5926/Astral Flux: Priorities

From United Heroes MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Astral Flux: Priorities
Date of Scene: 05 December 2018
Location: Xavier's School, Westchester, New York
Synopsis: Some X-Men discuss the astral plane and sentinels.
Cast of Characters: Forge, Wolverine, Psylocke
Tinyplot: Astral Flux
Tinyplot2: Sentinels


Forge has posed:
    While the Blackbird itself was not directly in use right now, another flight vehicle of a smaller style came in, at about six in the morning. It is not an entirely unusual arrival, just usually outright ignored. It's just the tech guy coming by. He visits periodically, it just is what it is. Somehow the tech is kept upgraded and updated. If there's a bug, it gets fixed. Forge doesn't make any fanfare when he does what he does.

    This 6am visit is somewhat different, if only because it involves a bunch of cargo, and it is taking some time. Additionally, the Blackbird is being run through some test suites in the background, and is doing some patterns of test lights, flaps flipping up and down, some cloak initializations, and so on: it's just background noise for Forge as he unloads the other sleek little plane, using some hover-pallets.

Wolverine has posed:
    Today Logan was dressed different than normal. Not only did he have his trademark white t shirt and blue jeans, but a brown leather jacket and a cowboy hat on. He was smoking a cuban cigar, and looking absently at what was going on. Wandering into the Hanger, Logan heads towards noise.

    Logan notes that someone was working here, and almost turns to leave. Shrugging, he stops himself, and calls out, "Anyone I need to worry about workin' in here, or is it just the kids again, playing with things they shouldn't be playin' with? It's kinda early in the day for test drives."

Forge has posed:
    "Not at this hour. Unfortunately. I'd put them to work," Forge's voice returns in answer, as he brings out a big metallic black crate down out of the smaller vehicle and loads it with a thud onto the hoverpallet. He looks Logan over: just since it has been a little while. "But I'm nearly done with the lifting, anyway." He brushes his gloved hands together, opting to come over to the other semi-loner. With an expression that suggests he has something other than a quiet joke to deliver.

    "I think I'm going to need a meeting with the available X-Men, about a mission. Not an emergency, but sooner is better," Forge says, in his more serious way, dark eyes carrying some additional weight to the words.

Wolverine has posed:
    Grumbling under his breath, Logan says something, and then adds, "Forge." Logan watches as the man approaches him. Taking out his cigar so the man can understand what he was saying, Logan exhales and frowns. "A mission. Uh huh." Logan returns the cigar to his mouth, moving it around a bit with his teeth.

    "I am sure the team will hear ya'. I think 'Ro may be kickin' around as well." Logan's frown turns into a smile. "As fer tha' mission, anythin' interestin'? Can I get a sneak peak?"

Forge has posed:
    "Of course," Forge agrees. He doesn't require or ask for any help, he moves the boxes, but does start to take the pallet in away from the hangar. Logan will have to accompany him to listen, though Forge is not going too far, he puts one of the crates near the security array at the hangar's entry: upgrade stuff for later.
    "I've had my eye on these large robotic 'protector sentinels' that are appearing around the world. Are you familiar with what I'm talking about?" Forge asks.

Wolverine has posed:
Logan follows Forge as he moves the boxes around. He doesn't offer to help, as he currently has his hands full with holding his cigar. Watching, and waiting, Logan looks at the crates, shrugs slightly, and then looks back at Forge as he talks.

    "AH. Yeah, heard about them. I must admit, I'm a little worried about anything with the word "Sentinel" in the title. I take it ya' got an inside track on where they are comin' from?"

Forge has posed:
    A few taps along the secured crate has Forge looking in the contents, just to review, and then closing it. He stops to talk, though, resting gloved right hand on the lid of the crate. That's the mechanical one: Logan will clearly hear the difference if he so chose, of any of Forge's cybernetic limbs.

    "SHIELD has more on it than I did," He answers, without judgement. "I'd need to get a look at one. Which is where the mission comes in. At first it wasn't as high priority, but a video came in of one being used against a mutant in Korea," Forge says, his voice moderated. "And we have an opportunity to pick one up out of the battle in Mexico."

