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Infamous Monsters of Hollywood, part 4: Fade Out
Griffith Park Observatory, Lose Angeles. This world-famous landmark is no stranger to catastrophe. While it was being built in the mid-1930’s, four thousand WPA workers at the site were called to help fight a brush fire on the east side of Mt Hollywood. The wind changed tragically, and though the fire was contained, it left behind the charred corpses of twenty-seven men. Today, people come to the observatory for many reasons - for its panoramic view of Hollywood spread out below, for the stellar light shows in its planetarium, or just ot try and fire out where James Dean’s famous knife fight was filmed in “Rebel Without a Cause”. Civilians listen as a recording in the planetarium states ‘Through the infinite reaches of space, the problems of man seem trivial and naïve indeed…and man, existing alone, seems himself an episode of little consequence’.
Outside, two people lean over a rooftop and someone exclaims ‘Never mind that… but how the heck did Warner Brothers ever get a car down there?’, while a woman asks ‘How did anybody get that over there?’ Her companion turns to where she is looking and asks her what she is talking about, before gasping ‘Holy moley!’ as a large narrow mountain has mysteriously appeared. A staircase winds up the mountain, and atop it sit’s a certain mansion - the Tower of Shadows. On the top of the observatory, the Night Shift have appeared, and Dansen Macabre declares that she materialized their Tower of Shadows and its hill along with themselves. ‘Why do you think I had Satannish give you such teleportation powers, my dear Dansen Macabre?’
Down on the balcony, civilians look up to the top of the observatory, ‘Look out! It - it’s those crooks who were on TV’ one of them calls out. ‘The Night Shift!’ someone else gasps. ‘We’re commandeering this location for a key scene in “The Night Shift Takes Hollywood”!’ Hangman announces, adding that if it was good enough for Nicholas Ray, it is good enough for them. Misfit, Tatterdemalion and Tick-Tock are keeping guard over the captive John Walker a.k.a. USAgent and Simon “Wonder Man” Williams. Misfit tells the civilians below that if they could whip USAgent and Wonder Man, then they better run for it. The civilians do as suggested, and USAgent tells Misfit to let them loose, then they will see who turns tail. Simon looks at his teammate, and asks him what is wrong. ‘This is the first place I came when I moved to town - because of “Rebel” - and now, to be a helpless captive here -’ Simon replies.
‘That’s what you get for trying to out-fox these guys on your own’ USAgent tells Wonder Man, who replies that he had no choice - because of the cast and crew. They look out to where Gypsy Moth is levitating cast and crew of the film on a carpet, and the Brothers Grimm hover on clouds, ‘Movie crew and equipment - coming right up!’ one of them calls out. ‘Even a director, that craven pup!’ the other Brother remarks. ‘Okay, Boy Wonder - I guess you’re right. If we even started to bust out of this gunk, they’d execute the hostages - starting with Waite, the director’ USAgent agrees.
Down below, a security guard is on the phone to the police, reporting that the Night Shift gang has taken over. ‘Yeah, well, somebody must be willing to believe it because I see a TV news truck pulling up right this second’. He tells the officer, adding that he has no idea who called the media, when suddenly, the phone is ripped out of the wall. ‘Can’t you guess, man?’ a voice calls out. ‘Uh-oh’ the security guard mutters, and turning around, finds that Misfit is standing behind him. ‘Please, mister - I got a wife and kids!’ the guard exclaims. ‘Do I look like a census taker?’ Misfit asks as he flicks the guard in the face, knocking him over with ease. A cameraman leaps out of the van and mutters that these guys are late, for they said yesterday they were going to take over someplace at dawn. ‘You gonna sue ‘em over it?’ his colleague asks.
Twenty miles away in Malibu, Julia “Spider-Woman” Carpenter is with Stella Houston, who tells her that she is really sorry to drag her up here on such short notice. ‘You think you’re sorry, Ms Houston - Stella - you should see my ex!’ Spider-Woman replies. As they climb the steps to Stella’s home, she tells Spider-Woman that she doesn’t understand what she means. Spider-Woman tells her to forget it, as she is just so flustered she is thinking out loud, before asking Stella why she said it was urgent she came. Spider-Woman adds that she doesn’t mean to be rude, but she should be helping look for the Night Shift right now. Entering the house, Stella explains that is why she called Spider-Woman, and asks her if she remembers telling her that she was having a fling with the horror-movie star, Jason Roland, seven years ago, just before he disappeared.
‘Right in the middle of that movie Mammoth Studios is trying to finish’ Spider-Woman replies. Stella holds up a photo, telling Spider-Woman that when she and the Avengers left last time, she pulled the photo out, depicting Jason in his old monster costume. She tells Spider-Woman that the moment Hangman appeared on television making his demands, she was certain he as really Jason Roland. ‘What? How can you be certain?’ Spider-Woman asks. ‘Let’s just say that I really got to know Jase well during the filming of “The Demon that Devoured Hollywood” - and the Hangman’s him all right!’ Stella replies. ‘You mean - him?’ Spider-Woman asks as Hangman appears on the television.
‘Wow! He’s getting more publicity now than he ever got when he was “the next Karloff” But aren’t those two of your Avengers buddies he’s got trussed up?’ Spider-Woman sees Wonder Man and USAgent held prisoner, while Stella turns the sound on the television up, so they can hear the Hangman demanding that he wants the remaining Avengers West Coast up at the Griffith Observatory right now, so that the whole world can witness the filming of their defeat at the hands of the Night Shift, otherwise he will start hanging the tech crew, one man at a time, starting with those he can most easily spare. Spider-Woman tells Stella that this is bad, as USAgent and Wonder Man are two of the most powerful Avengers West, so if Night Shift could beat them… her voice trails off, as she informs Stella that she has to get moving. ‘I’m going with you!’ Stella exclaims, so Spider-Woman tells her to come on.
Inside the Quinjet piloted by Spider-Woman, Stella tells her that she is impressed at the way she handles this jet, and asks her how long she has been flying crates like this. Spider-Woman asks what the time is, and Stella tells her that it is 9:30 AM. ‘Then I’ve been flying them for an hour and 23 minutes’ Spider-Woman reveals. Stella nervously asks Spider-Woman if she has a pilot’s license at least. ‘Actually, I think even my driver’s license has expired’ Spider-Woman replies. ‘WHAT?’ Stella gasps. Spider-Woman tells her that Hawkeye and USAgent did give her a sort of flying lesson the way up here the first time, when suddenly, Iron Man appears on a communication’s monitor.
‘Calling all AWC units! On my way back to LA from seeing Dr Strange in New York’ Iron Man a.k.a. Tony Stark reports, adding that he didn’t get much help there, as Strange was chasing some weird creatures from some dimension that e says shouldn’t even exist. Iron Man adds that even the fact that the demon Satannish is involved here could not dissuade Strange from going after the creatures. The Scarlet Witch a.k.a. Wanda Maximoff reports in via communicator and tell Iron Man that they will meet him in Griffith Park. ‘Check - roger - over and out - whatever’ Spider-Woman declares.
Back in Griffith Park, police have cordoned off the area. ‘Everybody stay back! This is police business!’ one of them orders. ‘So why’re we down here and the TV crews up there?’ one officer wonders. ‘In this day and age, you gotta ask?’ another remarks while on the radio communicator, ‘Yeah, you heard me right. A whole blasted hill appeared next door - with a mansion on it, no less!’ he exclaims.
Up at the observatory, two members of the film crew are carrying a large trunk, while Misfit stands nearby, ‘How much longer before we -’ he begins, before one of the men carrying the trunk bumps into him., ‘Watch it there, buddy’ Misfit warns him. ‘Sorry, sir. I thought you were a statue’ the young man replies. ‘You trying to be funny? Why, I oughtta - in act - think I will - ‘Misfit fumes as he looms down over the young man. ‘Look, I was only -’ the man begins, when his colleague Mona goes over to them with a fire extinguisher and uses it against Misfit, blasting the foam in his face. ‘Don’t grovel, Charlie’ she tells her colleague, before rallying the rest of the film crew, ‘C’mon, people! Let’s take these turkeys!’ she exclaims. Charlie thanks Mona, while another member of the crew decides that Mona is right. ‘Are we men, or Mickey Mouse?’ he asks.
One of the film crew suddenly starts throwing rocks at Gypsy Moth who is hovering overhead. ‘Got her! That Gypsy Moth can’t levitate rocks like she can fabrics!’ he points out as Gypsy Moth is bombarded. Another man starts strangling Tatterdemalion with his own scarf, while someone rushes towards one of the Brothers Grimm. ‘You think you’re such a hot shot, Misfit - maybe this’ll cool you off!’ Mona exclaims as she continues to fire the foam at him. ‘Cut it out, sister!’ Misfit cries out, while a reporter stands in front of the camera crew, announcing ‘And, as you can see behind me, the kidnapped movie crew has launched a desperate but probably futile rebellion against their Night Shift captors’. ‘Hey, you YV people - how about a hand here?’ a man calls out as he sprays some hair spray at close range into the face of one of the Brothers Grimm.
