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51
Roleplay / USS Nellis - Weyland-Yutani Expedition
« Last post by Slick on August 20, 2025, 10:32:19 pm »
On a frigate floating deep in the vacuum of space, a computer consul slowly hummed to life. Hardware came to life and a cooling fan sped up, the sound deafening amidst the low, continuous hum of the vessel’s passive systems. The dull light of a black screen  flicked on in the otherwise pitch black Cryo-Sleep Bay. Green, pixelated text would begin to populate on the screen.

<Mother - Initiating System Check>
<Loading…>
<Loading…>
<Loading…>
<System Check>
<USS Nellis - Kestral Class Frigate - Destination: Sector 6158 - Ghoul Stars
   Status: Arrived>
<Reducing Engine Speed - Engaging Forward Thrusters>
<Engaging Life Support Systems>
<Engaging Defensive Shields>
<Engaging Bio-Sensors>
<Engaging Gravitational Field>
<Navigation: Operational>
<Communications: Operational>
<Shields: Operational>
<Bio-Sensors: Operational>
<Artificial gravity: Operational>
<System Check: Complete. All Systems Pass QC>
<Mission: Classified>
<Mission Purpose: Classified>
<Mission Length: 65 Stellar Years; TBD>
<Crew - [9]>
   <Caretaker - Mr. Quint; Synthetic. Military Prototype
   XO - Weyland-Yutani Liaison- “Orion”
   Pilot - “Ace” - Captain, USCMC
   Navigator - “Jaeger” - Lieutenant, USCMC
   Crew Chief - “Wrench” - MSGT, USCMC
   [USCMC Marauders]
      Fireteam “Whiskey”
      - “Bandit” - MSGT, USCMC
      - “Vulcan” - GySGT, USCMC
      - “Deadeye” - SSGT, USCMC
      - “Stitch” -  SSGT, USCMC>
<Cryo-Sleep Ready to Disengage. Passcode Needed>
<Caretaker Authority Redirected - Command of USS Nellis authorized for CAPT. “ACE” and XO “ORION”. Initiating Caretaker alert.>

Florescent lights began to flicker on throughout the bay as the readout went on, illuminating floors of eggshell white, padded hallways of beige, and walls of gray. Tables, chairs and stools surrounding medical stations were a sterilized metallic, or a muted olive green. As a chime rang through the frigate, a well manicured finger came down to press a button on the yellowed keyboard below the monitor, just as Mother began to read off a command.

*Mr. Quint, please report—*

The Android smiled flatly as he used both hands to start typing out commands. The passcode needed was entered. A hiss came from the cryo-tubes as their cooling agents ceased flowing. Soon, a cocktail of fluids that would aid in the rehabilitation process would be administered. Finally, hydraulics would his as the lids of the tubes lifted open. All the while, Mr. Quint walked by each one, standing by a monitor at their side and going through a series of data scrolls. When he had checked the vitals of each crew member, he would go and sit upon his own already opened cryo-chamber. It had been activated 24 hours prior, when the hyper-drive had been disengaged upon entry into the Chthonic System, giving him a chance to prepare for the crews' awakening.

Jason “Bandit” Rollins was the first to stir from the deep sleep. It was with a jolt, head raising quickly, looking around with a twist of his head. The shadows that had chased him were forgotten in the fog of Cryo-Fatigue. Instead, he was looking at an African-American Man who swung his legs almost childishly from his perch on an already opened chamber. The man tilted his head, examining Bandit curiously before the Marine winced as a throbbing pain shot through his head. The tilt of the Android’s head only exaggerated as the marine leaned over the side of his chamber and vomited.

“Uh oh. Musn’t move too fast, Sergeant. Give yourself some time for the cocktail to work itself out.”

Mr. Quint was moving, finding a drawer and retrieving a towel, going to Bandit’s Chamber while the Marine laid back, pulling off the electrodes on his chest and arms. The IV in his arm had retracted their needles, so he pulled the tape off the tubes. Quint finished cleaning up the vomit and went to wash his hands.

“We goin’ by rank on this mission?”

“Oh, most likely not. But you and your fireteam are all Sergeants, so I figured it is just as nondescript as your Callsigns. Would you prefer I default to your designated markers?”

“Bandit is just fine. What’s your name, again?”

This time, Bandit sat up slowly, taking his time to swing his legs over the side of the bed. Down the line, the others started to stir, slowly, groggily.

“Mr. Quint. I’ll leave you and the rest of the crew to get your wits about you. Fresh clothes are in your lockers. I’ll get started on breakfast. Don’t worry about the nausea, I’m sure your appetite will return.”


Bandit felt around his chamber, finding a pack of smokes tucked underneath the flimsy pillow, and shaking it loose. He seemed to search for something else, as well.


“Not my first deep-freeze, Quint. But thanks. Hey, you got a light?”

“No,” Mr. Quint smiled flatly before turning and walking out of the bay. Behind bandit, Ace, a Latina woman and the pilot, leaned up on her elbows and lit her own cigarette, tossing the lighter to Bandit.

“Ain’t he just a doll,” she grunted. Bandit gave a humorous grunt back before lighting up.

The nausea had already dissipated. Breakfast sounded great.
52
Marvel / Escape
« Last post by Cherie on November 27, 2024, 06:51:48 pm »


Her Escape-Day One

-Paige stood in the hot shower, letting the hot water wash over her body. She had done this so many times. Sneaking out of golden satin sheets, lifting up a heavy arm that dared to keep her in bed with him. Showering before she left.  Sometimes he was awake with her, getting her water or coffee or whatever drink she would prefer that night, other times he slept through her shower. He kept her supplies here so that she could clean off. They often times talked about her staying, but they both knew the repercussions of that, so she didn’t. She brought the loofa up and started to run it down her arms, gently over the bruises that were there. Not from him though. If any time he did leave bruises on her it wasn’t against her will. The ones she were cleaning were the ones he had kissed earlier in the night. Again, there was nothing they could do about it. Paige enjoyed the shower, like she did all the nights. Maybe it was his water pressure? Or maybe it was because it held his scent. She would sniff all his products just to get that memory of him.

She placed the loofa back on the shelf. And stayed under the water. Letting it rush over her hair, not caring about styling it. There was such a hesitation to get out. She had at one point loved Jono at one point, but something in him changed. He had become…cruel. He had become brutal. Not just towards their enemies, but towards her. Then he would become distant, pulling his love away from her. Paige found solace someplace else. Johnathon Storm. They had always flirted, toed the line until one night they completely the crossed the line. That night they hadn’t looked back. Crystal never seemed to care, she was solid in her position as Gold Queen, mostly because Paige couldn’t usurp her. Paige was confident in her abilities, but Crystal was stronger. In order for Paige to take her place as Gold Queen she would have to defeat Crystal in battle. It was an insurmountable goal. Those were the rules set forth by Phoenix. Johnathon would whisper that she was his Gold Empress even if she couldn’t be Queen. Make no mistake Johnathon Storm was a force, he was also cruel and brutal. He was only that way with their enemies and not with her. The opposite of what she went home to every night.

