10961/The Ties that Bind

The Ties that Bind
Date of Scene:	02 February 2020
Location:	Scott's Room (North Halls), Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Scott and Lorna have a chat, catch up, and discuss politics.
Cast of Characters:	Cyclops, Polaris

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Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops had been taking a bit of private time for the weekend, staying in his quarters. Which isn't to say that he's actually idle. Instead, he's reviewing performance statistics from the Danger Room while listening to a podcast. He has a cooled cup of coffee on his desk and a half-eaten bagel that he forgot to finish sitting on a dish.

Scott's wearing a simple black sweater, trimmed in dark blue, along with slacks and dark socked feet. His eyes, as usual, remain obscured, the dark-tinted ruby of his trademark glasses set carefully in place. He hears a knock on the door and pulls out his earbuds, "Come in," he calls.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna swung the door inward with a wave of her hand as she moved. It was fluid, and done without thought. The Princess of Genosha was rarely at the Mansion anymore these days. She had begun to split more of her time with Roberto in his apartment in Manhattan and with the island nation she was heir to. Still, she tried to drop in every now and then, tried to maintain some exposure to the Danger Room, and even tried to read reports now and then.

She tried.

But her presence had been dropping off more and more as of late. So she thought it best to pester Scott herself. "Hey, I was hoping you'd be in. Glad I had a chance to catch you...got a minute?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. The greenette wore a simple sweater that hung low on her shoulders in a soft teal color and a pair of jeans and knee high black boots. A simple outfit, all things considered.

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops nods, "Of course," he says, rising to his feet. He wasn't prone to deferring to anyone on the basis of royalty - he was far from a monarchist, more like the type who overthrew them. Still, he respected Lorna herself and he had decent manners.

"What can I help you with, Lorna?" he says, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'd offer you something, but as you can see, I'm not keeping up much on the creature comforts."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna smiled warmly, and shook her head, clearly not off put by Scott's more practical side. "Oh, please, don't worry about it." She flapped a hand in his direction and made her way over to a more comfortable distance to chat. She reached up to drag her hands through her hair, and sighed before she let them drop away to hang at her sides. Finally, she made to find a place to sit, wherever available.

"I wanted to talk to you about my... lack of presence around here recently. I know, I agreed to be a member of the team, and I am still willing to do so.. I just.. I dunno, I'm being pulled in too many ways to hang out here most of the time. And I just.. I wanted to let someone know that it's not because I don't value the team or anything."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops shakes his head, "I didn't think you did," he says, resuming his own seat. "While I know I have a reputation for being strict, I do recognize that being a part of the team isn't necessarily the center of your life. I'm aware you have other commitments. We can certainly formalize a shift to reserve, if you think it would be appropriate. Being available to try and help when you can is being part of the team. 'Hanging out', as you say, isn't really part of the job - something I'd like to remind some of the others on occasion," he says with a half-smile.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna laughed, "If you give me a schedule of mandatory training sessions I'll be there as much as I can. And even when you call me I'll answer... depending on the crisis." She murmured, crossing her legs as she leaned back in the seat she's taken over. She sighed, her gaze going distant and distracted for a moment.

The green haired woman paused for a moment, letting her hands fall back to her lap as she thought. "I will be out of touch for a bit. I have some personal things to deal with, and I'm hoping to be back within a week.." She trailed off again. "But otherwise, yeah. Reserve might be a safer bet. You know I value everything we do here... It's just the people of Genosha need me too."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops nods, "You have to decide what your responsibilities are for yourself. It's not for me to set or judge them," he says. "You've proven yourself an asset and will be always welcome to participate when you can. I try to keep from making things mandatory unless we're dealing with actual emergencies, in part because we have so many disparate lives and, more thankfully, because we have a well-rounded roster that is often well equipped for different threats."

"I understand that I set a certain example because of my focus on the team and the school, but that's my path. It doesn't have to be anybody else's."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna smiled again, exhaling a breath that she'd sucked in. "Thanks Scott, I appreciate it. I wish I could dedicate myself to this school.. but at the same time? Knowing that you're here makes a world of difference. These kids are lucky to have you here." She murmured softly, and shrugged once, as she shifted in her seat and propped her chin up.

"So long as you don't drop from over working yourself and actually take some time to take care of yourself in between all of it." She added, almost as an after thought.

