7084/Shi'ar: Heart and Mind

Shi'ar: Heart and Mind
Date of Scene:	26 July 2021
Location:	Main Foyer
Synopsis:	Terry brings Lilandra to Xaviers, where she meets Charles and a number of X-men and students. Lilandra shares her knowledge of the Phoenix, through a psychic vision depicting the X-Men's encounter with the Brood, as well as knowledge of her brother D'Ken's ambitions to somehow control that power for himself, through an ancient crystal artifact on M'Kraan, deep in Shi'ar space. The X-Men are on high alert as they prepare for a long journey, and the Brotherhood is warned of -- and asked for help with -- the Shi'ar fleet in space.
Cast of Characters:	Terry O'Neil, Jean Grey, Clarice Ferguson, Illyana Rasputina, James Proudstar, Xi'An Coy Manh, Charles Xavier, Gabby Kinney, Noriko Ashida

---

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The first stop for the Cheshire Cat and the Space Princess had been the Themysciran Embassy- the choice of first stop had been influenced by various factors:

1) Taking her to his apartment was a no-go, because Beast Boy lived there as well and there was no telling what state the place was in at this moment. And it was no place for royalty, space or otherwise.
2) The Themysciran Embassy was regal, elegant, and there was no chance of them stumbling upon one of the catnip or glitter bombs that had been placed around the tower in the perpetual Cyborg-Vorpal-Beast Boy prank war at the tower.

It is a very brief stop, as all that was needed was for Lilandra to tell Vorpal who it was that she was looking for... and a brief searching on his phone gave him all he needed, as the pages for the school came up.

"Oh... that's a /beautiful/ foyer. Your friend has impeccable taste." It takes a few seconds to memorize the details, and then the Cheshire Cat grins at Lilandra- grinning is quite o brand for him

"Please step this way, your highness."

The Rabbit Hole he pulls up is a specially fancy one. He usually doesn't bother with anything except a hole in reality with the destination smack dab on the other side, but he was escorting a Space Princess, after all, and one who had been through quite a bit, so it stood to reason that he should at least bring her in with some fanfare.

Stepping through the Rabbit Hole, there is a glittering tunnel that swirls with all of the colors of the rainbow, and a few others that weren't invited to the initial party and were sullen for quite a while. It is a long corridor that takes less time to traverse than one might think, the glowing light at the end of the tunnel advancing towards them steadily.

On the Foyer of the school, there is a moment when the air ripples with anticipation, and finally tears itself apart in a feast of color and light as the perfectly round opening of the Rabbit Hole irrupts upon reality, irradiating streaks of multicolored light around its edges like the most flamboyant of coronas. Out of it first comes Vorpal, stepping onto the floor and then pivoting with grace in order to gesture at the entrance, and Lilanda, with a deferential bow.. Was he in a tuxedo and tails before stepping through? Well, now he was.

"Your Highness, The Xavier School, as promised."

Jean Grey has posed:
"This is unlike what I have seen of Earth culture in our reports," Lilandra pauses to remark, during their brief stop-off. She sounds appreciative. Perhaps, something will come of it.

Otherwise, the woman smiles at Terry's remarks about the school, and then turns, to take her striding steps into the portal.

---

<< My love, I'm coming. >>

Professor Charles Xavier had received the message some minutes earlier, as the spaceship Milano entered the solar system. The two had always possessed a unique bond, two minds, two hearts, joined over the dark infinity of space.

And so by the time their guests arrive, Professor Xavier has had just enough time to get ready and come to meet his guests. Jean is with him, with her hands on the back of his chair to wheel her mentor out into the foyer. As always, this is something she does in more of an affectionate gesture toward her lifelong mentor than any real necessary for his locomotion. The two do not wait long.

Before them, a portal opens suddenly, and from its festive rainbow passages steps a female figure, very close to human in form and yet still alien. She is wholly clad in a form-tight suit of silvery metallic armor, the term 'head to toe' insufficient as it neglects the detail of her helmet, which extends in an unusual spade or wedge-like shape. It is open only to her face, revealing aristocratic features and dark curling markings -- makeup? tattoos? birthmarks? -- around her eyes. Once the woman has confirmed her surroundings, she touches her hand to the opposite wrist, and the segments of the helmet fold away, reavling her alien heritage: a crest of dark feathers in the same shape as their cover, adorning her head in place of hair.

Then, without hesitation, she strides toward the Professor. If her unfamiliarity to some may pose any concern, it is dispelled by her manner: "My love!" Even still, the alien woman does not fling herself upon the seated gentleman, but instead comes to stand before him, and then leans forward, to touch her forehead to his own, fulfilling that bond. Jean retreats by a step, to allow the two their space together.

