THE KILLING MOON
written by Quamp

(Front cover. We see Generation X caught between a few Skrulls and the Skrull Kill Krew. They are in a meadow.)

Cap (N1): Skrulls to the left.. .
Cap (N2): The Skrull Kill Krew to the right...
Cap (N3): And Generation X is caught in the middle!

(Inside front cover. We see the usual blurbs for Banshee, the White Queen, Jubilee, Skin, Synch, Penance, and Zero G. Below that, we see this blurb:)

Skrull Kill Krew: Having eaten skrulls who were in the form of cows at the time, this band of heroes is now out on one mission: Find every Skrull in the world and kill them! They are: Ryder, Riot, Moonstomp, Dice, and Catwalk. Their main motivation is revenge: There is a Skrull virus in their systems, which gives them their powers, but it’s killing them slowly!

(Page 1, panel 1. A pastoral scene of a winding road through farmlands.)

Cap (N1): Rural Vermont.
Cap (N2): This looks like a typical northeastern rural area.
Cap (N3): But it’s not.
Cap (N4): Then again, it would be useless to the story if it was...

(Panel 2. Go over to see a farmer pulling weeds from a field. He is about 5’7", blonde hair, blue eyes, and wears a flannel shirt beneath a pair of overalls.)

Cap (N1): The name he uses is John Harris.
Cap (N2): It’s not his real name.
Cap (N3): Because John and his neighbors have a little secret.
Cap (N4): They are not what they appear to be.

(Panel 3. We see a large meeting hall down the road.)

Cap (N1): This is their place of meeting.
Cap (N2): And tonight, they have a party scheduled.
Cap (N3): Not just any party.
Cap (N4): A celebration of their anniversary here.

(Panel 4. Go back to Farmer John. We see him having trouble pulling out a weed.)

John: NGH!

(Panel 5. John shapeshifts into a larger version of himself, and pulls out the weed.)

SFX: RIP!!
John: UHN!

(Page 2, panel 1. John returns to normal size.)

Cap (J1): Good thing nobody saw that.
Cap (J2): I truly like this planet.
Cap (J3): It would be a shame to leave it.

(Panel 2. Enter a pleasant looking brunette woman. She wears a nice blouse and a skirt.)

Ann (woman): John, you done out here yet?
John: Just about, darling.

(Panel 3. Ann comes face-to-face with John.)

Ann: Well, don’t forget about the anniversary party tonight. John: I’m glad we could hold it. It’s been many generations since we got to settle on one planet for more than a few months. Yes, tonight, there will be food and drink for all -

(Panel 4. We see the Skrull Kill Krew riding in on their Harley Davidson Motorcycles.)

Cap (J): "And everyone will have a very good time."
Cap (N1): Meet the monkey wrench in the works.
Cap (N2): Call them the Skrull Kill Krew.
Cap (N3): They once butchered a town of over 3,000 skrulls.*
Cap (N4): But that wasn’t enough for them.
Cap (N5): *Skrull Kill Krew #5.

(Page 3, panel 1. Generation X headquarters. We see the members of Generation X in the living room, watching the evening news. The men are dressed in shirts and pants, and the ladies are dressed in blouses and pants or skirts.)

Cap (N1): About 20 minutes later.
Cap (N2): Generation X will get involved with this.

Anchor: And our final story tonight, imagine that you would have to worship in a certain way, and you don’t want to. Well, for our next guests, they had to leave their homeland because they would not adopt the official religion of their area. They settled in rural Vermont and now they’re celebrating one year of being free. Catherine Van Lager has the story.

(Panel 2. We see on the television a pleasant blonde woman talking to John. She wears a woman’s business outfit, and he wears the outfit he had on earlier.)

Catherine (woman): They came from central Asia, and the country they came from is devoutly Muslim. These people, however, have no interest in praying to Allah. In fact, they shun the Islamic faith because of its mandated "Jihad" or holy war. This man, John Harris, is mayor of this small town in Southern Vermont where they settled. Mr. Harris, what was it like for you to leave your country?

John: I wished I didn’t have to leave. In fact, we are a small sect dedicated to peace and tranquility for all. Others have hounded me from my country until we moved here. Well, we’ve spent a year in peace, and we’ve managed to pull in a very bountiful harvest. To celebrate this, we are having a private party tonight for our members.
Gaia (from off panel): Wait a minute!

