"Well done," Xavier commends his X-Men, not via Cerebro but the Danger Room's control area. "Leading a team remotely is a skill onto itself, as I can attest, and having to keep your leader apprised exercises clear communication and awareness of your surroundings. Your success is almost unfortunate," he adds lightheartedly, "another shot from that giant sentinel and I think you would've been clear to leave the room, Jean. I might've liked to see how things would've turned out then."
Jean returns his smile, then turns her eyes on Scott, who was the reason for this particular training session: "Maybe another time."
Xavier's attention shifts likewise: "From here, your mind and stamina appeared sound, Scott. How do you feel?"
"Optimum."
"Very good, I have a mission I'd like for you and Jean to undertake soon," he's taken on a more solemn air. "There is another anomaly I've noticed through Cerebro, an area with some curious mutant signatures, though a recurrent psychic disruption that is preventing me from getting a clear read."
Curious indeed; the exchanged looks of his X-Men say as much.
But ahead of Jean Grey and Cyclops' mission, there are other matters to see to....At the Department of Mutant Affairs the next day, a meeting is underway between full-time member Warren Worthington III A.K.A. Angel, part-time member Dr. Hank McCoy A.K.A. Beast, and the Chief of Police.
Also in attendance is Jean Grey, at whose request this meeting is occurring.
Jean: "The New York City Police Department's new focus on getting mutant criminals off the streets, the way it's being presented makes it sound as though criminals are exclusively mutants."
Chief Grymholt: "Well to be sure, mutants are certainly their own class of criminal, and continue to prove themselves particularly degenerate."
"Isn't it more, Chief Grymholt, that these mutants continue to exemplify the environment in which they presently live? Their powers manifest and more often than not they become ostracized. Some even by their own families, and nearly all of them by their schools, then, their potential places of work. Their educational path becomes compromised and their job prospects vanish if they're not also thrown out of their homes."
"So they have the right to commit these crimes?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying. But when the rights they should have are denied them, how else are they to live?"
Warren: "We've reviewed the case files of your recent detainees, Chief Grymholt, and their crimes are petty in nature.
Beast: "If I may share my two cents on the matter, hard time hardly seems the rational response to purloined provisions."
"I understand your sympathies," -Beast and Warren, both obvious mutants, exchange a look- "but," the chief gives a mirthless chuckle, "try telling the storekeeper who's dealing with structural and inventory damages that the crime was 'petty'."
Jean: "In any case, these people require help, Chief Grymholt, not incarceration. If it can be provided you will see these are members of society, not menaces.
He fixes her with a rather skeptical stare: "So exactly what are you proposing, Dr. Grey?" "A halfway house for mutants," -there's that mirthless chuckle again; the chief shakes his head- "with resources in place to redirect them away from criminal activity."
Beast (you know...): "With opportunity for gainful employment, reimbursement can begin on those damages you mentioned before."
Fixing Beast now with a stare, which gets divided between the three with all the personality of a driver reluctant to yield to coming traffic, Chief Grymholt turns this over in his mind a minute. "I'll concede to reasonable points. Yet just where and how would you propose getting such a facility? There are many other, more well-founded places the city has to put its money, and space doesn't grow on trees." Warren smiles like he was waiting for this question: "The money and space are already taken care of. My family owns a vacant building, purchased some time back as an investment which was given over to me. It's already adequate enough, requiring only a few modifications which can be completed concurrent with occupancy."
Well they seem to have thought of everything, haven't they? "...Very well. The responsibility of the mutant detainees will be transferred to the Department of Mutant Affairs. Assuming you can keep them under control long enough to see reason; they can keep the collars for transport but after that, well, Trask Industries' contract is only with law enforcement for the present."
For the first time all meeting, Beast, Warren and Jean are thrown.
Warren: "What do you mean 'the collars'?"
The chief is surprised: "How do you think we've come to collar all these mutants? By literally collaring them. Trask Industries latest technology -Power-Inhibiting."
Beast: "My stars! We're not animals."
At the Mansion....
Scott is on his way to a certain location when a familiar, young voice pauses him: "Professor Summers. Hi. Are you busy?"
Scott looks from Holo towards the door to Professor Xavier's office, which is closed.
"Not yet."
