The X-Men Episode 2
"Sentinel Island" (Part One)
Or
"The Problem With Jean Grey"
By Maru Tamehana (31/5/2019, First Draft)
(7/6/2019)
Aka - "The Problem With Jean Grey."
Rogue had returned from her undercover sojourn in Manhattan, and had rejoined the X-Men just in time for their next mission. Just as well for them.
PART ONE
CYCLOPS
Cyclops was working on his latest smart-bike. With a little help from Beast. A little work to take his mind off his troubles. He and Jean were due for a session. They were going to try and rehabilitate his – both of their – minds… under the guidance of Professor Xavier.
"This remote should allow you to control it, Scott."
"You really sure it'll respond like you say it does? You said it was smart."
Beast grinned ferally at him. "Just try it and see. Trust me, Scott, you'll see."
"Well if you insist ol' pal," Scott was a little uncertain – and he mounted the bike, just to get a feel for the weight. He pushed the remote, and they heard the whir of its motor before the saw it – bursting out of the brush, it came to skidding halt before Cyclops like a trained horse.
(*)
They entered the room, and Xavier was waiting for them. Storm was at the monitor, her proud and beautiful features crossed with concern. The had Jean in a suspension chamber, a research device the Professor had designed. It was supposed to monitor her condition. Her powers had been fluctuating ever since her "resurrection", and they wanted to monitor them closely.
They didn't want the Phoenix to manifest again.
It didn't take long to rouse Jean, who had a wan smile for Cyclops – it seemed the session had made her tired, but she was willing to go ahead with the experiment. They both sat down, no fancy equipment, as the Professor prepared to meld their minds.
Scott's only warning was an unexpected faint cold ping at the side of his head. Suddenly the room seemed to blast away into nothingness around them, shocking Scott for a moment, who instinctively went into battle mode, reaching for his visor.
He felt a hand on his, and saw Jean, who shook her head and smiled. Okay, so it's normal. I'll take your word for it.
And then suddenly realized she could probably hear his thoughts now. Just as well he was such a swell guy. Then something seemed to come into existence around them. It was strange though – he thought they were just going to initiate a telepathic contact, not… this… This was almost like a Danger Room episode. For a moment he thought Xavier was putting them through one of his holographic training programs somehow. Very disorienting.
Suddenly, Xavier's head appeared to them. Just a floating transparency as they were surrounded by darkness, and walls that appeared like the X-Men's training room, just… fainter… somehow incomplete.
"Hey, Professor. Court's now in session, right?"
"No Scott, something has gone very wrong. This is the astral plane – you shouldn't be here unless…" The Professor's voice trailed off on a "herm".
(*)
He opened a box and she opened a box. He didn't know when they started, but it seemed to be the key to unlocking further passage in this… astral realm… the Professor called it.
He was more used to it now, but it still felt like fire. Is that the Phoenix I'm feeling? Or is this just what unlocking the mind is like? I'll have to ask Jean…
He glanced over, seeing her holding a box that represented something from his mind.
Fire burst forth from the box, but in this realm, it wouldn't kill him – he endured it. By God, is this what Jean has to deal with…? It's phenomenal – awful… She shouldn't have to deal with this…
"It can be difficult to separate fearful illusion from meaningful fragments of emotion," Xavier said, steepling his fingers as he had a habit of, his image appearing to them like a ghost. "But I trust that with my guidance, you will both be able to work your way through this. I'm not sure what is responsible for this, but it is dangerous to linger there. From out here we might have a chance to study what went wrong."
Or maybe now's the perfect time to get as much of a scout as we can. Cyclops knew the Professor knew that, he would just never tell one of his X-Men, or two in this case, to endanger himself. Cyclops understood that – his one anxiety was that something would resurface with Jean.
Somehow, that girl was some kind of cosmic nexus, a target for predatory forces. Quite a force to have to contend with, the universe for his love. But on some level, he enjoyed that. Foolish. He told himself.
He had been a bit rambunctious and unruly as a kid – but he found that discipline had given him the strength he wanted. The strength of control.
Maybe he could impart some of that to Jean. The forces she had to contend with were incredible, and it was only thanks to her incredible mind she was able to survive them. Maybe this time he could help in some way. He had no psychic ability – but he had a bond with Jean. Hopefully his presence would be some kind of support. He would find a way.
