Alternate X-Men #56
Michael Triggs at TRIGGS_M@bentley.edu
===================

Cover : Picture Of Wolverine, all mangled and shredded, as the other
        X-Men stand in the background, shocked. The X-Men logo is in
        red, and in bloody red characters, at the bottom of the page, the
        inscription : "From Death Do We Part."

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@@Story #1 : Changing Seasons@@
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Westchester County, NY - Xavier's Institute For Higher Learning
===============================================================

It's mid-November. A mailman works his way up the road adjacent to the school.
A rain begins to sprinkle, the overcast clouds releasing their cache upon the
earth. The mailman, in response, pulls out an umbrella, opening it up above
him.

<A loud sneeze>

Suddenly the sun comes out. The temperature shoots up to the mid-fifties, as
the rain suddenly stops. The mailman, dumbfounded, folds up his umbrella,
placing it back under his arm.

<A loud sneeze>

The sun disappears behind the clouds, as flakes of snow pour down on the earth.
The mailman begins scratching his head, and instinctively pulls out his
umbrella, holding it to the sky.

<A loud sneeze>

Suddenly, the snow stops, as the temperature drops to below freezing. The
mailman angrily tosses down his umbrella in a fit of frustration.

Scene : Inside The X-Mansion
============================

"I see Ororo's allergies are acting up again. How do your neighbors take these
 sudden changes in the weather?"

Forge sits, with his head buried under a console. Piles of wires are stretched
this way and that. Sitting nearby, in a funky yellow wheelchair is Charles
Xavier, who fingers a wrench idly with his hands.

Xavier [fingering tool pointlessly] : Luckily, we're close enough to the New
                                      England border in order for people to
                                      attribute it to that. Surprisingly,
                                      they think nothing of it.

A loud sneeze, comes from the other end of the building, and suddenly the
patter of rain can be heard against the roof. Xavier sighs. Forge pulls away
at several layers of wires, staring at them almost inquisitively.

Xavier : I thank you for coming on such short notice. After the electronic
         manifestation known as Threnody appeared, it seems that a lot of
         the technology here seems scrambled. The electricity is touch and
         go, the phone lines, the Danger Room. It's almost unnerving.

Forge <scans with some device> : It's no problem, Charles. After what happened
                                 with Alex, I feel I owe you something*.

(*Alex jumped off a bridge around Alternate X-Men #47 -Mike)

Xavier walks over to Forge, patting him on the back. 

Xavier : You can't blame yourself for his death..

Forge <staring up at Xavier> : But I can. It's almost like Nam all over again.
                               All the soldiers I sacrificed. Sent out to die.
                               Either by the enemies hands or their own. 

<Another loud sneeze. Large pieces of hail begin slamming into the windows.
 One window nearby shatters.>

Xavier raises his hand to his head, slapping his forehead.

Xavier <muttering> : I hate this time of the year.

-*-

Scene : Outside the Mansion
===========================

Some sort of surveillance unit bleeps out information at random. Two figures
stand, mostly covered by the intense shade of the forest. From above, the
passing sun glints off the metal of armor.

Surveillance Unit : <Bleep> Locale Identity - School For Higher Learning.
                    Registered To : Professor Charles Xavier.
                    Status : Undesignated/Non-Deceased
                    Number Of Life Forms Detected : 5
                    Power Voltage Reading : 0

Voices snicker, exchanging comments back and forth.

Voice <hollow> : Good. This'll be a piece o'cake.. No power and no people..

The other voice <also hollow, deeper> : I can't believe we're getting paid
                 for this.. 

The static of a radio splashes out through the silence of the woods.

Voice <hollow> : Grey Unit #1 to Control. This place is dead.
                 We're going in.

Control <coming from the radio> : Go for it, chap. Don't use the Bi-Op if you 
                                  don't have to..

-*-

Scene : Atlanta, GA 

"Control" <speaking through radio> : The control processor is still quite
                                     unstable.. He is resisting.. I'll
                                     have Oliver look at him when he's
                                     out of the hospital.. 

"Control" releases his hand on the transmit key on his portable radio.

