Chapter 26 – Going North

(Barton Family Farm – 2010 – Kansas, USA – Earth)

"Are you sure he is alright?" Laura asked her husband as she looked at Kal who was still sitting at the Dining Room table staring at his pendant that was now off his neck and floating on the table.

Kal hadn't moved since they had got back from the school play, which had been almost a full day ago and he was starting to alarm both Laura and Clint with his unmoving nature. Kal occasionally shifted in his seat as he turned his body to look at the pendant from a new angle or else look in the direction the pendant was pointing but otherwise, he did nothing else.

"I have no idea, every time I ask him if he is, he says he's fine and when I ask about the pendant, he says it's a personal matter." Clint looked at his wife, his face equal parts confused and bewildered as hers.

"When did Fury say Nat was showing up?" Laura asked still looking at Kal, hoping the arrival of her husband's partner would provide them much needed support.

"She should be here today, he pulled her out of an op in India and she caught the first flight back," Clint explained his eyes still on Kal who had moved his vision to look at the far wall that the floating pendant was pointing at. "So, I expect she'll be a bit tired and grumpy."

Clint's small joke earned a slight shake of the head from his wife and a nudge from her shoulder at his poor joke. "Stop it, you know how Nat gets when you talk about her behind her back."

"I would listen to her." The new voice caused both Laura and Clint to spin around and face the person who had just walked in through the side door.

As they turned around they saw a very welcome sight, Natasha Romanoff had arrived and was standing there in civilian clothing wearing slightly tight blues jeans a black T-shirt and a leather biker jacket as well. She moved forward and gave Laura a warm hug that the woman returned then gave Clint a punch on the arm whilst smiling causing him to shake his head at his partner's actions.

"So, Fury briefed me on your houseguest but before we get to that where are the Munchkins I've got presents." Nat smiled at her friends as her vision swept over the kitchen and settled on Kal for a moment before going back to her friends.

"Oh no. Not after last time, your gift-giving privileges have been revoked for at least another 6 months." Laura sighed a little remembering the last time Nat had come by and given her children presents it had ended poorly, well, in fact, the kids had loved her gifts it was Laura and Clint that it had ended poorly for as they had to clean up the mess.

"Oh, come on it wasn't that bad." Nat gave a broad smile and chuckle remembering her entirely appropriate gifts to her niece and nephew.

"Nat, we had to replace the barn doors as well as the tractor after your last gifts," Clint stated bluntly looking his partner directly in the eye.

"Okay, okay, okay, POINT made," Nat stated in mock defeat lifting her hands up slightly to show she wouldn't push the issue anymore. "So why don't you tell me about your houseguest, and does he normally just sit there staring at the wall?"

Clint turned his vision back towards Kal who was again, was staring intensely at the far wall which his pendant was pointing, releasing a sigh Clint addressed his partner. "No, that's new his pendant, the one on the table, started floating and since then he has been doing that non-stop."

"What does he say when you ask him about it?" Nat asked her gaze now fully on Kal, an analytical look on her face as she tried to decipher the man that was before her.

"Nothing, he just says that he is fine and that it's a personal matter." Clint shrugged his shoulders slightly as he answered Nat's question.

Nat turned her head to Laura hoping that Clint's wife who was herself a highly trained individual might have more to work on, but a heavy sigh escaped her lips and a small shake of Laura's head conveyed that she knew as little as her husband. Natasha Romanoff's brow furrowed slightly at this, and a contemplative look appeared on her face, both Clint and Laura were some of the best, if not the best when it came to getting information out of people subtly. So, for both of them to hit a wall with this Kal person was not good.

Nat's eyes assessed what she could see in front of her, she had already had the briefing on Kal from Fury so knew what he really was and that was a lot more to him than meets the eye, however, from her initial observation, she would have been able to figure out a lot about him anyway. Kal was tall, musculature, incredibly well built and obviously had spent a significant amount of his life in some form of training and organisation, some things were apparently universal, markers of advanced training apparently being amongst them.

However, that was the superficial stuff, she wasn't interested in that at all as it rarely helped truly get into someone's head and convince them to share what they knew, no, what Nat wanted was the more personal and emotive elements that she could utilise. Fury's briefing had already given her some insights, Kal was apparently the youngest son of three brothers, royalty from a very powerful state, and had a reputation as a great warrior and honourable man along with a commitment to doing the right thing even if it went against orders. What her observations now told her was that Kal was also task ordinated, single-minded at times, focused on whatever was in front of him, and from the way he was sitting also had little knowledge of how to hide his true strengths.

Nat mused in her head for a moment, there were a few ways she could play this, but she opted for the most reliable weapon in her arsenal, which was simple seduction. The whole profile she currently had built for Kal implied that either he was a man that was repressive in his desire for the sake of reputation and his country or else was a man who was accustomed to his position of power helping block any negative aspects of his reputation from leaking out and was thus used to getting his own way. Whilst some might call her cynical Nat knew that there were no truly honourable men in life, even Clint who came the closest had dark secrets he kept buried, she had helped bury some of them herself, and Nat had also met many royal Princes in her time too, alien or no, if Kal was a prince he was likely one that was used to get his own way.

