Group X
"Caught in a Crossfire"
(Front cover. We see Selene and Candra fighting each other. Behind them Eagle, Starshot, Dormira and Quicksand stand.)
Cap (N): Selene vs. Candra ... and guess who's caught
in the middle!
(Inside front cover. We see the usual blurbs for
Lotus, Diving Owl, Sonnos, Mindpath, Odora and Quicksand. Below that, we see these blurbs:)
Selene: She has existed at least since the time of the
Candra: An X-Ternal born in the Middle Ages, Candra possesses
various powers, of which only she knows the extent. She has been known to shut
off the superhuman powers of others, and possesses various telepathic
abilities, which don't work right now because of the psi-plane's
destruction ...
(Page 1, panel 1.
Cap (N1):
Cap (N2): A nice, quiet day in the life of one of the few remaining X-Ternals.
Cap (N3): That will change soon, however ...
(Panel 2. Go inside to see Candra
lying in bed with a young man.)
Cap (N1): Candra is not
without her pursuits.
Cap (N2): Love for an X-Ternal is never easy.
(Panel 3. The man and Candra wake
up.) Man: Mornin', chere.
(Panel 4. They kiss. Panel 5. They
part.)
Man: You be the best, Candra.
Candra: Yes ...
(Page 2, panel 1. Candra turns away.)
Candra: You got to leave Jaques. T'ings gonna get mighty hot here soon.
(Panel 3. Enter the Tithe collector.)
Tithe: Today is the day, Candra.
Candra: I am aware of that, Tithe collector. You've
made it known to me several times now.
(Panel 4. The Tithe collector turns away.)
Tithe: You on your own, chere
... nobody you know can help you.
(Page 3, panel 1. Team X
headquarters,
Cap (N1): Everyone needs the human touch.
Cap (N2): For Lotus and Diving Owl, it comes from each other.
Cap (N3): Their relationship is vastly complicated.
Cap (N4): But it works for them.
(Panel 2. They separate.)
Lotus: I really needed that, David.
Eagle: So did I, Lecita. Our
relationship will always be strong.
(Panel 3. An announcement comes over the intercom.)
Computer voice: Attention: Selene
has been sighted in
Lotus: Selene? Looks like we won't get to rest after all.
Eagle: But it is all part of the divine plan.
(Panel 4. Go to the briefing room. We see Sonnos and Quicksand
there, watching the screen. The screen shows Selene
flying down the streets of
Cap (N): And in the briefing room ...
Quicksand: Who is this Selene?
Sonnos (1): I don't know, amiga.
Sonnos (2): Computer, display information on Selene.
(Panel 5. The screen shows a photo of Selene,
with some indecipherable text.)
Sonnos: Well, this could be a problem.
(Page 4, panel 1. Enter Lotus
and Eagle.)
Lotus: Well, let's get going here. Whatever Selene's up to, it's bound to be trouble.
(Panel 2.
Cap (C1): There be evil in the air tonight.
Cap (C2): Dark evil.
Cap (C3): I can feel it in my bones.
(Panel 3. She turns to see the Tithe collector there.)
Tithe: There be trouble in the air tonight, chere ... you best be going.
Candra:
Go? Where? This evil ... it be
after me.
(Panel 4. Candra approaches the Tithe
collector.)
Candra: Tithe collector, you best be going ... I may not
make it after tonight.
Tithe: I cannot go, chere ... you know why.
(Page 6, panel 1. Go back to Selene. We see her approaching Candra's
place.)
Cap (S1): The energy is strong.
Cap (S2): She will be in my sights soon.
(Panel 2. We see a policeman spot Candra.)
Policeman's thoughts: (Mon Dieu, not
another mutant.)
(Panel 3. The policeman follows Candra, talking into a walkie-talkie.)
Policeman: Send backup, tut suite!
This will get ugly quickly. I will follow her to make sure damage is at a
minimum.
(Panel 4. The policeman is suddenly
face-to-face with Selene.)
Selene: I don't like being followed.