Of course, all of this has happened rather suddenly and without warning, and there's bound to be some students coming and going through the foyer. It's not long before the whole mansion has heard about it!

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice passes by Jean and Charles with a friendly, "Just on my way to see Dyani," as she makes her way towards and up the stairs. She'd been away from the school for a few days, having been preoccupied with things on the Asteroid - namely finding the missing Rahne and being with her for the most difficult parts of her recovery. She did have other responsibilities though, and //certain people// had insisted she get out for a bit decompress.
    The strange, and very colorful tear in reality gives her pause, however, and she stops, turning towards it with tension in her form. There was a good reason she never teleported directly into the building itself - it felt too much like an attack, and she instinctively holds out a hand, trying to summon one of her javelins to her hand just to be sure. To her frustration, her powers still don't answer her call.
    Though as she watches the interaction between one of the strangers and the Professor - it seems the caution is unwarranted? She remains a silent observer for the moment, her expression still conveying her caution and uncertainty.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
Spatial distortions around the school campus by and large warrant investigation when absent the most familiar signatures of brimstone or collapsing blinks. Coruscating rainbows that make a supremely pretty lightshow -- Dazzler take note -- will no sooner fade away from the perceptions of the average mutant resident than find their reply in a flicker-beat struck against the blue-shifted end of the spectrum. Where was no one before, there is now, displacing the atoms to another dimension altogether.

Fire rimming the stepping disc is a cosmic shade of blue it hasn't been before, and that energy collapses back on itself to wink out before anyone gets a particularly good look what lies beyond the Hell Queen's shadow.

Illyana could go for subtle, and a cropped black shirt and glossy black boots with black pants constitute subtle for a civilisation possibly afraid of the exuberant use of colours. Pale blonde hair splits around the forked crown swept back from her head, and there's very little mistaking a pair of sword hilts riding over her shoulders. A pair of rings shimmer with their own weighted cobalt fire, saturated at the hearts by gold and copper.

Bowing to Lilandra, Charles or any of the assortment of people is totally beyond her; blame it on Russian coaches and judges always skewing the baseline. The upnod of her chin is supple but confined, a motion controlled in every aspect. Only then does she take a sip of that smoothie brought with her, something a gloriously, wickedly pink shade and topped in too much whipped cream to be safe. Festive excitement calls for festive drinks, and she raises that domed lid to Vorpal. Allo allo.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar frowns at the the tablet in his hands as he squints at numbers and sighs, changing the orientation.
     He takes the front stairs two at a time. more from size than speed. "These readings don't make any sense." He steps through the door, "Hey Jean, Scott, somethings up with the secur- oh. That explains it." he taps few buttons, and the tablet makes reassuring noises.

    The big Apache is in a pair of broken in raw denim jeans in the deepest blue possible and lighter colored button down oxford. he's wearing well worn leather chukka's and his hair is tied back with a leather strap. A bit dressed up from his usual handyman attire.

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
Xi'an Coy Manh was swiftly informed, not least because the library is very near the entrance and she is often found there, engaging in the semi-forbidden art of 'reading' and encouraging others to read. The light of the Rabbit Hole appearing reflected into the library space, illuminating the luxurious dark wood and assembled resources.

It was Sunday, so, there were like two other people in the library. Panic is therefore muted. It is hard to panic when there are two people in a room; though surely not impossible.

Shan rises from her desk and walks to the entrance, her concern stepping back to nearly nothing when she sees that both Jean *and* the Professor are present and appear calm, and which jerks back up into an inexplicable sideways zone when a strange woman, glittering like a dream of airbrushed roboticism, advances towards the Professor.

Shan raises one wrist to her mouth as if to veil a smile, though it is a little hesitant, perhaps, from the context. (She is in a short-sleeved blouse and extremely librarian-style pencil skirt.) Her fingers waggle, wordlessly, at the similarly-arrived Illyana.

"Welcome to our school... is there anything that we can do to make you more comfortable?" Shan asks as she steps into the foyer proper.

Charles Xavier has posed:
Charles is there when the portal opens and he offers a smile to both Vorpal and the lovely visitor accompanying him. (They're both lovely, relax)

"Welcome to my home, and our School." Charles says softly as they do step further in to the foyer.