Nat straightened herself up, took off her leather biker jacket and then adjusted her top to show slightly more cleavage, whilst also fixing the best flirtatious smile she had onto herself. In a moment, Clint and Laura watched Nat truly become the Black Widow, gone was their joking friend Nat and in her place was a character that the Black Widow could use to seduce nearly anyone alive. Moving over towards Kal, as she passed the kitchen counters Nat made sure to sway her hips a little and walk in the manner she knew always drew men's eyes to her.

As she approached, she saw Kal's head move, however, before she could smile in triumph at getting her assessment of him right, the smile vanished from her face, as it became clear that he wasn't turning his head to look at her, instead he was just readjusting his vision so that he could look at the pendant again. However, not one to let a little setback stop her Nat pressed on and when she arrived at the table Kal was sitting at she leaned forward, giving him a slightly better view of her, one that at this angle led down her top.

"Hi, there." Nat addressed Kal with her best flirtatious tone that had never failed her, not in all her years of working.

"Greetings," Kal responded his voice monotone as he stared at the pendant that was hovering on the table, totally uncaring about Nat's presence, which irked her slightly.

The result not being what she had exactly been hoping for Nat decided to try a little harder leaning forward a bit more and glancing at the Pendant, hoping her interest in it would cause Kal to take an interest in her.

"My name is N-" Nat's introduction of herself was caught off as Kal finally turned to look at her directly a small smile on his face.

"You are Natasha Romanoff, Daughter of Ivan." Kal's words were delivered with a kind smile, but his knowledge of Natasha caused her veneer of flirtatiousness to disappear and gaze at Kal with suspicion. Seeing that his words had caused such a response Kal decided to press on and hopefully allay any fears she had. "Although your 'Da' is Alexi, you are an Agent of The Shield, and it is good to meet. I am Kal Odinson, Prince of Asgard and the Last Kryptonian."

Kal's polite introduction was overshadowed by the fact that he had known who Natasha was before she even spoke, which not only caused alarm in not only Natasha but her partner Clint and his wife Laura as well, who looked at Kal with wide eyes. Nat's head suddenly snapped toward Clint and Laura, her first suspicion was that Clint must have told Kal about her for some reason and not warned her but seeing her partner's wide eyes and shocked expression, she knew that wasn't the case.

Turning her sight back towards Kal she gazed at him with outright suspicion all her pretence of flirting and the façade she had been giving him was now gone, what stood before Kal was the other side of the black widow. Natasha was no longer the expert Machiavelli manipulator able to slip into characters so believable they might as well be real, no what she was now was the deadly, dangerous and relentless assassin, one that no man crossed and lived to tell the tale.

"How do you know my name?" Natasha's voice was not harsh nor was it loud, but it was dangerous spoken with the coldness of the winters of her homeland, an implied threat hanging in the air as she demanded to know how Kal knew her.

However, if Kal even registered the threat was unknowable because his whole demeanour stayed the same a polite kind smile on his face as he gazed up into Natasha's cold hard emerald, green eyes. A few moments passed as the room became tense, as Kal did not respond instead just continued to gaze into Natasha's eyes. It was Natasha who broke first which surprised her as much as it did Clint and Laura who were watching her, Nat never blinked first. She couldn't explain exactly what it was but it was something in Kal's eyes that made her feel calm and told her he wasn't a threat, almost like he knew her and she him.

"How do you know my name?" Nat asked again quieter and softer this time as she sat down next to Kal still looking into his impossibly blue eyes that conveyed that he was a friend.

"It's very complicated and one day I may tell you. But for now, know that I am no threat to you in fact I am an ally in keeping this world safe." Kal's voice was warm and calm and somehow reinforced the feeling of trust that Nat was feeling with him.

A feeling which was incredibly unusual and she had only felt it twice before in her life once with Clint when he told her that she could trust him which started her down her life in Shield and the other time had been with her sister Yelena but that was a memory she didn't dwell on.

"Okay," Nat said slowly processing what she was hearing and filing it away to be dealt with later, instead focusing on the main issue at hand casting her gaze at the floating pendant on the table. "So can you tell me what the deal is with the floating pendant then?"

"That is a personal matter. That I am still deciding what to do with" Kal responded a smile still on his face, as he gave the response, he had given both Clint and his wife, only with the addition of a pending decision, a fact that Nat picked up on.

"Alright, but you are here as a guest and if this decision is going to affect the safety of the world and potentially pose a threat to the world Shield has a right to know?" Nat argued deciding that logic and appealing to his status as a guest was perhaps her chance to get Kal to tell her what was going on with him.

Kal was quiet for a few moments, a thoughtful expression on his face as Nat watched gears start turning inside the man's head at speeds that she had never seen before. When he responded Nat had the feeling that Kal had somehow deeply thought about his response despite him only taking a few seconds to think about what he was going to say.

"It potentially will," Kal responded to Nat's question his voice pensive and slow as he spoke out the words. "However, I cannot tell you what it is."

"Why not?" Nat asked slowly looking at Kal with a slight hesitation, as she was wary of potentially setting him off given what she knew he could do.

Kal let out a deep sigh and a slight look of regret on his face as he responded. "Because, although I am willing to work with you to defend this world. I cannot trust you with the knowledge of what this pendant represents."

