Eternal Curiosity: Issue #5
In Olympia the home of the Eternals Phasto stared at the screen of his tracking computer and muttered, "There it is again." "Thena will you come over and take a look at this?" "Ok, what do you have" asked the beautiful blond Eternal? "That's the problem Phastos mused, I don't know what I have. "For about five months now I have been getting this strange reading and I don't know what to make of it." "What kind of reading?" Thena inquired. "Look for yourself but be prepared for quite a shock." Phasto replied. Thena bent over the computer console to view Eternal tracker program. She was not ready for the read outs that she saw. "These can't be possibly be accurate. I mean the power reading are at least equal to Thanos or Zuras." "You mean the life force readings. The power readings are totally another kettle of fish." Phasto answered. "I see what you mean," Thena said. "How can an Eternal not show any cosmic power readings?" "I have no ideal, nor can I identify what type of energy this being is putting out." Phasto answered. "Zuras should be made aware of this immeditately," Thena declared. "I agree," Phasto concurred.
The Eternal leader Zuras read the print outs and was deeply distrubed. "You say these readings showed up about five months ago emanating mainly from the moon and once from Earth." "Correct," Phasto answered. "And these most recent reading where are they coming from?" Inquired the leader of the Eternals. "The moon Phasto repeated and specifically the dark side of the moon." "Where Uatu's abandoned base is located," Zuras stated. "My goodness all that tech in the hands of an unknown," that's a recipe for disaster," quipped Thena. "Thena, Zuras said as he stood up, call in Ikaris, Gilgamesh, and Sersi and don't take no for an answer especially from Sersi." "Understood Zuras," Thena bowed and left to retrieve the three Eternals.
"I trust Phasto has briefed you all on the current sitution," Zuras spoke to the three newly arrived Eternals." "Yes and I don't know what all the fuss is about chirpped Sersi. "This being has not attacked or made any aggressive actions toward anyone that we know of." "Nor has he made any attempts to contact any other Eternals and he has access to Uatu's technology." Reminded Ikaris. "Well if we six can't get some answers out of him no one can Gilgamesh added." "Then let's leave for the dark side of the moon and Uatu's complex immeditately," Zuras commanded.
"Hmmm, Thanos thought. My fellow Eternals are as curious about Foreman as I am. Outside of myself six of the most powerful Eternals are about to confront him. I must view this and see how Foreman handles multiple opponents.
Foreman set over the monitor looking over still more files pretaining to beings in this universe. There are enough truly evil beings in this universe that I will be tied up for centuries Foreman smiled to himself. Still at times I find my mind drifting back to Vanna. She made her choice and I made mine. I bet that I could use Gohos to go back and visit her but to what ends? I'm not the same being and it would be simply futile. Just then Foreman notice the security monitor showed six beings landing in front of his complex door. Zuras, Ikaris, Gilgamesh, Sersi, Phasto and Thena who bares a striking resemblance to Vanna. The Earth Eternals Foreman pondered. I suppose it was inevitable that they would become curious about me.
"Well, Phasto said What do we do knock?" And with those words the massive door opened. Foreman strolled forward, "Can I help you?" Zuras stepped up to meet him. "You are ordered to abandon this complex and leave immeditately." "Why?" Foreman asked innocently. "Because there is too much advance technology and information that can fall into the wrong hands." Zuras replied. "I agree completely and that is why I have placed it under my proctection." Foreman answered. "Your proctection is what has us worried." Ikaris chimed in. "It should not since I was directed here by the Living Tribunal himself." All of the Eternals could not believe what they just heard. "He's clearly insane," Phasto said. "The Living Tribunal is not a landlord," laughed Gilgamesh.
"I shall repeat this one last time Zuras replied, as the head of Earth's Eternals I command you to leave now!" "I decline," Foreman replied. "Ok let's just remove his behind," Sersi answered. "I have a party to get to." With that the Eternals attacked. Zuras, Ikaris, and Thena lashed out with bolts of cosmic energy. They past right through Foreman as he turned intangible. Gilgamesh and Sersi turned to flank Foreman who resumed his normal state and said "We do not need to fight but I will defend where I am decreed to be." "To late," Gilgamesh stated as he grabbed Foreman from behind in a bear hug. "You are now in the grip of the physically strongest Eternal outside of Thanos." "Really" is all Foreman said. As he reached up with his hand grabbing his captures wrist and powered out of the hold. "I guess that makes you number three on the list now." "You should have paid more attention to me," Sersi laughed as bands solid titanium in circled Foreman. "These are nice Foreman grinned, but a bit ruff on the skin," Then without warning the titanium turned to rubber and slid off of Foreman. Cosmic energy blasts struck Foreman again who by now was losing patient. Gohos erupted in an area blast of mystical energy knocking all six Eternals to the ground.
"There is no need for us to fight," declared Foreman. "I am not your enemy." As he reached down to help Thena to her feet he said, "Allow me to show you." Mental images of Foreman's prior universe raced through Thena's mind. His meeting with the Living Tribunal, and Vanna who she bares a stunning resemblance too. "Stop! He's telling the truth." Thena gasped as she regained her mental balance. "What, Ikaris muttered. "Come inside and I'll explain everything," Foreman stated.
Well that was not much of a tussle Thanos thought. Yet I still got good data even though the confrontation was short.
Foreman motioned and six seats appeared, "Please sit down and I will explain everything." "My physical form is that of an Eternal, which I suspect is the Tribunal doing. You must admitted that the Eternal body is highly durable even more so than many of the so called "god" races like the Asgardians or the Olympians." "I can understand that Phasto replied, but your power readings are not cosmic in nature and after being on the the recieving end of it's "effects" I am curious." Immortals in my old universe are beings of mystical energy. We wield it as easily as you Eternals wield cosmic energy. Foreman continued, thus it's not something that is easily detectable or defined in this universe." "And it's quite powerful," Zuras added. "As it was intented to be as the Tribunal has assigned me to be the balance between good and evil." Foreman stated. "That's what we are having trouble wrapping our minds around." Added Ikaris. "We Eternals are use to dealing with cosmic entities like the Celestials but the Living Tribunal, that's something entirely different." "Quite understandable," Foreman replied. "But the Tribunal did not want to seal this universe off and I'm his choice to even out the celestial imbalance."
"Well it's clear that Foreman is not our enemy and is not another Thanos," Zuras said as he stood. "The Titan," Foreman inquired. "Yes I suspect that you will be hearing from him in the not to distance future," Thena said. "Looking forward to it." Foreman quipped. As the Eternals were heading out of the complex Thena turned to Foreman and said,"I'm sorry about Vanna, I mean." "It alright," Foreman answered and thank you. The Eternals left and Foreman got back to work in his complex.
