(no subject)

[stretchy_girl]

Who: Gemini & Charles Xavier. Open to any Heron crew who drop by.
Broadcast: Partial Audio
Action: SS Heron
When: 06/12



[There's a sad faced child sitting in a corner of the Heron's cargo bay. He's wearing the ship standard uniform and looks more than a little forlorn, although appearances as ever when it comes to Gemini are very deceptive. Nope, no shapeshifting assassins here, just a poor innocent child in need of help.]

[Private Audio To Charles Xavier]

Mister I'm here on your ship, you said I could come over and that you could help me.

Comments

[ audio > action ]

[axiomed]

Of course. I'll be right over.

[ And he does make good on his word, heading towards the Cargo bay. There is an unfamiliar mind around, which he assumes is the child but he gets a nagging feeling about it as well . . . Still, when he spots him, Charles smiles kindly. ]

There you are.

[stretchy_girl]

[The child looks up nervously as Charles enters, a sharklike almost predatory appraisal hidden behind a nervous stare.]

My mom told me not to talk to strangers.

[With that long hair Charles does look like the type mothers might warn their children to stay away from.]

[axiomed]

And she's quite right. But we're not entirely strangers, are we?

If it helps, I'll be sure to keep my distance.

[stretchy_girl]

I guess not.

That might be a good idea, I hurt people when they get too close. [Just to illustrate the point his skin suddenly bristles with razor sharp barbs that seem to extrude from every pore.]

[axiomed]

[ Charles is still amazed that there's a child mutant and no one has spoken of him. ]

How long have you had this power?

[stretchy_girl]

[That would be because he doesn't exist. Why tell the truth when a lie will work just as well?]

A few months. [There's a long pause before the sob story suddenly gushes out.]

I hurt my step-dad, it was an accident I swear! Then suddenly I was on this big space ship...I want to go home!

[axiomed]

I'm sure you didn't mean to.

[ He tests the waters of the child's surface thoughts. ]

Unfortunately, you can't go home yet. I'm sorry.

[stretchy_girl]

I didn't! It just...happened.

[He looks heartbroken, but his mind is anything but, in fact it doesn't feel at all like a child's or even a human mind, slightly female thoughts tinged with anger and malice floating around in a liquid soup, calculating how best to manipulate him.]

I know, the Captain of my ship told me that when I arrived.

[axiomed]

[ His fingers unconsciously tighten over his arm rests. ]

And who would that be?

[stretchy_girl]

[Reading body language is one of her skills, and the fingers tightening makes her mentally frown for a moment, wondering what had caused it.]

Captain Tony. He can be very rude sometimes. [Time to get off that unwelcome subject.]

You said you could help me?

[axiomed]

[ He doubts Tony would ever call himself a captain. And if he did, it would be derogatory. ]

I might be able to.

If you tell me who you really are.

[stretchy_girl]

Sorry? [The shock in his eyes is real, the thought 'how did he know' ringing loud and clear. She's determined to keep up the act though, not wanting to give anything away.]

I don't understand, I'm Michael, sir. Michael Rodriguez.

[axiomed]

[ The surprise clinches it. ]

No, you're not. The charade is over, I'm afraid. It ended once we met.

[stretchy_girl]

What is a charade, I don't...you know what fuck it!

[Michael's expression turns darker, voice changing from young and male to Gemini's own darker, angrier tones, the face remaining the same.]

How the hell did you know?

[axiomed]

[ He can't help the slight twinge of grim satisfaction. Charles isn't above some petty emotions. ]

I'm a telepath. You didn't do your research. It's common knowledge in the Fleet.

[stretchy_girl]

[Sloppy, careless, Gemini's going to be kicking herself for days. As it is he gets a fierce scowl from the child's face.]

How nice for you. Fucking mind readers.

[She lifts an arm, the move seemingly completely nonthreatening until it suddenly stretches, shooting through the air to try and coil and constrict around Charles. Neutralise the telepath by destroying his focus, it had worked for her before.]

Closed to Bucky

[stretchy_girl]

[Only a few minutes later and still inwardly seething, Gemini's pouring her way out of the air ducts in a torrent of rubbery blue goo. The blob like mass rapidly condenses back into a human form and she extends a now human hand to open the shuttle bay door, only to swear as it didn't budge an inch.

Her fingers start to extend, stretching out like snakes, flattening and trying to squeeze into the cracks of the door to wrench it open. This day hasn't gone well and she wants nothing better than to get off this wretched ship as quickly as possible.]

[reconstitution]

[ He'd gotten a call from Erik as soon as Gemini had retreated into the air ducts, which had given Bucky plenty of time to lock down the ship. All he had to do was wait once everyone was on alert and he had Renart keeping an ear to the ducts since she seemed to be the only one eager to hunt vermin in them.

He doesn't catch her odd transformation, but rounds the corner as she tries futilely to open the shuttle bay's hatch. ]

Going somewhere?

[stretchy_girl]

[The voice behind her has her spinning around, her fingers retracting instantly from the door as she looks Bucky up and down and smiles in satisfaction.]

I am now, you're going to open this door for me.

[reconstitution]

Denied.

[ Yeah, he's not in for any of your bullshit, Gemini. Especially since his crew was just attacked, there is no generosity to be found here. ]

[stretchy_girl]

Yeah, that's not a choice sad eyes. You're going to open this door.

[Oh well she asked nicely. Without further ado her arms divide into tentacles and shoot forward with the intention of coiling around any part of Bucky they can reach.]

[reconstitution]

[ Well that's not good. As soon as her arms shoot forward, he dives to the side, rolling out of the way.

The dead metal of his left arm makes it awkward, but there's not time to think about that. ]

[stretchy_girl]

[The tentacles elongate and curl after him, even though Gemini herself hasn't moved. Three go for his legs, two for his torso, one for the weapon and two for that dangerous looking metal arm while the last tries to wrap around his throat. She's trying to incapacitate and restrain Bucky as quickly as possible, although she can't resist a good gloat.]

Never fought anything like me before huh? Quick lesson; you can dodge all you like but this is only going to end one way. [Overconfidence is one of her weaknesses, can you tell?]

[reconstitution]

[ He's never come up against anyone like this before, and not being at his full capacity isn't helping matters. Once Bucky gets to his feet, two of those tentacles wrap around his right leg and one around his right. They're stronger than they look, and there's not time to break away from them before there are more- but damned if he isn't going to try.

Weapon knocked out of his hand, he uses the opportunity to try and pull the tentacle away from his neck. ]

Not with me opening the door.

[stretchy_girl]

[The tentacles are much like tough, strong, living elastic bands, giving slightly when he pulls only to flex back harder the moment he relaxes. She's trying to bind Bucky's arms to his sides and his legs to each other and truss him up so he can't move a muscle, unknowingly underestimating the power of that metal arm.

All the while Gemini's watching him struggle, and can't resist a mocking laugh at his predicament.]

Oh really? We'll see. [She starts to retract the tentacles, slowly pulling Bucky closer to her and the door, manipulating the tentacles to yank up his non-metal hand.