The water continued to flow freely over her body. Hiding the tears that were streaking her face. Tonight, she knew, would be different. Tonight she would have to leave them both behind. A plan was put in place to get her out. She had reached out to the Rebels covertly, of course they didn’t trust her at first. Thinking that perhaps the Phoenix understood the sleeper agent ploy with Elektra, but Emma had gone deep into Paige’s mind. Deeper then the Phoenix would and cleared her. There was something that had changed her mind about where she was, who she was, and the men she was with.  Bending her head down and stepping just a bit out of the steady rain of the shower. Her hands slid down to her belly that right now appeared that she ate too much food.-

“We’re getting out of here.” -she whispered to her stomach before she turned the water off. She threw her wet hair in a towel, and grabbed another one to dry off with. Stepping out of the shower, she ran her hand over the steam on the mirror and saw the reflection of herself. She felt like a shell of the woman she knew.  She wasn’t sure how Johnathon and Jono would feel about her disappearing. Perhaps they wouldn’t even care. Jono wouldn’t have to worry about her relationship with the Human Torch, and vice versa. She could slip quietly into that good night. It wasn’t like Johnathon knew. And Paige knew it was his. Jono barely touched her in the past few months. This was a more recent development and it was the one that made her decide to leave. She did not want this baby to grow up confused why he/she would call Jono dad when they would probably more like her and Johnathon.  It was all to complicated. She couldn’t be Johnathon and Jono had become to cruel for her to stay. Would he harm her to kill him/her?  She didn’t know but the fear was to great to stick around and find out.

Exiting the bathroom, she got dressed quietly in the dim light of the Gold Emperors, The Lord Imperial’s bedroom. And what a beautiful room it was.  While they tried to be discreet about their affair, it was one of those secrets that everyone knew about but was to polite to talk about unless they wanted to face his wraith. Which no one did. Walking over toward the bed, she sat lightly upon it. Her fingers reach out to caress his golden strands from his sleeping face. He looked the most peaceful when he was sleeping. He stirred and she was afraid she had woken him, but he only adjusted slightly and kept on sleeping. Leaning down she kissed his temple.- “I love you.” -she whispered to him, and was once again holding back those tears. To leave him felt like she was a leaving a part of herself behind, except she was taking a piece with him. She knew that he would never forgive her if he knew. It was best he didn’t. This just wasn’t a life she wanted to live anymore, this wasn’t the life she wanted to raise a child in.

And with that last kiss, and those soft words. She had slipped out the door. Leaving no trace of herself behind, leaving no trail to follow. But by the time anyone figured out she was gone, she would be safe. Johnathon would think she was with Jono, and Jono would think she stayed longer with Johnathon. It wasn’t like they spoke to each other. It was so simple, so hard, and so heartbreaking. But the bruises left from Jono on her physical body, and the bruise in her heart every time she had to leave Johnathon became to much for her to bear.

With a whisper, she was gone.-
53
Marvel / Re: The Change
« Last post by Cherie on November 26, 2024, 07:24:42 pm »


Jean

-Jean had been pushed back into the dark corner of her mind, treated like a prisoner by the Phoenix force as she allowed it to come out. She didn’t want too, but it was necessary in order for their survival and to also lessen the killing that was happening. The one thing she realized though while she was huddled up in the darkness was that she was powerful. More powerful then she had been in their world. It was almost intoxicating. Drawing her in like a dehydrated woman to a running steam of fresh clean water. All of it was overwhelming her senses. It was addicting, and yet here she was hiding.

Once she pushed past her own self inflected righteousness, she allowed some of the power to flow through her. Logan’s message to her was missed as she wasn’t paying attention, she wasn’t keeping the channel open. Closing her eyes she reached out with her mind. She had an idea but she had to ensure that the pieces were right. She this Jean’s memories as well. There had been a tactic that was used to garner the teams. It was one that no one had thought before to use.

Love.

Or at least the kind of love that the people she enlisted had given. Love was not the weapon against war, it was used here as a weapon for war. It was actually genius. Love could stop someone from doing something horrible, but it could also cause someone to do horrible things. It was brilliant and so simple. It was the simplest of ideas and yet it had worked in her favor. Jean could not remember a time when anyone used that to take over the world. And here she was. She was not a queen, or an empress. She was a Goddess. She created a world in her own image. The Houses, the daughters, the champions. All of it was forms of love whether it was romantic, sibling, or friendship. All of it was built upon that one uncomplicated idea.

She had scanned the minds of those around, and she realized that her telepathy could reach even further then that. She found one. The Red Queen. At the moment all fighting ceased due to the fact she had made an appearance, it was a small window of opportunity while the Phoenix was giving her speech. She reached into the Red Queen’s mind, deeper then the Bad Phoenix was willing to go. There had been conditioning there. One that even The Red Queen wouldn’t remember with out code words. Jean scanned again and found the culprit for the brainwashing and the condition. Not to surprising but one that Bad Phoenix might not have seen as a true threat. She entered in both their minds and navigated them towards each other by just having them move slowly through the immersed trenches while all eyes were on her.-

“Elektra.” -he said as she was readying her sais twirling them with deadly precision. Even his metal arm wouldn’t be enough to full stop her once she was for blood. He had put his metal arm up and was slowly backing away. While he was a hunter he had some remorse left over, Elektra held no such compunction. Her dance was always beautiful with the way she could lure them in with just how she moved. She needed so special ability granted to her by their Goddess. She didn’t want it. While most would fight and kill to have a gift from her, that was what always set Elektra apart. She didn’t like cheating. Slowly she was circling him and he held his arm up and his gun up to show he wasn’t a threat to her but would only last so long.- “Zeugma, accismus, vitae.” -he said and it was as if a light bulb went off on her.-

“Bucky?” -she whispered in a breath still full of hatred. Just because she agreed to this didn’t mean she liked it. Especially when he was using it in battle. But then she stopped for a moment and her eyes glanced to the fire in the sky, it was pretty hard to miss. Her ear twitched slightly. Those piercing blue eyes looked at him.- “Break them up. The way to win isn’t by fighting. It’s by destroying love.” -she said and it sounded as if someone was talking through rather then her speaking to him.- “You cannot win this warn with sheer force, the only way to destroy it is to destroy it from within. Use their power against them.” -Elektra was a double agent, and her memories got buried with words.- “Knock me out.” -she said to him as she held her arms to her side, Bucky had moved close to her and before he would ready his punch he’d speak his words to her.-

“Vitae, accismus, zeugma.” -and before she could register what happened he hit her hard in the face, hearing her jaw crack under the force of his punch. It was the only way. Why she turned on Phoenix, not even he knew. But if she said to knock her out, then it was for a purpose. All of that happened quickly while Jean ensured she had their attention.

Before they all knew it, Jean or rather this Phoenix was sending streams of fire running through the battle field threatening to burn them all if they did not retreat. The wicked laughter from Jean/Phoenix could never be forgotten. The Phoenix was out, and Jean was in there somewhere, fighting for some kind of control.-

Phoenix

-Jean would nod in agreement, they did not want to interfere. Because chances were. There could be a way not to swap bodies but bring their physical bodies over, or even perhaps merge them. She couldn’t image the power two the two Phoenix force entities might have. Would they fight each other? Would they merge? She was pretty sure they could easily kill this Jean and crush this Logan with that information. What would he really have left fighting for if they took it all away from him? Though the though of two Logan’s was slightly appealing. This was not a thought she hid from him. They could hide thoughts from each other but most of the time she even let him know what she was thinking. There was a deeper bond between the two. It transcended the physical, it was higher then the soul. It was something they had not yet even knew about it.

