Video

[abetterway]

[the image flickers into focus to reveal a woman from the waist up, staring into the device with a calm intensity belied only by the fingers tugging continually at her collar; she appears to be in her thirties, the dark hair that spills over her shoulders only slightly softening sharp, angular features]

Hello. From what I've gathered, I've awoken on an alien world. [a moment's pause; she's accepted it, it would be counterproductive to dig in her heels, but it's still an absurd thing to say] What I can't seem to discern is how and why.

I have my suspicions, but I suspect they're narrow in focus. I must admit, this is all a bit outside my expertise. [a sudden, wry smile] I suppose I do like to broaden my horizons.

[the smile fades as she leans forward] I'm asking for any information you've gained, and what you intend to do with it. If you don't believe this to be a safe venue, I'm more than happy to meet in person.

Comments

Skip Erik a couple rounds?

[radars]

Not when I don't know what year you're from.

[ Earlier than him. How strange. ]

1928. England. You went to Oxford in the height of the war?

Sure!

[abetterway]

[quietly] I did, yes.

I've...often wished I'd fought that war instead. Did you?

[radars]

I suppose you weren't ... discovered, by then? Sixteen is a great deal more cautious than twelve.

[abetterway]

[well, now she's stunned for altogether different reasons]

Twelve. You were - drafted? As a child?

[she shook her head] I - my parents knew I was a mutant. But I wasn't made a soldier. I... [she shakes her head with a grim, tired smile] Tests. Experiments.

[radars]

[ He's faced that reaction before. Quite a bit, in fact, and he doesn't flinch. ]

1940. The nation was desperate, and the War Office found a walking security breach near a top secret rural base. They were researching radar, I wanted to prove I could be useful -- a year later, I was on the front. I volunteered, I wasn't drafted.

They didn't experiment on me. They weren't concerned about replicating it, just using it, as much as possible.

[abetterway]

[she forces herself to stop staring; her gaze softens, not with pity but sympathy] I oughtn't be surprised, really. That they'd see us as weapons, more than anything. [hadn't that been one of Ada's warnings?]

I was at the mercy of scientists, not the government. I'm not certain how aware such authorities are of mutants, in...my timeline.

[radars]

I hope you'll forgive me lack of complete surprise, there is -- there's another man here, Charles Xavier, born half a decade after me.

We should get that collar off. Communication will be quicker once both of us are at capacity.

[ With a tap to his temple. ]

[abetterway]

...Three of us. [she can't help but laugh; a dry, bewildered chuckle]

[as her hand drifts once more to the collar] Yes, that will certainly save some time.

okay erik get back in here

[radars]

[ Charles glances over to Erik. He has the urge to reach out to Jocelyn, to touch and reassure, but it feels inappropriate. ]

Erik, if you're quite done...?

[ His fingers twitch. He wants a cigarette terribly. ]

/sliiiides

[lehnsherr]

[Though not technically a part of their conversation, he'd still listened in to it all. It's for that reason that when he finally turns back, is earlier amusement is long gone.]

He's on his way.

[That third person. Though it isn't the most obvious choice this time round.]

[abetterway]

[she turns to Erik, nodding with a faint smile] Thank you, again. [then she peers at him, pensive and poignant, before finally asking the question that's been burning in the back of her mind]

You...wouldn't be a Lehnsherr, by any chance?

[radars]

[ Well, now things are likely to get awkward.

He glances to Erik, like, dude, it's your move. ]

[lehnsherr]

I would've thought the answer to that was obvious by now.

[Assuming, of course, that the one constant between his and Charles' worlds continues on to Jocelyn's too.]

A different man to the one that Charles here is acquainted with, however.

[abetterway]

I strive not to make assumptions. [she's openly staring again, but there's a wistfulness to her gaze, now]

You're...certainly different, yes. [her lips quirk, just slightly] Ada had already gone grey.

[radars]

[ Very different; more harmless, he wants to say. As if Erik Lensherr can be truly harmless. ]

Now that we've all revealed strange, literally otherworldly versions of our secrets, shall we take our newest addition into the Old City?

Or would you like to hide her away too, Erik?

[lehnsherr]

[He gives a quick, sharp look in Charles' direction. It isn't hiding, as far as he's concerned. It's a logical reaction to being found in a strange new location where the majority of their group is seemingly being hunted.]

I believe you may be asking the wrong person, Charles. I'm not about to start making decisions on Jocelyn's behalf.

[Words spoken in a tight voice, that seemingly disappears as he turns his attention back to Jocelyn again.]

I'm sure Fox will find us, regardless of where we wait.

[abetterway]

[she observes the moment with veiled interest, gaze flicking from one to the other]

I appreciate that, Erik. I think we ought to make our way out of the open, regardless.

[radars]

There are a few quieter ruins, that way.

[ Not that he trusts any of them to be truly structurally sound, of course. ]

[lehnsherr]

After you then.

[When they finally do start moving, Erik keeps to the side of Jocelyn, silently offering the occasional prompt to the frame of her chair in order to make the journey a little smoother. He doesn't push though; knows better than to assume. So unless she makes it clear that she wants more than that, he doesn't offer it.]

[abetterway]

[she accepts the help with a silent, grateful smile; the familiarity of it makes her chest ache, a little, but she focuses largely on their surroundings, on the world she's suddenly found herself in

she speaks, finally, as they approach the ruins]</i? Do you know what happened here?

[radars]

A war. A terrible one, with a neighboring planet. As far as I know, the alien ship was unrelated to either. It's an anomaly. A mystery.

[ And one Charles is extremely ill-equipped to solve. ]

[lehnsherr]

[It's yet more silence on his end. Though he still has questions of his own, ones related back to the similarities and differences between each of their worlds, he knows the focus really should be on getting Jocelyn up to speed with what's happening.

So instead, he's just going to focus on keeping an eye on their surroundings, still nowhere near ready to trust Charles to do it on his behalf.]

[abetterway]

Interplanetary warfare. [she slowly shakes her head, a horrified sort of awe on her face] I suppose it's the natural next step, isn't it. [she doesn't doubt Earth will be involved in it, if ever possible]

It seems a remarkable coincidence, a completely independent vessel crashing into a devastated world, full of new blood, new abilities, new ideas...

[radars]

Exactly my thought.

[ And hopefully that wasn't a coincidence. ]

I think we're here for a reason. I think we should help.

[ And he's looking to her for support, in that. ]

hopping in, mister phone a friend has arrived

[fireofunknown]

[Honestly, the whole thing sounded a bit suspicious and with how short of a time he had been acquainted with Erik, Fox knew he should be more cautious.

However...the guy was like him. Surely he didn't need to be scared of someone who was practically his own "kind" right? That was at least what Fox convinced himself as he headed out and eventually caught up to the chorus of voices.

Erik had said there were others, but a sudden wave of suffocating anxiety gripped around his chest and he found himself trudging a ways behind to stay out of sight. Fox fumbled for a cigarette inside his jacket and lit it with a sharp snap of his fingers, wincing when he realized how far the noise echoed even in the open space.]

...Welp. Failed my stealth check.