#7 - Shapes of Things

By Barry Reese

"So this is your home now, Dane? It has possibilities." Sersi stood in the main hall of Garrett Castle, her full lips pursed in thought. She and Dane Whitman had only just returned from their difficult time in that alternate reality and she had firmly announced that she was moving in.

For Dane, this wasn't necessarily a Good Thing. Since he'd made the decision to take her along for the fight against Proctor*, things had begun moving far too quickly in their relationship. "I'm glad you think so. Actually, I haven't had much time for redecorating since I arrived in England. Between my time with the Crusaders, the Kree-Shi'ar War, and Ultraforce I've kept pretty busy. I've barely had time to play in the Crusaders' lab."

(*This happened in Black Knight # 3.)

Sersi walked over to an antique tapestry and sniffed. With a wave of her hand she rearranged its molecules, altering its color and shape. "Much better."

Dane sighed. This was going to be difficult. "Look, Sersi, I'm not sure if we should --" Dane paused as his Crusaders communicator pulsed. He picked it up and flipped it on. "Black Knight here."

Micromax's voice came back. "Dane! Where have you been?"

"Away. Sorry about that. What do you need?"

"We have a situation. Some American supergroup has gone rogue on us. You'd best stop by the Tower, we're going to need you for this one."

"...All right. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Sersi was smiling at him. "Off to play hero, Dane?"

"Yes. I don't feel like it but...maybe it'll be over with quickly. In the meantime...I suppose you should get settled in. But we really need to talk, Sersi."

The Eternal stepped up to him and pressed her lips against his cheek. "As you wish. In the meantime, I'll plan the party."

Dane's eyes shot open. "Party? What party?!"

"Well we have to have a housewarming party, silly. You can introduce me to all your friends."

"Um...I'm not so sure..."

Sersi had all ready turned away from him, once again surveying her new domain. "You'd better go, Dane. I'll be waiting for you when you get back."

Dane sighed. There was no point in arguing with Sersi when it came to the necessity of parties. He turned on his heels, dragging his weary body out the door*.

(For more on what Dane and the Crusaders have to do, check out the Force Works/Crusaders crossover in Force Works # 34 and Crusaders # 17.)

Unknown to either Sersi or Dane, a silent figure observed them. She was Karla Whitman, the Black Knight of 2099, and she'd come to this time seeking safety. In the few days since she'd arrived she'd waited impatiently for her ancestor to return -- and now he had left again. She couldn't resist a smile. This really was the Age of Heroes -- when men like Dane couldn't find a moment's rest in between adventures. Karla tugged at her shirt -- she was wearing Dane's clothes, which were much too large for her -- and she hoped that she didn't look as silly as she felt. She considered approaching this Sersi woman but she wasn't sure about that...she'd never heard of Sersi. What if she was a Skrull spy or a clone or something? Things like that were common in this time, she remembered. Best to wait, for now.

Sersi spent the rest of the day changing things. The castle's staff was somewhat alarmed at the sudden transformations of priceless items but they had grown used to strange behavior at the castle over the years and remained silent. For her part, Sersi was equally silent, working with a sense of peace and enjoyment she hadn't felt in months.

Being with Dane made her feel whole -- even though their Gann Josin bond had been severed, she could still imagine how he 'felt', his consciousness bonded to hers. Now that her heart and mind were separate from his, she felt a terrible loneliness that she would have been embarrassed to admit to. She knew that Dane still had misgivings but they would past. Before it had been Crystal that had stood between them...but now that the Inhuman was back with her husband where she belonged that meant that Sersi had no competition. Not that she'd ever considered Crystal true competition...

She was moving past the upstairs bedrooms when she heard a footstep behind her. Sersi glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see a maid at work, and saw instead a distinctively female form rounding the hall corner, moving away from her. Sersi frowned. The woman had been dressed in slacks and a long shirt -- one that she'd seen before. On Dane.

A fit of jealousy welled up inside her. Surely Dane didn't have a woman here? She turned and moved to follow the girl. "Hello? Who's there?"

She turned the corner and saw a young woman, about 22 years old, fighting with the doorknob to Dane's bedroom. The woman looked up in alarm, her delicate features knotted in concern. Her long brown hair was unkempt and in need of washing, but there was no denying that the girl was beautiful. Sersi disliked her immediately.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Karla sighed, her heart dropping. Caught like a novice...and without her Black Knight armor or her sun sword...One thing was for sure though, she couldn't trust this Sersi with the truth yet. "Um, my name's Karla. I'm...a friend of Dane Whitman."

