X-Men Exiled
Part One- Gone Astray
"Jean, you have to go with the others!"
"No, Scott, I should be with you." Jean Grey, the X-Man known as Phoenix, could feel every hair on her neck sticking straight up. All the X-Men had been called to assist the Shi'ar, a powerful alien empire, fight an evil of unknown origin and capabilities. The fact that Lilandra, Empress of the Shi'ar Empire, had asked them for help had spoken much about the danger they faced. So all the X-Men and their associates had gathered to fight for not only the fate of one galaxy but also two. The battle had been fierce with several casualties. The X-Men were out matched and out numbered. The Shiar galaxy had fallen, and the surviving X-Men had barely escaped hoping they could arrive in time to warn Earth of the coming catastrophe. Two ships carried all that was left of the dream of one man, a dream of peace for all peoples. On one ship were Storm, Cyclops, Psylocke, Iceman, Magma, Moonstar, Bishop, Sunspot, and Gambit. On the second ship were Phoenix, Beast, Angel, Rogue, Cannonball, Thunderbird, Shadowcat, Colossus, and Wolverine along with a seriously injured Charles Xavier, the man with the dream.
"Jean, you have to stay with your ship. The Professor needs you to keep him alive. We'll be right behind you and will see you when we get back home." Cyclops embraced his wife tightly and spoke words of comfort to her through the psychic rapport they shared. Reluctantly, Jean had followed Wolverine into the belly of the ship. As soon as she was in the cockpit, she opened communications to the other ship. "Oriella, this is Onieda. Do you hear me?" Jean waited for a response from the other ship so they could coordinate their flight. The sounds of battle could still be heard outside as the last of the Shiar soldiers sacrificed themselves to give the X-Men time to take off.
"Onieda, Oriella here, reading you loud and clear." Jean looked into her monitor screen with relief as her best friend and soul sister, Ororo Munroe, came into view.
"Ororo, what's our situation? How long until you're ready to take off?"
"Scott's doing some more adjustments in the back, but as soon as he's back we should be ready."
"'Ro, I know this is going to sound weird..." Jean swallowed hard. She knew that what she had to say needed to be said, but she hated to say it."...I've got a bad feeling. One of us isn't going to make it. You have to promise me that after I'm gone you'll make sure Scott moves on with his life. Please, you have to promise that."
Ororo's throat began to constrict and her heart felt like it was in a vise. She wanted desperately assure her dear friend and sister that they were going to be all right, but she could feel it as well. Plus, the memories of their fallen comrades were still fresh in her mind. She had been there when Nightcrawler was shot. She had wanted to tell him how much he meant to her as a brother and a dear sweet friend, but she hadn't been willing to accept that he would die. She had kept giving him false hope as he took his last breath. He had accepted his death with serenity and peace, but she wasn't as strong. His death in her arms had killed a part of her as well. She couldn't stand to lie or pretend with Jean. "Jean, I promise that no matter what. You won't be forgotten. I'll always cherish the time we had. I'll keep Scott going..." her throat threatened to close up on her as she forced the breath to say, "no matter what."
For the following few hours, both ships had maintained open communications, and Jean was starting to feel that perhaps she had been mistaken. She had taken a few trips back to the medical area to check up on Xavier, and he seemed to be stabilized. Wolverine, who had taken control, informed her that they were only two light-years from earth. Her heart started to feel light, but then a sudden violent quaking of the ship sent her diving to the floor. The ship began to heave and ho as if caught in a mad giant's grip. She even pictured the ship being shaken about by a giant gorilla. Too many King Kong Movies, she chided herself. The other X-Men were scrambling about trying to keep things from falling apart. She had been forced to telekinetically cushion a few of them to save them from getting their heads busted open on pieces of metal. It seemed to last for hours, but when the ship finally stopped shaking, she checked her watch. It had only lasted for two minutes. Making her way to the cockpit, Jean went to the communications panel. "Oriella, this is Onieda. Can you read me?" Silence. She flipped the switch again. "Oriella, this is Onieda. Do you hear me?" Leaping over to the other seat, she looked at the radar screen. Where she should have seen a blip to signify another ship, there was nothing. "Hank, Logan, Rogue, I need you up here. Now." she commanded through the internal communications system.
