his real name and remarks that he is a born leader, as they were told. ’But you have nothing to fear from us’ she assures him. Medusa of the Uncanny Inhumans introduces herself and welcomes the heroes to Attilan, home to the race known to Earthlings as the Inhumans.
Medusa motions to the muscular man standing behind her and reveals she is his translator and wife, for he is Black Bolt, King of Attilan. She introduces the large man in front of her as the royal administrator, Gorgon, and the man in green as Karnak, the priest-philosopher. ‘We are the Royal Family of Attilan, and on behalf of our King, I extend to you the hand of friendship’. Medusa walks closer to her guests, exclaiming that they are champions from the land called Canada, and addresses them all by name, before revealing that she knows they are Alpha Flight and are here seeking answers and the fate of a friend. Smiling, Medusa informs Alpha Flight that it is her hope she may help them in attaining both.
Guardian is shocked, and asks Medusa how is it that she knows so much about them. Medusa motions to Black Bolt and tells Alpha Flight that they may like her husband to show them the answer to that. Mac bites his lip, Judd smiles, and Murmur looks somewhat disappointed -for standing in front of them, is Heather! Looking ever so glamorous and wearing an elegant green dress, Heather looks at her teammates rather strangely, before saying ‘Hello, Mac…everyone’.
It was not quite the reaction Mac was expecting. And several hours later, the passage of time has not changed Heather’s perplexing behavior. Heather is seated on a chair while Mac and Judd stand beside her, and Radius, Murmur and Flex look on from the other side of the room. Mac tells Heather that he thinks she owes them an explanation, to which Mac tells her that they were worried that she was a goner, before asking her how she managed to make her way from Newfoundland to the “Magic Kingdom” here.
‘Heather, do you even hear us?’ exclaims Mac. Holding something in her hands, Heather turns to her estranged husband and tells him that she feels different - that she feels like she might belong here now - with the Inhumans. ‘WHAT? You can’t be serious!’ exclaims a shocked Guardian. Everyone else is just as shocked, but after a moment, Mac asks Heather to tell him what happened after they lost her in Newfoundland.
Heather replies that she will try, before pointing out that her memories are so hazy. Heather reveals that she flew out further over the Atlantic hoping to use the geothermal sensors in her battle suit to home in on the source of the tremors below the sea floor. However, in the distance, she saw a he fog bank just hanging on the air, so curious as to what the fog could be concealing, she flew over it and tried to look into it - only to start suddenly choking on something that was filtering up through the fog.
Heather exclaims that she didn’t know if it was some pollutant or something else, so she quickly held her breath and started flying away from there, but for some reason she cannot explain, she just paused mid-flight. Heather tells her teammates that she knows it sounds ridiculous, but it was as if a voice in her head suddenly spoke to her - beckoned her back. Unfortunately, it also caused Heather to lose her concentration and control over her battle suit, so she then blacked out and fell into the sea.
Heather continues to gaze at the object in her hands and reveals that the next thing she knew, she was waking up in the Inhumans’ royal palace. Heather adds that Medusa told her that another of the Royal Family - her cousin Triton, a water breather - had been tracking the cloud when he found her in the ocean and brought her to Attilan. Heather reveals that she still hears the voice in the back of her mind, telling her that it needs her, that she cannot leave it alone. Heather informs Mac that she cannot leave here until she finds the answers that she needs, and asks him if he understands. Turning away and frowning, Mac replies that he understands, and flying out of the room he declares that he is going to get to the bottom of this, and is going to start with some pointed questions to this so-called “Royal Family”.
Soon, Guardian has spotted several of the Inhuman and descends upon them, ‘Medusa! I want words with you!’ he shouts angrily. Karnak tells Guardian to have a care, as none may address the Queen in such an insolent manner. ‘Stow it, Karnak!’ Mac replies, demanding to know what they have done to Heather - what happened to her after they found her? Karnak understands that Guardian is distressed, for he is concerned about the woman he loves, so for that, he will forgive his impertinence.
Karnak motions to the temple behind he and the other Inhumans and tells Guardian to mark his words well, for the answers he seeks begins here, where they perform one of their most sacred rites…the ritual of Terrigen Mutation! Karnak explains to Guardian that all of the Inhumans gained their special attributes through exposure to a mutagenic substance called Terrigen Mists - a compound created by Black Bolt’s father Randac many years ago. Karnak explains that at a predetermined age, Inhuman children are subjected to the Mists and the Mists bring out the children’s hidden genetic potential.
Karnak reveals that days ago, a private ceremony was conducted here in the temple, and the subject was a child whose parents - pioneering scientists - voluntarily exposed their offspring to the Mists while it was still in the womb - however, the child was born with no apparent attributes, so the parents opted for another exposure to the Mists to correct this defect. Medusa takes over the story telling now and informs Guardian that the ceremony did not go as planned, for even as the assembled crowds watched, the ground began to rumble beneath their feet.
