2014.03.10 - Going Knowhere

Knowhere - The Far End of Hyperspace 
It is late in the evening when Warlock finishes repairing space-time from the hole Johnny's little accident caused. He teleported Rachel and Johnny to Las Vegas for some mutant-bonding or something. Of course Adam has never been in Las Vegas, it was just the closest city. But what happens in Las Vegas remains in Las Vegas, right? Meanwhile Phyla took care of the starship, making sure no government agency or alien tech hunters can find it until it is repaired.
Now it is time to get to Knowhere, as was the original plan. Knowhere with capital K. It is a space station, explains Adam. Getting there takes a fairly elaborated spell, because it is quite far in regards physical distance and dimensional measurement units. Quite literally the very edge of Hyperspace. It also tires him quite badly. But most starships can't even get there.
Knowhere from the inside doesn't look like a big deal. At least not for those who have seen alien battleships and space stations before. There are a good number of aliens around, and none seems too impressed at having four humanoids teleporting to what seems a weird mixture of an airport terminal, an open marketplace and a Star Wars canteen. There are a few details for the expert eye. Races that believe too advanced to usually mix with 'lesser beings' are well represented, and some pieces of technology imbedded on walls and ceilings are far beyond the typical 'standard tech' spacefaring races use most of the time.
Johnny is used to being teleported around, but there's always that brief moment of disorientation that can sometimes mean the difference between getting the drop on someone or being unpleasantly surprised in turn. He's ditched his helmet for a pair of wraparound shades and has an out-sized trenchcoat hanging from his frame, just about hiding the rest of his ensemble. It was a vague attempt at fitting in among the rest of Earths populace, but that's a tale for another time.
Johnny casts his gaze around the intergalactic travel nexus, the mix of aliens and tech of various types more comforting than the Earth they just left. "Feels like I never left," he murmurs. That being said, despite their arrival not causing anything remotely like a stir, he finds himself scanning the crowd for any potential threats, as a matter of course. "So are we going to have to go through customs?" he says with a smirk. "Because I snecking /hate/ that." He spares Adam a concerned look as the effort of getting them here has clearly strained him.
"Just be glad Cosmo wasn't here waiting for us," Phyla-Vell offers. She's teleported through Knowhere enough times to be used to the sensation, though she still thinks showing up in the Continuum Cortex a little creepy. "That's what usually passes for customs." She pointedly ignores a few looks she gets. It's the bands around her forearms. It's always the damned bands.
 
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, at least as far as Rachel Summers is concerned - she wasn't sure what to expect when Adam called on her, but giving another refugee from a different future a tour of Las Vegas wasn't anywhere on the list. She wasn't at all prepared, and as a result what transpired is definitely a story for another time. The only outward change in Rachel since Adam and Phyla-Vell delegated Johnny Alpha to her is her clothing, her rather brightly-coloured costume telekinetically exchanged for jeans and a red tee shirt bearing a stylised Phoenix design. She kept the spiked leather jacket, and fitted in pretty well in Las Vegas.
As soon as she materialises, she discovers that she doesn't fit in at all on Knowhere.
As the others begin talking around her, Rachel... is as wide-eyed as a tourist. She knows the X-Men have been into space, she knows her grandfather's a space pirate, but being dumped in the middle of all these different races - and feeling the press of so many alien minds around her - is going to take a bit of getting used to. After a good few seconds spent just looking around, Rachel's eyes finally find Phyla-Vell, and a slow smirk replaces her look of astonishment when the woman mentions customs. It's reassuring to find something familiar. She jerks a thumb in Adam's direction. "He wasn't kidding about all that cosmic stuff, huh?" She says wryly, quite aware of how she must look.
"In truth Cosmo expected us six hours ago," comments Adam. The marketplace is actually the one place that is not shielded against telporters, so everyone comes here first. Unless they can use the Continuum Cortex systems. "But even if he is busy, the equipment I requested from him should be ready. Please, follow me," unless they want to stay in the alien circus that is the bazaar, Adam leads them to the living quarters of the station. "Cosmo has agreed to help us in our task. Although his duties as security chief of the station will prevent him from joining many of our missions, he has arranged for us to be able to use the Passport Systems." This is an explanation mostly for Rachel, since Johnny is still somewhat of an accidental guest. "One of the most remarkable features of Knowhere is they Celestial technology teleporters of the Continuum Cortex, which will allow us to reach almost any place of the universe with a few minutes of preparation."