"What's up darlin''?" Logan, the X-Man known as Wolverine, asked in his calm manner.
"It's the ship, Logan, I can't pick it up. Hank, see if you can determine if the navigational or communications systems have been damaged."
"Certainly, Jean. It would be my pleasure." A blue furred hand landed on her shoulder as Hank, the X-Man called Beast, lent her strength. Reaching underneath the control console, he began to pull out wires inspecting for any loose ones.
"What can ah do, Jean," the southern belle known only as Rogue asked from the cockpit door since there was no more room for her in the small area.
"Rogue, I need you to get on a environmental suit and see if you can find the other ship."
"Right, gotcha." Rogue turned and headed to the supplies closet.
"Logan, they can't be gone. They just can't," Logan put his rough hand over hers in comfort and support.
"We can't lose hope. Scotty boy's one helluva fighter."
"Well, be it far from me to be the bearer of bad news, but it appears that our navigation and communication systems are fine."
Jean's heart sank even further. Suddenly, her mind wandered to all the things that have been left unsaid or left undone between her husband and herself. NO!! I will not give up hope, she banished all her negative thoughts aside as she pushed a button that should put her in contact with Rogue, "Any sign of them yet, Rogue."
"Not a figgin' trace. Ah don't like the looks of this. If we weren't the X-Men, ah'd be scared, but the X-Men have gotten out of worse scraps than this."
Jean tried to give herself an encouraging smile, but something in her heart felt ripped open like something was missing that should be there.
"We'll find them, Jeannie. You'll see." Hank said from underneath the cockpit where he was replacing all the wires he pulled apart.
*************************
"I'm afraid this is all we could gather." Colossus stood somberly looking over a few pieces of metal that had once been the ship Oriella. It had been several hours since the turbulence where they had lost contact with the other ship. Hank and Kitty had spent most of the time since then piecing together what had happened.
"That wave that hit us was some kind of space/time wave. From what our records can account, the wave must have hit the other ship straight on. It's a good likelihood that the others didn't even feel it as their ship got pulled apart or exploded." Kitty was trying to be delicate as she explained what obviously had happened. Everyone's heart had begun to get heavier and heavier as the time went on after they had lost contact. Rogue had gone several hundred miles away from their ship looking for the lost vessel. She had reported in immediately with the sighting of the first piece. She had wished with all her might she hadn't had to report finding part of the ship. She had hoped that as long as there was no trace of the ship it meant the others were somehow safe. But now they all had to face the inevitable. Ororo, Remy, Scott, Bobby, Elizabeth, Amara, Bishop and Roberto were gone. She had to force herself to close up in order not to fall apart knowing that Remy was among the fallen. She had given of her whole heart to him. Now he was gone.
The second Jean had heard that there was a piece of the ship found, she had fallen apart completely. Hank had to sedate her to keep her from going into hysterics. It was a testament to all their strengths that they were able to handle things so well. Logan had assumed command and began to make arrangements to resume their course to earth. "We still have a mission and duty to keep, people." he had said scruffly as he sent everyone off to perform different tasks.
"Look alive, people. Earth's straight ahead," Logan remarks as the Ship arrives at earth. Even though their hearts are heavy with sorrow, everyone brightens up at the sight of earth looming below them. "How's Chuck, Hank?"
"He is still in a coma, but I will examine him thoroughly when we arrive at the mansion."
"Vessel, please identify yourself," came a voice over the communications system.
"This is the Starship Oriella. We come in peace." Logan looked at Jean and Hank questioningly. Since when does earth have a patrol? he wonders as he waits for instructions.
"Logan? Wolverine? Is that you?" Came a soft, firm feminine voice.