When she approaches and presses her forehead to his, Charles is quick to smile quite largely and reach his hands up to gently touch the sides of her face. "It is very good to finally see you in person." He says with an afectionate tone to his almost always already calm voice.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
One of the smollest students happens out around this time as well though partially out of curiosity. There was always something happening in the foyer it seemed. Having gotten a proper nap after dealing with... events... she comes out into the foyer wearing a suitable outfit of leggings, boots, and a t-shirt with a rainbow t-rex on it. RAWR. The scar-faced girl pauses at the sight of a tall woman bending down to bump foreheads with Xavier with eyebrows shooting up. A few steps are taken closer to the other queen here, Illyana, and she asks quietly, "I get the feeling I missed something."

Jean Grey has posed:
"It's alright James, I'm sorry about that. I sent Scott a quick update," mentally, one might assume, "but I didn't have to go deactivate the security alert or put out a proper update. This is--"

"It has been... too long," Lilandra murmurs, wistfully, as the two share close company. And yet even in the midst of her reunion, Jean's back and forth with James cause her to straighten instantly, showing her affection to Charles only in the way her fingers linger like his own, drawing down his arm and then finally from it as she stands tall to offer an introduction. Notably, she turns away from Jean and Xavier, facing various unknown faces as they arrive.

"Greetings. I am Lilandra, second daughter of House Neramani, heir presumptive to the Shi'ar Empire." She pauses, and lifts a hand to indicate Terry. "This is Terry. He was kind enough to teleport me to the surface, past the Shi'ar fleet that currently encircles your planet."

Shan's request is then met with a dip of her head. "Though your hospitality is gratifying, there is little time for it. I come in exile, seeking your aid against the madness of my brother."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The Cheshire cat remains where he appeared so to be unobtrusive- Space Princess and Very Important Man clearly had some catching up to do, so his greetings will come later. For now, he is just the Very Convenient Method of Royal Conveyance.

Which is not to say that he is acting like some stuffy footman standing by the wheels of the pumpkin-turned-crystal chariot. He is looking at the students that come out of the woodwork and gives them each a smile and a nod, an invitation to come and say 'hi' if they want. When he is introduced so graciously by Lilandra, he shoots everybody a megawatt grin. It's kind of his brand, after all.

The first person he recognizes is Illyana, from the time that the Titans found that alternate-dimension blue-furred woman and brought her safely to the tower for them to pick up. He tips off his top hat to her and grins at the notion that he seems to run into her exclusively when ferrying someone around.

And then he blinks, and before he realizes it, he's staring at Gabby. 'Gabby?' he mouths, just to make sure that it is indeed her. He's not going to burst or greet anyone just yet because Lilandra is delivering very important information, and he doesn't need to be a distraction.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"What's this?"  Noriko appears next to Gabby as if she'd always been there, as if she has one big conversation with anyone in the world she chooses and it never ends.  The blue-haired speedster could use a comb at least and not just because of her favorite way of getting around.

The display of intimacy witnessed causes Noriko to look to the side and down.  She takes a deep breath and sighs.  She listens in shamelessly from what she can pick up, looking over the newcomers and absently nudging Gabby with her elbow to direct her attention to Terry.  "Is this real?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "You didn't bring enough to share?" Clarice directs towards Illyana with a brief smile, as she studies the other choice of indulgeance. It keeps her gaze off Lilandra and Xavier - and what feels like an intimate, private moment to her. No need to stare at that sort of thing, after all.
    But as the woman starts to speak - she leans in against the bannister, her curiosity piqued. Oh, this she would like to hear the rest of - however, it occurs to her that whatever might be happening, they might not welcome Brotherhood ears in the room. "Should I make myself scarce, sir?" Clarice asks - directing the question to Xavier - but making not sign of movement from her position at the banister - arms folded over one another.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
"Your fleet ringing our planet." Yes, that's probably going to go over exceedingly well in some quarters. Illyana's eyes embody the hearts of glaciers rimed in ice, the Siberian permafrost when it actually functioned as a cooling blanket instead of a retreating sheet currently on fire. A sharp distinction ought to exist between black pupils and sharply limned irises, but none does, all shivering crystal darkness that very well marks her as a little odd.

With a sidelong look to Xi'an affirming some mutually held opinion, or perhaps the smartness of coming out of the library instead of heel-turning to march right back in, her attention rarely strays from the Very Spacy Princess. It will deviate long enough to pull a sip from the most delicious of smoothies, important as it much be. Amazing stuff, fresh summer berries! They ought to be illegal tender. Crooked fingers wave at Terry again, amused darkly by that hat. An excellent hat deserves recognition.

