                                   -=-

####   ####       ####  #### ########  #####     ###   ####    ### ####   ####
 ##     ##  #####  ##    ##  #  ##  #  ######     #     ##      ##  ##     ##
 ####   ##  #####   ##  ##      ##     ##   ##   ###    ##      ##  ####   ##
 ## ##  ##  ##       ####       ##     ##   ##  ## ##   ##      ##  ## ##  ##
 ##  ## ##  ####      ##        ##     ##   ##  ## ##   ##  ##  ##  ##  ## ##
 ##   ####  ####     ####       ##     ##   ## #######  ##  ##  ##  ##   ####
 ##    ###  ##      ##  ##      ##     ##   ## #######  ##  ##  ##  ##    ###
 ##     ##  #####  ##    ##     ##     ######  ##   ##  ##########  ##     ##
####    ### ##### ####  ####   ####    #####  #### #### ########## ####    ###

   ############ ############ ####    #### #### ############# #############
   ############ ############ #####  #####      ############   #######   ##
   ####         ###      ### #### ## #### #### ####             #####
   ############ ############ ####    #### #### ############# ##  #########
   ############ ############ ####    #### #### ############# #############

                                   -=-

                          Next Dawn Comics Present 
                             www.soljo.org/ndc/
                                   
                                   -=-

                       A Soljo Publishing Production 
                               www.soljo.org

                                   -=-

                                 CRUSADE   

             			   -=-  

                                SEASON ONE                           

                                   -=-
                      
                         PART TWO: The Wrestler.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The break of dawn. Sunlight begins to fill the sky, relieving the darkness. 
Milton is lying face down in a ditch. A mysterious figure approaches him. 
Decked out in black and red, a cloak conceals his features. He stands over 
Milton surveying him. He shakes his head.

"I'm supposed to help you," says the mystery man.

"Why can't you people help yourselves?"

The mystery man drops a disk on the back of Milton's head, then his figure 
dissolves into the air and he is gone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Tuesday night Breakdown. I'm your host 
Joe Rush with Prince Richard and what a night we have in store for you."

Fire works explode around a large stage area whilst the word Breakdown burns 
on the huge television screen at the back of the stage. The fire works stop, 
but the arena is full of thick choking smoke.

The crowds early cheers are silenced by the smoke, air is at a premium for 
the ten thousand strong wrestling fans. Settling in to a spot amongst the 
crowd is a trench coated Steve. He isn't alone.

"I thought you hated wrestling," says Steve.

"We're here to work," replies The Ghost.

Steve shrugs and tucks into his popcorn. Horribly corny mock rock music 
hits and a six/seven-foot man struts on to the stage. The crowd boo.

"Making his way to ring, weighing three hundred twenty two pounds, The 
Chief."

The Chief steps into the ring and raises his arms into the air.

"Who are we here to see?"

"Sabre, he's next."

"Am I supposed to make him famous?"

Milton is stirring. He sits up and looks at his surroundings. All around 
him is wasteland. He rubs his aching head as he stands up. His urban combat 
clothing is ruined, holes and rips permeate his suit. A frown dominates his 
features, until he spots the disk on the ground. He picks it up reading the 
message: HELP IS AT HAND. Milton's frown disappears.

The Breakdown stage is full of scantily clad dancing girls. The Breakdown 
girls dance their way to the ring and perform a suggestive dance routine. 
The crowd go wild.

"Give it up for the Breakdown girls."

The girls take a bow and then trot backstage.

"I like this show," says Steve.

Ghost looks displeased. She fixes her gaze on the Jumbo-tron as a promo begins 
to roll.

"Calm yourself down and watch this."

On the screen is a flashily edited video. The word Sabre slices across the 
screen, followed by a spectacular highlight reel featuring Sabre throwing 
himself off of a fifteen foot ladder outside the ring to leg drop a fellow 
wrestler through a table inside the ring. Another highlight shows Sabre 
slamming someone off of the top of some scaffolding.

When the video stops Sabre's nu-metal music starts and the crowd go berserk.

