Appearing in "The Price"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- "Courtney Ross" (Opal Lun Sat-Yr9) (Impersonates Courtney Ross)
- Lightning Force
- Callisto (Earth-597)
- Dr. Moira MacTaggert (Earth-597)
- Nazis (Earth-597)
- Feldwebel (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Abby
- Brigitte (First appearance)
- Phoenix (Mentioned)
- Illyana Rasputin (Mentioned)
- Gatecrasher (Photo)
- Excalibur (Earth-8919) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Shadowcat (Earth-8919) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Meggan (Earth-8919) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Captain Britain (Earth-8919) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Nightcrawler (Earth-8919) (First appearance) (Cameo)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth-616
- Earth-597 (Mentioned)
- Earth-8919
- Earth
- Forrest Palace
- Earth
Items:
Vehicles:
Events:
- Inferno (Mentioned)
Synopsis for "The Price"
As Phoenix and Kitty Pryde fly home, Nigel Frobisher watches them, strongly attracted by Phoenix. When Big Ben chimes 9 o'clock, he suddenly remembers that he has an appointment with Courtney Ross. He owes her one million Pounds - a sum he cannot pay - and so he is anxious to meet her in time. He hurries to her office, knocking several people down, and eventually reaches her secretary Brigitte with the last strike of Big Ben. Nevertheless, Courtney Ross accuses him of being late.
Kitty and Rachel reach the Excalibur Lighthouse where Rachel destroyed the roof when she got the distress signal from her baby brother Nathan Summers. She is shocked by the extent of destruction she caused. When they land in front of the door, they discover a sword sticking in a rock. Kitty immediately recognizes the Soulsword. Rachel tries to pull it out but the sword doesn't move. Kitty refuses to draw the sword and enters the lighthouse where she finds the unconscious Lockheed, who was attacked by Lightning Force.
Meanwhile, Courtney Ross demands that Nigel Frobisher pays his debts. He refuses, telling her that she doesn't have any legal hold over him. She reminds him that they were surrounded by witnesses during their card game and that he will loose his reputation and social status if he refuses to pay his wager. Nigel then admits that he cannot pay the money and Courtney Ross offers him to pay his debts by serving her. She even promises him wealth, power, and respectability and Nigel agrees. She marks him with a lightning earring which is meant to remind him of his new status as her pet and servant. His first assignment is to meet with Technet's Gatecrasher and to make them an offer.
A few days later, Alistaire Stuart visits the Excalibur Lighthouse. He is greeted by Rachel and the two of them immediately start flirting. Kitty Pryde, wearing a pink bath robe, is ashamed about her outer appearance. She is attracted to Stuart but he only has eyes for Rachel. Together, they discuss Widget and how to activate him. After they left Widget alone in the living room, he awakes.
In the Tower of London, Alysande Stuart is alone in an office. Suddenly, a brimstone cloud announces the appearance of Nightcrawler. It is Kurt Wagner's evil counterpart from the Earth-597 dimension. He grabs Stuart and threatens to abuse her. But Alysandre changes her shape and becomes Meggan who pushes Nightcrawler away. Before he crashes into a wall, he teleports and is caught when he materializes on the other side of the wall. Captain Britain, Excalibur's Nightcrawler, some W.H.O. officers, Lightning Force and Reichsminister Moira MacTaggert await him. Kurt Wagner is shocked about how predictable his counterpart was and is afraid of his own darker sides.
At Excalibur Lighthouse, Alistaire Stuart and Rachel Summers go for a walk while Kitty is left behind. She decides that she will try to become as attractive as Rachel, so she opens Rachel's closet and tries one of her red suits. Kitty feels unwell in this new outfit and decides that she doesn't dare to wear ist. Suddenly, she stands naked before a group of aliens in a giant hall. Some hairy Excalibur counterparts stare at her and she introduces herself to them. Then, the scene changes and she finds herself naked before Rachel and Alistaire. She is so ashamed that the phases through the floor and hides in the cellar, crying.
Some time later, Kitty begins experimenting with Widget who seems to be asleep. Her work is interrupted by a telepathic call from Rachel, informing her that Nightcrawler needs her presence.
In the north of England, the Lightning Force Reichsrail Train is ready for the exchange procedure. All members of Excalibur and Lightning Force are assembled at the railway station when Kitty and Rachel join them. Lockheed cries out and then Excalibur discovers that the train is powered by a greater version of Lockheed, trapped in the train engine and serving as a slave. They begin to argue with Moira MacTaggert, but she defends her methods. A portal opens and the Earth-616 Moira MacTaggert, Callisto and the train crew step back into their dimension. The Earth-597 counterparts, on the other hand, break their arrangement - when the portal is closing, Reichsminister MacTaggart throws a nuclear grenade into the portal. Rachel tries to contain the explosion with her psi powers, but the explosion is too strong. Suddenly, the giant face of Widget appears and then the train - together with all Excalibur members on board - disappears.