An alien planet in the Negative Zone:
A sandstorm-covered desert:
Storm fights her way through the sandstorm, figuring this is how she will die. On an alien world, with weather she cannot control. It seems she is to be murdered b irony. Or that, she figures a moment later, when a huge sand monster springs from the ground.
Miles away, Ink awakes in the wreckage of their spaceship, still strapped to his seat. He frees himself and calls for the others. He’s got a few notes on Wagner’s piloting skills! A weak voice replies: any landing you can walk away from is a good one. It’s Nightcrawler, impaled by debris jutting out of the wall. Ink frees him from the shrapnel.
In another piece of wreckage, Logan slaps Armor to get her awake. He announces they will find the others. Hisako is doubtful they survived the crash. Logan simply states they have. They are X-Men.
Elsewhere in the desert, Kitty is cradling an injured Colossus. She urges him to stay awake. She is phasing them both through the sandstorm but she cannot keep it up. She needs him to steel up, he replies drowsily.
Some distance away, Storm dodges the monster, wishing for just one lightning bolt. She then uses her handcrafted spear to attack the monster. She climbs on its back and stabs it in the head.
How did she do? she wonders to her dead lover Wolverine and decides to rest for a little while...
In the wreckage, the weakened Nightcrawler asks how this works. Ink explains that one of his tattoos gives him a healing touch, which Kurt could really use in his medical opinion. He didn’t know he had medical training, Kurt jokes. Eric replies that he’s watched every episode of Grey’s Anatomy. His touch really reinvigorates Kurt.
As they decide to go look for the others, they are found by Logan and Armor. Logan demands what they know about the others. Ink replies he’s been trying to reach them with his limited telepathy but got nothing. They may have to consider they are dead. Logan stubbornly refuses to believe that.
In the desert, Kitty tells Colossus she is exhausted from phasing both of them through the storm. He urges her to leave him and save herself. He loves her and always will.
In the ship, Logan orders the others to split up and find what they can still use. Ink is to psi-link them. How do they know what’s useful on an alien ship? Hisako wonders. If it looks like something that could save their lives, is the reply.
Nightcrawler has an idea and steers Ink where to go. Kurt has faith, while Ink skeptically believes some of them might not make it back this time.
In the desert, Kitty shouts at Peter that he doesn’t get to die and leave her alone, and starts hitting his chest. Does he hear her? She hears her, Storm who has finally reached them replies.
Together, they help Peter up and Storm narrates what happened. She explains she cannot control the weather here but she does have a sense of where she was thrown from the wreckage, meaning she knows where they have to go.
Nightcrawler has led the others to the engine room. Ink points out they will never get the ship to fly. They don’t have to, is Nightcrawler’s reply. He shows the others a device. He remembers one like these from when was a prisoner on the other ship. The Dartayan ships don’t just navigate space, they travel through dimensions. He believes this is a portal generator. But they need a great deal of power to jumpstart it.
That moment, Ink’s telepathy picks something up and he heads outside, where he helps the others take Peter back to the wreckage.
By the time the others arrive, Kurt has fixed the generator but it needs Storm’s electricity. Storm points out her powers don’t work here. Get them to, Logan simply tells her. Dig deep! It’s a matter of will. Ororo believes it’s more complicated. No, it ain’t, is his reply. She doesn’t do this, they all die here. Does that uncomplicate things for her? Kurt adds they believe in her. Storm hesitates, then lightning emerges from her fingertips into the generator.
Two days later:
Outside the Xavier Institute, Kitty and the mostly recovered Peter are taking a walk. He admits the last days are a blur. The last thing he remembers is her breaking his ribs. It’s called CPR, wise guy, she retorts. Kitty admits the whole thing gave her a bit of clarity. She realizes she is never going to leave him. So, is the offer still good? Will he marry her?