(Panel 3. Go back to see the members of Generation X there.)

Gaia: That’s no human - that’s a Skrull!!
Jubilee: Like, are you sure?

(Panel 4. Gaia faces Jubilee.)

Gaia: Of course I’m sure. They’re the ones who killed all the other members of my race!

(Panel 5. Focus on Gaia’s face.)

Gaia: I’m going over there - with or without you.

(Panel 6. Gaia rushes out.)

Synch: Gaia, wait!
Jubilee: Ohmigawd! What are we gonna do?

(Page 4, panel 1. Focus on Synch’s face.)

Synch: We’ve got to get our teachers in on this.

(Panel 2. Meeting hall. We see about 30 or so people gathered to celebrate the anniversary. John and Anne are among them. The people are wearing semi-formal outfits, shirts, pants, and skirts on the ladies. The place is set up for a party; there are decorations, several tables filled with food and drinks, a band playing on one side, and several of the people dancing.)

Cap (N1): All they wanted was a nice, quiet evening to have some fun.
Cap (N2): Fate has a way of ruining things for them.
Cap (N3): (Then again, it would be mighty boring if everyone lived in peace.)

(Panel 3. The music stops and the people applaud.)

Singer: Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen.

(Panel 4. Focus on the singer’s face.)

Singer: It’s been a long, hard road to this place of love. I’m glad we found it for us all.

(Panel 5. Go over to see two young people, one male and one female. He is a handsome lad, tall, dark and handsome type. She is a beautiful blonde type. He wears a nice shirt and slacks, she wears a nice blouse and miniskirt.)

Cap (N1): And as they gather,
Cap (N2): Love blooms.
Man: Karen, I was wondering...

(Panel 6. Karen smiles.)

Karen: You want to know if I liked you. Well Mike, I do...

(Panel 7. Mike gets close to Karen.)

Mike: Then we should find us a nice, quiet spot.
Karen: Yea...

(Page 5, splash page. Leave room for credits here. Suddenly the wall breaks from behind Karen and Mike, sending a shower of rubble forward. Mike and Karen run to avoid the debris.)

SFX: WHAM!!!
Moonstop (from off panel): Avon calling!

(Page 6, panel 1. We see the Skrull Kill Krew standing on a pile of rubble.)

Ryder: We’ve come to clean house.

(Panel 2. John approaches Ryder.)

John: Please, we don’t mean you or your race any harm... we are not like our brothers and sisters of the mainstream.

(Panel 3. Ryder forms his arm into a scythe, and cuts off John’s head.)

Ryder: Save it for St. Peter.
Ann: John!!
SFX: SLASH!!

(Panel 4. Ann cradles the decapitated John in her arms.)

Ann: You butcher!! We are the Paxico Skrulls! We don’t fight unless we have to! We don’t want to take over your world, we just want to be left in peace!!
Ryder: We know better.

(Page 6, panel 1. The Paxico Skrulls scatter, heading in every direction.)

Ann: Get out the guns! These people mean business!
Ryder: You can run, but you cannot hide.

(Panel 2. The Skrull Kill Krew goes after the Skrulls, splitting up.)

Ryder: Don’t leave any of them standing.

(Panel 3. A lonely farm road. We see Banshee, The White Queen, Jubilee, Synch, Chamber, Penance, and Zero G in their Sport Utility Vehicle, racing after Gaia. Gaia is nowhere to be seen. All of them are in their uniforms.)

Banshee: Bloody hotheaded -
Queen (interrupts): Sean, how would you feel about someone who killed everyone in the world except you? The thing we need to do is calm her when we see her. How, I have yet to figure out...

(Panel 4. They see a man wandering near the road, wearing a shirt and slacks. He comes toward them.)

Man: Help... me... please...

(Panel 5. Banshee stops the SUV as the man falls over, dead. There is a claw hammer with the claw end stuck in his back.)

Jubilee: Ohmigawd! Gaia’s already killing them!

(Panel 6. They get out of the vehicle.)

Man (weakly): Never... wanted.. . to... hurt... just... be... left... alone...

(Page 7, panel 1. The man dies.)

Jubilee: Ohmigawd! Gaia killed him!
Moonstomp (from off panel): Scarpers! I know you’re around here somewhere!

(Panel 2. Enter Moonstomp.)

