Chapter 6; Avalon
On the space station of Avalon two very evil men stood on the control deck discussing. A figure was dressed in crimson armour and a helmet in the same colour. He leant to Sinister and said, "Her resistance to the mind mutant is considerable. It will be ages before we can extract any information from her."
A lowly officer headed to Darth Magneto and Sinister.
"The final check outs are completed. Systems are operating at 100 per cent. What course shall we set?"
"Maybe the princess will respond to alternative persuasion," Sinister said to Magneto. To the officer he said, "Set your course for Westchester." The officer nodded and left the room.
In a small hangar where Gambit's ship the 'Blackbird' stood. A fat slug- like creature slithered around the hangar. It went up to the boarding ramp and yelled up it.
"LeBeau! LeBeau! I know you're in there LeBeau," yelled the creature.
"Right here Mojo. Bin waitin' for you," said Gambit stepping into the hangar.
"Remy my boy," Mojo said clasping a podgy hand on Gambit's shoulder. "Why haven't you paid me?"
"I have the money. Just give me a little more time and I can pay you back plus a little extra," said Gambit taking Mojo's hand off of his shoulder.
"An extra twenty percent will do just fine," said Mojo.
"Fifteen Mojo. Don't push it," said Gambit heading to the boarding ramp of his ship. He was almost to the top of the ramp when he turned and said, "Oh and next time you want me Mojo. Come and get my yourself, don't send one of these goons," Gambit indicated to Mojo's men surrounding him. Gambit then turned and carried on up the ramp followed by his blue friend, Beast. Mojo drew himself up and slithered out of the hangar bay.
A short while later Scott, the mutants and Obi Wan Xavier turned up at the docking bay. Beast stood waiting for them at the entrance beckoning them to come in. Scott hurried into the docking bay with Beast hustling them along. Scott turned the corner to behold the sight of Gambit's ship the 'Blackbird'.
"It's a piece of beauty," said Scott.
"And it's got it where it counts, kid. It can make .5 past light speed. I've made some special modifications myself," said Gambit bragging.
"Now if you'll all get on board. We're in a hurry," said Gambit. Xavier nodded and followed Beast up the ramp and into the depths of the ship. Scott hurried after Xavier.
"Hello, sir," said C-Warlock following his master up the ramp. Gambit rolled his glowing red eyes in reply. Gambit was about to climb into his ship when a group of armoured Acolytes rush into the hangar.
"Stop that ship!" yelled one of them. Several of the troops shoot at Remy with several blasts of raw energy. Gambit ducked from a few and threw a few energised cards back at them. Gambit then turned and ran up the ramp, closing it behind him.
In the cockpit of the Blackbird Gambit plonked himself in the pilot seat next to Beast who sat in the co-pilot's chair. Several of the Acolytes start to approach the ship when it suddenly took off in a blast of white- hot flames. The ship rose steadily out of the atmosphere of the desert planet and into the coldness of space. Gambit stared out of the window of the cockpit to see a huge spaceship that dwarfed the Blackbird many times over.
"It's a Brotherhood cruiser. De passengers of ours must be more trouble dan we thought. Try and hold dem, while I try and make de jump to light speed," said Gambit. Scott and Xavier entered the small cockpit and sat down in the two spare seats behind Beast and Gambit.
"Watch out Beast. Two more of dem comin' in fast," said the captain.
"Why don't you outrun them? I thought this ship was fast," said Scott.
"Watch your mouth, kid. You might find yourself floatin' home," replied Gambit. "Go strap yourselves in. Dis is goin' to get bumpy."
The Blackbird then with a silent bang zoomed into hyperspace.
Avalon hovered above the peaceful planet of Westchester. In the control room Sinister watched the planet below with his sub-ordinate Darth Magneto standing behind him. A group of Acolytes entered the control room dragging with them their prisoner; Princess Rogue.
"Governor Sinister. Ah should have recognised yah foul stench when ah was brought on board," said Rogue.
"Charmed. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life," said Sinister, the red triangle on his forehead glinting in the console's flickering lights.
"Ah'm surprised you had the courage to do it yourself," said the princess with a slight southern accent.
"Open the viewer," Sinister said to a nearby officer. A large metal panel shifted at the front of the room to reveal the inky blackness of space with a tiny blue orb hanging in the starry sky.
"Westchester," gasped Rogue.
"Since you will not reveal to us the location of the X men's base, we will destroy the planet below unless you care to tell us the planet," explained Sinister. Rogue glanced at the floor but when she raised her head, her face was set in a grave expression.