His cloak sways in the wind.. Many people surround him, his tall frame
just barely making it over the crowd.. They are all listening to something..
Someone.. Somewhere.. It is a sunny day here in Atlanta.. Banners hang
everywhere.. They all say the same thing..

CREED '96.. 

Standing atop of a stage is the center of all this attention, the 
Presidential Nominee known as Greydon Creed.. His voice blares out
agains the blue sky like a hammer on glass.. 

Creed <speaking over microphone> : Don't you get it? Unless we do something
now, this is the end! More and more of this new breed are popping up 
everyday! They are dropping out of the sky left and right!!

-*-

Scene : Portland, Oregon
Weather : Overcast 

StakeOut Joe's Bar and Grille. It lives up to it's name, being raided by the
Oregon police twice in the last five years. Arnie suddenly knows that maybe
this isn't the best place he could have come for drink, especially after
eyeballing some of the bigger regular customers. Building up his courage, the
small man walks up to the bartender, who stands about 5'7 and 300 lbs, easily,
speaking up:

"Hey, Gimme a Lite.."

>From outside, a loud screeching noise can be heard. Through the window, a
bright light penetrates forth. Heads turn, as the entire bar runs towards the
door, in awe, looking out. 

>From high within the sky, something comes hurtling down at them. Shining
intensely, with a black core, it crashes down into the ground with incredible
intensity, as the crowd of people flinch back in reflex. 

The various people from the bar run over to the crater created from the
impact, and peer into it. They stand in awe, mouths hung open, too astounded to
speak. Arnie, peering from the back of the group, motions to speak:  

"Um, A -Bud- Lite?"

-*-

Back To The X-Mansion
=====================

The lower-levels of the X-Mansion contain much of the equipment that powers the
place. A large metallic room contains wires, diodes, and odd-looking machinery
of all shapes and sizes. Currently, this machinery is "out-of-order." The
freak entrance of an eccentric electric visitor apparently did considerable
damage to the wiring and power and communications facilities, which has
worsened over the last few days. Charles Xavier, and his longtime friend, Forge
are currently attempting to undo the damage caused.

Forge digs his way into a orb-shaped piece of machinery. He glances over at
Charles Xavier, reaching out.

Forge : Hand me that double-triple-insicated-combo-wrench-utility, Charles.
        This doesn't look good. You really burnt this out good.

Charles <handing Forge some tool> : Do you think you can fix it?

Forge : Yes, but this is definitely going to take a while. I can probably
        get the phoneline up and running, but as far as the power source and
        the LD communication.. It's going to take a little longer.. You're
        lucky the comm-systems held out as long as they did.. 

<suddenly a voice appears out of nowhere>

"Forget about the power. Just get the damn phone workin'. I definitely am
 calling out for pizza. This food is terrible."

Sabretooth's holo-form suddenly appears out of nowhere. He is munching on a
mouse, gnawing on its insides. Xavier, upon seeing Sabes behind him, sighs,
slapping his head to his forehead.

Forge : It figures. The one thing in the whole Mansion that is working, and
        it turns out to be your little virtual contraption..

Creed <still chewing> : What? Don't like my company, Forge?

Charles <eyes rolling> : Creed, the whole point of putting those mice in your
                         cell was so you could practice controlling your
                         animal urges, and try -not- to to eat them. It's
                         obvious you've failed miserably. I don't know why
                         I even bother.

Sabretooth <with another mouse in his hand> : Well, if you were to give me
           some -real- food, maybe I wouldn't feel so tempted to eat these
           guys. Besides, stop blamin' me, it ain't my fault that you 
           misplaced all your mindless followers.

Charles : They are not misplaced. They are on an important mission.

Sabretooth : Bah. Important Mission my $#@$. You gots no clue where they 
             are. They could be dead for all you know. But what do you
             care? If they go, you can always get Generation Xers ready
             to be killed next.

Forge pulls out a device, and hits a button, as Sabretooth suddenly becomes
silent. His image remains, yet no noise erupts forth.

Forge : Victor, I created that holographic teleport matrix for you so you
        could have some freedom. So you wouldn't be a caged animal. What I
        can give I can easily take away.

Charles : As much as I appreciate your concern, that wasn't needed. In a 
          weird sort of way, Sabretooth is sort of the voice of reality
          in my life. Sometimes in adhering to my ideals, I forget the
          cold hard truth.