One flick of a wrist and a glass blender pitcher pops into being, standing on a table. There you go, Clarice. The straws take a few seconds more to appear, and when they do, they're all marked - unfortunately - by pentagrams. What can you do? "Mad brothers we know something about, da?" Russian shatters her perfectly respectable English into hard edges. "This mad brother chase you here, parsec behind, and we now are at war?" It's a friendly guess.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney wasn't expecting to run into someone she knew today. The entrance of the Shi'Ar heir apparent was enough of a sight that she doesn't immediately notice WHO brought her--At least until Terry is introduced. Her own eyes widen only to jerk over toward the cat in question staring at him like a deer caught in the headlights. Apparently his reaction was rather similar, too. "Heeey Terry. Good to see you..." Noriko's nudge earns a quick nod affirming that yes, it was indeed, real, but unfortunately as she does this her mouth continues the sentence she had intended to end there. "Dressed." Oh. Oh she said that out loud. Quickly she blurts out the addition of, "For work. In your good clothes. I mean." A vague gesture is cast his way. "Terry's with the Titans," she explains to Noriko and Illyana and anyone else who might be hearing. Without a further word she just reaches for one of those potentially damned smoothies to grab it and take a chug. Best to keep her mouth occupied. She does however offer a thumbs up in agreement with Illyana's statement.

Charles Xavier has posed:
Jean would know that Charles would be a bit distracted by Lilandra's arrival, so his ability to answer the others in the foyer would be a bit limited. His mind is... elswhere, for the moment.

His mind is even more elsewhere when the Space Princess announces her story, at least a little bit of it... involving the space ships around Earth.

Charles' eyes go a bit distant as he 'spaces out' and focuses on the sensations of it all. He's soon to look back in here and put his eyes upon Lilandra's face.

"How can we help?" He inquires. "I'm willing to speak with any of those aboard those vessels, if we can find a peaceful solution to whatever it is they deem worthy of chasing you here for."

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
When Gabby says that Terry is with the Titans, Shan gets even more relaxeder. That's a relief. Illyana's offer of refreshments makes her smile, but from here she circles forwards.

"What is the nature of the conflict, madame? I understand that it may be complicated," Shan asks.

"Hopefully not war," she echoes after Illyana, though without a lot of confidence.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"How does being with the Titans have to do with seeing him dressed...in his good clothes...or not."  Noriko can't help it, but there's no ready smirk at her lips.  She's going through the motions of the ribbing.  Now doesn't seem the time for her to be introducing herself even if Gabby is giving her the inside track on who he is.  Besides, she's drawn back into the conversation between the Professor and the Princess.

The speedster's eyes list over toward Gabby's smoothie as she listens.

Jean Grey has posed:
"If the Shi'ar are here, this is more than a- it's an Earth problem, not an X-Men problem or a Brotherhood problem," Jean is quick to tell Clarice. "In fact, how quickly can you get in touch with Erik?" One of the few people she or Charles -can't- just use a quick mental shortcut for. "Maybe he can help with whatever's happening in orbit."

'Whatever is happening,' Lilandra is quick enough to expound on: "The fleet was met by your local protectors, although I should advise you that they brought near the entirety of the Imperial Guard with them. The guard are... enhanced individuals, champions, genetic deviations like yourselves, and so forth, gathered from all the many planets of the Imperium. But they are also a serious show of force. When Terry and I evaded the blockade, they were in the process of conducting negotiations with one of your defenders. Understand, and I mean no direspect in this, that the Shi'ar do not 'negotiate' with lesser civilizations. Nothing they offer is in good faith."

Illyana receives her focus next. "Unfortunately, my own exile... is but the symptom of the problem we face. I would not bring my own war to your world. It is, there is so much to explain...." And, seemingly overwhelmed by how to even put it all to words, she hears Xavier, asking what they can do, and she turns back to him, walking close again. As she did before, she leans close, to place their minds together, literally and figuratively alike. And in that moment of communion, her thoughts join his, all she has experienced flowing into him in a chaotic torrent. She is not a practiced telepath, their bond unique. Yet through him -- and as Jean realizes what is happening, with her help -- the images are ordered.

And then they are shared.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I can contact him and brief him," Clarice replies calmly. "If this has to do with the safety of the entire planet - then the Brotherhood will lend their support," she offers simply. Sure, she might have to argue with Mystique to get her cooperating with the X-Men //again//, in such short order, but she has every confidence she'd succeed.
    As the smoothie appears, she pushes herself away from the banister so she can retrieve some of the beverage, not seeming to mind the marked straw as she takes a sip. "Mmm. This is good, Illyana. Thanks," she adds, flashing the woman a brief smile, before turning her attention back to the strange woman at the center of all the excitement. No answers seem to be forth coming on what was actually necessary, however, to help resolve the situation. Hrm.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Terry's eyes go wide when Gabby says THAT, and he sighs to himself. Now the entire school is going to have a way totally wrong impression of what happened. But then again- such was his life. But then the matters turn serious again.