At the time, Medusa simply thought it to be another tremor like they many they had been having for weeks, but this one was the worst. Then the tower’s foundations were torn asunder by the devastating quake. The Terrigen Mists that were to be used in the ceremony were dispersed into the atmosphere and the ritual was left incomplete. Karnak informs Guardian that they fortunately managed to contain most of the escaped Mists, for otherwise they would have caused widespread uncontrolled mutation in the Inhuman race, and the tower has been safely rebuilt and resealed.
Guardian remarks that it is an interesting story, but that it doesn’t explain what happened to Heather. Mac is getting really angry, when his teammates appear beside him. Judd tells Mac to simmer down and to think about it - could the fall out from that accident with the Mists be what Heather caught a whiff of when she flew over the fog? Judd remarks that he is also guessing the quakes the Inhumans have been experiencing are the same ones causing the flooding in Newfoundland, once the seismic waves have traveled across the ocean floor.
Medusa smiles and tells Guardian that his diminutive comrade is wise - as is Vindicator - for guarding against the Mists. Medusa explains that a prolonged exposure would have brought painful death, for the Mists are not safe for normal humans. Radius remarks that it still doesn’t answer everything, and turning to Black Bolt exclaims that he will bet he can fill them in on the rest. ‘What’s up with you, pal? You haven’t said a word since we met you?’ Black Bolt offers no response, which angers Jared. ‘What are you, too good to talk to us “mere humans?” Come on, say something!’
‘That will be quite enough!’ states Medusa as she grabs Radius with her hair, then holds him up in the air. ‘You’re tying me up in your hair?! I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or turned on!’ Jared exclaims. Karnak tells Judd to be thankful that Black Bolt ignores Radius’ badgering, for his slightest whisper could reduce this city to rubble. Judd remarks that is all well and good, before pointing out that there seems to be a piece missing from the puzzle still - the baby from the ceremony - what happened to it?
Black Bolt motions to a large statue of his father, Randac, and Karnak informs Judd that beneath the statue lies a sprawling living complex, and it is there that the child resides with his parents - it is there that those parents must now decide the child’s fate…for an Inhuman couple to raise a child that bears no genetic gift is rarely heard of in this society.
Thera and Phadros are watching their child, and Thera remarks to her husband that their son has cried for hours. She believes that they must have displeased their ancestors to have this fate befallen on their firstborn son. Thera reminds her husband that she underwent in utero exposure to the Terrigen Mists in the hope of producing an offspring even greater than average Inhuman genes - bit so far he has exhibited nothing save chronic illness and bad temperament.
Thera exclaims that their second attempt to expose their son to the sacred Mists ended in disaster. She fears that angry gods are sending the accursed tremors - determined to rob their son of his heritage - to render him an outcast for all time! Phadros tells his wife to not give into despair. Phadros explains that the tremors are simply a phenomenon of nature and assure Thera that they will pass, and then, when the time is right, they shall once again take their son to the ceremonial chamber. Suddenly, the baby’s eyes begin to glow, and a bright light fills the room. ‘By the soul of Randac!’ exclaims Phadros, while Thera wonders what is wrong with her son.
Outside, the eyes in the statue of Randac suddenly light up too. Nearby the statue, Alpha Flight and the Inhumans are still conversing, and Guardian asks Medusa is her people are also unaware of the cause of these tremors. Medusa replies that all they know is that they have been occurring sporadically for weeks. The amphibious Triton approaches the group of heroes and Guardian asks him how Heather is. Medusa’s cousin replies that Vindicator is resting comfortably now, though he is as confused as the rest of them about the psychic “messages” that have been plaguing her.
Guardian mutters that they still know nothing and declares that he cannot take this, he needs answers. Medusa reminds Guardian that she has already assured him that they will to their best to remedy the matter, adding that Inhumans also value the special bond between man and wife. Radius and Murmur are talking with Karnak, and Jared asks him if he think he can take him out with one shot. ‘Rash one, I can take anyone out with one shot’ Karnak boasts. Flex is admiring the architecture of Attilan and exclaims that he cannot believe his brother is over there playing tough guy when there is so much to see.
Flex motions to the statue and is about to remark on it, when he exclaims that it is moving. ‘Guys, I think you’ll wanna see this!’ he shouts. Everyone watches in horror as the statue of Randac swipes its arms across the rooftops of several buildings. ‘Genes of Agon! The statue of Randac - it has somehow come to life!’ Medusa exclaims. Someone else exclaims that it is moving through the city and points out that hundreds could be killed, before asking what manner of foul sorcery this is. Still looking at the statue in shock, Adrian asks what they can do about it.
As Black Bolt takes to the air, one must wonder if it has ever crossed his mind how frustrating his self-imposed silence is to others. He is beginning to grasp at the answer to this unnatural disaster, as the energy-sensitive antennae on his brow notice a distinct energy pattern around the animated monument of his father. Yes, the answer is starting to become apparent - but to make the others understand would only waste precious time, which is why he soars to the source of the disturbance, leaving his wife, fellows and new friends to deal with the more immediate threat.
