X-Factor#65(1991)

While Cyclops and Beast prepare to assess X-Factor's combat readiness aboard Ship, the headquarters suddenly loses power. The interruption is brief, and Ship resumes normal operations, attributing the incident to a minor malfunction while initiating a system check. With the X-Men currently absent, Cyclops reminds his teammates of their responsibility to protect both humans and mutants, then puts them through a demanding combat simulation. Unknown to X-Factor, Apocalypse and his followers are monitoring the exercise through a connection established by Harddrive, who has infiltrated Ship's defenses. Apocalypse assigns each of his warriors an opponent, matching Foxbat against Cyclops, Gauntlet against Beast, Tusk against Archangel, Psynapse against Marvel Girl, and Barrage against Iceman. When Ship begins detecting the intrusion, Harddrive disconnects on Apocalypse's orders. Their leader warns his followers against underestimating their adversaries, emphasizing that Ship itself is the principal target of their operation. After the exercise, Cyclops criticizes his teammates for their poor coordination. Although Bobby argues that they have always managed to prevail when it matters, Scott insists that their past losses demonstrate the consequences of their shortcomings. Jean later challenges his harsh attitude, but Scott explains that their increasingly dangerous enemies leave little room for error. She counters that their struggle for peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants has always demanded sacrifices, yet their efforts remain worthwhile. Elsewhere, Archangel flies over the city while reflecting on his transformation into Apocalypse's Horseman Death and his eventual escape from his former master's influence. After narrowly avoiding a collision with a helicopter, he meets Officer Charlotte Jones in Brooklyn. Warren admits that his dangerous double life could put her at risk, but Charlotte understands the hazards of her own profession and reassures him that their relationship is worth the uncertainty. The two embrace, renewing their romantic connection. Meanwhile, Iceman visits Opal Tanaka at Acme Records and invites her to lunch. After informing her coworker Rick that she will return shortly, Opal accompanies Bobby on an airborne journey atop his ice slide. She remains apprehensive about the dangers surrounding his superhero career, but Bobby assures her that he will protect her if trouble arises. At Ship, Beast examines the preliminary results of the diagnostic scan and reports to Cyclops that no abnormalities have been detected. Hank nevertheless remains concerned about Trish Tilby, who is reporting from Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Later, while Scott and Hank discuss Ship's unexplained problems, Apocalypse's concealed vessel crashes through the headquarters' hull, allowing his strike team to launch its assault. Cyclops and Beast confront Barrage, Tusk, and Gauntlet, while Marvel Girl is drawn into a psychic confrontation with Psynapse on the Astral Plane. Since her telekinesis offers no advantage there, Jean is particularly vulnerable to his mental attacks. Psynapse forces her to relive childhood memories, including the death of her friend Annie and the awakening of her telepathic abilities. Jean unexpectedly establishes a psychic link with her teammates, alerting Archangel and Iceman to the emergency. Warren returns to Ship and strikes Tusk, knocking him into Barrage, whom Bobby promptly traps alongside him in ice. On the Astral Plane, Jean manages to turn the tables on Psynapse and disable him through a telepathic counterattack. Rejoining the others, she also uses her newly awakened mental abilities to incapacitate Gauntlet, although she does not fully understand the nature of her emerging powers. With the intruders apparently defeated, X-Factor has little time to celebrate. The attackers' vessel begins releasing techno-organic material that penetrates Ship and burrows toward its central cybernetic core. Cyclops attempts to contact the sentient headquarters but receives no response. Aboard the invading craft, Harddrive reports to Apocalypse that the infection is spreading through Ship's primary systems and that its defenses are no longer operational. She concludes that Ship's destruction is now inevitable.