The crew of X-men traveled far in the weeks that they were in space, now with a clearer direction to their destination, things were beginning to look up for the mutants. They had food and water to last. And while some of them felt comfortable enough to travel the way they were, others were more auspicious with their company.
" Hey, Rach. Mind if I ask you something?" Ian asked the woman as he walked into the room that she and Xavier were in. " Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?" Ian asked. He looked at Rachel and Xavier and noticed that things seemed tense.
" No, actually. We were just finishing up." Rachel replied. " What's up?"
" That's right. I'll leave you two alone. I'm sure Kurt could use some company." Xavier stated. He walked past Ian and Rachel, making a straight line towards the flight deck.
" Not much.... Are you okay?" Ian asked the woman. He noticed how tense she seemed, and he was concerned for her. From what he could remember, Rachel was never the most social or most put together person.
" I thought you had something to ask?" Rachel asked the young man.
" I did. But this is more important. I mean it, Rachel... How are you feeling? I know this trip is hard on all of us. But if you need to talk then I'm always available." Ian told the girl.
Rachel smirked at the boy, making him question what was wrong.
" Did I say something wrong?" Ian asked.
" No... It's just... When did you grow up?" Rachel asked the young man.
" About the same time last year actually. It's been quite a ride." Ian told the girl, making her laugh a little. " Now, what's up Rach?"
" Well, It' Xavier's training... He's pushing too hard. He's trying to get us to link up too much and it's just tiring... And there's our guests... I'm pretty sure they know who we are, who the professor is. But I can't read their mind. They're keeping them blank... Like they've had training." Rachel explained.
" They probably have." Ian replied.
" And then... There's something else.... I can feel it... For the last few days I can feel it getting hot underneath my skin. I think they know I'm in their territory. And I think they're tracking me." Rachel explained.
" That's.... A lot Rachel. How do you know they're after you?" Ian asked the woman. " A lot's happened to me in last year as well. A lot the school hasn't told you or the other students." Rachel told the young man. Rachel was scared, more so than she had been in a long time. And Ian could tell from her face that she was in a lot of pain. After all it was a look, he understood very well.
" I see... If it means anything to you at all Rachel... I'm sorry." Ian told the woman. " I won't lie to you and say everything's going to be okay, the truth of the matter is I really don't know how any of this is going to turn out. From what it sounds like, you're going through a very hard time in your life.... But I can tell you that I got your back, Rachel... And if you need me, I'll be there for you." Ian told the woman.
He placed his hand on her Shoulder and squeezed softly.
* Security bay Docking! Security bay Docking! Security bay Docking!
" Uh-oh. That can't be good." Ian spoke. " Come on, let's go see what's going on." Ian told the woman. Rachel nodded and the two started running down the halls towards the corridor, but as they were running, Rachel suddenly dropped to the floor in pain. " RACHEL!" Concerned for the woman, Ian ran to her side and grabbed her. His hands lit a fire as a burning mark tore through Rachel's clothing, revealing her back side. It was a large tattoo in the shape of wings. And it was burning hot.
" It is the brand of the phoenix." Ian turned his head to see another Shi'ar man standing across from him with a giant blue blade. " It's only going to get worse for her. Step aside and let me put her out of her misery." The man spoke.
" Like hell I will." Ian replied. He lunged at the man and the man blasted him in the face with a large burst of energy from the sword.
" I did not want to do this... But you people just wouldn't listen. I'm sorry." The man stated as he continued to blast Ian. Normally such a blast would be enough to put any normal man down for at least a bit. But the Shi'ar hadn't accounted for the one thing all the others didn't have.
Ian's hand shot up from the rushing blue energy and grabbed the man's arm.
The man was beyond shocked when he saw this. But he wasn't done. His eyes grew wider and wider as he watched as Ian ascended out of the energy smiling, as if nothing had happened.
" That... Hurt." Ian told the man. He grabbed his arm tightly and began squeezing hard, breaking the bones underneath his skin.
" AGHHHHH!" The man yelled out in pain. He dropped his sword to the ground and backed away from Ian.
" You hurt my friends. You're gonna pay for that. But first." Ian stated. He reached down and grabbed for the giant sword and tried to pick it up.
" Heh! Only those of my clan can list the phoenix blade. For anyone else it weighs more than a star." The man gloated.
Ian strained hard, as he tried lifting the blade. It was heavy, but Ian wouldn't say it was as heavy as a star. Because in just moments he began to raise the blade off of the ground. If only a little.
" I don't.... Want.... To use this.... But at least.... You won't be able to.... Anymore!" Ian raised his fist and slammed it down onto the phoenix blade. " AGHHHHHHHHH!"
" AGHHHHHHHHHH!"
Ian and Rachel both began to burn. The moment Ian's fist landed on the blade, the energy from the phoenix that resided in it, escaped from the blade and rushed into Rachel's body feeding into the rest of the phoenix she currently possessed. But something else happened. In that brief moment, both Rachel and Ian's minds were open to one another. Their entire lives were laid-bare for both to see. In that one moment Ian and Rachel connected in a way that he had only experienced once before.
The feedback from all of it, forced Ian to drop the blade, and fall down to the ground.
" No!" The Shi'ar man yelled. He grabbed for his sword and lifted it over his head. He was prepared to kill Ian when a sudden burst of telekinetic energy slammed into him, courtesy of Rachel.
" Damn! The blade... It's weakened. You took almost all of the energy inside of it." The man exclaimed.
" No... It took to me... The phoenix knows me, remember? It likes me." Rachel told the man. She stood up and walked over to the defeated man and placed her hands on his head.
" What. Stop" The man demanded.
" Hold still." Rachel ordered the man. "Your implant's about to blow up. I have to take it apart carefully." Rachel told the man. " There. Done." Rachel told the man as she defused the bomb in his head.
" I came here to kill you... And you saved me?" The man asked.
" I saw into your mind, Korvus. Final descendant of Rook'shir. And I know you couldn't have lived with yourself if you'd done it." Rachel told the man.
" You could have told me that.... Before I smashed the blade." Ian groaned.
Rachel ran to his side and helped the young man to his feet.
* Jump ship leaving bay two! Jump ship leaving bay two!
" My ship!" Korvus exclaimed.
" Oh fuckkkkkk!" Ian cursed.
The group ran towards the docking bay together to try and figure out who it was that was leaving.
" My ship is taking off? It's not possible." Korvus exclaimed. " Your friends are in no shape to--" Korvus started but Rachel shut him up quickly.
" The professor!" Rachel exclaimed, cutting Korvus off.
" Who?" Korvus asked.
" Shut up-- Shut up! I'm trying to find him... Shut up!" Rachel yelled. " No... He's gone. Charles is gone!" Rachel exclaimed.
" WHAT?!" Ian shouted.
The two Shi'ar men that Xavier had saved had taken him hostage aboard Korvus' ship. But they were not alone, Darwin, had managed to climb aboard just as the ship took off and was now hurtling behind it as they crossed Shi'ar space.