SINISTER FINALE

[astonishing_xmods]

WHO: Those who signed up for the punching dinosaurs Savage Lands mission
WHAT: Time to get a cure
WHERE: Savage Land Nature Preserve
WHEN: October 10th
WARNING(S): Violence, language, etc

The Blackbird was getting quite a bit of use, lately. It left the Institute early, before the sun was properly up—from there, it was a straight line from New York to Antarctica, with no stops between. The paperwork had been cleared, official permission granted for the team to enter an international wildlife reserve. There would be no scandalous headlines of border-crossing house parties this time, thank you very much.

The glasslike surface of the Antarctic Ocean stretched away endlessly beneath the plane, disappearing into a fog-clouded horizon.

They weren’t there quite yet.

But they would be soon.

Comments

Encounter

[astonishing_xmods]

[As the fog begins to clear on the water, three shapes appear, streaking in from the west. Fighter jets.

And they’re not coming from the direction of Antarctica.

The planes break formation as they approach, two taking up positions behind the Blackbird’s wings, almost like some kind of escort.

The third flies directly in front of the Blackbird, rocking its wings in a deliberate signal. You have been intercepted, follow me. The plane begins to turn, as if to lead the Blackbird away from the Savage Land and back to sea.

As it does so, it reveals "Genoshan Acolyte Air Force" emblazoned proudly on its side.]

[psykick]

[Rinka grips the edge of her seat as the three jets take position around the Blackbird. While she's relieved they don't seem to be hostile, she wonders what will happen if the Blackbird doesn't follow them.]

Genosha? Why would they try to stop us?

Re: Encounter

[legendarybub]

Somethin' don't smell right about this...

[ In both the literal and figurative sense. Genosha had no reason to interfere in the mission. They were well outside their airspace. Furthermore, a careful glance showed that each jet was carrying a full loadout... they were prepared for a fight... ]

Keep steady... let's see if they mean it.

Re: Encounter

[anythingspossible]

Joss gazed out the window with bulging eyes.

"The Genoshan air force is out here?!" She suddenly formed a smile. "Spanken!" Joss whipped out her grappling lasso.

"Bring the black bird down lower so I can bust out and latch out on of them birds!"

[astonishing_xmods]

[The Blackbird remains steadfastly on course, neither turning to follow the intercepting jet nor descending to a lower altitude. None of the radio systems crackle to life; Storm was either deliberately not tuning into the correct frequency--or the intercepting planes weren't attempting radio contact at all.

The Genoshan jet returns to the front, closer to the Blackbird. It rocks its wings more aggressively, as if irritated--certain to flash its heavily armed undercarriage as it did so.

The implication was clear. Submit to an escort out of this airspace. Fail to comply and you will be fired upon.]

[kinofwrath]

[With a disgusted sigh Zancrow turned his attention to Wolverine]

So, what do we do? Try to fly through them, or let them escort us out?

Or. Let me deal with them.

[astonishing_xmods]

[From the overhead intercomm came Storm's voice; level as always.]

Fasten your seatbelts. Take positions to defend the plane.

[The Blackbird's engines began to whir louder, beginning to accelerate--and the plane's lights flickered off, then on again. Cannot comply with order.]

[anythingspossible]

(ooc Note: http://xavier-institute-logs.dreamwidth.org/43579.html?thread=5203003#cmt5203003)

Though Joss was talking to Rinka, she kept her ears open to everyone, which was how she overheard Zancrow.

"Cool it, hothead! Yer fire's gonna steal all our air in this plane. Besides yer fire ain't gonna have the same affect this high. Atmosphere's too thin. That's the reason I wanted this bird to go lower!"

Joss turned back to Rinka. Just then storm's voice sounded off above her. The whirring engines made Joss gulp down her fear. She was she needed to take a position, but she wasn't sure which one.

[psykick]

[After a moment's discussion with Joss, Rinka hops up to move to Zancrow's side.]

I can phase your arms so you can use your powers outside the plane. If we need to defend ourselves.

[She glances out the windows at the nearest plane.]

I have a feeling we will have to.

Re: Encounter

[psykick]

Put that thing down Joss.