Mona rushes over to the reporter and asks her what is wrong with them, as this is their fight, too. ‘We can’t carry it alone!’ she exclaims. The reporter replies that she is sorry, but part of the deal for being allowed in was that they maintain total neutrality. ‘Besides, it looks as if your little revolt is almost over’ she points out, as Misfit has collected four of the rebelling crew members and wrapped his arms around them, while Needle holds his weapon to the back of another member of the crew ‘Uh, easy with that thing huh, pal?’ the crew member calls out. Misfit sees Mona and tells Needle that she is the one who started it. ‘None of yer fancy sewing up mouths this time -’ he tells him as Needle grabs Mona by her hair and pulls her towards him. ‘Just give it to her right between the eyes!’ Misfit declares.
‘He can year you, Misfit, he’s mute, not deaf!’ Digger points out as he stands nearby, Mona falls to the ground, and Needle raises his large needle overhead, ‘You lousy -’ Mona begins, when suddenly, a charge of electricity surges through the needle. ‘Back off, bato loco!’ calls out Miguel Santos the Living Lightning, as he drops down beside Mona in his electrified lighting form, he exclaims ‘Relampago Vivo is here! That’s “Living Lightning” to you!’, and he sends lightning bolts charging through Misfit, Gypsy Moth, Digger and one of the Brothers Grimm. ‘Well, well - looks like our first guest star’s here - showing off for the little lady!’ Misfit calls out. Miguel reverts to his human form and asks Mona if she is okay. He then tells her that he has been crazy ever since he found out she was one of the ones kidnapped. ‘Miguel…’ Mona utters, before she stands up and they embrace and kiss.
‘Break it up, Lightning’ Iron Man calls out from above as he arrives with the rest of the Avengers West Coast. ‘The Night Shift isn’t likely to call a time out while you’re in a clinch’ Iron Man points out. On a sky-cycle, the Scarlet Wtch tells Iron Man that he has no romantic soul. On another sky-cycle, estranged husband and wife Clint “Hawkeye” Barton and Bobbi Morse Barton a.k.a. Mockingbird, the team’s reserve member are sharing the sky-cycle, and Clint tells her to hold it steady, calling her Bobby, she reminds him to call her “Mockingbird” while wearing this uniform. The Quinjet with Spider-Woman is overhead, and Living Lightning tells his teammates not to worry as he is on the case.
‘So, what do you think, Mr Waite?’ Hangman asks the director, who tells him ‘Frankly, Hangman, I think you’re a nut case!’ to which Hangman replies ‘Now listen, you two-bit Hollywood hack -’, but Mr Waite quickly adds ‘I mean it! You’re filming one of the all-time great movie fights here - and you’re letting a TV news crew send it out live - gratis, free, for nothing - around the world by satellite?’, to which Hangman replies that he has his reasons, before calling out to the Brothers Grimm, who stand behind the imprisoned Wonder Man and USAgent. ‘Guess it’s time to off us, so they stand a better chance against the others’ USAgent mutters. ‘Can’t say it’s been a pleasure, Williams’ he adds, but the Brothers Grimm tell him that they have them all wrong, and dissolve the compound that was holding them in place. ‘Man, it feels good to stretch again!’ Simon exclaims as he reaches up.
Wonder Man and USAgent go over to their teammates, and Wanda tells Simon ‘Thank Heaven your turn-coat ploy didn’t get you killed’, to which Simon asks ‘Do I didn’t fool you guys either, huh? Maybe I should reconsider this “actor” bit. Iron Man tells him that there is time enough to worry about that, provided they survive the screen test, as the entire Night Shift - Brothers Grimm, Tatterdamelion, Misfit, Tick-Tock, Digger, Needle, Gypsy Moth and Dansen Macabre stand ready for battle, while the Hangman stands above them, Mr Waite at his side. ‘Well, you know what they say - the best defense is a good offense!’ Hawkeye calls out as he fires some arrows towards the Night Shift. ‘And you’re above as offensive as they come, Hawkeye’ Mockingbird mutters.
The arrows explode, covering the Night Shift in billows of black smoke. ‘On second thought - the way they’ve been grabbing hostages like so many terrorists - Night Shift’s got you beat all hollow!’ Mockingbird calls out as she leaps towards Gypsy Moth, and knocks her back. ‘We prefer to look on them as insurance policy’ Dansen Macabre explains, as their battle is recorded live by the camera crews, and goes out to television screens around the country. In one living room, a woman asks her husband if this is just a publicity stunt for those people’s movie, to which her husband tells her that he doesn’t think so, and adds that this could get violent, so he thinks their son should go to his room. ‘Yay! Then I can tape it on my VCR!’ the boy calls out, while an announcer reports that the criminal known as Gypsy Moth seems to be down and out.
‘But there’s got to be more of them ou there, behind Clint’s smoke screen…’ Mockingbird remarks, while indeed, someone sneaks up behind her, ready to strike - but Mockingbird spins around and smacks her opponent in the face: ‘Digger! You should’ve known better than to try and sneak up on me!’ she calls out, reminding him that she put the collar on him once, and will do it again. However, Digger uses his spade, and whacks Mockingbird with it, sending her flying towards Hawkeye. ‘You are sadly behind the curve, dear lady’ Digger tells her. ‘OWWW!’ Mockingbird calls out. ‘I tried to tell you - these guys are a lot tougher than they were when you tangled with them’ Hawkeye reminds Mockingbird.
‘Maybe Mockingbird’s battle stave didn’t take out Grave-Digger- but I like to think Iron Man’s repulsors rays are a cut above’ Iron Man declares as he fires repulsor rays at Digger and Misfit. This is recorded by the camera crew, and several people in a pub are watching the battle. ‘Wow! You guys see that?’ the bar tender asks. ‘Yeah! So how come we need B-2’s and SDI?’ a man asks, while the report states that now Wonder Man and USAgent are attacking Night Shift’s leader, the Hangman. ‘Want to try a few more of your rope tricks on me, Roland?’ Wonder Man asks he rushes towards Hangman. ‘“Roland”?’ the cameraman asks, confused. ‘Tick-Tock! Do you have a minute?’ Hangman calls out, so the strange man steps forward between Hangman and the approaching heroes, ‘I have, Hangman - and so do these two - though in their case, that minute will last nearly an hour!’ he boasts as he slows down time around Simon and USAgent.
At that moment: ‘You’re a vicious little creep, aren’t you, Needle?’ Spider-Woman asks as she dodges Needle’s attack. ‘I’m sure you had an unhappy childhood, like 99% of the other people I know - but I think I’ll let you and the prison psychologist sort that out’ Spider-Woman tells him, as she uses her enhanced agility to drop onto her arms, and kick upwards, striking Needle in the back. But, Needle spins around and scratches Spider-Woman’s side with his sharp weapon. ‘This time, it’s an Avenger who’s down, with a flesh wound!’ the reporter announces, while in an office, a man watches the attack and tells himself that this battle is getting a little out of hand. ‘It looks like the Avengers West could use a little help’ he decides, wondering if he could talk Schwartzkopf into cutting his book tour short.
‘And what’s that man in the tattered clothes doing over there?’ the reporter asks, as Tatterdemalion throws his scarf towards Iron Man, ‘You won’t do any more harm, armoured man - since you can’t hit what you can’t see!’ ‘You’re trying to stop me - with a smelly cloth? It won’t take a second to -’ Iron Man replies, as he tries to remove the scarf, but finds that it is sticking to his finds that even they can’t break the scarf. Gypsy Moth is standing near Tatterdemalion, and remarks ‘Your Satannish-bewitched scarf, enchanted by my strengthened psychokinesis!’, to which Tatterdemalion tells her that they make a great team. ‘Just your bad luck that the Scarlet Witch’s hex bolts can altert the odds - and make your tow powers cancel each other out, instead!’ Wanda declares as she casts a hex bolt at the scarf wrapped around Iron Man’s head, snapping it. ‘I owe you one, Wanda!’ Iron Man calls out to his long-time teammate.
‘The Tin Man’ll have to put it on the cuff -’ one of the Brothers Grimm exclaims as he grabs Wanda. ‘The Brothers Grimm say enough is enough!’ the other declares as they take Wanda high up onto their floating clouds. ‘I - didn’t realize I was standing on nothing!’ Wanda remarks. The first brother tells her that she should have kept her pretty face out of this free-for-all, and as they let her go, Wanda starts to fall towards the ground below, from a dangerous height, the other brother adds ‘This time, sweetheart, you’re taking the fall!’, and Wanda screams as she plummets into a forest some short distance from the observatory.
Atop the observatory, Mr Waite tells Hangman that he doesn’t get it, for between the Night Shift and the Avengers, he is expending so much violent energy the movie and TV crews together can’t get it all on film. ‘What’s the point?’ he asks. As Tick-Tock and Dansen Macabre dodge Living Lightning, as Hangman announces’ There’s the point, Mr Waite, appearing right in front of us’ as a blinding light appears, and a portal opens. ‘What is it, Hangman? I didn’t cause it’ Dansen points out, while Mr Waite shields his eyes, ‘It’s so tiny, yet so bright - and hey! It’s growing! What in blazes?’ he asks. A voice can be heard from inside the glowing portal, ‘“Blazes” is indeed the appropriate term, mortal, when speaking of the dimensional gateway of Sattanish the Supreme!’ booms the demon as he materializes atop the observatory.