She caught the emotion from him, The guilt and she would wrap him up in what felt like a warm blanket in his mind. She was trying to ease that thought away. When he was presented the very same choice, he had not chosen to kill her. He had chosen to serve her. She was the only one he would ever kneel for. She would always ensure that he had everything he ever wanted and needed and more. There was a forgiveness there from her, even if he didn’t require it. She brought her hand up and rubbed between her breasts idly, she had no scars there that she knew of. But there was a horrific memory of dying, and bright white. A bright warm white light. There was nothing but that. A memory that not even she could truly access.

Watching him sniff around the cabin she let out a laugh and shook her head towards him. It was almost adorable watch him in a slightly paranoid state.- “Logan.” -she said his name with mild amusement.- “Do you really think they want to watch what you do in here? Or rather what he does in here?” -she placed one hand on her hip with a bemused smile on her face before she turned and started to take in the décor. It was just…tasteless. No changes could be made. In some strange way, she enjoyed it. It was cozy, it was warm. It was entrenched with is scent. Even she could smell it. It was enough to make her close her eyes and take in a deep breath. She wondered if that was his senses were like. Just to smell a person after they left a room. This cabin had the scent of him, mixed with the scent of the earth and rain, and smoke from a fire.

She was almost startled when he put his arms around her, mostly because she had been distracted by the scent of the place. Another softer smile touched her features, easily leaning herself back into him. The heat that rose off his body could warm up even the coldest of bodies. The course hair on his chest tickled parts of her back that were exposed. It was a familiar feeling. Her hands came up and placed them on his forearms. Rubbing them leisurely with her fingertips.

Her eyes quinted before he turned her around. Once he did she moved with the grace of a dancer. They had done this so many times before they could almost predict each other’s moves.- “No, Logan. She is not your Laura. That Laura does not need the talk. She’s familiar from what I gather of Jeans memories. Though you are correct.” -she said as she slowly lifted her arms up and draped them over his broad shoulders.- “Sam will be the target for her. She’s very protective over me, and she’s extremely protective over you. That will be easy to manipulate with her. We’ll need to know more about Sam in this world, though. I didn’t get to much from him as I didn’t want to tip Laura off.”

-Jean brought her hand up and gently started to caress his cheek as he was now mentioning he didn’t want to talk about his daughters. She felt his fear even if he was trying to push it down. Probably push it down for her. Replacing it with feelings that were familiar to him. Especially when it came to her. Leaning in she pressed her lips softly against his. The days of those soft touches had seemed to all but pass, but here she was. Reintroducing that softness to him. Jean pulled back to rest her forehead against his.- “My love, your daughters were trained for that. The other you is there, and he cares way to much about them here to let anything happen to them there. I know you do not want to hear it, but he will keep them safe.” -she said while keeping her head pressed against his, and her hands were cupping his cheeks with her thumbs caressing over his high cheekbone.

But his thought got a laugh out of her. She threw her head back. It was not that evil maniacal laugh she could usually have. This was that laugh she saved for when they were in private together. Sometimes their old selves come out and this was one of those times. When she was not plotting how to take over the world, they could sometimes seem almost normal. And it might not have anything to do with two realities bleeding together, or it might.-

“Oh! I can imagine! You should see her thoughts! Dirty girl this one.” -she said tapping her temple, she slowly started to walk backwards towards the rub with him guiding her. Tilting her head back to give me him better access to her neck. One of her legs came up and started to slide up and down his thigh. Her arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer to her. Her lips going to his earlobe and pulling it between her teeth.- “Anyone could come down here. Logan and Jean wouldn’t.” -she protested but it wasn’t exactly a fight. It came out sounding more like pleasure she was feeling, and she wasn’t exactly stopping what was happening either, or even trying to get him to stop. If anything she was encouraging him with the softest of sounds and the press of her body against his.-
54
Marvel / Re: The Change
« Last post by Slick on November 25, 2024, 08:25:00 pm »


Logan

Logan felt… godlike. Stronger. Faster. Whatever had ruined his good eye must have been potent, because his healing factor was better than it had ever been. And Colossus was stronger than he’d ever been, having hurled him like a bullet into the drop ship. As he’d torn through the craft, clawing away at the doom bots with claws that glowed with fiery, psychic energy, disrupting electrical circuits and melting alloy. Vibranium. His skeleton was no longer Adamantium.

By the time he landed amongst Magick, Colossus and Nightcrawler, he had no sign of harm, and felt the kinetic energy thrumming along his skeleton. The combination of vibranium and psychic flames, the Sentinels could not adapt completely, but they put up a helluva fight. They could not adapt to the mystical powers of the Darkforce, as Magick’s blade cleaved through their weapons, forcing them to resort to shields. And still, she woudl cast them to hades with her portals, engulfing whole swaths within an abyssal hole that formed on the battlefield. Nightcrawler was fast, appearing more like Quicksilver as the engulfed his quadrant in large plumes of sulfourous smoke, his specially rafted Rapiers attacking Sentinels quicker than their sensors could register his threat. Colossus was a walking Titan, his metallic frame alive with the same cosmic flames that shrouded Jean, and he rivaled the Hulk with the bludgeoning destruction he wrought, stronger than any repair the nanites tried to fortify. Shields cracked, frames shattered.

But even as the enemy forces dwindled, the entire battlefield came to a screeching halt as The Phoenix made her presence known. The voice was thunderous, echoing not just with a vocal boom, but in the minds of all present. It made chills dance up his spine, his hot blood cooling a moment. He would need enhanced vision to see what was happening off in the distant, on a separate section of the Savage Lands — the destruction was evident from miles away.

*Jean…. Jean, don’t forget who you are…..*

God of War

*We shouldn’t interfere with their studies too much. Whatever that device is allowed us to switch bodies, across different universes. It could be having a greater effect on our world than we know…*

She had calmed him, as only she could. Being in her presence was enough, but sharing his mind with her, while having taken some getting used to, had made them closer than he’d been with anyone before. Mind, body, and soul. They belonged together. And he wanted to ensure it stayed that way. He would consider the broader scope of what was happening even as she plotted world domination, and played her part. And she played it well. When she trailed off, the image of her dying by his claws took him, and the reaction that Hank and Reed would see was real. It  took “Logan” by surprise, that pain, that guilt, the look on her face, of betrayal and acceptance. It caused him to reach out to her, and faltering when his hand rested against her too long.

When they reached his cabin, he’d shut the door and begin looking around, sniffing out recording devices or cameras. It would seem they gave The Wolverine his privacy. But looking around the cabin… he wasn’t opposed to it. Despite his standing within their world, revered by those that had pledged their souls to the Phoenix, he was still a Canadian boy who liked his seclusion and rustic aesthetic. And he liked the outfit Jean had chosen much more. She could make jeans and t-shirts look model-worthy, her beauty adding a “girl next door” charm similar to Paige’s; but the body positive Jean had something stirring in him. The strangeness of this world; the risks inherent in their plot, the fate of their world without them at the helm; being plucked from battle to… living an alternate life.

He was wrapping his arms around her waste, and she could feel his bare chest against her back, leaning his head against her shoulder blades and burying his in those red tresses, breathing her in. The thick, powerful arms around her would coil tighter, even as she’d hear him grunt.

