The Pendragons Issue # 89 Brought together in defense of Avalon and the British Isles, the Pendragons are the officially-sanctioned heroes of Great Britain. Originally led by the Black Knight, the group is composed of surviving members of the old Knights of Pendragon group, as well as several other heroes. Willing to die for their beliefs, the Pendragons stand united as Britain's best defense against threats of a superhuman nature. Special "Silver Anniversary" Pendragons logo created by Kell Carpenter, inspired by the logo created by Des Davies!   Written by Barry Reese

The Destiny Walk
Part Two
"Toy Soldiers"

“The Martians didn’t come immediately. It was weeks before the first of their forces tried to make it into Europe . Dragon’s Claws – a group operating mainly in the U.S. – had dealt them some severe blows and it weakened the Martians’ ability to operate on multiple fronts. We were grateful for the delay because no one knew where any of you were. One minute, the breach is opening, the next you’re gone.” Kate McClellan took a long drag on her cigarette, her fingers shaking somewhat. Outside, the sounds of war could be heard. Bombs fell with disturbing regularity and now and again the ground would quake with the motion of the Martian tripods. “We formed a replacement group of course but it seemed like one thing after another went wrong… Salome and Saunders, two mystics, were the cause of much of it. The Young Pendragons, Ghost Rider and so many others were…” Kate’s voice weakened at the mention of the Young Pendragons, finally trailing away into silence. Her son, Cam , had been a part of that team.  

Betsy knelt in the darkness, watching her friend’s face through the flickering light of a candle. “Are they alive?”

“Some,” she choked. “Others we don’t know. We think Cam ’s dead.” 

Captain Britain reached out telepathically to Kate, allowing some of her pain to fade into the background. Betsy didn’t like manipulating minds at any level but sometimes it was the kindest act of all. “Take your time,” she whispered to Kate. “Anything you can tell us might help.”

Union Jack, standing in the back of the room, closed his eyes for a moment. He’d been in Kate’s flat the very day the breach had opened and he remembered how warm and inviting it had been. Now it was a ratty shelter, with no heat nor electricity. He felt Jackie’s hand on his arm and he opened his eyes to see her watching him intently. “How are the kids?”

“I wasn’t able to reach Kenneth but both the babies are with him,” she answered. Spitfire had been a nervous wreck upon realizing the team had gone forward in time… thoughts of her children’s safety had been first and foremost in her mind.  

“As long as he’s with them, they’re fine,” he said soothingly but he saw the tortured emotion in her eyes and sympathized.

“Where are the other Pendragons now?” Dark Angel asked, drawing Joey’s attention away from his wife for the moment. “The castle at Lyonesse is in ruins.”

“When the Martians finally came, they lashed out at the castle first. The Hulk destroyed I don’t know how many of their tripods… and every one of the Pendragons there that day fought bravely. Breeze had come over from the states and rejoined the team. She was the first to fall, a tripod’s laser cutting her open from throat to groin.”

“Oh no,” Nocturne whispered. He wanted to go to Betsy and comfort her, but she would have none of it. She was blaming herself for all of this, he knew, but he placed most of the blame on the shoulders of the Black Knight. How could Dane Whitman have been the Lord of the Lake and not known that the stones had been tampered with?

Kate exhaled a long plume of smoke from her lips. “We couldn’t really expect much help from the American heroes but a few of them came over and assisted. And our sudden entrance into the war certainly boosted their morale, I can tell you. It was nice to be the ones riding in to save the Allies this time around… but we’ve suffered so badly. I don’t think any of us would have made it out that if it hadn’t been for Rathoon and the other dragons. He’d gone off and found them somewhere*… they arrived en masse, so many of them that they blotted out the sky. Fin Fang Foom was amazing. You should have seen him.” She smiled softly, her eyes staring past the assembled Pendragons, watching events unfold in her mind’s eye. “And Rathoon… You know how he was, always throwing around phrases and words that he thought would help him fit into the modern era. As we fled the island, taking refuge in one of Wynter’s teleportation spells, I looked back and saw Rathoon standing amidst a field of dead and dying dragons. The battle only last an hour or so but it seemed more like days. There were so many wounds all over his body and every time he spoke blood sprayed from his mouth and nose.” She hiccupped in tear-stricken laughter. “The last words I heard him say were: Who’s your daddy? And then he launched himself into the Martian forces.”

(*See issues 67-69)

“When was this?” the Black Knight asked. He’d remained silent for the most part since their arrival in this time, allowing Betsy to lead them in search of other surviving Pendragons. But he was losing patience with all this. The Barrier was down and there was death and tragedy all around, to be sure, but there was also the matter of Lady Kang and her heirs.

“Maybe a month or two after you left. Since then the Martian offensive has consisted mainly of aerial raids with occasional tripod assaults. Some of the European nations have actually been working with them. Bastards. Traitors to the whole human race. Wynter went to Slorenia to help out there but they turned on him. Turned him over to the Martians and he hasn’t been seen since.”

