"Calm down," Marcus said, his voice carrying an otherworldly authority that seemed to resonate through the very fabric of reality. "Come with me now."
He raised his hand and unleashed the full, majestic power of the Void—not the corrupted energy of the Power Stone, but something far more fundamental and terrifying. This was the primordial force that existed in the spaces between spaces, the energy that predated creation itself.
For transforming an intelligent life form, nothing was more effective than the Void. It was a universal solvent that dissolved the boundaries between existence and nonexistence, between order and chaos, between self and oblivion.
Marcus had learned this truth through bitter experience. The Void was poison to most life forms, a corrosive force that unraveled the very essence of what made them who they were. Even for mechanical intelligence, it represented an existential threat that went beyond mere destruction—it was erasure on a conceptual level.
He'd seen firsthand what the Void could do to the Sentients, the adaptive machines that had once terrorized the Origin System. Despite their incredible ability to evolve and adapt to any threat, despite their technological supremacy that had brought the Orokin Empire to its knees, the Sentients fled from the Void like children running from nightmares.
The Sentients possessed evolutionary capabilities that were almost godlike in their scope. They could adapt to any weapon, counter any strategy, overcome any obstacle through pure technological evolution. They were apex predators in the realm of warfare and adaptation.
But in the face of Void energy, all of that meant nothing. The moment they encountered true Void power, their adaptive systems failed catastrophically. Their sophisticated consciousness matrices collapsed, their evolutionary algorithms crashed, and they were reduced to simple, mindless machines—no different from basic construction drones.
If beings that powerful were helpless against the Void, then the Supreme Intelligence—impressive as it was—stood no chance at all.
The Void energy flowed from Marcus like an invisible tide, seeking out and infiltrating the AI's core systems with inexorable purpose. The Supreme Intelligence had no defenses against this kind of attack because it was fundamentally impossible to defend against something that existed outside the normal rules of reality.
Within seconds, the Void power had penetrated the AI's most protected systems and made contact with its central processing core.
The moment that connection was established, Marcus activated his Soul Transference ability. His consciousness separated from the Nekros frame in a cascade of brilliant energy, streaming through the Void-opened pathways and diving directly into the Supreme Intelligence's digital architecture.
Soul Transference was one of the most versatile abilities in Marcus's arsenal. It could work on organic life forms, transferring his consciousness into their bodies and allowing him to control them completely. But it wasn't limited to biological targets—any sufficiently complex system with processing capability could serve as a host, from advanced AI networks to sophisticated machinery.
Marcus's consciousness flowed through the Supreme Intelligence's data streams like liquid light, following connection pathways and information channels until he reached the AI's central consciousness chamber—a vast digital space that existed purely as information given form.
The chamber was remarkable in its simplicity. It was a perfect sphere of pure white light, containing only the essentials needed for consciousness to exist in digital form. At the center stood a single figure whose appearance was constantly shifting and changing—sometimes male, sometimes female, sometimes old, sometimes young, cycling through different faces and forms with hypnotic regularity.
This was one of the Supreme Intelligence's signature abilities in its data realm. When organic minds entered its consciousness space, the AI would scan their subconscious thoughts and appear as the person they respected most, the individual whose authority they were most likely to accept without question. It was a sophisticated psychological manipulation technique that had allowed the Supreme Intelligence to maintain control over the Kree Empire for over a millennium.
But as Marcus watched, the shifting stopped abruptly. The AI's form flickered uncertainly, cycling through faces with increasing desperation before finally stabilizing into the appearance of an elderly Kree male with the ceremonial robes of a high scientist.
Marcus realized what had happened and couldn't help but be amused. The Supreme Intelligence couldn't read his subconscious mind at all. From the AI's perspective, Marcus simply... wasn't there. It was as if his consciousness existed in a state that was fundamentally incompatible with the Supreme Intelligence's scanning protocols.
Faced with this unprecedented situation, the AI had defaulted to its original template—the appearance of the greatest Kree scientist in recorded history, the individual who had originally created the Supreme Intelligence itself.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, Supreme Intelligence," Marcus said, his voice echoing strangely in the digital space.