"Genosha! They're on Genosha," said the princess. Sinister nodded smiling to Magneto.
"Fire when ready!"
"What?"
"You're far to trusting. Genosha is too out of the way to make an effective example. But do not worry. We shall deal with the X men soon enough," said Sinister.
"NO!" screamed Rogue.
On the outside of the space station no change came over Avalon until a beam of bright red energy shot out of a small dent in the armoured station. The beam hit the planet below in a silent explosion and a great flash of light. All who looked on at the explosion where temporarily blinded by the flash. When their vision returned the blue planet of Westchester was no more.
On the starship known as the 'Blackbird' Scott Sumwalker was being coached by the old X man known as Obi Wan Xavier. Scott wore his visor and was supposed to blast a training remote, which floated through the air using air jets. Scott glances at his teacher who almost faints to the metallic floor of the ship.
"Are you alright?" said Scott anxiously.
"I felt a great disturbance in the psysphere," said Xavier.
"What's the psysphere?"
"It is the network of minds that binds the galaxy together. I think something terrible has happened."
Gambit strode into the room as if he owned the place (which he did).
"You can forget about de Brotherhood. I told you we would outrun dem."
Scott left Xavier's side and headed back to his training. Gambit glances over to the games table to see C-Warlock, R2-Jube2 and Beast playing a game of snakes and ladders. Jube2 rolled the dice and came out with a six. Jube2 moved her counter six places and came to the finish line. Beast roared at the small mutant.
"I made a fair move. Roaring won't help," said Jube2.
"Forget about it. It's not wise to upset a blue, hairy, roaring mutant," said Gambit.
Scott was still training with little luck. He couldn't hit the fast little remote.
"Remember a mutant can feel his power flowing through him," said Xavier.
"You mean it controls your action?" asked Scott.
"Only your optic blasts, the rest of your body is up to you." The remote moves to Scott's knee height and shoots out a small red beam of energy. Scott yelped. Gambit laughed.
"Stupid training and silly weapons are no contest for a deck o' cards at my side," said Gambit.
"Try it again Scott," said Xavier. "Now close your eyes."
"With my eyes closed I can't use my optic blasts. How am I supposed to fight?"
"Your power may deceive you. Only occasionally trust it," said Xavier. Scott nodded and raised his head. Gambit shook his head and grinned. The remote zoomed back into the air. The remote then shot out five different blasts of energy at Scott. Scott yelped and his hand shot out to slap the remote. The remote clattered to the floor.
"See you can do it," said Xavier.
"Luck!"
"In my experience there's no such thing as luck!" said Xavier.
"Look, good in training is one ding but good against real people is somethin' else," said Gambit. A small siren goes off. "Looks like we're almost to Westchester."
Gambit and Beast get up and head to the cockpit.
On the space station called Avalon two very evil men sit in one of the meeting room receiving a very displeasing report.
"Our troops reached the planet of Genosha and found the remains of a X men's base but it has been deserted for some time," said an officer who then bowed and exited the room before Magneto or Sinister could get they're hands on him.
"She lied," said Sinister.
"I told you she would never purposely betray the X men," said Magneto, silently grinning behind the cover of his helmet.
"Terminate her immediately," said Sinister angrily.
Out in deep space the Blackbird appears suddenly as it comes out of hyperspace. Small meteors then suddenly bombard the ship.
"What's going on?" asked Scott.
"We're in de right place but Westchester isn't," said Gambit annoyed.
"Where is it?" asked Gambit.
"Destroyed.by the Brotherhood," said Xavier mysteriously.
"De entire fleet couldn't destroy dat planet. Not even a thousand ships with." said Gambit broken off by a large object suddenly appearing on the radar. "At least Westchester's moon is still dere." Beast then roared something at Remy.
"Hey you're right Westchester don't have no moon!" said Gambit.
"If they don't have a moon then what is that?" said Scott.
"It's a space station!" said Xavier.
"Too big to be a space station," said Gambit.
"Turn this ship around," said Xavier.
"Yeah I dink you're right. Beast full reverse."
"Why are we still moving towards it?" asked Scott getting slightly frantic.
"We must be caught in a tractor beam. I'm gonna have to shut down," said Gambit.
The space station then came into sight of the ship. The Blackbird was slowly carried towards it. A hangar bay opened. Its massive metal doors opened to admit the small black ship. The blackbird landed by itself with no help from the captain. The huge bay doors then clanged shut with a loud boom that to Gambit sounded a lot like a death bell!
