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ELEKTRA/ GENERATION X: Handoff Part 1 written by Quamp
Elektra/ Generation X:
“Handoff” Part I
(Front cover. The members of Generation X fight some ninjas as Elektra swings in on a rope. All are in their uniforms.)
Cap (N): Generation X... against a Hand!
(Page 1, panel 1. Snow Valley, Mass. We see Chief Authier exiting a squad car. He is in his police uniform and in front of a common, ordinary looking house.)
Cap (N1): Snow Valley, Mass.
Cap (N2): Police Chief Marcus Authier received a call about some people who were said to possess illegal firearms and other weaponry without proper documentation.
Cap (N3): Little does he know what he’s about to unleash.
(Panel 2. Authier approaches the building, and talks into a walkie-talkie.)
Authier: Gracie, this is Marcus. So far, no troubles.
(Panel 3. Authier knocks on the door.)
SFX: Knock knock!
(Panel 4. Pause. Panel 5. Authier knocks louder.)
SFX: KNOCK KNOCK!
(Panel 6. Authier shoots the lock off with his gun.)
Cap (Authier): I sense someone hurting in there....
SFX: BLAM!
(Page 2, panel 1. Authier rams the door with his shoulder, and the door opens.)
SFX: WHAM!
(Panel 2. Splash panel. Leave room for credits here. Authier enters the place to see a scene of death and destruction. He talks into his walkie-talkie again.)
Authier: (1) Good Lord...
Authier: (2) Gracie, it’s Marcus. We’ve got about 20 or so dead people piled up here, all dressed in ninja outfits. We’re going to need quite a number of body bags for this, and send the ambulance out here.
(Page 3, panel 1. A ninja staggers in, clad in a blood-soaked black outfit. There is a sai stuck in his chest.)
Ninja: (weakly) Beware the witch...
Authier: Who...?
(Panel 2. The ninja falls, dead.)
Cap (Authier 1): Looks like I’m too late to save them...
Cap (Authier 2): But I wonder if they really should have been saved.
(Panel 3. Authier enters another room to see more ninjas down and dead. There is also a woman’s foot seen exiting the place. That foot is clad in red.)
Authier: Stop in the name of the law!
(Panel 4. Authier draws his gun and rushes after the woman. However, the woman has vanished.)
Cap (Authier): How could she just vanish like that? Unless...
(Panel 5. Authier looks around the place.)
Cap (Authier): Something tells me they aren’t doing nice things here...
(Panel 6. Authier opens a door to see a walk-in closet stacked floor-to-ceiling with bundles of marijuana.)
Authier: [into his walkie-talkie] Gracie this is Marcus again. I’ve found a stash of what smells like marijuana. I count at least 250 kilos.
Gracie: [from the walkie-talkie] Acknowledged. The ambulance is on its way, Marcus.
(Page 4, panel 1. Authier closes the door.)
Cap (Authier 1): Well, at least we have a clue why they’re dead.
Cap (Authier 2): But is this a drug deal gone bad...
Cap (Authier 3): Or the work of some vigilantes?
(Panel 2. The Xavier school for gifted youngsters. The members of Generation X are in a practice session in the danger room. The team is in its uniforms. In the control booth, The White Queen (in a white dress) and Banshee (in a green shirt and beige slacks) are overseeing this.)
Cap (N1): Meanwhile, over at the academy...
Cap (N2): The members of Generation X start their workout for the day.
Banshee: All right, lads, today we’re concentrating on Tracy. We need t’see if she’s going t’make it through the trials we have outside this place.
Zero G: I’ll do my best, Mr. Cassidy.
Queen: First test... everyone should stay dry.
(Panel 3. The room changes to lake scene, with the floor all water. Concentrating, Tracy manages to keep everyone from falling into the water, however they do sink a foot or so.)
Jubilee: Whoa!
Chamber: She’s doing it...
Zero G: Too... much... weight...
(Panel 4. M flies up into the air.)
M: Let go of me, Tracy. I’ll fly on my own.
Synch: Wait! Let me Synch with you, Monet...
(Panel 5. Synch flies up.)
Zero G: Thanks, guys...
Skin: We are a team, amiga.
Queen: Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the rest of you...
(Page 5, panel 1. A giant squid attacks the team. This causes Tracy to drop everyone who wasn’t already flying into the water.)
