---

The small group of Defenders hovered just outside of the orbit of the planet below. Its oceans were green, tinged with red in places, giving highlight to the blue hue land that broke up the vast expanses of Sea. It seemed to be Namor's type of planet, but he thought it looked as though it were polluted beyond all recognition; then he realized that, on an alien world, it was likely to be different from his own oceans.

He clung to his Trident even more tightly than before, twisting his white knuckles around the main body of the staff. He didn’t like this, not one bit. The Plodex were a warrior race, a race of adaptive creatures who sent their species to the stars, imprinting the DNA of every sentient creature they came in contact with, over powering them and then crushing them into dust.

Marrina, Namor’s lover and wife, had been a member of this species. Though a divergent version of this warrior race, she was imprinted with the kind soul of a fisherman's wife, not of a warrior born. When she learned she had become pregnant, she shied away from Namors affections, eventually turning into a huge leviathan creature. Now, he had travelled the stars to try and find her. To save her from what she had become, and whatever might have hurt her in his absence. Mostly importantly, and in a secret that only Namor knew of, he had come to find out if he were really the father he suspected he might be.

Namor looked over his fellow warriors. Despite their shoddy appearance he knew better than that. They were warriors born, each having fought for their life at least once when they had been Defenders before.

He glanced over at the pure consciousness form of Banner, stripped of his Hulk persona and existing as a free-floating astral form. Namor had noticed a number of changes within the scientist as well. Flecks of colour drifted across his astral form as he exhibited something more than callous sarcasm and irritation. Perhaps the power of the Prism had affected him more than he knew.

Strange was still Sorcerer Supreme, though Namor wondered how much power he possessed this far from Earth. It seemed as though Strange was losing his touch a little. He had not seen, nor realized, the Wendigo's attack until they were upon him. Perhaps his powers waned more than he let on?

Finally, the Surfer had clearly found someone he connected with, even if their meeting and their battles against the other Plodex-infected Heralds had been the reason they were drawn to each other. The connection, the romance between the Surfer and Lightstar was obvious to Namor; not only did he possess the vision of a king, but also the heart of a romantic. Seeing the subtle touches of the Surfer against their new team-mate gave Namor hope for them all.

“How did this happen?” Surfer asked Strange.

The Sorcerer simply cradled his head in the crook of his hand. “I am unsure,” Strange began, despair tingeing his voice. “The Plodex appear to be able to adapt to an imprint of sentient beings, correct?”

Namor nodded and said nothing, his concentration once again with the planet below.

“Perhaps…” Strange continued to muse, as Banner stepped forward.

“Perhaps they came into contact with more than just a species, Strange,” Banner said, more than a little hint of annoyance in his voice.

“What's happened to you, Strange? You should have realized this,” Namor muttered under his breath. Only the Surfer noticed what he said, and shot the king of the oceans a curious look. Namor said nothing, purposely ignoring the herald’s look; he knew the silver clad humanoid’s curiosity would get them both into trouble one day. Understanding is one thing, but to seek to understand everything? Even Namor, in his arrogance, didn't believe that would be possible...or would lead to anything good.

“Brilliant! You’re quite correct; for them to become a viral agent, to mutate to a point where they could attach themselves to Heralds, they’d need a common denominator, right?” Strange asked.

Banner’s eyes lit up. “Exactly. The Power Cosmic, if they came into contact with it, adapted to its abilities and then infected one Herald, it could, in all honesty and feasibility, infect all Heralds through contact or sharing of the power,” Banner offered.

“Why have neither Lightstar or I contracted this disease, Banner?” the Surfer asked.

“I'd guess, like most diseases, you’d need to come more directly into contact with the carrier. You blasted down Terrax’s throat but you didn’t actually ingest any power, or have any inserted into you. Your injury is from blunt force trauma,”

Strange said, moving closer and examining the crack on the Surfers body, and then moving over Lightstar’s with his gaze. After a few gestures and a prayer to Oshtur, the Surfer’s body was as new again. “Oshtur has granted you immunity to this disease, Surfer, as well as your companion.”

“Hmph. That was easy; perhaps you could have done this initially, Strange?” Namor said, his top lip turning to a curled growl.

“Perhaps, Namor, but that would require me to see the future and, unlike yourself, I do not believe that I can foresee every outcome for my own reality,” Strange snarled back.

“Perhaps you can foresee what is headed your way very shortly, Strange...”

