With Sentry's abilities, he was undoubtedly qualified to participate in the mission to confront Darkseid. If Sentry wasn't considered capable, then truthfully, no one in the Avengers could measure up. The group quickly returned to the Avengers' base. Even the Silver Surfer decided to stay, as Galactus hadn't assigned him to search for a new planet to devour yet. Instead, the Silver Surfer had taken the opportunity to linger near Galanata, ostensibly protecting the daughter of his employer.
"Now, what's the situation with Darkseid? How many Parademons are there?" Tony Stark asked, looking toward Robert.
"To be honest, there's an overwhelming number," Robert replied, his expression faintly flickering as he recalled what he had sensed. While venturing into the Void of the Universe to seek out the Celestials, he had also detected the immense presence of countless Parademons. Their sheer number had far exceeded anything Robert had ever seen before.
"Yes, even if you combine all the Parademons we've encountered across the known universe—those on Parademon planets or in previous skirmishes—it doesn't come close to what I sensed in the Void."
"However," Robert continued, his voice measured, "it seems that these Parademons are embroiled in some kind of internal conflict. Many of their signatures were rapidly vanishing. That might explain why Darkseid hasn't made a move on Earth yet."
"Could this be the perfect time to strike?" Steve Rogers asked, his brow furrowed. "If Darkseid's forces are fragmented, it might give us an edge."
"It's possible, but we'll need to move carefully," Robert said. "Their numbers are immense, even with infighting. This isn't something we can handle alone."
"Should we call in the Green Lantern Corps?" Hal Jordan chimed in, raising his hand hesitantly.
"Of course," Robert replied with a grin. "This is a full-scale war, after all. We'll need all the allies we can muster."
Upon hearing this, Hal immediately sent out a signal to the Green Lantern Corps. Before long, several members of the Corps arrived at the Avengers' base. Among them was Tomar-Re, who seemed somewhat hesitant as he approached Tony Stark.
"Something wrong?" Tony asked, noticing Tomar-Re's conflicted expression.
"Well… we've located a spacecraft," Tomar-Re began, clearly choosing his words carefully. "The one you asked us to look for."
Tony's face instantly changed. "You found it? Where is it? Is it intact? Did something happen to it?" he asked, gripping Tomar-Re's uniform with urgency.
Tony's reaction wasn't surprising. The spacecraft Tomar-Re mentioned was the one Howard and Maria Stark had used to follow Yondu's trail into the cosmos all those years ago.
For decades, Tony had presumed his parents were dead. The idea of finding their ship was something he had all but given up on. It had only been on a whim that he asked the Green Lantern Corps to keep an eye out for it, assuming it would be an impossible task. But now, hearing that they had located it… Tony's heart was pounding.
"We tracked the ship to a peculiar wormhole," Tomar-Re explained slowly. "The bad news is that this wormhole leads to a unique pocket of space. Over the years, very few people have ever returned from that area…"
"What's the good news?" Tony cut in, his tone filled with urgency.
"The good news," Tomar-Re continued, "is that the pocket of space has a highly unusual temporal flow. Time moves much slower there than it does in the rest of the universe. If your parents survived whatever dangers they faced, they could still be alive."
Hearing this, Tony's breath hitched. Tomar-Re's explanation made sense. If Howard and Maria had entered an area where time passed more slowly, it explained how they could still be alive despite vanishing decades ago. However, the fact that so few people had successfully returned from this space hinted at significant dangers within.
"What are we waiting for?" Robert interjected before Tony could respond. "Let's go get your parents first. Once they're safe, we can move on to deal with Darkseid. Worst-case scenario, you can stay here with your parents while one of your suits fights alongside us."
"No," Tony said firmly, his expression resolute. "I'm coming with you to fight Darkseid. But… thank you, Robert."
Robert waved him off. "No need for thanks. Let's just get it done."
Following Tomar-Re's directions, Robert transported Tony and himself through space, eventually arriving at the wormhole. The swirling anomaly pulsed with a strange energy, and even before entering, Robert could feel the distortion in the flow of time. Without hesitation, they plunged into the wormhole.
Inside the pocket dimension, the difference in time became immediately apparent. To Tony, the space felt eerily still, as though everything moved at a fraction of its normal pace.
"There," Robert said suddenly, his eyes narrowing as he locked onto two faint but familiar energy signatures. "I've found them."
Before Tony could respond, Robert teleported them directly to the source of the signatures. They materialized aboard a small, battered spaceship. The interior was cramped, filled with makeshift repairs and salvaged equipment. In the corner, Howard Stark was hunched over a console, tinkering with some damaged circuitry. Nearby, Maria Stark was preparing what appeared to be a meal of boiled alien worms, their long, stringy bodies resembling noodles.
"Howard, come eat," Maria called from the kitchen area, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "If this repair doesn't work, we'll have to scavenge more parts. Again."
"Right, right," Howard muttered, wiping his hands on a rag. "I still can't believe I'm stuck bartering for scraps. Back on Earth, I never had to worry about things like this."
"Yeah, well, whose fault is that?" Maria shot back, her tone playful despite the situation. "If you hadn't impulsively chased after that alien ship, we wouldn't be stuck in this mess. And now look at us—trapped here for who knows how long."
As she carried two plates of steaming "worm noodles" toward the table, she froze mid-step. Her eyes widened as she noticed the two figures standing silently near the entrance of the ship.
"Tony?!" she gasped, nearly dropping the plates.
Before the dishes could hit the floor, Robert vanished and reappeared in a flash, catching them with ease. He carefully set them down on the table before stepping aside, letting mother and son have their moment.
"Mom…" Tony's voice cracked as Maria rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I… I thought I'd never see you again."
"My boy," Maria whispered, tears streaming down her face. "My little boy… You've grown so much…"
Howard, meanwhile, stared at Tony in disbelief. "Tony? Is it really you? How… How did you find us?"
"Long story," Tony said, his own voice trembling with emotion. "But I'll explain everything. Let's just get you two home."
After a heartfelt reunion and a tearful exchange of stories, Robert transported the Starks' ship back to Earth, safely returning them to the Avengers' island base. Tony left his parents to settle in, promising to catch up with them later. There was still a war to fight, and he wasn't about to let the team face Darkseid without him.
"Let's move," Tony said, his tone filled with determination. "We've wasted enough time. Darkseid isn't going to wait for us."
Moments later, the Avengers' warship—fully stocked with their best tech and reinforced by the Green Lantern Corps—took off into the stars. Robert led the charge, his energy flaring as he transported them into the Void of the Universe.
As they entered the Void, the atmosphere grew heavy with tension. Before them stretched a vast field of Parademons, their numbers staggering. The swarm moved as one, heading toward a distant planet in the Void, their collective presence blotting out the starlight.
"This… is worse than we thought," Steve murmured, his shield tightening on his arm.
"Get ready, everyone," Robert said, his voice calm yet commanding. "This is going to be a war like no other."
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