| Synopsis
| - The X-Men are racing toward the secret hideout of their alien foe Lucifer when their ship is suddenly deflected by a strange force field. Flying away from the scene to find another way through, the team notices strange objects being pulled out of the sky into the mysterious base. Also witnessing the spectacle is Porter Mack, the owner of a Dude Ranch near Buchanan's Butte, the location of the disturbance. Feeling that the strange goings on will drive away his customer base, he takes some of his best men out to investigate the disturbance and try to find some way to stop it.
The X-Men meanwhile keep on circling the Butte until the strange light source disappears, however upon approaching the Butte they cannot get any closer still because it suddenly starts spraying a geyser of hot water at them. Spotting a nearby stream that goes under the Butte, the X-Men decide to investigate to see if it's a safe passage into their foes hideout. Leaving their plane, the team leaves the Professor behind as they begin to search for a way into their base. Along the way they are spotted and attacked by Porter and his posse, who think the X-Men are responsible and attempt to capture them as there may be a reward since they are still wanted criminals. However the X-Men make short work of their would-be attackers, sending them sprawling into the river below where they retreat, all except for Porter who avoided this humiliating defeat. Porter attempts to take a shot at Iceman but fails when Angel spots him and quickly disarms him. Sealing him in an ice block around his arms, the X-Men load the would be attacker on a horse and send him packing back to his ranch.
Continuing to search for an entrance, the X-Men make their way to the river and have Iceman create an ice raft for them to ride along. They follow the river to the underground opening and find themselves caught in a whirlpool. As the X-Men are swept away, the Professor is shocked to find that telepathic contact with his students have been severed, however before Xavier can do anything he is confronted by two robots commanded by Lucifer's Dominus robots who capture the Professor and carry him away into Lucifer's base. Taken before Lucifer himself, the Professor is put at the alien's mercy with the robots inquiring if they can destroy the telepathic Mutant. Lucifer refuses the request, telling the robots and the Professor that he prefers that Xavier lives so that he can witness as Lucifer's Dominus super-computer enslaves the entire world.
While elsewhere in Lucifer's base, the X-Men are separated, with Angel, Cyclops and Marvel Girl being captured in a transparent cage. Beast and Iceman meanwhile, are attacked by another Dominus robot that attempts to capture them, but fails to stop the young Mutants. Although they manage to escape the robot, they run right into a dropping metal wall that knocks them out, allowing for them to be captured.
With all the X-Men his prisoners, Lucifer gloats over his victory and that he intends to use the Dominus computers to activate a device that would strip humanity of their individual wills and turn them into slaves that would toil and work as slaves of the Quist aliens that Lucifer is a member of.
Meanwhile, the X-Men attempt to break out of their prison, to no avail, and when the Dominus robots place Iceman and Beast into their cell they fail to free themselves as they are pushed back by an incredible force. However, the X-Men manage to free themselves when Jean uses her telekinetic powers to operate the release switch on the cells control panel. Freed, they ambush the one robot left to guard them and race toward Lucifer's control room. With the alarm sounding, Lucifer sends his robots out to try and stop the X-Men. The X-Men duck out of sight to avoid detection and then rush Lucifer.
They get a mental command from the Professor telling them not to damage the computer, however Iceman doesn't believe the command came from the Professor and attempts to destroy it anyway, but Marvel Girl stops him. This leads to a brief scuffle between teammates until they all decide to hold off on destroying the computer until after they have dealt with Lucifer and his robots. The X-Men destroy all of Lucifer's robots. With his robots destroyed, Lucifer stops the battle and rushes to his communication device for more orders. When the Supreme Leader appears on the screen, he informs Lucifer that with the ultra robots -- the only things that could operate the computer -- destroyed, their mission is a failure, and that Lucifer is to return to their home planet to be punished. Suddenly right before the X-Men's eyes, Lucifer and all of his equipment are teleported away from the scene.
With the threat passed, the Professor explains to his students that his mental probing had learned that the Dominus computer has a specific defense mechanism: That it would redirect any force thrown against it right back at it's attackers putting his students at risk, and thus the reason why he ordered them not to attack the computer directly. With all explained, the X-Men and the Professor depart the base to return home, unsure where Lucifer came from or if the aliens he represented will threaten the Earth again.
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