“I suppose no one ever gave her the birds n’ the bees talk. Though.. she might find that suspicious. Might be easier to work Sam than it would Laura. For now.”

He turned her in his arms, facing her, roughened hands sliding up her back and down her arms, those Wolfe-like hue of amber shimmering with various emotions, but she could see he was burying one in particular — fear. No, he was pushing other emotions to the front. Love. And lust.

“I don’t want to think about my daughters. Not right now. Not when I cannot be there for them now.”

His hand behind her neck, he drew her down for a kiss, claiming her soft lips with his own.

*I know what he was thinking about in this room…*

It was no accident bearskin rug, but it was a rug in front of a fire place, and he’d slowly guided them over it as his hands roamed her body, his lips blazing a trail down her neck.

55
Marvel / Re: Machines of Time
« Last post by Cherie on November 22, 2024, 05:47:56 pm »


-Paige wouldn’t rub it in. If anything it was just a sweet gesture of giving her the watch that would cloth her. As long as she could find it after she shed her skin. And she would need to get in the habit of taking it off, that was going to be the tricky. In battle she might forget to remove it, or if she was having one of her patching sessions it might accidently be lost. Those were the thoughts she wasn’t vocalizing towards him. She only wanted to show him the appreciation of giving it to her.  Her concerns could be kept to herself.

However once they were in the elevator it was at this point she stayed silent. Even she knew there was no use in arguing with Emma Frost. Once the woman made up her mind about something, there was no going back with it. Paige knew that. She was pretty sure Scott knew it. She had even glanced at Scott who seemed to have resigned himself to this fate. Emma looked smug and Johnny looked upset even the sharpness of his words wasn’t lost on anyone in the elevator. Scott was once again playing mediator, and honestly it always impressed Paige. He could make any bad situation into something kind of positive or at least do enough damage control to not have it spiral out of control. He was someone she wanted to model herself after. His leadership skills were pretty much unmatched since he’s been trained for most of his life in it.

Once they entered the room she placed her bookbag down on the desk, lucky for her she traveled very light and knew how to pack her clothes so they would fit in the bag along with shoes. Mostly slip on sneakers since they were easier to fit into the bag. She didn’t pack make-up as there was no real reason for her to wear it when on a mission. She would just tear it right off. It was all those normal things that most woman packed that Paige saw no need for. She sometimes wished she did though.

At least there was a pull out couch so Emma wasn’t being a total bitch. She at least gave them sleeping options. Of course she did.-

“Hey.” -her voice was soft because she knew he was still irritated even if he was pretending he wasn’t.- “Emma is just Emma. Not that we tolerate it, but Ah guess ya just get used to it after a while. And also, mah whole power thing kind of strips away all the grossness of battle. So you can jump in first if you want. You’re kind of dirty.” -she said  craning her neck to the side and pointed at her own neck.- “Just there.” -she was indicating with her own finger.-  “Ah can order us food, Ah know you gotta be starving. The metabolism thing everything.” -she had remembered him talking about it in the mansion, it felt like years go but it was hours ago.-

“What else would Ah have in mind?” -she looked a little confused towards him, because her mind went to the bed but then it dawned on her and she let out a laugh.- “Like go out? Actually that’s not always a bad idea. You never know what kind of information we could get. Though, Ah don’t drink…it’s not that Ah don’t, it’s that Ah can’t.  Mah body absorbed alcohol quicker and it’s not good for me.” -she didn’t go into full details but Paige knew that drinking was a no-no for her- “But Ah don’t know, lounging around in one of those plush robes also sounds like a great idea. Why did ya have to give me options, Mr. Storm?” -she said with fake anger even putting her hands on her hips to really hone in on the point.-




-Emma only smirked over at Scott as he asked her what she did.  She calculated things quickly. She could explain to him but now is not the time to do it. So in the elevator even at Johnny’s question in his head she had only glanced at him with a smile. Nothing else was said, but at Scotts words about accommodating Ben she just rolled her eyes. Ye of little faith. She would have of course made Ben accommodations. In fact Ben and Sue had another suit, one that had multiple rooms so they would not even be in the same room together. They would have their separate rooms and separate bathroom with a living room and a small kitchenette. Everyone always thought the worst of her and she was used to it. After all, she did nothing to change that opinion of her. If anything she leaned into it and never explained herself.

Johnny was getting defensive, as he should. But still received nothing but a smile as she watched them walk off the elevator together.  Emma had changed into a white pant suit, that had a cropped white top under the white oversized blazer with white heels. She had no luggage with her. The hotel room however held a white shiny suitcase. She had planned ahead of having her things brought to her so she didn’t have to carry anything.

As Scott was checking in, with the mansion. She could moved over towards the bar cart and flipped over two glasses, she poured him a glass of top shelf whiskey It was in a crystal bottle so there was no name attached to it but in a place like this under Emma’s instructions probably had something expensive, and in her glass that held a stem she poured what looked like white wine into it. Emma walked over towards him and handed him the drink, before she sat down on the sofa, slipping off her heels. –

“Not exactly. Sit.” -she said but it wasn’t a commanding as it could have been, she patted the cushion next to her as she sipped her wine. If he sat or even if he stood she would talk.- “Scott, I’m going to tell you something but you cannot go rushing off.” -she instructed him very clearly this time there was that demanding tone in her voice. – “When I said we need to hurry earlier, we truly do. Because whatever we are chasing, is nothing compared to what we might be facing.” -she stopped suddenly and let out a laugh.- “I did not mean to rhyme.” -then she would continue to him.-

“You still assumed and insisted I was on my way to the mansion. I was not. Jean reached out to me the moment she touched that device. I also was not in Manhattan at the time.  That was when I realized something was wrong. Jean and I kept a link open at her insistence.” -Emma paused and put her glass of wine down on the coffee table that the room held.- “She was scared.”  -Emma was still waiting for him to dart off as if he could do something to change what was happening.- “I didn’t want to say this in front of the kids, and I do not want anyone else to know. The connection we had was severed on her end, but not just that. Scott, I heard it.” -she said looking towards him and for once he could see her eyes waiver with uncertainty and a little bit of fear.- “I heard the Phoenix screech inside my mind, and I-I felt it.” -she said in an uneasy tone as she was motioning around her breasts to indicate she could feel it in her heart and her body.- “It was so loud and piercing. I think whatever she touched, activated it. Meaning, she lied to everyone. The Phoenix isn’t gone. She had it contained.”

-But then she waved her hand in the air and let out another laugh, she reached for her glass and then leaned back into the couch and settled in bringing one foot under her.- “So that’s just something to keep in mind. As far as Ben and Sue goes, their accommodations are nicer then ours. And I am not antagonizing Johnny and Paige, I’m giving them a push.  Paige still beats herself up about Jono, and Johnny is a playboy. She’d never make the first move with him, and he needs to break her heart so that he can humble himself and feel terrible about doing it to her to become a better man for the next woman.” -she spoke so casually as if she did not just drop a bombshell on him about Jean, she knew he probably would hear those words but it was so he could never bring it up to her again. She could tell him she did tell him but he wasn’t paying attention.- “And also, I’m sure Jean is fine. She’s with Logan. Logan will stab her through the heart before the flame ignites on her pretty little red head. After all you taught him how to be a hero and it’s not the first time she died. I’m sure she’ll come back to life.” -there was hesitation in her voice and she took another sip from her glass sounding as if she was trying to convince herself that everything would be fine and not just Scott, it was something she would never admit though. No one wanted to go against the Phoenix. It was the phantom that haunted the mansion.-
56
Marvel / Re: Machines of Time
« Last post by Slick on November 20, 2024, 08:10:08 pm »



Once they had decided to leave Ben and Sue to collect samples, then await for further information, he sort of clocked out. It was nice to relax a little after a fight. Whatever theories were going around, Johnny felt that smarter members of the team had a hold on it. And sure, he and Paige could share their opinions over small talk. Maybe over dinner. Or drinks at the hotel bar, just one. Maybe grab a few airplane bottles and dip down to the pool, away from Scott’s prying eyes. The way her eyes lit up at the suit, he was already thinking of ways to try and do it again.

