The moon.
Oh yes, the moon. The place of the Dragons. The place of the...
No, wait... the Inhumans were on that island Attilan now... near Greenland... he knew that... he did... he'd attacked them there... he knew he had...
They are on the moon…
Yes, they were on the moon. His hated brother was on the moon. That bitch with the red hair... Medusa...
…with all those snakes
He'd put snakes in her hair one day, just to see if they'd take root. He'd put a viper in the crib of his baby brother... if he'd had a baby brother... if he had a brother.... if...
Kill the Defenders.
He looked down at the sword hilt sticking out of his chest, a reminder of his last encounter with the Defenders, a badge of honor... something to amuse himself when he got bored... something...
"Maximus, attend me!" Moonstone barked from across the distance.
Maximus looked to the sky, he looked to the moon.
Soon, The Dragons told him. Soon he would be able to act fully on his own, not as a seeming pawn of the one called Moonstone and her Moonguard. Soon he would be able to...
"Attend me!" she repeated with an imperial tone.
"So like my brother" he mused, wondering what she would taste like with a sprig of parsley. Or perhaps some white wine? He looked her over with a smile. Probably like chicken, he decided with a smile, she probably would be quite gamey.
"How may I serve you?" he asked through his teeth, through his smile was what he hoped it was interrupted... his eagerness to please. His subservience to the one close to the Dragon of the Moon.
She didn't know though... she did not know of the other Dragons, the ones who spoke to him in the crazed recesses in his mind... and talked of Inhumans on the moon again, of Avengers in scouting programs and endless buffets of the hearts of his enemies. She knew none of the greater plan... of his greater destiny.... of the wonders that the Dragons were going to accomplish once their own foes were vanquished on Earth... of the things they planned on doing to her bloody corpse once they manifested themselves on the physical plane again...
He laughed to himself. They promised that he could watch... and eat popcorn. It had been the popcorn that had sold him. Only the class acts threw in the popcorn incentive.
"I want you to scout ahead. I want to know where the Hulk is and what he is doing." Moonstone said in all seriousness.
He looked over to where the Moonguard were standing... far enough away so that they would not see him standing in the shadows... or suitably altered so that they wouldn't care if he was there. "You're taking this good guy thing awfully to heart. One would almost think you were enjoying playing the part."
Her hand was on his throat before he could move. She tightened her grasp, squeezing the life out of him.
"More please" he squeaked out... feeling himself rise to the occasion. The pain fueled him, it kept him on his toes, inspirited. It aided the Dragons after all, all the chaos he... they... could create - it all ended up aiding their cause, which worked to his own favor.
They had told him how best to strike down the one called Hellcat... and that he wanted the sword to be embedded in his chest.... he simply did their will. And thus his own.
"I'd suggest you forget that idea" Moonstone hissed in his ear, "This is a job, nothing more - nothing less. If the Dragon wants me to play good guy for a bit - I intend to do just that. On the surface though. And on the surface ONLY. The Dragon wants the one called the Hulk... he suits it's purposes... we shall deliver the creature to the Dragon. Nothing more - nothing less."
Maximus the Mad smiled through the delightful pain until she let go. Then he just smiled. The Dragons had told him nothing of needing the Hulk... did that mean that the Dragon of the Moon was playing a game of it's own through Moonstone - or did it mean that she was simply lying? That she was up to something of her own?
He chuckled inwardly. There was nothing he loved more than the idea that she was plotting within the greater plots... that there were wheels within wheels moving counter to each other. It helped create chaos. It ultimately fed the Dragons will. It ultimately fed his own hunger. Well, perhaps he was wrong about the idea of loving nothing more - quiche was certainly a tasty treat.
"As you wish" he said, trying his best to put his loyal servant voice on. His little trained barking but no bite puppy dog voice. He smiled at her, imagining what she would look like with his teeth around her throat...
Kyle Richmond, the former Defender known as Nighthawk pretended not to watch Moonstone talk to the shadows... privately wondering who it was that she was talking to... as well as trying to get a better look at some of the guards around the facility... there was something ... familiar didn't really put the finger on the feeling he got from them, it didn't go nearly far enough to describe the feelings he got when he saw their uniforms and demeanor. But it was the closest thing he could think of... they were, familiar. He tried to keep one eye on them, hoping to puzzle them out while not being noticed, and one eye on Moonstone and whomever she was talking to in the shadows. They were both keys to the puzzle - he was sure of that much. But what shape the puzzle would take was something he could not even begin to imagine.
