The Players

Part Two: Rulers

the 59^th tale of agc

written and created by Mark Bousquet

NOTE: To assist new readers with this "jumping on" arc, I've created a section for the Rulers on the Cast of Characters Page, accessible from the AGC main page.

2201 / AUGUST

THE EVERYTHING ENGINE - THE VIEWING TUBE

Upon a large screen inside the vast Viewing Tube, Adam Warlock watched a frightened Franklin Richards whimpering inside a cell. At the door, an ancient Ultron model, Mark-12, stood guard. Ultron-12 brought Franklin food every five hours, telling the blabbering boy that he could leave whenever he wanted, either to return back to Mt. Olympus, or to accept Doom's offer. The boy did nothing but sob.

And Adam could find no evidence of what the offer entailed.

Rubbing his eyes, Adam sipped from a now cold mug of tea, and leaned back in his large leather chair. There was no need to watch the events of the end of the Everything unfold in discomfort, after all. There were millions of screens in the Viewing Tube, stretching for miles above and below Adam. For now, he concentrated on the images before him. He had set three of the screens to watch the Kings of the three Armies: King William of the Beta Ray, Franklin Richards, and Dr. Doom.

Doom's screen remained blank.

Adam turned his attention now to the Rulers: the men and women who governed each of the Asgardian Council's member races: Kree, Shi'ar, Skrull, and Human. For the better part of the past 200 years, the leaders of these empires had stayed mostly in the background, allowing Asgard to take the lead against Thanos in the Eternal War. Now that the Eternal War was over, however, and the more nebulous War of Chaos and Order was underway, the rulers of these empires would play a larger role. Indeed, Adam admitted, the influence of the Supreme Intelligence had already been felt through the usurpation of the role of Cosmic Protector, as the Intelligence orchestrated the move from Captain America to Ben-Vell Parker.*

Adam waved his hand, clearing four screens on a horizontal line beneath the Row of Kings, one each for the Supreme Intelligence, Majestrix Deathcry, Emperor Vog, and the United League of Nations.

'Let me see,' he mused to himself, 'what I see.'

* AGC 50: The Circle Closing

MAJESTRIX DEATHCRY

CHANDILAR

There was a bubble over the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, keeping the Avenger Deathcry from saving the citizens from attack. Angry and determined, she radioed to the other members of the Great Lakes Avengers to come to her aid, but there was no response. Slamming her fists onto the top of the dome brought nothing but increased frustration, as the dome would not break beneath her blows. Spread out before her, the city of Milwaukee was being devastated single-handedly by the Shocker. Panic set into Deathcry's mind … she would fail this city, fail the Avengers, fail everyone because she couldn't stop the Shocker of all people!

"Hello, Deathcry."

The Avenger Chairwoman spun around. "Immortus! This is your fault."

"Yes," Immortus replied. "It is."

"Aaaaaargh!"

Majestrix Deathcry awoke with a start, sweat covering her body. Breaths came hard and deep to the aged Shi'ar warrior, for time could not heal all wounds. She raised her still sprite body from bed, and reached for the basin of water. Damn you Immortus, she swore, splashing the cool liquid on her face and neck.

The leader of the Shi'ar empire looked at her bed with disgust - would she ever be rid of these nightmares? Barely a week passed that her dreams failed to remind her of the city she left behind when Immortus plucked her from her time and delivered her to the present.* It was a guilt she did not need, she knew. Her absence in the past was barely missed. After the villains had spread their influence across the world, the heroes followed, moving into cities that had previously never had a hero-in-residence.

*As shown in AGC 26: Stark/Summers: A Presidency, Year One

Deathcry had gone to Chicago in 2006 with the Wasp and Beta Ray Bill to reform the Great Lakes Avengers as an Avengers franchise. During the next seven years Janet had left to run the Van Dyne Mental Institution out in Montana full-time and Deathcry had been named the Chairwoman in her place. Those were the days, she thought back now. As dangerous as the world had become, she was an Avenger, a hero, and she could make a difference.

