Tales of Pendragons featuring the X-Men “Contact Part 1”
Written
By Mick Edwards and Jason Trenner
Somewhere in southern
It was almost twelve
hours ago Mimic told the others they needed to leave
“Here is where we will rest for the night,” Calvin said.
“What? Are you bloody mad? There is nothing but rocks here,” Chamber said.
Calvin cast a glance at Chamber, but didn’t respond. He merely hiked up to the top of a nearby hill.
“Any one else think leader man has gone bonkers?” Chamber asked his fellow teammates.
“No, but I believe this decision is a bit…odd,” Kurt replied.
“I think the bloke knows what he is doing,” Prophet said.
“Why did we bring this bastard along?” Laura asked.
“Oh come on babe I know you want a shag. I’m irresistible,” Prophet replied.
The back hand from Laura sent Prophet to sprawling to the ground.
“Ouch, you didn’t have t’ hit so hard,” Prophet said.
Laura snorted her annoyance and walked away.
Cecilia grabbed Kurt’s arm and led him away from Prophet’s prying ears.
“Are you sure bringing him along is wise?” Cecilia asked.
“Ja, no one wanted him around
Cecilia nodded her head, “All right.”
Atop the hill…
Using the stolen meditative techniques of the Askani, Calvin Montgomery Rankin the Mimic places himself into a deep trance, one that casts his astral form into a plane that very few beings could travel. As he arrives in the misty realm he searches for the one who he seeks. The one guided him so far from where they started. Behind him a trail of blue vapor forms into a woman. It places its hands upon Calvin’s shoulders and he turned around.
“Now tell me why is it you asked me to come here,” Calvin said.
Her serene almost song-like voice touches his mind and instantly visions play before his mind as she communicates with him.
“Young one, you have come like I asked. As I promised I will answer your questions once you do as I ask,” she replied.
Calvin nodded and the woman searched through his various memories even ones that we not his. These memories allowed her a doorway to his soul and spoke volumes of how troubled he was and how adamant he was about changing his ways. She broke contact and looked at him with her gentle yellow eyes.
“Thank you for such a wonderful gift. Now you may ask your questions,” she replied.
“Why are we here? What happened to us and how come no one remembers us?” Calvin asked.
“You and your allies were transported to a pocket dimension
that resembled
Calvin looked down cast taking it all in.
Outside…
“Has anybody seen that weasel Prophet--Robert--or whatever name he is going by?” Laura asked
“Nein I thought he was going to check on you,” Kurt replied.
“I didn’t see him or smelled him come my way,” Laura said.
“We best look for the twat, he may get lost,” Chamber replied gruffly.
“Ja, but do not journey too far from base camp,” Kurt said.
The other realm…
“If all of that was just a façade then how is it Laura and the others ended up with me?” Calvin asked.
“Twis your destiny to assemble as the shield of the green while the Pendragons and their allies are busy with the Bane and the Martians. Other forces conspire to take advantage of the resolution of the war and if they should catch the green’s forces off guard then all is lost. It was deemed necessary by the green knight to ask for aid from other champions of good,” the woman replied.
“Who could have he asked?” Calvin asked.
“I and my sorceress’s,” the woman replied.
Calvin sat down taking this all in, “What is that we are supposed to do?”
“You must take out the forces in the shadows while the champions of the green dispense with the Bane and the Martians. Only then will your mission be complete and your purpose served,” the woman said.
“Where do we start?” Calvin asked.
“Look to the shadows, only then will the answer be revealed,” the woman replied and then disappeared.
Calvin found himself back on the rock looking down to where his teammates where missing. He searched around using the heightened senses of Wolverine as he skittered down the mountain. Taking to the air he scoped out his team scattered about the area searching for some-thing or some-one. Calvin sent a telepathic summons to all of them telling them to regroup and set down back at the base camp. Each one of the X-Men gathered back at the base camp including Prophet who they had been looking for.
“Where the hell were you Prophet?” Laura asked grabbing Prophet by the collar.
“I was taking a leak. I don’t need people watching me go dammit,” Prophet replied.
“Never mind that X-Men, I found what I was looking for and I think I know where or more like how we need to start making an impact,” Calvin said as he looked in the distance.
“Where? Huh?” Laura asked.
“I would like to know what you’re talking about as well,” Kurt said.
“We are going to attack--the Hand,” Calvin said.
“Vas? I thought they were dead?” Kurt replied.
“Have you lost it blondie? Clearly you don’t mean to send us after dead people,” Chamber said.
“They’re not dead. I can’t explain how I know they are not dead, but I do know they’re not,” Calvin replied. “We need to take them out because I have a feeling things are going to start to get intense and we don’t need them sticking us in the back while we go to work.”
Chamber made a motion to Cecilia that Calvin lost it and Laura growled at him.
“Well…this is your operation Calvin. So tell us where do we go from here,” Kurt asked.
“North-East, That is where I feel an impression from them,” Calvin replied.
“Ja, then let us head that way in the morning,” Kurt said.
“Agreed,” Calvin replied.
The lights flickered on as the Asian woman walked through the lone decadent halls. Her face was a mix of fear and disgust. Orokou Saki was definitely not some one she cared to associate herself with as he was clearly psychotic, but her master had often need of his talents.
“Saki, I have come on behalf of our master,” the woman said as she entered the room. To her fright he was no where in sight. She backed up against the wall slowly wondering where he was and what kind of mood he was in. When she saw the goose liver fall to the floor she knew he was not in the mood for talk.
“Speak quickly before I silence you permanently wench,” Saki said from the shadows above her.
“Our master wishes for you to dispense with these…X-Men before they uncover the truth,” she replied.
“Why should I care,” Saki said as fresh blood dripped from his lips, “It was his idea to aid those foreigners in placing those fools into that fold of space. His mistakes don’t concern me.”
“Already the Hand barely ranks over a few hundred because of this accursed barrier and the magic’s it’s unleashed. Only through our benefactor’s grace has the Hand thrived where others have not and yet you question his wisdom,” she said. “You’re the fool.”
“Listen to me closely Meiko,” Saki said venomously as landed before her. “I do not care for what the master wants nor do I care for what happens to the Hand. I only care for myself. However I will do as he asks only at the promise of a reward.” His costume glinted in the snowy candle light as he inched closer to Meiko. Sharp blades lay upon his shoulders as well as his on his forearms which frightened her.
“What would ask of him? You know he has no wealth to give,” Meiko replied.
“Ah, but he has you,” Saki said before he laid a forceful kiss on her. She pulled away in revulsion with goose blood running down the side of her face.
Meiko turned away and headed out to give the answer to her master while Saki laughed maniacally.