Before you read this chapter, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to read my novel.This story was written by me some time ago, and I'm now uploading it with a few small edits.
I'm aware of some of the mistakes in the story—several readers have pointed them out as well. Fixing them would require changing the entire plot, which unfortunately isn't possible at the moment. I truly apologize for that.
But don't worry—I'll definitely take your suggestions into account in my next novel, which I'm already planning.
Enjoy the story, and once again, thank you!
Alex was the architect, sure, but he was also a total ghost, floating through a world that had no clue about his secret wars. All his moves before this—like nudging Tony Stark's super-reactor or helping cool down the Hulk, even giving Dr. Selvig a brain boost—they were all about beefing up humanity from the inside. But now, he had to look outside Earth. He needed allies from way out there, even if he couldn't actually meet them yet!
So, he zoomed his focus out to the big, scary cosmos. He knew it was packed with all sorts of life, good and bad. Back in the original story, Earth eventually got itself mixed up with the galaxy, but it was usually messy and violent. Alex wanted to speed that up, to get Earth to understand space stuff faster. He wanted to make some subtle, early connections, or at least just get everyone ready for what was truly out there.
His awesome journal, which was basically like a cosmic library now, dug through weird science papers, goofy amateur star-gazer forums, and even bits of top-secret government satellite info. He was hunting for anything odd, anything that whispered about advanced aliens hanging around, especially if they weren't trying to blow everything up right away. He remembered hearing about space cops, big space groups, and powerful alien races from his old comics. One name really stuck out: the Nova Corps! Those guys from Xandar, basically the protectors of the galaxy. They'd be a huge help against bad guys like Ronan later on. If Earth could just get a tiny, secret message to them, even just a little hint, it could be a game-changer!
But man, was it tough! How do you even call galactic police without shouting, "Hey, all you hostile aliens, look at me!" It had to be a super quiet signal, something only the really keen, truly advanced watchers out there would pick up. People who spoke the language of the stars.
He needed something super basic to start with, something he could crank up into a cosmic signal. He eyed this dusty old shortwave radio chilling in a corner of his hideout. It was ancient, broken, barely picked up static from down the street.
Perfect!
He pulled the radio onto his lap. Its flimsy plastic rattled. The Watcher's hum got louder, a deep, urgent rumble. It was like the Watcher knew how unbelievably important this jump into the cosmic unknown was. Connect. See. Team up! Alex just poured all his focus into that old radio.
As his fingers grazed the worn dials, the radio actually shimmered. Seriously! The crappy plastic melted and reformed into this sleek, cool metallic case. It had glowing circuits etched into it, and Alex just knew what they did. The old, bent antenna popped out, but it wasn't just a rod anymore – it was like a pulsing spire of pure energy. It vibrated with power, way beyond anything Earth had.
Then, that clear, calm voice popped into his head, sounding almost… cosmic:
"Item: Old Shortwave Radio. Action: Enhance. Reward: 10x Enhanced Interstellar Frequency Transceiver. Capabilities: Sub-Space Communication (limited range, untraceable), Encrypted Data Burst Transmission, Cosmic Anomaly Detection (long-range), Passive Galactic Signature Emulation. Note: Cannot be re-used for 10x reward."
Alex felt that familiar brain-drain, but he barely noticed. He was totally blown away. Sub-space communication! Cosmic anomaly detection! This wasn't just a radio; it was a bridge to the stars. And that "Passive Galactic Signature Emulation" thing was awesome—it meant he could send out faint, secret signals that mimicked natural space patterns. Like a super subtle digital echo in the void, designed only for advanced folks who were actively listening for new life or weird energy. Totally brilliant!
Okay, next step: actually using it. He couldn't just start yelling into space. That would be suicide! He needed a super precise target, a whisper, not a shout. His journal, hooked up to the Transceiver, started scanning the cosmic background noise. It was looking for any faint, smart signals, any alien patrol routes.
He found it! A super advanced, repeating energy pattern, almost too faint to notice, but definitely there. It was a Nova Corps patrol route! Just a silent trip through a distant, empty part of space, far from any common travel lanes. They were probably looking for little oddities, space pirates, or rogue signals. This was his chance!
He put together a data burst. No words, not yet. Just a really complex series of coded science stuff, wild ideas about new energy, advanced gravity, even tiny bits of his own 10x-enhanced coding. He stripped out anything that could say "Alex Mercer sent this," and made it look like natural space phenomena. But it had just enough smarts to grab the attention of a truly advanced mind. It was like leaving digital breadcrumbs, a quiet "hello" from a smart, unknown source on a blue planet no one cared about before. The "Passive Galactic Signature Emulation" would make it seem like background noise to everyone else, but a super fascinating puzzle to the Nova Corps.
He worked for hours, totally focused, making sure the data burst was perfect, super encoded, and completely untraceable. He set the Transceiver to send out the signal in short, random bursts, like natural cosmic events, but with a clever, hidden timing. This wasn't a cry for help; it was a brainy challenge!
Will they even notice? he wondered, a little nervous. And if they do, will they think I'm a threat, or maybe, just maybe, a friend? The Watcher's hum felt low, almost satisfied now. It was like a silent high-five, acknowledging that this tiny step towards galactic awareness was a huge deal.
He started the transmission. The enhanced radio, now the Interstellar Frequency Transceiver, pulsed with a soft, internal golden light. A silent, invisible signal shot out into the giant, empty universe, riding the space currents, heading straight for a far-off Nova Corps patrol. It was a message in a bottle, tossed into the endless ocean of stars.
The next few weeks were another nail-biter. Alex kept an ear on those obscure galactic frequencies, waiting for any sign of a response. He wasn't expecting a direct reply, not yet. But he was watching for subtle changes in Nova Corps patrol patterns, any new, unexplained interest in Earth's tiny little corner of space.
And he found it! A slight, barely noticeable tweak in a distant Nova Corps patrol route. A sector of space near Earth's solar system, one they'd ignored before, showed a quick, but clear, bump in passive scans. It was too small to be a direct answer, too subtle to be a full investigation, but it was something. They saw it! They registered the weird signal!
First contact! Alex thought, a grim, satisfied feeling spreading through him. It wasn't a handshake, no. It was a silent nod across the massive, empty space. Earth wasn't totally alone anymore. Its presence, its potential, had been quietly noticed by the rest of the galaxy.
He closed his eyes, leaning back against the rough wall of his hideout. The Interstellar Frequency Transceiver sat quietly beside him, not glowing anymore, but humming softly, waiting for its next job. He was slowly, painstakingly, pulling Earth out of its cosmic ignorance, building connections, making its foundations stronger, not just on the inside, but on the outside too. The ultimate cosmic threat was still out there, huge and terrifying, but now, a faint, unseen line stretched from Earth into the stars. It was a silent promise of Alex Mercer's desperate work. The Architect was really stretching his reach, getting Earth ready for a future it didn't even know it needed. Man, what a wild ride!