Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #3

Braddock Manor, where in the kitchen, Meggan Braddock is adjusting her hair while dressed in an elegant green dress and high-heeled shoes, while her husband Brian Braddock a.k.a. Captain Avalon is looking very handsome in a white suit. Their daughter, Maggie, sits at a counter in the center of the kitchen, alongside Brian's sister Betsy a.k.a. Captain Britain. Meggan points out that Krakoa is full of babysitters and suggests to Betsy that she and Rachel join her and Brian tonight. 'I don't think you could get West End tickets to Jimmy! The Musical on such short notice anyway' Betsy replies, to which Brian tells Meggan that Betsy is kidding, and that she knows that the Braddocks have a box at the theater. 'Might be good for you to get some face time among the common people' Brian adds quietly.

Holding a spoonful of food towards Maggie, Betsy quietly replies 'Might be good for you to get some face time with your wife' as Maggie pulls a face at the food. 'Briiiann?' Meggan calls out. 'Coming, dear!' Brian responds as he rushes to his wife's side, while Maggie looks unimpressed as Betsy shoves the food into her mouth. 'Don't try me, little Maggie' Betsy grins, before picking her niece up and heading out of the kitchen, bidding Brian and Meggan goodbye and telling them not to hesitate to call if they need anything. 'Bye, Mother and Father! Please don't come home early because you “miss me” - that's so embarrassing!' Maggie calls out, to which Brian and Meggan smile.

Betsy and Maggie arrive downstairs where the Mothermind computer is stored along with an extensive library. Rachel Summers a.k.a. Askani is in the room and seems to be in some sort of agony as she sits cross-legged, hovering mid-air and glowing with energy as she chronoskims. The Warwolf pup, Amazing Baby, barks excitedly at Maggie and rushes over to her. 'Is Aunt Rachel all right? I can call 9-9-9' Maggie offers, but Betsy just tells Maggie to stay where she is, and as Maggie plays with Amazing Baby, Betsy walks closer to Rachel, telling her partner that if feels like she is working a bit too hard. 'Come out now?' she suggests. 'Ahh!' Rachel cries out as she falls to the ground, but Betsy catches her. Betsy asks her partner what she is doing chronoskimming that intensely and how long she has been doing so. Rachel rubs her head and explains that Mothermind has been running for hours with no results, and that she got impatient. 'We still have no idea where Morgan Le Fay's going to strike next' Rachel reminds Betsy, who looks at several monitors and remarks that Brian outfitted the Captain Britain Corps with Mothermind tech to boost their psychic comms, and suggests that get some help.

Several monitors light up with images of various members of the Captain Britain Corps. Betsy addresses her counterparts and asks if any of them can report in with sightings of Morgan in their reality. Betsy adds that Askani is exhausting herself searching, and that they have no idea where Morgan is going to attack next. Elspeth Braddock reports that she has been scrying for Morgan without pause, but has found nothing out of the ordinary, suggesting she is staying in Betsy's reality. Queen Elizabeth III adds that her data seems to suggest the same, that Morgan has been securely in Betsy's reality. 'No other sightings – if I had spotted her, she'd be handled'. Betsy ends the communication and pinches the bridge of her nose, 'What is she doing? Have we tried just reaching her mind? Could we try now?' Betsy wonders. Rachel puts her head against Betsy's and remarks that Morgan has had spells to block them for a while now. 'Say, didn't you want me to take a break?' Rachel adds as they kiss.

Suddenly, the Mothermind computer announces that there is an incoming alert, and the large monitors light up to depict chaos in London, with civilians running in fear, Captain Avalon holding his sword up and Meggan hovering in the air, blasting something which the monitors do not show. 'Betsy!' Brian calls out. 'Come now, the show can't be that bad!' Betsy jokes, looking up at the monitors. Brian asks his sister to stow the musical-theater argument and reports that it seems that another Captain Britain has arrived. 'It thinks it's managing some kind of threat. So if I'm not interrupting you two, we could use help!' Brian exclaims. 'It?' Betst asks. 'Meggan's keeping it distracted for the moment, but we are -' Brian begins, before the communication cuts out. 'Dammit – Brian!' Betsy exclaims, before turning to Rachel and asking her to stay here with Maggie. 'Of course' Rachel responds, adding that she will see what else she can find between her chronoskimming and the Mothermind. 'You go remind 'em who Captain Britain is' Rachel exclaims.