SFX: SPLOOSH!
Psi balloon (pointing to Chamber): Scarpers!
(Panel 2. Skin covers the Squid’s eyes with his extended hands. He uses his stretching power to accomplish this.)
Skin: Some overgrown calamari isn’t going to stop us, right?
Jubilee: (spitting out water) Pfft... speak for yourself, Angelo.
(Panel 3. Chamber fires at the squid, hitting it. M and Synch strike at the squid as well.)
SFX: Whoomph!
(Panel 4. Jubilee fires energy plasmoids at the squid in addition to the other stuff that’s going on.)
Jubilee: This squid is going down!
Zero G: It’s going up, actually.
(Panel 5. Zero G concentrates, and the squid rises 3/4ths of the way out of the water.)
Zero G: (straining) It’s... too... heavy...
(Page 6, panel 1. Zero G drops the squid, which creates a large waves in all directions. These waves engulf the other members of Generation X, sending them to the walls.)
Zero G: UHN!
Psi balloon (pointing to Chamber) Blimey!
(Panel 2. The squid strikes a dazed M, sending her into Synch.)
SFX: WHACK!
M: Ah!
(Panel 3. Skin recovers to find himself ensnared in the tentacles of the squid.)
Skin: Santa Maria! This is getting too friendly now...
(Panel 4. Chamber fires into the open mouth of the squid.)
Psi balloon: (Pointing to Chamber) I’m not going down without a fight, mate!
(Panel 5. M and Synch, now recovered from their collision, grab the tail of the squid.)
M: Work together, people! We can beat this thing!
(Panel 6. M and Synch pull the squid out of the water.)
Jubilee: All right! Way to go Ev and Monet!
(Page 7, panel 1. Jubilee frees herself from the squid’s tentacles by firing her energy plasmoids.)
SFX: Pip! Paf! Pip!
(Panel 2. Skin tends to Zero G.)
Skin: Amiga, are you all right?
Zero G: I... I’m fine, Angelo. I have an idea...
(Panel 3. Zero G concentrates.)
Zero G: Jono, Jubes - fire at around the eyes of the beast!
(Panel 4. Chamber and Jubilee do so, and the squid is torn in half.)
SFX: Whoomph! SKREAT!
(Page 8, panel 1. The danger room returns to normal.)
Banshee: Tha’ was good, lads. The danger setting was on 3 that time. Next time, we’ll set it up t’4.
Queen: Get cleaned up and then report to the control room.
(Panel 2. We see Elektra walking down a suburban street. Rows of pleasant houses abound as Elektra walks down the street in her uniform.)
Cap (E1): So this is Snow Valley.
Cap (E2): Such a shame it’s become a snakepit.
Cap (E3): Several houses, I have found, are owned by the Hand.
Cap (E4): It will be interesting to clean it up.
Cap (E5): However, the local heat has found out about this.
Cap (E6): Thus we must use caution...
(Panel 3. Elektra enters a sportscar.)
Cap (E1): So now, we wait.
Cap (E2): And watch.
(Panel 4. A police car passes by.)
Cap (E1): The local police.
Cap (E2): It would be so nice to seek their help.
Cap (E3): But as long as I am wanted, I will have to hide.
(Page 9, panel 1. Elektra drives off.)
Cap (E): Now, for another site...
(Panel 2. Go back to the Academy. The White Queen has M, Jubilee, Husk, and Zero G in their SUV, they are riding down a four-lane road.)
Cap (N): Shortly thereafter, the Generation X ladies head for a mall in Boston’s suburbs...
Jubilee: Shopping! This is like sooo totally cool, you know?
Zero G: [to M] Does she ever stop with that?
M: If she does, we haven’t found a way to make her.
(Panel 3. Jubilee turns to M.)
Jubilee: Oh, Pl-eez! Like you and your rich family don’t shop... give me a break.
Queen: That’s enough back there. Don’t make me have to turn you into mindless zombies until we get to the mall.
(Panel 4. They arrive at the mall to see Elektra pulling into a parking spot.)
Queen: We’re here, gang.
Jubilee: Awright! This is like totally rad!
Husk: *Sigh*....
(Panel 5. The Gen X ladies exit the vehicle.)
