18035/A Tour of Asteroid M

A Tour of Asteroid M
Date of Scene:	22 May 2024
Location:	Central Nexus
Synopsis:	After freeing five mutants from Purifiers, Mystique gives Jaxon a tour of the Asteroid base, and gets him settled into a guest room... he might stay, he likely won't.
Cast of Characters:	Raven Darkholme, Jaxon Blain

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Raven Darkholme has posed:
The white swirling portal sends the collared mutants, Jaxon and Mystique into a large dim room on the asteroid. Dr. Emily Hathway is already there, to take charge of the mutants who needed their collars removed, another young mutant is there to walk Mystique's motorcycle back to the motorcade, and that left Jaxon and Mystique.

"Would you like Dr. Hathway to check out your wound?" she asks of the young man. "Perhaps just to get it wrapped up? You are looking rather pale, but I don't want to force anything on you."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
"No," Jaxon replies with the barest shake of his head. "I just need a minute and the lights dimmed, then we can worry about the patch job." It's true, he's looking a little pale. In fact his skin is almost becoming translucent, the dark swirling shadows showing a little more each passing second - so maybe not /exactly/ pale but it's what passes for pale with him.

"Where the fuck are we?" It's not a heated question, it's genuine curiosity. He points to a gurney or whatever passes as a bed in the place and asks, "Can I lay down there for a minute?"

He's not waiting for an answer to start stripping his shirt off. That bullet wound is an odd thing to behold. There's no blood, no red, just tendrils of shadow snaking from a small hole with black edges.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Without a word from Mystique, Dr. Hathaway dims the lights of the room down to a very, very low level. Just enough that a normal person could manage to fumble their way through the room. With a single breath she orders a bed brought into the room, which takes all of three minutes and then she offers a nod to Mystique and departs.

"You are presently on the Asteroid M base orbiting the Earth," Mystique explains, staying back from him. "You can take all the time you need, would you prefer I leave for a while? Come back after you've rested?"

Jaxon Blain has posed:
"No, you're good." There might just be a little hint of trepidation there, like the thought of Mystique - the only person he's sure /knows/ how to get him back off this rock - leavingdoesn't sit well with him. For some bizarre reason, many people feel ashamed - feel a need to hide their scars. Not Jaxon. He gives absolute zero fucks when he's shirtless - crisscrossing scars covering his back and, to a much lesser extent, his chest. The shadowy tendrils beneath his skin are more faint under the scars due to the scar tissue making the skin there thicker.

Once he's all comfortable on the bed, he grips the sheet and twists with one hand. A cold sweat breaks out on his forehead, his jaw clenches to bite back sounds of discomfort - pain even. The shadows beneath his skin swirl almost out of control before - the majority of those visible tendrils are more or less all in his abdominal region.

It's only a moment later that the bullet he was struck with is slowly exiting from the point it went in - pushed out by Jaxon's control of the shadows, even those in his own body. It isn't until it's completely out and *plinks* to the floor after bouncing off the bed that he says, "Patching would be a good idea now."

The wound is bigger now, but not by much, and it's still 'leaking'.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique remains silent, merely watching and waiting. The scars on his body are a clear indication to her of the fights he has been in, the victories he has had. Not a single one of them should be there, he should have been permitted a life of leisure and comfort, but the humans of this world would never allow it.

When the bullet falls to the ground, she takes a slow deep breath, controlling the anger inside her as she always does. "I'll get you some bandages," she states, then moves to a cabinet to collect gauze pads and wraps, along with some antiseptic ointment. "You seems quite skilled with your abilities. Removing that bullet without even a whimper."

Walking over to the bed, she kneels down and appears to be about to wrap his wound, unless he stops her. "You are welcome to stay here, in a guest room, for as long as you'd like while you heal, Jaxon. I can see to it no one bothers you, though keeping Dr. Hathway away will require a firm hand."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
Jaxon's voice is so matter-of-fact when he says, "Eventually you learn it's better not to scream," that it's almost sad. He doesn't say it in a way that asks for pity, he doesn't even say it in a way that sounds bitter. He just says it like he might have just mentioned that he takes his coffee with cream.

