6368/Cry the Children: Beginning

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Cry the Children: Beginning
Date of Scene: 29 May 2021
Location: The Mutant Compound of Muk'Tek
Synopsis: The X-Men UnSHIELDed
Cast of Characters: James Proudstar, Ororo Munroe, Clarice Ferguson, Laura Kinney, Rogue, Henry McCoy, Rahne Sinclair, Jimmy Hudson, Lorna Dane




James Proudstar has posed:
It is a hot hazy tropical day on this island paradise. The temp is in the 90's, it's sticky and there is mild cloud cover (You're welcome.) You've all been briefed on the situation, Muk'Tek a regional tribal leader, we try not to call them warlords, has taken a group of college students from rich and powerful families captive in an attempt to gain some notoriety and it actually worked. The X-Men have come to speak to Muk'tek, to establish his motives and his claims of mutant incarceration. X-Force has come to free the captives. To sneak in and get them out without being seen or heard, at least not with any living witnesses.
    The X-Men arrive at the flap of Muk'Tek's hut, it is a simple structure trying to be grand and the space has been as lavishly appointed as the tribe can manage for their honored guests. Muk'Tek is a pheromancer, and as you enter, those with enhanced senses can detect the pheromones in the air but the figure sitted in the center of the large table flanked by his ministers is being generous on either side seems honest and trustworthy.

     Team sneaky arrives on the shore some distance away from the camp. They port in to meet James who has been on the ground for a few days. He has reconoitered the space and will lead them through the back of the cave system to where the children are being kept under close guard.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
The first thing that will occur is a simple change, the wind will pick up... not gall force or anything, but enough to keep those pheromones' moving and harder to maintain. That last thing Storm wants is someone effected by them, and of course it weakens the tribal leader, warlord cause that's what he is, position. If she has to move the air inside this hut, she will, but hopefully the outside air moving is enough.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Blink - naturally - is in charge of transportation, as the small group step out onto the shore through a gash in reality that surrounding by a purple haze. Her gaze immediately shifts to their surroundings - searching for any sign of threat, with one of her silver javelins held in one hand - a quiver of them perched on her shoulder. She's cautious, and poised for for trouble, her gaze continually scanning their surroundings - but returning to James now and then so he can lead the way.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Many mutants tend to eschew Human tools and techniques in favor of focusing on their unique abilities and powers. Laura isn't most mutants. For a stealth mission in a jungle, with the goal of silently clearly a way through to hostages, she's opted for full jungle camoflage gear and silenced firearms. A pair of handguns and a submachine gun, loaded with subsonic rounds, plus all sorts of pouches with equipment she might need.

Her skin is covered by carefully applied make-up so she can blend in with the local vegetation. And if not for the serious expression on her face you might mistake her for a tiny Rambo cosplayer.

No sooner has Blink teleported them in she's sniffing the air for signs of trouble. While listening intently to the sounds around her to get a sense of the place.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue immediately falls in love with all of the locals upon being infected by the pheremones.

She's standing around smiling at them all and offering a slight sway to her shoulders as she stuffs her hands in to the pockets on her jacket. She's wearing a simple X-Men uniform of green and black underneath it, thankfully those suits breathe well. Her green eyes are looking around as she walks behind STorm, having been pretty quiet on the trip thus far. "I like it here. Somethin' about this plac eis... nice." She quietly says in her southern accented voice before the winds change and the place is cleared out....

Henry McCoy has posed:
Dressed in a Khaki outfit in the style of Steve Irwin, Henry is thankful for the breeze created by Storm. Both for the pheremones being cleared, at the cooling affect on the furry man. At least he was convinced to not wear a pith helmet! With his glasses perched on his nose, he looks like any jungle scientist might at work. The Beast offers a polite bow to the tribal leader. "Thank you for speaking with us, Muk'Tek. We appreciate your time." He looks to the other, waiting for instructions on whether to sit or stand.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
The smallish redhead who's come along is dressed properly. She has on her good kilt, the MacTaggart tartan and lovely fabric that suits her well, and a light shirt because she's not a complete idiot. After all, we do have access to a weather database in backwards America.

Scotland doesn't need one. Unless you want a sign that says 'expect clouds' over your email browser.

She is the smallest member of this team, clearly young and clearly out of her depth, but as she walks in a bit behind and to the left she sniffs the air. Her eyes blink rapidly, lips twitching just a tiny bit, and she begins to open her mouth to say something.

Then a breeze comes up, out of nowhere, and her lips part in an 'oh' before she lowers her hands. Those wide eyes are looking at all of the things, but she looks so damn small...

