text; backdated to tuesday night (27th)

[lehnsherr]

[he's lost track of time since his arrival. bar the few, brief conversations he's had on the network during his breaks from standing watch over charles' pod, he hasn't spoken to many people yet. he hasn't seen a need to. not while he's still trying to work out what to do next. he knows that charles would be disappointed in him if he knew how little he'd done so far. that he'd spent all this time mourning the loss of someone that hadn't actually belonged to him for years. or was that just months now? he doesn't know anymore.

but regardless, he's forced himself to leave again. this time, for good. until he knows just how to get charles out of the pod, he knows he can't go back. not to mention that already, there's already another problem he needs to deal with.

more than one, really.]

If there are any others here who know a man named Erik Lehnsherr (or Magneto) in their home worlds, now is the time to mention it.

[yes, it's text only right now. no, that isn't changing for any of you yet. sorry?

okay, hold on. you're getting that other question too. the sooner he gets the answers he needs, the better.]

Are there any people here familiar with the technology used to contain those trapped aboard the ship?

I need a way to open one of the pods without harming the person inside.

[and then on to those...other issues.]

[locked to xaviers]

I apologise for my absence since my arrival. There was something that needed to be take care of first.

Charles, if your offer of somewhere to stay still stands, I think I'd welcome it right now.

[and then reluctantly tagged on-]

[locked to shepard]

Thank you.

Comments

[permalocked audio]

[lehnsherr]

[yes, charles, you're the one person here who he's willing to automatically switch the feed for. enjoy?]

You haven't managed to get yourself in to trouble, have you?

[catchingflies]

[Hey, he didn't get laughed at or growled at for expressing it. That's better than he usually gets.]

yeah i heard of em. guess there what messed up all th buildings an stuff here. lots of guns an flying cars and things.

[The collars, though, nobody's told him about.]

[permalocked audio]

[excessivehubris]

[Audio is good, yes! You have a nice voice, Erik. Also it is much easier to talk than to text so there is probably an obvious tone of gratitude in Charles' voice when he answers.]

I do not believe so? I found a vault of books, Erik! [Don't ask if he's surfaced from it yet.] Its quite amazing really, so many subjects, though there is no order I've been able to discern and when I try to make collections, I come back to them and they're all scattered again.

Very strange.

Oh! Would you happen to have any idea where we're supposed to live?

[Besides the library he means.]

[cantcatchme]

So we matter now that there's no way to fight for your cause, hm?

[There's a pause. Sometimes Pietro's too fast for his own good]

Disregard that last text.

[Another pause that really shouldn't be long enough for someone to type the next message]

I don't need anyone's help, least of all yours. But I'll watch the network in case you - or anyone - finds out anything important. If you have anything to say to me, personally, fine. Just keep it professional.

And don't mess with Toad. He's one of mine.

[femshep]

Don't.

[She had to. It was just... one of those things.]

[lehnsherr]

[the very thing he's focused on just now.]

They also have a device capable of suppressing mutant abilities.

[lehnsherr]

You exist, and so, you matter.

[sorry, pietro, he's not ignoring it because he thinks it matters.]

Perhaps I'm not being clear enough, Quicksilver. As long as you keep yourself out of trouble, I'll have no reason to personally interfere in your life here if you don't want me to.

If Toad chooses the same for himself, so be it. But that isn't your decision to make.

[lehnsherr]

[he really shouldn't be surprised. where there's a library, an xavier is sure to follow.]

Perhaps the books don't want to be put in order.

[he's partly joking and partly remembering the library in the other city whose books did just that. no. more important things to think about now.]

There are some people here who have offered me a room. You're welcome to join me.

[...assuming he can explain the multiple xaviers to him without charles getting too confused.]

[lehnsherr]

Of course.

[it's a feeling he knows all too well, so he doesn't push the gratitude any further.]

Did he tell you anything about our world?

[excessivehubris]

I ... hadn't thought of that. Do you think such a thing could be possible?

