"Is the knowledge gained, worth the price of the pain?"

[ororo_munroe]

It was a somber ride back to Westchester on the Blackbird until the plane finally descends to the hangar deck and the VTOL thrusters are switched off.  Minor scrapes and bruises were tended to courtesy of the plane's medkits.  Those with more serious injuries will be helped with the aid of Elixir and soon by Beast, waiting on them in the Medlab

Comments

[green_anole]

Anole stood up immediately, as Storm's gaze rested upon him, despite the fact that all of his muscles were screaming in agony at him. Of course this had to be done before he could shower and put on some clothes other then his tattered uniform.

The Professor, as he had just been told was waiting, and he might as well get this over with.

[cynosurejpb]

Northstar glanced over at the kids that were disembarking -- or being carried -- from the jet. They would be fine in the Medlab. There would even be other adults there to help if it reminded them too much of the Cube. He needed to get something to eat and collapse, himself. Between his exhertion and the healing, he was about worn to nothing, but he still couldn't seem to wind down. If possible, he'd let Logan do most of the talking and slip out as soon as possible.

[ororo_munroe]

There is compassion felt. She feels it for all of them, but particularly for the newly battle-hardened X-Men.

When X-Men buy into the Dream, payment eventually follows. A lesson she'd never wished for the children to learn.

A thought is sent toward Charles.

"For everyone, let this be quick? The children are not acquainted with the usual protocol and their friends shall have need of them, Professor."

[x_professor_x]

'Of course, Ororo.' The mind of Xavier comments, 'I intend to do more listening than speaking.'

And, with not all that much adieu, Professor X rolls out into the hangar room, nodding slightly at the various leaders. "I am certain you all want some quality time with your beds, my X-Men. And so, in interests of brevity, I shall let you take the lead."

With that, X steeples his fingers, leaning back in his chair a little to listen.

[lil_hellion]

"Then I'll fill you in on the details later, sir. Or you can ask someone else." He wasn't intending to be so flippant, but Julian didn't much care for protocol right now. The business of what they did was less important than the fact it was over and they could get some rest.

"The important stuff the prison got smashed to pieces, we got everyone back, and we have a few more... guests."

[cynosurejpb]

"Memory is a deceptive thing, Julian." Northstar flicks a lock of filthy hair out of his eyes as he speaks. "The details that you relate now, while everything is fresh in your mind may differ from what you would swear is truth once you have had time to settle. Even a mind scan might not be reliable. Which reminds me..." Northstar glances over to Xavier. "How long had you known about Victor and Julian's squads, Professor?"

[canadiansixpack]

Logan descends the ramp slowly, his expression still dark, watching the proceedings in silence.

[x_professor_x]

"I had anticipated their development from nearly the beginning." Xavier explains calmly. He lets Julian decide if bed or debriefing is more important. "Though I admit to not expecting these particular circumstances. If anyone would have gotten Colonel Fury in such a position, I would have thought it would be von Strucker."

Which doesn't precicely answer Northstar's question, but perhaps establishes Xavier's point. "If you're asking me if I knew Victor would steal the Blackbird, Northstar, I did not. Once it was clear to me that there was a clear and active danger moving against the children, I made my knowledge of the situation clear to both of them and I believe that, in the end, both groups conducted themselves as well as could be expected. When it came down to it, they put aside their differences and fought for the greater good of all concerned. I cannot ask more than that of my students."

[green_anole]

"Well we didn't so much steal, as we did borrow it. But regardless, everything went according to plan, sort of." Except for the whole getting two of his limbs cut off.

"However, I should have brought this all to you in the beginning, I'm sorry that I didn't trust the X-Men to handle this situation properly." Yep, let's prepare for the worst of it, Victor was well aware that he was probably going to have detention until he graduated.

[lil_hellion]

He knew there would be a time to have that discussion but... one glance over at Cessily told him that now wasn't it.

"Can we discuss all of that later?" Despite the fact that it was phrased as a question, he was already leading Cessily inside.

"And is Miss Frost around? We brought back someone she'll want to see."

[cynosurejpb]

Northstar sighs, running his hand across his face to collect himself. He doesn't bother trying to rein Julian in again, or address detention he's been threatening Victor with almost since he set eyes on the boy again. The children are safe and he is tired. He keeps having to fight the urge to cough, but concentrating on keeping that under control lets him push the sudden surge of conflicting emotion aside. Focus. He's given field reports often enough, at least -- first Department H, then Guardian, then Vindicator. He doesn't like it any better now than he did then, but it was always best to just get it over with. Waiting for Logan will just mean that much longer that he has to remain standing. Northstar turns his attention back to Xavier, his demeanor calm and matter-of-fact

[ororo_munroe]

A carefully flat blankness descends on Storm's face as she listens. The scent of ozone flaring around her would indicate her reaction to Jean-Paul's descriptions of the horrors that were done.

"The girl -Arana- do we know if she escaped?"

Communications had been down and there had been too much chaos, even afterward, to keep track of unfamiliar faces.

[x_professor_x]

"I'll check with the Avengers." Xavier says quietly. He's stooped in his wheelchair, as if the weight of Northstar's words had become a physical thing stooping on his shoulders. The empathic echos radiating from the minds of his X-Men, their memories, feelings, and pain from this whole twisted experience...

Xavier closes his eyes, taking a shallow, soothing breath. He doesn't get to complain. Ever. This is part of his pennance for putting the finest young men and women he's ever known in harms way constantly. It's Professor X that opens his eyes back up, the only real evidence of his reaction the glint of steel in his voice.

"Very well. Exemplary work, Northstar, Storm." Nods are given in turn. "Unless Wolverene has something to add, I believe that is enough for tonight. Rest up. I will be certain to direct Professor Frost to you in the morning, Julian."

Meanwhile, the genius mind of Professor X already starts going into overdrive, plans, contingencies, and counter-plans beginning to germinate...

[cynosurejpb]

"I saw her emerge in the aftermath of the battle, Storm. I don't know anything after that." Cold blue eyes focus on Xavier again. "Thank you, Xavier. I'll have my resignation on your desk in the morning." And then he's gone.

[ororo_munroe]

"The praise belongs to your New X-Men, Charles-" -for we have failed them mightily if it came to this.

There's separate news she needs to share, but it can wait.

Swelling emotions are suffocating her, so she heads out the hangar toward the outside grounds. In the woods, everything held back will privately breathe there.

[canadiansixpack]

Too many people here. Logan's rage still boils within, held beneath a thin veneer of civilization. "Ain't nothin' exemplary about kids gettin' their limbs chopped off," he rejoinders darkly, before turning away. He needs out. He needs to kill something. Something big.

The Danger Room will be working some serious overtime this week.