Chapter 16
Jubilee felt herself picked up and set on someone's sturdy back. "Hold on, kid," Logan murmured. She nodded muzzily and let him hold her under the knees while she clasped just around his neck. Clad in a modified Vixen guard uniform, she shivered and mumbled with weariness. Logan's body was warm under her back, and the slight bobbing motion of him running rocked her into reassurance.
"Kitty, you know what to do next," Wolverine whispered. She nodded, and slid into the shadows. Moving towards one of the guards, she reached out and grabbed her.
Khaos drew his swords in two strokes, having them ready as another guard turned to fire. Apparently they had been expected. Wisdom's hotknives blazed forwards, sizzling just near the wall. Logan growled, and passed Jubilee over to Brian. Captain Britain watched as Meggan morphed into wolf shape and jumped to the attack. Vixen Guards fired point blank only to be stopped by Cerise's energy shield. She charged ahead, Logan and Khaos at her side.
With a SNICK, Logan's claws dropped and he flipped over, landing a kick on the leader before they could fire. Meggan's claws were out; slashing away guns while Khaos twin swords blazed. Cerise's solar battleaxe cut large swathes through the guards while Kitty phased through wraithlike and punched. Jubilee's firecrackers exploded from long range, while Captain Britain carried her, bulldozing through like a linebacker. Following them was Daytripper with Douglock, bringing up the rear. Jubilee turned and fired a few pulses of plasma to cover the guards running after them.
"Eat hotknives, soddin'…" Wisdom snarled under his breath as he sent a pattern of widening spikes. A firecracker whistled past him, and he saw Jubilee grinning smugly.
"Nice goin' kid," Logan called. His claws whistled out, cutting off the muzzled of the ANT rifles poised. Long wings extended and Khaos flew over the heads of the guards, swords blazing as he cut them down. Cerise wasn't far behind, her axe blazing and her kicks and punches flying. Kitty from the heart of the human wall cleared a path, while Logan and Pete fought hand to hand. Brian shot through, keeping up the rear behind Douglock and Amanda.
"We've gotten through the first wave," Shadowcat announced, and then through her raced another squad. She managed a punch before Pete's hotknife and Khaos' IBIC blasts felled the first. Wolverine's claws and Meggan's punches quickly took out others. Jubilee's long range shots disabled the cameras that swiveled, while Amanda fought the urge to cut loose with mystical blasts.
"Put me down, cap, I got my own legs," Jubilee yelled. He obliged, instead helping by grabbing Amanda and Douglock to draw them through the gap cleared by the others.
"We're by the spaceport!" yelled Kitty. "Douglock, quick…"
He rushed up through the front as Wisdom and Khaos moved through the back. Other guards poured on all sides. Jubilee moved behind Wolverine, her pyros blazing. Wisdom's hotknives flared on the other side. Cerise's shields protected them from the other shots while Khaos' twin blades kept the others at bay. Through the doors Shadowcat phased Douglock, then Brian with Amanda.
On the other side the two men rushed to a nearby spacecraft. "Can you modify it?" asked Kitty.
"Typical warp class III engine," Douglock nodded, as his tendrils snaked over the craft. Brian moved around, his hands and mind taking in the massive engines and other features while he took the panel off. Techno organic tendrils snaked over his face, and the lenses from Douglock's sensors showed him the proper circuits. Engineering knowledge dredged up from years of electronics and physics moved to the front of his brain, and all he needed to do was to tell Douglock what tool he needed. Captain Britain and Douglock worked as one while Shadowcat moved to open the doors.
Cerise shot through next, moving over to the craft and holding her crimson shield to keep the others while Wisdom, then Wolverine moved with Jubilee. Amanda climbed on board, and Cerise moved through. Meggan's blasts combined with Wisdom's hotknives and Jubilee's pyro bursts peppered the laser blasts. Khaos' swords cut down those that were unfortunate enough to work through.
"Get on the ship big C… you're the navigator…"
"Done," Cerise nodded. The warrior of the Grand Jhar helped Amanda Sefton to move onboard. The craft was the medium sized sort, with Vixen's markings, but she knew it to be several steps less advanced than a Shi'ar ship. To the front chamber she moved, sitting in the navigator's seat while punching the sequence for launch. Soon, Douglock disengaged from the exterior and moved into the piloting seat, his tendrils swarming over the front to link with the main computer.
"Warp mods are possible. Braddock has effected the modifications… beginning launch cycle…" said Douglock.
