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When the spaceship ascended into space, sparks still flickered across the planet's battered surface. Even some of the orbital facilities had already erupted in fire, while distant firefights of all intensities blazed on, dotting the atmosphere with bursts of unnatural light.
More exaggerated still, this spectacle of warfare wasn't isolated in one or two locations; it was planet-wide.
Battles raged on every continent and region, transforming the world below into a dazzling, catastrophic panorama.
"Do you think… if they keep fighting like this, they'll actually destroy the whole planet?" Tony mused, his voice caught between awe and disbelief. From orbit, he didn't bother asking J.A.R.V.I.S. to analyze data any further; instead, he swung the ship's camera toward the chaos, intent on capturing it all for posterity.
"Seriously, though, what are they even fighting over?" Spider-Man leaned into the frame, his words tinged with genuine bewilderment. "Like, what could possibly be so important that they'd turn their own world upside down?"
Arthur, adjusting his jacket, shook his head as he spoke. "Never try to make sense of this… not when it comes to the Sovereign. Remember, these are the same people who chased Star-Lord and his crew halfway across the galaxy, over two batteries. If they decided to blow up their own planet for some petty reason, honestly, it wouldn't shock me. We're talking about a race whose collective ego is a full-on neurosis. Give them enough time and no enemy, and they'd probably find a way to wipe themselves out."
Tony smirked. "They're already well on their way to do just that. Honestly, I don't even see how any of this is our problem. All I can say is that I'm amazed, and totally baffled at the same time."
Arthur gave a sideways glance. "Apparently, Lady Ayesha lost it when the council rejected her 'creation.' When we landed, they were all ready to throw her under the bus, so she slaughtered every last council member. If I had to guess, this war is really about crowning a new ruler. After this, their political system will be shaken to its core. Whether the planet survives that shake… who knows."
"So, it does have something to do with us after all?" Tony asked, his tone shifting from flippant to thoughtful. "This all started because of Star-Lord, two batteries, and now it's escalated to planetary civil war. Should we… I dunno, grab a couple more batteries before we leave?"
No one replied.
Given that all this chaos started over two batteries, the idea of stealing more seemed like a surefire way to guarantee that the Sovereign would blow themselves up on the spot out of spite. Some things were simply better left untested, this, clearly, was one of them. The atmosphere was thick with hostility.
"Well, here's a new question…" Tony looked around at everyone, eyebrow cocked. "Why are we still here? Shouldn't we be pinging that big guy in black armor to fly us back to Earth?"
"Since we're out here already, I've got a side mission." Natasha's voice cut through. "You can all go back if you want, but I have business on Xandar. Apparently, someone's been sending me some very chaotic messages… I think it's time for a little education seminar."
Arthur grinned. "Honestly, you ought to drop by and visit that balding uncle of yours. He's probably still trying to figure out how to reach SHIELD right now."
Natasha laughed softly. "Even if they had the same kind of receiver equipment…it wouldn't matter. Forget SHIELD lacking the blueprints, with their current tech level, rebuilding it is off the table anyway."
"Xandar!" Spider-Man's face lit up. "Man, I do miss the scenery there."
Tony nodded, glancing at Banner. "Maybe we'll actually get a chance to see it this time. Last visit was way too hectic. We should all go together, maybe stick around for a few days, do some research, work on those theories we've been discussing."
Arthur swept his gaze across the crew. "Anyone not interested in a little detour?"
Brock looked shyly at the others, then shrugged. "Venom wants to know if Xandar's got any decent food."
"No," came the unanimous answer.
Brock sighed. "And?…"
"He says he's full, just wants a nap now…" Brock admitted, helplessly. "Honestly, I'm starting to think he lives like a pig. Eats until he's stuffed, then dozes off."
Before anyone could laugh, Brock suddenly found himself pinned against the wall, feet helplessly dangling.
Arthur grimaced. "That move again… the one that always reminds me of certain cursed powers."
…
With everyone's plans decided, their course shifted toward Xandar.
Earth was relatively quiet, no burning emergencies, no existential crises, so taking a little time for Xandar business felt perfectly timed.
Besides, even if something came up, Sharon and Steve were both back home, fully capable in their own ways.
During a rare moment of calm, Arthur lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.
"Now that Bucky's moved on… should I pull Steve out of SHIELD, too?"
He pondered it, then shook his head.
"That bald egghead might not be completely on my side, but so far, our long-term goals match, even if we disagree in the weeds. For now, Steve's position at SHIELD is more useful than pulling him out. Being less of a blatant spy actually makes him more valuable."
As always, his thoughts drifted back to the fracture between Bucky and Tony.
That was the kind of grudge that could split a team, maybe even spark another civil war. He could only hope things wouldn't get that far.
No one could afford a catastrophic divide among the heroes.
Arthur mused about Earth's progress studying the meteorite, and the lurking threat of Symbiotes in the galaxy.
"If there's already been a ship capable of bringing a Symbiote to Earth, who's to say there aren't more? We can't afford to ignore that."
At last, he fished out his phone from the Disassembler's dimensional pocket.
As expected, there was no signal.
He idly scrolled through old messages about Li Xiaomi, all sent before they left orbit. They brought a faint, fleeting smile. Eventually, he pressed the phone against his chest, curled up, and let exhaustion wash him into sleep.
…
The trip to Xandar was so peaceful it felt unnatural, smooth sailing all the way. Arthur almost couldn't believe it. No turbulence, no emergencies, nothing. Xandar soon appeared on the horizon, whole and intact…
The only oddity?
Ego still hadn't been fully disassembled.
"At this rate, won't the Disassembler's gears just wear out?"
Arthur couldn't help but wonder.
(End of Chapter)