Chapter Seventy-Two, Part Three

"SMASH!!!" Hulk's fists hammered the ground, a wave of force that Dan suppressed with his biofield. Undeterred by the lack of effect, the green monstrosity dug his fingers into the side of a deserted mountain top. "I AM THE STRONGEST…"

"Sure you are, big guy," Dan appeared before Hulk, palm extended to tap against the beast's chest. Banner's spiritual body flew backwards, separated from his transformed flesh by one of the Ancient One's techniques. "Greetings, Dr. Banner, I'm sorry about the disorientation."

"...Superman?" Bruce's spirit rubbed his eyes, suspended in the air by Dan's spell. "What's going on, I was in the lab and then…"

His gaze fell upon the green figure of the unconscious Hulk, pupils dilated as his memory caught up with him. Dan scooped up the silent giant and dragged Banner and his body toward the Antarctic Fortress.

"I'm afraid your accident did more than just regenerate your cells," Dan gave Bruce a gentle smile and motioned to the Hulk. "You've developed a secondary personality, one that triggers a physical transformation when it manifests itself."

"That's impossible, I…" the semi-transparent Bruce stumbled over his words as Dan projected a recording of his initial transformation in the lab. "I've become a monster…"

"Not a monster, just a meta-human with a powerful ability," Dan shook his head as the crystal walls of the Fortress came into sight. Bruce was always so full of self loathing, a trait that he hoped to prevent in this version. "All power is dangerous when uncontrolled, but this… Hulk of yours isn't beyond reason. He can be your greatest ally, an asset to complement your already impressive mind."

"I…"

"Don't worry, Doctor," Dan gave Banner his iconic smile as they passed through the Fortress gate. "With me around, you won't be able to hurt anyone. We'll figure this thing out together."

– – – –

"Me?" Anissa pointed to herself, eyebrows raised at Thragg's serious expression. "You want ME to take on your position as Grand Regent?"

"I think it's a good idea," May smiled as she set a hand onto the Viltrumite woman's shoulder. "Of all of your people, you are the most closely alined to Krypton's cause. With Goku charged with maintaining the peace in this universe, this would be a way to support his efforts and rebuild your people at the same time."

"What about Mark…" Nolan's gruff voice rose up, only to fail him as Thragg turned his oppressive gaze in his direction.

"Mark has his own path to walk, one that Krypton already supports," May turned a cool gaze to the shadowed eyes of the former Omniman. "He plans on uniting the Earth and the Coalition of planets, an undertaking that will require all his efforts for the near future."

"She's right, dad," Mark nodded, one arm around Atom Eve's shoulders as he gave May a thankful smile. "I want to turn the Earth into a paradise among the stars, a place that can be used as an example to other civilizations."

"So, what say you, Anissa?" Thragg returned the conversation to his offer, eyes bright as he once again took a knee. "My position is yours, if you're willing to take hold of the responsibility?"

"I'm willing," Anissa squeezed Goku's hand, before she stepped forward and stood before the bowed Thragg. "But just because I've taken on your mantle, doesn't mean you can shirk your duties. Both you and Nolan, among some of the others, have a responsibility to help our people as well."

"Of course," Thragg bowed his neck lower and motioned for Nolan to do the same. "The both of us will serve as you command, Grand Regent."

For the second time, the collective of Viltrumite prisoners bent the knee, this time toward the one that would guide their race into the future. May smiled, satisfied with the outcome. Viltrum would be in good hands, watched over by a loyal servant of Krypton and aided by Goku's power.

"Congratulations, Anissa," May floated into the air and opened a portal with the wave of a hand. "I trust you to act in Krypton's best interest and uphold our beliefs. Send word through the gate if you need help, but for now I'll be taking a tour of your universe."

On the other side of her runic gateway, the Daughter rose from her meditative posture and waved to the group. May wanted to spend a short time on this universe's Earth, a nostalgic tug to see a place not unlike her original home.

"As you command, my Empress…"

– – – –

"You are an insufferable man, you know that?" The Son released an exhausted sigh, his body pinned to the ground by a firm pressure in the Force. "I would much rather spend my time with that Maul character, but instead I'm forced to suffer under your tender ministrations."

Qui-Gon shrugged his shoulders and didn't respond aloud. Much of his focus was turned outward, beyond the realm of Mortis and into the Galaxy proper. The life of the universe glowed like embers, some brighter than others.

Krypton shone like a brilliant star, filled with boundless potential. Past that, other flames stood out among the rest. Countless force sensitive beings, spotlights in the darkness that called to his sight.

"The Chosen One isn't what he seems, you know," the Son continued his monologue, eyes closed against the press of Qui-Gon's Force grip. "He could have filled my role, as easily as he did my Father's. The darkness calls to him, more than it ever did to me…"

– – – –

"What do you think, Richards?" Tony wiped his brow, eyes ringed from months without sleep. Even the nurturing light of the phantom star could only carry him so far and even Kryptonian biology required sleep. "The first prototype is finished, all that's left to do is test it out."

Richards nodded as he circled the white and blue armour. Composed of a combination of symbiote biology and a fusion of Celestial and Kryptonian technology, the living-metal armour pulsed with a silver cosmic light.

"It seems to have adapted well to the infusion of cosmic energy," Sue Storm joined the pair, a data pad in hand as she scanned the armour's inner structure. "It's generating its own power now, a stable fusion of a phantom core and Celestial energy technology."

"I would recommend that we run a few more simulations, before we…" Richards' words fell on deaf ears as Tony placed a hand on the armour's chest and reached out to the suit with his mind. Like the symbiotes that inspired it, its activation was completely psionic.

"I've had enough of simulations," Tony shook his head as the white and blue metal flowed over his body and linked with his mind. "It's time to step boldly into the future!"