Alternate Marvel: Alpha Flight #6 of 6 (Series 1)

Alpha Flight #6: “New Flight.”
By: Tawmis


In a time of darkness, heroes stood up and fought for their country
that they loved so much. Hated by their own government, questioned by
the people of Canada – Alpha Flight never stops to ask why they do
what they do. They are heroes. It is their duty. Welcome – Vindicator!
Guardian! Sasquatch! Northstar! Aurora! Shaman! Puck! Snowbird! Welcome to –
Alpha Flight!

Vindicator paused in mid flight. “Marinna?”
“You look so surprised,” Master laughed. “The man who has returned from death
so often?”
“How is it possible?” Vindicator asked.
“Llan had made mention that Marinna might still be alive,” Shaman replied,
conjuring up a defensive spell. “Apparently, Master has found her.” (1)
“But why is she fighting us?” Wyre shouted, dodging Stitch’s needles. “I
thought she was one of the good guys?”
“Master has undoubtedly tampered with her DNA,” Wildchild explained, leaping
next to Shaman. “Just as he did with mine to ‘cure’ me, he has probably ‘
awakened’ Marinna’s true nature of the Plodex.”
“Your DNA was altered?” Shaman turned. “That explains why my Mystical Search
could not locate you. With your DNA altered, it’s as if you’re a new person!
That explains it.”
Wildchild nodded his head. “Yeah, I’m cured of the ‘animal’ side of me.”

A pillar of water crashed down into the base, sending everyone against the
wall, with Marinna riding it.
Shaman coughed and spit out the water that had attempted to settle within his
lungs. “Incredible,” Shaman gasped between coughing fits. “The lake that she’s
pulling this water from is miles away!”
“So what do we do, Michael?” Sasquatch turned towards Shaman. “Do we try to
fight Marinna?”
“It seems we have very little choice,” Vindicator replied. “Whatever Master’s
done, it seems to have made her completely devoid of any emotion, save for
anger, rage and hatred.”
“No!” Puck shouted. “I refuse to believe she’s not in there, somewhere.”
“She’s mine,” Master shouted. “Everything you knew about her is gone, Puck.”
“We will see about that, eh?” Puck shouted, as he cartwheeled out of the way of
Ms. Mass’ clutches.

Northstar hovered in the air, next to Aurora. He looked at his sister and
smiled. “I am sorry we haven’t gotten a chance to find the rest of our family,
as you had hoped.” (2)
“It is all right, Jean-Paul,” Aurora smiled back. “I know how much you hate
being a part of Alpha Flight.”
Northstar nodded. “It is true. However, the sooner we end this, the sooner we
can begin finding family.”
Aurora nodded her head. “Who first then?”
Northstar pointed at Bile. “Him. Since we are outfitted and covered, save for
our heads, it is easiest for us to take him. Our blinding speed will ensure he
isn’t able to touch us.”
“High and low then?” Aurora smiled.
“High and low,” Northstar acknowledged.

Bile slowly made his way towards Shaman, who had been preoccupied with
deflecting Marinna’s assaults.
“No, no,” a voice said, then struck Bile across the face at blinding speed,
while another pair of fists struck him behind the legs. Bile shook his head and
looked around. Once again the fists came, high and low. Bile fell to his knees.
Fists across the face, fists across the chest. Bile was gasping for breath,
when he stood up and tried to limp away. The fists came again, this time
twirling him wildly, until he fell to the ground unconscious.
Northstar and Aurora landed next to Bile and smiled at one another. It had been
a long time since they had worked together, not just as a team, but also as
brother and sister.

Sinew ran blindly, his eyes clawed and bleeding. (3)
Sinew suddenly caught scent of something, someone.
“Wildchild is right, isn’t he?” a voice asked.
Sinew looked through the blood pouring into his eyes and saw Wyre.
“You’re one of the monsters the Secret Empire made using my DNA,” Wyre shook
his head. (4) Tendrils burst from Wyre’s shoulders. “I swore I would kill each
and every one of them. And until I got to Wildchild, I thought I had. But you
were one of the first.”
The tendrils from Wyre pierced deep into Sinew’s flesh. “You’re fortunate,”
Wyre growled as Sinew flopped about like a fish out of water, “That I had run
into Wildchild before I had learned who you were. Because of Wildchild, I am
going to let you live.”

