X-Men #5 - Starting things off with a bang…

X-Men Marvel Universe Transformed #5

"Starting things off with a bang..." Part 2

Written by Karl V.

Plots by Dave C.

"Excuse me Mr. LeBeau, but did you just say get him?" The Beast had the "we should wait for the others" look.

Remy gave a half nod, his French Quarter accent grew strength due the tension of the predicament before him. This was certainly one situation that three lone X-Men couldn't handle, but it didn't stop the Ragin' Cajun. "That was what I said Monsieur Beast. We don't want Mags tearing up those aliens because we don't even know what they made of, and whatever it is might hurt everyone else..."

"Yes, the documents I perused stated Energon is quite explosive." The Beast quickly added.

The Iceman pondered for a moment. "I can chill out the robots. You two handle old bucket head."

"That is hoping those robots aren't built out of a cold resistant alloy." The Beast gave a sheepish grin as Drake gave a dark look.

"Enough of the bickerin', we need to stop this right now before those tin cans become the biggest grenades in New York City." Remy slipped some cards in his hands and charged them up, and ran toward Magneto's direction.

The Beast followed as the Iceman headed in the direction of the two fallen robots.

Magneto prepared to make a full assault on the tallest of the robots. The Grim Reaper raised his hand and prepared to extend his touch of death to it. The robot stood up, as it's optics blinked back a bright blue.

"Please, even though I am...currently incapacitated, I beseech you not to do this thing." Prime's eyes blinked out again. "You stop you bad mutant!"

Magneto didn't even hear the first part. "I will show you what you made us."

He released a full blast at Prime, as everyone stopped in their tracks. The X-men expected an immense explosion, and Magneto expected the robot to be falling apart piece by piece before his eyes. The second time this night, everyone was surprised.

"My stars and garters, it stood up to one of Magneto's most powerful attacks." The Beast was wide eyed with awe.

Gambit tried to hide the obvious concern. "Don't fret now, Mags just assumed that heap of scrap can bend to his whim with the simplest of his attacks. Let's get him before he decides to make up for it."

The two continued to sneak their way to get a good position on Magneto.

The robot's optics blinked back to blue. "We did not intend for this to happen. We came before your species fully evolved. Please understand that what was done was not by us. Please cease your attack, as it will harm the innocents of this city."

"Let's rush Mags before that robot has another glitch." The Cajun ordered the flipping blue Beast.

The beast simply acknowledged with a cannonball straight on Magneto's back. The Beast found the usual electromagnetic force field bubble, instead of his mark. Magneto turned to see the furred X-Man.

"Why is it that Charles' children must come out and play at the wrong time?" Magneto prepared to blast McCoy away with a em pulse. Magneto had no chance as a big huge hand grabbed him.

"As I said before, you must desist with..." Again the lights went dim in the optics of Prime, "...your bad attitude because you'll have a fat chance with me fat head!"

Ironhide had finally fully reactivated, only to discover he was encased in ice up to his head. "Hey, what's the big deal?"

Drake formed a pillar right by Ironhide's face. "I am. You can call me Iceman. And, we're trying to stop that other human from hurting your leader more than he already has been. It's obvious he has a serious glitch. So stay here and chill out for a moment. We humans can handle this without your help."

Ironhide was attempting to free himself, but the ice was incredibly dense. It would take sometime to break it, so it gave Ironhide no choice but to agree with the human's demands for now. "Alright, but I don't have to like it."
Somewhat satisfied with the response and curious why the robot had a Southern drawl, the Iceman turned to see how he could help his fellow team mates. He only saw the Master of Magnetism being treated like some prized rag doll in a monster movie flick. Iceman couldn't help but have his mouth drop in awe. It wasn't the fact that the robot had a grasp, but the fact it was keeping it. Of course, this situation was entirely new for Magneto as well, and the Master of Magnetism acted appropriately for his demeanor.

"UNHAND ME!" With great exertion, Magneto forced the hand of Optimus Prime open and flew a safe distance away from the robot. Magneto sank to the ground, the very wind had been squeezed from him. Gambit and the Beast went to his side.

"Just in case you didn't notice, the robot is trying to be nice." Gambit surprised Magneto by offering a hand of support.