Queen: Remember this is an excursion solely to get new clothing, and we do have a limited budget here...
(Page 10, panel 1. They go inside the mall to a woman’s clothing boutique.)
Jubilee: This is like so majorly cool it’s been too long since we went shopping.
M: Jubilation Lee...
(Panel 2. M gets in Jubilee’s face, angered. M shouts at Jubilee.)
M: SHUT UP!!*
Cap (N): *Admit it, you’ve wanted to do this to her at one time or another, haven’t you?
(Panel 3. The White Queen intervenes.)
Queen: I said that’s enough. We all have our faults, Monet. You just have to accept that people aren’t perfect.
(Panel 4. Jubilee shoots her mouth off.)
Jubilee: Oh yes... we all can’t be perfect like you, Monet.
Queen: Jubilation, how would you like to wait in the car while we shop?
(Page 11, panel 1. down the way a bit, we see a martial arts instruction center. The place does Karate, Tae Kwan Do, Wu Shu, Capiolera, Savate and other self-defense arts. The sign above the entrance proclaims this. It is called the Handy Self-Defense Center. Walking by the place, Elektra looks in. Elektra wears a pleasant blue dress and high heels.)
Cap (E1): This is the place.
Cap (E2): I wish I didn’t have to ruin the day of all these people who came in to legitimately learn self-defense.
Cap (E3): But sometimes there has to be casualties of war.
Cap (E4): I pray to the masters that they give me good fortune today.
(Panel 2. Elektra goes to the center. We see people in robes practicing self-defense techniques.)
Cap (E1): They might recognize me here.
Cap (E2): Disguising my voice might help.
Cap (E3): It’s been awhile since I did a cockney accent.
(Panel 3. Elektra enters the place and approaches the front desk. She hides her face in her hair.)
Elektra: Afternoon, gov’ner, Oy’m ‘ere to enroll in your Capiolera class.
Man at the desk: One moment please.
(Panel 4. The man pushes a button behind the desk, out of Elektra’s view.)
Man: I’ve got just the thing for you... follow me.
(Panel 5. Elektra goes with the man to the back of the store.)
Man: So what’s your name?
Elektra: Moi name’s Erica.
(Panel 6. They arrive back in a back room.)
Man: Well, “Erica,” I don’t think that you’ve used that alias before.
(Page 12, panel 1. About 15-20 ninjas enter, armed with swords, shurikens, sais, and other martial arts weapons. They wear outfits of the Hand.)
Man: We know who you really are, Elektra. We’re not about to let you take us down.
Elektra: Knowing who I am and stopping me are two very different things.
(Panel 2. Elektra throws off her dress to show her uniform, with two sais.)
Man: [The man who actually kills her will receive a large bonus.]
Elektra: Let the games begin.
(Panel 3. Go back to Generation X. Jubilee is modeling a Pokémon T-shirt which depicts a Charmander and has the slogan “Pokémon - Got to catch ‘em all!” on it. She is also wearing a pair of tight blue jeans. She is in a dressing room.)
Jubilee: Lookin’ sharp Jubes...
(Panel 4. Monet is next door, wearing a modest blouse and miniskirt.)
Cap (M): This should help me get Ev.
(Panel 5. Next room, Husk is dressed in a red bikini.)
Husk: If only Tristan could see me now...
(Panel 6. Go outside to see the White Queen looking on as several people run away from the self-defense school in terror.)
Cap (Q): We cannot get any breaks, can we?
Psi balloon: (Pointing to the White Queen) Everyone, we’ve got trouble. Return to your original clothing and come out as soon as possible.
(Page 13, panel 1. The Gen X ladies gather in the entrance as they watch people flee in terror.)
Cap (N): Later...
Jubilee: This is totally bogus! Man, can’t we have a nice, quiet day of shopping for once?
M: With you around...
Zero G: Don’t start, Monet. Someone needs our help!
(Panel 2. The Gen X ladies are now in their uniforms.)
Cap (N1): A flash of psionic energy activates the unstable molecules in their clothing.
Cap (N2):Afterwards...
Queen: The trouble seems to be coming from the self-defense school.
(Panel 3 .They go out to see the way clearing as most of the people have run away by now.)
Queen: I don’t know what’s going on but we’re going to find out.
