Cable (1st series) #83

Issue Date: 
September 2000
Story Title: 
Reality Trembles
Staff: 

Robert Weinberg (writer), Michael Ryan (penciler), Walden Wong (inker), RS & Comicraft’s Saida Temofonte (letterer), Liquid! (colorist), Mark Powers (editor), Bob Harras (editor in chief)

Brief Description: 

Cable is released from the Harmony timeship and travels to his safehouse where he fills Blaquesmith in on recent events and receives some new gear. He heads back to Madison Square Garden where Shire is set to speak. He’s not alone as the Aentaros-possessed Domino sneaks inside too. Inside, Cable meets up with Bridge as well as Greg and Lea. Before the climactic showdown can occur Cable receives another visit from the Three Witches who warn him of the consequences of his decision, that two future realities hang in the balance. The show begins, and after taking Bridge out of the fight, Cable battles Domino. The battle lasts a while, Cable losing his weapon, but in the end he is able to activate a round of ammunition that encases Domino in a tight force field. He also manipulates Shire into a barrage of obscenities, which causes the crowd to turn against him. Both the Ranshi and Harmony timelines immediately erase, as Cable prevented Shire’s death, but also turned everyone against him. Mission accomplished, Cable talks to Key and Wall about his upcoming operation to free Shire and Domino of their possession. During this meeting he receives another brief psychic distress call from Rachel, which he resigns to answer after putting an end to Undying once and for all.

Full Summary: 

Events are unfolding bringing Cable ever closer to the final confrontation. Randall Shire readies to take the stage to give his world-changing speech, while Domino, his would-be assassin stands just outside Madison Square Garden. The worlds in question, Harmony, a place where utopia has been achieved, though with the price of genetic control, and Ranshi, a galaxy-wide empire ruled by Earth’s mutants, hang in the balance. At the crux of it all is Cable, whose actions will decide which reality will come to pass and which will fade into nothingness. If Shire is killed, then Harmony will be the end result. If Cable stops Domino’s assassination attempt then it will be a victory for the Ranshi.
Harmony Timeship

Eyla and Sandella teleport Cable back down to the planet’s surface for they know that without Cable interfering tonight, neither of their worlds may come to pass.
Cable’s Safehouse

Cable heads to his safehouse and fills Blaquesmith in on the recent events. He questions why Domino was chosen as the assassinator. Blaquesmith rationalizes that the Undying must have used their telepathic prowess to glean who would cause him the most pain. He asks Cable if he can face her and do what he must. “Whatever it takes,” Cable replies. Blaquesmith seems pleased and hands Cable a new weapon.
Madison Square Garden

Domino sits in the driver’s seat of a police car while Cable stands outside the entrance. Neither of them notices each other as they work their way inside. Domino is waved into the garage area while Cable telepathically nudges the ticket lady to believe he handed her a ticket.
Domino heads into an elevator where she gears up for the attack, which includes a belt of dynamite, snug tight around her waist. Meanwhile, Cable locates Bridge’s staging area. He tells the security outside the door to tell their boss Nathan’s arrived. Bridge allows Cable to come inside, happy to see that his friend has finally come to hear Shire’s inspirational message. Cable warns Bridge about Domino and tells him to cancel the event. Bridge doesn’t seem concerned. He tells Cable Shire must speak, and they’ll handle Domino.
Bridge breaks down the security layout; a dozen sharpshooters are located on the upper-level, each one connected to a computer network. Cable thinks it’s crazy he’s given live ammo to a bunch of soldiers when there’ll be about 19,000 civilians down below. Bridge tells him once again Shire must speak. Cable pleads with Bridge not to shoot Domino. Bridge stresses the importance of Shire’s message of peace and harmony. They must put aside friendship, he explains, so that the message can get out. If Domino tries to kill Shire, she dies.
Cable leaves the security room, doubts bouncing around in his head. Greg and Lea approach him from out of the crowd and tell him Clarity’s found the location of Dr. Berger in the Sinai Desert. Cable is pleased, but instead of continuing the discussion, he turns to the ticket taker at one of the gates. Once again, he gives a telepathic nudge and earns himself an aisle seat.
Harmony and Ranshi Timeships

