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UNTOLD TALES OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE
*DECLARATION:* I am the Recorder. Crafted by the Colonizers of Rigel, I have travelled the universe, observing and, indeed, recording events of great cosmic importance, that they may be preserved for all time. *OBSERVATION:* A number of years ago, I did accompany the Thunder God, Thor, and his valliant companions, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, on the ODIN QUEST, a journey across the universe in search of the missing monarch of Asgard.* [*As recounted in the pages of THOR during 1976-77, up through #263 -- Van] *STATEMENT:* Until now, some of the adventures the Asgardians and I participated in have remained... untold. At first I believed that perhaps the Asgardians were simply awed by the enormous powers they witnessed at work... That perhaps I, the Recorder, simply lacked the ability, until now, to fully process the raw data my receptors were bombarded with. I have recently come to realize that there was more at work than simple collective amnesia. *RESOLUTION:* Now, that situation will be rectified. For now, I present-- an UNTOLD TALE of THE MIGHTY THOR: WHOM THE GODS DESTROY! The Starjammer * plied the great cosmic sea, its Viking ship appearance concealing a vessel of vast power, constructed in immortal Asgard itself, and imbued with the power of flight and star travel. [Yes, that really was the name of the Asgardians' ship-- see for example THOR #261-- and not to be confused with Corsair's vessel in X-MEN. --Van] At the helm stood Thor himself, son of Odin, lord of the thunder and lightning. At Thor's side stood his true love, the brave and beauteous lady Sif, her long black tresses blowing in the cosmic wind, her hand resting as ever on the hilt of her sword. Behind these two, leaning against the railing and in awe of the majestic vistas before them, stood the Warriors Three: dashing Fandrall, blond-haired master of the sword; grim Hogun, the sullen-eyed wielder of the mace; and voluminous Volstagg, the rotund and good-natured oaf with a heart of gold. Accompanied by the sentient Rigellian humanoid construct, the Recorder, this party, five Asgardian heroes of mythic stature, had taken leave of their home and traveled out into the cosmic wastes in search of their missing liege lord, almighty Odin. The journey thus far had been an arduous one. Grand adventures lay behind them, and indeed, ahead of them. Tired from their harrowing journey, they had settled into a quiet routine, Thor manning the wheel as the others watched for any signs of trouble. At that moment... "Observation," the Recorder stated in his flat, unemotional manner. "I sense a focus of enormous cosmic energies approaching." The Asgardians glanced from the Recorder to the space all around them. "What mean you, Recorder?" Fandrall asked. "Dost thou sense danger approaching?" "If so, brave Fandrall," Volstagg interjected, "tis good that valorous Volstagg be here to lend his strong right arm in defense of the Starjammer!" Fandrall rolled his eyes. "Aye, vast one-- thy girth truly shall obscure the rest of our party from the enemy's sight!" Thor stepped down from the helm and leaned against the rail, peering out into the darkness. "In truth, Recorder, mine eyes spy no menace in yon heavens. Art thou certain that--" "THERE!" Hogun's shout brought the others about, to gaze across the other side of the ship, and there witness a tiny sparkle of light which swiftly grew into a glittering orb. "Thine eyes be as sharp as ever, grim one," Thor muttered, clearly unhappy with what he saw. "What is it, beloved?" Sif asked. Fandrall nodded. "Aye, thunderer-- if tis a foe we face, grant us some bit of knowledge concerning his nature!" "Declaration: This vessel is known to me," the Recorder stated. "Indeed," Thor growled. "Tis known to many, across the universe. And to
many more, who do now dwell in Hela's dark domain. Tis the star-spanning vessel of none
other than-- The approaching vessel swelled to gargantuan proportions, a vast silvery sphere, passing the Starjammer by as it raced towards a nearby planet. As the Asgardians watched, the ship took up orbit. Thor sighed heavily. "Verily, I do shudder at the thought of the fate which surely awaits the inhabitants of yonder world." "Observation: Galactus has selected that world as a potential source for the replenishment of his energies." The Warriors Three frowned at one another. "Then-- Galactus means to do harm unto that fair planet?" Fandrall asked. "Yon enigmatic titan is known to many as the 'World Devourer," Thor replied. "He will suck the very life energies from a world, and leave it desolate and dead in his wake." "By the All-Father's beard-- this cannot be!" Fandrall stalked to the stern of the ship, leaning out as if to touch the world Galactus's ship now orbited. "Can we do nothing to prevent this catastrophe?" Thor frowned, met Sif's eyes, glanced at the Recorder. The Recorder performed a series of mental calculations and replied, "Evaluation: Though you five Asgardians are indeed mighty beings, your power pales before that of the World Devourer. Galactus cannot and perhaps should not be deflected from his own natural course." "I care not for thy cold calculations, Recorder," the lady Sif snapped. "If we be fair and just gods, surely we must at least... try." Thor glanced from Sif to the Recorder to the other three warriors. He ran a muscular hand over his jaw. Finally, he reached a decision. "Though it pains me to pause in the quest for mine own glorious sire, tis true enow that we must at least make an effort to save yon world from Galactus's ravages." The others nodded bravely. Sif wrapped an arm around Thor and squeezed. The Recorder said nothing, merely continued to peer into the distance, keeping his council, for now, his own.
