7354/The Morning After an Alien Invasion

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The Morning After an Alien Invasion
Date of Scene: 13 August 2021
Location: Brotherhood Safe House: Montana
Synopsis: Clarice and Lorna have a disagreement about the nature of her duty to the Crown.
Cast of Characters: Clarice Ferguson, Lorna Dane




Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice sent Lorna with a number of students to a Brotherhood safehouse at the edge of a forest in Montana. Inside, there were stacks of blankets, a few extra inflatable matresses, and plenty of canned, dried, and otherwise shelf-stable food.
    It probably doesn't make matters any better between Clarice and her Queen/friend/protectee that she doesn't reappear until the next morning - her legs and arms covered here and there with bandages from some mild injuries she'd received in the battle - most of them burns. She approaches the front door slowly and cautiously, as if she expects some sort of explosion, putting in the code for the door: 216384.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane was livid. Mostly at not being given a CHOICE in what she was doing. There were children that needed protecting, though, and so she'd fallen into that role swiftly once she realized there was little she could do to get out of the situation herself. So she'd put on a brave face for the kids instead of throwing a tantrum like she may have, deep down, wanted to do. The safe house had been set up as neatly as possible, allowing some privacy for the children by hanging sheets up to act as curtains in a few corners. They hung to the wall by some helpful little 'nails' that had seemingly been molded out of the girders of the wall itself without damaging the integrity of the structure. Lorna knew a trick or two after all. And now she sits in a chair with one leg crossed over the other bouncing in aggitation as some of the kids took turns reading to one another, or sleeping. Waiting. Watching. Impatiently.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice steps into the safe house, hoping she doesn't look as sheepish or anxious as she feels. She stands by her decisions - but she knows she's in for it, and for good reason. She makes her way through the small entry into the main living area, announcing her presence with a simple, "It's just me."
    Of course she's immediately bombarded by a million questions from the teens present. 'What happened?!' 'Is everyone alright?' 'How many aliens did you kill?' 'Is the school still standing?' 'What about my stuff?' 'Did anyone call my parents?' 'Can we build a waterslide in the back yard?'
    The last kid gets a baffled look, as Clarice tries to quiet the hub-bub. "The school is damaged. Everyone... seems to be alright. Ummm... don't know about your stuff, but it might be safer to keep you guys here, for now..."
    That's about all she's prepared to say in front of the kids, though.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane narrows her eyes at the entrance of her friend. She allows the children to unleash their myriad of questions at her while it was clear her own were far different than what they were asking. The questions burn inside her as she starts to rise from her chair retaining as much of her dignity as she can in the process. Children were around after all. There was no need to do anything else other than slowly stride forward outright glaring at Clarice. When all the questions are answered, she merely stares. Then a single deep breath is taken. "Would you have done the same to my father?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I didn't, in Genosha, and I lived for months with thinking I was responsible for the death of my King," Clarice answers quietly, trying to keep her expression as calm and neutral as possible - but there's tension in her form and int he corners of her eyes that she can't quite banish. "So I learned. I'm supposed to keep you safe. I heard them threaten to bombard the school from orbit," she explains.
    Her gaze goes to the children - most of whom have had the good sense to fall silent - before returning her attention to Lorna again. "Shall we go outside to speak, Your Majesty? Or would you prefer to speak here?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane clenches her fists at her sides at that answer. Her lips press into a thin, tight line as she finds herself unable to formulate a proper reply. There WERE children here. Whirling away from Clarice she blurts out, "Goddammit. Outside, now." Only to pause, and point toward the kids. "Stay. ... We will update you all in a bit." It was a promise at least she could keep. Perhaps. Even if she wasn't happy about this at all.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Yes Your Majesty," Clarice agrees, taking a deep breath in, and letting it out slowly. She knew this was going to be difficult - and painful. She didn't regret her choice, not one bit - she only hoped their relationship could be salvaged on the other side of this.
    Turning away, she walks back out of the house agian, back the way she came, taking up a position within sight of the house but where their voices should carry - unless they start screaming. She hoped it wouldn't come from that.
    She could see the children lined up at the windows, staring, with the curtains drawn open. Great. She turns her gaze back to Lorna, however, waiting in silence.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane paces to a tree, stops, then turns and paces a few feet back. It's a process that repeats several times until she finally whirls toward Clarice once more now not even trying to hide the sheer anger that was contorting her face. If her father wore such an expression he would likely strike fear into the hearts of quite a few. Her reptuation was not so severe, yet in this instance, perhaps it was just as frightening. "You, above all people, should know what it feels like to have CHOICE ripped away from you!" Her voice is kept low, though it does rise in pitch before she catches herself. Again she turns away to stare at the tree instead. Unable for a moment to look back. "... I know why you feel the way you did. I understand that. BUT. It doesn't change that I'm pissed off right now at what you did without consulting me! And leaving me to babysit..." Here she pauses, faltering, as her hand lifts to scrub over her face. "I know, they need someone to keep them safe. But. Still! You can't possibly tell me I would have been useless in fighting those invaders!"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice endures the fury as calmly as she can. She'd known it was coming - and that it was deserved. It didn't mean she liked it one bit, though.
    "You would have been very useful," Clarice answers quietly. "You're an extremely capable fighter - but it wasn't the invaders themselves I was worried about - not the ones that teleported in, anyways. It was their ship. They have laser weapons and, unless I misunderstand things, a laser bombardment would travel at the speed of light. I wouldn't have been able to get you out in time, Your Majesty, and it's my job to protect you. We both would have been helpless against an attack like that - and that's what they told me they planned to do. Ultimately, I'm more expendable than you, or your father - or Mystique. And I needed to get out as many as I could."