Down on the streets below, Gorgon declares that by all he holds holy, he shall not permit some shambling, sentient monolith, even one bearing the image of sainted Randac, lay waste to Attilan. Gorgon exclaims that several well-placed stomps of his thunderous hooves should serve to set up a small tremor of his own, causing the behemoth to lose its footing and stagger into the uninhabited tower nearby, and Agon willing, it will shatter upon impact.
But after Gorgon has finished stomping his hooves, the giant statue of Randac gets back up practically unscathed. Gorgon sees an bolt of electricity hit the statue and wonders who is coming to his aid. From the air, Guardian declares that he thought Alpha Flight and the Royal Family could put aside their differences long enough to deal with this, to which Gorgon tells him that his words make sense - for the first time today! Suddenly, Mac sees the statue sweep its hand up towards him and he tries to move - but is too late. ‘Pretty impressive reflexes for something made of rock’ Mac mumbles once the statue moves its hand away from the wall which Mac was squashed into.
Black Bolt has realized that the child is the key. He knew of the experiment - Thera subjecting her still-gestating embryo to the Terrigen Mists in the hopes of advancing the genetic potential of her child. It was the same unorthodox procedure that Black Bolt’s own mother had undergone…and that which made him the most powerful of his race. Entering the complex where Phadros and Thera are with their child, Black Bolt understands that this attempt again proved to be a success - sort of.
For whereas Black Bolt’s powers manifested themselves suddenly and violently, this child’s have been doing so in more subtle, nearly indecipherable ways. Black Bolt pauses beside the bay’s crib, just for a moment, remembering a moment of his own tortured childhood…and then he takes the frightened boy’s head in his hands. Black Bolt’s powers do not allow him to control thoughts or emotions, but they do enable him to manipulate energy - including the electrical impulses flowing from the child’s powerful mind…and the mammoth plaything with which the child is venting its fear and confusion.
Guardian thinks to himself that they have hit the statue with everything they have, and nothing is working - as if it is being held together through sheer willpower. He knows that he cannot give up, and attempts to gather up all of his suit’s electromagnetic power for one big blast, before calling to Heather and telling her that they could use her help up here, but when he gets no response, he asks what is going on.
Heather is elsewhere in the city, and she can hear the voice again - scared and crying - begging her not to interfere.
‘Okay, King Kong, get ready to take the big fall!’ Guardian jokes as he circles around the statue, only to see it pause - then Mac sees cracks and fissures beginning to open up on the body of the statue and steam starts to pour out. ‘It’s starting to come apart!’ Mac exclaims. Karnak urges everyone to follow him and not panic as he leads them to safety. Guardian exclaims that the statue is on its last legs, and tells his team to “pour it on” by opening up the cracks and cutting this walking nightmare down to size. Puck points out that the statue has already stopped moving, and has started to fall, so he suggests they all get clear! ‘Excellent suggestion!’ Mac agrees as everyone takes cover.
A tear runs down Heather’s cheek - it seems that the destruction of a statue is symbolic of a greater loss - and it is still haunting her hours later, even as the sun shines down on Attilan. Heather turns around on the balcony she stands on and sees Mac, so she asks him why he isn’t at the banquet with everyone else. ‘I could ask you the same thing’ Mac replies, before asking Heather what is wrong, and urging her to talk him.
Heather reveals that she spoke with Medusa who has informed her of what is going on, and reveals that the baby from the ceremony possesses some sort of psionic power over earth and stone. She explains that the tremors and the statue coming to life were products of his fear and frustration, manifested by these elemental powers. Heather reveals that somehow, the child reached out to her mind through her cybernetic link with her geothermal battle suit - he was calling out to her, as a kindred spirit, as someone else linked to the Earth - and even as a scared child needing a surrogate mother.
Heather declares that the bond is still there though - that the child still needs her. Mac suddenly takes Heather in his arms and exclaims ‘I need you, Heather,’ before pointing out that the child has a mother and that Heather has a home - with Alpha Flight - and with him. ‘Oh, Mac…!’ declares Heather as they are about to kiss passionately, when Medusa interrupts them, informing them that Black Bolt is ready to see Heather.
Meanwhile, in the dinning hall, Flex exclaims that this is quite a feast, and asks if there is any chance they could get some of these recipes to take back to Canada. Judd jokes that he has just got to introduce back bacon and Molson Brador to this culture, then they will be set! Karnak watches Flex and exclaims that his appetite rivals that of Ben Grimm.
Radius is sitting by an unimpressed Gorgon and asks him where he buys his shoes. ‘Is there a Payless out here that sells twenty wide, or do you just go to a blacksmith?’ ‘Boy, you are about to find my foot planted firmly in your -’ Gorgon remarks, until Judd pulls Jared back, telling him to cease and desist! Jared asks Puck what he thinks he is doing, as he can take Gorgon, but Judd asks Jared to trust him. ‘He’d kill ya!’ Arlette turns and sees Mac enter the room, and addressing him as James like she always does, she asks him if something is the matter. ‘It’s Heather. I’m not sure she’s coming home’ he replies solemnly.
