Brief Title:
TTM3
Characters:
Nightcrawler & Dragoness (emitted by Havok)
Scene Runner/Watcher:
IC Date:
11/20/12 09:25
Location:
Office area, X-Factor Tower
Summary:
Nightcrawler interviews Dragoness about her MLF information
Social or Plot:
TS:
No
Log:
The Dragoness is found in another office upon the third floor of X-Factor Tower. There she sits at a desk opposite a holo assistant (Stephanie). The assistant is seated in front of a steno-machine and is typing everything that Dragoness states. SHIP helps lead the questions regarding the facts and things seem to flow nicely as information is gathered.
Kurt arrives as Ship is leading questions about facts, he lets Ship handle all that, lets Stephanie work at the steno-machine. As humorous as he finds it that ship uses the holo assistant and old equipment as if making it official instead of just recording without being observed, he waits it out for the moment. He'll listen to the facts for any information that might help him and when he thinks Ship is starting to retire from fact gathering, he'll interject. "Uh, thanks Ship, thanks Stephanie, can I have some time with Dragoness ... if you don't mind." He'll smile sheepisly at Dragoness, giving the impression that things are out of his hands.
Most of the 'facts' were of Stryfe's secret base, location, layout, defenses. Then she spoke of the other members of the MLF and how they are conflicted regarding the situation, but none would talk or even dwell on the matter.
Stephanie nods, stands and walks out gracefully leaving the machine behind.
SHIP becomes quiet and the Dragoness carefully wipes her eyes (not to smear any mascara she may be wearing). She then leans back in the leather chair and says, "Kurt." in greeting, waiting for his conversation lead.
Moving to take a seat closer to, Kurt nods with a grin, "I'm sure this has been a lot ... Tamara." He is slow the with name, guessing at it from what he recalls (most likely recently gained information). "Entschuldigung ... my apologies for the process. Necessary and all that, I'm more curious how you're holding up through all this?" Bringing a foot up on his chair, starting to get more comfortable himself. "If you don't mind a nosey little elf."
With a hint of aggitation (not at Kurt, but Stryfe), she states, "I'm fine. I'm just pissed. It was supposed to be about mutant freedoms, rights, liberation. Instead, it's just his personal mission to kill Cable and anyone else who doesn't want to play by his rules - fuck, even the ones who do. No, I'm fine Kurt. I just want to take him down."
Nodding as she speaks, Kurt gives her a good ear, pointed but good. "Not all that uncommon to see militant mutants wanting those freedoms, acheiving some but not wanting to stop. Sort of like the downfall of socialism, good cause, poor execution." He lets that simmer a moment, then ponders, "And how close is Cable to confronting Stryfe - I'm guessing he's onto the whole moon base, plotting the means to get there, which is why you're here now. Its close to being bad for a great many more." He lets the rhetoric ride there, seeing if she fills in any blanks.
"Stryfe knows that Cable is onto him and was planning the assault. But we have no idea how he's going to get up there and the when." Dragoness answers maintaining her annoyed tone. Then leaning forward, she says, "Listen, I know SHIP can shield a lot of stuff, but Stryfe is probably missing me right now and turning on my tracker. He's going to know I'm here, so the sooner we get moving, the better."
"Ja, soon enough," says Kurt, "I am taking it that you're planning to move with us then?" He brings his other leg up, not really making a rush to jump in a space worthy vehicle to start scouring the moon just yet.
"If you'll have me. I know how psycho security conscious the Summers brothers are. If I were he, I'd see me as a plant to lure the team into a trap. Never know about villain's these days." Dragoness answers as her tone becomes more peaceful.
"I'm sure that was his first thought," says Kurt with a smile, "I would be a liar to say it didn't cross my mind. I'd more think what you have to gain by revealing secret bases though, even if you trapped all of X-Factor, its in Ship's records, there's a connection to the X-Men, why risk that for a small trap." Then he leans forward to say, "That is, I trust you. I'll make an argument for your help on this mission. My only concern is the virus though, not the personal love/hate relationship with Cable, Stryfe or even where Alex Summers fits into all that."