"Okay-" understanding he will be soon, Holo tries not to delay, "I was just wondering if I could talk to you about your powers? After -well, you know*..." she hurries past that, "I kind of got really interested in learning how everyone's mutation works for them. You know Dr. Grey's been showing me some of her X-gene work.."
*She's referencing the events of Vol. #1.
Scott nods; he is indeed aware of this arrangement.
"Well she told me about yours, after I asked," Holo seems a little embarrassed to admit that, but goes on, "and so, you absorb energy from the sun like a plant? I mean Dr. Grey didn't say it THAT way."
Scott smiles a little at Holo's manner. "Well I suppose it's something of a similar process to photosynthesis, though more like an engine with the fuel being certain photons; not strictly sunlight."
"Right," her embarrassment returns, "Dr. Grey said that. I think it's fascinating anyway how you absorb stuff that gives heat, but your blasts don't. And so um, behind your glasses or visor you're like, shooting all the time, right?"
(unfortunately) "Yes."
"So then, aren't you like, spending more energy than you're getting? Since there's less of that photon stuff in the dark, right?" Her brow furrows, like she doesn't understand 100% about "that photon stuff", but in any case- "Or even if there isn't and you're getting something all the time, you're also shooting all the time, so shouldn't that balance out into no blasts?
"Smart question. Jean reasons it's not a 1-to-1 ratio. To give a simplified example, that might be like every ONE particle supplying me with enough energy for TEN blasts."
Holo nods, looking like she understands that much.
Scott adds: "We're also not sure if my mutation developed all at once. The absorbing part of it might've occurred well ahead of the blast part, giving me a head start."
"Oh yeah! Like you had -or have some, um, what is it called...."
"Energy in reserve?"
"Yeah, reserves."
We hear Xavier's door open.
Scott smiles at Holo. "You have a good head for this."
Holo beams. "Professor Grey said we'll start figuring out my powers soon."
"Good," he starts to shift towards Xavier's office, "a deeper understanding of your own powers is a good thing to have."
Pleased, Holo departs with a wave.
Ahead of him entering, Scott is spoken to by the individual who has just come out of Xavier's office, Emma Frost: "Looks like it's that 'sweet sorrow' moment of departure."
Scott lowers a brow in question; of the apparent situation not her words.
Emma: "At least to a point. We may still continue our sessions elsewhere if YOU still want, in light of things," she gestures vaguely towards Xavier, who's also come out of his office. "See you around, Scott. I hope."
"See you, Emma..." He watches her walk unabashedly away while he speaks to Xavier, "I thought you were considering keeping her on permanently?"
"That was before I realized the extent of her powers. Have you not found you experience emotions in a heightened or unusual manner while in her presence, only to have them drop off rather unusually once you're no longer?"
"No," Scott is completely puzzled.
Xavier is surprised. "Emma Frost has Empathic mutant abilities. Manipulating an individual's emotions she can, for example, make them feel happiness incongruous with their present situation, but she can also make them hate. While she has provided honest therapy to our students in the aftermath of the virus, she had also been increasing certain feelings in them -if they already were feeling resentment towards non-mutants, for one. I believe she was trying to incite, or possibly inspire, some sort of action. But that way," he shakes his head. "She had to go."
Scott gives this some thought.
Xavier adds: "By the way she answered when I questioned her, I received the impression this is her regular manner of working."
"I'm positive she's never used her powers with me."
"Hm. Perhaps she requires more impressionable souls."
Scott seems to be considering this still, his gaze reverting to the front door, where the departing Emma is now crossing paths with the returning Jean: "Oh, Emma. You're leaving?"
"Yes, the Professor and I agreed it was time I returned to my practice. I was just saying goodbye to Scott, for the time being," she casts a look back at him before reverting attention to Jean. "You should join us for a session, sometime." With a mysterious smile, she's off.
Jean's not sure what to make of her, but most of all Jean seems distracted.
Scott (as she walks up): "Let me guess, it didn't go well."
Jean answers with a look before the three head into Xavier's office, where we join them after Jean has brought them up to date. "...of course we told him we will not be making use of the collars for transport. We're trying to lower restrictions on mutants, not endorse more." She adds the fact, "if there's any such disruption we can handle it as X-Men."
These new developments have them all unsettled.
Cyclops: "How do these collars inhibit mutant powers?"
Jean: "Right now only Trask Industries has that answer. Warren is seeing what he can find -the technology should've gone through Mutant Affairs ahead of production. Hank is seeing if he can inspect one from the police. We're not even sure how many they have."
