Thor had always believed himself to be Asgard's undisputed crown prince—the eldest son and rightful heir to Odin's throne. The revelation that siblings he'd never heard of kept emerging from space obscurity felt like a cruel inversion of natural law.
Wasn't there an old Earth saying about how poverty in busy places attracted no attention, while wealth in remote mountains drew distant relatives seeking advantage? How was it that Asgard's situation seemed completely reversed? During their realm's most glorious epochs, Thor had never encountered any of these mysterious family members. Now that Asgard lay in ruins, they were appearing like vultures circling a battlefield.
"Seriously, how many children does Odin actually have?" Thor asked again, his voice carrying the bewildered tone of someone whose entire understanding of family dynamics had been systematically demolished.
"I asked that same question once," Ben replied with the casual air of someone who'd already processed this particular space soap opera. "Nine total. You and Loki are the youngest."
Thor's jaw dropped as the implications crashed through his consciousness like a meteor strike. "I was supposedly the eldest prince of Asgard, but I also have multiple brothers and sisters scattered across creation... This family tree is so convoluted that I couldn't map it with a space GPS!"
The absurdity of his situation was almost enough to make him laugh, if the circumstances weren't so dire.
"None of that historical complexity matters right now," Malekith interjected with carefully measured authority. "What's important is that the sister I'm referring to is fundamentally different from Hela. Not only will she refrain from trying to murder us, but she could become one of our most powerful allies in the coming conflict."
The disguised Dark Elf spoke with the confidence of someone sharing verified intelligence, though his information had been gathered through very different means than he was suggesting.
Malekith had learned about this particular family secret during his conquest of the angelic realm known as Heaven. In the era before his original imprisonment, Heaven had still been counted among the Ten Realms under Asgard's protection. It was only after his defeat and exile that the realm had been severed from Yggdrasil's branches and cast into dimensional void.
But before that separation occurred, Heaven's inhabitants had captured another of Odin's daughters and held her prisoner for millennia—a secret that even the All-Father hadn't discovered before his recent death.
Malekith intended to use this revelation as bait, hoping to lure significant Plumber forces into a rescue mission that would lead them directly into his prepared trap within Heaven's isolated dimension. If he could capture Ben Parker himself, the entire space balance would shift in his favor overnight.
But even if the King of Sakaar proved too cautious for such direct manipulation, Thor alone would represent a valuable prize. The prince's recently awakened divine powers made him a formidable opponent who needed to be neutralized or turned to the Dark Elf cause.
"Then we'll go rescue her immediately," Thor declared without hesitation, his voice carrying the automatic certainty of someone who'd never learned to abandon family members in need.
Even though this was a sister he'd never met or heard of, she was still Asgardian—still his responsibility. And if Hela's power level was any indication, having another divinely-enhanced ally could dramatically improve their chances against the space threats they faced.
The strategic logic was sound, but Thor's emotional response was exactly what Malekith had been counting on.
"Not 'we,'" Malekith corrected with a pointed gesture. "You. Don't forget that I need to return to Malekith's forces, otherwise my cover will be blown and we'll lose our intelligence advantage."
The excuse was perfectly reasonable and completely fabricated—Malekith had no intention of returning to any battlefield where the real Loki might expose his deception.
Under Ben's direction, Caiera quickly reorganized their tactical assignments to accommodate the new intelligence and mission requirements.
Thor would lead a rescue operation to Heaven, with "Loki" providing secret passages that would allow infiltration without detection. Ben and Wanda would travel to Niflheim to contest the Crown of Death before Malekith could claim additional fragments. The disguised Loki would ostensibly return to Vanaheim to maintain his cover and strike at Malekith when opportunities arose.
The remaining team members would either return to Earth or remain at Plumber headquarters awaiting further orders.
"Completely acceptable," Malekith agreed with manufactured enthusiasm, though his true intentions lay elsewhere entirely.
The period when Ben and the other senior agents were away on missions would provide the perfect opportunity to search Plumber headquarters for the Aether particles and any other Infinity Stones that might be stored within their most secure facilities.
The team began splitting into their assigned groups, with several members expressing desire to return to Earth for various personal and strategic reasons.
T'Challa was particularly eager to return to Wakanda, his enhanced senses detecting subtle atmospheric changes that suggested larger conflicts brewing on the horizon. The fruitless expedition to Asgard had left him feeling unsettled, as if space forces were aligning for an even greater catastrophe.
"I should check on Tony's situation, then return here," Steve Rogers added, his voice carrying the concern of someone who felt responsible for teammates in danger. "The last time we saw him, he'd lost a hand. The broadcasts from Sakaar have been inconsistent since then."
Pietro naturally chose to remain at headquarters rather than return to Earth—all the people he truly cared about were now scattered across space battlefields, making Midgard feel empty and irrelevant.
"Where are Uncle Ben and Aunt May these days?" Peter asked with the slightly lost expression of someone whose family had become space wanderers. "I feel like I haven't seen them since Christmas... Remember when we used to talk about taking road trips in your old RV? Now we're almost ready for college and we still haven't managed a single vacation together!"
