| Captain
Britain in The End Written By: Barry Reese |
London, Sector 221-B; 2027 A.D.
There are days I miss the Barrier. I really do.
"Mum? I'm hungry."
"I know, Joey... So am I." Mandy Williams pulled her son closer, sharing her warmth with him. It wass night outside and the Martians were on the move again, scouring London for any sign of the remaining Pendragons. It had been this way for almost all of Mandy's life... Twenty-seven years of Hell.
Joey glanced up at him, his eyes wet and full of fear. He's going to begin crying again, I just know it... and I'm not sure I have the strength to reassure him. Not now. "Is he really dead?"
I know who he means. Anyone in London would, after today.
Captain Britain. Brian Braddock.
He'd fought the good fight, alongside the other Knights of Pendragon, ever since the Barrier came down in '06. When we'd seen what was on the other side of the Barrier, there were more than a few who realized that our prison had actually been a safe haven. On the outside, a race of malevolent aliens had used Mars as a stage area for an invasion of Earth. Their weaponry had been overwhelming and had resulted in the quick death of large numbers of Terran defenders. That's why nobody from the outside managed to pierce the Barrier, Mandy thought. They were too busy fighting their own battles.
And now he was dead, eradicated in one fiery last stand in Hyde Park. She'd seen it herself, having just come from one of the food distribution centers. She'd held one moldy loaf of bread against her breasts, cradling it as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
She'd watched as Braddock and several of his Pendragon allies -- the aged dragon Rathoon, the fit young man who called himself Shamrock and the robotic Android Andy -- clashed with several of the Martian tripods. The battle had seemed to be going the Pendragons' way, before several of the genetically engineered Skorpsmen began springing forth from the tripods. These were new to Mandy's recollection, possessing fluid shapes that altered to suit their opponents. Android Andy had been the first to fall, followed quickly by the dragon. His corpse had shaken the earth when it fell from the sky... Shamrock had been speared through the chest and Captain Britain -- Captain Britain had blow himself up whhile taking down the last of the tripods. The flames had licked the sky.
"I'm sure he's fine, luv. He always comes through." Do I sound as hopeless to him as I do to me? I hope not. He's too young for that. "Want me to tell you another story about the old days?"
"Ya," he answered, cuddling closer in their little shack. He felt so small in Mandy's arms.
"In the old days, a man named Albion led the Pendragons. He was wise and handsome, though he was older than he looked. They say he fought the enemies of England for almost a century."
"Where's he now?"
"He's... not here anymore. But before he died, he helped form the Pendragons."
"I know all about them."
Mandy smiled at the worldliness in her son's voice. "No, mate, you don't. Not the old ones. I remember seeing them on the telly when I was your age... Shamrock, with her hair so red--"
"Shamrock's a boy."
"His mother was a girl," Mandy corrected. "And then there was Captain Britain -- this was Brian's sister, Betsy. She was their leader. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up... and then there was Adam Crown. So sullen-eyed he was. Very attractive to a young girl. There were others, too: the Hulk, Wynter, Big Ben, Miracleman, Breeze, Grace...."
"What about Android Andy?" Joey asked, sounding sleepier by the minute. The robot had always been Joey's favorite -- and that was one reason she'd omitted Andy's role in today's tragedy. Let him think his robot hero was still out there. He deserved it.
"Andy didn't come until later. You know that."
Joey said something in reply, but it was lost in the mumble of approaching sleep. Mandy smiled softly to herself, ignoring the sirens off in the distance and the occasional rattling of their shack. The Martians wouldn't concern themselves with a mother and child this evening... they were useless in the Arena and not fat enough for use as foodstuff. Not there were many fatties left anywhere. If what James had said at the last resistance meeting was true, there were few than fifty thousand humans left on the planet. Fifty thousand. The number seemed so small... The cities were more and more resembling ghost towns, watched over the cruel Martian tripods, which seemingly cut down pedestrians at random. They'll leave us soon, she thought. Move on to the next world. People like Killraven and the Pendragons aren't anything more than minor annoyances to--
"Help me, if you can...."
The voice, male but full of agony, sent a chill down Mandy's spine. She sat up quietly, trying not to wake her son, and peered out the window. A man was walking -- half-crawling, really -- towards their hut, his skin burnt and smoking. Patches of blond hair could be seen beneath a ruined helmet and tatters of red-white-and-blue clung to him. Mandy felt her eyes grow wide as saucers. "I must be dreaming," she whispered.
The man collapsed just outside her door and Mandy jumped at the noise. She pushed Joey away from her, eliciting a groan of disapproval from the boy. "Mum...? What's wrong?"