"That depends on who I'm speakin' to," Logan replies as a lifetime of experience cautions him to be careful.
"It's Carol. Carol Danvers? God, where have you been? Are the other X-Men with you?"
"Carol? Yeah, I've got some X-Men with me. What's going on? Why is there a patrol around earth?"
"Oh, gosh!! We thought you were gone. I can't wait to see you. I'm instructing my crewman to transport two of you over here. Give me your coordinates."
Logan's eyes grew wide. "Uh, okay, lock onto me and Jean. I'll punch in our coordinates." his fingers flashed over the keyboard and almost immediately they were standing in a huge room aboard a ship. Logan, his animal instincts kicking into gear, looks all around with alertness.
"Oh, Logan, it is you." Carol steps forward a few steps still twenty feet from Logan and Jean. Her hair cut short and lines appear on her face where Logan was not aware there were any. It is then that he noticed the yellow glow around the room. They've got them behind a force field.
"Carol? What's going on?" Jean walks tentatively up to the forcefield which shimmers at her touch with a zapping sound.
A few of the officers standing behind the former Avenger Ms. Marvel/Warbird, but she lifts her hand to indicate that she has things under control. When she stepped a little closer, Logan noticed her legs shimmered as if coated with metal.
"Logan, Jean, how long have you been gone?" Carol looked over them analyzing. She could tell from just a glance that neither Jean or Logan looked a day older than she last saw them. With Logan, she wouldn't really know since his powers make it so hard to determine his actual age, but Jean's face, skin, and body appearance aren't showing signs of significant aging.
"It's been a few weeks. Carol, what is going on! I want to know now." Jean commanded in a voice that was unusual for her.
"A few weeks? How's that possible?" Carol looked down at the floor while the gears in her head started to churn. "The X-Men were reported missing 20 years ago!"
To Be Continued: The surviving X-Men have to deal with more surprises than they were prepared for as they learn that even if it would be hard for them to return to their lives after two decades, hey can never return!!
Part One- Gone Astray
"Jean, you have to go with the others!"
"No, Scott, I should be with you." Jean Grey, the X-Man known as Phoenix, could feel every hair on her neck sticking straight up. All the X-Men had been called to assist the Shi'ar, a powerful alien empire, fight an evil of unknown origin and capabilities. The fact that Lilandra, Empress of the Shi'ar Empire, had asked them for help had spoken much about the danger they faced. So all the X-Men and their associates had gathered to fight for not only the fate of one galaxy but also two. The battle had been fierce with several casualties. The X-Men were out matched and out numbered. The Shiar galaxy had fallen, and the surviving X-Men had barely escaped hoping they could arrive in time to warn Earth of the coming catastrophe. Two ships carried all that was left of the dream of one man, a dream of peace for all peoples. On one ship were Storm, Cyclops, Psylocke, Iceman, Magma, Moonstar, Bishop, Sunspot, and Gambit. On the second ship were Phoenix, Beast, Angel, Rogue, Cannonball, Thunderbird, Shadowcat, Colossus, and Wolverine along with a seriously injured Charles Xavier, the man with the dream.
"Jean, you have to stay with your ship. The Professor needs you to keep him alive. We'll be right behind you and will see you when we get back home." Cyclops embraced his wife tightly and spoke words of comfort to her through the psychic rapport they shared. Reluctantly, Jean had followed Wolverine into the belly of the ship. As soon as she was in the cockpit, she opened communications to the other ship. "Oriella, this is Onieda. Do you hear me?" Jean waited for a response from the other ship so they could coordinate their flight. The sounds of battle could still be heard outside as the last of the Shiar soldiers sacrificed themselves to give the X-Men time to take off.
"Onieda, Oriella here, reading you loud and clear." Jean looked into her monitor screen with relief as her best friend and soul sister, Ororo Munroe, came into view.
"Ororo, what's our situation? How long until you're ready to take off?"
