Fall of the House of X #3

It is said that “nothing” can stop the Juggernaut... but that's not true. Especially when a harpoon made of discarded adamantium skeleton of Weapon X maims him. And that's just what happens as Cain Marko the Juggernaut trudges across a barren landscape, pulling the manifestation of Krakoa behind him, when a harpoon pierces one of his legs. Juggernaut cries out in pain, but he continues onwards. The mutants have been losing since the Hellfire Gala, many are dead, and the rest are scattered. An insurrection team of X-Men lead the rebellion against Orchis. The battle to liberate Earth is underway – and it could be going better. Krakoa the living island is surrounded by enemies, and mutantdom is on the cusp of losing everything. A large Orchis vessel appears above Juggernaut, sand begins blasting around him thanks to the engines of this repurposed S.H.I.E.L.D. Hellicarrier which Orchis has repurposed. The meat-puppets have no idea that they have already been sold out by the artificial intelligence in the organization.

'HA HA HA!' an Orchis agent laughs as he begins opening fire at Krakoa. 'Get some, Juggernaut!' the agent grins as Juggernaut steps between Krakoa and the bullets, his armored form deflecting the weapons’ fire. 'Y'know ya can't kill me, right?' the Juggernaut calls back. The Orchis agent is joined by others who all open fire, crazed looks in their eyes. 'Awright, how about we make yer friend – extinct?' the Orchis agent asks. 'Nooo!' Juggernaut exclaims as a bullet pierces Krakoa, who appears to be in agony. Juggernaut then picks up several bark shards that came away from Krakoa and hurls them at the Orchis agents, piercing their bodies. The Juggernaut survived the attack that killed nearly all of his X-Men teammates, and what didn't kill him has made him angrier. He has sworn to protect Krakoa until reinforcements arrive. He will succeed – or join the rest of his X-Men teammates in death.

Meantime, half a world away, Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops has finally escaped the clutches of Orchis, with their head of R&D, Dr. Alia Gregor. 'Didn't you hear me? You're going to lose everything! Orchis is going to eradicate Krakoa!' Dr. Gregor calls out as she and Cyclops rush away from Omega Sentinel, who has just been disabled. 'We have more pressing matters, don't we?' Cyclops responds. Cyclops tells Dr. Gregor that he believed in Krakoa, but that a feeling in his gut says they are all in jeopardy. 'I'll trust the defense of Krakoa to my fellow mutants' he adds as he makes his way down a series of stairs. 'How can you see?' Dr. Gregor asks him. 'I thought you were blind without the ruby-quartz visor?' Dr. Gregor adds. Cyclops explains that he memorized the steps to and from his cell, and urges Dr. Gregor onwards, telling her that they have to keep heading lower.

Dr. Gregor continues to follow Cyclops and points out that there is no way out from down at the cells, as the courthouse is under the Seine. 'Yes. I can tell by the humidity. You can follow me, or you can take your chances with Omega Sentinel when she wakes' Cyclops responds, using the wall to guide his way, he tells Dr. Gregor that they both know she will go with him, because the A.I. has bigger goals than just killing mutants. 'I suppose you could have freed yourself at any time?' Dr. Gregor asks. 'Yes' Cyclops responds as he removes the visor covering his eyes. 'Why didn't you?' Dr. Gregor enquires.

Suddenly: 'Freeze!' an Orchis agent shouts as two of them rush down the corridor towards Cyclops. 'I was waiting... for you' Cyclops reveals as he opens his eyes and fires two optic beams at the Orchis agents. Cyclops tells Dr. Gregor that the two of them have almost everything in common, and asks her who really controls Orchis. 'I thought we did. Myself. Dr. Devo. But what does it matter? We're trapped' Dr. Gregor responds.

