Written by Barry Reese
"Spider, Spider"
What Has Come Before : X-O Manowar and his companion Gamin are continuing to strike at Crescendo's powerbase, even as someone is purchasing the former holdings of Orb Industries. When Aric learns he's inherited a small company that once belonged to his friend Ken Clarkson, he announces his intention to use his newfound fortune to regain Orb. Unfortunately, this will pit him against his oldest enemies in this century -- the Spider-Aliens!
August 22, 1999
"For a dead company, Orb's got quite a full dance card, doesn't she?" Doug Freedman stared at the television screen, watching as the NASDAQ stocks scrolled across the bottom of the picture.
The Spider Alien called Kane sniffed the air. It was hard to masquerade as a human being, constantly surrounded by Meat like Freedman. Kane could almost taste the man's rich, salty blood even now... "Yes. The barbarian is being quite insistent in his attempt to regain his company."
Freedman sneered. "His company? It was my company. Or at least it was before your people took it from me. But you need my help now, don't you? Funny how things work out, isn't it?"
Kane didn't respond with words, instead choosing to move towards the large window that overlooked Freedman's spacious yard. He ran a slightly elongated finger along the glass.
Freedman watched him with amusement. He'd built Orb into the powerful international force that it had been, only to have it snatched from him by the Spider Aliens. They'd let him live, bereft of his control of the company, but only so he could serve them. Their eventual downfall to Dacia had been a source of great pleasure to Freedman -- especially since he'd always planned to reclaim Orb for himself someday*. "Where's your lady friend, Kane? She can't stand the presence of a disgusting human, either?"
(*See X-O Manowar # 36 for one example of this.)
Kane glanced over his shoulder, regarding Freedman with narrowed eyes. "Nira has other business to attend to. Now, the time for your games is over, if you don't mind. You know our terms, Freedman. We need both your money and your influence. You can make things difficult for the barbarian, obscure his view of the larger picture. Once he finds out that my people are behind the Orb acquisitions, it shall be war. I would prefer that outcome be delayed as much as possible."
Freedman ran a hand through his dark hair. "And in return for me running inteference for you, I get nominal control of Orb back? As a lackey for a bunch of human-eating aliens? No. Those terms are not acceptable."
Kane turned to face the human, drawing himself up to his full height. "Then I can slay you with no further delay."
Freedman held up a hand to stay the alien. "Slow down, Kane. All I'm doing is renegotiating the deal. I'll take care of Dacia. You have my word on that. In return, I have total control of Orb. I'm not following your orders, I'm calling all the shots once I'm back in the big chair. I'll let Orb continue to hide your activities and I'll even share the profits with you -- but it's my company, not yours. Any dickering on that point and I'm out of this little partnership."
Kane tilted his head, studying Freedman. "You're insane. Why shouldn't I kill you now and be done with it?"
"Because you said it yourself -- you need me. And I have a trump card, to boot -- I'll not only delay Dacia for you. I'll see that he's killed. And that shiny armor of his -- you'll get it back, intact. I've recently contacted an individual who wants to see Dacia punished just as much as we do."
The Spider Alien relaxed, somewhat, though his tone remained deadly. "Do not fail, Freedman. If you try to betray us, you will die in agony."
Freedman forced a smile, but inside he seethed. I'll see you and your fellow spiders squished on the floor before I'm done, Kane. But, first things first... the barbarian....
Oh, yeah... come to momma....
Gamin kept her hands steady as she reeled in the small string. At the end of the rope, a large diamond dangled precariously. Known as the Prince's Gem, it was on loan to the Metropolitan Museum -- but if Gamin had her way, it wouldn't be heading back home to India anytime soon.
The young thief glanced over at the security camera and smiled. She was crouched in the rafters, one of her holographic generators perched in front of the camera. If any security guard looked into the room, all he'd see was a nice, quiet scene. In fact, he'd be looking at a photograph of the room taken by Gamin some three hours before. She was nothing if not thorough.