On some level he was glad, to take all that rage and focus, and put it into something as perfect and needed as finding and destroying the things that threatened Jean. Somehow he would. He didn't know how – but he hadn't known how he would get through the last two years, either.
They reached deeper into the joined mind. There were things locked away, Scott could see, and knew. They exchanged glances, but did not open them. Jean however, was suddenly closer than before, and even in this immaterial plane, he could feel the warmth of her.
Without even thinking, it was like their actions were simply in unison now. He knew even as he opened the next, she would be opening one of his. They were linked.
At last they came to what seemed to be the principle thing they were here to see. He was guided by most the Professor's warnings and Jean's voice.
As bright as an angel, she plunged into the sun – the heart of this realm, it seemed.
This – this must be how she was reborn… Is this a memory? Or…
The memory was powerful, stirring, yearning. It must be the Phoenix, stirring these feelings of the lost in him. He had been so busy, he felt tears almost leaking from his eyes – eyes which had seen the passage of a burning universe.
Perhaps he knew more than most. The power that welled up in him – the control, or let it rage out of destruction. He always thought it made him rather attractive.
Jean smirked at him.
He facepalmed while she wasn't looking. He hadn't even known when she returned – maybe she was always there and they just watched a memory together.
He almost wished other people could know what that was like. Being a mutant didn't have to be a curse.
He suddenly realized she had disappeared. Scott… he heard, as if from a distance above him, far away beyond a black vortex.
And then she was back again.
They gasped suddenly, like being doused by water, and were suddenly brought out of it.
"So how was it?" Xavier seemed almost amused.
(*)
Forge went over to the comms device, a blue booth like device on the wall, blinking lights. It connected to the internal security system as well and saved him having to hobble around on his long-antiquated 24th century cybernetics. Been meaning to upgrade them for years now, but never seemed to have the time. It was a little embarrassing.
He supposed folks around here might not be able to tell, but he knew, and he wasn't about to assume that. You never knew. Could be sniggering around the corner.
Odd nervous tic for him to have, he knew, but a life-time of fighting Apocalypse could have an effect on your mental faculties that way. Sometimes he was as calm as the sea, and oddly, that's when he got the most work done.
(*)
Kitty had learned the kid's name was Marcus. He was a powerful latent mutant according to Beast. He had been testing his powers in the underground foundation, a sort of basement test ground – and she had watched as he had created a metal construction bar out of virtually nothing, it seemed. Both the Professor and Beast had been in awe.
"With powers like these he could… why, he could probably rebuild this entire foundation."
"Yes," the Professor rubbed his chin. "It would be very beneficial. It would almost be like having Magneto back with us. With him I was able to build many things that would have been difficult in my condition."
Which they had tested and discovered, or rather, he did. Exercising his powers by fabricating various metal structures, until even he was sweating and exhausted. It didn't seem to tire him out until the end.
"Not unlike Magneto," the Professor mused. "He reminds me of him, when Magneto was younger and a colleague of mine, rather than an enemy. If he could learn to harness his powers, perhaps we could regain some of what we lost with Eric."
"You want him to be another Magneto?"
"Not at all. I respected Eric for his mind, his compassion and willingness to work for a brighter future. But these powers are invaluable for more than simply violence. If Magneto wanted to, he could rebuild cities – but alas, his mind turned to other pursuits."
He paused, steepling his fingers. "But all I truly want is for him to have a good life here, to explore his potential. It's fascinating."
"Magneto was a genius," the Professor said. "With him I thought I had found a compatible mind – but it seemed he harboured too deep a hatred for those who had been responsible for his abuse and maltreatment. We parted bitterly, I'm sad to say."
Odd to hear him speak of the powerful mutant that way – Magneto had been their nemesis for a long time, and he was a megalomaniac on the order of world conquerors. He wasn't entirely evil, as Xavier pressed to persuade them, but with his powers and ambition he might as well have been. He was an almost unstoppable force, and the X-Men had thwarted him only with great difficulty at every turn.
(*)
He didn't get an answer to the conundrum yet. The Professor wouldn't say anything, but simply insisted on more sessions.
"Did you want to go over the video testimony again, Scott?"
"No, it'll be fine," he sighed, putting his hands behind his head. The Professor had been preparing them for another round of mutant talks – he had planned to go to Congress himself to plead their case, but he wanted them all to be prepared. The X-Men were very busy, lately.