His voice carried the wistful tone of someone realizing how much their life had changed in ways they'd never anticipated.
"Plans don't always work out the way we expect, Peter," Ben replied with gentle understanding, his hand falling on his cousin's shoulder with familiar warmth. "There will be other opportunities."
Caiera provided an update that helped explain the elderly Parkers' absence. "Mr. Parker and Ms. May are currently traveling throughout the galaxy with Princess Looma, conducting peace missions on behalf of the Plumber organization. They've become quite famous in several star systems—many civilizations refer to them as 'Legendary Plumbers' after their crisis resolution work."
"Are you serious?!" Peter's voice cracked with astonishment as the implications sank in. "Uncle Ben and Aunt May are doing better hero work than I am?"
The revelation was simultaneously inspiring and slightly deflating. Here he was, struggling with local crime in New York while his elderly relatives were apparently solving space crises and earning galactic renown.
"You know, even after joining the Plumbers, J. Jonah Jameson still finds new ways to criticize Spider-Man every day," Peter continued with mounting indignation. "I have no idea what I did to earn such consistent hostility!"
Ben scratched his head uncomfortably, remembering that he'd been the one to purchase the Daily Bugle and influence its editorial direction. "Maybe he just doesn't like insect very much."
"Spiders aren't insects—they're arthropods!" Peter corrected with the reflexive precision of someone who'd explained this distinction countless times. "Come on, Ben! You're practically a master biologist who invented healing serums. How can you not know basic taxonomy?"
"Of course I know the scientific classification," Ben replied with a casual shrug. "But most people think of spiders as insects regardless of taxonomic accuracy. That's just how ordinary minds categorize them."
After learning that his aunt and uncle were thriving in their space adventures, Peter decided to return to Earth as well. While he could probably contribute to the larger space conflicts, the ordinary people of New York and Queens needed their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man more than the universe needed another space-traveling hero.
It wasn't that Spider-Man couldn't help save the universe—but he shouldn't forget that insignificant ordinary people also needed small, insignificant acts of heroism that made their daily lives bearable.
Like Captain Rogers, though, Peter planned to remain at headquarters for a few days before departing, wanting to ensure the immediate crises were properly addressed.
Thor couldn't contain his impatience any longer. Immediately after the briefing concluded, he sought out the disguised Loki to obtain detailed route information for infiltrating Heaven and rescuing their unknown sister.
Unfortunately, his noble intentions were destined for disappointment and danger.
Ben didn't immediately depart for Niflheim either—Mjolnir's reforging required his attention first, and other Plumber administrative matters needed his personal decision-making authority.
In the brief span of just over a month since Malekith's resurrection, the Nine Realms and broader universe had been dramatically destabilized. When other space empires learned that the Plumbers were directly involved in these conflicts, their responses would likely introduce additional complications to an already volatile situation.
Caiera had been handling most routine intelligence reports independently, but certain developments required Ben's direct attention.
"A group of Ravagers has been attempting to establish contact with us," she reported with obvious reluctance. "Their reputation isn't particularly impressive."
Under normal circumstances, space pirates wouldn't merit consideration from an organization of the Plumbers' caliber. Even if all the Ravager crews led by Yondu Udonta united their forces, they wouldn't pose a threat to any single Plumber senior agent.
But Caiera had detected hints of larger influences operating behind the scenes, making their interest potentially significant.
"The Ravagers?" Ben's eyebrows rose with recognition. "Are we talking about Yondu and his crew?"
Her expression confirmed his suspicion—of course Ben would immediately identify the connection. Star-Lord's background had been thoroughly investigated after his recruitment into the Plumbers, revealing his origins among the space pirates.
"They're asking about Star-Lord specifically," Caiera confirmed. "The timing suggests this involves Ego..."
Yondu wouldn't risk contacting the Plumbers without significant external pressure. If the Ravagers were suddenly seeking Peter Quill again, it likely meant that the living planet Ego had increased the bounty on his son's head to levels that Yondu's crew could no longer ignore.
The Living Planet represented a genuinely dangerous threat, especially given his ability to consume entire worlds' life energy to fuel his space expansion plans. At this critical juncture, with space stability already compromised, Ego's rampage could trigger cascading disasters across multiple star systems.
But Ben wasn't overly concerned about the outcome. Star-Lord had proven remarkably effective at patricide—biological fathers, adoptive fathers, and fathers-in-law all seemed to meet unfortunate ends in his vicinity.
Thanos himself had died twice, which might be connected to Peter's romantic involvement with both of the Mad Titan's daughters.
Ben sometimes wondered if the reason Thanos had proven so difficult to kill permanently in this universe was simply that he hadn't yet become Star-Lord's father-in-law.
"Monitor the situation and alert me if anything unusual develops," Ben instructed. "I'm mainly concerned that without Gamora and the Destroyer, Star-Lord might actually struggle against Ego with only Rocket and Groot as backup."
Caiera moved on to broader space intelligence, describing how the Plumbers' growing power and reputation were reshaping interstellar politics across multiple star systems. As more civilizations sought membership in their organization, a massive alliance was gradually taking shape that rivaled the traditional space empires.