Back in London, this new “Captain Britain” stands amongst some rubble and proclaims itself to the citizens of the U.K. that it is Captain Britain. 'You will not be harmed. But I cannot serve you best... while Brian Braddock lives' the new Captain Britain – a Fury draped in the Union Jack – announces. The first Fury was a cybiote, part steel and part sinew, created by the notorious Mad Jim Jaspers. They have two traits – they kill super heroes, and they never stop. In Otherworld, where reality intersects, they learned they were not one but many. They established a nation – Infuri the Everforge – and three laws: Hunt the super-powered, defend the Forge and never stop. 'Halt' the Fury states as it rushes forward, only to be stopped as a car is thrown in front of it. 'Witchbreed and other super-powered individuals may be temporarily detained while order is restored' the Fury announces. 'I'm right here – and I've had it!' Meggan calls out as she hovers above the Fury, waves of energy radiating around her. 'Your days hunting my husband are done, you hear me? You leave him be!' Meggan exclaims.

The Fury declares that order will be restored as soon as Britan Braddock is apprehended. The Fury turns to Brian, who raises his sword and replies 'I've taken you on before, and i'll do it again, bastard!' Brian leaps towards the Fury while instructing Meggan to clear the city. 'Apparently the perfect cybiote wants to restore old feuds and have another tussle with Brian Braddock!' Brian shouts as he leaps into the air, as does the Fury. 'Is that Captain Britain?' one of the civilians observing the battle asks. 'Captain Avalon' someone corrects them. 'Well, I'm just glad he's here' the first person remarks. 'You're no Captain Britain' Brian tells the fury, who laughs: 'A joke from you!' the Fury replies, before it begins to restore unresolved mission fragments. 'No paint job from Morgan Le Fay makes you a Captain!' Brian remarks as he waves his sword around, but the Fury seems to dodge it. 'DESTROY BRIAN BRADDOCK!' the Fury shouts.

While several civilians run around in a panic, Brian tells Meggan that he will lead the Fury out of the city. Meggan flies past several civilians, using her powers to knock debris away from the civilians as she asks Brian if he is kidding, and tells him that she is coming with him. 'We have a daughter, you bullhead -' Meggan begins, before the Fury can be seen raising its fist over Brian, who utters 'Meggan -' as the Fury announces that its mission is accomplished – and smashes its large fist down on Brian, using the energy from within its form to blast Brian at close range. 'Brian! NOOOOOOOO!' Meggan screams as she looks on in horror. The Fury states that the fragment has been reconciled, and Brian Braddock is defeated, while it takes off into the air.

But suddenly, 'That should buy us a little time. Once he's out of the city, I don't know how long it will take for him to realize he's been tricked' Betsy remarks as she emerges from behind a plume of smoke. Brian rises from behind some rubble and tells Meggan that he is so sorry she had to see that. Hanging her head, Meggan tells Brian that Betsy told her immediately that it wasn't real, but that it is still awful to make his wife see that. 'All part of the sell, my love' Brian responds as he embraces Meggan. Betsy is surprised that the plan worked, and remarks that the Furies have shown some resistance to psychic dabbling recently, but supposes that the stealth helped, as the Fury didn't even know she was here. Meggan suggests to Betsy that she rest, but Betsy remarks that there is too much to do.

Betsy tells Brian and Meggan to go home to Maggie, and remarks that Rachel has probably been up taking multiversal theory all night and will need a break. Brian announces that he will keep running Mothermind and see if any of the Corps found anything. Brian reminds Betsy that Morgan Le Fay is no joke. 'And the Fury, well...you know I don't have the best track record against that' Brian adds. Brian tells his sister that she is doing a good job, that she has a Corps and a family, and a handful of friends on her side. Betsy ignores that comment and announces that Pete Wisdom and Faiza are both nearby, so she will go and see them. 'Betsy, listen -' Brian begins, grabbing his sister by her arm, as Betsy tells him that she needs to find Pete and Faiza. Brian reminds Betsy that she has help, and that she just needs to say the word. 'Oh, Brian, you mean well, but you can't help...what I need right now is help from someone who knows more than me' Betsy remarks as she walks away from her brother.

The sun rises over London, England, as a media report announces that tragedy has struck London's West-End after attempts at a new Captain Britain project went awry. The report states that no one is currently claiming responsibility for the attacks on the West End, but that Ambassador Reuben Brousseau has been a vocal proponent of the project, leaving him with egg on his face for this morning's breakfast. The announcement adds that helped by the attack, say some, is the public image of Betsy Braddock, who was seen at the scene of the disaster itself, helping her fellow citizens.

As workers go about cleaning up the West End, a Krakoan portal suddenly glows, and Rachel Summers walks through it, accompanied by Amazing Baby. They make their way down into a pub, where Pete Wisdom is making some tea. 'Remind me how you take it?' he calls out to Dr. Faiza Hussain, who is seated nearby, and is tending to a man with a wounded arm. 'Full-fat milk and one sugar, thanks' Faiza responds, before telling her patient that he is the last one, and remarking that she was able to heal everyone enough so that they can stand on their feet, but that she can't say the same for herself if she works much longer. Rachel calls out to Faiza and Pete, and informs Faiza that she should be fine to rest now. Rachel reports that she passed some cleanup crews outside, but didn't see, or feel, anyone in real danger. Faiza reveals that Betsy is meditating in a booth for her “break” for carrying injured people for the last six hours.