“I don’t think so. Storm holds dual membership. I’m not even sure she got a suit, so try not to rub it in her face.”

He knew she wouldn’t, even if it wasn’t Ororo Monroe. In the Landrover, he could only grin knowingly about sharing a wall with the budding couple ahead of them, and tried to keep his mind from trailing off, thinking about moaning echoing from hotel rooms. He’d brush his hand back against hers. They were able to officially change at the Hangar, so she wasn’t forced to wear a tarp dress or the Fantastic Four Uniform. He was famous enough, but the suit would possibly alert the press, and if people were expecting them in the area, it was best to stay on a lower profile. Guess that takes out romantic fire flight to the beach. Now, Johnny was wearing stylish, cerulean shorts with a white short sleeve button up in a floral print, and sandals, the outfit showing his lean, toned figure nicely.

“Might as well enjoy it while you can,” he offered neutrally, giving her that boyish grin and a shrug of his shoulders. Maybe it wasn’t her style, but why not just enjoy? He would shoulder his backpack and follow everyone inside. Of course, he cocked a brow at Emma when she sneakily informed them of the rooming situation, then her voice in his head. On the way to the elevator, he openly thought back. *What’s your game here, lady?* And on the elevator ride up, he would glance to Paige, then back to Emma, his eyebrows setting firmly.

“So, Sue and Ben are rooming together. You know Ben needs a California King to support his weight, right? He’s not our pet rock we just set down wherever.”

At the room, Johnny would take a breath and move inside. Of course, there was something akin to… optimism, about the situation. Him and Paige, sharing a room, with one bed….. But he felt manipulated. Used. And it annoyed him. The room was very nice, with a large bed, a mini-office, a couch, expansive bathroom, and a closet. Setting his backpack down on the couch, he checked beneath the cushion.

“It’s fine, this is a pull out. I’ll take this. I doubt she’ll help us take care of the situation, anyways. So…. You wanna shower first? We can order a movie and order up a bunch of room service — Ms. Frost’s treat.”

He went to the windows and opened the curtains, showing a decent view of the local city, though it wasn’t much. Ms. Frost seemed to have found the one jewel amongst the city. Go figure. “Unless you got something in mind.”



“Emma… What did you do?”

She’d changed the reservations. This wasn’t on the school’s expense account. But it would be on the Frost Industries one. She would likely hear all of the arguments he had in his head about not just the hotel, but also the rooming situation. Yet they all petered out and he eventually said nothing. He couldn’t really argue a different alternative. Who was he going to bunk with? He couldn’t keep it separated male to female; there were 3 each. And… perhaps this pairing worked better. Even if everything in him was saying it was a dastardly ploy on Emma’s part.

*Stop antagonizing them…*

If she was going to insist on this, she could at least be less obvious. Not her style, but Scott could hope. He blinked underneath his Ruby shades, silently balking at the Penthouse bombshell. When Johnny’s question about Ben came up, he could hear the hostility underlying the young man’s voice, and gently turned to him, speaking before Emma could.

“We’ll make sure Ben has the appropriate accommodations.”

*Won't We?*

He’d give a reassuring pat to Johnny’s shoulder, and a small smile to them both as they departed the elevator, fighting saying more than “Get some rest.”

Scott had changed as well, wearing dark khaki cargo shorts and a similar shirt and style to Johnny’s, but blue, the pseudo athletic gear accentuating his powerful frame. He’d get the door for Emma, following her inside and carrying his duffel bag in, looking around at the opulence and luxury. Setting the bag down on the floor, he would check his communicator, seeing a message from Hank.

**Awaiting results from samples taken from Jean and Logan. Know more in the morning.**

He’d check in on Ben and Sue, who were beginning to wrap things up. The Blackbird would be flown back remotely to their location, and Ben would be able to shuttle them back within an hour or so. With nothing else to delegate or regulate, he would sigh, turning to find Emma and prowl slowly towards her.

“Well, looks like your little plan worked out. You have me right where you want me…. At least for a day or two.”

57
Marvel / Re: The Change
« Last post by Cherie on November 14, 2024, 09:48:59 pm »

JEAN

-She knew he needed to focus, and he would see why she was asking for his apology. It wasn’t for bringing them here, because she didn’t know. She would apologize later for that. What she was doing at the moment was scanning the minds of those she could. Gathering information as fast as she could. Because there was a lot going on. She was trying to discern friend from foe. Because it seemed as their enemies were their friends, and their friends were their enemies with a vice versa with a few of them. It was a lot of information at once, but she was trying to figure out the best move here. She had to try and minimize casualties. She also had to ensure they won. If they lost then that could look bad. Even if she could throw it for them, part of that Jean was still in her because of the memories. There were so many memories, the Phoenix, the deaths..what had she done? But there was also memories of Logan there. Intimate memories. That would have taken her off her game but Jean knew how she needed to play this. This was the reason she was going to need Logan’s forgiveness.

Jean leaned herself out of the helicarrier, letting gravity take hold and start to pull her down to the ground. She felt herself falling with the wind whistling through her hair, but then in a burst of fire the Phoenix was born. Logan would hear both sides start shouting at each other with different words, but it was all the same.-

“The Phoenix is on the field! The Phoenix is on the playing field!” -some were filled with excitement, others with fear.  The Jean of this world, took the Phoenix with her, considering they switched consciousness. Which means Jean had lied. She had the Phoenix inside of her all this time, but the problem was this Phoenix was not merged with Jean, however for now that would have to be good enough. The large bird spread it’s fiery wings, the screech was loud. Calling attention. It was a quick easy diversion and one to let the enemy forces know she was stepping in. The one thing they had probably hoped she wouldn’t do.

She didn’t know the Savage Lands as much as some, but she could easily spot Gondora from her vantage point in the sky, but at this point the Phoenix had taken control, and Jean was it’s puppet except what most didn’t understand was the Phoenix would always protect it’s host. It was always protective of Jean. If there was one entity that would always assure Jeans safety it was this one. One of the more dangerous and powerful ones. The bird took off towards Gondora.