Central Park
The Sheep Meadow
"Why is it that people always return here?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Remember when all those heroes went missing a couple years back?”*
"Something about the Beyonder right?"
(*In the original Secret Wars from Marvel - GD)
"I seem to recall... we faced him later..." Isaac Christian's face went cold. Since becoming human again*, he had become much easier to read, but the sheer pain that the memory of his encounter with the being known as the Beyonder showed very clearly on his features. He shook it off, "But that was a long time ago..."
(* Giant Sized Defenders #7 - GD)
"Cee Cee" Reyes, the mutant known as Lifeforce, put her hand on his shoulder reassuringly, "It certainly has been." She looked at his eyes... felt the trembling in his body. There was still so much she didn't know... that she couldn't know. She wanted to hold him close to her, to tell him that everything was going to be all right. But... that could wait she decided... that would have to wait.
"What about this Beyonder fellow?" Timeslip asked.
"He took a bunch of heroes from right over ..." Isaac bit his lip and looked around. He spotted a group of young topless woman lying on their backs taking in the last of a days worth of rays in the distance... near of group of admiring Frisbee players. "There" he indicated. "And dropped them back off in the same place."
Northstar nodded with a smile... as if agreeing before changing shifting his smile to a smirk, "So what does that have to do with us?"
"I think Isaac was just drawing a comparison to that incident..." Moondragon started.
"And others like it..." Lifeforce offered.
"And others like it," Moondragon added with a friendly smile to "CeeCee", "After my ship was destroyed on our return."
"I'm still sorry about that." Timeslip offered.
Moondragon walked over to her and took her in her embrace, "I told you before Rina, it's all right. It had to be done... I was just glad that we could get back to Earth all right."
"I wish Jack would have come with us." Northstar said, with regret clear in his voice.
Isaac nodded, "We all do Jean-Paul... but he said he needed to get some things straightened out in his life. He said there were things that needed doing before he could move on... the invitation is there though. He can join us whenever he wants to..."
"I hope he does it soon..." Lifeforce adds, "The Lord knows that we will be needing all the help we can get once the Dragons reach the Earth. I just hope we can rally enough of an effort here to make a difference..."
Isaac put his hand on her shoulder, repaying the gesture, "We will" he said with determination in his voice, "Sure, the Dragons are powerful - but trust me... when we put our minds to it, nothing can truly defeat
 |
August- Year 4 |
| #196 |
"Remains of Light"
CHILDREN OF TOMMORROW
PART III
Written by Gary Dreslinski
Edited by Jason Snyder
Timeslip draped her arm around Northstar casually, Jean-Paul squeezed back and smiled, " I hope you're right Isaac..." she whispered to herself, "I sure hope you're right."
Deep Space
There were regrets, and then there were REGRETS.
Century had none of the latter. Not in throwing himself to the fore when the Defenders had been attacked, not with everything that happened later.
Heather... oh, Heather, she would have regrets. Many of them. But not him.
For the first time in what seemed like forever, he was happy. He was truly happy.
He looked over at the smiling faces of his companions. Paul and Victor were happy too, at the controls of the Dragon's Eye.
And why shouldn't they be? They were happy now too... much more happy than they had been.
Much more happy than they the Defenders would realize, until they too experienced the joy that came from belonging...
They will soon, the Dragon force within him hissed to his brain. And he felt elated at the possibility.
He and Heather would be together again, Rina and Paul would be the couple they should be... and the baby inside her, that would be the greatest prize of all...
Times Square
"Keep those civilians out of the way!" Moonstone yelled to Moondancer, who scooped a couple out of the way of a falling piece of debris.
Moonscythe was going toe to toe with the mammoth green-skin creature known as the Hulk, cutting him with his weapon of choice over and over again. The Hulk wasn't even trying to block the blows. He would just keep coming as the wounds healed up almost as quickly as Moonscythe could inflict them.
"Leave Hulk alone!" the monster bellowed.
Kyle watched Moonstone out of the corner of his eye. He knew from experience that Bruce really did just want that... that's all he ever really wanted out of life, was that people should just leave him be. But Moonstone had wanted to confront him, once she learned of his presence. She had wanted to... what? Make a name for the team? Capture the Incredible Hulk? Put on a show? Get her team killed in the process?