He also doesn't stop Mystique from plugging that hole. He runs one hand back through his sweat dampened hair to push it back from his face and then Jaxon's eyes drift away from Mystique - he had absolutely no problem with direct eye contact while they were on her - and toward Dr. Hathway. "I'll be fine." It's not just a stubborn platitude. "I can heal myself - given time, I just need to be in a dark room, not completely dark, but dark. As long as I have shadows, I don't need a doctor."

Just a beat and he says, "So we're actually in fucking space right now?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Hathaway snorts softly as she looks to Mystique, but the blue mutant just nods to her once. With a sigh, the doctor turns and exits the room. It doesn't mean she won't try again, but for not she will depart.

Mystique is an expert at first aid, wrapping wounds and tending to them. Her touch is gentle but thorough as she wraps the wound. "We are," she offers with a smile. "Magneto created this base on a large asteroid and placed it in the orbit of Earth, above Genosha where he pulled the metal from." There is something in her voice as she says the last part, a hint of anger perhaps?

"The Brotherhood has operated from this base for several years now, out of the reach of humans and their laws that only apply to them." She takes a piece of medical trap and wraps a piece around the gauze to hold it all in place.

"This place is open to any and all mutants who would like to have nothing more to do with humans," she continues. "They can come here as a 'vacation' or from here, move on to Genosha, which is our home land."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
Once he's all patched up and not leaking anymore, Jaxon sits up. He doesn't immediately respond. It's obvious that he's thinking over his reaction to all of that - which makes it obvious that he's not /always/ someone that behaves rashly. But then again, were his actions done on the surface actually irrational? Maybe a little tiny bit overconfident in his own skills, but his attack was executed with precision.

Finally - "Sounds great, it does, but Bushwick is my home for now. Some of the people there rely on me." ...and he really did have to think that over. A place where he can just /be/ and not be labeled as 'different' or 'monster'?

He's not a 'team' player yet, but it's not like anyone's asking him to play on a team - yet?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Standing up to throw away the gauze packaging, Mystique pauses by the small table and leans against it. "I would never dream of taking you from your home, and Bushwick is a good place for our kind to be," she states as she folds her arms lightly across her chest. "The offer is always there. We take care of our mutant brothers and sisters, to the extreme in fact.

Watching him as he sits there, the way he holds his body, the tones of his voice, she realizes he's been trained to an extent that most wouldn't be able to read him. Even just sitting there, he was guarded, ready, as if someone or something would explode through the door at any second.

"You are welcome to come and go as you wish as well," she then adds. "If you ever want to just visit, get a meal, or even gather food and clothing for those who rely on you. We are family Jaxon, who better to take care of each other than family?"

Jaxon Blain has posed:
The literal storm clouds that are always floating through his eyes grow darker and more intense, nearly blocking out the blue completely - but just for a second, just for a beat. It would be easily missed by someone not watching him closely.

Family. The storm kicked up a notch while Mystique was talking about family - so that must be a touchy subject and now, if she was paying attention, she knows one of his 'tells'.

None of that shows in his voice when he mentions, "Could use some kid-sized summer clothes." Put off by the family thing or not, he's not going to pass up an opportunity to help care for those less fortunate.

"I might take you up on a night's sleep." Because he's certainly not at his best at the moment and he's not exactly safe Earthside when he's not at the top of his game.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Standing herself up from the table she leaned against, Mystique reaches up to the ear piece and says, <I need a fresh set of clothing brought to the resting room,> then proceeds to give Jaxon's exact measurements.

Yes, she was paying attention. She observed everything, its what she was trained to do and really she knew no other way to exist. A tell, family. It angered her to know that yet another mutant found pain in that word being spoken.