Magneto spat a small bit of crimson to the ground. "I don't need your help Judas."

"Fine be that way." After gazing back up to view the scene, Gambit looked at the other robot trapped to the building by what seemed a huge iceberg. "Look like Drake filled his end."

The Beast's offer was not turned down. "I guess the Y2K bug effects alien robots, instead of our computer systems."

Humor was ignored as Magneto rose into the air. "I don't care how protected these machines are against magnetic forces. But, I will find out the extent of their counter agents."

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{Dave scribed this part- KV}

"Okay. This had better be good." Mystique growled quietly. She knew well enough that you never show any sign of weakness in any given situation. As long as you seem in control you still have some. She stood defiantly in the dark and slowly turned around in an attempt to canvas the area. All of Mystique's instincts were warning her that she wasn't alone. Mystique had received a message sent to one of her falsified identities, Mallory Brickman. The message gave only a time and place. This alias is one of Mystiques most influential guises. Mallory Brickman was the wife of the powerful senator Robert Brickman, a man who held a great deal of power in the White House. Until Mystique 'replaced' her that is.

Normally Mystique would not take such a personal risk as to walk into something that could be a trap, but she was intrigued. Not only had somebody had managed to discover her true identity, but they also mentioned a word that she had heard her 'husband' worry about recently. Mystique has based her life as a mutant spy upon the fact that knowledge is power. And the shape shifting mutant wanted to know everything she could about "Energon".

"Now really, Mystique." An almost inhuman voice echoed from every angle, taunting the blue skinned woman. "I'm surprised how you've managed to live this long. You have the ability to manipulate your cells and yet you haven't altered your eyes to see in the dark yet!"

Mystique cursed herself for making such an amateur mistake. She quickly regained her cool.

"What do you want, Sinister?"

A low chilling noise responded Mystique's question. "That's more like it. I'd hate to think that I've chosen the wrong person to deal with."

Mystique's lip twisted as she saw Sinister finally appear from the darkness. Sinister is a mystery to everyone. Mystique had suspicions that Sinister was over 100 years old. She had found out that Sinister was driven by a fascination of genetics and had been observing certain mutants in particular. He probably had numerous identities in place as well. Sinister was a manipulator Mystique had realized. Well, it takes one to know one.

Sinister walked up to Mystique and looked sneered at her condescendingly. Mystique returned his gaze defiantly. He smiled and continued to slowly pace around her.

"If you just called me here to watch you pose, I'll be greatly disappointed."

Sinister stroked his pale chin and started to smile, revealing his demonic, pointed teeth. "Raven Darkholme, I propose a deal that will be mutually beneficial..."

----------------------------

"Finally, the calvary has arrived." The elated Beast greeted the other X-Men a smile, as he gave a thumbs up to the Generation X kids that brought them here.

Cyclops instantly assessed the situation, as Hank had briefed them earlier on the Sentient Robots that were powered by the very Energon that made humans mutants. There was no doubt Magneto was attempting to vent his rage on these two creatures. It appeared that Madrox, the Multiple Man, had successfully kept the crowd at bay with his duplicates. Also, Drake had contained one robot with a huge formation of frozen water.

Cyclops realized he was taking too long to assess the full situation as the silent Rogue whizzed right by him. Damn, I hope he doesn’t get to her like he did Colossus.

"You ain't doing one thing against those big overgrown Sentinels." A heavy Southern accent filled the air, as Rouge floated right next to Magneto.

Magneto's brow furled in slight irritation. "We should join forces and destroy these things before they cause more wanton destruction."

"I don't care Eric, like I said you ain't doing a thing to them." Rogue's rage was apparent, as she clenched her fist.

Magneto tried to hide a smile, as he knew her ire was not meant for him. "So what is taking you so long my dear?" He gestured to the big red and blue robot.

"I..." She hesitated as she stared at it.

Optimus Prime's optics blinked out again. "Please forgive me mutant lady."

Rogue bowed her head, then rose it slowly. "It's all the same... The Kree, The S'hiar, The Dire Wraiths, The Skrulls, and the Phalanx. All of ya damn aliens have a conquest complex, and I don't care if there is a good or bad robot. All I care is that you aren't here to make more lives miserable."