"Is it a potential way for you to get home?" Nat guessed knowing that Kal was standard from his home and that he would be cagey about telling them about something that could potentially allow interplanetary travel. Especially if it was his one way to get home and was also very dangerous to use.

Kal looked at Nat with a small smile and shook his head slightly at her question. "I do not believe so, no. With the Bifrost destroyed, Asgard is currently cut off from me, I am not sure that even regular space travel could allow me to reach the Realm eternal."

"Why is that?" Nat asked genuinely curious at Kal's circumstances, whilst also sensing an opportunity to learn more about Asgard and how travel to earth worked. "Can't you know summon a portal or use magic?"

Kal chuckled at Nat's question whilst shaking his head slightly, finding her lack of knowledge of magic slightly amusing. "Portal creation of the type you are suggesting isn't possible for Asgard due to its position in the cosmos and its inherent magical nature. As to using magic, with the Bifrost destroyed, the regular means no longer exist and although one could potentially use dark magic the risk is …... well extreme."

"How so?" Nat pressed wanting to get as much detail as possible on this potentially vital aspect of travel to earth that could help Shield protect the planet.

Kal suddenly went quiet and looked uncomfortable, Nat's analysing gaze told her he was not uncomfortable with the question in of itself but rather for some reason he was just uncomfortable discussing dark magic in general. Kal released a deep sigh and glanced at Nat as he responded, his voice now uncomfortable and quieter.

"Dark magic, by its very nature is …. Unnatural, and corruptive, it takes great force of will, to even connect to it let alone wield it." Kal explained his gaze meeting Nat, with an expression that told her he was deadly serious. "With the natural paths of the Bifrost destroyed, the amount it would take to travel between Asgard, and earth would be…. Well immense, and currently, I think only my father Odin, or my mother Frigga could do it."

"So if your parents are able to do it why don't they?" Nat questioned, wondering if it was apparently possible why hadn't Kal's parents hadn't taken the opportunity to bring him home like any parent would in their situation.

"It could be for a number of reasons, Asgard could be destroyed, the damage to the Bifrost may have made any type of travel impossible between the two realms, or it is possible that Odin has decided for the time being that its best to leave me on Midgard to protect this world, whilst they try to repair the Bifrost," Kal explained offering his own best guesses as to why he was trapped on Midgard.

Nat was quiet for a moment as she looked at Kal absorbing what she had just heard, an uncomfortable question forming in her head that she didn't want to ask but knew that she had to.

"Would your father really do that, leave you standard from home?" Nat softly asked, memories of her own childhood with the Red Room returning, remembering how they placed everything before the welfare of their own members.

"If it was in the interest of protecting the Nine Realms, and Asgard's place in the Cosmos, yes," Kal responded immediately his voice now certain. Which told Nat one thing for certain about Odin, he was clearly a leader who would sacrifice anything for the good of his nation, including his own son.

"You think we would try to take it from you? Why would we if we are allies?" Nat asked, suddenly gesturing back to the floating pendant wanting to get the conversation back on track and hoping the abrupt change of topic would catch Kal out, forcing him to reveal what the pendant truly meant.

Although she didn't know what the pendant was, she had two ideas, working in the world she did for as long as she had Nat was quick to recognise when someone had something of value on them. She guessed it was either a weapon that Kal thought that Shield would try to take off of him if they knew about it or else the pendant contained knowledge that Kal thought Shield would find too valuable to ignore. Whatever it was it was obvious that Kal felt like sharing the truth about it would cause some kind of rift between him and Shield, which told Nat all she needed to know, that whatever it was it was dangerous.

"I wish I could tell you, truly I do," Kal's voice was genuinely regretful, and he had a pensive look on his face as he spoke as if he was struggling not to trust her. "But given how advanced your people currently are and the danger they are in with the Bifrost gone if I told what this pendant represented, I fear the reaction your people would do.

"You think we would hurt you?" Nat asked thinking that Kal's reticence was because of fear of Shield hurting him. However, that notion was quickly demised by a small chuckle escaping Kal's lips as he shook his head.

"Oh no, you mistake me, Lady Romanoff, I am not afraid of you hurting me. I am afraid of the damage I will do to you if someone tries." Kal's response was given with a polite smile and a small shift in his seat as he started to get up.

Natasha wanted to reply that Shield was far more capable than Kal believed that they had technology decades more advanced than anyone else on the planet and could handle Kal if he wanted to push the issue. However, Nat suddenly wasn't sure that they could, actually now that she had met Kal and heard about his capabilities from Fury, she was now sure that they couldn't Kal from what she could tell operated on another level to them.

It was like Shield had been the big kid on the playground at kindergarten and knew nobody could touch them only to have someone's big brother from High School come round and show them how small they really were. As Kal picked up his pendant and made a move to go back over to Clint and Laura and apologise for his distant nature over the past day one thought went through Nat's head.

'Fury really needs to get moving on those High Priority projects of his.'

(The Barton Family Home – Near midnight)

Kal was looking around the room that he had been staying in for the past few months since being stranded on Midgard, his eyes lingering on the few pictures and drawings that the Barton family had given him since his arrival. Although Kal knew he was being hidden away at the farm and that Clint was more caretaker and watcher than an ally, he still had taken a liking to the archer who had been nothing but friendly to him, with Kal also coming to greatly care about Cooper, Lila and Laura as well.

