A Hive

Floating in the air, I looked down to the ground below, my form hidden away by the clouds as a group of guards flew towards a nearby village. Days had passed now, my rebellion growing by the day with myself, Hiroim and Korg going to villas of the rich and wealthy, freeing all the slaves they held inside.

With powers like mine, it was so very easy.

I flew across the planet of Sakaar, randomly attacking villas, ensuring that there was no concentrated area for raiding. After all, it would be a stupid plan to only raid the nearby villas of our hideout amongst the mountains. That would be like putting a big sign up for all of a Sakaar to see that said, "we're here, come find us!"

I had made many mistakes and stupid decisions in the past, all born of arrogance. Not any more though, I had finally regained my own agency, my independence and I was not going to have it stripped away from me so easily.

"Help us." One of the villagers cried out, a Wildebot rising out of the water near the field of crops. Panic gripped the farmers, all running to the safety of their village. The guards themselves, flew up, escaping the Wildebots while giving some pathetic excuse as to why they couldn't help, or wouldn't.

"Sorry!" He apologised unconvincingly. "You'll have to file a request through your local co-gah!" The guard cried out as I appeared before him, one hand reaching out and gripping his throat.

"If you're going to abandon your people, at least be honest about it." I scolded, giving nothing more than a slight flex that caused his flimsy neck to snap in my arms. His body went limp as I tossed it to the side. I then turned towards the Wildebot, releasing a blast of heat vision that cut deeply into its side, burning through the metal and into the central control system.

As soon as it did, the Wildebot collapsed to the ground, unmoving.

The farmer looked up, instantly recognising me from the numerous posters scattered across Sakaar, or at least I think he did considering there were thousands of wanted posters of me and my companions all around the planet. Though there was a large amount of awe as he looked upon me, but I quickly dismissed it out of hand, turning my attention to the remaining Wildebots.

-X- Line Break -X-

"Thank you." The Headman of the village exclaimed coming towards me with open arms and a smile upon his face. "To think, the Empires greatest enemy would be our saviour. I cannot thank you enough for defeating the Wildebots."

I shrugged. "Hardly anything words will repay my efforts for." Coming here to save them had not been my intention, no instead I had been searching Sakaar for something. A place upon it that held the key to making Miek far more useful to me in the future.

That key, being his Hive.

A Hive that had been held captive beneath the village of the man that had slaughtered his father. I reached out with my senses, expanding my understanding and grasp of how to use my senses in ways similar to that of Superman from the comics. It wasn't easy, the influx of sounds, smells and sights was almost overwhelming.

However, I kept at it, going to nearby large concentrations of sounds and searching throught he villages. Most of the time, robbing them of their weapons and food to feed my growing force of freed slaves.

Lavin continually training those with the help of a handful of gladiators.

Finally in my search, I arrived here at this village, one very near to where I had turned Caiera's ambush against her. Was it frustrating? Oh absolutely, however it was to be expected. Comics, especially that of the Planet Hulk story didn't provide locational details that would allow me to find it much easier.

On a planet as large as Sakaar with hundreds of Hives, it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. You'd be surprised to learn that a number of Hives did burrow and make their homes under the villages of Red-skinned Sakaarans, almost like hiding in plain sight. Though it's also not completely surprising, Miek had proven for all his cowardly ways, he was also a very cunning individual that much like a cockroach, found a way to survive. Perhaps it was an instinct his race had honed?

However, I had finally found the place I was looking for.

I knew that because I recognised the man coming towards me. The Headman may look more real than his comic book counterpart, but the features he displayed were very much like those in my memories. I could also hear the Hive beneath my feet and all my questions were answered. This was the place I was looking for.

A perfect thing for me as I had been working hard to ensure the loyalty of my companions to me. The Brood from what I remembered and from what I had been told, had already Chem-Bonded with us all, the connection that all Broods shared much like an ant colony was now connected to me. That was good.

Lavin and Elloe I'm not a hundred percent sure, though I had gotten revenge and killed Primus, the commander of the Maw. Korg again, I wasn't completely sure of, we shared a cell for a long time and we trained together quite a bit. I had also helped him as best as I could to overcome what he did to his brothers and fellow Kronans.

But it wasn't a definite thing.

Hiorim was an outlier, I had no idea where his loyalities lay.

Miek on the other hand, well I had exactly the thing beneath my feet that would secure his loyalty to me. By freeing his Hive and reuniting him with them, it would definitely make him indebted to me and deeply loyal.

Was I paranoid? Yes, I was.

I had thought that the bond I shared with the Spear of Rao and my men was strong, yet they betrayed me leading to a great deal of problems for me. Certainly I had gone through a great deal with the Warbound, but I had gone through far more with the Spear of Rao and they still betrayed me. Mistakes plagued my past, I would be a foolish man to repeat said mistakes.

Learning from them was the only way to grow and while I wouldn't show my uncertainty around my new allies, I would always keep an eye on them. After all, in this world, one could never be too careful.

"I know." The Headman replied, bowing his head in apology. "Is there anything I can do to repay you for all you've done to help us?"

"Weapons," I responded quickly. "And some food, what you can spare."

"Of course, a small price for you saving our lives." The Headman turned, intending to get a few of the villagers to gather what I had requested, only for me to stop.

"I'll also be needing your slaves as well." Those words of mine elected a pause, the Headman and the nearby villagers who heard me turning. "What? I'm leading a slave rebellion, did you expect me to just let you keep the slaves you have underground? Come now, don't be so naive."

The Headman looked bemused, but I could hear the rapid beating of his heart, he was caught and he knew it. "S-slaves?" He uttered, trying to convey confusion.

I just smiled. "Yes, slaves." Tapping my foot blatantly on the floor, once more the Headman and the nearby villager's heartbeats skyrocketed. They could continue to lie and probably would, but I could hear them all down there. Once they were free, they'd be reunited with Miek eventually leading to his evolution into a King Bug or whatever his people called it, there was no name given in the comics for what it actually was. Unlike in the comics, I wouldn't pretend like war wasn't wanted avoiding the whole short and unnecessary conflict between Hulk and Miek.

Sakaar was what I wanted and war was how I would get it.

I would need an army of willing followers. Miek being a King species in his race and controlling vast quantities of Hives would only add to the forces I could command.

"I can hear them all down there." My eyes glowed red, each of the Sakaarans recoiling away in fear as they recognised what happened when my eyes looked like this. "Now, for wasting my time, I'm going to take all your weapons and your food, plus the slaves. You can either cooperate or you can stand there in a stupor, or you could even try and resist, whichever. However, only one of those options leaves you with your village intact. So I'd make your decision very carefully."