Chapter 41- Timelines

  Savage Lands- Stone Singer's capital- Oracle’s Cave- 24- 10- 2008 (Early Afternoon)

  Shanna O’Hara (She-Devil / Lancer)

  Hearing her master say that made Shanna feel two things. First was the rage in her sister-Servant, so she instinctually materialized her spear to her hand. Second, the warmth and memory of him scolding his disciple briefly passed her thoughts.

  Yet seeing the man with the metal arm raise his hands, drove away the thoughts, but the heat still lingered.

  "Twenty-five seconds," Nath’aniel growled at the stranger.

  "There are pyers acting in the shadows, moving people around like pieces in a chess game. In my timeline, they acted without resistance, in this one I have identified two of the pyers and have been harassing and hindering their pns." Cable said quickly.

  Shanna noticed the young gorgon girl shaking with worry while watching them. So she banished her spear, to wherever it goes, and moved over to console her.

  “Twenty seconds.” The mage continued his countdown.

  Shanna moved quickly to the young girl, and pried the steaming kettle with boiling water away from her, while whispering. “It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay.” She then put the kettle on the ground behind her, before grabbing the white scaled gorgon and pulling her into an embrace.

  “One of the people behind these power pys is someone you know, he currently uses the name Apocalypse, but you happen to know him by his real name, En Sabah Nur.” As Cable finished saying that, Nath’aniel pced his hand on Psylocke’s shoulder. She could still feel the rage in her sister-Servant, but also now there was an interest in the bond as well.

  “The method you are describing does not sound like him. Fifteen seconds.” The mage stated, although the wild woman could feel both of them had been intrigued by the cyborg’s cims.

  Cable shook his head, before answering. “You forget that while you slept for thousands of years, he has been active on and off throughout the ages. Too many times has he tried to muster an army, only to be routed by the Wakandias or another already established power or empire.'

  “He, the st time he tried, I didn't even need to intervene. The Fantastic Four beat his agents and dismantled the generators that he was using to power his b. He being the petty man then decided to destroy the b and the creations inside, rather than let them be discovered."

  The mage chuckled at something the cyborg had said.

  Shanna then felt outrage from her sister-Servant, just before she saw a massive psychic butterfly form around her sister’s head. Just ahead of her demanding. “What does that have to do with you killing Destiny?”

  The cyborg seemed unphased by the telepathic woman's statement. As he didn't answer right away, however, he did admit. "Half of my mind is a machine, if you really think that you can overpower that I would like to see you try."

  "Although I would like to hear your answer to her question," Nath’aniel said before either could escate anything, but before Cable could answer the mage added. “And then I would like to hear your answer to your cim of ‘timeline.’ Given that time travel is near impossible to survive.”

  The cyborg sighed, and started with. "I regretted having to do that. But it was the only solution to the problem. You must understand that I couldn't have her reach the Citadel, for once she did, she would be given protected status and, I know that as the acting master, you would uphold the w should I not have acted when I did.'

  “In my timeline, by now when you met the Oracle, you had restored her eyes and her powers had reached such a level that you needed to make a colr for her like you did for Rogue.”

  "Assuming that, you're not crazy, it sounds like you really helped us there, taking such an asset away from the Brotherhood," Shanna muttered sarcastically. The young white gorgon girl seemed to take offense to that and stomped on her foot, and while it hurt the wild woman didn't react to the attack.

  Cable for his part only looked at the two women, but continued his answer. “A year and some change from now, one of her ‘children’, whom I will not reveal, will earn a boon from you. But unlike Wolfsbane who waited to cash hers in.”

  “She still hasn’t.” The mage muttered.

  "This child cashes theirs in immediately, asking you to save their mother from the one thing that no human can outrun, age. As she was nearing ninety-five at this time.” The cyborg waits in his storytelling then.

  Not that either of the Servants needed it further expined to them. Psylocke had admitted to Shanna that her body was a good ten years younger than what her body used to be. Not that Shanna really noticed it as much with her body, but still some of her scars and strained muscles had been restored after being turned into a Servant.

  After a moment Cable continued. "A week after their request, you would bind her as your Archer. However, doing so was the same as putting a shackle around your ankle."

  “How? A younger stronger future seeing ally makes us weaker?” Psylocke angrily asked.

  Again the cyborg remained unphased by the telepath's outburst. "A Servant's power is great, yes, but as you no doubt have learned. Your overall strength is fueled by the level of trust between Master and Servant. Lancer has to try harder than you Assassin, because you have had a longer healthier more open retionship with Nath'aniel.'