Forge : The X-Men can take care of themselves, Charles. They're probably 
        fine.

Charles : "Probably" isn't enough. I need to know for sure. 

<fade out>

Scene : The X-Mansion - Front Door.

A second later, the door simply ceases to exist, reduced to pulp. Two figures,
in robotic armor, stand in the doorway, another larger being standing behind
them, so large he barely fits through the entrance.

One of the Armoured Forms : Greetings, X-Men. Company has arrived. [snickering]

The Other Armoured Form : Yeah, you'd think they'd be polite enough to make
                          us some tea, knowing that we were coming.

First Armoured Form : But they didn't know we were coming.

The Other Armoured Forms : Oh yeah..

First Armoured Form : Eep. Incoming message from Control.

A voice erupts from a speaker on the armor : "Will you two stop yapping, and
                                              do what we sent you there to do?
                                              Every second you stand around
                                              is costing us money, which 
                                              is going to get lumped on
                                              American taxpayers! Which is
                                              going to ruin everything!"

<Fade out>

Scene : Sabretooth's Holding Cell.
==================================

He is in darkness. He munches on a white mouse, griping and muttering. 
Sabretooth had agreed to monitor the Mansion for signs of trouble, since the
security system was non-functional. The light from a monitor illuminates 
Victor Creed's mug. He stares at the forms of Xavier and Forge through 
this monitor.

"Fine. Be that way, you stupid prick. If you don't want to hear what I
 have to say, you can watch your own back."

Afterall, you don't need me sniffing about for intruders. You can see into
their heads.

<Fade out>

Scene : The Power Supply
========================

Bits of wire and circuitry lie everywhere. Forge goes tearing through them,
looking for some particular part.

Forge <frustrated> : Damn, I could have sworn I put that universal amplicitator
                     here. Now where did it go?

Charles Xavier casually picks up a piece of circuitry, holding it to Forge.
You mean this?

Forge <frustrated> : No. That's a two-bit quadranifier. If I used that to fix
                     the damage, it probably would turn this entire compound
                     into a crater.

Charles Xavier : Remind me never to go into mechanics.

Forge pops his head up at Charles..

Forge : Something just crossed my mind. Victor agreed to monitor the compound
        upstairs from his cell, right?  He seems rather angry with us when he
        muted him. How do we know he's still watching us?

Charles : Not to worry. I'm psychicly scanning the whole-compound, and I don't
          detect a thing. 

Scene : Upstairs
================

One of the Armoured Forms is digging into the X-Refrigerator, getting something
to eat. The other form stares at him oddly.

Other Armoured Form <hollow> : You moron, Control's going to kill us if he
                               catches us doing this.

First Armoured Form <making submarine sandwich : F*** that. I'm starving.

Scene : The Power Source
========================

Charles : Besides, Storm is upstairs, so even if something did happen, I'm sure
she could take of it..

Scene : Storm's Attic Loft
==========================

Storm lies in bed, tissues lying everywhere. She snores loudly, as a bottle of 
Allergy Medication lies next to her bed.

[Bottle Label : Nok-Out]

Scene : Sabretooth's Cell
=========================

Sabretooth drops the mouse he is chewing on, and suddenly sniffs. His mouth
waters, as he sucks in the smell of the submarine sandwich above. However, at
the same time, he smells something else. First something he's never smelled
before. And then, he smells something which he has smelled before.. The smell
chokes his lungs, and drives him to rage.

Sabretooth <GROWLING> : It can't be! HIM?!?!?!?!?!

Scene : Upstairs
================

Armoured Form #1 stands before a completely made sandwich. Armoured Form #2
looks at him oddly.

Armoured Form #2 : Okay, loser. You have your sandwich. Now how are you 
                   gonna eat it without taking your helmet off, and 
                   making yourself susceptible to psychics?

Armoured Form #1 slaps himself on the forehead with a loud clank.

AF #1 : Well, I guess we could give it to the Bi-Op. It hasn't eaten since 
        the lab techs fed it today.

The Armoured Form #1 looks around, the glint of its visor reflecting the light
from the window..