On the space station of Avalon two very evil men stood on the control deck discussing. A figure was dressed in crimson armour and a helmet in the same colour. He leant to Sinister and said, "Her resistance to the mind mutant is considerable. It will be ages before we can extract any information from her."
A lowly officer headed to Darth Magneto and Sinister.
"The final check outs are completed. Systems are operating at 100 per cent. What course shall we set?"
"Maybe the princess will respond to alternative persuasion," Sinister said to Magneto. To the officer he said, "Set your course for Westchester." The officer nodded and left the room.
In a small hangar where Gambit's ship the 'Blackbird' stood. A fat slug- like creature slithered around the hangar. It went up to the boarding ramp and yelled up it.
"LeBeau! LeBeau! I know you're in there LeBeau," yelled the creature.
"Right here Mojo. Bin waitin' for you," said Gambit stepping into the hangar.
"Remy my boy," Mojo said clasping a podgy hand on Gambit's shoulder. "Why haven't you paid me?"
"I have the money. Just give me a little more time and I can pay you back plus a little extra," said Gambit taking Mojo's hand off of his shoulder.
"An extra twenty percent will do just fine," said Mojo.
"Fifteen Mojo. Don't push it," said Gambit heading to the boarding ramp of his ship. He was almost to the top of the ramp when he turned and said, "Oh and next time you want me Mojo. Come and get my yourself, don't send one of these goons," Gambit indicated to Mojo's men surrounding him. Gambit then turned and carried on up the ramp followed by his blue friend, Beast. Mojo drew himself up and slithered out of the hangar bay.
A short while later Scott, the mutants and Obi Wan Xavier turned up at the docking bay. Beast stood waiting for them at the entrance beckoning them to come in. Scott hurried into the docking bay with Beast hustling them along. Scott turned the corner to behold the sight of Gambit's ship the 'Blackbird'.
"It's a piece of beauty," said Scott.
"And it's got it where it counts, kid. It can make .5 past light speed. I've made some special modifications myself," said Gambit bragging.
"Now if you'll all get on board. We're in a hurry," said Gambit. Xavier nodded and followed Beast up the ramp and into the depths of the ship. Scott hurried after Xavier.
"Hello, sir," said C-Warlock following his master up the ramp. Gambit rolled his glowing red eyes in reply. Gambit was about to climb into his ship when a group of armoured Acolytes rush into the hangar.
"Stop that ship!" yelled one of them. Several of the troops shoot at Remy with several blasts of raw energy. Gambit ducked from a few and threw a few energised cards back at them. Gambit then turned and ran up the ramp, closing it behind him.
In the cockpit of the Blackbird Gambit plonked himself in the pilot seat next to Beast who sat in the co-pilot's chair. Several of the Acolytes start to approach the ship when it suddenly took off in a blast of white- hot flames. The ship rose steadily out of the atmosphere of the desert planet and into the coldness of space. Gambit stared out of the window of the cockpit to see a huge spaceship that dwarfed the Blackbird many times over.
"It's a Brotherhood cruiser. De passengers of ours must be more trouble dan we thought. Try and hold dem, while I try and make de jump to light speed," said Gambit. Scott and Xavier entered the small cockpit and sat down in the two spare seats behind Beast and Gambit.
"Watch out Beast. Two more of dem comin' in fast," said the captain.
"Why don't you outrun them? I thought this ship was fast," said Scott.
"Watch your mouth, kid. You might find yourself floatin' home," replied Gambit. "Go strap yourselves in. Dis is goin' to get bumpy."
The Blackbird then with a silent bang zoomed into hyperspace.
Avalon hovered above the peaceful planet of Westchester. In the control room Sinister watched the planet below with his sub-ordinate Darth Magneto standing behind him. A group of Acolytes entered the control room dragging with them their prisoner; Princess Rogue.
"Governor Sinister. Ah should have recognised yah foul stench when ah was brought on board," said Rogue.
"Charmed. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life," said Sinister, the red triangle on his forehead glinting in the console's flickering lights.
"Ah'm surprised you had the courage to do it yourself," said the princess with a slight southern accent.
"Open the viewer," Sinister said to a nearby officer. A large metal panel shifted at the front of the room to reveal the inky blackness of space with a tiny blue orb hanging in the starry sky.
"Westchester," gasped Rogue.
"Since you will not reveal to us the location of the X men's base, we will destroy the planet below unless you care to tell us the planet," explained Sinister. Rogue glanced at the floor but when she raised her head, her face was set in a grave expression.