The blue glow to the optics returned. "If that is how you feel, then do what you must." Optimus gestured with open hands.

"Okay." One simple word as she wanted to reserve her strength for her hits. She bolted toward Optimus and released a volley of fists at the giant robot.

Optimus reeled as his face was being dented bit by bit by Rogue.

"Hey, cut that out ! You might actually hurt him!" Ironhide was now fully struggling to get out of his titanic ice cube.

Optimus' eyes faded out again, as a stare of fear came over the robot. "You're a bad mutant lady now! Stop trying to hurt me!" Optimus made a full swat at Rogue, as the others gasped in horror.

Fortunately, Optimus was a very poor aim in his condition as the huge hand whizzed right below the dodging mutant.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya, I'm just gonna tear you apart for what you did to me." Rogue continued with her attack, as Optimus became her punching bag for her rage.

Optimus continued to stand tall, or wave like a child trying to shoo away a stinging wasp depending on his state of logic process. Magneto watched with somewhat twisted satisfaction as the other X-men tried to figure out an even worse situation: How to stop one of their own from doing what Magneto started.

"Jean, any success at tapping the robot's mind since it is sentient?" Cyclops feared the negative response.

Obviously struggling with the unique situation at hand, she shook her head. "It's like trying to read Bastion's thoughts. I don't get a thing. We need a hacker and not a mind reader."

The X-Men's leader sighed. He didn't know how long the robot would wait for Rogue to stop or act in self defense. Obviously, this robot was malfunction despite it's sentience, acting like a coin that is constantly being flipped by an unknown source. Quickly guided by instinct, he released a wide beam of crimson light between Optimus Prime and Rogue. Rogue turned to see Cyclops' eye visor glow with another fully charged blast at the ready.

"Cyke, don't make me choose sides. I don't want to be your enemy but they are the ones responsible for all of our troubles."

Rogue's statement didn't phase Scott, as he stood ready to release his next optic beam. "I'm not making you choose anything, but if you don't stand down now I will choose to stop you."

Magneto took the opportune moment to make a move. "Rogue, I think it is time you choose. Do you choose to let the government use these robots to further their own agendas, or do we stop what they have started so long ago?"
----------------------------

She came to an empty house, again . Well, she thought, at least she had furniture to greet her this time. Cecelia Reyes had finally decided to drop by the mansion, for some odd reason she couldn't fathom {The first time was when Bastion had unceremoniously atomized everything in the house..}. She had lucked out, and got off early for New Year's Eve. She didn't know why, she just hoped that the small clinic she worked at had not found out she was a mutant. She shelved the bad thought for the moment, and decided to start calling out names.

"Bobby?" She cursed herself for letting that name come first. After sharing a day with the Iceman, she found out there was really nothing cold to him. She tried to shake the feeling of an actual chemistry that might be there. The doctor falling in love with a patient was something all medical students are warned about, but she wasn't a psychologist. Perhaps, her profession extended beyond the scalpel that day. She didn't want to even contemplate the perhaps not.

She continued through the whole roster that she knew. With no luck, she plunked down on a love seat. Again, she thought too much about the implication of choosing the LOVE seat. She quickly did a hop, skip, and a jump to the couch and laid down. Frustrated with her confused emotions, and the fact they were even confusing made her cross her arms and pout.

"Why did I let myself slip like that?" She mumbled out loud.

She looked around to see if the usual timely entrance of someone coming in and overhearing her happened. She didn't even have luck with that. She saw the remote stuck in the crevice of the couch cushions, and turned on the TV.

"We now interrupt programming again, to bring you up to date on the mutant attack in New York City. A group of mutants, including the terrorist Magneto and the X-Men.."

Cecelia frowned at the X-Men being dubbed terrorists, and hoped she would indeed have a complete night off from healing the wounded.

"...and strange robots which had the capability to transform into vehicles. There is no conformation whether this was an elaborate setup, or the actual thing. Many movie producers have denied any doing in the actions, and have stated what has happened was actual. The Government has, of course, denied any involvement as well. All that can be said is that what has happened may be a precursor to something more, if the government has gone to such great lengths as to hide their newest Sentinel forces in the guise of vehicles. Or perhaps the greatest hoax initiated by a special effects artist wanting to get attention..."

