Disclaimer: You all know that Marvel characters belong to Marvel.
A/N: I know that Cerebro in the comics just enhances telepathic ability in people...in my world it's a computer program that can search out mutants on it's own.
-in-
Previously
The night was crisp and clear, the star brilliant under the moonless sky. A lone figure strolled across the grounds, her small figure almost dwarfed by the huge trees surrounding her. In the quiet of the night, she was treasuring these last few moments of silence before...Jubilee couldn't bring herself to think of what might happen. Pulling the clip from her hair, she shook her hair loose letting the wind pick up and toy with the long strands.
Jubilee barely had time to register the blast before she was hurled to the ground. Shaken, she tried to get up but found that she was too weak to even stand. The shot seemed to have some power-draining device and she could barely find the strength to keep her eyes open. Within seconds she had dropped into unconsciousness, with the words whispered in her ear. "[Not this time pet.]"
Rough hands grabbed her while an inhibitor collar was put around her neck, her body then dragged onto a ship that sped off into the night. No evidence, no witnesses, and nothing was cried out except for one telepathic cry, that shook Angelo out of his sleep with a sense of terror he had felt only once before.
-in-
Currently
Angelo sprinted from the room to the control room downstairs, he had been unable to reach Jubilee through their psi-link and Wolverine said that Jubilee had left the mansion hours ago. Bringing up Cerebro online he initiated the search sequence, while calling out to Emma who had been up working late.
Emma arrived to find Angelo forcing Cerebro through another search sequence, having come up negative three times already. His eyes were wide and slightly panicked as he moved wildly around the room, checking the various screens.
"Do it again! I heard her! Repeat until her presence is found, Goddamn piece of crap." He slammed his fist down onto the console, rage and fear emanating from him in waves.
"What's going on?" Emma lightly touched his mind, but withdrew after a couple of seconds. All she could find was an intense feeling of loss, and worry. Stepping back a couple of steps, she quickly looked at the searches he had done so far.
"Jube's is gone. She cried to me for help and then she was gone. I can't feel her and I can't reach her. This damn machine can't find her."
"What about her bioscanner?"
"It's been deactivated. You don't understand, Ciele contacted her last night. She said that the Ji'in had been violating the treaty and that Jubes had to go and enforce it. "
Emma bit her lip, and tapped a fingernail nervously on the console. "Have you considered the fact that she might have left early? Maybe she didn't want you to come."
Angelo turned to Emma, his eyes cold. "I don't think so. She promised me that she wouldn't go without me and she wouldn't. I can't believe that you'd actually ask me that." He looked at her in disgust. "I felt her call out to me and she needs me. Help me or don't but get the hell out of my way. Jubilee said something about Ciele coming to pick her up sometime tomorrow on earth but I don't remember where."
"Can you contact this Ciele?"
"I think so. Hopefully they're within radio range, and if not I can bounce messages to her through other ships in the area." He pulled up a screen in front of him, mentally calculating how long it would take. After punching in a series of co-ordinates he activated the receiver. "Here goes nothing." Taking a breath he concentrated a moment before speaking. "[The Kyln calls her people. Ciele come, it is time to fulfill your oath.]" Nodding satisfied, he sent it off, sure in the knowledge that it would be bouncing across the stars within seconds, suddenly grateful that Jubilee had bugged him about memorizing the sentence.
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Where did you learn?"
"Jubes made me learn just in case something happened to her. It was a trade off. I learned it and she would start learning Spanish, so that when we adopted ki...." His voice trailed off and he slumped into a chair. Emma walked over to him and put her arms around him, surprised to realize that she viewed this young man as a son. Comforting him, she telepathically called out to the other members of the team. *Time for a meeting. We have a situation on our hands.*
Gently stroking his tussled hair, Emma said softly. "The computer will let us know if anything comes up, and you need to rest. If Jubilee is going to contact you then you need to stay calm, additional interference will hinder the process. You need to be strong right now, and remember that you both have an exceptionally strong psi-link. If there is any way she can contact you, then she will. It may be subtle so pay attention to your gut instincts." Her eyes grew distant. "The team is assembled, and they will need to know the details of what happened. You don't need to tell them everything, but they will need to know the basics. Let's go."