‘Yo, everybody - let’s make it clear -’ one of the Brothers Grimm exclaims, ‘Nobody told us he’d be here!’ the other declares. Iron Man points out that Satannish is still partly transparent, but getting more solid every second. ‘Does this mean we’re going to be fighting out of our weight-class again?’ Spider-Woman asks. ‘At least you can fight, Avengers, albeit ineffectually’ Satannish replies, announcing that the rest of humankind is to be denied even that dubious satisfaction.
And indeed, around the world, at this very moment, untold millions of eyes which are flued to a certain globe-spanning cable network suddenly find they cannot turn away from their television sets - or even switch channels. ‘How big is that thing, Dan?’ a man asks. ‘Big enough to take people’s minds off the economy, sir’ Dan replies. ‘My gosh! That is big!’ the first man remarks. In another country, someone asks ‘Do you think the West would swap that for the remaining hostages?’, while in another country still, a man declares that this cannot be, for no good communist believes in gods or demons.
Meanwhile, ‘All right - they’ve finally got me mad’ the Scarlet Witch mutters as she pulls herself up from amongst trees and shrubs. But, looking up to the observatory, she is surprised to see Satannish. She tells herself that if Night Shift has conjured him up again, this is more a job for Dr Strange than for the Avengers West. Wanda recalls that Iron Man said Strange was off in another dimension, and reminds herself that Agatha Harkness told her she should hone her dormant magical powers, and one day could become a major witch, like her. ‘I hope you’re watching, Agatha, because I’ve been practicing - and today’s the day I find out if it’s paid off!’ Wanda declares.
Back on top of the observatory, ‘Night Shift! Avengers! I suppose in a way I should thank you both…and the ever-willing Dr Strange, of course’ Satannish calls out. As Iron Man flies towards the Brother’s Grimm, he wonders what the demon-lord is talking about. Misfit slams his fist into the ground, creating a seismic shock that knows Hawkeye over, while Digger whacks USAgent with his shovel, ‘The additional powers you gave us are the only thanks we need for bringing you into this world, demon!’ Digger calls out, while USAgent asks his teammates if it is just his imagination, or if the Night Shift are getting even stronger as they go along. ‘You noticed that, too, did you?’ Hawkeye asks before he hit’s the ground. Needle trips Mockingbird up, while Dansen Macabre confronts Living Lightning and announces that she thinks Digger is right - Satannish really is feeding them more power. ‘Ain’t it grand?’ she smiles.
Iron Man tells the Grimm Brothers that they should all end this fight, now. ‘Spoken like a loser - or else it’s a trick!’ one of the brothers calls out. ‘Let’s see him go under this limbo stick!’ the other brother suggests as he slams his limbo stick into Iron Man, causing a feedback of energy. ‘Wow! All of a sudden this jolt’s sending him south!’ the brother exclaims.
Down below, Wanda calls out ‘Dr Strange - where are you? If I can’t contact you soon - it won’t make any -’, but suddenly, ‘I did it!’ she exclaims, as a portal opens thanks to her power, and Dr Strange appears. ‘Wanda? Why did you disturb me in the Dimension of Unknown Souls I was trying to comprehend?’ Dr Strange asks. ‘Because Satannish is materializing in this dimension!’ Wanda informs him. ‘What?’ Dr Strange gasps. Wanda tells her ally that Satannish bellowed something that made it sound as if he had lured you away, and asks him if that makes any sense. ‘Hoggoth help me - if I don’t suddenly think it does!’ Dr Strange replies.
At the observatory, USAgent, Hawkeye, Wonder Man, Spider-Woman and Mockingbird are corralled together, as USAgent declares that it looks like their only chance is to get the wagons in a circle. ‘You sure this isn’t more like Custer’s last stand?’ Spider-Woman asks. Mockingbird declares that they still have a few tricks up their sleeves, and Hawkeye agrees, ‘At least they don’t outnumber us too badly’ he points out, while Wonder Man asks if anyone has seen where Hangman went. ‘It’s so refreshing to be missed, Wonder Man!’ Hangman calls out as he throws a rope around the five Avengers, pulling them together. ‘Me and my big mouth’ Hawkeye mutters, while USAgent can’t even break free, ‘His blasted rope’s as magical as everything else!’ he points out.
‘The only thing that’s gonna break around here is gonna be a few Avenger heads!’ Misfit snarls, while Digger tells them to prepare to be read their lat bedtime story. Suddenly, Stella Houston rushes towards Hangman! ‘No! For pity’s sake, Jason - don’t murder them in cold blood!’ she calls out. ‘Stella!’ Hangman exclaims. ‘You know?’ he asks her. She pulls back his hood and tells him that she thinks she has always known, ever since the moment he attacked the Avengers at her beach house. ‘Good Lord! You haven’t aged a day!’ she gasps, asking him what he gave in exchange for this. ‘Your soul?’ she enquires. ‘What else did I have Stella? And without it - what use have U got for you?’ he asks as she smacks her, knocking her back several feet, where she falls over. ‘You’ve killed her!’ the Scarlet Witch shouts as Dr Strange levitates himself and Wanda to the battle scene.
‘So! The ever-extended mystic guardian of this astral plane makes his appearance at last - albeit too late!’ Satannish declares. ‘Not necessarily! A supreme effort could still stop you -’ Dr Strange begins, but Satannish interrupts, stating ‘Even if that be true - where will you acquire power this is rightfully mine?’ Strange continues what he was saying, ‘One which uses against you the unrivaled power of Sattanish the Supreme - yourself’. From his lower mouth, Satannish announces that he will certainly not relinquish it. So, Dr Strange states that he will borrow it from Night Shift. ‘Impossible!’ Gypsy Moth exclaims. ‘We should help you defeat Satannish - after all he’s given us?’ Dansen enquires. Dr Strange tells them that they don’t realize what he has taken from them in return, and asks Wanda to help him with the probabilities. They cast a spell together, as Strange states that the odds are stacked against his being able to do this even though Satannish hasn’t fully materialized yet.
A portal forms and glows, as Wanda declares ‘They’re through, Stephen!’ as several spirits float around them - the ones Dr Strange was chasing. ‘Who in the -?’ someone calls out, before Dr Strange asks ‘Don’t you recognize them, Night Shift? You should. They’re your souls - or more technically, your half souls’. ‘Huh? He’s trying to spook us with that religious stuff!’ Misfit mutters, while Tick-Tock announces that he isn’t sure, recalling that Hangman did joke about them losing their souls, after all. ‘He counted on you thinking it a joke’ Wanda explains, and Dr Strange tells them that if they need proof, to try these on for size, as he casts the spirits down towards the members of Night Shift. The spirits - the souls - then enter each respective member. ‘Their nearness makes me feel - different, some how’ Dansen calls out. Digger agrees, remarking that he feels more like he did before Hangman pulled his disappearing rope trick on them.
‘We sold ourselves down the river - for some plum movie roles’ one of the Brothers Grimm remarks. ‘What good are they - or our powers - if some devil’s got our souls?’ the other asks. ‘Not Roland’s! I’ll bet that was his deal with Satannish someone else calls out. ‘Well, actually…yes. Why not?’ Hangman replies. The Scarlet Witch tells Night Shift that it wasn’t just their souls Satannish wanted, while Dr Strange reveals that Satannish planed to absorb millions of them, from everyone who watched television. He tells them if they relax, that will release to him their demon-given energies. ‘Let’s do it, guys!’ Gypsy Moth encourages her teammates, while Misfit announces that he is so relaxed he is comatose.
‘Behind us -!’ the Scarlet Witch alerts Dr Strange, but he is already aware that Satannish looms behind them, and tells Wanda that his seraphimic shield has held Satannish back as long as it could, ‘By Agamotto’s gleaming eye - and Hoggoth’s hoary host - let Night Shift’s extra powers reside in Avengers West Coast!’ Dr Strange casts his spell, and the heroes find that they can break free of the Hangman’s rope. Spider-Woman remarks that she does feel a lot stronger, before USAgent declares that it is time to kick some astral bodies. ‘And we feel - weaker - like we were before’ Dansen states as the Night Shift gather alongside the Avengers West Coast. Misfit remarks that he still feels like having a go at that demon, and then at the Hangman. Hawkeye tells the Night Shift to be their guests, and someone shouts ‘AVENGERS ATTACK!’ while Misfit adds ‘Uh… Night Shift, nuke ‘em!’
The Brothers Grimm and Spider-Woman start attacking Satannish’s face, while Gypsy Moth, Living Lightning, Iron Man, Needle, Misfit and Wonder Man launch an attack at the lower face, on Satannish’s stomach, and Hawkeye fires some arrows towards Satannish. ‘Roland - this is your fault!’ Satannish booms. ‘Like blazes it is! You said nobody’s find Night Shift’s half souls in the new limbo-dimension you’d created to hold them! Since they’re moral washouts anyway, you claimed they’d never even miss them - till it was too late, and you had the souls of every couch potato on Earth!’ Hangman declares. Iron Man announces that he was getting an inkling that is what was going on, and tells Living Lightning to come with him, explaining that they have to foul up all the TV transmitting around here. He does so, but dowsing one camera in repulsor rays, while Living Lighting electrocutes one of the media vans, claiming that he has been waiting years to get a chance to do something like this.