'You're never trapped... when Magik is around!' Illyana Rasputin a.k.a. Magik smirks as she steps out of the shadows. She greets Cyclops and hands him a ruby-quartz optic visor. 'And just in time, because maybe you'd be surprised to see who you're hanging out with?' Magik suggests, before tossing the visor towards Cyclops, who informs Magik that he has been listening to the inner workings of Orchis for a long time. 'The human parts of the force came gloating. They threatened and tortured me' he explains, before announcing that the A.I. part was all too quiet, he expects it didn't want them thinking about it, and reveals that Dr. Gregor shares his concern. 'I know we're in a tough spot, but can the others save Krakoa without me?' he asks. 'If it needs doing...then it will be done' Magik smirks.

On the planet Arakko, Apocalypse stands amongst the strange assortment of Arakkii mutants, including Bei the Blood Moon and Redroot the Forest, while refuges stand opposite them. Apocalypse declares that now Earth's mutants have raised their banners, a united and reforged Arakko will join their cousins. 'Who will join me?' he asks. Amongst the refuge mutants, a green-skinned mutant steps forward and introduces himself as Woofer, of Chicago. 'Now let's go get that “W”!' he calls out, before claiming that he was made an X-Man by Shadowkat, and announces that he stands ready to wage war to free his people. Apocalypse takes Woofer's hand and states that he hears the words of a true mutant. Woofer confesses that he is not sure how they are going to get back to Earth with all the gates still down. 'And is Storm coming?' he asks. Apocalypse grins and declares that there is still mutant magic left in these worlds, and as for Storm, like all storms, she is difficult to predict. There is then a flash of energy, and the mutants disappear.

Apocalypse, Woofer and the other mutants are transported to where the S.W.O.R.D. Space Station is protruding from a body of water on Arakko. Three mutants hover in front of the giant vessel – Remy LeBeau a.k.a. Gambit, Rogue and Eden Fesi a.k.a. Manifold, who greets the mutants of Arakko and Krakoa. He introduces himself and announces that although he loathes war, it is upon them. He tells them that no one will command them to board the S.W.O.R.D. Station behind him, but that evil must be confronted. 'Know that if you join us, it may well be the last thing you do' Manifold warns the mutants. Rogue greets everyone and tells them that they are pressed for time, so if they would get aboard, strap in and put their tray tables up, they can go save Krakoa.

The mutants form a line and begin boarding the S.W.O.R.D. Station, as Rogue flies above them and tells them that she knows those of them from Earth have been waiting for this day, but that nothing is easy, and if they want to go home, then they are going to have to fight for it. When all the mutants are aboard, the docking bay closes, and within the station, energy warps around Manifold who states that he has asked much of the universe, and must ask for more now. The S.W.O.R.D. Station begins to rise up out of the waters, as Manifold announces that there is great suffering and injustice, and that it must be set right. 'So please… take us home' he utters.

The universe delivers, as the S.W.O.R.D. Station appears in orbit around Earth, next to its twin another space station, in the form of a large X. Several mutants appear outside the station, floating in space, protected with space helmets. Among them, Rogue, Gambit, Woofer, Apocalypse, Bei, and the Brotherhood of Arakko – Khora, Jon Ironfire, Kobak and Syzya. 'Stay frosty, y'all. We're gonna save Krakoa, then deal with any stray Sentinels, the Sentinel factories, the gulags – the telepaths will divide us into strike teams, and then – we conquer!' Rogue exclaims. 'For mutant dominion!' Apocalypse booms.

As the mutant liberators fall into Earth's gravity, Rogue has a good thought for her mother, Destiny, who told her there would be a day like this – she heard Destiny clear as day, as though they were in the same room: 'So much death and destruction and it all culminates with a giant X in the heavens, with the fall of Krakoa'. Destiny said. 'I see kings clashing in white, black after the death of the Red Queen. I see a Jovian bolt from the heavens. I see the stars ripped in half. I hear the poisoning lies of the false captain, his rank earned. The fool who speaks the truth will pay the price. It is enough that it is true'.

The Juggernaut continues to protect Krakoa from the weaponsfire. 'You lousy mugs are &%#* now – look up!' the Juggernaut laughs. Indeed, the Orchis agents look up and see the two S.W.O.R.D. Stations in the form of an X. 'Oh my god' one of the Orchis agents gasps.