Heather, Black Bolt and Medusa stand in a darkened room. It is a tempting notion for Heather to remain here in this fairytale kingdom - a place like the ones she used to read about when she was a little girl, in those books that she so enjoyed. There would be no more Department H, no more deceit and manipulations, no more painful memories - no more loved ones dying. There would be no more James MacDonald Hudson and all the emotional turmoil that his presence brings to her, for even though Heather is a young woman, her husband - once her elder - is even younger.
Perhaps that is why these maternal feelings are so prominent now - is that why the Inhuman child grabbed her subconscious? Heather dismisses that thought and faces Black Bolt and Medusa - and in this wordless exchange, there is an understanding: While you will always be welcome in Attilan…you will never truly belong. Medusa turns and leaves the room, and a peaceful look sweep across Heather’s face as the unfathomable energies crackle around Black Bolt’s antennae reaching out to break the child’s psychic link so that Heather may return to where she does belong, with people who love her - and probably more than she or they realize, need her as well.
Alpha Flight stands with the Royal Family as they prepare to say their solemn goodbyes, when suddenly, ‘Hey, everyone! Why the long faces?’ exclaims Heather. Once more clad in her green and white uniform, she tells her teammates that they did their job, and she is ready to go home - back to Canada! Mac remains calm and suggests they get going then. Judd remarks that he bets no one has accused Mac of being an old softie.
Heather looks back at Medusa and Black Bolt, and the Queen farewells Alpha Flight, hoping that that may meet again under less tense circumstances, and that Alpha Flight should know that Attilan owes them a great debt. ‘Always we shall be proud to call you…friends’.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Microcosm
Do you know what a microcosm is?
It’s a little world that in some way mirrors the larger world around it. This is the sub-atomic planetary system known as Homeworld - and its Jungle Zone city, Ant Tica. What does this small world’s reflection show you?
Right now its shows the Microverse’s freedom fighters Commander Rann, Marionette, Dexam and Bug standing face to face with heroes not of their world - but of Earth, more specifically, Canada’s Premiere super heroes, Alpha Flight! ‘So, who are you?’ Alpha Flight’s leader James MacDonald Hudson a.k.a. Guardian asks the strange heroes before him. ‘You’re clearly not the tranquil Shadow Priests you pretended to be,’ Guardian’s estranged wife, Heather McNeil Hudson a.k.a. Vindicator remarks as she hovers in the air above her teammates.
The sultry Marionette replies that they are freedom fighters who are not obligated to answer to the questions of pawns of Ant Tica’s “Baron” Zebek. Sporting a large weapon, the handsome Commander Arcturus Rann adds that Zebek is a man whose proudest accomplishment has been the subjugation and cultural genocide of an entire race. ‘We’re no ones pawns,’ declares Mac, to which Rann asks if they came here of their own free will. ‘Yes, we…well, kind of -’ Mac begins, until Bug cuts him off, telling him it sounds like he is changing his story. ‘Can’t be both ways, so which is it?’ Bug asks.
Suddenly, ever the voice of reason, Heather flies down to the ground and points out that both teams are probably in equal consideration of Zebek and his “civilization”. ‘Oh? - then perhaps you can tell the Baron himself what that consideration is!’ Zebek declares as he comes up behind the heroes of two worlds, flanked by his soldiers. The heroes are cornered in a dead end, as Zebek, now resembling a centaur, tells Alpha Flight to tell him what that consideration is in exchange for suspension of their immediate and incontrovertible destruction for conspiring with these “freedom fighters”.
Zebek turns to Rann and tells him that he has long wondered when his legendary journeys would lead him to An Tica. ‘I’m glad that day has arrived - the waiting list at my body banks for your assets is a long one’. There is a silence, until Zebek shouts ‘Speak, upworlder Guardian! Is your conspiracy with these criminals predetermined or simply fate which you seized?’ Mac replies to Zebek by telling him that his question doesn’t leave him free to answer truthfully.
Guardian begins to explain that Alpha Flight had no prior knowledge of these individuals, when suddenly Jared “Radius” Corbo interrupts him, declaring to Zebek ‘But we do think they’re probably right about you needing a good stomping for the garbage you’ve pulled against these ant dudes!’ Radius continues by exclaiming that Guardian might be willing to try and buy them out of this politically, but that he isn’t. ‘Who’s with me? Let’s nail him before we all get slaughtered!’
‘Take them!’ exclaims Zebek to his followers, adding that he doesn’t want any of their magnificent bodies damaged as they will be the finest specimens the body banks have worked with in years. As the heroes leap into action against Zebek’s soldiers, Guardian shouts ‘Radius! You FOOL!’ while Bug jokes ‘Oh, gee, a battle! Now here’s something you don’t see everyday - unless you’re us!’ ‘Fool?’ asks Rann in reply to Guardian’s comment. ‘He understands the situation perfectly!’