But that wasn't all he had called him in for. Storm had spotted some unusual signals, and discovered a previous uncharted island, somehow unrecorded or visible on any satellite imagery – and the Professor had been discussing them with Scott.
Cyclops sighed and adjusted his optic visor. "Looks like I'll have to go to the island. I'll assembled an X-Team. Get to the bottom of these weird signals."
Jean seemed to be waiting for him in the hangar, somehow she had known – although he shouldn't have been surprised.
"Scott, you really shouldn't do these things alone, it's dangerous."
"I know Jean, I'm not. Bringing the X-team."
"Really? I don't recall being invited."
"Oh uh" his face went red. "I meant, I'm bringing an X-Team. I mean – I already picked…"
Jean folded her arms. "I know you did. You forgot one. You're just trying to keep me safe."
Mission drop would begin in twenty minutes. The X-Men assembled. Jean insisted.
(*)
Wolverine was the type to sleep all day, and rouse himself only when there was action. He heard the alarm go off, and he almost sprang like a coiled spring. It didn't take him long to get his bearings. The X-Men could always use his admantium claws.
(*)
PART TWO
SENTINEL ISLAND
The Sentinels chased – Storm followed the javelin in the wind and attempted to thwart them with cover, a great lightning storm.
The massive sentinels moved though the lightning bolts like jet-planes, turning their huge bulk, arms down at their sides, to avoid them with surprisingly agility. A bolt hit one, and ripped away its arm, but only slowed it for a moment. The Sentinels were nothing if not persistent.
Their eyes glowed as they locked on their target, and began firing.
Great energy bolts started zipping past the craft.
"How do you steer with one eye?!" someone shouted.
"This isn't the time!" Cyclops shouted back, gritting his teeth as he pushed the craft into an evasive pattern. They were all feeling flattened in their seats.
They crashed on the island – but at least the Sentinels seemed to have moved off. Whatever it was, they were certainly protecting something on this island.
"Nice job, Cyclops," said Wolverine. "Great depth perception." As they surveyed the wreckage of the landed craft.
"Zip it, Wolverine," he retorted. Cyclops looked around with a sigh. The X-Plane wouldn't fly without proper repairs. Now it looked like they needed another way off the island first. As team leader, it was his responsibility. A lot of problems all at once. At least they had supplies.
Cyclops checked the hold. Phew, he thought. His smart-bike was still in one piece, that'd come in handy. He mounted it, ready to put it through its first paces.
Hey, what's this? The wheels seem to retract, subtract, and pack themselves away as something else emerged, a pair of jets, strangely noduled at the end. Well I'll be darned. A hover-bike. So that's what Forge did.
No wonder the weight had felt so strange – he thought it was just the light-weight metal construction.
"Times like this you wish you had Captain America with you."
"Scott is Captain America," Jean said proudly, leaning on him for a moment and kissing his cheek. The others rolled their eyes.
She seemed to read his mind at odd times.
He was honestly impressed by that. It was something that continued to baffle him. But he felt the love for this woman well up in him, thinking about it. It was that communication that made them such an essential team. He felt that it was one of the most important things that had helped bring the X-Men together.
(*)
He had been exploring the mysterious island, trying to determine the reason for the signal and mysterious activity. Pushing his smart-bike through heavy jungle and unused roads.
The rest of the X-Team had formed up after making camp, and were making their own way as a squad. Cyclops had decided this was the right time to try out his bike.
Still, he had an opportunity to try out its new tricks and toys. He hadn't even gotten to Forge's contribution yet. But they would come in handier than he expected later.
It fired a couple of grapple-ziplines across the valley, and soon he was wheeling his way across open space, the wheels hooked to the lines like tracks. Not as quickly, but quick enough, surprisingly.
Lasers, and a tactical targeting system. Rear-mounts opened and fired on the approaching disks, destroying them. "Not bad work," he complimented both himself and Beast.
He made the leap across the canyon, and landed with gusto and flair. The bike was excellent – and moved at almost frightening speed. Just how Cyclops wanted it. He'd need it, to out-distance those Sentinels by land. Or at least, to manoeuvre. With those massive tree-like rocket legs, they could intercept almost anything except the Javelin.