Sersi arched an eyebrow. "Are you now? He's never mentioned a Karla to me..."

"Well, we haven't known each other long..."

"And you've been sleeping in his bedroom?"

Something in Sersi's tone warned Karla not to go in that direction. "No! It's not like that! I'm a relative."

Sersi smiled coldly. "Well then, let's chat. I'm always looking to get to know Dane's family..."

Karla Whitman sighed softly. This was *not* going well...

Later, after the events of Crusaders # 17...

NIGHT AT THE MILLENNIUM TOWER

Dane tapped the keyboard, watching as data scrolled across the computer screen. He was in his labs at the Millennium Tower, working on a variety of small projects. Being in the lab was a long-lost pleasure and one that he was hoping to regain. His work in the Kree-Shi'ar War had helped fuel his passion for science again.

"Dane?" Linda McQuillan's voice startled Dane, making him accidentally hit the 'Enter' key. He groaned as the program moved on to the next phase of the experiment.

Dane swiveled his chair so that he faced Captain UK. "What can I do for you, Linda?"

"I was just wondering why you were here...Are you spending the night at the Tower? I assumed that you'd rush home as soon as the Force Works situation was concluded."

The Black Knight sighed, rubbing a hand over the stubble on his chin. He hadn't shaved today and it suddenly occurred to him that he didn't shave much during his previous relationship with Sersi either. Given how that one had turned out, he'd better break out the razor. "I just wanted to get in some labwork. I need to unwind a little. Lately it seems like I can't get a break...Captain America shows how little faith he has in me, then my old friend Sean Dolan shows up as Bloodwraith again, then on top of that I get pulled into the Ultraverse to battle Proctor*. And worse of all, both Bloodwraith and Proctor disappeared at the end of our fights. Given the nature of our fight with Force Works, I'm starting to have trouble remembering what victory feels like..."

(*This is a fairly complete rundown of our first six issues, plus the Kree-Shi'ar War.)

Linda smiled softly. "That's all well and good. Now what's the real reason you're not at home tonight?"

Dane sighed. "Sersi's throwing a party. I called her when we got back this afternoon and she told me not to be late..."

"A party? And why haven't I received my invitation?"

"I was hoping to keep the Crusaders away from there actually. Sersi can be...well...embarrassing at times. And I wish we weren't having a party regardless -- I'm not sure where our relationship stands."

"If that's the case, Dane, then why are you letting her move in with you?"

Dane ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. I really don't. I guess I love her."

Linda looked at him sadly. "In that case you don't."

"Don't what?" Dane looked up with surprise.

"You don't love her. If you did, you wouldn't have so many doubts. Maybe you should tell her to move out...not away, but out. You can always try to work through things slowly."

Dane chuckled. "Slow isn't a word in Sersi's vocabulary. But I do love her...I'm just not sure that I'm *in* love with her. Understand?"

Linda smiled. "Better than you know, Dane." She turned away but glanced over her shoulder. "And don't forget to attend your own party."

Dane snorted at that. "Who said it was *my* party?"

Abby Rose walked through the darkened interior of her danceclub The Glade, running her fingers across a tabletop. She wore a small bandage on her forehead, evidence of the attack she suffered at the hands of Bloodwraith* -- the same attack that had left her friend and fellow psychic Henry dead. Since that night, she'd dreamed of the Black Knight often...his every feature was burned into her mind now. She could only assume that the Ebony Blade was somehow responsible for all of this.

(*Waaaaaay back in our very first issue.)

"Nervous about opening night?" Lucas asked her with a sly smile. He was a slender black man with a bald head and an open,friendly face. Abby had known him for almost two years and trusted him with her life -- and her secrets.

Abby sat down at the bar, tucking her short dark hair behind an ear. "Not really. The bar will be a hit, I know...It's just...I'm still having the dreams."

Lucas grinned. "About that yank?"

Abby nodded. "Yep. The Crusader. I see him in danger, but I can't tell from who or what...and I see us being...more than friends." She blushed somewhat as the words rolled out, feeling stupid.

Lucas was looking at her seriously. "Well why don't you call him?"