"I'd like to add that, as a member of the Titans, we'd like to offer our support. We've helped fight alien invasions before, so please... do not hesitate to talk to us. We do not support... what Princess Lilandra's brother wants to do."
5rThe telepathic images come, then. At first, he panicks and tries to shutter himself up to prevent sending all of these nice people into the weirdest drug trip ever... but then it becomes clear that it is transmission, not contact or link, and he relaxes, to let the images wash over him.

It really would not do to represent the Titans as the psychedelic toad everybody licks. No siree.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney mouths out a simple 'Sorry!' toward Terry when he gets that look. Too late, Noriko is teasing as well. She pauses in her drink to shrug. "Well he wasn't wearing his uniform last time. You don't always wear work clothes," she points out matter-of-fact as if it were such a simple thing. Though she does reach out to give her friend's hand a squeeze given all the lovey-dovey that was going on. This was not a great time for Noriko sadly. Then the shared images hit. Her grip on Noriko tightens just a tad as she recovers from that odd mental flood of images causing her eyes to scrunch shut. Not in pain. Just trying to process it all. "Okay. Yeah. I think that's beyond talking and might need some smashy smash going on."

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
Ah, telepathy, that bothersome thing. A telepathic ice-pick the size of Neptune wouldn't smash through an entire dimension threaded through Illyana Rasputina, no matter how much she might care to peel back the protections. **No trespassing** left up there by an immortal demon warlock has, unfortunately, provided no actual freedoms to stamp around. For that respect, the smart response from Illyana when things go silent is to faintly smirk at Jean over her smoothie. It's strawberry-based, that concoction, with enough of a streak of chocolate through it to supply a caffeinated hit for those who require such energy jolts. Her expression turns vaguely akin to worried at Terry's myriad reactions to what she can't sense.

Then she shifts, slipping past Gabby and Noriko to head for Xi'an, who probably can parse the details as fast as any. "What did they see?" she asks in an undertone of her fellow New Mutant, casting her voice as quietly as she can to avoid interrupting the obviously important exchange. But one psychic is probably able to simultaneously receive the broadcast and parse out salient facts for the psychic-null that is the Rasputina. And this way no one has to repeat themselves, not exactly.

More curiously, she swivels around the ring on her fingers, a blue-licked flame rolling over the brassy finish.

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
The woman from another world explains things to them. Shan's head tilts forwards, eyes half lidding. She inhales at 'genetic deviations' but does not raise any alarm past that. One hand rests on her hip.

"Not unfamiliar," she remarks, but then Lilandra is approaching the Professor. He is not resisting, he is not afraid. He and Jean work together and --

"Mother of God!" Shan exclaims as the images wash through their minds en-masse. The hand she had been putting upon her hip is at her forehead, the heel of her palm ground into her forehead once the wave passes.

Illyana asks for a summary. "Yes, certainly. Memories... her sister, battles, ships on fire... 'the end of all that is'... We were children then, but... This is important, creatures like... It is not the important thing *now*, it is the past."

Shan takes a breath. "Her brother seeks this, the host of a power, to unlock a crystal. I'm simplfying, these are important things, real, deadly. It is deadly. An apocalypse. He sees it only as a way to succeed. From here, she journeys here, it is an... Earth ship, they had a pet raccoon."

Shan's eyes flutter and her lips purse, before she focuses again. After this she moves to partake of the Lim-beverages. She has earned them.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar shrugs, looking up from tablet brow furrowed, "Okay, that's got it." He scans the room as it grows quiet, then frowns shaking his jead at the images. His fingers dance on the device in his hand as he translates the images into text and emoji for the demon queen purely out of habit.

% He texts Her to limit the cross talk. "Let me know what you need... You'll have my knife, even with the track revord my family has for alien invasions."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice tenses as the images flood through her - and a puzzled frown of partial incomprehension settles onto her features. Was this 'Phoenix' responsible for exploding that world? And this woman's brother wanted to find it, and harness it somehow - with the help of some crystal? How do you 'unlock' and 'enter' a crystal? And the 'host' of that power, that Phoenix, was it one of the X-Men? "...I feel like I have more questions than answers. What's a Phoenix?" Clarice asks bluntly. "Aside from a fiery mythological bird. And the person who controls that Phoenix... Are they - is //she// here?" Had Lilandra come to warn them - to hide this person from her brother?