Brain Drain seized control of Windshear’s mind. Windshear turned around and
began blasting away at his fellow Beta Flight members.
Talisman quickly put up a magical barrier. “He’s been taken over!”
“It has to be either Mesmero or Brain Drain,” Box replied. “We have to take
them out.”
Madison and Diamond Lil, despite the situation at hand, sat back, reserved and
watched as Beta Flight took the lead.
This is what they had been training for.
To become functional heroes.
This is what they were doing.
This time, without Madison and Diamond Lil barking commands.
Talisman maintained her barrier, “Pathway, open up a doorway to Mesmero. Box
and Feedback, go through – take out both Mesmero and the girl with him,
Murmure. Manikin, Goblyn, I am going to need you two to take out Brain
Drain.”
A shimmering portal opened, and as quickly as it could happen, Box and Feedback
ran into the portal, to appear behind Mesmero and Murmure.
Another portal opened and this time Goblyn and Manikin entered, to take down
Brain Drain.

Ms. Mass turned around to see Snowbird in her artic owl form. “You think a bird
is going to scare me?”
However, as Snowbird approached, her form slowly changed into that of a white
Sasquatch. Snowbird struck Ms. Mass several times, to no avail.
“Ha! Is that the best you got blondie? Because if it is, I got something
special for you!”
Snowbird shifted forms once again, this time returning to her polar bear form,
which she used to topple Ms. Mass over. Snowbird brought her snarling fangs
close to Ms. Mass’ neck. “Perhaps it would take some time, but I am sure my
fangs could eventually render through your flesh and reach a vital portion
within your neck!”
“I surrender! I surrender!” Ms. Mass cried out.

Box landed next to Murmure. “I hate to do this, because I am not one to
normally strike a lady…”
Murmure touched Box’s armor. “Fight for me,” she whispered.
Box looked down at his arm, where Murmure had touched him. “Nice idea. But no.”
Box brought a clenched fist and slammed it into Murmure’s gut, knocking the
wind out of her. “Do me a favor and don’t get back up.”
Murmure’s only response was a coughing and wheezing sound.
Box turned around to see Feedback creeping towards Mesmero.
Mesmero remained unaware as he concentrated on controlling Windshear. Feedback
charged up an electrical arm and used it to lunch forward and strike Mesmero
from the back.
Windshear hovered in the air for a moment, looking around, now free of Mesmero’
s control.

Highbrow and Goblyn appeared behind Brain Drain who had been looking to make a
quick escape.
“Stop,” Highbrow commanded. “Don’t let it come down to us fighting. Just
surrender. Omega Flight has lost.”
Brain Drain turned. “Insolent fool!”
Highbrow felt the touch of Brain Drain’s touch within his mind, and quickly
shifted into his Proto self, which had no brain to control. Brain Drain
cursed.
At that moment, Goblyn lunged forward and attacked Brain Drain who toppled
over. Goblyn placed her claws on the glass that contained the brain within, and
let it scratch it lightly.
“I surrender,” Brain Drain muttered. “I surrender.”

