FANTASTIC FOUR # 427

by Mark Bousquet

CAN YOU FACE THE LONELINESS?

SOMEWHERE IN SPACE

Jennifer Walters does not know where she is, or how she got there or why she keeps slipping into unconsciousness.

She can remember hitting Annihilus with a roundhouse punch ... can remember looking down the corridor and seeing Reed Richard's face stretch around a corner ... can remember her and the Thing running, following Reed's head ... can remember the ashen look of terror on Sue Richards' face ... can remember a doorway ... can remember explosions ... Sue screaming ... being knocked down in the back as Blastaar rushed past ... she can remember Ben reaching down and scooping her up and him leaping into the doorway ...

Jen Walters, the She-Hulk, remembers her world going black and then nothing more except for the sight of the stars above her.

She notes, somewhat absent-mindedly that the stars are moving. 'No,' she half thinks, 'I'm the one moving.' She gives it not another thought as she struggles, this woman who can lift over 75 tons, to keep her eye-lids open.

She tries to speak, but the words never leave her throat. She's vaguely aware of it being achingly dry.

"Hush," a soft voice requests. "There is ample time to speak after you have healed."

Cool water is poured down her throat, and she manages to break a smile. "Thank you," she gasps.

"There is no need to thank me, sweet woman," the voice assures. "We will arrive at the Temple shortly."

Jen says nothing, but opens her eyes to see who her savior is. She wishes she hadn't, because if her eyes had remained closed she would not have looked into the eyes of a Skrull.

THE PLANET AK'YEN'JA

THE BA'NA'AY

Victor Von Doom is bored nearly to death. As he makes his tour of the six cultures of Ak'yen'ja he comes to find the Ba'na'ay the most infuriatingly wretched people he can ever remember meeting.

'And,' he thinks, 'I'm quite sure that means something, even though my memories stretch back only three days.'

"We are a people of peace. Of the Land. Of the feeling of emotions," Ja'lana drones on. Victor* watches, but he has practically ceased to listen.

*(Remember, Doom doesn't know who he is - Amnesiac Mark)

"What are your feelings, Victor," El'kana asks, "about being a stranger in a strange land?" El'kana watches him closely, not trusting him.

"My curiosity is piqued, dear girl," Victor responds. "It is a great mystery to seek to discover who you are."

"But do we ever discover that? Isn't that life? To spend our days seeking that very answer?" El'kana asks, irritated.

"No. I am certain that I never spent my time wondering who I was. It seems much more interesting to me to discover what we can do than to waste time wondering why we do it."

"You must have led a very shallow life."

"El'kana enough!" Ja'lana commands. The leader of the Ba'na'ay watches as El'kana's eyes burn with fire. "I apologize to you, Victor," she speaks as she turns to look at the man encased in metal and finds eyes as cold as the darkest night.

SOMEWHERE IN SPACE

She-Hulk starts to rise, but is pushed down by a group of hands. She tries to rise again, but there is nothing she can do. She is too weak to move, so she rests with a feeling of utter helplessness.

Minutes, maybe hours, pass when finally the Skrulls stop and place her on the ground.

"It is time," she hears one of them say and she waits for ... what, she doesn't know, but she's sure it isn't good. These are Skrulls afterall.

More minutes - maybe hours - pass when Jen is picked up again and walked into a forest.

"Shulkie!" she hears a voice - Ben! - yell, happiness in his voice. 'Great,' she thinks, 'he's probably been waiting for me to save his butt.'

She smiles at the hopelessness of it all when the Skrulls drop her into a pool of water. She panics for a second, unsure of what's going on, before survival instinct takes over. She thrashes about, determined to put distance between herself and her captors. After a couple seconds she rises to her feet, ready for battle. The water hasn't stopped running down her tall body when she realizes she shouldn't have had the strength to stand.

As she wipes her long hair to one side she is shocked for the second time today at what she sees.

In the distance, away from the pool, Reed, Sue and Ben sit at a picnic table eating a feast with a group of Skrulls, seemingly enjoying themselves to no end.

THE PLANET AK'YEN'JA

Victor Von Doom has had his tour interrupted because a Shi'ar space cruiser has picked this current moment to come to the planet's surface.