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo Munroe wears her X-Men uniform, something she hasn't had on in a long while. She stays with the rest of the group outside the main hut, waiting to ensure they are all present and ready, even if Rogue is madly falling in love with everyone else. She much prefers to let someone else to the talking, that allows her to look over things in a way only her eyes can see. The flow of energies around the place, through the people, the air, the plants, even the earth itself.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
Jimmy Hudson is wearing camo as well, including facepaint. He doesn't, however, have guns on him. They're not really his style. He's got a certain amount of skill in moving undetected in the woods, due to experience hunting, but he's no trained operative like Laura. He'll follow along, stealthy as possible, trying to pick up technique as he goes. He's also sniffing and listening for hints of trouble as they go.

James Proudstar has posed:
Muk'Tek looks a bit perturbed at being out maneuvered but these are the world known X-Men after all. He smiles graciously and stands taking each of you in kind, "I am Muk'tek, and these are my people. You honor us with your presence. Please, sit, I offer refreshments after your travels. Thank you for coming my people face a grave threat from across the sea. My first Man, Dannou, escaped from his captors. He was able to return to us, with assistance of his wife, she is a far traveler you see." There is a man who looks wane and emaciated, haunted. The woman next to him his wife hovers protectively. Drinks or water and juice are placed near your seats. The drinks are poured from a common pitcher and Muk'Tek and one his people both sip from them to show it is safe, there are also light appetizers mainly fruit. Muk'tek sits once you have done so.

    There is very little that impedes the flow of energy, this place is beautiful and healthy with the exception of Dannou, He is broken, and his energy is bottled up. The flow has been stymied in a way meant to take control of his mind and spirit, Hank your medical training detects trauma, and deeper scars. Rogue, carol's military sense are giving off warning signals.

    James is dressed like a native in jeans and a dark single color tee shirt. he has a few irregulars with him local islanders and they blink and talk rapidly at the arrival of the heroes. But at a word from James they fall silent and fall in with the rest of X-Force hading into the caves, The team moves along at a good clip even moving silently traversing the rocky terrain, crawling when they have to, crouch walking, for James pretty much the whole time, and for blink almost not at all. The arrive at a 50' cliff face inside the cave, James whispers, "There is a small opening at the top, and then 10' beyond that's where the prisoners are being kept. I'll meet you up there. Jim begins the climb.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    At least Blink isn't wearing anything as glaringly obvious as a bright green dress. No - she's dressed in dark colors that shouldn't stand out too obviously - but she's done nothing to hide her strangely colored hair or bright eyes. She eyes the climb - then opens a pair of portals with a gesture - one at the base of the cliff, that exits just below the lip of the ledge far above them. It should allow them to approach the ledge cautiously and quietly (but with ease) without allowing anyone waiting above to see an obvious tear in the fabric of reality. "After you?" she murmurs, gesturing to Laura and Jimmy with an amused smile.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue is smiling to Muk'Tek in far too flirty of a way, but she's doing it to just about everyone at this point. The heat doesn't bother her, she's from the south after all.

The Belle takes a seat in one of the open chairs and crosses her legs at the knees, she puts her hand son her thighs and just happily sits there up to the poitn of the drinks and fruit snacks are dlivered. "Oh, how nice of ya." She states, taking a drink from the cup and then just sitting back in her chair. She looks to Hank and grins at him.


Rahne gets a look too, from the Belle, who smiles at her. "Want some apples, Rahney?" She asks.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
Jimmy Hudson reaches through the portal to take hold of the edge of the cliff, then eases through to hang on the cliff, feet finding footholds before he peers up over the edge carefully to see if anyone is right there. If nobody is in sight, he'll pull himself up and crouch near the edge while waiting for the rest of the team to join him.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
In the tent where all the magic is happening, the little redheaded servant girl (it's me!) whispers into Rogue's ear. It sounds something like 'he smells sick' but there's no way a normal person could tell that from across the room.

For all her quietness, there may be nothing in this room that she misses. She's definitely watching everything that she can, though she also picked one of the least important seats without complaint or expectation.

It's weird, but as someone who's used to her sense of smell overwhelming her, she reacted instantly to the odd scents, to minimize their access to her powerful nose. Slipping a small tube, smelling salts, into Rogue's left hand, she nods and says, "Ah wouldnae mind an apple, thank ye."

She saw. She's acting to get Rogue back on track. And most definitely, under no circumstances, becoming a stronger-smelling form like wolf or hybrid while in a pheromone cloud!

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney glances at Blink and gives a nod of approval at the portal. No need to risk being seen climbing the cliff if they don't have to. "This might be quicker James," she notes, hopefully before he gets too far into his climb.

X-23 slips through the portal, one of the silenced pistols in hand on the off chance there is a sentry on the other side, moving with a well practised ease.

Her foot claws allowing her to scale that last bit of the cliff while still having her weapon ready.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo Munroe does her best to maintain a calm appearance, even as she takes a seat and accepts the offered juice. Her eyes keep that soft glow that indicates she is looking at more than the world as others see it. The breeze is constant, picking up when needed and dying down when possible. The pheromones' will /not/ be an issue.

