Fantastic Four #545

Reed is flying a spaceship to take Sue on their second honeymoon. It turns out he has plans to take her to Titan to the winter home of Mentor.

Meanwhile, the Fantastic Four are still close to Epoch as the Silver Surfer says he is going to bring Galactus to feed off of her. Black Panther has prepared life support bracelets for the team in case they lose atmospere. He gives Johnny extra so that he will be able to flame on if necessary. He warns the rest of the Fantastic Four and Michael Collins (still on board the ship) not to try anything. He says he will give them a little time to complete their mission before summoning Galactus to feed on Epoch.

Ben questions what the Surfer is doing back with "that piece o'crap" Galactus and the Surfer tries to explain. He says that good and evil are complex concepts and sometimes to save lives who have to do bad things. Ben says he's not going to let Galactus eat Epoch. Black Panther tires telling him that Epoch and Galactus are not their business. He doesn't see how they would have the powere to have a say in the matter.

Now Ben and T'Challa argue. Storm pulls him aside saying that they are not going to walk away without getting involved. She also says not to make her embarrass him in front of his friends. So the Panther says that Epoch is under their protection.

Ben goes outside the ship to try to talk to the Surfer. He asks the Surfer to let Epoch be and they can go get some burgers. Silver Surfer says he understands what Ben is trying to do but he will not be distracted from his mission. He suggests that Ben go back inside his "primitive conveyance" and get out of there because that whole region will be consumed and transformed into energy for Galactus to consume. Johnny smacks himself in the face because he knows that that remark will make Ben fight the Surfer.

As he goes through the motions of the dance they've done before, Ben realizes that this stall tactic won't work this time. In the past, the fight would go on until Reed thought of a way to outsmart the Surfer. Johnny comes to Ben's rescue and carries him away. Suddenly the Silver Surfer feels the vacuum of space getting thicker. Thinking Epoch is up to something, he soon discovers that it is Storm. She tells him that she's gathered stray hydrogen atoms and brought them here. The Silver Surfer says she is foolish if she thinks he will be outmatched by a human. Storm blasts him with lightning.

As the fight goes on, Epoch says she has to cut things short. She brings out Gravity. He has been reborn. Confused to where he is and what has happened, Epoch tells him that he has been choesen for the greatest honor the universe has to bestow. She says that since Quasar has met his end, the universe needs a new protector.

The Silver Surfer is enraged. He scoffs at the attack saying that he flies throught the heart of suns. The Human Torch blasts him with fire knowing that it most likely will have little effect. As the Surfer flies back, his board keeps going and smacks Johnny in the head. As the Surfer summons his board back, the Black Panther jumps on it. He surprises the Surfer and grabs him from behind. He says based on his physique, he will not be able to break free of the hold he has on him despite his strength.

Black Panther tells the Silver Surfer that he wants to talk things over. They want to know what happened to the body of Gravity that was taken from his grave. Then the Panther is blasted from behind by another of Galactus' heralds, Stardust. The Thing is encased in a bubble and bounced away. Silver Surfer tells Stardust to stop. He says despite the fact that they are fighting, Ben is still his friend and now he is curious as to what the Black Panther has to say. Galactus arrives and the Silver Surfer says they can tell him themselves. They have thirty-minutes to complete their business.

Black Panther tells Michael to bring the ship down. Johnny asks what the plan is. Panther says to do whatever they want and leaves. The FF are in shock. Storm says it was the most strategically sound move. The Thing says Panther may be a coward but he's The Thing. He prepares to take on the Surfer again. They are interrupted as the new Protector of the Universe is ready to step in.