Now? Now she ruled an Empire and felt more helpless than she had when she first came to the Avengers in the late 20^th century.

Her eye caught the printout she had been handed just prior to retiring for the night. It was a request from Beta Ray Bill - that is, King William - for 500 Shi'ar troops to be deployed to Asgard for the protection of the Council. Attached to the request were the recommendations of Ash'lin, the Shi'ar Ambassador to Asgard. 'Troublesome wench,' Deathcry thought to herself. Typically, Ash'lin suggested either sending no troops, or twice as many, looking to play every last angle to the Shi'ar advantage. Five hundred troops was nothing to the Shi'ar, though Deathcry knew there were those in the Shi'ar Senate who would fight her on this, as they fought her on everything.

She thought of Janet just then. What were her words? "It doesn't matter if those against you think they've beat you or been beaten by you, all that matters is that you get what you want." A small smile played across the Majestrix's face - perhaps she would come out against this and have her opposition debate her into accepting Asgard's request.

No, she shook her head. This was no time for games; she could not scold Ash'lin for her games with one breath then play them herself with the next. The news of Doom's return had all of the Everything on edge as they waited for him to make his move. Especially here, in the Empire that Doom had once conquered, tensions ran high. The Senate and planetary Governors had never before been so united in their votes, even as their words marked differences. Deathcry would use that, would secure the 500 troops Asgard wanted as they tightened their own lines of defense. The planets on the furthest reaches of the Empire were being left without defense against any oncoming attacks. Deathcry did not like to do it, but as Majestrix she knew the needs of the Empire as a whole must be given greater consideration than the potential well being of a few outlying planets.

She turned to look at herself in a full-length mirror. 'Old,' she thought, 'I'm starting to look old.' Lines were beginning to show in her face and her purple hair was streaked with grey. Her once proud physique was now becoming soft with the excess of rule. There was simply no time for her to work out, let alone engage in battle.

An alert signal beep-booped in her chambers. "Go ahead," she ordered, tired.

"Majestrix, Glimmer Girl has just exited her debriefing," one of the Praetorian reported. "You requested to be made aware the second-"

"Yes, yes," Deathcry waved her hand to the empty room. "Has she been cleared?"

"Yes," the guard replied. "We have found no evidence of Kree tampering, though our suspicions remain high."

"Return her Guardsman uniform to her," the Majextrix ordered sternly. "And bring her to the Senate Gardens. I will meet with her at once. That is all."

Deathcry was disgusted; she knew full well what the "debriefing" entailed when a Shi'ar was returned to them in situations similar to Glimmer Girl's. Glimmer, although young and impetuous, had served with great honor during her short time in the Guard. Of the entire Guardsman rank, Glimmer was one of the few who Deathcry implicitly trusted. It was why she had been sent to Hala to observe the Intelligence,* and it was there she had nearly died fighting the Eternal leader, Ikaris.** It had been two months since Glimmer left Hala,*** two months spent being examined and tested by the Shi'ar military to determine whether the Kree had turned Glimmer against the Shi'ar. They had found nothing, apparently, and now it was up to Deathcry to determine what role, if any, Glimmer Girl would now play.

Her mind began to formulate a plan. Glimmer served alongside Moonstar and the Valkyrior several years back, if she remembered correctly. Perhaps she could be sent to Asgard; it would be a position of leadership but not one of prominence.

And if it put a needle in Ash'lin's back, so be it, she smiled.

The Majestrix returned her eyes to her image in the mirror. She'd aged fast over the years. There was no indication that was about to slow as she reached for a light garment before heading to the Senate Gardens.

