Location: Baxter Building, New York City
Date: Thursday, January 19th, 1989
Mark POV:
By the time Reed had called for them, Susan had improved in leaps and bounds.
The Fantastic Four's training room occupied one of the larger spaces in the Baxter Building, its ceiling high enough to accommodate Johnny's flying and Reed's increasingly improbable experiments.
Heavy metal plates covered the floor, broken here and there by seams where sections could be removed or rearranged. The walls were reinforced with thick panels, their surfaces already bearing the occasional dent, scorch mark, or darkened patch.
Along one wall stood a collection of machines that seemed to have been assembled from the contents of half a dozen laboratories. Cables ran into the walls. Gauges and dials crowded instrument panels. Retractable targets hung from tracks in the ceiling, while padded barriers could be raised from the floor.
A massive metal weight sat beneath a mechanical press at one end of the room. It had plainly been designed for Ben Grimm, and he had apparently bent part of it out of shape.
Near the opposite wall, several circular targets bore blackened rings where Johnny had repeatedly struck them with controlled bursts of flame.
Nothing about the room looked finished. It was almost underwhelming in a way.
"Welcome to the training room." said Susan, watching his reaction.
For a moment, Mark said nothing. Then raised an eyebrow at the shallow crater in the floor.
Susan smiled faintly, "We've been working on it."
"I can see that."
"Johnny is responsible for most of the scorch marks."
"Most?"
She gave him an innocent look, "Ben has his moments."
Johnny pointed toward the floor, "That crater was Ben."
Ben scowled at Johnny, "That was an accident, ya little hothead."
"You threw a punching bag through the wall." he replied.
"It was a heavy punchin' bag."
Johnny grinned, "Through the wall."
"It slipped."
"Sure it did."
Susan shook her head, smiling as she stepped between them before the argument could become an actual one, "Come on. Let's get started."
What followed began cautiously.
Susan was still learning exactly what she could do, and she was reluctant to push herself too far without knowing where the limits were. Ben and Johnny, on the other hand, were enthusiastic about testing her shields. Very enthusiastic.
Mark took a different approach. Rather than telling Susan what to do, he asked questions.
What happened if she changed the shape? Could she make more than one at a time? Could she make them smaller? Thinner? Could she move them after she'd created them?
Little by little, the answers came.
They discovered that Susan could shape her force fields into almost anything she could visualize. She could create several at once, suspend them independently, and even form broad platforms beneath herself or someone else.
Then came the strangest discovery.
Susan could surround herself in a thin shell of invisible force, almost like a second skin. It reinforced her body, making her harder to injure. And when she tried moving the field up, she rose.
At first, Susan stared down at her feet, then she looked at the others in shock. She was hovering several feet above the floor, "I can fly!"
The words escaped her with a bright, almost childlike delight. For a moment, she simply floated there, smiling as she realized, she was flying.
Mark had already known her general abilities, of course, but the results of their experimenting had been full of surprises that lead him to a realization. While he did not know her upper limits, her power was not so much creating force fields, it was effectively the abilities of a Green Lantern.
He had never made that connection before, and while the powers were not identical, he could not unsee it.
Through concentration, she was able to project an invisible field of psionic force, and easily manipulate it into simple shapes. The complexity of the shape was only limited by her ability to mentally visualize its form, and her ability to keep it in sharp mental focus.
Almost like a Green Lantern's power set, stripped down to its most fundamental concept: will made tangible.
Mark's expression grew thoughtful, 'Her potential is... extremely high.'
"Do you feel drained, like it is taking energy to use your new power?"
Susan considered the question, "Somewhat. I think," she said, as she floated gently to the floor, "But I could probably keep doing this for quite a while."
Mark nodded slowly, 'Interesting. So she has more limits than a Green Lantern but still, she probably has one of the most amazing powers in the world.' he thought to himself before just saying the same, "Your power is one of the most amazing in the world Susan. You are very likely one of the most powerful people, not just on your team, but in the world."
