In the Centauri Galaxy, within the Black Quadrant.
When Pietro and Wanda followed The Other off the ship, they were speechless. It was their first time seeing an alien civilization.
This journey across the galaxy was surreal for the siblings.
Alien civilization, a phrase that would drive some people on Earth to madness, was now a stark reality laid out before them. They had become like fish on a cutting board, helpless and at the mercy of others.
Affected by the desolate atmosphere of the Black Quadrant, Wanda instinctively clutched the corner of her brother Pietro's jacket. Her nerves were on high alert, terrified that some bizarre creature might suddenly appear in front of her.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Pietro said, patting his sister's hand gently, trying to comfort her.
He was just as scared, but he couldn't show it in front of Wanda. He was her only support on this strange planet.
"He brought us back, which means we're useful to him. We'll be fine..."
Pietro didn't know if his words were true, but it was all he could say, all he could use to convince himself. This place clearly looked like a military base; even if they wanted to run, there was nowhere to go.
"This way, please." Lothar walked ahead without looking back. Woz, the robotic cat, popped out of his wristband, stood before The Other, and smiled, pointing the siblings toward the side hall.
The two terrified siblings exchanged a look and meekly followed Woz and The Other into a dungeon laboratory beneath the side hall.
What is that?!
The moment they were led into the lab, the siblings' gazes were immediately drawn to a figure restrained by metal chains.
It was a woman.
A woman who looked utterly helpless.
She was slumped on the ground, without a trace of energy radiating from her. Her golden hair, dull and lifeless, was disheveled, though her mental state didn't seem too fragile.
The woman's condition reminded Pietro and Wanda of the test subjects in the HYDRA base; their situations were eerily similar. The only difference was that the test subjects held captive by HYDRA didn't have her level of mental clarity.
"Her name is Carol Danvers. Just like you, her body was also corrupted by an isotope of an Infinity Stone's energy." Woz, who had been rummaging through a small box on a laboratory bench, finally found two sampling tubes. He turned around and, in a serious tone, explained Carol's origin to Pietro and Wanda.
"It's a shame she was so clueless, choosing to attack Prince Lothar." The Other, holding the Mind Scepter, played the role of the intimidator, his disdain and arrogance clear.
"The power of His Highness Lothar is something few in the entire universe can match."
"So, do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
"Yes!"
The siblings were extremely compliant, and Woz smiled as he raised the sampling tubes and approached them.
"Relax. It will only tickle a little bit," he said, gesturing with his fingertips as he collected cell and blood samples from the siblings.
"As long as you serve Prince Lothar loyally, he will never let you end up like that," Woz said, his smile still gentle and innocent as he used Carol as a cautionary tale.
"Lothar... I mean, His Highness Lothar, what does he want us to do?"
Wanda, who was about to say "Lothar," quickly corrected herself under The Other's suddenly sharp gaze. She genuinely asked her two new "superiors" for clarification.
Wanda couldn't understand. Why would such a powerful alien, with a huge military base for backup, need to keep them?
"His Highness Lothar has his reasons. You don't need to concern yourselves with that."
The Other, ever the loyal sycophant, felt the need to reinforce their loyalty to Lord Lothar.
"You just need to wait for your orders and obey them when they come."
Pietro and Wanda were at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Black Quadrant base, Lothar had just finished reporting the anomalies he detected in the Maximoff siblings to Thanos, who was seated on his throne.
"Are you saying those two humans you brought back are the product of a mutation caused by an isotope of the Mind Stone's power?"
Thanos frowned as he listened to his adopted son's report, his mind already churning with ideas.
"The human named Pietro, his ability is very similar to someone I knew in another universe."
"Barry Allen?" Thanos, who had already read Woz's report, instantly recognized the name based on Lothar's description.
"Yes. The difference is that the current Pietro isn't as fast as that Barry Allen. Also, I don't know if he has the potential to reach that level."
When it came to judging people's potential, Lothar wasn't great. He was much better at fighting them.
"As for the woman named Wanda, I can't quite describe the feeling of her power, but I think her power signature is somewhat similar to Ebony Maw's."
Lothar, who had no affinity for magic, simply felt that the dirty trickster Ebony Maw and Wanda were very much alike.
His description piqued Thanos's interest.
An Ebony Maw-type?
"What do you plan to do with them, Lothar?"
"I want them to retrieve the Soul Stone, Father," Lothar revealed his plan.
He had already discussed the Soul Stone with Thanos before reporting on the Maximoff siblings. The condition, sacrificing what you love for the Soul Stone's power, had caught Thanos by surprise. He hadn't expected the stone to have such a unique requirement.
"They've lived together and depended on each other in that organization called HYDRA for a long time. I think they meet the Soul Stone's criteria."
Lothar's thinking was always simple and direct. He was growing impatient. If the damned Soul Stone hadn't had so many specific conditions, he would have just found a random couple or a father and son and forced them to make the sacrifice.
He wouldn't have to waste time with all this other nonsense.
"Have patience, Lothar." Thanos shook his head with a smile, seeing the clear frustration on his adopted son's face.
"I've waited this long; I don't mind waiting a little longer."
"Besides, why do you think that group of people on Earth, led by Tony Stark, hasn't rushed to send multiple trusted teams to Vormir?"
Thanos rose from his throne. He slowly descended the steps and came to stand before Lothar.
"It's because we haven't put enough pressure on them."
Thanos smiled, his eyes glinting with a cold, brutal light.
"You said the Maximoff siblings hold a grudge against this Tony Stark."
"So, what do you think their reaction would be if we sent them back with an army to take revenge?"
Thanos clenched his right fist, as if everything was within his grasp.
When someone in Tony Stark's inner circle, a close friend, is seriously hurt or killed by the Maximoff siblings and their forces, would this small group, with their deep bonds, rush to find the Soul Stone to gain enough power to fight back?
"Lothar, these two you brought back have great potential."
"You don't need to sacrifice them, because we have better candidates for that."
Thanos affectionately patted his adopted son's shoulder and gestured to the empty throne at the front of the hall.
"In the near future, you will sit on that throne."
"As your only subordinate, The Other is not powerful enough to command respect."
"And would you truly expect Ebony Maw to serve you the way he serves me?"
The question from his father silenced Lothar.
"The Black Quadrant, the Centauri galaxy."
"All of this will be yours in the future, Lothar."
"But Ebony Maw and the others will not."
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