Chapter 8: Interception

IN A STARSHIP, HURTLING TOWARD EARTH...

GROOT:  |||| |||||||||| ||| |||| |||||| ||||?

ROCKET RACCOON:  That's what I'd like to know.  We'll see when we get there, I guess.

DRAX THE DESTROYER:  So, Adam...this Monad you've got Peter all worked up about.  What is it?

ADAM WARLOCK: Drax, anybody who is reading this already knows what the Moand is.  If I spend any more time explaining--

STARLORD: Hey fellas, I'm afraid our concerns about the Monad and excessive exposition will have to wait.  We've got company.

DRAX THE DESTROYER: Company?

STARLORD: Company.  Skrull company.  Our course for Earth has been intercepted by a Skrull starcruiser.

ROCKET RACCOON: Can't wait.  I've been working on a few Skrull-specific modifications for this blaster; let's see how those shape-shifting scumsuckers like 'em!

MEANWHILE, ABOARD THE SKRULL SPACE CRUISER...

SKRULL SOLDIER #1: Commander, we've intercepted an Icarus class cruiser destined for Earth...

SKRULL SOLDIER #1: ...Should we blast it into the stratosphere?

SKRULL COMMANDER: Tell me, do we know what kind of freight they're carrying?  What kind of crew?

SKRULL COMMANDER: There may be a bounty that's more of a reward than even blasting a ship full of humans out of space....

GROOT: ||||| ||||| || ||||||| ||||| |||||||!

MEANWHILE, BACK ON EARTH, WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK, HOME OF PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER'S SCHOOL FOR GIFTED YOUNGSTERS...

MR. FANTASTIC: Iceman, we appreciate you meeting with us on such short notice.  Is Professor Xavier available? We need a telepath to probe Hulk's mind and read his memory.

ICEMAN: They haven't made a Professor X action figure yet, Reed.  But if you need a telepath, they've made a couple different versions of Jean Grey.  One of them is in the Danger Room with the other X-Men now.

ICEMAN: It's running a pretty sweet simulation; I designed it myself.  It's an arctic environment where the X-Men need to combat a--

MR. FANTASTIC: --Let me guess.  A Sentinel?

ICEMAN: Uhhh...

IN THE DANGER ROOM...

ARCHANGEL: The Sentinel is down!  You take over from here, Colossus!

COLOSSUS: идеальный!  Wolverine and I hold down from outside, Kitty and Kurt will be phasing in Sentinel's circuits; destroy from inside out!

SHADOWCAT: Good plan, Colossus.  Kurt and I will rip out its circuitry; you rip off its head.

JEAN GREY: Scott, I'm afraid I can't complete the simulation.  Someone's here to see me.  It's important.

STORM: Ummm...we're pretty much done, anyway.

JEAN GREY: Do you always have to be such a bitch, Ororo?

LATER...

MR. FANTASTIC: Jean, we need you to read Hulk's mind.  We're looking for a specific memory.  A woman.  A woman who gave Hulk a baby.

JEAN GREY: That's backwards from how I usually do it on Maury, but I think I can help.  Just relax, Hulk.  Just relax....

HULK: Hulk...getting...sleepy....

JEAN GREY: Hulk was looking for a rare Radioactive Man #44...

JEAN GREY:  Suddenly, a woman enters the comic shop.  A woman...with long, blonde hair.  She enters the comic book shop with the infant...

JEAN GREY: The woman...she hands the child off to Hulk, telling him she'll be back...

JEAN GREY: ...But she won't. 

JEAN GREY: A first printing of Radioactive Man #44 isn't available...but it is included in the trade paperback...volume 2...

JEAN GREY: ...But that's not good enough for Hulk.  He puts a deposit down on a special order...he wants the single issue....

SILVER SURFER: Enough with the comic shop, Jean!  Can you tell us...who was the woman?!

JEAN GREY: I recognize her! She...was...Amora...the Enchantress!!!

TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 9: NORWEGIAN WOOD!!!