GENETIC ECLIPSE

Tie-In: Techno Virus

By Shawn Gauthier

Inside an old and abandoned naval ship, an experimental procedure is about to begin. The insides of the ship have been gutted and replaced with state-of-the-art technology that was years beyond anything ever seen in this era. The ship has become the new home of the time-traveling mentor known as Blaquesmith.

Inside, he has gathered with his new comrades Harold Griffen, an elderly Floridian, and Jarard, a time-traveling guerrilla fighter from the future. They have gathered here to help their mutual friend become the man he once was, which is no easy task when the man in question is the Askani’son, better known as Cable in this era.

Only a few days ago, Jarard used his time-altering abilities to remove the techno virus from Cable’s body. Though his intentions were good, the results could have been devastating as Cable’s powers grew to unimaginable levels. This was confirmed by a message from the Askani Mother that foretold of Cable becoming an even larger menace than the tyrant he has been chosen to stop. Luckily, after a brief altercation with Kitty Pryde and the Absorbing Man, Cable himself realized the threat he posed and returned to his friends asking for their help to reverse the process.

This is why Cable now finds himself strapped to a table inside Blaquesmith’s new headquarters. The restraints are an unfortunate necessity since the coming procedure will be an extremely painful one.

“Are you ready, Nathan?” asks Blaquesmith from his position at the controls. The look of concern is painted plainly on his face.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” answers Cable, closing his eyes and beginning an Askani meditation chant that he hopes will serve to help him with the coming pain.

“Do not worry, my friend,” reassures Jarard, “I am going to use my powers to alter the growth of the techno virus just like I did when I devolved it and removed it from your body in the first place. This should greatly reduce the strain to your body as the virus runs its course.”

“And prolong the pain at the same time,” jokes Cable nervously.

“Oh stop being a baby,” scolds Harold, who’s standing next to the table. In his hand he holds what appears to be a glass bubble, inside of which is a tiny sample of the parasitic techno virus just waiting for a new host. “The sooner we get this procedure finished, the sooner we can begin our search for the Askani Mother and determining who the Twelve are.”

“Eleven,” states Cable between chants.

“What was that?” asks Harold.

“We only need to find eleven of the Twelve,” answers Cable. “I have already found and named one of them.”

“What?!” screams Blaquesmith, leaving his position at the controls to join the others around Cable.

“Who?” protests Jarard.

Cable opens his eyes to find his friends all hovering over and peering down at him. None seem too happy. “Kitty Pryde,” he answers.

“Do you already know the identities of the Twelve?” asks Harold before the others can interject anything.

“Yes, I know some of them, but I’m still deciding on who the last few should be,” answers Cable.

“Decide? Decide?!” exclaims an irritated Blaquesmith. “Who are you to decide who the Twelve will be? Their identities have already been decided by the wise Askani Mother herself and are named in the Prophecy Of The Askani’son! You just can’t change the prophecy! Only the Askani Mother knows what those guarded verses say! That is why we must free her first, to learn the identities of the Twelve.”

“Alright!” counters Cable. “I’m really getting sick of explaining this, so listen up. If I’m going to go up against the greatest threat the universe has ever faced, then I’m going to do it my way. Not the Askani way! Not Xavier’s way! MY way!”

From there the conversation only becomes more heated and intense. Harold observes the whole situation unfolding with disgust. It was only a day ago that he had managed to form some bond between the group, realizing that if they are to succeed then they will have to learn to rely on each other. He can’t allow that bond to be strained so soon.

“Enough!” he demands. His loud and authoritative voice shocks the others into silence. “None of this matters if we don’t return the Askani’son, Cable, back to his former self. I say we shelve this conversation until after the procedure is completed and the patient has recovered. Until then, there is no point bickering like a couple of old hens.”

Seeing his logic, the others all agree and return to their positions without saying a word. Even though the situation has ended, it is clear from the tension between them that it isn’t even close to being resolved.

Unknown to the newly-fledged friends, they are not alone in the ship. Maybe if Blaquesmith had been at the controls minutes ago he would have been able to notice the intruder with his sophisticated sensors and security system, but instead he was arguing with the others. Let that be a lesson to them.

