Marvel: 2010-09-11 - Space Politics: Off to Oz

It took close to a day for the Starjammers to receive Lilandra's signal and come to Earth, giving the X-men plenty of time to gear up for the coming conflict. When the Starjammers arrive, they show up much the same way that the Imperial Guard had the other day...the ship appearing in the sky over the school and someone teleporting down to the designated meeting spot. When the light clears, a pair of people look about. The first is a massive reptilian creature known as Ch'od with a small white fuzzball on his shoulder. The other is a man that seems to have a cybernetic eye. This is Raza. They both seem friendly enough, waiting for Lilandra and the X-men to arrive.

Eight Hours Earlier:

Sera, Shadowcat, Cyclops and Beast are all gathered. "Lilandra and I have made contact with a group known as the Starjammers. They will provide transportation to the ship that Deathbird and the Imperial Guards control. They will arrive in about eight hours. I want everyone to get six hours of sleep. Then for two hours we are going to gather final items for the trip. I will be contacting an additional ally to provide backup." A message is left with Forge to meet him two and a half hours before the departure.

Two and a Half Hours Earlier:

Forge and Professor X sit across from each other in his office. The Professor explains what has happened with the run-in over the ship with the Imperial Guard. He then brings in Lilandra to introduce them and has her explain about the betrayal of Deathbird and how she wishes to get her throne back. In exchange she is of course helping retrieve the two individuals that were kidnapped and if successful, she will consider those at the school her allies. Likely when The Professor mentioned a sharing of technology, Forge was in heaven.

An Hour Earlier:

Forge is given a spare training uniform of the X-Men and he is introduced to the team that is taking off with the Starjammers. "The X-Men is a team of mutants that strive toward a better future for both mutants and non-mutants. This is a great opportunity, though one forced with the kidnapping of Havok and Angel." He introduces the real names of the X-Men as well as their code names.

Present Time:

After an hour of tense waiting and where a few last minute things are obtained, packs with gear double check and so on, the Starjammers finally arrive. Everyone was sitting or walking around the repaired patio and then move out together as a team with Lilandra in the lead toward the two strange aliens.

Professor X is sitting there, watching his team leave. He wishes Jono had fully recovered from making use of new powers so he could send a telepath with the team. Or he could go himself. All he can do is send a message to Lilandra, << My children are in your care Lilandra. >> She can sense his sorrow in not being able to walk by their side, even as he wears a proud smile on his face and waves them off.

Eight more hours of hell. Kurt had his own hell in Dante's Inferno. This was Scott's own hell. Being powerless to get to Alex. Yet he forces himself to sleep. Four hours will have to do, because that is all he manages. Cyclops is already dressed and ready but for a few last minute things when Forge is introduced as the 'accompanying ally'. He nods politely, "Good to have you on the team. I'm the field leader. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask." It might successfully distract him. He has not been very social however otherwise. He only stated to Shadowcat, "Don't separate yourself from the group. I'm depending on you. Watch and learn everything you can from the aliens. Work with Forge to gather as much data as possible."

When the ship arrives, it his his chance to breath out some of his tension. Cyclops moves with the team toward an unknown designation. He doesn't have fear for himself or his team, he thinks they can handle the Imperial Guard. But he does fear for Alex and Warren.

Kitty tried not to stare at the aliens ...they were her first LIVE aliens, after all. And, she mostly did a good job, throughout the entire affair, even being 'good enough' to not start asking questions about their technology, how to hack into their systems, and other bits of info she's been stumped on ever since 'the event'.

But, that doesn't mean she hasn't been chatter-boxy. Trying to establish some kind of friendship, with the Starjammers, telling them about herself a little bit, exchanging worries about her missing friends, and promising to do everything she's able to get them back. And, showing off her power if/when her ability to help was put into question.

Now, all she does is wait, anxiously, for her first real live trip into space. How cool is this?! She also, somewhat, does remain focused, sobered by the fact her friends /are/ missing - and, having some rather intimate experience with being kidnapped, herself.

Of course, when Forge is introduced to the team, Kitty is all aflutter with techgeek talk with Forge, talking to him about physics, computer code, and asking him if she can 'help' him ever, figure out things, or see how he builds computer equipment and the like. Geeks. Go figure.

