Phelan's Grunts

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel Universe or any characters that originated there, I just own the Grunts

Notes: Same as in chapter 1

Beginnings - chapter-4

February 2000

"Atlanta, Huston."

Huston, Atlanta."

"How's it going guys?"

Mission commander John Phillips looks out the shuttle's window at the two astronauts working on the satellite. "Sam, Greg, how you guys doing?"

Samuel Franklin snaps the cover plate of the section he had been working back into place. "I'm done John. Greg how you doing?"

Gregory Armstrong, a cousin to Neil Armstrong first man to walk on the moon, still isn't finished with his repairs. "I got a little bit to go."

"Is there a problem Greg? Your mission profile shows you should have finished before Sam."

"Well I'm sorry about the profile, but these screws are smaller than what I've been working with in the simulator."

"That's a negative Greg. They are the same"

"Greg, just relax man." Sam slowly floats around to where Greg is. "It's just like in the simulator. Relax and just do it. We got plenty of time."

"Buzz off, Franklin. I got this."

"That's a negative Greg. Sam, you stay right there. Greg if you can't finish in fifteen, I'm letting Sam take over. You guys are approaching the safety limits on your oxygen."

"Well, then he can just have it." Greg eases away from the satellite and floats back down into the shuttle cargo bay.

"Come on Greg. Don't be this way."

"Take over Sam." John's authoritive voice came over the comlink.

"My God! What is that?" Greg voice is filled with awe.

"What are you talking about Greg?"

"There." He is pointing out of the bay toward earth. There between the shuttle and the earth floats six round objects. They are a flat black color looking more like six black holes in space rather than objects. They would have been impossible to see until they were between the earth and the shuttle. Suddenly they stop and hold position for a second and then they start toward the shuttle.

"They're coming straight at us." Greg yells as he heads for the air lock as fast as he can go.

"Sam, Greg, get back in here." John orders.

Sam begins to move away from the satellite and down into the cargo bay as fast as he can. But Greg, who was already a lot closer to the air lock than Sam, is already at the air lock opening it.

"Greg, wait for Sam."

"And let those thing get me, no way." He enters the air lock and seals it, just as Sam gets to it.

"Greg, wait for me." Sam pulls at the door handle.

"Greg!" John's voice is a yell now, "Wait for Sam, damn-it!"

"Its too late for him." Greg begins the pressurizing sequence making the door impossible to open from the outside.

Sam turns back and watches as the objects approach him. One of them covers his head, one covers his torso, and then there is one covering each leg and arm. Now Sam floats in the cargo bay completely covered by the black objects.

He doesn't hear John call Huston with a familiar phrase, "Huston, we have a problem."

* * * * * *

"Atlanta, Huston."

"Huston, Atlanta."

"What is your status?"

"We're unable to push the objects out of the cargo bay with the remote arm. Recommendations?"

"Eject the satellite and close the bay doors for a return trip home."

"Huston, without strapping those things down I don't give Sam much of a chance of surviving the trip home."

"John, He's been out there for eight days. Do you really think he is still alive?"

"I don't know sir, and quite frankly neither do you."

"Well, you don't have a lot of choices here. Your running out of supplies, oxygen, everything. If you don't come home now, you may never get back."

"Roger, that."

"Huston, this is Armstrong."

"What?" The tone of the voice made it obvious that Huston did not want to hear from Armstrong. Everyone in Huston felt that he had sacrificed Sam to save himself. No one had said it out loud, but they all thought it just the same.

"Sir, do you really think we should bring these things back to earth?"

"Well, Armstrong tell us how to get them out of the shuttle bay."

"Someone could go out into the bay and try to push them out."

"You want to volunteer for that duty mister?"

"No, sir."

I" didn't think so. John?"

"Here sir."

"Eject the satellite, close the bay doors and stand by for burn telemetry."

"Yes, sir." John floated to look out into the shuttle bay, "All right people let's start getting ready. We're going home."

* * * * * *

The trip home is uneventful. NASA has the shuttle land at White Sands, New Mexico. From there it is a short hop to Area 51. There the scientists manage to get the objects into a quarantined lab, where they begin to try and figure out what the objects are and what has happened to Sam.

After several days, to their surprise the objects leave Sam and again to their surprise they find Sam alive, unhurt, and healthy. Sam under goes intents exams but they cannot find anything wrong with him. The six black objects follow him around. Walls, no matter how thick, are not obstacles to them they just pass through them or punched holes in them. No matter what the scientist try, the objects stayed close to Sam.