He subtly felt his own pulse again. Unless he was completely reading the signs wrong... it was much too late for that.
"Then why was Patsy with us for that bit?" he asked himself, as he raced to keep another large chunk of debris from hitting the jumbotron who's existence helped create the bigger than life image of the Square for millions of people world wide. Those who had been to New York, or lived there, knew better. They knew how small it all really was... but it certainly wouldn't do to have another pitched battle take out another piece of the Big Apple Pie.
The one thing he was glad about is that the attack had waited for dark. At least there was less chance of catching anyone except theatre-goers in the middle. Compared to the madhouse it was during the day... even that was more of a blessing than he had thought they could count on.
"Moonglider - aerial 51!" Moonstone commanded.
Kyle nodded. Moonglider... that was him. Not as catchy as Nighthawk, but given the circumstances... he guessed that it was understandable that they didn't want anyone to know who he really was...
He started his dive bomb...
…who he really was... the line came to him just as the Hulk reached out and plucked him from the sky, hurling him away in the opposite direction.
He managed to twist and bank sharply moments before he would have hit the wall.
If Moonstone hadn't wanted people to know who he was - what of the others... what of Moonscythe and Moondancer? Who were they, really? What secrets were they hiding beneath those moonstone colored masks?
He wasn't sure - but he was sure that it was yet another something he needed to find out, if things were ever going to start making sense again.
Maximus watched from the darkness... taking mental notes and storing them away. Moonstone was keeping away from the Hulk... giving commands from afar.
She had faced him before... he knew that much. The Hulk might recognize her even with the new face. He might somehow sense her... either that or she was just too clever to get herself within pounding range.
He watched them fight... and sensed the hesitation in one of them... the flying one... Chicken Boy...no, Moonglider... yummy Chicken Boy... tear off his legs and smear him with BBQ sauce...
Chicken Boy wasn't acting as quickly as the others... he was...
Aware, the Dragons whispered.
"Yes, he is" Maximus agreed after a long moment of watching him. Obviously something had been thrown into the mix that had not been planned for - that one of the Moonstone's people would start to suspect something was wrong...
…and of all the one's to do so, that flying one was the most likely to care. The others... they would likely stick to the plan no matter what. That one though...
He is a Defender, the Dragons whispered in the tattered remains of his soul.
Maximus nodded, oh yes, that was who he was... he was the former Defender known as Nighthawk... and now he was aware that everything wasn't as it was supposed to be...
He looked out to where Moonstone was avoiding the Hulk... keeping her distance...
She didn't know that the threat lie closer to her heart. She did not know the potential for chaos that Nighthawk would bring into the picture.
Maximus cackled in the darkness. Chaos, no matter its source or intentions, served the Dragons and their purpose.
His awareness could only further their plans... and damn his old friends...
Maximus the Mad stepped out of the darkness and into the night. It was time to add to the Dragons will...
Kang the Conqueror watched from outside of the timestream, careful not to upset any mystic forces that were obviously at work.
He watched as the mad one walked out of the darkness that had hid him. He watched with amusement.
Things were happening quickly... for those in the fray at least. Quickly...slowly... these things did not matter to one who controlled time. One who had conquered the fourth dimension as thoroughly as he had done. One who was destined to conqueror all of space as well...
Obviously there was more to the situation than he had at first believed. More than Moonstone had told him when they had come to "an arrangement". She had feared that the Inhuman tyrant was going to move against her at some point - she wanted a trump card, an ally in dark places that wasn't part of what she called "The will of the Dragons".
Kang cared not for the Dragons or their will.
He only cared about the deal... and even that, he only cared as far as he benefited.
He sat and watched things unfold, for now. If the time came to act - he would. But his Secret Empire was not yet in danger... unless dying of amusement was now a valid threat.
Moondragon furrowed her brow in concentration, "They are nearby" she said, after a few minutes.
Isaac nodded, "I'm not surprised. The Dragons indicated that they would be moving against the Defenders soon... the own flaw in their plan seems to be that they didn't think we were going to survive long enough to come warn them."
Northstar sniffed, "Unless of course they factored that in - and they WANT us to warn them...OR, we were simply let go so they could have the fun of hunting us down again...sort of a catch and release."
CeeCee shot him a dirty look, "I'd rather not think of it like that." she said, obviously uncomfortable, "The thing to do is to simply take out the Moonguard before the Dragons can use them."