After having already lost several friends to those who would kidnap, Sera is determined not to let this recent event go unchallenged. Alex and Warren will be rescued, alive. There is no other alternative as far as she is concerned. Like many of the others she's done her best to rest up and be prepared now. She isn't particularly wowed by the shiny spiffy techno-awesome. She's too worried about Alex, and woe to those who get in her way once they've arrived at their destination. While she has been mostly silent she hasn't been ignoring what's going on around her. Instead she's been listening, learning as much as she can.

Despite having minimal prep time, Forge has managed to trick out his training uniform with quite a bit of gear. Some would probably say too much gear. Belts and bandoleers full of pouches hang from his slim frame. But compared to the mess in the back of his van, he's traveling light. As is his custom, he walks around idly, playing with various technological doodads. In his hand is what was probably once a cell phone, but all that survives of it is the touch screen. And it is on the touchscreen that he rapidly taps as his eardrums are attacked by Kitty. Random-seeming numbers scroll down the screen as he pretends to listen to the girl talking. For whatever reason, it seems like some of the things she says actually go over his head. "To be honest, I don't really know how I build computers. This thing actually came to me in a dream." He hands the geeked-out phone to Kitty. "Here, see if you can figure out how it works, I'm stumped."

Lilandra telepathically reassures Xavier, standing a little to one side of the group as the StarJammers arrived. She nodded to Cho'od and Raza. Forge and Kitty both garner her interest, with their interest in technology. She is beginning to believe more and more that these 'humans' are not the mindless primitives many in the Empire would have one believe.

The beast has his game face on and the usual talkative blue man has been spending his time not in talk about technology but preparing the gear. His usual X-men uniform blue shorts replaced by his blue and Red uniform with the addition of a utility belt. The mutant not quite sure how to handle the situation of being replaced as the techie in the team dynamic but he offers a simple shrug and a grin as Forge distracts Kitty. He adds in an aside, "That beats my plan. I was considering using the vulcan neck pinch." Then he turns back to the dodad of his own invention he was taking on the mission, an Ipad.

Ch'od gently nudges Raza and points when he notices the approaching X-men and Lilandra. The smaller alien turns quickly and gives a slight bow of the head to Lilandra. "Lady Lilandra. It is good to see you once more," he says. A little more pleasantries and Raza taps his cybernetic eye. "We are ready to return to the ship, Keeyah," he speaks over a com device. Moments later and the away team is teleported to the main bridge of the Starjammer's ship. There's tech and more aliens around. "Captain, we got everyone," Ch'od rumbles.

Giving Lilandra a wide smile, Kitty peers at the geeked-out phone, squints at Forge, "You just - make this stuff?" She inquires, "But you don't know how it works?" That absolutely both horrifies and fascinates her at the same time, and it makes her grin wider. "Cool. Sure, I'll try to figure it out." She decides to give Forge's eardrums a bit of a break, and focuses on both the cellphone, or watching the aliens prepare as well. Watching, how they prep the ship, what controls they use in a very mature, and not so subtle attempt at memorizing the aspects of just /how/ everything does work. No primitive mind, here. Respect is in her eyes, as she watches them; she's not just ogling because they're strange to her. These aliens are from a vastly different world, with vastly different concepts. It's all quite interesting, to her. And, to her credit, she does linger around Forge, and by and large the other X-Men, as Scott instructed.

As everyone appears, there is a furry feline feral leaning against the Captain's chair. She purrs and swishes her tail as the big entry. "Lilandra! Got in enough trouble, did you?" The smirk she displays has more feline fangs than anything else. "I'm Hepzibah," and she waves a hand with red painted nail claws at everyone. She then says in a lower voice toward Kitty, "Don't touch anything." Yes well...seems a nice enough female, but not someone you want to piss off.

"And it is good to see you, as well, Cho'od." Lilandra greeted. When they transported to the ship, and she smiles at Hepzibah. "I suppose you could say that." She admits. "Though I do believe it will now be possible to arrange Deathbird's downfall."