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops shrugs, "Well, I admit, I don't always do that. I ride my bikes now and again. Take the occasional fishing trip or a chance to fly. But the growth of this place has been immense and my attention is usually needed here. Luckily, I can handle a lot of steam, so I don't have to let it off too much," he says.

"And I'm glad you think I'm doing well. I don't always think so, but I've been told I'm a wee bit judgmental," he says.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna waved a hand in the air as if dismissing Scott's comment about being judgemental. "It's your job to be judgemental and people's lives are on the line when you make a call. It's not a bad thing. I trust you to make good judgement calls for it. I mean.. c'mon. It's easy to complain and say you're a stick in the mud.. when the person isn't the one making those calls. You have to do that. You make those calls and you live with what happens. Not everyone can do that." She murmured.

A green eyebrow hitched upward, "It's not unlike being in government. People will love or hate you regardless of what call you make at the end of the day. But those that know you, understand why."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops smiles, "I appreciate your understanding of the situation. I don't mind taking the heat. As you say, it comes with the position. Nobody likes the person who reminds them of their chores and keeps track of how they're doing. A little resentment can be good motivation, too. Sometimes I even try to get it out of them, to get their fire going," he admits.

"How are things in Genosha, by the way?"

Polaris has posed:
Lorna shrugged once, and reached up with her fingers to twist a fine gold chain of a necklace between her index finger and her thumb. "You deal with far more than I'd want to in this school and as team leader. But I still respect you none the less Scott." She smiled and as he asked her how Genosha was doing she grimaced.

"Issues with my father and a few other odds and ends. Mostly personal issues, you know? By and large Genosha is fine. The Council keeps me on my toes though, and I'm still struggling to get Genosha to engage with the wider world. I still don't think my father's isolationist policies are smart.."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops considers, "As I respect you, Lorna," he says.

"I agree about your father's policies. I understand the impetus behind them, especially in the wake of the Sentinel fiasco, but cutting ourselves off is only going to frighten the humans more. Plus, without transparency, they're just going to speculate about what's happening beyond the border. And such speculations are rarely flattering. They're going to think the worst of him - and you - unless they can demonstrably see otherwise. It's unfortunately a side effect of being a public figure."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna crossed her arms in thought, her lips pursed together briefly as she considered Scott's words. "I agree... He thinks that Genosha should only rely on Genosha.. He's a fan of hard power. But I think in order for Genosha to survive we need to focus on our public image. Branch out. Make alliances. We need to focus on soft power, like South Korea. We need to get people to like us on some level. Less open hatred. I don't like the idea of most of the planet wanting us wiped off the map." She sighed heavily and shook her head.

"But that does go with the public part. People hate my father, and it makes alliances hard."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops nods, "His worldview is antiquated. It's too be expected, given his age and experience," he says. "But friendship will get him farther than fear, I think. I've had to learn that myself. I understand wanting to make the world bend to your will. But it's easier to convince it to come to you than to push it from behind," he says.

"At least, in my opinion. I hate to say it, but your father has earned his reputation. I may sympathize with his motivations and even respect his capabilities and his resolve. Personally, I think Genosha would be better served with someone less polarizing as their figurehead. No pun intended."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna mirrored Scott's nod with one of her own as she recrossed her legs and shifted in her seat. "It's true though, everything comes down to his experiences over the years. He still hates South America for the part it played in taking in Nazis. I mean, it's been over seventy years. Those people are mostly dead. And the US played a hand in it too.. but he still holds that anger." She sighed and shook her head again.

"He's very much trapped in the past. I know we have to move forward to truly help Genosha to be the best it can be. We're part of this world after all, we can't ignore it." She half smiled at Scott's pun on polarizing and the alike and almost laughed.

"You're not the first to say so. More than a few people have told me to my face.. that if I was Queen an alliance would be a different story. Do you know how frustrating that is? To be told that?"

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops considers, "Is it frustrating because you don't want it or frustrating because you do but feel that wanting it would be a betrayal? I can't deny you'd be the better leader, but I understand the reasons - and the loyalty - that keeps you from doing so. I don't think I could depose Charles, even if I thought it was the right thing, no matter the choice he made. Maybe I could. But it wouldn't be easy. I, at least, don't think that day will ever come for me. But will it for you? What if your father falls into his old ways? What if he decays in some way, sinks into dementia and becomes a threat, not only to the world but to Genosha itself? Even to you?"

