PREVIOUSLY...

The Guardians were invited to the quarters of Earth's monarch, Doctor Doom. There they were informed by Doom that he intended for them to travel to the Seletian star system to retrieve none other than Mjolnir, the mighty god Thor's hammer! Meanwhile, far away from Earth, two cloaked figures found an altar on an asteroid.....

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*"This.....this is it! We have finally found it...the Altar!" the cloaked and shrouded character says joyously as he looks at the small but elaborate structure in front of him and his companion.

(*Translated from an unknown alien language -Jimmy-)

"If this truly is it, then His weapon must be around here somewhere..." the other says, and begins digging directly in front of the altar, throwing the earth of the asteroid behind him.

"No! Stop!" the first says, holding back the other's arms to keep him from digging. "It could be cursed...we might be on sacred ground!"

"Stop your worrying." the one being held says angrily and pulls from the other's grasp. "The Mighty One would not curse those who love and worship him. If we find His hammer, we can take it to the king for safe keeping...and for a reward!" He begins digging again, and the first cloaked figure does not stop him.

"This is true. We will find it, and be rich, with it!" the first says, and joins the other in digging with his hands. They dig into the asteroid for only minutes before hitting something solid...

"Gods!" the second yells in pain, pulling back his hand.

"This must be it." the first says while digging a little more and finally taking out the item.

The chest is small and made of strong wood, embedded with jewels and gold of the finest temper. Opening the chest slowly and carefully, the first reaches inside to hold what he had seen...

"Here it is, Gomhad!" the first says to his friend.

"By Odin's beard...! Teluten...is that really...?"" Gomhad looks up and sees his partner holding the artifact high into the sky.

"It is, my friend! We have just discovered the Altar of Thunder....."

"We have Mjolnir!"

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"Alright, Doom...what's your game?" Vance Astro suddenly bursts out, sounding angry. He has good reason not to trust the man in armor.

"Calm down, Vance. This is Doom's place, and he invited us here for a reason. We'll hear him out, at least." Charlie says, putting a hand on Vance's shoulder to try and stifle him.

Charlie keeps talking. "So let's hear him out, Guardians. Why do you need the hammer? How does it threaten Earth?"

Dooms stands and faces the screen behind him, his armored hands behind his cape covered back while he collects his thoughts. Presentation is everything...Doom especially knows that.

"When I finally came into contact with the monarch of K'Rann, King Harrid, he informed me that I had over-stepped my boundaries and that we were official enemies, Earth and K'Rann. He gave me no reasoning, and has cut off all communication since then."

"That doesn't make sense, though." Martinex halts Doom's explanation. "K'Rann is a war-loving planet.....I mean, they worship the Norse Gods...but they don't just blow up peaceful fleets for no reason!"

"Do not interrupt, Guardian. I am not through. The King of K'Rann remained out of touch, but small skirmishes between Earth and the planet have occurred off and on since my earlier days as a ruler. Earth's weaponry and power have proved strong enough to hold our own against the somewhat primitive planet...but recently a scan of the Milky Way's surrounding star systems has revealed a great threat to Earth near K'Rann."

"What kind of threat?" Nikki asks innocently and concerned.

"My dear, the hammer of Thor himself was detected on one of the millions of small asteroids surrounding the planet of K'Rann. Should the Kranians find it....."

"Then they could use it to finally defeat you and Earth." Aleta puts the pieces together.

"But that couldn't be possible." Hollywood finally throws his two cents in. "There's an enchantment on the hammer, made by Odin himself, that only those worthy enough can even lift the thing."

"You should know as well as I, Simon Williams, that that enchantment has been long broken, since the death of he who made it."

"I'm beginning to the see the picture now..." Charlie says, wondering but understanding.

"You wish for us to retrieve Mjolnir from the asteroid before the Kranians can use it against Earth, correct?" Yondu asks Doom, as he and the entire team realize their purpose for being there.

"Wait a minute!" Vance says, ever vigilant against trusting Doom. "Why can't you just do this yourself? You have thousands, maybe millions, of men at your disposal...if it's just a simple recognizance mission, why not send your men to do it? Why the Guardians?"

"That's a good point, Vance. Why did you choose us for such an easy mission?" Charlie asks Doom suspiciously.

"And that's where we come in." Yondu finishes Doom's point.

"Correct."

"Well you can count the Guardians of the Galaxy out of this, Doom!" Vance says, standing up and pointing at his host with mistrust. "We're not stupid enough to fall for a trick like that..."

"Damn it, Vance, sit down right now!" Charlie says as he stands and tries to force Vance back into his seat.

"No, Charlie, let me talk! There's something that's been bugging me the whole time we've been here*...the original Doom was never polite with anyone unless he wanted something! And what he always wanted was evil and for his own gain. I'm sure you're no different!"

So that's what has been bothering him... Aleta realizes.

(*See last issue -Jimmy-)

"Vance, that's enough. Doctor Doom, I'm sorry Vance is being so rude...but...well, we do have reasons not to trust you, and they're important enough for us to have to refuse your request."

Doom says nothing for a moment, but then exhales and speaks.

"Mmff..." she tries to speak, but only grunts as her mouth is silenced by a hand of metal. She struggles, to no avail, against the arms, and suddenly her chair is lowered into a newly made hole in the floor below her. She is gone before the others can realize what has happened.

"Aleta!" Vance yells, rushing to where she had been sitting, but it was useless...she was no longer there.

"Release her, Doom, or else you're going to have a whole slew of Guardians to deal with!" Martinex says, all of them standing and ready for battle.

"She will be released once I have been delivered the hammer. If you fail to do so, or if you attack me now, then she will most definitely be hurt."

"Crap..." Nikki says under her breath. It sounds like they are beat.