Cyclops: "I knew there had to be something behind their sudden motivation."
Xavier: "Finding out these answers and addressing the implications are a priority, without a doubt. However, I'll still need you two to investigate the aforementioned peculiarities I found via Cerebro. I will brief the other X-Men on this situation."
Speaking of other X-Men, it's back to the Danger Room's control area, where we find a certain hopeful.... "Come on -which one of these actually turns this thing on..."
The voice of Storm is suddenly heard: "It won't engage without a passcode given only to X-Men on their initiation."
Jubilee turns around, caught, but presses on with youthful energy: "See that's why I'm here! I thought I could be the newest member!"
Storm smiles. "You are not yet through with your studies."
"A junior-" the word seems disagreeably to her, "-reserve member, then! I've been thinking of it since Cyclops and Iceman were down --before that, but especially then since without them you guys were missing some of your long-range punching power!" She's spread her fists out down beside herself, meant to be in an emphasizing gesture -just a few controlled sparks, but in her enthusiasm accidentally shoots a few out full-on.
One finds its way to the Control Panel.
"Oh no! I didn't just short it out, did I?!"
"Not permanently. It has surge protectors in place."
Jubilee exhales in relief. "So anyway -with Iceman and Rogue away visiting their folks right now and Cyclops off on a mission with Jean, not to mention Wolverine and Nightcrawler finishing theirs still, the X-Men are down quite a few numbers! So I thought I'd get some practice in in case something comes up before any of them get back!"
Storm almost laughs at Jubilee's endearing drive: "The X-Men's numbers are still fine," -Jubilee's face falls, thinking Storm will disregard her wish- "but one so eager ought to have an opportunity to try. If it's practice you want, you can have some with me. To blow off some of that excess energy," she adds, not critically, pointing to Jubilee's hands, "if nothing else."
"Score!" She punches the air, this time successful in distributing only a few, superficial accent sparks. "Thanks, Storm!"
"Go in ahead," Storm directs, while she moves to engage the simulation system.
and we go from one control panel to another as we join Cyclops & Jean Grey in the cockpit of the X-Jet, as Cyclops checks something on the display screen. "Nearing destination."
Jean, looking at Cyclops, smiles. "I missed this."
He missed her smile on him and sees only her looking out the windows. "The sights you saw off-planet* must've been something else entirely."
*He means after her ascent as Phoenix; see X3: Unwritten under "About" on the Homepage.
True, but: "So many I wished I could've shared with you," her smile, softer, returns to him.
Getting it now, Cyclops -with his own smile- adds: "We should be sure to take this 'bird out for some test flights, if it gets to be a while between missions." Built-in pretext for stealing away together.
Jean's smile spreading, they revert attention companionably to the skies.
Until, shortly, a sense of something brings Jean's attention back to Cyclops, whose disposition has changed suddenly. "What is it?"
"..Something is familiar...."
Jean eyes him; whatever it is seems unsettling to him.
Then suddenly, the jet hits turbulence --worse than that!
Cyclops: "We've been hit by something!"
He doesn't mean physically -all of the electronics of the Jet have been shut down, as though hit by an EMP!
Jean puts everything she can into trying to lift the jet, telekinetically, from the inside to slow their now rapid descent; it's choppy-- "- -I keep losing my grip!"
Cyclops looks from Jean to the altitude measure on screen; gauging her influence vs. the descent- "-Nevermind the jet! Let's get out-" -and engages the ramp to open.
Jean turns her attention to making sure she and Cyclops -seatbelts being disconnected- get hold of each other as she lets go of the jet --plummeting faster now without the counterforce.
Sucked out clear into the sky, Jean soon concentrates her powers on slowing their own
descent-- at least she tries: "The interference is still too much!" --it's telekinetic turbulence!
She watches the ground glowing closer beneath them- "-I can't stop us!"
"Hold tight! I've got it." Cyclops tightens the hold of one of his arms while bringing his other hand to his visor, countering their rate of descent with his blast; his plan from the get-go.
--but it's not over yet!
Shrapnel from the jet takes them off guard -- and out of each other's arms!
They separately go down, by this point at least low enough -and their falls broken more by the terrain- they'll escape with their lives and minor injury--
--but both have been rendered unconscious.