Chapter 70

The warm glow of the evening sun filtered into Lydia's spacious office, casting long shadows on the elegant furniture. Carol Danvers and Lydia were wrapping up their work, chattering about their plans for dinner when a soft, blue light flickered into existence.

Astrid's projection materialized before them, a sad smile gracing her lips. She looked ethereal, the holographic light blending into the ambient sunset hues.

"Hey, Astrid," Lydia greeted, noting her friend's expression with concern. "You okay? You look a bit...down."

Astrid let out a soft sigh, her projected form wistfully flickering. "It's about Yelena... and your brothers."

Lydia immediately tensed, her jovial demeanor slipping away. She listened quietly as Astrid relayed the events of Yelena's encounter with Victor and James. The wolves were no longer a threat, and Victor seemed ready to return, but James... James was proving to be more difficult.

Carol watched Lydia silently, sympathy evident in her eyes as she reached out and placed a comforting hand on Lydia's arm. "Hey, it's not your fault," she said gently. "He's hurting and he's lashing out. Doesn't mean he's right."

The holographic message from Victor played out, his words causing a pang in Lydia's heart. He sounded resigned, accepting of his self-imposed mission to look after James. His comment about PTSD struck a nerve.

After the message ended, silence filled the room. Lydia sunk into her chair, her expression shadowed. "I just...I wanted them to see all of this," she murmured, waving a hand around the office - a symbol of her empire, "I wanted to show them what we've built. But James...he's..."

Astrid's projection gave a nod, a small comforting smile tugging at her lips. "He'll come around, Lydia. You can't force these things."

Lydia sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. She knew Astrid was right, but that didn't make the situation any easier. "I guess, for now, all we can do is give them space. They know where we are if they need us."

"Exactly," Carol agreed, squeezing Lydia's arm. "And in the meantime, you've got an empire to run and dinner to eat. Come on, boss lady, let's get some grub."

With that, they pushed aside the somber mood, focusing on the present moment. They knew that, when the time was right, they would tackle the issue of Lydia's brothers again. But for now, they had to carry on.

***

Carol and Lydia were lounging in the comforts of their shared home, enjoying a well-earned meal after a long day. Lydia was just about to crack a joke when Astrid's voice resonated in both their ears, like an echo in a hollow cavern.

"We've picked up an unusual signal from the Veil Nebula," Astrid's voice informed them.

Carol, her fork halfway to her mouth, paused and furrowed her brow. "What kind of signal?" she asked.

"It appears to be a wormhole travel signal," Astrid explained, her voice maintaining a steady, controlled pitch despite the potential gravity of the situation. "Only one ship as far as I can tell."

Lydia leaned back in her chair, frowning as she processed the information. Veil Nebula was their territory now, and any unanticipated visit was cause for concern. Astrid had installed several advanced monitoring devices there, primarily with the intent of tracing any sign of Annihilus.

Astrid's next words had Lydia and Carol exchanging a quick, confused glance. "There's also an additional signal. It's cryptic, but it's laced within the ship's signal. I'm trying to decipher it."

"Oh," Astrid's voice carried a note of surprise as she added, "I have visuals."

Suddenly, a video projection filled the space in front of Lydia and Carol, revealing the ship as it emerged from the makeshift wormhole. The design was unmistakable, and Lydia's eyes widened in recognition.

"What the hell is the Fantastic Four doing in the Veil Nebula system?" she wondered out loud, a mixture of confusion and curiosity painted across her face. The Fantastic Four's presence there was unexpected, to say the least, and Lydia couldn't help but wonder what they could be doing so far from home.

"Alright, Astrid," Lydia finally broke the silence, her voice carrying an undertone of authority. "I need you to reach out to our patrol fleet in the area. Tell them to initiate our unauthorized vessel protocol on that ship. We can't let them move around unchecked."

"Got it, Boss. I'll get right on it," Astrid's voice answered promptly, the holographic projection of her face still maintaining that serene, composed expression.

Carol placed her fork down on the table, her brows furrowed with concern. "Do you think they pose a threat, Lydia?" she asked, her voice slightly lowered.

"I don't know, Carol," Lydia answered honestly, looking at Carol with an equally concerned expression. "They are Earth's finest heroes, but they're also a wildcard. Especially Reed Richards. We don't know what brought them here. All we can do is prepare for the unexpected."

As they resumed their meal, the tension hung in the air like a heavy mist. With the Fantastic Four's unexpected presence in the Veil Nebula, a new chapter in Lydia's journey seemed to be just about to begin.

***

Ben and Johnny sat there, surrounded by the hum of the ship's engine and the array of beeping instruments, as Reed and Sue fell into an animated discussion.

"Sue, look at these readings! The energy signatures here... they're unlike anything I've ever seen," Reed's voice was filled with awe and excitement as his eyes flicked across the screens, absorbing all the new data they presented.