Logan couldn’t see what would happen next, but there was screaming and there was a fire being rained down on them. She was going after the Winter Soldier and Havok’s forces along with the Chitauri. Nothing would be left once she was finished with them.-

“HERE ME! ALL OF YOU!” -came the loud booming voice, but for some it would echo in their heads- “I AM FIRE! I AM MIGHT! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE WHEN YOU LOOK UPON THE PHOENIX!” -she roared while Gondora was burning and buildings were starting to collapse under her telekinetic power. She was pulling everything down. And yet, there was a small bit of her that was holding back. With her leveling the field, she knew she had to try and save and destroy as many lives as she could and deciding who got what fate was not easy. Winter Soldier would survive, and perhaps Havok too, but the Chitauri would be her number one target in destruction. The Chitauri ships started to be smashed together by her power. Now that she was on the field, death was imminent.-

PHOENIX

-Jean could easily sense his frustration at all of this. She hated to feel him so frustrated but he was the God of War for a reason. While patience might not be his strong suit she knew he would show no compunction for what needed to be done next. He could easily strategize. He would asses his situation and act accordingly.  She watched him as Laura walked in and would simply say in his mind.- *Calm* -because while she could take the God of War out of battle, she could never take the father out of the man. She heard the words between the two, and figured Logan was calculating how to use that as well. They would have to do a lot of planning since they did not know this world, nor did know the people. They were different.

Her attention turned to Reed, the whole moving of his body was disturbing to say the least, she still could not get over it. But Reed in their world was dead, and she was sure Sue had moved on with a Doctor.  Though she didn’t like that they were figuring it out. They were from one of those Multiverses that Hank had mentioned. Nanotech. That was interesting. She glanced down at her hand. That made sense. She couldn’t tell them the piece they were missing. That when she touched Logan’s it switched places while under her command.

Her face softened as he mentioned about her not having a safe place to go. Lucky enough Logan was smart enough to mention the cabin. Jean gave him a sorrowful look and placed her hand over his.- “Thank you Logan.” -she said kindly towards him as if he was taking on an insurmountable task of baby sitting her. This was turning her stomach. She slowly dropped her hand from his as if letting them see those small innocent touches meant something else. They did, but they wouldn’t know that.- “That might be the safest place for me. Because if anything were to happen…” -she trailed off and looked away before righting herself.- “Logan..you’ll have to..” -she once again trailed off not wanting to finish that sentence. But it felt so real. It was real she still had Jeans memories and her demeanor down.

Her eyes drifted up to Reed, because being inside the Baxter building wasn’t that bad of an idea. She could actually see more of what they were up too. Even take it back with them. However, he was right. She would destroy that place, even this body. She could level it. Doctor Doom had power but not her power. She gave Reed a nod in appreciation of understanding. She didn’t like the hesitation in Hank’s voice, but she could understand it.  She knew they also needed to stay close to the mansion because she wanted to know how to use that machine. She could use it to bring over her Pantheon while also collecting more for it. She could maybe even merge the two worlds together. And why stop there? With that power in her hands she could rule over all the multiverses with Logan at her side.

Jean would give a small wave to Hank and Reed before being solemnly escorted out by Logan. She walked with him silently towards the cabin, she would look back for a moment to make sure there were no other eyes on them. When they entered the cabin she would glance around.- “How quaint.” -she said before she changed her outfit to something more befitting of her style. Fire started to move from her head down wards, appearing to burn off her old clothes the fire as it moved revealed a long red silk night dress that a slight up the side and cut low on her chest.-

“I was in the head of the other you with something like this. Jean had created it for him to try and hide from me. Pathetic. They better not lose that battle.” -she said in an angry tone.- “If you want to keep Laura, you better work quick with her. If she’s anything like our Laura, then I cannot get into her head and will not try because then she’ll know. But I have the pain of her memories. Oh, Logan, this world wasn’t good to her.” -and there was a genuine care in her voice, because even Phoenix cared about those who served for her for the most part. The Daughters were hers as well. But also a little bit of Jean’s memory was bleeding over.- “But, if you encourage her with Cannonball, there is opportunity there.”
58
Marvel / Re: The Change
« Last post by Slick on November 14, 2024, 08:54:48 pm »


Logan

*I’m pickin’ up on that…*

The small battle he saw in that crater, a small part of the ongoing conflict, did not bode well with what was racing through his mind. Memories, thoughts, plans that played out in small flashes. Details that mingled with the old. Not being overwritten, but jumbled together, with what he knew to be his world hanging like a fog as this reality’s information took center stage.

*Save it for later,*

He had three sets of eyes on him, with the sounds of battle looming over that hill of the crater. The battle would not pause for him to collect himself. Logan did not have time to chat with Jean, to sort out what was going on. As she had her role to play in the war, so too did he, and experience told him dying wasn’t a great way to get out of the situation.

“FATHER!”

Laura gripped her arm, her divinity allowing the wound to heal over, but the Muramasa Blade’s magic would not allow the arm to grow back. She knew this, and she wanted revenge for her new deformity. Perhaps Elixir could fix it. That information was not certain, even in this mind, and it would have to wait. This Laura would fight whomever he tried to have take her from the battlefield. He instead had to pivot to what he did have access to. He looked to Jubilee,

“Send the Green Court to help their Queen subdue Banner,” a quizzical look from Jubliee had him responding, “trying to kill him is a waste of time. You and your sisters will go with the Red Court to retrieve the Muramasa blade. As long as they have it, Laura is vulnerable.” And so was Logan.

Why Matt Murdock was on their side, he couldn’t say, but the King of the Red Court was a Devil in her Goddess’ name. With Elektra, Typhoid Mary, Silver Samurai, and Juggernaut with them, the Daughters of War would give Gamora and her Ravagers one Hell of a Fight.

“What about you?”

“I got this! Go!”

Jubilee would furrow her brows, but nod, relaying something to her comms as Hisako grew her armor, Laura and Jubilee resting in her hand and carrying her away. Logan would begin marching up the hill within the crater, relaying something with his own comms.

“Send the Rasputins to my Location,”

As he crested the hill, to see the sprawling hills and valleys, swaths of jungle cut through with fire, or roaming with enemy forces, Logan’s perfect eye could see the amassing Doom Bots, surrounding the menacing lurch of Sentinels. A portal opened up next to him, and Iliyana Rasputin emerged, clad in red and black armor, her buster-sword resting over her shoulder. Behind her came Piotr, 9 foot tall, his usual uniform Black and Gold. A puff of swirling, purple smoke, accompanied by the smell of brimstone, happened to Logan’s left, Kurt Wagner standing, twirling two rapier’s, with his tail elegantly balancing a third.

A drop ship swung over the amassed army of robots, and Logan turned his good eye to Piotr, whose metallic face would furrow in understanding, giving a solemn nod. Logan jumped up with ease, landing his heel in Colossus’ raised hand, sat on his shoulder like a shot put before catapulting the God of War through the air. Logan flew, poised like superman, claws extended out, wind pressing on his face as he hurdled towards the drop ship. Magick and Nightcrawler would both glance at each other, smirking wickedly before teleporting into the mass of enemies, Colossus leaping with a single bound to join them as they began to tear into the mechanical army, just as Logan tore his way through the ship, his claws burning with ethereal flames as he let his rage take over. The ship would explode above the trio below, reigning debris down.

God of War

Logan, God of War was not happy about abandoning the war, leaving his daughters to follow his weaker self into a war that he was not ready for, and would not proceed as needed. His Goddess would know his frustration, know that he would be examining how each tactic they intended to employ would possibly work out, and trying not to imagine them going disastrously. No, he would have to have faith that the rest of the Pantheon, his Daughters of War, would be fine without him. He would have to distract himself with the task at hand — and with her, when given the chance.