Wolverine has posed:
    Logan notes the differences in sounds of Forge's limbs, and notes everything. He peaks over Forge's shoulder now and then, taking in what was being unloaded. "Interesting stuff..." Logan says, idly. Puffing away on the cigar, Logan says, "I see ya' got a bunch of stuff there. I know a few things around here need ta' be fixed. The door ta' my cabin squeaks like hell. Thought you'd be perfect fer that."

    Logan smiles a bit, joking around. Mostly. "Yeah, SHIELD. Been stayin' away from them lately. Fury's still pissed I took his cigars from him in tha' last poker game." A puff. "Right. This whole Mexico thing. Tha' Avengers' been keepin' me up to date whenever I drop in....a mutant in Korea? Hmmm." Logan gets a slight look of concern.

Psylocke has posed:
It is entirely too early in the morning. Yet, Betsy is up and about as she always is. Her commute is instantaneous due to her shadow abilities at least. Each morning, she comes to the school extra early. First, she goes for a jog out to the lake. Then she spends some time in that tranquil location to go through her Tai chi. Once that is done, a jog back to the mansion. A quick shower then she goes to her classroom and finishes prep for the day.

She comes wandering through the hanger wearing a pair of yoga style pants with a t-shirt and a light jacket thrown over the top. With the weather, it was necessary for the layers. But once inside, she sheds the jacket as she starts to cut through on her way into the mansion to get her shower. She had no intention for classes today. She had cancelled them. After a call from Emma, she was intending to go looking for the other woman. She pauses when she hears voices, glancing that direction as she catches the word Mexico. "Pardon the interruption but what about Mexico?"

Forge has posed:
    "Yes, by day I'm rocket engines, but by night, I am quality doorstop," Forge deadpans back, looking at Logan with a quiet, reserved humor. He isn't easily provoked when it comes to fixing things, and isn't now. Truth being, he COULD fix that squeak, he'd immediately see which things weren't level. He's just probably a little overqualified. "I appreciate being thought of," Forge adds. That's more the issue: Forge gets forgotten. But he brushes it off, an issue for another time.

    Besides, Psylocke has joined them. She gets a curt nod from Forge, respectfully. "I'm asking to meet about the robots there, with any available X-Men. And if we do have an Avenger contact, we can go that route, instead of through SHIELD." He looks more specifically to Psylocke, "I'd like to acquire one of the robots, because they don't look like they have proper safety protocols. I am unsure they are 'protecting' anyone. Which could take us into a possible future we've heard a lot about over the years." Forge has stopped moving cargo, he's taking time to talk over this: it is important.

Wolverine has posed:
    Looking over at the new arrival, Logan raises his right hand, and tips his cowboy hat a bit to the front in a slight salute. "Betsy." Logan says with a smile, looking at her current state of dress. "Overdressed today ah see?" Logan grins, and thumbs back towards Forge. "Just talkin' about what was going on down south. Forge mentioned Sentinels as well."

    Nodding, Logan says, "Doorstop is a time honored tradition." Logan takes a puff of the cigar, and then adds, "I'm sure the team can get one of these 'bots fer ya. Easy."

Psylocke has posed:
"I saw them," Betsy admits as she turns and walks to join the pair, giving Logan a brief smile before focusing on the subject at hand. "From a distance. When we went into the villa in search of Dr. Arnold, in hopes of tracking down the Shadow King. We could see them attacking the town in the distance. Honestly, it was a good diversion and helped us with our task but then I was needed to help with some mental surgery and never got the chance to investigate."

At mention of getting a robot, she also nods. "I have no doubt we could do so. I have to concentrate on trying to deal with the Astral Plane which is a mess and there are people unaccounted for that we need to find. But after, I would be glad to assist a team to retrieve one."

Forge has posed:
    "I'm aware there's some political red tape around them. Who owns them. I'm not looking to get us into trouble about this, but I do think it's important: if we can find a way," Forge explains, looking down to his crate again, his mind turning towards the projects and repairs at hand a little bit, but he doesn't leave.

