The Technology Gap

Aboard Sanctuary II, Thanos watched the Space Fleet ten light-years away on the screen and gave a cold smile.

In the Marvel Universe, there was no upper limit to individual power. Some could even destroy a universe. But technological power was not to be underestimated either.

Take Conqueror Kang, for example.

He was merely a scientist with no Superpower, yet he had used technology to control time and rule the Multiverse.

Of course, having no Superpower was also his greatest weakness. In the end, someone had stabbed him to death.

Even so, he had proved that technology was a force to be reckoned with in Marvel.

So Thanos had never stopped developing technology while training himself.

Under his rule, scientists were the only privileged class. They were exempt from birth quotas and compulsory military service.

The returns had been substantial.

There was the super Artificial Intelligence Deep Blue, the Gravity Room, Sanctuary II, the Space Fortress, quantum-entanglement projection, and more.

And now there was the device remotely blocking space.

Thanos wondered what Odin would do about the blockade.

If Odin forced his way through space to get here, Thanos would laugh himself sick.

After all, a spatial jump also left a Space Rift at its destination.

If Odin dared make the jump, Thanos could calculate where he would emerge and spring a perfect ambush. Wiping out the entire Asgard fleet was not out of the question.

As for flying beyond the blockade before jumping, that was all but impossible.

Thanos was imposing the blockade remotely. If Odin could move, why couldn't he?

Only if Odin jumped somewhere else would the remote blockade fail to keep up.

But even if Odin got beyond the blocked area, it would do him no good.

Thanos had plenty more surprises prepared.

Aboard the Asgard fleet, ten light-years away, everyone fell silent after listening closely to Lucy's analysis.

They had never imagined that a war they would once have won by charging in and killing could become so complicated.

They had not even seen the enemy yet, and they were already at a disadvantage.

Thor paced in frustration. When no one spoke, he snapped, "Let's use the Bifrost and attack them directly! Even without Spaceships, we Asgard Warriors can destroy those cowards hiding in the shadows!"

The Bifrost could carry them straight to their destination despite the blockade, but their Spaceships could not pass through it.

Odin ignored his son and looked at Lucy. "How long would it take us to fly out of the blocked area?"

Charging into a battle in space without Spaceships would be the least sensible way to fight.

Even going in aboard Spaceships short on energy would be better than using the Bifrost.

Lucy lowered her head and thought for a moment. "Whatever technology they have, they can't have blocked too large an area. An hour of flight at light speed should get us out."

Odin nodded. "Very well. We'll fly for an hour, then try another spatial jump."

Lucy nodded and went to give the fleet its orders.

Light speed was actually slow by the standards of space travel. But without spatial-jump technology, Spaceships could only approach light speed indefinitely. They could never break that limit.

An hour later, Lucy returned to the Command Room, her expression grim.

"God King Odin, we're still inside the blocked area."

Odin frowned again. "Didn't you say an hour would get us out? What happened?"

Lucy shook her head. "I don't know. They shouldn't have enough energy to block an area this large. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

Lucy hesitated, but Odin's impatient look left her no choice. "Unless they can move the blocked area and keep us under surveillance the whole time."

Thor stared at her in disbelief. "How is that possible? We're ten light-years from the target. Unless they have someone like Heimdall who can see that far, it would take ten years just for our light to reach them."

Silence fell over the Command Room again.

After a moment, Lucy said, "There may be a technology gap between us. They may have mastered technologies we know nothing about."

Everyone's expression changed. They lowered their heads, none daring to respond.

After all, wasn't she saying that Odin's isolationist policy had been a mistake?

Odin understood her meaning too, and his face darkened.

But now was not the time to take issue with Lucy. He could only hold his tongue.

Sensing the tension, Sif spoke up. "Captain Lucy, what if we jump somewhere else, replenish our energy, and then make another jump?"

Odin had taken notice of Sif and even considered her as a daughter-in-law. She was no fool; she was quick-witted.

And she had come up with a solution, however imperfect.

Lucy nodded. "Yes. It's worth a try."

Odin considered it. "Very well. We'll try Sif's plan."

Once the decision was made, Lucy quickly arranged for the fleet to jump to a point one light-year away.

This time, opening the Space Rift took five times longer than usual.

A little over ten minutes later, Asgard's twenty-five thousand Spaceships emerged nine light-years from Thanos.

Their dim shields showed that the ships had already burned through most of their energy.

Four hours later, Odin's ship was the first to finish recharging.

By the seven-hour mark, the medium and small ships had gradually recovered their energy as well.

But just as Lucy prepared for another spatial jump, she discovered a new problem.

"God King Odin, the target area is blocked."

Odin's face darkened again.

"Those damned cowardly invaders!"

He could not understand why they had set up so many blockades.

Why couldn't they just fight him head-on instead of resorting to all these tricks?

Thor immediately chimed in. "Exactly! If these invaders are so scared, they can't be much of a threat. I say we jump straight in. Once we've beaten them, we can have more Spaceships sent over from home to bring us back."

The Warriors Three eagerly backed him up.

"Prince Thor is right. Enemies that timid can't be any stronger than goblins."

"Right! Let's kill them!"

"We're Asgard Warriors. We've never lost a battle!"

Odin ignored his son and the three who followed him, turning instead to Sif and Lucy. "Do either of you have a better idea?"

He would rather talk to people who had some sense than those four fools.

If Thor had not been his own son, Odin would have wanted to slap him dead.

To his disappointment, even Sif and Lucy shook their heads. Neither had an answer.