"Nothing... Stay here, okay?"
She moved away from him before he could complain, creeping to the doorway and opening it just enough to get a better look at the man outside. It was him, all right. Despite the cracks in his flesh and the horrible burns, it was definitely him.
"Mr. Braddock?"
Captain Britain lifted his head, his every move making Mandy's heart skip a beat. He looked like death warmed over. "Hide me. They're coming...."
Mandy looked around fearfully at that. If she gave this man aid, she would be putting her son's life on the line. The Martians would kill them without pause... But he'd sacrificed so much for them, how could she not do the same in return?
Reaching down, she gripped the man under his arms and began dragging him inside.
"Don't touch him." Mandy's voice was only lightly scolding, for she could scarcely avoid reaching out herself.
Brian Braddock's skin was glowing with a faint yellowish tint, as tiny sparkles of light burst about him. Each time one of the sparkles flashed, one of his wounds began to heal. It was awe-inspiring to see and it made Mandy think of the magic that had once ran so freely throughout the British Isles. When the Barrier had first dropped, it was that very same magic that had kept the Martians at bay at first. Their technology was unreliable in the so-called Isles of Magick, but as time went on, the effects of the Barrier began to fade. The creatures of myth began to slumber once again and the magical powers that had graced so many became weaker and weaker.
But this... this was wonderful.
"What is that stuff?"
"I think it's magic, Joey. Pure magic."
"So he's gonna be okay?"
Mandy didn't answer at first, but as she saw the strong jawline re-set itself, she knew he would be. "I wonder where his wife is," she murmured out loud. "Nobody's seen her in years."
"She's dead," Brian murmured, rising from the cot.
The action was so sudden that it made both Mandy and Joey jump back in alarm. The mother put hands around her son's chest protectively. "You shouldn't be moving yet."
"It's okay," Brian replied, glancing at his savior for the first time. He saw fear in their eyes -- but admiration, also. "Honestly, I'm fine. The magic I used to have as King of Otherworld has begun to wear off, but I still have enough for this. Did I frighten you?"
"A bit, yeah." Mandy gave Joey a pat on his rear. "Go and open a can of beans, luv. Our guest is probably famished."
Brian nodded, though he felt a twinge of guilt at accepting food from these people, who were so obviously living hand-to-mouth. He was famished, though. Healing himself had taken a lot out of him. Memories of how he'd been injured suddenly came rushing back to him and he felt a great darkness begin to encrouch upon him. "My friends. I've lost more of them, haven't I?"
Mandy reach out impulsively and gave his hand a squeeze. She felt very uncertain about him... He was so clean, so regal, so handsome... and here she was, just some gutter rat... "I saw it all. They... they died so bravely."
"Perhaps so, but they died nonetheless." He stood then, towering over her to such an extent that he had to bend over to avoid scraping the ceiling of the small shack. "Where are we?"
"Just outside London proper. The Martians are looking for you, I guess. They've had tripods on the move all night."
"They must have known I survived somehow." Brian accepted the beans from Joey with a grateful smile. "Thank you. Is it just the two of you here?"
"Yes," Joey replied, staring at Brian's colorful uniform. Like his flesh, Brian's costume had repaired itself as well. "My daddy was killed by a Skorpsman."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Brian cast a glance at the boy's mother, noting that she was staring out the window. She's scared that I'm going to lead the Martians to them. Not that I blame her. "I'll leave as soon as poss-- Nngh!" The can of beans clattered to the floor as Brian slumped forward, grasping his side. He gritted his teeth until the pain passed, but beads of sweat had broken forth on his forehead. He opened his eyes to see Mandy watching him closely.
"Are you going to be okay? Really?"
Brian hesitated, finally gesturing to the door. "May we speak in private?"
Mandy nodded, pulling away from her son. "I'll be right back. Get started cleaning up the mess."
Once outside, Captain Britain said "I was using a bit of bravado before. My magic may not be up to the task of healing me. Not this time."
"What are you going to do?" she asked, shivering as a harsh wind began to blow. The air was thick was pollutants and she coughed a bit, unconsciously moving closer to the Captain. He seemed to shine like a beacon of safety.
"I might journey to the States. The Panther's group of Avengers are still doing fairly well and they're probably the only hope we have left."
"What about those of left here? Who'll defend us?"
Brian said nothing, but Mandy saw him clench his right fist in frustration. "I... don't know. There's a chance that I might be able to save most of the people left on the Isles -- there aren't that many. But it would mean leaving here, possibly forever."
"What do you mean? Where could we possibly go where the Martians wouldn't all ready be?"
