[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ZfvPPwT.png[/img][/center]
[b]Landing Deck, Pegasus Helicarrier[/b]

[color=#ffffff]High above the Atlantic Ocean the battle reached its twenty-third minute. Reed Richards and Sue and Johnny Storm worked in unison to repel an endless wave of attacks from Namor and Namora. Reed’s impossibly malleable form wrapped itself around their limbs, constricting and binding them, while the siblings Storm took their turns launching ranged attacks. The Atlanteans showed no sign of tiring.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]In fact the more Namor fought the stronger he seemed to get. Reed could feel his prying, searching fingers digging into him in an attempt to tear him apart with his bare hands. For a few moments Richards had feared that he really might. This Namor seemed stronger than the one in their world.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Fireball after fireball peppered Namora. Johnny endeavoured to draw her away from her cousin. She was smaller than Namor – and markedly weaker – so Storm felt less terrified by the prospect of her man-handling him like a children’s doll. For the most part his assessment had proven correct. He had, however, underestimated her speed despite having witnessed her despatching Ben with ease.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]As the battle inched towards its thirtieth minute, the Fantastic Three began to show signs of fatigue. The Atlantean encroachment reached further and further each wave. Soon Reed’s attempts to frustrate Namor by entangling him backfired.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The Atlantean used the lasso-like Reed to pluck Johnny from the sky and twisted Reed into a makeshift rope to throttle Storm with.[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“Sue!” [/color][color=#ffffff]Reed called out to his fiance as he recognised that Johnny’s face was turning purple. [/color][color=#3d85c6]“We could use a little bit of help here!”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Sue’s eyes widened as she noticed her brother was in danger – and she fired a construct at Namora that sent her barrelling towards the edge of the Pegasus.[/color]

[color=#9fc5e8]“Enough,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Sue said as she raised a hand threateningly in the Atlantean’s direction.[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“You dare to command me, woman?”[/color][color=#ffffff] Namor laughed. [/color][color=#a2c4c9]“I have the blood of Emperor Thakorr coursing through my veins.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Had Namor known Sue Storm better he would have recognised the look in her eyes.[/color]

[color=#9fc5e8]“It’s not your blood you should be worrying about.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]A hard-light construct appeared around Namor’s neck. It clamped so tightly and suddenly that he released the Reed rope and Johnny fell free from his arms. Storm gasped for air desperately and clambered away from the Atlantean who had begun to float above the ground.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]From across the Pegasus, Namora spotted Namor clawing at his neck to try to remove the construct.[/color][color=#d9d2e9] “Cousin!”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]As she went to break towards them the sudden appearance an orange hand wrapped itself around her leg.[/color]

[color=#f6b26b]“Oh no, you don’t. Let’s see how you like a taste of your own medicine, Little Mermaid.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Ben Grimm had spent the best part of half an hour swimming back towards the Pegasus. His head was still ringing from the force of Namora’s punch – but he was conscious enough to know that he wasn’t about to let no fish-woman ambush Suzie.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]He held onto her leg as she tried to claw her way towards her cousin.[/color]

[color=#9fc5e8]“That sensation you’re feeling?”[/color][color=#ffffff] Sue Storm said as she again tightened the construct around Namor’s neck. [/color][color=#9fc5e8]“That’s desperation. Something tells me it’s probably not a feeling you’re familiar with but you will be once I’m finished with you.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Johnny’s voice was still ailing from the chokehold Namor had placed him in. He watched on as the King of Atlantis struggled in vain. Beside Johnny, a discombobulated Reed began to re-form.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Namor’s prying had all but fried Reed’s brain for a few moments but once he had returned to the land of the living his mouth fell agape at what he was witnessing.[/color]

[color=#9fc5e8]“You’re going to learn what it feels like not to be in complete control for once,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Sue shouted. This time her voice, so calm and soothing usually, was laced with hostile intent. [/color][color=#9fc5e8]“You’re going to learn what it feels like to watch your world burn all around you.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Reed placed his hand on her fiance’s shoulder in an attempt to coax her out from beneath her rage. It had been Sue that had stressed calm at first – but seeing her only brother on the brink of death had awoken something within the Invisible Woman.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]She had been reminded of a time that young Johnny had almost choked to death on some chewing gum as a kid. It was a few years after their father had been sent to prison. Sue was all that Johnny had left. So when she found him purple, airway blocked, near death, her whole life had come crashing down around her.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]And there, if only for the briefest of moments, she recalled who that had felt.[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“Sue,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Reed murmured to his fiance without an ounce of judgement in his voice. [/color][color=#3d85c6]“Sue, this is not who you are.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Her breathing slowed and slowly Sue regained her calm. Namor had slumped to his knees, hands rubbing his throat and Adam’s apple, as he tried to take stock of what had happened to him.[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“You almost killed me, you stupid woman,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Namor snarled.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Johnny Storm smiled a proud smile. [/color][color=#ea9999]“And she still could too, bozo.”[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“And then what? What is it that you think would happen afterwards, you mewling ignoramus? Every able-bodied Atlantean would take up arms against the surface world and fight until the oceans [i]frothed[/i] with blood.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Though a little worse-for-wear, Reed Richards sensed his opportunity to reason with the Atlantean king for a second time.[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“There must be some way to end this peacefully, Namor.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]This time there was a flicker of indecision from Namor. It was brief – almost indiscernible to the normal eye – but Reed spotted it. Something had changed in his mind.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Namora however was still determined to bring Gardner to heel.[/color][color=#d9d2e9] “No more bargains, cousin. Let us end this once and f-”[/color]

