By Barry Reese

April Year 3

"...my origins lie on the distant planet Protaris. My creators were made of living metal -- but their planet's climate was changing radically. They knew their time was passing. So they created a form of artificial life to survive them, in this new world. But they knew little of the emotions that they wished to implant in the artificial 'children.' So they sent their creations to humanoid societies to learn from them. I was sent to planet Srenesk, where I became one of their warriors -- I took a vow of silence and prided myself on my quiet manner. But I grew too powerful for the Protar's tastes. They hoped to merge my experiences with another of their creations who had been sent to earth and lived under the name James-Michael Starling. Fearing that I was a threat to their plans, the Protars decided that both I and Starling would die. I came to earth to protect him and was dubbed Omega by the press due to my costume's design. Starling and I learned our origins from the heroine Moondragon and we both died...but the final memories are too blurred.*"

{see the Omega the Unknown series from the '70s -- herophile Barry}

T'Challa -- the man whom the world sometimes called the Black Panther -- sat in his throne, listening to the tale told by the stranger who had arrived so recently in his land {see last issue}. He still wore the ceremonial garb of the Panther, but had removed his mask. To the side of his throne, the beautiful ebony features of M'swa -- his close advisor -- showed concern. T'challa had sat silently through the speech but his eyes betrayed his curiosity.

"Avengers files indicate that your remains, along with Starling, were interred on a planet in deep space. I am curious how you were revived."

Omega frowned slightly and T'challa's eyes narrowed. From all reports, Omega had always been strangely silent and almost emotionless. But this being before him was readily talkative and showed signs of quick anger. Interesting...

"I do not recall. I awoke here in Wakanda, as you know. I mistook you for an enemy. You have my apologies."

"You mentioned your vow of silence -- you have revoked this, I see."

"I have found that speech is the most expedient means of communication."

T'Challa watched Omega in silence and then looked over at M'swa. The girl was in her mid 20s and beautiful, with long braids which hung down her back. Like T'challa, she had been educated in both Europe and America. "M'swa -- please show our guest to a suitable room." Looking back at Omega, he smiled. "You are a guest of the Wakandan people. I shall attempt to aid you in finding the answers you seek."

Omega nodded, his lip curling slightly in a smile. "Thank you, Panther."

T'Challa watched M'swa and Omega leave, his mind pondering the mystery. There was still much that did not make sense and the king of Wakanda did not enjoy mysteries -- he was a man of science and control. He would not rest until the matter was resolved.

N'baru sat in his private plane, his eyes cast warily at the trenchcoated man who sat next to him. The madman known as Klaw had kidnapped him {see last ish} and forced him on this journey back to his homeland but for N'baru that was not the worst part. The worst part was the knowledge that he would be forced to betray his monarch.

"Keep your chin up, pal. It's not going to be so bad. Really -- I might even let your precious King live. As a cripple." The villain laughed but suddenly stopped. His body was beginning to look odd and N'baru noticed that Klaw was floating a few inches above his seat. "What? No! Not again..." He closed his eyes tightly and resolidified. "You see? I'm dying! I'm made of pure sound and for some reason I can't hold myself together anymore. I need that extra burst of Vibranium..."

N'baru nodded, his eyes wide. The man was insane. He only prayed that Klaw would fade away before they reached Wakanda...

Evening fell on Wakanda and the being known as Omega was noticeably absent from the large dinner held in the palace. T'challa sat next to M'swa, laughing at all the right places and playing the good host. He enjoyed the festivities at times, but at others he felt like pacing back and forth like a caged animal -- sometimes the Panther needed to prowl. He did not mention the strange visitor to anyone over dinner but M'swa knew that he was never far from T'challa's mind.

Omega, meanwhile, was outside the palace walls. Evading the palace guards had been simple -- particularly for one of his skill. He stood now outside the Wakandan Research Center, one of the five best research laboratories in the world. He smiled. Things had gone perfectly thus far...He walked up the sealed door and touched its surface. The Center was closed but there was bound to be security inside. He raised his right hand and concentrated. The air seemed to shiver and then his right hand began to twist and transform. It altered until it was a large blaster. He pointed it at the wall and fired. Alarms began sounding but Omega ignored them. The Panther had been fooled. He had more than enough time for his plan to succeed. He stepped through the melted door and began to move towards the Artificial Intelligence area...

"You have had very little time to yourself since your return from that other dimension, my lord." M'swa walked with T'challa back to his room. Her voice was soft and sensual and the king had to concentrate on her words to avoid falling prey to distraction.

"True enough. I have had to deal with both the Kree and then the affair with the Champions {see Black Panther # 1-4 and Champions # 17-20}. But it is good to be home. I do not plan on going abroad for quite some time."

M'swa smiled. "Your people will be glad to hear that. I am glad, as well."