* AGC 37: Embers of Hala, Part Two

** AGC 41: Embers of Hala, Part Six

*** See Tales of AGC 9 in Giant-Size AGC 4 for details.

EMPEROR VOG

SKRULLOS 2

"Five hundred troops? Unacceptable." Emperor Vog drank loudly from his cup of wine, then wiped the spillage off his face, and burped. He rubbed his growing stomach in contemplation. "It took the bastards two hundred years to find the Skrulls a replacement planet, all the while the Kree and Shi'ar treated our refugees as slaves, never once offering to house any Skrulls in Asgard, and using us to perform all sorts of dangerous spy missions, without ever fully compensating us for it, all the while taking for granted that we would remain loyal, yet never trusting us, feeding us, caring for us, housing us or finding us a place to live for three hundred years!"

Minister Jakool rolled his eyes at the tiny man on the throne, not assigning any weight to the outlandish rantings that passed for normal speech from Emperor Vog. He noted Vog was now wearing a new intricate purple, gold, and green ceremonial robe. The Emperor was showering in riches as the citizens ate day old food.

"I tell you what, Jakool," the Emperor roared from the seat that was too big for him, "you tell Balder to send me 500 of them fine Asgardian whores and he can have 1000 troops for all I care!"

Minister Jakool folded his hands inside his purple robe. "Finest Emperor," he said in his quiet, nearly monotone voice, "I needn't remind you that Balder is dead and Asgard, from all we have heard, does not possess any form of prostitution. I am certain, your eminence, that it must exist, but I find it highly-"

"Blaj blaj blaj!" Vog roared, throwing his cup at the minister. It missed, and crashed harmlessly against the wall. "I am a middle-aged Skrull in my prime," he said dourly, slumping back in his seat, "and yet I am forced to beg for my people. The Council has done us no favors, and now, suddenly, they want us to provide even more assistance. Let them rot, I say."

"Surely we can spare 500 troops, Emperor Vog. More and more come to our new home planet daily - the latest count puts us at six million, and the Kree and Shi'ar have provided 6,000 troops and infrastructure personnel to help us guard and build this world. Even Earth has been-"

"Do not be a Fooly Bob, Jakool, the Kree and Shi'ar are only here to spy on us. Once the Council disbands they shall seek to enslave us all." Vog folded his arms across his stomach. "They have treated us like cattle, Jakool, these past two centuries, moving us around in space ships, providing 'temporary' housing for us on Kree and Shi'ar homeworlds." Vog rubbed his temples, "Earth. Despicable planet." His voice dropped into a harsh whisper, "Always scheming are humans, but I have plans for them, oh yes."

Vog stepped angrily from his throne and walked across the barren room to look out on their new homeworld. "They give us this dusty rock, near the Dead Corner of Space, and expect us to sing their praises. Look at it, Jakool … nothing but green and orange rock everywhere you look. Disgusting."

Minister Jakool kept his position. "If it weren't for the Council, Emperor, we would likely all be dead. Thanos sought our eradication."

"Yes," Vog said, his voice relaxing, "that is true. Ah, Jakool," he sighed, turning to face the priest, "you are so young, and I am old. I have been Emperor of our people for almost a standard century, since before you were born. I have seen ten Super Skrulls come and go during my reign. It is sad. The Kree are allowed to have their class of Accusers, and the Shi'ar their Imperial Guard, but we have never been allowed to create a class of Super Skrulls. With all the wealth of the Council they give us only enough capital to survive, but not until now have they given us the means to rebuild our homeworld. Now that we are embroiled in some nonsensical War of Order and Chaos, they ask for 500 of our troops to be deployed in the Capital, but make no offer to allow us to create our race of super warriors. Why do you think this is?"

Jakool swallowed, not exactly sure what answer Vog was looking for. The Emperor had wildly changing mood swings and his punishment could be as cruel as his rewards were great. "I believe they don't trust us," the priest said slowly. "Because our Empire had been so scattered when the Eternal War started, and Thanos had forged an alliance with one of the three Skrulls who claimed to be the true Skrull Emperor, I believe the Kree and Shi'ar continue to use this against us."

