Vow

by: Sam Lincoln

Summary: It was supposed to be an easy mission, find the Skrulls a new home and then return home to Earth, and then and then and then...

Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the property of Marvel. No infringement is intended.

Spoilers: This story takes place some amount of time after the events of Captain Marvel, but some time before Guardians of the Galaxy.

Chapter One

Carol Danvers hung in low orbit over a planet whose name she had already forgotten. For a moment the blues of the planet's oceans reminded her of her home, Earth. That thought caused her to check her suit's onboard communication system for any messages from a very specific communication device. She breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't have any and returned her attention to the planet below.

It had all started the day before on Contraxia where Carol was refueling her ship, and herself. While Carol had been knocking back Xandarian Ale at the spaceport bar a Centauri representing a small farming colony on the edge of civilized space approached her with a problem. Badoon raiders were harassing the colony. Up until that point the Badoon had been content with being bribed to not ransack the colony, but the Centauri's savings were running low and the Badoon's price was increasing. It was an untenable situation and the colony needed help. Unfortunately for the colonists the Nova Corps was too preoccupied with their war with the Kree, while the Kree were just a liable to annex the colony for their own use. The colony didn't have the means to defend itself and their situation grew increasingly desperate since the Badoon were due to return any day looking for their latest tribute.

Carol pushed herself to her feet, patted the Centauri on the shoulder and told him not to worry because Captain Marvel was on the job. She then tipped over because she had had quite a few Xandarin ales at that point and her blood chemistry wasn't designed to handle them. Once Carol was back on her feet she got the coordinates to the colony and again promised the Centauri that he had nothing to worry about. The Centauri had only seemed moderately reassured.

In orbit over the colony Carol double checked to make sure her ship was safely hidden behind the planet's moon. Carol didn't need it to move around the galaxy, but she liked having a bed to sleep in when she was in deep space. The reclaimed Kree scout ship wasn't much, but Carol could call it home.

A glimmer in the distance signaled the arrival of the Badoon raiding party. Carol considered intercepting the ship in orbit, but decided against it. In Carol's experience it was better to verify the identity of the ship she was going to destroy before blowing it up. Besides, dealing with the Badoon on the planet's surface made for a better show. Carol activated her battle helmet and dove into the planet's atmosphere.

She came in for a landing in the center of the colony directly in front of the colony's leader "The Badoon are on their way, get your people to safety now."

The Centauri leader nodded her head. "Are you sure you can handle this?"

Carol watched the mammoth Badoon warship descend out of the sky. "Oh yeah, no problem I got this." She glanced back at the colony leader. "Shouldn't you be going somewhere safe right about now?"

The Centauri leader crossed her arms. "Are you?"

"No, but I'm a professional bad decision maker," Carol said.

"You're putting your life on the line for us." The leader said. "The least I can do is make sure you don't face your doom alone."

Carol did her best not to roll her eyes. "I'm not really facing any doom," She said under her breath. She walked up to the Badoon ship, which had landed and lowered a boarding ramp. "Hey there," she called out to the trio of Badoon who were walking down the ramp. "I'm going to need you to get back in your ship and vacate this system. The planet's closed."

"We have business with these Centauri," the Badoon leader said.

"And now your business is with me," Carol said. She kept her arms loose by her side.

The Badoon looked at the Centauri leader. "Who is this person?."

Carol snapped her fingers. "Hey, look at me. Let me break this down slowly because frankly you seem a little dim. You were dealing with the nice Centauri lady, but now you talk to me. That's how it works. Sorry, I don't make the rules, I just explain them."

"And who exactly are you?"

Carol cocked her head to one side. "I'm the person telling you how it is."

"Do you think I care what some lone Kree thinks?"

Carol sighed and held up an index finger. "Let me stop you right there. First of all, I'm not Kree. Secondly," she paused. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Herzbog the Merciless," the Badoon said.

Carol raised an eyebrow. "Well that's a bit much don't you think? Okay Herzbog, as I was saying. First of all, I'm not Kree. Second of all, you should care what I think because I'm the one you're negotiating with, and these negotiations are the only thing keeping me from putting your head up your own ass."

Herzbog took a step closer to Carol and the Badoon warrior towered over her. "Very well not Kree, what are you terms?"