AF #1 : Um, Irv, where did the Bi-Op go?

The second armoured form scratches his head, resulting in a screeching of
metal.

AF #1 : Uh-Oh. Control isn't going to like this..

Scene : The Power Source
========================

Forge continues to work on repairing the wiring for the Mansion, as Xavier
watches from the doorway, leading to the adjacent hall..

Forge : Here, don't take this wrong way, Charles, but I tend to work better
        without people staring over my shoulder.. Don't worry.. Everything
        will be up and operational before you know it..

Charles <wheeling away> : I'm sorry Forge, with all that's happened lately,
                          I've just been a little uptight. I'll leave you
                          to your own devices, and get out of your way.

Charles vanishes around a corner, the back end of his wheelchair disappearing
down the hall.

Forge <sighing in relief> : Finally.. He's gone.. Now I might be able to
                            -actually- get some work done.. <laughing to
                            himself> Well, I guess I know now why you're a 
                            mutant figurehead, and not an automechanic, 
                            Chuck..

Suddenly, the form of Sabretooth materializes in front of Forge. Forge
flinches, dropping the odd-looking tool he was using out of his hand. It 
lands on the ground with a large clank. Creed tries to speak, but no 
sound comes from his voice, his hologram form still in mute mode.

Forge : Quit bugging me, Creed. I have work to do, and your games are quickly
        losing interest.

Sabretooth goes running towards Forge, still trying to say something. Forge,
seeing the holographic projection charging at him, pulls a device from his
sleeve, and clicks on a button, causing Sabretooth's holographic projection to
disappear.

Scene : Sabretooth's Cell
=========================

Sabretooth leaps about, in rage, his voice barely speaking comprehendible
English. A smell fills his nostrils. A smell of death.

Sabretooth <Growling> : Forge!!  Listen to me!! You arrogant sonobitch.. We
got company, and if my nose isn't lying, they're headin right towards you!

Sabretooth, wearing some sort of technical equipment on his person, bounds
towards the front of a monitor in his cell, only to see Forge pointing some
device at him.. The monitor goes blank..

<click>

Sabretooth howls angrily, ripping the technological gear off.

Sabretooth <shouting at the blank monitor> : YOU'RE SEALING YOUR OWN FATE, YOU
                                             STUPID PRICK!!

Scene : The Power Source
========================

Forge : Finally, no distractions.. Now, I might be able to get something ..

<A LOUD CRASHING NOISE, coming from out in the hall>

Forge <dropping tools> : .. Done??

Forge flies towards the door heading to the nearby hall.. He walks down the
corridor, in the same direction Charles wheeled down a few minutes ago..

Forge <walking slowly> : Charles? 

Forge suddenly feels a heavy breathing at his back, as an intense shadow blocks
out the nearby light fixture. He turns around slowly, as his eyes dilate
suddenly.

Final Image : Look of Astonishment on Forge's face, as a shadow of some
              creature covers him.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@ End Story #1  @@
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 \/
 /\

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@@ Story #2 : Un-Cremation : The Rebirth @@
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"Oh my God."

A dropped jaw. Jean Grey stands, looking out from the remains of the 
X-Men's aircraft, which is stranded out in the middle of Alaska, after
the X-Men were led into a trap unknowingly by Sinister's hench-woman, 
Threnody.

The resulting explosion had claimed one of their number. Wolverine had
saved Jean's life at the expense of his own, knocking her out of the way
of the explosion within Sinister's booby-trapped former place of residence.
He had been reduced to ashes. Or so they had thought. And in a way, they
are right..

Image : Jean Grey, Hank McCoy, and the man known as Bishop stare in a shock,
        at a pile of pulp intertwined with the snow outside. Like something
        out of a horror movie, it slurps up to the side of the craft, as 
        black hairs stretch out from within it, moving swaying back and
        forth in the Alaskan wind, which beckons that snow will soon be
        falling.

Hank walks up to the sludge, staring at it, in awe. Speechless, he examines
what once was his former teammate, as scraps of cloth from Logan's costume
emerge from the ooze that once was Logan.

He somberly takes a medi-scanner from his pack, and passes it over the
wreckage. The device beeps, the noise being the only thing audible, except
for the howling of the cold November wind.