[He's never been one to believe in the idea of magic, science has always been his mainstay. However, there was no good reason for how the books kept getting shuffled back around. There was no one else in the Vault with him, at least no one around, yet he had only to turn his back for a few moments and the neat stacks would be in utter disarray with some books completely missing!]

A room? Oh! Ah, I mean if it wouldn't be a bother?

[Charles was used to rooming with Raven and at this point, Erik was really the only person he knew in this strange place. Being able to keep close to the man Charles now considered a friend -sorry Erik you've been adopted- actually sounded like a positive step.]

[femshep]

He told me some. I picked up a little more myself.

[He latched onto the inside of her head for almost two weeks. A little bit of information-gleaning was an inevitable side effect on both sides.]

[cantcatchme]

I'm useful, so I matter. Isn't that how it works?

And I don't plan to get into any trouble I can't get myself out of. Enough said.

I don't care what Toad choses. He can do whatever the hell he wants. But if you mess with one of the Brotherhood, you mess with all of us.

[catchingflies]

oh. well thats kinda nasty. how free re they with those things?

[Because the thought of losing his jumping is just... painful, man, it really is. Would it keep his tongue from working, too? Horrors!]

[tiptoeing]

Just the basics for now...a screwdriver, a hammer, pliers, that sort of thing.

I'm not sure anyone would even have what I might need in terms of computers, but I'll see what I can trade for.

[pause] Which century are you normally from?

[lehnsherr]

If you make it clear you're a threat to them, they'll attempt to use it on you.

[in other words, don't go and do something stupid, toad.]

[lehnsherr]

Those I can supply you with.

[computers? well, you're on your own there, bruce.]

Mid-twentieth. '57, to be exact.

[lehnsherr]

If this were my reality, perhaps. But things work a little differently here, and the sooner you realise that, the sooner we can begin working together to find a way home.

But I can assure you, I have no reason to "mess with" Toad. He's one of us.

[lehnsherr]

It may well be. But it seems more likely that someone else has been moving them back instead.

[he hasn't seen anywhere near as much magic being used here as in the other city, so it seems foolish to jump straight to that as an explanation just yet.]

You wouldn't be a bother though. In fact, I think I'd prefer it.

[well, it's partly true. he knows he won't manage to get much sleep if he's sharing a room with someone else. but he's used to functioning on very little of it, even at the best of times. he can make do. and as a bonus, it means being able to keep a closer watch over this charles too. that makes it worth it.]

[lehnsherr]

Then you'll understand why my loyalties lie, first and foremost, with the mutants here.

[it's not quite the reply he wants to give. but knowing that charles had actually volunteered information sets him on edge.]

I need your assistance with something.

[femshep]

I still don't know how to open it.

[But that's not what this is about, is it?]

[lehnsherr]

Clearly.

[because he'd like to believe that she would've gotten charles out if she'd found out how.]

I need to find a suitable location to train others, beyond the reach of the Authorities.

[femshep]

They have hovercrafts. We travel on foot. There is no 'beyond the reach'.

[But out of their sight is actually entirely plausible.

Either way, this isn't something to smear all over the network.]

Hospital. East wing.

[It's where he'll find her so they can discuss this in person.]

[lehnsherr]

It's going to take a few hours.

[long enough to find the newest charles and get him settled in to the room. a little longer to find something to eat and drink. but it's definitely not a no.]

I'll be there.

[femshep]

[No reply, but she'll be waiting. Waiting and thinking up a list of plausible locations and wondering exactly when she stopped wanting to shoot him in the head.]

[lehnsherr]

[it's nearing the fourth hour by the time he actually does make it to the hospital. another ten minutes worth of searching until he finds her room. the knock on the door is superfluous as he steps in a second later without waiting for permission. he knows he should be a little more careful around her. shepard is one of the few who'd approached him with clear hatred on his arrival. but she's also the one who invited him there, and the very same woman who showed him the way to charles' pod. somehow, she's taken a step down from enemy, as far as he's concerned.]

If you were expecting flowers, you'll need to look elsewhere.

[don't mind that amused tone. he's trying to keep the mood from dipping too much too soon.]