Morningstar #26
Returning to Canada in the wake of the Graviton Affair, Morningstar received a heroes greeting at Department H. He was quickly debriefed, and even given a pat on the back by General Clarke, before being given leave to go. Nevertheless, the synthoid took an hour out to soak up the glory, and socialize in his own clumbsy manner with various Department personel in the lounge before at last taking his leave.
Making his way back to GenTech in Toronto, the synthoid was likewise warmly greet by both Dr.Stone and Dr.Banks, who nonethless, lost little time in subjecting him to a battery of tests and a thorough psycho-physical examination.
Later that week, Morningstar was the guest of a formal celebration held in honour of himself and Powersurge in Ottawa; the latter of whom had only recently emerged from his comatose state and was still under observation onboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, and so could not attend. Over the course of the evening, Morninstar ran into none other than Tanya Sullivan, who was there covering the event. During the few moments they had together, she reminded Morningstar of their deal and arranged a time and place for an interview with him.
And so it was the following evening that Tanya made her way to GenTech HQ, there to conduct her interview with Morningstar; touching on everything from his initial encounter with Graviton, his month long disappearance in the wake of that encounter, his subsequent reemergence and tussel with the Fantastic Four in New York, and finally his involvement with the U.N.'s Protectors and the Graviton Affair. And with business at last dealt with, Tanya turned the conversation back to the night of Morningstar's first encounter with Graviton and the kiss they'd shared in her apartment; beginning to get a little touchy-feelly with him all the while. Before things could go very far however, the moment was interrupted by the buzz of the reporter's cellphone.
Taking the call, Tanya quickly readopted a professional demeanor, grabbing her purse and gear, and telling the synthoid that a battle had just broken out between a group of hi-tech soldiers and Major Mapleleaf Senior, even as she speed-dialed her cameraman and told him to hussle over there pronto.
She then offered to tell Morningstar where it was if he agreed to take her there.
And so Morningstar sped for the conflict, setting Sullivan down a safe distance away, before proceeding on the final leg of his journey.
Meanwhile, at the battle site, Major Mapleleaf Senior was locked in combat with a squad of Renegades. Sadler Jr. was also present, but had been forced to duck for cover at the onset of the fight, as his father engaged them, until, at length, the oppurtunity to take control of a Renegade energy rifle and mount of offensive of his own at last present itself. While the athletic and well trained young man was successful in this, he nevertheless left himself open to attack and would have been gunned down if not for the timely intervention of his father, who took the blast meant for him.
As Major Mapleleaf Sr. stood stunned from the blast, Junior was again forced to duck for cover as the Renegades began to hose the area down with weapons fire. Major Mapleleaf went down hard, and would certainly have been joined by his son soon after if not for Morningstar's arrival. He protected Major Mapleleaf Jr. with a photon shield before picking up where Senior had left off and taking the fight to the Renegades.
The Renegades however where apparently no longer game for a confrontation an effected a group teleportation after only a brief of skirmish.
Moving to his father's aid, Major Mapleleaf Jr. quickly got on his cellphone and called for an ambulance, before explaining to Morningstar that he and his father had been out at an evening ballgame, had gone for some food thereafter, and were about to call it a night when the Renegades appeared from out of nowhere and attacked them. Before he could go any further however, Morningstar was struck by a massive discharge of electrical energy, followed by a mighty blow that sent him flying some 20' down the street.
Reorienting himself, Morningstar saw that he was confronted by two costumed villains he recognized from the files on his brother Thunder ... Voltiac and Jackhammer.
They revealed that Morningstar, Powersurge and especially "the Mapleleafs" had all been marked for termination by A.I.M. and Fabricators Inc. for their various meddlings. And that their time had just run out.
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