2014.04.27 - Worthy of Damnation

Xavier's Institute - 7:30 PM EST
The double doors to the Cafeteria have been shuttered to students for the evening. In practice this limits the traffic through here to staff and the students who are on rotation to do the clean-up this month but the doors are rarely locked and - even when they are - in the House that Xavier Built that's barely a speed bump to most of the students if they're willing to risk clean-up duty for a midnight snack.
Currently, the cleanup crew are working in the kitchen and from the sounds of them there is more talking than there is banging of pots and pans. A telltale sign that they're doing more socializing than anything else..
Seated somewhere in the middle of the room is Kurt Wagner. Dressed in casual attire he seems to be leisurely spooning a thick soup from an over-sized bowl. At his right hand there is a largish tablet device which seems to have much of his attention. If one watches him long enough they note that his long sinewy tail is posed over his shoulder its spade-tip drooping down to absently work the device as his hand idly holds the soon.
A rare sight is present within the Institute; one which Nightcrawler has probably heard of, but never met. Entering through one of the rear doors, heavy footsteps thump across the linoleum. When he reaches the western counter, the students in the midst of play suddenly stop all sounds upon seeing the massive figure. One eye glowing lightly red, the other narrowed with a scar, he's far more of a boogie-man. He's supposedly a reserve member and selective teacher, but his true function is anyone's guess outside Scott and Charles.
After being served, a final eyeball of the students follows before he takes himself over to the middle table. Unceremoniously he thumps down opposite Nightcrawler, a creak heard in the wood from his heavy weight. "Kurt." he offers, metal fingers clasping a lump of bread and dipping it into the gravy atop his meatloaf. "Catching up on the news?" His voice is more neutral, than friendly; but a quick glance would confirm there's dozens of seats he could have taken that wouldn't have put him near anyone.
The sound of heavy footfalls upon the linoleum is enough to draw the Nightcrawler's attention from his tablet. At first it's merely a quick look over his shoulder to see if perhaps Piotr has come to join him or - maybe - Logan who will sometimes make more noise than is required simply to watch the students scatter..
..but his bright yellow eyes find neither of these. His gaze lingers for a moment but then he blinks the stare away and pretends to return to the tablet while the man gets a tray. The long tail betrays his attempt to seem as if he were not staring for it hangs poised in the air like a snake that has been frozen mid-strike.
At Cable's approach it relaxes though, falling gently behind him, and Kurt glances upward with a fanged smile, "Hallo.." He says with a polite wave and then gestures to the seat even though it was clear the man was already going to take it, "..yes." He says in a friendly way, "There is so much going on in the world.." He says in a conversational way with a moderate Germanic accent, "..but I have found that if you do not make yourself pay attention to the world while you are here then very soon everything becomes One Direction and Justin Bieber." He laughs gently, "It is good to finally lay eyes upon you, Nathan."
When Nightcrawler glances up with that toothed grin, he'd see something perhaps unusual. Cable does not react. No blink. No tension in his face. No look over the man, cursed with one of the more startling and physically notable mutations. He's looked upon like any other would be, casually taking a large bite out of his bread. His elbow rests on the table, never one for proper manners. Blame parenting.
"Yes. There is. It's a lot to take in." A spoonful of potatoes follow. He has little actual need to eat day to day, but it does no harm. And it's a comfortable routine, much like sleeping. Although there's a true grimace at the mention of those two bands. "Please... I'm a man who struggles and worries about this world's future enough without you reminding me of them." Wiping his mouth with a sleeve, a bottle of beer smuggled in a pocket has the cap flipped off, so violently it ricochets off a chandelier above and clatters in the distance.
Glug. Glug. Glug.
"I didn't realize I was a celebrity, though. I've read up on you. Sad story. Can't believe it happened in modern day. Sounds like the sort of crap that'd happen in the middle-ages to a deformed child. You'd be surprised how little society has advanced from the past. Politics, economies, countries... it's all based on the same destructive instincts that drove the first brutal tribes that carved empires of blood."
Kurt brightens at Cable's grimace no doubt believing the look to be more of a jest than an actual worry for what the future may hold. He then gives a quiet laugh to it while reaching slightly across the table and patting the space between them with his three-fingered left hand.
If the elbows or the alcohol bothered him he doesn't show it instead withdrawing his hand and giving a wry smile at the notion of Cable's celebrity..
..but the sudden recounting of his own history does take him by surprise. The smile stays but the enthusiasm behind it drains away and then glancing down to his spoon it disappears completely, "Danke.." He looks up again more serious than friendly but without any negativity beyond his momentarily discomfort in having the topic broached so directly by a stranger, "..no." Nightcrawler disagrees with a faint gesture, "..as you have just yourself pointed out I would not at all be surprised."