"How can you do it this way? I thought you were trying to help Earth." Charlie says.

"I am, in the only way I can. You were not going to help out of your own free will, so I had to put something at stake. It is for the good of the planet."

The Guardians are still excited and wanting to fight, but they quickly figure out that there's little they can do.

".....okay, Doom. You win." Charlie finally admits defeat, and the Guardians await their orders.

"Very good. I will have my servants download the coordinates onto your new ship. You will then have exactly five days to get Mjolnir and return it to me. If you do not, then your friend Aleta will meet..."

"She'll meet her doom...yeah, we know the bit." Charlie says angrily, no longer attempting to be polite to his host.

"Indeed, Guardian. Now go to your ship.....the quest awaits."

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Teluten and Gomhad had never been very respected treasure hunters. In fact, the job was looked down upon by the world of K'Rann at large. They were more popularly called "scavengers", as they went from planet to planet, or in this case, asteroid to asteroid, searching for left over items of any worth. It's not real work, and is not respected, usually. This is a different case, however...

*"We must see King Harrid!" Gomhad pleaded with the guards to the great castle.

"No one sees his majesty unless sent for or with an appointment...especially scavengers like you to." The guard informs the two men. Still, they are denied entry.

"You tell us that we can't come in? Us? The two great treasure hunters, Gomhad and Teluten, cannot see the king? What if I were to show you this?!" Teluten thrusts the hammer of Thor into the guard's face, and it makes his expression change from disgust to shock.

(*Translated from Kranian...the unknown language from earlier! -Jimmy-)

"My gods...! Could it be? The hammer of the Mighty One, the thunderer Thor?" the guard exclaims.

"It is! It is Mjolnir, and we will see King Harrid about it." Teluten says.

"Yes...yes, of course. All of K'Rann must know of this wonderful discovery!"

The guard quickly contacts another to take his place, and he leads the two former outcasts through the halls of the huge castle. The combination of Norse and modern styles and technologies might clash to Earthmen's eyes, but to the three Kranians, it is but a welcome sight of wonder.

Soon enough, they reach the court room of the ruler, the king of the whole planet of K'Rann...

"The honorable King Harrid! Two scavengers wish to seek an audience with you." the guard announces. He is in his tall, slender throne, next to his queen's, the lovely Queen Brin. His husky voice matched his appearance when he spoke.

"Scavengers? I called for no scavengers. Guard! Why have you allowed these two lazy men into my court, let alone my castle?"

"I apologize, my liege, but they have made a discovery of the utmost importance, and I was sure that your majesty would be very interested in being one of the first to know." the guard says.

"And what great 'discovery' could have been made that is important enough to interrupt my amusement? The new court jester was in the middle of putting on a delightful show for my queen and I."

Teluten intervenes here and speaks directly to the king.

"King Harrid..." he began.

"Address me with respect, scavenger."

"I...I'm sorry, your majesty." he restated, bowing his head. He began again.

"Your majesty, my partner Gomhad and I have been to nearly every asteroid in the great Belt of Baldar over our years as scavengers, and just today, we finally discovered what has been rumored to be hidden among the rocks of the Belt for so long."

"You couldn't possible mean...?"

Gomhad speaks too. "Yes, your majesty, the Altar of Thunder itself."

"By the Rainbow Bridge! Oh my...did you also find...the hammer?"

"Yes we did, your majesty...Mjolnir, in all its majesty." Teluten says, and presents it to his king.

"Gods! I must see this up close! Bring it to me, scavenger." the king orders.

Teluten does as he is told, keeping his head lower than the king at all times. King Harrid holds it in his hands, heavy but still easy to wield into battle.

"This is what the Thunderer carried into battle...this masterpiece of blacksmithery." the king mused, examining the hammer.

"You have done well, scavengers. The planet of K'Rann owes you much for donating this piece to our government." the king says, and then signals to his guards to take away the two outcasts.

"What...? That's all?" Teluten nearly yells and he and Gomhad are taken away.

"That's what we get for bringing it to the king!" Gomhad says angrily.

"That was your idea, Gomhad!"

"Yes...but.....shut up!"

The two bicker all the way out, until the king can no longer hear them.

"Such noisy guests I doubt we've had before, my love." Queen Brin says to her husband.

"True, Brin. But it was worth their presence to now have the mighty Mjolnir in our possession!"

Quickly, a guard enters the room and bows to his king before speaking.

"Your majesty, I have an urgent message for you!" the guard speaks swiftly.

"Well? What is it?"

"It is from your general, your majesty.....it seems that a ship from Earth has just come within range of our sensors. It's approaching K'Rann at an incredible pace, my liege."

The king strokes his beard and answers.

"Again? Earth? Hasn't Doom done enough to this planet?"

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"Her looks aren't to my own liking." the descendant of Wolverine answers, almost sounding bitter.

"Her hair is like gold...her features noble and gentle...she would make a perfect mate."

"Whatever you like, sir. I don't really like her much at all, personally."

"It does not really matter what you think, Rancor. What matters is that, for the next five days, she is mine to do with as I please."

If Aleta were able to hear Doom, she would have trembled with fear at the thought of his words. But she isn't. She is oblivious to the plans Doom has for her.....for now.

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Hey everyone! This is my first issue of any ongoing at MV1, and let me just say that I'm very proud and happy to write here. I'll have to admit that I don't know a lot about the Guardians personally, but I enjoy the few issues that I have. If I make a mistake, let me know...please! I love feedback, so if you have any comments, just send them my way, so I can actually fill this space up with something besides me talking. Thanks to you for reading, and also thanks to Jason Snyder for giving me this three-issue trial run! I hope it will end up being longer than that!

-Jimmy O'Brian

June 4, 2000