Galactus's World-Ship

[exiles-extras.livejournal.com]

The enormous vessel has entered Earth's solar system - seemingly oblivious to all broadcast entreaties, it inexorably closes the distance to Earth. So insignificant to the ship's master are the beings of Earth that only the most perfunctory of the ship's defenses have been activated.

Comments

[marvel-cosmic.livejournal.com]

"Galactus must feed. Only certain planets meet the requirements for my consumption - and seeking them out consumes time and energy. The search leaves little room for selectivity."

If he were human, one might described his tone of voice as resigned.

[nuttinbeatsrock.livejournal.com]

"And I bet fightin off the understandibly desperate folks who'se try and stop yas takes up even more time an'energy." Ben rubs his chin, as if thinking this out on the fly. "Time an'energy ya could be usin to figger outta way to, I dunno, find somethin'else t'eat."

"Or play solitare, whatever." Grimm shrugs. "But, basicly, youse spend so much time findin'food an'dealin with the folks livin on said food that by the time youse is finished, you allready need another bite. Do I got the gist of it?"

[marvel-cosmic.livejournal.com]

Galactus inclines his head in a nod.

"Your understanding of the situation is adequate."

As he speaks, Galactus reaches out to the machinery in the room - perhaps reviewing the sensor logs of the double security breach of the Taa - but his attention is split between that and General Grimm.

The human intrigues him.

[nuttinbeatsrock.livejournal.com]

"So..." Ben swallows. "So, what if ya had help?"

"I mean, that's what I hadda do when my job got too big fer me. Got someone to help me out so I could focus on the stuff I was good at."

[marvel-cosmic.livejournal.com]

That definitely grabs Galactus's attention.

"It is an.. intriguing suggestion. What do you propose?"

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

Patriot places a hand on Ben's shoulder.

"Ben..."

He's not trying to dissuade him. He's just standing by his side.

This might not be his Ben, but it's close enough. On his world, Ben Grimm was one of his closest friends.

[nuttinbeatsrock.livejournal.com]

Ben Grimm looks down at the earth. The troubled earth led by troubled men who would, very soon, be reminded by Victor von Doom and his ilk that no society is perfect. And, maybe, Reed will wake up and remember that in order for the world to move forward, humans can't just sit on their duffs.

He wonders, idly, if the idiot'll be okay.

"I'll help ya. Even if we can't find many uninhabited planets, at least we can give 'em enough warnin to pack up and move." Ben states, "If you spare Earth, and if you promise to try your best t'find a fix to this problem'a yours."

"...I ain't sayin it's gonna be easy, Galactus." Ben concludes, looking the...whatever it is in what he hopes is its eye, "But if dere's one thing bein Reed Richards's friend for as long as I have has taught me, it's dat anythin's possible. Waddya say we give it a try?"

[proteus-maximus.livejournal.com]

Morph stands by Patriot.

"Without the Nullifier - I mean, this is the only other way I know of.."

[marvel-cosmic.livejournal.com]

"Your terms are acceptable, Benjamin Grimm. You will serve as my herald, then, to increase the efficiency of my feeding. And in so doing, you may strive to spare worlds such as your own - but Galactus's survival must come first. You may face difficult choices."

He stretches out a hand towards General Grimm.

"Do you accept these terms?"

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"I know," he mutters back. "And this might even be a better solution in the long run. But I don't have to like it."

[nuttinbeatsrock.livejournal.com]

Grimm looks behind him, to Bucky, and actually seems sort of...bashful. "Times like 'dis, I wish I had a girl back home or somethin' so I could go, 'Hey, say goodbye to' ... I dunno, 'Alicia', there, 'Say goodbye to Alicia fer me.'." Ben shrugs. "Side effect'a workin too much, I guess."

So, this is it. He might be the murderer of billions. And might, eventually, give Galactus the time he needs to not require those deaths. Is it worth it? Does he dare? Can he...not?!

Slowly, the hand moves forward. "Yeah." Ben says, finally. "Yeah, I do."

[marvel-cosmic.livejournal.com]

"So be it."

Energy arcs from Galactus's hand, transforming Benjamin Grimm - connecting him to the bottomless font of the Power Cosmic - and enclosing his body in a protective cloak reminiscent of his homeworld.

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

"I wish there was a better way, but I don't see one. And in the end, it might save billions of lives, even trillions. I'm sure the Silver Surfer did... that goes well beyond saving Earth... where, by the way, I doubt we're going to be any too popular here."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Spider-Man is not sure what's going on here... but he certainly has a pit in his stomach about it.

And Galactus... Galactus is so beyond the scope of his universe up to this point.

"This is... this is..."

He doesn't have words.

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

Raven gapes at the new Herald of Galactus.

"Grimm?" She shakes her head. "Is that you? It's like he's turned you into some kind of ... thing."

[nuttinbeatsrock.livejournal.com]

At first, it looks like the cocoon is sitting there; perhaps the transformation takes a signifigant amount of time, even as the horrible mist that marks transference of the Power Cosmic starts to waft away into the void.

And then, the cocoon moves. The stench of burning clay is suddenly overwhelming, as the rounded, neckless rock seems to have arms...legs...fingers, even. Those familiar with the mystic arts might think of a Mindless One, those familiar with religious myth might think of a golem, but that's not the cruel part. The cold, downright cosmically mean part of this transformation is revealed when that earth-shod behemoth opens his eyes...

...and they're the same piercing blues of General Benjamin J. Grimm. Just enough familiarity that he'll never be able to completly forget what he once was, and what he's become.

"...thing." The Thing grunts, his jaw almost cartoonishly shaped, his voice like an earthquake and a rave had some sort of terrible party, "...yeah. I...I guess dat fits."

[proteus-maximus.livejournal.com]

Morph remains hopeful. He's seen the outcomes for other heralds, and their transformations are sometimes, if rarely, undone.

"We'll let Reed know, Ben. Don't worry."

[marvel-cosmic.livejournal.com]

"Galactus must feed, and soon. Find a suitable world, Benjamin Grimm.."