She blinked. "What? Just pick up the phone and call him? He's a superhero, Lucas. I'm sure he doesn't answer his own phone!"

Lucas shrugged. "Well you know you can contact him through the Crusaders. What can it hurt?"

Abby pursed her lips. "Maybe you're right. What can it hurt?"

Dane Whitman winced as his butler opened the door. From the number of cars parked outside the castle, it was one heck of a party. The sound of happy voices rushed out as the door swung open and Dane nodded weakly at his aged butler, Cornelius. "Sorry about this, old friend. Guess I should have warned you that Sersi likes parties."

Cornelius merely stepped aside. "Not at all, sir. If anything, I am pleased to see the castle once again filled with the sounds of laughter."

A booming voice ended any further conversation between Dane and Cornelius. "Ho! 'Tis my valiant comrade-in-arms, the brave Black Knight!" The demi-God Hercules literally lifted Dane off the ground, crushing him in a powerful hug. A large tankard of ale was in Hercules' grasp and a good portion of it sloshed onto the floor.

Dane grunted. "Herc! It's...um...good to see you, too!" The Black Knight felt his feet touch the floor once more and he scanned the crowd. There were a lot more people here than he'd expected -- and most of them he didn't even know. Friends of Sersi no doubt... He turned back to Hercules, smiling at the sight of tiny beer suds clinging to the giant's beard. "I can't believe Sersi invited you..."

Hercules put an arm around him. "Verily 'tis a rare party indeed that the Lion of Olympus doth pass up! Come, friend Dane, the Black Widow wishes to speak with you!"

Dane felt himself hauled through the crowd. He felt a bit out of sorts but he had to admit that he'd missed Hercules...and the Widow. All of the Avengers, really. His time with them during the Kree-Shi'ar War had seemed so brief, so full of sturm and drang, that he felt like he'd never really spent any time with them.

He spotted Natasha Romanoff and Janet Van Dyne chatting amiably. For the briefest of seconds, he felt his heart catch in his throat. He'd once nursed one heck of an infatuation with the winsome Wasp...but that was years in the past. He managed to pry himself away from Hercules. "Hi, Tasha, Jan."

Janet smiled and cooed, "Well, if it isn't Mr. Dashing himself! How have you been, Dane? The Crusaders treating you right?"

While Dane caught up on old times, Karla Whitman watched from afar. She'd eventually told Sersi the truth -- the Eternal was remarkably persistent, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to confront Dane himself. She glanced over at Sersi, watching the woman move through the crowd. She seemed so confident and secure...

"Penny for your thoughts, Cheri?" Karla jumped at the smooth sound of the man's voice. She glanced over to an exceedingly handsome man in a well-tailored suit, his long dark hair cascading over his shoulders. Something about him seemed odd, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Erm...no, my thoughts aren't for sale, thank you." Karla turned away from him.

The man chuckled softly. "You seem to have misunderstood me. I was merely asking why you looked so troubled."

Karla glanced back at him and realized that the stranger was looking at her with interest. "Oh. I was just...thinking. Nothing much. My name's Karla."

He held out a dark hand, clutching hers. "I am Bennet...Bennet Du Paris. An old friend of our host, but something of an uninvited guest tonight."

Karla frowned. "Uninvited?"

"Indeed. Dane and I are not on the best of terms, I fear. But I am moving my operations to this area of the world and I couldn't resist the opportunity to see how Eobar...I mean, Dane...is doing these days."

Karla started to ask him for more information when he suddenly pulled his hand away. "I am sorry, Cheri. I must be going lest the Eternal sense me. But I have felt strange forces about you. I think that you and I shall talk again in the future."

Karla watched as the stranger blended into the crowd once more. She had to admit that he was quite handsome...Bennet De Paris. The name sounded so familiar. Perhaps she would ask Sersi about it later.

Dane and Sersi stood on the balcony while the party continued without them. The dark-haired woman was wrapped in his arms, her lips brushing his. "You look gorgeous tonight, Dane..."

Dane pulled back slightly. "Sersi...after the party, we really need to talk. I mean it, this time."

"I agree. I met your descendant from the year 2099 earlier...she'll be living with us for awhile."

Dane's eyes flew open and his jaw dropped. "What?!"