"That's going to be everyone's concern." States Dragoness as she posits another scenario, "I foresee Cable opting to drop a nuke on Stryfe. Or something similar in design. Cable is just as fanatical and will stop at nothing, disregarding collateral damage, to take Stryfe out of the equation - even so much as taking out both teams."
"I imagine there's some combination of fanatic and egotist in both of them," replies Kurt, "Not merely dropping a nuke, but I imagine each wants the other to know what they've done, they'll confront each other then start blasting the universe apart. How about we see about this virus, then you take the opportunity to invite your team off the moon base. They get the choice, stay in the coming cataclysm, or leave the moon to be blown to bits in favor of living?"
"You don't understand. They don't have a choice... The only way I'm down here is cause I was sent on recon. Since he's figured out I'm gone, he's locked the place down and Zero, our teleporter, won't port anyone anywhere unless under strict orders from Stryfe."
"That's the key there then, ja?" Kurt smiles a little, "You're on recon, either you devised it ... which I'm counting on in that whole trust issue ... or Stryfe sent you to get on our good side so he could get the intel. I'm still trusting you here. So I'm left to ponder, does the moon base have any doors?"
"Doors? Yeah. All over the damn place. Even to the outside so we can walk on the moon <and not break our legs>. Why?" Asks Dragoness, curious about the door question.
"With knobs right, buttons and pull handles don't work well with two fat fingers and a thumb," chuckles Kurt. "Just curious, I think we're good even on lock down. Again, it comes down to, we take care of the virus, you let your friends know of their choice. If you want in on taking down Stryfe or Cable, I imagine Alex may be interested, but my concern is all of mutant kind and stopping that virus from being released primarily."
"Hang on, what?" Dragoness states as she gets more annoyed with a paranoid tone, "Let my friends know? Are you saying you're sending me back up there? Are you stupid or something? Did you not hear me say that Stryfe was a telepath and he's probably guessed I've gone AWOL and in your base?" She stands, pushing the rolly chair violently back. "You really want me dead or something?"
"Ja, I am stupid," grins Kurt. "But no, the same plan I just laid out two seconds ago. When we go up to the moon base, we see about the virus and then - and only then, after the virus is delt with, you give your friends the choice to stay or go. Don't worry about lock down or getting them out, if we can get up to the base, we can get back."
Breathing a little easier, the Dragoness gives pause. She's obviously terrified of Stryfe and even going back up to the Moon (worse because she thought she was going alone). She pauses, still feet from the table, standing, and then says in a calmer tone... "Ok, sorry. I just don't want to go back alone. Stryfe will either kill me or worse, modify my brain like he did to Sally."
Giving a half nod, Kurt sympathizes, "Rest assured, Alex will be skeptical, if you go back, it won't be alone. Likewise, there will be no rest in Ship until we're moving to take care of the situation. As far as brain modifications go ..." He shifts a little as he sits, "If he modified Sally, I imagine Alex might want to have you checked out as well, just to be safe. For all we know, you've been modified and you're feeding all this information directly to Stryfe without even knowing it."
Her wings retract as she calms and then drape around her shoulders to 'hug' herself as she seems worried about the confrontation. Normally the Dragoness is psychotically overconfident when confronting enemies. She has a formidable power (flame generation/flight) and is often very aggressive. This is a completely new side of her - fearful.
Her eyes look to the floor and her head tilts forward as her respiration has returned. Her arms cross over her stomach and she sighs.
Feeling he's learned enough for the moment, Kurt offers a comforting hand to her forearm. "I think you've been through enough. Perhaps Ship can arrange a bed or something for you to rest a little while we pour over a plan?" Then he is standing. He'll work with Ship to get her wait she needs and then return to whatever room Alex has presently established as the current mission war room.