The tall man, got up agonizingly, his shoulders hunched over as if he was in extreme pain. Emma led him to the conference room, where Sean, Paige, Jono and M were assembled, their conversations falling silent at the sight of their teammate.
"What's wrong Ange?" Paige sat down next to him, concern evident on her face. Unlike her teammates she hadn't bothered to change into her uniform, the tight spandex already too uncomfortable for her. Instead she was wearing a soft flannel shirt and shorts, because she had been banned from the rest of the missions until the end of her pregnancy. Her blond hair curled softly around her face, coming loose from the ponytail she had it in and she looked almost angelic. Angelo let her hold him for a moment before he pulled away.
"At least wait for Jubilee. Is she still in bed?" M said, glancing upstairs to where Ange and Jubilee's apartment lay.
"She's gone." His voice was hoarse, and the phrase seemed to hang in the air, broken only when M said softly in disbelief.
"What?"
"They've taken her again. Earlier tonight. They took her. Cerebro can't find her. I can't feel her." Angelo stared dully ahead, refusing to look at his friends.
Emma held up her hand for silence as everyone started talking. "We do not have much time. You were not told everything for the simple reason that you didn't need to know. Now you do." She paused, uncertain of how they would react. For many years Jubilee, even though she had been through more than most, had been regarded as the baby of the team. Emma was aware of how easy it was to see the girl...woman in that light. Jubilee was small and terribly fragile looking, while still managing to make wisecracks and laugh at life. After all she was only 20, still too young to drink but already old enough to have seen too many of her friends die. Emma glanced around the room lingering on each face, they had a right to know, and Emma knew that the longer they waited the less their chances were of finding her alive. All it would take to make the 'firecracker' vulnerable would be an inhibitor collar and an end to her captors' patience, and Jubilee was not known to acquiesce to her kidnappers' demands.
Her face expressionless, she continued. "When Jubilee freed the slaves from the mine, they regarded her as a hero of sorts. She stayed months making sure that they got to their home planets safely, or in cases where it wasn't possible, set them up in a foster planet. It took place in a sector in the far reaches off space, literally untouched by peace or civilization. So, when the planets' representatives gathered to collect their people, she took the opportunity to call for an intergalactic council. She mediated it, and at the end a treaty was signed by all that ensured peace. The slavers, the Ji'in, were forced into exile and were treated as pariahs, their lives spared only because Jubilee pleaded for them. She became known as the Kyln, a creature from a legend." The room was silent, nothing could be heard except for Angelo's harsh breathing. Emma decided to end it quickly for the sake of the man in front of her.
"Anyway, Jubilee had two advisors or friends of sorts who escorted her back to Earth. These two were responsible for making sure that the treaty was adhered to and if not, they were to inform Jubilee at once. She was contacted last night, and was told that the Ji'in have started another slave mine. Ciele, that is her friend, is currently on her way to earth to pick Jubilee up. Unfortunately, someone kidnapped her earlier tonight."
A beeping broke the silence after Emma's speech, and she consulted the small screen on the one wall of the room. Activating the message she turned to look at Angelo. "It's for you."
A dark blue face appeared on the screen, great gold eyes on it's face and it said simply. "We are coming. Prepare for our arrival in an hour." Several co-ordinates followed and Angelo stood up decisively, looking at his teammates.
"Let's get ready."
Silently, the team filed out and as they were leaving the room, Jono pulled Angelo back for a second.
*We will find her, mate.*
"She's my life, I could find her anywhere." Slapping Angelo on the back, Jono saw the determination in his eyes. "And this time it ain't going to take four years, amigo."
-in-
--Tick--
The minute hand moved another notch, a feat witnessed by six individuals. Sprawled around the command center of the mansion, the team was dressed in full battle gear watching the clock with an increasing intensity as ten, fifteen and then half an hour passed. Angelo tapped his foot impatiently as he glared at the timepiece.
--Tick--
Jono glanced at Paige who was busy monitoring satellite activity for anomalies, she shook her head slightly and Jono raised an eyebrow at Angelo.