‘A moment more - and I would have had a firm grip on the watchers’ souls - I would have been invincible!’ Satannish declares as his form begins to fade. ‘Instead, you can slink back home - with your tail between your legs’ Dr Strange tells him. Satannish declares that he will take a keepsake with him, and reaches down for Hangman, who backs away, ‘No! Stop! I lived up to my part of our bargain -’ he points out, but Satannish tells him that it is his fault that the Avengers cut off precious video coverage at the last possible instant. ‘You will never betray anyone again…’ Satannish calls out, before he vanishes and Hangman falls to the ground.
Stella rushes over to Hangman, and holds him in her lab, while USAgent points out that Satannish took their extra powers, but that they don’t need any extra power to wrap up Night Shift, as he, Wonder Man, Mockingbird and Iron Man start corralling Night Shift together. ‘Oh Jase…Jase… ‘Stella utters, but Dr Strange tells her that Jason cannot hear her, as Satannish took his soul, and left nothing behind but the shell of Jason Roland. Wanda looks at Dr Strange and tells him that he saved the world again. ‘We all did - and we’d have done it sooner, if I’d listened to Iron Man back east’ Dr Strange admits. ‘Wanda, if I ever need a disciple…’ his voice trails off, but Wanda tells him that she would be honored to be considered.
Hawkeye stands between Mockingbird and Spider-Woman and calls out to Living Lightning, asking him what he thought of his first Earth mission with the Avengers West. But Miguel is busy holding Mona, and Spider-Woman points this out to Hawkeye, while remarking that she is looking forward to seeing her daughter, and then settling down to trade punches with some nice, normal bank robbers!


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Operation Galactic Storm part 2, Turn of the Sentry
Rick Jones had a dream, and in it, the alien race called the Kree was annihilated. Wishing to avoid becoming a pawn in another intergalactic war, he contacted his former partner, Captain America, only to have his worst fear become a reality, for right now, Rick is aboard an alien vessel, prisoner of the Imperium’s elite warriors - the Imperial Guard. ‘Right. So while your piggyback terror took on Captain America down on Earth, you took me over, lock stock and sky-bike, and hauled my tail up here into Earth orbit!’ Rick exclaims as two guards hold him down inside the vessel, he calls them “Kree-creeps” and warns them that doesn’t mean he is going to tell them anything he knows about Captain Mar-Vell. ‘The poor guy’s dead! Let him stay that way!’
Standing in the vessel are the telepathic Oracle, the appropriately named Electron and Tempest, as one of the guards tells Oracle that the Earthian believes they are Kree. ‘Huh? You mean - you’re not?‘ Rick asks, confused. Oracle informs Rick Jones that they are the Shi’ar, and that after such a base insult, he is fortunate that they have need of the knowledge he possesses. ‘The Shi’ar? Tell me - is there anybody in outer space not scheming to conquer the Earth?’ Rick mutters. Oracle tells him that they care nothing about his back-water world. Rick asks her why she wants him to spill everything he knows about his old buddy, Mar-Vell, and boasts that he won’t tell them anything, even if they torture him. Oracle isn’t bothered, and simply tells Rick that if she can’t read his lips, she will read his mind instead, and Rick is put into a trance-like state as Oracle enters his mind.
Flashback images, narrated by Oracle:Oracle sees a younger Rick Jones lured by “Captain America” into a cave in his country’s south-western desert, but in reality, Rick pursued a mirage created by the Kree officer Mar-Vell, who was trapped in the Negative Zone, and when Rick put on the Nega-Bands in the subterranean Kree laboratory, he exchanged places with Mar-Vell for brief periods. It was then that Rick and Mar-Vell formed a symbiotic relationship, traces of which remain in Rick’s brain long after that psychic bond has been severed.
Oracle sees Mar-Vell again in the hidden lab, forced to battle a powerful Kree android, as it seems his former commander, Yon-Rogg, had discovered, on another level, a machine long outlawed by the Kree - a the psyche-magnetron. Bathed in its glow, Yon-Rogg could mentally re-create anything ever devised by Kree science, but still Mar-Vell triumphed and Yon-Rogg was killed in the resultant explosion.
Oracle states that only later did Rick Jones realize that, through Mar-Vell, he had become embroiled in the Kree-Skrull War, which had already spanned many millennia. The incidental involvement in that war of the Earth-born beigns known as the Avengers turned out to be crucial, first, through threats to captive mutants - the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver - the Skrulls obtained the secret of the Kree Omni-Wave Projector, the ultimate trans-galactic communicator, which was also capable of being turned by non Kree into the ultimate death ray. Then, with the terrans’ help, Mar-Vell destroyed the Omni-Wave, just in time to save his own race.
However, it was Rick Jones, now physically independent of Mar-Vell, who decided the matter, for the Kree Supreme Intelligence had manipulated events so that the Omni-Wave would unleash in Rick a power endemic to all Earthians, mental waves which immobilized Kree and Skrull alike. The Kree and Skrull races were star-spanning, but at an evolutionary dead-end, which left them vulnerable to being surpassed by Earth’s human race, in time. As Oracle points out, Mar-Vell was not destined to live to see that great drama played out upon a cosmic stage, for he who had battled androids and armies at last succumbed to a cancer, caused by earlier exposure to a type of nerve gas, and he died and was buried near Titan, a moon on the planet Sol-Vi, known to terrans as Saturn.
Present:Tempest asks Oracle if she has seen enough, and standing over Rick’s now-kneeling body, Oracle replies that she has, and that Rick Jones will now lead them to the Kree lair where he first encountered Mar-Vell. ‘Won’t you, terran?’ she asks. ‘Yes…’ the mind-controlled Rick replies.
‘YES!’ exclaims Miguel Santos a.k.a. Living Lightning of the Avengers West Coast, in his lightning form on the grounds of the Palos Verdes Compound, home of the Avengers West Coast, as he dodges Clint “Hawkeye” Barton, who calls out ‘Your call - one electro-arrow - coming right atcha!’, while Miguel darts about, telling Hawkeye that he will not catch him with that, but as Miguel moves upwards, the arrow follows. ‘I better -’ Miguel begins, but the arrow strikes him, causing him to revert to his human form, and plummet to the ground below. Clint calls out to him, suggesting he aim for the trees, but Living Lightning is not able to fly in human form. ‘In that case - step into my parlor - said the Spider-Woman to the ex-fly!’ Julia Carpenter jokes as she catchers her teammate in a psionic web, and just in time, too.
Miguel drops to the ground and thanks Julia, pointing out that she is getting faster at weaving those psi-webs. ‘Faster than I was at ducking that arrow, anyway’ Miguel mutters, rubbing his head. Spider-Woman just tells Miguel that she likes the way that Dr Pym modified his outfit, while Hawkeye goes rushing over to them, accompanied by his estranged wife, Barbara “Mockingbird” Morse-Barton, usually called Bobbi, and Wanda Maximoff the Scarlet Witch. ‘You could’ve hurt him, Clint’ Bobbi scolds Hawkeye, who tells her to get real, and adds that he is glad Miguel wasn’t hurt, but that he knows the ropes by now. Wanda agrees, and remarks that if Hawkeye could customize an electrified version of a heat-seeking missile, then so could one of their enemies.
‘Check, Wanda! And from what I’ve seen of the Living Lightning, he’ll soon be able to handle himself with the best of them!’ Simon Williams a.k.a. Wonder Man remarks as he drops down from above. ‘Well, well. If it isn’t the red-eye special!’ Hawkeye jokes, before asking Wonder Man where he has been keeping himself since they laid off the Night Shift. Simon replies that he has been taking care of some unfinished business in Hollywood. ‘I hope she was worth it, Simon’ Wanda remarks. ‘It wasn’t like that - exactly’ Simon replies, while Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man and John Walker the USAgent approach the others. Iron Man points out that since the seven regulars, plus Mockingbird are here, they may as well start the meeting. Walker tells Mockingbird that this is his favorite part of being an Avenger. ‘It is?’ Bobbi asks. ‘Where we all get to sit around a poker table with a big “A” on it and figure out what Iron Man’s saying through his voice filter’ USAgent tells her. ‘What do ya know, USAgent made a funny!’ Hawkeye exclaims.
As the Avengers West Coast head back inside the headquarters, they are approached by their housekeeper, Carlos, who announce that Captain America is on the phone. Iron Man takes the call, while Simon thinks to himself that there has been bad blood between Cap and Iron Man ever since the “Armor Wars” business. From his location, Captain America is speaking on a payphone, and informs Iron Man that he is not using his new communi-card, because he doesn’t have it, revealing that he gave it to Rick Jones so he could escape on his sky-cycle while he was fighting a big bruiser called Warstar. Cap tells Iron Man that he needs his help, since his team is much closer than the Avengers, and he explains that he is at a payphone outside a diner in Benson, Arizona.