Sersi pressed a finger over his lips. "Hush. I'll explain later. She's very nervous about meeting you. Now what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I guess now's as good a time as any. I think we--"

"Dane?" Captain America's voice interrupted them as he stepped out onto the balcony. He was dressed in plainclothes but still exuded an air of authority. "I was hoping we could talk."

Sersi pulled away. "See you inside, Dane. Captain."

When the two men were alone, Dane spoke first. "I don't think we have much to say to one another, Cap. You made your feelings known*."

(*Back in Avengers Giant-Size # 7.)

"Dane. I know that we had words during the War, but I was only trying to do what was best. You have to admit that in the past you haven't always been stable --"

"And you have?! Your past isn't as squeaky-clean as you like to pretend, Cap. We're both soldiers and you know damn well that my actions during Operation : Galactic Storm were called for. The Supreme Intelligence continued to threaten as long as he --"

"It was murder, Dane. He was helpless."

The two men stared at one another. Captain America sighed. "It was a decision you made, Dane. I don't agree with it, but I refuse to let it continue to drive a wedge between us. You've proven yourself an Avenger a thousand times over."

"Nice of you to point that out, Cap."

"Dane, stop it! I was wrong to call you on the carpet in front of the others. But you're wrong to think that it's anything personal between us. I respect you, both as a person and as an Avenger."

Dane grunted. "Only I'm not an Avenger anymore..."

"Yes, you are. Once an Avenger, Always an Avenger. Period." He offered a hand. "Let the past be the past, Dane. A whole new future is waiting for the both of us."

Dane considered for a long, hard minute. "It hurt me, Steve...your lack of faith in me. But you're right. Holding a grudge doesn't make sense. If you're willing to forgive, so am I." He took Steve's hand and shook it. "Once an Avenger, Always an Avenger. Period."

Written In Black

From TJ Burns :

Hey Barry! Once again: IMMORTUS SURVIVED! IMMORTUS SURVIVED! YES! Well,enough of my ecstatic joy. I'm really glad to see the master of time continue on in existence and to see that he may play a role in Dane's life in the future. Proctor's mysterious fate either way was very cool as well. I really enjoyed this whole issue. Once again, your characterization of the Ultras was great, especially Ghoul and Prime. Keep up the good work and I'll be around for the long haul!

Thanks, TJ! Yes, Immortus will return to Dane's life eventually...though it will come at a very dark point for our hero. The Proctor mystery will be dealt with soon,don't worry. Eventually I plan on doing an Ultraforce mini-series as I really liked writing them (esp. the two you mentioned).

David Wright said :

I have long been a fan of the Black Knight, and have felt for a long time that he had enough supporting cast members and arch-enemies to fuel his own series.

I was elated to discover his MV1 adventures! I get too easily confused with the massive MV1 continuity, so it happens that Black Knight is the ONLY series I'm following. I just finished #4 and plan to hit the other two soon.

Don't forget characters like "the Crusader" (see that recent issue of X-Man), or the anachronaut that was obviously designed as a Black Knight counterpart from the Citizen Kang annual (#22 or 23, I think). There's so much out there for this character and I look forward to you tapping into all of it eventually. Don't forget he used to hang out with Dr Strange for a while, that he has spent time in Avalon, the "Asgard" of the Celtic gods, home of the Fomor and the Evil Eye (Avengers #325), or that you could highlight adventures from fighting the 12th Century Crusades, or...or....Oh! I trust you know all this.

I'm really getting a kick out of the whole Ultraverse and Sersi thing. Lord Pumpkin as a Gatherer! Cool!

I recently read the Marvel handbook entry to BK, and it mentions that all incarnations of the Black Knight are bound to fight all incarnations of Sir Mordred......you see, Sir Percy (the original BK) was Mordred's arch-enemy.

I would love to see a future MV1 tale where Dane and Sir Mordred (Avengers Vol. 3 #1) face off, with references to Sir Percy all over the place. The tale could be huge bringing in Morgan Le Fay, the Celtic gods,...even Dr Strange....heck, maybe put the whole thing in a Camelot setting......go all Dungeons and Dragons on us.

As you can see, I love the character and its potential, I will definitely be following this series. I love it so far, and I'm sure you will keep it up.

Thanks for writing, David! You raise some very interesting points and I can promise that Doctor Strange *will* appear in the near future. The Mordred thing I'd forgotten, I admit...hmmm. We'll see. :)

Barry Reese