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Terry bites his lip /hard/ in order not to laugh. Because he can just image the look on Rocket's face if anyone were to describe him as a pet.

He is totally going to have to tell him all about that next time they meet.

But there are other things, important things, at play right now. "Professor, by your leave, I'd like to go back to the Tower and inform the Titans of what is going on and have them, in turn, inform the League of this." If he can't get to Diana right away, he can also get to J'onn. Either one will inform Superman and the rest.

And the Titans needed to prepare to do what they've done before several times- help their allies kick invading alien butt. "Please don't hesitate to contact us for anything. You know where we are, that gigantic Tower in St. Martin's island, shaped like a 'T' for 'Target.'"

And with that, giving a wave to everyone and a respectful bow to the Space Princess, the Cheshire Cat steps through the Rabbit Hole in order to inform the Men of Roha---er--- the Titans of the latest tidings.

Charles Xavier has posed:
Charles doesn't notice that the images and mind connection and slipped out until it already was done and over, but it was for the best. When its said and done, he lowers his shoulders a little and sits back in his chair. His right hand goes up to trail a finger down the side of his face before he looks back over his shoulder toward Jean a moment....

"Well." Charles says, voice still soft as his eyes go back to Lilandra. "The meeting is already in progress. Members of the Justice League and more, so it seems. We've... we've got a lot to prepare for and I think it best we not do that here in the main foyer of the school." Charles gives a look around at the others present before he regards Jean again. "We should try to track everyone down, SCott, Ororo, Hank... anyone who isn't here and get them informed of what is developing."

To Lilandra, Charles shows a faint smile. "I'm very glad to finally see you in person, my dear Lilandra. I would offer youa tour of the grounds, but perhaps it best if we move along to my office to discuss this?"

Terry's departure has Charles offering a nod. "Thank you for all you've done. Tell your companions that they have our support in return..."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Phoenix is what Rachel went by," Gabby informs matter-of-fact. "She'd have the big firey bird up around her when she used her powers a lot." As if to further explain she held her hands up with fingers wiggling. "There was a lot more to it than that, something about it being some kind of alien power, but given she's from the future I didn't get a lot of info about it. One of those 'it might not happen' things that she was iffy about sharing information on." This all comes from Gabby, quietly, so as to not further confuse those who may have had a lot going on. Though if this 'Phoenix Force' was the same as what Rachel had she really had to wonder what else was going on that she hadn't been told about. Not that it was really her business. Her gaze flits to Jean as she takes another slurp of the smoothie enjoying all that little caffienated buzz added to it. More seriously she adds, "You know we're willing to help, too," for the adults to hear.

Jean Grey has posed:
Not surprisingly, the effect of all of this is to leave Jean looking a bit, well, dark-faced, overtaken in the moment with touches of guilt and uncertainty that is out of place for her perfectionist headmistress facade. Even Illyana's smirk just earns a half-hearted version of the same, and she explains: "She showed them... well, what the Phoenix - what I, when it was with me - did to the Brood." She shakes her head. "Not that it could have happened to anyone more deserving. And that her brother has some plan to use the Phoenix for himself. But doesn't he-"

And she looks between Lilandra and Charles, now. "Wasn't the whole point of everything to avoid this? It's gone? How can I help him now?"

Lilandra, equally grim, although more stoic than Jean once she has transferred her thoughts, shakes her head. "Sadly, D'Ken did not see it fit to share the intimate details of his conspiracy with me. I know what he speaks of, the crystal. It is an old alien artifact on an obscure world in Shi'ar space, thought to be some remnant of a species much more ancient and advanced than even our own. Our own attempts to study it have failed, and access to the system is now forbidden."

Here, she looks among the assembly of Charles' students. She may not know most of them, as she knew the original X-Men team, but she knows the man himself, and they are his disciples (well, not Clarice- details!). "It should go without saying that my brother is insane. Nothing good can come of any plan to tinker with such powers. The Phal'kon," and she loks toward Clarice, who is a little more out of the loop than some, to say simply, "what you call the Phoenix, is an entity of raw creative and destructive power, an avatar for the cosmic renewal of the universe. One legend suggests that the crystal is its egg, although that seems a gross simplification."

And finally, she looks at Jean. "It seems whatever we did may have not been enough, if it-" But then there's a wrinkle. Something Gabby says. "Wait, there was someone else?"

