10095/The Qomet from Qward!

The Qomet from Qward!
Date of Scene:	19 November 2019
Location:	The edge of the solar system
Synopsis:	The Silver Surfer saves reality by returning the anti-matter aliens to their home universe, and all is right with existence once more.
Cast of Characters:	Polar Boy, Silver Surfer

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Polar Boy has posed:
In the cold black depths of space, on the edge of the solar system, there is a tear in reality--a rending of existence for a sliver of a moment.

But in that moment, a terrible /thing/ comes screaming into being, a massive object fired on a course toward the Earth like some celestial bullet!

The object hurtles like an immense asteroid, spiraling, as it trails disintegrating anti-matter from its surface.

The clock for Armageddon begins ticking!

Who will fight on Earth's behalf against ... THE QOMET FROM QWARD?!

Silver Surfer has posed:
Outside the Earth's orbit floats the ISS, and currently a quiet Russian astronaut is doing a spacewalk. Carefully he spiders into position, only to find the Silver Surfer, sitting cross-legged on his board, watching intently.

Before any real conversation or terror can begin for the young spacefarer, Norrin's head snaps up. Something is breaking the pattern. Thats too many molecules too suddenly. And that's way too much anti-matter.

More curious than concerned, Silver stands, and becomes an intangible streak of silver through the cosmos heading for the Qomet's path.

Polar Boy has posed:
The unholy extradimensional projectile careens at incredible speeds, raking a bright line across the night sky over Neptune.

Not a minute later, it casts a shadow over Saturn's rings and then wends its way past Jupiter's orbit.

To any inattentive observer, the asteroid appears to have a loose spiraling pattern that causes it to veer in the cosmic neighborhoods of the system's planets.

To the keen eye, though, it looks almost like the object is being guided--or piloted--toward some as-yet unidentified target.

From the perspective of the asteroid, one such potential target comes into view, glinting in the light of the sun: a small blue orb called ... Earth!

Silver Surfer has posed:
The Surfer takes it in. As he speeds for the site, he finds it rapidly approaching him, the trajectory condemning Earth. He sees the slight alterations. The minute adjustments in course.

Surfer does not slow down as he rams shoulder first into the asteroid, grunting from impact and exertion as he tries to force the comet off course.

Polar Boy has posed:
<< KRAKA-THOOM!!! >>

The silent explosion obliterates the asteroid, with a dozen fragments of it careening out in all directions from the point of impact.

In those fragments are components of now-shattered machinery, and to that machinery are strapped a crew of alien creatures--creatures with red skin and vertically-wrinkled foreheads.

They cry out in fright and pain, and several try desperately to make use of any still-functioning equipment. One or two fragments are able to maneuver, via small thrusters, toward nearby fragments.

Only one of the crew members seems to be steely-eyed enough to wrap its fingers around the trigger of a weapon pointed in the Surfer's direction. Other crew members who can see this occur shield their eyes.

With a blinding flash of light, the firearm fires! *** ZZZZZZONK ***

Silver Surfer has posed:
Surprised to see the ship's contents, the Surfer looks around, not recognizing the species as such. But when the gun is lifted, that is recognized.

Surfer lifts a hand wreathed in Power Cosmic, and saps the weapon's capabilities by waving it into stardust.

Then he's off, moving to the fragments that cannot fly to stop their momentum from his assault. ((Please. Let me help.)) he offers, as he tries to stabilize the people that are helpless. Noticing the other two, Silver frowns. He'll catch up when these people are at least safe from falling into Saturn's orbit.

Polar Boy has posed:
Those semi-mobile fragments approach one another, and a few frantically tapped buttons and pulled levers cause telescoping arms to reach and grab one another, drawing the fragments together in something akin to a slowly reconstructing craft (hidden in the shell of an asteroid).

Those attached to fragments less capable of movement try to reach out for something that might help--but the emptiness of space offers nothing. Nothing, that is, save the serendipity of the Surfer's presence.