"So true," Vog nodded. "Do you know why I stay in the Alliance when nothing would make me happier than to see the Kree and Shi'ar Empires burn to the ground?"

Jakool shook his head.

The Emperor snapped his finger and into the room came Skrull servants pushing four trays of hot, juicy food, followed by a gorgeous Kree and Shi'ar woman, each dressed in the finest silk robes of each Empire. They pulled a seven-foot tall gilded birdcage between them, and inside the cage was a human woman, dressed in black leather. "I have high ranking friends in both governments who keep sending me gifts." Vog turned to Jakool. "Yes, yes, there's the good of our people and all that," he waved his hand. "Thanos could never be trusted, and this Doom fellow …" Vog shivered. "Sex, drugs, and food, Jakool. That is what keeps me loyal to the Council." Jakool watched as a look of sadness descended upon his Emperor's face. "Not the highest ideals for an Emperor, I know, but worlds have been conquered or spared for less." Vog turned away from the priest and towards the woman in the cage. "You may send Asgard 300 Skrull soldiers, 100 workers, and 100 of our women. King William will not be pleased but that is not my concern."

Jakool watched, a dull feeling in his stomach, as Vog moved towards the cage. "They made me this way, you know," the Emperor said aloud as he started to circle the cage, his fingers running over the bars. "As bad as things are now, they are nothing compared to what they used to be. As a child I was a refugee on one of the Shi'ar's inner planets. I worked in the mines during the day, then served as entertainment in the evening for the planet's Governor. At first, we would put on shows for them, dressing up as clowns and court jesters, taking pies to the face or falling down for their amusement. They would order us around, Jakool, forcing us to use our shape-shifting abilities to look grotesque or horrific. We were living on grain and water as they feasted on riches beyond our imagining. When we were older … when we were older, they had other uses for our shapeshifting." The Emperor looked through the cage at Jakool. "I believe the Council fights for what is right, but that does not erase the memory of how we were treated. Abused by Kree and Shi'ar, ignored by Asgard, we fight alongside those who have not treated us as equals, and yet we must stay with them for they offer our only hope and because their cause is just."

Vog spit towards the woman in the cage. "What is your name, human?"

"Elektra," the woman spat back.

Vog's eyes stayed on the woman. "You are welcome to stay, Jakool, but I do not think a priest should see what I am going to do to my newest gift. By the by, I have decided you are to be Skrullos 2's first Minister of Defense. Try not to lose this planet."

Minister Jakool said nothing as he quickly turned and left the room.

THE SUPREME INTELLIGENCE

HALA

The Everything was not going as planned.

The Supreme Intelligence floated inside his new quarters inside his new palace. The Council had fulfilled their promise, helping to rebuild Hala quickly after the Three Day Civil War. While there was much work still to be done, the tenets of Kree society were already standing anew. The Skrull leadership was furious that Hala’s reconstruction had been fast-tracked when they had waited so long, but they had so little to offer the Council in return that their complaints failed to ignite any compassion.

Now they had their homeworld, a dustball of a planet at the edge of the Dead Corner. It was the Skrulls own fault, the Intelligence believed. Their insistence on a sizeable planet, uninhabited by other "intelligent" life forms, and far away from the other homeworlds had made it difficult.

They had been useless for centuries, and would remain as such, the Supremor believed. Emperor Vog had all the characteristics of the corrupt Emperors of the bloated Roman Empire, and none of the political or military skill of the great Emperors. The Skrulls, with their shape-shifting abilities, were perhaps the most dangerous of all races in the Council, but Vog and his predecessors had given no indication over the centuries of knowing what to do with that vast power.

The Shi’ar were as predictable as the Kree themselves. Deathcry had proven to be a skilled Majestrix, balancing the imperialistic desires of the empire alongside their duty to the Council. Given her former closeness to Captain America, Dani Moonstar, and now Beta Ray Bill from her days as an Avenger, the Majestrix had been careful to stay the course of her predecessors, allaying the fears of the Shi’ar imperialists who believed she might bend the knee of the empire.

