Predator vs Avengers 01

     The Avengers quin-jet sets down in the jungles outside of Wakanda. King T’Challa; otherwise known as The Black Panther has called in his fellow Avengers to aid his kingdom in investigating a rash of brutal murders that have spread into their borders. The murders however have very little information to go on other than the victims are often found either decapitated or hanging by their ankles from trees with their skin removed. This would seem, and did for weeks, the work of a twisted individual or group and thus the concern of local authorities. However the latest victims in a nearby wildlife preserve were a group of heavily armed park rangers and Kraven the Hunter; not to mention a small band of Wakanda trackers who were sent to investigate signs of an unseen vessel setting off their advanced flight zone perimeter system. Contact was lost with these men, only for their skinless bodies to be found hanging from the trees right outside the walls of the capital; as though taunting the king himself. This is why Black Panther has called in a team of trustworthy trackers with wills of steel and war time experiences; as well as keeping the party small for the dense jungle. Although one does question the colorful attire of Steve Roders/Captain America and Carl Danvers/Ms. Marvel in this environment; their fourth member Wolverine is wearing the brown version of his costume.

    ******

    In the depths of the cosmos a Brood Bio-ship investigates an anomalous energy signature. An inter-dimensional rift as opened up in their space. The strange insect like Brood don’t know what to make of the odd black tumor like object floating about covered in tube like structures. It gives off an organic reading yet the only energy signature is that left on it by the rift. The Brood vessel lands on the black lump and drills into it with a beam; Brood warriors fly down the force field tube and into the dark structure. Inside they see nothing, then…movement, before the Brood can react they are overwhelmed by creatures that seemed to be part of the walls themselves. A Brood shrieks as its claws slash into one of the black elongated headed creatures only for acid blood to spill onto the Brood. The strange hissing aliens are too fast for the Brood to react to as they spill out of the bio-mass floating hive and up into the Brood ship, killing some, incapacitating others to be used as host for their young; giving the Brood a taste of their own horrific medicine.

     ******

    Back on Earth in the jungle of Wakanda; thanks to Wolverine’s keen sense of smell the four Avengers have determined that they are tracking a single individual, and that they are of an alien race Wolverine is not familiar with. Wolverine looks straight ahead, the scent is fresh and nods that their killer is straight ahead. Captain America signals for a team of two to go one way, and another to go the other to surround and move in from two sides. Black Panther and Ms. Marvel go one way while Captain America and Wolverine go the other.

    Wolverine stalks ahead as Captain America holds back, a blue energy bolt suddenly hits Wolverine in the side of the head sending him tumbling down a ravine. Captain America raises his shield just in time to deflect another blast headed for him. Two more shots deflected and he hears a roar as a giantess of a figure leaps from the trees. The giant female creature wearing brown armor and leather cloths with the leopard pattern skin is the same one that hunted and killed Kraven the Hunter; although Captain America would not know this.

  “You’re big,” says Captain America as he leaps into the air, “but I’ve fought bigger!”

  The Predator female blocks his shield easily, claws extend from her gauntlet as she slashes at the smaller super-human; her claws sparking against his shield scrapping the paint but not doing any real damage. She retracts the claws and upper cuts the shield so hard that it sends Captain America flying backwards through the trees. He tumbles backwards and is instantly on his feet.

  “Strong too,” says Cap, “but kind of slow.”

  He throws his shield, in blur of motion the female Yautja leaps into the air, punches his shield down out of the way, aiding her flip forward that ends with a kick to Cap’s chest smashing him through a nearby tree.

  “Shit,” says Captain America feeling that three of his ribs have been cracked at the least.

 He rises to his feet, fists clinched, “Its not over yet!”

 The Yautja female *roars* as Captain America charges her, she grabs his arm as he swings, spins around and sends him flying against the ground. She is quick to kick him in his side sending him flying through the air like a soccer ball and into a large log.

  Just as she is about to stomp on him Ms. Marvel comes flying through the trees yelling, “Get away from him you bitch!” and smashes her right across the side of the head with a right hook sending the Predator flying back through the brush away from the badly injured Captain America.

    Black Panther arrives on the scene shortly after to try and aid a barely breathing Captain America; meanwhile Ms. Marvel and the Yautja are exchanging blows.

  “thank you old friend,” huffs out Captain America.

 “Be still,” says Black Panther, “we have this now. Rest.”

 “No,” says Cap, “She…strong…she-hulk…strong.”

 The Amazon of a Predator has Ms. Marvel by the ankle swinging her through the trees; however Ms. Marvel curls, grabs her opponent by the should armor and spins in the air thanks to her levitation powers and throws the larger opponent off her through the brush.