"They seem to like him. But unless we're going to become the people's 
champions I don't see how that's going to help," says Steve.

"Well you know how choreographed and set up this all is?" says The Ghost.

"With Sabre it isn't. Every slam and throw is all his own might and his 
own resoluteness."

Steve nods and slumps back in his chair.

Sabre is waiting in the ring. He stands in the corner tidying his white and 
blue costume as his opponent approaches the ring. As more nu-metal music 
plays a huge man enters the ring. He is announced as The Wolf, and the crowd 
boo. The Wolf approaches Sabre and they stand toe-to-toe, although Sabre is 
six-foot-five The Wolf towers over him. The bell rings.

Sabre and The Wolf exchange blows, The Wolf favouring big soup bone rights 
and lefts whilst Sabre fights with his educated feet. Sabre connects with 
a roundhouse to the chin, knocking The Wolf to the ground. He climbs the 
turnbuckle as the crowd cheer. Sabre leaps from the turnbuckle, spinning 
his body through 360 degrees and straightening out before landing, but The 
Wolf rolls out of the way and Sabre only connects with canvas.

Steve grimaces along with the rest of the crowd.

The Wolf picks up Sabre and hits a clubbing right hand over the back of 
Sabre. Sabre hits the canvas. 

The Wolf taunts the crowd and more boos ensue. Wolf lifts Sabre on to 
his shoulders to deliver a power bomb but Sabre slides down his back, 
grabbing The Wolfs legs and rolling him into schoolboy pin. The referee 
counts; 1, 2... The Wolf kicks out and starts to deliver more punches. 
The Wolf uses his great strength to bear hug Sabre. As Sabre's strength 
begins to fade the referee holds up his arm and watches as it flops down 
to his side. One. The same happens again. Two. A third time, as Sabre's 
arm begins to drop he finds the strength to lift his arm and stay in the 
match. Sabre elbows the Wolf in the side of the head forcing the hold to 
be released. The Wolf Irish whips Sabre across the ring, he rebounds off 
of the ring ropes back towards The Wolf. Sabre spins around The Wolf 
wrapping his arms around The Wolf's waist before unleashing a huge German 
suplex, throwing The Wolf over his shoulders and out of the ring.

The crowd is silent, in shock. Sabre drops to his knees. Steve turns to 
The Ghost.

"Holy shit."

The referee begins to count The Wolf out. When the ref gets to six Sabre 
is up. The Wolf begins to stagger to his feet. Sabre suddenly launches 
himself over the ring ropes cross-bodying The Wolf to more gasps from the 
crowd. Sabre gets to his feet, shakes the cobwebs from his head then slides 
The Wolf back in to the ring. Sabre climbs the turnbuckle again then springs 
to assail The Wolf with a missile drop kick. Sabre drops into a pinning 
position and the referee counts to three. Sabre's music strikes up and 
the crowd cheer. Steve and The Ghost leave their positions.

Milton's tattered combat suit is hanging on the door. It is completely 
wrecked, full of holes and irreparable. Milton looks at it and smiles. 
He turns to his computer and looks at the screen. In front of him are the 
blueprints to an exo-suit, a close fitting mechanical skeleton of unearthly 
technological power. Milton hits the print key.  

A tv blurts out commentary whilst people buzz around it. Allsorts of people, 
huge wrestlers, cameramen, make-up ladies, they all share the backstage area. 
Steve stands next to the tv, watching the action as he waits outside the 
dressing room adorned with the word Sabre.

"I don't think he's going to believe me," says Steve.

The Ghost materialises next to him. She watches the door as it begins to open.

"He will," she says.

Sabre stands in the doorway, filling his jeans and t-shirt.

"Come in".

The radar screen flashes, one dot nearing the over. The screen drops down 
to Milton's side, along with the wrist it's mounted on. Milton is wearing 
the exo-suit, his body protected by a casing. He launches into the air, 
propelled by his suit.

Sabre has slouched in a chair and kicked his feet up onto the dressing 
table. He faces the mirror.

"I'm told you want to discuss something important with me."