Iron Man tells Cap that they are not exactly in the shuttle bus business, to which Hawkeye remarks that he knows Iron Man and Cap have a mad-on for each other, ‘But we’re all Avengers’ he declares. Spider-Woman suggests that Cap should have said “Avengers East Coast”, and Hawkeye realizes that she has a point. ‘Naturally, if you think you’re onto something big, we’ll be right out. Just give us the location’ Iron Man tells Cap. ‘…and the diner’s just past the junction of these two gravel roads that - Iron Man? Are you there?’ Cap calls out down the phone, when he gets no response from Iron Man. ‘Now look, Avenger, I’ve got to go tackle Warstar again - they’re putting themselves back together - so I’ve got to know if you’re coming or -’ he begins, to which Mockingbird tells Cap that they are already on the way, leaving her, their ever-faithful reservist to hold the fort.
Bobbi looks out the window as the Quinjet takes to the sky, Iron Man flying alongside, while she asks Cap what he means by saying a “Warstar” has to put “themselves” back together. ‘Cap?’ Bobbi calls out when she gets no response. Realizing Cap hung up, Bobbi doesn’t know what is worse - between being left as a house-sitter or watching Hawkeye flirt with Spider-Woman, and wonders whether she should have stayed in Detroit.
A short time later, over New Mexico, Captain America is riding in the Quinjet with the Avengers West Coast, while Iron Man continues to fly alongside. Cap explains to them that Warstar is really a little guy riding on the back of a big guy, only they seem to make up one entity. ‘Too bad he - they - fled before we reached Benson’ Wanda remarks as she sits at the controls of the Quinjet, while Hawkeye asks ‘So Rick figures they’re Kree, huh?’, to which Cap tells him that they are something alien, for sure, and they are just liable to have captured Rick. Living Lightning points out that at least they have zeroed in on Cap’s communi-card, to which Cap tells them that he fixed it so the card would operate his sky-cycle for Rick. ‘If they’ve caught him and dumped the cycle, Rick Jones could be anywhere!’
At that moment, ‘We’ve found it, comrades - the lost Kree outpost!’ Electron exclaims as he, Oracle, Tempest and the possessed Rick Jones walk down through the cavern. Tempest remarks that the upper level was apparently destroyed by the explosion in which the renegade Kree commander Yon-Rogg perished. ‘But it’s not the upper level we want, is it, terran?’ Oracle remarks. ‘No…mistress…what you seek…is on a lower level…down this way…’ Rick calls out as he leads the Shi’ar warriors downwards, to a large area, where the long-outlaws psyche-magnetron is situated. ‘He led us right to it!’ Electron declares. Tempest remarks that it is virtually untouched, and notes that there is very little destruction on this level.
Oracle supposes that Mar-Vell clearly judged by the damage done nearer the surface and thus mistakenly thought the entire outpost had been obliterated. She motions to the construction and tells Tempest and Electron to get down there, ‘You know what we Imperial Guardsmen came after!’ she exclaims. ‘Aye, Oracle’ Electron replies, while Tempest asks why the big hurry, as the matter reshaping device is hardly going anywhere. ‘Nor is the single part of it which we need’ he adds as he picks up the part. ‘Still, Tempest, there is nothing to be gained by -’ Electron begins, when suddenly, something begins to rise from a hole in the floor. ‘There must be a third level, of which our spies - and the terran - knew nothing!’ Electron declares. Tempest suggests that the huge form rising must be a Kree sentry, and Oracle orders Rick to stay where he is, while she joins her teammates down below.
‘Not simply a sentry, man of the Shi’ar - I am Intergalactic Sentry #372, re-activated for the first time since my posting on this primiive planet some 250 centuries ago!’ the huge robot states. Oracle points out that its low number means it was one of the first sentries produced, and she attacks it with a mental bolt, but it has no effect on the robot’s synthetic brain. Oracle tells Electron and Tempest to use their electrical powers against it, while Electron wonders why it came to life now, instead of during some earlier intrusion. The Intergalactic Sentry remarks that it appears the Shi’ar have advanced somewhat since his creation, yet still have not moved beyond the enervating pull of base curiosity. The robot states that it was programmed to self-activate when this chamber was entered and there was no Kree officer present. ‘In the three most recent intrusions, only the first of those two conditions was met. On this occasion, both were - and so I must destroy all interlopers!’ the sentry declares, firing a blast down at the Guardsmen. Tempest hands Oracle the device so that they don’t risk it being damaged, while he and Electron both attack the Sentry with their electrical powers.
Electron flies close to the Sentry, and suggests to Tempest that they keep on the move so the Sentry cannot zero in on them, hoping that they are doing the robot some harm with the electro-bolts. ‘You mean with our Tempest-bolts’ Tempest corrects Electron, who notes that the Sentry’s blasts are missing them, but sweeping towards the young terrain, who, as he is still mesmerized, does not even seek to avoid the blasts. ‘Small loss! We have already learned from him all we needed to know!’ Electron points out, declaring that Rick Jones is ultimately expendable. ‘Not to me!’ Captain America exclaims as he lunges at Rick, pushing him to safety, while urging him to wake up. Rick eventually does, and tells Cap that it isn’t his fault about the sky-cycle. ‘At least I saved your special card - got it right here in my pocket’ Rick announces.
‘Fellow Shi’ar - we have what we need. Can we go now?’ Tempest calls out, but suddenly, ‘Sorry, fella - you forgot to say “Mother, may I”?’ Hawkeye calls out as he and the other Avengers West Coast appear in the cavern. ‘The Avengers!’ one of the Shi’ar calls out. ‘Who are these guys?’ Living Lightning enquires. Iron Man explains that the big one is a Kree Sentry, while Spider-Woman points out that one of the others called themselves Shi’ar. ‘Wonderful! Are we in for a Kree / Shi’ar war this time?’ Cap mutters, when suddenly, Warstar rushes into the cavern, knocking the Avengers West aside, he shouts ‘It has already begun, organic being!’ as he lunges at Captain America. ‘WARSTAR!’ Cap shouts. ‘No wonder you couldn’t find him, Cap. He was following you’ Wanda tells her friend.
‘Never mind that! Which side are we on?’ Living Lightning calls out as the Imperial Guardsmen begin to rush for the exit. ‘Bring the youth! I have incapacitated him anew!’ Oracle calls out, and Tempest picks up the mind-controlled Rick. While dealing with Warstar, Cap tells Wonder Man and Living Lightning to stop the Shi’ar. Both men fly towards the Shi’ar, with Living Lightning remarking ‘Captain America’s used to people squatting when he says sit, isn’t he?’, to which Wonder Man replies ‘You might say that’.
‘Shi’ar, earthlings - it is all the same to a Kree Sentry. All intruders are to be destroyed. ALL!’ the robot booms as it slams a fists on the ground, knocking USAgent backwards. ‘We heard you the first time, Tiny Tim!’ Hawkeye calls out. Still dealing to Warstar, Captain America calls out to Iron Man, telling him to take out the little guy on the back. ‘Why? It’s the big guy who’s giving you all the grief’ Iron Man points out. ‘Just do it!’ Cap tells him. Iron Man waits too long, however, and the smaller robot lunges at him. ‘You should have heeded him. While he fights C’cil, B’nee is ready for you!’ he declares. Iron Man is amused by their names and asks ‘Where are you two from - some moon called Leakin’ Luna?’ he asks. B’nee replies that his mechanoid mind does not comprehend the meaning, to which Iron Man offers to explain after B’nee has made himself comfortable, and releases a surge of energy, before slamming B’nee into the side of the cavern.
‘Finally!’ Captain America declares as C’cil stops attacking him. Iron Man gets up off the floor as Captain America explains that the two of them are somehow linked, and that when the little one is hurt, the big one goes to pieces. ‘So that’s what you meant’ Iron Man mutters, before asking Cap if he needs assistance with the big guy. ‘No thanks, Avenger…I think I can handle it’ Cap replies as he throws his shield upwards, where it breaks off some rocks from their ceiling of the cavern, dropping them down on C’cil. Cap goes over to Iron Man and asks him if he is all right, to which Iron Man explains that his head is ringing from hitting metal, before alerting Cap to the fact that B’nee and C’cil have got back together and are making a getaway. Cap begins to follow them to see what they are up to.
‘You do that little thing, Cap…while I give another helping hand against the Sentry!’ Iron Man shouts as he fires a repulser beam at the Intergalactic Sentry. ‘We can sure use you!’ USAgent exclaims from where he stands on a ridge in the cavern. ‘I might as well be using rubber tips’ Hawkeye declares as he continues to fire arrows at the Intergalactic Sentry, but they do nothing. Spider-Woman has wrapped psi-webs around the large robot’s legs, slowing him down a little. The Scarlet Witch doesn’t think she is so helpful, ’That’s more than my hex power seems to be doing’ she remarks, until Iron Man tells her not to speak too soon, announcing that she probably just altered the probability of finding a weak spot, as a seam on the Intergalactic Sentry’s chest begins to burst.
