2015.11.17 - Planning (Juggernaut Strategies Part 7)

{{LogPage
 * title=
 * summary=  Ruth Aldine (Blindfold) requests to speak with the X-Men Field Commanders
 * location= Xavier's Mansion, War-Room
 * date=     11-7-2015
 * emitter=
 * players=  Logan, Scott Summers, Ruth Aldine
 * npcs=
 * groups=   X-Men
 * tone=     Social
 * rating=   Public
 * reason=
 * logtext=

Having given the two leaders a heads up Ruth came in search of them. Knowing they would be in the danger room she knocked on the door before the doors whooshed open and she walked in wearing her blindfold over her eyes and a purple shawl. There by the door she stood unobtrusively to wait for them to be ready, not wanting to interrupt.

The message had found Scott in the middle of a lesson plan for the coming week, but he set it aside to come down and meet with Blindfold at her urgent request. Upon arriving he sat down at one of the consoles to go through a training sequence he had written a few weeks back and hadn't had an opertunity to field test yet while he waited for Logan and Blindfold to arrive.

Turning a little when the door wooshes open, Scott cuts his eyes to the side behind his glasses, and offers a clipped nod. Then he's looking back down at the console where his fingers click at light sensor keys cast upon the digital frame of the board itself.

Going into the room before Ruth, Logan gave a nod to cyclops. The man was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans. Cowboy boots thunked against the metal floor. Sitting down in a chair he gave a cordial greeting, "Cyclops." Logan looked at Cyclops and said very firmly, "We got our asses kicked the last time we took on Juggernaut," the words held some bitterness laced with being upset with himself. Deep down he felt like they shouldn't have gone into the Bronx with so few people. He felt like they had a no choice, it was a now or never situation. Unfortunately, Juggernaut bested all of them.

"We need another option," Logan said before going to the door to the woman that called them together. His gaze went to Scott expecting some comment or reaction. A moment later the door was opened, and Ruth was waved in with a simple head motion. Sitting back down, his blue eyes lingered on Ruth. "Scott, this is Ruth if ya haven't met her. She's an empath n' precog."

Ruth smiles to them both with a warm nod "I wish I were empathic sometimes, yes thank you but no sorry I astral project and see the past and future, yes please. Thank you both kindly for meeting me, there is more then one topic to discuss, yes sorry. I wish I had good news, my apologies for that yes. First, The Brotherhood, yes please. Gambit has been known to be a wild card, unpredictable, yes sorry it's true but he's not yet as he is destined to be. The brotherhood is not evil and does not intend any harm nor conflict with the school, please yes. The brotherhood is working towards good means and Professor Xavier has been helping yes please. Your team to keep an eye on Gambit and The Brotherhood and counter them is not needed, they mean no harm, please sorry. Gambit's intentions in Mutant Town aren't selfish, he wants to better Mutant Town for all its residents, please yes. Yes sorry, it's true Gambit does lead the Brotherhood but it has not been recruiting from the school, he leads because I talked him into it, because otherwise The Brotherhood was going to destroy the future, that's not something I can stand by and watch happen, sorry yes. In doing so I simultaneously talked my way into being his advisor, to steer things in the right direction, and guide him to be what he is destined to be, yes thank you. The Brotherhood with Professor Xavier's help is working toward trying to stop a great and terrible evil from happening, something that will destroy everything we know, it will cease to exist, yes please. There will come a day though when Gambit settles down and becomes a family man, respected as a teacher and friend and commrade in the field, please yes. Alex can't be allowed to kill everyone on the Brotherhood, please no, the friction must be put to an end, please thank you"

Scott is listening, but doesn't show in his mannerisms as he continues to work on the console without looking up after greeting Logan upon entry. "We'll come up with something." He finally says after plugging in a few new variables, "Long plans. He wants a direct attack, we need to try something subtle to counter his bull in a China shop." What that is will have to wait. Blindfold steps in and with her introduction, Scott turns in his chair to regard her.

As she goes on his expression remains nuetral for him tugging lightly on his beard. "You're going to have to forgive me if I don't take that at face value." He says in his usual curt manner, but not dismissive. "What garantees do we have that his intentions are as altruistic as you're saying they are? And why would Alex destroy everyone in the Brotherhood?" Sure, his brother is a hothead, but he's not a murderer?