Inside the Thunderbird jet, Emma Frost and Kate Pryde a.k.a. Shadowkat are visited by a holographic projection of Tony Stark, who informs Emma that he has received a message she needs to see. The message is from Firestar, who states 'If you're seeing this recording, I'm probably dead. Dr. Stasis realized I've been an X-Man all along after I helped set Iron Man's trap for the majority of the Stark Sentinels. I placed a tracker on the maniac. Punch his ticket for me'. The message ends, and Kate looks over to Emma. 'Rerouting us now' she tells her. Stark asks Emma to bring Firestar home and avenge her if she can. 'Thank you, Anthony' Emma responds.

Meanwhile, in the middle of nowhere, a barren terrain, where some sort of structure protrudes from the hard ground. Dr. Stasis was confident Orchis would win, but he has made plans in case they don't. Once he boarded his private plane, “Dr. Stasis” would cease to exist for a few years, and this aspect of Nathaniel Essex would metastasize into something worse. 'You're not going anywhere, Stasis' Emma declares as she and Shadowkat approach Dr. Stasis who is trying to board his plane. 'Oh my. It's the porcelain strumpet and her lunatic ninja -' Dr. Stasis begins as he looks over to Emma and Shadowkat, who leaps forward and knocks Stasis' gun out of his hands while telling him that he better pray that Firestar is alive. 'Or you'll beg for death' she warns him, as she lands a punch in his stomach. 'Unhand me!' Stasis declares as Shadowkat phases her hand through his head and knocks his helmet off his head.

Stasis grins and warns Shadowkat that if she so much as lays a finger on him, she will never see Firestar alive again. 'I've hidden her away as insurance against this exact scenario'. He taps his head and boasts that he has the finest psi-blocker implanted in his head. 'Oh, you don't mean... the psi-blocker I just phased from your head when I knocked your helmet off, do you?' Kate asks as she holds up the small psi-blocker, before calling out to Emma. 'Now wait -' Dr. Stasis begins, shocked, before Emma enters his mind and smiles. She then telepathically informs Synch that she has Firestar's location.

In New York, Everett Thomas a.k.a. Synch can be seen flying towards a smal boat, while telepathically informing Emma that he is close enough to sync naturally with Firestar's powers, and fires a blast of microwave energy at two Orchis agents on the boat. 'You two – start swimming!' he exclaims. Synch drops down onto the boat and finds as stasis tank. 'Firestar!' he calls out as he opens the tank up and finds Angelica Jones trapped within it, but alive. He removes the breathing device from Firestar's mouth and Firestar gasps as she wakes up. 'Welcome back, Firestar' Synch tells her, before telepathically informing Emma 'We're good. And she's coming your way'.

Emma thanks Synch while looking down at Dr. Stasis who is on his knees, and tells him that she tried to be so good for so long. 'But, you men broke me. You wouldn't let me be nice. I've destroyed men worth ten of you... a hundred of you. You hurt us. You hurt me. I could kill you where you grovel, but... I won't' she tells him. Stasis looks up at Emma like a wounded dog and replies 'Oh, thank you! Thank you!' Emma looks at Stasis with disgust and informs him that she will reach into his disgusting mind and pull forth his nightmares, his worst, most unhinged fears about mutants, born of his caluminous, bigoted mind. 'And I promise you, it will feel very real'.

Dr. Stasis goes wide-eyed, and it only takes a minute for his heart to begin to arrest. Of course, time is relative, and Emma Frost is a skilled telepath – she makes this moment feel like ten years. Stasis sees and feels himself sliced to pieces by Wolverine, blasted at close-range by Cyclops, his heart phased out of his body by Shadowkat, his head pummeled in by Colossus and Magneto tearing him apart by the iron in his blood.