Earth was not the first. Nor would it undoubtedly be the last.
An alien ship came to Earth, over ten thousand years ago. The ship had been
designed to draw in elements from the soil, water, the air – everywhere and
everything. Within a hundred years or so, the ship was no longer just a ship –
it was a living vessel of colonized machinery, living and feeding off the
planet’s fiber.
The alien race, the Plodex created these ships to create eggs that could live
and be created to dominate any world it had landed upon.
Ten thousand years ago, the ship that had been bound to Earth did not land,
however. It had crashed.
The damaged ship fired off its precious cargo – the eggs, before they were
ready. Before the genetic programming of the eggs to become dominate species
actually ever occurred.
One such egg had been found eighteen years ago off the grand banks of
Newfoundland. The ‘Mary D’ was a small fishing trawler and had no business
being out on that dark and stormy night.
Tom Smallwood was swept overboard. Entangled within the nets of the ship, and
the violent churning of the sea made it impossible for him to free himself. He
might have been able to easy break from the malicious tides, for he had always
been an incredibly strong swimmer.
Fate had something else in store for him.
He seemingly plunged to the bottom of the ocean, where he found an egg – one
that had been glowing softly. Once in his hands, and free of the mire of the
depths, it quickly brought him to the surface, as if it were a buoy. He was
saved that night, how he survived the depths a complete miracle beyond
explanation.
The wife of Tom Smallwood opened the egg, and revealed a small humanoid within.
She was named Marinna and grew strong, and appeared, almost human. She was
vastly accepted by all of those that had come to know her.
What none had known was, as soon as Gladys had opened the egg, it had made
contact with human cells and adapted itself, mimicking the form and functions
of a human female. However, from the thousands of years left drifting on the
bottom of the ocean floor, the egg had become water permeable, which is what
made Marinna amphibious.
Master believed, though he could not confirm, that her egg had been the only
one to survive the impact on Earth. (5)
However, the Master would uncover another egg. One that had gone unnoticed. It
thrived at the bottom of the ocean, until it hungered. Earning the title of a “
sea monster” it struck, taking a newborn baby from its mother. (6)
Master used it to lure Marinna once more. In an event that led to a battle
between the Master against Puck, Namor and Invisible Woman – all of them
against Marinna and this mate of hers! (7)
Marinna had been saved that night. She spoke with Puck briefly before
departing.
Her path would once again lead to Namor, where the two of them had fallen in
love.
But Namor’s life is a tragic one, in which, once again, death would strike his
most beloved ones.
Marinna had chanced, yet again, this time into a giant sea serpent, deemed The
Leviathan. However, Doctor Hank Pym created a device, which acted as a
hypodermic needle that would inject a chemical that would revert Marinna back
to her normal form, which would suppress her monstrous form.
It had worked, but only for a short while.
She reverted back to her Leviathan form after striking out brutally at Namor.
In the end, it had been Namor who made the final strike against Marinna, using
the blade of the Black Knight. He then took her to build a bier fit for a
queen, where she would rest for all eternity.
Namor had chosen Wake Island in the North Pacific Ocean. It had no indigenous
inhabitants, more importantly no humans to speak of. It seemed fitting to place
her here. The Wake of Marinna, Namor had deemed the ocean that surrounded her
burial.
But the same jelly substance that had been found in the egg with Marinna ( had
been the same material that had slowly covered her, encasing her once again
within an egg, where she healed over time, still barely alive.
Until the Master found her, at long last, sleeping the “false death” as Llan
had said.

Marinna landed in front of Puck, her lips snarling.
Puck raised his hands. “Come on, Marinna. Not this again. We’ve done this song
and dance before, eh? I know it’s within you to fight The Master. You have done
it countless times before, you can do it again.”
“Wrong!” Master laughed. “I have turned her into what she was supposed to be
all along! A walking, killing machine, meant for killing everything, and
colonizing this world for the Plodex.”
Shaman quickly threw up a magical barrier against Marinna’s violent attack.
Shaman turned towards Vindicator. “I can’t hope to keep this up for long. What
do we do?”
Master boomed with laughter once more. “I knew you would do this! That you
would seek to save Marinna by applying to her good side! And despite me telling
you that the DNA that made her compassionate has been removed, you would still
try! Now I can watch as you die trying to save someone who can’t be saved!”
“Is there any way to shut him up?” Sasquatch asked, turning towards Snowbird.
“Yes!” Snowbird took to the air. “Master, you manipulation of Marinna, of Alpha
Flight – of everything defiles nature’s course! It is time for you to come to
an end once and for all!”
Puck turned, “Leave Marinna to me. The rest of you take care of The Master.”

Vindicator followed Snowbird into the air. Pulses of energy flew from
Vindicator’s hand to strike Master, who deflected them with the palm of his
hand. “Remember,” Master replied, “I saved you once.” (9)
Sasquatch landed next to Master. “Whose life haven’t you tampered with?” His
orange fist slammed into Master, throwing him off balance. In that moment, in a
blinding blur, Northstar and Aurora flew around Master, striking him repeatedly
with their fists.
Wyre and Wildchild, side by side, charged Master. Wyre’s tendrils ripped off
Master’s helmet, while Wildchild used his claws to rake at Master’s flesh.
Master screamed, “Ignorant fools! Don’t you see what you’ve done?” He slapped
Wildchild away. “Like the helmet that I used to control the ship (10), this one
is designed to control Marinna! Now she’s beyond even my control!”
Solid air slammed against the back of Master’s head, toppling him forward.
Windshear hovered, “I don’t take kindly to being manipulated by you and your
clowns of Omega Flight!”
“Everyone! Pour it on while he’s off balance!”
It was a flurry of Northstar and Aurora’s fists, combined with the massive
fists of Sasquatch, mixed in with the blasts from Vindicator, Shaman, Talisman,
Feedback and Windshear.
“No!” Master screamed. “I won’t be defeated! Not now! Not once again! Not when
I was so close!”
He threw out his arms and created a blast that knocked everyone back. When the
blinding flash ended, Master was gone.