Ruth sighs "If you really need, then check with Professor Xavier on the brotherhood, I'm only telling you what I know and what I see, I was hoping you would trust me, sorry please." frowning sadly "Alex will do what he thinks he needs to and is willing to cross that line that few here are, sorry yes. The brotherhood was going to destroy the future, it's why I talked Gambit into taking leadership when Mystique stepped down, with me guiding Gambit and him leading, the brotherhood won't destroy the future, please thank you. However, there is friction between the Brotherhood and the school and it stems from here, yes sorry. You have the power to stop it, The brotherhood is not an enemy, please yes. They're working on stopping something foretold in Destiny's diaries, my great grandmother's diaries and a fight, a war between the team you're creating and the Brotherhood...we don't need more bloodshed, please yes." she presses her lips together and frowns like someone who was about to cry would "I don't want to see anyone else get hurt or die, please thank you, I'm just trying to stop the bad things I see from happening and let more of the good things happen, so that maybe...maybe when I leave this world I can leave it a little better then it was when I entered. There is no reason for the Brotherhood and your team to be at odds, not when you're working towards the same goals, yes sorry, such conflict is the pinacle of senseless"

Scott's hackles remain neutral, his expression curious, but never flinches away from Blindfold. If what Logan has said is true, the woman sees the future... or tip toes through it in a manner that gives her a better understanding of what will transpire across various lines. "What happens if the second team is never created? In your visions, you only see a world where the two groups come to a head, but what is the outcome if one never exists at all?" Now he stands up, but it's not to leave or with any force. He sounds interested, but still cautious as he continues to speak. "In my experience, toying with spartial reality is like trying to play the ochordian with a hammer. You might hit the right cord every once in a while, but eventually you're going to break the instrument." That's the physics professor in him. "You're also talking about parallel dimensions since Precognition is a manner of changing time to what 'could be', not to what it is."

Ruth shakes her head before her face follows Scott "That's what philosophers and such like to theorize, yes sorry, I don't see what might be, I see what /will/ be if things are not changed. If one team is never created then I /will/ guide Gambit in the right direction and he will reach his potential and be a good and loved person in the community, what will happen to Mutant Town...sadly my regrets as too many things have been seen and not changed yet, Mutant Town may not survive but it will not be Gambit's fault, he will do everything he can to make Mutant Town a prosperous and shining place a refuge for Mutants, where they can be safe and achieve their dreams, please yes.If one team is never created then conflict and strife will not bloom between the two in a war, but understanding here must happen, both can work together or seperately but friction must be smoothed or there will always be suspicion and distrust and in a team of X-men that means a team that isn't working together, please sorry. The past and the future have been mine to see since I was born, I hope to help the X-men just as much as the Brotherhood, for what use is having a power if you don't use it to do good, please yes. Alex is easy to resolve, well easier then other things, other people yes sorry. I'm not talking different dimensions, I don't see those, I see this dimension and the route in has taken and will take, time and the future is not as unwritten as most like to think but the choices we make can change the route we were going to take, please yes, my sight does not change things, I see things as they are, were or will be but what I do with that knowledge changes it, thank you yes. So much could be said but then so much would change, to find what needs to be known is the tricky part, to reveal just enough to turn the future away from the bad and towards the good, yes thank you"

"You're making guesses based on visions. As far as you know, one team not being created could directly result in the implosion of the Brotherhood into all out war with the X-Men." Scott motions with a hand, lifted out in a vague direction, but he sounds no more upset than ever. He almost sounds to be enjoying the debate. It isn't often he gets to discuss spartial reality with someone who can -see- it rather than hypothesis it. "Can you se possible futures or only -what is-.. because me saying I won't create the team is defining a potential future, which by your very reasoning, you cannot view yet.. So to see if your hypothesis is correct, you'd have to convince me that you are, and then view what happens... Which you've no way of doing until everything transpires in a particular way. We call that circular reasoning." Scott returns to his seat and leans back with a sigh, "But I'm not against sitting down with Gambit and smoothing this all out. Despite what you clearly think, I don't want a war with him or the Brotherhood.. I want the best for Mutant Town. So explain to me why your vision, the one with Gambit leading the Brotherhood, is the one that needs to happen? What happens if you talk him out of his course and the 'other team' helps Mutant Town?"

