06-24-2004, 11:27 PM
Hank walked along in silence. His sensitive hearing picked up the conversations around him, and his mind processed them along with the mental banter between 'Toria and Tessa. The main part of his attention was taken up with their surroundings, the strange ruins of a city which despite it's obvious antiquity was obviously far in advance of the Earth's current level of technology. The city itself was startling enough, but the fact that it was in an otherwise nondescript crater on the surface of the moon made it doubly so. Or it would have been, were it not for the less than happy memories Hank had of the place.
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"Bobby! Look Out!" cried Hank as he leapt over the fallen Shi'ar warrior who had recently given up attacking him and was now enjoying a well earned respite from the ongoing battle. At Beast's hasty warning, Iceman spun around, erecting a twenty foot wall of ice as he turned, blocking himself off from the advancing troop of aliens. Before they could reform and attack from another direction, the three startled Shi'ar were buried under a couple of ton's of frozen water as a beam from Cyclops ripped across the battle field.
"Stop playing with these guys!" he said angrily as Hank landed next to him, his feet sending a plume of grey dust skyward. "We are the only thing between them and Earth!" Scott let out another crimson blast of energy, sending another troop of Shi'ar diving for cover. Their enemies were only disconcerted for a short time however, and the trio of X-Men were soon running for cover themselves as a salvo of blasts from the alien's weapons exploded around them. Throwing themselves into the nearest doorway, Hank Bobby and Scott hunkered down in the darkness enjoying the brief respite from the battle.
"I thought the Professor said that the Shi'ar were our friends." said Bobby finally as he peered worriedly out of the doorway. He yanked his head back violently as another blast struck the jam, sending a shower of ancient stone cascading over the three. "Cough! They are. At least most of them." replied Scott, spitting the dusty rock from his mouth. "This lot is under the control of Lilandra's elder sister. Apparently she thinks Earth would be a great source for slaves and cannon fodder in her fight to regain control of the empire." The explosions against the wall outside caused the room to shake violently. "We should not tarry here long." said Hank as he looked at a crack spreading up over the arched ceiling. "I fear this structure is not as stable as we first surmised and the constant barrage is weakening it substantially." Bobby arched an eyebrow at him. "Can't you just say it's not gonna take many more blasts like that?" he asked with a wry smile, which was quickly replaced with a look of grim determination as he turned back towards the doorway.
"I think I can throw up another ice shield. It should hold them back long enough for us to relocate." He said, glancing at Scott. "Go for it Bobby!" said Scott as he brought his hand to his visor in preperation. "On Three!... One.. Two.. Th..." Scott's final word was drowned out by a deafening roar from above which filled the small room, causing the three men to wince in pain as they looked at each other. "Banshee!" They mouthed almost in unison, although any sound they made was lost in the fury of their irish comrade's assault, and rushed headlong for the door exiting in time to see their attackers shelter crumbling under the sonic bombardment.
Racing headlong across the ruined square, the three stalwart x-men closed on their yellow and green garbed companion. "Sean. You're intervention was most punctual." said Hank clapping a large hand on Banshee's shoulder. "Tis right enough laddie. Ye can always count'n an irishman in times o' trouble." said Sean Cassidy as he turned, his ruddy features breaking into a broad grin. "Now, let's get back tae the rest o' the team before more o' these space fellas show up." As he spoke the sound of Shi'ar gunfire rose in the near distance and Sean's smile fell away almost instantly. Hank, Bobby and Scott looked on in shocked silence as an unmistakable splash of red spread over the front of Banshee's uniform. For long ages time seemed to stand still. Then abruptly Sean Cassidy fell to the ground. "Sean...?"
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"Sean." Hank paused looking out across the abandoned alien city. He thought about all the other friends and comrades he had lost in the line of duty both as an X-man and since he had been abducted by the Timebroker. They had given their lives to make a difference. To save something bigger than themselves. And he knew that given the choice they would do it all again. "Here's tae ye laddie" thought Hank as he strode after the rest of the team, catching up to them as they entered the gardens and were introduced to some more newcomers. "Rogue? Marie?" thought Hank, then he began to pick up the subtle differences, a slight shift in scent and the way she held herself. No this wasn't the Rogue they knew previously.