Puck dodged Marinna once more. “Fight him,” Puck shouted. “Fight the urge
within you! Remember who you really are. Remember the people that love you!”
Marinna only snarled, her talons raking deep into Puck’s flesh. Puck held his
bleeding shoulder. “We’ve been through a lot together, Marinna. Since we first
joined Alpha Flight, you and I bonded together. We were both misfits when
everyone else seemed to look normal – I was a dwarf, and you were a green
humanoid. This is why you always strike at me first isn’t it? Because deep
inside of you, you know that it’s me who can save you from becoming the beast
that screams within you.”
Marinna howled in fury.
“You can chose to be who you want,” Puck said, firmly. “No matter what Master
has done to you, your mind is still your own. You can choose to be the animal
that is within you. You can choose to be a killer like Victor Creed. Or you can
choose to be like Logan and Kyle – fight to control the beast inside of you. To
be human. From time to time, you may feel weak, you may fail – but you know
that we will always be right there for you. Whenever or why ever you might need
us, eh?”
Marinna paused.
She suddenly fell to her knees, her hands over her face.
Puck heard her weeping madly.
When she looked up, she was Marinna once more. “Puck,” she reached out. “
Please… help me.”
Puck quickly rushed to her side. “I’m right here, Marinna. I’m right here. And
you know, between Michael and Walter, we will do everything we can to help
you.”

EPILOGUE

Mac stood next to Heather as she walked in crutches. Heather smiled back at
Mac, “I just feel so foolish… being a bride’s maid and being in crutches.”
Mac shook his head, “You still look beautiful. Doctor’s orders.”
Heather smiled. “And I suppose I should question Michael’s orders, after all.”
“How is Kara?” Heather asked.
Mac nodded. “She’s doing all right. Whatever it was that Bile infected her
with, Michael was able to counter with a little big of magic and a little bit
of medicine. She should be fine. She’s supposed to be here tonight for
everything. Whitman hasn’t left her bedside, until she was ready to stand.”
“So good to see young love,” Heather nodded, as her fingers traced Mac’s lips.
“Yes, it is,” Mac kissed Heather softly. “But this isn’t our wedding.”
“We could get remarried,” Heather chuckled softly.
“I would marry you a thousand times and never regret it,” Mac replied.
Sasquatch ducked his head under the door. “I feel ridiculous.”
Mac stifled a laugh, seeing Sasquatch, in full orange form, with a tux on. “
Walter, you look astounding.”
“I appreciate the sarcasm,” Walter chuckled.

