All the Colors of Earth (Natasha Romanoff)

4.8

Marzda

The war room is overly crowded.

After my much too short morning with Natasha and Olympia, I had been summoned to go over our battle plans. Natasha had insisted on coming, but I'd made the excuse that it was just the generals allowed. The real reason was far more complicated. There were certain things regarding this war that I couldn't have her knowing, not yet and maybe not ever.

The guards at the war room entrance give me a nod as I pass by and the people inside part for me as I walk to my seat at one of the table ends directly across from Odin himself. He gives me a nod as I sit and we wait for the rest of the council.

The oval table was already full of most the council, compromised of each species that currently lives on Asgard. Valkyrie gives me a tight smile from her spot next to Odin before going back to her conversation. The rest of the room was packed with people who technically weren't suppose to be there but nobody wanted the drama of having to force them to leave.

Once the table is full, Odin stands and the room is silent, "greetings all, thank you for coming."

"Like we had a choice," a voice mutters from the crowd.

Odin glares in their direction, "I know we are all exhausted from this war, but I have been assured that it is almost over."

He motions to me and I stand up, "the All-Father is correct. After years of rescue missions and battles, we have finally found the Daxomite Queen." A small gasp goes around the room and I can't but to grin, "and now that we know where she is, we can kill her."

"And how are we to do that?" Clark, the general for the Asimo, asks.

"I've been working on a weapon," I tell him. "I can't go into much detail, only that it will kill her if we can get it close enough."

"How close?" Valkyrie asks, eyeing me suspiciously. 

I hold her gaze as I answer, "within twenty feet."

Cries of outrage envelope the room as Odin bangs on the table, "silence!" The room quiets almost immediately and he asks, "three questions. One, what is this weapon? Two, why must it be placed so close? And three, how would we get someone that close to the Queen?"

I take a deep breath and prepare what's about to happen next, "I will place the weapon and it needs to be as close as possible to make sure we actually kill her."

His eyes narrow slightly, "I can't help but notice that you neglected to answer one of my questions."

I nod once, "it's not an easy question. But the short answer to it, is that I am the weapon."

"You're an idiot," Valkyrie yells before anyone else can. "Are you trying to die? Again? Because this will kill you, you have to know that."

"I am aware of that risk," I tell her and them. "I alone will infiltrate the Queens compound, I will kill all in my way until I reach her and then I will turn her to mist."

I sit back down as the arguing starts.

Half of the council is all for me sacrificing myself in what is essentially my war, while the others all argue that they can't put all their faith in one person. They argue about backup plans, how I would even get close, and one even suggested that they just drop me on the Queens doorstep.

I listen to it all, not really caring about what decisions they come to. I know what I need to do, and one way or another, I will do it. I will end the war and my family will be safe.

"We have another option," a new voice calls from the crowd.

The people part as Zara comes forward, "what are you doing here?" I hiss at her. "You are not welcome!"

She ignores me and looks to Odin, "we have another weapon," she says again. "We have Tu'rok, the planet destroyer."

"You do not!" I yell at her, the room shaking violently. "Tu'rok is a myth, an old bedtime story that died with Calzor-19."

She looks at me and says calmly, "you know that's not true. Now stop your shaking Quake, before you do something you'll regret. Again." I look around at the eyes that are on me and slowly the room stops shaking.

"What is this Tu'rok?" Odin asks us.

"Nothing the council needs to know," I tell him.

Zara shakes her head, "you cannot protect her anymore," she tells me. Answering Odin she says, "Tu'rok is a savior of my people. Prophecy says that Tu'rok will rise when we need her the most. She will be the first born of Quake, parented by half of our people and half of another, joining two worlds in a war to end wars." She motions to me, "we have a Quake, who has a child with an earth woman. All the signs lead to this child."

Odin turns to me, "is this true? Is your child Tu'rok?"

I shake my head, "my child is five years old. She is not a world destroyer, she has no powers, and even if she did I would never let you corrupt her."

"She has power," Zara says. "I can feel it and so can your witch. I see the way she looks at the child. We must activate her gifts and send them both to Queens planet. It is our only chance."

I glare at Zara, "you will leave my child alone. She is not Tu'rok," I tell her again. "Your so called prophecy has nothing to do with me and mine. And if you come after my child or my Bond I will kill you."

"Quake," Odin warns.

I turn to him, "not even you will be able to stop me if she threatens my family again."

He breaths deeply before replying, "I know what it's like to have your family threatened, and while I agree with your passion to protect them, I cannot condone murder on Asgard. So please, everyone, let's keep it civil."

"Then tell her that my five year old daughter will not be dropped into a war zone!" I demand, slamming my hand onto the table. "I can, and I will, kill anyone who threatens my family. Right now the Daxomites are at the top of the list, but if you keep talking Zara, I swear to all the gods there will be nothing left of you to bury!"

"You would start a war with your own people?" Zara asks curiously. "You would start a war with me? After everything we've been through together?"

"Yes." She looks at me curiously but doesn't answer so I turn back to Odin, "while I appreciate all the support you and the council have given my people over the years, I do not need your permission to take the army. However I would appreciate your blessing, should you see fit."

The room is silent as Odin stares at me, breathing deeply several times before giving me a single nod. "You have both my permission and my blessing, Quake." He leans forward, "but know this, should you fail and were Asgard to face annihilation, we will not hesitate to make a deal that very likely will include your child."

My jaw clenches as I say, "I understand."

Not bothering to wait until we are dismissed, I stride from the room, back past the guards, out of the castle and to the Bifrost. Walking into the Bifrost room, my steps echoing around me, I go straight for the sole person in the room. Heimdall stands in the center, watching me approach. "Hey Heim," I say, trying to sound cheerful.

"Marzda," he says in that serious voice of his. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Cutting to the chase I tell him, "I need a favor."