As Heather takes flight, Bug calls her beautiful and asks what she does. Heather replies that she can deploy the Earth’s geothermic forces, to which Bug points out that she is not on Earth. Causing the ground to open up and a river of lava to separate the heroes from Zebek’s forces, Heather replies ‘No, but I’m in it - and that seems to be enough to make it work!’ Taking to the air, Guardian unleashes blasts of electromagnetic energy as he asks Commander Rann if the soldiers are bad guys, or the pawns he was talking about. Using some sort of flight device, Rann fires his weapon from the air, explaining to Mac that dog soldiers are just trying to earn a chance to live forever in the body banks - for that is their only chance to hope. He adds that they’re bad, but it is not entirely their fault.
Adrian “Flex” Corbo tells himself not to panic, when suddenly Dexam alerts him to a soldier behind him that is about to blast him. Flex spins around and blocks the blast by “flexing” his hand into a large piece of metal. ‘Excellent defense. You’re a born warrior!’ Dexam tells him. ‘Really? Me? I mean, I am!’ Flex exclaims. Flex’s brother Jared is having some troubles however, as blasts are constant fired at his force field, he is finding it hard to keep it in place.
Using a flight device like Rann, Marionette files over to Radius asking him if he needs help. This causes Zebek’s soldiers to turn their attention to her, ‘Leave him! Get the rebel!’ they cry. In reply to Mari’s question, Radius tells her that he doesn’t need help, that she should go help somebody who needs it. ‘As you wish,’ replies Mari, flying high above the soldiers attacking her. Eugene “Puck” Judd asks Murmur if Zebek is anywhere near her, to which Alpha Flight’s resident vixen replies that he has vanished. Judd tells Arlette Truffaut not to give Zebek that much credit, and remarks that his guess is Zebek vanished.
Heather hovers above Commander Rann as she exclaims that the soldiers just keep on coming. ‘There are too many of them and too few of us! Like there’s an endless supply!’ Rann tells Heather that he agrees, before remarking that help should be coming from on high. ‘”high…”?’ Heather asks, when suddenly, there is a blinding light that engulfs the area. A ship of sorts appears above the battleground and Rann exclaims ‘Endeavor? Voice match - Arcturus Rann’ ’Arcturus Rann confirmed’ replies the ship. Rann exclaims that he wants an immediate landing in the central courtyard and for the main landing ramp to be deployed. ‘Confirmed’ replies the ship.
Blasting his weapon at the enemy, Rann calls to his teammates and Alpha Flight, telling them to get to the ship and he will cover their retreat. Marionette joins Rann as the cover the others. Judd remarks that he was just loosening up his knuckles, to which Heather tells him there will be time for that later. Eventually, Rann makes his way up the ramp as Zebek’s soldiers continue to fire at them. The ramp closes and the Endeavor takes off, with the heroes safe inside. Microcosms can be valuable tools - allowing you to see your situation in miniature and apply what you learn from it to your larger dilemmas. Of course, you do have to be aware that you’re viewing one.
Inside the Endeavor, Rann and Mari take control of the ship, and gazing out the window, Mac asks them what is happening here. Heather stands next to Mac as she points out that one minute they were honored guests, and the next, they are running for their lives. Mari informs them that it is a long story, ‘Just call it a civil war’. Rann detects incoming fire and tells everyone to hold on, as from the side of a mountain, a large gun begins firing at the Endeavor. ‘Doesn’t look too civil to me,’ Mac remarks as everyone is thrown to the floor of the ship. Mari announces that the blast didn’t breach, and that she can steady them.
Towards the back of the ship, Bug clings to a wall and tells everyone to hold on. ‘Easy for you, Bug, you’re sticky!’ his teammate Dexam points out. Jared asks why they took off if the enemy is just going to follow them. Bug informs him that Zebek’s men wont follow as they have no ships, adding that they will be fine once they clear the range of Zebek’s defenses. Arlette asks where they are going to go, to which Bug reveals that they have a little place they’ve been calling home.
Meanwhile, on Earth proper, at Department H, Alpha Flight’s home and headquarters. Each home is a microcosm in its own way. The family inside a miniature consideration of its greater community - and the society it serves. ‘Director? You wanted to see me?’ General Clarke asks as he opens the door to the office of the mysterious Director of Department H. The Director holds in his hand a snow globe with a mini version of Department H inside it, and shakes it so the snow flies around. ‘I wanted a word with you, General Clarke…whether I saw you for it or not was of no importance’. Clarke begins to look quite anxious, and asks the Director what he can do for him.