‘He’s on the ropes!’ USAgent exclaims as he lunges towards the robot, shield ready, he plans to open the panel up some more, but the sentry knocks Walker away with ease, sending him crashing into some machinery. Iron Man tells his teammates to hold the sentry for a few seconds longer while he checks that USAgent is okay. ’Take your time, Shellhead. Now that you and Wanda opened up that walking tin can, my explosive-tip arrows might just spill out all the sardines!’ Hawkeye declares as he fires some arrows into the Sentry’s opened chest. Iron Man finds USAgent holding a very large gun, ’I think maybe I find out a weapon’ Walker declares.
A level above, Tempest, Electron and Oracle are still making their getaway with Rick Jones, when they are confronted by a blinding light. ’Some of the terrans must have found a -’ Oracle begins as Wonder Man and Living Lightning appear. Wonder Man tells Oracle that “shortcut” is the term she is looking for, while Tempest tells Oracle that she can flee with the young terran if she wishes. ’Our electrical powers should halt this pair!’ Electron declares as both men take flight to combat Wonder Man and Living Lightning. ’Electricity? Then we’ll all be right at home!’ Living Lkightning exclaims as he and Electron face off. ’Make that three out of four, kid. I can’t fly like you three, either’ Wonder Man remarks as he grabs Tempest’s hands.
‘Then you have no cha - what! Something is cancelling out my anti-gravity apparatus!’ Tempest declares, as he and Wonder Man suddenly plummet to the ground. ‘Must be all the ionic energy that super-charges my bod!’ Wonder Man exclaims. Warstar is rushing along the corridor, and B’nee tells C’cil to hurry, while the terran is grappling with Tempest. B’nee tells C’cil to grasp him in a deadly strangle-hold, while Wonder Man punches Tempest in the face, ‘Not so hot when somebody pulls your plug, are you, pal?’ Simon declares, while Captain America, who has been chasing Warstar, shouts ‘Simon! Behind you!’ as he throws his shield, knocking the fast-approaching Warstar off balance. Simon thanks Cap for the warning, before picking up Warstar and holding the robots over his head, saying to Cap ‘Now, far be it from me to give you orders - but why don’t you chase the elusive Mr Jones for a while?’, and Cap agrees, continuing on down the cavern.
Below, ‘Destroy! Destroy!’ the Intergalactic Sentry booms, while Hawkeye fires a bolar arrow, which wraps wire around the robot’s legs. ‘As a gimmick, it’s a bit too “fifties”, but still…’ Clint begins, while the Scarlet Witch casts a hex and tells Clint to step aside so she can trip the Sentry up. ‘you’ll stand an even better chance - if I can glomp up his eyes so he can’t see!’ Julia tells her friend as she blasts some psi-webs into the Sentry’s face. Hawkeye tells Julia that the sentry has visual units rather than eyes, when the large robot suddenly falls to the ground. ‘But what matters is, between the three of us, we got him!’ Clint declares.
Wanda points out that the Intergalactic Sentry is only down and now out, as it fires energy beams from its visual units. ‘You had to be right again - didn’t you, Wanda?’ Clint remarks, while pointing out that the rays cut through Spider-Woman’s half-formed psi-webs. ‘But what the blazes are they doing to us?’ Clint wonders as he and Wanda are dowsed in the rays of energy. From her place on the rock-covered wall, Spider-Woman sees Wanda and Clint imprisoned within a mass of “colloidal atoms” like she read about in the files the Avengers exchanged with the Fantastic Four. ‘But that info isn’t go to save Wanda and Hawkeye!’ Julia tells herself, making her way towards them, she has to save them before the Sentry’s fist slams down on her new friends.
Suddenly, ‘Oh, Sentryyyy…’ a voice from above calls out. ‘To use an old Earthian phrase - stick ‘em up!’ Iron Man exclaims as he and USAgent hold up the large weapon. USAgent points out that that the Sentry is blanching. ‘We picked a winner all right! He knows what this baby can do!’ Walker declares, thinking to himself ‘Which is more than we do!’. Spider-Woman sees her teammates and tells them to blow the Sentry away, while Intergalactic Sentry #372 states that a Sentry can never surrender, that a Sentry must be true to its programming. ‘Thus, if I cannot destroy those who have invaded this outpost I must destroy the outpost!’ the Sentry announces as it stands up and lumbers towards Walker and Iron Man, who fire the weapon at the behemoth. ‘He’s going down! But what the Sam Hill is this gadget doing to him?’ USAgent exclaims. Iron Man replies that he has no idea, while inside the energy field, Hawkeye exclaims that all they are is that the weapon keeps doing this.
Back in the other part of the cavern, ‘Got you, loco! I did it! I actually zapped him!’ Living Lightning exclaims as he traps Electron in a blaze of energy. Miguel thinks to himself that up until now he has felt like the new kid on the block, the barrio boy they let in on a whim. He returns to his human form, and punches Electron in the face, deciding that if he has the power to out-shock this alien storm trooper, then maybe he does belong in this Avengers crew after all. Wonder Man kicks Warstar in the face and tells Captain America that this is loads of fun. ‘But have you any idea what these Shi’ar sunshine boys are really up to?’ he asks. ‘I know they kidnapped Rick - that’s enough for the moment’ Cap replies, before knocking Oracle to the ground. ‘Sorry, miss’ the true gentleman tells her, while Oracle drops the piece of equipment she was carrying. Oracle declares that this pitched battle avails nothing. Captain America sees her touch her head and realizes that she must be sending out some sort of brain waves, only she isn’t aiming them at him.
‘I don’t feel so good…’ Living Lightning announces, as Oracle forces him send surges of energy at the squabbling super beings. ‘Let us flee while we can!’ Electron suggests. There is a loud rumbling sound, and Wonder Man declares that Oracle’s mind blasts are tearing the place apart. Tempest collects the piece of the psyche-magnetron that they need, and the four members of the Imperial Guard make a quick exit from the cavern. Flying towards their ship, Tempest tells Oracle that he didn’t know her mental bolts could physically disturb inorganic material before. Oracle replies that they didn’t, and that it is not she who is destroying the Kree outpost.
‘It’s that terminally damaged Sentry!’ Iron Man exclaims as he, Wanda, Spider-Woman, Hawkeye and Walker gather together. ‘If he can’t defend this place, he must be programmed to obliterate it’ Wanda suggests, while Hawkeye tells everyone to get going. They race down the tunnel to where Cap, Wonder Man and Living Lightning are. The rumblings continue, and Iron Man points out that a couple of earlier explosions failed to demolish this outpost, to which Cap declares that it looks like the third time is the charm. ‘Everybody out!’ he orders.
‘We made it!’ Living Lightning exclaims as the heroes make it back to their Quinjet, but Cap tells him not to send up rockets just yet, while Julia looks up at the Shi’ar vessel, now sky-bound. ‘Those Shi’ar got away with whatever they came for. And that can’t be god news!’ Julia exclaims. Iron Man points out that the Shi’ar headed straight up into outer-space, where they cannot follow, even in the Quinjet. Captain America states that there is one Avenger who might be able to, if they can reach him, and taps into the communicator on the Quinjet.
‘…hi, Captain America. Quasar here’ the young cosmic hero, Wendell Vaughn remarks. ‘What can I do for you?’ he asks his teammate. ‘A small Shi’ar ship - on the periphery of space? Sure I can catch it! I’ll have to get out of Earth’s atmosphere before I can really open up’ Wendell tells Cap. Reporting back a short time later, informs Captain America that he has located the vessel, and that it is travelling at 80% light speed. ‘No, that doesn’t mean I can’t catch up with it’ he reports, explaining that when his quantum bands are clicking he can catch just about anything.
However, the small Shi’ar vessel approaches the Shi’ar mother ship. ‘This is Oracle. Prepare for boarding of my craft and crew’ the senior Imperial Guard member reports. Quasar is flying swiftly through the cosmos and sees the large vessel ahead, ‘Now, it should be a great trick to - uh-oh! Just as I quantum-jumped in - looks like the starship’s getting set to warp out!’ Wendell thinks to himself. He sees some sort of hole in space, appearing between the vessel and the sun. The Shi’ar ship then plunges right through it. ‘Well, guess who’s going to be right on its hyper-spacing tail’ Wendell thinks to himself, when suddenly, he is knocked backwards by a solar flare. ‘A black solar flare, no less!’ the shocked hero realizes. ‘It closed up the hole after the Shi’ar ship - leaving me with cosmic egg on my face. And I don’t even know what this is all about yet!’ Wendell thinks to himself as he flounders about in space.
Meantime, 1,379,000,000 miles from Earth (on a good day), Titan circles a Saturn that circles the sun. Rick Jones, Elysius and the Avengers were all with Captain Mar-Vell when he was buried on this tiny hunk of rock almost too small to be called a moon. None of them is here now, beside his tomb. But a shadow falls over the tomb of Captain Mar-Vell - someone, or something, else is here….


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Operation Galactic Storm part 16, Shi’ar Hatred!
