After far too long, Captain Marvel

#105

Pariah!

Part I

The claxons go off fast, blaringly so, but Genis-Vell was already stirred to waking instants earlier then the alarms going off throughout his home on Titan. Awakened by his ever omniscient Cosmic Awareness.

"What the? What are THEY doing here?" he asks aloud as a flash of light envelops him, changing his lightweight sleeping attire into his uniform. The Uniform of Captain Marvel!

He flies through his doorway into the hallway of the palace, his ever-present photon trail arcing away behind him. Instantly he finds and flies to Mentors side.

"What do they want?" he asks the Leader of Titan.

"We will both find out shortly, Young Genis."

"Isaac, please show us what is transpiring outside our very doors as it were." Mentor commands

"As you wish Mentor." The computer known as Isaac answers.

Instantly a view of the space out side of Titan comes into sharp focus, as war ships of several different designs ring the moon of Saturn.

"Kree, Skrull, Shiar among them. All armed for battle, interesting." Mentor matter of factly comments. "Isaac, let us ask them what they want."

"As you wish Mentor." The holographic image of the computer’s human-like visage answers.

Instantly a similar image of Isaac, two thousand feet tall appears in space between the vessels, dwarfing most of them, then on all channels and in all languages in its data base, Isaac speaks: "Greetings and welcome to Titan. Do not arm your weapons or we will consider it an act of aggression and will react accordingly. State what it is you are doing here and what you would like of the Titans, please."

The Shiar are the first to reply, as the Captain of that vessel begins to speak before any of the others, "We have come for the murderer, Genis-Vell, known to you as Captain Marvel. He is to be tried for crimes against the universe."

"What the hell?" Genis blurts out in shock, as he stands next to Mentor, and the just arrived Eros, known also as the Avenger Starfox.

"Relax Gen, let’s see what this is all about." Eros answers.

"Explain what you are talking about, Shiar." Mentor orders.

The Shiar Captain meets Mentor’s steely gaze with one of his own, then a holo image begins to play before them all, an image of a star cruiser, filled with vacationers and suddenly under attack.

"Hey, I know that ship." Genis blurts out.

"So you admit to the crime then." This time from the Kree ship, as a blue skinned warrior wearing a Captains uniform narrows his eyes at Genis over the comm link.

"What crime? What are you maniacs talking about?"

"This crime." The Skrull dignitary answers from his own ship, as suddenly the cruise ship explodes and Captain Marvel can be seen flying away from the wreckage.

"What? I saved that ship from some pirates a few weeks back, with the help of some displaced Earth heroes from another dimension." *

* See issue 102

"Lies! You destroyed that cruise ship, killing all aboard."

"Gentlemen", Mentor interjects, "I beg your indulgence. For what reason would Genis-Vell, who is known as the ‘Protector of the Universe Entire’ destroy a cruise ship filled with partygoers? This man has saved the Universe on many occasions in his young life already. You all know as well as I that this man is a hero."

"Bah, his father was a traitor and so is he. The faknar doesn’t fall far from the ghorn we Kree say."

"Watch your tongue where he and his late father are concerned, Kree. Both are held in high esteem here on Titan." Eros orders, his face grim.

"The Kree do not care, our enmity with both the Shiar and the Skrull have been put aside for this matter." The Kree officer points at Genis from his bridge as he raises his voice "That man is a threat to the universe and we WILL have him in chains! Either give him to us or we will come take him, and we will tear your planetoid apart to do it!"

"You make threats, Kree, but you should still your tongue. The people of Titan are known as Gods for a reason, we are not without defenses of our own, not the least of which are these two men." Mentor states, with anger now growing at the edges of his sentences.

Suddenly two figures appear in nimbuses of light, teleported in amidst the many vessels ringing Titan.

"The Destroyer and Firelord!" The Shiar Commander exclaims in shock!

"Yes, our planetary defenders. Either is singly a mighty force to be reckoned with, but together, well I would recommend withdrawing now, all of you." Mentor finishes.