As Namor balled his fist, and stepped forward toward Strange, the Surfer stepped between them.

“We cannot afford to be divided at this point, my friends. Are we not men who seek to do War with beasts? Then let us act like men,”

“Well, two men, a fish-guy and an metallic alien,” Banner nodded with a slight smirk. Namor turned to him, and growled. “For someone who's supposed to be a fish, you sure do growl a lot. I've never heard a fish do anything,” Banner said, with amusement on his face.

“Then perhaps you do not listen closely enough, Banner,” Surfer nonchalantly turned away from Banner towards Lightstar, as Namor's face broke into a smile.

“So, what you’re all saying is that the Heralds are infected with Plodex that have been enhanced by the Power Cosmic and turned into...an energy virus?” Lightstar interjected amongst the bickering. They were the most testy super humans she'd ever come across..

“Essentially, yes. So we’re going to need to work on something that’ll prevent you two from getting infected,” Banner continued, scratching his semi-transparent chin.

“I've just done that, Banner, weren't you listening?” Strange asked, casting an annoyed glance at the Scientist, whose face flashed with Green for a moment before settling back to his normal colouration.

“Yes, I was listening, but I find it hard to concentrate on everything you say, it's not like you're well known for your bedside manner,” Bruce prodded.

“They said that Marrina sleeps a false sleep below the waves, Strange.” Namor said suddenly, turning to his friends. “I have searched every inch of my oceans looking for my wife and children. I have spent more time in my life looking for her than I have ruling the people of Atlantis. I search every day, but I find nothing.”

Silence permeated the bubble. All who stood within Namor's presence felt his loss, be it through death like the Surfer with his home-world and his beloved Shalla Bal, or the loss of loved ones through distance like Strange.

“What are you thinking, Namor?” Banner asked after a moment’s silence.

“I think, Banner, that she does sleep a false death under the waves, but the waves are not the waves of the ocean of Earth. They are the waves of another planet.”

“So, you're suggesting that the Plodex took her from Earth, to this planet, and she's sleeping a ‘False Sleep’ here?” Banner asked, as Strange held his right hand at the wrist, as it begun to shake uncontrollably. Again, the Surfer said nothing, but noticed his teammate’s struggle.

Strange was acting more like his namesake than normal.

“Yes. That is exactly what I am suggesting. We can kill two birds with one stone, if we go in believing it. Find a cure for the Surfer's little war and find my wife in the process,” Namor turned to the others and pointed his trident towards the planet below.

“We need to go there and make war with the Plodex to find my wife and cure the Surfer,” Banner held up his hand to the king and shook his head.

“We don't need to cure the Surfer,” Strange said, irritation in his voice, “I made him Immune. Remember? Why can't anyone remember this? It just happened.”

“You've already said that, Namor. We get the idea, but...we're going to be making War against an entire planet. I don't think you've really thought this through,” Banner said.

Namor moved his face up against Banner’s. “You have destroyed entire cities to get to your love, Banner. Is it really that much to ask for one planet?”

“Yes,” Surfer said, looking at the King before him, “It might not be possible on your own, but we are the most powerful group of beings this side of the universe, and between us we can wage a war against any planet, against any threat,” Namor's face began a proud smile, but before he could speak the Surfer continued, “That does not mean we should, however, Namor. You strike back against the surface dwellers for invading and polluting your home; perhaps we should consider another recourse.”

“Another recourse?” Namor practically yelled, “ My WIFE is down there, and we're playing it safe? I THINK that I have been patient enough, Surfer. Were it Shalla Bal, or Betty, or even that betrayer Clea,” At that comment Strange bristled and stepped forwards. Surfer put his hand against the Doctor's chest and shook his head. “So how about we stop prattling above a planet of killers and do what we all know that we're going to do, Yes?”

Strange shook his head and stepped away from Namor, looking at the planet below.

“She didn't betray me, Namor. She did what she thought was best for her people, as you do. I'm sure you'd know and respect that, wouldn't you?” Strange said, his back to the rest of the group.

Banner put his spectral hand on Strange's shoulder. “Come on then,” Banner said, as Strange turned around. “Let’s make some war.”

---

Plodex Outworld, Annex 4658

Strange's plan, along with the Surfer's, had been a subtle one: to find the Central Commander, or whatever passed as a leader for the Plodex, and remove him. To quietly go about their business to destabilize the structure of the planet of warriors.

Instead, as soon as they hit the upper atmosphere and Strange dissolved the bubble, Namor and Banner let themselves loose.