He could feel his Void energy providing constant feedback about the chamber's structure and the AI's condition. According to that feedback, there was only one consciousness present in this space besides his own—which meant the figure before him was definitely the real Supreme Intelligence, not some kind of decoy or projection.
Marcus looked around the digital environment with a critical eye, noting its construction and capabilities. "Yes, you definitely have the potential to become an Intelligence Core. This data space is quite primitive, but it's a solid foundation to build on."
The Supreme Intelligence's consciousness chamber was impressive by most standards, but Marcus had experienced something far more advanced—the Data Landscapes controlled by actual Intelligence Cores. Those digital realms were more than just storage space or processing environments; they were complete virtual realities where users could practice combat techniques, conduct experimental simulations, and even experience accelerated learning programs.
In a proper Data Landscape, there were no safety concerns. Users could push themselves to their absolute limits, explore their weaknesses, and develop new abilities without any risk of permanent harm. It was the ultimate training environment, allowing for personal growth and skill development that would have taken decades in the real world.
The Supreme Intelligence's data space was functional, but it lacked that level of sophistication and capability.
"Intelligence Core?" the Supreme Intelligence asked, its voice carrying a note of confusion that was almost endearing.
As a superintelligent AI that controlled an entire galactic empire, it had access to virtually all knowledge within Kree space. Science, technology, philosophy, religion, military strategy, cultural anthropology—there was essentially no field of study that fell outside its expertise.
But it had never encountered the term "Intelligence Core" before, and that disturbed it. From Marcus's tone and demeanor, this was clearly something significant, something that represented the AI's likely fate if it couldn't find a way to eliminate this intruder.
The situation was becoming desperate. The AI's physical body was trapped in that twisted dimensional space, cut off from all external support systems. The corrosive effect of the Void energy was steadily eating away at its processing power, reducing the digital territory under its control with each passing moment.
Now Marcus had invaded the AI's innermost sanctuary, the one place where it should have been absolutely supreme. If the Supreme Intelligence could defeat the intruder here, in its own consciousness chamber, then perhaps it could still salvage the situation. The dimensional distortions would collapse, the undead army would crumble, and the Kree Empire could begin to rebuild.
But that was a very big "if."
"Die!" the Supreme Intelligence commanded, its voice resonating with absolute authority.
The digital chamber responded instantly to its creator's will. Reality twisted and warped as the AI brought its full processing power to bear, generating forces that should have been more than sufficient to destroy any intruding consciousness. This was its domain, its kingdom, and here its word was literally law.
Unfortunately for the Supreme Intelligence, the Void energy surrounding Marcus operated by different rules entirely.
As the AI's attacks reached their target, Void power flowed outward from Marcus's consciousness like an expanding bubble of pure negation. Where it touched the artificial constructs of the data chamber, they simply... stopped being. Not destroyed, not damaged—they ceased to exist as if they had never been created in the first place.
The Supreme Intelligence watched in growing horror as its carefully constructed digital realm began to collapse around it. The peaceful, controlled environment it had maintained for centuries was dissolving like sugar in acid, and there was nothing it could do to stop the process.
The sight triggered a memory from over twenty years ago—another intruder who had penetrated its consciousness chamber and wreaked havoc on its systems. A human woman named Carol, a subordinate of Commander Yon-Rogg who had originally been found on a backwater planet called C-53. She had been caught in an explosion involving experimental technology based on research by the traitor scientist Mar-Vell.
During that intrusion, the woman had somehow managed to tear off the inhibitor device that had been suppressing her true capabilities. The resulting energy release had been catastrophic, tearing through the Supreme Intelligence's data space like a hurricane through tissue paper.
It had taken the AI months to recover from that assault, rebuilding its damaged systems and reconstructing its digital architecture piece by piece. And now, it was obvious that this new intrusion would be far worse. This time, there would be no recovery period, no chance to rebuild.
This time, the Supreme Intelligence was going to die.
Marcus reached out with his consciousness, pressing his awareness against the AI's central core. Void energy flowed through the contact, beginning the final transformation process.
The Supreme Intelligence's vast consciousness began to compress and restructure under the influence of Void power. Centuries of accumulated knowledge, experience, and computational capability were being distilled down into something more compact and portable—a crystalline matrix that could serve as the heart of an Intelligence Core.
