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.

The homeland is not the land Doom loved anymore. It is as if he taught them nothing in his time as monarch, and they have happily begun to lap up the Richards doctrine like every other mongrel society willing to prostrate itself for the sake of new gadgetry ( Read more... )

Colonel Parker's crew of fools has been subjugated, and now Doom strides through the corridors, leading this motley assortment of fodder and strategically concealing the group from prying security eyes.

"Grimm," Doom says, in a condescending tone. "Do you have an adequate craft, or shall I summon my own?"

The entry door of the hallway to Doom's cell slides open - revealing a very triumphant-looking Colonel Peter Parker, accompanied by ten agents in SHIELD garb - some of whom are entering by crawling on the ceiling or the walls ( Read more... )

It is said that the level of civilization in a society can be judged by how it treats its prisoners, and in the Science Council's utopia, that seems to be very well, indeed. The common prisons are clean, efficient places focusing on rehabilitation - low recidivism rates and humane conditions ( Read more... )

Morph leads the way down through the Baxter Building, towards temporary quarters that have been prepared for the Exiles.

"Nice fellows, but that could've gone better. I mean, the only girls in there besides the ones we brought with us were Parker's goons. Also, I don't think they were convinced. That's probably important too."

The flight, as advertised, is brief - slightly less than four minutes to reach the Helicarrier, ahead of the final moments of sundown. A sturdy room is arranged for Roxy, while the others are ushered into a pleasant but perfunctory briefing room, while medical technicians flit about, looking for signs of contagion ( Read more... )

Another world, another dollar - the Exiles are enjoying a practical vacation one minute, and the next, they're being unceremoniously dumped in what appears to be Central Park. The New York skyline is visible all around, in the dim twilight - but it's taller, and shinier, than most would remember ( Read more... )

It's a heck of a spread for four people. Mounds of fried rice with small things diced in it, diced vegetables with mysterious bits, a soup with a suspicious fatty floating lump in the middle, a spicy ground substance that's probably meat - well, mostly meat, mushroom shrimp, mu-shu. And, for the unadventurous, a double order each of General Tso's ( Read more... )

The carnage in the hotel ballroom disappears in a gut wrenching wave of nausea and blurryness. When she can see again, she's on her knees, surrounded by her fellow Exiles ( Read more... )