‘It’s more what you can stop doing’ the Director replies, before informing Clarke that his private monitors on Floor Thirteen brought to his attention a number of boundary violations Clarke has made in his program work for Department H. The Director declares that he set the parameters for the Department based on his goals and any change to those parameters could greatly upset the balance of power here and lead to catastrophic results…for whoever ordered those changes. The Director drops the snow globe to the ground and it smashes, the water leaks out around the broken glass. ‘I trust you’ll take the appropriate steps, General?’ The Director asks. ‘Don’t doubt it, Director. I’m taking them even now…’ Clarke remarks as he looks at the shattered snow globe and leaves the office.
Back in the Microverse, Alpha Flight and the Micronauts have landed and are mingling amongst themselves, discussing their predicaments. Guardian is talking to Rann and Marionette and asks Rann if freedom has to be fought for in his universe. ‘It doesn’t in yours?’ asks Rann. Mac replies that it isn’t on this scale, and asks how long they have been fighting for. Rann explains that they battled an equally offensive baron to release his murderous grip on Homeworld, then Mari, Bug and he chose to continue the fight throughout the Baron’s influences, and they picked up Dexam in their most recent effort.
Rann explains that due to such positive legends, Ant Tica escaped their notice, until recently, when a chance landing revealed Zebek’s evil to them. Guardian tells Rann that it is more than evil, that he discovered a bomb called a “quarkarion” in a remote anthill, adding that it could destroy both their worlds. Heather joins the group reminding everyone that they still have a teammate to rescue, for Manbot was taken to the body banks right before the two groups met up.
The other heroes have overheard the team leaders’ conversation and Dexam remarks that the body banks are foul things. Jared asks him if he knows about them, to which Dexam motions to his robotic arms and reveals that he lost both his limbs to the body banks the day before Liberation. ‘Talk about your lousy timing’. Judd remarks that you cant knock fate there, for sometimes cruel circumstance is what makes a person everything they are. ‘Yeah, like green…handsome…tri-fingered’ exclaims Bug while he eats something.
‘Delusional?’ asks Judd, before declaring that he thinks they should get right back in there, squelch the missile then storm the body banks, save Manbot then topple Zebek and free the ants. ‘Sure - but what do you want to do after dinner?’ Bug jokes. Marionette tells Judd that his plan is sound, except for the last part. She explains that their role in the Microverse has to be to inspire races to rise against tyranny, to make them fight for their own freedom - not just hand it to them. Showing her nastiness towards Heather, Murmur tells Mari that she is a very intelligent woman and a natural leader. ’How refreshing to see’.
Heather turns to Mac and tells him that before they go she wants a word with him. Mac hesitates and tells Heather that he doesn’t think there is time, for they need to lay out a strategy - Heather interrupts, telling him that there is never a time or place for the two of them, but she needs to talk to him now. The senior Alphans walk off into the bushes as Mac begins to ask Heather what this is about, to which Heather comes right out and tells her estranged husband that she saw him kiss Murmur, adding that they have both just been pretending that it never happened since then.
Defensively, Mac declares that he didn’t kiss Arlette, that it was her that kissed him.  Heather tells Mac that she isn’t here to bust his chops, explaining to him that she has been feeling this push and pull with him lately and that it is tearing her apart. Heather admits that she sees the Mac she loves, he is still there - but she also sees a playful 19 year old boy who doesn’t know her. Heather begin to inform Mac that it is too much to deal with in addition to the stress of Department H, but before she can say anything else, Mac takes her by the hand and tells her not to say it.
Mac explains to Heather that he is just starting to get a sense of his life back - separating the lies from the reality and reveals to her that he does have feelings for her, but he just needs more time to know what those feelings are. ‘Murmur means nothing to me’ he declares, unaware that Arlette is listening from behind a tree nearby. Mac’s lack of feelings for her takes her by surprise - how will it affect her greater vision now?
Sometimes it is hard to know what the greater scheme of things is. That is certainly true for Lillian Crawley-Jeffries, a.k.a. Diamond Lil. Once she was a villain, then a hero - and now? Now she is an unwitting, unwilling experiment locked in a little lab, hidden away somewhere deep inside Department H. What is to become of her? Tubes poke in and out of her, and somehow, her diamond-hard skin has been cut open and little parts of her has been removed - for what purpose is not quite clear. Glancing at a tank in the room, it is clear to Lil that she has seen the young girl inside it before - at the reception when she arrived at Department H in search of her husband.
It was then that she was interrupted - ‘She’s awake!’ one of the scientists exclaims. Another scientist declares that she must be put back under immediately or the entire process will be compromised. But inside this Beta Flight wing, it is starting to come together again - though you can only build a puzzle one piece at a time.
From Macrocosm to Microcosm - you can make the jump quickly if you know what you’re looking for. Two soldiers guard the body banks of the Microverse, where those close to death can buy an extension at the cost of shortening the life of another. The banks are a hideous institution somewhat analogous to the Beta Flight Wing of Department H. ‘Halt! Who’s there?’ asks one of the guards as two Shadow Priests approach the body banks with Heather, Murmur and Flex as prisoners. One of the priests declares that they were sent by the Baron himself, ‘New rebel captures, the first of many surprises this night’ the second priest exclaims.