(Panel 4. Elektra dives at some of the Hand ninjas. She strikes one with the butt of her sai, another she slashes his face with the other sai, and kicks a third with her legs.)
Cap (N): Meanwhile...
SFX: WHAM! SLASH!
Ninja: [Someone stop her!]
(Panel 5. Elektra cuts down two more ninjas with her sais as one of them manages to slash her hair with a tanto.)
SFX: SLASH!
(Page 14, panel 1. Go back to Generation X. We see them fighting some fleeing Hand ninjas. Jubilee shoots her energy plasmoids at them as Husk tears her skin off to reveal a skin of metal.)
Jubilee: No way, creep!
SFX: Pip! Paf! Pip!
(Panel 2. Zero G concentrates, and the ninja's armaments turn heavy. The ninjas have a hard time keeping them up. Meanwhile, Jubilee shoots more fireworks as Husk and M strike some of the ninjas.)
SFX: Paf! Pip! Paf! WHACK!
Ninja: [What is going on here?]
(Panel 3. The White Queen psi-blasts the ninjas, who go down.)
Queen: We don’t have time for this. M, Zero G, stay here and make sure they’re around for the police to pick up.
M: Will do.
(Panel 4. Back with Elektra, most of the ninjas are down. Elektra has her uniform slashed in several places, and one or two small cuts, in addition to having her hair partially shorn.)
Cap (N): And back with Elektra...
Ninja: [We have you beaten, kunoichi! Surrender!]
Elektra: [I have you almost beaten as well.]
(Panel 5. Elektra throws one of her sais at the last ninja, hitting him in the chest.)
SFX: SHLURK!
Ninja: [Glack!]
(Panel 6. Elektra stands over the fallen ninja.)
Elektra: As long as there is life in me, the Hand will not be safe.
(Page 15, panel 1. Enter Jubilee, Husk and the White Queen.)
Elektra: (turns) You!
Queen: You!
(Panel 2. Elektra grabs her sai out of the ninja’s chest.)
Elektra: So, the Hellfire club has joined forces with the hand... no matter...
Jubilee: Whoa, Elektra, wait. She’s one of us now!
(Panel 3. Husk is confused as Elektra is face-to-face with the White Queen.)
Elektra: Leave the area, little one... you do not know of what she is capable.
Queen: Jubilee’s right, Elektra. I have switched sides. I am no longer with the Hellfire Club.
Husk: Who is this?
(Panel 4. Jubilee faces Husk.)
Jubilee: Well, that’s Elektra. We met awhile back in Japan when I was with Wolvie.
Queen: Surely you believe that people can change... after all, it wasn’t that long ago that you were working for the Kingpin.
Elektra: Because the little one vouches for you, I will not fight you. However, we should exit this place before the police show up.
(Panel 5. They head out.)
Queen: Agreed.
(Page 16, panel 1. They leave the area, going back to M and Zero G.)
Husk: (to Jubilee) Who is this woman? How do you know her?
Jubilee: Well, her name is Elektra, and we met awhile back in Hong Kong...
(Panel 2. Flashback. The place is Hong Kong, China a few years ago. Wolverine and Jubilee are on the seedy area of town, in an abandoned warehouse. The place is quiet, dark, and eerie. A storm rages outside.)
Cap (J1): Wolvie and I had just arrived in Japan to check on an old friend of Wolvie’s. We found out he had been kidnapped and was being held by some ninja group called the Hand...
Cap (J2): Wolvie and I had tracked down the dude to a warehouse between the Mong Kok district and the Yau Ma Ti.
Jubilee: You smell anything yet?
Wolverine: Just trouble.
(Panel 3. Wolverine unsheathes his claws.)
Wolverine: Get ready.
(Panel 4. They approach a door.)
Cap (J1): Little did I know what was behind that door...
Cap (J2): Was one woman taking out about 10 ninjas.
(Panel 5. Wolverine kicks the door open, showing a melee between Elektra and several ninjas.)
Ninja: [Somebody stop her!*]
Cap (N): *Translated from the original Chinese.
(Page 17, panel 1. Wolverine dives into the fray, slashing some of the ninjas. Elektra continues to fight the ninjas.)
Jubilee: What in the --!?
Wolverine: No time to explain, kid. Hit ‘em high and low!