"Will you two knock it off already?" Logan looked at the two of them, his voice was annoyed and the same emotion filled his face and eyes. "Point is the future can change. She's doin' her skills to make the best outcome, but neither of you will know what'll happen when it happens. I don't mind Scott makin' a second team."

Ruth was given a quick look before she could say anything, "Gambit's gotta earn my trust. I've seen the guy help out, but I've seen one of the missions of him doin' crap wit' the diaries. I was there in Madripoor, it was a confusin' cluster f*ck of an operation. I don't know what the point of it was, but all I know is things went South. Gambit was doin' something, clearly there was an agenda, whether it helps the angels or devils, I don't know. I ain't sayin' he's bad, I ain't sayin' he's good either. To me, he's neutral til' he shows his colors," Logan's view was that simple. He was unable to get a feel for Gambit. While some mutants were saying Gambit was the devil, Logan wasn't one of them. He didn't think the Brotherhood was bad. Right now, he viewed them as needing to do more before the man could say one way or another.

"Besides, the more you two debate on things the more matters with juggernaut are gonna go unresolved. Ain't that the one threat the three of us can agree on?" Logan asked the two of them very pointedly. Logan may not have been an enemy to the Brotherhood, but he was more to them than some others in the mansion. It was like they thought the team was inherently evil because they saw a bad movie, or read a book, that featured The Brotherhood as some antagonistic group.

Ruth shakes her head with a grin "Gambit needs to lead the Brotherhood and /I/ will keep any bad things from happening, I say this not because I saw what will happen if he leads but I saw what will happen if he doesn't, yes sorry. I can't see what might be, I see what will be, if the course is not changed, once things change then I see the new future and not the old, my great grandmother could only see forward, not backward, yes thank you. You saying you won't create the team would be a lie, you're already working on it, sorry yes. Time...the future is less like an ever dividing line and more like a singular line that twists and turns like a snake" then nods to Logan "Madripoor...yes it didn't go as it was hoped, but neither did the mission to the desert and that Gambit had no part in aside from traveling companion, sorry yes. Those missions are part of the Brotherhood's work, I would tell you if I saw it end horribly but he honestly is trying to stop some horrible event that has even the P{rofessor worried, my Great grandmother was quite confusing though and Mystique only showed part of the diaries, it's like a puzzle you're trying to put together and get a picture of but you don't have all the pieces, yes sorry. That's not to say theirimpressions if it are wrong but it's not going to be straight forward and clear either, I'm hoping to help clear the waters, please yes. Yes thank you, Juggernaut is a threat we can all agree on. What's more is two other things I have seen, I know who will try to kill your daughter, Hope, sorry my apologies this is where it gets messy and intertwined"

Scott turns to Logan and waves a hand of concent. "We can agree on that, yes." He still isn't annoyed, never has been. Only curious, possibly a little disbelieving, but mostly just cautious. His intentions remain every bit the same, but he's not above or beyond taking Ruth's suggestions into consideration. There is not direct, or even indirect, intention to confront Gambit or the Brotherhood unless they're made to.

He can only hope they're not and take steps to assure it.

As for his daughter... "What about Hope, now?" One of his kids from the future. Is it any wonder he's hesitant to believe that the future is already written if every kid he meets tells him they come from a different version of hell?

Logan raised a brow at the mention of Hope, then he shook his head. Keeping focused on Juggernaut, "Last time we fought against him we got our asses kicked," Logan was being completely serious on that one. It was not a friendly fight. "We need more tactics, people, n' a psychic to help us," Logan was explaning this since out of the three of them, he was the only one present for the battle. He was hoping Ruth could have seen the results.

