Arc Eighteen. Chapter Five Hundred Eighteen. Trading Places
Reed didn't even look up as Cable bodyslid back into the Baxter Building. He was hovering over the belt with a set of micro callipers, trying to uncouple one of its circuit boards.
"Anyone else and I would be upset. I take it your visit to Parker went badly," Reed said as he lifted the board. It was only a few millimetres long but contained the necessary components he needed.
"You might have warned me," Cable said as he set a bag down on one of the many lab stools. "Jean Gray was there. I was lucky she didn't smear me across the multiverse."
"Hmm," Reed lifted the board and stared at it through magnifier goggles. "I really don't care."
"I'm here to stop this Sphere from being destroyed. Even you should care about that." Cable undid the bag and pulled out a six-pack and some beef jerky. Food was easier to carry, as you never knew if anything would react inside your body.
"I do care, and I am going to stop it. Your mission is not mine." Reed turned and slid the board into another device. He smiled as it whined and powered on. "See."
Cable lifted a can, drained it and then turned his wrist, seeing what Reed had just built. "Oh great, a dimensional portal device. Big woop."
Redd snorted in derision. "It's a gun. You want rid of Parker, then," he lifted it and added on a handle and trigger mechanism, "use this."
Cable picked a piece of jerky out of his teeth, "Yeah, You learn fast, like all Reeds do. So, what do you want?"
"I already knew you met me. These devices have Aegis stamps on them, but the design is mine. I want reality tech. Ben..."
Cable waved a hand. "Yeah yeah, lots of Grimms hate their powers, sure. Give me the gun, let me deal with Parker and I'll get Aegis to sort him out. Won't be the first time, probably won't be the last."
"Just like that?" I expected more bargaining or posturing. Aren't you super agents all gung ho and mission-focused?"
Cable laughed, "You read too many comics. Get the guy, kill the guy, go home. You have what I need to do that. Using a stabiliser to fix Ben Grimm is like asking a kid for their rock to repair the space shuttle. So. If you haven't screwed up the belt. Authorisation Sigma Sigma Gamma Omicron."
The belt beeped and Reed looked over at his tablet. It was a design similar to the watch, but it dispersed the energy rather than draining it. "Gun needs five seconds to charge. Don't use it near any other open apertures and don't fire it through one of those orange doors. Anyone touching him will be taken as well." Reed lifted the gun and held it out.
Cable took it and a cable slid from his arm, hooking itself into the gun. "This will do just fine." Cable vanished after uttering his catchphrase.
“Oh of course. Just come and go as you please,” Reed muttered as he slid a second copy of the circuit board from the belt. “I mean, this is my home.” He added it to another device and smiled as it lit up red and then flickered to green. The control chips would be easy enough to replicate, but for now, he could harvest half a dozen from the belt.
As well as building a gateway, he had constructed a shield to prevent intruders. The next time anyone tried to enter his lab using a portal they would be deposited outside.
As Cable would say, Reed was a huge brain. As such completely forgot his lab was on the fiftieth floor of the Baxter building. In other words, outside was seven hundred feet up.
⁂
The Space Bridge was almost complete. Once more Autobots were reactivated, the work went quickly, as they knew what they were doing.
Which left Peter as a loose end. It seemed to be just how it was most days. Shuri had a country to rebuild. Everyone had jobs and lives that weren't put on hold because the world almost ended. Even as the head of AIM, these days he was signing paperwork to stop the government from taking what they wanted. Even Pepper and Matt barely saw each other as the workload piled high, for everyone except Peter.
So Jocasta making a surprise visit was a welcome relief from the boredom he was feeling.
She gave him a nervous smile as she sat at the breakfast table, "Peter." Peter smiled. While her skin was synthetic, she had opted to go for a deep richly tanned look. A change from her normal pale.
"You look nice. Coffee?" He asked as she sat.
Jocasta shook her head, "I wish." She fiddled with her hands nervously, "I wish to apologise."
Peter paused, "Uh, for what?" She had disappeared right after his birthday, and Tony refused to let him know if she was at the tower. Peter didn't want to push but made sure to annoy Tony at least once a day by messaging him.
"For leaving. It was...overwhelming, and I needed space." Jocasta tried to explain, "But I found myself...homeless."
Peter leaned back, scowling, "Tony threw you out? Because we slept together."
"Maya threw me out. Tony let me stay at one of his apartments. And yes, because we slept together. I have been...soul searching, to find out what I did wrong."
Liv walked into the room and bent to kiss Peter before she sat down. "Security, let me know you were here and I love a good rant before breakfast."
Jocasta looked confused, "I am unaware..."
"And I apologise. Would you like one as well?" Liv asked as she spread butter on some toast, "A kiss that is, not toast."
"A kiss?" Jocasta was now torn.
"Hmm, yes. You see," Liv scooted her chair over. "You can live like a saint. Never drink, smoke or touch another person, and people will complain you're repressed. Drink, whore, do drugs, and people will tell you you're a disgrace."
Jocasta looked hesitant, "then what is the correct way of living?"
Liv looked at Peter who shrugged. "Screw them. It's your life, your body. No matter what you do, some arsehole who thinks they know better than you about you will tell you it's wrong."
"I do not think I wish to engage in intercourse with someone who will dictate my...oh." Jocasta looked at the table. "I think I would like a kiss, and would not like to have intercourse with Tony or Maya."
Liv laughed and leaned in. "The question is, from who?" Before gently kissing her on the cheek.
Jocasta would have blushed if her face was capable. "Why did you seek me out? I do not believe it was for...as you put it, a rant."