He shakes his head, "I don't envey you your position. It is a brutal world and the consequences are overwhelming."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna shrugged, "Mostly, yes. I love my father and I disagree with him plenty. But I don't want to dispose of him to seize the crown either. It feels ... wrong, to be named his heir and want to take the crown for Genosha's benefit.." She sighed heavily and angled her gaze to her hands, her lips pursing together as she considered what to say and what not to say.

"I don't want the crown right now, some day? Yes.. I do.. I think I can help Genosha and her people. But right now..? No. I have too much that I want to do for the world. And having that crown would limit my ability to do so. I couldn't be part of this team. I couldn't fly all over to help people. I would have to have a very painful conversation with Roberto.. He still doesn't approve of the monarchy and with us dating..?" She spread her hands out in front of her.

"My father warned me already on that. Everything I do is public. Everyone is watching me.. I can't handle being Queen yet.."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops nods, "If you don't think you're ready, then you're not ready. I trust you'll be ready when you are," he says.

"How much leeway do you have in terms of your public stances? I'm sure your father likes to see unity, but the world could be receptive to the idea that he's not a dictator. That he allows for dissent and diverse ideas. Simply knowing that Genoshan policy isn't a monolith, set by one man. I'm sure many governments see you and your councils as window dressing."

He raises a hand, "I'm speculating out loud. Again, it's your decisions to make. I'm just playing Monday morning quarterback."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna arched a green eyebrow upward, "Roberto is convinced that my father is a dictator and that there's nothing to the constitution or the council. If I can convince my boyfriend and the public that I'm allowed to enact policy beyond my father's desires.. sure. I would. But I have a feeling nothing I say or do publically would make much of a dent there. People are waiting for me to fail. Or they're already convinced that I'm nothing but a puppet.. Who knows.." She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I have as much leeway as I truly want.. I've got into.. well not quite screaming matches but close, with my father. I dunno what else to do.." She reached up with both hands and dragged her green locks back from her face.

"If he did something I truly disagreed with though? Something that would endanger Genosha?" She trailed off, lifting her gaze to meet his. "My father has continuously stressed that my duty is to Genosha.. and I made a vow as heir to do the best I can by it.. and I will."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops meets the gaze directly, although it can be hard to tell given his glasses. The shining surface of the ruby quartz reflects Lorna's own face back to her. "I have no doubt of it. Just as I would defend this place, these people, with every ounce of strength and skill I possess. I've put your father down before and I'll do it again if I have to. Luckily, we are at a point in all our lives where mutants need to stand together. I think we would all like to be on the same page rather than fighting amongst ourselves, especially when our mutual enemies have so recently demonstrated their ruthlessness and their thirst for our blood," he sighs.

"You're right. I don't know if anyone could ever truly be convinced. There's a lot of bad road and a lot of burnt bridges. Quite literally, in some cases. I am, by nature, a cynic. But Charles Xavier has alwasy tried to teach me to have hope. Maybe that can be a lesson you take back to Genosha with you."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna met his gaze, or at least tried to through the ruby sheen of his glasses. Green to his red. Not that he could tell through the rosy hues that made up his vision. She smiled thinly, "I know. And the kids here don't know how lucky they are to have you here. They really don't know what it is to live without that.." She exhaled a breath, dropping her gaze and shifting on the chair again before she finally stood up.

"People have long since made up their minds about me and my father.. and Genosha. All of us. We can only do our best. I don't really agree with the hope factor.. but I like it none the less." Her smile warmed then.

"Guess we're both a bit cynical these days."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops rises as well, nodding, "The times certainly seem to justify it. We can change the times if we try hard enough. At least, some of us can. Lucky for us, we get to be among the few," he says.

"Like I said, you're always welcome. And if you need our help - if you need the X-men - say so. We wouldn't come to the help of a specific nation or a world leader. But we would come to help a member of the family."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna shifted her weight on her heels, the boots she wore clicking softly against the floor of Scott's room as she moved. She smiled again, exhaling an amused breath. "Well, same here, for all that I'm a public figure, you know I'll always come back if you want or need me about." She paused, thinking for a brief moment.

"Even if it's against my father. I would rather be there than not be." She added, "Thank you Scott, we should try to catch up more often. Get something to eat and just chill out sometime."

Cyclops has posed:
Cyclops nods, "I'd like that," he says. "Say hello to Roberto for me. Tell him he'd better treat you right or he'll have more than your father to answer to," he says with a half-grin. "Take care."