But Tutankhamen and Ling Si hadn't been selected as Guardians because of their looks. Both men had the rare ability to accept and process seemingly unbelievable events with great aplomb.

Linked to their wards, their wealth of knowledge was increased exponentially. And they used that knowledge ruthlessly for the good of all.

The Asgard had always been reluctant to share their technology with Earth, knowing that knowledge given and not earned, caused more problems than it solved. And while the Asgard believed in helping others, giving while receiving nothing in return didn't sit well with them. Until now, Humans had little to offer a race as advanced as the Asgard.

But the Guardians weren't exactly Human. They could, and would, use their power to give the Asgard the one thing their technology had been unable to achieve. The ability to once again have children.

Through the centuries, the Asgard had turned away from what they believed to be a completely unreliable and haphazard method of reproduction. They used technology to clone themselves, eliminating the need for the time consuming and physically draining process of gestation and birth.

As time passed, they learned to manipulate their genetic code. They became smaller, requiring less space and fewer calories, while at the same time, their bodies could process those calories far more efficiently, conserving valuable resources. They had even gone so far as to remove all physical and psychological need for sex. The loss of their reproductive organs soon followed.

But their greatest achievement was the increased usage of their brain mass. Humans, in general, used less than ten percent of their brains, while the Asgard were capable of utilizing up to sixty percent, and that number was increasing with every subsequent generation.

But for all their achievements, something was missing. Some infinitesimal spark of creativity that allowed Humans to make fantastic leaps in logic. Humans, unfortunately, took this gift for granted. Usually for the simple reason they never realized just how important it was for their survival.

Now, however, the technology the Asgard were so proud of, and guarded so jealously, was slowly killing them. Less than a millenia ago, an Asgard could expect to live for a century, barring accident or disease, before having their consciousness moved into a new clone. Now their life expectancy was less than twenty years. Genetic abnormalities were becoming more and more prevalent. Neural mapping, the process by which their scientists embedded knowledge and experience into a new clone's mind, was breaking down with little or no warning. Vast amounts of vital information were being lost with every transfer into a new body. All too soon, the damage would be irreparable. Most of Asgard's leading scientists agreed, if something weren't done, their race would die out in less than five hundred years. Those who disagreed with their prognosis expected the end to come much sooner, some said in less than a century.

In order to prevent such an outcome, teams of scientists were devoting their lives to finding a cure, but as any scientist would agree, finding a cure for any problem could be a painful process, fraught with failure.

Using genetic material obtained from the cryogenically preserved bodies of their ancestors, new clones were being made. The few that survived their awakening had to be destroyed. Having seen such a creature, Thor was convinced that killing it had been the only merciful thing to do. The poor thing had been misshapen and quite obviously insane. The few hours of its life had been spent screaming in pain or crying out in fear. Neural mapping had only made the situation worse, for then the creature had understood what was happening and begged for death.

The Guardians of the Hellmouths of Earth offered the best, the only, hope for the Asgards' continued survival. The Guardians could have asked for, and received, anything the Asgards possessed. Instead, they asked only for Asgard willing to teach a very few, special, Humans. Humans the Guardians themselves would screen and select. The Governments of Earth would not be involved in the process.

Thor could think of no reason for the High Council to object, but object they would. That was their nature. However, the Guardians had taken that into account. They only wanted teachers and scientists who specialized in medicine, communication, and natural resources. Before the Replicators, Thor, himself, had specialized in reclamation, the ability to turn a dead planet into a thriving ecosystem. He would be the first to volunteer.

TBC