The wedding music suddenly came on, its soft, loving notes carrying themselves
slowly into the air.
Slowly Michael Twoyoungmen walked down the aisle, nodding at those seated on
either side of him.
Kara turned to Whitman and whispered, “I didn’t realize he was an ordained
minister?”
“Who else but someone named ‘Shaman’ is going to be priestly like?” Whitman
smiled, just as surprised, but pleasantly so.
Kara slid her arm through Whitman’s as she placed her head gently on his
shoulder. “This is so beautiful.”
Next down the aisle was Sasquatch. His width took nearly the entire aisle.
However, unlike Mac who had stifled a laugh, others who watched as he walked,
simply stared in awe and silence.
… for all those times you stood by me…
Sasquatch took his place beside Michael, and gave a nod of approval, and smiled
broadly.
… for all the truth that you made me see…
Next down the aisle were Jean-Paul, Mac Hudson, Puck and Kyle.
… for all the joy you brought to my life…
One by one, they stood next to Sasquatch. Jean-Paul who looked stunning in his
tuxedo, stole the breath away of both men and women present, who simply awed
over his natural beauty.
… for all the wrong that you made right..
Mac who had seem so rigorous and uptight, now seemed to be smiling, proudly,
looking around him as if his own children were graduating.
… for every dream you made come true…
Kyle, who had his long, flowing blond hair, pulled tightly into a ponytail
looked stunning, as he looked out, to the audience before him.
… for all the love I found in you…
Next entered Elizabeth Twoyoungmen, Marinna Smallwood, and Jeanne-Marie.
… you were my strength when I was weak…
Talisman’s raven-black hair was beautifully set, falling just lightly over her
shoulders, each soft and sure step, causing the curls to bounce.
… you were my voice when I couldn’t speak…
Marinna’s bashful look seemed so uncertain, yet it was clearly seen that she
was honored, despite all that had happened, to be a part of this event – a
joining of two hearts, which made her think of her own past love, the man named
Namor.
… you were my eyes when I couldn’t see…
Jeanne-Marie’s beautiful and shapely figure was only further accented in the
beautiful dress she wore. Her hair fell on her shoulders, her eyes, so full of
life, seemed to glitter.
Now, Madison walked in.
Everyone stood up to watch him as he walked down the aisle.
… you gave me wings, and made me fly…
Madison’s hair was neatly done, his tuxedo so perfect, as if he was able to
manipulate fabric as easily as he could metal.
… I’m grateful for each day you gave me…
Next was the bridesmaid - Snowbird, Narya – also known to many as Anne
McKenzie. Her yellowish blond hair, pale complexion, and her eyes truly made
her shine as a goddess this night.
… I was blessed because I was loved by you…
All attention turned to the back, where Eugene Milton Judd walked Lillian
Crawly down the aisle.
If there were words to describe Lil’s beauty, it would surly fail to capture
the moment accurately. Her white dress seemed perfect. Each ruffle seemed to
capture the light from the moon. Her eyes seemed to glisten with joy, as if the
stars themselves had been placed there.
… you were always there for me…
Eugene handed Lil off, then took his place next to Kyle.
… the tender wind that carried me…
Madison took Lil’s hand into his own.
… I’m everything I am… because you loved me…
The song (11) ended, and after a moment Michael Twoyoungmen spoke up. “Now you
will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will
feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there will be no
loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two
persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you both in
the journey ahead and through all the years, May happiness be your companion
and your days together be good and long upon the earth.
"Treat yourselves and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of
what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness,
gentleness and kindness that your connection deserves. When frustration,
difficult and fear assail your relationship - as they threaten all
relationships at one time or another - remember to focus on what is right
between you, not only the part which seems wrong. In this way, you can ride out
the storms when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives - remembering
that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if
each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will
be marked by abundance and delight.”
“Traditionally, the marking of the passage to tile status of husband and wife
is marked by the exchange of rings. These rings are a symbol of the unbroken
circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no
receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always
remind you of the vows you have taken.”
Slowly, Madison and Lillian exchanged placing the rings on one another’s
fingers.
“I, Madison Jeffries, take you Lillian Crawley, to be my wife, my partner in
life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today,
tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you I will laugh with you and
cry with you. I will love you faithfully Through the best and the worst,
Through the difficult and the easy. What may come I will always be there. As I
have given you my hand to hold So I give you my life to keep So help me God.”
Lillian could hardly refrain from crying. “I, Lillian Crawly, take you Madison
Jeffries, to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will
cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever I will trust
you and honor you I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you
faithfully Through the best and the worst, Through the difficult and the easy.
What may come I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold So I
give you my life to keep So help me God.”
In unison, with Michael placing his hand over theirs, Madison and Lillian spoke
the vow, “Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you,
For where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay Your people will be
my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will die and there
I will be buried. May the Lord do with me and more if anything but death parts
you from me.”
Everyone was silent.
Then everyone wept tears of joy.

1. Llan indeed made mention of this in Marvel’s Alpha Flight #78, saying that
Marinna slept a “false death” deep in the ocean.
2. Aurora had made mention of wanting to find other family members in Alternate
Marvel’s Alpha Flight #1
3. Sinew had his eyes shredded by Goblyn’s talons in Alternate Marvel’s Alpha
Flight #5.
4. See Marvel’s Alpha Flight #117 for more.
5. This is Marinna’s origin – for more check out Marvel’s Alpha Flight (volume
one) #2 and #4 for more details.
6. Unfortunately true, in Marvel’s Alpha Flight (volume one) #14.
7. See Marvel’s Alpha Flight (volume one) #15 and #16 for more!
8. Once again, see Marvel’s Alpha Flight (volume one) #2 and #4 for more
details.
9. In Marvel’s Alpha Flight (volume one) #129 & #130
10. See Alpha Flight (volume one) #15 and #16 for more.
11. The song is “Because You Loved Me” by Céline Dion.