    "I didn't know about the missing people. I may have some psion enhancers with me, if that's helpful to you for what you're doing, or could come up with something else," Forge offers, with a reflective stare back at his vehicle. He very much enjoys solving problems presented. "I read what was in the reports about the Shadow King. Is he contained now?"

Wolverine has posed:
    Logan listens as Psylocke gives her disertation on what had happened, especially the part about the mental surgery which prompts Logan to takes his cowboy hat off for a moment, and scratch his head. Putting the hat back on, he takes the cigar out of his mouth, exhales, and nods.

    "Psion enhancers sound great. I'll take two." Logan grins. "The Astral Plane. And this Shadow King. Seems like the bad guys are coming out of the woodwork lately ta' take us on." Logan grumbles and looks at Forge. "And Betsy is right. We got those missing first, then we tackle the giant robots. Contained though? Are any bad guys truly contained? Even tha' dead ones seem ta' come back..."

Psylocke has posed:
"I believe those would be of great help. We received a strange communication from Emma. I'm trying to reach her to find out what it was all about. The state of the Astral Plane may be the work of a single man," Betsy says with a half shrug. "I won't know until I get in there and look around a bit but helping to boost my abilities certainly couldn't hurt in trying to repair. I don't have the raw power of Jean and Emma."

Not that she's bothered by that. They each have their niche. She does nod at Logan's words, meeting his gaze a moment. "Precisely. He seems to be gone but he's seemed that before. I wouldn't write him off yet. As for that stone that was helping him, we have no idea what happened to it."

Forge has posed:
    "All right, I'll---" Forge begins, but is cut off by a huge PHWOOOOOM of sound from the Blackbird. Forge doesn't jump, he looks over at it, clearly looking at something or other. He does put his goggles down, observing the plane, and continues to then talk to them, goggles still in place. "Just part of the initiation test," he says, first. "And I'll get onto the booster devices before I debug the war room computers. Can you give me an hour or two? I don't want to leave boxes in the hallways." Safety first.

    "I see. Perhaps someone with magic can look into his path and fate," Forge suggests, in a manner that is clearly a 'someone else, not me' statement. "If we have any data on the stone, I'd like it. I'll see if SHIELD will share, too."

Wolverine has posed:
    Logan crosses his arms at all the telepath talk. "Telepaths. Hurumph." Logan says, with a grumpy tone. "Never kin trust 'em." Logan pauses, looks at Betsy, and says, "Present company excepted of course." Logan winks at her with a smile replacing his grumpy expression. "Be careful though Bets. I'd wait until Emma or Jeanie can help ya' out before stickin' ma' nose in there.

    "Stone. Yeah. Damn "Infinity Stone" 'er something. Heard about that from the Avengers. Just what we need to be out in the wild...wonder what ah could do with one a' them." Logan says, pausing to muse on that as Forge asks for a few hours. "Sure. As for any intel we have on the stone, the Avengers got some. I'll make sure you get it." Logan nods. "Anyway, I should probably let you get back to what you were doing, Forge." Logan chuckles.

Psylocke has posed:
"That probably would be for the best. I know Doctor Strange was with our group when we started the mission. He disappeared though..." Betsy's voice trails off but she then shakes her head. "Shortly after, the Infinity Stone seemed to be taken out of play. I wonder if he had something to do with it. I never saw him after that."

She glances over at the Blackbird curiously, arching a violet brow but saying nothing since Forge had explained it. Sort of. Maybe. Okay, not really but it's good enough that he's involved somehow.

Forge has posed:
    "It's just a diagnostic. I run one every month, when I'm able to come by," Forge says, catching Betsy's expression even if she didn't say anything. He never minds explaining something, when it is in his ability to do so. "Dr. Strange? Hm. Is it unusual for that one to disappear?" Forge asks, without emotion. He has not had experience with the man, so it is a flat question.

    "It does seem we're on a time crunch, with both the rescues and the robot mission. Let's get to it, then," Forge agrees, starting to move his pallet towards the basement lab corridor. "Rescue being priority. I think we will have other opportunities to obtain robots: though that is not what any of us wants." More opportunities could mean more attacks. He frowns, but nods curtly to them both.