"We'll get you into some clean clothes, then I'll show you to the quest quarters," she explains. "Once you've rested a bit, I'll show you around the base and give you one of our cell phones."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
"Cell phone?" A little bit more of a storm in those eyes. "Is that... I don't want to be tracked." It just wouldn't do for Jaxon to have someone tracking the antics of Tenebris - at least not now, not yet. Maybe he'll come around to that idea later? But for now, his thieving ways are something he'd like to keep secret.

Little does he know that she already knows.

"You can show me around now. I'm good for it. Once I fall asleep, it might be tomorrow night before I wake up."

He glances down a minute at his hands, clenching them into fists and then flexing them again. "You don't happen to have a violin up here anywhere?" he asks just before he looks back up again. It's odd that he seems almost more worried about sharing that - asking for that - than he did about revealing his scars.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
A young mutant with yellow skin knocks once and opens the door. He enters long enough to set a pair of jeans and a tshirt, along with under garments, on the end of the bed, give Mystique a nod, then he exits.

"Jaxon," she says softly. "The cell phone has tracking on it, to protect those who might need help but can't ask for it, but that said, it can be deactivated."

A smile is offered as she calmly turns around to give him privacy, "But you should know, I've already been tracking you. I don't need phones or other such devices to find you. I'd heard about the new mutant thief helping mutants in Bushwick, and thus I was curious. If you would prefer I stop that as well, I will."

Making sure to give him time to change before she turns back around, "We have several violins available, you are welcome to choose one from the quarter master, but are you certain you're up to a tour now? Sleeping through to tomorrow night would do you good."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
It's probably a good thing that Mystique isn't facing him when she mentions that she's already been tracking him. Those storm clouds do completely cover the blue in his eyes for a beat at that revelation. She might, however, hear the subtle breath he takes - just a little deeper than normal - to help get himself under control.

Panic might be the wrong word for what he felt with that admission - but it's close. A stranger tracking his movements? It's enough to set anyone a little on edge, let alone someone like Jaxon. Not just a thief, no that's not the only reason. He's also a man on the run from a monster - a very human monster.

"Yeah, kinda wish you wouldn't do that anymore." What if 'He' got a bead on that information?

When she turns back around, he's dressed. He's also not looking quite as translucent as when they first arrived. He's not completely healed by any means, but he's looking much better now that he's no longer walking around with tendrils of darkness leaking from him.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique nods, "As you wish, no more tracking." It was a lie, a bold faced, totally believable lie. She knew too much about the kid to let him wander out there completely alone, he was in danger and dangerous.

"You do look better," she admits with a smile. "Now, about that tour."

From the resting room, as she called it, she leads Jaxon through the medical center. He can see they are basically stocked like a hospital, ready for any kind of wounded that might come in. "This is our medical bay," she begins with tour information. "All of the staff are mutants, and thus ready and able to work on mutants, even ones as unique as you."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
Good thing the kid doesn't have any lie detection powers. Might just be a done deal with him gone if he knew that. Although, given time, he might grow to be okay with it.

"That's good to know," he replies in that same - friendly but distant - voice. He's impressed with the place for sure, but it's not something he's going to be wearing on his sleeve. Give as little information as possible and even less about feelings one way or another on anything - it's the current code Jaxon lives by.

He does have to ask, "So, /everyone/ here is a mutant?" Because that's just a completely foreign concept to him, a place without humans - other than Genosha.

"Magneto, he's the one that caused all of the damage to Genosha? Or at least the snatching up of stuff after?" It's question, but it sounds a little like he knows /some/ of the answer. He's not totally out of the loop with mutant affairs. "Why?" Did he do that to his own people.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Passing through the lobby of the medical bay, Mystique offers a nod to the receptionist before holding the exit door open for Jaxon.

"There are a very few select humans here, those who are accepting of mutants and have proved themselves so many, many times," she states, still reading Jaxon as they walk. He's good at what he does. Gather information, offer nothing, but body language is still readable... he was nervous, apprehensive even, but she expected him to be.