The attack is as calculated as it is fast. Without any warning, the large computer console at Blaquesmith’s hands, now that he has returned to his position, suddenly explodes, sending pieces of metal shrapnel into its user and knocking him backwards to the ground, unconscious. The attacker has put an end to the procedure and taken out the most dangerous of his opponents, as Blaquesmith is familiar with the battlefield and has a number of security defenses he could have activated with a push of a button. Instead, Blaquesmith is the first to fall to the invisible intruder’s attack.

Jarard is the first of the heroes to react as Cable continues to struggle with his restraints. Acting on instinct, Jarard fires several time-shifting blasts around the burnt-out husk of Blaquesmith’s computer. They all miss. Jarard is then put on the defensive as several laser blasts are fired at him from the far side of the room. Diving clear of the shots and doing a one-handed cartwheel, Jarard uses his other hand to attack. Half-way through his evasive dive, Jarard retraces the projectary of the shots and returns several of his own in the general direction. This time one of his shots grazes his target.

For a brief second. the invisible intruder blinks into existence as his bulk immediately begins to decrease as a result of Jarard’s strike. His body is devolving. Cable immediately recognizes the blue-skinned intruder, even though he only has a quick glimpse as the creature activates some computer on his forearm and vanishes once again.

“Is he gone?” asks Harold, who is now beside Cable, loosening his restraints.

“No!” answers Cable before shouting a warning to Jarard. “Jarard, watch out! He’s still here; he only reactivated his cloaking device!”

The warning comes too late as another laser shot tears through Jarard’s left shoulder, blinding him with pain. Scared and vulnerable, Jarard sends several time-altering shots flying around the room. This time, however, the shots are intended to evolve their target since his previous devolving shots didn’t have the desired effect. Unfortunately, one of his shots is fired at Harold just as he freed Cable.

Finally free, Cable springs into action as he covers Harold’s body with his own, protecting Harold from the line of Jarard’s shot. The shot drives both of them into a nearby computer console that flares and fills half the room with smoke.

“No!” screams Jarard in terror, believing that he has destroyed his friends.

“We’re okay,” comes Cable’s voice from behind the smoke. Slowly, he emerges from the smoke with Harold in his arms. Both appear okay, but Cable’s appearance has greatly changed thanks to the evolving shot his body took from Jarard.

Though still human, both Jarard and Harold are quick to note his resemblance to the Guardians they fought only days ago. The most obvious similarity is the uniform that he wears, which matches the Guardians’ uniforms perfectly. As if that is not evidence enough, their is a large letter ‘G’ tattooed over his left temple.

Cable gently sets Harold down on what remains of the table and turns just in time to see Jarard knocked unconscious by a physical blow to the back of his head.

“POST!” screams Cable as he attacks. “If you’ve permanently injured any of my friends, I swear I’ll make you pay ten-fold!”

To Post’s surprise, Cable’s lunge is directly at him. Thanks to his enhanced telepathy, he has no problem sensing his adversary’s whereabouts. The two struggle with each other to the floor, where Cable pins Post’s hands above his head. He then uses his telekinetic powers to strip the weakened blue mutant of all his technological gadgets.

“I made the mistake of not killing you before when I had the chance… only to have that decision come back to haunt me during the whole Onslaught crisis, where you delighted yourself in testing and torturing my friends. I won’t let you do this to my new friends, and if that means I have to kill you… then so be it.”

Harold hears these words and knows right away that Cable means it. His powers are clouding his thoughts again. “No Cable, you mustn’t!” he screams.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Post manages to knock Cable off-balance and start to crawl away from him.

“Jarard!” Harold continues to scream, trying to awaken his teammate. “We can’t allow Cable to kill him. Undo your powers on the creature’s body or it doesn’t stand a chance!”

“Why?” asks Jarard, trying to rise to his feet, clutching his shoulder.

“Because once he crosses that line, he can’t go back. We will never get him to agree to the procedure afterwards,” explains Harold. “Damn it, boy, just trust me and do it!”