She let's Hank to the talking, as it is usual for most tribal settings like this to prefer speaking 'man to man', and even if that is not the case with this tribe, he is a better spokesmen than she is over all.

Henry McCoy has posed:
Henry's eyes keep on the leader, until he mentions the other man and his escape. A bow of acknowledgement to Dannou, though he doesn't let on about the trauma spotted. He's fairly certain his teamates can spot the problems with the man. "Fortunate he has escaped, then. I hope his recovery is quick and full. If you have need of a doctor, I am willing to tend to any issues Dannou might be suffering." A smile then to Muk'Tek. "Thank you for your hospitality as well, sir. It is greatly appreciated." That said, he does partake of the juice - the heat having an affect.

"If you wouldn't mind, perhaps you could explain a bit about this incarceration of mutants?"

James Proudstar has posed:
It watches from the shadows, watched the ones like her like she used to be but is not now, they come to free the food, free the sweet snacks she has been promised, just one or two but surely at least that many. She waits in her web, in the dark, silent smelling of the cold rock and mildew, smelling of death. The drider or as close as a mutant can come to one (Think the scorpion from Into the multiverse but female and a spider, also chitinous not mechanical, if drider wasn't visual enough.) pounces from the dark. She moves silently along her web to drop down on the group, centering her strike on Blink and X-23. At the same time Senyaka, or a non-canon approximation, steps from the shadows. Strikiing at Jimmy, as James comes over the edge of the cliff behind him.

    Muk'tek gestures to his Man and Dannou nods and coughs he speaks his voice weak. "I was going to city, my cousin has the change come upon him and we needed to bring him to be with his people. I went alone as I did not know what to expect. Someone had seen my cousins powers and called the authorities, and they arrived with others foreigners, Americans or Europeans in black jump suits, the attacked us without provocation, electrocuted us and took us prisoner. We awoke in a facility with many others, we were caged and collared like animals and they tortured us, they would not give us food or let us sleep. They denied us the least comfort until some broke, I called out for me beloved and by some miracle after weeks she heard me. She came for me, but there were so many of us, my cousin is still there. Please, help him. Help them all."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue offerse Rahne a couple of apple slices and then a slight grin before she settles back in to her chair and sips at the drink she'd been given. Her eyes go to Hank who speaks up, then to the Chief when he starts to answer.

His answer has her sobering up some, or maybe it's the drink? Either way the expression on her face turns to one of a somber nature as she hears Muk's story unfold. In fact, it has her looking over to Ororo for the woman's reaction to it, to see if she's as concerned about it as she is herself.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    With the dim lighting available, and the dark coloration of the strange creature, Blink sees //movement// more than she sees her foe - and she hastily steps to the side, through another of her portals, and re-emerging about ten feet away. It opens just enough of a distance to give her a chance to get a handle on the situation. The second she's through - she aims one of her javelins at Laura, causing X-23 to disappear - and reappear falling through a portal set into the ceiling, dropping down directly on the unexpected foe.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
There's something in this. Rahne's eyes, wide, watchful, look at Dannou with rapt fascination. She's been getting more and more pheromones, as the inside lack of wind builds them up, and she is starting to believe. The breeze, that saving breeze, is kept out of doors. And being a shrimp, she takes so little to overcome.

"Laird, et breaks m' heart," she says softly with an honesty that should not be part of a diplomatic group. She can't seem to look away from him, the girl's defenses sending her heart out to the man's piteous story. "Dae we know whaur tae go?"

For all that she was likely told to keep quiet, listen and learn, she's slowly being overcome by this odd situation.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
Jimmy Hudson reacts to the sound of a footstep beside him by rolling to the side, claws ripping out of his hands as he drops into a combat stance facing the figure who has appeared out of the shadows. He starts to move towards the figure while saying quietly, "I don't want to hurt you if I don't have to. Surrender quietly before there's trouble."

Not expecting his offer to be taken up, he's ready to strike if the fight starts.

Laura Kinney has posed:
No sooner has the X-Force team got to the top of the cliff when the slight rasping of chitin plates puts Laura on edge. She's just in the process of popping the claws on her free hand and raising her silenced pistol when Blink portals her into the air.

The former assassin twists in the air, her foot claws popping out too, and makes a rapid assessment of what she considers to be the most vulnerable bits of the unexpected foe.

And then lets her fall drive her claws into them. No warnings, no chance to surrender and no mercy.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Storm listens to Dannou, it is a tale like others she had heard, or what humans do to Mutants, and sometimes even what Mutants to to each other, but it is still troubling, deeply, stabbing right into her soul and pulling anger up like water rising too quickly, a flash flood that she has to put up numerous dams to keep from over flowing.

