Bishop
Vol. 1, No. 5
Written by: Brian Provow and Ryan Jent

“I am called Bishop, and once again I find myself alone. Already separated from those I love by the veil of time.. I now find myself light years from the planet Earth. And if a man's home is defined by the presence of friends, confidants, and lovers.. Then Twentieth Century Earth is a place no more home to me than this godforsaken world.”

* * *

War.
I lived after the last "World War", after the great battle between the Sentinels and the mutants. My world was apocalyptic, but we were trying. Trying to rebuild a better future through the XSE. Capturing those who threatened the world's safety, like Fitzroy or Mountjoy.
Then I came to this Earth. A world where, for the most part, peace could be found. I grew accustomed to not seeing destroyed fields, to not seeing dead bodies.
This planet . . . it's very like my world.

A blast slammed into his chest, it's energies being absorbed harmlessly by his mutant powers. Bishop returned with a volley of his own, taking down two attacking soldiers. Behind him, the other Starjammers fanned out, attempting to quell this rebellion.
Corsair and Hepzibah fought side by side, using gun, sword, and claw to keep the Kree at bay. Cho'd used his bulk to his advantage, tossing soldiers with ease, while Bishop could barely make out the frame of Deathbird in the air. She had decided to stay with them, at least for this moment. He still could not understand why, but that didn't matter. They needed her fighting power. Deathbird was feared throughout the galaxy for a reason.
"Bishop!" He grunted at the sound of his name, offering acknowledgment, but not turning his head. Corsair seemed to understand the gesture. "The first ground troops are landing now. Continue the assault to prevent damage to the Shi'ar carriers." He once again offered only silence, but his actions proved he had understood the command. Bishop charged forward, firing into the Kree troops widely, driving them back. The other Starjammers followed in suit.

* * *

Her talons were caked with blood, blood of those who had been her people's enemies. Her wings too were beginning to way heavy with this crimson blood, yet she remained a float. A smile on her avian face. Bishop would be proud. As of yet, she hadn't killed a man. Injured . . . sliced and diced . . . but today there hadn't been a death at her hand. She wondered why she was going through all the trouble? She eventually rested easy on the knowledge that the warrior inside her pitied these Kreeman and thus was giving them a chance to live another day. Her actions certainly did not have to do with a certain terrine.
Deathbird landed softly on a rooftop, turning her head to gaze below at the battle. Were she not a sadist by nature, she might find this horrifying. I am certain that my sister would not be found in such a war . . . to dirty for her hands. Another fault. Another reason why I should have the throne over her. She hissed and spread out her wings, allowing some blood caked feathers to fall free.
Crunch.
She heard the noise, but pretended not to. Her muscles tensed, yet she let on no sign that she was about to attack. Her mouth curved into a smile, teeth glittering in the dim light, yet she made no sound. More steps towards her. The poor fool obviously thinks I am an easy target. The steps stopped and Deathbird counted in her head, before turning, her own gun in hand. Before she had even finished moving, three shots had already been fired in the direction of her attacker.
He fell in a pool of crimson red.
"Oh well . . . Bishop will never have to know." Tossing her gun aside, Deathbird rose once more into the air, ready to ride into battle like a Valkereye.

* * *

"Keep attacking! Today Bigilia, tomorrow . . . the Kree empire!" The commander shouted towards his troops, urging them to look past their fears. He needn't waste his words on her. Shiva Mar'vel had long ago overcome any fear the day she watched the Nega Bomb destroy her people. What had replaced this fear was a lust for revenge, an undying need to counter the injustice done to her countryman. The Shi'ar would be the first to pay.
Shiva leapt down into the fray between Kree freedom fighters and Shi'ar royal troops. Her hand held a small dagger, a weapon that had once been a religious ceremonial piece used by her family. Today marked the first time it was used to kill. Shiva marveled at how easily it slid through the armor of one soldier, how quickly it drew blood. Withdrawn, she stared at the red liquid that now covered the length of the blade, held her hands out and gaped at the same liquid that covered her fingers. A few seconds later, she would realize that she had killed a man. Three minutes later, she would do it again.