Like a skin-coloured rocket, Namor shot towards the first hut he could see, building up enough speed in his descent that when he actually hit the ground, it shattered into huge chunks of destroyed earth, and pulverised most of the contents and the structure of the hut itself.

Some of the Warriors came running from the nearby huts, but before they could even draw their arms, Namor was upon them. Rage on his face, saliva dribbling from his gritted teeth as he rammed his trident through a plodex skull, and drove it into the ground repeatedly. It caused the other Plodex to pause for a moment.

Did they really want to fight him?

Namor looked up at the group before him. They were nearly as tall as the Hulk, but all with green skin like his wife. He gripped the trident tightly as he pulled it from the shattered skull at his feet.

Stepping forwards, the Plodex group stepped back. Their massive bulky forms, all tinged with different spines, or malformations. Some were quadrupedal, some were plant life, others covered in fur, or thick plumage. It struck Namor that such a diverse and potentially beautiful race had turned into something that even humans abhorred was such a bitter irony.

A Plodex, larger than the others, stepped forward. Around his neck hung several skulls, his broadsword in his hand...easily five feet in length, he threw it down towards Namor, yelling something in whatever language they spoke on the planet.

Namor's trident shot upwards, the sword clanging off its metal structure. For a moment, the large leader Plodex took a moment to consider what he was facing, before charging at Namor, throwing the sword at him, which Namor deftly blocked, but received a massive fist to the face, which sent him hurtling into the crater he'd just created.

“Good start,” Strange said, turning to the Surfer with a condescending look in his eyes.

“Not especially, Strange. I would ask why you do not help, but I think I already know the answer to that question,” Surfer said, Lightstar standing in silence behind him, watching the violence unfold below with a look of distaste on her features.

“What?” Strange asked, taken aback a moment, “What do you mean, Surfer? Explain.”

The Surfer said nothing and simply pointed towards his shaking hands.

“You are afflicted, Stephen,” he said with a matter of fact voice.

“I am not. You know of my injuries that caused me to become the Sorcerer I am today. My hands always shake,” Stephen barked defensively, turning his gaze below to try and spot Banner.

“They shake more than usual, Doctor. You know it, I know it. I am surprised that Banner didn't notice it. Do not feel ashamed, Stephen; I believe, that in some way, we are all afflicted...”

Strange held up a rattling hand to Surfer and shook his head.

“Please, do not give me the ‘we're all brothers in suffering’ speech, Surfer. Respect me enough to not preach at me. We are all equals.” Strange's eyes closed for a moment longer than they should have, as the shame became apparent on his face.

“There have been things that I have missed, of late, Surfer. Details that have eluded me, and made my work hard to conduct. I don't know what it might be, but I should have noticed the Wendigo long before they attacked,” Strange admitted, looking to Surfer.

“I know, Stephen. We all know that you are perhaps the most powerful of our group of ‘Gods’ but you play it down with humility. Your arrogance that led to your downfall has become the barometer for your life. Please, explain to the others, we are all friends here. We understand the suffering of each other,” Surfer paused, as Lightstar moved into his peripheral vision, watching him as he spoke, “After all, is that not why we're gathered here together, as Defenders today?”

Strange allowed a small smile to creep onto his face.

“You are right, Surfer. Perhaps it is time to...Wait...Do you see that?” Strange pointed a violently unsteady hand towards the large, somewhat Hulking creature slowly making its way towards Namor and the Plodex. Namor didn't appear to be faring very well.

It was Green skinned, as the other Plodex were, but it's huge arms, and white tribal tattoo's that criss-crossed over its back and chest reminded Strange of their other member of their team. A bald head, and pronounced almost cave man like features gave Strange the impression that the Hulk wasn't truly as dead or split as he thought.

“Is that Banner?” Strange asked, his Astral form poking its way from his forehead, much in the same way that the Surfer’s did.

“It appears to be, within the center of the great beast,” Surfer answered, his Astral form slipping back into its hard shell, “Perhaps he is now able to control the bodies of others, the way our Astral forms can control unconscious beings?”

Strange cradled his jaw for a moment, as his red cloak billowed behind him, carrying him into the air. “Perhaps there is only one way to find out, Surfer,” Strange said, almost with a hint of excitement in his voice.

“You're all far to involved with each other to consider invading a planet,” Lightstar said to Surfer, as Strange floated towards the surface of the planet.