Rina nodded, "That seems like the smartest thing to do." she turned back to Isaac, "Where you able to reach them?"
He shook his head, even after all the time he had spent as a human again, not having that extra weight in his head still threw him a bit off-balance, "Jan wasn't home. And Hannibal wouldn't be around after dark anyway. I even tried calling Lorna's apartment, but the number had been disconnected *."
(*Lorna Dane, the former Defender, and current member of X-Factor, Polaris - GD)
"What about Stephen?" CeeCee asked.
Isaac's face went ashen. He didn't answer.
"What's wrong?" CeeCee asked, putting her hand on his arm. "What's going on with the Sorcerer Supreme?"
Isaac tried his best to smile, "I talked to Wong..." he said, hesitantly, he looked at her carefully, "Apparently Stephen's too..." he chuckled ironically, "dead right now to help anyone."
"Stephen Strange is DEAD?" Moondragon exclaimed.
"What happened?" Timeslip asked, her concern overwhelming her young face.
Isaac shrugged, "Wong said he couldn't go into it. Only that Stephen was dead right now and couldn't come to the phone" he chuckled again, tears streaming down his face, "But that if we needed any help, that Clea was with the Defenders now... with Jan Van Dyne that is... and that the Magician's Circle was tending to Stephen's affairs at the Sanctum, but that some of them might be able to be pulled off from their duties there if the threat warranted it."
Moondragon walked away from the others. Northstar followed, putting his arms around her and letting her cry into his chest.
"It's all right.." he said, comforting her.
"You...don't understand.." she sobbed.
He caressed her bald head tenderly, "I think I understand enough... Heather... you've lost more in a short time than anyone should ever have to in their lifetime."
She didn't respond with words, but the way she allowed him to hold her close, to help her through the tears spoke volumes.
Times Square
The Hulk knocked Moonscythe aside before turning on the newcomer.
Kyle watched him carefully... noting the sword that was sticking out of his chest. The sword... that belonged to Valkyrie... he remembered, as if through a haze.
Maximus, he whispered within the confines of his mind.
Moonstone looked shocked. But more of the type of shock you have when someone does something they're not supposed to do than one caused by a surprise appearance.
She reacted badly, flying right at both the Hulk as well as the Mad One, blasting everything in her path.
Kyle heard the command to follow, and didn't have much of a hope to keep his cover if he didn't... he followed, with Moondancer...Moonstone into the heart of the fray... trying not to think of the people that he would no longer be shielding from harm. Hopefully most of them would have the sense to get as far away as possible. But where fights with the Hulk were concerned, your average person couldn't be counted on to do the smart thing.
As if from a distance, he observed himself flying in to engage the same green goliath. It seemed that "average people" weren't the only ones that abandoned their sense in moments of crisis.
Maximus said a few words to the looming figure before him... a few words of calm... words of power.
The Hulk's mighty fist hung in the air, as if frozen in place.
"Get away from him, Maximus!" Moonstone called, as she blasted him.
Maximus didn't even react to the energy discharge striking him... it was as though it had never happened. He turned, slowly. "I am doing your will, Mistress" Maximus said with an evil grin, "The Great One is subdued. He too shall do the will of the Dragon of the Moon."
Moonstone landed sharply in front of the Mad One. She tried to grab him... maybe to shake him... maybe to do something worse.
Kyle never got to see what she was going to do. Before anyone could react, the fist of the Hulk came down hard on her head.
She crumpled on the ground at Maximus' feet.
The Mad One turned to the Moonguard with a twisted smile. "Kyle my boy" he said, "The jig is up."
At that moment, Kyle knew that he must truly be dead. Otherwise his heart would have come up into his throat. As it was, the instinct for that to happen was still there.
He froze in place, like the others... he looked over at them... they were reaching for their faces... as if at some sort of unspoken command.
They reached up and pulled off their masks.
Some things stick with you. It had taken Kyle years to realize the importance of knowing one's enemy. It had taken... well, it had taken quite a bit for him to fully grasp that concept. But once he had gotten in the habit, it had stayed. So had the information.
One piece of that information was to memorize the faces of known superpowered criminals. After all - they usually weren't going to walk right up to their foes with nametags. Identification was important.
He looked over to his "team mates"... and started going through his mental notes. Moonscythe's face was cold and pale...lifeless... his face, his weapon... Kyle mentally kicked himself for not making the connection, "The Grim Reaper" he muttered to no one in particular. He looked over to the woman Moondancer, "Nekra" he informed himself.
