[center][img]https://s3.amazonaws.com/comicgeeks/characters/avatars/6781.jpg?t=1669780301[/img][/center] [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]I didn't.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] [color=darkgray]The surrounding superheroes tried to make sense of this new information they were being given by the former hero, as he sat and drank tea with a cookie resting on its saucer. [color=saddlebrown][b]"So when you say that, you mean--?"[/b][/color] [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]Exactly what I said, and I'm surprised you didn't ask her any more questions at the time.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] [color=gold]"I don't get it."[/color] Sandy puzzled. [color=gold]"I thought you said Courtney went to the original Starman to get her cosmic staff improved, to better attune to her?"[/color] He asked Pat, who seemed more confused by this recent development than anyone. [color=blue]"[/color][color=white]She did! At least that's what she told me... She came back and it was firing off green.[/color][color=blue]"[/color] [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]Cosmic [b]ROD[/b].[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] The older man corrected. [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]And it doesn't work like that. It absorbs, manipulates and emits stellar energies and light. Why would-- It wouldn't make any sense for the color of light to be changed just for, what, some kind of weird aesthetic purpose? Why would I waste my time on that? And attunement doesn't work like that either. As far as I can tell there's no shortcut to forming better bonds of attunement. That just take time. Nothing more can be done about it.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] [color=saddlebrown][b]"So I think-- I guess we can pinpoint the moment when the change happened."[/b][/color] Rick said, trying to add a brightside to recent news. [color=saddlebrown][b]"How long ago was that again--? A few weeks? Nearly a month?"[/b][/color] [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]I want to see it.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] The old man said, speaking firmly. The group looked at each other as if trying to get a sense of any reason why they shouldn't. After all, it had been his own creation which brought them all here in the first place. Beth moved first. She picked up the staff and handed it to the older man. [color=yellow]"Seems only fair."[/color] Old wrinkled hands ran along the sides of the staff, he searched the controls with a furrowed brow. [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]This is a weapon.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] He concluded. [color=yellow]"Well-- You designed it."[/color] [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]I did [b]NOT[/b].[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] He growled, even more firmly than before. Insulted by the suggestion. [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]What I designed was a tool. A precision implement designed with more subtle purpose. [b]THIS[/b] is a modified energy weapon.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] He twisted the base, and a part of the staff broke away. [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]Regenerative jade plasma cartridges. Would need re-loading after six hours of heavy usage. Twelve of latent. If you search her room or anywhere she's been ducking away to, I bet you'll find at least two or three more.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] He tossed the cartridge to his son. [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]Jack. Who does this make you think of?[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] [color=saddlebrown][b]"I don't get it. A villain--?"[/b][/color] Rick broke in. [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]No. Like I said, this is a weapon. A modified energy weapon. Nobody on Earth has technology like this. Jack has-- been further, met more 'people' than I can claim to have gotten to.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Nothing we'd want any part of... I can tell that much. It's too crude to be Kree. But it's derivative. Which tells me all we need to know--"[/color] [color=limegreen]"[/color][color=red]Well-- you didn't tell anyone when it died, at least. I suppose you all had sense enough for that.[/color][color=limegreen]"[/color] The older man grumbled. [color=yellow]"Is-- How did you know that? Is Courtney going to be alright? Is she dead too, along with whatever that thing was?"[/color] Beth asked. Jack tried to calm the scene. As it became obvious that these two seemed to have knowledge of whatever they were dealing with, the excitement built to fever pitch for concern oer their missing friend. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Tell me... what do any of you know about Skrulls..?"[/color] [/color] [Center][h1][color=yellow]⭐️ 🌟 ⭐️[/color][/h1][/center] [hr][sup][h1][center][img]https://www.cizgikafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/hourman-tv-show-hourman-570x294.jpg[/img][/center][b][center][color=saddlebrown] H O U R M A N[/color] [color=gold]H O U R M A N[/color][/center][/b][/h1][/sup][hr] [color=darkgray]The hulking ship slowly drifted through the black abyss of space. Courtney awoke with a start, grabbing her shoulder, and putting her other hand on her back where she was sure the plasma had scorched through. Phantom wounds. Her breathing slowed as she realised the horrors of the dream, a simultaneous premonition that she had felt had fallen away and could affect her no longer. She looked back at the device, the frame she had been connected to, and shuddered. [color=fuchsia]"Oh-- you're awake too."[/color] Courtney jumped back, nervous about the source of the voice - a smallish, mousey man - who had addressed her unanounced. [color=fuchsia]"It's ok-- Well, no. That's a lie. It's far from ok. But I'm not gonna hurt you."[/color] [b][color=white]"[/color][color=blue]Where are we?[/color][color=white]"[/color][/b] [color=fuchsia]"Space, I figure... Sorry. I'm not exactly a local either."[/color] [b][color=white]"[/color][color=blue]What happened?[/color][color=white]"[/color][/b] [color=fuchsia]"Well, if you're anything like me, the agent version of you just died. You lost connection and it woke you out of the hyperstasis they keep you in, where they keep transmitting your memories. We should be alright, so long as we keep quiet. I'll show you how to pretend you're still tapped in soon, in just a little while. You seem a lot calmer than the last though. Guy just started screaming. Brought them all right down in here, had to hold my cover for a good twenty minutes or so. A lot more attention than I'm comfortable with."[/color] Courtney walked over to a massive window that gave a large vista of space and a second immense ship that appeared to be travelling alongside. She felt a familiar faint draw from it. [color=fuchsia]"I don't suppose you know where we are?"[/color] [b][color=white]"[/color][color=blue]Hmm?[/color][color=white]"[/color][/b] She queried. How was she supposed to know? [color=fuchsia]"It's just-- your clothes. Covered in stars. Figured, maybe there was an off chance-- No? Forget I asked..."[/color] [b][color=white]"[/color][color=blue]What's that ship?[/color][color=white]"[/color][/b] [color=fuchsia]"Don't know. If I had to guess, I'd say another just like this one, with more people trapped, just like us."[/color] But Courtney wasn't so sure. She concentrated and felt the draw pull stronger. Her friends thought she was dead. She was trapped in a metal hull hurtling through space. She had to get out, and that would take two things. A plan, and time. [b][color=white]"[/color][color=blue]Show me how to make them think we're still tapped in...[/color][color=white]"[/color][/b] [/color]