‘The Kree Star Force must DIE!’ Lilandra, Empress of the Shi’ar, shrieks in a large chamber in her palace. At her side, is her advisor, Araki. In front of her are five Avengers. To their right are six members of the Imperial Guard - Smasher, Titan, Hussar, Astra, Earthquake and Hardball - who are watching over the imprisoned Star Force - Ronan, Korath, Supremor, Shatterax, Ultimus - while Shi’ar officers are dotted throughout the large chamber.
‘You can’t mean that, Lilandra!’ Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch of the Avengers West Coast calls out. ‘I assure you, Scarlet Witch, I am in deadly earnest’ Lilandra replies. Monica Rambeau a.k.a. Captain Marvel suggests that it would be better to negotiate with the captive Kree, rather than execute them. ‘Perhaps if I stimulated her brain’s pleasure centers sonically -’ Starfox whispers to Captain Marvel, while Miguel Santos a.k.a. Living Lightning whispers ‘That ought to mellow her out!’, while Eric Masterson a.k.a. the new Thor tells his companions to get serious, asking them if they think Lilandra would let Starfox onto the Shi’ar throne world if she didn’t have a shield up against his version of Love Potion #9?
‘You are a real spoilsport, you know that, Thor?’ Living Lighting mumbles, while Starfox decides that Thor is probably right, and adds that the five of them are here as a special envoy, not to try and take over Lilandra’s mind. Captain Marvel tells them to stop whispering, as they will just make Lilandra even more suspicious of them - if that is possible. Captain Marvel turns back to Lilandra and tells her that on behalf of Earth, she repeats their request that talks be initiated between the Shi’ar and the Kree. ‘Talk - with those who came to kill you, Majestrix?’ Araki whispers to Lilandra. Lilandra tells the Avengers that her advisor says there can be no negotiations with Kree assassins.
Captain Marvel tells the Avengers that they are getting nowhere this way, and decides that they should take another tack. ‘Yeah - and stick it right where her holiness sits down!’ Thor exclaims. The Imperial Guard turn to the Avengers, ‘Did you hear that comrades? For such disrespect, we of the Imperial Guard should crush the aliens!’ Titan exclaims. Smasher agrees, and points out that they have already protected their Majestrix from one alien assault today. ‘Hey, we weren’t exactly standing around with our fingers up our noses while that attack was going on, fella!’ Thor calls out, annoyed. ‘A real touch of the poet, eh, Eric?’ the Scarlet Witch remarks. Living Lightning tells his teammate that Thor is right, as the Avengers did as much as those Imperial Guard members when those creeps in Star Force crashed this “party”.
Star Force stand motionless and silent behind a force field, while Captain Marvel tells Lilandra that she doesn’t meant to skimp on the diplomatic niceties, but points out they didn’t come all this way just to push some “new cosmic order”. ‘It’s that Shi’ar stargate your side’s set up near our sun. Your spacecraft’s repeated teleporting through it is causing powerful solar flares - which threaten to roast Earth’s population!’ Captain Marvel urges, adding that there must be somewhere else they can locate it, somewhere that won’t endanger planet Earth. ‘I…perhaps…’ Lilandra replies, to which Araki exclaims ‘The effrontery of these troglodytes! The scum of some backwater world - daring to lecture us? Why, for all we know, they7 could be in league with the Kree - and “fought” the Star Force merely to integrate themselves with us!’
Lilandra tells Araki that it seems unlikely, before hanging her head and ordering her Imperial Guard to escort the terrans back to their quarters until she decides what is to be done. ‘Yes, Majestrix’ Earthquake calls out. The Avengers are surprised. ‘Can you believe these clowns?’ Thor mutters. ‘And yet - this is their galaxy!’ Captain Marvel points out. The Scarlet Witch suggests that they play along and give Lilandra time to think things through. As the Avengers are led away by the imperial Guard, Thor remarks ‘Well, if you two think so - but I still don’t’, when suddenly, Earthquake pushes him: ‘Move along, terran!’ he shouts. ‘Hey! Who do you think you’re pushing, fella? I’m Thor - at least, I am this week!’ Thor retorts, and swinging around, he smashes his hammer into Earthquake’s face: ‘And you’re going to be a whole lot thor-er!’ he jokes.
‘Avenger!’ Captain Marvel scolds Thor. ‘I know, I know - it’s the oldest pun this side of Asgard, but I couldn’t resist’ he replies. ‘You hammer-happy hothead! We’re supposed to be a peace envoy! Put down that croquet mallet before I -’ Captain Marvel orders, when suddenly, Hussar’s whip is wrapped around her neck. The red-skinned alien steps forward and pulls on the whip, causing Monica to fall to the floor. ‘you like giving orders, don’t you, Captain Marvel? Well, so does Hussar - and my neuro-whip makes me far more qualified to do so!’ Hussar boasts, adding that, of course it can also simply choke. ‘Release her, woman, before you force us to -’ Starfox begins, before Titan, in his giant form, picks him up into the air: ‘Before you what?’ Titan asks. ‘Titan went king-sized and grabbed ‘Fox! What do you say to that, Wanda?’ Living Lightning asks. ‘What I should have said before, Miguel…AVENGERS ATRTACK!’ the Scarlet Witch orders as she fires a hex-bolt at Titan, forcing him to release Starfox.
Lilandra and Araki stand and watch in shock as the Avengers engage the Imperial Guard in battle. Captain Marvel’s eyes roll back as she is slumped on the floor, Hussar standing over her. ‘Now you’re talking!’ Thor exclaims as he flies towards Astra, but she turns invisible and he passes through her. ‘Not talking, compa - doing!’ Living Lightning shouts as he fires a blast of lightning at Smasher and Earthquake, the lightning striking the wall near Hardball, who dodges the energy. ‘I’m shrinking - back to normal size - and beyond!’ Titan calls out. ‘I put a hex on you - and now, as they used to say in the Informer movies - I’m putting the finger on you!’ Wanda exclaims as she reaches down to the tiny Titan and grabs him in her hand, before flicking him with the other, knocking him out.
Suddenly, ‘You will cause no more trouble, mutant, once I reach through you intangible - then materialize my arm ever so slightly - just enough to shock your system to its foundations!’ Astra exclaims as she appears behind Wanda and shoves her hand through her. As the Scarlet Witch sinks into unconsciousness, for the first time, she knows how opponents of the Vision must feel. It is a thought she carries with her into the blackness, as she passes out. The Avengers haven’t forgotten the fallen Captain Marvel, as Starfox suddenly latches his legs around Hussar’s waist, but she proves fairly resistant to his psychic charms, and she throws him across the chamber. Thor calls out to Captain Marvel, who moans. Thor is relieved that Monica is alive, but before he can pick her up, he is knocked off his feet by Earthquake, who causes a seismic shock that rumbles down the floor. ‘Do not worry about your fellow assassin, godling…it is Earthquake who concerns you now!’ the alien exclaims, as rubble is thrown up, smacking Thor in the face. ‘Yeah…I guess it is’ Thor mutters as he continues to be tossed about.
‘Ah! Another terran to humble! I forget your name, but that hardly matters!’ Hussar exclaims as she cracks her whip, which wraps around Living Lightning’s waist. ‘Maybe it doesn’t - and maybe it does - when the name’s - the Living Lightning!’ Miguel replies as he transforms into his electrical state, and grabbing hold of the whip, points out that the fancy metal whip is a first-class conductor, he sends charges of electrical energy back up the whip, causing Hussar to scream. ‘If you persist in these attacks, Shi’ar, you’ll force me to prove, I’m a fighter, as well as a lover!’ Starfox calls out as Smasher pounds his fists into the ground, narrowly missing Starfox, who falls backwards. Thor suggests to Smasher that he listen to the Eternal. ‘He’s no wimp - he’s just sensitive!’ Thor exclaims.
‘Thor?’ Smasher calls out. ‘After our teaming to defeat Ronan, I would prefer not to fight you, but -’ Smasher begins, to which Thor replies that he feels the same, and points out that as there is no shortage of Shi’ar to tackle, he turns his attention to Earthquake, who causes the ground to rise up in shards, but Thor just pushes through it, and moves the large chunk of flooring towards Earthquake, who drops to his knees, cowering in fear, ‘ULLP!’ Earthquake utters after Thor tells him that he is the lucky one. ‘Since you and Smasher got this mutual-admiration-society stuff going, Thunder-Man - I’ll take him out!’ But Smasher pulls a large artistic pole from the floor and starts to whack Living Lightning with it. ‘Get that thing out of my face, loco!’ Miguel calls out. However, Smasher puts the end of the pole into a pool of nearby water and declares ‘Face - body - it hardly matters where it touches your electrified form, terran - when I stick the other end in water - it’s going to ground you - if I can just stand the pain of millions of volts passing through me!’ Smasher calls out as he holds onto the pole, energy ripping through it.