"There is a great deal of controversy over what Magneto did, but yes... he is the one who took all the metal from Genosha, after Brainiac attacked and destroyed it." She pauses there a moment, and even stops moving to look at him. "Many mutants, including Magneto ended up bottled by Brainiac. That does something to you, the effect on your mind is... noticeable. Magneto was no exception to that, so when he and the others were freed from the bottle..."

For a moment she is silent, looking around the central nexus as mutants come and go on their daily routines. Finally she looks back to him. "I don't know the specifics of why, I only know that he wanted to create a place that humans could never get to and harm, a safe space for mutants off the planet. Do I agree with his actions? No I do not, and I made that clear to him."

She starts walking again, through the nexus. He would notice that people get out of her way and offer her a wave or nod as she passes. "We have tried to move on from that past, we don't fully forgive, and we will never forget. Lorna Dane, his daughter, is the Queen of Genosha... she is our Queen, and we have aided her in rebuilding Genosha to the thriving mutant country it now is."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
"Bad enough when they rape and pillage us," Jaxon mumbles quietly. It's more something thought but said in a quiet 'outside' voice instead. But 'they', it's another tell of sorts. He definitely seems to see it as an 'us and them' situation when it comes to non-mutants.

He falls into just following along and listening. The more he sees, of course, the more impressive it all is - but he's not about to let it show.

"I know who Lorna Dane is," he says and then, "And your Mystique." She's pretty obvious - she's blue and all that. But it's not really a surprise that he knows names of all the more 'notorious' mutants? They are, after all, the stories - the ones - that Stryker used to try to convince him that many mutants were dangerous killers.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The conversation topic between Jaxon and Mystique have a few eyes turning toward them as they pass, but no one seems to actually stop or say anything. Most are well aware of the fine line Mystique walks when finding new mutants, and they aren't about to interrupt what could be a win or lose situation with one.

"You sound as if you are as sick and tired of humans as I am," she states, having heard his comment. "I have tried numerous times to accept them, to understand them, and to work with them. I am done doing that." She snorts softly as the reach the hall leading down to the Meteor bar on the right, and the cafeteria on the left.

"I'm not surprised that you know who we are," she continues with a soft laugh. "I am in the spot light a great deal due to my work, and Lorna is... an amazing Queen, Jaxon." She pauses to look at him, her expression almost kind and filled with admiration. "The work she has done, the goals she has set, and all for mutants. It is pretty common knowledge at this point that the Brotherhood supports her, and I would die to protect her."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
"They're nothing but a disappointment." Once again, there's nothing to really indicate any emotion in Jaxon's words. He could be talking about the weather - but coupled with his earlier reaction to 'family talk', could be it's not just the strangers of the human race that have been a disappointment to hi.

"She's young, too young to have to deal with all of that." Just a hint of - figures, all of us grow up to fast - in his tone there. "So," and then he just gets right down to it, "I know you're all about helping mutants, safe space and all that but just be straight with me - why else am I really here? I know kindness when I see it and I see it here, but I also know interest. So why are you interested in me?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Indicating the cafeteria from the hall, it's plan to see that no one goes hungry in there. Buffet style dining, a long with a counter to order something specific if preferred. It is the bar that she walks in to as they talk.

"Lorna has my support," she repeats. "She is too young, and she knows it, which is why she turns to me when she needs to."

The bar is a large gathering place, dim at this time of night, with just a few mutants sitting in the back watching the large screen television. Mystique heads directly to a table in the corner, and slides into the booth. Before she's even completely settled, the bartender is there with a cup of coffee and asks Jaxon what he'd like.

"There are numerous reasons that I am interested in you Jaxon, so I will begin with the most obvious. Your power set if very unique, very special and that makes you so beautiful to my eyes." She adds a touch of cream to her coffee, then settles in. "The second, and probably the more important reason for my interest is that you are alone, and no mutant should ever be completely alone."