*So wot's the game plan?*
--Tick--
"Hitch a ride to space, get Jubes, kick whoever did this to her in the ass and then comeback. Short, simple and easy." Angelo didn't even bother to look at Jono, his stare still fixated on the clock. Jono's eyes flashed, and in one fluid motion, he grabbed Angelo by the shirt and dragged him out into the hallway.
*Scuse us for a moment.*
The brightly lit hallway echoed with scuffles and squeaks as Angelo pushed Jono away.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
*Being a friend.* Jono replied.
"What do you want?"
*Listen, I know that you're worried about Jubes, but we all are. You have to get a grip man, we're all your friends here so don't start taking it out on us.*
Angelo paced up and down the corridor, his footsteps fast and uneven. Not bothering to answer, Angelo turned mid-stride and slammed his fist into the wall. "Goddammit!"
Reaching forward Jono grabbed his wrist. * Take it easy, man.*
"No, you don't get it." Angelo shook off his hand and started to pace again. "Before Jubes was taken the last time, we were like...like best friends. And then she came back four years later and I fell in love with her and she actually loved me back. You know what I was thinking that whole time? I was just hoping to hell that whatever had brought her to me and let her love me would just leave us alone. So, for three years I didn't rock the boat. Sure, we moved in together but that was it. I didn't want to give in to the happiness because you know what happens. So for three years she stayed, never complained and then I messed it up."
Jono's forehead furrowed as he tried to make sense of his ranting. *Ange...*
"I got this." Angelo reached inside his uniform and flung a small box across the floor to him. Picking the box up, Jono flipped open the lid to reveal a silver ring, exquisitely made from twisted coils of silver, surrounding a smooth sapphire.
*Oh man. You were planning to ask her to marry you.*
"What was I thinking? No marriage has ever survived our lifestyle. Look at Jean and Scott, Psylocke and Angel, Remy and Rogue, hell any of Wolverine's relationships, Bobby, Angel...anytime any of us try to get happy look what happens. Remember Ev and M, when they first found each other. That lasted a total of two weeks before he died..."
Furious, Jono shoved Angelo against the wall.
*Get over yourself. Sure, you've had some bad times, but who hasn't? Look at our team, we've managed to survive inspite of this curse you say we have. We live an extreme lifestyle and accidents are bound to happen."
Angelo slumped to the floor, his hands unclenching and clenching. "Why did I ever think that I would be allowed to be happy? I wasted three years and now I don't know if she'll make it back."
Jono stood over him and held out his hand. *We are not the X-men; we are Generation X and we make our own fate.* Pulling Angelo up, Jono gave him light punch. *You want Jubes to marry you? Then stop feeling sorry for yourself and do something, besides I hear she wants a spring wedding so get your ass in gear. Come one, Paige says she's found something.*
The two friends walked down the hall to the command center, just before entering Angelo turned to look at Jono curiously. "How do you know she wants a spring wedding?"
Jono winked at him. *Didn't you know mate? Paige and Jubes tell each other everything.*
"Everything?" Angelo choked a little, turning red.
*You know that thing with the honey and cantaloupe...?*
"Oh God..." Angelo turned even redder.
*Well, actually Jubilee projects rather loudly, especially when she gets...distracted. Plus it was when her powers were still pretty new. I'd say only the team knows about it...and most of Westchester.* Angelo glared at Jono, who looked for all the world like he was grinning his head off. Jono patted him on the shoulder comfortingly as Ange blanched as he went over how many 'melon' incidents there were *Don't worry about it, after that night Emma helped Jubes with her shields. Although, we did get some fantastic ideas.*
The door slid open and Emma glanced from one boy to the other, noting Angelo's flaming face. She smiled slightly as an image of a melon flashed. "Oh, the cantaloupes." Ignoring Angelo's fervent thought to sink into the ground and die, her face became serious. "If you're done, we have visitors."
Stepping aside, she revealed a contingent of 7ft tall, blue skinned aliens who were standing uncomfortably in the middle of the room. Standing on the far wall, looking equally uncomfortable, was the team.
*Oh boy.* Jonothon muttered.
The tallest turned to Angelo, it's mouth twisted into a smile to reveal sharp, pointed teeth. "Greetings lifemate of Kyln, I am Ciele. You called?"
