Ultimate S.H.A.D.E. #16: Dark Side of the Moon pt5

[jackalope]

Ultimate S.H.A.D.E. #16
Dark Side of the Moon pt. 5

The Moon, Now

“Thyme?”

Silence. The bandaged Arden tilts his head, eyes locked on Father Time. “How...?”

“It's complicated, I...” Again quiet vacuum sinks in and around the two once lovers.

“This is awkward.” Nile's voice penetrates the situation. The two look at him, he grins sheepishly.

Frankenstein looks to the shocked Father Time. “This may not be the time for...”

Arden twists he head, to the blue giant. “Bien sûr, évidemment. Frankenstein's monster, so it lives. It seems obvious you would surround yourself with monsters.”

“Hey!” Niles shouts, offended. He mumbles to Lyta, “A black kid's a monster now?”

Ignoring him, the Frenchman continues, “I have been filled in on what you want to do here. Shut down my little operation I have going. Je suis desolee, it will not be so easy.” Turning back to the ranks of flying Selenites, he signals as he starts to walk away. The creatures buzz forward, lifting their miniature heat rays at the surrounded S.H.A.D.E. agents. “As you can see we have become un peu more organised since the last time you visited.”

“Michel! When did you become... this?” Father Time shouts. The bandaged Selenite leader stops, and stands for a moment, his only movement his breathing. The winged Selenites twitch, waiting.

Finally the Moon King turns back to them. “Sometime after you LEFT ME!” His voice rising into a yell, he catches himself. “Maybe I changed 20 years ago? Maybe it was 50? Who knows- and what does it matter? You left me here to die, but I didn't.”

“It wasn't me, it was Savage, surely you remember!”

“AND WHO INVITED HERR SAVAGE? WHO?” Arden waves his hands in frustration. “I have been up here for over a hundred years, with only a half mad Egyptian and half a million moon bugs to talk to! You know how many times you can talk about the pyramids or the first battery? Christ! Then he goes and dies and then I have no one, and all I could do was look out and see it there, Earth, big and blue, so close and yet so far. Merde!” In his furious rant he raises his fist, which shakes with hatred. “And I saw your people come in their gleaming blanc 'space shuttles' I watched from my little bubble as you put up flags and drove around. You could not see me but I could see you... I even saw the light display when that Astronaut gained his powers.”

Lyta looks to Niles, who shrugs. Frankenstein checks internally; [S.H.A.D.E. file 23990.cos.42 see Adam Blake {<<Captain Comet} file classified- level omega clearance required ] . His nostrils flare as he looks to Father Time, Guilt, internally and externally, the immortal wasn't even trying to hide it. He looks back to the ranting Arden.

“Yes, I know all about the energy up here, what do you think runs this place? Aten-hut designed this place, and I had my subjects build what we could. But for longest time we barely survive, until the energy was discovered, and then they came...”

“They...?” Father Time tentatively asks.

“They? Of course they... You think I could do all of this on my own? This is a very specialized operation we have working here.” The agents gaze about, past the line of heat ray wielding alien soldiers; the larger operation can be glimpsed. Thousands of drones along conveyor lines, around which carts of luminous powder is being shipped out in glowing plastic wrapped bricks move to loading bays.

“You're shipping the lunar fungi,” Niles states.

“10 points to Gryffindor.”

The voice startles all of them. From behind the lunatic-Lunar King, the Selenites part revealing the familiar looking man in a brown space suit, followed by four more individuals. Arden laughs, “I think you may recognize my financial backers. S.P.I.D.E.R. said they had some history with your little group.”

The man in brown speaks, “Hello Father Time. I didn't think I would meet you again so soon.”

“Recluse...” Father Time whispers. Frankenstein draws his pistol, aiming it at the S.P.I.D.E.R. captain.

“You were right about the new limbs.” Mr Recluse flexes one of his arms. “And the operations only took 36 hours.”

Father Time swings the umbrella on to his shoulder. “What does S.P.I.D.E.R. want with the moon?”

“Apart from a kick arse moon base?” Mr Recluse grins through his clear face-plate.

“Turns out you were right about the elixir of immortality.” Michel stretches his arms out, “It turns out the very ingredient was all around us from the beginning.”

“The fungi.” Lyta completes the thought.