(Panel 2. Jubilee fires her energy plasmoids at the ninjas while Wolverine and Elektra continue to slash and chop some of the others.)
SFX: Ping! Pip! Pip!
Jubilee: No need to tell me twice, Wolvie.
(Panel 3. The ninjas backtrack.)
Ninja: [We are going to need reinforcements if we are to defeat the monster! Regroup, everyone!]
(Panel 4. Go back to the present.)
Elektra: I came here because there were rumors of a new ally the Hand has here. It was said she was very powerful....
Queen: Well, we need to think out our next move here...
(Page 18, panel 1. Generation X headquarters. The Gen X ladies return to see Banshee and the guys waiting for them. They are in Banshee’s office.)
Banshee: So how did things go?
Queen: I think we may have a clue in solving one of our most crucial problems here...
Jubilee: It was like totally bogus! We were trying on some things when there was a fight that broke out and we got caught up in it.
(Panel 2. Elektra steps forward.)
Elektra: If this team is to survive, you are in serious need of one thing... discipline. Not just a strict regiment of learning how to fight... but the Zen of fighting.
Banshee: Who is this?
(Panel 3. Jubilee approaches Banshee.)
Jubilee: Her name’s Elektra and she was like one of Wolvie’s friends. We met in Japan and she’s like this totally awesome fighter, okay?
(Panel 4. Banshee looks Elektra over.)
Banshee: Aren’t ye a wanted criminal, lassie?
Elektra: I was exonerated of all charges. They were trumped up by my enemies anyway.
(Panel 5. Banshee is apprehensive.)
Banshee: I donnae know about this...
Queen: We’ve tried just about everything else, Sean. It couldn’t hurt.
(Page 19, panel 1. Danger room. Generation X stands waiting in their uniforms. Elektra is opposite them.)
Cap (N): And so...
Elektra: The most powerful weapon the warrior has is the mind. No person has won a fight without unsheathing this weapon. Great masters can win fights by mental prowess alone.
(Panel 2.)
Elektra: Study your opponents as you fight them - their technique speaks volumes about how to defeat them.
Skin: But how can you do this without getting pummeled to death?
(Panel 3.)
Elektra: That is where training and discipline enter the picture, Skin... in which I see you are woefully lacking in the latter. Therefore, I have set up a schedule of regimented discipline for you to observe in the next few weeks... You have the potential to become an elite fighting squad like the X-Men, but training takes time, patience, and lots of discipline.
(Panel 4. Elektra turns to the control booth.)
Elektra: Activate the hologram.
(Page 20, panel 1. A hologram of Kuroyama appears.)
Elektra: We’ll start with the basics. The main weak points on a person are the knees, the elbows, and the neck.
Jubilee: So we should try to hit those places?
(Panel 2. Elektra approaches the hologram.)
Elektra: Someone has not been paying attention. Remember that your opponent knows as much about fighting as you do, if not more.
(Panel 3. Elektra passes by the hologram.)
Elektra: Evaluate your opponent by reading his body language. What they signal to you without words speaks volumes. Sometimes, you must let the opponent make the first move.
(Panel 4. Elektra draws her sais.)
Elektra: The most important thing, however, is to be perceptive. It is not enough to be powerful. Example: Captain America, who isn’t superhumanly strong, has defeated the Hulk, who is very strong. How? By using his head.
(Page 21, panel 1. Cut to a lavish office in Boston. It is nighttime. The place is dark and foreboding. At the main desk sits a figure in the shadows. Opposite that figure are about 2-3 men clad in Hand uniforms.)
Cap (N): And at an office in Boston...
Figure in chair: Boys, Boys, Boys.... One woman cannot cause this much trouble for you.
Ninja 1: You do not know Elektra like we do. She was once one of us. She has enchantments lain upon her that cannot be removed. She will fight us until each of us are dead.
(Panel 2.)
Figure in chair: Anyone who gets in my way is quickly eliminated. That is why I am the C.E.O. of a major company. If I must, I will deal with her myself.
Ninja 1: Do not think she is so easily defeated... she has bested many of our great warriors...
(Panel 3.)
Figure in the chair: Nobody is perfect all of the time... there is a way to defeat her...
(Panel 4. The figure in the chair thrusts her face into the light, revealing that it is Adrienne Frost.)
Adrienne: We just have to find out what it is.