Moonstomp (1): I want my bloody hammer back, you -!
Moonstomp (2): Oh, there he is. Excuse me, governor. Just came to fetch me hammer.
Banshee: Who are ye, lad?

(Panel 3. Moonstomp gets his hammer as the man turns into a Skrull.)

Moonstomp: The name’s Moonstomp, and I advise you to leave this place... we’re painting the town green... with blood.
Queen: We’re looking for a friend of ours. She looks like she’s in her teens, has purple hair, and has various psi powers.

(Panel 4. Moonstomp turns to go.)

Moonstomp: I haven’t seen her, duchess. But if she’s one of them, we’re not going to let her get away.

(Panel 5. Moonstomp runs off.)

Moonstomp (as he exits.): You can run, but you can’t hide!!
Jubilee: Ohmigawd! These dudes are like totally out to butcher the Skrulls!
Synch: Should we stop them?

(Page 8, panel 1. Banshee and the White Queen face the team.)

Banshee: Our first priority is to find Gaia and stop her before she kills someone.
Queen: It’s more complicated than that, Sean... I read this Skrull’s mind before he died.

(Panel 2. Focus on the White Queen’s face.)

Queen: It seems he’s from an offshoot of the Skrull race called the Paxico Skrulls. They’re not the bloodthirsty conquerors we know of. These Skrulls are dedicated to peace and pleasurable pursuits that don’t involve violence.

(Panel 3. Go back to a general perspective of the team.)

Jubilee: Like, a bunch of pacifist Skrulls? That like sounds majorly contradictory.
Queen: I found it hard to believe at first... but the inner thoughts don’t lie. He was taking his girlfriend to the dance and planning to spend the night dancing and romancing with her.

(Panel 4. Banshee takes charge.)

Banshee: We’re going t’have to split into two groups. Emma, pick some o’ the lads and lassies to hunt Gaia down. The rest of us are going t’try to stop these others.
Queen: Right. Everett and Penny, come with me. Everyone else, follow Mr. Cassidy here.

(Panel 5. Go back to see Catwalk having shapeshifted into a large cat-like woman. This creature sinks its claws into a female Skrull’s back.)

Cap (N): Meanwhile, the carnage continues. Skrull woman: AAAIIIIEEEEE!!!!!

(Panel 6. Suddenly Catwalk is hit in the face with Jubilee’s energy plasmoids.)

SFX: Pip! Ping! Catwalk: What the--!?

(Page 9, panel 1. Catwalk turns to face Jubilee, Skin, Banshee, and Zero G there.)

Catwalk: You fools! These are dangerous aliens!! They have to be killed!!
Banshee: Nae! We’ve been in their minds... they want t’be left alone.

(Panel 2. Catwalk slashes Banshee’s arm, drawing blood.)

Catwalk: Then join them in death!!
SFX: SLASH!!

(Panel 3. Skin wraps himself around Catwalk.)

Skin: Listen gringa, they don’t mean you harm, and we don’t mean you harm. Leave them alone!

(Panel 4. Catwalk throws off Skin, sending him flying.)

Catwalk: NEVER!!!

(Panel 5. Zero G concentrates, then Catwalk has trouble standing.)

Catwalk: What’s... going... on?
Zero G: You will be pinned to the ground until you stop fighting.

(Page 10, panel 1. Go back to The White Queen, Synch, and Penance. We see them find another dead Skrull. Unlike the previous one, this female is holding her head, and has no wounds on her.)

Cap (N): And elsewhere...
Synch: This has to be Gaia’s handiwork.

(Panel 2. They cross a rise to see Gaia and Riot fighting the Skrulls, back-to-back.)

Synch: There they are!
Queen: Let’s try to reason with them first.

(Panel 3. Synch gets in Synch with Penance. His hands start looking more like Penance’s hands.)

Synch: Gaia! Stop!

(Panel 4. The White Queen, Synch and Penance enter, trying to stop Gaia and Riot.)

Gaia: Everett! Stay out of this! This is personal!
Queen: All the more reason we should interfere.

(Panel 5. The White Queen approaches Gaia.)

Queen: Read their minds, Gaia... they aren’t the alien demons that you think they are.

(Panel 6. We see Penance hold Riot at bay while Gaia concentrates.)