She could see the damage done to this man, spiritual, emotional, physical, as shifting energies, broken energies, faint colors and flowing lines. "It is not right what has happened to you," she offers quietly, keeping her anger in check. "It most certainly something we should look into."

James Proudstar has posed:
The Drider is taken by surprise as it becomes the prey, it twists and scuttle trying to get away from the mutant with the sharp stingers, slashing out at Laura in blind rage and firing a stream of webbing towards blink from her abdomen. The claws cut deep and you can see that she is weakened by Laura's attack.

    Not Senyaka, grunts and chuckles as he energizes the coils of whips around his body and lashes out at Jimmy. James grabs the big man from behind and is stung like he grabbed a jellyfish, for his trouble. The coils still around the attacker lash out catching on James' flesh and the smell or burning flesh adds to the melee. Two more scents move in the darkness feral and lithe they stalk the group looking for an opening.

    Dannou's wife stands, "I am Dalyah, Dannou's wife and a healer of my people. Dr. McCoy we are honored by your offer, anything you can do to make him the proud strong man he once was. I brought my husband from that Hell. I wish I could have done more, but I could only find him the once and could not find a way back when I had returned to our home. I do not know where they were. The way those men and women were treated, they saw me and tried to capture me as well, we both could have been trapped there. I do not know what they plan but it is bad, the place smelled of evil and death. The soldiers all wore those same black jump suits they were armed it was a terrible place."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue sips at her drink again as she listens to her companions talking to the natives about this situation. When she hears that they're not sure where these people are, the Belle looks over to Hank and speaks softly toward him. "Can't we find'em with Cerebro?" She asks the Doctor. "If we get even a bit'a info on who we're lookin' for, I mean." FAct is, Roughe doesn't really know how Cerebro works, it's kind of above her paygrade.

She sits back in her chair then and just softly shakes her head. "If we can find them, I promise I'll give these people Hell t'get'em back for this though." She does quietly add.

Henry McCoy has posed:
There's a nod to Rogue. "Possibly, but we'd need Jean or Charles." Hank says, honestly. "If we have some sort of item or perhaps even something that could clue us in? We have trackers - scent, sight, even hearing." An explanation is given to the tribal leader. "I know his pain, I would not wish it on anyone. We'll help in any way we can." The man assures. A look then to Storm. "If we were to scan with our sensors on the Blackbird - but I don't know specifically what to look for. Perhaps odd electrical signals? Odd structures?" He taps at his chin.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane had been listening quietly all throughout this attempting to glean as much as she can from the situation being explained. Though she accepts the drinks offered, she merely pretends to sip, having learned long ago that drinking anything that may potentially impede you on a mission (diplomatic or otherwise) was a very bad idea. As it was, her mind was muddled with the sorts of thoughts she rarely had--Why was she feeling so warm and open to these people? She didn't know so she remains quiet. At least until the talk of finding the place comes up. "Can you tell the general direction or distance at the least? And if so, was building you were in perhaps built with metal?" If she had a direction she could try to sense the materials to use as a homing beacon. Though it would still be spotty at best unless it were somewhere quite secluded.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Storm hmms softly as Rogue suggests Cerebro, "We would need to know more about his relative, specifics, to give Charles something to search for rather than an open search of Mutant minds.... that later would be very bad." She looks to Hank then, falling silent. He knows as much as she does about Cerebro, it was their paygrade after all.

She looks now to Dalyah, "Can you give us an idea of distance, how from here did you have to go to find him? That might give us an idea of where to start looking, if you know."

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
Jimmy Hudson shrugs and lunges forward, claws leading the way as James engages and the whips wrap around him. He attempts to drive one hand's claws into the man's chest and the other into his abdomen. It's not his preferred method of operation, but he steeled himself for this as a possibility for rescuing the kidnapped kids. Their safety is more important than his normal dislike for lethal measures.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Blink is a moment too slow in reacting to the web shot her way, and finds her arm bound to the wall. She tugs hard, stumbling slightly as she breaks her arm free - but still has a fair amount of the sticky material stuck to her arm. How hard is that going to be to get off later? Ugh. "You're really starting to annoy me," she mutters as she advances on the spider-like being - opening a portal beside the dryder, as it tries to scurry away from the pain X-23 was causing her. Hopefully she scurries partway into the portal - before it gets abruptly shut, severing anything that was through the opening.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura sweeps her hand and foot claws through the arachnid limbs, the razor thin adamantium blades passing through chiten plates like they're made of paper, with a focus purely on offense. Ignoring any incoming attacks in favor of killing that little bit faster and trusting to her healing factor to deal with the Driders stabbing chiten blades.

Rather than drop her pistol X-23 jams the barrel into one of the wounds and, if her stabbing doesn't stop it fast enough, fires a few muffled rounds. The subsonic ammunition isn't great at breaking armour so the bullets will probably bounce around inside until they run out of energy.