He stands in the throne room of the Unthans as they watch a large screen. The vessel hovers above the Green Dessert, twenty miles from where they sit. Representatives from all six cultures, as well as Doom, stand in the room.

"Report!" King Tykan commands.

"It is a vessel of Shi'ar record, my Lord, but not an Imperium cruiser," a soldier responds from his console.

"Then what is it?" Prince Tytan asks.

The soldier gulps, "It is the ... uh, the vessel classified as the ... the Starjammer."

"Blast it!" Tykan rages, "Those insufferable fools."

"The end of us all," Pythtani says, her voice flat and monotone. "It will be the end of us all."

"Shut yer mouth, bug!" Tykan screams. "You're damned reliance on Fate is infuriating at times like these!"

"What is wrong?" Doom asks, his voice so commanding that no one, not even Tykan, questions his authority.

"That is the Starjammer," Haak replies, "which means the Starjammers are inside. Which means we have to report this to the Shi'ar Throneworld. Which means the Shi'ar will send half their fleet here and tear everything apart."

"And this is bad? Why? Do you fear these Shi'ar?" Victor asks.

"And people say I joke too much?" Haak asks. "The Shi'ar are bad news. We're sitting inside their Empire but they leave us alone because we're so small and inferior to their technology. But now that the Starjammers are here the Shi'ar can't help but show up. They'll probably think we're helping them!"

"Sire, the Starjammer is hailing us!" the panicked guard exclaims.

"Put them on screen," Tykan orders.

The guard moves his hand to push a button when Doom says simply, "Wait." The leaders of the six cultures of Ak'yen'ja turn to look at Victor. "Do not mention me to them. I will step to the side and watch, but you mustn't mention me to them at all. There's no reason to give away all of your secrets. You may push the button, guard."

The guard, his hand not moving from the spot he stopped it in when the visitor commanded it, pushes the button and the image of Corsair appears on-screen.

"You are not welcome here, Starjammer!"

"Save it for you subjects, Tykan and don't look so surprised I know who you are. You're not the only one who can link into the Shi'ar's computers. We need supplies. We can pay you-"

"Your money does us no good!" Tykan bellows. "If we are caught aiding you the Shi'ar will destroy this entire world!"

"Tell them not we were here, then, fool!" Hepzibah yells, jumping into view.

"Hepzibah, please," Corsair pleads.

"Your pet has an odd way to seek our aid!" Tykan scoffs.

And as the squabble continues, Victor stands to the side, watching everything.

SOMEWHERE IN SPACE

Jen drinks down the most refreshing cup of water she has ever tasted. Her mind is swimming with revelations. As the planet Baluur was under siege ( in FF # 425 ), the teleportation device (the doorway from her memories) was supposed to send them to a Baluurian camp on the other side of the Negative Zone. Something went wrong, however, and they ended up here.

On a world of pacifist Skrull monks. She didn't believe it, either, at first, until Reed relayed the history of the Skrulls to them. They were once a peaceful planet until the Kree had attacked them, seeking revenge for something or other.* These Skrullian monks had forsaken the newfound Skrull lust for retribution and departed from the Skrull Homeworld. They ended up on this small planet and continued a life of peace and prayer. They have had few visitors over the years, but they offer whatever hospitality they can. Hospitality that includes a dip in their pool, a cosmic version of the Fountain of Youth.

*(The Skrulls once offered a challenge to the Kree and Cotati. The Cotati won and the Kree sought revenge - The Short Version Mark)

They had even managed to stop from panicking when a space-ship entered their atmosphere. The Skrullian monks were nervous, though, Jen noticed, as the visitors from the ship were led to this clearing. Jen wasn't nervous, however, the salad she was eating was pretty darn good. She had already polished off five large bowls of the mix.

"Do my eyes deceive me or do I once again gaze on the most beautiful woman in all the cosmos?"

The Fantastic Four turn to see Eros and Mentor walk into the open, led by a small contingent of the monks.

"Why, Starfox, you flatter me!" Jen exclaims, standing from the table to welcome the Titan Eternal and former Avenger teammate.

