Alex stood at the centre of the orbital station's command platform, surrounded by floating holo displays running red with warnings. Stark worked beside him, stripped down to a sleeveless diagnostic rig, face drawn tight. The two men watched the new planetary defence grid cycle through activation patterns, each pulse shaking the station.
The universe outside the viewport still rippled from the wound Thanos had torn into reality. The stars bent unnaturally at the edges of vision like distant lights behind cracked glass.
Alex ran another calculation. The results were the same. The breach was expanding.
He adjusted the core sequence while Stark recalibrated capacitor rings. The Mechanicus planetary grid was the largest joint project the two of them had ever attempted. Every arc reactor satellite, every plasma shield gate, every orbital cannon was tied into a single machine spirit Alex had painstakingly woven together with Gear. If it failed, Earth would be the first to fall.
Stark exhaled slowly. The silent kind that meant he was thinking three times faster than he could talk. He finally broke the quiet.
We need the alliances back online. If half the world sits this one out we are dead.
Alex kept his eyes on the cascading readouts. They will come back. They have no choice. Our world depends on it.
The grid pulsed once more. This time the energy harmonics flowed smoothly. Alex connected the next sequence and let the power spool up through the plasma conduits that wrapped the station like silver arteries.
Gear's voice came through the speakers. All systems stabilizing. Machining chant protocols running at ninety two percent efficiency. Probability of grid collapse reduced.
Stark shook his head. I still cannot get used to the fact that your AI prays to machines.
Alex ignored that. We move to phase two.
He tapped a signal. Across orbit, eight vast weapon platforms rotated toward deep space. Armour shutters parted, revealing barrels large enough to fire city levelling plasma. The grid linked them into a single firing lattice.
Good. Send the alert.
Stark nodded and opened a channel. Every allied government, every colony administrator, the remnants of SHIELD, and every Avenger still alive received one notification.
Planetary defence sequence online. All personnel standby.
The tension inside the command deck thickened. Even the hum of the machines felt purposeful. Alex finished the final sequence and stepped back.
The Earth now had a shield strong enough to withstand gods. But they both knew what was coming was worse than gods.
Stark folded his arms. You said the breach would not just let in cosmic threats. You said what is coming is beyond anything in our universe. Tell me how bad.
Alex looked out the viewport. The crack across the stars glowed like an infected wound, leaking violet lightning into the void.
Bad enough that Thanos thought he was saving us.
Stark did not answer. That silence was the only sign he understood the scale of the threat.
Alex continued. The moment he snapped, the barrier surrounding this universe fractured. Creatures outside reality sensed the weakness. They are ancient and starving. When they arrive they will not negotiate and they will not stop.
Gear interrupted. Incoming transmissions from world governments. All requesting immediate strategic council.
Alex nodded. Bring them in. Visual only.
The screen split into dozens of frames. Presidents, generals, kings, ministers, and the head of Wakanda appeared. Some looked terrified. Some looked angry. Some looked ready to blame someone for something they did not understand. Alex expected all of it.
The President of the United States spoke first. There are reports of the sky fracturing. People on every continent are seeing the same thing. We need answers.
Alex kept his tone even. The threat is real and it is approaching. Every nation must react as one. The planetary defence grid is ready but it will not be enough if you work separately.
The Prime Minister of Britain leaned forward. Is this related to the stones Thanos used
Alex did not flinch. Yes. His snap broke the universal wall. New entities are coming through because of it.
Murmurs spread across the screen. Fear mixed with political calculation.
The Chinese delegate crossed his arms. Your technology caused instability before. The world has reorganized itself too many times around your inventions. How do we know this is not another problem created by you
Alex stared at him until the man looked away. If I wanted to take this world for myself I would have done it before Thanos arrived. Your concern is irrelevant. What matters is survival.
Stark cut in before the tension rose too far. We can debate blame when nobody is about to die. Right now we need coordination. Alex and I rebuilt a planetary fortress out of scrap and prayer. Help us reinforce it or get out of the way.
The Wakandan queen spoke next. Wakanda stands ready for alliance. Our ships are already moving to orbital position.
Several other nations echoed their support. Slowly, the balance shifted. The doubtful ones realized they were outnumbered.
Alex issued instructions. Each nation will receive a defensive node. You will route your military networks through the grid. No independent actions. No interference. Gear will coordinate everything. If your people break formation the shield collapses.
There were objections. Then more objections. Then political bargaining. But eventually, as the crack across the sky grew brighter behind Alex's shoulder, the arguments ended and the commitments were made.
When the transmission ended Stark leaned back in the chair and rubbed his face.
We just created the largest military coalition in human history in twenty minutes. You know that right
Alex finally allowed himself a breath. It will not be enough unless we finish the upgrades.
Stark looked over the projections. The breach expanded again. Do we have time
No.
They both stood at the same moment.
Then we work faster.
Alex turned away and walked toward the reactor chamber. He could feel the machine spirit humming as the plasma core awakened. He spoke without looking back.
Prepare the Mars colony defence line. If Earth falls the colonies must survive long enough for fallback protocols.
Stark paused. That is the first time you have suggested Earth might fall.
Alex stopped at the door. His voice stayed steady. It might. But not while I am alive.
The door slid shut behind him.
The chapter closed on the sight of the defence grid glowing across Earth's orbit, the world encased in a sphere of burning light, ready for a war that had not yet begun but had already reached across the stars to find them.