As soon as the diamond was safely nestled in her backpack, Gamin was headed towards the window. She'd cut her way in with a diamond-tipped blade, having first disabled the alarm temporarily. She squeezed herself through the hole, cursing that second danish she'd eaten for breakfast.
Once on the roof, she halted dead in her tracks. Floating above her, arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his face, was X-O Manowar.
"Um... Hi there." She waved in an embarrassed way, shrugging. "Couldn't sleep?"
"I woke up to find you gone. When I followed you, I find you breaking and entering. That disturbs me."
Gamin frowned. Pointing a finger in X-O's direction, she asked "Two things, Aric. # 1 : How the heck did you follow me? And # 2 : Since when did you become concerned about the legality of things? You're Mr. "I'm going to behead all my enemies," remember?"
Aric grunted. "To answer your questions -- I followed you because I placed a tracer amongst your things. It was for your safety, not to spy on you. I have a lot of enemies and I don't plan to see you hurt. As for you breaking the law.... the things I do are part of my war with my enemies. When I was with my uncle Alaric, I would sometimes steal from the Romans -- to survive. I didn't take from those who were weaker than me. You don't need that diamond. Since I gained control of Viatek, we have enough money to buy you any jewelry you could want."
Gamin started walking away, a pouting expression on her face. "If you don't like how I live my life, you're welcome to get the hell out of it."
X-O landed in front of her, blocking her path. "Why do you do this? It's not about need -- do you truly desire these things so much that you have to steal them?"
"You talk about stealing from the Romans to survive, Aric -- Well, I've been taking care of myself since I was six. I've had to do a lot of things I'm not proud of to get by -- and the thing I'm best at in all the world is taking things. It's a challenge and I like it. Now get used to it."
Gamin tried to shove her way past Aric, but he reached out and held her shoulders tight. "Gamin...."
"What?!" Gamin stared up into his eyes, her emotions obviously in turmoil.
"You're not alone anymore. I'll take care of you."
Gamin rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "I've heard that before. Look, we're pals but you're not my keeper. Learn to live with who and what I am, or don't bother."
Aric watched her disappear over the edge of the rooftop, shaking his head. Good Skin, how do we do it? Again and again, we find ourselves surrounded by people whose motives are unclear. I only wish everyone were as simple as you and I.
August 23, 1999 - 11:40 AM
"I'm sure you'll find that Viatek is a vital, growing company. We're all very excited about what plans you might have for us." The woman, Doris Ketch, was attractive enough -- in her early 40s, with dark hair and eyes. She was obviously pleased with Aric's appearance and had chosen to lead his tour of Viatke herself, rather than delegating it to one of her underlings. "I like to think I've continued Mr. Clarkson's plans well enough, but it's nice to have an official CEO in place."
Aric, poured into a designer suit, strode beside her. His manner and bearing was like a conquering hero inspecting his spoils of war. He glanced over everything and everyone as if he owned them. His expression was dark, however -- Gamin had been gone from his hotel room this morning. "I'm sure that you've done as well as possible. I'll rely on your input quite a bit, I'm sure."
Ketch smiled at that, tossing her hair and leading Aric into his new office. It was smaller than the one he'd at Orb, but it would do. "I'm always at your disposal, Mr. Dacia. Is there anything you'd like me to do while you're familiarizing yourself with your office?"
Aric moved behind his desk and set his briefcase on its surface. Opening it, he withdrew a folder and handed it to Doris. "Yes. Here's a list of twelve small companies, each of which used to belong to Orb."
Doris took the folder with a confused look on her face. "...And what shall I do with this?"
"Contact their current owners. I want to buy them. My lawyer's name and phone number is inside the folder, as well. Contact him -- he'll help you with the particulars."
"Viatek... is expanding?"
"In a sense. I'm reclaiming what's rightfully mine. And Viatek will be a centerpiece of the new Orb Industries."