She did the act perfectly, playing it just right and it was hard not to grin in amused appreciation as she said all the right things to keep Hank and Reed fooled. Explaining that she was a danger to the school was the perfect set up for his own idea, opening his mouth to relay the suggestion when Laura walked in, followed by Sam. Cannonball, chosen Champion of Quicksilver, the God of Speed. He was much more laid back here, not the stoic warrior his had turned into. Not yet. No, he had a boyishness to him that hadn’t been beaten completely out of him, and the way he looked at Laura made his jaw clench. He sniffed the air, and his eyes narrowed at Laura, though his jaw relaxed.

Instead, he just nodded, sensing something but letting it go. They hadn’t been together. His Daughter, the Goddess of Rage, was alone, chaste even, her heart ripped out by the White Queen’s Hellion, committed only to The Hunt. Her Duty. And here, she was… getting ice cream with a boy. A man. Reed collected the samples from Sam, the two exchanging pleasantries before Laura said “it’s not a date.” The corn-fed Kentuckian would only grin at her playfully.

“Suuuure it ain’t,” he cooed back in his drawl. When he glanced back over his shoulder at Logan, he felt the sudden urge to swallow difficult, and reiterated without stammering, “It ain’t. I know....”

Sam cleared his throat and followed Laura out quickly. Reed would take the samples given, extending his body there while his head would stay in place, looking back to Jean and Logan as if to restart where they left off.

“Right, well the away team hasn’t reported back yet with anything significant. As for what we can tell so far, there isn’t any known record of the material that we can find in this world, and I’ve scanned it against various databases from across other multiverses — those that I have access to, anyways. But given the residue on your hands, and the fact that the artifact did not lose any mass, I would say it is some sort of nanotechnology. What its primary directive is, however, we cannot be too sure.”

Hank chimed in, “Some of the device’s subatomic readings showed radiation signatures that suggest it has experienced interdimensional travel. Whatever we’re dealing with, it is on a multiversal scale. As for you staying here Jean, I agree with you wholeheartedly, but there aren’t many places you can stay that your powers might not pose a danger.”

“She can stay at the groundskeeper’s cabin with me. I’ll take the couch,” Logan would step forward, putting a hand on Jean’s shoulder. Hank would open his mouth as if to protest, but Logan continued, “It’s far enough away from the mansion that she can’t hurt anyone but me, and you can check on her in minutes.”

“Beats my suggestion. Baxter Building’s held Doctor Doom, but it might pale under Ms. Grey.”

“I suppose you’re right… Well, you two go and get some rest at the cabin. Reed and I will clean this mess up and inform you of any updates.”

Logan would nod, and gently lead Jean out of the labs. She could decide to grab some things from this Jean’s room, but the God of War intended to whisk his Goddess away sooner rather than later. They could discuss their plans in private at the cabin, all away across the back courtyard leading into Grekymalkin Woods. More of a cottage in the woods, it was a rustic, albeit well-kept hermit’s retreat, equipped with a porch, a tool shed, and so on. Inside, it wasn’t much different than the imaginary retreat Jean had taken them to in “Alberta”. Logan liked the aesthetic, it seemed.

59
Marvel / Re: Machines of Time
« Last post by Cherie on November 14, 2024, 07:41:39 pm »


-Paige at first got a little protective when Johnny was walking over towards her, pulling the tarp tight around her chest because there was a bit of confusion there even with his smiling. When it dawned on her that he was helping she lifted her arms up a little bit to allow him to have better access. Then when Ben came over she almost pulled the tarp again but allowed him to rip it to give her better movement. Now she felt like Cinderella with the mice and birds helping make her dress.  A smile drifted over her face and her cheeks once again went bright pink and she shyly looked down especially when he called her hot stuff. She had her moments of confidence and being shy. In battle she could be confident in a moment like this she might as well toed at the ground. And she might have had her feet not been bare.  She just walked away from seeing that wink, and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Her face still flushed.

Her attention honed back in when Sue was speaking.  But her attention was pulled to Ben and Johnny. She peered over at the motor looking at it. The gears in her head were starting to move, but for now she stayed silent. She had a slight idea but wasn’t to sure about it. Before she spoke it she would need more information. She might not have thought about it if it hadn’t been for Logan. He had a black mark on his hand, and he should be able to heal from that right? Though the more Scott talked the more she was thinking about something.  They talked about the nanotech and that just piqued her curiosity even more. It sounded to stupid to say out loud but maybe she’d tell Scott or Johnny later her thoughts.

Paige turned to make her way to the Blackbird, now she could more easily walk. Now she realized she wasn’t Cinderalla but Ariel. She had no idea why she was making Disney comparisons. Though Johnny, if animated, would make a handsome Disney Prince. She easily climbed aboard the Blackbird with a slight skip in her step after Johnny flamed on, she did take a moment to watch. . Sure what they were handling was dangerous, but sometimes the outwards signs of a crush didn’t go unnoticed. At least not to Emma either, who pretended she didn’t notice. 

She sat down at Scott’s urging and adjusted the tarp to keep it from falling down or riding up. She hadn’t noticed Johnny’s hand at first, but then caught it at the corner of her eye. She glanced up at him confused, she was awfully silent at the moment, but she had those moments. Paige slowly moved her hand towards his thinking he wanted to hold it. That was a little awkward with Scott and Emma right there. She placed her hand in his, and then felt and saw the watch go around her wrist and she let out a small laugh. She was curious though. Her ID had come up and she watched him press a button. She about jumped out of her skin.

The feeling of the nano’s spreading over her was a strange sensation she wasn’t used to. It felt warm, and it felt like it fit. She took her hand from his and looked down at the uniform she was now wearing. It was more comfortable then she imaged it being. Paige had a uniform, but sometimes there was no sense in wearing it. Mostly because she would shuck it off anyways. Her hands reached up and she undid the tarp and looked down. She pointed to the four on her chest.-

“Does this mean Ah gotta put in mah resignation for the X-Men?” -she asked him with a light smile. She took her hand and arm back, placing a hand over the watch as if it was a cherished gift because it was.-  “Thank you, Johnny. That’s really kind of you.” -Paige even seemed to sit a bit straighter in her seat wearing the outfit that matched his. She looked good in it. Or she would have thought so.-

Once off the Blackbird and she was in the Land Rover with Johnny, she hadn’t really questioned as to why Emma and Scott rode alone.- “Ah hope we ain’t sharing a wall with those two.” -she leaned forward a bit in the rover to look at the hotel they were pulling up in. Paige let out a whistle as she saw it.- “Pretty sure the White Queen picked this place out. Ah ain’t never stayed in a hotel like this before. Feels a little to rich for mah blood.” -and as she had leaned forward her hand was flat on the seat between them, her pinky just barely brushing against his hand as she was looking at the hotel.-



-Emma had let Scott and the rest talk, she had no issues leaving Sue behind. It made sense to leave the scientist behind while the tech nerds moved ahead. As soon as Scott called the Blackbird she was already moving up the ramp with a mission. She had laid the chips on a small table in there, she scanned them in and would have the information sent over to Hank and Reed. Nanotech was an interesting theory. It was one that made sense, but once they got a better reading they would know more. She would only send the quick scans over towards them. Once at the hotel she would take a closer look at them herself. Even if she would rather take a closer look at Scott, she knew he was in business mode, but she was pretty sure a hot shower and some wine might fix that.