James Proudstar has posed:
Everyone can recognize the explosion but only those with military training or the echoes of it will recognize it as an air to ground missile strike, incendiary, and then a second. Below those sounds are the sounds of sustained heavy machine gunfire and advanced weapons. They're approaching the main tent. A guard rushes in armed with Russian machine gun, HIs body solid metal but nowhere near the size of colossus. He calls from opening of the tent a warning, "They are here, they have come for us." HIs eyes wide with fear Muk'Tek leads the way out the back of the tent away from the gunfire as best he can manage. You can watch Dalyah take Dannou in her arms, she glances in a panic at Henry, "I am sorry, I have never taken more than one!" The world folds in on them and they are gone.

    The Drider screams in pain and fury at the attack. She stumbles and hisses and writhes as the portal catches her left side while Laura thrashes her right side and abdomen on her last legs she lashes out with her bite at Laura's shoulder.

    The big whip guy lashes his whip around Jimmy shocking him as James holds on with the man pinning him in place. The big man speaks in Russian as he hears the explosions, "You work with the captors? What monsters are you traitors against your kind! FLEE! They are coming for us all!" But he makes no effort to stop Jimmy's attack only seeking to tie up the two men, and allow his fellows time to flee. The sounds are distant but audible to this group, they attackers are not coming towards the caves.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Storm is on her feet, well more she is floating up, "Hank, protect them! Get them to the Blackbird and safety... I will deal with this."

Oh yeah, someone done pissed off Storm. The weather outside is already shifting, and her eyes start to glow even more intensely as lightning crackles around her. "Leave now and you will find peace, remain and you will find only pain!" She booms into the wind, already starting to float up. Planes? Oh those are fun, and the lightning starts crackling around them... any missiles they attempt to launch are struck instantly now. No more air to ground attacks.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue settles in to her chair and just exhales softly at their options here for this situation. She's about to say something else when the sounds of fighting happen outside.

The explosion makes her jump a little too, because of course it does, its an explosion.

The man that comes in to the tnet has her jumping up to her booted feet, making her chair fall over behind her. She is looking around now and watches Muk'Tek take his leave. "Well isn't this just great." The Belle grumbles, starting toward the man with the gun though she figures he'll be dealt with before she even gets to him, her goal is to leave the tent back the way they entered...

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "It would be easier for you if you would just die," Blink remarks in a cool tone of voice. She stalks closer to the faltering spider-like being - ready to deliver her Personal Touch by jabbing one of her javelins forcefully into the creature, causing a large chunk of the being to simply blink away. Teleporting away just //portions// of an object can be pretty brutal when you do it to something civilized beings would never call an 'object.'

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
While the team starts to move, Rahne sits there being timid and small. She considered becoming a wolf for a moment, but changed her mind. She isn't any good against planes.

"Doctor McCoy? Ah'll stay here, where they expect tae find th' hostages." She offers this, then looks at Mek'tok and smiles. "DInnae worry sor. There'll be a surprise for 'em when they come entae th' tent lookin for ye." She looks so small. But her eyes, they start to glow with a soft golden gleam.

Oh yes. There will be a surprise waiting for anyone looking for the warchief.

Henry McCoy has posed:
There's a growl from Henry, smelling the chemicals of the incindiaries. "Fire! Everyone get to shelter. Protect the tribe. End the threat." He barks out. He leaps into motion, motioning the remaining tribes people towards the back. "Get to the black jet!" A tap onto his communicator, to unlock the doors and allow entrance.

The Beast nods to Rhane. "If they flank us, we'll know." He taps his nose, face wrinkled at the aroma of burning checmicals. "Storm, can you bring the rain?" He moves towards the front of the tent, catching quick peeks out.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane is on her feet in an instant at the sound. It was one she'd heard all too recently and it sets her features into a look of pure rage for all of a second. As the others are led out she follows only until she's clear of the tent. "Get to safety," she assures as the teleporter takes her husband off in a flash. The others... They would manage as well. Lifting her head to the sky already tumultuous with Storm's reaction, she too flies up into that dangerous sky. It's easy to spot her at least as the wind whips her green hair around her. Storm is allowed to make the ultimatums. As for her? Lifting a hand she seizes the plane itself with a creaking shriek of metal in protest. It's flight path is abruptly stopped, much to the pilot's horror, as his plane turns vertically to face the sky. Tempting as it may be she doesn't crush the plane completely; just holds it there as a warning to the others. "Leave this place now!"

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura sweeps her claws through the snapping mandibles as they lunge for her. Defanging it with the first motion and then lunging in for a direct head strike. Where there are eyes there's probably a brain behind it.

What wounds she has sustained already patching up as she turns to where Jimmy is fighting. If there's a clear shot she'll put a few rounds into his opponent. And if it's not that clear a shot? Well she /is/ an excellent marksmanand hey he heals right? So it'll probably be fine....