T'challa stopped outside his door and began to say something but halted. His communicator sounded and he noted the disappointment in M'swa's eyes. He lifted it. "King T'challa."

"My lord -- there is a security breach! The one called Omega has entered the Research Center..."

T'challa tightened his jaw. "I see. I shall attend to this myself. Put everyone on alert, however."

M'swa stepped back. "Good hunting, my lord."

Robby Thomas was a precocious 7 year old who loved the beach. It was bright and early, with the first rays of the sun washing over the beach. He looked back at his father's house and saw his dad wave to him. He liked visiting his dad -- and he still often wished that his dad and mom still lived together. It was fun here in California. He knelt in the sand and began carving out a small castle. He looked up and saw a shape -- far off in the distance. He squinted. It looked like a thing walking. He watched it coming closer while he dug in the sand. It WAS something walking. He stood up and waited. When he first saw the sunlight glint off the scales, he also heard its roar. He recognized it from magazines and newspapers..."Godzilla," he whispered. "He's back..."

The Panther moved through the carnage that was the research center. He saw machines ripped apart -- security droids tossed aside. Omega had lied to him. If, in fact, this was Omega at all.

He heard the sounds of metal grinding and peered into the room marked Artificial Intelligence Room 33A. He saw Omega, standing in the center of an impressive lightshow. All around the android were the skeletal bodies of the new AI-Droids that Wakanda had been building for their defense. They were, perhaps, the closest things any terran scientists had built to true artificial life.

Omega smiled, energy tendrils flowing out from his eyes. "Surprise! Bet you weren't expecting this, huh?" The droids moved about, flanking Omega. T'challa realized that, somehow, they were responding to his mental control.

The Panther crouched. "Who are you really? Why are you doing this?"

"Maybe you'd recognize me better like this..." Omega lifted a hand and projected a three-dimensional image. It showed a bald man with a red beard, dressed in a yellow jumpsuit."

T'challa's eyes opened wide. "Machinesmith...? But I thought Tony Stark had reformed you..."

Machinesmith smiled. "Nope. Well, not fully anyway -- he thought he had, but I'm a tough nut to crack, you know. Marvelous research you've done here -- I thank you and my employer thanks you! They'll come in quite handy."

"Employer..."

Machinesmith smiled and stepped forward. "You like this body, Panther? It's quite powerful -- modelled after the old robot hero himself. But with improvements. I managed to tap into all sorts of interesting files while under Stark's whims you see..." He suddenly shot forth flame, but T'challa lept into the air. He landed near the ersatz Omega and kicked him hard. The villain grunted and fell backwards.

"What are you waiting for? Kill him!" The droids moved forward as one. T'challa gave up thinking for the moment, giving himself over to his reflexes. He dodged the myriad attacks, kicking out with a strong blow that sent one of the droids' heads flying.

Machinesmith rose. He looked upwards and fired an energy blast. He smiled at the Panther. "It's time for my new friends to leave -- I'll have to kill you myself." The droids disengaged the panting T'challa and launched themselves upwards, their rockets spewing forth flame.

T'Challa took a deep breath. "Command override Monarch T'challa." He spoke loudly, with a voice that carried from years of public speaking.

Abruptly, the droids cut their engines and fell to the ground. "You finally gave me time to speak the override command, Machinesmith. You should pressed your attack instead. Did you think I would allow anything to built in Wakanda that I could not disable?"

Machinesmith gawked. "What...? Damn you, Panther! I was so close! And he'll be soooooo angry...you just don't know what he's capable of!"

T'challa walked slowly towards the villain. "Surrender and I shall not harm you. You have my word as King."

Machinesmith blinked and then laughed. "You're hilarious, Panther. I never knew you had such a sense of humor. You can't catch me -- I project my consciousness wherever I want. No one can hold me forever...but I'll be back and so will the Consortium..." Omega's body suddenly fell forward into T'challa's arms. He lowered it to the ground but knew it was too late. Machinesmith was gone. He was holding an empty shell. Machinesmith had escaped -- for now. But nothing could evade the Panther forever.

NEXT ISSUE: Godzilla has been awakened from his slumber...but by whom? Also, Klaw is back for revenge and this time it's do or die...Black Panther # 7 "Monsters of All Types."

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Welcome to the second issue of my Black Panther run. Hope you're enjoying the ride. For those who don't know, Machinesmith is an old Marvel villain who's battled the likes of Captain America and Iron Man. He's now nothing but a robot, transferring his mind from body to body. As for Omega -- well, the REAL Omega had his own 10 issue series in the 70s.

As for the mysterious Consortium who employs Machinesmith -- they will be back in a BIG way. We're building towards something that will alter the Black Panther mythos forever. No fooling. :)

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