Lifting the cup to take a sip of her coffee, she waits a moment for that part to sink in. If he ordered something is was delivered in that silence, and then she continues. "You think I want something, that I might be attempting to recruit you, or manipulate you into joining the Brotherhood... for someone in your position, these thoughts would be perfectly normal. I want nothing from you." The last statement is made rather firmly.

"What I want is to offer you all the things no one else ever has, and in return all you are expected to do is enjoy them," she takes another sip of her coffee then sets the cup down. "I want to help protect you from your enemies, the humans who would try to do you harm. I want you to be able to see that you have a family, and yes I realize that's difficult, but we are family and we are here for you whenever you need us."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
"The last person that was interested in me because I was 'unique', didn't have the best of intentions." Voice the same, conversational and matter-of-fact, but those storm clouds pass over once again. Jaxon can control his emotions on a conversational level, but those eyes are just the same as someone's heartrate rising. It's a biological change he can't control.

For the first time, he seems unwilling to make direct eye contact. Up until now, he's been very direct, keep eye contact whenever Mystique was facing him. Now, he looks down. "I work better alone." As soon as the words are said, he looks back up - first to Mystique and then to the bar tender.

"Just water."

Those stormy blue eyes turn back to Mystique. He tilts his head ever so slightly, his brow creases just a little - it's as if he's wavering - weight options, calculating choices. It's an expression Mystique has seen before a good six years ago. Maybe it's still familiar now.

That scared little boy, he turned away in the end. Will he do the same now?

"I was nine when I left home." Still that same conversational tone. He doesn't elaborate further, doesn't tell her why he left. "I've gained some powerful enemies since then. Feel like that's my cross to bear." So no one else gets hurt because of him. "But if you want to help me help the people in Bushwick, won't turn that down."

It's not a complete 'turn down', he's not /completely/ pulling away, so that's something.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Sipping her coffee, one leg crossed over the other, Mystique appears perfectly calm. Inside however, a war was raging. She hardly knew this boy, but she knew enough that her heart cried for blood and revenge for everything that had been done to him. Everything he had endured alone.

She read him like a book, the way he looked away told a story so clearly. He was terrified, alone, and for reasons she could only guess, wanted to stay that way. In her mind he was attempting to stay alone because it was easier, his work, his purpose, and his enemies. But his enemies were all Mutant's enemy.

"Nine years old," she repeats softly, shaking her head a little. "So young to be on your own, too young to know the dangers out there in the world."

She sets the coffee cup down, meeting his eyes without pause as she says, "I am aware who your enemy is Jaxon, in fact they are the enemy of all mutants. Purifiers."

Again there is a pause, a moment for him to either react or collect himself, she guessed collect himself. He was controlling his emotions, keeping things locked up, just as he had been trained to do.

"It is not your cross to bar alone," she finally adds. "We already stand against them anywhere they show their ugly heads, and do not hesitate to kill them should they try to harm us. The truth, full truth... you cannot face them alone, but if you insist that is how it must be for you, then I would ask only that if you do get in over your head, you contact me for help."

The bartender glances toward the table as he wipes down the bar, an action that wasn't needed but was a habit. Mystique's eyes flash to him for a single moment and he nods, focusing once again on his tasks.

"Everything in this base is yours to take for the mutants of Bushwick.... clothing, food, anything you need." She ends with, and collects her coffee again.

Jaxon Blain has posed:
Collect himself is the right answer. Jaxon doesn't flinch when she makes her admission. He looks away for a moment, out past Mystique rather than directly at her, but other than that and those damned clouds in his eyes - nothing.

Another thing that he doesn't do is correct her the way he might want to - not just 'Purifiers' in the general sense but 'Him'.

"Facing them directly has never been my plan." He's smarter than that. Jaxon is so very far from 'stupid' that it's almost scary. "But avoiding being noticed to the best of my ability, I can manage that on my own." Still not stupid, but perhaps a little too confident? Little does he know that it'll only be a few nights from this one that he's seen and identified.

