X-Factor #76

Title:  “X-Communication”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Tom Raney and Kevin West

Inker: Al Milgrom

Colors: Glynis Oliver

Editor: Bob Harras

CONTINUED FROM INCREDIBLE HULK VOL. 2 #391

Wolfsbane lies unconscious miles from the battle site of X-Factor and Hulk. A man, Jolel, and his sister, Sandah, find Wolfsbane. Sandah asks Jolel what he thinks it is. He says that he doesn’t know. Wolfsbane opens her eyes and sees Jolel, but in her hazy condition she thinks that he is Rictor. She says that it had been so long that she thought that he had forgotten about her. She gets up, but falls right back over and is unconscious again. Sandah says that she wants to get out of there, and that this isn’t natural. Jolel says that they didn’t stumble across this by accident. He says that everything is as Farnaq has willed it, and that to ignore it would be to ignore his will. He says that would be a mortal sin, and that they will take it back to Jaffan. Jolel and Sandah load Wolfsbane into the back of their truck. Jolel says that they have strong rope at home and that they should be able to keep it prisoner until Farnaq tells them what to do.

Polaris stands with Guido, Madrox, and Quicksilver shouting for Alex. Quicksilver says that considering the powers at their command that maybe shouting for Alex isn’t the best method of finding him. Madrox says that Quicksilver is snide but right. Madrox multiples. Quicksilver runs about. Strong Guy starts looking under large rocks. He says that they saw him face down the Hulk and they saw the giant explosion, and that now he is missing. Polaris tries to call Alex over the headphones, but gets dejected when there is no answer. She says that she figures that the explosion sent Alex and the Hulk shooting in different directions, but that the two of them could be anywhere. Madrox says that they do know which way Rahne went. Lorna says that they better go after her, and that she could be hurt. Suddenly, the team hears machinery and realizes that the Pantheon is attacking again. They decide that they had better split up.

Hector is smashing mandroid armored soldiers with his glowing mace. Suddenly he sees Lorna, Guido, and Madrox. He says that he knew that things were going too smoothly. Lorna tells Jaime and Strong Guy to take out the “foot troops” as they can, and that she will handle the tanks. Hector radios Ulysses and tells him to get there right away. He says that there are new players in the game, and that he needs back-up. Ulysses tells Hector that he is already on the way, and that he will be there in seven minutes.

Quicksilver races across the desert. He says that he hates leaving the fight, but that Lorna is right in saying that no one can get Rahne back faster than he can. He says that it is so difficult being the best suited to handle any task. He curses the “supreme responsibility of being so blasted versatile.”

Rahne wakes up tied to a chair. Sandah is about to suggest something to Jolel, but he tells her to be quiet and that he is in charge. Jolel introduces Sandah and himself, and says that Rahne is their prisoner until Farnaq Dahn can decide what to do with her. Rahne says that is perfect because she is there fighting on behalf of their “beloved Farnaq Dahn”. She says that if they will just cut them loose that she will get about her business. Jolel says that she is staying there until Farnaq can be contacted and that she could be one of the “liberators” that have turned their country into a battlefield. Rahne tells him to go ahead and call Farnaq then. Jolel says that isn’t possible since the “liberators” have destroyed phone lines all over Trans-Sabal. Rahne turns to Sandah and says that she can’t reason with her brother. She asks Sandah to untie her. Jolel says that Sandah is just a female and that she has nothing to do with this. Rahne asks if Farnaq is responsible for his attitude. Jolel says that she knows nothing of God, their culture, or of Farnaq Dahn. He says that Farnaq is God’s anointed one and that he loves and protects them. He says that Farnaq is the voice of God on Earth.

Farnaq walks with one of his servants. He asks if the wine has been prepared. His servant says, “Precisely to your specifications, Farnaq.” Farnaq says that is good and enters the room where Val Cooper waits for him. He asks if she wanted to see him. She says that they need to talk. Farnaq says that he agrees and asks if she wants a drink.

Hector hits Madrox with his mace and creates two of him. They each grab one of his arms, but Hector says that his games won’t help him because he has the strength of ten men. Hector bangs their heads together. Two more Jaimes stand behind Hector and ask if the ten men know that he has their strength. Jaime starts creating more dupes. He says that he doesn’t have the strength of ten men, but that he will in a minute. The Jaimes dog pile on Hector. Hector reaches out for his mace, but he looks up and sees Guido looking down at him. He tells Hector that he won’t be needing his glowing stick where he is going. Ajax, Ulysses, and Atalanta charge at them. Ajax says to let Hector go. Guido asks if these are friends of Hector’s. Ulysses says that they aren’t friends… they’re family. Ajax hits Guido. Hector tries to warn Ulysses not to hit Madrox with his sword, but Ulysses mistakes his warning for Hector being soft. He hits Madrox and creates more. They toss Ulysses to the ground. Atalanta pulls back some of her arrows at Lorna. Lorna thinks to herself that the arrows seem to be similar to Alex’s blasts, but contained within tight fields. She figures that she should be able to deflect the arrows with her magnetic waves. Lorna deflects the arrows, but they swerve around and one hits her in the shoulder. Atalanta says that her arrows have a life of their own.