(Panel 5. Selene absorbs the policeman's lifeforce.)
Policeman: AAHH!!
(Panel 6. Selene holds up the dead
body of the policeman.)
Selene: Not very satisfying.
Voice (from off panel): Stop right there, Selene!
(Page 7, panel 1. We see Team
X face Selene.)
Selene: Stay out of this, Team X ... this vendetta is
personal, and has nothing to do with you.
Lotus: When you kill people, it has everything to do with us.
(Panel 2. Selene unleashes a blast of
magical energy.)
Selene: Then die with him!!
(Panel 3. Team X scatters, dodging the energy.)
Lotus: You can't fight us all at once, Selene. Selene: I won't need to.
(Panel 4. Selene pulls out a small
box.)
Selene: I found this one in the lair of Tantalus!
(Panel 5. Selene opens the box, which
releases about 3 demons.)
Selene: Enjoy your doom!
(Page 8, panel 1. Team X gets caught up stopping the demons as Selene
exits.)
Sonnos:
(Panel 2. Sonnos traps one of the demons in a sonic cage.)
Lotus: One down, two to go.
(Panel 3. Lotus discharges a spiritual light at one of the
demons, hitting it. This causes the demon to dissolve.)
SFX: HISSS!!
(Panel 4. The remaining demon splits into four demons.)
Lotus: Blast it! We've lost sight of Selene!
(Panel 5. Lotus faces Eagle and Sonnos.)
Lotus: Diving Owl, Sonnos, keep them busy. Quicksand,
follow me.
(Panel 6. Mindpath and Odora teleport in.)
Mindpath: Here comes the
(Page 9, panel 1. Go back to Selene. She is near the home of Candra.)
Cap (S1): I am very close.
Cap (S2): Soon, they all will be mine.
(Panel 2. Suddenly, Selene is
blindsided by a blast of energy.)
SFX: CRACKLE!!
Selene: UHN!!
(Panel 3. Selene faces Candra.)
Candra: You be wantin' to kill me, woman ... you should know better to step on an
X-Ternal!
(Panel 4. Selene recovers from Candra's blast.)
Selene: I've lived longer than you could imagine, Candra ... and I have killed X-Ternals
before!
(Panel 5. Selene and Candra go toe-to-toe with each other.)
Candra: You non take me away!
Selene:
Famous last words, Candra.
(Page 10, panel 1. Candra strikes Selene in the jaw with a kick.)
SFX: WHAM!!
(Panel 2. Selene strikes Candra with a magical blast.)
SFX: CRACKLE!
(Panel 3. Candra dives at Selene, making a diving tackle.)
SFX: SKREMPH!!
(Panel 4. Candra and Selene slam into a wall, Selene
going first.)
SFX: WHUMP!
(Panel 5. Selene throws Candra off of her. We see Selene bleed from the nose.)
Selene: Get off me!
(Page 11, panel 1. Go back to Team X and the demons. We see Lotus and
Quicksand trying to get around a demon.)
Quicksand: It will not let us pass, Lotus.
Lotus: Then take my hand.
(Panel 2. Lotus and Quicksand shift into a spirit form.)
Lotus: Be careful, this is very dangerous.
(Panel 3. Lotus and Quicksand pass through the demon, and the
Demon turns around.)
Lotus: Now, we've got to get
to Candra.
(Panel 4. Lotus and Quicksand turn solid, and run.)
Quicksand: Take my hand, Lotus.
(Panel 5. Quicksand picks up Lotus, running.)
Quicksand: I'm much faster than you.
(Page 12, panel 1. The demon follows Quicksand and Lotus.)
Lotus: We've got company.
(Panel 2. Go back to Selene and Candra. Candra now has a knife,
and slashes Selene's face with it.)
Cap (N): And shortly ...
SFX: SLASH!!
(Panel 3. Selene backs off.)
Candra: I not be that easy to step
on Selene.
Selene: You will be mine!*
Cap (N): * From my course in the Larry Hama school of writing.
(Panel 4. Selene waves her hand,
creating a magical curtain.)