The Captain of the StarJammer, a human male in his 40's that appears to have a striking resemblance to Cyclops with a mustache and if he was dressed as a space pirate. He gives Cho'od a sarcastic look, "I can see that. Plot us a course out of orbit and an interception point with the Imperial Guard." He turns to the newly arrived and stands giving a slight bow to Lilandra, "Lady Lilandra, it's good to see the one descent Shi'ar royalty in the galaxy again." He then drops to his chair, "To the rest of you, I suggest finding a seat. Things are livable to get a little bumpy. We're not a pleasure ship and Cho'od doesn't know how to pilot one. Oh and don't touch anything that belongs to Hep. She's territorial."

"Yeah, it's kind of my thing. Oh helloo... " Forge looks around the ship with the expression of someone whose mind is in the process of being blown. He quickly pulls yet another device out of one of his pouches. As the device begins to sputter and whine, Forge walks around the deck, clearly entranced. "Where have you been all my life, Gorgeous?" As he isn't looking at anyone specific when he says this, one would have to assume that he's actually talking to the ship.

Kitty grins some, towards Hep as she approaches, finding the female alien - well, interesting. A frown, slight and only momentary when she's told not to touch anything and she just nods, "Promise," she agrees, and then smiles again. She tucks her hands behind her back just to make certain. But, that doesn't mean she can't -watch-. Oh, and she -will- watch. Each stroke of key will tell her something, she imagines. And how they interact. And, likely much to Hep's everlasting enjoyment - she won't bother the woman who looks like a skunk with a mess of questions. A quick grin to Forge, "I think someone's in looooooove."

Simone looks around, taking note of the various aliens.. it's strange.. they do seem alien and yet with some of the mutants she's heard about they aren't really that far out. Not like what the alien monster movies would lead one to believe. And the captain? Now that's just really, really weird. She arches an eyebrow at Hank and Scott as if to silently ask what's up with that. She gnaws at her bottom lip, her helm in her lap as she sits down in one of the chairs as was suggested. She really does have a ton of questions, about the culture the society they are about to engage, but is now the right time to ask them?

"Down tech geeks, down. Now, go sit and buckle up," Cyclops orders, stopping a smile at Shadowcat's cute behavior. He just hopes he doesn't have to drag Shadowcat to a seat, let alone Beast or Forge...that would be awkward. He moves to find a seat himself and moves to buckle up before making introductions very matter-of-factly. "I am Cyclops, the field leader of the X-Men. With me I have Shadowcat, Forge, Beast, and Sera," motioning toward the people as he introduces them. "Our primary goal is to retrieve our missing comrades and prevent this 'Deathbird' from bothering our people again." He then says, "I wish the situation was better for introductions, but it is good to meet you Hepzibah, Cho'od and crew." He hasn't really caught the others names yet.

Cyclops raises a gloved hand to run it through his hair and sighs, seeming to glance toward the ceiling. His stress level is through the roof, but he honestly tries not to show it. "Forge, I did not ask earlier but do you have self-defense skills? I know you are mainly performing back-up duties, but I need to know what you are able to do to defend yourself." So he knows if he should set a babysitter to you or not basically.

Hank's quickly finding a seat for himself. He didn't want to get knocked around the shuttle. He shrugs to Simone and says in a low voice, "Either we're not as unique as we thought we were or the Shi'ar have been to Earth before." The bouncing blue mutant though is eying the ship but he's not really in love. It more of a scientific curiosity.

Hepzibah leans over to growl playfully in Corsair's ear, "Yes, and our 'fearless' leader is /mine." Staked and claimed. She then laughs, "Why don't you introduce yourself?" She then moves to take her own seat, getting prepared to carry her own weight.

Ch'od barks out a laugh and quickly takes his seat at the helm, Raza wandering off to find his own. "Don't worry. If we have to fly a pleasure ship, Cr'reee knows how to do it," he jokes, the fuzzball on his shoulder letting out a 'Squeeee!' of agreement. There's a slight lurch as the ship moves away from Earth's gravity. Shortly after leaving it...there's another lurch as they make the jump to hyperspace.