  "At the end of the day, Irene Adler would not be like the other seven of his Servants, your master will have. She could never reach the same level of trust and fellowship, because, in the end, she was, after all, a lesbian."

  Hearing that surprised Shanna, so much so that she rexed her grip on the young gorgon woman, enough that she was able to break free of her grasp, as the ramifications of this really nded on her. 'He is right. I both weaker than my sister, and I have mostly kept him at arm's length, not really opened up, and either gotten to know him or him to know me.' She thought to herself.

  The young albino gorgon ran and hid behind the wider rger man of Cable. The teen poked her head out and stuck her tongue at the three of them. The cyborg put his hand on top of the short girl's head, before muttering. "Don't bme them, little one. I wronged them before coming here."

  Then everyone stopped and looked at the mage after he asked. “What’s a lesbian?”

  The question caused Cable to start ughing.

  Shanna was too stunned, to answer him. So her sister did it. “A lesbian is a woman who is only attracted to other women.”

  Nath’aniel blinked twice before asking. “Wait, that’s a thing?”

  Cable continued to sooth the young gorgon, as he answered the mage. "Some humans have rather odd tastes, and aren't as straightforward as you mages. Each of us has our own cultures and beliefs. Your people came from a time when practicality was most important, but as the years have gone by, people have had wealth and freedoms, and have learned to live differently than how you were in your era."

  "Ok, since you are willing to be so helpful, then how is it you survived traveling through time? Given your biology, you should have absorbed much of the ambient energy causing you to age yourself to death." The mage asked him.

  Cable held up his metal arm before answering. "I was infected with an advanced virus as a child, it is slowly converting my flesh into circuits and machine parts… In my time we have found a means to restore and maintain my flesh, but in the end, it was the only means to send someone back. So we let the virus cover most of my flesh, before sending me back, and yes I did age, despite most of my exterior being metal."

  “An exception to the rule.” The mage muttered in agreement.

  Then the realization hit Shanna, and so she pointed at her Master and asked. “Wait?! Does that mean that you think that he and I end up in bed together? No offense, Nath, but you are not my type.”

  The cyborg chuckled before refuting her. "You don't know what your type is. All of your past boyfriends were basically mirrors of you, and they all failed because it isn't really what you are looking for in a partner... You admitted to me and others ter in your life, what it was you were really where looking, was safety and dominance. You take comfort in knowing what is expected of you.'

  "You get warm and wet, when Nath'aniel takes control of a situation or starts issuing orders. While I can see that he hasn't done it yet, but once you got drunk enough to admit to us, that the first time he used a Command Spell on you, it drove you to orgasm."

  Hearing him call her out, Shanna had to admit that she couldn't deny it. It was probably why she broke up with Ka-zar. Not because of him being like her, but rather the memories that she recovered after she had merged with 'She-Devil', her minor personality that she subconsciously created to endure a childhood trauma. She-devil had treated or rather mistreated the boy, but more about how the young man had learned to enjoy the abuse from her angrier other half, rather than stand up for himself.

  “But yes, with only the exception of his Archer, in my timeline all the other seven of his, of your Servants, eventually became counted among his lovers and were a cornerstone in his harem.” Cable stated bringing her out of her thoughts.

  "We came here hoping for answers," Psylocke stated. Shanna could still feel the embers of her anger, but her sister-Servant had recalled her psychic powers otherwise.

  “No, you came to fulfill their or rather my request, it just so happens that the X-men also needed information.” The cyborg corrected. Then he sighed as he crossed his arms, before admitting. “The people they are after, were not so much of a threat in my timeline, they may have gotten more powerful because of me taking out those who will harm you ter.”

  "So you can help them," Shanna asked.

  He nodded, before pointing at the still-empty tea cups. "Under the leftmost one, you will find some longitude titude coordinates. It will lead them to a warehouse. In my timeline, it was this group's st bastion, but now, I am not so sure."

  The wild woman looked to her master, who nodded at her, before she moved to stand next to a backless couch and lift up the designated cup and saucer. Sure enough, there was a folded piece of paper under them.

  As she unfolded it to confirm the information, Nath'aniel asked. "How are you so accurate in your information? Your very presence should have altered everything." Then she noticed that this cup wasn’t the only cup with something under it.

  “Because I am not alone. I have a ship and it is equipped with a Though-Engine, the Professor. And he occasionally receives updates and calls from my present." Cable answered.

  Shanna felt surprise from her master, making her look away from the other uneven cup. As she looked at him, he muttered. “That’s impossible. Your timeline should have…” He started to say, while she didn’t understand she took a step closer to the other cup.