'Sounds like her' Rachel replies before she finds Betsy sitting at a table nearby, concentrating hard. 'Can I lure you out with tea and a kiss?' Rachel asks, while Amazing Baby goes up to Betsy. Betsy looks up at Rachel and grabs her by her arm: 'If you're going to interrupt with chat-ups, you might sit down and help instead' Betsy remarks. 'You must be exhausted' Rachel remarks. Betsy covers her face with her hands and tells Rachel that she didn't mean to snap. 'I trust you' Rachel replies, putting an arm around Betsy. 'Do you need to? It's not as though you can't simply see if I'm lying' Betsy points out. 'Uh, it would be rude...' Rachel begins, to which Betsy starts to say 'Oh, c'mon...' but Rachel reminds Betsy that she is her girlfriend, and that just because she can sort through her thoughts it doesn't mean she will – or should. 'Really? You just stopped from the day we made it official and you've not been... tempted?' Betsy asks.

'Only when I've been invited it...have you not been doing that?' Rachel responds. Betsy closes her eyes and claims that she doesn't usually pry, but that sometimes if she isn't sure what part of the manor Rachel is in... her voice trails off. 'I didn't bring it up to argue' Rachel remarks. They hold hands, and Rachel explains that she brought it up so that Betsy would tell her what was on her mind. 'I don't go looking, but that doesn't mean I can't tell when you're bothered' Rachel adds. Betsy then reveals that she is concerned about Saturnyne, and that she is worried she made a mistake in cutting herself off from her. 'We're not having any luck staying ahead of Morgan, we're exhausting ourselves, and I can't help but think that... Saturnyne would know. If I could talk to her...' Betsy's voice trails off when Rachel inhales loudly. 'See? I knew you wouldn't like it' Betsy exclaims. 'Not... like it?' Rachel scowls.

'For how long has she had Captain Britain at her beck and call, her own personal knight, and did she make the Multiverse a better place? No, she threw herself at them – first Brian, then you – all while calling herself ambitious' Rachel exclaims. 'I may stay out of your mind but I keep an eye on hers. She wants you to come crawling back, she's desperate for it' Rachel announces. 'May I speak freely?' Betsy asks. 'Yeah?' Rachel responds. 'Are you jealous?' Betsy enquires. 'Maybe, Bets! But I'm not wrong about the rest. Search my brain if you want' Rachel snaps, standing up. Betsy stands up and walks past Rachel, telling her that won't be necessary, and that she really doesn't have time for this conversation right now.

Rachel watches in silence as Betsy calls out to Pete and Faiza and tells them to get S.T.R.I.K.E. to redouble their efforts, and tell them to pull each others' eyes on the intel. 'We're desperate' Betsy admits. Pete reports that he is on it, and adds that he will see if the others can hit Coven Akkaba's HQ again. Pete then remarks that he noticed in all of this “who is the real Captain Britain” bandying, not one of them reached for Miss Excalibur. 'Doctor Excalibur. Don't demote her' Betsy responds, motioning to Faiza. Faiza remarks that she is not surprised, after all, the people's problem with Betsy is that she doesn't fit into their idea of what Captain Britain should look like. 'I'm certainly not better. If their magic sword won't listen to them... they'd rather just pretend it wasn't real' Faiza adds.

Meantime, within Coven Akkaba HQ in London, 'He is useless to you, Lady Morgan. Useless to me...and the mortals are happy to blame him for our crimes' the Fury branded in the Union Jack declares as it holds Ambassador Reuben Brousseau up above a small pool of water. 'It makes him the perfect sacrifice' the Fury suggests. Dozens of cloaked Coven Akkaba members watch while Morgan smirks and remarks that it is a pity Reuben is not a mutant, then she would just put him in the jar with the other one and she'd have two Witchbreed to bleed like pigs, but he is just a useless mortal. Reuben struggles and tries to protest, but can't speak with the Fury's hand clamped around his throat. 'Well, you are, Reuben' Morgan states, before asking the Fury 'You said Brian Braddock is dead?' The Fury confirms this and states that its mission is accomplished.

Morgan tells the Fury that it isn't any smarter than the other Captain Britain, which is a shame. 'Because according to my scrying...Brian Braddock is alive and comfortable at home!' Morgan snaps as she pulls a white cloth off of a mirror, which shows an image of Brian playing with Maggie. 'I thought you were supposed to be the best at this?' Morgan mutters, before the Fury tosses Reuben towards the water: 'Hunt the super-powered. Defend the Forge. Never give up!' the Fury exclaims as it rushes forward, but Morgan waves her hand and catches Reuben in an energy field before he hits the water, while holding the Fury in stasis with another energy field. 'Halt, both of you' Morgan declares. She calls the Fury “Captain Britain” and asks if it forgot itself. 'I don't like Betsy Braddock or her brother either, but she does have something you don't' Morgan remarks.