"No." The Skrull General answers. We will not withdraw. What the murderer did cannot be excused. He must be punished for his crimes."

"Crimes? What crimes? I told you I saved that Cruise ship from those pirates." Genis answers, now getting angry himself.

"Really. That event aside, how do you then explain this?" The Skrull continues.

Another image fills the holo screen before Genis, Eros and Mentor, an image of a planet exploding, crushed by unseen forces as its star nova’s, and Genis’s ship, the ‘Rapier Wit’ streaks away.

"Oh no." Genis breathes. Instantly Mentor shuts down the comm link.

"What is that Genis?" Mentor orders.

"T-that was that planet I told you about. The one where everyone had ‘Hulk’ level strength, but were destined to grind the Universe under their heels in some future century.*"

*See our last two issues.

"But what I want to know is how they got any video of that happening? That planet was alone in a backwater galaxy. The Cosmic Beings who judged that planet found it to be a threat to the universe on a scale of an unbelievable level. But the bottom line is how did they get a vid of that? No one knew where that planet was hidden."

Eros looks at Genis then at his father before speaking. "Someone did."

"Yes and that someone just presented that information to set you up for one of the worst galactic crimes in the history of the universe." Mentor adds while stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Mentor." Isaac interjects, "Those that have approached us are attempting contact again."

"Very well. This situation is quickly growing out of hand. Genis prepare to leave."

"Where is he going?" a new, female voice asks from behind them. All three men turn towards the sound of Elysius’s voice and her question hangs in the air between them.

"Mother." Genis states simply.

"What is happening here?" She demands, her voice rising in pitch.

"Explain it to her Uncle Eros." Genis tells Starfox. "Mom, I have to get going. There’s enough firepower out there to destroy this world."

"Genis, no!" She retorts. "We need you here, we can defeat them all, we’re Eternals, a race of Gods, and you are more even then that!"

"That is not the point Elysius." Mentor interrupts,
"Captain Marvel must be free to find those that have sullied his name, and seek to make him responsible for crimes he has not committed."

"He’s right Elysius." Eros adds, "Genis has to find whoever or whatever it is that’s trying to frame him. We’ll do what we can here, but only Genis has the best chance of facing his accusers and finding out the truth about what is happening here. He is the Universal Protector. This time it seems, he must protect himself."

She turns towards her son. "I understand, be careful, Genis. Do what you must. Go; find those that have tried to make you a villain. Battle them, defeat them. But for now we will teach these defilers in space above us why we are called Titans!"

Out in space the towering image of Isaac stands behind the Destroyer and Firelord, both of whom stand ready for battle.

"You will all depart Titanian space immediately." Isaac orders, "This is the only warning you will receive. To do otherwise, will result in grievous harm to you all. You have been warned."

"YOU do not command us, android! You will surrender the murderer to us now, or we will take him from the burned husk of your world." The Shiar representative replies angrily.

"Very well. You were given a chance, but that chance has now passed." Isaac replies.

The visage of Isaac fades, as the ships in space begin to close in on Titan. Between them hover Firelord and Drax the Destroyer.

"These fools do not understand what a boon was granted to them."

"No Firelord, they do not. Let us show them how paltry their weapons are against those that dwell on this world."

As one the two cosmic beings attack, The Destroyer sweeping right and Firelord sweeping left, each releasing immense blasts of Cosmic energy as they do!

Aboard the assembled star cruisers the various Captains all react similarly raising their shields or enforcing them and then returning fire on the two powerhouses who dart about the mammoth vessels, punching holes into their energy shields non-stop!

Beneath Titan’s surface, Mentor grimly orders Isaac. " Now Isaac, prepare all defensive systems and begin to return fire upon them."

"As you command, Mentor." The holographic android replies.

On the surface of Titan, an area roughly the size of New York State suddenly shakes and rises from the planets surface, revealing a dished surface, hundreds of miles across. On stanchions a half-mile around the great dish rotates and locks into position, aimed directly at the lead Shiar vessel. Only then does Mentor speak again.

