Uncanny New X-Men
Chapter 29: Scott and Jean's Savage Land Adventure- Part 2
By
The Uncanny R-Man
Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to Marvel Comics.
The Savage Land-
Scott and the other X-Men were enjoying dinner with Ka-Zar and Shanna. The quartet of mutant heroes had decided to head over to the prehistoric utopia to catch up with old friends.
'Mmm, this stuff is delicious.' Scott complimented their hosts as he tucked into his dinner. 'What is it? I take it you can't just head off to the store and get a roast.'
'It's mammoth.' Shanna explained. 'You'd be surprised how many uses you could find for a mammoth. Their pelts make wonderfully comfortable blankets, and their bones can be used to support our huts. Like scaffolding.'
'Ah, yes.' Hank nodded. 'Like Native Americans and plains bison. They too found many uses for the large indigenous beasts, whereas the white settlers just hunted them for food which then led to their almost extinction.'
'Are you going to eat your dinner or lecture us on the morality of hunting indigenous species, darling?' Emma sighed.
'I was merely making a point, dear.' Hank said.
'It must have taken quite some time to capture one of these things.' Jean said. 'How did you do it?'
'Hunting mammoth is quite easy once you find out how.' Ka-Zar explained. 'First of all you corner a mammoth at the edge of a cliff. Once the mammoth topples over the edge you finish it off with a boulder to the head.'
'Perhaps I shouldn't have asked.' Jean grimaced as she pushed her plate away.
'How are things with Brainchild and the Mutates?' Hank enquired, hoping to change the subject. 'I trust that he isn't causing you too much trouble.'
'Brainchild has been too quiet for my wife's liking.' Ka-Zar explained. 'I'm perfectly happy to sit back and relax.'
'You know that this means, don't you?' Scott asked. 'He's obviously planning something.'
'Oh Scott, no…' Jean groaned into her hands. 'We came here to take some time off, not go out looking for trouble.'
'Come on, Jean.' Scott smiled at his wife. 'You didn't actually think that we'd have a quiet vacation, did you?'
'You have to admit that Scott is correct, Jean.' Hank added his two cents. 'Trouble does seem to follow us around.'
'I know I'm going to regret this, but I doubt there's anything I can do to stop you.' Jean sighed heavily. 'Let's go and see what the Mutates are up to then…'
Mutate Citadel-
The quartet of X-Men and their hosts had taken cover on a hillside overlooking the citadel that the Savage Land Mutates used as their base of operations. Fortunately, there was no sign of the Mutates. Unfortunately, that didn't mean that the Savage Land was free of trouble.
'I knew things had been too quiet.' Shanna thought out loud. 'Those armed men are forcing the natives to mine vibranium.'
'Surely SHIELD has put sanctions on such things.' Emma said. 'Those men can't just waltz into the Savage Land and force the natives to work for them.'
'Look closer, Emma…' Hank said as he handed the blonde telepath his binoculars. 'Their green-and-yellow uniforms identify those men as agents of HYDRA.'
'Why would HYDRA want to mine for vibranium anyway?' Jean asked.
'Vibranium is extremely rare, Jean.' Hank reminded the redheaded telepath. 'The only other major deposit is in Wakanda, which makes it even harder to obtain.'
'Not to mention its unique energy-absorbing property.' Scott added. 'That stuff is what makes Captain America's shield indestructible.'
'Who cares?' Shanna shrugged. 'We have to stop those men.'
'And I have just the solution to that problem.' Scott smiled.
'Scott, I don't like it when you smile like that.' Jean groaned. 'You're planning something stupid, aren't you?'
'All I'm going to do is create a diversion.' Scott explained. 'Ka-Zar, where's the nearest tyrannosaur nest?'
'Several miles to the East.' The Lord of the Savage Land answered. 'Why, what are you planning?'
'Everything will soon make sense.' Scott answered cryptically. 'Wait until Hank and I cause our distraction, then we'll take care of these HYDRA guys.'
'What do you mean our distraction, Scott?' Hank spluttered. 'I want no part of this plan! I shudder to think what you have planned, therefore I wish to have no part of it.'