Berlin, Germany
He sat, still and quiet, as he had for almost twenty years. His caregivers came three times a day, to feed and wash him. They took care of his sanitary needs, removing his wastes lest he become ill. He was no longer a young man, his hair long gone save for a few stray wisps that clung to his scalp. His eyes were hollow and sunken, deep rings under his sockets. When he spoke, the scribe who was always kept nearby would scribble down his words. They would then be poured over and studied by the cult which had grown around his prophecies.
The scribe on duty this day was a young man, very devout. He stared at the Prophet for long hours every day, enjoying the nearness. He had never heard a prophecy himself, but he was hopeful.
Today, his patience would be rewarded.
The Prophet's eyes flew open and his voice, tinged with fear, rose to new levels. "The day of Darqueness is coming! Death, life, resurrection! A man of Shadows lost forever! A man of the Sun rising above! The Geomancer against his champion! As the Darque spreads, all will be eclipsed. The end of forever is nigh!
The scribe hurried to take down the words, his pen flying across the paper. He was so intent on his task that he never noticed the Prophet begin to shake and moan. When the scribe finished his work, he looked up to see a sight that broke his heart.
The Prophet lay on his side, his mouth open. A tiny bit of spittle ran from his lips and his eyes were wide and pupil-less. His hands clutched the air in terror.
The final prophecy had been given.
9:35 PM
Gamin knelt on the rooftop, watching as Aric entered his motel room. His curtains were open and she experienced a voyeuristic thrill as he removed his shirt and moved over to the room's small refrigerator for a beer. She'd spent the day in the park, trying to decide whether or not she should cut out. She liked Aric -- a lot, actually -- but she'd never been good at maintaining friendships. Especially not with bloodthirsty barbarians who'd experienced more pain than any man ever should. You're a cutie, Aric, but I'm not the one who can heal your soul. I want to be -- believe me, I do. But I'm not sure I'll ever replace your Diedre or your Randy... But I can't abandon you, either. Not when you need someone so --
"Well, well. I'm not the only one interested in old Aric, am I? Who are you -- a fan of the barbarian in a can?"
The metallic voice sent a chill through Gamin's spine. There was so much malice and envy in that tone... Working on instinct, Gamin spun, kicking out a leg to try and disable the man who stood behind her. A strong hand gripped her ankle before she ever made contact. "Ow!"
"Hurts, doesn't it? If you make another sound, I'll rip it off. Now... who are you?" The figure now lifted Gamin into the air, letting her dangle off the rooftop, suspended by his iron grip.
"My name is Gamin..." The thief tried to ignore the blood rushing into her brain, instead fumbling in her pockets for something she could use against this guy. He looked a lot like Aric, in his armor. But this guy wasn't in armor, she saw... he was armor.
"Gamin? Yes... I knew he had a new woman. Didn't take him long to replace Randy, did it? That barbarian bastard... he probably never loved her in the first place. Not like I did. Not like I do." Alloy shook her, making her lose her grip on her holographic weaponry.
Gamin looked up to see Aric finishing off his beer. Knowing full well that her attacker might let her fall, she decided that she had to warn her friend. "Aric! Aric, help me!!!"
Aric glanced up, letting his beer fall to the carpet. Whirling about, he saw Gamin start to fall. Above her, a smile of pure of evil on his face, was Paul Bouvier... Alloy.
"Good Skin!" At his mental call, the armor spread over his body. In a heartbeat, he was out of the window. Gamin was falling fast, the ground seemingly rising up to meet her. With a cry of animalistic rage, X-O Manowar scooped her out of the air. Her arms went around his shoulders and she smiled gratefully. "Are you injured, Gamin?"
"I'm fine. But that guy up there -- he's after you!"
Alloy lifted himself into the air, energy bristling about his hands. "You saved her. Too bad you couldn't do the same for Randy, Aric. She died screaming, did you know that? I could hear it -- I was in the armor, listening the whole time. Helpless! But no one else will die because of you. No one."