She looked slightly embarrassed by the compliment, then shocked at his evaluation.
Reed called them to his lab shortly after.
---
It took approximately two seconds after they entered the laboratory for Johnny to announce, "Hey, Reed! Susan has new powers! And she can fly!"
"You can fly, Johnny," Susan corrected, with a hint of amusement. "I can levitate at a respectable running speed."
Reed's eyes widened. For perhaps two seconds, he simply stared at her. Then the scientist in him took over, "How much control do you have over your altitude? Are you somehow manipulating the surrounding air? How much weight can you carry? Can you maintain it indefinitely? Does it require conscious concentration-"
Susan barely had time to answer before Reed was already examining the phenomenon from every conceivable angle.
She gave him a demonstration.
The invisible field formed around her body, and she rose smoothly from the floor. She moved forward, stopped, reversed direction, and descended again.
Reed watched every movement with intense concentration, his questions continuing almost as quickly as she could answer them.
Johnny looked delighted. Ben folded his arms and grinned. Susan, meanwhile, looked increasingly pleased with herself.
When she started explaining how Mark had helped her, Mark noticed something strange.
He caught a brief, sharp spike of something cold and negative from Reed through the Force the moment Reed learned he was one that helped Susan discover her new abilities. Whether it was resentment, wounded pride, or simple dislike, he could not quite tell before Reed settled again into a tightly controlled emotional state.
Raising his guard a little more than before, Mark found himself reconsidering the little he actually knew about Reed, and specifically his attitude with Susan. He always remembered Reed ignoring her and the like, but he did not know much about their actual relationship in the comics.
'I cannot remember anything about Reed being overtly jealous or controlling... I should probably not jump to conclusions.' Mark thought. It was the one downside to the ability of knowing what others feel, he never knew if it was a momentary thing, or someone's true self shining through.
"While I do not wish to interrupt," Mark said, "there is still a threat that must be faced."
Ben gave a short, gravelly grunt of agreement, "Yeah. Helpin' Susie figure out the new tricks was a real kick, but I don't like leavin' that Skrull runnin' around free."
Johnny flashed a quick grin, flames already flickering around his hands, "Finally. I was starting to think we were gonna sit around all day. Let's go cook that Skrull."
Reed nodded, already shifting back into problem-solving mode, "Yes, you're right. From what I've observed, this Super-Skrull doesn't simply possess our powers, he possesses them at a greater magnitude. That shouldn't be possible based on everything I've learned studying our own abilities. So on a hunch, I began looking for an external source, some form of energy that might be augmenting his abilities and located an unusual energy signatures originating from the direction of the Andromeda Galaxy. I believe it may be empowering him."
Ben frowned, "You mean somebody out there is powerin' him up?"
"That is my theory," Reed replied, "I can't be certain until we interrupt the connection."
Then he picked up a small object the size of a fingernail from his workbench, "I've constructed a jammer that should disrupt the connection, but it will need to be placed directly on the Super-Skrull to function."
He glanced at Susan, then continued, "I had planned for Susan to attach the device while the rest of us keep him occupied. With her new force-field capabilities, that approach becomes considerably safer."
He looked at Mark, "If you're willing, your ability to sense him while invisible could be critical when we attempt to attach the device."
"I will go," Mark answered simply.
Reed turned to the others, "All right. If everyone understands the plan, prep the Pogo Plane for launch. I'll attempt to contact the Skrull and challenge him to a final confrontation away from the city."
As they started to move Reed ask, "Mark, would you like one of our uniforms? It might prove useful during the confrontation."
He hesitated for a moment before adding, "They have several useful functions, as well as providing considerable protection. The unstable molecules also adapt to unusual physical properties."
"Thank you for the offer, but I will decline for now."
The possibility of seeing how a suit like that might interact with his abilities was tempting. But the mention of its other functions settled the matter.
