The Amber Widow

Part 18

*Thano's ship is attacking the ship Thor and his people used to escape from Hela and Asgard.*

Asgardian PA: This is the Asgardian refugee vessel Statesman! We are under assault, I repeat, we are under assault – The engines are dead, life support failing! Requesting aid from any vessel within range... We are 22 jump points out of Asgard. Our crew is made up of Asgardian families, we have very few soldiers here! This is not a war craft, I repeat, this is not a war craft!

*Inside the ship, Ebony Maw walks among the bodies of dead Asgardians. He steps over them as he speaks with no mind, as if they were scattered pieces of dirty clothing on a bedroom floor.*

Ebony Maw: Hear me, and rejoice. You have had the privilege of being saved by the Great Titan. You may think this is suffering. No... It is salvation. Universal scales tip toward balance because of your sacrifice. Smile... For even in death, you have become Children of Thanos.

*Loki is seen with the Black Order. He watches Thanos.*

Thanos: I know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right... yet to fail, nonetheless. It's frightening. Turns the legs to jelly. I ask you, to what end? Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. And now, it's here. Or should I say... I AM.

*Thanos grabs Thor by the neck and holds up his hand to reveal the Infinity Gauntlet, which already hosts the Power Stone.*

Thor: Youtalk too much.

Thanos: Loki the Tesseract, or your brother's head. I assume you have a preference.

Loki: Oh, I do. Kill away!

*Thanos sets the gauntlet on Thor's temple. The power stone glows brightly. Thor suffers in pain.

*Loki cringing and looking away from his brother's pain and has just thought for a few seconds.*

Loki: ALRIGHT, STOP!

Thor: We don't have the Tesseract. It was destroyed on Asgard.

*Loki glances at Thor like he knows something he doesn't. He lifts his right hand into the air and the Tesseract reveals itself.*

Thor: You really are the worst, brother.

Loki: I assure you, brother, the Sun will shine on us again.

Thanos: Your optimism is misplaced, Asgardian.

Loki: Well, for one thing: I'm not Asgardian. And for another... We have a Hulk.

*Loki dives out of the way as Hulk emerges and fights Thanos. Punches are exchanged and Thanos is forced into the wall of the ship. Maw stops Black Dwarf from interfering.*

Ebony Maw: Let him have his fun.

*Thanos defeats Hulk and dumps him to the ground. Thor tries to interfere but Ebony Maw binds him to the ground.*

Heimdall: Allfathers... let the dark magic flow through me one last... time.

*Heimdall summons the Bifrost, which carries Hulk away.*

Thanos: That was a mistake.

*Thanos stabs Heimdall through the heart.*

Thor: NO!!! You're going to die for that!

*Ebony Maw shuts Thor's mouth*

Ebony Maw: Shhhh. My humble personage... bows before your grandeur. No other being has ever had the might, nay the nobility, to wield not one, but two Infinity Stones. The universe lies within your grasp.

*Thanos crushes the Tesseract, revealing the Space Stone. He places it on the gauntlet.*

Thanos: There are three more Stones on Earth. I can sense the hidden one. Find them, my children, and bring them to me on Titan.