***** The Starjammer swooped down over the lush green hills of a world surely counting off its last few seconds of life. Following the Recorder's directions, Thor steered the ship over mountain and sea, until: "Declaration: I detect a vast source of the power cosmic just beyond the next mountain range. Surely that is the site of Galactus and his deadly energy-siphoning machinery." The Starjammer lofted over the mountains and back down into a broad valley, only to find: "By Heimdall's eye! Surely that is not Galactus!" Before them stood a colossus of a size greater even than Galactus had ever before, at least to Thor's knowledge, attained. While somewhat reminiscent of the World-Devourer, at least in terms of superficial appearance, this being exhibited no signs of the humanity which shone through the purple garb of Galactus. This being seemed entirely mechanical, yet at the same time brimming over with the fires of creation. The Asgardians were reduced to silence for a long moment as their craft sailed around the valley. As they stared, they noticed an enormous dome, much larger even than the giant himself, positioned on the valley's far side. "Recorder, if thou knowest anything about yon being, twould be meet for thou to sharest with us, immediately." The Recorder nodded. "Declaration: I am indeed familiar with this being and his others of his kind, though I am loathe to confront one again." "Observation: This is a Celestial, one of a race of beings as old as the very universe. They it was who spread the seeds of life across worlds beyond numbering, in times long past. Now, they have returned to judge the worlds they helped create." "Judge them?" "Declaration: Indeed. Their many hosts visit worlds across the universe, observing for fifty years the sentient races which have taken root from their seeds, and judging their worthiness. At the end of that fifty years, they are judged and either declared worthy, or... destroyed." Thor frowned. "And how often dost the Celestials find a race worthy?" "Statement: To this date... Never." The Asgardians glanced at one another nervously. Thor nodded slowly. "Twould seem this world doth face quite a grim fate indeed." As the Asgardians debated their best course of action, Hogun suddenly interrupted their deliberations. "My friends-- look! Yon giant doth-- move!" Indeed, the glittering white Celestial which occupied the valley's center had raised an enormous arm and now pointed upwards. Strange cosmic energies swirled about his hand, then blasted upwards into the sky in a blazing bolt of light, deafening in its roar. As if in reply, a rain of purple bolts of energy rained down , deflecting harmlessly from the surface of the Celestial and the dome. The Starjammer, on the other hand, responding to Hogun's deft touch, bobbed and weaved in order to avoid the barrage of deadly beams. "Observation: The Celestials are aware of Galactus's arrival." "Methinks thou speakest most truthfully, Recorder," Thor replied. At that moment, a small, grayish shape sped over the horizon, landing with a thud at the feet of the Celestial. "By my father's beard," Thor gasped. "The Destroyer!" As the Asgardians watched, the erstwhile defender of Asgard, now animated in the service of Galactus, strode forward to confront the mammoth space god. The Destroyer stood scarcely taller than the Celestial's toe, yet when he rared back and unleashed a blow with his armored fist, the Celestial did react. The space god looked down and seemed to study the tiny creature which dared assault him. At that moment, something the Asgardians found simply incomprehensible happened. The white Celestial shifted his foot ever so slightly, and the Destroyer, a being possessing the power to wreck the Golden Realm or battle Thor nigh unto death, tumbled head over heels away like a child's toy. Seemingly satisfied, the Celestial returned to his previous pose. The Asgardians looked on in stunned silence, save a muted, "Zounds!" from Volstagg. At length, Thor turned to the others. "My friends, methinks we must confront Galactus directly, and do so with all haste. For he and the Celestials both have laid claim to this world, and clearly, it will not long survive the contention betwixt them." ***** The Starjammer curved through space until it caught up to the great gleaming vessel of Galactus. "I am signalling yon ship as best I can," grim Hogun reported, "but in sooth I knowest not whether my signal is received or no." "Then take us alongside," Thor ordered. "For we