Selene: Silly fool ...
(Panel 5. Selene is
now revitalized, showing no trauma at all.)
Selene: My magic can regenerate me.
(Page 13, panel 1. Enter Lotus and Quicksand.)
Lotus: Stop!!
(Panel 2. Selene turns to see Lotus
and Quicksand there.)
Selene: Stay out of this, X people! This is none of your
concern!
Lotus: You needlessly killed a policeman, Selene!
(Panel 3. Candra takes advantage of
this distraction to strike Selene, knocking her
backwards. Blood comes from Selene's jaw.)
SFX: WHAM!!!
Selene: UHN!!
(Panel 4. Candra faces Lotus and
Quicksand.)
Candra: I know we not be best of friends, Lotus ... but the
enemy of my enemy is my friend, non?
(Page 14, panel 1. We see Candra standing over
Selene.)
Candra: You non get the best of me,
Selene.
(Panel 2. Go back to Eagle and the others. They continue to
fight the demons present.)
Sonnos: Just how can we defeat them, amigos?
Eagle: We really don't need to ... Just keep them busy
until Lotus and Quicksand can get to them.
(Panel 3. Bander puts a spear through
one of the demons.)
SFX: SHLURCH!
Bander: I hope they get there soon.
(Panel 4. Sonnos sonically slams a demon to the ground.)
Sonnos: So do I, amigo.
(Page 15, panel 1. Odora blows an acidic gas
over a demon, causing it to smolder.)
SFX: HISS!!!
(Panel 2. Mindpath strikes another
demon.)
Mindpath: Let's hope this gets resolved soon.
(Panel 3. Go back to Lotus, Candra, Selene,
and Quicksand. Quicksand restrains Selene as Lotus
holds Candra back.)
Cap (N): And so ...
Candra: Let me go, Lotus! You non
stop me from avenging my fellow X-Ternals!
Lotus: This is for the good of both of you, Candra.
(Page 16, panel 1. Selene turns to face
Quicksand.)
Selene: Then you will die!
(Panel 2. Quicksand looses all cohesion, turning into a pile of
sand.)
Quicksand: UHN!
Selene:
Now, Time for you to die, Candra!
Candra: NEVER!!
(Panel 3. Selene absorbs Candra's life force as Candra
makes a diving kick towards her.)
Candra: EEEAAARRRGGGGHHH!!!!
Lotus: No...
(Page 17, panel 1. Selene smiles.)
Selene: They're all mine now... and
what a good feeling it is.
Lotus: Selene! That was highly unnecessary!
(Panel 2. Selene faces Lotus.)
Selene: Why do you care? You and Candra
were enemies.
Lotus: I have no enemies, Selene ... just people I
oppose when they do wrong.
(Panel 3. Quicksand, now reformed, strikes Selene
with both hands, which she has formed into blocks. Selene
is hit on the jaw, and more blood comes from her
face.)
SFX: WHAM!!
Selene:
UHN!
(Panel 4. Selene recovers.)
Selene: That just cost you your life, sandy.
(Page 18, panel 1. Selene absorbs the lifeforce of Quicksand.)
Quicksand: AAAAIIIIEEEEE!!!!
(Panel 2. Quicksand turns into a pile of sand.)
Lotus: What ... what have you done to her, Selene!?
Selene: I have absorbed her lifeforce
... she is dead.
(Panel 3. Lotus is aghast.)
Lotus: You ... you killed her just like that!?
Selene: I have existed long before you were born, Lotus ... death means little to me.
(Panel 4. Lotus advances on Selene.)
Lotus: You have left me no alternative, Selene. Death is about to be very important to you.
(Panel 5. Lotus shifts into her spirit form as Selene tries to stop her.)
Selene (now worried): What are you doing!?
You can't stop me!
(Page 19, panel 1. Lotus is next to Selene.)
Lotus (1): Your rein of terror ends.
Lotus (2) Right here, right now.
Lotus (3) You may have lived a lot longer than I ...