However, any lingering doubts he had about leaving his temporary home and the family that had adopted him he pushed out of his mind as he again looked at the pendant floating in his hands. Although he knew his abandonment of the farm would be an issue with Fury and maintaining his alliance with The Shield, all that was outweighed by the chance that he finally would have answers.

As he turned, lifting up the small bag that was carrying a few clothes along with a couple of drawings that the children had given him Kal turned to face the window but stopped when he felt the air pressure in the room change from his door being opened. Turning around he saw the intruder that had momentarily halted his departure, it was Natasha Romanoff who was looking at him with evaluating stare as if she had somehow known that Kal was going to be leaving. Kal was impressed he had not sensed Natasha until she had opened the door despite him actively keeping tabs on everyone in the house to prevent such an occurrence and was more than a little curious about how she had managed the feat. He stood there unmoving the green rucksack he was burrowing from the Barton home was already on one shoulder, as he returned Natasha's gaze unsure of how to respond.

"So, leaving a take it?" Natasha broke the silence, her voice sounded more natural to Kal's ears as she spoke with what was clearly her native accent.

"Yes," Kal responded his own natural accent as well coming to the surface, staring at the woman whose multi-verse counterpart he had met, he decided to add "Don't try to stop me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Natasha responded honestly as she moved into the room closing the door behind her to prevent their conversation from being overheard. "However, you do know your leaving is going to cause Fury to go ballistic and send every Shield agent on the planet looking for you."

"I do, but unfortunately I must leave, you must believe me this is very important, more so than you can imagine." Kal matched Natasha's honest tone causing her to chock her head slightly to the side.

"Funny thing is I do," Nat let out a small sigh, as she moved to lean her back to the dresser in Kal's room. "I do believe and for some reason, I know I can trust you."

"Thank you," Kal responded with a smile and started moving towards the window to depart only for Nat's voice to stop him.

"That's why I am asking you to stay, if you leave it wouldn't only be Shield looking but Everyone, and sorry but you kind of stand out." Nat had a ruminative look on her face as she addressed Kal. "You say the worlds in danger, and that you need us and we need you, I believe that too. So I can tell you if you leave, it's going to be near impossible for Fury to get anyone to trust you."

Kal was silent at her request for him to stay as well as her explanation for it, all of which was compelling, Kal couldn't deny it and it also made perfect sense, the Bifrost was gone and Kal needed Midgardian help to protect their world and if he left now he would risk an alliance he could have with them. However, the more emotive part of him was arguing that after he got answers he would come back and convince them to trust him. All of which was reinforced by the fact this might be his only chance to really get answers and that he had no idea if whatever was causing the Pendant to finally act would last.

As he opened his mouth to respond, he was stopped by Nat who simply lifted up one hand and let out a heavy sigh as if she knew somehow that he had already made a choice and that he couldn't alter from his path.

"This must be something very important if you are willing to risk becoming a Shield fugitive to go look for it, can I ask you something before you leave though?" Nat looked him straight in the eye a part of her clearly wanting to stop him from leaving but knowing she couldn't.

"Of course," Kal responded with his voice level and the anxiety he was feeling about having to prevent Nat from trying to make him stay leaving him now that he knew she would let him go.

"Whatever it is you going to look for, is it dangerous?" Nat's voice was nonsense and the glint in her eye convinced Kal that she would know if he lied to her.

Taking a slightly deep breath Kal responded looking Nat straight in the eye. "I believe so, yes, but it's also very dangerous for anyone to know about it. That is why I can't you or the Shield about it."

Nat looked into Kal's eyes for a few moments and seeing no deception gave a small sigh and then a smile as she shook her head. "Okay then, do you have any message for Fury, he is going to be pissed that you left, you know?"

"I do, … tell Fury that I need him to trust me as I did with him and the engine core tell him that please." Kal offered his small message with a nod to Nat which she returned signalling she would.

As she opened her mouth to wish him luck he was suddenly gone, a small breeze the only indication that he had left through the window as she felt a small rush of air hit her. Looking around she realised that Kal must have departed at such a speed that he was invisible to her eyes, she made a small mental note that Kal could move that fast for the next time they would meet, which she hoped would also be amicable.

Nat turned around and saw the door opening up revealing her partner Clint standing in the doorway a slightly troubled on his face as he looked at her then the opened window. "So he left?"

"Yes," Nat responded with a nod, not seeing any reason to deceive her partner.

"Fury isn't going to like this." Clint offered the rhetorical statement, which both of them knew was downplaying the severity of what Fury's response is going to be.

"I know," Nat responded as she moved past Clint in the doorway heading back to her room for the night, deciding to call Fury in the morning.

As she walked down the corridor she was stopped by Clint's voice, asking her a question. "Why didn't you try harder to convince him to stay?"

Nat was silent for a few moments before responding her voice unusually quiet. "Because I know what someone looks like when they are on the trail for answers about their past."

With Nat's small statement she moved forward and opened up the door to the room that Clint and his wife always kept made up for her, leaving Clint to stare at the window Kal had left by, only to slowly close the door as he thought about how to break the news to his kids that their 'Uncle' had left without saying goodbye.