"I'm so glad you asked." Carol started to tick items off on the fingers of her left hand. "First, you're going to apologize to the nice people of this colony and pay back the money you stole from them, or however much of it you have left. Second, you are going to immediately vacate this system and never come back. Third, and this is really more optional, turn yourself in to the Nova Corp and confess all the crimes you've obviously committed."

"And if we don't agree to your terms?" Herzbog asked.

"Then I ruin your world and you go to jail if you're lucky," Carol replied. "Honestly it's not much different from accepting the terms just more painful for you."

Herzbog looked over at one of his guards. "Woz, take care of her for me."

The hulking guard nodded and unslung his laser rifle. In the blink of an eye Carol raised her right arm and shot Woz in the chest with a photon blast, knocking him onto the deck of the ramp. Carol raised her hand up to her mouth then blew across her clenched fist. "That's your first strike, care to try again?"

Herzbog took step back from Carol. "What are you?"

Carol allowed her power to flow through her and her entire body started to glow. "I'm a person who doesn't like bullies. Now leave before I smash your ship into a million tiny pieces."

Herzbog picked up the fallen blaster rifle. "I will not be defeated by the likes of you." He fired the rifle at Carol. The blast caught her square in the chest causing energy to ripple around her. Herzbog fired again and once again Carol shrugged it off.

Carol reached out and grabbed the rifle out of Herzbog's hands. "I think that's enough from you. Are you ready to give up yet?"

"The Badoon never give up," Herzbog said.

Carol grabbed Herzbog and lifted him up off feet. "I humbly suggest you make an exception for me." She threw Herzbog up the boarding ramp. The Badoon picked himself up off the desk then looked over at his other guard. The guard shook his head then ran into the ship, leaving Herzbog along with Carol. "This is embarrassing, I'm embarrassed for you. Know when you're beaten and go home."

Herzbog shook his fist at Carol. "You haven't heard the last of us, do you hear me? You've made an enemy of the Badoon Hegemony."

Carol waved her hand in front of her face "You see this? This is my scared face. Run along now." She waved for Herzbog to board his ship.

The leader of the Centauri colony stepped out of her hiding place and stood next to Carol as they watched the Badoon ship take off. "I have never in my life ever seen anything like that."

Carol kept her eyes fixed on the hips. "If that impressed you wait til you see the encore." Carol glanced over at the Centauri. "You might want to take a step back." Carol's helmet snapped into place around her head and she blasted off.

Carol angled her flight path towards the Badoon ship which had come to a stop in the planet's troposphere. Ports in the ship's hull opened and large cannons rolled into view.

"You assholes don't know when to leave well enough alone," Carol said to herself. "Oh well, don't say I didn't warn you."

The Badoon ship opened fire on the planet and Carol dove to put herself in between the oncoming fire and the colony. The first salvo staggered her, but Carol was able to maintain her position. While the Badoon guns charged for another volley Carol closed the distance between herself and the ship. She smashed into one of the gun emplacements and unleashed all of the pent up energy she had been collecting. The cannon exploded causing the ship to list to one side. Carol continued to punch her way through the ship until she finally burst through the topside of the vessel. She hovered above the crippled Badoon raider and watched as the crew fled the ship in life pods.

Content that the threat was neutralized Carol flew back to the colony. The colonists had emerged from their hiding spots and milled about in the town square. Carol deactivated her helmet as she touched down in the middle of the throng.

"That was truly remarkable," the colony leader said as she stepped out of the crowd. "We are forever in your debt."

Carol raised her hand to stop the leader. "No you aren't. I was in the area and could lend a hand, so I did, that's all."

The Centauri leader patted Carol on the shoulder. "Even so, very few people in the galaxy would act like you did. We don't have much, but whatever you want is yours."

"I didn't do this for a reward," Carol said. "But if you could see you way to providing my ship with a few supplies I'd be mighty grateful."

"Of course, feel free to take whatever you need."

Carol tapped on her wrist computer to summon her ship from its hiding spot. The ship descended out of the clouds and landed next to the colony. "I don't want you to think I'm doing this for the reward, but a lady's got to eat you know?"