"Scott's doing some more adjustments in the back, but as soon as he's back we should be ready."
"'Ro, I know this is going to sound weird..." Jean swallowed hard. She knew that what she had to say needed to be said, but she hated to say it."...I've got a bad feeling. One of us isn't going to make it. You have to promise me that after I'm gone you'll make sure Scott moves on with his life. Please, you have to promise that."
Ororo's throat began to constrict and her heart felt like it was in a vise. She wanted desperately assure her dear friend and sister that they were going to be all right, but she could feel it as well. Plus, the memories of their fallen comrades were still fresh in her mind. She had been there when Nightcrawler was shot. She had wanted to tell him how much he meant to her as a brother and a dear sweet friend, but she hadn't been willing to accept that he would die. She had kept giving him false hope as he took his last breath. He had accepted his death with serenity and peace, but she wasn't as strong. His death in her arms had killed a part of her as well. She couldn't stand to lie or pretend with Jean. "Jean, I promise that no matter what. You won't be forgotten. I'll always cherish the time we had. I'll keep Scott going..." her throat threatened to close up on her as she forced the breath to say, "no matter what."
For the following few hours, both ships had maintained open communications, and Jean was starting to feel that perhaps she had been mistaken. She had taken a few trips back to the medical area to check up on Xavier, and he seemed to be stabilized. Wolverine, who had taken control, informed her that they were only two light-years from earth. Her heart started to feel light, but then a sudden violent quaking of the ship sent her diving to the floor. The ship began to heave and ho as if caught in a mad giant's grip. She even pictured the ship being shaken about by a giant gorilla. Too many King Kong Movies, she chided herself. The other X-Men were scrambling about trying to keep things from falling apart. She had been forced to telekinetically cushion a few of them to save them from getting their heads busted open on pieces of metal. It seemed to last for hours, but when the ship finally stopped shaking, she checked her watch. It had only lasted for two minutes. Making her way to the cockpit, Jean went to the communications panel. "Oriella, this is Onieda. Can you read me?" Silence. She flipped the switch again. "Oriella, this is Onieda. Do you hear me?" Leaping over to the other seat, she looked at the radar screen. Where she should have seen a blip to signify another ship, there was nothing. "Hank, Logan, Rogue, I need you up here. Now." she commanded through the internal communications system.
"What's up darlin''?" Logan, the X-Man known as Wolverine, asked in his calm manner.
"It's the ship, Logan, I can't pick it up. Hank, see if you can determine if the navigational or communications systems have been damaged."
"Certainly, Jean. It would be my pleasure." A blue furred hand landed on her shoulder as Hank, the X-Man called Beast, lent her strength. Reaching underneath the control console, he began to pull out wires inspecting for any loose ones.
"What can ah do, Jean," the southern belle known only as Rogue asked from the cockpit door since there was no more room for her in the small area.
"Rogue, I need you to get on a environmental suit and see if you can find the other ship."
"Right, gotcha." Rogue turned and headed to the supplies closet.
"Logan, they can't be gone. They just can't," Logan put his rough hand over hers in comfort and support.
"We can't lose hope. Scotty boy's one helluva fighter."
"Well, be it far from me to be the bearer of bad news, but it appears that our navigation and communication systems are fine."
Jean's heart sank even further. Suddenly, her mind wandered to all the things that have been left unsaid or left undone between her husband and herself. NO!! I will not give up hope, she banished all her negative thoughts aside as she pushed a button that should put her in contact with Rogue, "Any sign of them yet, Rogue."
"Not a figgin' trace. Ah don't like the looks of this. If we weren't the X-Men, ah'd be scared, but the X-Men have gotten out of worse scraps than this."
Jean tried to give herself an encouraging smile, but something in her heart felt ripped open like something was missing that should be there.
"We'll find them, Jeannie. You'll see." Hank said from underneath the cockpit where he was replacing all the wires he pulled apart.