(Several days later – Northern, Ellesmere Island – Canada – Arctic Circle)

The cold was unpleasant, to say the least as another arctic gale decided to blow through the impromptu camp that the Canadian government had set up on the most northerly point of Ellesmere Island. The area the camp had been set up was called the Aurora zone, and it was well known to navigators both naval and aviation kind, for its infamous nature that no electronic signal or piece of navigation equipment including a compass functioned in the area.

No one was actually sure why this was the case, but ever since navigators had stumbled on the area, they only knew that unless you were navigating by the stars it was practically suicide to try and do anything else. The only offered explanation was that it must have been a feature of the earth's magnetic field that also caused the Aurora Borealis to occur, interfering with the magnetic wavelengths that made everything from compasses to satellites work. Despite the hazardous feature of the region in truth apart from the early Polar Explorers and the occasionally lost ship or plane the region wasn't that deadly because no one really needed to fly or sail this far north, so ever since its discovery everyone just merely sailed or flew around it. However, all that changed less than a week ago when the magnetic interference in the region suddenly stopped and was replaced by a steady rhythmic pulse that repeated itself every few minutes.

Which was enough to draw the attention of every single government that had a satellite nearby in orbit, which in truth was just the US, Canada, and Russia, all of whom had been monitoring the arctic circle for various reasons. However, despite the US pressuring for their team to investigate the mysterious signal first, it was the Canadians that had set up the base camp and was running point due to their argument that Ellesmere Island was sovereign Canadian territory. Nevertheless, to appease their American counterparts the Canadian government had agreed to let Shield on site as well and stated that they would handle control of the site over to Shield if they found anything.

Which is why a very cold and very irritated Shield team was currently huddling in a tent for warmth as the team's scientists attempted to get their heaters working, much to the annoyance of the Shield sites leader.

"Dammit Fitz's just get the heaters working already!" Senior Agent Felix Blake yelled at the young man that was scrambling to sort out the equipment.

"Sorry sir, but this is bloody difficult." The young man's Scottish accent was clearly coming out as he shivered attempting to start up the heaters by tapping on a tablet device. "Not only is it freezing, but the heaters weren't back properly and whatever is emitting that signal is interfering wi-"

"FITZ" Blakes's voice cut out the man's explanation, clearly impatient. "JUST fix it."

Fitz merely turned slightly releasing a shivering breath as he muttered. "Oh yeah, Fitz just fix the multi-million-dollar super-advanced heating system in an ice storm, whilst a strange signal messes with everything, yeah no problem."

It took a while but eventually was able to get the heaters activated, and whilst it didn't stop the cold from biting at them, they were at least now warm enough to get to the business of actually setting up. Senior Agent Blake directed the very young and mixed ability agents he had been given for the assignment, as another cold blast of air blew threw their tent he was really starting to feel like he was being punished for something, he wasn't sure what but being sent into an icy tundra didn't exactly scream reward to him.

"So Fitz, what have we got?" Blake asked a bit more amicable now that he wasn't shivering every 3 seconds and no longer felt like his hand was going to freeze off.

"Apart from a massive case of hypothermia?" Fitz joked looking at his tablet as he typed, however, Blake just met him with a stony silence that caused Fitz to look up and see the man was not in a joking mood. "Right, well the Canadians haven't shared anything with us officially yet, so I have done a little remote access into their servers to find out what they know and AHH you wee little sh-"

"What is it?" Blake asked alarmed as Fitz began cursing at his tablet that he was now hitting the side of in frustration.

"Ah, there we go," Fitz said a little calmer as his screen returned to normal. "Sorry sir, it this bloody pulse, although whatever was affecting the magnetic field in the region is now gone, every time this pulse goes off it goes everything to a little haywire for exactly 3.4 seconds."

"That sounds specific any idea what could be causing it?" Blake inquired looking at the youngest member of his team.

"No idea, and now that I have access to the Canadian servers I …. can…. tell…. you …. that they have no idea as well, only that this pulse occurs every 2.79936 minutes, huh." Fritz made a weird face his eyes widen suddenly but his eyes went down causing his barrow to furrow a look of confused intrigue on his face.

"Fitz mind letting me in on what is so interesting?" Blake asked starting to get a little irritated he really hated working with the Shield Science division, at times.

"Oh, it's just that, a pulse lasting 3.6 seconds reoccurring every 2.79936 minutes that knocks out electrical and communication equipment, sounds like something using Tachyon particles but that's unlikely as Tachyons are only theoretical," Fitz replied blinking away his confused interest as he went back to going through the files he had just hacked.

"Right," Blake responded having no idea what Fitz was on about but didn't want to waste time or get a headache by getting the young man to explain himself and then trying to understand whatever was said. "Okay, so do the Canadians have any useful info, please tell me it's just some old cold war satellite that crashed so that we can go home."

Fitz didn't respond immediately still going through the files on his tablet before he suddenly paused his barrow furrowing again as he read something of obvious interest on his tablet. However, Fitz didn't respond so it forced Senior Agent Blake to just cough loudly and speak to Fitz directly again. "Fitz's? Update please?"

"Okay, well the Canadians have managed to get a deep scan of something, they are having difficulty getting a reading as it appears to be partly crystal in nature and it's definitely the origin of the pulse. And if I am reading this right and the Canadians aren't run the thing is buried at a depth that would place it roughly to somewhere between 30 to 40,000 years ago." Fitz looked up from his pad and turned it around to show Blake the Canadian's findings that they weren't sharing with Shield.