After the supplies had been loaded and Carol had said many, many goodbyes she climbed on board her ship the Eagle and closed the boarding ramp. "I need to get a cowboy hat. That would really sell my gun for hire look," Carol said to the empty ship as she made her way to the cockpit. She piloted the ship out of the planet's atmosphere and then leaned back in her seat. "Talk to me Goose," Carol said.

"Hello Captain Danvers, it's good to have you back onboard," the shipboard AI Carol had named Goose said in voice that sounded vaguely like Anthony Edwards.

"It's good to be back," Carol replied. "How's the ship?"

"The ship experienced no damage in your fight with the Badoon. We are fully fueled, provisioned, and ready to go to our next destination."

Carol nodded her head. "Is there anything pressing I should know about?"

"Accessing newsfeeds," Goose said. "The war between the Kree and Xandar continues despite recent peace talks."

"I could stop that, but I promised the Supreme Intelligence I'd stay out of Kree business if they stopped pursuing the Skulls, sorry Xandar," Carol said.

"Aside from that, there are no major crises at the moment," Goose said.

"You mean to tell me I have honest to god free time? If you had a body I'd kiss you Goose," Carol said. "Set a course for…" Carol stopped mid sentence and checked her wrist communicator again.

"Set a course for Captain?" Goose asked.

Carol rubbed her forehead. "Set a course for Knowhere. Something will undoubtably catch on fire on our way there, and I'd like to have a drink before I have to save the galaxy again."

"Affirmative, course for Knowhere laid in." The Eagle broke out of orbit and flew towards the nearest jump point.

-Xandar City, Xandar

In the offices of the Xandaran Nova ace reporter Lyris Lyne walked up to her boss, Peryn Whyst and dropped a data pad onto his desk. "What's this?" Whyst asked as he reached for the pad.

"My next story boss," Lryis said.

Whyst looked down at the pad and saw an out of focus picture of Carol. "No way Lyne, the Nova doesn't trade in fairy tales."

"Captain Marvel isn't a fairy tale. She's out there saving people. That is absolutely a story the Nova should be interested in."

"You have proof that she's real then?"

"I have testimony from people she's saved, and there's a lot of testimony boss," Lyris said.

"So you have your story then, why are you pitching it to me?"

"This is just the background research. She is the story. Who she is, where is she from, why is a Kree putting the screws to her own empire?"

"I can't possibly imagine why anyone would have a problem with that collection of assholes."

"Admit it, you never see a rogue Kree," Lyris said. "That's what make this all the more interesting. What makes a Kree go rogue?"

Whyst waved his hands to stop Lyris. "Okay, okay, that's all well and good, but how are you to get the story?"

Lyris folded her arms across her chest. "Simple, I interview her."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"She's been sighted on Knowhere a lot, I figure I'll head there and wait until she shows up."

"And what do you want from me?"

"It's not like it's easy or cheap to get to Knowhere, plus I'll have expenses when I'm there."

"Do you think I'm made of money Lyne?" Whyst asked.

"I think you will be after I file this story. Come on Peryn you know this is gold, an exclusive interview with an honest to god galactic hero."

Whyst drummed his fingers on his desk. "Fine, go get it and spend whatever you have to. Now get out of here and don't come back until you have that interview."

Lyris saluted Whyst. "I won't let you down chief."

"Be careful out there Lyris. Knowhere isn't the safe place in the galaxy."

"Don't worry boss, I won't take any needless risks." Lyris said as she left the office.

"It's the risks you think you need to take that have me worried," Whyst said to the empty office.

-Spartax

Half a galaxy away on the planet Spartax, deep in the heart of the Spartax Empire, J'son, the Emperor of Spartax, strode through his palace in the capital city with an aide scurrying alongside him. "Your grace, this is totally irregular, this meeting is not on the agenda and you were expected at a revue of farming technology…" the aide checked a holographic clipboard he was holding. "Twenty minutes ago."

"Tell the farmers they can either wait or reschedule, something far more important has come up C'both," J'son said.

"But your grace, what could possibly be more important than glad handing your subjects?" C'both asked.

"I can think of a great many things, but in this case, the safety of our beloved empire," J'son said.

"Do you need me to summon the defense minister, or any of your generals?"