Dane caught Betsy’s eye and gestured for them to speak alone. Captain Britain patted Kate’s knee once more and then stepped away. “We’re wasting time,” he hissed. “We knew it was going to be bad, okay? Let’s focus on staying with the plan. We have to make preparations for the next invasion!”

Betsy clenched her fist but resisted the sudden urge to smack Dane across the chin. She’d done that before and it had made her feel better at the time but had ultimately accomplished nothing. “None of us expected all this. We were supposed to have time to prepare for the Martians. We were going to coordinate with the Claws and with the Avengers."

“Yes and now we can’t do that. So we move forward. It sounds to me like the Martians are doing poorly. The war’s going the way of Earth already.”

“So shouldn’t we focus on ending the war now? Then we can all turn our attentions to Kang’s heirs.”

Dane clenched his jaw, thinking through all the possibilities. He’d hoped to use the Barrier’s absence to contact the various temporal specialists out there, try and come up with some kind safeguard against incursions from the timestream. Unfortunately, half the people he would have contacted were now dead or missing. “Fine. We’ll drive off the Martians and then get to work on my plan.”

Betsy didn’t bother reminding him that it was their plan. Dane always had a habit of forgetting the input of others. Before she could make any kind of comment, Polaris interrupted them. “Guys, something strange is going on.”

Nocturne, standing closest to Lorna, saw the team’s mistress of magnetism clutch at the sides of her head. Waves of magnetism began to emanate from her, repelling certain metals while attracting others.

“Lorna! What’s going on?” Nocturne reached out for her but found himself suddenly flung away. Dark Angel flew upwards, catching him just before he went through a shattered window.

Polaris seemed unable to explain what was wrong as her face was twisted into an expression of pure agony. Spitfire grabbed hold of Kate McClellan, holding her tight as the shattered remains of her home blew apart.

The Pendragons found themselves exposed to the elements, where a chill wind blew dust and debris amongst them. Several of them looked about to make sure there were no Martian tripods waiting to launch an attack on them. It was Captain Britain who first spotted the colorful figure coming through the clouds towards them. “Everyone, back away from Lorna… I think we’re about to get some help on the matter!”

Brian Braddock, Betsy’s brother and predecessor as Captain Britain , landed nearby. He looked trim and fit in his uniform, which was dark blue with a white rampant lion emblazoned on the chest. It was the uniform he’d taken during his ascendance to the throne of Otherworld. “Betsy!” he said, a smile on his handsome features. He held his arms out, gratefully accepting a hug from his sister. “I knew you’d be back. I just wasn’t sure when.”

“Not to break up the happy reunion,” Union Jack said, “but Lorna looks like she’s gonna blow!”

Brian looked back at Polaris, whose cries of pain were getting louder. The waves of magnetic force were now so powerful that ripples in the air could be seen and no one could approach within ten feet of her. “I can heal her, Betsy… but this is a symptom of things to come.”

Betsy held off questioning her brother until after he’d waved his hands towards Lorna, allowing the power granted to him as protector of the Omniverse to heal her pain. Polaris sagged limply as the onslaught ceased and she swayed towards the ground. Spitfire snatched her up at superspeed, saving her from a bloody fall.

“What’s wrong with her, Brian?”

“A lot of people were altered by the magic brought about by the Barrier. Some people gained the ability to manipulate forces that they never could have before… the sudden spike in magic users, for example. As the Barrier’s effects weaken, some people are experiencing severe physical and mental traumas. In Lorna’s case….”

Dane spoke up, cutting off Brian’s words. “The Barrier healed the mental instability she’d been suffering from. I’m surprised there’s any trace of that left after she rebuilt the universe*.”

(*Back in issues 75-76)

“She didn’t change as much as you might think. Most of her personal life she left intact because she saw that it had all added up to make her the person she is today. I think it’s rather noble, myself.” Brian sighed. “Unfortunately, it’s also going to cause her a lot of pain in the days ahead.”

“Where have you been during all this, mate?” Union Jack stepped up next to Brian, who clasped him on the shoulder in greeting.

“Doing my part, don’t worry. But I’m concerned with not just this reality but the entire Omniverse. Your enemies are coming… and we have scant time to spare.”

Brian never noticed the self-satisfied expression on the Black Knight’s face nor the angry shadow that passed over Betsy’s.

“What would you have us do, Brian?” Dane asked.

“Come with me to Otherworld… I’ve brought a few friends to the palace and they’re anxious to help.”

Dark Angel looked at Kate, who looked very fragile and alone. “You’ll come with us, won’t you?”

Kate looked at the ruins of her house and shook her head. “Go. Just leave me be.”

“But you need a place to stay….”

