The Kobayashi Maru was registered as a cargo ship working for a small independant company based in Osaka. It made several runs across the Pacific between Japan and Africa every year and transported mainly food products. Of course, sometimes, the crew smuggled little things to generate a little side money, it couldn't hurt, right ?
Few countries and businesses were willing to trade officially with Genosha's new government. Because of that, the mutant country was forced to deal with unsavory people to acquire certain goods. The Kobayashi Maru had been one of many ships to engage in unofficial business with Genosha.
And now that it was established as a reliable partner to genoshan authorities, the 'Organization', the true sponsors behind the ship, had used it to ferry extraction teams. They had kidnapped several mutates as part of their deal with Sinister who was eager to recreate the late dr. Moreau's work. Of course, their mutant program would benefit as well from this process, enabling them to convert mutants much more easily.
The Kobayashi Maru was currently headed for Genosha again. Another mutate would be kidnapped and sent to Japan for examination. Many of those brought to Sinister had died painfully but it didn't matter to them, they were only gaijin after all. Genosha was isolated on the international scene and they couldn't take this matter in the open without discrediting themselves.
Genzo Umon, captain of the Kobayashi Maru, was currently drinking a cupof coffee on the bridge. Outside, it was raining and the ship's lights failed at piercing through the darkness of the night. The first mate was at the helm but nowadays, steering the ship during the night was left to the computers most of the time. Of course they knew they were basically helping wet works teams to kidnap people on foreign land but the pay was very good. After a while, it became just another business to them.
Suddenly the ship noisily lurched and came to a stop. Umon's coffee spilt all over him "Ouch ! Hot !" and the first mate's head met the control board in a painful manner.
"What the hell !? Why did you stop ?" There had been no collision warnings or orders from the team down in the hold.
The first mate looked at the instruments "Uh, captain... The engine is still running... but we've stopped. I don't know why..."
"What are you waiting for, then !? Increase power !" Were they caught in something ?
The first mate obeyed and accelerated. Aside from a little push forward, the ship stubbornly refused to move any further. When pressure attained dangerous levels, the captain ordered to desist, he didn't want the engine to blow up.
Loud creaking noises were heard all over the ship. The sailors and agents paused in their activities, wondering what was going on.
"Captain, look !" Genzo stared at the ship's instruments who were now going mad. The compass whirled on itself and all screens only showed distorted images "What's happening ? Captain !"
Genzo Umon tried to stay the picture of the man in control of himself and the situation. He thought about what could be the cause of all this "It's like we were caught in some sort of magnetic storm..." He wondered aloud. Small metallic objects took off and clinged everywhere they landed, confirming his assumptions.
The first mate paled "Magnetic ? Oh, shit..." Near Genosha, that meant only one thing...
Everyone onboard screamed as the ship was suddenly lifted up from the sea as if the hand of a god had taken it. Panels and instruments blew up on the bridge and other parts of the ship. The superstructure groaned under untold pressures and started to collapse upon itself like a beer can in someone's full grip.
The crew evacuated the ship's insides in panic and ran to the lifeboats, only to see them ejected into the sea below. The patriot agents were made of sterner stuff and went out, armed to the teeth. Using their nightvision goggles, they rapidly located their enemy.
Standing in the air, surrounded by raging electro-magnetic energies, was Magneto, in full battle costume.
They fired but their blasters' beams were deflected with a wave of his hand. Another lazy gesture and the high-tech weapons were snatched from their hands and crushed into unrecognizable metal lumps. Pieces of the bridge and girders came alive and ensnared the agents. The normal crew was too frightened to act.
The Master of Magnetism gently landed on the ship and brought one of the agents to him with his power "Pitiful... But what would you expect from Hitler's former allies ? Who are you and who do you work for ?" His prisoner stayed silent. The metal encircling him tightened its grip "You came in my country to abduct MY people. Who gave the order ?"
"Go to hell, western monkey..." He tried to spit at Magneto but failed to touch him. The mutant leader closed his fist and the agent slumped, blood coming out of his ears and nose. He turned to face the others and smiled at the horrified expressions they wore "Didn't you learn that there's iron in human blood in school, ummh...?"
More loud noises of crashing and snapping metal came from the ship. Magneto's eyes were ice-cold "Several years ago, I sunk a russian nuclear submarine who attacked me. A freighter like this should be a piece of cake in comparison. Last chance : Talk or die !"
*****
Hours later, the ruined wreck that had been the Kobayashi Maru was in Genosha's harbour. The sailors had told all they knew and the remaining agents were now submitted to psychic interrogation. Soon he would have the information he sought and the 'Million Men Patriots' would rue the day they crossed paths with the Master of Magnetism !
See other episodes by Jamil Nate
(Posted Mon, 23 Dec 2002 19:31)
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