“Yes, these magic mushrooms have nourished me for over a hundred years, and I feel barely any older than when I arrived here. And when the secret got out S.P.I.D.E.R. wanted in,” the mummified Frenchman says, “It turns out a lot of people are will to spend a lot of money not to die. With the money I can fund my army. I will have my retribution.” Frankenstein shifts his aim to the Moon King. Arden looks at the miniature steam cannon the blue giant holds. “One of Aten-Huts old creations... He would have found it so ironic that you were pointing that at moi. His inventions did get better though.” He clicks his fingers. Suddenly half a dozen shots from the heat rays hit Frankenstein, sending him flying back, his body skids across the ground.

Lyta springs forward, the hissing sound of her serpentine hair hitting the inside of her helmet as she holds her claws in front of her. The winged Selenites launch into the air in a buzzing mass of insectoid bodies and limbs. Volleys of heat shots fire at them, but reflect off some sort of invisible barrier. Niles does the calculations on his wrist mounted shielding system. “12 minutes at full level.” Father Time nods.

“Glare!” Medusa flicks up her visor. Time and Niles avert their eyes. In twos or threes the bugs start to turn grey and drop from the air, smashing into grey dust as they smash on the ground. A cloud of grey fills the area around them until nothing is visible.

Medusa flicks down her visor and turns back to Time. “I can't see anything.” Niles flicks a button. The cloud starts to dissipate around them. “I think we're clear.” The energy field flashes, then suddenly a boot smashes across Lyta's helmet, sending her backwards. A bullet ricochets off Niles' suit. Lyta springs back into an aggressive pose in front of him.

A metallic fist thumps Father Time's face, cracking the glass around it. The next blow smashes it entirely. The robotic arm lifts him by his throat. It's owner, Mr Recluse, steps through the remaining mist and stares closely at the choking Indian man. Grinning, he says, “Insert generic 'caught in spider’s web' line here.”

Lyta slashes at him with her clawed glove, but her hand is kicked aside. She dives aside, but is met by another fist. She screams, only to be winded by a kick to her stomach. A sweeping leg trips her; she falls and is grabbed by two sets of hands. Pulled back she can see three space suit wearing S.P.I.D.E.R. agents holding her struggling limbs. Another holds Niles in a choke hold, with a gun to his head, behind him four more mechanical arms extend out, holding Niles securely around the waist and legs. The man leans forward as he cocks his gun, “I thought you were supposed to be the smart one.”

“Wolf, be quiet.” Mr Recluse looks at the captured agents with a smile, as squeezes slightly harder on Father Time's neck. Lifting his free wrist to his mouth, “S.H.A.D.E. agents neutralized. What's the status on team two?”

“Almost caught. Over.” The radio cracks out.

“Good.” He looks at Time. “Don't worry, I won’t kill you, wouldn't want to do that would we?” He turns back. “Oh King... Your delivery needs to be ready within the hour. We need to get our new friends back. I want to see if Father Time knows the significance of the number four...”

“C'est Rien, it will be ready,” Arden calls out from his throne.

“...innothesigckk...” The mumbled babble coming from the Indian's mouth makes Recluse turn his head.

“What was that?” Time's lips move with breathless words. Recluse throws him onto the ground and crouches down beside him. “What are you saying old man?”

Father Time laughs, coughing a little blood. “Four, can you count to four?” He looks dazedly at the smug Recluse. Pointing to himself he counts. “One.” Then to Medusa he says, “Two.” Niles. “Three.” He smiles with bloodied teeth holding up his extended fingers with his thumb tucked in. “...Four.”

Frankenstein's huge fist smacks Recluse's face, sending him off his feet.

The Archangel's sword cuts downwards, slicing through the S.P.I.D.E.R. boss's cybernetic arm, which the blue giant grabs and throws at the men holding Medusa. She kicks out, throwing a stunned captor off then grabs at the two holding her arms, her clawed hands digging into their chest plates and pulls them together, knocking both out. Simultaneously, Niles hits a button electrifying his suit, which travels through the gun-wielding Wolf's mechanical arms. Throwing his head back into the S.P.I.D.E.R. agent's helmet he stands and kicks him in the stomach. “I am smart mother-fucker!”

“Evil, right though to your centre!” Through clenched teeth Frankenstein speaks with a bubbling anger. Holding his blade to his neck he leans in. “I would slay you!”

“No Frankenstein...” Father Time stands, pushing himself up with his umbrella. “We can use him.”

The blue giant lets out a frustrated groan, and smashes the hilt of his sword through the man's helmet, knocking him out.

“DO YOU THINK THAT CHANGES THINGS?” Arden shouts. On either side of him stand lines of the winged warriors and behind them four of the drone walkers, heat-weapons primed. “THIS IS MY FORTRESS! MY WORLD! MY RETRIB...”