He still had Cortana's data chip on him. There was no way he was going to let Reed discover it—or give him an opportunity to scan its technology.
Then another thought occurred to him, 'Wait... did he just try to get me into something that could scan me?' Mark thought, and glanced over at Reed. The Fantastic Four's uniforms were hardly ordinary clothing. If Reed had equipped them with systems capable of monitoring the wearer's condition, what else might they contain?
---
While Reed handled contacting the Skrull, Susan showed Mark to the Fantastic Four's hanger. It was a large room with various vehicles from the Fantasticar, to strange objects Mark could not identify. They were heading toward the end of the room where a large vehicle that looked like a cross between a rocket and a plane stood waiting.
They were quickly situated when Reed arrived, "The Skrull accepted the challenge. Prepare for takeoff."
Mark was sat next to a window, with the Four seated in front of him and soon the engines fired, rocketing them into the sky. It only took a few minutes before they had reached a high enough altitude that the blue sky had faded and they leveled off.
Mark could see the planet below. He had always wanted to go to space, and while they were not quite that high, he had gotten closer than he ever expected to get.
"Starting our decent. We will arrive in a few more minutes." said Reed from the ship's controls.
The time passed in a tense silence.
"We are here, and I can see the Skrull ship waiting for us below." said Reed, and Mark reached out with his senses.
There was a strong, hostile presence ahead, otherwise he could not feel any other life on the island. Though maybe large rock would be a better description, it was tiny, just the peak of an extinct volcano rising out of the sea.
Mark expected the Skrull to attack as they came in to land, but despite its clear hostility, no attack came and they landed without incident. Susan already invisible as they left the plane and started making their way toward the Super-Skrull.
Mark could feel the alien's confidence radiating through the Force as they approached. Ben took the lead, rocky shoulders squared.
"In less than a minute," the Super-Skrull declared, "I will be the only living thing on this isle!"
"Then come an' get me! It's clobberin' time!" Ben roared, as he charged, fist cocked.
But something went wrong. The Thing's momentum died mid-stride. His body locked in place as if the very air had turned to stone around him.
Johnny streaked in from above, flames flaring hot and the Super-Skrull's head snapped around. The moment their eyes met the Human Torch's fire snuffed out as he dropped hard to the ground, limbs frozen.
"Hahaha! Fools!" the Skrull sneered, "How easy it is. I do not even need your powers to beat you!"
Mark felt the alien's will pressing outward through the Force as it turned toward Reed next, "My power of hypnotism has rendered you all completely helpless!"
Reed's eyes glazed over for half a second as he seized up and stood rigid.
When the Skrull's gaze swung toward Mark, he simply closed his eyes. The Force still showed him everything he needed to see, and Susan was already in position.
"Ha! And what is this? Did the fourth member of-" the boast cut off as Susan made her move and attached the jammer.
"Wha-?? What is happening to me? My strength... It can't be!" it said, turning on Susan who had appeared behind it. In the same instant her force field snapped shut around him like a transparent vice. The alien's limbs locked in place, ending the fight in an instant.
"That's enough from you." Susan said, voice steady.
"Great job, Susan," a faint edge of dry amusement in Mark's voice, "I didn't even need to do anything. And I even got a free flight to this wonderful island paradise out of the deal." he said, and gestured at the barren, rocky landscape around them.
Susan kept the force field steady around the Super-Skrull. The barrier held firm, a clear, shimmering cage that left the alien snarling but powerless. Mark's dry comment drew a small, genuine smile from her, brief and unguarded.
"Don't get used to the free rides," she answered, voice light as she maintained the containment, "Next time you can swim."
Ben grunted as control returned to his limbs, "Next time I get to punch the hypnotizin' so-and-so."
Johnny sat up, flames flickering back to life around his hands, "Speak for yourself. I want a rematch."
As Ben, Johnny, and Reed shook off the last of the hypnotic hold. They were unhurt but visibly irritated.