  The Predator is hunkered down, bent of knee; staring down Ms. Marvel making *clicking* sounds that gradually turn into a creepy laugh. Suddenly Wolverine, thanks to his adamantium skull and healing powers saving his life from the shot to the head, comes flying over the edge of the cliff claws out and *roaring*, behind the Predator. Without even standing up her shoulder cannon turns around and blasts Wolverine square in the chest sending him flying over the ravine again.

  Surprising them the Predator speaks, a creepy yet feminine in a way voice,

“Per…fect…specimen; I…challenge….you.”

  She stands up and removes her shoulder cannon, then the tubes her mask before dropping it; revealing her mandible covered face with the small spikes along the lower mandibles giving her face a pointed appearance when her mouth is closed.

  “You’re going to regreat taking your weapons off,” says Ms. Marvel as her fists glow.

  The two powerful women charge each other, suddenly reddish purple electric sparks fly around the Yautja. She turns and *roars* at Black Panther whose stun knives are in her back. Suddenly a huge volley of darts with the same stun energy come from all directions as fast as bullets through the trees. It is too much even for this proud alien warrior and she falls down unconscious.

  Black Panther stands over the still body of the Yautja, whose chest rises showing she is still
breathing, “A hunter,” says Black Panther, “we Wakandans are also proud hunters, her tactics and methods were clearly those of a hunter. We knew we had to get her distracted by powerful opponents in order for our snipers to surround the area.”

  “Snipers…through these trees?” asks Ms. Marvel.

 “Not a problem for my people.” says Black Panther.

 “You used us as bait!” growls Wolverine coming back up from over the ravine side again.

 “Stand down Logan,” says Captain America trying to stand.

“Don’t move,” says Black Panther, “we will get you to our finest medical facility at once.”

    ******

    The once proud Yautja warrior’s hands are bound and stripped of weapons while still unconscious and placed into a Wakanda holding cell. They have little time to speak of this incident when their prisoner comes. She looks at her bound hands and looks around.

  “Do not try to escape,” says Black Panther, “those bands are pure vibranium and…”

  *Snap* the Yautja rips the bands apart and charges the forcefield door slamming into it full force. The door lock indicates it is pulling emergency power, criminal is Alpha class in strength.

 “Even the Hulk would have a hard time escaping this cell.” says Black Panther.

  “Everyone makes that claim,” says Ms. Marvel surprising Black Panther with her tone, “and they are always wrong.”

  Their prisoner *laughs* and points at Ms. Marvel and a *come here* gesture with her claw like finger, “Honorable…combat…” says the Yautja, “No…tricks…or dishonorable…traps.”

  Ms. Marvel grimaces and her hand glows, “I am not dishonorable! Any time you ugly bitch!”

  “Stand down,” orders Captain America, his torso bound in bandages, “We won Carol, the murderous alien is imprisoned and I trust Wakanda has no objections to transporting the prisoner to the Negative Zone prison.”

  “In exchange for the aliens technology being left here in Wakanda’s care,” says Black Panther.

  The Predator female’s eyes move between Ms. Marvel and the three in the room, watching intently at Wolverine, the creature whose body looks strange with her infrared vision, and has clearly completely healed already from a shot to the head and chest. Wolverine glares back, he knows, as a killer who has been imprisoned before, her knows this Predator is watching them, studying them, looking for any signs of weakness that can be exploited to facilitate escape; or just to murder them all.

   Black Panther turns to the cell, “In the mean time our prisoner is fully conscious; and clearly understands our language. Given that ten of my loyal soldiers are dead and the path of death this thing has left behind we should question it.”

   The Predator looks at Black Panther, his body practically glowing with the weird energy that stunned her before and she says, “Weakling…coward.”

  “I do not fall for such tactics,” says Black Panther, “my emotions cannot be played to anyone’s advantage.”

  The Predator doesn’t care as it looks Ms. Marvel up and down sending a shiver through Ms. Marvel’s spine and speaks to her, “I…Yin’ta…challenge you…honorable combat, Matriarch to Matriarch.”

  “It seems she thinks Carol’s in charge,” says Wolverine, “going to say we caught an alien Amazon here by the looks of her.”

  “Possibly,” says Captain America, “or because she wiped the floor with the two of us and clearly views T’challa’s tactics as dishonorable and Carol was the only one to fight her head on on even ground…Carol if you would please,”

 “wiped the floor my ass,” grumbles Wolverine.