(This scene is split in half with word balloons placed down the middle. Both Sandella and Eyla are speaking the dialogue at the same time. It is the same with Holdyne and Manuel’s responses.)
Both Sandella and Eyla contemplate how happy they would be with Cable, but only if he chose their timeline. They wonder what it would feel like to fade into nothingness. Holdyne and Manuel assure them they’ll still exist since they’re currently in the present; it’s only the future that will be changed. “One crew will become orphans of the timestream,” they finish. “...just like Cable,” the ladies conclude.
Madison Square Garden

Ten Minutes

Cable gives his “ticket” to the usher who tears it in two. He gives Cable a program and leads him to his seat.
Nine Minutes

Domino, now garbed in an orange worker’s uniform, makes her way through the underground maintenance tunnels, Death, Blood and Shire on her mind.
Eight Minutes

Cable gazes out over the crowd gathered to hear Shire. He spots a lot of the rich and powerful of America as well as a few notables from the United Nations. He can only imagine the type of power Shire would have once he gained control over them.
Seven Minutes

Domino has found her way backstage.
Six Minutes

Bridge checks in with his shooting crew and orders them to shoot to kill.
Five Minutes

The decision Cable must make weighs heavily on him. He has the future of billions on his shoulders. Should he let Shire die or save him from Domino. His thoughts cease when he notices everyone around him stop moving. The Three Witches appear before him. They tell him reality trembles by his hand, that this is his fourth judgment, yet not the last. He sees images of the temple in the Sinai, Shire, Eyla and Sandella, and lastly the Aentaros-possessed Domino.
Cable asks who they are, what they want and why they’ve chosen him. They don’t answer his questions, but tell him once he’s figured out the answers all secrets will be revealed.
Four Minutes

Domino makes her way through the control booth. The technicians ready the lights, sound and cameras.
Three Minutes

Bridge tells his crew he’s headed down to the stage so he can deal with Domino personally.
Two Minutes

Cable returns to normal time, he watches with tense anticipation, the final message from the Witches bouncing around in his head.
While in Shire’s office, the Semijan-possessed psychomorph adjusts his tie as Wall helps him with his jacket. He checks with Key to see how many important people are in the audience. Key tells him there’re a bunch of Senators and Congressmen as well as some of the Pentagon’s top brass. Shire is stimulated.
One Minute

The announcer begins his introduction as Shire dons his gloves.
While back in Shire’s office, Greg and Lea confront his discontented lackey, Key. They explain they work for Clarity and that a friend plans on stopping Shire, but afterwards will need his help.
30 Seconds