J'son came to a stop and rested a hand on C'both's shoulder. "What I need you to do for me is explain to all those farmers why they won't be graced with my wondrous presence today. Be sure to use your most flower language. Can you do that for C'both?"

C'both nodded his head. "Yes your grace."

J'son tapped C'both on the shoulder. "Good, that's what I want to hear. Keep up the good work and who knows, there might be a lordship in your future."

C'both bowed. "Thank you your grace. I will deal with the farmers immediately your grace." He turned and ran down the hallway away from J'son.

"I thought he would never leave," J'son said to himself. He pushed open the door next to him and entered a small conference room. Inside he found two cloaked figures standing in the shadows. "I trust your trips were uneventful. Can I offer either of you any refreshments before we begin?"

Ronan the Accuser stepped out of the shadows. "We are not here for refreshments J'son, Emperor of Spartax."

The matriarch of the Badoon Hegemony also stepped into the light. "You called us here J'son, for your sake I hope it was for more than just a meal."

J'son walked over to a wet bar and poured himself a drink of a bright green liquor. "It was mere a suggestion, but if you're ready to talk business then let's talk." He tapped a button on his wrist computer and a hologram of Carol Danvers appeared in the center of the room. Ronan and the Matriarch both took a step back. "So you know her."

"That Kree nuisance has been ravaging my raiding parties for weeks now," the Matriarch said.

"That abomination is no Kree," Ronan said. "She was the pet of the Starforce gone feral. She isn't even an inferior pink Kree, she is Terran through and through."

"Then what we must do is simple," the Matriarch said. "We go to Terra and burn it to the ground."

J'son took a stip of his drink. That would be unwise. Terra is one of Asgard's Nine Realms."

"Odin is a doddering old fool," the Matriarch said.

"Perhaps, but his sons are ambitious and still dream of conquest. You might succeed in razing Terra, but the retribution from Asgard would be swift, and forgive me for saying so, but the Badoon Hegemony, as strong as it might be, could not withstand the attack from an angered Asgard. No, best not rouse the one-eyed fool from his slumber."

"Then what is it you are suggesting?" The Matriarch asked. Ronan crossed his arms and stared at J'son in silence.

J'son walked over to the hologram. "As satisfying as burning her home world would be. In this case the more direct approach is warranted."

"You don't have enough ships," Ronan said. "I've seen her tear through fleets like they were made of paper."

That's why we don't attack her head on," J'son said. "She fancies herself a hero. We can use that to our advantage."

The Matriarch took a step towards Ronan. "So I take it you have a plan?

J'son smiled at the Matriarch. "I have a plan."

Ronan glowered at J'son. "What is your interest in the mongrel Spartax? I know why the Baddon Matriarch is here, and she embarrassed the Kree Empire, but why do you care?"

J'son took another sip of his drink. "She interfered with a mining rights deal I was negotiating with a small planet on the edge of Spartax space. I did not appreciate her sticking her nose where it doesn't belong." J'son slammed his glass down on the conference table. "She cost me a great deal of money and I intend to extract every unit I lost out of her hide!"

Ronan nodded his head. "Officially the Kree Empire cannot off you any assistance in this matter. The Supreme Intelligence came to certain arrangements with the traitor. Unofficially, I would like to hear this plan of yours."

J'son picked up his glass. "And what about you Matriarch?"

"Let me hear your plan and then I will make my decision," the Matriarch said.

J'son smiled. "Very well, in that case let's begin."

-to be continued

Author's Notes: here_we_go_joker_dot_gif. After finishing Now or Never Now, I was casting about for a new Captain Marvel story ideawhen finally it came to me. Take one part Carol's line about all the planets that don't have Avengers, one part Tony's "and then and then and then" line in Civil War, a pinch of Kelly Sue DeConnick's second volume of Captain Marvel and I had my story. Six chapters with a new one every Wednesday (new comic book day, yay!). I like to think of Vow as a limited series comic book. Fun fact, I never nearly introduced a gigantic continuity error into the entire story, but caught myself in time and holy had to rewrite a tiny bit of the first chapter, can you tell what it is? I hope everyone enjoys Vow, I had a bunch of fun writing it. Until next time.

-sam, 2019-08-21