One of the soldiers orders them to be taken to the bank mound and chained, the other remarks that there is another back there already. Several meters past the soldiers, Marionette and Dexam strip out of the Shadow Priest cloaks as Heather exclaims that this place has awfully weak security. Marionette explains that the citizens are educated to think that the body banks are a good thing, therefore there are few incidents. Heather declares that they should up the ratio and tells Murmur to come with her, and orders Flex to stay with Mari and Dexam and rally the prisoners. ‘Me?’ exclaims Flex nervously.
Shortly, Heather and Murmur explore the mound, searching various holes. Eventually, Murmur discovers Manbot in the one she is looking into, though informs Heather that he is not moving. Heather flies down into the chamber and exclaims ‘Manbot? Are you…’ Manbot whirs and clicks, explaining that as he contains no organic matter, he was not as useful as the body bank technicians believed. Heather blasts at the chains with streams of lava, telling him that she is glad to hear it, although she is surprised by this revelation that he has no organic matter.
Flex, Mari and Dexam approach some sort of ritual, where a body is bring burned on a large stone, and hundreds of ant citizens are surrounding it. Flex asks what they are doing, to which Dexam explains that it is a ceremony of passing for the victims of Zebek’s games. Marionette gathers several ants and tells them that the time to strike is now. ‘Listen to her, she’s right’ ‘But we are happy as we are,’ come to different opinions. Another ant points out that they perform a role and have every chance of winning immortality if they triumph in the games. ‘Until you wrest control of your own destiny - your life is a game’ Marionette declares.
A guard begins to hear some of the commotion and tells them to keep the noise down or else they will put a stop to this stupid ceremony. Dexam tells the ants that he too once believed he would win immortality ‘And look at me now!’ He informs them that he dreams in the night of the fingers on his phantom hand. ‘And I’m one of the lucky ones’. Flex tries to help by informing the ants that when he was in the Baron’s palace, all the ants were doing was serving the humans. ‘Where I’m from that’s slavery’.
Dexam tells the ants to listen to Flex, for he is a wise Upworlder who notices about their world what they may be too close to see, when suddenly, Heather, followed by Arlette and Manbot, round a corner. Heather tells the ants that a proud society doesn’t cower before its rulers - it chooses them. ‘Protect yourself from those who only pretend to protect you’. One of the ants suddenly declares that no more of them can die for Zebek’s sport! ‘We do not need eternal life…but neither should we sacrifice the lives we are granted!’
A small spark can ignite an enormous wildfire, a microscopic ripple can spill over into a wave of change - you just have to spot the wave while it is still a ripple - and ride it out. ‘Storm the palace!’ ‘To freedom!’ Heather and the others break through the fence surrounding the body banks, and a sea of ants follow.
Elsewhere, the Endeavor flies over the missile silo where Guardian heard the chanting coming from. Rann suggests to Guardian that he fly on ahead and distract the leader while they clean out the guards and meet up to dismantle the quarkarion. Moments later, Mac flies into the lab. ‘Upworlder! You have returned!’ exclaims the scientist he encountered earlier. Mac claims that he was hoping to learn more about the quarkarion. The scientist apologizes and informs Guardian that Baron Zebek has ordered he speak of it no further with him. ‘He thinks you might mean to harm the sacred weapon?’ ‘Me? Really?’ asks Mac as Rann, Radius, Judd and Bug rush past, taking down all the guards.
Back at the body banks, a soldier comes out of a chamber asking ‘Who comes’? ‘Free souls intent on a better world!’ shouts Heather as the ants cry ‘Destroy the body banks!’ The guard orders everyone to cease or be sacrificed for these actions. Dexam declares that it is a small sacrifice for the world they will leave in their wake. Marionette calls to the ant citizens, telling them to take this facility, shut down its cruel engines and capture its keepers. Flanked by Heather and the others, Marionette begins running towards Baron Zebek’s palace, telling some of the ants to come along, declaring that they will bring down the man as surely as they have stopped his self-aggrandizing monuments.
Back at the lab, Judd informs Guardian that things are nearly under control. The chief scientist suddenly realizes that Guardian’s allies have laid siege to this sacred place, to which Mac remarks ‘There is nothing sacred about mass destruction’. Guardian tells the scientist that he is being manipulated by his ruler and been brainwashed into thinking that it is some kind of honor. ‘It is the highest honor!’ declares Zebek as he enters the chamber, followed by a group of soldiers. ‘To serve an eminent man is the greatest honor there is!’
‘Good. Then let me honor myself by serving you up on a cold slab!’ Radius boasts, to which Judd reminds him of the team. ‘Show me you’ve learned something’ Judd asks Jared to let Mac and Rann handle Zebek while they help mop up the soldiers. Rann makes a move against Zebek, who remarks ‘You hope to defeat me with so small a force?’ Bug tells Zebek that it isn’t the size of the rocket lance, but how you swing it.