  The cyborg finished her master’s sentence. “Been erased as soon as I left it. I know, but you must understand Hathor is half right about you. You don't have the Grail, yet. Before you buckled and found your country in my timeline you find it. And no, I won't tell you where it is. And while you find it, it is one of your children that uses it, allowing my world to remain."

  “Aren’t you here to help us?” Shanna asked him, as she reached towards the other cup.

  “I am, and you are not ready for that pce yet.” Cable admitted.

  As she moved the cup away, Shanna was stunned into silence at the sight of the image on the photo under the cup.

  “Who is the other pyer?” Psylocke suddenly asked him. When the cyborg looked at her, she reminded everyone. “You said you identified two of the pyers making moves behind our backs. Who is the other one?”

  “Nathan Essex.” He announced.

  "I don't know him," Nath'aniel admitted.

  “You shouldn’t he is very young compared to the others.” Cable confirmed.

  “How do you not know who all of them are? Are you not from the future?” Her sister-Servant asked, as Shanna reached for the picture, she could feel the background feeling from her spoke to the cyborg smugness.

  “Because me knowing the names Omega, Abyss, Tiamat, King Milbary or Maestro really isn’t that useful in this age, as they all go by other names today. For example, King Milbary is Nathan Essex, yet his current alias today, is Mr. Sinister.” The cyborg calmly expined.

  “But you can’t just be here to give us this information and to meet us today, are you? You are here for something aren’t you?” The mage asked him.

  "You're right, I was hoping to ask you to look after the gorgons here in my stead, and I am here to give you a warning. I hope this time we can prevent a tragedy." Cable said in answer.

  “What is this?” Shanna asked the killer, as she twisted the picture towards the others so they could see it. While her master only blinked at it, Psylocke dropped her mouth as she looked at the picture of a younger less damaged version of Cable was being hugged by an older Mystique and Destiny from behind.

  "My parents," Cable said ftly.

  "Your words led me to believe that I am killed in your timeline," Nath'aniel asks his eyes still on the photo. "If I bind her as my Archer…"

  “You are.” The cyborg confirms. He let that hit them, before adding. “Apocalypse uses the rules of Entreatment Day, to get in close. Then as his Horsemen get close enough for the Citadel to detect them. He uses his powers to stage an assassination against you… my biological parents also die in that attack, as does your Assassin… But we learn that your death isn't the end for your Servants. Your Berserker was somehow able to secretly feed her limited mystical energy to her sisters, still, she starves to death by the time your disciple and children find a means to save the others."

  “How many?” the mage suddenly asks just as soon as he could without sounding rude.

  Cable became very somber, before answering. "A third of the Brotherhood, and four entire tribes of the Savage Lands… It was a very pyrrhic victory."

  "But you want something from us for all of this information?" The wild woman asked him. He nodded but had to take a couple breaths to settle his emotions.

  “I haven’t just crossed Mystique; there are others that I have angered. And I don’t want these dies punished for knowing me.” The cyborg expined.

  Oddly Shanna felt fear from her master through the bond, before he asked. “What warning?”

  Cable rexed his arms, before stating. “Namor will make an appearance at Entreatment Day tomorrow."

  The wild woman felt confusion building in her master, but then he reached into his robes and pulled out his emitter. Nath'aniel immediately activated it, and as soon as the green crystal hourgss apprehended he ordered the Though Engine. "Scan the Preserve for pure-blooded Atnteans.”

  "Right away young master…There is an underwater vessel off of the southern coast, not only is it marginally full of them. It unched a pair of smaller craft towards a river mouth. They made ndfall ten minutes ago. I am tracking ten pure-blooded Atnteans, correction nine of them are inside, correction eight of them, are in a native fort.”

  The mage frowned at her reply, and ignored the nodding cyborg, as he asked. “Are they under attack?”

  “There are a dozen dead hybrid Atnteans on site, as well as twice that in living hybrids. I am also tracking several streams of mystic water being hurled at the hybrids. So it is highly possible they are indeed under attack.”

  Her master reached out to her with his free hand, confusing her. "Warn Quicksilver, that we need his speed." Then Shanna remembered that she was holding the unfolded page in her hand, and reached over and handed it and the picture to him.

  Nath'aniel took three deep breaths, as he did she felt him calm and center himself through their bond. Then he held out his long nail on his index finger, yellow energy poured into the nail before he wrote a four-character rune. When he flicked it, it expanded into a yellow hole in the air.

  After a moment the yellow energy stabilized into a yellow-ringed hole, which showed the Bckbird sitting in the clearing they had left it in. A pair of X-men standing guard next to its ramp. The two Servants briefly heard Cable mutter, "God speed." before spirit jumping, just before their master stepped through the portal.