An image of Saturnyne and the Starlight Citadel manifest in front of Morgan who calls Saturnyne a fool, and declares that when she put all the power of the Starlight Citadel into the Starlight Sword that Betsy carries she was trying to save her own hide while retreating from a losing war. 'What she didn't expect was that she'd lose the Braddock loyalty' Morgan adds, before explaining that the power of the Captain Britain Corps lays in the hands of one mutant who wants to steer the ship with the power of her girlfriend, who calls herself Askani. 'Now what we have is a Corps – your little nation of Furies of all worlds serves that perfectly. But you don't have the magic of the Citadel' Morgan points out, while her image of Saturnyne and the Starlight Citadel shifts into the Starlight Sword. 'You have the magic of Morgan Le Fay... and that's all the magic you have' Morgan tells the Fury.

Anxious, Reuben calls out to Morgan, 'You can't kill me – I'm an ambassador. If I go missing, they'll know, they'll come find me – you'll be driven out -' Reuben begins as he continues to be held, suspended over the pool of water. 'Oh no, Reuben. No. Come here, darling' Morgan calls out as she sets Reuben down on the ground. She stands with him over the pool and as they look down into it, she tells him that he must be made to understand. The water in the pool gives way to Morgan's desire. 'This is the Britain I seek. Modernity in flames. Betsy Braddock and her friends helpless' Morgan utters as an image depicts Betsy Braddock captured by a Fury who flies over a flaming city. Another Fury has captured Meggan and flies over Stonehenge, while a third Fury has captured Askani, and flies over a field of sheep. Morgan states that she does not care to live in harmony with this mortal government, and that anyone who rises against her must die – and she expects that they will in droves.

'We do not defend the people. We defend the magic of the land of Britain, the power within!' Morgan exclaims. Morgan tells Reuben that his friends and their laws strangle this land, and strangle her power. 'Time was, I would force them to kneel to me or die, but those days have passed'. She states that she must now threaten modern people with modern fears – and her strongest allies. A look of horror falls across Reuben's face: 'Oh God...not him. Milady, please reconsider -' Reuben begins, but Morgan grins and declares that she wants her land.

At Braddock Manor, Rachel and Amazing Baby stand in a doorway as Betsy perfects her make up, standing in front of a full-length mirror while wearing a white dress. Rachel hangs her head and informs Betsy that she has been trying all day, and that chrono-skimming isn't perfect, and that Morgan's magic is so weird. Rachel wonders if perhaps Betsy is right about Saturnyne. 'We absolutely will need outside help' Betsy responds, before assuring Rachel that it is not because either of them failed at anything – and that they do not need Saturnyne's help. 'You are beyond whatever she could ever be to me' Betsy utters telepathically as she kisses Rachel. When they stop kissing, Rachel tells Betsy that she forgives her, and looking at her dress adds that the outfit helps. 'Do we have reservations somewhere I forgot about?' Rachel asks. As she puts some earrings on Betsy tells Rachel that it is not for her. '... so where are you going all dressed up?' Rachel asks.

Betsy explains that it is information gathering. 'Then why the outfit? Betsy, I don't want to pry, but you're making me nervous -' Rachel begins. 'Oh, don't make me say it to you loud' Betsy smiles as she telepathically shares her plan with Rachel. 'Seriously?' Rachel exclaims. 'Are you cross?' Betsy asks. Rachel laughs and assures Betsy that she is not threatened. 'Just make sure you keep your eyes on both his hands... and anything with a robot claw' Rachel replies, to which Betsy laughs and asks Rachel to walk her to the gate.

Elsehere, a large castle sits surrounded by trees and a lake. There is a humming sound and the water of the lake begins to glow – as Morgan Le Fay and her Fury suddenly rise up through the water – they have arrived in Latveria. They up to the front of the castle, where guards bow as the castle door opens.

Betsy has arrived in Jersey City, New Jersey, and smiles as she finds Tony Stark building up a sweat in his workshop as he tinkers with some sort of armor. Tony smiles and wipes the sweat from his brow as he greets Betsy Braddock as “the best thing England's exported since divorce” and asks how he got so lucky to fit into her busy schedule. Betsy tells Tony that there is a war coming, and that she has been encouraged to ask for help. 'I might need you. I might need the Avengers. I definitely need an expert on Morgan Le Fay... and all of her old flings' Betsy explains.

While, back in Latveria, Morgan sits on Dr. Doom's right leg and strokes his masked face as he sits on his throne. 'Victor... I believe you still have something of mine?' Morgan grins wickedly....