Soon he had discovered more of those on the island, but still hadn't determined who they were. Part of the Sentinel program, that was for sure. If Jean were here she could scan their minds, but there was no time to turn back now.
Cyclops brought his smart-bike up along the truck, trying to see what they were transporting. He made the leap easily, grabbing the inside of the open canopy back, and catching his foot on the tread bumper. His smart-bike automatically followed the five second delayed instruction, and moved off the trail, slower, and hid itself. It would find him if he signaled it, it had the most advanced path-finding he had ever seen. He was already fond of it – like having a partner in the field, it made a few things easier. He left his cantina and such behind, that was one such good use.
He hid himself in the truck, and waited to see where it would take him.
He could have ordered the bike to follow but he didn't want to risk losing it. Really shouldn't be doing this alone. Stubborn, really. But he had gotten used to it. He felt more difficulties about bringing others along in anything less than full force.
The others must be reaching their own destination by now.
Then he found it. His eyes widened. Now he knew where to bring the X-Men. He headed back.
(*)
They were attacked. Sentinels. These ones were different, they were immune to Cyclops' laser. It just blasted off them with barely a mark.
"Wolverine, do you think you can make a dent in these things?"
Wolverine unsheathed his adamantium claws. "Only one way to find out, bub."
"Not yet – we're caught out in the open. Let's try to get them in a better position."
As huge as they were, they wouldn't be able to out-run them on foot – so it had to be something quick and simple. In a few seconds, those colossi would incinerate everything in a twenty metre radius with those laser blasters, if Cyclops could guess.
These things were specifically built to counter their abilities – he wondered what else they had – what would work on them. Wolverine's claws were pure physical force, but if the armour was strong enough… was it possible?
Like Wolverine said – only one way to find out.
They got them in the canyon. With one blast from his visor, the boulder was pitched out into the open, rolling and sailing right out into the void. It struck very close, it hit the side of the canyon wall, and the great thing's head at the same time. It staggered a few steps.
"Mutants located." It said, and turned its great shining eyes toward the source. They were already running for the next boulder. With some help from Beast, he got the next one rolling.
The Sentinel definitely seemed disoriented now. Even if Kitty had been here, he wouldn't trust using her on those things. Chances were they had some kind of defense system, and for all her ability, she was just a young girl.
"We have to get to the source. Whatever they're protecting on this island, it's sure to be important."
(*)
It was. A Sentinel construction facility. Now that was important. But well guarded, there'd be guards everywhere.
They had destroyed one of the big Sentinels, and the others had retreated when they discovered Cyclops had found a weak point. Their armour didn't entirely protect their neck, if Cyclops just concentrated the beam. Wolverine made a few openings of his own, and they had quickly made a strong team.
Still, he would nearly have been crushed if it wasn't for Rogue. She caught that foot like a champ.
The X-Men were back in the fight.
They found the compound some hours later – guided by Cyclops.
Beast slipped past the roaming lights. Quick as lightning. The guards barely had time to react as there was a slip of fur, and flash of a claw from above, and they were decked. He pointed the flood-light in a different direction, and the X-Men were able to get past and into the fence.
Post by post, Beast and Wolverine took out the guards silently and efficiently. "Desperate times call for desperate measures," Beast reminded himself. He didn't much like being an assassin – this was far different from sneaking mutant children out from the eyes of their oppressors. This time, they were waging a war on the program itself.
Wolverine on the other hand, was more than enjoying himself. He harboured a lot of wrath – Beast knew of Wolverine's own past, as an experimental Weapon X that had given him those claws and indestructible skeleton, at great cost to his psyche, as Xavier had been able to learn.
He was with them now. "Ahead should be the main compound, I sense many minds within, very busy. Whatever they're about, I sense they're nearing completion."
"You got it, Professor," Cyclops said. He cursed himself. Normally he was their biggest gun, but his power was now useless. He had been counting on his ability to protect the X-Men from Sentinel attack while they sabotaged this operation. As soon as they had what they came for and determined it was safe, the Professor would send Forge with another craft. Scott had reassured the Professor he could do it.
There was thundering boom. The Sentinels had returned – they were trying to cut them off.
But it seemed that at least their timing was excellent – if these were the Sentinels being produced, it spelled doom for mutant-kind. Their powers were all they had to protect them against the massive mutant-hunting robots.