An instant later, Smasher looks up, but Living Lightning is nowhere to be seen - smoke rises around Smasher, while Thor has wrapped Earthquake up in the flooring. ‘So, Miguel’s done a splashdown - and your buddy here’s an egg roll. Smasher, can’t we team up again, to talk some sense into your fellow Shi’ar?’ Thor calls out. Smasher tells Thor to consider himself fortunate that he doesn’t smite him, adding that he is still angry about Thor’s attack on their comrade Gladiator, earlier. ‘My attack on him?’ Thor replies. ‘That second-rate Samson’s lucky I didn’t shave his Mohawk!’ Thor exclaims, adding that just because he bailed Smasher, that doesn’t mean he has to kiss up to every Shi’ar jerk with a nautilus machine. The two powerhouses move towards each other, fists ready, ‘You bailed me out - to use your crude vernacular - if that is how you feel about it - our truce is at an end!’ Smasher exclaims. ‘That’s fine by me, pal!’ Thor retorts, while thinking to himself ‘Me and my big mouth!’
At the same time, Living Lightning slowly drags himself out of the pool of water, while Lilandra observes the battle, remarking to Araki that it still rages - Shi’ar against terran, when their true enemies are the Kree - and the Skrulls, of course. Hardball bounds against Starfox, knocking him back, while Lilandra looks at Star Force, still held in stasis, and wonders if she should set one of them free and send him back to his masters with a message. ‘WHAT?’ gasps Araki. ‘Surely we must fight on, until we annihilate the last Kree!’ Araki exclaims, but Lilandra points out that it is her decision to make, and announces that she will speak with one of the prisoners before she makes it. ‘This is all the fault of those vulgar terrans…’ Araki begins, raising a hand, when suddenly, ‘You know something, old man - I’ve just about had it with you!’ Living Lightning shouts, releasing a charge of energy, that strikes Araki.
‘You murdering terran! I’ll have your treacherous heart for this!’ Lilandra cries out, but Living Lightning assures her that he pulled his electronic punches that time, and no way that bolt had enough voltage to kill him. Suddenly, Araki’s form begins to change - ‘Look! He’s changing - changing into something green!’ someone shouts. ‘Did I do that? I didn’t mean -’ Living Lightning gasps, shocked. Thor tells Living Lightning not to torment himself, as he thinks that is what they call a Skrull! ‘To my shock, terran - you are correct’ Lilandra exclaims as the Imperial Guard gathers around her. Astra asks Lilandra what she thinks happened to the real Araki, to which Smasher tells her that is of little import now.
Starfox announces that what matters is recalling that nega-bomb the Shi’ar launched at the Kree through the stargate. Captain Marvel tells Lilandra that the infiltration of her closest circle ought to convince her that she had the right idea before - negotiation. Lilandra replies that she has already freed one of the captives - the huge Kree super being known as Ultimus. Titan and Smasher guard the groggy Ultimus as he is led away from the stasis field. Titan reports that Ultimus is dizzy, but that he believes Ultimus and the others witnessed all that transpired. ‘Did you, Ultimus?’ Lilandra demands. ‘Yes, Majestrix Shi’ar. And though I have no more love for your world than you have for mine - I concede that this points up the possibility that the Skrulls may have stirred up the present trouble between us’ Ultimus replies. “May have”?’ Smasher quotes.
Looking down at the fallen Skrull, Ultimus points out that the Skrulls are the Kree’s age-old foes. ‘Compared to the bad feeling between our galaxies, the enmity between Kree and Shi’ar is but a flower in early bloom’. However, Ultimus states that the choice of war or peace is not his to make, but tells Lilandra that, if she permits it, he will return to his homeworld and report what happened here. Lilandra replies that she asks no more, but points out that in the meantime, of course, she will hold the rest of Star Force here, as hostages. ‘As we would do, were the situation reversed’ Ultimus replies. Lilandra tells Ultimus to go, but that he must tell the Kree also that there is one factor which may complicate any attempt at peace between them - one of which even the terrans are as yet unaware. ‘Oh?’ the Scarlet Witch frowns. ‘And what’s that?’ Captain Marvel asks. ‘The nega-bomb - has disappeared!’ Lilandra reveals.
Meanwhile, if that term has any meaning in a universe ruled by relativity, back on this island Earth…in the cliffs of Palos Verdes, California, to be more precise, a quintet of Avengers has come home to roost, at the home of the Avengers West Coast. The Quinjet docks in the Cliffside hangar bay, and the active members John Walker a.k.a. USAgent and Julia “Spider-Woman” Carpenter, are accompanied by reservist Bobbi Morse a.k.a. Mockingbird and inactive members Dr Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne a.k.a. the Wasp. Hank tells everyone that he still doesn’t like letting that Kree, Dr Minerva free, but Mockingbird reminds him that was the deal, for helping them track the Shi’ar starship. The Wasp points out that with Dr Minerva gone, She-Hulk and the other eastern-based Avengers could handle the Shi’ar prisoners at Project Pegasus. ‘Let’s just hope we’re proved right in releasing Minerva, Jan’ Hank remarks.
The Avengers begin to go their separate ways, but USAgent tells Spider-Woman that he heard her say she had to split, and informs her that he does, too. He offers her a lift, but Julia declines his offer, explaining that she feels like taking a walk on her own. ‘Free country. They haven’t taken that away from us yet, anyway’ Walker replies. Julia leaves the building, telling herself that she couldn’t bear to be with the others now. She knows she is being selfish with the whole planet facing annihilation if the Avengers don’t stop the solar flares, but se keeps thinking that while she is playing second-string to heroes who are trying to save the world, what about her daughter? Julia know that Larry, her ex-husband, has custody, and keeps trying to poison young Rachel’s mind against her. It is easy to make Julia look like she doesn’t care about Rachel, when she is busying playing Spider-Woman instead of going to see Rachel.
But, Julia tells herself not to blame everything on Larry, not on playing super heroine, that she has to give Rachel a little credit, ‘She knows all about your double-identity - so she can guess you’re with the Avengers West’ Julia decides, before adding ‘Besides, if you save the Earth - you save Rachel, too, right?’ Julia spins around as someone - or something - appears in the bushes nearby. ‘Maybe you’ll just have to face the fact that, if you lose your daughter’s love - it’s all your own fault, and nobody else’s!’ Julia tells herself as she starts to walk away.
In the bushes, a voice whispers ‘If she saw us!’, one very large spider-like creature calls out. An armored being with a spider symbol on his armor calls the large creature Therak and tells him to take it easy. ‘Clearly, Spider-Woman was far too lost in her own thoughts - whatever they were - to notice us’ he assures his companion. ‘Maybe - but would’a been easy to kill her - real easy’ Therak replies. The third figure, a woman in fish-net tights with long white hair points out that they didn’t come here to kill her, not tonight, anyway, that they merely came to observe. Calling the armoured being Antro, the woman tells him to trapdoor them away from here. ‘You are right, Arachne’ Therak tells her, while Antro agrees that there will be more than enough time to eliminate the Avengers West Coast later. With that, the mysterious, eerie trio vanishes.
Somewhere else, a pale, ethereal Vision drifts silently amid the interior of the ominously missing nega-bomb…amid, and through it, the sullen Avenger returns to his “brother” Simon Williams a.k.a. Wonder Man, who asks ‘So? Did you learn why the two of us were jarred by a sudden shift in direction a little while ago?’, to which the Vision replies that he did. ‘Well, then, let’s have it!’ Wonder Man exclaims. The Vision reports that the nega-bomb is being transported by a Skrull starship. ‘Say what?’ Wonder Man gasps. ‘I said -’ the Vision begins, to which Wonder Man tells him that he heard what he said, but that he is just trying to figure out what it means. ‘It means, of course, that the Skrulls have stolen the bomb from the Shi’ar who devised it from purloined Kree technology’ the Vision explains.
‘I know that, too! Why are you always so literal minded? Did you learn anything about how the Avengers are doing?’ Wonder Man exclaims, but the Vision replies that he did not seek such information at this time, as the Avengers are fully capable of taking care of themselves. ‘Wanda was your wife, back when you had human feelings! Aw, what am I wasting my emotions on an android for?’ Wonder Man mutters. ‘You don’t even -’ he begins, when suddenly, they are shaken about. ‘What’s that?’ Wonder Man enquires, while the Vision explains that the bomb has begun to vibrate with some violence, which may well mean that the Skrull ship is warping through space, most likely, the stargate near Earth’s sun.
The Skrull ship blasts through the portal and emerges in another galaxy, with the Vision telling Wonder Man that if that has transpired, the resulting black sunspots, such has Quasar observed before, will bring Earth one step closer to the brink of doom!
Back on the Shi’ar throne world, inside the quarters set aside for the Avengers, the Scarlet Witch sees a platoon of Shi’ar officers rush past the door. She tells her teammates that there is some sort of frantic activity going on out there, courtesy of Lilandra. ‘Though what it bodes for the Earth is anyone’s guess’ Wanda adds. Thor suggests that they have done about all they can here, and announces ‘Lightning and I were kind of wondering -’, to which Miguel concludes that they think they should go home, to be with their families. ‘We’re in the middle of a war, Miguel, we can’t just -’ Captain Marvel begins, before suddenly, her communi-card sounds up, it’s Wendall “Quasar” Vaughn who exclaims ‘Thank Heaven I reached you via my quantum bands!’, before Monica tells him that they heard he was a captive of the Shi’ar somewhere. Quasar replies that he was shanghaied way out of known space, but that he has finally made it back. ‘Anyway, here’s why I called ‘ Quasar begins, before revealing that he knows where the nega-bomb is….