Lilandra took a seat and buckled in, a small, secretive smile on her face as she eyed Corsair and Scott, wondering if they're going to pick up on the resemblance and start to wonder, and how they'll react.

Forge's device looks much more primitive than anything in the spaceship. It's literally wrapped in duct tape. However, it seems to be doing whatever it is he designed it to do admirably. As he walks to his seat, he waves the device at random pieces of technology that happen to be in his path, giving each one a heartfelt "Hurm..." or an "Interesting...". A bit reluctantly, he sits down, but continues to scan stuff from a distance. At the mention of his name, he looks around a bit before discerning the direction of the question. With his forehead slightly crinkled, he replies to Cyclops. "Self-Defense? No... not really. That's for ladies." He sets the device down on his lap and pulls something out of the biggest pouch on his belt. At first glance, it appears to be a boot. But then he puts his hand inside it, and metallic pieces begin protruding from the boot's surface and covering the majority of his hand. Several seconds later, a ridiculously-large gun with more than ten different rotating barrels looms, several feet in length. "I've got this though."

Corsair sighs as he turns his chair to look forward, "I am called Corsair and I am Captain of this crew of misfits, rebels, and pirates, and that is all that you need to know. But I will put your curiosity to rest, I am a human from Earth matter of fact, I'm American from Alaska. A Shi'ar ship came here a number of years back. They killed my family and took me prisoner. I've spent every moment since that day fighting the Shi'ar."

A pause then...a rough, brief chuckle. "Point taken Forge," Cyclops states. But there is a strain in his tone. He then falls silent at Corsair's speech, "Alaska," he ends up saying quietly, mostly to himself. The Shi'ar...he wonders...that's...it can't be the same case. He shakes his head. "Why would they do something like that?" He looks between Corsair and Lilandra, "And if so, why help Lilandra?" He knows too little and he needs more information.

Simone looks about, studying the ship and how it is similar and different to the one that crashed in the lake. Corsair? And he's human? Wow alien abduction is real? That makes her wing feathers ruffle. She peers at Scott again but his visor makes it nearly impossible to see his expressions. She nods also wanting to know ".. Ah, and is there anything we ought to know about your people Lilandra, and well, any of the ah, people we are likely to encounter? I'd like to avoid any major cultural mistakes if we can help it, and make things worse when we try to rescue Alex and Warren."

"There will be trouble regardless of cultural mistakes, Seta," the blue skinned man with long red hair across from Simon speaks up. "You're traveling with the people that are currently the Shi'ar empire's most wanted criminals. And if Deathbird has captured your people, she's likely added you to the list as well just because you were there."

"Corsair's capture was before my time." Lilandra says. "And at the behest of my predecessor, who believed all those not of Empire origin to be inferior beasts." She sighs. "I am quite sure you encountered a taste of that with the ones that abducted your friends. "We are a warrior race, and the Imperial Guard, which is composed of our best fighters, has subjugated many planets. There are several other sentient beings, but it is unlikely you will meet any. They do not normally wander so close to your planet."

Forge looks down at his creation admiringly. Out of the corners of his eyes, he observes the various goings-on, but remains mostly transfixed. This goes on for several seconds, during which his expression morphs from admiration to confusion, and then to frustration. "What the... " his voice lowers into a murmur, barely even audible. With his free hand, he begins to try to pull the gun off of his arm, but it is apparently attached too well. A couple of seconds of vigorous shaking ensue, during which his frustration grows. "Great, now it won't come off."

Kitty watches, listens curiously. And she sits down, when asked. Even buckles in. She looks - well, excited, and not in the least hesitant at what's to come. At least, not yet. It's all space flight, and new gadgets - new friends. "So," she finally asks, "Just - how many planets are in this Empire of yours?" She inquires, steadfastly curious.

Hepzibah laughs, "Aren't you just a gentleman Cyclops!" But her expression turns more serious at her lover's response. "The Shi'ar have hurt a lot of us," bitterness in her tone. "But Lilandra isn't like that! If she was, I'd gladly kill her myself. Just cause the Sh'iar Empire is messed up, doesn't mean Lilandra is. And there isn't much she can do to fix things if she can't gain control of her Empire." She huffs softly. "Lots, and even with Lilandra in charge, it is likely to be screwed up." She smirks at that, and teases Lilandra, "No offense intended!"