-fin-
A/N: Be kind, review. =)
A/N: I know that Cerebro in the comics just enhances telepathic ability in people...in my world it's a computer program that can search out mutants on it's own.
-in-
Previously
The night was crisp and clear, the star brilliant under the moonless sky. A lone figure strolled across the grounds, her small figure almost dwarfed by the huge trees surrounding her. In the quiet of the night, she was treasuring these last few moments of silence before...Jubilee couldn't bring herself to think of what might happen. Pulling the clip from her hair, she shook her hair loose letting the wind pick up and toy with the long strands.
Jubilee barely had time to register the blast before she was hurled to the ground. Shaken, she tried to get up but found that she was too weak to even stand. The shot seemed to have some power-draining device and she could barely find the strength to keep her eyes open. Within seconds she had dropped into unconsciousness, with the words whispered in her ear. "[Not this time pet.]"
Rough hands grabbed her while an inhibitor collar was put around her neck, her body then dragged onto a ship that sped off into the night. No evidence, no witnesses, and nothing was cried out except for one telepathic cry, that shook Angelo out of his sleep with a sense of terror he had felt only once before.
-in-
Currently
Angelo sprinted from the room to the control room downstairs, he had been unable to reach Jubilee through their psi-link and Wolverine said that Jubilee had left the mansion hours ago. Bringing up Cerebro online he initiated the search sequence, while calling out to Emma who had been up working late.
Emma arrived to find Angelo forcing Cerebro through another search sequence, having come up negative three times already. His eyes were wide and slightly panicked as he moved wildly around the room, checking the various screens.
"Do it again! I heard her! Repeat until her presence is found, Goddamn piece of crap." He slammed his fist down onto the console, rage and fear emanating from him in waves.
"What's going on?" Emma lightly touched his mind, but withdrew after a couple of seconds. All she could find was an intense feeling of loss, and worry. Stepping back a couple of steps, she quickly looked at the searches he had done so far.
"Jube's is gone. She cried to me for help and then she was gone. I can't feel her and I can't reach her. This damn machine can't find her."
"What about her bioscanner?"
"It's been deactivated. You don't understand, Ciele contacted her last night. She said that the Ji'in had been violating the treaty and that Jubes had to go and enforce it. "
Emma bit her lip, and tapped a fingernail nervously on the console. "Have you considered the fact that she might have left early? Maybe she didn't want you to come."
Angelo turned to Emma, his eyes cold. "I don't think so. She promised me that she wouldn't go without me and she wouldn't. I can't believe that you'd actually ask me that." He looked at her in disgust. "I felt her call out to me and she needs me. Help me or don't but get the hell out of my way. Jubilee said something about Ciele coming to pick her up sometime tomorrow on earth but I don't remember where."
"Can you contact this Ciele?"
"I think so. Hopefully they're within radio range, and if not I can bounce messages to her through other ships in the area." He pulled up a screen in front of him, mentally calculating how long it would take. After punching in a series of co-ordinates he activated the receiver. "Here goes nothing." Taking a breath he concentrated a moment before speaking. "[The Kyln calls her people. Ciele come, it is time to fulfill your oath.]" Nodding satisfied, he sent it off, sure in the knowledge that it would be bouncing across the stars within seconds, suddenly grateful that Jubilee had bugged him about memorizing the sentence.
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Where did you learn?"
"Jubes made me learn just in case something happened to her. It was a trade off. I learned it and she would start learning Spanish, so that when we adopted ki...." His voice trailed off and he slumped into a chair. Emma walked over to him and put her arms around him, surprised to realize that she viewed this young man as a son. Comforting him, she telepathically called out to the other members of the team. *Time for a meeting. We have a situation on our hands.*
Gently stroking his tussled hair, Emma said softly. "The computer will let us know if anything comes up, and you need to rest. If Jubilee is going to contact you then you need to stay calm, additional interference will hinder the process. You need to be strong right now, and remember that you both have an exceptionally strong psi-link. If there is any way she can contact you, then she will. It may be subtle so pay attention to your gut instincts." Her eyes grew distant. "The team is assembled, and they will need to know the details of what happened. You don't need to tell them everything, but they will need to know the basics. Let's go."