Emma had caught the flirtation between Johnny and Paige, and smiled almost wickedly to herself. She knew Scott was setting up their lodgings but she would take matters into her own hands for the two. She would just have to wait till they got to the hotel. Sue and Ben might not like the arrangements, but other accommodations could be made. She was silent on the flight, it wasn’t until her and Scott were in the Land Rover when she would speak.-

“Something about this isn’t right Scott.” -she said looking over towards him, she was still dressed as if she should be in a limo and not an outfitted Land Rover, but it was good enough for now. Transportation was just that.- “Nanotech like that shouldn’t exist. We know that it does but it still doesn’t make any sense. Yet here we are.” -she said as they also just pulled up to the hotel. Emma expertly stepped out of the Land Rover watching Paige and Johnny step out in the one that was behind theirs.- “We’ll talk more once we get into our room.” -she said ‘our’ room. Indicating she wasn’t going to be staying with Paige. It seemed to make sense to put the women in one room and the men in others or splitting them up, but no, Emma was staying with Scott whether he liked it or not and there was no argument.

She walked up to the desk, this was something that was more up her alley. Scott should have been the one to check them in, but Emma had her ways. She had got them checked in and took the key card for her Scott’s room, and then she handed Johnny the key card to his room.- “Looks like you’ll be doubling up. You’re both room 710” -she said to him with a slithering smile. And he would hear her in his head once again- *You’re welcome.*

She then placed her hand on Scott’s back, not afraid of a little affection in public and lead him towards the elevator. She had a small bag with her, that had what she would consider civvie clothes in it.- “We have the penthouse suit.” -she said to him as if they weren’t talking about the nanotechs, she spoke to him as if they were on a vacation. But every week, day, month…all of that was some kind of crisis situation, Emma was so used to it that she barely even blinked an eye at it.-

-Paige had just shouldered her book back and headed into the elevator with Scott, Emma, and Johnny. Paige and Johnny would get off at the 7th floor. And her jaw almost dropped when Johnny opened the door.- “So…is there a second bed?” -she asked as she was standing in the room looking back at him.- “Maybe there was a mistake?”
60
Marvel / Re: Machines of Time
« Last post by Slick on November 14, 2024, 04:42:09 pm »


Johnny listened to his sister, feeling his body still brimmign with thermal energy, ready to flame on again at the first sign of renewed danger. The adrenaline high was still there, his eyes vibrant, his lips fixed with the smallest hint of a grin. He enjoyed this hero stuff. Fighting mechanical monstrosities, doing scientific investigations. He would go to Paige, grinning wider at her as she got that tarp on and proceeded to help her, helping get it secure. Thing would walk up and help as well, reaching down to rip the tarp with a firm gentleness that had it ripping like tissue under his rocky fingers, until the tarp’s length was more manageable. Johnny would give Ben a high five, and he kept his hand up for Paige to do the same. Sue would begin to lead the way, with Cyclops behind her, hand on his visor at the ready, scanning the surroundings, Emma in stride with him. Johnny kept his stroll leisurely, allowing Paige to fall in pace with him, and he’d wink.

“Any time, hot stuff.”

He wasn’t going to stop flirting, even if she was wearing a tarp. She was somehow pulling it off. Or maybe it was the fact she was nude underneath, and he maybe caught a glance. Maybe. When Sue stopped, the group naturally formed a loose circle in the area, letting The Invisible Woman explain the readings she was currently getting. Johnny would walk over to Ben, who crouched down and picked through the wreckage of a mechanical amalgamation, lifting a part and holding his rocky hand out to Torch.

“Whatcha think a’ that, gear head?”

Johnny would take the part -hefty as it was — and looked it over. It looked like part of a generator motor, a pneumatic tool, and a computer, all cobbled together, fused strangely. Not welding marks, and the more mechanical aspects that allowed for movement fit together naturally — when none of the parts could have possibly been built or modified in that time to fit together. His brows furrowed, and he tossed the piece down, Ben flinching and raising his arm like he would backhand Johnny, then he stood and moved to look at another wrecked robot.

“Everything that came at us was Frankensteined together. It almost seems like sorcery. But this reminds me of some of the nano-tech I’ve seen. That could save you a lot of labor hours.”

It would explain a lot, actually. He looked to Paige when she mentioned the danger room, only having a faint idea of what that space was actually capable of, having only heard it described. Yet her words had him considering how dangerous this threat actually was if it had been studying their responses.



Scott felt much the same way, and he was more alert at the prospect. He wasn’t perturbed by Sue taking the lead, as she had the tools and the mind for it, and he wasn’t egotistical enough to block someone else from directing a situation, especially if they were better equipped. He might have been THE leader of the X-Men, but he wasn’t the only one.

“Trask Industries had the only patent on mutant-detection electronics. Perhaps someone got a hold of Sentinel software, or developed their own.”

When Sue began suggesting that they take more time to examine the area, his lips pursed frustratedly,  but he said nothing. He didn’t even look towards Emma at the moment, instead using his communicator’s computer to summon the Blackbird from its hover pattern some miles away. Paige would need to get clothes, and Emma wanted to examine some of the electronics, something it seemed he would have no say in. It was then he gave her a look, knowing she didn’t need either his help or protection. When Johnny mentioned nano-tech, his lips pursed again.

“….and Prime Sentinels are made with advanced nanotechnology. Normally, they are fitted to human hosts, creating cyborgs. They could have been used to make Sentinels out of whatever was available in the area.”

Johnny would look around a moment, before “FLAME ON” and he shot into the sky, flying not far away and disappearing behind one of the factories still standing.The Blackbird arrived a few moments later, blowing dust around them as it descended from the sky with the ramp lowered. Emma was likely already climbing on board, as was Paige. Scott turned to Ben and Sue as Johnny returned, trotting up the ramp.

“You two be careful. Be on the look out for any samples of nano-tech. While Emma looks into the microchips, I’ll set us up with lodging and send Johnny to pick you up with ground transportation. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help.”

Shaking both their hands, he would head on board the Blackbird, walking past Johnny who was tinkering with the nano-tech watch that had come from his suit, the one he’d given Paige earlier. At Scott’s urging, they would all sit down as he flew the jet towards the hangar Valerie Cooper had set up for them. Johnny would finish messing with a few screens, and then reach out for Paige’s hand expectantly, putting the watch on her. Holding her arm and hand in his own, the screen would flash blue, and there would be a read out of her biometrics and information. Height, weight, blood type, hair color, dimensions.

= Subject ID: PAIGE GUTHRIE, AKA HUSK. HUMAN-MUTANT. Access authorized. =

And with a press of a button, nano bots would begin crawling out of the watch, spreading over her, underneath the tarp, covering her from her neck down. When they finished, it was like a zipper and been closed around her, the blue and white uniform, very similar in pattern to Johnny or Sue’s, now fit Paige like a glove, complete with it’s own “4” emblem across her chest.

“You might have to take the watch off before you shed your skin, but when you put it back on… you at least got something other than your birthday suit.”

————————————

The Blackbird was parked at the hangar, and the military contractors there were informed not to touch the Blackbird, whose defenses were enabled. Scott and Emma would take one outfitted Land Rover, Johnny and Paige in the other, where they would head to the hotel rooms that they had booked. Johnny in particular was rather shocked at the hotel Cyclops had managed to find. Who knew there were five star hotels in this corner of Australia?

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