“Not invasion, Lightstar. Rescue. We are the Defenders. If we were not involved with each other, we would end up like all the other Terrain bound teams, full of romance and complacence. We deal with each other as friends and threats as much as we do our enemy. It keeps us keen, it keeps us powerful and most importantly of all, it keeps us together,” He offered the confused looking Herald a smile, before he began his own descent towards the village below, hands glowing with cosmic power.

“Insane. All of you,” Lightstair said to herself, shooting down towards the battle below.

As Lightstar reached the group, she saw that Banner was already tearing his way through towards Namor, Plodex warriors swarming around him, with blades breaking his skin and cutting into his flesh.

He screamed in pain, as she dropped in for a pass, shooting streams of Dark matter, the heaviest matter in existence, into the a few of the attackers, breaking their backs and limbs on impact. The Hulking Plodex looked up at her, and smiled.

“Thanks, Lighty,” it spoke in a craggy voice, almost as though it's throat was barely able to process the information it wanted to speak.

She smiled and followed the swath that the Surfer had cut through the warriors. She watched him with interest, as his hands cut chunks of the warriors free from the ground and burst their weapons like ripe fruit. Though he never directly struck any of the warriors, only knocking them out with concussive bursts, or destroying their weaponry. Perhaps she was wrong about him, perhaps he would not be able to aid her in the Herald War that was exploding across the 26 dimensions of space.

Strange, too, was standing at Namor's side, fighting a three sided battle. To his left, his cloak had detached itself and wrapped around an assailants head, as he launched a vicious kick into the side of a warrior’s head, while throwing his fist towards the ground, turning the weapons around him into leaves. Lightstar wounded how someone so reserved and frail looking could be such a formidable warrior when circumstances required it. The tenacity in his eyes belayed the intelligence that lay within. She smiled to herself, hurtling into the ground next to Namor, who had finished beating the blood out of the Plodex chief and had trident and sword in hand, cutting his way through the last remaining warriors.

The Hulking Plodex, stopped just short of Strange and rammed the final conscious warrior into the surface of the planet.

“There,” he said, his voice like a landslide.

The Surfer landed silently, as the Plodex Warriors lay either beaten unconscious or dead at their feet. He turned his nose up at such a pointless waste of life.

“Well, we've successfully destroyed a village of a planet of hostile aliens. I'd say mission complete,” Banner's broken voice dropped into the silence, as he watched the Surfer kneel down and close the eyes of a dead warrior.

“You know that our purpose is not complete, Banner,” Namor said with venom in his voice, squaring up to the huge Plodulk. It peered back at him, bald features reflecting the sunlight.

“So, what do we do now, Namor?” Strange asked, deferring the leadership role to the King of Atlantis, who looked somewhat surprised by this.

“We make this our base of operations. Surfer, you will accompany me in searching the seas for Marrina, Strange you will use your Magic. Banner, you will stand guard in case of invasion. This is how we proceed from here. We will fight until we are dead, or we find my wife. That is my decree. IMPERIUS REX!” Namor yelled balling his fists, and looking to the skies.

Strange rolled his eyes at his outburst, Surfer simply stood and watched, while Banner covered his mouth to suppress a laugh.

“What is the matter now, Banner?”

“Imperius Rex? I thought you only shouted that when you wanted to impress your opponents, or try and scare them. It's ridiculous when you say it out loud to us!”

“It is the imperial decree of my estate, Banner. You would do well to remember that we all have our own decrees, Mr. Hulk Smash. At least mine is intelligible.”

“Yeah, well at least I don't spend my life trying to make out with flounders,” Banner sniped back.

“That was a barely intelligent retort, Beast. Perhaps you should find someone of your own intelligence. I hear that Betty was barely conscious of her surroundings, though she must have been to love someone like you,”

“Why you stupid, arrogant little...” The Plodulk lifted its massive fists, as the Surfer came between them.

“We have war to make on this planet, not with each other. Make your peace; we have a search to perform tomorrow,”

And surgery, Strange thought to himself. I must diagnose myself before this becomes worse.

Strange's gaze met the Surfers, as the two warriors of the group passed to separate huts. The alien offered the Sorcerer a curt nod, before leading Lightstar towards another hut.

Strange sighed and looked to the sky, as if the stars might provide some answers.

---

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To Be Continued...

Next: In Defenders #5: The Return of Nighthawk’s Defenders, an unexpected battle and some seriously bad times for some of the Defenders.

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