Apparently, only X-men are allowed at the meeting briefings, but I caught up with Professor Xavier later. After mutual greetings I apologized for meddling. He responded by saying that curiousity is not a crime and that he understood my concerns, I felt good and told him I wanted to be a student at the institute. He smiled at this and said, "Excellent. As a result you know the danger room?" I did. I saw it on a tour of the institute earlier. Some kind of weird holographic battle room. The professor continued with, "As soon as the X-men get back, meet us there. I want you to run a program designed to test your power level."
I asked, "Professor, with the X-men gone, Is the institute well protected from the brotherhood?"
The professor replied, "We have a very advanced security system. I am arguably the most powerful telepath alive, besides we won't be X-men free for long. Two X-men you haven't met yet are on their way home from recruiting another student. At that moment we heard the hanger which housed the X-Jet (the stealth aircraft that took me here) open.
The Professor then said, "Ah there they are now." As I followed him into the hangar, I saw a slightly smaller plane land and as soon as the plane engine settled, a giant blue demon popped into existance in front of me. I yelped in response. It wasn't so much his appearance. He was not much scarier looking than Dr. Mccoy. But that teleporting trick was certainly disconcerting.
Demon said, "Apologies, Fraulein."
The Professor proceded to introduce me to the german Kurt "Nightcrawler" Wagner (the demon), and Jubilation Lee AKA Jubilee, an oriental girl about my age who was exiting the plane at the same time.
Professor Xavier asked Nightcrawler to report and he told the professor that a military op claimed the new student before the X-men could arrive. The Professor replied, "That's the third time this week the military has tried to intercept new students. I think its time I called our most influential government contact."
Nightcrawler, Jubilee and I followed Professor Xavier to the X-men briefing room and pressed a button labeled "SHEILD". After a few moments, the face of a bald black man with an eyepatch filled the screen. The man said, "Charles, It's a dangerous time for us to be in contact with each other."
Professor Xavier said, "I bet it is, Nick. I have noticed a government crackdown on mutants. Is there a particular reason for this?"
Nick responded with, "Yes. One man. William Kincaid. An influential general whose wife was killed by a mutant. Turned him into the biggest anti-mutant bigot you'd ever want to meet. Created a project called operation vigilance, which he claims is perfect for dealing with quote-unquote "The mutant blight". He's been itching to find a reason to turn on me. As such I can't send Sheild forces to assist you."
Professor smirked and said, "Good thing then we almost never ask. However let me ask, the brotherhood has been active recently. They've recently stole from Muir Island a device that masks mutant DNA from scanning devices and tried to forcible recruit this girl behind me." The professor then introduced me to Nick Fury, of the government protective agency Sheild. The professor then continued with, "Cerebro has also recently detected the Brotherhoods presense at the HAARP facility in the arctic, and I've sent the X-men to intercept them. Any idea of their plans?"
Nick Fury responded, "No but I can tell you that the HAARP facility doesn't just study the northern lights, Charles. It is also a storehouse of sensitive government information. I'll set up a remote connection to their database and see if I can find out what the Brotherhood wants."
The Professor and Fury concluded their conversation and Jubilee looked at me and said, "Wow! Cool bracelet!"
I then told her about my hobby of making Jeweley using the kit my parents got me for my sweet sixteen. Jubilee and I spent the rest of the evening making jewelery and talking about what's it like having powers, (Apparently Jubilee's power is to shoot fireworks from her hands. She's a walking fourth of July celebration.) and the other X-men (apparently she's Wolverines unofficial sidekick). That evening was a relief for two reasons.
1. The fact that I had a new female friend became a relief due to the friends I probably lost forever at prom.
2. Jubilee told me that allthough Bobby is a major flirt when he settles on a girl he is completly good to her. Relieved some of my reservations about perhaps reponding to his advances.
I end this entry with some thoughts about General Kincaid and his people and the brotherhood. They probably hate each other with every fiber of their being. It's an irony how thier mindset is so similar. Both feel that the first and probably only solution to the conflict between humans and mutants is war and death. I feel good that the people I associate with feel that war and death is the last solution.
Later
Allison