"Everyone else… are they onboard?" asked Amanda anxiously.
Meggan shot through, followed by Kitty. "Wait, where's Pete?"
"There…" pointed Brian, moving towards them.
"No, go back onboard they'll need you…" barked Kitty.
"Go, I'll hold them!" Khaos yelled.
"Over my dead body! You're not alone, bub!" Wolverine yelled.
"Count me in double!" cried Wisdom.
"Get your ass outta here, you're no good to us dead!" Wolverine yelled.
"I'm the warrior. GO!" Khaos yelled. Grabbing Jubilee around the waist, Wolverine rushed towards the ship with her. Wisdom fired shots back and forth, but a ball of energy shot out of the ship as Meggan returned to the fray.
"Kitty!" Wisdom yelled as she moved back out.
"Wolverine, don't leave!" Jubilee yelled when he rushed back.
Captain Britain seized her around the waist, yanking her onboard. "Kitty?" he cried.
"Go, I'll be all right! Pete, get OUT of here…"
"No soddin' way pride, you an' me fight these plonkers together or not at all…"
"That wasn't the plan!" Kitty cried.
A shot crackled out, hitting Wisdom. He crumpled as Khaos managed to send a volley towards them. Kitty moved angrily, and Wolverine jumped in the fray to join her.
"Wolverine, get OUT OF here! They need you to rescue the others…"
"And leave YOU?" he cried.
"Mr. Logan, go," said Meggan. "I'll handle this…"
"Meggan!" Captain Britain yelled, barreling out of the ship.
"Go!" Kitty yelled. "Get Wolvie outta here… I HAVE to stay with Pete…"
"That wasn't the plan Pun'kin!" Logan yelled.
"It is now. Go…"
"I'll take care of her!" Khaos cried. "Go!"
Brian punched into the section of elite guards, and yanked Wolverine about the waist. Cursing and swearing, he was hauled bodily back towards the ship. A quick punch to the side of his head and Wolverine was out cold. Jubilee flinched when she helped him into the ship, with Amanda's help.
"Go now!" Brian yelled. "I'm staying…"
"Khaos…" Cerise whispered. Meggan rushed in to try and help Wisdom, but Brian stopped her.
"You're more good to them there. Go with them Meggan…"
"Love, please come back," she urged. She kissed him hard as Khaos set a defensive starblast, and unfurled his wings. Swords blazed and IBIC blasts crackled all over the contingent of guards. Kitty moved from place to place, punching and kicking.
"Get Wisdom out of here," Kitty yelled. Meggan grabbed him up, and carried him towards the ship. She gave a last despairing look towards them. The ship doors began to close, and Brian had joined the fray.
"Let me go, ya ruddy…" he protested, and grabbed Meggan's arm. She wailed in pain as he kicked away, and shoved her into the door.
"No, that wasn't the plan!" she cried. Metal doors clanged shut, and Wisdom rushed towards Kitty, limping as he sprayed hotknives into the heart of the battle.
"You stupid GIT!" Kitty yelled. "I thought you were…"
"Pryde, we go down together. Promised Logan I'd look after ya…"
She phased him just as a gunburst blazed at point blank range. Brian's punches and kicks pushed back the lucky troopers, while Khaos turned to see the ship take off. It shot through the hangar doors, moving through the energy retention wall into open space.
"Time to retreat," Kitty said. Brian nodded, grabbing Wisdom and her. Khaos's swords swung like windmills, hacking and cutting as they barreled back through. Kitty phased the massive door to their immediate left that led to the armory, and phased them all through. Shots hammered on the blast door but did not give. IT was the one place they could hole up and be safe, and then wait to sabotage Saturnine from the inside while the other party went after the Shi'ar.
"Ohh my achin' head, what the hell happened?" Wolverine mumbled. He lay on the floor of a vibrating surface, and glanced up into a pair of sapphire blue eyes.
"Wolvie, you're okay," Jubilee said, sponging off his forehead. His mask had been pulled back, and she cradled his head and shoulders on her knees.
"Kitty… she get out okay?"
"Yes… they're signaling now," said Cerise. Logan blinked, sitting up to see the shi'ar woman in the navigation seat, while Douglock's body was fused into the pilot chair and controls in front of him.
"Preparing to drop out of warp," he said.
"Where's Wisdom?" asked Logan slowly. "I thought I was supposed to stay…"
"Kitty changed her mind," Jubilee murmured.