"Vacate these coordinates immediately, all of you. I am being magnanimous at the moment and am allowing you egress from Titanian space. But this is indeed your final warning. The Destroyer and Firelord have been merely playing with you all. They could decimate your fleet in moments, even without Captain Marvel adding his might to theirs, but the weapon I have unveiled on the surface of Titan can and will obliterate you all instantly, at my command. Leave and do not return, now. Take your proclamations and mad edicts with you as well."

The Kree Captain is the first to speak. "We will burn you all where you stand. This planet will be obliterated and the loss of life will be on your head, old fool."

"Very well then, bring the weapon to full power immediately." Mentor orders Isaac.

"As you wish, Mentor." The android replies.

On Titan’s surface the tremendous dish begins to hum and glow instantly as energy nimbuses around it, growing brighter and brighter.

Aboard the Shiar vessel the imperious Shiar representative orders: "Fire on that weapon destroy it before it can be brought to bear!"

For once the warring factions of the universe are in agreement as they fire upon the dish, but all their weapons and firepower merely disappear against the energies splaying across the dish’s surface.

But that is not the various Commanders only problems as Drax and Firelord continue to attack their ships.

"Prepare to board that planetoid, I want fully armed transport teams beneath that worlds surface immediately." The Kree Captain shouts.

Transporters hum across all the ships as fully armed warriors disappear and then reappear beneath Titans planetary crust from all the assembled ships.

What the warriors find there is decidedly NOT to their liking, and a complete surprise.

Creatures, Griffins actually, half Eagle, Half Lion as far as the eye can see all stand behind a single woman. The beasts huff and paw at the ground savagely, steam filling the air from their powerful beaks.

"You invaders have made an error. A very heinous error, several of them actually. First you accuse my son, Captain Marvel, of a terrible crime, then; secondly, you attack my home and actually seek to forcibly remove him from this world. Mind you, he needs no help from his mother, that is not the point here. I know he could have dispatched you all easily."

Several of the warriors harumph and grumble at that, but Elysius continues anyway.

"Your final error is actually stepping foot inside Titan as if you ever have a chance of leaving again. You have been given numerous chances to turn around and leave. This will not be another of them."

She turns towards her beasts and merely points her hand at the warriors, and the Griffins attack as one, screeching and shrieking as laser blasts fill the air about them. But their toll is a terrible one as claws that can rend steel shred flesh whether it be blue, green or avian. The Skrulls shape shift, becoming great beasts to battle the Griffins, dropping their weapons in the melee. Kree use personal force fields to ward off the beasts, but it is too little, too late. Elysius herself scrams savagely as she plunges a cruel blade into one warrior after another. Leaping from enemy to enemy using her powerful Eternal abilities to turn their weapons to useless putty in their hands as she does.

Even as Elysius’ creatures decimate the troops before her, Titans begin to join in the battle wielding numerous powers and abilities from great strength to energy manipulation and many others in-between. The battle has been joined all around the planetoid, both within Titan, and without!

Starfox turns towards Mentor; "They are inside our world now Father. It is time." He grimly states.

Mentor sighs resignedly "You are correct my son. It is. They were afforded every opportunity to leave and they ignored them all, then they landed on our sovereign soil, invaders all. They have made this decision themselves. May God judge us well." His finger touches a single glowing finger width dot on the screen before him and then that screen goes blank as it immediately darkens to protect everyone’s eyes!

In space the great dish fires its deadly beam, a swath of energy hundreds of miles across that disintegrates everything in its path! Starships simply cease to exist, some on the periphery of the blast are simply only half there when the blinding glow diminishes, huge sections of them blown away by the corona of the blast.

Several hours from now, long distance tracking stations on Earth will see the sudden explosion of energy and trigger alarms.

But deep in space one man watches, his face black, a portrait of the cosmos itself, reflecting the stars as he becomes one with them once more.

"I’ll find whoever is behind this, I promise I will. And when I do, he will know justice, and far, far more." Genis angrily swears, as he opens a wormhole and disappears within it instantly, flying at incalculable speeds towards destiny!

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Next: Wanted!