Blake just let out a heavy sigh and really started regretting that he hadn't taken the vacation days he had saved up before Fury gave him this assignment, as with everything that Fitz had just told him, it could mean only one thing. "Someone get me, Director Fury, we have an 0-8-4, we need to get the Canadians out of here quickly."

However, before anyone could respond the ground just suddenly shook as if a small earthquake had occurred, causing Fitz to stumble to the floor and force Blake to grab a nearby table for support, the shaking, fortunately, stopped as quickly as it came. Blakes's first thought was possibly an earthquake, but he demised that quickly, more likely an ice shelf had collapsed nearby but that was also equally dangerous, and need a quick response.

Before he could react, loud alarms outside suddenly went off and Blake could hear shouting as men started rushing around outside which was suddenly followed by the sound of yelling and then gunfire, forcing the experienced Shield Agent to run outside. The scene he encountered was an odd one straight out of a bad Sci-fi novel or movie as standing in the centre of the camp near the drilling site the Canadians had set up was a man who had beams coming out of his eyes as he tunnelled into the earth.

The source of the yelling and gunfire was easy to identify as several dozen Canadian Soldiers that had been acting as guards were firing on the individual who was completely unaffected as the bullets merely crumpled against his boy. Acting on instinct Blake just removed his own sidearm and started firing at the target who was now beginning to descend into the hole he had created in the ice they were standing on.

As the man disappeared Blake was quick to rush over to the hole his gun still razed as he pointed it down the hole, however, the man or whatever he was, was descending at speed now, the target was now just a faint red glow down the deep red hole which too soon disappeared.

"What the hell was that?" The question came from one of the Canadian soldiers who had joined Blake at the hole a look of disbelief on the Soldier's face.

"I ha-" Blakes' response never came as the earth began trembling again sending him sprawling on his back away from the hole as suddenly a few hundred meters away from the camp the ice cracked upon.

Ascending from the icy earth was what could only be described by Blake as an alien spaceship, its design nothing like anything Blake had ever seen before, and it was a strange blend of crystal and metal from what Blake could tell. However, before he could decipher anything more about the ship it was suddenly gone a blast of icy cold arctic air hitting his face the only indicator the ship had moved and not merely teleported somehow.

As Blake just stared at the empty space of air that the alien crystalline-metallic spaceship had been only two thoughts ran through his mind. The first was how in hell was he going to explain this one to his superiors and the second was that Blake really needed a vacation.

(Somewhere deep in the Arctic Circle – Abroad Kryptonian Scout Colonization Ship 0344)

Kal was stood in what he believed was the ship's command centre staring out of the large window that was before him as the ship landed in a very remote part of the arctic circle. His claiming of the vessel had been more overt than he had wished, but when he had finally found the source of what was causing the pendant to float and saw it was close to being discovered he had suddenly found himself acting on instinct. An instinct that Kal had never felt before in his whole entire existence it was as if a part of his brain, deep in the recesses of his subconscious had suddenly been switched on, which was telling him to get aboard this vessel.

As soon as Kal had stepped foot onboard the vessel had the entire ancient machine reared back to life, power flowing once more through the walls and bulkheads, an energy that Kal could feel and which he discovered felt natural and comforting to him. As the ship landed a distinctive synthesized female voice suddenly sounded throughout the room Kal was standing in.

"Recursive Dialogises complete, Guiding Presence Authenticated, All Systems Operational, please install Command Key for Further Access to Systems."

The synthesized voice was accompanied by the room Kal was in rearranging itself, removing much of the features of the room including what appeared to be the command chair all of which seemingly melted into the floor, like snow turning to water on a hot day, until all that remained was a single standing pillar in the centre of the room with a hexagonal slot in its centre. As Kal approached, he felt the Pendant around his neck pulling once more, as he removed it from his neck it slipped from his grasp and flew directly into the slot in the raised platform.

A loud strange tone sounded throughout the room and the room which had previously been dimly lit soared to life, as a flood of light engulfed the room, numerous consoles and displays suddenly raising from the ground. As he observed the room transforming for a second time, Kal could suddenly see that what he thought previously was metal that was metaling and reforming was, in fact, crystalline in nature, the entire ship Kal could see now was in fact made from crystals, interlacing on the microscopic level to form solid structures, to Kal's it was simply beautiful.

Suddenly Kal felt something behind him as the crystalline structures in the room solidified, turning around he suddenly faced to face with a man or more accurately an image that he had not seen in years. It was the image of his biological father Jor-El, who looked slightly different from the last recording Kal had seen of the man, last time Jor-El's brown eyes had been slightly distant and detached, which Kal had believed to be a result of it being a recording or at least he hoped it was, not wanting his biological father's nature to be cold and distant.

This time however the image of Jor-El was livelier, his eyes were warm and affectionate whilst still holding their inquisitive character, a small smile was on his face it was a strange mixture of pride, hope and relief as the eyes of the image looked at him. As Kal moved forward around the pillar he saw the projection of Jor-El follow him and then moved towards him, shocking Kal who had believed the image to be merely another recording.

"To see you standing there having grown into an adult." Jor-El's voice was warm and filled with such relief that it halted Kal in his tracks. "If only Lara could have witnessed this."