"Brian stayed instead. So did Wisdom…"
"But we said that Khaos, Kitty an' me were supposed to stay, with Meggan… not this…" he protested. A bloom of orange pain erupted behind one temple and he groaned, pressing a hand to his head. Just because he had a healing factor didn't mean he was immune to pain.
"Brian did what he had to do. And Wisdom wanted to stay with Kitty… I couldn't stop him," Meggan whispered. She perched on a chair, hugging her knees as her eyes were cast down at the floor.
"Kid," Logan mumbled. "Now's NOT the time for this…"
"It matters not what happened. What matters now is getting us caught up with D'marran's ship," said Cerise sharply. "And we must work with the materials at hand. Kurt must be freed…"
"Amen," said Amanda. "Look Meggan, I know this wasn't your idea, but Wisdom's better off with Pryde. Besides, we need Logan with us more. He's got experience that Wisdom doesn't…"
"But still… dammit, she coulda TOLD me she was gonna…" Wolverine winced.
"Wolvie, stay STILL, or I'll bust your ass," Jubilee yelled at him.
"Lemmie be, kid," he snarled.
"Don't' gimme that… stop the macho shithead and let your healing factor work!" she yelled, getting right into his face. "Kitty's grown up, sheesh! She's not a kid!"
"She's right," said Amanda softly, crouching beside her old friend. "Colossus and Kurt need you. And Kitty will be fine. After all, she learned from the best…"
"I know but damn…"
"Brian will protect them, as will Khaos," said Meggan.
"Khaos will not fail them, I assure you," Cerise nodded, her lips pressed together. Logan smelled the anger and disappointment thinly veiled.
"She's fallen for him bad," Jubilee whispered. Logan grunted. He let Jubilee alone help him to stand so he could sit in a nearby seat. The entire front cabin was about the size of a Winnebago, and there were other compartments aft, including a small mess area, and a few bunks.
"Kinda like the blackbird, in a way," Wolverine mumbled. Amanda got up and wandered into the back. Jubilee sat close to Logan, perching on the arm of his chair and smoothing back his hair. He mumbled and raised his hand to bat her away, then saw the look of hurt come. Sighing he released her hand and let her continue to fuss over him.
"How long till we catch up with 'em?" Logan asked Cerise.
"The current trajectory is given through subspace… this craft is not capable of matching the Scoutbug's speed for too long. But Brian's modifications will enable us to intersect Subspace and cut them off in 12 time periods," said Cerise.
"So do we like have enough fuel to do this?" Jubilee asked. "Are ya sayin' that we're burning way more fuel to catch up with them since they have a head start?"
"D'marran is overconfident. He is not aware that Saturnine would even DARE send a ship after an Imperial Scoutbug. Douglock, calculate our fuel reserves?"
"We have enough to last 18 hours of sustained warp flight through subspace. At maximum the engines will only stand the stress for 12. So it must be 12…"
"Our only hope is that we don't have him detect us… this ship is not equipped with a Shi'ar cloak," said Cerise.
"Maybe there's another way to get around that," Logan mumbled. "You got some way of makin' this tub look like some kinda natural phenomenon?"
"You mean like a gas cloud or ion trail? This isn't star Trek, Wolvie," Jubilee groaned.
"Captain Kirk would do it. And he'd eject trash around us to make us look like something that was ejected out of their waste," Meggan mumbled.
"Worth a shot. Unless you're gonna tell me that there ain't no natural phenomenon that travels this speed through subspace."
"Douglock, make the necessary modifications to make us appear as a cloud of subspace exhaust gasses…" Cerise said.
"Done," Douglock nodded. "Brian's suggestions were correct. Self can disguise the ship as directed. May self suggest sustained periods of recharging during transit?"
"I'd take him up on it," Amanda Sefton said, carrying a tray.
"Once a stewardess, always a stewardess," Logan joked. Hot coffee hit his nostrils, and he inhaled it deeply. To him it was the nectar of the gods.
"Hey, I'll let it slide, for now," Amanda chuckled. She handed a cup to Meggan, with what looked like a wrapped sandwich. The Faye reluctantly took it, and a dish of what looked like fresh fruit.
"I know ya can't stand synthetic stuff, but ya gotta eat somethin' darlin," Logan understood. He snagged two large roast beef ration sandwiches, while Jubilee took something for herself. Cerise glanced up and Amanda held out what appeared to be a typical Shi'ar food cube.
"This will suffice. Thank you, Amanda Sefton."