Cecelia turned off the TV. She instantly looked through the mansion for medical supplies, preparing for the worst case scenario imaginable. Of course, she remembered about what Bobby told her about these robots. She didn't quite expect something to happen this early, of course she reprimanded herself for the thought. Even though she was an X-Man for "five minutes", she learned just how fast crap happens when you decide to fight the good fight.

It was while making the furniture a veritable makeshift menagerie of hospital beds, that she caught a little hint of a glow. She went to the remote again, thinking she must have pressed the power button too long. She saw the TV which was indeed turned off, and she noticed the glow was further away then she thought. Instinctively, she surrounded her body with her psioplasmic force field. She walked tip-toed and tried not to make the wood floors creak while she stepped. The glow grew more pronounced, as she whispered a Latino expletive. Here she was in the face of danger, by herself. She silently hoped that Bobby might save the day, if anything came out of that glow. Then she cursed again for wanting the winter bound knight in armor to come to her rescue.

She finally made it as the light from the glow cast a faint pall purple across the kitchen. She looked and saw a figure in the middle of the glow. She couldn't quite make it out, but it was something humanoid as far as she could tell.

"Help Me, help me please...." The figure instantly disappeared.

Cecelia was completely enthralled by the oddity of it all. A little neon humanoid did more to distract her attentions from Bobby and the other imperiled X-Men. She felt the ground, and examined it. She would do no good here, and would have to report this to McCoy.

No sooner then she stood that her brain was hit with words.

Welcome Cecelia, please excuse my tardiness. I didn't realize you were here.

She turned to see the bald headed man in a wheelchair come right next to her.

"You may can the mental siesta in my head, and actually speak to me...sir."

Charles Xavier smiled, a rarity when he had such words spoken to him before. Usually, he would lecture the new recruit, but he decided otherwise. "As you wish. I was down in the room with Cerebro, and had the Psi-shields up. That is why I didn't detect your presence here right away."

"Well, since you were doing whatever god knows what, the X-Men are in trouble..."

Charles nodded half way through her sentence. "I know child. I picked up your troubled thoughts, as well as theirs."

"Well, then I guess you know what I saw, since you can pick my brain."
The Professor folded his hands and rested his head on them. "Yes, quite an unusual experience. It was the reason I was down there. Gambit had told Beast about the odd occurrence, and I hoped to see if I could detect anything with Cerebro."

"Well?"

The Professor was starting to get a bit irritated at her posturing, but his concentration was more on his fellow students and the unusual phenomenon. "I detected a familiar presence, but could get nothing more. It was like a flash of thought, then nothing."

Cecelia shrugged. "I guess it's typical for here. I have things set up for the X-Men. I can handle any medical injuries, and you can go back to chasing that ghost..."

The Professor's face furled at the audacity of a pupil giving him an order. "Need I remind you, dear girl that I am still the proprietor of this house. And as such, I have every right to consider an unauthorized intruder on my domain."
Cecelia gulped at the thought of being kicked out like this.

The Professor continued, as he smiled inwardly at the reaction he wanted her to have. "Now, I suggest you do not bark orders to the person who has invited you into his home. However, your suggestion.." He was real careful to emphasize the word, "...seems the best path to follow at this point of conjecture."

She wasn't quite sure how to react, but the Professor took yet another opportunity.

"You are welcome." He began to push the wheelchair back to the study.

----------------------------

"I'm sorry Scott, but Eric does have a point. As long as they're around, the government is going to keep trying to pin the blame on us for whatever happens."

"You're exactly right Rogue, and that is why you need to stop your attack. They may have even have gone as far to set up this very situation."

It looked as though a light bulb had been turned on over Rogue's head, but Cyclops had not congratulated himself yet. He used the brief moment of respite to his advantage.

"Look, we can blame the tool for our condition, we need to blame those who used it. And, they are all most likely too old or already dead for any real justice to be done. What we need to do now is stick together, so we can prevent any further blame from being placed on us. Or else the dream will fail and we will continue to live this nightmare." Cyclops extended his hand in the offer.