The staff in the control room bring up the lights and music.
Three, Two, One... Now!
Cable charges the stage, thankful for the microscopic sound-shifters in his ears, gadgets cooked up by Blaquesmith so he wouldn’t fall prey to Shire’s voice. Not far in front of him, Bridge also charges toward the stage, gun drawn. Shire walks through the parted curtains and makes his introduction. Domino darts through the curtains behind him. Wall instinctively shields Shire away from the attack.
First blow goes to Cable, who uses his scimitar to take G.W. out of the fight. Domino, meanwhile, has her hands temporarily full dealing with the security forces entering the stage. Cable fires his new weapon at Domino, but misses, instead ensnaring a security agent in the high strength force field. Domino turns about and throws a knife at the gun dislodging it from Cable’s hands.
Aentaros mocks Cable’s love for Domino and asks if he would sacrifice her to prevent the death of Shire. Cable barely hesitates before engaging Domino hand to hand. He simultaneously blocks a high kick and grabs Domino’s knife wielding hand by the wrist. Aentaros continues to mock Cable, bringing up his treatment of Domino, how he never appreciated her and drove her away. He tells Cable he is responsible for her death.
Cable seizes the moment to telekinetically wrench the belt of dynamite and send it flying back stage. He receives a painful kick to the face during his momentary distraction from the battle. Domino brings the knife around again and tries driving it into Cable’s neck. She misses as Cable leans backwards. He spots a security agent getting back to his feet, gun drawn, and directs an energy blast from his scimitar at him. The agent falls, his three shots going wide to the left.
Domino scores a knee to Cable’s face followed by another kick. A wicked smile crosses her face, as Aentaros seems to be enjoying this. Shire cheers Cable on, standing cowardly behind his stalwart bodyguard.
Domino pulls out a sword, which Cable grabs mid-strike. She plunges a knife into his side, but the blade merely bends. She flips over his head, not noticing the round of ammunition Cable drops. His reflexes are quick and he snags it with his other hand.
Domino lands, facing her enemy. Aentaros tells Cable he’s getting bored and since he won’t kill Domino, it’s time to end his life. Domino kicks the legs out from under him and Cable falls on his back. She leaps into the air and poises the sword to strike downward to deliver the killing blow. Cable jams the round of ammunition into her belly and activates it before the blade can pierce his skin. It works instantly, releasing an energy net that prevents Domino from being able to move, not even an inch, nullifying the Undying’s ability to commit suicide.
Cable moves over to the other side of the stage to grab his gun. Bridge congratulates Cable on a job well done. Cable ignores him and instead listens in on the two Undying’s telepathic conversations, both of them promising death and destruction. Cable presses a switch on the side of his weapon and for an instant the forcefield around Domino flickers. Domino lunges at Shire causing him to yell out some hasty insults.
The results are immediate. The crowd, upon hearing his harsh words, turns against him, their emotions of love turned to hate. Wall grabs Shire and hoists him up by the neck. Gone is Shire’s chance to rule the world. Gone is his influence over anyone.
Bridge approaches Cable and asks if he has any explanation as to how he could love a guy one minute and hate him the next. Cable tells him it’s a long story, better saved for later. He tells G.W. to gag Shire, put him in isolation and not let him talk to anyone. He also tells him to put Domino in a maximum-security cell and that her containment field should last for a few days.
Bridge asks if he’s going somewhere. On a quick trip, Cable replies, because it’s payback time for thousands of years of blood and death.
Harmony and Ranshi Timeships

(This scene is split in half with word balloons placed down the middle. Both Sandella and Eyla are speaking the dialogue at the same time. It is the same with Holdyne and Manuel’s responses.)
Sandella/Eyla receive word that communications have ceased with their homeworld. They blame Cable as his actions erased both timelines (Shire wasn’t killed nor was he able to spread his message of peace). Holdyne/Manuel ask for their next course of action. Both women agree it’s time to contact the other timeship and try to negotiate.
Madison Square Garden

Cable approaches Wall and Key and tells them it’s time to stop the Undying and to free their friends. Both agree to help put an end to their reign of terror.
Cable receives a telepathic call and sees a vision of his half-sister Rachel, imprisoned in chains next to a madman of sorts. She pleads with Cable to help her stop him for they can only do it together.
The vision fades and Key asks Cable if something’s wrong. Very wrong, he tells him, and it’s something he needs to fix... as soon as they deal with the Undying.
Sinai Desert

Berger and Sheik Hamid stand guard outside the temple gates. Berger checks his laptop and receives some good news. He tells the Sheik to prepare a welcoming committee because it looks like some friends will be arriving in a few hours.

Characters Involved: 

Cable

Blaquesmith

Domino/Aentaros

G.W. Bridge

Rachel Summers

Eyla and Manuel (all Cire family)

Captain Holdyne, Controller Sandella (all Ranshi)
Greg and Lea (all Clarity’s associates)

Berger

Sheik Hamid

Three Witches

Randall Shire/Semijan

Key and Wall (all Shire’s associates)

Gaunt

Garret (S.H.I.E.L.D. security personnel)
Witches’ vision

Berger, Oxton

Shire/Semijan

Eyla and Sandella

Domino/Aentaros

Story Notes: 

Eyla and Sandella are alternate versions of Cable’s deceased wife, Aliya.

The Three Witches will next appear in Cable (1st series) #86.
Key was unable to physically act against Shire due to the psychomorph’s hold on him, but through the wonders of the Internet and his mutant power with computers he was able to get a message to Clarity seeking help. This occurred in the previous issue.
Surprisingly none of the S.H.I.E.L.D. sharpshooters take a shot at Domino. Maybe it was her powers of probability that saved her once again.
Aentaros killed one of his previous host bodies, Blockade, by snapping his own neck. This occurred in Cable (1st series) #81.
Rachel’s appearance in this story will be followed up on over the next several issues.

Issue Information: 
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