Turns out the Shi'ar never heard of a certain Time Daughter!

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Hank's on the Asteroid with Rahne," Clarice volunteers simply - tension seeping back into her form as she makes this announcement. "She's stable - and doing much better - but she hasn't woken yet," she admits. It didn't feel right to mention the young woman without giving some update of her condition.
    "I can head back up and send Hank down. Our doctor can care for Rahne. Is there anything else I should be sure to pass on to the Brotherhood?" The smoothie was forgotten in her hands for the moment, as she tries to focus her mind on the business at hand - rather than sinking back into worry about Rahne's continued unconscious state. Instead, she studies both Jean, and Gabby curiously at this information about the Phoenix. Curious. "So - is your brother planning to capture Jean? Does he think she still possesses this power?"

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
Shan looks towards Lilandra and attempts a smile. It is calculated to be gentle and reassuring to Earth hominids slightly younger than her, so, crap shoot on how well it gets across, but there is an effort. "Yes, I understand what you mean, completely," she says, before looking momentarily towards Gabby, then back.

Her lips purse for a moment. Was that an oops? Uncertain. Well, Shan thinks privately, if it was an enormous secret, the Professor and Jean are right there.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
Greater wisdom means falling into silent reflection, piecing together a good amount of information that might or might not be supplied. The Demon Queen will follow up on the notes later, as it comes down.

Her thumb flicks against the hilt of the sword over her shoulder, more a gesture intended by Illyana to assure both of them are scabbarded properly, since walking around among younger people while properly and fully armed isn't typically her favourite thing. "Rachel did," she confirms to Gabby. "A long time between her then and our now, da?" The emptied smoothie in her hand needs to be submitted elsewhere, and another of those micro-portals blossoms for her to dismiss her cup where it will be eaten by some happy demon and recycled the way nature intended. "Do we need to be at this artifact first?" The question comes as casually as anything, like suggesting they're all going to take a roadtrip to somewhere like Roanoke or Cincinnati instead of...

Teleporters are what they are.

Jean Grey has posed:
Ultimately, in all the chaos, Jean comes back to Xavier's words. "Right." Focus on the moment, on the job. "The first thing we need to do is make sure everyone knows what's going on, and do whatever we can to keep the school safe, the whole damn planet even. Permanent alert." And then Clarice, who has word not only of the whereabouts of some X-Men of relevance, but is their ongoing tie to their oldest enemy... and Charles' oldest friend. "Tell him what's happening, that the League are in danger meeting with their representatives and... I don't know. To prepare for whatever the Shi'ar will do. It sounds like they've brought plenty of firepower, so we can't afford not to work together."

Lilandra, for her part, can give no more clarity. "I told my brother, the entire council, what Charles had accomplished, that the host had been freed of the majority of the Phal'kon's influence and that there should be no threat from the entity, given his own assurances to me of her good character and self-control. But D'Ken seems assured of his plan. And madman though he is, he has never been stupid nor delusional. If he acts, it is with a purpose, and it would be wise that we do not let him achieve it. Be it her capture or her death-"

She looks at Illyana now, who clearly appeared by a manner not unlike Terry, and asks her bluntly. "Going to the crystal could pose its own risks, or perhaps bring the object of his obsession to the very place he seeks to bring it. Still-" And she asks with just as much casual bluntness as the woman herself, "What is your maximum range?"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney shifts her weight from one foot to the other not awkwardly so much as realizing she was babbling in the way that sometimes got things, and people, more in trouble than before. A deep breath is drawn only to be let out slowly as she gives a single nod. "Yes. There was another. Though she either had more control over it--" an apologetic glance is shot toward Jean, "Than what I just saw, or she had less of it's power. She's a traveler from a potential future time line." She glances toward Noriko, and Illyana, even James as if seeking some kind of assurance that what she was sharing is okay to share. This woman was apparently very close to the professor though. The past shared through memories as well leant some creedence to her being okay for knowing this. Potentially. "She's... She was the new Phoenix from her timeline, but as far as I know, she returned to it. So it's kind of irrelevant, anyway. Sorry for the confusion. That's just how I have heard of it before," she explains with a little clearing of her throat. An agreeable nod is given toward Illayana with her thumb hooking in the blonde Russian's direction. As a change of topic she adds, "I'm Gabby in more than just name sometimes. ... I'm Wolverine's clone. Daughter? Kind of? So that's how I can help with the current situation," she adds pointing skyward to indicate the fleet out there.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice knows her head in understanding. "I'll tell him. For the sake of the planet, and all mankind... We'll stand together," she promises, despite the fact that she doesn't have the authority to speak for Magneto - or for the Brotherhood.
    Still - she'd be shocked if her King and her mentor disagreed with her on something like this.
    Looking tired more than anything else, she starts making her way down the stairs and into the foyer itself. It seemed she wouldn't be visiting Dyani after all - there was simply too much work to be done. Because when it rains, it pours, apparently.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar snorts and grins, shaking his head. He pulls a knife the size of a small sword from the small of his back and checks the blades sharpness in the light. "Since the strike team got shelved I've got time."