 “Should…be dead…” says their prisoner looking at Wolverine, “interesting…prey.”

 “Prey?” queries Captain America.

 Ms. Marvel turns, arms crossed, “Well I am a member of SWORD so either way I am the only one here who alien intruder falls under their jurisdiction.”

  “Wakanda barely recognizes SWORD’s authority,” says Black Panther, “however for the sake of expediency I will not press the issue.”

   “Geeze…thanks,” says Ms. Marvel a bit sarcastically.

  She turns to the alien, “You said your name is Yin’ta…okay Yin’ta, we have no record of contact with your race…not exactly making a great first impression here Yin’ta. So what are you and why are you on our planet?”

  The Predator makes *rolling clicking sound*, “I am a Matriarch of the Plains Hunters Clan; proud, honorable, and strong among the Yautja race. I am here to hunt.”

   “Is it just me,” says Wolverine, “or was that a complete unbroken sentence, she wasn’t speaking clearly earlier.”

  Yin’ta steps up to the energy cell barrier, her mandibles close enough for small sparks to strike against her jaw, “I am strong, I will have my trophies, I will restore my honor.”

  “I’ve heard enough,” says Ms. Marvel.

  “What?” asks Captain America.

 “A big game hunter,” says Black Panther, “seems Kraven was killed by someone just like himself.”

    ******

    Wakanda’s technology is impressively advanced, in just a few short hours able to adjust their scanners to detect the Yautja technology; thanks mainly to having some on hand to scan and already having the adjustable scanner thanks to multiple alien and super-scientist encounters. Captain America; even with the enhanced healing his super-human body allows him is still too banged up to go back into the field so is resting up. Black Panther and Wolverine have gone out to track down the alien ship, not sure if a larger party might set off any defenses or if the hunter was not alone. Ms. Marvel meanwhile is watching the cell.

   Between the Wakanda scanner and Wolverine’s sense of smell they are able to find the somewhat small yet large enough that its surprise it went un-noticed Yautja vessel.

  “crazy broad left the hatch open,” says Wolverine poking his head inside.

  “Likely a trap,” whispers Black Panther.

  The smell inside the ship is overwhelming even for Wolverine, he unsheaths his claws.

 “What is it?” asks Black Panther readying his weapons and adjusting his mask’s sensors for movement.

  “Death,” says Wolverine, “dozens of alien races…dead.”

  Wolverine’s scent tracking is confirmed as they come across a trophy case full of skulls, humans, a lion, a dinosaur clearly from the Savage Land, Brood, Badoon, and even Skrull.

  “It’s no scout ship,” says Wolverine.

 “A base camp,” says Black Panther confirming Wolverine’s exact thought.

     ******

    “Your Earth is not like other Earth.” says Yan’ta, startling Ms. Marvel.

  “What?” asks Ms. Marvel

  “Humans…” says Yan’ta, “strong…not…meta…physical…world…yet strong. Evolving…like us.”

  Ms. Marvel gives the alien they have locked up a curious look.

  “The male…two of them…strong as our males, you as strong as us. You robbed me of my trophy, then weakling male interrupted our honor duel over…male’s….fate. Why do you…tolerate…this behavior? You are a strong…female. You could have…your pick of the…males. That…weak male…his…clan here…robbed us both…of our honor.”

   Ms. Marvel glares at Yan’ta and looks away.

  “I will reclaim both our honors!” yells Yan’ta followed by a loud *ROAR!*

 She rams the force field surprising Ms. Marvel. Yan’ta slams her claws into the wall on either side of the force field door, digging them into the metal and crushing them together warping the frame and disabling the force field.

  “Shit!” yells Ms. Marvel, “knew it!”

 Just as Ms. Marvel raises her fist to fight Yan’ta instead surprising her by ducking low and striking out with her mandibles, biting Ms. Marvel with the fangs on the tips of the mandibles around the chest, just piercing the skin.

  Ms. Marvel slaps Yan’ta while yelling, “What the shit?!” but the slap is oddly weak for her only making Yan’ta side step slightly from the force of the blow.

  “Wh…wha…” Ms. Marvel stammers as the world turns fuzzy.

 Yan’ta grabs her as she passes out and slings the super-heroine over her shoulders.

    ******

   Ms. Marvel’s eyes open, the world still blurry; her body weak and barely responsive to the world around her. She is able to tell that she is in some sort of tightly bound net that would cut the skin of a normal human. Around her are the bodies of Wakanda soldiers, the walls painted in scorch marks and the blood of men. Sounds draw her attention forward the blur clearly Yan’ta reclaiming her weapons and armor. Yan’ta is typing something on the device on her wrist. As Ms. Marvel can still not move she closes her eyes pretending to be still unconscious as the huntress effortlessly picks her up and flings her over its shoulder. She does not know why it is taking her, nor can she ponder this as her brain goes fuzzy again and she passes out once more.