Steve is stood beside him. He leans on the table, looking at Sabre's 
reflection.

"I need your help. I have a powerful enemy. He isn't just my enemy, he 
could be everyone's enemy."

Sabre looks into the mirror, his jaw dropping lower and lower.

"I know you think... because..." Steve breaks off and turns away from the 
mirror. As Sabre keeps looking ahead.

"I can't do this, he doesn't believe me," whispers Steve.

The Ghost looks at him and puts her hand on his chin.

"He will, you just need to convince him."

"How?"

"Show him. Show him everything."

Sabre has been watching Steve seemingly talk to himself. Steve turns 
back to the dressing table.

"I know you think I'm crazy. I know you think I was talking to myself. 
I also know that you want to know more. That you have questions. I can't 
verbally explain how I know, or why I need your help but if you will let
me, I can show you."

Sabre nods. Steve focuses on Sabre, picking through his thoughts, 
finding a point of entry. Images of Sabre's parents, his former girlfriends 
and a car crash flash through. Then he's in.

Let me show you all that I have seen and all that I know. 

What you see is me learning of my abilities, the voices barraging me and 
how badly I coped. I chose the wrong path. Self-gain and material needs
did not bring what I craved most. She is The Ghost and I talk to her not 
to myself. She always listens and always has the answers. It was Milton 
who did that to her, putting her in a coma. He was my partner but I could 
not continue to wrong the world. Now he uses his technology against those 
who stand in his way. We need you.

Steve breaks off the psychic link.

"What do you say?"

Sabre doesn't respond. He gets out of his chair and prowls the room. They 
stand in silence whilst Sabre considers his options.

The window shatters and glass shards spray the room, slicing at their flesh. 
The wall tumbles the brickwork throwing up a cloud of dust. Steve and Sabre 
lay prone on the ground, Sabre is first to his feet as Milton appears 
through the dust and smoke holding a gun.

"Stand aside," barks Milton "this is not your affair."

Sabre looks at Steve as he begins to get stand.

"Yes it is," growls Sabre.

"Fool."

Milton aims the gun at Sabre. As he fires Steve uses his psychic abilities 
to move Sabre out of the way. The ray that was fired splinters the mirror.
Milton turns his attention to Steve, but the psychic powers are turned to 
the gun and it disintegrates in Milton's hand. Sabre grabs Milton and they 
tussle. Sabre slips out of his grip and drop kicks Milton to the ground. 
The strength of the exo-skeleton allows Milton to get up immediately and 
Milton throws Sabre in to the corner of the room. Steve hurls objects from 
around the room through the air at Milton, buffeting him about. At the 
touch of a button a shield surrounds Milton and the projectiles bounce 
away. A beam fires from the exo-skeleton dropping Steve to his knees. His 
breathing becomes heavy as he tries to support himself. Milton turns off 
the shield and approaches Steve.

"That was just stun... and you've got a variety of settings... and you're 
going to show me them all," stutters Steve.

"I see your mind remains as sharp as ever," smiles Milton.  

"I didn't need to use my powers."

Milton presses a couple of buttons.

"And finally you will be with you're beloved."

Sabre runs and grabs Milton from behind, driving him face first in to the 
concrete.

"Just bring it," snarls Sabre.

Milton gets up but before he can react Sabre is on him again wrapping his 
legs round Milton's head and then spinning his body to release Milton through 
the air. Milton hits the ground. Before he getting up Milton presses the 
button for his laser, but it has broken on impact.

"No more tricks, just these," Sabre clenches his fists.

Milton stands up and takes flight soaring skywards and away from Sabre and 
Steve. Sabre goes to Steve who is lying face down on the ground. Sabre rolls 
him over.

"What can I do?" says Sabre.

"Get me to my doctor..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crusade.

Written By ChickenSoup.
Characters By ChickenSoup & PaRiS.
Cover Art By PaRiS.
New Dawn Comics (www.soljo.org/ndc/) part of Soljo Publishing (www.soljo.org).

All Storylines, Contents & Characters Copyright Next Dawn Comics & Soljo
Publishing 2004.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EOF
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------