The tall man, got up agonizingly, his shoulders hunched over as if he was in extreme pain. Emma led him to the conference room, where Sean, Paige, Jono and M were assembled, their conversations falling silent at the sight of their teammate.
"What's wrong Ange?" Paige sat down next to him, concern evident on her face. Unlike her teammates she hadn't bothered to change into her uniform, the tight spandex already too uncomfortable for her. Instead she was wearing a soft flannel shirt and shorts, because she had been banned from the rest of the missions until the end of her pregnancy. Her blond hair curled softly around her face, coming loose from the ponytail she had it in and she looked almost angelic. Angelo let her hold him for a moment before he pulled away.
"At least wait for Jubilee. Is she still in bed?" M said, glancing upstairs to where Ange and Jubilee's apartment lay.
"She's gone." His voice was hoarse, and the phrase seemed to hang in the air, broken only when M said softly in disbelief.
"What?"
"They've taken her again. Earlier tonight. They took her. Cerebro can't find her. I can't feel her." Angelo stared dully ahead, refusing to look at his friends.
Emma held up her hand for silence as everyone started talking. "We do not have much time. You were not told everything for the simple reason that you didn't need to know. Now you do." She paused, uncertain of how they would react. For many years Jubilee, even though she had been through more than most, had been regarded as the baby of the team. Emma was aware of how easy it was to see the girl...woman in that light. Jubilee was small and terribly fragile looking, while still managing to make wisecracks and laugh at life. After all she was only 20, still too young to drink but already old enough to have seen too many of her friends die. Emma glanced around the room lingering on each face, they had a right to know, and Emma knew that the longer they waited the less their chances were of finding her alive. All it would take to make the 'firecracker' vulnerable would be an inhibitor collar and an end to her captors' patience, and Jubilee was not known to acquiesce to her kidnappers' demands.
Her face expressionless, she continued. "When Jubilee freed the slaves from the mine, they regarded her as a hero of sorts. She stayed months making sure that they got to their home planets safely, or in cases where it wasn't possible, set them up in a foster planet. It took place in a sector in the far reaches off space, literally untouched by peace or civilization. So, when the planets' representatives gathered to collect their people, she took the opportunity to call for an intergalactic council. She mediated it, and at the end a treaty was signed by all that ensured peace. The slavers, the Ji'in, were forced into exile and were treated as pariahs, their lives spared only because Jubilee pleaded for them. She became known as the Kyln, a creature from a legend." The room was silent, nothing could be heard except for Angelo's harsh breathing. Emma decided to end it quickly for the sake of the man in front of her.
"Anyway, Jubilee had two advisors or friends of sorts who escorted her back to Earth. These two were responsible for making sure that the treaty was adhered to and if not, they were to inform Jubilee at once. She was contacted last night, and was told that the Ji'in have started another slave mine. Ciele, that is her friend, is currently on her way to earth to pick Jubilee up. Unfortunately, someone kidnapped her earlier tonight."
A beeping broke the silence after Emma's speech, and she consulted the small screen on the one wall of the room. Activating the message she turned to look at Angelo. "It's for you."
A dark blue face appeared on the screen, great gold eyes on it's face and it said simply. "We are coming. Prepare for our arrival in an hour." Several co-ordinates followed and Angelo stood up decisively, looking at his teammates.
"Let's get ready."
Silently, the team filed out and as they were leaving the room, Jono pulled Angelo back for a second.
*We will find her, mate.*
"She's my life, I could find her anywhere." Slapping Angelo on the back, Jono saw the determination in his eyes. "And this time it ain't going to take four years, amigo."
-in-
--Tick--
The minute hand moved another notch, a feat witnessed by six individuals. Sprawled around the command center of the mansion, the team was dressed in full battle gear watching the clock with an increasing intensity as ten, fifteen and then half an hour passed. Angelo tapped his foot impatiently as he glared at the timepiece.
--Tick--
Jono glanced at Paige who was busy monitoring satellite activity for anomalies, she shook her head slightly and Jono raised an eyebrow at Angelo.