Gaia: You’re... you’re right. They aren’t the militaristic Skrulls I thought they were... I’m so sorry....

(Page 11, panel 1. Gaia waves her hands, and we see several dead Skrulls come back to life.)

Riot: What are you talking about, they aren’t some invasion force??
Queen: This is a sub-branch of the Skrulls called the Paxico Skrulls. They aren’t here to take us over... like us, they are feared, hunted, and despised by their race.
Skrull: We’ve dedicated our lives to being the peaceful, pleasure seeking race that we once were... We have gone from planet to planet trying to hide from the majority... Is it so wrong to want peace?

(Panel 2. Riot is taken aback.)

Riot: Man... I never knew... it must be terrible for you.
Queen: Well, we’ve still got to stop your friends.

(Panel 3. Go over to see Ryder and Dice fighting several armed Skrulls. One of the Skrulls hits Dice with a laser.)

SFX: CRACKLE!!
Dice: UHN!!

(Panel 4. Dice goes down, hurting.)

Ryder: You’ll pay for that.

(Page 12, panel 1. Enter the White Queen, Penance, Synch, Gaia, and Riot.)

Riot: Ryder! Stop!!
Synch: Michael???

(Panel 2. Ryder stops fighting.)

Ryder: This had better be good, Riot.
Riot: These Skrulls aren’t the type we thought they were... they are dedicated to peace and harmony. We shouldn’t be going around, killing them.

(Panel 3. There is a cold look about Ryder.)

Ryder: The world won’t be safe until all of them are dead.
Synch: Michael... what happened to you? You used to be so fun loving, the kindest guy I’ve ever known.... my Big Brother pal.

(Panel 4. Ryder faces Synch.)

Ryder: Things change, Everett... people change.
Queen: You know him?

(Panel 5. Synch faces the White Queen as the Skrulls exit.)

Synch: When I was younger, I was in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. Michael Ryder was my Big Brother.
Ryder: Everett... you wouldn’t understand.

(Page 13, panel 1. Synch turns to Ryder.)

Ryder: We’re all dying because of the Skrulls. There’s a virus in our systems that’s making us sick... and giving us the power to kill the Skrulls before we can go.

(Panel 2. Dice wakes up, nursing his head.)

Dice: Ooh... that was nasty.
Riot: Dice! We have to stop this fighting!

(Panel 3. Dice looks at Riot.)

Dice: Are you out of your mind!?
Riot: These guys aren’t the kind who take over worlds... they want peace and harmony.

(Panel 4. Dice stands up.)

Ryder: I’m sorry, Ev.

(Panel 5. Ryder strikes Synch, sending him into Gaia.)

SFX: WHAM!!
Synch: UHN!!

(Page 14, panel 1. We see a Skrull battle cruiser enter overhead.)

Queen: Guys... I think we’ve got bigger problems on our hands now...

(Panel 2. Several shock troops of Skrulls teleport in.)

Trooper: Surrender or die!!
Cap (Q): Now what do we do?

(Panel 3. The Skrull troopers point their weapons at the members of the Skrull Kill Krew. And the Paxico Skrulls.)

Trooper: We should thank you for leading us to this band of renegades... but seeing how you have massacred thousands of Skrulls in our plot, we have no alternative but to kill you all.
Gaia: You! You’re the ones who butchered my people!

(Panel 4. Ryder advances on the trooper.)

Ryder: You’ll never be able to beat me.

(Panel 5. Ryder forms a blade with his hand, and sinks it into the trooper’s chest. Everything else turns into a free-for-all.)

Cap (Q1): Damn.
Cap (Q2): It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Cap (Q3): How in the hell do we get out of it now?

(Page 15, panel 1. One of the Paxico Skrulls is face-to-face with Ryder.)

Skrull: If either one of us is to survive... we’ve got to team up.

(Panel 2. Go back to Banshee, Catwalk, et al. We see them with their backs against a wall, along with some Paxico Skrulls. Standing opposite them are several well-armed Skrull troopers.)

Cap (N): Meanwhile...

(Panel 3. The Skrulls advance on the others.)

Skrull: Any last words?
Banshee: Just one.

(Panel 4. Banshee screams as the others attack the bad Skrulls.)

Banshee: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Panel 5. We see some of the bad Skrulls fight back, and fire their weapons.)

Skrull: You all will die!!!

