Author's Note – I do not own any of the characters, Marvel and DC do.

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Chapter Seventeen

Political Asylum

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"Starship about to drop sublight!" The Major overseeing the tactical department called. "Relaying locus now."

"Understood, pass orders to the nearest vessels for intercept." The Vice-admiral on the central podium commanded, his eyes moving reflexively to the new icon flashing in the holo-display. "Do we have any clue who is coming to visit us?"

"Not at the moment." The sensor-officer called back. "Doubling up scans on the rest of the periphery, just in case this is a distraction."

"Starship has gone sublight!"

For a long moment, only electronic chirps and beeps sounded, then the tac-Major half-turned.

"We have identification. It's a Shi'ar vessel… and it's showing a large amount of damage. Looks like it barely managed the drop to realspace and… apparently power spikes are being detected! First team are moving in now!"

"Make certain they have a teleporter or speedster with them in case they need to get out fast!" The Vice-admiral commanded.

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The echoed sounds of energy weapons echoed through the darkened cell, then a pair of eyes slowly opened as a voice shouted in a language not spoken by any on the ship.

"Hey, there's someone in here and it looks like they're being tortured! You keep smashing the power nodes, I'll open this thing up."

"Kineticus, stay with Tekmage and prepare to shield him. We don't know what else is in there. Everyone else, keep moving!"

The noises faded, then suddenly, a cry of triumph heralded the opening of the door, sending light lancing into the cell, illuminating the apparatus holding its occupant so that she could only twitch and whimper.

"Shit, there's a babe in here! Looks like she's bleeding out… I need a med-team here!"

"Xavier… I have arrived…" She whispered with a faint smile, before letting the darkness swallow her.

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"Did she just say… Xavier?" Tekmage asked and Kineticus nodded, her face creased in a frown. "What the hell does she want with the head of the Xavier Academy… and how in hell does she even know him?"

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"I'm here!" Isaiah called as he barrelled into the meeting hall where most of the team were watching a holographic screen. "What's going on?"

"I got this." Connor said as he strolled over to Isaiah. "The SDF intercepted a damaged Shi'ar prisoner transport, one that had been modified to hold a single high-profile prisoner… in a torture device. The ship was attacked by parties unknown and did a crash-translation into our system. The boarding party prevented it from self-destructing and rescued the prisoner. However, when she was rescued, she said something that included Professor X's name. As such, Xavier and Lady Briton are waiting for her to finish getting dressed after her session in the med-pod so they can start asking questions."

Patriot nodded his gratitude as he joined the others. On the screen, Xavier and Braddock were waiting on a large room, Xavier in his customary (but no longer necessary) floating chair while Betsy was slowly pacing near the viewscreen set to show the moonscape. She turned as the door opened and the rescued prisoner entered, clad in a silvery-grey jumpsuit.

"Odd tattoos." Patriot noted, fingers tapping beside his eyes to indicate what he was talking about.

"Hiaatta ikkariako Xaviar?"

Xavier floated forwards and stared into the former prisoner's eyes. After a moment, she nodded and Xavier reached up, placing his fingertips on her forehead. Both of them closed their eyes for a long moment as Betsy moved one of the chairs to behind the alien woman, then Xavier broke contact. The woman staggered and Betsy caught her, guiding her into the chair.

"Attiahanatho…"

"Yarradashia hitani. Accuru hamalio English?"

"Yeallia… I mean… amazing... I can speak it!" The woman gasped, her eyes widening.

"Welcome to Moonbase Alpha, Sol system." Betsy said as she pulled up a chair of her own. "I am Lady Briton and this is…"

"Charles Xavier." The woman finished. "I know. Our minds have been meeting for a while, ever since I was placed in captivity. My name is Lillandra Neramani, former Grand Admiral of the Imperial Guard and the younger sister of Emperor D'Ken of the Shi'ar. I was imprisoned and branded as a traitor when I sought to prevent my brother from making a mistake that will doom us all. He has found the End Of All That Is, the M'Kraan Crystal, and he intends to use it to begin a war of expansion against both the Kree and the Skrulls."

