Disclaimer:  All Marvel characters featured in this story are trademarks
of Marvel Comics Group. This is an unauthorized work and no profit is
being made on this work.  This story is copyright Tim Frankovich 1995-96.

Shattered Perceptions, Chapter Nineteen

Lepton peered through the odd-looking medical tool.  "Your left ear-drum
has ruptured," he announced.  "The right one will be all right."

"Swell," Boomer muttered, fingering her ear-lobe.  "Got any more
pain-killers?"

"Will this mean permanent hearing loss?" Sam asked.

Lepton shrugged.  "Maybe. Maybe not," he observed morosely. "It'll take a
better doctor than me to tell you."

"We need to take her back to Earth, Cable," Sam pleaded of their leader
who was watching silently.  Major Domo had taken them to a Cadre Alliance
base far out in the wilderness.

Cable nodded.  "I'll ask Domo's teleporter to send you two back," he said.

"Just them?" Warpath asked.  "We're not going back?"

"Not yet," Cable answered.  "I've neglected my promise to Shatterstar for
too long."  Cable turned and walked away.

"I'm so sorry, Tabitha," Siryn offered, touching her shoulder.

"Huh?"

Cable found the Rebel at the edge of the camp, looking up at the evening
star that had just appeared on the horizon.  He turned at Cable's
approach.  "How are the children?" he asked.

"Siryn is fine, just shaken up," Nathan answered.  "Boomer needs medical
help.  I'm going to let her and Sam go back to Earth."

"And what of the rest of you?"  As he spoke, Shatterstar and Windsong,
cleaned up and bandaged, joined them.  Cable turned to look at Star.

"Are you all right?"

"I will be fine, sir.  What are your plans?"

"A long time ago," Cable began, "I promised you that X-Force would help
you overthrow Mojo V and Spiral.  I... deliberately forgot that promise. 
I apologize.  But now I'm willing to fulfill that promise.  We'll stay as
long as it takes."

"No," the Rebel said quietly.  The others turned to look at him.  The sun
was setting over his shoulder and the breeze danced in and around his
white hair.

"What do you mean?" Cable asked, clearly taken aback.

The old man looked into Star's eyes and smiled.  "Someday, Shatterstar
will rule Mojoworld," he replied.  "Everyone knows it and Mojo will do
whatever it takes to stop it.  But he will not prevail.  Even Spiral knows
this.  You will rule our people, Star."  He paused.  "But not yet.  You
have learned much during your time on Earth, yet you are not quite ready."

"But..." Shatterstar began.

"Let me finish," the old man said, raising his hand to quiet Star's
protest.  "There are many more things you must learn on Earth before you
return.  And when you lead our people, you will teach them.  After all,
they do not know what it means to be free men.  Without a leader who knows
what freedom is, they would soon become as corrupt as the spineless ones
have been.  You, Star, will prevent that... someday.  For now, you must
return with your friends to Earth."

Star bowed his head.  "I accept your decision," he said quietly and turned
away.  Windsong looked at the Rebel with a pained expression and followed
Star as he trudged back into the camp.

"As odd as this may seem," Cable said after a few moments, "I understand
what you've said."

The Rebel smiled.  "I thought you might."

"How will you know when Star IS ready?"

The sun had dipped completely behind the horizon.  The evening star was
shining brightly.  "I'll be keeping an eye out," the old man replied. 
Cable thought for a moment that the Rebel's eye had flashed as he said
that.  "I'll know."