Meanwhile, a captive audience

[Narrator]

Mira would soon find herself in the middle of a firefight. The Cardinals were showing remarkable restraint in not smashing down the Skrulls, but the Skrulls were doing every damn thing they could to not be grabbed by them. Currently, they'd remained successful.

Also, currently, the temperature seemed to be rising even further, as the reactor approached critical overload.

[Altamira Vazquez]

Altamira had a decision to make.

She chose to rush up and grab as many skrulls as she could, both telekenetically and, well, physically.

[Narrator]

The skrulls weren't dumb. They had had to fight her halfway across the globe, and they knew what she could do. Which was why as she moved, every weapon they had was suddenly trained on her and opening fire.

[Altamira Vazquez]

This time, she was ready for them, creating a shield of concussive energy as she went forward.

[Narrator]

The Skrulls retreated as she advanced, not letting up on their barrage of blaster fire.

Before she could advance much further, though, the Cardinals suddenly all rushed toward her. "The ship!" one of them managed.

Then, with no further warning, the ship exploded.

[Altamira Vazquez]

Altamira kept her shield up to absorb as much of the blow that she could, spat, and then returned to the ship.

[Narrator]

Mira would find that with here telekinesis, she was relatively safe from the blast, as it was more prone to throw her from the ship before the actual explosion could reach her.

Returning to the ship, she would find the Cardinals there, huddled around a few of their own that were lying prone, the Matriarch looking on. "You did what you could, Raker. Let this be a lesson to all of you... should you lose faith, this is the fate that awaits you," she said gravely, gesturing to the dead cardinals.

[Altamira Vazquez]

Altamira shot a sideways glance, but otherwise did not react, other than looking back at the Matriach.

"Who fired first."

[Narrator]

"The Skrulls did. What reason had we to attempt harm on those we were bid to save?" the Matriarch replied as the Cardinals cleared out their dead, the room coming to a nervous return to general operation. "Set a course, return us to our previous heading," she added to one of the crewmen bustling about.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Bid to save?"

[Narrator]

"You bade us to save them," the Matriarch said. "We agreed to do so, despite their previous refusal."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"...you misunderstand.

Who opened fire first. The ship did not start exploding because you went to rescue someone."

[Narrator]

"We disabled its engines, but the ship was already suffering massive power fluctuations when we came upon it. To be completely honest, I'm surprised that they attempted to resist us at all with the problems that they appeared to be having."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"In other words, you did."

[Narrator]

"They were given ample opportunity to come to a halt and allow us to board," the Matriarch said evenly. "When we detected their power fluctuations, we believed they were preparing to attack. It only became apparent that they were not when they never opened fire."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Fine.

You said you would show me where we are?"

[Narrator]

"Indeed," she said, gesturing to bring the display of the galaxy up again. "Simply state a point you know, and you will be able to see our relative position."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Let's start with an easy one. Earth."

[Narrator]

As the Matriarch had said, the location of the Earth was displayed.

In this case, the view had to shrink so that it could include a separate galaxy, and all of the distance between the two.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"...what galaxy are we in?"

[Narrator]

"I believe that on your world, if that is your world, it's referred to as the Andromeda galaxy."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"...and what is the top speed of your vessel?"

[Narrator]

"There are few vessels which can match our speed," she stated.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"And few who can match your patience." she said, clearly getting annoyed.

How long would it take you to get to Earth, then."

[Narrator]

The Matriarch gazed at the display, clearly seeing something that Mira didn't, then nodded. "It is always difficult to tell with intergalactic travel. Several weeks, I would judge."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Are you willing to do so, or shall I seek alternate routes?"

[Narrator]

"It would hardly be hospitable for us to not," she said. "Helm! Chart a new course." One of the crewmen gave her an acknowledgement, and the chart began plotting out on the map. "Mean while, we will get quarters established for you. You are, after all, an honored guest of the Church."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"An honored guest?' she said, raising an eyebrow.

"And a church?"

[Narrator]

"What could be more of an honor for people who worship life itself than the presence of the very fire of creation itself?" the Matriarch countered.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"I...have no idea who you are."

[Narrator]

She nodded. "We are the Church of Universal Truth. We believe in life unhindered, in Faith empowered. We believe that if it can be believed, it can Be," she said.

And, all around her, the people on the bridge, echoed her in one voice. "We Believe."

[Altamira Vazquez]

Altamira blinked, unsure how to respond.

"What do you mean, you worship life itself? Who is your God?"

[Narrator]

"We worship the Avatar of Life," she said. "The Avatar is known to take form and walk with us from time to time, but His ways are His own to dictate. The Avatar names itself, we simply refer to the Avatar as Him."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"God does not walk with mortals."

[Narrator]

The matriarch gave her a patronizing look, like you'd give to a child insisting there was a monster in their closet.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"He does not," she said, forcefully.

[Narrator]

"The Avatar of Life can hardly be an avatar if it is never physically present," the Matriarch pointed out patiently.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"If you say so," she said, unconvinced.