"That can't be good." Patriot commented.

"That… sounds inadvisable." Xavier said slowly. "Judging from all that I have heard about the Kree and Skrull, anyone going to war against both of them at once is doomed, unless they have Kryptonian technology or better."

"You know about the Kryptonians?" Lillandra gasped. "How?"

"We have several million of them living in our solar system." Xavier smiled and Lillandra's eyes widened.

"Then… you can help?"

"I will do my best, but it will take time." Xavier replied. "You have my word."

"That was too quick." Connor grumbled. "We haven't confirmed anything she's told us."

"Actually, she is speaking the truth and nothing back." A new voice offered and everyone looked round to see Sage floating in on her own Kryptonian hover-chair, a smile on her face. "My young friend let me use his teaching her English as an opening to scan her mind. She is far more worried about her brother's megalomania and what it will do to the Shi'ar Empire."

"Maybe I should start the ball rolling." Clark mused. "Let's give her a couple of days to adjust, then I'll introduce her to the Solar Council."

"Aren't they still trying to change the requirements for membership?" Isaiah asked curiously.

"They stopped when Zod offered to take over any country trying to rules-lawyer the process." Clark laughed. "Having several million Kryptonians backing him up does give his threat a certain… validity. Of course, if not for Ursa's presence and the effect she's having on Zod, I would be rather worried given his… driven personality. Speaking of, did you know that she's my Godmother?"

"I came across her and Martha talking about how you were as a baby." Morph snickered, earning a pained look from Clark. "Martha had pulled out all of the baby photos."

"Great." Clark sighed. "Thanks, mom."

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"Welcome to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning." Charles smiled as he led Lillandra out of the Door Room and into the entrance hall of the mansion. Several of the students who were making their way through gave them curious looks, but continued on their way. "Here, we help those newly-come into their powers learn to control them, even master them."

"We were on the moon…" Lillandra said in vonder as she looked out of the windows flanking the main door. "Now we are here… how?"

"Modified Asgardian technology." Xavier supplied. "I'll try to get permission to show you later, Asgard is a truly amazing place. For now, though, we are on Earth, one of the two habitable planets in the Solar System and the original planet of the human race. The country is called America and the local area is Bayville. I know these names may not mean much to you now, but they'll help if you wish to research them."

"I will." Lillandra said in a tone that was half-acceptance and half-promise. "You train many here?"

"This is the first of the places that does, but there are others." Xavier shrugged. "New York has the Avenger Cadets, although that's more of a school-club where about half of the children have powers of some sort. It was created so that young Harry could play with other children and it kind of grew from there. A similar thing is on the west coast, Rhodey saw it and decided it was a good idea. Other superteams have followed suit, the Henshin Rangers have the Henshin Trainees, for instance. Some places like Genosha have lessons for those with powers as part of their educational curriculum. But as the first and the one linked to both the X-Men and Superman, yes. Many with powers have chosen to live in Bayville and attend the weekend lessons we offer."

Lillandra looked impressed as Charles led her to the back gardens, then he sat down on one of the chairs with a sigh.

"Sorry, I'm still working on my stamina. Med-pods may be capable of near-miraculous healing, but there are limits even for them. While it is more psychosomatic rather than physical, I do get tired out rather quickly when walking."

Lillandra raised a querying eyebrow as she sat down on the chair opposite him, leaning forwards to rest her arms on the table.

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"Looks like they're getting along well." Logan stated as he looked down at them from the balcony. "Odd, though. That dame smells like a bird, the feathered kind."

"Charles always had a thing for taking in strays." Eric Lensherr noted before taking a sip of the mug of tea he was holding. "In a way, it's how he and I met."

"Clark'll be here soon." Logan grunted. "You going to try and talk to your daughter once he's here?"

"I am." Eric confirmed quietly. "Perhaps this time, she will allow me to apologise and try to make up for my many, many mistakes with her."

"And if she doesn't, you can always hide behind the boy scout." Logan scoffed.