The Shi’ar and the Kree were the rocks of the Council. Both knew this, which is why they allowed Asgard to lead.

The wildcard was Earth. The small globe, with more raw power than any planet in the Everything, had always struggled with the disconnect between the heroes and the governments of the world. Yes, the Intelligence mused, the heroes of Earth were wildly moralistic, always putting the now ahead of the future, while the governments were concerned, as was the right of all governments, primarily with their own safety and interests.

Earth had been the absent partner of the Council on and off since the Council’s inception, yet held a strong presence at the table with Captain America and Dani Moonstar who, while not acting on Earth's behalf, always acted with concern for the world that had turned its back on them in the wake of Ascension / Abandonment.*

* See AGC 23-29: Ascension / Abandonment for complete details.

The thought of the Captain brought a smile to the Supreme Intelligence’s bloated face. He had orchestrated the stripping of power and title of Cosmic Protector from the American, and the elevation of Ben-Vell Parker to the role. The Kree now held two seats on the Council, Kovar and Ben-Vell.

Ben-Vell Parker.

The future of the Kree people.

There would be no force in the Everything, the Intelligence promised himself, that could save the Parker boy if he dared turn against the Kree.

The Supremor’s mind, however, came again to the return of Doom, which, while not unexpected in itself, brought new problems to the fore. Doom was a far superior tactician to Thanos. The Supreme Intelligence even allowed himself the admittance that he felt a tinge of jealousy. If Order had wanted a leader to reconstruct the Everything, why hadn’t Order come to him? Why free Doom from his prison cell, deep within the heart of Chronopolis?

But then, the Intelligence smiled, Order’s loyalty to Doom was no more certain than his own loyalty to the Council. Perhaps there was a larger role, yet, for the Kree to play in the end of existence …

UNITED LEAGUE OF NATIONS

EARTH

"The official request from Asgard," Rebecca Almond explained to the four Security Council members of the United League of Nations, "now stands at 375 soldiers and 125 infrastructure personnel."

The Security Council room was circular and sealed away from the public deep in the basement of the ULN headquarters in New York City. Miss Almond stood before four large rectangular screens that were positioned in a semi-circle. Framed in gold, each screen held a black silhouette on a grey screen. The silhouettes represented the ULN Ambassador of each of the four superpower regions on the planet: United American States, Pacific China, Soviet Europe, and the Confederation of Desert Kingdoms. As the liaison to the Earth Ambassador to the Asgardian Council, Rebecca had been in this room several times, but the monotone voices, all altered to sound exactly the same, still unnerved her.

The CDK Ambassador spoke first. "Will we be financially compensated for this loss of manpower?"

"No," Rebecca answered honestly.

"What benefit would this move be to us, then?" the UAS Ambassador asked. "We lose the ability to defend our planet and gain nothing in return."

Miss Almond was ready for this line of reasoning, having asked King William the same question. "It strengthens our overall outer defenses, Ambassador. Asgard has many access roads to Earth, so naturally a weakened Asgard allows greater access to our planet. During the Eternal War this was less pressing an issue because it wasn't believed Thanos gave Earth any special consideration in his plan to destroy the Everything. But now, with the return of Dr. Doom, we believe Earth will be high on his priority list."

"This does not answer the question, Miss Almond," the same monotone voice droned, this time from the PC Ambassador. "We need a more direct benefit."

"All member races are being given the same request," she countered.

"Miss Almond," the SE Ambassador said harshly, "your job is to facilitate what is best for Earth. If you cannot fulfill-"

"King William has offered us the locations of all entry points between Asgard and Earth as a sign of good faith," Miss Almond said confidently. "While not a financial gain, I think that knowledge will more than satisfy the needs of the ULN."