"Starfox? Please, Jen," Eros requests, taking one of Jen's large green hands in his and bringing it to his lips, "call me Eros."

Jen laughs. "Been there, done that," she mutters.

"Reed Richards, it is good to see you," Mentor says calmly, shaking Reed's hand.

"Likewise, Mentor, but-"

"But what are we doing here?" Mentor answers, a smile coming to his elderly face, "We're you're ride home. Shall we go?"

TITAN

The Fantastic Four have spent the past hour being escorted across the grounds by Mentor.

"Well, Reed and Sue, what do you think of our home?" Mentor asks, smiling. "It's a little banged up due to recent troubles, but repairs are almost complete now."*

*(Continuity Note: this story takes place after the events of Captain Marvel # 69 - Cross Promoting Mark)

"It's lovely," Sue replies. "One might even say ... fantastic."

"That being undeniably, true, Mentor, why have you given us the grand tour?" Reed asks, paying no attention to the agitated sighs coming from Ben and Jen behind him.

Mentor forces a smile, but his tone is serious. "I have thought long and hard about this, you must know that going in. I wish, first and foremost, to apologize to you for my son's actions against your own son."

"His son?" Jen asks.

"Thanos is ... my brother," Eros somberly replies.

"Yeah, Jen, didn't you notice the similarity?" Ben mumbles. "Thanos loves nothing but death and Eros loves nothing but himself."

"Thanos has long been ... troublesome to the universe. And your son is undeniably a part of this universe now."

"Cut to it, Mentor," Sue speaks grimly.

Mentor sighs. "There is ... talk amongst the stars that Franklin should be protected. That he is too valuable to be left-"

"With his parents?" Sue asks harshly.

"Begging your pardon, Mrs. Richards," Mentor soothes, "but that is exactly it, in a manner of speaking and a not it, in another."

"Mentor, please," Reed implores.

"The cosmos doesn't wish to take Franklin away from you at all. We merely wish to provide him a place where he can better learn how to use his vast powers and come to understand his role in things."

"Ya mean like Titan, right?" Ben asks.

"Exactly. We have helped Genis come to grips ..."

Mentor trails on, but Reed and Sue have stopped listening. They have entered their own world, lost in each other's arms and eyes. And when a couple loves one another like the Richards' do, there is no need for a telepathic bond to know what the other is thinking.

And feeling.

THE PLANET AK'YEN'JA

Communication with the Starjammer has broken off, as Tykan has decided that the Elder Council must meet and decide what to do. Arguments between the members are fierce. The Ba'na'ay and Leghtians think that they should quickly give the Starjammers whatever they need and send them on their way, but the Wenthorians argue that if they aid the Starjammers once then they are bound to return.

"Silence!" Victor commands and the Elder Council quiets like children being scolded by their mother. "There are two options. Aid them or turn them away. It is interesting to me, however," Doom speaks slowly as he walks around the room, "that whichever option you argue for, you all come to the same conclusion, that the Shi'ar must not be told of their arrival." He stops and looks out a window, well aware that he has them in the palm of his hand and though he does not know who he is or how he came to be here, that is a feeling that feels more right to him than anything. "What we'll do, however, is exactly the opposite of what you think is best. We will tell the Shi'ar and we will aid the Starjammers because if there is one thing that is the best for everyone, it is ... peace."

Behind him, the Elder Council is too stunned to object.

TITAN

Reed and Sue stand in their room, overlooking a portion of Titan. It is a beautiful sight, but they have yet to gaze out upon it.

"What do we do, Reed?" Sue asks as she pulls Reed closer.

"I don't know, Sue," Reed responds.

"I won't leave him."

"Neither will I, but ..."

"But Mentor's offer makes sense."

"It does," Reed says, wrapping his arms just a bit tighter around his wife. "It would be the logical, wise thing to do."

"It would, but can we leave Earth?"

"We have a responsibility to use our powers for good, Sue."

"But how much more good could you do, Reed, if you were to devote yourself entirely to your research? It wasn't all that long ago that ..." Sue falters, knowing how deep the wound is she approaches.