Blindfold nods grimacing at the mention of the fightas though she'd seen it "I can try to organize perhaps, tell people where and how to attack, when to dodge, yes sorry. I did find a telepath but not very strong, perhaps her empathy will help us though, Alex seems to have already brought her in, yes sorry. The future is already written but not unchangeable, sorry yes. I aid Alex will kill the Brotherhood to save the future, and that is what I saw if Bishop doesn't beat him to it, sorry yes. Bishop is coming and he wants Hope dead, but he isn't coming until the pheonix returns from recuperating in space with Jean's memories and it will destroy all of New york, the city, westchester everything and the surrounding areas, leaving nothing but a crater, the school will be gone Jubilee will be the only who has even the slightest ability to resurrect a similar school and Gambit will homeschool his children, yes sorry"

Scott reaches up to rub his temples, indirectly facepalming in the process, "Okay. Okay... OKAY!" It's the first time he's raised his voice above a conversationally appropriate whisper, "I get it. Everything in the future sucks. Let's talk about now... how do we stop -Juggernaut-... NOW.. Preferably without setting off a chain of events that leads into a Saved by the Bell Reunion."

"What the hell is 'Saved by the Bell?'" Logan asked, he didn't watch much television during the 80s and early 90s. His gaze went to Blindfold, "The future might be changeable. You've told Nate about the times he's gonna die, but he's still alive, right?" Logan was just trying to reason with her. Plus he didn't believe the Brtherhood was going to be killed by Alex. Bored to tears? Maybe, because Alex was still a Summers. Then he looked at Blindfold and shook his head, "This stuff ain't written in stone, kid."

Ruth makes a 'face' at Logan, then grins sympathetically "Sorry, my apologies I wanted to tell you everything you needed to know that was important but I should have made it easier to absorb, yes sorry." though she couldn't hide a /slight/ bit of amusement at it either and guilt at the amusement...she wasn't as good at the neutral face as Scott. Then she turns her head toward Logan again "Yes, and he doesn't admit it but he lives because of the warnings, thank you yes. How do you think I fight though, if I might ask please? I see the attacks before they happen, where someone will be be, not where they are, yes thank you" smiling at Logan as she found amusement in her use of her abilities.

"Alright." Scott smooths his hair back and pulls it into a loose ponytail, "So we can all agree that the future sucks." Leaning forward so his arms can lay across his knees, "Let's get back on track."

"Juggernaut," Logan asked again the annoyance showing in his face. His blue eyes went to Ruth and Cyclops, as he was trying very hard to be calm right now. The future meant jack and his friend sh*t if they couldn't have solved the problem of today. Growling a little he tried to calm himself, "WE need more people, not just telepaths, our plan was good, but we didn't have the numbers to make it effective," the man admitted much to his dismay.

Ruth smiles warmly and walks over to hug Scott "It doesn't have to suck, we can change it, we can fix it, yes please" still so full of optimism despite everything, despite what she's been through, and despite what she sees. Then after a long moment she walks over to Logan and hugs him too "I know, yes sorry, it's frustrating not being able to fix the problems now, /right/ now. We can't let it get to us though, we let our frustration build into anger and vengence, please thank you. The question is, do we want to try recruiting one by one, greenies who don't necessarily know how to fight or control their abilities and definitely don't know how to fight together as a group with us, or do we want to pull in help from a superhero team of some kind, please yes? New recruits take time to mesh, take time to train, sorry yes. Like you said, we have a good plan, the problem is our odds, numbers aren't in our favor, yes sorry. I can try astral projecting to find Cain and spy on him, yes please"

Nobody will ever confuse Scott for a hugger, but he's not a brute either... He's just awkward about it. Not sure what the hell happened even after it's already happened, he just sits there staring at Blindfold as she goes off to offer a similiar gesture to Logan. "Uh..." It takes a second to collect his thoughts, "Super teams bring questions we're not ready to answer. Individually, maybe we can get some outside help, but I don't want to outsource our problems and make it appear like we want them getting in our business everytime we have a threat we don't immediately have a solution for."

"We need telepaths, strong people, n' despite the risks...Aerial was good to have out there," her gravity defying powers were a boon in Logan's mind. Sure, she focused too much on crowd control sometimes, but that was a second risk with the woman. Crossing his arms he tried to think more on the subject, "We need someone like Rogue or Collussus there to help be a distraction. Hell, we could use both," Logan said as he was slowly reconstructing the fight and what he felt would have changed it for the better. "A telepath too."