have little enow time already, without the pomposity of Galactus bringing us to disaster." The Starjammer navigated alongside the orb. "Closer, grim one! Make use of thine vaunted skills and bring us closer!" "Aye, thunder god-- if closer thou wantest it, closer thou wilt have it!" The Starjammer sidled up tightly alongside the ship, and Thor lifted his hammer, brought it back, and then swung it around in a broad blow. Wha-BOOM!!! The hull of Galactus's ship rent asunder, peeling back beneath so unexpected an impact. "Quickly now-- before the World-Devourer can seal yon breach!" The Asgardians and the Recorder-- pausing only to help shove Volstagg through the breach-- clambered aboard Galactus's ship. Behind them, the ship's automatic systems closed the wound in the hull and sealed it tight again. "Be careful, my friends," Thor advised. "Surely, Galactus's ship will be protected by numerous safeguards and nefarious devices." "Then tis fortunate valiant Volstagg doth accompany thy party, thunder god, for surely, even mighty Galactus might pause before daring to assault the body of the lion of Asgard!" "Aye, friend Volstagg," Fandrall replied, "tis most unlikely he would wish to spare the time t'would take to assault a body as vast as thine!" Indeed, the intrepid Asgardians had scarcely traveled far when a figure rushed towards them with blazing speed, from out of the dark depths of the ship. "Stand ready, my friends," Fandrall warned,"for yon demon attacks with a speed to rival e'en that of Fandrall's own flashing blade!" The Asgardians and the Recorder fanned out, at the ready, but nothing could prepare them for the blazing ferocity of the being's attack. It crashed into Hogun and drove him into the bulkhead, then, an instant later, had ducked in under Fandrall's sword and smashed him to the deck. As the figure paused momentarily to seek its next target, Thor got a look at it-- at its greenish coloring, its hunched-over form, its grim face, and its strange, goggles-on-the forehead cranial design. "In sooth, my friends, I do recognize this creature. Tis known to those of Midgard* as the 'Punisher from Beyond.'" [Midgard = Earth. --Van] "Declaration: The Punisher from Beyond is known on many worlds, as one of the primary weapons of planetary pacification in Galactus's arsenal-- OOOF!" The Recorder's declaration was interrupted as the Punisher rocketed into him, pummelling him with a barrage of lightning-fast blows." "Then tis time the Punisher himself was punished!" Thor swung his hammer about him, lightning and wind surging into existence all about his towering figure. Then, as the Punisher disengaged itself from the Recorder and raced towards him, he let the hammer fly. Like a missile, it struck the alien construct head-on, driving the big robot back with a thunderous Ka-BOOOM!! Sif, her sword in one hand, helped the others up as Thor caught his mystically-returning hammer. The Punisher struggled to pull itself up from the deck, then seemed to hesitate, as if sizing up its competition anew. "Verily, thunderer, thou hast given him pause to reconsider his brash actions," Fandrall commented as he brushed off his green garments. "Or perhaps," Volstagg interjected as he crept out from behind a bank of machinery, "he has detected the presence of valiant Volstagg among this assembl--YIIII!!" The Punisher had hurled itself with unbelievable speed upon Volstagg, even as he spoke, and the combined weight of the two sent them both smashing through a bulkhead and into the next compartment. The Asgardians and the Recorder rushed through the gaping hole in pursuit-- --only to come to a sudden halt, in surprise, as they gazed up at the towering, purple-clad figure filling most of this huge chamber. Thor nodded grimly. "Galactus!" Sif looked at the thunder god. "My love, this-- this being..." Her eyes were wide. "You surely cannot think to reason with one such as him?" Thor's eyes narrowed as he peered up at the World-Devourer. "Reason with him I shall, fair one--" and at that, Thor spun his hammer about, lightning flaring all about, "--or else, destroy him utterly, for all time!" Galactus paused in his work and peered down at the Asgardians, tiny insects far below him. "If you think to destroy Galactus, little god," he rumbled, his giant, purple-gloved hand reaching down, cosmic energies crackling about it, of a size to dwarf Thor's own lightning bolts, "then you are certainly welcome to try."
*****
NEXT ISSUE: GALACTUS vs the CELESTIALS-- with THOR in the middle! |