Johnny turns, lowering his glasses for a moment, looking over the top of the eyewear at Phyla. "I'm guessing Cosmo isn't some kind of cocktail," he says, his expression unreadable. The thought of parting with his side-arm causes his expression to cloud over slightly.
His attention is then caught by Rachel, whose momentary awe at their surroundings causes the bounty hunter to smile. "I think that's the same expression I pulled when we ghosted into Vegas. Haven't seen that many buildings intact Earthside in my entire life."
The bounty hunter returns focus to Adam, patiently listening to his explanation, still not entirely sure what a 'Cosmo' is. "Passport system? This isn't going to involve a sneck ton of paperwork is it? I don't photograph well." Johnny's eyebrows visibly lift at mention of the powerful teleport system, not entirely convinced. "Oh come on. The power requirements for that would have to be..." he hesitates for a moment. ".../really/ big. And what the hell is a Celestial?"
Phyla-Vell has to fill in since it seems Adam neglected. "Cosmo's the head of security. And just so we're all expecting the same thing - he's a dog." For the telepathic in the group, Phyla helpfully provides a mental image: the dog in his little spacesuit complete with glass bubble helmet. And he speaks in a Russian accent - which of course Phyla can't identify as Russian. She has no knowledge of the language. "He's telepathic and telekinetic, while I'm offering explanations." She sets off after Adam, pushing the hood to her cloak back. "Word of advice for the market: move quickly and don't linger." Not that the market is a pit of trouble all the time, but you never know when someone might want to pick a fight.
As for Johnny's question, the Kree woman smirks. "What do you think you're standing in?"
 
Rachel will appreciate the explanation, at least what she's catching of it, a bit later. Now, though, her attention keeps wandering to the parade of unusual lifeforms that are quite calmly going about their daily business as if nothing is amiss. She shakes herself a bit when she realises that Johnny is talking to her, and she shakes her head ruefully. "That obvious, huh?" She says, self-mockery shading her tone, but at least she stops gawking and falls in with the others. Oddly, she seems to find Johnny's comment about photography to be darkly amusing. "Me neither." She offers quietly.
Rachel just about catches up with the main conversation in time to hear Phyla-Vell explain Cosmo. She'd thought it an odd name, considering her surroundings, and wondered if it was a nickname. And wasn't going to ask. But she stops in her tracks when Phyla-Vell says... "A /dog/? ...oh, you mean he looks like..." Rachel cuts herself off as she picks up the mental image that's offered. "No, you mean he's a DOG." By this point Rachel's pretty much talking to herself. "OK. I can handle this. Really." She says under her breath, and hurries to catch up with the others, heeding the other woman's warning. And when she answers Johnny's question... "This is going to be stranger than the dog, isn't it?" She asks, her aggrieved tone nevertheless touched with amusement.
"Cosmo is an Earthling, and of a species it is not usually sentient," admits Adam. "He is a very trustworthy individual, nevertheless." They are going to see much weirder things, so talking dogs are no big deal. "The Celestials are either an ancient race or manifestations of an abstract. It is also possible there are both things. In truth not much is known about them, they don't communicate with most creatures. They might be unable. They might be energy beings that came into existence when the universe was too hot for organic life. They might be machine intelligences. They wear, or they are, miles high armors of nearly indestructible metal." Adam stops in front of a computer terminal, and activates a holographic display, showing Knowhere from the outside.
It is a metal head, perhaps a helmet, vaguely humanoid, the torn metal of the neck reveals it was violently ripped off, or cut with some not too sharp implement. Alongside the head there are some spaceships. Comparatively tiny. Hinting the head of the decapitated celestials must be a mile tall.
At Phyla's explanation about Cosmo, Johnny glances at her and smirks. "Some things don't change," he ponders, recalling the less than flattering nickname for his kind. Strontium Dogs. Then his mind is filled with her mental projection, which has the dual effect of wiping the smile off of his face and causing him to stumble. "Oh. An /actual/ dog." He blinks rapidly behind his shades. "Warn me the next time you're going to do that. Please." At Phyla's tip about conducting themselves in the market, Johnny chuckles. "I've had business in worse places, but thanks for the advice."