"A most excellent suggestion, Logan."

Logan blinked. "Wait. What?"

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"Clark!" Scott called as he vaulted out of his car. Clark smiled as he walked down the steps.

"Scott, I heard you coming. How did it go?"

"Pretty good." Scott grinned as he activated the secondary function of his watch before removing his visor. "Finished helping to demolish the buildings that were severely damaged by the Sentinels . Blob really does a lot of damage when he does a shoulder-roll into a wall. Avalanche helped by cracking several support pillars from a distance, making it easier to take down the buildings."

"It's good to see you're getting on well with them." Clark smiled as he and Scott entered the mansion. "By the way, where's Jean? Wasn't she with you?"

"She had me drop her off at the mall." Scott shrugged. "Several of the others were there and she said she'd hitch a lift back with them in the van."

Clark nodded. "Rogue went off with Storm and Jubilee to get some new clothes. Must be them that Jean's meeting up with."

"Have to admit, though, that things are rather quiet." Scott sighed, then he looked round worriedly. "Not saying I want another Sentinel attack or anything like that, but things are quite quiet."

"Probably a good thing." Clark agreed.

"Oh, any luck on un-shrinking those planets you recovered from Brainiac?"

"No." Clark growled. "We were able to unshrink Kandor, but Brainiac had obviously learned from it. He used a similar method on the planets, but one just different enough that we can't un-shrink them the same way. In addition, Tony and Reed managed to get some idea of the energy costs needed to overcome the technique he used and… six months of total planetary power output."

"Well, could you just store it up and do one at a time?" Scott asked, causing Clark to look askance at him.

"Six months… per planet."

"Oh. Um. I… see. Yeah, that would be a problem."

"Zod said that once he's finished with setting up the defensive systems he wants in place to protect Earth and New Krypton, he'll see about diverting some power generation capacity towards the planets, but it'll take him a few years."

"What's he doing?" Scott asked and Clark shrugged.

"I haven't actually asked, but the other two of the Triumvirate both approve of it, as does Ursa, so it's not going to be anything bad… hmm. Now that you mention it, perhaps I should ask. Just to be on the safe side."

Scott started to answer, then he paused.

"Sorry, Clark, the professor wants me. Speak to you soon!"

Clark turned to head to his quarters as Scott jogged off down the hall. Tilting his head slightly, he listened for three familiar heartbeats, then started to jog so that he could join them.

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"Good afternoon."

Modok froze as the unexpected voice spoke, then he manipulated the low-level repulsors in his life-support chair to turn away from the computer he was interfacing with. As he rotated, he activated the secondary scanning arrays in his chair in addition to activating (but not deploying) the energy blaster underneath his left armrest. Halting his rotation, he stared at the person smiling at him from the doorway of his hidden lair.

"you appear to be doctor armin zola, but all files indicate that he died several decades ago. are you a relative of his?"

"I am Armin Zola." The man replied, his skin briefly shifting silver and back. "Before I died, I had myself uploaded into a computer, that I would not truly die. Master Mold granted me a new body and now, I seek someone to work alongside as I resurrect Hydra once more."

"given the recent events, would such a task be possible?" Modok asked and Zola shrugged.

"I do not know. There are still remnants of Hydra out there, waiting to be re-united. I have already contacted several, very carefully, and they are ready. It will be decades before we stand a chance of making a true move once more, yet with your help, we may reduce that time…"

"no." Modok said firmly. "to reduce the time frame would be to raise the risk of failure. plans must be made, tested and adapted. resources gathered. a new base found, one that must be located somewhere that is immune to attack, giving us a chance to build our forces without being noticed by those who seek to preserve the status quo."

Zola hid a smirk as he noted how Modok had included himself in his description of what Hydra needed.

"I have spoken to one whose entire family has been with Hydra since the day it was formed. You have heard of him, noted industrialist Gideon Malick. He has even provided me with data on a portal Hydra has been experimenting with for centuries. I believe that it is worth a look. After all, locating Hydra's main base in a different reality would be extremely secure…"