Corsair enters into some information, "The Lady Lilandra is the best egg in the bunch. I would be less rebel and more pirate if she's in control of the Empire. So it makes for strange bed fellows and may you live in interesting times. Pick your favorite saying and apply it to the situation." He turns his head to look at Simone, "I would suggest shooting first and shooting to kill. It's a Shi'ar greeting. They find it in bad taste if you don't practice it." He wasn't asking about the fact that most the people aren't normal humans. He looks over at Hep, "Remind me to promote you to public relations officer when dealing with visiting dignitaries since we're turning into a pleasure ship."

"So you ascended recently?" Cyclops appears thoughtful. "Lilandra, if I described a ship to you, do you think you could identify if it was of alien make or not?" It's better to know than be in the dark, right? He shakes his head then, "We aren't killers Corsair. It will be up to Lilandra to punish them as per her law when we depart Deathbird's ship. We aren't her strong arm. Though no promises about not hurting them...badly," he ends grumpily. "Very badly." They kidnapped not only Warren, but his little brother!

"There are more planets in the Empire than one can count." Lilandra says. She doesn't take umbrage at Hebzibah's teasing, because it's the truth. "My predecessor was murdered not so long ago." Though that definition of time is ... questionable. "And there was a bit of a scramble for the throne, afterwards." Which is putting the situation mildly. "But the chances are good that I could identify a ship, if you describe it well enough."

Kitty peers at Cyclops, interested at the direction of his questions, perhaps. She glances back to Hepzibah, then looks to the blue-skinned man. So many of them, in her life, nowadays. "I was kidnapped, once," she tells him. "But, if Xavier thinks you're good people, then I trust him with my life. And we'll do anything we can, to help you. And get our friends back. Nobody should ever have to go through that," she says, a bit stubbornly. She grips her bicep with her opposite arm, perhaps a bit self-consciously, but only for a moment. Her eyes harden, "And we can do a lot," she assures.

Hepzibah looks curious, but tries not to be obvious about it. Her tail tip swishes off to the side of the chair where it sticks out. "I agree, kidnapping is terrible, let's go kick their ass!"

"O Fearless leader, Lady Lilandra, Scary O Fearless Pirate Leader, what is the plan of action on this mission. I'm quite sure we have more plans than catching up with this ship and shake our finger at them." Hank asks as he looks at Forge, "did you just build that gun into your arm right now?"

Simone looks to Scott and nods. "We will get them back. " she tells him, once again absolutely certain of this fact. At Hank's comment she glances towards Forge and his gun-hand and looks ceiling-ward. oh boy.

"Deathbird's ship is coming into view. Entering stealth more," Ch'od speaks up over his shoulder as they exit Hyperspace and the ship cloaks. On the main screen, a MUCH bigger ship than the one that crashed into the lake can be seen. It's got a few insignias of the Shi'ar empire on it and seems to be holding in place around a small moon of a much larger planet. It's not noticed them yet.

"You will need to be able to do a lot, young one," a new voice comes as the purple, mechanized dragonfly-crossed-with-a-helicopter thing flies in from another deck. The Imperial Guard and Deathbird herself are formidable opponents. But do not worry," it seems cheerful. "If you survive, I'll happily tend to your wounds. I am a doctor after all."

Cyclops is nice enough not to make fun of Forge, rather just remembers to say after Hank's comment, "Just leave it in place. You may need it shortly anyway." Now, he appears thoughtful and then closes his eyes, silent for a little while. When he starts describing the ship, Lilandra would recognize it as a scout ship that was produced a number of years ago, perhaps fifteen years ago or less, somewhere around there. It has since been upgraded. He does a decent job from a foggy memory, and he opens his eyes once more not that anyone would notice it with the ruby visor in place over them. "Holy!..." Cyclops doesn't say more, but the good ol' doctor did give him a bit of a scare, especially since he didn't see him enter as he had his eyes close. But he then clears his throat, "Right. They seem unusually strong, some of them able to throw fire balls or having smaller version of themselves one their back...refrain from Mini-me comments Beast." He then continues, "My suggestion, don't hold back. If you can't find someone to match up with you feel confident with Shadowcat, take the job of drawing their fire which would make your phasing ability very useful." Multi-tasking Cyclops, go Cyclops! Or something...