Explosions whip out overhead, scattering the winged Selenites. The Weird hovers above them, holding Bride and Laika in his arms and Robotman on his back. A smoking hole in the roof behind them reveals a burning tower-cannon.

“Sorry we're late,” calls Bride. “Some S.P.I.D.E.R. agents attacked us, in a big mechanical spider.”

The Weird drops them and they fell gracefully to the ground. He remains floating, humming to himself. “Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight...”

“You don't know what you've done!” Arden looks up at the smoking tower as another explosion shakes the complex.

“Yes we do,” Robotman replies, “A chain of timed explosions set to take out your whole operations whilst maintaining the structural integrity of the force field long enough for us to escape.”

“No you don't! Merde, merde!” Panicking he looks around wildly on the spot.

Father Time looks to Niles, who shrugs. “My calculations are sound.”

The Indian walks towards Arden. “What is it?”

“Merde! It does not matter, she wakes, there'll be nothing we can do!”

“Who?”

The frantic Frenchman stops pacing. “Where do you think these creatures come from!? Their mother. The Queen!”

“I've always wanted to meet the queen...” Weird whispers to himself.

The ground rumbles again.

“What do you mean?” shouts Time.

“The pipes around the cannons were used to pump heated tranquilizer gas in order to keep the Queen sleeping. Now she wakes!” Arden runs towards Father Time, pulling out a sword. “You have ruined everything!” He slashes wildly with his blade. Father Time steps back, dodging it, and holds out his hand, telling the readied agents to back off.

“I can take you with us Michel.” The blade circles by his face, as he leans back. “All of this, everything, it’s not your fault.”

“No it is yours!” Another swing. The ground rumbles with a hollow screech from some depths below them. The Frenchman stumbles to the ground, and pushes himself up with a hateful haste. “I had a plan!”

The screeching echoes through the cavern. All around the Selenite children stand completely still, watching the centre of the lunar city. Father Time continues to back away from lunging sword blows. He calls to the agents, “Go get the S.P.I.D.E.R. thugs in the spacecraft and get it ready.” Robotman and Weird grab the enemy agents and run; Laika and Niles go with them. Time stumbles back as the ground rumbles, dust flies from an area a few hundred feet from them as a building sinks into the ground. He tries again, “This isn't you Michel.”

The desperation is palatable in the Moon ruler as he charges. “At least let me kill you!” His sword flies downwards, and stops, blocked by a blade half unsheathed from Time's umbrella. Arden screams, leaning his bodyweight into the clashing swords. His bandaged face only inches from Time's, his voice becomes pleading. “Just give me that.”

Father Time, holding him back, whispers, “It wouldn't matter Michel.” The sound of cracking forces both of their attentions to the side. A huge green limb emerges from the depths of the sinkhole. Its end, tipped in two man-sized claws, plunges down into one of the industrialized areas, spewing forth more smoke. Another arm rises out. Time looks back to Arden. “We have to get away...”

“NO!” The moon mummy pushes back and launches into another flurry of blow, expertly dodged and parried by the Indian man.

Frankenstein's eyes widen as the body of the Selenite Queen is dragged into the cavern city. Sporting two huge compound eyes on either side of vicious drooling massive fangs, she roars, sending spittle outwards. The drones and flying bugs now seem compelled to move, called to her they started to help lift her gargantuan body out of the hole. One of her four huge clawed hands grabs a handful of drones, stuffing them into her mouth. Her furious vision now turns to them. The whole city shakes as she starts to move.

Frankenstein hefts his sword, high above him. “Demonic, Lunar, Monsterous Mother, my blade calls for your death!” Taking their cue, Bride and Medusa stand on either side of him, poised and ready. A huge claw crashes down up on the blue giant, throwing up dust. From the cloud, Frankenstein runs up the leg of the creature. Air warriors dive at him, but each swing crushes them into nothing. Behind the Queen a huge fleshy egg sac is being carried in the air by a legion of the flying moon bugs, which explode as Bride picks them off with her pistols. She leaps from drone to drone crushing them with her black space boots.

As Time and Arden's lunar duel continues, Frankenstein spins, hacking at the leg joint of the Moon Queen. An unearthly scream is followed by another claw knocking Frankenstein out of the air. Bride is swamped by the pale green drones, their claws ripping at her spacesuit but as she keeps firing, the egg sac starts to lower. She punches off the bugs and throws a grenade. An explosion of lurid green muck, covering the ground with squirming grey eggs. A claw lands squarely on the Bride, crushing her into the rock.