"You're welcome," Amanda nodded. "Douglock?"
"Self does not require caloric intake at this time," Douglock answered. Amanda settled into the seat opposite Logan's, and set the tray on her lap. She unwrapped the sandwich, and nibbled it.
"Ugh, this is reconstituted ya said?" Jubilee asked. "Don't look too good…"
"Smells all right," Amanda said. "Saturnine's ships might not have the 'replicators' like Cerise's ship, but the food rehydrators have human stuff at least. You're holding a ham sandwich, and I believe Logan has roast beef and pastrami."
"Could smell it," he nodded. "Don't taste great, but it's REAL food. Not those synthetics junk… that Chuck had us all eating…"
"Wolverine, may I ask a question," said Cerise.
"Sure, shoot," he said.
"It's regarding your knowledge of Shi'ar technology. From the files I examined, Charles Xavier has intimate knowledge of our technologies. Does that extend to the X men as well?"
"Well, we know a good deal, if that's what you're talking about," said Jubilee, interrupting Wolverine who had a mouthful of sandwich he was washing down with a mouthful of coffee.
"Kid's right. Up till the time that Chuck and Lil' split…"
"Most unfortunate," said Cerise. "We must send a subspace message to her at once…"
"Won't it be detected?" asked Meggan.
"Right. Gotta catch 'em by surprise. My guess is that Kurt already's working on some plan," Amanda nodded. "And we're gonna hope that he's taken the first steps…"
"If I know him, he's got something fun planned," wolverine grinned. "Elf always DID have a sense of humor. And Peter's gonna help him out just like old times…"
"You X men have a different set of protocols, it seems," Cerise said. "Despite your similarities, the X men seem much more tightly knit of a set of emotional bonds, and your devotion to Xavier's commands are without question…"
"Hardy har, that ain't QUITE the way it is. I just take what I wanna hear, and he knows better than t' micromanage," Logan laughed. "Nightcrawler's a pussycat compared to him when it comes to discipline…"
"Is that why Wisdom manages far better in Excalibur than in the X men…"
"That kid wouldn't last a DAY under Chuck's finger. Without havin' to clean the lavatories. Ol' Cyke would have a conniption fit dealing with him…"
"That would be funny to see," chuckled Amanda.
"Especially since he has no desires to put on a costume," Meggan chimed in. "He dislikes uniforms and convention. He makes his own…"
"Wishes to live like a normal person huh?" Jubilee asked. "As IF that were possible!"
"To him it is," Amanda shrugged. "I did."
"You're not a mutant," said Jubilee. "No offense…"
"It's just as difficult for magic users to fit in, kid. Remember what I told ya about the Alpha Bits…"
"How could I forget… sheesh," Jubilee rolled her eyes.
"We'd better get some rest," said Amanda. "I know I'm going to need every ounce of it to rescue Kurt…"
"I shall remain on navigation…"
"Nix that Cerise. Ya need sleep as much as the rest of us. This don't look too hard to fly… I'll take over from ya," Logan offered.
"He IS a pilot," said Jubilee. "Or I could…"
"Very well," Cerise said as she rose from the navigation seat. "But Douglock IS piloting the ship…"
"Self can operate the ship, and inform all that we have arrived in proximity. Suggestion is that all non-techno organics rest…"
"Any beds on this ship?" asked Amanda.
"Two bunks in back…"
"I'll sit here a while, and keep Douglock company," said Meggan. She perched in the navigation seat.
"Better have a nap, Jubes. And that goes for you too, Megs. I'll stay with the others," Wolverine suggested. He slid behind the navigator's seat, and glanced over the controls to familiarize himself. Piloting a star cruiser or a biplane had some commonalties, and he had seen his share of crazy craft over the years and decades he had been alive.
She nodded slowly, walking back into the rear compartment where four bunks were set up. Cerise took the bottom, folding her long legs so she could lie on her side. Amanda leapt up top, and lay down, while Jubilee curled up opposite. She hugged her knees and lay there thinking about thousands of things before she ultimately settled down. Meggan lay in the bottom bunk, tossing and turning.
"You want the top instead?" Jubilee asked.
"It would be preferable. I don't know why," Meggan murmured. "But I do not like the closeness down here…"
"I'll deal with it," said Jubilee, climbing down. She slid into the bottom bunk, and wrapped the silver space blanket around her while Meggan sat uptop and folded her legs Indian style. Amanda tossed her red cape around her body, and curled up with her back facing the wall.