Corsair laughs at Scott, "Right, I was like you once son. You keep that policy up your going to learn that your in a war and the opposition don't play by your rules. I feel for those under your command and I feel for you." He pulls his blaster and checks his weapon. "Alright Starjammers. Saddle up, we're going after a couple of human prisoners. Shoot first don't ask questions. And we're looking for a couple of guys that look like me but younger and not as handsome."

"Of all the stupid contraptions..." Forge continues to shake his arm rather violently. But eventually, he gives up. With his eyebrows closely knit together he peers at Beast, his current mood evident from his expression. "I guess it's still got a kink or two to work out." And with that, he relaxes back into his seat just in time to get an eyeful of the really big spaceship. "Oh hello... Where have /you/ been all my life, Gorgeous?"

"That was indeed a ship of Shi'ar design." Lilandra says. "A scout ship, specifically. Where did you encounter it?" Doesn't sound like a description of the ship in the lake. "Leave Deathbird to me. Your friends would likely be in the detention area." She quickly gives general directions to the area.

Cyclops states cooly, "That is the risk I and those beneath my command take, to avoid falling to their level. We are not soldiers in the real sense, we try to be 'superheroes'. There is a difference. We cannot be blinded by our own needs, or thoughts of revenge. We are bound to the law just like any normal civilian, we have no license to kill and no right to deny someone else their right to life. We were merely 'born' different, and with these gifts we want to contribute something to the world to help make it a better place. It is as simple, and as difficult at that. I never asked for these powers, and if I had a choice, I won't have been born with them, nor would my little brother. But it is how we deal with our choices and situations that make us who we are, not what powers we may or may not have."

Cyclops then nods, "Thank you Lilandra." He is quiet for a little while, "I saw it as a child, they murdered our parents." But he then shrugs, pretending it doesn't bother me. "Though I do not support revenge, we want to make sure the situation is taken care of and Deathbird and her goons do not bother us again. You may face Deathbird, but the X-Men will subdue the Imperial Guard." He wants to go directly to Alex, but he knows that isn't the right decision to make right now. "We cannot afford the escape route to be closed off in either case." A pause then, "Can I entrust the Starjammers with retrieving our friends? They are known as Havok and Angel," providing the code names.

"Wha--?!" Kitty, too, is startled by the new voice. "Um. Thanks? I think." She grins, now, and pipes in cheerfully at it, "I can make myself insubstantial, however. Enough so that matter passes right through me. Hopefully, you won't have any of us to tend to, Doc."

"I wonder," opines Kitty, mildly then, "If my phasing knocks out their technology as well." She pauses, asking Hepizbah, "Um. I know it's a silly question, but is there anything on the ship that - well, I could try something out on and that you wouldn't care if it got busted, or not? A piece of your - and this Deathbird's technology? My phasing actually interrupts and disperses our own technology on earth, rendering it inoperable." She certainly doesn't want to test it on something their new allies are going to need, or use, or make them upset. But, she's also certain it's not something she just wants to try out in the midst of the upcoming battle just to 'see' if it works, or not. That's a pretty big gamble.

A quick nod to Scott. "I won't disappoint you, Cyclops."

The assembled Starjammers give variations of 'yes captain' as they begin to arm themselves a bit more. The pirate ship brings them up alongside the royal ship and activates a few systems. After a few moments and some technological tricks and the ships are connected. The Starjammers move to the airlock with only Sikorsky staying behind. "Do not fear, Cyclops! We may appear to be simple pirates and rebels but we are all fierce warriors," Raza declares, offering a slight salute.

The path from the Starjammer to the Shi'ar ship...is an interesting one. It's completely clear save for the floor...allowing a view of space that might unsettle some. When they get into the Shi'ar ship, it's a very brightly lit area. A wide hallway with an elevator at one end and a door at the other. "Alright. You'll be heading that way. Take the lift to the highest deck and you'll be right outside Deathbird's throne room," Ch'od instructs the X-men.