Zebek’s hands suddenly come off his arm, and as fists the smash into Rann as he declares that madmen are never content to settle for the power they have. ‘Looking to expand, are you?’ Mac asks. Making a reference to the soldiers attire, Judd calls one of them King Tut and asks him how  the weather is. ‘Fair to partly bloody?’ Judd jokes. Bug leaps up as one of the soldiers fires at him, ‘Whoops! Missed me, but at least ya hit someone!’ he remarks as the blast strikes another soldier. ‘I’d compliment you on your trick hands - but I’ve been told they probably aren’t yours!’ Mac tells Zebek as they engage in hand to hand combat. Zebek tells Guardian that he can see how his hands feel around his neck if he likes. ‘Let me finish up these losers and I’ll lend you my hands, Guardian’ Radius offers.
Outside the chamber, one of the soldiers asks another if he heard a noise. ‘Noise?’ ‘Yeah, like a rumbling, like…’ ‘REVOLUTION!’ shouts Marionette as she bursts into the room followed by Heather and the others. Marionette shoots the guards as everyone storms the palace, but she reminds everyone that there is to be no killing. ‘Don’t let their methods become yours!’
Dexam encourages Flex in the battle, and Adrian enthusiastically blocks the soldier’s fire with his metal limbs. Dexam then turns to Murmur and asks her what she says to the two of them teaming up and taking the back room. ‘I say “oui”’ Arlette replies. ‘Yeah, we’ Dexam remarks. Marionette and Heather regroup, and Mari points out that it is going well, to which Heather asks where the Baron is.
Back in the lab, Judd informs Mac that Zebek’s men are all taken out. Jared points out that the workers are all hanging back, to which Bug remarks that deep down they don’t like the big ugly either. Guardian continues to face off against Zebek and tells him that his people have deserted him. ‘Then they will soon become fodder for those who don’t!’ Zebek declares. Rann informs Zebek that his palace has been taken and he has no people left.
Rann tells Guardian to step away from Zebek, explaining that he can disrupt his magnetic centaur couplings, when suddenly, Zebek releases his hands again and one of them is fired right at Rann and grabbing his throat, begins choking him. ‘Let your blasphemy be carried on your final breath!’ Zebek exclaims. As Judd frees Rann, he points out to Guardian that the Baron must be held together with some kind of polar coupling. Mac replies that a properly deployed blast of his electromagnetic energies should break Zebek’s bonds, and indeed it does.
Zebek lets out a cry as his torso is removed from its four-legged body, then Mac takes him into the air, despite his claims that they have not defeated him. ‘No, Baron…you’ve defeated yourself!’ Mac tells him. ‘Aw, come on, we helped a little!’ jokes Bug. Zebek declares that they will not triumph and calls to the scientist, telling him to launch the quarkarion. The old man steps forward and tells Zebek that he will not. Mac then asks Rann what they are going to do with what is left of Zebek. The scientist asks for Zebek to be given to him, so he can take him to the body banks where their last action can be to reprocess the Baron into a full horse so that he may finally serve society.
Judd approaches Radius and thanks him for his cooperation. ‘You see how things go when you follow a plan?’ Jared replies that it worked out, but that he could have done it his way just as easy. Judd just mutters that he wonders what it is going to take for Radius to learn once and for all. Bug apologizes for interrupting, and motions to the large quarkarion and asks what they are going to do about it.
Do you see it yet? In this microcosm, there are practical actions that suggest the importance of overthrowing ones rulers - and symbolic actions that slow the liberation granted by such efforts. There is a lesson to be learned here. Several of the heroes take down the quarkarion bomb while Heather, Marionette and the others watch the ant citizens celebrate as they bring the giant statues of Zebek toppling to the ground.
Do you see it? ‘We have to go back!’ Heather remarks to Manbot. ‘Confirmed. Return is imminent’ Manbot replies. ‘No, I mean we have to go back’ Heather exclaims, before explaining that she has seen something here, something she should have seen in their own world. ‘We are pawns of an evil dictator…just not the one Commander Rann thought’.
Having seen it, there is only one question that remains…
‘Is everyone here?’ Mac asks as Alpha Flight and the Microverse’s own heroes regroup. A spokesperson for the ants informs the heroes that they wish to pledge that never again will their people be subjugated to another’s will. Dexam then pledges to remain behind and help them rebuild Ant Tica, adding that he can rejoin his friends when they are finished.
Murmur asks her teammates if they can please go now and escape the hideous bugs, to which Bug tells her she should knock them if she hasn’t tried them, then asks if she would like to. Marionette and Rann are standing on the ramp to their ship, and Mari tells Bug to come along. ‘We have a Microverse to protect’ Rann declares, before wishing Alpha Flight well and adding that they may meet someday on the other side of the space wall.
Suddenly, Manbot announces ‘Urgent. Remote emergency retrieval sequence initiated! Department H is being destroyed…’ with that, Alpha Flight vanish, leaving a bewildered group of Freedom Fighters and ants surprised.
…Will you do something about it?