"Lara?" Kal asked hesitantly his voice was quiet, as he feared that addressing the image would result in either its departure or remove his hope that it was more than a recording.

The projection of Jor-El merely gave a soft smile as he stopped in front of his son, the image was about the same height as Kal, with Kal only being a few inches taller due to his greater muscle mass. "Lara Lor-Van, your mother, and my wife. If she could see you now, well she would be prouder than I am."

"What are you?" Kal asked wanting to start with the simplest question that was burning in his mind at the moment. He had seen holograms before and interactive programs but whatever Jor-El was it was more advanced and more lifelike than anything he had ever seen.

"I am a Cerebral Matrix of your father, Kal. His consciousness, the sum of all he was, all knew, all he felt, is contained within me, and within the command key that you placed in the ship's activation port. I can answer any question the original Jor-El could, in the same manner, he would as well." The image of Jor-El explained gesturing to the pillar that Kal had placed the pendant in, a soft smile on the projection's face.

Kal was silent for a few moments as he studied the projection before him, he wasn't sure what he wanted to ask first so many questions were running through his mind, so he decided to start with the ones that had plagued him since he first learned of his heritage.

"I have so many questions. Where do I come from? What was Krypton like?" Kal asked a desperation present in his voice as he stared at the image in front of him.

"You came from Krypton, a world with a rich and proud history that goes back aeons nearly to the beginning of the universe itself." Jor-El began, as he spoke the room around Kal shifted creating an enclosed space that Kal was in the middle of, images of what Jor-El was speaking about appeared on the walls. "Our people were the first sentient race in the universe, as far as we know, by the time other races were only starting to develop on their homeworld we had already mastered interplanetary travel. As we travelled through the vast cosmos in exploration, we discovered something that advanced our civilisation to the point of absolute supremacy."

The images on the wall suddenly transformed and showed a Kryptonian explorer with the same S-shaped shield on his chest as Jor-El and Kal, standing in front of six floating stones, six stones that Kal recognised.

"The infinity stones," Kal whispered as he stared at the images that Jor-El was showing him.

"Yes, the Infinity Stones, although we called them The Singularities, it took centuries for us to figure out what they really were but when we did," Jor-El paused as the images showed Kryptonians experimenting with the Stones over what appeared to be centuries. "Krypton became the shining Jewel in the vast dark cosmos of space. We created wonders and advanced our understanding of not just the universe but all of reality until no one could compete with us. The pinnacle of your civilisation lasted over 100 thousand years, our civilization flourished, accomplishing wonders."

The images suddenly started rapidly changing showing a multitude of images that even Kal with his advanced senses failed to keep up with, the few things he did see filled Kal with equal parts wonder and dread at what his birth race had once been able to do. However, after seeing all of this one question resounded in Kal's head.

"What happened?" Kal asked a sense of foreboding had now set in, as although Kal found all of this impressive, he knew how the story ended with Krypton destroyed and him alone in the universe.

The image of Jor-El didn't sigh instead a pained and regretful look appeared on his face as he answered Kal's question. "What happens with any dominant culture over time? It decays"

Kal looked questioningly at the projection of his biological father, an almost pleading look on his face at Jor-El's vague answer.

"With the Stones in hand we were unstoppable, we delved deep into the mysteries of the universe, however, scientific exploration gave way to colonisation of worlds we discovered, which then became conquest, and then the oppression of every other race in existence," Jor-El stated sadly as he watched the images of the darker nature of Kryptonians Golden Age being displayed brazenly on the walls. "This scout ship was one of the thousands launched into the void. It would have been used to build an outpost to either control this world when it proved of worth or else facilitate the use of great machines to reshape the environments to our needs."

"So how did it all end, how did I become the last Kryptonian?" Kal asked wanting to know how his people had gone from near gods to a near-extinct race with him as the sole survivor.

"Like all civilisations, we were not without our own internal struggles, factions arose as we grew more powerful and with no other challenges to our might we found our challenges in each other. A Civil War occurred; it was so devasting that we nearly destroyed everything, we even killed a celestial during it." The images on the wall turned into horrific scenes of violence as Kryptonians used the power of the stones against each other, whole civilisations being wiped out in the crossfire.

"Eventually the factions came to an agreement to end the war before everything was destroyed, the Stones were hidden away to prevent further abuse and the Kryptonians who survived went back home. To replenish the population and prevent further division in society Artificial population control was established. The outposts, conquest, delving into the mysteries of the universe, even space exploration were abandoned." Jor-El explained as his voice grew more solemn as he recounted Kryptonians' sad demise from a universal empire to a single planetary species trying to prevent their own extinction. "However, failed to predict that we would exhaust our natural resources. As a result, our planet's core became unstable, when he decided to mine it for resources. Eventually, our military leader, General Zod, attempted a coup, but by then it was too late. Your mother and I foresaw the coming calamity and we took certain steps to ensure your survival."

"Wait artificial population control? Like clones? I was engineered, created in some kind of machine?" Kal asked his barrow furrowing as he looked at Jor-El, although he had heard everything his father had said, the thing that stuck with him most was the fact that apparently all Kryptonians were made not born.

