EVERMORE ─ marvel ⁷

II. The Nova Empire

Chapter Two
Alex

You'd think going to an alien planet for the first time would be fun, but this mission has just been boring.

We flew here on the Guardian's ship, and when we made the jump to the Nova Empire, I swear I saw Bucky almost vomit. That was pretty funny, but things have only gone downhill from there. Naomi and Kieran Harlow are tasked with getting these people to ally with us while our task is to stop them from fighting each other. When everyone described the Nova Empire they made it sound like the empire was already at war or at least on the brink of it. So far, all the fighting has been pretty verbal, nothing too violent. We've just had to break up some fights in the streets while we've been here, some that don't even come close to some fights I've seen in bars on Earth.

I guess I should be grateful that things haven't gotten that out of hand here. It makes Naomi's and our job easier. I shouldn't want to have more fighting, more war after what I just went through. But if I'm being honest, I'd welcome the distraction some fighting would bring. Just standing here on babysitting duty for these people allows my mind to wander, and right now that's not the best thing.

I've been watching the downtown square with Bucky for some time now while the others go on patrol. We're leaning against the wall of a library scanning the area, Bucky's expression as bored as mine.

"How are you feeling?" I ask. "Is your heart ready to give out from shock yet?"

Bucky glares at me. "I'm perfectly fine, thank you."

"Are you sure? Someone your age shouldn't travel such great distances or be exposed to so many new things at once. I mean, an one hundred and twenty nine year old shouldn't have too many surprises."

One thing that has been amusing is seeing Bucky take in Krylor, the planet we are on right now. Sure he's seen aliens before, befriended them, fought them, but he's never been to an alien planet before. He looks at everything with awe, much like he did when he was first trying to adjust to modern times.

Bucky rolls his eyes. "After all I've been through, after all these years of living in Wakanda, after marrying into a family of shapeshifters, and after fighting in three alien invasions, you really think anything can surprise me anymore?"

"No," I admit. "But teasing you about your age never ceases to be fun."

"You're in your mid-fifties, Alex. You're old, too."

I smirk to myself. "I'd hardly call you old. You're ancient."

"Well I'm glad your sense of humor survived the battle." Bucky grumbles.

"The Kree may have taken my good looks but they'll never take my charm."

Bucky's expression grows more serious, his jaw flexing. He tries to hide it though, forcing a smile. "Can't lose what you never had."

I let out a chuckle, mine a little less forced than his. I absentmindedly touch the left side of my face, still unused to the scaley texture it has now. It's healed up quite nicely, but Analiese was right, it has left scars. My entire left side and part of the right side of my forehead is covered in scaled, mesh looking scars. I'm missing an eyebrow, it got burned off in the blast, but Analiese says it will grow back. What won't grow back is my left ear. Shuri was able to create a permanent hearing aid that attaches to my head to allow me to hear, and it's been working beautifully. It's been hard to get used to though, I'm used to my hearing being so heightened because of my powers, so having one side of my hearing have to rely on something artificial feels...wrong. It's hard to explain.