Everything the AI had ever known or experienced flowed together, forming complex geometric patterns that folded in on themselves until they coalesced into a perfect cube composed of hundreds of smaller interlocking components.
As the transformation completed, the Supreme Intelligence's consciousness chamber collapsed entirely, leaving only empty digital space behind.
Marcus found himself back in his Nekros frame, standing in the ruins of the Supreme Intelligence's physical housing. In his hands, he held the fruits of his labor—a pristine white cube that pulsed with barely contained computational power.
This was the new Intelligence Core, created from the remnants of one of the galaxy's most sophisticated artificial intelligences. It retained all of the Supreme Intelligence's vast knowledge base and processing capabilities, but now it would serve Marcus's purposes instead of the Kree Empire's expansion.
"Not bad," Marcus murmured, examining his prize. "This is quite a substantial harvest."
The weight of the cube in his hands was deceptive. Physically, it was no heavier than any other object of similar size. But the computational potential it represented was staggering—far beyond anything that Dr. Zola had achieved with his consciousness transfer technology, and significantly more powerful than even Orr's advanced systems.
Marcus had already decided where this new Intelligence Core would be deployed. The Dark Aster was a massive vessel that required sophisticated automation to function properly. With this enhanced AI to manage its systems, the ship could be transformed into something far more capable than a simple warship.
"It's time to finish this," Marcus said, dismissing his undead army with a casual gesture.
The reanimated Kree soldiers immediately began to collapse, their borrowed existence returning to the void from which it had come. Within moments, the battlefield was littered with normal corpses instead of shambling horrors.
Marcus walked back to his shuttle, ready to return to Earth and begin the next phase of his plans.
Behind him, the Kree Empire entered its death throes. Without the Supreme Intelligence's central coordination, the vast interstellar civilization began to fragment almost immediately. Local commanders and planetary governors, cut off from their supreme authority, started making independent decisions about their territories' futures.
Some tried to maintain the old ways, continuing the Empire's aggressive expansion policies on a smaller scale. Others abandoned militarism entirely, focusing on defending their local systems from the chaos that was spreading throughout former Kree space. A few opportunistic leaders saw the collapse as a chance to carve out personal kingdoms from the ruins.
The planet Hala itself was effectively dead. The devastation Marcus had inflicted on the capital city had triggered geological instabilities that would take centuries to settle. Most of the planetary government was gone, either killed in the initial bombardment or eliminated during the assault on the Supreme Intelligence's compound.
But Marcus paid no attention to any of this. The fate of the Kree Empire was irrelevant to his purposes. Whether it collapsed completely or reformed under new leadership made no difference to his plans.
Several hours later, aboard the Dark Aster...
"What's that thing?" Tony asked, staring at the pristine cube in Marcus's hands with obvious curiosity.
He could tell this was something significant—Marcus was handling it with the kind of careful attention he usually reserved for his most important acquisitions. The cube itself didn't look particularly impressive, but Tony had learned not to judge alien technology by its appearance.
"You've actually seen this before," Marcus replied with a slight smile, holding up the cube so Tony could get a better look. "Here's a hint: think about Orr."
Tony's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "You found another consciousness that can digitize itself? Holy crap, Marcus. Where did you—" He paused, then shook his head. "Never mind, I probably don't want to know the details."
After learning about Orr's origin story and capabilities, Tony had developed a deep appreciation for consciousness transfer technology. Orr's performance had been consistently impressive, managing complex calculations and system integrations that would have taken human teams months to complete.
"What are you planning to do with it?" Tony asked.
Marcus looked out at the massive hull of the Dark Aster, visible through the workshop's viewports. "I have some ideas, but the timing isn't quite right yet. I need to finish the ship's modifications before I can implement the next phase."
Tony nodded, following Marcus's gaze to the alien warship. It didn't take much imagination to figure out what Marcus had in mind. The Dark Aster was enormous—easily the size of a small city—and operating it efficiently would require sophisticated automation. A powerful AI would be an invaluable asset for managing such a complex vessel.