Aric gritted his teeth. Again, an enemy struck at me first. Good Skin, this must end here. If we are to win this war, we must punish some attacks with everything we have. "Gamin, get to safety."
Gamin held on tighter. "No... We may disagree on things..." Her eyes locked with his once more. "But we're partners. It's my war, too."
X-O smiled softly, his eyes alight with fire. "Then let us destroy the dog before us!"
Gamin squealed as Aric rocketed into the air. Alloy fired an ion blast at the duo, but Aric managed to swerve so that his armor absorbed the full impact and protected Gamin. The thief reached into a pocket and withdrew a small explosive, ready to hurl it at Alloy on the next pass....
But the next pass never came to be.
A tremendous flash of energy blinded Gamin and made her clutch tighter onto X-O. When her vision cleared, they were in a field of pure white. Alloy floated nearby as well, looking out of sorts. In the center of the white field was a man dressed in red. His visor flashed with power. "Aric... We have to talk."
Under his breath, Aric whispered the name "Solar."
NEXT ISSUE : Check out the special Armageddon 1999 # 1 first and then head back to X-O Manowar # 72 as the battle with the Spider Aliens heats up!
LETTERS PAGE
Aric's decision to take a less defensive stance toward his foes looks like it'll add a lot more momentum to the pace of events in this title. I'm glad that the guardsman rather than just Crescendo are being treated as a serious potential threat at least when they team-up in great numbers. Gamin's vocal disapproval of X-O's extreme methods was great too. I never want to see Aric become squeamish at getting his fists bloody in a fight but it's nice to see that Gamin has a little more compassion than him. I'm very interested in finding out what impact Samantha Jones will have on Aric's life when they eventually meet. I like Gamin a lot but I've got to admit that I never found Samantha particularly special in any way as of yet. The best part of this issue by far was the reading of Ken Clarkson's will though. That whole paragaraph was handled brilliantly. As for the introduction of Viatek, I fully expected Aric to merely take it over and rename it years down the line so his wish to use the money to reclaim Orb came as a surprise. The buy up of the numerous Orb Industries subsidiaries by Mr. Kane & Nira sounds intriguing. Are they meant to be the same characters from the New York City interlude in X-O #81? The female Spider Alien was never given a name in that issue but the other one was called Kadis so his full name could be Kadis Kane. My real question is are their plans stated in the V1F series still relevant in your new continuity? Previously, Kadis said "Within the year, the planet Earth will be nothing more than a feeding ground, helpless before us...." but I'm curious whether that applies to this second volume. I'm also anxious to find out if Mister Freedman from the last page of X-O #36 will be involved in this current Orb plot. Hero Illustrated Number 18's 'Hints From The Valiant Universe' article included a section devoted to Jorge Gonzales and it said that 'X-O faces trouble with the return of Doug Friedman, the original owner of Orb Industries. X-O fans will be happy to know Aric will face the challenge with a new sword in hand.' Birthquake obviously nixed these plans so this subplot from 'The Vengeance Trail' was never resolved but I'd love to see it finally occur in fanfic form some day. I do have one gripe about this new X-O title though. I really miss exact dates and locations being included above every scene. In my opinion, the reading of Ken's will may have been even a bit more emotional if it was stated at what point in the series he wrote it up. It's a minor detail but it is a noticeable change from the previous volume. Keith Ehrich
Thanks, as always, for the insightful comments. Nira and Kane are different characters from the ones shown in the V1F series, but their storyline is going to be pretty similar to what I had planned had the V1F series continued. The return of the original owner of Orb is indeed on the way -- nice memory you've got there! As a matter of fact, he showed up in this very issue! How's that for service?
The dates are back this issue. I was experimenting with not using them early on, but I've decided to bring them back. Let me know what you think.
See you next issue!
Barry Reese
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