Ruth grins at Scott with a soft shake of her head "You should get more in touch with your emotions, stop trying to keep walls up and everyone at arm's lenght, yes you're welcome, you can be a strong figure to lead and still be less stiff" so awkward and so well meaning she thought of scott. "Telepaths, talk to Alexandrine, she's not a strong telepath but her empathy might be of use, Illyana would be of help on the feild too, yes thank you. The problems between them seem to be fairly normal, a bit beyond normal sibling rivalry but not completely out of the scope of stepfamily, yes please, the trouble is Cain's anger, his bitterness and resentment about events that happened between them amplified by..whatever gives him his ability, it blinds and shields him from seeing both sides, yes sorry, I still have hope that if we catch him maybe I can get through to him. Nate and rachel are still our best telepaths, yes please"

"I bet we could ger Rogue involved easy enough." Scott agrees with Logan on that point and does his best to pretend he didn't just get a lesson in emotional sharing from Blindfold. It's hard, but he manages. He even forces a smile. It is very forced. Like scary. Too much teeth. "We get Nate or Rachel close enough and she's right.. they could probably get into his head. What about the Professor? What's his status on this confrontation? Be nice having him around for it."

"Illyana's good for a fight," Logan said approvingly of Ruth's idea. The man was very quiet after that. Talks of sibling rivalry were lost on him. He was familiar with the emotions behind it, but Logan was unable to relate to it on a personal matter.

More names were rattled off. Logan gave nods to them. Then one name stood out, "Chuck wants to help, but being physically on the field would make the guy bait. Best if he does his thing form afar n' let someone like Nate, Jean, Rachel, anyone one of them do the work on the field. We need Ruth present too. Maybe Ruth can create emotions in Juggernaut that are calmin', good times from the past, Alexandrine amps up the emotion, n' Chuck goes in fer the kill. This is after we get his helmet off..." Logan was spitballing, but one question lingered, "What about containment?" It was hard to contain Juggernaut.

Sometimes it was good to be blind, sadly Ruth could still see that scary toothy forced smile. Ruth walks over and tries to use her index fingers to adjust that smile to something less scary and warmer "Like that, yes you're welcome" chuckling "Otherwise you'll remind people of Arnold Schwartzeneger in the new terminator movie, but keep working on it, that's all any of us can do, keep working on ourselves while we help others, yes please." then she nods her head "I can try reminding him of some happy times from his past, yes thank you. Do we have a chair or table we can strap him into, or a coffin sized cage or something, please yes? If he can't move, then no momentum, deadstop, yes thank you. Illyana might be able to do something with her magic, fighting for me is like...a play by play, I sometimes see what's going to happen next but always five steps ahead, sorry yes"

Scott raises a hand towards Blindfold at her suggestion, "We need Shadowcat. Her phasing would be extremely effective in keeping him pinned down while we work on getting his helmet off." That being said, "I still say we need to work the battlefield ahead of time. The more traps we have in place, the better prepared we'll be for any tricks he might have up his sleeve..." There aint many, but they're pretty effective.

"We just need ya to get in there on the field Ruth. We ain't gonna have time for ya to be surgical about it," Logan said in a firm voice. His gaze went to the woman. That was time they weren't going to have, "I haven't seen Shadowcat in ages, Scott. Don't include her ont he plan until one of us sees her," Logan's voice was very firm on that one.

Blindfold tilts her head, likely sifting through some info "Would super speed be useful, please thank you? Also, if we don't have Miss Pryde to phase him into the ground up to his knees, then what about a sink hole trap, please yes? Or an electrified net to slow him down, his helmet and chest armor are metal, the electricity might be enough to stun him, and the net would tangle him up so he couldn't move, please thank you?" she throwing out ideas, after all she wasn't in charge, it wasn't her call.

Scott rubs his face in both hands, "Mm.." Then he sits up straight and glances around, "I know." He says about Shadowcat, which is disturbing enough, but she has a tendency to disappear for a while. They always come back. "I'm just thinking out loud... things that would make life easier." This is why taking on someone like Juggernaut is difficult. Get use to working with a group with specific abilities and then they go do their own thing. It happens, that's life, but it makes the constant threat ever present. "What about Hank? Hasn't he been around lately?"