To his surprise, Jarard listens to him. ‘Maybe there is hope for this group after all,’ thinks Harold to himself as he witnesses Jarard’s shot strike Post. Immediately, the creature’s bulk and strength begin to return as his body devolves back to its original position. This allows Post to catch Cable by surprise, knocking him off his feet for the second time. Post uses the opportunity to flee the room.

“How dare you!” screams the humiliated Cable as he gets back to his feet. In his eyes, Harold and Jarard see their death, but it is Harold who saves the day by picking up the container he held earlier that contains the techno virus and hurling it at Cable.

The container smashes when it makes contact with Cable, allowing the virus inside to claim its next host. Screaming in agony, Cable drops to his knees as the virus claims him. In seconds, he’s face-down on the floor, unconscious, but still twitching.

“Jarard, see if you can slow down the virus’ progress while I try to wake Blaquesmith,” instructs Harold.

Soon, the three friends find themselves over the unconscious form of Cable.

“Is he alive?” asks Jarard. “I slowed the virus as much as possible, but it had already taken control of many of his vital systems. I’m afraid I might have been too late.”

“He is alive,” answers Blaquesmith, using a small electronic device to measure Cable’s vital statistics. “Thought he is extremely weak. Let’s get him to a table so he can rest.”

“No!” states Harold. “Didn’t you hear what he said before that creature attacked? What if that creature also heard what he said about naming the first of the Twelve? This Kitty person could be in grave danger.”

“She is not one of the Twelve!” argues Blaquesmith.

“I have to agree with Blaquesmith,” adds Jarard.

“When will you two learn? You have to put aside any of your prior beliefs and start believing in this man right before us. His whole life, he has been used and guided to do another’s bidding. You heard him. He will not allow that to happen anymore. He is taking control of his life, and if he is going to succeed, he is going to need us working with him, not against him. We have to learn to accept and respect his decisions.” Realizing that his speech is turning into a tirade, Harold pauses briefly before ending with one last statement. “Besides, it doesn’t matter if she is one of the Twelve or not, she is in danger and needs our help.”

“He’s right,” finally agrees Jarard. “I’m with you.” Reaching across Cable’s body, Jarard puts his hand on Harold’s as a sign of support.

“What is… is,” says Blaquesmith, putting his hand on top of the others’.

“Well, it’s about time.” To their surprise, they watch as Cable’s hand joins theirs. “Though I think the Fantastic Four might be upset we stole their secret handshake.”

“Nathan, are you alright?” they all ask, helping him to his feet.

“Yes. Once again, my powers have managed to hold the virus at bay. Though I have to admit I feel a loss from not having all that power anymore… but from what I remember, it’s for the best. Who needs power with friends like you?”

Harold feels embarrassed. It is the first time he has ever been caught verbally acknowledging his feelings for another. It’s a feeling that he’s not used to, but misses. Jarard, on the other hand, feels honored. The Askani’son is naming him as a friend. Surely he will go down in the history books with the Chosen One, but he can’t help but wonder if it will it be a story of great triumph or of great defeat.

It is Blaquesmith, however, who feels the strongest emotion. He feels proud. Proud that his student has become the teacher by teaching him what it means to have friends and an unpredicted future.

“I hate to break up this Hallmark moment, but shouldn’t you be going?” Harold finally states.

“Yes,” says Cable, getting to his feet and heading to the door.

“But Nathan, we still need to discuss and plan our next course of action,” pleads Blaquesmith.

“We will, I promise,” yells Cable as he darts out of the room, “as soon as I make sure Kitty is okay.”

Read X-Men #11, Uncanny X-Men #15, X-Men #12, Apocalypse #9, & Shadowcat #7 for parts 4-8 of Genetic Eclipse!

NEXT ISSUE: Genetic Eclipse Part 9! Cable and both factions of the X-Men, along with their unlikely ally the Juggernaut, have gathered together at the mansion – but with Xavier and Cyclops at odds, Apocalypse may successfully carry out his plans before the X-Men figure out their next course of action!