"That is why I try to keep my eyes open." He continues glancing to the tablet, "When we shut them to blot out the bad.." Pause, "..this is when the terrible move the most freely. It is best to keep one eye open so they can only move so fast.." Shrugging then, "..but have heart. There is as much goodness in the world as there is evil. We must look for it too - and aid it when we can." Then pointing to Nathan with his spoon, "A piece of you must believe this or you would not be here now, searching."
"There's a lot of bad out there, outside the public eye." Nathan offers, voice grim. "Like festering wounds, poisoning society while the doctors focus on visible injuries." Again he takes a slow drink of his beer. Swirling about the half of the bottle remaining, he sets it down. Returning to his meal for a few moments, he's slow in answering that question. "I'm not here for the present. I'm here for the future. I've spent a lot of time examining things. And ultimately, the path we're on today ends in two states."
One gleaming metal finger extends. "Someone of godlike power takes reign and forces the world into order. This can be a political power, or more literal. But the sacrifice is freedom at best. Look at Asgard. It has been beneath a King for longer than modern civilization, and long before. Apokolips. Genosha. New Genesis. In the world I came from, a genocidal tyrant stood at the head for two thousand years. All of them ruled by a singular hand. In some cases, good. In some cases, bad. Because ultimately, any society cannot coexist with itself unless forced."
A second finger extends. "The world is destroyed." Nothing more follows. Rather grim, to say the least.
After finishing his beer and eating further, "I am trying for a third. Where humanity chooses to unite. Where balance is found, and everyone can live freely in a way they choose. But it's new territory... since as far as I can tell, it's never been done before."
Placing the head of his spoon upon his napkin Kurt folds his hands together and listens patiently as Cable explains the nature of the universe to him. He doesn't shake his head or nod to express any opinion throughout the entire affair merely seeming interested in what the time traveler has to say about what may come.
At the end of it all he nods with an understanding look, "I cannot speak for everyone.." He admits, "..but I know that I too am here for the future and I think that with time you will find, as I have, that those who come to this place and name it as their home are also here for the future." A faint smile touches his face, "That is why the dream is.." The smile widens at his own thoughts, "..a dream."
"I do not know much of Apoklips, Asgard, or New Genesis.." The smile fades, "..nor Genosha beyond Erik. I do not look to those places for guidance.." Then tapping his head, "I look here.." and his chest, "..and here. The future I see is much brighter than the one you are from and it is exactly as you have described..." Pause, "..with number three." He adds holding up his hand and its three fingers with a polite grin, "I believe you are from another time but it is not the future I am fighting for.."
"Yes. A dream. But even those within concentration camps would dream. And hope. And pray." His fork sinks into the meat of his meal, ripping out a hunk to slowly chew. "But it did nothing to change the path fate set out for them. You might be looking in the future in the terms of decades. But Charles will age and die. What if there is none to replace him? The future cannot be looked at in the terms of a lifespan. Not even one's own. It must be cultured and groomed, so that even long after you are gone, it does not crumble. It cannot depend on visionaries like you to always exist and protect it... the very system of heroism is inherently flawed. A band-aid. The circumstances that allows heroes is the very same circumstances that allows villains, and even without this dangerous dynamic, society has a way of destroying itself for things as simple as skin color or belief."
He continues to eat slowly. "Right now, I don't have an answer. But my goal is to better the world in another way. There's enough public good. People to rally citizens behind them, and show that a man with powers is like a man with a gun, only as dangerous as he chooses to use it. There's enough diplomats like Hank McCoy. But there's not enough... Fighting the darkness beneath."
Lifting his tray, a single pea is unveiled. Sinking a prong into it, he chews it carefully. "So. I am locating elements of pure destruction to our dream. The third choice, we'd both like to see."
Twirling his knife through the air, metal fingers suddenly clench around it, squeezing hard. When opened, a tiny metal ball clatters down. "And removing them. By whatever means is necessary. Hopefully, with enough weeds pruned, the world will find the path itself... and I won't be forced to take any drastic measures..."
A sincere nod is given to the first bit about Charles and concentration camps but again he does not interrupt. Indigo furred brow wrinkles a bit to the next part giving him the look of a man in thought. The pea seems to break his concentration though and he gives a polite look which is then broken when the knife is tossed.
The spade-tipped tale snaps upward like a viper poised just behind Kurt who shifts with subtle reflex to the object twirling through the air. It's only when Cable plucks it from the air and twists it so that there is no danger that he realizes there is no danger and thus sinks down into the bench again.