Jor-El suddenly raised his hand and dismissed the enclosed space that had been projecting images that related to his explanations. Looking around Kal suddenly found that they were no longer in the command centre but in another section of the ship, on a raised platform surrounded by hundreds of embryonic pods that were floating in a strange bluish orange liquid.

"This is a genesis chamber," Jor-El stated gesturing to the surrounding area they were in, which became brighter as power was restored to it. "All Kryptonians were conceived in chambers such as this. In order to prevent a division that caused our civil war, every child was designed to perform a predetermined role in our society as a worker, a warrior, a leader, and so on. Every child except you, my son. Your mother and I believed Krypton lost something precious, the element of choice, of chance. What if a child dreamed of becoming something other than what society had intended? What if a child aspired to something greater? You were the embodiment of that belief Kal. Krypton's first natural birth in centuries. That's why we risked so much to save you."

"Why didn't you come with me? Why did me to Asgard?" Kal asked as he looked around the chamber, feeling the added weight his biological words were placing on him.

Jor-El released a regretful sigh as he looked at his son who held confusion and pain within his eyes. "We couldn't, Kal. No matter how much we wanted to. No matter how we loved you. Your mother, Lara, and I were a product of the failures of our world as much as Zod was. It's hard to explain. The reason we sent you to Asgard was that they were one of the few races we still knew of, they were in their infancy when the Civil War ended and from I knew they would be able to protect and their natural abilities would aid in helping develop your own."

"So I am alone then?" Kal's question was more of a statement to himself, as Jor-El's words truly revealed that he was indeed alone and that any hope he had for fellow survivors was now gone.

"No, Kal you are never alone, I and your mother will always be with you, and you are as much a child of Asgard now as you are of Krypton. You can embody the best of both worlds. The dream your mother and I dedicated our lives to preserve lives within you." Jor-EL moved forward and as Kal looked into his father's eyes, he saw what he had always seen when he looked into his adoptive mother Frigga's eyes, pure love and affection.

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Kal asked as he looked into his father's eyes searching for the sense of purpose that had always alluded him over his long life, as they walked down a corridor away from the genesis chamber.

Jor-El, stopped and smiled at Kal then turned his head to the wall which opened up and revealed an immaculate article of clothing. It was a predominantly blue suit, like his amour, except where his was made of Uru and was bulky in places Kal's eyes showed him the suit was incredibly dense and durable despite being less than a centimetre thick. The suit was also somehow made of tiny interlacing crystals that like the ship was so compact and interwoven they looked like metal, it looked as beautiful as anything Kal had ever seen.

As Kal's hand reached out to touch it the suit suddenly became liquid and poured over his body interlacing with the Asgardian armour he was wearing, and he watched in wonder as his Uru armour became skin-tight against his body. The suit and armour became one as he felt the Asgardian magic metal combine with Kryptonian crystals to become something greater.

"You my son, are the embodiment of hope. You can give the people of not only this world but all words something to strive towards something to achieve. If you guide them, Kal, if you give them hope, as we once did you can help them create something wonderful." Jor-El suddenly placed his hands on his jacket and tapped the symbol on his chest. "That's what this symbol means. The symbol of the House of El means hope. Embodied within that hope is the fundamental belief in the potential of every person to be a force for good. That's what you can bring them."

As Kal listened to Jor-El's idealistic speech about being a force of good in the universe another voice sounded in Kal's head one about not interfering and keeping your distance from the lesser races of the universe. A voice that sounded exactly like his other father.

"My fathe- Odin the King of Asgard the man that raised me, always told me that it wasn't the place of those with power to interfere with lesser races. If I go around helping people, won't it cause more harm than good, people will challenge me, races will see me as a threat to their power." Kal's voice was now hesitant looking at the symbol his biological father was proudly displaying as his adoptive father's words rang in his head.

"My Son, people will challenge you, people will fight you, and this task will be near impossible you are right to be afraid of this path. I have no idea if you will succeed, you may fail completely but I know one thing… fear is the enemy of hope" Jor-El moved forward and although he couldn't truly touch his son Jor-El placed his hands on Kal-El's shoulders to give his son strength. "Inside you Kal, is power I cannot even hope to begin to understand. If you are afraid that you will make the mistakes Krypton once did don't, don't rule or oppress anyone, instead give the people of the cosmos an ideal to strive towards. Give them hope Kal. They will race behind you. They will stumble. They will fall. They will even fail at times. But eventually, they will join you in the sun, Kal. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders."

As Kal looked at his father he could almost feel Jor-El's hands on his shoulder and he suddenly felt something stirring within his own chest as he looked into his father's eyes he felt almost ….. hopeful.

(Sanctuary)

"My Lord, we have detected The Space Stone on Planet C-53, also called Terra as well as …." The Other stooped low in a bow before his master who had his back turned to him, as he trailed off hesitant to finish his sentence.

A sound of irritation came from the Throne hovering above The Other a clear indicator that his master was not pleased with his hesitation. A fact that The Other quickly corrected as he bowed even lower to his master almost kissing the floor as he prostrated himself before his master as he continued.

"We have also detected the presence of a ship… a Kryptonian Ship." The Other's revelation caused his master now to fully turn his floating Throne around to face him.

"Well, that is interesting, we better summon the General then." A mad smile was on the lips of the Mad Titan as he responded to his personal servant.