On the shores of Utopia, Kruun faces Wolverine. Crouching, Kruun admits there is nothing as fine as a reputation merited. Wolverine is everything they say. He reaches for the darts with the Cure serum on his belt. In his prime, this would have been a battle for the ages. He is sorry it had to end like this. He tosses several darts at Logan. “I dunno,” Logan retorts as he claws him in the chest. He kinda likes it.
Kruun thanks him, then impales Wolverine with the Breakworld metal disk he hammered before. Immediately, Wolverine finds himself levitated after Kruun kicks him upward. Kruun admits this is an undignified way to lose a fight. When the disk is kinetically charged, it defies gravity. A child’s toy adapted for this task. No traction, no leverage, no footing, no chance. As he said, he regrets it has to be like this but, then again, Wolverine did take his dignity. He should know how it feels. Kruun stabs the helplessly flailing Wolverine.
Elsewhere on the island, a very solid Kitty, her uniform splattered with blood, runs to Colossus, carrying a first aid kit. She urges him to hold on. Urggh is his reply. He says the sweetest things, she jokes.
Ahem, comes from the newly arrived Kruun, as he throws the beaten Wolverine at her feet. She is no longer a ghost. He doesn’t know half of it, she replies grimly.
When he attacks, she dodges and phases underground. He shouts that, if she wants her mate to live, she will have to come out sooner or later. She peers up, announcing that she may be sentimental but does he really believe she didn’t sound the alarm before coming here?
Kruun turns around to find a very angry group of X-Men – Psylocke, Storm, Hope, Angel, Iceman, Namor and Dr. Nemesis – waiting. Psylocke informs him that the Breakworlders are all in custody. It’ll be better for them if he peacefully joined them. Kruun drops his weapon. He acted alone. His people know nothing. And they may note he’s not making a final trust at the cursed powerlord. This game is over. He asks them to respect his people.
Kitty angrily interrupts that he already got his revenge. He took Colossus’ powers when he injected that “Cure.” Kruun admits that the real Cure was a grand working and he is no great weaponsmith and he had crude materials and scant time. It was a poor facsimile. He will recover within days, more’s the pity.
Psylocke kneels down next to Logan. “Gimme… few!” he rasps. Lungs in shreds. Kitty takes care of Peter.
Angel asks what to do with Kruun. If he acted alone… He didn’t, Kitty corrects him. His lady, Haleena, knew. Do not dream to threaten her! Kruun rumbles. They are not.. Kitty begins but is interrupted by Namor, who informs Kruun he is in no position to make demands. They will not take her! Kruun decides and uses another vial on his belt to create a smoke effect. Is this some manner of space ninja smoke bomb? Nemesis shouts in the ensuing confusion. He hates Space Ninjas! He hates all ninjas! Wolverine rasps they should have just stuck him. They are all soft. Psylocke thanks his sarcastically. Kruun, of course, is gone. Angel announces he is not getting away. Where is his better half? Kitty looks grim at the question.
She finds him in the X-lab and shouts she just wants to talk. Good, so does he, he replies, holding another weapon. Another child’s toy of his people, he explains. A simple, yet potent nerve gas. They play rough on the Breakworld. He’ll take Haleena and leave.
Haleena’s not going anywhere, Kitty tells him. He warns her that she will face the consequences. He doesn’t understand, Kitty interrupts and points to another lab. They go inside to see Haleena’s corpse in the middle of a strange circle.
He doesn’t understand, Kruun announces stupidly. Kitty explains that Haleena killed her with a blade just like his. She made the circle. Kitty guesses it’s how they arranged for Peter and Scott to be resurrected. Life force transfer. She brought Kitty entirely back. She built her from nothing. She made her whole. She gave Kitty everything and what it left her…
“No, Haleena, you beautiful fool!” Krunn mutters. This is beyond sin, this is shameful! He gets ready to smash the vial with nerve gas, announcing he will be with her soon. Kitty suggests he read Haleena’s note first.
Kruun, I know you will not understand, but I pray you will find a way. I believe in the impossible. I believe in you. To allow your life force to be channeled into another is the worst submission of our world. We all know this. How could I do it? Our world is no more. The sin is no more. And the shame is what we make it.
I said I foresaw there was no future for our people. That wasn’t the whole truth. I saw there is no future for the people we were.
Until the next life, my strength.
Kruun lashes out, smashing a metal cylinder. Haleena, oh Haleena! he cries. The ancients cursed us just by letting us be born. He lets go of the nerve gas, telling Kitty he was wrong. What the X-Men did was nothing. Only now is his world destroyed. He activates the circle with Haleena in the center and sinks down.
Haleena awakes restored. She runs to Kruun’s side. The transfer didn’t use up all his energy, though he is weakened, muttering it is over. No, she tells him and kisses him. Only the dead are over.
The other X-Men have gathered and Kitty announces she doesn’t have the faintest idea what to do next.
Soon, a very happy Agent Brand informs Cyclops what she’s learned from Breakword. Kruun’s group weren’t the only refugees but emigration seems to be dropping. There is fighting in some regions but less than there was six months ago. In the peaceful areas, they’ve got hospitals, non-martial law and a legal system that recognizes the concept of “murder.” Also, just about enough food. She paraphrases. The X-Men have brought chaos to their world. Thank you.
They say they can send this mob onwards. There are other planets accepting Breakworld refugees and since this was a Kruun plot and all….
That won’t be needed Cyclops assures her. They’ve made other arrangements. Mayor Sadie Sinclair has allowed the Breakworlders to settle in a derelict neighborhood, now Breakworldtown. It’s up to them to make something of it.
Walking the area with Scott and Emma, Haleea doesn’t understand this generosity. Cyclops tells her it’s up to them to make something of it. Something other than a fiery crater, ideally, Emma snarks. Cyclops tells Haleena Sinclair is good people. She is also thinking about tourist money.
Seeing Kruun leaning on a stick, Scott asks if he is… Haleena explains he was strong. He had much to give, but he is only a shadow of what he was. Nothing will ever be the same again and he realizes it. For that, they are both thankful.
Kruun asks Cyclops to give his apologies to Colossus and Wolverine. He regrets that he gutted them like animals. He’ll be sure to pass that on, Scott replies and wishes them good luck. Emma assures them Kruun is absolutely at the tiptop list of people to menace them all in their sleep.
Haleena notes Kruun is pensive. Is something amiss? He is thinking it is a new world. He will find a way to make her proud of…
No, cease! he snarls at two Breakworld youths who are harassing a local vagrant woman. Angrily, he explains that, while she is weaker than them, that does not mean they can take her possessions. He apologizes to the woman and Haleena is happy.
On Utopia, a bandaged Colossus finds Kitty sitting on a cliff. Moaning, he sits down beside her. She tells him she owes him for the hero thing. All is equal. He reminds her she did the same for him. Just don’t make like it’s a big deal or some of stupid romantic gesture, she tells him. They smile and holds hands. This is nice, she remarks, looking at the sunset. There should be more time for nice…