Electricity sparked about Kate’s eyes. “Leave me be!” she screamed, the horror of the last few months catching up to her. “Being a Pendragon has brought me nothing but pain! First Ben, then Cam , then Wynter… now even my home!” She pointed a finger at Betsy, who couldn’t help but flinch at the sight of her friend’s turmoil. “Go and do what you have to do… and then let it all end. Please.”

Betsy nodded. “We will, Kate. I promise. It’ll all be over soon.”

Adam Crown held his son in his arms, momentarily forgetting the carnage going on in the rest of Britain . Though London had suffered much, the newly christened Kingdom of Darkmoor was in relative peace. This pleased Adam though he couldn’t help but feel guilty while reviewing the horrors that were going on not far from his home. He’d joined with the Pendragons during their initial stands against the Martians and remained available for anything they might need, but his primary focus had been on solidifying the defenses of his kingdom.

“Is he still sleeping?” Ginny asked, stepping into the nursery. Adam’s wife had regained her figure very swiftly after giving birth, retaining only a small amount of extra weight in her face and midsection. Adam found it charming and didn’t mind a bit.

“Yes. Poor thing. Your nurses tucker him out too much. When I come home in the evenings, he’s exhausted.”

“Perhaps you should come home earlier then?” she teased, wrapping her arms about his body and pressing against him from behind. “Have you heard the news?”

“That the Pendragons were sighted leaving Lyonesse? Yes. I haven’t tried contacting them yet, though… It’s selfish of me, I suppose. I’d rather not be the one to fill them in on all they’ve missed.” 

“You should call them. They might need you.”

Adam looked down into the peaceful face of his son and hesitated. He was no coward but the thought of leaving his wife and son behind while he went off to play hero was increasingly distasteful. Maybe it was all the whispers and asides coming from Tangerine that made him think so. Though their flirtations had ceased with the birth of Adam’s son, they remained close and she frequently guided him in his decisions. It had been Tangerine who had convinced him to spend most of his time in Darkmoor and he increasingly felt she was right.

“I’ll try it tomorrow,” he promised, though he wasn’t certain he would live up to his words. Like Tangerine kept saying, family was more important than honor.

"You've done well," Marcus told her and she could hear how proud he was of her actions. It didn't lessen the bitter sting of betrayal that blossomed in her stomach but it was reassuring on some level. 

Tangerine lay in her bed, the sheets pulled up just high enough to hide her nakedness. She didn't know why she bothered. He had seen her from every angle over the past few months, but it seemed unseemly to be nude in her presence when they weren't engaged in sexual play. "When are you going to send me home?"

"Home? I thought you wanted to go anywhere but there," he teased.

"You know what I mean...."

The man who called himself the Scarlet Centurion did know. He'd seduced her into betraying Adam's confidence in exchange for a promise that he would prevent her dystopian future from coming to past. In fact, he would craft her one that held all the joys she could imagine. "Well, I think we've done enough with Crown. We kept him from forging the remnants of the Pendragons into a cohesive unit... and now that the full group is back, we'll deal with them separately. I suppose it is time for your just rewards."

Joyous expectation made Tangerine grin. "Thank you, Marcus. Truly."

Marcus stroked his beard and nodded. He was a handsome man, having inherited much of his father's looks. The son of Kang stepped over to his lover and sat on the bed. "Close your eyes and tilt your head back."

"Why?"

"Moving you through the timestream might scare you. Close your eyes. Tilt your head back. And you'll get what I owe you."

Tangerine did as she was told, her breathing coming faster now in anticipation. 

Marcus studied her for a moment before reaching out with his strong hands... and snapping her neck quickly to the side. The crack was like that of a breaking twig and Marcus saw that she never even had time to open her eyes. He cradled her for a moment, until he felt the warmth begin to fade from her. After laying her back on the bed, he rose and finished putting on his red-tinted armor. "You did well," he repeated, one final time.

"Lorna's resting," Gray Poldark said, stepping into his lover's chambers. Betsy stood on the terrace, overlooking one of the massive gardens located outside House Braddock. She looked stern and tired. 

"I shouldn't have listened to Dane," Betsy said. "I should have waited and come up with some other plan."

"You did the right thing. Don't start second guessing yourself."

Betsy turned to face him, tears in her eyes. "I love you."

He went to her, holding her close. "It's going to be okay. I promise."

She pulled away, her eyes locked on his. "Let's get married. Now. No more waiting."

"You're really worried about this, aren't you? Facing down the heirs of Kang?"

"Brian says their forces are huge. He's massing the Captain Britain Corps to help us."

"Is Linda going to be here?" Gray asked, thinking of Captain UK, who had left the Pendragons after the death of her lover, Young Miracleman.

"She's here. I saw her." Betsy sighed. "Things are coming to a head... Have you ever felt like the end was right around the corner? That something major was about to happen and you're helpless to stop it?"

"Yes...."

They embraced once more, holding on to each for as long as possible.

TO BE CONTINUED