Rebecca stood in silence for several long minutes. The Ambassadors, she knew, were now talking amongst themselves. At last, the SE Ambassador said, "That will suffice. The troops will be taken from the ULN security force as follows:

"Two-hundred and fifty Force Works commandos, under the command of General Edward Rhodes.

"One-hundred and twenty-five X-Force shock troops, under the command of Igor Rasputin.

"One-hundred and twenty-five SHIELD operatives, under the command of Agent Rosalind Gyrich."

"Thank you, Ambassadors," Rebecca said before she turned and left the Security Council, leaving the Ambassadors behind.

There was silence in the room for a few moments, then the PC Ambassador spoke, "You may reveal yourself now, Skrull 4."

An invisible man walked to the center of the room, revealing himself as he went. "Ambassadors," he said, bowing slightly. Emperor Vog sends his regards."

"Does Asgard deal honestly in this matter?" the UAS Ambassador asked.

Skrull 4 answered honestly. "We were not requested to send any infrastructure personnel, though the Emperor intends to send Asgard a comparable number to what Earth is sending. The Kree and Shi'ar have been asked for only an optional 50 infrastructure operative."

The CDK Ambassador asked, "Do you have word on our proposal, 4?"

Skrull 4 nodded. "I do. Emperor Vog recognizes the thrust of your proposal, that the Kree and Shi'ar have our two worlds at a disadvantage because of their technological and economic superiority, and welcomes an alliance between Earth and Skrullos 2, outside the knowledge of the Council." Skrull 4 took each screen in turn. "The Emperor also accepts your terms as stated: you will have access to Skrull technology, and Vog will have access to Earth's resources, and terraforming capabilities. We have lived too long in space ships, and while our weaponry and space technology is far superior to Earth's, we have lost knowledge of the soil. Access to your vegetation and animal population, and assistance from your scientists that specialize in these areas will help us build Skrullos 2 into a vibrant world."

"What of the refugees?" the SE Ambassador asked.

"The refugees allocated here over the past six months will remain and serve as a labor force. Additional citizens will be sent to assist your governments in the build-up of weaponry."

"Does Emperor Vog have any amendments to our offer?" the UAS asked.

"Unofficially, yes," Skrull 4 replied. "He does not want it attached to the main treaty, but he would look upon it as a personal favor and sign of goodwill if you were to send to him a diverse mixture of 100 Earth women to serve in his harem, as well as an additional $20 million dollars of your finest drugs, with a heavy concentration of Wisconsin cocaine."

"That can be arranged," the PC answered, "but does Vog offer anything in return?"

Skrull 4 nodded. "I will assassinate any one human you wish."

Silence. Then the UAS asked, "Does the assassination have to be done now?"

"No, it can be done at the time of your choosing."

"Tell us, Skrull 4," the SE implored, "have you grown too attached to any of the various humans that reside on Asgard to kill them? Cable or Dani Moonstar, perhaps?"

"The will of my people is all that concerns me," he answered icily. "This pact between our two worlds benefits us at a time the other Council worlds have turned their back on us. For 200 years they have treated us unfairly while I, the mightiest Skrull warrior, sat at the Council table and humbly took the scraps they offered." He paused to regain his composure. "I have a fondness for Moonstar, I allow; she has never done me or my people wrong. But if I am ordered to kill her … the job will be done."

"Very well, Skrull 4," the CDK informed him. "We will sign the treaty and make arrangements for Emperor Vog's off-the-record request to be fulfilled."

A tray slid from the bottom of the PC Ambassador's screen, holding a red gem. "Take this device. When the time comes to kill, it will glow a bright red. Do not hesitate. Reveal this information to no one, including either Miss Almond or Cable."

Skrull 4 pocketed the gem inside his brown robe. "And my target is whom?"

The UAS Ambassador replied, "Captain America."

Skrull 4 nodded. "Understood."

THE PLAYERS to be continued …

The Everything was not going as planned.

Y G G D R A S I L

comments to bousquet22@earthlink.net

Mark Bousquet

15 February 2003

Northern Bear Productions