(Panel 2. Lotus turns solid, and grabs Selene.)
Lotus: But nobody has the right to kill as much at
all.
Selene: Stop it! you can't
kill me!
(Panel 3. Lotus pulls on Selene.)
Lotus: No more killing, Selene ...
(Panel 4. Lotus pulls a dark gray mass from Selene's
body.)
Lotus: NO MORE!!! Selene: AAAAAAEEEEEEEEEAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!
Cap (N1): It's a very painful experience.
Cap (N2): Lotus has torn Selene's soul away from her
body.
Cap (N3): This is always fatal.
(Page 20, panel 1. Lotus drops to her knees as Selene
falls over, dead.)
Cap (L1): Divine One, forgive me.
Cap (L2): Her destructive ways had to end.
Cap (L3): Next time, I hope, she will choose a better path.
Cap (L4): I know I swore never to use my spirit pulling power again.
Cap (L5): I had to stop her, somehow.
Cap (L6): If you must punish me for this, please make it quick.
Cap (L7): Whatever happens, I will remain your faithful servant.
Cap (L8): I'm sorry to have strayed from your path.
(Panel 2. We see lights of various sizes and colors rise from Selene's body. Selene's body
starts to age rapidly.)
Light: We have been freed. Lotus, thank you.
(Panel 3. Lotus looks up to see the faces of Gideon, Crule, Absalom, and other people Selene has killed in the lights.)
Lotus: Gideon? Crule?
deon: We had this experience
to teach us a lesson, Lotus. We must depart now. Next time, however, we will chose more wisely the paths we walk on.
Candra: Oui, Lotus. We be better
people next time.
(Panel 4. Lotus spots a light with Quicksand's face on it.)
Lotus: Quan!
Quicksand: Lecita, help me rejoin
my body....
(Page 21, panel 1. Lotus concentrates on the pile of sand as the light
with Quicksand's face on it approaches it.)
Lotus: Let that which has been
separated be joined again.
(Panel 2. Quicksand's light enters the pile of sand. Panels 3, and 4. Slowly, Quicksand reforms herself into her sandy
form. Panel 5. Quicksand turns back into Quan.)
Quan: Uhn ...
Lotus: Rest now, Quan. She has been
taken care of.
(Panel 5. We see Selene's body is now
dust.)
Cap (N1): Without Selene's
spirit to force it to be young,
Cap (N2): Her body turns into what it should be.
Cap (N3): She should have died almost 2,000 years ago.
Cap (N4): So her body turns to dust.
(Panel 6. Lotus and Quicksand stand.)
Lotus: Come on, let's find the others and go home.
(Panel 7. We see Eagle, Sonnos, Mindpath
and Odora fighting vanishing demons.)
Eagle: I think Lecita was successful.
(Page 22, panel 1. Team X headquarters,
Cap (N1): The next evening.
Cap (N2): Lotus holds her weekly meditation session.
Cap (N3): This week is different, however.
(Panel 2. They come out of their trances.)
Lotus: And as the spirit moves you, allow yourself to
return to this place, this time, this existence.
(Panel 3. They open their eyes, and relax.)
Starshot: Ye seem very uneasy, Lecita.
Talk t'us.
Lotus (1): Sara, I swore I would never pull the spirit out of someone's body,
but that's what it took to defeat Selene.
Lotus (2): One of the most important divine commandments is thou shalt not kill.
Lotus (3): Was it right for me to do that to her?
Lotus (4): Was there another way out of that?
(Panel 4. Starshot thinks.)
Starshot: Ask yerself
this: What would have happened had you let Selene
live? How many more people would have died? How many others would suffer at her
hands? She's lead a reign of terror for over 2,000 years. In the time of peace,
people like her cannot exist.
(Panel 5. Lotus thinks.)
Lotus: Still ... it made me feel guilty, for losing
control.
Eagle: Sometimes, you have to loose control, let the
Grandfather control things.
(Panel 6. All stand.)
Lotus: Well, good night everyone, and may the Divine One be with you until we meet again.
--End--