"Yes, Reed, and the cosmic radiation," Sue added, her eyes scanning another display. "It's far more concentrated than any readings we've ever recorded before."

"The structure of these celestial bodies... it's truly remarkable!" Reed's hand hovered over a holographic projection of a rotating planet, his eyes wide with fascination.

"Indeed, the planetary orbits seem to follow a different gravitational pull. It's fascinating!" Sue chimed in, her tone matching her husband's wonderment.

On the other hand, Ben and Johnny merely exchanged confused looks. "You getting any of this, Matchstick?" Ben grumbled, squinting at the projections and readings that were beyond his comprehension.

"Not a clue, Rockpile," Johnny responded with a sheepish grin, shrugging his shoulders. "Guess we'll leave the science to the smart ones."

As Reed and Sue continued their scientific analysis, Johnny and Ben settled back into their seats, exchanging light-hearted banter to kill time, the whirring of the ship and the stars outside their window their only company in the vast expanse of space.

***

"All hands, report to battle stations!" The captain's voice echoed throughout the Genoshian ship, a stern command that instantly spurred the crew into action.

"Helm, plot an intercept course for that vessel, full speed," he ordered, pointing at the dot representing the unidentified ship on the scanner. The helmsman nodded, immediately adjusting the ship's course and engaging the engines.

Just as the ship lurched forward, the captain's personal communication device lit up with the holographic projection of Astrid. He was momentarily taken aback; communication from Astrid herself was rare and always significant.

"Captain, Empress Lydia has ordered to initiate Unidentified Vessel Protocols on the unauthorized ship," Astrid's voice sounded crisp and authoritative.

"Understood, ma'am," the captain nodded, his expression resolute. "We're on our way. But, may I ask, do we know anything about the ship?"

"No identification yet," Astrid informed, "but it appears to have originated from a makeshift wormhole and has an unusual energy signature. Do not let it move from its current position."

"Acknowledged, Astrid," the captain replied, the gravity of the situation clear in his voice.

He turned to his crew, his eyes filled with determination. "You heard her, crew. We are to restrict this ship's movement. Helm, continue on our intercept course. Weapons, prepare for potential engagement, but hold fire until my command. We don't know who we're dealing with here, but we have a job to do. Let's do it right."

The Genoshian ship continued its approach, the crew ready for whatever was about to come.

***

"Hey, guys," Johnny called out, his eyes focused on one of the displays. "What's this little dot here? It's moving pretty fast."

Reed quickly came over and examined the readout, his expression turning serious. "That's... not good," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else in the room.

"What? What's not good?" Sue asked, her brow furrowed with worry as she moved to join them.

"Something's approaching us," Reed answered grimly, his gaze fixed on the scanner. "And it's moving at an alarming speed."

"Approaching us?" Ben echoed, his rocky features reflecting his surprise. "You mean like a space rock or something?"

"No," Reed shook his head, his eyes darting over the data before him. "This is definitely not a space rock, Ben. The trajectory, the speed... it's deliberate."

Johnny immediately understood the gravity of the situation. "So, like, prepare for a confrontation kind of 'not good'?"

"Exactly," Reed confirmed, already beginning to move towards the ship's controls. "Everyone, we need to prepare for whatever is coming our way."

As Reed's voice echoed through the cabin, a sense of urgency filled the air. Sue turned to the vast window, her eyes searching the cosmos for the unseen threat while Johnny and Ben braced themselves for the unknown.

As the Genoshian ship halted at a safe distance, the captain keyed in the universal communication channel, his stern face projected onto the screen.

"Unidentified vessel, you have entered Genoshian space without pre-authorization," his voice filled the command deck, resounding with an unarguable authority. "Power down your engines immediately and identify yourself. Be advised that any attempt to flee will be treated as a hostile act and will be met with an appropriate response."

His final word reverberated in the tense silence that followed the broadcast. All eyes were on the unidentified vessel, waiting for a reaction.

Meanwhile, aboard the Marvel-1, the Fantastic Four had received the transmission loud and clear. They all turned to look at Reed, expecting him to take the lead.

Reed glanced at Sue, his brow furrowed with worry. Sue simply gave a small nod, trusting him to make the right decision.

Reed turned back to the controls, preparing to respond. But before he could, Johnny, slouched in his chair with a relaxed demeanor that was starkly contrasted to the tense atmosphere, let out a sigh. His eyes, however, were sharp and focused, ready for anything.

"Here we go again..." He muttered, crossing his arms.

Upon receiving the message, Reed's fingers moved quickly over the controls, a focused expression on his face. He activated the communication system again.

"We are the Fantastic Four, Earth-based explorers and scientists," he replied, his voice steady despite the situation. "We were following a cosmic energy signature that led us here. We have no hostile intentions. Our purpose is purely scientific."