At Quasars final comment, Johnny looks back at Rachel as she seemingly has a similar thought. "I'd lay a couple of creds on /those/ odds." He peers anew at their surroundings, pondering Phyla's words, pointing outward while he has Rachels attention. "The angles of this place are really snecking weird. It's like a cave, but this pipework doesn't make any sense. This isn't like any space station I've been on before."
Johnny returns his attention to Adam as he continues the tour, his expression becoming one of mild amusement. "Adam, I know I just fell out of the sky but I do know most dogs don't snecking talk," he says good naturedly. However he listens to the explanation about the Celestials with a growing sense of existential horror, which with no small effort doesn't outwardly show on his stoic features. "So we're in a decapitated space giants head. Well, that's much worse." Johnny runs a hand through his hair. "I'd hate to meet whoever or whatever ruined this guys day."
Phyla-Vell nods in agreement with Johnny. Meeting someone who can decapitate a Celestial is /not/ on her bucket list. Rachel gets a brief, reassuring smile. "One step at a time, right?" It just so happens that the steps are a little bigger than one anticipated them to be. Belatedly she answers with, "He is serious about this cosmic stuff, I'm afraid." She ducks around a tall, four-legged, almost giraffe-lke alien with a brief apology. "So what else did you give Cosmo to get us, exactly?" she wonders, frowning. She knows how hard it can be to bargain with Knowhere's security chief. "And what did it cost you - or us - exactly?"
 
"I might've done better with a run-up." Rachel confides to Phyla-Vell.
Rachel isn't taking in the details of the architecture, she's simply waiting for the next casually-voiced sentence that'll annihilate another bit of her comfortable certainty about the way the universe works.
The explanation about the Celestials does the job, all right. When Adam gets as far as 'miles high armours of nearly indestructible metal', she feels like she has to break into the conversation before she's swept completely away. "And these are the kinds of things you expect us to deal with? Adam, I don't know what you think I can do, but giant armoured space aliens are kind... of... uh..." Rachel's voice dies away as she gets a look at the outside of the place they're standing in. She feels a sudden urge to laugh, but Johnny's comment from behind her brings her back down to Earth. In a manner of speaking. She snorts a bit in agreement, then looks over at Phyla-Vell with a bit of a grin, despite everything. "OK. Glad we're got that straight. What's next?" Her tone's a bit ironic, but she seems determined that she /is/ going to get a handle on this weirdness.
"That is a reasonable fear, Johnny Alpha, the Celestials are among the mightiest beings in the cosmos. Makers and destroyers of many worlds." Adam turns off the hologram and keeps walking. "But what happened here was a long time ago. Knowhere is now a great trading hub and considered neutral ground by most civilized races." Rachel question is a valid one. The Celestials are not very friendly, and prone to judge planets and races to be unworthy of existing. "They are not invincible, Rachel, someone was able to kill this one," he adds. "Cosmo has access to Knowhere sensor readings, Phyla. He and his team know the magnitude of the damage to our universe, they are more than happy to help." He presses his palm against a sensor on the wall, a metal door slides aside silently. "He gave us this place to use a operations center. And here," on a glass table, "are the Passports," which look like thin black metal bracers. There are four because he was counting with Mantis. "They will allow us to send a signal to the Continuum Cortex and return here. I might not be instantaneous, as some calibration is usually needed. But it will give our group a long reach we will need."
Johnny tears himself away from the morbid hologram to regard Phyla-Vell as she asks Adam about some form of payment to the telepathic space dog security chief. His eyes narrow behind his shades, his lips quirking. "First rule of bounty hunting, always read the small print," he says to no one in particular, curious to see what arrangements have been made behind the scenes.
He glances at Rachel, a similar sentiment at the forefront of his mind. He'd need a Number Two Cartridge the size of a warship to potentially knock a hole in something that big. Not to mention there's something roaming the galaxy that made the Celestial a relative foot shorter. "I'd be on the lookout for the thing that took the poor snecker's head off, myself."
Johnny nods at Adams back as he explains the nature of Knowhere. "Yeah. A regular intergalactic melting pot of mild disdain," he snorts, the pointed looks from some of the 'higher' lifeforms they've passed still fresh in his memory. As the Passports are revealed, Johnny leans forward, peering at them closely, before looking at Adam. Teleport tech isn't a complete mystery to him. "What about signal attenuation? If the teleport beam hits something it doesn't like it could scatter our molecules all over the snecking galaxy. The ranges you're talking about are insane."