It's there again though, that pensive 'weighing his options' expression. "I'll use the phone if I have to," he finally relents. "But no tracking." Jaxon isn't ready to trust that far, not yet.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique offers another nod to the bartender, who reaches up under the bar to collect something and brings it to the table. He gives Jaxon a brief smile, a slight nod and goes back to his place.

The item he brought was a cell phone box. It looked like any other cell phone in the world, rich and fancy looking even. Mystique opened the box to remove the phone, then reaches up to tap her earpeice, <"H&D, deactivate the tracking on cell phone 34298JP201.">

Jaxon can see the phone turn on by itself, the screen flickering to life with a series of computer codes running across it. After a moment the phone turns off again, and she offers it to Jaxon.

"There are three phone numbers already programmed into the phone. One is mine. You can call me any time you wish. The next will reach our teleporters, if you ever need to get out of a situation you are in quickly, they will bring you here." She slides the phone across the table toward him.

"The third reaches H&D, should you need to be tracked down or are seeking information on someone or something, they are our computer experts."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
Jaxon takes the phone and just shoves it into a back pocket. It's probably pretty certain that he'll be giving it a good once over once he's off the asteroid. He's not a tech genius, but he is a bit of a security expert and some of those skills overlap.

The bar tender got the barest of greetings, a little up-nod.

Everything about Jaxon just screams /guarded/. ... except for the way he carries himself. There's no avoidance efforts, no arms crossed over his chest. Outwardly, he's just as relaxed as he might be hanging out with a buddy at a bar.

"So, is there some sort of secret handshake I need to know if these teleporters come for me?" It's a joke. His tone doesn't sound like he's joking, nothing in his expression says that he's joking, but those cloudy blue eyes give him away again. There's a small 'twinkle' to them like stars shining behind the clouds.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique laughs softly. "I'll make sure Ritz teaches it to you, something with two squeezes and a scream."

She finishes off her coffee and slides the cup away. "All you have to do is call. Give the person who answers your location, or perhaps use the camera on your phone to show your location, depending on which teleporter is available, and a portal will appear."

She continues to watch him, can sense the guarded and see it clearly, and yet there was something else there... the scared boy. He was never allowed to grow up, not in the sense of becoming an adult through learning about life.

"Would you like to see the rest of the base, or are you ready to be shown to a guest room?" She asks. "I can always give you the rest of the tour when you wake up."

Jaxon Blain has posed:
"I think going to the guest room is a good idea. Lot to process. I'll promise to use the phone if I'm in trouble if you have a Stradivari around here somewhere." Again, it's a joke. Jaxon's pretty sure they don't just have a Stradivari just laying around. But there's actually just a hint of something akin to emotion in his expression, not just something reflected in those cloudy eyes - wistful maybe? Makes it very apparent that the whole violin thing is something important to him, perhaps the one joyful thing he had in all those years spent in hell.

Jaxon pushes himself up from the stool he settled on, pulls a tenner out of the wallet in his pocket and lays it on the bar. All he ordered was a water... "Keep the change," he calls out to the bar tender.

Then his attention is back on Mystique. "Please just make sure everyone knows the room is off limits while I'm in there." Because it's hard to say if they'd walk out alive if they surprised him in a strange room, just waking up and startled.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
A smile appears on Mystique's face that is a mixture of coy and mischievous. Standing up, she taps the earpiece and says, <"Guest room preparations, deliver case four, storage C, shelf 18 to the room.>

Looking back to Jaxon, she nods, "You don't have to pay for anything on the asteroid Jaxon, it's all provided for free." She gestures toward the exit.

"Right this way. If you need anything while you're hear, there is a communication panel by the door, just tap it and someone will bring it to you."

The distance from the bar to the guest rooms requires one elevator right and a short walk down a hall. When they reach the room, the door slides open automatically. "I hope you rest well, Jaxon."

When he enters the room he will find all that he needs, including a Stradovari in a case on the table.