     Jim gives Gabby a half hearted eye roll and then smiles at the younger woman.

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"If the... energy, it could unlock..." Shan begins, before she stops again, composing herself. Thoughts are hard. This is a lot to take in at one swallow, but, she tells herself, this is the world and the life you live now. Stiff back.

"If I may ask... this fleet, it is speaking with the League, with the world's governments? Are they simply... stalling, would it be too difficult to try for conquest?" Shan asks, after some thought. "From what you are saying - and I can tell you speak with honesty - we would lose, but I imagine that we would extract quite the cost..."

("You're taking this well," she asides to James.)

Charles Xavier has posed:
With the questions asked and some answers given, Charles looks back to Liilandra and exhales heavily again. "There's yet a lot to be discussed. I'm sure that the people of this world will do everything in their power to maintain peace and that we'll find a resolution to all of this. Whether they're a more advanced society in technology or not, we're all equally civilized here. We can find peace, if we simply open the lines of communication." He seems quite steadfast in his tone and pitch with regard to this as he once more motions toward the east wing.

"Come, lets find a palce out of the way, there are students to this school who'll have many more questions should we linger much longer. Lets all do our best to find some answers first, yes?"

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
Blame it on a matter of translation for the idea of a maximum takes Illyana a moment to make sense of. Her attention may also be stolen by Gabby, though the discomfort from that direction seems to roll right over her. No offense taken if any were expected to exist. The smallest of nods follows, though it's easy to miss aside from her pale hair rippling around the black, viciously barbed crown swept back from her face.

"Not much." She states that with a flat, characteristic bluntness that wouldn't know boasting if a boast was a constrictor snake strangling her. "The biggest forces could require work. Maybe an Eternal seal to stay out requires picking apart. But space is illusionary, da? It all stands atop one another. The billion light years that way? Same distance to the yard."

Jean Grey has posed:
For all that Gabby's explanation is a little rambling, and includes fairly weird concepts like alternate timelines, Lilandra seems to take it all very much at face value, and quite seriously. "It has been theorized that the Phal'kon exists somewhat beyond our concept of time and space, that it reigns over the life and death of all possible universes, not merely one at a time. Whether it is to our advantage, I am unsure. Perhaps he could use either host -- perhaps he would need both? You must warn her. And for safety, I should avoid any further knowledge of her, in case my brother should catch up to me. He has telepaths at his disposal, as well."

Next she answers Xi'an: "I do not believe this world could withstand a full Shi'ar invasion, although there are mitigating factors. The Kree are present here as well, and are a rival power to our own, with treaties to abide. Likely, this is why they have brought only a fleet detatchment and the Guard, to portray it as a quick legal action focused on my arrest or the elimination of the entity's, and not an invsasion. They may seek your cooperation in delivering her. It is not a difficult case to sell: the entity can destroy worlds, whole star systems, ultimately even more. It being present on Earth can be offered as a grave risk."

"But make no mistake," she adds, firmly. "They will not hesitate to use force if they must. Shi'ar law recognizes few inherent rights for pre-unified worlds, and D'Ken, himself, is not one to abide the rules when they do not serve him."

At long last, she returns to Charles' side, laying her hand upon his own atop the armest of his chair. "Yes, that would be best. I will speak more with Charles on the matter, on what course is best." The fact that she looks at Jean as she speaks, but does not address the topic toward her speaks certain volumes, and Jean seems to get the message, reaching up toward the side of her face in an awkward tic. "Locate your people, make whatever preparations are necessary and-" She looks toward Illyana. "Good. After I speak with Charles, I can begin briefing you on the destination. It is in an unusual part of space, but with some preparation, it sounds as if you will manage."

Thus, for all the sudden drama of her arrival, things end rather quietly. After she's spoken, Lilandra takes her own turn with the Professor's chair, wheeling him off into another room, for whatever their private business might include. Jean snaps from whatever momentary funk and begins encouraging the gawking students back to their rooms, before she too gets to work. "Alright, lets get down to the command center, we've got a lot to do."