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

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

She rolls her eyes. He's welcome to suffer.

"I know exactly when and how I'm going to die. This isn't it. The kid's probably immortal." She nods towards Morph. "But the Timebroker will sacrifice and replace the rest of you just like he did Alison."

Raven lights another cigarette. "There. Feel better?"

She turns to Grimm. "It's your world. You have any more ideas?"

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

A squint towards Raven.

She knows when she's going to die? What does that mean? How could she?

[uneasy-rider.livejournal.com]

The Rider looks to Sara and Bucky. They always seem to have a plan.

[nuttinbeatsrock.livejournal.com]

The future is...

"Yeah." Grimm says, looking over at Spider-Man for a moment, before cracking his knuckles. "Yeah, I does." He can't even bring himself to be mad at Doom. He just feels kind of...numb. He pulls an envelope out of his pocket, and hands it to Spider-Man. "Give this t'Reed, if youse gets a chance t'see'em."

The General steps forward, then, looking up at the sky and cupping his hands over his face. "HEY! PALOOKA! BEN GRIMM'S GOTTA PROPASITION FOR YAS!"

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

"What the shock are you doing?!" Spider-Man barks, taking the envelope and sliding it into a near-invisible pouch on his costume. Handy future innovations with unstable molecules.

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

"He's doing what he can to survive," Patriot sighs. His expression is one of shock and horror.

"Because everyone else on the planet is about to die to feed Galactus."

[nuttinbeatsrock.livejournal.com]

"No, they ain't." Ben Grimm insists quietly, looking up at the sky and waiting for his answer.

[marvel-cosmic.livejournal.com]

General Grimm hasn't long to wait - the theft of the Ultimate Nullifier has most certainly attracted Galactus's attention.

"Who dares intrude upon the World-Ship of Galactus?"

His voice echoes through the whole ship as he floats downward to the floor of the chamber, alien eyes staring down at the arrogant insects before him.

[wwii-hero.livejournal.com]

His eyes narrow. Now he gets it.

"You're going to make the Surfer's deal. Ben... it's got a cost. It's probably worth it, but know that it's got a cost."

[nuttinbeatsrock.livejournal.com]

"I dunno no surfer, ask Johnny." Grimm mutters to Bucky, only really half conscious of what the guy's saying as he steps forward.

"I do. I'm Benjamin J. Grimm, da'idol a'millions." The irony is probably lost on Galactus, but Ben needs the sense of familiarity. "These kids dunno who th'fruitcake inna toga was what stole your nillifier, so I'd take it assa kindness if youse wouldn't blame 'em."

Grimm takes a deep breath, and continues, "Look, I ain't gonna judge you, okay? People gotta eat, and youse happens t'eat planets. But why this one? Did we do somethin to yas? Do you needs people to be livin on it? I ain't the scientist...any of the eggheads I used t'work for are, but 'living planet' seems kinda vague."

[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.."

[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."

[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."