"We need to move quickly. Explosions in the distance. They'll be on guard now and if they think there is no hope they might kill the hostages."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ask and ye shall receive, the skies open up with a downpour of water, huge droplets of rain falling fast and hard. Not the best weather for trying to escape in but it will put the fires out before they can spread.

She takes note of Lorna's location as she hovers, ensuring then that no lightning risks hitting the woman or the planes, that matter is all but settled. Her attention goes to the ground now, looking with her unique sight for those who are afraid and running to know their locations and if they might need aid, but also looking for those who would be called enemy.

"We need one captured," she states plainly. "Jean will be able to get the location of their base from their mind." It was as if they didn't know who they were dealing with when they choose to attempt a raid on this place, one, only one was needed and they would know where the other Mutants were being held.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
The shock from the whip stiffens Jimmy's muscles, but with clenched jaw he still does his best to keep his momentum moving forward. Since his arms were outstretched to start with, the claws should still sink into the guy. And the waves of pain seem to have triggered something else as well. It's hard to see in the darkness of the cave, but gleaming metal rises from the base of each claw to turn them into razor sharp, lethal knives rather than just sharp bone. It is these that end up sliding into the man James is holding in place.

James Proudstar has posed:
Outside the tent is pandemonium any sort of resistance is being struck down by the these four person kill teams. Each team has a mutant working with them and each mutant has a minder and their are two gunners with either powerful machine guns or a powerful gun and some sort of advanced weapon, plasma rifles, gauss guns, mega tasers. Some of the mutants are ferals, some are energy wielders, only a couple appear to be more exotic, telekinetics, teleporters.

    They are killing the villagers indiscriminately, the missile strikes created fires which are raging out of control, until the torrential downpours. Villagers are fleeing indiscriminately into surrounding forest, marsh and caves and being cut down. But that stops as the kills teams start to focus their efforts on the X-Men. Bullets, energy of all sorts arcing at the women from a wide swath of the ground.

    The Drider squeals and dies, as does the big Russian. There is no one between them and the children who seem unharmed, a bit confused and weak but generally healthy. They are easily collected and brought to the the opening of the cave by Clarice's portals. A group of villagers are cowering in the cave opening and scream when X-Force arrives which draws the attention of three of the kill teams. The team open up on the cave opening with withering fire forcing James to tank up, helped by another man who touches the wall and takes on the features of the local stone.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue looks up to the skies to see Storm and Polaris taking care of business up there, but her eyes are quick to bounce back down to the village that they're in. "Good god, where did this all come from." She says of the invading attackers.

She doesn't waste time though, shoving her sleeves up in the air, Rogue turns and rips a tree out of the ground that was just a few steps away fromt he tent they'd been in. She just uproots it for the betterment of the civilians... and holds it up in the air, then aims it down like a jousting stick.

The Belle lifts up off of the ground about 10 feet and starts to fly forward toward the gunment spraying the poor villagers with bullets!

Here comes a tree! Looking to smash in to those terrible coward attackers!

<"Somethin' about this feels weird."> Rogue says over the team comms, shouting over the sounds of it all.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "...not how I planned my afternoon," Blink remarks. With a gesture - she opens a portal directly between them and the kill team that noticed their arrival. A second portal opens - just off the side to the kill team, causing their bullets to re-emerge at this new trajectory - aimed right back at the people who dared open fire on them. "But I think we can manage it." The sounds of screams was almost overwhelming now that they'd emerged - and a cold shiver runs through as she watches one of the feral mutant slaves tear into a fleeing villager, followed by its handler and two armed escorts. God. Oh, God no.
    This sort of thing was all too familiar to her. And it had to stop. A cold mask slides into place over her features.

Henry McCoy has posed:
The Beast is in full anger mode - leaping through the tent flaps, bounding towards the nearest squad. <<This is not SHIELD.>> He growls over comms. <<Take them out. Don't lose yourself to the fight. Minimal casualties.>> Lightning, super power punches and flying metal debris tends to be fairly damaging to normal people. Not to mention, claws and teleportation of things into other things!

Zigging, zagging and bouncing from object to object - Henry makes for a difficult target. Hopefully drawing some fire - before all but cannonballing into a squad, using his mass to crash into them. Then it's claws and absurdly powerful punches.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"Um.." Rahne, sitting in the meeting tent, blinks at the goings-on, then cues up her comlink. <Only some things?> she asks, giving Rogue her unbiased opinion on the fustercluck situation they've found themselves in.

Still, she's not the type to go out like Henry just did. She sits, doing her part. Which at the moment is not being killed.

Laura Kinney has posed:
With new foes appearing at a distance Laura switches from the silenced handgun to the submachine gun she's had slung from a strap. No need to be discreet now so she opens up with short controlled bursts of suppressed gunfire. Ducking down on one knee to present a smaller target.