Sam tells the scientists that he doesn't know how but he knows that the objects are alive, that they are living creatures. Later Sam finds out that if he concentrates and forms a mental image of the creatures doing something that they will do whatever the images tell them to do. He also finds out, to his horror, that in a moment of anger the creatures will destroy and kill for him. Sam immediately begins training with mental health therapists and others who can teach him to control his thoughts. He does this in order to learn to remain calm no matter how stressful the situation.

* * * * * *

Sam parks his car in front of Xavier's School for Gifted Children. He walks up to the front door and knocks. A tall black woman with long snow-white hair answers the door. "Good evening. May I help you?"

I'll say. Sam thinks but he quickly grabs hold of his mind. No stray thoughts allowed. "Yes, I'm here to see Professor Charles Xavier. My name is Samuel Franklin."

"Oh, yes. Mr. Franklin, please come in." Ororo Munroe stepped aside to allow the tall man into the mansion. She looks him over, liking what she sees. He is African-American, six foot 2 inches tall with his black hair cut close to his head. He carries himself with a military bearing. She would bet everything she owned that he was in or has been in the military. She closes the door and walks around him, "Please follow me Mr. Franklin."

"It's Sam, please."

Ororo gives him a bright smile, "Sam. I'm Ororo. I'm pleased to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine."

She leads him through the large open foyer and down a hall to an office door, "Please wait for a moment." She knocks and enters into the office.

A moment later the door opens, "Please come in Mr. Franklin." A deep voice invites him.

Sam walks into an office filled people.

A bald man sitting behind a desk waves him to a chair, "Welcome Mr. Franklin. These are some of my most advanced students and teachers here at the school. You've already met Ororo Munroe," She sits down beside Him. "This is Jean Grey." A beautiful red headed woman sits down on his other side. "Her husband Scott Summers." A tall man wearing sunglass nods at him. "And last but not least Dr. Hank McCoy." Sam is taken back by the man; or beast considering he was covered with blue fur. He nodded at each in turn but openly stares at Hank.

After Professor Xavier clears his throat loudly he finally breaks away, "Huh.sorry."

"It quite all right Mr. Franklin. Hank takes a little getting use to." Jean Grey says as she pats his hand.

"Now, Mr. Franklin. What can I or my school do for you?"

"Did you read the report that I sent you?"

"I did indeed and I showed it Dr. McCoy as well. I do hope that was all right?"

"Yes, whatever might help me."

"What kind of help do you wish?"

"I want to get rid of these things that have attached themselves to me."

"I'm not sure if that is possible, but we will do what we can. Can we see the. I believe you think they are living creatures?"

"Yes, I don't know why. NASA scientists could not find any proof that they were living." Sam takes a deep breath. "There out in the trunk of my car."

"Do you need to go get them?"

"No, they'll get here all on their own." Sam closes his eyes and softly speaks, "Come to me" and in his mind he pictures the creatures coming to him, passing harmlessly through walls until they are beside him. The six black objects leave the trunk of the car float through the walls and into Professor Xavier's office, where they stop and float in front of Sam; looking like six black holes in the air.

"My God." Scott Summers rises to his feet, a hand going to his sunglass "They came right through the wall like it wasn't even there."

Sam is nodding, "Yes, it's a good thing I remembered to think of them fazing through the walls or they would have punched holes in the walls."

Hank moved forward, "But some of these walls are reinforced with thick plates of steel."

"It wouldn't have mad any difference." He can tell by the looks on most of their faces that they didn't believe him.

"May I touch one?" Hank asked as he reached out to one of the objects.

"Of course."

Hank tries to grip one of the round creatures, but he can't. It is perfectly smooth and he is unable to penetrate its surface, even with the harden nails of his hand. He is also unable to move it from its current position of floating in front of Sam no matter how hard he tries. "This is amazing."

Professor Xavier moves around his desk. It is then that Sam notices he is in a wheelchair. He places a hand on one of the objects and closes his eyes. After a few moments he opens his eyes and looks at Sam. "Yes, I believe you are correct, they are alive. But they are symbiotically attached to you Mr. Franklin."

"I don't understand?"

"You and the creatures are now connected mentally. While I was touching it I could easily hear your mind. I believe that the only thoughts that they react to now are yours and to their own instinctive urges."

"So, there is no way to get rid of them?"

"I wouldn't even know how to begin to do such a thing."

"Professor I need help. I've accidentally destroyed things. I. I killed a man when he got me mad."

"Yes, I could see where your unguarded thoughts could be very dangerous, even your dreams could set them off because they would not know they were only dreams. It could simply be a matter of training them. Mr. Franklin are you prepared to stay here, while Jean, Hank and I conduct some experiments?"

"Yes, absolutely yes!"