Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Darkening Skies

By Jim M

Writer's notes: This story is a continuation of Kitty Pryde's adventures within SHIELD. It takes places in an alternate universe in which Excalibur hasn't returned to earth. The break point from normal Marvel continuity is just before Excalibur #24. Kitty Pryde, SHIELD and many other characters appearing in this fan-fic belong to Marvel Comics and are being used without permission. No money is being made. Comments, flames and the like are always welcomed.


Book Two

Prologue

Deep within an isolated forest in France, unusual activity was underway. Several young men grunted and groaned as they dragged their strange burden through the underbush toward a small clearing.

Mounted on wheels poorly designed for rough terrain, the ramshackle pile was clearly a powerful transmitter -- crude against the more cutting edge systems available, but effective...

Save for the odd broadcasting antenna afixed to it, whose strange curves and adornments were definitely not of terrestrial origin.

A power switch was depressed and an incredibly powerful transmission was broadcast, blanketing thousands of square miles, overriding all other transmissions being made on that single frequency with the repeating contents of a single cassette tape.

A frequency no one used.

A fact made clear to the men some twenty minutes later when one of their fellows came rushing up to tell them.

Arguments and accusations flew between the men for several minutes until they at last realized they were accomplishing nothing.

A decision was reached, the power cut, the transmission stopped. Then the men began to drag their machine back through the woods.

They would try again tomorrow night, and again and again and again, until those they wanted to hear their message did.

Unfortunately for those men someone else had heard their message.

And began to seek them out.