"I once ruled over a place called Otherworld. I lost the throne several years back and the portal between our world and that realm was sealed. But I might be able to open a portal and shunt through all the humans who remain in Britain to a neighboring Earth, using Otherworld as a way station...."
"And the Martians wouldn't be able to follow?"
"No..." Brian looked at her, studying her eyes. "Would you really want that? To leave the homeland that our forefathers fought for?"
"What's left of it?" she demanded. "Our culture, our heritage... they're just words and ideas! I want my son to have a chance to play in the grass -- to go to sleep knowing that he'll wake up the next morning to find the sun overhead and his friends still alive! If you can do that, why haven't you bleedin' done it??"
Brian saw the pain and rage in her eyes and said nothing. He reached out to her as she turned away from him, but her flinch at his touch made him pull back. "I wanted to win this. Surely you can understand that? I wanted to free our land, our people."
"If you cared about the people, you would have saved us," she whispered. "My husband died and you're telling me you could have done something about this?"
Brian sighed. She was right in some respects. He had avoided the inevitable for far too long, hoping against everything that he and his friends would somehow find a way to drive back the invaders. But look at the cost... Meggan, gone. All the Pendragons, gone as well. Even if T'Challa's forces found a way to win... what would be left? Certainly not any England that his father would recognize.
Mandy felt a stirring in the air and glanced over her shoulder. Brian was lifting off the ground, soaring up into the sky... He looked majestic and she suddenly felt petty and small. "Wait! I'm sorry -- I didn't mean it!" but the flying man gave no indication that he heard her.
Captain Britain flew high above the city, watching as the Martian tripods moved over a broken and ruined landscape. It broke his heart, but it also filled him with pride. Despite the overwhelming forces of the invasion fleet, his fellow countrymen had continued to fight, despite the odds. But I'm ending the war today, here and now. I don't have enough power to eradicate the Martians -- I haven't since I gave up the throne -- but I should have enough for this. Jusst enough.
Holding his arms out, Brian reached inside and touched the power that rested inside him. The magicks of Otherworld glowed in response, spraying out from his body in ever-widening concentric circles. The tripods sensed the energy disturbance and began to move towards him in response, but it was too late. The power was flooding through and out of him now, spreading out to touch all those humans on the British Isles. There was no more than three or four thousand of them, scattered and hobbled. Each was touched in turn. Each was taken from this place.
Mandy and Joey held each other tightly as the spirals of energy swept around them. Their words, frightened and confused, were lost in the rising hum of magick.
A rift opened in space, far beyond the limits of the human eye, and all those that were touched fled through it. Captain Britain's mind compelled the magick, but it had taken on a life of its own, as well. It would take these humans someplace safe, far away from warfare and strife. Another Earth.
And Brian Braddock burst apart in a crescendo of power, his mind reaching out to Infinity. The shockwave annihilated the Martian sentries that had approached, blowing them to pieces. It would brighten the skies as far away as America, where a group of Avengers were finding themselves alongside a time-lost Hank Pym and Steve Rogers*.
(*See Avengers Forever)
In the days and months to come, long after the fall of the Martian invaders -- for the Avengers would indeed find a means of victory, eventually -- the question of what happened to the British would linger. Had they all been exteriminated, to the last man, woman and child?
Or did they live on...
Elsewhere?
Earth-484
It was a world without metahumans, though it was far from without heroes. Ordinary men and women often achieved the impossible, building a world where mankind roamed the spaceways and enjoyed lasting peace on earth. The immigrants from the Pendragons' Earth found themselves easily assimilated into their new environment, forging new lives for themselves amid the hustle and bustle of a prosperous world.
And young Joey grew up with the images of a golden-haired hero who was willing to sacrifice his life so that his fellow Brits might endure.
It was a world without metahumans....
Though young Joey sometimes felt the stirring of something within him, a parting gift perhaps, of a man he barely knew. When this England would find its fragile peace disturbed at last, it would have its champion.
Author's Notes
Hope you enjoyed this look into the future of the Pendragons Universe. We've seen at least one other, conflicting vision of the future in the pages of Black Knight: Destiny Walk, so there may yet be hope for our heroes to avoid the somewhat somber fate they've reached in this tale. But the Martian threat is quite real and it is lurking on the other side of the Black Mass Barrier -- you heard that here first. The so-called Secret Defenders who've appeared in Pendragons trying to prevent the removal of the Barrier know this and are working to protect Europe -- which means keeping the Barrier in place. In this story, the Barrier remains until 2006... but perhaps if it had fallen earlier, and our heroes had united with those in American and Canada, things would have turned out differently... or perhaps not. :-) Only time will tell. Stay tuned to future issues of Pendragons!
Barry