"Charles does not believe he will live forever. The hope is that the dream will be the virus which will consume the world. The spade dips across the table and bobbles the ball of stainless steel from the air before it ever hits the table passing it smoothly to Nightcrawler's open hand where he holds it so that they both can see.
"You are right.." He admits, "..our duty to protect the world sometimes falls to our need to educate those who would come behind us.." Palming the ball he looks around the room, "..I do not know what you mean by drastic measures.." There's an edge to his voice, "..but we all must be cautious that when we fight we do so because it is what must be done to save others and not because we wish to merely remove obstacles to our own rule.." His lips narrow, "When we fear something so greatly - and so blindly - that we will chase a boy through the streets for our own fear of what he may be then.." He just stops there an allows a pause, "..then we are from the middle ages - chasing deformed children. In the future you fear."
Tossing the metal ball back upon the table, "We are not all diplomats but none of us shall fight only to enslave the others."
"I would like nothing better than for Charles to be the martyr that instigates the good in the majority, Kurt. Believe me. In the long term, you can't worry about the Darkseids or the Galactuses that might descend and devour our planet. Ultimately, Earth finds a way. As if fated to decide it's own destiny, and not have it imposed by others. Something unique in the universe. A crossroads."
Suddenly, Cable's orange eye glows. The ball in the middle of the table slowly unfurls, reshaping itself. In short order, the knife is hale again, as if it was never damaged.
"All damage can be undone. With enough time. And the desire." He plucks the hilt and uses the knife to cut into his meatloaf, as if nothing untoward had happened. "But tell me this. What if there was a syndicate of humans. Chaining mutants to beds. And extracting from them chemicals that activate their dormant X-Genes, and turning them into terrorist weapons. How do you think it should be dealt with? If you bring it into the public, those against Mutants will point out how deadly they are, even if just existing. Those for Mutants will condemn the acts of those twisted. Charles' dream will take a step backwards, no matter the justice."
"So wouldn't it be better if that problem was just fixed... in the shadows?" The last of his potatoes is scooped into his mouth. "Solved quietly at the source. And removing it as an obstacle to the equation. That is the work I do. Things that, if done properly, one will never receive thanks. People will never know was even done. It will never be put into a history book. ...Necessary actions, that the kind hands of Charles will not and cannot do."
Nightcrawler watches as the ball of twisted metal seemingly makes itself whole. You might get a sense of wonder from him but its not wonder at the object being remade it a sense of wonder -- at you.
Realizing you asked him a question he look up at you and then studies you directly, "I am blue.." He retorts, "..but I am not Hank McCoy." He notes with a soft laugh, "I did not take up sword-play nor allow Logan to teach me to defend myself so that the only thing I could do when the world is in danger is talk to it or teleport away.."
"Strangers do not listen to a deformed blue-furred demon child." Nightcrawler says in a way that is not at all affable, "If a man chains a child then he must be dealt with so that no other child must suffer at his hands." Is Kurt's simple response, "Mercy is for those who ask for forgiveness. Damnation is for those who do not."
"How about it, then?" Cable wonders, leaning back from his tray and dropping the utensils into the middle of the platter. "If I find those worthy of damnation... your skill set would be very useful. And this group isn't under the radar. But hand-picked people, with Scott's approval. You won't have to do anything you don't want. You don't have to stop being an X-Man. But you could be a hero, to at least those suffering unknown in the shadows. No matter how you might look to the rest of the world." The fact he'd likely mindwipe the entire offer if refused, no need to bring up...
Nightcrawler merely smiles and nods his head at the offer, "Of course, Nathan, playing the hero is why I am here.." He says with levity, "Scott's duties to the school has meant that someone with his head for this sort-of thing had to take up reins when he could not hold them.." Grinning and energetic now that the topic is a little less dire philosophy, "..I did not expect that that it would literally be passed father..to..." He stammers a bit and his grin turns a bit sheepish, "..son."
"I will help you. As always, I will do what has to be done."
"Heh. That's good to hear. The team is named X-Force. The X is for Xavier... to remind everyone we're doing this for his dream." Cable offers, pulling out a small circular disc from his pocket and placing it on the table. It's about the size of a coaster, with a red button atop it. "This is your link to me. Press it once, and I'll get to you soon as it's convenient. Hold it down in an emergency. Our first operation is being prepped. You'll have your opportunity soon." Pushing to his feet, he then levitates the tray and utensils, before they flit off and land on the 'dirty' rack. Everything in Nathan's own file claimed his latent psionic powers were gutted due to his virus. Apparently it needs updated. "Stay safe, Herr Wagner. Bodyslide by one." In a flash of blue temporal energy, Cable vanishes. Apparently, Kurt isn't the only one able to teleport... although he's certainly infinitely more efficient about it!
Category:Log