*************************
"I'm afraid this is all we could gather." Colossus stood somberly looking over a few pieces of metal that had once been the ship Oriella. It had been several hours since the turbulence where they had lost contact with the other ship. Hank and Kitty had spent most of the time since then piecing together what had happened.
"That wave that hit us was some kind of space/time wave. From what our records can account, the wave must have hit the other ship straight on. It's a good likelihood that the others didn't even feel it as their ship got pulled apart or exploded." Kitty was trying to be delicate as she explained what obviously had happened. Everyone's heart had begun to get heavier and heavier as the time went on after they had lost contact. Rogue had gone several hundred miles away from their ship looking for the lost vessel. She had reported in immediately with the sighting of the first piece. She had wished with all her might she hadn't had to report finding part of the ship. She had hoped that as long as there was no trace of the ship it meant the others were somehow safe. But now they all had to face the inevitable. Ororo, Remy, Scott, Bobby, Elizabeth, Amara, Bishop and Roberto were gone. She had to force herself to close up in order not to fall apart knowing that Remy was among the fallen. She had given of her whole heart to him. Now he was gone.
The second Jean had heard that there was a piece of the ship found, she had fallen apart completely. Hank had to sedate her to keep her from going into hysterics. It was a testament to all their strengths that they were able to handle things so well. Logan had assumed command and began to make arrangements to resume their course to earth. "We still have a mission and duty to keep, people." he had said scruffly as he sent everyone off to perform different tasks.
"Look alive, people. Earth's straight ahead," Logan remarks as the Ship arrives at earth. Even though their hearts are heavy with sorrow, everyone brightens up at the sight of earth looming below them. "How's Chuck, Hank?"
"He is still in a coma, but I will examine him thoroughly when we arrive at the mansion."
"Vessel, please identify yourself," came a voice over the communications system.
"This is the Starship Oriella. We come in peace." Logan looked at Jean and Hank questioningly. Since when does earth have a patrol? he wonders as he waits for instructions.
"Logan? Wolverine? Is that you?" Came a soft, firm feminine voice.
"That depends on who I'm speakin' to," Logan replies as a lifetime of experience cautions him to be careful.
"It's Carol. Carol Danvers? God, where have you been? Are the other X-Men with you?"
"Carol? Yeah, I've got some X-Men with me. What's going on? Why is there a patrol around earth?"
"Oh, gosh!! We thought you were gone. I can't wait to see you. I'm instructing my crewman to transport two of you over here. Give me your coordinates."
Logan's eyes grew wide. "Uh, okay, lock onto me and Jean. I'll punch in our coordinates." his fingers flashed over the keyboard and almost immediately they were standing in a huge room aboard a ship. Logan, his animal instincts kicking into gear, looks all around with alertness.
"Oh, Logan, it is you." Carol steps forward a few steps still twenty feet from Logan and Jean. Her hair cut short and lines appear on her face where Logan was not aware there were any. It is then that he noticed the yellow glow around the room. They've got them behind a force field.
"Carol? What's going on?" Jean walks tentatively up to the forcefield which shimmers at her touch with a zapping sound.
A few of the officers standing behind the former Avenger Ms. Marvel/Warbird, but she lifts her hand to indicate that she has things under control. When she stepped a little closer, Logan noticed her legs shimmered as if coated with metal.
"Logan, Jean, how long have you been gone?" Carol looked over them analyzing. She could tell from just a glance that neither Jean or Logan looked a day older than she last saw them. With Logan, she wouldn't really know since his powers make it so hard to determine his actual age, but Jean's face, skin, and body appearance aren't showing signs of significant aging.
"It's been a few weeks. Carol, what is going on! I want to know now." Jean commanded in a voice that was unusual for her.
"A few weeks? How's that possible?" Carol looked down at the floor while the gears in her head started to churn. "The X-Men were reported missing 20 years ago!"
To Be Continued: The surviving X-Men have to deal with more surprises than they were prepared for as they learn that even if it would be hard for them to return to their lives after two decades, hey can never return!!