*So wot's the game plan?*
--Tick--
"Hitch a ride to space, get Jubes, kick whoever did this to her in the ass and then comeback. Short, simple and easy." Angelo didn't even bother to look at Jono, his stare still fixated on the clock. Jono's eyes flashed, and in one fluid motion, he grabbed Angelo by the shirt and dragged him out into the hallway.
*Scuse us for a moment.*
The brightly lit hallway echoed with scuffles and squeaks as Angelo pushed Jono away.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
*Being a friend.* Jono replied.
"What do you want?"
*Listen, I know that you're worried about Jubes, but we all are. You have to get a grip man, we're all your friends here so don't start taking it out on us.*
Angelo paced up and down the corridor, his footsteps fast and uneven. Not bothering to answer, Angelo turned mid-stride and slammed his fist into the wall. "Goddammit!"
Reaching forward Jono grabbed his wrist. * Take it easy, man.*
"No, you don't get it." Angelo shook off his hand and started to pace again. "Before Jubes was taken the last time, we were like...like best friends. And then she came back four years later and I fell in love with her and she actually loved me back. You know what I was thinking that whole time? I was just hoping to hell that whatever had brought her to me and let her love me would just leave us alone. So, for three years I didn't rock the boat. Sure, we moved in together but that was it. I didn't want to give in to the happiness because you know what happens. So for three years she stayed, never complained and then I messed it up."
Jono's forehead furrowed as he tried to make sense of his ranting. *Ange...*
"I got this." Angelo reached inside his uniform and flung a small box across the floor to him. Picking the box up, Jono flipped open the lid to reveal a silver ring, exquisitely made from twisted coils of silver, surrounding a smooth sapphire.
*Oh man. You were planning to ask her to marry you.*
"What was I thinking? No marriage has ever survived our lifestyle. Look at Jean and Scott, Psylocke and Angel, Remy and Rogue, hell any of Wolverine's relationships, Bobby, Angel...anytime any of us try to get happy look what happens. Remember Ev and M, when they first found each other. That lasted a total of two weeks before he died..."
Furious, Jono shoved Angelo against the wall.
*Get over yourself. Sure, you've had some bad times, but who hasn't? Look at our team, we've managed to survive inspite of this curse you say we have. We live an extreme lifestyle and accidents are bound to happen."
Angelo slumped to the floor, his hands unclenching and clenching. "Why did I ever think that I would be allowed to be happy? I wasted three years and now I don't know if she'll make it back."
Jono stood over him and held out his hand. *We are not the X-men; we are Generation X and we make our own fate.* Pulling Angelo up, Jono gave him light punch. *You want Jubes to marry you? Then stop feeling sorry for yourself and do something, besides I hear she wants a spring wedding so get your ass in gear. Come one, Paige says she's found something.*
The two friends walked down the hall to the command center, just before entering Angelo turned to look at Jono curiously. "How do you know she wants a spring wedding?"
Jono winked at him. *Didn't you know mate? Paige and Jubes tell each other everything.*
"Everything?" Angelo choked a little, turning red.
*You know that thing with the honey and cantaloupe...?*
"Oh God..." Angelo turned even redder.
*Well, actually Jubilee projects rather loudly, especially when she gets...distracted. Plus it was when her powers were still pretty new. I'd say only the team knows about it...and most of Westchester.* Angelo glared at Jono, who looked for all the world like he was grinning his head off. Jono patted him on the shoulder comfortingly as Ange blanched as he went over how many 'melon' incidents there were *Don't worry about it, after that night Emma helped Jubes with her shields. Although, we did get some fantastic ideas.*
The door slid open and Emma glanced from one boy to the other, noting Angelo's flaming face. She smiled slightly as an image of a melon flashed. "Oh, the cantaloupes." Ignoring Angelo's fervent thought to sink into the ground and die, her face became serious. "If you're done, we have visitors."
Stepping aside, she revealed a contingent of 7ft tall, blue skinned aliens who were standing uncomfortably in the middle of the room. Standing on the far wall, looking equally uncomfortable, was the team.
*Oh boy.* Jonothon muttered.
The tallest turned to Angelo, it's mouth twisted into a smile to reveal sharp, pointed teeth. "Greetings lifemate of Kyln, I am Ciele. You called?"
-fin-
A/N: Be kind, review. =)