The Shi'ar Empire prided itself on its approach to assimilating external cultures. Unlike direct conquest, the Shi'ar expanded by integrating less advanced civilizations into their own empire. These civilizations became part of a sprawling conglomerate of alien races, cultures, and worlds, while the Shi'ar retained ultimate authority over the empire's governance.
Despite the empire's vast diversity, the Shi'ar people maintained control, managing a highly structured and stable dominion. Entering such a complex and expansive civilization wasn't particularly difficult, especially for Silver Surfer, who piloted his board and carried Robert's chamber deep into the empire's core.
Even as they penetrated the heart of the Shi'ar Empire, no one detected the presence of Silver Surfer's sleek board or the massive chamber it carried. This was perhaps a result of the Shi'ar Empire's prolonged era of peace and security.
Although it was the youngest of the major cosmic empires, the Shi'ar had developed rapidly, emerging as one of the most powerful forces in the universe. While there were other civilizations of comparable strength, intergalactic peace agreements ensured minimal conflict between them.
This era of peace allowed the Shi'ar to focus on strengthening their empire by fostering alliances and using strategies akin to "soft conquest," such as interspecies marriage and cultural integration. Many civilizations willingly joined the Shi'ar, enticed by the promise of technological and cultural advancement, even if it meant relinquishing autonomy.
Silver Surfer skillfully maneuvered through the empire's territories, heading toward the planet the Super Skrull had mentioned. This planet, though not the empire's capital, Chandilar (the Throneworld), was still firmly under Shi'ar control.
Given the planet's status, Robert was skeptical about finding Carol there. The Shi'ar were not known for allowing foreign species to thrive freely, especially in their core territories.
"Hmm, I can't sense any particularly strong aura here, nor can I detect Carol's presence," Robert remarked as he scanned the planet. While the planet teemed with extraordinary energy signatures, none matched Carol's previous strength.
"Wait, this is... Carol's aura?" Robert's expression shifted as he concentrated on a faint yet familiar energy. Having recently dealt with a Super Skrull imitating Carol, he had a fresh impression of her aura. But this was different—weak and diminished.
Carol's current aura wasn't just weaker than expected; it was outright feeble, comparable to that of an average human. Amidst the superpowered inhabitants of the planet, her presence was negligible.
"Whoosh!" Without hesitation, Robert teleported to the source of the aura, appearing in the midst of the planet's bustling city. Before him stood Carol, her figure visibly smaller, her energy subdued.
"Carol? Is it really you?" Robert asked, his voice tinged with disbelief and relief.
"Robert?!" Carol's eyes lit up with joy. "How are you here? How did you suddenly appear in front of me?"
Carol's last memory of Robert was from a time when his strength had been far below hers. She hadn't been on Earth long enough to witness his meteoric rise in power, so seeing him suddenly appear out of nowhere was understandably shocking.
"I came looking for you," Robert replied with a gentle smile. "The Skrulls are all but eradicated now. I've captured and broken the rest of the Super Skrulls. I thought you had been killed, but one of them revealed traces of you. I didn't expect it to be true."
"The Skrulls…" Carol's expression darkened at the mention of the Skrulls. Mixed emotions swirled within her—anger, confusion, and sorrow.
Despite all she had done for them—saving them from the Kree, helping them rebuild their homeworld, and even providing her genetic material to empower them—the Skrulls had turned against her.
Her betrayal had been deeply personal. The Skrulls had not only used her powers against her but also her memories and trust. When they ambushed her, a combination of despair and anger drove her to fight. While she managed to escape, the battle left her gravely injured, her powers depleted.
She crash-landed on a Shi'ar planet, where a kind Shi'ar citizen found her and brought her to safety. Using their advanced medical technology, the Shi'ar healed her physical wounds, but her powers remained dormant.
"Why didn't you try to return to Earth?" Robert asked after listening to her story.
"The Shi'ar have the technology to travel to Earth, but I'm just an ordinary person now," Carol replied, spreading her hands in a gesture of helplessness. "I don't even have official status in the Shi'ar Empire. Without that, I can't board an interstellar ship."
"I see," Robert murmured, realizing he had underestimated the challenges of ordinary life. It had been years since he lived as a regular person, and the complexities of mundane existence hadn't crossed his mind.
"So, I'm waiting for my powers to return. If they do, I can fly back to Earth myself," Carol added, her gaze flickering with a mix of hope and determination.
Her resolve to recover her powers was driven not only by the desire to return home but also to seek justice against the Skrulls. However, she had no idea how Robert had managed to defeat them, particularly the powerful Super Skrulls.
"How did you do it? The Super Skrulls aren't easy opponents," she asked curiously.
"My strength has grown far beyond what you remember," Robert said simply. "The Super Skrulls weren't a match for me. If they weren't so stubborn, I would have found you even sooner."
"Who's there?" Before their conversation could continue, a figure descended from the sky, landing between Robert and Carol. The newcomer, a woman with an imposing aura, looked at Robert with suspicion. "You're not from the Shi'ar Empire. What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to find Carol," Robert explained calmly, noting the woman seemed familiar with Carol.
"Here for Carol? Are you a Skrull?!" the woman exclaimed, her energy flaring as if preparing to attack.
"Amy, stop!" Carol interjected, stepping between them. "He's not a Skrull. He's my family. He came here to find me and bring me home."
"Bring you home? No way! What if the Skrulls find you again?" Amy protested, her distrust evident. "How do you know he isn't a Skrull in disguise? Their powers make impersonation easy, and how did he even get here? This planet doesn't allow unauthorized ships!"
"I'm not a Skrull," Robert replied with a small smile. "In fact, I've killed most of them."
"Killed... most of them?" Amy snorted. "That's absurd. You expect me to believe that?"
Before Robert could respond, his attention shifted to a powerful presence approaching from space. A beam of light descended toward them, accompanied by several other energy signatures closing in from various directions.
"Amy, this is a misunderstanding!" Carol exclaimed, sighing heavily. "You didn't have to call the guard."
"A misunderstanding?" Amy asked, still skeptical.
"Who are you?" the arriving figure demanded. The newcomer, a man radiating energy similar to a Kryptonian's, landed gracefully beside them.
"Doken?" Robert muttered, his curiosity piqued. "Is he Kryptonian?"
Robert's interest was genuine. Doken's energy signature bore a striking resemblance to that of a Kryptonian, albeit missing the distinctive solar radiance.
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