* * *

"How doessssss it feel."
"Only hurts . . . when you touch it." Corsair grimaced slightly as Hepzibah applied a cloth to his wound. He had been shot in the stomach. Miraculously, it had been the only injury suffered by the team.
They currently were resting in an inn, safely tucked behind current Shi'ar lines. They had done their parts for the moment and they were now taking a deserved rest. "Bishop . . . come, sit by us." Corsair called over to the mutant from his hastily made sick bed, his voice breaking ever so briefly to allow gasps of pain to filter through.
Bishop stood by the inn's window, staring out into the streets. He could hear gunfire out there and imagined the sounds of people dying. Too much like my world . . . . MY present . . . A hand clutched his shoulder, causing Bishop to spin. Despite what his future training had taught him, he didn't not attack initially. His time with Xavier had gotten rid of that "important" teaching . . . as his one time superiors had called it. Not that they have been born yet . . .
He looked up into the eyes of Cho'd, perhaps the only member of the crew who had never shown any harsh feelings towards him. He wondered briefly if Cho'd could hate anyone . . . the amphibian-like alien seemed to hold few grudges. Yet, after having watched Cho'd on the battlefield today, Bishop doubted he would want to be the one to test his new companion's good natures.
"It is best if you try to forget the battles for the moment Bishop. It is the only way to keep your sanity." Cho'd placed his other hand against the glass, his large eyes staring off into the coming darkness of night.
"If that is true Cho'd . . . I lost my sanity many years ago." Bishop brushed Cho'd aside, though not in a way that would have offended the Starjammer. He moved towards Corsair, whose nursing was finished for the moment. "Where is Deathbird?"
"I thought you were in charge of being her keeper." The indifference in Corsair's voice was not hidden, nor had it been meant to be. It was clear to Bishop that he did not care if Deathbird lived or died in this war. Bishop felt rage boil inside him, but managed to not strike at Summers. Instead he turned, moving towards the doorway.
"Despite your past experiences, Deathbird has changed. I shall prove that to you . . . we shall prove that to you. If I must fight to give her this chance, then so be it. Even if I must fight alone." He opened the door and stepped outside.

* * *

Cowards.
That described them well.
Leaving her behind to fight, while they took refuge away from the battle. Perhaps she had been wrong about Bishop's fighting prowess.
Deathbird hovered above a blood washed street, searching for the other Starjammers. They had been separated about three hours ago, when the fighting had begun to gain a new intensity. She could only guess where the human had led his small band to hide out. She would wish a thousand deaths upon his head if he had chosen to leave her behind, strand her on this godforsaken moon.
As Deathbird turned a corner, her mind distracted, she slammed into a fine net. Before she could react, a surge of electrical energy was sent through her frame. She didn't scream, no she had to much pride. Instead, she slipped quietly off into darkness, only barely making out the face of her captors.

* * *

Earth

Shard struggled, hands pinned behind her back, as Fitzroy's face loomed over hers. Once upon a time, She might have been happy to have Trevor so near her. Now . . . she wished desperately for a way to escape. "Come little one, I had almost forgotten what you taste like!" His breath was hot against her cheek as she struggle to keep her mouth away from his. Get up girl . . . Get up. Don't let it end like this!
Shard's head turned, her eyes shining brightly. Before Trevor could react, a blast of energy was sent point blank into his face. "Dine on this!" Distracted, Fitzroy was thrown off of her, giving Shard the chance to stretch out her arms. Her hands glowed with photon energy, which she released into the blinded Trevor, sending the green haired mutant back. "You killed me once Trev' . . . it's not going to be the same again."
"How then, little one," Trevor smirked, "will it be?" He was in pain.. she'd grown stronger, no doubt about that. But he wouldn't show it. He would make sure he wouldn't. "Do you think you can kill ME this time? Is that it, Little one?"
Shard's life had changed since she'd been 'ressurected', and so did her morals. No matter how much she'd like to, she couldn't kill the man before her. She felt a hatred so intense, she feared it would consume her. Take away rational thought, her one reliance at the moment. She let out another blast of energy, sending Fitzroy sprawling back once more.
Fitzroy groaned, "Do you know where you are? Even if you did defeat me . . .do you think you would make it out alive?" Despite the pain he felt, or perhaps in spite of it, Fitzroy managed to curl his bloody lip into a snarl.
She didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. He could see the hatred, the rage in her eyes and, for the first time, began to wonder if he might lose. Leaping up, he barely avoiding another blast of energy.
Shard would love to take him down . . . permanently, but it wasn't her way. Not as an XSE member, nor as a member of X-Factor. Though she wasn't with either team anymore, she still held unto their teachings. More memoried added to ones she already carried in her head.
Most of them were painful. Memories of Fitzroy, for example. But she couldn't focus on those memories, especially not right now.. They would only distract her, fuel her need to take down Fitzroy once and for all.
Shard narrowly dodged one of Trevor's attacks, leaping aside. She rebounded from the wall, and flipped over him. She landed a solid kick in his back, sending him crashing forward.
In the back of her mind, she knew her brother would be proud. But that's when it all went wrong . . . because the sister of Bishop watched as Fitzroy alerted his companions.