"It wasn't that long ago that some of the supposed greatest scientific minds from Earth came to Titan and tried in vain to save a life dying of cancer. Worked ourselves ragged to find a cure for Earth's deadliest disease. Tried, and failed." Reed closes his eyes and sighs. Sue says nothing. What happened here on Titan* kept Reed awake for months afterwards. "We wondered it then, too. Could we do more good sticking only to research? Maybe ... maybe it's time to put that to a test."

*(The Death of Captain Marvel Graphic Novel - Starlin fan Mark)

Sue leans back and looks into her husband's eyes. They are somber, but full of lover. "Can we do it, Reed? Can we end the Fantastic Four and move to Titan and raise Franklin here, amongst the stars?"

Reed shrugs, but the hope in his wife's voice is unmistakable. She is beginning to want to do just that - take their son and move to Titan and live a life away from Earth. "I don't know, Sue, but ..."

His words trail off as Sue brings her lips to her husbands, both aware of their love for the other and the undeniable question of where should Franklin spend the remainder of his childhood.

THE PLANET AK'YEN'JA

Corsair leads the Starjammers into the Unthan Royal Hall. Though Tykan had objected, he was apparently outvoted by the other members of the Elder Council.

"Like this not," Hepzibah grumbles. "Trap feel like this."

"Good," answers Ch'od, his gruff voice sending shivers down the spines of their Wenthorian escort.

"Stow it," Corsair answers. "We face this on nearly every planet we land on. This isn't anything new."

"Truth be told, I don't think we would hath much trouble with this crew," Raza murmurs under his breath as he looks at the shoddily garbed guards.

"Enough," Corsair mumbles back and then louder for the rest to hear, "Make nice folks. We need these supplies."

Tykan walks forward from the members of the Elder Council and approaches the Starjammers. "We will give you your supplies, Corsair, but you will not come back here again. Is that clear?"

"You got it, Tykan," Corsair responds. "No problem."

"And how do we know your-?"

"Honor our word we do!" Hepzibah spits towards the Elder Council. Beside her Corsair has stopped listening. He looks beyond Tykan at the Elder Council and does not like what he sees.

He sees a group of people, a ruling council no less, that does not look united. And that always means trouble.

There is a pause then and the Starjammers feel the change at once for different reasons. Hepzibah notices a shift in the scent of the air. Corsair feels the final piece clicking into place. Raza notices the guards by the back door glance over their shoulder and back down the corridor behind them. And Ch'od senses a mix of the three.

Their eyes are glued to the door when in walks a form made of metal, robed in green cloth, born of nightmares.

"My gods ..." Raza whispers, "what is he doing here?"

"Can not be," Hepzibah mutters.

Behind them, the Elder Council can not help but notice the look on the faces of the Starjammers.

"They fear him," they whisper back and forth. "How can this be? He is only one and they are four? How can one man that we have never heard of cause the Starjammers' hands to move to their swords and their eyes to race around the room?"

Corsair starts to talk but the man the Ak'yen'jans know as Victor raises a hand and Chris Summers falls silent. When Victor speaks it is in a voice that only needs to be heard once for the listener. It is a voice that will never be forgotten, not for what is said, but how.

"You have put us in a dangerous spot, Starjammers. You have endangered our peace and put us at risk of Shi'ar attention. Our peace means everything to us."

"He's gone loony!" Hepzibah shouts. "Peace?"

"We are sorry, but-" Corsair begins.

"There is no need to be sorry," Victor responds, his cold dark eyes boring a whole into Corsair's mind. "Because shortly, you will be dead and your empty carcasses will be given to the Shi'ar."

Victor smiles behind his mask, "For us to have peace ... you must die!"

END FF 427

NEXT ISSUE - FANTASTIC FOUR # 428: Ya didn't really think Doom would go soft just because he doesn't know who he is, did you? No way, kids. Doom and the Ak'yen'jans take on the Starjammers, but who will survive?!? And if you think Doom kicking some Starjammer tail is as nasty as it's gonna get, then you don't know Doom! Plus, Reed and Sue make a fateful decision about the future of Franklin, not to mention the future of the Fantastic Four! All this and Sharon Ventura mops Diablo's floor! Or is that, mops the floor with Diablo ... ?

MBQ 2.26.98