Liv smiled and returned to her spot, lifting her toast, "Oh no. I want to offer you a job."
"A job, but I am unskilled and have no obvious super abilities. Even speaking with Friday, you are creating a suit similar to Iron Man for her."
"Yes, but there is one thing you can do." Jocasta frowned in confusion, "You don't need to breathe."
Now she was very confused, "I do not see how that is appropriate for anything other than intercourse. Peter was very enthusiastic about it."
Peter choked and coughed as he laughed. He wasn't the only one.
"Yes, but it means you don't need an hour of safety checks before visiting Cybertron, and can stay as long as you like. As you don't breathe, you aren't limited by the lack of atmosphere, and give yourself some credit. You are also very intelligent."
"You wish for me to be the liaison between our worlds?"
"Not just me. The Autobots would prefer you. As a non-carbon-based lifeform, you can understand them better than we can. Shuri would prefer someone she didn't have to use a step ladder to talk to."
Jocasta leaned back, "And I would be paid? I would be given a home and a purpose?"
Liv looked over at Peter. "Jo, you always had a home, plus I think Friday might explode if you didn't live at the warehouse."
"Peter, I doubt it. She may be excitable, but she is hardly combustible."
Peter laughed, "Did you just make a joke?"
"I am learning. I have bookmarked several pages on the internet to access if I require, as Tony would call it, sass."
Liv stood and moved over, kissing Jocasta on the cheek again. Jocasta turned her head and lifted her lips to Livs. After a small but gentle kiss, Liv smiled happily, "I think she'll fit in just fine."
⁂
There was no pomp and ceremony when they activated the Space Bridge for the mission to Cybertron. It had been on before, tested, and calibrated to make sure it was stable. The equipment they were taking had already been sent through, it was now the turn of the survey team.
Jocasta had been outfitted with a suit of armour. Cybertron was unsafe. Millions of years of war had turned the once beautiful planet into a deathtrap.
"I will be fine, Peter. Please stop fussing." Jocasta swatted his hand away from her amour. "Olivia has already checked my armour several times." She sighed, "And that part is not armour." she said as she felt his hand caress over the jumpsuit covering her behind.
"For luck," Peter said with a grin.
"I believe the phrase 'you have already gotten lucky' is appropriate. However, I am at work, and you are being unprofessional," Jocasta scolded him. "I will only be gone for a month."
"I'll still-" Peter never finished as Cable materialised in the Bridge room.
Peter could feel something activate, and his armour slid over him. Cable raised a large rifle and began to fire into the group.
The Autobots had their weapons, but they were stowed. Cybertron was dead, and its location was unknown to the larger galaxy. They were not expecting a battle, and not on Earth.
Peter stepped in front of Jocasta as the bullets impacted his armour, "Activate the bridge." She nodded and started the sequence. "Once it's on, I want you to head through."
Jocasta didn't argue. Unlike Friday, who had taken great joy in training, Jocasta preferred diplomacy. She had a sidearm, and she was proficient in its use, but she refused to learn more. She was a scientist, not a warrior. She was relieved that nobody minded.
"Autobots, Stand down. You can't fire in here," Peter barked and the Autobots lowered what weapons they had. Even the Decepticons wouldn't fight in front of a huge dimensional aperture.
Venom turned and fired off several balls of webbing that impacted against a shield. "Outside buddy. Jean warned me a whack job was gunning for me."
Cable ignored him, emptied the clip of his rifle and as he felt the gun charge, he unslung it. "The only place you're going Parker is the Void."
The gun whined and a light shot out, covering Venom, but nothing else happened. "Piece of Richards crap." Cable tossed the gun away and squared his shoulders. The gun was supposed to deal with Parker, and he only had so many clips for his rifle. Buying high-tech ammo in a backwater Sphere like this was hard enough. He raised his fist and advanced on Venom.
Venom snorted and moved to fight. Cable swung a fist at him and as Venom ducked under it to smash his own in Cable's stomach he was still smacked in the face.
Venom stepped back. That was a Jean move. "Telekinetic?"
Cable snorted and smugly grinned at him, "You're not the only one with powers."
⁂
Wade had been having a great dream. He was the star of several worldwide movies that broke records. He had a hot girlfriend, a big bag of coke, and a new best friend. Oh, and some jerk called Wolverine moved into his apartment. At least Dogpool liked him.
It was rudely interrupted as he shot out of his camp bed, was hoisted into the sky and shot through the air.
"WHHHHAAAATTTTTT
TTTTTTTHHHHHHHEEEEEEE
FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUCCCCK!!"
As he flew through the air, he felt the thin cotton pyjamas he wore tearing under the increased speed he was flying. They tore at the seams, becoming rags before disintegrating completely.
Wade was still screaming as he punched a large steel wall before he impacted something soft.
"What the hell?" Venom shouted as the really smelly, ugly but grossly naked man smacked into him.
"Hey, I didn't sign up for slash, even if you are the main hero," Wade said but the pair went flying.
In the room, the Bridge projectors aligned and fired. The wormhole flared into life and the pair screamed as they were dragged through it.
Cable nodded, "Well, that takes care of-"
He never finished as Octave and Jhalia swung in with murder in mind. They had been alerted to not only the flying naked man but the breach in security in the bridge room. Both attacked, Jhalia aiming for the face, and Octave aiming much lower.
Octave was still kicking him as he flopped unconscious. "Get to Cybertron. Peter can breathe in space but not for long."
Jocasts dived through the portal, and the Bridge room speaker hissed. "Olivia. Peter is not here. There has been no disturbance in the base camp."
To vent some of her anger, Octave kicked Cable again.