* * *

Bishop's foot crunched into the bitter ground that made up this planet as he stepped outside from the inn, and he recieved mixed looks from the guards which stood around him. He didn't care.
He was going to find Deathbird.
Alone? Then so be it. "Bishop!"
He didn't turn as his name was called, he had no intention to, either.. until..
"Cho'd will help you, but friend Cr+eeeeeee must stay behind."
A smile erupted onto the former X-Man's face at the glorious news. Truth be told, he wasn't quite ready to take on many alone. He would fair much better with the help of a comrade. Especially the mass that was Cho'd.
Bishop knew Cho'd, like the others, did not care for Deathbird. But he also knew that Cho'd was different from them. He was so simple. . so caring. He would overlook his hatred to help his newfound friend.
"The last I saw her," Bishop began, looking to his amphibian friend, "She was heading south. Airborne."
Cho'd gave a nod, "Then we will go that way?"
"Odds are that's where she is," Bishop replied, "So yes."
"You're not advised to go out there," A guard chimed as Bishop and Cho'd were just about to step across the Shi'Ar line, "Our soldiers have been withdrawn for the moment. You'll be alone."
Bishop casually pushed the guard aside, boldly stepping away from safety. Cho'd was right behind him. The mutant's mind slipped back to that of Raza. He had taken Raza's place on the crew after his death..
...He could not replace him, nor did he intend to. Only repay the Starjammer's for their loss, and fill a void in a sturdy team. He couldn't afford to lose another Starjammer. "Cho'd," he began; his voice in a war tone, "Go back." He had stopped, something no man should do in war. "Turn around."
"Friend Bishop needs Cho'd. ."
"I'll be fine," Bishop grunted, giving him a light push to go back, "Go."
"Radio us if you need help, Friend Bishop."
The large green-skinned alien recieved but a nod as Bishop charged forward after Deathbird.

* * *

Elsewhere

"Rest. You need your strength." Shiva pushed the young soldier back into bed, holding him there. Weakened, wounded, he submitted to her hands. But she could see the pain in his eyes. The need to be out there . . . fighting . . . for freedom. A word that she had once known. Before the great war against the Shi'ar, before her people were killed by a devistating bomb. A bomb that had marked the end of her civilization. A medic stepped up towards the bed, glancing down at the man. He shook his head and continued on. A lost cause . . . another casualty.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she fought them back. She was a soldier now. She gently lifted her hands from the young Kreeman, who had drifted off into the bliss of sleep. She hoped for his sake he wouldn't awake.

* * *

"Is she awake?"
"Yes, she is beginning to recover."
Voices. Deathbird opened her eyes, recovering from the electrical shock that had taken her out. When she found her attackers, they would feel her talons at their throat. She would hold their hearts in her hands.
"Look at those brain patterns? It doens't take much to get this one riled up."
She heard laughing . . . at her expense?!?! Deathbird began to move, but found herself lethargic. She was suspended in some sort of liquid . . . yet she could breathe. What kind of technology have these Kree Dogs been hideing?
"Her rage is well known throughout the galaxy, almost as notorious as her deadliness."
They had at least gotten one part right. Her lips curled into a brief smile, despite her current captivity.
"The terran will come after her."
"We can expect that."
Terran? Bishop? What did they want with Bishop?
"Then we should begin?"
Begin?

* * *

"NO!"
Fitzroy screamed as the photon energy ripped through his frame. Shard looked down at her hands, then at her defeated ex-lover. She had reacted so quickly . . . hadn't expected to have so much energy. Never expected that she could have done that to someone. His flesh was reddended and burnt, the armor around it melted away.
Had Fitzroy managed to get the call out? Shard wasn't going to sit around and find out. She was so close to her brother, to re-establishing her one connection with her past. She wasn't going to lose that chance now.

* * *

Next Issue:
Who has Deathbird and what are their plans for Bishop?
Shard and some special guest stars vs the Hellfire Inner Circle
Plus the return of a missing character

Author's Note:
Sorry it took so long to get this issue out :) I promise that 6 will be done shortly and that Bishop will finally get back on schedule :) Also, I am going to be taking over the main writing chores for the series . . . so uhm, dat would be all for right now ;)
- Brian Provow