They really needed Forge – someone with some kind of mechanical ability with them.
Still, he could use his powers in other ways. He toppled the towers on them. One was crushed – the other one appeared astonished, if an automaton could be such a thing.
These things had an artificial intelligence, but no real intelligence, nor sympathy. Just programming to hunt and capture, and if necessary, kill mutants. They were mankind's answer against the threat of mutants.
Which really meant, the threat of themselves.
Cowardly and fearful idiots, attempting to combat the literal force of evolution itself. And unfortunately, to that end, the mutants that existed would be a target for their rage and hostility.
He sighed to himself. The Professor and Jean had did their best, attempting to combat ignorance in chambers of politics, hoping to find a peaceful solution to reach an understanding, bridge the gap between mankind and mutants. But humanity was volatile, it seemed, it wasn't as simple as they had hoped – and every day was a struggle.
(*)
They were watching him practice again. Beast was showing them his diagrams on the chart with great enthusiasm.
"It turns out that what he's doing is using the free particles from the quantum foam layer of the universe, using thermal energy to excite new particles, and then attracting molecules to them on a nucleonic level. It's not entirely out of nothing, but it's one percent of a thousand of ordinary mass he's creating new substance with. That's why it gets so cold, it's absorbing ambient energy as it tries to warm up to our space. Somehow it's connected to his ability to control the iron particles in magma in the same way, using them as anchors to attract and manipulate the entire mass. At the very least it's a similar principle."
"Or he's using iron particles in the air or the earth to do it, replicating them with quantum reproduction…" the Professor answered over the communications panel. He was often called over the internal monitor system of the X-Mansion.
Beast agreed. "It's essentially a seed element he uses to replicate it from the quantum foam level. Maybe his magnetic powers excites it molecular energy in some way – we're still doing tests." Beast said.
"For a mutant to exhibit two different powers in this way is almost unheard of – on the surface of it, they have nothing in common. He can create iron magma, or control iron. It strikes me as strange – almost as if they were designed to work together. It doesn't seem natural."
"But on another level it makes perfect sense, it's his ability to create iron that allows him to create the heated magma. His magnetic energy must be what gives it it's incredible thermal energy. And he's mastered this even before mastering his control of iron, utterly subconsciously."
He seemed to be doing it with ease. Creating scaffolding like sand-castles. He focused on it with an intent expression, his hands spread out before him, and it rippled and smoothed out into a smooth disc. He turned and gave a thumbs up with a broad smile.
"Just physics," Beast said proudly to Kitty. "He's letting the atomic motion do the work, as long as he concentrates on flattening it out."
He held it up to inspect it. "A perfect disc. I doubt a machine could do better."
"Prospering under your tutelage, I see," Xavier said, wheeling in. Beast did indeed seem proud.
"Idaho" (or Marcus, if he preferred) was with them soon after.
"There's a whole wing Beast showed me, hasn't been used in years, just a bunch of rubble now. He's going to let me practice – try to rebuild it from scratch using everything I've learned."
She remembered that. It was a mutant's accident with his power that led to its destruction. Explosively. Kind of fitting.
(*)
Later, she entered his room, she wanted to see if he wanted to go to practice with her – she had a session in the Danger Room in about 30 minutes. But he wasn't there.
Kitty frowned as she saw something. Glinting in the dark beside where his bed was. It was a belt of sorts, but it looked unusual. It wasn't something the X-Men used, and she didn't know where he got it from. Maybe it was a personal keep-sake of some kind.
She crept closer, her head hovering just above the floor as she came closer.
"Hello, Kitty."
She froze in shock.
(*)
He spotted an entrance, and dismounting his bike he slowly approached, looking at the sign.
For a moment, the words flashed in front of his eyes and he saw something entirely different. Then he shook his head and looked again, and it was the same as it always was.
Strange.
He entered the facility. He never even felt it as the doors closed around him, and something began hissing in his face. He lapsed into unconsciousness before he even realized what was going on.
(*)
Rogue gasped and looked up. The Sentinels had found them. The encounter was brief, and they only had enough time to glimpse a man, directing the giant robots – who picked up the mutants one by one, subduing them.
Captured, the mutants were brought into the facility.
Here ends part one of "Sentinel Island".
Stay tuned for part two, in two weeks' time.
THE END