It's unlikely any stray rounds will be able to kill her before she can heal, but it's still better not to get shot in the first place!

"Blink, can you make a portal above one of the groups?" She asks, pausing in her shooting to pull a grenade from one of her pouches. It might have been a stealth mission but Laura always comes prepared. Excessively so it seems.

Lorna Dane has posed:
With the forces below beginning to attack Lorna turns her gaze down below. The captive plane is still held in her magnetic field though it seemed pointless, now. The ground troops were causing just as much if not more damage than the air strike that had begun this assault. The news over the comms from Henry helps her decision for her next move. The plane starts to go down toward the group of fake SHIELD agents. The pilot inside is still alive, aware, just trapped. Likely his own radios will explain to his comrades what was going on before they see it come down to the ground in an attempt to block the oncoming path of those on foot. It's then that the weapons they hold are tugged inexplicably toward the body of the highly magnetized plane as well. Though she could do nothing about those who were mutants, she could work to unarm some.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
Jimmy charges into the chaos, heading for the nearest attacker, the metal claws obvious now that he's outside. This will bring up many questions later, but for now he's going to use what he's got. Not being highly combat trained means he's probably not careful enough, and at least one bullet glances off his head, ripping his scalp open to reveal gleaming metal underneath before the would closes. The hit puts him down for a moment, during which the gunner turns to the next target. His mistake, as Jimmy pops back up and covers the rest of the ground to him, claws slashing both through the gun and the man holding it in a spray of blood and metal fragments.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
There is a group of enemies who is trying to go stealthy, to get the important hostages which are highest priority. "Some went toward the plane," the scout says as they go in low, from the back, and try to bypass the resistance team. AKA everyone.

"Check the tent," the leader of the group says. It's procedure, you don't assume that everyone is out until you know for certain. One of them ducks inside, then calls out, "Just one inside. Female. Taking her down." His voice stops then, until a moment later when there's some sounds rather like grappling, and then screaming. Male screaming.

The group suddenly moves into the tent, in force, to find a small redhead standing over their teammate. A redhead with short hair. With glowing golden eyes, and claws on her hands. A girl with fangs.

They lower their guns, and attack. Oddly, so does Rahne. Except not the guns.

When you're in close enough, guns are no longer a real boon for tactics. The one with the claws however is going to do well.

Screaming.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
The weather remains horrible, rain pouring down, winds picking up and lightning crackling. On occasion a bolt of lightning will strike the ground /near/ an enemy to offer a wonderful electric shock, but she will not kill, she /cannot/ kill and the longer she lingers there, the more angry she gets and the worst the storm gets.

Tornados begin to appear, forming in the clouds and touching the ground in places that maybe aren't the best, but still, no one is in immediate danger... it might not be obvious to those fighting, but their is trouble in the skies.

James Proudstar has posed:
The counter attack is swift and fierce pushing back even the brutality of the kill squads, pressing them back but they have nowhere to go, they fight to the last man or woman. The fight maniacally without consideration for life or limb intent only on causing as much damage as they can. They match the ferocity of Jimmy or Laura, they just don't have the power the X-Men can bring to bear. As the tide starts to turn in the heat of the battle, some of the mutants programming cracks, you can see one of them turn on their controllers but those with enhanced senses hear the sharp crack of a small explosive as the mutant falls to the ground, another turns on them and is also dropped. They start using suicide tactics.

    The weather has broken any and all coordination, the are working in at most groups of two, and sometimes singly maintaining fire as long as the can. The teams with teleporters are gone. James guards the children and those in the tent holding a line against any who approach as the others range out and do their damage.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue is lost inside the branches of the tree she'd yanked out of the ground. It wasnt' that she was afraid of bullets, but it did offer her some cover from being pelted with them, or the fancier guns. The tree had certainly gotten pelted though, ripping parts of it away as she was sweeping it around the new battlefield to try to knock the gunment down.

<"I promise I'm not openly tryin' t'kill anya'a these assholes."> The belle says over the team comms as she sweeps the tree to the right and sends two more of the shooters down to the earth where she starts to slap them a couple times with the branches to smoosh them in to the muddy earth that was softening their fall.

