Sanctuary by Christopher Golden Page A

Ch 'od. If I can catch you, it'll be a whole lot easier if I don't have to worry about two objects that need to be halted. Grab him and hold on tight.
    Their minds linked and clear once again, Jean could sense the struggle Scott went through, reaching out for and latching on to the amphibious alien. She knew his hates and fears, knew that his first inclination would be some act of selflessness, some way to help Ch'od even at his own expense.
    Don't even think it , her mental voice called to him. Just hold on tight, and be ready for the impact. If I can stop your momentum at this distance. it might be a heck of a tug.
    Whatever it takes, Scott's mind responded. Got him!
    All right. prepare yourself, she thought. Jean Grey reached out her mind again. She felt more than ever the dichotomous nature of her mutant mental abilities. It was, in that moment, as if her telepathy was one arm, pinpointing and targeting Cyclops and Ch'od at that great distance, and her telekinesis was another arm, the fingers of which gently wrapped around the two, closing into a protective fist around them.
    Then, with that mental fist, she simply pulled.
    Jean Grey cried out in pain.
    "Jean!" Corsair called, instantly at her side in the cockpit. "Are you okay? What's happening?"
    She waved him away without even opening her eyes, still focused on Scott and Ch'od, on the strain she felt as she tried to halt their motion. It felt as though someone were tearing her skull apart, some savage animal worrying at it to get to her mind.
    Finally, she let go.
    Scott, I think I could pull you back here if you didn't have so much momentum, she sent, certain he would read the despair in her heart. But I can't stop it, honey. God. I'm sorry. I can 't slow you down.
    There was silence then, out in space, and through their rapport she could sense Scott's mind churning, searching for an answer, a solution. When he found it, she felt that as well.

    What is it? she asked, before he'd had time even to call her name.
    It's a long shot, Jean, but it's all we've got, he said. Ch'od's going to hold on to me, tight.from behind. With all the power I've leeched from our proximity to the sun, if I can let off every ounce of that in one optic blast, in the direction we are moving, it should act like a retro-thruster. It should stop us, and it might even start us back toward the Starjarnmer.
    But you'll never be able to stay conscious, she thought, and felt despair creeping up on her, familiar as her shadow.
    True, he responded. But Ch'od will. As long as he can hold on to me while I try this stunt, you can pull us both in by locking on to him.
    It might work, Jean thought. Then, in unison, their mental voices said, It has to.
    • • •
    Cyclops explained his plan to Ch'od quickly. They had not a second to spare, as each moment moved them further from the Starjammer , and closer to the outer limits of Jean's power to retrieve them.
    "Get around behind me," Scott barked, and, using the X-Man's body to guide himself, Ch'od spun around with startling speed and efficiency. Normally he was extremely congenial and inquisitive. But in an emergency, he was all business. Corsair had told Cyclops that many times, but this was the first time Scott had really seen it in action.
    Ch'od wrapped his arms around Cyclops' chest, even as their legs twined together. It was as if he were giving the huge Timorian a piggyback ride, something that would have been physically impossible in normal gravity.
    "Is this too tight?" Ch'od asked, ever courteous, even in the worst of times.
    "A little uncomfortable," Cyclops admitted. "But I'll live. Whatever you do, don't let go. And don't squeeze too tight, or you'll have nothing left to hold on to. lust mold your body to niine. Do as I do, and brace yourself."
    They were spinning, end over end, and Cyclops knew they were only going to get one chance at this. It had to be timed perfectly, and his aim was vital to their survival. In this he relied on a special