Phyla-Vell shakes her head. "I don't expect Cosmo to stab us in the back or stick us with some impossible task," she assures Johnny. "But he might want a favour. Might want to come along or something similar. I think he's getting antsy, all cooped up in here." She knows she'd be getting antsy, if she had to stay on Knowhere. She accepts the passport bracelet with a nod and a thank you. "I don't know how to explain the teleport system. They tried explaining it on my first visit, but... I'm not a techhead." She smiles back at Rachel. "I'll warn you when it's about to get weird."
"He's so reassuring, isn't he?" Rachel says to no one in particular, as Adam takes the opportunity to confirm that yes, there really is a lot to worry about where the Celestials are concerned. She nods in unconscious agreement with Johnny's sentiment, but does her best not to dwell on it. Her eyes have been wide open since she got here, it's about time she started taking some things in.
Adam's attempt at actually reassurance gets a nod to show she appreciates it, but then a shrug. "True, I guess." What's left unspoken is that there's still no guarantee that if whatever did do the deed turns up it'll be friendly.
Going quiet and listening to the discussion between Adam and Phyla-Vell, Rachel accepts Adam's assurance - on behalf of the absent Cosmo - that she's not signed up for anything by association. Stepping into the room after the others, Rachel looks around with interest, before her eyes zero in on the bracelets. Crossing to the table, she picks one up to examine it, then looks around as Phyla-Vell talks to her. "This..." She waggles the bracelet a bit, while Johnny complains that the system can't possibly work. "Is WAY down my list of things I need to get my head around." She confesses with a smile. "And thanks."
Something that Adam says makes Rachel's ears prick up, and prompts a question she can't help asking. "Our group?" She asks, "What are we calling ourselves?"
Adam also has a planetary-range communicator for Rachel, but before he explains her how to use the device, he spares a few moments to answer some questions. "The Celestial technology defies my understanding," he admits, "but there have been some truly brilliant people in Knowhere able to at least rebuild and utilize some pieces of it. Travel through Hyperspace is not just a question of sheer power, the capacity of analyze the best pathways is even more important. My theory is the Passport system relies in Knowhere sensors and computers to make possible teleporting far beyond the range it should be possible given the energy available. I have not heard of it failing ever." Oh, how are they calling themselves? That is an interesting question, but not a debate he cares to participate right now.
Johnny peers over his shades at Phyla and grins. "I can live with that. We'll probably need all the help we can get. What with the potential for mile high metal gods and everything." He carefully picks up one of the bracelets and secures it in a utility pouch, unwilling to wear the item right away lest it interfere with his own personal teleport device. He glances at Adam with a nod. "Thanks. This sounds scarily like a plan."
Johnny shrugs at Rachels enquiry as to what they should collectively call themselves. "Trust me, I'm really the wrong person to ask," he imparts, cringing at some of the names of various mercenary and adventuring companies he's encountered in the past.
Johnny looks less than reassured at Adams explanation of the teleport system, but simply lets out a sigh. "Oh well. If it goes wrong, at least it'll be quick."
With Adam gone to deal with... Warlocky things, Phyla gestures for the two to follow. "Come on. He might be a while. Or he might forget we were even along for the ride. There's a cantina around the corner. How often can you say you've tried Kree-Shi'ar fusion food?" Not often. She's only ever found it on Knowhere, and by Pama the Kree food needs the herbs and spices of the Shi'ar Empire. Badly. "No allergies, I hope."
Well, the question had to be asked. Even if it seems to have prompted Warlock to find something else to occupy his time. Rachel comes to a private decision and slips the passport bracelet on, feeling it click shut around her wrist with a sense of finality. She's committed now. Rachel looks up from the device and offers a shrug as Johnny disclaims all responsibility for naming the group. "We'll need to come up with something eventually." Rachel observes, but lets it go for now.
Rachel falls in with Phyla-Vell as she ushers them out quickly enough. "I can honestly say... never." She admits. "Time to change that." She adds, anticipation creeping into her voice. She's starting to enjoy herself. Phyla-Vell's question makes her laugh. "No idea. Let's find out!"
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