His words hung in the silence that followed. On the command deck of the Genoshian ship, the captain listened closely, then repeated his previous statement, his voice growing stern, "Identify yourselves and power down your engines. This will be my final warning."

Sue turned to Reed, her blue eyes wide with worry. "Reed," she said, her voice soft but audible. "Maybe we should comply. I can feel the tension... they're ready to act."

Ben grumbled from his seat. "We ain't doin' anything wrong, Stretch. We're just followin' a signal."

Reed shot Ben a quick glance, taking a moment to consider. After a few tense seconds, he sighed and turned to the controls. With a few quick presses, he powered down the engines. The hum of the Marvel-1's engines dwindled into a soft purr, then fell completely silent.

"We're complying," Reed informed the Genoshian ship, his voice resigned but firm. "Our engines are powered down."

"Good," came the Genoshian captain's voice, a hint of relief in his tone. "This is Captain Tarn of the Genoshian Starship GSS Orion. Under Genoshian protocol, I require you to lower any shields or signal disrupters during our scan."

Inside the Marvel-1, Sue looked questioningly at Reed. He hesitated, glancing at his fellow crew members. The atmosphere was filled with trepidation, but they had little choice.

"Should we do it, Reed?" Sue asked, her voice filled with concern.

Reed pondered for a moment before finally responding, "We don't really have much choice, Sue. We're in their territory. We need to comply."

Turning to the ship's controls, Reed began to power down the Marvel-1's shields and disruptors.

"To Captain Tarn," Reed began, his fingers flying over the controls, "we are powering down our shields and signal disrupters now. You're clear to scan."

The screen displaying the scan results was brought to Captain Tarn's attention, an anomalous energy spike originating from the ship's cargo bay catching his eye. "We're detecting unusual energy readings from your cargo bay," he announced. "What are you hauling?"

Inside the Marvel-1, Reed frowned, glancing over at his crew. "We don't have anything...," his voice trailed off, a puzzled expression on his face.

A casual comment from Johnny cut through the tense silence. "Maybe it's that thing we took from Annihilus," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

Sue's eyes widened in surprise, "Johnny!" she exclaimed. "I asked you to get rid of that months ago! Reed, didn't you hear me?"

Reed, caught off guard, could only respond with, "I thought he had...," before shaking his head. Now, they were in a rather tricky situation.

***

As Astrid meticulously examined the scan results, her eyes widened at the data presenting itself. "This energy... It's similar to the readings we detected from Earth when Annihilus escaped," she mused, her face showing a mix of surprise and concern. Pondering the implications, she theorized, "Perhaps this device could provide us a way to track down Annihilus."

She quickly relayed her findings to Lydia, who nodded in understanding. "It's probably a piece of tech they picked up in the Negative Zone," she deduced. Swiftly, she issued an order to Astrid, "Divert a portion of Carol's fleet to the Veil Nebula. Dispatch our science team for investigation and notify the Fantastic Four of our boarding intention."

***

Onboard the Genoshian patrol vessel, Captain Tarn received Lydia's directives and promptly relayed them to the Marvel-1. "Fantastic Four, we're sending a boarding party to investigate the device in your cargo bay. Cooperate fully and there will be no issues."

Reed immediately objected, his voice laced with tension, "Captain, the device isn't harmful, I assure you. We don't need to escalate the situation further."

In response, Captain Tarn explained, "The energy readings we're getting from your device match those of a cosmic level threat known as Annihilus. It's for the safety of everyone involved that we must investigate."

At the mention of Annihilus, the Fantastic Four were visibly shocked, their faces reflecting a shared sentiment of dread. It was a name they hoped they wouldn't hear again, yet it seemed that fate had other plans.

Sue's eyes widened as her screen started to flicker with countless incoming signals, signifying the arrival of more ships. "Reed... I don't think we can run from this," she said, her voice trembling with a touch of fear.

Reed glanced at her screen and his brows furrowed as the severity of their situation sunk in. He swallowed hard and muttered, "They have us completely surrounded..."

Ben, still holding his defiant stance, grumbled loudly, "I told you, Stretch! We should've jumped when we had the chance!"

The argument was interrupted by a sudden heavy thud, followed by a disturbing whirring sound. A look of shock spread across Reed's face as he realized what was happening. "They've... They've taken control of our ship," he stated, his voice shaking with a mix of disbelief and concern.

The cargo door began to open, much to their astonishment. "Incredible... Their technology is far beyond what I could've imagined," Reed murmured, his fear momentarily overshadowed by his admiration for such advanced capabilities.

However, their awe quickly morphed back into concern as they braced themselves for what would come next. The foreign civilization that they initially thought of as a fascinating discovery now seemed to be an intimidating force to reckon with.