[Rinka hisses quietly across the aisle to the younger girl]

We're so high up that if you fall there's no way we'd be able to catch you.

Re: Encounter

[anythingspossible]

Joss lowered her lasso.

"Ok but...What are we gonna do? Them Genoshians don't look friendly."

Re: Encounter

[psykick]

What else did you bring?

[Rinka wishes desperately she could simply phase the whole plane and everyone inside, but that was far beyond her capabilities. Up here, she just can't do much.]

Re: Encounter

[anythingspossible]

Joss shouted something at Zancrow about oxygen, but quickly turned back to Rinka.

"Not much. Got tornado the robot, communicators, multi-spectrum googles, gas mask, first aid kit, bottled water, some granola bars, and ma lasso."

Joss held up her grappling lasso for emphasize. "It's got a range of 200 feet."

Joss then shouted something to Kaede.

[friendofdorothy]

This could get awkward. Liir has little fear for his own life, but if it's found out that Gene Nation and The Son Of The Witch were shot down by the Genoshans, it could ignite a terrible Mutant People's Front vs People's Front of Mutants thing.

He rushes to the window and pulls from his backpack...a broom. A rather rustic looking one, the type you'd expect to see a witch ride. He presses it to the glass. Hopefully the pilots will see and understand the signifigance.

[long_live_the_queen]

"...Liir, they can't see you."

Actually, Kaede didn't know if they could or couldn't. She couldn't see anything but the occasional flicker of movement outside the tiny windows, after the initial disturbance of what the fuck why are there jets. She couldn't see any particular thought-colors, either; nothing of notice. Kaede didn't know who the pilots were; she didn't know what to look for.

It was...very frustrating. Only a tightening of her fists gave her away.

[friendofdorothy]

Liir grunted and stood, making his way past her and over towards the cockpit. He needed to use the radio.

Of course why he thinks it's important to show the pilots a broomstick or that he personally gets on the radio with them was...well, something Mr Quiet And Broody hadn't seen fit to tell his teammates yet.

[long_live_the_queen]

She frowned; Liir neither explained what he was doing or went to sit back down.

Kaede unfastened the security harness and stood up, pacing after him.

"What are you going to do?"

[friendofdorothy]

"Let them know who they might be killing."

Both good and bad that she was following him. It might lend support to the argument. Or it might make them think it was an attempt at a hostile takeover. He burst through to the flight cabin.

"Please, let me try the radio. I can at least make them a little more hesitant to kill us."

[legendarybub]

"Don't even think about it, kid... If they're threatening Xavier's bird with guns, you're already well past the diplomatic limits," Logan grumbled. And it was true. No connections to Oz were going to save them if Magneto had already given orders to shoot down the jet of the one person in the universe he could actually call a friend.

[droppedbucket]

Good news! Someone isn't scared or worried about this..bad News? It's because Kisume has no idea what they are of what it means. If anything? It causes her to press her face against the window in curiosity.

"What happen?"

[long_live_the_queen]

"-Kisume, get away from there!"

Part of her knew that there was no realistic risk of Kisume getting hurt through the plane window. It wouldn't be the window they had to worry about, if those jets had less than benevolent intentions.

It was also the part of her mind that Kaede was currently completely ignoring.

Her vectors reached out to grab onto Kisume, trying to pluck her away from the glass.

[droppedbucket]

"..Huh? Why?"

She hasn't even turned around nor pulled away because this is new. Kisume does squeak once she's grabbed though, since she's not sure why she needed to be away from the window.

"Bird not bad...?"

[long_live_the_queen]

"...those might be. Just. It's not safe there. Come here."

The vectors retracted, lifting Kisume over the nearest chair and over to where Kaede's physical arms could hold onto her.

[droppedbucket]

"Oh...okay Kaede."

She doesn't squirm although she's starting to worry. What was going on? Why was everyone getting worried and upset? There is a worried whimper.

"Bad happen?"

[long_live_the_queen]

Kaede folded her arms around the child, relaxing. Kisume was fine, see? If...whimpering oh god don't be sad Kisume. The horned mutant tightened her grip.

"Not yet. I'll keep you safe."

From bullets, anyway.