He looked back to where Maximus was standing. To where Maximus was laughing. At him. At the world.
Kyle reached up and took off his own mask. After all - if he stood revealed, then he really wasn't Moonglider anymore. He was Kyle Richmond... he was Nighthawk.
He nodded to Maximus. "So what now?" he asked.
The Mad One merely laughed, and motioned the Hulk forward. Kyle looked to either side, the Grim Reaper and Nekra were closing in as well.
He held his breath... an old habit that really didn't serve a purpose any more, and took to the air. Maybe... somehow he could still...
Maximus pointed at him... simply pointed... and Kyle felt himself fall to the ground... he felt the impact of hitting the concrete... but it didn't hurt... not anymore... it simply... was...
He watched as his foes approached and knew that he had been clumsy... that he should have been more careful in his deception... should have counted on being discovered and made a better plan.... he wondered if you cold kill someone who was already dead... or if there were worse fates than that... he wondered...
"Stand away from him!" a familiar voice rang out.
Kyle looked up from where he had been preparing to meet his fate.
Moondragon had arrived... and Northstar... and Cecilia Reyes... and a couple people he didn't recognize...
He jumped to his feet and watched the amusement grow across the face of Maximus the Mad. It was an amusement he vowed he would shove down the Inhumans’ throat personally.
NEXT: The Wasp's Defenders team and more!
DEFENDING LINES
Another letter from that guy named Steve. Our only loyal reader
Cad! You ungrateful cur! I ought to challenge you to a duel! I'll let it slide this time, since your such a great writer, but this storyline had better be good. So far, you're off to a great start. I'm assuming that what's happening to Jennifer March is linked to what Valkyrie is doing, but I guess I'll have to wait 'till next issue to know for sure. The team couldn't be in a worse position. Maximus plots with the Dragon of the Moon, as are the Moonguard (though Night Hawk seems to be having second thoughts). With what Maximus is thinking, I wonder if the Inhumans will be showing up, but I doubt it, since State of the Nation is taking place at about the same time (BTW, the Inhumans aren't on the moon anymore). About the Wasp, I'm sorry, but every time she talks, I feel like slapping her. As for Satana, I now see that she obviously had nothing to do with what Hannibal did (I don't think even devils can lie to themselves). I say that the new Timeslip is from about an hour into the future and is a vampire (I'm not letting go of that theory!). Mr. Immortal just doesn't get any respect, and it’s funny as all heck! The mysterious foe planning to kill the heart must be Asgardian, since only they call Earth Midgard. Maybe a Frost Giant? The section with Janine is something that I'm not gonna touch until next issue. The part with Kang was kind of confusing, because I thought the Orb of Agamotto was in the possession of that punk kid who Will (Short) calls Dr. Strange. Then again, maybe your story occurs first, so I'll let it slide (for now). So far, it looks like the Defenders are in major trouble. On the horizon, there's Maximus, the DotM, Moon Stone's Moon Guard, Kang, possibly Frost Giants, Mephisto, and anybody else you plan to throw in between now and 200. All the Defenders have is Wasp, Clea, Satanna, Hannibal, Timeslip, Mr. Immortal, Valkyrie and Hellcat (if they can make it), and possibly Janine in her final GR battle. If I was a betting man, I wouldn't be betting on the Defenders. However, since I've already lost 20 bucks (curse you, Ralph Angelo!), I'm not a betting man anymore. Can't wait to see who survives to 200!
Poor Steve the Bum
Let's see... some of your questions about Valkyrie and Jennifer March should have been cleared up last issue. Note that I say "some of" since there is still quite a bit in both of their storylines that will not become crystal clear for awhile.
There are no plans for the Inhumans to show up anytime soon... and your moon comments are addressed in this very issue!
Your Timeslip theory...hmm... well, you're on the right track.
Sorta.
The "mysterious foe" is revealed next issue. It's not a Frost Giant...
but it does involve Frost and Giants.
Greg has the EYE of Agamotto. The Orb is a seperate object, much too
large for a young boy to carry around
I wouldn't count the Defenders completely out of it yet - they have a few more tricks up their sleeves and the arc has a few more twists and turns before it comes to a head in 200! But, trust me, things are going to get worse before they get better.
Send mail to: Gary Dreslinski