"The Genesis Keys have dramatically improved our agents' crisis response capabilities," she reported with satisfaction. "Many of them have also formed partnerships with Klyntar symbiotes, creating highly effective peacekeeping forces."
Her expression grew more serious as she continued. "But the universe is vast, and there are many chaotic regions that remain beyond our immediate influence."
"The situation has become particularly unstable in Shi'ar territory following Gladiator's death," she explained. "Multiple star-level civilizations view this as an opportunity to challenge the empire's authority and have been creating significant unrest throughout that sector."
"Are they hoping that Gladiator's death gives them a chance to absorb Shi'ar territory and become the next fourth great empire?" Ben asked, unsurprised by such opportunistic thinking.
While the three traditional space empires had dominated galactic politics for millennia, numerous other civilizations possessed the potential to challenge them under the right circumstances. Xandar had fought the Kree Empire to a stalemate in their recent war, proving that determined resistance could force even major powers to negotiate rather than conquer.
When the Plumbers emerged as an unexpected fourth power, other ambitious civilizations began to see possibilities for their own advancement. Perhaps the time had come for a long-overdue reshuffling of space hierarchies.
The old three-empire system was showing signs of decline, and with four major powers now in play, it seemed entirely possible that one of the traditional empires could be displaced by a rising challenger.
Some civilizations might even grow ambitious enough to attempt challenges against multiple established powers simultaneously—a strategy that would be functionally equivalent to space suicide.
Despite losing Gladiator, the Shi'ar Empire's fundamental strength remained formidable. Truly advanced civilizations didn't depend on single individuals for their survival—by the time they achieved major power status, their institutional foundations were deep enough to withstand the loss of even legendary champions.
The Plumbers themselves demonstrated this principle. Even if Ben suddenly vanished, the Sakaarian Empire wouldn't collapse. Each of his appointed senior agents possessed the strength to dominate entire star sectors, and their combined capabilities could challenge multiple empires simultaneously.
The Plumbers had achieved this level of institutional strength in less than a few years of development. The Shi'ar Empire had maintained major power status for tens of thousands of years—their reserves of strength ran deeper than most beings could comprehend.
"That said, there are some developments that merit close attention," Caiera continued while accessing her most significant intelligence files.
"Among the civilizations challenging Shi'ar authority, one group stands out as particularly noteworthy."
She activated a holographic display that showed an enormous golden warship of incredibly ornate design, its hull covered in decorative elements that screamed wealth and imperial pretension.
"I'm not certain of their origins," Caiera admitted with a frown. "This fleet appeared seemingly overnight and attacked dozens of interstellar civilizations with astonishing speed, gathering massive military forces through rapid conquest."
The display shifted to show images of the invading army—spindly soldiers wearing black uniforms whose faces resembled melancholy amphibians. At first glance, they appeared to be among the most pathetic military forces in space history.
Yet somehow, this apparently incompetent army had captured numerous planets in lightning campaigns, assembled vast fleets, and begun a sustained military campaign against one of the universe's three greatest empires.
"They identify themselves as subjects of 'His Imperial Majesty Emperor Milleous, Beacon of the Incursean Empire, Destroyer of Galaxies, Master of the Death Ray Cannon...'" Caiera read the full title list with the tone of someone reciting an absurdly long restaurant menu.
"So it's the Incurseans," Ben sighed with recognition and growing concern. "They've arrived in this universe as well."
His thoughts immediately turned to Princess Attea of the Incursean Empire—the frog-faced royal who'd developed an inexplicable romantic obsession with Ben 10 Bullfrag transformation.
"It seems the barriers between dimensions are becoming increasingly fragile," Ben observed with growing unease. "At first, only individuals were crossing between realities. Now we're seeing entire imperial armies making the transition simultaneously."
The implications were troubling on multiple levels. If large-scale dimensional travel was becoming routine, it suggested that the space balance was deteriorating faster than even he'd anticipated.
As for the Incurseans themselves... their individual soldiers might be physically unimpressive—barely matching Earth-human capabilities in terms of raw strength. But their military record in the Ben 10 universe was genuinely formidable. They'd successfully besieged Earth multiple times and even managed to temporarily exile Ben himself from his home planet.
More importantly, they possessed weapons technology capable of destroying planets or entire solar systems with casual ease. Their tendency to force Ben into using Alien X as a last resort—even if only to repair damaged infrastructure—spoke to their capacity for large-scale destruction.
"Leave them alone for now," Ben decided after weighing the strategic implications. "Provide humanitarian assistance to any worlds caught in their expansion, but don't intervene directly in their conflict with the Shi'ar Empire."
There was no immediate need for Plumber involvement in what amounted to a territorial dispute between two powers outside their jurisdiction. The Shi'ar Empire had never sought membership in the Plumber alliance, so their conflicts remained their own responsibility.
Besides, the Marvel Universe operated under different rules than Ben's home dimension. Individual fighters in this reality were both more numerous and more powerful than their Ben 10 counterparts. The Incurseans might find their usual tactics less effective against opponents who could match their technological advantages with superior personal combat abilities.
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