<NOT COMPATIBLE NOT COMPATIBLE NOT COMPATIBLE NOT COMPATIBLE> Jaime struggled against his constraints as his back arched in pain. The feeling of fire and burning lanced out, starting from the middle of his back, crawling out to encompass all of his limbs. His screams echoed in his ears, it was just about all he could hear above the shouting in his head-
<NOT COMPATIBLE NOT COMPATIBLE NOT COMPATIBLE NOT COMPATIBLE> The last twelve hours had been nothing but a nightmare. Tigh running away. The fight at Kord Industries and the scarab. Crawling its way up his back, the pain as it burrowed its way into his skin. Then he had been surrounded by some form of reptilian aliens with grey skin, their features highlighted by blue lights spread throughout their body. Jaime had heard someone approaching from behind but before he could react or respond in any kind of way he felt a massive hand collide with the rear side of his head and then the next thing he knew... he was here.
Jaime wasn't entirely sure where
here was -
<SYSTEMS COMPROMISED JAIME REYES, LOCATION DATA UNAVAILABLE> He wasn't entirely sure how there was a voice inside his head or where it was coming from either
<WE ARE BOUND TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP JAIME REYES>"¿Qué, what does that even mean?" There was a lapse in the pain, as a large clunk sounded from behind him. There was the muffled
thud, thud, thud as someone walked towards him. As Jaime tried to turn his head to see who it was, if it was another one of these aliens or something else, a large hand gripped his head, holding it in place. A long, menacing finger terminated in a long black claw at the top of his nose, right where he could see it. The voice was deep and ominous, almost like a growl. Primal.
"Poor little Beetle." A low chuckle.
"So far from home, tell me child has the scarab awakened yet? Are your wings clipped, or are you just ignorant?"<FLIGHT SYSTEMS REMAIN INOPERABLE JAIME REYES. DEFENSIVE AND OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES COMPROMISED. REPAIRING>"I don't get it, No entiendo." His neck nearly snapped as his head was turned towards the source of the voice. Red robotic, and yellow organic eyes glared at him from opposite sides of his black and white furred face, long sharp fangs hung from his teeth as what was definitely the most pissed off tiger looking thing he had ever seen, bore down upon him. Roaring in his face. Instead of his right arm, there was some form of cannon that was pointed directly towards Jaimes chest.
<COMPATIBLE MATERIAL LOCATED>"Don't play ignorant with me child. Tell me, how many of the Scarabs abilities did Ted Kord manage to unlock? I have seen your news, a world of would be heroes and conquerors. Tell me all you know, tell me all about the-"Jaime winced as he could feel a heat in his chest near where the cannon was. This was going to be it wasn't it? He was going to die in an alien spaceship, blasted to smithereens by a rejected Zootopia villain. The tiger was right about one thing, in the last couple of years Earth - it was strange to think of it as 'Earth', had become home to many different costumed heroes and vigilantes, but Jaime was getting the distinct impression he was in space, and who the hell was supposed to help save him here, who could possible come save-

Sam winced as he sat up in the bed. This couldn't be real. At the foot of his hospital bed was a dog, some kind of retriever. Brown fur with a long tail that wagged slowly back and forth. Cocking it's head as it looked at him, a quizzical look on its face as its ears arched like eyebrows. The strangest thing about this particular dog, was the fact it wore a spacesuit with CCCP emblazoned on the front. A red soviet star on one of his shoulders. Now, as if this wasn't strange enough Sam knew this dog. Or rather, he knew
of him. He had heard stories about the Space Dog since he was a boy, stories told to him by his father.
This dog was Cosmo. The security chief of Knowhere, the skull of a giant cosmic being that acted as a space station and a hub for intergalactic... everything.
Stories rarely ended up being at the foot of your hospital bed. Rubbing his head slightly, he winced again as he sat up straight.
"I must have hit my head harder than I thought, I really do need a helmet."<You are not knowink how right you are Sam.> Sam recoiled.
"What the-"Cosmos tailed wagged happily from beneath him, his expression proud.
<Cosmo is communicating telepathically. Cosmo would have thought Sams father would have told him.> "Wha- no- I mean, yes but, those were just stories. You can't be real, Dad had PTSD, mum explained it to me, the stories were just his way off dealing with it. I'm dreaming-"Cosmo whined sadly and his tail dropped, a glass of water lifted its way off Sams bedside table. Up over his head and deposited a drop of water on the top of Sams head. Sam jumped and the glass dropped, pouring
all of the water down his back. Cosmo flinched.
<Cosmo sorry! Cosmo just tryink to prove point, that Cosmo is real.>The second voice alerted Sam to the other person in the room, dressed in a crisp and clean suit. Polished buttons, the rim of his hat, which he held under his left arm, also shone slightly in the light. Sam had never been to England, but he imagined that every man over there had this mans
exact accent.
"If you'll excuse my impertinence young sir, but your old man never told you stories of me, now did he?"Sam shook his head slowly.
"Alright then-" the man turned nodded at Cosmo.
"Sorry about that, but I tolds you I could voncince him." Cosmo nodded back.
<Cosmo is knowink you are scared Sam, but he is bringink something from your father-> The dog turned and looked towards the far corner of the room, his eyes glowed red as slowly a red and black helmet floated over to him, gently resting in his lap. It was a little too big for him and in the centre of the forehead was the emblazoned four-point star. It was his fathers Nova helmet, he had seen it in the garage growing up. At first, it had been an item of wonder, his fathers helmet that allowed him to travel through spac,e saving the world.
As he grew up, he realised it was just some hunk of junk. Something that held his father back, kept him from living in reality and dealing with his issues.
<Cosmo was wishink he had time to convince you that the stories were true> Sam looked up raising an eyebrow, as Cosmos tail wagged sheepishly.
<Cosmo can also read thoughts.>"Ah... Makes sense." Did it though?
<There is not much time, your father was sending Cosmo because it is time for Sam to become what his father once was-> The dogs eyes glowed red as the helmet lifted off the ground, turning around Sam didn't recoil as it hovered above his head, lowering down Sam was surprised to feel how snug it was, how perfeclty it fit. His entire body buzzed with electricity, his pain subsided and he could feel strength courisng throughout his body.
<It is time for Sam Alexander to become->