(Page 16, panel 1. The Skrull falls over, dead. Behind him we see Moonstomp wielding his hammer.)

Moonstomp: Blighter go bye-bye.

(Panel 2. We see the others using their powers to fend off the Skrulls.)

Moonstop: Looks like reinforcements arrived.
Catwalk: No time to explain, Moonstomp, but some of them are on our side!

(Panel 3. Moonstomp smiles.)

Moonstomp: Loverly.

(Panel 4. Go back to Gaia, Penance, Synch, and the White Queen. We see them with their backs to each other, and with some of the skrulls.)

Gaia: I have an idea.
Queen: Don’t keep us in suspense.

(Page 17, panel 1. Synch gets in Synch with Gaia.)

Synch: Let’s do it.

(Panel 2. Synch, Gaia and the White Queen unleash a psychic blast that fells all around them.)

Cap (N1): Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Cap (N2): There really wasn’t any other way they could have defeated so many Skrulls so fast.

(Panel 3. Synch faces Gaia.)

Synch: Now what? Queen: We teleport them out of here.

(Panel 4. We see Synch, Gaia, and the White Queen activating the teleporters of the bad Skrulls, who vanish.)

Cap (N1): It took them quite awhile to get rid of the Skrulls.
Cap (N2): But less time than it took for them to wake up.

(Panel 5. We see the Skrull Kill Krew, the Paxico Skrulls, and the members of Generation X by the meeting house.)

Cap (N): Several hours later...
Ann: Thank you for saving us.
Banshee: We try t’help anyone who needs it... be they human, mutant or alien.

(Panel 6. Ann turns to the others..)

Ann: Well, we’ve all got to leave here. Our brothers will be back for us soon.

(Page 18, panel 1. We see the Skrull Kill Krew mounting their motorcycles.)

Ryder: Good bye, Ev.

(Panel 2. They drive off.)

Banshee: Let’s go home, lads.

(Panel 3. Go back to the Paxico Skrulls. We see them packing up and starting to enter a spaceship.)

Ann: What a waste.

(Panel 4. Suddenly the Skrull Kill Krew enters.)

Dice: But what are we coming back for, Ryder?
Ryder: Unfinished business.

(Page 19, panel 1. Ryder jumps off his motorcycle, and forming a blade with one hand, sinks it into one of the Paxico Skrull’s chests.)

SFX: SKLURCH!!
Skrull: URK!
Dice: RYDER!!!

(Panel 2. Riot and Dice restrain Ryder.)

Riot: Ryder! These Skrulls are on our side!!

(Panel 3. Ryder slams the heads of Dice and Riot together.)

Ryder: Don’t keep me from my mission.
SFX: POW!!

(Panel 4. Moonstop bashes Ryder in the head with his hammer.)

Moonstomp: Alright mate, you’ve gone too far now!!

(Panel 5. One of the Paxico Skrulls cuts Ryder’s head off.)

SFX: SLASH!!
Moonstomp: Blimey!!

(Page 20, panel 1. We see Ryder dead at everyone’s feet.)

Skrull: I wish I didn’t have to kill him.
Riot: Don’t worry. He was slowly going insane... just like we all will.

(Panel 2. The other Skrull Kill Krew members mount their motorcycles.)

Catwalk: We’re sorry for all the members we’ve killed.

(Panel 3. They drive off.)

Skrull: Perhaps elsewhere on this planet would be good...

(Panel 4. The Skrulls get into their spaceship, and go off.)

(Page 21, panel 1. Go back to Generation X. We see in the back seat Gaia talking to Synch. They are alone there, as the SUV has arrived back at the academy.)

Cap (N1): A little later.
Cap (N2): The team leaves Synch and Gaia alone for awhile.

(Panel 2. Gaia faces Synch.)

Gaia: I don’t need telepathic abilities to see how much you’re in love with me.
Synch: Well, do you love me?

(Panel 3. Gaia turns away.)

Gaia: I don’t know about this, Ev... I mean, you are cute and all that, but by the time I’m an adult, you’ll be long since dead.

(Panel 4. Synch takes Gaia’s hands.)

Synch: But it’s better to have loved and lost... than to wonder your whole life what could have been.

(Panel 5. Gaia embraces Synch.)

Gaia: All right, I love you, Ev.

(Panel 6. They kiss.)

--End--


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