Lorna Dane has posed:
"You are NOT expendable!" Lorna rages aloud forgetting her attempt to keep her voice quiet at this point. She turns again clearly fighting a mix of emotions with teeth grit. Only for another huff of breath to come out. "NO ONE is expendable! And yes, it was dangerous, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't have taken the chance! There are still... still things I want to fight for, too." Again her hands clench at her side tight enough for her fingernails to leave indentations in her palm. "And how would Dyani have felt had you been 'expended'? That's not a conversation I wish to have."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Less vital, then?" Clarice counters. "I don't want to die. I have no intention of getting killed - but I'm //willing// to die, for the right cause. If that's what it comes to - but you're the reigning sovereign of Genosha, and I'm your guard. I heard them threaten to destroy everything within a hundred mile radius of the school, and there's nothing I could have done to protect you if that happened.
    "I don't intend to stop you from fighting, Lorna," she adds more quietly. "I know I can't do that. But this threat was different. There's //nothing// we could have done to defend any of us if they'd pulled that trigger like they said that they would."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane blurts out the first thing she could think of, "I don't care! Not right now. Not when they could have destroyed all of us, no matter where on Earth we are. For that, everyone has a right to fight if they can." A dip of her shoulders comes as she just deflates, a little bit. The stress, anger, and worry of the past day and night had taken it's toll on her whether she wanted to admit it or not." Finally shaking her head, she speaks quieter. "We need to plan out what to do with the children at this point."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I know," Clarice agrees quietly. "They're- the threat isn't just to the school, or the world. They're threatening the Universe, and we needed every capable fighter we could have, but I- it's my duty to protect my sovereign, and I couldn't face the thought of failing in that again." Whether it was right or wrong.
    She's silent for a moment before she adds, "I didn't want to say it in there in front of the kids, but I failed to protect Jean. I wanted to teleport her away as well, but she read my mind and wouldn't allow it. And the Shi'ar took her. She just- she disappeared. She was absorbed, or somehow teleported away? I really don't know."

Lorna Dane has posed:
"From what I know... what little I know about the past she has had with the Shi'ar... She may be the best hope we have to beat them regardless." Lorna tips her head skyward a long moment. "I suppose all we can do now is hope for the best one way or another. And wait."