[color=#f6b26b]“Would you quit your bellyaching already? None of us would be in this mess if you’d just told Carrot Top to shove it,” [/color][color=#ffffff]Ben shouted.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Namora’s features twisted with rage and she prepared to charge the Thing for a second time. This time Ben seemed prepared for it. Before she could move, her cousin Namor clamped his hand around her arm to keep her in place. The indecision had gone. Atlantis’ king had decided upon a course of action.[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“I have a proposition for you, Reed Richards.”[/color]

[color=#f6b26b]“Oh, I don’t like the sound of that at all,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Ben whispered to Johnny sheepishly.[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“I will pledge to put an end to my war with the surface world immediately – I will [i]even[/i] disavow my right to exact vengeance against that buffoon Gardner – in exchange for a simple boon.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Reed’s ears pricked up. In one move he could put an end to a conflict that all of Nick Fury and SHIELD had failed to for decades. It wasn’t just the lives lost. It was the prospect of cooperation with a culture whose understanding of technology and magic would help fuel groundbreaking new technologies. Who in their right minds would turn down such a deal? There was no price that wasn’t worth paying for such a thing.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]At least Reed didn’t think so until Namor named his price.[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“Your mate.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The words struck Reed like a punch to the chest. [/color][color=#3d85c6]“Excuse me?!”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Namor smiled wryly and looked directly at Sue.[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“Never has someone defied me the way you did, Susan Storm. You would make for an incredible mate were you not a feeble surface-dweller – but you look strong enough to survive a single night with the King of Atlantis.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Johnny had heard enough. First Namor had almost choked the life out of him and now he thought he could treat his sister like chattel to be bought and sold. Johnny was going to show him what real pain was.[/color]

[color=#ea9999]“I am going to burn you alive, you no-good son of a b-”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Before the insult left his mouth, Sue strode forward and extended her hand in Namor’s direction. [/color][color=#9fc5e8]“I agree.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Reed could feel his heart in his throat.[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“Sue, you can’t be serious?”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]His fiance did not so much as acknowledge his question. Instead she stood resolutely before Namor waiting for him to shake her hand as an equal. The Atlantean king glanced down at the hand, as if unfamiliar with the custom, until Sue prompted him to shake it.[/color]

[color=#9fc5e8]“Do we have a deal or not?”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Namor relented and took Sue’s hand.[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“Yes, Susan, we have a deal,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Namor agreed. [/color][color=#a2c4c9]“One day in the near future I will call upon you and you will be my honoured guest for a night. Rest assured that I will be true to my word – the debaser will come to no harm by my hand or any acting on my behalf. That much I promise.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Namora fumed from within Namor’s grip. [/color][color=#d9d2e9]“This is an outrage.”[/color]

[color=#a2c4c9]“Silence, Namora.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]As if emboldened by Sue’s defiance, the Atlantean heiress refused to be ordered into silence.[/color]

[color=#d9d2e9]“You would trade my honour for one night with this surface-dwelling pigl-”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Where Namor’s words had failed, his eyes succeeded. He turned to Namora with a look that made her turn white. His rough hands had tightened around her arm to the point that she could not feel her forearm. She feared him, as all Atlanteans feared their king, as he was the rage of Poseidon.[/color]

[color=#d9d2e9]“Forgive me, my king.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]He nodded in acceptance and let her arm slip from his hand. With their bargain struck, he also released Sue’s hand. There was a tense moment when Reed and Namor locked eyes but the king seemed nonplussed by the super scientist’s displeasure. Ben and Johnny watched on, shocked, as Namor and Namora turned to leave.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The long tentacle that had been holding the Pegasus in place unfurled and the Atlanteans rode the arm down beneath the surface.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The Fantastic Four stood alone on the edge of the Pegasus staring at the sea beneath them. They were lost for words. Reed’s sense of betrayal hung so heavily in the air that it was almost tangible. Sue dared not look in her fiance’s direction. Only Ben dared break to the silence.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]He rubbed his jaw where Namora had blindsided him earlier and then looked over at Johnny despairingly. [/color][color=#f6b26b]“What a revoltin’ development.”[/color]