It was something they were definitely going to have to get used to, seeing these strange familiar faces. He stood quietly near the back of the group, still somewhat disconcerted at his memory, although he couldn't help a small chuckle as 'Toria worked her way around the group. His mood began to lighten little by little, perhaps it was being in the company of the woman he loved and the people he had come to think of as friends over the past few months. Friends he had thought he may never see again. He looked around at the newcomers, wondering what they made of all this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Bobby! Look Out!" cried Hank as he leapt over the fallen Shi'ar warrior who had recently given up attacking him and was now enjoying a well earned respite from the ongoing battle. At Beast's hasty warning, Iceman spun around, erecting a twenty foot wall of ice as he turned, blocking himself off from the advancing troop of aliens. Before they could reform and attack from another direction, the three startled Shi'ar were buried under a couple of ton's of frozen water as a beam from Cyclops ripped across the battle field.
"Stop playing with these guys!" he said angrily as Hank landed next to him, his feet sending a plume of grey dust skyward. "We are the only thing between them and Earth!" Scott let out another crimson blast of energy, sending another troop of Shi'ar diving for cover. Their enemies were only disconcerted for a short time however, and the trio of X-Men were soon running for cover themselves as a salvo of blasts from the alien's weapons exploded around them. Throwing themselves into the nearest doorway, Hank Bobby and Scott hunkered down in the darkness enjoying the brief respite from the battle.
"I thought the Professor said that the Shi'ar were our friends." said Bobby finally as he peered worriedly out of the doorway. He yanked his head back violently as another blast struck the jam, sending a shower of ancient stone cascading over the three. "Cough! They are. At least most of them." replied Scott, spitting the dusty rock from his mouth. "This lot is under the control of Lilandra's elder sister. Apparently she thinks Earth would be a great source for slaves and cannon fodder in her fight to regain control of the empire." The explosions against the wall outside caused the room to shake violently. "We should not tarry here long." said Hank as he looked at a crack spreading up over the arched ceiling. "I fear this structure is not as stable as we first surmised and the constant barrage is weakening it substantially." Bobby arched an eyebrow at him. "Can't you just say it's not gonna take many more blasts like that?" he asked with a wry smile, which was quickly replaced with a look of grim determination as he turned back towards the doorway.
"I think I can throw up another ice shield. It should hold them back long enough for us to relocate." He said, glancing at Scott. "Go for it Bobby!" said Scott as he brought his hand to his visor in preperation. "On Three!... One.. Two.. Th..." Scott's final word was drowned out by a deafening roar from above which filled the small room, causing the three men to wince in pain as they looked at each other. "Banshee!" They mouthed almost in unison, although any sound they made was lost in the fury of their irish comrade's assault, and rushed headlong for the door exiting in time to see their attackers shelter crumbling under the sonic bombardment.
Racing headlong across the ruined square, the three stalwart x-men closed on their yellow and green garbed companion. "Sean. You're intervention was most punctual." said Hank clapping a large hand on Banshee's shoulder. "Tis right enough laddie. Ye can always count'n an irishman in times o' trouble." said Sean Cassidy as he turned, his ruddy features breaking into a broad grin. "Now, let's get back tae the rest o' the team before more o' these space fellas show up." As he spoke the sound of Shi'ar gunfire rose in the near distance and Sean's smile fell away almost instantly. Hank, Bobby and Scott looked on in shocked silence as an unmistakable splash of red spread over the front of Banshee's uniform. For long ages time seemed to stand still. Then abruptly Sean Cassidy fell to the ground. "Sean...?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sean." Hank paused looking out across the abandoned alien city. He thought about all the other friends and comrades he had lost in the line of duty both as an X-man and since he had been abducted by the Timebroker. They had given their lives to make a difference. To save something bigger than themselves. And he knew that given the choice they would do it all again. "Here's tae ye laddie" thought Hank as he strode after the rest of the team, catching up to them as they entered the gardens and were introduced to some more newcomers. "Rogue? Marie?" thought Hank, then he began to pick up the subtle differences, a slight shift in scent and the way she held herself. No this wasn't the Rogue they knew previously.
It was something they were definitely going to have to get used to, seeing these strange familiar faces. He stood quietly near the back of the group, still somewhat disconcerted at his memory, although he couldn't help a small chuckle as 'Toria worked her way around the group. His mood began to lighten little by little, perhaps it was being in the company of the woman he loved and the people he had come to think of as friends over the past few months. Friends he had thought he may never see again. He looked around at the newcomers, wondering what they made of all this.
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