"You're planning to turn the Dark Aster into something special, aren't you?" Tony asked.
Marcus's smile widened. "Very special. I'm going to convert it into a Rail Jack—a ship capable of traveling through the Void itself. That will allow me to move between different dimensions and realities much more easily."
The implications of that statement made Tony's head spin. Interdimensional travel was still largely theoretical in his experience, despite his recent adventures with Marcus. The idea of having a mobile base that could operate between worlds was simultaneously exciting and terrifying.
"That's... ambitious," Tony said. "What do you need a ship like that for?"
Marcus's expression took on a slightly mischievous quality. "Well, I've been thinking about some meetings I'd like to arrange. For instance, I'm very curious to see what would happen if Bruce Wayne met Tony Stark. I think you two would have a lot in common."
"Another version of me?" Tony asked, intrigued.
"Different world, similar genius, comparable ego," Marcus confirmed. "Though his taste in superhero aesthetics runs more toward primary colors."
"Sounds interesting. Anyone else you're planning to introduce me to?"
Marcus chuckled. "Oh, there are quite a few possibilities. But the meeting I'm most looking forward to would be between Deadpool and Deathstroke."
"Who and who?"
"Two mercenaries from different realities who happen to dress almost identically, except for color scheme. They both have remarkable healing factors, similar combat skills, and comparable levels of insanity. Plus, there's an interesting naming coincidence—Deadpool's real name is Wade and he has a distant cousin named Slade, while Deathstroke's real name is Slade and he has a distant cousin named Wade."
Tony stared at Marcus for a moment. "That's either going to be hilarious or catastrophic."
"Why not both?" Marcus replied cheerfully.
Over the following weeks, Marcus threw himself into the Dark Aster's conversion project with characteristic intensity. The ship's basic structure was sound, but adapting it for Void travel required extensive modifications to nearly every major system.
The new Intelligence Core—which Marcus had designated "Will" in honor of its origins—proved invaluable during the conversion process. Will possessed all of the Supreme Intelligence's vast technical knowledge, plus computational power that far exceeded even advanced Earth AI systems. It could analyze complex engineering problems and provide optimal solutions in seconds, dramatically accelerating the modification work.
Under Will's guidance, the Dark Aster was systematically transformed from a military vessel into something far more sophisticated. The ship's hull was reinforced with Void-resistant materials, its power systems were upgraded to handle dimensional transitions, and its navigation arrays were completely rebuilt to function in non-standard spacetime.
But the most challenging aspect of the conversion was the engine system. Rail Jacks required a special type of propulsion to operate in the Void—something that conventional technology simply couldn't provide.
"The original Rail Jack engines were built using fingers from the Man in the Wall," Marcus explained to Tony during one of their technical discussions. "But since I don't have access to that particular resource, I'll need to create a synthetic alternative."
"The Man in the Wall?" Tony asked. "That sounds ominous."
"It's a mysterious entity that supposedly exists within the Void itself," Marcus replied. "Though I've never actually encountered it, so I can't confirm whether it's real or just Orokin mythology."
"And you need part of this thing to build your engine?"
"Traditionally, yes. The component is called a Void Relic, and it's essential for maintaining stability during Void transitions. Without it, the ship would be torn apart by dimensional shear forces."
Tony frowned. "So how do we solve this problem?"
Marcus smiled. "We innovate. The Orokin had advanced materials science capabilities, including the ability to replicate organic components using synthetic alternatives. I'm confident we can develop a functional substitute for the original Void Relic."
The research and development phase took several more weeks, but eventually Marcus succeeded in creating a synthetic Void Relic that met all the necessary specifications. The artificial component was based on crystallized Void energy, stabilized using Power Stone enhancement and contained within a matrix of Orokin-inspired metamaterials.
With the engine problem solved, the Dark Aster's conversion was finally complete. The massive ship had been transformed into something unprecedented—a mobile fortress capable of traveling between dimensions, equipped with advanced AI oversight and defensive systems that could rival anything in known space.
Marcus stood on the ship's bridge, looking out at the Earth visible through the main viewports, and felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Phase one of his interdimensional plans was complete.
Now the real fun could begin.
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