    ******

    Black Panther and Wolverine are suddenly jolted as the ship they are in takes off, the hatch closing quickly behind them. Before they even have time to head back that way two more Yautja females appear before them wielding spear like weapons. One fires a net at Black Panther pinning him to the wall while the other charges Wolverine. Black Panther’s costume and skin is being cut by the net, however he is able to reach one of his charged vibranium knives and cut his way free before the Yautja can stab him, ducking out of the way just in time. Wolverine leaps into the air at his attacker only for her to grab his arms and swing him into a wall.

   Wolverine growls, “It’s like trying to fight She-hulk…Cap was right, shit.”

  Black Panther leaps through the air, having kicked off a wall as his opponent slashes at him with her gauntlet claws, her spear in her free hand rips through his cape as he leaps over her slashing at her with his knives on his way to Wolverine.

  “We have to retreat,” says Black Panther, “as I leapt I tried to cut one with my knives, they barely cut the creature’s skin.”

  “Follow my lead,” whispers Black Panther as he crouches a bit, weapons drawn and circles the two female Yautja.

  The two huntresses look at each other and seem to pass an unspoken acceptance of a two on two duel as they circle as well. As though on cue the hatch opens behind Black Panther and Wolverine as their backs are to it. Below them is the Wakanda palace.

  “We’ll have to jump for it,” remarks Black Panther, with his super-human healing and special mystic abilities along with Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton and healing factor he is sure they can survive the jump, “I have already signaled an air strike with my communicator the second we are clear.”

  Wolverine looks back just as the other Yautja with Ms. Marvel in a net over her shoulder comes busting through the ceiling, “That might be a problem.”

  “Not so fast!” the voice is none other than that of Captain America as he ascends to the roof via the stairwell, and strips off the last of his bandages heroically in the wind.

  Ms. Marvel’s eyes shoot open, glowing with a mix of yellow and green energy, Yan’ta is nearly knocked off her feet as Ms. Marvel rips free of the wire net and unleashes a *primal scream*. Black Panther and Wolverine take this opportunity to leap from the ship. Ms. Marvel looks upwards, her vision a mix of visible light and infrared, her mind a blur of rage. She locks her sights on Wolverine and rams him in mid-air taking them both into the Yautja ship.

  Even as Black Panther is reaching the ground and Captain America charging, Yan’ta does the unexpected and leaps high into the air back into her waiting vessel. The hatch quickly closes and takes off.

  Black Panther yells to some guards that are coming up the stairwell and elevator, “Contact SWORD immediately, yell them Carol Danvers and Logan Howlet are prisoners on the alien vessel.”

   Inside the ship Wolverine is struggling against Ms. Marvel, “Carol! Come to your senses…I don’t want to hurt…”

  He is thrown into the wall with a loud *oomph!*, “Fine,” says Wolverine unsheathing his claws, “I warned ya!”

  So focused on the insanely strong Ms. Marvel is Wolverine that he doesn’t notice that all three Yautja are just standing and watching with their masks on while Yan’ta taps something into her gauntlet control. The air changes quality and neither Ms. Marvel or Wolverine can continue fighting as they pass out from the gas being pumped into the now clearly closed off area of the ship.

    ******

   When Wolverine comes to he finds himself in a strange room; it’s not a holding cell, although the door is sealed shut. The room has a large bed (of sorts) in the middle and the smell tells him its neither a holding cell or a meat locker as he might have guessed. It stinks of the musk of these alien creatures. The overpowering scent distracted him from notices till now the odd devices on his wrists that are somehow preventing his claws from unsheathing.

    Elsewhere Ms. Marvel comes to, her head feeling fuzzy and her eyes glowing a combination of green and yellow. Her costume is gone, in its place is armor like that of the creatures that captured her, minus the mask; specially fitted to her. She barely remembers anything that happened and the heat vision added onto her normal vision is a bit disorientating as she stands. She knows what happened as her mind clears, at least in the vision department; just as before she had absorbed energy from Kree weapons, to gain her powers; somehow and for some reason her body absorbed and mutated the anesthetic venom of Yan’ta; she is sure it will wear off in time.

  “But why did they undress me and put me in their armor?” she wanders aloud.

  In answer to her question the door to the room opens and there is standing Yan’ta who says a single word, “Come.”