Template:Featured Articles/7-2019

Moment of Awesome - Monica Rambeau/Spectrum: On her first X-Men mission, Monica encounters the local plant life. "Let me go first - I can fly and it can't touch me at all." Nica had been practically vibrating on the spot, so eager was she to do something "useful". She shot off into the jungle, a blur of light that passed through the foliage without a rustle or hint of movement. Then there was a yelp and Nica reappeared, looking panicked. "So, um, I found it? Only, um, it saw me? Or my light at least, and it really started getting mad. I came right back, but..." She glanced over her shoulder. "I think it followed me." Out of the jungle shuffled the monstrous plant. Or possibly plant-like monster. Either way, it was big, at least ten feet tall, vines waving angrily around it and three leg-like clumps of roots dragging it forward. In the middle was a large bulb-like structure, like an enormous flower bud. As they watched, it cracked open, revealing rows of spines that looked for all the world like teeth. That thing was... unlike something she'd fought before in her years as an X-man. "Nica, if the damn thing liked you enough to follow you here, get it away from here. Now! I'll help you keep it busy. You three, whatever it is you were talking about, do it fast. And keep the jet in one piece as much as possible before you get Cyclops on your ass." Sooraya called out before shifting and diving forward. She was just in time to stop another wave of vines creeping towards the jet, chopping them little pieces before lashing out as the bulb-like structure. Razor sharp tendrils of sand cut deep into the flesh of the thing and it let out a strange sound between a moan and a scream. "Yes ma'am!" Nica dove at the monster plant, glad she was intangible at least even if it meant she couldn't do much to hurt it. Unfortunately, it seemed to have decided the other mutants made for good snacks and it ignored her. Nettled, Nica blasted it with one of her light beams - that got its attention. The plant reared up, pulling its vines from the Blackbird and surrounds to try and snag the teen X-Man who was glowing like a strobe light. "Well that's not disturbing at all, the thing is obviously alive and feels pain, and now she wants us to kill it." Not that Sue had much of a compunction about killing someone who was threatening her and her friends, but this was meant to be a rescue mission and the X-men were meant to be the good guys. If this was what their missions were normally like, well she was glad team science wasn't called up more often. "Ok, so while they're playing tag, we'll need a way to extract the fuel to act as an explosive, and a way to direct it and detonate it. Reed, can you and Hank rig up something to get it where we need it to go and explode while I try not to leave us stranded here with a working jet with nothing to move it?" Reed was already on it. He ignored what everyone was saying, his hands moving frantically alongside Hank. Having a shared lab space for several years had the two working in almost perfect synchronicity. Although only a few minutes had gone by, the two scientists weren't considered the top of their field for nothing -- soon, a working prototype of their flame cattle prod..whatever (Reed was never good with names) was complete. "It won't last long," he warned, pulling the trigger of what used to be a fire extinguisher. The irony wasn't lost on him. A blue flame leaped from the top, and Reed frowned. He could actually feel the charge, which again, probably not the safest but this wasn't going to take long. "Whoever is using this needs gloves." Sooraya sheared of another tangle of vines heading to the jet before checking the status of the science crew. Seeing the flame she shot upwards, reforming crouching on a branch. "Nica, let's herd the damn thing towards the flame thrower. You guys be ready when we get it close enough." Dissolving once more she dove to the side, this time lashing out with a multitude of sharp whips. With a loud screech the creature changed course and slowly start moving towards where Reed was standing. In true Reed fashion, he was working frantically on another device, finishing a type of long knife just in time to attack the vines at his feet. "Um, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but we really need someone to take this machine." He looked around and widened his eyes as a thought came to him. "Sue! Use your forcefields to protect your hands! It should absorb the electrical charge long enough to use this safely." Without waiting for an answer, he tossed the machine in Sue's direction. "Whaaa?" The young woman barely had time to throw something up juggling the device between her hands as forcefields flared between them "A little more warning next time!" Slowly, bounce by painful bounce she managed to stabilise her gloves until she could grip the extinguisher. The blonde could still feel the charge surging through her body as she hefted the device up into line with the plant monster, "Work it this way a little." "Trying!" was Nica's somewhat harried reply. Even though it couldn't grab her while she was ghosting, it was still disconcerting to have all those vines flailing at her. Plus she had to make sure it didn't hit the Blackbird or any of the others as a result of the flailing. "C'mon, plant. you want light? I've got all the light for you..." she crooned, flashing her glow on and off as she tried to lead the monster towards Sue. "Ah, Dr. Hank? A little help here? I think it's working out it can't grab me..."