“WE ARE VENOM! WE HUNGER!”
“Well, good for you,” Dan squatted next to the symbiote. “Hey, System, will this guy try and take over my mind?”
“All summons are completely loyal to the summoner,” The system chirped. “But you might want to give him clear orders BEFORE you let him merge with you.”
“Alright, Venom, my name’s Dan,” He brought his eyes level with the symbiotes head. “Let’s lay down some ground rules. First, you’ll never take control of my body, or anyone's body, without my express permission.”
“UNREASONABLE!” Venom wailed, a ripple of sound, mirrored by its liquid body. “HOW ELSE CAN WE FEED?”
“Second,” Dan held up two fingers. “You’re forbidden from eating the brains of sentient species.”
“YOU'VE KILLED US!”
“Final rule, Dan raised his thumb. “You must hold any children you create to the first two rules.”
‘WE WILL DIE OF STARVATION, LONG BEFORE WE CAN CREATE CHILDREN…” Venom thrashed on the ground. “HOW CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT HOSTS?”
“Fourth, and actual final rule,” Dan rubbed his ears. “You’re forbidden from shouting unless your life is in danger…”
“WE ARE IN DANGER,” Venom mourned. “NOT EVEN THE CURSED SPIDER WAS SO CRUEL!”
“Just shut up and bond with me,” Dan rolled his eyes. “I’ve already got your food needs covered.”
The symbiotes from Marvel could take on the attributes and abilities of whoever they bonded with. Once Venom merged with him, he would be capable of getting his energy from the sun. Even if that idea didn’t pan out, the kryptonian synthesisers could make enough chocolate to fill the creature’s belly.
“Fine…” Venom wrapped itself around Dan’s legs and rushed upward. “But we must be fed, and soon!”
“That looks gross…” May blanched as Venom poured into Dan’s ears. “Does it hurt…”
“Not really,” Dan twitched as the cool black liquid flowed over and into his skin. “It’s like getting painted with a layer of pudding.”
“YOUR BODY IS LIKE FIRE!” Venom screeched. “IT BURNS US!”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Oh?” Dan tilted his head. A light flashed in his mind. “You’re weak to fire, right?”
“IT BURNS!” Venom rippled beside his muscles, trapped by his order to merge. “PLEASE RELEASE US!”
“Only if you’re in real danger of dying,” Dan shook his head. “From what I remember, your weakness to sound and heat is all psychological. You should be fine in a few minutes.”
“DEMON!” Venom snarled as he continued to fuse with Dan. “STARVATION AND FIRE ARE YOUR WEAPONS!”
“What’s wrong?” May edged toward Dan, who stood still, eyes closed.
“Nothing, Venom is just struggling a bit to adapt to a kryptonian body,” Dan shrugged. “He’s lucky we’re still so weak, or he’d probably be dead right now.”
“So, you almost killed your summon,” May flicked his nose. “Good job!”
“He’s fine…” Dan leaned back. “He’s not even screaming anymore!”
“Screaming!” May rubbed her fist into his hair. “You’re an evil man!”
“Actually… you might be right,” Dan scratched his head. “I think he passed out…”
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“Everything alright?” Kast turned to the door as Dan and May entered. “I sensed some distress through the force…”
“Just a wardrobe issue, but it sorted itself out,” Dan smiled.
“Alright,” Kast’s eyebrow raised, but he let it drop. “Are we ready to go?”
“Indeed,” Dan rolled his new ring with his thumb. “We’ve decided to take you up on your offer, Merlyn, May and I will join you at the Jedi temple, while Ultron runs some errands.”
His new accessory might only have a single charge of protection, but the secondary function was the real boon. Both May and himself would now be hidden from the passive ‘magic’ of force users. It made half-truths far safer to tell, since his thoughts were hidden from their sight.
“Great!” Kast’s face blossomed in a grin, while Etain scowled. “Master Yoda would love to meet Sir Merlyn, the two are very much alike.”
“Why do YOU need to come along,” Etain stomped her foot. “You’re not even a force user!”
“I’m a big fan of the Jedi,” Dan shrugged. “No way am I going to miss out on a visit to the central temple.”
“I just wanted to see a planet sized city…” May tilted her head. “But I could go with Ultron if it’s a problem?”
“No, no!” Etain stepped forward and snagged May’s hand. “YOU are welcome anytime, it’s just that idiot who I don’t trust…”
“She’s my literal wife… how is she more trustworthy than me?” Dan rolled his eyes as he led the way to the ship.
“She’s adorable!” Etain wrapped her arm around May’s shoulder. “I still can’t understand how SHE chose YOU!”
“I’m a lucky guy,” Dan smiled at May. “Now let’s get this show on the road, next stop, Coruscant!”
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The scout ship popped into the edge of the system, far enough away to avoid an explosive appearance with another vessel. Dan leaned forward, May at his side. The city-world inched closer in the viewport, a bundle of light in a brilliant sky.
“What just happened?” Master Kast blinked. “I can sense the presence of other Jedi in the system…”
“That’s because we’re already on approach to Coruscant,” Dan pointed to the planet. “It’s a beautiful place, at least from afar.”
‘That’s impossible…” Kast mumbled. “We were in the outer rim, such a travel speed doesn’t exist.”
“Our ships use a different kind of light speed technology,” Dan smiled. “You can think of it like a wormhole drive, each trip takes a single jump.”
“Wormhole travel…” Kast approached the viewport, eyes clouded. “This kind of technology would change the galaxy.”
“Maybe one day,” Dan pulled May to his side. “For now, it will stay in the hands of kryptonians. When we’re ready, I can promise that the Jedi gets the technology first.”
“That would be appreciated,” Kast blinked back to reality. “Trying to catch criminals with this kind of star ship would be impossible, unless we had some of our own.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Dan motioned for the man to sit. “I wasn’t kidding when I told Etain I was a fan. I grew up on stories of the Jedi and their adventures, helping you is a natural thing.”
“For some reason, I can’t read either of you very well,” Kast frowned for a moment, before a grin returned. “But, I can’t sense anything from Merlyn either, and I’m pretty sure he’s ok!”
“Master, what are you doing,” Etain stomped onto the bridge. “I thought we were going to do a meditation?”
“That can wait until after we land,” Kast gestured out the window. “It seems that we’ve arrived!”
“WHAT!” Etain pressed her face to the glass. “It has to be a lie…”