One of the aliens slowly extends an arm, even as its rotating asteroid-clump is made stationary by the Surfer's power.

The one who had been wielding a firearm shouts silently, its face a clear expression of rage.

It's just about this time, then, that the effect of floating unprotected in space begins to reach the creatures, whose eyes grow bloodshot and faces turn purple. They clutch their throats and safety harnesses, but death begins to settle in nonetheless.

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver first becomes confused, then concerned. Finally it snaps to them. These creatures breathe! But what? Working on a chance, Surfer constructs a tiny atmosphere around the fragments of Earth air. ((I would have helped you. It didn't have to be this way.))

It's about all the Surfer can muster for the invasion team, as he flashes back to catch up to the ones still heading for Earth. He catches up at the speed of light, before laying a hand on the asteroid. A gravity well begin to generate in the asteroids wake, as Surfer tries to slow it down alter its course once again.

Polar Boy has posed:
Those three or four aliens who haven't yet succumbed to their asphyxiation gasp for breath, choking, as they relax somewhat, gulping in the air around them. "What the--?!" "How did you...?" they muster.

The infuriated crew member is among them, and it barks at the others. "Silence! Do not give this Earthman any information! Death to this universe!" It slams a fist against its chest. The others, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, respond in kind.

Those mobile asteroid fragments find themselves halted by the Surfer's power, and the crew members inside it glance at one another. Nodding, they retrieve something from their one-piece suits and bite down on it, dying instantly.

"I suppose you want to torture us now, human!" the angriest crew member shouts. "We won't give you the satisfaction!"

Silver Surfer has posed:
Surfer sighs, realizing their race has gone beyond reason. As the crew of the main part of the ship mass suicides, Surfer just floats in behind it, and begins to tow it back towards the other fragments. ((Earthman. Human. You are making many assumptions, young one.)) Surfer comes closer. ((I was sincere. I want only to help. But I see now that you were not refugees, but invaders. This...is going to complicate things.))

Polar Boy has posed:
"Feh!" spits the most vocal crew member. "Were that the case, you would not deny us our mission! We are not /invaders/--we are /liberators/! And we seek to free our world of this despicable nightmare of a universe!"

One by one, the rest of the crew procures their suicide pills and begin taking them.

The vocal leader points at the Surfer. "Instead, we are undone. And you, the protector of accursed Earth, have sealed our fate! Perhaps in time our people can create a means of ensuring your destruction. But not, it seems, just yet...!"

Silver Surfer has posed:
Surfer shakes his head sadly. ((No. Not yet.)) Silver turns away, first disappating the atmosphere around the fragments, then beginning the process of transmuting the matter of the asteroid and dead, reconfiguring it's form into a new shape.

Surfer is starting to tire now, most of his effort in transmutation today. But he continues, as the asteroid slowly changes. From flesh and rock...to steel. From a mishapen asteroid, to a perfect sphere.

Silver is off, pushing the sphere as fast as he can without breaking it, letting it achieve maximum velocity, and then stops, sending a comet-sized bullet on the exact trajectory of the asteroid's entry back into the rift. ((I am the Silver Surfer. I will always try to help. But I will not let Earth come to harm. I am sorry.))

Polar Boy has posed:
"No ... NO! ... NOOOOOOOO--!" the creature cries, its voice a mix of ire and agony, slowly muffled and silenced as the perfect sphere forms around and with its own body.

A single eye remains on the sphere's surface, unblinking as it stares toward its destination--the home it had arrived from only minutes beforehand.

And then it is fired off, a reforged celestial bullet returned to sender, a marker of impending catastrophe for those who had dared threatened the Surfer's beloved world.

The sphere blinks out of existence as it returns through the fading rift in reality, which mends itself, as though the exit of the anti-matter craft was, in and of itself, a repairing of the wound in existence.

Silver Surfer has posed:
Silver Surfer turns to look at his little blue orb. So many threats from so many places. And within, so many people who just want to keep it safe. Surfer nods to himself. Earth is a thing worth keeping. And so he shall.