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

[certaindoom.livejournal.com]

Even Doom seems... no, "humbled" would never be the right word for Doom. Preoccupied, perhaps.

Still, his studies of this craft should prove sufficient as he pilots their transport toward the Taa, mystical energies cocooning them for protection.

"The arrogance of Galactus not to consider us a threat will be his downfall."

[proteus-maximus.livejournal.com]

"People in arrogant houses shouldn't throw arrogant stones, Vic. I just hope your ego can deflect plasma weapon fire."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Spider-Man's eyes are glued to the vidscreen.

"Holy shock. Holy shock."

This thing is titanic. The newness of outer space is left behind at the sight of this monstrosity.

"Holy shock."

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

She's seen and heard plenty about what transpired on the world of her birth, much of which had so much to do with Galactus. Even so, its hard to prepare for the reality.

"Yeah, that's about as good of words for it as any."

[certaindoom.livejournal.com]

Incredulity is for lesser minds.

Doom's craft begins to settle in, with a blueish glow coming from his optics, referencing the schematics of this massive ship to find the proper location for sliding in to board.

"Steel yourselves."

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

Sarah braces herself, readying to move for the door quickly once they settle in. "He has a ton of security devices - force fields, blasters, phase shifters... and then there's the Cat around somewhere. Stay really alert, I'll go out first."

[proteus-maximus.livejournal.com]

"The Cat? I remember him having giant robotic minions, but a cat?"

[marvel-citizens.livejournal.com]

The first of Galactus's defenders are quick to arrive on the scene - while humans may be beneath his notice, his robotic guardians are programmed to intervene against any sort of intrusion - no matter how slight.

Forcefields appear to encompass the invaders, trapping them in with the newly-arrived thirty-foot metallic watchmen.

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

"Why do they bother making those things humanoid if they're all geldings? I'd be a hell of a lot more scared if thirty robots with meter long erections tried to penetrate the ship."

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

Sarah is the first out, and goes right into defensive mode, really wishing the team had more bricks to help spread out the beating a little. But she'll do her job, which starts with protecting the ship, their way out, and let everyone else get out and to cover.

"I'm not sure whether the appropriate quip is asking how you can think of sex at times like this, or to ask whether you'd be scared or if you meant you'd be looking forward to it more."

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

Raven snorts. "I don't want to play the egg in their attempt to inseminate the ship with lasers and bullets. Gotta give the idea credit, though. It'd sure as hell make great psychological warfare. Director Shaw never gets that in my proposals..."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Giant Space Robots in a Giant Space Ship that wants to eat Earth.

"People who live this stuff daily! How do you beat these things?!"

The damn breathing apparatus is going to hamper his effectiveness a bit... as is the lack of air for his pseudo-cape to catch for gliding... as is the lack of meaningful gravity - god, don't throw up in the mask.

[certaindoom.livejournal.com]

Doom remains silent. Concentration, one phase at a time.

Testing the mettle of these dimensional exiles. Will they last more than a heartbeat while he prepares to weave a spell to escape this force-field trap?

Doom expects not.

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

With the path clear, Ghost Rider charges for it at full throttle.

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

It worked! Beating the robots was nice enough... but they did it by working as a team. If they hadn't, they'd still be fighting and probably a lot worse off. That alone energizes Sarah enough to ignore what injures she does have, flying to keep up with Ghost Rider.

"Careful through here. Anywhere in this place could be one big deathtrap."

[certaindoom.livejournal.com]

Doom knows this well.

He navigates his craft further into the Taa, as there's no shortage of space. This was not a craft contructed with tiny humans in mind.

Doom makes sure to stick with his fodder. Mildly impressive so far.

The approach to the chamber containing the Ultimate Nullifier is imminent.

[proteus-maximus.livejournal.com]

Morph keeps an eye out for danger.. well, several, really, in each direction.. but the really heavy security measures either haven't arrived or aren't coming.

"Maybe his giant robot budget was cut this year.."

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

Raven sighs. "It's happened three years in a row at S.H.I.E.L.D."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Spidey's back aboard Doom's craft, as he's paranoid that it's going to stop being breathable out there at any moment. Eyes focused straight ahead with his accelerated vision.

Waiting for the next round of cosmic death.

[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?"

[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.

[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."