Susan turned her attention back to the contained Skrull, as the faint smile faded into focused calm. The Super-Skrull strained once more against the force field, then subsided, glaring at her in hateful silence.
"All right, team," Reed said, already turning toward the small volcanic caldera, "Take our guest over there. We can seal him inside for now."
"On it," Johnny called, flames flaring as he rocketed ahead to start fusing rock and sand across the opening.
Mark glanced at the motionless Super-Skrull still held inside Susan's force field, "Is he going to be okay in there?" The question came out before he could stop it. Starving or suffocating to death seemed like a slow way to go, even for something that had just tried to kill them.
Reed answered, "The Skrull should be fine. Their physiology allows them to survive extended periods in far more hostile conditions, according to what we learned from them in a previous encounter."
"Oh." Mark's sympathy evaporated instantly and he turned his attention toward the alien ship resting in the distance, "What about that?"
Reed's expression sharpened with interest, "I'll transport it back to my lab and start analyzing their technology. Who knows what kinds of discoveries we'll find."
Ben snorted as he hauled the contained Super-Skrull toward the crater, "Yeah, yeah. Just don't blow us all up when ya start pokin' at it, stretch."
Susan kept the force field steady during the transfer, her expression unreadable. She said nothing, but Mark noticed her eyes flicked once from Reed to the distant ship, then away again.
-----
Location: The Pentagon
Bolivar Trask POV:
In a Pentagon conference room secured behind two biometric locks and a pair of Marine guards under orders to forget every face they saw, a small group had gathered. There were no windows here, and no recording devices, just a long bare table.
Bolivar Trask sat near the head of the table, fingers steepled. Outwardly he was calm. Inwardly the excitement was almost unbearable. The Skrull ship changed everything. He was closer than ever to gaining everything the Sentinel Program required.
Across from him, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross occupied his chair like it was a command post, arms folded, jaw set. Obadiah Stane had taken the seat to Trask's right, posture relaxed.
Two more generals rounded out the core group. General Lewis Haywerth sat rigid and precise, a career intelligence officer who rarely raised his voice. Beside him, General Cecil Slinkard leaned forward slightly with his ever present scowl, a permanent crease between his brows.
Trask started, "We cannot cover up the alien landing in Times Square, but the technology from that ship will accelerate the Sentinel Program by years at minimum. The first-generation units are nearly ready, I intend to present them publicly before the year is out. But Master Mold is still in development. I am hoping the advances we stand to gain from the Skrull vessel are exactly the breakthrough I've been searching for."
He let the words settle, then added, almost as an afterthought, "Senator Kelly is already using this event to push public opinion. He should be in a strong position to publicly declare his bid for the presidency next year, especially if a few more events like this involving mutants occur."
General Slinkard's scowl deepened, "Richards already has too much latitude." he said flatly, "Heroes. Independent geniuses. They're liabilities. That ship should never have gone into private hands in the first place."
Ross gave a short, humorless grunt of agreement.
"Regardless," said Obadiah Stane, "We will need more funding to handle the technology development from the ship in an acceptable timeframe."
"I'll arrange an operation that forces the Hulk into a visible, populated zone. Controlled exposure. The footage alone will loosen Congress's purse strings for years." said Ross, "But we need to decide who gets the ship after Richards has his fun. Is your operation ready yet Stane?"
"No. Stark has had too much support ever since he started playing hero. And a second attempt to take care of him will be much harder now, with his new toy. If he makes a significant enough mistake however, I am quite sure most of the board at Stark Industries will be happy to see the company under new management."
"What about Oscorp or Roxxon?"
"Osborn is a promising candidate for our group, but he has seemed different recently. I propose we continue with our wait-and-see approach." Haywerth answered.
The meeting continued but Trask was only half listening. With his membership in the little group, he would have first access to whatever they got from the ship, and soon he would finally be able to complete his Master Mold.