Beast drops his head, the device falling from his hand, plopping in the
snow outside.

"It's surprising he was able to pull himself together this much. He is
 in agony. No being should have to go through the pain he's going through
 now."

Bishop pulls out his pistol, pointing it at the remains, the end of the
gun smoking.

Bishop : "Maybe we should put him out of his misery."

The gun suddenly goes flying, landing against the side of the ship, with
a clank. The sound of the wind increases in volume, sputtering against
the side of the ship. Jean Grey stares intently at Bishop.

Jean Grey : Logan's come back from a lot worse than this.

Beast pats Jean on the back, looking into her eyes.

"Even Logan has his limits. There are some things that his healing factor
aren't capable of doing. His structure seems constant, neither improving
nor getting worse. His healing factor did the best it could, and it wasn't
enough."

Jean and Beast lock in a sad embrace. Jean, with all too much emotion to
spare, and Hank, attempting to think too much to avoid feeling.. Each 
hoping to gather in the other what they lack..

Bishop drops his head down, walking up to the pile of slush.. He fights off the
violent Alaska wind, which grows more violent by the second..

Bishop <muttering> : You were a good soldier, Logan.. What a waste..

Bishop flinches back suddenly, falling backwards into the snow.. He twists his
head around, staring at the pile of mush that once was Wolverine..

>From the background, Jean and Beast catch sight of the odd glow, turning their
heads. Tiny sparks of electricity shoot up and down the goop. Increasing in
intensity, the wind howls violently, blowing snow this way and that. Bishop and
the others struggle to stare through the snow.. From the lump that remains of
Logan, a figure begins to pull itself together. A slurping noise overpowers the
desperate howl of the wind, as scream of pain fight their way over it.. And
then all is silent.. From amidst the snow, which has started to pour down from
the sky at amazing rates, a voice pops through..

Voice <hoarse>: Spare me the obituary, Rookie. I can't die. For better or 
                worse, the powers that be won't let me..

Bishop, Jean and Beast fight through the snow, getting to Logan, who is
apparently cold, since all his clothing didn't pull itself together along
with the rest of his body.

Jean : Logan, thank you. You saved my life back there.

Logan <even hoarser> : Don't mention it. Catch me when I fall, and I'll do
                       the same for you.

Logan, apparently worn out by pulling itself together, collapses from
exhaustion. Beast and Jean grab him before he touches face down in the snow,
which is quickly blanketing the barren Alaskan wasteland.

Beast <commenting> : It's amazing. His healing factor has never been this
                     powerful before. Come, let's get him inside, and get
                     some clothing on him.

-*-

So another story ends. We have witnessed the karma wheel spin full cycle for
one man. Tragedy became Fortune, as he was able to heal from the ghosts
of his past, and rejoin the X-Men. Fortune became Tragedy, as he sacrificed
himself for another, only to be rewarded for his effort, by given a second
chance at life.

So, in conclusion, one wonders : What other Karma Wheels are spinning right
now? For every person that fortune blesses, there is another person that
Tragedy curses. 

-*-

Epilogue
======== 

Scene : New York
----------------

Snow and ice collect on the upper skeleton of the Brooklyn Bridge, A thick snow
has blanketed the area for the last few hours. Dusk, setting in, engulfs this
section of river in darkness, the light from the nearby city just barely
illuminating the waters. However, if somebody looked closely, they might be
able to see a thick hot mist arising from the water.

Atop of the Brooklyn Bridge, a female figure stands, waiting for something to
happen. She stares into the water, as the steam-like mist arises from it. 

"It is time, Alex. Your brief summer has ended, and now the long winter has
 begun."

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@@ End Story #2 @@
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/Disclaimer/ : A lot of the characters are the property of Marvel Comics.
               A lot of the concepts come from Marvel Comics.
               I am just a Marvel-writer wannabe, hoping one of the Marvel
               people will see my writing.
              
               .. However, a lot of the ideas are mine, so Nyah!! 
                
               <sticking out tongue>

Next Issue:
===========
The Dawn Of Mutant Taxi Cab Service!!!

Plus, the return of the only team with an X its name that Marvel doesn't
have a regular series for yet..
===========