Ruth tilts her head again as she thinks "Hmm when Billy Btson becomes a student soon, he'll be good in a fight too, very strong but from a magical source, yes thank you, able to fly and other abilities" then looks to Logan "Though I'd keep a closer tab on your phone around your 'friends', a woman with a big rack found out about poker night and took your place, lieing about you being out of town, lies galore actually, yes sorry"

"Billy Batson? Isn't he a Titan?" Scott furrows his brow at Ruth, then looks to Logan. Are they changing the criteria for recruitment and he didn't get a memo?

"Who said Billy's becomin' a student?" Logan asked. Billy was allowed to be a friend, allowed to be an ally, but being part of the team was different. His eyes looked at Ruth, "Yer not exactly narrowin' it down," he then looked at the table. "We got Kaydin if we need a speedster," that was an option they needed to consider.

Ruth first nods to Scot then shakes her head at Logan "He met with Professor Xavier, he wants to finish his schooling here, the Professor is looking at his situation and looking to see which teachers would be willing to teach him, student yes, titan yes, x-man no, he's not a mutant sorry please. He's very strong though and can fly and his powers come from some magical source, yes thank you"

Scott is pacing now. Listening to both, certainly, but pacing back and forth across the floor. His hands lace back behind his head as he considers, ultimately deciding, "No... Billy Batson isn't a mutant.. Is he a mutant?" From Ruth to Logan and back again.

"No. I'm not sure how that even happened," Logan said softly. He was trying to think on it a little bit. Billy wasn't going to fly with a lot of people, that was the only thing the man could fathom. His blue eyes closed, "So we just all need to be there, get Rogue to distract, same with Piotr. Others can get the helmet off so Alex, Ruth n' a telepath can break him?" Logan said of the strategy for juggernaut.

Ruth shook her head at Scott "Billy is not a mutant no, his powers come from a magical source, but just like Kaydin he is a teen titan, sorry yes" Then turns her head at Logan "My only concern with being physically present in the fight is that if Cain sees me he won't trust me at all for the reconciling, sorry yes. I could do the same thing from inside though, I could even astral project myself onto the battlefield, sorry yes. Hmm, would a concussive blast do any good against him, please thank you, I can do it but I can only hit as hard as a heavy weight boxer, levitating things is even trickier, I can't float a car, sorry yes"

"How about Bobby? We could ice the ground and get rid of his traction?" Scott offers with a thought, glancing between them after something Ruth says. "It might not stop him, but it could keep him from charging any of us while we pound on him a little from a distance."

"Aerial can dosimilar, havin' both woudl kep our options open," Logan looked at the clock and sighed. "So, you wanted us to talk to Alexandrine, Ruth?" he wanted to be sure it was okay to bring Alex into the fold more. His eyes on the group for a moment. His mind was thinking, "Nate can keep ya in a bubble, Ruth." If they had people that had the ability to create shields...she was going to be needed for the battle.

Ruth nods "I could try levitating him but my directional control lacks finesse, yes sorry" then smiles warmly to Logan "Havok already recruited her to the school and you said it yourself our numbers are kinda weak, we could use the help, her empathy might prove useful, yes please. A bubble, as in one that people can't see me in or a forcefield bubble, sorry yes? she was curious but didn't seem afraid of getting hurt in the fight nor did anything about her seem like the reckless type.

"It's just gettin' them to show. Just figurin' that out. We'll get more people, but it's gettin' late gang. We should head out," Logan rose up from his spot. There was a lot to take in tonight, even when someone discluded the visions given by Ruth. From there, he stretched a little. "C'mon...I'll get ya beer Slim," heading out of the room he waited for the others to leave with him. They had a lot to digest today. "We could use the break."

Ruth nods before stretching and yawning tiredly, showing just how much everything weighed on her little shoulders. Did she ever get a peaceful night's sleep? Who knew. "Gimme a few years and I might join you, yes thank you" and headed out with Logan but not to get a beer but to go to sleep...maybe.

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