Medusa appears on the creature's face. She flicks her visor up and digs both sets of her claws into one of the monster's 15 foot eyes. “Look at me bitch!” A city shaking scream is followed by a grey solidifying of the eyes that spreads out until it covers a third of the creature’s head, which suddenly explodes into dust, sending Medusa flying back. The Selenite Queen wails, a smoking black liquid starts to spew from her mouth, which hisses when it hits the ground. She points her head towards Bride, who screams as the putrid digestive acid starts to fall. A wraith-filled roar, marks the moment Frankenstein's sword swings throw the clawed foot that was trapping Bride. He rips her from the ground and dives aside.

“GIANT MOON BITCH...” The voice echoes out from above. “... PLEASE MOVE YOUR REMAINING EYES UPWARDS.” The queen looked up to see a silver space shuttle hovering over her. A lance of neon blue light flashes for a moment, slicing through her. She collapses into two broken piles of mush and carapace chunks. The ship starts to lower itself into the city. “CHECK IT.” Niles' voice announces, “OUR SHUTTLE WAS FUCKED, SO I FOUND THIS ONE S.P.I.D.E.R. LEFT LYING AROUND.”

“Good job, Niles.” At that moment, Father Time looks up his blade held outwards. Arden pounces. Time looks at his hilt, horrified, following the trail of blood rolling downward, to where his thin sword penetrates into the Frenchman's stomach. The bandaged Arden stands for a moment then collapses forward. Time catches him, “Nonono... Someone help me get him into the shuttle.”

The space craft lands, doors open. Robotman runs to Time and carries the bleeding once-king, only briefly stopping to look at Time. Frankenstein carries the somewhat broken Bride to the shuttle. Lyta pats Father Time's back, who doesn't seem to notice. They enter the shuttle.

“Laika,” says Frankenstein, “take us home.” She nods her canine head and the Shuttle lifts off.

Father Time holds Arden's hand. He coughs. Pointing to the bandages that cover his face he wheezes, “Remove them.” Time nods, carefully taking off the dark glasses, revealing pained dark eyes, like the ones he once remembered. He slowly unwraps the layers of bandages, finally exposing a mottled lumpy diseased looking skin. He has to mask his shock. Arden nods, “The fungi, it was only extending my life because it grew in me, I was part of it.” Time wipes his eyes. The Frenchman manages a pained smile, “You took me with you this time.”

“Michel, I'm so sorry...” Arden nods, and then stops, his eyes still open. Time looks to Robotman who shakes his head. Father Time gently closes the dead man's eyelids. He places his forehead into his hands and breaths out slowly. “Leave me a moment.”

* * *

The Moon, 1902

The engine starts whirring away; the anti-gravity generator started the bullet-shuttle's lift off. Vandal Savage looks over at the surviving expeditionary members, Orlando holds down a sobbing Mademoiselle Thyme. General Immortus straps himself in and regards up at Savage with a bitter expression.

Vandal Savage lifts an eyebrow. “I guess this means I'm not joining your club.”

* * *

Shuttle, now

Father Time emerges from the back, to the area where the others are. “E.T.A.?”

“44 minutes,” Laika calls.

Father Time nods. Walking over to the table where the Bride lays strapped, he looks to Robotman. “Will she be ok?” Robotman nods.

“She's strong,” Frankenstein quietly says, standing beside her.

Father Time nods, walking by Lyta and messing her platinum blond hair. “Laika, let’s get S.H.A.D.E. Russia on the line. Report we've got 7 S.P.I.D.E.R. operatives that will need to be questioned, and some injuries that will need immediate medical attention. Plus one contained body that will need incineration.”

“What about the base?” asks Niles. “It wouldn't take much to get it up and going again. Does S.H.A.D.E. need a sweet moon base?”

“S.H.A.D.E. doesn't but there might be another team at some stage...”

“S.H.A.D.E. Russia H.Q. Over.” The radio crackles in. “Was the mission successful? Over.”

“Quite successful, is Kirk there?” Time asks. “I need to apologise for leaving him off the team on this one. Over.”

…

The team looks at the control panel waiting for a reply. “Over... I repeat is Kirk Langstrom there? Report. Over”

Baba Yaga's voice replies. “He's not here Jarilo; he flew into something of a rage.”

“What happened Baba!?” Time yells.

“How was I supposed to know he didn't know about his son?”