'Oh come on, Hank.' Scott grinned. 'Live a little, will you?'
Several miles eastwards-
Scott and Hank were carefully creeping towards an area of the Savage Land that tyrannosaurs used for nesting. Hank was still against the plan.
'Scott, I believe that this situation calls for me to a paraphrase a well known phrase, should we not let sleeping tyrannosaurs lie? No good can come of this.'
'You worry too much, Hank.' Scott reassured his friend. 'If worst comes to worst, Jean's there to grab us.'
'Before or after we become a giant lizard's entrée?' Hank sighed.
'Now, shush.' Scott hushed his friend. 'When I say run, run okay?'
'I cannot believe that I allowed myself to be talked into this.' Hank muttered to himself.
Scott stopped before a clearing where he saw a pair of slumbering tyrannosaurs. The X-Men's fearless leader held his hand up to his visor to prepare for an optic blast.
ZZRAKT!
The optic blasts hit the larger of the tyrannosaurs on the thigh. The giant lizard began to stir from its slumber. Needless to say it wasn't best pleased at being disturbed.
'ROOAAARRR!!'
Scott turned back to Hank.
'Run!' Scott yelled as he ran off in the direction of the HYDRA mining operation
Hank didn't need to be told twice as he too ran as fast as his furry legs could carry him.
Back at the HYDRA Mining Operation-
Two guards stood watching the Savage Land primitives mine for vibranium.
'Hey man, I don't suppose you know why we're having the locals mine this stuff, do you?' Agent Number One asked.
'Like I know.' Agent Number Two shrugged. 'Nobody ever tells us minions anything. Our job is to do as we're told and make sure that the locals don't cause trouble.'
One of the primitives let out a tired grunt as he fell to his knees.
'Hey, get up!' Agent Number Two ordered as he hit the primitive with the butt of his rifle.
DOOM! DOOM! DOOM!
'What was that?' Agent Number One blinked in confusion.
Agent Number Two turned in the direction of the sound just in time to see Cyclops and Beast charge through the undergrowth.
'It's the X-Men!' The HYDRA agent yelled. 'Get them!'
Much to the two agents' surprise, the two X-Men ran right past them.
'What the hell…?' Agent Number Two blinked.
The agent soon got his answer as two rather angry tyrannosaurs came charging through the undergrowth after the X-Men.
'ROOAAARRR!!'
'Holy crap!' Agent Number One yelled. 'Open fire! Open fire!'
BRATTATTATTA!!
Agent Number Two did as he was told and opened fire on the two tyrannosaurs. Unfortunately for them, the barrage of bullets bounce harmlessly off the creature's leathery skin. Being shot at by puny humans only angered them even more.
'ROOOOAAAAARRRRR!!' The female tyrannosaur roared as she picked up Agent Number Two in her jaws.
CHOMP!
Agent Number One had seen enough and ran away as fast as he could. Unfortunately for him, the male tyrannosaur was right behind him.
DOOM!
The male tyrannosaur squashed the agent under his foot and charged towards the rest of the HYDRA goons.
Up on top of the hill, Ka-Zar, Shanna, and the X-Men were watching the whole thing. Fortunately, Jean had been ready to pull Scott and Hank out of trouble with her telekinesis.
'I have to admit, that was a pretty cunning plan, Scott.' Ka-Zar admitted. 'Lure some angry tyrannosaurs to the mining complex and get them to do our work for us.'
'I almost feel guilty.' Shanna admitted. 'Setting those creatures on those poor men.'
'Those poor men are agents of HYDRA, darling.' Emma pointed out. 'God knows what sort of evil deeds they were planning to use that vibranium for. They deserve everything they receive.'
'You do realise that we interrupted dinner for this, don't you?' Jean reminded everybody.
'Don't tell me that you've changed your mind about eating mammoth, Jean.' Scott said.
'Nothing of the sort.' Jean laughed. 'I want to see what we have for dessert!
TBC…
Next: Say Uncle
It's up to Alex and Bobby to baby-sit little Rachel and Christian when their parents go out for the night. Nothing could possibly go wrong… could it?