"I see." Lilandra says ... and shoots Corsair another look, before turning her attention to Kitty. "That can easily be arranged, once we're on the ship. The doors are all computer controlled." Kitty can try to phase through the controls to a random (inside, please!) door, see what happens.

Simone urks at the hele-bug bot.. thingie. Ohkay. She rubs at her temple and brushes her hair back. She's trying her best to not let her nerves get the better of her. She unbuckles herself from the chair and puts on her helm. It's time to do what they came here to do. She manifests her psi wings and keeps them tucked close to her back.

Corsair turns in his chair and goes to say something to Cyclops but he stops look at the young man. His brow furrowing as he hears this. There's no way in hell it could be his son. His boys died that day. He goes to ask a question but then Raza speaks and the Elder Summers lets it go.

As the X-men depart he looks at the other Star Jammers, "Alright folks remember we got a mission but there's no point in not having a little fun. Make sure to the Shi'ar all got good Star Jammer stories to tell. Well the one's that survive." With that he turns to lead the fight.

Kitty tries to phase through the control panel to one of the seldom-used inner doors to some access panel or something, with permission, tentatively when they start out. She then takes a deep breath, and nods her readiness to Scott. She peers, curiously at the conversation between Corsair and Scott, unable to really hear anything, but offers the other X-men, and the odd aliens a grin of encouragement. "Let's kick some butt."

Cyclops sends a salute back, actually getting it right. He unbuckles and checks his gear, not a whole lot but each piece important. Including the short wave comlinks everyone should have. Sometimes, low-tech is the way to go, less chance for the high tech to pick it up...or one can hope. "Test on something inside Deathbird's ship Shadowcat. Alright guys, let's move out." He then heads toward the elevator with his team and Lilandra. "We should nicely go say hello to our host." Cyclops has no idea about Corsair's thoughts, his own absorbing him about the mission on hand and the worry nagging at the back of his mind about Alex and Warren.

Hepzibah looks concerned, and eyes Corsair herself. But she finally nods and goes with the Starjammers, armed to the teeth. One of the guns she is carrying is larger than Forge's gun! "Let's go kick some Sh'iar ass then!"

"Indeed, it would be most impolite not to visit with our hostess." Lilandra says as she leads the way to the elevator. She's been on these ships enough to know the way. "After all,

Hank looks at the rest of the team, "Oh behave!" See he doesn't go with the mini-me joke. He says as the others, "What? I don't like the X-men catch phrase involving the forceable application of the pedestrian appendage to the posterior of a foe. But I do not want to have to pay Anthony Stark a thousand dollars every occasion somebody mutters, "X-men Assemble." He says taking up a defensive position.

"Indeed, it would be most impolite not to visit with our hostess." Lilandra says as she leads the way to the elevator. She's been on these ships enough to know the way. "After all, Deathbird /was/ seeking me, was she not?" There's something definitely less than nice in her expression and tone.

BFG still firmly attached to his arm, Forge finally gives up messing with it and stands up. As he does so, the device that was on his lap falls to the floor and rolls under his seat. He doesn't notice. As he falls in behind everyone else, he gets a good look at Hepzibah's gat. The look on his face isn't exactly 'crestfallen', but it's somewhere in that neighborhood. Still, he does a good job of pretending not to notice. He probably couldn't hold a much bigger gun anyway, judging by the the effort it takes him to hold the current one up. "What about... let's go X-cercise?"

Kitty inhales another sharp breath, then nods to Lilandra, giving the would-be ruler a quick, but sharp grin. At Forge's pun, she just eye-rolls, inhales again, lets out a rush of breath. Then? She phases. Better to prepare now, than later, right. Her teammates, Sera, Cyclops, Beast, Forge, are all given encouraging smiles.

The door in the ship Kitty phases...shorts out but there's a small delay before it does so. The door she picks slides open to reveal...a room full of boxes. Exciting!

The elevator is wide and round. It's not too long a ride up and thankfully there's no elevator music. It moves upward.

To Be Continued in: 2010-09-11 - Space Politics: Tearing Down the Royal House