The Belle peaks up out of the tree to see the tornados, the plane, the form of a flying blue Beastman, and was that Rahne too? <"Give'em hell, team."> She says. "Gonna make ya regret this stupid move!" She shouts at some of the knocked down attackers she flies past.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    There isn't an audible answer to Laura's question - instead, a small portal appears just in front of X-23 after a brief gesture of one of Blink's hands. The exit point is just above one of the groups - small, innocuous, hopefully unnoticed until too late.
    "Back in the caves. Now," she orders the freed hostages and now refugees as she drops the large portal in front of them which had stopped the the incoming fire headed towards them. The sound of those guns had died out almost instantly - and sure enough, the quartet were on the ground - dead or dying from their own bullets. "I'm sorry brother," she murmurs to the mutant slave as she steps past him, on her way to deal with more of these teams.
    Javelins begin flying from the quiver at Blink's back - for as long as she has targets, and as long as she has silvery projectiles to throw. Each one finds a mark, and tears away chunks of their torsos - leaving cruel, gaping sections of their bodies simply //missing//. Once she runs out of the javelin's though - and the fighting begins to die down - she resorts to simply pummeling the last of the controllers she could find, her features still set in that cold mask. "You don't. Do. This. To. Our. Kind."

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
Jimmy Hudson tries not to kill anyone, but he's not going to let these guys hurt unarmed villagers. He'd rather have the blood of the attackers on his hands than have to deal with the bodies of the villagers afterwards. He'll take hits, but his healing factor and anger at the kill squads will keep him going through the whole mess. He's probably wishing he had worn something a little more bulletproof at this point rather than just camo for the infiltration. The end of the fight will find him with fairly shredded clothing, multiple healing bullet holes and claws dripping with the attackers blood. <<Hank, um.. we're gonna need to do some tests when we get back>> comes over the comm as he looks at his newly metal claws.

Henry McCoy has posed:
The Beast keeps his claws sheathed, unless he's absolutely trapped - so far so good. The capering crusader bounces from opponent to opponent, generally preventing them from firing on him - unless they want to shoot their comrades. Blow after blow is landed, the growls Henry issuing mostly stifled by sheer willpower. <<Tests?>> He looks briefly confused, a bullet winging him in the shoulder. Nothing serious, but it certainly draws a roar from Hank. The gunman is dropped quickly, with a savage punch to the midsection. No breath, no will to fight!

<<What tests?!>>

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Remaining in the sky, Storm watches below with eyes that are to intense and bright that is may be possible to see them through the rain and clouds and weather. They were winning, but at what cost, a costs that was ripping through her as painfully as it ripped through those who were now dead, villager and attackers a like.

Focus was difficult, no one thing could draw her attention as she watched the energies of it all from above, the way those that broke the programming they had forced on them then ceased to exist. A massive crack of thunder is heard from above... too much, too many, and the lightning that comes down is not merely one bolt, but many, dozens, strike down at those she could /see/ where not programmed but the programmers. It wouldn't kill, she couldn't do that, but it would knock them on their butts and leave them to the others in the group. Perhaps among them one would be taken, most likely not, but she could take no more.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne prays for her opponents. One has to admire those of the team who can get away with not killing, but her own bag of tools includes hands that are made out of knives. Every time she swipes at someone, it's very likely that a corpse lands on the floor with a gurgling sound, and blood bubbling out of something desperately important. And she can't stop, because there are more of them than her.

They have guns. They will kill her if she doesn't act. She's already hurt, and will be hurt more if she doesn't slash. If she doesn't sin, calling her very soul to darkness. Thou shalt not kill. But if I only have killing as an option, what do I do?

Do I stand here, and let them kill me? Or do I stand over the last of my enemies, watching him reach up as his face, torn and slashed, can only see my face looking down at him. Because that's what she is now.

She reaches to her chest and lifts the cross, then kneels next to the fallen. "Ah am unworthy tae offer it, but thes is th' prayer fur those fa ur unable tae ask fur it. Gae wi' god, an' may ye fin' his forgiveness in th' divine."

Then she closes their eyes. Someone has to.

Laura Kinney has posed:
The suppressed submachine gun is hardly ideal for fighting enemies in body armour or with mutant powers that boost durability, but X-23 can get around that with precision and training. Tight bursts of muted subsonic rounds finding eyes, joints in the armour and other weak spots.

When Blink opens the portal she casually breaks her firing routine to throw the grenade through. There's no holding back to spare people or shouts of outrage. Just efficient slaughtering. Not even the fact that the mutants seem to be under duress makes her hold back.

She'll keep firing with lethal effect until Blink has evacuated everyone or there is no-one left to shoot at. And then? Well it's probably time for X-Force to fall back.

James Proudstar has posed:
The rasps of the injured are fading across the battlefield as you best them as you critically injure them or take away their will to fight, you hear them dying gasping their last breath, some taking others with them using a last grenade, most by poison. The true believers sacrifcing themselves each and everyone. As the controllers die the sounds of the explosives echo out easier to hear as the gunfire dies down. The mutants fall killed by their handlers. The battlefield goes dark, the rain washes away the blood and all that is left is bodies.

    But in the darkness in the silence Muk'Tek comes out and falls to his knees weeping for the lives lost but also for the lives saved. These men came here to murder them all and because of you 2/3 were saved. "Thank you X-Men, you have saved so many, take the the children home but tell them what happened, let them see, Only you can stop these monsters."