Blood begins to trickle out of Stasis' mouth, and he looks up at Emma, pleading with her: 'I have a wife. A family. Let me speak with Cyclops – he'll grant me mercy'. Emma continues to stare at Stasis and tells him that Cyclops might, but he isn't here. 'If you're anything like the mutant Sinister – you might think returning is a good idea. It is not. Stay dead – or the next time I kill you, it will be so much worse'. Stasis then convulses and falls backwards. Emma casually sips from a flask and then tells Shadowkat that a heart attack is less than Stasis deserved. 'If we don't do Dracula proper... we deserve whatever happens to us when he does return' Shadowkat responds, to which Emma asks her if she is seriously suggesting that she killed him immediately?

Before Shadowkat can respond though, 'Stasis!' a voice screams, and a flurry of microwave energy streaks into the chamber – it's Firestar who engulfs Stasis' body in flames. 'Thank you. We were just discussing tidying up the corpse' Emma remarks. 'Whatever kind of peace we win in the end, it will be because you were such a great X-Man, Angelica' Emma tells her former student. Tears fall down Firestar's face. Emma wipes the tears and tells Angelica that she did them all proud, and paid the hero's price. Emma takes Angelica's hand and tells her that they need to get back to the Thunderbird and get back in the fight. 'There's a crisis on every corner of the globe...and beyond' she utters.

On Earth's moon, inside the Summer House, where Magik has teleported Cyclops and Dr. Gregor. 'This is where Nimrod went' Dr. Gregor remarks, before asking Cyclops if he used to live here on the moon. 'Yep. Please...no jokes' Cyclops frowns, before Magik asks Cyclops if he is sure he wants her to leave him alone with Dr. Gregor. 'I need to do this' Cyclops replies, before asking Magik to tell Emma to keep an ear out for him. 'Roger' Magik replies, before informing Cyclops that she has been asked to hunt for Director Devo. Cyclops informs Dr. Gregor that this was his family home, and asks her what Nimrod was doing here. 'Have you heard the name Sentinel City?' Dr. Gregor asks. She informs Cyclops that after Orchis' victory over Krakoa, this habitat on the moon was repurposed into a relay station with Orchis' Venusian mining settlement, except almost none of the ore made it back to Earth – it was used on-site.

'Used for what?' Cyclops asks. As she approaches a door where several cables are running underneath it, Dr. Gregor tells Cyclops that nobody at Orchis seemded to know, not even Director Devo. 'I suspect Omega Sentinel knew. Maybe Moira...and so did...you, Nimrod!' Dr. Gregor exclaims as she opens the doors, and finds Nimrod inside. Serveral cables connect Nimrod to some machinery, and Cyclops quickly contacts Emma: 'Head's up. And be ready' he warns her. Nimrod looks over at Dr. Gregor and tells her that it is hard to surprise him, but she has managed that feat three times. 'I didn't think I'd see you again' he adds. 'Why the secrets? From me of all people?' Dr. Gregor asks. 'Our mining at Sentinel City. Almost none of the metal makes it to Earth. What are you building out there?' she asks. 'The future. And the end' Nimrod responds as he disconnects from the machinery. 'Dr. Gregor – that thing is not your husband!' Cyclops urges Dr. Gregor, who looks forlorn: 'Yes, that's true...but Nimrod only exists because of my husband's sacrifice. I know he can calculate the truth of it' Dr. Gregor responds as she moves closer to Nimrod.

Dr. Gregor looks up at Nimrod and smiles fondly, while Nimrod puts a hand to her face. 'Dr. Gregor, I choose not to lie to you. So I'm giving you this gift earlier than I'd calculated' Nimrod states, before he holds her head and spins it backwards, breaking her neck with ease. 'You psycho!' Cyclops screams as he bombards Nimrod with a powerful optic blast. 'We calculated that we'd have the greatest chances of success if mutants and humans were at each other's throats. You would not look up...to notice the sword over your head. Elsewhere, a globe rises up from a planet and hovers out into space as Nimrod declares that Sentinel City is not any outpost or mine – but a tool to sterilize this hellish planet once and for all.