SPIRAL CHASE PT III
By Joe Helfrich
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"Hey, I thought I wasn't going!"

Kitty blinked her eyes, hoping that the image of Mark standing in front 
of her would dissapear and she could write it off to some strange effect 
of the transport.  It didn't.  Or rather, he didn't.

"I thought you weren't coming either.  Rachel.....?"

--I can't explain it Kittty.  I could just feel him in my head, and he 
wanted to go so bad and I...I don't understand what happened.--

--You could feel him in your head....just like he could feel my pain 
when you called Widget.  Oh no.--

--You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you Kit?--

--Find out Rachel, while I get us sorted out.--  Kitty looked around at 
the landscape.  _Well, at least we aren't fighting for our lives yet._  
"Storm, Rogue, arial recon.  See if you recognize where we are.  Havok, 
Longshot, Wolvie, watch the perimiter."

"I can generate an interference field that should cloak us from any 
scanning devices in the area."  Widget/Kate drifted next to Kitty.  "I'm 
not exactly sure of this Mojo's capabilities--our XMen never encounted 
him--but from what Rachel's told me,  it shouldn't be too dificult."

"Thanks," Kitty said terseley.  She didn't feel particularly comfortable 
around her older self.  The landscape around her was fairly typical of 
the little bit she'd seen of the Mojoverse--urban disaster area, in 
other words.  Most of the landscape was used to stage the part 
rebellion, part television show that the spinless ones and their 
genetically engineered slaves had been figitng for no-one-knew-how-long.  
There was nothing to do until Storm and Rogue came back from their 
reconnisance.

"Excuse me, do I know you?"  The voice was unmistakable.  Kitty turned 
to see Colossus staring intently at Widget/Kate.

"Well, um....no, not quite, dear," the android said after a moment.

"Oh, all right,"  The young armored mutant said, frowning, and wandered 
back to the other Xbabies.  

"Oh my, that was silly of me," she murmured quietly.

"If it's any consolation," Kitty said, smiling sligtly, "I reacted the 
same way the first time I saw him."

"Did you really?  That does make me feel a bit better, I suppose."   
Widget/Kate paused, for a moment, looking after Peter.  "Sometimes I 
wonder how things would have turned out for us, if the world had been 
different."

"So do I," Kitty said quietly.

--Kitty, you better come over here.--

Kitty shaken from her reverie, turned and walked to where Rachel and 
Mark were standing.  "What's up?" she asked.

"It seems that I'm eligible for full membership in Excalibur, rather 
than just being part of the support team," Mark said.  His expression 
was less than enthusiastic, though.

"He's a mutant, all right," Rachel said.  "Very low power though, which 
is why I never noticed before.  Low grade telempathy, and something 
that's almost telepathy, but not quite.  All he can read is subconcious 
memories and emotions.  It does explain his nack for accents and the 
like, though--he just reads the expected sounds and behaviors from 
peoples minds, and adjusts his behavior accordingly."  Rachel looked 
uncomfortable.  "I'm sorry Kit, but he's so low power that I wasn't on 
guard against him, and he just went right past my shields."

"And I did want to go," Mark said.  "I imagined Rachel expanding her 
transport to include me...and I must have projected that to her, because 
she did."

"Great.  Just great."

"Well," he said, trying to smile a little, "at least I can try and take 
care of myself, now."

"Like hell you can, Mark!" Kitty snapped.  "You've got no training on 
using your power in combat, assuming that there _is_ a way to use your 
power in combat.  You're now a bigger target then you were before."  
Kitty turned and stalked off.

--What's wrong, Kitty?--

--What's wrong??  Don't you see?  It's Doug all over again.--  Kitty was 
silent for a moment, trying to calm herself down.  --He's your first 
concern Rachel.  Make sure he's all right.--

--Done boss.  And while we have down time, I'll try and teach him some 
basics.--  Rachel turned to Mark.  "Come on, kid, time for psychic 
defense 101."

"Sure," Mark said, quietly.  "Great, she's mad at me."

"She's not mad at you Mark.  She likes you a lot.  What she is, is 
worried about you."

"Really?"  Mark said, a small bit of hope in his voice.

"Really."