"Genosha! They're on Genosha," said the princess. Sinister nodded smiling to Magneto.
"Fire when ready!"
"What?"
"You're far to trusting. Genosha is too out of the way to make an effective example. But do not worry. We shall deal with the X men soon enough," said Sinister.
"NO!" screamed Rogue.
On the outside of the space station no change came over Avalon until a beam of bright red energy shot out of a small dent in the armoured station. The beam hit the planet below in a silent explosion and a great flash of light. All who looked on at the explosion where temporarily blinded by the flash. When their vision returned the blue planet of Westchester was no more.
On the starship known as the 'Blackbird' Scott Sumwalker was being coached by the old X man known as Obi Wan Xavier. Scott wore his visor and was supposed to blast a training remote, which floated through the air using air jets. Scott glances at his teacher who almost faints to the metallic floor of the ship.
"Are you alright?" said Scott anxiously.
"I felt a great disturbance in the psysphere," said Xavier.
"What's the psysphere?"
"It is the network of minds that binds the galaxy together. I think something terrible has happened."
Gambit strode into the room as if he owned the place (which he did).
"You can forget about de Brotherhood. I told you we would outrun dem."
Scott left Xavier's side and headed back to his training. Gambit glances over to the games table to see C-Warlock, R2-Jube2 and Beast playing a game of snakes and ladders. Jube2 rolled the dice and came out with a six. Jube2 moved her counter six places and came to the finish line. Beast roared at the small mutant.
"I made a fair move. Roaring won't help," said Jube2.
"Forget about it. It's not wise to upset a blue, hairy, roaring mutant," said Gambit.
Scott was still training with little luck. He couldn't hit the fast little remote.
"Remember a mutant can feel his power flowing through him," said Xavier.
"You mean it controls your action?" asked Scott.
"Only your optic blasts, the rest of your body is up to you." The remote moves to Scott's knee height and shoots out a small red beam of energy. Scott yelped. Gambit laughed.
"Stupid training and silly weapons are no contest for a deck o' cards at my side," said Gambit.
"Try it again Scott," said Xavier. "Now close your eyes."
"With my eyes closed I can't use my optic blasts. How am I supposed to fight?"
"Your power may deceive you. Only occasionally trust it," said Xavier. Scott nodded and raised his head. Gambit shook his head and grinned. The remote zoomed back into the air. The remote then shot out five different blasts of energy at Scott. Scott yelped and his hand shot out to slap the remote. The remote clattered to the floor.
"See you can do it," said Xavier.
"Luck!"
"In my experience there's no such thing as luck!" said Xavier.
"Look, good in training is one ding but good against real people is somethin' else," said Gambit. A small siren goes off. "Looks like we're almost to Westchester."
Gambit and Beast get up and head to the cockpit.
On the space station called Avalon two very evil men sit in one of the meeting room receiving a very displeasing report.
"Our troops reached the planet of Genosha and found the remains of a X men's base but it has been deserted for some time," said an officer who then bowed and exited the room before Magneto or Sinister could get they're hands on him.
"She lied," said Sinister.
"I told you she would never purposely betray the X men," said Magneto, silently grinning behind the cover of his helmet.
"Terminate her immediately," said Sinister angrily.
Out in deep space the Blackbird appears suddenly as it comes out of hyperspace. Small meteors then suddenly bombard the ship.
"What's going on?" asked Scott.
"We're in de right place but Westchester isn't," said Gambit annoyed.
"Where is it?" asked Gambit.
"Destroyed.by the Brotherhood," said Xavier mysteriously.
"De entire fleet couldn't destroy dat planet. Not even a thousand ships with." said Gambit broken off by a large object suddenly appearing on the radar. "At least Westchester's moon is still dere." Beast then roared something at Remy.
"Hey you're right Westchester don't have no moon!" said Gambit.
"If they don't have a moon then what is that?" said Scott.
"It's a space station!" said Xavier.
"Too big to be a space station," said Gambit.
"Turn this ship around," said Xavier.
"Yeah I dink you're right. Beast full reverse."
"Why are we still moving towards it?" asked Scott getting slightly frantic.
"We must be caught in a tractor beam. I'm gonna have to shut down," said Gambit.
The space station then came into sight of the ship. The Blackbird was slowly carried towards it. A hangar bay opened. Its massive metal doors opened to admit the small black ship. The blackbird landed by itself with no help from the captain. The huge bay doors then clanged shut with a loud boom that to Gambit sounded a lot like a death bell!