Rogue looked at her fellow team mates then at Magneto. Magneto didn't give any retaliatory rhetoric and stood silent as he observed the robot who just stood there waiting for them to make a decision.

"Cyclops, the damage has been done. The tool will always be used against us. And as long as they are here, we'll always get the short end of the stick. Eric, don't be smiling so fast, because you're wrong too. You always point that finger at people or things trying to repel something that died a long time ago. I'll gonna weigh my options and choose what's best for me, because that's what we all should do. And, right now I think the best thing is to get these blasted robots back to where ever they came from, if force by necessary. And, I guess I can't be a party to either of you two, because you are both at the extreme ends of the issue. I need something in the middle, and no one fits the bill. So, I guess that's my cue to leave."

Gambit opened his mouth to say something, but decided not to do so since it would be a futile effort. Rogue flew off into to the horizon, leaving the other X-Men one more concern.

Magneto didn't care whether the robot was an involuntary tool or not, but the fact of him being a possible pawn for a government set up grated more on him. "She is right, and you know this. We should join forces and dispatch of these "tools" before the government uses them against us."

"We are not tools for anyone's use." Optimus finally interrupted.

Magneto looked at the robot as though it didn't even rate a response. "I did not ask your opinion. Not matter how sentient you may seem, you will always have a rudimentary program running your thoughts."

"We all have our defaults. Yours happens to be the very persecution you experienced to those you humans without special capabilities." Optimus' optics blinked out.

"Don't say another thing, mon feur." Remy shouted to the robot, as he dreaded what might come out next.

"J'em appelle Optimus Prime." Like a little kid, he extended his large blue hand for a shake.

The former thief mockingly saluted to the robot. "I'm afraid I'm too petite to shake your hand friend. But, merci for the offer. And, the name is Gambit"

Magneto was fortunately caught off guard with the unusual exchange between Gambit and Optimus Prime, then Prime's retort. "Tell Charles that I will not allow these robots to be continued to be used against us. As I have told him many times before, he will be the death of his own dream."

Magneto flew off into the distant horizon, as a whir, click, and hiss of gears and hydraulics were heard. Optimus had returned to his truck form.

But, it did not stop the continuing deterioration in his logic chips. "I stopped the bad mutant!"

The X-Men all couldn't help at least a half smile at the robot's antics.

"Yeah Optimus, and I'm gonna stop the rest of these fleshy creatures for you!" A smaller red walking robot had entered the fray.

"Gears, these are our friends! They're not bad mutants! They're X-Men!"

Gears grumbled. "I'm always too late for anything. I really hate this. If not some Spider creature, then some really weird flesh creatures. This is annoying."

"Why, they even have graced the presence of Spider-Man. He must really be talking a blue streak about alien robots being here on Earth." McCoy gave a nudge to Iceman who had slid up next to the Beast.

"Bluestreak isn't here Earth creature, and I'm glad for it. I don't need to hear his excessive vocalizing about himself." Gears transformed and rolled up next to Prime.

The Beast watched with intense curiosity. "Is it me, or did that one take a little longer to change back to his vehicular form?"

As if to answer his question, a beep came over Optimus Prime's communicator. A long pause, and Prime produced an answer, albeit in an odd way: As though he were answering someone else's question {See Transformers #6 for the other side of the conversation}.

"Cybertronium makes us work better, quicker, and we don't have bad things happen to us."

Cyclops turned to Beast, who gave an indirect nod. Their attentions turned toward the red robot as he walked closer to them.

"Now, that was one cold shoulder you gave me." Ironhide stated as he transformed back to his red van form.

Iceman smiled. "I could have done worse, but you seemed like such a nice robot."

"Well, what do we do now oh gracious leader?" The Beast queried Cyclops.

Cyclops thought for a moment. "The situation here is done, let's try to contain the damage done for now."

The others nodded in agreement, as Madrox and the Generation X kids finally came up to the X-Men's side.

"Oh man, I really wish I didn't have to play crowd control. I wanted a shot at those overgrown Tonka toys." Madrox made his duplicates disappear with a snap of his finger.The X-Men gave a half smile, while the Transformers started to depart among the regular traffic.