Quicksilver is still running. He says that Rahne isn’t outside the town which means that she either landed in the town, or that someone brought her to it. He says that he was trying to avoid contact with the locals, but that if she is in town that it won’t take him long to check it. He says that he hopes that she is there because he is running out of options. Prometheus is following Quicksilver in his car. He tells Ulysses that the speedster has been streaking around too much for him to engage him, but that once he is inside the city that he should be able to take him.

Jolel tells Rahne that all Americans are the same. Rahne says that she isn’t even American. Jolel asks who cares and says that she isn’t one of them. He says that they come to their country and try to impose their ideas on them. He says that she knows nothing of them, but that she looks down her nose that them. Rahne asks who is looking down their nose now. Rahne thinks to herself that if she turned to her full wolfen form that she could break through the ropes easily, but that she has been having trouble controlling herself in that form. She says that she can’t risk what she would do to Jolel. Rahne says that she should be out in a few minutes anyway. She uses her claws on the ropes. Jolel says that it is obvious from her appearance that she is a demon from the pit. Rahne says that she will have him know that she is a God fearing Christian. Jolel says that Farnaq will be able to tell for sure. Jolel says that the fact that they have to go to church to worship their God, but that they can worship their God everywhere. Rahne says that her God is everywhere too, and that he is just distorting things. Jolel says that isn’t distorting than the way they distort their culture and beliefs. Rahne asks if he means the beliefs like the one where women are second rate citizens. Jolel laughs and says that their culture thinks that too, but that at least they are honest about it. He says that they are hypocrites. He says that they claim equality, but that women still complain about unequal treatment. He says that their women don’t complain. Rahne says that they wouldn’t dare and that is the difference. Rahne’s face lights up when she hears Quicksilver calling out to her. Rahne says that is her ride. She stands up, but with her hands still bound to the chair. She throws herself out the window. Quicksilver races over to her, but Prometheus cuts him off and sprays oil on the ground causing him to slip and fall.

Ulysses tells Jaime that he doesn’t care if he is unarmed. He says that he is turning up the juice on his sword. Jaimes ask if it is orange, apple, or clamato juice. Ulysses tells him to shut up and hits him with his sword. Ajax lifts a tank over his head. He tells Guido that he is just big and stupid, and that he hates guys like that. Guido asks Ajax if he has looked in the mirror lately. Guido tells Ajax that he is holding one of his own tanks over his head. Ajax hits Guido with it anyway. Guido says that was kinetic energy, and that the absorbs kinetic energy and releases it quickly. Guido hits Ajax and sends him flying. Hector leaps over Ajax as he flies. Atalanta tells Lorna that she seems like a decent sort, and that it is too bad she is on the wrong side. Lorna says that she was going to say the same thing about her. Atalanta fires her arrows again. Lorna stops them cold. She says that they hit her before, but that she has become attuned to them. She says that they are held together by a magnetic bonding. She says that means that whatever control Atalanta has over them that she has more. The arrows start to chase Atalanta. She runs, but she stops and looks up and sees Ajax falling toward her. Ajax is hit with Atalanta’s arrows as he lands on her. Ajax wonders why Atalanta shot him, but when he gets up off the ground he sees that he crushed her. He picks her up and starts shouting that he is bad for hurting her. As he carries Atalanta, Ajax plows over the Pantheon’s tanks. Ulysses shouts for Ajax to come back, but he says that he has to get Atalanta help. Ulysses says that this is just perfect. He orders everyone to pull back. Guido says that they are retreating. He asks Jaime if he is okay. Jaime says that he beat them good, but that he spread the wounds around to absorb it, but that it still hurts. He asks if they should chase after them. Lorna says no. She says that they have to find Alex and Rahne.

Prometheus fires at Quicksilver, but he easily dodges. He says that when he peels him out of his shell that they will see how tough he is. Rahne tells Pietro that she will be right there to help, but Jolel is holding a knife and says that she will not. Sandah hits Jolel in the back of the head with a bottle and says that she will. She tells Jolel that she is sorry, but that she is ending this. She picks up the knife he was holding and cuts Rahne free. Rahne looks over at Quicksilver fighting Prometheus’ car, but then she hears a scream. She looks back and sees Jolel standing over Sandah with a bloody knife in his hand. He says that he didn’t mean to do it, but that she got him so angry. Jolel looks over and sees Rahne growling.  A feral Rahne leaps at Jolel. Jolel shouts for mercy and says that he didn’t mean to do it. Quicksilver calls out to Rahne and says that there is no point in him being a target for that “rolling fortress”. He runs over to the house and asks who the dead girl is and asks what happened in the house. Rahne tells Quicksilver to get her out of there now. He picks her up and starts running. He asks if she wants to tell him what happened. Rahne says that she will tell him what will happen. She says that she is going to burn forever and ever.

CONTINUED IN INCREDIBLE HULK VOL. 2 #392

Mutant Scum rating: 7 out of 10

 Review and pictures by The Leader

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